Of the Certainty of Sah>ation of 'Baptized Infants. 7· I think therefore that aU tbe Children of true Chrijliani, doby BapJifm receive a publick.. Inveft· by Gods appointment into a ftate of Remi!Ji_on, A_dnp:ionand .right to fa/vationat the pufenr : Th~~ur~ I dare not fay that I am undoubtedly ctrtam of tt, as knowmg how much is faid againfi it. B ! _1 fay_as t~e Synod of J?ort_, Art. r. that Btlievin~. Parents have no ~aufe to dorebt of tbt falvatio~ of tbttr Chzldr~n that dye m Jnfancy, before they commit a{iual ji;t ; that IS, not to trouble themfclves with fears about Jt. TheJ<.eafons that move me to be of this judgement ( though not without doubting and hefitan– cy) arc rhefc, I· BLcaufcwhoever hath right to the prefent InvcHiture, delivery and polfdfton f the tirft and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Bap[ifm, hath right to Pardon ~d Adoption and evcrhfiing life: But the Infants of true Chriltians have right to the prefenr invellic~re delivery and poffeffi.onof the firll and great benefits of Gods Covenant made with man in Baptifi , Therefore they have right to pardon and cverlafl:ing life. m. Either Infants arc in tho fame Covenant ( that is, are fubjelts of the f•me promife of God) with their believing Parents, or in fome oth'er Covenant, or in no CovtnJSnt : If they be under 11o Covmant (or prornife ) or under fame other promif~or Covenant only, and not the fame ; they are not to be Baptized. For Baptifm is a mutual Covenanting; where the Minifier by ChriUs Commiffion in bif n:zme alterh bM part, and the believer his own and his Infants part: And God hath but one Covenant which is to be made, fealed and delivered in baptifm. Baptilin is not an equivocoll word, fo as to fig: nifiediver5 Covenants of God. · Obj. But thi fame Covenant of God halh divmfow of benefit!, The JPrcial Godgivelb to the ji 11 cere amJ tbt Comtr • ..:m to the common andbypocritical receiver. • ' Anfw. x. God indeed req~ireth the Minifier to take Prcfcffion for the Vijibli Church-title ; A"nd fo it being the. Minifiers duty fo far to be~iev~ alyar, an~ to ~eceivc .difTcmblcrs who had no right: to lay that clatm, you may fay that God mdtrcC<ly and tmproperly, g<veth them Church·priviledges: But properly, that is, by his promife or Covenant-deed of gifr, he givcth rhcm nothing at all ; f'or his Covenant is one, and undivided in its allion, though it give feveral benefits, and Though Providence . mZ~y give one and not another, yet the Coven.mt givetb aU or nont. God faith that GodlindS hath the fi,a. '· l9· promife.of this life and of thatto come: but he never faid (that I know of) [To the hypocrite or un- ~~~i~ .. :.2t9· {oundbe/ieverlpron:ife or gi11e rig~~tocomrn_on mtrcie1·J. . E~h. :t. 12 • 2· But fuppofe lt were othcrwJfe, yetetther the Ch1ldrcn of true believers have the tme Condition 2 Tim. t. 1. of Right to thefpecia1 b/rffings of the Covenant, or they have not the condition of any at all. for Heb.4. I. there can no more be required of an Infant as to any fpecial bldflngs of the Covenant, than that he ~ 6 · '~· be the Child of believing Parents and by them Dedicated to God. Either this cdndition entitle~), & ~~-J J6. them to aU the Covenant promi[es which the adult believer is entitled to (as far as their natures are &S. 6. capable) or it entitlcth them to none at aU : Nor are they to be baptized : for God hath in Scri- ::t Pet. 1.4, ~· piUre infiitute4 but om bap1i[m (to profefs one faith ) And that one is ever for the n:miffion of finr: ~~: ,:;_31~. He that believeth and is baptiZ<dp,.Ubefaved, Mark x6. x6. Luk. 24 . 47 • 3· Or if all the refi were granted you, yet it would follow that all Infanu in the World, even of true believerr, are left out of Godr Covenam of Grace, that is, the c~venant or promi[e of pardon of life; and are only taken in to the Covenant of Cbzerch-priviledgu. And fo I· Yott will make twg C6"ve– ;tants ( which you dcnyed ) :md not only two forts of benefits of one Covenant. 2· And two fpccies of Baptifm: while all Infants in the World are only under a Cov 4 enant of outward privilcdgi:s, and have no bapt~fm, but the fcal of that Covenant, while believers have the Covenant, promife and feal of pordon and life. 2· And this is my fecond Rcafon, Becaufe then we have no promife or certainty, or ground of faith, for the pardon and falvation of any individual Infants in the World. And fo Parents arc left to little comfort for their Children. And if there be nopromife there is no faith of it, nor no B1ptifm to feal it; tnd fo we I\ill make Antipredobaptifm unavoidable. For who dare fct Gods feal to fuch as have no promife? Or pretend to Invefi any in a neer and faving Relation to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghol\ ( which is the very nature of Baptifm) when God hath given no fuch eornmiffion? Obj. Yn: Baptifm and the Coven~ntof fPecial premifii are for aU the Elell, though ''" k,.non> not who they are. Anfw. 1 • I deny not Gods Eternal antecedent ElcC<ion; But I deny that the Scripture ever men– tioneth his p~rdoningor Glorifying any, upon the acco~nt of E/~liio~ only, without certain fpiritual conditions, which may begiven as the reafon of the d1ffcrencc m Judgement. God may freely give the Goffid to whom he wil_l, and a!fo fait/; or ~he firft grace by the ~ofpel, without any previous con~ dition in man, but accordmg to h1s free EleCbon only : But he @.IVC:th pardon and Heaven as aRector by his equal L1ws and judgement; and alwayes Jendereth a reafon of the difference, from the qua~ litications of man. 2. And if this were as you fay, it would fiill ove!rhrow Infant baptifm. For either we mull baptize all indifferently, or noue, or elfc l{_ftGW how to mal<.e a difference. AU mufi not be baprized in– differently : And Elel1ion is a fecret thing to us, and by it no Minifier in the World can tell whom to baptize ; Therefore he· mdt baptize none, if there be no other differencing note ro know· them by. · Obj. God hatbmore eleCI oner among the lnfantr of true btlievers than among 9thers : And therefore they are aUto be baptized. Anfw. r. It will be hard to prove that much ( that he bath more) if there be no promife to them all as fuch. 2. If he have more, yet no man knoweth how 111any, and whether. che Elect be one of ten,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=