priviledges of the old Covenant and are not all counted his seed in the sence of the new Thirdly that Abrahams natural seed have no right to the priviledges of the new Covenant by vertue of Abrahams faith Fourthly that seeing Abrahams own seed his natural children have no right to the gospel-Gospel-Covenant or priviledges thereof much lesse can the children of believing Gentiles lay any claim thereunto either by vertue of Abrahamâ—s faith or the faith of their own parents And so I might here end this matter but because you shall have full measure I will add another testimony concerning the Covenant and the little ground there is to baptize Infants from that Scripture Gen. 17.7 Know then that the Covenant of grace is to be considered either of the promise of eternal life and salvation made to all the elect in Christ the which remains one and the same in all ages though variously administred in the times of the old and new Testament Or else of the manner of its Administration in which sence it s now in respect of the old Testament administration which was a distinct Covenant in it self for the time being called the new Covenant and the other to have waxen old and to vanish away Heb. 8. last Which cannot be said of the promise or Covenant of eternal life that being an everlasting covenant and over remains one and the same Now it s one thing to be in the Covenant of grace i. e. to have a right to the promise which is only proper to the elect another thing to be under the administration of the Covenant which is common to the elect and reprobates and depends meerly upon Gods appointment Now if the Covenant be understood in the first sence of the promise of eternal life and salvation made to the elect in Christ that did never belong to all the children born of believing parenâ—s as might be instanced in Ishmael and Esau c. but only to such as are elected of them Rom. 9.7.8.9 neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children c. The Covenant of grace being first made between God and Christ all the elect in Christ And therefore in Scripture it is cal'd the promise of eternal life which was made to the elect before the world began who are therefore called the heirs of promise which promise had its first promulgation to Adam in the garden of Eden Where we have also the first discovery of the mystery of the two seeds Now the Covenant taken in this sence is not the ground and reason of administring ordinances to any person whatever But the law of institution is the ground or reason of visible Administrations For the administration of ordinances belongs not to the substance of the Covenant but to its administration as to the persons to whom they shall be administred and that meerly on the law of institution without any other consideration and hence we finde that from the first promulgation of the Covenant to Adam until Gods renewing of it to Abraham there was no ordinance to be administred to Infants though some Infants as well as grown persons both of believers and unbelievers might be comprehended in the Covenant yet not to be circumcis'd and so not to be baptiz'd for want of an institution So the promise in Act. 2.39 is said to be to them a far off in the present tense while uncalled even to as many as shall be called and yet not to be baptized before calling unlesse you will baptize Gentiles in professed Gentilism and so the Jews some not yet born some not cal'd have the Covenant of grace made to them Rom. 11.27 For this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins and yet they are not to be baptized till converted Nor can the Covenant considered in its pure nature be a ministers rule to administer Ordinances by seeing it is unknown who are in the Covenant and who are not but that which is their rule must be something that is manifest Secondly when it is said that the Covenant of grace belongs to believers children and that is the ground of their Baptism If it be meant of its Administration you have heard that depends meerly on the law of institution and hath varied in several ages according to the will of the law-giver For during all that period of time from Adam to Abraham there was no Ordinance to be administred to Infants but when God renewed the promise to Abraham he instituted circumcision which ordinance belongs peculiarly to the old Testament administration and was part of Moses law which is now abrogated and done away And this was the first ordinance that was administred to Infants and not to all Infants but only to male Infants living in Abrahams family if they did live to the eight day otherwise they had no right to this ordinance though many of them doubtlesse in the Covenant of grace and so saved so we say of Infants in the days of the Gospel many of them are in the Covenant of grace and so saved by vertue of the free promise But yet not to be baptised if they do not live to the time of believing and repenting the only time appointed for Baptism so that the Administration of ordinances to Infants depends upon an Institution and not upon their being in Covenant And as to that place Gen. 17.7 I will be a God to thee and to thy seed that is say you the Covenat was made with Abraham as a believer and so with all believers and their seed To which I answer The Covenant was not made with believers and their seed but with Abraham and his seed Now Abraham is to be considered under a double relation First as the father of the Jews his fleshly seed Secondly as he is the father of his spiritual seed both Jews and Gentiles Rom. 4.11.12 Now to both seeds doth God promise to be a God but in a different manner and respect First he promises to be a God to his fleshly seed in giving to them the land of Canaan for an inheritance the promise of which is expresly called the Covenant made with Abraham and his seed as on Gods part Psal 105.9.10.11.12 which Covenant he made with Abraham saying unto thee will I give the land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance c. See also 1 Chron. 16.16.17.18 and Neh. 9.8 This I say was the Covenant on Gods part And their obedience to circumcision is expresly called the Covenant on their parts Gen. 17.10 This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you Every male shall be Circumcis'd So Act. 7.8 And he gave them the Covenant of Circumcision and so Abraham begat Isaac and circumcis'd him the eight day By which they stood engaged to keep all those other additional ordinances which Moses gave them when they were about to enter their promised inheritance as Gal. 5.3 I testify that whoever is Circumcis'd is bound to keep
was no questioning of their faith no enquiry into their conversations c. But now you practically own no children to have right to Baptism but those whose immediate parents have given some visible demonstration of their conversion and manifested their faith and Repentance who are so few that were their number reckoned up it would not amount to one amongst a hundred of them that are true believers in the world But further if the children of believers only as you say have right to the Covenant and Baptism and that of such believers as you count so and so their parents only have hope of their salvation then what shall become of the children of unbelievers yea of such whom you count unbelievers may not they make this appeal to their parents and say O wretched and miserable parents that have brought forth so deplorable an off spring other children as soon as they are born are in the Covenant of grace and by vertue of their parents faith have aright to Church membership and baptism wherein they are made children of God heirs of Christ and inheritors of the kingdom of heaven But wo and alas to us that ever we were born of unbelieving parents or at least of such that were never enchurcht nor members of any Presbyterian or Independant congregation We are unholy unclean doggs that must not meddle with the childrens bread without the pale of the Church aliens from the common weal of Israel without hope and without God in the world We must not be admitted to the priviledges of the Covenant of grace though diverse of our parents are professed Christians and believe Christ crucified c. yet because they have not made a personal manifestation of their faith and repentance and so joyned to some Church diverse ministers will not admit us to Baptism But stay children there is hope for you for all this If you dye in infancy as many of you as belong to the election of grace shall be saved though ye are not baptized and if you live to years of discretion and understanding if then you believe in Christ and repent of your sins and obey the Gospel you shall be saved as soon as they yea upon those terms and none other shall those that are Baptized in their infancy be saved if they live to years of understanding Poed Well Sir I see it is a hard matter to prove that the infants of believers have a right to the Covenant more then the infants of unbelievers but yet methinks they should have right to the administration of the Covenant Bap. In no wise and that for the want of an institution as you have heard and it is answer enough to satisfy any that are willing to be satisfy'd for none ever had a right to the administrations of the Covenant any otherwise then by vertue of a law had it been otherwise of old then Enoch Lot Noah and their seed had been circumcis'd and Ishmael Esau and others had not been circumcis'd now if the natural branches the seed of Abraham had not this priviledge to be circumcis'd by vertue of a right but vertue of a law how can you expect that your infants should have a right to the administrations of the Covenant by vertue of your faith Besides you your selves deny one administration to your infants but what reason you have for so doing I know not seeing the same grace is signified in both Will you say because your children are not capable to examine themselves then let them plead their own cause and suppose they should make this Apostrophe to their parents O our tender and indulgent parents you have brought us into the visible Church as you say and admitted us to Baptism and membership but why must we not partake of the Lords supper that soul strenghtning and soul-nourishing ordinance you take care to feed our bodies dayly and that in order to our growth and have you no pitty to our souls must they starve the children of the Jews of old were admitted to the passeover all the males were to appear thrice in a year and very early partook of that Sacrament and were instructed in the use and end of it and have we lost this priviledge by this coming of Christ besides the ancient Church did use it for many years and must we be kept from it till we be come of age yea and not then neither notwithstanding our Baptism contrary to all Scripture president unless we make a personal manifestation of our faith and repentance Will you say it is because we cannot examine our selves We answer that Scripture concerns the Adult not us You might as well have kept us from Baptism because we could not believe and repent but surely the Apostle never intended that infants should examine themselves Besides you say we are clean holy with a federal holyness innocent in the Covenant of grace Church members that we have habituall faith and without any sin except original therefore there is no need of self-examination Why then are we not admitted will our parents faith serve to admit us to Baptism and not to the supper Who will unriddle this surely we want some Alexander to cut this Gordian knot for none will ever untie it But again if infants have a right to the administration of the Covenant by vertue of the parents faith then if the parents turn Atheists or Apostates the children lose their right and are cast out from the said priviledges That it must be so appears if we consider Rom. 11.20 thou standest by faith that is say you thou standest in the Gospel Covenant and hast right to ordinances by vertue of their own faith and thy children by vertue of thine Now this standing is not unalterable a state which cannot be fallen from but a changable state from which thou mayst fall for the Apostle adds be not high minded but fear Now if thou fallest by unbelief and so casts out thy self thy children must needs be cast out with thee for ablatâ causâ tollitur effectus take away the cause and the effect ceaseth thy personal and actual faith was the ground and cause of thy Childrens admittance so then thy unbelief must dispriviledge them for so it was with the Jews when they were cut off how many thousands of their infants were cut off with them from membership ordinances remain so to this day by reason of their parents unbelief And do you expect a greater priviledge then the natural branches the Apostle lays them in an equal ballance Rom. 11.20 21 22. and what ground have you to expect better the unbelief of their parents broke off their Children By unbelief they were broken off and thy standing is but conditional if thou abide in his goodness otherwise thou shalt be cut off By which you see what absurdities and contradictions to your own practise your opinion leads to if the father be cast out the children must be cast out with him Thus you see that as
finds Contention raging within him for now those inferior powers will be no longer subject unto Reason but the rebellious pride of the Carnal appetite is such that the Body ceaseth to be any longer subject to the Soul upon which strivings and contentions enter and from thence all manner of Diseases and Distempers upon the Body for death and all corporeal infirmities are but the immediate effects of the disobedience of the Body to the Soul and man is entred into Contrariety not only with himself but others also and hath a property and principle of Contradiction whereby he opposes quarrels divides from and contends with others And is so far departed from the unity and harmonious agreement that should be in the minds of men especially Christians that now there ariseth passion anger and envy which so disturbs torments and disquiets the mind because others are not like us that from thence follow in a great measure diseases infirmities and bodily distempers because the Soul departs from Harmony and is in continual vexation and anxiety so that the Humors of the Body are disquieted and the radical moisture destroyed Persons that are of a Cholerick Temper are more subject to Diseases than those of a more quiet and sâ—rene disposition their passion inflames the inward parts and disorders the whole frame of Nature and envious men are subject to Consumptive distempers Invidus alterius rebus macrescit Opimis because his mind is full of dissatisfaction and disquietness being departed from Unity And Solomon tells us The bloody-minded man shall not live out half his dayes And we know those Anchorets and Monks that have retired from the World into Dens and Caves of the Earth that they might live a contemplative Life and be free from all manner of discord contention and division have lived to an exceeding Old Age and free from those distempers and Bodily Infirmities that others meet with the unity agreement and harmony of their minds much conducing to their bodily health So it 's said of Moses that he was an hundred and twenty years old when he dyed his Eye was not dim nor his natural force abated Deut. 34.7 we know of what quiet serene and meek Spirit he was of Numb 12.3 Now the man Moses was very meek above all the men which were upon the face of the Earth so that the quietness of his mind did very much contribute to the sanity of his Body And if Men and Women would more follow the Counsel of the Physitian of their Souls who bids us live in peace unity and love they would not perhaps so often want a Physitian for their Bodies FINIS Some Short Questions and Answers for the Younger Sort. Quest WEre not the Children of Believers Church-Members before Abraham's time Answ No the Scripture makes no mention of any such thing neither was there any visible sign or mark appointed by God to distinguish them from the Children of Unbelievers Quest Was there no successive conveyance of Grace from believing Parents to their Children Answ No because the Children of Believers prov'd as wicked as others insomuch as all flesh had corrupted its wayes and God brought the flood upon the World of Ungodly Quest What then became of the Children that Dyed from Adam to Abraham Answ Those that belonged to the Election of Grace were Saved though in no outward Covenant nor signed by any Visible Ordinance Quest Why then did God make a Covenant with Abraham and his Seed and distinguish them from all Nations Answ Because he had a design that the Messiah should come of his Loins and therefore his Males only are commanded to be Circumcised to signifie that Christ should be a Man-child and should shed his Blood for the sins of Believers Quest What other Ends were there of Circumcision Answ To distinguish them from other Nations with whom they were not to Marry lest the Succession should be Interrupted and so the Messiah not come of Abrahams Loynes Quest What advantage had they of Circumcision besides Answ They were counted the Visible people of God for a time had the Laws of God committed to them and the Land of Canaan and divers Earthly Blessings bestowed upon them Quest But had any other People any right to Eternal Life and Salvation Answ Yea It being evident that God had divers of his people amongst the Gentiles who belonged to the Election of Grace as Job and his Three Friends and others which appears by Bildad's appeal to the Ancients Job 8.8 10. For enquire I pray thee of the Former Age and prepare thy self to the search of their Fathers and vers 10. shall not they teach thee c. Quest But how came it to pass that the Jews became the People of God and not others Answ By vertue of a Grant from God to Abraham who freely made a promise to be a God to him and his Seed after him Quest Was this promise made to Abraham because he was better than others or before or after he Believed Answ No It was freely of Grace for God sound him an Idolater and these Promises were made to him before he Believed for we hear nothing of his Faith till Gen. 15.6 Quest Were his Children then Partakers of those Priviledges meerly by being descended from his Loynes Answ Yea we find no other Reason rendred Quest But we hear Abraham was a Believer and received the sign of Circumcision as a token of the righteousness he had by Faith Is it necessary then that his Children have the like Faith Answ 'T is true Abraham Believed after the Promise and was Circumcised but it was not Commanded that his Children should Believe in order to Circumcision Quest But as Abraham was a Believer before his Children had a right to Circumcision so should it not be known that every Father in Israel were a Believer before his Child were admitted to Circumcision Answ No for all were required to Circumcise their Children whether the Parent Believed or not Quest Were none to be Circumcised but those that Descended from Abraham Answ Yea all that were born in his House or bought with money Quest But was it not required that those Servants in Abraham 's House should profess Faith before they and their Children were Circumcised Answ No It was not commanded to be done upon any condition of Faith in the Parent or Child that was a Servant Quest Were Abrahams Children Circumcised by vertue of any right they had to the Covenant of Grace above others Answ No for some of Noah's Children c. had a Right to the Covenant of Grace yet not Circumcised and Esau and Ishmael c. had no right to the Covenant of Grace and yet Circumcised Quest Were not Infants Church-Members in Abraham 's time Answ Yea the Church and the Common-wealth being all one they must needs be Members Quest When did their Membership cease Answ When Christ came and had suffered when the Priesthood was changed when the Law of Circumcision ceased when the natural
of the Kidnies and the burning of the Fat of Beasts to be Sacrificed is said to be a perpetual Statute in their Generations Lev. 3.17 So the Offerings made by fire Lev. 6.18 The Feast of Booths Lev. 23.41 which nevertheless have their period with the Law So where God promises to be a God to Abraham and his carnal Seed in their Generations it is meant during the Legal administration not but that if Abraham be understood as a Spiritual Father God will be a God to him and his Seed viz. such as did believe as he did without limitation for ever Whereas if he be understood as a Political and Natural Parent the Covenant then must needs be understood to make any thing for them absolute and everlasting but that were absurd for the Natural Seed of Abraham viz. the Unbelieving Jews have broke the Covenant and are now cut off which they could not have been if that Position were true But that the Covenant was not absolute as it respected the Temporal ot Spiritual Seed of Abraham I evince thus If while the Church of the Jews was in being God denies himself to be their God and disowns them as his people because of their transgression then the promise was Conditional not absolute but the Antecedent is true Hos 1.9 Exod. 19.5 6. Jer. 23.14 But if you lay so much stress upon that expression that God should be a God to you and your Seed what account will it amount unto for you can apply nothing of the Promise to them but the bare outward act of Baptizing or rather Rantizing but what of favour or Spiritual saving-mercy is that or what advantage is it since the Children that dye Unbaptized are as capable of Salvation as those you Baptize For it is the Protestant Doctrine not to ascribe Salvation Opere operato and therefore Baptism confers not Grace nor Saves the dying Soul unless in conjunction with Faith which applies the blood of Christ The Covenant made to Abraham and his Spiritual Seed respects Salvable Mercies Grace here and Glory hereafter but Baptism of Infants can confer neither therefore it is not the Covenant made with Abraham Nor need we yield to that Opinion that would force us to acknowledg no Covenant but what is mutual because this Covenant consists of Free Donation and so rather a Testament than Covenant as Ames Mar. Divinity lib. 1. cap. 23. affirms And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place by the 70 and in all places of the Old Testament except Isai 28.15 where they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faedus vel pactum inter partes a Covenant betwixt parties as Leigh in his Critica sacra And that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Englisht a Testament see Matth. 26.28 Mark 14.14 Heb. 9.15 17. 1 Cor. 11.25 Luke 22.20 So that the properest expression is to call it the Testament of Grace and this name is most agreeable to the nature of the thing for God doth hereby dispose convey and bestow all that Grace which may fit all his Heirs for his Eternal Glory By vertue of this Testament or Covenant of Grace was the Land of Canaan promised to Abraham for his Natural Posterity which Typified the Heavenly Canaan which his Spiritual Seed should enjoy upon the exhibition of the Messiah and which is indeed the chief Blessing Not but that some of his natural Seed too should enjoy the later provided they be his Spiritual Seed by Faith as well as his Natural Seed by Generation See Jer. 32.40 Heb. 8.8 9 10 11 12. and 10.16 17. Jer. 31.23 and that same condition of Faith is still required of the Seed of Believers and without it they have no interest in Christian Ordinances which Mr. W. takes no notice of but concludes in contradiction to what he said before That as Abraham and his Seed were Circumcised Believers and their Seed must be Baptized the main thing in doubt betwixt us and for which he offers no proof But he goes on page 77. If the Covenant Believers are now under be the same with that establisht with Abraham and his Seed and that as such that Circumcision was the sign token or seal of the Covenant and Baptism doth now succeed in the place room and use of Circumcâ—sion then Infants ought to be Baptized as of old they were Circumcised observe his frequent contradictions just now he renounced what here he concludes But if these or any of these things be not so but are meer mâ—stakes on our parts I must confess we have no sure footing for Infant-Baptism in the Covenant as at first established with Abraham and his Seed in their Generation This is indeed the grand Fabrick whereby Infant-Baptism has been of late Years supported which if we can demolish the Super structure must needs fall as now ingeniously acknowledged Nor need we employ any greater strength against it then what Dr Owen lends us Exercit. 6. page 55. c. quoted before where he solidly confutes the Plea from the Birth-priviledg to Christian Ordinances And therefore to produce Dr. Owen against Mr. Whiston is a sufficient Confutation if we had said no more And this being the Radical Thesis to which the other Considerations he wastes his paper and time about are only subservient as Attendants that the number and equipage of the retinue might bespeak its grandeur and port If we should take no notice of any thing he saies further but apply our Arguments only to that it were enough since if this be once comâ—ted the rest of his Book is cashier'd of course Which piece of Service the Doctor has excellently done to our hands proving undeniably that Abraham has but two Seeds the natural Jew and actual professing Believers and that such only as are Heirs of Abraham's Faith have right to Gospel priviledges the old Faederal right being insufficient to entitle the Jews thereto therefore let Mr. Whiston either convince the Doctor if this be an error or be convinced by him in case it be a truth Or let him reconcile that Exercitation to the practice of Baptizing Infants upon a Faederal Right or tell us plainly in what third capacity the Infant seed of Believers now are the children of Abraham since they are not his natural Seed as all must own nor as the Doctor well words it in the case of the Jews can they wanting personal Faith be counted his Spiritual Seed But however a little to examine this foundation-principle three Things are to be offered to our Enquiry 1. Whether the Covenant Believers are now under be the same establisht with Abraham and his Seed 2. Whether Circumcision be the sign token or seal of that Covenant 3. Whether Baptism doth succeed in the place use and room of Circumcision To the first I say as before that the Covenant must be considered in a two-fold respect 1. In respect to Spiritual Blessings Grace here and Glory hereafter so it is and was
faith they were Interessed in the Covenant of Abraham their father Multitudes afterwards were of the carnal seed of Abraham and of the number of People separated to bring forth the Messiah in the flesh and yet were not of the seed according to the promise nor interested in the spiritual blessings of the Covenant because they did not personally believe as our Apostle declares Chap. 4. of his Epistle And many afterwards who were not of the carnal seed of Abraham nor interested in the priviledge of bringing forth the Messiah in the flesh were yet designed to be made his spiritual seed by Faith that in them he might become heir of the world and all Nations of the Earth be blessed in him Now it is evident that it is the second Priviledge and spiritual seed wherein the Church to whom the Promises are made is founded and whereof it doth consist namely in them who by faith are interested in the Covenant of Abraham whether they be of the carnal seed or no. And herein lay the great mistake of the Jews of old wherein they are followed by their Posterity unto this day They thought no more was needful to interest them in the Covenant of Abraham but that they were his seed according to the flesh and they constantly pleaded the latter Priviledge as the ground and reason of the former It is true they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh but on that account they can have no other Priviledge then Abraham had in the flesh himself And this was as we have shewed that he should be set apart as a special Channel through whose loins God would derive the promised seed into the world In like manner were they separated to be a peculiar people as his Posterity from among whom he should be so brought forth That this separation and priviledge were to cease when the end of it was accomplished and the Messiah exhibited the very nature of the thing declares For to what purpose should it be continued when that was fully effected whereunto it was designed but they would extend this priviledge and mix it with the other contending that because they were the children of Abraham according to the flesh the whole blessing and Covenant of Abraham belonged unto them But as our Saviour proved that in the latter sense they were not the children of Abraham because they did not the works of Abraham so as our Apostle plainly demonstrates Rom. 4.9.10.11 Chapters Gal. 3.4 Chap. That those of them who had not the faith of Abraham had no interest in his blessings and Covenant seeing therefore that their other priviledge was come to an end with all the Carnal ordinances that attended it by the actual coming of the Messiah whereunto they were subservient if they did not by faith in the promised seed attain an Interest in this of the spiritual blessing it is evident that they could on no account be considered as actually sharers in the Covenant of God We have seen then that Abraham on the account of his faith and not of his separation according to the flesh was the father of all that believe and heir of the world And in the Covenant made with him as to that which concerns not the bringing forth of the promised seed according to the flesh but as unto faith therein and in the work of redemption to be performed thereby lyes the foundation of the Church in all ages Wheresoever this Covenant is and with whomsoever it is established with them is the Church unto whom all the promises and Priviledges of the Church do belong Hence it was that at the coming of the Messiah there was not one Church taken away and another set up in the room thereof but the Church continued the same in those that were the children of Abraham according to the faith The Christan Church is not another Church but the very same that was before the coming of Christ having the same faith with it and interested in the same Covenant It is true the former Carnal Priviledges of Abraham and his Posterity expiring on the grounds before mentioned the Ordinances of worship which were suited thereunto did necessarily cease also And this cast the Jews into great perplexityes and proved the last tryal that God made of them For whereas both these namely the carnal and spiritual Priviledges of Abrahams Covenant had been carried on together in a mixed way for many generations coming now to be separated and a tryal to be made Mal. 3 who of the Jews had Interest in both who in one only those who had only the Carnal priviledge of being children of Abraham according to the flesh contended for a share on that single account in the other also that is in all the Promises annexed unto the Covenant But the foundation of their plea was taken away and the Church unto which the promises belong remained with them that were heirs of Abrahams faith only It remains then that the Church founded in the Covenant and unto which all the promises did and do belong abode at the coming of Christ and doth abide ever since in and among those who are the children of Abraham by faith And a little further he saith No individual person hath any interest in the promises but by vertue of his membership with the Church which is and always was one and the same with whomsoever it remains the promises are theirs and that Not by application or Analogie but directly and properly The Church unto whom all the promises belong are only those who are heirs of Abrahams Faith believing as he did and thereby interested in the Covenant So far this learned man whose words need no comment nor need we draw any inference but recite his bare words which are both perspicuous and Orthodox clearly and fully evidencing our position That believers only are the children of Abraham and none but such have an Interest in the Covenant made with him which unavoidably excludes infants from Gospel-Ordinances untill they believe in their own persons And then and not before they may lay a just claim that they are Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise And if our opponents think Dr. O. injured as they are apt to clamour to that purpose for our improvement of his words to our advantage he being for Poedobaptism we say that they are at liberty to reconcile his words to his practice if they can to do which they have need of a considerable stock but they are seldome unfurnisht of artifice and distinction to help at this dead lift The Dr. treating about the nature of the Covenant and promises made to Abraham and perhaps forgetting Infant-Baptism opens and expounds them with such spirituality and Orthodoxy as leaves no room for Infant Baptism but excludes it beyond all possibility of reconciliation unless it can be proved that they viz. Infants are heirs of Abrahams faith believing as he did and that the promises are theirs not by application or Analogie
their loyns 2. It did inright them to the land of Canaan none of which we can expect 3. By Circumcision you say they were accounted Gods people and this is the only thing you mean But Is it so great a priviledge to have the name without the nature the shadow without the substance We use to count that a misery rather then a mercy and Sardis is blamed for having a name to live and was dead Is it any benefit for a man to be counted rich when he is poor we see Naomies modesty is commended who would not own the shadow without the substance call me no more Naomi but call me Marah But in the next place you say infants unbaptiz'd lose some priviledge I say some things that were counted priviledges are lost for it was a priviledge that all the sons of the priests were born Priests but it is not so now But further It s you your selves make your children lose a priviledge since the coming of Christ and so make the new Covenant narrower then the old And that because the faith of a believing parent as you say admits only your immediate children to Church membership and Baptism but as to your childrens children they have no benefit by your faith no admittance to Ordinances upon your account but it was otherwise of old the Covenant of circumcision and the priviledges of Church membership was not only to the next generation flowing from Abraham but to his seed after him in their generations Gen. 17.7 and that not only to the third and fourth generation but to Christs time they enjoyed the priviledges of the Covenant by vertue of Abrahams faith But now you have narrowed the Gospel dispensation for you allow Baptism to none but your immediate seed by vertue of the parents faith your childrens children must come in upon another account their parents must be actual believers or else no admittance But what reason you have for so doing I know not yea I chalenge any man to give me a substantial ground why the faith of a believer may not now as well inright his childrens children to the 3d 4th generation to Church-membership and Baptism as the faith of Abraham did inright his seed in their generations to the priviledges of the old Covenant Will you say Abraham was a famous believer and therefore had this priviledge above others These are indeed your sayings but must we believe it therefore where is it so said or what necessary consequence is there from any Scripture to enforce belief that Abrahams personal faith shall inright him and his seed in their generations But a believers faith in the days of the Gospel though in some respect more excellent then that of Abraham viz. in reference to the Messiah already come and Redemption compleated shall inright only his immediate children such as are born of his loynes so that you make the Gospel dispensation narrower then that of the law And whereas you say if believers children are not baptized they have no priviledge above the children of heathens I answer That had God so appointed that believers children should have been baptized and unbelievers children should not you had ground then to consider it as a priviledge but seeing there is no institution you cannot say they are denyed a priviledge but if it be a priviledge then according to your practise you run a great hazard of denying Baptism to such to whom it doth belong For if I should ask you what sort of believers they are whose children have a right to Baptism here you would be at a losse and must needs say such only whom you count believers as your practise evidently proves but it was not so of old it was certainly known what children had a right to Circumcision and what had not but if you do as you do baptize the children only of such parents as you count believers then you may leave out many thousands of children that have as great a right to it as yours For there are no persons called by the name of Christians but do count themselves believers yea doubtlesse there are many believers amongst them to whose children you deny Baptism for Let it be considered how many sorts there are who count themselves believers 1. The Papists have their believers and they are such as own Christ to be the son of God and believe all the Articles of the Church of Rome c. amongst whom surely God hath some people for it is said come out of her my people 2. The Episcopalians have their believers that is such whom they count so and they are such that believe that Christ is the son of God that he dyed for sinners and that whoever believes in him shall be saved and so the whole nation owning and professing the faith of Christ they baptize all their children amongst whom there are many thousand real believers and so their children have as much right to Baptism as yours 3. The Presbyterians have their believers and they are such that is so accounted who own the faith of Christ professe regeneration and are morally righteous in their lives and conversations 4. The Independents have their believers and they are such who own the faith of Christ make a personal manifestation of their faith and repentance and so are enchurcht and become members by a Covenant of some particular congregations Now pray tell me which of all these sorts of believers have right to have their children baptized If you say all of them then you contradict your own practise it being famously known that some of you will baptize none but them of your own party But if you say those children only have right to Baptism whose parents we count believers then you run a hazard of denying Baptism to the children of diverse whose parents are as true believers as your selves and so deny them the priviledges of the Covenant and in as much as in you lyes occasion their damnation as you use to tell the Baptist And if you say so the Baptists themselves may keep persons from Baptism to whom of right it doth belong and so are equally guilty I answer that cannot be for our principles are that no person hath right to Baptism but he that desires it upon the profession of his faith and repentance to such a person we do not deny it unlesse his profession be contradicted by an unholy life By all which it appears 1. That you practically deny the priviledge of Baptism to many that have as real a right to it as your selves 2. That you count the children of diverse true believers to be in no better condition then heathens 3. You do extreamly narrow the Gospel dispensation a fault you use though unjustly to charge the Baptists with and so make the priviledges of the Gospel lesse then the priviledges of the law for whereas of old all the seed of Abraham all his numerous posterity were circumcis'd and that whether their parents believed or not there
is safest in controverted matters to adhere to that side that is most certain Besides there are two things that I am much stumbled at The First is the great ignorance of the members of the Paedo-baptist congregations in this matter Not one amongst many is able to prove Infant-Baptism or to answer your Arguments but are forced to referr the matter to their ministers whereas hardly any amongst you but are able to give a satisfactory reason of their hope in this thing and can presently prove believers Baptism from Scripture precept and example As of old if a heathen had demanded of any Jew the reason and Ground of his circumcision he could presently turn to the 17th of Genesis and there prove it from a positive command of God But if a heathen should ask us why we baptize our Infants we that are but ordinary persons know not how to satisfy him we cannot direct him to any Scripture where it is written Which is strange that a Gospel ordinance should be left so dark and intricate and the ordinance of circumcision under the law be so plain and obvious that every child of any reason could presently shew the ground of it This makes me suspect the truth of it because the Apostle says he used great plainesse of speech and not as Moses who put a vail upon his face c. surely Gospel Ordinances should be so plain especially as to the subjects that he that runs may read them 2ly The next thing that offends me is the great difference amongst Ministers about the ground of Infant-Baptism as if they knew not where to fasten it what basis to build it upon some as Mr Danvers observes draw it from the Universality of grace and the necessity of Baptism to salvation as Cyprian and others Some from the faith of the Church some from a supposed seminal faith that may be in the child Some from the faith of the parents others from the faith of the sureties some if the immediate parents be not Godly think the faith of the Grand-father or great-Grand-father may serve Some upon the account of Covenant holynesse or the promise made to Abraham and his seed others if both or one of the parents be a member of a gathered Church Some think they are born members of the visible Church by vertue of their parents faith and so may be baptized Besides this there is a great difference about baptizing of bastards some think if the father repent the child may be baptized others think otherwise because a Bastard was not to enter into the Congregation to the 10th generation and so about the children of excommunicate persons c. All which makes us fear that we are out of the way and our leaders have caused us to err seeing they cannot agree upon what ground to baptise our Infants It s true Mr Wills pretends to answer this but very weakly he tells us the baptists differ amongst themselves about the ground of their practise but sure I am there is no such material difference as there 's amongst us You are all agreed that the profession of faith and Repentance is the ground of Baptism and if some desire a larger confession then others and signes of grace I think it is no great error but rather an evidence of zeal to God and good to the parties soul But what is this to those material and essential differences before mentioned These things will put me upon further search and I hope what you have said will be of advantage to me In the mean time I take leave and bid you farewell Errata P. 64. l. 16. r. marrs all p. 95. l. 1. r. betternesse In the letter to Mr Will 's 5. l. 3. r. Magisterially p. 9. l. 11. for heat r. heart Mis-spellings and mis-pointings correct as you meet them FINIS Concerning Vnity OUr Opponents cry out for Unity and would fain lay the cause of that hateful Word Division at our doors and methinks they might well forbear making such a noise unless they assign us what kind of the several sorts of Unity they mean and propound some Mediums to make the same practicable And I may say What Unity so long as that imperious reflecting and condemning Spirit remains in them Some forbidding of their Members to hear our Ministers or to read their Books rather allowing them liberty to joyn with the Multitude than to appear in our Societies But if I may spell out their meaning it seems to be this That all the Anti-paedo-Baptists should break up their Societies and joyn with them and own their Ministers for their Pastors suffer them quietly to Baptize Infants c. and so sin against their Consciences it appearing to them to be gross Superstition and the Prophanation of an Ordinance But should they tell you they judge there is as good if not better grounds that you should joyn with them and own the Baptism of Believers the only Scripture Baptism I know not where a Moderator or Umpire would be found to determine this matter And how can Two walk together except they be agreed So that the Unity of the Verity is not surely the thing they hope for for though it be greatly desirable yet very hard to obtain because one man thinks this to be truth and another that according to the several Lights they have received And if it be the Unity of Authority they intend that the Magistrate should set down some Uniform practice and command all manner of persons to comply thereunto this looks like divers of them But were there such a practice attempted and yielded unto it might make many Hypocrites in the highest degree of Hypocrisie but be far from that spiritual Unity they talk of Nor can an Unity of perswasion be hoped for seeing both in Press and Pulpit and other wayes both Parties have endeavoured to perswade one another but to little or no Effect Nor can it be an Unity of Necessity now in Times of common danger for Tyes of necessity usually bind no longer than one Side hath need of another Nor can any Unity of Covenant do it for that is forced in many places and I fear too many say as the Heathen did Juravi Lingua mentem injuratam gero I swore with my tongue but not with my heart Seeing then we cannot find out what kind of Unity is intended it is best for both parties to continue in the Societies to whom they belong till God shall convince them otherwise provided they do not put out their light and sin against their Consciences nor neglect any opportunity better to inform their Judgments But there is one kind of Unity yet behind and that is the unity of Affections and if you mean this I am willing to joyn issue with you and in this I cannot but blame the whole generation of Professors who are greatly faulty in this matter For my own part I know the shadows of the everlasting Evening are upon me and am every day walking
the whole law Secondly God promised to be a God to Abraham and his spiritual seed such as walk in his steps that is believers whether Jews or Gentiles in giving unto them an eternal inheritance Heb. 9.15 incorruptible and undefiled that fadeth not away purchased by the blood of Jesus and reseved for them in heaven of which the earthly inheritance in the land of Canaan was but a type So there is a twofold seed of Abraham a fleshly and a spiritual typed out by Ishmael and Isaac and a two-fold inheritance an earthly and a heavenly But the heavenly inheritance was not given to the fleshy seed but only in Types offered to them and confirmed to the spiritual seed who are therefore called the heirs of promise Heb. 6.17 Neither was the Covenant made with Abraham a pure Gospel Covenant but a mixt Covenant consisting partly of promises of temporal blessings of which Isaac who is said to be born by promise was the true and proper heir And partly of promises of spiritual blessings of an heavenly inheritance and of these Jesus Christ was the true her and Antitypical Isaac for as Ishmael the child of the flesh had no right with Isaac in the outward Typical promise so Isaac himself by vertue of his fleshly descent had no right nor Interest in the heavenly inheritance and Gospel priviledges Rom. 9.7 any otherwise then he came to have an interest in Christ And therefore we find the Apostle in Gal. 3.16 expounding the word of promise i. e. I will be a God to thee and thy seed sheweth that the Gos-promises of Abrahams Covenant were not made to any ones fleshly seed no not with the meer fleshly seed of believing Abraham himself but the promises did all run to Christ the inheriting seed to whom they were made and when Christ was come they all center in him see and consider the text Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ to Isaac in the type but to Christ in the Antitype and in him are all the promises yea and Amen Having thus followed the promises down along from Abraham to Christ and found them all to center in him let us now see to whom they came forth again And it is not to any ones fleshly seed whatever but from Christ they all flow forth again to believers and only to believers and that by vertue of their union with Christ and therefore says the Apostle If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise for there is no other way to partake of the promise but by faith in Christ Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe where two things are observable first to whom the promise is given viz. to them that believe secondly by what means they come to partake of them and that is by the faith of Christ so in verse the 26. you are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ and if ye be Christs that is by faith then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise So then it seems all promises run to Christ and from him flow forth again only to believers Which being impartially considered is a full answer to all Arguments drawn from the Covenants and the promise made to Abraham and certainly and unavoidably cuts off Infants Church membership in the days of the Gospel unlesse the Poedobaptists can finde a new institution for it But for a further illustration of this and that you may see that this is not my opinion alone I shall present you with some select passages that the judicious and eminent divine Dr Owen hath upon this subject it is in his Exercitations upon the Epistle to the Hebrews tom 1. p. 55. c. to which the Reader is referred which by another hand may be shortly improved In the mean time take these few instances Two Priviledges did God grant unto Abraham upon his separation to a special interest in the old promise and Covenant First that according to the flesh he should be the father of the Messiah the promised seed who was the very life of the Covenant the fountain and cause of all the blessings contained in it That this Priviledge was temporary having a limited season time and end appointed unto it the very nature of the thing it self doth demonstrate For upon this actual exhibition in the flesh it was to cease In pursuit hereof were his posterity separated from the rest of the world and preserved a peculiar people that through them the promised seed might be brought forth in the fulnesse of time and be of them according unto the flesh Rom. 9.8 Secondly together will this he had also another priviledge granted unto him namely that his saith whereby he was personally interested in the Covenant should be the pattern of the faith of the Church in all generations and that none should ever come to be a member of it or a sharer in its blessings but by the same faith that he had fixed on the seed that was in the promise to be brought forth from him in the world On the account of this Priviledge he became the father of all them that do believe for they that are of the faith the same aere the children of Abraham Gal. 3.7 Rom. 4.11 as also heirs of the world Rom. 4.13 in that all that should believe throughout the world being thereby implanted into the Covenant made with him should become his spiritual children Answerable unto this twofold end of the separation of Abraham there was a double seed alloâ—â—ed unto him A seed according to the flesh separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah according to the flesh and a seed according to the promise that is such as by faith have an Interest in the promise or all the elect of God Not that these two seeds were always subjectively divers so that the seed separated to the bringing forth of the Messiah in the flesh should neither in whole or in part be also the seed according to the promise or on the contrary that the seed according to the promise should none of it be his seed after the flesh Our Apostle declares the contrary in the instancos of Isaac and Jacob with the remnant of Israel that shall be saved Chap. 9.10.11 But sometimes the same seed came under diverse considerations being the seed of Abraham both according to the flesh and promise and sometimes the seed it self was divers those according to the flesh being not of the promise and so on the contrary Thus Isaac and Jacob were the seed of Abraham according unto the flesh separated unto the bringing forth of the Messiah after the flesh because they were his carnal Posterity and they were also the seed of the promise because by their own personal
but directly and properly and by their own personal faith which I despair ever to hear of though Mr B. himself that unparalleld distinguisher should undertake it Poed But our Ministers tells us that when the promises are said to be made to Christ it is not meant of Christ personally but of Christ mystically as in the 1 Cor. 12.12 and so it s to be understood of the visible Church of which infants born of believing parents are a part Bap. It s true these are your sayings but I must tell you we must not be put off with fancies and bare affirmations but we expect solid proof from Scripture And whereas you say the promises are to be considered as made to Christ mystically that is to the visible Church the contrary appears in Gal. 3.16 where he affirms that Christ was the seed to whom the promises were made And in vers 19th he saith the law was added because of transgression till the seed should come to whom the promise was made where it is observable that the law i. e. the Mosaical administration is said to be before the seed was come and was to have its period then Now if by Christ the seed be not understood personally but mystically for the visible or invisible Church take which you will then the law could not have been before the seed for God had his Church in Abrahams family 400 years before the law was of which Christ was the head and they his mystical body And so by this interpretation the seed should have been before the law contrary to the Apostle who makes the law to have been before the seed and to have its period when the seed to whom the promise was made was come and now the promises running to Christ personally God makes him over for a Covenant to the Elect and all the promises in him Isa 42.6 So that in Christ he is our God and in Christ he takes us to be his people In Christ and a right to the promises out of Christ and strangers to the Covenants of promise Eph. 2.12 So that it is evident that the promises respecting the eternal inheritance and spiritual blessings were first made to Christ personally and in him to his mystical body the Church who are united to him by faith Secondly as to that Scripture 1 Cor. 12.12 for as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ It rather seems to be meant of the invisible Church of true believers then of the visible for the Apostle there calls none the body of Christ but such as â—ad received the gifts of the spirit and such as by one spirit as the concurring cause had been baptiZed into one body yea such who had received the spirit to profit withall such that had a real sympathy one with another vers the 26th If one Member suffers all the members suffer with it if one member be honoured all the members rejoyce with it All which cannot in any tolerable sence be applyed to the visible Church amongst whom there are many hypocrites that never received the spirit nor by the spirit could sympathize one with another c. But however it is most certain infants are not called the body of Christ if it be meant of the visible Church indeed by vertue of the grace of election some of them may be members of his mystical body the invisible Church but not at all members of the visible especially from this chapter for it is said if one member suffer all the members suffer with it and the manifestation of the spirit is given to every one to profit withall which cannot be applicable to infants For none in this Chapter are counted the body of Christ but such as are usefull to the body as an eye an eare or a foot a hand a head c. as vers 21. the eye cannot say unto the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the feet I have no need of you So that I draw these two conclusions First every member in a Chuch stands in need of the help of all the other members Secondly that every member in a Church must be usefull in his place to the rest of the members But of what use are infants to the rest of the members in respect to edification Now this objection being answered I hope you see plainly that all the promises respecting spiritual blessings and the eternal inheritance were first made to Christ personally and in him they are made over to his mistical body the Church who are united to him by faith which being well weighed would put an end to the whole Controversy And in the next place you may see to what little purpose the promise in Gen. 17.7 is brought to prove that God made a Covenant of eternal life with believers and their Children The text speaks of a Covenant made with Abraham and his seed it doth not say with all believers and their seed or all Church-members and their seed neither doth it follow by any necessary consequence that because God made a Covenant with Abraham and his seed therefore he hath made a Covenant with believers and their seed sure I am the Apostle was of another mind who when he expounds the Covenant Gen. 17.7 understands it to be made to Abraham as it contains Gospel blessings not as a natural father but as the father of the faithfull both Jews and Gentils Rom. 4.11 12. he received the sign ef Circumcision that he might be the father of all them that believe and walk in the steps of the faith of our father Abraham so Gal. 3.7 know ye therefore that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham And these only are the seed to whom the Covenant was made in respect to Gospel priviledges and not to the natural seed either of Abraham or of any other believers as hath been evidently made appear before and that beyond all Contradiction And whoever affirms otherwise preaches another Gospel then Paul knew and incurrs that doom mentioned Gal. 1.8 9. Poed But we are told that as the Jews and their Children are broken off from the Covenant so the Gentils and their Children are ingrafted in in their room according to Rom. 11.20 because of unbelief they were broken off and thou standest by faith Bap. in answer to which I grant there was a time when the Jews and their children were broken off as the Apostle saith but there are two things to be considered First why they were broken off Secondly from what they were broken off 1. Why Answ It was not because they had not believing Parents for Abraham Isaac and Jacob were the fathers of them all and upon whose account they had right to the priviledges of the Covenant 2. Not because they wanted title for they were Abrahams seed when they were broken off but 3. Because the terms of standing in the Church
as to the ordinances priviledges and rights whereof who but themselves had the title For this indeed was their advantage of old that to them were committed the oracles of God To which Christ answers true they did stand in the house for a time yet but for a time and though sons and heirs in the laws Typical sense yet they were but servants in the Gospels And being but servants as Moses and his house the old Church were they must anon be turn'd out of the house and abide in the Church that is Abrahams family no longer that believers the true sons and heirs may come in as in the 35. verse And the servant saith Christ abideth not in the house for ever but the son abideth for ever If therefore the son make you free and that he doth not for all your former freedom unlesse you believe in him then shall you be free indeed even to the glory oracles and blessings of the spirituall house the Gospel Church which else you must be cut off from And so indeed it came to passe within a while for not believing and repenting which are the only terms which give right to Gospel ordinances and priviledges So that these Jews though Natural branches still as much as ever if being the fleshly seed of a believer could help them as to a standing there were yet clean broke from the root Abraham as he stands a root to all the faithful because only of unbelief Rom. 11.20 when such as were wild olives and no kin at all to Abraham after the flesh were in their own persons but not their natural seed with them save as they believed with them owned as his Children by believing and as members of the true Church under the Gospel And this was declared by John the Baptist and the rest of the first Ministers of the Gospel who would not admit Jews as Jews though Abrahams own seed unto Baptism when they offered themselves upon the aforenamed terms without faith and repentance See how the Pharisees Sadduces and whole multitude of Abrahams seed come to be Baptized Math. 3.7 Luke 3.7 pretending and pleading that if Baptism were a Church priviledge it must needs belong to them who were the children of Abraham But see how he rejects them as having no part nor portion in this matter O generation of vipers who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come as if he should have said what have you to do with the remission of sins and redemption from wrath which I preach and baptize in token of being notwithstanding your priviledges corrupt and sinful in your lives Bring forth therefore to the end you may be baptized fruits answerable to amendment of life and begin not to say that we have Abraham to our father we are the seed of an eminent believer for God is able of these stones to raise up childeen to Abraham i. e. God will without being beholden to you raise a seed to Abraham rather then to want them from amongst these stones whether he means stones literally or the Gentiles which were as stones in their eyes it matters not But this we gather from it that even at that very time when the birth-priviledge and holynesse of a fleshly seed stood in full force and unrepealed as then it did how much more since the abrogation thereof by faith Abrahams seed could not much less can the seed of believing Gentiles now it is repeal'd be admitted to Baptism without Repentance The Jews as impenitent and unbelieving as they were stood uncast out of the Jewish Church while the Church it self stood But they could not passe out of that Church into the Gospel Church nor from their right to circumcision prove their right to Baptism yet this they might have done if what gave right of old to one of those ordinances doth in like manner in right persons to the other So then seeing Abrahams own seed had no right to Baptism as such how can you expect it from your seed who are not Abrahams seed For Abraham hath but two seeds as I know of except Christ the first is his seed after the flesh and such were all those that were born of his body as Ishmael and his children by Keturah and those that come of him by Isaac and Jacob which only were heirs with him of the land of Canaan for Esau sold his birth-right 2. His seed after the faith and they are all those that walk in his steps Rom. 4.12 and such that do his works John 8. but to suppose that Abraham hath a third seed and they are the children of believing Gentiles is a fancy for non datur tertium semen Abrahae Two seeds of Abraham the Scripture mentions but a third sort cannot be assign'd The first are only these that descend from his loyns as the Midianites and others by Keturah the Ishmaelites by Hagar The Edomites and Israelites by Sarah which last only were the holy seed and children of promise in reference to the Hagarens in a type and sole heirs of the Typical Canaan All these I say were the first sort and all believers of what Nation soever are the second sort but the natural seed of believers are neither of the one nor of the other Poed But were not the proselytes or strangers counted Abrahams seed and circumcis'd upon that account Bap. No they were not Abrahams seed and circumcis'd on that account but from a positive instruction an expresse command from God as they were the males in the family of one that was a Jew at least by devotion for which see Gen. 17.12.13 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcis'd among you every man child in your generations he that is born in the house or bought with mony from any stranger which is not of thy seed He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with mony must needs be circumcis'd and in Exod. 12.48.49 it is called a law When a stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the passeover let all his males be circumcis'd and then let him eat the the Passeover and he shall be as one that is born in the land and for the stranger And in Numb 9.14 it is called an Ordinance Ye shall have one Ordinance for him that is born in the land and for the stranger Shew but so much for Infants-Baptism that it is called a law an ordinance or hath any institution for it and the controversy is ended So that you see the prosclites were circumcis'd by vertue of a law as they were Males in the family and not as Abrahams seed for so they were not nor heirs either of the temporal or spiritual Canaan In the temporal Canaan they had no inheritance nor any right to the heavenly unless they were true believers as Abraham was So that the sum of what hath been said is First the seed of believers are not Abrahamâ—s seed Secondly that Abrahams seed are cut off from all the