The Infants Advocate of Circumcision and Baptism, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. The third Reaſon, taken from the Holy Spirit, which is given to little Infants.
THe Third Reaſon out of Scripture, is thus framed: Such who receive the Spirit of God may and ought to be Baptized; but infants receive the Spirit of God, therefore they may and ought to be Baptized.
The Major hereof is in effect the words of the Text; Peter ſaith, Acts 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that theſe ſhould not be Baptized, which have received the holy Ghost as wel as we? Can he? that is, can he juſtly? can he lawfully? can he ſo do it, as to avouch it to God and man, when he hath done it? Though I confeſſe too many de facto, do it now adayes. Can any man? we can do nothing, ſaith the Apoſtle, against the Truth but for the Truth, 2 Cor. 13. 8. It is not ſtrength, but weakneſſe; for one to be able to do that which he ought not to do. Can any man? Be he an Apoſtle, or even Peter himſelf, MAN. He muſt be either worſe then a man for his Envy, or leſſe then a man by his Ignorance.
The Minor remains to be proved, that Infants receive the Spirit of God, whereof we have two pregnant proofs, one in the old Teſtament, Jer. 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee, and before thou cameſt out of the womb I ſanctified thee, and ordained thee to be a Prophet unto the Nations.
Object. This ſanctification of Jeremy, intends not ſuch as accompanieth the ſalvation of the ſoul, but meerly importeth a deſignation of him to the Prophetical function, with qualification for the diſcharge thereof. It is therefore impertinently alledged to prove, that Infants have the ſaving Spirit of God.
Anſw. It is confeſſed that Jeremy his deſtination to be a Prophet, was a principal part of his ſanctifying here mentioned. Yet was it not the total thereof, as being but a ſprig and branch of the ſame, which extended to Gods forming him according to his knowledge of approbation and hallowing him as yet unborn, to be his Saint and ſervant.
The ſecond inſtance in the new Teſtament is that of John the Baptiſt, Luke 1. 41. Leaping in his mothers womb at the ſalutation of the virgin Mary. Not that (as ſome have miſtaken it) that then his Mother was first ſenſible that ſhe quickned of him, ſeeing it was ſaid before, verſ. 36. This is the ſixth monethmonth with her which was called barren; but as it is verſ. 44. the babe leaped in my womb for joy, knowing and acknowledging Chriſt the Saviour of mankind, and tranſported with tranſcendent gladneſſe for the ſame.
Object. But Jeremy and John the Baptiſt, were Jeremy and John the Baptist, I mean, ſignal perſons of extraordinary ſtature of grace, above the ſize of common Chriſtians. Your Logick is but bad, if from the induction of two inſtances, you infer a general concluſion: As ſoundly you might prove, that all Davids worthies were equal in valour and atchivements, 2 Sam. 23. 19. unto the first three, as that al infants of Gods children may for their abilities be matched with theſe two by you alledged.
Anſw. I grant no leſſe, That theſe two inſtances were extraordinary: However thus much advantage we gain thereby, that they plainly prove the ſtate of Infancy to be receptive of grace, and of ability to entertain the ſame. Let none look on Infants as ſo indiſpoſed and unorganized by reaſon of their weakneſſe, but that the lowneſſe of their age is capable of the elevation to ſanctity.
Secondly, though we acknowledge ſuch redundancy of the Spirit in the extraordinary and miraculous proportion thereof confined to a few perſons, in Chriſts and the Apoſtles time, yet we may no leſſe truly then confidently maintain, that a ſufficiency thereof as to ſalvation, is conferr'd on all Gods ſervants now adays, as well as before; Nor is Gods Spirit ſuper-annuated with aged Naomy, Ruth, 1. 11. or grown ſo barren, or effete, but that it is ſtill procreative, and produceth the effects thereof in Gods ſervants now, as vigorouſly as ever before.
Otherwiſe, moſt doleful, yea, indeed deſperate were the conditions of Gods ſervants now adays, if devoid of the Spirit of God, as to the eſſentials thereof, having now a fiercer foe and worſe weapons to encounter him, then the Chriſtians had in former ages: A fiercer foe, Satan himſelf growing ſubtiler, with the addition of fifteen hundred years experience; and crueller, Rev. 12. 12. becauſe the ſhorter his reign, the ſharper his rage: Worſe weapons if we be left altogether naked of the offencive and defencive armor of the Spirit of God.
And here I cannot but admire at the practice of ſome perſons now adayes, boaſting of ſtrange meaſures of the Spirit beſtowed upon them (and we muſt needs believe them, for they ſay ſo themſelves;) yea, ſuch prodigious proportions thereof, whereby per ſaltum, they conceive themſelves enabled for ſuch offices, for which they were never fitted by their education. And yet the ſelf-ſame perſons who are thus prodigal in the praiſe of their own perfections, aſſuming ſo much of the Spirit to themſelves, are moſt miſerably nigardly to others, and eſpecialy to Infants denying the leaſt degree of the Spirit unto them.
Whereas let matters be beheld with an unpartial eye, and it will appear, that it is more probable children ſhould partake of the company of the Spirit, then men now adayes: May it not juſtly be ſuſpected, that the ſpiritual pride, uncharitableneſſe, ſelf-intereſt, ſiniſter reſpects, cruelty, and oppreſſion of many men do fright away the ſpirit from them, how highly ſoever pretending to holineſſe: whereas the mildneſſe, meekneſſe, ſilence, humility and patience of a childe, may invite the ſociety of the ſpirit the ſooner unto it, and the Dove converſe rather with Doves then with Vultures.
To put all out of doubt, we can plainly demonſtrate the fruits of Gods Spirit and Sanctification in Infants, dying Infants, and therefore the root therof muſt be granted to be in their hearts, which we thus prove.
Whatſoever is ſaved is fully ſanctified, for Epheſ. 5. 5. no unclean perſon hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Chriſt.
But many children (eſpecially of Godly parents) dying children are ſaved.
Therefore they are fully ſanctified.
He wants judgement that denies the Major or former part of the ſyllogiſm; And he lacks as much charity who queſtions the Minor hereof; otherwiſe Herod the cruel Tyrant, who killed only the bodies of the babes in and about Bethlehem, was all mercy to ſuch Bloudy Monſters, who (ſo much as lieth in their power) by this their Murdering opinion, Maſſacre the ſouls of ſo many Infants, depriving them thereby of ſalvation.