A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 234 (Question 95 cont.)
SERMON CCXXXIV.
III THAT the Infants of ſuch as are Members of the Viſible Church, are to be Baptized. We before took an Account of the Subjects of this Ordinance in general, which we ſhall have occaſion here to reflect upon in particular: for as there are ſome that altogether deny the uſe of this Inſtitution in Goſpel times; ſo there are others, who tho' they acknowledge the Ordinance to continue in force, yet will not acknowledge Infants to be the ſubjects of it; looking upon them, not to come under the Comprehenſion of the Precept, and counting them not capable of rec…iving this Seal. There were ſome of theſis latte… times they have much more abounded, and given no ſmall diſturbance to the Church of God; while under a pretence of Conſcience, they have ſe… themſelves to withſtand the Orthodox Doctrine, and deny the Viſible Chriſt…y of the greateſt part of … Profe…ing Churches in the World, and of all …e… as have received …o other Baptiſm out what they had in their Infancy: and though … …e C…aritally to think that many of theſe are truly Godly, and are acted by Conſcience tho' erroneous, yet the Communion of Churches is hereby undermined, and an undue ſeparation made, to the hindrance of that Unity which ought to be in the Church of God. Many diſputes there have been in Chriſtendom on this Subject, and unſuitable hea…s in the management of them, & many Treatiſes ha…e been emitted about it: the leſs therefore needs now to be ſaid on this Theme. I ſhall then endeavour to comprize the matter as briefly as I may; and here we have mainly to do, which ſuch as are Vulgarly called Anabapt…s, which word ſignifies, ſuch as are …o… Bap…zing again; though they diſown it, and call themſelves Antip…l…baptiſ…s, becauſe they diſown the Baptiſm of Infants, and will …ot acknowledge them to be Baptized at all though it is certain, that all which belongs to the external part of the Ordinance is applyed to them. Here then, that we may take up the caſe aright, let me obſerve,
1. THAT we plead not for the Abſolute indiſpenſible neceſſity of Baptiſm, but only for the Preceptive. There are many things in Providence, which may put a ba… to Mens enjoying of the Goſpel Institutions, but they will not hinder the Salvation of ſuch as are ſo debarred. Theſe are indeed outward Seals of the Covenant, but though they hind us in Duty, (which yet is under the Government of God) yet they do not limit the Grace of God towards Men. Doubtleſs many an Iſraelitiſh Infant dyed before the eighth Day: and how many of that People that were Born after their going out of Egypt, are to be ſuppoſed to Dy in the Wilderneſs, during which time, Circumciſion was intermitted? And it would be an over harſh cenſure, to conclude that all theſe Periſhed Eternally.
2. We do not aſſert, that all Infants indiſcriminately are to be Baptized, but only ſuch as derive from thoſe that are Members of the Viſible Church. And though all are not agreed, who are to be accounted ſuch Members, yet we limit it to ſuch, and allow it to no other; As to the Children of Pagans, and ſuch as make no Profeſſion of the Chriſtian Religion, we forbid them Baptiſm; till either their Parents, at leaſt one of them, do make ſuch a Profeſſion; or they themſelves are inſtructed and grow to capacity of making it, or in their Infancy be made Members of ſuch Families as have the power over them, and undertake their Chriſtian Education.
THE thing then under Conſideration, is; that the Children of ſuch as are Members of the Viſible Church, are the Subjects of Baptiſm; and ought to be admitted to partake in it, and to with… … from them, is … them, and on …ff…er put upon Chriſt himſelf. It …ay here …ffice for the making g…d of this Aſſertion, to lay d…wn two Aſſertions, and give the evidence of the Truth of them, …. 1. That … are …ntituled to Bap…m according… …, 2. That … moral o…ction, to their preſent …. And i… b…th… … who … Water to be Sac…ntally Ad…ſred ….
THAT … are e…ed B…ſ… … a Divin…d …ell d…ell …thing … a … their … and … theſe he …ath a … , th… giv… …owrd… to him as …. He is the …ei… or O… …t; … the … he hath … of en…ing upon … of … whe… … the w… …ell Are it is …e …me… of theſe … … ſideration & is …iſt to be conſidered becauſe it is the ſea…dation of the latter: N… … the Demonſ…eation of this, a …w Obſervations may ſ…ce.
1. THAT there is on external and medi…te Diſpenſation of the …ovenan… of Grace in G…ſpel times. This is foundation Truth to be Sel…eved, by all that would have a right conception o… the Covenant Tranſactions between God & Man that th…e are but two eſſentially diſ… C…vena…ts in … God hath trea…ed with Ma.…kld. viz. The Covenant of Works & the Covennant of Grace: And though there have been different modes of the Adminiſtration of this latter, before & ſince the appearing of Chriſt in our Fleſh, yet the Covenant is but one and the ſame. When Man had made himſelf miſerable by forfeiting the Happineſs exhibited in the …ſt Covenant, God in his rich Mercy opened a Remedial Covenant, which is in and by Chriſt; the great end and deſign of it being the Salvation of Sinners by a Redeemer, whom he hath conſtituted; and though there were a more ſervile Adminiſtration of it before Chriſt, and one more free from Bondage under the Goſpel; though a Chriſt to come were ſhadowed under Types & Ceremonies, whereas we may with open Face diſcover him in Goſpel times; yet ſtill it is the ſame Chriſt, tho' under different Degrees of Manifeſtation. Nevertheleſs, there was an external diſpenſation of this Covenant then, and ſo there is now, and this was Mediate, or by means appointed by God for the carrying of it on: the Goſpel is Preached to us as it was to them Heb. 4.2. As there was then a difference between a Jew …twardly, and one inwardly, Rom. 2.28. ſo there is now between a Viſible Church Member, and one that is ſo in truth or …eart: and Chriſt hath aſſured us, Mat. 7.22.23. Many u…ſay to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have too not propheſied in thy name? …nd in thy name have …ſt out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profeſs unto them. I never know …ou: …p…rt from me ye that work iniquity. And thoſe who are to be Door-keepers of the …'l Church, … …ee no …a…ther than an outwath Pr… … them light.
2. THAT … …ome Members of the …, by their p…ed Sat… in this Covenant. I …ay, …i…t, …o… is ar…tter way in when they become ſo afterwards as will preſently be obſ…d. We are …ere to obſerve, that when Chriſt ſe… …th …is Apoſtles into all the World, they w…nt to th…e who were before ſtrangers to the Covenant, and ſ… were out of the V…ſible Church, …ſ… 2.12. Now theſe were to be brought …to it, by the Preaching of the Goſp… this was done by p…r…a…ing them to …ke their …eing …, & to embrace that w…ct was the true one; and by this mea…s they became C…iſtians, as the Goſpel every where acquaints u… Now to this Introduce … Per… into the Covenant of the Goſpel, it is … that there be an exp…ſſed … of it: and for that …ea… the Pe… ſo conſenting, muſt be of …ars … co…ing: they muſt be cap… …e of …ring the Goſpel, conſidering the … it, elſe they cannot …e voluntary …, and act deli…ta…ely: and on this account we … in the Goſpel, that Men were …iſt ſtru… in the Goſpel Truths, and upon their being p…rſ…wad to receive theſse Truths, and give themſelves up to the Orders and Ordi… c… of the Goſpel, they were ſo added … the Chu…h, and acknowledged to be the People o… God; as is very obvious. And now they were acknowledged to be Chriſtians, and admitted to partake in the outward Priviledges of the Goſpel Covenant. Not did the Apoſtles receive them, becauſe they did by an infallible Spirit deſcern them to be true Believers but becauſe they were ſuch by Profeſſion, and the Rule of Charity bound them to repute them ſuch, though many of them afterwards proved otherwiſe.
3. THAT God in the diſpenſation of this Covenant … …ldren into it, together with their Parents. Though it be true, that non… but Perſons of Years and Underſtanding can make an …pen Profeſſion of the Covenant; yet i… we obſerve the Order of God's Tranſactions with Men, in the way of the Covenant, recorded in Holy Writ, we ſhall …ind that when …e took any nea… to him in a Covenant, he extended this Priviledge to their Children with them. For this reaſon, we ſhall find, that he calls them His Children, and the Children which they have Born to him, Fzek. 16.2…, 21. Thus the Covenant with Abraham engr…ſſeth his Seed with him in their Gewratients: and in their revi…lis, he is ſaid to remember for them … Covenant with Abraham, Iſaac and …. This plea David uſeth with God, and Confeſſeth his Obligation to him on the account of it, Fſal. 116.16. With this Argument God aggravates the Guilt of the Jews, in that they offered their Children to Idols, Fzek. 16.20. And the ſame Covenant is continued in the Days on the New Teſtament. Hence when Peter invites the Jews to embrace the Goſpel, and come …er … Faith, he …ſeth …act an Argument with …em. Act. 2.25 Tr…are the … of … end of the … Chap. … even is … Waith Pam… muſt …e…er to … elſe … had not been per… … uſed to draw them over from … And th… Fa…ts may bring … yea …here S…ed … a … is wh… could not …ffually tra… … wi…dged light of Nu… & p…r… … G…ic Nations. … the, God who … a right to all, … thus comp…chend …h…m; ve… it is their It…e…ge that he … as … dent from the Nature of the thing.
2. THAT We…-B…ptiſ… is a Se…, which … to be … to this …enat, and … as an …xte… Sign of it to ſuch is are it … …e…, a…i… ther. That the Ord…ance it ſelf is a Seal hath before been made good, and alſo that it is a ſignificant Seal. Hence it muſt …ds be a Seal to ſomething which it is uſed i…c…rm, elſe it would be vain and impertinent: New that which it thus Seals, is the C…e…nt of Grace, and conſequently it muſt belong to theſe who are taken into it: For tho' …e not the Covenant itſelf, yet it is an … and badge of it, which is a token to others, that ſuch are in Covenant, and lies as a ſtrong bo…d upon them, carefully to keep it, and will be a Wetneſs againſt them, if they violate it. Now the Truth of this Aſſertion will be made evident from two Things,
(1) FROM the Pa…el of Circum…iſ…n. That Circumciſion was a Seal of the Covenant made with Abraham, is expreſly declared, Gen. 57.10, 11 That this was no other but the Covenant of Grace is no leſs apparent from that of the Apoſte, Rom 4 11. And father ampli…ed in ver. 13 14. And that the Goſpel Covenant is the ſame with that made with Abraham, is ma…ileſt, becauſe by cloſing in with the terms of it, we become Abraham Children, Gal. 3.7. which … be applied to his Natural Seed. but muſt he underſtood with regard to the Covenant plighted with him. And the reaſon of the Change of the Signs, is becauſe the former was accommod…ied to repreſent a Chriſt to come, and the la…er a Chriſt already come; but the ſame Chriſt, and the ſame Be…e…its.
(2) FROM the expreſs Command of Chriſt about it. That Chriſt is K…g of his Church, and hath Auth … as ſuch, to make Inſtitutions for it, and enjoy a the Subjects of it in Obedience the cu… hath been formerly proved; and the himſelf aſſer's it, Mat. 28.18. And Joſa… came and ſpake unto them, ſaving, All power is given unto mean heaven and in earth. Now the Commiſſion which he hereupon gave them, ver. 19 20. makes this very evident. They were ſent to all Nations, ſuch as were before ſtrangers to the Covenant; and their next buſineſs was to make Diſciples le of them, for ſo the Word, which we render teach, properly fig …ne… Luk. 14.2…. Now one thing that they were to do in their making of Diſciples, was to b…ſt…e them: which can i…e d…o other, but that when by Preaching they had won them to embrace the Goſpel, and make a Profeſſion of it, they ſhould ſet this Seal, to ſuch, as an outward badge of their Diſcipleſhip; which was to be followed with inſtructing them in all Covenant Duties. And this is laid dawn as a way wherein Chriſt inſtructed his An…ſtles in the way now the V…ſible Church ſhould be gathered, and preſerved to the end of the World.
2. THE next thing to be conſidered is, that their Infancy puts no more, a…rudion to their participation in this Ordinance They are by God stre…ct taken into Covenant, & therefore the Priviledges of that Covenant do belong to them as there right; and ſo they ought to participate of them as they are capable. And it this be granted, as it cannot with any good reaſon be de…ied, their will nothing remain but to make it appear, that their I…tancy is no juſt impediment to their Baptiſm, and ſo, that they have not only a right in the thing, but alſo to it. It is readily granted, that a Man may he owner of a Priviledge, and yet muſt wait for actual enjoyment, till he be in a capacity of it: An Heir must be of Years & Diſcretion, before he is introduced into a free power of diſpoſing his Inheritance. And it muſt be granted, that the other Sacrament of the Supper, is 2 Seal of the ſame Covenant, and therefore Chriſtian Infants have a right in it; but becauſe they are not capable of participation in it, according to the deſign of it, they muſt come to Years of knowledge, before they may be admitted. But the matter is not ſo with regard to Baptiſm, but otherwiſe; for though there be an Improvement of it, to be made by us, that we cannot ſo make till we are come to have the uſe of our moral Powers, yet as to the main end and deſign of this Ordinance. Infants are as capable of it as grown Perſons; and this is the thing that now lies before us to make good: for which let theſe things be well conſidered,
(1.) THIS is very evident from the Appo…ment of the Ordinance of Circumciſion. This is a Principle not to be parted from, not can all the Adverſaries of it ever be able to under mine it, unleſs they can blow up the Goſpel, that Circumciſion was a Seal of the Covenant of Grace. And as long as this abides a Truth, our Argument ſtandeth ſtrong, and it will ſo abide true as long as the World ſtands. Now it is one plain Article in the Law of Circumciſion, that the Ma…e-Children of ſuch as were in Covenant, were to be Circumciſed on the eighth Day from their birth, and certainly ſuch … it he acknowledged to the Infan's, that had no underſtanding of the meant got the Ordinance, that were … capable of the act of Faith, nor could make an open Proſe…on of it: and yet God infinitely wiſe, did not account this to be a juſt impediment, or reaſon ſufficient to delay this Ordinance being applied unto them. If then Baptiſm be a Sign of the ſame thing, and a paralled Seal of the ſame Covenant, Chriſtians Inſants muſt needs he equally capable of it, as they were of that. Nor is it of any availance to ſay, that that was a Seal of Confirmation for their inheriting the Lard of Canaan; for that was typical, and …ad a direct a…n at the Antitype: for it was a Seal of the Righteouſneſs of Faith; i e. that Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which becomes ours by believing. And we …ad that the Patriarchs, did not terminate their Faith on Canaan, but ſought a better Countrey, Heb 11.16.
(2.) IT farther appears, from the extent of B…p…ſm under the New-Teſtament. As to the prete…ce of ſome, that we no where read in the Goſpel expreſly, that the Apoſtles Baptized any …tants, it can have to weight to ſupport the Caſe that it is pleaded for; for it the thing it ſelf comes within the Precept, the want of ſuch Inſtances, will not invalidate the force of it; and for the ſame reaſon night Women be forbidden the other Sacrament. Now that Children are included in the Precept, is evident from Mat. 28.19. It is directed to all Nations, and ſuch among them as are made Diſciples, which is by bringing them in the graſp of the Covenant; which that it comprehends infants, hath been already made to appear. And it is to be obſerved, that all Nations, are here contradiſtinguiſhed from the Jews, who had the Priviledge of the Cove ant confined to them, before the coming of Chriſt; but now Chriſt pulled down that Hall of Separation, and extended the like Priviledges to the Gentiles. As therefore under the Nation of Iſrael, were comprehended all, both Elder and Younger, yea their Infants, who were Children born to God; there is alike conſideration to be had of other Nations: and not to an numerate Infants to the Nation they belong to, is againſt the common ſenſe of Mankind. And we ſhall find that the Apoſtles in their carrying the Goſpel abroad into the World, practiſed upon this Principle; and accordingly when they Converted the Head of any Family to Chriſt, they not only Baptized them, but their Houſholds with them, as we find divers Inſtances on record, Act. 16.15. ver. 33.1 Cor. 1.16 And when they demand of us, How do you know that there were Infants in thoſe Houſes? it is a meet banter: and it is retort ſufficient, How do you know that there were not? It ſufficeth, that upon their Believing, their Houſholds were Baptized, which was the Rule they proceeded by, and muſt include Infants if there were any.
(3.) IT father appears, from their being capable of the thing that is ſignified by Baptiſm. This added to the former, is enough to ſtate this Caſe, beyond any juſt or rational Diſputing againſt it. Theſe Infants are within the Pale of the Viſible Church; the are Chriſt's Lambs; nor can there be any reaſon why his Mark ſhould not be ſet upon them, but their incapacity: if then they are Subjects capable in their Infancy, of the thing ſignified, ſurely then of the Signs, inaſmuch as they have a right in it.
BAPTISM is a Seal of Regeneration, of our being engraf…ed into Chriſt, of our ſeparation from the World, and dedication to him and his Service, of our being made Heirs of the glorious Inheritance: Now all theſe are Infants capable of having actually conferred upon them; ſurely then they are in a Capacity of receiving the Sign, which as a Sign imports all theſe things according to the Tenour of the Goſpel Covenant; and this might be inſtanced in particular: They are capable of Regeneration; in which work the Subject is Paſſive: They may have the Graces of the Spirit infuſed, and the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt imputed: They can as well have Grace put into them, as Original Sin come into the World with them: They are capable of ſa…ral Holineſs, by being ſeparated for God and his Service. Jeremiah was ſ…nct f…d from the womb; and the Children of one Godly Parent are Holy, 1 Cor 7.14. which to apply to I …titimecy is ridiculous; and to limit it to the ſan…peation of the Spirit, is beſides the purpoſe, and not true of all: And that they are capable of the heavenly Inheritance, is implied in that of Chriſt, Matth. 19.13. Of ſuch is the kingdom of heaven. And to limit it to ſuch as are qualified as Children, is to enervate Chriſt's Argument in it; and we are ſure, that he took them into his Arms and bleſſed them; and ſuch are Bleſſed indeed.
USE. FROM the whole let us learn, as not to deſpiſe or neglect this Ordinance, either for our ſelves or our Children; ſo not to confide in it; but to wait on God for his Grace and Spirit, whereby we may receive all that is ſignified in it, by a living Faith.