I Cannot but acknowledge with deep regret of Spirit, that I should have such a just occasion offered unto me, to controvert these Points with my indeared Friend and very good Neigh­bour Mr. B. D. whom I esteem and honour, who of himself, separate from that part of his Prin­ciple, is very moderate and civil: But I cannot possibly avoid this my Proceedings, in point of Honour and Veneration to that Eminent Servant of the Lord, Reverend Mr. Mence, subordinate to the Honour and Glory of God, which is that I aim at above all.

1. Because while he was Answering Mr. H. C's. Book, in vindicating and clearing himself from the many abominable false Accusations and Ca­lumnies which Mr. C. laid to his Charge, just as Mr. Mence's Book was ready for the Press, Mr. B. D. very ungentily falls upon him also publickly in print, so that Mr. M. had not time to Answer his whole Book; but he hath fully Answered that part of it wherein Mr. D. bore so hard upon his [Page 4] Credit and Reputation, by his endeavouring vindicate and justifie Mr. C. as may be seen in the Postscript of Mr. M's. Book.

2. I have as much reason, and as clear a Ca [...] to vindicate and justifie Mr. M. as Mr. D. had t [...] vindicate and justifie Mr. C. and a great deal more for the former had Truth on his side, but th [...] latter had not.

3. My Third Reason for it is, Because Mr. D. hath shot at me through Mr. M. Sides, although he hath not mentioned my Name, viz. in hi [...] gross Reflection upon something I writ former [...] concerning the preventing Grace of Habita [...] Faith, in my Replication to Mr. H. C's. Book agai [...] it; which Doctrine I shall, in my way, plain [...] prove and vindicate again in this insuing Di [...] course.

4. I have not ingaged at this time in this Con­troversie, to undervalue nor diminish the Rep [...] tation of worthy Mr. M. whom I highly este [...] and honour, as if he had not been able to ha [...] Answered his whole Book himself as well as part thereof; but, as I hinted before, he v [...] straitened for time.

5. Neither did I undertake it without Mr. M. consent and approbation.

6. And Lastly: I shall take all the care I ca [...] to avoid all undue, unbecoming Reflections, more than purely what the nature of things calls fo [...] and will justly bear, because I will not give an [...] just occasion of offence. Thus having cleared [...] way, I shall now proceed to the matter in han [...] And,

First of all: I shall begin with Mr. B. D's. First Argument, which is as followeth:

In page 2. saith he, It is none of the mea [...] Arguments with me against Infant-Baptism, tha [...] Authorities brought for it are so often changed, [...] [Page 5] the Mediums to prove it so contested among the persons who agree in this only, To practice it.

To which Argument I thus reply:

1. It is none of the meanest Arguments with me (saith Mr. D.) against Infant-Baptism, &c. There­fore it must be one of his greatest and chiefest Arguments against it. But let us see what this Lo­gick of our Opponents will afford us.

1. If difference in Opinion be such an infallible Argument against us, so as to decide the Contro­versie, then those that have the greatest difference among themselves in Opinion, must yeild and submit unto the other Party that hath the least: And if this be granted, as inevitably it must ac­cording to Mr. D's. Thesis, then I doubt not but that we shall find a great opportunity to fur­nish our selves, out of our Opponent's Arcenal, to prove Infant-Baptism to be Authentick; for I know not of any sort of People among us Prote­stants, that differ so much in Opinion as those do that are against Infant-Baptism; and therefore I shall proceed to name some of them.

1. There are Arminians, that hold General Re­demption and Falling away from True Grace, &c.

2. There are those that hold the mortality of the Soul with the dissolution of the Body, &c.

3. There are a sort among them that are called Seekers; and these are the moderatest of them all.

4. There are those that hold the Seventh day of the Week to be the weekly Sabbath, even as he Jews do; and I have heard of some that have [...]ravelled further in that Jewish Road, viz. to Cir­ [...]umcision.

5. There are those to be found among them, [...]hat are Socinians, who deny the Deity of Christ,

[Page 6]6. There is another sort among them who pro­vide Legs of mutton for Supper at the Lords Table, just before they Celebrate the Lords-supper: But I know not what Reason they can produce for such a practice as that, unless it is because o [...] Saviour Christ did eat the Passover just before he instituted the Lords-supper; at which time be abolished it, with all the rest of the Ceremonial Law, Sabbath and all, and freed us from the Pass­over for ever.

7. There are some few among several sorts o [...] these, that are for Singing of Psalms.

8. There are a sort of this Opinion in Germa [...] that are for sprinkling and pouring water on [...] Head and Face only in Baptism; and I have lat [...] heard, that some of them practice sprinkling [...] Baptism here in England.

9. And Lastly: There are another sort of th [...] who are reckoned the soundest of them, and th [...] differ from most of all the rest.

Now it hath been observed by some, that th [...] is not Two Congregations to be found among [...] one sort of these I have named, that agree in [...] points one with the other, but differ in Opi [...] in themselves: No, nor one Congregation it se [...] but differs in their Opinion one with anoth [...] Now all these agree in nothing but in the Subj [...] and mode of their Baptism, namely, in dipping [...] Adult (those only excepted that are for sprinkling Now if Mr. D. cannot find out so many diffe [...] Opinions among us Protestants, who are for Pa [...] baptism, then the Argument is clearly falle [...] our Side; Therefore I challenge Mr. D. to [...] out so many sorts among us who are for Infa [...] baptism, that do so vastly differ in Judgment o [...] from another, as those do which I have [...] Nay, as for Mr. D. himself, should his Book [...] strictly examined, and compared with Mr. H. C. [Page 7] and Mr. B. K's. Books, it will evidently appear, that as those Two Noted Authours contradicted one another, and themselves to boot, even so hath M. D. contradicted them both, and himself into the bargain, as I shall clearly prove upon him hereafter.

Thus you see one of Mr. D's. Topping Argu­ments against Infant-baptism utterly destroyed, and himself out-shot in his own bow.

2. Saith Mr. D. in page 2. That a positive Right that flows only from the Will of the Legislator, such as Baptism is, both as to the Subject and the manner of its Administration, should have by you its foundation in the Covenant made with Abraham in Gen. 17. re­lating to his Natural posterity, &c.

To which I Answer as followeth:

1. Saith Mr. D. A positive Right, both as to the subject and the manner of its Administration,— By which he intends dipping of the Adult onely: But he hath not proved it, neither can he (I am sure) so long as he lives: For first, he cannot prove it by St. John the Baptist, who was the first that ever Administred that Ordinance after the coming in of the New Dispensation of the Gospel; for he baptized Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the Region round about Jordan, Mat. 3. Now if Jerusalem was baptized, then Infants were bapti­zed; for otherwise it could not be said, that Je­rusalem was baptized; for no doubt, but there were abundance of Infants in such a great and populous City as that was: Therefore John bapti­zed Infants as well as Adult persons, or else he could not baptize Jerusalem.

2. He baptized all Judea, and all the Region round about Jordan; he baptized all that came, or were brought, unto him; and the Scriptures are true, and cannot be broken.

[Page 8]3. This all here mentioned could not be com­prehensive of every individual Person; but if it had been so, young Infants must have been inclu­ded therein also.

4. I humbly conceive this all is to be under­stood of some of all Ages and Sects, viz. men, women, and children; and to deny both these Senses of it, is to lay violent hands upon the Sa­cred Scripture, for if either of these had been excluded, it could not have been all. But,

2. We do not find that St. John did baptize any but those of the Circumcision.

3. He did not refuse any of the Jews, the Stock of Abraham, that came to his Baptism, th [...] did not wilfully and obstinately reject it them­selves, though ar the same time he forbad them to take up and rest in their Covenant-relation to Abraham.

4. All those that were baptized by St. Jo [...], were not all true Believers, because we find that many that were Followers of Christ, and cryed Hosanna unto him at one time, cryed Away with him, Crucifie him at another: For St. John bap­tized with water unto Repentence. Thus you see I have clearly proved from the Scripture, That John baptized Infants as well as Adult Per­sons: Therefore on whose Side lyeth the positive Right now, on yours or ours, think you?

2. I observe that when ever our Opponent have occasion to mention any thing about Gods Covenant established with Abraham, they will not lay down the Covenant fairly at length, and ope [...] all the parts of it, and rightly divide and explai [...] it, that People might readily see the extent of it, whether it was extended to the male children only (as some without ground suggest, because the male children only were circumcised) or to both ma [...] and female; Therefore I will lay it down i [...] [Page 9] them, and make some Observations on it, and draw some Conclusions therefrom.

Gen. 17.7, 11. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

1. All those with whom God established his Covenant are included in the Token thereof, the female Seed of Abraham as well as the males, un­less it could be proved that the females were no part of Abraham's Seed: For,

2. Though Circumcision, as to the Letter of it, belonged only to the male Seed, yet the vertue and efficacy thereof extended to the female seed also, because after God had established his Cove­nant with Abraham and his Seed, he said, without variation or change of Speech, in verse 11.

Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin, and it shall be [a] token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

Who are these [you] that God established the Covenant with? Were they Abraham and his male Seed only? No; it was Abraham and all his Seed, both male and female, very few excepted.

3. Here is another thing to be observed which is very important, with a respect to the Contro­versie in hand, and that is this, viz.

1. This Token of the Covenant is called [a] Token of the Covenant; but the Token of the Covenant God established with Noah, is called [the] Token of the Covenant: And the Reasons of it, I humbly conceive, are principally these Two.

1. Because the Rain-bow is perpetual, and was to have no Successor; and therefore it is empha­tically called [the] Token of the Covenant.

2. The other was called [a] Token of the Covenant because it was to have a Successor, being [Page 10] it was to expire, and come to an end, with the Ceremonial Law.

3. What was to succeed and supply the room of Circumcision if Baptism doth not? For there were no other Ordinances of God, that either then had, or now have, to do with the Subjects external part of the Flesh, but these Two, namely, Circumcision and Baptism.

4. Neither were there then, nor are there now, any other Ordinances of God wherein the Sub­jects were then, or are now, wholly passive, but these Two, viz. Circumcision and Baptism: For, as none were to circumcise themselves then, so none are to baptize themselves now.

5. For a further confirmation of what I have said touching these things, pray observe, and take good notice, and you shall find, that Cir­cumcision and Baptism are both joyned together in the Antitype, viz. 1. Circumcision of the Heart; and 2. Baptism of the Holy Ghost; i [...] which all the Subjects are passive: And these are both one and the same; for Circumcision of the Heart is Baptism of the Holy Ghost, and Baptis [...] of the Holy Ghost is Circumcision of the Heart that is, Regeneration and Sanctification, which [...] pure preventing Grace.

Mr. H. C. hath so far yeilded unto the Truth these Things aforesaid, as that he hath publick declared in Print, viz. That as Circumcision [...] the door of entrance into the Jewish Church, which [...] national, so Baptism is the door of entrance now i [...] the Gospel-Church, which is congregational.

Now if the female Seed of Abraham were [...] as much interessed in the benefit of Circumcis [...] as the male seed were, then no women could [...] entred in at that door into the Jewish Chu [...] and been Members of it; for that door [...] have been shut, and fast bar'd against them [...] [Page 11] This must be granted, viz. Either the female seed of the Jews had a benefit by Circumcision as much as the male seed had, or they could not have been Members of the Church with them; for other­wise, they must deny all Women entrance into the Gospel-Church by the door of Baptism, be­cause as Circumcision was the door of entrance to all the Members of the former, even so Baptism is now the door of entrance to all the Members of the latter. Thus you see all the Arguments to prove the contrary are confuted, notwithstanding Mr. D's. saying, that the male children of Abra­ham's natural Posterity were only to be circum­cised; and his wondering, that from this Cove­nant should be devolved a Right on the Gentile Church to baptize their Children, both males and females, is brought to nought.

6. And lastly: I shall humbly offer some Rea­sons why the male children were to be circumci­sed, and not the females.

1. It was to praefigurate the death and suffer­ings of Christ, who was given for a Covenant of the People, and was to be cut off and die for the Sins of his People: Therefore as St. Paul saith in another case, Was Paul crucified? so say in this, viz. Was a female to be crucified for the sins of the People? I think there are none but will deny, that

2. This also was the reason why the Paschal Lamb for Sacrifice must be a male of the flock without blemish, and not a female; which did likewise praefigurate Christ's Incarnation and Cru­cifiction: For, 1. He must be a man, and not a woman: 2. He must be a man without sin: 3. He must be taken out of the flock of God, namely, the Tribe of Judah: 4. And lastly: He must be offered up without spot to God, for the sins of his People, 1 Cor. 5.7.

Therefore, for these Reasons, the male child­ren were circumcised, and not the female: But yet notwithstanding, the female seed of Abraham were as much in the Covenant of Grace, and shared as much in the Redeeming Love of Christ, as ever the male children of Abraham did.

3. The Token of the Covenant was, and still is, to be on the flesh, because all flesh had corrup­ted its way; therefore nothing short of the death and sufferings of Christ could appease the Wrath of God, and reconcile him unto us, and retrieve us from that lost and condemned state of sin and misery, into which the Fall of Adam had involv'd us: But Christs Deity did not suffer, for it was impossible; it was only the Humane Nature of Christ that suffered, and was cut off, but not for himself, but for the sins of the People, Dan. 9. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off: There was the Antitype, or end of Cir­cumcision; for he suffered both in body and soul, Isa. 53.11. His soul was made an offering for sin. Thus I have proved, That the female seed of Abraham were interessed in the Token of the Co­venant as well as the males; and so are all the seed of Believers now, and have all a Right to the Ordinance of Water-baptism, the successive Token of the Covenant of Grace: For as Circumcision of the Heart, and Baptism of the Holy Ghost, both signifieth one and the same thing, even so Circumcision in the Letter, and Baptism with Water, signifieth one and the same thing, namely, Regeneration and Sanctification by the death, me­rits, and Spirit of Christ.

3. Mr. D. hath positively asserted, That the Covenant God established with Abrahnm, and his Seed, was a Covenant of peculiarity, viz. a Co­venant made peculiarly with Abraham, and [...] Natural posterity; but this I shall make appear [Page 13] to be a very gross mistake, for several Reasons:

1. Because it was not a new made Covenant with Abraham which never had a being before, as appeareth by the very words in Gods Declaration to Abraham, viz. for thus saith the Lord, And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, &c. Though it is true, that it was new to Abraham and his seed, because they were never in it before.

2. This Covenant which God calls my covenant, which he established with Abraham and his seed, is the same which God made (first,) with Adam, and his seed after the Fall, Gen. 3.15. and (se­condly,) it's the same which God established with Noah, and his seed, after the Floud; for God used the very same frame of Speech with Noah as he did with Abraham, as you may see Gen. 9.9. And I, behold I, establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you: That was with Noah and his Houshold, and their Posterity. Gen. 7.17. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee.

1. Behold, I establish my covenant, &c.

2. And I will establish my covenant, &c.

What difference is there between these Two establishments of the Covenant? Even none at all. Then it must be one and the same Covenant; nay, God telleth us so; for both to the one and to the other, God calls it emphatically my cove­nant. So it was not a Covenant made peculiarly to Abraham and his natural posterity.

2. Let us address our selves to Gods frame of Speech concerning the Tokens of the one and of the other.

1. In Gen. 9.12. And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you: That was Noah and his Houshold.

[Page 14]2. In Gen. 17.11. And ye shall circumcise th [...] flesh of your fore-skin, and it shall be a token of [...] covenant betwixt me and you. But it may be Ob­jected, What congruity or agreement is there be­tween these two Tokens of the Covenant, to the Rain-bow and Circumcision? Why there is a very sweet agreement between them both; [...] in effect, it's one and the same; for they are bo [...] Tokens of God's Love and Grace, primarily an [...] especially unto his own covenanting people.

3. Persons may as well say, That the Rain-bow is the Covenant, as to say that Circumcision is the Covenant, being both but Tokens thereof.

4. The Covenant of Grace had its beginning at the Fall of Adam; for had our First Parent stood in their primitive state of innocency, the [...] would have been no room for the Exercise o [...] Grace and Mercy; for misery, in a sense, may be said to beget Grace and Mercy; for in Gen. 3. [...]. there came in all our misery; and in verse 15 there came in Gods free preventing Grace a [...] Mercy, which is his Darling Attribute; for Mer­cy is his delight.

5. The Covenant of Grace ran down in a [...] ­neal Descent from Adam and his posterity, [...] Noah and his, and took in Job, Melchizedec, Eli [...] and Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Moses, Dav [...] and all the Patriarches; and last of all; it [...] volved upon the Gospelized Gentiles, and all th [...] posterity; and this only is the Covenant of Grace for was it not great Grace, that God should [...] only spare Man when he first broke out into ope [...] Rebellion against him, but found out a Ranso [...] for him.

6. All those that are, or have been, or may be in the Covenant of Grace, are not, nor new may be in the Covenant of Redemption; but a [...] that are in the Covenant of Redemption, [...] [Page 15] go through the Covenant of Grace to Glory.

7. All the Elect of God are in the Covenant of Redemption, and were so from all Eternity; for that Covenant was made between God the Fa­ther and his Eternal only Son, 2 Tim. 1.9. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began: But the Covenant of Grace was made with Man by God the Father in his Son Christ Jesus, in the beginning of Time, immedi­ately as soon as man Fell, Gen. 3.15.

8. Not one Soul of all those in the Covenant of Redemption, shall ever sin to such a degree as to fall short of eternal life and salvation; for they are all in the hands of Christ, and none can pluck them thence, John 10. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life: And they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand.

1 John 3.9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God.

This respects the believers perseverance in his spiritual state, and not his spiritual frame of heart; for the same Apostle saith, in the same Epistle, chap. 1.8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us. Many Thousands have sinned themselves out of the Covenant of Grace, and fallen short of eter­nal life and salvation: For as God's eldest Son upon Earth, namely Adam, sinned and broke the Covenant of Works, so Adam's eldest Son, namely Cain, was the first that sinned himself out of the Covenant of Grace; and Ham was the first that sinned himself out of the Covenant of Grace after the Flood; and Judas sinned himself out of the Covenant of Grace under the Dispensation of the [Page 16] Gospel, and all those Jews we read of in Rom. 11. where it is thus said;

For if the first fruit be holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root be holy, so are the branches:

And if some of the branches be broken off, and the [...] being a wild-olive tree, wert graffed in among the [...], and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree:

Well; because of unbelief they were broken off.

9. This Olive-tree, which the Jews were broken of from, and the Gentiles graffed into, was the Co­venant of Grace: Mistake me not; for I do not hold [that] popish Doctrine of falling from true saving Grace; for it is impossible for any to fall out of a state of Grace, though they may out of the Covenant of Grace, because they are in the Covenant of Redemption, which is the inner Court, viz. Sanctum Sanctorum.

10. And Lastly: All that are in the Covenant of Grace are the Subjects of Water-baptism; they are either baptized, or ought to be: But none but those that are in the Covenant of Redemption, are circumcised in heart, and baptized with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.

2. Saith Mr. D. in pages 2, 3. How came it to pass that holy men, such who were interessed in the Covenant of Grace, at the very instant of making this Covenant of Circumcision with Abraham, were not concerned in that Covenant, and the Token of it? such as Melchizedec, &c. and the Fathers before the Flood to Abraham 's Time, and after to Job and his Family, and the Saints of God contemporary with him, such as Elihu and Job 's Three Friends, &c.

The Learned Mr. N. Cox hath so solidly opened this Covenant of peculiarity made with Abraham &c.

Here are several things to be observed from these Words of Mr. D's:

1. Is this; He calleth the Covenant which God established with Abraham, and his Seed, a Cove­nant of Circumcision.

2. He queries how it came to pass, that these holy men were not concerned in that Covenant, and the Token of it: Which is a contradiction; for first, he asserts the Token of the Covenant, viz. Circumcision to be the Covenant it self; and how and where he will find another Token for the Token of the Covenant, I know not.

3. I observe Mr. D's drift and design in calling God's Covenant with Abraham, and his Seed, a Covenant of Circumcision, is to make way to lay a foundation to build their Covenant of peculiari­ty on; but this I will prove to be a gross mistake, for these Reasons following.

1. Circumcision could not be the Covenant it self, because (according to their own Princi­ples,) all the female seed of Abraham would have been excluded and shut out; for they will not grant, nor allow, that the female seed of Abra­ham were any way concerned in Circumcision, or had any benefit by it.

2. Circumcision could not be the Covenant, because it was but a Token of it, Gen. 17.11. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you: That was with Abraham, and all his Seed, both male and female.

3. Circumcision could not be the Covenant, be­cause in the Covenant it self God promised to be Abraham's God, and the God of his Seed after him, in their Generations, Gen. 17.7. Ay, and to a thousand Generations, Psal. 105.8. And God said, I will make an everlasting covenant with thee, &c. Now Circumcision as to the Letter of it, was [Page 18] not everlasting, for it expired with the Ceremo­nial Law.

4. And Lastly: Circumcision could not be the Covenant it self, because then Ishmael would have been in it; which is repugnant to the holy Scrip­ture; [...]r he had neither part not lot in the Co­venant, Gen. 17.18, 19, 20, 21. But they run upon this mistake to prove Gods Covenant with Abraham, and his Seed, to be a Covenant of pe­culiarity, with a design to exclude all the Gentile Believers and their Seed, purely to destroy Infant-baptism [...], for they know, that unless they can do that, they cannot bring it to pass; and this is the reason why they press these holy men aforesaid into their service, viz. Melchizedec, Job, Eli [...], &c. because they were not circumcised.

2. I shall humbly offer my Reasons to shew why Abraham and his posterity were circumcised, and not those holy men aforesaid.

1. The first is, because God never required it of them, and therefore it would have been super­stition for them to have done it.

2. Because Abraham was chosen by God himself, and fixed in a publick station to be a sub-repre­sentative Head, and father of the faithful to the end of the World; and so was not any of those Wor­thies aforesaid.

3. God's Covenant was with Abraham several years before Circumcision was annexed unto it, Gen. 17.4. As for me, behold, my covenant is wit [...] thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Now to which of those Worthies did God ever say, he would make him a father of many nations?

4. In Gen. 12.3. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: And in thee shall all the families of the earth, be blessed. This was Gods Covenant with Abraham some years before Circumcision.

[Page 19]5. In Gen. 13.16. And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbred.

6. In Gen. 15.5. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, look now toward heaven, and tell the stars if thou be able to number them: And he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. God did not make any such peculiar promise unto Melchizedec or Job, &c.

7. The blessing of Abraham was to come upon the Gentiles, Gal. 3.14. God made Abraham a publick blessing, both to Jew and Gentile.

8. It was said of Abraham, In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed, Acts 3.25. In thy seed, that is in Christ, Gal. 3.16.

9. My Ninth and last Reason why Abraham and his Seed were circumcised, and not those holy men, was, because our Saviour Christ was to be born of the Seed of Abraham; and therefore it is said, In Abraham 's seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed; for our Saviour Christ was not to come out of the Loyns or any one of these Worthies, but from the Lineage of Abraham, Mat. 1.1. The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham: Not the Son of Melchizedec, nor the Son of Job, &c. but the Son of Abraham: Therefore because he was to come from his Loyns, both Abraham, and his Seed, must wear the Badge or Token of his In­carnation and Crucifiction, which were both prefi­gurated in Circumcision, which was then a Badge of Honour as Baptism now is, and centered in the Covenant of Grace as Baptism now doth; And for these Reasons aforesaid, God was pleased to give unto Abraham, and his Seed, a Token of his Covenant-Love and Grace, in that distinguish­ing way and manner above all other Saints con­temporary with them, who were also in the same [Page 20] Covenant with them; for God had not Two Co­venants of Grace, one peculiar to Abraham and his Seed, and another for the rest of his Saints; but give me leave to tell ye, that all those Wor­thies aforesaid, though they were not circumcised in the flesh, yet they were all circumcised in heart, with the Circumcision made without hands; for what though God was pleased to deny them the Token or thing signified at that time, for Reasons best known to his holy Wisdom? yet they had the thing signified, which was infinitely better: Ishmael had the Token of the Covenant, which was but the shell, and not the kernel; but all those holy men, which Mr. D. spoke of, had the kernel, though they had not the shell; they were in the same Covenant with Abraham and his Seed, though they had not that Token of the Covenant as they had.

Now let us hear what a Gentleman of New-England said, in his History of Baptism, in pag. 8.

1. A promise to Adam 's believing; in this decla­ring A promise of the Messiah [...]s, That he will be his God, and the God of his seed in their Generations, keeping Covenant or Command revealed to them; for when this promise was made to Abraham, it is [...] to be supposed a new thing not in use before, but it was renewed to him with a peculiar respect to his seed, when the Gentiles were cast off for sinning against this promise, as the Jews now are: And there is no doubt but that the Family of Adam, who was the first Be­liever, and of Noah and his seed, were the Church of God, because God exercised Excommunication on the apostate Members; and there is no Church-hood but to such as are under the promise: Those who cannot say, God is their God, and the God of their seed, in their generations keeping covenant, have little to say for, their Church-hood.

[Page 21]2. Let us hear what that eminent Servant of the Lord, Reverend Mr. Samuel Pomfret, said to this which Mr. D. writ about Melchizedec, Lot, and Job, &c. when he saw it in his Book, which is as followeth:

Touching Mr. D 's doubt about these holy men, Mel­chizedec, Job, Elihu, and Lot, &c. why they are not mentioned as well as Abraham concerning the Token of the Covenant, viz. Circumcision, his judi­cious Heart and Head might quickly have perceived, if he please but to consider the lineal descent: The God of all Grace was pleased to call out Abraham, as the Father of the faithful through all ages to the end of the World, both down the Gospel as well as the Old Testament Dispensation; as he may know in the Epistle to the Galatians is clear, especially the third chapter, where it is said, the blessing of Abra­ham is devolved upon the Gentiles.

3. Let us hear what Mr. Cobbet of New-England saith also to this: 1. Saith he,

Let us address our selves a while to consider of the external and Church right of little ones to the initia­ting Seal and Church right which follows thence; for the initiating Seal follows the Covenant: We speak not of an extraordinary time of the Church, when either it hath no particular express initiating Seal distinct from another sealing Ordinance, as before that solemn covenanting of God in reference to the Church in Isaac 's Race, Gen. 17.7, 8, 9. with the 19. so there is some peculiar state of the time not applicable to the ordinary time and way of a visible politick Church and its Administrations, as then also were Family Churches as that in Melchizedec's and Job 's Families, which being not successively to continue, were not so immediately eyed, in point of solemn Institution and Church Laws, as was this of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob 's Race, wherein the visible Church was to be continued: Such extraordinary times and cases [Page 22] are very impertinently urged by some to infringe th [...] force of ordinary Rules and principles; they know a extraordinary case of eating shew-bread by such as were not priests, and of plucking ears of corn on the sabbath day, of a private disciples baptizing, Acts 9. and Zipporah 's circumcising of her son: And these do [...] nullifie or invalidate ordinary rules and principles touching Circumcision or Baptism, or the sanctifying the sabbath. In ordinary times and cases respecting the political visible Church and its administrati [...] such little ones as are of parents in such visible Ch [...] estate, they have external right unto the injoyned [...] ­tiatory visible seal, of which they are outwardly [...] ­pable, and ought not to be denyed the use and ben [...] thereof: Ordinary times then, and not extraordina [...] are here considered: Let none object then, Child [...] of Members of an ordinary political visible Church [...] here considered: Let none object an extraordinary [...] of Job's or Melchizedec 's Families a visible [...] enjoyned; not a case wherein actually any such sed [...] not enjoyned, is here also considered, or at least [...] view at the present making of the covenant with th [...] reference, as in the case Gen. 17.7, 8, 9. And [...] none object Adam and Noah 's time, and cases aga [...] our Thesis; external right in such a church seal propounded: Let none confound this with inward [...] saving right, which is visible to God, and not to [...] man the initiating seal is propounded, not all thes [...] or church priviledges, as choice of officers, and [...] in other church occasions, &c. A male child of [...] days old might be circumcised, but was never intend to be injoyned personal appearance at the solemn [...] bration of the passover: Let none then object, tha [...] may as well plead for Infants coming to the [...] Supper as in Cyprian 's time. In a word; we spea [...] initiatory sealing of persons outwardly capable [...]

Thus you hear what this Authour saith.

[Page 23]5. And lastly: When they have said all that can be said concerning Melchizedec, Lot, Job, and Elihu, why they were not circumcised; I cannot find that they were under any obligation to it, and the reason is plain, Because they had not Gods command for it; for if they had Gods com­mand for the doing of it and neglected it, then they were guilty of a great sin, for not complying with it.

2. If there was no command for it, then they had sinned if they had done it.

3. God may make that an Ordinance at one time that may not be so at another time; of which I shall give you an instance in the case of Israel's departure out of Egypt, Exod. 12.7, 13. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts, &c.

And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you.

This Ordinance was but for that night.

4. It is a sin for any man to be circumcised now God doth not require it, and it would have been a sin in Gods Israel under the Law, if they had neglected it; for he that was not circumcised at eight days old, was to be cut off, Gen. 17.14.

5. If these holy men had done it, namely, Mel­chizedec, Lot, and Job, &c. they would have been as deeply guilty for the doing of it, as Abraham and his seed would have been for the neglecting of it.

6. And lastly: It would be a great sin in a Gospel-Minister, that was duly qualified for it, with Gifts and Graces, and a right call to the work of the Ministry, if he should refuse and neglect it; and it is as great a sin for any to intrude and undertake that great Work without being duely [Page 24] qualified with Gifts and Graces, and not having a clear call unto it, as too many Novices do i [...] this our day, that do not understand Covenant-Mysteries; for the Scripture saith, in Psal. 25.14. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him: and he will shew them his covenant.

So that this case of these holy men is fully an­swered; For if Circumcision had been a Duty incumbent on them, as they were good men they would not have lived in the neglect of it.

Thus you see this quaint, new-found Notion of a Covenant of Peculiarity made with Abraham and his natural Posterity fairly laid in the Dust; for dust thou art, and to dust thou art returned.

2. I shall prove Infant-Baptism, and Church-Membership, to be of Divine Institution.

1. From Acts 2. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that sa [...] Jesus whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Chri [...]t.

Now when they heard this, they were pricked i [...] their heart, and said unto Peter, and to the rest [...] the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be bapti­zed every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift [...] the holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lo [...] our God shall call.

First, Here we may observe, that whatsoeve [...] the Promise was unto the Jews, and to all the [...] children, in the former part of the verse, the Promise is the same to the called Gentiles and [...] all their children, in the latter part of the sa [...] verse: But by the way, before you go any furthe [...] What Promise is this that is here mentioned? [...] when was it made to the Jews and their childre [...] and to the Gentiles and their children also? [...] [Page 25] it is no other than the Covenant that God establi­shed with Abraham, wherein he promised that he would be his God, and the God of his children after him, and that this Blessing, or Promise, should descend, and devolve, upon the Gentiles, and their children also: And for clear proof of this, mind these Scriptures, Gen. 12.3. here is the first broaching this Celestial Liquor of Life to Abraham, Acts 3.25. Gen. 13.16. Gen. 15.5. Gen. 17.2, 4, 7. Gal. 3.8, 14, 16, 17. Thus you see this Promise is the Covenant in which are com­prehended all Gospel-believers, and all their chil­dren; so that if we went no further than this, here is sufficient Authority to administer the Ini­tiatory Seal of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of believers.

2. But secondly; when they heard what the Apostle charged them with, (which was with the blood of Christ) they were convinced, being pricked in their consciences, and then they said, What shall we do? Even as the Jaylor that had been tormenting the Apostles, when he was con­vinced said, in Acts 16. Sirs, what must I do to be saved? so these here, What shall we do? Pray observe; the Apostles Answer unto them was mandatory, viz. Be baptized every one of you: That was, themselves, and every one of their children that did belong unto them: This must needs be so, because the Apostle, to rein­force his Mandamus with a clear inclusive Argu­ment, said, For the promise is unto you, and to your children.

Now what need Baptism have been command­ed, and the children presently mentioned, if they had not been to be baptized as well as their Parents; for they were as much in the Promise as their parents? Pray where lies the difference? For the promise is unto you, and to your children; and [Page 26] upon which Baptism is intailed, for it mentions no conditions in the Promise with a respect to children: And therefore it is as clear as the sun, that the children of believing parents ought to be baptized, let who as will, or dare, deny it.

2. There is Christ's positive command for the baptizing of Infants as well as others, in his ge­neral commission to all his faithful Labourers in his Vineyard, in Mat. 28. Go, and disciple all na­tions: That was, baptize them; for the Learned do say, that Baptism precedes Teaching: Now children are included in this commission, or else they are no part of a nation; which is nonsence to assert or imagine; for they are a very great part of a nation, and therefore they come under the command of Christ to be baptized, every one of those children where their parents did sub­mit to the discipline of Baptism. Thus I have pro­ved Infant-baptism and Church-membership to be of divine Institution, and therefore have a right to the Ordinance of Baptism by vertue of Christs command, and the Apostles argumentative manda­tory Exhortation, and also their covenant interest.

1. Therefore I challenge all our Opponents to prove that ever the children of believing parent were once denied the Ordinance of Baptism is our Saviours time, or his Apostles.

2. I also challenge them to prove, by any one Text of Scripture, that none but adult believer [...] were to be baptized.

3. Let them give us but one single Instance, among all those Housholds which were baptized, that any one child was exempted.

4. And lastly: Let them prove that Infant-bap­tism is any where forbid in the holy Scripture: But if they can do neither of these, as I am sure they cannot, where then is divine Right which they so highly boast of, and so confidently la [...] [Page 27] claim unto? Why, it appears clearly to be on our side, and not on theirs; and the Reason for it is undeniable, For nothing can be of divine Right that is repugnant to the holy Scriptures: But to deny the Infant-seed of Believers to have an In­terest in the Covenant or Promise of God, which intitles them to Baptism, is repugnant to the holy Scriptures, and therefore cannot be of divine Right, as is clear from Acts 2.38, 39. 1 Cor. 7.14. and Gen. 17.7.

5. Some of those that are against Infant-baptism have publickly and confidently asserted in print, that the children of Turks and Heathens have as much priviledge as the children of believing Chri­stians; but Mr. D. seems to be of another mind, if he had but held tightly to it; for saith he, in page 2. Many of those you call the outward priviledges of the covenant of Grace, our children have as well as yours.

Pray note by the way, Mr. D. saith, we call these Priviledges so; he doth not own them to be really so, and yet at the same time, he saith, their children have them: This is a contradiction in it self; for it is to have and enjoy that which they hold, is not in being.

6. I will prove that the children of believers have a far greater priviledge, than the children of Turks and Heathens.

1. First of all; when the ungodly World was drowned, and all destroyed, all those children whose parents were not in the covenant, were destroyed with their parents, not so much as one of them escaped: Pray take notice; I do not judge nor meddle with their future estate.

But holy Noah and all his Houshold were saved, Heb. 11.7. not one of his children perished in the Flood, because they were all in the Covenant of Grace.

[Page 28]2. When Sodom and Gomorah were destroyed by Fire from Heaven, all those children, whose wic­ked parents were not in the covenant, perished with them in that conflagration; but righteous Lot, who was in the Covenant of Grace, was saved and all his own children.

3. Where is the chapter, or verse, to be found in all the Book of God, that doth declare, that the children of Turks or Heathens are holy chil­dren, as it doth the children of either believing father or mother, in 1 Cor. 7.14.?

4. And lastly: Where is it said in Scripture to Turks and Heathens, (while such) that The promise is unto you, and to your children, as in Acts. 2.39.?

Thus you see I have proved, That the children of Christian believers have a far greater privi­ledge than the children of Turks and Heathens; by which I have utterly destroyed that carnal, ig­norant, presumptious Assertion of theirs.

6. Saith our Opponents, What benefit is it for a child to be baptized: To which I Answer thus; So might proud carnal Reason, and natural Affe­ction, much more have queried in the time of the Mosaick Law, What good doth this smarting Ordi­nance do to our children? Or, what benefit is it for them to be circumcised at eight days old? which the Apostles themselves counted to be an intole­rable yoke, which they were not able to bea [...], Acts 15.10. and yet in Rom. 3. he counts it a very great priviledge and advantage; for saith he,

What advantage then hath the Jew? or wh [...] benefit is there in circumcision? Much every way chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

Here you see the Apostles Answer is very com­patible to this Query; but saith he farther:

For what if some did not believe? shall their [...] belief make the faith of God without effect?

Here you see those eight-day disciples were capable of receiving the Oracles of God, or else they would not have been committed unto them.

6. Saith Mr. D. in p. 3. The primitive Fathers, for six hundred years after Christ, had a far diffe­rent Medium to prove Infant-baptism by, viz. The ne­cessity of it to salvation: Your notion of covenant-right from Abraham, and habitual faith, is not to be found in their Writings.

To which I Answer; We are not bound to sail by their Compass; if the Fathers were mi­staken, must we be so too? I can produce some that were mistaken in a paraelel case, long be­fore their time; and some of Mr. D's. own Opi­nion, that have been mistaken also in this Point, in our Time.

1. Some of those Jews that were converted to the Christian Faith in the Apostles time, who were Teachers of others, Acts 15. And certain men which came down from Judea, taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. Here those men laid a very great stress upon the very manner of circum­cision; it must not be after the manner of Abra­ham, but Moses.

2. I have heard of some, (even in our Time) that are against Infant-baptism, that have held the same thing in effect; for say they, No baptism, no salvation; and they hold, That there is no Bap­tism but that of dipping; which is to reprobate all those who are not for dipping in baptism, and all their own children also, that die before they are dipped; which is to place an Ordinance in the room of Christ's Righteousness: But my good Friend, It is safer relying upon Thus saith the Lord, than upon Thus say the Fathers.

[Page 30]2. I shall in the second place prove that the mode of baptism is by sprinkling, or pouring water on the subjects in baptism; and this I shall do partly to satisfie my much esteemed friend Mr. B. D. who gave me a strict charge on the Royal Exchange so to do, though I have been very large already on this subject in my Replication to Mr. B. K's. Book.

1. I shall begin and make some Observations from Acts 2. where we find a great number that were baptized at one time; but we do not find that the Apostles did lay any Injunction upon them to change their Rayment to be baptized in; 1. They did not command the men to strip them­selves, and put on other Garments proper for the Ordinance, and then come and be baptized, nei­ther did they say unto the women and maids, Go and get ye Gowns made with lead in the lower end of the skirt thereof, and shift ye, and then come again to us, and we will baptize every one of you.

3. How could it be possible that so few as the Apostles were, not exceeding Twelve in number, (if they were all there) should be able to trip and dip three thousand men, women, and maids, ac­cording to their Principle and practice, in so short a time as but part of a day?

2. I shall prove Baptism to be by Sprinkling, &c. from the Levitical Law, and not by Immersion of Dipping.

1. Negatively: If there is nothing to be done in Gospel-Worship and Ordinances, but what there must be an Example or Shadow from that Pattern which God shewed unto Moses in the Mount, with all its Appendix that were then in force, &c. then baptism cannot be by dipping: But nothing ought to be done in Gospel-Worship and Ordinances, but what there must be an Ex­ample [Page 31] or Shadow for, from that Pattern which God shewed unto Moses in the Mount, with all its Appendix that were then in force, such as Cir­cumcision and Sacrifices, which were then in be­ing, and long before the Ceremonial Law.

Therefore baptism cannot be by immersion or dipping under water, because there is no manner of shadow or Example for that way of baptizing in all the Ceremonial Law, nor its Appendix there­unto belonging: Now for proof of which, let us address our selves to the Scriptures gradually, as we go along.

1. In Heb. 10. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.

Pray mind; the Law was but a shadow of good things to come; and what these good things are, I shall have occasion to declare by and by.

2. I shall prove that baptism ought to be by sprinkling, and pouring water on the subjects baptized.

1. Thus: If there be an Example or Shadow for sprinkling in baptism, from that Pattern which God shewed unto Moses in the Mount, then bap­tism is by sprinkling, &c.

But there is an Example or Shadow of sprink­ling, &c. from that Pattern which God shewed unto Moses in the Mount:

Therefore baptism is by sprinkling.

Now for the Proof of this, I shall call in ma­ny Scriptures to testifie the truth of it, and the first shall be that

1. In Heb. 8. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle. For see (saith he) [Page 32] that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mou [...]t.

Pray observe; these all things that were then to be made according to the pattern shewn in the Mount, were the Example and Shadow of the Heavenly thing [...]: which is the same with that afore-mentioned Text, A shadow of g [...]d things to [...], namely, the Gospel-Ordinances and Worship; which must be according to the pat­tern shewn by God to Moses in the Mount.

2. The Apostle reproved the Hebrews that were reconciled to the Christian Religion, for cleaving to, and hankering after, the abolished Ceremo­nial Law; for he told them in effect, that they robbed Christ of the Honour and Glory of his priestly Office; for saith he unto them, If he (that was Christ) were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing there are priests that offer gifts according to the Law; and then he proceeds to tell them, that the Law was but an Example and Shadow of the Gospel-Ordinances and Worship, those heavenly things, and a shadow of good things to come, not the very Image or Substance of the things.

3. If there were no Example or Type for dip­ping in baptism, then there can be no Antitype; Therefore it cannot be baptism; for there was nothing among all the Examples and Shadows of the Heavenly things, that was any thing like dip­ping in baptism.

4. But fourthly; I will produce you a Cloud of Witnesses, which all center in a Type for sprinkling in baptism.

1. In Exod. 24. And Moses took the bloud, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the bloud of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you.

Now was not this a lively Type or Seal of the Covenant, namely Baptism? for it signifieth [Page 33] the same thing as Baptism doth, viz. Regeneration, Sanctification, and renewing Grace, which cost Christ the price of his precious blood, which is the blood of the covenant; for he was given for a covenant to the people, and therefore Moses said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you; and yet that blood, in it self, was but the blood of a beast:

2. In Exod. 29. And thou shalt stay the ram, and thou shalt take his blood, and sprinkle it round about upon the altar.

3. In Levit. 1. And he shall kill the bullock before the Lord: and the priests Aarons sons shall bring the blood, and sprinkle the blood round about upon the altar, that is by the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.

4. In Ezek. 36. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthi­ness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Here is God's Promise to the Jews, the Race of his old covenanted peculiar People, predicted, which is to be renewed and fulfilled in this latter day of the Gospel, as in verses 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. compared with Rom. 11.25, 26, 27. First, here in Ezek. is their baptism predicted, viz. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you; for as they were a baptized Church under the Law, so they shall be again under the Gospel, 1 Cor. 10.2, 3, 4. And that was also by sprinkling. Secondly, here is their Calling and Conversion predicted and promised, viz. A new heart also will I give you, &c.

4. And lastly: Pray mind these Scriptures, for they are all for sprinkling, Levit. 9.9, 18. ch. 4.6, 17, 18. ch. 5.9, 13. ch. 8.11, 24. ch. 14. [Page 34] 7, 8, 9, 16, 51. Numb. 19.18, 19, 20, 21. [...]2 Chro [...]. 29.22. ch. 30.16.

Now what could all these sprinklings and pour­ings of blood and water be an Example and Sha­dow of, if not of baptism?

Therefore I demand Two Things of our Op­ponents.

1. If sprinkling in baptism be not the Antitype of all these sprinklings and pourings aforesaid? Then I challenge them to find out, and discover unto us, some other Gospel-Ordinances wherein the subjects are all passive, as those were of these Sprinklings under the Law, that is more apposite to it, than sprinkling in baptism is, to the Examples and Shadows of the Heavenly things, which were the good things that were come.

2. Let them produce us a Type under the Ce­remonial Law for immersion or dipping in bap­tism, otherwise let them cease from such an un­warrantable practice.

2. In the Second place, Let us observe how excellently the Apostles have conjoined and ap­plyed those Heavenly things in the Gospel new Dispensation, their proper center.

1. In Heb. 9. For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an heiser sprinkling the un­clean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh.

Here is Sprinkling and Sanctification joined together.

2. In Heb. 10. Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

Here is Sprinkling and Washing joined to­gether.

3. In Heb. 11. Through faith he kept the passever, and sprinkling of blood.

Here is the Passover and Sprinkling of blood joined together, the one a Type or Pattern of the Lords-supper, and the other of Baptism, the two Seals of the Covenant, and both pointing to the Death and Sufferings of Jesus Christ, the Es­sential Covenant; and also Regeneration and San­ctification, as Baptism and the Lords-supper most compatibly do.

4. In Heb. 12. And to Jesus the mediatour of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling.

Here the Covenant of Grace, under the new Dispensation of the Gospel, and Sprinkling are joined together, namely, Baptism the Seal or To­ken thereof.

5. And lastly: Here is the Foundation of all these Sprinklings clearly explained by the Apostle St. Peter, in these Words, in 1 Pet. 1.2. Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.

Here is the Covenant and Sprinkling the blood of the Covenant joined together, namely, the blood of Christ: And what God hath joined together, let not proud carnal Reason part a­sunder.

Thus you see I have clearly proved from the Ceremonial Law, That baptism is by sprinkling, and pouring water on the subjects baptized; for nothing can be the Antitype of all these Sprink­lings, but this Heavenly Thing, namely, the Sa­crament of Water-baptism: Therefore baptism cannot be by dipping, because there is no Exam­ple or Pattern for it among all the Ceremonies; for if it had been one of the Heavenly Things, then there must have been a Pattern for it; but there is none as I know of, unless it be those two which are not of the Heavenly Things, here men­tioned, but a Dispensation of Wrath from Hea­ven, [Page 36] namely, the drowning the old ungodly World, and proud Pharaoh and all his Host, they were all immersed, or dipped, and drowned: Therefore dipping in baptism is of the Earth, and but a humane Invention.

Now to bring things nearer home still; Wha [...] did all these Sprinklings with blood and water sig­nifie under the Mosaick Dispensation, which are brought down into the New Testament and applied by the Apostle.

1. As they were Examples and Patterns of Water-baptism, so they pointed unto the same things as Water-baptism doth. viz. Regeneration and Sanctification, both which we have in John 3. Jesus answered, Verily verily I say unto thee, Excep [...] a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cann [...] enter into the kingdom of God.

2. Sprinkling under the Ceremonial Law is baptism under the Gospel; for they both point at one and the same thing, namely, the Death and Sufferings of Jesus Christ; without which there had been no Regeneration or Sanctification; for without shedding of blood, there could have been no Remission of sins.

1. Sprinklings under the Law pointed forward to the Death of Christ, to shew that he was to come and suffer.

2. Baptism under the Gospel points upward, to shew that Christ is come, and hath suffered, and is ascended, though baptism was instituted before Christ's Sufferings; just as things are spo­ken in the present Tense for the future, as con­cerning Christ's birth and nativity, in Isa. 9.6. For unto us a child is born: Christ came by water and blood, 1 John 5.6. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5.7.

Therefore Christ called his own Sufferings his baptism:

That is, calling the thing it self by the name of that which represents it:

And Christ was really circumcised and also bap­tized, both which pourtrayed his Death and Suf­ferings, Col. 2.13, 14.

Thus you see how the Ceremonial Law, and the new Dispensation of the Gospel, were related one to the other; the Ceremonial Law was a Shadow of the Image of Christ in his Ordinances; And in the Gospel-Ordinances, those Heavenly Things, the Image of Christ himself is held forth unto us, Heb. 10. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.

5. Those that are baptized by the Holy Ghost, are not said to be dipped into the Holy Ghost; but the Graces of the holy Spirit are poured out upon them, and shed abroad in their Hearts, Isa. 44.3. Joel 2.28. Acts 2.18. Thus you may see that I have proved from the Ceremonial Law, that baptism is by sprinkling, and not by dip­ping.

6. And lastly: I shall add one Scripture more, to corroborate that which hath been said touching the mode of baptism, which is that famous Text in 1 Pet. 3. When once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is eight souls, were sa­ved by water.

The like figure whereunto, baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here are several things of great note in this Text of Scripture.

1. Here is the twofold patience of God; first he waited patiently on the old ungodly. World for their Repentance.

[Page 38]2. His patience in waiting on Noah until he had prepared the Ark for the saving himself and his Houshold.

3. Here is the fewness of the Number of these which were saved, among the many Thousands of Families of the Earth, viz. but eight persons, and they were saved by water; that which was a most dreadful dispensation of Gods Wrath to the old ungodly World, was a dispensation of distin­guishing Love and Grace unto Noah and his Family; for the Text telleth us, they were saved by water; the like figure whereunto, even bap­tism doth also now save us.

4. Here are two things enveloped in these words; First, As Noah's temporal preservation and deliverance in and by the Ark was typical of eternal Life and Salvation, by Jesus Christ the Ark of Gods Covenant, so is baptism also.

5. None are eternally saved by, nor for, their being baptized, no more than all were saved eter­nally that were in the Ark; for if it were so, then all would be saved that were, are, or shall be, baptized; for external holiness will not give them a Right to eternal Salvation, nor foederal holiness neither, though inherent holiness doth: Pray mind the Apostles Words; for saith he, The like figure whereunto, even baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, (that is external holiness) but the answer of a good con­science towards God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There is Internal Grace and Holiness; Tempo­ral salvation and deliverances are not a sure sign of Eternal salvation; nor external purification, or putting away the filth of the flesh, without in­ward heart-purification by the Resurrection of Je­sus Christ, of which Noah's preservation was a true Type or sign, and Water-baptism is no more.

[Page 39]6. What analogy is there between Noah's pre­servation and dipping in baptism? for the Text saith plainly, that baptism maketh the like figure unto it: To which I answer in the negative, There is none at all; it is altogether incongruous; all that can be said of it is this, namely, It makes a true figure of Gods Wrath on the old drowned World; for they were all immersed and de­stroyed.

7. And lastly: What analogy or congruity is there between Noah's preservation and sprinkling in baptism? To which I answer in the affirma­tive, There is a sweet harmonious Agreement be­tween them; for sprinkling in baptism is the like figure.

1. As Noah's Preservation and his Family, was a Mark and Token of Gods distinguishing Love and Grace unto them above all the rest of the World, even so is Baptism now to all true Chri­stian believers, and their children, which is the Figure thereof, a Mark and Token of Gods di­stinguishing Love and Grace unto them, above all other persons in the World; for baptism is a sealing the Name of God upon them, whereby they are externally received into the Family of Christ; for whoso shall receive one such little child in Christs name, receives Christ himself.

2. As Noah and his Family were all in the Ark, even so believers and their seed are all in the Co­venant, and therefore they all ought to have the Figure of Noah's Preservation administred unto them, namely, Water-baptism, and that by sprink­ling, otherwise it cannot answer to the Figure of Noah's Preservation; for he nor none of his Fa­mily went over-board into the water, and were dipped, but was sprinkled with the Rain from Heaven, and with the water that did fly over in­to the Ark by the beating of the Waves against [Page 40] it, even as it doth against a ship at sea in a stoo [...] by which the Mariners are often sprinkled; and know this my self experimentally; but if any [...] the Mariners are dipped in the sea, they are commonly drowned.

3. And lastly: As the Waters in mercy b [...] up the Ark and saved Noah and his Family, eve [...] so in judgment it drowned all the World besides for the Text saith that Noah was saved by wate [...] unto which baptism is annexed. Thus I have p [...] ved that sprinkling in baptism is of Divine Insti­tution, and dipping for baptism but a human Invention.

7. Saith Mr. D. Habitual Faith is not to be f [...] in the primitive Fathers Writings. To which [...] thus reply:

What is that to us? I will put it to a fair and short Issue; which shall be this: Either Mr. D. must grant, that all elect dying Infants have Ha­bitual Faith, otherwise he must totally deny Ori­ginal sin; which he please; here is his choice; for this is the genuine consequence of it, witho [...] offering the least force or violence unto his Alle­gation.

1. For First, If all young Infants by nature are guilty of Adam's Transgression, then they cannot be saved without Regeneration; for there is no passing immediately out of the Kingdom and Dominion of Sin, and Satan into the Kingdom of Glory; for there is a great Gulf fixed between them, Luke 16.26. And if they are not in the Ark of Gods preventing Grace, to ferry then over, they must perish; for the only Road to the Kingdom of Glory lyeth through the Kingdom and Dominion of Gods free preventing Grace for all old and young that are saved, Eph. 2.8.

2. All young Infants by nature are guilty of Original Sin and depravation, Psal. 51. Behold I [Page 41] was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother con­ceive me.

Rom. 3. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Therefore they must have Grace poured into their Souls, to subdue and conquer that original depravation, or they cannot be sanctified, nor saved; for we all received our very shape and first being in sin: Therefore they must have Grace to unite them to Christ; the lost Image of God by the Fall of Adam, must be restored unto them, and re-instamped upon them; and Christ, with all the Graces of his Spirit, must be formed in them, or God will never save them, nor be recon­ciled unto them, no more than he will to the Fallen Angels; and this must be done by the Infusion of Gracious Habits into their Souls, 1 John 3.9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: This Seed of God is the Principles and Habits of Grace, which is a Fruit of the Spirit; but Grace in Act and Exercise is called the Fruit of the Spirit.

3. Habitual Grace is sufficient by the powerful Agency of the Spirit, to subdue and conquer ori­ginal Depravation in regenerating and changing their state, and making them Partakers of the Divine Nature by the application of the Righte­ousness and Merits of Jesus Christ, for Justifica­tion and Sanctification, by the aforesaid Habitual Grace, instrumentally of which Faith is supream, because without Faith it is impossible to please God.

4. The salvation of all Gods Elect, both old and young, is begun, carried on, and finished, by the Work of Christ without us, and by the power­ful Operation of his holy Spirit within us; Christ ever lives to make Intercession at the Right hand of God, for the Application of his Satisfaction to [Page 42] the Fathers Justice for us; and his Spirit abide [...] in us, to help our infirmities, in making Inte [...] cession for us also, with groanings which cannot [...] uttered, Rom. 8.26, 27.

And thus all Elect dying Infants are made me [...] to partake of the Inheritance with the Saints [...] [...]ight, even as all Adult believers are; for this [...] the only way in which God doth justifie, sanctif [...] and save all his chosen People, both old and young and therefore it is emphatically called the Fai [...] of Gods Elect, Titus 1.1.

5. Wherefore if any dying Infants are any pa [...] of Gods Elect, as that they are, then they m [...] have this Faith, because it is peculiar to God Elect and to none else, which is the Faith of the Operation of God, and not by maturity of yea [...] for he is the Author and the Finisher of it, [...] 12.2. And it is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. We reverence be it spoken, God may be compared [...] a man that maketh a Watch, with all the Wh [...] and Pins, and Members thereof; but it may be, [...] doth not wind it up, and set it a going as soon [...] he hath made it; but the Watch is a complea [...] Watch notwithstanding, though it should never [...] set a going; but it is ready to go, whenever the Watch-maker please: Even so God forms and fa­shions the new creature with all its lineaments and members in the Souls of his Elect, namely, all the Graces of his Spirit; but the new creature ca [...] act nor move without Divine Influence, no more than the Watch can go of its self; and God m [...] take either old or young into Glory, as soon as the [...] are regenerated and born again, and never give them time to act Grace; the Thief upon the Cro [...] had but very little time to act Grace in.

6. For Persons to imagine or dream of San [...] fication and Salvation by the Imputation of Chri [...] Righteousness and Merits, without the Instrumen­ [...]allity [Page 43] of Habitual Faith to regenerate and change their Natures, is meer spiritual Nonsense; for Christ's Righteousness and Merits are not to be ap­plied, nor exposed in any other way, nor by any other means, but what God himself hath appoin­ted and revealed unto us, and therefore it is cal­led the Righteousness of Faith; but according to our Opponents Principles, it is a Righteousness without Faith: Pray, dear Friends, consider of this, and be no longer deluded.

7. I challenge all our Opponents, every Soul of them, to produce but one single Text of Scrip­ture, throughout the whole Book of God, that doth give the least shadow of countenance to this kind of Doctrine of theirs, namely, That Elect dying Infants can be sanctified and saved without Habitual Grace, of which Faith is the chief.

8. That salvation of dying Infants, which our Opponents stickle so strenuously for, is a Salvati­on without Justification and Regeneration, which in plain English is to save them in a state of ori­ginal sin and depravation; for the Antipaedobap­tists will not by any means, allow young Infants to be capable of receiving the Habits and Seeds of Grace, to regenerate and change their Natures, though Christ himself (who spake as never man spake like him) hath told us plainly, that Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God: And the Scripture also saith, Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.

9. A young Infant in the Womb, or in the Cra­dle, is as much polluted, and depraved by nature, as the oldest and vilest sinner upon Earth, and as much a child of Wrath as he, and he hath as much need to be justified, regenerated, and sanctified, as he; therefore all those that deny this, must deny original sin; which is to overthrow the very Foundation of mans salvation.

[Page 44]10. I never read one word in all the Writ [...] of our Opponents about the Controversie, that [...] declared, or once discovered, the absolute ne [...] sity of Justification and Regeneration, in order [...] the salvation of Elect dying Infants; I desire th [...] to produce us the Book and Page if they o [...] where there is any such Doctrine: It is true [...] tell us fine quaint Stories of Sanctification, a Application of the Righteousness and Merits Jesus Christ, for the salvation of Elect dying [...] fants, and of their great hope and charity [...] have for them, and yet, in the same breath, [...] tell us, that they are not capable of receiving [...] Graces of the Spirit, by which it is to be brou [...] about and effected; which knocks all their ch [...] and hopes for dying Infants on the head, concer [...] ing their future state of Happiness; for Mr. [...]. [...] very ingenuously hath published and confessed his Book, that he is not capable of understands the Notion of Habitual Faith; for (saith he) it's [...] fine for my uncultivated head: That is, His [...] Reason cannot fathom it.

11. I do positively affirm, as I shall Answer at the great day of Judgment, that all those [...] will not allow Elect dying Infants to be capable receiving Habitual Grace, to regenerate, sancti [...] and change their Natures, do at once reprob [...] them all by their Principle, and bar the Gate [...] Heaven fast against them: For,

12. And lastly: If the salvation of lost sinne [...] is a pure Design of preventing Grace, then I [...] affirm, That a young Infant is as capable of salva [...] on, as any Adult person is whatsoever; but [...] salvation of lost sinners is a pure Design of p [...] venting Grace: Therefore a young Infant i [...] capable of salvation as any Adult person is w [...] soever.

[Page 45]1. It is a pure design of preventing Grace, with a [...]espect to God the Father that contrived it.

2. It is so with respect to Christ the Son, that accom­ [...]lished it.

3. And lastly: It is so with a respect to Man, that hath the benefit of it.

First Grace and subsequent persevering Grace unto Eternal Salvation, is all of pure preventing Grace, and [...]t is brought about by effectual Calling, Justification, Adoption, and Sanctification; for preventing Grace [...]uns through them all; As hath been most elegantly [...]llustrated, amplified, unfolded, and applied, by that [...]minent Divine, who is worthy to be ranked among the rest of our Stars of the first Magnitude, in this Hemisphere of Gods Heaven upon Earth, the Church, namely, Mr. M. M. of Stepney, from that Famous Text of Christ's wonderful preventing Grace, in St. Luke 19.10. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

1. That the salvation of lost sinners is a pure Design of preventing Grace, appears in these following Particulars.

1. In that men by nature are spiritually dead, as in Eph. 2. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.

The sinner being dead, is not able to quicken nor raise himself, but God doth it; — you hath [he] quickened, &c. that is God: Therefore it is preventing Grace.

2. If the sinner be lost, and God is found by him, when he sought him not, then it is pure pre­venting Grace; but so it is, as you may see in Rom. 10. I was found of them that sought me not, I was made manifest to them that asked not after me; Compare with Isa. 65.1.

[Page 46]3. In Ezek. 16. — thou wast cast out in the [...] field, to the lothing of thy person, in the day that th [...] wast born.

And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast i [...] thy blood, Live: yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live.

4. Man by nature is not only in a state of sepa­ration from God, but also in a state of Enmity against him; and until that Enmity be slain, and the Soul united to Christ, which is done by Ha­bitual Faith instrumentally, there can be no hope of Reconciliation nor Eternal Salvation. I say again, God will as soon save the Fallen Angels, as save any Fallen sinner, old or young, in the Womb or out of it, that dyeth in a state of sepa­ration and Enmity against God, as all Mankind by nature are, Psal. 51. Rom. 3.11, 12, 23.

It must be Habitual Faith instrumentally that must justifie the sinner, by taking hold of the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ, and ap­plying it to the sinner, by the manuduction of the holy Spirit; for God is the Author and the Fi­nisher of our Faith.

5. In the fifth and last place, to conclude this Head: No Saint of God ever was, or ever will be, justified, neither for, or by, the Act of Faith; and the reason is plain, because that would be for a man to be justified by Works, which would de­stroy Justification by Faith in the Righteousness of Christ; which is Popery all over; for there is no Justification without the Grace of Faith, though not for the Acting of that Grace.

Therefore it is all a pure Design of preventing Grace, from the Foundation to the Top-stone of mans Salvation; it is all Grace, Grace, pure pre­venting Grace: And therefore an Elect dying In­fant is as capable of Justification, Regeneration, [Page 47] Adoption, Sanctification, and Eternal Salvation, as any Adult person is whatsoever. And thus I have proved, That Habitual Faith is essentially necessary for the salvation of dying Infants, as well as Adult believers: None can be saved without it; for there can be no Acts of Faith, where there are not first Habits of Faith; it is as impossible, as it is for a Tree to grow, and bear Fruit, without a Root.

8. Saith Mr. D. in page 6. It's to be wondered at, how you come to stop at Baptism, and do not let chil­dren partake of the Lords-supper, &c. Mr. D. can see no reason why Infants should not be perfect Mem­bers of the Church visible, if they are any at all.

To which I reply,

1. Truly it is to be wondered at, that such an insipid Argument should be destilled from the Brain, and drop from the Pen, of a Person of such natural Endowments, as Mr. D. is generally taken to be: But such is the unsearchable Wisdom of God, to confound the Wisdom of the Wise, and to entangle them in their own Devices, that no flesh should glory in his presence. Now I shall make good what I have said, with a respect to this Argument.

1. It cannot be denied but that the Jews chil­dren were perfect Members of the Church visible when they were circumcised at Eight days old; for the Apostle tells us, that unto them were com­mitted the oracles of God, Rom. 3.1, 2. But yet notwithstanding, they did not partake of the Pass­over; and this I am sure, that the Gospel of Grace, and Christ the Purchaser of Grace, did not at all diminish the gracious Priviledges of the children of Christian believers.

2. Circumcision was instituted about four hun­dred and thirty years before the Ordinance of the Passover was in being; and were there not perfect [Page 48] Members of the Church visible before the Passover was instituted, which was just the Night before they were delivered out of that Egyptian Bo [...] ­dage?

3. To come nearer home: All those men, wo­men, and children, that were baptized by John the Baptist, were perfect Members of the Church visi­ble, by vertue of their Covenant-relation to Abra­ham, who was a Type of Christ, the Father of al [...] the Faithful, and yet they did not partake of the Ordinance of the Lords-supper; for it was im­possible they should, because that Ordinance was not instituted until about thirty years after; for as Circumcision was instituted before the Passover, so was Baptism before the Lords-supper; and as the Passover was not instituted until the Night in which Israel was delivered out of the Egyptian Captivity, so the Lords-supper was not instituted until the Night in which our Lord was betrayed, when he Actually delivered us out of Spiritual Egyptian Bondage.

3. If none are perfect Members of the Church visible until they partake of the Lords supper, ther if any of their own Opinion die, after they are dipped, before they partake of the Lords-supper, (as no doubt but that many do) then they dye imperfect Members of their Church visible.

4. Baptism was in force long before the Pass­over was abolished; for our Saviour Christ did eat the Passover, and institute the Lords-supper, both at a Meal, the very Night in which he was betrayed; which was the total abolition of the former, and the establishment of the latter.

5. Our Saviour Christ himself hath in effect, declared the Infant-seed of Believers to be perfect Members of the Church visible, in Mat. 19.1 [...] these Words, viz. Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, [Page 49] and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven: That is, the Church. Surely the Kingdom of Heaven is not comprized and made up of imper­fect Members, or Subjects.

Thus you see this Argument is pluckt up by the Roots.

9. Saith Mr. D. in page 6. Many of those you call outward Priviledges of the Covenant of Grace, our children have as well as yours: 1. We dedicate them to God by our Prayers for them as soon as born, and those of the Church, into which in time we hope they will incorporate: 2. Our Example: 3. Religious Education; by catechising, and by daily Prayers for them, &c.

Here are several things worthy to come under our consideration, from these Premises afore­said.

1. Mr. D. asserts and declares, that their chil­dren have many of those we call outward Privi­ledges of the Covenant of Grace, as well as ours; but he will not allow them to be outward Privi­ledges, &c. but saith, that we call them so.

2. Either they are Priviledges of the Covenant of Grace, or they are not; and if they are not so, then they are no Priviledges at all; for they must be of the Covenant of Works; they must be of Grace or of Works; this is clear from the Scrip­ture, in Rom. 11. And if by grace, then it is no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: other­wise work is no more work.

Therefore if those we call outward Priviledges of the Covenant of Grace, of which our Oppo­nents children partake of as well as ours, are not outward Priviledges of the Covenant of Grace, [Page 50] then they are of the Covenant of Works, which is no Priviledge at all thus to boast of.

3. This destroys that common and unclean Na­tion of theirs, viz. That the children of Turk, and Heathens have as much Priviledge as the chil­dren of Christian Believers; for Turks and Hea­thens do not dedicate their children to God in Christ, as soon as born: Which I take to be Mr. D's. meaning, though he will not allow them one Dram of Habitual Grace; which renders it wholly invalid.

4. This Dedication of their children as soon as born, and Prayers for them, must not pass with­out a strickt Examination, for fear least it should prove to be but blear-eyed Leah, instead of beau­tiful Rachel, to use our Authour's own Phrase: Therefore I will bring it into the Ballance of the Sanctuary, and try whether it be weight or not.

1. How can Mr. D. dedicate his children to God in prayer for them as soon as born, seeing he will not allow them to be capable of receiving the Seed and Habits of Grace to unite them to Christ? For it is Habitual Faith that is the Grace which doth that instrumentally; for it cannot be Actual Faith that unites a Soul to Christ; that is im­possible, because that would be for Faith to act before it received its being; there must be the Root before there can be any Fruit; there must be Habitual Faith before there can be Actual Faith: Therefore it is Habitual Faith that unites the So [...] to Christ in Regeneration, notwithstanding Mr. D. and those of his Opinion's deriding and ridiculin [...] of it; for it is called the faith of Gods elect.

2. I observe that Mr. D. doth own, that those children that are saved dying in their Infancy are Elected; therefore I desire Mr. D. to tell us what sort of Faith that is which doth of right belong unto them; for it is evident from Titus 1.1. tha [...] [Page 51] there is a Faith which doth peculiarly belong un­to all Gods Elect, and to none else; and our Op­ponents themselves will not allow Infants to be capable of acting Faith in their own persons, nei­ther indeed can they in an ordinary way, as Adult believers do: Therefore it must be Habitual Faith that unites them to Christ, their Head and Hus­band; and Mr. B. D. must own it too, or raze [that] Notion out of his Book, viz. That all dy­ing Infants that are saved are elected: What are they elected, and shall they not have the Faith of Gods Elect? Where is the sense of this? for there is but one Faith, as well as one Baptism, which belongeth to all the Elect of God, and therefore emphatically called the Faith of Gods Elect.

3. Though young Infants are not capable of the profession of Faith, yet they are of the re­ception and possession of Faith; for God is the Authour and the Finisher of our Faith, who worketh all things according to the counsel of his own Will.

4. The very first Moment of Gods Infusion of Grace into the Soul, that Soul is united to Christ: in which the creature is wholly passive: Therefore without the hope of this, they dedi­cate their children to God in their own unbelief, and their childrens original sins and depravation; which is to offer unto God a corrupt thing, which God abhors, Mal. 1.14: For no unclean thing shall enter into Heaven.

5. Though I do not hold that all Infants are saved that are dedicated to God in baptism, yet we do not bar the Gate of Heaven against them by Principle, viz. by denying them to be capable of receiving those Habits of Grace that must qualifie them for eternal life and salvation if ever they are saved.

[Page 52]6. The consequences of this kind of dedication and Prayers for their dying Infants are these, That God would accept of them and save that in their sins, viz. in a state of depravation and separation from Christ; which is for them to go to Heaven, and be saved in some other unknown way which God never appointed.

7. For unless they are united unto God i [...] Christ, they are not only in a state of separation from God, but also in a state of Enmity against him: Therefore unless they pray unto God for their dying Infants, and believe that their chil­dren are capable of receiving, and God of infu­sing Grace into their Souls, to unite them to Christ, to justifie and acquit them from their ori­ginal sins, and to sanctifie and change their Na­tures, and make them partakers of the Divine Na­ture; all their Prayers for them on this Topick, are but like a fine gilded painted Sepulchre, which appears very fair and beautiful without, but full of dead mens bones and putrefaction within.

8. All Prayers (of this kind especially) ought to have some footing in a Promise; for otherwise it is but presumption, to pray for that which God never promised to grant; and also, that they do not believe the creature can be made capable to receive: And this is the sum and substance of their Principle on this account.

1. For first they deny that the Seed of Believer are in the Covenant of Grace, or that they have any thing to do with that Promise which God made unto Abraham, though it is the same Pro­mise which the Apostle saith belongeth unto then and their children, in Acts 2.39.

2. They deny that young Infants are capable of receiving Habitual Faith, though the whole current of the sacred Scripture is against them, [Page 53] as in Gen. 17.7. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee, &c.

Now that this Promise is devolved upon the believing Gentiles, and their Seed, I have already proved, as in Isa. 44. I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine off-spring, &c.

And in Acts 2.39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord your God shall call.

Rom. 3. Cometh this blessedness then upon the cir­cumcision onely, (these were the Jews) or upon the uncircumcision also? (these are the Gentiles) For we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righ­teousness.

And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, (Here you see what Circumcision was: It was a Sign and Seal of the Righteousness of Faith.) which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed to them also.

Now if they do not go to God in prayer for their children in the Faith of this Promise, their Prayers will avail them little or nothing.

9. I observe that Mr. D. is so true to his Prin­ciple, as that he hath not said that he dedicates his Children to God by Faith and Prayer as soon as born, but he hath said, We dedicate them to God by our Prayers for them as soon as born: For if his Prayers had any regard to Gods Promise to belie­vers and their children, then it would have been by Faith in Prayer; for what is not of Faith is Sin.

10. How can those persons who are against In­fant-baptism, and deny that young Infants are capable of receiving Grace, or that they have any relation to the Promise, pray for their In­fants, either dying or living, when according to [Page 54] their avowed Principle, there is nothing for them to act Faith upon, being they will not allow them to be capable of receiving the Promise, in which Christ and all the Graces of his Spirit are con­veyed it to their Souls? And to deny this, is to deny all; for to exclude them of the Promise, is to exclude them from Heaven, and destroy the very foundation of Prayer.

[...]. The [...]st construction that can be made of these [...] of Prayers for their dying Infants, is onely this, viz. That God would be pleased to spare and continue their Lives until they came to Years of discretion and maturity, that so they may be capable of receiving Grace by their own natural strength and ability, and exercise it by the aforesaid power and ability: This is the natu­ral genuine tendency of this their Principle; and whosoever dives into it seriously and judiciously, will find it to be so; otherwise, why do they say that children are not capable of receiving the Habits of Grace? which highly reflects dishonour on the Free Grace of God, and also the omnipo­tent Power of God; for, unless they do pray for their dying children, or living either, that they may be united to Christ, and be begotten and born of God, and justified by the Righteousness and Merits of Christ, and have their original sins sub­dued, and their Natures sanctified and changed, and the Image of God imprest upon them, that they may be made meet to partake of the Inheri­tance with the Saints in Light, which must be by infusing Grace into their Souls; all their Prayers signifie no more than their Prayers do for any o­ther outward Mercy and Injoyment. But how can they pray for their young Infants union with Christ, when at the same time, they declaim the very instrumental Bond of union, viz. The Grace of Faith, which is peculiar to all Gods Elect.

[Page 55]2. You shall see how incongruous Mr. D. is in himself: For,

1. Saith he in page 5. God knows how to sancti­fie and save our dying Infants without our application of Ordinances unto them, &c.

2. In page 6. he saith, We dedicate them to God by Prayers for them as soon as born, &c.

1. He saith, God knows how to sanctifie and save our dying Infants without our application of Ordinances unto them. Now by the same parity of Reason, Adult believers may cast off all Ordinances, and say, I am in the Invisible and Catholick Church, and God knows how to sanctifie and save me with­out the application of Ordinances. This would make a notable Plea for those that do cast off Ordinances.

2. It is true, that God doth know how to san­ctifie and save all Elect Infants: But here I must stop, for I dare go no further with Mr. D. be­cause I see a dangerous Precipice.

2. It is also as true, that God hath revealed unto us how he doth sanctifie and save Elect dy­ing Infants; for it is in the same way in which he doth sanctifie and save all Elect Adult believers, as I have already sufficiently demonstrated and proved: For as there is but one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism, even so there is but one way to Heaven, and that is thro' Christ, by Justification, Regeneration, Adoption, and Sanctification; for Christ himself saith, I am the way; and in Acts 4.12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.

3. Is not the dedication of our children to God an Ordinance of God? and, Is not Prayer also an Ordinance of God?

1. If the dedication of our children to God be not an Ordinance of God, why do our Opponents [Page 56] practice it? Secondly, If Prayers to God for them be not an Ordinance of God, why do they use it? Why doth our Author himself apply these Ordinances of God to his children as soon as born, seeing he thus declaims them?

2. If they are not Ordinances of God, then it falls under the sin of Will-worship and humane Invention; and if so, then it would be said ano­ther day, Who hath required these things at your hands? But,

3. If they are Ordinances of God, then they ought not to be against the application of Ordi­nances unto them by others, seeing they allow it in themselves; for Dedication without Institu­tion is down-right Superstition: Get over this Sir, if you can.

For we are to do all things [spiritually,] in the Worship and Service of God, according to the Pattern shewn by God himself unto Moses in the Mount.

4. Baptism (as hath been proved) is one of the Heavenly Things, or Gospel-Church-Ordinances, which is a publick solemn dedication of the sub­ject baptized, unto God in the Church, in the presence of God, Angels, and Men, by Thanks­giving and Prayer; for as we receive our chil­dren from God, so it is but reasonable we should offer them up to God through Christ from whom we received them: But yet notwithstanding, we ought to dedicate them to God secretly as soon as born, and privately in our Families; for as in Prayers, there i [...] (1) secret Closet-prayer; (2.) there is private Family-prayer; (3.) and lastly, there is publick Prayer in the Church Assembly; And the [...] former may be said to be prepara­tory to the latter; secret Prayer in the Closet ought not [...] or hinder private Prayer in the Family, [...] ought both these to excuse [Page 57] or impede publick Prayer in a publick Church Assembly.

Even so ought we to do in point of dedicating our children to God; first, it ought to be from the very Womb as soon as born, in secret devo­tion in our Closets, and in our Hearts by Faith, praising of God on the Childs behalf, that the Womb was not its Grave, and for that its Mem­bers were written in Gods Book of Creation; and also to pray unto God, that the name of it may be written in the Book of Life, that it may be regenerated, renewed, and sanctified, and be sealed up unto the Day of Redemption by the Holy Spirit.

2. We ought to dedicate our Children to God in like manner aforesaid, in our Family, with those Neigbbours and Friends that are there as Instruments to help usher them into the World.

3. And lastly: These Dedications aforesaid of our children as soon as born, must not hinder nor prevent our publick solemn Dedication of them afterwards in that Church Ordinance of Baptism in a more publick solemn manner, in the presence of God, Angels, and Men; for the Angels are present in Church Ordinances and Discipline, and are strickt Observators of all our Behaviour and Deportment, as in 1 Cor. 11.7, 10. Which brings me to the second thing, viz. That the An­gels attend the Church in their Ministry, and in special manner their Ministry is extended to the Elect Infant-members thereof, as doth plainly ap­pear from the Words of our Saviour, in that Re­buke he gave to those Disciples that were of his own peculiar Family, when they were striving among themselves who was the greatest in the Church, as in Mat. 18. At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

Pray observe; they did not ask who should be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven hereafter, but who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven now, in the present tense: That was as much as to say, Who among us Disciples is great­est in the Church of God now? for they knew that Christ was the greatest in the Church, and that God is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven in Glory.

Now pray mind Christs Answer unto them:

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

This Christ spake to cure them of their Itch of Pride and Ambition, which he perceived they began to be contaminated with, and therefore he said unto them, Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Pray note, by the way, that Humility is the first step unto true greatness in the Church: But to proceed f [...]rther on our Saviours Words,

And whos [...] shall receive one such little child in my [...], receiveth me.

1. That is, Whoso shall receive little children of believing Parents into the bosome of the Church in Christs Name, receives Christ along with them, because Christ is externally formed in them.

2. How can little children be received into the bosome of the Church in Christs Name, but by Baptism? And for a clear demonstration of this, pray observe strictly the Words of Christs general Commission unto his Ministers and Servants, and there you will find that Christ commanded them to baptize all in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost: This is in the Name of Christ, and to receive them into the Church in [Page 59] the Name of Christ, which is by a publick solemn dedication of them to God in Baptism, Act. 2 38.

But whos [...] shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

What a dreadful threatning is here against all those that offend these little ones! And for my part, I declare that I do not know who among Christians there are, that do offend young Infants so much as all those do, that are against their be­ing dedicated unto God in the Ordinance of Wa­ter-baptism. Pray mind our Saviours threatning, all you that oppose Infant-baptism, and be no longer wilful and obstinate, for it is a most dread­ful one, viz. But whose shall offend one of these little ones, &c. How [so] offend them? If you observe narrowly it will appear, that the ground of the offence is the not receiving them into the Church in Christs Name; for the threatning fol­lows upon that of our Saviour Christs saying, And whoso shall receive one such little one in my name, receiveth me: But whoso shall offend me of these little ones which believe in me, &c. The offence cometh upon the contrary of receiving them in Christs Name. This could not be meant of their Parents first reception of them into the World, at their Birth and Nativity: But some of our Opponents have been so confident in Print, as to say, What offences are young Infants capable of taking? which is carnal reason all-over; for though they are not personally capable of taking offence, yet Christ himself is; f [...]r as those that receive them into the Church in Christs Name by baptism, receive Christ himself, even so all these that offend them, offend Christ himself, even as those that perse­cute his People, persecute Christ himself, because by their not receiving them into the Church in [Page 60] Christs Name, they shut Christ himself out of the Church; theref [...]re Christs must need [...] be offended at them, Mark 9.41.42. These little ones which were brought unto Christ to be blessed by him, were [...] of believers; and this will clearly appear to be so, if we do but consider these things: 1. The old Dis [...]iples which were of Christ peculiar [...]amily, rebuked those that brought them, for which Christ rebuked them, and said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not to come unto me, for of such to the kingdom of heaven, Mat. 19.13, 14. and [...] Ma [...]k 10.13, 14. Luke 18.15.

2. Pray who had to do to bring young Infants to Christ for his blessing on them, but their Pa­rents? And if they had not been believers them­selves, they would not have brought their children to Christ to be blessed by him; And for this reason, they must be the [...]ed of believers; nay, they had the Grace of Faith in them, for they believed in Christ, Ma [...]. 18.

Therefore I demand of our Opponents, Two Things:

1. If the receiving of young Infants, the seed of believers, in Christs Name, was not to receive them into the Church? Then I demand, where they are to be received? for they mentioned in the Text were not to be received into Christs pe­culiar domestick Family, for he had his select number of them, viz. the Twelve Apostles.

2. If this receiving them in Christs Name be a receiving them into the Church in some visible way, being of the Church before, by descent of believing Parents, 1 C [...]. [...].14. If it be not by the Ordinance of Baptism, then I desire them to tell us in what other way, or publick Ordinance in the Church it is to be done in Christs Name; for you see it must be done, or else they that re­ject them are [...] to the threatning.

[Page 61]2. In the second place, Christ proceeds farther to inform us of the great Priviledge that those little ones have by being in the Church; for they are under the Ministry and Charge of the holy and blessed Angels, as in verse 10. where we have Christ introducing it with a caution to all those that despise these Infant-disciples, viz. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven [their Angels] do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

But as they offend all th [...]se little ones, by re­fusing to receive them in Christs Name into the Church visible by Baptism, even so they despise them by saying, What good doth Baptism do a young Child? And what Grace is a young Infant capable of receiving? And thus they both offend and despise them.

3. If there be such a dreadful threatning against him that shall offend but one of these little ones, which belong unto Christ, viz. the Seed of Be­lievers; what then is it against them which boldly adventure to offend and despise them all, by not receiving them in Christs Name into the Church by baptism, and justifie themselves therein? It is better for them that a millstone were hanged about their neck (saith the Scripture) and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea, than to offend one of these little ones which believe in Christ. It is very strange to me, that our Opponents will allow them to be of Gods Family Royal in Heaven, the invisible Catholick Church, and yet will not allow them so much as a Name in the House of God, the Church militant here on Earth; which is a spacious pre­text of allowing of them the greatest Priviledge of all, and yet at the same time deny them one of the lesser.

4. Mr. D. hath publickly owned and declared that Elect dying Infants shall be saved, which I [Page 62] own to be true; And if dying Infants are elected, then are they Heirs of Salvation; and if they are Heirs of Salvation, then are they under the con­duct and ministry of the holy and blessed Angels, and do share as much in their Ministry as any of the Adult Elect do, as is clear from that excellent Scripture in Heb. 1. But to which of the angels said he at any time, Si [...] on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

Are they not all ministring spirits; sent forth to mi­nister [for] them who shall be heirs of salvation?

I humbly conceive these Angels here are not to be understood of the Bishops, Elders, or Pastors of the Churches, but of the invisible Heavenly Host, because it is said in the very next Chapter, verse 16. He took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Pray what account is an adult Believer capable of giving concerning the Ministry of Angels, these invisible blessed Spirits of their Ministry for them, any more than Elect [...]abes in Christ can of their Ministry for them? Even none at all. Pray take notice by the way, that it is not said that they do minister unto them, but [for] them: And there­for a young Child is as capable of the Ministry of of those Angelical Spirits, as any Adult Believer is whatsoever. O what a blessed Priviledge is it for persons to be under the condu [...]t and ministry of Angels! for they are their Life-guard, Psal. 91. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall hear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. What an Honour is this? that the great and glorious Majesty of Heaven and Earth should condescend to Men of such a low degree and ex­tract, as to provide such a guard as this is for them; and this Honour have all the Saints, both old and young. O the admirable preventing love and Grace of God!

[Page 63]5. The Ministry of Angels lyeth principally next unto that in the Church in assisting and ministring for the Elect when they are least ca­pable of the ministry of Men; and that especially with a respect to two Seasons, namely, the hour of the believers death, and to Elect Infants, as appears by our Saviour Christs words; first at the believers hour of death, in Luke 16. And it came to pass that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abrahams bosome,—

2. The Angels ministers for Elect Infants in the Church, who are Heirs of salvation, Mat. 18. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven [their] angels do al­ways behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Therefore we ought to dedicate all our children to God in baptism, by which they are more near­ly received into the bosome of the Church; for we ought not to reprobate our own children, but to deal with them as if we knew they were all Elected; the particular knowledge of which God hath reserved to himself; for it is his Pre­rogative to know that, and not ours.

Thus I have proved that the dedication of our children to God by Faith in Prayer, in secret, private, and publick, is an Ordinance of God; for it is a solemn offering up our children as a Sacrifice to God through Christ, and not to Mo­loch, as some of our Opponents have blasphe­mously stiled it.

3. Mr. D. doth grant that all elect dying In­fants are in the Invisible and Catholick Church, but will not by any means allow them to be in the Church visible: And farther saith, We have no Rule to put them into the Church visible by baptism: To which I thus reply, viz. Mr. D. should first have shewn himself a skilful Logician, by proving that [ever] the Infant-seed of Believers were cast out [Page 64] the Church visible, by the personal coming of Christ in the New Dispensation of the Gospel, before he had talked of putting them into the Church visible by baptism. Indeed, Baptism is a visible receiving them nearer into the Church than they were before; for they were in Christ exter­nally before they were baptized, by vertue of their Covenant-relation, as being the Seed of believing Parents, 1 Cor. 7.14. though all that are thus in Christ, may not be saved; for Christ hath exter­nal Branches in him, which he will never own at the Great Day, John 15. Every branch in me that heareth not fru [...]t, [...]e [...] away. And thus who­soever receiveth these little ones in Christs Name into the Church by baptism, receiveth Christ himself.

2. Mr. D. should also have clearly demonstra­ted and proved, what personal Actual sin and transgression those young babes commited against God, which provoked him to cast them all out of the Church visible, in which they had been from the beginning, in the first Being or Formation of the Church, before he had told us we have no Rule to put them into the Church visible by baptism; for otherwise, all his Arguments against Infant-baptism do but puzzle the Cause, and are but as so many Arrows shot against a brazen Wall.

3. Because all the Infant-seed of the Jews and Proselytes were Members of the Church visible under the Ceremonial Law, and the Gospel of Grace, did not diminish the Priviledge of the In­fant-seed of Believers, it did not bring less Grace, but more than there was in the Ceremonial Law: And therefore the Infant-seed of believing Church members are still members of the Church visible now under the New Dispensation of the Gospel, and have a Right to the Ordinance of Water-baptism.

Thus you see Mr. D. hath drawn a Conclusion without any Premises; which is to build a House without a foundation, or a Castle in the Air: And this bringeth me to the Ninth and last Thing.

9. And lastly: Saith our Authour in page 4. The Gospel-Church hath its Matter and Form fully pre­scribed in the New Testament, its Laws and Ordi­nances of Worship, and Subjects that are to be found in the practice of these. And their qualifications; this is what we stick by, and dare go no further; the frame of the Jewish Church having had its day and end, we look upon it as taken down to admit a more glorious Dispensation.

Now our next business is to inquire what diffe­rence there was between the Church frame under the Ceremonial Law, and the New Dispensation of the Gospel, and try whether we can find any such capital difference as will favour our Authors Principles.

1. Therefore in the first place, What is all this which Mr. D. saith, to the purpose? For he hath not told us where it is to be found in the N. Testament, that the Matter, Form, Laws, and Ordinances of Worship in the Gospel Church, are so fully prescribed as to exclude the Infant-seed of Believers from being Members thereof. But I find many Queries not answered, and the most of our Authors Positions unproved: But I have already fully proved that there must be nothing in the Gospel New Dispensation of the Matter, Form, Laws, Ordinance of Worship and Subjects, &c. but what must answer to the Matter, Form, Laws, Ordinances of Worship and Subjects of the Church under the Ceremonial Law; and I shall now cor­roborate it, by what I shall add by clear Scrip­ture Proof, as followeth in Exod. 25.40. Acts 7.44. Heb. 8.4, 5. Heb. 10.1.

[Page 66]2. That the frame of the Jewish Church was made more glorious at the coming in of the Gospel New Dispensation, I readily grant; but the state of the Church was never altered, and the Materials or Subjects are still of the very same kind without any substantial variation. 2. Their spiritual Food in Gods House, the Church, is still the very same, though under a better and more glorious Dispensation.

3. If Mr. D. could have proved that the state of the Church had been plucked up by the roots, and the Covenant dissolved, and that it was but a carnal Constitution, as Mr. H. C. and Mr. B. K. laboured in vain to do, as may be seen in their Books against me; then Mr. D. might have gained the Point; but he is wiser than to attempt such a gross Absurdity, which borders upon blasphemy, and therefore he hath rather chosen to contradict those two populous Authors or Champions.

4. The Jews and all their children under the Law, were Members of the Church visible, and the state of the Church was never altered: There­fore all the children of Christian believers are Members with their Parents of the Church visible [also,] now under the Gospel Dispensation, unless any of them sin themselves out of it when they are grown Persons, John 15.2. Rom. 11.17. But that the state of the Church was never alter­ed, I shall prove as followeth.

1. The Jewish Church state was built upon the Rock of Ages, namely, that spiritual Rock Christ Jesus, as in 1 Cor. 10.3.

2. The Church hath its Foundation in the Co­venant of Grace, of which Christ is the chief Corner-stone, Isa. 28.16.

3. The Covenant of Grace was first declared and made with Adam, immediately after the Fall; for Adam had the Gospel Preached first to him by [Page 67] God himself, who spake as never Man spake like him, Gen. 3.15.

4. Noah was a Preacher of Righteousness, 2 Pet. 2.5. that was, he Preached the Gospel; for he that doth not preach up the Righteousness of Christ, for Justification, Satisfaction, Sanctifica­tion, and Salvation, doth not Preach the Gospel; for the Righteousness of Christ is the very Mar­row and Quintessence of the Gospel.

5. Abraham had the Gospel Preached unto him, as in Gal. 3.8. And the scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith, preached be­fore the Gospel unto Abraham: saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. Pray observe; The Gospel is that which was Preached before unto Abraham, that was when God first blessed Abraham; and in him both Jews and Gentiles, at his first esta­blishing his Covenant with him, in Gen. 12.3. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing. And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

2. This Preaching the Gospel before unto A­braham; 1. It was before the Covenant was so fully declared and established with him; And 2. before God had changed his Name: 3. And lastly, It was before God had fixed [a] Token unto the Covenant. All which you have in Gen. 17.5, 7, 11. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram; but thy name shall be called Abraham, for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will esta­blish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin, and it shall be [a] token of the covenant be­twixt me and you.

The Covenant was as much a Covenant to Abraham before God added [ [...]] Token unto [...], as it was unto him after, as is also clear from Verse 4. As for we, behold, my covenant is [...] thee, and thou shalt be a father of man [...] [...] God did not change nor alter his Covenant with Abraham when he added: Token to it, though he changed his Name.

Thus you see (1.) by whom the Gospel was preached unto Abraham: (2) When it was preached unto him: (3.) How is was preached unto him: (4.) And lastly: What the Gospel was that was preached before unto him: Why, it was the Covenant of Grace it self in the first broaching of it to Abra­ham: Which utterly destroys that new invented Notion of a Covenant of Peculiarity made with Abraham of Circumcision: That is to place the Token of the Covenant in the room of the Covenant it self, which is absurd and false. And this we must observe also, that this was not the first broaching of this Ce­lestial Liquor, viz. the Gospel, though it was so to Abraham and his Seed; for it was first broached and set a running to Adam, immediately after the Fall, and hath run down upon his Posterity ever since, from Generation to Generation, and will continue to the end of the World: So that to Preach up the Covenant is to Preach the Gospel.

Hence by the way I infer, How unfit all those are who take upon them the Ministry of the Gospel, that disown the Cove­nant, that are so ignorant of these profound Mysteries, that cannot distinguish between the Covenant and the Token thereof.

2. That the Church-state is still the same, and the substantial Matter and Form the same now as it was under the Law, plainly appears by our Saviours Words to the unbelieving Jews, who were then Members of the Church visible, as in Mat. 21. Therefore the kingdom of heaven shall be taken from you, and gives to a nation bringing forth the fruit thereof. And in Mat. 8. A [...] I say unto you, that many shall come from the east, and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of hea­ven. That is, they shall be brought into the same Covenant which God established with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and into the same Gospel-Church as they and their Seed were in; for this cannot be meant of the Kingdom of Heaven above for none can be cast out of that as these were to be in the remain­der of the Verse: Mind it: — but the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping [...] gnashing of teeth.

1. From hence we may observe, that the unbelieving Jews were to be cast out of the Church or Kingdom of Heaven, and the Elect Gentiles were to be taken in for them in their room; which did not destroy the Constitution of the Church no more than the casting out of Hypocrites out of a Church doth now; but it was to purge and refine the Church from all its chaffe [Page 69] Hypocrites, and to gather in the Elect Gentile-wheat into the Garner, Mat. 3. Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor and gather his wheat into the garner: but he will burn up the ch [...]ff with unquenchable fire.

2. When this Threatning was executed, viz. when the un­believing Jews and their Children were [...]st out, the believing Jews which remained in the Church, their Children remained in the Church with them, and God did take the Adult Elect Gentiles and their Children into the Church together; he did not take in their Parents, and shut out and exclude their Children, as is clear from Acts 2.39. Rom. 11.17.

3. The Church state, which is the Kingdom of Heaven, is the same now as it was in the Beginning in Adam's Time, after the Fall, and ever will be to the End of the World; and the Covenant of Grace is the same, in whi [...]h all the Matter, Form, Laws, and Ordinances of Worship, and Subjects are contained, though some of the unbelieving Jews and their Ch [...]ldren were cast out, especially of those who were actually concerned in condemning our Saviour Christ, by which they intailed a Curse upon their Posterity [when] they said, His blood be on us, and on our children, Mat. 2 [...].25.

4. And lastly: The state of the Church is, and ever was, in­dissolvable, though it is locally m [...]table; God may, and he hath taken it from one place and fixed it in another, and re­move it from one People of Nation and bestow in upon another.

2. I shall also prove the Church state is the same now as it was under the Old Testament, and the Frame the same substantially, but in a more glorious Dress, as farther appears from the Apo­stles Doctrine in Eph. 2. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and forreiners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the hou­shold of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone; In whom all the building fuly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord; In whom [you also] are builded together for an ha­ [...]itation for God through the Spirit. Here are several Things to be observed.

1. Those whom the Apostle Preached this Doctrine unto were the then called Gentiles, who were come from the East, and West and were sat down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven; and the Children of the King­dom, viz. The Reprobate Jewes and their Children, were cast out.

2. The believing Jews, which kept their station in the Church, were these Citizens and Saints.

3. That the Gentiles before their Conversion were Strangers and Forreiners to this City, but were then Fellow-citizens with the believing Jewes and their Children, the Citizens aforesaid.

[Page 70]4. They were taken into the Family Royal of Heaven, the Houshold of God, who before were Gentiles in the flesh, with out Christ, being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel, a [...] strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world, Eph. 2.12.

5. These Gentiles, as miserable and vile as they were, [...] that Time, were not only made Fellow citizens with the Saints but also fellow heirs with them, of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ, by the gospel. Now thi [...] was spoken to the Gentiles by name, as in Eph. 3.6.

6. The foundation of the Church of Christ was to be [...] in the Doctrine of the Prophets in the Old Testament, which [...] the same with the Apostles Doctrine in the New Testament and Christ himself is the chief Corner-stone, in whom all the Building is joined exactly together, and groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord, an Habitation for God.

7. And lastly: All the believing Hebrews, and all their children, and all the believing Gentiles, and theirs, maketh but [...] Mystical Body, which is the Church, Eph. 3.6.

4. The Church under the Law was a Golden Candlestick, Exod. 25. And thou shalt make a candlestick of puregold, &c. Zech. 4. — What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold, a candlesti [...]k all of gold, &c. This was the Gospel-church in the Old Testament-Times: 1. Gold to signifie the Matt [...] and Subjects of it: 2. Pure Gold to signifie the holiness and purity of it: 3. A Candlestick to signifie the Form of it: 4. And lastly: A Candlestick to signifie the usefulness of the Church; for as a Candlestick is to set up a Light in, even so [...] the Church: It is a City built upon a Hill.

2. Compare this with the Churches in the New Testament, in Rev. 1. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. A [...] being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. —and the seven golden candlesticks which thou sawest, are the seven churches

Now I would fain know of our Author where lyes the diffe­rence; for my part, I can see none but this, namely, There was but one Candlestick of pure Gold in the Old Testament, th [...] was but one Church or Congregation, which was all the Nation; and there are seven in the New Testament, which is a certain number set for an uncertain; but all of Gold under both Dis­pensations, viz. all Gospel holy Churches.

3. And lastly: The Gospel Church in the Old Testament lived upon the same Food as the Gospel-Churches of Christ do now in the New Testament, and as these Churches are bapti­zed Churches, so was that one Church in the Old Testament, for all the Members of it, men, women, and children, were bapti­zed. Hear is a clear Scripture-proof for it, let who as will or dare deny it: 1 Cor. 10. Moreover, brethren, I would not that [...] should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, [Page 71] and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud, and in the sea: And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: (For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock wa [...] Christ. On this Rock the Church was built, immediately after Adam's Fall, and on this Rock it hath stood ever since, and ever will to the end of the World, and the gates of Hell shall never be able to preva l against it, for Christ doth watch over it and keep it.

Thus I have proved what the Prescription of the Church in the New Testament is, though Mr. D. was not so kind as to do it; and also of the Old Testament, and demonstrated the Matter, Form, Laws, and Ordinances of Worship, and the subjects also, and I find them joined together, and so I leave them; for I dare not part them asunder: For though this Dispensation is more glorious than that of the Old Testament was, yet it is the same for substance: 1. It was made of the same Mettle, viz. Gold: 2. It was of the same quality, fine Gold: 3. The same Subjects, viz. Parents and Children: 4. The Church was of the same Form, viz. a Candlestick: 5. It was of the same use, viz. it was for Light; for the Laws and Ordinances of Worship are for Light: Indeed, Satans Kingdom is a Kingdom of Darkness; but Christs Kingdom is a Kingdom of Light. 6. And lastly: They lived upon the very same Food as the Churches of God now do.

And thus I have proved the Title of this my Book: For Infant-Baptism and Church-Membership is of Divine Institution, and the Mode of Baptism I have also proved to be by Sprinkling; for it is one of the Heavenly Things.