with the Covenant page 267 Chap. 42. A man in Covenant with God and recieved into the universal Church visible needs no more to give him accesse to and interest in particular visible Churches page 270 Chap. 43. A dogmatical faith entitles to Baptisme page 289 Chap. 44. Impenitence and unbelief in professed Christians is a breach of Covenant page 294 Chap. 45. The question stated concerning the birth-priviledge of the issue of beleevers page 295 Chap. 46. Arguments concluding the natural issue of Abraham Isaac and Jacob to be taken into Covenant page 301 Chap. 47. Rom. Chap. 9. Verse 6 7 8 vindicated page 309 Chap. 48. The Covenant in New Testament times takes in parents with their children page 316 Chap. 49. Rom. 11. 16. vindicated page 323 Chap. 50. Arguments from a late hand for ingraffing into the Church invisible and breaking off from it answered page 330 Chap. 51. 1 Corinth 7. 14. vindicated page 349 Chap. 52. Galat. 4. 29. vindicated page 366 Chap. 53. Mat. 19. 14 Mark 10. 14. Luke 18. 16. vindicated page 393 Chap. 54. Reasons evincing the birth-priviledge and covenant-holinesse of Believers and their issue page 401 Chap. 55. A Corollary for Infant-Baptisme Infant-baptisme by arguments asserted page 410 Chap. 56. The reality of connexion between the Cavenant and initial seal asserted page 422 Chap. 57. The with-holding Infants of Christian parents from baptisme is the sin of Sacriledge page 437 Chap. 58. The children of all that are Christians in profession are by vertue of Covenant-interest to be recieved into the Church by baptisme page 448 Chap. 59. A defence of the former Doctrine respective to the latitude of Infant-Baptisme 468 page 458 Chap. 60. The application of the whole in several inferences page 478 A TREATISE OF THE Covenant OF WORKS AND OF THE Covenant OF GRACE CHAP. I. An Introduction into the whole I Shall not make it my businesse for an Introduction into this Work to enquire after the derivation of the word Etymologies are known to be no definitions The denomination being usually given from some adjuncts variable according to times places and not from any thing that is of the essence of that which is enquired after in which those are highest in Criticismes in giving their judgements of them can yet ordinarily go no higher then conjecture The common acception of the word in Scripture is that which will give the greatest light in finding out the nature of Scripture covenants which as most other words is variously used Sometimes is used Properly implying a covenant in deed and truth strictly so called and containing all the requisites of a Covenant in it Sometimes Tropically for that which contains some parts and adjuncts of a covenant and so carries some resemblance to and stands in some affinity with it This Tropical figurative and the native proper sense must be carefully distinguished and may by no meanes be confounded by those that will understand the true nature of a covenant and avoid those manifold mistakes into which some upon this a lone account have been carried The figurative acceptions of the word are diverse sometimes the homage required or duty covenanted for is called a covenant by way of Synechdoche seeing a covenant between a Superiour and Inferiour doth comprize it so Jerem. 34. 13. I made a Covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt which Covenant is no other then the Law that he gave them Exod. 21. 2. Sometimes the promise annext is called by the name of a covenant by a like Synechdoche Gen. 17. 7. I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 9. 11. Sometimes the Seal is called by the name of a Covenant by way of Metonymy of the adjunct serving to ratifie and confirme a covenant Gen. 17. 10. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-childe among you shall be circumcised Sometimes Christ the Mediatour of the covenant is called by a like figure the covenant Isa 42. 6 7. I will give thee for a covenant of the people and light unto the Gentiles Sometimes the Lord Christs undertaking to work the graces covenanted for in the hearts of his people in the way of his power exerted in the conversion of sinners is called by the name of a covenant Jerem. 31. 33. This is the covenant that I will make with the whole house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts of which more in its own place Sometimes a covenant is taken for that peace which usually followes upon covenants Job 5. 23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee Hos 2. 18. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and with the fowles of heaven and with the creeping things of the ground and I will break the bowe and the sword and the battel out of the earth and will make them to lie down safely When yet neither a Law nor a Promise nor Seal annext nor yet the Mediatour or any undertaking of his can be a covenant properly so called A Law from God with a Promise annext assented to by man is a covenant and when a Seal is added there is a condescension to our weaknesse for the more abundant ratification and confirmation of Gods stability in his Promises In our enquiry after such covenants which God in his gracious condescension is pleased to enter with man the general nature of a covenant must be held every species must partake of its Genus We must not make Gods covenant with man so farre to differ from covenants between man and man as to make it no covenant at all we must also observe that which differences it from covenants meerly humane that covenants divine and humane be not confounded together In order to which we must know that in every covenant properly so called these requisites must concur First it must not be of one alone but at least of two parties one can make no bargain or agreement Secondly there must be a mutual consent of these parties When Nahash the Ammonite offered to make a Covenant with Israel on condition that he might thrust out all their right eyes 1 Sam. 11. 2. the Israelites refusing and running the hazard of a fight rather then undergo it here was no covenant Thirdly each party must engage themselves one to another for performance of somewhat covenanted for whether debt duty or promise When Abraham agreed with the Hittites for a burial place for foure hundred Shekels Gen. 23. 15 16. There was a covenant properly so called having apparently in it all requisites of a covenant So also in
duty which is either expresly or Synecdochically either directly or else interpretatively virtually and reductively I very well know that the Law is not in all particulars so explicitely and expresly delivered but that 1. The use and best improvement of reason is required to know what pro hic nunc is called for at our hands for duty The Law layes down rules in affirmative precepts in an indefinite way which we must bring home by particular application discerning by general Scripture Rules with the help of reason which sometimes is not so easie to be done when it speaks to us in a way of concernment as to present practical observation 2. That hints of providence are to be observed to know what in present is duty as to the affirmative part of the commandment of God If that man that fell among theeves between Jerusalem and Jericho had sate by the way on the green grasse without any appearance of harme or present need of help the Samaritane that passed that way had not offended in case he had taken no more notice then the Priest and Levite did But discerning him that case as he then was the sixth commandment called for that which he then did as a present office of love to his neighbour according to the interpretation of this commandment given by our Saviour Mark 3. 4. When the Pharisees watched him whether he would heale the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day He demands of them Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day or to do evil To save life or to destroy It was not their minde that Christ should kill the man onely they would not have had him then to have cur'd him But not to cure when it is in our power according to Christs interpretation is to kill If diligent observation be not made the commandment may be soone transgress'd 3. Skill in Sciences and professions is to be improved by men of skill that the commandment may be kept The Samaritane poured wine and oyle into the travellers wounds knowing that to be of use to supple and refresh them Had he known any other thing more sovereigne which might have been had at hand he was to have used it As skill in medicines is to be used for preservation of mens lives so also skill in the Laws by those that are vers'd in them for the help of their neighbour in exigents concerning his estate and livelihood 4. We must listen to Gods mouth to learne when he shall be pleased at any time further to manifest his minde for the clearing of our way in any of his precepts There was a command concerning the place of publick and solemn worship Deut. 12. 5. Vnto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your Tribes to put his Name there even to his habitation shall ye seek and thither shalt thou come Now thou must depend on the mouth of God to observe what place in any of the Tribes he would choose for his habitation When God commands that all instituted worship shall be according to his prescript This is a perfect Rule implicite and virtual tying us to heed the Lord at any time more particularly discovering his will and clearing this duty to us Was not the Law of worship perfect to Abraham unlesse it explicitely told him that he must sacrifice his Sonne And if any take themselves to be so acute as to set up a new Rule as some are pleased to stile it then they antiquate and abolish the old Rule and singularly gratifie the Antinomian party Two Rules will no more stand together then two covenants calling it a new Rule men make the first old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away Heb. 8. 17. It is added moreover doth not the Scripture call Christ our Lawgiver and say the Law shall go out of Zion c. Isa 2. 3. And was not the old Law his Saint Paul I am sure quotes that which belongs to the preceptive part of the Moral Law and calls it the Law of Christ Gal. 6. 2. His Laws were delivered in the wildernesse whom the people of Israel there tempted and provoked This is plain for they sinn'd against the Law-giver and from his hands they suffered And who they tempted in the wildernesse see from the Apostles hand 1 Cor. 10. 9. And as to the Scripture quoted the words are exegetically set down in those that follow them The Law shall go out of Zion and the Word of the Lord out of Jerusalem Which is no more but that the Name of the Lord which was then known in Judah shall be great from the rising of the Sun to the going down thereof It is further demanded And is he not the anointed King of the Church and therfore hath legislative power For answer I desire to know what King the Church had when the old Law was before Christ came in the flesh The Kingdom was one and the same and the King one and the same then and now as I take it Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven The Gentiles coming in at the Gospel-call are under the same King and in the same Kingdom And if all this were granted which is here pleaded for it is no more then a change in some positive circumstantial Rites and what is this to the question handled by our Authour That our righteousnesse which is imperfect according to the old Rule is perfect according to the new when old and new in that which is naturally Moral is one and the same When the Law required heart-service and love with the whole heart upon spiritual ends and motives upon which account all fell short in their obedience and performance shall we say that Christ did dispense with any of this that so the Rule being lower our obedience now may answer Others that make Moses and Christ two distinct Law-givers and agents for God in holding out distinct precepts give the pre-eminence to Christ and account his Law to be of more eminent perfection This Authour on the contrary seems to make the Laws of Christ to stoop far beneath those of Moses 2. For Justification of this accusation of the Moral Law of imperfection it is added the Moral taken either for the Law given to Adam or written in Tables of stone is not a sufficient rule for us now for beleeving in Jesus Christ no nor the same Law of nature as still in force under Christ For a general command of beleeving all that God revealeth is not the only rule of our faith but the particular revelation and precept are part c. To this I say 1. As before I think I may answer out of his own mouth where he says Neglect of Sacraments is a breach of the second commandment and unbelief is a breach of the first If we break the commandment in unbelief then the Commandment
I will be their God That seed of Abraham that had possession of the land of Canaan through the gift and by vertue of the promise of God is the seed here taken into covenant to have the Lord for their God This is so plaine that nothing can be plainer to any that read the words But the natural seed of Abraham all the seed of Jacob in their several Tribes according as God set them their bounds inherited the land of Canaan which is called the land of their inheritance and not onely the spiritual seed Regenerate Look into the History of of Scripture who those were that inherited Canaan and you may see who were in this covenant The natural seed were there and not only the spiritual Even those of Abrahams posterity that died not having obtained the promises Heb. 11. 13. that only so journed in Canaan and were never possest of it had title to it It was theirs in reversion though they never came into actual possession My next Argument is drawn from the Seale that is annext in the words immediately following this additional promise ver 9 10 11. And God said unto Abraham thou shalt keep my covenant therfore thou aâ—d thy seed after thee in their generations This is my Covenant which you shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-childe among you shall be circumcised And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you They that had the signe and seale of the covenant that had it by divine appointment were a people in Covenant This is so plaine that nothing can be more plaine God doth not enter covenant with one and give the signe and seal to another but all the natural seed of Abraham by Isaac and Jacob had the seal viz. all the males all those that were in a capacity of it it was not limitted to the spiritual seed There had been no place for that distinction of Circumcision in the flesh and Circumcision of the heart if none must be circumcised in flesh but those that are circumcised in heart My third Argument is drawn from the Comment that God himself makes of this covenant in the whole Series of Scripture-history holding it out every where in this way of tenure to Abraham and his natural issue as before Where God himself speaks to the whole body of Israel when they were newly come up out of the land of Egypt he sayes I am the Lord your God Exod. 20 2. Deut. 5. 6. God owned all of that whole people as his all of them being Abrahams natural issue yet all of them were not spiritual and while they were in Egypt God speaks of them all in community as his Let my people go that they may hold a feast unto me in the wildernesse Exod. 5. 1. We see the titles that he gives them Children of the Lord your God an holy People a peculiar People above all Nations Deut. 14. 1 2. That speech of the Lord to Israel Amos 3. 1 2. is very full to our purpose Heare ye the Word of the Lord that he hath spoken against you O children of Israel against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt saying You only have I known of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities Every one that descended from Jacob the whole of the family that came out of Egypt were a select people to God in covenant He was according to the termes of that Covenant their God There is not a place where God calls them by the name of his people which are almost endlesse but there we have this confirmed that that people were the Lords by vertue of this grant made to Abraham and his seed In the fourth place I argue from the practice of the people of God making this Covenant of God entred with Abraham and his seed a plea to obtaine mercy from God for all Israel the worst of Israel in their lowest state and condition Deut. 9 26 27. O Lord God destroy not thy people and thine in heritance which thou hast redeemed through thy greatnesse which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand Remember thy servants Abraham Isaac and Jacob look not unto the stubbornnesse of this people nor to their wickednesse nor to their sinne If this Divinity had been then known Moses might have been sent away with this answer That he spake for dogges and not for children not for Israel but for aliens and strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel But as this and the like requests of the people of God were made in faith so they prevailed with God Moses there urges They are thy people and thine inheritance verse 29. as doth the Church Isa 64. 9. Be not wroth very sore O Lord neither remember iniquity for ever behold see we beseech thee we are all thy people and Moses petition takes as the History shews Exod. 32. 14. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people yea when God vouchsafes mercy to his people thus in covenant Levit. 26. 42. it is upon this account of the Covenant Then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob and also my Covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember and I will remember the land Lev. 26. 42. And appearing for the deliverance of Israel out of their hard and pressing bondage he saith to Moses I am the God of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod. 3. 6. and that to stay up his faith in confidence of deliverance To this here in this place delivered one replies Object The Covenant saith he with Abraham and his seed I finde Gen. 17. 7. and the urging of this covenant I deny not Exod. 32. 13. Deut. 9. 27. Lev. 26. 42. Exod. 3. 6. And though I say not that it contained only the promise of Canaan but grant it contained the Promise of Redemption by Christ Luke 1. 17. yet I like not Chamiers saying to call the Promise of Canaan an appendant to the covenant sith the Holy Ghost me thinks speaks otherwise Psalme 105. 8 9. 10 11. I shall say no more but leave it to the Reader whether this be any answer only for his censure of Chamiers calling the promise of the land of Canaan an appendant to this covenant the thing is so clear in the narrative of it Gen. 17. that nothing can be more evident The Covenant is full vers 7. To be a God to Abraham and to his seed and this he might have been had he pleased in the land of Vr of the Caldees or in any land whatsoever where Abrahams seed had been planted But when the covenant is thus made there is added And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger
extreams the one much prejudicial to the Reader in Treatises of this nature to give us a bare skeleton of bones and sinewes leaving their Readers to clothe them with skin and flesh These serve better to help their memories that are already seen in the subject then to help those with satisfaction that are not already verst in it Memoriae mater ingenii noverca I would learned Amesius in his Medulla Theologiae Cases of Conscience and other learned Works had not affecting brevity herein been defective Sure I am the Reader might well wish that learned Camero's work De triplici foedere had by his own hand been more inlarged that he had spoken more fully where his Reader may see cause justly to close with him and given in his Reasons especially in several differences which he assigns beteewn the Old which he calls the subservient Covenant and the Covenant of Grace where many suppose they have cause to dissent from him The other extream might be the Readers benefit but would have been my burthen and that is an enlarged full discourse on every particular Divinity-head that may occur in the handling of this Subject a way which reverend Master Ball intended I have heard it from those that received it from his own mouth that his purpose was to speak on this Subject of the Covenant all that he had to say in all the whole body of Divinity a work that the whole Church might wish had not Divine providence determined otherwise that he had enjoyed life to finish That which he hath left behinde gives us a taste of it and the advantage the Church might have received by it I have thought it enough to handle each particular so as might well answer expectation in reference to the present subject To speak of Christ as a Mediatour of the Covenant and to set forth the distinct parts of his work in such mediation without handling the whole of the work and all the Offices incident to his Mediatorship To speak of his death ratifying the Covenant of grace waving the controversie of the extent of it in the intention of God or purpose of Christ It is sufficient to me to assert Faith to be a condition of the Covenant necessary to be put in by us to attain the mercies in the Covenant to speak of it so far as is here concerned without a large Treatise of the nature requisites and life of it so I may say of godly sorrow cessation from sin sincerity of obedience and the like Thirdly Those particulars relating to this subject which are most controverted and in this age disputed I have spoke to more at large to instance in some The conditions of the Covenant of Grace as well to the an sint whether there be any such conditions at all which in our times by several hands out of several Principles is denyed Or the Quae sint what these conditions be laying down rules and helps for the better discovery of them The supposed differences between the old and new Whether such that offer injurie to the Covenant under which the Fathers lived under Moses his administration or before his dayes making it a meer carnal Covenant consisting of temporal promises as the possession of the Land of Canaan and protection there or at the least a mixt Covenant and no pure Gospel-Covenant and the seals suitable Or such that put too great a limit to the Covenant in Gospel-times vesting it onely in the elect regenerate excluding all professed ones not yet regenerate not onely from Covenant-mercies but all Covenant-terms not admitting any to stand in any relation to God but those only whom his Spirit hath changed making the call of God in the largest sense convertible with Election and the seal of Baptism to be of no greater latitude unlesse by mistake mis-applied than the seal of the Spirit and determining it in the persons of the elect about which the meer congregational men and the Antipoedobaptists agreeing in the former do differ that they excluding the seed and leaving them in the same condition hope of education excepted with the Heathens In these and some others as the Reader may meet withall I have been more large in such things where all agree or where it much skills not whether we agree or differ as in what place whether on earth or heaven man had enjoyed immortality in case he had not sinned what need we to administer matter of contention our work is to make up breaches were it possible so far as it may stand with truth and not to widen them Fourthly I have not so tied up my self to the expresse immediate doctrine of the covenant but that I have occasionally drawn Corollaries or Inferences leading to other things of neer relation to and necessary dependance upon this of the Covenant I shall not need to give instance the Reader all along will meet with them such as I thought would be useful and to the judicious not ungrateful some of them practical that the whole of the Book might not be found to be Polemical ayming at least at that which the Poet so cries up Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dâ—lci Fifthly For that part in which Infant-Baptisme and its grounds are particularly vindicated from Antipoedobaptists the Reader may see their arguments and corrupt glosses are examined onely as according to my method laid down I have been necessitated and so that the Covenant had not been vindicated according to my duty in case that had been neglected And here those that please to heed may see First the dependance that this Controversie about Infant-Baptisme hath on the doctrine of the Covenant that a Scripture Covenant cannot be asserted but Infant-Member-ship Infant-Baptisme in the latitude as now generally used by Pastors in their Congregations must be upheld Secondly the order in which this controversie is here carried may so much the rather invite the Reader to it seeing what is in opposite Authors laid down scatteringly without regard to any head of doctrine in the Covenant to which it doth relate here it is reduced to its proper place and carried on in that manner as an orderly Treatise and not a personal conflict following adversaries no farther than as they stand in the way to cloud the truth that is there prosecuted and though many advantages are hereby neglected that might have been taken which adversaries use to prosecute to the uttermost and these adversaries would to the height have improved yet I am very well pleased making it my businesse that my Reader may not be troubled but edified Thirdly the Scriptures that are produced and ordinarily agitated in this controversie of Infant-Baptism are not only urged but a just Analysis of the context opened the full scope and drift laid down so that it may appeare that the words are not enforced but of themselves in their native strength commend that doctrine to us that of Jerome Apol. adversus Jovinian much takes with me Commentatoris
consolation An up-right-hearted man findes abundance of peace in his covenant entered with God when he prayes and seeks the greatest mercy in prayer he is able to say In thy faithfulnesse answer me and in thy righteousnesse Psal 143. 1. Paul can say that God the righteous Judge shall give him a Crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4. 8. Having engaged by covenant righteousnesse ties him to make good his engagements This is Gods end in his entrance of covenant and ratification of it by oath consequently in committing it to writing and confirming it by seal That by two immuntable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Heb. 6. 18. These strong consolations were the end of God in ratifying his Covenant They are the support and Spirit reviving cordials to his people in Covenant See the result of the Psalmists meditations In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul Psalme 94. 19. I will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety Psalme 4. 8. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid Psal 27. 1. Sixthly for the greater terrour of the adversaries of his people when they see themselves engaged against them and God stands in a covenant unviolable engaged for them when they see that their work is to ruinate and destroy him that God will save Hence it is while their Rock sells them not one of them chases a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight Deut. 32. 30. Paul in bonds can make Felix tremble on his Throne Acts 24. 25. Hamans wise-men and Zeresh his wife spake words of terrour upon experiment made If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevaile against him but shalt surely fall before him Ester 6. 13. Seventhly the Lord hereby puts a name and an honour upon his people David took it to be an honour to be related to Saul and so to become the sonne of a King much more then is it an honour to be brought into this relation to God This honour have all the Saints and they are taken into covenant for honour sake The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandments and to make thee high above all Nations which he hath made in praise and in honour and that thou mayest be an holy people to the Lord thy God Deut. 26. 18 19. They are the portion the inheritance the children the espoused ones and whatsoever else that speaks a neer relation is theirs This was Gods way of dealing I doubt not with the Angels though we being not interested in it there is no necessity that it should be written for our learning Sure we are it was his way of dealing with man as well before his fall as presently shall be shewn as out of more abundant grace and condescension for his restitution And not mentioning for present any more then that which is essential in the covenant of God with man I suppose it may be thus held out to us A mutual compact or agreement between God and man upon just and equal termes prescribed by himself in which God promises true happinesse to man and man engages himself by promise for performance of what God requires This description here laid down comprizes the way of God in every one of his covenants with man both before and after his fall under Old and New Testament-revelations all that is essential in any covenant that he enters Equals covenanting do either of them article and indent but God condescending to a covenant man must not article but must assent and engage for performance of what is prescribed otherwise it will hear the nature of a Law but not of a Covenant It is true all men are bound upon tender from God to accept It was the sin of Jewish and heathenish people to stand out whensoever the Gospel was preached but they were no covenant-people till they gave their assent and then they were received as a covenant-people and baptized Exceptions cannot be taken against or challenge made of this definition of covenants in general nor of the covenant which God in particular entereth with man and these standing they will give us light and afford us singular help for a right understanding of the covenant of God entered with man in the several species and distinct wayes of administration of it CHAP. II. The Covenant of God entered with mankinde distinguished THere is a two-fold covenant which God out of his gracious condescension hath vouchsafed to enter with man The first immediately upon the creation of man when man yet stood right in his eye and bore his image the alone creature on earth that was in a capacity to enter covenant We have not indeed the word covenant till after man was fallen nor yet in any place of Scripture in reference to the transactions past between God and man in his state of integrity neither have we such expressions that fully and explicitely hold out a covenant to us but we finde it implied and so much expressed from whence a covenant with the conditions of it is evinced That Law with the penalty annext given to our first parents Gen. 2. 17. Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not â—at for in the day that thou eatest thou shalt surely die plainly implies in it a covenant entred man was in present possession of life that is according to Scripture phrase happinesse in his whole person full and compleat according to his present capacity This is to be continued aâ— is there evidently implied till sinne dispossesse him of it Till he sin he shall not die As long as he persists in his integrity his life is to be continued of which the Tree of Life as is not to be doubted was a Sacrament The second God was pleased to enter with man upon his fall which was a covenant of reconciliation the most unhappy variance between earth and heaven having intervened The former is usually called a â—ovenant of Works the latter is called a covenant of Grace though indeed the fountain and first rise of either was the free grace and favour of God For howsoever the first covenant was on condition of obedience and engaged to the reward of Works yet it was of Grace that God made any such promise of reward to any work of man when man had done all even in that estate which was commanded he was still an unprofitable servant he had done no more then duty and no emolument did thence accrew to his Maker It was enough that he was upheld and sustained of God in the work to live in him
in it A Scholar saith Mr. Hudson that is admitted into a School is not admitted because he is doctus but ut sit doctus and if he will submit to the rules of the Schoole and apply himself to learne it is enough for his admission The like may be said of the Church-visible which is Christs School Vindicat. pag. 248. The door of the visible Church saith Master Baxter Saints Rest Part. 4. Sect. 3. is incomparably wider then the door of heaven and Christ is so tender so bountiful and forward to convey his grace and the Gospel so free an offer and invitation to all that surely Christ will keep no man off if they will come quite over in spirit to Christ they shall be welcome if they will come but onely to a visible profession he will not deny them admittance This seems to me to speak the mind of Jesus Christ for their admittance and that in foro Dei as well as in foro Ecclesiae they stand in covenant-relation and have title to Church-membership Thus the Reader may see my thoughts in this thing and though I doubt not but that some will question much that I have said yet now at last I hope my meaning may be understood CHAP. VII The Covenant of Grace calls for Conditions from Man A Third Proposition which I shall here lay down is that Gods covenant with man hath its restipulation from man when God engages to man to conferre happinesse upon him he requires conditions from him This I know hath strong opposition by men of two sorts and they of different stamps and for different ends The first deny all Gospel-conditions all covenant-termes on mans part to the end they may assert justification before and without Faith Salvation without Repentance and Obedience which though it be contradicted by abundant testimonies of Scripture placing unbeleeving impenitent and disobedient ones in hell under the wrath of God yea such unbeleeving impenitent ones that have laid highest claime to Christ Matth. 7. 23. yet it seems wholly to follow and necessarily to be evinced from this absolute unconditionate covenant If Christ have wholly finished not only the work of mans redemption but also of his salvation upon the crosse without farther work of application as one in a distinct Treatise hath made it his endeavour to prove then we may as he there doth decry both our faith in Christ and Christs intercession for us Herein one of late according to his wonted weaknesse is very industrious and whereas the Scripture tells us Christ dwells in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3. 17. he would prove that Christ enters into us without us dwells in the unbeleeving and in reference to this opinion of his he makes it his businesse as to deny Faith in reference to Justification so all Gospel-covenant-conditions All other covenants besides this were saith he upon a stipulation and the promise was altogether upon conditions on both sides But in this covenant of Grace viz. the new covenant it is far otherwise there is not any condition in this covenant I say the new covenant is without any condition whatsoever And he further tells his hearers that he is on a nice point Faith is not the condition of the covenant Others utterly distasting the aforenamed opinions of Justification without faith or salvation without obedience or repentance which seeme to be the natural issue and necessary consequents of an unconditional covenant yet with great resolution do affirme the covenant to be without conditions joyning in the premisses with these heterodox teachers but peremptorily denying the conclusion Against both of these that oppose it either more desperately or more innocently I affirm and might quote a cloud of witnesses that the covenant of grace hath its conditions which to me is clear First by the definition of a covenant given in by the Authour before named a few pages before his assertion before mentioned It is a mutual agreement between parties upon certaine Articles or Propositions on both sides so that each party is bound and tyed to perform his own conditions It is in the definition and of the essence of a covenant in general according to him to have conditions yet this covenant in particular with him is without condition Here is a species that partakes not of the nature of the genus a particular covenant that wants the essence of a covenant which is the same as though he should finde us a man that is no living creature a Vine or Fig-tree that is no plant a piece of scarlet of no colour such a thing is this unconditional covenant If the essence of a covenant require it then this covenant is not without it Secondly by the expresse Texts of Scripture which lay down conditions of the covenant either in expresse words or those that of necessity imply a condition See John 8. 51. Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my saying he shall never see death Who sees not there First a Priviledge granted by way of covenant Secondly the condition on which it is to be obtained John 8. 24. If ye beleeve not that I am he ye shall die in your sinnes Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firme unto the end Who knows not If to be a conditional particle All pardon and justification if Scripture may be heard is suspended on mens not beleeving John 3. 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Mar. 16. 16. He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved and he that beleeveth not shall be damned Thirdly by Analogy with the covenant of Works entred of God with Adam in innocency Gen. 2. 17. This on all hands that I know is granted to have been conditional and who sees not in the Texts mentioned conditions as expresse in the Gospel as not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and euil to man in Paradise either both or neither must be conditional Fourthly from the nature of conditions in covenants A condition in a covenant is somewhat agreed upon by the Parties in covenant upon performance of which the benefit of the covenant is obtained and upon the failing of it the whole benefit is lost and the penalty whatsoever it is incurred In covenants between equals either indent and article what those conditions shall be upon defaylance of which the benefit is lost and the penalty incurred In covenants between superiour and inferiour the superiour doth prescribe and the inferiour doth yeeld In all covenants there are such conditions that upon performance or failing of them the covenant doth stand or fall such there are in the Gospel-covenant There we are enjoyned to believe and repent upon obedience to and performance of these we reap the benefit of the covenant Upon failing in them the benefit is lost and the penalty incurred He that
I am not able to reach Nothing with me is more plain then that consent is pre-required in both these covenants Adam I confesse as it is objected was bound to consent yea I will yeeld more that it is no more possible to conceive Adam to deny consent then the Sunne to be without light seeing in his natural motion he was carried in that way of full conformity to God that the Sun may as well be dark as Adam averse from the will or tender of God yet if we could conceive a dark Sunne it could not be a light to rule the day so if we could conceive Adam denying consent to God in the tender of covenant Adam had not been in covenant For fallen man it is clear what held the Pharisees out of the New covenant but their non-consent rejecting the counsel of God against themselves Luk 7. 30. as also those Jews Act. 13. who contradicting and blaspheming judged themselves unworthy of eternal life The covenant was tendered to all those Gentile Nations and Cities where the Gospel was preached and all were bound to yeeld assent but where there was assent of faith there the covenant was entered where assent is denied there they remained strangers from the covenants of promise in the same way of Gentilisme as though the Gospel had never been tendered or the Name of Christ held forth So that these things considered I doubt not but I have made it appear That there is a mutual contract and mutual performances to which persons are engaged not only usually in covenants but in all covenants And that it is of the general nature of covenants that there should be such a convertibility as that both must if not seal some contracts are without seals yet contract or performe and where a seal is vouchsafed must accept of it and that the definition of the covenant in the general is vindicated That God hath entred a covenant properly so called with man with fallen man in which there is a contract of this nature and engagements to mutual performances God condescending to it of grace and man obliged to it by duty yet accepting voluntarily Which as the former might be confirmed by the authority of Divines of eminency Mr. Ball speaking of the covenant of God in the general entred with man saith It may be thus described A mutual compact or agreement betwixt God and man whereby God promiseth all good things specially eternal happinesse unto man upon just equal and favourable conditions and man doth promise to walk before God in all acceptable free and willing obedience expecting all good from God and happinesse in God according to his promise for the praise and glory of his great Name And Vrsin in his Catechisme page 91. defining a covenant in the general nature of it as before he saith it is A mutual agreement between God and man whereby God confirmes to man that he will be merciful forgive their sinnes give them a new righteousnesse his holy Spirit and everlasting life in and by his son the Mediatour In like manner men tie themselves to God for faith and repentance that is by a lively faith to receive this mercy alone and to yeeld true obedience to God And Lucas Trelcatius in loco de foedere thus defines it The covenant is an agreement to God with man concerning eternal happinesse to be communicated to man upon a certain condition to the glory of God And then explaining himself he says When we say an agreement we understand a mutual obligation of God and man by a stipulation intervening that what is promised on both parts may be performed And farther saith There are two parties of the covenant 1. The promise of God concerning everlasting life 2. The obligation of man for performance of the condition prescribed of God the first is free the second is necessary And in conclusion such a bottome I believe is laid in the Introduction that will bear the whole fabrick that follows after Junius and Gomarus are as opposite as may be one to the other in this dispute about the covenant as may be seen in the Appendix to the first chapter But they both agree in this that every covenant of necessity is to have mutual engagements and performances Gomarus denies that the promise Gen. 3. 15. containes the covenant of grace because no conditions are there mentioned And Junius to avoid conditions denies that there is any such thing as a covenant between God and man for if it were a covenant he sayes it must have conditions Therefore according to them both if we grant a covenant we must grant conditions and the full nature of the covenant is in no Scripture laid down where we have not these engagements or conditions laid down likewise Some think to reconcile all this by the various acception of the word Sometimes it is soused in Scripture that the free promise of God is thereby signified and the restipulation of our duty withit God requiring man to engage by covenant to that which he might require did there no promise intervene yet sometimes in Scripture covenant doth signifie the absolute promise of God without any restipulation and of this kinde is that covenant in which God promiseth to give to his elect faith and perseverance to which promise there cannot be conceived any condition to be annexed which is not comprehended in the promise it self So Learned Camero de triplici foedere Thes 1. 2. For this absolute covenant here spoke to I desire the Reader to observe what the same learned Authour hath farther in his third Thesis This distinction of the Covenant doth depend upon the distinction of the love of God for there is a love of God to the Creature from whence every thing that is good in the creature hath wholly flowed and there is the acquiescent love of God in the creature and this the creature hath received not for any thing from it self but from God as it was loved with that first love of God that love for better understanding we call Gods primary or antecedent this Gods secondary or consequent love from that we say doth depend both the paction and fulfilling of the absolute covenant from this depends the fulfilling of that covenant to which is annexed a restipulation not so the paction for that we say depends on the first love This antecedent love is wont to be called Amor benevolentiae which can be no more then a purpose or resolution in God for good to man The second is wont to be called Amor complacentiae a love of delight or content How the former can be a covenant or any covenant properly so called depend upon it as preceding the latter I do not see First this goes before the giving of Christ the gift of Christ is an effect of it Joh. 3. 16. Now God covenants not with man without the Mediator as Camero himself acknowledges and therefore this that precedes can be no covenant made
the argument seems of force We vindicate Gods justice in commanding works though to us now impossible seeing once we had power to reach the highest of his precepts and his command is no rule of our empaired strength but of our duty But if men never had that power and the Law never required it it is injustice according to all parties to exact it Answ Let those that fall to the Arminians in this tenent that they may make the Law an imperfect rule and an insufficient direction see how they can avoid it how they can vindicate Gods justice thus impeached But the Orthodox party have still maintained that Adam had in his integrity that faith that doth justifie though then it performed not that office of justification as he had that faculty whereby we see dead bodies though then there was no possibility of such sight there being no dead bodies to be seen And that faith in Christ is commanded in the first precept of the Law is manifest There we are commanded to have God for our God no Interpreter will deny that the affirmative is contained in that negative Thou shalt have none other gods but me Now God is the God of beleevers Heb. 11. 16. No man can have any communion with God but by faith in Christ And so consequently this faith is there required what Expositor of the Law doth not put trust and affiance in God within the affirmative part of the first commandment as well as fear love and obedience And without Christ there can be no affiance or trust If we conceive the moral Law to reach no farther then the duties expressely there named or the evils forbidden we shall make it very scant and narrow we shall see small reason of that of the Psalmist Thy Commandment is exceeding broad Psalme 119. 96. But in case we take in all that by necessary consequence may be inferred according to the approved rules of interpretation then scarce any duty is more clearly laid down then this of faith in Christ And whereas one faith A man cannot preach Faith in Christ out of the Moral Law I say a man out of the Moral Law may evince the necessity of Faith in Christ unto every one that lives in Gospel-light to whom Christ is tendred The Law requires the duty and the Gospel discovers the object no man out of the Law could have evinced Abraham that he must offer his sonne nor that he must have left his countrey but when Gods minde was made known to him the Moral Law did binde him to obedience and he had sinned against the Moral Law in case he had refused There is no command given of God to any man at any time of an nature whatsoever but the Moral Law ties him to the observation of it not immediately explicitely but upon supposition of such a command intervening Therefore ye shall observe all my Statutes and all my judgements and do them I am the Lord Levit. 19. 37. Faith in Christ being commanded of God I John 3. 23. the Moral Law obliges to obedience of it See Molin Anatom Arminianis cap. 11. Respons Wallaei ad Censuram Johannis Arnol. Corvini cap. 11. Ball on the covenant page 105. Burges Vindiciae legis page 117. A farther difficulty here offers it selfe Obj. and an obstruction laid against that which in this Treatise is after intended If the covenant or second covenant as opposite to that of works be in Christ and grounded on the work of reconciliation then it is commensurate with it and of no greater latitude and only the elect and chosen in Christ the called according to Gods purpose being reconciled only these are in covenant when the Scripture as shall be God willing made good confines not this covenant within the limits of the invisible Church known only to God But it is as large as the Church visible To this I answer Answ that the Prophetical office of Christ as Shepherd and Bishop of our souls and so much of his Kingly office as consists in a legislative power hath its foundation as well as the covenant in this work of reconciliation Had not this been undertaken by Christ for mankinde man had never enjoyed that light man had never had an Oracle or an Ordinance as the fruit of his Prophetick office yet these Ordinances are not commensurate with reconciliation nor of equal latitude with election So neither is the covenant but either of both in order towards it As Ordinances therefore are Christs gift from heaven as the fruit of his death and resurrection when yet all that partake of these Ordinances do not yet die or rise with Christ So is the covenant when yet all in covenant are not stedfast in it nor obtaine the graces of it Therefore I know not how to admit that which a Divine singularly eminent hath laid down That all the effects of Christs death are spiritual distinguishing and saving Seeing gifts of Christ from his Fathers right hand are fruits of his death yet not spiritual distinguishing and saving That they are in some sort spiritual I dare grant that is in ordine ad spiritualia if I may so speak they have a tendency to a spiritual work That they are distinguishing from the world as it is taken in opposition to the Church visible I yeeld for I do not enlarge the fruit of Christs death to all man-kinde assenting to Master Owen and Master Stalham in the grounds that they lay of Gods respite of the execution of the whole penalty on man with the continuance of outward favours not to be upon the account of Christ but for other reasons yet I know not how to affirme that Ordinances which yet are fruits of his death are all saving spiritual and distinguishing seeing they neither conferre salvation nor saving grace on all that partake of them So that Christ is a Mediatour of this covenant and yet those enter into it that have not reconciliation by Christ Jesus The Ephesians that were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Ephes 2. 13. that is brought into a visible Church-state in the fruition of Ordinances made free of that city whose name is The Lord is here Ezek. 48. 35. CHAP. XVIII Farther differences between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace A Farther difference of importance between these covenants is in the conditions annext unto either of them and here the difference is brought to the height This alone so diversifies them that they are not barely in circumstance and way of administration but in substance two distinct covenants The least difference in conditions diversifies bargains and agreements on what part soever the difference is Conditions of the covenant between God and man are of two sorts either such in which God engages himselfe or in which man is engaged either the stipulation on Gods part or else the restipulation on the part of man The former unto which God is engaged are either rewards in case of
he 1 There is a passive receiving of Christ You will say saith my Authour what is passive receiving of Christ I answer saith he A passive receiving of Christ is just such a receiving of him as when a froward Patient takes a purge or some bitter physick he shuts his teeth against it but the Physician forceth his mouth open and poures it downe his throat and so it works against his will by the ever-ruling power of one over him that knows it is good for him Thus I say there is a passive recipiency or receiving of Christ which is the first receiving of him when Christ comes by the gift of the Father to a person whilest he is in the stubornesse of his own heart 2 There is an active receiving of him c. This distinction carries a full contradiction in it self There cannot be in the same subject a meere passive and active recipie cy of the same thing as appeares in the similitude brought to illustrate it This froward Patient that hath a medicine forced into him in which he is meerly passive cannot again afterward receive that medicine If Christ be thâ—s forced and enters against our will then we cannot actively at any time after receive him And could it be reconciled unto it self yet it stands in full opposition to Scripture Christ stands at the door and knocks Reâ— 3. 20. He waites till his locks are wet with the dew of the night as Cant. 5. 2. But he makes no forcible entry we read of Gods power in changing the will that it freely accepts but not forcing gifts of grace upon any against their wills Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power Psal 110. 3. He works a will Philip. 2. 13. Christ dwells in none that rise in hostility against him and the positioâ— which the distinction is brought to assert That unbelief is no bar hindring one from having Christ is no better If unbeliefe be no barre to our receiving of Christ then it is no barre to salvation where the Saviour enters he brings salvation He that hath the Son hath life 1 John 5. 12. But we finde it evidently a barre to salvation according to Scripture Joh. 3. 36. He that beleeveth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him He that beleeveth not shall be damned Mark 16. 16. Yea according to the Author himself There is no person under heaven shall be saved saith he till he have beleeved which is a truth according to Scripture They could not enter into the rest of Canaan that did lie in their unbelief Neither can they enter into the rest of heaven Heb. 4. 1. Then Christ dwells not in our hearts by Faith Ephes 3. 17. But also in a state of unbelief Then God is not a justifier of those that beleeve in Jesus as Rom. 3. 26. but equally justifies men without Faith in Jesus Then Christ is not set out a propitiation through Faith in his blood but without any Faith in it Then they that beleeve are not only justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses but they that beleeve not And God gave his Sonne that he that beleeves not on him should have everlasting life This doctrine layes all the honour of Faith in the dust Then Habakkuk might have spared this speech that the just shall live by Faith Habbakuk 2. 4. and Paul might have found another way of life in the flesh than by Faith in the Son of God Secondly Object It is said that the justification of a sinner was with God from eternity It was in his purpose before all time to discharge his Elect and to lay nothing to their charge So then this is as election it selfe unconditional To which I answer Answ That this ovethrows the redemption wrought by Christ and the price paid by his sufferings as well as the necessity of Faith What need Christ to be at all that pains to undergo all those sorrows as to be a man of sorrows to do that which from all eternity was done Then as Paul sayes in another case Christ is dead in vain This some have seene yet rather than leave their opinion have chosen to swallow it down and the absurdity with it and do maintaine that Christ did not purchase procure or work any love from God for man but only published and declared that he was from eternity beloved A fit conclusion drawn from such premisses Then Christ was no Authour of eternal salvation as Heb. 5 9. but only the publisher He was a messenger from God in the dayes of his flesh but no Saviour of man He did not redeeme us with a price but only made known that we were so farre in the love of God from eternity that no redemption needs Secondly I say Gods purpose of a thing doth no put it in being He takes his own way to bring about in time that which he purposed before all time All that is done even every work under the Sunne was alike from eternity in the purpose of God Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world Acts 15. 18. So the house that was built this day was built from eternity The childe that was born this day was borne from eternity We may as well say that the Elect were glorified from eternity so that they need to look after no other glorification as to say they are justified from eternity All the works of God were in his purpose from ever who sees all things at once and not as we can comprehend them in their respective succession But we enquire after things as they are in themselves and not as they are in Gods purpose Thirdly Object Some say justification can be no other than an act of God from eternity being an immanent act and not a transient Transient acts are in time done in the juncture of time when God pleases to do them but immanent acts of God are from eternity Answ To which I first answer that it is not without danger for us to bring the actions of God under our examination and then to fix School-notions upon them according to which they must be bounded When as Master Burges well observes we are here in meere darknesse and not able to comprehend how God is said to act or work Treatise of Justification page 166. How much more safe were it for us to learne à posteriore from the mouth of God in Scriptures what his actions are and the order how he works than à priâ—re to conclude that they are thus and thus and therefore thus of necessity he must work Yet if we may be so bold as to look into this act of his and take it into consideration according to this notion we may farre rather conclude that justification is an action transient not immanent An immanent action as the Schooles tell us is terminated within the subject and works no real nor evident
change out of it and they instance in our conceptions of and resolutions about things Kekâ—rman p. 107. A transient act is not terminated within the subject but hath its effect and is terminated upon some other object Now if by way of analogy we may apply these to God for we otherwise can reach none of his actions it is easie to conclude that justification of a sinner is a transient and no immanent act It works man from a state of wrath to a state of friendship and love of a vessel of wrath brings man into favour and esteeme which though it work no Physical change in man yet the whole effect is terminated in him That act of Pharaoh had as real an effect upon Joseph and was terminated in him in his advancement out of prison for rule in Egypt as though a Physician in case of sicknesse had wrought a cure upon him Though I were not able to hold it our that justification were a transient act but according to our conception of the actions of man it should rather appear to be an action immanent in God so in him that it had no effect out of him yet I must follow the Scriptures that make justification an act in time not from eternity Paul having mentioned a state of sinne under which the Corinthians were saith such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified 1. Corinth 6. 11. Once they were not but now they are in a state of justification It hath its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which it is acted a season in which it is vouchsafed It is affixed to faith Acts 13. 38. Now faith is not from eternity it comes by hearing A Ministery is continually employed for reconciliation and pardon of sinne 1 Cor. 5. 19. John 20. Which were in vain if justification were as election from before the foundation of the world They work them not to election but only call upon them to make their calling and election sure There are seniors and juniors in this priviledge one obtains it before another Andronicus and Jâ—nia were in Christ before the Apostle Rom. 16. 7. These evident proofs would take with my faith above a thousand such subtilties But herein the Schools in their application of these acts to God speak according as to the point in hand to the minde of Scriptures Fourthly Object It is farther objected that Christ is the Lamb slaine from the beginning of the world His death hath been of efficacy in the Church through all ages And he bore our sinnes in his body 1 Pet. 2. 24. All our sinnes did meet in him Isa 53. 6. and therefore from the beginning we were justified I answer Answ it profited all those and only those in each age to whom it was revealed and by whom it was applied and not those that have no interest in him Over and above the Decree of God for mans salvation there was a necessity of the death of Christ for our redemption which Christ in the fulnesse of time paid on the Crosse And over and above the death of Christ there is a like necessary of the application of it to our soules for life The work of redemption was finished on the Crosse when Christ triumphed over principalities and powers But much of the work of our salvation was behinde Election did not overthrow Christs redemption but did establish it Redemption doth not overthrow our application but doth establish it likewise There is a farther work of Christs to be done his intercession in heaven being one part of his Priest-hood which he is gone to discharge as the High Priest into the holiest of holies A farther work to be done by man through believing Not to have interest in Christs death is all one as though he had not died He that beleeves in him shall not perish See Baxter of Justification Aphorisme 15. Davenant de morte Christi cap. 5. p. 58 c. Lastly it is said by another If Faith be a condition of the Covenant of Grace Object then it can be no instrument of our justification If it be a condition in this Covenant it justifies as a condition and then it cannot justifie as an instrument and so I pul down what I build and run upon contradictions I answer Answ I should rather judge on the contrary that because it is a condition of the covenant in the way as it is before exprest that it is therefore an instrument in our justification God tenders the gift of righteousnesse to be received by Faith He covenants for this Faith for acceptation of this righteousnesse By beleeving then we keep covenant and receive Christ for justification We as well do what God requires as receive what he tenders We do our duty and take Gods gift and thereby keep covenant and receive life and so Faith is both a condition and an instrument Here I might by way of just corollary infer that a justified man reconciled to God in Christ is a man fitted for every duty unto which God calls which he is pleased to require Faith is his justification the instrumental work of his reconciliation to God and all things are possible to him that beleeveth Mark 9. 23. There is not a duty commanded but a beleeving man through Christ is strengthned for it The Word works effectually in thâ—se that believe as 1 Thes 2. 13. We see the great works that were atchieved by those of ancient time both in doing and suffering Heb. 11. and all of those are ascribed to Faith what Christ can do as in reference to duty that they can do to acceptation They can do all things through Christ that strengthens them Phil. 4. 13. Christ overcomes the world John 16 33. And this is their victory whereby they overcome the world 1 John 5. 4. Christ treads down Satan Rom. 16 20. And they resist him strong in the Faith 1 Pet. 5. 9. A man of Faith is for universal obedience He is a man for dependance on God for the fruition of all promises A word from God is enough for Faith He knows how to rest upon him for the good things of the earth he is above anxious thoughts what he should eate what he should drink or wherewith he should he clothed knowing that godlinesse hath the promise of this life 1 Tim. 4. 8. and therefore Though the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit be in the Vines the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no heard in the stalls yet he will rejoyce in the Lord he will joy in the God of his salvation Hab 3. 17 18. he knows how to rest upon him for spiritual priviledges for adoption of sonnes for evelasting salvation He rests upon this that he that liveth and beleeveth in Christ shall not die for ever He knows how to manage all states and conditions he knows how to
themselves to the true God and given their name to Christ and do professe him and his Religion whether it be done before God truely and sincerely or only before men so the people of Israel although they were not all truely holy yet they are all called holy so Paul calls all those Saints who had given their names to Christ so Peter 1 Pet. 2 calls all those Christians to whom he writes a holy Nation and a royal Priesthood And Laurentius 1 Pet. 1. 1. page 6. distinguishing of a threefold election 1. To any function civil or ecclesiastical 2. To the external communion of divine worship or the outward Church or people of God 3. To salvation and eternal life brings for proof of the second acceptation Deut. 7. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 9. both which Texts with him there are parallel and taken in the same sense that I understand them Ravanellus in verbum election quotes divers Texts of Scripture in which election is taken for the adoption of any Nation and puts this of 1 Pet. 2. 9. in the last place adding these words And this election is general as hath been said nor are all that are made partakers of it necessarily saved Rom. 9. 6. but respective to this general election he is said to be chosen of God who is called to the participation of his free covenant or a people whom God adopts to himself for a people So also in verbum Sanctus which he sayes is taken three wayes 1. By separation or segregation 2. By imputation 3. By inchoation of holinesse in this life He there gives many instances of the first acception of holinesse by separation distinct from the two other and 1 Pet 2. 9. for one So Salmero as I finde him quoted to my hand understands it of election distinct from that which is to eternal life and calls it an election to faith and all know that they mean no more than their Catholick faith which according to them doth not necessarily entitle to eternal life A Lapide with whom my adversaries in these controversies frequently joyn is also wholly on my part in his Comment on these words so that it needed not to have been said that no approved authour joynes with me Let the Reader judge as the strength of reasons given will perswade CHAP. XXXVIII Arguments evincing the Covenant of Grace in Gospel-times in that latitude as before is asserted THe first Argument shall be borrowed from those titles which undoubtedly and undisputably imply a covenant and yet in Scripture are still attributed to all that professedly accept the termes of the covenant and professedly appear as the people of God Those titles before mentioned by Peter from Moses are confessed to be such that argue a people in covenant and therefore adversaries are so shie to confesse them to belong to visible Professours But titles as high as these and as undeniably implying a covenant are given to visible Professours those then even according to them are on this account in covenant with God And these are all of those titles wherwith the people of God are honoured In New testament-Testament-Scriptures which are especially foure Beleevers Saints Disciples Christians He that is a Beleever a Saint a Disciple a Christian he is a man in covenant with God But all visible Professors that accept the termes of the covenant are Beleevers Saints Disciples Christians so they are still stiled in New Testament-Scriptures Beleevers from the Faith that they professe Saints from the Holinesse to which they stand engaged or from the holy God to whose service they are separated Disciples from the Doctrine which they professe to learne and Christians from him whose they are whom they serve and from whom they expect salvation I know some have inured themselves to that language that those that are thus dignified are necessarily concluded by them to be Elect Regenerate persons It is grown I know the Dialect of the times but not of the Scriptures To begin with Beleevers He is in Scripture a Beleever that is a visible Professour that puts himself into the number of those that expect salvation by Christ Jesus So it is through the History of the Acts where account is given of the Converts made by the Apostles Ministry Acts 4. 4. Many of them which heard the Word believed and the number of the men was about five thousand They that are thus numbred by the poll are visible Professours that outwardly embraced the Doctrine of Faith This might be seene and the names of such taken They are not all Elect regenerate Christians such could not be visibly known The generality of men and women in Samaria beleeved Acts 8. 12. But that they were Elect Regenerate in that universality cannot be conceived Simon Magus is an example to the contrary of whom the Text sayes that he did beleeve vers 13. and yet his heart not right in the sight of God vers 21. He was with those Israelites Psalme 78. 34. in covenant yet his heart was not stedfast in Covenant A great number of the Grecians beleeved upon the preaching of those that were scattered upon the persecution raised about Stephen Acts 11. 21. yet Barnabas whom the Church of Jerusalem sent to them well enough knew that there was no certainty little hopes that all of these were Regenerate persons therefore he exhorts them that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord. He was afraid that the work might be overly and superficial of which the Church in every age hath sad experience he desires and endeavour that they may be rooted and established Only those hearers which are compared to the good ground are Regenerate persons But those compared to bad ground beleeve Luke 8. 13. Regenerate men who alone are invisible Church-Members have their hearts more right with God than to love the praise of men more than the praise of God but many beleevers are thus censured as we see John 12. 42 43. Regenerate persons make no shipwrack of Faith They are borne of incorruptible seed the seed of God abideth in them Yet there are beleevers that thus suffer shipwrack 1 Tim. 1. 19. Myriads of thousand of Jews beleeve Acts 21. 20. yet not all Regenerate The Apostle 1 Cor. 7. satisfies a case of conscience put to him by the Corinthians that if any brother hath a wife that beleeveth not if she be pleased to dwell with him let him not put her away If the beleeving brother here be only a Regenerate man then the unbeleeving wife is an unregenerate woman So the question will be whether a Regenerate sanctified man joyned in marriage to a Professour of the true faith not of those hopes for the truth of sanctification may dwell with her A case that never yet was disputed or doubted The unbeleever is a worshipper of idols one that sacrifices to devils and not to God The Beleever is a Professor of the Faith one in name a Christian and not a Heathen Saint is taken
Scripture speaks of those covenants which God enters with man There are those that enter covenant and keep covenant Psal 44. 17 18. All this is come upon us yet we have not forgotten thee neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way These have mercy promised All to which God enegages himself is theirs Psalme 103. 17 18. The meecy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children to such as keep his covenant and to those that remember his commandments to do them There are those that break covenant Psal 78. 10 37. They kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk in his Law Their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant And these are threatned with a curse Jer. 34. 18 19 20. And I will give the men that have transgressed my covenant which have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me when they cut the calfe in twaine and passed between the parts thereof The Princes of Judah and the Princes of Jerusalem the Eunuches and the Priests and all the people of the land which passed between the parts of the calf I will even give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of them that seek their life and their dead bodies shall be for meat unto the fowles of the heaven and to the beasts of the earth The Lord brings a sword that avenges the quarrel of his covenant Levit. 26. 25. When the heaviest of judgements is mentioned and a large list enumerated as Esay 24. Behold the Lord maketh the earth empty and maketh it waste and turneth it upside down and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof And it shall be as with the People so with the Priest as with the Servant so with his Master as with the Maid so with her Mistresse as with the Buyer so with the Seller as with the Lender so with the Borrower as with the taker of usury so with the giver of usury to him the land shall be utterly empited and utterly spoiled for the Lord hath spoken this word The earth mourneth and fadeth away the haughty people of the earth do languish the earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth and they that dwell therein are desolate therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burnt and few men left the new wine mourneth the vine languisheth all the merry-hearted do sigh The myrth of Tabrets ceaseth the noise of them that rejoyce endeth the joy of the Harp ceaseth They shal not drink wine with a song strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it The city of confusion is broken down every house is shut up that no man may come in There is a crying for wine in the streets all joy is darkned the mirth of the land is gone In the City is left desolation and the Gate is smitten with destruction The reason of all this is given in the close of verse 5. Because they have transgressed the Laws changed the Ordinances broken the everlasting Covenant Now according to this opinion Regeneration is our entrance into covenant and Regeneration is our keeping of covenant before regeneration we make no covenant after Regeneration we break no covenant there is no such thing as covenant-breaking All this makes an utter confusion in the covenant 2. Then there is no such thing as an hypocrite in the world as in reference towards God no such thing as an hypocrite in the Church as in reference to Religion and wayes of godlinesse An hypocrite is one that personates the man that he is not with Jeroboams wife feignes himself to be another person 1 Kings 14. 6. He that acts Tarquin or Lucretia in the Tragedy is not Tarquin or Lucretia that acts a King is many times a peasant Now an hypocrite respective to Religion and in Scripture use of the phrase is one that pretends for God and is not Gods pretends to be wholly his and is some others of these God frequently complaines These in the Scriptures are menaced with heavy judgements Now according to this opinion that only Regenerate men are in covenant there is no such thing as an hypocrite No such sinne as hypocrisie Where the Gospel is preached God makes tender of himself in covenant and in case none but Regenerate enter Covenant then only they take upon them the persons of people in relation to him onely they strike hands with him and these as they professe so in sincerity and reality they are as they covenant with him so in the uprightnesse of their hearts they walk before him and so all of Israel are Israel There cannot be found a man in Israel that is not a Nathaniel Men out of covenant are without and aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel Ephes 2. 12. And if they be in covenant then according to this opinion they are men sincere and upright-hearted in it But you will say They pretend to the covenant and are not in covenant and so are hypocrites Object To this I say 1. It is plain against the Scriptures that makes hypocrites false in the covenant men whose hearts were not stedfast in it as Psalme 78. 8 10 a stubborne and rebellious generation a generation that set not their heart aright and whose spirit was not stedfast with God They kept not the covenant of God and refused to walk in his Law More fully verse 36 37. They did flatter him with their mouth and they lied unto him with their tongues for their hearts were not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant Therefore they pretend not barely to a covenant but the covenant which they enter is their pretence for God and their breach of covenant argues them guilty of hypocrisie before the Lord. 2 According to these such pretend to the stage but are never admitted on it They pretend to act the part of a Servant of God but never act in it so we may say they pretend to hypocrisie but never are in the honour to be in any capacity of it 3. If the covenant be with this limit only to Regenerate persons then no Minister in any Church no Church-Officer nor any other Church-member in case you will make it to be their work may baptize any person That Disciples are to be baptized is out of question with all that acknowledge such a standing Ordinance as Baptisme It being in the Apostles commission to disciple Nations and baptize them These are brought into the bond of the covenant as Ezek. 20. 37. But those only passing for Disciples and men in covenant that are Regenerate they can by no eye of any Minister Church-Officer or member be discerned This is that work that cometh not with observation or outward shew that men should say so here or so there Luke 17. 20
Tribes from Hosea 1. 10. Hos 2. 23. is there applied to the call of the Gentiles into a Church-state and condition Neither is that of force against it that is objected from verse 23. where the Apostle saith That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory God sets up visible Ordinances and calls to a Church-state as is there prophecied that he may there work to himselfe a people of invisible relation that thereby he may make them vessels of mercy having afore prepared them unto glory So likewise Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receive not of her plagues All Professours of faith and worshippers of the true God are there included in that exhortation to quit Babylon so all Ministers of Christ are to urge and presse it Men therefore of visible Profession have this title in compellation from GOD of my people It is yet objected Jeremiah 31. 31 32 33. Behold the dayes come saith the LORD that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was an husband to them saith the Lord. But this shall be my Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people Here is a third purpose or interest for which this Text is produced to serve The first was to assert an unconditionate Covenant in the dayes of the Gospel which we examined chapter 25. when the Gospel expressely holds out Covenant-conditions more expressely than the Covenant of Works which is confest to be conditional The second to overthrow a publick Ministery and all private mutual exhortation which we spake to chapter 26 when the New Testament doth establish both And to set up this Prophecie in a third particular against all New Testament-light none must be of the called of God into Covenant for fruition of Church-priviledges but those that are regenerate Men in Old Testament-Covenant broke Covenant as is there exprest Men in the New Covenant shall keep covenant and these are only the Elect and Regenerate To this I might have many things to say No such sense must be put upon this one single Text as to restrain the covenant only to those that are stedfast in it and carefully observe it when other New-Testament-Scriptures clearly and unanimously hold it out in that latitude to comprehend those that are transgressours of it no more than it must be brought though there be like colour for both to overthrow Gospel-Ordinances private and publick exhortations when in the New Testament there is a clear and full establishment of them There are those that are in the faith so farre as to enter Covenant that make shipwrack of the faith 1 Tim 1. 19. Disciples of Christ that go back and walk no more with him Joh. 6. Men sanctified by the blood of the Covenant that tread under foot the blood of the Son of God and do despight to the Spirit of grace Heb. 10. 29. There are that escape the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and are again entangled and overcome Those that have known the way of righteousnesse that turne from the holy Commandment To whom it happens according to the true Proverb The dogge is turned to his own vomit again and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2 22. It is farre easier to returne answer to this Scripture held out by way of Prophecie what shall be than to give answer to all these Scriptures and far more than these setting out what is in New Testament-times 2. That we may interpret and not commit Scriptures finde out the sense of all and not create differences in any we may observe that though it be granted that those that have the Law written in their hearts and put into their inward parts do enter covenant and not break it yet it is not said none shall enter covenant and transgresse it There may still be an outward covenant according to Interpreters that may be broken as well as an inward covenant that shall be observed If it be said that these are two distinct covenants one succeeding the other one abolished when the other takes place according to that of the Apostle Heb. 8. 13. In that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first Old now that which decayeth and waxeth Old is ready to vanish away then it will follow this being the characteristical difference that as none in New Testament-times enter covenant but they keep covenant so none in Old Testament-times were in covenant but they did transgresse it at least that the covenant that then was was wholly transgresseable and the covenant that now is is not in any possibility to be transgrest But the contrary is evident there were those that kept covenant in Old Testament-times Psal 44. 17. All this is come upon us yet have we not forgotton thee neither have we dealt falsely in the covenant Psal 103. 17. And also there are those that break covenant in New Testament-times 1 Tim. 5. 12. Having damnation because they have cast off their first faith The Law was written in mens hearts and put into their inward parts in the dayes of the Old Testament and some were as it is called in an inward Covenant Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soule that thou mayest live Psal 37. 31. The Law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Psal 119. 11. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Encline your eare and come unto me hear and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of Dâ—â—id Isa 55. 3. And so by consequence it fairly holds notwithstanding this Text that there is as hath been proved an outward covenant in the dayes of the Gospel The oldnesse to be abolished is only in circumstances wherewith one and the same covenant that now is was then clothed 3. The covenant then spoken to by Jeremy in the place quoted is not a covenant properly so called or at least as Master Baxter observes not the whole of the covenant So there must be two distinct covenants one in being when the Prophet wrote and another to have its being in the time of which he prophesied one covenant made with the Jewes and another covenant distinct from it made
faith that they must receive them giving this reason for God hath received them Rom. 14. 1 3. we may apply to those that make profession of the faith being able to make application of his reason God takes them into communion unto visible fellowship we are not then to reject them Is the necessary qualification of a member of the visible Church universal one thing and the necessary of a member of this or that particular congregation another and may one be fit to be a member of the universal visible Church and yet not qualified to be a member of a particular congregation saith Master Wood Append. p. 169 170. If I should enlarge this to heathens brought to a profession of the faith and argue their right to baptisme upon profession and by baptisme their right to Church-fellowship in any visible Church-society I should finde the Scriptures abundantly to favour it Of so many thousands myriads of thousands of converts Acts 21. 20. which were added to the Church and received by baptisme baptized the same day for a great part sometimes as appears the very houre of their conversion there is not one that we reade refused but all received yea not a scruple raised save of one only as I remember which was Saul when he offered himself into Church-fellowship and that not upon this account that we are now upon but good Ananias fearing that he came not to joyne with them but to seise upon them knowing that at that time he had authority from the chief Priests to binde all that call on Christs name Acts 9. 14. If the competentes as they were stiled in the primitive times viz. men that offered themselves for Church-fellowship had then entred at so strait a door as now in some places they are put to passe where a glib tongue is in a farre fairer way to take than an upright heart we should have heard of no small bustle about it When we finde murmurings of Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration Acts 6. 1. we should sure have heard of it had they been neglected in Church-fellowship and communion But when no such thing can be found in the practice of the Church after the Holy Ghost was given which is called by way of eminence the Kingdom of Christ or the Kingdom of Heaven yet they think they finde exceptions taken and some refused by the forerunner of Christ John Baptist One laying down this Proposition That men seeking admission into the Church are not to be received without farther satisfaction gives instance in no other but John Baptist and saith The Baptist did not admit all that sought it unto baptism and proves it from no Text either of Matthew or Luke which give us the narrative but by the authority of Pareus The Pharisees saith he did seek baptisme but John did not admit them being unworthy to whom he adds Aretius who sayes They sought baptisme but he seems to think saith our Authour that they were not by any means baptized But how eminent soever their authorities are their reasons are very weak The Baptist reproved them called them to repentance and therefore did not baptize them when the text seems to speak the contrary For as soon as his reproof with his exhortation is ended there follows I indeed baptize you with water verse 11. And it seems by Saint Luke that those Pharisees and Lawyers that were not baptized of John were not refused but did refuse Luke 7. 30. But the Lawyers and Pharisees rejected the Councel of God against themselves being not baptized of him When the same learned Authour cannot instance any precedent or produce any Scripture-Ordinance for it he endeavours by arguments drawn from the forme of a particular Church the way of reformation of Churches the relation of inferiority and superiority among those that are free and such like reasons to evince it To which but that I will not here make it my businesse an easie answer might be given it is more than strange that when the Apostles had by Commission from Christ planted Churches and were to leave them to be propagated in future Ages and knowing a covenant to be essential to the constitution as now by some is asserted would yet wholly be silent in it especially when no such thing was known in Old Testament-Scriptures that we might gather it by analogy and through all Ages till this last Age had lien hid and never discovered and leave us by our reason to discover it In which we are in danger to set our threshold by Gods threshold of which he so sadly complains Ezek. 43. 8. or rather justle out his threshold with ours denying baptisme to be any door for admission at which the primitive Saints entred and setting up a covenant of which Scripture speaks nothing and Master John Goodwin was sometimes as confident as confidence could make him that it had no ground in the holy Scriptures But to leave heathens haply called by Gospel Ordinances to speak a word or two to our own case who are a discipled Nation a Kingdom subjugated to the yoke of Christ Jesus enjoying saving Ordinances and therefore have a Church of Christ fixt among us Here we might lay down divers positions for the regulating of our judgements First where nothing is wanting to the being of a Church God having a people owning him in covenant yet much more may be required for the well ordering and regulating of it where a people accept of a King and receive his Lawes there he hath a Kingdom and is a Monarch yet much more is required for the ordering of such a Monarchy for the publick weale and safety so it is where there is a Church of God accepting the Lawes of heaven there the Lord Christ reigns as a Monarch yet farther care must be used for the right regulating of it according to his Will and the Lawes tendred by him and received by them Secondly a people in a vicinity or neighbourhood dwelling together ought to associate themselves and joyne with those of that neighbourhood according to their best convenience for the participation of Ordinances As it is against all dictates of reason that a people scattered at a great distance should combine themselves in a Church-way for Ordinances in which God rules so it is as clear against the Scriptures You read of a Church of God at Ephesus at Corinth at Philippi at Thessalonica at Laodicea But you reade not of any one Church made up of members residing at all those places or in any places at like distance That cohabitation or dwelling together makes not up a Church congregational will be easily granted Infidels Turks Pagans may cohabit they may make an idol-church but not a Church of God but co-habitation or dwelling together is one ingredient Saints cohabiting that is in New Testament-language men separate for God not Jewes nor Infidels but Christians and joyning in Ordinances as in
duty they ought are a congregational Church A Pastour ought to watch over his people and a people ought to attend to their Pastour which how it can be when the Pastour makes his residence at Ephesus the people some at Ephesus some at Corinth some at Philippi and so scattered it cannot be imagined We finde seven several Epistles written from heaven to seven several Churches all which had their abode at the place whence the Church bore its name these are Scripture-Churches Now if any one Church be made up of Christians some inhabiting at one of those places some at another a third at a third place scarce three of one Town no more than of one minde here is not Scripture-order which is of God but an Apocryphal confusion Exceptions may be taken at the over-large extent and disordered situation of divers Parochial Congregations which calls for Reformation coming too near the inconvenience before mentioned but Parochial Assemblies not the name but the thing viz. a people inhabiting at convenient distance and joyning together under Officers according to Scripture is the way that comes up both to the light of reason and the Presidents of primitive times Our dissenting Brethren will have the limit of a particular Church to be within that number of persons that may congregate in one place for Ordinances if this be yielded as it must be for Churches meerly Congregational then it will easily be proved that Parish-congregations that is congregations of men dwelling in a vicinity are of divine institution Saints that made up a Church were still Saints in cohabitation such convenient numbers as are fit to make up a Church did not live divided in place and scattered some here some there but were as in faith so in habitation joyned together Thirdly all professing Christians in such cohabitation especially the civil power authorizing are to be esteemed and judged members and not to be refused when they offer themselves as members where there is a holinesse of separation for God and a professed engagement to real holinesse there is no Scripture-warrant for repulse Those that offer themselves to learn are taken into the School and not those only that have made a good progresse in knowledge and fit for the uppermost forme Me thinks this should be a Proposition agreed upon between us and our dissenting brethren seeing reverend Master Cotton laying down certain Propositions consented to on both sides in his Treatise of the holinesse of Church-members page 1. saith That such as are borne of Christian Parents and baptized in their Infancy into the fellowship of the Church are initiated members of the same Church though desâ—itute of spiritual grace until they justly deprive themselves of the priviledge of that fellowship For even of such is the Kingdome of God as Mar. 10. 14. This was the case as we conceive of those that have gone from us into those parts of America Here they were in infancy baptized here they have joyned in Communion at the Lords Table If they say they were not baptized here into such Church-fellowship then they must say that here is no Church of God amongst us which as we abhorre to speak or think of them so we must not yield concerning our selves and farther conclude their baptism here a meer nullity and no more than an application of a little common water They whose baptisme is valid are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and therefore in a baptized estate cannot be out of fellowship with that body The late Confession of Faith agreed upon by the Assembly of Divines not excepted against in that particular by our brethren that I know define baptisme to be a Sacrament of the New Testament ordained by Jesus Christ not only for the admission of the party baptized into the visible Church but c. Admission into Church-membership they then lay down as a thing never doubted which reverend Master Cotton seems to affirm likewise and I know no Orthodox Writer that questions Assoon as any were discipled through the Acts of the Apostles according to Christs commission Mat. 28. 19. they were thus received I have often marvelled what men mean when they speak of admission of members into Churches when the parties of whom they speak have already equal right with themselves to membership Have they any other or better right than title to the covenant and admission by the seal of baptism if they have let them produce it and then submit it to Scripture-trial I know none other that will abide the teste If they confesse baptism to be an admission then their title is as good that were thus before admitted as theirs that give them admission Their plea in both is one viz. birth of Christian parents and baptism For those that they passe by either forbearing to give them admittance desiring or that through scruple cannot joyne themselves not seeing warrant for such a way varying from the way of all the Churches of the Saints heretofore what do they judge of them Do they look upon them as men without and unworthy of their Communion Then they leave them without hope without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. yea they put them into an incapacity according to Gods ordinary way of salvation Acts 2. 47. All were not saved that were added nor saved in the judgement of charity that is a comment as strange as new but all were added and none refused that would enter themselves into salvation-way which they might do out of affection of novelty at that time possest with amazement by reason of the miracles under great present convictions through Peters powerful Scripture-applications and upon twenty other accounts which might be but fits flashings or present workings yet all that were to be saved were added All the maids that were brought to Ahashuerus and offered for purification Esther 2. 3 4. Were not made Queens but none was made Queen that was not thus offered and purified If it be said they are within as many passages from several hands would seem to imply as well concerning such that are refused as those that do refuse the modesty of many is such that they are loth to unchurch all but themselves then they are heires of the same promise with themselves and all the essentials of a Church of God are with those that in this way of Communion are none of theirs and consequently their covenant or separate way is not of necessity to Church-constitution whether it be at all according to Scripture-pattern rests farther to be enquired and debated Fourthly men by Providence seated among those that are thus in Covenant by a visible Profession and joyning in Ordinances as before must much rather make it their businesse to reform and redresse abuses that are found in the respective Societies on which they are cast than by any means withdraw and separate from them We finde frequent advice in Scripture of considering one another provoking to love and to good works Hebrews 10.
of this covenant but no other impenitence or unbelief but that which is final and for this as is affirmed Christ never died To this I say If unbelief and impenitence be not breaches or violations of covenant properly so called then final unbelief and impenitence is no breach or violation of covenant properly so called This is clear Final perseverance in unbelief and impenitence is no more then a continuance of the same posture or state of Soul God ward in which they before stood in impenitence or unbelief As Perseverance in faith and repentance is the continuance of faith and repentance If then final unbelief and impenitence be a breach of the covenant of grace then all unbelief and impenitence denominating a man an unbeleeving and impenitent person is a breach of covenant likewise CHAP. XLV The question stated concerning the Birth-Priviledge of the issue of Beleevers A Fourth difference supposed to be and assigned by some between the first and second covenant is That the first Covenant was in that latitude to comprize not alone unregenerate men professing the worship of the true God but the whole of the seed of those that made such profession But the second covenant is entred personally and so vested in them that make actually profession of it that it is terminated in them and none of their seed are taken in with them Here I cannot be so clear in my method as in the former some have so mudded the way that it is not easie to proceed in any faire and cleare order As to the latter branch concerning the New Covenant their opinion is fully and clearly enough held out All beleevers according to them are in covenant and onely those that actually beleeve They entitle themselves but cannot interest their seed in any title to it But as to the first Covenant some make it to consist meerly of carnal promises and Circumcision they answerably make a carnal badge and so their opinion is clear that the first descends to posterity but not the second The seed is included in the first carnal covenant but excluded from the second But one undertaking a full Comment upon those words of the Covenant Gen. 17. 7. I will be a God to thee and thy seed distinguishes of the seed of Abraham and saith it is many wayes so called and by his distinction instead of clearing much darkens the thing in question 1. Christ is called the seed of Abraham by excellency Gal. 3. 16. 2. All the Elect Rom. 9. 7. all Beleevers Rom. 4. 11 12 16 17 18. are called the seed of Abraham that is the spiritual seed 3. There was a natural seed of Abraham to whom the inheritance did accrue this was Isaac Gen 21. 12. 4. A natural seed whether lawful as the sons of Keturah or base as Ishmael to whom the inheritance belonged not Gen. 15. 5. Here by the way he much mistakes himself 1. In casting Ishmael out of Covenant in that manner that all the time of his Circumcision he had not any title to it as afterwards he more fully explaines himself to that end that he might make were it possible the Covenant and the Seale distinct of themselves without any relation one to the other Conceiving some to be sealed that were never in Covenant and some to be in Covenant that were never sealed But Ishmael was in covenant as was Esau also at his Circumcision and his circumcision were there no more arguments doth witnesse it Gen. 17. 11. Ye shall Circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a token of the Covenant between me and you Circumcision was bottomed on the Command we grant had there been no institution no man might have presumed to have signed it with such a Seale but the Command had relation to the Covenant Men in Covenant were the adequate subject of Circumcision and are of Baptisme Gen. 17. 9 10. God said to Abraham Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations This is my Covenant which you shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-childe among you shall be circumcised He was indeed after cast out with his seed as was Esau not by a Church-censure as Master Cotton affirmes Holinesse of Church-Members Church-censures fall not so heavy as to reach all posterity but by divine prerogative as the Apostle Rom. 9. abundantly declares His casting out sufficiently argues that he was once in and when he received the token of the covenant he was in covenant 2. He does ill in laying upon Ishmael the brand of bastardy as though he were a sonne of whoredomes to faithful Abraham Concubines in Scripture have the name of wives and their seed was ever accounted legitimate neither will this serve his purpose at all to argue Ishmael out of Covenant It was the case of Dan and Nepthali Gad and Asher out of whose loines a considerable part of Gods Covenant-people did issue as well as Ishmaels And could he fasten that ignominy on Abraham and Ishmael to make it an illegitimate issue yet this would not cast Ishmael out of covenant It was the case of Pharez Zarah Jephthah and yet they were all in Covenant with God 2. He makes applicat on of this distinction and saith Of the three former kinds of Abrahams seed the promise recited is meant but in a different manner thus That God promiseth he will be a God to Christ imparting in him blessings to all the Nations of the earth to the spiritual seed of Abraham in Evangelical benefits to the natural seed inheriting in domestick and political benefits So that it evidently appeares that he casts out all the natural seed of Abraham legitimate or base as he calls them inheriting or not inheriting from any title to that Covenant save in domestick and political benefits Here I shall undertake a Position in full opposition that that Covenant in those words exprest I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to they seed after thee Gen. 17. 7. in their fullest latitude as they are there spoken in the largest comprehension which according to Scripture they can be taken are entred with all the natural seed of Abraham by Isaac and Jacob. But before I come to the confirmation of it which is a matter of ease if any give me leave as well for the help of the Reader as satisfaction of the Adversary to premise some things to avoid all misunderstandings being necessitated to it by the foul miscarriage of some in their stating of this question First we take not in all the natural seed of Abraham as the Position plainly expresseth but the seed by promise which I understand not of the Elect or Regenerate seed but of that seed which God by miracle according to promise gave to Abraham by Sarah when she was past years of
being sanctified they are holy Sixthly If children be not taken into Covenant with their parents then the most godly of Parents bring up children not in covenant but for a covenant not in any present interest of relation to God but at best in an hopeful expectation of it They bring not forth children to God but at best they have their desires to traine them for such a future visible relation But there is no such example in all Scripture of a parent in covenant training up the seed of their bodies for a covenant No one in all New Testament-Scripture ever bred up a childe in yeares to baptize him no more than in Old Testament-Scriptures they bred their children to circumcise them we read of many baptized in years but we read of none borne of Christian parents kept till yeares of discretion to be baptized Seventhly If children be not received into covenant with their parents but stand without covenant and in no right of Church-membership then they are without any Scripture-ground of hope of salvation then they are as all others that are out of covenant without Christ without God without hope And because some have risen up against this Argument with high clamours though hitherto with feeble or rather no reasons I shall somewhat more enlarge my self in confirmation of it That which the prime authours of and chiefest sticklers for the non-federation of infants freely confesse which the general consent of their adversaries Protestant Writers unanimously upon Scripture grounds conclude that the present Patrons can maintain with nothing but clamours and such reasons improved to the highest which will equally conclude the hopes of the greatest Drunkards Idolaters Adulterers Heathens that must be taken for an Argument of force and a reason conclusive this cannot be denyed But so it is here as I shall make good in several particulars 1. Those of the Church of Rome that have stood up against Infants covenant-holinesse do confesse that all infants going out of the world as they came into the world in that estate perish and so have provided a chamber in hell which they call by the name of Limbus Infantum and now since their Limbus Patrum by Christs death is made empty by the fetching out all that were there in expectation of him and the number of infants thus dying increasing it is said by some that these two are laid together howsoever it falls out with these places about which we have no reason to busie our selves this position that infants thus dying without any covenant or Church-interest do perish followes as directly from their principles as any conclusion from its premises 2. Protestant Divines who assert Infant-salvation and beleeve no such division of hell into chambers and have other thoughts of the condition of Infants still bring this interest of theirs in the covenant of God as their ground not prying into the secrets of Election nor urging prerogative above that which is written the covenant of God Gen. 17. 7. confirmed by the New Testament-Scriptures before mentioned They very well know that in case Papists can wrest this covenant-interest of infants from them they conclude according to Scripture-ground their damnation Luke tells us there were daily added to the Church such as should be saved namely to the Church visible as the Text is clear Acts 2. 47. Now if they stand not admitible into the Church they stand without hope of salvation see how the Apostle joynes these together Ephes 2. 12. Without Christ being aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the world If any can conclude against the interest of any in the Common-wealth of Israel that is the Church of God and the covenants of promise which those do that will have them to be no Church-members nor to be taken into covenant with Parents they sadly doome them to be without Christ without God without Hope Those that disclaime Zuinglius his opinion that Hercules Socrates Aristides Numa and such like Heathens are now in heaven would be desired to shew how they cast those out upon that account as Heathens and take in infants as great strangers according to them to any Church-interest Infants want not sin for condemnation our first Original estate being a corrupt estate and by nature children of wrath and putting them out of covenant they can finde no Scripture-way to entitle them to Christ for redemption They seeme to conceive other hopes of the salvation of infants of Heathens that upon the same ground they may be charitable to the infants of Christians that with them are in the same posture with Heathens when they speak of Hercules and other Heathens as before yet speaking of the infants of Heathens they say It is bad to say that God doth not save some of the infants of Indians pro bene placito according to his good pleasure For any warrant we can finde in Scripture it is as bad to say it of the parent as of the childe The Scriptures leave the whole of the Family root and branch under the fury and wrath of God Jeremiah 10. 25. Psal 79. 6. 3. The present Patrons of this non-federation of infants can maintaine their salvation with nothing but clamours and such reasons improved to the highest that equally conclude the salvation of the greatest drunkards adulterers idolaters Heathens I shall now purposely for peace sake passe by those high clamors and bitter invectives that we meet with on this occasion and come to take notice of the reasons produced to exempt infants from this doom of condemnation and all that I can find is one and the same thing to fly for refuge to prerogative This is my judgement saith one that God will have us to suspend our judgment of this matter and Rest on the Apostles determination Rom. 9. 18. For satisfaction of which I need to adde no more than what I have said page 15. of my Answer seeing it rests not one word yet replied to it The Text of Scripture which we have over and over is that God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy telling his adversary that it is bad to say that God doth not save pro bene placito which no adversary of his will deny But God is pleased in his Word to make known the way of the dispensation of his mercy otherwise the vilest person against whom in our ministerial way we denounce Gods judgments may reply that his hope of salvation is as good as the best for God saves ex bene placito and hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and the best soul in a case of disertion will take off all his applications of comfort with the close of that Scripture And whom he will he hardeneth Rom. 9. 18. And so the Jews even in their rejection of which the Apostle speaks so largely being cut off by unbelief might have pleaded their hope
Scripture to deliver unto us the grounds of it If they will subscribe to that part That the grounds reasons and causes of the necessity of infant-Baptisme are contained in Scriptures then I will subscribe to the other that those words infants ought to be baptized are not the Scripture Then Doctor Prideaux is brought in who sayes Paedobaptisme rests on no other divine right then Episcopacy but we are not told whether Doctor Prideaux goes about to bring down infant-Baptism to unwritten Tradition or to bring up Episcopacy to divine right according to Scripture And out of these Premisses this conclusion is inferred that the Ancients and learned afore Zuinglius did account infant-Baptisme to have been an unwritten tradition having reason from Scripture not evident of it self but to be received from the determination of the Church Which for ought that I can discerne is thus gathered some Papists to set up unwritten traditions have in contradiction to themselves fastened infant-Baptisme upon it of which onely one lived before Zuinglius Some Protestant Writers every one of them living after Zuinglius speak not one word to the purpose Ergo the learned before Zuinglius did account infant-Baptisme to be an unwritten tradition Me thinks the Scripture-Arguments which may be found in Authors far above Zuinglius his standing as in Aquinas 3. part quaest 68. art 9. August de Baptis contra Donat. lib. 4. cap. 24. with others might with more strength conclude that they rested on a written foundation and were not satisfied with unwritten tradition CHAP. LVI The reality of connexion between the Covenant and initial seale asserted THe several minor propositions in the syllogismes before laid down being proved at large in the foregoing discourse So that nothing more needs to be added yet if there be no necessary connexion between the covenant and the seale the major propositions will yet be called into question Though it be granted that infants be Church-members are in covenant have the promises are Saints are in the bosome of the Church by birth-priviledge are children of the Kingdome c. Yet it will be said though most unreasonably that they are not yet to be baptized I shall therefore 1. Bring Scripture proofes for the real connexion between the covenant and the seale clearing those Scriptures from exceptions taken against them 2. I shall make it good with arguments or reasons 3. I shall returne answer to objections brought against that which is here asserted That all in covenant are to enjoy the initial seal of the covenant let the words of God himself in the institution of circumcision be considered Gen. 17. 7 9 10 11 14. I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations 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 foreskinne and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people Here we see 1. A covenant entered 2. A seal appointed as the Apostle Rom. 4. 11. calls it 3. The necessary connexion between the seal and covenant declared They are to be circumcised because they are in covenant Having interest in the covenant They have together with it interest in the initial seal against this is objected First All the force of this proof hangs on the particle therefore verse 9. and may be rendared And thou or but thou as well as thou therefore and is by others rendered Tu autem and Tu vero which are neither of them illative termes 1. We have no reason but that it may be an illative as well as a copulative and being an illative particle he hath no exception against the strength of it 2. I deny that all the force of the proof hangs on that particle look farther on into verse 10. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-childe among you shall be circumcised and take in with it Acts 7. 8. And he gave him the covenant of circumcision And so Abraham begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day c. and let them at more leisure finde an answer to this argument That which God himself calls by the name of a covenant ought not to be separated from it But God calls circumcision by the name of a covenant Ergo they ought not to be separated 2. Let them consider the relation in which the Apostle puts this Sacrament of circumcision to the covenant Rom. 4. 11. An instituted appointed signe and seale is not to be divided from that which it signifies and seales circumcision was an instituted appointed signe and seale of the covenant therefore it is not to be divided from it Secondly it is said If it were granted that therefore is the best reading yet that the inference verse 9. should be made from the Promise only verse 7. I will be a God to thee and thy seed after thee and not as well if not rather from the Promise verse 8. of giving to him and his seed the land of Canaan I finde no sufficient reason given This reference engages the adversary 1. In a contradiction to himself who sayes elsewhere the promise of the Gospel was confirmed to Abraham by the signe of circumcision He also contends that it was a mixt covenant made up of spiritual and temporal mercies and then it must take in the spiritual as well as the temporal Promise All that know the nature of covenants and use of Seales know that the Seale ratifies all that the covenant containes But the covenant according to him contained not barely the promise of the land of Canaan and therefore the reference must carry it farther than the land of Canaan 2. It engages him in a contradiction to the Apostle who makes circumcision a signe and seale not alone of the land of Canaan but of the righteousnesse of faith Thirdly It is said But if it were yielded that the inference were made peculiarly from the Promise verse 7. to be a God to Abraham and his seed it must be proved that every Believers Infant childe is Abrahams seed afore it be proved that the Promise belongs to them It must either be proved that they are Abrahams children or have the priviledge of the Children of Abraham which from Genesis 9. 27. Rom. 11. 17. is sufficiently proved especially being confirmed by those Texts that carry the covenant in Gospel-times to the issue And for his exception that the covenant was not made to every childe of Abraham though it were true yet it would not serve his purpose provided that we in Gospel-times
to doubting Christians First A life in distrust of God and rebellion against God provoking him to the highest punishment of the parents doth not divest the child of the title to the covenant and interest in the Sacrament of initiation into the number of Christians For proof of this look upon that act of Joshua when the people were got out of the Wildernesse and were brought into the Land of Canaan Josh 5. 6 7. The children of Israel walked fourty yeers in the Wildernesse till all the people that were men of warre that came out of Egypt were consumed because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord And the children which he raised up in their stead them did Joshua circumcise for they were uncircumcised they had not circumcised them in the way you see what the fathers were yet the children Joshua ordered to be circumcised Concerning their conversation the parents were enemies but as touching the election the choice made of God the issue is to be numbred among the beloved Who had a worse father than Josiah yet where was there a better son A circumcised man who in youth began to seek the God of his father David 2 Chron. 34. 3. Secondly Misbelief in a parent divests not the issue of this birth-priviledge though the father erre in the faith yet the child is not to be shut out of the number of beleevers We have in this particular the Apostle for a precedent had misbelief in the parent denuded the childe of this priviledge Saint Paul had not beene a Jew by nature but an Heretick or Sectary by nature being before conversion a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee Scribe was a name of office but Pharisee the name of a Sect and therefore Christ warns to beware of the leaven that is of the Doctrine of the Pharisees as of the Sadduces Such was Pauls parentage and yet by descent and off-spring he is of the people of the Jewes What we say of Pharisees is as true of Sadduces It is not to be doubted but they were circumcised persons and entitled their children according to the Directory in Scripture for circumcision as appears by their embodying of themselves with the people of the Jewes Matth. 22. 23. Acts 23. 6. The most strict of Pharisees took them into their society which they had not done had they not been men of the circumcision we see the accusation charged on Peter on this occasion Acts 11. 2 3. A man transmits not his errors nor his vices no more than he doth his graces Thirdly ignorance of needful truths in a parent doth not divest the childe of this priviledge Those were the people of God and therefore brought forth children to God that did perish for lack of knowledge Hosea 4. 6. that went into captivity for lack of knowledge Isa 5. A reverend brother giving his reasons why he is among his brethren singular in this point not baptizing all born in his Parish one maine one is the grosse ignorance among them and that as he sayes not in Cumberland and those parts but in Essex such that if he should print his Reader would scaree beleeve it were possible to be true To which I only say I wish that our own experience in the places where we live did give us occasion of suspition that any wrong is done them Therefore to let the truth passe unquestioned I would only wish him to consider whether there might not have been found the like in Corinth that Church of the Saints 1 Cor. 15. 34. Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Whether there he might not have found the like among the illuminated Hebrews were not there those that were dull of hearing that when for the time they ought to be teachers they had need that one teach them againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meat yet these were of the Church and therefore with them their children Fourthly illegitimation of birth adulterous copulation in the parents divesteth not such issue of this priviledge David had never in that manner sought in fasting and prayer his childes life had he believed that he must not have been of the seed of the Jews but of the uncircumcised Heathen Pharez was of such a birth yet who bore a greater name and glory in Israel than he and his family even where the illegitimation of his birth is noted there the glory of his race is magnified which is yet farther honoured in that Christ according to the flesh was made of his seed That seed of Abraham per eminentiam was out of his loynes Jepthah indeed was driven out by his brethren but not because that he was not of the seed of the Jews and people of God but because they would not have him to share of the inheritance among them A Reverend Divine saith Objections an ∣ swered That some persons may be notorious offenders as known Atheists mockers of Religion Idolaters Papists Hereticks Witches and yet professe before men the faith seemes to him to imply a contradiction These I confesse are plausible words to take with well-meaning souls that attend not to the language of the Scripture in this particular And for the first if he meanes Atheists in judgement that professedly maintaine in word what Davids fool said in his heart that there is no God and by mockers of Religion not those alone that oppose the power but with Lucian all notion of Religion and by Idolaters those that professedly worship false gods and worship not at all the Lord Jehovah then it cannot be denied that this is a contradiction But Reverend Master Rutherford whom he opposeth in that place hath no such meaning But for an Atheist in life to be a professour of the faith we have Paul expressely for it Titus 1. 16. They professe that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate The Apostle we see saw no contradiction in it and for mockers of Religion Peter did not foretell them to be out of the Church but within the bosome of it when he said There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3 3. For Idolaters if an Israelite might be an Idolater then a Christian How high were those in Idolatry mentioned Psal 106. 36 37 38 39 and yet in covenant ver 45. For the Church of Corinth the Apostle is plaine A brother may be an Idolater 1 Cor. 5. 11. It is within the Church and not without where men escape death by plagues yet repent not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of gold and silver and brasse and stone and of wood which neither can see nor heare nor walke Rev 9. 20. For Papists I marvel how they are distinguished from Idolaters and Hereticks for Hereticks as false Prophets were
of of God who go up into the Pulpit in the name of Christ to preach his Word ought to have such firmness of Faith in them that they are assured that their Doctrine can no more be overthrowne then God himself now truely this faith is much to be commended to us we may have much learning much reading but little Faith be very scepticall and deale in Divinitie as we use to do in Philosophy videtur quod sic videtur quod non Great Schollars are not alwayes great beleevers The want of this maketh a man of a Socinian faith an Arminian faith a Popish faith as often as any plausible Argument or carnal Interest interposeth 2. With this knowledge labour much after Casuisticall Divinity whereby you may be able to direct the tempted in cases of Conscience To guide the afflicted in soul what they are to doe Indeed the Papists have a deale of Casuisticall divinitie in large voluminous discourses but it is for the most part calculated according to their meridians of superstitious usages and Customes but it is pitty that among us Protestants our controversall Bookes are farre more then our casuisticall yet remember the Scripture calleth it the tongue of the Learned Isa 50. 4. To know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary The wounds of Conscience are the most tender and therefore require a Spirituall skilfull Physitian The Consciences of men are the subject matter of your Office and therefore look after that Ars Cordis which is indeed a liberall art that will set us free 3. He that will faithfully discharge the Office of his Ministery must regard the end of it the finis operis and finis operantis the finis ministerii and ministri must be all one The end of the Ministry is to exalt God Christ to dethrone Satan to bring many out of their sins unto the obedience of the Gospel Now if a man aim at other things in his Ministry then this he can never comfortably discharge it To be a Minister for earthly profits for ambition and vain glory these will be like the gravel that will presently stop the Ship in its passage and truly herein we may much lament our entrance in to this work how many set upon it as a profession to live upon by that they hope to satisfie their needs but if this end and motive do still reign in thee it will be like a milstone about thy neck outward maintenance may be a secondary end but not the principal still then a we thy soul with the end of thy office that all other knowledge is exercised about the body or mens Estates or the nature of things but thine is Theology De Deo à Deo in Deum its concerning God objectively it s from God effectively it s to God finally 4. He that will faithfully discharge this Office of the Ministry must as Paul professeth 2 Cor. 1. 12. have his conversation with all godly simplicity and sincerity He is to carry on his work in Scripture-ways avoiding those two Rocks Media violentiae and Media fraudulentiae A man of a crafty multiplicity of Spirit will turn into any shape dispute for any thing a lawful This the Jesuit said to one for so I understand it who doubted about something he was to do whether lawful or no Aude saith he nos efficiemus probabile Jansen St. August lib. proaem pag. 9. Be daring to do it and we will make it probable now this simplicity of Spirit in Ministerial imployment is greatly seen in an obediential dependance upon the word of God whether in matter of Duty or of Faith What is it that maketh so many learned Men embrace Errors after Errors but because they leave Faith and attend to reason They think we come to be Christians by Disputations and scientifical Demonstrations as we come to be Philosophers not by a single and plain captivating of our understandings to the scripture whereas it is Christian Faith not Christian reason It is said to be Nazianzens Emblem Theologia nostra est Pythagorica by this simplicity of Spirit a man shall overcome those Temptations which are usually in Scholars to bring inaudita invisa strange and unheard things unto our People especially let the Ministers of the Gospel be so guided by simplicity of Spirit that they may avoid these three Rocks First that while they avoid a Popish blinde obedience to men examining things by Scripture they therefore do not make all things uncertain That of Durand is true whosoever forsaketh reason because of humane Authority incidit in insipientiam bestialem maketh himself like a Beast yet let not this liberty be abused to licentiousness to believe nothing to despise all those Ministerial helps which God hath vouchsafed to the Church because he is to try all things though he must try yet he must not be always trying but hold fast that which is good 1 Thess 5. 21. This liberty and particular Judgement of discerning which God alloweth every man is not to be opposed to that decisive Ministerial Judgement which God hath appointed in his Church Secondly under pretence of a more moderate and impartial handling of things as not being addicted unto parties take heed thou do not make a party of thy self as the Sect of Philosophers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogen Laert. in Proent pretending they would be of no Sect but choose the best Art of all thus they made a Sect while they condemned all Lastly Take heed of being deceived under the pretence that thou doest not bring in any new matter but new words or thou dost digest things into a better method for by this means men leaving that simplicity and Scripture-dependance they once had have corrupted their Ministerial Office instead of a faithful discharge of it Fifthly To a faithful discharge of this dreadful Office there is required an excellent compound of many choice Graces insomuch that a Ministers qualification is like that Ointment that was to be made for the Priest onely There must be love and compassion to Peoples Souls which was abundantly discovered in our Savior himself Paul compareth himself sometimes to a Father sometimes to a Mother sometimes to a Nurse because of this affectionate desire in him There must be Zeal Fortitude and Courage the spirit of love and of power also he is not a Minister that is not ad mille mortes paratus said Chrysostome as a good Souldier endure hardship saith Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 3. There must be Prudence and Wisdom else Love and Power will make us like Sampson without eyes there must be salt in the Sacrifice as well as fire Oportet Pastor sit totus oculus a Pastor must be an Argus full of eyes Again there must be an Heavemly heart contemning the world and all earthly advantages The eye that is to see for others must not have dust falling into it Austin maketh an Heretick to have some carnal profit or
servandae anathema fit Sess Sept. Canon Sex b Baptismus non id efficit ut homo solius fidei debitor â—it non autem implendae universae legis Duobus modis intelligi posse hominem baptizatum dici liberum à lege divina servanda uno modo ut facere contra eam legem non fit injustum nec peccatum quasi lex abrogata esset de hoc sensu non est controversia altero modo intelligi potest ut facere contra legem fit quidem peccatum tamen non imputetur iis qui fidem habent nec pendeat justificatio aut salus ab impletione legis sed à sola misericordia quae per fidem apprehenditur a Nam cum est aliquid carnalis concupiscentiae quod vel continendo foenetur nam omninò ex tota anima diligitur Deus b Diligitur tunc Deus ex toto corde cum quis ex intima sincera erga Deum affectione occupatur potissimùm in his quae Dei sunt prae omnibus illi placere studens ac sollicitus ut non tantum quaedam Dei mandata perficiat sed cuncta idque non seniter ex tristi animo sed gnaviter hilariter dolens ex animo si quid vel ab alliis vel à se per carnis infirmitatem admittatur contrium divinae voluntati Jansenii Harmon c. 81. The Law a rule of our duty not of our strength The Covenant of Grace doth not cal for perfection and accept sincerity Sol. Our Evangelical righteousnesse is imperfect Omnis humana justitia injustitia esse deprebendiâ—ur si divinitus districtè judicatur Gâ—egor Moral lib. 21. Cap. 15. Nostra fiqua est humilis justitia rectâ— forsitan sed non pura nisi fortè meliores nos esse credimus quà m patres nostros qui non minùs veraciter quam humiliter ajebant Omnes justitiae nostrae tanquam pannus meâ—stâ—utae mâ—lieâ—is Quo modo enim pura justitia ubi adhuc non potest culpâ— deesse Bern. in Serm. 5. de verbis Esajae pâ—ophetae The Covenant of grace requires and acccepts sincerity The Covenant of Grace defined Where a Ministery is not there is no Covenant-people Where the Gospel is tendered and refused there is no Covenant Where the Gospel is tendred there is a people in Covenant Reasons proving the establishment of a Ministery to be perpeâ—uated through all ages * There was an end of ages at Christs first coming Heb. 9. 26. There shall be an end of ages at his second coming See Gomarus Tom. 2. p. 530. Reasons evincing a necessity of such an established Ministery * Anglia bis 4. annis facta est colluâ—ies lerna omnium errotum sectarum nulla à condito orbe provincia tam parvo spaâ—io tot manstrosas haereses protulit atque haec Referunt Theoâ— Cestrens in attestatione sua excusa Anno Domini 648. Objections against a Ministerial Ordinance answered Joel 2. 28 29. vindicated Jerem. 31. 31 32 33 34. vindicated a Quòd autem fanatici homines hinc occasionem arripiunt abolendae exterrae praedicationis acsi sub Christi regno esset superuacua facilè corum insania rejellâ—tur Haec corum est objectio Post Christi adventum non debet quisque proximum suum docere sacessat igâ—tur externum Ministerium ut internae Dei inspirationi detur locus Atqui praeterâ—unt quod in primis animadversione dignum erat Neque enim in totum Propheta negat quin docturi sint alii alios sed haec sunt verbâ—â— non doccbunt dicendo Cognosce Dominum acsi diceret non amplius occupabit hominum mentes igneratia qualis antehac ut nesciant quis sit Deus Scimus autem duplicem esse Doctrinae usum Primò ut qui poenitus rades sunt a primis elementis incipiant deinde ut qui jam sunt initiati majores faciant progressus Quum ergo Christianis quam â—u vivunt proficiendum sit certum est ne minem usquo adeò satere qaiu â—oceri opus habeat utpars non postremae sapieriae nostrae sit docilitas Quae autem proficiendi sit ratio si velimus esse Christi discipuli Ptulus ostendit ad Eâ—â—es cap. 4. 11. Constituit Pastores Doctores c. Hinc apparet nihil minùs Prophetae venisse in mentem quà m spoliari Ecclesiam tam necessario bono Universities of necessary use Sol. Self-consecration to the Ministerial work unwarrantable A call from God to the Ministerial work must be expected The call of God is either extraordinary and immediate or ordinary and mediate by the Ministery of men The immediate call is by vision revelation c. The mediate and ordinary call is by Ordination Ordination described and in the several parts of it explained Men in Ministerial function are to act in it This Ordination is of Presbyters and Elders These Elders are the same with Bishops They are Elders of the Church universal Ordination is to be past on examination or trial To be solemnized with fasting and prayeâ—s Imposition of hands to be used in Ordination An Objection answered An Objection answered The danger of severing the promise from the duty Whole Christ must be received and all of his gifts embraced Promises are made to the wicked made good only to the beleeving and penitent The evil of breach of Covenant with man Breach of Covenant with God is a greater evil It brings National plagues It brings evil to eternity No Assurance of happinesse but in performance of the termes of the Covenant The office of the Spirit in the work of Assurance The immediate teste of the Spirits examined The Old and New Covenant The method followed in the ensuing part of the Treatise Agreement between the Old and New covenant in six particulars The Old and New Covenant in substance one Differences between the Old and New Covenant The Jews were in a state of light comparative to Heathens In a state of darkneâ—s comparative to Christiâ—ns Moses delivered a Covenant from God to Israel in Mount Sinai Mâ—ses delivered a Covenant of Grace to Israel The ten Commandments delivered by Moses were of this Covenant of Grace Being a Covenant of Grace it could by no means be a Covenant of Works What this Covenant is to any it is to all Under Moses his administration commands were frequent and full spiritual promises were rare and more obscure There was so much of Grace and Christ held out in the Old Covenant to leave them without excuse Many phrases in use under the Old Covenant-administration seemingly holding out a Covenant of Works according to Scripture use hold out a Covenant of Grace Though Moses delivered a Covenant of Grace to Israel yet the Law is sometime taken in that restrained sense as to hold forth a Covenant of Works The first imaginary difference between the Old and New Covenant Ad literam non fuisse promissionem remissionis peccatorum sed peculiaris protectionis gubernationis