The Grounds and Ends of the Baptism of the Children of the Faithful, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Silveſter.FOr a ſeventh Argument againſt the Baptiſme of Infants, I have met with this.
To baptize Infants maketh the holy Ordinance of God a lying ſigne: becauſe none of thoſe things can bee expected in an Infant, which the ſaid Ordinance holdeth forth, or ſignifieth in the adminiſtration thereof; which is the parties Regeneration, and ſpirituall new Birth; a dying and burying with Chriſt, in reſpect of ſin, and a riſing with him in a New life to God, and a confirmation of Faith in the death and Reſurrection of Chriſt, and a free remiſſion of ſin by the ſame, as Rom. 6.3.4. Col. 2.12. 1 Pet. 3.21. Act. 2.38. None of all which can bee expected in an Infant.
Silvanus.That which hath been found in ſome Infants (as in John Baptiſt, and Jeremiah, and many moe) that they have been ſanctified by the holy Ghoſt from their Mothers wombe, there is nothing hindreth but the ſame may bee deſired, and expected in any Infants of beleeving P…rents. The Faith of beleeving Parents hath prevailed with Chriſt to caſt out an evill ſpirit out of their children; And whereſoever the good ſpirit of grace entreth, there wanteth not Regeneration, fellowſhip with Chriſt in his death, buriall, Reſurrection: there wanteth not Faith nor Remiſſion of ſins.
But beſides, ſuppoſe that none of theſe things were found in Infants, yet it is a profane and blaſphemous ſpeech, to ſay, that the Baptiſme of Infants maketh the holy Ordinance a lying ſign, becauſe none of thoſe things are found in Infants, which the Ordinance holdeth forth, and ſignify…th, unleſſe you were able to make it good, that Baptiſme holdeth forth and ſignifieth nothing, but what is already found in the Infants. But you cannot bee ignorant, that Baptiſme ſignifieth and ſealeth up not onelyonly good thing… found already in the baptized, but alſo good things promiſed, and as yet to come, as Reſurrection from the dead, 1 Cor. 15.29. Saving out of afflictions and perſecutions, which were then ready to overwhelme all the Churches in the Romane Empire, as Noahs flood did the whol… world, which is the meaning of Peters words in the place which you quote, 1 Pet. 3.21. To ſay nothing, that …aptiſme ſignifieth and ſealeth up the growth of all ſpirituall gifts, and bleſſings, as well as the gift of them. And growth is a bleſſing future to the baptized, as well as the gift may bee future to ſome Infants baptized. Yea, it is an holy truth of God, that Baptiſme is as well the ſigne and ſeale of the promiſe of God, as the ſigne and ſeale of any gift of God already beſtowed. Now Promiſes are of bleſſings to come. Circumciſion was a ſigne and ſeale of the Land of Promiſe, to bee given, as well as of the righteouſneſſe of Faith to Abraham, which hee had already received. Yea, the ſame Circumciſion which was to Abraham a ſigne and a ſeale of the righteouſneſſe of the Faith, which hee had already received, wa… to Iſaac a ſign and ſeale of the righteouſneſſe of Faith promiſed, but not received. Yea, that gracious Promiſe of God, that hee would circumciſe the hearts of his people Iſrael, and of their ſeed, (Deut. 30.6.) what was it elſe but an expoſition and declaration of the meaning of their Circumciſion, that as they had received the outward ſigne in the fleſh, ſo they ſhould receive (they and their ſeed) the thing ſignified in their heart and ſpirit? It is no lying ſigne that holdeth forth and ſealeth, that which is done, or which is promiſed to bee done in due time, as much as i… meet for him to doe that promiſeth.
The Baptiſme of Ananias and Sapphira, of Simon Magus and Dem…s, was no lying ſigne, though they neither were Regenerate when they were Baptized, nor ever afterwards came on to bee Regenerate; becauſe the lye lay not in the Lords Covenant, nor in the ſigne of it: but in their affected hypocriſie which would not bee healed.