Infant Baptism, Essay · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. The ſecond reference of the Token of the Covenant declared, where two Queſtions are reſolved. Friſt, What Promiſes appertain to the Seed of Believers as ſuch. Theſe determined to be only two. Firſt, That God will be a God to them. Secondly, That they ſhall be ſaved. The ſecond Queſtion, (viz.) What is the Good contained in theſe Promiſes. The Good contained in the latter more briefly ſhewed. The Good contained in the former, more largely inſiſted upon. A twofold Good determined to be contained in it. Firſt, A Covenant-relation is conſtituted by it between God and the Seed of Believers. Secondly, God by it has put himſelf under an obligation to communicate himſelf to, and act for their Good and Benefit. Thoſe communications of himſelf to, and theſe actings for their Good and Benefit that God has obliged himſelf to, ſhewed to be limited three ways. Where it is ſhewed, that this Promiſe of God's being a God to his People, whether Infants or Adult, does not, as taken abſolutely and by it ſelf, either for the preſent confer, or for the future abſolutely enſure, any particular Good contained in any of the Promiſes of the Goſpel upon, or to any intereſted in it; but is only an obligation upon God to make them all good according to their true tenour, and upon ſuppoſition of their condition being performed by man. This proved more generally by one Argument. That confirmed in the ſeveral branches of it.
2. AS the Covenant as abſtractly conſidered, and conſequentially their Covenant-ſtate, with a full diſcharge and freedom from the guilt and condemning power of Original ſin, as the Inſeparable and neceſſary effect and conſequence thereof, is ratified, ſealed and confirmed to the Infant-ſeed of Believers by the Application of the Token of the Covenant to them: So the particular Promiſes of the Covenant appertaining to them. are alike ſealed and confirmed to them thereby. Now here two things muſt be enquired into.
Firſt, What Promiſes of the Covenant do appertain to them.
Secondly, What is the proper good contained in, and anſwerably conferred upon, or aſſured to them by thoſe Promiſes.
For the firſt, I find only theſe two Promiſes made unto them, merely as the Seed of ſuch Parents: There are it's true, other Promiſes that have an indefinite reſpect unto them, nigher unto which they ſtand than the reſt of Mankind, as has been before obſerved: but for Promiſes made definitely to them, and which do appertain unto them, merely as the Seed of believing Parents; ſo I conceive there are only theſe two.
1. That God will be a God to them. Thus when the Lord firſt eſtabliſhed his Covenant with Abraham the Father of the Faithful, he not only promiſes to be a God to him, but to his Seed after him; 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 to thee and to thy Seed after thee, Gen. 17.7. So that this Promiſe of God's being a God to them is as expreſsly made to Abraham's Seed (and that he intends his natural See, immediately proceeding from his own loins, as well as his myſtical, has been ſufficiently proved elſewhere) as to Abraham himſelf; and is ſo continued to all Believers and their natural Seed, as has been alſo proved. So that that is the firſt Promiſe of the Covenant appertaining to the Infant-ſeed of Believers as ſuch.
2. The other is, that God will give them the Land of Canaan; that is, as that Promiſe is explained in the New Teſtament, they ſhall be ſaved. The Land of Canaan was a Type of heaven, and the main and principal good intended in that Promiſe of Canaan was Heaven: And hence it was that Abraham from this Promiſe raiſes his hope and expectation of a City that has foundations, whoſe Maker and Builder is God, Hebr. 11.10. And did not the Promiſe principally intend Heaven, or ſuture Salvation, it had ſignified nothing either to Abraham himſelf, or any of his Seed, for upward of four hundred years; beſides 'tis ſaid to be given for an everlaſting poſſeſſion, which in reſpect of that Land literally taken was not true. And hence again, the Apoſtle Paul plainly intimates, or rather expreſsly declares, that all Believers are Heirs to, and have an equal intereſt in that Promiſe with Abraham himſelf, Heb. 6.13. to the end of the Chapter, compared with Gen. 22.16, 17. He tells us the reaſon of Gods confirming this Promiſe to Abraham (having reſpect to this very Promiſe) with an oath was, that we (that betake our ſelves to this hope that is ſet before us; that is, do renounce the World, and the things thereof, and betake our ſelves to Chriſt and his ways in hope of Heaven) might have more ſtrong conſolation: Now unleſs we were Joynt-heirs with Abraham of this Promiſe, the confirmation of it to him by an oath had made nothing to our conſolation: And this will yet be more evident if we conſider, that as God promiſed to bleſs Abraham, ſo to multiply his Seed, and give them to poſſeſs the gates of their enemies; that is, he would give them the Land of Canaan; and Believers are Abraham's Seed, and as ſuch Heirs with him of that Promiſe: and hence in confirming that Promiſe unto him with an oath, he alike confirmed it unto us. From all which it is evident that the Promiſe of the Land of Canaan was, according to the true mind and meaning of God in it, a promiſe of Heaven: So that I ſay, that is the other Promiſe appertaining to the Seed of Believers as ſuch, viz. the promiſe of the Land of Canaan, or of Heaven, of future Salvation. Hence the Apoſtle tells the Jaylor, that upon his believing both himſelf and his houſe ſhould be ſaved, Acts 16.31. But that is the firſt thing to be enquired into, viz. What Promiſes of the Covenant appertain to the Seed of Believers as ſuch? They are theſe two.
1. That God will be a God to them, and they ſhall poſſeſs the Land of Canaan; or, as Abraham underſtands it, a City that has foundations, whoſe Maker and Builder is God; that is, Heaven; which in other words, is, they ſhall be ſaved. The former of theſe Promiſes reſpects the time preſent; the latter the time to come: for the preſent God will be a God to them; for the future they ſhall be ſaved: that is, upon ſuppoſition of their performance of the conditions of the Covenant.
2. What is the Good intended in, and conſequently conveyed and made over to the Seed of Believers by theſe Promiſes?
1. For the latter of theſe Promiſes, viz. that of future Salvation. To begin with that firſt, becauſe there is no difficulty in it (as to what concerns our preſent purpoſe) requiring a large diſcuſſion of it: and therefore in brief, by Salvation we are to underſtand, all that Glory, Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs, whether conſiſting in liberation and freedom from evil, or any poſitive Good, that God has purpoſed, and Chriſt has purchaſed for his People, to be poſſeſſed and injoyed by them in Heaven, or in the life to come; which though we may rationally ſuppoſe will gradually differ as injoyed by Infants from that to be poſſeſſed and injoyed by Adult Believers; eſpecially who have attained to higher degrees in Grace and Holineſs; or have done, and ſuffered much for Chriſt here in the World: yet as it will be the ſame for kind, ſo it will be exceeding great. Though the Glory, Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs of the Saved, as well as the Miſery of the Damned will differ gradually, yet the loweſt degree of Glory, Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs to be injoyed in Heaven, as alſo of Miſery to be ſuffered in Hell will be unconceiveably great. The Holy Ghoſt tells us, eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entred into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for them that love him; that is, for all them that love him. In what latitude we are to underſtand theſe things, ſaid to be prepared for them that love God, we need not enquire: be ſure 'tis true of the things prepared and reſerved for Saints in Heaven, they are things that eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have they entred into heart of man, not into the heart of a merely natural man, ſo as to conceive what, much leſs how great they are: but not into the heart of ſpiritual or regenerate men ſo as fully to apprehend what or how great and excellent they are. And as this is true of things that God has prepared for them that love him: So it is alike true of the things prepared for them that are beloved of him, though through the immaturity of their age they are incapable of an actual love to him. The Glory, Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs of the loweſt Saint in Heaven, whether dying in Infancy, or living to years of Maturity, will quite ſurpaſs the preſent thoughts and apprehenſions of the moſt enlightned underſtanding. And I ſay, all that Glory, Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs, is included and intended in this term Salvation, they ſhall be ſaved, that is, perfectly freed and delivered from all miſery that man through ſin is become ſubject to; and inſtated in the contrary ſtate of Glory, Happineſs and Bleſſedneſs. But
2. For the other Promiſe, viz. That of God's being a God to them; there is more difficulty in determining what is that Good contained in, and granted to the Infant-ſeed of Believers by it: In the general this ſeems plain, that it muſt be interpreted and underſtood as appertaining to Infants, as it is to be interpreted and underſtood as appertaining to the Adult, ſeing we have no warrant from the Scripture, neither does the different capacity of Infants and the Adult neceſſitate us to interpret and underſtand it otherwiſe as appertaining to the one, than we do as appertaining to the other: and therefore we muſt a little enquire into, and endeavour to ſtate the true ſenſe and meaning of this grand Promiſe of the Covenant, wherein God promiſes to be a God to his People, whether as appertaining to Infants or Adult Believers; and thus taking the Covenant in a ſtrict and proper ſenſe, for a mutual engagement between God and Man, ſo I conceive only theſe two things are intended, and included in it.
1. A mutual Relation between God and his People is conſtituted and eſtabliſhed thereby: and as by the conſtitution of this Relation between God and his People, they are brought nigh to him, and he is nigh to them. Hence they are ſaid to be near to God, He alſo exalteth the Horn of his People, the praiſe of all his Saints, even of the Children of Iſrael, a People near unto him, Pſal. 148.14. And if they are near to him, he muſt needs be nigh to them: ſo they have a mutual propriety and intereſt each in other. Hence are thoſe appropriating terms in Scripture, and that on both parts. Hence on God's part, ſays he, yea I ſware unto thee, and entred into a Covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine, Ezek. 16.8. Though God has a propriety in all Creatures, they are all his: yet we ſee he lays a peculiar claim to his People, as having a more eſpecial intereſt and propriety in them above what he has in others, and that by vertue of the Covenant entred with them: So on the People of Gods part, My Beloved is mine, ſaith the Spouſe, Cant. 2.16. Oh my ſoul, thou haſt ſaid unto the Lord, thou art my Lord, Pſal. 16.2. And the like appropriating terms we have frequently in Scripture. Man by his ſin has loſt his propriety and intereſt in God; hence whoſoever now has an intereſt and propriety in him, it muſt be by vertue of his own free Gift and Promiſe: they only can groundedly lay claim to intereſt and propriety in him to whom he promiſes to be a God. Hence his People hold their intereſt in him, not by vertue of their relation to him as his Creatures, but by the Covenant entred with them, wherein he has promiſed to be a God to them, and take them to be his People. And that is the firſt good contained in, and conveyed to the Infant-ſeed of Believers by this Promiſes, there is a mutual relation conſtituted thereby between God and them: by means whereof they have a mutual intereſt and propriety each in other, as they are God's, and therefore ſaid to be born to him, and to be his Children, Ezek. 16.20, 21. ſo he is theirs: and how great a Good is that for God to give himſelf to the Seed of his People, as well as to them themſelves? That the great God quantus, quantus eſt, is and may be ſaid to be in a proper ſenſe, their God, their Portion and Inheritance?
2. The Good of, or contained in this Promiſe, is this; that God thereby has put himſelf under an obligation to his People to communicate himſelf to them, and act for their good, benefit and advantage, according to his own infinite Perfections, the true tenour of the Covenant made with them, and their capacity to receive: or thus, he has by this Promiſe put himſelf under an obligation to his People, to improve and imploy all his Attributes for their good, benefit and advantage, in a way agreeable to the whole Covenant, and their capability of receiving any good, benefit and advantage by that improvement, and imployment of his ſeveral Attributes for them. So that the communications that God by this Promiſe has obliged himſelf to make of himſelf to his People, and theſe actings for their good, benefic and advantage, that he by the ſame Promiſe has obliged himſelf to, are limited three ways.
1. By his own infinite Perfections: and thus it is impoſſible for him to communicate his Deity to them, as the Deity of the Father is communicated to the Son; and the Deity of the Father and the Son to the Spirit; the infinity of the Deity renders it incommunicable to any being extraſe, without it ſelf: but for his actings for the Good, Benefit and Advantage of his People they receive no limitations from his Perfections as abſolutely conſidered in themſelves; becauſe they are all infinite in themſelves, and ſhould he act ad ultimum virium, no other bounds or limits are aſſignable to them by the Creature than their non Deification. And therefore,
2. The communications of God to, and his actings for the Good, Benefit and Advantage of his People, are limited by the Covenanant he has made with them; and that both in regard of the Good he will communicate to, or do for them, and alſo in regard of the terms and conditions upon which he will communicate that Good to, and do it for them. Hence no more good can be expected from God, than what is contained in ſome Promiſe of the Govenant as made either indefinitely with the houſe of Iſrael in general, or definitely with particular and individual perſons; though 'tis true, the full Good contained in ſome Promiſes, eſpecially thoſe relating to the life to come, cannot be comprehended by any, while in this life: and therefore it is ſaid, Chriſt ſhall come to be admired in them that believe, 2 Theſſ. 1.10. the Good they then receive from him, exceeding their preſent expectations: but yet whatever Good they do, or then ſhall receive, is contained in ſome Promiſe. The Covenant is norma judicii, both in reſpect of rewarding the Righteous and puniſhing the Wicked. And
2. As the communications God makes of himſelf to, and his acting for the Good, Benefit and Advantage of his People, are limited by the Covenant, in regard of the Good communicated to, and done for them: So in regard of the terms and conditions upon which he does, and will communicate himſelf to them, and act for their Good, Benefit and Advantage, that the Covenant of Grace as definitely made with particular Perſons is conditional, or does require ſomewhat of duty on mans part in order to the injoyment of the Good promiſed, is to me paſt all rational doubt, and generally granted on all hands. I ſhall not therefore add any thing to prove it, but though God in ſome caſes may, and ſometimes does give the Good of ſome Promiſe, where man either wholly or in a great meaſure fails in performing the conditious prefixed to them; yet he is not obliged either by this grand Promiſe nor any other ſo to do: and in reſpect of the great ſundamental Bleſſings of the Covenant, as pardon of Sin, ſuture Glory, &c. He never gives them but upon ſuppoſition of the real and true performance of the conditions required in the Covenant on mans part. Hence I conceive it will neceſſarily follow, that as no particular perſons whether Infants or Adult, have ana actual intereſt in this Promiſe; but ſuch as either for or by whom the fundamental conditions required to a Covenant-ſtate are performed: ſo this Promiſe not ſpecifying any particular Good, it does not ſimply and abſolutely of it ſelf confer or give an immediate right to any Good contained in any of the Promiſes of the Covenant to thoſe that have an intereſt in it; it only conſtitutes a Covenant-relation between God and Man, and thereby gives them a mutual intereſt and propriety in each other, and then obliges God to communicate himſelf to, and act for the Good, Benefit and Advantage of thoſe that are under it, or intereſted in it, according to the tenour of the whole Covenant, or the various Promiſes contained therein: ſo that though this Promiſe does virtually include and comprehend the whole Good of the Covenant whether conſiſting in Spiritual or Temporal Bleſſings, yet does not merely or abſolutely of it ſelf confer, or enſure the Good of any one Promiſe appertaining to the Covenant upon or to any individual or particular Perſons whatſoever; it ſecures the injoyment of all the Good contained in the ſeveral and various Promiſes of the Covenant to thoſe, for or by whom the conditions or duties required therein are performed; but does not abſolutely confer or enſure the injoyment of the Good contained in any one Promiſe. And hence, with ſubmiſſion to better judgments, I conceive, that the Covenant-ſtate of the Imfant-ſeed of Believers does not indiſpenſibly require any operations of the Spirit upon their hearts either for the diſpoſing them to act, or facilitating their acting of Grace, as they become capable to do it; or for the renovation of their natures, and effecting Grace in them. No ſuch operations are neceſſary in order to their having or performing the conditions of a Covenant-ſtate; ſeing the condition of their Covenant-ſtate is without them, and is their Parents Faith; no ſuch operations are included in, or aſſured by this Promiſe of God's being a God to them; nor as I conceive, in that other concerning their future Salvation: for though 'tis true, Regeneration is abſolutely neceſſary to admiſſion into, and the actual poſſeſſion of Heaven; yet that may be wrought in tranſitu, (as the relicks of indwelling ſin are purged away in Believers) or at any time anteceding when God ſees meet: But of this more by and by.
And that this Promiſe of God's being a God to his People, whether Infants or Adult Believers, does not of it ſelf either immediately confer, or for the future abſolutely enſure the Good contained in any of the various Promiſes of the Covenant made to them, and conſequently only lays ſuch an obligation upon God as is afore expreſt, I ſhall firſt prove by one more general Argument, and then clear it up in ſome particular inſtances.
Arg. Whatever Good is either conferred or granted for the preſent, or enſured for the future, by any Promiſe as taken abſolutely and by it ſelf, muſt be expreſsly held forth, or neceſſarily implyed in the Terms in which it is made, or elſe muſt in ſome other place of Scripture be declared to be intended in it: But in this Promiſe no particular Good, &c.
For the major Propoſition, the enumeration being full and ſufficient, that cannot be gainſaid.
For the minor, the truth of that will appear in the particular Branches of it.
Firſt, That no particular Good contained in any of the Promiſes of the Covenant is expreſsly held forth in the Terms of this Promiſe it ſelf, is obvious unto all: God's promiſing to be a God to any neither ſpecifies, nor particularly expreſſes any particular Good he will vouchſafe to, or beſtow upon them: it is only a more general aſſurance of ſome Good, but what that Good is, or upon what terms it ſhall be injoyed is not expreſt.
2. That no particular Good is neceſſarily implyed or included in the Terms of the Promiſe is evident thus. It muſt be implyed and included either merely ſub notione boni, or ſub notione boni promiſſi, either as a Good in the general, or as a promiſed Good: but no particular Good can be implyed or included under either of theſe notions; for then all Good in general, at leaſt all promiſed Good, muſt be implyed and included à quatenùs ad omne valet conſequentia, and then all Good, at leaſt all promiſed Good, would be either actually conferred, or a right thereunto would be given, or the future injoyment thereof would be infallibly ſecured upon or to all thoſe that have an Intereſt in this Promiſe; the contrary whereunto is not only evident to every ones obſervation, but undeniably evident from Scripture, as ſhall be ſhewed more fully by and by.
3. That any particular Good contained in any of the Promiſes of the Covenant is declared in any Scripture to be implyed or included in this Promiſe cannot be affirmed; becauſe no ſuch Declaration is to be ſound. Whatever Scriptures may be produced for that purpoſe, I doubt not, but it will be eaſily made to appear they prove not the thing they are produced for the proof of. Hence I conclude, that this Promiſe, as taken abſolutely and by it ſelf, does neither actually confer, nor give a right to, nor abſolutely ſecure any particular Good contained in any of the Promiſes of the Covenant upon or to thoſe that have an Intereſt in it: but is only an obligation upon God to communicate himſelf to them, and act or improve and imploy his ſeveral Attributes for their Good, Benefit and Advantage, according to the true tenour of the Covenant and the various Promiſes contained in it.