having those Promises made to them have not the Good afore exprest then the Covenant would be no security to any of them nor any ground of hope to their Parents as to their future happiness in cafe of their death in their pure Infant-state before they have personally taken haold of the Covenant themselves but the Covenant is some security to the Insant-seed of believing parents and may be some ground of hope to their Parents as to their future happiness in case of their death in their pure Infant-state Ergo. If the Seed of Believers have neither a discharge from the guilt of Original sin nor any Propriety or Interest in God nor Right to Salvation by the Covenant and Promises thereof entred with or made to them how is it possible that either the Covenant or any Promise of it should be any security to them or any ground of hope to their Parents that they shall be saved in case of death in their pure Infant-state and if they have no security nor their Parents any ground of hope as to their future happiness from the Covenant then the Covenant and Promises would be wholly insignificant and of no use or advantage at all either to Parents or Children in respect of all those that die in that state and how considerable a part of the Seed of Believers as well as of others die in that state is known to all men But now it seems to be altogether unreasonable to imagine that God should extend his Covenant to the Seed of his People and seal it by an outward Sign or Token and yet neither the Covenant nor any one Promise of it be of any use or advantage at all either to Parents or Children in respect of so great a part of their Seed From all I conceive it will undeniably follow that the Infant-seed of Believers and that universally have as received into Covenant and having these two grand Promises of it in special made unto them as the Seed of such Parents the whole Good afore declared as for their state they are actually under the Covenant of Grace and have and absolute discharge from the guilt of Original sin as the inseparable effect and consequence thereof they have a present actual propriety in God he is their God and as such under an obligation to make good unto them the whole Covenant according to the true tenour of it they have a present Right to future Salvation and answerably under an infallible certainty of injoying it supposing their non-forseiture of that their Right which during their pure Infant-state they are incapable to do But to proceed Secondly Wherein does the Good of having the Covenant with the Promises thereof appertaining to them ratified sealed and confirmed to the Infant-seed of Believers by an outward Sign or Token consist As previous to the resolution of this question two things may be observed in general First That Adult-Believers are equally and alike concerned in it with Infants inasmuch as whatever Good the Adult have by the ratification sealing and confirmation of the Covenant and Promises thereof unto them the same Good have Infants by the sealing ratification and confirmation of the Covenant and Promises thereof by an outward Sign and Token unto them and so vice versa Secondly That to have the Covenant and promises of it ratified sealed and confirmed by an outward Sign and Token is a Good is sufficiently secured by the very Institution of a Sign and Token for that end and purpose taken in conjunction with the Wisdom and Goodness of God instituting and Infinite wise and good God would not institute an outward Sign and Token for such and end and purpose did it not as serving to that end and purpose conduce to the Good and Benefit of his People whether Infants or Adult so that it is a Good is certain though we should not fully apprehend wherein that Good does consist But more particularly and directly to the question The great Good of having the Covenant and promises raâ—ified sealed and confirmed by an outward Sign or Token I conceive consists in the additional assurance given unto Men thereby of their injoyment of that Good granted to and setled upon them by the Covenant and promises for though it is certain the verity and faithfulness of God is a full and infallible assurance unto Men of their injoyment of whatever Good is covenanted and promised to them supposing the performance of what duty is required on their parts he is a God that cannot lye but yet the ratification and confirmation of the Covenant and Promises by an outward Sign is quoad homines an additional assurance to them that they shall enjoy that Good The case is one and the same both in respect of the confirmation by a Seal and Token and by an Oath the Promises as absolutely considered were as sure and certain before the Oath of God was given as after yet the Apostle tells us that God confirmed his Promise with an Oath and shews the Good designed to us thereby viz. That we might have more strong Consolation Heb. 6.16 17 18. God deals with Men after the manner of Men and with respect to their present state of Imperfection Now the addition of a Seal does add to the confirmation of any Promises or Contracts among Men and gives greater assurance of the persormance of them and consequently of their injoyment of the Good promised to whom or with whom such Promises and Contracts are made than they would do were there no Seal annexed hence we may say that the Covenant and Promises of God as taken absolutely in themselves without consideration to their Author are strengthened and confirmed by the Seal or Token annexed and consequently the Seal or Token is a further assurance to those with or to whom they are made that they shall injoy the Good covenanted and promised and besides while the People of God are in this state of Imperfection their Knowledge and Faith are imperfect they are apt to frame their notions of God by what they see and experience among Men hence the adding of a Seal or Token to the Covenant is of great advantage to their Faith Object If any shall say It 's true to have the Covenant and Promises thereof sealed and confirmed by an outward Sign or Token is in this respect a great Good to Adult-Believers who have a capacity to reflect upon the Sign or Token and improve it for the advantage of their Faith but what does this concern Infants who can make no such use or improvement of it as applyed to them and then what Good is it to them or wherein does the Good of its being applyed to them consist Supposing the Promises to appertain to them they of themselves are an infallible security to them as to their injoyment of the Good promised and as for the Sign and Token as they have no Faith to strengthen so had they any yet they are utterly incapable of making any
conditionally with all Men is not absolutely necessary for me to decermine and I shall endeavour to wave all controversies excentrical to my present design this seems evident that however others are yet all those that are actually under the Covenant of Grace as definitely entred with them are de presenti freed from it seing there is an absolute inconsistency between being under the Law and under Grace at one and the same time The Apostle Rom 6.14 sets these two States in a direct antithesis or opposition the one to the other whether we understand by Law here the Mosaical Law or the Law as given at Mount Sinai wherein there was a reveal of the Law of Works made with Adam in innocency or that first Law or Covenant as so made with Adam yet by Grace I conceive we must understand the Covenant of Grace and them 't is all one as to my present purpose no man can be under two Covenants that are in nature or kind directly opposite the one to the other at one and the same time Hence I say the Infants of Believers being under the Covenant of Grace they must needs be set free from the first Covenant in the same sense that all Believers are and as for the Covenant of Grace that threatneth condemnation against none but either final rejecters of it as in the case of those that are yet strangers to it or total and final violators of it as in case of those that are actually under it and being free from the sanction of the first Covenant and not under any obligation to suffer future condemnation either as rejecters or violators of the second I conceive their immunity from the condemning power of Original sin yea of whatever sin whether Original or Actual they fall under the guilt of during their pure Infant-states must necessarily ensue though no express Promise of parden which I conceive it is not necessary to enquire after should appertain unto them cessante obligatione legis non obligante novo foedere there can be no condemnation to them on the account of any sin chargeable upon them The sum of what has been said may be reduced into this Argument Arg. 1. All those that are neither under the curse of the Law nor under the curse threatned in the first Covenant nor condemnable by the Covenant of Grace must needs be free from the condemning power of Original sin yea of any sin they are at present chargeable with but such is the case of the Infant-seed of Believers during their pure Infant-state therefore during that state they are free from the condemning power of Original sin yea of whatsoever sin they during that state are chargeable with The major Proposition will be readily granted on all hands seeing fin be it Original or Actual receives its power to condemn or has its strength as the Apostle speaks from some Law or Covenant under which the Person guilty is as where there is no Law there is no transgression So where the Law threatens not condemnation there is no condemnation and condemnation must be either threatned in the Covenant of Works or the Covenant of Grace Hence if neither of these Laws or Covenants threaten condemnation unto men for any sin they are guilty of their sin has not power to condemn them or they must needs be free from the condemning power of any sin they are guilty of So that I conceive the major Proposition stands firm For the minor that is evident from what has been already said the Law threatens not condemnation to the Infant-seed of Believers because they are not under it they are freed from the sanction of it wherein future death is threatned The Covenant of Grace threatens not condemnation to them because they are neither Rejecters nor Violators of it but on the other hand the conditions of it are performed though not by them yet on their behalf which the Covenant accepts as though performed by themselves in their own persons Whence the Conclusion is undeniable Again that the Infant-seed of Believers are freed from the condemning power of Original sin may be proved thus Arg. 2. All those that are under the condemning power of any sin are in a state of enmity with God or have God as an enemy to them but the Infant-seed of Believers are not in such a state neither have they God as an enemy to them therefore they are not under the condemning power of any sin and consequently not of Original sin The major Proposition as evident thus God is only said to be an enemy unto Men as he is obliged either in respect of his Essential Justice or some Law given to or Covenant made with him to punish according to the due desert of sin God is not an enemy to Man merely as Man nor yet merely as vitiated and corrupted with sin for then he should be an enemy to all Men yea to the regenerate as well as the unregenerate but he is an enemy as under an obligation to punish according to the due desert of sin Hence he is an enemy to all those and to those only whom he is according to their present states and conditions obliged so to punish Now while any are under the condemning power of sin that is have the guilt of sin remaining upon them God is under an obligation to punish them according to the due desert of their sin I say he is so while the guilt of their sin remains upon them guilt being removed that obligation ceaseth How God may be under such an obligation and yet give Faith and Repentance whereby that guilt may be removed is obvious to all and need not here be declared but I say while guilt remains while sin has a power to condemn God stands related as an enemy unto Men or they are in a state of enmity with him But now which is our minor Proposition the Infant-seed of Believers are not in such a state This is not only evident from what has been already said but from the absolute inconsistency between a state of enmity and that mutual relation between God and them as he is their God and they his People of which more by and by Now then the Premises being true the Conclusion is certain I might further argue from the special reference that the Token of the Covenant whether Circumcision or Baptism had and has to the remission and pardon of sin Circumcision is said to be a Seal of the righteousness of Faith which at least includes the remission of sin Saith the Apostle Peter to these awakned Jews Be baptized for the remission of sin Acts 2. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins says Ananias to Paul Acts 22.16 Now the Token of the Covenant having such a particular and special reference to the pardon and remission of sin it may suppose it will not demonstrate it it self yet much confirm us in this truth that the Infant-seed of Believers are freed from the guilt
Covenant and deride their Baptism would go through Fire and Water as we say that they might enjoy the one and the other did they but fully understand of what benefit and advantage they would be unto them But now through their misguided zeal they greatly reflect upon the Covenant and consequently upon God the Author of it whereas Parents by bringing their Children under the bond of it by the Application of the Token to them do give a publick commendation of it and thereby honour and glorify God as extending it to them 4. Hereby Parents do publickly own and practically acknowledg their belief of such things which for men professedly to believe own and acknowledg doth greatly redound to the glory of God I shall only instance in such things as more especially are owned and acknowledged by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to Infants Thus. 1. They publickly own and practically profess their belief of the Doctrine of Original fin that there is indeed such a thing as Original sin communicated from Adam to all his posterity and that by means thereof all men by Nature are Children of Wrath. As Circumcision of old so Baptism now hath a special reference to Original fin especially as Infants were and are the Subjects of the one and of the other And the very Application of the one and the other to them doth presuppose them under the guilt of it and consequently Parents by having the Token of the Covenant applyed to their Infants do publickly own and practically profess their belief that though they have not as the Apostle speaks Rom. 5.14 sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after or according to the similitude of Adam 's transgression that is actually in the external violation of any precept of the Law yet are subject to the curse of the Law and Wrath of God Now for men publickly to own and visibly to profess their belief of this Doctrine greatly redounds to the glory of God Their guiltiness of that sin justifies him in all penal evils he lays upon them What sad complaints have some Heathens made concerning Man's birth and the variety of Miseries attending him above what attend other Creatures and thereby greatly reflected upon God his Creaior as though he had not been so good to Man as to other Creatures and this from their ignorance of the Doctrine of Orginal sin They evidently perceived the sad fruits and effects of Original sin but knew not Original sin as the cause of those effect But now by owning and professing our belief of this Doctrine we do implicitly justifie God in all the miseries he hath subjected men unto which must needs greatly redound to his honour and glory 2. They do hereby publickly own and practically profess their belief of the Doctrine of free Grace It 's sufficiently evident that Infants in their pure Infant-state are incapable of Merit what God doth for them he must needs do freely Saith the Apostle speaking of the difference that God put between Jacob and Esan in respect of Election and Preterition and his consequent dealings with then respectively the children being not yet born neither having done any good or evil that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of works but of him that calleth it was said unto her viz. Rebekah the elder shall serve the younger Rom. 9.11 12. That which I only design from these words is to shew that what God doth for Infants either in regard of Election before time or actual Donation in time he doth it not for or according to the Merit or desert of works but freely of his own good pleasure either merely of his Grace and goode pleasure as in respect of Election or of his mere Grace and good pleasure through the interposal of the mediation of Christ as in respect of actual Donation If he should do what he doth for them of works that is for or according to the Merit or desert of works it must be either the works of the Infants themselves or the works of their Parents not the works of Infants themselves for they have neither done any good or evil not the works of their Parents Vigilantissime ait ex uno concubitu gemini enim conceptierant ne vel paternis meritis tribueretur Si quisquam forte diceret ideo talis natus est filius qui à pater it à erat affectus illo tempore cum sevit in utero matris aut erat ita mater affecta cum concepit simul enim ambo sunt uno tempore concepti Austin reserente Beda ex Epistolâ ad Simpl. that appears from the difference he puts in his love and hatred as the Apostle speaks between Children begotten conceived and born not only from the same Parents but at one and the same time as in the case of Twins If he deal with Children according to the deserts of Parents he would deal alike with all Children that are so begotten conceived and born So that what God doth for Infants cannot be of works neither of Parents nor Children but must be wholly free of his mere Grace and goodness through the Mediation of Christ 3. Hereby they publickly own and practically profess their faith in and belief of the Truth Faithfulness and Power of God his Truth and Faithfulness in his Word whether of threatning or promise his Power as to accomplish his Word so to bless and make effectual his own Institutions for that end whereunto they are appointed Christ is the only refuge for faln man to betake himself to for security from the wrath to come and the way whereby man betakes himself to this refuge is by taking hold of the Covenant and thereby getting under the promises of it made in Christ Hence as by Baptism persons are visibly admitted into the Covenant and that their admission is solemnized by coming unto Baptism they are said to flee from the wrath to come Mat. 3.7 Saith John Baptist to the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his Baptism who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come Baptism is a visible incorporation of Persons into Christ and solemnization of their Covenant-elation with God in him by means whereof they visibly come under the shadow of his wings and under the promises made in him whereby they are secured from the wrath to come And Parents by taking hold of the Covenant for their Children and solemnly dedicating them unto God in Christ by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them bring them under the same refuge with themselves they carry them along with them into this refuge from the wrath to come New as this proceeds from so it is a visible and practical profession of their Faith I mean in respect of such who do indeed act from true principles as all believers are supposed to do that they do believe she threatnings denouncing wrath against man as sain and guilty of fin so that the Promises made in Christ are true and
faithful as also that God is able to bless and make effectual his own Institutions to those ends and purposes they are appointed to in subserviency to mans freedom from that wrath If Parents did not believe their Children were under the guilt of fin and the threatnings declaring and denouncing Wrath against them as under that guilt why should they put them under the Wings of Christ by a solemn dedieation of them to him for the securing them from Wrath And of they did not believe Christ to be a sure Refuge and that the Promises in him are true and faithful to what purpose should they put them under his Wings or carry them under the Covert of the Promises And if they did not believe that the Application of the Token of the Covenant was appointed in some kind of subserviency to their freedom from Wrath at least as growing up unto years of Maturity and that God is able to bless and make effectual that Institution for the use and end he hath appointed it why should they mind it or take any care about it Who will flee himself or carry his Children to a Refuge unless he apprehend some danger who will make that a Refuge to himself or his that he apprehends not safety in who will take any course for the securing himself or his under any refuge that he doth not apprehend will be effectual for that end Hence I say Parents by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to their Seed do visibly and practically profess their Faith in and Belief of the Truth Faithfulness and Power of God It is said of Moses Heb. 11.28 Through Faith he kept the Passover ad the sprinkling of Blood lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them believing the threatnings denounced against Egypt concerning the destruction of their first-born and believing the promises made to themselves concerning their own freedom from that Plague upon their sprinkling the blood of the Paschal Lamb upon the posts of their doors he keeps the Passover and sprinkleth or takes care that the blood of the Paschal Lamb be sprinkled upon their door posts accordingly And as he did this through Faith so his doing it was a visible and practical profession of his Faith Pari fide nobis circa Sacramenta est opus saith Pareus As there is a need of the like Faith so the like Faith is visibly and practically professed by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers and this greatly redounds to the glory of God This is mentioned as a peculiar discovery of the excellency of Moses his Faith implying that much or as our Lord Christ speaks a great Faith is required unto and discovered by his observation of that Institution And let me say did Parents act in the Application of the Token of the Covenant to their Infant-seed from so pure a Principle of Faith as they ought to do and did they act their Faith as they ought with reference to the Token as applyed to them their Faith would be found to have a very excellency in it they might be well renowned for the excellency of their Faith Now at the greater rate of excellency Faith acts the more is God honoured and glorified thereby see Rom 4.19 and 20. From what hath been said we may evidently see what a direct yea how great a reference the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of Believers hath to the glory of God and from that reference it hath to his glory it is in part that he requires it 3. The third and last reason of this Institution respecting God may be its reâ—erence and subserviency to the supportation and inlargement of the Kingdom of his Son Jesus Christ The supportation and inlargement of the Kingdom of our Lord Christ here in the World is greatly subserved hereby Look for what end and purpose the Covenant was extended to the Seed both of Abraham and of all his Spiritual Seed See Mr. Carter his Abraham's Covenant opened pag. 36. and so on with reference and in subserviency to the same ends and purposes is the Token of the Covenant to be applyed to them Now one end of the extensiveness of the Covenant is the multiplication of the Seed of Abraham in order to the supportation and inlargement of the Kingdom of Christ and answerably the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them hath a direct reference and subserviency to that end What reference and subserviency it hath to that end will appear more hereafter But let that suffice for the first Head of Reasons of God's appointing the Token of the Covenant to be applyed unto the Infant-seed of his People viz. Such as respect God himself CHAP. II The Reasons of God's ordaining the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of his People respecting the Parent from three Reasons now assigned 1. The advantages arising therefrom to their Faith Howgreatly their Faith is advantaged thereby shewed 2. It is for the advantage of their Joy and Comfort in their Children 3. It is that God may thereby lay greater Obligations upon them to endeavour the Conversion of their Children and their Personal Embracement of the Covenant as growing up to years of Maturity Thy variety of Obligations lying upon Paedo-Baptists so to do above what Anti-Paedo-Baptists can apprehend themselves to ly under opened How much greater ground of hope for success in their endeavours Paedo-Baptists have than Anti-Pedo-Baptists according to their Principle can have shewed The third Head of Reasons viz. Such as respect the Seed of Believers mentioned THe second Head of Reasons viz. Such as respect the Parents to whose Seed the Token is to be applyed and thus these four Reasons lie obvious 1. First it is for the advantge of their Faith to be acted with reference to their Seed by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to their Seed they have a visible Ratification and Confirmation of the Covenant and Promises thereof as extended and made to them And that we may more fully discover what advantage the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers is to their Faith to be acted with reference to them we many observe that the Promises of the Covernant respecting the Seed of Believers are considerable two wayes 1. The Promises respecting the Seed of Believers are made to Parents with reference to and on the behalf of their Seed 2. They are made to the Seed themselves as descended from such Parents 1. The Promises respecting the Seed of Believers are firstly and primarily made to their Parents and are particular branches of the Covenant estableshed with them The Covenant confists in more Promises than one or is comprehenfive of several distinct Promises some of which only concern Believers themselves or contain some good to be enjoye only by themselves in their own persons other respect theirs though the Promises are firstly
made to them yet the good contained in them redounds to and is injoyed by theirs Thus when God promiseth to be a God to Abraham's Seed aster him the promise is first made to Abraham himself though the good contained therein redound to and is injoyed by his Seed And the same is true of the Promises as continued to Believers they are firstly made to Parents Saith God concerning Abraham I know him that the will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Judgment and Justice that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him that is that which he hath promised to him Gen 18.19 Now what was it that God had spoken of or Promised to Abraham why not only that he would be a God to him as personally considered but a God to his Seed or Houshold after him and would give unto them the Land of Canaan for an everlasting Possession This twofold good of God's being a God to his Seed and giving them the Land of Canaan for an everlasting Possession though injoyed by his Seed yet was firstly promised to him with reference to and on their behasf Children stand at so little a distance from Parents that they are said to be the Parents themselves multiplyed Parents do after a sort subsist in their Children and answerably the good or evil of Children is accounted both in Scripture and according to the di ctates of Nature the good or evilof their Parents Have mercy upon me saith the Syrophenician when she came to Christ for cure for her afflicted Daughter Matth. 15.22 She accounts her Daughter's affliction her own and the Daughter's cure would be the Mother's Mercy Hence promises of good to and thâ—â—â—â—tnings of evil against Children are frequently firstly made to or denounced against the Parents themselves as a good or evil unto them So here the Promises of the Covenant respecting the Seed are particular and distinct branches of the Covenant as established with Believers themselves But 2. These Promises may be considered as made to the Seed they are not made only to their Parents but also to their Seed with them and hence Parents and Childaen are to be lookt upon as Joynt-Confederates with God Hence saith the Lord to Abraham I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations Gen. 17.7 The Covenant was established with Abraham's Seed as well with Abraham himself and Seed here includes his immediate Children as well as mediate and hence again the Promise is said to be to the Children of Believers as well as to Believers themselves The Promise is to you and to your Children Acts 2.39 And Children as they grow up to years of maturity may and ougth to lay claim to the Promises as made to themselves as well as made to thier Parents on their behalf Now according to this twofold consideration of the Promises of the Covenant there is a twofold use and end of the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers 1. Thereby that part of the Covenant entred with Parents respecting their Seed is ratified sealed and confirmed to the Parents Hence in Gen. 17.10 saith the Lord This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy Seed after thee every Man-child among you shall be circumcised You in the former 〈…〉 the Verse intends both Abraham and his Seed as distinguished from his and their respective Natural Childre This is said to be the Covenant that they should keep between God and them viz. that every Man-child among them should be circumcised Hence it is evident that the Circumcision of their Male children was the Covenant to be kept by them And how was the Circumicision of their Children said to be the Covenant between God and them to be kept by them why partlyas that is in part the restipulation of the Covenant required on their part and partly as it is the Ratification and Confirmation of the Covenant made with them viz. that part of the Covenant respecting their Seed so that Circumcision of their Male children was in part their duty or a part of the restipulation to be performed by them and also a confirmation of the Promises viz. those respecting their Seed made unto them And what is here said of Circumcision is true of Baptism in as much as Circumcision is here spoken of as confidered under that general notion viz. the Token of the Covenant And what is spoken of Circumcision as confidered in that general notion is alike applicable to Baptism It succeeds Circumicsion in that notion and there is a very great aptness and fitness in the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed to seal and confirm unto Believers this part of the Covenant entred with them on the behalf or with respect to their Seed when God shall add to his Promises a Token to be applyed not only to Believers themselves but to their Seed that must needs have a very great aptness and fitness further to confirm and establish the Promises to them respecting their Seed And a twofold reason may be assigned of Gods ratifying and confirming to Believers this part or branch of the Covenant respecting their Seed by the Application of the Sign or Token of the Covenant to them 1. That the Sign or Token of the Covenant might be proportionable to the Covenant of which it is the Sign or Token The Covenant entred with Believers consists as I have said in two branches The first respects themselves The second their Seed Now the Sign or Token as applyed only to themselves though it is true it doth ratifie and confirm the whole Covenant yet it hath a peculiar respect to that branch respecting themselves There is nothing in the Token as applyed to themselves signifying their being blessings to their Seed and consequently that branch of the Covenant would not have been confirmed at least so expressly and clearly as was necessary for the help and advantage of their Faith by the sole Applicatin of the Token to themselves because then the Token had not been fully proportionate to the Covenant Hence that the Token might be proportionate to the Covenant and answerably more fully advantageous to the Faith of Believers God hath ordained the Application of it to the Seed as well as to the Parents themselves 2. The great addition that by these Promises of the Covenant respecting their Seed is made to the good of the Covenant seems to make such a superadditional confirmation necessary So great an addition is made to the good of the Covenant as entred with Parents by the extension of it to their Seed that the Promises might have even non-plust their Faith had not this superadditional confirmation been given Wee see how David stands even amazed as not knowing what to say when he not only reviews what God had already done for him but confiders the
Promise further made to his House for so long a time to come 2 Sam. 7.18 19. So for God not only to promise to be a God to Believers themselves but to make their Children and that as such Fellow-heirs with them of the same Promise might have even non-plust their Faith had he not expressly ratified and confirmed that branch by the Application of the Token to their Seed The glory of the Covenant might have overcome a weak Faith had it not been sutable confirmed But 2. The other endand use of the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers is the ratificatio and confirmatiou of the Promises as made unto them and consequently for the more full securing of the good promised to them and it ought to be so lookt upon and improved by them as they grow up to years of Maturity of which more hereafter Now then to bring what hath been said to our present purpose we may see what advantage Believers have to their Faith as to be acted with reserence to their Seed or the good promised to them by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them they have not only that part of the Covenant respecting their Seed ratified and confirmed to themselves but they also see the Covenant as entred with and the Promises as made to their Seed ratiried and confirmed unto them How far Faith is to be acted by Parents with reference to their Seed will appear when we consider what Promises are made unto them with the good contained in them and consequently conveyed to and setled upon them by those Promises But how far or in what Sence soever Faith is to be acted we see Believers have no little advantage for it By the Application of the Token of the Covenant to their Seed they have not only the Promises as made to themselves with reserence to their Seed confirmed to themselves but those Promises as made to their Seed confirmed unto them 2. Another reason may be that God hereby might provide for and lay a sure foundation unto the joy and comfort of his People in their Children according to what Faith Believers can act with reference to their Children and the advantage they have to that their Faith so will their joy and comfort in them be Children are great Blessings choice Mercies and peculiar Comforts unto Men We see how Jacob looks upon the gift of Children he accounts it a gracious Gift when Esau seeing his Wives and Children puts the question Who are these saith he They are the Children that God hath graciously given me Gen. 32.5 He accounts his children as an effect or great Grace and Mercy to him So our Lord Christ tells us a Woman when she is in travel hath sorrow because her hour is come but when she is delivered of a Child she remembers no more her anguish for joy that a Man is born into the World John 16.21 The joy that a Man is born swallows up the remembrance of her sorrows Children are Parents joys and comforts But now were it so indeed that Infants I mean such as are born of believing Parents have no interest in the Covenant nor any security thereby from thedreadful effects of their natural states and conditions the apprehension and consideration of what their states and conditions are must needs greatly allay if not utterly destroy the joy and comfort of Parents in them For Parents to see the fruit of their bodies is matter of joy but when they reflect upon their Natural conditios and remember they are Children of Wrath this must needs greatly weaken or rather utterly destroy that joy And it is no little matter of admiratio how any that know and believe the Scriptures declaring how the whole race of Mankind are involved in the guilt of Adams sin as being virtually and seminally in him as also how humane Nature is vitiated and corrupted with sin and so propagated from Parents to Children and consequently how all as born into the World are guilty before God and children of Wrath I say how any that know and believe these things can have any joy or rake any comfort in their Children unless they have some hope that through the Covenant of Grace they are freed from the guilt and under at least a probability of security from the dreadful effects of that their state As for that supposition of some that only Natural death was threatned against Adam in case of sin and consequently that no other kind of death is come upon all Mankind through his fall and hereupon that that is the only kind of death that Infants are subject to Or that supposition of others that the guilt of Original sin is wholly de facto taken away from all Manking by Christ and consequently that all are born in a state of Peace with God and under the same Love and Favour that Adam was under in his state of Innocency what relief soever the one or the other yields can only arise from the darkness and errour of the understanding and judgment having no true foundation in the Word of God neither were they granted would they contribute in the least degree so much to they joy and comfort of Parents in their Children as the Covenant if truly underst od will do And as for those which fetch their relief from the Doctine of Election though that Doctrine be certainly true and may be improved as a considerable relief against that sorrow and grief that must rationally arise to believing Parents from the apprehension of the natural states and conditions of their Children yet I doubt if all things be well weighted it will be found greatly wanting as to the yielding that plenary relief that it hath been useuslly endeavoured to be improved unto in as much as Election neither secures any from death in their Infant-state nor can be looked upon according to any Scripture-ground as a security against the dreadful effects of that state and condition in case of death in that state However this seems evident that the relief to be fetcht from thence is alike to unbelievers with respect to their Children as to Believers with respect to theirs Set aside interest in the Covenant and the Promises thereof and a Believer hath no more assurance from Seripture that his Seed belongs to the Election of Grace than any other man hath or suppose he sehould yet that such as die in their Infancy do belong thereunto he hath rather ground to fear than to hope yea the ground he hath to fear they do not is vastly greater than the ground he hath to hope that they do And for Believers to have a clearer knowledg and apprehension of the lost estate of their Children as born Children of Wrath than others have and yet to have no other ground of hope concerning them than others have muse needs greatly allay their comfort and joy in them yea they must rationally have less joy and take less comfort in
endeavour to the utmost of their power that they may accept of and perform the conditions of it Not to accept of the Covenant but on the other hand to reject it is a greater sin in those that have a precedent interest in it than in those that have no such interest It was a greater sin in Esan to despise his Birth-right and Blessing then the bare not taking hold of the Covenant was to those that had no such birth-priviledg To despise or reject a good granted is more than the bare not receiving any good offered Now Parents considering how greatly the sin of their Children will be aggravated in case they perform not the conditions of but on the other hand reject the Covenant and consequently that their condemnation will be greater than the condemnation of others must needs strongly oblige and more effectually provoke them to greater diligence in the discharge of their duty towards them in order to the preventing their rejection and on the other hand in order to their accepting and performing the conditions of the Covenant 6. There is the reference that Parents faithful discharge of their duty towards their Children hath to their Childrens preservation in their Covenant-state and consequenly injoying the full good and benefit thereof as they grow up to years of maturity as a farther obligation upon and motive to provoke them thereunto God hath taken the Seed of Believers into Covenant with himself as they are their Seed and continues their Covenant-state during their Infancy on the account of their Parents Faith But when they grow up to years of maturity the condition of their continuance in that Covenant-state and consequently in joying the blessings of the Covenant is devolved upon themselves they must in their own persons imbrace and take hold of the Covenant and perform the conditions of it which that they may do God requires their Parents to teach them his way and command them to walk in it which duty of Parents in teaching and commanding their Children is the first and most proper means appointed of God in order to their personal imbracement and taking hold of his Covenant and hence in case Parents fail in the discharge of their duty their Children are deprived of the first and most proper means subservient to their prefervation in their Covenant-state And though it may seem hard to say that God will not vouchsafe other means and bless them to the attaining of that end yet this I must say there is more depending upon Parents discharge of their duty than most are aware of and that God will vouchsafe other means and bless them to supply the defect of Parents duty is as I judge more than they have warrant to expect However the depriving them of the first and most proper means must needs be extremely hazardous and is usually given as a main reason of so many of the Seed of the Righteous proving wicked And did Parents but understand and seriously consider this how great an obligation must it needs be to them faithfully to discharge their duty towards their Children 7. And lastly There is the dishonour redounding unto God by Childrens rejecting the Covenant and falling off to ways of sin and profaneness yet farther to oblige Parents to a faithful discharge of their duty towards them When men hear the Covenant-interest of the Seed of Believers asserted and see the Token thereof applyed to them and yet after see them to run into the same wayes of sin and ungodliness with the Children of others they are apt to reflect upon God and to charge him with unfaithfulness in his promises or deluding the World with a shew of extending more Grace to Believers than indeed he doth And this very thing viz. the frequent apostacies of the Seed of Believers and their walking in the same ways of impiety with the Children of others though wholly groundlessly yet I conceive is no little stumbling-block in the way of those whose judgment and practice lyes opposite to what hath been pleaded for Now the preventing this dishonour redounding unto God and removing this stumbling-block out of the way of the weak is a strong obligation upon Parents to a faithful performance of their duty towards their Children And the laying these and the like obligations upon Parents to a diligent performance of that their duty towards their Children may be one special reason of God's appointing the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them And by what hath been said we may see how much greater obligations are upon Believers who own their Childrens interest in the Covenant and have the Token thereof applyed to them upon that account and how many motives are improveable by them to provoke and stir up themselves to a faithful discharge of their duty towards them than what are upon or improveable by the contrary minded according to their respective judgments and practices 2. The other enquiry is whether Paedo-Baptists or Anti-Paedo-Baptists according to what they respectively hold with reference to their Children have greater and surer ground to hope and expect that the means used or duties performed by them shall be effectual and successful or whether the means used and duties performed by the one or the other be more likely to prove effectual and successful for the accomplishing the ends aimed at Answ Now for this that the advantages ly on the side of the Paedo-Baptists will be undeniably evident by a double consideration which I shall but as it were mention because they must both be more fully insisted upon in a more proper place 1. Consider that Paedo-Baptists according to what they hold with reference to their Children have vastly more means to use in order to their conversion and imbracement of the Covenant and giving themselves up to God according to the tenour of it then Anti-Paedo-Baptists have they have many more motives arguments and incouragements to propose apply to and press upon their Children than the contrary-minded have And where the means are greater and more effectual in themselves their efficacy and success may according to the ordinary way of God's working upon men be expected to be answerable 2. They have many promises both made to themselves with reference to their Children and housholds and to their Children as under the Covenant and of the visible Church and Kingdom of Christ beyond what the contrary-minded can according to their judgments and principles apply to themselves or theirs whâ—â—â— promises though they should not infallibly secure Grace to all the Seed of Believers how careful soever they may be in the use of means and how faithful soever in the discharge of their duty towards them yet they are vastly greater ground to hope for success than there would be supposing no such promises were made either to Parents or Children But these things shall if the Lord will be more cleared up hereafter Now then let all men judge how unrighteous and unreasonable that charge laid upon Paedo-Baptism
to the possession of them 2. But secondly And rather that the case of Infants of Believers now is no otherwise concerned in this Objection than the case of the Infant-seed of the Church and people of God under the first Testament were and it may be pleaded with equal strength against their having been Members of the visible Church or Body of Christ then as against the right of Infant-seed of Believers to membership in the visible Church or body of Christ now the Church then constituted and made up of the natural posterity of Abraham with the addition of some few Proselites from among the Gentiles was the visible Body of Christ then as well as the Church made up of Jews and Gentiles under the new Testament is This I have so fully evidenced elsewhere that nothing more need be added here and indeed the Apostle in Eph. 3.6 is so plain and express that the Gentiles as converted to the Faith are of the same body with the Jews under the first Testament that to deny them to have been the body of Christ is to deny the Church now to be so and that the Apostle speaks there of the visible body of Christ is undenyable in that what he speaks of the Gentiles more generally he applyes to that Church of the Ephesians in particular Chap. 2.19 Each individual member of which Church that they did belong to the invisible Body of Christ he would not affirm but plainly intimates his suspition of the contrary Acts 20. ult Yet he speaks indefinitly or universally of this Church as injoying this priviledg to be of the same body viz. of Christ that the Jews afore were of an undoubted evidence that he speaks of the body of Christ as visible so that the Jews or the Jewish Church under the first Testament was the visible body of Christ for the Gentiles as converted to the Faith and gathered into particular Churches are of the same body Now it is past all rational contradiction that the Infant-seed both of Jews and proselited Gentiles were Members of the same body with their Parents hence let it be resolved how far or in what sense membership in the visible Body of Christ and Union and Communion with him as the Head was necessary or presupposed to their membership in his visible Body the same and no other is necessary and must be presupposed to Infants membership in the visible Body of Christ still the same answer then that will satisfie this Objection as they were concerned in it will alike satisfy it as the Infant-seed of Believers now are concerned in it in as much as they are equally and alike concerned in it 3. Thirdly and lastly I answer that it may be granted yea I conceive it must be affirmed that the Infant-seed of Believers and that universally have by vertue of the Covenant entred with them a real and proper Union with Christ and answerably may be looked upon and reputed in some sense as Members of his invisible body and on that ground are to be admitted into his visible Body Church or Kingdom only here that all mistakes may be obviated we must distinguish of Union with Christ it is either Political or Physical * It a Christo Ecclesia unita est ut in ea unione extet exemplum utriusque unionis scilicet Polit cae Physicae Vide Camer de Ecclesiae p. 225. By that Union I call Political I intend that Union which consists in those mutual Relations wherein Christ and his Church stand related each to other as King and Subjects Master and Servants Shepherd and Sheep the ratio fundendi or fundamentum proximum of this Union is the mutual consent of Christ and those that are thus united to him either in their own persons as in the case of the adult or on their behalf by those cujus juris sunt as in the case of Infants to accept and take each other in these respective Relations and this is that Union properly constituted by the Covenant By that Union I call Physical I intend a higher kind of Union viz. cujus vinculum est Spiritus sanctus that which is made by the indwelling of the same Spirit that was first poured out upon Christ in the soul which is proper to those that are truly regenerated in regard of which they are compared to branches and Christ to a Vine and Christ and they are said to be one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 or one spiritual body and though it is true that in respect of the adult those that have a Political Union with Christ are supposed also to have a Physical Union yet it is not necessary that all that have the former should have the latter Jesus Christ may take men into what degree or kind of Union with himself he sees meer Now when I say the Infant-seed of Believers have a real Union with Christ I mean it only of a Political which we may call a mere relative Union he is their King they are his Subjects he their Master they his Servants he their Shepherd they his Sheep and this Union they have with Christ is the proper ground of their admission into the Church visible or into the Kingdom Family Houshold or as I may so speak Sheepfold of Christ and that the Infant-seed of Believers and that universally have such a Union with Christ may be evidenced by a twofold argument 1. First all those by whom or on whose behalf the conditions of the Covenant are really and truly performed have a real and true Union with Christ but though not by for that 's not required of them yet on the behalf of the Infant-seed of Believers and that universally the conditions of the Covenant are really and truly performed Therefore c. Both Propositions carry their own evidence with so much clearness that as I cannot at present apprehend what can be replyed to so I conceive the adding of any thing for the proof of either would be superfluous surely the conditions of the Covenant between Christ and God in him and the Seed of Believers being performed though not by them yet on their behalf which is all one as though by them there must needs immediatly result such a Union with Christ Take it in all instances of this kind of Union and the mutual acceptation and performance of the Covenant or contracts by which that Union is constituted and the Union it self necessarily results and flows therefrom Now that the conditions of the Covenant are really and truly performed on the behalf of the Seed of Believers needs no other proof than that they are Believers whose Seed we now speak of it is the Faith and Repentance of Parents that are the conditions of the Seed's acceptation into Covenant 2. The same Union that the Covenant constitutes between Christ and some it constitutes between him and all with whom it is equally and alike established but the Covenant constitutes a true and real Union between Christ and some viz. adult
Believers therefore it constitutes the same Union between Christ and others viz. their Infant-seed it being equally and alike established with them as it is with Believers themselves This argument carries its evidence with the same clearness as the former For though it is true the conditions of the Covenant as established with adult Believers differ from the conditions of it as established with Infants yet that hinders not but that the Union constituted between Christ and them is one and the same with that constituted between him and adult Believers In as much as the Covenant accepts of the Parents Faith as the condition of the Child's admission thereinto as will as the Faith of grown Persons for their own admission thereinto now it is the Covenant as absolutely considered and not as requiring such and such conditions that constitutes this kind of Union between Christ and men be they adult or Infants neither can that higher kind of Union viz. Physical that Believers have with Christ be pleaded as a prejudice to Infants injoyment of this lower kind of Union with him seing neither the antecedent operations or consequent indwelling of the Spirit in the soul whereby that higher kind of Union is effected are any otherwise necessary to this lower kind of Union which I call Political or merely relative than the performance of the conditions of the Covenant by the adult and the Promises of the Covenant appertaining to them having personally performed them make so to be when the conditions of the Covenant may be truly and really performed without such operations of the Spirit as in the case of Infants they may and there is no promise of the indwelling presence of the Spirit as is also their case there a political Union may be really constituted and yet no higher Union granted so that Infants have a real Political Union with Christ is evident and indeed to grant them an interest in the Covenant and yet deny them such a Union would be absolutely contradictory What Objections carry any appearance of opposition against what hath been now granted yea asserted shall be considered hereafter This I say at present that the Infant-seed of Believers may be granted yea must be affirmed to have a true and real Political or relative Union with Christ the Head of the Church which as it gives them a right to membership so is a sufficient warrant for their admission into the actual possession of that their right in the Church Kingdom or Family of Christ as visible here upon earth neither are we concerned as I conceive to inquire or determine how far or in what sense they may be said by vertue of this Union to be Members of the Church or Body of Christ as invisible seing our judgment and practice relating unto them have divine revelation for their ground and rule This objection being removed out of our way I shall now proceed to inquire what good benefit or advantage the Infant-seed of Believers have by their membership in the visible Church Body or Kingdom of Christ and it may be reduced to these three heads 1. First which I shall but touch upon they as Members of the visible Church are comprehended in and have the benefit of those prayers that are continually made for the whole Israel of God or the Church of God in general as it is the duty of Believers in their more general Assemblies so of each particular Believer to make known their requests unto God for themselves or on his own behalf by prayer supplication with thanksgiving as the Apostle speaks Phil. 4. So to pray for Jerusalem or the Church of God in general pray for the peace of Jerusalem in Psal 122.6 By Jerusalem we are to understand the Church of God in general and as this is the duty of Believers so that love both to Christ the head and to the whole Body of which each in particular is a Member that is the inseparable effect of regeneration obliges and constrains them to the performance of it hence it is but seldom but sincere Saints especially in their more solemn addresses unto God 〈◊〉 leave some 〈…〉 in the Psalmist Psal 51.18 So in the Apostle Gal. 1.16 Though the one was only making application to God for relief in a particular case the other leaving his valedictory benediction with those he had written to yet Zion or the Israel of God shall not be forgotten by the one or the other Hence there is as I may so speak a stock of Prayers not treasury of Merits continually treasuring up for the Church of God in which the Infant-seed of Believers have their interest and share and this is no small benefit to have so many thousands whom the Lord hath appointed as his remembrancers daily putting him in mind of his Covenant and Promises as made with and to his Church whereof they are Members as well as of the Covenant and Promises made with and to them in special as the Seed of such Parents and this if duly considered might yield great comfort to believing Parents that theirs as well as themselves are dayly presented before the Throne of Grace by so many who are under the promise of having the ear of God open to them 2. And rather being Members of the visible Church Kingdom or Family of our Lord Christ they have a joynt interest with all other members in that special providential care that he exercises over his own house That the work of providence is put into the hand of Christ by the Father is evident as from variety of other Scriptures so in special from that John 5.22 where Christ himself tells us that the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son yet not so as to cease to work himself for the Father works in and by the Son but that the work of Providence is put into the hand of the Son is evident and this work of Providence or providential care of Christ is twofold 1. First more general and so it extends to the utmost bounds and limits of the creation of God no creature that received its being from God but it is under providence as administred by Christ as all things are made by him so by him do all things consist 2. Secondly more special and thus the Church is the proper object of the special providential care of Christ therefore he is said by way of Emphasis to be the keeper of Israel Psal 121.4 He that keepeth Israel or as the words may be read he that is keeping Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth as we have here the special object of divine Providence viz. Israel that is the Church so the exactness and speciality of that providential care exercised towards or over that object intimated partly in the word keepeth or keeping that is carefully and diligently keeping * Curam solicitudinem diligentiam connotat more fully declared in the following words neither slumbreth nor sleepeth a man though he fall not
upon them any of those Fruits or Beaefits for the present and consequently that by the Application of the Token of the Covenant only Jus ad rem not Jus in re is sealed and confirmed But others conceive that as the Covenant and Promises thereof have only an indefinite respect to the Seed of Believers so that at least some of them have those saving Benefits and Blessings actually granted to and conferred upon them and consequently that they are actually regenerated and have a full and compleat Union with Christ the Remission of sins the Love and Favour of God c. And some having there Benefits and Blessings actually conferred upon them in their Infance we are to presume it may be so with each one in pqrticular and on that ground are to apply the Token of the Covenant to them universally And this Opinion could it be clearly proved from Seripture would free the Controversie about Infant Baptism from many difficulties it must be confest it is otherwise attended with And on that account I should readily comply with it but for the reasons after to be given I cannot but at present lay it aside cum pace tantorum virorum 2. Secondly others conceive that the Covenant is entred with the Seed of Believers definitely and answerably that the Promises appertaining to them are to be interpreted and understood in a definite notion and consequently that as the Covenant as at first established with Abraham did extend to Ishmael as well as to Isaac so is still continued to all Believers and each one of their Seed in particular And some of these that go this way conceive that all the Infants of Believers have true Grace in particular true Faith wrought in them either antecedent to the Application of the Token of the Covenant or at the time of its Application if not by yet in a concurrence with it But this opinion necessarily inferring a possibility to lose and fall from the truth of Grace is rejected by the generality of Protestants especially that bear the denomination of Calvinists Yet some grant yea assert some kind of supernatural Operations of the Spirit to antecede at least accompany the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them whereby at least a posse agere or some dispositions facilitating their saving acting of Grace are wrought But others distinguish of the Covenant it is say they internum out externum it is either Internal or External by the Internal Covenant they seem to mean the Covenant as really and truly entred with the Elect ensuring to them Grace and Glory by the External Covenant they seem to mean the Covenant as visibly appearing to be made with Men whether Infants or Adult when as it is not indeed really entred mutually between God and them This latter way of God's entring Covenant with Men whether young or old is expressed by some by entring Covenant with them in or according to an Ecclesiastical Dispensation that is as they express themselves in a visible Church-way Again others and sometimes the same Men distinguish of the Good contained in and conveyed by the Promises of the Covenant appertaining to the Seed of Believers it is say they either Spiritual and Saving or else only External and Ecclesiastical as Membership in the visible Church a right to the outward Ordinances and Priviledges of the Church and the like And they conceive that the Covenant as containing saving Spiritual Mercies only appertains to the Elect but as containing External Ecclesiastical Priviledges it appertains to all the Seed of Believers hence they call it as entred with them a Covenant of Priviledges This latter Opinion concerning the definiteness of the Covenant I take to be according to truth though to distinguish either of the Covenant or the good contained in it as entred with or extended to Infants I see no ground neither do I think it is at all necessary but I say as to the nature of the Covenant I doubt not but that it is entred with and extended to the Infant-seed os Believers definitely and answerably that the Promises appertaining to them are to be interpreted and understood in a definite notion as appertaining equally and alike to each one in particular I speak of the Covenant and Promises as entred with and made to the Seed of Believers merely as such There are it 's true some Promises of the Covenant appertaining unto them which are to be interpreted and understood in an indefinite notion as has been afore declared but those appertain not to them merely as the Seed of such Parents but as Members of the visible Church as was there shewed But now for the Covenant as extended to them as the Seed of believing Parents so it is extended to them definitely and answerably the Promises of the Covenant appertaining to them are to be interpreted and understood in a definite notion Infant Baptism from Heaven Book 1. Chap. 2. This I have in part proyed already yet I shall add somewhat morefor the further confirmation of it And it may be as I conceive proved two ways 1. In the Instance of Abraham's natural Children proceeding immediatly from his own Loyns 2. By some further Reasons equally respecting Abraham's and all other Believers Infant-seed 1. Let us see it in that particular instance of Abraham's Infant-seed and thus I shall only offer these two reasons beyond what I have given in the Treatise forecited 1. Unless the Covenant had been entred definitely with Abraham's natural Seed immediatly proceeding from his own Loyns there had been no rational ground for Ishmael's Circumcision That Circumcision was the Token of the Covenant is expressly asserted by the Lord himself and answerably that the Application of it did presuppose the Subjects to whom it was to be applyed to be in Covenant at least according to visible appearance or according to arational Judgment of Charity is above any rational doubt evident This I have also proved elsewhere But now unless the Covenant did extend unto Ishmael in particular there was no appearance at all of his being in Covenant but an undenyable discovery of the contrary and that from the mouth of God himself By promising Abraham a Son of Sarah and that as the Mother of that Son she should be a Mother of Nations he did set aside Ishmael and exclude him from the number of those that should inherit the Good promised and was so understood by Abraham which was the groud of his prayer for him and is accordingly interpreted by the Apostle in that Rom. 9.1 Hence had not the Covenant extended to Ishmael in particular there had been no ground for the Application of Circumcision to him especially under that notion viz. As the Token of the Covenant under which notion it was yet applyed to him he could not be lookt upon as an Heir designed to inherit the Good of the Promise now made much less to have true Grace already wrought in him seing he was excluded by God
real work of Grace may greatly apostatize from the ways of Grace and Holiness and sometimes be found walking and that for a great while how long 't is hard to say in the ways of sin and ungodliness is past all rational doubt in variety of instances as that of Solomon and others And if so be this supposition that God has wrought Grace in this or that Infant be a sufficient ground to apply the Token of the Covenant to them in their Infancy why may not the same Judgment of Charity be exercised towards the same Persons as grown up though at present greatly apostatized from the ways of Grace and Holiness and supposing the Promises alike appertaining to them as they did in their Infancy and the same Judgment of Charity to be exercised towards them as may be exercised during their Infant-state Though it be granted their case be more doubtful yet I say it will be hardly proved by Scripture that they ought not to have the Token of the Covenant applyed to them and yet to grant them this priviledge their case being as now put will be attended with no small inconveniency 3. If the Promises are made only indefinitely to the Seed of Believers then they seem evidently to appertain alike to their mediate as to their immediate Seed In Abraham's case 't is undeniable that as taken in an indefinite notion they did equally and alike appertain to his Seed and Posterity mediately descended from him as to his immediate Seed neither had his immediate Seed any other interest in them then his mediate Now the Apostle tells us expressly that the blessing of Abraham is come upon believing Gentiles or suppose we can from any Scripture-warrant limit the Promises as made only to the immediate Seed of Believers under the New Testament yet seeing we cannot limit them to Abraham's immdeiate but must grant them equally and alike to respect and be extended to his mediate as to his immediate Seed it will certainly follow that all the Seed of the Jews to this very day have an equal and alike interest in the Promises that Isaac and Jacob and the rest of both Abraham's and Isaac's Children had And if so I conceive no reason can possibly be assigned why the same Judgment of Charity may not be exercised towards these as was exercised towards them and consequently they would be as due and proper Subjects of the Token of the Covenant as they were and ought to have it applyed unto them And if so be we cannot limit the Promise to the immediate Seed of Believers as I much think we cannot in case we grant them to be only indefinitely made to Abraham's natural Seed then there will be laid a fair ground for the Application of the Token of the Covenant which now is Baptism to all Infants universally as may be easily shewed if necessary But I shall not inlarge upon this These reasons convince me past all rational contradiction that the Covenant and Promises thereof neither were entred with nor made to either the natural Seed of Abraham or any other Believers in a mere indefinite notion but however God might have and still has a more general respect both to Abraham's and all Believers Seed mediately descending from them respectively yet as entred with and made both to his and their immediate Seed so they are to be interpreted ad understood in a definite notion reaching and taking in each one of their Seed in particular This Question being resolved I shall now proceed to the Application and unfolding of this second Benefit assigned to the Infant-seed of Believers by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them and here two things are to be enquired into 1. What the Token of the Covenant has reference to or what it is that is ratified sealed and confirmed to Infants thereby 2. Wherein the Good Benefit and Advantage of having that whatever it be that the Token of the Covenant hath reference unto ratified sealed and confirmed by an outward Sign and Token does consist 1. For the first And thus the Token of the Covenant has a double reference First To the Covenant it fels as more generally and absolutely considered Secondly To the particular Promises contained in it 1. I say the Token has reference to the Covenant it self as absolutely and more generally considered And hence that which is firstly and primarily ratified sealed and confirmed to Infants and the same is true of the Adult by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them is the Covenant it self as more generally and absolutely considered and consequently and as the immediate and necessary result thereof that which is Ratified and Confirmed is their Covenant-state They are as I may so speak solemnly invested and sealed in a Covenant-state with God they are absolutely de presenti removed from under the first Covenant entred with all Mankind in Adam and solemnly invested with and initiated into a new Covenant-state Hence Circumcision and the same is true of Baptism is said to be the Token of the Covenant as absolutely considered Gen. 17.11 as the one had so the other has a first and primary respect and reference to the Covenant as absolutely taken and consequentially to the state of those that are taken into Covenant they are thereby solemnly put and setled in a new Covenant-state and relation Godward though I deny not but that the new Covenant or Covenant of Grace is conditionally made with all or rather offered to Mankind there is an offer and tender of Christ with all his Benefits to all men upon condition of Faith and Repentance Go says Christ preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believes and is baptized shall be saved but he that believes not shall be damned in that Mark 16.15 16. But condionale nihil ponit in usu A conditional Covenant though it makes a great alteration in the cases of Men they are not now under a necessity of standing or falling according to the tenour or terms of the first Covenant yet that does not change their state they are yet Heirs of the curse denounced in case of the transgression of that Covenant they are yet Children of wrath the wrath of God abideth upon them John 3.36 * Non dixit ir a Dei veniet ad eum sed ir a Dei manet super eum Omnes qui nascuntur mortales habent secum iram Dei. Quam iram Dei quam excepit primus homo Adam August in loco But the Seed of Believers are actually received into the Covenant of Grace solemnized ratified and confirmed by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them and from this change in their states I conceive a discharge and immunity from the condemning power of Original sin whether originans or originatum does necessarily arise and result unto them How far or in what sense Mankind in general is freed from the sanction of the first Covenant by the new Covenant as made
God and Abraham and his Seed in their generations Behold saith God I establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their generations Now if so be the Covenant of Grace had been afore established with all Mankind here had been no new Priviledge or no Priviledge beyond what was common to Man in general granted unto Abraham or to any of his Seed The establishment of the Covenant with Abraham and his Seed in their generations as contradistinguished from the rest of Mankind evidently proves 't is not established with all Mankind for then the establishing of it with him and his Seed had been a mere superfluous and insignificant thing seeing it had been afore established with him and his Seed as of the number of Mankind and that in the same sense and with the like advantage both to him and them as now it is How far the Covenant is conditionally made or rather offered to all Men concerns not our present purpose seeing as so made or offered it actually conveys not the Good promised to any untill themselves have performed the conditions of it But that it is actually made or entred with all Mankind as such is not only destitute of any proof from Scripture but is directly contrary to the whole tenour of Scriptures The Gentiles are said to be strangers to the Covenants of Promise antecedent to their Faith in Christ and thereby becoming Abrahams Seed The Promises are said to be made to Christ and consequently appertain to Men only as in him Hence taking hold of the Covenant is made necessary to a right to the Promises But to insist upon this may well be accounted superfluous as being a denial of what no body hath affirmed Now then if so be the Covenant of Grace wherein all the Good aforementioned is contained be not actually entred and established with all Mankind as such then neither all nor any part of that Good can be come upon all Men merely as such by the Covenant of Grace 2. Have they it by vertue of any other Covenant or Promise contradistinct from or independent upon the Covenant of Grace That cannot be because no such Covenant or Promise is to be found throughout the whole Scriptures Let any such Covenant or Promise be shewed and it shall be attended to The only Scripture so far as I can call to mind that gives the least countenance to this supposal is Rom. 5.15 16 17 18. But to that I shall only say two things First That the Apostle's bare using of the universal Particle all is too weak a ground to lay such an Assertion upon especially when no Covenant or Promise can be found by or according to which the gift there spoken of is conferred upon all Men And seeing it is evident that that term is sometimes used when yet it is to be interpreted and understood in a limited sense I need not cite places to those that are at all acquainted with the Scriptures Secondly I answer that the Apostle's design is not to shew that the free Gift by Christ is of equal extent in the Donation of it with the condemnation arising from Adam's sin but his design is to compare Adam's sin and the purchase made by Christ in regard of their respective efficacies or in point of their respective causalities or power to produce their different effects In brief his design is only to shew that seeing the offence of one Man viz. Adam's was effective of the condemnation of all his Posterity then the Grace of God and the Righteousness of Christ who is not merely Man but God-Man must needs be more effectual for their Justification and Life who have an Interest in and Union with him That this is the Apostle's design appears two ways First From his assignment of a preheminence or superabundance to the Grace of God and this free Gift by Christ above what is predicable of the Offence of Adam which must needs respect the power and efficacy of the Grace of God and the free Gift by Christ to justifie and save and of the Offence of Adam to condemn for if so be we consider the Persons upon whom condemnation is come by Adam's Offence and the persons upon whom the free Gift is come unto Justification of Life no such assignment of a preheminence and superabundancy to the Grace of God and the free Gift by Christ could be made inasmuch as that condemnation is come upon all by Adam's Offence and the free Gift can come but upon all And where the Objects and Persons concerned are of equal extent no preheminency can be assigned with respect unto them Secondly This appears from the Apostle's variation of his phrase from many to all and again from all to many which plainly shews he had not so much respect to the Persons upon whom either Condemnation or the free Gift is come as either to the things come upon them or to the causes and means from whence or whereby those things are come upon them respectively Thirdly I answer Though the Apostle tells us the free Gift is come upon all to justification of Life yet he tells us not how or in what sense or upon what terms it is come He may only mean it is come upon all in respect of the conditional offer and tender of it So we may understand that of the Apostle Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God hath appeared bringing Salvation to all Men for so the Greek exactly runs The Grace of God hath brought Salvation to all Men in regard of the offer and tender of it Preach the Gospel to every Creature See the like passage Rom. 3.22 The Righteousness of God is revealed to all So here the free Gift is come upon all that is in respect of the offer and tender of it For the Apostle may suppose the condition already performed and only intend its being come upon all them that believe according to that of the Apostle before mentioned The Righteousness of God is manifiest unto all and upon all that believe and there is no difference So here the free Gift is come upon all to justification of Life viz. upon all that believe and there is no difference From the whole we may evidently see this Scripture will not prove what is affirmed viz. That all Mankind and that universally as born into the World are freed from the condemnation of the Law and restored to a state of Favour and Life by Christ So that as the Covenant of Grace is not entred with all Mankind in general so there is no other Covenant or Promise recorded or mentioned in the Scriptures by vertue of which any one much less all Mankind can have the Good assigned to the Infant-seed of Believers granted to or setled upon them Thirdly Have they it by a mere resultancy from Christ's undertaking and performing the work of Mediation Sure the grossness of such a supposition renders any reply to it superfluous It would be a mere loss of time
Christ what ground of hope have they that God will accept of them and grant them his Spirit for their Renovation and Sanctification 'T is none of the least discouragements to Adult sinners to come unto Christ that they ly under so much guilt as they are conscious to themselves of were they assured their guilt were removed that God were not obliged to deal with them as enemies what incouragements and what hopes would they have that God might give them his Spirit for their Regeneration and Sanctification Now that discouragement is removed out of the way of the Seed of Believers finding themselves already in a state of peace with God how can they then rationally entertain any jealousies about his readiness to do them good and continue them in that state 2. There is the mutual Love and Friendship that hath been between God and theri Parents as a further incouragement to them The special Love and Favour that God bears to their Parents is a choise incouragement to Children that accepting of the Covenant and giving up themselves to God in Christ according to the tenour of it they shall not be rejected but readily accepted by him As God hath granted and actually vouchsafed many choice Mercies and Favours to Children for their Parents sake so Children have improved the consideration of their relation to such Parents as a help to their Faith and Hope in their seeking unto God for Mercy Thus though Ishmael by his persecuting of Isaac had forfeited his interest in the Covenant and was cast out both of Abraham's Family and the Covenant yet God promised to make him a Nation because he was Abraham's Seed Gen. 21.13 So we find God for the sake both of Abraham and David shewing Mercy to their respective Posterity though guilty of great provocations against him Psalm 105.42 Isa 37.35 Hence are such Petitions in Scritpture Oh turn unto me and have Mercy upon me give thy strength to they Servant and save the Son of thy Hand-maid Psal 86.16 As the consideration of his own relation to God as his Servant so the consideration of his delcent from her that was his Hand-maid was a great incouragement to him and a great advantage to his Faith and Hope in petitioning for Mercy For Children to consider their relation to such Parents between God and whom there hath been or is a mutual special Love and Friendship is a singular incouragement to them in taking hold of the Covenant and applying themselves to God for the Mercies and Blessings of it The Love that God bears to believing Parents is a very great ingagement to him to a ready doing Good to their Children 3. There is all that God hath already done for them as the Seed of such Parents signally expressive and significative of his special good will towards them as a further incouragement to them God's extending his Covenant to them and thereby freeing them from the condemning power of Original sin giving them an interest in himself and a right to future Salvation and thereby securing their Salvation in case of their death in Infancy are glorious significations of his special good will unto them and willingness that they in particular should be saved and consequently may be improved as choice incouragements to them to take hold of the Covenant They have not the least ground to suspect God's readiness to receive them and proceed on in his goodness and kindness to them seeing he hath secured their Salvation by his Covenant and Promise while they were uncapable of performing the conditions of it in their own Persons be sure he will not reject them or refuse to continue hs Grace to them in order to their future Salvation when they are willing to accept of and perform the conditions of the Covenant themselves Paul strengtheneth his Faith and Hope as to God's delivering him from every evil work and preserving him to his Heavenly Kingdom by the consideration of what he had done for him in delivering him from that great Tyrant Nero 2 Tim. 4.16 17 18. And surely much more may the Seed of Believers incourage themselves and strengthen their Faith and Hope as to God's acceptation of them and giving them Grace and Glory themselves being now willing to accept of and perform the conditions of the Covenant by the consideration of what he hath already done for them 4. They may if not positively assure themselves yet comfortably hope that they are yet actually under the Promises of God's being a God to them and giving them future Salvation And how great an incouragement must that needs be to them They have the faithfulness of God ingaged to make good his Promises unless they by their wilful rejection of Christ and the Terms of the Covenant forseit their own Interest in them Obj. But it may be said Though hitherto they have been actually under the Promises and consequently might have incouraged themselves by the consideration of the faithfulness of God but now they can no longer lay claim to the Promises but upon supposition of their own performance of the conditions of the Covenant Answ It is true but yet let this be considered That God in the Promise speaks more determinately expressly and particularly to them than he doth to others The language of God to each one of them is this I am thy God only do not now reject my Covenant and the relation between me and thee shall be continued To others he speaks more generally and indefinitely He that believes shall be saved Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out Whosoever will let him come and take of the Water of Life Now though it is true these general and indefinite Promises and Invitations are sufficient incouragements to all to come unto and close in with Christ and cast themselves upon him for Pardon Life and Salvation yet we find by experience poor awakened sinners are hardly perswaded that themselves are in particular intended in those more general and indefinite Promises and Calls Were they assured themselves were intended it would be a mighty incouragement to them but that they are hardly brought to believe The more we can appropriate any Promises to our selves in particular the greater efficacy they will have upon our hearts for our incouragement It is a mighty incouragement to the Jaylor when the Apostle shall speak particularly to him and assure him if he should believe he should be saved and all his house Now God speaks particularly and determinately to the Seed of Believers and not only offers to be a God to them but assures them he is so already only requires their personal performance of the conditions of the Covenant in order to the continuance of that Relation between himself and them and that they may have the actual injoyment of that Salvation they are as the Seed of such Parents the Heirs of And if it should be said that they may have forfeited their Covenant-state and Relation already by their not
those means by and through which the soul hath remission of sin peace which God and is brought to future Salvation Now Children when they are instructed about this way and these means they may and ought to reflect upon their Baptism and see how both are represented and illustrated thereby and by means thereof they may come to more clear notions and conceptions of and about them Instructions by signs are adapted to the capacities of Children Indeed the Sacraments are ordained in a compliance with the weakness of Christians in general But 2. Which follows upon this by the consideration of their Baptism they will be kept under a due sense of the indispensible necessity of the Application of the Blood of Christ to them for their discharge from the guilt of sin and of the Spirit for their Regeneration and Renovation in order to the continuing of their peace with God and actual injoyment of future Salvation And a threefold advantage will arise herefrom 1. They will be put upon serious enquiries how it is with themselves whether they have the Blood of Christ so applyed or no and whether they are so washt by Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost or no 2. How they may attain to the one and the other and be quickned up to a diligent use of those means and prformance of those duties they are directed to subservient thereunto 3. They will be kept from any attempts to establish a righteousness of their own on the one hand and on the other from presumptuous confiding in Christ without a real work of Regeneration and Sanctification Baptism preacheth to all the way of pardon peace with God and future Salvation to be by washing by washing away the guilt of sin by the Blood of Christ and the filth of sin by Sanctification And this indeed is the use and improvement that all Christians should make of their Baptism But 3. They may and ought to improve their Baptism to ingage provoke and stir up themselves to a closure in with the Covenant and use of all means conducing to their injoyment of the Grace and Blessings of it As this is a special end of God in appointing the Applicatio of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers so they are especially to be taught to make that improvement of it and answerably they may and ought to do it What obligations ly upon them to close in with the Covenant and give up themselves to God in Christ according to the tenour of it arising from the Appliscation of the Token to them have been already declared And Parents ought diligently to inform and instruct them in and about them which would they do and back those instructions with a due use of all the forementioned means to render them effectual it may be rationally expected they would have no little weight upon their hearts And 't is no small part of the Mercy of the Seed of Believers as brought under the bond of the Covenant by the Application of the Token thereof unto them that they have such obligations upon them whereby to provoke and stir up themselves to an early seeking after God and enquiring after his ways 4. They may and ought to improve their Baptism for the help of their Faith and Hope and for their incouragement to take hold of the Covenant as also to seek unto God for Grace to inable them so to do What an help it may be to their Faith and Hope and what an incouragement to take hold of the Covenant they have thereby may be concluded from what hath been already said and I must still leave it to their Parents to instruct them therein and shall hasten only before I put a close to the whole I shall briefly touch upon one Question which that I should speak somewhat unto seems necessary And that is how long the Covenant-state of the Seed of Believers and consequently their right to the Sign and Token of the Covenant is continued to them as the Seed of such Parents When do the conditions of the Covenant become incumbent upon themselves so as that upon their failure in the performance of that their Covenant-state is for feited Answ It must be granted This is a Question of no easie resolution neither is it meet upon several accounts that it should be perfectly determined The exact resolution of it must be left to that day when all secrets shall be made manifest and therefore I shall not adventure far into it I sall only offer some more general things to consideration which may sufficiently obviate and prevent such doubts and fears that either Parents or Children are subject to concerning their having forfeited their Covenant-state as might obstruct their respective due improvement of it for the several uses and ends aforementioned 1. Let the unsearchable riches of the Goodness Grace and Love of God in Christ be considered The Scripture every where speaks of the Goodness Grace and Love of God in Christ as investigable and incomprehensible by any humane understanding Hence are such passages Oh how great is thy Goodness Psal 31. How precious is thy Grace Psal 36. So God so loved the World The Love of Christ is said to be past knowledge And from the consideration of the unsearchable riches of this Goodness Grace and Love of God in Christ it may be concluded at least comfortably hoped that he hath not been very strait or rigid if I may so speak with the Seed of his People and consequently hath not himsted their standing under the Covenant upon their Parents account to the very first instant of their capability of any actual knowledge of supernatural things or use of reason We may rationally suppose he bath allowed them some time to attain to some distinct knowledge and to use their reason in closing in with or rejecting the terms of the Covenant And hence it must needs be exceeding useful for Parents to acquaint their Children betimes with the Nature of God or if you will which is all one though that expression hath been most unreasonably quarrelled at by some it must needs be highly useful to Children to be well acquainted with and instructed in and about the Person of Christ into whose hand the administration of the Covenant is put And here we have an instance of the usefulness of acquaintance with the Person of Christ with reference to things more darkly revealed in the Scriptures It is not expressly revealed just when the performance of the condition of the Covenant becomes indispensibly necessary to Children for the preservation of their Covenant-state but now the knowledge of Christ or of God in him as how unsearchable rich in Goodness Grace and Love he is may much relieve both Parents and Children under those doubts and fears they are subject to about the forfeiture of their Covenant-state They may conclude certainly God hath not been so rigid upon them as to limit their standing in it to so short a
muchregarded in such an age of light as this is the practice of the Church being so generally among all learned Men known to be otherwise than he endeavours to represent it besides his own Book caâ—â—ies a sufficient Antidote against any evil influence it might otherwise have upon wise Men and therefore I shall immediately come to the other viz Mr. Hutchison I am more especially concerned in his attempts which are to obscure that foundation laid to the Covenant-interest and Baptism of the Infant-seed of Believers in the tenour of the Covenant it self in order whereunto he has made publick a small Treatise concerning the Covenant and Baptism composed Dialogue-wise between a Baptist and an Anti-Paedo-Baptist with some Animadversions upon a late Piece put forth by my self in answer to Mr. Danvers his Treatise of Baptism As for the Gentleman himself I am an equal stranger to him as to Mr. Danvers and therefore can have no prejudice against either of their Persons neither would I in the least discourage or oppose any in any attempts to further the decision of this great Controversie why should I grudge any the Eberty that my self have taken only I could wish that those that conceive themselves under a call to appear either in the defence of what they conceive to be according to truth or against what they conceive to be opposite thereunto would remember that exhortation of the Apostle to timothy where he exhorts him to shew himself a Workman that need not be ashamed 'T is true unavoidable failures will attend humane weakness and imperfection which may justly cause somewhat of shame but notwithstanding them the design and intendment of that exhortation may be answered Whether our Author have shewed himself such a Workman will presently appear whether himself be so free from Gall and Vinegar which he so vehemently impeaches his Opposites writings of as becomes a reprover I shall leave to the judgment of others 't is what he hath written not the manner of his writing that I shall concern my self about To begin with this Treatise of the Covenant three things ly so obvious in it that to me how it may be to others I know not it is utterly useless as to the design carried on in it which I shall only remark and leave it to every one to value and improve it as they see cause The first is the mistakes he proceeds upon to give only a twofold instance First He supposes the only ground that can be laid to the Church-membership and Baptism of Infants is their relation to Abraham as his Seed Hence having as he supposes proved that they can stand in no such relation to him he conceives he has utterly overthrown their Church-membership and Baptism thus Page 3. A gross mistake we found their Church-membership and Baptism upon the tenour of the Covenant as made with Abraham's Seed in their Generation that is with them and their natural Children but whether they are to have the denomination of and are to be reckoned among Abraham's Seed is another Question And if it be said Obj. But we do account them as Abraham's Seed though we do not ground their Church-membership and Baptism thereupon Answ It 's true we do so but then it will be said how can we avoid the absurdities mentioned Page the 5. Answ They are no other than what our Author himself fathers upon the Holy Ghost to use his Phrase in affirming some Infants to be saved without a personal Faith for it may be thus argued If none are saved but such as believe then no Infants can be saved but the antecedent is true Mark 16. He that believes shall be saved and if it be said that 's meant of the Adult the same supposed absurdity will follow for according to our Author then Christ must be supposed to say he that believes and he that believes not shall be saved Let him avoid the absurdity in the one and we shall alike avoid the absurdity in the other Another mistake that he proceeds upon is That at least some Paedo-Baptists may ascribe their Childrens interest in the Covenant to Abraham's Faith and consequently may plead that though their Children have no right to the Covenant by vertue of their Parents Faith yet they may have a right to it by vertue of Abraham's thus Page 12 and he spends about ten Pages to confute this Plea that he supposes some Paedo-Baptists may make which is a mere mistake about his Opposers Principles or rather a mere impertinency for where hath he found in all the writings of Paedo-Baptists such a Plea managed and hence whereas he supposes himself to have utterly overthrown the chief grounds laid by Paedo-Baptists to the Covenant-interest and Baptism of the Infant-seed of Believers and thereupon tells us Page 22. he might end the matter there the truth is he hath said nothing at all to the purpose but proceeded merely upon mistakes neither the one nor the other of the grounds that he supposes Paedo-Baptists bottom their claim to the Covenant-interest and Baptism of their Infant-seed upon is the true ground they bottom that their claim upon whence his discourse hitherto hath been utterly impertinent of no use at all as to the end he designs by it Another thing rendring his whole discourse useless to me is his assuming and taking for granted without the least shew or proof what he knew at least might have known is absolutely denied by at least some if not a considerable part of Paedo-Baptists I shall instance in three things First That the Covenant entred with Abraham and his Seed in their Generation did extend to and take in all his Seed at least descended by Isaac and Jacob during their first-Testament-administration and that merely as his Seed upon this supposition he proceeds in a considerable part of his Book but now he knew at least might have known that this is absolutely denied and on the other hand it is affirmed that Jacob who was Abraham's grandchild was not in Covenant merely as he was of Abraham's Posterity but as he was the child of believing Isaac included with him in that Phrase thy Seed in their Generations Secondly He assumes and takes for granted that the Covenant of Grace is made with the Elect as such and consequently that all the Elect and only they are in the Covenant of Grace hence he tells us Page 23. that the Covenant or Promise of eternal Life which he calls and I blame him not for it the Covenant of Grace is only proper to the Elect. This he might have known would be denied and it is on the contrary affirmed that no Covenant is actually made with any of the Elect as such Thirdly He affirms and takes it for granted that that Covenant called by the Apostle the old Covenant which was then vanishing is a Covenant made with Abraham which he might have known is denied and that it is affirmed that that Covenant spoken of by the Apostle is that
Covenant made with the People of Israel at Mount Sinai and his affirming so many things and proceeding in a considerable part of his Book upon a supposition of the truth of them when they are all mistakes and unsound suppositions his whole Discourse must needs be if not wholly yet in a great measure useless Thirdly That which yet further renders his Treatise altogether useless to me is the great confusion attended with several absurdities and contradictions that it labours under thus for his whole Discourse upon that of Gen. 17.7 beginning Page 22. and reaching to Page 39. this confusion with the absurdities and contradictions attending it will appear if we take notice of some of his assertions and compare them one with another together with what they do either as taken singly or joyntly necessarily infer and imply thus First He positively affirms that the Covenant of Grace and its Administration are two distinct Covenants thus Page 23. and tells us Page 93. that the Covenant of Circumcision which must necessarily intend that Covenant which before he affirmed to be the Administration of the Covenant of Grace may be called a Covenant of Works and then a Covenant of Works may be the Administration of the Covenant of Grace which whether rational and congruous I shall leave all Men to judge Secondly He expressly affirms that the Administration of the Covenant of Grace under the New Testament is called the New Covenant thus again Page 23. where it is evident he hath reference to Heb. 8.8 and then all those Promises there mentioned by the Apostle of God's putting his Law in the mind are not of the substance only appertain to the Administration of the Covenant of Grace Thirdly He affirms at least necessarily implyes that that grand Promise of the Covenant wherein God promises to be a God to Abraham and his Seed as made to one yea to one and the same Person as considered under one notion appertains only to the Administration but as made to another or to the same Person considered under another notion is of the essence and substance of the Covenant of Grace thus Page 26. he tells us speaking of this very Promise that in it God promised only to Abraham's fleshly Seed to be a God to them in giving them the Land of Canaan but to his spiritual Seed to be a God to them in giving unto them eternal Life and he takes Isaac to be the subject of the Promise as taken both ways and the Promises as made to Abraham's fleshly Seed he calls the Covenant of Circumcision which elsewhere he says was but the Administration of the Covenant and may be called a Covenant of Works And what confusion and what absurdities this implyes let every one judge But to get out of these dark labyrinths Fourthly He affirms that Isaac himself by vertue of his fleshly descent as he speaks had no interest in the Covenant of Grace so he tells us Page 27. and yet Fifthly He positively affirms that none had or have an interest in the Covenant of Grace but through a personal Faith in Christ thus Page 28. which as it directly contradicts what he had said of the Covenant of Grace its being made only with the Elect and with all them for sure he will grant some are Elect that are not actual Believers so it utterly deprives Isaac as well as all the rest of Abraham's Seed and indeed all Infants whatsoever of any benefit by the Covenant of Grace by which yet he affirms them to be saved supposing their Election and Death in their Infancy Let us see then what a Good God promised to Isaac as one of Abraham's Children why only this that he would be a God to him in giving him the Land of Canaan which yet he never did nor ever intended to give him Of what use such a confused absurd and contradictory discourse can be to any I cannot imagine I might yet further shew what renders his discourse useless to me viz. his overlooking several of none of the least forcible Scriptures and Scripture-arguments produced by his Opposers in confirmation of their Judgements and Practice but I shall go no further but leave his Book to every one to make what use they see meet of it And proceed to his Animadversions upon my answer to Mr. Danvers Indeed would but Readers take Mr. Danvers's Book and my Answer with my former Treatise so often referred to and his Animadversions and peruse them with equal and unbyassed minds it would be all that I desire yet that all Men may see how needless a thing it is to make any Returns to such Replyes as these Animadversions carry a shew of and may know how to regulate their expectations for the future I shall with much brevity review them My Answer consists of three parts In the first I lay down several considerations with reference to Mr. Danvers's authorities In the two first which Mr. Hutchinson more especially takes notice of I charge him with unfaithfulness and impertinency in respect of both which Mr. Hutchinson pretends his vindication For the former viz. his unfaithfulness I only gave two Instances and both in his Quotations out of the Magdi-Burgensian History for the truth of which charges I shall refer the Reader to that Famous History with this only remark beyond my Answer it self that there is a vast difference between saying they find they baptised only the Adult and they only find they baptized the Adult indeed they neither say the one or the other but the direct contrary yet allow our Opposers the utmost they can with the least shew of reason desire it is only the latter that can be said of them And surely there is a greater difference between saying they find they baptized only the Adult and they only find the Adult were baptized than is between two six pences and a shilling hence no Man can excuse him of unfaithfulness but he will find at last he hath given just cause to his own Conscience to accuse himself For the other viz. his impertinencies and thus Mr. Hutchinson pretends his vindication two ways First By way of Recrimination Secondly By acquitting his Book of that charge For this latter I shall only refer the Reader to my Book with the instances there given For the former I have only this to say Whether that instance given by Mr. Hutchinson will prove his charge I shall not be Judge but this may be said for me to be guilty only of one impertinency and but one is charged upon me is no just vindication of Mr. Danvers in the multitude I have charged upon him And this I shall add that had I known all Mens hearts as well as Mr. Hutchinson pretends to know mine and had seen no such objection as that supposed impertinency designs the obviating of I had not been guilty of that one neither but that such an objection may possibly enter into the minds of men Mr. Hutchinson's Book abundantly confirms me
improvement of it to that purpose To that I shall only say First that the Covenant and-Promises as entred with and made to them taken absolutely in themselves being ratified sealed and confirmed by an outward Sign or Token the Good contained in them is more fully afcertained and assured to them But Secondly Let it be observed what reference and subserviency according to the revealed will of God the Application of the Token of the Covenant to Infants has to his continuing unto them their Covenant-state and answerably vouchsafing them the Good covenanted and promised to them The Lord himself tells Abraham that the Man-child that was not circumcised had broken the Covenant Gen. 17.14 Whether that will prove that the Infant-seed of the People of God their having the Token of the Covenant applyed to them and bearing it be an indispensible condition of their holding their Covenant-interest and state and injoying the Good promised I shall not determine only this may be said that the bare privation or want of Circumcision was not to be accounted a breach of the Covenant for then all dying before the eighth day had been deprived of the Benefit of the Covenant and consequently David could not have comforted himself by that Consideration that he should go to his Child and not it return to him says Gerhard Eam scil comminationem quae de Circumcisione extat Gen. 17.14 Non ad casum privationis sed ad contemptum Sacramenti pertinere but whether the neglect of it from errour as well as contempt might not be of such a fatal consequence to the Child will appear at that day when things now hidden are brought to light This must be added that 't is a passage might justly make the hearts not only of Contemners but of all Neglecters of Infant-Baptism to tremble we know not but that God may have made the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant-seed of his People absolutely necessary to his continuing his Covenant to them and to his vouchsafing them the Benefits of it he may ostablish his Covenant upon what terms himself pleases and if this should be found true it is easie to apprehend how much the interest of the Seed of Believers in the Covenant and Promises is strengthened by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them and consequently how great a Good it is to them The sprinkling of the bloud of the Paschal Lamb upon the door-posts of the houses of the Israelites could not be improved by any of their first-born who were yet in their pure Infant-state yet was necessary to their security from the destroying Angel there may be an indispensible connexion between some duties and the injoyment of Good promised the reason of which lyes in the alone Will and Pleasure of God at least is reserved as a secret in his own brest Two things are plain to me and a third is doubtful First 'T is plain to me that in case the Seed of Believers have no interest in the Covenant nor are to have the Token of it applyed Parents have no other ground in Scripture for their hope that they shall reap any of the saving Benefics purchased by Christ at least that dye in their Infancy then may be acted with reference to the Seed of the worst of Heathens Secondly This is alike plain to me that all the Seed of Believers through their interest in the Covenant and Promises thereof and having the Token of the Covenant applyed to them do supposing their death in their pure Infant-state infallibly injoy all those Blessings and Benefits Thirdly This is doubtful to me how God will deal with and what is the case of their Infant-seed who through the darkness of their understandings disclaim their Interest in the Covenant and neglect thereupon to apply the Token of the Covenant to them I would hope the best but I must say the Scriptures to me give more ground of fear than of hope In the last place it must be considered that the Token of the Covenant is applyed to the Infant-seed of Believers not only with reference to their Good and Benefit during their pure Infant-state but also with reference to their Good as they grow up to years of Maturity when they are capable of making an improvement of it and how great it may be and if they were instructed in the use they are to make of it it will be then unto them shall if the Lord will be shewed under the next general Head But before I proceed to that some doubts that may arise from and some Objections that may seem to oppose what has been hitherto said must be satisfied and removed out of the way We have seen a twofold Good and Benefit that the Infant-seed of Believers have by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them First They have thereby a solemn admission and incorporation into the visible Body Kingdom or Family of Christ whereunto and as the ground of which they are supposed and granted yea affirmed to have a Political or Relative Union with Christ the Head Secondly They have thereby the Covenant with the Promises thereof sealed and confirmed to them in the ratification of the Covenant they have consequently a discharge and immunity from the guilt and condemning power of Original sin sealed and confirmed to them in the ratification and confirmation of the Promises they have a present interest and propriety in God and right to future Salvation sealed and confirmed to them CHAP. VIII Several Objections answered The first raised from the impossibility that God should do so much for the Seed of Believers and yet not regenerate them That answered and the contrary thereunto shewed to be highly rational The second is that what they have is only according to a visible appearance but not in reality and truth That answered where it is shewed what they appear or seem to have they must needs have in reality and truth The third raised from the inconsistency of granting the Infant seed of Believers so much with the Doctrine of Saints Perseverance That fully answered The fourth raised from the inconsistency of granting so much to all the Seed of Believers with the Doctrine of Election That fully answered The fifth is that the Infants of Believers have nothing beyond what the Seed of others have That briefly answered Obj. 1. POssibly some notwithstanding all that hath been said will yet urge utter improbability that God should proceed so far in the expressions of his Grace and Love to the Infant-seed of his People and grant them so great and so many Priviledges as hath been affirmed he doth and yet not regenerate and sanctifie them if not in their Infancy yet as they grow up to years of Maturity and consequently the Baptism of Infants as grounded upon a supposition of their being Confederats with their Parents in the Covenant of Grace will very probably prove or rather absolutely necessitate the Doctrine of falling from and