Of the Subjects of Baptism
Q. 12. Is baptism to be reiterated, as the Lord's supper?
A. No; for the Lord's supper is a sacrament for nourishing, but this for implantation; Rom. 6:4, 5. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we should be also in the likeness of his resurrection.
Q. 13. Doth baptism regenerate men, and confer saving grace?
A. No, it doth not, in its own virtue, convey grace, no more than the Lord's supper; but the Spirit of God is the author of grace, and works it as he pleases, before or after baptism.
Of the Subjects of Baptism Quest. 95. TO whom is baptism to be administered?
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized.
Q. 1. Who are to be baptized?
A. Believers, and their infant-offspring; Acts 2:39. For the promise is to you, and your children, and to all that are afar off, even many as the Lord our God shall call.
Q. 2. How doth it appear, that the infant-seed of believers ought to be baptized?
A. It appears by this, that they being Abraham's seed, were taken into covenant with God, and ordered to have the sign of the covenant applied to them; and that grant was never reversed; Gen. 17:7, 10.
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; even every man-child among you shall be circumcised.
Q. 3. But was not that the covenant of works; and so will not hold, to infer their privilege under the covenant of grace?
A. No, it was not; for God never did, nor will become a God by way of special interest to any people; by virtue of the covenant of works, since the breach of it by the fall.
Q. 4. But if it were the covenant of grace, how doth it appear the right of believers infants is still the same it was before in Abraham's time?
A. It appears plainly from the apostle's own words and arguments; Acts 2:39. For the promise is to you, and to your children, &c.
Q. 5. But though infants then were members of God's visible church among the Jews, how doth it appear they are so now, when God hath cast them off?
A. It appears, the membership and privileges are as free and complete to them now, that are the children of Gentile believers, as ever they were to the Jewish infants; Rom. 11:17. And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou being a wild olive tree, were graffed in amongst them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree.
Q. 6. How else doth it appear they are within the covenant?
A. It appears by this, that they are pronounced holy; 1 Cor. 7:14. Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy. Which is a fœderal holiness, and none out of covenant can be holy by covenant.
Q. 7. But may not that place mean only their legitimacy?
A. No, it cannot; for then the apostle must pronounce all the infants in the world bastards, that descend not at least from one believing parent.
Q. 8. But infants are not capable to covenant with God, or to perform covenant-duties; and therefore why should they be admitted to covenant-privileges?
A. A child now of eight days old, is as capable of being admitted into covenant with God, as children of the same age were in Abraham's days: and then it is manifest they were admitted.
Q. 9. Though they were admitted by circumcision then, will it follow, they may be so by baptism now, seeing that ordinance is abolished?
A. Yes, it will: For though circumcision cease, yet baptism is come in its place; Col. 2:10, 11, 12. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, &c.
Q. 10. But circumcision was a seal of the covenant of works; and the argument will not hold, from a seal of the covenant of works, to a seal of the covenant of grace?
A. Circumcision never was, nor was intended to be a seal of the covenant of works, but of the righteousness of faith; Rom. 4:11. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet, being uncircumcised, &c.
Q. 11. But have we no express command in the New Testament to baptize infants?
A. There needed no new command; their privilege had been settled many ages before upon them, and never reversed by Christ, or his