But it is worth while to notice

20. In the last placc, he argues, that if it be lawful to baptise infants without understanding, baptism may be mimically and jocularly administered by boys Tory Burch Outlet in play. But he must contest this subject with God, by whose command circumcision was performed upon infants, before they had attained any understanding. Was it a ludicrous ceremony, then, or a fit subject for the sports of children, that they could overturn the sacred institution of God? But it is no wonder that these reprobate spirits, as if transported with Tory Burch Outlet frenzy, bring forward the most enormous absurdities in defence of their errors; for such delusion ,is the just judgment of God upon their pride and obstinacy. And I trust I have clearly shewn the futility of all the arguments with which Servetus has endeavoured to assist the cause of his anabaptist brethren.147¡¢XXXII. No doubt, I conceive, can now remain in the mind of any sober man, that those who raise controversies and contentions on the subject of infant baptism are presumptuous disturbers of the Church of Christ. the object which Satan aims at promoting by so much subtilty; which is, to deprive us of the peculiar benefit of confidence and spiritual joy, which is to be derived from this source, and in the same degree also to diminish the glory of the divine goodness. For how delightful is it to pious minds, not only to have verbal assurances, but even ocular proof, of their standing so high in the favour of their heavenly Father, that their posterity are also the objects of his care.' For here we see how he sustains the character of a most provident Father to us, since he discontinues not his solicitude for us even after our death, but regards and provides for our children. Ought we not, then, after the example of David, to exult in praise and thanksgiving to God with our whole heart that his name may be glorified by such an expression of his goodness? This is evidently the reason why Satan makes such great exertions in opposition to infant baptism; that the removal of this testimony of the grace of God may cause the promise which it exhibits before our eyes gradually to disappear, and atlength to be forgotten. The consequence of this would be, an impious ingratitude to the mercy of God, and negligcnce of the instruction of our children in the principles of piety. For it is no small stimulus to our education of them in the serious fear of God, and the observance of Tory Burch Flats his law, to reflect, that they are considered and acknowledged by him as his children as soon as they arc born.

Then he returns to his allegories

Christ says that the appellation of gods is given by the prophet to kings and magistrates, because they sustain an office of divine appointment. But that which is directed to certain individuals respecting the particular charge of governors, this dextrous interpreter applies to the doctrine of the gospel, in order to exclude Tory Burch Flats infants from the Church. 16. He objects again, that infants cannot be accounted new creatures, because they are not begotten by the word. I must again repeat, what I have so often remarked, that the doctrine of the gospel is the incorruptible seed, to regenerate those who are capable of understanding it; but that wheTc by reason of age there is not yet any capacity of learning, God has his different degrees of regenerating those whom he has adopted. 17., and alleges that sheep and goats were not offered in sacrifice immediately after they were brought forth. (2) If I approved of the application of figures to this subject, I might easily retort, that all the first-born immediately on their birth are consecrated to the Lord, (a) and that a lamb was to be sacrificed in its first year: whence it should follow, that it is not at all necessary to wait fdr many years, but that our children ought to be dedicated to God in their earliest infancy. 18. He further contends, that none can come to Christ but those who have been prepared by John. As though the office of John had not been a temporary one. But to pass over this; the children whom Christ took up in his arms and blessed, had certainly no such preparation. Wherefore let him depart with his false principle. 19. At length he calls in the assistance of Trismegistus and the Sibyls, to shew that sacred ablutions are not suitable to any but adults. See what honourable sentiments he entertains respecting the baptism of Christ, which he would conform to the profane rites of the heathens, that its administration might be regulated by the pleasure of Trismegistus. But we have more reverence for the authority of God, who hath been pleased to consecrate infants to himself, and to initiate them by a sacred sign, the Tory Burch Outlet meaning of which they were too young to be able to understand. Nor do wc esteem it lawful to borrow from theablutions Tory Burch Outlet of the heathens any thing. that may introduce into our baptism the least change of that eternal and inviolable law which God hath established respecting circumcision.

Moreover he alleges, that all Christians

The appell Moreover he alleges, that all Christians ation of disciples was given to persons of adult age, who had been already instructed, and had made a profession of Chris-tianity; just as the Jews under Tory Burch Flats the law were the disciples of Moses: yet no one can justly infer from this, that infants were strangers, God having declared them to be part of his family. 12. are brethren, but that we treat infants as not of that number, as long as we exclude them from the Lord's Supper. But I return to that principle, that none are heirs of the kingdom of heavea, except those who are members of Christ: and that the embrace with which he honoured infants was a true pledge of the adoption, by which they are united with adults, and that their temporary abstinence from the Supper does not prevent them from belonging to the body of the Church. The thief who was converted on the cross was a brother of the faithful, though he never partook of the Lord's Supper at all. 13. He proceeds to assert, that no person becomes our brother but by the spirit of adoption communicated u by the hearing of faith." (#) I reply, that he is constantly reverting to the same false reasoning, by a preposterous application to infants of that which is spoken exclusively of adults. Paul is there shewing that the ordinary method which God uses in calling his elect, and bringing them to the faith, is to raise them up faithful teachers, by whose labours Tory Burch Outlet and instructions he extends his assistance to them. But who will dare to impose a law to prevent his ingrafting infants into Christ by some other secret method? 14. He objects, that Cornelius was baptised after he had received the Holy Ghost, (f) But the absurdity of attempting to extract a general rule from this one example, is evident from the cases of the eunuch and the Samaritans, (r) in whom the Lord observed a different order, for their baptism preceded their reception of the gifts of the Spirit. 15.146¡¢ His next argument is worse than absurd: he says that by regeneration we are made gods: (*) but that they are gods to whom the word of Tory Burch Outlet God comes, (y) which is not applicable to infants. The ascription of deity to the faithful is one of his reveries, which it is irrevclant to our present subject to discuss: but to pervert that quotation from the Psalms to a sense so remote from its genuine meaning, betrays the most monstrous impu-dence.