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The Seventh Argument for Infant-Baptism is this:
If the Kingdom of Heaven belong to In∣fants, then they ought to be baptized; but the Kingdom of Heaven doth belong to some Infants, Matth. 19.14. Suffer little children to come to me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
1. Suppose by the Kingdom of Heaven, is meant the Kingdom of Glory; little Chil∣dren when they die shall go to Heaven; this sense the Anabaptists cannot disallow; for they say, all Children dying in infancy, are
saved; the Infants of Turks, Pagans, Infidels, Papists, all sorts: Then if they are Heirs of Glory, this must be by vertue of their interest in, and union with Christ; for there's no other way to Heaven, but by Jesus Christ, John 14.6. I am the way, the truth, and the life; no coming unto the father but by me: There's no Name under Heaven, whereby we can be saved, but only Jesus Christ. Now if Infants have a right to Glory by vertue of their uni∣on with, and interest in Christ, then have they a right to be baptized; if they have a right to Heaven by Christ, then to receive the Badge of a Disciple of Christ, which is Bap∣tism; no person can have any plea for Hea∣ven, that had not a right to be baptized, Acts 2.47. The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved. This adding to the Church was by Baptism, v. 41. And let them shew that can, what right those have to Heaven, that are not, or at least have not a right to be so added to the visible Church.
2. But by the Kingdom of Heaven is oft understood the Gospel-Church: So Mat. 22.1.13.47.8.20, 21.11.12 and in most of our Saviour's Parables: And this is most likely to be the meaning of this Text, of such is the kingdom of heaven; that is, the Gospel-Church takes Infants as well as adult persons to be visible Members in it: And then the consequence is unavoidable, The visible Church and Kingdom of Christ is made up of Infants as well as adult persons; Baptism
is the Door into the visible Church, there∣fore they must needs be baptized.