Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	baptism_n	circumcision_n	infant_n	2,369	5	9.6980	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80754	The covenant of God with Abraham, opened. Wherein I. The duty of infant-baptism is cleared. II. Something added concerning the Sabbath, and the nature and increase of the kingdome of Christ. Together with a short discourse concerning the manifestations of God unto his people in the last dayes. Wherein is shewed the manner of the spirits work therein to be in the use of ordinary gifts, not by extraordinary revelations. / By William Carter minister of the gospel in London.	Carter, William, 1605-1658.	1654 (1654)	Wing C679; Thomason E811_5; ESTC R207606	118,861	192

have it by the circumcision of Christ so that whoever had or have this circmcision made without hands are supposed to be in Christ and members of his body and thereby intitled to and interessed in his circumcision And here we see also that the very same we have in baptism in the spiritual fruit thereof namely that only those who are in Christ receive that benefit in as much as they are buryed with him in baptisme and risen with him therein with him that is as members of his body who have this circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh buried risen thus again Thirdly we see in the last place that the Apostle telleth them expresly that the benefit and fruit of circumcision which is the circumcision made without hands they had by being buryed and risen with Christ in baptisme and therefore that they were compleat in Christ in the ordinances of the Gospel without the rudiments of the world the Jewish ceremonies whether circumcision or any of the rest therefore there is the same thing done in the one as was in the other and this the same for substance to us as that was to them and this in the roome and place or stead of that so as we have no more in baptisme then they had in circumcision Therefore Abraham is said to receive the signe of circumcision that he might be the father of them that beleive because he received it not only for himself but also for them as was shewed pag. 66. for what he received as the father he received it also for those who are his Children And as he received it for us so we have it at this day even circumcision in baptism in as much as therein we have the circumcision made without hands as the Apostle sayth and have it also in the way of the same ordinance for substance for such is baptisme to circumcision as was shewed before wherein they had it before Christ And whether it is not for this reason that Abraham is sayd to be the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only but also walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4. 12. Because he received that ordinance for himself and for all his seed both Jewes and Gentiles let it be considered And that according to that extent we are to understand that command of God Gen. 17. 9. Thou shalt keep my covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their generations and this is my covenant every man-child among you shall be circumcised Now is it to be omitted for a further evidence that baptisme is in the roome and place of circumcision that the lords supper is the same for substance with and in the place of the passover as appeareth 1 Cor 5. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as ye are unleavened for Christ our passover is sacrificed for us Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven neither with the leaven of malice and wickednes but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth This he speaketh in reference to their putting away from amongst them the wicked person v. 13 by whom as by leaven the whole lump namely the congregation which in celebrating the supper he sayth are one bread 1 Cor. 10. 17. was leavened which purging of their Church that they might so keep the feast that is might so eat the supper with unleavened bread he could not have so expressed by such phrases taken from the passover had not the passover and the supper been the same for substance Obj. Suppose it be granted that baptisme is the same for substance with and in the place of circumcision namely the seale or token of the same covenant with Abraham as circumcision was and that the command of God lieth still upon Abrahams seed even in all generations that the token of this covenant be observed and kept by them yet what is this for baptizing infants in as much as baptisme may seale unto us Abrahams covenant although it be confined only to persons of ripe yeares who can make confession of their faith To this I answer First that what was cleared in the first use must here be considered namely that the application of the seale to the infant is part of the seale or token of the covenant and is to be reputed part of the substance of that ordinance so as the token of Abrahams covenant is not kept nor that command of God fulfilled Gen. 17. 9. in case it be left out Therefore is it sayd the uncircumcised man-child hath broken the covenant v. 14. The reason is because that branch thereof which was peculiarly given to Abraham and which makes the difference between his covenant and that which was given before namely a blessing upon posterity is therein signified and sealed as was shewed in the former use Take away that branch of Abrahams covenant wherein it differeth from that which the Lord had before given to his people and the covenant under that consideration as his although other branches of it are kept is broken and if that branch of Abrahams covenant be not taken away but continued unto us of the new testament that part of the seale wherein it was signified and confirmed must continue Secondly Suppose the application of this ordinance to the infant should be reputed only a circumstance and not of the substance of it yet if it be altered it must be by a word from the Lord himselfe so altered or else it must continue Any circumstances therein which by his institution are altered we have warrant accordingly to alter otherwise not As for instance that instead of circumcising it should now be baptizing with water we have a word of institution for it And the application of the token of Abrahams covenant to the Female is also a circumstance which the Lord hath added so we find Act. 8. 12. when they beleeved Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdome of God and the name of Iesus Christ they were baptized both men and women And we have a reason for it even in that place where baptisme is said to be the seal of Abrahams Covenant namely Gal. 3. 27 28. because having there said as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ he addeth in the next words There is neither Jew nor Greek there is neither Bond nor Free there is neither Male nor Female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus Namely as in other respects so in this of their being baptized into Christ Under the Law that could not be said Exod. 23. 11. Deut. 16. 16. the Jew had a priviledge which the Greek had not so had the Male which the Female had not but not so now For this reason we now apply the token of Abrahams covenant as well to Females as to Males which they did not But if any will alter further so as to

world by multiplying Abrahams spiritual seed and that by making beleevers blessings to families and nations Let not the people of God so easily part with so ancient entayled priviledges wherein the Saints have rejoyced for so many ages Let them have so much compassion on their Children as not to blot their names out of Heaven or thrust them out of the Kingdome of Christ into the Kingdome of Satan for to one of the two Kingdomes they must belong Those who know their owne priviledge herein will not upon such slender grounds part with it as the manner of some is to do And as Gods promise unto Abraham and his seed is called a Covenant and therefore something to be performed on their part as a duty commanded and required by the Lord that his Covenant be not broken so let beleevers search and see what that duty is for which purpose let us make this further use of this point Vse 3. From thence to learne not to confine that great promise made to Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. within the compasse of an earthly Canaan as meant onely of the temporal things of that Land or the multiplying of his natural seed therein but also of all such blessings in Christ whereof Canaan and the good things thereof were types That very promise vers 8. of the Land of Canaan to be an everlasting possession to his seed and he to be their God by what hath been said in opening this point we see is yet in fulfilling even to us of the times of the New Testament in the spiritual blessings of the Heavenly Canaan and in the conquest of the World by the people of the God of Abraham whereof the conquest of that land by Joshuah was a type as hath been shewed If any shall affirm that in neither of these two respects that promise can be brought down to these times it behooveth such to find out some other sense wherein it may be so extended because we see that what the Lord confirmed unto Abraham of blessing multiplying and causing his seed to possess the gate of his enemies he confirmed it to us even to beleevers of the New Testament as his seed and heirs according to the promise In opening the point I was the larger in the proofe hereof and have therefore insisted upon some things by the by concerning the Kingdom of Christ although a full unfolding thereof would require a farre larger discourse because it conduceth much towards the clearing of Infant-Baptisme to be a duty which God requireth of his people that the full extent of Gods promise unto Abraham whereof we have found that to be one branch be considered and understood For if this be granted that the promise made to Abraham Gen. 17. especially that part of it v. 8. concerning Canaan to be an everlasting possession to his seed be of such extent and made also to his spiritual seed of the New Testament it will follow that that command of God in those words next following vers 9. Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations is to be meant also of his spirituall seed even in our dayes and as a command that now lieth upon the same spiritual seed in all Generations Psal 105. in as much as that command is brought in with a therefore upon the promise made to the same seed in the words next afore going Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations And saies God This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you and v. 14. The uncircumcised man-child shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant Obj. It will be said how is this command of keeping this covenant obliging to beleevers now since the covenant to be kept was then specified to be the circumcising of the child in as much as circumcision is now abolished Or what is this to baptizing children the point in hand to be cleared in this discourse To this I answer Answ First It is to be observed that this command of God is primarily fixed upon the generall duty namely the covenant to be kept and not upon this or that way of keeping either by circumcising or baptising so as the circumcising of the Childe came under the command onely upon this because it was declared then to be the token of the covenant and by the words it is supposed that when it should cease to be the token of the covenant it should no longer be a duty and what else by the same authority should be made the token of the same covenant would be the duty in stead thereof Mark the words he doth not say Thou shalt therfore circumcise every man-child among you as a token of the covenant between me and you for so had that been made the token for perpetuity to have continued so long as the covenant it selfe But first in general he saith Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations that is they should observe and performe the token of the covenant whatever that prove to be and in the second place he addeth This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised and the uncircumcised man-child hath broken my covenant therefore as I said as for circumcision that was a duty onely upon those words declaring that to be then the token Circumcision is now abolished yet the command of keeping the token of Abrahams covenant is still in force and binding to Abrahams spiritual seed in their Generations therefore what is now the token of that covenant must be observed in stead thereof The like manner of institution we have concerning the Sabbath therefore those who deny infant-Infant-Baptism oftentimes deny the Sabbath and not without cause for there is the same reason of both and we may illustrate the one by the other The Lord intended in time to change the day from the seventh to the first day of the week as he intended in time to change the token of Abrahams covenant therefore in the fourth Commandement also the command is not primarily fixed upon the seventh or any day to be remembred and kept holy but upon the general duty that the rest-day of the Lord be remembred and kept holy what ever that day fall to be Exod. 20. 8. 11. Remember the Sabbath day that is the rest-day to keep it holy and the Lord blessed the rest-day and sanctified it And the remembrance and keeping of the seventh day is in the commandement made a duty for this reason because that was declared to be then the day wherein God had entred into his rest after his making of the world And

forbid the application of the seal to Infants it behoveth them to shew by what warrant from God they make that alteration And whereas they of that opinion against Infant-Baptisme think that they are onely upon the negative part and therefore call for a precept or example to prove the lawfulnesse thereof thinking it sufficient because as they suppose neither precept nor example can be found thereupon to refuse the practice of it in this they are mistaken As for a command there it is Gen. 17. 9. Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore that is shalt perform the token of it thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations which as hath been shewed is a command which lieth upon Abrahams spiritual seed now in the times of the New Testament and it behoveth such as deny Infant-Baptisme to shew that God hath made such an alteration in the token or seal of his covenant as that it is now not to be applyed unto Infants and whereas the application of it unto them was a part of the token or seal thereof before Christ that since Christ it hath by a word of institution from God ceased so to be Thirdly This application of the token of the covenant unto Infants cometh not onely under the notion of a duty but also of a priviledge therefore is it said Acts. 7. 8. he gave to Abraham the covenant of circumcision and so he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day It was therefore a gift conferred upon him and his which being given to Abraham and to his spiritual seed in their generations to him as the father of all them that believe to all beleevers as his seed a priviledge both to parents and to children which I say being once given by God who may presume to take it away without a word and warrant from himselfe and we know the gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. therefore is it not to be imagined that by him it should be taken from his people least of all that now in the times of the new Testament his bounty to them should be short of what it was before Obj. It will be objected yet further that this command thus urged is onely from the Old Testament but if the application of the token of Abrahams covenant to Infants now had been intended the New Testament had not been so silent in it as not to leave us one precept or example for it To this I answer Answ First that the New Testament is not altogether silent in this matter as for instance Acts. 2. 38. where Peter said unto the people Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus for the demission of sinnes and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off that is even to the Gentiles also even as many as the Lord our God shall call Namely the promise of receiving the Holy Ghost which he saith they should receive upon their repentance and baptisme according to that in Joel mentioned vers 17. that in the last days God would poure out of his spirit upon all flesh as well upon Gentiles as Jewes and not onely so but also according to Gods promise unto Abraham therefore he saith it was not onely unto them but also to their children for as we may grant that in Joel to be here meant so we must not exclude that of Abraham for they are both as one in this matter The gift of the Holy Ghost and that also to the Gentiles is a main branch of Abrahams covenant as we see Gal. 3. 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Nor may we confine that promise in Joel to extraordinary gifts of tongues and miracles because it is a promise that was not to expire with the Apostles times Acts 2. 17. but extendeth to all the latter days and unto all those whom the Lord calleth among the Gentiles and is yet in fulfilling when all those gifts are ceased for that phrase the last dayes in Scripture signifieth all that space of time from the comming of Christ in the flesh to the end of the world 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 1. 2. 9. 26. And if the words be considered it will appear that the ordinary gifts of the spirit are also included therein Mark the words In the last days saith God I will poure out of my spirit upon all flesh This in the general In particular it followeth First your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams This we may understand of extraordinary gifts and prophesying fulfilled in the Apostles Prophets extraordinarily inspired in the Primitive times of use then in laying the foundations of the Church of the New Testament being of the seed of the Jews Secondly and on my servants and my handmaids will I pour out of my spirit in those days and they shall prophesie This must be meant of ordinary gifts because it is made a distinct thing to the former as that which God would do for all his servants he would give them the spirit of prophesie as we see Rev. 19. 10. when John would have worshiped the Angel because he had revealed such prophesies unto him the Angel forbids him saying See thou do it not and for this reason for saith he I am thy fellow servant namely in this thing and not onely his but also of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie Now every beleever hath the testimony of Jesus so is it said Rev. 12. 17. The Dragon made Warre with the Church which keep the commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ So chap. 1. 9. Therefore every beleever hath the spirit of prophesie although not so as to preach in the Church a priviledge forbidden unto Women 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. yet to understand the prophesies which the Saints of the Old Testament ordinarily had not the prophesies were as things sealed up in those dayes but Christ hath opened the seales of that book to us of the New Testament 1 Pet. 1. 10. 11. Dan. 12. 9. Rev. 5. A promise to this effect we have also to all beleevers Joh. 16. 13. when the spirit of truth is come he shall lead you into all truth and he shall shew you things to come So Joh. 2. 13 20 27. he saith not onely to fathers and young men but also unto little children in religion that they had received the unction of the holy one and they knew all things being taught by that anointing As these places must be understood of what is common to all beleevers