a type of his calling and chusing his elect from out of the men of the world Deut. 7.6 7. The Lord hath chosen you because he loved you c. And therefore be you separate from all other nations though they rebell yet be you separate from them And they might not make any marriages with them that were of the Gentiles Jacob shall dwel alone in ordinances priviledges and separation Ezra 10.11 12. Give praises unto the God of your Fathers and doe his will and separate your selves from the people of the land and from the strange wives And the people answered We will doe according to thy words And Acts 10.28 it was unlawfull for a Jew to keep company with a Gentile And therefore God prepared Peter by letting down asheet to goe to Cornelius by which he made it clearly appeare the difference was taken away And not onely so but the Land of Canaan was a type of the Kingdom of Heaven because God chose that land for them and gave it them as their proper right and therefore when they shall be called they may fight for it again by divine right it differs not now for they are a peculiar people and a choyce people and that is a choyce and peculiar Land and separate from all other Ephes 2.11 12. The Jewes call them Vncirumcision and without the covenant in an externall manner but look wee at the substance of the covenant and there is no alteration the Jew iâ— saved by faith and the Gentile through faith so as the case is cleare the covenant is the same If any dispute and say that is nothing here for all is from a covenant of grace it was the same with Abraham when he lived 2. Whether the seales of the covenant with Abraham be of the like efficacy with ours in the times of the Gospel The answer is in three things 1. Their Sacraments and ours are not alike in the degrees of efficacy but ours exceed theirs in the efficacy of them for ours seale 1. more clearly 2. more largely 3. more lively 1. In the Clearnesse they shewed Christ to come in the flesh but ours manifest Christ is come and is dead and is risen and ascended and sits in heaven and will not leave till he have wrought it in us so as it is more cleare to us then the law could set it forth and therefore they were called shadowes so it shewes there is a body but when the body is come the shadowes goe away But in the Gospel Christ represents things more neere and things that are more neere are more clearly seen All the Sacraments in the law are said to be dark 1 Pet. 1 1â— We have a more sure word to which you do well to attend unto as to a light that shineth in a dark place untill the Day-starre arise c. where the Law is compared to night and the Gospel to the Day-star Hence Numbers 24 17. I shall see him but not now I shall behold him but not neere c. The Law endured till John but now the Star-light is gone Hence our Saviour saith Hâ—â— that is least in the Kingdome of Heaven is greater then he that is in the times of the Gospel So as by all this it is plain the light is more cleare now then in the time of the Law Hence all the types of the Law led people about John 16.23 24. I say unto you whatsoever you shall ask in my Name he will give it to you Hitherto you have asked nothing in my Name c. Hence Interpreters say he alludes to the Law that led men about but not directly to Christ but we are led directly to Christ they led not to Christ nextly but in types Some think he meanes they have asked no great maâ—ters but the minde of God is in that day that 〈◊〉 when I shall see you again after my death you shall ask nothing but it shall be given you that is when he was dead and risen again they did question it before about seeing him again but they shall never question it more after his resurrection for then they shall see it clearly they shall look at Christ as come into the world and dead and risen again you have asked nothing in the name of a Saviour that hath satisfied And some thinke and I think they have the truth but after they shall ask in the name of a Saviour that hath satisfied and fitting at the right hand of God hence they are called better promises Hâ—â—r â— 6 because now it is not what should be done but now he hath performed it and therefore it is better in that regard This is the ground of the Sacraments in the Gospel and so it is more clearly 2. Ours in the time of the Gospel is of a larger measure more abundant then in Abrahams time they were after the great work of our redemption was accomplished then was the season for the ful accomplishment of a larger measure of grace to be declared By death Christ did conquer by his resurrection he did triumph and by his ascending he went into his own countrey and then was a full time for the large communication of all grace to his Church therefore it is said the Spirit was not given because Christ was not yet glorified Ephes 4.8 When he ascended upon high c. Hence Paul saith The Law made nothing perfect but when Christ came he perfected all things Heb. 11.40 The Saints under the Law had imitiation but not perfection they heard of Christ to come but if hee had not come they had not been perfect but we are in the time of perfection now in the time of the Gospel 3. They are now more lively and more vigorous then they were then Heb. 8.13 In that he saith a New Testament hee hath abrogated the Old c The Old is decayed but now it is New and fresh Hence we see the measure of it I will put my law in your heart and all shall know me We need not say know me for all shall know me they shall all know the things of God and grace Thus ours exceed theirs in the time of the Law in the degrees of efficacy The 2d proposition wherein the pinch lieth the Sacraments in the old Testament and ours agree they have the like spirituall efficacy in the kind though in the degree ours exceed theirs The opening of this will scatter the cavils of Papists and Anabaptists What is meant by spirituall kind two things First the things of the covenant that were to be sealed Secondly the manner of the conveyance 1. Christ interest in him and participation of the fruit and benefit of his merits and obedience by consequence all outward benefits are consequences of the covenant of grace life and peace Malac 2.5 My covenant was with him of life and peace c. The covenant of Grace being conveyed unto them Christ is now the Prince of peace the pith of all the covenant of grace the
same I proved that the possession of Christ is the stablishment of the heart in it there lies the power of the Sacrament 2. The manner of it as theirs did in the old so ours in the new it lies in three things 1. It signifies God and grace 2. it conveyes And 3. it exhibits grace the same spirituall efficacy in those in the law and of ours and of the like vertue Gen. 17. compared with Rom. 4 12 And the Father of Circumcision not unto them onely that were of the Circumcision c. it was the seale of the covenant of Faith it exhibits the meaning there in the law and so theirs and ours are alike insignifying sealing exhibiting to the party an interest in Christ as in the Law so in the Gospel Here they are alike in degree they differ but for the kinde they are the same This I proved to you I will cleare it by reason In 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. I would not have you ignorant that all our fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea c. I wil shew you the scope of the Apostle His aim is to pull a way the carnall confidence which they placed in their priviledges which they thought would preserve them from plagues They could say we have Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord we eate the flesh of Christ and drink his blood and are advanced so that we shall be preserved from such plagues No saith the Apostle these will not doe it for I can shew you a people had these as well as you which were overthrowne and destroyed in the wildernesse they were as eminent as you and yet they were destroyed they had the Cloud and the Sea as well as you have Baptisme and they had Manna and the water out of the Rock as well as you have bread and wine in the Supper of the Lord yet their priviledges would not preserve them no more will yours preserve you This is the meaning of God in the words so as it is a folly for us to think if we sin as they did that we should not be plagued as they were They that are truly said to be truly baptized in the right use of their Sacraments their Sacraments are the like with ours but so they are said to be by the Spirit of God Thry were baptized are the words of the Text and therefore if we should deny it we deny the words of the Spirit of God which is blasphemy to doe The reason lies in the phrase not because the signes are the same though the same thing be signified instead of Baptisme is the Cloud and Sea the red Sea held forth the like good to them as ours to us the force is the same there is the like vertue in the one as in the other They are the flesh of Christ and drank the blood of Christ as we do The Manna and the Water out of the Rock was the same with our Supper of the Lord for the good of the Suuper is Christ he is there and our spirits feast His flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed the whole does signifie and exhibit CHRIST it is like ours the elements are not the same but there is the same spirituall food and they seale up the same Christ to them as to us Christ is presented as spirituall refreshing to them and us It is a dream of Bellarmine they were not the same with ours for though theirs were extraordinary yet that hinders not the Argument we look at it as a Sacrament not at the extraordinarinesse of it The third Argument That sense that overthrowes the sense of the Apostle that is to be rejected But to say that Israel did not enjoy the same priviledges in the kind of them is to make the sense of the Apostle void and therefore it is to be rejected The Jewes provoking God shall be punished so shall you It had been easie to have answered they are not of that excellency that ours be and therefore though theirs could not preserve them ours may But now if yee attend the mind of God it is cleare theirs are the same with outs in the kinde of them And this is the first thing that may prevent all cavils The second is from that Rom 4 11. Abraham received the signe of Circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faith c. that is the righteousnesse of Christ received by faith sealed by circumcision that was the seale of the righteousnesle of faith by Gods appointment so as they have spirituall efficacy with baptisme they have the utmost power a Sacrament hath to signifie seale and exhibite the spirituall good of the covenant of Grace it is a seale God appointed and it doth exhibit When a man hath set to his Seale he stands ingaged this promise he doe accomplish Every promise a man makes if he perform it not it is because he is feeble and cannot or because he is unfaithfull and will not but these cannot befall God so there is exhibition where there is sealing if it be appointed for the same and baptisme can doe no more but signifie seale and exhibit so is circumcision a covenant of Faith so there is no gainsaying but the Argument is plain in the Text. I will make some collections 1. Hence it is plain that Abraham had was the covenant of the Gospel and Grace It is proved thus That which was the Covenant of the righteousnesss of faith is the covenant of the Gospel that this is so we may see it by the Apostle If it be of workes it is not of faith if it be of faith it is not of workes Rom. 3 But Abrahams covenant is a covenant of the righteousnesse of faith That which circumcision sealed was a covenant to Abraham to say it was a carnall covenant is grosse and to say it was not a covenant of Faith is to deny the text and dig it up by the roots So we see that it was a covenant of grace 2. The Sacraments in the old Testament require and presume and presuppose in the right use of them Faith in the receiver as being the righteousnesse of God I know not how any can deny it it is so clear theirs did require faith as well as ours doe The efficacie of a Sacrament rightly used is to seale up our salvation but abused it sealts up our condemnation The right use of it is to establish our hearts but the abuse of it doth hasten our condemnation 3. Some persons my rightly use a Sacrament with allowance from God and may receive the good thereof that have not the exercise of reason as Infants as we may see in Abrahams time And this will give an answer to all them that shall say How can infants get good by Baptisme when they have not the use of reason Abrahams children had the good of the Sacrament sealed up unto them and yet they had not the use of reason yet they had a right
within us without us as well as work within us without us without any opposition there is the same reason for the one as the other I know nothing to oppose but if he doe the one he may doe the other 4 Hence we may see if this be true that he can seale within us without us it may be conceived that though there be no saving quality comes from the Sacrament the Spirit may worke in himselfe and from himselfe without the work of the child This makes it easie to a mans apprehension it is indeed secret first in God in baptisme this is wrought and the Spirit can seale as well as work it in the soul The third Position There is no quality in the Sacrament as a Sacrament but meetly an instrument a ministeriall worke but the Spirit can work it with ease that way he did work in the old and new Testament in the very same he worketh now Now to the third Head where the main stresse lies and that is in the persons that are capable of the covenant of Grace and that we heard was no weaknesse of faith nor want of yeares Who be they then that be capable subjects For the opening the point 1 We will explicate the point 2 We will answer the objections of the adversaries those that would destroy the comforts of the faithfull 1 Who be the subjects capable for this Covenant and we will speak of it 1 In generall 2ly in particular And this generall shall bee as a Torch set on the top of a paire of staires that gives light almost to all the roomes in the house for passage The first conclusion is That the Seales doâ— not give the first grace but doe presuppose that such as doe receive them are within the covenant of Grace which covenant hath ever in the old and now in like manner in the new sealed up the covenant to them that are partakers of it in which we must consider three things 1 The seales of the covenant doe not give the first grace I will not look at grace as it is in God but as it is communicated unto us it presumes a former favour that they bring in them and being in the covenant they receive God by it Ezek. 16.8 I looked upon thee and thy time was the time of love and I spred my skirt over thee and made a covenant with thee and thou becamest mine First it was a time of love and then he takes them into covenant Psal 106.4.5 Remember me with the favour of thy people c. And if the Sacrament give the first grace then it should be given to all people the Church could hinder none because then they should hinder their comming to God and the Apostle affirmes the contrary by saying 1 Corinth 5 12 13. What have I to doe to judge them that are without c. The preaching of the Gospel must be to every creature because that is a meanes to bring men to Christ but the Seals are to be given to them that are within When any of the Heathen came to joyn with the Jewes it was lawfull for them to become Proselytes they were to turn Jewes that was to professe the same faith with the Jewes And when they were joyned then it was lawfull to circumcise them but else it was not lawfull First they must have a being in the Covenant and then they might have the seales The second part of the Proposition is the Seale presupposes all those to be in the covenant of grace that have the Seals for the Seals doe not make the Covenant but establish the Covenant it is onely given to them that be in the Covenant there is no seal put to a blank so a seale here is taken for granted they are in the covenant Hence baptisme Coloss 2.11 In whom you were circumcised c. Hence we are said to put on Christ Galat. 3.27 so as all our incision and adoption is sealed up by baptisme and it stablisheth the heart Acts 8.37 If thou believe with all thy heart thou mayest c. It is not therefore a carnall covenant it supposes how after ward they ought to carry themselves Rom. 4.11 12. It is the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith so as by faith they receive it They take it for granted Abraham had faith how could it be sealed up and therefore I wonder at the speech of the Authour of a booke come lately to my hand It is in the fifth page I doe not finde the word 〈◊〉 that he did believe in the sâ—â—â— or that it was required he should so doe when the words are so plain Rom. 4.11 By the word which he had being uncircumcised every part of the sentence shews it forth that faith that did make Abraham a father of the faithfull and a patterne did look to Christ as the Object of it and it looks mainly there but Abraham was a pattern and therefore we look at Christ as the blessed seed that faith which he had being uncircumcised by which he was a father to them that were uncircumcised that faith is supposed to be the faith of the seed I know not how any body is able to avoid it Philip. 3.9 That I might be found in him not having my own righteousnes c. that faith of Abraham did look at the blessed seed That man speaks doubtfully which makes me feare he would have said it was a carnall Covenant but that he durst not seeing what was comming down the Hill upon him which he was not able to avoid but the case is cleare that which is presupposed to be in Abraham before he was circumcised is presupposed to be in all that are allowed to receive as Abraham did he being a pattern if circumcision did presuppose faith in Abraham it doth so to all that are to receive the reason is if the same covenant and the same seal was to the rest as was to Abraham the same is required that was in Abraham the same thing seal up one and the same it never differed the same seale it did seale to all alike so as the second part is plain in the text Gen. 17 10 11.12 This shall bee a token of my Covenant c. there was not one covenant for him and another for them but all is one and the same Here it is objected it was a seale to Abraham hee had saith but how was it to his family Answer is The scope of God in the place is to discover a standing rule how sacraments were to be not how they were to be to unworthy persons but how they were to be to persons that receive them aright look at Gods appointing of them in regard of the nature of the seals they doe seal up the same covenant of grace to all that receive them if some pretend they had grace and yet they crept in and had no grace inwardly they deprived themselves of the benefit of the Ordinance yet in the nature of it it aymes at
God shall call So as we see both hold out the same thing First The Command of it Secondly The Application of it so Peter speaks here so as we see it is not onely commanded in Gen. 17.11 but inferred from that covenant made to Abraham Therefore thou shale keep my covenant as 12. verse All the males of eight dayes old shall be circumcised It is by inferrence from the covenant applâ—â—d in reason it is true it is proper to God to appoint sacramenâ—s and seals who can give the grace signified it is he that may doe it but wâ—â—â— it is appointed those that are interesled in the covenant by vertue of the covenant they have an interest and a right to the use of the seal or elâ—â— the sâ—ale hath not the end for which it is appointed Oâ—â—fâ—â—◠〈◊〉 not the use of iâ— that have right to it then no man must use 〈◊〉 or â—â—â—â—y must have an interest in the seale for the seal shews the covâ—â—â—â—t and shewed in the reason thus That which is infeâ—â—ed from the words and contained in them that is included but so is the seale and therefore it must be included in the text The first part none question The second part rests in the Text and it is included in the Text therefore you shall finde it thus Those that are instated in the Covenant have a right to thâ—sâ—â—le into the entrance and therefore to whâ—â—â—vâ—r they belong it is to them and their seed it is forced from the covenant as if God had said the â—ame you have an interest in the Covenant and you shall have the benefit of it I have given it to take away the sin that is conveyed and brought to the soule and the soule is made partaker of it untill Christ repeale it they that shall receive the seale of the covenant what circumcision shews to them the same does baptisme hold forth to us this is so as nothing is more plain so as you have it because you are in covenant Now you may ask why God doth appoint a seal of the covenant is it for God No for he is faithfull and in him there is no shaddow of change but it is for our end that we may know whom to rest our faith upon for we are ready to stagger and therefore to shore up our faith the Lord gives it to strengthen our faith withall Agam you may say to whom or for whose good doth God appoint the seals of the covenant for those that are within the covenant or those that are without Not for them that are without but for those that be within and to all of them for there is the same reason for all that are in covenant the reason is the same and the right is the same to all to the children of Abraham as to himself the covenant is I will be thy God and the God of thy seed so as this is plain Because they have received the greater which is the covenant therefore they may be partaker of the lesser which is the seale of the entrance the other sacrament he passes that according to their eating for it is a sacrament of growth and there must be examination of our selves we see Gods command for this he appoints and infers it by the covenant and as it is made for them so it is applyed Acts 2.38 Then Peter said unto them amend your lives and be baptized every one of you In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receives the gift of the Holy Ghost For the promise is made to you and your children and to all that are afarre off oven as many as the Lord our God shall call For the use of it he alledges the promise and applics it When they were pricked at the heart then he bids them Repent and be Baptized and then he tells them the promise is made to them and to their children and to as many as the Lord our God shall call even that promise I will be thy God and the Gad of thy seed if God will be a God to you and your children then doe you by the power of faith receive the seale of the covenant to you and to your children the time that was before Christ they sâ—aled up Christ to come but he is now come doe you therefore by faith make it sore and the exhortation is made to parents that receive it to them and theirs Esa 56.34 And let not the Son of the stranger which is joyned to the Lord speake and say the Lord hath surely separated me from his people Neither let the Eunuch say behold I am a dry tree For thus saith the Lord to the Eunuches that keep my Sabbaths and chuse the thing that pleaseth me and take hold of my covenant God comforts them from this those that chose his covenant those that are made partakers of the priviledges of the church that is by joyning them selves to the church of the Jewes they shall partake of the Ordinances of Christ that the Jewes partake of and that is the same that is acted now This is the strength of the Apostles dispute If the promise be made to you and your children then you may partake of the seale you and your children The Apostles Argument runs thus Because Abraham and his children were circumcised as a seale of the covenant so all those that take hold of the covenant have right to the Seale for them and their children it carries weight for weight The Anabaptists are troubled with this and quarrell much at it and say By children here is not meant infants but children by imitation meaning such as follow the steps of their godly parents As John 8.39 They answered and said unto him Abraham is our Father Jesus said unto them If you were Abrahams children you would doe the works of Abraham So as there it is taken in a spirituall sense But this makes nothing to their purpose For this promise makes nothing to that The promise is made to you and to your children that promise is not the covenant but it is another promise the raising of Christ to be a Redeemer it is Christ to the Jewes is meant here so that promise will not abide it This is that they alledge It is true children sometimes are taken for imitation but if it had been so in this place he should have proved it But here is a deep silence and no proofe We further reply the promise cannot be here meant nor can it be the sense of it 1 That promise that is here meant is that promise that gives evidence and interest to the seale of the covenant For they that have the one have right to the other If the promise be to you and to your seed therefore be baptized so as it is not from repentance not bee baptized because you repent that crosses the dispute For Job did repent and yet he had not an interest in circumcision but he must be Jew if
he will partake of the Ordinances of the Jewes So in the Church of Christ repentance is not the ground of the Apostles dispate but repentance is the conclusion The covenant is to your use this is Gods way for you to partake of the Seale it is the way both for you and yours for the covenant was before the seale The promise is there made and that gives an interest into the seale of the covenant it is not the preaching of the Gospel that gives right to the seales of the covenant but those that are in the covenant have right to the seales thereof 2 It is confessed by Mr Spilsbery that all whom God shall call that have answered the call of the Gospel and make profession of their faith they have a title to the seales Those that are here understood they pertain to such as are visibly called But the promise of the word is made to them that doe not answer the word it belongs to them that are called The promise that Christ is come in the flesh is made known to many that never were called but those that are in the covenant of the Church the promise is made for the good of them and their feed 3 If by children we should take men of yeares that follow the faith of their parents we should crosse the letter of the Text and the Apostle who makes three degrees To you your children and those that are far off If the Text run thus The promise is made to you and to all that God shall call that answer the call it crosses the scope of the Text for it is you and your children and as many as are afarre off all three and therefore that interpretation cannot stand If a man have but an humble heart the words are so plain it will carry away the heart it goes from parents to children to those that shall be called hereafter when they come in as you and your children are then they and their children shall have it as you and your children have it and not before Now we will cleare this from all gain-sayers They say Infants of believing Parents may not receive it because they have not ability to receive that spirituall good of the Seale or if they be able God would not have them receive it But neither of them are true or can begranted therefore they have a right to it 1. They are capable to receive the spirituall good of the seale and that appeares thus If children in Abrahams time were able then children are able now But the children were able then and so they are now The second part of the reason is most questionable Mr Spilsbery sayes the seale of baptisme is the seale of the covenant of grace but that to Abraham was but of outward priviledges But consider what hath been said before if the children now be as able as before if there be the same vâ—râ—ue of the seal of the covenant as then as much required then as now for it was to receive the good of the righteousnesse of faith then it must be the same now but it was Christ that the hand of the child did receive and the covenant of Abraham sealed it the seale is one to them that did not believe as to them that did believe as it was to Simon Magus and if they abuse it it is their sin if they refist I know not how to avoid it But they had as much as we and they were as able to improve it God did now appoint it but to say God would not have them have it were to impeach his care to bring them into covenant and not be willing they should receive the grace of the covenant and if not he should be willing to crosse his fatherly love in Christ but Christ he blessâ—th his children and brings them to heaven and therefore he will deny them no ordinance that may serve to that end If it be unlawfull for children to be baptized now then the grace of Christ is of lesse force then it was before or of lesse extent but that is sinfull and therefore it is an error to say so either that it is of lesse force or of lesse extent or to say that now it is to men onely the two parts are plain that it is not of lesse force or of lesse extent then it was before 2 ' Pet. 1.19 We have also a most sure word of the Prophets to the which you doe well that ye take beed as to a light shining in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your bearts They were before in the shadow in comparison but now the day-starre arises that is the Ordinances according as they are called better promises If Mr Spilsbery says the grace of Christ is straitned for all that was before was fleshly it was a fleshly and carnall covenant I answer It is the same now in the time of the Gospel the seale is the same the covenant is the same the interest is the same as in circumcision If he say Ishmael was circumcised I say so was Simon Magus baptized and some other and yet were naught So as to deny it is to deny the Sun to shine or to deny the incarnation of Christ The Use is three-fold 1 Of Instruction Here we may see and for ever magnifie the bounty compassion of the fatherly love of God in stooping to the necessities of his people so that no weaknes of faith or want of years can hinder the compassion of God towards them but he takes measure of all our wants Art thou weak in faith It may be some heavinesse to thy selfe because thou canst not conceive of thy estate so as others can but although thou beest weake yet this hinders not the love of God to thee For he loveth the little ones and therefore the little ones may be comforted for God denies no good to children but even those little ones are deare to him God and Christ are carefull over them as a good Shepheard who will be carefull over the young and tender of the flock to feed them by the budding grasse the weak ones they shall feed by the tender budding grasse by the running waters This is the great indulgence of God to his and his marvellous care over his and therefore let not the weak in faith or a child say God is not carefull of me for God will gather his out-casts he hath mercy compassion for you God is in the Reer-ward nay he is in the Front and Reere too he hath an eye to the sick weak poor dead creatures for he doth not only go before his to incourage them and inable them but he is with them in the Reere and he will gather them up also he will hearken to them wil gather them as the good Shepheard will take the little ones in his armes and carry them tenderly you that are little in your owne eyes you that are in covenant with
THE COVENANT OF GRACE OPENED WHEREIN These particulars are handled viz. 1. What the Covenant of GRACE is 2. What the Seales of the Covenant are 3. Who are the Parties and Subjects fit to receive these Seales From all which Particulars Infants Baptisme is fully proved and vindicated Being severall Sermons preached at Hartford in New-England By that Reverend and faithfull Minister of the Gospel Mr THOMAS HOOKER LONDON Printed by G. Dawson and are to be sold at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1649. THE Covenant of Grace opened in severall Sermons Gâ—nes 17.23 And Abraham took Ishmael his sonne and all that were born in his house and all that were bought with his money every male among the men of Abrahams house and Circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the self-same day as God had said unto him THe scope of this Chapter is to shew the establishment of the Covenant with Abraham by adding the seal of Circumcision and it 's instituted by the cutting off the fore-skin of every male in his house where we may see the obedience of Abraham he does it without any neglect upon all the males in his house The occasion of this is because there are a generation of Anabaptists that do go about secretly to seduce persons and lead them into errour and sâ—â—resie is a mark they are known by Ephes 4.14 That we be no more children carryed about with every winde of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive the word is taken from Cheators that by cunning deceive men and therefore to clear the coast and so prove the lawfulnesse of the Baptizing of children against such deceivers Doctr. There is no weaknes of Faith in persons received into the Church nor want of years in those that are born of them that should hinder them from receiving the â—â—â—l of the Covenant of grace You may see here Abraham and all his family circumcised now you may judge in your selves whether in such 〈…〉 Abraham had it be not likely there were some weal so 〈◊〉 and some if not many doubting being clouded bâ— reason of fâ—â— and were â—â—â—lesse in which regard they might have bin hindred also it may be thought there were many children in the family being so large for he had 300. when he went to rescue Lot and this was some good space of time after and the text saith All were circumcised none were hindred and what was said of Abraham in this truth the same way be said of all truths of the same kinde this is the point Now for the opening of it 1. what this Covenant of Grace is whether it be the same that Abraham had that we have now in the times of the Gospel 2. What are the seals of this Covenant or are they of the same nature now as they were then 3. The Parties and subjects fit to receive these seals all the men and children in a family whether they are not the same at this day 4. In case some should be unworthy yet if they walk so as in the judgement of charity there do nothing appear that make them unworthy whether may not the Church in that case give them the Seals 5. We will shew you the reasons of the point First What is meant by the Covenant of Grace this Covenant of Grace so much as serves my turn at this time it is the 〈…〉 â—â—â—munication of God to a people that he will choose such whereby 〈◊〉 ingages himself to be their God and to make them to 〈◊〉 people I adde that to make them to be his people because that is it that bears up the Covenant and confirms it Secondly When God gave a covenant to Adam it was doe and live and if he had improved that he and his posterity might have had life thereby but now in the covenant of grace it is otherwise now God gives himself freely to his and makes them to be his people so that he will be our God and make us to be his people this is the covenant of grace and it may be considered in a double notion I finde a double covenant an inward and an outward 1. Inward standing in a spirituall institution of it between God and man wherein God cals a people and makes them answer his call and makes himself really their God by Faith and so they have uninterest in God and he performs it in them and makes himself theirs by Faith so that the work is his and those 〈◊〉 are partakers of this covenant shall never â—all but this is to his 〈…〉 2. There is an outward covenant and this is thoâ—e large the dispensation of this God gives on his part to Christians and then ingagement on their part is subjection to him and by this God does advance a people by outward dispensation he declares himself to be their God and thereby takes them to be his people in a choice manner and peculiar to himself Exodus 19 5â—â— Now a handfore if you will hear my voice indeed and keep my covenant◠〈◊〉 you shall bee my chiefe treasure above all people though all the 〈◊〉 mine He will discover himself to them and impropriate them unto himself hence they are called the lot of his inheritance Deutr. 32.9 and God is said to know them above all the Nations in the world Amos 3.2 He doth ingage himself unto them and if they answâ—â— the outward priviledge he will make them a choice people and own them in that ingagement and improve himself for their good if they yeeld their Allegiance to him he will enlarge himself to them in his dispensations to them and doth avouch himself to be theirs as they avouch the Lord to be their God Deutr. 26.17.118 This is done by the outward covenant and it is if they keep his commandâ—â—tents hence when they imbrace the ordinances God is said to draw neer to them Deutr. 4.78 and they neer to him all nations may be said to be farr from God that want these outward covenants and he from them and therefore he is said to dwel among them and they to dwel with him Ps 84.10 A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand God takes speciall notice of them and he wâ—ere 〈◊〉 every moment and keeps them night and day hence they are said to come under the wing of God that is under the speciall expressions of his favour The former of these covenants should alway be between God and his people and where it is it never fails if they receive the spirit working of it in them But this outward is more large the inward is more sure the outward is larger and may issue from false grounds and may aym at false ends sometime yeeld in conviction thus Dâ—utr 5.27 God neare and hear all that God shall say and 〈◊〉 it unto us and we will heare it and 〈◊〉 it 3. So they were convinced for the Lord saith in the following verse they have
well said all that they have said When they 〈◊〉 the mountain burning their consciences began to be awakned and this made them speak wall but oh that there were such a heart in them but their heart would not hear to submit sometimes men hear for novelties and that prevailes But we sâ—e Joshua when he was to take his leave of the world and to draw near to his death Jâ—sh 〈◊〉 15â— he saith If it seem evill unto you to serve the Lord chuse you this day whom you will serve c. the answer is the Lord sorbid that wee should serve other Gods for he brought us out of the land of Egypt c. So heâ—e was a convicting conscience and sometime God honouring of them makes them say we will serve the Lord but yet they would not doe what they said Thus we see this outward covenant is more large and may arise from false grounds Hosea 2.13 though she was marryed to God yet her heart was not with him so in Deutr. 29.4 Yet the Lord hath not given an heart to perceive nor eyes to see nor ears to hear unto this day Here may be a question whether the Covenant of grace be the same in the time of the Gospel with that in the time of the Law Answer In regard of the substance it is the same though it may differ in some outward ceremonies or circumstances yet there is no difference in the substance of it Now the Anabaptists to overthrow it call it a carnall covenant in regard of this that is now but as one hath said it is a carnall conceit in them that think so but this is too fulsome and therefore the wisest of them will not own it but doe it mincingly because they would avoid the dint of it they stoope because they have not power to make good the ground 1. That the covenant made with Abraham and with us is the same we may see the text for it is plain if we look Galat. 38. The scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Gentiles through Faith preached the Gospel unto Abraham saying in thy seed c. so it was Gospel he preached to Abraham therefore it is a Gospel covenant and not a carnall covenant God did foresee the frailty of poor ignorant men that would call the gospel a new covenant and therefore he having declared this to be gospel in thy seed shalt all the nations of the earth be blessed the same that is now with the gospel that covenant abides for ever Thus the scripture foreseeing of their folly hath made this plain 2. This is the main scope of that in the 4 of the Romans and in the beginning he makes good this doctrine the Apostle in the three former châ—pâ—ers he had indeâ—voured to prove justification by Faith here he brings in the example of Abraham he proves it to be in the same manner as to Abraham he is called the father of the faithfull not by naturall generation for so he was not a father to the Gentiles but by imitation as is said of the Jews their father was an Amorite and their mother was an Hittite so all the faith full may be said to be justified as he was all the Saints of God may say so it is cutious in the 11 and 12 verses he disputes the reason why he did receive it that he might be the father of all them that believe the question was when Abraham did receive it it was before hee was circumcised Genes 17. This was the reason he is called the father of them that believe though they were not circumcised and after he received circumcision the scope and aym of God was not to hinder any but he that was circumcised was saved by Faith and he that was uncircumcisied should be saved by Faith all should be saved one way there is one way to all in Christ if we atend the 22 23 24. verses we shall see there is no hole unstopped it was not imputed to him alone but for us also so that the scope of God is one to all that believe for that it is imputed to us also as to him in the same way so that what was to him is to me there is the same way of justification to all that is clear here 3. If the summe of the Gospel be contained in the Law and the Prophets then it is the same to us as it is to them but that it is so the proof is Acts 26.22 Paul did preach what Moses and the Prophets did say should come that Christ should suffer and rise from the dead c. so as this was the summe of Pauls preaching that they had spoken 4. If there be one Mediator then there is one covenant he in whom the covenant is made and he by whom the covenant is performed but so it is we have one Mediator also Rom. 3. â—9 Is God the God of the Jews onely is he not the God of the Gentiles so as all is of God so he will save the Jews by Faith and the Gentiles also by Faith so they are all saved by one and the same manner and Isa 49.6 It is asmal thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and raise up the desolatioâ—â— of Israel I will also give thee a light for the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation to the end of the world so that we see it is through him it is performed so that as it is the same God and Christ so there is but one covenant with them And now 5. The covenant of Abraham dos contain the perfection of all spirituall and saving grace that belongs to the Saints of God Matt. 23.32 Christ disputes about the Resurrection of the dead he saith He is the God of Abraham he is not the God of the dead but of the living he disputes from the perfection of the covenant it includes 〈◊〉 the rest This may suffice to shâ—w the covenant of grace is the same 2. Difference is in the manner of the dispensation therein it differs in regard of the circumstances of it 1 In regard of the Ordinance it is divers from Baptisme in that there was cutting away here is washing away that was to the male this is to all that was to be done on the eighth day this may be on any day But these things doe not make another Sacrament though the manner be divers in administration of them that lookâ— at Christ to come that he should be incarnate was sealed by that but by baptisme is sealed that Christ is come and hath suffered and is raised and set at the right hand of God 2 Hence the outward dispensation was in many types and ceremonies Christ being to come the ordinances went before in types and in their ordinances they had many types nay the very nation and their land was typicall the nation of the Jewes was a type of Gods elect and Gods calling and chusing them from among other nations was
this but if the receiver hinder and stop the benefit it is his fault the sacrament is the same for Children wee must look at them as God allows us and then they were within the covenant for none could say the contrary if there be any inconveniency against Baptisme in this I say if they had it according to their own desire to men of years I will say as much for children as they for them it is a seal of remission of sins suppose hypocrites offer themselves to it as Symâ—n Magus did how did it seale up him when he was still in the gaâ—le of bitternesse so as there is the same inconveniency in men professing faith if we say therefore baptisme is not a seal of our incision it is blasphemy if we look at baptism as from God it intends it the unworthines of it doth hinder but God intends it As the Gospel it is the favour of life unto life if it be worthily received but if it be abused then it is the savour of death unto death If men creep into the Church that are unworthy and hinder the benefit yet it hinders not the seal As the Charter of a City is all that serve out their years and sue out their libertie shall be made free a man comes out of his time and gets out this freedome if after the Master come in and shew how he dealt basely with him in his service and he forfeit all his freedome will you say such a Cities Charter is broken No but his bare carriage was the cause so the ordinance of God is the same and is not to be blamed although the receiver be unworthy So in the Supper of the Lord He that receives it unworthily eates and drinks his own damnation and is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord and it is sealed up to him and yet the fault is not in the Seale 2. Conclusion is this being in the covenant of grace is to be judged according to rationall charity and accordingly it is to be discerned and determined according to the rule of rationall charity and this liberty God hath deligated to the Church for the dispensation of it God gave it to the father of the family in the wildernesse in the time of the New Testament it is given to the Ministers the seale is outward because it is impossible for man to search into the heart and to discover it really it is the Prerogative of God to search the heart Jer. 17.10 The heart is deceitfull above measure who can know it I the Lord search the heart c. God knows the heart many a man judges highly of the things that are naught God hath commended these to his Church and it is impossible to search the heart to finde out a close hypocrite God allows his Church to go to rationall charity to the rule of reason and love by the bounds of love inlightned by the rule of reason and Religion and according to the rule the Church may judge men thus John took a taste of the men that came to him in Jordan by confessing their sins thus we must proceed according to the bounds of love enlightned by Religion and rationall charity 3. This judgement according to the rules of rationall charity is lyable to mistakes Paul was long with Demas and Peter was mistaken by Symon Magus and it is said they went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us c. a man may deceive himself Galas 6.3 If a man think he is somewhat c. yet the Church is bound to go according to Religion we must judge and may pâ—â—â—tice without sin when we are mistaken because it is our ruâ—â— if subtiltie of heart go beyond us it is not the Churches fault God doth require it if he deceive himself and me in the judgement of charity and verity charity may be out-bid therefore covenant grace is one thing and saving grace is another according to the eye of man and the Church such a man is fit Now federall grace is such as all false hypocrites have federall grace they have enough to shew and may receive the seals Now it is possible hypocrites may be in the Church that the Church are not able to condemn nay suppose there were a thousand Churches in England and they receive the best according to the rules of charity in reason there may be many hypocrites come into the Church for it is as a draw net it hath bad as well as good and it is a barn flâ—ore that hath câ—affe as well as Wheat if all were admitted there are millions of persons wee cannot say this man is one sealed for salvation and here is one sealed for perdition no man can say this child or this man shall be damned I cannot say this or that man is a reprobate if all the Churches on earth were together there are many that shall be damned yet I cannot say this man or that shall be damned 4. Conclusion this judgement of charity must proceed on divers grounds according to the divers conditions of the men we have to deale withall of necessity for instance in the Old Law no heathen might be made partaker of the priviledges Esay 56.4 Thus saith the Lord to the Eunuches that keep my Sabbaoth and take hold of my Covenant c. before wee receive him wee must heare him expresse himselfe as they did not receive him nor would not untill he exprest himself Ephes 2 12. They must renounce their Idolatry and imbrace the Law the childe of this man is made partaker of the seal I must judge him in covenant how shall I have reasonable charity here is no profession there are divers wayes of proceedings so that we must proceed upon severall grounds Hence you may observe men of years must be received by profession and confession and practice and therefore they must be divers from Children how must it be done on Children thus in reference to the covenant of their fathers from the reference the Childe hath to the covenant of the father it is made partaker of the covenant with the father and by the father God hath promised that should be a means not that the father conveyes grace to the childe that is a dream but he uses the father as a means and he will communicate himself to the childe as he sees fit here is my ground thou art a means to do good to the childe hence again observe that if according to the judgement of reasonable charity they did judge in Abrahams dayes upon the self-same ground men may and ought to judge children to have right to the covenant if they might we may our grounds are the same the covenant and seal are the same then and now this for the generall 5. Now to the speciall the subjects capable and they are men of years and children First What makes men of years capable Secondly What does make Children capable of this seal
to himselfe although he had no right nor reason so to doe So that if they be left to them selves they would prophane them 2 There will be a confusion on the holy things of God and therefore it is that God hath given them lawes and hath committed these to a community of men and hath left it to them according to the rule of rationall charity to judge whom they will admit and to those they do admit to become subject to those Lawes and Rules and live accordingly so as it is committed to them for that purpose to whom and when they please Thus it was in the time of the Law and thus it is in the times of the Gospel and so it shall be to the comming of Christ 1. Thus it was in the time of the Law they must be in covenant the people of the Jewes were taken in from the world and hee gave them lawes he hath not dealt so with any Nation Psalm 147.20 The treasury of his Lawes were committed to them And Romanes 3.1 all the spirituall priviledges were committed to the Jewes What is the priviledge of the Jewes Much every way c. And Jer. 13.11 For as the girdle cleaves to the loynes of a man so have I â—ied to me the whole House of Israel c. But they would not hear that they might be people to God and then have that honour This is the reason in Nehem. 9.38 he speak thus Now because of all this we make a sure covenant and write it and our Princes and our Levitse and our Priests seale unto it Hence it is that all the choyce priviledges are the Legacies of the Jewes And Exodus 12.43 No stranger shall cat thereof And therefore they must be in the compasse of a visible Church Circumcision is the proper name and livery of Gods people Ephes 2.11 You were Gentiles and called uncircumcision of them that were called Circumcision c. and that were the Jewes and they were the people of God to whom it was left to judge of them that were fit to be made parâ—akers of these priviledges 2 It is thus also in the time of the Gospel they must be ingaged in the covenant and the Seales and Officers and Ordinances of the Church are their propriety As for the Officers Christ when he asconded he gave gifts unto men and ordained some to be Apostles and some Prophers c. Hee spake of some part for the whole therefore in an ordinary way it must be a visible Church the invisible do not meet to chuse but the officers are by the choyce of such a people in such a particular Church and God does set them in a particular Church and the Officers are to dispense the things of God to that Church and therefore a Minister without a people is as a husband without a wife And therefore all the sâ—alâ—s must be dispensed by the Officers of the Church and by none else as appointed by God so to do And therefore the treasury of the Church must be dispensed by faithfull men chosen by the Church Acts 6.3 Chuse you men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost c. If they must be so that must order the treasure of the Church much more the seales which are the speciall treasures of the Church they must be men that have gifts chosen the Sacraments are the seales of the Covenant one with another we are all one bread 1 Corinth 10.17 For we that are many are but one bread And if there be no Officers but in the Church and they that be Officers are to administer onely to the Church they must needs be a company gathered in a Church How a man must be fitted to come into a Church belongs not to me now 3 This must continue till the comming of Christ Rom. 11.17 And though some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wild Olive tree wert grafted in for them and made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the Olive tree Where hâ— speakes of unchurching of the Jews and Churching of the Gentiles If the branches be cut off and thou art grafted in and made partakers of the fatnesse of this Olive tree So as the Gentiles are made partakers of the fatnesse of the Olive the Olive tree is the Church and the fatnesse of the Olive tree is the priviledges that appertain thereunto so as alwayes they must be ingrafted into the Church before they can have the priviledges belonging thereunto and this shall be to the end of the world When the Jews are converted they shal come into a Church of God this is the first they shall enter into a Church and then the fatnesse followes to the branches in the Olive Secondly they covenant for their children as well as for themselves Deut. 29.10 You stand this day every one of you before the Lord your God your Children your wives c. which shewes they may receive the covenant When he speaks of the covenant in the breadth of it then he takes in their little ones and therefore parents covenant as well for their litle ones they undertake for all that shall be born of them they are in their parents loynes all of them are under their power and they have authority to impose the law of God upon them So in Genes 17. 10 11. Let every man child be circumcised and this shall be a token between me and you of my covenant every male shall be circumcised This is the cause why Joshua when he was to depart the world said to the people Chuse you whom you will serve but I and my house will serve the Lord. Every believer hath power to bring his children into this covenant it was a speciall prerogative to Abraham Mr Spilsbery saith If this be to every believing Parent as to Abraham then every beleever must be the father of the faithfull as Abraham was But I deny the consequence for it will not follow if we looke at Abraham as a pattern of believers hence the priviledges and covenant are entailed upon Abraham to all the nations of the world visibly to be dispensed to all the nations of the world and they shall know and imitate him and God will save them He is the Father of the faithfull by imitation the covenant is made after Gen. 12. he is called and the root is stated upon him Although there was a covenant with Noah and Shem yet it was stated upon Abraham and not upon them so as the consequence fails But if we look to his personall faith he hath power to his children onely But No Spilsbery in the 14th page 13th 14th lines if it be meant to all his children he conceives he had many children by Keturah Genes 25. c. which he conceives was not within the covenant for they were not partakers of the seales This will follow for Keturah was not worse then Hagar for she was a Concubine as well as Keturah yet Abraham did circumcise
the end in Christ they are proved subjects of the kingdom of Heaven what is meant by root Christ mysticall Christ conveys living grace to his living members of his body and the branches are those that are planted in Christ by faith and the spirit for faith he mysticall Christ is the Church for the Church are not a mixt company in the 20 23 24. lines I will answer in two things to clear the place 1. It is unfound and does not suite the Apostles meaning 2. If we grant it it will not help his cause to hinder from the baptising of Infants 1. It is unfound were Gods elect of a visible covenant if that onely were the first fruits then Abraham could not Adam Abell Noah and Shem were the elect of God and these were before Abraham therefore this will not hold out that he faith but as the covenant of grace was set upon Abraham so he is the first fruits 2. It hath been proved out of the text as holinesse to the lump so God intends it as a means not that elect people are able to convey saving grace to the lump of all the Jewes in any case 3. If the elect were onely the members he contradicts his own course for those that have a right to baptism are invested into all the priviledges but Gods elect people are not the onely subjects of baptisme for when Iohn Baptist did baptise all those that came to him in the judgement of Iohn they were approved subjects of Gods grace Yet I suppose no man will say though they were men of yeâ—res that were baptised that they were all the elect of God and that they were approved subjects and yet they did not onely apply the seale to themselves for their good but they did abuse the seals and yet they were approved of Iohn to be made partakers of it although some of them were Apostates and Reprobates in a word those that are in the covenant of Gods grace that are elected are really partakers of the work of the spirit inwardly but for the outward we see they are approved which is that of which we now speak not the elect onely but others in the federall holinesse and Abraham was the first fruits by way of covenant 2. That the root here is not Christ mistically conveying grace to his branches and sending nourishment from the head as it is the visible covenant against this I say 1. The Root here meant is that from whom the Branches ingrafted may be broken off that is the Jewes they were broken off from the Church and are at this day but no Branch that is ingrasted into Christ by faith can be broken off First we may see it in the Text Secondly we may see it in Reason he that is in Christ cannot be broken off For whom he called he justified and whom he justified he will glorifie And those that come to Christ he will not cast them away for it is the will of the Father to give them eternall life and no man can take them out of his hand so as the case is cleare 2. The Root is meant the body ingrafted as in the 15. verse If the casting away of the Iews shall be restored the body of the Gentiles 24. 25. verses all the body shall be saved but the body of the Gentiles are not ingrafted into Christ mystically to be belivers so the root is not here and this shews the unfoundnes 3. The reason Mr. Spilsbery uses is against his cause in his 17. page and the last and the beginning of the 18. they carry not the weight of a feather that Christ is the Olive and the Jews are cast out and the Gentiles are grafted in I desire no better reason against him for the Jews are not cast out of Christ mysticall out of this root because it is the Church of Christ where many hypocrites are because they may be cast out 1. In that the Apostle charges the Gentiles for boasting the root bears thee and yet thou have no saving grace but a naked profession and expression in the 17. verse it is a false mistake out of that place boasting is not saving grace for it is a pang of pride God hath no people but have their weaknes of grace Josephs brethren they sold him and would see what would become of his dreams and the Corinthians they did boast one was of Paul another of Apollo but did all these want saving grace No but it is as a caveat given them to pull it down it is not to say they all want saving grace it is false 2. In that the Apostle charges the Gentiles for boasting it is against the argument 3. Thus if the Gentiles be ingrafted in want of grace therefore Christ must be the head the consequence destroyes the conclusion the root is meant as he faith the ingrafted and the want of grace the body butso is no member that is in Christ mystically therfore the root is not meant Christ for the want of grace cannot be in Christ mystically so he destroyes his cause now we shew you the meaning of the text the scope is they should not list up themselves for the Jews were cut off he reasons thus It is groundlesse to boast against the Jew because they receive all from the Jew therefore they should sit down for if they have any right they have it from him for Abraham is the root how by covenant with him Abraham bare by a visible covenant therefore the Gentiles may thank Abraham for it and therefore they have no cause to boast for it was said to him in thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed so the truth is cleared the children are holy but not by a spirituall holinesse but a federall holinesse 4. If we grant him his interpretation it will be no help to his cause if the first fruits and lump be the elect the children are elect also if they be vessels of glory upon the same ground children are elected as well as they and let Christ be the head of those that be ingrafted then children and infants are the branches of this head and so to be judged in charity and if they shall be saved they are members Ephes 5.26 Children shall be saved by Christ they he his body he hath gotten nothing here but we have gained that children have federall holinesse against all opposition The 4th Proposition is Although the ground be not the same yet there is as sure a ground to evidence to judicious charity that children are in covenant as well as parents if they be believers the ground is â—t good to the one as it is to the other to a Rule of judicious charity it is alike to both There is not the same ground altogether because the parents are of yeares of discretion and so they are able to expresse the speciall or common good and therefore they can give a reason of the hope that is in them and ingâ—ge themselves to walk
in the wayes of God with a consciencious performance of it because they are in the compasse of the covenant they are so farre able to put forth this The Soribes and Pharisees they made profession of their faith and they did expresse a readinesse and willingnesse so to doâ— and so they came to John to bee baptized as if they should have said Command and we will doe it and follow it conscientiously And Acts 8.13 Then Simon himselfe believed also and was baptized c. There was a large discovery to say I believe An Acts 2.31 Repent and be baptized c. This is the outward profession of men of yeares that is required of them but it is not required of Infants for those are grounds of rationall charity those are not among infants for that were to require impossibilities and contradictions the first part is evident but they are as sure grounds to children as to parents we will make it good in 3 things all follow from the former proposition 1 Because of the covenant on their parts believing parents enter first into the covenant personally for themselves and their children Deut. 29.11 You your wives and your little ones 2 In regard of Gods acceptance be accepts of both and doth avouch them both to be his and he adopts them both in the same bond at the same time they are accepted of God There is a twofold adoption the one is internall and spirituall and God dispenses this in a various manner in his own wil as to accept the father somtime and the sonne sometime and sometime the one and sometime the other as he pleases so wicked Ahaz had good Hâ—zâ—kiah and good Josiah had a wicked sonne so it was in the Kings of Israel and so we see the accepting of God wise Solomon had foolish Rehoboaâ— these are internall but there is an externall adoption and that to Fathers and Children so we see holinesse is not by generation but by covenant with the Father and therefore to say that holinesse is by generation it is a dreame Amos 3.2 You onely have I known of all the Nations of the earth c. And Deut. 4.23 Take heed to your selves lest you â—â—â—get the covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you c. And Rom. 9.4 who are Israelites to whom pertaine the adoption and the glory and the covenant c. they were all adopted externally and also in covenant but in the internall there is variety of dispensation of that as God pleases 3 There is like federall holinesse belongs to the father and the son 1 Corinth 7. All these we have made good heretofore and cleared the coast by making them good against all opposition Is the father in covenant so is the sonne Is the father holy so is the sonne it is as sure to the one as to the other that is the reason God speaking in those places of the Gentiles as to the Jews he speakes indifferently of both Matth. 21.43 The Gospel shall be taken from you and shall be given to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits thereof And Acts 13.46 You put away the word of God and therefore we turn to the Gentiles So as they have the same mark and observe when they were separate from the Jewâ—s then they are said to be Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2.12 So as the Gentiles were not free Burgesses But now the case is altered Ephes 2.19 You are no more strangers and forraignors but Citizens with the Saints c. Now the Gospel is come to the Gentiles now they are no more forraigners but free Denizens There be three phrases there Ephes 3.6 he speaks of the Gentiles that they were fellow-heires of the same body and of the same promises they were heires of the same Corporation and they had the benefit of the promises Rom. 11.17 They were partakers of the Root and fatnesse of the Olive c. When the Jewes were broken of the Gentiles were grafted in and made partakers of the same fatnesse it was sent abroad to them as well as to the Jewes Hence I will reason severally before I passe 1. That they that have as sure ground by rationall charity ought to have them but they are as sure to children as to parents therefore they should have them and we in rationall charity should dispence them to both 2 I reason thus Those that are ingraâ—ted into the same covenant with the Jewes and are partakers of the same fatnesse as large as the Jewes did they are essentially begotten into the same Olive But so are the Gentiles for what the Jewes had the Gentiles have if in the same Olive God will give the same extent to them as to the Jewes 3 That which appertaines to the covenant as the covenant that must belong to all those that the covenant appertaines unto as that which belongs to a Corporation as a Corporation it belongs to all that are of that Corporation and all have a share in the same But it belongs to the covenant as the covenant to in title Infants to the seale because they belong to the covenant therefore they must needs have the seale In Gen. 17.7 God will establish his covenant with Abraham and his seed and in the ninth verse they shall keep his covenant and therefore he must keep the seale of the covenant and this is the seale of the covenant Every man child among you shall be circumcised because I will be thy God thou shalt keep the seale of my covenant he does not mention expresly what ever seal of my covenant thou shalt keep but this is the seale Thou shalt circumcise every man child so he appoints one that he may keep that and if I appoint another keep that what ever sâ—alâ— I appoint Now I come to the fourth thing to be handled 4 Whether the Church may not lawfully sometimes administer the seale of the covenant to such as sinfully receive the same Answ Thâ— Church may warrantably dispense the seales of the covenant to such as many â—â—â—es doe receive them sinfully and unworthily and doe sinfully 〈◊〉 so doâ—â—g There is a double unworthines one is open that appeares comâ—n outwardly when the wickednesse of mens hearts appeare in thâ—â—â— lives such should be cast out from the Church and the Church hath not allowance to retain them nor to dispense ordinances to them they are scandalous 1 Corinth 5.5 It is heard certainly there is fornication and such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles c. and they had not proceeded against them and therfore the Spirit of God reproves them sharply and does charge the Church with sinne for not doing it In Rev. 2.18 The Church of Thyatira is reproved because they suffered the woman Jezebel to prevaile shee carried the day against the Officers to beare with her sinfully 2 There is an unworthinesse that appeares not to the eye of men close hearted hypocrites which deceive themselves and
to baptise although he doe it in a right manner then this may bee something to prove the Church of Rome is not a true Church and although there be baptisme in Rome yet that doth not prove Rome a true Church I doe say that opinion is true that so many hold 5. I say the proposition is false if baptism be administred in a right manner by a faithfull Minister yet that makes not a true Church if an Elder in new England that is rightly called to Office should go among the Indians and baptise In the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost if the subject should not be baptised there were a sin although the ordinance were rightly administred but this would not follow that the Indians were a true Church although the minister were rightly called yet that does not make them a true Congregation for a true Church is when many believers doe enter into a Covenant to walk together in the fellowship of the Gospel that is a true Church 6. Argument It builds faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall so that they have nothing but the bare word of a man for it the frame of the argument is this That practice that builds faith in matters fundamentall upon humane testimony is unlawfull but the baptising of Infants does so and therefore it is unlawfull for he must bring in humane testimony and so the word of men must be in the place of the word of God Because they seem to place much here and the argument is somewhat unwonted therefore give me leave to inlarge Here I will doe two things 1. I will shew you the vanity of the argument 2. I will rip into the bowels of the argument that you may see the feeblenesse of such and how they will melt as dew before the Sun 1. The vanity of the reason and the weaknesse of it appears thus That practice that builds faith upon humane testimony in matters fundamentall no other wayes then God doth allow and the word warrants is not unlawfull but the baptizing of Infants does not build them no otherwise tâ—â—â— Gods word dos allow in the like case as in circumcision for that was a scale of the same covenant to them that this is to us it is clear that was a scale of the righâ—eousnesse of faith to them and so is this to us and is as fundamentall as baptisme to us a fundamentall of faith those that were circumcised in the law in their infancy as Infants must prove it by their parents it is plain and therefore if any man will charge God with want of wisdome or want of care how shall a childe satisle another but by bare testimony humane every man would condemn this as hellish blasphemy this is enough to dash the argument now we will search into the secrets of the argument and we will doe two things 1. By way of explicition of some passages in the reason 2. We will make application in the first you here of matters fundamentall in that we must know three things First Matters fundamentall touching faith that there is one God in three persons Eather Son and Holy Ghost and Christ the son of the Virgine Mary is the Saviour of the world and that God by his spirit does bring his children to know himself and bring them to his Son and that his Saints are justified by Faith these are fundamentall Secondly there are matters flow from these if God by his spirit make a sinner believe then there is not free-will and that we are justified by the active and passive obed once of Christ and if we have title to the covenant then we have title to the seals 3. Some matters annexed are circumstantiall as receiving the seals in this manner there is a matter of faith and matter of fact faith in matters to be believed or works of mercy matters to be believed or or done are contained to the Scriptures but for matter of fact that is to such a man by name is not contained in the Scriptures Faith comes by hearing and is contained in the scriptures but that such a a man did heare at Hurford the scriptures doe give no testimony that this man by name at this time and place is not contained in the scriptures 3. That a mans faith may be built upon the word and it rest upon the word or that is contained in the word the conclusion must be in the word but the other part in a mans selfe to build our faith on the word is enough if one proposition be in the word and the other hee may finde by experience carry these along with you and you will see the weâ—knes of the Argument we will shew you the Application in three things 1. Children when they doe survive may receive the benefit of baptisme by faith built upon the word of God and not upon humane reason they may receive the benefit of their faith built upon the word thus instanced whosoever doe or have received baptisme by the appointment of God to them God on his part hath sealed up the covenant to them but children have so received and therefore they have the covenant sealed on Gods part to them and therefore they may have the comfort of it that they have received it on Gods part every man that by Gods order hath the seale God seales to him then children by the order of the Gospel have received the seale of the Covenant so both are true but how doth it appear that a childe hath received it that is not to be required in the scriptures but in practice not in the Gospel nor is required in the cause for it is enough that the proposition or conclusion be in the scriptures that this is true I will give you severall instances Thus it is a truth That all children must honour their father and mother and therefore every childe must honour his Parents but how shall the childe know that this man is his Father or this woman his Mother the common testimony is enough to the childe for to give them obedience of faith although it be not set down in the scriptures that this or that man or woman is his parent and so in Leviticus The Unkle must not marry his Neece for that was a sin for all such marriages is unlawfull but how shall this woman know this was her Unkle The constant report of men is enough in this cause And remember you keep holy the Sabbath day this was the seventh day from the Creation to the Jews and the eighth day to us but how should they know which was the seventh day Abraham living so long after the beginning of the world and it was not written in the word which was the seventh day so that it must be by witnesse and so this is enough for the conclusion is of faith So for the benefit of baptizing of Infants the testimony of them that lived when I was baptized is enough to settle me 2. Men of years