1. In preparation for them Eccles 1. 2 in the time of the dispensation of them to behave our selves reverently with a reverent delight Isai 58. 13. and in a comely and orderly manner 1 Cor. 14. 40. 3. And after the use of them that we retain the savour of them and bring forth the fruit of them 1 Thes 5. 21. Col 1. 6. Math. 21. 43. Quest What doth the fourth Command require Answ The fourth Command requireth to sanctifie a seventh part of the week which was the last of seven from Creation until Christs Resurrection but ought to be the first of seven from Christs Resurrection until the last day In this we may consider the sanctification â—t self and the day to be sanctified Quest How ought we to sanctifie the Sabbath Answ We ought to sanctifie the Sabbath by resting from our own works that is all such works as are neither works of mercy nor necessity nor have any direct respect to the comely sanctifying of the day and to sanctifie the time unto the Lord by attendance of divine worship in publick in the Family and in secret In sanctifying a Sabbath there ought to be a rest and a sanctifying our rest 1. A resting from our own works Isai 58. 13. hence to rest from such works as are not works of mercy nor necessity Math. 12. 7. nor such works as have no direct respect to the sanctifying of the day Math. 12. 5. 2. A sanctifying our rest by attendance upon Gods worship in publick in Family and in secret for they were to attend the dayly offerings appointed for every day and besides the continual offerings they were to bring the Sabbath offering Numb 28. 6 7 8 9 10. Ps 92. 1. Acts 20. 7. And hence we ought to prepare for the Sabbath by a timely calling off our thoughts and actions from worldly occasions and to call them in and to go forth and welcome the holy day approaching Isai 58. 13. and after the Sabbath is ended not greedily nor suddenly rush into worldly occasions as if we were weary of the Sabbath and glad it were at an end Concerning the day to be sanctified let us consider Quest How doe you prove that we ought in these Gospel dayes to keep a weekly Sabbath Answ First because Christ taught his Disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath Mat. 24. 25. If no Sabbath then it was needless for Christs Disciples to pray that their flight might not be on the Sabbath but Christ saw it needfull to leave this instruction with his Disciples because the Sabbath should as certainly continue as the winter and as they were to pray that their flight might not be in the winter so likewise that it might not be on the Sabbath day Quest How doe you prove this in the second place that in Gospel dayes we ought to keep a Sabbath Answ Because Christ came not to destroy the moral Law but to fullfill it If no Sabbath then Christ hath destroyed some part of the moral law but this cannot be Mat. 5. 17. Quest How do you prove that we ought not to keep the seventh day of the week a Christian Sabbath Answ Because God's rest in the seventh day from the work 's of Creation was spoyled by the sin of man and another rest by Christ the Redeemer and another day came which doth remain 1. God rested in the seventh day from the works of Creation Gen. 2. 1 2. and in the fourth Command it is exprest to be the Reason of sanctifying the seventh day of the week 2. This rest was spoyled by the sin of man Gen. 6. 6 7. 3. Another rest came from the work of Redemption and another day of rest Psal 118. 24. Heb. 4. 4 8. Quest How do you prove this in the second place that the seventh day since Christs Resurrection ought not to be kept for a Sabbath Answ Because to keep the seventh day of the week was the doctrine of false Teachers and is contrary to the doctrine ond practice of the Apostles of Christ who did advance the first day of the week above any other day In the Gal. 4. 10. The Apostle reproved the false Teachers for teaching the Galatians to observe dayes Moneths and years according to the Law of Moses by dayes is meant that which is less then Moneths and therefore to be understood of weekly Sabbaths and yet not of the Christian Sabbath for those Teachers stood for that which is according to Moses his Ministry and in Col. 2. 16. the Apostle condemns holy dayes new Moons and Sabbaths Holy dayes are mentioned as greater then new Moons and therefore are meant of Annual Sabbatical dayes and Sabbath dayes as less then new Moons and therefore to be understood of the weekly Sabbaths the Jews kept And that the Apostles did advance the first day of the week to be the Christian Sabbath will appear in the next place Quest How doth it appear by the doctrine and practice of the Apostles that we ought to keep the first day of the week a Christian Sabbath Answ Because that day of the week which is honoured above other dayes by the Name of the Lords day as he is the Redeemer this cannot be understood of the seventh day which is God's day as he was Creator much less of other dayes but only of the first day of the week in which Christ had glorious rest 1. One day is honoured by the Name of the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. for the scope of the Apostle is set down the particular time when he had that Vision 2. It is called the Lord's day by that great Gospel Apostle John who speaketh in a Gospel sense and that in the same sense as the Lords Supper and the Lords Table that which was sanctifyed by the institution of Christ the Redeemer 1 Cor. 10. 21. and as he was Lord of the Sabbath Math. 12. 8. 3. This cannot be meant of the seventh day for that is not the day of the Lord as a Redeemer but as Creator Heb. 4. 4. 4. But is meant of the first day of the week in which Christ rested from his heavy and hard labour in the state of humiliation and rose from the dead Joh. 20. 1. and in which day he having received all power in Heaven and on Earth appeared to his Disciples 19. ver and in which day he communicated the holy Ghost unto his Disciples ver 22. the day of the glorious rest Quest How do you prove this in the second place Answ Because the Apostle did command all the Churches on the first day of the week to prepare their Collection for the Saints a most eminent duty of the Sabbath and thus did advance the first day of the week above any other day not by humane Institution that is unlawful but by divine Institution because of the holiness of this day 1. That the Apostle did command not only the Church at Corinth but Churches at Galatia to have in
readiness their Collections for the Saints in the first day of the week is exprest in 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. 2. That this is a most eminent duty of the Sabbath is manifest Math. 12. 6 7 8. 3. The first day of the week was either a common and indifferent day or a special and holy day if a common and indifferent day then the Apostle ought not to make that to be necessary by imposing an Injunction and Command upon it which God hath made indifferent hence ought not to have ordered and by order commanded them to attend such a work of mercy in the first day of the week if that day were but a common and indifferent day this would be to esteem one common day above another contrary to his own doctrine Rom. 14. 1 5. and therefore it was because the first day of the week was the holy day a Christian Sabbath by divine Institution Quest How do you prove this in the third place Answ Because it was the usual practice of the Apostles and Disciples in the primitive times and of the Witnesses of Christ in all Ages since that time to assemble in the first day of the week for divine worship and this was not because it would be more expedient time for them but because it is the day of the Christian Sabbath Thus we read in Acts 20. 7. 1. Of the assembling of the Disciples not only some few but of the generality of them it is spoken in the general 2. They assembled to break bread it is not meant of a love Feast that was unlawful in a publick Church-meeting 1 Cor. 11. 34. but is to be understood of the Lords Supper neither was it to hear Paul preach but it is said they came together to break bread and Paul preached so that he took this season to preach to them 3. It was their usual practice to assemble for divine worship in this day and therefore it is said when they came together and thus of Christians in all Ages since the primitive time 4. Their meeting in the first day of the week was either because it was a more expedient time for them then some other day or because it was a special day and the Christian Sabbath not because it was more expedient for them if the seventh day was kept as a Sabbath how could it be expedient or lawful to defer administring the Sacrament on the seventh day and to meet again the next day Quest Doth not the change of the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first day abolish the fourth Command Answ In no wise for the Reason of the seventh dayes being taken away and a Reason of the same kind but of a greater degree for the first day of the week being come in the place of it the fourth Command by this means in the scope of it is established 1. The Reason why the seventh day was sanctified was because God rested from the works of Creation but this rest was spoyled by the sin of man and the Lord repented that he had made man and other Creatures cursed for the sin of man Gen. 6. 6 7. consequently the reason for the Sabbath day was taken away 2. A reason of the same kind but of a greater degree for the first day of the week came in the place of the former for Christ had wrought a new Creation by his death 2 Cor. 5. 15 17. and as he is the first born of every Creature by whom all things consist and that by the blood of his Cross he might reconcile all things to himself whether things in Earth or in Heaven 1 Col. 15 16 17. but this of a greater degree for this new Creation is a greater work then the first Creation Christ's work as Redeemer is greater then the work of Creation Eph. 1. 20 21. Rev. 4. 9 10 11. 3. The fourth Command by this means is established in the scope of it for 1. The change of the Sabbath from the seventh day of the week to the first day stands upon the same ground and bottom upon which the seventh day was sanctified namely because of the Lords resting from his works of Creation but behold he resteth from the works of the new Creation and by which a restoration of that which was spoyled by mans sin 2. The change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day doth most admirably attain the end God intended in sanctifying a Sabbath 1. God intended his glory in the works of Creation but by the Christian Sabbath he hath the glory of his works of Creation and Redemption a greater glory then the former 2. God intended the good of man Mark 2. 27 28. 1. In respect of mans body Deut. 5. 14. that it may rest a seventh part of the week this end is as well attained in the first day of the week as on the seventh day 2. In respect of mans Soul Exod. 31. 13. Ezek. 20. 12. that the Soul of man may have a solemn time for the worship of God but to do this in remembrance of the work of Redemption is more for the Soul 's good of man then to do it in remembrance of the work of Creation so the sanctifying of the first day of the week for this end is more for the good of the Soul of man then to sanctifie the seventh day 3. Hence it is no abolishing of the fourth Command but a fulfilling and establishing it as the second Command requireth that the means of worship those only which God appointeth should be observed he instituted to her means of worship to the Jews then now in Gospel times and other means of worship in the Gospel dayes then before Christs coming yet both they and we by virtue of the second Command were required to attend the means of worship and the change of means of worship from that which it was before Gospel times doth not cause any change of the second Command So the fourth Command requireth to sanctifie that Sabbath which God appointeth When God required the seventh day it was to be sanctifyed by virtue of the fourth Command and since he hath required the first day day of the week it ought to be kept by virtue of the fourth Command and yet no change of the fourth Command Will any be so bold to say that God himself could not change the day seeing the Sabbath was appointed for man and the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2. ult Hitherto of love to God next of love to man Quest What is that love to man the Law requireth Answ The Law requireth to love thy Neighbour as thy self for the sake of God and this containeth all the duties of the second Table Math. 22. 39. Jam. 3. 9. Quest What doth the fifth Command require Answ The fifth Command requireth to preserve the honour of thy Neighbour and therefore to behave thy self reverently to Superiours honour being due to them above thy self respectively to equals honour being
extant which of these is most elegible I shall leave unto others to determine I suppose there is no particular Catechism of v. Mr. Philip Nye Beams of former Light which it may be said it is the best for every Family or for every Congregation Nevertheless it must needs be acknowledged that those Models of Divinity whether Catechistically composed or otherwise wherein Scriptural Definitions and Distributions expressing the Sum of the only true Christian Religion are methodically disposed according to the golden Rules of Art have a peculiar excellency and usefulness attending them In this way that great and famous Martyr of France Peter Ramus held forth the light to others After him succeeded the profoundly learned and godly Alexander Richardson of whom Mr. Hooker was wont to say that the Lord would not suffer Richardson to live unto old age or to finish what was in his heart head to doe for the same reason that he would not permit more then three hundred Souldiers to goe with Gideon even lest the English Nation should glory too much in their own strength because such a mighty man was once theirs Mr. Yates his Model of Divinity Catechistically composed a very profitable Book is as to the method definitions distributions wholly Richardsons and a great part of his explications also so far as they are solid and demonstrative A judicious Reader may easily perceive which are Richardsons and which Yates his Notions though in the Book it is not mentioned About the same time the Lord raised up that great Champion Dr. Ames of whom one too truly complaineth that there might be written over his Grave as once over Scipio's Ingrata Patria ne ossa mea quidem habes Mr. Jeanes He in his Medulla Theologiae hath improved Richardsons method and Principles to great advantage And truly I concur with that worthy Divine who said that next to the Bible he esteemed Dr. Ames his Marrow of Divinity as D. Thom. Goodwin the best Book in the world These things considered the Reader may expect and will undoubtedly find that which will be well worth his serious perusal in the following Catechism As for the worthy Author although the Lord hath seen meet to fix his present station not only in a wilderness but in one of the obscurest places therein yet is his praise in the Gospel throughout all the Churches And by what is here presented as well as by other things formerly published it doth appear that the Author is a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed For here is not only Milk for Babes in respect of Principles with much solid dexterity asserted but strong Meat in respect of rational explications and Demonstrations of those Principles that the ablest men who have their senses exercised in discerning things of this nature may be edified Luther did profess himself to be Discipulus Catechismi a Learner of his Catechism all his dayes The work then of a Catechist is not unbecoming or unsuitable to the ablest Teachers And if endeavours of this sort were more diligently attended it would be one good means to prevent Degeneracy in the succeeding Generation Now the Lord bless this faithfull undertaking for that end and grant that the earth may be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Boston 4. m. 23. d. 1679. INCREASE MATHER Q. WHat is Religion A. Religion is a Doctrine of living unto God and consists of two parts Faith and Observance The thing defined is Religion it may be called Divinity as it cometh from God and leadeth to God and to a divine life and some have thought it is called Religion by occasion of mans fall man at first was bound to God but he by his sin loosened himself and by the Rule of Religion he is bound again Religion is a word compounded of re and ligo to bind again Jam. 1. 26. Religion is for if there were no Religion none could be irreligious if no Law then no transgression many seem to be Religious few are indeed Religious Jam. 1. 26 27. Definition it self 1. The general nature and Doctrine Religion may be called an Art as it consists of Precepts breathing the first and truest knowledge by which man is guided to his end but it 's called a Doctrine because none can learn it but those who are taught of God 1. None can learn it by the book of nature for there are some lessons in Religion which are not to be found in the book of Creation namely mans Apostacy and Anastasie how man at first did fall and how he is recovered by Christ and the book of nature is blurred by mans sin the curse is fallen upon the works of Creation and thus this book is darkened 2. This can not be learnt only by humane industry for man by nature is void of spiritual eye-sight Re. 3. 18. hence Religion is called a Doctrine as it is taught of God 1. By giving the Rule from Heaven Deut. 32. 2. 2. By the illumination of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2 13 14. The special nature of Religion appears in the end and proper object of it Of living unto God to live unto God is the most excellent kind of life hence it is an act of the most noble faculty upon the most excellent object in the most excellent manner and therefore hath religion which is the most excellent Rule to lead to this life It is not Reason nor speech nor quantity nor nature can be the proper object of Religion all these have their proper acts and Rules to guide them but it 's goodness it self which is the proper Object and end of Divinity 1. Man was made for God 2. Hence he ought to live unto God 3. Hence he ought to be fitted for this end 4. This is his goodness and to this Religion leads him 1. Tim. 6. 3. 1. Pet. 4. 6. The parts of Religion are Faith and Observance 1. They are parts for they have a common affection to the whole and are distinct one from another he that is Religious hath both these and yet Faith is not observance 2. They are integral parts give being to the whole as Soul and body make up the man so Faith and Observance do make a man truly and sufficiently Religious for to live unto God is the end of Religion and to this is necessary first a principle of life and this is Faith 2. The acting of that Principle in observance towards God 3. Hence Faith and Observance differ in their natures otherwise they could not be parts and in their precepts otherwise they could not differ in their natures and hence the Rule of Faith is not the Rule of observance and hence this Faith is not required in the Law Psal 37. 3. 2 Tim. 1. 13. but concerning this more fully in that which followeth Q. What is Faith A. Faith is the first part of Religion and is a trusting in God for life proceeding from a grounded knowledge
disorder and Communion is by union and union is by the uniting means Qu. What Attributes shine forth in the Apostacy of man Answ The holiness and Justice and yet the mercy of God in gentleness and bounty to fallen man do shine forth in or by occasion of mans Apostacy 1. The holiness of God which is that whereby he cannot approve of any but those who do agree with him to advance him as he is most glorious hence he distasted man and abhorred man Hab. 1. 13. 2. His Justice inclined to give every one his due 1. Remunerative in rewarding him who doth well Rom. 4. 4. 2. Vindictive in punishing him who doth evil Rom. 2. 9. and the degrees of this 1. The Sentence called Judgement 2. The Execution of it Eccl. 8. 11. the degrees of this first if more mild called anger if more sharp called wrath and fury Deut. 29. 23. 3. His mercy inclined to succour the undeserving hence first gentleness inclined to spare a sinner in bearing called patience if long his long sufferance 2 Chron. 11. 36. 15 16. 2. His bounty inclined to afford supplies to the undeserving Rom. 2. 4. Man suffers Gods displeasure for sin but this man through his weakness can not bear and therefore breaks under it and cannot satisfy and therefore it is just he should alwayes suffer Quest What is the Anastacy of Man Answ The Anastacy of man is that whereby the mercy of God recovereth some sinners out of a state of sin death into a state of grace and life by the redemption of the Son of God whose work it is to reconcile God and man as he is Priest and man to God as he is a Prophet and King and by his Spirit sent to apply this Redemption 1. The Anastacy of man is his recovery out of a state of sin and death into a state of grace and life Eph. 2. 1. 2. This proceeds from the mercy of God whereby he is inclined to succour the miserable and the undeserving and therefore this is done for his own Names sake Isai 43. 25. The parts of this are Redemption Application 1. Redemption which is a payment of a just price to divine Justice and thereby satisfaction 1. God governs man as he is a reasonable creature 2. Hence according to Justice 3. Hence if man had obeyed he should have been rewarded with life but he having disobeyed he cannot live without just satisfaction made Rom. 5. 17. Concerning Redemption we may consider the person and his work 1. The person who is the Redeemer the Son of God 1. God and man at variance the Father in special the person offended man by his sin having made a breach upon the work of Creation in which work the Fathers manner of working did shine forth as we heard in the Efficiency of God hence it was not meet for him to mediate 2. This work is propounded to the Son of God and he accepts it and his manner of working doth especially shine forth in this who is the second divine person and this is the second great work and he worketh from the Father by the Spirit 1 Tim. 2. 6. Acts 4. 12. 2. His first work to reconcile God to man as a Priest Heb. 2. 17. 2. To reconcile man to God first as a Prophet making known the way of life Luk. 4. 18. 2. As a King dispensing life with a Kingly Authority Psal 110. 1 2 3. And by his Spirit sent to apply this Redemption Joh. 16. 8 9 10 11. but of this afterwards The first being the Sufficiency the second the Efficiency of mans Anastacy or recovery Quest What in the first place ought to be considered concerning this work Answ We ought in the first place to consider the fitness of Christ to be a Redeemer for his two natures being personally united and yet remain the same in Essence and Essential properties and he was anointed that is called and furnished to this great work of Redemption To the performing of the work of a Redeemer we may consider first a fitness of Christ to redeem 2. The parts of Redemption First of his fitness to redeem appearing in his Incarnation and Vnction First his Incarnation the Son of God was made man in all things sin only excepted and the manner of his Subsistence 1. He was like to us Phil. 2. 7. 2. in all things Heb. 2. 17. 3. except sin he was without sin Heb. 4. 15. and the manner of the Subsistence of his humane nature for that subsists in his divine person in which we may consider the union of his natures and their Communion 1. Their union which is that whereby the Son of God assumed a humane nature to subsist inseperably in his own person 1. The person assuming was the Son of God Gal. 4. 4. hence it was God assumed a humane nature and yet not as God for then all the three persons had assumed 2. But the Son of God assumed mediately by his person 2. That which is assumed is a humane nature Soul and body hence 1. a twofold understanding Mark 13. 32. 2. A twofold will divine and humane accompanied with a natural desire of his safety Math. 26. 39. 3. And a twofold presence Omnipresent as God but not so as man 3. The assumption it self his humane nature did not subsist by its self for then it had been a person and then two persons mediating but there is but one Mediator â— Tim. 2. 5. 2. His humane nature subsisted in his person 1. It was sustained by it from the beginning of its Being and thus was related to the divine nature as an Effect or an Adjunct 2. It was filled with the divine nature Col. 2. 9. and thus the divine nature had a twofold respect of Subsistence one in the Godhead as he was the second person this was from Eternity another in the humane nature in time and yet but one Subsistence for this works no change in the divine nature only a relation is added to it 3. Subsisteth in it inseperably for if this union had been broken then no Mediator not God-man in one person hence when Soul and body were severed yet the divine nature preserved its union to both of them Acts 2. 31. 4. Hence assuming was no act of Christs Humiliation for 1. It was an act of his divine person and that cannot suffer 2. If it were an act of Humiliation it should be laid aside in the state of his Exaltation then the union of Christs natures should cease in heaven but this cannot be Thus of the union Next of the Communion of Christs natures only we must remember 1. Their Communion 2. But no Confusion 1. Their Communion which is personal for such is their union 1. Hence they co-operate to the same effect if the divine nature doth effect that to which the humane nature doth not concur then no work of God-man if the humane nature did that in which the divine did not concur then no act of the
heart 2. Cor. 4. 13. Rom. 6. 17. 2. Causeth the soul to come to Christ Cant. 1. 4. for life Joh. 5. 40. 3. And is joyned to Christ as its spiritual head Eph. 1. 22. and this is internal and mystical none knows but he that hath it Rev. 2. 17. Quest In what manner doth the Spirit work Faith Answ The Spirit doth work Faith by an unresistible power he prepareth the heart by making it contrite and humble and then infuseth Faith Concerning the working of Faith consider who worketh it and how 1. Who worketh it It is wrought by the unresistible power of the Spirit 1. Those who are dead cannot of themselves move so are all by nature Eph. 2. 1. 2. By nature a meer resistance against the Spirit Acts 7. 51. 3. Hence the Soul at first is passive in this work moves as moved 4. The power at first put forth by the Spirit is exceeding great more then at Creation for then as there was nothing so there was no resistance but here is not a meer emptiness and nothingness but worse a Spirit of resistance against the work of Faith Eph. 1. 19. 2. How he worketh it by preparation and infusion 1. Preparation before the infusion of Faith 1. So long as there is a resisting there can be no receiving consent and dissent cannot be in the same Subject in the same part respect and time 2. But to resist and not be subject is natural Rom. 8. 7. 3. Hence the power of resistance must be taken away before an infusion of Faith a turning from sin and self before there can be a turning unto Christ This preparation is in contrition and humiliation 1. Contrition Quest What is Contrition Answ Contrition is that whereby a sinner being convinced of the evil of sin and feeling the bitterness of it is broken under the burthen of it and broken off from the same with a hatred sorrow abomination and fear of sin as the greatest evil Contrition consists of conviction and compunction 1. Conviction whereby a sinner is convicted of the evil of sin Ioh. 16. 8. Ier. 2. 19. 2. Compunction a pricking of the heart letting in a sense of the bitterness of sin into the heart Act. 6. 37. Zach. 12. 10. The effect of this brokenness of heart 1. Vnder the burden of sin as too heavy to bear 2. And off from sin as a most detestable soe and this appears 1 In respect of sins past and present 1. Hatred 2. Sorrow 3. Abomination 2 Cor. 7. 11. 2 In respect of the future a fear Psal 51. 17. Quest What is Humiliation Answ Humiliation is that whereby a sinner despairing of life in himself and of any ability of himself to go to Christ is content to be at the dispose of God and is brought down to the foot of God hence is poor in spirit and is cut off from self confidence and self-soveraignty 1. Humiliation is that whereby a sinner despaireth of life in himself for he sees himself to be naked and miserable Rev. 3. 17 18. 2. And of any ability in himself to goe to Christ that he is blind maimed and halt Luk. 14. 21. 3. Hence is content to be at the foot of God at the Lords dispose Act. 9. 6. Isa 41. 2. hence poor in spirit Mat. 5. 3. And thus is cut from self-confidence and self-severaignty 1. From self-confidence he feels its in vain for him to lean upon any thing that he hath or can doe 2. From self-soveraignty for he is weary of the yoke of sin and he cannot rule himself he is weary of himself and heavy laden Ioh. 7 20. Mat 11. 28 29. Quest What is the infusion of Faith Answ The infusion of Faith is the pouring into the heart a spirit of faith whereby the soul is affected toward Christ as a giver of life and by means of the covenant of grace cometh to Christ for life and is joyned to him as its head 1. This infusion of Faith is the pouring into the heart a spirit of Faith a disposition or spirit to believe 2. Cor. 4. 13. Hence followeth 1. The heart is affected towards Christ as the giver of life Iohn 4. 10. 2. Comes to Christ for life Ioh. 6. 37. and this is by means of the covenant of grace which containeth the promise of life to believers The Law is a means remotely to prepare for saith but the Gospel nextly as it contains the covenant of grace Gal. 3. 2. 3. And thus the soul is joyned to Christ as its head 1. Christ propounds himself as a most suitable husband and Match for the soul 2 The soul consenteth 3. By consent is joyned to Christ 1 Cor. 11. 2. Revel 22. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 17. But con 〈…〉 ing the salvation of Infants we may consider 1. Some Infants are saved otherwise all that dye in their infancy are destroyed which would be a cruel conceit Mar. 10. 15. 2. All that are saved must be saved by Christ if one might be saved without Christ then not needfull for any one whomesoever 3. All who are saved by Christ must be saved by union to Christ otherwise cannot have communion with him 4. This union to Christ must be by faith for there is no other union to Christ revealed in the Gospel 5. This Faith is wrought either mediately by means of the Gospel revealing the Covenant of grace or immediately without this Gospel revelation but those Infants whom Christ saveth are not capable of hearing and understanding the Gospel preached and yet let it not be hard for us to believe they may be saved 1. If the first Adam could convey of his sinful image to his Seed surely the second Adam the Lord Jesus can communicate of his image 2. Have Infants a union to the first Adam by natural generation or propagation and shall not some Infants have union to the second Adam in the way of regeneration surely Christ hath as much power to save Infants as Adam had to destroy them Rom. 5. 20. Qu. What is Communion with Christ mystically considered Answ Communion with Christ is that whereby Christ doth communicate unto a believer a state of life and makes him partaker of life it self and thus hath communion with Christ not only relatively in Justification and Adoption but by real communication in sanctification and glorification 1. A believer having union to Christ hath communion with Christ Eph. 1. 3. Rom. 8. 32. 2. Hence communion 1. In respect of the state of life 2. In life itself and thus is translated from death to life 1 Joh. 3. 14. The first is communion relatively in Justification Adoption 1. He that was condemned is now absolved in Justification 2. He that was a stranger from God yea an Enemy is become a friend yea a child of God in Adoption The second is communion by way of real communication and as the former respects condition so this respects disposition And this is in sanctification and glorification 1. He that was filthy