not agreed among themselves some granting that Ishmael was intended in that Promise and consequently that he was a party in that Covenant but deny that that Covenant was a Covenant of Grace Others granting that that was a Covenant of Grace but deny Ishmael to be a party in it whence it appears that in all these three Assertions viz. that Ishmael was intended in that Promise that the Covenant in which the Promise is contained is a Covenant of Grace That the Covenant of Grace cannot be broken we have the suffrage of some of our Opposites as they are taken severally But you will say They all agree 〈…〉 be all true taken conjunctively It is tâ—â—â— they do so and where their mistake lies either as 〈◊〉 what we affirm or as to the truth it self shall be now considered First And I shall first shew in what sence we hold and maintain the Covenant of Grace to be an immutable and unchangeable Covenant a Covenant that cannot be broken Secondly Lay down some Propositions for the vindicating the truth asserted in this first Proposition for carrying any appearance of repugnancy to that Principle held and maintained by us in the sence it is held and maintained by us concerning the immutability of the Covenant of Grace For the first and thus we must observe a twofold distinction First We must distinguish between an external and visible and an internal and invisible being in Covenant or between the Covenant of Grace as externally and visibly and as internally and invisibly plighted or mutually entred between God and men that there is an external and visible being in Covenant or that there is an external and visible plighting or mutual entring of Covenant between God and men where yet there is not an internal and invisible being in Covenant nor any internal mutual entring Covenant between God and men is evident through the whole Scripture and is so demonstratively proved by others especially Mr. Cobbett of New-England that it is wholly superfluous to add any thing I shall therefore only say that unless we do grant this distinction we must hold that either Christ hath no visible Body Church or People in the World or else that some may be of the visible Body Church or People of Christ who yet are not in any sence in the Covenant of Grace the former sure none will affirm and the granting the latter will grant what I contend for as will appear in the process of our discourse Secondly We must distinguish between being in Covenant through a personal acceptation of the terms of the Covenant and ingaging with God in a Covenant way and being in Covenant by vertue of the gratious tenour of the Covenant it self as made with Abraham and his Seed in their generations that there is a being in Covenant by a personal acceptation of the terms of the Covenant and ingaging with God in a Covenant way will be denied by none and that there is a being in Covenant or being under the promises of the Covenant by vertue of the gracious tenour of the Covenant it self will I hope sufficiently appear from the proof of this and our next Proposition Now when we say the Covenant of Grace is an immutable and unchangeable Covenant a Covenant that cannot be broken we intend it of the Covenant as personally and that intnely and sincerely entred by a truly regenerate Soul and not of the Covenant as only externally and unsincerely entred by Hypocrites nor of the Covenant as made with believing Parents with reference to their natural Seed and the meaning of what is affirmed concerning the immutability and unchangeableness of the Covenant of Grace is only this that when once a Soul is savingly wrought upon to a rightly closing in with Christ and a saving closing with the terms of the Covenant that Soul shall never totally and finally fall away so as to suffer an absolute and total loss of that Grace wrought in it nor be absolutely cast out of a Covenant state and relation God-ward whether these promises upon the warrant of which this immutability and unchangeableness of the Covenant is afferted and maintained will prove any more shall be considered at least so far as concerns my present purpose by and by Having then given the sence in which we hold the Covenant of Grace to be immutable and unchangeable I proceed to the second thing promised the Propositions and they are these First That this Covenant now established between God and Abraham and his Seed in their generations which I grant yea affirm that it was a Covenant of Grace the same in substance that Believers are still under was and still is a conditional Covenant Let not that term conditional offend I intend no more than what I suppose will on all hands be granted viz. That as God promised good to Abraham with reference both to himself and his Seed in their generations so he required the performance of duty as from Abraham himself so from his Seed in their respective generations In brief thus this Covenant contained promises of good from God yet with a restipulation of duty from the parties with whom it was made and unto whom the promises did appertain and this is essential to the very being of a Covenant as properly taken It is true this term Covenant is variously used in Scripture sometimes for a bare promise on Gods part sometimes for the restipulation on mans part sometimes for the token of the Covenant but these are improper significations of the word when it is properly taken it alwayes signifies a mutual compact between God and man wherein God ingageth himself by promise to them and ingageth them to the performance of what himself hath constituted to be their duty a Covenant in general when properly taken and consequently this Covenant in particular which must partake of the general nature of Covenants every Species must partake of its Genus being quiddam complexum implying two or more parties covenanting so two parties covenanted the giving of some good on the one part and the return of some performance on the other and that as indispensably necessary to the preservation of the Covenant inviolate on each part Secondly That this restipulation or condition on Abraham's part did concern him both as a single person and as a Parent standing in a parental relation towards his Seed taken in as joynt parties with himself into covenant my meaning is evident Abraham stood in a double capacity as a single party with whom God entred covenant and as a father of children to whom the promises of the Covenant did in common with himself appertain Now as Abraham as a single person in covenant was to accept of and perform the conditions of the Covenant he was in that capacity ingaged to by God so as a parent he had something of duty incumbent upon him with reference to his Seed as immediately descending from his own loins and as his faithful performance of that duty incumbent
Object 1. First That Christ is said to be the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4.10 To be the Saviour of the world John 4.42 and therefore though it should be granted that the Infant-seed of believing Parents are under the Promise of being saved by Christ it will not follow that they were looked upon as appertaining to or as Members of his mystical Body Answ To that I answer that though Christ in a large sence may be and is in Scripture said to be the Saviour of all men and the Saviour of the world yet no particular or individual person is actually and that for the present as personally considered under any Promise of being saved by him especially taking Salvation of spiritual and eternal Salvation but such who are of or do appertain to his mystical Body therefore it is said of these Ephesians before their imbracement of Christ They were strangers to the Covenants of promise Ephes 2.12 They had nothing to do with the Promises of spiritual and saving Mercies and as they were strangers to the Covenants of promise so they were without hope without any grounded hope interest in the Promises being the alone true ground of all hope of spiritual and eternal Salvation so that interest in the Promise of Salvation declares the persons so interessed to appertain to or to be of the mystical Body of Christ all others being strangers to the Promises and therefore without hope Object 2 Secondly It is objected That when it is said Christ is the Saviour of his Body it is only meant of his mystical body as invisible and consequently in case this Scripture will prove that the Infant-seed of believing Parents as having the Promise of Salvation appertaining to them do appertain to the mystical Body of Christ it will prove that they do universally appertain to his Mystical Body as invisible which it will be said we our selves deny and therefore this Scripture is impertinently brought to prove their relation to the mystical Body of Christ as visible which only speaks of his mystical Body as invisible Answ To that I answer This Objection will receive a more full answer by and by where I shall meet with it again at present I shall only say 't is evident the Apostle speaks of the mystical Body of Christ as visible and not meerly as invisible for let it be observed that Body and Church in this discourse of the Apostle are Synonimies or words exactly answering one another in sence and signification whom he intends by Body he intends by Church and so on the other hand whom he intends by Church he intends by Body Now this Church or Body of Christ of which he is said here to be the Saviour was that Church or Body of which the Ephesians were an homogeneal Part that is a part of the same kind with the whole hence the Apostle speaks of them as joynt Members with himself of this Body verse 20. for we are Members of his Body of his flesh and of his bones Mark he takes in the Ephesians universally and indefinitely one as well as another as joynt Members with him of this Body So Ephes 2.19 Now therefore ye are no longer Strangers and Forreigners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God To be fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the Houshold of God is all one with being of this Church or Body Now it is evident the Apostle did not suppose that every indivipual person of this Church were Members of the invisible Body of Christ what he saith Acts 20 30. plainly declares the contrary Now then this Church or Body of which the Apostle saith Christ was the Head and Saviour being that Church or Body of which the Ephesians were an homogeneal part and they not being supposed by the Apostle universally to appertain to the Church or Body of Christ as invisible It will undoubtedly follow that he doth not speak of the Church or Body of Christ meerly as invisible but as visible Christ is in Scripture said to be the Saviour of his Church or Body as visibly considered and the Infant-seed of believing Parents being under a Promise of Salvation by him or of being saved by him they must needs by the Apostles be owned and looked upon as Members of that Body of which he is the Saviour none as I have said being under a Promise of being saved by him but such as do appertain to that Body of which he is the Saviour Secondly All those who under the Gospel administration and that as personally considered are the actual Subjects of that Promise wherein God ingaged himself to be a God to Abraham and his Seed in their Generations were owned and looked upon by the Apostles as appertaining to or as Members of the mystical Body of Christ as visible But the Infant seed of believing Parents under the Gospel administration and that as personally considered are the actual Subjects of that Promise therefore c. The Major is undeniably proved by that positive Assertion of the Apostle Galatians 3.16 Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made he saith not to is Seeds as of many but to thy Seed which is Christ that is Christ mystical Now if that Promise were made to Christ and to Christ only as we see the Apostle denyes it to be made to any other it was not made to Seeds but to Seed to thy Seed which saith the Apostle is Christ I say if this Promise was made only to Christ it will undeniably follow that whosoever that Promise was made unto or to whom that Promise may by Scripture-warrant be applyed as the Actual Subjects of it and that as personally considered they must needs by the Apostles be looked upon and owned as appertaining to or as Members of the mystical Body of Christ and therefore let none evade this plain evidence to the deceiving themselves or others by saying that there are Promises made to others that are not Members of the mystical Body of Christ Let it be remembred the Argument speaks not of Promises in the general nor of any kind of Promises but of this Promise in special nor doth it speak of this Promise as an indefinite Promise made to any sort or species of persons collectively taken where 〈◊〉 single or individual person can be said to be an actual Subject of it as personally considered and therefore so produce any such Instances is wholly impertinent as to the Argument in hand let it be shewed that any person whether old or young might according to Scripture be accounted an actual Subject of this Promise and that as personally considered who yet was not by the Apostles owned or looked upon as appertaining to or as a Member of the mystical Body of Christ till which be done which I shall not doubt to affirm is impossible to be done we may undoubtedly conclude that all those that are the actual Subjects of that Promise as personally considered were owned and
to thy seeds as of many but to thy seed which is Christ id est Christ mystical and thus the Gentile-Proselites under the first Testament Servants bought with money or born in the house were accounted for Abraham's seed all those that were admitted into fellowship with the people of God in the Covenant and benefits blessings and priviledges of it how or by what means soever they came to have their admission were accounted for Abraham's seed and had the actual enjoyment of the good of that Covenant I mean so many as did actually enjoy it as Abraham's seed by vertue of this Promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed So believing Gentiles or any other who with them have admission into the Covenant are accounted for Abraham's seed all that inherit the good promised inheriting of it under that notion as his seed by vertue of that forementioned Promise and thus the natural feed of Abraham in another sense were his mystical seed the whole mystical body of Christ made up as I have said both of Jews and Gentiles is the feed here intended And this spiritual or mystical seed of Abraham falls under a two fold consideration 1. As visible and denominative 2. As invisible and real The Apostle gives us this distribution of Abraham's seed Rom. 9.6 All are not Israel that are of Israel c. that is all that are of the mystical body of Christ as visible are not really and truly of his body mystical as invisible the visible body of Christ is of a larger extent than his invisible 't is all one as if the Apostle had said some are visible and denominatively the seed of Abraham who yet are not truly and internally his seed That this is the meaning of the Apostle is evident from the following verses of which place more hereafter Hence this term seed is to be understood sometimes of his seed as visible and denominative sometime of his seed as invisible and real in the former sence we are to understand it in the place forementioned Galat. 3.16 By Christ we are to understand the mystical body of Christ as visible as is evident because 't is by Baptism that the several members are incorporated into and united unto the body of Christ as here spoken of Now Baptism doth not properly incorporate into the body of Christ as invisible but as visible in the latter sence we are to understand it Rom. 9.8 Seed here we are to understand of the elect and the meaning is that all they that are the children of the flesh are not elected and in that respect not the Children of God nor accounted for the seed Some that are the children of the flesh are the children of God and are accounted for the seed but all that are the children of the flesh are not the children of God nor accounted for the seed that is in this strict notion and consideration of this term seed as it signifieth the true internal and invisible seed of Abraham Children of God and Seed here are termini convertibiles convertible terms now as persons are denominated the children of God either in regard of their visible and external appearing so to be or in regard of their really and internally being such saith Christ 'T is not meet to take the childrens bread and give it to dogs it 's meant of the things of the Gospel primarily appertaining to the Jews as yet the Covenant-people of God Now Christ calls them indefinitely considered children that is children of God when as it appears by their so general after-rejection but few of them were really and internally the children of God So some are the seed of Abraham and so to be accounted in regard of their visible and outward appearing so to be who yet are not really and internally his seed Others are not only visibly and in regard of an external appearance the seed of Abraham but are internally and really so Of these latter this term Seed in this place is to be understood the children of the promise are accounted for the Seed that is they and they only are internally the Seed of Abraham I mean his spiritual and mystical seed for in that sence this term Seed is here to be taken Secondly There is Abraham's natural Seed only for preventing mistakes Note That though I lastinguish between Abraham's spiritual and natural Seed yet the difference between them is only respective the same persons might be and in respect of many were both his natural and also his spiritual Seed of which more after This being noted I say there is Abraham's natural Seed and this phrase Abraham's natural Seed may be taken two wayes 1. As signifying his Children descending immediately from his own loins as it is said of Ishmael he was Abraham's seed Gen. 21 13. He is thy seed saith God to Abraham speaking of Ishmael and the like may be said of all his other children they were his natural seed 2. This phrase may be taken as signifying his whole race or posterity or all those that did mediately descend from him in after ages thus Gen. 15.18 Vnto thy seed saith God have I given this land it is meant of his race or posterity or his seed mediately descending from him Secondly Under what notion or in what capacity Abraham is to be considered as receiving this promise from God I answer That Abraham is to be considered both as a natural and also as a spiritual father or both as a natural Father and as the Father of the faithful That God did look on Abraham as giving him this promise as the father of the faithful is evident from Rom. 4.11 12 13. and some have thought that be was eyed and looked upon only under that notion and in that capacity but that he was not only looked upon as the father of the faithful but as a natural father is evident by this Argument If Abraham's natural seed were intended as the immediate and next subjects of this promise and that as such then Abraham as receiving this promise or having this promise made to him with reference unto them must needs be eyed and looked upon as a natural father but the former is true therefore the latter the consequence in the major proposition cannot be denied for if God intended Abraham's natural seed as such that is as his natural seed then he must needs eye Abraham as a natural father as making this promise to him Now that he did intend Abraham's natural seed will I doubt not be sufficiently evident by the proof of this first proposition and that they were intended as his natural seed is evident because in respect of some of them they could be looked upon under no other notion they could not be looked upon as his spiritual seed for such they were not whether we respect election or actual faith take it of Ishmael he was neither elected nor had actual faith as for what some think concerning his future repentance 't is
evils inconveniencies and disadvantages supposed by them to follow upon the granting unto them such a Covenant-interest and application of Baptism upon the ground thereof But now all that I shall say to this is as for the good benefit and advantage arising to the Infant-seed of believing Parents from both their Covenant-state and Baptism as applyed unto them thereupon 't is exceeding great as will I hope through Divine assistance be made to appear if Providence disappoint not my present purpose At present let this be considered as for their Covenant-interest and state a double benefit ariseth to them thereby First They are as distributively taken under a Promise of God being their God in the sence declared in the insuing Discourse Secondly They are as collectively taken as Members of the visible Church under an indefinite Promise supposing them grown to years of maturity of being to taught of God as savingly to know him How far the certainty of their future Salvavation supposing them to dye in their infancy may be concluded from their interest in these Promises I shall leave to the judgment of the judicious Reader This I doubt not will be found true at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ when these Secrets shall be made manifest that vastly the Major part of the Seed of Believers and that by vertue of these very Promises made unto them will be found the heirs of that Inheritance prepared for the Saints in light mistake me not I do not say the major part of the Seed of each particular Believer but the major part of the Seed of Believers generally taken or as taken one with another But however methinks it should not be accounted a small matter to be brought in any sense though it be never so little nigher the Promises of Salvation and into a nigher capacity and probability of injoying the good promised than the rest of mankind are in and that they must sure be acknowledged to be by that their Covenant-state and interest in the Promises And as for Baptism the good and benefit of that is hinted in the close of the insuing Discourse and is more fully to be declared if the Lord will As for the evils and mischiefs supposed to follow upon our Doctrine and practice they are really none at all whatever evils may be observed at any time to follow they are only accidental and will be found to have some other Original and not be the natural and necessary fruits and consequences of either the Doctrine or practice of Infant-Baptism Fifthly That which is of a like importance with what hath been hitherto mentioned is peoples placing at least too much of their Religion in an external way mode or form attended with an easiness and facility to be drawn into this or that way by unsound and groundless motives and inducements too many think that if they are but of such a way they are good Christians and secured as to their eternal states hence through the subtlety of Satan and deceit of their own hearts they overlook and neglect the main things wherein the power of Religion doth indeed consist and betake themselves to and fall in with this or that way as supposing themselves thereby insured for Salvation and wanting judgment to discern between Truth and Error fall in with the Judgment and practice under consideration as led thereunto meerly by some unsound and groundless motive and inducement and though it is true truly conscientious Christians cannot satisfie themselves in a bare way or form neither will they be led by any motives or inducements without any regard at all had to the Word of God yet even in respect of many of them especially such who are of weaker Judgments some unsound and groundless motive and inducement hath no little interest in their imbracing this or that way rather than any other and thus the motives and iuducements leading Professors into a complyance with the way or judgment and practice lying opposite to what we have here pleaded for are exceeding various all which to enumerate would under me over tedious all that I shall say therefore is If we would come to a right understanding of the mind and will of our Lord Christ place Religion where it ought to be placed and then setting all such motives and inducements aside weigh impartially the Scriptures and Arguments grounded thereupon readily giving up our Judgments and practices to the guidance of the light and evidence of those Scriptures and Arguments Sixthly and lastly The perswasion and practice here opposed have prevailed so far among Christians in a great measure through their preposterous enquiries after the will of Christ relating to the practice here pleaded for taken in conjunction with the products of those inquiries in and upon their own minds and the preposterousness of their inquiries lyes more especially in these two things First In their inquiring after the will of Christ as to the Baptism of Infants before they have sought after or found out the proper uses and ends of Baptism in the general and the true notion under which it was instituted and commanded by Christ Secondly In their inquiring after the will of Christ relating to this practice without any precedent consideration had to his will relating to the interest of the Infants of believing Parents in the Covenant and Promises thereof by these preposterous inquiries men put themselves under a threefold disadvantage as to their finding out that will of Christ they are inquiring after First They terminate and limit their inquiries to the Scriptures of the new Testament as supposing the whole will of Christ relating unto Baptism it being a new Testament Ordinance must needs be contained in them Secondly Which follows hereupon They search not after nor attend unto the Tenour of the Covenant as at first established with Abraham the Father of the Faithful nor attend to the various Scriptures contained in the old Testament opening and confirming that Tenour of the Covenant as so established with him Thirdly Which follows from both They loose the benefit of those several Inferences that may rationally and according to Scripture warrant be drawn from interest in the Covenant for the determining and concluding what is the mind and will of Christ concerning the application of Baptism But now would people begin their inquiries where they ought to do and proceed regularly therein they would find the mind and will of Christ to appear with much more clearness of evidence on the side of the practice we plead for would they make their first inquiries after the proper uses and ends of Baptism and the true notion under which it is instituted and then proceed in an impartial search after the Tenour of the Covenant and here again begin where they ought to do viz. at the first establishment of it with Abraham the Father of the Faithful and so proceed regularly as the Covenant hath been continued from one Generation to another to Abraham's Seed whether Natural