Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	believe_v	faith_n	unbelief_n	3,235	5	10.7449	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65465	The pious communicant rightly prepar'd, or, A discourse concerning the Blessed Sacrament wherein the nature of it is described, our obligation to frequent communion enforced, and directions given for due preparation for it, behaviour at, and after it, and profiting by it : with prayers and hymns, suited to the several parts of that holy office : to which is added, a short discourse of baptism / by Samuel Wesley ...	Wesley, Samuel, 1662-1735.	1700 (1700)	Wing W1376; ESTC R38528	120,677	302

Cannot the Blood of Jesus soften it and cleanse it that Blood of sprinkling which speaks better things than that of Abel Shall I not now at least detest abhor forsake all those Sins which cost my Saviour so dear shall I again commit them shall I any more favour those Iudas's which betrayed those Herods which mocked those Pilates which crucified the Lord of Glory O Lord my Heart is deceitful and desperately wicked and has often already deceived me and my Goodness is as the morning Cloud and early Dew which soon passeth away and without thy Grace I shall again fall into those very Sins which I now detest and abhor which that I may never more do imprint I beseech thee in my Mind so lively a Sense of my Saviour's Sufferings and let me receive and carry away so lasting an Impression of them from this Sacrament that I may henceforth die unto Sin and live unto Righteousness that I may subdue and mortifie more and more all criminal Desires and the whole Body of Death thro' Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen! An Act of Faith I Desire to believe Lord help my Unbelief I believe that thou canst do all things and if thou wilt canst make me clean I chuse thee for my chief Good I depend upon thee as my only Happiness I believe all thy Promises are Yea and Amen faithful and true in thy Son Jesus and that those who come unto thee by him thou wilt in no wise cast off He is able to save to the uttermost he is mighty to save and to forgive In him alone thou art well pleased thro' him O God art thou reconciled to Mankind and hast made them capable of everlasting Happiness from whence none shall be excluded who believe in the Name of the Lord Jesus and obey his Commands On him therefore do I cast my self and on his Merits is all my hope for Time and for Eternity believing that there is no other Name given under Heaven by whom I may receive Health and Salvation In this perswasion do I now approach to thy Holy Table humbly believing and expecting that my Saviour will be known unto me there and will meet me and bless me that his Body and Blood shall preserve my Body and Soul to everlasting Life that he will pardon my Sins and strengthen me in Grace guide me by his Counsel and bring me to his Glory Amen! An Act of Humility immediately before Receiving WHence is it O Lord that such a Wretch as I so loathsome and deformed with Sin should once more be admitted to thy presence to taste the Bread of Life Whence is it that my Saviour should be Guest to one that is such a Sinner O Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my Roof nor that I should come under thine I desire to humble my self before thee with the utmost prostration and adoration I cast my self at the Feet of Jesus and will not let him go except he bless me I am nothing I have nothing I desire nothing but Jesus and to be with him in Peace in the heavenly Ierusalem The lowest place in Heaven will be infinitely above what I can deserve who wonder why thou shouldst cast thine Eyes on such a nothing A Covenant and League uses to be made between those that are equals but there is an infinite distance between God and me by Nature and if possible a yet greater distance by my Sins Yet has that God who dwells in the High and Holy Place vouchsafed to promise that he will also dwell with the humble and contrite Spirit that trembles at his Word Come therefore O Lover of Souls O ever blessed Jesus who tho' thou fillest Heaven and Earth with the Majesty of thy Glory didst yet humble thy self when thou camest into the World to the inconveniences of a Cave a Stable and a Manger My Heart is yet meaner than any of these but thou canst purifie and cleanse it and make it a Temple fit for thy self to dwell in Come and meet me in thy own comfortable Ordinance who hast promised tho' thou wilt resist the proud to give Grace to the humble I beg this O Father for the sake of Jesus Christ my Saviour who humbled himself to the Death upon the Cross for me a miserable Sinner to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost Three and One be all Honour and Glory now and for ever Amen! An Act of Praise after Receiving ALL Glory and Honour and Praise to him who sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever To him who has loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood and has now entertained us with that heavenly Food which those who taste with Faith shall never die I have tasted that God is Good and that blessed are all those that trust in him he is not a barren Land or a dry Wilderness He has given me Meat to eat at his own Table which the World knows not of such Joy as no Man can give or take from me He has assured me of his Favour and Goodness towards me and given me the Seals of his Pardon and the Pledges of Everlasting Happiness Alas how poor am I of Thanks for such inestimable Benefits what have I to render to the Lord of Life and Glory for these and all his Favours I devote and dedicate all my little all unto him my Soul and Body for Time and Eternity without Exception and without Reserve 'T is but a mite but 't is my All O give me more that I may restore it to the Giver Accept O gracious God this my poor Sacrifice of Praise and help me also to order my Conversation aright that I may see thy Salvation that in Heaven the place of Eternal Praises I may with Angels and Arch-angels and all the glorious Company there adore and magnifie and bless thee and sing Hallelujabs and Hymns of Praise unto thee for ever and ever Amen! An Act of Love O Infinite Goodness O amiable Jesu O bleeding dying agonizing Love What Man what Angel in Heaven durst have ever thought of such a way to appease God's Anger against Sinners as the Death of thee the Only begotten Son of God had not thy Father freely sent thee hadst not thou thy self as freely descended to Earth and taken our mortal Clay upon thee to do and to suffer the Will of God Who could have believed this hadst not thou thy self revealed it and confirmed it by so many Miracles Nay as if it had not been sufficient to die for us thou hast also given us the heavenly Food of thy blessed Body and Blood to be our spiritual Nourishment in this Holy Sacrament Thou hast made me partaker of those venerable Mysteries Thou hast renewed that Covenant with me which I trust shall never be broken O! was there no other way to save Mankind but the Death of him that lives for ever were all the Souls of the lost Sons of Adam worth one Groan one

and even Heathens have been sensible of a Fall though they have been ignorant of the manner of it and means to recover from it and yet as before they generally used washing or sprinkling for Purification I believe they had it from Orpheus as he from the Phoenicians and they perhaps from Jacob. And it is no less certain that we all feel the Effects of this original Guilt tho' there may be difficulties in the manner of its propagation For no modest good Man can be insensible of an inward strong propension to Evil And the Scripture plainly asserts That we were shapen in Iniquity and in Sin did our Mothers conceive us Psal. 51. 5. That we were all by nature Children of wrath and dead in trespasses Ephes. 2. 1 3. and sins That none can bring a clean Iob 14. 4. and 25. 4. thing out of an unclean That in Adam all died 1 Cor. 15. 22. That by one Man's disobedience many that is all Rom. 5. 10 12. were made Sinners By one Man Sin entred into Rom. 3. 10 23. the world and Death by Sin which came upon all Men for that all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God Nay this almost in express Terms as to Infants who if they had not any Sin at all no original Sin How come they to die and what need would they have of a Saviour since they have no actual Sin But 't is said That Death reigned from Adam to Moses even in those who had not sinned actually according to the similitude of Adam's transgression Rom. 5. 13 14. which can relate to Infants only which Texts are allowed by all but Pelagians to be clear Proofs that the whole Race of mankind are obnoxious both to the Guilt and Punishments of Adam's Transgression To the Punishment as well as the Guilt of it which doubtless was not only temporal Death but extended likewise to spiritual and eternal The Scripture having concluded all under Sin as the Iews under Unbelief that God might have mercy upon all Gal. 3. 22. Rom. 11. 32. Which takes off any mistaken Imputation on God's mercy or his Iustice since the Remedy is as wide as the Wound the Obedience and Death of the second Adam have repaired the Ruins which were occasioned by the Crime of the first and brought mankind into a possibility and capacity of Salvation And as by the offence of one Iudgment came upon all Men to Condemnation so by the Righteousness of one the Free-Gift came upon all Men to Iustification of Life Rom. 5. 18. Which virtue of Christ's Death and Resurrection are applied to us in Baptism Rev. 1. 5. For he loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood He gave himself for the Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word Ephes. 5. 25 26. namely by Baptism as an Instrument of our Iustification as our Church fully asserts in the Office of Baptism That all Men are conceived and born in Sin First Exhortation before Baptism in the old Adam Ministers certifying after private Baptism in original Sin and in the Wrath of God and prays That the Person to be baptised may be washed and sanctifyed with the Holy Ghost and delivered from God's Wrath and by Baptism receive Remission of Sins and enjoy the everlasting Benediction of God's heavenly washing and again That the Water may be sanctified to the mystical washing away of Sin Prayer immediately before Baptism and teaches us That those who are born in original Sin and in the Wrath of God are by the Laver of Regeneration in Baptism received into the Number of God's Children c. And accordingly does upon good Ground affirm in the Rubrick at the end of the Office That it is certain by God's Word that Children which are baptised dying before they commit actual Sin are saved and this is agreeable to the unanimous Opinion of the antient Fathers St. Cyprian Theophylact. Lactant Greg. Naz. Origen St. August St. Ambrose St. Ierom c. and of the Primitive Church which differ'd from the Pelagian Hereticks in this very point those Hereticks pretending that Children were baptised only that they might be admitted into the Kingdom of Heaven whereas the Orthodox held that they ought to be baptised especially in case of danger for the washing away the Guilt of original Sin § VII Another Benefit of Baptism is that we thereby enter into Covenant with God without which as has been said on the other Sacrament What has a sinful Creature to do with his offended Maker Into that everlasting Covenant which he has commanded for ever Psal. 109. 11. that New Covenant which he has promised to make with the spiritual Israel To give them a new Heart and a new Spirit new Principles new Inclinations to sprinkle clean water upon them that they may be clean and to remember their Sins and iniquities no more In short to be their God as he promised to Abraham in the Evangelical Covenant which he made with him and all his spiritual Offspring Gen. 17. 7 8. That Circumcision was then the way of admitting into Covenant with God and that Baptism is the same now I suppose none deny who own any Sacraments Baptism being also stiled in Scripture the Stipulation Contract or Covenant of a good Conscience as good Interpreters translate that place in St. Peter already mentioned § 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stipulatio Luther Beza Grotius c. Our part of the Covenant which includes an Oath and a Vow is to renounce the Devil to believe what God has revealed to observe what he has commanded God's part to give us his Grace to perform what we promise and unspeakable Rewards for our imperfect Obedience § VIII By Baptism we are admitted into the Church and consequently made Members of Christ the Churches Head The Iews were admitted into the Church or made Proselytes by Circumcision the Christians by Baptism For as many as are baptised into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. that is are mystically united to him and made one with him For by one Spirit we are all baptised into one Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. namely the Church which is called the Body of Christ Ephes. 4. 12. whence the Fathers stile Baptism the Door of the Church and the Sacrament of our initiation or entrance into Christianity From which vital more than political because spiritual mystical and sacramental Union with Christ proceeds the Influence of his Grace on those who are baptised the Honour and Exaltation of our Nature the Benefit of his Protection and Intercession for us with the Father as from our Union with the Church a share in its Instructions in its Privileges in all the Promises Christ has made to it in its Intercessions and Supplications and in the other Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as soon as we come to Age and Understanding to receive it § IX By Baptism we are made the Children of God who were

by Nature Children of Wrath. 'T is the Sacrament of Adoption as our Church affirms Thanksgiving after Baptism which seems to mean these two things by that Regeneration which in so many places it ascribes to Baptism namely The being grafted into the Body of Christ's Church and being made the Children of God by Adoption and Grace Thanksgiving after Baptism and Collect for Sunday after Christmas There is something more in this Baptismal Regeneration than barely being admitted into the Church or having the Guilt of original Sin washed away It relates to some actual positive Benefit conferred on the Believers and is the effect of our being engrafted into the Church and therefore not the thing it self only Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit says our Saviour he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God St. Iohn 3. 5. By Water then as a means the Water of Baptism we are regenerated or born again whence it is also called the washing of Regeneration Our Church affirms no more of Baptism ascribes no greater Virtue to it than Christ himself has done Nor does she ascribe it to the outward washing only but to the inward Grace which is added to the outward to make it a Sacrament We say not that Regeneration is always compleated in this Sacrament but that it is begun in it a Principle of Grace is infused which we lost by the Fall which shall never be wholly withdrawn unless we quench God's Holy Spirit by obstinate habits of Wickedness There are Babes as well as strong Men in Christ. A Christian's Life is progressive as is our natural Life and tho' the Seeds of Grace should like the reasonable Soul the Principle of Life and of all Action be infused in a Moment yet there requires time to produce strong habits of Grace as well as of Reason as every one knows who is any thing acquainted with his own Mind or with the Word of God And the same our Church affirms in her devout Collect for the Nativity where she prays That we being namely already in Baptism regenerate and made God's Children by Adoption and Grace may daily be renewed by his Holy Spirit Which we learn from St. Austin to have been also in his time the Judgment of the Catholick Church who has these Expressions near the end of his Discourse de morihus Eccles. Cathol In that most holy Law says he the Renovation of the new Man is begun that by going on it may be perfected in some indeed this is done sooner in others later but in many it proceeds to a New Life if any Man diligently regard it For thus saith the Apostle Tho' the outward Man perisheth the inward Man is renewed day by day He says 'T is renewed that it may be perfected Thus far he and indeed 't is evident that this Renovation tho' to be daily perfected in the course of a Religious Life is yet begun in Baptism That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit St. Iohn 3. 6. The Holy Spirit of God descended visibly on our Saviour at his Baptism St. Matt. 3. 16. It descended miraculously on the first Christians after they were baptised on Simon Magus himself there seems to be little doubt Act. 8. 13 17. as well as on others and doubtless 't was his own Fault that he lost it because he did not improve it but grieve and quench it by wilful obstinate Sin And from hence it is that the Apostle says that the Bodies even of very bad Christians were the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. And we are not to doubt but this Holy Spirit descends as really still on those that are baptised tho' not so visibly so miraculously as he did formerly whence Christians are in Baptism sacramentally washed sanctified and justified in the name of our Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Nor will this Holy Spirit ever leave us but strive with us to perfect what is now begun unless we finally leave him and forfeit his Protection by neglecting to perform our Engagements in Baptism Now in consequence of this Baptismal Regeneration and our being therein made the Children of God we are also Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven For by this we enter into it If Children then Heirs Heirs with God and joynt Heirs with Christ and Inheritors of that Kingdom which cannot be moved Rom. 8. 17. Baptism doth now save us if we live answerable thereunto repent believe and obey the Gospel 'T is that which admits us into the Church here and Glory hereafter And many have been of Opinion that by the Sea of Glass like unto Crystal which is mentioned in the Revelation Rev. 4. 6. before the Throne of God was figured out our Baptism through which we must pass if we ever come to Heaven § X. But all these Privileges imply Obligations Something to be done on our parts for the obtaining them a Contract or Covenant without Conditions being little better than a Contradiction and the Conditions of this Covenant are Repentance Faith and Obedience Baptism is but the way of our Entrance into Covenant with God into the Church of God but the Obligations thereof remain as long as our Lives as the Benefits reach yet further Faith only without Repentance will never save us The Doctrine of the Apostles was Repent and be Baptised Acts 2. 38. for the Remission of Sins and Repent and Believe the Gospel and Truth itself has assur'd us that except we Repent we shall all perish But yet we are indispensibly obliged by our Baptism First To believe all Divine Revelation especially the Holy Gospel to believe Christ the true Messiah the eternal Son of God the Saviour of the World and actually to trust in him for Remission of Sins and eternal Happiness And because all the Gospel cannot be repeated at Baptism the Church has all along made use of a Form of sound words comprehending the Substance thereof and for many ages that particular Form which is called the Apostles Creed containing that Doctrine which they preacht to all Nations And to this the Person to be Baptised is obliged to testify his assent either by himself or others But tho' this be a good Step yet this alone will not save him For he must not only believe Gods Word but likewise obediently keep his Commandments Those who are buried with Christ in Baptism must remember they are to be Dead to Sin to walk in newness of Life and to be careful that they maintain Good Works Rom. 6. 3 4. Tit. 3. 8. agreeable whereunto is the excellent Advice of our Church to the Baptised Office of Baptism Exhortation at the End That 't is their Parts and Dutys being made the Children of God and of the Light by Faith in Jesus Christ to walk answerably to their Christian Calling and as becomes the Children of the Light Remembring always that Baptism represents unto

us our Profession which is to follow the Example of our Saviour Christ and to be made like unto him that as he dyed and rose again for us so should we who are baptised dye from Sin and rise again unto Righteousness continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt Affections and daily proceeding in all Vertue and Godliness of living And would to God all who are baptised would but act according to these Directions which would prevent the unspeakable Scandal which is given by the bad Lives of Christians the high Dishonour of God and their own eternal Ruine § XI And this Baptism is to be perpetual to last as long as the Church into which it gives Entrance to the end of the World It must doubtless be highly necessary since without it in an ordinary way there is no Entrance into the Church or into Heaven The outward Baptism is thus necessary as a means to the inward as was outward Circumcision to the Circumcision of the Heart nor would it have availed the Iews to plead that they had the inward and that was sufficient because whoever had not the outward too that Soul was to be cut off from among his People he had despised he had broken Gods everlasting Covenant by despising and neglecting the Seal of it Gen. 17. 14. A Seal must be something visible a Sacrament must consist of something outward as well as inward The very nature of a Type implys the same The Seal of Circumcision was to last among the Iews as long as the Ceremonial Law lasted whereunto it obliged them making them Debters to the whole Law Galat. 5. 3. and when that was abolished and Baptism came in its Room that must also last by Parity of Reason as long as the Gospel Covenant into which it admits and whereunto it obliges all Nations There is no doubt but our Saviour's Commission was to make Proselytes by baptizing with Water for so the Apostles did which they dared not have done had not it been contained in their Commission and this of Gentiles as well as Iews as is undeniably clear from the Acts of the Apostles nay they did not only permit but command and exhort to outward Baptism Thus Ananias to St. Paul Arise and be baptised and wash away thy Sins Acts 22. 16. Thus St. Peter to the Iews Repent and be baptised Acts 2. 38. And to the Gentiles and that with Water Can any man forbid Water that these should not be baptised And it follows he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord which was certainly more than a bare Permission or Condescension Acts 10. 47. And as long as the Commission to the Apostles lasted as long as Christ promised to be with them in the Execution of it so long doubtless were they to exercise it and to baptise as well as to teach for the Commission is to both as the Promise is to both But Christ hath promised to be with them that is by his Spirit in their lawful Successors till the End of the World Which explains that Expression of the Apostle concerning the other Sacrament that therein Christians were to shew forth the Lords Death until he come that is till he come at the last day to judge the world personally and visibly in like manner as his Disciples saw him bodily ascend into Heaven Acts 1. 11. which cannot therefore relate to his coming at Pentecost by his Spirit nor his coming to destroy the Iewish City and Nation which was by his power not his person Nor can the End of the world be here restrained to the Destruction of Ierusalem because that was but about Forty Years after Christs Ascension and we are not to think the Commission was then voided or that he has forsaken his Church ever since which was rather much confirmed by this terrible Destruction which he had foretold should befal his enemies and crucifiers Besides that there 's another word added always Lo I am with you always St. Matt. 28. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which strengthens and explains that Expression to the end of the World And accordingly we are sure that as well the Apostles as their immediate Successors did receive all Nations into the Christian Church by Baptism and none without it and have continued to do the same ever since and doubtless will do so to the End of the World Nor therefore are those to be heard who deny the necessity or perpetuity of outward Water-Baptism § XII But there 's a yet greater Difficulty concerning the Subjects of Baptism whether only adult Persons who can make a personal publick Profession of their Faith and Repentance or the Children also of Believers who are brought unto it on account of the Faith of their Parents and Sponsors or Sureties and may have the beginnings of Faith and Holiness wrought in them by Gods Spirit § XIII And here before I enter upon this Argument I think it may not be inconvenient to declare that I do it not for Argument's sake only I would have no Controversie with any Christian but who should be most charitable nor would I willingly provoke any but to Love and to good Works But yet I am obliged to do what I can to preserve any that are under my Charge from what I my self am convinced is an Error and such is I am satisfied the denying of Baptism to Infants and I shall be very glad if these mean Papers may be useful to any others on the same Occasion Wherein I shall first lay down the Grounds of Infant Baptism taken from Scripture Reason and Primitive and universal Custom And secondly Endeavour to answer the Objections against it § XIV Our Grounds for Baptising the Infants at least of believing Parents are such as these 1. Because all Children are guilty of original Sin and consequently cannot be saved in an ordinary way unless that be washt away in Baptism 2. Because such Children are capable of making a Covenant and were and still are under the Evangelical Covenant and consequently have a right to Baptism which is the initiating Seal thereof 3. Because they may and ought to come to Christ are capable of being admitted into the Church of God and of solemn sacramental Dedication to him 4. Because the Iews did make Proselytes of Children by baptising as well as by circumcising them and consequently our Saviour commanding his Disciples to make Proselytes out of all Nations by Baptism and not forbidding them to receive Children they must needs baptise them also 5. It is very probable if not positively certain from the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostles did baptise Infants 6. As it is certain that the first Christians did so and the Church of God have continued to do it in all Places and all Ages § XV. The first Argument for Infants Baptism may be taken from their being guilty of original Sin and consequently in an ordinary way they cannot be saved unless that be washed away by Baptism

That there is such a thing as this original Guilt or Stain of our Natures see Section VI. where it is also proved that it is in it self damnable as it must certainly be if it makes us the Children of Wrath and if the Offence of the first Adam has rendred all Mankind obnoxious to Iudgment to Condemnation and to Death It is true the second Adam has found a Remedy by his own Death but the Merits thereof are only to be applied in the use of those means he has appointed the chief of which are the Sacraments All good Christians believe one Baptism for the Remission of Sins we being therein born again not of corruptible Seed but of incorruptible 1 St. Pet. 1. 23. Baptism is the ordinary way to which God has tied us tho' he may not have tied himself Where it is not to be had indeed the Case is different but what are extraordinary Cases against a certain standing Rule That original Sin is really washt away in Baptism has been already proved and that the same has been the unanimous Opinion of the antient Churches And on that account we think we have great Reason to baptise Infants as did the Holy Fathers of old that they may thereby be made Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven § XVI A second Argument for the Lawfulness of Infant 's Baptism is because they are capable of making a Covenant and were and still are under the Evangelical Covenant and consequently have a right to Baptism which is the entring Seal there of That Infants are capable of entring into a Covenant I prove from God's own Words to the People of Israel Deut. 29. 10 11 12. Ye stand this day all of you before the Lord your God your Captains c. with all the Men of Israel Your Little Ones your Wives and thy Stranger c. That thou shouldest enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God God would never have made a Covenant with Little Ones if they had not been capable of it 't is not said Children only but Little Ones such as Christ particularly orders his Disciples to suffer to come to him of which more below and is translated in the Greek by a word that signifies Infants or Innocents Ezek. 9. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same word that is used in those antient Constitutions ascrib'd to the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baptise your Infants The Custom of Nations and common Reason of Mankind does also prove that Infants may enter into a Covenant and may be obliged by Compacts made in their Names by others and may receive Advantage by them The Apostle argues from a Man's Covenant which he says cannot be disanull'd to God's Covenant Galat. 3. 15. and surely we may follow his Example Infants may be still as they were of old in Circumcision actually obliged to perform that for the future which they cannot actually perform at the Time of their entring into such Obligation The Infants of Believers the true Children of faithful Abraham always were under the Gospel Covenant They were included in it they had a right unto it and to the Seal of it as an Heir has right to an Estate an Infant Prince to a Crown tho' there are some Solemnities required to give them Investiture and actual Possession of them The Covenant with Abraham was a Gospel Covenant The Condition the same namely Faith which the Apostle tells us was accounted unto him for Righteousness Gal. 3. 15. the inseparable Fruit of which Faith was Obedience for by Faith he left his Country and offered his Son Heb. 11. 8 17. The Benefits were the same for God promises to be his God and the God of his Seed after him Gen. 17. 8. and he can promise no more to any Creature for this includes all Blessings of this Life and a better The Mediator the same for it was in his Seed that is in Christ Gen. 22. 18. Gal. 3. 16. that all the Nations of the Earth were to be blessed on which account the Apostle says that the Gospel was preached unto Abraham Gal. 3. 8. The same Promise that was made to him the same Covenant that was made with him was made with his Children after him for so it is expresly said Gen. 17. 7. Gal. 3. 7. and upon that account it is called an Everlasting Covenant In this Covenant Children were obliged to what they knew not to the same Faith and Obedience which Abraham performed or else no Benefit by it It reaches beyond the Law for the Apostle expresly distinguishes this from it Gal. 3. 17. 'T is true there was something legal that was a sort of an appendage unto it namely a temporal Promise of Canaan to Abraham and his Posterity Gen. 17. 8. To thee and to thy Seed after thee will I give the Land of Canaan But this was but like a Codicil annexed to a Will not the chief or main part of it for neither Abraham nor the Patriarchs did actually inherit Canaan but as the Apostle argues God had prepared better Blessings for them even Spiritual and Heavenly for which cause he was not ashamed to be called their God Acts 7. 5. Heb. 11. 10 14 16. Now to Abraham and his spiritual Offspring were the Promises made in Christ and the same which are of Faith the same are the Children of Abraham and blessed together with him Gal. 3. 7. Rom. 4. 13. Circumcision was the Seal of that Covenant and therefore 't is it self figuratively called the Covenant Acts 7. 8. The Children of those who profess'd the true Religion were hereby admitted into the Covenant which God then made with his People and obliged to the Conditions of it as when the Law was added to the Observation of that also for he that is circumcised saith the Apostle is Debtor to the whole Law Gal. 5. 3. that is was obliged to fulfil it when he came to age as being thereby made a Member of the Iewish Church and bound to observe all its political and ceremonial Constitutions as were the Proselytes of Iustice who were circumcised whereas the Iewish Writers tell us that the Proselytes of the Gate who were admitted by Baptism only were only obliged to the seven Precepts of Noah And this St. Paul very well knew having been bred a Pharisee and well acquainted with their Traditions When therefore the old Seal of Circumcision was taken off this of Baptism was added by our Saviour in its room one positive Institution succeeding another A new Seal to Abraham's Covenant the Seals differred but the Deed was the same only that part of it struck off which was purely polical relating to the Iewish Nation and temporal Canaan only And that Baptism did really come in the room of Circumcision we may learn as well from the clear Reason of the thing as from the Apostle's Argument Col. 2. 11. 12 13. where after Circumcision he mentions Baptism as that wherein God has forgiven us our trespasses to which he adds