Arg. 5. That Practice that tends not to the Glory of God, nor to the Profit of the Child, when done, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him, cannot be a Truth of God. But the Practice of Infant-Baptism tends not to the Glory of God, nor to the Profit of the Child when baptized, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him. Ergo. See Levit. 10. 1, 2. where Moses told Aaron, because his Sons had done that which God commanded them not, that God would be sanctified by all that drew near unto him; intimating, that such who did that which God commanded not, did not sanctify or glorify God therein. Can God be glorified by Man's Disobedience, or by adding to his Word; by doing that which God hath not required? Matth. 16. 9. In vain do you worship me, teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of Men: and that that Practice ⟨p. 2⟩doth profit the Child, none can prove from God's Word: And in after-times when grown up, it may cause the Person to think he was thereby made a Christian, &c. and brought into the Covenant of Grace, and had it sealed to him, nay, thereby regenerated, for so these Gentlemen in their Mercury, Decemb. 26. plainly intimate, and that Infants are thereby ingrafted also into Christ's Church. Sure all understanding Men know Baptism of Believers is not called Regeneration, but only metonymically, it being a Figure of Regeneration. But they ignorantly affirm also, that Infants then have a federal Holiness; as if this imagined Holiness comes in by the Child's Covenant in Baptism, which may prove hurtful and dangerous to them, and cause them to think Baptism confers Grace, which is a great Error. How can Water, saith Mr. Charnock, an external thing, work upon the Soul physically? Nor can it, saith he, be proved, that ever the Spirit of God is tied by any Promise, to apply himself to the Soul in a gracious Operation, when Water is applied to the Body: If it were so, then all that were baptized were regenerated, then all that were baptized should be saved, or else the Doctrine of Perseverance falls to the Ground. Some indeed, says he, say, that Regeneration is conferred in Baptism upon the Elect, and exerts it self afterwards in Conversion. But how so active a Principle as a spiritual Life should lie dead and asleep so many Years, &c. is not easily conceived. On Regen. p.
Arg. 5. That Practice that tends not to the Glory of God, nor to the Profit of the Child, when done, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him, cannot be a Truth of God. But the Practice of Infant-Baptism tends not to the Glory of God, nor to the Profit of the Child when baptized, nor in after-times when grown up, but may prove hurtful and of a dangerous Nature to him. Ergo. See Levit. 10. 1, 2. where Moses told Aaron, because his Sons had done that which God commanded them not, that God would be sanctified by all that drew near unto him; intimating, that such who did that which God commanded not, did not sanctify or glorify God therein. Can God be glorified by Man's Disobedience, or by adding to his Word; by doing that which God hath not required? Matth. 16. 9. In vain do you worship me, teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of Men: and that that Practice ⟨p. 2⟩doth profit the Child, none can prove from God's Word: And in after-times when grown up, it may cause the Person to think he was thereby made a Christian, &c. and brought into the Covenant of Grace, and had it sealed to him, nay, thereby regenerated, for so these Gentlemen in their Mercury, Decemb. 26. plainly intimate, and that Infants are thereby ingrafted also into Christ's Church. Sure all understanding Men know Baptism of Believers is not called Regeneration, but only metonymically, it being a Figure of Regeneration. But they ignorantly affirm also, that Infants then have a federal Holiness; as if this imagined Holiness comes in by the Child's Covenant in Baptism, which may prove hurtful and dangerous to them, and cause them to think Baptism confers Grace, which is a great Error. How can Water, saith Mr. Charnock, an external thing, work upon the Soul physically? Nor can it, saith he, be proved, that ever the Spirit of God is tied by any Promise, to apply himself to the Soul in a gracious Operation, when Water is applied to the Body: If it were so, then all that were baptized were regenerated, then all that were baptized should be saved, or else the Doctrine of Perseverance falls to the Ground. Some indeed, says he, say, that Regeration is conferred in Baptism upon the Elect, and exerts it self afterwards in Conversion. But how so active a Principle as a spiritual Life should lie dead and asleep so many Years, &c. is not easily conceived. On Regen. p.
