The grounds and ends of the baptism of the children of the faithful. Opened…The grounds and ends of the baptisme of the children of the faithfull. Opened…

But let us consider your answer, such as it is. What though (say you) Baptism succeedeth Circumcision? must it needs follow, ⟨p. 128⟩that as infants were circumcised, they must of necessity be baptized?

But let us consider your answer, such as it is. What though (say you) Baptisme succeedeth Circumcision? must it needs follow, ⟨p. 128⟩that as infants were circumcised, they must of necessity be baptized?

Yes verily; or else Baptism doth not succeed Circumcision, for what is succession, but the substitution of latter things for former things in the same subject? If the subject be changed, so far as there is a change of the subject, there is no succession. If Belshazzar dye, and Cyrus, or Darius reign in Persia, here is no succession. But if Belshazzar King of the Chaldeans die, and Darius King of Persia succeed in the Kingdom of the Chaldees, then there is a true succession; else not, especially in the case in hand, it was requisite for the clearing of the Apostles doctrine, that Baptism should succeed upon all those persons on whom Circumcision proceeded: or else the weakness of your Argument will weaken the strength of the Apostles Argument For the Apostle is to prove, that we are complete in Christ, not only in the inward Circumcision of the heart, which taketh away the sinful body of the flesh, but also in the sign and seal of it, even our Baptism, which doth confirm the same things unto us, and giveth us as effectual fellowship in Christs death and burial, to the putting away of sin, as they had in circumcision. But take away the Baptism of Infants, and the Apostles argument will fail. For it might be objected, that the Jews in their circumcision of themselves and their Infants, had a sign and seal, that God would circumcise not only their own hearts, but the hearts of their Infant-seed also; but we in our Baptism, though we have a sign and seal that God will wash and purify our hearts, yet not so the hearts of our Infants also. And therefore we are less complete in Christ in our Baptism, then the Jews were in their circumcision, which if it were admitted, would utterly evacuate the Apostles argument; who pleadeth our completeness in Christ, notwithstanding our want of circumcision, in that we enjoy the like fullness of benefit in our Baptism, as the Jews did in their circumcision. But admit the Baptism of our Infants, as well as of our selves, to succeed in the place of circumcision to the Jews and their infants; and then the Apostles argument proceedeth fully, and concludeth invincibly; That we are as complete in Christ in our Baptism, as the Jews were in their circumcision.