Grace as you may see in Exod. 34. 7. The Lord the Lord Gracious and Merciful Long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving Iniquities Transgressions and Sin § 2. To this we Reply that it is indeed most certain and undeniable that both Moses and all the Elect among that People of Old were under the same Covenant of Grace with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the rest of the Holy Patriarchs before and by that they were Saved and without it there had been no Salvation for them And accordingly we are told Exod. 33. That upon Moses his earnest request unto God that he might see his Glory and that he would afford unto him his Gracious Presence for the more comfortable Conduct of that great and mighty People through that vast and howling Wilderness The Lord is pleased ver 17. to Promise that he would do this thing that Moses had spoken For saith he thou hast found grace in my sight and I know thee by name And he said I will make all my goodness pass before thee and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before thee and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will shew Mercy to whom I will shew Mercy And accordingly Chap. 34. 5 6 7. The Lord descended in the Cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him and Proclaimed the Lord the Lord God merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Which was absolutely and undeniably a Covenant of Grace which God then made and confirmed unto Moses by Name and unto all that were Elected among that People for it was not to all since God expresly tells Moses that he would be gracious to whom he would be gracious and would shew mercy to whom he would shew mercy And accordingly this was that that God's People then lived upon and were saved by For if there had been no other Covenant made with them than that that was contained in the two Tables of Stone it had been utterly impossible that either Moses or any of the rest could ever have been Saved And this Gospel Cordial seems to have been purposely afforded unto Moses and the rest of the Faithful with him for the Relief of their sinking Spirits under the dread and terror of that Fiery Burning Law Deut. 33 2. The Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them he shined forth from Mount Paran and he came with ten thousands of Saints From his right-hand went a Fierâ—e Law that had been before proclaimed by the Mouth of God himself and had been also written with God's own Finger and was now about to be renewed upon the breaking of the first Tables of Stone Which discovery of Gods Infinite Holiness Justice and Righteousness proclaimed with so much Majesty and Glory attended with such Thunderings Blackness Darkness and Tempest was so dreadful and terrible that Moses himself exceedingly fears and quakes at the Sight and Hearing thereof And is accordingly taken Notice of and represented by the Apostle as a Discriminating or Distinguishing Character between that and the Gospel Covenant Heb. 12. 18. c. You are not come saith he to the Mount that might be touched and that Burned with Fire nor unto Blackness and Darkness and Tempest and the sound of a Trumpet and the voice of Words which Voice they that heard intreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more And so terrible was the Sight that Moses himself said I exceedingly fear and quake But ye are come unto Mount Sion to the City of the Living God to the Heavenly Jerusalem to God the Judge of all to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant c. From whence it is evident that there is an Essential difference between these two the Law and the Gospel so as that what the one is the other is not the Law is not the Gospel nor the Gospel the Law You are not come saith he unto the Legal but unto the Gospel Covenant The Legal Covenant discover'd nothing but Blackness and Darkness and Tempest and a voice of Words that could not be endured For according to the Apostle's own present Description or Character thereof it made no discovery of the least glimps of Gospel Grace at all The Legal Covenant therefore could not be a Covenant of Grace or a Covenant of Faith that made no discovery of any such thing but rather the contrary so as that it makes Moses himself exceedingly Quake and Tremble § 3. However it is certain that both Moses and all the Elect among that People of Old were under the Covenant of Grace as we have already said and by that were saved And accordingly we are told that they did all that is all the Elect among them Eat the same spiritual Meat and did all Drink the same spiritual Drink For they Drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10. 3. 4. And it is as Evident that it was no other than Christ himself that was the Angel of Gods presence that was to go before them and Conduct them in the way they were to go But yet all this notwithstanding it is plain that the Law was a Covenant of Works still and it is also as Evident that it was a distinct Covenant and Essentially different from the Covenant of Grace And was accordingly made with Moses and the whole Body of the Congregation and not with Moses and those that were Elected among them only as the Covenant of Grace was And therefore Exod. 19. 5 6. Saith God there to the whole Body of the Congregation of Israel at the foot of Mount Sinai Now therefore if ye will Obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a Peculiar Treasure unto me above all People for all the Earth is mine And ye shall be to me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation These are the Words that thou shalt speak unto the Children of Israel Mark it These are the words that thou shalt speak unto the Children of Israel that is unto the whole Body of that People without Exception of any as being of Universal Concernment unto them all And these are the Words that is these are the Terms on which thou shalt propound these my Promises to them viz. If you will Obey my Voice indeed and keep my Covenant with all your Heart and with all your Soul so as not in the least to vary or step aside from what I have now Commanded you then I will do thus and thus unto and for you and I will give you a Convincing Discovery that I am indeed the Lord your God which have brought you out of the Land of Egypt For upon these and no other terms do I now enter into Covenant with you And Cursed shall he be that Confirmeth not all
in God that he will have to do with Men at any Rate yet that the Covenant from Mount Sinai was in any Sense or is by vertue of any proper Scripture Distinction to be understood as a Covenant of Gospel Grace whereof Christ alone is the Mediator This is that which for all those forementioned Reasons we utterly deny And this is the Point the onely Point which in the beginning of this Discourse we undertook to disprove And that as being of no small Consequence to the Church of God For upon this Hypothesis or Supposition That the Covenant at Sinai was indeed a Covenant of Grace or a Gospel Covenant for any other Notion of it will not serve the turn and consequently that the Covenant of Circumcision made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7 8 9. is of the same Nature the greatest part of the most plausible Arguments for the support of Infants Baptism are founded But if we have or câ—â— substantially prove that neither of these forementioned Covenants were Gospel Covenants no wonder if we make an Answerable Improvement thereof in its proper place by way of opposition to the forementioned Practice § 6 As for the Scripture before alledged 1 Tim. 1. 8. We know that the Law is good if a Man use it Lawfully It is indeed highly observable For as much as there is a Lawful as well as an unlawful use that Men may make thereof that is if we make use of it as the Rule of our Obedience then we make that Right Just Proper and Lawful use thereof which God requires For we know that in this Respect we are still under the Law to Christ And in this Respect it is true enough as the Apostle tells us that thâ— Law is Holy Just and Good For there is therein a Spiritual Discovery of the Holiness and Righteousness of Gods Nature and Being whose Image must be Ingraven upon us if ever we arrive unto true Blessedness But if we Preach it up or endeavour to Establish it as a Covenant of Life or as a Covenant of Faith and Grace which are Equipollent terms Let us distinguish as we please between a Covenant of Grace Absolutely and subserviently such and consequently are desirous in that Respect to be under it as the Apostle tells the Gallatians and which we cannot avoid if we reckon it to be a Covenant of Grace then according to the Apostles plain Scope in the whole Epistles to the Romans and Gallatians instead of using it lawfully we make an unlawful use thereof by perverting it to such a service as God never Intended it for And are guilty of mingling Law and Gospel together Life and Death and as we have said before a Ministration of Condemnation with that of Righteousness and Peace which would be no other than to overthrow both the Law and Gospel And this is the Apostles own Distinction given us as a Key to open this Controversie by Gal. 1. 6 7. SECT XIII BUT whereas it is yet further Objected That after this Rate both Moses and Abraham and all the Old Testament Saints were under two contrary Covenants at one and the same time from whence many Absurdites do follow As to this we dare not Impeach or Controle Infinite Wisdom We have onely declared plain matter of Fact so far as the Scriptures themselves do inform us For therein it is Evident as hath been already proved that both Moses and the whole Body of that People of Israel in the Wildernest were under the forementioned Covenant from Mount Sinai and that expresly as the Covenant which the Lord Commanded them to perform Deut. 4. 13. And that under the severest Penalties of a dreadful Curse upon every one that Confirmed not all the Words of this Law to do them unto which all the People were to say Amen Deut. 27. 26. This Covenant therefore they were absolutely under as being expresly made both with Moses and the whole Body of the Children of Israel without Exception of any Exod. 34. 27. which we have already argued at large could be no other than a Covenant of Works A Ministration of Death and Condemnation A hand writing of Ordinances that was against us contrary to us And therefore now Blotted out and taken out of the way being Nailed to the Cross of Christ When yet it is also as Evident from the same Holy Scriptures of Truth That at the same time both Moses and all the Elect among that People were under a pure Covenant of Gospel Grace as we have already proved when the Lord told Moses that he had found Grace in his Sight and that he knew him by Name and would make all his Goodness to pass before him and would Proclaim the Name of the Lord before him Saying I will be Gracious to whom I will be Gracious And I will shew Mercy to whom I will shew Mercy And when accordingly the Lord descended in the Cloud and stood with Moses there And Proclaimed the Name of the Lord The Lord God Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and Abundant in Goodness and in Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Now we have already proved that these were two Distinct Covenants The one made with Moses and the whole Body of that People The other with Moses and those that were Elected among them onely And if these were two contrary Covenants and in themselves just opposite the one unto the other of them â—s indeed they were we have nothing to say but to Conclude with the Apostle in another case concerning the Call of the Gentiles and Rejection of the Jews that were once Gods onely Beloved People to whom pertained the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the Promises O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways pâ—st finding â—ut Rom. 11. 33 34. § 2. However though 't is true New Testament Saints are absolutely freed from the Law as a Covenant of Works by the Sacrifice of Christ yet it is Evident that during the time thereunto appointed by the Father those before were under the Power and Tyranny thereof notwithstanding those Discoveries of Gospel Grace that were otherwise Revealed unto them To this purpose the Apostle tells us Expresly Gal. 3. 23. c. Before Faith came we saith he that is we Jews not we Gentiles for thess passages agree not with the Gentiles at all but we Jews were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterward be revealed â—or as he had said before The Law was added because of Transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise 〈◊〉 made Wherefore the Law was our School-master to Christ that we might be Justified by Faith But after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-master So again Chap. 4. 1 2 3. c. Now I say that the Heir as long as he is a Child
Therefore that Covenant could be no other than a Covenant of Works Ninthly That Covenant that is plainly and in direct terms opposed unto Grace cannot be a Covenant of Grace But the Law is by the Apostle directly opposed unto Grace Rom. 6. 14. Sin shall not have Dominion over you For ye are not under the Law but under Grace Therefore that Covenant could never be a Covenant of Grace Tenthly That Covenant that was not onely by the Jews Estimated as a Covenant of Works but was so by Gods own Appointment must needs be a Covenant of Works But the Law was not onely by the Jews so Reckoned but by Gods own Appointment it was expresly so designed Lev. 18. 4 5. Deut. 27. 26. Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 10 12. Therefore that Covenant must needs be a Covenant of Works Eleventhly That Covenant through which Abrahams Inheritance was not derived could not be a Covenant of Faith but of Works But the Apostle doth expresly tell us That if the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise But God gave it to Abraham by Promise Gal. 3. 18. Therefore the Law could not possibly be a Covenant of Faith but of Works Twelfthly That Covenant through which had the Inheritance been conveyed would have made void Faith and made the Promise of none effect could not possibly be a Covenant of Faith But the Apostle doth expresly tell us That if they which are of the Law be Heirs Faith is made void and the Promise made of none effect Rom. 4. 14. Therefore the Law could not possibly be a Covenant of Faith Thirteenthly That Covenant from the Curse whereof we were Redeemed by Christ could not be a Covenant of Grace but of Works But the Apostle Informs us That Christ hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law himself being made a Curse for us Gal. 3. 13. chap. 4. 4 5. Therefore the Law could not be a Covenant of Grace but of Works Fourteenthly That Covenant that is set forth by the Apostle as a Ministration of Death and Condemnation could be no other than a Covenant of Works But the Apostle doth assure us that the Law Written in Stones was a Ministration of Death and Condemnation 2 Cor. 3. 7 9. Therefore it could be no other than a Covenant of Works Fifteenthly That Covenant in which 〈◊〉 the Hand writing of Ordinances contained was against us and contrary to us which is therefore now Blotted out and taken out of the way being Nailed to the Cross of Christ could be no other than a Covenant of Works But such is the Nature of the Law Col. 2. 14. 2 Cor. 3. 6 7 8 9. Therefore it could be no other than a Covenant of Works Sixteenthly That Covenant which when it comes Revives Sin and kills the Sinner And which though it was Ordained to Life is by Experience found to be unto Death could not be a Covenant of Grace But Paul doth expresly tell us That when the Commandment came Sin Revived and he died And the Commandment which was Ordained to Life he found to be unto Death Rom. 7. 9 10. Therefore that Covenant could not be a Covenant of Grace but of Works Seventeenthly That Covenant that is a Bondage Covenant which gendereth to Bondage all whose Children also are in Bondage cannot possibly be a Covenant of Faith but of Works But the Apostle doth Expresly Inform us that Mount Sinai Covenant is a Bondage Covenant that is gendereth to Bondage and that her Children also are in Bondage Gal. 4. 21 22 23 24 26. Therefore Mount Sinai Covenant could be no other than a Covenant of Works Eighteenthly That Covenant that admitted not of Faith in the Redeemer nor Repentance of Sin Since Pardon of Sin and Curse for Sin are Inconsistent could not be a Covenant of Grace But the Scripture doth expresly assure us That as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse For it is Written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are Written in the Book of the Law to do them Gal. 3. 10. Therefore that Covenant could not possibly be a Covenant of Grace but of Works Nineteenthly That Covenant that had not Christ for the Mediator of it could never be a Covenant of Faith but of Works But the Apostle speaking of the Legal Covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai tells us That Christ hath obtained a more Excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was Established upon better Promises Heb. 8. 6 7 8. 9. From whence it plainly follows that Christ was not the Mediator of the Legal Covenant Therefore that Covenant could never be a Covenant of Faith but of Works Twentiethly That Covenant that was not Confirmed by the Blood of Christ which alone can cleanse us from all unrighteousness but onely by the Bloud of Bulls and Goats and Calves and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean which onely Sanctified to the Purifying of the Flesh and could never take away Sins nor make him that did the Service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience could not be a Covenant of Faith But the Ceremonial Law was of this Nature and the Sacrifices thereof wherewith alone it was Dedicated Heb. 9. 9 10. 11 12 13 14. Chap. 10. 1 2 3 4 c. Therefore that Covenant could not possibly be a Covenant of Faith but of Works Twenty first That Covenant that was not confirmed by the Bloud of Christ No nor so much as by the Bloud of Bulls or Goats or Calves which was plainly Typical thereof could never be a Covenant of Grace but of Works But the Law Written in Stones was so far from being confirmed by the Bloud of Christ that it was never that we read of Dedicated with any other sort of Bloud whatsoever Therefore that Covenant could not possibly be a Covenant of Grace but of Works Twenty second That Covenant that is Represented to us in the Scripture as a Fiery Burning Law the Proclamation also whereof was attended with dreadful Thunderings and Lightenings with Blackness and Darkness and Tempest And such a Voice of Words as could not be endured which made Moses himself exceedingly to quake and tremble could not be a Covenant of Faith but of Works But such was the Nature and Quality of the Legal Covenant at Mount Sinai Exod. 20. 18. 19. Deut. 33. 2. Heb. 12. 18 19 20 21. Therefore that Covenant could not be a Covenant of Faith but of Works Twenty third That Covenant that is just opposite to the Gospel Covenant which the Scripture represents unto us as a Covenant of Peace and Liberty making a Joyful found and speaking with a small still comfortable and alluring Voice in the Ears and to the Hearts of Sinners that hath also Jesus for the Mediator thereof and speaketh better things than the Bloud of Abel Proclaiming the Lord the Lord God Gracious and Merciful Abundant in Goodness and in Truth forgiving Iniquity
ADVERTISEMENT A Confession of Faith put forth by the Elders and Brethren of many Congregations of Christians Baptized upon Profession of their Faith in London and the Country With an Appendix concerning Baptism Printed for John Harris at the Harrow against the Church in the Poultrey 1690. Price bound 1 s. Page 10 line 12 read of a Title for Baptism to them A Solemn Call Unto all that would be owned as Christ's Faithful Witnesses speedily and seriously to attend unto the Primitive Purity of the Gospel Doctrine and Worship Or a Discourse concerning BAPTISM WHEREIN That of Infants is Disproved as having no Footing nor Foundation at all in the Word of GOD. By way of Answer to the Arguments made use of by Mr. William Allen Mr. Sidenham Mr. Baxter Dr. Burthogge and others for the Support of that Practice Wherein the Covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai Exod. 20. That in the Land of Moab Deut. 29. As also the Covenant of Circumcision made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7 8 9. Whereon so much stress is laid for the Support of Infants Baptism are plainly proved to be no other than three several Editions of the Covenant of Works And consequently that no just Argument can thence be deduced for the Justification of that Practice Together with a Description of that truly Evangelical Covenant GOD was pleased to make with Believing Abraham containing the Sum of the Everlasting Gospel then Preached unto him since Proclaimed by the Apostles and which now remains to be yet further Published unto every Nation Kindred Tongue and People for the Obedience of Faith By Philip Cary a Lover of Truth and Peace LONDON Printed for John Harris at the Sign of the Harrow in the Poultrey over against the Church M.DCXC TO THE READER VVE are doubtless brought forth in a Day to which many Glorious Prophecies contained in the Holy Scriptures have a special reference amongst others that which is recorded Dan. 12. 4. Many shall run to and fro and Knowledg shall be increased Antichristian Darkness hath so covered the European Nations for many Hundreds of Years that the Truths and Ordinances of Christ were generally Corrupted and Obscured till our Blessed Reformers Luther Calvin c. were raised up in some good measure to detect the corruptions of Antichrist and to bring to Light that blessed Doctrine of Justification by Faith in the Blood of Christ with several other Truths of great Importance And since that God has been pleased to raise up many Learned Men namely Dr. Ames Mr. Ainsworth and Dr. Owen with others who have Learnedly and with much clearness and strength of Argument made it appear that a true Gospel visible Church is to consist only of such as are Saints by Profession and who give up themselves to the Lord and one to onother by Solemn Agreement to practise the Ordinances of Christ And now of latter Years the Lord hath been pleased to raise up some worthy and learned Men to detect the vanity of Infant Baptism who by solid Arguments have made the unlawfulness thereof appear The main Arguments that are made use of by Paedobaptists for the support of their Practice herein are taken from the Covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. 2 3 4 c. Some of themselves confessing That Arguments taken from the Baptizing of whole Families from Christ's blessing little Children and from 1 Cor. 7 14. have no weight in them And as for those Arguments which are taken from the Covenant made with Abraham above-mentioned several of our Learned Authors have thorowly examined and sufficiently answered Notwithstanding we cannot without Injury to Truth omit to reccommend the Labours of this our worthy Brother who having had the advantage of other Men's Writings that have gone before him and so standing on their Shoulders may see further than they did Yet he hath some Nations of so rare a Nature that he is not beholding to any other for them but only to his own studiousness and dexterity and the Blessing of God upon his Labours We freely acknowledge that many Learned and Holy Men whom we much Honour do differ from us in the point of Baptism yet we must not let go any Truth of God for their sakes And we doubt not but the time is drawing nigh when God will cause the Light of His Holy Word so to shine forth that all remaining Darkness on the Minds of the Lord's People shall vanish away and then Sion's Builders shall no more take a Stone for a Corner nor a Stone for a Foundation of Babylons Rubbish And now Châ—iâ—tian Reader seeing the Author hath taken so great pains in Writing this Treatise for the Information of thee and ohters in a great Gospel Ordinance be thou perswaded to lay by prejudice and read diligently examine it by the Holy Scriptures and if thou meet with any thing of Truth wherein thou wast not before Inlightened subject to it lâ—ast thou be found rejecting the authority of Christ Quod Dei eâ—t agnosce quod hominis est ignosce If any Glory may come to Christ or comfort to his Members hereby it is enough and as much as is aimed at by the Author and thy Soul Friends Will. Kiffin John Harris Rich. Adams Rob. Steed Ben. Keech TO THE READER READER HAving had a sight of this Piece without the Privity of the Author before it went to the Press I Read it with much Delight though in great haste and thought good without his Knowledge or being Desired to give thee if thou beest a Stranger to him this assurance by the way that thou wilt find his Lines altogether free from Lightness as also from Reflections or Reproaches towards those of the Perswasion he contends with which is a thing so rare that it deserves a Remark and savours much of a right serious Christian Spirit I have had Knowledge of him many Years but never knew or heard him otherwise represented then of a very sober Character suitable to his Writings a Man every way free from any of those Temptations that might incline him to espouse any Interest or fall in with any Perswasion otherwise than what he did freely out of pure Choice and as satisfi d with its Purity upon a diligent and conscionable Perusal of the Holy Scriptures in which he has been a very laborious Searcher these many Years and in whom that Text is verified 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. That they make the Man of God wise unto Salvation c. I am assured that his Papers were intended only for private Use and for satisfaction of some that desired to know what he had to say to the Arguments here reply'd to He has all the appearances of a Man low in his own Eyes yet willing in his capacity to serve the Lord Jesus freely without seeking in the least any advantage to himself in the service of the Gospel boing much above those low Ends that too too many are sway'd by of making a Gain by his Preaching and though his
Labours be constant yet he seeks no other reward then Christ's Well done c. being very well contented with that Income for his Subsistence which the Lord affords in the use of his honest and honourable Calling in which also he has been beneficial to many and a great Blessing to the Poor so that by his Faithfulnoss and Usefulness in his Spirituals and Temporals he is well reported of amongst all It would be a great Happiness both to the Church of Christ and Common-Wealth if the number of such Worthys were every where increased And yet I fear that this good Man in these his Faithful endeavours to reduce Christian Practice to Primitive Institution though done with all Mildness and much Demonstration will meet with hard Usage from that sort of Men which in every Age have chiefly sought what would please Man and have still quarrelled at all endeavours towards Reformation Witness those hardships which the Faithful met with from the Papists for many Generations for their Nonconformity to their Inventions and those difficulties that obstructed the Reception of the great Doctrine of Justification by Faith alone in the Mediator How dear did it cost many of the Ancients before it could be obtained that the People should receive the Lord's Supper in both Kinds which the Papists still deny to them How long was it before the Disciples of Augustine and Innocent the First would give over that Practice of giving the Lord's Supper in a Spoon to Children assoon as they were Baptized which held as Maldonate affirms about 600 Years And to this Day How many are contending for the Cross in Baptism For which thing though very Un-scriptural yet some of the deep Wits of that Way do form a Plea but by mistaken and very invalid Consequences And many of the Wise and Learned of the Church of England are of Opinion That unless it be granted that the Church has a Liberty from Christ to alter or add Ceremonies at her discretion they know no Authority for the Baptizing of Infants or the Sprinkling of Water upon their Faces to be accounted Baptism for few deny but that the ancient way was by going into the Water and Plunging under Water Nay our Disciplinarians that have made strong Pleas for Reformation in many things must and do confess that their strongest Plea for Infant Baptism is drawn from a very remote Consequence even as far off from the Command of Christ or the Practice of the Apostles as that they ground it on the First Jewish Ordinance Commanded unto Abraham and his Posterity viz. Circumcision which was never intended to be of any value after the time of Christ's Reformation Heb. 9. 10. And is it not to be lamented that after so many Years search no better Footing should be found for the Practising a New Testament Sacrament than an Old Testament Jewish Institution May not such men as will infer that Holy Orders should be Hereditary and that the Work of the Ministry should be Intailed upon their Posterity because it was anciently settled upon the Children of Levi besides whom none might Minister in the Sanctuary And why may not Infants by a clearer Consequence partake of the Table of the Lord assoon as they are able to Eat and Drink it it being taken for granted by Paedobaptists that the Supper comes â—n the room of the Passover and that all in the Family that were capable to Eat Flesh might Eat it Exod. 12. 4. Nay any Strangers in their Families were not excluded that we Read of that might be present at the Passover And thus we might Instance in many things It is not the business of this Author to prove the Baptism of Believers for that is a thing that was never yet denied or oppos'd by any that Plead for Infants right to it For they confess That to Baptize Believers is a clear and unquestionable Truth agreeing most plainly with the precept of the Lord Jesus and Practice of the Apostles But the Controversie is whether Infants of Believers or others have a Scriptural right to it or not And here thou shalt find every Point from whence any Plea is deduced to prove the right of Infants to that Ordinance answered with such Evidence of Scripture Demonstration and with so much Faithfulness that unless thou hast no Conscience towards these things it must beget in thee at least some new Considerations about the Point if not a better Opinion of that despised People that make Conscience not to admit any to Baptism but Professed Believers The Circumcision of Children was not left doubtful to the Jews but they had full Direction in the Case both for the Subject and the Part to be Circumcised the time and manner also Was there such care in that time and in such a Point about a thing that was to end with the Jewish Church Law and Priest-hood and yet no care taken by the Lord Jesus to give future Ages Light in Infant Baptism in case it were His Mind it should be Practised I could never yet meet with the Man that could pretend to know at what time Children should or ought to be Baptized supposing they had a right to it In Ancient time it was Administred but twice in the Year and since that appointed to be upon some Festival But I find now all do act at Pleasure none among us regarding the Day of Circumcision viz. the eighth Day though some in Cyprian's time would limit it to that Day when the practice began first to be Introduced by some few Persons out of a conceit of its Absolute Necessity to Salvation from a mistake of John 3. 5. But some now hasten it sooner some defer it to a Fortnight some three Weeks a Month and more And several of the Eastern Churches to this very day Baptize not until the 40th day after they are born and then give them the Supper also as some approved Authors report So that all for the most part order the time as may best suit with their other Aim of managing it with State Pomp and Honour and the presence of such Friends as may be absent to make it the more gainful and splendid Now if no time can be set exactly why should they be censured who out of Conscience defer to communicate so Holy an Ordinance to their Children till they are taught in the Faith of Christ and profess to believe it with their Heart Must it not seem strange I say to any Man that reads with what care the Lord gave charge concerning the Circumcising of Children as well as Men giving them the very Circumstance of time as aforesaid on which it should be performed and which Moses injoyned to Israel which was part of his Faithfulness in his House that yet we should think it is the Mind of the Lord Jesus who was most faithful in his own House that little Children should be Baptized and not so much as once express it by Himself or Apostles We find Women and Children
not only to the Father but to the Children yea to all his Family And the Father of the Family did not only give Himself but all his Children and even his Servants all His to GOD to take his Sign upon them and so it must be now To which We Reply that it is indeed the unspeakable Blessedness of the Believing Gentiles to be Graffed in upon such a Stock not upon the Legal Branch but upon the Root Olive which affordeth all the Nourishment that either the Jews had or the Gentiles have that Root Olive being no other than Christ Himself who was given for a Covenant of the People and a Light to Lighten the Gentiles The Gospel of whose Grace was indeed Preached to Abraham 430 Years at least before the Law was given But what then Doth it therefore follow that the Believing Gentiles are put into that very State of things as under Circumcision Where is that Scripture that affirms it Evident it is that though Circumcision was in use before as well as under the Law and though Jesus Christ Himself is by the Apostle Stiled the Minister of the Circumcision for the Truth of God to confirm the Promises made unto the Fathers yet as it cannot be denied but that it was adopted into the Legal Family And that it was also adopted unto the Nature and Quality of the Legal Dispensation So it is as evident that it is now Abolished And we can meet with no one Text in all the New Testament that tells us that Baptism is appointed to have the same Place and Vse in the Church of God that Circumcision had but rather much to the contrary as hath been already proved And it being manifest that the External Administration of the Covenant is changed to what it was in Abraham's Time it plainly follows that there is an Alteration of the Rule that must direct us in our Practice in that Respect Obj. 2. If this Interpretation hold good there would be a very great Change in the Extent of the Covenant narrower under the Gospel than it was under the Law and yet no notice in all the Book of God given of such a Change We Reply First That the Covenant of Grace hath one and the same Extent before under and since the Law in Respect of the Substance of it or considered singly in its self as hath been already declared In Respect of the Administration of it indeed it is Changedble and hath been often Changed Secondly we say that the Administration under the Gospel is not narrower than that under the Law because it admits not Infants Baptism The Administration under the Law was Circumscribed to a little Land and a small People the Bounds of the other are stretched from Sea to Sea and from the River to the ends of the Earth That was restrained to the Seed and Family of Abraham the other extends to the Seed and Family of Christ That had its Existence but 2000 Years upon an Occasional Temporary Principle the other is suited to Answer a Principle existing from Everlasting to Everlasting That Administration was the Shadow Figure and Example the other the Substance That was the Handmaid the other the Mistress And if the Case be thus between these two Administrations can we Reasonably Charge the Gospel Administration with more narrowness than the Law because of the Discontinuance of the Birth-Priviledge Thirdly Although the Grace of the Gospel be extended far beyond the Grace under the Law yet as to Persons the Children of the Gospel are formed to so strict and refined a Qualification that in that Respect we grant that the Law had a Latitude beyond the Gospel But yet with this Mark that the Indulgence of the Law was one of the great Imperfections which the Gospel came to Reform Mat. 3. 10 11 12. And of this Change the Book of God doth give abundant Notice Gen. 21. 10. Cast out the Bond-woman and her Son c. Shortly after the Institution of the Ordinance of Circumcision for the Priviledge of the Seed according to the Flesh The Lord brings forth a Prophetical Instance in the very Family of Abraham wherein this great Change of Church Priviledge was revealed viz. That it was to be taken from the Carnal Seed and that it should be given to the Seed according to Grace under the Gospel Administration And to put that matter out of Question we have the unvailing of this Prophetical Instance to the very same purpose in Gal. 4. 30. So also Isa 14. 1. Sing O Barren thou that bearest not What she was the Apostle tells us Gal. 4. 26 27. ver 5. Thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel At ver 13. We have the Refined Qualification of her Children and People And all thy Children shall be Taught of the Lord Where we have a Prophetical Description of the Gospel Church State which the People of a Fleshly Extraction only from the most sanctified Saints cannot possible compare unto It must therefore necessarily be understood of another Seed even of a Seed begotten of God by the Word of Truth Jam. 1. 18. the Gospel People And this was a fair Notice given of the Change in Question to wit narrower as to the Qualifications of the Persons but more extended in Grace Another fair warning for the Fleshly Seed is Isa 65. 15. For the Lord God shall slay thee and call his People by another Name In all which we find plain notice given of the Change of the Old Administration which gloried in the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh and as plainly foretelling the Cessation of that Propagation to give place to the New Administration and the true Seed of Abraham the Seed according to the Spirit And indeed the Change of the Administration necessarily removes the fleshly Seed because it hath a standing by no other Right than what it had under that Covenant As for the New Testament it every where abounds with Evidence to the Proof hereof as appears from the several Scriptures that have in part been already opened and discussed in the former part of this Discourse Wherein it hath been proved that though Infants were comprehended with their Parents in the Jewish Church yet none but such as are capable of making an Actual Profession of Faith and Repentance with some competent Measure of Fruitfulness answerable thereunto are to be admitted to the Priviledge of Church-Membership under the Gospel To this purpose we are told Mat. 3. 7. That when many of the Pharisees and Sadduces came to be Baptized of John Though their being of the Natural Seed of Abraham was a sufficient ground why they should be Circumcised yet it was no sufficient ground why they should be Baptized And therefore their Birth-Priviledge notwithstanding John rejects them as a Generation of Vipers and bids them bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance 'T is true those that John had now to deal with were Men at
small Dissention among them For to this same purpose he expresly tells the Galatians Chap. 5. 2 3 4. Behold I Paul say unto you That if you be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing For I testifie again to every man that is Circumcised That he is a Debtor to do the whole Law Christ is become of no Effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law you are fallen from Grace From whence as we may clearly discern the Nature of the Covenant of Circumcision that it was no other than a Covenant of Works or a Legal Covenant which he doth herein so plainly declare unto them to be now Repealed So it doth as plainly appear that from hence it came to pass that Christ became so great an Offence unto the Jews and the Gospel so sore a Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offence unto them all yea to many of them after they had submitted to the Gospel Yea the Gentile-Churches themselves were scarce if at all preserved from stumbling hereat with the Jews as appears from what the Apostle writes to the Galatians upon this Subject though all this loss and change of State and Priviledges which they so much repined at well considered would amount to no more than what befalls a man who from the Priviledges of a Servant is Invested into the Priviledges of a Son And this was the very Case Gal. 4. 4. God hath sent forth his Son c. vers 5. to Redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the Adoption of Sons vers 7. Wherefore thou art no more a Servant but a Son as hath been before at large explained Neither indeed doth the present Alteration or Change of State occasion any Real or Substantial Loss unto the Children of Believers any more than to themselves but much of Spiritual Advantage rather to both as hath been already discovered in the foregoing part of this Discourse § 2. And indeed what needed the Jews to have been so much startled or offended at the Abollishing of Circumcision as they were if they had not plainly discerned that it toucht their Main Copy hold or the Covenant it self they so much Gloried in and Boasted of Mat. 3. 9. Joh. 8. 33. to which Circumcision was annexed and that the taking away of the One was a plain Sign of the Abrogation of the Other also Else they had no Pretence or Shadow of Reason to make the Clamours they did For if they had understood that the Covenant it self had remained entire and only the Signs changed Or had Paul told them their Children should be Baptized and that Baptism was come into the room of Circumcision which had been absolutely necessary if it had been so In all likelihood they had quietly submitted to the present Alteration But this was plainly therefore the ground of their Quarrel for that the Covenant it self was now broken down which they could not but understand by the Removal of the very Sign and Token thereof from whence they could not but conclude that their so long enjoyed Priviledge of Church-membership for themselves and Children also upon the bare account that Abraham was their Father was now Abollished Mat. 3. 9. SECT XI MOreover That the Gospel Covenant before mentioned Gen. 12. 2 3. and Gen. 22. 16 17 18. is the only ground of the Gentiles hope and indeed of the Jews also The Apostle Peter likewise doth plainly declare unto us when he tells the Jews that were pricked in their Hearts for their Crucifying of Christ as he doth Acts 2. 38 39. Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and you shall Receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost For the Promise is unto you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God sholl call Where by the Promise unto them and to their Children we are not to understand the Covenant of Circumcision For though God did therein promise to be a God to Abraham and to his Seed which was indeed a most Blessed and Comfortable Promise in it self considered and contains in it the Sum of all our Blessedness But how should they come at it It is senced about with a Flaming Sword or a Fiery Burning Law that turneth every Way to keep the Way to the Tree of Life To insist therefore upon that Covenant or that Promise as it is thus Bounded will afford no Relief For according to that Covenant they must be Circumcised and keep the Whole Law Act. 15. 1. 5. Gal. 5. 3. which is impossible to be performed Gal. 3. 10 11 12. And therefore how Sweet or Full or Glorious soever the Promise is in it self Considered yet it is impossible bounded as it is that ever they should come to obtain the Benefit of it Which therefore could be no Proper Remedy for the Ease of their present Misery or the Removal of their present Perplexity And therefore instead of directing them to that Covenant he plainly directs them to another full of Grace and Truth even the Gospel Covenant before-mentioned For the Promise saith he is unto you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Plainly pointing to the Covenant which God made with Abraham Gen. 12. 2 3. long before the Covenant of Circumcision was in being and which was afterward renewed unto him Gen. 22. 16 17 18. Even that Ratified Covenant That Free and Absolute Covenant which had been confirmed both by Word and Oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie there might be strong Consolation afforded unto all the Heirs of Promise And that this is the Covenant that he directs them to and not the Covenant of Circumcision is evident from the words themselves For the Promise he speaks of was not only unto them and to their Children But unto all that are afar off as Paul tells the Ephesians Chap. 2. 12. Even unto the Gentiles also as many as the Lord our God shall call Which Promise unto the Gentiles is not to be found in the Covenant of Circumcision For that was made unto Abraham and his Natural Posterity only whereby they were Obliged unto Circumcision and to keep the whole Law and not a word of the Gentiles there For it is plain that as God there promiseth to be a God unto Abraham and to his Seed So the same Seed that are concerned in the Promises there mentioned were also Commanded to be Circumcised Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy Seed after thee in their Generations vers 9. This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy Seed after thee Every man-child among you shall be Circumcised Gen. 17. 10. The same Seed therefore that is the Subject of the Promises vers 7 8. is the Subject of the Obligation vers 9 10. So that it is evident that the