Covenant of Works made with Abraham Isaac and so along as this Author affirms then how came the bond-womans son a type of that Covenant to be exempted from that Covenant of Works and Isaac which wes Sarahs son a type of the Covenant of Grace and a child of Promise to be put under that Covenant It could not be for any outward distinction in outward enjoyments for I shmael had more of the glory of the world then Isaac Gen. 17.21 6. Had the mercy intended Israel related onely to externals in giving them a fruitful Country in blessing their corn wine and oyle the fruit of their bodies their basket and store as Mr. Patient affiâ—ms and this to be enjoyed by a Covenant of Works then as a worthy Divine well observes in somewhat the like case how could Esau have been charged for a prophane person for selling his birth-right For there had been no prophaneâ—ess in that because prophaneness supposeth a contempt or neglect of something spiritual which is therfore to be enjoyed upon a spiritual account and not by works 7 What the Prophet speaks Jer. 31.22 and the Apostle Heb. 8. 9. of Gods taking Israel by the hand to bring them out of Egypt is by the Prophet Hos 11.4 interpreted compared with Mat. 2.15 to be an act of a tender Father who owned Israel as a son for as a father in tender love and respect to his young child takes hâ—m by the hand to teach him to go so did God deal with Israel when a child The like be did to Ephraim ver 3. I taught Ephraim also to go taking him by the hand so when he destroyed Sodom Gen. 19.16 Whilst Lâ—t â—â—gered as being unwilling to leave Sodom the Text saith he laid hâ—ld upon his hand and brought him forth And the reason is given because the Lord was merciful to them So that what God did to his people in this kind is most cleer was from a pure Covenant of Grace and Mercie not by a Covenant of Works 8. What God did to Israel in giving them rest in Canaan was as Canaan was a Type of Heaven Isa 65.9 and of the Churches state under the New-Testament Jer. 3.18 Psal 105.6 For so the promise of Abraham in giving them Canaan is by the Prophet David interpreted to be to a thousand generations which therefore must needs extend to the end of the world For so 't is called a Covenant for ever And had his seed injoyed Canaan from Abrahams days yet from thence to Christ was but forty two generations Mat. 1. So that if Canaan was to be possest as a type of heaven then it was not to be possest by a Covenant of works but by faith so Abraham possest it Heb. 11.8 9 10. By Faith he sojourned in the Land of promise as in a strange Country dwelling in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob heirs with him of the same Promise For he looked for a City which had foundations whose builder and maker was God And ver 15 16. he sought a better Country a Country whereof that was but a type Now what promise werâ— Isaac and Jacob heirs of Why that of the Covenant of Grace Gen. 17.8 To thee will I give the Land of Canaan And this the Apostle tellâ— us was possest by Faith as a type of heaven therefore not by a Covenant of Works 9 It further appears by comparing Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God with Heb. 11.16 Whâ—refore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Where the Apostle thus argues that had the grâ—at proâ—â—se to â—braham been onely of an earthly Canaan which this Author affirms was to be enjoyed by a Covenant of Works God would have been ashamed to be called his God t is evident therefore that for men to affirm such Doctrines as this is to put an affront upon God himself 10. It still further appears that Abrahams seed injoyed Canaan by a Covenant of Grace because what â—oses and Ioshua did who were their câ—nductors was done by faith and tiâ— also applyed to all Israel Heb 11.27 28 â—9 By faith he forsook Egypt by faith he kept the passeover by faith they past through the red Sea So when Joshua led them over Jo dan it was an act of faith yea the very conquest of the enemy there was an act of Faith ver 30. therefore for him to affirm tâ—aâ— fi st Covenant beâ—ore largely opened to be those typical ceremonies and so mans pâ—rt of the Covenant of Grace to be â— Covenant of Works by which they were to live happâ—ly in Canaan is such notâ—rious stuffe that he might blush to name it 11â— Sâ—ch â— doctrine directly opposeth these Scriptures Deut. 9.4.5 6 7 8 speak not thou in thy heart saying for my righteousness the Lo d hath brought me in to possess this Land and ver 5. not for thy righteousâ—ess dost thou possess this Land And ver 6. not for thy righteousness for thou art a stiff-necked peâ—ple and ver 7 fâ—rget not how thou provokedst the Lord to wrath in the wilderness and from the day that ye came out of Egypt even to this day until ye came to this place ye have been rebellious against the Lord and ver 27. he refers back to Abrahams Covenant and makes use of it as an argument to prevail with God in Prayer because he had promised to give them Canaan by grace and not by their works so also ch â—0 11 12 13 16. Exod. 2.24 ch 3.6.8 and ch 6.8 Numb 14.23 12. That rest the Apostle speaks of Heb. 4.1 is meant of a like rest to that of Canaan which Israel was cut short off for want of faith Heb. 3.18 to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest but to them that believed not this promise of rest is by the Apostle called a pâ—eaching â—he Gospel Heb. 4.2 For unto us was the Gospel preached as well as unto them implying cleerly that what was spoken in that promise of giving Israel rest in Canaan was a preaching the Gospel to them So that as the spiritual part of the Covenant which conveys justification by Faith is by Paul called a Gospel preaching Gal. 3.8 â—o the temporal part of the same Covenant Gen. 17.8 which this â—uthor would fain make a Covenant of works thereby to maintain his errors the same Apostle tells us it was a Gospel preachâ—ng also By what therefore hath been said hitherto t is a shining truth that Abrahams Covenant in all parts thereof relating to spirituals and temporals was a full and compleat Covenant of Grace to which circumcision was annexed as a seal not as a distinct Covenant of works in order to the possessing of Canaan because as hath been proved by these twelve considerations as there hath been no Covenant of works given since the fall so Israel injoyed Canaan by a Covenant of Grace it follows therefore that Circumcision and all those legal Ordinances called the first
much corrupted in that Ordinance as appears from that place Ezek. 44.7 therefore to baptize our children to succeedâ—ng generations iâ— the Parents wicked because the visible unbelief of Parents cuts off their seed and their visible believing ingraffs them in And thus we finde John repulst visible unbelievers that came to be baptized upon the account of Abrahams covenant so that it appears that M. P. is aâ— ignorant of the ground of our practice as he is of the truth of his own 4 Neither is it the setting up again of the partition wall betwixt the natural branches and those that are wild by nature For the partition wall was the legal-Ordinances Eph. 2.14 15 given to the Jewâ—sh Nation onely and shuâ—ting out all Nations besides so much is implyed by Paul Rom. 9.4 To them appertained the giving of the Law and the Oracles that is to them and none else so Rom. 11.12 Mat. 28.19 which Commission was inlarged upon Christs taking away that partition wall and copyed out according to the tenor of Abrahams covenant Gen. 12. In thee shall all Nations of the earth be blessed Therefore go teach all Nations Therefore also by natural branches we are to understand the Jewish believing Parents and seed These were the branches of the covenant cut off for unbelief His blood be upon us and our children Mat. 27.25 and Rom. 11.15 20. because of unbelief they were broken off What they The first place tells us Parents and Children and ver 17. and if some of the branches were broken off implying that as Parent and seed were branches so some of those branches were not broken off but still remained in Abrahams covenant Therefore 2 By wild branches or branches wild by nature we are to understand the Gentiles Parents and seed called wild by nature because Israel that were Gods Vineyard Orchard Garden and so inclosed were dress'd and prun'd by Christ in his Ministry who was the vine-dresser thereof when as the Gentiles grew wild as a Tree in a wilderness and so were without God in the world thus the natural branches were cut off That the branches wild by nature might be graffed in The Sun at noon day hath not so cleer a light as this Scripture hath to prove the covenant right and interest of believers and their seed In what therefore he affirms in pag. 81. that taking in of children is a setting up the partition wall betwixt the natural branches and bâ—anches wild by nature he shews himself more blind then that poor man that saw men as trees walking For by natural branches he understands onely adult professors and by branches wild by nature little infants when as the word of God tells us that we are to understand by branches Parents and Children By all which it is apparent that he understands not what the partition wa l is or what the natural branches or branches wild by nature signifies Thus far we have examined the t uth of his Church-matter The next thing is the form Therefore P. The holding of this opinion that believers seed have a right to the covenant makes people live in a neglect of the Lords baptism contenting themselves with a counterfeit baptism instead thereof and thus the Church comes to be constituted of good and bad promiscuously and then he calls for our rule to justifie it A. The Reader may here observe to what height of spirit this man is sweld that he durst charge all the Churches of Christ through the world with a counterfeit baptism as if the onely light of this truth did shine in Rivers It hath been already proved in answer to his Essentials that the Lords Baptism was not by dipping Therefore believe him not yea the Lord Christ will be a swift witness against him that he abhors such a practice for the reason before laid down And whereas be saith that it makes the Church a promisâ—uouâ— body consisting of good and bad I answer 1. So doth Christ himself Mat. 13.47 where he likens the kingdom of heaven i. e. the Church to a net let down into the sea which gathered of all kinds both good and bad yet I hope he will not be so bold to say a charge of imputation upon Christ himself 2 It hath been also proved that such a mixture as is made by taking in believers and their seed is no more then what the word of God bars out upon the account of Abrahams covenant and to call it a mixture is to call that common which is clean 3 Neither do I believe but if their own Societies were sifted there would be found more chaff then wheat and that their Congregations would not appear more strict then ours I speak not this by way of boasting for I doubt we have not so much cause on either hand But let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. P. p. 82. He tells us of going in an untrodden path because we baptize children and receive them into the Church as members and yet deny them the Sacrament And then asks us when we will give it them or why they have a right to one priviledge and not to another A. Though a child may not be fit to sit at the fathers Table yet he may be fit to suck at the mothers breasts And if you will know when they shall come to the Lords Table the Apostle tells you when they can examine themselves 1 Cor 11.28 Look back to Israel though their seed did receive the seal of the covenant and were admitted then in Christs kingdom yet they were not presently fit for the passover which was also a spiritual feast and a prefiguration of the Lords Supper 1 Cor 5.7 8. as the Israel of God then in which children were included was a prefiguration of Gods Israel now therefore though baptism and the Lords Supper are both priviledges of the covenant as Circumcision and the Passover were then yet the infant-seed of the kingdom may be fit for the one though not fit for the other as the infant-subjects of the kingdoms of the world they are subjects but not fit for all the priviledges of a kingdom which consideration doth answer his cavils though much more might have been added upon another account As to that Scripture Act. 2.41 42. That all that were baptized continued in breaking bread I answer They were such there spoken of that were capable of hearing the word and which gladly received it that were converted from Judaism The like to which is practised upon the conversion of any unbaptised persons at this day and this makes therefore for us for though their children were admitted in upon the account of Abrahams covenant The promise is to you and your children yet we do not finde they were admitted to the Supper because the same promise belonging to them and their seed under the Law yet the seed were not capacifyed for the Passover By all which therefore it appears our path lies plain and open that we may see which way the
they have addicted themselves to the ministerie of the Saints That yee submit your selves to such and to every one that laboureth with us where saith Master Patient wee see they were all ministers and men that laboured with the Apostles therefore not Babes or Children Answ The Apostle doth not say they were all Ministers or such as laboured in the word and doctrine as he did himselfe But they are so said to Minister because they addicted themselves to the ministring to the Saints in a way of Hospitalitie for so the word is taken for releeving the Poor and so the same chap. refers to 1 Cor. 16. namely a free liberall and charitable collection for the poor Saints verse 1.2.3 and 2 Cor 8.4 chap. 9.1 now as touching the Ministring to the Saints 't is superfluous for me to write c. In which places the same word is used as here in this example of Stephanus and his house who addicted themselves to the Ministerie of the Saints by which it appeares that as the Apostle had boasted of others in the former chap. so in this also hee commends the freeness and Hospitalitie of Stephanus because in such actions there is much heart-sinceritie to be seen in entertaining poor Christians This being so Then t is no hard matter to know who is meant by the house of Stephanus which Paul Baptized For though the servants 't is likely might be gracious and full of love to poor Christians yet by the word house is property meant Parents and Children and 't is very unlikely the servants of the house should be so free and hospitable of their Masters goods And as for the Children they were taken in by their Parents Actions and so the whole house is commended For the hospitalitie of Stephanus and his yoakfellow as 't is usuall in such causes to say such a house is noble and free when 't is meant onely of the heads and chief of the family and these were the persons that Paul presseth the Church to honour and esteem and to submit to such And not to such onely but to every one also that helpeth with us and laboureth But 't is a stretcht inference to say that because his house addicted themselves to the ministrie of the saints therefore they were all preachers and such as laboured in the Gospell and the Church was to submit themselves to all the houshold i. e. servants and all as ministers therefore no Children The like also the Apostle prest them in the following verse to submit to Fortunatus and Achicus who came with a seasonable and refreshing releef and supply to their wants therefore acknowledg ye them that are such verse 18. i. e. such who minister releef to Christians in necessitie So Matth. 8.15 't is said that Peters Wives Mother ministred to Christ Master Patient surely will not be so far besides himselfe to think that she preacht to Christ as a minister from what then hath been also said to this instance 't is abundantly clear to any sober spirit who is willing to search after truth and not take things barely upon the count of Master Patients word Our opposites have not so honestly quitted themselves in al their writings in interpreting this text to lay a snare or decoy to intrap or intice people into the lake of error by saying that here was none but Adult-beleevers in this house when as the tenor of those Scriptures hitherto which related to housholds hath still run to the children upon the parents beleeving Quest But how shall I know whether when the Scripture speaks of house there were any Children for the word is not exprest they might be housholds and yet no Children Answ 'T is the common way in finding out the mind of God in Scriptures to compare them that so what is darke in one may be cleard by the other And since the spirit of God at the first tender of the Gospell did delight to speak to Jew and Gentile in the Old Testament Dialect as to say of Lydea She and her House the Jaylor and his House Cornelius and his House Stephanus and his House Zacheus and his house so Crispus believed in God with all his house the house of Aristobulus the house of Narcissus it is as if he had said If you would know what I mean by this word house then look back to my First will and Testament for what it was then it is now Therefore when upon review we shall finde in the Old Testament there were Children mentioned and chiefly included It will be then an undoubted truth to say and maintain That in all these houses mentioned to be baptized there were Children which properly gave the denomination and they all baptized whilest little ones upon the Belief or Covenant-right of their Parents See Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the Earth be blessed Who are so properly the Family as Children Chap. 30.30 And when shall I provide for my own house also Who was that house that Jacob was bound to look after and provide for but his Wife and Children And Chap. 45.18 19. Then said Pharaoh Say unto thy Brethren take your Father and your Houshold and come unto me And Verse 19 it is explained to be heir little ones Wives and Fathers So Num. 3.15 2 Sam. 23.5 Josh 24.15 So the Apostle He that provides not for his own house i. e. His Children is worse then an Infidel and hath denied the Faith 1 Tim. 5.8 What denying the Faith can this be for such as profess Christ if it be not the Faith of that Covenant of Grace into which Believers and Professing-Christians with their Seed are admitted The neglect of a Heathen-Parent in not providing for his Children cannot be called a denying the Faith but the denying the Law of Nature But the neglect of Christians in not providing for their Children is a denying the Faith because visibly within the Covenant Exod. 1.1 Prov. 31.11 1 Sam. 20.15 2 Sam 9.3 9. 1 King 17 1â— 13 21 22 23. Psal 127.1 3. Prov. 12.7 Hos 1.4 1 Tim 3 4 5. 5.4 8. 2 Tim. 1.16 A full Text also is That where the Prophet speaks of Israels conversion and gathering under the Faith of Christ yet to be fulfilled Jer. 1.1 At that time saith the Lord will I be the God of all the Families of Israel and they shall be my people A Text so remarkable that it is enough to convince any man that look what God was to Israel and the Families of Israel in blessing them as their God i. e. aged in Covenant with them and their â—eed so he will be the same God again to Israel and their Families in Gospel-days Which â—ime is near at hand and they and their Seed whilst Babes shal be his people so that either our opposits must oppose that doctrine of the Jews conversion when both they and their Children shall be brought into the Faith of Christ or else of necessity they must acknowledge the
must needs be a covenant of works for if it had been a covenant of Grace it would have administred Justification with it This is the full sense as neer as I can collect out of such stragling discourses Though the Scriptures he brings in these pages to prove what he asserts were before omitted yet I shall here take them in as most fit in this place because the running over things so often would otherwise make the Answer so bulkish and therefore A. Though he saith Justification by faith was not given by Circumcision i. e. by the act done as neither is it now given by Baptism yet Justification was given in that Covenant of Grace which Circumcision sealed and so the Elect did obtain it Rom. 4.11 He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of Faith that he might be the Father of all that believe though they be not Circumcised So that Circumcision was the covenants seal and not the seal of his faith out of which the Gentile Nations were excluded till that Jewish Church was cast off so that the Jews were neerer then Pagans and Heathens notwithstanding any thing he affirms because the one was under the call of the Gospel and the tenders of Grace when the other was a far off Aliens and strangers Eph. 2.11 12 13. But when the Gospel came amongst them also then they were made nigh by the blood of Christ The Heathens in New England will any sober understanding Christian say they are as neer to a state of Justification as those that are born and bred up and dwell under the sound of the Gospel yea Mr. P. himself doth contradict what he in this affirms in acknowledging that the Jews were priviledged before other Nations in having such precious tenders of the Gospel p. 49. so that we see he doth not stick fast to his own judgement in any thing But wherein these precious priviledges should lye or how the Gâ—spel should be tendred if they were not visible under the covenant of Grace and so neerer then Heathens I cannot see nor I am sure he himself for had not Justification run in the Jewish Ordinances more freely then it did to the Gentiles that had them not they had instead of being priviledged been more in bondage and slavery then any Nation in the world 2. There is not any one place or Text or syllable in the 2 3. or 4 to Rom. or in 12 15 17 18 22. of Gen. or 3 4 5. Gal. that saith Justification by faith was not given in the covenant of Circumcision or that Justification by faith is opposed to Circumcision or that because Abraham was Justified before circumcised therefore Circumcision is a covenant of Works But this the Texts say that justification is to be had in the covenant of Circumcision which were it a covenant of works would not there be found Rom. 3.1 2 3 30. But 3. And because he tells us in pag. 55. That there is no Text in all the Scripture more cleer to prove the covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of works then this 4. Rom. setting Faith and Circumcision in opposition shewing that Abrahams spiritual seed had their justification in another covenant and not in circumcision I have therefore taken it into this place because one answer will serve both To cleer this place therefore from this cloud of error cast upon it I shall stay some time to search into it The words are these What shall we say then that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found For if Abraham was justified by works He hath whereof to glory but not before God but Abraham believed God c. And how was it then reckoned when he was in Circumcision or in uncircumcision not in Circumcision c. A. By comparing this with the preceding chapter as also with ch 5 6 7 8. we finde the Roman Church that had imbraced the Ordinances of the Gospel were then falling back into the works of the Law and those legal Ordinances in them to gain justification And therefore they would be listening after those false Teachers that preacht up Circumcision after the manner of Moses which was the prevailing error in that Church and is at this day it being so fallen that they maintain good works do justifie Now the Apostle to bring them off from this error bids them look upon Abraham whom they acknowledged to be the father of the faithful and see how the case stood with him how he was justifyed secretly implying that if he that was the Father of all believers was not justifyed by works then it would be unreasonable in his children to think that they were and therefore it was their duty to follow him by which we see Abraham is held forth as a publick person in the Gospel to which Gospel-Churches are to have recourse to rectifie errors in doctrines of Faith and if upon search they found that Abraham was justifyed in urcircumcision then they should not think that Circumcision was of absolute necessity to justification and therefore tells them it was their mistake the Law was never intended by God to justifie any but ch 3.9 both Jew and Gentile are all under sin and ver 20. therefore by the deeds of the Law no flesh can be justifyed for all have sinned and are therefore justifyed freely by his Grace without the deeds of the Law ver 28. upon which the Romans make this Objection Rom. 4.1 What benefit or advantage then hath Abraham found to whom the covenant was made The meaning is because Abraham had not his justification by circumcision therefore they could not see any Gospel-benefit that came by that Ordinance at all so much is implyed in the words the like also ch 3. what profit then is there of Circumcision and it is the same objection in effect that M. P. makes onely a little changed For thus his runs If Abraham was not justified in the covenant of Circumcision then is Circumcision a covenant of works both which the Apostle answers that though Abraham and his seed were not justifyed by the Law as a law or covenant of works yet there was a considerable advantage the Jews had by circumcision and chiefly because unto them were câ—mmitted the oracles of God and ch 9.4 who are Israelites i. e a peculiar Nation inclosed by God himself from all the Nations of the world to them appertains the adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises whose are the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came As if he had said all this heap and bundle of benefits came in to the Jews and that Nation which no Nation under heaven had besides and yet for all this there were many that did not believe ch 3.3 For what though some did not believe shall their unbelief make the Faith of God without effect God forbid as if he had said The end for which
seed and what God therefore sealed to Abraham he sealed also to his seed All which was to shew the immutability of his Counsel to the heirs of Promise not only to such as were heirs under the Law but to the worlds end as the Apostle tells us before in the place quoted II. His next reason or Argument why it sealed onely to Abraham is because it is said he received it that he might be the Father of all that believe Which could not be said of Isaac because he was but a child A. Though Abraham was made the Father of the faithful by having that seal given him yet he could not have been such a father without such a son because they are relatives not onely in the natural relation but in the promise for though Ishmael was born thirteen yeers before Isaac was promised yet had God given him circumcision then Abraham had not been the Father of the faithful because Ishmael was not a faithful child So that that which was required to make Abraham a father of a faithful son was required in Isaac to make him such a son of a faithful Father Therefore that seal that was given to Abraham as a father was given to Isaac as a son III. His third Argument to prove it a seal onely to Abraham is Here is the spirit of God affirming the sealing use of Circumcision to Abraham onely upon a reason special to him therefore where the Scripture hath not a mouth to speak we must not have an ear to hear A. The spirit of God speaks no such thing but the spirit of M. P. for where is it said it was a seal to him onely no such Text is to be sound in all the Scriptures for as is before said what it sealed to him as a father it sealed to Isaac as a son of that Father for the covenant related to posterity I may therefore say of him as the Prophet said of the false Prophets who said the Lord saith it as here M P. doth when indeed the Lord hath not spoken therefore the Scripture hath a mouth to speak if he had an understanding heart to know when and what it speaks let such therefore who have ears to hear hear what the spirit speaks to the Churches IV. P. A fourth ground or reason he gives that Circumcision sealed onely to Abraham is drawn from Rom. 4.13 The promise that he should be the heir of the world was not to him and his seed through the Law i. e. saith M. P. through the covenant of Circumcision But through the righteousness of Faith For if they that be of the Law be heirs then Faith is made void A. 1. He here again supposes that which is denyed and the contrary proved i. e. That Circumcision was not a covenant of works 2. When it is said the promise of his being the heir of the world was not made to Abraham through the Law The Apostle means that it was not to be confined and shut up to the generations of the Law onely and so it was not to his seed through the Law onely but through the righteousness of Faith that is his Patrimony came upon such high tearms as would reach to a thousand generations Psal â—05 even to the Gentiles under the Gospel to the worlds end and that this is his meaning is clear by the following words For if they which are of the Law be heirs i. e. They and they onely but heirs they were Faith is made void That is the faith which Abraham had by which he did believe the multiplying of his seed in all Nations upon the grounds of the Promise that faith is quite frustrated because it went no further then the generations of the Law And therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed and then he fully explains what he said before Not sure to that seed onely which were of the Law where the word onely doth suppose it was sure to the legal seed therefore it cannot be meant of a covenant of works for so the promise was never sure to any from the Creation to this day or ever shall be 3. If the place were to be understood in his sense namely of a covenant of works Then it confutes in direct terms wâ—at he hath so much pleaded for in his book As that Canaan should be given by a covenant of works For the promise that he should be the heir of the world in which that land was included was not to him and his seed through the Law i e. saith Mr P not by the covenant of Circumcision but through the righteousness of faith And if the Apostle saith not by that covenant then why doth Mr P. so often affirm elsewhere it was Thus we see there is nothing in all he hath said that proves Ciâ—cumcision either a covenant of works or seal to Abraham onely but enough to prove it a seal to all the heirs of promise even whilst they are infants All ye therefore that belong to the covenant of Grace fear not to give your infant-seed that Ordinance which now is the seal of the covenant P. The last Scripture he here brings to prove Circumcision a covenant of works is Gal. 4. latter end where the Apostle compa es the two covenants to Sarah and Hagar the covenant of Circumcision is held forth to be the bondwoman ch 5.1.2 3. ch 6.13 whâ—ch place doth prove the covenant made in the fleshly line of Abraham is a covenant of Works And that which the Gospel is set in opposition to For the covenant of Grace is I will put my Law in their hearts but the covenant of Circumcision is not in the heart but in the flesh A. The diligent Reader may easily observe the palpable contradictions that are here to be found Hagar types out the covenant of works Sarah types out the covenant of grace and the flâ—shly covenant of Circumcision as he calls it which is typed out by Hagar is made in the fleshly line of Abraham which must be Ishmael And then he contradicts what he hath been all this while maintaining i e. that the fleshly line is Isaac and Jacob in which the covenant of Circumcision was to run and so also he opposeth the Apostle Gal. 4 23 But he that was born of the bondwoman was born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by Promise so that what Paul calls the children by promise he calls the children of the flesh Thus men leaving truth making wise God leaves them to publish their own folly That place Gal. 1.2 3. is already answered they were such that were falling back from Grace to be justified by works through their gross mistake thinking as Mr P. doth that the Law had been given for a covenant of works Lastly Though God hath promised to write the new covenant in the heart yet the seals of that covenant are written in the flesh so it was then
inward or how else should there be any communion of Saints on earth Thus Hagars son though by nature born under a covenant of works was a Church member And he could call Abraham father as Isaac could though not under such a spiritual consideration for still the in-works of Adoption Sonship Justification and Sanctification have run by promâ—se in a close hidden and spiritual way woâ—king upon and changing the heart And though Isaac Jacob and the rest of the line were all born in sin as well as Ishmael and Esau yet the Promise takes time to work and brings in the Elect of God some later some sooner yea let us bring down this again to a parallel and compare it to the practice of M. P. Sure I am he cannot say that all he and others with him plunged upon their profession of faith are the real Adopted sons of God or realâ—y holy or really justifyed or sanctifyed that is spiritually But this they may say they are visibly such and some may be such also spiritually but who they be is unknown to man and yet all were alike by nature born in sin and children of wrath 2. And thus all those Scriptures Ephes 2.2 by nature children of wrath Rom. 3.9 none righteous no not one are answered This was also the equal condition of Paul David and the rest born and conceived in sin and yet as Abrahams seed they were interessed in the covenant then as believers and their seed are now We may then see how his heap of chaff cast upon the truth begins already to be blown away II. P. The second fundamental which he proclaims to the world that our practice overturns is stability in a covenant of eternal life for if all Israel were born in the covenant of Grace then all should be saved but there were but a remnant of Israel saved all the rest damned Isa 10.22 23. Rom. 9.22 And if so born they must needs fall away from Grace A. As stability in Grace is a glorious truth so neither doth this touch it For it onely makes the outward part of the covenant instable That is a falling away from their visible being in the covenant for as hath been said a man may be in the covenant yet not in the Grace of the covenant Thus Israel and all those Gospel hypocrites mentioned fell away but the election still remained so the branches that were in Christ Joh. 15. that bare not fruit were cut off and withered and thus all those Texts that speak of a falling away are to be understood The like now though many Apostates fall from the ways of God yet the covenant remains stable and the same for ever III. P. The third foundation he pretends to be shaken is the necessity of conversion and regeneration which is a Doctrine eminently confirmed by Christ in the Gospel for which he brings several Texts of Scripture but to hold a covenant of life to run upon the carnal seed of believers opposeth this for then when Christ said Except a man be born again â—e cannot enter into the kingdom of God Israel might answer that 's not true we have an interest in the covenant of Grace already and except ye believe that I am he ye shall dye in your sins they might say again that 's not true for we know another way â—o heaven then by believing and 1 Joh. 5. He that hath not the Son hath not life This error replyes there be thousands interessed in life without having Christ by carnal generation Thus far he with much more of the like stuffe with which he fills three pages together A. Neither doth it at all intrench upon this Doctrine as falsly suggested therefore to cleer this we are to consider first the ground of this mistake of his from whence it riseth as any man may easily see namely that the Doctrine of Conversion Repentance and Regeneration is to be preacht onely to such as are without the Church and Kingdom of Christ for his argument runs as taking it for granted that such as are the subjects of the kingdom are such in reality when as by the former distinctions it is most apparent that some are such visibly onely and some really 2. Therefore consider the Doctrines mentioned are part of that Gospel which is the kingdoms Gospel as Christ calls it and hath been ever preacht to the subjects of the kingdom so it was to Israel of old and though believers and their seed were taken into the covenant already proved to be of grace yet this Doctrine of the new birth was preacht to them which is abundantly cleer from Christs words to Nicodemus Joh. 3. a place by himself quoted Art thou a Doctor in Israel and knowest not what the doctrine of the new birth means implying That he shewed himself very ignorant when he knew not that which was preacht amongst Israel adding this also That the Ordinance of Circumcision so frequently used was but a Type of the Circumcision upon the heart yea the whole tenor of the old-Testament runs in such terms that cleerly shew their blessedness lies in repenting and turning to God in pardon of sin in setting their delight in the Laws of the Lord trusting in God and setting their hope in God the book of Psalms is full of it So also in those primitive Churches planted by the Apostles themselves who in admission of members had a better insight to the truth of grace upon the heart then any since and yet this Doctrine they preacht to the Church 2 Cor. 5.17 Rom. 2.29 ch 6.11.8.10 Gal. 5.19 Eph. 4.23 therefore such as think the Doctrines of Repentance New-birth c. should be preacht to the world onely may hence see their mistakes amongst which number Mr P. is one I shall still draw down the parallel to his practice which I judge to be a good way to convinâ—e our dissenting friends of their error can he think that all that runs in the same ra e with him I mean into the water that they have no need of preaching Repentance or the new-birth amongst them surely if that be his judgment he discovers more ignorance and weakness then ever Nicodemus did Therefore 3. Let us glean up his Scriptures The reproof that John gave the Pharisees was not for pleading a title to Abrahams covenant as his seed for it is evident he baptâ—zed upon that accompt for had not the Pharisees claimed the Ordinances as Abrahams seed because the rest did so the reproof given them had been little better then non-sense but he checks them for their wickedness in not walking as became Abrahams children So also Joh. 8.32 The like also Luke 16. a place M. P. much delights to name thinking it makes for his opinion because Dives in hell owned Abraham as a Father and Abraham owned him as a son but yet for all that saith Mr. Patient he was damned A. There is none denyes but Abraham had more children damned then saved yet nevertheless such as
unmoveable again CHAP. XIII The sixth and seventh Fundamentals maintained P. pag. 80 81 83. THis opinion destroys the doctrine and foundation of Gospel-Churches The matter thereof which is Saints by calling spiritual worshippers Ioh. 4.23 lively stones 1 Pet. 2.5 persons redeemed from a vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 brought out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now this opinion brings in a whole Nation to be a Church all born of their body their seeds seed in their generations This is a setting up the partition wall again betwixt the natural branches and those that are wild by nature 2 The manner of gathering is destroyed and the Lords baptism neglected and a counterfeit baptism set up in the room thereof A. Though this head would require a larger answer yet I shall contract as briefly as I can therefore 1 As to the matter of a Gospel Church it is believers and their seed which I thus prove the Church of Christ is his kingdom in the world to which the tenders of Gospel-Grace and mercy belongs it is therefore called the Gospel of the kingdom Mat. 13.19 before toucht upon It was so before the coming of Christ and it is so since If Grace therefore once took in children to be subjects of this kingdom who then casts them out not Grace for that is unchangeable and therby they were taken in T is the Argument of Paul If God justifies who shall condemn Rom. 8.31 34. If God be for them who shall be against them If grace makes them holy by separating them to a holy use who shall make them unclean and cut them off And that the same bowels of Grace and tender affection remains in Christ to little babes is cleer under the Gospel for of such is the kingdom he doth not say of such was the kingdom For that indeed would have been quickly made use of as a plea against us But of such is the kingdom As if he had said My Kingdome is made up of the same materials as the Kingdomes of the World are not onely of men and women but of children also of such is the kingdome would it not be ridiculous to say there may be a kingdom without children and that this is a metaphorical allusion to the kingdoms of the world is cleer not onely from the words or phrase there us'd but also from other Texts The kingdoms of the world shall become the kingdoms of Christ And Abrahams covenant tells us how it should be namely by multiplying of Abrahams seed in all Nations so as that power at last shall naturally divolve into their hands as it is worthily observed by an eminent Minister of these times Mr Carter upon Abrahams covenant 2. Consider the foundation of this kingdom was laid in Abraham and his seed For though God had his worship before in families from the beginning upon the first promise of Christ yet it came not to a kingdom-worship till the promise was inlarged of multiplying the seed as the stars of heaven And so Isaac was taken in as a subject with his Father though but an Infant-subject and that covenant which took in them was the kingdoms covenant and the seal of the covenant was the seal of the kingdom which reaches as well Infant-subjects as their Parents If then the foundation of the kingdom were parents and children then the building upon that foundation must be also parents and children because it is not a new but a continued kingdom Mat. 21.43 This being duly weighed it will also reach to that other relation the Church stands in to Christ of being his house And so takes in the place quoted 1. Pet. 2.5 And ye as living stones are built up a spiritual house c. Look what materials therefore were laid into the foundation of Gods spiritual house of the same is it carryed up till the top-stone be laid with shoutings Grace Grace And that Gods house under the Law was a spiritual huuse and their worshippers spiritual worshippers is câ—eer because Israel were a sepa ated people from all Nations and were also to be separated amongst themselves from all moral and typical uncleanness either in persons or things in order to a spiritual injoyment of God in his worship they being then as we now to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God holy and acceptable Se 2 Cor. 6.16 18. câ—mpared with Lev. 26.22 Isa 52.11 Ezek. 37.27 ch 44.7 And the having children in that spiritual house did not at all diminish from the worship to make it the less spiritual Isa 56.7 the allusion of the spiritual house under the Gospel is drawn from the nature of Gods spiritual house under the Law My house shall be called the house of prayer of all Nations It was not so called from the walls and stones of the Temple though that also in a sense might be so called but from Israels meeting there who was the prayiâ—g people that God had then in the world and the children were also carryed up to be presented before the Lord Exod. 13.2 Levit. 12.2 6. Luke 2.22 23 24 27. Therefore what ranks or degrees of people there were in the house of prayer then the same was also the house of prayer under the Gospel in all Nations to consist of namely of men women and children therefore the Apostle calls the Church the houshold of faith in which are taken in believers seed this doth also answer that place Joh. 4. spiritual worshippers for such they were under the Law and yet their children also were included The word is there used in opposition to this or that place which they lookt upon themselves bound up to though Christ was come as also in opposition to their manner of worship which was then more carnal Heb. 9.10 Truth was also opposed to the Idol worship of the Samaritans but nothing at all can be gathered to take away the right of children or that imports children not to be fit matter for a Church kingdom or house of God especially considering it was the same covenant of Grace then that took them in as it is now and if it be an immutable covenant to believers and their seed as no sound Christian can deny then are believers seed still in the covenant And thus also children may be truely called Saints and sanctifyed persons holy because set apart to a holy use in the service of God 3 Whereas therefore he saith this opinion brings in a whole Nation of believers it is his mistake for till God brings them in the opinion and practice doth not for it is but the incorporating of the families of believers into Congregational Societies and Churches unless there be so many families as fill a Nation and then I think without offence they may be called a Nation of believers and for ought I can see not improperly a National-Church neither are we hound by Israels practice of Circumcising to their succeeding generations who had a command for it though I believe they were
branches which reaches into Gospel-days since the exhibition of Christ to the worlds end For which cause Abraham is called the Father of believers under the Gospel which could not be that we should be Abrahams children If the blessing of Abrahams covenant reacht onely to Christ as pointing at him for so we must have been Christs children not Abrahams 4 Then the Apostle knew not what he said Gal. 3.14 when he tels the Church That Abrahams blessing is come upon the Gentiles through Christ For if it were onely meant of Christ then it would lose the title of Abrahams blessing But though Christ be come yet the blessing is Abrahams blessing still yea Christ is come that he may conveigh the blessing from the Jews to us as heirs with them and not distinct from them and what blessing it should be called Abrahams which Christ should hand over to us if not the blessings of the covenant in all the veins thereof is not to be understood Therefore 5 As the promise oath and seal were joyned together to make the blessings of Abraham sure so were they all conveyed to us intirely to shew the immutability of his counsel and purpose to us as it did to the Jews Heb. 6.18 that so the heirs of Abrahams promise under the Gospel might have strong consolation And upon this account it was the Apostle in Rom. 4. bids them cast an eye back upon Abraham their father to see how he was justifyed which had it not been so they would have been sent to Christ as a pattern not to Abraham He should have been called their father not Abraham so when he tells the Galatians ch 4.28 in order to rectifie their judgements in the like mistake of Justâ—fication now ye brethren as Isaac was are the children of the promise It had been to no purpose unless Isaacs promise had remained for they could not be children of that which was not From all which we see into what mistakes he is got and how sadly bewildered with his own notions upon what sl ght promises he draws so high conclusions to make his ware vendible For notwithstanding any thing he hath spoken as Abrahams blessings and covenant do not cease though Christ be come so neither do we deny by this opinion of ours that Christ is come or do we expect another Christ to come as he suggests It therefore appears the covenant of grace is of such extent that it takes in thousands into the visible part thereof that shall never be saved so that still the objection which he saith is answered remains in full force and vertue that the priviledges are not straitned more then they were under the Law therefore as children were then in covenant and received the seal so are they still in covenant and the Gospel seal is their due and cannot be denyed them P. Pag 94. The new covenant was confirmed of God in Christ onely Gal. 3.17 therefore it cannot belong unto any souls out of Christ 1 Cor 11.25 This cup is the new Testament in my blood If the New Testament be in Christs blood then what hath any carnal unbelieving wretch to do with this Testament that hath not faith in his blood A. These Texts makes full against him For that place Gal. 3.17 tells us that Abrahams covenant which was 430 yeers before the Law was confirmed in Christs blood Therefore the Law coming after could not make the Promises of God of none effect If then Abrahams covenant in which children were included were confirmed in that blood this new covenant being the same with Abrahams as himself confesseth and confirmed by the same blood Infants are still within the same covenant For the covenant is in Christ Yea and Amen to all the persons included in the covenant As there is a double being in the covenant internal and external so a double being in Christ Joh. 15.3 4 which being well distinguisht will cleer all such doubts Some of the seed are onely in Christ externally as Ishmael Esau and others Internally also as Isaac Jacob and so in the covenant whether Adult or Infants the like to be said to 1 Cor. 11.25 That cup is the New Testament or a seal of the New-Testament to all that are within that Testament As Christs blood typically sealed the first Testament to Abraham and his seed so Christs blood seals the New-Testament to believers and their seed of which that cup is the Sacramental remembrance the like also to Mat. 3 17. my son in whom I am well pleased i. e. as God was well pleased with Abraham his seed by promise that were in the covenant co firmed by Christs blood so is he now well pleased with believers and their seed by promise in the same covenant confirmed by Christs blood The same answer is to be given to all the rest of those places by him quoted with which he fills many pages to prove that none can be in the covenant of Grace except he be first in Christ P. In pag. 95. He condoles the sadness of these times That when the means of grace and knowledge of the Gospel is so plentifully held forth yet we must be forc'd to bestow such pains to prove that men cannot be in a state of salvation and acceptation before God in a covenant of Grace without union with Christ by Faith A. Alas poor man he would fain be pittyed for the pains he takes but who is it that puts him to it but his own erring spirit which makes him afraid of his own shadow Is there any of us that affirms so wickedly that acceptation is to be had in God without union with Christ If not he deals the more deceitfully to suggest such things as if our Ministry did it Therefore 2 Whereas he saith the means of Grace hath been plâ—ntifully held forth It seems it is not by his opposites the publike Ministers For how can such hold forth the means of Grace that shall affirm such an acceptation is to be had without such an union which he affirms to be the principles of those that plead for infant-baptism but blessed be God If you have no better warrant to justifie your irregular and unnatural practice withal and condemn ours then such calumnies the experience of these days speaks aloud who it is that have held forth the means of Grace and glorious light of the Gospel It is evident enough from the budding and fructility of Aarons rod of whom it may be said they preach with Authority and not as the Scribes for their rods are dry and barren because they preach not conversion but subversion I shall touch upon a Scripture or two more leaving the rest for the Reader to answer in his own thoughts For indeed not one of them proves any thing he asserts Joh. 14.6 Mat. 7.14 He that hath Christ hath life he that hath not Christ hath not life we say the same but he that hath not Christ spiritually may have a visible right to the
order to their Justification the thing these Jews wanted so that Abrahams covenant conveyd in the bowels of it justification by faith to sinners so most suitable to the distemper The promise is to you and your children 2 Consider wherefore these words are brought in namely as a strong inducement to repent and be baptizâ—d and so it lyes in the â—orm of a Motive for the Promise c. As if he had said Let this incourage you to repent and be baptized for the promise is to you and your children i. e. you shall not onely injoy blessings but your children also if you embrace the Gâ—spel For the Apostle very well knew with whom he had to deal and what Arguments would be most prevalent with the Jews and had not this been the meaning of the Holy Ghost the putting in the word children had rather proved a rock of offence and a stone of stumbling For what could the Jews imagine upon a free tender of Grace to them and their children but if they did repent and were baptized the extent of Abrahams promise should be the same as formerly it was to them and their seed especially when it came in their own Scripture dialect The promise is to you and your children And to them afar off even as many as God shall call therefore 3 To cleer this latter part from this â—bsurd interpretation which M. P. gives that the promise is restrained in the whole v. when he saith Even so many as God shall call I A. With Mr. Sidenham we have in this verse an exact distribution of the world into two parts Jews and Gentiles and to these two â—â—rts the Apostle distributeth the promise Onely he restrains it â—â—en he speaks of the Gentiles afar off For so they are called Eph. â— 1â— 13. in bringing in these words Even so many as the Lord â—ur God shall call which words cannot be referred to the former â—rt of the verse for in that he applyes the promise to the Jews and â—heir children in the present Tense because they were then under the call of the Gospel as if he had said Repent and be baptized now whilst you have grace and mercy tendered for the promise is to you and your children but when he comes to speak of either the â—en Tribes as M. P. will have it or the Gentiles he turns the Tense in to the future because they were yet afar off and not called the promise is to them also as many as God shall call So that if this clause should limit the whole verse then to what purpose should the Holy Ghost bring in the word children for that had been superfluous because Jews and Gentiles comprehended the whole world And then the words must have run thus the promise is to you Jews and to them afar off as many as God shall call or if the word children be kept in as the Holy Ghost hath plac'd it then thus the promise is to you Jews when God shall call you and to your children when God shall call them and to as many as are afar off when God shall call them might not they have replyed why what need all this Tautology If the promise belongs to us upon our being called and to the Gentiles upon their being called you need not tell us it belongs to our children upon their being called for we knew that before But therefore the word children is kept in to shew the special priviledges God hath given them when the parent is converted And then the sense runs cleer Repent and be baptized For the promise is to you and your children and to them that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call in a smooth Honorable stile becoming the Gospel thus we see that rather then he will make his sense stoop to Gods word he will make the Holy Ghost stoop to his Non-sense From which therefore we may gather notwithstanding his insinuating perswasions that this Text makes against us it is abundantly cleer that this promise here spoken of is that of Abrahams covenant which the Apostle Gal. 3. explains to be a Gospel-covenant and was confirmed by Christ 430 yeers before the Law so that still the result amounts to this That if it be Abrahams covenant it must convey the blessings of the covenant to all within the covenant that is to the spiritual seed spiritual blessings to the temporal seed external priviledges onely but still by one covenant IV. To come to the Scriptures before brought his intent thereby was to prove that the promise of remission of sins and the gifts of the Holy Ghost and so justification to life belongs to all those which God shâ—ll call A. He errs not observing the Scriptures nor the distinctions thereof Gods call is two fold External and internal yet so as that the latter is conveyed in the former and sure a man must needs grosly mistake to affirm that all that are called are justifyed and their sins remitted for then Judas had been justifyed and Simon the Sorcerer saved for they were both called and both baptized yea all that are called everywhere to repent would then be justifyed and all those Apostates that are in these days fallen from the truth would be all saved for they were all called so the foolish virgins were called 2. Let it be considered that the promise of Abrahams covenant is here held forth Now all that are visibly called to embrace the covenant are not effectually called though nevertheless all that are effectually called are within that covenant The Church at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus the seven Churches of Asia were all called visibly within the covenant but we know they were not all effectually called we may then still see how sadly M. P. mangles the Scriptures when he brings proofes that relate to an effectual call to prove that all that are called without any distinction shall be justified and saved so that if he can but finde out the word call in a Text t is enough no matter how it is applyed P. Pag. 130. This Text is cleer to prove that those Jews and proselytes that then heard him and their children also the ten Tribes and Gentiles afar off the promise did belong to so many of them as Gâ—d should call Therefore except souls be given up to a spirit of delusion will any dare to affirm that the promise of the spirit and remission of sins and eternal life do belong to any other or will they be so ignorant to judge those promises did belong to the generation of the Jews though they were called or not called c A. We never affirmed that remission of sins or eternal life belonged to any but such as are effectually called therefore the spirit of delusion and ignorance yea the spirit of impudence hath seized upon him so to affirm But this we say that all that are visibly called to embrace the tenders of the Gospel by a visible subjecting thereto are
faith doth reach the seed so as to incorporate them into external priviledges Gods carriage to Moses when he neglected his duty to seal his child doth sufficiently evince Exod 4.2 4 5 6. and agrees with Gen. 17.14 2 Faith and Repentance is required also upon a personal account to initiate such as come to yeers that are converted to imbrace the Gospell as Jews or Heathens or any other unbaptized persons But therefore I hope that since he hath brought this instance he will afford them to interpret their own meaning which they have best done by their practice though it may be not so orderly as he ought However we cannot but observe in this as in the like by searching after Antiquities and quoting the presidents of antient Churches and wracking the books and meaning of the Fathers as C. B. and others have done they would gladly get some humane Authority to countenance their Innovations But their fingers have been knockt off from that by worthy Mr Cobbet of New-England that I believe they do not much care to plead humane Antiquities more P. p. 32. If the covenant of life belongs to all believers seed then we need nor want for Church-members because all the world are the children and off-spring of believing Noah therefore this Argument carries the right of covenant to all the world because they are the children of a believer A. We do not baptize believers children for want of Church-members but because it is an Ordinance of Christ And though all the world be the off-spring of believing Noah yet what he affirms is untrue that therefore Noahs Faith carries the right of covenant to all the world upon these reasons 1 Because God did not pitch upon Noah to make him the Father of the Faithful as he did upon Abraham to whom he gave the promises Heb. 11.17 2 Therefore as children we are to acknowledge him to be our father that God hath made to be so which is faithful Abraham to whom he gave the seal and not faithful Noah And had God pitcht upon Noah as he did upon Abraham no question but Noah had circumcised his son as Abraham did but 3 Had God chosen Noah as he did Abraham yet it follows not that all the world could claim a covenant-right to the seal because all the world were not heirs of promise as we see the seal continued not in the race of Ishmael because discovenanted though yet he was a son of Abraham For upon the same ground M. P. argues all Abrahams off-spring to the worlds end should have been circumcised But therefore Faith ingraffs as unbelief cuts off by all which we see how vainly confident he is in what he saith and affirms Thus the honor and reputation of that Text 1 Cor. 10. stands untoucht For indeed whatsoever he hath brought thereupon with which he fills twelve pages together is but meer impertinences because he hath taken a wrong aym from the Text. CHAP. XVIII The cleering of Mark 10.13 about children being brought to Christ with other Scriptures THe next place he pretends to meet us in by way of encounter is Mark 10.13 And they brought young children to him that he should touch them And his Disciples rebuked them that brought them But when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not For of such is the kingdom of God Verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child he shall not enter therein P. The first thing to be considered is whose children these were whether of wicked or godly Parents but by the former discourse in the chapter it should seem they might be wicked and ungodly Parents because there was such mentioned before that tempted Christ Rep Be sure ill will never thinks well and his ground to think they were wicked is non at all for how often doth one and the same chin Scripture speak of three or four distinct things that have no connexion with each other the subsequent having no dependance upon preceding discourse it is needless to give instances the Scripture is full thereof But 2 That they were believing Parents consider these grounds First they were such that in those days did visibly own Christ and if we consult Mark 10. fully It was not long before Christs Passion when he had many enemies abroad And therefore danger might ensue such an action And who would adventure to abide the frowns of great men for Infants were it not their own Parents and such also that had a face heavenward Again he P. Consider also wherefore they were brought to Christ it could not be to baptize them because Christ himself baptized none therefore it was probably to cure some bodily disease or distemper for the Text saith he laid his hands upon them and blessed them A. We never brought the place to prove that Christ baptized â—hem but to shew the abundant love care and good-will that Christ bears to such little ones especially to take such into his kingdom And for him to say or think that it was to cure them of some disease is stâ—ange For why then should such words be added why then should he take them up into his arms why should it be called a blessing them it is a word too high for a common cure yea to think the Apostles should keep any off from Christ that came to be â—ured of diseases smells too much of uncharitableness It is cleer therefore they were brought to Christ for a blessing which though it were not baptism it might be for confirmation after baptism for it is likely they were baptized by John because the plâ—ce where it was done was in the coasts of Judea where John had before been bapâ—izing which also gives some more probable grounds I say no more that their Parents were godly because as John pointed at Christ in ad ministring the Ordinance so we finde these taking notice of Christ accordingly and that there was imposing of hands after baptism consider Act. 8.17 18. ch 16.6 sure it is Christ would have us learn something from that carriage of his that Infants are capable of covenant-blessings for in that channel all blessings run By which it is apparent that we have the stronger ground especially if to it be added a finger of Charity that their Parents were not onely godly but the children had been before taken into Abrahams covenant And the seal thereof as will further appear in the next P. For of such is the kingdom of God Now it is doubtful whether these children had believing Parents to the fift or sixt generation therefore if you make it to countenance that error of the covenant in the flesh that appears erroneous in that the greatest number of believeâ—s children never belonged in that sense to the kingdom of God Adam had a Cain as well as an Abel Noah had a Ham as well as a Shem Abraham had an Ishmael as
that barest not the covenant of grace is become fruitful in all Nations and therefore Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all and that us or we i. e. members of the Primitive Church be formed â—rom above by faith in a promise From hence it is plain there were no carnal babes in the Church but when Christ the true seed of grace was persecuted by the Jews he seed of the covenant of works the Gospel doth plentifully hold forth the abolishing thereof and casting out those bond-children out of the Church of God Rep. To shew the vanity of all this we must track him by due parallel by which we shall see the mysterious depths of confusion he is un into after which I shall briâ—fly cleer up the Apostles intent from â—hat Scripture 1 If Abraham stands here as a type of God and his two wives as type of the two covenants then as Hagar bâ—ought forth Ishmael to Abraham a type of God So must the covenant of works bring forth by strength of nature children unto God and those children are as â—uely the sons of God as those born by promise as Ishmael was as â—uely son to Abraham as Isaac 2 As Abrahams affection was that Ishmael might be the son of promise so is it Gods desire that the seed of the covenant of works should be the seed of promise 3 As Hagar and Sarah lived together in Abrahams family a type of God till Ishmael scoft Isaac so shall the two covenants and their seeds dwell together in heaven till the covenant of grace be scoft at by Hagars seed P. Secondly When he comes to explain himself then saith M. P. God made a covenant of grace which proved barren and then a covenant of works which proved fruitful as Abraham had first Sarah then Hagar A. Did not God know the covenant of Grace would prove barren 2 Because that covenant proved barren therefore the other covenant was given to God that he might have seed as Hagar was given by Sarah to Abraham that was the type of God 3 To make Abraham a type of God here is to make him a creator tâ—at as God made the two covenants which were to be as his two wives so Abraham made Sarah and Hagar I hope when M. P. comes to review his work and to consider what gross wickedness follows in maâ—ing Abraham the type of God he will blush at his own boldness blindness and ignorance P. Thirdly When Christ the true Isaac was named i. e. came nto the Ministery then the Scribes and Pharises persecuted Christ â—pon which the free-woman or covenant cast out the bond-woman and her sons i e. the covenant of works and her children by nature which was the National Church of the Jews A. All this while he hath carryed on the parallel of the two covenants till he hath cast out all the Jews and their off-spring that pleaded a right to Abrahams covenant in the flesh but M. P. forgets that the Apostle tells us there was some never broken off nor never cast out when as some of the branches were broken off Rom. 11.17 and he forgets that the natural branches i. e. the Jews and their children shall be taken in again ver 24 25 26 27. which must be therefore into the oâ—d flock or root which remains P. Fourthly the free-woman or covenant doth now testifie that the bond-woman i. e. the covenant of works and her children shall never remain in Gods Church now but onely the children of the free-woman shall remain in Gods house A. By children of the free-woman he understands real and true believers so that the inference riseth thus that in the Gospel-house and Church of Christ there shall be none that belongs to the covenant of works that 's abolisht and the seed cast out that now thâ— Churches are all Saints are all heirs all free-born no hypocrites and thus what Paul writ to the Romans Galatians Philippians and tells us that in those Gospel-Churches there were many under that covenant and yet Church-members is by M. P. reproved for falshood for the free-covenant of grace had cast out the covenant of works and her seed long before P. Fifthly Now rejoyce then barren that barest not the covenant of Grace is become fruitful in all Nations therefore Jerusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all i. e. of us the primitive Church born by faith in a promise A. The Reader may remember he hath often before told us that the spiritual covenant of grace as it did not run upon intail so was it made indifferently to all Nations and that it was not confined to the Jews For in that spiritual covenant all Nations had a like share and benefit in thy seed all nations are blest Now if that be true then this is false For what cause hath the barren covenant of Grace to â—ejoyce now more then it had of old for she had her seed in all Nations then according to the intent of promise or if this be true what he hath said before is false so that take it which way you will he is judged out of his own mouth 2 To that other part consider how many hypocrites there were in the primitive Church Judas with his followers ofâ—en mentioned were these born from above by faith in a promise thus then his own Conscience may by this time tell him he hath been deceived and deuded in the opening of Sâ—r ptures Abraham was no type of God in this Gal. 4. but held forth as the father of the Church-seed v. 22. And so Hagar brings forth children to Abraham as well as Sarah the â—ree intent of this place appears to be this The Apostle in this chapter brings this Allegory to convince those Galatians which having imbrac'd Christ were fallen back to the Law Ceremonial and to seek for justification by works And therefore he calls them fools and tells them they were bewiâ—ched to fall back from Gospel Oâ—dinances to the Law from the spirit to the flesh from liberty to bondage ch 3.11.5.1 2 3 4. and having used many pressing Arguments in the preceding chapter he at last comes in with this example of Sarah and Hagar to shew that as Hagar when she thought to mistress it was cast out of Abrahams family so So the Law ceremonial when made a covenant of works and the Law moral also in that abusive sense was to be cast out of the Church of God both under the Law and under the Gospel But as Sarah was contented to have Hagar dwell with her a servant so in that sense did the law ceremonial moral attend grace being in truth the Law of Christ But as a covenant of works it could not make one heir of promise Therefore it was but a foolish thing for the Galatians to think by works to merit heaven for there was never any man saved by works ch 3.11 But if your heart and affections be set that
way it genders to bondage and makes you fruitful to hell so leaves you under the curse of God v. 24 25. look upon Jerusasalem and her children that is upon all those amongst them that lived under the works of the Law and were mistaken as you are Are they not all in bondage and doth not Gods wrath lye upon them at this day ver 25. Then again look the other way See to Jerusalem which is above the Church in heaven or the Church that hath her conversation in heaven she is free she got heaven by faith and was justifyed by faith and not by works she is our mother ver 26 so before was not Abraham our Father justifyed by faith And here Is not the Church our mother got to heaven by faith And what shall we think to be justifyed by our works No saith Paul it is a mistake for the desolate i. e. the Gentile-Church shall have more children then the warryed wife i. e. the Jewish Church therefore let the Gentiles rejoyce rather and be thankful that God hath made them more fruitful then to fall back to a covenant of works and then again he brings in Isaac Look to him For as he was we are children of promise As if he had said we are to look to Abrahams covenant and how the promise was made with him and his seed The present condition of this Church resembles that family though he had many children yet there was but one Isaac to whom the covenant was conveyed therefore away with this Justification by works cast it out it will not make you heirs so then brethren we are not children of the bond-woman but of the free Thus you have briefly the natural meaning of the places after all those unheard of parallels and confused constructions wherewith it hath been intangled to make it speak for a knocking of that little nail of Infants out of that sure place of Gods house The next Scripture that falls in to be considered is Act. 13 45 46. when the Jews saw the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things that were spoken then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary the word of God should be first spoken to you but seeing you put it away and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life Lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us P. From this Text it is cleer that when Christ the true seed was persecuted by the Jews and the Gospel rejected all those children of the covenant of works were cast forth of Gods Church the Apostles hâ—ving left them A. Though Paul and Barnabas had left the Jews yet Peter James and John who were the Apostles of the circumcision Gal. 2.7 8 9. had not left them but continued therefore this proves nothing at all for the discovenanting of children 2 Suppose they had been wholly left by the Apostles and so were all in bondage with their children as that 's the drift of his words then their rejecting the Gospel which caused the Apostles to leave them was the ground of theirs and their childrens falling into bondage The Apostles bringing that Gospel to the Gentiles supposeth that upon the imbracing of that Gospel they and their children were freed from such a bondage or take it in his own phrase though the covenant of works and her children were cast out of the Church yet the covenant of Grace and her children are still remaining in Gods Church P. Therefore whereas M. P. tells us in pag. 145. that the forementioned Objection is answered and that we have no ground in Gods word for Infant-baptism A. He hath not given the least shew of an Answer to the Objection but it still stands in force as is by this manifest and notwithstanding all his vain distinctions workings and counterworkings of Scriptures to make them speak a word of comfort to his practice doctrine and opinion and of confutation to us they still cry out in the behalf of childrens right to the seal as those little ones did who met Christ with branches of Palm-trees Blessed is he that cometh to us in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest Reader we are run through the main body of all his Arguments and Scriptures what remains behind is very little onely heats of spirit against such as will not follow him to the Rivers side and so like those blind men Christ speaks of follow a blind guide till they both tumble into the water But because the temper of his spirit shall be seen I shall therefore briefly touch upon the remainder as it comes to hand CHAP. XX. Contains the Answer to many Scriptures by him abused to the end Pag. 145. HE quotes Ezek. 14.2 3 4 5. The word of the Lord came to me saying Son of man these men have set up their Idols in their hearts and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces should I be inquired of by these c P. In which place you see when souls set up an Idol in their hearts God doth answer them according to that Idol Therefore such as defend Infant-baptism from a covenant of Grace in the flesh they defend and maintain a dangerous error and consequently it must be rotten and false A. Well argued Sir is it not who is it that hath set up an Idol in his heart what all the Churches of Christ throughout the world Surely were not your heart swell'd with pride though yet pretending a voluntary humility to catch souls into your snares you durst not speâ—k such condemning words to abuse the way and Word of God P. Pag. 146 He gives another result childrens baptism hath no ground from the word of God either command or example but only a consequence so that it is meerly a tradition of mens setting up in the room and place of the commands of God to wit baptism of believers and thus they make void the commands of God Mar. 7 7 and thâ—s is the very sin of those that plead for Infant-baptism when Gods word sâ—ith Repent and be baptized and arise why tarryest thou be baptized These and many more are made void by christening of children and thus poor souls are nurst up in ignorance c. A. It had been far better to have overturned our pract ce by dint of Aâ—gument Scripture and Reason and to have left cut all such superfluity of naughtiness which tendâ— onely to reviling these Texts have been already answered and our practice hath appeared to be warranted from the covenant of Grace and the pleasing consent of Scriptures which is undenyab e to any man that is not partinacious in his errors it is an Ordinance that the Churches of Christ stand possest of and doth he think to perswade good men from their Religion Râ—ason and Conscience by telling us it is a teaching for Doctrines the Traditions of men He must therefore come to a new result and tell us when the Tradition began
judge how they cross the doctrines of the Gospel in baptising visible graceless Christless children A. This appeal is made to you that fear the Lord you see what his four last words speak visible graceless Christless children but why visible was Isaac so when an Infant who was the seed of promise and doth not Paul tell us as he was we are children of the promise If as he was then as the seed of covenanting believers as he was Gal. 4.28 see the censorious spirit of this man who is not ashamed to say believers seed are visibly graceless when as Paul tells us they are to be reputed holy 1 Cor. 7. Which way saith the false Prophet went the Spirit of the Lord from me to you when he strikes Micaiah on the cheek If the Apostle tells us that children are holy Mr. Patient will be sure to flye in his face and say they are graceless Christless children However you to whom the appeal is made receive it and when you have done make your complaint to God and be not frighted from owning those which God owns the King is bound to maintain the cause of his subjects And such are Infants For of such is the kingdom And God will in due time plead the quarrel of his covenant against all their opposers it will be seen in this generation P. p. 153. He comes to lay down an Objection of such as would have no baptism at all which though it doth not so properly relate to us that maintain it yet A. I shall give the Reader this hint whatsoever he saith for dipping of believers it hath been already answered And therefore let me advise you to be so far either from casting off the Ordinance or imbracing a false Ordinance that you keep close to that good old way of baptising the family-Infants of Jesus Christ and for the better strengthening of such whose weakness may not be able to oppose Satans depths as that good woman once said she could dye for Christ but was not able enough to dispute for him Besides what is before laid down consider Mat. 21.43 The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to another nation bringing forth the fruits thereof The kingdom of God there mentioned was the Church of the Jews who had the laws and the Ordinances of worship amongst them in which kingdom were included as subjects men women and children by vertue of Gods covenant made with Abraham the father of all Church-incorporated-believers both Jews and Gentiles then and now Now saith Christ this kingdom of God should be taken from the Jews and given to the Gentiles from whence then we may easily gather that if Gods kingdom now given to the Gentiles be the same for substance with that which was taken away from the Jews then must the Infants of Church-believers be also subjects of this kingdom as they were then and the reason is undenyable because it is implyed in the words of Christ Not to be another but the same kingdom for had the Jews been fruitful subjects the kingdom had still remained with them and not been removed A second place to be considered is that of Paul Heb. 3.5.6 And Moses verily was faithful in his house as a servant But Christ as a son over his own house whose house are we The Apostles intent was to draw a parallel betwixt the family of God then and now in both which families Christ was the son And the first house was as well Christs house as the second Mat. 21.13 Isa 56.7 compared the inference is this that as the family of Christ in the first Gospel-house to Israel did consist partly of children so doth the family of Christ in this second Gospel-house consist of the same for it would be unreasonable to think that Christ had changed the family and so cut off children now such thoughts represent him to be less faithful then Moses who was but a servant Obj. But what command have you for your practice these are natural inferences but nothing should be practised without a command A. If this Objection be admitted then as before the Sabboth is null because there is not a cleer New-Testament command to keep it and yet should it not be observed the Ordinances of the Gospel must fall For what Ordinances can be practised if there be not a time appointed by Christ that shall bind all Christians which yet must be found out from Scriptures compared the old-Testament and new being laid together and not severed with the constant practice of all Christian Churches from the primitive time so that they may as well make the Sabboth-day Antichristian because it wants such an institution as Infant-baptism for they are inseparable twins 2 But the Scriptures do hold forth a command from Mat. 28.19 Go and disciple all Nations baptizing c. It hath been before cleered that this command reaches children to which I refer the Reader in answer to his four Essentials But the sadness of our times is that men have such itching ears that notwithstanding the Scriptures speak and the spirit speaks and Gods Ministers speak yet they will not hear 3 We that are children under the Gospel have also a gospel-Gospel-father to look at For when the father of a family receives rules to walk by and to order his children it is reasonable that they should submit Now the bond of the covenant was given as the standing rule of the house to Abraham as the Church-Father of all covenanting believers both Jews and Gentiles Rom 4.11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18. Gal. 4.28 And therefore if he had a command to in-church his seed whilst Infants Gen. 17 9 10. and to give them the token of the covenant in their generations then look what token or seal God shall affix to his covenant either of circumcision then or baptism now it is and ought to be obliging to all his seed to a thousand generations Psal 105.8 till Christ shall remove it and had not the example of Abraham as a father been binding to the seed the Apostle would not have turned the Christian Churches of the Gentiles to look upon Abraham thereby to rectifie their mistakes in doctrines of faith Ro. 4 1 2 3 4 9 10 11 12 23 24. c. 11 16 2â— Gal. 3.6 7 8 9 so that it is apaâ—ent that what command was given to Abraham as a father in the sense beforementioned is in force to all his children that Objection therefore is null Having laid down these things to be duly weighed I shall pass over many pages which he hath written to such as are against all baptism and shall gâ—ve him a meeting in tother side P. Pag. 160. But some will say they are not drawn forth by a divine power to embrace it though convinc'd to which M. P. answers that where God gives grace there he doth give a power to submit to all his ways and so to this of plunging A. T is an undoubted truth that as God gives