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

3. And Christ was a visible member by Divine Revelation. His arguings would make against Christs Righteousness Imputed to believers, and Adams or the Parents sins imputed to them.

Mr. T. 5. If Infants be visible Christian Church-members, then there may be a visible Church-Christian which consists only of Infants of believers— But this is absurd: Ergo.

Mr. T. 5. If Infants be visible Christian Church-members, then there may be a visible Church-Christian which consists only of Infants of believers— But this is •bsurd: Ergo.

Answ. Such quibbles seem something when the Will giveth them their force. 1. Infants are members of all Kingdoms under Heaven: And yet there neither is nor can be a Kingdom of Infants only. 2. Members are Essential or Integral. Because the exercise of the faculties of the Pars Imperans and Pars subdita is the intended means to the Common Good, which is the End of Government, therefore there can be no Governed Society, Kingdom or other proper Policy ⟨p. 172⟩of which men that have the use of Reason are not members: that there be some such to be the Active part is Essential to the Society: But yet Infants that are yet but virtually such, are Integral members.

Answ. The Cause efficient is Gods Revealed Donation and Covenant Consent: The Cause Receptive or the Condition of Reception, is That this be the Child of a Consenting believer.

Mr. T. To this 1. Mr. T. denieth any such Covenant of grace to the faithful and their seed (which is soon said.)

Mr. T. To this 1. Mr. T. denyeth any such Covenant of grace to the faithful and their seed (which is soon said.)

2. He saith the Conditional Covenant promiseth Justification, Salvation, on Condition of faith, and not visible Church-membership, and so belongs to all as Mr. B. &c.

Answ. 1. It giveth both Justification and visible membership; that is, Right to both and many other Covenant benefits. 2. It belongeth Conditionally to all, and Conditionally gives union with Christ and his Church, and Pardon and life to all: But actually to none, till the condition be performed; which is a believing Parents consent, and regularly his Baptismal dedication.

Mr. T. If there were a Covenant to the faithful and their seed, to be their God, yet this would not prove their Infants Christian visible Church-membership: As he is the God of Abraham, of Infants dying in the wombs of believers at the hour of death—

Answ. It's true, if they be not the Children of visible believers; because they are not visibly capable subjects. But it being such that we speak of, your three instances are abusive. 1. Abraham is a visible Church-member of the Church Triumphant where he is. I will not believe you if you deny it. 2. Infants of visible Christians dying in the womb, are in that degree visible Church-members as they are visible persons: that is, It is a known thing that they are the children of God according to their capacity. 3. One visibly believing at the hour of death is a visible Church-member: One not visibly believing belongeth not to our case.

Mr. T. If all these which Mr. B. makes the cause or condition, may be in act, and the effect not be, then the cause which Mr. B. assigneth is not sufficient. But &c. For they may all be before the child is born.

Answ. A mere quibble. 1. Before he is born I tell you as far as he is visibly the child of a visible Christian, so fa• he is a visible unborn member: But as to that degree of visible membership which is proper to born baptizable Infants, two causes are wanting to the unborn: 1. Gods consent or donation: For though the Promise as a donative Instrument was existent a thousand years before, it effecteth not the gift till the subject be Receptive or capable: God may promise a thousand years before in diem or sub conditione, which signifieth his consent that so and then it shall be due, and not otherwise or before. These easy things should not be thus ⟨p. 174⟩winked at. 2. The Parents consent is wanting: For though the Parent dedicate the child in the womb to God by promise, yet he doth not deliver him up in the baptismal Covenant as a visible person till he is born.

Answ. A meer quibble. 1. Before he is born I tell you as far as he is visibly the child of a visible Christian, so fa• he is a visible unborn member: But as to that degree of visible membership which is proper to born baptizable Infants, two causes are wanting to the unborn: 1. Gods consent or donation: For though the Promise as a donative Instrument was existent a thousand years before, it effecteth not the gift till the subject be Receptive or capable: God may promise a thousand years before in diem or sub conditione, which signifyeth his consent that so and then it shall be due, and not otherwise or before. These easie things should not be thus ⟨p. 174⟩winked at. 2. The Parents consent is wanting: For though the Parent dedicate the child in the womb to God by promise, yet he doth not deliver him up in the baptismal Covenant as a visible person till he is born.

Mr. T. reciting my answer elsewhere saith [It deserveth a smile: For I make Christ by his Law or Covenant-grant the only cause efficient] The rest of his words are 1. To tell us that Justification &c. hath a further efficient after the Covenant; which causeth Justificability, but not actual Justification without mans faith. 2. That I err in taking visible membership to be a Right, and moral effect.

Answ. I take not that for the picture of the wisest man, whom the Painter draweth laughing or smiling. And I am now confirmed in that fancy. 1. A Testament or Deed of Gift in diem which saith At seven years end that land shall be yours] may be the only efficient Instrument, long before existent, and yet give you no right till the time; and then give it▪ Because it effecteth but by signification of the Donors will. Must the Christendom of Kingdoms be impetuously questioned by men that know not such rudiments as these? 2. That Justification which is given us at our believing, which is [our Right to Impunity and Life] is the Immediate effect of the Covenant Donation; and mans faith is no efficient but a Recipient cause of it (As even they confess that call it a Receiving Instrument:) And yet we have it not till we believe or consent. Who would have thought that such a m•n as you had ⟨p. 175⟩taken your own faith to be an efficient cause of your own Justification, and so that you justify your self? And what if one give land to you and your heirs? It is none of theirs till they are in being: And yet their birth is no efficient cause, but only the cause of the subjects receptive capacity. I am ashamed that you put me thus to catechize you.

Answ. I take not that for the picture of the wisest man, whom the Painter draweth laughing or smiling. And I am now confirmed in that fancy. 1. A Testament or Deed of Gift in diem which saith At seven years end that land shall be yours] may be the only efficient Instrument, long before existent, and yet give you no right till the time; and then give it▪ Because it effecteth but by signification of the Donors will. Must the Christendom of Kingdoms be impetuously questioned by men that know not such rudiments as these? 2. That Justification which is given us at our believing, which is [our Right to Impunity and Life] is the Immediate effect of the Covenant Donation; and mans faith is no efficient but a Recipient cause of it (As even they confess that call it a Receiving Instrument:) And yet we have it not till we believe or consent. Who would have thought that such a m•n as you had ⟨p. 175⟩taken your own faith to be an efficient cause of your own Justification, and so that you justifie your self? And what if one give land to you and your heirs? It is none of theirs till they are in being: And yet their birth is no efficient cause, but only the cause of the subjects receptive capacity. I am ashamed that you put me thus to catechize you.

Mr. T. 5. If visible Church-membership be antecedent to the interest a person hath in the Covenant, then the Covenant is not the cause of it. But &c. Ergo —

Answ. The word [Interest] may signify the Interest that fallen mankind hath in the Covenant as conditional antecedent to mans consent: And thus I suppose neither you nor I here speak of it. But if by my Interest you mean, that I am the person to whom the Covenant giveth a present Right to its benefits, I answer, Some benefits follow long after: but when I consent, then I am the person to whom the Covenant giveth a present Right to union with Christ, in the first instant and consequently with his Church or body in the second: so that here is no such thing as your feigned membership before Covenant interest, that is, before a Right to that Relation by Gods donation. And as […] former dream that this is not a Right an• moral effect but a physical, it was your self and not I that subjected you to the shame of such an assertion, which I will no more confute.

Answ. The word [Interest] may signifie the Interest that fallen mankind hath in the Covenant as conditional antecedent to mans consent: And thus I suppose neither you nor I here speak of it. But if by my Interest you mean, that I am the person to whom the Covenant giveth a present Right to its benefits, I answer, Some benefits follow long after: but when I consent, then I am the person to whom the Covenant giveth a present Right to union with Christ, in the first instant and consequently with his Church or body in the second: so that here is no such thing as your feigned membership before Covenant interest, that is, before a Right to that Relation by Gods donation. And as 〈…〉 former dream that this is not a Right an• moral effect but a physical, it was your self and not I that subjected you to the shame of such an assertion, which I will no more confute.