The Grounds and Ends of the Baptism of the Children of the Faithful, Chapter 2
Chap. II.
THus then at length having (by the help of Chriſt) cleared this firſt Argument for the baptiſme of infants of believers from the commandement of the Lord Jeſus: let us now (if you pleaſe) proceed to another commandement, a commandement of the holy Ghoſt, with whom Peter being filled in the beginning of his publique adminiſtration of the Apoſtolick office, he exhorted the penitent Jews, them and theirs, to bee baptized in the name of the Lord Jeſus: His words are thus recorded, Acts 2 38, 39. Repent ye (ſaith he) and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jeſus for the remiſſion of ſins, and ye ſhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoſt, for the promiſe is to you and to your children, &c. From whence the argument that theſe words hold forth, ariſeth thus:
They to whom the promiſe is made of remiſſion of ſins, and of receiving the holy Ghoſt, they have a commandement to be baptized every one of them.
But to ſuch as doe repent, and to their children, the promiſe is made of remiſſion of ſins, and of receiving the holy Ghoſt. Therefore they that doe repent, and their children, have a commandement to be baptized every one of them.
The former Propoſition ariſeth from the reaſon which the Apoſtle giveth of his exhortation, Repent ye (ſaith he) and be baptized every one of you, For the promiſe is made to you and to your children, as who ſhould ſay, let every one of you be baptized, both you that doe repent, and your children. For the promiſe is made to you, (that is, to you that doe repent) and with you to your children alſo.
Silveſter.The text ſaith not, let every one of you, and of your children be baptized, but repent ye, and let every one of you (to wit, who doe repent) be baptized.
Silvanus.The Reaſon of the commandement giveth the ſenſe of the commandement: now the reaſon of this commandement, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you, is this, For the promiſe is made to you (to wit, to you who doe repent) and to your children. And therefore the ſenſe of the commandement of the holy Ghoſt is this, Repent ye, and let every one of you, both you that doe repent, and your children alſo be baptized. For the promiſe is to you, and to you… children. And ſo much is implyed alſo in the change and different expreſſion and extent of the verbs of command; he doth not ſay, Repent ye, and be baptized, as if he commanded two duties to the ſame perſons, no more to be baptized, but ſuch as doe repent: But repent ye indefinitely, and be baptized every one of you, univerſally and ſingularly, not onelyonly ye who doe repent, but your children alſo.
But the event ſheweth,Silveſter. that Peter intended onelyonly them that did repent to be baptized, and not their children: for ſo it followeth in the Text, verſe 41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, which ſheweth that none elſe were baptized, but perſons that were grown up to yeares of underſtanding, ſuch as were affected with the word, and received it gladly.
It is true indeed the Apoſtles forced baptiſme upon none,Silvanus. but adminiſtred it onelyonly to ſuch as gladly received the Word. But thoſe penitent Jews and Proſelytes, who underſtood that promiſe was to them and to their children, they gladly received the whole Word, both the word of promiſe which they received by faith: and the word of commandement, they and their children to bee baptized, which they received by offering themſelves and their children unto baptiſm; in which reſpect it is therefore ſaid, They that gladly received his word were baptized; becauſe both their own baptiſme, and the baptiſme of their children was the immediate fruit of the parents gladſome receiving of the word; the act of the parents in ſuch a caſe is accounted of Chriſt as the act of the children, as in Mark 10.13, 14. The act of the parents in bringing their children to Chriſt, is called the act of the children in comming to him, as Levi paid tythes in the loynes of Abraham, (Heb. 7.9, 10) ſo in like ſort theſe children here gladly received the word in the armes of their parents.
But the ground of all this argument ſeemeth to me very weake,Silveſter. for you take that for granted, which to me ſeemeth very uncertain, (if not untrue) that by the children to whom the promiſe is made, ſhould be meant their naturall children, whereas he rather meaneth the children of their faith (ſpirituall children) ſuch as God called to repent as well as themſelves.
Silvanus.The children to whom the promiſe was made if they were onelyonly the children of the faith of their parents, that is, as you meane, not the children for whom the parents believe, but their children that believe and repent as well as their parents, then a double abſurdity would follow.
Firſt, that whereas in the dayes of the old Teſtament, upon the faith and repentance of the Proſelyte parents, the Covenant and promiſe did belong to them and to their children: now in the dayes of the new Teſtament, the faith and repentance which admitteth the parents, excludeth their children: For the children of theſe Jews and Proſelytes (who heard the Sermon) were in Covenant with God before the Sermon. But now upon hearing this Sermon, and being wrought upon effectually by it unto faith and repentance, though themſelves be received, yet their children are cut off from the Covenant. A ſtrange doctrine, that the faith of the Parents ſhould ſet their children further off from God and his Covenant, then they were before.
Secondly, to ſay the children to whom the promiſe was made, were meant onelyonly their penitent and beleeving children, would make the Apoſtles argument a vaine and ſuperfluous flouriſh, whereby he encourageth theſe Jews and Proſelytes to repent and beleeve, upon this motive taken from a promiſe made, not onelyonly to themſelves, but to their children. For by this doctrine the promiſe belongeth no more to the children of beleevers, then to the children of Pagans. For even the children of pagans (whilſt their children remain Pagans) have the promiſe belonging to them, as ſoon as themſelves doe repent and believe. And what more have the children of beleevers belonging to them then ſo? Yea, the Apoſtles argument is made no argument at all, ſo farre as hee urgeth them to repent and believe, by the bleſſing of the promiſe thereby redounding to their children. For whether they repented and believed or no, the promiſe would belong to their children, when the children came themſelves to repent and believe. Otherwiſe if their children repented not, the promiſe would not belong unto them though their parents did repent. Let me adde for confirmation an argument or two more; take this then for a third argument, converſion unto faith and repentance, is it ſelfe given by the Covenant, to the children of the Covenant. And therefore the children of the Covenant, were under the Covenant before their converſion, and ſo before their faith, even by the faith of their parents. For ſo the ſame Apoſtle Peter (in his next Sermon to the Jewes) teſtifieth, Ye are the children of the Covenant (ſaith hee) which God hath made with our fathers, &c. unto you firſt, God having raiſed up his Son Jeſus, hath ſent him to bleſſe you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities, Acts 3.25, 26. If Chriſt then be given by the Covenant, and converſion by Chriſt to the children of the Covenant, then the children of the faithfull are not firſt converted, and ſo come under the Covenant, but are firſt under the Covenant, and ſo come to be converted.
A fourth argument may be taken from the eaſier engraffing of the naturall ſeed of holy Parents, into Chriſt, then of the poſterity of Pagans; which could not be but in reſpect of their intereſt in the Covenant, and the benefit redounding to them from thence. For otherwiſe the Apoſtles reaſoning (Rom. 11.24.) will not hold, If thou (Roman) wer't cut off the olive tree wilde by nature, and graffed contrary to nature into the good olive tree; how much more ſhall theſe Iſraelites which be the naturall branches, be graffed into their owne olive tree? What reaſon can be given why the Iſraelites ſhould be much more capable of engraffing into Chriſt, then the Roman Pagans were? Surely, not in reſpect of the greater ingenuity and better indoles (or diſpoſition) of nature, that will be found in the Iſraelites, above what was found in the Romans: (for by nature all are alike corrupt and averſe from Chriſt, one as another, Rom. 3.12. & Pſal. 14.3.) but onelyonly in reſpect of Gods greater propenſion to ſhew his ſaving and converting grace to the children of his confederates. And ſo indeed the Apoſtle explaineth himſelf verſe 26, 27, 28. There ſhall come (ſaith he) the deliverer out of Zion, and turn away ungodlineſſe from Jacob. And this is my covenant when I ſhall take away their ſins: As touching the goſpel, they are enemies for your ſakes: but as touching the elelection, they are beloved for their Fathers ſake.
The words in the place in hand,Silveſter. Acts 2.39. are not unto your ſeed, but unto your children, wherein there is a great difference. For by ſeed in Scripture, is often meant a naturall generation, begotten, and born after the fleſh. But by children a ſpirituall generation, walking in the ſteps of the faith of ſuch as have gone before them, as Act. 3.25. & 13.26.33. and ſo John 8.37.39. Rom. 9.7.8. And ſo the words import as much, which is to you, and to your children, and to all a farre off, even as many as the Lord our God ſhall call; ſo that the promiſe is onelyonly to ſuch as the Lord our God ſhall call, and none elſe.
Silvanus.You much miſtake it, if you take it, there is any ſuch difference to be put between ſeed and children: for both of them are taken alike promiſcuouſly. Sometime ſeed is put for the ſpirituall children, and children are put for the carnall ſeed. And ſometimes againe the ſeed are put for the carnall children, and children for the ſpirituall ſeed, in Gal. 3.26. when the Apoſtle ſaith, If you bee Chriſts, then are you Ahrahams ſeed, and heires according to the promiſe; there ſeed is put for ſpirituall children. But when hee ſaith, Hieruſalem that now is, is in bondage with her children, (Gal. 4.25.) there he putteth children for the carnall ſeed: And ſo hee doth alſo even in ſome of thoſe Texts, which your ſelfe alledge to the contrary, as in Acts. 3.25. when the Apoſtle ſaith, Ye are the children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers, he ſpeaketh of ſuch whom hee exhorteth to repent, and to be converted, ver. 19. And therefore yet they were the carnall ſeed. And he ſpeaketh to them to whom he ſaith, Chriſt was ſent to turne every one of them from their iniquities, verſ. 26. And therefore he knew no other of them, nor ſpake no otherwiſe to them, then as to men yet in their ſins. And ſo in that other place which you quote out of Acts 13.26, 33. the Apoſtle plainely calleth them the children of the ſtock of Abraham; who were the naturall ſeed of Abraham, and whom afterward he calleth deſpiſers, verſ. 41. And amongſt whom many of them contradicted and blaſphemed his doctrine, verſe 45. So that from the word children, it cannot be gathered that in this Text, the Apoſtle meaneth, children walking in the ſteps of the faith of their fathers.
No, nor from thoſe other words of the Text, which you ſay import ſo much, which ſpeake of the promiſe made to you and your "children, and to all afarre off, even as many as the Lord our God ſhall call; for theſe words doe not import what you ſay, that the promiſe is onelyonly to ſuch as God ſhall call, and to none elſe: as many as the Lord our God ſhall call, is not a limitation of thoſe remote words, you and your children, but of the next words immediately going before, all that are afar off, leſt it ſhould be thought, that the promiſe is to all that are afarre off, that is, to all Pagans, and infidels, he explaineth himſelfe in the words next following, even to as many as the Lord ſhall call from amongſt them. And all they indeed from among the Gentiles, whom the Lord ſhall call, they ſtill partake of the ſame promiſe of grace with the Jews, that as the promiſe of grace is made to the Jews and their children, ſo is it now to the Gentiles called, and to their children: there is no difference now between Jews and Gentiles, in reſpect of any ſpirituall priviledges or promiſes. The children of the believing Gentiles are now as holy as the children of the believing Jews, and the promiſes pertaine to both alike.
But it is not ſaid in the Text,Silveſter. the Covenant is to you and yours, but the promiſe. Now we know that every promiſe is not a Covenant, there being a large difference between a promiſe and a Covenant. Let it then be well conſidered, what is here meant by the promiſe: and that is Gods ſending of the Meſſias, or the ſeed in whom all the Nations ſhould be bleſſed; and ſo the ſending of a Saviour or a Redeemer unto Iſrael, as theſe Scriptures manifeſt compared together, Eſa. 11. 1 Jer. 23.5, 6. with Luke 1.68.74. Acts 13.23. & 3.25, 26. This was performed by Chriſts comming, Firſt, in the fleſh, in which reſpect he came of, and to the Jewes onelyonly by promiſe, as Joh. 4.22. Rom. 9.5. Matth. 10.5, 6. & 15.24. John 1.11. Secondly, in the preaching of the Goſpel, by which he was held forth as a Saviour to all that by faith laid hold on him. And this way alſo Chriſt was firſt tendered to the Jewes for a Saviour to ſave them from their ſ…nnes, Acts 4.12. And for to be their King, as to ſave them, ſo into whoſe State and government they were to ſubmit; as Luke 19.14, 27. Acts 2.36. In which ſenſe the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, when he ſaith, the promiſe is to you and to your children, and to all farre and neare, as God ſhall call. That is, the promiſe, or the promiſed Saviour is come, and is now according to Gods promiſe tendered to you by the Goſpel, calling you and your children, and all elſe, where the word of grace ſhall come, to believe and receive him by faith, who is now come to ſave you and all that believe, from their ſinnes, Acts 3.25, 26. And therefore it is ſaid, as many as gladly received or believed theſe glad tydings, the ſame was ſealed or confirmed to them by Baptiſme, Acts 2.41. according to John 1.11, 12, 13. By all which it is manifeſt, that the promiſe, Acts 2.39. is meant of the ſending of the Meſſias, or a Saviour to the houſe of Iſrael, to call them to repentance, and to ſave ſuch as believe from their ſinnes, as is cleare alſo by theſe Scriptures, Eſa. 59.20. Act. 13.23, 26, 32, 38, 39. And thus the promiſe is to you and your children, that is, the promiſed Saviour is offered, and offereth himſelf freely to ſave you, notwithſtanding your crucifying of him, yet now repent and believe; for his promiſe is upon the ſame, freely to forgive and to ſave you from all your ſins. Thus the promiſe is applyed to faith, which is the way of preaching the goſpel, and not an abſolute concluſion of perſons to bee in the Covenant of grace and life, whether they have faith or not. What is this, but to keep the wicked from leaving his way, by promiſing them life? This God did not in making of his Covenant at the firſt, nor the Apoſtle by his applying of the ſame, at the laſt.
Silvanus.In this your long anſwer, ſome things are impertinent, ſome things falſe, ſome fraudulent, and ſome confuſed; but one thing onelyonly alledged out of the Context that may ſeeme to the purpoſe, and that alſo miſapplyed. 1. It is impertinent to put a difference betweene the promiſe and the Covenant. As it was before curious to put a difference betweene ſeede and children. For though every promiſe be not a Covenant: yet there is no ſuch large difference (as you ſpeake of) betweene the promiſe of God and his Covenant, but that they are ordinarily put one for another. The Covenant of not drowning the world any more with a floud, was no more then a promiſe: yet it is called a Covenant, Gen. 9.11. and the Promiſe that God gave to Abraham of the inheritance of the world (Rom. 4.13.) was by the Covenant, confirmed by the ſacrifices of beaſts, divided aſunder, Gen. 15.5.9, 10.17. And that which God calleth the promiſes, Gal. 3.16. he calleth the Covenant in the next verſe, verſe, 17. Beſides, whatſoever difference there may be betweene the promiſe and the Covenant, it is here pleaded altogether impertinently. For if it were granted you which you plead for (though there be no mention of it in the Text) That by the promiſe is here meant the promiſe of ſending the Meſſiah: yet that promiſe is either given by the Covenant of grace, or by the Covenant of workes. If Chriſt be given and ſent by the Covenant of grace, then the promiſe that giveth him is the Covenant of grace. So that if the promiſe of ſending Chriſt be to them and their children, (as the Text ſpeaketh) then the Covenant in which that promiſe is given, is to them and their children. And ſo indeed the ſame Apoſtle telle…h them in his next Sermon. Acts 3.25, 26. Ye are the children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers, &c. Unto you firſt God having raiſed up his ſonne Jeſus ſent him to bleſſe you &c. the promiſe therefore of ſending Chriſt, was given by Covenant. And then what difference is there betweene promiſe and Covenant, in this caſe?
2. It is falſe (which you ſay) that Chriſt came onelyonly to the Jewes by promiſe. For though he came to the Jewes, & to the Jewes firſt, and to them by promiſe: yet God gave a more antient promiſe of the comming of the Meſſiah, to our firſt parents, Gen. 3.15. And they were then the common ſtock and roote both of Jewes and Gentlies. If Job had not a promiſe of Chriſt his comming to be his Redeemer, how doth he challenge him to be his Redeemer? I know (ſaith he) that my Redeemer liveth, Job. 19.25.
Againe, It is a very truth, which you falſly deny, to wit, an abſolute concluſion (as you call it) of any perſons to be in the Covenant, whether they have faith or not. For what think you of Iſaac and Iacob, and all other elect infants borne of faithfull parents: may not a man ſay, that all ſuch are abſolutely under the Covenant even before they beleive? yea their very beleiving which in Gods appointed time is given to them, is it not the effect of the grace of the Covenant; and not the cauſe of it?
It is alſo another falſhood, to ſay, That the concluding it of perſons (meaning of Infants who may want faith) to be in the Covenant of grace and life, doth keepe the wicked from leaving his way, by promiſing him life.
For wee doe not promiſe life to any by the Covenant, unleſſe they be elect. And though they be elect, yet becauſe it is unknown to them, and to us too, till they doe repent and beleive, we tell them they cannot partake in any ſaving benefit of the Covenant till they be regenerate and quickned by the Spirit, as Chriſt told Nicodemus.
And it is yet another falſhood to ſay, That God did not conclude abſolutely any in Covenant of grace when he firſt made it, nor that the Apoſtle did ſo apply it at the laſt.
For when God firſt made the Covenant, he did abſolutely conclude Iſaac, and in him all the Elect ſeede under the Covenant. For it is a branch of the meaning of that promiſe of God, when he firſt made the Covenant, My Covenant (ſaith he) will I eſtabliſh with Iſaac, Gen. 17.21. And yet it doth not appeare that Iſaac had any faith, much leſſe viſible. And for the Apoſtle his applying of the Covenant, or the promiſe (call it whether you will, all is one to me) certain it is, the Apoſtle doth not ſuſpend the childrens being in Covenant upon their owne faith, but upon the faith and repentance of their Fathers. Repent (ſaith he, ſpeaking to the fathers) and ſo let every one of you be baptized, &c. For the promiſe is made to you and to your children. Whence the ſcope of the Apoſtles exhortation fitly ariſeth into this argument, and concludeth after this manner; as hath been ſhown above.
To whom the promiſe is made, they ought to be baptized every one of them.
But to you repenting, and to your children, the promiſe is made.
Therefore you and your children ought to be baptized every one of you.
And beſides, the Apoſtle in his next Sermon ſo expoundeth the Covenant, as given not onelyonly to them that are converted, and ſo brought on to believe: but to them who yet want faith and converſion. And therefore he ſaith, Acts 3.25, 26. Ye are the children of the Covenant unto whom God having raiſed up his Son Jeſus, hath ſent him to bleſſe you, in converting (or turning away) every one of you from his iniquities. Their being in Covenant (who were the children of the faithfull) was not the fruit of their own turning to God; but their turning to God is held forth by him as a bleſſing and fruit of their being in Covenant.
3. This is fraudulent, that you hold forth the comming of Chriſt in the goſpel to be for this end, to call upon men to repent and believe, and ſubmit themſelves to his State and government. Which though it be very true, yet it is like the fraudulent practice of Ananias and Saphira, to pay part of the price, that they might more cunningly conceale the reſt. So you in like manner, hold forth this end (which is indeed part of Chriſts comming in the goſpel) the more cloſely to conceale another part of it, which is, to give faith and ſalvation to the children of beleevers, and accordingly to call their parents to ſubmit their children and houſholds, as well as themſelves, to the ſtate and government of the Lord Jeſus. For why ſhould Chriſt encourage children to come to him (Marke 10.14.) if it were no end of Chriſts comming, to come to ſave them?
4. Theſe things are very confuſed in your anſwer, that you put it for all one, Chriſt to come to ſave men from their ſins, and to call men to believe.
For though theſe follow one another, yet they require a farre different ſtate of the ſubject, unto whom this different grace is tendered. For if you ſpeake of ſaving from ſin (or juſtifying) Christ juſtifieth or ſaveth none from ſin, but believers, or ſuch at leaſt, as have faith. But when he calleth men to believe or to repent, he commeth to them not as having faith or repentance, but as wanting both. And yet when he commeth to call them unto faith and repentance, he doth it out of reſpect of his Covenant with their Fathers, whoſe children they were: yea, and in this call of them, hee commeth to give them repentance and forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, Acts 5.31. And in giving it to their Fathers, he promiſeth alſo to give the ſame unto their children, Acts 16.31.
Laſtly, there is one thing alledged out of the context, which may ſeeme pertinent to the purpoſe, if it were fitly applyed. You truly alledge that in Acts 2.41. It is ſaid, As many as gladly received his word (or as you call it, glad tydings) they were baptized, or as you ſay, the ſame was ſealed and confirmed unto them by baptiſme. But this will not prove that which you alledge it for, that therefore it is manifeſt, that by the promiſe (Acts 2.39.) is meant the ſending of the Meſſias. For the text will every way as fitly (and more fitly) carry it to be meant of the promiſe of remiſſion of ſins, and of receiving the gift of the holy Ghoſt; ſo the words run directly; Repent ye (ſaith he) and bee baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, for the remiſſion of ſins, and ye ſhall receive the gift of the holy Ghoſt, for the promiſe is to you and to your children: What promiſe? Here is no promiſe mentioned before, but the remiſſion of ſins, and gift of the Holy Ghoſt: And the gift of the Holy Ghoſt is called a promiſe, verſe 33. & Acts 1.4, 5. But it is not materiall to the purpoſe, whether by the promiſe you underſtand the comming of Chriſt, or the gift of the Holy Ghoſt, or remiſſion of ſinnes purchaſed by the one, and ſealed by the other. For all theſe promiſes are given by one and the ſame Covenant of grace. And if any one of theſe promiſes belonged to them, the whole Covenant of grace belonged to them alſo. But to deale ingenuouſly and faithfully with you, the Text which you quote (out of Acts 2.41.) might hold forth a juſt colour of an Objection (if you had ſo applyed it) againſt the argument gathered out of verſe 38, 39. for the baptiſme of infants. For if they who were baptized were ſuch as gladly received his word (verſe 41.) then it doth not appeare out of this place, that infants were at that time baptized with the reſt: becauſe they could not receive the word, much leſſe gladly, leaſt of all expreſſe their gladneſſe by any viſible profeſſion. This objection (I confeſſe) would have prevailed with me to have forborn any proof of the Baptiſme of infants out of this place; were it not partly for the Reaſons which have been alledged above (from the words of verſe 39.) partly alſo for that I finde, the Lord Jeſus is wont to accept the acts of Parents (in the duties of the ſecond Commandement) as done for themſelves, and for their children, as hath been touched above. For look as when Levi is ſaid to pay tythes in Abraham, it was becauſe Abraham in paying tythes was reputed of God, as paying them for himſelf, and for Levi, Heb. 7.9. And as when Parents came and brought their children to Chriſt, their comming was reputed of Chriſt as the comming of their children, as well as of themſelves, Mar. 10.14. So when Peters hearers received the word gladly, they gladly received in both for themſelves and their children, to wit, both the word of promiſe, which was expreſly given to themſelves and their children: and alſo the word of Commandement (which was grounded upon the promiſe, and urged as farre as the promiſe extended) Be baptized every one of you: and thereupon they in receiving his word gladly, did gladly give up both themſelves and their children to be baptized.
Silveſter.But before you take the baptiſme of infants concluded out of this place, conſider what you will ſay to another interpretation, which I have ſeen made of this place. For there bee that ſay, That by the promiſe to you and to your children, is not meant the Covenant of grace to you and to your children; but the promiſe of ſending the Holy Ghoſt to enable them, and their ſons and daughters to prophecy: Which promiſe Peter quoted out of Joel, Act. 2.16, 17. which promiſe Chriſt received of the Father, and had now ſhed abroad in their ſight and hearing, verſe 33. and which Peter promiſed to them upon their repentance and baptiſme, verſe 38. becauſe the promiſe was to them and to their children.
Silvanus.Thus ſometimes you will have the promiſe to be underſtood of ſending Chriſt, and ſometime of ſending the holy Ghoſt, but the truth is, both are but effects of the ſame grace, and both given by the ſame Covenant. The Engliſh proverb ſpeaketh of ſuch men as are loath to ſee what they doe ſee, that they cannot ſee the wood for trees: ſo theſe men cannot ſee the Covenant for the promiſes; what is the wood but a ſtorehouſe of trees? and what is the Covenant of grace, but the ſtorehouſe of the promiſes of grace? In the Covenant of grace when God giveth himſelfe to bee the God of the faithfull and of their ſeed, the Father promiſeth himſelfe to be their Father, Chriſt promiſeth to be their Redeemer, and the Holy Ghoſt promiſeth to be their ſanctifier. You may as ſoone ſeparate the perſons in the Trinity from being one God, as ſeparate the gift of one of theſe perſons to us and to our children, from the gifts of the other; or ſeparate all theſe gifts, or the promiſes of theſe gifts from the Covenant of grace.
But if the gift of the Holy Ghoſt be here promiſed to theſe Iews and Proſelytes and to their children,Silveſter. that they might ſpeake with new tongues, and prophecy, then in this place by children cannot be meant infants; for infants are not capable of ſpeaking with tongues and prophecying.
The Apoſtle Peter, Silvanus.though he ſpeake of the promiſe of the gift of the Holy Ghoſt, which in the former part of the chapter did enable the Diſciples to ſpeake with new tongues, and prophecy; yet he did not intend to limit and confine the gift of the Holy Ghoſt to that work in theſe Converts here; for that would have been ſmall comfort to them who were pricked in heart, and enquired the way of ſalvation, to put them off with a promiſe of the Holy Ghoſt, to worke ſuch gifts of tongues and prophecying, as were common to hypocrites, Matth. 7.22, 23. 1 Cor. 13.1. The Apoſtle therefore who better knew how to ſatisfie and heale theſe wounded ſoules, hee promiſeth to them ſuch a gift of the Holy Ghoſt as is joyned with remiſſion of ſinnes, and accompanyeth ſalvation, Act. 2.38, 39. And though infants (whilſt infants) are not capable of ſpeaking with tongues, and prophecying, (which is but one gift of the Holy Ghoſt, and but a common gift neither) yet they are capable of the Holy Ghoſt for regeneration and remiſſion of ſins, which are the chief bleſſings of the Covenant, which theſe Converts then ſtood in need of, and for the effectuall working of which, the Apoſtle telleth them, The promiſe was made to them and to their children; which indeed cannot bee wrought, but by the gift both of Chriſt, and of the Holy Ghoſt.
And now having ſaid enough (as I conceive) if not too much for the clearing of theſe two firſt Arguments for the Baptiſme of the infants of believers; Let us now proceed to adde a third taken from the Analogy of the Circumciſion of the ſeed of Abraham, and the Commandement of God for the ſame.
Silveſter.I have heard much agitation of ſuch an argument (and more of that then of any other) but I am very ſlow to believe the baptiſm of infants upon that ground.