THE COVENANT OF GRACE OPENED WHEREIN These particulars are handled viz. 1. What the Covenant of GRACE is 2. What the Seales of the Covenant are 3. Who are the Parties and Subjects fit to receive these Seales From all which Particulars Infants Baptisme is fully proved and vindicated Being severall Sermons preached at Hartford in New-England By that Reverend and faithfull Minister of the Gospel Mr THOMAS HOOKER LONDON Printed by G. Dawson and are to be sold at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1649. THE Covenant of Grace opened in severall Sermons Gâ—nes 17.23 And Abraham took Ishmael his sonne and all that were born in his house and all that were bought with his money every male among the men of Abrahams house and Circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the self-same day as God had said unto him THe scope of this Chapter is to shew the establishment of the Covenant with Abraham by adding the seal of Circumcision and it 's instituted by the cutting off the fore-skin of every male in his house where we may see the obedience of Abraham he does it without any neglect upon all the males in his house The occasion of this is because there are a generation of Anabaptists that do go about secretly to seduce persons and lead them into errour and sâ—â—resie is a mark they are known by Ephes 4.14 That we be no more children carryed about with every winde of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive the word is taken from Cheators that by cunning deceive men and therefore to clear the coast and so prove the lawfulnesse of the Baptizing of children against such deceivers Doctr. There is no weaknes of Faith in persons received into the Church nor want of years in those that are born of them that should hinder them from receiving the â—â—â—l of the Covenant of grace You may see here Abraham and all his family circumcised now you may judge in your selves whether in such 〈…〉 Abraham had it be not likely there were some weal so 〈◊〉 and some if not many doubting being clouded bâ— reason of fâ—â— and were â—â—â—lesse in which regard they might have bin hindred also it may be thought there were many children in the family being so large for he had 300. when he went to rescue Lot and this was some good space of time after and the text saith All were circumcised none were hindred and what was said of Abraham in this truth the same way be said of all truths of the same kinde this is the point Now for the opening of it 1. what this Covenant of Grace is whether it be the same that Abraham had that we have now in the times of the Gospel 2. What are the seals of this Covenant or are they of the same nature now as they were then 3. The Parties and subjects fit to receive these seals all the men and children in a family whether they are not the same at this day 4. In case some should be unworthy yet if they walk so as in the judgement of charity there do nothing appear that make them unworthy whether may not the Church in that case give them the Seals 5. We will shew you the reasons of the point First What is meant by the Covenant of Grace this Covenant of Grace so much as serves my turn at this time it is the 〈…〉 â—â—â—munication of God to a people that he will choose such whereby 〈◊〉 ingages himself to be their God and to make them to 〈◊〉 people I adde that to make them to be his people because that is it that bears up the Covenant and confirms it Secondly When God gave a covenant to Adam it was doe and live and if he had improved that he and his posterity might have had life thereby but now in the covenant of grace it is otherwise now God gives himself freely to his and makes them to be his people so that he will be our God and make us to be his people this is the covenant of grace and it may be considered in a double notion I finde a double covenant an inward and an outward 1. Inward standing in a spirituall institution of it between God and man wherein God cals a people and makes them answer his call and makes himself really their God by Faith and so they have uninterest in God and he performs it in them and makes himself theirs by Faith so that the work is his and those 〈◊〉 are partakers of this covenant shall never â—all but this is to his 〈…〉 2. There is an outward covenant and this is thoâ—e large the dispensation of this God gives on his part to Christians and then ingagement on their part is subjection to him and by this God does advance a people by outward dispensation he declares himself to be their God and thereby takes them to be his people in a choice manner and peculiar to himself Exodus 19 5â—â— Now a handfore if you will hear my voice indeed and keep my covenant◠〈◊〉 you shall bee my chiefe treasure above all people though all the 〈◊〉 mine He will discover himself to them and impropriate them unto himself hence they are called the lot of his inheritance Deutr. 32.9 and God is said to know them above all the Nations in the world Amos 3.2 He doth ingage himself unto them and if they answâ—â— the outward priviledge he will make them a choice people and own them in that ingagement and improve himself for their good if they yeeld their Allegiance to him he will enlarge himself to them in his dispensations to them and doth avouch himself to be theirs as they avouch the Lord to be their God Deutr. 26.17.118 This is done by the outward covenant and it is if they keep his commandâ—â—tents hence when they imbrace the ordinances God is said to draw neer to them Deutr. 4.78 and they neer to him all nations may be said to be farr from God that want these outward covenants and he from them and therefore he is said to dwel among them and they to dwel with him Ps 84.10 A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand God takes speciall notice of them and he wâ—ere 〈◊〉 every moment and keeps them night and day hence they are said to come under the wing of God that is under the speciall expressions of his favour The former of these covenants should alway be between God and his people and where it is it never fails if they receive the spirit working of it in them But this outward is more large the inward is more sure the outward is larger and may issue from false grounds and may aym at false ends sometime yeeld in conviction thus Dâ—utr 5.27 God neare and hear all that God shall say and 〈◊〉 it unto us and we will heare it and 〈◊〉 it 3. So they were convinced for the Lord saith in the following verse they have
unto it by allowance from God 4 According to a right rule from God and right Reason persons may have faith in the course of charity that have not the use of reason they in Abrahams time had grace and that was the grace of Faith if it seale up some may have it but that some children are thus fitted and faith is sealed unto them in circumcision if any will deny it they must deny the Text and that is impudency it selfe If so why not in Baptisme as well as Circumcision for Circumcision must have faith so must they in Baptisme 5 There is more required of some persons then there is of other in receving of the same sacrament in the alowance of God according to right Reason there is more required of men then there is of children Take a man that is to joyn in the covenant of the people he is bound to stoop to the Ordinance Esay 56.67 The strangers that were to joyne they must keep the Sabbath and embrace the Covenant c. This is to make a proselyte Matth. 23.15 they are made of the same profession Men of yeares must approve of the things of God and walk accordingly all this is required of men of yeares and then to offer themselves to the ordinances for they did never force them but in children this is not required if the Father had embraced the Faith So as you may see these things are plain wkich if they be observed it will make you cast away Anabaptisme The third Scripture is in Coloss 2.11 12. if the effects of the Sacraments of the old Testament and the new be the same then they are the same the effect done by the thing shewes the thing if the things wrought be the same then it is alike but the things done are the same The Apostle in the Text shewes it is the same in Circumcision as in Baptisme both seale up the death of Christ there was decaying both were for the mastering or lessening and decaying of sin so doth circumcision by cutting off the fore-skin in the same operation Now there are two objections to be answered from severall Texts it appeares they are the same with ours The first is that in 1 Corinth 7.19 Circumcision is nothing nor uncircumcision but the keeping of the command of God The Apostle speaking to persons to keep in the same Calling God had called them he saith Circumcision is nothing c. The next is Galat 6.13 they make nothing of it Galat. 5.6 For in Christ Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith that worketh by love that is say they it is weake and can doe nothing Galat. 5.2 Christ shall profit them nothing if they be circumcised and the Apostle sayes Beware of Circumcision by way of Irony so as he accounts it as nothing All these places are of the same nature and may receive the same answer to them all God lookes upon all these Sacraments to be attended according to a double time and consideration First in the first institution they had an eye to and did seale up Christ to come in the flesh when they were first ordained by God 2ly God lookes at them as having attained their end and appointment which was Christ to come therefore when he was come they had an end Therefore now they were of no use being out of date and now they could not be used without sinne he appoints now therefore to abrogate them they were to cease because Christ was come though they were alike at the first now they were out of date now they were not to be used To this purpose are all these places of Scripture 1 Cor 7.19 If thou be called being uncircumcised be not circumcised if you were circumcised when it was in date then seek not to be uncircumcised if you be uncircumcised be not circumcised now it is out of date It cannot be taken the Apostle for bad circumcision when it was in date for then he had spoken against the command of God Gen. 17. He commanded them to be circumcised So Gal. 6.15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision c. availeth any thing but a new creature For though they were given to the Jewes yet now they were gone out of the world and so now they availed not And besides to set them up now was to set up that which God had destroyed So that now nothing availed but faith and a new creature And Gal 5.4 He is fallen from Grace but now he doth not attend the first institution if he doe hee nullifies the nature of Christ because when Christ is come it is to deny Christ to be come in the flesh This is a heynous thing Christ shall doe him no good Christ will not save him In the last place he speakes this to false Apostles that would have men partly saved by Christ and partly by workes and so they nullifie Christ and the work of grace for he must have all or none you cannot joyne works and grace together Objection 2. From the witnesse of the word Coloss 2.17 Which were but a shadow of things to come but the body is Christ And in Heb. 7.18 they are said to be weak And Heb. 9.10 13. called a carnall covenant And if it be so then they are not alike with ours in the new Testament they are of another nature the spirituall work of the soule For answer the Sacraments are apprehended in a double sense as included or as separate from the thing signified but the Apostle lookes at them as carnall now as Heb 7.18 19. he saith The Law was weake and made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope c. that is Christ he accomplâ—sheth all and brings in a better hope of the pardon of our sinnes So 1 Pet. 3.21 22. it is not the water but the thing signified by the water So the signe is weak but the thing signified is strong So the case is cleare 3 Conclusion The spirituall efficacy of the Sacraments in the old and new Testament proceed not from themselves immediatly used in the working of any good but as they are used by the holy Ghost The consideration whereof will help in the main point to shew the manner of the working of the Sacrament for it is a great secret and the want of the knowledge hereof is the cause persons get so little good by the Sacrament This proposition hath two parts First the spirituall influence the Sacraments put forth is not from themselves immediatly but as they are used by the Spirit For the better understanding of this first part consider it in some things 1 The Sacrament is not a principall but an instrumental cause in any spirituall work they doe not set themselves a work but they worke under the principall agent as a toole in the hand of a man so in the work of the Sacrament it is by the mediation of the Spirit and the meanes of faith Mark 10.16 Hee that beleeves and
is baptized c. But he that believeth not c. And Eph. 5.26 That he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by water through the word 2. The Sacraments as instruments put forth a spirituall efficacie when they are lawfully used according to God but not when they are abused in an unlawfull manner and unworthily received then they doe not put forth any spirituall efficacie Thus the Supper of the Lord puts forth spirituall efficacie when it is ordered in a lawfull manner as the Apostle saith Is is not the communion of the body of Christ And the Cup of blessing is the same and yet be that receives is 〈◊〉 â—â—rthily eates and drinkes his own damnation and makes himselfe guilty of the body and blood of Christ because he abuses the seale He that abuses the Kings seale is punished and therefore much more these The Gospel is the power of God to salvation but it must bee mixed with faith and then it is the savour of life unto life but without it is the savour of death unto death And so is the Sacrament therfore when a thing is lawfully done it is no sinne but if it be abused then it is sinfull therefore that the Sacrament is abused it is from sinne but the spirituall work of a Sacrament helps forward to salvation 3 The spirituall efficacy a Sacrament puts forth is not as a Physicall instrument but as a Morall I put it in these termes that I might cleare it up in their termes which they use which darken the truth Now see the explication Instruments are of a double nature some have qualities inherent that is sticking in them by nature as some physicall hearbs are of a purging nature others comfortable they have it in their nature put into them so to work and it abides in them but other are made serviceable by Art they are made sharp or sweet Or in tooles some are made sharp fit for use as a bone wil not cut our bread but we must have something made sharp so things are made physicall either by Nature or by Art The Papists call it Physicall in the Sacrament they say the Sacraments work naturally if taken they have a quality to convey grace the Sacrament taken they say will worke of it selfe but it is a grosse conceit to satisfie a carnall heart then a drunken wretch must have grace if he can but have the use of the Sacrament Thus the Papists derogate from Christ by making a quality to be inherent in the Sacraments to convey grace into any man that receives them The 2d distinction is they are morally good as some instruments that have no power of themselves but as they are stated by way of ordination as he that uses them doth appoint them As a piece of wax is appointed to seale up a bargain the Wax conveys nothing it is appointed to be a witnesse to set forth the truth as the party is ingaged according to agreement as Elijahs Cloke divided the waters it was not in the Cloke but it was a signe to intimate that God would be with him So the Brasen Serpent was appointed of God for the people that were stung by looking on it they should be healed there was no vertue in the brasse to heale them for afterwards in Heâ—â—ekiahs dayes he called it Nehushtan a piece of brasse But by Gods institution God used it as a meanes to work by but the vertue was in himselfe there was no inherent vertue in the brasse but God appointed it for this end as a morall instrument 4 When the Sacraments are thus taken for such an end and to such a work there is a divine vertue goes along with them for that end the same power that did appoint them will goe along with them and will work in them for that end There be three things in the institution of them 1 God appointing them out according to his will in wisdome and power the bread signifying the body of Christ as meat the water signifying the blood of Christ washing a way the guilt and filth of our sins the wisdome and good pleasure of God going along with them for that end 2 They are seales of Gods ingagement to man that is signified by these his Faithfulnesse and Truth alwayes goe with it Rom. 4. It is called The Seale of the Righteousnesse of Faith So as it is as sure as that 3 There is the accomplishment and performance thereof here shall we find the good Spirit of God going along with this ordinance to see it done Matth. 3 11. He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost c. And Rom. 2.29 That is Circumcision that is of the heart c. So as the Sacrament is stated for that use it hath alway this the good Spirit of God going along with it carrying it to the understanding it signifies all spirituall good to the understanding to a man that worthily receives it it carries it sacramentally So as it is plain no man can institute a Sacrament to have the good of it as the Seale the Spirit of God must make good Gods engagement so as the heart cannot get away from the goodnesse 3 The Sacrament exhibits grace so the Spirit of God go along with it and see it accomplished thus theirs is the same with ours for theirs and ours comunicate the vertue of it by the Spirit of God And hence it followes that it is of force as under the motion of that blessed Spirit so that there is no more of the Bread nor of the Wine that have this fruit but so much as is used to this end And as the Brazen Serpent was not of that use to heale but at that time the Lord had set it apart for that use and therefore afterwards it was called Nehushtan Hence followes a threefold collection 1 Hence this will bee a meanes to â—â—se and help you to see how the Spirit can work in Baptisme The main worker is the Spirit all is possible to him he can secretly doe it to a childe he is not confin'd to our work he can overshadow the heart of a Child as he did the Virgin 2 In the manner of the working in which we may see foure thing for our help 1 The Sacrament of Baptisme is a seale of our first entrance and the Supper is our nourishing in the family of Christ And this being the scope of Baptisme sealing our first work into Christ that whereby we are implanted into Christ in which work we are meetly passive but when wee are setled on Christ the truth is this wee have a gracious principle put into us and so we work by our selves and by the help of the Spirit but at the first the Spirit makes us willing that we may will it This is the confession of all our orthodox Divines 2 In this first grace wherein we are passive God works in us without us all the workes we are passive in 3 Hence we may see the Spirit may as well seale
within us without us as well as work within us without us without any opposition there is the same reason for the one as the other I know nothing to oppose but if he doe the one he may doe the other 4 Hence we may see if this be true that he can seale within us without us it may be conceived that though there be no saving quality comes from the Sacrament the Spirit may worke in himselfe and from himselfe without the work of the child This makes it easie to a mans apprehension it is indeed secret first in God in baptisme this is wrought and the Spirit can seale as well as work it in the soul The third Position There is no quality in the Sacrament as a Sacrament but meetly an instrument a ministeriall worke but the Spirit can work it with ease that way he did work in the old and new Testament in the very same he worketh now Now to the third Head where the main stresse lies and that is in the persons that are capable of the covenant of Grace and that we heard was no weaknesse of faith nor want of yeares Who be they then that be capable subjects For the opening the point 1 We will explicate the point 2 We will answer the objections of the adversaries those that would destroy the comforts of the faithfull 1 Who be the subjects capable for this Covenant and we will speak of it 1 In generall 2ly in particular And this generall shall bee as a Torch set on the top of a paire of staires that gives light almost to all the roomes in the house for passage The first conclusion is That the Seales doâ— not give the first grace but doe presuppose that such as doe receive them are within the covenant of Grace which covenant hath ever in the old and now in like manner in the new sealed up the covenant to them that are partakers of it in which we must consider three things 1 The seales of the covenant doe not give the first grace I will not look at grace as it is in God but as it is communicated unto us it presumes a former favour that they bring in them and being in the covenant they receive God by it Ezek. 16.8 I looked upon thee and thy time was the time of love and I spred my skirt over thee and made a covenant with thee and thou becamest mine First it was a time of love and then he takes them into covenant Psal 106.4.5 Remember me with the favour of thy people c. And if the Sacrament give the first grace then it should be given to all people the Church could hinder none because then they should hinder their comming to God and the Apostle affirmes the contrary by saying 1 Corinth 5 12 13. What have I to doe to judge them that are without c. The preaching of the Gospel must be to every creature because that is a meanes to bring men to Christ but the Seals are to be given to them that are within When any of the Heathen came to joyn with the Jewes it was lawfull for them to become Proselytes they were to turn Jewes that was to professe the same faith with the Jewes And when they were joyned then it was lawfull to circumcise them but else it was not lawfull First they must have a being in the Covenant and then they might have the seales The second part of the Proposition is the Seale presupposes all those to be in the covenant of grace that have the Seals for the Seals doe not make the Covenant but establish the Covenant it is onely given to them that be in the Covenant there is no seal put to a blank so a seale here is taken for granted they are in the covenant Hence baptisme Coloss 2.11 In whom you were circumcised c. Hence we are said to put on Christ Galat. 3.27 so as all our incision and adoption is sealed up by baptisme and it stablisheth the heart Acts 8.37 If thou believe with all thy heart thou mayest c. It is not therefore a carnall covenant it supposes how after ward they ought to carry themselves Rom. 4.11 12. It is the seale of the righteousnesse of Faith so as by faith they receive it They take it for granted Abraham had faith how could it be sealed up and therefore I wonder at the speech of the Authour of a booke come lately to my hand It is in the fifth page I doe not finde the word 〈◊〉 that he did believe in the sâ—â—â— or that it was required he should so doe when the words are so plain Rom. 4.11 By the word which he had being uncircumcised every part of the sentence shews it forth that faith that did make Abraham a father of the faithfull and a patterne did look to Christ as the Object of it and it looks mainly there but Abraham was a pattern and therefore we look at Christ as the blessed seed that faith which he had being uncircumcised by which he was a father to them that were uncircumcised that faith is supposed to be the faith of the seed I know not how any body is able to avoid it Philip. 3.9 That I might be found in him not having my own righteousnes c. that faith of Abraham did look at the blessed seed That man speaks doubtfully which makes me feare he would have said it was a carnall Covenant but that he durst not seeing what was comming down the Hill upon him which he was not able to avoid but the case is cleare that which is presupposed to be in Abraham before he was circumcised is presupposed to be in all that are allowed to receive as Abraham did he being a pattern if circumcision did presuppose faith in Abraham it doth so to all that are to receive the reason is if the same covenant and the same seal was to the rest as was to Abraham the same is required that was in Abraham the same thing seal up one and the same it never differed the same seale it did seale to all alike so as the second part is plain in the text Gen. 17 10 11.12 This shall bee a token of my Covenant c. there was not one covenant for him and another for them but all is one and the same Here it is objected it was a seale to Abraham hee had saith but how was it to his family Answer is The scope of God in the place is to discover a standing rule how sacraments were to be not how they were to be to unworthy persons but how they were to be to persons that receive them aright look at Gods appointing of them in regard of the nature of the seals they doe seal up the same covenant of grace to all that receive them if some pretend they had grace and yet they crept in and had no grace inwardly they deprived themselves of the benefit of the Ordinance yet in the nature of it it aymes at
and therefore examine your selves it is not what other men think or judge of you for you may lose all the benefit of ordinances and lose your selves and all and lose your profession and all that you have done in the Gospel if you doe not search your selves Rom. 2â— 29. He is a Jew that is one within whose praise is not of Man but of God that will give him assurance if hee be found in the statutes of God whose praise is not of man but of God such a man may have comfort 1 John 3.21 If our hearts condemns us not then have we bâ—lanâ—sse c. otherwise if men think you be good and you know you are not if men think you are true and you know you are false God knowes all things and will proceed more rigidly against you he knowes more then your selves doe Now to the next Head Infants are capable And here is the maâ—â—â— thing of the businesse and therfore you must give me leave to expatiate I will be 〈◊〉 more large where the most difficulty lies and I will open my selfe in severall propositions how to discern they are capable First That there is a portion and provision of Grace appointed by God and bestowed of God on some children according to the counsell of his own will Here are two things to be avoided 1 Curiosity for secret things belong to God 2 Carelesnesse for where God hath a mouth to speak we must have an eare to heate We must be carefull therefore to know this truth But what the number of Infants be and after what manner he doth bestow this Grace I will say nothing but what the Word hath learned me I will learn you That some children are elected and God will sanctifie them and glorifie them but for the number and manner I leave that Mr Spilsbery opposes two of these Election and Glorification when they are against the expressions of the Word so they are not onely errors but grosse errors In the third page line 14. his words are They must be capable of Grace or else they are not elected Now he saith children in their nonage are not subjects of Election or of Glory I oppose both There is a portion of Grace for children and Glory If he speak to the purpose and say there is no faith in Election or capability of Glory I doe not think children because they are children are elected glorified there is no shew of the question in that ancient men are not elected because they are old nor glorified because they are old he will save them from sinne not as they are old or rich or honorable that is not sensible therefore his meaning is that Children fall not within compasse of election nor if they dye to have glory and that is a grosse error There is a number of children that it is the purpose of God according to election to save them Rom 9.11 12. The children being not yet born it was said The elder shall serve the younger c. And Malach. 1.2 3. Was not Esau Jacobs brother yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau And Rom. 9.18 Whom he will he hardens And this is upon children not as children but while they are such all the men in the world are either vessels of mercy or vessels of wrath according to the good will of God Now if all be under election or reprobation to say all children are rejected were grosse Genes 25.22 23. The children struggle in her womb the Lord said Two Nations are in thy womb c. And they were types of the children of light and the children of darknesse and so must our children be children of light or children of darknesse Now to say all are rejected he hath not the face of a man that will say so for the Word hath taught us the contrary Secondly if there be a number of children to whom the Kingdome of Heaven belongs unto then blessednesse belongs to children But that it is so appears Mat. 19.14 For of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Now Anabaptists darken that place and say These are not children but men of years such as are humble of a childlike disposition But the Glosse does corrupt the Text and crosses the scope of the place for Christ spake it to make it appeare they may bee blessed here thus If to such belong the Kingdome of Heaven they may bee glorified if they may be glorified then they may be blessed here The sense the Anabaptists give makes it senslesse if it stand thus the Kingdome of heaven belongs to the humble it is one thing to be humble and another thing to be blessed What is this to children of yeares If children belong to heaven they may be blessed here and therefore our Saviour calls them and bids them come to him that he might blesse them and the nature of the thing teacheth it for there are but two places after this life Hell or Heaven except men will follow the dotage of the Papists to make a Purgatory which fire was kindled in the Popes Kitchin Now to say all children that are dead are in hell they dare not say so now that Mr Spilsbery saith He will say nothing to it he must say so for he can say nothing to any purpose therefore he speakes that to dazle mens eyes Thirdly there are some children God will work grace in now Luke 1 15. it is said of John That hee was filled with the holy Ghost from his mothers womb Christ did sanctifie one to shew there are more that arâ— and shall be sanctified here and therefore it appeares there are a number of children that God doth bestow grace upon here and shall be glorified hereafter And although the manner of Gods working upon children be extraordinary 〈◊〉 mans account yet it is ordinary with God to work it in them that day he workes faith in them certainly they are as capable of the work of the Spirit as men are but the manner of working is secret But it is Gods common course and certainly he doth work faith in them Infants are as capable as men considering the work of the Spirit The second Proposition Although the manner of working be extraordinary in respect of the meanes and the persons upon whom it is wrought yet in regard of God it is ordinary and easie and he doth certainly work faith in the hearts of infants that die in their infancy that are elected and also in regard of the Spirit that is the worker of it in them 1 It is extraordinary in regard of the meanes if we have an eye to the meanes that puts not forth that power as it doth when there is a concurrence of all things that are sutable to work with the means and therefore when this is wanting now to do it is extraordinary But infants doe not nor cannot thus concurre for they cannot exercise their understanding they cannot put it forth as men of yeares can doe they cannot put forth to
the signification they cannot take it in so far as to affect their hearts with the nature of it therfore all such power upon their actual apprehensions signification taking working of abilities of their own it is onely to men of yeares it is beyond the rank and order of infants and the means cannot worke in this regard beyond their order and rank to doe as to men of yeares they may And the same may be said of circumcision for there is the like difference between men of yeares and infants in that and yet this did not hinder Gods end in that ordinance nor did it prejudice the good God intended to bestow upon infants though the abilities of infants could not receive it from the Ordinance or the Ordinance receive help from them for this is extraordinary and beyond the parts of a child that is the meaning of it 2 Yet in regard of God it is his ordinary course and certainly he doth work faith in the hearts of all elected infants that dye in their infancy Doe not stumble that I use the phrases of Ordinary and Extraordinary in regard of the parties and meanes it is ordinary with God for we may see it so in other workes of God as in the work of vocation there is an infusion of a spirituall principle into the soule which is beyond all the abilities of the nature of any man to bring it into his own soule but if we look at the work of God then the way that God hath made known is ordinary and a continued course to infuse a principle of grace into the soule So it is Gods ordinary way to put faith into an infant that is elected and dies an infant As for instance there are many revelations of God every revelation is a revelation of the Spirit but it is according to the Word Now although it is extraordinary in regard of the work of the Spirit revealing yet it is ordinary with God Now this comes to the heart of the cause therefore in this give me leave to do three things 1 To open the meaning and state the question how God doth put faith into infants 2 That it should not seem hard nor men should not think it hard to say God works in this manner 3 We will give you the reasons of it 1 In the meaning of it the secresie of God does drive men to much trouble it is like an unbeaten way to the Seamen they must sound every part of it 1 Some think it is kept in his own secret will 2 Some think the Spirit does work it 3 Some think God puts in a seed of faith 4 Some think there is a habit of faith put into the Soule 5 Some think God does powre faith into the heart of infants that die in infancie that be elected that they shall be converted and put into Christ this is the main truth of the question God does powre it into the soule and so the soule is converted and planted into Christ as the head of the covenant This is the state of the controversie and this I shall labour to strengthen 2 Secondly it should not be strange nor need not to bee counted hard to any judicious Christian to assent to this The reason is because there is a work alike in a parity to that which is daily expressed in the course of Gods providence and is acknowledged by all judicious without doubt And if it be so why may he not doe the like in this That there is a like work and that it is acknowledged appeares thus It is a confessed truth that the Lord does infuse a soule into the body and the soule is pure and holy as it comes from him otherwise God must be the authour of sinne yet through the sinne and guilt of Adam the soule is turned from God and is possest with originall sinne and so sin and guilt is imputed and the curse justly inflicted And the soule being thus wholly turned from God it is wholly possest with originall corruption It is a delusion to say the soule is propagated Gen. 5.3 Adam beg at a sonne in his own image being wholly turned from God and turned to sin And John 3.6 That which is born of the flash is flesh all comes from the sin of Adam Now mark if this be so that the sin guilt of Adam is thus conveyed and the guilt curse this is done daily though we see not the manner how it is done then why may not Christ convey grace turne the heart of a child from sin to himself the party is the same as before and look to the cause and it is greater in the latter then in the former if we looke at Christ there is an advantage in reason to believe the latter rather then the former and why should it be thought a thing incredible seeing the first Adam can turn away the soule from God but that Christ by the power of his merits may convert Infants to himselfe and why then should it bee incredible Now one of these are done from day to day and none doubt of it I meane the first and the second we have more advantage to believe because the second Adam is above the first and why then should not the second Adam be as readily assented unto as the first but every man is forced to yeeld the first that is judicious let us not doubt the second One thing is to be noted in Mr Spilsbery's Booke in the 12th page 19 lines from the end where he saith The word condemnes none but for actuall sinne if he mean as he must needs doe no man is condemned but for the sinne of the party it selfe it is a grosse error Rom. 5.12 For as by one man sinne entredinto the world and death by sinne c. and so in the 8th verse If by the finne of one man judgement came upon all then for the sinne of Adam God may justly condemne all though they never commit actuall sin is the judgement of all that are judicious Death over spread all by Adams sinne and therefore wee see in infants that dye Adams sin was actuall and let him shift what he can the case is cleare and the word condemnes men for originall sinne The wages of sinne is death so originall sinne it is the rebelling against the law of out mind and therefore it must be sinne and to say the contrary is a grosse fulsome error Mark when such errors come from the pens of men it shewes there is more behind and he must say either originall sin is no sin or that infants have no originall sinne And if he say so then the sin of the heathen cannot hinder but that all their children that dye must be saved If you look in the forenamed place in his book you may finde it I speak it that men that have the books may find it And let no man think that these things be strange seeing the like is done that you may see with
that they cannot oppose the spirit in working on them then stones are capable for God can raise of stones Children to Abraham but if this be the meaning they are as able to comply with the Spirit I deny it and to affirm that this is the way God uses to bring children to him I oppose it and it argues ignorance to say so To which I answer it is the truth of God and it is Gods way to work so and that Children are as capable as men of years if we eye the operation of the Spirit and the dispensation thereof they are as capable as men much more therefore then stones and that I will open and prove in foure things First The nature of man as it was made fit for grace before the fall so it is capable of grace after the fall of Adam when I say capable I say two things 1. The substance of the soule and body need not be changed from their being when they receive grace the nature of the soule and body being not changed but unfitted for any spirituall work As take a Clock that all the wheels are out of frame you need not make new Wheels but onely rectifie them if they be foule make them clean if they be wrong right them so by the fall of Adam all soule and body is out of frame and out of joynt the minde unfit to know God and the will unfit to close with God before the fall all were in frame but when it jarred against the Law then Originall sinne came upon all his seed and that makes them jarre against the law now when a sinner comes to be renewed there needes not new faculties but those he hath to be set in frame this is the meaning of the Spirit of God Jer. 4.4 Plow up your fallow ground c. so the minde is arrable ground although it be over grown with lusts that as there is no fruit of holines to God or righteousnes to men but the minde of man is over run with distempers and therefore as they say we must give it another tilling by plowing up the weeds and Rom. 6.19 As you have given your members weapons to unrighteousnes so now give your members as servants unto righteousnesse unto holinesse the meaning is as we have given our members in the same proportion as we have given them to sin so we should give them to be at the command of the spirit the same understanding will and affections whereas if God raise them out of stones as he can doe he must first give it to be a man and make it to have a body and a soule and then convert it but he need not doe so when he comes to men or children As if a man would have a crop of Corn upon a rock he must first make it ground and then plow them but if hee have ground although it have thorns and rubbish when he hath removed that he may plow it and expect a crop because ground is capable to bear Corn. Now the proof of the point is plain that the nature of man is capable it appears that which is capable of a privation is capable of the habit of the contrary grace of necessity the in beeing of a thing requires a capablens the eye cannot be said to be blind except it be capable of seeing it is not said a mans hand is blinde because it is not capable of seeing so the body may be said to be dead because it is capable of life so it is in the understanding it is full of blindenesse because it is capable of seeing and so the will is capable of holinesse Ephes 5.8 Once you were darknes now you are light in the Lord c. and 1 Cor. 15.49 As we have born the Image of the earthly so we must beare the image of the heavenly the body is sick and it may have help Secondly Our nature is not nextly fit for grace yet it is capable that is the roome may be made fit though it be not fit for the present as a Vessell that is full of ill liquor it is capable to hold good liquor but it is not fit before the filthy liquor be powred out so our nature is capable of grace we need not change our being but wee must bee made fit 2d Particular The spirit of God does in all men whether young or old first loose the soule of a sinner from sin and self by his Almighty power before he puts a principle of grace into the soule and before he leads the soule to God in Christ this must be done take a childe or a man God does work this it is the nature of Gods dispensation Acts 26.18 To open their eyes that they may turn from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God c. First they are taken from under him and then they are turned to God and John 15.19 Because I have chosen you out of the world therfore the world hates you c. you were under the power of sin and I have called you out then I will cal you to my selfe Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son c. We must be cut off from the wilde Olive before we can be planted into the true Olive It was never known an Imp could grow on two stocks at once you cannot serve two Masters you cannot be in Hell Heaven together there cannot be two Gods in one heart it is not possible therefore see how John prepares the way for Christ Luke 3.5 6 7. The mountains must be laid low and the crooked things must be made strait and then they shall see the salvation of God so it is withall the sonnes of Adam nature and reason will constrain the same Thirdly In this double work of the spirit the spirit deposes sin and self and then powers in a principle of grace in both these all men that receive the worke of the spirit are meere patients when it deposes sin and self young and old and are meer patients all men children and infants thus it is in all on whom the great work of conversion is they are meerly patients we have already made it good I will give you two or three reasons of it 1. Aversion cannot bee a cause of salvation a frame to turn from God cannot help a man to turn to God no more then light can cause darknesse sin and self carry the soule from God and therefore it cannot carry the soule to God Gal. 5.17 For the flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit lusteth against the flesh and those are contrary one to another Now that which destroyes the work of the spirit cannot bring it in Rom. 7.18 I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing now that which hath no spirituall good can doe no spirituall good and so it cannot helpe to God 2. That which cannot be subject to
the Law of God cannot be a cause of the work of the spirit but sin and self cannot be subject and therefore they cannot be the cause of the working of the spirit nay the nature of man cannot be nay they cannot suffer the work upon them they are not able to bear it Rom. 8.7 It is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be 3. That which is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature that corrupt nature cannot bee the cause of but to put off sin and self is wholy beyond the power of corrupt nature for nothing can work beyond the power of its own principle and of our selves we are not able to think a good thought So it must be given us so we have gained this that therefore we are all meer patients in the work of conversion both men and children 4. Here lies the life of the answer in these severall works where the hearts are sufferers the soules of Infants are as much fit as the soules of any man and not so much unfit as the soules of many men to receive grace and they have as great a capability as men have and in some measure a greater capabilitic then some men have here is two things to be considered 1. That they are as fit as any but not so unfit as many and therefore all are meet sufferers in the work of the spirit to have sin and self subdued the soules of children are as fit and have as great a capability in the world 1. You must remember heretofore we have made it good that all the sonnes of Adam are tainted with Originall sin equally no man have lesse of Adams sin nor lesse of Originall sin one then another but all men and children are equall here and men of years have contracted many actuall sins nay whatever they doe before they are converted is sin all their thoughts words and deeds so as they grow more proud and more witty to commit sin and to doe wickedly because of actuall transgression some grow more sturdy in their sinfull courses which is drawn and contracted by actuall sin and infants are free from those now those that have acted them are more fit to commit them nay many are habituated in commiting of sin so as they have gotten a habit of drunkennes and a habit of uncleanes c. so as it is plain children are as fit as any and not so unfit as many are for if children have as little opposition as any and lesse then some then it must needes be true For where lesse opposition against a thing is there is lesse trouble to receive it for they are contrary for where lesse opposition is there is a greater disposition to receive it but that children doe as little oppose grace as any man of years all opposition comes from the sinne of Adam and Originall sin came from that and here wee see all are equall in men of years and children and this is the first kinde of opposition 2d Sort of opposition arise from sinfull habits and this comes by actuall sin and by this we come to bee more self-confident and all these infants are free of a man that hath lived many years in sin is come to be habituated in sin as a man that dotes upon the world gets a habit of covetousnes and a man gets a habit of frowardnes these infants are freed from Acts 7.28 Wilt thou kill me c and Acts 18.6 And when they resisted and blasphemed c. Children are dead in sin but some men are twice dead as Jude speaks at the 12th verse Twice dead and plucked up by the roots and as Christ sayd of the Pharisees they made men twofold more the childe of Hell take the most men living and there is Sin and Selfe to be subdued and in regard of Adam sin and originall sin they are all alike But by actuall sin men are full of carnall confidence and therfore the Spirit must have much to do here because men do harden their own hearts and so make themselves twenty times more the child of hell so they are twice dead and pulled up by the root so that they are lesse fit then some naturall men in the world and many men in the world that are but men of the world are more fit then they so that children are more capable then any man The place in Jude is spoken against false Prophets they were twice dead they were dead by originall sin actuall sin there is a sort that hath received a seeming light and get a little of the Word and that he is provoked that a man thinks he is a living man There is another sort that persecute the Word now these are dead again so they are twice dead he is provoked by the work of the Law and now he is more proud and is as athing pulled up by the roots so as nothing can recover him no possibility to come neere him so as it is so farre from being harder for the Spirit to work upon infants that there is an easinesse in this kind The 3d Proposition Beleeving Parents when they enter into a visible covenant to walk in Gods wayes they enter not for themselves alone but for all that come of them and God does ingage himselfe by their meanes to worke grace in their hearts as he sees fit hee counts them to have federall holinesse God accepts of both and he will doe good to them as he sees fit In this Proposition there are foure things to be considered 1 Believing Parents enter into a visible covenant for themselves and their posterity 2 God expects it at the hands of them both 3 God ingages himselfe to use them as instruments to doe good to them as he sees fit God wil give grace to his children he will use them to his own mind God will use them as instruments but he will doe them good as he sees fit not that parents can give grace or worke grace in their children and therefore speak not so for that is as if when God works upon the heart by the preaching of the word you should say the Minister gives grace 4 God accounts children as having federall holinesse 1 When believing Parents enter into a visible covenant they doe enter into it for themselves and children But they must enter into a visible covenant the reason of it is because communication of them that doe so enter into covenant doe in reason belong to them that be in a community of other according to rationall charity because God gives the priviledges of his holy things to a community of men and they must judge according to a rule of charity and passe sentence as things appeare according to that rule For if it be left to every privat man to judge that every man may judge himself fit and be his owne Judge to partake of the ordinances then these two evils will follow 1 An abusing and prophaning Gods holy things for he would carve all
the end in Christ they are proved subjects of the kingdom of Heaven what is meant by root Christ mysticall Christ conveys living grace to his living members of his body and the branches are those that are planted in Christ by faith and the spirit for faith he mysticall Christ is the Church for the Church are not a mixt company in the 20 23 24. lines I will answer in two things to clear the place 1. It is unfound and does not suite the Apostles meaning 2. If we grant it it will not help his cause to hinder from the baptising of Infants 1. It is unfound were Gods elect of a visible covenant if that onely were the first fruits then Abraham could not Adam Abell Noah and Shem were the elect of God and these were before Abraham therefore this will not hold out that he faith but as the covenant of grace was set upon Abraham so he is the first fruits 2. It hath been proved out of the text as holinesse to the lump so God intends it as a means not that elect people are able to convey saving grace to the lump of all the Jewes in any case 3. If the elect were onely the members he contradicts his own course for those that have a right to baptism are invested into all the priviledges but Gods elect people are not the onely subjects of baptisme for when Iohn Baptist did baptise all those that came to him in the judgement of Iohn they were approved subjects of Gods grace Yet I suppose no man will say though they were men of yeâ—res that were baptised that they were all the elect of God and that they were approved subjects and yet they did not onely apply the seale to themselves for their good but they did abuse the seals and yet they were approved of Iohn to be made partakers of it although some of them were Apostates and Reprobates in a word those that are in the covenant of Gods grace that are elected are really partakers of the work of the spirit inwardly but for the outward we see they are approved which is that of which we now speak not the elect onely but others in the federall holinesse and Abraham was the first fruits by way of covenant 2. That the root here is not Christ mistically conveying grace to his branches and sending nourishment from the head as it is the visible covenant against this I say 1. The Root here meant is that from whom the Branches ingrafted may be broken off that is the Jewes they were broken off from the Church and are at this day but no Branch that is ingrasted into Christ by faith can be broken off First we may see it in the Text Secondly we may see it in Reason he that is in Christ cannot be broken off For whom he called he justified and whom he justified he will glorifie And those that come to Christ he will not cast them away for it is the will of the Father to give them eternall life and no man can take them out of his hand so as the case is cleare 2. The Root is meant the body ingrafted as in the 15. verse If the casting away of the Iews shall be restored the body of the Gentiles 24. 25. verses all the body shall be saved but the body of the Gentiles are not ingrafted into Christ mystically to be belivers so the root is not here and this shews the unfoundnes 3. The reason Mr. Spilsbery uses is against his cause in his 17. page and the last and the beginning of the 18. they carry not the weight of a feather that Christ is the Olive and the Jews are cast out and the Gentiles are grafted in I desire no better reason against him for the Jews are not cast out of Christ mysticall out of this root because it is the Church of Christ where many hypocrites are because they may be cast out 1. In that the Apostle charges the Gentiles for boasting the root bears thee and yet thou have no saving grace but a naked profession and expression in the 17. verse it is a false mistake out of that place boasting is not saving grace for it is a pang of pride God hath no people but have their weaknes of grace Josephs brethren they sold him and would see what would become of his dreams and the Corinthians they did boast one was of Paul another of Apollo but did all these want saving grace No but it is as a caveat given them to pull it down it is not to say they all want saving grace it is false 2. In that the Apostle charges the Gentiles for boasting it is against the argument 3. Thus if the Gentiles be ingrafted in want of grace therefore Christ must be the head the consequence destroyes the conclusion the root is meant as he faith the ingrafted and the want of grace the body butso is no member that is in Christ mystically therfore the root is not meant Christ for the want of grace cannot be in Christ mystically so he destroyes his cause now we shew you the meaning of the text the scope is they should not list up themselves for the Jews were cut off he reasons thus It is groundlesse to boast against the Jew because they receive all from the Jew therefore they should sit down for if they have any right they have it from him for Abraham is the root how by covenant with him Abraham bare by a visible covenant therefore the Gentiles may thank Abraham for it and therefore they have no cause to boast for it was said to him in thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed so the truth is cleared the children are holy but not by a spirituall holinesse but a federall holinesse 4. If we grant him his interpretation it will be no help to his cause if the first fruits and lump be the elect the children are elect also if they be vessels of glory upon the same ground children are elected as well as they and let Christ be the head of those that be ingrafted then children and infants are the branches of this head and so to be judged in charity and if they shall be saved they are members Ephes 5.26 Children shall be saved by Christ they he his body he hath gotten nothing here but we have gained that children have federall holinesse against all opposition The 4th Proposition is Although the ground be not the same yet there is as sure a ground to evidence to judicious charity that children are in covenant as well as parents if they be believers the ground is â—t good to the one as it is to the other to a Rule of judicious charity it is alike to both There is not the same ground altogether because the parents are of yeares of discretion and so they are able to expresse the speciall or common good and therefore they can give a reason of the hope that is in them and ingâ—ge themselves to walk