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

10. Note that as Infant Church-membership is here clearly implied in Infant Circumcision, so they are two distinct things; and as the sign is here commanded de novo, so the thing signified (I mean the duty of engaging and devoting to God as their God in Covenant) is commanded with it, though not de novo, as a thing now beginning as the sign did. So that here is in Circumcision not only a command to do the circumcising outward act, but also to do it as a sign of the Covenant, and so withal for the Parents to engage their children to God in Covenant as their God, and devote them to him as his separated peculiar people. So that here are two distinct duties concurrent. The one external newly instituted, the other internal not newly instituted. And therefore the former may cease, and yet the later stand: and it is no proof that the later (Covenant engagement of Infants to God) is ceased, because the sign of Circumcision is ceased; no more than it proves that such Covenant engagement did then begin when Circumcision did begin; or that women were not Church-members ⟨p. 128⟩separated, engaged, dedicated to God in Infancy, because they were not circumcised. And no more than you can prove that all Israel was unchurched in the wilderness when they were uncircumcised for 40 years. So that here you have a command for entering Infants as Church-members. And so you see both promise and precept in Gen. 12.3. & Gen. 17.

10. Note that as Infant Church-membership is here clearly implied in Infant Circumcision, so they are two distinct things; and as the sign is here commanded de novo, so the thing signified (I mean the duty of engaging and devoting to God as their God in Covenant) is commanded with it, though not de novo, as a thing now beginning as the sign did. So that here is in Circumcision not only a command to do the circumcising outward act, but also to do it as a sign of the Covenant, and so withal for the Parents to engage their children to God in Covenant as their God, and devote them to him as his separated peculiar people. So that here are two distinct duties concurrent. The one external newly instituted, the other internal not newly instituted. And therefore the former may cease, and yet the later stand: and it is no proof that the later (Covenant engagement of Infants to God) is ceased, because the sign of Circumcision is ceased; no more than it proves that such Covenant engagement did then begin when Circumcision did begin; or that women were not Church-members