Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	abraham_n	covenant_n	seed_n	2,898	5	8.8760	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77497	The doctrine and practice of paedobaptisme, asserted and vindicated. By a large and full improovement of some principall arguments for it, and a briefe resolution of such materiall objections as are made against it. Whereunto is annexed a briefe and plaine Enarration, both doctrinall and practicall, upon Mark 10.V.13.14.15.16. As it was some time since preached in the church of Great Yarmouth: now published for an antidote against those yet spreading errours of the times, Anabaptisme and Catabaptisme. / By Joh. Brinsley.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1645 (1645)	Wing B4712; Thomason E300_14; ESTC R200258	127,125	196

to keep it it is said to be weake It was weake through the flesh Rom. 8. 3. and unprofitable Heb. 7. 18. It was disanulled for the weaknesse and unprofitablenesse thereof But now the condition of that Covenant made with Abraham was Evangelicall viz. Faith and Evangelicall obedience Faith Circumcision the seale of that Covenant was to Abraham a seale of the righteousnesse of Faith sealing up unto him righteousnesse and life not upon the condition of doing working but beleeving which was accounted to him for Righteousnesse as the Apostle sets it forth Rom. 4. Obedience not exactnesse but uprightnesse Gen. 17. 1. Walke before me and be upright or sincere 5. Againe fifthly they differ in the end and use of them That legall Covenant it was given chiefly because of transgressions So the Apostle tells us Gal. 3. 19. wherefore then serveth the Law it was added because of transgressions viz. to discover them to bridle and restrain men from them to denounce punishments for them for that is a threefold use of the Law 1. Detegit 2. Fraenat 3. Punit to convince men of sinne and of their misery by reason of sinne that so they might come to see the need they have of Christ and be driven to him according to that of the Apostle Gal. 3. 24. The Law was our School-master to bring us unto Christ But that other Covenant made with Abraham it was to assure him and his seed of their interest in the Messiah and the promise of life through him Sixtly and lastly They differ in their duration and continuance That legall Covenant it was but temporary to continue but till Christ should come So saith the Apostle Gal. 3. 19. The law was added because of transgressions untill the seed should come to whom the promise was made i. e. untill Christ should come Then that legall Covenant as a Covenant with the Church ceased But the Covenant made with Abraham it was an everlasting Covenant So the Lord tells him Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee for an everlasting Covenant c. So then you see that these Covenants were two distinet Covenants That Covenant which God made with Israel at Mount Sina it was not the same with that which he had made with Abraham before And of that Covenant it is that the Apostle there speaketh in the 7. and 8. chap. of the Hebrewes Not of the Covenant made with Abraham which was an Evangelicall Covenant and for substance the same with that which we are now under But of the Covenant made at Mount Sina that legall Covenant That is the Covenant which the Apostle there compareth with the new Covenant and of which he telleth us that it is now disanulled and abolished Q. Why but saith our Adversary how could that be called the old Covenant and the first Covenant when as it was 430. years after the Covenant made with Abraham This was rather the first Covenant and old Covenant A. To this it is answered That legall Covenant is called the old Covenant 1. In opposition to the Covenant of the Gospell under the new Testament which because it was revived and renewed and confirmed by the comming of Christ the promised seed it is therefore peculiarly called the new Covenant and that legall Covenant in opposition to it is called the old Covenant 2. The old Covenant because it waxed old and through age decayed So saith the Apostle of it in the place last named Heb. 8. last In that he saith a new Covenant he hath made the first old new that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish aw●y 3. The old Covenant and the first Covenant because for substance it was partly the same with that first Covenant which God made with Adam in state of innocencie The Law the morall part of it published upon Mount Sina it was no other but the same Law that was given to Adam at the first What was there written in Tables of stone was but a counterpane of what was written in the fleshy Tables of the heart of man at the beginning And being so well might it be called the old Covenant and the first Covenant being before the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham I or with Adam either You see then what the old Covenant is that legall Covenant whereof Moses was the Mediatour And of this Covenant it is true it is disanulled abrogated so as there is now no more use of the Law as a Covenant to the Church Marke that as a Covenant Other uses there are of it many which are still in force as much as ever But it is no longer a Covenant This Covenant is disanulled But so is not that Evangelicall Covenant made with Abraham which is as I told you an Everlasting Covenant and for substance the very same with that which Beleevers are now under viz. the Covenant of Grace promising life and salvation upon the condition of beleeving So much the Apostle tells us expressely Gal. 3. v. 8. The Scripture i. e. the Spirit of God speaking in Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen the Gentiles through faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed Marke it When God made this Covenant with Abraham declaring and promising that in his seed all the Nations of the earth should be blessed he then preached the Gospel to him making a Covenant with him concerning Christ and salvation by Christ So much Zacharias in his song acknowledgeth Luke 1. 72 73. where speaking of the exhibiting and sending of Christ into the world he calls it An holy Covenant the oath which God sware unto our father Abraham The Covenant made with Abraham then was no other but the Covenant of Grace even the same Covenant that we are now under All the difference is the Covenant now is new drawne and so put into another forme set forth and expressed more clearly and fully then that with Abraham was even as our evidences and conveyances now they are more large and full then they were wont to be in the dayes of our forefathers though in effect the same but for substance they are one and the same And being so to close up this second Argument that Covenant is an everlasting Covenant I will make an everlasting Covenant with them saith the Lord speaking of the renewing of the Covenant of Grace with them Ier. 32. 40. A Covenant that is not waxed old as that legall Covenant did that is not nor ever shall be disanulled but is in force still as much as ever And consequently children of Beleevers being once in Covenant they are still in Covenant And being in Covenant they have a right to this seale of the Covenant Arg. 3. I passe now to a third Argument to prove children of Beleevers to be within the Covenant I take it from that known place of the

respect of a federall holinesse though not so holy as Moses and Aaron whom God had sanctified and set apart to speciall and peculiar services The Jewes being in Covenant they were said to be a holy people and a holy seed So you have it Ezra 9. 2. where it is said that the Holy seed had mingled themselves with the people of the land And in this sense the Apostle speaking in the knowne phrase and language of the Scripture calleth the children of beleeving parents holy viz. so holy as the children of the Iewes formerly were This was the priviledge of the Iewes they were a holy seed they and their children In that differing from Gentiles that were out of Covenant We saith the Apostle who are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles the Gentiles being out of Covenant their children were borne sinners i. e. aliens and strangers to the Covenant But it was otherwise with the Iewes their children were holy borne such viz. in respect of a federall holinesse In this priviledge doe beleeving Gentiles now partake with them the partition wall being now broken downe they being incorporated into the same body with them being made Burgesses of the same heavenly Ierusalem with them they are also infranchized and made partakers of the same priviledges and prerogatives that they were Amongst which this is one that they and their seed are holy that is they are no longer Pagans and Heathens but Christians members of the Church in Covenant with God so to bee taken so to bee reputed Where before we passe any further take notice how injurious the Anabaptist is unto the children of beleevers whom they bereave of this spirituall priviledge this excellent Prerogative casting them out amongst the children of Heathens and Infidels peremptorily affirming That there is no difference betwixt the one and the other The one as holy as the other the one no more in Covenant then the other and consequently the one hath no more right to the seal of the Covenant then the other No difference True by nature we yeeld it there is none There is no difference saith the Apostle for all have sinned Rom. 3. 22. I and all have alike sinned all alike guilty of Adams sinne by a just imputation and all alike tainted and stained with Adams corruption by a reall communication But hath Grace made no difference Who maketh thee to differ from another saith the Apostle Not nature but grace This made the Iew to differ from the Gentile and the children of the one from the children of the other And this is that makes as beleevers themselves so their children to differ from Infidells Of whom the Apostle saith that they are holy And what Is there yet no difference Will our Adversaries say the same of the children of Infidels and Pagans that they are Holy But we shall not need to wonder at this that they equalize them with the children of Pagans and Infidels when as they doe not sticke to compare them with Dogs and Cats boldly affirming so some of that way have lately done that the one hath as much right to Baptisme as the other To which blasphemy of theirs I shall returne no other reply but that of Michael to the Devill when he strove with him The Lord rebuke thee Thus you see this first and grand Argument for the Baptisme of Infants sufficiently supported If Infants of beleeving parents be in Covenant then they have right to this Seale of the Covenant But they are in Covenant This we have made good by three subordinate Arguments 1. The Promise belongeth unto them 2. If they were in Covenant under the Old Testament then also under the New 3. They are holy To these many other might yet be added That of the Apostle to his Romans seconds that to his Corinthians If the roote be holy so are the branches Rom. 11. 16. Holy parents a holy seed The one being in Covenant so is the other Againe if they be not in Covenant they are without hope as Paul saith of unbeleeving Gentiles there being no way whereby salvation can be obtained but by the Covenant of free grace in Iesus Christ But to exclude all Infants dying in their infancie from salvation I think is greater cruelty then the Anabaptist will own Nay cleane contrary to their doctrine who by denying Originall sinne as many of them doe put all Infants dying in their infancie into a state of salvation larger charity then the Scripture will maintaine and if saved then they must first be in Covenant Q. But what then it may be said are all Infants of beleeving parents in Covenant A. I answer in the outward visible Covenant they are As for the Covenant it selfe to speake properly and strictly it depends upon Gods election Neither doth it belong to any but those who are elected But this is to us a secret Now the rule is De ●ccultis non judicat Ecclesia Secret things belong unto the Lord but things revealed to us and our children Amongst which this is one I will be thy God and the God of thy Seede And this are we to hope and believe touching all the children of believers that they are Gods children as well as theirs untill the contrary be some wayes manifested Q. But how commeth this Covenant to be transmitted from the parent to the childe what doth it run along with the blood Is it transmitted by the way of naturall generation A. Not so This what ever our Adversaries in this particular would fasten upon us both Anabaptists and Papists for in this they are agreed we renounce and disclaime Foedus non transfundit●r per carne● saith P. Martyr rightly The Covenant is not propagated and transmitted by the way of naturall generation No. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh The parent communicates his nature and the corruption of it unto his child but nothing of Grace That is the free gift of God And this it is that bringeth the childe of the believer into Covenant as well as the parent even the free and gracious promise of God made both to the parent and to the childe making over the heavenly inheritance unto both as joynt heires of the Kingdome of God To draw to a conclusion of this first Argument You see that Infants of believers are in Covenant and how they come to be so Now being in Covenant they have right to this initiall seale of the Covenant Repl. But to this the Anabaptist will yet once more reply that by the same reason they should have right to the other Sacrament as well as this to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that being also a seale of the Covenant A. To this I answer briefly A right they have to both the seales of the Covenant both to Baptisme and the Lords Supper Though for the present they be not capable of the latter yet they have a right