for the Remiffion of Sins. And Baptifm is called, Tit. 3. 5. λυτρὸν παλιγενεσίας, we render it, the Walking of Regeneration; according to his Mercy he faved us, by the Washing of Regeneration; but the Word fignifies, the Bath of Regeneration, which is that Baptismal Water wherein we are buried with Christ.

But before I can come particularly to Thew you what Sanctification it is that we receive by Baptifm, and how we are in it made the Members of Christ, the Children of God, and Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, it is neceffary, and I hope will be ufeful, to vindicate the Practice of baptizing Infants, which fome of late have eagerly difputed against. against. For if the Church be mistaken in the Perföns to whom this Ordinance belongs, certainly they can claim no Privilege by Vertue of their having been baptized. And therefore, fince Baptifm is ufually adminiftred to Infants, let us briefly examine whether their Admiffion to this Holy and Mystical Institution be according to the Precept of the Gospel: For if not, how can they say, as the Catechifm directs, that in their Baptifm they were made Members of Chrift, Children of God, and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven?

Herein I fball, First, prove to you the Lawfulness of Infant Baptifm.

Secondly, Anfwer fome Objections that are plaufibly urged against it.

Thirdly, Shew you what are the Ufes of Baptism, and Ends for which it was ordained.

1 fhall begin with the Arguments, to prove the Lawfulness of Infant Baptifm.

The First is this: Infants are Members of the Church of Chrift, and therefore to be baptized. Two Things are here to be proved, that Church-Members are to be baptized; and then, that Infants are Church-Members. I fuppofe the former may be evidently demonftrated, because there is no other Way of folemn Admiffion into the visible Church but by Baptifm ; and therefore if the Members of the Church ought to be folemnly admitted into the vifible Flock of Chrift, they ought to be baptized. But clear enough it is, that those who are ChurchMembers ought to be folemnly admitted into the vifible Church of Chrift. They are Members of the Church as a King is a Sovereign before his Coronation, or a Soldier is fuch before his Military Oath : So Baptifm is our Publick and Solemn In auguration into the Kingdom of Chrift; it is our Military Oath and Sacrament to

be

be Christ's faithful Soldiers and Servants unto our Lives End. It only remains now to prove, that Infants are ChurchMembers: And that appears, becaufe once they were fo, and that Privilege is not repealed. For in the Church of the Jews, Infants were a Part of them who entered into Covenant with God. See Deut. 29. 10, 11, 12, You ftand all of you before the Lord, your Little Ones, and your Wives, and the Stranger, that thou shouldft enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God. It is not, nor indeed can it be denied, that the Jews Children were Members of their Church; confequently then the Children of Christians must likewife be Members of the Chriftian Church, unless it can be manifefted, that Chrift hath repealed and recalled this Privilege. No fuch Repeal I am confident can be produced. Nor indeed can the Repeal of fuch a Privilege, as the being Members of the Church, confift with the greater Mercy and Goodness of God, revealed fince Christ's Coming, in Comparison of what it was before. The Children of the Jews were Members of the Jewish Church before Chrift's coming into the World but if a few be converted to the Faith, fhall not his Children be now Members of the Church of God? If not, they are

in a far worfe Condition fince Chrift than they were before, which is little lefs than Blafphemy.

Again, that the Infants of Believing Parents are Members of the Church of Chrift, appears from this, that they who deny them to be Members of the visible Church of Chrift, muft of Neceflity make them to be Members of the visible Kingdom of the Devil. For there is no Third Eftate on Earth; but the Kingdom of Chrift, which is the Church, or the Kingdom of the Devil, divide all Mankind between them. Those who are not of the Church, are of the World, fince our Saviour affirms, that he hath called and taken his out of the World, and that they are not of the World, and the Devil is called the God and the Prince of this World: There fore all that are not of Chrift's Flock, and of his Church, are of the World, and they belong to the Kingdom of the Devil: And fo by a very uncharitable, but yet an unavoidable Confequence, if we deny Infants to be Members of Christ's Church, we must hold, that they are all Members of Satan, Subjects of the Kingdom of Darkness, and in a defperate State of Condemnation.

From all this it follows clearly, that the Children of Chriftian Parents are

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Church-Members; and being ChurchMembers they have a Right to Baptism, which is appointed by Chrift to be the Standing Ordinance for folemn Admiflion into the visible Church. So that when they are in our Catechifm said to be made Members of Christ in their Baptifm, the Meaning only is, that now they are owned and publickly acknowledged to be fuch by their folemn Admiffion into the Society of Chriftians. They are Chriftians nati, born Chriftians by the Covenant; Chriftianity is their Birthright, and their Native Privilege. That's the first Argument.

Secondly, The Second Argument to prove Infant Baptifm may be formed thus, Infants are Chrift's Difciples, and therefore they ought to be baptized. That Christ's Difciples ought to be baptized, I fuppofe none will deny: But that Infants are Christ's Difciples, is most evident from the exprefs Words of Scripture. See Acts 15.5. where it is faid, there arofe a great Con troversy in the Church, becaufe, that certain erroneous Brethren, fome converted Pharifees, perfwaded them that it was still needful to continue the Custom " of circumcifing their Children. To decide this, a Council of the Apostles and Elders affembled together; and in Ver. 10.

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