Reply. Your first Exception is vain and groundless; that they were very young and little ones, appears not only by Christs taking them in his Arms, but from the very Notation of the Word [Greek or Hebrew], a Diminutive Word, signifying a little Child or Infant. So John was called when New-born, Luke 1. 76. and Christ when he lay in the Manger, and Moses when among the Flags. And if this be not enough, St. Luke gives them another Name, Luke 18. 15. [Greek or Hebrew], Infants, a word given to a Child in the Womb, Luke 1. 41. And for what you object out of Piscator, that the same word is used of Timothy, who knew the Scriptures from a Child; 'Tis an evident mistake, or shift, for the word is [Greek or Hebrew], He knew them not being an Infant, but from his Childhood or Infancy; that is, when he had past his Infant State, in which State th•se were that ⟨p. 89⟩were brought unto Christ. And (2.) Whereas you question their present Right in the Kingdom of God, or whether it were not future by virtue of their Election? The Text will not allow your Interpretation, [Greek or Hebrew], of such is, not [Greek or Hebrew], shall be the Kingdom of God. Their present Church-membership asserted by Christ, is also a known Rule to regulate for the future, the Disciples Carriage towards them, which was too severe, harsh, and therefore highly displeasing to Christ; but by telling them they were Members of the Church, or Kingdom of Heaven (they being very probably the Infants of believing Parents, as their bringing them unto Christ with such affection, through the Frowns and Repulses of the Disciples, shows) he gives them a known and plain Rule how to distinguish Infants, and regulate their Carriage towards them, which God's Election can never be, that being an unrevealed Secret. And (3.) Whereas you say Christ did not Baptize them. I reply, We never urged this Scripture to prove he did so, but only to prove their Church-membership; which methinks Christ asserts as plainly ⟨p. 90⟩as words can assert it, when he saith, Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven; and tho you use to quibble at the word [Greek or Hebrew], of such, as though it respected not the present Infants, but grown Persons, resembling them in humble and innocent qualities; Mr.
Reply. Your first Exception is vain and groundless; that they were very young and little ones, appears not only by Christs taking them in his Arms, but from the very Notation of the Word 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Diminutive Word, signifying a little Child or Infant. So John was call'd when New-born, Luke 1. 76. and Christ when he lay in the Manger, and Moses when among the Flaggs. And if this be not enough, St. Luke gives them another Name, Luke 18. 15. 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, Infants, a word given to a Child in the Womb, Luke 1. 41. And for what you object out of Piscator, that the same word is us'd of Timothy, who knew the Scriptures from a Child; 'Tis an evident mistake, or shift, for the word is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, He knew them not being an Infant, but from his Childhood or Infancy; that is, when he had past his Infant State, in which State th•se were that ⟨p. 89⟩were brought unto Christ. And (2.) Whereas you question their present Right in the Kingdom of God, or whether it were not future by vertue of their Election? The Text will not allow your Interpretation, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, of such is, not 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, shall be the Kingdom of God. Their present Church-membership asserted by Christ, is also a known Rule to regulate for the future, the Disciples Carriage towards them, which was too severe, harsh, and therefore highly displeasing to Christ; but by telling them they were Members of the Church, or Kingdom of Heaven (they being very probably the Infants of believing Parents, as their bringing them unto Christ with such affection, through the Frowns and Repulses of the Disciples, shews) he gives them a known and plain Rule how to distinguish Infants, and regulate their Carriage towards them, which God's Election can never be, that being an unrevealed Secret. And (3.) Whereas you say Christ did not Baptize them. I reply, We never urged this Scripture to prove he did so, but only to prove their Chruch-membership; which methinks Christ asserts as plainly ⟨p. 90⟩as words can assert it, when he saith, Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven; and tho you use to quibble at the word , of such, as though it respected not the present Infants, but grown Persons, resembling them in humble and innocent qualities; Mr.
