3. They make an open, credible, or uncontradicted profession of the Name of the true God, and of the true Religion before the world, for it is also inserted in the Proposition, that they must publicly profess their assent to the Doctrine of Faith, and solemnly own the Covenant before the Church, giving themselves and theirs up to the Lord, and subjecting themselves to the Government of Christ. These things mentioned were the main grounds of Circumcision, and are the Qualifications requisite in order to Baptism; and therefore being found in the persons concerning whom the Question is, can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized? But before we pass off from this Argument it seemeth necessary to remove a ponderous Objection, for it may be said, if those Qualifications which entitled to Circumcision do give right to Baptism, will it not then follow, That as in the Jewish Church persons though never so profane, and wicked in their Conversations yet had their Children Circumcised So in Christian Churches Parents no better qualified then such Jews were, may claim right to Baptism for their Children? I Answer, this will not follow ⟨p. 25⟩from the Argument insisted on. [1.] because if the Rule had been duly observed, all profane Impenitent persons had been cut off from the Church of Israel by the Censure of Excommunication. It would be besides the Question here to enter upon a large discussion of that Controversy, whether there were not Censures appointed in the Jewish Church upon the account of moral transgressions. That persons were suspended from partaking in holy things by Reason of Ceremonial uncleanness is not doubted, But whether it were so in the Church of Israel on the account of moral uncleanness hath been a Question amongst some, Mr. [l]Gelaspy hath learnedly and elaborately proved that the Affirmative is true. The Jewish Masters tell us of four [m]and twenty Causes of Excommunication, and many of them are for transgressions of the moral Law, especially they say, that [n]an Heretical or Epicurean Israelite was excommunicated without delay yea, the most Ancient and famous of the Jewish writers [o]Philo, [p]Josephus, &c. inform us, that in the Church of Israel of old there were Ecclesiastical Censures upon the account of moral uncleannesses, and the Scripture doth in many places, not obscurely intimate as much unto us. This seemeth evident from [q]Ezra 10. 8.
3. They make an open, credible, or uncontradicted profession of the Name of the true God, and of the true Religion before the world, for it is also inserted in the Proposition, that they must publickly profess their assent to the Doctrine of Faith, and solemnly owne the Covenant before the Church, giving themselves and theirs up to the Lord, and subjecting themselves to the Government of Christ. These things mentioned were the main grounds of Circumcision, and are the Qualifications requisite in order to Baptisme; and therefore being found in the persons concerning whom the Question is, can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized? But before we pass off from this Argument it seemeth necessary to remove a ponderous Objection, for it may be said, if those Qualifications which entitled to Circumcision do give right to Baptisme, will it not then follow, That as in the Jewish Church persons though never so prophane, and wicked in their Conversations yet had their Children Circumcised So in Christian Churches Parents no better qualified then such Jews were, may claim right to Baptisme for their Children? I Answer, this will not follow ⟨p. 25⟩from the Argument insisted on. [1.] because if the Rule had been duely observed, all prophane Impenitent persons had been cut off from the Church of Israel by the Censure of Excommunication. It would be besides the Question here to enter upon a large discussion of that Controversy, whether there were not Censures appointed in the Jewish Church upon the account of moral transgressions. That persons were suspended from partaking in holy things by Reason of Ceremonial uncleanness is not doubted, But whether it were so in the Church of Israel on the account of moral uncleanness hath been a Question amongst some, Mr. [l]Gelaspy hath learnedly and elaborately proved that the Affirmative is true. The Jewish Masters tell us of four [m]and twenty Causes of Excommunication, and many of them are for transgressions of the moral Law, especially they say, that [n]an Heretical or Epicurean Israelite was excommunicated withont delay yea, the most Antient and famous of the Jewish writers [o]Philo, [p]Josephus, &c. informous, that in the Church of Israel of old there were Ecclesiastical Censures upon the account of moral uncleannesses, and the Scripture doth in many places, not obscurely intimate as much unto us. This seemeth evident from
- [l]Aarous Rod Blossoming. Lib. 1.
- [m]Baxtorf. lex. T•lmad: p. 1 304 1305.
- [n]L•em•odem libro. p: 195.
- [o]In libro de victimas offerentibas.
- [p]Antiq. Judaic. l. 19. c. 7.
- [q]Separabitur a caetu, i. e. excommunicabitur sit Osiander▪ Junias, M•lvenda,
