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A45681 Infant baptism God's ordinance, or, Clear proof that all the children of believing parents are in the covenant of grace and have as much a right to baptism the now seal of the covenant, as the infant seed of the Jewes had to circumcision, the then seal of the covenant / by Michael Harrison ... Harrison, Michael, Minister at Potters-Pury. 1694 (1694) Wing H905; ESTC R9581 26,416 65

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Covenant that he should condescend to make a Second Covenant a Covenant of Grace with lost Sinners 2. Ex parte Abrahami Abraham and his Seed stand on the other side of the Covenant with thee and thy seed after thee This Seed of Abraham is to be limited according to Scripture not in Ishmael nor his Seed by Ketura but in Isaac shall thy seed be called Gen. 21.12 Abraham had a two-fold Seed 1. A Natural Seed by Generation which are Abraham's Seed by promise Rom. 9.7 8. Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called 2. A Spiritual Seed and these were either the Proselited Gentiles under the Law who did believe in and worshipped the God of Abraham and so were by Circumcision the then Seal of the Covenant taken into Abraham's Family or else all Believers under the Gospel who though they are not of Abraham's Natural Posterity are yet Abraham's Spiritual Seed Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that the promise might be sure to all the seed not only that which is of the law viz. the Jews but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all i. e. the Gentile Believers So Gal. 3.29 By both which places the Apostle assureth the Gentiles That if they are by faith transplanted into Christ then were they Abraham's seed and might claim all the Promises and Priviledges of the Covenant made with Abraham as if they had been Abraham's Natural Seed by Generation from Isaac 2. Here is the duration of this Covenant an everlasting a perpetual or an eternal Covenant a Covenant to last for evermore so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gnolam properly signifies This Covenant was not to be taken down by Moses no nor by Christ but was that everlasting Covenant which was ratified and sealed with the Blood of Christ Heb. 13.20 3. Here are the Conditions of this Covenant on God's part I will be to thee a God which carries in it all manner of Temporal Spiritual and Eternal Blessings as Pardon Sanctification and Eternal Life Psal 144.14 15. And on Abraham's part he and his Seed were to be the Lord 's peculiar People to walk before God in holiness and sincere obedience Gen. 15.1.17.8 9 10. Doct. That Covenant of Grace which God made with Abraham of which Circumcision then was and Baptism now is the Seal is a Covenant in which all Believers and their Children are comprehended In speaking to this Doctrine I shall by Divine assistance do these five things 1. Briefly shew you the nature of the Covenant of Grace 2. Prove this Covenant made with Abraham to be a Covenant of Grace 3. That Circumcision then was and Baptism now is a Seal of this Covenant 4. All Believers are in it 5. That all the Infants of Believing Parents are in this Covenant and have as much a right to the now Seal of the Covenant which is Baptism as the Infants of the Jews had to the then Seal of the Covenant which was Circumcision 1. The nature of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Grace is God's gracious Promise of delivering from a state of Sin and Death and bringing into a state of Salvation by Jesus Christ all that by faith fly to and lay hold on him In which Covenant we may take notice 1. The Parties in covenant God is on the one part of the Covenant and Believers and their Children on the other part as has been proved 2. That on our part Christ is the principal Head and Representative in this Covenant for this Covenant was made with Christ as the Second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed Gal. 3.16 Rom. 5.15 to the end Isa 53.10 11. 3. Jesus Christ is the Mediator of this Covenant 2 Tim. 2.5 4. Herein God promises Life and Salvation to all Believers 1 John 5.11 12. 5. The Condition of the Covenant on our part is Faith Mark 16.16 6. Herein the Holy Spirit is absolutely promised to work Faith and all other Graces in us Prov. 1.22 Ezek. 36.27 and the first graces of Conversion is absolutely promised us without any respect to the will of man Ezek. 36.25 26. This Covenant God made with Abraham was a Covenant of Grace it must either be a Covenant of Works or a Covenant of Grace but a Covenant of Works it is not for that requires personal perfect Obedience from all and in case of sin lays the Sinner under an curse Gal. 3.10 12. Rom. 10.5 It is a Covenant of Grace as is evident 1. This Phrase I will be thy God and you shall be my people is never found but in a promise of the Covenant of Grace as Gen. 15.1 Exod. 29.45 Jer. 24.7.31.33.32.37 38 39. Ezek. 11.18 19 20.34.22 23 24 25.37.23 Zech. 8.8 2 Cor. 6.16 Rev. 21.3 2. It was the Covenant of Grace for it 's an Everlasting Covenant which is a property of the Covenant of Grace 2 Sam. 23.5 Heb. 13.20 3. It 's a Covenant of Grace for we find that in all After-discoveries and Repetitions of the Covenant of Grace the Spirit of God hath respect to this as Deut. 29.10 11 12. Psal 105.42 Acts 2.39 4. It was a Covenant of Grace for Circumcision the Seal of it was a Gospel-ordinance Rom. 4.11 it was a Sign and Seal of the Righteousness of Faith i. e. of Christ 5. It 's a Covenant of Grace for that Phrase I will be to thee a God contains all Gospel-blessings in it Heb. 11.9 10 13 14. Gal. 3.18 6. Many Scriptures testify it was so Micha 7.19 20. Luke 1.72 73 74. 3. That Circumcision then was and Baptism now is the Seal of this Covenant That Circumcision then was a Seal is evident Gen. 17.10 Rom. 4.11 Whoever would be a visible Church-member must be circumcised Circumcision is now abolished by Christ Eph. 2.15 1 Cor. 7.19 And Baptism now serves to the same purpose whoever will be a Member of the Christian Church must be baptised there 's no change in the Covenant only the Rite of admitting Members is changed Matth. 28.18 19. Acts 2.41 Col. 2.10 11 12. 4. All Believers are in this Covenant this is abundantly evident Rom. 4.11 12 13 14 15. Gal. 3.29 The Covenant was made with Abraham as a Believer and with all Believers as well as him Persons may be said to be in covenant in a twofold respect 1. Internally and invisibly as united to Christ living Branches knit to Christ by a vital union and thus only the Elect are in covenant The Covenant thus considered is not the ground of Baptism if we must baptize none but such as are vitally in Christ then must we baptize none because tho we see the outward profession we do not know who belong to the Election of Grace 2. Persons are externally and visibly in covenant Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. Thus all who profess Christ Tares and Wheat wise Virgins and foolish Matth.
Gift and Appointment of God not yet repealed some Infants were once to be admitted Members of the visible Church by vertue of the Covenant of Grace then 't is certain some Infants are still to be so admitted but the former is true therefore the latter Two things must here be done to shew 1. That some Infants were once admitted Members of the visible Church 2. That this Church-membership was never repealed 1. Some Infants were once so admitted by vertue of the Covenant of Grace If any deny this thus it is proved 1. Infants were part of them that entered into covenant with the Lord God and into his Oath that he might take them to be a peculiar People to himself Deut 29.10 11 12 13 14 15. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God your captains of your tribes your elders with your officers with all the men of Israel 11. Your little ones your wives c. 12. That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God and into his oath which the Lord thy God maketh with thee this day 13. That he establish thee to day for a people unto himself and that be may be unto thee a God as he hath said unto thee and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers to Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. 14. Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath but v. 15. with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord your God but with him that is not here with us this day This was not a new Covenant but a renewing the Covenant made with Abraham as v. 13. Into this Covenant their little ones present were taken and their little ones yet unborn 2. Infants were engaged to God by the Seal of the Covenant which was Circumcision Gen. 17.10 Circumcision was not a meer politick Rite as some Frantick Anabaptists have dreamed but a Seal of the Covenant of Grace Rom. 4.11 He received the Sign of Circumcision as a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith That is Circumcision was 1. a Sign of what of the Circumcision of the heart by the Spirit of Christ of the mortifying and killing the old man of the sad effects of Sin both original and actual and the way of recovery by Jesus Christ 2. It 's a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith that is of the Righteousness of Christ imputed to the Believer and received by faith this is a Periphrasis of the Covenant of Grace wherein righteousness is promised and made over to us in a way of believing 3. Infants were baptized to Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. And Stephen calls that Assembly whereof they were Members the Church in the Wilderness From hence it is evident beyond rational contradiction that Infants were sometimes taken into the visible Church as visible Church-members by vertue of the Covenant of Grace Secondly That this Infant Church-membership was never repealed For if Infant Church-membership be repealed then that repeal must be either in Mercy or Judgment but it was in neither therefore it was never repealed 1. Infant Church-membership was never repealed in Judgment for God never revokes his Covenant to any People till first that People break covenant with him which Infants never did therefore being once taken into covenant 't is certain God did never cast them out Now it was a mercy to have Infants taken into covenant Deut. 29.10 11 12. therefore if this Privilege be revok'd it must be in Judgment for as it is a great Mercy to be in the visible Church so 't is a sore Judgment to be out of it to be cast out of covenant Now if Infant Church-membership be repeal'd then the Infants of Believers under the Gospel are in a much worse condition than before Christ's Incarnation certainly Christ did not come to make our Children miserable or to put them into a worse condition than they were in before this would make Christ a Destroyer who is the only Saviour But certainly the Church is now in a much better condition and her Privileges more ample and larger than they were before she hath lost none of her Privileges but gained many more Heb. 8.6 A more excellent ministry better promises Rom. 5.15 16 17. 'T is certain Infants are not thrown out of covenant for that would much darken the Grace of God received in the Gospel 2. Nor is Infant Church-membership repeal'd in Mercy for it can be no Mercy to take away a Mercy unless it means to give a greater Mercy in the room of it Now let the Anabaptists shew what greater Mercy God hath given in the room of Infant Church-membership there is none Therefore it was never repealed 2. If that Covenant by vertue whereof Infants were received into the visible Church was the Covenant of Grace then 't is certain it was never repeal'd But that Covenant by vertue whereof they were taken in was the Covenant of Grace therefore it was never repealed But that Covenant by vertue whereof they were taken into the visible Church was the Covenant of Grace as is most evident Deut. 29.10 11 12. And so the Covenant made with Abraham whereof Circumcision was a Seal Gen. 17.7 10. as the Apostle clearly proves Rom. 4.11 Now the Covenant of Grace is an everlasting Covenant 2 Sam. 23.5 never was nor ever will be repeal'd Infant Church-membership was no Ceremony neither was it any part of the Ceremonial Law if any say it was let them shew what it typified under the Gospel If it were a Ceremony then the Materials of the Church would be a Ceremony and so the Church it self which would be very absurb to affirm Neither was it part of the Moral Law the Covenant of Works whatever pains some of the opposite Persuasion have taken to prove it for the Covenant of Works knows no Mercy neither was it any part of the Judicial Law for Church-membership was not a piece of meer Policy the Church is one thing and the Commonwealth another 3. If there be no mention or record of the Repeal of Infant Church-membership in any part of the New Testament then it is most certain it was never repealed But there is no record of any such Repeal in any part of the New Testament therefore it was never repealed if any say it was let them shew where that Repeal is recorded 'T is true Circumcision is ceased because it was a Ceremonial Type but Infant Church-membership being no Type or Ceremony is not ceased Argument 2. If an Infant was Head of the visible Church then an Infant may be a Member of the visible Church But an Infant was Head of the visible Church for who will deny but that Jesus Christ was Head of the visible Church in his infancy what honour was done to Christ in his infancy both by Angels and men Hence it appears 1. That the Nonage of Infants doth not make them uncapable of being Church-members supposing God's will 2.