see are in some respect absolute and if the Covenant was only conditionall then the Lord was no more in Covenant with Church-Members than with pagans and infidels for it may be propounded conditionally to all such that if they believe they shall be saved but assuredly God's grace is a little more extensive to the one then to the other 3 Hence you may see what Circumcision once did and Baptism◠now seal's unto even to Infants the seal is to confirm the Covenant the Covenant is that God outwardly at least owne's them and reckon's them among his people and Children within his visible Church and Kingdome and that here upon he will prune and cutt and dresse and water them and improve the means of their eternal good upon them which good they shall have unless they refuse in resisting the means nay that he will take away this refuseing heart from among them indefinitely so that though every one cannot assure himself that he will do it particularly for this or that person yet every one through this promise may hope and pray for the communication of this grace and so feel it in time These things thus premised to clear up the ensuing discourse I shall now do two things 1. Leave a few grounds and reasons to prove that Children are in Church-Covenant and so enjoy Church-Membership by their parents 2. I shall then Answer your scruples To the first The truth of it is manifest by clearing up this proposition viz That one and the same Covenant which was made to Abraham in the old Testament is for substance the same with that in the New and this under the new-Testament the very same with that of Abraham's under the old I say for Substance the same for it is acknowledged that there was somthing proper and personal in Abraham's Covenāt as to be a Father of many Nations but this was not of the Substance of the Covenant which belong's to all the Covenanters and unto which the Seal of Circumcision was set for all Abraham's seed neither in those nor these dayes are the fathers of many nations nor did Circumcision seal it Again it is confessed that the external administrations of this one the same covenant are diverse but still the Covenant for substance is the same For that old covenant was dispensed with other external signes sacrifices types prophesies then this under the new There was something Typical in Abraham's covenāt concerning Canaan a type of heaven but yet the same Covenant remaine's now with a more naked manner of dispensation or promise of heaven And hence it follow 's that if it may appear that the Covenant it self is one and the same now as then then as now then it will undeniably follow that if the New Covenant under the Gospel be not a carnal Covenant no more was that if the new-Covenant be not proper to Abraham's natural seed no more was that which was made with Abraham if the substance of that Covenant was I will be a God to thee and thy seed then this very Covenant remaine's still under the Gospel it being one and the same with that if by vertue of that Covenant the Children were made Members of the Church and hence had a Church priviledge and seal administred then the same Covenant remaining the same and in the same force and benefit our Children also are taken into the like Membership It remaine's therfore to prove that which all our Divines have long since made good against the Papists that the Covenant then and now is for substance one and the same or that the Covenāt made with Abraham was a Gospel-Covenant and this Gospel-Covenant the same that was made with Abraham 1. The Covenant made with Abraham is renewed in the Gospel as to the main thing in it viz I will be their God and they shall be my people Heb. 8.10 Ier. 31.33 and though the seed be not exprest yet it s understood as 't is Gen. 17.8 if need be shall be proved hereafter 2. Because Abraham's Covenant is of Gospel eternal priviledges Not proper therefore to him and his fleshly posterity For righteousness by Faith was sealed up by Circumcision Rom. 4.11 which is a Gospel priviledge and is the ground of all other priviledges and yet in Gen. 17.7 there is no expression of this righteousness by Faith but it is understood therefore in this I will be their God So the promise of eternal life and resurrection therunto is wrapt up in this I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob 3. Because there was never any Covenant but it was either of Grace or workes that of workes on mount Sinai that of Grace which was made with Abraham and hence Gal. 3.17 The Covenant which was confirmed afore by Christ the Law 430 years after cannot disanull and what was that Covenant before surely it was the Covenant of Grace becaus it was confirmed by Christ and what was this Covenant confirmed by Christ but the Covenant made with Abraham for of this the Apostle speakes verses 14 16. And he cal's it expressly by the Name of Gospel or the Gospel-Covenant verse 8 9. 4. Because when God reneweth his promise and Covenant made with Abraham with his people at the plaines of Moab Deut. 30.6 it run's in these words viz I will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed now this is a Gospel priviledg and a Gospel-Covenant as appeares by comparing this text with Rom. 10.8 wherin the righteousness of faith or the Gospel is brought in speaking the words of this Covenant saying the word is nigh thee in thy heart mouth Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Now if that place Gen. 17.7 should be said to be obscure concerning the promise I will be a God to thy seed yet here in this place God speak's plainly which by comparing the scriptures is a Gospel promise and of a Gospel priviledge and therefore to be preach't by Ministers of the Gospel and to be believed by the professors of it 5. Because this promise I will be a God to thee and thy seed doth not belong to Abraham his seed as after the flesh or as lineally descended of Abraham but as believers and this is most evident Rom. 11. wherein 't is said of the Jews 1. That they were broken off made no people no Church by unbeliefe verse 20. 2. That by Faith they shall be graffed in again verse 23. If therefore they were broken off the Church by unbeliefe then they stood as members of the Church by Faith and if by faith they should be graffed in then they stood by faith at first Again it is said in this Rom 11.28 that they are loved for the Fathers sakes surely not as natural fathers but as spiritual by faith and hence Nehem. 9.8 it is expressly said that God found Abraham faithfull before him and made a Covenant with him Again if the posterity of Abraham were Members upon this ground only or chiefly viz. because
of them and such As do their interest in him grutch Crispus with Gaius Stephanas With others were not all through Grace Baptis'd that of their Houshold were And Children who will doubt were there Then let us not to them deny Nor seem as if we did envy The priviledge which God from heaven Hath through his grace and favour given Nor let us limit his good Spirit In applycation of Christ's merrit Whose bloud was shed for them as well As those who them in age excell If such be taught of God who dare Deny they his Disciples are III. THOMAS SHEPARD Anagr More hath poâ—s'd MOre from this holy pen dâ—th â—ast'd The Baptisme to defend 〈◊〉 Infants 〈◊〉 at Church members are If well you do attend Then any Anti-baptists can with solidness confute I wish with all my heart that God will grant these labours fruit As good or better then the paines by other Godly taken That thereby all his precious Saints be would please to awaken That none may any more oppose with Zeal preposterous The Truth which Gods most holy word commendeth unto us That who were less convinced by this holy Shepards voice Yet in his Letter left behind they may â—â—e more rejoyce He was a shining Light indeed few other such are left The Lord vouchsafe we be not by our Sinns of them bereft And poure down of his Spirit more upon his Sons surviving That will be more and more unto Truth 's lovers a reviving IIII. THOMAS SHEPARD Anagr Arm'd as the Shop ARm'd at the shop of God's good word â—oth weapons unto him afford â—â—â—â—nd's the right of little ones Whom God in the Church Covenant ownes The Childâ—eâ— of â—is Church among To whom 〈◊〉 Kingdome doth belong And there withall the Seal thereof Through his free Mercy Grace and Love Yet are there some which them forbid As once his weak Disciples did To come to Christ and â—cruple make Whether therof they should partake But Christ was very angry for it As for such Zeale he did abhor it Oh come said he and welcom'd such With tokens of affection much As if that they and scarcely â—hy But such as they might chalenge any Or part or portion in his grace So did his favour thâ—m embrace His Babes his Lambs his little creatures He call's them As for such dâ—features Christ they defeat as well as them Whom they presume so to contemn This holy Shepard is like David From Lyâ—â—s mouth and Beare 's who saved That Little Kid whom God did crown With great and singular renown And so this Shepard hath no doubt A glorious crown his head about For all his labâ—urs and for this In high and everlasting bliâ—s And as the Lord doth honour him For Christ his sake so his esteem Both is and ought to be most rare 'Mongst them who Christ hiâ— followers are And oh how should we bless his Name That oâ—â—is Son he pour's the same Good Spirit that was in the Father Or doubles it upon him rather LORD these Epistles do thou bless And as thy Truth they do confess So make them precious in the eyes Of all that do thy Gospel prize Amen IOHN WILSON Senior THE CHURCH-MEMBERSHIP OF CHILDREN CLEARED VP IN A LETTER IN ANSWER To the Doubts of a Friend WHen we say That Children are Members by their Parents Covenant I would premise three things for Explication 1. That Children of Godly Parents come to the fruition of their Membership by their Parents Covenant but that which give 's them their right and interest in this Membership is Gods Covenant whereby he engageth himselfe equally to be a God to them and to their Seed This I suppose is clear 2. That according to the double Seed viz. 1. Elect Seed 2. Church-Seed So there is a double Covenant 1. Exernal and outward 2. Internall and inward And because the Covenant makes the Church hence there is an inward and outward Membership and Church estate there is an outward Iew an inward Iew Rom. 2.28 29. All are not Israel i. e. the elect Seed that are of Israel i. e. the Church-Seed of in outward Covenant to whom the Apostle saith belong's the Adoption the Covenants and the promises that is the externall Adoption whereby God account's them his Children or the Children of his house and family the Children of the Church and accordingly have the promises belonging to them in respect of outward dispensation although they be not Children by internall Adoption to whom belongs the promises by effectuall and speciall communication of saving Grace It is clearer then the day that many who are inwardly or in respect of inward Covenant the Children of the Devil are outwardly or in respect of outward Covenant the Children of God Isay. 1.2 I have brought up Children and yet Rebellions and in the next verse they are called my People i. e. by outward Covenant and yet worse then the Ox or Asse Deut. 32.19 20. they are called Sons and yet provokeing God to revengefull Wrath and Children and yet without Faith And look as some may be externally Dogs and yet internally Believers as the woman of Canaan whom in respect of outward Covenant Christ calls a Dog and the Iewes who yet rejected him Children Mat. 15.26 so many may be externally Children in respect of external Covenant and yet internally Dogs and evil men and we see that the purest Churches of Christ are called Saints and faithful Children of God and yet many among them Hypocrites and unbelievers because they that in respect of Church estate and outward Covenant and profession are outwardly or federally Saints are many times inwardly and really unsound Hence therefore it is that when we say that Children are in Covenant and so Church-Members the meaning is not that they are alwaies in inward Covenant and inward Church-Members who enjoy the inward and saveing benefits of the Covenant but that they are in external and outward Covenant and therefore outwardly Church Members to whom belongs some outward priviledges of the Covenant for their inward and eternall good These things being clear I the rather make mention of them to undermine divers usual objections againts the Membership and Covenant-Interest of Children as that they have no saving Grace many times and that they make no actuall profession of any grace and that many of them degenerate and prove corrupt and wicked c. for suppose all these yet God may take them into outward Covenant which is sufficient to make them the Church-Seed or Members of the Church although he doth not receive them into inward Covenant in bestowing upon them saving Grace or Power to profess it nay though they degenerate and grow very corrupt afterward 3. Because you may question what this outward Covenant is to which the seales are annexed and under which we shall prove Children are comprehended and because the Knowledg of it is exceeding usefull and very pleasant I shall therefore give a short taste of it as a light to
our after-discourse especially as it is considered in the largest extent of it This outward covenant therefore consists chiefly of these three branches or speciall promises 1. The Lord engageth himselfe to them that they shall be called by his Name or is Name shall be called upon them as 't is Isay. 63.19 They shall be called the Sons of God Hos. 1.10 and the People of God Deut. 29.12.13 Thou becamest miâ—e Ezek. 16.8 They may not be his Sons and People really and savingly but God will Honour them outwardly at least with this name and priviledg they shall bear his name to be called so and consequently to be accounted so by others and to be reckoned as of the number of his visible Church and People just as one that Adopts a young Son he tel's the Father if he carry it well toward him when he is grown up to years he shall possess the inheritance it selfe but yet in the mean while be shall have this favour to be called his son and be of his family and houshold and so be reckoned among the number of his Sons 〈◊〉 Râ—m 9 4. 2. The Lord promiseth that they shall above all others in the World have the meanes of doing them Good and of conveying of the speciall Benefits of the Covenant Nay they shall be set apart above all People in the World to enjoy these speciall benefits of Remission of Sins power against sin eternal life c. â—ndâ—â— all certainly have these by these meane unless they refuse them this is evident from these and such like Scriptures and examples 〈◊〉 priviledge hath the Iew saith the Apostle Râ—m 3.1 and what advantage by Circumcision if by nature under wrath and sin for upon that ground the Apostle make's the question he Answers 't is much every way but coâ—sly because tâ— them were commiâ—ted the Oracle of God 1. â— the Word promises Covenant which are the ordinary meanes of saving grace and eternall good others hear the word but these in outward Covenant enjoy â—â—â—â— Covenant and promise and hence these in the first place and principally are sought after by these meanes and therefore Christ forbids his Dâ—sciples at first to go preach in the way of the Gâ—nâ—ileâ— persons out of Covenant but to the lâ—sâ— sheep of â—hâ— hâ—use of Israel Mat. 10.6 and himselfe tells the Woman of Canaan that he came not but to the last sheep of the house of Israel Mat. 15.24 And although he bid's his disciples go preach to all nation yet Acts 3.26 it 's said unto you First hath he sent Christ because you are children of the promise and Covenant verse 25 Repent therefore and be converted verse 19. Do not resist or refuse Christ for he hath First sent Christ to you to bless you and turn you from your iniquities and the promise is full and fair Rom. 11.23 If they abide not in unbeliefe i. e. in refusing grace and Christ when offered they shall be graffed in for God is able to do it and will do it and the reason why the Lord gave his people up to their own counsells it was because My people would noâ—e of me after all the meanes God used for their good Psal. 81.11 12 13. And Deut. 7.6 The Lord hath chosen you above all people on the earth to be a special people to himselfe and thou art an holy people unto the Lord How a holy people by inward holiness no verily for many of them were inwardly unholy both Parents and children but thou art holy i. e. thou art externally sanctified and set apart by special meanes of holiness to be a special people unto God And therefore Isay 5.7 the men of Iudah are called Gods pleasant plant i. e. planted into the root and fatness of the Church and therefore had all meanes used for their further special good verse 4. What could bee done to my vineyard that hath not been done And hence it is that though the word may come to heathens as well as Church-members yet it comes not to them by way of Covenant as it doth to Church-members nor have they any promise of mercy aforehand as Church-members have nor is it chiefly belonging to such but unto the children of the Covenant the promise as hath bee said And hence also it follow 's that God never cutt's off the seed of his Servants from the special benefits of the Covenant until they have had the meanes thereunto and they have positively rejected those meanes and hence the Jewes who are made the Pattern of what God will do toward all Gentile-churches Rom. 11. were never cast off till by positive unbelief they provoked the Lord to break them off by rejecting and refusing the meanes of their eternal peace 3. The Lord promiseth that the seed of his people indefinitely considered shall have this heart viz which would refuse special grace and mercy taken away as well as meanes used for that end this is evident from Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord he will cut off the uncircumcision and sin and resistance of the heart against God he will take away the stony heart not indeed from all in outward Covenant particularly but from these indefinitely so that there is no promise to do this for any out of the visible Church though God of his Soveraignty and free mercy somtimes doth so but the promise of this belongs indefinitely to those of his Church among whom usually and ordinarily he worke 's this great work leaving him to his own freeness of secret mercy to work thus on whom he will and when he will in the mean while no man can exclude himself or any others within this Covenant from hope of this mercy and grace but may with comfort look and pray for it for this is Gods Covenant that the Redeemer shall come out of Sion and turn away ungodlyness from Iacob Rom. 11.26 27. for the Covenant of God doth not only run thus If thou believe and receive grace thou shalt have it but thus also I will Circumcise your heart I will take away the stony heart I will turn away ungodliness form you I will enable to believe And hence these three things follow from these things thus opened 1. That as the Covenant run's not only thus viz. If thou believest thou shalt be saved but also I will enable to believe So a mans entrance into Covenant is not only by actual and personal profession of Faith as some say because God's Covenant run's a peg higher viz to make and enable some to believe and so to make that profession 2. That the very outward Covenant is not meerly conditional but there is something absolute in it and hence it follow 's that it is a great mistake of some who think that Circumcision and Baptism seal only conditionally the outward Covenant being â—say they meerly conditionall for those three things mentioned in the outward Covenant you
Old-Testament was the same for substance with what is now confirmed with us under the New-Testament c. which t is known the Anabaptists also generally assert Let me therefore propound a few instances this way wherby we may see what Patrons of Anabaptisme the Papists are in regard of those Principles I mean and radicall errours wherin the Papists and Anâ—baptists although by divers of them upon the account of a diverse interest Symbolize and unite against the Orthodox and speak herein in a manner the same thing distinguishing alwaies between the Opinion and the person and between some that are deceived in other points Orthodox and precious Christians and others that are Deceivers The main pillars of Anabaptisme being no better then some of the Old rotten slâ—â—ds and principles of Popery fetcht at first from thence in all likelyhood and so inclining thitherward again The Dâ—â—lect of the Anabaptist is generally and too much by some understood and therefore I forbear quotations out of their own writings possibly some may not have so much taken notice of the lâ—kâ— from the Papist and therefore I shall briefly manifest the â—aâ—e by shewing where we shall find some of the chief of those Worthies that fought the Lords Battles against Antichrist opposing and confuting them both therein I will cite a few Particulars this way among many the like which mâ—ght be produced from severall other eminent Authorâ— Holy burning and shining lights in the churches of Christ who have been the Lords Witnesses against the darkness of that Spirituall Egypt and whose Testimonie in this matter concludes as strongly against the Anabaptists having espoused those Antichristian notions so neerly to themselves 1. In those words of the Covenant I will be a God to thee and thy seed after thee neither life eternall is promised nor remission of sins but onely a certain peculiar temporall protection saith Bâ—llâ—rmine agreeing therein with the Anaâ—aptist against whom herein we find â—bamâ—er pleading for us Panstrat tom 4. Liâ— 3 Cap. 3. Parag. 9 10. c. and â—ive on Gen. 17.11 Again we read saith Bellarmine the great Gâ—â—ah of the Papists that God promised unto Abraham when he enjoyned him circumcision earthly matters only according to the letter that is the propagation of a posterity and the Land of Palestine read Ames opposing him Bellarm. 〈◊〉 Tom. 3. Lib. 1 Chap. 4. Thes. 9. 2. Touching the perverse and Caâ—abaptisticâ—ll intent and meaning of that expression of the Papists viz. That Spirituall promises dâ—scend to us not by carnall generation as they call it the very Phrase of many Anabaptists used in a way of deâ—ision of the Grace of God but by Spirituall Râ—generation c. they are the wâ—rds of Bellarmine and other Pâ—pists câ—ted confuted by Amâ—s others read Ames his Answer thereto Bâ—â— Ener â—om 3. Lib. 2. cap. 1. Thes. 5. consonant to the Judgment of the Oâ—thoacâ— viz. we acknowledg indeed Spirituall regeneration to be necessary to the solid participation of the promises but that that Regeneration is part of the Promises and belongs in a singular manner to the Children of Believers the very forme of the Covenant manifestly declares See likewise Chamier largely replying for us against Bellarmine Stapleton and others of the Papists Paâ—straâ— tom 4 lib. 5. cap. 10. parag 24 25 26 27 c 3. The Sacraments of the old Law or Testament saith Bellarmineâ— had no absolute promise of Grace annexed the promises annexed to thosâ— old Sacraments were fulfilled although men did not believe Read Ames against him ibid. l. 1. cap. 4. the. 5 7. Again the Papists saith Chemnit hold that God by the Sacraments of the old Testament which had eveâ— the word of promise annexed did exhibite conferr no grace to Believers which saith he is maifestly false Circumcision alone which as he sheweth from Scripture is called the Sâ—al of the righteousness of Faith demonstrateth as much And thereupon he sheweth the reason why the Papists so much urge that difference between the Sacraments of the old new Testament viz. because they endeavour by any manner of meanes to defend and stablish the opinion they have of their opus operatum Chemnitij Exam. par 2. de Sacram. sub canon 2. What a forcible engine of the man of sin this is and of what vast concernment as to his interest I need not here express and what arrows of Anabaptisme drawn out of this very quiver have been shot against the Orthodox in this point is known unto not a few Moreover as to the comparison in Scripture made between the Sacraments of the old and new Testament that in 1 Cor. 10.1 4. among several other Scriptures is cited by Ames against Bellarmine where the Apostle speake's of our Fathers being Baptized in the Sea c thereby intimating our Sacraments to be the same for substance with theirs or Sacramental signes and seales of one and the same sqiritual grace so that the Covenant-mercies or promises of spiritual good are the same to us as to them Bellarmine opposeth this as doth the Anabaptist The Fathers saith he are said to eat the same meat not because ours and theirs was the same but because they themselves all of them did eat the same but that meat and drinke were not sacraments they had no promise anexed c Bellâ— enerv tom 3. l. 1. c. 4. th 10. and Cham. panstrat tom 4. l. 3. c. 2. 4. The scripture no where call's Circumcision a seal saith Bellarmine to Rom. 4. unless it be in this place where Abraham is spoken of which is a manifest argument that Circumcision was a seal unto Abraham alone Ames ibid. c. 1. th 12. By this weapon also fetcht out of the armory of Antichrist hath the Anabaptist not a little gratifyed the common adversary 5. The Papists generally assert That the Baptisme of John was not the same for substance with the Baptisme of Christ nor had the same efficacy as the Baptisme of Christ hath Which tenet see confuted by Cartwright on the new Testament Mat. 3.11 and by Ames Beller 〈◊〉 t. 3. l. 2. c. 5. th 1 2. c and Rivet Cathol orthod tractat 3. qu. a. and Chemnir exam part 2. de baptismo sub canon 1. and Chamier panstrat t. 4. l. 5. c. 12. still we see the harmony between the Papist and the Anabaptist And hence we find likewise the Papist pleading for the rebaptizing of those who had received the Baptisme of John Chamier ibid. cap. 13. paragr 35. c 6. The Papists assert that Laicks as they call them i. e. those that are not in Office in the Church may in case administer Baptisme yea that not onely men but women may do it Read Ames his confutation thereof Bell. enerv tom 3. l. 2. cap. 2. and Rivet against Baily the Jesuit Cathol orthod tractat 3. qu. 7. add thereto Chamiers Panstr tom 4. l. 5. cap. 14. de legitimo Baptismi ministro where among other