externally within the Covenant are not really indeed within the Covenant of Grace Ans. The Adverbe really relates to the reall fruit of the fulfilled Covenant and so such as are only externally within the Covenant are not really within the Covenant for God never directed nor intended to bestow the blessing Covenanted nor grace to perform the condition of the Covenant upon them But they are really Covenanted and engadged by their consented profession to fulfill the Covenant And as the commands and threatnings of the Covenant of Grace lay on a reall obligation upon such as are only externally in Covenant either to obey or suffer so the promise of the Covenant imposes an ingagement and obligation upon such to beleeve the promise but some times we say the promises of the Covenant of Grace are not really made to the Reprobate within the Visible Church because God intends and decrees to and for them neither the blessing promised nor the saving grace to fulfill the condition or to beleeve And therefore these words are figurative Heb. 8.10 This is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel I will write my Law in their minds c. that is this is the speciall and principall Covenanted blessing I will give them a new heart which must not be called a simple prediction though a prediction it is but it is also a real promise made absolutely to the elect which the Lord fulfills in them And this is called the Covenant Because 1. they are no better then non-Covenanters upon whom the Lord bestowes not this part and blessing of the Covenant 2. The truth is the promise of a new heart is not made to the Visible Church which is only Visible but to the Elect and Invisible Church And if Anabaptists shall expone these words Acts 2.39 The promise of a new heart is made to you and to your children upon condition that you and your children beleeve which they cannot do untill first they have a new heart it s as good as Peter had said God promiseth to you and to your children grace to beleeve and a new heart to obey him upon condition that you first beleeve And that is Gods promise to you to beleeve upon condition that ye beleeve which is ridiculous and therefore we cannot say that this promise of a new heart is made to all that are commanded to beleeve and repent and be baptized For Elect and Reprobate and all are under these commands if they be members of the Visible Church But the promise of a new heart is not made to all within the Visible Church Quest. How then Must the promise of a new heart be here excluded And shall nothing be meant in the Word but a promise of forgivenesse and life is made to you and your Children Ans. I should judge it hard to say that were the only promise here made the promise of a new heart is made to you all therefore repent and be baptized The Antecedent is not true 2. Therefore because Peter speaks unto and of a mixed multitude Fathers Children Elect and Reprobate who must first understand the promise of life and forgivenesse is made to you Ergo all come to age repent and be baptized And because the promise is made to your children therefore let them be baptized And 3. the promise of new heart is not to be excluded because there were in the company to whom and of whom the Apostle Peter speaks many Elect in whom the old Prophesie Jer. 31. Ezek. 11. was to be fulfilled For he saith The promise is made to as many as the Lord shall call to the Gentiles it were a sense too narrow to exclude that promise and therefore as the great promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed which chiefly is meant Acts 2.39 requires not the same condition in fathers and infants nor the same condition in fathers wives hewers of wood Officers and Commanders litle ones and such as were not born Deu. 29. with whom the Covenant is made For the same faith in fath is and in infants and faith working in the same duties cannot be required of husbands wives Magistrates and hewers of wood so neither is the promise made the same way to fathers children Jews near hand and Gentiles farre off to Elect and Reprobate Q. How can the promise of the Covenant to write the Law in the heart be made absolutely and not to the Reprobate but to the Elect only For the Elect are only these to whom that promise is made and yet the Reprobate are really in the Covenant of Grace and the promise is made to them as hath been said Answ. It is no inconvenient that the Reprobate in the Visible Church be so under the Covenant of Grace as some promises are made to them and some mercies promised to them conditionally and some reserved speciall promises of a new heart and of perseverance belong not to them For all the promises belong not the same way to the parties visibly and externally and to the parties internally and personally in Covenant with God So the Lord promiseth life and forgivenesse shall be given to these who are externally in the Covenant providing they beleeve but the Lord promiseth not a new heart and grace to beleeve to these that are only externally in Covenant And yet he promiseth both to the Elect. Hence the Covenant must be considered two ways in abstracto and formally in the letter as a simple way of saving sinners so they believe so all within the Visible Church are in the Covenant of Grace and so it contains only the will of precept 2. In the concret as the Lord caries on the Covenant in such and such a way commensurably with the decrees of Election and Reprobation As the Lord not only promises but acts and ingraves the Law in the heart commensurably with his decree of Election so the Elect only are under the Covenant of Grace The word tells of no condition or work or act to be performed by any which if he do he shall have a new heart and therefore the promise of the ingraven Law in the heart is not a simple promise made to the Covenanters as Covenanters for so it should be a promise to all visible Covenanters for visible Covenanters are essentially Covenanters but it is both a promise and a prediction yea a reall execution or an efficacious way of fulfilling the decree of Election to such and such chosen and specially loved of God Covenanters 2. A new heart hath a twofold consideration one as a duety commanded 2. As a blessing promised as to the former Ezech. 18.31 make you a new heart and a new spirit Jer. 4.4 Circumcise your heart to the Lord take away the foreskin of your heart ye men of Judah Eph. 4.23 be renued in the Spirit of your minde Eph. 4.14 Awake thou that sleeps and rise from the dead these are either
their fall Hence by diverse Arguments he proves that the Jewes shall be brought in again to Christ 1. From four ends of the Jews fall v. 11. 2. To provoke them to come in v. 11. 3. That some may be saved 4. For the riches of the worlds salvation Whence the magnifying of Pauls Ministry v. 13 14. 2. Arg. From the great fruit If their fall be the riches of the world their incoming again must be the resurrection from the grave of the buried unbeleeving world v. 15. 3. Arg. They must be brought in These who are holy separated from the world for the Covenant-call of God must be brought in again But so is Israel The Assumption he proves by pâ—rts 1. The masse and root of Israel is holy the Fathers were the Covenanted visible stock line root as all the Old Testament sayeth then the posterity the first fruits the branches partly born partly to be born must be holy Covenant-wayes The tree root and branches are holy and of the same nature Therefore the branches have right to Christ to the Covenant to Baptisme and the seals Hence Anabaptists without all reason say that he speaks not of federall and externall holinesse but of reall internall and true holinesse only of the invisible body predestinâ—ted to life for though invisible holinesse cannot be excluded except we exclude the holinesse of Abraham Isaac and Jacob who were without doubt a part of the root yet he must be taken to speak of that holinesse of the Covenant and Church as made visible and of the visible collective body of the Jews not of only reall and invisible holinesse 1. Because this was true in the dayes of Elias If the root be holy the branches are holy And it is a New testament-Testament-Truth of perpeall verity If the Fathers be holy so must the Sons The Fathers have Church-right to Circumcision to Baptism to the Passeover and to the Lords Supper so have the Children but it is most false of the invisible mysticall body and root only and of reall and internall holinesse For neither in Old or New Testament is it true If the Fathers be predestinated to life justified and sanctified and saved so must the Children be Ishmael Esau Absalom and all the world of Hypocritâ—â— called from their prophanenesse Sodom and Gomorah Isai. 1.10 uncircumcised in heart as Egypt Moab and Ammon Jerem. 9.26 as the Philistines Amos 9.7 Then should that 2. Distinction of Jewes in the heart and inward and of Jews in the flesh Rom. 2.28 and of the children of the flesh that are not of the spirituall seed and of the children of the promise Rom. 9.7 8. and of the persecuting children of the bond woman not justified by faith and of the children of the promise Gal. 4.23 24 c. fall to the ground Yea 3. If by the root and the lump be understood only Believers and chosen to life the whole Israel which is as the sand of the sea should be saved whereas the Word of God saith a remnant only shall be saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX Teâ—la A part taken out shal be saved Rom. 9.27 Isai. 10.22 23. Hos. 1.10 4. By the branches must be meant all the visible body of the Jews old and young Now if Anabaptists give us a Visible Church of the Jewes of all reall believers even the branches and Infants which shall hardly be proven by the Scripture these infants at least being visible Believers may lawfully be baptized being both internally and visible and externally in Covenant For this Scripture is expresly expounded by them of reall and inherent holinesse and so Infants must be reall Believers and in Covenant Ergo they must be baptized What can be replied is not imaginable but they have not actuall faith and possibly that is not known to the Church But this Scripture saith that the branches and root both are holy 2. It shall be new Divinity that none are to be baptized but such as are under the actuall â—â—â—rcise of their faith a thing that cannot be discerned by the Church in these that are come to age 5. Here shall also be this new Divinity that predestination to life and glory must be propagated and derived from the lump to the first fruits from the root and parents to the branches and children 5. It s against the whole current of the Text that Paul spake abstractly of the only invisible body really sanctified and not of the visible body For 1. The body invisible is an elect seed that cannot fall away But the body that here he speaks of are such of which a part are hardned and blinded and under the spirit of slumber and a part elect and chosen 7. The election have obtained the rest are hardned and of such a body compared with the body in the time of Elias of which multitudes fell away slew the Prophets digged down the Altars and a good number were beleevers that bowed not their knee to Baal and so is the body now saith Paul 1 2 3 4 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a mixt body 3. He speaks of the body that is fallen and stumbled v. 11. and these whom he preaches unto to provoke them to a holy emulation to come in to Christ by the incoming of the Gentiles v. 13 14. which is sure a visible body and which shall be ingraffed in again v. 23. which includes a visible body of diverse generations 4. Yea he must speak of a Nationall election and externall calling as Deut. 7.7 8 9. Deut. 10.15 Psal. 132.13 Isai. 41.2 Not of a personall election of some certain persons who fell were blinded rejected fully and totally in their persons and received in and ingraffed as sound believers again for the Scripture speaks of no such boating in and out but of a huge numerous body of which some fell some stand and includes diverse generations 5. The collective visible body of Jews and Gentiles are such as Paul preacheth unto v. 13 14. such as are ingraffed in in the room of the Jews and ingraffed into the Olive of the visible Body and partake of the fatnesse of Ordinances Baptism Coâ—enant-comforts promises Now if any say that this proves not that Infants are ingraffed then must they say that Infants of the Jews before Christ partaked of no fatnesse of the Covenant Circumcision Blessings Presence Protection 2. That they were not broken off with their fathers and so that they now stand 3. That the Infants of the Jews are not holy branches as the root is holy as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that none but the fathers shall be ingraffed in and only 4. The aged and the baptized actuall believers of the Gentiles are the ingraffed ones not their Infants they are all Heathen and Pagans as well as the casten off Jewes 5. That the Jewes ingraffing in again shall be to their great hurt so as God was long agoe their God but shall no more in time coming be their
THE COVENANT OF LIFE OPENED Or A TREATISE of the COVENANT OF GRACE Containing something of And especially of The nature of the Covenant of Works The Soveraignty of GOD The extent of the death of CHRIST The nature properties of the Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Suretyship or Redemption between the LORD and the Son JESUS CHRIST Infants right to JESUS CHRIST and the Seal of Baptisme With some Practicall Questions and Observations By SAMUEL RUTHERFURD Professor of Divinitie in the University of S. Andrews ZECH. 6.12 And speak unto him saying Thus speaketh the LORD of Hosts saying Behold the Man whose Name is the BRANCH and he shall grow out of his place and He shall build the Temple of the LORD 13. Even He shall build the Temple of the LORD and He shall bear the glory and shall sit and rule upon His Throne c. EDINBVRGH Printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Broun and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Sun ANNO 1655. CHRISTIAN READER MAny have written to the edifying of the Godly of this excellent Subject It s not much I can do in this but have added some thoughts to what is said intending a more Practicall way of the last Points in another Treatise to wit of the application of Covenant-Promises and of the influences of the Spirit under the Covenant of Grace of which especially of the latter of these two few have practically written And it is of much concernment to make ouâ— the Union of our Duty and the breathings of the LORD and what can be done under deadnesse to either fetch the wind or to be put in a spirituall condition that the soul â—ay ly fair for the receiving of the influences of GOD. I desire in this to speak for Truth not either for or against persons of whom I am silent concealing the names of any Contradicent judging Truth so much the more desirable when it may possibly be had with peace and as little blowing or stirring of the fire of contradiction as can be What is here said in a way of Disputing the Moderate Reader who is not taken with that way may passe by and read what is practicall The Author hath been lest Truth should suffer by him a little darkned as report bears with the name I know not what of a Protester as one who hath deserted the Government and Discipline of the Church of GOD in SCOTLAND But my humble thoughts are the same they were before though I can adde nothing to the Truth I look on these men the world so names Protesters Schismaticks Separatists as sinfull men who stand in need of a Saviour and as such as desire to fear GOD and love His Name and would gladly have our practise and walk come a little more near to the Rule of the Gospel and that our Land might mourn for all the abominations committed therein which I desire to be spoken without any reflection upon any of the Godly in the Land who in that point are of another Judgement It is my desire to the LORD that he would let us hear experienced by the reality of that Thus saith the LORD As the new wine is found in the cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I do for my servants sake that I may not destroy them all The LORD JESUS be with your Spirit Yours in the Lord Jesus S. R. Contents of the I. PART CHAP. I. and II. THe four particulars of the Treatise pag. 1. Propositions touching ADAMS state p. 1 2. ADAM was predestinate to life eternall in Christ and how pag. 2. CHAP. III. What is the intent and sense of the threatning Gen. 2.17 and Gen. 3.20 Dust thou art c. p. 3 4 5. Threatnings of the Law reveal what the Law-giver may jure inflict by justice and Law deserving not what shall come to passe p. 4. Except it be both a threatning and a Prophesie p. 5. What is carnall security ibid. What Adam was to believe in that threatning p. 5 6. How the promises and the threatnings differ in this p. 7. How Law threatnings to the Elect are Evangelick p. 8. CHAP. IV. The Elect before Conversion bear no part of the Law-curse nor is the Law-curse devided between them and Christ. p. 10.11 Faith is too near to be made a cause of satisfaction for sin by all who hold that Christ gave a satisfactory ransome for all and every one of mankind p. 11. Accepting or not accepting satisfaction is before faith and so believing or not believing can be no ground of the sufficiencie of the price payed for the Reprobate or of the laying of the sins of all upon Christ. p. 11 12 13 God may accept the satisfaction of Christ without any condition required on our part p. 13. CHAP. V. God intended a Law-dispensation but for a time 2. Adam how he was ordained for a Law life 3. How predestinate to Glory how not 4. That the heathens have no more universall grace then Divels 5. No ground for such grace p. 13 14 15. CHAP. VI. It was condiscension in the Lord to enter in Covenant with man 2. Temptâ—tions in fearing we are not chosen discovered 3. Beings and not-beings are debtors to God 4. Self denyall required in sinlesse nature as in sinfull 5. Man considered three wayes How faith layes hold upon conditionall promises and temptations of unbelief thereabout p 16 17. Oâ— the Covenant of nature p. 18 19 20. CHAP. VII It s not written in the heart of man by nature that God should promise life Eternall to man upon condition of obedience 2. The debt of justice cannot ty God 3. God punisheth not sin by necessitie of nature 4. Nor defends he his own declarative Glory by necessitie of nature 5. Nothing can be given to God All sufficient 6. No meriting of the creature 7. We are to have humble thoughts of free-Grace 8. Low thoughts of our selves 9. Promises make no strict justice between the Lord and us p. 20 21. God falls in no sort from his naturall dominion though he impose not penal Laws upon the reasonable creature p. 25 26. God loves his essentiall Glory by necessity of nature but not his declarative Glory by any such necessity p. 28 29 30. In every Covenant there is some out goings of Grace p. 35. The passage 1 Chron. 29.11 12. cleared and why none can give to God p. 37 38. Our vain boasting of self my and such proud pronoumes p. 39 40. How excellent to obey p. 45. Sanctified reason is not soft p. 45 46. How near are wee to justification by Works and to be sick of love for proud I. p. 46 47. CHAP. VIII What place death hath in the Covenant 2. What Reprobates and the damned are to do p. 47 48. What Adam was to do in the intervall between the fall and the publishing of the Gospel p. 48. How the Lord is Adams God p. 49. What life is
and his seed What mercy My Covenant shall stand fast with him Hence they are called the sure mercies of David Isa. 55. The Lord following the seed of the Godly with real mercies so that it cannot be called the favour of a ceremony and instituted or positive priviledge belonging only to the Jews as that his seed is blessed Psal. 37.26 Psal. 112.2 This mercy must be taken away either in mercie or in wrath but that a real mercy of a blessing should be taken away in mercy except a spirituall mercy of saving grace in Christ were given in place thereof cannot be said far lesse hath it any truth that a real mercy can be removed in wrath from Infants in Jesus Christ in whom the Nations are blessed And we see Deut. 28. the blessing of an observed Covenant and the curses of a broken Covenant are extended to the fruit of the body to the sons and the daughters v. 418.32 Job 21.19 Job 29.14 Job 18.15 16 17. And that this is not a New Testament dispensation who can say And that outward positive favours are bestowed on Infants is clear 1. That Christ laid his hands on them and blessed them making them a fixed copy of the indwellers of his Kingdom 2 The promises of the Covenant are made to them Act. 2.39 3. They are clean and holy by Covenant holinesse 1 Cor. 7.14 which cannot be meant of being born of the marriage-bed For Paul Rom. 11.16 saith the same of the Jews root and branches Fathers and Children And no man dreamed that Paul Rom. 11. intends to prove that the Jews shall be insert in again because they are free of bastardie Father and sons Now Infants understand no more any of rhese to be blessed by the laying on of the hands of Christ and to be such as have title to the promises Acts 2.39 and to be Covenant-wise holy 1 Cor. 7. then they understand Baptism 4. The same Covenant made with Abraham is made with the Corinthians 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be their God and they shall be my people Which is Prophesied of the Gentiles under the New Testament Ezek 11.17 18 19 20. Ezek 34.23 24 25. Jer. 31 31 32 33 34 35 36. Jer. 32.36 37 38 39 40. Zech. 13.9 Hos. 1.10 11. 1 Pet. 2.9 10. And it is made to the Gentiles with an eke of a new heart and a larger extent of the Covenant under the New Test. for which cause it is called a better Covenant hath better promises Heb. 7.22 Heb. 8.6 7 8 9 10 11 12. Now that were a strange eke and excellency of the New Testament Covenant above the Old to forfeit without farther processe all Infants under the New Testament of all Covenant-right which was due to them of old under the Covenant which the Lord calls faultie Egypt shall be my people except their 1. Infants 2. And except their aged and their non-Saints 5. Infants in the former Covenant had right by birth to the means of salvation to be taught and Catechised in the Law of the Lord because born of Covenanting Parents within the Visible Church and so had title to Covenant-calling and GODS Covenant-choising Mat. 22.4 as is clear Gen. 18.19 I know Abraham will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord Exod. 20.10 Deut. 6 6 7. And thou shall teach them diligently unto thy Children Exod. 12 26 27. Ps. 78.4 5 6. Now if Infants be without the Covenant as the Infants of Pagans then they have no more Covenant-right to the hearing of the Gospel and a treatie with Christ and Covenant then Pagans have It s not enough to say their Fathers owe that much naturall compassion to their souls as to teach them it being a Parents duty Yea but what warrand hath a Father as a Father to make offer of a Covenant of Grace in the Name of GOD to one Pagan more then to another since all are equally without the Covenant if there be a Covenant-call warranted to them where is the Fathers command to propone and ingadge the Covenanters consent if the Children be Pagans but as they have a right by birth to the call they being born where the call soundeth they must have some visible right to the Covenant it self more then other Pagans It s but of small weight to say that Rom. 9. Paul expoundeth that in the New Testament I will be thy God and the God of thy seed only of the spirituall seed such as Jacob who was predestinated to Glory not of those that are carnally descended of Abraham otherwise it should follow that these that are in the Covenant might believe that they should be saved though void of Faith and Repentance Answ. The purpose of the Apostle Rom. 9. is to Answer a sad Objection if the Jews be cast off and rejected of God as Paul by his extreame desire to have them saved insinuates then the Word of God takes no effect and his calling and choising of them for his people takes no effect v. 6. He Answers it is not failed though the body of Israel be rejected For there are two kinds of Israelits some only carnall and born according to the flesh Others sons of promise and chosen of God Now the word of promise takes effect in the latter sort to wit in the chosen and in the sons of promise for they are not cast off of God and so the Word of God takes effect v. 6. 2. But the truth is if there be none Covenanted with God but the chosen under the New Testament then there is no such thing as an externall and visible Covenanting with God under the New Testament then must all the Nations Isa. 2.1 2. Kingdomes of the World Rev. 11.15 all Egypt Assyria Isa. 19.25 all the Gentiles Isa. 60. be internally Covenanted and sons of promise and predestinated to life And that 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be your God and ye shall be my people under the New Testament must infer that all in Covenant under Christ must be spiritually in Covenant and the Visible Church of Corinth and of all the Kingdomes of the world Rev. 11.15 must be the invisible and chosen Church and as many as are called must be chosen contrair to Mat. 22.14 Hence Q. 1. Have Infants now under Christ no priviledge nor Covenant Grace externall by their birth and discent from beleeving Parents Ans. Sure they have For Acts 2.39 the promise is to you and to your children Either to all children or to some the Text makes no exception If it be said to all conditionally if they beleeve not absolutely Ans. That must be an internall covenanting proper to the elect and the promise is not made to the aged but conditionally so they beleeve And yet the promise shall be made to Infants and Children but not while they come to age 2. To be cut off and casten out of Covenant is a dreadfull Judgement Zecha 11.9 Hos. 2.3 4 5. Rom.
God then of the Pagans and the lately cut off fathers Nor can the Adversaries say that Jewish Infants were broken off through unbelief because they are capable neither of belief nor of unbelief to them Then they remain in the Olive tree members of the Church as before and God must be still their God when the fathers are cut off vers 17. And again when the fathers shall be reingraffed and they made Christians the Infants shall be out of Christ and have no more Covenant-right or Church-right to Baptisme then the Infants of Egyptians and Philistines had to Circumcision Obj. Shall not by this means all the Infants of all the Gentiles be ingrafted in and baptized Answ. The Text warrants us to say it only of the Children of the ingrafted and called Gentiles that they have right to baptism Obj. This Text is spoken of these that have hereditary Covenant-right from their naturall Father Abraham We Gentiles have not that naturall relation to Abraham nor are we his naturall sons nor branches Answ. It s false that the Jews by birth as birth had hereditary right to Church-priviledges they had right by such a birth from Abraham taken in out of free-love to Covenant fellowship with God and his children are naturall that is kindlie 2. First branches and sprigs before us Gentiles to beleeving Abraham but we beleeving are made Abrahams by proportion and are secondary and so wild branches 2. Abraham is not the Physicall but a Morall root For the Covenant was made with Abraham not as a beleeving Father but as a beleeving Head of Children of Servants and strangers under him as the Covenant is laid as an Heavenly depositum upon Zacheus in relation not to his children only but to his house Luke 19. For when he is made a sonne of Abraham salvation that is the Covenant of Life comes to him and to his house and so to Cornelius Acts 10. and to the Jayler Acts 16. and to their houses and the same way I distinguish seeds Q. How can the Jews that are come in be federaly holy for their fathers Since now it is about fifteen hundreth years since their fatherâ— were broken off from Church and Covenant May not all the world Jews and Gentiles be federally holy branches by the same reason because the Covenant was made with and Preached unto Adam a beleeving root and father in Paradice So it would appear once in the Covenant of Grace and all the seed to the coming of CHRIST are federally holy as well as they Answ. This is as great a difficultie to the Adversaries and insuperable as to us for the Jews unborn by their way are no more holy in their branches and off-spring then Turks and Indians and their children untill they grow to age and actually beleeve and so are the Infants of Americans and such as worship the Sun or Satan that way holy And so the branches of the Jews have no holiness from the root nor are they beloved for the fathers as vers 28.2 All the Jews leave not off to be members of the Invisible Church For Paul saith Rom. 11.25 blindnesse in part is happened to Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a part of Israel For howbeit the visible masse and body of the Jews rejected Christ and wrath â—e come upon them to the outmost 1 Thes. 2.16 yet that is not said universally of all the Jews 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yea Paul wrote to the Jews the Epistle to the Hebrews James to the twelve Tribes scattered abroad Jam. 1.1 and Peter 1 Pet. 1.1 and John to the Jews I judge not in a visible body and these are not broken off the Olive and do though not in a Visible Church way derive Covenant right to the branches that shall be ingrafted in But many Nations descended of Adam have universally rejected Christ and know not the Name of Christ the blessed seed Q. May we not say that the root is Christ as mysticall Head from whom we partake of the sâ—ppe of grace and life and fatnesse Answ. The intent of Paul is to prove that the Jews cut off because of their unbeleef shall be ingrafted in again in the Lords own time because of the holinesse of the Covenant that was in the root and in the first fruits Abraham Isaac and Jacob It is true their Covenant-holiness is not the adequat cause why they shall be ingrafted in really into Christ for so all the carnall children who had this relative holinesse must be really ingrafted in Christ but it is with the Lords free love both the cause of their personall and of their Church ingrafting and the continued deriving of that relative holinesse being a continued free favour in its kind is the Lords love in the same kind to root and branches otherwise it should not bear truth which is said v. 28. which expores this ver 28. that they are beloved for the fathers not as if they were predestinate to life because Abraham was so chosen but because of the Fathers Covenant-holinesse which was holinesse from Christ not as root and head through influence of saving grace but as a politick head which yet is what we say For because Christ is holy as root head and Redeemer the Jews once his Church Visible and to be so again the branches are not really holy by faith because all of them were not in Christ But if all Jews and Gentiles and also Infants who are Jews and Gentiles and parts of the body be baptized into the visible body so are Infants See more of this in Mr. Cotton Mr. Black Mr. Cobbet Mr. Rich. Baxter who have closed the dispute learnedly CHAP. XV. The differences of externall and internall Covenanting 2. No Universall Grace Rom. 10.18 Psal. 19.3 nor in Scripture 3. Nor power of beleeving to all given by Christ. HEnce the clear differences betwixt the externall visible and Nationall Covenanting of the people of old when they were brought out of the Land of Aegypt And the internall and personall though it may be visible also Covenanting with God 1. This under the New Testament is a new Covenant and all the old shadows are abolished The former is the old 2. This is with the house of Israel and Judah chosen persons and so personall with single men You shall not give a Nation Kingdom or Land with which the Covenant internally is so made as if all and every one without exceptions must know the Lord savingly what may be the converted Jews case whether the whole body of them all and every one shall be visible real and personall Covenanters as the place Rom. 11.26 seems to say I cannot determine and all and every one be saved for then must all the visible house of Israel be saved and not the chosen only 3. The visible externall Covenant was broken Jer. 31.32 The other personall and internall is never broken 4. The promise of a new heart is really fulfilled in all the persons and
single branches of the house of Judah so that all and every one are taught of God none excepted Jer. 31.33 34. Isa. 54.13 Joh. 6.45 not so in the visible externall Covenant if it be but externall not any is taught of God but all are taught of men 5. The reall personall Covenant is everlasting like that Covenant with the Moon and Stars 2. The night and the day 3. Of the motion of the Sea Jer. 31.35 36 37. There is perseverance absolutely promised Jer. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good It s sure in Gods part for he changeth not Nay but we change and turn away from God he obviats that I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me So Isai. 54.10 Isa. 59.21 but all such as Nationally visibly only and in profession only are in Covenant may fall away 6. Jer. 31. â—â— Behold 〈◊〉 day 〈◊〉 come saith the Lord that the City shall be built to the 〈◊〉 c. There is a promise of spirituall right in Christ made to the blessings of this life to these that are personall Covenanters As Jer. 32 4â— Ezek. 11.17 18 19. Ezek. 36.26 27 28 29 30 33. Ezek. 37.24 25 26. Ezek. 34.23 24 25 26 27. which promise though not repâ—â—ted in the New Testament when the Prophesies of 〈…〉 cited Heb. 8.8 Heb. 10.16 17. but of purpose 〈…〉 because the promise of temporal blessings is not so expresse 〈◊〉 Yet in other places of the New Testamant it is clear that we have bread by Covenant-promise Matth. 19 20. 1 Tim. â— 8 Heb. 13. â— 6. 1 Pet. 3.10 11 12. which 〈…〉 only 〈…〉 Covenant externally c. These six differences are clear Jer. 31.33 c. so that it is evident that all and every one of the Visible Church are not really and personally confederates so that though the Lord say to both I will be their God and they shall be my people yet not one and the same way Hence there is no ground at all nor truth in what Arminians say that the Covâ—â—ant of Grace is made with all and every one of mankind as was the Covenant of Works For this must be true that in Paradice the Covenant of Grace was made with Adam and all his seed But a Covenant so universall ought to be proclaimed to all the 〈◊〉 but thus was not For the Lord published and made it to Abraham and his seed and the Lord choised Israel above all the people on earth Deut. 5.1 2 3. Deut. 7.6 Deut. 10.15 and shewed his judgements and statutes to them not to other Nations And therefore there can be no subjejective revealing of Christ by universall grace given to Heathen and all others and by an objective revealing of Christ in the works of Creation the heaven and earth night and day as some teach citing the Ps. 29.1 2. For so 1. God choised Americans Indians and all the wild Savages to be his people as well as he choised the Jews and if the sound of the Gospel went out to the ends of the earth that is to all and every one as they expound Psal. 19.3 4. Rom. 10.18 then it must be the purpose of David and Paul that the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace and of Christ crucified by whose alone name men are saved and by whom only 〈◊〉 come to the Father Acts 4 1â— John 14.6 is written in the Firmament which must declare the glory of God manifested in the flesh day unto day and must preach Christ crucified to all Nations who see the Sun rise and go down â—or sure that sound Psal. 19.4 goeth through all the earth Sure Paul must give a dark interpretation Rom. 10. of that Psalm 〈…〉 2. If the hearing Rom. 10.18 but I say have they not heard be the hearing of God Creator his sounding 〈◊〉 in the Firmament Night Day and Sun as it is Psal. 〈◊〉 by all that see the Sunne and also the hearing of the joyfull sound of Christ Preached in the Gospel written and objectively 〈◊〉 in Sun and Moon Night and Day as Amyrald and his do expound it Then may all that see the Sun call upon the name of the Lord revealed in Christ and believe in Christ for of their beleef Moses speaks Deut. 30.14 and Paul Rom. 10.9 â—â— and all have the benefite of the Preached Gospel and sent Prophets whose feet are beautifull upon the mountains publishing 〈…〉 of peace vers 15. as Nah. 1.15 Isai. 52.7 and â—ll that see the Sunne are the same way saved by Jesus Christ that Jewes and Gentiles are who hear the Gospel But Paul strangely crosseth this How shall they call upon him as God revealâ—â— iâ— Christ in whom they believe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shal they 〈◊〉 him of whom they have not heard And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be 〈◊〉 Now if the sound of the Preached Gospel be to be heard in the Firmament Sun rising and going down as Amyrald and some Libertines do say whom I heard Preach the same thing at London Paul might receive an easie and a short answer The Gospel of Christ crucified written on the Firmament Sun and night and day is as lawfull an Ordinance and a book upon which Americans and all that see the same may read the glad tydings of salvation and so may call upon and beleeve in God and winne and earn by 〈◊〉 industrie and hearing of the Gospel by sent Preachers as the Preached Word of God and therefore Paul cannot deny but faith comes by hearing of some other Preacher then a Gospel-Preacher or one that is sent for Paul Rom. 1.16 17 18 19. and David Psal. 19.1 2 3. v. 7 8 9. distinguish the two Books There is not such an Objection dreamed as Amyrald imagines of Rom. 10.18 If God will have mercy on the Gentiles how is it that they have not heard the Gospel For the Lord hath not declared his minde to them He answers God did not so keep up his good will to the Gentiles in former times but by the Ministery of the Heavens ac veluti voce providentiae and as it were by the preaching of the Word of Providence he spake to them which things should be spoken to no purpose by Paul if they be understood of a revelation of God as Creator only and not as Redeemer for what hath that revelation to do with the Gospel Therefore Calvine saith he speaketh of the revelation by the creatures preparatory to the Gospel It is true there is an Objection in these words v. 18. But I say have they not heard A learned Countrey-man Charles Fermin But the Israelites saith he have not heard the Gospel Then if faith be from hearing and saving calling upon God be from faith then believing Israelites shall be of the number of them that call
whole and need no Physick 3. Ye loath Christ but knows it not Luke 7.44.45 ye love Christ as a supposed Prophet and loath him as a Redeemer One may deadly hate Christ and not know it 4. Ye cannot compare the two states together the state of nature and the state of Grace as 1 Tim. 1.13 ye idolize your own choise to bear down Achabs Idolatrie but choose not the will of God to oppose Ieroboams Idolatrie 5. Ye want Christ and ye were not born with Christ in the heart 2. Yea ye are eternally lost without him and know neither the one nor the other Quest. 4. Whether or not are beleevers the parties of the Covenant of Grace Ans. These are parties to whom the Covenant-promise is made not these who already have the benefit promised in the Covenant but beleevers must have a new heart and consequently faith already therefore they cannot be parties with whom the Covenant is made As because the Image of God is not promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works but presupposed to be in him by order of nature before God make with him the Covenant of Works else he could not be able to keep that Covenant which we cannot say for God created him right and holy Gen. 1.26 27. Eccles. 7.29 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Therefore Adam in his pure naturalls as not yet indued with the Image of God cannot be the partie with whom the Covenant of Works is made for then the Image of God must either be a reward which Adam by his pure naturalls and strength thereof must purchase by working which the Scripture and nature of the Covenant cannot admit or then the Image of God must be promised to Adam in the Covenant of Works which is no lesse absurd And if faith be promised in the Gospel the Covenant of Grace must be made with some Israel and Judah as predestinated to life eternall and yet wanting a new heart For God cannot Covenantâ—ways promise a new heart to such as have it but to suchÌ„ as have a stony heart and beleeve not Ezek. 36.26 Deut. 30.6 Ezek 11.19 nor can he promise faith to such as have faith this way Quest. 5. Who are these that have the new heart and so are personally and really within the Covenant of grace Ans. Because the new spirit is given when the new heart is given Ezek. 36.27 Ezek. 18.31 Make you a new heart and a new spirit and many in our times boast of the spirit it shall be fit to speak of the new spirit and who are spirituall Hence these Questions of the new spirit Quest. 1. What is the seed of the new spirit Ans. The word of the Gospel therefore before Adam could have the Gospel-spirit the Lord must reveal the Doctrine of the Gospel the seed of the woman must tread down the head of the serpent Gen. 3. So the word and the spirit are promised together Isa. 59.21 Isa. 30.21 Thy teachers shall not be removed and thine ears shall hear this is the inward teaching a voice behind thee saying this is the way walk ye in it Isa. 51.16 17. Mat. 28.20 Go teach that is the word Loe I am with you to the end of the world that is the Spirit to make it effectuall by my Spirit Joh. 14.16 17. Object But Adam when he heard first the Doctrine of the blessed seed could not try the Doctrine or speaker by any new Doctrine Ans. The first Doctrine can be tryed by no other rule because it was the first rule it self nor can these principalls written in the heart naturally That God is God is just holy c. be tryed by any other truths because they are first truths As the sense of seeing cannot try whether the Sun be the Sun by the light of some other Sun that is before this Sun which is more lightsome For there is not another Sun before this the Gospel it self hath God shining in it to these who are enlightened as Adam was a Rubbie doth speak that is a Rubbie Obj. How then should Adam know what God spake to him and nâ—t to another are we not to try all spirits that speak Ans. There is a word immediatly spoken by the Prophets and Apostles that is to be tryed partly by the first Preaching the Lord made in Paradise partly by the effects that it converteth the soul Psal. 19.7 and smells of that same Majesty and the divine power of another life which is in the first Sermon Gen. 3.15 this is Verbum Dei immediatum But when God himself speaks in his own person to Adam to Abraham Gen. 22. to Moses Isaiah the Apostles that is Verbum Dei immediatissimum the fountain-word neither word nor speaker is to be tryed The Patriarchs and Prophets are never bidden try the visions of God for when God speaks them himself he makes it evident that it is he and only he who speaks and we read not of any in this deceived Angels or men cannot counterfeit God Obj. There have after the Canon of the Scripture is closed been some men who have Prophesied facts to come that fell out as they foretold just as Isaiah Elias and other Prophets then something is to be beleeved that is not written and such may have the Spirit and yet no word of Scripture goes along with it Ans. 1. Such men may have I confesse a Propheticall spirit but first they were eminently holy and sound in the faith and taught that the Catholick Church should beleeve nothing nor practise nothing but what is warranted by the Word Such as boast of Spirit or Prophesie and reject the word are therefore not to be beleeved 2. What these men of God foretold is a particular fact concerning a man what death he should die or a Nation or a particular such a man shall be eternally saved but no dogma fidei nor any truth that lays bands on the Catholick Church to believe that to the end of the world as all Scripturall truths do and a doubt it is if we are to beleeve these in the individuall circumstances of fact sub periculo peccati upon hazard of sinning against God we may I judge without sin suspend belief and yeeld charity to the speaker 3. If any object the Prophets did foretell particular facts concerning the death of Ahab the birth of Josiah which concerned particular persons I but they so were the maters of fact as the crucifying of Christ was a mater of fact as also they did by the intent of the Holy Ghost contain Historicall Morall and dogmatically divine Instructions so that the whole Catholick Church must believe them with certainty of divine faith they being written and spoken for our Instruction and they sin who believe not Quest. 2. What are we to judge of these truths revealed to Professors when they are in much nearnesse to God and the Lord is pleased to shine upon them in some fulness of manifestation of himself to their
the comforter the infant may at once both suck the breasts and also sleep And is one flower more to be smelled then the whole Garden And shall feelings and raptures and manifestations of God in his out-goings be courted and over-courted by us beyond the God of all comforts There is need that the heart be deadened to sense for feeling and sense is fiery and idolatrous and were sense more mortified at the out-goings of faith hope love it were good for our faith should be the more lively and vigorous to lay hold on God Q. Is it not lawfull to be taken and feelingly delighted with the influences of God Ans. Sure feeling of it self is not faulty the fierinesse and excessive fervour of feeling is faulty especially when terminated upon created actings of love faith joy desire hope and not upon influences as coming from the free Grace of God otherwise we are but sick and pained of love of our own gracious actings because they are our own and this is the sicknesse of selfishnesse Ah! a Godhead a Godhead is not known 23. Nor must we be in a too lively way taken with our own stock nor trust in the habit of grace or the new heart for grace in us is a created rose that spreads fair and broad and smels well but it is not God nor Christ that we may learn not to trust in our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 1.9 But why but we may trust in our renued selves now furnished with a stock and infused habits the excellent blossoms and blooms of heaven Nay not in our selves thus fitted but in God who raises the dead for it s not possible both to trust in renewed self and in God And Paul never meant that any that professeth CHRIST is to lean upon sinfull self or upon lost and condemned self And sure it is as selfy to be alive to infused habits as to misken Christ and think being once a convert we can send our selves all the rest of the way to heaven without Christ we need not Christ for a Guide or a Tutor it s within us may save us And nothing can be more contrair to a living the noble and sure life of continuall dependencie by faith on the given Leader of the people Jesus Christ then to trust on habits of grace they are not Christ. 25. Ah! who is that mortified as to be dead to the created sweetnesse of joy and the right hand pleasures of God and the formall beatitude of glory and alive to the only pure objective happinesse of glory And yet that is mortification to love and be sick and thirsty for heaven not for the pleasures of the Garden and the Streets of Gold and the Tree of Life and the River of Water of life but for only only God the heaven of heavens And therefore we cannot be alive to pure and the only abstracted and unmixed God head except we be thus dead to heaven 26. There is a deadnesse to the letter of the promise The promise saith M. Ambrose is but the Casket and Christ the Jewell in it the promise is but the field Christ is the Pearle hid in it Christ removed the promise is no promise or but â—aplesse signes 27. We must also be dead to the rayes out-shinings and manifestations of God to the soul here and must transchange God in all presence and all love embracements and no more but he dead to the house of wine to the lifâ—ed up banner of love to love-kisses of Christ to the love-banquets and to the felt lying as the beloved all the night between the breasts for these nearest communions are not God himself There is required a godly hardnesse for receiving sparkles of hell and some draughts of sore trying wrath and the hell of his most wise and righteous frownings and necessary absence and night of hiding himself 28. And should not the Church be dead to providences of fair weather and Court or the blessing of a godly King David Ezekiah and mortified to miraculous deliverances dividing of the red sea defeat of enemies to confirmation of the truth by Martyrdome and sufferings to blood He who is dead to himself and his body and ease and hardned against contradictions of sinners against torment of body cold imprisonment sicknesse death and can in patience submit to all providences is crucified with Christ if God give or withdraw he is dead to both 28. All who are dead with Christ are dead to all dead worship saplesse ceremonies and formall worship Col. 2.20 Gal. 4.9 and are lively in the serving of God and fervent in spirit serving the Lord And rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Phil. 3.3 Rom. 12. CHAP. V. Of the Covenant of Redemption between God and the Mediator Christ. 2. Christ is not a bare witnesse to confirm the Covenant but the Author of the Covenant 3. The Socinian way of works cannot quiet the conscience 4. Christ is upon both sides of the Covenant 5. Justice mediatâ— not 6. Reasons of the entrance of sin ISai. 49.8 I will preserve thee saith the Lord to Christ and give thee for a Covenant of the people Hence the 1. Question How is Christ said to be given as a Covenant of the people Ans. As Isai. 49 6. he saith I have given thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth that is as Act. 13.46 47. I have thee O Christ to be the Preached Light and Guide of the Gentiles and the Preached Saviour declared and proclaimed by the Preaching of Paul Barnabas and the Apostles and Pastors So I will give thee for the Covenant that is the Preached surety and Mediator of the Covenant Heb. 7.22 Heb. 8.6 When the first Covenant was broken he makes with us an everlasting Covenant even the sure mercies of David Isai. 55.3 2. I will give thee as the only one who is the subject of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace For to Preach Christ and to Preach the Gospel and New Covenant are all one 3. I have given thee to be the confirmer of the promises they are all yea and Amen in thee 2 Cor. 1.20 Gal. 3.16 And 4. by thy death thou confirmes the Covenant and seals it with thy blood Heb. 9.15 16 17 22 23 24. Heb. 13.20 Q. But Socinus denies that Christ is the purchaser or the obtainer by his blood as it were of the New Covenant for he did not by his death procure or merit pardon to us he is only the surety or Mediator of the Covenant And Crellius and he say the cause why the confirming of the Covenant is ascribed to the death of Christ is because as by a slain beast and divided into two parts Covenants of old were established so by the death of Christ the Covenant of Grace was solemnly confirmed and sealed Ans. Christ is so the Surety as Mediator
Covenant-resurrection nor any Covenant-salvation can be given or promised if they be not in Covenant The New Test. Kingdome of CHRIST is spirituall though there be in it external signes and seals How faith does sanctifie the unbelieving wife to the beleeving husband Mr. Rich. Baxter plain Scripture proof for Infant Baptism 4 Arg. on â— Cor. 7. p. â—8 99. Of federall holinesse The Covenant external is made with a society or visible Church that out of them God may gather heirs of glory What federal holines is The being born where the Gospel sounds of that nation race is the ground of Covenant-holines as well as the faith of the nearest parents The faith required of these to be baptized Act. 8.37 Mar. 16.16 is real saving faith not visible only The formal grouÌ„d of baptizing These to whom the promise is made should be baptized But the promise is made to children Act. 2. The sense of the words the promise is to you and to your children If all be really believers that are in Covenant with God under the New Testament al the Kingdomes of the world which are the Lords and Christs Rev. 11.15 must be believers internally in Covenant with God How these words and to your chilâ—dren are not limited Externall Covenanting the blessing of the Gospel Preached to the Nation is but a Ceremony to the opposers of Infant baptism contrair to all ancient Prophesies Isa. c. 2. c 19 Jer. 23. Isa 11 c. If there be no Covenanting under the N. T. but that of real beleevers there can be no Covenant obligation upon the non-converted to hear to beleeve the Gospel to receive the seals A conditional Covenant hath the compleat essence nature of a Covenant and they are truly in Covenant that are under it Anabaptists provide no sâ—lvation by Law or Gospel or by JESUS CHRIST for the saving of Infants born of beleeving parents more then for saving of Pagans and their Infants It s false that the promise is made to infants to the aged only upon condition of believing How visible professors are really within the Covenant not really within it The new heart is not promised to all who ought to repent and to be baptized What is promised Act. 2.39 whether a new heart be therein promised or excluded Mercies of the Covenant are not alike and the same way promised to the Parents in covenant to wit Elect and Reprobate The Covenant of Grace is considered two ways in abstracto in concâ—â—to The new heart is promised to such special Covenanters not to Covenanters in general and as Covenanters The new heart is considered as a duty commanded And 2. as a blessing freely promised The Reprobate are not in the Covenant of Grace as touching some speciall promise How the Lords Argument for Circumcision fits us for Baptisme A comparing of the command of Circumcision and of the command of baptism in three If actuall faith be required in all to be baptized there shuld be a command of self-examining in the N. T. of all before they be baptized How many wicked absurdities must follow the excluding of Infants from the Covenant of Grace Remonstrant Scrip. Synod ar 1. p. 2. Thes. 9 10. Infants not predestinate to life in CHRIST not redeemed in CHRIST Infants neither capable of heaven or hell by this way Infants saved without Christ not capable of Grace of remission justification Of the children brought to Christ. Of infants as infants the Kingdome of God is not Hyeronymus increpant non quia nollent iis salvatoris manu voce benedici sed quod non dum habentes plenissimam fidem putarent eum in similitudinem aliorum hominum importunitate lassari Chryso Hom. discipuli expellebant pueros causa dignitatis Christi Christs taking in his armes the children blessing them did not act mere resemblances and Emblems The efficacy of Christs blessing the children They came that hee should pray for them Christs blessing of the children not as when the elements are consecrate His blessing either a Law blessing or a blessing of the Covenant of Grace A Covenanted seed is prophecied to be added to the Iews under the New Testament There is Covenanted visible seed prophesied to be under the N. T. Calv. in loc Haec promissio Abrahae data ad totum populi corpus spectabat The Covenant promise is prophesied to belong to such a certain seed If there be not a Covenanted seed under the New Test. the children of beleevers under the New Test. must be a cursed seed It s a state of coÌ„mon grace to be within the Visible Church It s grace that Reprobats are instrumentall to the in-coming to the world and to the Visible Church of the heirs of glory God is a God in truth to some and how to others The cause why we believe is because God is thus and thus in Covenant with us Calvin unde Colligimus ad hanc quoque aetatem extendi ejus gratiam Quid vero ilâ—is precatus est nisi ut reciperentur inter Dei filios Beza Ipsi quoque Infantes in gratuito Dei foedere comprehenduntur The Covenant blessing of the house is the Covenant blessing of the seed The place Rom. 11.16 if the root be holy so is the branches opened The Jews to be born are intentionally holy in the root and when they are born they shall be actually holy The same Covenant in the substantialls is in the Old and New Test. The one Covenant of Grace is called the Covenant of the Lord by way of excellency in the Old and New Test. A short opening of Ro. 11. to v. 17 By the holy root cannot be meant the predestinate to glory only Paul Rom. 11. speaks of a visible not an invisible body Infants of the Jewes are cut off with the root and shal be re-ingraffed with the root The seed are in Covenant not by birth as birth but by such a birth so so graciously priviledged Covenant-holinesse externall is not the adequat and compleat cause of ingraffing really in Christ. Considerable differences between externall and internall Covenanters Personal Covenanters cannot fall away but Nationall conditionall and visible Covenanters may The Covenant of grace is not made with all and every one of mankinde Psal. 147.19 20. There is no universall revealing of CHRIST to Americans and to all mankind which is either subjective by a power or universall grace given to all or which is objective by the light of nature in the works of CreatioÌ„ pointing out Christ as the place Psal. 19 4. mistaken is cited The place Psal 1â— 4 vindicated Carol. Fermaeus in Analys ad Romanos c. 10. p. 205. The true Exposition of the place Psal. 19 4. by our Interpreters P. Martyr in loc Deus ut inquit Psalmâ—s voluit notitiam suam naturalem per creaturas coelestes publicari in universum orbem Ergo Euangelium curavit identidem evulgari Quomodo igitur potestis dicere