:

ex opere operato) yet by the inftitution of God, whofe fpirit worketh on his Ordinance, it doth.

What are we nearer heaven if we are baptized?]

If I were of your Councel, I would entreat you to beware of these political temporizings which come fo near Atheism: Believe you the Scriptures who thus flight Gods boly Ordinances?

But if baptifm does do a work upon the foul, producing Spiritual benefits and advantages, thefe advantages are produced by the external work of the Sacrament aLone, or by that as it is helped by the co-operation and predifpofitions of the fufcipient.

Here you bring another fallacy, à non causâ pro causâ We fay that neither are the effects or fpiritual advantages of baptifm, produced by the external work of the Sacrament alone, nor by that as it is helped by the co-operation and pre-difpofition of the fufcipient (as hath been proved) but by the spirit of God working on his own Ordinance.

If (you fay) by the external work alone, how doth this differ from the opus operatum of Papifts,fave that it is worse?

If the Skie fall we fhall have Larks. Who affirms that which you suppose?

For they fay the Sacrament does not produce it's effect but in a fufcipient difpofed by all requifites and due preparations of piety, faith and repentance.]

J

Do they fay fo when they speak of infant-baptifm? flander them not; herein they are better then you who deny infants baptifm, which they grant though children cannot actually believe, confess, profess or repent.

But this opinion faies it does of it felf, without the help or fo much as the coexistence of any condition but the meer reception.]

Make much of the Minerva of your own brain; if it be your opinion, we own it not.

But if the Sacrament does not do its work alone, but per modum recipientis, according to the predifpofitions of the

fufcipient,

fufcipient, then because infants can neither hinder it, nor do any thing to further it, it does them no benefit at all.] You might have pleaded the fame against circumcifion, with as good fuccefs. They could neither hinder it, nor do any thing to further it; did it therefore do them no benefit at all? But who faith it is per modum recipientis,. &c. which is not properly expreffed according to the predifpofition, Per modum speaks a cause, ad, or fecundum, a condition: We say that the Sacrament doth work according to the difpofitions of the receivers,because God gives that to infants which makes them fit to be baptized,giving. them by his own Covenant with his believieving parents, federal holynefs, and so a right to the external initiatory feal of his Covenant with them: Whether it do them good · or no, whether it produce a spiritual good effect or no (that is to regeneration and salvation) a right they have to the external feal, as being born within the Church, and that as foon as they are born; we understand not any other predifpofing caufe in the infant to be baptized, as if he were able to contribute any thing to his receptibility, more then the unborn facob was in relation to the love of God, which indeed never found any caufe but it felf; yet ere the Rom.9.11, &c. children were born, God loved facob and hated Efau, 2 Cor.5.10. Further we fay, as we fhall be faved fecundum opera, but not propter opera: Good works are in the regenerate excellent fignes of juftification and falvation future, they cannot be the causes of either; they follow, they cannot precede juftification: So we may fay that baptifm works according to the difpofitions of the fufcipient, which are not in infants, faith, profeffion, repentance, &c. which God gives not to infants, but to perfons of years; but as to their right to baptifm by his Couenant: what other predifpofitions are in them are fecret, and known to God above. And fo your exploded fancy and dream of a notable advantage vanisheth.

Either baptifm (you fay) is a meer Ceremony, or it implies a duty on our part. If it be a ceremony only, how doth it fanctifie us, or make the comers thereunto perfect? If

Rom.3.20.

1

it implys a duty on our part, how then can children receive it, who cannot do duty at all?]

How many pertinences are hele twisted up together?We anfwer plainly, Ceremony and duty on mans part, are not membra dividentia,nor always contradiftinct; for they may coïncidere; as in thofe ceremonies of the Law, which being commanded ofGod, were duties of men fubject to the Law, and to be performed, though they could not make the comers thereunto perfect and fo is baptifm now a duty on our part to be adminiftred, though of it felf it cannot make all the comers thereunto perfect. But you demand,if it implies a duty on our part, how then can children receive it, who cannot do duty at all? Where is now the revelation, reafon,common fenfe, and all experience in the world, in which you fo lately triumphed, as if you had driven us to take fanctuary? If it be a duty on our part to administer it, how can children receive it, who cannot do any duty at all? Nay but tell me, if you can, by all your reason, how could infants receive baptifm except we did adminifter it? fay you, how can he be paffive who cannot be active at all? how could infants receive circumcifion, who could do as little duty as infants now can? That homonymical (on our part) must be otherwife limited by fome expreffion, or else your Ar. gument will appear fallacious. It is a duty on our part to baptize infants; on the childrens part no duty is required; they can do none, as fuch; for God enjoyneth no impoffibilities. But you fay,

This way of miniftration,makes baptifm to be wholly an outWard duty,a work of the Law,a carnal Ordinance, it makes us adhere to the letter, without any regard of the fpirit, &c.]

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This Rhetorickwould fomthing better becom him that careth not what, but how much he faith. All these vain and injurious expreffions, are meer afperfions and call you this an Argument confiderable? wherein appears either matter or form thereto pertinent? For the reft (which in fome other man I fhould take for fome agri infomnium) we fay if you mean by Mystery, the fpiritual baptifm my

fteriously

fteriously fignified by the outward miniftration, to which you seem to drive; 'tis evident that it doth not alwaies accompany it (except you will fay that the Sacrament juftifieth ex opere operato, which a little before you would have Pag.242. pinned on our backs) which appears in fudas, Simon Ma- Pag.243. gus, and all others who fall away: And as certainly falfe is it, that it never follows in order of time; common experi. ence fhewing that the fpiritual feed fowed in baptifm,ma. ny times, and in many of the baptized, lieth long before it actually appeareth, either in any outward effects, inward fignes of calling, or fruits of regeneration; as in Abraham faith preceded, and circumcifion the feal of the righteousness of faith, followed: fo in Cornelius, a fpiri. tual fanctification preceded, and baptifm followed; but in Ifaak circumcifed the eight day, the feal preceded, and faith and fanctity followed : So in Infant-baptism the feal and laver of regeneration goeth before, and actual faith followeth it in seafon, if they hold faft the faith of Chrift. 1.4.c.21. You say again,

Auguftin.

contr. Donat.

Baptifm is never propounded, mentioned or enjoyned as a means of remiffion of fins, or of eternal life, but fomething of duty,choice, and fanctity is joyned with it, in order to production of the end fo mentioned. Know you not that as many as are baptized into Chrift fefus, are bap Rom. 6. 3. tized into his death, &c.]

Good reafon that fuch things fhould be propounded, mentioned and enjoyned to those who converting to the faith in years capable of Doctrine,require the feal of Gods Covenant; and certainly fowas it toProfelytes to be circumcifed;but you cannot reasonably think, that they proposed or enjoyned Infants to be circumcifed any fuch things: and it were as vain to propofe any of thefe to Infants now to be baptized: Therefore we feal them now, and propound these like things to them when they be capable: Now the Scripture fpeaking to men or women of understanding, propounds to them their prefent duty who are to be baptized, or who are baptized, as faith, repentance, walking in newness of life, mortification; and (as hath

N

been

been faid) the Apoftles in the ecclefiâ conftituendâ had moftly to do, being to endeavour the calling and converfion of the Gentiles, who before were aliens from the Covenant of God: But in ecclefiâ conftitutâ, we rarely meet with any firft to be taught, and then to be fealed; the children of Chriftian parents having Church-priviledg, are now baptized firft (as in the fetled Covenant under the Law they were firft circumcised) and when they come to fit years, inftructed: And what then do all your impertinences difadvantage our cause, seeing elect infants in their baptifm, are implanted into Chrift, and in due time walk in newnefs of life?

This is indeed truly to be baptized, both in the Symbole and the Mystery: Whatsoever is less then this,is but the Symbole, only a meer ceremony, &c.]

The effects of elect childrens baptifm being nothing lefs, this Rhetorick might have been spared.

Plainer yet; Whosoever are baptized into Chrift, have put on Chrift, have put on the new man: But to put on this new man, is to be formed in righteousness, and holyness, and truth,&c.]

All this plainly makes for infants baptifin,who being naturally flesh and blood, fuch as cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven, conceived and born in fin, children of wrath, muft indeed put on Chrift Jefus that they may be faved: These premifes we willingly adhereto; but your conclufion is liable to a non fequitur; becaufe it is either fallacious, difputing ab adultis ad infantes, which wanting. the condition Tgès Tò Tò, becomes an ignoratio elenchi, and mistaking or mifpurfuing the Queftion, or begging it in those terms (remaining in the prefent incapacities) which cannot be granted. I antwer two things, 1. God can give capacity of regeneration, and newnefs of life to any age; That he doth not give it to infants, cannot appear to us: The contrary doth; for he giveth the fpirit of fanctification to fome infants, in, and from the womb; for many dying young, are faved, which being conceived in fin, and born the childsen of wrath, they could not be, without re

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