〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suffer little children to come Now he should then have given marks to discern predestinate children and suffer them 2. And receive them only as Disciples in my Name Mar. 6.36 37. 3. He should have laid his hands upon some Infants as predestinate to glory and forbidden others to come And the Parents should have known what children are predestinate to life and should come and what not 6. The Text evidences that the Disciples had a prejudice and a carnall one at infants thinking they understood nothing of Christ and of the Kingdom of Grace The Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rebuked these that brought them as Anabaptists do And Christ rebukes them and instates infants of beleeving Parents as members of the Visible Church 7. Nor was it extraordinary when Christ said suffer little Children to come but he would have the spece instated members of such a Kingdom Ergo some of the kind must be saved and examples must be verified saith Mr. Cobbet judiciously in some particulars 8. Of such is the Kingdome of God of such in Covenant relation is the Kingdome of God of such subjects For if Christs reason be of such for humilitie meeknesse want of malice and invy as 1 Pet. 2.1 2 3. Math. 18. Psal. 131.1 2 is the Kingdome of God he must mean by the Kingdome of God the Kingdome of Glory and the triumphing Church this sense is refused by Anabaptists 2. The Infants of Pagans and of all men by nature within and without the Church are as well marked resemblances of converts as they And we must say that Christ would have taken in his arms and blessed all the Pagan Infants and when they grow to age they should be for no fault but for age only Excommunicate from the blessing for Pagan Infants as well resemble humility and harmlessenesse if only the personall qualifications of converts and heart-converts not the Covenant and Church-holinesse of visible Professours be here meant as Infants within the Visible Church 9. There was no other designe and purpose in Christ in that emphatick expression forbid them not to come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 19.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18.16 to me their Saviour as well as the Saviour of the aged but to hold forth the common interest of the whole spece of infants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within the Visible Church their Covenant interest in Christ for there is no imaginable reason but the conceit of want of understanding the prejudice of Anabaptists only why the Disciples should have aimed to debar them or any poor sinners from accesse to the Saviour of sinners 10 Christ took them in his armes layed his hands on them blessed them Now this was a personall reall favour bestowed upon infants had infants been meer symbolick and doctrinall resemblances of the humilitie of reall converts and the young ones as much without the Covenant as Pagans and as uncapable of Covenant grace and Covenant seals because void of actuall faith now under the new Gospel administration as horses or beasts let the opposites of their Baptisme show what sort of blessing it was that Christ bestowed upon them if it be not 1. Of more value then Jacobs blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh or at least as reall and certain Christ the Lord from heaven must as Soveraigne who had power to curse the fig tree and it withered by his Soveraigne power have blessed in them the whole race of infants in the Visible Church and declared them Covenanted Church members under the New Testament in this eminent act of blessing the children and in commanding that all such might have free accesse to him as King since the young ones were Subjects of the Kingdome of God as well as the aged and expressely forbids that in time to come they be hindered to come to him Mark 10.14 Luk. 18.16 Math. 19.14 and three Evangelists are three sufficient witnesses 2. Christ the Lord is the Supreme and Soveraigne Lord of blessing and cursing for in him all the Nations of the earth and with them young ones a considerable part of the Covenanted Nations must be blessed 3. If Isaac blessed Jacob and he must be blessed Gen. â—7 29.33 and Jacob blessed the twelve Tribes Gen. 49.28 and Moses the man of God blessed Israel before his death Deut. 33.1 2. c. with Covenant blessings and they were really blessed Christ must as really with Covenant blessings have in this blessed the whole race of infants of Covenanting parents except Anabaptists say that it was some complementall salutation for the fashion that Christ bestowed upon infants when the Evangelists say he blessed them Math. 19.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 10.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. by the glosse of the Adversaries Christ blessed them symbolick and doctrinall resemblances of the humilitie and docility of reall converts and they were blessed as meer signes as the Elements in the Sacraments are blessed or as new made crucifixes are blessed and dedicated to divine worship as resemblances of Christ crucified and as Popish Images are symbolicallie blessed a strange devise are rather a strong delusion 4. If Christ prayed for infants as Matthew sayeth the mothers or parents sought that of him Math. 19 13. his prayers must be grounded upon the word of the Covenant and what could he seek for infants peace in these but Covenant mercies and salvation for Christ was not to work a miracle upon them and he satisfied the desires of these who brought them on their armes and therefore could not go on their feet nor give a confession of their faith they were born as the man sick of the palsie Math. 9.2 5. Now as Christ is always hard in his prayes Joh. 11.42 so his blessing he bestowed upon them though Anabaptists will have them without Christ and the Covenant and under the curse of God must either be a blessing of the Covenant of Grace or of the Covenant of Works for a third sort of blessing the Scripture knows not Moses takes all blessings up in these two Deut. 27.12 15 16. Deut. 28.2 3 15 16. Deut 30.19 I set before you life and death blessing and cursing and so doeth Paul Gal. 3.10 13 14. Heb. 6.7 8 14 15. But Christ could not bestow the Law blessing of Works upon these infants for they had not fulfilled the Law in their persons nor can infants or any flesh be justified by the Law Rom. 3.20 therefore must Christ have bestowed upon them the blessing of the Covenant of Grace Gal. 3.14 Heb. 6.14 let it be the blessing of remission and life or reall right to the Kingdome of God it is a blessing of the Covenant 6. The faith of the parents that brought them is holden forth Math. 19.13 Then were little children brought unto him that he might lay his hands on them and pray then had they faith in Christ that his praying and blessing should be availeable to infants it
34.15 16. 1 King 11.2 Ezra 9.2 12. Nehem. 13.23 Judg. 3.6 7. Judg. 4.2 3. Except there be some middle between a cursed and a blessed seed a seed in the Church and in Covenant and the seed of the Serpent of Heathen without the Covenant 2. A middle between the Kingdom of darknesse of Satan and the Kingdom of God of his dear Son Contrair to Eph. 2.2 3 4. Acts 26.18 Col. 1.13 14. 1 Pet. 2.9 10. Eph. 5.8 which is unknown to Scripture Yea the Covenant is made to Christ and his seed Gal. 3.16 and the same blessings of Abraham comes on us Gentiles Gal. 3.13 14. But he and all his seed were blessed and in grace by the externall call of the Covenant Ezek. 16.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Deut. 7 7 8. Rom. 10.25 I will call them my people that were not my people and her beloved which was not beloved And this externall calling is of Grace and so Grace no merit as well as predestination to life is grace or for grace For whosoever are called not because Elect but because freely loved of such a God and without merit called Father and Son they are in a state of graceâ— But so are all within the Visible Church If any object by Christs comming all the Nations old and young are not become the Nations of the Lord and of his Christ but only true Believers even by our Doctrine Answ. They are become the Kingdoms of the Lord not only because they are truely converted but because they are the chosen of God in the Office-house of Christ and Christ reigns over them by the Scepter of his Word whom he is to convert And external Covenanting with God is of it self free Grace and a singular favour bestowed of God Psal. 147.19 20. Deut. 5.1 2. Mat. 21.42 43. Luke 14.16.21 2. It is free Grace that God will have hypocrites and real infidels to beget children to him that are internally in Covenant with him and fills up the number of the Elect by Reprobate Parents who are instrumentall to the in-coming in the world and into the Visible Church of many Heirs of Glory and in so doing there is a Church right communicated from Reprobate Parents to their Children that are Heirs of Glory 3. Externall Covenanting goes before internall Covenanting as the means before the end and the cause before the effect For faith comes by hearing of a sent Preacher Rom. 10.14 and the Preaching of the Gospel is a saving means of begeting a new heart and of a new spirit Hence 1. All must be first externally in Covenant before they can be internally and really in Covenant 2. God is a God simply to some and no more but a God to them in regard of outward Church priviledges as the Word Seals Protection Peace Hedge of Discipline his planting and watering by a Ministry But he is to speak so more then a God to others Hos. 2.19 I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousnesse in judgement and in loving kindnesse and in mercy Now the Lord is joyned to back-sliding Israel in an externall marriage Covenant But Jer. 3.14 not in righteousnesse in loving kindnesse and mercy in reference to the rotten party In regard of which he saith v. 2. Plead with your mother plead for she is not my wife neither am I her husband Zech. 8.7 Thus saith the Lord I will save my people from the East Countrey and from the West Countrey 8. And I will bring them and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and they shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and in righteousnesse Then he is not to all a God in truth and righteousnesse fulfilling the first and substantiall promise of ingraving the Law in the heart not that he keeps not Covenant even to external confederatâ— to wit the conditionall Covenant for if they should beleeve they should be saved but he promised not a new heart and faith to them 3. Because he is a God externall to the Elect and that of free Grace therefore he is a God in truth and righteousnesse to ingrave his Law in their heart But externall confederation is not the adequate cause for then he should give a new heart to all with whom he externally Covenants but the adequate cause is confederation external tali modo out of his discriminating love and free grace he is a God to some 4. He is a God to his Elect that he may ingrave his Law in their heart and inward parts so that the promising to be a God tali modo is the cause and the ingraving of a new heart is the effect Jer. 31.33 Jer. 32.38 And they shall be my people and I will be their God That is the cause 39. I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them See the same order Ezech. 11.19 20. though the words ly not in that order there and here And Heb. 8.10.5 God is not then a God to any because they have a clean heart and the Law ingraven therein for then they should be in Covenant before they be in Covenant And so this is true because he is our God in truth and righteousnesse therefore we beleeve but this is not true because we beleeve therefore he is our God except we argue from the effect to the cause But to return Calvine on Matth 19.14 We hence gather that the grace of Christ is extended to Infant age for whole mankind had perished Beza Infants are also comprehended in the free Covenant Pareus its unlawfull to â—â—barre these from baptism and the Church whom Christ â—â—ds come to him c. Obj. But Christ commands not they be baptized Answ. Nor doth Christ in this place command the Parents to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Nor speak the Evangelists of any Parentall duty shall we from that conclude it was not Christs mind that the Parents take care of the fourth fifth Command Pareus saith it was neither time nor place Mat. 28.19 he bids baptize all 3. He who prayed for them blessed them laid his hands upon them invited them to bring Infants to him of all which Infants were as uncapable as of the use and ends of Baptism and of actuall confession of sin and of beleeving judged they ought be Baptized 4. It s never to be found where any are Baptized but the Head of the Family is Baptized And when we read that houses were Baptized 1 Cor. 1.16 Acts 16.33 There is no more ground to say Infants are not Baptized then to say when the Lord saith to Abraham Gen. 12.2 I will blesse thee and make thy name great And 22.17 in blessing I will blesse thee And when the Lord saith Isai. 19.25 blessed be Aegypt my people he should mean he would blesse Abraham
want of money mortifies a man to drunkennesse he drinks not excessively not because the heart will not dare to sin but because he cannot The Word backed with influences from the death of Christ strongly mortifies to all sins 8. And the soul is not easily deadned to an office or place of a Prince a Ruler a Master a Prophet a Teacher Abishai 2 Sam. 16.9 Why should this dead dog curse my lord the King Let me go over I pray thee and take off his head David standeth not much upon cursing the lord the King He is so mortified to that stile as he forgets it and v. 10. he saith Let him curse because the Lord hath said unto him Curse David He saith not the Lord hath bidden him curse the lord King David Answers thou the high Priest so It s a great word Christ was the Messiah that is a great office of King Priest and Prophet but he was willing to forget his office by way of taking much on him that he might fulfill his office by way of suffering As Rulers and such as are in place must so far be dead to their office and place as they must be willing to bear in their bosome the reproaches of all the mighty people and to have their footsteps even as Rulers reproached Psal. 89. v. 50 51. Places and office too often have an influence and strong enough on our unmortified hearts But there are some providentiall sufferings that befall Rulers as Rulers against which they should be hardned knowing that the Lord suffers in them 9. It should be our work to be deadned to pleasure I have married a wife and therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I can not come This is the most lively lust There is a mortified eye Job 31.1 I have made a covenant with mine eye why then should I look on a maid Mortified eye-looks call for mortified heart-looks It s an old sin Gen. 3.6 And when the woman saw the tree that it was good for food and that it was pleasant to the eyes she did eat Mortified Joseph saw sin ingraven on pleasure Gen. 39.9 How then can I do this great wickednesse and sin against God 10. There must be a deadned heart to all the three to the world 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 16. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eye and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the world Jam. 4.4 There is some life between the friends of the world and the world and James doubteth not to call that enimity with God and the three great Idols of the world gain glory and pleasure cannot make any happy which Heathens Plutarch Cicero Seneca saw and therefore they pressed a contempt of the world For strength is the glory of the Elephant or the Bull rather then of man and plucked away by age and time And beauty is no lesse uncertain being made up of quantity and colour and the Rose and the Lilly hath more of it then man Riches have wings and render not the owner happy Nobility is a borrowed good and the Parents glory not ours And honour is the opinion and esteem of men and we yet cannot be dead to nothings to shadows to emptinesse and to vanity and fair buildings are well ordered dead stones 11. They are not rightly mortified who are not deadned to creature-comforts to father and mother for they forsake and the mother may forget the fruit of her own womb but the Lord cannot forget his own Psal. 27.10 Isa. 49.15 My friends Job 19.19 2. All my friends 3. All my inward and dearest friends 4. Abhorre me Forsaking is hard but abhorring is most sad Yea even in the Cause of God Paul is put to this 2 Tim. 4.16 At my first answer no man stood with me but all men forsook me 2. So must the Church be dead to forraign forces Hos. 14.3 Ashur shall not save us we will not ride upon horses and the people must be dead and sit still from help from Egypt Isai. 30.7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose therefore have I cryed concerning this Your strength is to sit still Sitting still is a ceasing from relying upon the Chariots and strength of Egypt as being dead to them For thus saith the Lord the holy One of Israel in returning and rest shall ye be saved in quietnesse and in confidence shall be your strength and ye would not And 4. his people must cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils for wherein is he to be accounted of Isai. 2.22 and be dead to multitude for Psal. 33.16 No King is saved by an host a mighty man is not delivered by much strength 17. An horse is a vain thing for safety The help of the creature substitute in the room of God having the lustre of blue and purple or cloathed in scarlet riding upon horses Young men of desire Ezek. 23.23 doe easily dazle our eyes and when we are not renewed in the spirit of our mind unsanctified hearts are weak in apprehending and more weak in discerning of things 5. So must there be a deadning of the husband to the wife Job 19.17 to servants Job 15.16 to sons 2 Sam. 16. v. 11. of the mother to the daughter of the daughter in law to the mother in law Mic. 7.6 to blood-friends 12. All the godly and zealous Prophets said Amen to the word of the Lord even Christ with sighs and tears to the extream desolation and ruine of Jerusalem Luk. 19.41 Math. 23.37 38. and Jeremiah Ezekiel Isaiah Micah Hosea c. to the plowing of Zion as a field to the sword captivity to the laying wast of the land without inhabitants Isa. 5.9 Isa. 6.10 11 12. Jer. 9.1 2 3 4. Jer. 16.1 2 3. c. Mic. 3.12 Hos. 4.3 Hos. 5.6 9 c. There must be a deadning to our Country and mother-Mother-Church that the glory of justice may shine yea to our fathers grave our own bed our own fireside 13. The Lord will have Isaiah and the godly dead to Lawes and Government to vision and prophecying when Judge and Prophet shall be taken away Isa. 3.2 and children shall be their Princes and babes shall rule over them v. 4. and the vineyard broken and the hedge spoiled And he will have the godly dead to King and Priest and Law 2 Chron. 15.3 Now for a long season Israel had been without the true GOD and without a teaching Priest and without law Hos. 3.4 Hos. 10.3 And now shall they say We have no King because we feared not the Lord what shall then a King do to us Hence we must be mortified to every thing created which the Lord may take from us 14. And upon this account there is required a deadning of our hearts to shipping and trading
end in all the Articles of the Covenant of Redemption so fear not JEHOVAH cannot break off the Treaty with his Son nor can Christ be left unsatisfied 6. The Lord promises help to Christ against his enemies Psal. 89.21 With him my hand shall be established mine arm also shall strengthen him There be many against Christ but he hath a divine furniture of strength Hence protection is promised to him in the discharge of his Office Isai. 49.2 In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me and made me a polished shâ—fâ— in his quiver hath he hid me The outlettings and manifestations of strength and furniture that is in the â—ead redoundâ— to a seasonable supplie of all his afflicted ones that they shall not be overwhelmed 7. Victory is promised to Christ over all his enemies The Lord will not leave his soul in grave Psal. â—6 10 Therefore saith the Lord speaking Covenant-wayes Isai. 53.12 will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death He shall triumph over principalities and powers Col. 2.15 Luk. 11.22 and shall make all his enemies his footstool and subdue them so that he shall fill the pits with the dead bodies Psal. 110.1 6. and plague all his enemies Gen. â—â— 3 Psal. 89 2â— I will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him It supports not a little our faith that when we tremble before temptations from Satan and the mighty of the world the Lord hath written Covenanted to Christ all his and our enemies destruction Our turning away our eye from the Covenant is the cause why we succumb Christ under his sorest assault with hell and hels pursevants and officers devils and the felt anger of a forsaking God dowbles his grips on the Covenant my God my God Psal. 22.1 Mat. 27. O my Father Mat. 26. Psal. 89.26 He shall cry to me my Father my God A Covenant is as it were more then a promise being a solemn promise in condiscension of mercy So the Church Psal. 89.38 39. and Jer. 14.21 and the afflicted people Isa. 63.16 and Dan. â— 9.4 5 6. Ezra 9.6.10.15 Hezekiah in a day of rebuke Isa. 37.16 20. the slain Church Psal. 79.9 Psal. 80.1 flee to this shoar in their stormes and the Lord professes he will be broken intreated and holden by his Covenant Lev. 26.41 42. 8. There is a promise of glory of a Name above all names made to Christ for his sufferings Psal. 16.9 10 11. Isa. 53.12 Act. 5.31 and to such as suffer with him and overcome Luk. 22.29 30. Rev. 3.21 Rev. 2.10 As also he shall bear all the glory of his Fathers house Isa. 22. Zech. 7.13 9. The Lord promiseth forbearing mercy to the children of Christ if they sin he will correct them in measure and in a Fatherly way give them repentance but not remove the Covenant-mercy So hath the Lord Covenanted and articled in the writ with his Son a rod to children to difference them from bastards Heb. â—2 And â—e that hath hiâ— fire in Zion and his furnace in Jerusalem writes this up as a Covenant-mercy that he will not suffer them to perish with the world Hence the rods of the wicked stand booked in the Covenant of Works among the curses of the book of the Law Lev. â—6 Deut. 28.15 16 17 c. our rods are Covenanted mercies in the compact between the Lord and Christ and written in the Gospel-book of the Covenant of Grace 10. All the promises of the Gospel are first as it were promised to Christ the Gospel is put over in his hand Jesus is the Angel Rev. 10.1 châ—aâ—hed with a Cloud and a Rain-bow on his head v. 2. And hath in his hand a little book open the Testament and the book of all the promises to dispense them to such as the Father hath given to him to give his Spirit to his own to interceed and advocate for them to ratifie and seal them with his blood 11. There is promised to him an head-ship and power of judgment over man and Angels with an oath that to him all knees shall bow Rom. 14.11 Isa. 45.23 Phil. 2.10 and that he shall adde his seal to Gospel-hell and vengeance inflicted upon the despisers of the Gospel Luk. 19.14 Mat. 26.64 The threatnings against Gospel unbeleef are put in the hands of Christ not as Redeemer and Surety but as a refused Surety and King whom unbelievers will not have to raign over them 12. Adam brake the whole frame of heaven and earth and to the Second ADAM the whole broken and marred lump of the Creation is promised that he may be the repairer of the waste places Isa. 49.8 I will preserve thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people to establish the earth to cause to inherite the desolat heritages Ps. 72.16 Under the raign of the Messiah There shal be an handfull of corn upon the top of the mountains the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon Jer. 31.12 Therefore shall they come and sing in the height of Zion and shall flow together for the goodnesse of the Lord Christ for wheat and for wine and for oyl and for the young of the flock and of the herd 1. The Lord made all things at the beginning very good Gen. 1.31 Heaven Earth Sun Moon Beasts Birds c. being all made servants to man were in a manner fellow-Covenanters in their kind with man in the Covenant of Works As a King covenants with a great Family his servants and dependers have the benefite of the Kings Covenant-peace all obeyed Adam without jarring but when Adam sinned war between the Lord and between the Master and the servants is denounced the earth is cursed for his sake Genes 3.17 18. and Lions and wild Beasts rise against him like loose borderers But in the Covenant of Grace Hos. 2.18 19 20. the beasts of the field the fowls of the heaven the Sun which shall not smite by day nor the Moon by night Ps. 121.6 are by the Surety of the Covenant brought in a new league yea the stones of the field Job 5.23 are compartners of the peace and Christ the King takes off the forefaultry upon all and looses the arrestment of vanity that by sin was laid upon the Creation which was made sick like a woman travelling in birth Rom. 8.20 21 22. Hence are they blessed in Christ to the Saints Deut. 28.4 5. Levit. 26.4 5 6. and the Angels come in under their Head Christ Col. 2.10 and serve the new restored heirs Heb. 1.13 for their Heads sake 2. God hath appointed Christ the Heir of all things and Heb. 1.2 hath given a Charter to Christ and put in bread garments houses and all to the Believer in Christ the first Heir his great evidence is 1 Cor. 3.21 All things are yours 3. He makes all things new Rev. 21.5
promised in the Covenant of Works p. 47 48. Wilfulnesse of unbelief Some doubts are to be left to GOD only to solve p 48 49. How the Lord is the God of Adam p. 49. No promise of influences is made to Adam p. 49. CHAP. IX What life is promised in the Covenant of Works p. 49 50 Whether or no did Adam and all the Reprobates in him lose all right to the creatures p. 50 51. A threefold right 1. Naturall 2. Providentiall 3. Spirituall What right Reprobates and unbelievers have to the living â—aâ—ing c. p. 53 54. What way God is ours p. 55 56. A furniture of Grace and a want of Christ. p 56. CHAP. X. The Arminians ground that God was in a maner compelled to appoint the New Covenant p. 56 57. The naturall antecedent love of God a dream p 57. CHAP. XI The threefold Covenant of some considered p. 57 58. And of the Arminians p. 64 considered and rejected The Law as propounded to Israel was the very Covenant of Grace p. 60 61 62. and the Covenant in the Old one with that of the New Covenant but differenced â—n some accidents p. 63 64. CHAP. XII Self-searching to know under what Covenant We are a spirituall condition and why p 65 6â— The threatnings under the New Testament more spirituall p 67 68. What it is to be under the Law ibid. The combate between the flesh and the Spirit and the combate in naturall men differenced p 68. Compelled convictions argue a Law Spirit ibid. It s easier to be sound in the faith then to be Godly p. 69. Of the legall terrors ibid. Of literall and legall convictions and these of the Gospel p. 70. Marks of such as are under the Law p. 70 71. A sweetnesse in the hardest command because holy ib. An heaven in duties p. 71. A new nature stands for a command ibid. CHAP. XIII Covenanting externall visible professed conditionall and Covenanting internall invisible reall absolute and how they differ p. 72 73 74. Infants are within the Covenant p. 73 74 75 76. And to be baptized and invested with Covenant priviledges p. 76 77 78 79. It s false that none are in Covenant under the New Testament but converts ib. The Covenant made with Abraham and us the same p. 80 81. Nor is that Covenant a civill Covenant p. 81 82. The New Testament Kingdome is spirituall though there be seals in it and externall worship p. 82 83. Of federall holinesse ibid. Externall Church priviledges of the Covenant are given to Nations and societies p. 83 84. It s not the Physicall but the Morall root that is the first subject of the Covenant conditionall and externall p 84 85. The formall ground of right to Baptisme p. 85 86. The places Acts 8.37 Mark 16.16 opened and are nothing for but much against Anabaptists p. 85 86. The text Acts 2.39 opened is strong for Infant baptisme p. 86 87. A conditionall Covenant is properly a Covenant though it be not ever a fulfilled Covenant p 90 91. No means are proved by Law or Gospel to save infants by the opposers of infant Baptisme p 91 92. Two diverse considerations of the Covenant one in abstracto as a simple way of saving sinners and so all in the Visible Church are in the Covenant another in concreto as it contains the Lords will of pleasure and as it is acted upon the heart and so the Elect are only in Covenant p 94. The new heart is only commanded to some and to others it is both commanded and promised p 95. CHAP. XIV The place Gen. 17. opened p. 95. Circumcision and Baptisme compared p 95 96 97. What blessings and priviledges must infants want if they be without the Covenant p 98 99 100. The place Mark 10.15 16. Luke 18. Math. 19. Of such is the Kingdome of heaven opened p. 100.101.102 What blessing Christ bestowed upon the infants whom hee took in his armes p. 102 103 104. A Covenanted seed is promised to be added to the Church of the Jews 104.105 Considerable differences between external and internal Covenanting 107.108 The place Rom. 11.6 If the root be holy so are the branches 110.111 By the holy Root cannot be meant the predestinate to Glory only 113 114. But visible Professors fathers and children p. 115 116. The children are in Covenant not by birth but by such a birth p. 116 117. Covenant holinesse is not the compleat and adequat cause of reall ingrafting in Christ. p. 116 117 118 CHAP. XV. Other considerable differences between externall and internall Covenanting p. 118 119. There is no universall Grace subjective or objective given to all Rom. 10.18 Psal. 19.3 p. 119 120 121 122 123 124. Nor power of believing given to all p. 124 125 126. CHAP. XVI The judgement of men esteeming such visible Covenanters to be reall converts before they can be admitted makes all Egypt Assyria the Kingdomes of the world all Judea Baptized to be reall converts in the judgement of Iohn Baptist Paul and the Apostles p. 129 130 The invisible Church is the first subjâ—ct of the promises of speciall note c. p. 131 132 Hypocrites have no warrand to challenge the seals from any command of God as M. Thom. Hooker sayeth p. 132 CHAP. XVII Who are Hypocrites p. 133 134 What Hypocrisie is p. 135 Parties in the Covenant of Grace as acted upon in heart p. 137 The Word and the Spirit p. 138 Of God speaking himself ib. Prophesies that now are differ from Scripture Prophesies and how p. 139 Revelations made to the Godly when they are in much nearnesse to GOD p. 140 141 Marks of a spirituall disposition p. 142 143 144 145. To do a duty as a duty and not as delightfull is a spirituall disposition p. 144 Not as successefull but as a duty p. 145 CHAP. XVIII The nature characters properties of the new heart and the new spirit of Covenanters p. 145 146. The heart the man p 146 The good heart ib. How rare a peece the heart is p. 147 Of the raigning evils of the heart ib. Why we are more shamed of lying then of pride p. 149 The concurrence of the Word to the act of infusion of a new heart a mysterie p. 149 150 The Atheisme and impossible lies of the heart p. 150 151 The signes of the new heart p. 151 152 CHAP XIX The place of Evangelick Works in the Covenant 2. Possession of glory and right to glory different 3. A twofold right to glory 4. We are not justified by Works 5. The place of declarative justification by Works Jam. 2. discussed 6. Faith and Works different 7. Possession of life and right to life cleared 8. Faith and finall beleeving both commanded in the Law Finall unbeleef not the sin forbidden in the Gospel only 9. How life is promised to our Works Evangelick p. 153 154 155 156 157 seq Our mistakes of God p 15â— 152 The faith that James speaks of is not true faith pâ—60 â—60 The
all threatnings and promises we are not to believe that though we sin we shall actually quoad eventum die and though we obey and beleeve wee are not to beleeve that GOD shall fulfill his promise and that our salvation shall come to passe only we are to believe jure that we deserve to die and that we shall have eternall life jure promissionis but not actually and according to the event Answ. Something is to be said of the threatnings then of the promises As touching the sense we are to beleeve In the threatnings conditionall as yet fourty days and Nineveh shall be destroyed and in that day thou eats thou shalt surely die in thy person and all thine the first and second death we are not to believe the event nor is it carnall security not to beleeve such an event we are only to have a godly fear and to tremble at the dreadfuâ—l deserving of such threatnings legall as alway are to be exponed and beleeved by all within the Visible Church with an Evangelick exception of repentance If therefore Adam did beleeve that he and all his should in their own persons actually suffer the first and second death and that irrecoverably he had no warrand for any such belief and the like may be said of Nineveh For when the Lord said in the day that thou eats thou shalt die the first and second death thou and all thy children personally His meaning was except I provide an Evangelick remedy and a Saviour Godly fear trembles more at the darkning of the glory of the Lord in a broken Law then at the event of inflicted wrath were it even Hells fire Obj. Adam was to beleeve no such exception Answ. True Because it was not revealed nor was he to beleeve the contrary that he should irrecoverably and eternally perish because that was not revealed But the threatning of the Law doth not deny the Evangelick remedy as it neither doth affirme it Obj. Then was Adam to believe it was true which the Serpent said ye shall not surely die quoad eventum but ye shall be as Gods living and knowing good and evill Ans. Neither doth that follow for in the meaning of the liar it was not true that they should not die either by deserving for Satan brangles the equity and righteousness of the Law and threatning or actually and in the event for both were false and neither revealed and faith is not to go beyond what is revealed of God And Sathan disputed against both the equity of the threatning as if it had been unjust in Law and against the event as a fiction and a thing that should not come to passe in the event which indeed did not come to passe but not according to the Serpents lying and false principles Obj. Was then Adam to despair and to beleeve nothing of a Saviour Ans. He was not obliged to despaire but to rely by vertue of the first Commandement of the Decalogue upon God infinitly powerfull mercifull gracious and wise to save for that was revealed and written in his heart and that is far from despairing But in the intervall between the fall and the Lords publishing the blessed Gospel and news of the seed to come he was so to trust in God for possible deliverance in generall as the Law of Nature requireth but he was to beleeve nothing of unrevealed particulars far lesse of the mystery of the Gospel which was kept secret since the world began Rom. 16.25 Obj. Then may also the damned in Hell who are not loosed from their obligation to the Law of Nature and the first Command be obliged to rely on an infinite and Almighty God for their deliverance for they are not obliged to despair nor is there an obligation to any sin Ans. There is not the like reason for though the damned be not loosed from the Law of Nature but are to rely upon God in his whole al-sufficiency yet with exception of his revealed Justice and Truth Now he hes expresly revealed that their worm never dieth and their fire never goeth out And to believe that is not to despaire Obj. What are then such Heathens to beleeve as touching that threatning who never heard of the Gospel Ans. They are under the Law of Nature and to beleeve that sin deserves wrath according to the infinitnesse of the Majesty against whom it is committed and to obey the Law of Nature and read the Book of the Creation carefully But and if the news and rumor of a Saviour come to their ears their sin cannot but be Evangelick in not pursuing the reality and truth of such a soveraign remedy Yet it is not to be thought that though the Gospel be come to all Nations Rom. 16.26 that that is to be meant 1. Of every Generation of all Nations Or 2. of the individuall persons either young or come to age of every Nation under Heaven experience and Scripture speaketh against both Obj. But is not the Covenant of Grace contrary to the Law and Covenant of Works Answ. A diversity there is but contrary wills in the holy Lord cannot be asserted Yea the Gospel may be proven out of the Law and from the first Commandement of the Decalogue if any act of the Lords free will and infinite wisedome shall be added to prove the Assumption So If the first Command teach that God is infinitely wise mercifull gracious just and able to save then if so it please him he shall save But the first Command teacheth the former And the Gospel revealing the unsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3.8 expresly saith so much Ergo. As to the promises they contain not only the jus equity and goodnesse of the thing promised but also that the Lord shall actually perform yea and intends to perform what he hath promised upon condition that we perform the required condition And in this the promises differ not a little from these threatnings that are only threatnings of what God may do in Law but not from these threatnings which are both threatnings and also Propheticall predictions of what shall come to passe therefore must we here difference betwixt threatnings and such and such threatnings The promises are considered as they are Preached and anunciated to all within the Visible Church and as they are made in the intention of God with the Elect and Sons of the promise The same way the threatnings admit of a two-fold consideration The promises to the Elect as intended of God reveal that both the Lord minds to give the blessing promised and the condition that is grace to perform the condition and so they are promises Evangelick both in the matter and in the intention of the Lord But as proponed to the reprobate who are alwayes from their birth to their death under a Covenant of Works really as touching the LORDS holy Decree they are materially Evangelick promises but formally and in the Lords intention legall as every dispensation to
separate not the Word and the Spirit the Father of Spirits loves to work with his own tools and sow with his own seed the Word of God these three agree in one 1. The Spirit acting 2. The habite of Grace acted upon by the Spirit who blows away the ashes and 3. The word of exhortation nor doe we extoll dead letters and livelesse formes as Libertines say for we take in with the letter the quickning sense and convincing meaning of the Word and its considerable that the Spirit drawes sweetly after him the nature faculties of will minde and affections and they need no other allurement but the Word the Spirit and the new nature But when they barbarouslie slew their children and made them passe through the fire they must put out of their ears and hearts the crying and howling of the murthered Babies with the noise of the beatting of drums nature serves the Divell often weeping and Sathan deadenes nature Grace so mortifies as the consent of delegation goes alone Psal. 1.2 Psal. 119.72.97 CHAP. XIII There are two sorts of Covenanting on externall professed visible conditionall another internall reall absolute and the differences betwixt them 2. Infants externally in Covenant under the New Testament 3. Some Questions touching infants PErsons are two wayes in Covenant with God externally by Visible profession and conditionally not in reference to the Covenant but to the thing promised in Covenant which none obtains but such as fulfill the condition of the Covenant For consent of parties promise and restipulation whether expresse by word of mouth Deut. 5.27 We will hear and do Josh. 24.24 And the people said unto Joshua the Lord our God will we serve and his voice will we obey Or yet tacit and implicit by profession I will be thy God and the God of thy seed makes parties in Covenant The keeping or breaking of the Covenant must then be extrinsecall to ones being confederate with God And 2. Infants born of Covenanted Parents are in Covenant with God because they are born of such Parents as are in Covenant with God Gen. 17.7 I will be a God to thy seed after thee 2. The Covenant choise on Gods part is extended to the seed Deut. 4.37 And because he loved thy Fathers therefore he choise their seed after them Deut. 10.15 Only the Lord had a delight in thy Fathers to love them and he choise their seed after them even you Fathers and Children above all people as it is this day And the Covenant choise of seed is extended to the seed in the New Testament Act. 2.39 For to you and to your children is the promise made He speaks in the very tearms and words of the Covenant Gen. 17.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every one of you be baptized he saith not every one of you old and young Parents and Children repent For that command of Repentance is given only personally to them who moved the Question What shall we do Men and Brethren 37. For we are under great wrath and crucified the Lord of Glory The Answer is you aged Repent 39. True But ah we prayed his blood be upon us and our Children He Answers to that every one of you be baptized Why that must be every one of you who are cōmanded to repent No. It must be every one of you to whom the promise is made but the promise is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Observe the very two Pronouns that are Gen. 17.7 Deu. 4.37 Deut. 10.15 to thee and thy seed To you and your seed and children Now the Answer had been most impertinent if he had mentioned their children except in order to their Baptism and their being in Covenant For 1. their Children crucified not the Lord Jesus Nay by Anabaptists grounds their Children not being visibly in Covenant with their Parents and not capable of actuall hearing the Word of actuall mourning for and repenting of their sins as Zech. 12.10 Mat. 3.8 9 10. they were not concerned either in the evill of their Parents who crucified the Lord of Glory nor in the good of their Repentance more then stones So that every one of you be baptized for the promise is to you and to your Children should be impertinent and also false for Covenant promises are no more made to Children then to stones say the opposites of Infant Baptism Yea also as the Lord in the Old Testament calls Israel his people My people old and young Saul shall be Captain of my people David shall feed my people old and young and shall punish with the sword the murthering of Infants 2. Because he choise with a Covenant choise the Jews and their seed Deut. 4.37 Deut. 10.15 Gen. 17.7 then he must be the God of their seed But he choiseth with a Covenant choise and calling all the Nations Isa. 2.2 3. All the kindreds of the earth under the New Testament Psal. 22.27 All Egypt and Assyria under the New Testament Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hand Isa. 19.29 All the Kingdomes of the world are the Lords and his Sons and he reigns in them by his Word and Gospel as the seventh Angel soundeth Revel 11.15 All the Gentiles are his Isa. 60.1 2 3 4. Mal. 1.11 All the ends of the earth and the heathen Psal. 2.8 9. Psal. 72.7 8 9 10. Now if they be not his by visible and externally professed Covenant they must be the Lords Kingdoms only because some in these Kingdomes 1. Are come to age 2. Professe the truth 3. Give a signification that they are converted and chosen and so baptized But so infants and all the rest of these Kingdomes who fixedly in a Church hear the Word professe they are followers and by so doing are witnesses against themselves that they have chosen the Lord to be their God and have consented to the Covenant as Joshua saith Josh 24.22 must be under the New Testament cut off from the Covevant and a place must be shown where God hath now under the New Testament broken the staves of beauty and bands and hath laid this curse upon all the Infants of Egypt Assyria of all the Kingdomes of the earth that the Lord is now no God to them and feeds them no more and therefore that which dies let it die and that which is cut off let it be cut off as it is Zech. 11.9 And the like must be said of all that are come to age and not baptized or as good as not baptized And Covenant promises are not to the Children of Beleevers contrair to Acts 2.39 nor to the aged untill they be converted visibly and Baptized This then hath never yet been fulfilled that the Gentiles and Heathen are become the Lords people Sure it is 2. and was a mercy for the seed to be in Covenant Exod. 20.6 I am the Lord shewing mercies unto thousands of them that love me and keep my Commandements Psal. 89.28 My mercy will I keep with David
and his seed What mercy My Covenant shall stand fast with him Hence they are called the sure mercies of David Isa. 55. The Lord following the seed of the Godly with real mercies so that it cannot be called the favour of a ceremony and instituted or positive priviledge belonging only to the Jews as that his seed is blessed Psal. 37.26 Psal. 112.2 This mercy must be taken away either in mercie or in wrath but that a real mercy of a blessing should be taken away in mercy except a spirituall mercy of saving grace in Christ were given in place thereof cannot be said far lesse hath it any truth that a real mercy can be removed in wrath from Infants in Jesus Christ in whom the Nations are blessed And we see Deut. 28. the blessing of an observed Covenant and the curses of a broken Covenant are extended to the fruit of the body to the sons and the daughters v. 418.32 Job 21.19 Job 29.14 Job 18.15 16 17. And that this is not a New Testament dispensation who can say And that outward positive favours are bestowed on Infants is clear 1. That Christ laid his hands on them and blessed them making them a fixed copy of the indwellers of his Kingdom 2 The promises of the Covenant are made to them Act. 2.39 3. They are clean and holy by Covenant holinesse 1 Cor. 7.14 which cannot be meant of being born of the marriage-bed For Paul Rom. 11.16 saith the same of the Jews root and branches Fathers and Children And no man dreamed that Paul Rom. 11. intends to prove that the Jews shall be insert in again because they are free of bastardie Father and sons Now Infants understand no more any of rhese to be blessed by the laying on of the hands of Christ and to be such as have title to the promises Acts 2.39 and to be Covenant-wise holy 1 Cor. 7. then they understand Baptism 4. The same Covenant made with Abraham is made with the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be their God and they shall be my people Which is Prophesied of the Gentiles under the New Testament Ezek 11.17 18 19 20. Ezek 34.23 24 25. Jer. 31 31 32 33 34 35 36. Jer. 32.36 37 38 39 40. Zech. 13.9 Hos. 1.10 11. 1 Pet. 2.9 10. And it is made to the Gentiles with an eke of a new heart and a larger extent of the Covenant under the New Test. for which cause it is called a better Covenant hath better promises Heb. 7.22 Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Now that were a strange eke and excellency of the New Testament Covenant above the Old to forfeit without farther processe all Infants under the New Testament of all Covenant-right which was due to them of old under the Covenant which the Lord calls faultie Egypt shall be my people except their 1. Infants 2. And except their aged and their non-Saints 5. Infants in the former Covenant had right by birth to the means of salvation to be taught and Catechised in the Law of the Lord because born of Covenanting Parents within the Visible Church and so had title to Covenant-calling and GODS Covenant-choising Mat. 22.4 as is clear Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Exod. 20.10 Deut. 6 6 7. And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy Children Exod. 12 26 27. Ps. 78.4 5 6. Now if Infants be without the Covenant as the Infants of Pagans then they have no more Covenant-right to the hearing of the Gospel and a treatie with Christ and Covenant then Pagans have It s not enough to say their Fathers owe that much naturall compassion to their souls as to teach them it being a Parents duty Yea but what warrand hath a Father as a Father to make offer of a Covenant of Grace in the Name of GOD to one Pagan more then to another since all are equally without the Covenant if there be a Covenant-call warranted to them where is the Fathers command to propone and ingadge the Covenanters consent if the Children be Pagans but as they have a right by birth to the call they being born where the call soundeth they must have some visible right to the Covenant it self more then other Pagans It s but of small weight to say that Rom. 9. Paul expoundeth that in the New Testament I will be thy God and the God of thy seed only of the spirituall seed such as Jacob who was predestinated to Glory not of those that are carnally descended of Abraham otherwise it should follow that these that are in the Covenant might believe that they should be saved though void of Faith and Repentance Answ. The purpose of the Apostle Rom. 9. is to Answer a sad Objection if the Jews be cast off and rejected of God as Paul by his extreame desire to have them saved insinuates then the Word of God takes no effect and his calling and choising of them for his people takes no effect v. 6. He Answers it is not failed though the body of Israel be rejected For there are two kinds of Israelits some only carnall and born according to the flesh Others sons of promise and chosen of God Now the word of promise takes effect in the latter sort to wit in the chosen and in the sons of promise for they are not cast off of God and so the Word of God takes effect v. 6. 2. But the truth is if there be none Covenanted with God but the chosen under the New Testament then there is no such thing as an externall and visible Covenanting with God under the New Testament then must all the Nations Isa. 2.1 2. Kingdomes of the World Rev. 11.15 all Egypt Assyria Isa. 19.25 all the Gentiles Isa. 60. be internally Covenanted and sons of promise and predestinated to life And that 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be your God and ye shall be my people under the New Testament must infer that all in Covenant under Christ must be spiritually in Covenant and the Visible Church of Corinth and of all the Kingdomes of the world Rev. 11.15 must be the invisible and chosen Church and as many as are called must be chosen contrair to Mat. 22.14 Hence Q. 1. Have Infants now under Christ no priviledge nor Covenant Grace externall by their birth and discent from beleeving Parents Ans. Sure they have For Acts 2.39 the promise is to you and to your children Either to all children or to some the Text makes no exception If it be said to all conditionally if they beleeve not absolutely Ans. That must be an internall covenanting proper to the elect and the promise is not made to the aged but conditionally so they beleeve And yet the promise shall be made to Infants and Children but not while they come to age 2. To be cut off and casten out of Covenant is a dreadfull Judgement Zecha 11.9 Hos. 2.3 4 5. Rom.
11.20 well because of unbeleef they are broken off Then because the Jewes beleeve in Christ already comed all their children for no fault but for the beleef of their Parents must be cut off 3. Whereas Paul makes it a misery that the Ephesians 2.12 were strangers from the Covenants of promise â—aving no hope and without God without Christ. And Peter that the Gentiles were no people 1 Pet. 2. then that misery lyes upon the Infants of Christians and all within the Visible Church untill they be converted and baptized and the Gospel is no favour to them that they are within the net and in the office house of Grace the Visible Church where the word is Preached to children who are to be taught Gen. 18.19 Deut. 6.7 Exod. 12.26 27. Psal. 78.1 2 3 4.5 6 7. 2 Tim. 3.15 and the Lord reckons it among the favours that hee bestowes not on every Nation but onely on his owne Covenanted Israel that the Word of the Gospel to gather them and their Children Math. 23.37 2 Tim. 3.15 Psal. 78.1 2 3 4 5. and his Statutes and his Judgments are declared and Preached to them Psal. 147.19 20. Deut. 5.1 2 3 4. c. 6.1 2 3 4 6 7. Psal. 81.4 and that the Oracles of God and the promises are committed to them Rom. 3.1 2. Rom. 9.4 the promises and the giving of the Law and the Covenants and the service of God And that this is a special blessing in the New Testament to old and young is clear from Acts 13. when Paul turnes from the blaspheming Jewes to the Gentiles 47. I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the end of the earth Now this Covenant salvation is Isa. 49.6 I wil give thee to restore the preserved of Israel 8. I will give thee for a Covenant to the people to establish the earth 9. That thou mayest say to the prisoners go forth c. Now if it be said it was indeed a singular priviledge to the Jews but what places of the New Testament make it a Covenant priviledge to the Gentiles and their seed if the Word of the Covenant Preached to the aged under the New Testament can the same wayes by accident be Preached and promises come to the ears of the unbaptised Children now growing to be capable of hearing the Gospel Acts 2.39 2 Tim. 3.15 as to Pagans and such as are no lesse stranges to the Covenant and void of all right by the Covenant made with their Parents then Indians and their children who worship Satan Paul not without a command Preacheth the Word of the Covenant to the discerning Gentiles Acts 13.47 from Isa. 49.6 9 10. must not the fathers have command to speak the Gospel to their children Or doth not the warrand that Parents and Pastors have to take within the Covenant the fathers warrand them to preach the same Covenant to the children where as otherwise the Apostles should have said we have no warrand to offer the Covenant to any or to Preach Christ a given Covenant to any But 1. To such as are come to age 2. Such as are Converts 3. To such as can give signification by confession that they are not onely visible but also invisible and chosen confederates and they should have said all children are now by Christ excluded as prophane Gentiles and heathen from the Covenant of Grace because there can be none say Anabaptists but reall Believers under the New Testament in Covenant with God Yea but the New Testament offers Christ a Covenant in the preached promises alike to fathers and sons Math. 4.16 The people fathers and sons that sate in darknesse saw great light c. Math. 19.43 Therefore I say unto you the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the froots thereof And is it not a punishment to be deprived of the Kingdome If the Kingdome of God come where the Preached Covenant is Math. 3.2 Math. 12.28 and the Bridegroome among them and so cause of joy Math. 9.15 and the Golden Candlesticks be there and the Son of God walking in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 c. 2.1 sure this is much to children If it be said it is very nothing for children understand nothing of this What then is meant by the Prophecie of the incoming of the Gentiles Psal. 87.3 Glorious things are spoken of thee O city of God 4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me behold Phylistia and Tyre with Aethiopia that man was born there 5. And of Zion iâ— shall bee said this and that man was born in her 6. The Lord shal count when he writeth up the people that this man was born there And Christ Prophecying of the desolation extends the judgement of a despised Covenant to the children and the house Math. 23.37.38 Luke 19.44 Luke 22.24 how should there be under the New Testament Covenant wrath for the fathers Covenant breaking derived to the children if in their fathers the sucking children brake not the Covenant then they have been in Covenant with their parents especially since a Visible Covenanting by borrowed allusions to altars speaking the language of Canaan offering incense swearing by the Lord is spoken of Egypt and of five that is of many cities of Egypt and of all the Gentiles Esa. 19.18 19 20. 21. Mal. 1.18 and Covenant blessings shall be derived from fathers to children The Lord shall say 25. Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance It must be a narrow blessing of Covenanted Egypt Assyria Israel if it be a blessing of these come to age 2. Professing the faith 3. And baptised How can the Lord say blessed be Egypt and though the whole seed be visibly in Covenant old and young yet it followeth not that therefore every promise that is absolute that is that of a new heart is made to all and every one within the Visible Covenant for it is promised Deut. 30.6 to the Jews and was given to them and undenyably the visible body of the Jews and their seed were the chosen and externally Adopted and Covenanted people of God Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. Deut. 7.6 Deut. 10.19 and the Lord calls them those whom he delivered out of Egypt his people Exod. 3.7 I have seen the affliction of my people Ezek. 37.12 O my people I will open your graves as many as Saul and David did feed whether they have a new heart or not the Lord calls them his people 1 Sam. 9.16.2 2 Sam. 7.8 See Psal. 50.7 Hear O my people Psal. 81.13 Jer. 9.26 and so the Church of Corinth 2 Cor. 16. is called his people and the Kingdomes of the world the Lords Kingdomes in Covenant Rev. 11.15 and there were many of them uncircumcised in heart Jer. 9.26 Isa. 1.10 Amos 9.7 and with many of them God was not well pleased 1 Cor.
10.5 and so it is most false that none are in Covenant under the New Testament but only Believers For Judas Demas Simon Magus and all the externally called for they cannot be baptized but as in Covenant with God Math. 22.10 are by their profession in Covenant externally as the Jews profession sayeth they accepted of and consented unto the Covenant of Grace for 1 Cor. 10.7 Be not ye Idolaters as some of them commit not fornication tempt not Christ murmur not as some of them v. 8.9 thâ—se and the like say we are the same way in Covenant as they were and our Visible Church now and the Visible Church then are of the same constitution Q. And may we not say that the same Covenant of Grace we are under is the same in nature and substance with that Covenant made with Abraham Ans. The same Christ was their Mediator as ours Heb. 13.8 their Rock and our Rock Christ. 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4 5 6. Ioh. 8.56 2. We are justified as Abraham and David Rom 4.1 2 3 4 5. Gen. 15.6 Ps. 32.1 2. 3. They were saved by Grace the Gentiles as well as they Acts 15.11 by faith Acts 10.43 Heb. 11.1 2 3 4.13 c. 4. There is no more reason to say it was a civill Covenant made with Abraham because it distinguished Abrahams seed from other Nations and an earthly Covenant because Canaan was promised to them not to us then to say there be two Covenants of Works one made to Adam with a promise of an earthly Paradice and another Covenant of Works to the Jews with an earthly Canaan And a third to these who in the Gospel time are under a Covenant of Works Yea upon the same account the Covenant of Grace made Psal. 89. 2 Sam. 7. with David having a Throne promised to him should be yet another Covenant different from the other two And since a Covenant here is a way of obtaining salvation upon condition of obedience John Baptist should be under another Covenant of Grace then the Apostles For to their faith is promised the working of miracles Mark 16.16 17 18. But John wrought no miracles and many thousands of beleevers work no miracles and they must be under a third Covenant For though Canaan was promised to Abrahams seed there is no reason to call it an earthly Covenant or another different covenant for to all beleevers the blessings of their land are promised Ezek 36.25 26 30 31. Jer. 31.31 compared with 38 39 40 41 42 43. Mat. 6.33 Luke 12.31 1 Tim. 4.8 Heb. 13.5 6. 5. What if we say the Covenant made with Abraham Exod. 3. proves by our Saviours reasoning Maâ— 22.31 32 33. that Infants shall not rise again and be in Angel-state and saved otherwise if Infants and all beleevers in the Saduces time be not under the same Covenant with Abraham no Infants shall have a Covenant-Resurrection nor a Covenant-Salvation Or then there is some other salvation for Infants that are saved to wit some Pagan heaven without the Covenant and without Christ and if Infants be Pagans without the Covenant either none of them are saved and chosen to life Contrair to Christ Mat. 18.2 3 4. Mark 10.13 14 15 16. and the Anabaptists grant Or there is a salvation 1 without a Covenant and so without the New and Old Testament 2. Without the Name of Jesus and the Blood of the Covenant Contrair to Acts 4.12 1 Joh. 1.8 Rev. 1.5 3. they shall be saved without the Visible Church the way that Pagans are saved Q 3. Are they not saved all of them Is not this enough But because the Kingdom of Christ is spirituall the Element of water can do them no good except they beleeve Ans. If his Kingdom be not spirituall because his wisedom hath appointed externall signes then no promise which is but good words shall be made to Children contrair to Acts 2.39 for they can do them no good untill they beleeve 2. Then should there be no Preaching of the Gospel to all Nations as Mat. 28.20 for impossible it is that all Nations can be profited by the Gospel 3. The doubt suppones that it is legall servilitie and Jewish to be under the Gospel Preached and the dispensation of signes and seals even to the aged such as are Baptism the Supper rebukes censures 4. To be a visible member and visibly in Covenant and to be baptized except all be sound beleevers must be Jewish Now certain it is a new Testament Ordinance that Ministers Preach and baptize all nations though the greatest part beleeve not Q. 4. If faith sanctifie as faith then an unbeleeving whore might be sanctified by a beleeving fornicator For faith will do its formall work in every subject Answ. Paul never meant that faith doth sanctifie in every subject but in subjecto capaci Faith sanctifieth not incest and sin they are not capable to be separated to a holy use If fire as fire burn then might all the water in the Ocean be dryed up with the least sparkle of fire If prayer as prayer obtain all things shall it obtain that the sacrificing of your son to God shall be accepted of him as holy and lawfull worship Mr. Baxter saith excellently upon this subject A thing must be first lawfull before it be sanctified God sanctifieth not sin in or to any See the Argument 1 Cor. 7. learnedly and solidely vindicated by him so as the dispute is at an end now Q. 5. What holiness is it that is called federal or Covenant holiness which is in Infants Ans. It is not so much personall holinesse though it may so be called because the person is a Church member separated from the world to God as holinesse of the seed Society Family or Nation which is derived from father to son as if the father be a free man of such a City that priviledge is so personall as it is by the Law hereditarie freedome derived from father to son if the father have jus ad media salutis right to the means of salvation so hath the son Hence this was first domestical God made the CovenaÌ„t with Abraham and his family I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Gen. 17. it was extended to him not as a father only but as to the head of the family the children of Servants born in Abrahams family were to be circumcised and to be instructed as having right to the means of salvation Gen. 17.12 He that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you every man-child in your Generations so it is Generation-holinesse he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger that is not of thy seed So God showes clearly that in Abraham he chosed the Nation and the house Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham that he will command his children that is too narrow a Church Visible and his houshold after him that they shall keep the way of the Lord. 2. Afterward
he choosed the Nation to be a peculiar people holy to himself Deut. 7.6 7. but not with another new distinct Covenant but in the same Covenant 8. But because the Lord loved you and would keep the oath that he had sworn to your fathers to wit to Abraham Deut. 10.15 He chose their seed after them even you above all people not above all houses Amos 3.2 You only have I known of all the families of the earth So the externall Church Covenant and Church right to the means of grace is given to a society and made with Nations under the New Testament Isa. 2.1 2 3. Psal. 2.8 9. Psal. 22.27 Psal. 87.2 3 4. Rev. 11.15 Matth. 28.19 20. And not any are baptized in the New Testament except the Eunuch and Saul Acts 8.39 who were baptized firstly but they were baptized as publick men representing a seed also societies are baptized All Judea Mat. 3.3 All the land of Judea Mark 1.5 All the multitude all the people Luke 4.7.21 Sure the fathers were so Christianed and Baptized as their children had right to the same seal So Joh. 3.22 23 26. Cornelius his house and all with him were baptized Acts 10.33 47. Three thousand at once Acts 2.39 40 41. The Jayler and his house Acts 16.33 servants and friends The houshold of Stephanas 1 Cor. 1.16 was Baptized And this 3. is holden forth as the Church as the houshold of Narcissus which are in the Lord Rom. 16.11 Aquila and Priscilla and all the Church at their house v. 5. The Church at the house of Philemon Phil. v. 2. which teacheth that the Covenant holinesse is of societies and houses under the New Testament as in Abrahams house and as Abrahams house was Circumcised so are whole houses under the New Testament Baptized 4. Paul aptly calls it the holinesse of the lump or Nation and the first fruits root-holinesse the holinesse of the root and the branches Of the Olive Tree and the branches Rom. 11.16 17. 5. The speciall intent of God in sending the word of the Covenant must evidence this he sends not the Gospel unto and for the cause of one man to bring him in but to gather a Church and his elect ones by a visibly and audibly Preached Covenant to a society to a City to Samaria Acts 8. To the Gentiles Acts 13. To all Nations Mat. 28.19 20. that they and their children may have right to salvation and to the means thereof and to the Covenant and therefore we are not curiously to inquire whether the faith of the father be real or not if the Gospel be come to the Nation to the House to the Society The Lord in one Abraham in one Cornelius in one Jayler whom he effectually converts as far as we can gather from the Scriptures choises the race house society nation and gives them a Covenant-holinesse the mans being born where the call of God is does the turn as much as the faith of the Parent For by the root is not necessarily meant the Physicall root the father For Abraham was not the Physicall root and father nor Cornelius of all the servants and friends in the house But if a friend be in the house or society and professe the Gospel he and his obtain right to Baptism and the means of salvation But as touching real holinesse it is not derived from a beleeving father to make the son a beleever Scripture and experience say the contrair Nor 2. is internall and effectuall confederacie with God that by which one is a son of promise Rom. 9. and predestinate to life a nationall favour For 1. no man is chosen to life in his father because the father is chosen A chosen father may have a reprobate son 2. Election to life is not of nations or houses or societies but of single persons It is not said before the nation had done good or evill I chosed this nation all and whole not this but I loved this man not this man Q. What is the formall reason and ground that any hath right to Baptism Ans. If we speak of a passive right if the Eunuch beleeve Act. 8. and if such have received the Spirit Acts 10. they may receive baptism The Eunuch moves not the Question whether Philip should sin in baptizing him or not The Eunuch was troubled to make sure his own not Philips Conversion They who bring that Argument 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Acts 8. and that Mark 16. to prove that only such should be baptized who beleeve actually and are come to age They prove that the Church sinneth if they baptize any but such as are predestinated to life and really beleeve For the faith that Philip asked for was reall with all the heart not as the faith of Simon Magus And the faith Mark 16.15 is real saving faith that brings salvation he that beleeves is saved 2. It can not be visible faith only for that is in Simon Magus he doth visibly so beleeve and is baptized Yet upon that faith he was not saved being in the gall of bitternesse 3. He that beleeves not is damned The meaning must be he that beleeves not savingly is damned Or then he that beleeves not visibly as Magus and Judas is damned but this is most false for Peter beleeves not as Judas and yet he is not damned Or then the meaning must be he that beleeveth both really savingly and also professedly and visibly is saved And that is true but it concludes that none are to be baptized but both real and visible believers 4. If it be true that none are to be baptized but Covenanted ones as Acts 2.39 And if none be Covenanted ones under the New Testament but real beleevers and such as are predestinated to life as our Anabaptists teach from Rom. 9. then must the Church without warrant of the Word baptize Magus Demas Judas 5. Then must also all Judea all the Generations of vipers baptized have been both real and visible beleevers for they were all baptized Mat. 3.3 4. Mark 1.5 Luke 1.7.21 Let Independents consider this and what D. Fuilk and Mr. Cartwright Paraeus Calvin Beza and our Divines speak on these places against the auricular confession of all the huge multitude 6. It is a wonder that any man should dream that the Eunuch made a case of conscience Acts 8. whether it was lawfull to Philip to baptize and not whether he himself did beleeve and could worthily receive the seal Act. 8.36 here is water saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. So none can warrantably baptize any but persons dying in faith and it s not certain these have the faith that is Acts 8.37 Mar. 16.16 But for the formall warrand of such as baptize neither are the aged as the aged nor Infants as Infants to be baptized for so all the aged and all Infants even of Pagans are to be baptized Nor 2. are all in Covenant to be baptized For such as are only really and
invisibly in Covenant and do make no profession of Christ at all are not warrantably by the Church to be baptized Only these whether old or young that are tali modo visibili federati such as professedly and visibly in Covenant and called Acts 2.39 are warrantably baptized Hence they must be so in Covenant as they be called by the word of the Covenant for they cannot be baptized against their will Luke 7.29.30 Q. What warrand is there Act. 2.39 for Infant Baptisme Ans. I shall not contend for the actuall baptizing of them at that instant But every one of you be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 father and sons Why the promise is to you and to your children break the Text into an hundred pieces and blood it as men please the Genuine Thesis which cannot be neglected is These to whom the promise of the Covenant does belong these should be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the promise of the Covenant is to you and to your children Ergo you and your children should be baptized The assumption is the expresse words of Peter and the Proposition is Peters Every one of you be baptized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to you is the promise of the Covenant Calvin Bullinger Brentius Gualther clear it 2. Who they are who are in the nearest capacity to be baptized he explaines when he showeth that the Covenant promise is made to these who are far off to the Gentiles whom the Lord shall call then all that are under the call and offer of Christ in the Preached Gospel as Prov. 9.1 2 3 4. Math. 22 bid them come to the wedding Luke 14.16 17 18. c. are externally in Covenant and such to whom the Covenant is made and should be baptized it s presumed they give some professed consent to the call and do not right down deny to come else they should be baptized against their will 3. Calvine showes Acts 2.39 that the Anabaptists in his time said the promise was made to Believers only but the Text saith it is made to you and to your children to infants to the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant made with the fathers Acts 3.25 Now what ground doe Anabaptists give that all infants believe or that some believe since to them their children were as Pagans without Christ without the Covenant if to the children when they come to age and shall believe but what need to adde and to your believing Children for these are not children but men of age their fathers and they both being believers Now Peter sets down two ranks the aged who heard the word with gladnesse and were pricked in heart v. 37.41 and the children and to both the promise is made and what ground is their to exclude sucking children for the word Acts 2.39 is Math. 2.18 1 Cor. 7.14 where sure the word is taken for sucking children of whose actuall faith the Scripture speaks not 2. The promise is to you and to your children can have no other sense then the promise and word of the Covenant is preached to you and to your children in you and this is to be externally in Covenant both under the Old and New Testament If it have another sense it must be this the Lord hath internally Covenanted with you the 3000. who have heard the word and with your children and you are the spirituall seed and sons of promise predestinate to life eternall as Rom. 9. they expone the seed in Covenant But 1. Were all the 3000. Ananias and Saphiâ—a and their children the spirituall and chosen seed for he commands all whom he exhorts to repent to be baptized And 2. Now to Simon Magus and Demas and numbers of such Peter could not have said the promise is made to you and to your children if it be only made to reall and actuall believers as they say Peter therefore must owne them all whom he exhorts to repent as the chosen seed But if the former sense be intended as how can it be denyed to wit the word of the Covenant is preached to you an offer of Christ is made in the preached Gospel to you Then it cannot be denyed but the promise is to all the Reprobate in the Visible Church whether they believe or not for Christ is preached and promises of the Covenant are preached to Simon Magus to Judas and all the Hypocrites who stumble at the Word to all the Pharisees as is clear Math. 13.20 21 22 23. Acts 13.44 45. Acts 18.5 6. Math. 21.43 1 Pet. 2.7 8. 3. The promise I will be your God and ye shall be my people must be one way expounded in the Old Testament to wit you are externally only in Covenant with God But in the New Testament it must have this meaning I wil be your God 2 Cor. 6.16 that is you are all predestinate to life and the sons by promise and the spirituall seed to whom I say I will be your God But so it may well be said there were no internall Covenanters in the Old Testament and there be none but only internall Covenanters in the New Testament so that when the Lord sayeth Rev. 11.15 The Kingdomes of the earth are mine and my sons He must say the Kingdomes Egypt Assyria Tyrus Ethiopia c. are chosen and the spirituall seed and these Covenanted Nations and the Kingdomes of the Gentiles are all internally and effectually called and there are no Visible Churches in the New Test. but only all invisible and saved 4. If these words The promise is to you and to your children be limited to as many as the Lord shall effectually call either fathers or children But Mr. Stev Marshel judiciouslie observes there is no more a Covenant-favour holden forth to their children then to the children of Pagans for the children of Pagans if God effectually call them have the promises made to them 5. It s clear that externall Covenant-holinesse is to these men ceremoniall holiness now out of date and then externall calling the only means of internall and effectuall calling Math. 22.14 1 Cor. 1.18.23 24. Luke 15.1 2. and the fixed Church-hearing of the Preached Gospel is a ceremony 2. That God should be the God of Infants of the seed of the Jews a mercie to fathers and sons coming from free love Deut. 10.15 Gen. 17.7 Deut. 7.6.7.8 and Prophesied as a mercy to the Gentiles by all the Prophets was a ceremony removed now in Christ. Yea 3. externall Covenanting and adopting and choising of Israel is no mercy except that a Pedagogie of the Law is a mercy for a time 4. The promise is to you and to your children must be in a contradictorie way expounded to wit the promise is no more made to your children so long as they are Infants then to Devils Yea fathers and children not beleeving though chosen to life are excommunicated from Visible adoption calling hearing the Gospel promises for there is no Covenanting now under
externally within the Covenant are not really indeed within the Covenant of Grace Ans. The Adverbe really relates to the reall fruit of the fulfilled Covenant and so such as are only externally within the Covenant are not really within the Covenant for God never directed nor intended to bestow the blessing Covenanted nor grace to perform the condition of the Covenant upon them But they are really Covenanted and engadged by their consented profession to fulfill the Covenant And as the commands and threatnings of the Covenant of Grace lay on a reall obligation upon such as are only externally in Covenant either to obey or suffer so the promise of the Covenant imposes an ingagement and obligation upon such to beleeve the promise but some times we say the promises of the Covenant of Grace are not really made to the Reprobate within the Visible Church because God intends and decrees to and for them neither the blessing promised nor the saving grace to fulfill the condition or to beleeve And therefore these words are figurative Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will write my Law in their minds c. that is this is the speciall and principall Covenanted blessing I will give them a new heart which must not be called a simple prediction though a prediction it is but it is also a real promise made absolutely to the elect which the Lord fulfills in them And this is called the Covenant Because 1. they are no better then non-Covenanters upon whom the Lord bestowes not this part and blessing of the Covenant 2. The truth is the promise of a new heart is not made to the Visible Church which is only Visible but to the Elect and Invisible Church And if Anabaptists shall expone these words Acts 2.39 The promise of a new heart is made to you and to your children upon condition that you and your children beleeve which they cannot do untill first they have a new heart it s as good as Peter had said God promiseth to you and to your children grace to beleeve and a new heart to obey him upon condition that you first beleeve And that is Gods promise to you to beleeve upon condition that ye beleeve which is ridiculous and therefore we cannot say that this promise of a new heart is made to all that are commanded to beleeve and repent and be baptized For Elect and Reprobate and all are under these commands if they be members of the Visible Church But the promise of a new heart is not made to all within the Visible Church Quest. How then Must the promise of a new heart be here excluded And shall nothing be meant in the Word but a promise of forgivenesse and life is made to you and your Children Ans. I should judge it hard to say that were the only promise here made the promise of a new heart is made to you all therefore repent and be baptized The Antecedent is not true 2. Therefore because Peter speaks unto and of a mixed multitude Fathers Children Elect and Reprobate who must first understand the promise of life and forgivenesse is made to you Ergo all come to age repent and be baptized And because the promise is made to your children therefore let them be baptized And 3. the promise of new heart is not to be excluded because there were in the company to whom and of whom the Apostle Peter speaks many Elect in whom the old Prophesie Jer. 31. Ezek. 11. was to be fulfilled For he saith The promise is made to as many as the Lord shall call to the Gentiles it were a sense too narrow to exclude that promise and therefore as the great promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed which chiefly is meant Acts 2.39 requires not the same condition in fathers and infants nor the same condition in fathers wives hewers of wood Officers and Commanders litle ones and such as were not born Deu. 29. with whom the Covenant is made For the same faith in fath is and in infants and faith working in the same duties cannot be required of husbands wives Magistrates and hewers of wood so neither is the promise made the same way to fathers children Jews near hand and Gentiles farre off to Elect and Reprobate Q. How can the promise of the Covenant to write the Law in the heart be made absolutely and not to the Reprobate but to the Elect only For the Elect are only these to whom that promise is made and yet the Reprobate are really in the Covenant of Grace and the promise is made to them as hath been said Answ. It is no inconvenient that the Reprobate in the Visible Church be so under the Covenant of Grace as some promises are made to them and some mercies promised to them conditionally and some reserved speciall promises of a new heart and of perseverance belong not to them For all the promises belong not the same way to the parties visibly and externally and to the parties internally and personally in Covenant with God So the Lord promiseth life and forgivenesse shall be given to these who are externally in the Covenant providing they beleeve but the Lord promiseth not a new heart and grace to beleeve to these that are only externally in Covenant And yet he promiseth both to the Elect. Hence the Covenant must be considered two ways in abstracto and formally in the letter as a simple way of saving sinners so they believe so all within the Visible Church are in the Covenant of Grace and so it contains only the will of precept 2. In the concret as the Lord caries on the Covenant in such and such a way commensurably with the decrees of Election and Reprobation As the Lord not only promises but acts and ingraves the Law in the heart commensurably with his decree of Election so the Elect only are under the Covenant of Grace The word tells of no condition or work or act to be performed by any which if he do he shall have a new heart and therefore the promise of the ingraven Law in the heart is not a simple promise made to the Covenanters as Covenanters for so it should be a promise to all visible Covenanters for visible Covenanters are essentially Covenanters but it is both a promise and a prediction yea a reall execution or an efficacious way of fulfilling the decree of Election to such and such chosen and specially loved of God Covenanters 2. A new heart hath a twofold consideration one as a duety commanded 2. As a blessing promised as to the former Ezech. 18.31 make you a new heart and a new spirit Jer. 4.4 Circumcise your heart to the Lord take away the foreskin of your heart ye men of Judah Eph. 4.23 be renued in the Spirit of your minde Eph. 4.14 Awake thou that sleeps and rise from the dead these are either
s a conjecture that they came with a may be or as Mr. Cobbet well sayeth a faith grounded upon a possibilitie of Election separated from the Covenant that is secret and the Covenant revealed and so this not election abstracted from that can be the ground of faith Deut. 29.29 and when Christ saith Math. 18.4 10. that little ones Angels behold the face of his Father and the Holy Ghost saith Heb. 1.13 that Angels are Minstring Spirits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For these that shall by heritage or lot injoy salvation It s clear infants have their share of salvation and by Covenant it must be As also the blessed seed is promised to Adam before he have a child and to his seed To Seth Japhet Isaac Jacob Abraham when Cainan Cham Ishmael Esau Abrahams Idolatrous house to David when his brethren are refused and to these as heads of Generations when contrare Generations and the houses of Cainan Cham Ishmael are rejected Hence the house of Israel the seed of Israel the seed of Jacob and there shall be added to the Gentiles Isa. 49. who shall bring in to the Church their sons and their daughters upon their shoulders 22. Isa. 54.1 Sing O barren for moe are the children of the desolate then of the maried wife saith the Lord Isa. 60.4 Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves about they shall come to thee thy sons shall come from far and thy sons shall be nourished at thy side Israel marying and Israel according to the flesh is the holy seed Neh. 7.61 Neh. 9.2 the holy seed have mingled with the heathen 1 Chron. 16.13 O ye seed of Israel his servants ye children of Jacob whom he hath chosen be mindfull of his Covenant And this holinesse by externall Covenanting is extended to the Gentiles 1 Cor. 7.14 But now are your children holy and its holinesse the Jews to be called in Rom. 11.16 If the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy 〈◊〉 also the branches So it is prophecied Isa. 61.9 Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their off-spring among the people All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed that the Lord hath blessed 6. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord holy by Covenant as was Aarons house because in Covenant visibly with God men shall call you the Ministers of our God Ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles and in their glory shall ye boast your selves Isa. 62.2 Thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord hath named v. 12. And they shall call them the holy people the Redeemed of the Lord And thou shalt be called Sought out A City not forsaken Isa. 65.22 As the dayes of a tree are the dayes of my people and mine Elect by calling shall long injoy the work of their hands Sure he Prophesies of a visibly Covenanted people under the New Testament For he adds v. 23. They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth in trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Now to any Godly Reader there is here 1. ◠Prophesie to be fulfilled of the Gentiles brought in as is clear Isai. 6◠1 2 3 4. Christ Luke 4. applyes that Text to himself And 9. Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles Isa. 62.2 The Gentiles shall see thy Righteousnesse And for Chapter 65.1 2 3 4. Paul expounds it of the in-coming of the Gentiles Rom. 9.24.26 Rom. 10.20 Eph. 2.12.13 Rom. 15.20 2. He speaks of a Visible Church and of their seed known among the Gentiles all that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed Isa. 5◠9 But they did not see the white Stone the seal of their election and a new Name which none can read but he that receives it Rev. ◠1◠And they see them a seed and off-spring of the Covenanted people of God Isa. 62.12 They shall call them the holy people then they must judge them a Visible Church But a Church of such as are predestinate to glory they cannot see them to be 3. Isai. 55. They are a Visible Church 21. They shall build houses and inhabite them 22. They shall not build and another inhabite They shall not plant and another eat And the reason is 23 Because they are they shall be it s a Prophesie under the New Testament the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them Jer. 23.22 As the Host of Heaven cannot be numbred neither the sand of the sea measured so will I multiply the seed of David What seed The visible seed And the Levits that Minister unto me will I multiply He alludes to the promise made to Abraham of multiplying his seed Gen. 13.15 Gen. 15.5 Gen. 2.17 And this promise made to Abraham saith Calvin belongs to them all and he would have them not to doubt of the restitution of the people to their own Land Now the people and Levits and house of David were never so multiplied in the Jews after the deliverance from Babylon and therefore must be extended to the New Testament And if God establish Davids seed for ever Psal. 89.4 And the seed of his people shall possesse the gates of their enemies Gen. 24.60 And if he powre his Spirit upon the seed of Jacob Isai. 44.3 and Circumcise the heart of the seed of his people Deut. 30.6 and put his words in the mouth of the seed of his people and their seeds seed for ever Isai. 59.21 And the seed of the righteous be blessed on earth Psal. 37.26 not simply because they are a seed for the whole seed of man should be blessed if so but because they are the seed of his servants Psal. 69.36 of the Jews Esther 6.13 the Children of his Servants Psal. 102.28 See Jer. 31.35 35 37. Isa. 6.13 because the seed of Abraham and in the Covenant made with Abraham Exod. 2.24 2 Kings 13.23 Psal. 105.8 9. Psal. 111.5 9. Gen. 17.2 7 9. Lev. 26.42 45. Ezek. 16.60 Luke 1.72 Exod. 6.4 Deut. 8.18 c. Then must the Covenant be established under the New Testament with the Visible seed and if there were an abridging and contracting of this favour to the Elect only it would have been shewed and the Charter of reservation and exception must have been penned in the Old or New Testament 2. Otherwise the seed of all Gentiles called in to Christ by the Preached Gospel must be visibly cursed of God cut off from the people of God separated from the Lord from the Congregation of his people not to the tenth Generation only as the Ammonite the Moabite the Bastard Deut. 23.1 2 3. and Excommunicated out of the Camp as unclean nor should Christians marry or Covenant with them As Deut. 23.14 Lev. 13.43 44 45 46. Deut. 7.1 2 3. Exod.
God then of the Pagans and the lately cut off fathers Nor can the Adversaries say that Jewish Infants were broken off through unbelief because they are capable neither of belief nor of unbelief to them Then they remain in the Olive tree members of the Church as before and God must be still their God when the fathers are cut off vers 17. And again when the fathers shall be reingraffed and they made Christians the Infants shall be out of Christ and have no more Covenant-right or Church-right to Baptisme then the Infants of Egyptians and Philistines had to Circumcision Obj. Shall not by this means all the Infants of all the Gentiles be ingrafted in and baptized Answ. The Text warrants us to say it only of the Children of the ingrafted and called Gentiles that they have right to baptism Obj. This Text is spoken of these that have hereditary Covenant-right from their naturall Father Abraham We Gentiles have not that naturall relation to Abraham nor are we his naturall sons nor branches Answ. It s false that the Jews by birth as birth had hereditary right to Church-priviledges they had right by such a birth from Abraham taken in out of free-love to Covenant fellowship with God and his children are naturall that is kindlie 2. First branches and sprigs before us Gentiles to beleeving Abraham but we beleeving are made Abrahams by proportion and are secondary and so wild branches 2. Abraham is not the Physicall but a Morall root For the Covenant was made with Abraham not as a beleeving Father but as a beleeving Head of Children of Servants and strangers under him as the Covenant is laid as an Heavenly depositum upon Zacheus in relation not to his children only but to his house Luke 19. For when he is made a sonne of Abraham salvation that is the Covenant of Life comes to him and to his house and so to Cornelius Acts 10. and to the Jayler Acts 16. and to their houses and the same way I distinguish seeds Q. How can the Jews that are come in be federaly holy for their fathers Since now it is about fifteen hundreth years since their fatherâ— were broken off from Church and Covenant May not all the world Jews and Gentiles be federally holy branches by the same reason because the Covenant was made with and Preached unto Adam a beleeving root and father in Paradice So it would appear once in the Covenant of Grace and all the seed to the coming of CHRIST are federally holy as well as they Answ. This is as great a difficultie to the Adversaries and insuperable as to us for the Jews unborn by their way are no more holy in their branches and off-spring then Turks and Indians and their children untill they grow to age and actually beleeve and so are the Infants of Americans and such as worship the Sun or Satan that way holy And so the branches of the Jews have no holiness from the root nor are they beloved for the fathers as vers 28.2 All the Jews leave not off to be members of the Invisible Church For Paul saith Rom. 11.25 blindnesse in part is happened to Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a part of Israel For howbeit the visible masse and body of the Jews rejected Christ and wrath â—e come upon them to the outmost 1 Thes. 2.16 yet that is not said universally of all the Jews 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Paul wrote to the Jews the Epistle to the Hebrews James to the twelve Tribes scattered abroad Jam. 1.1 and Peter 1 Pet. 1.1 and John to the Jews I judge not in a visible body and these are not broken off the Olive and do though not in a Visible Church way derive Covenant right to the branches that shall be ingrafted in But many Nations descended of Adam have universally rejected Christ and know not the Name of Christ the blessed seed Q. May we not say that the root is Christ as mysticall Head from whom we partake of the sâ—ppe of grace and life and fatnesse Answ. The intent of Paul is to prove that the Jews cut off because of their unbeleef shall be ingrafted in again in the Lords own time because of the holinesse of the Covenant that was in the root and in the first fruits Abraham Isaac and Jacob It is true their Covenant-holiness is not the adequat cause why they shall be ingrafted in really into Christ for so all the carnall children who had this relative holinesse must be really ingrafted in Christ but it is with the Lords free love both the cause of their personall and of their Church ingrafting and the continued deriving of that relative holinesse being a continued free favour in its kind is the Lords love in the same kind to root and branches otherwise it should not bear truth which is said v. 28. which expores this ver 28. that they are beloved for the fathers not as if they were predestinate to life because Abraham was so chosen but because of the Fathers Covenant-holinesse which was holinesse from Christ not as root and head through influence of saving grace but as a politick head which yet is what we say For because Christ is holy as root head and Redeemer the Jews once his Church Visible and to be so again the branches are not really holy by faith because all of them were not in Christ But if all Jews and Gentiles and also Infants who are Jews and Gentiles and parts of the body be baptized into the visible body so are Infants See more of this in Mr. Cotton Mr. Black Mr. Cobbet Mr. Rich. Baxter who have closed the dispute learnedly CHAP. XV. The differences of externall and internall Covenanting 2. No Universall Grace Rom. 10.18 Psal. 19.3 nor in Scripture 3. Nor power of beleeving to all given by Christ. HEnce the clear differences betwixt the externall visible and Nationall Covenanting of the people of old when they were brought out of the Land of Aegypt And the internall and personall though it may be visible also Covenanting with God 1. This under the New Testament is a new Covenant and all the old shadows are abolished The former is the old 2. This is with the house of Israel and Judah chosen persons and so personall with single men You shall not give a Nation Kingdom or Land with which the Covenant internally is so made as if all and every one without exceptions must know the Lord savingly what may be the converted Jews case whether the whole body of them all and every one shall be visible real and personall Covenanters as the place Rom. 11.26 seems to say I cannot determine and all and every one be saved for then must all the visible house of Israel be saved and not the chosen only 3. The visible externall Covenant was broken Jer. 31.32 The other personall and internall is never broken 4. The promise of a new heart is really fulfilled in all the persons and
single branches of the house of Judah so that all and every one are taught of God none excepted Jer. 31.33 34. Isa. 54.13 Joh. 6.45 not so in the visible externall Covenant if it be but externall not any is taught of God but all are taught of men 5. The reall personall Covenant is everlasting like that Covenant with the Moon and Stars 2. The night and the day 3. Of the motion of the Sea Jer. 31.35 36 37. There is perseverance absolutely promised Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good It s sure in Gods part for he changeth not Nay but we change and turn away from God he obviats that I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So Isai. 54.10 Isa. 59.21 but all such as Nationally visibly only and in profession only are in Covenant may fall away 6. Jer. 31. â—â— Behold 〈◊〉 day 〈◊〉 come saith the Lord that the City shall be built to the 〈◊〉 c. There is a promise of spirituall right in Christ made to the blessings of this life to these that are personall Covenanters As Jer. 32 4â— Ezek. 11.17 18 19. Ezek. 36.26 27 28 29 30 33. Ezek. 37.24 25 26. Ezek. 34.23 24 25 26 27. which promise though not repâ—â—ted in the New Testament when the Prophesies of 〈…〉 cited Heb. 8.8 Heb. 10.16 17. but of purpose 〈…〉 because the promise of temporal blessings is not so expresse 〈◊〉 Yet in other places of the New Testamant it is clear that we have bread by Covenant-promise Matth. 19 20. 1 Tim. â— 8 Heb. 13. â— 6. 1 Pet. 3.10 11 12. which 〈…〉 only 〈…〉 Covenant externally c. These six differences are clear Jer. 31.33 c. so that it is evident that all and every one of the Visible Church are not really and personally confederates so that though the Lord say to both I will be their God and they shall be my people yet not one and the same way Hence there is no ground at all nor truth in what Arminians say that the Covâ—â—ant of Grace is made with all and every one of mankind as was the Covenant of Works For this must be true that in Paradice the Covenant of Grace was made with Adam and all his seed But a Covenant so universall ought to be proclaimed to all the 〈◊〉 but thus was not For the Lord published and made it to Abraham and his seed and the Lord choised Israel above all the people on earth Deut. 5.1 2 3. Deut. 7.6 Deut. 10.15 and shewed his judgements and statutes to them not to other Nations And therefore there can be no subjejective revealing of Christ by universall grace given to Heathen and all others and by an objective revealing of Christ in the works of Creation the heaven and earth night and day as some teach citing the Ps. 29.1 2. For so 1. God choised Americans Indians and all the wild Savages to be his people as well as he choised the Jews and if the sound of the Gospel went out to the ends of the earth that is to all and every one as they expound Psal. 19.3 4. Rom. 10.18 then it must be the purpose of David and Paul that the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and of Christ crucified by whose alone name men are saved and by whom only 〈◊〉 come to the Father Acts 4 1â— John 14.6 is written in the Firmament which must declare the glory of God manifested in the flesh day unto day and must preach Christ crucified to all Nations who see the Sun rise and go down â—or sure that sound Psal. 19.4 goeth through all the earth Sure Paul must give a dark interpretation Rom. 10. of that Psalm 〈…〉 2. If the hearing Rom. 10.18 but I say have they not heard be the hearing of God Creator his sounding 〈◊〉 in the Firmament Night Day and Sun as it is Psal. 〈◊〉 by all that see the Sunne and also the hearing of the joyfull sound of Christ Preached in the Gospel written and objectively 〈◊〉 in Sun and Moon Night and Day as Amyrald and his do expound it Then may all that see the Sun call upon the name of the Lord revealed in Christ and believe in Christ for of their beleef Moses speaks Deut. 30.14 and Paul Rom. 10.9 â—â— and all have the benefite of the Preached Gospel and sent Prophets whose feet are beautifull upon the mountains publishing 〈…〉 of peace vers 15. as Nah. 1.15 Isai. 52.7 and â—ll that see the Sunne are the same way saved by Jesus Christ that Jewes and Gentiles are who hear the Gospel But Paul strangely crosseth this How shall they call upon him as God revealâ—â— iâ— Christ in whom they believe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shal they 〈◊〉 him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be 〈◊〉 Now if the sound of the Preached Gospel be to be heard in the Firmament Sun rising and going down as Amyrald and some Libertines do say whom I heard Preach the same thing at London Paul might receive an easie and a short answer The Gospel of Christ crucified written on the Firmament Sun and night and day is as lawfull an Ordinance and a book upon which Americans and all that see the same may read the glad tydings of salvation and so may call upon and beleeve in God and winne and earn by 〈◊〉 industrie and hearing of the Gospel by sent Preachers as the Preached Word of God and therefore Paul cannot deny but faith comes by hearing of some other Preacher then a Gospel-Preacher or one that is sent for Paul Rom. 1.16 17 18 19. and David Psal. 19.1 2 3. v. 7 8 9. distinguish the two Books There is not such an Objection dreamed as Amyrald imagines of Rom. 10.18 If God will have mercy on the Gentiles how is it that they have not heard the Gospel For the Lord hath not declared his minde to them He answers God did not so keep up his good will to the Gentiles in former times but by the Ministery of the Heavens ac veluti voce providentiae and as it were by the preaching of the Word of Providence he spake to them which things should be spoken to no purpose by Paul if they be understood of a revelation of God as Creator only and not as Redeemer for what hath that revelation to do with the Gospel Therefore Calvine saith he speaketh of the revelation by the creatures preparatory to the Gospel It is true there is an Objection in these words v. 18. But I say have they not heard A learned Countrey-man Charles Fermin But the Israelites saith he have not heard the Gospel Then if faith be from hearing and saving calling upon God be from faith then believing Israelites shall be of the number of them that call
4. Fol. 15 16. Et de officio hominis Christi Cap. 5. Smalcius on Joh. 1. Hom. 3. Give to us manwhole sound sinlesse as he came from the first Adam 2. That man can do all that Cod commands him with little help of God 3. It s an errour saith Smalcius that a man hath no strength in spirituall things there is no need of the inward gift of the Spirit of God to beleeve saith the Raccovian Catechism for we read not that such a gift in Scripture is bestowed upon any but upon beleevers such as are born of Adam saith Socinus are all born in the same condition and nothing is taken from such a man which he naturally hath or was to have Ostorodius Justi Relig. Christ. cap. 21. Praedicatio sola Euangelij potest hominem absque interná Spiritus illuminatione operatione à peccatis convertere The only Preaching of the Gospel without the inward illumination by the Holy Spirit and his working is able to convert a man from sin All which is Printed and taught and many other abominable errours to us To this Objection against universall grace as I judge unanswerable Corvinus Answers that all the places of Scripture brought to prove mans inability to beleeve in Christ and to worship him conclude well that a man hath not strength of himself without Christ and his grace but this is but to cloud the truth and to mock the reader for if all and every man even the Infants of Pagans be in Covenant through Christ and be made able by a gifted grace common to all within and without the Church by which they are able by degrees to do all that the Gospel requires what avails it to discourage them and to tell they are not masters of a good thought without grace for they are no lesse masters of good thoughts and good words and of good actions then Adam was for they are not hearers of the Gospel by nature but as gifted with universall grace they are hearers and before their conversion and before they receive the Spirit of Regeneration can please God and prepare themselves for Regeneration Yea there is no animal and naturall Pagan de facto existing in the world by their way who cannot receive the things of God and cannot come to Christ except he be drawn for all Pagans and others are drawn and by this it might have been said Adam as wanting supernaturall grace and as a naturall man for the Image of God was supernaturall grace to Adam as Arminius and Corvinus teach so was not able to think a good thought as 2 Cor. 3.5 nor able to receive the things of God as the naturall man 1 Cor. 2.14 and Adam so was also dead in trespasses and sins and must come to Christ the same way to wit drawn by the grace super-added to nature as we fallen sinners do CHAP. XVI Cases from the former Doctrine 1. The differences betwixt such as are externally visibly and conditionally and such as are internally and personally in Covenant with God 2. Gods esteem not mens make Nations Visible Churches 3 The first and prime subject of speciall Church-priviledge 4. Gods command to receive seals no warrand to all members to challenge them Q. 1. IF multitudes and people externally Covenanted with God though not internally whom the Lord calls his people and chosen by him Deut. 7.6 Deut. 10.15 be the rightly constitute and Visible Church as Mr. Thomas Hooker granteth then Kingdoms must be his Visible Church Answ. No doubt Egypt Assyria all Nations all the ends of the world all the Kingdoms of this world are Prophesied to be the Kingdomes and Covenanted people of God and the Lord challengeth them as his Isa. 19.25 blessed be Egypt my people Isa. 2.1 2 3. Psal. 22.27 Rev. 11.15 Psal. 96. Psal 97. Psal. 98. Isal. 42.10 Isai. 49.7 8.20 21. Cant. 8.8 Act. 13.46 47. Rom 15.8 9 10 11 12. must be the visible Covenanted Churches of God to whom the seals of the Covenant are due But that none in Aegypt Assyria of all the called Gentiles though visibly and professedly in Covenant and affirmed by the mouth of the Lord to be his people the Sister of the Jewish Church and his Kingdoms are members of the Visible Church or hath right to membership and seals except men judge them to be reall converts sound beleevers and so internally called and chosen is to preferre the judgement of men to the Word of God And since he saith that Kingdomes fathers children are his in Covenant and chosen to be his people in regard the Lord calleth them by his Word as he did Israel Deut. 7.6 Deut. 10.15 Psal 147.19 20. they must be all Visible Churches in Gods esteem except he say they are not Visible Churches except men also esteem and judge them not only externally but really and internally justified and effectually called 2. These we are to judge in Covenant visibly whom the Lord so calls and to these the seals do belong Ecclesiastically though we see not signes of their inward conversion Except we say that our judgement is surer then the Lords But the Lord calls Nations the Gentiles so and so must Paul and Church-members judge all the Kingdomes and all the Gentiles reall converts Else the seals are not due to them 3. If we must judge them all really redeemed and sanctified who are fed by Pastors as Mr. Hooker teacheth from Acts 20.28 feed the flock then are we to esteem all the fathers who were baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and did eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink of the same spirituall Rock Christ 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. to be really redeemed reall beleevers and the whole world to be really redeemed and yet the world is not the Church yet they were Idolaters murmurers visibly known to be such And John Baptist was oblidged to esteem the multitudes all Judea who were baptized of him Mark 1.5 Luk. 3.7 Matth. 3.2 3 4. really sanctified and redeemed yea and since there be Prophesies under the Messias that all the Kingdomes of the world Rev. 1◠15 Aegypt Assyria Isa. 19.25 all Nations Isa. 2.2 all the Gentiles Isa. 60. shall be the confederate people of God we must believe that all these Kingdomes are visible Saints chosen to life as the Corinthians and Ephesians were 1 Cor. 1.1 Eph. 1.4 So argues M◠Thomas Hooker from confederacie 4. Let one word in Old or New Testament be given of a Judicature giving judicially sentence on earth of a number that professedly are hearers that so many are to be admitted as due members of the Church because conceived of men to be regenerated and so many rejected because conceived to be non-converts or what word of Christ there is that doth regulate the judiciall sentence as touching the time how long the Church-member hath been so 2. What motives or inducements led Simon Magus and the generation of vipers
the root by a Metaphore is to pollute and defile Psal. 106. the land was defiled with bloods Hence the Hypocrite is all things and all men and nothing and no man but himself Hypocrisie is considered in it self and so it is opposed to sincerity Or in relation to these graces and duties which it fenzies and so it is opposed to all the true vertues which it lyingly and feinzedly represents as painting is opposed to realitie in nature being a counterfeiting of nature and it is opposed to things that are painted so a living man and a growing rose things obvious to the eyes of sense are most easily painted as colours lineaments as a mans body but things that fall under the understanding only as the soul and under the sense of smelling and touching are hardly pictured Ye may paint the man the roses the colour figure and the fires red flaming but he cannot paint the soul the smell of the rose or the heat of the fire It is hard to counterfite spirituall graces as love of Christ sincere believing intending of the Glory of God It s hard to get a coat or put painture on spirituall graces and the more ye counterfite the Spirit the more Divell-like is the forgerie for he changeth himself into an Angel of light There is some use for painted men for they serve for ornament but there is no use for faith but resting upon Christ nor for love but to cleave to God and please him and our neighbour In all duties we counterfite but the outward bulk of graces and actions and would seeme to do what we do not If the colour of graces and godlinesse be desireable it self is more desireable but to imitate only the externalls of the Covenant of Grace to keep a roome in the Church is to put a lie and mock upon the Lord and to reproach him with dimnesse of sight And such as hate Christ and the Godly in their heart and first cloath them with the coat of hypocrites lyers Samaritanes seditious men they much more hate Godlinesse he that would have the picture of the man stobbed or hanged would much more have the living man in person stobbed or hanged Hypocrisie is a resembling of a morall good for vaine glory It s not hypocrisie to suppresse tears in Prayer least the man seeme to seek himself nor for a father to seeme to be angry at his childe or servant when he is not angry nor to put on deafnesse at reproaches Psal. 38.12 They speak mischievous things 13. But I as a deaf man heard not It was prudencie not hypocrisie in Saul to hold his peace and misken when the sons of Beliall despised him it being the beginning of his reigne 1 Sam. 10.27 Nor is it hypocrisie in a Magistrate or Joseph to put on an other person to his brethren though if the ground be unbelief it is not lawfull for David to feinzie himself mad Nor for Ammon to counterfite sicknesse or to put a lie upon providence And yet it is not hypocrisie for Solomon to seeme to divide in two the living childe with a sword or for the men of Israel to flie before the men of Ai. A lawfull end and a right end and motive contributes goodnesse to actions that are not intrinsecally evill There is a naturall hypocrisie in all every man in both sides of the Sun is a lyar he that said he would wish that he might dwell in the land beyond the dawning of the morning where they are all sincere wished to dwell where there are no men for where-ever men are there are hypocrites and hypocrisie There is an acquired hypocrisie in all lesse or more and an habit thereof in not a few According to mens wayes so are men white and painted Hypocrites Herod professeth to worship Christ and mindes to kill him Math. 2. And Absolom covers treason and rebellion against his father and prince with the whitenesse of a vow at Hebron what better is the whoore and what more devoute to say Prov. 7.14 I have peace offerings with me to day have I payed my vowes under the vail of zeal they think it service to God to kill the Apostles Joh. 16. But the worst of Hypocrites is he who makes himself a Hypocrite not before God onely and before men but whitens and paints himself before himself and deceives himself 1 Joh. 1.8 It is strange a man hath such a power over himself as to perswade himself that he hath no sin not only in point of faith as such as deny any originall sinne in themselves or others as many seducers now do Socinians Arminians diverse Anabaptists and such as say the Law may be fulfilled by Grace we are justified by Works It is possible to be free of sin in this life and to be perfite so as they cannot sin But also practically a mans heart may deceive his heart and may perswade himself that he is Godly and Religious Jam. 1.26 and that his wayes are right Prov. 14.12 and may say within his heart and so think not only I am holier then thou and yet not be so much as ceremonially holy but remaine in the graves and eat swines flesh Isa. 65.45 but I say I am rich and which is above admiration I have need of nothing Rev. 3.17 that I have no need of forgivenesse of saving Grace of the Redeemer Christ of Salvation And this is so much the more dangerous that the prejudice and blindnesse of self-love doth more strongly perswade self-godlinesse then any godlinesse of the world and begets a more strongly radicated and fixed habite of believing self-godlinesse then Ministers the godliest of them and Professors and Angels and the Lord immediatly speaking so long as the revelation is literall Numb 22.12 24 28. and Christ Preaching in his Person Math. 8.9 14. Math. 21.43 44 45. Luke 16.13 14. Ioh. 10.24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. and the Apostles Acts 24.25 26. Acts 26.2 3 4 5 6 c. 24. can be able to root out for they can fence and ward off and can let out blowes at all that ye can say and cary this habite of a false opinion of self-holinesse to Eternitie with them and stand to what conceited lamps they hear on earth did glister withall and plead against the Lord in his face that the sentence of condemnation is unjust Matth. 25.44 and that they deserve for their profession to be admitted in to the Bride-groomes chamber Math. 7.22 Matth. 25.11 Luke 13.25 and all such fairded Professors are externally only in Covenant with God And therefore these are sad marks when first ye hid your lusts and nourish them and feed upon the East wind of some created last end and have not God for your last end Luke 12.19 Psal. 49.11 Psal. 4.6 Ier. 22.17 2. When ye know not that ye are poor miserable blind naked Rev. 3.17 Math. 9.11 12 13. Luke 15.2 Luke 19.7 and ye were never in Christs hospitall and are
whole and need no Physick 3. Ye loath Christ but knows it not Luke 7.44.45 ye love Christ as a supposed Prophet and loath him as a Redeemer One may deadly hate Christ and not know it 4. Ye cannot compare the two states together the state of nature and the state of Grace as 1 Tim. 1.13 ye idolize your own choise to bear down Achabs Idolatrie but choose not the will of God to oppose Ieroboams Idolatrie 5. Ye want Christ and ye were not born with Christ in the heart 2. Yea ye are eternally lost without him and know neither the one nor the other Quest. 4. Whether or not are beleevers the parties of the Covenant of Grace Ans. These are parties to whom the Covenant-promise is made not these who already have the benefit promised in the Covenant but beleevers must have a new heart and consequently faith already therefore they cannot be parties with whom the Covenant is made As because the Image of God is not promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works but presupposed to be in him by order of nature before God make with him the Covenant of Works else he could not be able to keep that Covenant which we cannot say for God created him right and holy Gen. 1.26 27. Eccles. 7.29 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Therefore Adam in his pure naturalls as not yet indued with the Image of God cannot be the partie with whom the Covenant of Works is made for then the Image of God must either be a reward which Adam by his pure naturalls and strength thereof must purchase by working which the Scripture and nature of the Covenant cannot admit or then the Image of God must be promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works which is no lesse absurd And if faith be promised in the Gospel the Covenant of Grace must be made with some Israel and Judah as predestinated to life eternall and yet wanting a new heart For God cannot Covenantâ—ways promise a new heart to such as have it but to suchÌ„ as have a stony heart and beleeve not Ezek. 36.26 Deut. 30.6 Ezek 11.19 nor can he promise faith to such as have faith this way Quest. 5. Who are these that have the new heart and so are personally and really within the Covenant of grace Ans. Because the new spirit is given when the new heart is given Ezek. 36.27 Ezek. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit and many in our times boast of the spirit it shall be fit to speak of the new spirit and who are spirituall Hence these Questions of the new spirit Quest. 1. What is the seed of the new spirit Ans. The word of the Gospel therefore before Adam could have the Gospel-spirit the Lord must reveal the Doctrine of the Gospel the seed of the woman must tread down the head of the serpent Gen. 3. So the word and the spirit are promised together Isa. 59.21 Isa. 30.21 Thy teachers shall not be removed and thine ears shall hear this is the inward teaching a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it Isa. 51.16 17. Mat. 28.20 Go teach that is the word Loe I am with you to the end of the world that is the Spirit to make it effectuall by my Spirit Joh. 14.16 17. Object But Adam when he heard first the Doctrine of the blessed seed could not try the Doctrine or speaker by any new Doctrine Ans. The first Doctrine can be tryed by no other rule because it was the first rule it self nor can these principalls written in the heart naturally That God is God is just holy c. be tryed by any other truths because they are first truths As the sense of seeing cannot try whether the Sun be the Sun by the light of some other Sun that is before this Sun which is more lightsome For there is not another Sun before this the Gospel it self hath God shining in it to these who are enlightened as Adam was a Rubbie doth speak that is a Rubbie Obj. How then should Adam know what God spake to him and nâ—t to another are we not to try all spirits that speak Ans. There is a word immediatly spoken by the Prophets and Apostles that is to be tryed partly by the first Preaching the Lord made in Paradise partly by the effects that it converteth the soul Psal. 19.7 and smells of that same Majesty and the divine power of another life which is in the first Sermon Gen. 3.15 this is Verbum Dei immediatum But when God himself speaks in his own person to Adam to Abraham Gen. 22. to Moses Isaiah the Apostles that is Verbum Dei immediatissimum the fountain-word neither word nor speaker is to be tryed The Patriarchs and Prophets are never bidden try the visions of God for when God speaks them himself he makes it evident that it is he and only he who speaks and we read not of any in this deceived Angels or men cannot counterfeit God Obj. There have after the Canon of the Scripture is closed been some men who have Prophesied facts to come that fell out as they foretold just as Isaiah Elias and other Prophets then something is to be beleeved that is not written and such may have the Spirit and yet no word of Scripture goes along with it Ans. 1. Such men may have I confesse a Propheticall spirit but first they were eminently holy and sound in the faith and taught that the Catholick Church should beleeve nothing nor practise nothing but what is warranted by the Word Such as boast of Spirit or Prophesie and reject the word are therefore not to be beleeved 2. What these men of God foretold is a particular fact concerning a man what death he should die or a Nation or a particular such a man shall be eternally saved but no dogma fidei nor any truth that lays bands on the Catholick Church to believe that to the end of the world as all Scripturall truths do and a doubt it is if we are to beleeve these in the individuall circumstances of fact sub periculo peccati upon hazard of sinning against God we may I judge without sin suspend belief and yeeld charity to the speaker 3. If any object the Prophets did foretell particular facts concerning the death of Ahab the birth of Josiah which concerned particular persons I but they so were the maters of fact as the crucifying of Christ was a mater of fact as also they did by the intent of the Holy Ghost contain Historicall Morall and dogmatically divine Instructions so that the whole Catholick Church must believe them with certainty of divine faith they being written and spoken for our Instruction and they sin who believe not Quest. 2. What are we to judge of these truths revealed to Professors when they are in much nearnesse to God and the Lord is pleased to shine upon them in some fulness of manifestation of himself to their
For there be maâ—y Nations who never heard of Christ and understand not writing or any of the commonest Latine and Greek and there is not any such decree revealed in the word and we can not but know such gifts of Tongues are not bestowed on men and without this it is physically impossible to communicate the Gospel It shall not help to say that Christians should travell to all Countreys and learn their Tongues that so they may communicate the Gospel and it is their sin they do not so And therefore God hath decreed that the Gospel may be offered and Christ applicable Ans. 1. What shall become of the aged and of multitudes for whom Christ died who must die in Paganism before Christians can be so mixed and learn the Tongues of all Nations under Heaven 2. Did ever the Apostles to whom the Lord gave the gift of the tongues go to this Nation and not to this but by the call of the Spirit to Macedonia not to Bythinia Act. 16 Is there no call of God now required for spreading of the Gospel Some Nations would kill them some would persecute Christians to death and not receive them in the mean time many for whom Christ died perish 3. Show from Scripture that it is the duty of Christians to mix themselves with all Nations and to learn their Language and that they sin in not doing so Nor let it be said into what Nâ—tion soever I come I may say if thou beleeve in Christ thou shalt be saved Ans. 1. You can not say that except you Pâ—each the Gospel to them For they are not oblidged to believe upon one sentence and if you Preach the Gospel to the Nation God â—â—th some chosen ones there and it is no more a Pagan Nation 〈◊〉 Yoâ— are to say to any one by your way thou art oblidged â—o beleeve that Christ satisfied for all thy sins and for the sins of the whole world but that is a lie which you teach Pagans as a principle of the Gospel 3. It s false that I may say and Preach truely such a thing to every Nation and all in it 4. Nor is it physically possible that Christians can so speak to all and every old and young Also all is indeed referred to the free-will except the Authors say that God doth insuperably determine the will of the Elect to beleeve and the places speak of thâ—â—fficacious redemption of the Elect only But so God had two intentions in Christs dying one generall to render all mankind saveable another speciall actually to save the Elect. But 1. who can beleeve multiplied intentions in God of half redemption from wrath and of whole redemption from both vain conversation and â—â—ath upon their bare word when the Scripture saith Christ in suffeâ—ing without the Camp suffered for the world of Jew and Gentiles that he might sanctifie them he died for 2. What warrand to separate these two conjoined by God to wit that CHRIST should bear on the Crosse the sins of reprobate and not intend that they should die to sin and be redeemed but not from all iniquity be loved and washen and not made Kings and Priests to God That Christ should be wounded for the transgressions of many and yet the chastisement of his peace not be upon them 3. The dying for all and every one cannot be conditionall in so far as the condition is referred to dying to wit if they believe for so believing must go before dying either really which is manifestly false for multitudes for whom Christ dyed had neithâ—r being nor believing when he dyed for them Or in the prescience of God and that destroyes their principles for so Christ cannot have died for all and every one foreseeing that all and every one would believe for he never foresaw that the Reprobate should believe Then must the condition of dying or Redeeming or of paying the ransone of His blood these being all one be referred to Gods accepting of Christs death for so many or for all if they should believe And the same way the Argument is as formerly For God accepteth the payed ransome for all and every one if they all really believe or if they all and every one be foreseen of God to believe befâ—re the Lords accepting of them Both are false as is evidâ—â—t 〈…〉 they say in the issue what we say and contradict themselves to wit that believers and only believers are these for whom Christ died We before said the promises are conditionally to all within the Visible Church but so as the condition relates only to the benefite promised we shall have remission and life if we believe but not otherwise But now the Covenant-promise which is accepted of and assented unto by Professors in their very profession in themselves or their pâ—â—â—nts is absolutely made to all within the Visible Church and they are Covenant-wayes ingadged and say and professe they are the Lords people and they take him and no other for thâ—â—r God whether they obey and believe or no for a people not right in heart may bind themselves in Covenant with God Deâ—â— 29.10 11 12 13 14. compared with 21 22 23. Deut. 31.27 Jâ—sh 24.22 compared with Judg. 2.12 13. So God absolutely intends to save all for whom Christ dies and by his death intends to give a price to redeem them from hell and from unbelief or their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 from all iniquitie Tit. 2.14 from this present evill world Gal. 1.14 Ergo from finall unbeleef the greatest iniquity of a present evill world But here the case widely varies upon no condition that we can read in holy Scripture gave Christ a price a ransome of blood to redeem men from unbeleef and from all iniquitie this price must be absolutely given and grace purchased to all whose sins Christ did â—ear in the Crosse that they may beleâ—ve that they may be sanctified Heb. 13.12 1 Pet. 2.24 2. Sinnes of Thomas refusing to beleeve the resurrection of Christ and of Peter denying the Lord before men and the Gospel-sinnes of beleevers after they are justified and are inlightened must be sins against the Covenant of Grace as well as against the Law And the denying of Christ before men hath a sad threatning of everlasting death Matth. 10.32 Mar. 8.38 annexed to it if they repent not And shall these within the Visible Church who receive not Christ be in a harder condition then Sodom and Gomorrah Matth. 10.14 15. if no sins against the Gospel be punished with eternall death but only unbelief Yea the Scripture saith such as live in the Visible Church and are in Covenant with God not only for finall unbelief are condemned but because they are unrighteous fornicators idolaters adulterers 1 Cor. 6.9 whoremongers unclean covetous persons Eph. 5.5 6. murtherers sorcerers dogs liers Rev. 21.8 Rev. 22.15 for all their ungodly deeds and hard spâ—eches Jude v. 15. 2 Pet. 2.17 for all disobedience 1 Cor.
Judas nor was grace to beleeve and repent purchased by the death of Christ to Judas by these Authors though they boast of the amplitude of Christs death nor did the Lord by that will of purpose ever decree or intend the salvation of Judas Therefore 3. this that the death of Christ is of its own nature preachable to all Nations in every age is not true For the phrase is neither in Scipture in Old or New Testament nor is the thing it self in Scripture For the meaning is either GOD may send Apostles in any age to all the Nations of the world to Preach If that be by his extraordinary power he may save all the damned that way That Preachablenesse is not the object of our faith Nor is that Preachablenesse a fruit of Christs dying for all If it be meant that God by his ordinary power may send Apostles in any age to all Nations How is that to be said Except we say God hath decreed in his will of purpose to send Preachers to all That cannot be except his decree be disappointed Oâ— 3. If it be his command and revealed will that the Gospel be Preached to all Nations every age they grievously sin who Preach not the Gospel to the Brasilians and Antipods whether they can speak in their Language or not And if the Doctrine of the Covenant of its own nature may so be Preached to all Nations without exception in every difference of time then must all the Nations of the earth in all differences of time be in a capacity to be a Covenanted people of God the Church of Christ the Vineyard of the Lord his inheritance the Spouse of Christ his Body his Called and Chosen flock For to have the Doctrine of the Covenant fixedly Preached to a Nation and Christ offered to them is to be the planted Vineyard of the Lord for to Preach to Macedonia fixedly they willingly hearing is indeed the Lords entering in Covenant with Macedonia and his choising them to be his confederate people and the Lords planting a Vineyard and building a Wine-presse in it and setting up a Ministry therein and therefore the Lord was not in Covenant with them before Indeed to Preach the Word simply to scoffers who reject it and that occasionally in the passing so as there is no sort of accepting of the Covenant nor any fixed Ministry there is not a renewing of the Covenant with them nor does it presuppose a Covenant before made with them 2. It is against the wisdome of God that 1. there should be such a band of love the greatest love that ever was Joh. 15.13 lying upon all mankind Brasilians Americans binding them to thankfull Gospel-obedience that Christ died for them yet this obligation of the greatest love is neither written in their heart as the Law of nature nor is it ever revealed to them that they are under so much love by Covenant 2. How can the Lord say I choosed you O Israel among all the people of the earth and entred in Covenant with you and your seed only For 1. there is no need of a new establishing of the conditionall Gospel-Covenant for it was established with Israel and with all the world before he choosed or called them 2. He cannot be said to enter in Covenant with them only For all the world ever was thus Covenanted with God 3. All the world must be an invisible Covenanted Church and the fit matter to be a Church For the Evangel may be Preached est de se annunciabile not to stones and to rocks but to all Nations quovis seculo 4. Since the Preaching of the Gospel to some Nations and not to others is an act of the Soveraign pleasure yea and of the free grace of God to such as this Sun-light graciously doth visit by this way the sinfull neglect of such as refuse to Preach shall be the cause of the perishing of the elect a dream 2. CHRIST may be said to die for us as if we had substituted him in our place in so rigid a sense as if he had been made our surety to fulfill both the preceptive and active and also the satisfying and suffering part of the Law in our room This may please Antinomians but a doubt it is if it stand with the truth For then what ever we yea all mortall men be for Christ died for them all as many teach most wicked yet Christs active and surety and cautionary righteousnesse should be ours and though we should never beleeve yet Christ who fulfilled the Law and preceptive as well as the threatning part must have beleeved for all that he died for and what need we then in our persons either beleeve or repent It s true we need not perform any active obedience as a part of active fulfilling of that Covenant of Works which either must have all or no obedience If it be said that alio titulo upon another account of thankfulnesse to our ransom-payer we owe active obedience Yet all that CHRIST died for both actively and passively must be perfectly righteous and justified having payed the most perfect active and passive obedience that the Law required though we never beleeve and Christ must have payed the active part of justifying faith for us And why but we should be formally justified in him without faith also As also God not we laid our sins upon Christ Isai. 53.6 2 Cor. 5.21 and therefore we did commissionate and substitute Christ to die in our room Socinus Crellius the Raccovian Catechism Arminius contend that Christ died for all finaliter for to procure good and salvation to all so they beleeve and yet through their own fault they may haply never be saved not that he satisfied for us but died for example as a Martyr say Socinians as Paul suffered for the Church so as we beleeving in Christ as in the only chief Martyr and witnesse who as the only Author declared the Gospel not as a sufferer and ransom-payer who redeemed us from the Law are saved And as Arminians he died for our good not that he died in our room and stead so as the sins of the Elect were actually taken off them and translated upon Christ so as wee are actually freed from the punishment of sin as if we had substitute a Saviour our selves and payed our debt our selves to God and so according to the rigour of Justice we might crave by the Law of buying and selling deliverance from punishment and life eternall from God But this way they will not have Christ to die in the place and room of any but only for their good so as they may die eternally themselves for whom Christ died Hence 1. It follows that Christ died for them but gave no ransome of blood for them for whom he died 2. Arminians will not have the sins and punishment satisfactory to justice for of such punishment we speak actually upon Christ and translated off the sinner and laid upon
this the conscience is quieted As I sinned in the first Adam legally so I satisfied in the second Adam Obj. But justice saith The same person that sinned the same must suffer and satisfie and no other Ans. Justice saith so but that part of justice by the graciousnesse and mercifulnesse of the Justâ—God is and may be dispensed withall So as Justice as Justice seeks payment the Creditor as the Creditor seeks recompence and restitution But by whom Justice determines not whether payment and satisfaction be made by the same very person who offended or by a fit surety in the person and place of the offender as it determines not whether as much or far more be restored then was taken away so there be a compact and voluntary agreement between the satisfier and the satisfied Hence Justice being 1. offended is not to speak so the interposing and the mediating attribute of God but Soveraignty of Free-grace and mercy interposeth 2. Justice may seek payment from the only offending partie and from no other from Adam and his posterity only but Justice doth not indispensably and by necessity of nature exact payment from the only offender and from no other 3. The conscience of the beleever may with sweetnesse of admiration and peace rest upon satisfied justice and adore interposing grace and be quickened from looking unto and loving interposing grace to obey and take on the labour of Gospel-love to run the wayes of his Commandements 4. It is not an act of Law nor of Justice to give or find out a satisfier but an act of love grace and infinite wisedom Q. 3. A third case is how can the beleever look upon life eternall as a gift if it be sold at so condign a price as Christs blood Ans. It is not fit to speak of this mysterie but with holy reverence life eternall is bought to us and we are said to be bought with a price 1 Cor. 6.19 1 Pet. 1.18 1 Tim. 2.6 Matth. 20.28 Now it is unworthy of Christ that the fruit of his death should be only grace not glory and such a grace as is lubrick uncertain renders us indifferent but much weaker to beleeve or not believe that is as Socinians say to earne and win the wager of Glory by a new Gospel-working which is our righteousnesse and merit to glory For sure Pagans are more sinfully weak in the Second ADAM who died for them as Socinus will then mankind were in the first Adam The Scripture saith that Christ gave himself for his Church that he might present her a glorious Church Eph. 5. 25.27 1 Thes. 5.9 For God hath not appointed us for wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ. 10. Who died for us 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I endure all things for the elects sake that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternall glory Jude 21. Looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternall life Rev. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood c. Act. 20.28 Feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood 11. In whom also we have obtained an inheritance We are not afraid to call eternall life a fruit of Christs death that is of the merit of his death See Joh. 10.10 11.28 Joh. 3.14 15 16. Q. 4. A fourth case Many stumble some in that God permitted sin to enter which he might have hindered knowing he should be thereby under a necessity either to torment men in hell or torment on earth his most innocent Son Christ Ans. Socinians Arminians yea Pagans and all enemies to Christian Religion are burdened with the same seeming reason For if God or their gods may hinder wickednesse and yet do not hinder it they bring themselves or the true God that they must be necessitated to torment the sinners 2. There be reasons unanswerable why if we yeeld and it is a shame to deny that God is able to hinder sin to enter in the world or that he is not infinitly wise and so that he hath not most weighty reasons why he suffers sin to be As 1. if sin come freely in the world without the will of God either the Lords dominion over sin must be none at all or the creatures dominion of free-will must be dependent upon the dominion of grace and Soveraignty 2. The out-goings of free-grace must eternally be hid if sin had never been As there had been no field for the expressions and blossoms of eternall flourishing revenging justice As also the creatures armes are short and could not reach the eminent degree of manifesting the glory of free-grace and pardoning mercy but the Lord aimed at this And 1. the relation of a Saviour and a sinner of the Physician and the sick must be known Now a Physician hath not relation actuall to all sick all the world over but only to his own patients his own sick ones who by Covenant feeling their danger have laid the weight of life and death of righteousnesse of salvation over upon that one only Saviour and live dyet apply salves medicine only by the direction of this Physician and do receive medicine and recepts from no other 2. Infinite wisedom made choise beside other infinite possible wayes of this only way of redeeming and here glorious Soveraignty shines he wailles out Judas Magus Pharaoh to be fire-wood and coal to the River of fire and brimstone and made so many sinfull peeces of sick brittle clay overgilded with the habit of grace of free righteousnesse of glory to be the eternall harpers and proclaimers of the glory of his grace whereas he might have made these stones and worms for he created Angels and worms and all out of the Mother Nothing by his good pleasure And it must be a wonder of unsearchable Soveraignty that should not for eternity have been concealed such a number of Angels and men whom he set up in the heaven of heavens as heirs of glory to be everlasting Heraulds and Trumpeters to sound out experienced grace and mercy might have been if so it had pleased him lumps of everlasting vengeance in the eternall lack and all that are condemned and suffer the vengeance of eternall fire both devils and men are chips and peeces of beings hewen out of the same rock if so we may speak of that huge and vast Nothing and might have been up before the Throne filling the Chairs and rooms of the now heirs of glory thou beleever might have been in the seat of Iudas scorched in his furnace in hell and Iudas might have had thy Throne and thy Crown up with him eternally who sits on the Throne and with the Lamb. 3. He might have keeped all the sons of men and all the Angels in a sinlesse condition to be courteours to proclaim the glory of Law-goodnesse and of the never broken Covenant of Works
fountain-grace all the satisfaction that the Lord craves of sinners begins at this spring the old and eternall design of love in the heart of God toward his Son his everlasting delight the bosome darling and beloved of the Father is the designed Prince upon whose shoulder is the Government Here was mutuall love-delight acted by the Father and Son Prov. 8.31 My delights were with the sons of men even before the fountains of waters were created v. 24. O what everlasting out-goings and issuings of eternall love came from the heart of the Father and the Son in their eternall Covenant-delights towards the sons of men here was the eternall marriage of the Lamb the Kings eternall Son and of the not as yet created Bride first written and sealed by the King and his Son and our not knowing of this and Gods delighting in us when we little knew or dreamed of his eternall love highnesse his grace Should the heart of God be taken and to speak so be sick of love for so many Nothings whom he was to make heirs Far more being reconciled and justified we need not fear we shall be saved Here in this Covenant were first drawen the lineaments and draughts of the free and gracious interest of Jesus Christ to the sons of men And who should not wonder here at the purest fountain-grace that is in Jesus Christ which did set on work eternall wisedome to frame such an eternall peace of God Covenanting with the Son of God and love eternall hiring love eternall with the reward to speak so of the certain hope of enjoying a soul-satisfying seed and a numerous off-spring of Redeemed ones if love should die and triumph over justice which was done by love 6. There is here much of the eternall interest of JEHOVAH to the Son and of the essentiall love of God to his only begotten Son Prov. 8.24 When there was no depths I was brought forth 30. Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing alwayes before him And they may that have been verified Jer. 30.21 And their noble One shall be of themselves and their Governour shall proceed from the midst of them and I will cause him to draw near and he shall approach unto me for who is this that engadged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord The love eternall here in JEHOVAH loves and wonders that Christ his Son layes hands upon his own heart to take upon him the Office of Redeemer and Priest and the Lords saying Who is this is a note of love and wonder as Psal. 24.8.10 Isa. 63.1 Cant. 6.10 and that his heart closes with the Covenant-designe Obj. But Arminius himself also teacheth that there was â— Covenant betwixt the Lord and Christ. God required of Christ our Priest that he would lay down his life for sin give his flesh for the life of the world and he promised if he should so do he should see his seed and be an eternall high Priest after the order of Melchisedeck and by the exercise of his Priestly Office he should be exalted to a royall dignity Christ our Priest closed with the condition and said Behold here am I to do thy will c. And Socinians who hold him to be a divine Man only will agree that Christ was under an obedientiall Covenant to God Ans. Arminians and others may yeeld to a Covenant between the Father and the Son but it is a far other thing then such as we hold for Christ did close with the condition of laying down his life for sinners But when Christ hath ended his work and payed the price of Redemption laid down his life for Pharaoh Cain for Aegyptians Syrians Persians Chaldeans and all in whom ever was the breath of life yet cannot the Lord promise to Christ that he shall have any seed or one redeemed one nor can the Lord either promise or pay wages to Christ For a promise if sincere is of things that are in our power to do even among men Can a King promise that to morrow he shall cause the wind for seventy dayes to come blow out of the North-West It s not in his power Now Arminians Socinians and all of that Family teach that God hath no forceable antecedent dominion to bow and determine the free-will of any one man The Lord then no more can promise nor give the reward of a seed to Christ for his work of laying down his life for man then he can ingage that the Serpent with reverence to our blessed Lord shall see his seed For when Christ hath wrought the same work payed the same very ransone as these Sophists teach for millions that perish through their own free-will eternally What seed hath he of them Where is his wage Were not all and every one of mankind promised in the Arminian Covenant to be the gifted seed of Christ upon condition that they should repent and beleeve But Arminians deny that God doth promise faith or that he is so Lord and Master of the free-will of any as indeclineably and unsuperably he can make good his promise and cause them beleeve and persevere therein to the end and that is it by which they are his seed It s but said in vain that God promises they shall be Christs gifted seed providing they be willing to beleeve that is but to say the Lord promises all shall be his seed providing they shall be his seed For willing beleeving makes them his seed 2. By this also the Lord promises what is in mens power to perform and it might fall out that all and every one should do the like that multitudes do who perish eternally and so shall Christ do his work and injoy no seed at all But the Covenant of suretyship which we teach makes not the truth of God to depend upon our faith or our unbeleef Yea the Lord promises that Christ without all fail shall undeclineably see his seed yea and shall be the restorer of the Tribes of Jacob and a light to the Gentiles and the salvation of God to the ends of the earth Isa. 49.6 Isa. 54. He shall be King and Lord of the Iles Isa. 42.6 7. Isa. 60.9 Psal. 2.8 9. A Prince and a sheepherd over his people Ezek. 34. Ezek. 37.24 25. Psal. 89.25 not upon condition they be willing over whom he is set but to meet with the temptation Ah! my iron and rockie will shall still resist the Lord and he shall be King of the Nations if the Nations shall determine their own will to submit to him and vote that he be Crowned King Nay but the Covenant-promise saith he shall be King of thy will This is a part of his raign Psal. 110.2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Deut. 30 6. Ezek. 11.19 20. Ezek.
shall glorifie the Father It s not to be rejected that Hilarius lib. 1. de Trinit 11. August lib. 1. de Trinit c. 8. he shall render the elect back to God as now saved and present to the Father his ransoned ones now perfected so Eph. 5.27 3. Taking the word of raigning for this to excell in eminency of power above all so Christ shall raign eternally but taking the word of raigning as it notes the exercise of royall authority so and so by gathering a Church by the Preached word fighting against enemies and overcoming them to make them his foot-stool untill which time he raignes Ps. 110. And so it may be and is said by some he raigns not after the day of the universall Judgement but these are but the second acts of a King and the not exercising of these acts proves not but Christ is a King actu primo and essentially for the exercise of such and such acts are often extrinsecall to the office But the question shall remain whether he be not for ever and ever a Mediatory King and does retain his headship over the Church so as the Angel say Luk. 1.33 He shall raign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of his Kingdom there shalâ— be no end And as Dan. 7.14 Cameron and others say the meaning of that that his Kingdom shall have no end is only it shall not be destroyed by externall violence as worldly Monarchies that are made away and others rise in their place but that Kingdom say they may wellâ—be called eternall though the King leave off to raign when he leaves off to raign through no weakenesse and want of power but because he needs not raignâ— there being no need of laws because the subjects are perfected and there are no enemies to be subdued and the King hath obtained that eternall end a glorified people for which he was fighting But yet this seems not to satisfie 1. Circumcision and the Ceremonies and the Priest-hood Exo. 40.15 Lev. 16.29 the fast in the seventh month shall be a statute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever Lev. 6.18 All the mules of the sons of Aaron shal eat the remainder of the meat-offering it shall be a statute for ever in your generations so Lev. 17.7 Lev. 7.34 3â— Lev. 23.14 Num. 23.11 23. yet these Ordinances can hardly be called eternall as the Kingdom of Christ is And yet they cease when the body is come and they are not destroyed as humane inventions the hay and the stubble that are builded upon the foundation Christ. 2. These reasons prove that Christ shall not exercise such and such acts of royaltie upon such and such enemies for they shall be no enemies Yet we say not as â—amero that such a Prince leaves off to raign even as Mediatour Christs rendering of the Kingdome dispensatory or Oeconomick to the Father may well be a rendering of an account of his subjects and a presenting of them to God perfected Eph. 5.26 27. without spot and wrinkle Christ having brought them out of danger so as they need not Word Sacraments or a Temple And so 1 Cor. 15.24 He shal put down all rule all power and authority all Magistracy and Government that now is in either Church or State and so saith Parâ—us the Son shal be subject to the Father having subdued all the rebels as his Fathers Deputie he shall return to his Father the Kingdom now reduced to subjection and made peaceable and lay down his Mediatorie Commission and so be subject to the Father having ended the deputed and delegated charge And it is sure the Son as Mediatour is sent and is a Servant an Angel or Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. and the laying down of his written Commission is a sort of subjection and God doth not now actually raign in such a Mediatory way as in the days of Christs flesh he did raign in Christ but now after the last Judgement God is all in all that is not because he is not now all in all and is not the Lord of lords and King of kings but because it doth not so appear to be many now rise against him and contradict him and persecuting his Mysticall body do persecute Christ. 2. He shal be all in all by change of the Oeconomick Government then the Father Son and Spirit shal immediatly glorifie the Church Rev. 21.22 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is their Temple 3. And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did inlighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof But that Christ shall leave off to be Mediatory King after the last Judgement I deny For there is a twofold Mediation one of uniting sinners to God and mediating between God and them This shall cease and all the royall acts thereof but these with reverence 〈…〉 second operations and acts of royaltie There is another Mediation substantiall by which our natures glorified stand in a substantiall union with God for ever for to what end shall Christ stand glorified in our nature in heaven but to be the substantiall 〈…〉 between 〈◊〉 and us glorified for ever If any say that Christ-God-Man after that day is no Mediatour of reconciliation because there shall be no sin then It s true Nay but even now in the intervall between his ascension and second appearing to Judge the world he acts not as Mediatour of reconciliation to expiate our sins and to satisfie for them for only he did upon the crosse by dying for us so mediate And we will not say he is acting the part of a Priest formally by sacrificing for us in heaven as Socinians teach for he can offer no expiatory sacrifice for us in heaven for he died but once that was on the earth only Obj. But now he Advocats for sinners 1 Joh. 2.1 therefore as now in heaven glorified he is a Mediatour for sinners Ans. True he is a Mediatour and Intercessour now applicatione non expiatione by applying his blood but not by shedding of it And he is an Advocat but called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jesus the Righteous and an Advocat as just and righteous supposeth a right and just cause and that sufficient satisfaction and payment is given to God for the sins of these for whom Christ interceeds the Advocation of Christ is not to plead that beleevers may sin or their sins may be excused as no sins But his intercession is to plead 1. that for his blood we may stand as accepted of God and freed from condemnation 2. That the Spirit procured by the death of Christ may be given to us that we may repent and beleeve But again after the last Judgement Christ stands as Mediatour not to apply his death nor to interceed for sinners when there shall be no sinners but Christ eternally shall appear for us as a paund of a
perfect satisfaction once given and as a pledge and hostage of peace and Christs appearing for us for ever is an allusion to the Ambassadours sent by forrain Princes who standing in Court before the Prince they are sent unto are speaking tokens that the confederacie of peace stands and that no acts of hostilitie can be done by either of the States and because God is eternally and not by fits just as if he were now angry at sin and then satisfied and pacified when the satisfaction is gone therefore the Lord Christ stands in that Body and Nature in which he once suffered before God for the acquiescing of Justice for ever in the once payed ransone As also Christ remains the substantiall and naturall Head though nature be now glorified of the Mysticall glorified body for ever and of these members under the Covenant of Redemption eternally though all be done and performed in regard of the purchased redemption yet we then glorified once brake the Law and therefore cannot even then stand in our Law-righteousnesse but must stand in our Lord Jesus Christs Righteousnesse which garment shall never cast the collour nor lustre 2. That love to redeemed ones and the soul-satisfaction of Christ in his seed iâ— eternall looking back to the bargain he hath once made as Mediatour he cannot leave off to be satisfied in soul with what he hath done for that were a retracting of his love and a repenting of his royall and Princely tendernesse that as King he once did beat to his conquered subjects whom he hath made his own for ever 3. The soul of God must be eternally well pleased with his Son eternally God-Man and he stands resting in his love Zeph. 3.17 and delighting for ever in all his Sons actings and transactions in the work of Redemption if therefore God have once given to him Godâ—Man the Throne of David to raign over the house of Jacob he must make empty that Throne if he shall leave off to raign And the Angel Luk. 1. speaks of his birth and conception 31. Thou shalt bring forth a son and he shall be great and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David and he shall raign over the house of Jacob for ever And he speaks of the eternity of Davids Throne over Jacobs house so that as he shall be a man and he shall never lay down our nature so shall he be a King upon Davids Throne for ever and ever 4. To triumph eternally over enemies the devils Malignant opposers of his raign sin and hell is an act of a Mediatory King when head and members do both triumph no lesse then it is a part of his royall Mediatory power to crush them all and make them his foot-stool Psal. 110. But Christ and the Armies of heaven when the Marriage-Supper of the Lamb shall come shall ride upon white horses and triumph over enemies for ever Rev. 19.7 13 14 15. and the eternall living of Christ in our nature with all his is a triumphing over the grave and death 1 Cor. 15. and who can prescribe a period and an end of that triumph 5. The River of Water of Life shewed to John Rev. 22. proceeds out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb then hath the slain Lamb a Throne for 〈◊〉 v. 3. And there shall be no more curse there the Law of Works as threatning a curse shall no more be there Gal. 3.10 11 13 14. Deut. 27.26 but the Gospel-blessing shall be there and the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it v. 5. And they shall raign for ever and ever 6 If the glorified sit with the Lamb on a Throne as he is set down with his Father upon his 〈…〉 is promised Luk. 22.29 30. Rev. 3.21 If Christs Throne 〈◊〉 removed the Throne of the glorified cannot stand And all alongs where the state of the triumphing Church is dâ—scribed the Lord Jesus keeps the name of the Lamb in reference to the Mediatory sacrifice of the Lamb of God slain for the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 as Rev. 5. The Beasts and the Elders stand round about the Throne saying Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisedome c. Rev. 7.15 Therefore are they before the Throne and serve him night and day in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more nor thirst any more 17. For the Lamb that is in the midst of them shall lead them unto the living fountains of waters Though this be expounded of the Church Militant Isa. 49.10 yet it hath not its perfect accomplishment but of the Church before the Throne for all tears are wipt from that Church only And whereas it is said that Christ acts not as Mediatour in heaven its true he acts not as now he acteth for sinners but even then the Lamb v. 17. is the midst of them and leads them when they need neither Temple nor Sun-light beside that the Lord God Almighty is their Temple Rev. 21. The Lamb is their Temple v. 22. And the Lamb is their light v. 23. Now what sort of leading and what influences of worship and light comes from the Lamb is another question And it weighs much with me that its impossible that the precious Ark Godâ—Man and the union personall can be dissolved 7. Christ saith I will be a God to the â—vercomer and he shall inherit all things Rev. 21. And if he be the God of Abraham being dead in regard of the soul that lives far more shall he be a God in an eternall Covenant with Abraham in soul and body glorified though the acts of Christs raigning and the actings of his Covenanted people must be suteable to a glorified state Come Lord Jesus FINIS Isa. 65.8 The first and second Adam Nobility self empty things The first Adam earthly we have more in the second Mortality immortality how due to Adam How life was due to Adam Adam was predestinated to life and how The Law a transient Court for a time The death threatned Genes 2.17 was according to the intent of the Threatner partly legall partly Evangelick What threatnings are and what sorts there be of them Threatnings that are pure threatnings in law show what the Law-giver may jure inflict but not what he shal actually doe and what shall come to passe Threatnings that are both threatnings and also Prophesies reveal both the deserving of the transgressor and the event What is carnall security in beleeving legal threatenings what not What Adam was to beleeve in the threatning what the lying Serpent would have him to beleeve The damned in hell not loosed from the first Command are not obliged to despair and yet are not to believe actuall deliverance What heathens are to believe The Covenant of Works is not contrair to the Gospel How the Gospel may be deduced from the Law if an
dwell in Immanuels land where dwels Jehovah in his beauty and where are the Golden Candlesticks and where there run Rivers of Wine and Milk such are Exspectants of Grace and Glory to such the Marriage Table is covered eat if they will But the parties contracters of the Covenant in the latter respect are Jer. 31. Heb. 8. only the house of Judah the taught of God the people in whose heart the Law is ingraven for as God teacheth not all Nations his statutes nor sends the Gospel to them Ps. 147.19 20. Act. 16. So neither is the promise of a new heart made to all within the Visible Chuch 2. A great difference there is in regard of the Covenant of Suretyship or Mediation that Christ undertakes not for such as are only visible Covenanters and shall never beleeve As he prayes not for such as High Priest so he dies not for them nor came as a designed Covenanting Saviour from eternity under an act of Cautionry for them How then cometh the Gospel to them Ans. It comes to them 1. Not from Christ as their Surety since he prays not for any Mediation of his own toward them But 2. for the Elects sake so Paul Act. 13.26 Men and brethren children of the stock of Abraham and who among you feareth God to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the word of salvation to you and for your cause that ye may be saved is the Gospel sent 2 Corin. 4.15 For all things our suffering our dying are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your sake 2 Tim. 2.10 Therefore I indure all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Elects sake that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Jesus Christ with eternall glory Hence there is no salvation but that which is in Christ Jesus our Lord the Author and Cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and meriting Procurer of eternall salvation Hebr. 5.9 Now though salvation be offered yet the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and merited by the ransone and price of his blood can be decreed and intended in the Preached Gospel to none but to the elect except they say that Christ did undertake to lay down his life and to save by his death and blood by Covenant-ingaâ—gment all the Reprobate within the visible Church for whom he refuses to pray John 17. But Christ undertook from eternity for the fulfilling of the Covenant of Grace and bestowing salvation upon them for whom he is Surety for it is he who makes the new Covenant Jer. 31.31 32 33 34. Heb. 8.10 11. 3. There is a twofold consideration of Gods will One is called his approving commanding and forbidding will when God reveals to us what is our obligation and duty and what is morally good and to be done because he commands it and what is morally evill and to be eschewed because he forbids it Now whether this good or evill shall come to passe or never come to passe it is all one as to the nature of the approving will of God for though the repenting of Cain and saving faith of the traitour Judas never came to passe yet it is the duty of the one and the other to repent and beleeve and the Lord commands and approves their obedience as good though he never decreed by his good pleasure that the obedience of Cain and Judas should come to passe But his will of pleasure his discerning will or his counsell purpose or decree is his pleasure and appointment of things not as good and evill or as agreeable unto or repugnant and contrair to an equal and just command of God but of things as they come to passe or shall never come to passe Hence in a premissive decree God appointed the crucifying of the Lord of Life the not breaking of a bone of Christ but he did never will the crucifying of his Son but forbids and hates it as execrable murther as touching his approving will in a word his commanding will is of things lawfull or unlawfull what we who are under a Law ought to do or not to do His will of pleasure is of things fixed and resolved upon what he purposes good or evill shall come to passe or not come to passe And by the way we may make good use of the foul sinnes that fall out for holy and clean is that hand and counsell of the Lord Act. 2.27 28. which determined what Herod and Pilate should do Yet did the Jews with wicked hands slay and crucifie him Act. 2.23 And O what beauty of wisedom and mercy do they see here who make that foul work of the slayers of Christ the subject matter of a fair Psalm Rev. 5.12 The thousands before the Throne sing worthy is the Lamb that was slain But were they worthy who slew him was it a worthy fact in the murtherers of the Lord of Glory No but grudge not at the beauty of his work who over rules all but adore and praise Let us not wrestle with his holy dispensation and say Ah! What an untoward Government of the world is it that God should suffer Angels and Men to sin and overturn the whole fabrick of Heaven and earth by sin Nay he hath by their fall brought in a more glorious order When he that sitteth upon the Throne saith Behold I make all things new Rev. 21.5 and it s said 2 Pet. 3.13 Neverthelesse we according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new earth wherein dwels righteousnesse Peter and the Disciples were to pray that they should not enter into temptation Mat. 26.41 and were oblidged not to be offended and scattered by the sufferings of the Lord but they were not to blame and grudgingly to judge that holy decree Prophecied by Zechariah and revealed to themselves Zech. 13.7 Mat. 26.31 I will smite the Sheepherd and the Sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad His part is clean and holy even when he throwes the wicked in hell and they are oblidged to sing the Psalm of the glory of his spotlesse Justice and that eternally as these who are before the Throne are to hold up for all ages the new song of the glory of his mercy and free-grace This ground being laid down the Holy Ghost speaks of the New Covenant two wayes in Scripture 1. According to the approving will of God as it stands of promises precepts threatnings and showes both what God doth by promises and what we are oblidged to do in point of duty Act. 2.39 The promise is to you and to your children Act. 3.25 Ye are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers 2 Cor. 6.17 Wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord And I will be a Father to you c. This is the whole New Covenant holding out our duty ordaining those that professe to be baptized received members of the Visible Church the body to be edified as a visibly Covenanted people This
excludes not but includes the Lords taking in members to the invisible and mysticall body which is to be observed against Anabaptists and Antinomians The Lord speaks often of the Covenant of Grace not so much as Preached quâ foedus ennunciatum though it so also must be Preached but as fulfilled by God and acted in an effectuall powerfull way upon the hearts of the elect only and that according to the Lords decree of election and will of pleasure So speaks the Lord of the Covenant Jer. 31.31 32 33. Jer. 32.37 38 39. Ezek. 11.16 17 18 19 20. Ezek. 36.25 26 27 c. Isa. 59.20 21. in a pure Evangelick way and in these places the Lord speaks of the Covenant not so much as it contains our duty as principally it holds forth his Gospel promise what he shall effectually do according to his decree and will of pleasure over-ruling our corrupt will which Papists Arminians and Socinians utterly mistake and will have it to be spoken of the Covenant as Preached according to the Lords approving and commanding will whereas there is not one word of a command in these places and therefore they say that these places speak nothing for the efficacy and mighty power of God in converting sinners 2. The Anabaptists from these places say none are to be baptized but such as are so in Covenant and as have these promises fulfilled in them in whom the Lord hath wrought a new heart and a new spirit and that there is no externall Covenanting under the New Testament But then the whole Gentiles Isai. 55.4 5. Isai. 11.10 Isai. 60.1 2 3 c. all Nations Isai. 2.1 2. all flesh Isai. 40.5 Psal. 65.2 all the Kindreds of the earth Psal. 22.26 27. the Kingdoms of the world Rev. 11.15 should be all chosen to life taught of God such as have the Law of God ingraven in their inward parts as Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 36.26 which is most false Now there are undenyable Prophecies that the Gentiles from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof Mal. 1.11 shall be under the New Testament the people of God by Covenant Isa. 19.18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Then must the generality and mixed multitude of the Gentiles be some other way in Covenant then these of whom the Prophets sâ—eak Isa. 5â— 20 21. Isa. 55.10 Jer. 31.31 Ezek. 11.19 Ezek. 36.26 3. The Antinomians do also owne no Covenant of grace but this wherein the new heart is given and the condition is both promised and given And D. Crispe saith All other Covenants of God besides this run upon a stipulation and the promises run upon conditions altogether upon both sides The New Covenant is without any conditions whatsoever upon mans part Man in tyed to no condition that he must perform that if he do not perform the Covenant is made void by him Ans. Man is under a condition of beleeving and tyed to beleeve so as the wrath of God abides upon him he shall not see life nor be justified if he beleeve not Joh. 3.18.36 Rom. 10.6 7 8 9 2. Man is tyed to no condition which he must 〈◊〉 say which he can perform without the grace of God For have he grace or have he no grace the Holy Lord O if we could plead for him and his High Soveraignty is debter to no man he is so oblidged to beleeve as he sins against the Preached Covenant and forefaults his salvation if he beleeve not and so breaks the Covenant but devils or men cannot make itâ— void he may make it of no effect to himself he being an heir of damnation but being a chosen vessel God shall work him to beleeve and he makes it not void to himself If it be said that the New Covenant is without any conditions whatsoever upon mans pure It says too much for the beleevers being under no debt no obligation of conscience to beleeve or to any duty but as the Spirit their only Law leads them And if the Spirit breath not upon them to forbear adultery paricide sodomie or to beleeve pray praise hear mourn for sin as Peter and David they sin not for sin is a transgression of the Law And when the Spirit breaths not acts not there is no Law and this is most â—ilde Where observe that â— Antinomians and Familists confound the efficient cause of our obedience which is the Spirit of Grace and the objective cause which is the holy rule of the command promise or threatning For though the Spirit be absent and not given at all to men in the state of nature yet do they sin in committing of Sodomie and in not praying for they are oblidged not to sin and commanded in the first Command to pray to a revealed God I know Adam was not oblidged before he sinned to pray to Jesus Christ Mediator as Steven Act. 7. prayed to him The Spirit by grace does help us to obey the command and the Law but the Spirit is not the Law nor rule of out obedience 2. Not only will they have the Spiritâ— to be all the beleevers Law and word and the letter of the command to lay on no obligation but the Spirit as actually breathing and giving actuall influences must be the Law For though the naturall conscience or habituall light say that the man should not commit this wickednesse nor omit this duty seeing present necessity of one starving for want of one drowning in a water crying for my help is a call of God to perform the duty And if the Spirit give inward warning that I should do the duty yet if the Spirit actually breath not and contribute not his actuall influence the man hath no warrand of any command or Law to act without his rule since the Spirit acts not at all and cannot so be guilty in the committing of the most vile abomination for where no Law is no sin is M. Crispe pag. 160. brings this Argument The Covenant is everlasting if the Covenant stand upon any conditions to be performed by man it cannot be an everlasting Covenant except man were so confirmed in righteousnesse that he should never fail in that which is his part but he daily fails so daily breaks the Covenant Ans. To the first act of beleeving which is a performing of the condition of the Covenant there is no other condition required then that Ezek. 36.26 I will put in you a heart of flesh 27. I will put my Spirit in you and cause you walk in my statutes Zech. 12.10 I will powrâ— upon the house of David the Spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced that is they shall beleeve in me That is a strong confirmation to wit a promise that he will work the condition in us And so is that Joh. 6.37 All that the Father gives unto me shal come unto me that is beleeve in me and him that cometh I will in no wise