10 Christ took them in his arms, laid his hands on them, blessed them. Now this was a personal real favour bestowed upon infants, had infants been mere symbolic and doctrinal resemblances of the humility of real converts, and the young ones as much without the Covenant as Pagans,1 and as uncapable of Covenant grace and Covenant seals, because void of actual faith now under the new Gospel administration, as horses or beasts, let the opposites of their Baptism show what sort of blessing it was, that Christ bestowed upon them, if it be not: 1. Of more value then Jacobs blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, 2or at least as real, and certain, Christ the Lord from heaven must as Sovereign, who had power to curse the fig tree and it withered, by his Sovereign power have blessed, in them, the whole race of infants in the Visible Church, and declared them Covenanted Church members under the New Testament in this eminent act of blessing the children and in commanding that all such might have free access to him as King, since the young ones were Subjects of the Kingdom of God, as well as the aged, and expressly forbids, that in time to come, they be hindered to come to him, Mark 10.14. Luk. 18.16. Math. 19.14. and three Evangelists are three sufficient witnesses. (2.) Christ the Lord is the Supreme and Sovereign Lord of blessing and cursing: ⟨p. 103⟩for in him all the Nations of the earth, and with them, young ones a considerable part of the Covenanted Nations, must be blessed. (3.) If Isaac blessed Jacob, and he must be blessed, Gen. •7.29.33. and Jacob blessed the twelve Tribes, Gen. 49.28. and Moses the man of God blessed Israel, before his death, Deut. 33.1, 2. &c. with Covenant blessings, and they were really blessed, Christ must as really with Covenant blessings, have, in this, blessed the whole race of infants of Covenanting parents, except Anabaptists say that it was some complementall salutation, for the fashion that Christ bestowed upon infants, when the Evangelists say, he blessed them, 3Math. 19.13. [Greek or Hebrew] Mark 10.16. [Greek or Hebrew] 4. by the gloss of the Adversaries.
10 Christ took them in his armes, layed his hands on them, blessed them. Now this was a personall reall favour bestowed upon infants, had infants been meer symbolick and doctrinall resemblances of the humilitie of reall converts, and the young ones as much without the Covenant as Pagans,1 and as uncapable of Covenant grace and Covenant seals, because void of actuall faith now under the new Gospel administration, as horses or beasts, let the opposites of their Baptisme show what sort of blessing it was, that Christ bestowed upon them, if it be not: 1. Of more value then Jacobs blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh, 2or at least as reall, and certain, Christ the Lord from heaven must as Soveraigne, who had power to curse the fig tree and it withered, by his Soveraigne power have blessed, in them, the whole race of infants in the Visible Church, and declared them Covenanted Church members under the New Testament in this eminent act of blessing the children and in commanding that all such might have free accesse to him as King, since the young ones were Subjects of the Kingdome of God, as well as the aged, and expressely forbids, that in time to come, they be hindered to come to him, Mark 10.14. Luk. 18.16. Math. 19.14. and three Evangelists are three sufficient witnesses. (2.) Christ the Lord is the Supreme and Soveraigne Lord of blessing and cursing: ⟨p. 103⟩for in him all the Nations of the earth, and with them, young ones a considerable part of the Covenanted Nations, must be blessed. (3.) If Isaac blessed Jacob, and he must be blessed, Gen. •7.29.33. and Jacob blessed the twelve Tribes, Gen. 49.28. and Moses the man of God blessed Israel, before his death, Deut. 33.1, 2. &c. with Covenant blessings, and they were really blessed, Christ must as really with Covenant blessings, have, in this, blessed the whole race of infants of Covenanting parents, except Anabaptists say that it was some complementall salutation, for the fashion that Christ bestowed upon infants, when the Evangelists say, he blessed them, 3
- 1Chryso. Hom. discipuli expellebant pueros causa dignitatis Christi.
- 2Christs taking in his arms the children & blessing them, did not act mere resemblances and Emblems. The efficacy of Christs blessing the children.Christs taking in his armes the children & blessing them, did not act mere resemblances and Emblems. The efficacy of Christs blessing the children.
- 3They came that he should pray for them.They came that hee should pray for them.
