A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 2 · Chapter 4 · Section 2 (3 of 3)

A Discourse of the Two Covenants · Book 2 · Chapter 4 · Section 2 (3 of 3)

p. 233(2) The matter of the viſible Church muſt be ſuitable to the ends for which the Lord has inſtituted ſuch Churches: for every wiſe man does chuſe materials ſuitable to the work in which he intends to uſe them; as in the Tabernacle there was gold and ſilver, and there was purple and blue, each anſwerable to the end in which it was to be uſed: now there is a double end why the Lord has inſtituted viſible Churches. [1] That they may be a pillar of truth to hold forth his word and to hold up his worſhip, 1 Tim. 3.15. [2] That they may be a people amongſt whom the Lord may dwell; and therefore the Church is called the Houſe of God; and he will dwell in them, and walk amongſt them, 2 Cor. 6.16. The tabernacle of the Lord is with men, Rev. 21. the name of the city is Jehovah ſhammah, the Lord is there. Now if men profeſs, and yet be ignorant, they cannot hold forth the truth, and if they be profane, they will never hold up the worſhip of God, and if they are wicked, the Lord will depart from them, and will not dwell among them.

(3) It will appear alſo from the nature of the Ordinance of Excommunication; which is to paſs upon none but thoſe within, 2 Theſſ. 3.6.2 Thess 3:6if a brother, &c. and it was the honour of the Church of Epheſus, that they looked upon them that were evil, as burdens, and could not bear them. Now if a profeſſion with a ſcandalous converſation will not keep a man in, when he is in, ſurely it is no good ground to let a man in when he is without; if ſuch ought to be ſeparated from the Church being admitted, ſurely if they be without they are not to be admitted; and I do think it ſtrange, that men ſhould ſpeak of it as a great ſin that profane perſons in the Church ſhould be tolerated, and yet ſhould plead for a promiſcuous admiſſion upon a bare profeſſion only, though their whole converſation ſpeak the contrary. Truly unleſs we make Churches and Church-members to be only notions and empty things, we ought, I conceive, to make conſcience of our admiſſions as well as ejections: and ſurely if that were done, there would be leſs need of Excommunications, and yet a greater purity in our Churches preſerved, and be for ought I know the beſt bottom of our reformation.

4. I muſt here repeat what has been already delivered, viz. that it is the immediate parents only that give federal right to their children. 1. Some conſiderations were premiſed, namely that admiſſion of members is an act of the Keys, and the great truſt the Lord has committed unto them, and therefore they are to proceed by rule therein. And that to adminiſter Sacraments is not an act of Chriſtian liberty, that a Miniſter may diſpenſe to whom he will, but an act of power, which Chriſt has given to them that are called to the Miniſtry of the Word; and they are to diſpenſe them to none but unto thoſe whoſe priviledges they are; and that as great care is to be taken in the adminiſtration of one Sacrament, that it be not done promiſcuouſly, as of the other. Whence we proceed to prove our poſition: (1) I find in Scripture, that when the immediate parents were taken into covenant, the children were taken in with them, how wicked ſoever their Anceſtors were, as Abraham's, &c. and when the immediate parents were caſt out, the child was caſt out with them, how holy ſoever their Anceſtors had been, as we inſtanced in the Jews; therefore admiſſion is with the immediate parents as well as ejection. (2) From that place, 1 Cor. 7.14. Elſe were your children unclean, the Apoſtle ſpeaks it as knowing no other way of their federal ſanctification, neither will that take it away to ſay, becauſe their Anceſtors were Heathen, for there is but one way of ſanctifying Heathens by profeſſion, and thoſe that are as Heathens in their converſation. (3) There is no ſtop; if a federal right from Anceſtors will not wear out, how ſhall a man know where to ſtay? and if it muſt be thought to reach to all their ſucceeding generations, then we muſt baptize all mankind; therefore there is no certainty, unleſs we pitch here. (4) Sacraments are to be adminiſtred only unto Church-members, and if parents have no right to memberſhip they can convey none; but it was not enough to make a member to be baptized, and to make profeſſion of the Chriſtian Faith in a Chriſtian Church, and therefore being himſelf no member, he cannot convey a right of memberſhip. (5) From the inconveniences that muſt needs follow upon it. 1. The Ordinance is profaned by promiſcuous adminiſtrations. 2. Miniſters are put to act upon uncertainties. 3. Wicked men are hardned and incouraged that cry, The Temple of the Lord are we, and all the Lords people are holy, which formerly I am ſure many of our Divines bitterly complained of. (6) I was much the more led into it, becauſe of many things that I have met with in the Writings both of ancient and modern Divines to that purpoſe, ſome of which were quoted, and there are many more that might be added, but it's not fit for a Pulpit and a popular Auditory, this being, as you know, not a Doctrine of my fetching in, but that which Providence in the courſe of my Miniſtry did put me upon; I confeſs I durſt not wave it, though in my own inclination I could willingly have done it; neither was it out of a deſire of novelty to be the Broacher of ſome new Doctrine or Opinion amongſt you, God is my witneſs; I know nihil novandum niſi quod traditum; yet conceiving it after my beſt examination to be a truth of God, for I did deſire to believe before I ſpake, I could not but ſpeak what I apprehended to be the mind of God therein; I ſhould not deſire to obtrude any thing upon you without examination, if it be upon tryal but hay and ſtubble, I ſhall be content that it ſhall burn; but if it be a truth of God, it will abide the tryal; and though ſuch a truth as this is may receive ſome prejudice by the weakneſs of the inſtrument, yet if it be a truth the Lord p. 234Jeſus will certainly raiſe up ſuch inſtruments as ſhall be able to carry it through againſt all oppoſition.

I come now to anſwer the former Objection. I do acknowledge that there is no way for the Gentiles to come under Abrahams covenant but by faith; they cannot claim a title from Abraham begetting, that belongs to the Jews only, who are therefore called by the Apoſtle the natural Branches,Rom. 11.24.Rom 11:24 and the Gentiles are ſaid to be ingrafted contrary unto nature, and therefore the Gentiles can claim no intereſt in Abrahams covenant but from believing Abraham; and yet I deny that the faith which ſhall give a man any kind of right or title muſt be true, ſaving, and juſtifying faith.

And to clear this, I muſt give you a threefold diſtinction: 1. Of Abraham as a father; and it's plain, that the Scripture ſpeaks of a threefold paternity of Abraham. (1) Abraham is a natural father, and ſo to the Jews only; for they are his poſterity according to the fleſh, the natural branches that grow out of this root; and this is the paternity that the Jews did glory in: We have Abraham to our father. Mat. 3.9. Joh. 8.39.Matt 3:9John 8:39(2) Abraham is a ſpiritual father unto all true Believers, who walk in the ſteps of the faith of Abraham, whether they be of the Jews, or of the Gentiles, and they ſhall be bleſſed with faithful Abraham; Rom. 4.11, 12.Rom 4:11Rom 4:12for which cauſe I ſuppoſe it is, that Heaven is called Abrahams boſom, Luk. 16.22.Luke 16:22Luk. 16.22. Abraham being the father of all the Faithful, they ſhall be received into the ſame happineſs with himſelf, and he will ſhew unto them ſpecial love and tenderneſs, Infantes in parentum ſinu geſtati amorem & benevolentiam intimam experiuntur; and ſo to be gathered to the Saints, our fathers, is a ſpecial mercy, becauſe we ſhall have an experience of the higheſt love of the Saints; even Abraham himſelf, the father of us all will owne us for his ſons, and receive us into his boſom. Others take it as a Metaphor from the cuſtom of the Jews in conviviis, in their feaſts, where they did alter in alterius ſinu occumbere, lye down one in the others boſom, Joh. 13.23. anſwerable unto that, Mat. 8.11. They ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, Joh. 13.23. Mat. 8.11.John 13:23Matt 8:11and Jacob in the kingdom of God; which doth very fitly ſuit unto the Parable in hand; Lazarus ſtands at the door of the rich man, and was not admitted to taſte of his meat, much leſs to ſit down at his table; but he ſhall ſit down in Heaven at the ſupper of the Lamb with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, he ſhall there lean upon Abrahams boſom. (3) Abraham is alſo an Eccleſiaſtical or a Church-father; Rom. 11.16.Rom 11:16as it appears Rom 11.16. he is the root upon which the Churches of the Jews did grow, and into which the Churches of the Gentiles are ingrafted: many of the Jews were not ſpiritually his ſeed, and yet they are ſaid to be broken off, not from being Abrahams natural ſeed, that they could never be deprived of, they were the poſterity of Abraham according to the fleſh, and ſo they do remain even after their breaking off; but they are only broken off from a Church-relation, and ſo they are the ſeed of Abraham no more: and the Gentiles are grafted, not into Abraham as a natural father, a natural root; for they never can be the poſterity of Abraham according to nature, and many of them are not from him as a ſpiritual father; for many of them believe not, and therefore are in danger of being cut off, as the Jews were broken off; whence they grow upon Abraham, and are ingrafted into him as an Eccleſiaſtical or Church-father. So then the anſwer is, there is not a ſufficient enumeration of Abrahams paternities. It's confeſſed, the Gentiles cannot become the poſterity of Abraham as a natural father, or as a ſpiritual father, for ſo many of the Gentiles are not of the ſeed of Abraham, as do not walk in the ſteps of his faith; but yet Abraham is an Eccleſiaſtical father unto the Gentiles, as well as he was to the Jews that believed not; for the Gentiles are ingrafted into the ſame root, out of which the natural branches were broken off, which cannot be ſpoken of his faith and grace that's never broken off, therefore it is of his Eccleſiaſtical or Church reſpect it muſt be meant.

2. In the Covenant of Abraham there are two parts, the one ſpiritual, conſiſting in the inward graces and priviledges; the other external, conſiſting in outward priviledges only; and this doth plainly appear in Iſaac, who was the child of the free woman, and unto whom the Covenant deſcended according to the ſpiritual graces and priviledges thereof; and in Iſmael, who was the ſon of the bond-woman, born after the fleſh, and taken into covenant only in reference to the external priviledges thereof:Deut. 29.10, 12, 13, 14. Rom. 9.4.Deut 29:10Deut 29:12Deut 29:13Deut 29:14Rom 9:4 and thus were all the Jews taken into covenant with God, as it appears, Ezech. 16.8. and yet with many of them God was not well pleaſed, they never had an intereſt in the ſaving graces and the ſpiritual priviledges of the Covenant; for Rom. 9.6. They are not all Iſrael that are of Iſrael, they were all inchurch'd Iſrael, but they were not all of elected Iſrael: for as there is an external calling, Mat. 22.14. and ſanctification,Mat. 22.14. Joh. 15.2.Matt 22:14John 15:2 Heb. 10.29. and an external being in Chriſt; ſo there is alſo an external being in Covenant with God, or being taken into the Covenant of Abraham; for Abraham is the root of the Covenant, into which the Gentiles alſo are ingrafted, Rom. 11.17. there is a fatneſs that is from the Olive-tree communicated to the branches, even to ſuch branches as were broken off, in whoſe places the Gentiles were grafted in: Now the ſaving graces of the Covenant are not communicated from any Company of men in the world, no not from the inviſible Church, but from Chriſt only; who is therefore ſaid to be the Root of David, Rev. 22.16. and the fountain of the Gardens; Cant. 3.15.Song 3:15but Ordinances and outward Priviledges are properly the Churches, and from the Church are communicated to others, as members, whether they be elect or reprobate: the Gentiles therefore may have an intereſt in Abrahams Covenant in reference to the outward Priviledges and Ordinances thereof, though they have no intereſt in it in reſpect of the ſpiritual priviledges and ſaving Graces of the ſame Covenant.

3. There's a two-fold Faith that the Scripture ſpeaks of; there is true and ſaving, juſtifying faith, which is call'd the Faith of Gods Elect, and there is a temporary faith, or a faith which is in profeſſion only, Math. 13. Heb. 6.4. Act. 8.Matt 13Heb 6:4Acts 8and not in truth, as we ſee in the ſtony ground, and the temporary Believers and in Simon Magus: and as it's true ſaving faith that doth give a man an intereſt in the graces of the Covenant, and makes a man Abrahams ſeed in reference unto grace; ſo there is a viſible faith, a profeſſion only, that which only men are able to judge of, to whom the power of the Keys for the diſpenſing of Ordinances are committed; and this gives a man a title to the viſible and external Priviledges of the Covenant in for… Eccleſiae: as we ſee Simon Magus profeſſion of Faith was ground enough for the Apoſtles to adminiſter Baptiſm unto him, the Seal of the Covenant, though afterwards he did quickly manifeſt that he was in the gall of bitterneſs and bond of iniquity. Though therefore the Gentiles can never claim Abrahams Covenant as his ſeed according to the fleſh, nor many of them a ſpiritual right, as not having the ſaving faith of Abraham; yet they may claim relation to Abraham as an Eccleſiaſtical father; and from a profeſſion of the faith of Abraham, may claim a true and a real intereſt in the external priviledges of Abrahams Covenant; though they cannot pretend to his ſaving Graces, and ſpiritual priviledges, having never had any experience of a work of Converſion and Regeneration.

Queſt. 8 §. 8. Why will the Lord have the Covenant run by way of entail, in reference to the outward Priviledges of it, and not in reference to the inward Graces of it? The Covenant that was made with Adam was to convey the one as well as the other, and the image that he had received he was to convey to his Poſterity, and the promiſe of Life ſpiritual and Life eternal, was made unto his Poſterity in caſe of their Obedience, as well as unto himſelf; and therefore as all dyed in him, ſo all ſhould have lived in him; Nos omnes in Adam… peccavimus & in eo ſententiam damnationis accepimus omnes. Bern. S. 1. de Advent. So that by the firſt Covenant, Adam might have conveyed not only outward Priviledges, but inward Graces alſo: and whereas now by reaſon of the fall, all Mankind do convey death to their Children,Tertul. but not life, and ſo they are become, non tàm parentes quàm peremptores; not ſo much parents as deſtroyers; therefore ſeeing that the firſt Covenant is broken, why doth not the Lord only take the Elect into Covenant, and extend the Covenant of Grace unto none elſe, and ſo make it with particular perſons, as the Covenant of the Angels did run? or if he will make it to deſcend from Father to Son, why doth he not convey the Graces of the Covenant from Parents to Poſterity, as well as the outward priviledges of the Covenant? Why does not the Covenant run for all the Benefits of it, as well as for ſome only, the internals of the Covenant as well as the externals?

Anſw. 1. The Lord will not have the Graces of the Covenant entail'd from Parents unto Poſterity; (1) Becauſe the Curſe of the firſt Covenant is now become ex traduce, by propagation, and all the Poſterity of Adam do now as naturally convey the Curſe, by reaſon of their broken Covenant, as Adam ſhould have conveyed life and bleſſing, if he had ſtood in his integrity; and therefore whatever the immediate Parents be, Adams ſin comes alike upon all whether they be godly or wicked; and the child of a godly Parent is as truly and as deeply guilty of the ſin of Adam in his birth, as the child of the moſt wicked man that is; that is an entail left upon all mankind that can never be cut off, while there is a man born upon earth;Rom. 5.12.Rom 5:12 for in Adam all dye, becauſe in him all ſinn'd; and therefore the children of godly Parents as well as others are born the children of wrath; Gregor.ſo that Timothy, though there was faith unfeigned that dwelt in his Grandmother, and his Mother, yet he himſelf muſt be converted by the miniſtry of Paul, or elſe he had no benefit by the faith of his Anceſtors;Rom. 3.29.Rom 3:29 and thence the Apoſtle ſaith, We look upon the Jews as a people holy unto the Lord, and the only viſible Church upon earth, and the Gentiles as ſtrangers unto God, who follow'd dumb Idols as they were led, and yet in reference to their natural condition the Apoſtle ſays, there is no difference, for all men have ſinn'd and come ſhort of the glory of God; and therefore all in their births are alike corrupted with the ſin of Adam, that being imputed, but the perſonal ſins of their Parents are not imputed p. 235unto them, and therefore they are ſaid, Joh. 1.13. to be born not of blood, that is,Joh. 1.13.John 1:13 not by a fleſhly generation, ſo ſome; or elſe, as Calvin, it is bloods, ut longam generis ſucceſſionem melius exprimeret; though Grace has continued long in that line, and has as it were run in a blood, and comes upon a man by ſucceſſion as it were for many generations, as it was with Timothy, &c. nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man; Idem ſignificat, &c. If the parents be godly, and they never ſo earneſtly deſire that their children might be godly alſo, as it was Abrahams deſire for Iſmael that he might live in Gods ſight, it was ſpoken of living before God as in Covenant with him, as it appears by the anſwer that the Lord returns unto him; but yet for all that, his deſire is not granted as concerning him; though, he ſaith, I will make of Iſmael a great nation, and many nations ſhall come from him, yet in Iſaac ſhall thy covenant-ſeed be called; and with him will I eſtabliſh my Covenant, &c. therefore the Covenant, in reſpect of the grace of it, can never be entailed upon poſterity, becauſe every man begets a ſon in the likeneſs of the firſt Adam, as he himſelf did immediately after his fall, Gen. 5.3. and thereby conveyed the image that by ſin he had brought upon himſelf and his poſterity.

(2) Becauſe under the ſecond Covenant it's the Election of God that takes place, and puts all the difference between men and men, between whom in themſelves there is no difference. It's true, that it's a great diſpute, Whether the Lord in Election did conſider man in maſſa pura, or corrupta, and I conceive it was an act of Soveraignty, and therefore God reſpected ma… in maſſa pura, as a creature, and not in maſſa corrupta, as a ſinner; as the potter hath power over the clay of the ſame lump to make one veſſel to honour, and another to diſhonour, Rom. 9. yet this Decree could not actually take place without ſin had come between; and now ſin has interpoſed, there are ſome that belong to the Election of Grace, and they are choſen out by vocation, which is nothing elſe but electio actuata, election actuated, and the eternal Decree of God doth exempt them from the common condition of the reſt of the world, as we ſee Rom. 9. there the Jews are caſt off, and they are all in one outward condition, but the difference lies in this, there is a remnant according to the Election of Grace, and the Election does obtain, when the reſt are hardned; and therefore we are ſaid to be born of the will of God, in oppoſition unto all things in nature whatſoever,Rom. 11. Joh. 1.13. Rom. 8.29.Rom 11John 1:13Rom 8:29 for vocation is the firſt-born of Election: Of his own will he begate us by the word of truth, &c. The generation of Chriſt was an act of his nature, and therefore neceſſary, but the generation of Saints is an act of the will of God, and therefore free; it's wholly to the praiſe of the glory of his grace; and this his will is manifeſted in this,Eph. 1.11.Eph 1:11 That he did from all Eternity elect ſome, and reject others, according to the counſel of his own will. Now that the Lord may make it manifeſt that it's an act of free grace, therefore he will ſometimes reject the children of the Kingdom, as the Jews are called, men born in the Church,Mat. 8.Matt 8 and unto whom the Kingdom of Chriſt did ſeem by a natural right to belong, and to deſcend unto them; and he will ſend forth and call men from the Eaſt and from the Weſt to ſit down with Abraham and Iſaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God; he will caſt off the bidden gueſts, and will ſend out to the high ways and hedges, and compel men to come in, that he may manifeſt that you are begotten of his own will for the praiſe of his grace.

(3) Becauſe ſince the Fall the Lord has appointed another way to convey life unto his people, and that is not by generation from the firſt Adam, but by regeneration from a ſecond Adam; and therefore the Lord will ſurely honour his own way, and he will not convey the grace of the Covenant from parents unto their poſterity, but from him only who is the ſecond Adam, and is therefore called the everlaſting Father,Eſa. 9.6.Isa 9:6 Eſa. 9.6. foreign, as the Septuagint renders it, that is, as the Apoſtle ſays, He hath ſubjected to him the world to come, Heb. 2.5. ſo he is made the father of the world to come,Heb. 2.5.Heb 2:5 and all the Saints that come thence ſhall acknowledge that they all hold of him as a father, as it is ſaid Pſal. 87.4, 5. of the Ordinances of Sion, Pſal. 87.4, 5.Ps 87:4Ps 87:5I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me, Philiſtia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: this man was born there; and of Zion it ſhall be ſaid, this and that man was born in her; that is, that what Nation or Kingdom ſoever any of the Saints were in, they may for their firſt birth mention Egypt and Babylon, but for their ſecond, their new birth, they ſhall know and acknowledge that it was in Sion, and by the mighty work of God in the Ordinances therein; ſo I may ſay of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that whomſoever they may call father on earth, whether within or without the Kingdom, yet they ſhall all owne the Lord Chriſt as their Father in reference unto their eternal ſtates, and in reference unto the world to come; and therefore he is ſaid to be foreign, non ſolùm Spiritus vivus, but alſo vivificus, not only a living Spirit, but a quickning Spirit, a Spirit that makes us alive alſo; for Joh. 14.19. he ſays, Becauſe I live, you ſhall live; and the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, The laſt Adam was made a quickning Spirit, 1 Cor. 15. Bernard▪1 Cor 15and Rev. 22.16. he is ſaid to be the Root of David, and he is therefore ſaid to be the Fountain of the gardens, Cant. 3.15. it is from hence that all flouriſhes; therefore grace ſhall not be entailed upon poſterity, but, as the Father quickens whom he will, ſo alſo the Son ſhall have life in him, and power of quickning whom he will. Upon theſe grounds it is, that the ſpiritual and the ſaving graces of the Covenant are not conveyed from parents unto their children by a lineal deſcent, but the Covenant, in reference to grace from the parents is wholly made void; and as God many times has a ſeed of grace running through the loyns of the wicked, ſo he does many times caſt off the children of the Saints; and as he ſaid of Iſmael, But my covenant will I eſtabliſh with Iſaac; Gen. 17.21.Gen 17:21ſo God ſaith of Believers children, that he will not eſtabliſh his Covenant with them as to inward grace.

2. Yet the Lord will continue the Covenant from parents to children by a kind of lineal deſcent in reference to the external priviledges of the Covenant, and they ſhall be conveyed from parents unto the children, who ſhall have a Covenant-right as the parents priviledge: and the grounds of it are theſe.

(1) Becauſe the Lord will have a viſible Church out of the loyns of his own people; therefore when he takes in their parents into a Church-covenant, he takes in alſo their children; they are the children of the kingdom, becauſe they are the children of the Covenant that God made with their parents. He doth indeed take in as Proſelytes, ſome here, and ſome there; but the viſible Church is chiefly and generally made up of ſuch confederate parents and their children: and to make a viſible Church there is required outward ordinances and priviledges, that there may be a difference put between them and the reſt of the world,Exod. 19.5.Exod 19:5 that they may be unto God a holy and a peculiar people; and this may be where the graces of the Covenant are not diſpenſed, yet the priviledges of the Covenant muſt. It's true, there are tares among the wheat in the ſame field, and there are goats feeding amongſt the ſheep in the ſame paſture; it's not grace (as you heard) makes a man a viſible member of the Church viſible, for it cannot be ſeen, it cannot properly come under any humane judgment; but it's grace makes a man a member of the inviſible Church into which Chriſt only admits, and that which Chriſt only judges, and not man.

(2) The Covenant is entailed in reference to the priviledges thereof, that the Lord might magnifie and exalt his love unto parents the more; and that it might be a great inducement to come into Covenant with God, becauſe the promiſe ſhall be unto you and your children, even unto them that are afar off, or as many as the Lord ſhall call; not only to the Jews and their children, but alſo to the Gentiles, for that is meant by afar off, Eph. 2.17. all that ſhall be converted and take hold of the Covenant for themſelves, their poſterity ſhall be taken into their Covenant-right alſo, and that's the inducement and the argument uſed Act. 2.39. The great plague of ſin lies in this, that a man does not only undo himſelf, but his poſterity, as it was in Adam; and the great comfort in grace is, that a man ſhall do good to his poſterity, as it was promiſed to Chriſt, Pſal. 89.29. filiabitur nomen ejus, his name ſhall be continued amongst his poſterity in the Church. Now for God to give a man a name in his poſterity to owne them, it's a great mercy, to ſpeak of a mans houſe a great while for to come: and it's exceedingly heightned by this; Adams ſin was imputed to his poſterity, as well as his grace; now the priviledges of the Fathers Covenant ſhall be entailed, but the ſins of the parents are perſonal, and ſhall never be imputed unto the children. It's true, that the ſin of Adam is imputed, but the ſin of the immediate parents is not imputed unto the children; and though God doth viſit the iniquity of the parents upon the children, yet it is as true, that the children do not bear the iniquities of the fathers; ſo that the fathers priviledges are the childrens, but the fathers ſins are his own; for every man now ſins as a private perſon for himſelf, not as a publick perſon, as a repreſentative head, as Adam did for himſelf and his poſterity.

(3) The Lord would engage their children to himſelf above all the Families and Poſterities of the Earth,Ezech. 16.Ezek 16 and therefore he calls them the children born unto him; thou haſt taken my ſons and my daughters that thou haſt born to me; and they ſhall have the Priviledge that none upon Earth have, that thereby they may be engaged to God; and if they be wicked, they may be the more left without excuſe: as Nazianzen ſays, in Orat. 40. foreign they are perſons given up and dedicated to God in their infancy, and from the womb, there is written upon them holineſs to the Lord; and if outward and temporal mercies be ſuch great Obligations upon the Soul, what are ſpiritual and Church-mercies? and therefore the condemnation of the children of the Kingdom ſhall be greater than of the children of this world, becauſe their mercies and priviledges and opportunities are greater; the Lord would bind them unto himſelf by higher cords of love, than he does the reſt of the world; he does make the Sun to ſhine, and the rain to fall upon other men, filling their hearts with food and gladneſs. There are temporal mercies that God diſpenſes to all men, but they are not like unto the mercies p. 236of ſpiritual and Church-priviledges, that's beyond what other men injoy, the Lord would bind them that are his Covenant-people unto himſelf by this cord, beyond the reſt of the world.

(4) To ſhew forth the goodneſs and overflowing mercy of Chriſt, under the ſecond Covenant, unto unregenerate men, who for the ſtate of their perſons are under the Covenant of Works, and are enemies unto the Covenant of Grace, and yet they ſhall injoy many priviledges and benefits thereby; and this the Lord does beſtow upon them either as preparatives and as means to fit them for ſervices, or as priviledges and rewards of ſervices; for all the creatures are now given into the hands of Chriſt, and all men in the Church belong to him; they all come under him either as ſervants or as ſons; they that are ſons partake in the graces of the Covenant, but the ſervants alſo partake in the priviledges of it, for they abide in the houſe, though not for ever, and while they are in the houſe they have bread enough and to ſpare, they partake of the root and fatneſs of the good Olive-tree; they have Church-ordinances that fit them for ſervice, and they receive Church priviledges as temporal rewards of ſervice.

(5) For the Elects ſake; there are ſome upon whom the grace of the Covenant is beſtowed, and unto whom the Priviledges of the Covenant do chiefly belong, and they are the Elect of God; but becauſe they are bound up in the ſame bundle with the reſt of mankind, and men cannot diſtinguiſh, for it is electing Love that puts the difference; therefore as Ordinances are continued unto all for the Elects ſake, ſo Priviledges are beſtowed upon all; but the primary intention of them is for the Saints, the Elect of God, that they might partake in them for whom they were ſpecially purchaſed and intended. As the preaching of the Goſpel was primarily intended for the Elect of God, that they might partake in it, and for the gathering in of Souls unto him; but becauſe the Elect of God are amongſt the wicked of the world, therefore if men be to diſpenſe Ordinances, they muſt do it in common, and wait upon God in the uſe of them, and the grace of God will fall upon the Elect unto Converſion; and ſo it does accidentally come upon ungodly men; but primarily and intentionally, it is given only for the Elects ſake; as appears by this, that when the Lord has finiſhed and gather'd in the number of the Elect, he will continue Ordinances and Church-priviledges unto unregenerate men no longer; therefore as Ordinances being diſpenſed by men, muſt be in common for the Elects ſake, ſo muſt priviledges diſpenſed by men be alſo: as the World ſtands for the Saints, and yet ungodly men enjoy much of the comforts of the world, that a man would think it were all for their ſakes; ſo Church-priviledges are vouchſafed to ungodly men as a great part of the Church, that a man would think all were for their ſakes, and yet it is with a ſpecial reſpect and primary intention to the Saints, that both the one and the other are continued in the world; wicked men ſhall ſhare with the Saints in the external priviledges, rather than the Saints of God be wholly deprived of them: And upon theſe grounds I conceive, it mainly is that the Covenant is entailed from father to ſon for the outward priviledges, but not for the inward graces thereof.

§. 9. How far Arguments drawn from Circumciſion, Queſt. 9 being an Ordinance of the Old Teſtament, can by way of Rule determin any of the Eſſentials of Baptiſm, which is an Ordinance of the New Teſtament? that is, how far this argument has force in it, to ſay, The Children of the Jews being infants came under their fathers Covenant, and therefore were by Gods command initiated and ſealed by Circumciſion, which was the Seal of the Covenant; therefore under the New Teſtament, the children of Chriſtians while infants, are taken into Covenant with their Parents, and ſo ought to be initiated and ſealed by Baptiſm, which is the Seal of the Covenant under the new Adminiſtration, as Circumciſion was under the old, their infants were circumciſed, therefore are ours to be baptized.

They that are Antipedobaptiſts, do ſay,Antipedobaptiſts objection. that no argument drawn from the Ordinances of the old Teſtament conclude in reference to the Ordinances of the new, by that analogy and parity of reaſon; and therefore by our own reaſon, to draw conſequents from Circumciſion, which was an Ordinance of another Covenant, is to ſet our poſts by Gods poſt, and to be wiſe above, what is written; for Ordinances are grounded upon Inſtitutions meerly, and have their efficacy only from the will of the Inſtitutor, and do not depend at all upon the reaſon of the thing, neither are we to make like Inſtitutions from any analogy to the Ordinances of the old Teſtament, that our reaſon ſuggeſts unto us; and we are deſired by them to conſider, that this way of arguing has brought in many a great Errour into Popery: As becauſe the Jewiſh Church was but in one Nation then, till the bounds were enlarged, ſo now the Goſpel being preached unto every creature under Heaven, by juſt conſequence the Church ſhould depend upon one head; ſo that as there were many ſubordinate Prieſts and Levites among the Jews, yet there was but one high Prieſt; ſo by juſt conſequence it muſt needs be in the Churches of the New Teſtament, there is but one Pontifex Maximus, great Biſhop of our Souls in the Church, all the world over; and yet theſe we deny to be good arguments: therefore that which is drawn from the circumciſion of the Infants of the Jews, unto the Baptiſm of the Infants of the Chriſtians, there being an expreſs word of Inſtitution for the one, but not for the other, but only grounded upon inferences drawn by way of analogy, it is conceived that way of reaſoning in the one as well as in the other is alike unſafe and unſound.

Anſw. Now to give an anſwer to what is ſaid, and to ſum it up as briefly as may be, I would lay down theſe Concluſions.

1. In all Ages there has been great deſigns upon the Word of God, to make it void, and enervate it. Men generally that are in an evil way, bear the ſame affection to the Word that Jehoiakim did unto Jeremiahs roll, which he cut in pieces with his Pen-knife, and caſt it into the fir… that was upon the hearth: But becauſe that they cannot cut it, therefore they would take it away, in a ſecret manner, and undermine it, ſpecially that part of the Word that is contrary either to their corrupt opinions, or practice, foreign, Juſtin Martyr Ep. ad Zenam. Et Scripturas ſecundum ſenſum ſuum legit; & voluntatem ſequitur, nunquàm audit ſed quam attulit. Auſt. de gra. Chriſti. And this did David complain of,Pſal. 119.126.Ps 119:126 Pſal. 119.126. the word ſignifies non palam & ex profeſſo, ſed obliquè, to do it ſecretly and under-hand; and ſo did the Phariſees, ye have made void the Law; Matth. 15.6.Matt 15:6it was not by denying it, but by falſe Gloſſes, and corrupt Interpretations, they took away the ruling power and authority thereof; and this has been mainly done in this latter age, by theſe two wayes: (1) Some men deny the authority of the whole Old Teſtament, at leaſt any further than it is in expreſs words confirm'd in the New; and this is looked upon as an argument ſufficient to anſwer any argument that is brought for any thing of the Old Teſtament; Can you ſhew any thing in the New Teſtament for it? as if the Old Teſtament were now antiquated, and out of date: but we dare not divide the two words of the Apoſtle, which he doth apply generally unto all the Scripture, foreign,2 Tim. 3.16.2 Tim 3:16 The whole Scripture is given by inſpiration, and is profitable, &c. therefore either we muſt deny it to be of divine Inſpiration, or we muſt ſay not only that it was, but it is ſtill profitable: and we know that Chriſt and his Apoſtles do generally confirm the Doctrines of the Goſpel by Moſes, and the Prophets; and our Divines do generally therefore ſay, that the Old Teſtament is but Evangelium ſub velo, which now we ſee with open face. The Apoſtle ſpeaks of a great truſt that was committed to the Jews in the Word,Rom. 3.2.Rom 3:2 Rom. 3.2. foreign, to them were the Oracles of God concredited; that is, committed unto them by way of truſt, that they might tranſmit them unto others: and it is a teſtimony that's given to the Jews to their honour, Judaeum centies potius moriturum, quàm ut pateretur legem in aliquo mutari: And there is the like, and a greater truſt, committed unto Chriſtians; for the Church is the Pillar and the ground of truth; I deſire we may be as faithfull to Poſterity therein as the Jews were, and not ſell any part of the Truths of God, unto the Luſts of men. (2) Men take away the Authority of the Word by denying, if not the expreſs words of the Scripture, yet all things that are drawn, though by evident and neceſſary conſequences, out of the Scripture; and ſo foreign,Clem. Alex. They do ſteal from us a great part of the Word of God; for a great part of it lyes in conſequences. We know, (1) That Chriſt himſelf does cite Scripture by a conſequence, and prove the Doctrine of the Reſurrection by a Conſequence out of Scripture;Mat. 22.32.Matt 22:32 (2) We know the Apoſtles and Evangeliſts do often aſſert that to be Scripture which is no where in expreſs terms to be found in the Scripture.

2. I do acknowledge, that no Ordinance of the Old Teſtament is a ground for the Inſtitution of the ſame under the New Teſtament; neither is it ſafe to make one Ordinance inſtitutive of another; neither can any Inferences made from a mans own Reaſon, be a ground for any Inſtitution in the Worſhip of God. (1) I ſay one Ordinance cannot be inſtitutive of another; for Inſtitutions do depend purely upon the will of God, manifeſted to the creature in matter of Worſhip, and therefore it were ſinfull to ſay, Becauſe there were two Sacraments under the Old Teſtament, therefore there muſt be two under the New, and becauſe there was one Sacrament of Initiation, and the other of Confirmation, therefore it muſt be ſo under the New, unleſs we had a word from Chriſt that did warrant it; or to ſay, Becauſe they had a Sabbath amongſt the Jews, a day of Religious reſt, therefore we muſt have ſo amongſt the Gentiles that are now Chriſtians, unleſs we have a word that doth manifeſt this to be the will of God, that he will in ſuch Ordinances be worſhipped in the Church: and therefore we are far from making Circumciſion to be the p. 237ground of the inſtitution of Baptiſm. (2) It is no inference from reaſon that man can make, can be a ground in the things of God, in which the reaſon of man muſt only ſtoop unto the will of God. It was not enough for Jeroboam to ſay, Ye ſhall worſhip the God of Iſrael, but it ſhall be under the reſemblance of a Calf, and ye ſhall have the Ordinances of God every way as glorious and as rational at Dan and Bethel, as ever you had at Jeruſalem, what can you deſire more? there is nothing for matter of worſhip to be had at Jeruſalem, but it may alſo be had here. For every thing done in the ſervice of God muſt not be ex arbitrio, Tertullian.ſed ex imperio; and if the reaſon of man in this perſwade him and interpoſe, whatever is ſet up ſo, is an image of jealouſie and will-worſhip, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks,Ezech. 8.3. Jer. 17.31.Ezek 8:3Jer 17:31 Col. 2. and that which the Lord will one day return upon you, and ſay, Who hath required theſe things at your hands? it's that which I never ſpake, it never came into my mouth, nor entred into my heart: ſo far we are from ſetting up reaſon, or the wiſdom of men to have any place in the worſhip of God, and to infer becauſe this is rational, therefore it ſhall be accepted. For I know that as the power of Ordinances, ſo the fruit and the acceptation of them come from the inſtitution only: and as it's ſinful in the things, that God has commanded, to diſpute his commands in matters of obedience, and to examine them by the rule of reaſon, and bring them unto that Bar; ſo it's alſo to impoſe any thing upon God in matters of worſhip that he has not commanded. It's ſaid Hoſ. 11.14. Iſrael hath forgotten his Maker and builded Temples; Hoſ. 11.14.Hos 11:14a man would think ſurely he that builds Temples has God much in his mind; but he that doth build many Temples, when the Lord had appointed but one, this is to forget God, under a pretence of worſhipping of God: and in verſ. 11. 'tis ſaid, Ephraim hath made him Altars to ſin, and Altars ſhall be unto him to ſin; they had multiplied Altars beyond the inſtitution of God, therefore that was their great ſin, as Druſius expounds it; or elſe this was the ſin that God did give them up in judgment unto, till they had deſtroyed themſelves; for vain man would be wiſe, and he loves to ſhew his wiſdom in nothing more than in impoſing in the worſhip of God; and this is ſo far from bringing God near to the ſoul,Ezech. 8.Ezek 8 that it's an image of jealouſie that does provoke him to go far from him.

3. As for Inſtitutions meerly typical it's not ſafe arguing from them, that there muſt be in the externals of Worſhip ſomething anſwerable to them in the Ordinances of the New Teſtament; and it will be no good argument to ſay, It was ſo under the Law, therefore by way of Analogy and proportion, it muſt be ſo under the Goſpel; and the reaſon is, becauſe they were ſhadows of good things to come, and therefore when the ſubſtance came,Heb. 10.1.Heb 10:1 the ſhadows were to vaniſh; for Joh. 1.17. the truth of all thoſe legal Types and all thoſe ſhadows came by Chriſt, as well as the grace of them; and therefore when he came, they were all done away; and of this kind are all the fore-mentioned inſtances; the legal holineſs upon the people and land was typical in the Prieſts and high Prieſts; and their ornaments and veſtures typical, and their Temple a type, and their Altar a type, all fulfilled in Chriſt, and ſo aboliſhed, he having taken down the partition-wall, and taken the handwriting that conſiſted in Ordinances out of the way, by nailing it unto his Croſs;Col. 2.Col 2 of all theſe Types we may lawfully argue, that there remains ſomething ſpiritual in the days of the Goſpel, there is a ſpiritual Temple, and there is a great High Prieſt, and there are inferiour Prieſts that are made Kings and Prieſts unto God, and we have an Altar of which they have no right to eat which ſerve the Tabernacle;Heb. 13.10.Heb 13:10 we have even under the Goſpel a Circumciſion without hands, putting away the body of the ſins of the fleſh, the inward workings of the Spirit of Chriſt circumciſing our hearts; and we have a ſpiritual Paſsover alſo; for Chriſt our Paſsover is ſacrificed for us. The Apoſtle has a diſtinction,Col. 2.11. Heb. 9.23, 24. foreign.Col 2:11Heb 9:23Heb 9:24 foreign, figures and ſhadows of the true, and there are ſhadows of heavenly things themſelves, the one remains when the other are done away; therefore it is confeſſed, that arguments drawn from typical inſtitutions are not valid ſo far, as that there muſt ſomething remain to anſwer them in the days of the Goſpel; they may juſtly be denied and rejected, becauſe they were ſhadows of ſpiritual and heavenly things, and nothing external was to come in the place of them. But I ſuppoſe no man will ſay, that Circumciſion was a type of Baptiſm, nor the Paſsover a type of the Lords Supper, they are all of them ſeals of the ſame Covenant, under different adminiſtrations; and therefore there may arguments be drawn from theſe in reference unto the externals of worſhip, which cannot be from the other, they being ſhadows only of heavenly things and ſpiritual under the Goſpel.

4. Though no inſtitution of the Old Teſtament can be the ground of any inſtitution of the New, but barely the will of the Law-giver, yet in many things the inſtitutions of the Old Teſtament may give rules, and in ſeveral particulars afford arguments to regulate thoſe of the New. As, though I do not ſay, that the Jewiſh Sabbath was inſtitutive of the Lords day (as ſome do) and that it was no new inſtitution, but remained by virtue of the fourth Commandment, and though the day be changed, yet it hath the ſame inſtitution ſtill; yet I ſuppoſe that many arguments may be drawn from the Jewiſh obſervations, as directions for the Chriſtian Sabbath: as (1) The Jews in their Sabbath did conſecrate to God the whole ſeventh day, that is, a natural day, conſiſting of 24 hours, and therefore were derided by the Heathen in loſing the ſeventh part of their lives; ſo it's the duty of Chriſtians to give the ſame time unto God, as great a proportion in their Sabbath as the Jews did. (2) The Jews in their Sabbath were to do no ſervile work, only our Lord Chriſt lets them ſee that works of piety and of charity and neceſſity might be done upon that day; and ſo are the Chriſtians to celebrate their Sabbath alſo, by doing no ſervile work. (3) The Jews were not only to take care of the obſervation of the Sabbath themſelves,Nehem. 13.19.Neh 13:19 but alſo that all that were under their charge, the Magiſtrate in his place; as Nehemiah did give forth a commandment, he did ſet his ſervants to obſerve that it was done, and he did threaten even the ſtrangers, that if they did not reform, he would lay hands on them, which he would ſurely have done, had the ſin been continued in; but it's ſaid, That from that time they came no more upon the Sabbath: and ſurely this duty lies upon the Chriſtian Magiſtrate alſo, and it's his ſin if he do it not; and ſo for private perſons in reference to their families: Thou and thy ſon and thy daughter, thy man ſervant, &c. (4) The Jews did meet to worſhip God publickly upon the Sabbath day, and there they had the Law and the Prophets read and preached to them every Sabbath day; and from hence it's a good argument to infer the publick meeting of Chriſtians to worſhip God publickly upon their Sabbath,Act. 13.27. & 15.21.Acts 13:27Acts 15:21 and that part of this worſhip ſhould be a conſtant reading and publiſhing the will of God in the Law, and in the Prophets, and in the Goſpel. It will be a hard matter to find rules for this under the New Teſtament; but we muſt be regulated by the practice of the inſtitutions under the former adminiſtrations. I conceive it will be in this counted but a ſlender anſwer to ſay, The inſtitutions of the Old Teſtament muſt in nothing regulate thoſe of the New; and that argument drawn from them by way of Analogy or à pari ratione is but the preſumption of man, and can no way reach the mind of God. The like inſtance I may give for the publick worſhip of God; his commands or inſtitutions given to the Jews and their practice will be good arguments to regulate us Chriſtians. (1) They did with a great deal of diligence and conſcience frequent the place of publick worſhip three times a year at Jeruſalem, and in their Synagogue every Sabbath day: They went from ſtrength to ſtrength every year appearing before God in Sion. (2) Their coming at the beginning and ſtaying during the whole time of the ſervice, as Ezech. 46.10. when the people ſhall go in, he ſhall go in, and when the people go forth, he ſhall alſo go forth, &c. (3) We are to behave our ſelves with a great deal of reverence during all the time of the Ordinances, Lev. 19.30. Ye ſhall reverence my Sanctuary. (4) That you are not to depart without a bleſſing, which is to be done by way of Office in the Name of Chriſt as an Ordinance;Num. 6.27.Num 6:27 Aaron and his ſons did bleſs the people. It will be hard for a man to find rules for theſe in the New Teſtament, and yet it will be as hard to ſay, that theſe inſtitutions and commands of the Old Teſtament ſhould not regulate us under the New. We have another inſtance of Tithes, which was a legal inſtitution under the Old Teſtament; I would not enter upon any unwelcome Diſputes about it, the Apoſtle lays down this as a rule, That he that ſerves at the Altar, ſhould live of the Altar; he ſhould receive by the Law of God from his people as a reward of his labour, and as a teſtification of the honour that is due unto him, ſuch a maintenance as may be a ſupport and ſupply for neceſſaries to him and his, that he ſhould not go to warfare at his own charge. I do not ſpeak theſe things out of partiality and affection unto my own cauſe and calling; but the Law ſays the ſame, Thou ſhalt not muzle the mouth of the ox; doth God take care for oxen? It is ſpoken there for our ſakes, that the incouragement of the Miniſters in their ſervice might depend upon the Law of God, and not on the will, humours, and allowances of covetous cruel men. And our Divines reaſon commonly from the manner of Gods dealing with the Prieſts and Levites under the Law, and from thence argue the care that God takes of his Miniſters,Lev. 27.30. Num. 35.2.Lev 27:30Num 35:2 and that it muſt be a free and a liberal maintenance; for they had the tenth of all the increaſe of ſeed or fruit, of all their great and ſmall cattel, they had forty eight Cities with their Suburbs; they had all the firſt-fruits alſo, beſides the ſin-offering, the meat-offering, all their vows and voluntary oblations; and from a parity of reaſon, they do infer that the like care ought to be taken and the like maintenance in the days of the Goſpel. And whereas the people (though in a poor condition) failing in this, are ſaid to rob God, and therefore are curſed with a curſe, that they did ſow much and bring in little; they do from thence conclude and infer, that where the like ſin remains, it will be looked upon by God with the ſame eye,Mal. 3.7.Mal 3:7 and will ſurely be followed by him with the ſame curſe; and many ſuch inſtances may be given of rules to be drawn from Old Teſtament-inſtitutions, to regulate men in many things of the New, or elſe we ſhall in many things be left without direction.

p. 2385. Let's examine how far our Divines do argue from the ſeals of the O. T. unto thoſe of the New, and it will appear, that every poſition hath enough in Scripture to warrant it. (1) Our Baptiſm is the ſeal of the ſame Covenant that Circumciſion was; then the Covenant of Grace was the ſame for ſubſtance with that under the New Teſtament; for it's Abrahams Covenant that was ſealed in Circumciſion, and ſo it is in Baptiſm alſo; for Rom. 4. Abraham is the father of all that are circumciſed, and of all that are uncircumciſed alſo; to that Covenant, the righteouſneſs whereof is the righteouſneſs of faith, that of Circumciſion was a ſeal, and we are alſo baptized into Chriſt, into his Death and Reſurrection, &c.

(2) The perſons taken into Covenant of old were the children and their parents: I will be thy God and the God of thy ſeed; their children are the ſons of the Covenant, and of the promiſe that God made with their fathers, &c. This has been, manifeſted not only under the Law, but before the Law, from the beginning, and alſo under the Goſpel; the Lord, as he did caſt off the Jews and their children, ſo he took in the Gentiles and their children into Covenant with himſelf; and though they were by nature the wild Olive-tree,Rom. 11.Rom 11 yet they were ingrafted into the good Olive-tree, and do partake of the root and fatneſs thereof; and when he will take in the Jews again, they ſhall be taken in they and their ſeed, as they and their ſeed were diſinherited and caſt out.

(3) That Baptiſm ſucceeds in the room and place of Circumciſion as the ſeal of the ſame Covenant and as the Ordinance of Initiation: which will appear, (1) Becauſe the end was the ſame in both, viz. to be the Sacrament of admiſſion of viſible members. (2) Becauſe the grace of the thing ſignified is the ſame, Circumciſion is cutting off of the body of ſins in the fleſh, and Baptiſm a being buried with Chriſt in his death by a work of mortification, &c. and ſo much the Apoſtle doth intimate, Col. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. he had ſaid we need joyn nothing of the Law, for we are compleat in Chriſt, and therefore need none of the Jewiſh Rites any more; and becauſe they ſtood much upon Circumciſion, therefore he gives that inſtance, We are circumciſed with a better Circumciſion, that of which the Circumciſion of the Jews was but the Type; and whereas they might have ſaid, but they had Circumciſion, which was to them as a viſible ſign the more to confirm them; and therefore though we have the inward grace, yet we are not ſo compleat as they, becauſe we want the outward ſign; therefore he tells them, that priviledge is not wanting to the Chriſtian no more than to the Jews, for we have a Sacrament to the ſame uſe and end, being buried with him in baptiſm.

(4) To thoſe that are the children of the Covenant, taken into Covenant, the ſeal of admiſſion into it doth belong; becauſe God took all the Jews into Covenant, they and their ſeed, therefore they were all of them circumciſed: The ſeal of viſible admiſſion can be denied to none that are within the Covenant; but the children of confederate parents are within the Covenant alſo under the New Teſtament; therefore unto them the ſeal of viſible admiſſion is to be adminiſtred: ſo that as under the Old Teſtament none were admitted but by Circumciſion, ſo under the New none are to be admitted into the Church but by Baptiſm.

(5) The children under the New Teſtament are as capable of the grace of Baptiſm, as under the Old Teſtament they were of the grace of Circumciſion; yea they are as capable being children, as if they were men; for nulla actio requiritur à recipientibus, ſed tantùm receptio paſſiva: all that is done being acts of God upon a man, unto which the perſon can contribute nothing at all, they are therefore repreſented by Chriſt in his death and reſurrection; thoſe that are united unto Chriſt, receiving the Spirit of Chriſt, are baptized for the remiſſion and purging away of ſins, &c. All the benefits that the Scripture ſpeaks of Baptiſm, the ſubject is paſſive therein: and therefore we may upon theſe Principles ſafely conclude, that the Lord having inſtituted this Ordinance in the room of Circumciſion, has conveyed the ſame grace; and it being ordained to the ſame ends, though the ſimilitude of it be not expreſly ſet down in Scripture, yet we may lawfully fetch the ſimilitude of it from that of Circumciſion, as we do many Rules for Ordinances in the New Teſtament from the Old wherein the New is ſilent.

Queſt. 10 §. 10. How far might the Jews by being in Covenant or a Church unto God, as the ſons of Abraham, before they were rejected of God, pretend a right unto Ordinances of the New Teſtament? The ground of the inquiry is this, The Covenant under the Old and New Teſtament is the ſame, and the Gentiles are grafted into the ſame root, from which the Jews were broken off; and this is the Covenant of Abraham, which belongs to Abrahams poſterity, as he was the root of the Covenant, the perſon in whom after a ſort the Covenant began; and therefore it's mercy to Abraham and truth unto Jacob: Mic. 7.20.Mic 7:20and ſeeing the Covenant did run by way of entail then from father unto ſon, and the ſame Covenant now continues, only the outward adminiſtration is changed, and the difference is in the elements only; whether or no the children of a Jew being in Covenant before they were rejected from being a Church unto God, might not claim a right unto Baptiſm by virtue of the fathers Covenant; theirs being the ſame, and the conveyance from parents to children the ſame, only the outward Ordinances differing, their Ordinance of admiſſion being Circumciſion, and ours Baptiſm; or whether all federal right of children did then ceaſe upon the publication of the Goſpel, till parents did believe, and by Baptiſm were perſonally brought under the new Covenant themſelves, and then their children were taken in, but ſo as all federal right amongſt the Jews from parents to children did then ceaſe, and every man that was taken into the Covenant under the Goſpel, was taken in by a perſonal right, and he did convey a federal right unto his poſterity: why ſhould the change of the outward adminiſtration cauſe ſo great a difference, that it ſhould put an end unto all federal right of children from their parents? If it was good and valid in reference unto former adminiſtrations, why in reference to this ſhould it be invalid and of no effect? If the natural ſeed of Abraham cannot at all pretend unto New Teſtament-ordinances, as from their parents, much leſs can the adopted ſeed of Abraham, or thoſe that are ſubſtituted in their room, pretend unto them from any right derived upon them by their parents whatſoever.

Anſw. The anſwer I ſhall give hereunto ſhall be digeſted into theſe ſeveral Propoſitions.

1. The Covenant for the ſubſtance of it is the ſame both unto Jews and Gentiles: they were not under one Covenant, and we under another, but it's but one Covenant; for their Covenant was that of Abraham, who is therefore called the Father of us all, both them that are circumciſed, and them that are uncircumciſed, and our Covenant is the ſame, we only claim from Abraham, Rom. 4.11, 12, 16.Rom 4:11Rom 4:12Rom 4:16and therefore do expect▪ Abrahams reward, and at the laſt to be gathered into Abrahams boſom; the glory of Heaven and the happineſs of the Saints is ſo expreſſed, I conceive, Luk. 16. mainly as Abraham is the Covenant-father, and 'tis the reward that the Saints have, as coming under his Covenant; the Jews were broken off, and the Gentiles were grafted into the ſame Olive-tree,Rom. 11.16, 17.Rom 11:16Rom 11:17 Rom. 11.16, 17. upon the ſame root or ſtock, which did remain when branches were broken off: from hence theſe generals do plainly ariſe. (1) The Olive-tree is the Church of God, as formerly was ſhewed out of Jer. 11.16. The Lord called thy name a green Olive-tree, &c. it's ſpoken of the Church of Iſrael, which is in Scripture ſometimes compared unto a Palm tree, Cant. 7.8. and ſometimes to a Vine, Pſal. 80.14.Ps 80:14I planted thee a noble Vine, Jer. 2.21. therefore Jews and Gentiles make up one Olive-tree, they are all of them but one Church, all of them are branches of the ſame Olive-tree. (2) The Root of this Tree was Abraham, and the Church covenant that God did make with him, and in him with his ſeed, and ſo I conceive the root is to be taken, [1] For the Covenant that God made with Abraham, which was the root upon which Abraham himſelf and all his ſeed did grow, and from whence their fatneſs was derived, and that I conceive is meant verſ. 17. Thou partakeſt of the root of the Olive-tree; it's the Covenant upon which the Church is built, and upon which as a root it grows, and ſo though ſome of the branches are broken off, yet the root is not taken up, but it remains ſtill for others to be grafted upon; it is ſpoken of the Covenant which is the ſame whereupon both Jews and Gentiles do grow. [2] It is put for Abraham with whom this Covenant was firſt made, and in whom after a ſort the Covenant began; and ſo I conceive Root is taken verſ. 16. If the root be holy, ſo are the branches; neither is there any inconvenience to ſay that the Covenant is the Root upon which Abraham and all the reſt of his branches did grow, and alſo that Abraham was the Root from which his ſeed did grow up into Covenant; for he was the Root only by virtue of the Covenant, which did in a manner begin with him, and by virtue of this Covenant all his ſeed were as ſo many branches to grow upon him, and were owned as a Church unto God. (3) As the Olive-tree is the Church, and that is but one, and the Root is the Covenant, and that is but one; ſo the branches of this Olive-tree are to grow upon this Root: and though many of the natural branches were broken off, yet that does not make void the Covenant, the Root ſtill remains the ſame for others to be grafted in upon, and ſome branches were grafted in that were taken out of another ſtock, and that never grew upon this Covenant, and their grafting in was being made members of the Church, who were before ſtrangers to the Commonwealth of Iſrael, and the Covenant of promiſe, and ſtanding upon the Root was being taken into Covenant; ſo that he that is taken into Covenant is thereby made a Church-member. Whoſoever therefore is taken into Covenant with God, and hath a federal relation unto God, that man is grafted into the Root, and is made a branch of the true Olive-tree, and grows upon the ſame Root that all the Saints of God do grow on; and therefore to be taken into Covenant, and to be made a member of the viſible Church, is in the notion of the Spirit of God, and in the language of the Scripture the ſame thing. Whence it appears, that there is but one Covenant between Jews and Gentiles, one Root that bears them both.

p. 2392. Though the Covenant be the ſame in ſubſtance, yet it is under different adminiſtrations, In the Covenant three things are carefully to be diſtinguiſhed.for the external Ordinances thereof: There are three things in the Doctrine of the Covenant that are carefully to be diſtinguiſh'd; (1) There is a twofold being in Chriſt, one by a Myſtical Union, ſo he that is in Chriſt is a New Creature; and the other by an external Profeſſion; and ſo as Chriſt is a Vine ſpreading himſelf into a viſible Church,2 Cor. 8.17.2 Cor 8:17 he has many unfruitfull branches. (2) The Covenant has two parts; [1] One inward and ſpiritual, which is by Faith and Converſion, and the benefits of it are Juſtification, Adoption, and Sanctification, which is the Covenant ſpoken of, Jer. 31.33. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; [2] Another external, which entitles a man to the outward priviledges only, and this is the Covenant in regard of the outward adminiſtrations owning them for a viſible Church of God; thus God is ſaid to break with the Jews; for the Covenant of Grace in the ſpiritual part of it is everlaſting,Zach. 11.10.Zech 11:10 and cannot be broken. (3) Anſwerable to this two-fold conſideration of the Covenant, ſo there are different Seals annex'd thereunto; unto the ſpiritual part of the Covenant there is added the Seal of the Spirit, which is ſecret between God and the Soul;Eph. 1.13. & 4.30.Eph 1:13Eph 4:30 and unto the external part of the Covenant there are added viſible Seals before men, and theſe viſible Seals are different amongſt the Jews and the Chriſtians; the Ordinance and Seal of Admiſſion amongſt the Jews was Circumciſion, but it's Baptiſm amongſt Chriſtians; therefore the adminiſtration is varyed, though the Covenant remain the ſame;Heb. 9.10.Heb 9:10 and for this cauſe the times of the Goſpel are call'd the times of Reformation; that is, when all theſe weak and beggerly Elements, though they were Gods Ordinances, ſhould be removed, and new and more ſpiritual and unchangeable Ordinances ſtabliſhed in their room; for the Ordinances and Adminiſtrations of the Goſpel are thoſe that ſhall never be changed; but continue the ſame to the end of the world; as they are the beſt, ſo they ſhall be the laſt; as theſe Two places do clearly prove, Matth. 28.19. Go teach and baptize all Nations, and I am with you to the end of the world; therefore that adminiſtration ſhall never be changed; and 1 Cor. 11. Ye ſhew forth the Lords death till he come; therefore that Adminiſtration ſhall laſt unto the ſecond coming of the Lord.Heb. 8.7.Heb 8:7 There is a double time that the Saints of God in all ages have had a ſpecial eye upon; they in the Old Teſtament upon the times, or as it is, the foreign, the ſeaſon, or the fit time appointed by the Father for the reformation of all things; and there is a time that the Saints in the New Teſtament are to have an eye upon, and that is the time of the reſtitution of all things, which referre to the ſame time, 2 Pet. 3.13. and Revel. 21.1. a new Heaven and a new Earth; for the firſt Heaven and Earth is paſſed away, &c.Heb. 8.8.Heb 8:8 and it is therefore commonly call'd a New Covenant, becauſe, though it be the ſame, yet it's under new outward adminiſtrations; and this was propheſied,Dan. 9.27.Dan 9:27 Dan. 9.27. he ſhall confirm the Covenant with many for one week; That is, in the laſt ſeven years of that Provincial Kalender, the Seventy two weeks, which was the time of the continuance of the Jewiſh Church and Worſhip after their return out of Babylon, in the laſt ſeven years thereof Chriſt the Meſſiah ſhould eſtabliſh the Covenant with many, foreign it's meant of preaching the Goſpel to the Gentiles, and bringing them into the Fellowſhip of the Goſpel, and the New Covenant, who were before ſtrangers to it; and it is ſaid, Multitudes ſhould be converted; and in three years and a half, that is half the week, by the Miniſtry of Chriſt, the Jewiſh Sacrifices and Oblations and all their Ceremonies ſhall be diſanulled, and the adminiſtration changed, and that ſhall make way for the deſtruction of their City and State.

3. The adminiſtration being changed, in reference to the new Adminiſtration, the Jews and the Gentiles are upon equal terms, and have an equal right one as well as another, whoſoever freely and voluntarily ſubmits thereunto. A mans external right to the Covenant comes from his ſubjection to the preſent adminiſtration under which God has put the Covenant; the Covenant of Grace was the ſame which God revealed unto Adam immediately after his fall, in that firſt Promiſe, Gen. 3.15. and when the Saints did gather into viſible Churches or Societies, and thereby ſeparate themſelves from the world, to worſhip God in a Communion of Saints, it was the external Priviledges of the ſame Covenant, Gen. 4. ult. For there are two great Inſtitutions of the Goſpel, unto which the Lord has a ſpecial eye, and ſo ſhould all the Saints have, (1) Chriſt, and, (2) A Church or Society of Saints, and there was a diſtinction then between the Sons of God, and the daughters of men, Gen. 6.1. But none of theſe did enter upon their title by Circumciſion; and yet when the Lord did renew his Covenant with Abraham and his poſterity, and took them as a viſible Church unto himſelf, all that would lay claim to an intereſt in the Covenant muſt ſubmit unto that adminiſtration; and that being put to an end, and the Lord having put the Covenant under a new adminiſtration, all that do, or can claim a title to it, muſt freely and voluntarily come under the new adminiſtration, which the Lord has in the times of Reformation put upon the external part of the Covenant: Though therefore the Jews might for themſelves and their ſeed lay a claim unto the Priviledges of the Covenant under former adminiſtrations, yet thoſe being done away, and put to an end, the hand-writing being cancelled, now they can claim by that title no more, and all federal right which they had to that adminiſtration ceaſeth, and they muſt together with the Gentiles begin their claim anew, and upon a new title, that is, a free and a voluntary ſubjection unto the new adminiſtration of the Covenant; and therefore it's ſaid,Eph. 2.14, 15.Eph 2:14Eph 2:15 That the partition-wall was taken down, Eph. 2.14, 15. that was between the two ſorts of people, that then did divide the world, the Jews and the Gentiles; and that was the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances, that is, the preſent adminiſtration, that ſo both people might be joyned into one, that the Jew could now claim no more right to the external adminiſtration of the Covenant than the Gentiles, becauſe the Ordinances unto which they did claim a Covenant-right were taken away, and God had publiſhed new ones, and ſetled the Covenant of Grace in the world under new adminiſtrations, and unto them the Jews muſt ſubmit as well as the Gentiles, or elſe they can have no federal right to the outward priviledges thereof, either for themſelves, or for their ſeed: and upon this ground, though the Jews were members of the viſible Church of God under former adminiſtrations, yet they can claim no ſuch viſible memberſhip in the Churches of the Goſpel, becauſe the former adminiſtrations unto which they did lay claim was come to an end, and the Jew muſt believe, and repent, and be baptized as well as the Chriſtian, and then the promiſe ſhall be unto him and to his children, but never elſe.

Queſt. 11 §. 11. How can children be taken into Covenant with God when they cannot reſtipulate, can neither underſtand the terms of Gods Covenant, nor give any conſent thereunto? We have been formerly told, that a Covenant is grounded upon a mutual conſent of parties, and if either party withhold or withdraw his conſent, it is no Covenant: the Covenant of Grace is a Marriage-covenant, and the Civil Law hath this Rule, Ʋbi non eſt utriuſ que conſenſus, non poteſt eſſe matrimonium; and therefore when the Lord takes any man into the ſpiritual part of the Covenant he requires their conſent; a Commandment is from God, whether we conſent to it or no, but a Covenant is with our conſent unto it; and therefore faith is nothing elſe but the conſent of the whole ſoul to accept of Chriſt upon the terms that God has offered him,Rev. 22.Rev 22 and that is, Whoſoever will let him come and take of the water of life freely; there muſt be a willingneſs to come to Chriſt, or elſe you can never have him; and it is a being willing of him and aſſenting to him that gives you truly and properly an intereſt in him; the ſpiritual part of the Covenant therefore is not without our conſent: and ſo it is with the Church-covenant; between men and men there is a conſent to be both of the Church that receives, and of the parties that joyn themſelves, and if either of them withdraw their conſent, the relation ceaſeth immediately; if the Church caſt a man out, and will owne him no more, but reject him, or if he will owne the Church no more, as they 1 Joh. 2. They went out from us, becauſe they were not of us; therefore all Church-fellowſhip is grounded upon conſent: How then can children be ſaid to be taken into Covenant that cannot conſent?

Anſw. 1. Some of our Divines do ſay, that a Covenant cannot ſo properly be ſaid to be between God and man, as between man and man; for amongſt them conſent is required to make the Covenant valid, but an antecedent conſent is not required in the Covenant between God and man; and ſo they ſay the Covenant that God made with Adam did not depend upon conſent and acceptation; for he was bound to do what God commanded, whether he would agree to it or no, and he was bound to accept of what God required. And it's by ſome diſputed, Whether Adam did know or give his conſent that he ſhould ſtand as a publick perſon in the behalf of his poſterity to ſtand and fall for them, and they in him, &c. But this is an anſwer I cannot reſt in, I look upon conſent as eſſentially neceſſary to a Covenant both between God and man, as well as between man and man; and ſo I find that in the Covenant that God made with Chriſt and with the Saints, a conſent has always been required thereunto: and that Adam did know the terms of the Covenant by which he ſtood, and did conſent unto them for himſelf and his poſterity, we ſaw the grounds of it before in the Doctrine of the former Covenant.

2. That Infants may enter into Covenant with God doth clearly appear, (1) In that Circumciſion amongſt the Jews, the ſeal of the Covenant, was applied unto them; and they muſt be foederati, federates, or elſe they could never have been ſignati, ſealed ones; the ſeal of the Covenant is only to be adminiſtred unto them that are within the Covenant. (2) God takes them into Covenant,Deut. 29.11, 12.Deut 29:11Deut 29:12 as Moſes tells them, Ye ſtand this day before the Lord, all the men of Iſrael, your wives and your little ones, that thou ſhouldſt enter into covenant with p. 240the Lord thy God, &c. therefore the Lord did not only take the men into covenant that were grown, and able to give an actual conſent, but alſo their little ones, that neither were able to ſpeak or conſent to the terms of this covenant. (3) It is plain, that children are members of the viſible Church: Of ſuch is the kingdom of heaven; Matth. 19.14.Matt 19:14which can be meant no other way, but that of ſuch is the viſible Church of God conſtituted, they are of the number of thoſe that make up part of the Church here, and that ſhall fill up Heaven hereafter. Now to be a member of the viſible Church, and to be one in Covenant with God is all one, for it is the grafting of a branch into the Stock, and growing of it upon the root of the Covenant that makes it a viſible member; I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed.

3. As the children are brought into Covenant by a parental right and not a perſonal, ſo to the being in Covenant the conſent of the Parents is in Gods account accepted, and a perſonal conſent is not required: but as when the Parent doth diſſent, he doth thereby keep the child out of Covenant, as all the Heathens do, who do not conſent to the Goſpel, and the Jews did, that caſt off and rejected the Word of Life; ſo when Parents do conſent, they bring their children within the Covenant, which runs unto them and their ſeed as confederates; it's therefore the conſent of the Parents that is in God's account taken for the conſent of the child. As God did under the firſt Covenant include all the conſent of Adams Poſterity in the firſt man, and they all conſented in his conſent; and therefore all ſinn'd in him, and violated the Covenant; ſo the Lord binds up the conſent of the child in reference to the Covenant, in the conſent of the Parents; he conſents for himſelf, and his ſeed alſo. Gell. Succanus, in his book de baptiſmo lays down two Rules that are of excellent uſe unto the preſent Queſtion, that the Covenant of Grace is to take in the ſeed together with the Parents. (1) It is a ſpecial over-flowing of Grace to the Parents, which they are to believe, and conſent unto: for though the benefit of it does come upon the children, yet it is the Parents priviledge, and it is a part of the Goſpel of Grace, that he is to give conſent unto, and his faith takes hold of, that God will be the God of his ſeed, as well as of himſelf; he is to take hold of the Covenant in all the parts of it, that is, not for himſelf only, but for his ſeed alſo. (2) All Infants, P. 23.8.imputative fideles dici poſſunt, may be imputatively called Believers; that is, in Gods account and eſteem they are alſo perſons in Covenant with God, and the conſent of their parents is imputed or counted by God as their conſent. Now we know, that Imputation is an act of Sovereignty, and of Gods own free will, as it appears, in that God will account Adam and his poſterity one, and that he will account Chriſt and the Saints to be one; and ſo impute the Sin of the one, and the Righteouſneſs of the other. And if the Lord will impute the conſent of Parents to their children, ſo as to own them as his in Covenant with him, according to the Word, till they do themſelves manifeſt their diſſent, and caſt off the Covenant of their God, he may juſtly do it, and yet God, according to the Rules of his Word does count them, though they belong not to the Election of Grace, as confederates and in Covenant with himſelf; it's no wonder if the Church alſo do while they ſo remain, own them for members, and thoſe that are in a viſible Covenant, the conſent of the …arents being by Grace imputed unto them as theirs. Neither need this ſeem ſtrange, if we conſider that common rule, that the whole Doctrine of the Goſpel is built upon, Ʋnitas proſtantis eſt fundamentum proprietatis, the ground of all Imputation is Union; Adams ſin is imputed, becauſe there was an union between him and us, we were all in him as in a root; and therefore, totum genus humanum in Adamo velut in radice computruit. Greg.This is alſo the true ground of the Imputation of the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, becauſe we are made one with him; we muſt be found in him, if ever we have Righteouſneſs from him;Phil. 3.9.Phil 3:9 Phil. 3.9. and 1 Joh. 5.12. He muſt have the Son firſt that will have Life through him; and this Union is twofold: [1] There is a natural Ʋnion, which is between the Parents and the Children, and [2] There is a voluntary Ʋnion: now the Union with the firſt Adam was the firſt, and the ground of the imputation of Chriſts Righteouſneſs, or Union with the ſecond Adam was the laſt; therefore, if the children and the parents have a natural Union in Gods account, and the act of the parents be counted the act of the child, in all legal conſiderations, as it is ſo amongſt men, and if the children and parent be looked upon as one perſon, it's no wonder if they be in Gods account judged to have but one will, and therefore the conſents of the parents may be well counted the childrens by reaſon of the natural Union that is between them.

Queſt. 12 §. 12. But ſeeing it is ſo great a diſpute, were it not better to leave Children out of this claim and Covenant? If they belong unto the Election of Grace, let us leave them in the arms of Gods electing Love, which if they dye, will take care of their Salvation, and if they live, of their Converſion; and then when they come to years, and be able to take hold of the Covenant for themſelves, they may boldly claim their intereſt in it, the children from the parents, and the parents for their children; ſpecially conſidering, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf when he was baptized, did defer it till he came to a ripeneſs of years; and why were it not better for us to do it alſo, by his example?

Anſw. Mic. 6.8.Mic 6:81. We ſee vain man would be wiſe, though he be born as a wild Aſſes Colt; ſometimes men diſpute what is beſt, and were it not better thus? He hath ſhewed thee O man what is good, and what the Lord thy God requires of thee; and thou mayſt as well diſpute the electing will of God,Tert. as the commanding will, Deo ſerviendum eſt non ex arbitrio ſed ex imperio. Audaciam exiſtimo de bono divini praecepti diſputare; nec quàm bonum eſt auſcultare debemus, ſed quàm Deus praecepit. Tertullian de poenis. Shall God ſay, I will take thee and thy ſeed into Covenant; and ſhall men ſay, Were it not better leave the ſeed out, till they can actually underſtand, and give conſent unto the Covenant, into which they are taken? truly it's abominable preſumption and unthankfulneſs.

2. It's not better that it be deferred; for, (1) Hereby they that have the power of the Keys do their dutyes, that is, they do admit thoſe, and let them partake of the root and fatneſs of the true Olive-tree, to whom it does belong; for as it is their ſin to take in any, that by the rules of the Word ought to be left out, ſo it's their ſin alſo to keep out any, who by the rules of the Word are to be within. (2) Hereby infantes dignitatis inſignia gerunt, Infants bear the Enſigns of their dignity; that they are taken out of the world, have the Name of God call'd upon them, and by Covenant are the children of God, and members of the viſible Church, of the number of thoſe out of whom the Lord will take ordinarily the number of the Elect; for he hath ſo ordain'd his eternal Decrees, that the greateſt part of thoſe that ſhall be ſaved, come out of the loyns of his own people, and thoſe he takes into a Church-covenant, becauſe the children of the Elect are mixed with, and taken out of the Church viſible; and to be without ſuch a title of Honour as God has put upon the Infants of his people, is it better than to enjoy it, ſeeing free grace beſtows it?

3. The one half of the Church of God, as well as the one half of Man-kind dye in their Infancy, and do never live to partake of the Dews and Influences of any other Ordinance, but this only; and if they might not be owned by God in having the Seal of the Covenant ſet to them as the children of the Covenant, they ſhould go out of the world without any viſible owning from God at all, or any viſible way of bleſſing from him; whereas the ſame Lord that will glorifie them with his Son in the world to come, will own them for his in a viſible way, before they go out of this life, and he has appointed this Ordinance of Sealing to this very end.

4. If they live, it's an Obligation that lyes upon them, that they are not their own; for they were dedicated to God by their Parents in their Infancy. There was under the Law a Dedication of the Males, and that was an Obligation upon the child, as we ſee in Sampſon and Samuel; though they did not actually conſent unto the Vows which were made by their Parents, yet their Dedication was a bond upon them; and ſo muſt this needs be upon the children of Chriſtians alſo.

5. The fruits of Baptiſm have an influence upon a mans whole life, and the benefits of it carry a man on from his Cradle to his Grave, and it's all the nouriſhment that children do enjoy, or in Infancy can receive, from Ordinances; therefore Cant. 7.2. it's ſaid by ſome to be called the Navel by which the Child in the womb is nouriſhed; a mans Baptiſm and the Grace of it is never accompliſhed till he come to Heaven; for Baptiſm ſaves; and therefore having an influence upon a mans whole life, it's not beſt to leave it out in any part of a man's life.

6. It lays a great engagement upon the Parents to bring them up in the knowledge of that God to whom they have dedicated them, and whoſe Seal is upon them, and that they pray for them, and in their behalf take hold of the Covenant; and it layes alſo a very great Obligation upon the Church to which the Parents belong; for they looking upon thoſe children as Church-members together with themſelves, they fall under their conſtant care, and prayers: in all theſe reſpects, it is not better that it be deferred, but it's every way beſt that it be according to Gods Rule, and that our will be wholly moulded into the diſcoveries of his will.

7. As for the Example of Chriſt, it's true, that he was not baptized till he was Thirty years of age, but he was circumciſed the Eighth day, and ſo admitted into the Church of the Jews, and ſo long as that building was to continue, ſo long he continued a Church-member, and walked in Church-communion with them; but the time of Reformation being come, that the Lord would by him ſet up another Church, now he receives a new Sacrament of Initiation, which was proper to the new Adminiſtration of the Covenant, that he might fulfill all Righteouſneſs: but for us there is not the ſame reaſon, neither have we now any other way to be received into the Church in our Infancy, beſide Baptiſm, and p. 241children are as capable of the grace of Baptiſm in their infancy, as they will be when they are grown men; for it's a good rule of ſome Divines, Nulla actio requiritur, Ameſ. med. p. 314.ſed tantùm receptio paſſiva; infantes igitur ſunt aequè capaces hujus Sacramenti respectu principalis ejus uſùs atq, adulti, In Baptiſm there is required no action, but only paſſive reception; therefore Infants are equally capable of the principal uſe of this Sacrament as adult perſons.