Chap.iry. about Baptifme. 167 t.As the lawful ufe thereofis a notewhereby the true Church of God is diftin- guithedfrom thefalfe Church: Not that the ChurchofGod cannot be a Church without the Sacrament : for it may want baptifme for a time, and yet remain a true Church as the Church of the j ws wanted Circumcifion for fourtyyears in theWilderneffe, [of.5.6: a. As it fervcs for neceffary ufes to then of yeares that are bap- tized : As, I. To teflifie to the Church and themfelves that they are received into the body ofChrifl, which is the companyof the faithful. z. Toteflifte their obedience to Gods command , and their fubjebtion to his Ordinance,which is appointed for their good. 3. Tobe a neceffary prop to uphold their weakneffe, a feal to confirme their faith in the Covenant of Grace,and an ïnflrument to conveyChrift to them with all his benefits. 3. lesneceffary to Infants, as itferves to admit them into the vifible Church, andwithal to fignifie their intereftin the Covenant ofGrace, andconfequently their interefi to life everlalling. Queft. Are dl then that die without it in the fide of damnation? Anfw. No : For. Firtl, Baptifme is appointed by God to benomore then a feal annexed unto, and depending upon the Covenant : therefore we muff put a difference between it, and theCovenant.Iaideed the Covenant of Grace,and our being inthrift is abfolutely neceffary:For none can be faved unleffe theyhave God for their God : But the figne thereof is not neceffary : For we may be within the Covenant of Grace thoughwe havenot received the fine , and teal thereof in Baptifme. Secondly , thebare want of Baptifine where it cannot be had , is pardonable. The thief on the crofle was faved though he was not Baptized : and fo were many of theMartyrs in the Primitive times. Yet the wilful contempt and careleffe neglect of this Ordinance when it may conveniently be had is dan- gerous , and damnable, and to fuch that threatbelongs, Gen. 17. 14. that fade (hallbecutoff, Thirdly, the grace and mercy ofGod is free, and not tied to the outward elements , job. 3.8. the windeblows where it lifleth,i. e. God gives grace hen, where,and to whom he pleafeth. Fourthly, Infants borne of believing parents are holybefore Baptifie, and Baptifme is but a feate of that holineffe, r Cor.7.14. yea, to thembelongs the Kingdom of heaven, Mark 1o.aq. Obje&. They which arefantlifird have faith, which Infants havenot I Anfw.God faith, /willbe thy God,andthe God ofthyfeed : Byvirtue ofwhich promtfe the Parent layes hold of the Covenant for himfelf and his children : and thechildrenbelieves becaufe the Father believes. Obje6i. Infants are borne in Original finne, and therefore cannot be holy ? Anfw. Every beleeving Parent fuflains a double perfon. a. As defending fromAdams by corrupted feed, and thus both himfelf and his children are cor- rupted. z. As he is a holy,and believing man in;;raftedby faith into Chrill, the fecond Adam ; and thus by his faith, his children comes to be within the Cove- nant, and partaker of the benefits and priviledges thereof: and by the fame faith, he being a believer, theguilt oforiginal corruption in the Infant is not imputed to him tocondetnnation. Obje&t. Others that would .mace it abfolutely neceffary obletl John 3 5. Except aman be born of water, and the Holy Gheft, hecannot enter into the King- donsof Heavou? Anfw. Fir(l, If this bemeant of Bapcifm, then the, words may carry one of thefe twofences. r: Chriff I< II. II, IV.
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