A41329:303
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their…
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their right to church-member-ship with their parents, and consequently their title to baptism. The cause of publishing this discourse after so many learned men have laboured in this province, is declared in the preface to the reader. By Giles Firmin.
London: printed for Tho. Simons, 1683
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.
But the Body of our Learned and Pious Divines say, It doth, and our Divines ⟨p. 97⟩have spoken to it so often, that I am loath to say any thing to it. Shortly my thoughts were these:
1. Circumcision came in upon Faith: Abraham believed, then he was Circumcised: And so doth Baptism.
2. Circumcision did sign Christ to come in the flesh. So saith my Author; and Baptism signs he is come in the flesh.
3. Circumcision did signify [you may say Seal] the Righteousness of Faith: So doth Baptism.
3. Circumcision did signifie [you may say Seal] the Righteousness of Faith: So doth Baptism.
4. Circumcision signified Sanctification: so do Baptism.
5. Circumcision signified and sealed the Covenant between God and the Seed of Abraham, Gen. 17.7, 8, 9, 10, 11. So doth Baptism.
6. Circumcision did oblige Israel to walk with God: so Baptism obligeth us.
7. Circumcision did distinguish Israel from other Nations: so Baptism distinguisheth us.
Circumcision respecting Christ to come, and Baptism Christ come. Hence the Jews though circumcised, yet coming under a new Dispensation, ought to be baptized: much more reason for this, than for Timothy, who being a Disciple, Acts 16.1. no question was baptized, and yet after that circumcised by Paul, v. 3.
Circumcision (saith my Author) was to be a Bond and Obligation to keep the whole Law of Moses: but Baptism is contrary.
Ans. 1. For the Moral Law, the Rule of our Obedience, Baptism doth not solve us from that, but bind us to it: for Sanctification is held forth in our Baptism.
2. As for the Ceremonial Law where Christ was set forth in shadows, no wonder, though when Christ is come, and the shadow's gone, that Baptism was contrary to it. Evangelium relatum & Revelatum. But what doth this hurt us?
3. Paul did not Circumcise Timothy, with that respect to Circumcision; the Jews did. The Jews did look to be justified by the observation of the moral and ceremonial ⟨p. 99⟩Law both, Gal. 5.3. the 4th verse unties the knot. The false Apostles urged Circumcision, Acts 15.1. according to the Law of Moses. [But Circumcision is not of Moses, but the Fathers, saith our Lord, John 7.22.] If you Circumcise thus, and seek Justification thus, you are fallen from grace, Gal. 5.4.
My Author goes on; Circumcision initiated the carnal Seed into a carnal Church, and gave them right to carnal Ordinances: But Baptism was to give the spiritual Seed an orderly entrance into the spiritual Church.
Ans. 1. These Carnal Ordinances had their Spiritual significations as well as ours.
2. The Element in Baptism, Water; do but wash the flesh, and may be said to be Carnal too in some sense, 1 Pet. 3.21.