Infant Baptism, Essay · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The good redounding to the Infant-ſeed of Believers from their admiſſion into, and memberſhip in the viſible Church, Kingdom, or Family of Chriſt, further opened in a third inſtance, viz. They ſtand nigher than the reſt of Mankind to, and are the more eſpecial Objects of the Promiſes of ſaving Grace. Some of theſe Promiſes mentioned. The full Good contained in them unfolded. That the Seed of Believers, as members of the viſible Church, do ſtand nigher to them, than the reſt of Mankind, fully proved. An exaggeration of Parents evil in rejecting their Childrens Church-memberſhip.
3. THirdly and eſpecially, the Infant-ſeed of Believers, as members of the viſible Church, ſtand nigher than the reſt of Mankind do to, and anſwerably are the more eſpecial objects of, the Promiſes of ſaving Grace. The Promiſes I have reference to, are ſuch as theſe, Iſa. 54.13. Jer. 31.31. That the very firſt ſpecial or ſaving Grace, I mean inherent or renewing Grace, whereby the Image of God is renewed in, and reinſtamped upon the ſoul, is originally from God, and not from Man himſelf, needs no other proof, than the bare recital of thoſe Scriptures that affirm it, John 3.3, 7. compared with John 1.13. Epheſ. 2.8, 10. James 1.17, 18. &c. That the Promiſes aforementioned, and unto which I have reference, do contain and hold forth ſaving Grace, and at leaſt that Iſai. 54.13. the very firſt ſpecial or ſaving Grace, is ſufficiently evident from the words themſelves; ſo from the application our Lord Chriſt makes of that Promiſe in John 6.44, 45. where we ſee our Lord Chriſt applyes theſe teachings of God to thoſe effectual teachings and drawings of the Father, whereby ſinners are brought to him, and which whoſoever do injoy, do actually come to him, and ſhal be raiſed up by him at the laſt day; that is, unto Life and Glory. And yet farther, that theſe Promiſes I now reſer unto, have their accompliſhment in New-Teſtament-times, and that during the preſent adminiſtration, is undeniably ſecured both by our Lord Chriſt, and the Apoſtles interpretation and application of them: compare thoſe forecited Texts with John 6.44, 45. Heb. 8.11. So that as all ſpecial, or ſaving Grace, eſpecially that firſt, whereby the ſoul is drawn and united unto Chriſt, is originally from God; ſo theſe Promiſes do hold forth and aſſure that Grace unto ſome in New-Teſtament-times, during the preſent adminiſtration of the Covenant of Grace: Now, I ſay, the Infant-ſeed of Believers, as incorporated into the viſible Church by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them, do ſtand nigher to theſe Promiſes than the reſt of Mankind do, and are the more eſpecial Objects of them, and conſequently they have, and (were Parents ſaithful in the diſcharge of their duty) would more abundantly have their accompliſhment eſpecially among them. But that we may more clearly ſee, how great a good and advantage the Seed of Believers in this reſpect have by their memberſhip in the viſible Church, I ſhall do two things:
1. Firſt, ſhew more particularly what is the good that is contained in theſe Promiſes, and
2. Secondly, prove that the Seed of Believers do ſtand nigher to them, than the reſt of Mankind. To begin with the firſt, viz.
What the good contained in theſe Promiſes is: and that is twofold, the former implyed and preſuppoſed; the latter more plainly expreſſed.
Firſt, the good contained in theſe Promiſes is the vouchſafement of ſuch outward means, as are ape and ſufficient, according to the ordinary dealings of God with, and his ordinary wayes of working Grace in Men, inſtrumentally to convey Grace to, and work it in the heart: theſe means in the general are the outward communication or publication of the Doctrine of Redemption, and Salvation by Chriſt. The Doctrine of the Goſpel, declaring the way of Redemption and Salvation by Chriſt, as ſome ways communicated to the underſtanding, and applyed to the ſoul, is the means by, and through which God does ordinarily work Grace in thoſe, whoſe Salvation he intends; I mean it of ſuch whoſe capacities admit of their reception of Grace that way. Now when God promiſes Grace, he implicitely promiſes the means, by which it may, according to the ordinary way of his dealings with men, be wrought in thoſe intended in the Promiſes. But before I proceed, it may not be altogether unuſeful to remove one objection that may poſſibly ariſe in the minds at leaſt of ſome men.
Obj. Poſſibly it may be ſaid, Theſe Promiſes ſeem rather to exclude than include any external means; for it is expreſsly ſaid, when theſe Promiſes come to have their accompliſhment, men ſhall not teach every one his neighbour, or his brother, ſaying, know the Lord, they ſhall be all taught of God, and that ſhall be the only teaching they ſhall have, or ſtand in need of.
Anſw. To this I ſhall only ſay two things.
Firſt, That the Promiſes of the Covenant of Grace have a gradual accompliſhment: they had a lower accompliſhment under the firſt Teſtament, they have a higher and more full accompliſhment under the New, during the preſent adminiſtration: what further intendment they may have, and how accompliſhed in the ages yet to come, is not without its difficulty to determine: Be ſure, in Heaven there ſhall be no need of outward means: Promiſſiones novi faederis inchoantur in hac vita, implentur autem in vita futura, Cam. in Heb. 8.11. And therefore
2. Secondly, Theſe words only note a more abundant pouring forth of the Spirit under the New Teſtament, beyond what was granted under the firſt:*Non foreign pro non ſolum frequenter accipitur, & in altero, quod per adverſitivam opponitur, quaedam praeeminentia prae priori intelligitur. Glaſs. and the meaning is only this, as if the Lord ſhould ſay, they ſhall not only be taught of men; but my Spirit ſhall accompany the teaching of men, by means whereof they ſhall have my Law put in their minds, and written in their hearts, and ſhall know me from the leaſt to the greateſt. And that the Spirit of God deſigned not the excluſion of ontward means is ſufficiently evident from our Lord Chriſt's inſtituting the Goſpel-Miniſtry, at that very time to which theſe Promiſes had a direct reference, and were to have at leaſt a lower accompliſhment; the end of which Inſtitution, and the time of its duration, the Apoſtle expreſsly declares in Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. So that though theſe Promiſes ſeem to exclude, yet they do indeed include, ſuch outward means, as whereby according to the ordinary way of God's working in, and upon men, the main good intended in them may be communicated to them. As when God commands any duty from men, that Command requires the due uſe and improvement of all means neceſſarily ſubſerving their performance of the duty commanded: ſo when he promiſes any good, eſpecially when the Promiſe is abſolute, as I conceive theſe are, in the promiſe of that good is included the neceſſary means of mans injoyment of it: ſo that when God promiſes that all the Children of his Church ſhall be taught of him, and that ſo, as to know him from the greateſt to the leaſt, and that he will put his Laws in their minds, and write them in their hearts, he does implicitely promiſe a ſufficiency of means, whereby the main Good intended may be communicated to them: and theſe means in the general, as I have ſaid, are the communication, or publication of the Doctrine of the Goſpel, at leaſt ſo far as is abſolutely and ſimply neceſſary to the working of a ſaving work of Grace in the heart. The various ways whereby the Doctrine of the Goſpel may be communicated unto men, whether young or old, are not neceſſary to be inſiſted upon.
The moſt proper and ordained way in reſpect of the Seed of Believers hath been already intimated to be Parental Inſtruction, though I ſhall not ſay, God hath confined himſelf to that way alone. But let it ſuffice to know in the general, that in theſe Promiſes is included the vouchſafement of a ſufficiency of means, whereby theſe ſpiritual bleſſings may in an ordinary way be communicated to thoſe deſigned for their injoyment.
2. Secondly, The main and principal good intended in theſe Promiſes is the effectual operations of the Soirit of God in a concurtence with, and by thoſe means, together with their inſeparable Effects and Fruits, theſe Promiſes, both as at firſt given forth by thoſe two Prophets, and alſo as interpreted by Chriſt and the Apoſtle Paul, evidently intend ſome good beyond the bare vouchſaſement of outward means; for otherwiſe they would aſſure of nothing, with reference to the ends whereunto they were given forth, beyond what was injoyed by the people of God under the Old Teſtament; they had then the Oracles of God committed to them, as well as the Church of God now hath; ſo that it muſt needs be, ſome good that is princepally intended in theſe Promiſes, beyond what was vouchſafed to the Church under the Old-Teſtament-adminiſtration, and which does advance the New-Teſtament-adminiſtration to an excellency and glory above that of the Old, which can be nothing elſe, but the more plentiful effuſion of the Spirit of God, and his effectual Operations with their inſeparable Fruits and Effects, here declared to be the ſaving knowledg of God, the abiding of the Law in the mind, and its Inſcription in the heart. But let that ſuffice for the good intended in theſe Promiſes.
2. Secondly, That the Seed of Believers, as Members of the Church, ſtand nigher than the reſt of Mankind, (I mean, that are, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, without to) and are the more eſpecial Objects of theſe Promiſes: Now this will appear two ways.
1. Firſt more generally, from the conſideration of the more general Objects of them, and that is the Church, or Houſe of Iſrael, of which the Seed of Believers are Members; thus in that Iſa. 54.13. All thy Children ſhall be taught of God: whoſe Children the Prophet ſpeaks of, is evident, as from the Context, ſo from that diſcourſe of the Apoſtle in Gal. 4. ult. they are the Children of Jeruſalem which is from above, that is the Goſpel-Church; and that it is meant of the GoſpelChurch as viſible,foreign. Chryſoſt. And that he means the Church As viſible, is evident from what follows. is evident from Iſa. 54.11. It is the Church toſſed to and fro with Tempeſt, that is, Afflictions, Perſecutions, &c. which are only compatible to the Church as viſible. Now they are the Children of the Church, as ſo conſidered, that are the Objects of this Promiſe, they ſhall be taught of God, and that ſo, as to know him from the leaſt to the greateſt. Some indeed have underſtood by theſe Children, the natural Children of the Church, or of the Members of the Church: and though I doubt not, but that the Holy Ghoſt has a conſiderable reſpect unto them, yet I conceive not merely as ſuch, but as Members of the viſible Church, it being uſual in Scripture to ſpeak of the Church collectively taken, under the notion of a Mother, and the ſeveral Members under the notion of her Children: and that we are ſo to underſtand it in this place, is evident both from the Context, and that diſcourſe of the Apoſtle before mentioned; ſo that let it be granted that this Promiſe does not appertain to the Seed of Believers merely as ſuch; yet as the Covenant of Grace is extended to them, and they, by the Application of the Token thereof are admitted into the viſible Church, ſo it does appertain, yea in a ſpecial manner appertains to them: ſo again in that Heb. 8.11. the Covenant wherein theſe Promiſes of putting the Law in the mind, and writing it in the heart, are contained, as made with the Houſe of Iſrael, and by Houſe of Iſrael, we are again to underſtand the viſible Church, that term Houſe being frequently applyed to the viſible, but never, as I remember, to the inviſible Church, at leaſt merely as ſuch: Now the Seed of Believers being of this Houſe of Iſrael, they have a joynt intereſt in this Covenant, and the Promiſes contained in it, with the whole Houſe, and anſwerably ſtand nigher to, and are the more eſpecial Objects of theſe Promiſes, than the reſt of Mankind are, who are not of this Houſe of Iſrael. Only let it be obſerved, that though the Church or Houſe of Iſrael be the proper Object of theſe Promiſes, yet I would not be underſtood, as excluding all others from partaking of the good contained in them: for though the actual injoyment of that good be peculiar and proper to thoſe that are of the Church or Houſe of Iſrael; yet by the very vouchſafement of it, others that were without are converted and brought into it: thoſe that God hath deſigned a place in his Houſe, are effectually taught by him, and by means thereof, are brought into it: But though God does vouchſaſe the good contained in theſe Promiſes to Forraigners as the means whereby they are brought into his Houſe; yet they in a peculiar and ſpecial manner belong to his Houſe, or to ſuch as are already in his Houſe, and conſequently to the Seed of Believers as Members thereof.
Obj. But poſſibly ſome may ſay, If ſo be God hath made the Covenant with the Church as viſible, and therein hath promiſed not only the outward means of Grace, but the effectual operations of the Spirit in a concurrence with thoſe means; and conſequently ſaving Grace as the inſeparable Fruit of thoſe operations, and the Seed of Believers have this Covenant, with the Promiſes thereof extended unto them in common with the adult Members of the Church; then it may ſeem, either that God fails in making good his Covenant, or elſe we muſt ſay, they are all ſavingly taught of God, and have true Grace wrought in their hearts; and if ſo, we muſt neceſſarily hold falling from Grace.
Anſw. This Objection I have in part obviated already in a fromer Treatiſe; yet let me ſpeak a little more diſtinctly to it at preſent: and for a more full anſwer to it, we muſt diſtinguiſh of the Covenant thus; It is either made with the Church in general, or with particular, Perſons, and anſwerably there are ſome Promiſes appertaining to the Church in general as a collective Body, and are to be interpreted, and underſtood in an indefinite notion; but then there are other Promiſes appertaining to particular Perſons, and are to be underſtood in a definite notion: and here we may obſerve a threefold difference between the Covenant as made with the Church in general, and the Promiſes of it as ſo made, and as made with particular Perſons, and the Promiſes of it as ſo made.
1. Firſt, There is a difference in reſpect of the good covenanted, or promiſed as thus: the Covenant, as made with the Church in general, contains Promiſes of the firſt ſaving or ſpecial Grace, as the Promiſes I have at preſent reference unto; theſe appertain to the Covenant as made with the Church in general: but now the Covenant as made with particular perſons contains no Promiſes of the firſt Grace, but only of conſequential Grace, ſuch as the pardon of ſin, the indwelling preſence of the Spirit, and the like, and does preſuppoſe the firſt Grace already wrought as the condition of it on Man's part, as in the caſe of the Adult, or elſe does preſuppoſe the condition of it, ſome other way performed, as in the caſe of the Infant-ſeed of Believers, viz. by the Faith of their Parents.
2. Secondly, There is a difference in reſpect of the intereſt that Perſons have in, and title they have to it, and anſwerably in the way and manner of God's performing of it, or giving the good promiſed in it: as it is made with the Church in general, ſo none have a particulsr actual intereſt in, or title to it, as taken ſeverally by themſelves, they have only a more general intereſt in, and title to it as Members of that Collective Body with which it is made; but now, as made with particular Perſons, each one, with whom it is ſo made, hath an actual intereſt in, and title to it, as taken apart by themſelvrs, without reſpect had to their relation to the Church in general; and anſwerably as it is made with the Church in general, God hath reſerved a liberty to himſelf to, and anſwerably does make it good, or give the good promiſed to particular Perſons, according to the good pleaſure of his Will, in a complyance with his eternal Purpoſes, and Decrees. What may be objected againſt this, from the univerſality of the expreſſions, they ſhall be all taught of God, hath been anſwered elſewhere, to which I muſt refer the Reader.*Infant Baptiſm from Heaven. p. 59, 60, 61. ſo alſo p. 108, 109, 110, 111. But as it is made with particular Perſons, ſo it does infallibly ſecure the good covenanted and promiſed to each in particular, upon ſuppoſition of a non-failure on their part in the performance of the duties required.
3. Thirdly, There is a difference in reſpect of the tenour of the Covenant and Promiſes thereof. As made with, or to the Church in general they are abſolute; but as made with or to particular Perſons, conditional. Yet let me ſay, that though the Promiſes of the Covenant, as made with the Church in general, are abſolute as to the Church, as ſo conſidered, that is, no Condition is impoſed upon the Church in general, or as collectively conſidered, in order to God's making good theſe Promiſe; yet that hinders not, but that ſomewhat of duty may be required of particular Members in order to their own or theirs injoying the good promiſed, in which failing, either themſelves, or theirs may be denyed that good, though yet the Promiſes ſhall have their accompliſhment, and others ſhall injoy the good of them, though they do not. But to return, having then diſtinguiſhed of the Covenant, and the Promiſes of it, the anſwer to the foregoing objection is this: That the Promiſes under our preſent conſideration do appertain to the Covenant as made with the Church in general, and anſwerably are to be interpreted, and underſtood in an indefinite notion, and have their accompliſhment among thoſe to whom in general they do appertain according to the good pleaſure of God, in a complyance with his eternal Purpoſes and Decrees.
Promiſes of a like nature with theſe frequently occur in Scripture, the conſideration of which, may farther clear up what hath been ſaid. See Mark 16.17, 18. John 14.12. which Promiſes, though they may ſeem to be definite as made to each particular Believer, yet are to be underſtood indefinitely, and have their accompliſhment, in that ſome have had a power of working Miracles, or in that ſuch a power hath been exerted in the Church, though poſſibly not in the fulneſs of it, by any one particular Believer: So in our preſent caſe, the Covenant as made with, and Promiſes as made to the Church or Houſe of Iſrael, as a Collective Body being indefinite, they do not infallibly ſecure the good contained in them to every individual Member, only ſuch a good to the Church in general, and anſwerably every individual Member ſtands night to, and is a more eſpecial object of them, than thoſe that are without.
And yet for the farther clearing up and confirming of what hath been ſaid, we may obſerve, that that twofold Good before mentioned, intended in theſe Promiſes, is diſtinctly promiſed to the Church as a Collective body.
1. Firſt, For the outward means of Grace thus, in that Pſal. 147.17. He hath ſhewed his Judgments unto Jacob, and his Statutes unto Iſrael: he hath not done ſo to every Nation. I conceive we are to take theſe words, not barely as Hiſtorical of what God did for the Church of the Jews, but Promiſſory, wherein God does graciouſly ingage himſelf, to vouchſafe ſuch outward means to his Church throughout all ages, as ſhall be ſufficient through the concurring operations of the Spirit to convey the ſaving knowledg of himſelf in Chriſt to, and work Grace in the hearts of the ſeveral Members thereof; however, this ſeems evident, that the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks not of God's ſhewing his Judgments to Jacob, and Statutes to Iſrael as a Priviledge peculiar and proper to the Jewiſh Church, but as the Church of God, and anſwerably declares what is one of the great Priviledges of the Church throughout all ages, viz. to injoy the Oracles of God, or the outward means of Grace: And hence it is, that the Apoſtle tells the Jews, as then not unchurched, that it was neceſſary, or of neceſſity, foreign, that the Goſpel ſhould be firſt preached unto them. Acts 13.46. and why was this neceſſary or of neceſſity, but becauſe they, yet appertaining to the viſible Church, ſhould, while they ſo continued, have a ſufficiency of outward means, whereby the ſaving Knowledg of God in Chriſt, and a work of Grace might be communicated to, and wrought in them, God having granted that to his Church as one of her great Priviledges here upon earth.
2. Secondly, For the effectual operations of the Spirit, with their inſeparable Fruits and ſffects: and thus our Lord Chriſt hath promiſed the conſtant and perpetual preſence of the Spirit in, and with his Church, I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, John 14.16. We are not to underſtand this as a Promiſe to particular Believers; though in whomſoever the Spirit of God doth dwell, he dwells and abides for ever; yet of that indwelling preſence of the Spirit in the hearts of particular Believers I conceive our Lord Chriſt does not here ſpeak, but of his preſence in, and with his Church in general, in which ſenſe Chriſt is ſaid to walk in the midſt of the golden Candleſticks: Now the great end of the Spirit's preſence in, and with the Church is to make effectual by his internal operations the external means of Grace for the ends whereunto they are vouchſaſed; ſo that we ſee the Promiſes of ſaving Grace, both of the external means whereby that Grace is wrought, and of the Spirit by whoſe operations thoſe means are made effectual, do in a particular and ſpecial manner appertain to the viſible Church, and conſequently the Seed of Believers being Members thereof, they muſt needs ſtand nigher to, and be more eſpecially the Objects of thoſe Promiſes, than the reſt of Mankind, who are Aliens from the Commonwealth of Iſrael: and ſurely it can be no ſmall benefit, or advantage to ſtand in ſo nigh a capacity to theſe Promiſes, to be of that Body, or Family to whom they do belong, though the good contained in them be not infallibly ſecured to every individual. To be of any Body Politick, Corporation or Society, unto which any peculiar Grants do belong, is looked upon as a great Priviledg and Advantage, though the Good granted be not infallibly ſecured to every individual Member; yet every one in particular is in a nigher and greater capacity to injoy that Good, than thoſe that are not of ſuch a Body, Corporation, or Society: the caſe is the ſame here.
2. But ſecondly, and more particularly: And thus we ſhall find, that theſe Promiſes do yet in a more eſpecial and peculiar manner belong to that part of, or ſpecies of Members in the viſible Church that conſiſts in the Seed of Believers: the Adult are ſuppoſed already to have the firſt Grace; and therefore, theſe Promiſes, at leaſt as they hold forth the firſt Grace, have a more eſpecial reſpect to the Seed of Believers: Hence we ſhall find Promiſes of that twoſold Good before mentioned expreſsly and particularly made unto them: thus Iſa. 44.4, 5. Sayes the Lord, I will pour out my Spirit upon thy Seed, and my bleſſing upon thy Off-ſpring. Seed and Off-ſpring here are ſynonimous terms, they intend the ſame Subjects, and by both the natural Seed of Believers is intended, as is evident, in as much as that term Off-ſpring is never uſed in any other ſenſe, than to ſignify natural Children or Poſterity, and by Spirit and Bleſſing the ſame good is intended, only the latter term is explicative of the former, I will pour out my Spirit and Bleſſing, is as much as to ſay, I will pour out my Spirit, who, as poured out upon, ſhall be a bleſſing to them; and in this promiſe of the Spirit is implyed the vouchſafement of the outward means, through and by which God does pour out his Spirit upon his People. The Doctrine of the Goſpel as ſome way communicated unto men, is the miniſtration of the Spirit to them; 2 Cor. 3.8. And hence the Promiſe of the Spirit does neceſſarily imply, and include in it, ſuch a communication of the Goſpel, as through which, according to the ordinary way of God's dealing with men, the Spirit may be miniſtred to thoſe to whom the Promiſe doth appertain: and as the Spirit is here expreſsly promiſed to the Seed of Believers, and the outward means of Grace implyed therein, ſo in Iſa. 59. ult. this twofold good is exprefsly, and in terminis promiſed, My Spirit which is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy Seed, nor out of the mouth of thy Seed's Seed, from henceforth, and for ever, ſaith the Lord. It is a promiſe made to the univerſal Church, and declares the way, and means how, and whereby God does uphold, maintain and perpetuate his Church in the World, it is by vouchſaſing his Word, or the outward means of Grace, and his Spirit in a concurrence with them, to his People, and their Seed ſucceſſively from one generation to another. To thoſe that conſider the nature of theſe Promiſes, or that they are tobe interpreted and underſtood not in a definite, but in an indefinite notion, and do impartially obſerve the way of God's procedure in the diſpenſation of his Grace towards men, any endeavours to vindicate the Faithfulneſs of God in their performance would be needleſs and ſuperfluous; for though ſome have contemned that obſervation that others have made, viz. that that Seed that God hath reſerved out of the poſterity of fallen man to ſerve him, is in a conſiderable meaſure raiſed out of the Families of the Faithful, yet it is indeed of great weight, and ſo evident to unbyaſſed Obſervers, that it may be no little confirmation of the ſenſe and meaning now given of theſe Promiſes, and is an abundant vindication of the Truth and Faithfulneſs of God in them.
And as it hath in all ages paſt given, ſo ſtill gives him the juſt Name and Repute of a God keeping Covenant and Mercy for ever. But to put a cloſe to this third Benefit that the Seed of Believers have by their Memberſhip in the viſible Church, I ſay they are thereby brought nigher to the Promiſes of ſaving Grace, than the reſt of Mankind are: they are oſ that Collective Body or Society of men unto whom theſe Promiſes do in the general appertain; and not only ſo, but are that ſpecial part of, or ſpecies of Members in that Body or Society, to whom theſe Promiſes in a more eſpecial manner do belong: they are nigh to the Promiſes as they are of the viſible Church, but they are yet nigher, as they are ſpecified and pointed out to be the Perſons peculiarly intended in them: and according to their nignneſs to theſe Promiſes, ſo eſpecially, when Parents are faithful in their duty towards them, is their injoyment of the good …romiſed. How rarely is it found when Parents with Abraham are faithful in inſtructing, and commanding their Children to walk in way of the Lord; but if not all, yet ſome, (though ſometimes more ſometimes ſewer, according to the number they are bleſſed with) are found through the bleſſing of God accompanying of thoſe inſtructions walking in theſe ways; yea, how many inſtances might be given of Parents ſo performing their duty, who can walk in the World, as in a ſtrange land with comfortable hopes that all theirs are heirs with them of the ſame Promiſes?
Now then, how ſtrange is it that believing Parents ſhould have their underſtandings ſo far darkened, and their Judgments ſo far blinded, to make that which ſometimes was the Gentiles, and is now the Jewes miſery, (viz. to be far from God, and ſtrangers to the Covenants of Promiſe) their choice, though not for themſelves, yet for theirs; and ſhould, what in them lies, ſet them at the utmoſt diſtance from thoſe Promiſes that are the great grounds of hope to fallen Man, that he may Obrain an exchange of his Sin and Miſery for Grace and Glory, and leave them to take their Lot among thoſe that are afar off? We may well call to the Heavens to be aſtoniſhed at this, and to the Earth to be moved out of its place. But to paſs from this firſt Head of Benefies accruing to the Seed of Believers: From the application of the token of the Covenant to them they have admiſſion into, and become Members of the Church viſible; and God by commanding the Application of the Token of the Covenant to the Seed of his People, ſpeaks to them with reſpect to their Seed, as Jacob to Joſeph with reference to his two Sons, Bring your Children near to me that I may bleſs them: bring them into my Houſe and Family, and as they then ſhall have an intereſt in all the Prayers put up for it; ſo they ſhall have the ſpecial providential care of my Son over them, he ſhall give his Angels a charge concerning them, they ſhall come into a nigher capacity to injoy Grace promiſed, than the reſt of Mankind; and be you faithful in your duties, and I will be faithful in my Promiſes. Now ſhall any reject ſuch a Gracious Invitation, how juſtly may Children cnrſe the day they were ever brought forth by ſuch Parents?