Yet no such particular promise concerning Infants visible Church-membership, or precept for Parents or others, concerning the solemn admission of Infants as visible Church-members, besides Circumcision, as in your Book of Baptism you assert. Nor do I conceive that Infants of Israel were made visible Church-members by the promises in the covenants or the precepts forenamed, but by Gods transeunt fact which I have described. Which I therefore term [transeunt] because done in time, and so not eternal, and past, and so not in congruous sense repealable as a law, ordinance, statute, decree, which determines such a thing shall be for the future, though capable of continuance in the same or the like acts, or of interruption. Which continuance ⟨p. 12⟩or interruption is known by narration of what God hath done, not by any legal revocation, or renewing, or continuance of a promise or precept concerning that thing. Now as the Church-membership of the Israelites began as I conceive with Abraham's call, and was completed when they were brought out of Egypt to God, Exod. 19.4. so I conceive it ceased when upon their rejection of Christ as was fore-told Matth. 21.43. they were broken off from being Gods people, which was completed at the destruction of Jerusalem, when the temple was destroyed, as Christ fore-told, Luke 19.43, 44. And instead of the Jewish people by the preaching of the Gospel confirmed by mighty signs, God gathered to himself a Church of another frame in a spiritual way, according to the institution of Christ, Matth. 28.19, 20. Mark 16.15, 16. in which he included not Infants, the Jews themselves were no part of the Christian Church without repentance and faith in Christ professed at least.
Having now fully, exactly, and plainly told you my meaning as you request, I do now expect your speedy answer to my last, and therein to fulfil my request of setting down the particular Texts of holy Scripture wherein that law largely taken comprehending promise and precept of Infants visible Church-membership, which you assert to be unrepealed, is contained. If you shall in your answer set down wherein the blessing, benefit, and privileges of Infants visible Church-membership, which you assert unrepealed, did consist; I may ⟨p. 13⟩better understand you than I do: But I shall press you no further than you shall be willing in this thing. I am
Bewdley, April 21. 1655.
Yet no such particular promise concerning Infants visible Church-membership, or precept for Parents or others, concerning the solemn admission of Infants as visible Church-members, besides Circumcision, as in your Book of Baptism you assert. Nor do I conceive that Infants of Israel were made visible Church-members by the promises in the covenants or the precepts forenamed, but by Gods transeunt fact which I have described. Which I therefore term [transeunt] because done in time, and so not eternal, and past, and so not in congruous sence repealable as a law, ordinance, statute, decree, which determines such a thing shall be for the future, though capable of continuance in the same or the like acts, or of interruption. Which continuance ⟨p. 12⟩or interruption is known by narration of what God hath done, not by any legal revocation, or renewing, or continuance of a promise or precept concerning that thing. Now as the Church-membership of the Israelites began as I conceive with Abrahams call, and was compleated when they were brought out of Aegypt to God, Exod. 19.4. so I conceive it ceased when upon their rejection of Christ as was fore-told Matth. 21.43. they were broken off from being Gods people, which was compleated at the destruction of Jerusalem, when the temple was destroyed, as Christ fore-told, Luke 19.43, 44. And instead of the Jewish people by the preaching of the Gospel confirmed by mighty signs, God gathered to himself a Church of another frame in a spiritual way, according to the institution of Christ, Matth. 28.19, 20. Mark 16.15, 16. in which he included not Infants, the Jews themselves were no part of the Christian Church without repentance and faith in Christ professed at least.
Having now fully, exactly, and plainly told you my meaning as you request, I do now expect your speedy answer to my last, and therein to fulfil my request of setting down the particular Texts of holy Scripture wherein that law largely taken comprehending promise and precept of Infants visible Church-membership, which you assert to be unrepealed, is contained. If you shall in your answer set down wherein the blessing, benefit, and priviledges of Infants visible Church-membership, which you assert unrepealed, did consist; I may ⟨p. 13⟩
