A39697:209
Vindiciæ legis & fœderis
Vindiciæ legis & fœderis: or, A reply to Mr. Philip Cary's Solemn call Wherein he pretends to answer all the arguments of Mr. Allen, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Sydenham, Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Roberts, and Dr. Burthogge, for the right of believers infants to baptism, by proving the law at Sinai, and the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, were the very same with Adam's covenant of works, and that because the gospel-covenant is absolute. By John Flavel minister of the gospel in Dartmouth
London: printed for M. Wolton, 1690
A REPLY TO Mr. Philip Cary's Solemn Call. › Section 3 › Argument 5: Argument V.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
To this you reply three things: (1.) That it remains to be proved, that these little Children were Infants, and not grown Boys or Girls, capable of making an actual ⟨p. 88⟩profession of their Faith in Christ. (2.) 'Tis doubtful whether they were for present in the Kingdom of God, or were only elected, and so in time should be of his Kingdom. And (3.) Whatever they were, they were brought unto Christ, who himself baptized not; not to his Disciples, who did baptize.
To this you reply three things: (1.) That it remains to be prov'd, that these little Children were Infants, and not grown Boys or Girls, capable of making an actual ⟨p. 88⟩profession of their Faith in Christ. (2.) 'Tis doubtful whether they were for present in the Kingdom of God, or were only elected, and so in time should be of his Kingdom. And (3.) Whatever they were, they were brought unto Christ, who himself baptized not; not to his Disciples, who did baptize.
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 thse were that