260 OF INFANT BAPTISM.
1. Infants are made for and are capable of eternal glory or misery, and must fall, dying infants, into one of these estates for ever.
2. All infants are born in a state of sin, wherein they are spiritu- ally dead and under the curse.
3. Unless they are regenerated or born again, they must all perish inevitably, John iii. 3. Their regeneration is the grace whereof bap- tism is a sign or token. Wherever this is, there baptism ought to be administered.
Fifthly, God having appointed baptism as the sign and seal of regeneration, unto whom he denies it, he denies the grace signified by it. Why is it the will of God that unbelievers and impenitent sinners should not be baptized? It is because, not granting them the grace, he will not grant them the sign. If, therefore, God denies the sign unto the infant seed of believers, it must be because he denies them the grace of it; and then all the children of believing parents dying in their infancy must, without hope, be eternally damned. I do not say that all must be so who are not baptized, but all must be so whom God would have not baptized.
But this is contrary to the goodness and law [love?] of God, the nature and promises of the covenant, the testimony of Christ reck- oning them to the kingdom of God, the faith of godly parents, and the belief of the church in all ages.
It follows hence unavoidably that infants who die in their infancy have the grace of regeneration, and consequently as good a right unto baptism as believers themselves.
Sixthly, All children in their infancy are reckoned unto the cove- nant of their parents, by virtue of the law of their creation.
For they are all made capable of eternal rewards and punishments, as hath been declared.
But in their own persons they are not capable of doing good or evil.
It is therefore contrary to the justice of God, and the law of the creation of human kind, wherein many die before they can discern between their right hand and their left, to deal with infants any otherwise but in and according to the covenant of their parents; and that he doth so, see Rom. v. 14.
Hence I argue, —
Those who, by God's appointment, and by virtue of the law of their creation, are, and must of necessity be, included in the covenant of their parents, have the same right with them unto the privileges of that covenant, no express exception being put in against them. This right it is in the power of none to deprive them of, unless they can change the law of their creation.
Thus it is with the children of believers with respect unto the
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covenant of their parents, whence alone they are said to be holy, 1 Cor. vii. 14.
Seventhly, Christ is "the messenger of the covenant/' Mai. iii. 1, — that is, of the covenant of God made with Abraham ; and he was the " minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers," Rom. xv. 8. This covenant was, that he would be " a God unto Abraham and to his seed."
Now if this be not so under the new testament, then was not Christ a faithful messenger, nor did confirm the truth of God in his promises.
This argument alone will bear the weight of the whole cause against all objections; foi*, —
1. Children are still in the same covenant with their parents, or the truth of the promises of God to the fathers was not confirmed by Christ.
2. The right unto the covenant, and interest in its promises, wherever it be, gives right unto the administration of its initial seal, that is, to baptism, as Peter expressly declares. Acts ii. 88, 39. Wherefore, —
The right of the infant seed of believers unto baptism, as the ini- tial seal of the covenant, stands on the foundation of the faithful- ness of Christ as the messenger of the covenant, and minister of God for the confirmation of the truth of Ris promises.
In brief, a participation of the seal of the covenant is a spiritual blessing. This the seed of believers was once solemnly invested in by God himself. This privilege he hath nowhere revoked, though he hath changed the outward sign ; nor hath he granted unto our chil- dren any privilege or mercy in lieu of it now under the gospel, when all grace and privileges are enlarged to the utmost. His covenant promises concerning them, which are multiplied, were confirmed by Christ as a true messenger and minister; he gives the grace of bap- tism unto many of them, especially those that die in their infancy, owns children to belong unto his kingdom, esteems them disciples, appoints households to be baptized without exception. And who shall now rise up, and withhold water from them?
This argument may be thus further cleared and improved: —
Christ is "the messenger of the covenant," Mai. iii. 1, — that is, the covenant of God with Abi'aham, Gen. xvii. 7 ; for, —
1. That covenant was with and unto Christ mystical. Gal. iii. 16; and he was the messenger of no covenant but that which was made with himself and his members.