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But as to what you offer in the laft place, [concerning the Powerful Motive to dedicate himself to God, which, I faid, Antipedobaptifme depriveth a Child of ;] namely, "that for your part, you are of opini"on that nothing can be a greater binder"ance to him than Baptifm, fince he is hereby induced to reckon himself already a good Chriftian, and in a state of Salvation, as having had the Sign of the Cove"nant already applyed to him in his Infant “ State, without looking after the new birth, "and being acquainted with the Mystery of "Spiritual Regeneration, &c.] I profefs I was aftonifht to read it, both for the Scandal and offence it cannot but administer to thofe of a contrary perfwalion, as alfo for the ill reflection which, with too much Colour, it may be interpreted to imply upon the Wisdom and Counfel of God, who, both before the Law, and under the Law, was pleased to Inftitute the Signing of Children with the Sign of the Covenant; which doubtless, had it been an impediment and hinderance to their Regeneration, and to Salvation, much more if a moft powerful one, he, in his infinite goodnefs and clemency, as well as wifdom and conduct, would never have done. And do you indeed think that the Circumcifion of Child en, instead

of

of being a furtherance to the work of Re-: generation in them, was truly a hinderance to it, and that that which God intended for a mcanes of Confervation and Perpetuation of his Church, was really and in effect, a way to deftroy it: Where was the Wildom of Almighty God, if he knew not what means were proper towards the Salvation of his Creatures? And where his Goodness, if he ordained what he knew improper ? It is certain, if Baptifm by being put on Children in their Infancy, in token of their being given to God in Covenant, be in it felf a hinderance to their Regeneration; Circumcifion which was put ou Children in Infancy, and in token of their being given to God in Covenant, could be no furtherance, and confequently was a means of all others moft improper to continue the Church, and fo, a means equally unworthy both of Divine Prudence and Wifdom, and of his Goodnefs and Mercy.

Thus I have finished my defence of the Argument for Infants Baptifm from Gen. 17, and I think, have answered all is capable of being oppofed against it, and yet feeI know not but you may have more, I now offer, that if you have any thing else of any Moment to object either against the Argument it felf, or against what is offered

now

now in the defence of it; If you propofe it, fo it be without unneceffary digreffions into common places, and without popular trappings, and it be with the Candour and Sincerity, and with the modesty and temper that becomes a lover and feeker of Truth, Ifhall answer it chearfully, and therein give another Inftance how much I am.

The Third Letter.

Dear Sir,

Y

Our Letter of the 29th. of Septem ber in Anfwer to that I fent you the 21ft. of April, though put into fo good and fafe a hand, came not to mine before this 14th. of October, and then open. Happily it had occafion to call in on Friends; and many times, the fartheft way about is neareft home.

However, though late come, I do affure you it is Welcome; for I learn by it that the Controverfie long depending, and which I fear'd would be Eternal, is not likely to continue much longer. And that after all the Exclamations of Evident and moft Evident, of Plain and moft Plain, of Scriptural, of Solid, of Subftantial and Cogent which you make on what Tou fay and of Chimera's, of Repugnant to Scripture, of doubtful Confequencies and ambi

guous

guous Uncertainties, of violence to the Text, of Corruption of Scripture, and of Addition to it on what I prove. The whole now is to determine on two Iffues, the one Relating to the Duty enjoyned Gen. 17. 9; the other to the Subject of that duty; [what is meant by the Seed, and what by keeping the Covenant:]

As to the Firft Iffue which concerns the Subject of the Duty (for I will begin with that,) I have abundantly evinced in my last Letter (and yet you take no notice of it) that by Seed in the 9th. verfe, must be understood the Spiritual, as well as the Carnal Seed, and that, because the fame Seed is meant in the 9th. verfe that is in the 7th. and 8th. verses, the fame fubje&t in the general obligation verfe the 9th. in all refpects, that is in the promise, verfes 7th and 8th. and the fame fubject in the temporal promife verfe the 8th. that is in the Spiritual verfe the 7th: and the fubject in the 7th. (you grant) doth take in all the Seed, the Spiritual as well as the Carnal, and there fore, fo it must be in the 8th, and the 9th. I and in the roth. alfo

Ay! but fay you, the 8th. verfe is to be understood only of the Carnal Seed, and why only (fay I) unless, the 7th. be alfo to be understood, of that only doth the Holy

Ghoft