More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

He addeth [I grant that the Covenant to Abraham was the Covenant of Evangelical Grace, though mixed, and that it did include Infants, and that they were Church-members, to wit, of the invisible Church of the Elect — And that Abraham's Infants in his house were visible Church-members, but not by virtue of the Covenant barely as Evangelical, but by the transeunt fact: and if in any respect by virtue of the Covenant, it was by it as containing household or civil promises, rather than Evangelical.

He addeth [I grant that the Covenant to Abraham was the Covenant of Evangelical Grace, though mixt, and that it did include Infants, and that they were Church-members, to wit, of the invisible Church of the Elect — And that Abrahams Infants in his house were visible Church-members, but not by vertue of the Covenant barely as Evangelical, but by the transeunt fact: and if in any respect by virtue of the Covenant, it was by it as containing houshold or civil promises, rather than Evangelical.

Reply. About 23 and 24 years of age I was my self in doubt of Infant Baptism: But had I read such a Writer as this against it, I think he would have easily resolved me for it. 1. The Covenant to Abraham's family was a Covenant of Evangelical Grace, he saith, (And surely so was that to Adam, and Noah before.) And it included Infants, but only as Elect in the Church invisible. But the conditional Promise or Covenant is confessed to include the Non-elect at age: And what! None of them in Infancy? Reader, How can this be called a Covenant, for God only to say [I will save all such Infants as I elect] and yet offer Salvation to none of them in the world on any condition, nor give a title to any person that can be known by themselves or others? They confound the Decree of God with his Covenant. If God had made no other Law, Promise or Covenant, with the adult, but [I will save whom I will save] who would have taken this for a Law or Covenant? And what right or hope doth this give to Christians for their Children more than Pagans?

Reply. About 23 and 24 years of age I was my self in doubt of Infant Baptism: But had I read such a Writer as this against it, I think he would have easily resolved me for it. 1. The Covenant to Abrahams family was a Covenant of Evangelical Grace, he saith, (And surely so was that to Adam, and Noe before.) And it included Infants, but only as Elect in the Church invisible. But the conditional Promise or Covenant is confest to include the Non-elect at age: And what! None of them in Infancy? Reader, How can this be called a Covenant, for God only to say [I will save all such Infants as I elect] and yet offer Salvation to none of them in the world on any condition, nor give a title to any person that can be known by themselves or others? They confound the Decree of God with his Covenant. If God had made no other Law, Promise or Covenant, with the adult, but [I will save whom I will save] who would have taken this for a Law or Covenant? And what right or hope doth this give to Christians for their Children more than Pagans?