God did sanctifie all the rest of the same lump so beleeving parents sanctifie all their seed that proceeds from their loyns And so as the first fruits and the root being beleeving parents are holy even so the lump and branches being their Infants are holy also and so to be baptised as their parents are which is a meer fallacie and farre from the intent of the Apostle in those words And for our better understanding of the same let us a little examine the Scriptures alledged and first for Rom. 11.16 The generall scope of the Apostles discourse in this Chapter is concerning the Jews breaking off and the occasion of it as also their calling by the Gospel who were the people of God in a two fold consideration First as they were a nationall people according to the flesh with many outward priviledges sutable to the same by which God declared himself to be their God and they his people above all others in the world Secondly some of them God owned in a more speciall manner with reference to his gracious covenant made with Abraham and established with Isaac and his seed after him for an everlasting covenant As Gen. 17. which consideration cannot be of the Jews nationally considered as I have formerly proved For if so then all the whole nation must have been in a true and saving estate of grace and so all of them to have been saved or else to fall from an estate of grace So that as God had then a nationall Church and people even so had he for the same also nationall priviledges both for order ordinances and government Which order cannot now be expected for us Gentiles under the new Testament and though that God admitted them all alike to the outward priviledges in the type yet God had another consideration of them in respect of the substance as not to approve of them all in his holy Covenant of grace Yet of that whole body in generall Abraham according to the flesh was the stock or root from whom they sprong as naturall branches as Joh. 8. Which nationall people must be considered in a two-fold respect First a civill state or common-wealth under a civill government as Kings Judges and other the like Governers of that nature Secondly a Church consisting of an holy Assembly of worship and worshippers and so a spirituall state with the like government and governors as Priests prophets and the like of that nature All which held fellowship and communion together because God took into one body that whole Nation for his own people Or rather one head comprehending them all which was Abraham from whom they descended as children springing from the loyns of a father All which so springing out of his loyns did assume to themselves an equall right and priviledge in Gods gracious covenant made with Abraham and his seed supposing God had bound his covenant generally upon him and his seed in his naturall generation after the flesh But God respecting in the same onely his chosen in Christ with whom he confirmed his Covenant with Isaac in reference to Christ Gen. 17. Gal. 3. Who in Gods own time he cals them to the faith that they might appear to whom they belong Rom. 8 28.29 30. Gal. 4.4 6. These the Apostle ever defends against the generall rejection of that nation For though such were rejected as were not elected this made not the promise of God of none effect to those who stood firm in the covenant by grace in Christ Jesus as branches in their root Which grace the rest opposed and were cast off for their unbeleef and when the fulnesse of Gods time is come to call them to belief they shall be received again into their former estate as alive from the dead as Rom. 11.23 24. Luke 15.24 Therefore the Apostle after he hath proved the rejection of the Jews he labours to make good the faithfulnesse of God in his promise of grace and the effectuall power of the Gospel in the saving effects thereof in such as beleeved through grace though the Jews in their nationall respect were rejected and so few of them gained to the truth as Rom. 3.3 4. Rom. 9.6 Rom. 11. And he gives a reason of it thus though that the Jews were all under an outward form of profession of Gods name and truth and so his people in that respect yet there was but a remnant that he approved of in the Covenant according to his election of grace unto whom the promise of life did belong As Rom. 9.6 7 8. Rom. 11.5.7 Now to these Gods speciall care is to perform his Covenant and all that he promised to them in their father Abraham with reference to Christ in whom as the root God established his holy Covenant for these his holy branches Rom. 9.11.12.23 Rom. 11.1.2 Rom. 8.28 29 30. Rom. 11.26.2 Pet. 3.9 Now the lump generally considered comprehends all both the first fruits and the latter for except the first fruits were part of the lump it could not give testimonie that the lump was holy which lump so considered is Gods elect and chosen in Christ with reference to their beleeving in him and so the approved subjects of Gods gracious Covenant and heirs apparent to the kingdom of Christ In which sence God had one and the same respect unto all and every part of the same lump and that was as he considered the same in a conformitie to his Son as the end of his election Rom. 8.28.29 30. Ephes 1.8.4.5 6.1 Pet. 1.1 2. So that there is in the substance of truth one and the same consideration in the first fruits and the lump according to what is laid down in the proposition the lump being as aforesaid a remnant according to Gods election with reference to faith and so approved subiects in his holy covenant appearing in Abrahams Isaacs and Jacobs beleeving as the first fruits of the same Now as those first fruits of that blessed crop in Gods holy Covenant were holy onely so appearing for we speak of visible things so is the lump out of which these first appeared by faith as a part of the same also holy in the same consideration Again the lump which the Apostle spake of is to be understood of the Jews and not of the Gentiles as he here applies it For though he speaks to the Gentiles yet here he speaks of the Jews For in the Chapter before labours to provoke the Jews to receive the Gospel as vers 14. Therefore he intends the Jews by the first fruits of the lump The first fruits the beleeving fathers as aforesaid that first appeared in the Covenant of grace in such a way by faith and so holy was that remnant which God had still among them with reference to the same state the first fruits were in and so holy the same consideration is to be had of the lump with reference to that state which God in his time shall call them unto by his Gospel and so are
and received the seale thereof even so are Infants now in the Covenant and ought to receive the seale thereof Three things are to be cleared in this Argument First That the Covenant made with Abraham and his posteritie in the flesh before Christ and that now under Christ is the same Secondly As Infants were in that Covenant so are Infants now Thirdly as Infants were sealed then so they ought to be now Now for the proving of these aforesaid there are 3. other grounds laid down as follow First That Gospel is the doctrine of the Covenant but this being one was preached to Abraham as Gal. 3.8.17.18 Rom 4.11 and so to the end and to the Jewes in the Wildernesse Heb. 4.1.2 Heb. 3.7 and so in Davids time Heb. 4.7 c. Therefore the Covenant is the same Secondly If Abraham be the Father of the Jewes and Gentiles and equally as he beleeved the righteousnesse of faith and they his children equally as so beleeving and no otherwise then the Covenant is the same But Abraham is the father of the Jewes and Gentiles and equally as he beleeves as aforesaid Rom. 4.11 12.16 17.23 24. Gal. 3.3.9.26.29 Therefore the Covenant is the same Thirdly The standing of the Jewes in the Grace of God was the same with Abraham as is cleare from Gods often expressing of himselfe to be the God of Abraham and his seed and praying to God for to remember the Covenant he made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and acknowledging the accomplishing of the same to them as Luk. 1.73 74. Luk 1.54 55. and ours in the same with the Jewes as is cleare from Mat. 21.41.43 22.1 Therefore the Covenant is the same Thus lies the Argument Ans and the grounds to back it and all to prove the Covenant God made with Abraham and his seed to be the same now to the beleeving Gentiles and their seed and Infants to be in this now as they were in that then In answer to which I shall onely touch at the three last grounds briefly in a word as I come to the Covenant it selfe The first is because the Gospel is the doctrine of the Covenant and was preached to Abraham and to the Jewes c. therefore the Covenant is the same For the first if the preaching of the Gospel being the doctrine of the Covenant can prove the Covenant to be the same to them as to us then all to whom the Gospel was and is preached are in the same Covenant But I think it is the effectuall beleeving of that which the Gospel holds forth in the doctrine of it that proves persons in the Covenant and not the preaching of it because many may have the Gospel preached among them and yet not be in the Covenant And for the second that Abraham is the equall father both of the Jewes and Gentiles onely as he did beleeve and they his children onely so beleeving as their father Abraham did and not else In respect of which the covenant is the same to the one as it is to the other This in a sense I confesse is a truth that none are accounted children of Abraham but onely as they beleeve as their father Abraham did and iâ— this be true as the ground affirmes it is then let the Reader judge how Infants can be said to be the children of Abraham and in the Covenant and so to have right to Baptisme as the scale to confirme their saith and whether they doe beleeve as Abraham did But that Abraham may be said to be an equall father both of the Jewes and Gentiles I thinke not so in all respects the Jewes were the seed of Abraham as they descended from his loynes as well as from his faith But for the Gentiles they are called the seed or children of Abraham onely as they walke in the steppes of his faith and not else as 1 Pet. 3 6. And lastly Obj. that the standing of the Jewes in the grace of God was the same with Abrahams and ours the same with the Jewes therefore the Covenant is the same This doctrine so generally laid downe without distinction or exception holds forth a mans falling from grace Ans or out of Gods gracious Covenant of life eternall A doctrine to be testified against by all that truely feare the Lord. For Abrahams standing was true and firme in Gods gracious Covenant and if the Jewes was the same without exception then the Jewes that did oppose Christ and were cut off for the same fell out of this Covenant of grace But I shall further cleare this in that which follows and so I come to the Covenant it selfe and to see how that God made with Abraham and this under Christ will agree In the handling of which in the first place this must be well observed A double â—eed in Abraham that there was in Abraham a double secd when God made his covenant with him and his seed and confirmed the same by the seale of Circumcision There was in Abraham at that time a spirituall seed and a fleshly seed Between which seeds God ever distinguished through all their Generations And as there was a distinction thus made by God in Abrahams seed before they were circumcised and yet admitted to the seale of the Covenant by Gods speciall command For Ishmael and Esau were by God commanded to be circumcised as well as any of the rest of Abrahams seed Gen 17.10.13 Even so there must be the same respect observed also in the Covenant and that because the Covenant comprehends divers things and Circumcision was a seale unto them all Some of which were proper unto both the seeds and some not as may be gathered from the severall branches of the Covenant expressed by God Gen 17. As first for the multiplication of Abrahams seed Gen. 17.2 this was proper as well to his fieshly seed as his spirituall as Gen. 21.13 Deut. 10.22 Isa 48.19 Secondly The land of Canaan Gen. 17.8 This was proper also to both the seeds of Abraham And as it was onely a temporall inheritance the same was conditionall as Heb. 3. And so confirmed by circumcision upon both the seeds of Abraham as Gen. 21.9 10. Deut. 30.18 19 20. And as it pointed at a spirituall inheritance shadowed out under it Now thus considered it was absolute and confirmed onely upon the spirituall seed as Gen. 17.19.21 Gen. 21.12 Gal. 3.17 Thirdly That from Abrahams loynes should come a seed in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed as Gen. 17.16.19 18.10.18 21.2 This blessed branch of the Covenant was proper onely to the spirituall seed considered either in the cause or in the effect as Act. 3.25 26. Gal. 3.7 8.9 16. Fourthly Abrahams fatherhood of the faithfull as Gen. 17.4 5. This was onely proper to faithfull Abraham and his seed as they are found walking in the steppes of his faith as Rom. 4.11 12 13 16. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 7 9 29. 1 Pet. 3. Lastly To be a
the and see if there be the same for to interesse Infants into the covenant now There was required then 1.2 male onely of 8. dayes old 2. of the seed of Abraham and lastly a speciall command from God for the same in particular for though that the covenant had been never so firme between God and Abraham yet if he had not had a command in speciall to Circumcise I suppose he would not have done it if the command had bin only to have preached the way of God to the people and to circumcise such as beleeved and imbraced the same truth preached unto them and no other expresse word of command for an Infant of 8. dayes old that the practise of Abraham Isaac and Jacob had been the same without any direct and apparant example of their circumcising Infants I do beleeve that none of the Jews that truly feared God would have been so bold as to have circumcised their Infants or if they had let the indifferent reader judge by the word of God if it had not been a sin of presumption to goe above what was written for their personall interesse into the covenant this is required now as was then to be of the seed or children of Abraham and visibly so appearing now they did then And who these are I appeale to the word of god for righteous judgement Rom. 4.11 12. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.6 7 8 9.16.22.26.29 This I have shewed before and shall more cleare hereafter and so I come to another Proposition thus Abraham being the roote and the Jewes and Gentiles the branches When the Jewes Were broken off as well Infants as men of yeares were so also the like when the Jewes shall be planted in againe as well Infants as men of yeares shall be so To passe over the difficulties and things that will not be granted about the Jews coming in as this argument seems to import in the laying downe of it I shall onely speak a word to what is intended of implied and for the better understanding of all in a word let the Reader well consider in what sense the Gospel holds forth Abraham to be the roote of Jewes and Gentiles Secondly how the Jewes and Gentiles may be said to be Abrahams branches Thirdly the way of their breaking off And lastly what way this will make for the Gentiles and their Infants to come in and for the Jewes and their Infants coming in I shall let that stand by untill the time comes or for some Scripture to reveale how the same shall be And first to see how the Gospel holds forth Abraham for a root of Jews Gentiles and that is onely in respect of his faith and faithfulnesse and so he is the paterne and father of the faithfull that resemble him in the same otherwise Abraham is not the root of the Gentiles for they descended not from his loynes as the Jewes did So that the Jewes and Gentiles are Abrahams branches onely as they spring out of the same root by saith which declares them to be his true naturall branches so farre as they onely appeare to be of the same faith as he was This I have been upon somewhat before and shall be more fully hereafter But now for the Jews breaking off this was onely for want of their activall beleeving the Gospel as Rom. 11. and opposing the same Act. 13 46. Even so were the Gentiles received in onely upon their actuall beleeving and receiving the same And as God rejected none of the seed of the Jewes that beleeved for their parents unbeliefe no more doth god admit of the Gentiles seed that doe not beleeve for their parents beleeving for as the word condemnes none but with respect to actuall sinne no more doth the word justifie any but with respect to actuall faith and as every one 's owne faith in Christ inrights to life so every one 's own faith in Christ inrights to the priviledges of life That the Jewes and the Gentiles being incorporated into one body in Christ as Eph. 2.11 to 20. As the Jewes Infants were in the same body even so must the Infants of the Gentiles be also 〈…〉 I answer in a word that the Church of the New Testament consists both of Jews Gentiles this is a truth and admits of all that beleeve and rejects none and for the Gentiles Infants being in the same body as well as the Jews Infants This I also beleeve both alike for the Church of the New Testament though it cousists of Jews and Gentiles yet she never admitted of any Infants as members in her body or to the priviledges thereof but as they appeared to beleeve and so capable of the same Another Proposition liâ—s thus If by this word to Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Infants are included and therefore of old circumcised and the same promise be continued in the same state to the Gentiles then the Gentiles Infants are in the same also but the first is true and therefore the second and so Infants are to be baptized For answer to this let the Reader consider well that for a man to take this unto Abraham I will be thy God and the God of thy seed for a ground of Circumcision this cannot be so but onely the word of command that enjoyned the thing for if God had but onely made his covenant with Abraham and not a commanded him to circumcise it had been sin for him to a circumcised any so that it was not the promise but the command that was the ground of Abrahams and the Jewes circumcising their Infants And so the same ground must serve the Gentiles to baptize their Infants which is not the covenant but the like expresse command from Christ for the same but as there is none therefore the first yet the second is not true and so Infants are not to be baptized Againe let it be minded in what sense God did covenant with Abraham to be his God and the God of his seed 2. How we are to consider Abrahams seed with which God made his covenant For the first God sets forth himselfe to Abraham to be the Allmightie God 〈…〉 1. and so an All-sufficient God for Abraham to repose himselfe and build his faith upon from which ground Abraham is commanded to walke before God and to be upright which implyes true faith and holy obedience with reference to which God made his covenant with him being a fit and capable subject for the same as Neb. 9.7 8. And with respect to which faith and faithfulnes God took in with Abraham all his posterity for a people to himselfe under Circumcision and other Ordinances by which God did distinguish them from all other Nations in the world And to be a God to Abraham and to his seed after him that was faithfully to performe his promise in making of him great giving him a seed in whom the Nations should be blessed with which seed he
God to Abraham and to his seed after him in their generations as Gen. 17.7 That was faithfully to performe all that he had promised either to Abraham in particular or his seed in generall as Neh. 9.8 Psal 105 9.10 11 12 13 14.42 Luke 1.72 73 74. In token of which God annexed Circumcision as a seale to confirme the same as Gen. 17.11 These are the severall parts and branches of the Covenant that God made with Abraham and his seed and Circumcision in the flesh as a seale to confirme every part to each seed as was proper to the same But if any shall say the Scriptures deny many seeds Obj. and approve onely of one seed in Abraham with whom the promise was made as Gal. 3.16 To this I answer and say that this place well considered will help forward the truth Ans for the Apostle here speaks of the Covenant so as comprehending Christ the substance of the same and the Elect in him for eternall life In which sense the covenant of grace was not made to Abraham and to all his seed without exception for then all his seed must either be saved or else such as are not but perish must fall out of the said covenant of Grace for I suppose no man will say that all the seed of Abraham without exception were saved And if not then there was some of Abrahams seed comprehended in the Covenant in one sense and admitted to the seale thereof whom God excepted against in another some of which was Ishmael and Esau signifying in Abrahams generation a fleshly seed as well as a spirituall between which seeds God ever held forth a distinction through all their generations from Abraham untill Christ who put an end to the type and the flesh and all priviledges of that nature thereunto belonging Col. 2. as 2 Cor. 5.16 Phil. 3.3 4 5. So that now all is laid up in Christ as Gods store-house and treasury and in him only for such as beleeve and therefore now first in Christ by faith and then to the Covenant and the priviledges thereof as Gal. 3.29 And none by the Gospel approved of now to be the children of Abraham but onely such as walke in the steps of his saith For as none invisible before God are by him at all approved to have right to any priviledge of grace but onely as he lookes upon them in his Sonne No more are there any visibly before men to be approved of so as to have right to the same but as they appeare to be in Christ by some effect of faith declaring the same And so much the more in that God excludes all from his holy Covenant is to have right in the outward dispensation thereof but onely such as beleeve Rom. 11.20 Heb. 3.18 19. Heb. 4.1 2 3. Heb. 11.5 6. Rom. 9.7 8. Gal. 3.22.26.29 Let all this be well considered and I doubt not but the difference between the Covenant God made with Abraham before Christ and this under Christ will appeare very great though in some respect for substance the same Yet in the outward profession of them the difference is great both in respect of persons and things Wherein our descent chiefly lyes that covenant admitted of a fleshly seed but this only of a spirituall Gen. 17. with Rom. 9. That in the flesh and this in the heart Gen. 17.13 with Jer. 31.33 Rom. 2.28 29. The seale and ordinances of that Covenant confirmed faith in things to come but the seale and ordinances of this confirme faith in things already done That Covenant was nationall and admitted all of the same to the seales thereof but this personall and admits of none but such as beleeve That Covenant begot children after the flesh as all Abrahams naturall posteritie But this onely begets children after the Spirit and onely approves of such as are begotten and borne from above in whose hearts God writes his Law Jer. 31. Ezek. 36. Heb. 8. Joh. 3.5 6. That covenant with Abraham and his posteritie before Christ comprehended a civill State and a worldly Government with the like carnall Subjects for the service of the same But this covenant now under Christ comprehends onely a spirituall State and a heavenly Government with the like spirituall Subjects for the service of this also That covenant held forth Christ in the flesh to a heart vailed this holds him forth after the Spirit to a face open 2 Cor. 3. In all understand the visible profession of the Covenant in the out ward dispensation of the priviledges thereof And now I come to the consequence gathered from the Covenants Obj. being one and the same as aforesaid That as Infants were in that covenant then and circumcised so are Infants in this now and to be baptized In answer to which Ans I shall commit in the first place to the Readers consideration these particulars for the further clearing of the aforesaid truth First What the Covenant is Secondly What is that which admits into the said Covenant Thirdly Who are the true approved Subjects of this Covenant And lastly Whether all have not one and the same way of entrance into the said Covenant and to each of these a word First the Covenant it selfe is a Covenant of grace and salvation by which God of his grace takes a person or a people to himselfe for his own above all others and to be their God and to manâ—â—est upon them the riches of his grace and glory and the manner of which is in effect but onely thus much Gods calling of a man to an agreement with himselfe in his Sonne wherein he promises to be his God and to give him life and happines and all things in Christ and that he shall beleeve and rest upon his faithfulnes and truth and so take him for his God c. And thus I say God and man come to an agreement in Christ upon something passing between them wherein they both agree and this is called a Coveannt and I call it a covenant of grace when the thing agreed upon is a subject of grace as Gods giving of man life and peace and all things in Jesus Christ and that he will be his God upon whom he shall relie and beleeve the accomplishment of all things in his due time and that he shall heare and know his will by his Sonne and obey him in the same and mans free consent to God againe that he likes of all this well and concludes with God that it shall be so For a Covenant presupposeth two persons at least and also something to agree or covenant upon thus did God with Abraham and so he doth with every beleever and chiefely when God takes any into a Church-fellowship So that the covenant consisteth of these essentials First the persons disposed to agree Secondly something to agree upon And lastly their mutuall consent which is the agreement it selfe And so much for the Covenant and what the same is Secondly What it is that gives right
begotten and brought forth in a way of uncleannesse as adultery fornication and the like And whereas it is said that if this were the meaning of the Apostle then he said nothing for the clearing of the scruple because this holinesse of the children might be questioned as well as their own c. To which I answer and say that to expound the Apostle this way makes onely forth clearing of the scruple which scruple befell the Corinthians by reason of an Epistle which the Apostle writ to them before as 1 Cor. 5 9. wherein he so presses them from having any communion or fellowship with any unclean person in the worship of God which they understood of civill commerce with the world upon which they questioned the lawfull retaining of their unbeleeving husband and wives and to have communion with them in that neer relation of husband and wife in their civill commerce and societie And so much the more having an example of the like nature in the Law Ezra 10.7 about which thing they wrote to the Apostle for information 1 Cor. 7.1 and questioned not their children Whereby it appears they held it lawfull for to retain their children To which the Apostle answers from a double ground thus 1. In that all things are sanctified to such as beleeve as Tit. 1.15 and so is the unbeleeving wife to the beleeving husband So that you may lawfully live together in that comfortable estate and societie of marriage which God hath ordained for man and wife to abide in 2. If you judge your selves to live in such a way of uncleannesse upon which you must now part then your children so begotten are unclean and to be put away also but in that you 〈◊〉 it lawfull to retain your children and not to put them away though you beleeve and they do not Then much more the unbeleeving parents as aforesaid that bear them for if the effect be holy then must the cause be also holy that produceth the same which is Gods holy ordinance of marriage and not his holy covenant of grace Now it had been in vain for the Apostle to have gone about to prove the lawfull restraining of the unbeleeving husband and wife from the holinesse of their children being in the Covenant for nothing was more clear then this that such children as are begotten in uncleannesse were not approved of in Gods holy Covenant of life not any way holy either by Law or Gospel How then could this tend to remove the Corinthians scruple to tell them they might lawfully continue together because their children were in the Covenant of grace and life and so were holy when as their scruple lay in matter of uncleannesse upon which they were to part Now this must first be cleared whether they were so or not in respect of themselves before ever they could beleeve the holinesse of their children or any such to be in Gods gracious Covenant for the children of adultery and fornication are debarred the holy Covenant both in the Law and Gospel But if it be said that the scruple was about the unlawfull commerce of the beleever with the unbeleever and not of their marriage as if they lived in adultery and fornication and so the uncleannesse of the flesh in that respect as if they were not married Now if this be true that they scruple not their marriage then it holds true also that they did not question the lawfull retaining of their children And so the Apostles argument from the same is of force to prove the lawfull continuing of their parents also though the one called to the faith and so a beleever and the other not In which respect they judged their children free from that uncleannesse the unbeleeving parent was or might be guiltie of to which the Apostle answers and affirms that the condition of the parents and the children is one and the same in the aforesaid respects If they put away the one as unclean upon the same ground the other is unclean and to be put away also And as the one is holy and to be retained upon the same ground the other is holy and to be retained likewise And I conclude as I began tht the holinesse here both of the unbeleeving parents and the children is the same for nature being opposed to one and the same uncleannesse which is onely the holinesse of the creature in a naturall respect not the holinesse of the gracious Covenant of life in a spirituall respect as it is affirmed And so this Scripture also hath nothing at all in it for the proving of Infants true subjects of Baptisme One thing more in the Proposition I cannot passe which is this 〈…〉 That by vertue of a beleevers state in grace all his fruit is holy and partakes with the same state of grace with him unlesse they do by some act of theirs deprive themselves of it as Esau and Ishmael A word briefly of this and so I leave it as answered already 〈…〉 1. If this be a truth then one may be saved by another mans faith for here by vertue of a beleevers state in grace all his fruit that is his children pertake of the same with him and so fare as he doth onely by vertue of his grace or state in grace which is the same And so by the fathers saith the children share together with him in that grace which his faith instates him in which is salvation it self 2. This doctrine takes away the being of originall sinne for here they are all holy and partakers of grace untill they commit some actuall sinne Which denies any originall sin for that would make them unholy though they never committed actuall sin in their own persons 3. It layes a ground of falling out of an estate of grace for by this doctrine Esau and Ishmael and all beleevers children are holy and partakers of the same grace with their parents untill they commit sin as Esau and Ishmael did and then to fall from the same as they did And lastly this is false doctrine for both Esau and Ishmael were excluded from being subjects of Gods saving grace before they committed actuall sin As Gen. 25.23 with Rom. 9.11.12 13. and so Gen. 17.20.21 Gen. 21 9.10 12. But as it tends to Poperie and Arminianisme so I shall leave it as an old Creed bare error not worth any further medling with And now to the fourth and last Argument thus If Baptisme succeeds circumcision 〈…〉 4. then as infants were to be circumcised so are infants to be baptized but Baptisme succeeds circumcision as Col. 2.11 12. Therefore as infants were circumcised so are infants to be baptized This Argument is somewhat weak 〈…〉 and therefore a weak answer shall serve What though Baptisme succeeds circumcision must it needs follow that as Infants were circumcised they must of necessitie be baptized The new Testament succeeds the old must it needs follow therefore that the same order be observed now as was then
them what will such doe when more light comes they will then yeeld or else appeare to be wilfull opposers of the truth The Lord give them hearts to consider and to put their cause to the tryall of the holy and pure Word of God and to bring all his people into one unitie of faith and uniforme order of truth that God may have glory the Gospel honour the Saints comfort The subject of the former discourse hath been about the right subject of Baptisme and that the word of God hath discovered to be a beleever onely in the proving of which truth there in also disproved two sorts of persons and they are either beleevers Infants or such that received their Baptisme of Antichrist and yet all in their infancy both which are by the Scriptures disapproved the one being uncapable and so without any Rule from God for the same and the other also unlawfull and so directly against the word of God which disclaimes all communion with the man of sinne in any of his divine ordinances who receives nothing of the Lord and therefore all that he can administer unto any is both of himselfe from himselfe and for himselfe and so not to be justified nor retained as the Lords ordinance And this falling out so it followes that we are now to seeke for the Lords true Baptisme and for a case so difficult as some would make it two things in speciall are to be inquired into first how or where to finde it secondly how it may be obtained being found for the first if any ordinance of God should be so deceased in its constitution as that we doe not know where it is afoot in Gods way in the world so as to come by it with a good conscience A people in such a case being convicted of the truth and he necessitie of their obedience to God in the same and yet know not the way or manner how to accomplish their holy desires in the finding obtaining the same They are to goe as of old to Christ and his Apostles as the godly then did that is to the holy Scriptures which are the lively Oracles of God the Spirit speaking in them unto a beleeving heart so they stand in the place of Christ and his Apostles with the same abilitie authoritie to furnish a man of faith with all truth as these Scriptures compared together sufficiently prove 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. 2 Pet. 1.19 20. Rom. 16.25 26. Job 5.39 Mat. 22.29 Luk. 24.25.27.44 45 46. 1 Cor. 15.3 4. By all which we see that all things are contained in the Scriptures unto which the holy Ghost leads men to prove and finde all things concerning faith and obedience to God and man which are the Propheticall mouth of Christ that all must have recourse unto that will have any thing to do with him Act. 3.22 23. And the Rule by which all must be tryed though an Angel from heaven and the Apostles themselves as Gal. 1.8 9. So that the holy Scripture is the onely place where any ordinance of God in the case aforesaid is to be found they being the fountain-head containing all the instituted Rules both of Church and ordinances so that where or wheresoever any of these are wanting in their constitution and cannot be found in their outward orderly forme wee are to go directly unto its institution and recover the same againe from thence as Cant. 1.7 Isa 8.19 20. Rom. 10.6 7 8. And thus having found the place or subject wherein baptisme ever subsists as an ordinance of God we are in the next place to know how such as want it may come orderly by it for though that God hath joyned his word and ordinances together yet he hath also ordained an orderly way for his people to come to enjoy them which orderly way I conceive to be only in the Church of God wherein is the power of Christ to set afoot his ordinances as when God shall please to take a people to himselfe and by the power of his truth unite them to his Son and so into an orderly body among themselves now such a people so constituted have right unto all such priviledges ordained and appointed by God for their mutuall comfort and well-being as Rom. 8.17 1 Cor. 3.21 22 23. By vertue of this union they have with their head Christ the body thus joyntly considered hath the power authoritie of Christ within her selfe to chuse and make use of any one or more of her members as occasion offers and authorises his or them to administer baptisme upon the whole body and so upon themselves in the first place as apart of the same Such may be truly said to be sent and authorized by Christ as of old by Christ in his humane body even so now by him in his divine and spirituall body for wheresoever a Church doth rise in her true constitution there are her ordinances and also power to administer the same and where a thing is wanting there must be of necessitie a beginning to reduce that thing againe into beeing And thus briefly I have shewed my judgement in case baptisme should be wanting where we should finde it and that is in the holy Scriptures of God Secondly How from thence to be obtained and that is by Gods calling a people into an holy fellowship with Christ from whom they have power to assume as a Church so the ordinance of Baptisme upon themselves I shall yet further cleare up this truth by shewing the manner of the foresaid constitution in the causes of it But before I can doe this I must give answer to two sorts of persons that oppose the aforesaid truth first such as stand for a personall succession secondly such as will have no Church before Baptisme and so make Baptisme the forme of the Church As for the first that hold Baptisme by personall succession they have received a sufficient answer in proving of that Baptisme administred by Antichrist to be none of Gods ordinance onely a word or two to such as hold a succession in the defection of Antichrist as they call it if they meane by defection the outward forme of worship and government Ecclesiasticall a I thinke they doe then all the power and authoritie that ever hath carried out any administration or constituted ordinance hath taken its beeing thence and depends upon the same and if so then the power and ordainer and the ordinance so ordained must be both of one and the same stamp as I have already proved if the one be Antichrists the other must be also Antichristian and to dreame of any approved Church by the word of God in or under this defection and yet a part of the same is to look for a man in the Moone and to suppose a Church to consist in such matter that is destructive to the forme and therein to hold a succession of truth is against the very light of nature and to keep the Pope upon the throne of
Christ whether he will or no but to lay the chaine of succession of truth this way namely through the Popedome of Rome as all such must doe that hold a personall succession or a Church and ordinances to consist in the same from the Apostles untill now what will such doe and where will their succession of truth lie when the same comes to the woman Pope of whom the Papists themselves are ashamed for when we speake of personall succession of truth as in reference to Church and Church ordinances I looke upon this in the power and authoritie that beares the same and to hold a Church to be true and the ordinances there administred the true ordinances of God and to leave this and set up a way of worship apart from it and deny communion with it is in my darke understanding a meere schisme and the overthrow of all order in Religion so far as I have learned Christ men are to stand in their place and use all means to reforme and reclaime or disclaime by the word of truth and all being done and of necessitie I must by the word of God leave off communion with them I think by the same rule I must disclaime them and so separate away from them if they doe not repent and not to leave a true Church and true ordinances and goe apart and erect another Church ordinances and worship of our selves apart from it in opposition to it this in my judgement is as farre from any Rule in the Gospel of Christ as for a man to baptize himselfe neither of which doe I approve of Yet a word by the way because of such an error that some make and how far off from any rule or example for a man to baptize himselfe or to baptize others and himselfe unbaptized so thinking hereby to shut up the ordinance of God in such a strait that none can come by it but through the authoritie of the Popedome of Rome But for the opening of this cloud that seems so to darken the skie let the Reader consider who baptized John the Baptist before he baptized others and if no man did then whether he did not baptize others he himselfe being unbadtized if he was baptized whether it were not by an unbaptized person and all Scripture being written for our learning and this being one we are taught by this what to doe upon the like occasion And for the continuation of the Church from Christs words The gates of hell shall not prevaile against it c. I confesse the same with this distinction which church is to be considered either with respect to her instituted state as it lies in the Scripture in the Rules of the foundation or in her constitution or constituted forme in her visible order Against the first hell gates shall never prevaile the foundation stands sure but against the last it hath often prevailed for the Church in her outward visible order hath been often scattered through persecution and the like in which sense she is said to be prevailed against as Dan. 7. Rev. 12. Act. 8.1 Otherwise where was their Church before it came from under the defection Againe that which once was in such a way of being and ceaseth for a time and then comes to the same estate againe is and may â—ruely be said to have ever a continuance as Mat. 22.31 32. with Luk. â—0 38 In which sense the Church may truely be said ever to continue for though she be cast downe at one time yet God will raise her up at another so that shee shall never be so prevailed against as to be utterly destroyed And this way I suppose Christ may have injoy ever as good a wife as any can be preserved for him under the defection of Antichrist Though some have so wide mouths open against such as ever wished them well but I leave them to God to whom they shall give account of all their hard words against the Lord those that fear his name out of conscience obey him in that way as some please to call error in a reproachfull manner But men do in these dayes somewhat like to the tyrants in the ten persecutions whose crueltie was such that they exposed the Christians to be devoured of wild beasts and God so overpowred the creatures crueltie that at length they ceased to hurt them and when those bloudy tyrants saw that they put Beares-skins upon them thereby to insence and to stir up the nature of those beasts to fall upon them thus I have heard reported But whether this be true or not sure I am that such men can be little better minded that labour so to cover the godly with such filth as they vomit out of their own-selfe-sicke stomackes but I desire the Lord to passe by all and to give men more love and patience to beare one with another And to conclude I feare men put more in baptisme then is of right due unto it that so preferre it above the Church and all other ordinances besides for they can assume or erect a Church take in and cast out members elect and ordain Officers and administer the Supper and all anew without any looking after succession any further then the Scriptures but as for Baptisme they must have that successively from the Apostles though it comes through the hands of Pope Joane What is the cause of this that men can doe all from the Word but onely baptisme and that must come by man yea and that by the man of sinne But we are to know this that truth depends not upon Churches nor any mortall creature but onely upon the immortall God who by his Word and Spirit reveales the same when and to whom he pleases And for succession of truth it comes now by the promise of God faith of his people whom he as aforesaid hath taken out of the world unto himselfe in the fellowship of the Gospel to whom the ordinances of Christ stand onely by succession of faith and not of persons for the same power and authoritie the Apostles had in their time for direction in godlinesse the Scriptures have now in the hand of Christ as the head of his Church which make up but one body 1 Cor. 12.12.27 Eph. 1.22 23. Eph. 4.15 16. So that what the Church and the Apostles together might doe then the same may the head and body together with the Scriptures doe now the Scriptures having the same authoritie in the Church now as the Apostles had then the same Spirit being present now to reveale them as then to write them 1 Cor. 5.4 5. 2 Tim. 3.15 16. The Scriptures remaining in the place of the Apostles for us to have recourse unto and serve as the mouth of Christ to all beleevers 〈…〉 as the Apostles did before they were written Mat. 28.20 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. Rom. 10.6 7 8. And as the people of old conferred with the Prophets and Apostles about their great affaires so have
the Lords people now Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles in their writings as Luk. 16.29 30 31. Which are to us with the Spirit of life in them as effectuall as their personall presence if not more as Job 6.62 63. 2 Pet. 1.18 19. Rev. 11.3.5.11 And thus all succession from the beginning came to Christ and from Christ to the Apostles and from them to the Scriptures which are the head-spring of all to us so that all succession now is onely spirituall according to faith and follows not the personall succession of any but onely the word that gives being to all order and ordinances that is of God And so I come to such as will have no Church before Baptisme and so make Baptisme the forme of the Church I shall be briefe in this because the truth of this will appear in the causes constituting the Church This I thinke we all agree in that matter and forme constitutes a Church the matter is a company of Saints or persons professing faith in the righteousnesse of Jesus Christ and living accordingly that is in holines of life The forme is that by which these are united and knit up together in one fellowship and orderly body and that is the covenant of grace that lies between God and his people by which God visibly becomes the God of such persons and they his people above all other That this is the forme of a Church and not Baptisme I prove thus that by which God and a people become each others apart from all other people that is the forme of them but the covenant is that by which God owns a people for his and they him for their God therefore the covenant is the forme Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 Act. 2. â—1 Gen. 17.11 Luk. 1.72 Act. 3.25 〈…〉 Secondly That which at the first was the forme of a thing ever remaines the forme of the same thing without alteration but the covenant was the forme of the Church at the first before ever any ordinance was annexed therefore the same still the Church remaining the same without alteration in the nature of it Thirdly That which both gives a beeing to a thing and ever keeps the same that must be the forme of the same thing but the covenant both gave a being to the Church ever keeps the same therefore the covenant is the forme Fourthly That which makes a member to be a member or no member of a Church that makes a Church to be a Church or no church and so that is the forme of it for there is the same reason for the whole that is for every part but the covenant is that which makes a member and so the rest as Esa 56.4.6 therefore the covenant is the forme Fifthly That which persons may have and yet be no church that cannot be the forme of a church but persons may have baptisme yet no church ergo not the forme the church being the greatest ordinance of God and the very center of all ordinances as Psal 87.7 with 1 Tim. 3.15 Cannot be formed by any particular ordinance no nor by any lesse then that which comprehends all the essentiall parts and properties of a church which is Gods gracious covenant that gives being to all true churches both first and last But some will say that the Word speakes of no church before Baptisme For answer to this I must distinguish in Baptisme between the truth in the doctrine of Baptisme and the outward administration of the same In the first sense Baptisme is one branch of the covenant as a truth to be revealed and by faith to be received as an essentiall truth together with other truths for the constituting of the church and no church according to the order of Christs new Testament either without it or before it But for the last namely the outward administration of Baptisme that ever follows the Saints joyning in fellowship by mutuall faith agreement in the doctrine wherein consists the stating of the Church in her conjoyning in covenant which ever goes before the administration of Baptisme and gives power and authoritie for the same So that in the first sense the Church is not before Baptisme but in the last sense the church is before Baptisme This distinction being observed I answer in a word thus we are not to deny a church to be a church untill the Word so calls it for the church in the old testament and most of the churches in the new Testament were churches sometime before they were so called And why may not the same be so here be a church before Baptisme be administred Againe a church is onely so a church before Baptisme as that the end of her union is for communion and so an immediate proceeding to the practise of the same truth shee agreed upon by a free and mutuall consent in her conjunction That which states a person or persons in covenant instates them in church-fellowship but faith and not practise instates a people in covenant for a people must first agree upon truth in judgement before they practise the same therefore faith and not practise instates a people in church-fellowship and so a church in covenant and fellowship before baptisme be administred A people are a church by covenant unto which ordinances are annexed to confirme and establish the same as Gen. 17.11 Ezek 16.8 9. Act. 2.41 as Eph. 4.5 So that here was a church before ordinances or that ever Baptisme was administered either by John the Baptist on the 〈…〉 Some say from Act 2.41 They were added to the Church after they were baptized To which I answer and say If it should bâ— so that they were after Baptisme added to the Church then they should neither put on Christ by Baptisme not yet be baptized into one body not to the true profession of the Father Son and holy Ghost c. directly against these Scriptures Gal. 3.27 1 Cor. 12 13. Mat. 28.19 And for Act. 2.41 the words are these Then they that gladly received his Word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand soules which is nothing else but to shew how many they were that received the truth and so by the same were added to them holding Forth the power and goodnes of God in making his word so fruitfull in bringing in so many by one Sermon to the truth as Act. 2.47 which is onely a repeating over the number of Persons God at that time added to the rest Againe it may be said that Baptisme signifies our regeneration and new birth so that a childe must be first borne and brought forth in Baptisme before it can be mad a living Member in Christs body the Church Baptisme indeed is a signe of the new birth and so holds forth the same as a thing done and not as a thing to be done and therefore Baptisme requites the appearance of the same as faith and repentance to goe before the administration
thereof which cannot be untill a man be borne from above and such as are spirituall alive are the onely subjects of Baptisme This will be further cleared in the constitution of the Church which now follows which constitution is the orderly collection conjoyning of persons into the new covenant or visible union with Christ their head and so consequently into an orderly body among themselves wherein the Saints are the matter and the covenant the forme from which two concurring the Church ariseth and is by them constituted as Ezek. 16.8 Jer. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 Gal. 3.18.29 Heb. 6.17 Zech. 13.9 with Deut. 26.16 to 19 Deut. 29.12 13. Rom. 9.8 with Gal 4.28 By which it appeares that it is the promise or the covenant of grace that produceth a Christian and gives him a beeing in such an estate of grace as in Church-fellowship and so consequently the Church it selfe for that which is true in a part is the same in the whole Now for the constituting causes by which God ordinarily useth to effect this worke are these First the word of God which is to fit and prepare the matter for the forme Secondly the confession of faith which is to declare the fitnesse of the matter for the forme Thirdly the free and mutuall consent and agreement of the particular persons upon the practise of the same truth beleeved and confessed as aforesaid And lastly the Spirit of Christ uniting and knitting up their hearts together in and by the same truth and of each of these a word First of the Word of God sitting and preparing of the matter and this appeares in the ministery of John thâ—â— Baptist who was to goe before Christ in the spirit and power of Elias for to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient unto the wisdome of the just and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord as Luk. 1.17 Compare with this Luk. 3.4 5 6. where he is said to prepare the way of the Lord and to make his paths straight And now the manner how this is to be done is to fill up every valley and to bring down every mountain and hill and to make the crooked straight and the rough wayes smooth And so verse 6. by the valleys is to be understood of such as whose hearts were possessed with fear either of Gods displeasure against them for sin or fear of the dangers straits and difficulties that attends the Gospel of Christ in the true profession of the same From both which the hearts of such are to be freed that are fit to follow Christ and prepared subjects for his Kingdome Luk. 14.26 In which sense the Gospel is a preparative meanes to fill up such valleys by powring in the great abundance of Gods rich grace and free love in Christ towards all such as beleeve and his all-sufficiency to preserve such as suffer for his Names lake And for laying low the mountains and hills that is to humble and to bring downe the proud heart of man that exalts himselfe and cannot submit unto the simplicitie of the Gospel and to that low and meane condition of Christ upon his Crosse as Isa 2 11-22 with 2 Cor. 10.4 5 6. And for the crooked to be made straight that is the crooked and Serpent like nature wayes and evill dispositions of men these shall be changed and made conformable to Christ And so for the making of the tough smooth that is the hard and rough turbulent spirits of men that will admit of no rule order or peaceable societie at all shall by the word of God be made soft smooth and of such a meek temper of spirit as that all such shall live together in love innocent and harmlesse with unitie peace and uniformitie to Christ in all things as Isa 11.6 7 8 9. All which Christ himselfe often affirmed that except a man deny himselfe he cannot be his disciple All which change thus upon the hearts of men is by the power of the Word of God by which they as matter are sitted and prepared for the forme The second constituting cause is the confession of faith which declares the fitnes of the matter for the forme which confession of faith is produced by the power of the Gospel shining into the heart of man and drawes away the same after that which is by the Gospel revealed Which truth is of such a working nature that will not be kept in but like unto leaven which so seasons and sweetens the whole man that as fire at length it breaks forth and discovers it selfe or rather such as have it not onely so but it brings them together by which they come now to conferre about the same so that at length they come to be of one and the same minde and judgement in it and withall convicted of their obedience thereunto And upon this here follows a third constituting cause which is their free mutuall consent and agreement upon the practise of that truth so by God revealed and by faith received as his will in their obedience thereunto which agreement is between God and them in his truth who by his power subjects them to himselfe by the same and where this is in truth Now comes the cause in the last place which 〈…〉 and concludes the whole work and that is the Spirit of grace and power going forth in their hearts by faith uniting knitting them up together in one for the manifestation of their obedience to God in their practie all subjection to Christ in the said truth by them received and agreed upon as aforesaid and this is the Covenant that formes the Church which ever goes in order before the externall administration of any other ordinance then the matters joyning together for orderly practise for persons must be informed of the truth in judgement and bound by the same in conscience and agree upon the practise before the same can orderly be put into execution which foresaid union is the holy Ghosts conjoyning and uniting the said persons together in one and the same truth and so consequently into an orderly body among themselves immediately under Christ their head Which conjunction is called in Scripture the unitie of the Spirit Eph. 4.3 and the gracious covenant by which God becomes their God and they his approved people in such a visible relation Gen. 17. as Deut. 29.12 13. with Deut. 26.17 18. Ezek. 16.8 Ier. 31.3 This is called also joyning to the Lord as Ier. 50.5 They shall aske the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyne our selves unto the Lord in a perpetuall covenant that shall not be forgotten And the sonne of the stranger that joyns himselfe to the Lord to serve him and to love his name and to be his servant c. Isa 56.6 And bâ— that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 And of the rest durst no man joyne himselfe unto them Act. 5.13 And when Paul