but revealed Things to us and to our Children 3. But if we did know which Infants would dye who do belong to the Election of Grace or are in Covenant with God yet we ought not to Baptize them because we have no Command from Jesus Christ so to do for it was not the Right of Infants to be Circumcised because they were in the Covenant of Grace for then all other godly Mens Children who lived in Abraham's Days would have had the same Right that Abraham's Children had nor was it the Right of Abraham's Infants whether considered as his natural Seed or spiritual Seed as such but it was their Right only By that mere express and positive Command of God to Abraham it was that I say gave all his Male Infants a Right to Circumcision and nothing else Now Baptism is also a mere positive Precept as Circumcision was then Therefore none have a Right thereto but such whom Christ commands to be Baptized namely Believers Was Abraham's Females or his Males under Eight Days old Circumcised or Had they any Right unto it tho' they might be in the Covenant of Grace 11thly All those that were in the Covenant of Grace God made with Abraham had thereby an undoubted Right to all the Blessings of the said Covenant and also had the Privileges and Blessings thereof by the Spirit of God Sealed to them and were made sure of eternal Life but all those that were in the Covenant of Circumcision God made with Abraham or were Circumcised had not thereby an undoubted Right to all the Blessings of the said Covenant nor had they the Privileges and Blessings thereof Sealed to them nor was eternal Life made sure to them thereby Therefore the Covenant of Circumcision was not the Covenant of Grace nor the Seal thereof The major is clear from Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed What Seed doth the Apostle mean certainly all Abraham's Seed that the Covenant of Grace was made with and none will deny but that the Promise here comprehends all the Blessings and Privileges of the Covenant of Grace compare this with that in Heb. 6. For when God made promise to Abraham because he could not swear by no greater he swear by himself ver 13. Saying surely blessing I will bless thee and multiplying I will multiply thee ver 14. And so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise ver 15. For men verily swear by the greater and an oath of confirmation is to them an end of all strife ver 16. Wherein God is willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath ver 17. The Promise here referrs to the Promise or Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and 't is as sure to all his Seed comprehended in that same Covenant as possibly can be the very Oath of God is added besides his faithful Word to confirm it as to the minor sure none can Dream that Ishmael or Esau or the ungodly Jews that sprung from 〈◊〉 Loyns in their Generations till Christ came had undoubted Right to and Interest in all the Blessings and Privileges of the Covenant of Grace or eternal Life made sure to them do not we read that some of them were called Sons of Belial and of some of them our Saviour saith they were of their Father the Devil 12thly All those that were in the Covenant of Grace God made with Abraham had thereby a sure and strong Ground of Consolation that is Spiritual Consolation but many of them 〈◊〉 were comprehended in the Covenant of Circumcision had not thereby a sure and strong Ground of Consolation that is spiritual Consolation therefore the Covenant of Circumcision was not the Covenant of Grace see Heb. 6. 18. That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strange consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us which hope we have as the anchor of the soul both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the veil Now certainly no Man can think all that the Covenant of Circumcision did belong unto had such sure and strong Ground of Consolation thereby for Ishmael had none Esau had none and Multitudes more of Abraham's natural Seed APPLICATION First I May infer from hence That they who bring Infants of Believers into the Gospel Covenant or Gospel Church err exceedingly and are severely to be reprehended there being not the least Shadow of Ground for their Practice herein from the Covenant God made with Abraham Secondly It also appears from hence That the main Pillar of Infants Baptism is rooted up the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees the external or natural Off-spring of Abraham or by Descent from an external Faedoral or Covenant Relation to him or as they are the carnal Off-spring of Believers Thirdly From hence also I inferr That the Children of Believing Gentiles as such are not the Seed of Abraham to whom the Covenant of Grace was made Nay let me tell you that it appears from hence That the Children of Believing Gentiles as such are neither the natural Seed of Abraham nor his spiritual Seed which to open yet more fully let us now consider all the distinct Sorts of Abraham's Seed which I find were Fourfold 1. Christ personally considered to Abraham and his Seed was the Promise made he saith Not as of seeds as to many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. Now as the Promise referrs to Christ so the Infants of believing Gentiles all will say are not Abraham's Seed 2. All the Elect or whole Body of Believers who have the Faith of Abraham and walk in the Steps of Abraham these are called Abraham's Seed Now none can be so blind as once to suppose the Children of Believing Gentiles as such are the Seed of Abraham Can Infants believe in God as Abraham did or Can they walk in his Steps or which is more are their natural Off-spring as such of the Election of Grace Doth it appear so or Doth it not appear to the contrary viz. Do not many of their Seed prove wicked and ungodly Persons and so liveand dye Certainly were they all as such Elected they should be all Converted we are chosen to be Holy c. Eph. 14. 4. and if you be Christ's then are you Abraham 's Seed and Heirs according to the Promise Gal. 3. 29. 3. There was another i. e. a Natural Seed of Abraham to whom the Promise was made and that was Isaac Gen. 21. 22. but the Children of believing Gentiles as such or as so considered are not Isaac in that respect they cannot be the Seed of Abraham Isaac was begotten of Abraham's natural Body according to the Flesh and all spiritual Isaac's are regenerated Persons Gal. 4. 28. 4. We
Off-spring but to his fleshly Seed as such as well as they upon that Condition they kept the Covenant of Circumcision and conformed themselves to the Law God gave them which they were obliged to do by the Covenant of Circumcision as I shewed before Secondly I shall now shew you what those Promises were that respect the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and his true spiritual Seed as such 1. I have made thee a Father of many Nations meaning Gentile Belie 〈…〉 2. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gen. 12. 3. Observe here what the Apostle speaks And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith preached the Gospel to Abraham saying In thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed Gal. 3. 8. Nay and 't is for ever to be noted That the Holy Apostle endeavours to do the very same thing in Gal. 3. 16. which I am now about viz. To prove That the Covenant of Grace was not made with Abraham's fleshly Seed as such read the Text Now to Abraham and to his seed was the promise made he saith not to seeds as of many meaning his fleshly Seed as such but to thy seed which is Christ. And then in vers 29. he concludes And if ye be Christ's then are you Abraham's seed and heirs according to the Promise You must not reckon from Abraham but from Christ He must be blind that can't discern from hence that there were Two Covenants made with Abraham Compare these Texts with that in Rom. 9. 6 7 8. Obj. But the Jews might object they not seeing nor understanding this Twofold Covenant if we are rejected of God and rooted out God is unfaithfull and his Promise made of none Effect to Abraham and 't is his seed 1. Answ. The Apostle Answers They are not all Israel which are of Israel vers 6. 2. Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all Children ver 7. That is though they be all the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh yet they are not all his spiritual Seed according to that Covenant of Grace made with Abraham all the true spiritual Seed are the Children of God as Isaac was being begotten and brought forth as the product of Almighty Power as fruit of God's Free Promise I will come and Sarah shall have a Son see the Apostle's further answer That is they which are born after the Flesh these are not the Children of God but the Children of the Promise are counted for the Seed vers 8. Martin Luther confirms the same great Truth we contend for Paul therefore concludeth with this Sentence saith he that they that are of Faith are the Children of Abraham that corporal Birth or carnal Seed make not the Children of Abraham before God as if he would say there is none before God accounted as the Child of Abraham who is the Servant of God whom God hath chosen and made Righteous by Faith through carnal Generation but such Children must be given before God as he was a Father but he was a Father of Faith was justified and pleased God not because he could beget Children after the Flesh not because he had Circumcision under the Law but because he believed in God He therefore that will be a Child of the Believing Abraham must also himself believe or else he is not a Child of the Elect the believing and the justified Abraham not the begetting Abraham which is nothing else but a Man conceived and born and wrap'd in Sin without the Forgiveness of Sins without Faith without the Holy Ghost as another Man is and therefore Condemned Such also are the Children carnally begotten of him having nothing in them like unto their Father but Flesh and Blood Sin and Death therefore these are also Damned this glorious boasting then we are the Seed of Abraham is to no purpose Thus far Luther on Gal. 3. p. 115. Thus Mr. Perkins speaks also The Seed of Abraham saith he is the Seed not of the Flesh but of the Promise and this Seed is first Christ and then all that believe in Christ for these are given to Abraham by Promise and Election of God moreover the Seed is not many as Paul observeth but one It is Objected That the Word Seed is a Name Co-elective and signifies the whole Posterity of Abraham Answ. It doth sometimes saith he but not always for Eve saith of Seth God hath given me another Seed Again he saith this one particular Seed of Abraham is Christ Jesus here the Name Christ first and principally the Mediator and then Secondly all Jews and Gentiles believing that are fit and grafted into Christ by Faith St. Paul saith The Children of the Flesh those are not the Children of God but the Children of the Promise are the Seed of Abraham Thus Mr. Perkins 2. Now nothing is more evident then that by the Promise is meant the Covenant of Grace the Children of the Promise made with Abraham are Children of the New Covenant and so generally owned by all our True Protestant Writers and this Promise or Covenant we find was only made with Abraham's spiritual Seed as these Two famous Writers and many more positively affirm 3. Yet also it is plain there was a Covenant made with Abraham's natural Seed and that they were taken into an external national Church State and Covenant relation with God and had divers peculiar Immunities and Privileges granted to them as so considered all which fully evinces that there was a Two-fold Covenant made with Abraham Certainly none can suppose but that their Church State and Legal Rights were Covenant Blessings and that they begun in Abraham and that too by those Covenant Transactings God made him is so clear that nothing need to be said more unto it and I cannot but wonder that our eminent Writers should confound and jumble these Two Covenants together as indeed I find generally they do Obj. But some will still Object that tho' this which I have said be granted i. e. That there were Two Covenants made with Abraham yet say they Circumcision was a Gospel Covenant or did appertain to the Covenant of Grace Answ. I answer and positively affirm That the Covenant of Circumcision was part of that legal old and external Covenant which is done away And this in the next place I shall fully prove 1. Because the Law or Covenant of Circumcision was it appears made in the Design and End of it to separate the natural Seed of Abraham in their National Church standing from all other Nations of the World and to give them the Land of Canaan and to keep themselves Pure from mixing among the Pople from whom Christ according to the Flesh was to come And hence it was that they were not to mingle themselves with the Heathens nor suffer any to join themselves to them unless first Circumcised Will any say that the Covenant of Grace or Gospel Covenant in the Design of it
be my people ver 33. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord c. Pray observe in the Old Covenant Infants were Members who did not when taken into that Covenant and made Members of that legal Church know the Lord nor indeed their right Hand from their left Therefore they when grown up had need to be taught saying Know the Lord and thus upon this Account every one had need to teach his Neighbour and his Brother but in the Gospel Covenant God saith it should not be thus for that all whom he would make that Covenant with should know him before they were received as Members of that Church tho' afterwards 't is granted they stand in need of further teaching And in this respect the Gospel Covenant and Gospel Church State differs or is not according to the Old legal and external Covenant and Church State of the Jews as well as in other things that being a conditional Covenant the New Covenant Absolute I will and they shall that was a Covenant of Works this of Grace c. They shall all know me from the least to the greatest not one Infant then be sure is in it as a Member of the Gospel Church they are now required to repent to believe to bring forth fruits meet for reâ—entance They must be made Disciples by Teaching as appears by the great Commission Mat. 28 19 20. before Baptized who are to be Members of the Gospel Church Arg. 5. The Covenant of Circumcision could not be the Gospel Covenant because the Terms of it runs according to the Sinai Covenant which is said not to be of faith but 1 the man that doth those things should live in them Gal. 3. 22. 2 Life was promised to Obedience to it and Death threatned to Disobedience 3 The Promise of the Sinai Covenant was the Land of Canaan Riches Peace and Prosperity to be Blessed in the Basket and Store and so runs the Covenant of Circumcision see Gen. 17. 9 10 14. Thou shalt keep my covenant c. and I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land of Canaan c. ver 8. And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his fore-skin is not circumcised that Soul shall be cuâ— off from his People he hath broken my Covenant ver 14. Thus ran the Law and Covenant of Circumcision it was Life upon the Condition of Obedience Death upon Disobedience 't was do and live but thus runs not the Terms of the New Covenant but directly contrarywise believe and thou shalt be saved are the Terms of the Gospel Covenant from whence I shall draw this Argument That Covenant that was in the Nature and Quality of it as much a Covenant of Works as the Sinai Covenant could not be the Covenant of Grace But so was the Law and Covenant of Circumcision Therefore Circumcision was no Gospel Law or Covenant Arg. 6. The Covenant of Circumcision was of the Letter and not of the Spirit This the Apostle lays down Rom. 3. 29. But he is not a Jew which is one outward and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of man but of God Doth he not clearly hereby intimate that Circumcision of the Flesh was of the Law and not of the Gospel for by Letter the Law is meant all Expositors confess in that paralell Text 2 Cor. 5. Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the spirit see our late worthy Annotators by the Letter Here say they the Apostle understandeth the Law or the Law is called the Letter Rom. 2. 27. Who by the letter and Circumcision doth transgress the Law The Law say they in opposition to the Gospel is called the Letter and again they say the Gospel is called the Spirit both in opposition to the carnal Ordinances of the Law and because Christ is the Matter Subject and Argument of it The Law kills but the Gospel gives Life yet some affirm that Law written in Stones was the Gospel or a dark ministration of it What Law is it then that kills and what was the Covenant of Works which as such is taken away But no more of that here 't is plain Circumcision was not of the Spirit i. e. not of the Gospel but of the Law Arg. 7. That Covenant in which Faith was not reckoned to Abraham for Righteousness was not the Covenant of Grace or a Gospel Covenant But the Apostle shews us That Faith was not reckoned to Abraham in Circumcision Rom. 4. That faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness vers 9. How then was it reckoned when he was in circumcision or in uncircumcision not in circumcision but in uncircumcision ver 10. What need was there for St. Paul to argue thus against Circumcision if it were as our Brethren say a Gospel Law Precept or Covenant and remarkable 't is that the Apostle puts in this Chapter the Law and Circumcision together as being of one stamp or of the same nature and excludes them both from the free Promise of God made to Abraham which I have shew'd was the Pure Gospel or New Covenant Reader see Mr. Philip Cory's Solemn Call where thou wilt meet with this and some other of these Arguments largely opened and his Reply to Mr. Flavel both worth thy reading Arg. 8. The Law or Covenant of Circumcision is as the said worthy Writer observes contrary distinguished or opposed by the Apostle in Rom. 4. to the Covenant of Faith or Gospel Covenant therefore could not be one nor of the same Nature read 9 10 11 12 13 and 14 verseâ— Arg. 9. That Covenant or Precept that profited none unless they kept the Law could not belong to the Covenant of Grace but so the Apostle speaks of Circumcision For circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the law Rom. 2. 25. That is as I have observed if thou keep the Law perfectly but if thou break the law thy circumcision is made uncircumcision that is of none effect 'T is strange to me that Circumcision should be a Gospel Covenant and yet not profit any unless they perfectly kept the Law and also obliged them so to do Gal. 5. 3. Could a Man have perfectly kept the Law of the Old Covenant he might have thereby been justified in the sight of God and then no need of a Christ to have fulfilled the Righteousness of it for us and in our nature But doth a Gospel Precept oblige any to the perfect keeping of the whole Law How then could this be a Gospel Precept O see how the Law and Circumcision agree and comport together in their nature end use and design and never plead for it as a Gospel Precept any more unless you have a mind to bring your Selves and Children under the
Old Covenant and the Curse thereof compare this with Gal. 5. 3. For I testifie to every man among you that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole law Not as a late Writer says in his Opinion or in his intention that was Circumcised that he was such a Debtor for it may be justly doubted Whether they so thought or not nay by the Apostle's Words it seems otherwise i. e. They did not think any such thing tho' they might seek to be justified by the Law and Circumcision yet not that they thought themselves obliged to keep the whole Law perfectly but they who were Circumcised were verily obliged by Circumcision to do the whole Law when Circumcision was in Force Whatsoever Mr. John Flavel hath said in his late Book to the contrary notwithstanding in Answer to Mr. Cary And indeed the Annotators agree with us herein thus I find they express themselves Object But did not the Fathers then by being Circumcised acknowledge themselves Debtors to the Law Answ. Yes they did acknowledge themselves bound to the observation of the Law and to endure upon the breaking of it the Curse of it but they were discharged from this Obligation by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ who was made a Curse for them Arg. 10. The Covenant of Circumcision could not belong to the Gospel Covenant because 't is called in express terms a Yoke of Bondage Act. 15. 10. Gal. 5. 1 2. Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear I wonder any should call Circumcision a Privilege the Yoke was Circumcision which those false Teachers would have put on Men who were Believers among the Gentiles see vers 1. If the Jews had any Profit Advantage or Privilege by it it was chiefly because unto them were committed the Oracles of God or Ten Commandments not chiefly because unto them was given the Covenant of Grace for had it been a Gospel Covenant or a Rite thereof as our mistaken Opposers affirm he would have said so see his Words What advantage then hath the Jew and what profit is there in Circumcision Rom. 3. 1. Much every way but chiefly because unto them were committed the oracles of God ver 2. It did not seal to them the Covenant of Grace nor assure them of the Blessings thereof for so a Seal doth all the Blessings and Privileges of that Covenant to which it is prefix'd but the direct contrary i. e. it assur'd them That they should have the Law given to them the Oracles of God i. e. The Sinai Covenant which Law shewed them what a kind of Righteousness it was God did require of all Men that would be justified in God's sight it was not given to them to give Life or Righteousness but to shew the exceeding sinfulness of Sin and to regulate their Lives to put a curb upon their Lusts so hateful to God as also to discover unto them that nothing short of a perfect and compleat Righteousness could justifie the Creature in the sight of God and so the Law through the weakness of the Flesh lay'd all Men under Death and Condemnation exacting hard Service but gave no Strength to perform its Demands it killed but could not give Life And therefore as it was a Covenant of Works do this and live or the man that doth these things shall live in them which Christ abolished it by the Blood of his Cross. And since it appears by what the Apostle says That Circumcision obliged while it was in Force to do all the whole Law which he that did not so do was Cursed by it 't is evident that instead of its being a Covenant of Grace or the Seal thereof it rather sealed the Curses of the Law upon them for their Disobedience and therefore such a yoke of Bondage which they nor their Fathers were able to bear Circumcision it appears then was an Earnest to Abraham's natural Seed of the Sinai Covenant which Law was 't is evident comprehended as a Covenant of Works in Circumcision and so Circumcision was a Part or Branch of it God then and at that time taking his natural Seed into an external Covenant Relation with himself was thereby in his Wisdom obliged to give the said Law in Tables of Stone to them for the Reasons Use and End befoâ—e mentioned and as 't is by our Apostle frequently in his Epistles hinted the Apostle as a Learned Writer observes doth not here begin a Discourse nor to the number of Privileges and Advantages for he names but one in all but to the quality of this Privilege viz. That it was not an Evangelical or Gospel Privilege but only a Legal or Old Covenant Rite and Privilege this is the Chief of all the Advantages the Jews had by Circumcision i. e. there having thereby an assurance that the Law of God on Mount Sinai should be given to them So much as to the Proof and Demonstration That Circumcision was no Gospel-Precept or Covenant Obj. But perhaps some may Object If Infants as such were not included in the Covenant of Grace God made with Abraham how can dying Infants be saved 1. Answ. I Answer Must Infants of Believers be comprehended in that Covenant God made with Abraham or else Cannot any dying Infants be saved How then were any dying Infants saved before Abraham's Days or before that Covenant was made with him 2. I never said no Infants were included in the Covenant of Grace God made with Abraham but not as such No doubt all Elect Persons both Infants and the Adult were included in the Covenant of Grace and had or shall have the Blessings of Christ's Blood and Merits but the Covenant of Grace may be considered Two manner of ways or under a Two-fold Consideration 1st The inward invisible Blessings Grace and Privileges of it 2d The visible and outward Administration or Privileges thereof 1. Now who they be that are comprehended or included in the inward and invisible Blessings Grace and Privileges of it are only known to God not to us But the Gospel or Covenant of Grace as to the outward Administration and Privileges thereof only belong to such who know the Lord or profess Faith in Jesus Christ and therefore all that have a Right to Baptism and Gospel Church Membership must first be made Disciples by being taught by the Word and Spirit of God and so truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ according to the great Commission of our Saviour Mat. 28. 19 20. and the Practice of Christ himself Joh. 4. 1 2. and of his Apostles Act. 2. 37. Act. 8. 14 c. Act. 10. and Act. 16 c. God hath many ways as Dr. Taylor observes to save dying Infants which we know not he can apply the benefit and merits of Christ's Blood to them in ways we are wholly Ignorant of and ought not to trouble our Selves with it Secret Things belong to God
read yet of another Natural Seed of Abraham to whom the Promise of Grace did not belong as Ishmael and the Sons of Keturah Gen. 15. 5. but as they were the Seed of Abraham none will say the Children of beliving Gentiles are the Seed of Abraham now I affirm that there is no mention made of any other Seed of Abraham but these four sorts if any man can shew a fifth sort let him from hence I shall again draw this Argument viz. If the Children of the believing Gentiles as such are not the natural Seed of Abraham nor the spiritual Seed of Abraham then they can have no Right as such to Baptism nor to Church-Membership by vertue of being Abraham's Seed nor are they any ways as such concerned in that Covenant-Transaction God made with Abraham but the Children of believing Gentiles as such are not the natural Seed of Abraham nor the spiritual Covenant of Abraham therefore they can have no right as such to Baptism nor to Church-Membership by vertue of Abraham's Covenant nor are they any ways concerned in that Covenant-Transaction God made with Abraham Obj. The Athenian Society in p. 2. of their Athenian Gazette affirm that the Children of believing Gentiles are the spiritual Seed of Abraham until by actual sin unrepented of they are otherwise Answ. To which I answer as I have once already that then some of the true spiritual Seed of Abraham may eternally perish for certainly many Children of Believers who when they grow up proving to be prophane unbelieving and impenitent Persons and so live and dye are eternally lost 1. Which if so the Covenant of Grace is not so well ordered in all things and sure as we believe it is and the Scripture proves it is 2. 'T is also directly contrary to what St. Paul positively affirms in Rom. 4. 16. therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed not to that which is of the Law but to that which is of the Faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all If this be well consider'd the Plea for our Infants as such being Abraham's Seed is gone for ever for I from hence argue again that all that are in that Gospel Covenant God made with Abraham or are his spiritual Seed have the Promise of eternal Life sure to them but all the Seed of believing Gentiles as such have not the Promise of eternal Life sure to them therefore the Children of believing Gentiles as such are not the spiritual Seed of Abraham 3. All that are in the Covenant of Grace I mean all the true spiritual Seed of Abraham have the Faith of Abraham and walk in the steps of Abraham and have also all the Privileges of the Gospel Covenant God made with him but so have not the natural Seed of believing Gentiles as such nor are they by Birth i. e. by being born of believing Parents in a better Condition than others as such being all being born in sin and in the Covenant of Works indeed if Believers Children as such were in Covenant as soon as begotten or born then they are born in the Covenant of Grace and if so not the Children of Wrath by Nature and if in the Covenant of Grace then their State is good enough without Baptism nor doth Baptism bring them into it and if they say as some do that the Children are brought into the Covenant of Grace by Baptism and so made the Children of God Members of Christ and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven then it follows they had it not by vertue of being in Covenant with their Parents and then also it would follow that 't is in the power of Men and Women to bring their Children into the Covenant of Grace or keep them out of it and so through Negligence or Ignorance the Parents may damn their Children and others have power to save theirs by getting a Minister to Baptise them But if they do not suppose their Seed as such are indeed truly and really in the Covenant of Grace what signifies that which they call the Covenant to whom the Blessing of the Covenant do not belong and if it seals not the Blessings of the Covenant what doth it seal or what spiritual Advantage do their Children receive thereby Either they have the internal Blessings or Privileges sealed to them or else the external Privileges thereof or none at all now I can't believe they judge they have right as such to the internal Blessings and Privileges for then they must all be saved unless those to whom the Promise is sure it being confirmed by the Oath of God may eternally perish I know they whom I have to do with are averse to the Doctrine of falling from Grace And if it seals the External Privileges of the Covenant to them why are they denyed those Privileges Is not Breaking of Bread and Church-Fellowship the chief external Privileges of the Gospel-Church We know as to bearing the Word Prayers of the Church our Children enjoy those Privileges as far forth as theirs besides if they be not absolutely in the Covenant but only conditionally i. e. if they believe they shall c. even what is that more than what the Children of Unbelievers have shall not they be received into the Covenant also if they believe and close in with Christ I cannot learn that they can inform us of any Benefit their Children above ours have who are not baptised or other Mens by their Baptism or as they are their Seed as such tho' 't is evident Abraham's natural Seed had a Right to many external Privileges under that Dispensation as such but I shall now proceed to answer some grand Objection made against what I have said Obj. 1. The first is this viz. There is an exact Parallel or Parity betwixt Circumcision and Baptism therefore as Jewish Infants were circumcised so the Children of Christian Gentiles may be baptised thus they argue Ans. I must deny that there is such a Parity or clear Parallel as they intimate between Circumcision and Baptism but if there were yet the Argument is good for nothing but to prove the first i. e. and that there is no such Parity but in most things a Disparity will now clearly be evinced 1. Circumcision was a shadow of Christ to come by whom we receive the great Antitype of Circumcision i. e. the Circumcision of the heart Col. 2. 12 13. Baptism is a sign that Christ is already come dâ—ad bury'd and rais'd again 2. Circumcision was a sign of the Covenant with Abraham's natural Seed above all other Nations and a Token to them of many external Blessings and Privileges Baptism is a sign of the inward and peculiar Graces of the Spirit the Person baptized hath received if a true Subject of that Holy Ordinance 3. Circumcision only belonged to Abraham's Male Children Baptism belongs to all that believe truly in Christ both Males and Females
THE Ax laid to the Root OR One BLOW more at the Foundation of Infant Baptism and Church-Membership CONTAINING An EXPOSITION of that Metaphorical Text of Holy Scripture MAT. 3. 10. Being the Substance of Two SERMONS lately Preached with some Additions Wherein is shewed That God made a Two-fold Covenant with Abraham and that Circumcision appertained not to the Covenant of Grace but to the Legal and External Covenant God made with Abraham's Natural Seed as such TOGETHER With an ANSWER to Mr. John Flavel's last Grand Arguments in his Vindiciarum Vindex in his Last Reply to Mr. Philip Cary. Also to Mr. Rothwell's Paedo-Baptismus vindicatur as to what seems most material PART I. By BENJAMIN KEACH Pastor of a Church of Christ meeting at Horsly-down Southwark Rom. 9. 7. Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all I hil dren c. ver 8. That is they which are the children of the Flesh these are not the children of God Gal. 4. 24. Which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants Gal. 3. 29. And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey 16â—â— THE Epistle to the Reader WHEN I first entered on this Text I did not intend the Publication of the Sermons it was not at all in my Thoughts But after I had preached Two of them I was earnestly solicited by divers to do it which at last I consented to do Yet because some of the Arguments about that Two-fold Covenant God made with Abraham being before Publish'd in my Answer to Mr. Burkit I was at a stand in my Mind about it Yet meeting with Mr. John Flavell 's Vindiciarum Vindex being as he says a full Answer to Mr. Philip Cary 's Exceptions to his Vindiciae legis Faedoris together with a late Treatise wrote by Mr. Rothwell called Paedo-Baptismus Vindicatus I was resolved if the Bookseller would take the Copy to expose it to publick view finding no Person taking any notice of either of those late Treatises by way of Answer The former being so much cryed up as a weighty Piece I thought it was necessary to Examine and Detect the seeming Force of his chief Arguments for tho' the Author is deceased yet I fear his Writings on that Subject may do some wrong to the Truth by hindering such gracious Persons reception of it who are willing to be informed because he was a Man of great Parts Learning and I hope of Piety For by sad Experience I perceive some People build their Faith and Belief of Infant Baptism on the Credit and great Veneration they have of the Asserters of it saying How should such Men be Mistaken which is a poor Argument and a great Reproach it is to such Persons For their Faith it seems stands in the Wisdom of Men and not in the Power of God or certain Testimony of his holy Word God may Reader for some Reasons known to himself hide this and some Truths from some of his faithful Servants may be as a Rebuke to them for their over-valuing of humane Learning and to the People too upon the like account though the Knowledge of the Tongues I esteem in its place and could wish if the Lord saw it good all Gospel Ministers had the Knowledge of the Original Languages but as the Apostle says God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1. 27. And base things and things that are despised hath God chosen yea things that are not to bring to naught things that are ver 28. That no Flesh should Glory in his Presence God makes use of Men that are of no account in the esteem of the Learned World to confound such who are of great Repute The Truth is that great Author hath not missed the Mark only in asserting Paedo-Baptism and in his dark Notions about the Covenant of Circumcision but also in a Point of far greater Moment viz. In asserting in this very Book the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace These are his Words An antecedent Condition signifying no more than an Act of ours which tho' it be neither perfect in every Degree nor in the least meritorious of the Benefit conferr'd nor performed in our own natural Strength yet according to the Constitution of the Covenant is required of us in order to the Blessings consequent thereupon by vertue of the Promise and consequently the Benefits and Mercies granted in the Promise in this order are and must be suspended by the Donor or Disposer of them until it be performed such a Condition we affirm Faith to be c. This grand Error for so I must call it the Learned and Reverend Mr. Chauncy whom God hath graciously raised up to defend his blessed Truth at this present time and for whose Labours we have great cause to Praise the holy Name of Jehovah takes notice of in his late Treatise which is newly come to my Hand before I wrote this Epistle tho' my Copy is at the Press p. 128 129. Mr. Flavel saith he was a worthy Man but it may be not without some Hay and Stubble I wish it do not prove an attempting at another Foundation besides Christ c. You tell us saith he what an Antecedent Condition is That it signifies no more than an Act of ours and such is Faith I suppose you and he mean in distinction from a consequent Condition the Antecedent gains the Estate the Lawyers reckon it the Purchase-Money the Consequent Condition keeps it and it 's the Quit-rent which if it be not duely paid the Lord can enter and take the Estate so that Faith you 'll have to be the Antecedent Money deposited and laid down before you have any of your Spiritual Estate and you say it signifies no more than an Act of ours I pray Whose should it be but ours if the Condition be to be performed by us and Why is this put in it signifies no more unless the meaning be that Christ's Righteousness should be shut out and it should be reckoned under the Nature of this Condition merely as an Act of ours without Respect to Christ the Author of it and Christ the true Object of it See him at large Again he saith Every faedoral Condition is Ex pacto Meritorious so that you may challenge your Bargain upon Performance if it be but 20 Guineys to purchase an 100 l. per Annum so that we have only your Word for 't that it is not meritorious when it 's so in reality the nature of the thing speaks it to the understanding of all Men of Sence No no do not think to wheedle Christ out of his Merits and God out of the Honour of his Free Grace and us out of the Comfort of both You say it 's not performed in our natural Strength No and yet a Condition of a Covenant made with Man a most unreasonable Thing
and so need fear no wrath to come From whence comes this to pass that you seem to fear or to be afraid of future Wrath and the Vengeance of an angry God Bring forth therefore Fruits meet for Repentance ver 8. O come now and put your selves among the crowd of Poor Sinners and Godly Penitent Persons Repent of your false Doctrines you have taught Repent of the corrupt and wicked Notions and Opinions you hold and of the Vain and Hypocritical Lives you have led and think not that a bear Profession of this will do neither for you must bring forth Fruits of true Repentance Fruits of true Holiness from a thorough change of Heart that must be wrought in you But as if he should say I know your Thoughts I have heard what a Belief you are of you think you are in Covenant with God and so are faedorally Holy and in a saved and safe Condition because you have Abraham to your Father you conclude that Covenant God made with Abraham and his natural or fleshly Seed was the Covenant of Grace and so the Promise is sure to you And therefore he adds ver 7. And think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father For I say unto you that God is able of these Stones to raise up Children to Abraham You promise good to your selves because you are the natural Off-spring of believing Abraham you rest upon your Descent from him The very same Plea we find they made to our blessed Saviour Joh. 8. 33. We be Abraham 's seed and were never in Bondage to any Man How sayest thou yee shall be made Free We were never under the Bondage of Sin as others are that Covenant made with Abraham being the Covenant of Grace we are thereby set at Liberty and no Man shall by his Doctrine make us believe the contrary we are a free People in respect of our Souls and spiritual Privileges for they could not mean otherwise because they had often been in Bondage to Men in respect of external Liberty and Freedom First to Pharaoh King of Egypt and then to Nebuchadnezzar and now were so in Bondage under the Romans I know saith our Saviour that ye are Abraham's Seed according to the Flesh They were his Off-spring but that was no spiritual Advantage to them tho' it did give them Right to legal Privileges and Ordinances under the Law yet it signify'd nothing now it would not profit them under the Gospel Dispensation they must be the spiritual Seed of Abraham and do the Works of Abraham and walk in his Steps which they did not and therefore the Lord Jesus told them vers 44. Ye are of your Father the Devil and the Lusts of your Father you will do John Baptist intimates the same thing when he called them a Generation of Vipers tho' they intituled themselves to the Covenant of Grace like as some do now a-days upon that in Gen. 17. extended to Abraham's Seed as well as to himself and concluded they were Members of God's Church then on Earth and could not therefore be deny'd any Privilege or Ordinance that of Right belonged to Covenant Children But this great Prophet knew how blind and deceived they were not understanding that there were two Covenants made with Abraham and also a Two-fold Seed viz. a Carnal or Natural and a Spiritual Seed they thought that Promise of God made with Abraham must be made of none Effect if they should not be owned or allowed to be the Seed of Abraham but saith the Baptists God is able of these Stones to raise up Children to Abraham If he should turn Stones into Men and Women who have Abraham's Faith they would be certainly the true Seed of Abraham and not such as they were tho' they naturally proceeded from his Loins according to the Flesh or God could of the Gentiles raise up Children to Abraham and so make good his Promise to him who said In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed And now farther to convince them and so to take away for ever all their Hope and Pretences of Right to Gospel-Ordinances and Church-Membership by vertue of the Covenant made with Abraham or from the Consideration of their being his natural or fleshly Seed he in the words I first read to you says And now also the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees therefore every Tree which bringeth forth not good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire vers 10. Now this now referrs to the time here in this Place sometimes it referrs to the Matter or Occasion of what is spoken Now the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees whatever is meant by the Root of the Trees this is certain the Ax was not till now or until this time so laid or thus laid to the Root We cannot understand what the Holy Ghost intends hereby unless we observe and well consider the Scope and Coherence of the Text which do's clearly unfold the whole drift and purport of the Baptists He shew'd them before in the Context that their Plea to Gospel Baptism was not good nor pleadable i. e. We are Abraham's Seed they might Object and say Obj. All the seed of Abraham were taken into covenant with God and all that sprang from his loins were members of the visible Church and had right to the external rites ordinances and privileges thereof Ans. This John Baptist seems to grant i. e. That it was so from Abraham's Time untill these Days or under the Law or old Covenant-Dispensation they had he denies not a Right to Jewish Church-Membership and Legal Ordinances But what of that Now the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees that is as Abraham was the Root or common Covenanting-Father as concerning the Flesh out of which Root all the Jews his natural Off-spring sprang and upon which Foundation they and their natural Church-State was founded Yet now the Ax is laid to this Root i. e. To this Covenant i. e. The legal or external Covenant made with Abraham and down must the Building fall when the Foundation is removed down goes the Trees when the Root out of which they grew is cut down So much as to the Scope and Coherence of the Words Secondly I shall explain the Terms and Parts of the Text 1. Shew farther what is meant by the Root 2. What is intended by the Trees 3. What is meant by the Ax. 4. What by laying the Ax to the Root of the Trees and by cutting down 5. What by the Fire and casting into the Fire First By the Root is meant that which bears up the Branches and on which the Tree and Branches stand and grow and 't is from hence from this Allusion the Baptists makes use of these Words and Expressions Now the Root whereof he speaks as I conceive was that Covenant God made with Abraham and his natural Seed or Off-spring which Covenant did in a mystical Sence as clearly
to hew and square some Persons for God's spiritual Building and to cut down others also as Trees that are Rotten and bear no good Fruit Therefore saith the Lord I have hewn them by the Prophets and what follows mark it I have slain them by the words of my Mouth Hos. 6 5. The Word of God either kills or cures 't is either a saviour of Life unto Life or the saviour of Death unto Death 2. Cor. 2. 16. Like as Sweet-Meats are to some Pleasant and Comfortable and to others Pernicious and Deadly The Abuse of Gospel Grace cut the Jews down and so it will all others who slight and contemn it the Word either softens or hardens like as the Sun who shining on the Wax it softens that but shining on the Clay it hardens that When the Word comes in Judgment then 't is like an Ax in the Hand of God's Justice I find one Learned Man speaking thus on this Place viz. The Word of God which is a spiritual Ax cutteth down spiritually Wicked Men and Hypocrites like rotten and barren Trees This is it which is elsewhere meant by plucking up destroying hardening c. Some saith he expound this not of spiritual Judgments threatned in his Word against impenitent Sinners but of the Power of the Romans which were the Instruments of God to destroy utterly the unfaithful and wicked Generation of the Jews The former is saith he the best Exposition but I conceive it may referr to both 3. The Ax may refer to Men whom God makes use of as Instruments in his Hand to cut down and destroy a Wicked and God-provoking People Hence wicked Rulers and Kings whom God raises up as Instruments in his Hand to chastise and cut down a rebellious People are called His Sword and the Rod of his Wrath and Indignation Psal. 17. 14. Arise O Lord disappoint him cast him down deliver my Soul from the wicked which is thy Sword And thus the Assyrian were an Ax in God's Hand to use as he pleased and the Romans afterwards to the Jews likewise Moreover God's Israel is called his Ax Thou art my Battel-Ax and Weapons of War with thee I will break in pieces the Nations and with thee will I destroy Kingdoms God's People in the last Days which are now very near shall be his Ax by whom as Instruments in his Hand he will destroy Babylon Jer. 51. 20 24. And I will render unto Babylon c. all the evil they have done to Sion in your sight saith the Lord. Reward her as she hath rewarded you double to her double Rev. 18. 6. Give her Blood to drink for she is worthy The Stone cut out of the Mountains without Hands shall break to pieces all the Powers of the Earth that oppose Christ's Kingdom or that stand in the way of its Establishment Dan. 3. 34. 44. 4. By the Ax may in the general be meant God's Wrath however it is or may be executed or upon whom Wrath will sooner or later cut down all the Ungodly both false Churches and tyrannical Powers of the Earth and all who continue in Unbelief and in Rebellion against God The laying the Ax to the Root discovers the final Fall and Ruin of Sinners whether considered as a Church or as particular Persons dig up or cut down the Root and down falls the Body and all the Branches of the Tree Fifthly and Lastly Therefore every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit shall be hewn down and cast into the Fire Now he draws a necessary Inferrence and Conclusion from the Premisses Every Tree that is every Man and Woman or every Corrupt Church be they who they will either Jew or Gentile Babylonian or Christian if not Plants of God's planting if not Fruitful to God if they Answer not his Design and End if they bring not forth good Fruit they shall be hewn down and cast into the Fire of external and eternal Wrath a Fire saith the Lord is kindled in my anger and it shall burn to the lowest Hell Wrath ceases and shall cease on them here but at last they shall be cast into Hell-fire where the worm dies not and the fire is not quenched Mark 9. 46. 1. The Words being thus opened and explained I shall take notice of two or three Points of Doctrine 1. Doct. Now the Dispensation is changed to be of the natural Root or of the National Church of the Jews or the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh as such is no Ground of Church-Membership or 't is no Argument to be admitted into the Gospel Church or to Gospel-Baptism 2. Doct. Now in the times of the Gospel God is and will be severe with all ungodly unbelieving and impenitent Sinners he strikes at their Root at the Root of all their Hopes false Faith or fleshly Confidence whatsoever 'T is the first of these Propositions I shall in the first place insist upon and as I may be enabled explain and prosecute amongst you but the Time being near gone let me now with a brief word or two conclude at this Season 1. Caution Take heed on what you build your Hopes of Justification and Salvation what is that which bears up your Spirits for if you are Trees that grow not out of the true root Jesus Christ and the Covenant of Grace if you have not Union with the Lord Jesus or are not built on that Foundation or Corner-stone God hath laid in Sion down you fall for now the ax is laid to the Root of the Trees 2. Enquiry Is not Morality a civil and honest Life Doing to all as you would be done unto the Ground or Foundation of your Hopes Do you build upon this if it be so tremble remember Christ saith Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Joh. 3. 3. If you have no other Ground of Hope but from your own Moral Righteousness when Death comes with his Ax down you will go and be cast into the Fire 3. Consider All you prophane and ungodly Ones what is that which bears your Hopes up what do you build upon is it not on the mere Mercy of God or Death of Christ God say you is gracious slow to anger and we therefore have Hopes and do trust to that Christ dyed for Sinners c. You say right God is mercifull but what then will you therefore presumptuously go on in ungodly and wicked Courses oh know he is just as well as gracious and will in no wise clear the guilty Exod. 34. 7. Except ye repent therefore ye shall all likewise perish Luk. 13. 3. 5. Shall the Goodness of God which should lead you to Repentance be thus evilly improved i. e. to strengthen your Hands and encourage you to sin against him and provoke him 'T is I fear with you as Solomon speaks Eccl. 8. 11. Because Sentance against an evil Work is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do
wickedly Christ 't is true dyed for Sinners but you have no True Faith in him he dyed to save Sinners from their Sins and that they might live to him See my Text now the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees if you believe not on Christ if you are not made new Creatures 1 Cor. 5. 17. the Ax will cut you down and that with Vengeance and Wrath will at last cast you into the Fire you must learn to know the way of Salvation and how the Mercy of God shines forth in a Mediator Christ hath satisfied his Justice and by him you must come to God out of Christ he is a consuming fire Abused Mercy O Sinner will be turned at last into Fury except you obtain an Interest in Jesus Christ you are undone for the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men Rom. 1. 3. Or are you Self-righteous Persons Do you build on your own Righteousness like the Jews and hypocritical Pharises you may be think your States Good because you are not Swearers Drunkards c. may be you read pray and hear Sermons and give to the Poor and do much good but if you build your Hopes of Heaven on these Things down this Ax will cut you also Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharises you shall in no wise enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. 20. nay you must be found in the Righteousness of Christ all ours is but dung Phil. 3. 8 9. you must in a word bring forth good fruit every Soul of you or perish and this you cannot do till your Hearts are changed and so you become good Trees make the tree good and then the fruit will be good an evil Tree cannot bring forth good fruit c. all Works of unregenerate Persons yea their Religious Duties are but dead Works not good fruits nor can they bring forth good Fruits unless they are planted by Faith into Jesus Christ nay I must tell you that Gospel-Holiness will not save us it must be the Righteousness of God by Faith Sermon II. MAT. III. 10. And now also the Ax is laid to the Root of the Trees every Tree therefore that bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire THE Proposition I am to prosecute you may remember is this considering the Context viz. Now the dispensation is changed to be of the natural root or the Seed of Abraham according to the flesh is no ground for Church Membership or no Argument to be admitted into the Gospel Church or to Gospel Baptism You say you have Abraham to your Father or you are the Children of Believers or you have believing Parents Well but what of this as if John should say this will do you no good now this will stand you now in no steed this will give you no Right to Gospel Ordinances nor particularly to Gospel Baptism ' tho' it did to Circumcision and Legal Ordinances and Jewish Church Membership For Hager and her Son are cast out that are the Old Covenant and the Fleshly Seed this old Root and Right now in Gospel Days is struck at The Ax is laid to the Roots of the Trees i. e. To your old standing on the Old Covenant Root as you are the lineal Seed of Abraham The time is come now that the Old Covenant and Covenant Seed are to be rooted up the old House and Constitution pulled down God is now about to build a new Temple and a more spiritual House a spiritual Temple of living Stones and rather then he will want Materials he can of these Stones raise up Children unto believing Abraham and so make good the Covenant of Grace or Gospel Covenant made with him Now you must be united to a living Foundation i. e. Believe in Christ whose way I am come to prepare and make ready fit Matter for this new Building namely the Gospel Church which is not to be by natural descent from Abraham as such but only those who have the Faith of Abraham yea that Faith he had not in Circumcision but in Uncircumcision or before he was Circumcised You must grow out of a spiritual Root i. e. Be Married to Christ your first Husband i. e. The Law or Old Covenant is Just at the point of Death that so ye may bring forth Fruit to God Rom. 7. 4. But to proceed I shall prove this Proposition viz. That the Dispensation is now changed to be of that natural Root or National Church of the Jews or the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh is no ground for Church Membership no argument for admittance into the Gospel Church or to Gospel Baptism 1. Because 't is positively said that there is a change of the whole Law i. e. The Levitical Priesthood legal Ordinance legal Church and legal Church Membership are changed and gone that so the betterCovenant and more spiritual Church and Church Membership might be established For the Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law Heb. 7. 12. 'T is so changed as 't is abolished to make way for this as the late Annotators observe the mutation of the Priesthood indispensably requireth the change of the legal Covenant which hereafter I shall prove was not the Covenant of Grace but is directly called the Old Covenant the Covenant of Grace is but one and that never changeth This was made necessary by the Decree of God as they note who determined that both the Priesthood and Law should expire together like say I as an old Will or Testament doth when the Testator hath made and confirmed his Last Will and Testament When Christ the Gospel High-Priest had saith our Annotations in his own Person and Work perfected all of it in Heaven he roots out that Order of Priesthood and demolished the Temple and City to which he confined the Administration and scatters the People which would cleave to it so as all Designs and Endeavours of Jews or of Apostate Christian to repair or restore it hath been ineffectual to this Day What can be more clear Sirs then this that the Old House or Right of Church-Membership is overturned at the very Root for If the Covenant for Incovenanting the Fleshly Seed is changed or abolished and no new Law or new Precept is given forth for the bringing them in again What Ground is there left for any wise seeing and faithful Man to Plead for Infants Church-Membership but it is evident the former is true i. e. that Covenant by virtue of which they had Right to Circumcision and Church Membership or out of which Root that sprang is gone changed and abolished for ever and no new Law or Precept is given forth for the bringing them into the Gospel-Church as such To this Text let me add another which farther confirms it 2. For if that first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for
the second but finding fault with them he saith Behold the days come saith the Lord when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and the House of Judah Heb. 8. 7 8. It was not faulty in it self but Holy Just and Good it requiring perfect Righteousness of him that would be Justified and therefore could not give Life the Creature being weak and unable to perform the Requirements of it and therefore Paul saith What the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh Rom. 8. 3. It discovers Sin and condemns for Sin but could not justifie the Sinner in God's sight from Sin He that kept it not perfectly yea continued not in doing all Things written therein was cursed by it He that was Circumcised was bound to keep the whole Law that Rite obliged them it seems to perform perfect Obedience and yet some affirm it was a Precept of the Gospel Covenant but more of this by and by But say some Was not Circumsion a Priviledge Did it not Profit them The Apostle answers this Question For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy Circumcision is made Uncircumcision See how the Apostle brings in Circumcision vers 23. Thou that makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God He it is evident shews That Circumcision appertained to the Law to the Old Covenant or Covenant of Works for Circumcision profiteth if thou keep the Law c. No Profit no Advantage by Circumcision unless the Circumcised keep the Law That is saith the late Annotations perfectly to which Circumcision obligeth Gal 5. 5. Now this being so the First Covenant being weak and faulty i. e. through the insufficiency and weakness of the Creature he being not able to answer its just Demands God in his infinite Mercy sent his own Son in our Nature and Stead to fulfill the Righteousness thereof he sought and found out the Second Covenant and the First is gone which brings me to the Third Proof of the Point 3. Heb. 10. 9. He took away the first that might establish the second There is a First and Second Covenant or an Old or a New the First must not be confounded with the Second nor the Second with the First because quite different in their Nature Design and End The First Covenant was made 't is true primarily with the First Adam and all Mankind in him that was the First Original or Beginning of it and then to him it did give Life whilst he stood by his Obedience to it but that Ministration of it of which the Apostle speaks and calls the First Covenant was that which God gave to Abraham's Seed according to the Flesh by Moses and to assure Abraham that unto his Seed should be given that Law or the Oracles of God c. he gave him the Covenant or Precept of Circumcision Rom. 3. 1 2. It served as a Pledge of the Law and obliged them to keep it therefore under this old Covenant or First Covenant 't is evident came in Circumcision and the Policy and National Church of the Jews and all other legal and external Rights and Privileges whatsoever both the National Church and Church-Membership but when the Root was struck at i. e. The First Covenant was took away all its Rights Laws Privileges and Appurtenances whatsoever went with it so that now we saith the Apostle know no man after the flesh 2. Cor. 5. That is we prefer or esteem no Man better then others upon the score of the First Covenant or Fleshly Privileges i. e. being of the Seed of Abraham or of the Church of Jews Old things being past away and all things being become New all Types Sacrifices Priest and Priesthood legal place of Worship legal time of Worship legal Ministers and legal maintenance of those Ministers the legal Church and legal Church-Membership were all taken away when the Covenant was took away and thus the Ax is laid to the root of the trees by the establishing the Gospel Dispensation the Anti-Type being come and the Heir come to full Age God deals with us now no more as with Children in Non-age but as with Men who are come to Knowledge and Understanding This I desire may be considered that whatsoever was a Type or Shadow did appertain to the Old Covenant and a great Error or Mistake 't is for any to say the Shadows of the Ceremonal Law were Gospel because they pointed to the Gospel which Mistake I shall farther clear up hereafter and proceed to the Fourth Proof Gal. 4. 30. Cast out the Bond-woman and her Son What is meant by the Bond-women Agar and Ishmael her Son you may see if you read vers 23 24 25. It is written that Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free woman vers 22. But he who was born of the bond-women was born after the Flesh but he of the free woman was by promise By being born after the Flesh is opposed to him that was born by the Promise the meaning is Ishmael tho' he was Abraham's Seed or Son according to the Flesh yet he was not his Seed nor Son according to the Promise or Covenant of Grace God made with Abraham Which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage ver 24. An Allegory is that by which another thing or things are meant or it hath a mystical Signification more is to be understood then is expressed litterally i. e. Agar held forth the first Covenant God made with Abraham's fleshly Seed and Ishmael the Children of the first Covenant Sarah signified the Gospel or the New Covenant and Isaac the Children of the New Covenant Nevertheless what saith the Scripture Cast out the Bond-woman and her son for the son of the Bond-woman shall not be Heir with the son of the free woman ver 30. The Drift and Scope of the Spirit of God in â—his place is as I conceive First To shew that there were two Covenanâ— made with Abraham which no doubt he himself who is called the Friend of God well understood one with his natural Seed as such the other with his spiritual Seed as such Secondly That the casting out of the Bond-woman shews the Abrogation of the first Covenant and all the external foederal and fleshly Rights and Privileges thereof and the casting out of the Seed of the Bond-woman shews the utter rooting out and rejection of the external and political Church-State of the Jews Thirdly That none of the fleshly Seed as such should be Heirs and Partakers with the true spiritual Seed of Abraham under the Gospel or have a Being in Abraham's true spiritual House or Gospel Church These Things being so what reason there is for any to plead for Infants Church
Membership by vertue of the Covenant made with Abraham let all Men consider See Heb. 8. 13. Therefore from hence I argue that whatsoever external Rights or Privileges the Jews had under the old Covenant it signifies just nothing to us under the Dispensation of the Gospel even no more then a Legacy bequeathed in a former Will is pleadible which is left out in the last Will and Testament confirmed by the Death of the Testator I would have all Men consider that whether there is any more ground for Men from thence to plead for Infant Church-Membership then for others to plead for Ministers to have the first Fruits and the Tenths of every Man's increase or for me to argue thus Every Child of a Christian is born a Member of the Christian Church because under the Law every Child of the Jews were born Members of their Church and it must needs be so then because theirs was a National Church or for every Ministers Son to plead for a Right to the Ministry for evident it is that all the Sons of the Priests under the Law had a Right to the Priest-hood tho' they were not to enter into the Ministry untill such an Age Also particularly to dedicate all our first-born to the Lord because the Jews were required so to do Nay I may say more by the Covenant of Circumcision Abraham's Natural Off-spring had a Right to possess the Land of Canaan shall we from thence say all our Seed have an equal Right to that Promise if we could persuade our selves of this we may think of another Holy War and get our Seed their Rightfull Possession the like as touching our keeping their Sabbath Lastly And evident 't is all that were Circumcised had an undeniable Right to eat the Passover which they that assert Circumcision was a Type of Baptism say also was a Figure of the Lord's Supper and if so then it follows by the same Argument and Parity of Reason all our Children that are admitted to the Ordinance of Baptism may nay must be also admitted to the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper as indeed they were by the Ancient Fathers who first brought in the Practice of Infant Baptism and so it continu'd for some Hundred of Years see Exod. 12. 45. All the whole Family had a Right to eat the Passover except Foreigners and Hired Servants But in a word The Ax is laid to the root of the trees all these Jewish Rights and Privileges are gone with their national external Church State for as the First Covenant i. e. The Bond woman is cast out so are all her Children also Obj. How can this be that the Children of Abraham and so the Children of Believers who are Abraham's Seed should not have Right to Gospel Privileges and Baptism seeing you cannot deny but that it was the Covenant of Grace that God made with Abraham Answ. I have told you already that there was two Covenants made with Abraham the Covenant of Grace was that Covenant which is called the Promise which God made with him and nothing can be more clear then that the fleshly Seed as such tho' they proceeded from Abraham's Loins were not concerned in that Covenant or free Promise of Grace 〈◊〉 since this is doubted of by some and utterly denied by others viz 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was a Two-fold Covenant made with Abraham I shall endea 〈…〉 ke this very plain and evident tho' indeed what I have already sa 〈…〉 be sufficient to unprejudiced Persons But to proceed I shall shew what Promises and Privileges appertained to the natural Seed as such and what Promises appertained to his true Spiritual Seed and none else First I will begin with that Covenant made with Abraham's natural Seed as such I never yet heard but that the Covenants take their denomination from the Promises and the Promises are of Two sorts quite different in their Nature i. e. some Domestick and Civil Promises especially and absolutely respecting the House and natural Seed of Abraham and policy of Israel Others only respecting those that are Believers in Christ or Evangelical belonging to them the Gospel Covenant belongeth 1. The First that belonged to Abraham's natural Seed as such that I shall mention is that of his multiplying his natural Seed by Isaac 2. The Birth of Isaac by Sarah his Wife Gen. 17. 16 19. 3. The Continuation of his Covenant with all that should proceed from Isaac according to the Flesh Gen. 17. 6. 4. The Coming of Christ out of Isaac 5. The bringing the natural Seed of Abraham by Isaac out of Egypt 6. The Promise of giving his natural Seed the Land of Canaan for their Possession Gen. 15. 8. Now pray note Two Things First That as the Covenant of Grace bears the Name of the Promise of God not a conditional but an absolute Promise so likewise say I these Promises distinct from that free Promise contain the legal Covenant made with Abraham's natural Seed If you well mind the Nature of these Promises I have mentioned you can't so much as once in the least imagine any of them were made to his spiritual Seed as such I mean that any of them do or can concern us Gentile Believers Secondly But to put the Matter out of doubt pray observe that the Law of Circumcision is expressly called Gods Covenant tho' I know some to strengthen their bad Cause would have it be so called only by a certain Figure pray read Gen. 17. And God said unto Abraham thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations vers 9. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every male child among you shall be circumcised vers 10. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a Token of the Covenant betwixt me and you and that to this Covenant was promised the Land of Canaan 't is expressly said in vers 8. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God So in Gen. 15. 8. In that same day God made a covenant with Abram not Abraham saying unto thy seed have I given this land from the River of Egypt unto the great River Euphrates This Covenant and these Promises I assert cannot belong to the spiritual Seed of Abraham as such but were Blessings that belonged only to his carnal or natural Seed and directly agree with the Covenant made with them by Moses viz. The Land of Canaan Riches Peace Plenty and all other Temporal and Earthly Blessings if they kept God's Covenant with their Church State and visible Worship of God among them Now the New Covenant it could not be because that is established upon better Promises and no other People had any Right to those outward Blessings nor were they made only to the Elect Ones who were of his natural
is to separate all True Believers and all their natural Seed tho' some of them are the worst of Men i. e. vile and ungodly from all other People in the World in a Church State If they should affirm this then the Gospel Church for ever ceases to be Congregational but must be National as the Jewish Church was which is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England whatever her Practice is Doth not she say The Church of God is a company of Godly Christians among whom the Word of God is truly preach'd and the Sacraments duely and truly administred and do not the Godly Independants say the same Did Christ ever under the Gospel constitute any one Nation consisting of Believers and their carnal Off-spring some godly and some ungodly into a Church read over the New Testament and see whether the direct contrary is not apparent for they were only such who believed were converted and professed Faith in Christ and so were Baptized that were added to the Church and of such only doth the Gospel Church consist 2. But observe the other part of this Argument i. e. Circumcision was a token to Abraham's natural Seed of God's giving unto them the Land of Canaan see Gen. 17. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations c. And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan c. and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you vers 11. The Gospel Covenant the Apostle tells us is established upon better Promises not an Earthly Canaan but Heaven it self What tho' Canaan was a Type of Heaven that will not mend the matter for then it follows that it belonged to the Old typical and shadowing Covenant Moreover if that Covenant was the Gospel Covenant our Children have an equal Right to the Land of Canaan with the natural Seed of Abraham as I said before and then how did that Promise viz. The Possession of Canaan belong then to the Jews as their peculiar Right only Arg. 2. Because there were some to whom the Covenant of Grace or Gospel Covenant did not belong were nevertheless commanded to be Circumcised as Ishmael Esau c. Doth the Gospel Covenant appertain to Scoffing Ishmaelites and to prophane Esau's No God told Abraham his Covenant should not be with Ishmael As for Ishmael I have heard thee behold I have blessed him but my covenant will I establish with Isaac Gen. 17. 20 21. Also there were others who might be in Abraham's Family who no doubt might some of them be in the Covenant of Grace that were not required to be Circumcised nor did it belong to them viz. 1. All his Male Children who dyed before Eight Days old 2. All his Female Children 3. There was also some other godly Men in the Days of Abraham to whom Circumcision of Right did not belong as Melchisedec Lot Job c. Doubtless had Circumcision been a Law or Precept of the Covenant of Grace all these would God have required to have been Circumcised as well as the others but the Truth is being in the Covenant of Grace gave no Right at all to any no not to the Male Children of Abraham to Circumcision but only God's express and positive Command to him Arg. 3. 'T is apparent that the Jews who were comprehended in that legal and external Covenant made with Abraham's natural Seed and were accordingly Circumcised were nevertheless denyed Gospel Baptism and their Plea we are Abraham 's Seed was rejected by John Baptist's Now had Circumcision been a Gospel-Covenant I see no Reason why John should not admit them nay and 't is plain also that some godly Ones of Abraham's natural Seed who were Circumcised were nevertheless Baptized What had they Two Seals of one and the same Covenant for Circumcision was in force at that time when many of them were Baptized for many subjected to that Ordinance before Christ dyed and abolished that Rite with the Old Covenant 1. From hence it appears that Circumcision was no Gospel Law nor did it appertain to the Covenant of Grace but was part of the Old legal Covenant which the Ax was laid to the Root of and is gone 2. It also follows from hence that the Covenant of Grace was not the adequate Reason of Circumcision but the mere positive Command of God to Abraham for the Reasons and Designs before-mentioned From whence I argue thus That Covenant that was made with or did of Right belong unto the fleshly Seed of Abraham as such even to ungodly Ones as well as to the godly was not the Covenant of Grace but the Covenant or Law of Circumcision was made with or did of Right belong unto the Fleshly Seed of Abraham as such even unto ungodly Ones as well as to the godly Therefore the Covenant of Circumcision was not the Covenant of Grace I have shewed you that Circumcision did belong to Ishmael and to Esau and to all Isaac's natural Seed tho' ungodly and to their Male Children also and I need not tell you what wicked Men sprang from Isaac's Loins according to the Flesh but let them be ungodly and not have one dram of New Covenant Grace in them yet they were obliged to Circumcise their Male Infants This is enough one would think to convince our Brethren and all that differ from us that Circumcision did not appertain to the Covenant of Grace or was no Gospel Covenant Also let them take heed who plead for Pede-Baptism from the Covenant of Circumcision how they any more deny to Baptize the Children of ungodly Parents since the Male Infants of ungodly Parents were Circumcised The Truth is it was not to be enquired Whether the Parents were Believers or not whether they had Abraham's Faith or not were godly or not before their Children were to be Circumcised but were they the natural Seed of Abraham that was enough it was that according to the express and positive Command of God to Abraham that gave their Children if Males a Right to be Circumcised Arg. 4. That Circumcision was no Gospel Law or Covenant appears yet further because all in the Gospel Covenant 't is expresly said shall know the Lord Jer. 31. 31. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them out of the land of Egypt which my covenant they break although I was an husband to them saith the Lord. ver 32. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall