The Storming of Antichrist, Answer
An anſwer to Mr. BLAKE his Arguments.
Objection.
BEleeving Gentiles ſucceed the Jewes in the Covenant, the Jewes being broken off, the Gentiles are grafted in; by vertue of this inſition we are branches of the roote Abraham.
Sol. The objector is overtaken in a groſſe abſurditi…, to thinke there is ſome univerſall viſible Church begun in Abraham, into which upon the rejection of the Jewes, the beleevers among the Gentiles and their ſeed are to be received, for beſides the inviſible Church the body of Chriſts miſticall, there are only particular Churches under the Goſpel, and much more doth he erre to thinke all the members of the Gentile Churches to be taken into the Jewiſh, and Jewes caſt out.
2. He erres in thinking there is ſome Covenant, into which the Gentiles are grafted in upon the Jewes rejection of it, which ſhould belong to the Gentiles and their ſeed, for there is no other Covenant, with the Gentiles now, but that which was Covenanted before the world was, and agreed betwixt the trinity, Titus 1.2. that eternall life ſhould be by beleeving in Chriſt, and this Covenant never belonged to the body of the Jewiſh nation, but to a remnant therein, ſee, Rom. 9.6.7.8. ſo verſ. 27.
3 This inſition in the roote Abraham in the Jewes ſtead, by a viſible conſtitution is merely imaginary, for Abraham ſtands as a roote two wayes; firſt viſibly to the Jewes that deſcended of him, ſecondly inviſibly to the beleevers among Jewes, and Gentiles, ſee, Rom. 4.11.17. Its by vertue of this latter inſition, that not the Gentiles, but the beleevers among the Gentiles are grafted in.
2. Object. The grand birth priviledge of the Iewes, was to be an holy nation, but this honour to be an holy nation is given to beleeving Chriſtians, 1. Pet 2.9. therefore Chriſtians in this birth priviledge are equall to the nation of the Iewes.
Reſp. The very anſwer, Mr. Blake goes about to refute, but cannot is enough, verſ. 2. Peter meanes it of the inviſible Church the body of Chriſt, who are all holy by an imputative holineſſe of juſtification and an inherent holineſſe of ſanctification, ſo that there is not any equalizing of juſtified perſons with the body of the nation of the Iewes.
2. This priviledge (verſ. 2. to be an holy nation) which belongs to the myſticall body of Chriſt, he would draw it, to all Gentile nations, which profeſſe Chriſt, among which there are thouſands are viſible unbeleevers, becauſe it was a birth priviledge of the Iewes to be an holy nation, which is a meer Paralogiſme, indeed beleevers, or juſtified perſons, whet…er Iewes, or Gentiles, are all one in Chriſt, Eph. 2.14. but it followes not, they are all one in any viſible conſtitution, unleſſe wee hold ſome univerſall viſible Church on earth, of which the Scripture is ſilent.
Object. 3. The ſeed of believers muſt either be lookt upon as foederally holy Jewes by nature were, or elſe as ſinners of the Gentiles: A third ſort cannot be aſſigned. If under the firſt, we have that we contend for: If under the ſecond, then the heavie doom of ſinners, Gentiles, aliens, is their condition, they are then without Chriſt, without hope, &c.
Sol. We look upon them as ſinners of the Gentiles, tainted with originall ſin; and either theſe perſons live and grow up to yeares, and are capable of believing and ſo ſalvable; or elſe they dye in infancy, and are ſalvable through the preſentment of the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, to Gods juſtice for originall ſin; and therefore not without hope, nor without Chriſt. And I would fain know what way infants dying after baptiſme, are more ſalvable then theſe dying before? Or whether in any other way they are ſalvable, but by Gods free Election, and Chriſts ſatisfaction to Gods juſtice, unleſſe we held (which no Proteſtants that I know of do) that baptiſme takes away originall ſin. Therefore the hope about infants dying unbaptiſed, is full as much as the hope about infants dying baptiſed.
Object. 4. Thoſe that have the ſubſtance and thing ſignified, they muſt not be denied the ſigne: But infants have the thing ſignified, viz. Chriſt, Ergo, they muſt not be denied the ſigne.
Reſp. We deny the minor, that all infants (nay the greater part) have not the thing ſignified, but grow up and prove wicked; and for thoſe that have the thing ſignified, let them make it appear to any Church of Chriſt, and they cannot denie them baptiſme. Mean time, becauſe the greater part go the broad way, and the Church is to judge onelyonly of viſible things, give us leave to forbear till we ſee how thoſe that have right can make it appear.
This is the ſumme of Mr. Blake his Arguments; onelyonly he breakes out with many aſperſions to render us odious, p. 17. as that the Anabaptiſts of this preſent age (for ſo he is pleaſed to call us that do deſire to offer up to God pure worſhip, and do abominate all ſuch points) ſail between two rocks, either to affirm that infants dye in their pollution, and periſh in their birth-ſin, or elſe to deny this originall pollution, or any birth-ſin at all: The latter of the two they therefore generally chuſe, judging it more fair to deny infants ſin, then to affirm their condemnation. So chuſing to joyn hands with Pelagians to deny originall ſin, they ſtrait fall upon univerſall grace, freedome of will in things ſpirituall, the free Election of God they overthrow, leaving it in our power to make choiſe of Chriſt, and not Chriſt to make choiſe of us.
Theſe things its like were written to render us odious, though not without ſome evaſion. p. 18. But to forbid rendring evill for evill, but after the example of our Lord, who when he was reviled, reviled not again, when he was perſecuted, he threatned not, but committed his cauſe to him that judgeth righteouſly. 1 Pet. 2.23. We anſwer to theſe aſperſions, that we ſail not betwixt two rocks, either to deny originall ſin, or to affirm that infants dying therein periſh. For we confeſſe every man by nature to be defiled by originall ſin, yet do they not die or periſh in it, becauſe from the grace of Gods Election, and the preſentment of the ſatisfaction of Chriſt to the juſtice of God, they are ſaved from it, which though it be apprehended by faith in thoſe that are capable of believing, yet in thoſe that are not capable of believing as infants are not, it may through Gods free grace be preſented to Gods iuſtice. If we enquire how your infants dying after baptiſme are ſaved? You muſt have recourſe to this way of ſalvation, no other being aſſigneable.
As falſe are the deductions that Mr. B. affirmes p. 17. that denying originall ſin, we ſtrait fall upon univerſall grace, freedome of will in things ſpirituall, overthrowing of Gods election, for we have conſtantly maintained the contrary to that we are charged with; onelyonly in point of Paedobaptiſme: We deſire not for fear of perſecution, to wink againſt the light the Lord hath let us ſee. Let him remember what he ſaith, pag. 30. If a Turk fall upon a Popiſh State under the notion of Chriſtian, he is a perſecutor: If a Popiſh State fall upon a Reformed nation, he is much more guilty. A foul ſin for a people of God in name and title, to perſecute his people in truth. To which ile adde, its more horrid for thoſe that are Gods people in truth (as I hope Mr. Blake is one, though I never ſaw him) to perſecute others who are no leſſe Gods people then himſelfe is, and that for difference of iudgement. For one godly man may perſecute another, as Aſa who impriſoned Hanani.
Arg. 5. A believer can in the behalf of his infant, make good ſuch a title to the inward Covenant, that none can ſay thou haſt no part nor portion in this things, and becauſe it cannot be denied, it is to be preſumed. Pag. 29.
Reſp. The proof lies on the believers part, that his infant hath right to the thing ſignified in baptiſme, and ſo to the ſigne, before any Church can adminiſter Baptiſme, the ſigne or ſeal thereof; becauſe the Church iudge not of ſecret things, it lies upon their part to prove that they have part or portion, not upon the Churches part to prove they have no part or portion, It did not lye upon the Apoſtles to prove that Magnus had no faith, but upon him to prove that he had, ſo the Eunuch. Acts 8.37. Acts 10.49.
Theſe are all the Arguments that are worth examining, which Mr. B. hath, ſave thoſe common obiections I have elſewhere anſwered. OnelyOnly ſome equivocate ſpeeches, that delude the Reader; as p. 28. In nature, children are their parents; in Covenant Gods: Every Chriſtian parent hath a childe of God committed to his tuition and care, which is by the Book, unleſſe he mean a childe of Gods creating, or maintain falling from grace.
Obj. 6. Gen. 17. I will be the God of thee and of thy ſeed, therefore all believers are in Covenant with God, and ſo they are to be ſealed.
Anſw. To all former Anſwers, ſee Obiect. 2. and 3. Ile onelyonly adde, that it this Covenant with Abram was the Covenant of grace, yet was it made with the children of promiſe onelyonly, which are believers of Jew and Gentile, and not their ſeed; many whereof are wicked, and preffered onelyonly to the carnall ſeed that were circumciſed, and not made nor covenanted with them.
FINIS.
End of the text · Christopher Blackwood, The Storming of Antichrist (1644)