is, are those, and those only to whom the Lord hath been visibly so
God, and the God of their seed," (in the sense of the promise and covenant of grace, which is sealed, to by the sacraments), but visible believers; then the infants of openly wicked parents, though baptized, have no visible right to baptism; the former is true: Ergo, the latter also. The sequel is manifest, if ye consider, that openly wicked persons, though baptized, are visible unbelievers, and that they can have no right to baptism coram ecclesia whose God the Lord is not: for, in baptizing infants, we do really declare that we look on God as the God of the parent, and the God of his seed. Now that this great privilege visibly belongs only to visible believers, we hope to manifest by these following reasons.
1. That which belongs only to real believers before God, visibly belongs only to visible believers and their seed; but this privilege belongs only to real believers before the Lord: Ergo, &c. The reason of the proposition hath been given oftener than once in this discourse, therefore I stand not upon it. I prove the assumption: Those to whom this privilege is given, have ground to expect the accomplishment of the rest of the promises of the covenant to them: the reason is, because this is comprehensive of all, and all the rest depend on it; for what can God promise or give more than himself to be a God to us? but none have ground to expect this but real believers: Ergo, further, those who are thus privileged now coram Deo, God will at the last day openly acknowledge as his people; for these two go together, "I will be their God and they shall be my people;" but God will so own none but real saints: Ergo.
2. Those to whom this privilege doth visibly belong, whose God the Lord is, are those, and those only to whom the Lord hath been visibly so gracious, as to "put his law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;" but these are none other but visible believers and their seed: Ergo, the major is clear; for these two are joined together in the promise, Jer. 31:33. Heb. 8:10. "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel—I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." See now how this doth visibly agree unto the openly wicked, that visibly cast God's laws behind their backs.
3. Only Abraham's visible seed are thus visibly privileged: Ergo, only visible believers. The antecedent is plain. The consequence I prove thus: