lawful use the Argument is a mere trifling idem per idem for the question was whether they might lawfully live together Yea saith the Apostle they may for the unbelieving husband is sanctifyed in the believing wife q d. They may live together for they may live together Obj. The unbelieving wife is said to be sanctified as well as her Children Ans She is said to be sanctified by him or in him but not so as to be made foederally holy but onely sanctified to his use as all the creatures are for sanctification is a word of relation used with reference to persons but the word holy in the 1 Cor. 7 signifies an holiness of state but saith the Apostle they are holy Thus we have abundantly proved the minor proposition namely That the Children of believers are incovenanted therefore we conclude That the Seal of the Covenant belongs to them O then You that are spiritual that have the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of Prophesy so as to understand the Prophesies consider what I have said and the Lord give you understanding in all things We are compassed as you see round about with a cloud of witnesses It was one and the same cloud Exod. 14 23 which was light to the Israelites and darkness to the Egyptians Even so one and the same scripture to some is dark and to others full of light because they have not the light within to see the light without John 11. Now the Lord grant we be not like the Egyptians looking at the darksom part of the cloud as many do and not the lightsom part but that this cloud may be as a cloud by day and as a pillar of fire by night even in that night that is coming fast upon us the shadows of the evening growing very long to guid us in the Truth as it is in Jesus Obj. Circumcision was no seal of Rightousness to Abraham's posterity Ans Look to the rock Esa 51 whence ye are hewen q d. Consider what mercies I shewed to Abraham the same mercy may you expect to your selves Promises made to believers as believers belong to all believers for it 's a sure rule à quatenus ad omne valet consequentia from a thing as such the consequence availeth to all Thus the Apostle Heb. 13 5 applies that of Deut. 31 8 He will not fail thee nor forsake thee That promise was made not to Joshua but to the body of the Children of Israel as appears by the LXX translation Promises made to the Jews as Saints are made to all therefore the Gospel-Church is called Sion and Jerusalem hath the Jews names put upon it because those promises belong to it See LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as it 's applyed to Joshua it hath but one negative but when applyed to the body of Israel verse 8 it hath four negatives to which the Apostle adds a fift No I will not leave thee no I will not in no wise forsake thee The Lord being willing more abundantly to confirm our faith adds five denials because he saw what doubting hearts we had So much for the first Proposition sc That promises made to believers as believers belong to all believers but this I will be thy God and the God of thy seed was made to Abraham as a believer therefore to all believers Whereof Circumcision was a seal in the old Testament as Baptism in the new Rom. 4 11 Circumcision is called a seal of the rightousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised that so he might become the father of all those that believe though not circumcised for Abraham was called the father of them that believe because he was the first father that received this blessing which was a blessing upon parents and children for he received it not onely for himself but for them also that is he received it as a father and so it is conveyed to us at this day Mr Cart. 2. The promise was made to Abraham and to his natural seed walking in the steps of his faith How else reasons the Apostle from the example of Abraham The promise was given to Abraham through faith therefore 't is yours through faith v. 13 16 17. 3. How makes he Abraham the father of believers in both people if the Covenant was not established on him as a father for his children of both people v. 17 who is the father of us all before him * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad instar dei or Ex adverso dei after the example of God Exemplar enim ex adverso opponimus whom he believed God hath honored Abraham's faith that in respect thereof he hath made him like himself sc a father not of this or that nation but universally of all amongst all nations that believe 4. This promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed was not peculiar to Abraham as appears by the scope of the Apostle Rom. 4. which is to shew how we are justified and not Abraham onely for fathers and children are justified in the same manner but Abraham was justified by faith and not by Circumcision though therein was sealed the remission of sins The Apostle brings in Abraham as an eminent believer and the father of the faithful for he was the first explicit covenanter as a rule to all believers * Primum in unoquoque genere est regula reliquorum Apostolus probaturus Gentiles unà cum Judaeis esse Abrahae filios in hanc formam loquitur Abraham fide justificatus fuit in praeputio Calv. for the first in every kind is the rule of all the rest and concludes ver 23 It is written not for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe So that Circumcision was either a seal of rightousness obtained or rightousness offered therefore a seal to parents and children if they believe the like may I say of baptism which comes instead of circumcision and is the seal of Abraham's Covenant Gal. 3 29 Ye are Abraham ' s seed and heirs according to the tenor of the promise which runs to him and his 5. The Covenant is the same therefore the parties included in the Covenant specifically must be the same else it 's not the same Covenant and therefore as before so now children are included That it 's the same for substance it appears by the Apostle Gal. 3 That Covenant was confirmed in Christ therefore a Gospel-Covenant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 towards Christ q d. It had respect to Christ Gal. 3.8 28 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen preached the Gospel before unto Abraham I hope none will say we have another Gospel or a Gospel besides this Gospel The Apostle doubles the phrase to shew them he speaks deliberately as pondering what he said If any man bring another Gospel c Gal. 1. Brethren do we look
with them that forsake the holy Covenant Heb. 4.1 Let us therefore fear least a promise being left us of entering into his rest any of you should seem to come short of it that is should really fall short of it as the word is usually taken in scripture phrase but as for the elect Christ hath undertaken for them that they shall never perish Joh. 10.28 Esa 55.3 I will give you the sure mercies of David that is Christ Obj. This Tenent overthrows the necessity of Conversion Ans This Covenant includes regeneration and conversion in it Deut. 30.7 I will circumcise the heart of thy seed which sheweth That the outward Circumcision did signifie the circumcising of the heart which the Lord promiseth to make good to our seed now in the days of the Gospel as appears from v. 1 5 11. Compared with Rom. 10.6 Hos 14.7 Those under thy shadow shall return 2. Hath not the Lord made faith and repentance the condition of the Covenant on our part Joh. 3.16 which Christ hath undertaken with the Father to work effectually in the elect For want of which qualifications many thousands are damned for ever though the Children of Abraham visibly What hast thou to do saith the Lord Psal 50.16 to take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed Yet were their children under the outward administration of it therefore we say They might as well have debarred all the children of Israel from that outward priviledg as now debarr the children of believers upon the same account it 's said Mat. 8.12 Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of heaven but the children of the Kingdom shall be cast out that is such as were so born and visibly so continued for a while such I say shall be cast out of the Kingdom of heaven or the Church here below not the Church above out of which none are properly said to be cast because they were never in it Obj. This opinion overthrows the foundation of all Gospel-Churches As First It destroys the matter of a Church which ought to be Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 But this tenent doth unavoidably admit into the Church all the unconverted and unregenerate children born of the bodies of such persons that either were or have been accounted believers Secondly It admits into the Church good and bad promiscuously and all those unbaptized and what light in the Gospel have you to justifie such an Assembly to be the true Church of Christ Ans To the first we say It destroys not the matter of a Church visible consisting of visible Saints Therefore they are incompleâ—â— Members of the Church for such are children and so owned by the Apostle as holy i. e. relatively holy if not positively 1 Cor. 7. Ezra 9.2 the holy seed i. e. such as are set apart for God and dedicated to him in a peculiar manner and many of them sanctified from the womb Thus Jeremiah Esaias John Baptist the last of the old and the first of the new Testamenâ—â— Now whether should we take the testimony of God or the testimony of men If we receive the witness of men saith the Apostle the witness of God is greater 1 Joh. 5.9 Man makes confession or profession of Christ this is an human testimonie and we accept it and shall we reject a divine testimony God forbid Let God be true and every man a lyer Rom. 3. 2. They are acknowledged as members of the Church by the Apostle Paul for writing to the Churches of Coloss and Ephesus Col. 1.2 3 and 20. Eph. 2.1 he directs his Epistle to châ—ldren as well as parents 3. We answer That children upon their discovery of themselves not to be visible Saints are to be suspended from the Ordinances as in the old Testament the Priests were to distinguish between the holy and the profane Jer. 7. The Lord complains that they made his house a den of thieves such then were not to be admitted to the Passover In order to which the Porters were charged to keep back from the Temple such as were unclean in any matter though they were circumcised 2 Chron 22.19 If this rule were observed in the old Testament then surely it is not to be neglected in the new Ans To the second Objection Mr Pat. pag. 69. Whereas they say Such Assemblies are no Churches because they are not baptized which is essential to a particular visible Church therefore we may have no communion with them for God never had any Church-union or communion with any soul which was not baptized that is rebaptized Here are great swelling words as the Apostle Jude saith such spirits it seems there were in his time But we answer First If such were no Churches then for many hundreds of years Christ's promise fell to the ground Mat. 16.18 19. I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven The Keys as they grant were given to particular visible Churches against which making up the body of Christ the gates of hell saith Christ shall not prevail but by this Doctrin they did prevail for above 1500 years seeing that till that time we read not of any such Churches as they challenge to themselves these therefore are but sandy foundations and certainly when the winds of temptation shall blow and the rain of affliction shall fall and the flouds of persecution come their houses will fall 2. What say you to Rev. 11.4 Are not the two Candlesticks the Churches according to scripture phrase We had Churches in England before there was any Church at Rome as Matthew Paris tells us Therefore we received not our doctrine or ordination originally from Rome which farther appears by this That the Brittish Churches in the celebration of Easter observed the custom of the Eastern Churches and not of the Church of Rome which doubtless they would have done had they received the Gospel from thence as Flaccius Illyricus well observeth which are to be slain as well as the olive trees a little before the last downfall of Anti-Christ and doth not the scripture own these Churches as true under the reign of Antichrist for one thousand two hundred and threescore years and will or dare any disown them because not rebaptized 3. Had they minded well the command of the holy Ghost they had not been so grossly mistaken Son of man saith the Lord There is but one going in and that in the singular number but many goings out of the Church of God which last word is in the plural Ezek 44.5 Pones cor tuum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in ingressu domuâ— omnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exitus Sanctuarij Ez. 44 5. mark well the entering in of the house and every going forth of the Sanctuary They say we must enter in by baptism which is essential to a Church but thus they unchurch all the Churches in the world but
and are therefore true if performed to any person in any fort Heb. 11.27 Many spiritual and so temporal promises are indefinitely propounded and so to be understood not that the Lord intends an absolute and universal obligation of himself neither is the act of faith in the application of it required to be an absolute and infallible persuasion that God will bestow these particular things upon us but the Lord expects we should rely on him to do what is most for his glory and our good But let me tell you faith may do much Mat. 9. When he saw their faith he said to the sick of the palsie Be bold thy sins are forgiven thee When he saw their faith that is the faith of them that brought him So when he sees the faith of parents bringing their children to Christ in the visible way of this Ordinance for I know no other visible way to bring children to Christ he saith to them Your sins are forgiven you Thus children are saved by the faith of the parents begetting faith in them Hence that passage of David concerning his child I shall go to it it shall not return to me he means not of that state of death in the grave for what comfort could that be to David that he should go to the the grave with it but the state of glory to which he was assured it was gone and to which he should follow after Tenthly I am apt to be very charitable to the Infants of all believers that dy before they commit actual transgression Cedo quo nomine filij vestri salvantur nisi ex illo verbo Ego sum deus seminis tui ac nisi illud verbum ad illos pertinâ—ret ne ad baptismum quidem admittendi essent Cal. Inst Quicunque in dei foedere gratiose semel est neque unquam ab illo foederâ— se avertit ille â—ona promissa consequitur nunquam enim descrit deâ—â— nisi deserentâ—m See Forb heaven surely is fuller of such Infants than of others and therefore as he said so say I If I had 20 Children I would not bate God one But how are these Children saved if not by that Covenant I will be thy God and the God of thy seed from which gracious Covenant if afterwards they turn not away they obtain the things promised and their souls are bound up in a bundle of life for ever See p. 69. Obj. There was no promise of eternal life mentioned in that Covenant Ans In that Covenant God promised them temporals more largely spirituals more sparingly according to his secret dispensations of these and those times they were children Hence the motto of the Prince of Wales I SERVE Gal. 5.4 a child differs not from a servant and thus the Hebrew naguoâ— the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latine word puer signifie either a child or a servant and a child differs not from a servant in his nonage now children are more taken with childish things therefore they had more of temporals and less of spirituals more of the spirit of bondage than the spirit of adoption that is that spirit that makes us sons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and testifies we are sons but yet we say in that Covenant life is propounded implicitly in that he saith I will be thy God which is interpreted by our Savior to include not onely spirituel life here but eternal life hereafter Christ by virtue of his spiritual dwelling in us will raise us up at the last day for as the union betwixt Christ's humane and divine nature ceased not even in the grave so neither doth the union betwixt Christ and the soul and the body cease Rom. 8. Seeing that we are not raised by the graces of the spirit but by the spirit it self dwelling in us it is true Christ as Mediator shall cease having yielded up that vicarium Regnum to his father but he continues head of the Church for ever 2. When the Lord explains that Covenant Ier. 31.33 Doth he not say I will be their God their sins and iniquities will I remember no more and are not our souls bound up in this as in a bundle of life is not here justification of life for children to lay hold upon Nay when the Lord saith I will write my Law in their hearts and they shall all know me from the lest to the greatest that is yong and old is not this the Law of the spirit of life and will not he write the Law of faith too by which we live the life of the sons of God Gal. 2.20 3. That blessedness spoken of Gen. 12.3 is explained by Paul to be justification by faith Gal. 3.8.14 called there the blessing of Abraham which comes upon the Gentiles that is parents and children Act. 3. blessedness is expressed by turning every one from his evil way Esa 44.3 I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy offspring Is not here a spirit of life are not the essentials of regeneration promised here to babes and is not that mother promise I will be thy God the ground of all these Gal. 3.14 4. What is the meaning of that phrase Do this and live may it not evangelically be taken as well as legally Ezek. 20. Neh. 9 Which if a man keep he shall live therein What force is there in these words with reverence be it spoken if understood in their sense for might not the spiritual Israelites say To what purpose is it What hopes have we of attaining to that perfection and so consequently to life It 's granted the carnal Israelites being not sensible of their own weakness and imperfections looked at that Covenant as a Covenant of works and so seemingly it was propounded but the spiritual Israelites look'd at it with another ey as it was propounded with evangelical purposes that is Do this in Christ and live Hence it was that the Lord bid Moses put the Tables into the Ark as signifying That Christ was to keep Covenant with them and for them as hath been formerly shewed Obj. None ever had any interest in that Covenant but such as were in Christ Ans Never any had any saving interest in that absolute Covenant but such as are in Christ in truth and reality but there are others that are in Christ as the unprofitable branch in the Vine Some render the words as the Syr. renders it viz. Every branch that beare not fruit in me Joh 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that bringeth forth fruit to it self these having entered into Covenant with God may be said to be under the Covenant conditionally of which conditional promises the Sacraments are seals and by virtue of it be made partakers not onely of temporals but also of those common graces by which they are sanctified for this or that particular service Heb. 10.29 And hath counted the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing wherewith he was sanctified Which grace is sometimes called life
though it fall short of regeneration Jude 12. But the Covenant is established with the spriritual seed of Isaac onely and such as walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham Gen. 17.19 I will establish my Covenant with him for an everlasting Covenant Ismael was under the Covenant but mocking at the promised seed that is Isaac a child of the promise he was discovenanted and cast out therefore he was in before Gal 4.30 else how was he cast out Esau was under that Covenant of Isaac but he profane wretch sells his birth-right and goes to Mount Seir therefore he is cashiered also and not so much as mentioned in the Genealogie of our Savior upon this account Obj. All the promises of the new Covenant were made to the spiritual seeed Ans But did not those promises run along being entailed upon Abraham his posterity Quamprimum quis natus est ex â—â—deli parente statim fit filius Abraha nam priusquam Judaeus aliquis circumcisius fuit habebatur in numero filiorum baptismus enim non facit filios Abrahae sed foedus Whit. de Sacr. and are not the promises made to the visible Church whereof Christ is the visible head were children ever cast out of that mystical bodie of Christ Gal. 3. Doubtless the Apostle speaks of a Church which was the visible bodie of Christ to which the seals were applied for there was no distinction of a fleshly and spiritual seed in the old Testament but all were included in one and the same Covenant till they degenerated from it When there is mention made of Abraham's carnal seed in opposition to his spiritual seed Rom. 9. Gal. 4. As Ismael is said to be born after the flesh 1. It 's not because such were reprobates for many of Abraham's seed were reprobates and yet not reckoned to be born after the flesh 2. Nor because such were begotten by carnal generation for so Esau and Jacob were 3. Nor merely because born of Hagar See Grot de jure belli p 12. Lege Mosis Israelitae soli tenebantur Circumâ—isionis autem lege tota Abrahami posteritas quare qui popali extra Israelitas circumcisi sunt eos credibile est aut ab Esavo aut ex Cethurae posteris venisse for God commanded Circumcision to pass upon the concubines children Gen. 17.12 4. Nor merely because unregenerate for many elect persons are not converted in infancie 5. But Ismael is said to be born after the flesh because Hagar was a bond-woman and in that time a type of the Covenant of works too likely an instrument in the course of nature for a child of the promise to be begotten of Gal. 4.23 It 's probable Abraham might not so much make use of his faith as nature in using Hagar and in this Ismael was a type of all hypocrites that have no more than what may â—e attained to by humane industry but Abraham â—ad Isaac so by faith in the promise as if there were â—o use of nature Abraham circumcised Ismael which sheweth that as none but the visible faithful are to be baptized So all the seed of such are to be looked upon as elect as Abraham did untill God or they discover the contrary for God hath not disanulled Abraham's Covenant which runs in the natural line nor added to it the whole Gospel being but an explication of Abraham's Covenant Heb. 4.2 Therefore it remains in its latitude including children as well as parents The Covenant having an external administration many might be in it according to Gods revealed will but not according to his secret purpose now we are to proceed according to his will revealed in his word for what ever Arguments are produced against the children of believers now might have been pleaded against Abraham's seed of old Believers were the seed of Abraham among the Jews Rom. 9.6 7 8. Therefore our Savior argueth those Pharifees not to be the children of Abraham therefore Rom. 9. Paul speaks not a word of a different dispensation of the Covenant of Abraham in the old and new Testament I say there is not the lest word hinted that infants because children of the flesh therefore are no children of the promise but rather the contrary For Isaac though of Abraham's flesh yet was a child of the promise when but eight days old and let me tell you The Covenant in some respects makes the father a spiritual father and the child a spiritual seed as well as natural To conclude the Apostle doth not shew in the forenamed chapter who were the seed as to Ordinances but who were the seed as to election and salvation For though there was a Covenant for Ismael yet was it not established with him but with Isaac Gen. 17.19 He shewed indeed that all the children of the flesh are not the elect seed but doth not shew they were not the children of Abraham's Covenant v. 7. The children of the promise are those that are born to Abraham according to promise See Piscat in Gen. 13.15 To thee will I give this land and thy seed for ever Posteria tuis non tamen omnibus sed tantum orituris ex filio uno cujus respectu â—runt semen unum i populus unus Sic cap. 21 12Vbi jubet ablegare Ismaelem additâ hac ratione Nam is Isaac vocabitur tibi semen therefore all Isaac's seed according to the flesh were children of the promise for the promises were made to them notwithstanding some of them were thrown out and some entered not in Thus the Gospel Church hath the promise of salvation made to them but so as many visible Saints may fall short thereof Heb. * The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies not a seeming but a real falling short according to scripture phrase and the scope and purport of this place 4.1 Which shews you that Abraham's Covenant contained all his seed indefinitely for that some should enter in The promise is absolute but as for the individuals it was upon condition of faith so there is a company of believers elected that shall certainly enter into glory and these determined by God But as for particular persons considered as visible members of the Church these enter in or not accordingly as they believe or believe not When a man covenants with another That such a piece of land shall descend to his heirs who shall be his heirs is unknown onely it 's known in general that the child is the next of kin Thus in this case who shall have the benefit of this Covenant may be unknown but in general it 's known that believers shall The Lord appoints his Church to look upon such persons as saints or no saints according to their visible holiness and to look on their seed to be such as their parents are for Ismael is reckoned first as Abraham's afterwards Ismael's seed are reckoned as enemies and strangers like himself Exod. 12.48 1 Chron. 2.17 It appears Jethro was
arbitramur quia spiritus otiosus non est quemadmodum ratio etsi se non nisi paulatim exerat Idem Wal. the minor proposition is proved 1. From scripture Mat. 18.3 4 5. compared with Mar. 9.36 Whosoever shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me but whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he cast into the midst of the sea The opposition shews he speaks of children For it 's an undoubted maxim Where terms stand as opposits the one is to be taken in the sense opposit to the other Now it 's clear from ver 3 4 5. that he speaks of children whom we are visibly to receive in Christ's name to such Ordinances as they are capable of therefore the words are so to be taken ver 5. little ones that believe in me There is the like phrase Rev. 9.4 It was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth neither any green thing neither any tree but onely those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads Which exception shews you That by grass green things and trees he means men For the exception as we say must be of the same kinde Exceptio est ejus dem generis See Rev. 7.3 2. We may see this exemplified in many Psal 22. 9. Thou madest me hope when I hung upon my mothers brests This is true in the antitype Christ who had faith from the very womb it 's true also in David Psal 71.5 Thou art my trust from my childhood by thee I have been holden from the womb v. 17. Thou hast taught me from my childhood now also when I am grey headed forsake me not We see original sin lies dormant in the child for a while but quickly puts forth it being peccatum actuosum Psal 58. They go astray from the belly and why may may not faith put forth betimes in some as in Esaias ch 49. Jeremiah ch 1.5 and John Baptist the first in the new Testament Now the first in every kinde is the rule of all the rest I see no reason but when a child puts forth acts of reason he may put forth an act of faith and when he begins to know his natural he may also know his heavenly father though it wants that reflect act whereby it knows that it knows the former we have seen verified in many children in New-England and elsewhere 3. 〈◊〉 If some be sanctified from the womb then they have faith quicunque renascitur fidem habet Luther For all the graces are concatenated but some are sanctified from the womb for Christ as he sanctifies our natures so he sanctifies every age as Hos 12 4. Jacob being actuated by the spirit began to act betime and to wrestle with his brother Esau in his mothers womb for the blessing See Zanchy 4. Children have faith in heaven therefore in earth For 1. If the Lord irradiate upon the souls of children in heaven Quos pleno lucis suae fulgore illustraturus est Dominus cur non iis quoque in presens si ita libuerit exiguà scintillâ irradiaret Cal. Inst l. 4. c. 16. and they do behold the face of God which is an act of faith Heb. 11.27 then have they faith in heaven if so why not on earth 2. They rest in hope of the resurrection else they were miserable Psal 16.9 that is the soul doth rest in hope for the bodie properly is not the subject of hope now hope is the daughter of faith 3. There will be this use of faith in heaven to believe that which we cannot comprehend for faith is the evidence of things not seen even the infinite being of God who dwells in that light that none can approach unto therefore we conclude infants in heaven have faith and why may they not have the seed of it here seeing there is no grace in heaven which was not wrought on earth Hence it is that regeneration is called an earthly thing Ioh. 3. because as for other reasons so this it must be wrought on earth 4. The first Adam had power to convey grace as faith to his posterity and hath not the second Adam much more power Was not the faith of Adam of the like nature with the faith of believers though it do not put forth that act whereby we are justified 5. Can any live without faith or be saved for ever without it and shall we denie it to infants who stand in need of justification by faith as well as we Obj. How can they be justified by faith which cannot act Ans Faith may be said to be passive in our justification because the habit of faith is passive before it put forth any act now we are justified so soon as by the habit of faith we are alive in Christ in the first moment of our conversion before faith put forth any act Thus children are justified by the habit of faith for as we were guilty of Adams sin which is imputed to us before we were active in giving consent unto it so is the rightousness of Christ imputed to children before they put forth any elicit act of faith Therefore I say they are capable of that passive Ordinance of baptism Obj. Children have no knowledge therefore no faith therefore no interest in the Covenant or seal thereof Ans Are they not reasonable souls because for the present they make no use of reason and may they not have habitual knowledge lying dormant in them though no actual is it not Christ that enlighteneth every one not that is going out but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming into the world doth not the reasonable soul lie dormant in the body till organized doth it not live though it move not for the present when a man is asleep he acts not grace doth it therefore follow he hath none may not a child be included in a lease and conditions made which render him capable of the benefit of it if he perform the conditions therein specified though at the making of the lease he give no consent at all and were not the children in the Evangelist blessed by Christ because they understood it not or was Peter washed in vain because he knew not what Christ did as yet Mr Tombs saith If he knew an infant such an one as John was such a one he would baptize and farther he saith that such as Christ blessed might be baptized if therefore baptism belong to one infant it 's enough to confute them who denie it to all but according to this account if onely the elect and faithful are to be admitted to the Ordinance of baptism there is no subject left to whom we may dispense that Ordinance 6. Arg. Taken from examples in scripture whole families were baptized Observe the families are made the precedent If any one say here is a Synecdoche the whole being put for part We answer with
hearts of the sons of men and to batter down those strong holds even those royal forts of the imagination and will that stand out in opposition to the truths of Iesus My dearest Lords I ow no less than my self to you for that tender love you have ever expressed to me therefore having nothing else to give worthy of your acceptance I give my self to you Many have given more but none ever left less to himself and as a token of mine endeared affections to your Honors I humbly present this plain discourse to your Honors patronage being the first fruits of my labours and leave it in the hand of the spirit to bring it hâ—me to the souls of all into whose hands it may come assuring my self I have a friend within them the spirit I mean if they be Christs that will eccho to and close with the spirit that is without But if I prevale not with those that are otherwise minded as I have little hope seeing God doth not usually recall such but suffers them to go on in the error of their way my earnest prayer to God shall be Father forgive them for they know not what they say and they do they know not what My Lords Your Honors humble Servant Samuel Winter The Table Act. 2.38 OBserve The former duty viz. Repent is in the second person the later in the third person admitting of a greater latitude Let every one of you that is you and yours be baptized Doctrine That the baptizing of infants of believers is according to the institution of Jesus Christ Baptism is a washing so the word in greek signifies Thus the word in the hebrew 2 King 5. Ittibal erchatz Nonne lavabo in iis Targ. Thus the word is used in the Arabic Ethiopian and Syriac tongue First Argument pag. 18. Is taken from the command of Christ Mat. 18. Go disciple all Nations By nations is meant men women and children according to the manner of the Jews which was to baptize the children of Jews and Proselytes as well as others pag. 19. Sed et nunc qui ex gentibus circumcisis ad Judaismum veniunt ab ipsis baptizantur et hujus baptiâ—mi Judaici meminit Scholiastes ad Juvenalem Intellectu facilè est ablutionem hanc fuisse inter vetera instituta orta ut arbitror post magnum diluvium in memoriam purgati mundi Grot. in Mat. 3. That children are called Disciples see page 20. Act. 21.21 25. Mat. 21.15 compared with Luk. 10.37 Where children are called disciples Mat. 27.57 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was disciple to him Second Arg. Children are incovenanted therefore are to be sealed with the initial seal of the Covenant pag. 23. Gen. 17.9 Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore Which words extend to us in the new Testament for annexing the seal of baptism as well as to Abraham his posterity for annexing the seal of Circumcision for that is mentioned afterward as in that of the Sabbath 4 Command which though applyed to the Jew yet it is to be extended to us in the new Testament I do not say that the promise or Covenant simply considered is a ground to us to annex the seal but this I say That a promise laid for the foundation of a duty is equivalent with an express command Thus the Apostle Act. 2.37 comp Gen. 17 9. pag. 28. That children are incovenanted see a cloud of witnesses pag. 34. Esay 65.23 They are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their offspring with them The promise made to Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed belongs to believers and their seed Act. 13.33 Rom. 2.29 Is he not the God of the Gentiles also See pag. 48. 11 Arguments That the Covenant made with Abraham was a Covenant of Grace see 18 Arguments pag. 57. 2 Cor. 6. ult applied to the Corinthâ—ans The old and new Covenant how distinguished pag. 77. Diverse Objections answered pag. 62. That children feel not the fruit of this Covenant the fault is not in God but in themselves in that they do not keep the condition of the Covenant namely to receive Christ by faith Perk. Non evertitur dei fides perfidiâ hominum Cal. in Rom. 3.4 The Covenant of Grace is conditional page 89. whereof baptism is a seal therefore Divines say The external Covenant or rather the external part thereof may be broken but the internal cannot And whereas I admit of conditions in the Covenant of grace I mean not by conditions such as are 1. the foundation of the Covenant Or 2. as by some are construed to be sc the impulsive cause inducing and inclining the Lord to enter into this Covenant with us Or 3. such as are to be performed by us of our own power Or 4. such as are meritorious and do destroy the nature of grace But such as Christ hath freely undertaken to work in the elect being generally propounded to all on the terms of the Gospel which if accepted render them and theirs visibly under the Covenant of which baptism is the seal Therefore I say The Arminians may take as much advantage from the invitations of God to faith and repentance as from the conditions tendered to the sons of men Fidem poni ut conditionem salutem quidem antecedentem sed electionem ipsam consequentem nunquam à nostris negatum fuit summâ vero cum religione traditum Ames Though the condition of the Covenant of grace as to man in himself is impossible yet through the power of Gods grace it 's made possible and easie Deut. 30. Hujus promissionis evangelicae antecedens sive annexa conditio poterat multorum animos deterrere ac potius omnium si legis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in carne nostrâ ut necesse est expendissent cujus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inde à principio sermonis hujus conditionem Moses expresserat dicens Nondum dedit vobis Jehovah mentem ad cognoscendum Nè igitur impossibilem conditionem propositam sibi à deo fuisse quererentur commoditatem istius Moses his verbis explicat Nam praeceptum quod ego praecipio tibi c. q. d. Hactenus proposui tibi partem priorem foederis ut obsequaris deo sed quia altera quaeque pars foederis est tibi necessaria ut deus tuus quasi novo foedere quod tamen reipsa unum est suis partibus erga te defungatur cum tu ipse non possis et circumcidens cor tuum inscribat ei legem suam foedus suum ad obedientiam fidei Par. lib. 2. p. 16. No man of Coniah's seed did sit upon the throne of David as King for ever pag. 91. In the old Testament the Priests were to distinguish and separate between the holy and profane Ezek. 22. â—6 So the word badal is used Gen. 1.3 He separated pag 95. Our Churches denied by the Anabaptists to be true Churches and that Christ hath any Church communion with us pag.
96. Children of believers are truely and really under the Covenant so far as it goes pag 99. though it be not fulfilled to them all in the utmost extent of it however they are really covenanted and engaged to fulfill the Covenant made in their behalf Children have many benefits by that Covenant of grace pag. 100. There are promises for grace and to grace pag. 104. 105. That Covenant made with Abraham was a Covenant of life eternal for where is it said Thomas or Mary or this or that child shall rise to glory yet by virtue of that Covenant all elect children rise to everlasting life or else thâ—y rise not at all We have but an inference for it yet such as Christ himself approveth of Mat. 22.32 Act. 9.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Collatis testimoniis demonstrans Beza How the promises are made to the spiritual seed and what it is to be born after the flesh pag. 111. Act. 13.33 He hath fulfilled to us their children Fanatici quidem omnia ad allegorias trahentes nullam hic generis sed solius fidei rationem habendam somniant tali autem commento sacrum dei foedus exinaniunt uti dicitur Ero deus tuus seminis tui at sola fides inquiunt est quae efficit Abrahae filios Ego autem contra excipio qui Abrahae filii nascuntur secundum carnem spirituales quoque censeri dei filios nisi profanescant Etsi haereditaria fuit posteris Abrahae vitae promissio multos tamen privavit sua incredulitas Calv. in Act. 13.33 Children of promise are such as were born to Abraham according to promise therefore all Isaac his seed even Esau though children of the flesh were children of the promise page 113. Which promises were made conditionally with Ismael Isaac's carnal seed but established upon Isaac and his elect seed onely Jer. 31.34 From the least it cannot be restrained to the elect seed page 115. Third Argument is taken from Circumcision See how far we may argue from Analogie page 117. Circumcision a type of baptism in three respects page 121. Why Circumcision on the eighth day administered page 122. And why restrained to males p. 123. Either Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant of grace or else that Covenant had no seal at all annexed to it which is not to be imagined Fourth Argument Children are members of the Church therefore to be baptized Eph 5.26 That he might sanctify the Church by the washing of water That they are members see it largely proved from Rom. 11. page 127. Where the Apostle speaks of the visible Church of the Jews cut off with their children and so to be reingrafted Rom. 11.15 God cast them away but he never cast away real saints or such as are part of the invisible Church Rom. 11.1 Hath he cast away c. Neither can they say that they are broken off for unbelief seeing that according to the doctrin of the Anabaptists they are not capable either of belief or unbelief Therefore as children are broken off for the unbelief of their parents so are they reingrafted by their faith Vide Calvini triplicem insitionem in Rom. 11. They cannot be said to be cut off from the Covenant of works page 131. Of such children is the kingdom of heaven therefore enchurched p. 133. Filii regni si non filii regis Profession of faith not essential to baptism pag. 138. as we see in Paul Act. 9. Fifth Argument Some children are believers therefore to be baptized Mat. 18.5 p. 139. Children have faith in heaven pag. 141. Sixth Argument As Abrahâ—ms house was circumcised so are whole houses under the new Testament baptized and that upon the account of the faith of the parent By house is meant children throughout therefore we say children were baptized Lydia was baptized and all the children of her house Act. 16.15 page 143. The jailor was baptized with all the children of his house as the Syriac renders the word Act. 16.33 He rejoiced with all his house he having believed So the Graek vers 34. Families as families are made the precedent for that administration Children are included in the parents pag. 146. Act. 1.14 with their wives and children Vetustissimus meus codex addit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza Seaventh Argument Infants are capable of the grace of baptism therefore of baptism it self Cant. 7. Thy navel c. page 151. Use A disuasive from Anabaptism First Because it 's not the way of God for it 's not of Gods planting In 10 Argum. page 159. Secondly It 's not of Gods watering It hath been watered by the foot of man as Egypt but not by the dew of heaven as Canaan In 12 Arg. page 167. ERRATA PAge 5. line 28. read baptizing and dousing or c. p. 9. l. 5. r for dipping sake p. 11. mar for Ierushalaim r. Jerushalajim p. 15. l. 11. f. president r. precedent p. 21. l. 15. f. but r. being p. 30. l. 31. r. it at least till p. 35. l. 25. dele and l. 28. r. generations p. 38. l. 6. f. elect r. seed p. 42. l. 2 f. were r. was p. 44. l. 13. f. brethren r. children p. 45. l. 26 f it r. that p. 67. l. 1. marg r. Gen. 15.18 p. â—0 l. 11. f. into r. in to p 79. l. 22. r. for p. 83. l. 10 f. those r. these p. 87. l 24. f. So that â— But. p. 102. l. 23. f. athing r. a thing p. 107 marg f. nagnor r. â—agnar p. 113. l. 25. r. these are determined p. 116. l. 3. r. saints Joh. 3.26 p. 117. l. 30. marg r. whitflaâ— p. 118. l. 3. f. ceremoniâ—us r. ceremonial l. 14. f. a r. an p. â—19 l â—0 f. Mechech r. Meshech p. 126 l. 10. r. therefore they aâ—e so now p. 134. l. 20. f. inviâ—â—ble members r. visible c. and l 29. dele it p 140. l. 140. l. 21. dele Arg p. 143. l. 18. r. again and agâ—â—n p. 144. l. 1. marg f. ut filias r. ut filius and l. 17. f. lalem r. laheâ— p. 148. l. 2. f. of the sacrificing of Abel r. of Abel sacrificing â— 150. marg f. Judiciâ— r. Indicio p. 151 l. 1. dele some p. 164 l. 8. f. omns r. omnes p. 165. l. 23. f. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 166 l 23. f. discit r. discet p. 169. l 7. r. inlet of those p. 175. l. 19. marg f. dejectus est r. dejectus esse p 176. l. 10. dele they THE MEANING OF THE Word Baptize ACTS 2. v. 38. Then said Peter unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ c. For the promise is to you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even to as many as the Lord our God shall call WHen the day of Pentecost was fully come vers the 1. they were all with one accord in one * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
simply the argument is not conclusive In Scripturis non datur prius posterius But if they will argue hence That they must first be taught by men we retort Mark 1 4 Iohn did baptize in the wilderness and preach the baptism of repentance where you see baptism is put before preaching 3. * Matt. 28 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The antecedent to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per Synthesis Thus Romans 9 24 v. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gall. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col 2.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caput ex quo Mat. 15.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 16.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which notes the personality of the holy Ghost If we precisely stick to the words then women are excluded for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the masculine gender 4. For the adult we say teaching ordinarily goes before the administration of the Seal but not so in infants It was sufficient that Abraham was effectually taught though his children were not as yeâ— capable of instruction notwithstanding as he so they were all admitted to the seal of circumcision 5. If the Lord had given a Commission to the Apostles saying Go teach all nations circumcising them in the name of the Father had this been inconsistent with Infant-Circumcision I say no but if the Lord say Go ye disciple all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost why should any imagin that Infants are excluded This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies properly to disciple them q. d. admit them into the school of Christ thus the word is constantly used in the new Testament as in Mat. 27 57 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Heb. 7.11 The people received the Law that is were legalized disciplined after a legal manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was Iesus's disciple or he was disciple to him Where we see plainly That relative discipleship may be admitted of in scripture Acts 14 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having evangelized that city that is turned them into the mold of the Gospel and discipled a competent number they ordained Elders in every Church v. 23. 6. Making disciples being an aorist hath the force of a future tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and baptizing is of the present tense therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems to have the precedencie 7. Though make disciples be first in order of words yet not of things For he doth not say Go make disciples and baptize them but make disciples â—aptizing them As if he had said By dedicating â—hem to God in that Ordinance they are made disâ—iples of Christ 8. If children be left out in this commission it is because 1. They are not named and so women are excluded also for they are not named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being of the masculine gender Or 2. Because they are not capable of being taught and so of being Disciples of Christ But the contrary hath been proved That they are taught by God and after they are come out of their infancie are capable of being taught of men The Second Argument Such children as are incovenanted are to be sealed with the initial seal of the Covenant But the children of believing Parents Si rem concedant que major est cur nâ—n signum quâ—d minâ—s est In omni enim Sacrament signum iâ— quantum signum incomparabilitèr minus est quam Res ipsa Luther de cap. Bap. are incovenanted Therefore They are to be sealed with the initial seal of the Covenant The first Proposition is proved Gen. 17 7 9 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 to thee and to thy seed after thee Thou shalâ— keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations You see the Covenant is made by the Lord himself a ground of Circumcision Now where we have a promise laid for the foundation of a duty it is equivalent to any express command seeing the will of God is as well known by promise or threatning Ier. 10 25 or necessary consequence as by express command or example Yea those words thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore extend to us also in the new Testament but not as to circumcision therefore to baptism I would fain know whether by virtue of this covenant made with Abraham the posterity of Abraham shall not be reinstated into that land Mic. 7 14 15 Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old and according to the days of thy coming out of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things Ver. 20 Thou wilt perform thy truth to Iacob and thy mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old If so as I shall shew hereafter more fully then these words thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore can not be meant of circumcision which was long since abolished but must needs be meant of baptism which cometh instead thereof seeing there is no other initial seal mentioned in the new Testament Which seal of the Covenant not onely the natural feed of Abraham the Jews but all his spiritual seed the Gentiles are bound to apply to their children by virtue of this command Had not circumcision been ceremonial and another sign instituted instead thereof no doubt it had been in force to this day As that of the Sabbath what is moral in that command remains though that seventh day of rest from the creation be abolished yet there is another seventh day instead thereof appointed which is the first of the last seven as the other was the last of the first This then is moral in that of circumcision That our faith is to be held forth and professed to the world by the dedication of our children to God Gen. 17 12. He that is eight days old shall be circumcized This is no institution of Circumcision Erg. Exod. 12 When he speaks of the circumcision of the children of Proselytes there is no day limited for the observance thereof as is well observed by some but a subsequent directory for the particular day The institution it self we find in vers 10 without any restriction to infancie in that latitude See Ainsworth Num. 9 6 7 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as comprising Males of any age omnis mas every male whether man or child shall be circumcised Thus the new Testament Gal. 3 28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 male female there is no limitation of it therefore it may as largely be taken as the word before mentioned Gen. 17 10. We see then that the Covenant is still in force and the command thereto annexed sc That Infants should be sealed onely the Seal of circumcision is turned into baptism Those males and females Gal. 3 28 are equally priviledged
according to the tenoâ— of Abraham's Covenant for saith the Apostle we are all one in Christ Jesus and if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise But children are Christ's Erg. Abraham's seed and therefore consequently alike priviledged with Abraham's children Add to this the words of the Text Acts 2 And let every one of you be baptized for the promise is to you Jews and Proselytes and your children This was the first open promulgation of the Covenant The Jews were so accustomed to that great personal promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed as that there needed not any explanation of it it being ordinarily put for the Covenant and contrariwise the Covenant put for it Gal. 3.14 17. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles that we might receive the promise of the spirit Thus vers 17 This I say therefore that the Covenant which was confirmed of God in Christ before the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanul that it should make the promise of none effect Sometimes the Apostle useth the plural Number v. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made Observe he saith to Abraham and his seed were the promise made Which relates to Gen. 17. For in Gen. 12. he saith in thee Yea Gal. 3 16. The inheritance was given by promiâ—e Now in Gen. 12 1 he only saith he will shew him the land but in the 17. he gives it Because this proposition I will be thy God being the mother promise containeth all other promises in the womb of it Thus Rom. 4 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the promise that is the Covenant made to Abraham is to be understood being mentioned in that chapter no less than four times This promise saith the Apostle Acts 2 is to you and your children and to the Gentiles when called and their children To you Jews actually for they were not as yet cut off and to the Gentiles intentionally answering the call of the Gospel As for that * Mr. Tom his rev interpretation of sending Christ which is given by some we say It 's improper to say the promise iâ— for it was already fulfilled though it was included in Abrahaham's Covenant but as for remission of sins and pouring out the spirit on them and theirs they are included in that great promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Thus the Apostle Gal. 3 14 That we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith This the Apostle had chiefly in his ey For the giving of the Messiah was the great promise of the old Testament as the giving of the spirit is the great promise of the new Testament See Luk. 24.49 Acts 1.4 5. and 2.33 Having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost Compare Acts 10.47 and 11.16 and 15.8 9. Giving them the holy Ghost as he did unto us and put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith Which words shew you that it 's not meant onely of the extraordinary gifts but of the ordinary gifts of sanctification By spirit then Act. 2 37 he meaneth not so much or solely the extraordinary gifts of the spirit as regenerating graces with the degrees of them We have now proved the first Proposition namely That such as are in Covenant are to be sealed with the seal of the Covenant It remains that we prove the second sc That Children are incovenanted For the proof of which mind well the words of the Text The promise is to you and to your Children Obj. The promise runs to children when they are called Ans Calling in the Jews did not go before the Covenant but followed after as appears by Act. 3.25 Ye are the Children of the Covenant which God made with our Fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy seed shall all the families 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where children must of necessity be included as the word imports of the earth be blessed The promise was not made to their seed because they did believe but some of their seed did believe because they were under the promise which promise reaches to spirituals as well as carnals even to turn them from their iniquities To the Jew first and also to the Gentile was this promise made The Jew before had a jus ad rem but upon their repentance a jus in re Act. 2 39. That being suspended till they came in and then the promise runs clear without any interruption 2. The Apostle sheweth not onely that baptism cometh instead but that it 's administered on the same grounds sc That God is our God and the God of our seed we need not fear the seal is put to a blank because no visible faith appears for here is a Covenant to which this seal of baptism is annexed and the Covenant I hope none will say is a blank to which the name JEHOVAH is added that gives being to all those promises Which name is so often repeated in Jer. 31 to shew that as he was known by that name when he brought them out of Egypt So now much more in these later days in bringing them out of all countries whether they are scattered 3. An exclusion of their children would have exceedingly perplexed them as is undeniably evident they being conscious to themselves of that bitter curse which was pronounced by them his bloud be upon us and our children 4. Act. 2.41 They gladly received that word namely the promise is to you and to your Children and therefore were baptized by which it appears that they understood that their children were included in that Covenant If then the Proselytes upon the receiving of the word were circumcised they and their Children then doubtless those and their children were baptized on the same ground 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ came not to loosen the Law much less the Prophesies and promises of old made to believers Rom. 15 8. To confirm the promises made to our fathers Because this might be questioned whether the Gentiles might be partakers with the Jews of the promises and their appertenances For he is not a God of the Jews onely but also of the Gentiles parents and children as he was to the Jews RoÌ„ 2.29 therefore the Apostle doth abundantly labour to prove by four several places of Scripture That Christ is a minister of the Circumcision to confirm the promises made to the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercie held forth in the same promise See v. 9 11 12. I do not remember any place of Scripture where the Apostle doth bring so many proofs as he doth in this one place shewing that the Gentiles have an interest in the promises made unto the Jews that so he might remove all scruples and drive the nale to the head and clinch it fast For First If children in the new Testament had been left
out they had lost by the coming of Christ Secondly The grace of Christ had been straighter in the new Testament than in the old Thirdly Then what ground of hope had the parent to plead for his child Or how may the child come in the name of his fathers God which they were wont to do pleading the Covenant if he have no interest to it as from his parents 6. We have sufficiently proved That the Covenant runs in the natural line of believers as to the outward administration of it 〈◊〉 at lest till it be cut off by parents or children onely it is established with Isaac and all such as are true Isaacs 7. Except in relation to the Covenant in that place Act. 2 there could be no occasion of naming Children For The Apostle might have said The promise is to you and those that are afar off even as many as the Lord shall call without putting in Children but he lets them understand That notwithstanding that bitter curse his bloud be upon us and upon our children they were not as yet discovenanted though the ax lay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3 at the root of the tree ready to cut them off from Abraham if they closed not with Christ 8. That limitation to children when they are called holds forth no more priviledge to the children of bâ—lievers than to the children of Pagans but how uncomfortable this doctrine is let the world judg 9. Is not this strange doctrine That tâ—e faith of the parent should set the child farther â—ff from Goâ— before they were near by the bloud of the Lord but now afar â—ff In that very moment the parent believes not the child is under a Covenant in the next moment the parent believes for regeneration is in an * Generatio fit in instanti instant as generation is the child is discovenanted how comes this sudden change 10. The Argument so put as formerly is alledged is no Argument at all for whether the parent repent or not repent in case the children be called the promise belongs to them If a Landlord should move his Tenant to give up his old Lease wherein the lives of his children are included which also hath certain priviledges to him and his children and to take a new one in which his childrens lives are left out having no more priviledges than mere strangers could he rationally perswade him to surrender up the old Lease or grant and to take a new one from the benefit that may accrue to the Tenant by it the lives of his children being left out in the Lease And what force is there in this manner of arguing judge ye You and your children have been hetherto under a Covenant of grace now in case you believe your children shall be discovenanted but if hereafter they or any of the heathens shall believe they shall be admitted into the Covenant but their children shall be left out Had this been of any force to perswade them to enter into the way of the new Testament Or to comfort poor souls that doubtless were much troubled about that bitter curse his bloud be upon us and our children Would it not have disheartened them for ever and made them stumble at that stumbling-stone Obj. This promise is meant of extraordinary gifts Ans This salve reacheth not the sore they were pricked and wounded in the very heart and stood in need of comfort to support their fainting spirits of a God to pardon a Christ to save a Spirit to sanctifie and comfort therefore we may not limit the promise to those extraordinary gifts For what comfort had it been to them to tell them they should receive the gift of Tongues and working miracles when they hung over the chimnies of hell as I may so speak or the smoak of the damned ready to be cast into the everlasting flames for ought they knew every moment 2. It 's to all that are a far off to wit Gentiles Now all such do not receive any such extraordinary gifts neither have they any such promise if so none in these days for ought I know are effectually called To put an end to this Text observe these 3 things First The promises that are made to Parents are made to their children also Children are under the same Covenant with their parents Secondly A right to the promise is a ground of right to the Seal Or being in Covenant is the ground of being baptized for to whom belongs the Covenant to them belongs the Seal of the Covenant Foederati sunt signandi Thirdly * Ad quos causa legis proxima immediata pertinet ad illos etiam lex illa pertinet Tom. Exer. Upon the same ground that parents are baptized their children may and must be baptized for there is the like reason for the one as for the other But parents are baptized because the promise is to them Therefore the Children may and must be baptized on the same ground because the promise is to them also q. d. Ye Jews that now repent and believe be ye baptized with your children for the promise is to you and to your children The duty of being baptized extends as far as the ground or reason of it But that extends to Children Therefore so doth the duty also VVE come now to other Scriptures For with this great scripture Act. 2 the body of the scripture doth concurr Abraham Nomina in futurum proposita nihil possunt in futuruÌ„ promittere sed quod nomen os Domini nominavit propheticum est futurorum Riv in Gen. 17 Datum fuit nomen pro signo effectus futuri ut quotiescunque occurreret ei nomen suum revocaret in memoriam dei promissionem Nomen Abrahae mutatum ante institutionem circumcisionis ut liquido constaret pactum promissionis non tantum ad unam gentem circumcisam sed ad multas gentes pertinere Gat. As Gen 17 7 and 28 4. And give thee the blessing of Abraham to thee and thy seed after thee Compared with Gal 3 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles This later text is explained by the former Lev. 26 42 I will remember my Covenant with Jacob and my Covenant with Isaac and with Abraham Observe how he ascends He begins with Jacob Esau being cut off from Jacob to Isaac Ishmael being cut off from Isaac to Abraham This will he do when they accept of the punishment of their iniquity that is kiss the rod and humble themselves under the mighty hand of God because and because for so the original renders it they dispised his judgements Then saith the Lord ver 45 I will remember the Covenant of their Ancesters this promise relates to their last captivity ver 44. Compared with Rom. 11.1 26 28. Deut. 43 If in thy later days thou return he will not forget the Covenant made with thy fathers Verse 37 Because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed after them
Cap. 7 8 10 ver 15 Onely the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them and he chose their seed after them In which Text observe That God did shew favor to the Children for the Parents sake Deut. 29 10 Ye stand this day before the Lord your little ones and the stranger that is in thy camp that thou shouldest enter into Covenant He speaks to them all as one man Neither with you onely that is you and your Children here present â—o I make this Covenant but with him also that is not here this day that is the * Observe v. 13 That he may be to thee a God as he hath sworn to Abraham Gentiles and their Children unborn intentionally Deut. 30 6 I will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed Compared with ver 5 I will multiply thee above thy fathers Which implies that this promise relates to their return out of their last captivity For this command which I command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off This is a Gospel-promise as appears by the Apostle Paul Rom. 10 6 The word of faith is nigh thee a word of command and a word of promise being promiscuously used in scripture phrase Psalm 111 11 compared with the 105 Psalm v. 8. He hath remembered his Covenant for ever the word which he commanded to a thousand generations Psalm 37 25. I have never seen the rightous forsaken or their feed begging bread Vers 21 He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed Psalm 479 The voluntary of the people were gathered to the people of the God of Abraham Psalm 86 16 Save the son of thy handmaid Psalm 116 16 Truely I am thy servant and the son of thy handmaid it appears not what his father was but it seems his mother was a good woman this Covenant as from his mother he pleads with God Psalm 103 17 But the mercie of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his rightousness .1 the performance of the promises to childrens children Psal 102 28 The children of thy servants shall continue and their * Isa 66 22 Their seed shall continue before me seed shall be established before thee This is a Gospel-promise for the continuance of their Children in their former state as appears by the 17 v. Thou art the same or thou art he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so interpreted and applyed to Christ Heb. 1 10. Psalm 112 2 The generation of the upright shall be blessed Esa 29 23 But when he seeth his children the work of mine hands in the midst of them they shall sanctify my name Esa 44 3 I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine offspring that is their sons and daughters according to that expression Esaias 22 24 And they shall hang upon Him namely Christ the offspring the issue that is their sons and daughters Esa * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat signum vexillum nauticum Matt. 24. Tunc apparebit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signum filij hominis Num. 26 10 in signum Haec enim omnia illis in figurâ contigerunt Pag. Therefore by the standard we may understand baptism because he saith They shall bring thy sons in their arms 49 22 I will sett up my standard to the people and they shall bring thy sons in their arms and thy daughters shall be carryed upon their shoulders Compared with ver 25 And I will save thy children Esa 59 21 My word and my spirit shall not depart out of the mouth of thy seed and of thy seeds seed for ever This promise shall be fulfilled in the later times as appears by Rom. 11 27 This is my Covenant with them when I shall take away their sins Compared with the former verse The redeemer shall come to Syon and to them that turn from transgression in Jacob. And then he tells them This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord which he explains in ver 21 My word and spirit shall not depart out of the mouth of thy seed nor seeds seed for ever From whence observe That the vein of election shall run along in the loins of the seed of the elect and their seeds seed for ever for that Church shall never be dischurched Esa 61 9 And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their offspring among the people Esa 65 23 For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their offspring with them This is a Gospel-promise relating to the Jews Non laborabunt inanitèr neque gignent liberos ad conturbationem nam semen benèdictorum à Jehova erunt prognati eorum Piscat They shall not bring forth children unto trouble q.d. their issue shall enjoy the like quiet and prosperous condition together with their parents whereas formerly they were brought forth to the pestilence and the sword Hos 9 12 13. The reason of this happiness of their children is given in the 23 verse For they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them So that by offspring he must needs intend their natural issue which is brought in as a medium to prove the former proposition namely That they shall not bring forth children unto trouble or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX i. e. to a curse To say this is meant of the 〈◊〉 is improper for it 's all one as if the Prophet had said They are the elect of the blessed of the Lord and the elect with them which is not sense Jer. 30 20 Their children also shall he as aforetime and their Church shall be established before me see the Hebr. This is a new Testament promise grounded on Christ who engaged his heart to draw near to God ver 21. which shall be fullfilled in the later days Then shall such as have scrupled this truth ver 24. consider it for God will then be the God of all the families of Israel Ier 31 1 that is parents and children If their children shall be as of old doubtless as they were Church-members visibly owned by God in the old so shall they be still in the new Testament But to limit this text to their civil state onely seems to be clear against the scope and purpose of the holy Ghost in these words which is to shew the glorious and blessed condition of that Church Ier. 32 39 That they may fear me for ever for the good of them and their children after them This prophesy is applicable to the Jews converted ver 37 and is an implicit promise suitable to that of the V. Commandment that thou mayest prolong thy days Compared with Eph. 6 1. And so interpreted by the Apostle Ez. 16 21 Thou hast slain my children whom thou hast born to me for we are neither born nor reborn to our selves God owns them for his own though their parents were Idolaters Ez. 36 11 I will settle you
after your old estates and will do better for you than at your beginnings Or as some read it I will bestow benefits upon you more than at the first Then doubtless their children were not left out Ez 47 14 Ye shall inherit it one as well as another yea saith the Lord the strangers with their children shall have inheritance with the children of Israel in that land of Canaan vers 22. This is a Gospel-promise as appears by many arguments which I could produce the land being but a type of the Church or heaven in which children share with their parents Hos 14 8 They that dwell under thy shadow shall return This must needs include the children which shall be made good especially to the Jews upon their last return Obj. These promises are made to the Jews and can not properly be applied to the Gentiles with their Children Ans They were made in Christ in whom all the promises are yea that is affirmed and amen that is confirmed to us Gentiles 2. * See Glas Amos 9 12 Vt possideant residuum Edomi Junius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per cum vertit ut haeredes sint cum reliquijs Edomi omnibus gentibus quae vocantur de nomine meo 1. Vt non tantum Judaei verùm etiam gentes reliquae communi cum illis haereditate persruantur LXX pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 possidebunt legerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 requirent unde illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 legerunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 homo unde illud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addiderunt vocem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are so interpreted Act. 15.16 17. Hos 2 23 compared with Rom. 9.24 25. Hos 12 4 He found him in Bethel and there he spake with us So that the promises made unto Jacob are applicable unto us also Hence it is that all the people of God Gal. 6 16 are called the Israel of God If any shall say That children in the old Testament were ceremonially holy The Apostle answers 1 Pet. 2 9 writing to the twelve tribes scattered Iam. 1.1 they and their children were an holy nation Add to all these scriptures Exod. 20 5 Shewing mercie unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments Matt. 1. Abraham is brought in as the first explicit Covenanter to whom the promise was made which runs along in the natural line to Christ taking effect in some of his seed in every generation But least this should be thought to be a typical Covenant abolished in Christ whereas Matthew descends from Abraham to Christ Luke ascends from Christ to Adam to shew us that the Covenant extends to all believing Gentiles as well as Jews even to all the Sons of Adam I hope none will say that the moral law or the promises thereunto belonging are abolished Here is a promise made to those that worship God in the beauties of holiness I mean in the purity of his ordinances to such and their seed doth the Lord extend mercie which is a fruit of the Covenant of grace not of works The like phrase we have in Timothy Keep this command to the coming of Christ that is if thou shouldest live so long So if the world should continue to a thousand generations which I suppose not for Mat. 1 those three 14 generations took up a great part of the time from Abraham to Christ God will make good his word to them if they cut not off the entail of the promises Obj. * When Princes offend their favorites are heaten So when Parents transgress their children are punished This is meant to those children that love the Lord and the contrary threatning to those Children which imitate their fathers vices Ans 1. * Exod. 34.7 Vtrumque absolutè ponitur Qui custodia misericordiam in millia qui reddis iniquitatem patrum filijs ac nepotibus Riv. Shewing mercie unto thousands but visiting the sins of the parents upon the children to the third and fourth generation The words are put absolutely without restraining them to those that love or hate him because they relate to the parents so that doubtless the child may suffer temporal punishment for the fathers sins as being a part of the father but not eternal Ezek 18. If the command be so understood then is there no pretence for children to complain The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge if God did punish children onely for imitating their parents vices 2. If he spake of children hating God as their fathers why might he not have said Visiting the iniquitie of the fathers upon the children unto a thousand generatons as well as to the third or fourth 3. If the words be so understood then is the force of the comparison lost for he extolls his mercie above his justice saying Visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation but Shewing mercie to thousands For the attributes of God are equal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. What force were there in this dehortation You parents take heed of idolatry for if your children to the third or fourth generation committ idolatry I will punish them It is not to be imagined that the wisdom of the father should argue thus irrationally For so he should punish not so much the sin of the father as the sins of the children Let none say these are old Testament proofs intrenching upon the prophetical office of Christ as if that which was written wâ—â—â— not written for our learning or as if Christ were not sent to confirm the promises made to the Fathers Rom. 15. We thought much that the Papists should make void and unlord the second Commandment and the Bishops the fourth but what shall we say to those that wave the old Testament unless it be in such places which seemingly make for their own opinion these have the leprosy in their heads and therefore are altogether unclean For doth not Moses expound Christ and doth not Christ send the Jews to Moses for instruction Ioh. 5 46 Luk 16 31. Let us come to the new Testament though we say there is no more inconveniency upon supposing of children in the new Testament to be in the Covenant than formerly therefore to reject Infants now is to condemn the wisdom of God in admitting them in the old and hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Matt. 22 32 compared with Ex. 3 6 I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. The Lord makes mention of this Covenant made with our fathers for then he was about to bring them out of the land of Egypt wherein he failed not but made good his word to a day though the promise was made four hundred and thirty years before Ex. 12 42. It is a night much to be observed wherein the Lord brought them out of the
land of Egypt if he had deferred to make good his promise but till the next day he had that I may so say forfeited his bond Luk. 1 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercie as he spake to our fathers to Abraham and his seed for ever q. d. God in giving Christ remembered his Covenant with Abraham V. 72 To perform the mercie promised to our forefathers * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. To shew mercie to our fathers the fathers are the objects of this favour But what is this mercie and favour The words following tell you To remember his holy Covenant and to remember his holy Covenant Vers 2 compared with the 76 And thou Child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest He brings in the child here q. d. Behold the Covenant is made good to Abraham in this Child Zacharias who was both deaf and dumb as the word signifies and as it appears by the context for they made signs unto him how they would have him called I say Zacharias triumphs in this and magnifies Gods glorious grace saying Act. 3 21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the mouth of all the Prophets As he spake by the mouth of all the Prophets as if all the Prophets had but one mouth being unanimous in their interpretation of the Covenant v. 70 which Covenant was made not onely with Abraham but with the fathers and their children and shall we have a mouth to speak or a heart to think contrary to the sense and meaning of all the holy Prophets which have been ever since the world began Far be it from us yea for ever far be it from us that pretend we have the mind of Christ Luke 19 9 Salvation to thy house saith Christ to Zachaeus or here is a covenant of grace for thee and thy children but mind how he alters the person For as much as he also is a son of Abraham as if he would have standers-by yea all to take notice That though Zachaeus was an eminent sinner and a Gentile yet upon his conversion he and his children were included in the Covenant Gal 4 28 Now we brethren as Isaac was are the children of promise Isaac when an Infant was a child of promise and so considered when that promise was made which promise was confirmed to him and to his posterity Gal. 2 15 Naturâ Judaei Non intelligit naturalitèr essè immunes à corruptolâ humani generis sed quia promissio haereditariam benedictionem faciebat ideò naturale vocatur hoc bonum Calv. in Gal. We then saith the Apostle I and you Galatians with your brethren are children of the promise as Isaac This is the sense of the holy Ghost But as then he that was born after the flesh did persecute him that was after the spirit so it is now There were then such as were born after the flesh that is the natural seed who in course of nature came from Abraham So is there now a fleshly seed of * Rom. 11.28 Dilecti propter Patres Non quod dilectioni causam dederint sed quoniam ab illis propagata fuerat dei gratia ad posteros secundùm pacti formam Evo deus tuus seminis tui Cal. believers If then there remains in the bosom of the Church children born after the flesh then is there the priviledge of Birth-holiness still remaining seeing as it was then so it is now Rom. 11. Children with parents were broken off from the Covenant therefore they were under it Yea They with their parents at length shall be engrafted in again as we shall shew hereafter Eph. 3.8 That the Gentiles that is parents and children should be partakers of his promise namely that grand promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed of which promise they are not partakers if so great a part of the Gentiles be excluded Add to all these Scriptures that of the 1 Cor. 7 14 Else were your children unclean but now are they holy the question was not whether the marriage were lawful but whether they might lawfully live together the one being a believer the other not therefore to plead the unbelieving fornicator is sanctified by the believing whore is improper for the question was concerning man and wife whereof the one was a believer whether those might lawfully live together This question was propounded to Paul being grounded on that Text in Ezra 10 or 1 Cor. 5 as is supposed by some Paul answers Let not the believing husband put away the unbelieving wife nor the believing wife her unbelieving husband for the unbelieving husband is sanctified in the believing wife è contrà else were your children unclean but now are they holy Sanctified that is say some they may lawfully converse together as man and wife else your children were illegitimate I have put the Argument as far as any of that opinion have put it but the words will not bear 〈◊〉 sense for Sanctification is never in all the Book of God used in that sense and why should we admit of it here We must * Neh. 8. Dabant sensum Scripturarum per Scripturas interpret Scripture by Scripture which is the safest way of interpretation for there is nothing hard in one place but usually is explained in another Every creature saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 4 5 is * The difference between sanctified and holy is this the one signifies a relative Act the other an holiness in State Nihil hic erit difficuliatis si sanctitatem intelligas nihil aliud esse quam spiritualem generis nobilitatem eam quidem non propriam naturae sed quae ex foedere manabat Cal. in Rom 11.16 sanctified by the word of God and prayer Here it signifies not onely lawful but an holy use and so it is taken in this 1 Cor. 7. But in the sense of some the Pagans lawful relations enjoyments are sanctified to them which to assert is very absurd for he onely which useth all for God hath all things sanctified to him therefore by the holiness of children the Apostle means foederal holiness according to Scripture phrase Ezra 9 The holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of the Lands To say the holy seed that is the legitimate seed would imply that all those children of the heathens were bastards Dan. 11 28 He shall have indignation against the holy Covenant that is against parents with their children incovenanted 2. The Apostle speaks to the priviledge of a believer which he had not before now are they holy a priviledge we know is a peculiar benefit appropriate to some not common to all but this is common to all the heathens well known to them much more to the Corinthians that their children were legitimate But according to their sense they may live together for their children are as holy as the children of heathens 3. If we say by Sanctification is meant a
for new Scriptures or a new Gospel to save us Is not the faith that is the Doctrine of faith delivered once and for ever as a perpetual rule Is not God one and the same though we be changeable and at odds with him Gal. 3 20 Is not Christ yesterday and to day and for ever the same Heb. 13 8 Was this once an evangelical promise I will be thy God and is it not so still And if that be evangelical as is confessed shall we deny the later I will be the God of thy seed to be evangelical also 6. If the command of teaching our children which God gave to Abraham belong unto us then the promise made to him and his belongs to us also for the promise is the ground of the duty and the duty is the means of the performance of the promise Gen. 18 19 For I know him that he will command his Children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him 7. Christ came not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loosen or slacken the Law much less the prophesies or promises but rather to confirm them made unto the fathers Rom. 15 8 that is not onely to the Jews but also the Gentiles and because the incorporating of the Gentiles was a great mystery i. e a divine hidden secret to the Jews the Apostle quotes * Hence Ministers may learn in doubtful things to be more copious in proofs four places of Scripture to evince that great controverted Truth sc That the Gentiles should be incorporated into one and the same body with the Jews 8. Why should it be conceived that the Covenant of Grace should run in a different course from all other of Gods Covenants God made a Covenant with * Mr. Patient saith That Covenant with the Priests was a Covenant of works Observe there is a vein of error runs through his whole Discourse Phineas did it not reach his posterity Num. 5 So with David Psalm 89 28. And did not that extend to his posterity also Did God ever make a Covenant with any wherein the children were not comprehended In the first place where this Covenant is mentioned it runs thus To thee and thy seed Gen. 15 18 8 which was ratified by the dividing of an heifer of three years old 9. Gentiles are ingrafted into the same olive tree and made partakers of the fatness thereof that is the ordinances promises and their appertenances the root was Abraham and the holy ancestors the bodie of the tree the Church the branches particular members whereof Infants were a great part Observe three things 1. That Children were in the Covenant this cannot be denied 2. They with their parents were broken off and therefore may plead with their Mother as an harlot Hos 2. 3. They with their parents are to be ingrafted in again into the olive tree of the visible Church of Christ 10. Where is that great Statute repealed or that Magna Charta vacated and made void I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Was not this one of the greatest promises of the old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exceeding great nay the greatest promises 2 Pet. 1.4 greater than which could not be The promise in the 17 of Genesis is greater than that in the 22. For the Father was greater than Christ as Mediator and therefore doubtless that was chiefly in the Apostles ey This promise was confirmed by many and sundry ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by piece-meals or parcels Heb. 1.1 yet one and the same Covenant gradually revealed to Abraham as he walked more exactly with God The glorious discovery of the Covenant was reserved to Christs time for the farther the times were from Christs coming the less light they had but the nearer they came to Christ the more fully was that Covenant discovered as appears from Dan. 9. to whom the Angel reveals the time of Christ's suffering and so doubtless when Christ shall more gloriously appear in his Kingdom upon the calling of the Jews then shall the Ark of the Covenant be seen in the Temple Rev. 11.19 But the Covenant was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Abraham 1. By Sacrifices Gen. 15.18 being not mentioned before 2. By the Sacrament of Circumcision Cap. 17. 3. By an oath Cap. 22. Yea it was confirmed by God in Christ therefore must needs be of grace Gal. 31.7 1. By the death of Christ 2. By the merits of Christ 3. By the preaching of Christ and his Apostles Dan. 9. He shall confirm the Covenant for one week which was spent in the confirmation thereof for Christ preached * Usually the work of a Minister for conversion is done as to the old standers in 7 years three years and a half and the Apostles three years and a half or thereabouts before the Jews were discovenanted the ceremonies de jure did cease at his death with all the sacrifices when the vail was rent asunder but the Covenant was not made null till they voluntatarily and obstinately rejected the Lord Christ This Covenant I will be thy God was before the Law and therefore was not made void by the Law and the ceremonies annexed thereunto Gal. 3.14 15. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles which blessing extends to fathers and children Brethren saith the Apostle I speak after the manner of men Though it were but a mans Covenant if it be confirmed as this was no man disanulleth or addeth thereunto who then shall dare to disanull Gods Covenant made to Abraham and Christ mystical that is the whole visible Church as we see clearly in the body of the Jews to whom the external administration of the Covenant did appertain if there be any force in the Arguments of the Antipedobaptists pleading for the spiritual seed onely the like might have been pleaded against all the carnal seed of Abraham as the Lord pleads Psal 50 What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth And yet even the Children of such had a right unto Circumcision though their parents were suspended from the Passover as being Children under Abraham's Covenant The 11 Argument is taken from the absurdities that will follow from the contrary tenent 1. If Children be excluded then the Covenant is not the same seeing the persons engaging are not the same 2. Then are the Children of believers no more priviledged than the Children of heathens for even the Children of heathens when called have an interest in the Covenant and Seal as well as the Children of believers 3. Then are no Children in a visible way of salvation Eph. 2.12 and without hope and therefore Rachel may weep for her Children because they are not There was a great Lamentation in Israel when one tribe was cut off but have not all the Churches in the world cause bitterly to
that Moses was so desirous to see that good land that goodly Mountain and Lebanon his mouth runs over he was so taken with it repeating it again and again which prayer the Lord heard as in reference to the end sc to see the land but not in the way and means as he desired Go up to Mount Pisgah and view the land saith the Lord to many a saint yea and to many a reprobate that shall never set foot upon that blessed land 6. Hence it was that they were so ambitious to have their bones carried out of other lands into that land Thus Jacob and Joseph 7. Upon this account it was that Esau was branded with a black coal of infamy to all eternity That he rejected this land that so as oft as he heard his name he might remember upon what terms he sold his birth-right Esau who is Edom Gen. 36.1 8. Edom v. 19. who is Edom and why so because that for a little red-red that is red pottage he sold his birth-right his interest in the promises ordinances heaven Christ whose land that was and when he had sold it he went away from the presence of the Lord to Mount Seir being not at all troubled for what he had done sc that he had discovenanted himself and his 8. Gal. 4. Mount Sinai in Arabia Why should Paul make mention of the situation of that Mountain when as there was none of the Galatians as might be supposed ignorant of it but that there did lie a mystery in the situation of Sinai to wit that it was without the * Foedus de quo nunc agitur modum legis complectitur finem illius nimirum Evangelium Christi locus hujus foederis notabilis est in terra Moab vel in parte haereditatis vel in aditu haereditariae terrae Canaan igitur in ingressu terrae de fine hujus habitationis terrenae admonentur duci ipsos ad praestolationem redemptionis ne vel limitem ipsum sine fide â—alvantes inquinarent Cocceius borders of the promised land which did shadow out that heavenly Country to which we are brought not by the old covenant of works but by the new Covenant of grace of that Covenant of works as it was taken by the carnal Israelites doth the Apostle speak of in Gal. 4. But in Deut. 29.1 you have another Covenant made with Israel in the land of Moab besides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb. See Deut. 32.8 9. The giving of this land is made a sign of Gods love to Jacob Mal. 1.2 I have loved thee saith the Lord yet ye say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacob ' s brother yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau Mali â—dumaei è sedibus suis ejecti nunquam redituri Glass Mal. 1.1 2. If the giving of the land had not been a sign of his love the Apostle had not alledged those two examples to purpose Rom. 9. Which was to shew who were the Children of God and who not for Canaanaeae privatio etiam rejectionis a salute symbolum Arg. 3. Circumcision was a seal of the rightousness of faith either had or offered Rom. 4. It was a seal of the rightousness of faith with Infants that believe not that look what rightousness the faith of a believer layd hold on Circumcision was a seal of that rightousness Rom. 4.11 Therefore a seal of life tendered to the seed of Abraham For what it was to Abraham the same was it to all his seed that did lay hold on this Covenant If any failed and fell short thereof their destruction was of themselves because they sought rightousness by the works of the Law and not by faith in this Covenant of grace We must not pry into the decrees of God to find out the reasons of eternal election and reprobation Secret things belong to God things revealed to us and to our Children Deut 29 last But if we look into the execution of that decree of reprobation we shall find the ground of it from our selves who wilfully reject the offers and tenders of grace Rom. 9.32 Fourthly It is one and the same Covenant Gen. 17.7 and throughout this is mentioned 13 times in that chapter So Psal 105.8 The Covenant he made with Abraham and Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob for a law v. 10. Gen. 17.2 to the 7. There are promises more particularly applied to Abraham in which all his seed did share For what ever promises are made to any are made directly or indirectly to the whole body being all yea and amen in Christ and therefore collaterally may be applied to us as That God would multiply his seed both natural and spiritual and make him a father of many nations as the Apostle interprets that Text Rom. 4 and do not we share in that promise Gen. 7.7 19. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed I will establish my Covenant between me thee and thy seed after thee He speaks of it as one and the same Covenant throughout and not as two Covenants as some fondly do imagin Fifthly That women are enabled to conceive bear and bring forth and that their children are provided for 't is of grace 1. Women if believers are saved by grace in child-bearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. in it as a way though dangerous by it as a means to further their salvation 2. Children are given by grace to the rightous Gen. 33.5 These are the Children which God of his grace hath given me So the multiplying of Children is an act of grace 1 Chron. 28.23 Deut. 33.24 Let Asher be blessed with Children Act. 7.8 He gave him the Covenant of Circumcision and so Abraham begat Isaac yea so great a mercie is it that it engaged the heart of Enoch to walk with God 300 years after he begat Methusalah Gen. 5.22 Thus Abraham walked with God after he received the promise for the multiplying of his seed Gen. 13. which is to be understood literally Deut. 10. last as well as spiritually 3. The provision the Lord maketh for such Children Iisdem nutrimur ex quibus constamus is a fruit of the Covenant of grace for God is the God of the whole man as our Savior reasoneth therefore not onely of the soul but of the body also who by Covenant binds himself to provide for both How sweet is it to a gracious soul to see all things dispensed to him not onely by a providence but also by promise and to see the Throne of God compassed about with the rainbow of his Covenant for so I understand it Rev. 4.3 So that all his dispensations did pass through this rainbow whether they be afflictions which to the rightous are an appendix to the Covenant 2 Sam. 7. or temporal spiritual and eternal mercies all these come swimming to us in the bloud of Christ Sixtly It had been little comfort to Abraham and his seed to have had onely a temporal portion sealed
wilfully rejected the Covenant of Grace 2. So are many of the rebaptized ones though under the outward administration many of them in a sad and deplorable condition and damnable state though taken for saints by others therefore doubtless there is no force in that Argument Obj. Circumcision was a seal onely to Abraham a sign to his posterity An. Are there not signs exhibitive as well as significative and wherein did such signs differ from seals 2. May not seals be to confirm a future as well as a present benefit Or 3. Is that seal Rom. 4.11 applyed to Abraham alone and not written for those hereafter that shall beleive Rom. 4.23 It was not written for his sake alone saith the Apostle that it was imputed to him for rightousnes but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe 4. Was not the promise to Abraham to be heir of the world that is of Canaan included in that promise Was it not I say through the everlasting Covenant and not through the works of the law which the carnal Jew rested in Rom. 4.13 5. Did not Abraham's posterity stand in as much need of a seal to strengthen their faith as Abraham did Abraham was troubled with doubtings and the Lord again and again strengthened his faith If he that was so eminent for believing was so put to it what shall we say to the poor shrubs Psal 105. Will the Lord be wanting to them in any thing that may strengthen their faith Obj. If this opinion be maintained That the Covenant of circumcision was a covenant of grace it shakes the foundation of the Gospel and overthrows many fundamental points of religion Ans Here are great swelling words but such do but verba dare there is no proof for what is asserted Dare any say in the presence of Christ when taking leave of the world That this doctrine destroys the foundation of Christian Religion Will they justifie this at the last day before the Lord Christ the Judge of quick and dead * Expectemus judicium tuum Domine Augustin We expect the judgment and determination of God himself in this controversie as Austin sayd in another case But let 's see their Arguments They say First The first fundamental point must needs be denyed Gal. 2.15 Jews by nature Quia promissio haereditariam bâ—nedictioâ—â—m faciebat ideo naturâ â—ocatur Cal. in Gal. That all mankind by nature are the children of wrath Eph. 2.2 If all men by nature be the Children of wrath then are they not under this Covenant of Grace for to be under the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace are contradictories which cannot be true at the same time Ans Contradictories may be true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a diverse respect 2 Kings 17.34 41. They feared the Lord and they feared not the Lord that is they feared the Lord in their way and the Gods of the nations also and therefore it 's sayd they feared not the Lord. Thus Elisha to Hazael concerning Benhadad 2 Kin. 8.10 He may recover howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall certainly dy that is he may recover of this disease but he died notwithstanding by the hand of Hazael Sons in some sense are no sons Deut. 32.5 Their spot is not the spot of my children There are promises for grace 2. to grace children are under both in some sense yet saith the text they are children in whom is no faith 1 Kin. 2.26 Abiathar is a man of death and yet by the Kings favor he lives The Israelites at the same time were enemies for our sakes and yet beloved for the fathers sake Rom. 11.28 Paul was under the Covenant as being descended of Abraham and yet was by nature as he tells us Eph. 2.2 a child of wrath as well as others So children considered in their natural state as the sons of Adam are under wrath but considered as children of such gracious parents in Covenant with God so are they under grace and therefore under those divine Dispensations which they are capable of Gal. 2.15 We who are Jews by nature that is by descent from such parents cannot with all our birth-priviledg attain to rightousness Thus we say Such are naturally English that is by descent In this sense the Apostle useth the word Rom. 11.24 If the natural branches are broken off c. The Gentiles wanted this being by offspring sinners 〈◊〉 nature in Eph. 2.2 is taken for that corrupt qualification of nature which they draw out of their parents loyns Grace at first was connatural to us and had been propagated from parents to children ex traduce if Adam had stood as now corruption is As therefore the children of Israel were called the holy seed and yet some of them are stiled the children of the Sorcerer and the whore Ethiopians c. Esa 57.3 Amos 9.7 So may one and the same person be holy by way of Covenant and yet unholy in respect of those internal qualifications For there is a relative and a positive holiness though they want the later yet may they be under the former 2. Their children are under grace for are not many of them under the everlasting Covenant made between the Father and the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before these secular times therefore all time even from eternity Are not elect children given to Christ before all time Doth he not know them by name And having loved them with an everlasting love doth he not in time draw them with the cords of his love even with the cords of a man suitable to a rational creature out of the hands of sin Satan and this present world Doth he not swaddle them and bring them into the bond of the Covenant even into that Covenant called the sure mercies of David Doth he not gloriously irradiate with the beams of his countenance on their souls in heaven for their heaven is the face of God Will not Christ at the last day embrace such as he did on earth saying Here am I and the Children which thou hast given me And were they not under grace Is not all this a part of electing grace Surely this is the spring of all the first wheel that moves all the rest Rom. 11.7 and though there be a wheel in a wheel yet all shall tend to their good as all the wheels in a clock tend to make the clockstrike Obj. The second fundamental point that this error opposeth is the stability in the Covenant of grace they say The Covenant made Abraham's seed was conditional and broken by them but the Covenant of grace is absolute Ans The Covenant of grace is conditional as appears by the whole current of the scriptures Deut. 7.12 13. Wherefore it shall come to pass if ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercie which he sware unto thy Fathers Lev. 26.41 If then
Shepherds tents but seem to be vailed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and turn aside by the flocks of his companions Cant. 1.7 Yea I fear some of them if they look into their hearts will find them too-too-desirous to make truth on their side having been plunged before they were dipped and that that way might appear to them to be a way of God which they most affected having the persons of some and their doctrines in admiration for advantage sake if so God may justly harden them as he did Balaam and contrary to his own express command bid them Go answering them according to the idol which they set up in their hearts 2. We find no instance in scripture of any that were dipped or rebaptized after that in their infancie they were dedicated to the service of God by baptism nor of any child of a believer suspended till he came to years of discretion and was able to give an account of his faith We challenge them in the name of Christ to produce any one throughout all the book of God either rebaptized or suspended from that Ordinance till then 3. Such reject the counsel of God against themselves Luk. 7.30 Yea in rejecting this Ordinance they resist God Act. 11.17 as the Pharisees did to their own destruction But tell me is it not a grievous sin to refuse that God to be thy God and the God of thy seed Is not that promise I will be the God of thy seed as much evangelical as the former I will be thy God and in so doing dost thou not discovenant thy seed as much as in thee lieth and may not the Lord therefore take the advantage and cut off the entail for ever For saith the Lord Gen. 17. The uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people He hath broken my Covenant The seal being part thereof ofttimes put for it in scripture phrase Act. 7.8 Quisquis neglecto baptismo se nudâ promissione contentum esse simulat conculoat quantum in se est Christi sanguinem Cal. 4. Is not this to trample under feet the bloud of Christ and crucifie him again for whereas Christ died but once but liveth to God for ever Rom. 6.14 this doctrine and practise of rebaptization holds forth to the world that Christ died the second time and rose again Quotquot rebaptizantur Christum denuo crucifigunt Cal. Yea it evidently implieth a possibilitie of falling from grace totally else what need of rebaptization for as many as are buried with Christ in baptism are planted into the similitude of his death and shall be also planted into the similitude of his resurrection Rom. 6.3 4 9 10. In that he died he died but once in that he liveth he liveth unto God 5. Such unchurch all the Churches of God saying There is no true visible Church in the world but their own for the Church ever since her members were full We had Ministers and Churches before Rome Petrus Abbas Cluniacensis qâ—âdam prolixâ epistolâ ad Beraestatur Scotos alios vetustissimos christianos Pascha non Romano sed Orientali more solitos celebrare unde apparet eos non Româ sed ex Oriente Doctores primum accepisse Cat. testium veritatis p. 546. hath for many ages consisted almost wholly of Assemblies of them who have been baptized in their infancie if so then was there no visible Church on earth for many hundred years together contrary to Mat. 16. where our Savior engageth that the gates of hell shall never prevail against it And shall we thus despise and slight the womb that bare us those arms that embraced us and the paps that gave us suck God forbid for doubtless that rigid way of separation God never watered I mean of such who unchurch all the Churches of the world save their own 6. In so doing they are very injurious to themselves as rendring themselves in the sight of God 1. Covenant breakers Gen. 17.14 And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circum ised Gen. 17.14 Qui non circumcidet i. e. circumcidi curaverit sed circumcisionem neglexerit vel contempserit etenimverbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est futurum kal â radiâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscat that soul shall be cut off from my people he hath broken my Covenant 2 The Lord looketh at such as unbaptized persons Exod. 12.45 When a stranger shall sojourn with thee and keep the Passover to the Lord let all his males be circumcised and then let him come near and keep it for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof Where we see plainly that if the child of the stranger was not circumcised Such are uncircumcisâ—d in the sense of the holy Ghost for circumcision of Abraham alone was not the Covenant or sign of it seeing that he and his children are joyned together the stranger himself was not admitted to the Passover seeing that in Gods account he was an uncircumcised person the like may be said of baptism for parium eadem est ratio 3. I suppose with submission to better judgments the meaning of those words Ezek. 44.9 No uncircumcised person uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh shall enter into the Sanctuary to be this scil That such as are not visible saints for the heart is manifested by the life and have not received the seal of the Covenant namely baptism which is uncircumcision in the flesh here spoken of shall not be admitted into the Church of God that new Jerusalem the name whereof is Jehova Shammah Eze. 48.5 Which makes much for the proving of the thing in hand as we see in Exod. 12.48 When a stranger will sojourn with thee let all his males be circumcised for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof He whose child was uncircumcised was uncircumcised himself in Gods account Even so he whose child is unbaptized is said to be unbaptized himself and herefore not to be admitted to the Lords Supper For baptism is called Circumcision Col. 2.12 and put instead thereof 7. They are not onely injurious to themselves but they have saith the Lord taken away my glorie from their chilâ—ren Mic. 2.9 For what is the glory of his people is it not the Covenant of grace and Christ held forth therein with the seals thereof 8. Consider the absurdities that follow upon it 1. By this doctrine he that is unbaptized himself may lawfully administer baptism unto others which we denie unless he had a special commission so to do as John Baptist had for the first Anabaptist was baptized by one that was baptized in his infancy therefore his baptism was null and so consequently all their baptizings are mere nullities 2. It leaveth the children of believers in as sad a condition as the chilâ—ren of heathens being in no visible way of salvation for they depart out of this world without any visible sign of Gods favour
to them Others of his Children were before the Children of promise for outwards These saith the Text are the Kings that reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned any King over the children of Israel Gen. 36.31 1 Chron. 1.43 But what is all this yea what is that vast Turkish empire but as a crum given to a dog as Luther speaks Doubtless if Abraham had so understood the Lord he would have said as once Luther did to the Duke of Saxony who offered him a great gratuity Non sic satiabor Domine I will not be so put off this Lord shall not suffice me Sevently The bondmen born in Abraham's house had no inheritance in the land of Canaan yet were circumcised yea Abraham's seed for the space of 430 years enjoyed it not therefore Circumcision was not solely a seal of the land of Canaan for as those had no right unto it so Abraham in his posterity enjoyed it not for that space Eighthly The Apostle determines * Quum Deus sacramenta gratiis suis adjungere soleat ex eo quod sacramento privati erant colligit neque gratiae ipsos fuisse participes non est quidem perpetuum argumentum valet tamen quantum ad ordinariam dei dispensationem Calv. in Eph. Eph. 2.12 upon their uncircumcision that they were without God in the world v 11 Remember that at that time ye were Gentiles who were called uncircumcision that at that time ye were strangers to the Covenant of promise Hence that phrase They dy the deaths of the uncircumcised he saith not death but deaths as signifying not onely their corporal but their spiritual and eternal deaths Ezek. 32.25 26. and 28.10 Ninthly When the Lord renews the Covenant for that land of Canaan mark well the Lord did not reinstate them into that land after their return from Babylon Gen. 17.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And I will freely give my Covenant So Galat 3. nor will he bring them back out of their last captivity into that land but by that gracious Covenant Jer. 3.19 How shall I put thee among my Children and give thee the pleasant land Thou shalt call me father and shalt not depart from me Some say the Covenant of Circumcision is to be understood as everlasting as Canaan and the possession thereof which untill Christ's coming who was the substance thereof it being a typical Covenant but it 's as clear as the sun That that land is promised to them in the later times upon their general Call for into that land must they return and fight with the sons of Greece Zac. 9.13 i. e the Turk and his adherents Ezek. 20.37 I will bring them into the bond of the Covenant v. 12 There shall the house of Israel even all of them in the land serve me This relates to their last return Rom. 11.26 So all Israel shall be saved that is the body of the 12 Tribes Thus Ezek. 36.24 I will gather you out of all Countries and bring you into your own land then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers v. 28. And ye shall be my people and I will be your God Yea saith the Text not for your sakes do I this v. 22 32 saith the Lord God be it known unto you q.d. You must not expect that land by a Covenant of works as Moses again and again minds the Israelites Deut. 9.4 Say not for my rightousness hath the Lord brought me to possess this land v. 5 6 7. And adds this memento for fear Israel should forget it Remember and forget not how thou provokedst the Lord in the wilderness Will any then for ever say for the future That the land of Canaan was given to Abrahams ' seed by a Covenant of works I wonder at the confidence of some who strongly affirm 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 1.7 that which they are wholely ignorant of Surely they were hard bestead when forced to fly to this distinction to avoid the force of that Argument taken from Abraham's Covenant But alas There are many that are enemies to the Cross of Christ as Paul saith Phil. 3.18 of whom I tell you weeping I desire to bemoan the sad condition of such for a spirit of delusion is gone forth into the world to deceive the nations God having given Satan a commission or rather a permission judicially to harden not onely carnal Gospellers but some of his own dear people and this is the sorest judgment that I know that lies upon this nation this day Tenthly That Covenant was Gospel therefore not a fleshly carnal Covenant Gal. 3.18 God gave the inheritance by promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Gen. 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham Gen. 12. Saying in thee shall all Nations be blessed cap. 22. He saith in thy seed but from that time namely Gen. 22. to the coming out of Aegypt viz. Exod. 12.41 was not * Nay scarse 390 neither can the words Gal. 3. be referred to the first promise Gen. 12 For there was no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confirmation mentioned before Gen. 17.18 Where it was confirmed by sacrifice after by the sacrament of Circumcision lastly by an oath cap. 22. four hundred and thirty years Therefore it must be referred to this 15 chapter or to the 17. But it 's not much material to which place of the two you referr it seeing that it 's one and the same Covenant But more fully explained accordingly as Abraham walked with God cap. 12 Lecleca It 's Dativus commodi when God calls them out of his country he bids him go for himself and tells him v. 3 he will bless him and that in him all nations shall be blessed upon this Abraham departed and comes into this land where the Lord appears to him cap. 12.7 and saith Unto thy seed will I give this land he had not told him that before after this there was a great famin in that land which was no small tryal to Abraham's faith that coming out of such a fertil soil as Chaldea was he should be put to such straits and forced to travel to Aegypt for food where he sojourns awhile and thence returns to the land whence he came there God appears to him again upon that self-denying act ca. 13.7 Abraham takes notice that the Canaanite dwelt in the land and therefore yields to his brother Lot who made choice of the fattest soil as intending rather to feed his flocks than to feed souls but the Lord again appears to Abraham cap. 13.4 saying All this land will I give he enlargeth his charter and lets him know he shall be no loser by him upon another act of self-denyal least the King of Sodom should say He had made Abraham rich the Lord again appears to him cap. 15.1 saying