Infant Baptism Plainly Proved, Tract · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
The Introduction. The firſt ſubordinate Propoſition propoſed, explained, proved by a threefold Conſideration.
SOlomon tells us, The Scorner ſeeketh Wiſdom, but findeth it not; but to him that underſtandeth, Knowledge is eaſy, Prov. 14.6. Or as ſome read the latter Branch, To him that is prudent, Knowledg is light. In which Proverb we have a twofold Qualification, neceſſary for Inquirers after Truth, viz. Humility and Prudence; the former to their Enjoyment of Divine Aſſiſtance and Teachings, the latter to the right management of the Enquiries made: through the concurrence of both which, their Enquiries will become both eaſy and ſucceſsful. The Uſefulneſs of the latter, only to touch upon that, the ſame wiſe Man ſufficiently implies in another of his ſacred Adagies, where he tells us, The Heart of the Prudent getteth (or as ſome read) poſſeſſeth Knowledg, Prov. 18.15. Others may ſeek after it, but it is the Prudent that is inriched with the Knowledg of it.
Not to inſiſt upon the various Reſpects in which Prudence is neceſſary, and ought to be exerciſed in Enquiries made after Truth, ſo as that the Mind may come to be enriched with the Knowledg of it, I ſhall only ſay, That he that is furniſhed with, and hath the Uſe and Exerciſe of ſo much Prudence, as thereby to be directed in a right Entrance upon his ſearch, will find himſelf under no ſmall advantage, more regularly and delightfully to proceed in, and at laſt arrive at the deſired Succeſs of the Search the makes; and no where can the Entrance upon the Search after any Truth be made more rightfully, or with more hope of Succeſs, than at the firſt; at leaſt more plain and expreſs Revelations that God hath made thereof unto his Church. The entrance of thy Word, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, giveth Light, Pſal. 119.30. Or, the Door of thy Word. So the Seventy uſually tranſlate that word. Suppoſe a large Fabrick or Building, furniſhed with variety of Rooms and Appartments, the whole Curioſity framed after the manner of a Labyrinth, each Room having a Clew of Silk or Thread leading thereunto, all meeting together at the Door; now as the opening the Door lets in Light, whereby a more general View and Proſpect of the whole may be taken, ſo the ſeveral Clews leading to their reſpective Rooms or Appartments diſcerned; and let a Man take hold of the right Clew, and keep his hold of that, it leads him ſafely through all the Windings and Turnings, to the Room he intends to take up his reſidence in; otherwiſe he is bewildred, and loſeth himſelf. To ſuch a Fabrick or Building we may compare the whole Syſteme of Divine Doctrine contained in the Scriptures, and ſome ſuch Alluſion the Pſalmiſt ſeems to have had in his Eye. Thus, as by the firſt ſupernatural Revelations of Divine Truth, the Door to this glorious Fabrick was opened; ſo they contain ſome (though more dark and obſcure) Notice and Diſcoveries of all the main and fundamental Doctrines of, or appertaining to the Covenant of Grace; which if a Man's Underſtanding take hold of, and he follow according as further Light is gradually vouchſafed, they will be as a Clew whereby he ſhall be ſafely led to a clear Sight and Underſtanding of that Doctrine he is enquiring after, ſo as comfortably to act his Faith, and ſuit his Practice thereunto.
As for Inſtance, Take it of that Divine Oracle given out to Adam, concerning the Seed of the Woman breaking the Serpents Head, and the Serpents bruiſing his Heel. As by the giving out of this Divine Oracle the Door was firſt opened; ſo there is in it a general Comprehenſion of the Sum and Subſtance of all the Doctrines contained in, and communicated to us by the Scriptures, appertaining to the Eſſence and Subſtance of the Covenant of Grace, and anſwerably it would be of no ſmall advantage unto Men in order to their clear underſtanding of, and eſtabliſhment in many, if not moſt Doctrines appeartaining to the Covenant of Grace, to make a thorow Enquiry into, and get a clear Knowledg of the full Mind of God in that Divine Oracle. This might eaſily be made to appear in ſundry Inſtances; but to wave all others, let me only inſtance in that Doctrine I have been, and ſtill am pleading for, viz. Concerning the Covenant-Intereſt and Baptiſm of the Infant-ſeed of Believers.
That God in this Oracle did not altogether obſcurely intimate his Will concerning the Infant-Seed of his People, hath been ſhewed by another Hand. And ſhould I have begun my Enquiries here, it had neither been impertinent nor unprofitable: but becauſe the Light held forth in this firſt Oracle for the diſcovery of the Mind and Will of God about the Doctrine pleaded for, is (as muſt be granted) but dim and obſcure, and conſequently hardly diſcernable by ordinary Capacities, I have rather choſen to enter upon my Enquiries at the Eſtabliſhment of the Covenant with Abraham, an Account whereof we have in Gen. 17.7. And I have the rather entred upon my Enquiries here, becauſe the Covenant was then entred with Abraham, not only as perſonally conſidered, but as the Father of all the Faithful that ſhould ſucceed in all after Ages; and that for an everlaſting Covenant, to endure invariable as to the Eſſence and Subſtance of it throughout all Generations, ſo long as Abraham ſhould have a Seed upon the Earth. And entring upon our Enquiries here, we ſhall immediatly diſcern ſuch evident Notices of the Mind and Will of God concerning the Infant-Seed of his People, as upon which our Underſtandings taking hold, and we being guided by the further Manifeſtations, that God from time to time, till the ſealing up of the Viſion, as Daniel ſpeaks, hath made of his Mind and Will concerning them, we ſhall, as by a ſafe Clew, be led to ſuch a clear Inſight into, and Underſtanding of the Agreeableneſs of that Practice we inquire after, to the Mind and Will of God, as we may comfortably acquieſce and proceed on therein.
For the clearing up of which, let a threefold Propoſition, with that Evidence the Scriptures both of the Old and New Teſtament give unto each of them, be carefully attended to.
Prop. I.
That when God at the firſt Eſtabliſhment of his Covenant with Abraham, promiſed to be a God to him, and to his Seed in their Generations; he in that Term [Seed] intended his natural Children, immediatly proceeding from his own Loins.
Prop. II.
That this grand Promiſe of the Covenant is continued to New-Teſtament Believers, in the ſame Extent and Latitude in which it was at firſt given to Abraham.
Prop. III.
That all thoſe that are under, or are the actual Subject of that grand Promiſe of the Covenant, are the due Subject of Baptiſm.
Suppoſing the Truth of theſe three Propoſitions, none can with the leaſt ſhew of Reaſon queſtion the Agreeableneſs of that Practice of Infants Baptiſm (the Practice enquired after, and by us contended for) to the Mind and Will of our Lord Chriſt. To begin with the firſt, Viz.
Prop. I.
When God at the firſt Eſtabliſhment of his Covenant with Abraham, promiſed to be a God to him, and to his Seed in their Generations; be by that Term [Seed] firſtly and immediatly intended his natural Children, and that as immediatly proceeding from his own Loins.
For the right underſtanding of this Propoſition, and preventing all Miſtakes about it, I readily grant, yea poſitively affirm, that together with his natural Children, his Spiritual Seed, viz. true Believers, whether living under the Old or New-Teſtament-Adminiſtration, were included, and as taken of his natural Seed. I do not ſay, that his Children immediatly proceeding from his own Loins were only, but this I ſay, they were firſtly and immediatly intended. I readily grant, the Promiſe had a reſpect unto, and did include all the natural Jews, yea, even thoſe yet in being. Yet this muſt be carefully obſerved, That though in this Term [Seed] God intended and had reſpect to all Abraham's natural Poſterity, as well as his Children immediatly proceeding from his own Loins; yet he did not intend, nor had reſpect to both as falling under one and the ſame Notion had Conſideration. As for his Children immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, he intended and had reſpect to them, as ſeverally and particularly conſidered; that is, he intended and had reſpect to each of them in particular, as Iſhmael and his Children by Keturah, as well as Iſaac; but as for his Poſterity, mediately proceeding from him, as all the Jews in following Ages, God intended and had reſpect to them in this Promiſe only as more generally conſidered; that is, he intended and had reſpect to them only in general, as Abraham's Poſterity, but he intended them not, nor had reſpect to them as ſeverally and particularly conſidered. Hence no one of Abraham's Poſterity, beyond thoſe that did immediatly proceed from his own Loins, had this Promiſe appertaining to them, as ſingularly or particularly conſidered meerly as of his natural Seed; but whoſoever among them were in Covenant, or had the Promiſe appertaining to them, they were either ſuch as had perſonally taken hold of the Covenant themſelves, or were the natural Children of thoſe who had ſo done. So that for the underſtanding the full Mind of God in that grand Promiſe, we muſt diſtinguiſh of this Term [Seed], or of this Seed of Abraham, to whom the Promiſe was made, as thus; Abraham's Seed is either Natural, or Spiritual. Again, take it of his Natural Seed, ſo they were either ſuch as proceeded immediatly from his own Loins, or ſuch as proceeded from thoſe who originally deſcended from him, and were on that account to be reckoned as of his Poſterity. Now take the Promiſe as reſpecting both Abraham's natural Seed immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, and alſo his Spiritual Seed; ſo it was intended of, and had reſpect to each of them in particular: But take it as reſpecting his natural Seed, mediatly deſcending from him in after Ages; ſo it intended and had reſpect to them only in the general, but did not intend, nor had reſpect to any taken apart and ſingly by themſelves. As for Inſtance, take the Promiſe as reſpecting Abraham's immediate Children; ſo it intended and had reſpect to Iſhmael as well as Iſaac, and to each of his Children by Keturah as well as either Iſhmael or Iſaac; but take it as reſpecting his Poſterity in after Ages, ſuppoſe Jacob, or any of his Children in Ages at a greater diſtance from him, ſuppoſe Moſes, David, or the like; ſo it did not intend them in particular, only had a more general reſpect unto them, as of Abraham's Poſterity, but had no other reſpect to them than it had to any other of his Poſterity, that were or are alike deſcended from him with them. But now this, I ſay, however this Term [Seed] is to be underſtood, yet Abraham's natural Seed, or Children immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, were firſtly intended, as the immediate and next Subjects of the Promiſe with Abraham himſelf. Yet further for the fuller clearing up the Mind of God in this Promiſe, and that our Foundation to the main concluſion may be more firmly laid, Two things muſt be carefully obſerved and remembred.
1. That as this promiſe had a reſpect to Abraham's whole Seed, according as is before opened, ſo it was made to them in their reſpective Generations, that is, to them and their Seed, that is, their natural Children immediatly proceeding from their own Loins.
2. That as it reſpected all Abraham's natural Seed immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, and his Spiritual Seed, with their reſpective Children immediatly proceeding from their own Loins, as ſeverally and particularly conſidered; ſo it was made only conditionally: it did not ſecure the Good contained in it abſolutely, let them live how they would; but it did ſuppoſe, and indiſpenſibly require, That as the natural Children of Abraham, ſo the natural Children of all his Seed, as grown up to years of Maturity, ſhould perſonally take hold of the Covenant themſelves, as perform the Conditions of it in their own Perſons; ſo that his Spiritual Seed ſhould continue in that way of Faith and Holineſs they were entered into, in order to their reſpective enjoyment of the Good promiſed.
But to come to the Proof of this firſt Propoſition, That Abraham's natural Seed, immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, were intended in this Promiſe as the firſt and next Subjects of it, is ſo evident, that it ſeems impoſſible that any pretending Sobriety ſhould deny it. For,
1. 'Tis undeniable from the very Letter of the Promiſe, I will, ſaith God, be a God to thee, and to thy Seed. Now this Term [Seed] in the firſt and moſt proper Signification of it, muſt needs intend his natural Children. And had not the Holy-Ghoſt himſelf ſhewed us, that Abraham was to be the Father of a Spiritual Seed, and that this Seed was included with his natural, all Men muſt have rationally underſtood it of his natural Seed only, and it had been the higheſt preſumption to have applied it to any other. And though the Holy-Ghoſt hath ſhewed us, that Abraham was to have a Spiritual Seed, and that that Seed was intended; yet for any to exclude his natural Seed, when they have no warrant from Scripture ſo to do, ſavours of no ſmall Preſumption. It is a known Rule for the Interpretation of Scripture, that when a Word that admits of various Interpretations, and is applicable to various things, is put abſolutely, it muſt at leaſt firſtly and primarily be underſtood according to its moſt proper Intent and Signification. Hence for any to underſtand this Term [Seed] in this Promiſe of Abraham's Spiritual Seed, to the excluding of his Natural Seed, when they have no warrant from Scripture ſo to do, is unreaſonable and abſurd. And as it muſt moſt properly ſignify his natural Seed, ſo it cannot without the greateſt affront to common Speech, and all Rules of Interpretation, be underſtood of his Poſterity in after Ages, to the excluding of his natural Children immediatly proceeding from his own Loins. so that as for any to have underſtood this Promiſe of Abraham's Spiritual Seed, had not the Scripture warranted them ſo to do, had been Preſumption: So to underſtand it of them to the excluding his natural Seed, when there is no warrant ſo to do, is unreaſonable: And to underſtand it of his remote Poſterity, to the excluding his Children deſcended immediatly from his own Loins, is alike preſumptuous, unreaſonable, and abſurd, with either of the former. And hence, would but the contrary-minded keep to the Letter of Scripture, which ſometimes they ſtand ſo much upon, a good Foundation would be laid for the ending of this Controverſy.
2. That Abraham's natural Children were firſtly and immediatly intended in this Promiſe by this Term [Seed], is evident from Abraham's application of the Token of the Covenant (wherein this Promiſe is one ſpecial Article on God's part) and that under that very Notion, viz. as the Token of the Covenant to them. And this alſo according to the expreſs Will and Appointment of God Himſelf, that God did appoint Abraham to apply the Token of the Covenant, and that under that very Notion and Conſideration, as the Token of the Covenant, to his natural Children immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, and that to all of them, without any limitation or exception of the one or the other, is in ſo many words expreſly declared, in that Gen. 17.9, 10, 11. In ver. 9. the Command is given in more general Terms, Thou ſhalt keep my Covenant; and what he intended by Covenant in this 9th verſe, he explains in the 10th, viz. the Token of the Covenant, which under the Firſt-Teſtament Adminiſtration is expreſly declared to be Circumciſion; Every Man-child among you ſhall be circumciſed. And that God appointed and enjoyned it under this Notion, as the Token of the Covenant, is evident, in that God tells them expreſly, it ſhould be the Token of the Covenant between him and them. And that Abraham did apply this Token of the Covenant to all his natural Seed, immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, and that as the Token of the Covenant, is undoubted; 'tis expreſly declared both of Iſhmael and Iſaac, Gen. 17.13, — 21. Gen. 4.8. Though the Circumciſion of his Children by Keturah is not mentioned, yet that they were circumciſed cannot be queſtioned; ſeeing the Circumciſion of ſome others, as of Jacob and his Sons, who yet paſt all doubt were circumciſed, is not mentioned. The Command of God to circumciſe them, (conſidering the Teſtimony that God Himſelf gives of Abraham's Faithfulneſs) as alſo his circumnciſing his Servants, (who were more remote from him than his own Children) ſufficiently aſſure us that they were circumciſed, though their Circumciſion be not mentioned in the Story. And to ſuppoſe that he ſhould apply the Token of the Covenant under any other Notion than as the Token of it, ſeeing under that Notion it was commanded, would be unreaſonable and abſurd. Now Abraham's applying the Token of the Covenant, wherein this Promiſe was a ſpecial Article on God's part, and under that very Notion, puts it paſt all ſcruple, that by [Seed] in the Promiſe, his natural Seed, and that as immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, were intended; otherwiſe the Token of the Covenant, and that under that very Notion as the Token of it, would, and that according to the appointment of God Himſelf, have been applied to ſome utterly unintereſted in the Covenant, which is moſt unreaſonable to imagine; yea, then God ſhould have ſpoken that which had been utterly falſe, to ſay of Circumciſion, it is the Token of my Covenant between me and you, in caſe any to whom it was applied had not been in Covenant, (which in caſe this Promiſe took them not in, they had not been) had been utterly falſe: ſo that to imagine God ſhould appoint Abraham to apply the Token of the Covenant, and that as the Token of it, to any unintereſted in it, would be to imagine him not only guilty of Irrationality, but Falſhood. Hence nothing can be more evident, than that they were Abraham's natural Seed, immediatly proceeding from his own Loins, that were firſtly and immediatly intended in that Promiſe.
3. This might be further evidenced, were it at all neceſſary, by inſtancing in ſuch of Abraham's natural Children, as upon ſuppoſition of whoſe being intended in this Promiſe, it will undeniably follow, that all his immediate Children were intended in it. And proving that they were indeed intended, thus we might inſtance in Iſaac and Iſhmael; that they two were intended in this Promiſe, is evident from Scripture. As for Iſaac, that of Gen. 21.12. expounded by the Apoſtle, Rom. 9.7, 8. fully declares it, hence he is ſaid to be an Heir with Abraham, having reſpect to this very Promiſe, Heb. 11.9. And as for Iſhmael, the Apoſtle puts it out of doubt, that he was intended in this Promiſe, when he tells us, that upon his perſecuting Iſaac he was caſt out, Ga. 4. latter end. Now he could not have been caſt out of Covenant, had he not been before in it; and that he was not only caſt out of Abraham's Family, but together therewith out of Covenant, is evident, as other ways, ſo from Abraham's grief for the ſame.
Now if thoſe two were intended in the Promiſe, it will undeniably follow, that all Abraham's natural Children were alike intended in it. We ſee the Promiſe is made in univerſal Terms, not excepting any of his Seed in particular. And theſe two being evidently intended, there is no reaſon imaginable why any of his other Children ſhould be excluded.
From the whole of what hath been ſaid, the Truth of this firſt Propoſition appears paſt all rational Contradiction. Whence ſuppoſing this Covenant mentioned, Gen. 17.7. be the Covenant of Grace under which Believers now are; and that this Promiſe reſpecting the Seed, be of the Eſſence and Subſtance of the Covenant, of both which more hereafter. We have gained thus much, viz. That at the firſt Eſtabliſhment of it, the firſt Perſon, viz. Abraham, with whom it was eſtabliſhed, and that as the Father of all that ſhould have after admiſſion into it, had his natural Seed or Children proceeding from his own Loins taken into the Covenant with himſelf; which how fair a Foundation it lays to our general Concluſion, is plain to all of a competent underſtanding. And the Evidence given in to this firſt Propoſition being ſo full and clear, and the Objections made againſt it being ſo inconſiderable; or if any thing may ſeem to have any weight in it, it will be met with afterward, I ſhall not interrupt the Order with the recital of them; if any Scruple ariſe in the Minds of any, they may find Satisfaction in my firſt Book, chap. 3. But to proceed to the ſecond Propoſition.