Here are two queries the Apostle answers to the first Much every way but chiefly that to them were committed the oracles of God that is all the prophetical writings prophesies and promises c These were committed to them non ut alienae rei depositum but as their own proper treasure if they had hearts to make use thereof For the Covenant was made with all the seed of Abraham many indeed lost the benefit of it not because they were not comprehended in it but because of their unbelief which deprived them of the benefit thereof yet this unbelief could not make the faith of God that is the promise of none effect for though some did not believe yet others did not all but some did not believe for God hath ordained That as he keepeth truth in his promises So there should be always some in the Church which should believe them Thus Rom. 9.7 the Apostle sheweth that all the seed of Abraham are not the elect seed but doth not shew That they were not under the outward administration of the Covenant as appears from the 4 verse for of that Covenant Paul speaks not But if onely the elect and faithful be admitted to the Covenant as to the outward administration thereof then is there no subject left for the ordinance of baptism for how shall we know who is elect and who not It 's therefore far better to give the seal to the 99 which are not the elect than to pass by one to whom it justly belongs Thus much in answer to the first querie Rom. 3.3 To the second querie the Apostle answers Paul purposely deferred the answer to the 2 querie to this place because in this place it received the fittest answer That Abraham was not justified by Circumcision which the carnal Jew together with the works of the law rested in as appears by most of Paul's Epistles Rom. 2. Gal. 5.2 They not well understanding the tenor of the Covenant of grace did look at it with a carnal ey as a Covenant of works therefore Circumcision was urged as necessary to salvation Acts 15.1 And in this sense the yoke put upon the disciples was such a yoke as that neither they nor their fathers were ever able to bear It 's not to be imagined that the Lord would impose any such intollerable yoke of circumcision as some conceive the meaning of the place to be for his yoke is easy Mat. 11.28 and his commandments are not grievous 1 John 5. misconstruing the Lords meaning and cleaving to the works of the Law for which cause the Jews were cut off Rom. 9.32 comp Hos 4.5 I will cut off thy mother because they sought rightousness by the works of the Law and not by faith in Abraham 's Covenant which included Christ in the womb thereof For Circumcision was a seal of the remission of sins or as the Apostle calls it a seal of the rightousness of the faith which they had or which was tendered unto them Obj. Jer. 11.3 Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant Gal. 3. which Covenant I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Aegypt This Covenant was a Covenant of works Ans Mind the words following which Covenant I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Aegypt was this Abraham's Covenant was not this Covenant delivered on Mount Sinai 430 years after for the breach of which they are here threatned That the Law was taken by the Jews for a Covenant of works is not denied Gal. 4. Rom. 4. But that is distinct from Abraham's Covenant 2. Let me tell you As some pictures if you look on them on this side they resemble the king or queen on the other side another party So that Covenant considered largely as that whole doctrine delivered on Mount Sinai with the prefaces and promises and all things that may be reduced to it so it 's a Covenant of grace as appears from Hag. 2.6 Accorcording to the word that I covenanted with you when I brought you out of the land of Aegypt Sum vobiscum dicit Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum verbo quo pepigeram vobiscum exeuntibus vobis ex Aegypto et cum spiritu meo in vobis Jun. Verba quo pepigeram explicant in quo propter quem vos acceptos habuerant receperam in foedus Cal. lib. 3. cap. 9. Fac hoc et vives vive et fac hoc so my spirit remaineth among you now they received not the spirit saith the Apostle by the works of the Law but by the hearing of faith Gal. 3.2 that is not by a Covenant of works but by a Covenant of grace But considered as an abstracted rule of rightousness so it 's a Covenant of works Thus the Gospel taken largely hath precepts and threatnings annexed yea a bitter curse the Lord keep us from Gospel-curses Mar. 16.16 He that believeth not shall be damned but strictly taken 't is put for the glad tidings of a Savior 3. That the Law was delivered with evangelical purposes cannot be denyed for Christ is the end of the Law Rom. 10.4 When Moses saw that they had broken the Covenant though they had engaged all this will we do relying on their own strength he breaks the tables to let them see that God would break Covenant with them therefore he is not blamed by the holy Ghost for so doing Act. 7. At that time the Lord said unto him Take thou the tables which thou brakest and put them in the Ark signifying that Christ must keep Covenant with us and for us else we shall never keep touch with God 4. Those words obey my voice and do according to all that I command you so shall you be my people and I will be your God if compared with the like Scriptures appear to be the condition of the Covenant of grace Exod. 19.5 Now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people Segullah signifieth the peculiar treasure of Kings and ye shall be to me a Kingdom of Priests and an holy nation Which is applied to them in the times of the Gospel 1 Pet. 2.9 when all those types and ceremonies were abolished and they not under a Covenant of works but a Covenant of grace Rom. 6.14 Thus Lev. 26.3 If ye will keep my statutes v. 9. then will I establish my Covenant with you v. 12. and I will walk among you and be your God Compared with 2 Cor. 6.16 I will dwell in them and walk in them and will be their God To those scriptures add Jer. 7. Psal 81.13 Ah that my people had hearkened unto me and Israel had walked in my ways Will any say That these pathetical expressions and mournful expostulations relate to a Covenant of works and not rather to a Covenant of grace tendered to them again and again 5. Consider the
propension to grace for they are naturally as stiffnecked as any people but in respect of the nature of the Covenant of grace given to their ancestors and their seed according to which God is more readily inclined to pour out of the spirit of his grace upon the seed and offspring of his covenanting people than upon strangers and aliens Now though the Gentiles in their first ingrafting may be said to be the wild Olive as the Iews at first were yet afterwards they were naturalized and their children become natural branches of the Olive tree i. e. the Church of God Psal 128. Thy children as Olive plants green and legitimate for the Olive tree admitteth no other graff Ains in Psal 128. The ablest of that opinion do grant That now in the days of the Gospel children are under the promise and that the promise Gen. 17.7 is a Gospel promise notwithstanding they denie the seal though the promise be made the ground of annexing the seal whatever is said by any to the contrarie See Mr Tombs Review p. 3. Others being convinced that the Apostle speaks of a visible Church which indeed is undeniablie true flie to their old distinction to wit the Covenant of Circumcision or the Covenant of works from which Covenant they say the Iews are cut off to this day to make this good they distinguish betwixt Abraham begetting and a working Abraham and a believing and faithful Abraham Thus they say The whole nation of the Iews were legally holy till that Covenant was abolisht I answer They make a distinction betwixt Abraham believing and Abraham working where none is to be made for did not his works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 work together with his faith declaratively not onely before men but God were not these works brought in Jam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith saith the translation without thy works but it should rather be rendered by thy works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is make thy faith appear out of thy works Iam. 2.18 as fruits of his faith which is the condition of the Covenant of grace for faith without works is dead how then can it justifie 2. Observe They say that Covenant mentioned Rom. 11. Heb. 8. is abolished as being a typical Covenant but we answer We have alreadie proved it to be an everlasting Covenant 3. What priviledge that is peculiar benefit was it to that nation to be under the Covenant of works Rom. 3.1 which is common to all nations considered as the sons of Adam but in Rom. 9. the Apostle speaks of that Covenant and the fulness thereof as a peculiar prerogative to that nation and not common to others 4. What prejudice could it be to them to be cut off from that Covenant nay it had been well for them if they had been cut off from the Covenant of works which neither we nor our fathers were ever able to bear The Apostle tells us they are hardened and the Lord hath sent a spirit of slumber v. 8. that he hath cast them away v. 15. and broken them off v. 17. and why because they did not cleave to the Covenant of grace which they were under Act. 3.25 and 4.4 but wilfully and obstinately rejected Christ being unskilful in the word of rightousness Heb. 5.13 that is not descerning aright that justification was held forth in the old Covenant but cleaving to the works of the law Rom. 9.31 32. comp Rom. 11.7 5. If that Covenant be abolished how can they be reingrafted into it for the Apostle here speaks of a reingrafting into the same Covenant which plainly argues it was no typical or carnal Covenant but a Covenant of grace still in force 6. Through unbelief they were broken off that is say they from the Covenant of works therefore according to their doctrine if they had believed they had continued in the Covenant of works to this day which is a contradiction and yet they affirm that Covenant ended with Christ it being a typical carnal Covenant as Canaan was But have not such cause to mourn that such a gross spirit of error should thus seiz on them and lead them into those false and bywaies certainly for building upon the foundation this trash wood hay and stubble they shall suffer loss 1. of their labor and 2. of their reward For the day shall reveal it and it shall be consumed as by fire 1 Cor. 3.13 Ah then retract with Austin and undeceive those poor souls you have deceived least the Lord be angry with you 3. Arg. Of such children is the Kingdom of heaven ergo they are inchurched Mar. 10. And they brought little children to him that he should touch them and the Disciples rebuked those that brought them but when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the Kingdom of God Mark 10.12 1. Observe they brought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Lev. 26.43 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even because Mar. 10 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence the word Proselyte thus the children of the Gentiles were Proselytes even babes to Christ this is recorded for our imitation Mat. 19.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little children were brought 2. Christ saith Suffer little children to come to me See the like phrase Mar. 4.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num lucerna venit i. importatur Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel that is to be brought to me Is not this maxim in force in all ages from Christ to the end of the world Doth not Christ now say to our dissenting brethren Suffer little children to come to me And how should we now visibly bring them to Christ but in that ordinance of baptism Media applicandi Christum non sunt alia quam verbum et sacran enia eâ— vel nullum datur ordinarium medium vel baptismus est medium I know no other way For the invisible coming of â—nvisible members falls not under the cognizance of the sons of men therefore such a prohibition had been incongruous 3. We are not onely commanded but charged Forbid them not 4. Christ was very angry with his own Disciples that offered to put them by for even Christs own dear people may be injurious to children as we see â—â— in our days but with these doubtless he is as much displeased as ever he was with them seeing that he hath the same tender bowels in heaven as he had on earth 5. Of such he saith is the Kingdom of heaven that is of children and such as are like to children according to the phrase of Nehemiah Shall such an one as I fly that is I or any in my condition For children are capable of being subjects of any Kingdom on earth Mar. 10.15 Whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of heaven as a little child that is as a little child receives it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he shall not enter into the kingdom of
for new Scriptures or a new Gospel to save us Is not the faith that is the Doctrine of faith delivered once and for ever as a perpetual rule Is not God one and the same though we be changeable and at odds with him Gal. 3 20 Is not Christ yesterday and to day and for ever the same Heb. 13 8 Was this once an evangelical promise I will be thy God and is it not so still And if that be evangelical as is confessed shall we deny the later I will be the God of thy seed to be evangelical also 6. If the command of teaching our children which God gave to Abraham belong unto us then the promise made to him and his belongs to us also for the promise is the ground of the duty and the duty is the means of the performance of the promise Gen. 18 19 For I know him that he will command his Children and his household after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him 7. Christ came not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loosen or slacken the Law much less the prophesies or promises but rather to confirm them made unto the fathers Rom. 15 8 that is not onely to the Jews but also the Gentiles and because the incorporating of the Gentiles was a great mystery i. e a divine hidden secret to the Jews the Apostle quotes * Hence Ministers may learn in doubtful things to be more copious in proofs four places of Scripture to evince that great controverted Truth sc That the Gentiles should be incorporated into one and the same body with the Jews 8. Why should it be conceived that the Covenant of Grace should run in a different course from all other of Gods Covenants God made a Covenant with * Mr. Patient saith That Covenant with the Priests was a Covenant of works Observe there is a vein of error runs through his whole Discourse Phineas did it not reach his posterity Num. 5 So with David Psalm 89 28. And did not that extend to his posterity also Did God ever make a Covenant with any wherein the children were not comprehended In the first place where this Covenant is mentioned it runs thus To thee and thy seed Gen. 15 18 8 which was ratified by the dividing of an heifer of three years old 9. Gentiles are ingrafted into the same olive tree and made partakers of the fatness thereof that is the ordinances promises and their appertenances the root was Abraham and the holy ancestors the bodie of the tree the Church the branches particular members whereof Infants were a great part Observe three things 1. That Children were in the Covenant this cannot be denied 2. They with their parents were broken off and therefore may plead with their Mother as an harlot Hos 2. 3. They with their parents are to be ingrafted in again into the olive tree of the visible Church of Christ 10. Where is that great Statute repealed or that Magna Charta vacated and made void I will be thy God and the God of thy seed Was not this one of the greatest promises of the old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exceeding great nay the greatest promises 2 Pet. 1.4 greater than which could not be The promise in the 17 of Genesis is greater than that in the 22. For the Father was greater than Christ as Mediator and therefore doubtless that was chiefly in the Apostles ey This promise was confirmed by many and sundry ways 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by piece-meals or parcels Heb. 1.1 yet one and the same Covenant gradually revealed to Abraham as he walked more exactly with God The glorious discovery of the Covenant was reserved to Christs time for the farther the times were from Christs coming the less light they had but the nearer they came to Christ the more fully was that Covenant discovered as appears from Dan. 9. to whom the Angel reveals the time of Christ's suffering and so doubtless when Christ shall more gloriously appear in his Kingdom upon the calling of the Jews then shall the Ark of the Covenant be seen in the Temple Rev. 11.19 But the Covenant was confirmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Abraham 1. By Sacrifices Gen. 15.18 being not mentioned before 2. By the Sacrament of Circumcision Cap. 17. 3. By an oath Cap. 22. Yea it was confirmed by God in Christ therefore must needs be of grace Gal. 31.7 1. By the death of Christ 2. By the merits of Christ 3. By the preaching of Christ and his Apostles Dan. 9. He shall confirm the Covenant for one week which was spent in the confirmation thereof for Christ preached * Usually the work of a Minister for conversion is done as to the old standers in 7 years three years and a half and the Apostles three years and a half or thereabouts before the Jews were discovenanted the ceremonies de jure did cease at his death with all the sacrifices when the vail was rent asunder but the Covenant was not made null till they voluntatarily and obstinately rejected the Lord Christ This Covenant I will be thy God was before the Law and therefore was not made void by the Law and the ceremonies annexed thereunto Gal. 3.14 15. That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles which blessing extends to fathers and children Brethren saith the Apostle I speak after the manner of men Though it were but a mans Covenant if it be confirmed as this was no man disanulleth or addeth thereunto who then shall dare to disanull Gods Covenant made to Abraham and Christ mystical that is the whole visible Church as we see clearly in the body of the Jews to whom the external administration of the Covenant did appertain if there be any force in the Arguments of the Antipedobaptists pleading for the spiritual seed onely the like might have been pleaded against all the carnal seed of Abraham as the Lord pleads Psal 50 What hast thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth And yet even the Children of such had a right unto Circumcision though their parents were suspended from the Passover as being Children under Abraham's Covenant The 11 Argument is taken from the absurdities that will follow from the contrary tenent 1. If Children be excluded then the Covenant is not the same seeing the persons engaging are not the same 2. Then are the Children of believers no more priviledged than the Children of heathens for even the Children of heathens when called have an interest in the Covenant and Seal as well as the Children of believers 3. Then are no Children in a visible way of salvation Eph. 2.12 and without hope and therefore Rachel may weep for her Children because they are not There was a great Lamentation in Israel when one tribe was cut off but have not all the Churches in the world cause bitterly to
that Moses was so desirous to see that good land that goodly Mountain and Lebanon his mouth runs over he was so taken with it repeating it again and again which prayer the Lord heard as in reference to the end sc to see the land but not in the way and means as he desired Go up to Mount Pisgah and view the land saith the Lord to many a saint yea and to many a reprobate that shall never set foot upon that blessed land 6. Hence it was that they were so ambitious to have their bones carried out of other lands into that land Thus Jacob and Joseph 7. Upon this account it was that Esau was branded with a black coal of infamy to all eternity That he rejected this land that so as oft as he heard his name he might remember upon what terms he sold his birth-right Esau who is Edom Gen. 36.1 8. Edom v. 19. who is Edom and why so because that for a little red-red that is red pottage he sold his birth-right his interest in the promises ordinances heaven Christ whose land that was and when he had sold it he went away from the presence of the Lord to Mount Seir being not at all troubled for what he had done sc that he had discovenanted himself and his 8. Gal. 4. Mount Sinai in Arabia Why should Paul make mention of the situation of that Mountain when as there was none of the Galatians as might be supposed ignorant of it but that there did lie a mystery in the situation of Sinai to wit that it was without the * Foedus de quo nunc agitur modum legis complectitur finem illius nimirum Evangelium Christi locus hujus foederis notabilis est in terra Moab vel in parte haereditatis vel in aditu haereditariae terrae Canaan igitur in ingressu terrae de fine hujus habitationis terrenae admonentur duci ipsos ad praestolationem redemptionis ne vel limitem ipsum sine fide â—alvantes inquinarent Cocceius borders of the promised land which did shadow out that heavenly Country to which we are brought not by the old covenant of works but by the new Covenant of grace of that Covenant of works as it was taken by the carnal Israelites doth the Apostle speak of in Gal. 4. But in Deut. 29.1 you have another Covenant made with Israel in the land of Moab besides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb. See Deut. 32.8 9. The giving of this land is made a sign of Gods love to Jacob Mal. 1.2 I have loved thee saith the Lord yet ye say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacob ' s brother yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau Mali â—dumaei è sedibus suis ejecti nunquam redituri Glass Mal. 1.1 2. If the giving of the land had not been a sign of his love the Apostle had not alledged those two examples to purpose Rom. 9. Which was to shew who were the Children of God and who not for Canaanaeae privatio etiam rejectionis a salute symbolum Arg. 3. Circumcision was a seal of the rightousness of faith either had or offered Rom. 4. It was a seal of the rightousness of faith with Infants that believe not that look what rightousness the faith of a believer layd hold on Circumcision was a seal of that rightousness Rom. 4.11 Therefore a seal of life tendered to the seed of Abraham For what it was to Abraham the same was it to all his seed that did lay hold on this Covenant If any failed and fell short thereof their destruction was of themselves because they sought rightousness by the works of the Law and not by faith in this Covenant of grace We must not pry into the decrees of God to find out the reasons of eternal election and reprobation Secret things belong to God things revealed to us and to our Children Deut 29 last But if we look into the execution of that decree of reprobation we shall find the ground of it from our selves who wilfully reject the offers and tenders of grace Rom. 9.32 Fourthly It is one and the same Covenant Gen. 17.7 and throughout this is mentioned 13 times in that chapter So Psal 105.8 The Covenant he made with Abraham and Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob for a law v. 10. Gen. 17.2 to the 7. There are promises more particularly applied to Abraham in which all his seed did share For what ever promises are made to any are made directly or indirectly to the whole body being all yea and amen in Christ and therefore collaterally may be applied to us as That God would multiply his seed both natural and spiritual and make him a father of many nations as the Apostle interprets that Text Rom. 4 and do not we share in that promise Gen. 7.7 19. I will be thy God and the God of thy seed I will establish my Covenant between me thee and thy seed after thee He speaks of it as one and the same Covenant throughout and not as two Covenants as some fondly do imagin Fifthly That women are enabled to conceive bear and bring forth and that their children are provided for 't is of grace 1. Women if believers are saved by grace in child-bearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. in it as a way though dangerous by it as a means to further their salvation 2. Children are given by grace to the rightous Gen. 33.5 These are the Children which God of his grace hath given me So the multiplying of Children is an act of grace 1 Chron. 28.23 Deut. 33.24 Let Asher be blessed with Children Act. 7.8 He gave him the Covenant of Circumcision and so Abraham begat Isaac yea so great a mercie is it that it engaged the heart of Enoch to walk with God 300 years after he begat Methusalah Gen. 5.22 Thus Abraham walked with God after he received the promise for the multiplying of his seed Gen. 13. which is to be understood literally Deut. 10. last as well as spiritually 3. The provision the Lord maketh for such Children Iisdem nutrimur ex quibus constamus is a fruit of the Covenant of grace for God is the God of the whole man as our Savior reasoneth therefore not onely of the soul but of the body also who by Covenant binds himself to provide for both How sweet is it to a gracious soul to see all things dispensed to him not onely by a providence but also by promise and to see the Throne of God compassed about with the rainbow of his Covenant for so I understand it Rev. 4.3 So that all his dispensations did pass through this rainbow whether they be afflictions which to the rightous are an appendix to the Covenant 2 Sam. 7. or temporal spiritual and eternal mercies all these come swimming to us in the bloud of Christ Sixtly It had been little comfort to Abraham and his seed to have had onely a temporal portion sealed
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every word speaks unity place and suddenly there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sate * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dissecatae linguae sedit it sate An hebraism This noteth Unity though their tongues were cloven as noting the variety of their gifts yet there was but one and the same Spirit actuating them for they spake with tongues as the Spirit gave them Utterance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As the Spirit gave them to speak Apothegms that is Sententiously upon each of them this was misconstrued by some of the by-standers who were at this time dwelling at Ierusalem devout Men of every Nation under heaven expecting the coming of the Messias to whom many Proselytes of the Gentiles that had embraced the Iewish Religion joyned themselves To these joyntly both Iews and Gentils Peter as the mouth of the rest speaks You men of Judaea and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem v. 5. These both Iews and Gentiles being pricked in their hearts Peter exhorts to repent In the Text you have an Answer to the Question propounded v. 37. Wherein you have a double exhortation first to repentance secondly to baptism 1. Repent ye saith the Apostle ye that are adult who had an hand in crucifying the Lord Jesus As he that hath a precious treasure locks it up and turns the key again and again to make all sure So the Apostle though they were pricked in their hearts yet he exhorts them to repentance again that so there might be a thorough work 2. Let every one of you In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The former duty enjoyned was in the second person repent ye this latter in the third and let every one of you that is you and yours be baptized Grammaticae minutiae non siâ—it etiosae Tarn as admitting of a greater latitude than the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non est in lege vel unica littera à quâ non maximi montes pendeâ—nt Inquint Hebraei scil that of repentance which Children were not capable of as they were not guilty of that hainous act of crucifying the Lord of Life I wave the former and shall onely speak to the latter Let every one of you that is you and yours young and old be baptized Which is the meaning of the Apostle as appears by the Argument by which he enforceth the exhortation which is taken from the Promise or the Covenant for those terms are equipollent which saith the Apostle is to you and to your Children to you Iews and Proselytes already called and to the Gentiles which are afar off when called and to their Children for there is the like reason to them as Proselytes and their Children else to what purpose should he bring this Medium for the promise is to you and to your Children to back the exhortation and let every one of you be baptized if Children were not included in that command Which would render the Apostles Argument altogether inadaequate to his scope and purpose but if we include them the Argumentation is comprehensive of its end and correspondent to its scope So that the Conclusion from hence is this That to baptize the Infants of Believers is an Ordinance of Jesus Christ First let me shew you what this baptizing is and then give you the grounds of the Point First It is a washing of a believer or Child of a believer with water by a Minister of Christ in or into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost 1. I say it is a washing because the word properly so signifies whether it be by dipping into or pouring on of water sprinkling or wetting of the body Dan. 4.30 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And his bodie was wet with or from the dew of heaven which fell upon it not that into which he was douzed over head and ears Thus the cloud dropped on the Israelites Psal 77.17 18 19. For what else is the meaning of that phrase he looked through the cloud upon the Egyptians but that the cloud was poured upon them And surely then some drops must needs fall upon the Israelites therefore they are said to be bap ized into the cloud And thus the sea was sprinkled on them beating against the banks Maâ—k 7.4 The washing of cups and pots tables or beds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Tables or beds are washed by affusion of pouring on of Water rather than immersiâ—n or dipping for if the cups and platters had been dipped then the inside had been clean as well as the outside In the 3. v the Pharisees eat not unless they wash compared with Luke 11.38 * Vide de riâ—u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—nesi Fundâ—nda est aqua tribus vicibus suâ—er manus In primà affusâ—â—ne sunt digiti levandi in posterioribus verò demittendi Thus Elisha poured waâ—er on his masters hands 2 Kin. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur ob digitorum in manuum elevation contracti mem ac in pugni veluti speciem conformationeÌ„ ut putat Scalig vel ob aquae defluâ—um per totam illam brachii partem quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicitur à digitorum radice sâ—u propagine ad cubitum usque Cap. It s not probable that the Pharisâ—es as often as they came from market whether it seems they went often for they were such as loved greetings in the market-places plunged themselves over head and ears before they did eat any meat Heb. 9.10 Which stood onely in meats and drinks and diverse washings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compared with Lev. 14.18 Num. 19. and 31.23 Now their washings or baptisms were by sprinkling or casting water upon the party washed as well as otherwise for Heb. 9.13 that sprinkling the Apostle makes a species of the former washing Thus saith the Lord Ezek. 36.25 I will pour clean water upon you Yea what was the baptism of the Holy Ghost Acts 1.2 but the pouring out of the Holy Ghost which is opposed to John's baptizing with water And therefore I say that though we should grant which they cannot easily prove that they went into the water in those hot Countries sometimes as conveniencie served yet it s not necessarily concluded from the text that they were dipped but that the water was cast upon them rather than they cast into the water according to the custom in some Countries to this day Thus the water was poured on the Ark 1 Pet. 3.21 the like figure or antitype whereunto baptism doth now save us Had the Ark been dipped in the water all the world in probability had been drowned Yea this pouring of water upon the party baptized doth better resemble the application of the bloud of Christ which is rather done by applying it to us through the Spirit than our applying our selves to it There are two words put for dipping 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 13.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
I am thy exceeding great reward the Lord leaves himself in pawn that I may so say till he had made good his promise to him But in cap. 17.22 he more fully explains the Covenant Eleventhly The V. Commandment is not carnal though it have a temporal promise annexed to it Eph. Deut. 5.16 Ut prolongent dies Potest verbum accipi impersonaliter prolongent pro eo quod est prolongentur Junius 6.3 Children obey your parents that it may be well with you and that ye may live long on the earth Surely none will say but that children are bound to obey their parents under the Gospel as well as the Jews were under the Law notwithstanding that motive Is there not the like reason for the Covenant May it not be spiritual though the Lord engage to Abraham and his seed to give them that temporal land of Canaan and shall we say this Covenant is a temporal and a carnal Covenant hath not godliness the promise of this life and that which is to come They might as well have said the ten Commandments belong not to us because Deut. 5. they are enforced with this consideration which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt though in a spiritual sense that may be applyed to us as literally to the Jews Twelfthly Abraham was heir of the world by virtue of the Covenant of grace and surely Canaan was included in that promise as being a little world in the great world Rom. 4.13 The promise that he should be heir of the world was not through the Law but through the rightousness of faith Where you see it 's plainly opposed to the Covenant of works Thirteenthly From the absurdities that will follow hereupon for then so many particular promises so many Covenants whereas a Covenant is but a bundle of promises solemnly sealed and confirmed The Papists having excluded the second Commandment Such as will deficere in necessariis will abundare in superfluis they are defective in the second Command therefore they superabound in the X whereas the text mentions but one Commandment as Moses one Covenant throughout ch 17. divide the tenth into two whereas they might as well make eight of it as first Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors house 2. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors wife 3. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors field 4. Nor his man servant 5. Nor his maid servant 6. Nor his ox 7. Nor his ass 8. Nor any thing that is his As they divide the Commandments so others divide the Covenant I will be thy God This they make a new Covenant or a Covenant of grace Gen. 17 to 6. and from 7. to 14. And to thy seed will I give this land a Covenant of works they grant the former to be the new Covenant or Covenant of grace and why not the later I will be the God of thy seed c. but they might as well according to all the particular articles in the Covenant multiply the Covenant into several species making every promise a Covenant and so many promises so many Covenants Fourteenthly If Circumcision was a seal of the Covenant of works then the seed of Abraham had no seal to the Covenant of grace at all for they say that relates to the land of Canaan which they hold to be given to the posterity of Abraham by a Covenant of works whereof Circumcision was a seal If this be granted then was the Lord wanting to his people for did they not stand in need of a seal of the rightousness of faith as well as Abraham much more Abraham though strong in faith was sore put to it as appears by the story being willing to sit down well contented with Ismael not having obtained the promised seed Yea cap 16.3 the holy Ghost seems to imply that he doubted ten years therefore he used unlawful means to obtain issue going inâ—â— Hagar Did Abraham stand in need of strengthening and did not his seed much more Had he a seal annexed to the promise and had not his seed the like or did God ever make a Covenant with his people and not seal it Hath any a just title to an inheritance and not a right to the seals and conveyances or had any ever a right to the Covenant of grace that had not an external right at least to the seal Fifteenthly Here is not onely an Husteronproteron for thus Abraham is first under the Covenant of grace and then of works long after but at the same time under both Covenants contrary to Rom. 6.14 Sixtenthly The Covenant of works admits of no repentance or mercy therefore cannot be renewed but this doth Deut. 4.7 12 13. Seventeenthly That Covenant was sealed with bloud for the letting out of the bloud did signifie the shedding of the bloud of Christ therefore it was not a Covenant of works Again it 's to thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for ever Gen. 17.10 11. Psal 105.8 Mr P. p. 43. The ever of the Law is to be understood of the time of the Gospel-state if these words to you and your seed in their generations be put in At negatur He gave that land for an everlasting Covenant even to a thousand generations Now from Abraham to Christ there was but 42 generations and therefore that Covenant ceased not when Christ came in the flesh as some say Jer. 25.5 Esa 24.5 Num. 25.13 Ex. 3.15 I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob this is my name for ever this is my memorial to all generations Eighteenthly If Circumcision were onely a seal signifying That God would give the seed of Abraham the land of Canaan what need was there of this seal after they were possessed of the land Obj. The subject matter of the Covenant is That they should be circumcised but in that all the works of the Law are included Ans Rom. 2.25 Act. 15. Circumcision profiteth if thou keep the Law saith the Apostle on Gods part it was a seal of all the gracious promises if on their part they did perform the condition which was to walk in obedience to his Commandments but it did not profit them if they kept not the Law as baptism now availeth not if men lead an evil life The Apostle speaks not by way of supposition as of a thing impossible to be done but as supposing it a thing possible evangelically to be done If he had spoken of the perfect keeping of the law legally which is impossible then all profitable use is denyed to Circumcision but he would not so much detract from that holy institution of God as to denie all profitable use thereof Circumcision indeed did bind them to keep the whole law perfectly but it did profit them if there were an endeavor and a care in them to keep it though imperfectly Cap. 3.1 What priviledg then hath the Jew what benefit then is there of Circumcision if the Jews were not justified by Circumcision
wilfully rejected the Covenant of Grace 2. So are many of the rebaptized ones though under the outward administration many of them in a sad and deplorable condition and damnable state though taken for saints by others therefore doubtless there is no force in that Argument Obj. Circumcision was a seal onely to Abraham a sign to his posterity An. Are there not signs exhibitive as well as significative and wherein did such signs differ from seals 2. May not seals be to confirm a future as well as a present benefit Or 3. Is that seal Rom. 4.11 applyed to Abraham alone and not written for those hereafter that shall beleive Rom. 4.23 It was not written for his sake alone saith the Apostle that it was imputed to him for rightousnes but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe 4. Was not the promise to Abraham to be heir of the world that is of Canaan included in that promise Was it not I say through the everlasting Covenant and not through the works of the law which the carnal Jew rested in Rom. 4.13 5. Did not Abraham's posterity stand in as much need of a seal to strengthen their faith as Abraham did Abraham was troubled with doubtings and the Lord again and again strengthened his faith If he that was so eminent for believing was so put to it what shall we say to the poor shrubs Psal 105. Will the Lord be wanting to them in any thing that may strengthen their faith Obj. If this opinion be maintained That the Covenant of circumcision was a covenant of grace it shakes the foundation of the Gospel and overthrows many fundamental points of religion Ans Here are great swelling words but such do but verba dare there is no proof for what is asserted Dare any say in the presence of Christ when taking leave of the world That this doctrine destroys the foundation of Christian Religion Will they justifie this at the last day before the Lord Christ the Judge of quick and dead * Expectemus judicium tuum Domine Augustin We expect the judgment and determination of God himself in this controversie as Austin sayd in another case But let 's see their Arguments They say First The first fundamental point must needs be denyed Gal. 2.15 Jews by nature Quia promissio haereditariam bâ—nedictioâ—â—m faciebat ideo naturâ â—ocatur Cal. in Gal. That all mankind by nature are the children of wrath Eph. 2.2 If all men by nature be the Children of wrath then are they not under this Covenant of Grace for to be under the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace are contradictories which cannot be true at the same time Ans Contradictories may be true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a diverse respect 2 Kings 17.34 41. They feared the Lord and they feared not the Lord that is they feared the Lord in their way and the Gods of the nations also and therefore it 's sayd they feared not the Lord. Thus Elisha to Hazael concerning Benhadad 2 Kin. 8.10 He may recover howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall certainly dy that is he may recover of this disease but he died notwithstanding by the hand of Hazael Sons in some sense are no sons Deut. 32.5 Their spot is not the spot of my children There are promises for grace 2. to grace children are under both in some sense yet saith the text they are children in whom is no faith 1 Kin. 2.26 Abiathar is a man of death and yet by the Kings favor he lives The Israelites at the same time were enemies for our sakes and yet beloved for the fathers sake Rom. 11.28 Paul was under the Covenant as being descended of Abraham and yet was by nature as he tells us Eph. 2.2 a child of wrath as well as others So children considered in their natural state as the sons of Adam are under wrath but considered as children of such gracious parents in Covenant with God so are they under grace and therefore under those divine Dispensations which they are capable of Gal. 2.15 We who are Jews by nature that is by descent from such parents cannot with all our birth-priviledg attain to rightousness Thus we say Such are naturally English that is by descent In this sense the Apostle useth the word Rom. 11.24 If the natural branches are broken off c. The Gentiles wanted this being by offspring sinners 〈◊〉 nature in Eph. 2.2 is taken for that corrupt qualification of nature which they draw out of their parents loyns Grace at first was connatural to us and had been propagated from parents to children ex traduce if Adam had stood as now corruption is As therefore the children of Israel were called the holy seed and yet some of them are stiled the children of the Sorcerer and the whore Ethiopians c. Esa 57.3 Amos 9.7 So may one and the same person be holy by way of Covenant and yet unholy in respect of those internal qualifications For there is a relative and a positive holiness though they want the later yet may they be under the former 2. Their children are under grace for are not many of them under the everlasting Covenant made between the Father and the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before these secular times therefore all time even from eternity Are not elect children given to Christ before all time Doth he not know them by name And having loved them with an everlasting love doth he not in time draw them with the cords of his love even with the cords of a man suitable to a rational creature out of the hands of sin Satan and this present world Doth he not swaddle them and bring them into the bond of the Covenant even into that Covenant called the sure mercies of David Doth he not gloriously irradiate with the beams of his countenance on their souls in heaven for their heaven is the face of God Will not Christ at the last day embrace such as he did on earth saying Here am I and the Children which thou hast given me And were they not under grace Is not all this a part of electing grace Surely this is the spring of all the first wheel that moves all the rest Rom. 11.7 and though there be a wheel in a wheel yet all shall tend to their good as all the wheels in a clock tend to make the clockstrike Obj. The second fundamental point that this error opposeth is the stability in the Covenant of grace they say The Covenant made Abraham's seed was conditional and broken by them but the Covenant of grace is absolute Ans The Covenant of grace is conditional as appears by the whole current of the scriptures Deut. 7.12 13. Wherefore it shall come to pass if ye hearken to these judgments and keep and do them that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the Covenant and the mercie which he sware unto thy Fathers Lev. 26.41 If then
an Ismaelite yet chap. 17.25 he 's said to be an Israelite Ismael was under the Covenant and God did much for him as the son of such a father Gen. 21 13. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation because he is thy seed But the Covenant was established in Isaac All visible professors and their seed are incovenanted for the promises of the Gospel are tendered to them and they accept of them but the Covenant is established on true believers onely not as though saith the Apostle the word of promise hath taken none effect Gen. 26.28 34.3 4. The promise runs thus Vnto thy seed v. 3. And unto thy seed v. 4. when he speaks of the Church-seed that is such children as were inchurched But when he speaks of Christ then he alters the phrase saying In thy seed shall all nations be blessed Gal. 3. Rom. 9.6 No godly Jew though others did ever thought the word of God false because those that trusted to the works of the Law were rejected For in those indefinite promises it 's enough to render them true if they take effect in some though not in all according to the intent and scope of the holy Ghost Let God then be true and every man a lier according as it is written That thou mightest overcome when thou art judged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either when thou judgest or art judged it 's mediae vocis thus the Heb. be mishpat in judicio which is taken actively or passively 2. We answer as formerly there are promises for grace as well as to grace Deut. 30.6 Joh. 6. All the father hath given me shall come unto me and whosoever shall come unto me I will in no wise cast out Thus Jer. 31.34 From the least to the greatest yong and old they shall all know me that is believe in me Joh 6.45 64 65. That place of the prophet implies a multitude of such in the Church far above what had been in former times to say it 's meant of the elect as usually they interpret such places reacheth not the scope of the place which imports a greater number than ordinary in former times whereas of the elect it would be true were they never so few or in those times no more of them than had in any other age formerly been therefore it is well observed that the Covenant is the ground of faith and not faith the ground of the Covenant For who can believe without a promise what ground hath the faith of the parent to work upon if you take away the promise Archimedes said if he had but footing to stand upon he would toss the earth like a ball and what cannot faith do which in some sense is said to be omnipotent if it have a promise to work upon but if faith have no ground to work upon it can do nothing 3. Do they not proceed according to the judgment of charity in their administrations as the Apostles did Act. 8. they were all baptized from the least to the greatest that is yong and old and were all these really saints Joh. 3.26 These were accounted the spiritual seed till they manifested the contrary If such why not children For if the Covenant as they say be onely with real saints and the seal administred onely to such then none at all are to be baptized seeing with Peter we may easiely be mistaken But were it not better to administer the seal to 99 that are not really sanctified than deny it to any one to whom it doth belong The third Argument is taken from Circumcision Infants were circumcised under the law therefore now to be baptized under the Gospel First Because the Covenant of grace made with the Jews and Gentiles is the same Covenant for substance as hath been sufficiently proved though there be diversitie of administrations thereof Gal. 3 8. A man in this or that habit is the same man though diverse in his apparel even so the old Covenant formerly adorned with that dress of ceremonies but now stript of them and made plain is one and the same Covenant with the new Covenant Secondly Circumcision and baptism are both seals of the same Covenant and they are the same sacraments or seals for substance and for the spiritual part and use thereof Circumcision sealed the Covenant of grace to Abraham and his seed Rom. 4.11 And baptism doth the like Thirdly We may argue from the Analogie betwixt Circumcision and baptism for they both agree in the substantials though they differ in some circumstantials Now they themselves do confess we may argue from parity of reason or Analogie 1. When Analogie doth not institute a piece of worship but onely helps to the understanding of it now as for the ordinance of baptism it 's clear but as for the application of it to this or that subject we need the help of Circumcision 2. When we do not rest solely in the comparison but have a farther reason for it now it 's not the bare Analogie between Circumcision and baptism by which we enforce the baptism of infants but the grounds of both from scripture 3. When it holds full proportion in scripture to that for which it 's brought which we say Circumcision doth to baptism unless in some particulars wherein a peculiar reason may be given We say then 1. They agree in their signification for they hold forth to us mans corruption by nature The substance of all divinity lay in Circumcision as Luther well observes the like may we say of baptism therefore if we would be good Divines let us studie our baptism For the Lord hath put a great stress upon such truths as seem little in the eys of many Gnorlab signifieth a superfluity and is not sin a superfluous thing Jam. 1.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a whitflaw Josh 5.3 The hill of fore-skins This was clearly shadowed out in the cutting off the fore-skin and what doth the washing of the body signify but that natural uncleanness which we contracted from our first parents Heb 10.22 2. They agree in this that they represent the mystery of our redemption In the former there was the shedding of bloud in the later the same bloud is represented by water poured on us How the ceremonioâ—â— part of Circumcision is abolisht but the sacramental part still remains which a believer may plead with God for baptism is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the earnest demand of a good conscience that what is signified in that Ordinance may be made good unto us so the word rather signifies than the answer of a good conscience I say it 's the earnest demand for omnis praepositio est additio every preposition as we say is an addition Phil. 4.17 Not because I desire a gift 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I earnestly desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fruit or whatsoever was a effect of his Ministery 3. They agree in that they represent the mysterie of regeneration First The