Anti-Paedobaptism Part 3, Section 16
SECT. XVI. That the Gospel-Covenant is not extended to infants of believers, as such.
NOw the Minor, saith he, that children are under the Gospel-Covenant in the Christian administration of it, that we prove by the Scriptures mentioned, as first, Gen. 17.7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and thy seed after thee. To comprehend the meaning of this place we are to consider. What the privilege is that is here promised: 2. what the extent of it is. First for the privilege it self, as Calvin hath well observed by vertue of this promise, the Church was settled in Abrahams family, and it was separated from the rest of the World, as light from darkness. And the people of Israel (Abrahams posterity) was the house and sheepfold of God; And other nations like wild beasts ranging about without in the wilderness of the World. And by this privilege the dignity of adoption-belonged to all the Israelites in common, Rom. 9.4. To whom pertaineth the adoption. And so, though by nature they were no better than others; yet by reason of this promise they had a birth-privilege, whereby they were separated from others, which is apparently held forth, Gal. 2.15. We who are Jews by nature, not sinners of the Gentiles; as Mr. Blake hath truly observed; And sith you grant the Jews a birth-privilege, as p. 106. and p. 78. of your Answer, you needed not have quarrelled with this plain proof. But now among those that had this outward privilege of common adoption (to be reputed children when the Gentiles were reputed as Dogs, Matth. 15.26.) there were some that were separated by the secret election of God, and really made partakers of sanctifying and saving grace, and so not only adopted outwardly, and reputatively, but also really; in comparison of whom the other Israelites are sometimes spoken of, as no sons of Abraham, Rom. 9.6, 7. Though externally they were the children of the Kingdom, and in reference to the Gentiles they are so stiled, Matthew 8.11, 12. So then the privilege is, that he would be a God to all in regard of external denomination, and external privileges of a Church, and to the elect in regard of spiritual adoption, grace and glory.
Answ. It is true, I granted page 78. of my Examen, that the Jews had a birth-privilege; yet denyed it to be from the Covenant of grace according to the substance of it, as Mr. M. speaks, but that special love God bare to Abrahams posterity. Nor do I deny that the people of Israel, till broken off, were in common estimation Gods children, children of the Kingdom, nor Dogs, nor unclean as the Gentiles, and that these titles did belong to all by external denomination, really to the elect. Nor do I much gainsay that by vertue of the promise, I will be a God to the seed of Abraham, the Church was settled in Abrahams family, though it doth not appear to me that the Apostle did so expound this promise, but expresly contradistinguisheth the children of the promise, to the children of the flesh, Rom. 9.8. And his doctrine there is plain, that the elect are they only to whom the promise, I will be the God of thy seed, Gen. 17.7. was made: yea Exercit. page 2, 3. I expound the promise, as in respect of some peculiar blessings, belonging to Abrahams natural seed. Nor did I quarrel with Mr. Blake for proving from Gal. 2, 15. a birth-privilege belonging to the Jews, but excepted against him for that he contended to have the seed of believing Gentile-parents under the Gospel to be under the first member of the division in the text, to wit, Jews by nature: which exception I have made good in my Postscript to my Apology S. 9. which I intend to vindicate from Master Blakes Reply, Vindic. foed. cha. 35. in that which followes. But then what doth this advantage to prove Mr. Gs. Minor. To children (meaning all or else his conclusion can be but particular) of believing Christians the Gospel-covenant is extended in the Christian Churches? Is this the Gospel-covenant to make a people only reputatively and outwardly, but not really adopted: Is this that which circumcision did seal? Is this the covenant of grace which the seal is to follow? What kind of juggling is there with these men?
They contend the Covenant Gen. 17.7. to be the same with the Covenant of grace for substance, and that they make to consist in saving graces, the temporal benefits they refer to the administration that then was, they will not have it called a mixt covenant, and this covenant of grace they will have to be sealed by circumcision out of Rom. 4.11. and they say this was made to believers and their seed, and thence they have salvation if they die in infancy, and without this there is no ground of hope of the salvation of any infant deceased; and they argue they are to have the seal, because they are in covenant, which if they understand not of that covenant, of which that ordinance is the seal, what colour is there to derive thence a title unto that seal on them who have interest in another covenant, which it doth not seal? Their argument is, He hath right to the Conveyance, who hath right to the Land: but these men who dare not assert that the covenant of saving grace belongs to all believers natural children, yet will have them all to have right to baptism which seals saving graces, though perhaps a very few, and those all unknown persons have right to that Covenant, onelyonly because a promise of outward and reputative adoption, though not saving graces belongs to all. Besides what ground hath Mr. G. to call this promise the Gospel-covenant? Rom. 1.16, 17. Gal. 3.8, 9, &c. the Gospel-covenant is, The just shall live by faith: it is that which contains promise of sanctification, remission of sins, &c. Hebrews, 8▪ 10, 11, 12. & 10.16, 17. Matthew 26.28. The everlasting covenant that hath the sure mercies of David, Isaiah 55.3. Acts 13.34, 38, 39. Hebrews 13.20. and of which Jesus is the Surety or Mediator, Hebrews 7.22. & 12.24. what a mockage then is this of people to tell them the Covenant of grace is made to their children, and the Cospel-covenant is extended to them: and that God hath promised to be their God▪ and that they are confederate with their parents, and yet in fine all that they dare assert is, God hath promised to the seed of believers an external, reputative adoption, though not real: such chaff they catch their auditors with. But is this promise that God will settle his Church in Abrahams family, and separate them from the rest of the World, as light from darkness, as Mr. G. expresly makes it, indeed the Gospel-Covenant? I dare freely say, it is Jewish, Anti-evangelical, directly opposite to the Gospel-covenant. For the Gospel-covenant is, That God would bless all Nations in Abraham through faith, Gal. 3.8, 9. Gentiles as well as Jews, yea the Gentile-believers instead of the Jews broken off by unbelief. If then this be the Gospel covenant, I will be the God of thy seed; that is, in Mr. Gs. sense, I will separate Abrahams family from the rest of the world to be my Church, then the Church under the Gospel covenant is not Catholick contrary to the article of the Creed, and so the Gospel-covenant continues the middle wall of partition. But perhaps Master Geree, helps the matter in that which followeth.
For the second thing, saith he, the extent of this privilege (though there were something in it peculiar to Abraham) yet was it not limitted to him alone, but those that were of Abraham inherited his promise to have God their God, and the God of their seed. As what was said to Joshua, Josh. 1.5 I will not leave thee nor forsake thee, was not bounded to his person, but applicable to all conscientious Israelites; yea to all Christians in Gods way and work, as the Apostle applieth it Heb. 13.5. So this privilege or the Covenant to have God the God of their seed, is to be applyed to all Israelites, yea to all of any nation that have his faith and tread in his steps: they that do the work of Abraham may claim the promises of Abraham, that be ordinary and essential parts of the Covenant.
Answ. Mr. G. Will have the promise [I will be a God to thy seed] to promise the settling of the Church in Abrahams family separated from the rest of the World as light from darkness; if this be so, how can it be a promise to another nation, that their children should be adopted outwardly and reputatively? For▪ if by this promise Abrahams natural posterity have a privilege whereby they are sethis promise is common to other nations with them. But saith he, The promise parated from all other nations, surely its no better than a contradiction to say to Joshua, Iosh. 1.5. was not bounded to his person, Heb. 13.5. which I grant; nor do I doubt, but promises made to Abraham, David, Joshua, &c do belong to all true believers, where the holy Ghost doth so expound them, and where the promise is of a thing which other Scriptures do clear to belong to them. But there is no such thing in the promise of Gen. 17.7. Master Geree brings nothing but his own assertion to prove it, nor do I know any thing brought by any else, but what the Author of the little book, intitled, Infants baptism proved lawful by Scripture, printed Anno 1644. hath,
Who thus argued, That which was promised to Abraham, as a believer, is promised to every believer.
But God promised to be a God to Abraham, and his seed as a believer: Ergo:
To which I answered, if [as] be taken reduplicatively so as that the meaning be under that formal consideration, to him being a believer, and to every one being a believer, as to him, I deny the Major; it was not made to him as a believer, simply under that consideration, but though it were made upon his faith, as a motive of making that covenant with him, yet not under that formal consideration simply as a believer, so as that the covenant should be said to be made to every believer, as to him. As in like manner, though Peter Matthew 16 18 19 had the promise of building the Church, and the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and of binding and loosing, conferred on him by reason of his confession of Christ, verse 16, yet every one that confesseth Christ as he did, hath not that that promise: If any ask how it was made to Abraham? I answer, so far as concerns the spiritual part, it is cleer from Romans 4 11 12 16 18, that it was made to him as Father of believers, and in that construction, though it belong to Gentiles, yet it belongs onelyonly to believing elect Gentiles, Romans 9 7 8 Galatians 3 29, or to Christ, whether personal or mystical, verse 16. But that it belongs not in that sense, no not to all or any, either of Jews or Gentiles, who are not elect, is apparent from Romans 9 7 8, no meer formal professor can lay claim to it. As for the promise of outward privileges, as to be of the visible Church, to have the Ordinances of Gods worship, so the promise is made to Abraham as a natural Father of his inheriting posterity by Isaac, and to that seed by Isaac which was to inherit in Abrahams family: and to that natural seed which God would bring out of Egypt, and settle in Canaan, and this was but unto the time of reformation, as it is termed, Heb. chap. 9. vers. 10. Now that those words, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed, should be expounded thus, I will be the God of every Gentile believer, either in profession or reality, that his natural posterity should be Gods visible Church, or visible Church-members, hath not the least intimation in Scripture, but much against it, nor can be brought by any shew of right construction to be the meaning. For I would know under which term of these [thee, or thy seed] every such natural childe, even an infant shauld be meant; under [thy seed] they must say, but the Scripture placeth believers themselves, and those only reall believers under that term, as is proved before, and other places speak to like purpose, John 8.39. Matth. 3.9. Luke 19.9. therefore without addition to the text, believers natural seed are not there placed. Nor were the promise true in Mr. Gerees sense. For God doth not make good the promise in that sense to every believer and his natural seed, many Gentile believers have had their children persecutors, not visible Church-members, and may have still; yea in that sense which Mr. Geree himself expounds it, it was only verified of the natural posterity of Abraham, yet not of every particular child of his, but of the nation till Christs comming.
As for the dictate of Mr. G. they that do the works of Abraham, may claim the promises of Abraham, that be ordinary and essential parts of the covenant, it intimates some promises of the covenant to be essential, some not, some ordinary, some extraordinary parts of the covenant.
But these are new distinctions, with which I meet not elsewhere, nor know I how to understand what promises he makes ordinary, nor what extraordinary, what essential parts of the covenant, what not. That Covenant being but once made in my conceit, therefore had all the promises of the same sort, whether ordinary or extraordinary, and a covenant being an aggregate of promises, contains the promises as the matter, and the making together as the form, which are the essential parts of the Covenant, there's no promise but being the matter of the covenant is an essential part, or rather all the promises together are the matter, and each promise is an integral part of the whole number of promises. And therfore his speech is not easie to be understood.
I grant that they who are of the faith of Abraham, may claim the promise of Justification, and other saving blessings. But for visible Church-membership of natural posterity, or other domestique promises made to Abraham, neither the natural posterity of Abraham, nor the truest believing Gentile, can lay a just claim to them, but that notwithstanding that promise, God is free to make their children or the children of Gentile, or Jew Infidels his people, his visible church, and to settle his worship with them.
Mr. Geree writes thus, and that this privilege of having God to be the God of our seed, was not personal, and peculiar to Abraham, but propagated to his seed, may hence appear, because the same in effect is promised to other godly Jews, which is here promised to Abraham, Deut. 30.6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed.
Answ. The promise to Abraham, according to Mr. Gs. exposition, was, That he would be a God to all in regard of external denomination, and external privilege of a Church, and to the elect in regard of spiritual adoption grace and glory. Sure this is not the same in effect with that, Deut. 30.6. which is nothing of external privileges of a Church, but of circumcising their hearts, and the heart of their seed, to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, that they might live: which can be true only of the elect. Besides, it is promised to them at their return from captivity, and upon their returning to the Lord, and obeying his voice according to all that he commanded them that day, they and their children, with all their heart, and all their soul, v. 2. which sure cannot be ordinarily applied to them in their infancy, and therefore this text is very impertinently alleged to prove an external privilege to infants of meer reputed believers, even in their infancy. Mr. Baxter himself in his Friendly accommodation with Mr. Bedford p. 361. hath these words. The text seems plainly to speak of [their seed] not in their infant-state, but in their adult, Deut. 30. For first, verse 2. the condition of the promise is expresly required, not only of the parent, but of the children themselves by name.
2. And that condition is the personal performance of the same acts, which are required of the parents, viz. to return to the Lord, and obey his voice with all their heart and soul.
3. The circumcision of the heart promised, is so annexed to the act, that it appeareth to be meant only of those that were capable of the act, ver. 6. The Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God; so that it is not meant of those that are uncapable of so loving.
Mr. G. yet adds. And thus much that place, Act. 2.39. doth hold forth and contribute to infant-baptism, to shew that children are comprehended in the Covenant with their fathers, and both these last promises being of Evangelical privileges they must needs be communicable to all under the Gospel-covenant; so then it remains that God still is in covenant with every believer, and his seed.
Answ. That Acts 2.39. neither shews that children (of believers) are comprehended (universally and necessarily) with their parents, nor contributes ought to infant-baptism, is shewed in the forepart of this Review s. 5. and notwithstanding any thing said by Mr. Geree it yet remains to be proved, that God is in Covenant with every believer and his seed.
The rest of that section of Mr. Geree, is about my expounding Mr. Ms. second conclusion, which I shall review as far as is meet when I come to it. I have dispatched at last the answering those that argue syllogistically from the covenant, and seal for infant-baptism. But most go another way by laying down conclusions, and framing hypotheses, and I proceed to take a view of their writings.