Infant Baptism, Essay · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. The fourth grand Queſtion propoſed. The improvement that the Seed of Believers may and ought to make of their Covenant ſtate, as ratified by the Application of the Token of the Covenant, opened in four particulars. That great Queſtion, how long the Covenantſtate of the Seed of Believers is continued to them upon their Parents account, anſwered ſo far as is neceſſary to prevent ſuch fears as either Parents or Children are ſubject to, as to the forfeiture of their Covenant-ſtate in their Child-hood.
Queſt. 4. WHat uſe and improvement may and ought the Seed of Believers make of the Token of the Couenant applyed to them in their Infancy, as they grow up to years of Maturity?
Anſw. The uſe and improvement they may and ought to make of it is great and of unſpeakable advantage to them. To inſtance in ſome few particulars.
1. They may and ought to improve it as a help to their underſtandings, that they may better, and more clearly apprehend, and conceive of the means and way through and by which they have the pardon of ſin, peace with God, and muſt come to the actual injoyment of Salvation, (which as the Seed of ſuch Parents they were born Heirs unto) which are the Blood of Chriſt, as applyed to them for the purging away the guilt of ſin, and the Spirit of Chriſt, as granted for the renovation of their natures. The Sacraments or Seals of the Covenant preſent to the eye what the Word preſents to the ear, and they are for the mutual illuſtration the one of the other. Now as this way, and theſe means are conſiderable under different notions, ſo they are ſhadowed and repreſented by different ſymbols or ſigns. The Blood of Chriſt, as purging away the guilt of ſin, was repreſented in Circumſion as to be ſhed; but it is repreſented in Baptiſm as already ſhed, and applyed to the party baptized. The body of ſin was repreſented in Circumciſion under the notion of a ſuperfluity to be amputed and cut off: 'Tis repreſented in Baptiſm under the notion of a defilement or pollution, which is removed by waſhing. But the uſe of the one and the other in general was and is the ſame, namely to repreſent to the mind that way, and thoſe means, by and through which the ſoul hath remiſſion of ſin, peace which God, and is brought to future Salvation. Now Children, when they are inſtructed about this way and theſe means, they may and ought to reflect upon their Baptiſm, and ſee how both are repreſented and illuſtrated thereby, and by means thereof, they may come to more clear notions and conceptions of and about them, Inſtructions by ſigns are adapted to the capacities of Children. Indeed the Sacraments are ordained in a compliance with the weakneſs of Chriſtians in general. But
2. Which follows upon this, by the conſideration of their Baptiſm they will be kept under a due ſenſe of the indiſpenſible neceſſity of the Application of the Blood of Chriſt to them for their diſcharge from the guilt of ſin; and of the Spirit for their Regeneration and Renovation, in order to the continuing of their peace with God, and actual injoyment of future Salvation. And a threefold advantage will ariſe herefrom.
1. They will be put upon ſerious enquiries, how it is with themſelves, whether they have the Blood of Chriſt ſo applyed or no? and whether they are ſo waſht by Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghoſt, or no?
2. How they may attain to the one and the other, and be quickned up to a diligent uſe of thoſe means, and prformance of thoſe duties they are directed to, ſubſervient thereunto.
3. They will be kept from any attempts to eſtabliſh a righteouſneſs of their own, on the one hand, and on the other from preſumptuous confiding in Chriſt without a real work of Regeneration and Sanctification. Baptiſm preacheth to all the way of pardon, peace with God, and future Salvation, to be by waſhing; by waſhing away the guilt of ſin by the Blood of Chriſt, and the filth of ſin by Sanctification. And this indeed is the uſe and improvement that all Chriſtians ſhould make of their Baptiſm. But
3. They may and ought to improve their Baptiſm to ingage, provoke, and ſtir up themſelves to a cloſure in with the Covenant, and uſe of all means conducing to their injoyment of the Grace and Bleſſings of it. As this is a ſpecial end of God in appointing the Applicatio of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of Believers; ſo they are eſpecially to be taught to make that improvement of it, and anſwerably they may and ought to do it. What obligations ly upon them to cloſe in with the Covenant, and give up themſelves to God in Chriſt, according to the tenour of it, ariſing from the Appliſcation of the Token to them, have been already declared: And Parents ought diligently to inform and inſtruct them in and about them; which would they do, and back thoſe inſtructions with a due uſe of all the forementioned means to render them effectual, it may be rationally expected, they would have no little weight upon their hearts. And 'tis no ſmall part of the Mercy of the Seed of Believers, as brought under the bond of the Covenant by the Application of the Token thereof unto them, that they have ſuch obligations upon them, whereby to provoke and ſtir up themſelves to an early ſeeking after God, and enquiring after his ways.
4. They may and ought to improve their Baptiſm for the help of their Faith and Hope, and for their incouragement to take hold of the Covenant: as alſo to ſeek unto God for Grace to inable them ſo to do. What an help it may be to their Faith and Hope, and what an incouragement to take hold of the Covenant they have thereby, may be concluded from what hath been already ſaid; and I muſt ſtill leave it to their Parents to inſtruct them therein, and ſhall haſten; only before I put a cloſe to the whole, I ſhall briefly touch upon one Queſtion, which that I ſhould ſpeak ſomewhat unto ſeems neceſſary. And that is, how long the Covenant-ſtate of the Seed of Believers, and conſequently their right to the Sign and Token of the Covenant, is continued to them as the Seed of ſuch Parents? When do the conditions of the Covenant become incumbent upon themſelves, ſo as that upon their failure in the performance of that their Covenant-ſtate is for feited?
Anſw. It muſt be granted, This is a Queſtion of no eaſie reſolution, neither is it meet upon ſeveral accounts that it ſhould be perfectly determined. The exact reſolution of it muſt be left to that day, when all ſecrets ſhall be made manifeſt; and therefore I ſhall not adventure far into it. I ſall only offer ſome more general things to conſideration, which may ſufficiently obviate and prevent ſuch doubts and fears that either Parents or Children are ſubject to, concerning their having forfeited their Covenant-ſtate, as might obſtruct their reſpective due improvement of it for the ſeveral uſes and ends aforementioned.
1. Let the unſearchable riches of the Goodneſs, Grace and Love of God in Chriſt be conſidered. The Scripture every where ſpeaks of the Goodneſs, Grace and Love of God in Chriſt as inveſtigable, and incomprehenſible by any humane underſtanding. Hence are ſuch paſſages, Oh how great is thy Goodneſs? Pſal. 31. How precious is thy Grace? Pſal. 36. So, God ſo loved the World. The Love of Chriſt is ſaid to be paſt knowledge. And from the conſideration of the unſearchable riches of this Goodneſs, Grace and Love of God in Chriſt, it may be concluded, at leaſt comfortably hoped, that he hath not been very ſtrait or rigid (if I may ſo ſpeak) with the Seed of his People, and conſequently hath not himſted their ſtanding under the Covenant upon their Parents account to the very firſt inſtant of their capability of any actual knowledge of ſupernatural things, or uſe of reaſon. We may rationally ſuppoſe, he bath allowed them ſome time to attain to ſome diſtinct knowledge, and to uſe their reaſon in cloſing in with, or rejecting the terms of the Covenant. And hence it muſt needs be exceeding uſeful for Parents to acquaint their Children betimes with the Nature of God, or if you will which is all one, (though that expreſſion hath been moſt unreaſonably quarrelled at by ſome) it muſt needs be highly uſeful to Children to be well acquainted with, and inſtructed in and about the Perſon of Chriſt, into whoſe hand the adminiſtration of the Covenant is put. And here we have an inſtance of the uſefulneſs of acquaintance with the Perſon of Chriſt, with reference to things more darkly revealed in the Scriptures. It is not expreſsly revealed juſt when the performance of the condition of the Covenant becomes indiſpenſibly neceſſary to Children for the preſervation of their Covenant-ſtate: but now the knowledge of Chriſt, or of God in him, as how unſearchable rich in Goodneſs, Grace and Love he is, may much relieve both Parents and Children under thoſe doubts and fears they are ſubject to about the forfeiture of their Covenant-ſtate: They may conclude certainly God hath not been ſo rigid upon them, as to limit their ſtanding in it to ſo ſhort a time, as that the forfeiture of it ſhall be little leſs than neceſſary, or hardly in an ordinary way unavoidable.
2. It may be further conſidered, that it may be reaſonably ſuppoſed, that God hath ſo extended the Covenant to the Seed of his People, as that their acceptation or refuſal of it ſhould appear to Angels and Men juſtly and rationally rewardable or puniſhable. This may be inferred from the Juſtice and Wiſdom of God, taken in conjunction with his ultimate end (viz. the Glorification of all his Attributes) in his dealings, eſpecially in a Covenant-way with Man. Now this ſeems neceſſarily to require that ſo much time ſhould be allowed them, as ſo far to underſtand, and make a judgment of the Covenant, as containing ſuch Promiſes upon ſuch terms, as that their acceptation or rejection ſhould be free and voluntary, and not either a mere inforcement of their Parents on the one hand, or on the other not the mere product of Childiſh weakneſs and vanity. What may be objected againſt this from God's puniſhing Original ſin in Infants will receive a ready anſwer from the difference between their caſes, and the caſes of the Infant-ſeed of Believers we now ſpeak of. But
3. I would ofter at leaſt as matter of enquiry, whether the Covenant is or can be broken by the Seed of Believers any others ways, than it would be broken by Believers themſelves, ſuppoſing it poſſible for them to break it, which we grant, all things conſidered, it is not. Now it is not the bare ſuſpenſion of the due acting and exerciſe of Grace, no nor every commiſſion of ſin, no not of particular ſins of a very heinous nature, that breaks the Covenant between God and them. One of theſe three things I conceive are neceſſary thereunto. Either
1. A Man muſt make a free and voluntary choice of ſome falſe God, and anſwerably freely and voluntarily ingage in the worſhip and ſervice of ſuch a God. Or elſe
2. Muſt make a free and voluntary choice of ſome temporal good as his portion, and anſwerably ſet that up in his heart and affections above God, and purſue it as his ſupreme and chief good. Or elſe
3. A Man muſt with a free and full conſent of will ingage in ſome way of moral impieties, as deſigning, if not explicitly, yet implicitly the utmoſt of what happineſs he expects in this life in the gratification and ſatisfaction of the luſts of his own heart.*See Doctor Preſton on the Covenant. I confeſs theſe things require a larger explication, but I can but touch upon them in general at preſent: But until one or another of theſe things be done, the Covenant is not broken, nor the Covenant-relation between God and them diſſolved. Now I ſhall not be poſitive, only propoſe it as a matter of enquiry, whether the Covenant can be broken any other way by the Seed of Believers? This we may obſerve, that we have no inſtance in Scripture of God's rejecting any of the Seed of his People out of Covenant, but upon ſome overt act on their parts, evidently declaring their rejection of the Covenant one or the other of thoſe ways mentioned, and that when grown up to a capacity of making a free and voluntary choice. Thoſe two inſtances of Iſhmael and Eſau are remarkable, and may be uſeful for the guiding our judgements in this matter. The one, viz. Iſhmael evidently declares his rejection of the Covenant by perſecuting his brother Iſaac. The other, viz. Eſau by ſeeling his birth-right. Now we know both theſe were grown up to a capacity of making a free and voluntary choice. 'Tis true God may withdraw himſelf from ſome, and leave them to ſuch a rejection of the Covenant ſooner than he doth others; which may be a caution to all the Seed of Believers to take heed of deferring perſonaly to take hold of the Covenant. But whether their Covenant-ſtate be forfeited before ſuch an actual rejection of the Covenant, may be queſtioned.
4. Let it be conſidered, that until Childrens rejection of the Covenant one or another of the ways mentioned become apparent by ſome overt act on their parts, both their Parents and themſelves may comfortably hope (ſuppoſe they cannot poſitively conclude) the Covenant is not broken by them. While their omiſſions or commiſſions are only ſuch as are incident to Saints, there is ground to hope the Covenant may ſtand firm. And there is a double ground for ſuch a hope.
1. A poſſibility or probability that the Covenant may yet be continued to them upon their Parents account. This appears from the aforegoing conſideration.
2. There is a poſſibility or probability that a ſeed of Grace may be wrought or implanted in the ſoul, though it have not exerted it ſelf in any ſenſible acts, but hath been ſuppreſſed and kept under by the vain workings of a childiſh and youthful mind, and buddings forth of corruption. A ſeed of Grace may be, and often is ſowen in the hearts of the Seed of Believers in the very dawning of their Youth or Chilhood, which yet diſcovers not it ſelf for a long time after, at leaſt in any ſenſible acts of Grace. And hence it is that ſo many of the Seed of the Righteous can give no account of the time or means of their converſion. And it may be from this Seed of Grace, that the Soul, though it have not actually recognized the Covenant, nor explicitly cloſed in with God in Chriſt, yet is preſerved from rejecting the Covenant any of the ways mentioned. Now whilſt ſuch as are deſcended from believing Parents have any rational ground to hope that the Covenant between God and them is inviolate, they may take great incouragement from the conſideration of it to cloſe in with Chriſt, and ſeek for renewing Grace. Yet
5. Let me add one thing more, and that is this, While the Seed of Believers are kept from an abſolute rejection of the Covenant, though they may have a great while neglected to recognize it, and make an actual ſaving cloſe with Chriſt, and anſwerably may not yet have a ſaving work of Grace wrought in them, there is ground of hope, they may yet abide for God, and God may abide for them, as the Prophet ſpeaks. Hoſ. 3.3. And ſuppoſe the Covenant ſhould be forfeited according to the exact terms of it, and God might have juſtly taken the forfeiture, yet the confideration of the Covenant as entred with them in their Infancy, as the Seed of ſuch Parents, may be improved by them as a very great incouragement at laſt to take hold of the Covenant. God in ſuch caſes is exceeding ready to renew his Covenant with the Seed of his People. This ſeems to be one of the great incouragements that the Jews will have to return unto God, when he takes away the vail from off their hearts; behold, ſay they, We come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God, Jer. 3.22. The words are, as an invitation from God to them to return, ſo a Propheſie of their anſwering that invitation in the latter age of the World. Now they will not be able to lay claim to an actual Covenant-relation between God and them, for that Covenant was long ſince broken through their unbelief; but they have abode for God, and God hath abode for them, and as having ſo abode the one for the other, they call him their God, and incourage themſelves by the conſideration of the deſignation (as I may ſo ſpeak) that God hath made of them for himſelf, and of himſelf to be a God and Husband unto them, giving them a kind of incomplete and remote intereſt in him, to return to God. Thoſe that God hath kept for himſelf, and for whom he abides, he will readily receive when they return to him: And this may greatly incourage Patents with reference to their Chirldren as grown up; though they do not evidence any ſaving work of Grace, ye they are kept from one or another of the ways whereby the Covenant is broken; it may be they abide for God, and he abides for them, he may keep them out of a deſgin yet at laſt to marry them to himſelf. And as it may incourage Parents in their hopes concerning their Children, ſo it may greatly incourage Children to cloſe in with Chriſt, and thereby renew their Covenant with God. So that we may ſee, though it cannot be properly determined how long the Covenant-intereſt of Children is continued upon their Parents account, yet that ſhould be no prejudice to their taking the full incouragement to believe, and cloſe in with Chriſt, and ſeek for that Grace promiſed to inable them thereunto, that their Covenant-ſtate hath an aptitude to yeeld to them. They may take all the incouragements afore declared that they have, though there be an uncertainty about the preciſe time when the condition of the Covenant devolves upon themſelves. To come then to a cloſe; I ſhall only ſpeak a few words to the Children of Believers, and let me ſay to you, You now ſee what a glorious ſtate you are in asunder the Covenant, and intereſted in the Promiſes thereof. Will you now refuſe ſo great Salvation? yea, will you not only refuſe ſo great Grace when offered, but reject it when granted to you, by neglecting to take hold of the Covenant already entred with you, or ſeeking unto God for his Spirit, through whoſe aſſiſtance your duty will be made eaſie and delightful to you? and this not only when you are under the greateſt obligations to accept of the Covenaut, but when you have ſo many incouragements above what the reſt of Mankind have to hope for a ready acceptation with God, and concurrence of his Spirit and Bleſſing to aſſiſt you in the performance of your duty, and ſucceed all your endeavours for Grace? Oh how will you of all Perſons appear at the great day of the Lord that is ready to come upon you? Where do you think to ſtand at that day? Were you to get into ſuch an eſtate, your incouragements would be leſs; but it is only your continuance in that ſtate that you are to ſecure. God hath (as I may ſo ſpeak) brought you again into Paradiſe, and will you again caſt your ſelves out? Surely of all Perſons in the World you will be leaſt able to relieve your ſelves under your miſery, by pleading the neceſſity of your ruine, that it was Adam the firſt Parent of Mankind, that brought it upon you. You are diſcharged from the guilt you were under as in his loyns, you are actuall received into the Covenant of Grace. The Law cannot condemn you, 'tis only your rejection of the new Covenant, and that when actually entred with you that can be your condemnation. And if you ſay we cannot change our own natures; remember you are of that Houſe or Family to which the Promiſes of ſaving Grace do appertain, yea you are in a peculiar and eſpecial manner in ſome reſpects above the reſt of that Houſe or Family the Object of theſe Promiſes, and therefore know your own Mercies and Priviledges, and do not wilfully caſt your ſelves out of ſo glorious an eſtate, nor deprive your ſelves of ſuch a glorious Inheritance, or Inheritance in glory you were born Heirs unto.