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THe Third Reason out of Scripture, is thus framed: Such who receive the Spirit of God may and ought to be Bapti∣zed; but infants receive the Spirit of God, therefore they may and ought to be Baptized.
The Major hereof is in effect the words
of the Text; Peter saith, Acts 10. 47. Can any man forbid water that these should not be Ba∣ptized, which have received the holy Ghost as wel as we? Can he? that is, can he justly? can he lawfully? can he so do it, as to avouch it to God and man, when he hath done it? Though I confesse too many de facto, do it now adayes. Can any man? we can do nothing, saith the Apostle, against the Truth but for the Truth, 2 Cor. 13. 8. It is not strength, but weaknesse; for one to be able to do that which he ought not to do. Can any man? Be he an Apostle, or even Peter himself, MAN. He must be either worse then a man for his Envy, or lesse then a man by his Ignorance.
The Minor remains to be proved, that Infants receive the Spirit of God, whereof we have two pregnant proofs, one in the old Testament, Jer. 1. 5. Before I formed thee in the womb I knew thee, and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified thee, and ordained thee to be a Prophet unto the Nations.
Object. This sanctification of Jeremy, intends not such as accompanieth the sal∣vation of the soul, but meerly importeth
a designation of him to the Prophetical function, with qualification for the dis∣charge thereof. It is therefore impertinent∣ly alledged to prove, that Infants have the saving Spirit of God.
Answ. It is confessed that Jeremy his destination to be a Prophet, was a princi∣pal part of his sanctifying here mentioned. Yet was it not the total thereof, as being but a sprig and branch of the same, which extended to Gods forming him according to his knowledge of approbation and hallow∣ing him as yet unborn, to be his Saint and servant.
The second instance in the new Testa∣ment is that of John the Baptist, Luke 1. 41. Leaping in his mothers womb at the saluta∣tion of the virgin Mary. Not that (as some have mistaken it) that then his Mo∣ther was first sensible that she quickned of him, seeing it was said before, vers. 36. This is the sixth moneth with her which was called barren; but as it is vers. 44. the babe leaped in my womb for joy, knowing and acknowledging Christ the Saviour of mankind, and transported with transcen∣dent gladnesse for the same.
Object. But Jeremy and John the Ba∣ptist, were Jeremy and John the Baptist, I mean, signal persons of extraordinary sta∣ture of grace, above the size of common Christians. Your Logick is but bad, if from the induction of two instances, you infer a general conclusion: As soundly you might prove, that all Davids wor∣thies were equal in valour and atchive∣ments, 2 Sam. 23. 19. unto the first three, as that al infants of Gods children may for their abilities be matched with these two by you alledged.
Answ. I grant no lesse, That these two instances were extraordinary: However thus much advantage we gain thereby, that they plainly prove the state of Infancy to be receptive of grace, and of ability to entertain the same. Let none look on In∣fants as so indisposed and unorganized by reason of their weaknesse, but that the lownesse of their age is capable of the ele∣vation to sanctity.
Secondly, though we acknowledge such redundancy of the Spirit in the extra∣ordinary and miraculous proportion
thereof confined to a few persons, in Christs and the Apostles time, yet we may no lesse truly then confidently maintain, that a sufficiency thereof as to salvation, is conferr'd on all Gods servants now adays, as well as before; Nor is Gods Spirit super-annuated with aged Naomy, Ruth, 1. 11. or grown so barren, or effete, but that it is still procreative, and produceth the effects thereof in Gods servants now, as vigorously as ever before.
Otherwise, most doleful, yea, indeed desperate were the conditions of Gods servants now adays, if devoid of the Spirit of God, as to the essentials thereof, having now a fiercer foe and worse weapons to en∣counter him, then the Christians had in former ages: A fiercer foe, Satan himself growing subtiler, with the addition of fifteen hundred years experience; and crueller, Rev. 12. 12. because the shorter his reign, the sharper his rage: Worse weapons if we be left altogether naked of the offencive and defencive armor of the Spirit of God.
And here I cannot but admire at the practice of some persons now adayes,
boasting of strange measures of the Spirit bestowed upon them (and we must needs believe them, for they say so themselves;) yea, such prodigious proportions there∣of, whereby per saltum, they conceive themselves enabled for such offices, for which they were never fitted by their education. And yet the self-same per∣sons who are thus prodigal in the praise of their own perfections, assuming so much of the Spirit to themselves, are most mi∣serably nigardly to others, and especialy to Infants denying the least degree of the Spirit unto them.
Whereas let matters be beheld with an unpartial eye, and it will appear, that it is more probable children should partake of the company of the Spirit, then men now adayes: May it not justly be suspect∣ed, that the spiritual pride, uncharitable∣nesse, self-interest, sinister respects, cru∣elty, and oppression of many men do fright away the spirit from them, how highly soever pretending to holinesse: whereas the mildnesse, meeknesse, silence, humility and patience of a childe, may invite the society of the spirit the sooner
unto it, and the Dove converse rather with Doves then with Vultures.
To put all out of doubt, we can plain∣ly demonstrate the fruits of Gods Spirit and Sanctification in Infants, dying Infants, and therefore the root therof must be granted to be in their hearts, which we thus prove.
He wants judgement that denies the Major or former part of the syllogism; And he lacks as much charity who questi∣ons the Minor hereof; otherwise Herod the cruel Tyrant, who killed only the bo∣dies of the babes in and about Bethlehem, was all mercy to such Bloudy Monsters, who (so much as lieth in their power) by this their Murdering opinion, Massacre the souls of so many Infants, depriving them thereby of salvation.