to the possession of them 2. But secondly And rather that the case of Infants of Believers now is no otherwise concerned in this Objection than the case of the Infant-seed of the Church and people of God under the first Testament were and it may be pleaded with equal strength against their having been Members of the visible Church or Body of Christ then as against the right of Infant-seed of Believers to membership in the visible Church or body of Christ now the Church then constituted and made up of the natural posterity of Abraham with the addition of some few Proselites from among the Gentiles was the visible Body of Christ then as well as the Church made up of Jews and Gentiles under the new Testament is This I have so fully evidenced elsewhere that nothing more need be added here and indeed the Apostle in Eph. 3.6 is so plain and express that the Gentiles as converted to the Faith are of the same body with the Jews under the first Testament that to deny them to have been the body of Christ is to deny the Church now to be so and that the Apostle speaks there of the visible body of Christ is undenyable in that what he speaks of the Gentiles more generally he applyes to that Church of the Ephesians in particular Chap. 2.19 Each individual member of which Church that they did belong to the invisible Body of Christ he would not affirm but plainly intimates his suspition of the contrary Acts 20. ult Yet he speaks indefinitly or universally of this Church as injoying this priviledg to be of the same body viz. of Christ that the Jews afore were of an undoubted evidence that he speaks of the body of Christ as visible so that the Jews or the Jewish Church under the first Testament was the visible body of Christ for the Gentiles as converted to the Faith and gathered into particular Churches are of the same body Now it is past all rational contradiction that the Infant-seed both of Jews and proselited Gentiles were Members of the same body with their Parents hence let it be resolved how far or in what sense membership in the visible Body of Christ and Union and Communion with him as the Head was necessary or presupposed to their membership in his visible Body the same and no other is necessary and must be presupposed to Infants membership in the visible Body of Christ still the same answer then that will satisfie this Objection as they were concerned in it will alike satisfy it as the Infant-seed of Believers now are concerned in it in as much as they are equally and alike concerned in it 3. Thirdly and lastly I answer that it may be granted yea I conceive it must be affirmed that the Infant-seed of Believers and that universally have by vertue of the Covenant entred with them a real and proper Union with Christ and answerably may be looked upon and reputed in some sense as Members of his invisible body and on that ground are to be admitted into his visible Body Church or Kingdom only here that all mistakes may be obviated we must distinguish of Union with Christ it is either Political or Physical * It a Christo Ecclesia unita est ut in ea unione extet exemplum utriusque unionis scilicet Polit cae Physicae Vide Camer de Ecclesiae p. 225. By that Union I call Political I intend that Union which consists in those mutual Relations wherein Christ and his Church stand related each to other as King and Subjects Master and Servants Shepherd and Sheep the ratio fundendi or fundamentum proximum of this Union is the mutual consent of Christ and those that are thus united to him either in their own persons as in the case of the adult or on their behalf by those cujus juris sunt as in the case of Infants to accept and take each other in these respective Relations and this is that Union properly constituted by the Covenant By that Union I call Physical I intend a higher kind of Union viz. cujus vinculum est Spiritus sanctus that which is made by the indwelling of the same Spirit that was first poured out upon Christ in the soul which is proper to those that are truly regenerated in regard of which they are compared to branches and Christ to a Vine and Christ and they are said to be one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 or one spiritual body and though it is true that in respect of the adult those that have a Political Union with Christ are supposed also to have a Physical Union yet it is not necessary that all that have the former should have the latter Jesus Christ may take men into what degree or kind of Union with himself he sees meer Now when I say the Infant-seed of Believers have a real Union with Christ I mean it only of a Political which we may call a mere relative Union he is their King they are his Subjects he their Master they his Servants he their Shepherd they his Sheep and this Union they have with Christ is the proper ground of their admission into the Church visible or into the Kingdom Family Houshold or as I may so speak Sheepfold of Christ and that the Infant-seed of Believers and that universally have such a Union with Christ may be evidenced by a twofold argument 1. First all those by whom or on whose behalf the conditions of the Covenant are really and truly performed have a real and true Union with Christ but though not by for that 's not required of them yet on the behalf of the Infant-seed of Believers and that universally the conditions of the Covenant are really and truly performed Therefore c. Both Propositions carry their own evidence with so much clearness that as I cannot at present apprehend what can be replyed to so I conceive the adding of any thing for the proof of either would be superfluous surely the conditions of the Covenant between Christ and God in him and the Seed of Believers being performed though not by them yet on their behalf which is all one as though by them there must needs immediatly result such a Union with Christ Take it in all instances of this kind of Union and the mutual acceptation and performance of the Covenant or contracts by which that Union is constituted and the Union it self necessarily results and flows therefrom Now that the conditions of the Covenant are really and truly performed on the behalf of the Seed of Believers needs no other proof than that they are Believers whose Seed we now speak of it is the Faith and Repentance of Parents that are the conditions of the Seed's acceptation into Covenant 2. The same Union that the Covenant constitutes between Christ and some it constitutes between him and all with whom it is equally and alike established but the Covenant constitutes a true and real Union between Christ and some viz. adult
Believers therefore it constitutes the same Union between Christ and others viz. their Infant-seed it being equally and alike established with them as it is with Believers themselves This argument carries its evidence with the same clearness as the former For though it is true the conditions of the Covenant as established with adult Believers differ from the conditions of it as established with Infants yet that hinders not but that the Union constituted between Christ and them is one and the same with that constituted between him and adult Believers In as much as the Covenant accepts of the Parents Faith as the condition of the Child's admission thereinto as will as the Faith of grown Persons for their own admission thereinto now it is the Covenant as absolutely considered and not as requiring such and such conditions that constitutes this kind of Union between Christ and men be they adult or Infants neither can that higher kind of Union viz. Physical that Believers have with Christ be pleaded as a prejudice to Infants injoyment of this lower kind of Union with him seing neither the antecedent operations or consequent indwelling of the Spirit in the soul whereby that higher kind of Union is effected are any otherwise necessary to this lower kind of Union which I call Political or merely relative than the performance of the conditions of the Covenant by the adult and the Promises of the Covenant appertaining to them having personally performed them make so to be when the conditions of the Covenant may be truly and really performed without such operations of the Spirit as in the case of Infants they may and there is no promise of the indwelling presence of the Spirit as is also their case there a political Union may be really constituted and yet no higher Union granted so that Infants have a real Political Union with Christ is evident and indeed to grant them an interest in the Covenant and yet deny them such a Union would be absolutely contradictory What Objections carry any appearance of opposition against what hath been now granted yea asserted shall be considered hereafter This I say at present that the Infant-seed of Believers may be granted yea must be affirmed to have a true and real Political or relative Union with Christ the Head of the Church which as it gives them a right to membership so is a sufficient warrant for their admission into the actual possession of that their right in the Church Kingdom or Family of Christ as visible here upon earth neither are we concerned as I conceive to inquire or determine how far or in what sense they may be said by vertue of this Union to be Members of the Church or Body of Christ as invisible seing our judgment and practice relating unto them have divine revelation for their ground and rule This objection being removed out of our way I shall now proceed to inquire what good benefit or advantage the Infant-seed of Believers have by their membership in the visible Church Body or Kingdom of Christ and it may be reduced to these three heads 1. First which I shall but touch upon they as Members of the visible Church are comprehended in and have the benefit of those prayers that are continually made for the whole Israel of God or the Church of God in general as it is the duty of Believers in their more general Assemblies so of each particular Believer to make known their requests unto God for themselves or on his own behalf by prayer supplication with thanksgiving as the Apostle speaks Phil. 4. So to pray for Jerusalem or the Church of God in general pray for the peace of Jerusalem in Psal 122.6 By Jerusalem we are to understand the Church of God in general and as this is the duty of Believers so that love both to Christ the head and to the whole Body of which each in particular is a Member that is the inseparable effect of regeneration obliges and constrains them to the performance of it hence it is but seldom but sincere Saints especially in their more solemn addresses unto God 〈◊〉 leave some 〈…〉 in the Psalmist Psal 51.18 So in the Apostle Gal. 1.16 Though the one was only making application to God for relief in a particular case the other leaving his valedictory benediction with those he had written to yet Zion or the Israel of God shall not be forgotten by the one or the other Hence there is as I may so speak a stock of Prayers not treasury of Merits continually treasuring up for the Church of God in which the Infant-seed of Believers have their interest and share and this is no small benefit to have so many thousands whom the Lord hath appointed as his remembrancers daily putting him in mind of his Covenant and Promises as made with and to his Church whereof they are Members as well as of the Covenant and Promises made with and to them in special as the Seed of such Parents and this if duly considered might yield great comfort to believing Parents that theirs as well as themselves are dayly presented before the Throne of Grace by so many who are under the promise of having the ear of God open to them 2. And rather being Members of the visible Church Kingdom or Family of our Lord Christ they have a joynt interest with all other members in that special providential care that he exercises over his own house That the work of providence is put into the hand of Christ by the Father is evident as from variety of other Scriptures so in special from that John 5.22 where Christ himself tells us that the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son yet not so as to cease to work himself for the Father works in and by the Son but that the work of Providence is put into the hand of the Son is evident and this work of Providence or providential care of Christ is twofold 1. First more general and so it extends to the utmost bounds and limits of the creation of God no creature that received its being from God but it is under providence as administred by Christ as all things are made by him so by him do all things consist 2. Secondly more special and thus the Church is the proper object of the special providential care of Christ therefore he is said by way of Emphasis to be the keeper of Israel Psal 121.4 He that keepeth Israel or as the words may be read he that is keeping Israel neither slumbreth nor sleepeth as we have here the special object of divine Providence viz. Israel that is the Church so the exactness and speciality of that providential care exercised towards or over that object intimated partly in the word keepeth or keeping that is carefully and diligently keeping * Curam solicitudinem diligentiam connotat more fully declared in the following words neither slumbreth nor sleepeth a man though he fall not
twofold ground 1. First the ordinary way of Christ's dealing with men especially in his outward dispensations towards them he deals with them according to what they are or appear to be not according to what he foresees they will be or will do hence sayes the Lord by the Prophet Azariah to Asa Judah and Benjamin the Lord is with you while you be with him 2 Chron. 15.2 Though there might be as doubtless there were many whose hearts were not sound nor upright with God yet this promise is made to them in general that while they should keep with God in the observation of his commands he would be with them 2. Secondly The other ground upon which what hath been affirmed is established is the indefinitness of the Apostle's expression Heb. 1.14 Where speaking of the Angels are they not saith he miniâ—â—â—ing spirits sent forth for the good of them that shall be heirs of Salvation The Angels minister unto men as considered and eyed under that notion viz. as heirs of Salvation the Apostle speaketh not of them as elect nor yet absolutely as Believers * 〈…〉 their Election is secret hid with God the truth of their Faith may not 〈…〉 known to Angels it is God alone that so 〈…〉 perfectly to know the hearts of men and what 〈…〉 hence the Angels minister to the 〈…〉 as appearing so to them Now 〈…〉 their Infant-state are visibly heirs of Salvation or visibly appear to be such who shall be heirs of Salvation as may further appear hereafter And answerably the Angels in pursuance of their general commission do minister to them as eying them under that notion viz. as heirs of Salvation so that though I deny not but elect Infants may have a more full benefit by this special providential care that our Lord Christ exercises over his own Family than the Non-elect have yet this I say that the Infant-seed of Believers in general or universally being admitted visible members of his Family and appearing as heirs of Salvation before they have made a forfeiture of their Covenant-interest have an equal interest in the service and ministration of Angels so far as that is performed according to their more general commission with the rest of the members thereof besides many particular services done by the Angels according to particular directions from Christ beyond what the rest of mankind yet strangers to the Covenants of Promise have 2. Whether this special providential care of Christ be not extended to Elect-Infants born unto unbelievers as well as to those that are visible members of his Church and if so then such would have the same benefit that they have being admitted Answ It is not to be doubted but that our Lord Christ knows who are his by election as well as by vocation and that he hath a respect to them as such antecedent to their Union with him and admission into the Church visible but yet let these three things be considered 1. First That how far or in what sense soever the providential care of Christ is extended to and exercised over such yet supposing the Infant-seed of Believers excluded from his Church and Family that his care would be but particular and not universal it would reach only to the elect and not to all their Seed and consequently the priviledge of the Seed of Believers would be greatly narrowed and lessened beyond what now it is yea the Seed of Believers as such would have no benefit by the special providential care of Christ beyond what the Seed of others have neither could their Parents take any comfort in or make any improvement of the consideration of their Seed's injoyment of this priviledge in as much as they should not then injoy it as their Seed but only as elected and who or whether any of their Seed were elected each particular Believer would be uncertain 2. Secondly The case of Infants and of the adult in this regard is one and the same no doubt but our Lord Christ hath a respect to the Elect whether in their infancy or as grown up beyond what he hath to others and yet we find the Church and that as visible greatly magnified yea even admired on the account of this priviledge Oh Israel who is like unto thee a people saved by the Lord the shield of thy help Deut. 33.29 It is primarily meant of this providential care that our Lord Christ exerciseth over his Church as visible and what is said of the Church in general is true of and applicable to each particular member as sharing in the common priviledges of the whole and therefore 3. Thirdly I answer that neither Infants nor grown persons though as pertaining to the election of Grace have an equal interest in and benefit by this care of Christ while strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel with those that are actual members of that Common-wealth it is Israel that the excellency of God is over Psal 68.34 This will clearly appear in the case of Ruth the Moabitess that she appertained to the election of Grace will not as I suppose be questioned by any and yet shall we think she had the same benefit by this special providential care of God over his Church antecedent to her coming to trust under the wing of the God of Israel as Boaz speaks in Ruth 2.12 that she had after she was actually come what benefit then had she in that respect by her forsaking her own people and joyning her self with the people of God And as I said the case of Insants and of grown persons is one and the same so that this is no small good or benefit that the Infant-seed of Believers have by their admission into the visible Church above and beyond what the Seed of others that are without do injoy that thereby they are brought under that special providential care that our Lord Christ does exercise over his Church Kingdom or Family Quest 3. It may be farther inquired wherein does the good or benefit of being under this providential care of Christ consist what difference is put thereby between the Infant-seed of Believers and the Infant-seed of others Answ To that I shall only say in general that it is a good and benefit to be under this care of Christ cannot rationally be doubted of by any who with their hearts believe that God hath raised him up from the dead and given him to be the head over all things to the Church though the effects thereof be not always obvious unto sense Some indeed have not been ashamed to put the question where is the God of Judgment not being able to discern any difference in his providential dispensations towards the righteous and the wicked But will any man that is initiated in the School of Christ and hath learned in any measure to walk by Faith and not by Sense infer herefrom that either there is no providential care exercised over the righteous or that they have no benefit thereby The non-appearing unto
and have their accomplishment in that some have had a power of working Miracles or in that such a power hath been exerted in the Church though possibly not in the fulness of it by any one particular Believer So in our present case the Covenant as made with and Promises as made to the Church or House of Israel as a Collective Body being indefinite they do not infallibly secure the good contained in them to every individual Member only such a good to the Church in general and answerably every individual Member stands night to and is a more especial object of them than those that are without And yet for the farther clearing up and confirming of what hath been said we may observe that that twofold Good before mentioned intended in these Promises is distinctly promised to the Church as a Collective body 1. First For the outward means of Grace thus in that Psal 147.17 He hath shewed his Judgments unto Jacob and his Statutes unto Israel he hath not done so to every Nation I conceive we are to take these words not barely as Historical of what God did for the Church of the Jews but Promissory wherein God does graciously ingage himself to vouchsafe such outward means to his Church throughout all ages as shall be sufficient through the concurring operations of the Spirit to convey the saving knowledg of himself in Christ to and work Grace in the hearts of the several Members thereof however this seems evident that the Psalmist speaks not of God's shewing his Judgments to Jacob and Statutes to Israel as a Priviledge peculiar and proper to the Jewish Church but as the Church of God and answerably declares what is one of the great Priviledges of the Church throughout all ages viz. to injoy the Oracles of God or the outward means of Grace And hence it is that the Apostle tells the Jews as then not unchurched that it was necessary or of necessity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Gospel should be first preached unto them Acts 13.46 and why was this necessary or of necessity but because they yet appertaining to the visible Church should while they so continued have a sufficiency of outward means whereby the saving Knowledg of God in Christ and a work of Grace might be communicated to and wrought in them God having granted that to his Church as one of her great Priviledges here upon earth 2. Secondly For the effectual operations of the Spirit with their inseparable Fruits and sffects and thus our Lord Christ hath promised the constant and perpetual presence of the Spirit in and with his Church I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever John 14.16 We are not to understand this as a Promise to particular Believers though in whomsoever the Spirit of God doth dwell he dwells and abides for ever yet of that indwelling presence of the Spirit in the hearts of particular Believers I conceive our Lord Christ does not here speak but of his presence in and with his Church in general in which sense Christ is said to walk in the midst of the golden Candlesticks Now the great end of the Spirit 's presence in and with the Church is to make effectual by his internal operations the external means of Grace for the ends whereunto they are vouchsased so that we see the Promises of saving Grace both of the external means whereby that Grace is wrought and of the Spirit by whose operations those means are made effectual do in a particular and special manner appertain to the visible Church and consequently the Seed of Believers being Members thereof they must needs stand nigher to and be more especially the Objects of those Promises than the rest of Mankind who are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel and surely it can be no small benefit or advantage to stand in so nigh a capacity to these Promises to be of that Body or Family to whom they do belong though the good contained in them be not infallibly secured to every individual To be of any Body Politick Corporation or Society unto which any peculiar Grants do belong is looked upon as a great Priviledg and Advantage though the Good granted be not infallibly secured to every individual Member yet every one in particular is in a nigher and greater capacity to injoy that Good than those that are not of such a Body Corporation or Society the case is the same here 2. But secondly and more particularly And thus we shall find that these Promises do yet in a more especial and peculiar manner belong to that part of or species of Members in the visible Church that consists in the Seed of Believers the Adult are supposed already to have the first Grace and therefore these Promises at least as they hold forth the first Grace have a more especial respect to the Seed of Believers Hence we shall find Promises of that twosold Good before mentioned expressly and particularly made unto them thus Isa 44.4 5. Sayes the Lord I will pour out my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thy Off-spring Seed and Off-spring here are synonimous terms they intend the same Subjects and by both the natural Seed of Believers is intended as is evident in as much as that term Off-spring is never used in any other sense than to signify natural Children or Posterity and by Spirit and Blessing the same good is intended only the latter term is explicative of the former I will pour out my Spirit and Blessing is as much as to say I will pour out my Spirit who as poured out upon shall be a blessing to them and in this promise of the Spirit is implyed the vouchsafement of the outward means through and by which God does pour out his Spirit upon his People The Doctrine of the Gospel as some way communicated unto men is the ministration of the Spirit to them 2 Cor. 3.8 And hence the Promise of the Spirit does necessarily imply and include in it such a communication of the Gospel as through which according to the ordinary way of God's dealing with men the Spirit may be ministred to those to whom the Promise doth appertain and as the Spirit is here expressly promised to the Seed of Believers and the outward means of Grace implyed therein so in Isa 59. ult this twofold good is exprefsly and in terminis promised My Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy Seed nor out of the mouth of thy Seed's Seed from henceforth and for ever saith the Lord. It is a promise made to the universal Church and declares the way and means how and whereby God does uphold maintain and perpetuate his Church in the World it is by vouchsasing his Word or the outward means of Grace and his Spirit in a concurrence with them to his
as Subjects of the Covenant viz. saving Grace I have said so much to it once and again I need add no more at present that may suffice that the Promises containing that Good at least as it is meant of the first Grace are not made to any in particular they are made to the Church in general and answerably secure the Good contained in them only to the Elect and that hinders not but that God may extend his Covenant in the sense intended to some that are not elected But let that suffice for the first thing to be proved Secondly That this Promise as taken absolutely and by it self does not necessarily include or secure to all those to whom it is made or to whom it does appertain any surther Love and Favour from God that is peculiar and proper to the Elect as it does not nevessarily imply or infer Election or that all these to whom it is made are elected and consequently beloved with the Love of Election so it doew not necessarily include or secureany consequent Love or Favour that is peculiar and proper to the Elect. This will appear if we consider what Love and Favour is peculiar and proper to the Elect and that falls under a twofold consideration First As a love of Beneficence Secondly As a love of Complacence For the first And thus the Love and Favour of God as exprest in a way of Beneficence to the Elect differs from that common Love and Favour vouchsased to men in general only in degree and those fruits and effects wherein it is exprest 't is acted more intensely to speak of God after the manner of men and according to our shallow apprhensions of him and in different effects and fruits than it is acted and expressed towards men in general these Effects and Fruits which we are at present only concerned in may in the general be reduced to these three Heads Regeneration to a state of life Preservation in that state and suture Glorfication Now none of these Effects and Fruits of the Love and Favour of God are necessarily included in or secured by this Promise as taken absolutely and by it self this has been sufficiently proved already for if the first viz. Regeneration be not included in or secured by it neither of the two latter can in as much as they necessarity presuppose the antecedency of this Now that this first Fruit and Effect of that special Love and Favour of God peculiar and proper to the Elect is not necessarity included in or secured by this Promise is sufficiectly evident from what has been already said therefore I shall add no more Secondly For the latter viz. The Love and Favour of God as exprest in a way of complacency and delight and under this Head we may comprehend all those things wherein this Love and Favour of God is exprest or whereby it is signified to those to whom it is vouchsased as the signal manifestations of himself in Christ in his smiles upon the Soul the sheddings abroad of his Love in the heart and the like Now that the Love and Favour of God as exprest this way is not necessarily included in or secured by this Promise as taken absolutely and by it self will necessarily follow from what has been already said This Love and Favour of God to Men always supposes them truly regenerrte and sanctified and consequently cannot be included in or secured by that Promise in which Regeneration and Sanctification are not included or by which they are not secured or at least which does not presuppose them already wrought and is acted and expressed according to the degree of Sanctification attained to the lively exercise of Grace due performance of Obedience and the like Hence those that are truly regenerated may so sink and degenerate in their Sanctification exercise of Grace and performance of Obedience as that this Love shall be acted and expressed if at all yet in a very low and remiss degree whereas were it included in and secered by this Promise as taken absolutely and by it self it would be acted and expressed always alike towards all to whom this Promise does appertain So that to come to a close of this we may evidently see that as Interest in this Promise does not universally flow from the elevting Love of God he may make this Promise to some that are not elected and thereby constitute a true and proper Covenant-relation between himself them and answerably vouchsafe them the Token of his Covenant and by the Application of that to them solemnly admit them into his Church visible so no further or consequent Love or Favour that is peculiar and proper to the Elect is necessarily included in nor secured by that Promise and consequently which is the thing asserted this Promise as taken absolutely and by it self does not necessarily imply that all to whom it does appertain are under or do injoy any of that Love and Favour that is peculiar and proper to the Elect neither is that Love and Favour necessarily included in or secured by it to those to whom it does appertain But that is a second instance to prove what is afferted viz. That no particular Good contained in any of the Promises of the Covenant is either implyed in or secured by this grand Promise as taken absolutely and by it self to any to whom it does appertain I had intended to have proceeded somewhat furcher but I am loth to be over tedious and I conceive what has been said may suffice I suppose it will be granted that in case neither any of the saving influences and operations of the Spirit nor any of that special Love and Favour that is peculiar and proper to the Elect which are two of the most essential Good things of the Covenant be implyed in or secured to any to whom this Promise does appertain by it as taken absolutely and by it self then no other Good contained in any other Promise of the Covenant is implyed or included in or secured by it as so taken And therefore let that suffice for the second way how the communications of himself to and his actings for the Good Benefit and Advantage of his Covenant-people whereunto God has obliged himself by this Promise are limited they are limited by the tenour of the Covenant and of the various Promises contained therein and consequently no particular Good contained in any of the Promises of the Covenant being necessarily implyed or included in or secured by this Promise as taken absolutely and by it self it will undeniably follow that this Promise is only a more general obligation upon God to perform and make good the whole Covenant yet not absolutely but according to the true tenour of it and of the various Promises contained in it so that as none by vertue of this Promise can lay claim to any Good but what is somewhere promised so none can expect any Good promised but according to the tenour of and terms upon which the Promise