The Sum of Diverse Sermons, Text (2 of 3)

The Sum of Diverse Sermons · Text (2 of 3)

p. 62Fifthly, That women are enabled to conceive, bear and bring forth, and that their children are provided for, 't is of grace.

1. Women, if believers, are ſaved by grace in child-bearing, foreign, i. (in it,) as a way though dangerous; (by it,) as a means to further their ſalvation.

2. Children are given by grace to the rightous, Gen. 33.5. Theſe are the Children which God of his p. 63grace hath given me: So the multiplying of Children is an act of grace, 1 Chron. 28.23. Deut. 33.24. Let Aſher be bleſſed with Children; Act. 7.8. He gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion, and ſo Abraham begat Iſaac; yea ſo great a merciemercy is it, that it engaged the heart of Enoch to walk with God 300 years after he begat Methuſalah, Gen. 5.22. Thus Abraham walked with God after he received the promiſe for the multiplying of his ſeed, Gen. 13. which is to be underſtood literally, (Deut. 10. laſt) as well as ſpiritually.

3. The proviſion the Lord maketh for ſuch Children,Iiſdem nutrimur ex quibus conſtamus. is a fruit of the Covenant of grace; for God is the God of the whole man, as our Savior reaſoneth, therefore not onelyonly of the ſoul but of the body alſo; who by Covenant binds himſelf to provide for both. How ſweet is it to a gracious ſoul to ſee all things diſpenſed to him, not onelyonly by a providence but alſo by promiſe; and to ſee the Throne of God compaſſed about with the rainbow of his Covenant, for ſo I underſtand it, Rev. 4.3: So that all his diſpenſations did paſs through this rainbow; whether they be afflictions, (which to the rightous are an appendix to the Covenant 2 Sam. 7.) or temporal, ſpiritual and eternal mercies; all theſe come ſwimming to us in the bloud of Chriſt.

Sixtly, It had been little comfort to Abraham and his ſeed to have had onelyonly a temporal portion ſealed to them. Others of his Children were before the Children of promiſe for outwards, Theſe (ſaith p. 64the Text) are the Kings that reigned in the land of Edom, before there reigned any King over the children of Iſrael, Gen. 36.31. 1 Chron. 1.43. But what is all this? yea what is that vaſt Turkiſh empire, but as a crum given to a dog, as Luther ſpeaks? Doubtleſs if Abraham had ſo underſtood the Lord, he would have ſaid, (as once Luther did to the Duke of Saxony, who offered him a great gratuity) Non ſic ſatiabor Domine, I will not be ſo put off, this, Lord, ſhall not ſuffice me.

Sevently, The bondmen born in Abraham's houſe had no inheritance in the land of Canaan, yet were circumciſed; yea Abraham's ſeed for the ſpace of 430 years enjoyed it not; therefore Circumciſion was not ſolely a ſeal of the land of Canaan; for as thoſe had no right unto it: ſo Abraham in his poſterity enjoyed it not for that ſpace.

Eighthly, The Apoſtle determines (**Quum Deus ſacramenta gratiis ſuis adjungere ſoleat, ex eo quod ſacramento privati erant, colligit; ne que gratiae ipſos fuiſſe participes, non eſt quidem perpetuum argumentum, valet tamen quantum ad ordinariam dei dispenſationem. Calv. in Eph. Eph. 2.12.) upon their uncircumciſion, that they were without God in the world, v 11, Remember that at that time ye were Gentiles, who were called uncircumciſion; that at that time ye were ſtrangers to the Covenant of promiſe. Hence that phraſe, They dy the deaths of the uncircumciſed, he ſaith not [death] but [deaths] as ſignifying not onelyonly their corporal, but their ſpiritual and eternal deaths. Ezek. 32.25, 26. and 28.10.

Ninthly, When the Lord renews the Covenant for that land of Canaan, (mark well) the Lord did p. 65not reinſtate them into that land after their return from Babylon,Gen. 17.2. [foreign] And I will freely give my Covenant: So Galat 3.Gen 17:2Gal 3 nor will he bring them back out of their laſt captivity into that land, but by that gracious Covenant. Jer. 3.19. How ſhall I put thee among my Children, and give thee the pleaſant land? Thou ſhalt call me father and ſhalt not depart from me. Some ſay the Covenant of Circumciſion is to be underſtood as everlaſting as Canaan and the poſſeſſion thereof; which untill Chriſt's coming who was the ſubſtance thereof, it being a typical Covenant; but it's as clear as the ſun, That that land is promiſed to them in the later times upon their general Call; for into that land muſt they return and fight with (the ſons of Greece Zac. 9.13. i. e) the Turk and his adherents.

Ezek. 20.37. I will bring them into the bond of the Covenant. v. 12, There ſhall the houſe of Iſrael even all of them in the land ſerve me. This relates to their laſt return, Rom. 11.26. So all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved, that is, the body of the 12 Tribes. Thus Ezek. 36.24. I will gather you out of all Countries, and bring you into your own land, then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers. v. 28. And ye ſhall be my people and I will be your God: Yea (ſaith the Text) not for your ſakes do I this, (v. 22 & 32) ſaith the Lord God, be it known unto you. q.d. You muſt not expect that land by a Covenant of works, as Moſes again and again minds the Iſraelites, Deut. 9.4. Say not for my rightouſneſs hath the Lord brought me to p. 66poſſeſs this land v. 5, 6, 7. And adds this memento, for fear Iſrael ſhould forget it, Remember and forget not how thou provokedſt the Lord in the wilderneſs.

Will any then for ever ſay for the future, That the land of Canaan was given to Abrahams' ſeed by a Covenant of works? I wonder at the confidence of ſome, who ſtrongly affirm (foreign, 1 Tim. 1.7.) that which they are wholely ignorant of. Surely they were hard beſtead when forced to fly to this diſtinction to avoid the force of that Argument taken from Abraham's Covenant; But alas! There are many that are enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt, (as Paul ſaith, Phil. 3.18) of whom I tell you weeping. I deſire to bemoan the ſad condition of ſuch; for a ſpirit of deluſion is gone forth into the world to deceive the nations; God having given Satan a commiſſion (or rather a permiſſion) judicially to harden, not onelyonly carnal Goſpellers, but ſome of his own dear people; and this is the ſoreſt judgment that I know, that lies upon this nation this day.

Tenthly, That Covenant was Goſpel, therefore not a fleſhly carnal Covenant,Gal. 3.18. God gave the inheritance by promiſe, foreign See Gen. 17 foreignGal 3:18Gen 17 Gal. 3.8. The Scripture foreſeeing that God would juſtify the heathen through faith, preached before the Goſpel unto Abraham. Gen. 12. Saying, in thee ſhall all Nations be bleſſed. cap. 22. He ſaith (in thy ſeed) but from that time (namely, Gen. 22.) to the coming out of Aegypt, (viz. Exod. 12.41.) was not**Nay ſcarſe 390, neither can the words Gal. 3. be referred to the firſt promiſe Gen. 12 For there was no foreign or confirmation mentioned before Gen. 17.18. Where it was confirmed by ſacrifice, after by the ſacrament of Circumciſion; laſtly, by an oath. cap. 22.Gal 3Gen 12Gen 17:18 four hundred p. 67and thirty years: Therefore it muſt be referred to this 15 chapter or to the 17. But it's not much material to which place of the two you referr it, ſeeing that it's one and the ſame Covenant; But more fully explained accordingly as Abraham walked with God, cap. 12,Lecleca. It 's Dativus commodi. when God calls them out of his country, he bids him go for himſelf, and tells him, v. 3, he will bleſs him, and that in him all nations ſhall be bleſſed; upon this Abraham departed and comes into this land, where the Lord appears to him (cap. 12.7.) and ſaith, Unto thy ſeed will I give this land, (he had not told him that before) after this there was a great famin in that land, which was no ſmall tryal to Abraham's faith, that coming out of ſuch a fertil ſoil as Chaldea was, he ſhould be put to ſuch ſtraits, and forced to travel to Aegypt for food, where he ſojourns awhile, and thence returns to the land whence he came; there God appears to him again, upon that ſelf-denying act; (ca. 13.7.) Abraham takes notice that the Canaanite dwelt in the land, and therefore yields to his brother Lot; who made choice of the fatteſt ſoil, as intending rather to feed his flocks than to feed ſouls; but the Lord again appears to Abraham, (cap. 13.4.) ſaying, All this land will I give, he enlargeth his charter, and lets him know he ſhall be no loſer by him; upon another act of ſelf-denyal (leaſt the King of Sodom ſhould ſay, He had made Abraham rich) the Lord again appears to him (cap. 15.1.) ſaying, I am thy exceeding great reward, p. 68the Lord leaves himſelf in pawn (that I may ſo ſay) till he had made good his promiſe to him; But in cap. 17.22. he more fully explains the Covenant.

Eleventhly, The V. Commandment is not carnal, though it have a temporal promiſe annexed to it; Eph. Deut. 5.16. Ut prolongent dies] Poteſt verbum accipi imperſonaliter, prolongent, pro eo quod eſt prolongentur. Junius.Deut 5:166.3. Children obey your parents, that it may be well with you, and that ye may live long on the earth: Surely none will ſay but that children are bound to obey their parents under the Goſpel, as well as the Jews were under the Law, notwithſtanding that motive; Is there not the like reaſon for the Covenant? May it not be ſpiritual though the Lord engage to Abraham and his ſeed to give them that temporal land of Canaan? and ſhall we ſay this Covenant is a temporal and a carnal Covenant? hath not godlineſs the promiſe of this life and that which is to come? They might as well have ſaid the ten Commandments belong not to us, becauſe (Deut. 5.) they are enforced with this conſideration [which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt;] though in a ſpiritual ſenſe that may be applyed to us, as literally to the Jews.

Twelfthly, Abraham was heir of the world by virtue of the Covenant of grace, and ſurely Canaan was included in that promiſe, as being a little world in the great world. Rom. 4.13. The promiſe that he ſhould be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the rightouſneſs of faith: Where you ſee it's plainly oppoſed to the Covenant of works.

p. 69Thirteenthly, From the abſurdities that will follow hereupon; for then ſo many particular promiſes, ſo many Covenants; whereas a Covenant is but a bundle of promiſes ſolemnly ſealed and confirmed.

The Papiſts having excluded the ſecond Commandment,Such as will deficere in neceſſariis, will abundare in ſuperfluis; they are defective in the ſecond Command, therefore they ſuperabound in the X; whereas the text mentions but one Commandment, as Moſes one Covenant throughout ch. 17. divide the tenth into two; whereas they might as well make eight of it, as firſt, Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbors houſe. 2. Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbors wife. 3. Thou ſhalt not covet thy neighbors field. 4. Nor his man ſervant. 5. Nor his maid ſervant. 6. Nor his ox. 7. Nor his aſs. 8. Nor any thing that is his.

As they divide the Commandments: ſo others divide the Covenant; [I will be thy God,] This they make a new Covenant or a Covenant of grace. Gen. 17 to 6. and from 7. to 14. And to thy ſeed will I give this land, a Covenant of works: they grant the former to be the new Covenant or Covenant of grace and why not the later? [I will be the God of thy ſeed, &c.] but they might as well according to all the particular articles in the Covenant multiply the Covenant into ſeveral ſpecies, making every promiſe a Covenant and ſo many, promiſes ſo many Covenants.

Fourteenthly, If Circumciſion was a ſeal of the Covenant of works, then the ſeed of Abraham had no ſeal to the Covenant of grace at all, for they ſay that relates to the land of Canaan which they hold to p. 70be given to the poſterity of Abraham by a Covenant of works whereof Circumciſion was a ſeal. If this be granted, then was the Lord wanting to his people; for did they not ſtand in need of a ſeal of the rightouſneſs of faith as well as Abraham, & much more? Abraham though ſtrong in faith was ſore put to it, as appears by the ſtory, being willing to ſit down well contented with Iſmael, not having obtained the promiſed ſeed: Yea (cap, 16.3.) the holy Ghoſt ſeems to imply that he doubted ten years; therefore he uſed unlawful means to obtain iſſue, going in… Hagar. Did Abraham ſtand in need of ſtrengthening and did not his ſeed much more? Had he a ſeal annexed to the promiſe, and had not his ſeed the like? or did God ever make a Covenant with his people, and not ſeal it? Hath any a juſt title to an inheritance, and not a right to the ſeals and conveyances? or had any ever a right to the Covenant of grace that had not an external right at leaſt to the ſeal?

Fifteenthly, Here is not onelyonly an Huſteronproteron, (for thus Abraham is firſt under the Covenant of grace and then of works long after) but at the ſame time under both Covenants, contrary to Rom. 6.14.

Sixtenthly, The Covenant of works admits of no repentance or mercy, therefore cannot be renewed, but this doth. Deut. 4.7, 12, 13.

Seventeenthly, That Covenant was ſealed with bloud, (for the letting out of the bloud did ſignifie the ſhedding of the bloud of Chriſt) therefore it was not a Covenant of works: Again it 's to thee and p. 71thy ſeed after thee, in their generations for ever; Gen. 17.10, 11. Pſal. 105.8.M^r P. p. 43. The ever of the Law is to be underſtood of the time of the Goſpel-ſtate, if theſe words [to you and your ſeed in their generations] be put in. At negatur. He gave that land for an everlaſting Covenant, even to a thouſand generations. Now from Abraham to Chriſt there was but 42 generations, and therefore that Covenant ceaſed not when Chriſt came in the fleſh, as ſome ſay. Jer. 25.5. Eſa. 24.5. Num. 25.13. Ex. 3.15. I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, the God of Jacob, this is my name for ever, this is my memorial to all generations.

Eighteenthly, If Circumciſion were onelyonly a ſeal ſignifying, That God would give the ſeed of Abraham the land of Canaan, what need was there of this ſeal after they were poſſeſſed of the land?

Obj. The ſubject matter of the Covenant is, That they ſhould be circumciſed; but in that, all the works of the Law are included.

Anſ. Rom. 2.25. Act. 15. Circumciſion profiteth if thou keep the Law, ſaith the Apoſtle, on Gods part it was a ſeal of all the gracious promiſes, if on their part they did perform the condition, which was, to walk in obedience to his Commandments; but it did not profit them if they kept not the Law: as baptiſm now availeth not if men lead an evil life. The Apoſtle ſpeaks not by way of ſuppoſition, as of a thing impoſſible to be done, but as ſuppoſing it a thing poſſible evangelically to be done.

If he had ſpoken of the perfect keeping of the law legally, (which is impoſſible) then all profitable uſe p. 72is denyed to Circumciſion; but he would not ſo much detract from that holy inſtitution of God, as to denie all profitable uſe thereof. Circumciſion indeed did bind them to keep the whole law perfectly, but it did profit them if there were an endeavor and a care in them to keep it, though imperfectly.

Cap. 3.1. What priviledg then hath the Jew? what benefit then is there of Circumciſion, if the Jews were not juſtified by Circumciſion? Here are two queries, the Apoſtle anſwers to the firſt Much every way, but chiefly that to them were committed the oracles of God; that is, all the prophetical writings, propheſies and promiſes, &c, Theſe were committed to them, non ut alienae rei depoſitum; but as their own proper treaſure, if they had hearts to make uſe thereof: For the Covenant was made with all the ſeed of Abraham: many indeed loſt the benefit of it, not becauſe they were not comprehended in it; but becauſe of their unbelief, which deprived them of the benefit thereof: yet this unbelief could not make the faith of God, that is, the promiſe, of none effect; for though ſome did not believe, yet others did; not all but ſome, did not believe; for God hath ordained, That as he keepeth truth in his promiſes: So there ſhould be always ſome in the Church which ſhould believe them. Thus (Rom. 9.7.) the Apoſtle ſheweth that all the ſeed of Abraham are not the elect ſeed; but doth not ſhew, That they were not under the outward adminiſtration of the Covenant, as appears from the 4 verſe, for of that Covenant Paul ſpeaks not. But if onelyonly the elect and faithful p. 73be admitted to the Covenant, as to the outward adminiſtration thereof: then is there no ſubject left for the ordinance of baptiſm; for how ſhall we know who is elect and who not? It's therefore far better to give the ſeal to the 99 which are not the elect, than to paſs by one to whom it juſtly belongs.

Thus much in anſwer to the firſt querie, Rom. 3.3: To the ſecond querie the Apoſtle anſwers,Paul purpoſely deferred the anſwer to the 2 querie, to this place; becauſe in this place it received the fitteſt anſwer. That Abraham was not juſtified by Circumciſion, which the carnal Jew together with the works of the law reſted in, as appears by moſt of Paul's Epiſtles, Rom. 2. Gal. 5.2. They not well underſtanding the tenor of the Covenant of grace, did look at it with a carnal ey, as a Covenant of works; therefore Circumciſion was urged as neceſſary to ſalvation, Acts 15.1. And in this ſenſe the yoke put upon the diſciples, was ſuch a yoke as that neither they nor their fathers were ever able to bear. It's not to be imagined that the Lord would impoſe any ſuch intollerable yoke of circumciſion as ſome conceive the meaning of the place to be, (for his yoke is eaſy, Mat. 11.28. and his commandments are not grievous, 1 John 5.) misconſtruing the Lords meaning, and cleaving to the works of the Law; for which cauſe the Jews were cut off, Rom. 9.32. comp. Hoſ. 4.5. (I will cut off thy mother) — becauſe they ſought rightouſneſs by the works of the Law, and not by faith in Abraham's Covenant, which included Chriſt in the womb thereof. For Circumciſion was a ſeal of the remiſſion of ſins; or, as the Apoſtle calls it, a ſeal p. 74of the rightouſneſs of the faith; which they had, or which was tendered unto them.

Obj. Jer. 11.3. Curſed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant, (Gal. 3.) which Covenant I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Aegypt. This Covenant was a Covenant of works.

Anſ. Mind the words following, [which Covenant I commanded your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Aegypt] was this Abraham's Covenant? was not this Covenant delivered on Mount Sinai 430 years after? for the breach of which they are here threatned. That the Law was taken by the Jews for a Covenant of works, is not denied, Gal. 4. Rom. 4. But that is diſtinct from Abraham's Covenant.

2. Let me tell you, As ſome pictures, if you look on them on this ſide, they reſemble the king or queen; on the other ſide another party: So that Covenant conſidered largely, as that whole doctrine delivered on Mount Sinai, with the prefaces and promiſes, and all things that may be reduced to it; ſo it's a Covenant of grace, as appears from Hag. 2.6. Accorcording to the word that I covenanted with you when I brought you out of the land of Aegypt,Sum vobiſcum, dicit Jehovah, foreign Cum verbo quo pepigeram vobiſcum exeuntibus vobis ex Aegypto, et cum ſpiritu meo in vobis. Jun. Verba (quo pepigeram) explicant in quo & propter quem vos acceptos habuerant, & receperam in foedus. Cal. lib. 3. cap. 9. Fac hoc et vives, vive et fac hoc. ſo my spirit remaineth among you; now they received not the ſpirit, ſaith the Apoſtle, by the works of the Law, but by the hearing of faith, Gal. 3.2. that p. 75is, not by a Covenant of works, but by a Covenant of grace: But conſidered as an abſtracted rule of rightouſneſs; ſo it's a Covenant of works. Thus the Goſpel taken largely, hath precepts and threatnings annexed, yea a bitter curſe, (the Lord keep us from Goſpel-curſes!) Mar. 16.16. He that believeth not ſhall be damned; but ſtrictly taken 't is put for the glad tidings of a Savior.

3. That the Law was delivered with evangelical purpoſes, cannot be denyed; for Chriſt is the end of the Law, Rom. 10.4. When Moſes ſaw that they had broken the Covenant, (though they had engaged, all this will we do, relying on their own ſtrength) he breaks the tables, to let them ſee that God would break Covenant with them; therefore he is not blamed by the holy Ghoſt for ſo doing, Act. 7. At that time the Lord ſaid unto him, Take thou the tables which thou brakeſt, and put them in the Ark; ſignifying that Chriſt muſt keep Covenant with us and for us, elſe we ſhall never keep touch with God.

4. Thoſe words [obey my voice, and do according to all that I command you, ſo ſhall you be my people and I will be your God] if compared with the like Scriptures, appear to be the condition of the Covenant of grace, Exod. 19.5. Now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my Covenant, then ye ſhall be a peculiar treaſure unto me above all people, Segullah ſignifieth the peculiar treaſure of Kings.and ye ſhall be to me a Kingdom of Prieſts and an holy nation. Which is applied to them in the times of the Goſpel, p. 74duplicate page p. 75duplicate page p. 761 Pet. 2.9. when all thoſe types and ceremonies were aboliſhed, and they not under a Covenant of works but a Covenant of grace, Rom. 6.14. Thus Lev. 26.3. If ye will keep my ſtatutes, v. 9. then will I eſtabliſh my Covenant with you, v. 12. and I will walk among you and be your God. Compared with 2 Cor. 6.16. I will dwell in them and walk in them, and will be their God. To thoſe ſcriptures add Jer. 7. Pſal. 81.13. Ah that my people had hearkened unto me, and Iſrael had walked in my ways! Will any ſay, That theſe pathetical expreſſions, and mournful expoſtulations relate to a Covenant of works, and not rather to a Covenant of grace tendered to them again and again.

5. Conſider the Text Jer. 4.4. The end of Gods requiring obedience on their part, was not for his own but for their benefit, that he might do them good, and give them a land flowing with milk and honey; which land, as hath been ſhewed, was given by a Covenant of grace; for which Covenant the Covenant of works did make way, as the needle makes way for the thred.

6. The Prophet ſetts to his ſeal, ſaying, Amen; having reſpect to thoſe gracious words in the cloſe of his ſpeach,Which word is ſeldom uſed in any heathen author, unleſs in XENOPHON. q. d. So let it be, that this people being careful to keep Covenant with thee, may enjoy ſtill that bleſſed land, which thou didſt by oath bind thy ſelf to ſettle them in.

Obj. But what ſay you to thoſe noted places Jer. 31.32. Heb. 8.8? But finding fault with the firſt p. 77Covenant, he ſaith, I will make a new Covenant with the houſe of Iſrael. do not theſe places hold forth a Covenant of works?

Anſ. I ſay that Covenant the Prophet ſpeaks of is not the Covenant made with Abraham, but the Covenant made with them when he brought them out of the land of Aegypt, which (as I told you before) was 430 years after Abraham's Covenant; Gal. 3.I will be thy God, is confeſſed to be a Goſpel promiſe. M. Tombs. and therefore doth not diſanul the former Covenant, and yet uſually they confound this and Abraham's Covenant, which they confeſs to be the new Covenant or Covenant of grace.

2. I anſwer, That old Covenant largely not ſtrictly taken, with its promiſes and appertenances, was for ſubſtance the ſame with the new Covenant, Heb. 13.8. Chriſt ever the ſame, as appears,

Firſt, The old as well as the new was ratified by the bloud of the Meſſias, that bloud of his being as well typified by the bloud of the ſacrifices,Heb 9.1. The firſt Covenant had Ordinances of divine ſervice, foreign, juſtifications; for by the bloud of Chriſt in the uſe of thoſe Ordinances, they were juſtified See Grot.Heb 9:1 as in theſe days it is repreſented and ſealed to us in the Lords ſupper: Therefore 't is called a Teſtament; now a Teſtament muſt needs be a Covenant of grace, for where a Teſtament is (v. 16.) there muſt be the death of the Teſtator; whereupon neither the firſt Teſtament was dedicated without bloud.

3. It was a marriage Covenant, Jer. 31 32. Though I was an huſband to them (ſaith the Lord) p. 78or, Should I continue an huſband to them, ſeeing they brake my Covenant. LXX. or, They continued not in my Covenant, and I regarded them not, (ſaith the Lord.)Paul takes the ſenſe of the Prophet, not tying himſelf to words.

4. [In the day he took them by the hand, Hoſ. 11.] denotes his tender affection to them,Eph. 3.12. foreign, Manuduction.] Chriſt hands us to the Father.Eph 3:12 and fatherly care of them, Hoſ. 11.3. Which phraſe implies it was a Covenant of grace.

5. This diſtinction of the Covenant into the Old and New, is not a diviſion into his ſpecies, but his adjuncts; for the Lord (as others well obſerve) made but one Will or Teſtament,Heb. 8. Faulty not abſolutely but comparatively.Heb 8 but cauſed it to be writ in diverſe characters, and ſome more legible and perſpicuous; one and the ſame Covenant may be either in paper or in parchment, and be ſealed with wax or bloud;The Apoſtle ſaith [Covenants] Eph. 2.12. Rom. 9.4. Becauſe ſo often renewed and enlarged.Eph 2:12Rom 9:4 therefore, I ſay, it's called a new Covenant, not ſimplely in regard of the ſubſtance, (for the main matter and ſubſtance is the ſame with the former) as a new moon and an old is one and the ſame moon: ſo the old and new Covenant one and the ſame Covenant, but it's ſaid to be new becauſe it's ratified by the death of our Savior exhibited, which was but in expectation before; as the command of love is called a new command, becauſe confirmed by arguments drawn from Chriſt's own bowels.

I ſay, it is eſtabliſhed on better promiſes; for that p. 79Covenant made nothing perfect, but was the bringing in,A bringing in of one thing upon another, foreign. In the ceremonial Law they had a typical pardon ſucceſſively, if any ſinned then he muſt offer his ſacrifice ſo often as he ſinned. or ſuperinduction of a better hope, Heb. 7.19 In regard of the end, Chriſt, it was perfect, Rom. 10. but in regard of the means to attain that end, imperfect; but in this later Chriſt is brought in, who hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified.

2. [Better promiſes] in regard of the clearneſs of them; for here the Goſpel is more clearly and diſtinctly revealed, 1 Pet. 1.10. They had a ſea of braſs, we a ſea of Ordinances, clear as cryſtal, though mingled with the fire of contentions, till this Covenant in its full extent be revealed to us. Rev. 4.6. & 15.2.

3. The former Covenant was much upon temporal promiſes in that infant age of the Church; for the Jews (like little Children, won with a nut and loſt with the ſhell) were much taken with the gilded outſide of the book, rather than the inſide, to take out a ſpiritual leſſon, Gal. 4; but now in the new Teſtament the promiſes are more for ſpirituals, and leſs for carnals; the Church having attained to a greater ſtature and meaſure of grace in Chriſt.

4. [Better promiſes] becauſe more large and full.

1. For the ceremonial part; for their ſacrifices were for the moſt part for ſins of ignorance, called by the Apoſtle (Heb. 9. foreign v. 7.) the errors of the people; (there is in the ſins of the people of God an overclouding of the judgement, Lev. 6.3, 4, 5. Hence that expreſſion of the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.5. p. 80The paſſions of ſin which were by the Law.) In the general there was a ſacrifice for a ſin of preſumption,foreign, Rom. 7.5.Rom 7:5 Lev. 16.21. but in one place onelyonly is any ſuch allowed in particular; there is one, (as was ſaid of the thief on the Croſs) that we might not deſpair; and but one, leaſt we ſhould preſume Lev. 6.3, 4, 5. But here the bloud of Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſin, 1 Joh. 1.6. According to his promiſe, Mic. 7.18, 19. Who is a God like unto thee, forgiving iniquity, (or that obliquitie of nature) and paſſing by the tranſgreſſions (that is, the voluntary and deliberate ſins) of his people. See the Hebrew.

2. More large as to the ſubject, it being in thoſe days for the moſt part confined to the Jews and Proſelytes of the Gentiles; but now propounded and exhibited to all nations that ſhall embrace the faith of Chriſt, Mat. 16.16.

5. The promiſes of the new Covenant are better promiſes, in regard of their efficacy; the Spirit being more abundantly poured out now, than in the days of old. Acts 2.17. In the laſt days I will pour out my ſpirit upon all fleſh, your old men ſhall dream dreams, (in which God hath often revealed himſelf, but ſomwhat darkly, but) the young men ſhall ſee viſions. q.d. They have a clearer ſight (oftentimes) than old men in thoſe days; for they have the help of thoſe that went before them: now if you ſet a child upon a Giants ſhoulders, he will ſee farther than the Giant ſees. Stella.

6. This new Covenant is eſtabliſhed upon better p. 81promiſes, in regard of the continuance of it; That is, as to the ceremonial part thereof, which was to be done away, Heb. 10.9.**Porro lex ceremonijs quodammodo veſtiobatur; nunc poſt corporis interitum qui veſtium uſus erit? Tritum eſt illud vulgi proverbium, acceſſorium ſequi naturam ſui principalis. Non mirum igitur ſi ceremoniae, quae nihil ſunt quam appendices veteris Teſtamenti, ſimul cum tot… Moſis miniſterio finem habeant. Cal. in Lev. cap. 8. v. 8.Lev 8:8 He taketh away the firſt that he may eſtabliſh the ſecond. Which appears to be meant of the typical part thereof, ver. 8. But this Covenant of Abraham is a Covenant that laſts for ever even to a thouſand Generations.

7. In regard of the ſtability of it, Jer. 31.33. Not according to the Covenant made with your father Abraham when I brought you out of the land of Aegypt, which my Covenant they brake, (or continued not in) But this is my Covenant I will make with you, (ſaith the Lord) I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; if theſe ordinances of Moon and ſtars depart from me, (v. 36.) then ſhall the ſeed of Iſrael ceaſe from being a nation before me for ever; if heaven above can be meaſured, then will I caſt off the ſeed of Iſrael for all that they have done, ſaith the Lord. Jer. 33.20 If you can break the Covenant of the day, and my Covenant of the night, then alſo may my Covenant be broke with David, That he ſhould not have a Son to ſit upon his throne; (namely, Chriſt to reign) and with the Levits. (that is, the evangelical Miniſters, ſo interpreted Eſa. 66.21.) and the ſpiritual ſeed of Chriſt. Add to theſe that great ſcripture Eſa. 54.9, 10, 11. This is to me as the waters of Noah; for as I have ſworn the waters ſhall no more overflow p. 82the earth: ſo will I be angry with thee no more. This ſcripture relates to the Jew's laſt call, (as appears plainly by the verſes following, deſcribing their glorious ſtate) who though ſinful ſhall never be dischurched more after this. Eſa. 33.20. For this Covenant is an abſolute Covenant,Ad hanc foederis naturam reſpiciens, Paullus ait, foreign. Grot. extending to their ſeeds ſeed for ever. Eſa. 59. Iaſt. That is, there is no condition required which God doth not undertake to perform; and therefore as that Covenant of nature ſhall never be broken, nor theſe ordinances of heaven fail: ſo neither ſhall this Covenant with the Jew ever be made voyd. Hence it is Rev. 10. that Chriſt is deſcribed (ver. 1.) as cloathed with a cloud and a rain-bow upon his head; in that place the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the myſtery of God to be finiſhed (ver. 7.) That is, the calling of the Jews, upon the ſounding of the ſeaventh trumpet. Chriſt is deſcribed with a rain-bow about his head; ſignifying, That though their ſtate then be dubious, (as it will be till the 45 years are expired, Dan. 12.12.) yet it's clear at bottom; and, That that Church ſhall never totally ſo be overwhelmed as it hath formerly been.

Obj. That was a national Covenant, but the Covenant of grace was never tyed to any Nation.

Anſ. The Covenant given to Abraham was not National at firſt, but domeſtical; (as is well obſerved) bur Jacob's bleſſing and ſo his Covenant did exceed the Covenant of his progenitors. Gen. 49.26. Now it's not ſaid, That the bleſſing of Iacob, for ſo it p. 83ſhould be national) but, That the bleſſing of Abraham ſhould come upon the Gentiles. Gal. 3.14. Gen. 28.4. And give thee the bleſſing of Abraham, to thee & thy ſeed.

2. What ſay you to thoſe places of the Pſalmiſt? Pſal. 2.8. & 72.10. & 102.22. & 47. laſt. The voluntary of the people ſhall be gathered to the God of Abraham. Or, what ſay you to thoſe paſſages of the Prophet? Eſa. 49.1. & 42.4, 10. & 51.5. & 66.9. In which places the holy Ghoſt ſeems to have a ſpecial ey to th…ſe Iſlands. Eſa. 55.7. Nations ſhall run unto▪ thee Ezek. 20.40. In my holy mountain there ſhall all the houſe of Iſrael, all of them in the land ſerve me. Eze. 39.25. I will have mercy on the whole houſe of Iſrael. Thus Rom. 11.26. All Iſrael ſhall be ſaved. That is, the body of the 12 tribes. Eze. 42.15. The portion of the Levites allotted to them, as the verge of the Temple, amounteth to a ſpace bigger than all the land of Canaan, and the Temple it ſelf bigger than the Citie. As Ezekiel meaſureth the Citie: ſo Iohn, Rev. 21. Which propheſie pointeth out the new Jeruſalem coming down from heaven; I mean, the Jews again called after their rejection, and holdeth forth Jeruſalem, that is, that Church of the Jews as far larger than that of Ezekiel.

3. Was it not an act of grace, that God ſeparated that people to himſelf above all the people under heaven? Deut 4.6, 7, 8. And will it not be an act of the ſame grace, to reſtore them to a far more glorious ſtate and condition?

4. This Covenant is never to be reverſed, as you have heard from Eſa. 54.9. This is unto me as the p. 84waters of Noah. I would fain know of any Neopelagian, Whether, that if the world be never ſo ſinful, it ſhall once more be deſtroyed with water? they will ſay no, (but, I muſt tell you, that as in the law a pardon of felonie binds the malefactor: (for ſo the pardon runs) ſo a pardon of ſin binds the ſinner to his good behaviour:) Even ſo, ſaith the Lord, This is unto me as the waters of Noah, ſurely though the Jews ſhould much degenerate (which I truſt they never will) yet they ſhall never be brought ſo low, as they have been in this their laſt Captivity. To this agrees that of the prophet, Eſa. 33.20. Sion ſhall be a tabernacle that ſhall not be taken down. Amos 9.15. They ſhall no more be plucked out of their land, For the gifts and calling of God to that Church are without repentance. Rom. 11.29. As therefore this Covenant was National: ſo it ſhall be. It will be, ſaith reverend M^r Burroughs, a ſufficient ground for any to plead an intereſt in Church priviledges, that he is a member of that Nation. Eſa. 4.3. He that is left in Jeruſalem ſhall be called holy, the rebels being caſt out. Ezek. 20.38.

Obj. Notwithſtanding that Covenant, the Jews were equally in a damnable condition with the poor heatheniſh infidels; all equally guilty before God, Ezek. 20.38.

Anſ. They were ſo by nature, but that they miscarried, it was becauſe they wilfully rejected the Covenant of Grace.

2. So are many of the rebaptized ones, though under the outward adminiſtration, many of them in p. 85a ſad and deplorable condition, and damnable ſtate though taken for ſaints by others, therefore doubtleſs there is no force in that Argument.

Obj. Circumciſion was a ſeal onelyonly to Abraham, a ſign to his poſterity.

An. Are there not ſigns exhibitive as well as ſignificative? and wherein did ſuch ſigns differ from ſeals?

2. May not ſeals be to confirm a future as well as a preſent benefit? Or,

3. Is that ſeal (Rom. 4.11.) applyed to Abraham alone, and not written for thoſe hereafter that ſhall beleive? Rom. 4.23. It was not written for his ſake alone (ſaith the Apoſtle) that it was imputed to him for rightouſnes, but for us alſo to whom it ſhall be imputed if we believe.

4. Was not the promiſe to Abraham to be heir of the world? that is, of Canaan included in that promiſe; Was it not (I ſay) through the everlaſting Covenant, and not through the works of the law which the carnal Jew reſted in? Rom. 4.13.

5. Did not Abraham's poſterity ſtand in as much need of a ſeal to ſtrengthen their faith as Abraham did? Abraham was troubled with doubtings, and the Lord again and again ſtrengthened his faith. If he that was ſo eminent for believing was ſo put to it, what ſhall we ſay to the poor ſhrubs. Pſal. 105. Will the Lord be wanting to them in any thing that may ſtrengthen their faith?

Obj. If this opinion be maintained, That the Covenant of circumciſion was a covenant of grace, it ſhakes p. 86the foundation of the Goſpel, and overthrows many fundamental points of religion.

Anſ. Here are great ſwelling words, but ſuch do but verba dare, there is no proof for what is aſſerted; Dare any ſay in the preſence of Chriſt when taking leave of the world, That this doctrine deſtroys the foundation of Chriſtian Religion? Will they juſtifie this at the laſt day before the Lord Chriſt the Judge of quick and dead?**Expectemus judicium tuum, Domine. Auguſtin. We expect the judgment and determination of God himſelf in this controverſie, as Auſtin ſayd in another caſe. But let's ſee their Arguments. They ſay,

Firſt, The firſt fundamental point muſt needs be denyed,Gal. 2.15. Jews by nature] Quia promiſſio haereditariam b…nedictio…m faciebat, ideo naturâ …ocatur. Cal. in Gal.Gal 2:15 That all mankind by nature are the children of wrath, Eph. 2.2. If all men by nature be the Children of wrath, then are they not under this Covenant of Grace; for to be under the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace are contradictories, which cannot be true at the ſame time.

Anſ. Contradictories may be true (foreign) in a diverſe reſpect, 2 Kings 17.34, 41. They feared the Lord, and, they feared not the Lord; that is, they feared the Lord in their way, and the Gods of the nations alſo; and therefore it's ſayd they feared not the Lord. Thus Eliſha to Hazael concerning Benhadad, 2 Kin. 8.10. He may recover, howbeit the Lord hath ſhewed me that he ſhall certainly dy, that is, he may recover of this diſeaſe, but he died notwithſtanding p. 87by the hand of Hazael. Sons in ſome ſenſe are no ſons, Deut. 32.5. Their ſpot is not the ſpot of my children,There are promiſes for grace, 2. to grace, children are under both in ſome ſenſe. yet (ſaith the text) they are children in whom is no faith. 1 Kin. 2.26. Abiathar is a man of death, and yet by the Kings favor he lives. The Iſraelites at the ſame time were enemies for our ſakes, and yet beloved for the fathers ſake, Rom. 11.28. Paul was under the Covenant as being deſcended of Abraham, and yet was by nature (as he tells us Eph. 2.2.) a child of wrath as well as others: So children conſidered in their natural ſtate, as the ſons of Adam, are under wrath; but conſidered as children of ſuch gracious parents in Covenant with God, ſo are they under grace, and therefore under thoſe divine Diſpenſations which they are capable of.

Gal. 2.15. We who are Jews by nature (that is, by deſcent from ſuch parents) cannot with all our birth-priviledg attain to rightouſneſs. Thus we ſay, Such are naturally Engliſh, that is, by deſcent. In this ſenſe the Apoſtle uſeth the word Rom. 11.24. If the natural branches are broken off, &c. The Gentiles wanted this, being by offspring ſinners. … nature in Eph. 2.2. is taken for that corrupt qualification of nature which they draw out of their parents loyns. Grace at firſt was connatural to us, and had been propagated from parents to children ex traduce, if Adam had ſtood; as now corruption is. As therefore the children of Iſrael were called the holy ſeed, and yet ſome of them are ſtiled the p. 88children of the Sorcerer and the whore, Ethiopians, &c. Eſa. 57.3. Amos 9.7. So may one and the ſame perſon be holy by way of Covenant, and yet unholy in reſpect of thoſe internal qualifications: For there is a relative and a poſitive holineſs, though they want the later, yet may they be under the former.

2. Their children are under grace; for are not many of them under the everlaſting Covenant made between the Father and the Son. foreign, before theſe ſecular times, therefore all time, even from eternity. Are not elect children given to Chriſt before all time? Doth he not know them by name? And having loved them with an everlaſting love, doth he not in time draw them with the cords of his love, even with the cords of a man, ſuitable to a rational creature, out of the hands of ſin, Satan, and this preſent world? Doth he not ſwaddle them and bring them into the bond of the Covenant, even into that Covenant called the ſure mercies of David? Doth he not gloriouſly irradiate with the beams of his countenance on their ſouls in heaven, for their heaven is the face of God? Will not Chriſt at the laſt day embrace ſuch, (as he did on earth) ſaying, Here am I, and the Children which thou haſt given me? And were they not under grace? Is not all this a part of electing grace? Surely this is the ſpring of all, the firſt wheel that moves all the reſt, (Rom. 11.7.) and though there be a wheel in a wheel, yet all ſhall tend to their good, as all the wheels in a clock tend to make the clockſtrike.

p. 89Obj. The ſecond fundamental point that this error oppoſeth, is the ſtability in the Covenant of grace; they ſay, The Covenant made Abraham's ſeed was conditional and broken by them, but the Covenant of grace is abſolute.

Anſ. The Covenant of grace is conditional, as appears by the whole current of the ſcriptures, Deut. 7.12, 13. Wherefore it ſhall come to paſs if ye hearken to theſe judgments and keep and do them, that the Lord thy God ſhall keep unto thee the Covenant and the merciemercy which he ſware unto thy Fathers. Lev. 26.41. If then their uncircumciſed hearts be humbled, then will I remember my Covenant with Jacob, and my Covenant with Iſaac, and my Covenant with Abraham will I remember. Joh. 3.16. That whoſoever believeth ſhould not periſh. Where we ſee plainly, That the Covenant of grace is conditional.

2. This Covenant hath been broken, therefore it's conditional.foreign foedus Foedus enim fa…ientes primo jurabant, poſtea transibant inter partes pecudis, quaſi dicerent, diſcindantur, dividantur ejus membra, fiat ſicut pecus iſtud, qui juramemtum violaverit, ſicut habetur Jer. 34 18. Sic foederis faciendi morem deſcribit Livius Sacerdos feriebat porcum ſilice, ſic a Jove feriatur is qui ſacrum hoc fregeri… foedus, ut ego hunc poroum feris.Jer 34:18 Pſal. 89.28 to the 37, the Pſalmiſt pleads the breach of it, Thou haſt made void the Covenant of thy ſervant. 2 Kin. 17.15. They rejected his Covenant that he made with their Fathers, therefore (v. 20.) the Lord rejected all the ſeed of Iſrael.

Eſa. 24.5. They have broken the everlaſting Co…enant. Num. 14.34. Ye ſhall know my breach of promiſe: For they failed in point of faith, therefore …hey did not enter into his reſt. Dan. 9. He ſhall confirm p. 90the Covenant with many for one week, in the midſt of the week he ſhall cauſe the ſacrifices and the oblations to ceaſe. Chriſt preached 3 years and an half, and did confirm or was ready to confirm that Covenant made with Abraham and his poſterity; which Covenant was tendered by the Apoſtles to the Jews, for another 3 years and an half, but they not cloſing with Chriſt, as the ſacrifice ceaſed with his death: ſo the Covenant not long after was made void; for the ax was all that while layd to the root of the tree, and at laſt for their unfruitfulneſs they were discovenanted and cut off from the root Abraham, Joh. 8.35. Then was the ſtaff of beauty broken, (Zac. 11.10.) even that which was the beauty and glory of that nation, (which the Covenant of works never was) and this upon their wilfull and obſtinate rejecting of Chriſt; which ſhews plainly, it could not be the Covenant of works.

3. There were two ſorts of Iſraelites, the ſpiritual and the carnal Iſraelite, with both theſe the Covenant was made conditionally; the Lord promiſed them the land of Canaan, but they believed not either that ever God intended it,There are many that are viſibly in a Covenant of grace under the Goſpel that may be caſt out from Gods people, & yet it follows not but that it is a Covenant of grace though broken by them. or that the land was ſo good as was reported to them, or that ever they ſhould be able to enter in, becauſe the Anakims were there; therefore (ſaith the Apoſtle) they could not enter in; for though the promiſe was abſolute to ſome of the ſeed of Abraham to enter in, yet for particulars it was conditional. The Lord promiſed p. 91they ſhould enjoy the land for ever, 2 Chron. 33.8. Neither will I remove them any more out of the land, ſo that they will take heed to do what I commanded them. Thus Ethan pleads as was mentioned Pſ. 89.34. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone of my lips; but (ſaith he) thou haſt made void the Covenant of thy ſervant, thou haſt profaned his Crown by caſting it to the ground.

Solomon broke Covenant with God in tolerating idolatry, ſetting up two Gods, therefore God ſet up two Kings, and cut off the line of Solomon in Coniah, ſo called ob contemptum, Jer. 22.30. Write ye this man childleſs, for (though he had ſeed; yet were they cut off in the captivity, ſo that) no man of his ſeed did ſit upon the throne of David for ever. And were not the Children of Iſrael caſt out? Did not God depart from Sion and the Temple, (though he had promiſed that in Sion he would dwell for ever, and that his ey and heart ſhould be upon the Temple,) becauſe they had been unſteady and falſified with God in the Covenant? Pſal. 89. Thus he dealt with the carnal Iſraelites, and with the body of that nation, and could the ſpiritual Iſraelite plead not guilty? But yet becauſe their hearts were right before him for the main, the Lord did not look at their miscarriages as a breach of Covenant, ſo as to make it null and of none effect.

There may be articles in a Leaſe broken by the Tenant, but whilſt the main Covenant is not broken (as non-payment of Rent) the Leaſe is not forfeited: So in the Covenant of grace there are many particular p. 92articles which are often broken; but the main condition is,This Pepper-corn of obedi…nce is the Condition. That thou ſhalt take me for thy God, (as I am willing to take thee for one of my peculiar people.) now if this Condition be not broken, the Covenant is not broken; neither have we dealt falſly in thy Covenant, (ſaith the Pſalmiſt Pſal. 44.17.) This condition was not broken by the ſpiritual Iſraelite; for (ſay they v. 18, 20.) Our heart is not turned back, neither have we forgotten the name of our God. There may be fallings out betwixt the wife and the husband, but unleſs ſhe chuſe another husband the marriage is not null: So there may be many fallings out between God and the ſoul, but till the ſoul makes choice of another God there is no breach of the Covenant as to the main.

But here is the happineſs of a true Iſraelite, That God keeps Covenant with him and for him, there is no condition in that Covenant of grace, which Chriſt hath not undertaken to perform for us; therefore Hezekiah when he ſees the Father angry, turns to the Son, the ſecond perſon in Trinity, ſaying, Lord undertake thou for me, Eſa. 38.14. There are two things by which we live, by what God ſaith, and what he doth; by a promiſe and a providence; thou haſt ſaid it and thou haſt done it, (v. 15.) In theſe two is the life of my ſpirit. Temporals were but as nuts and apples given to that infant Church in the time of their infancy, to engage their hearts to God. Hence that phraſe, I will give the land to thy ſeed, (Jer. 17.7.) to be a God to them; but though God denied p. 93the husk and outſide of the promiſe, yet he gave the kernel and inſide of it to the ſpiritual Iſraelite; he promiſed them ſilver and payd them with gold. Eſa. 60. To thoſe gave he reſt in a better land; with them (as his Church) he did reſt and abide for ever; his ey and his heart was towards them and their prayers, though poor ſhrubs praying in the Temple or towards it, (i. e.) in Chriſt or towards Chriſt; though they could not evidence their union with Chriſt, a wiſtly look after Chriſt was accepted.

4. Therefore, I ſay, from adherent federal grace ſuch as are onelyonly viſible members of the Church may fall, Gal. 5.1, 2. Dan. 11.30. And ſhall have intelligence with them that forſake the holy Covenant. Heb. 4.1. Let us therefore fear leaſt a promiſe being left us of entering into his rest, any of you ſhould ſeem to come ſhort of it, that is, ſhould really fall ſhort of it, as the word is uſually taken in ſcripture phraſe; but as for the elect, Chriſt hath undertaken for them, that they ſhall never periſh, Joh. 10.28. Eſa. 55.3. I will give you the ſure mercies of David, that is, Chriſt.

Obj. This Tenent overthrows the neceſſity of Converſion.

Anſ. This Covenant includes regeneration and converſion in it, Deut. 30.7. I will circumciſe the heart of thy ſeed, which ſheweth, That the outward Circumciſion did ſignifie the circumciſing of the heart; which the Lord promiſeth to make good to our ſeed now in the days of the Goſpel, as appears from v. 1, 5, 11. Compared with Rom. 10.6. Hoſ. 14.7. Thoſe under thy ſhadow ſhall return.

p. 942. Hath not the Lord made faith and repentance the condition of the Covenant on our part, (Joh. 3.16.) which Chriſt hath undertaken with the Father to work effectually in the elect? For want of which qualifications many thouſands are damned for ever, though the Children of Abraham viſibly. What haſt thou to do (ſaith the Lord, Pſal. 50.16.) to take my Covenant in thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt to be reformed? Yet were their children under the outward adminiſtration of it; therefore we ſay, They might as well have debarred all the children of Iſrael from that outward priviledg, as now debarr the children of believers; upon the ſame account it 's ſaid, Mat. 8.12. Many ſhall come from the Eaſt and from the Weſt, and ſhall ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob, in the Kingdom of heaven, but the children of the Kingdom ſhall be caſt out, that is, ſuch as were ſo born, and viſibly ſo continued for a while; ſuch, I ſay, ſhall be caſt out of the Kingdom of heaven, or the Church here below, not the Church above; out of which none are properly ſaid to be caſt, becauſe they were never in it.

Obj. This opinion overthrows the foundation of all Goſpel-Churches, As,

Firſt, It deſtroys the matter of a Church, which ought to be Saints by calling, 1 Cor. 1.2. But this tenent doth unavoidably admit into the Church all the unconverted and unregenerate children, born of the bodies of ſuch perſons that either were or have been accounted believers.

Secondly, It admits into the Church good and p. 95bad promiſcuouſly, and all thoſe unbaptized; and what light in the Goſpel have you to juſtifie ſuch an Aſſembly to be the true Church of Chriſt?

Anſ. To the firſt, we ſay, It deſtroys not the matter of a Church viſible conſiſting of viſible Saints,Therefore they are incomple… Members of the Church. for ſuch are children, and ſo owned by the Apoſtle as holy, (i. e.) relatively holy if not poſitively, 1 Cor. 7. Ezra 9.2. —the holy ſeed, (i. e.) ſuch as are ſet apart for God and dedicated to him in a peculiar manner, and many of them ſanctified from the womb. Thus Jeremiah, Eſaias, John Baptiſt, the laſt of the old, and the firſt of the new Teſtamen… ▪ Now whether ſhould we take the teſtimony of God or the teſtimony of men? If we receive the witneſs of men, (ſaith the Apoſtle) the witneſs of God is greater, 1 Joh. 5.9. Man makes confeſſion or profeſſion of Chriſt, this is an human teſtimonie, and we accept it; and ſhall we reject a divine teſtimony? God forbid. Let God be true and every man a lyer, Rom. 3.

2. They are acknowledged as members of the Church by the Apoſtle Paul; for (writing to the Churches of Coloſs and Epheſus, Col. 1.2, 3, and 20. Eph. 2.1.) he directs his Epiſtle to ch…ldren as well as parents.

3. We anſwer, That children upon their diſcovery of themſelves not to be viſible Saints, are to be ſuſpended from the Ordinances; as in the old Teſtament the Prieſts were to diſtinguiſh between the holy and the profane. Jer. 7. The Lord complains that they made his houſe a den of thieves; ſuch then p. 96were not to be admitted to the Paſſover. In order to which the Porters were charged to keep back from the Temple ſuch as were unclean (in any matter) though they were circumciſed. 2 Chron 22.19. If this rule were obſerved in the old Teſtament, then ſurely it is not to be neglected in the new.

Anſ. To the ſecond Objection. M^r Pat. pag. 69.

Whereas they ſay, Such Aſſemblies are no Churches, becauſe they are not baptized, which is eſſential to a particular viſible Church: therefore we may have no communion with them; for God never had any Church-union or communion with any ſoul which was not baptized, that is, rebaptized.

Here are great ſwelling words, as the Apoſtle Jude ſaith, ſuch ſpirits it ſeems there were in his time. But we anſwer,

Firſt, If ſuch were no Churches, then for many hundreds of years Chriſt's promiſe fell to the ground. Mat. 16.18, 19. I will give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven. The Keys, as they grant, were given to particular viſible Churches, againſt which, making up the body of Chriſt, the gates of hell (ſaith Chriſt) ſhall not prevail; but by this Doctrin they did prevail for above 1500 years, ſeeing that till that time we read not of any ſuch Churches as they challenge to themſelves; theſe therefore are but ſandy foundations, and certainly when the winds of temptation ſhall blow, and the rain of affliction ſhall fall, and the flouds of perſecution come, their houſes will fall.

2. What ſay you to Rev. 11.4? Are not the two p. 97Candleſticks the Churches, according to ſcripture phraſe?We had Churches in England before there was any Church at Rome; as Matthew Paris tells us. Therefore we received not our doctrine or ordination originally from Rome; which farther appears by this, That the Brittiſh Churches in the celebration of Eaſter, obſerved the cuſtom of the Eaſtern Churches and not of the Church of Rome; which doubtleſs they would have done, had they received the Goſpel from thence, as Flaccius Illyricus well obſerveth. which are to be ſlain as well as the olive trees, a little before the laſt downfall of Anti-Chriſt; and doth not the ſcripture own theſe Churches as true under the reign of Antichriſt, for one thouſand two hundred and threeſcore years: and will or dare any disown them, becauſe not rebaptized?

3. Had they minded well the command of the holy Ghoſt, they had not been ſo groſsly miſtaken: Son of man, (ſaith the Lord,There is but one going in, and that in the ſingular number; but many goings out of the Church of God, which laſt word is in the plural. Ezek 44.5. Pones cor tuum [foreign] in ingreſſu domu…, & omnes [foreign] exitus Sanctuarij.Ezek 44:5 Ez. 44 5.) mark well the entering in of the houſe, and every going forth of the Sanctuary. They ſay we muſt enter in by baptiſm, which is eſſential to a Church; but thus they unchurch all the Churches in the world but their own, whereas we are viſible members of the body of Chriſt before, being under the Covenant of grace, which is the in-let to the Church of Chriſt, but ſolemnly admitted by baptiſm:foreign. Mat. 2.Matt 2 For Chriſt himſelf was head of the Church before he was baptized, being King of the Jews.

4. Whereas they ſay, Chriſt hath no ſuch union p. 98or communion with our Churches, becauſe not baptized:This is one of the greateſt errors that ever was broached in the world; but we ſay, The communication of Faith is made effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which Chriſt hath wrought. Phil. 6. Non habet dei charitatem qui Eccleſiae non diligit unitatem. Auguſtin. I anſwer, I am ſorry to ſee ſuch a ſpirit of error and pride gone forth into the world, that men ſhould maintain ſuch palpable errors with ſo much confidence and arrogancie; for have we not proved that our Churches are true Churches?Where Chriſt vouchſafes his preſence, there we may and muſt vouchſafe ours; unleſs there be ſome apparent ground to the contrary: But in our Churches Chriſt vouchſafes his preſence: Why then ſhould any withdraw, ſeeing they can render no reaſon for ſo doing? And hath not Chriſt walked in the midſt of our candle-ſticks hetherto? Rev. 2. The experience of thouſands yea millions of ſouls may bear witneſs to this truth, and riſe up and call us bleſſed; yea upon our late repairing of the Tabernacle or Tabernacles, hath not the Lord vouchſafed his preſence and filled our Tabernacles with his glory? Exod. 40.34. Num. 9.15. On that day the Tabernacle was reared, the cloud covered the Tabernacle. Thus upon the caſting out of the poor blind man, Ioh. 9.35. Jeſus appeared unto him and made ſuch a diſcovery of himſelf to his ſoul, as you ſhall ſcarſe read in all the book of God; but they have not onelyonly excommunicated ſome few, (that diſſent in judgment from them in this point) though godly, but all the Churches of God in the world, crying (as they in Eſa. 65.5.) Stand by thy ſelf, come not near me, I am holyer than thou, that is, I have deviſed a holyer way of worſhip than thou, Theſe are a ſmoke in the noſtrils p. 99of the Lord, and a fire that burneth all the day, and doubtleſs God will appear to the joy of ſuch as are caſt out, clave errante, with an erring key, and to the ſhame of thoſe that thus have caſt them forth as abominable branches. Eſa. 66.5.

Obj. The Jews were truly under the Covenant of Circumciſion, (Gen. 17.10.) but never all of them ſo much as viſibly in the Covenant of grace.

An. We grant they were all circumciſed, (which ſtill they call the Covenant) but that they were all under a Covenant of grace ſavingly we deny, though ſo far as it extended there was a reality in it. 2 Pet. 2.18. foreign, Having truly eſcaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledg of Chriſt; theſe common gifts, purchaſed by Chriſt and given by the ſpirit to the ſons of men, are true and real though not ſaving grace. Thus the carnal Jews and carnal Goſpellers children may be ſaid to be under a Covenant of grace truly and really, ſo far as it goes, though they never attain to the enjoyment of the ſpiritual part thereof; the Jew had much benefit by that Covenant as we ſhall ſhew hereafter: But it was not fulfilled to them all in the utmoſt extent of it. Secret things belong to God, but things revealed to us and to our children: That God will be our God and the God of our ſeed, is a thing revealed, therefore it belongs to us: but how many of our children he hath choſen, or how far he hath taken them into Covenant with himſelf, or how far the promiſe belongs to them, is a ſecret thing which muſt be left to God. p. 100It is true Abraham and his poſterity were circumciſed, Gen. 17.10. but it doth not follow, that all his poſterity were in reality and truth under a Covenant of grace as to the ſpiritual part thereof, though viſibly they were under it as to the outward adminiſtration, and enjoyed many common mercies by virtue of that Covenant. For what haſt thou (ſaith the Lord) to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth ſeeing thou hateſt to be reformed? But God did not cut off that entail till he gave them a bill of divorce.

Obj. No children fare the bette… for the faith of their parents in reſpect of this Covenant.

Anſ. This query the Apoſtle anſwers, Rom. 3.1. What advantage h…th the Jew more than others? foreign; Quid amplius Judaeo? He anſwers, Much every way.

Firſt, That unto them were committed the Oracles of God, Word and promiſes, non ut alienae rei depoſitum, but as their own proper treaſure. Pſal. 147.19. Deut. 4.6, 7.8. What Nation is there ſo great? &c. Three things make a nation great.

1. That they have God nigh to them, and that they are nigh to God again.

2. That they have ſtatutes and judgments ſo rightous as theirs were.

3. In that they are a wiſe and underſtanding people Theſe three you have in the Text: But how came they to be ſo wiſe if not by the enjoyment of theſe Ordinances, which are the glorie of all lands?

Secondly, By virtue of this Covenant they had the Tabernacle of God amongſt them, a Church erected, p. 101and they with their children members of that Church. Pſal. 147.13. He hath bleſſed thy children within thee. How highly doth the Apoſtle extol this chriſtian priviledg? Heb. 12.22. Ye are not come to Mount Sinai, but to Mount Sion, viz. To fellowſhip with the Church below and the Church above. (for theſe two differ but as the porch and the houſe, the ſuburbs and the city.) Great is the priviledg that members have in this reſpect. Conſider how near and dear ſuch are to God. Pſal. 87.2. He loves the very gates of Sion (in which gates they had their Aſſemblies) even the outſide of Sion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob What ſweet enjoyments have they that walk in ſuch ways? If it be ſo ſweet on earth, where a few imperfect members mixed with many corrupt members meet together; ah! how much more ſweet will it be in heaven, when that great Aſſembly ſhall meet, and have no mixtures at all! Is it therefore no advantage to children that they may ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob in the Kingdom of heaven? But ah! how ſad will it be with them, if they be hereafter caſt out into utter darkneſs!

Thirdly, The preſence of God is in his Tabernacle, Exo. 40.34. The glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle, when they punctually obſerved the command of the Lord by the hand of Moſes.

Fourthly, By virtue of this Covenant the Angel of his preſence ſaved them, and ſtood betwixt Pharaoh and them. Exod. 14.19. q. d. Thou muſt ſtrike through my loins if thou wound Iſrael my firſt-born. p. 102Yea the Archangel Chriſt hath his Angels under him, which always behold the face of their heavenly Father, and are ready at a beck (as knowing his mind by his looks) to revenge the wrong of theſe little ones, Mat. 18.10. Yea this Angel of the Covenant (Eſa. 9.3, 9.) ſtands betwixt them and hell, ſuſpending the execution of that ſentence of wrath, [In the day thou ſinneſt thou ſhalt dy the death,] which is an axiom true at all times; but the ſeed of the woman comes in & reprieves ſuch for a while. Heb. 1.3.

Fifthly, By the bloud of this Covenant were they brought out of Aegypt yong and old: Hence it is that he makes mention of this name, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac, and the God of Jacob, this is my memorial to all generations. Exo. 3.15. By the ſame bloud of Chriſt ſealing that Covenant were they and their little ones brought out of Babylon, and ſhall be brought out of this their laſt captivity. Zac. 9.11.

Sixthly, They have many temporal bleſſings, Pſal. 37. I never ſaw the rightous forſaken, (eſpecially if liberal for ſo is the word often uſed) nor his ſeed begging bread. It was ſo rare athing for the ſeed of the rightous to beg their bread, as that David profeſſeth for his part he never ſaw it He is ever merciful and lendeth, ſaith the Text, v. 26. And what then, are his children beggers? No, they ſhall enjoy a bleſſing. Gen. 21. Iſmael will I make a great nation, (v. 13.) becauſe he is thy ſeed; ſo that wicked children fare the better for their parents, as to outwards at leaſt. Deut. 8.18. It is he that giveth thee power to p. 103get riches, that he may eſtabliſh his Covenant with thee, Luke 13.16. And ought not this woman (being a daughter of Abraham) be looſed from this bond? Filiam Abrahami ſic appellat propter ejus gentis praeſtantiam, quam deus ſingulari gratiâ amplectebatur propter fadus cum Abraham… pactum. Dominus arguit à re notâ & conſeſſa. Piſcat.Luke 13:16his Covenant which he made to thy Fathers: So that we may ſafely ſay, the Covenant is made with believers and all their ſeed, in reſpect of the external part; but with believers and their elect ſeed onelyonly, as to the internal part thereof.

Seventhly, They have common gifts, conſtraining and reſtraining grace by virtue of this Covenant, though their nature be not changed, as the prophet ſpeaks Eſa. 11. Yet at leaſt they are reſtrained, but a lion is a lion ſtill though a tame lion. He hath received (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) gifts for the rebellious, that is, ſaving grace for ſome, Miniſters and people; reſtraining grace for others, that the Lord God may dwell among them, elſe there were no abiding for the people of God in this world.

Eightly, They had by this Covenant offers and tenders of grace, in that ſenſe they were called the children of the Covenant, Act. 3. partly becauſe it was tendered to them, (but not ſolely for this cauſe, for ſo all nations to whom the Goſpel is preached ſhould be in Covenant, which we utterly deny) and partly becauſe accepted by them; herein many are miſtaken that make the offers and tenders of the Goſpel ſimply as ſufficient to render a people in Covenant with God, without their acceptation; but we ſay, There muſt be the accepting of thoſe offers p. 104and tenders, and cloſing with Chriſt (externally at leaſt,) elſe it's no Covenant properly ſo called.

Ninthly, Many children have ſaving grace wrought in them by virtue of this Covenant, Deut. 30.7. I will circumciſe the heart of thy ſeed. Jer. 31. That great intruder, ſin, that uſurps authority over all, (even over ſuch as have not ſinned after the ſimilitude of Adam's tranſgreſſion) comes in by the fall of our firſt parents: and why may not children therefore be reſtored by the next parent inſtrumentally?

If the Lord did admit ſuch onelyonly as believe, then the faith whereby we believe were not given by any Covenant; but what ſaith the Prophet Jeremiah? ch. 31. v. 34. They ſhall all know me from the leaſt to the greateſt, that is, yong and old; which knowledg is interpreted to be faith, John 6.45. I will write my Law in their hearts, what law, onelyonly the moral law? Yea the evangelical law, if ſo, then the law of faith. Have then elect children no ſaving benefit by the Covenant till they believe? Yes, they have this benefit, That they ſhall believe; for there are promiſes for grace, 2 to grace. When the Lord ſaith, I will be the God of thy ſeed, there is a promiſe for grace, q.d. The vein of election ſhall break out in ſome of them, not all; for ſuch promiſes as theſe are indefinite promiſes,Rom. 3.—Excid…rit ſermo ille, viz. promiſſio illa gratiae, Ero deus …us & ſeminis tui.Rom 3 and therefore true, though not verifyed in all, Rom. 3.3. What if ſome did not believe, to whom the promiſes were made, ſhall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect? I ſay then, that the vein of election ſhall break forth p. 105in ſome, (though for the preſent it runs under ground, as ſome rivers do) for it cannot be but that ſome of Gods peoples children ſhould prove religious, ſeeing that the church ſhall have a ſeed and ſeeds ſeed for ever; the word and the ſpirit in thoſe ſhall continue till the coming of Chriſt, ſaith the Lord, Eſa. 59.21. To which place the Covenant mentioned (Rom. 11.27.) is to be referred, q.d. That Church of the Jews ſhall not fail in her ſpiritual offspring for ever: This is a promiſe for grace in the ſeed, to grace in that Church, out of which Covenant the Lord hath not excluded any children of believers; therefore parents have a ground to hope he hath included all, he having not excepted any. Here then is an object for the faith of parents to work upon, but know aſſuredly that according to your faith ſo things go with you. Pſal. 33. laſt. Let thy mercy, Lord, be upon us according as we put our truſt in thee. 1 Ioh. 5.16. comp. Iam. 5.15. If any man ſee a brother ſin a ſin which is not unto death, let him pray for him, and it ſhall be forgiven him. It's not to be expected that all ſhould be heard in this particular, as it is not in that of Iam. 5.15. Such promiſes are not univerſal but indefinite, becauſe ofttimes not always the Lord grants ſuch their deſires; the meaning is, prayer is an ordinance to which God hath made ſuch a gracious promiſe, and he often doth reſtore the ſick, prayers being put up by believers for them; therefore in ſuch caſes we are to rely on God by an act of recum…encie, though we cannot relie on him by an act of full aſſurance; but ſuch as have much communion p. 106with God, may know much of his mind, and have a particular faith for a particular marcie, whether ſpiritual or temporal: children have general and indefinite promiſes, and conditional upon faith and obedience, ſuch as determin not the kind of good promiſed, nor the particular perſon, and are therefore true if performed to any perſon in any fort. Heb. 11.27. Many ſpiritual and ſo temporal promiſes are indefinitely propounded and ſo to be underſtood, not that the Lord intends an abſolute and univerſal obligation of himſelf, neither is the act of faith in the application of it required to be an abſolute and infallible perſuaſion that God will beſtow theſe particular things upon us: but the Lord expects we ſhould rely on him to do what is moſt for his glory and our good. But let me tell you faith may do much, (Mat. 9.) When he ſaw their faith, he ſaid to the ſick of the palſie, Be bold, thy ſins are forgiven thee. When he ſaw their faith, that is, the faith of them that brought him: So when he ſees the faith of parents bringing their children to Chriſt in the viſible way of this Ordinance, (for I know no other viſible way to bring children to Chriſt) he ſaith to them, Your ſins are forgiven you. Thus children are ſaved by the faith of the parents, begetting faith in them. Hence that paſſage of David concerning his child, I ſhall go to it, it ſhall not return to me, he means not of that ſtate of death in the grave, (for what comfort could that be to David that he ſhould go to the the grave with it?) but the ſtate of glory, to which he was aſſured it was gone, and to which he ſhould follow after.

p. 107Tenthly, I am apt to be very charitable to the Infants of all believers that dy before they commit actual transgreſſion,Cedo quo nomine filij veſtri ſalvantur niſi ex illo verbo, Ego ſum deus ſeminis tui, ac niſi illud verbum ad illos pertin…ret, ne ad baptiſmum quidem admittendi eſſent. Cal. Inſt. Quicun que in dei foedere gratioſe ſemel eſt, ne que unquam ab illo foeder… ſe avertit, ille …ona promiſſa conſequitur; nunquam enim deſcrit de… niſi deſerent…m. See Forb. heaven ſurely is fuller of ſuch Infants, than of others; and therefore as he ſaid, ſo ſay I, If I had 20 Children I would not bate God one. But how are theſe Children ſaved if not by that Covenant? I will be thy God and the God of thy ſeed? from which gracious Covenant, if afterwards they turn not away, they obtain the things promiſed, and their ſouls are bound up in a bundle of life for ever. See p. 69.

Obj. There was no promiſe of eternal life mentioned in that Covenant.

Anſ. In that Covenant God promiſed them temporals more largely, ſpirituals more ſparingly, according to his ſecret diſpenſations of theſe and thoſe times; they were children,Hence the motto of the Prince of Wales, [I SERVE] Gal. 5.4. a child differs not from a ſervant; and thus the Hebrew naguo…, the Greek foreign, the Latine word puer ſignifie either a child or a ſervant.Gal 5:4 and a child differs not from a ſervant in his nonage, now children are more taken with childiſh things; therefore they had more of temporals and leſs of ſpirituals, more of the ſpirit of bondage than the ſpirit of adoption, that is, that ſpirit that makes us ſons, foreign, and teſtifies we are ſons; but yet we ſay in that Covenant life is propounded implicitly, in that he ſaith, I will be thy God, which is interpreted by our Savior to include p. 108not onelyonly ſpirituel life here, but eternal life hereafter. Chriſt by virtue of his ſpiritual dwelling in us, will raiſe us up at the laſt day, for as the union betwixt Chriſt's humane and divine nature ceaſed not even in the grave: ſo neither doth the union betwixt Chriſt and the ſoul and the body ceaſe. Rom. 8. Seeing that we are not raiſed by the graces of the ſpirit, but by the ſpirit it ſelf dwelling in us; it is true, Chriſt as Mediator ſhall ceaſe having yielded up that vicarium Regnum to his father, but he continues head of the Church for ever.

2. When the Lord explains that Covenant, Ier. 31.33. Doth he not ſay, I will be their God, their ſins and iniquities will I remember no more? and are not our ſouls bound up in this as in a bundle of life? is not here juſtification of life for children to lay hold upon? Nay when the Lord ſaith, I will write my Law in their hearts, and they ſhall all know me from the leſt to the greateſt, that is, yong and old, is not this the Law of the ſpirit of life? and will not he write the Law of faith too, by which we live the life of the ſons of God? Gal. 2.20.

3. That bleſſedneſs (ſpoken of Gen. 12.3.) is explained by Paul to be juſtification by faith, Gal. 3.8.14. called there the bleſſing of Abraham which comes upon the Gentiles, that is, parents and children. Act. 3. bleſſedneſs is expreſſed by turning every one from his evil way. Eſa. 44.3. I will pour my spirit upon thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thy offspring. Is not here a ſpirit of life? are not the eſſentials of regeneration promiſed here to babes? and is not that p. 109mother promiſe, I will be thy God, the ground of all theſe? Gal. 3.14.

4. What is the meaning of that phraſe, Do this and live? may it not evangelically be taken as well as legally? Ezek. 20. Neh. 9 Which if a man keep he ſhall live therein. What force is there in theſe words (with reverence be it ſpoken) if underſtood in their ſenſe? for might not the ſpiritual Iſraelites ſay, To what purpoſe is it? What hopes have we of attaining to that perfection, and ſo conſequently to life? It 's granted the carnal Iſraelites being not ſenſible of their own weakneſs and imperfections, looked at that Covenant as a Covenant of works, and ſo ſeemingly it was propounded; but the ſpiritual Iſraelites look'd at it with another ey, as it was propounded with evangelical purpoſes, that is, Do this in Chriſt and live: Hence it was that the Lord bid Moſes put the Tables into the Ark, as ſignifying, That Chriſt was to keep Covenant with them and for them, as hath been formerly ſhewed.

Obj. None ever had any intereſt in that Covenant but ſuch as were in Chriſt.

Anſ. Never any had any ſaving intereſt in that abſolute Covenant, but ſuch as are in Chriſt in truth and reality; but there are others that are in Chriſt, as the unprofitable branch in the Vine,Some render the words as the Syr. renders it, viz. Every branch that beare not fruit in me. Joh 15. foreign.John 15 that bringeth forth fruit to it ſelf: theſe having entered into Covenant with God, may be ſaid to be under the Covenant conditionally, (of which conditional promiſes the Sacraments p. 110are ſeals) and by virtue of it be made partakers not onelyonly of temporals, but alſo of thoſe common graces by which they are ſanctified for this or that particular ſervice. Heb. 10.29. (And hath counted the bloud of the Covenant an unholy thing, wherewith he was ſanctified.) Which grace is ſometimes called life, (though it fall ſhort of regeneration.) Jude 12. But the Covenant is eſtabliſhed with the ſpriritual ſeed of Iſaac onelyonly, and ſuch as walk in the ſteps of the faith of our father Abraham. Gen. 17.19. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with him for an everlaſting Covenant. Iſmael was under the Covenant, but mocking at the promiſed ſeed, (that is, Iſaac, a child of the promiſe) he was discovenanted and caſt out; therefore he was in before, (Gal 4.30.) elſe how was he caſt out? Eſau was under that Covenant of Iſaac, but he, profane wretch! ſells his birth-right, and goes to Mount Seir, therefore he is caſhiered alſo, and not ſo much as mentioned in the Genealogie of our Savior upon this account.

Obj. All the promiſes of the new Covenant were made to the ſpiritual ſeeed.

Anſ. But did not thoſe promiſes run along being entailed upon Abraham his poſterity?Quamprimum quis natus eſt ex …deli parente, ſtatim fit filius Abraha; nam priuſquam Judaeus aliquis circumciſius fuit, habebatur in numero filiorum; baptiſmus enim non facit filios Abrahae, ſed foedus. Whit. de Sacr. and are not the promiſes made to the viſible Church whereof Chriſt is the viſible head? were children ever caſt out of that myſtical bodie of Chriſt? Gal. 3. Doubtleſs the Apoſtle ſpeaks of a Church which was the viſible bodie of Chriſt, to which the ſeals were p. 111applied, for there was no diſtinction of a fleſhly and ſpiritual ſeed in the old Teſtament, but all were included in one and the ſame Covenant, till they degenerated from it.

When there is mention made of Abraham's carnal ſeed in oppoſition to his ſpiritual ſeed, Rom. 9. Gal. 4. As Iſmael is ſaid to be born after the fleſh.

1. It 's not becauſe ſuch were reprobates, for many of Abraham's ſeed were reprobates, and yet not reckoned to be born after the fleſh.

2. Nor becauſe ſuch were begotten by carnal generation, for ſo Eſau and Jacob were.

3. Nor merely becauſe born of Hagar, See Grot de jure belli. p 12. Lege Moſis Iſraelitae ſoli tenebantur, Circum…iſionis autem lege tota Abrahami poſteritas, quare qui popali extra Iſraelitas circumciſi ſunt, eos credibile eſt aut ab Eſavo aut ex Cethurae poſteris veniſſe.for God commanded Circumciſion to paſs upon the concubines children. Gen. 17.12.

4. Nor merely becauſe unregenerate, for many elect perſons are not converted in infancie.

5. But Iſmael is ſaid to be born after the fleſh becauſe Hagar was a bond-woman, (and in that time a type of the Covenant of works) too likely an inſtrument in the courſe of nature for a child of the promiſe to be begotten of. Gal. 4.23. It's probable Abraham might not ſo much make uſe of his faith, as nature in uſing Hagar; and in this Iſmael was a type of all hypocrites that have no more than what may …e attained to by humane induſtry; but Abraham …ad Iſaac ſo by faith in the promiſe as if there were …o uſe of nature. Abraham circumciſed Iſmael, p. 112which ſheweth, that as none but the viſible faithful are to be baptized: So all the ſeed of ſuch are to be looked upon as elect (as Abraham did) untill God or they discover the contrary; for God hath not disanulled Abraham's Covenant which runs in the natural line, nor added to it, the whole Goſpel being but an explication of Abraham's Covenant. Heb. 4.2. Therefore it remains in its latitude, including children as well as parents.

The Covenant having an external adminiſtration, many might be in it according to Gods revealed will, but not according to his ſecret purpoſe; now we are to proceed according to his will revealed in his word, for what ever Arguments are produced againſt the children of believers now, might have been pleaded againſt Abraham's ſeed of old;Believers were the ſeed of Abraham among the Jews. Rom. 9.6, 7, 8. Therefore our Savior argueth, thoſe Pharifees not to be the children of Abraham.Rom 9:6Rom 9:7Rom 9:8 therefore Rom. 9. Paul ſpeaks not a word of a different diſpenſation of the Covenant of Abraham in the old and new Teſtament: I ſay, there is not the leſt word hinted, that infants, becauſe children of the fleſh, therefore are no children of the promiſe but rather the contrary: For Iſaac though of Abraham's fleſh, yet was a child of the promiſe when but eight days old, and let me tell you, The Covenant in ſome reſpects makes the father a ſpiritual father, and the child a ſpiritual ſeed as well as natural. To conclude, the Apoſtle doth not ſhew in the forenamed chapter, who were the ſeed as to Ordinances, but who were the ſeed as to election and ſalvation.

p. 113For though there was a Covenant for Iſmael, yet was it not eſtabliſhed with him but with Iſaac. Gen. 17.19. He ſhewed indeed that all the children of the fleſh are not the elect ſeed, but doth not ſhew they were not the children of Abraham's Covenant. v. 7.

The children of the promiſe are thoſe that are born to Abraham according to promiſe,See Piſcat. in Gen. 13.15. To thee will I give this land, and thy ſeed for ever.] Poſteria tuis non tamen omnibus, ſed tantum orituris ex filio uno, cujus reſpectu …runt ſemen unum (i) populus unus. Sic cap. 21.12 Ʋbi jubet ablegare Iſmaelem, additâ hac ratione, Nam is Iſaac vocabitur tibi ſemen.Gen 13:15 therefore all Iſaac's ſeed according to the fleſh were children of the promiſe; for the promiſes were made to them, notwithſtanding ſome of them were thrown out, and ſome entered not in. Thus the Goſpel Church hath the promiſe of ſalvation made to them, but ſo as many viſible Saints may fall ſhort thereof. Heb. **The word foreign ſignifies not a ſeeming but a real falling ſhort, according to ſcripture phraſe, and the ſcope and purport of this place.4.1. Which ſhews you that Abraham's Covenant contained all his ſeed indefinitely, for that ſome ſhould enter in: The promiſe is abſolute, but as for the individuals it was upon condition of faith: ſo there is a company of believers elected that ſhall certainly enter into glory, and theſe determined by God. But as for particular perſons conſidered as viſible members of the Church; theſe enter in, or not, accordingly as they believe, or believe not. When a man covenants with another, That ſuch a piece of land ſhall deſcend to his heirs, who ſhall be his heirs is unknown, onelyonly it's known in general p. 114that the child is the next of kin: Thus in this caſe who ſhall have the benefit of this Covenant may be unknown, but in general it's known that believers ſhall. The Lord appoints his Church to look upon ſuch perſons as ſaints or no ſaints, according to their viſible holineſs, and to look on their ſeed to be ſuch as their parents are; for Iſmael is reckoned firſt as Abraham's, afterwards Iſmael's ſeed are reckoned as enemies and ſtrangers like himſelf. Exod. 12.48. 1 Chron. 2.17 It appears Jethro was an Iſmaelite, yet chap. 17.25. he 's ſaid to be an Iſraelite. Iſmael was under the Covenant, and God did much for him as the ſon of ſuch a father, Gen. 21 13. And alſo of the ſon of the bondwoman will I make a nation, becauſe he is thy ſeed: But the Covenant was eſtabliſhed in Iſaac: All viſible profeſſors and their ſeed are incovenanted, (for the promiſes of the Goſpel are tendered to them, and they accept of them) but the Covenant is eſtabliſhed on true believers onelyonly; not as though (ſaith the Apoſtle) the word of promiſe hath taken none effect.Gen. 26.28. & 34.3, 4. The promiſe runs thus, Ʋnto thy ſeed v. 3. And unto thy ſeed, v. 4. when he ſpeaks of the Church-ſeed, that is, ſuch children as were inchurched: But when he ſpeaks of Chriſt, then he alters the phraſe, ſaying, In thy ſeed ſhall all nations be bleſſed Gal. 3.Gen 26:28Gen 34:3Gen 34:4Gal 3 Rom. 9.6. No godly Jew (though others did) ever thought the word of God falſe, becauſe thoſe that truſted to the works of the Law, were rejected: For in thoſe indefinite promiſes it's enough to render them true, if they take effect in ſome though not in all, according to the intent and ſcope of the holy Ghoſt. Let God then be true and every man a lier, according as it is written, That p. 115thou mighteſt overcome when thou art judged. foreign, either when thou judgeſt or art judged, it's mediae vocis; thus the Heb. (be miſhpat) in judicio, which is taken actively or paſſively.

2. We anſwer as formerly, there are promiſes for grace as well as to grace. Deut. 30.6. Joh. 6. All the father hath given me ſhall come unto me, and whoſoever ſhall come unto me I will in no wiſe caſt out. Thus Jer. 31.34. From the leaſt to the greateſt, yong and old, they ſhall all know me, that is, believe in me. Joh 6.45, 64, 65. That place of the prophet implies a multitude of ſuch in the Church, far above what had been in former times: to ſay it's meant of the elect, as uſually they interpret ſuch places, reacheth not the ſcope of the place which imports a greater number than ordinary in former times, whereas of the elect it would be true were they never ſo few, or in thoſe times no more of them, than had in any other age formerly been; therefore it is well obſerved that the Covenant is the ground of faith, and not faith the ground of the Covenant: For who can believe without a promiſe? what ground hath the faith of the parent to work upon, if you take away the promiſe? Archimedes ſaid if he had but footing to ſtand upon, he would toſs the earth like a ball: and what cannot faith do (which in ſome ſenſe is ſaid to be omnipotent) if it have a promiſe to work upon? but if faith have no ground to work upon, it can do nothing.

3. Do they not proceed according to the judgment of charity in their adminiſtrations, as the Apoſtles p. 116did? Act. 8. they were all baptized from the leaſt to the greateſt, that is, yong and old, and were all theſe really ſaints▪ Joh. 3.26. Theſe were accounted the ſpiritual ſeed, till they manifeſted the contrary: If ſuch, why not children? For if the Covenant (as they ſay) be onelyonly with real ſaints, and the ſeal adminiſtred onelyonly to ſuch; then none at all are to be baptized, ſeeing with Peter we may eaſiely be miſtaken. But were it not better to adminiſter the ſeal to 99 that are not really ſanctified, than deny it to any one to whom it doth belong.

The third Argument is taken from Circumciſion. Infants were circumciſed under the law, therefore now to be baptized under the Goſpel.

Firſt, Becauſe the Covenant of grace made with the Jews and Gentiles is the ſame Covenant for ſubſtance, as hath been ſufficiently proved; though there be diverſitie of adminiſtrations thereof. Gal. 3 8. A man in this or that habit is the ſame man, though diverſe in his apparel: even ſo the old Covenant formerly adorned with that dreſs of ceremonies, but now ſtript of them and made plain, is one and the ſame Covenant with the new Covenant.

Secondly, Circumciſion and baptiſm are both ſeals of the ſame Covenant, and they are the ſame ſacraments or ſeals for ſubſtance, and for the ſpiritual part and uſe thereof. Circumciſion ſealed the Covenant of grace to Abraham and his ſeed. Rom. 4.11. And baptiſm doth the like.

Thirdly, We may argue from the Analogie betwixt Circumciſion and baptiſm: for they both agree p. 117in the ſubſtantials, though they differ in ſome circumſtantials.

Now they themſelves do confeſs we may argue from parity of reaſon or Analogie.

1. When Analogie doth not inſtitute a piece of worſhip, but onelyonly helps to the underſtanding of it; now as for the ordinance of baptiſm it's clear, but as for the application of it to this or that ſubject, we need the help of Circumciſion.

2. When we do not reſt ſolely in the compariſon, but have a farther reaſon for it; now it's not the bare Analogie between Circumciſion and baptiſm, by which we enforce the baptiſm of infants, but the grounds of both from ſcripture.

3. When it holds full proportion in ſcripture to that for which it's brought, which we ſay, Circumciſion doth to baptiſm, unleſs in ſome particulars wherein a peculiar reaſon may be given. We ſay then,

1. They agree in their ſignification, for they hold forth to us mans corruption by nature.The ſubſtance of all divinity lay in Circumciſion, (as Luther well obſerves) the like may we ſay of baptiſm; therefore if we would be good Divines, let us ſtudie our baptiſm: For the Lord hath put a great ſtreſs upon ſuch truths as ſeem little in the eys of many. Gnorlab ſignifieth a ſuperfluity, and is not ſin a ſuperfluous thing? Jam. 1.21. foreign, a whitflaw.Jas 1:21 Joſh. 5.3. The hill of fore-skins. This was clearly ſhadowed out in the cutting off the fore-skin: and what doth the waſhing of the body ſignify but that natural uncleanneſs which we contracted from our firſt parents. Heb 10.22.

2. They agree in this, that they repreſent the myſtery of our redemption: In the former there was p. 118the ſhedding of bloud, in the later the ſame bloud is repreſented by water poured on us. How the ceremonio… part of Circumciſion is aboliſht, but the ſacramental part ſtill remains, which a believer may plead with God; for baptiſm is (foreign) the earneſt demand of a good conſcience: (that what is ſignified in that Ordinance may be made good unto us) ſo the word rather ſignifies than the anſwer of a good conſcience. I ſay it's the earneſt demand, for omnis praepoſitio eſt additio, every prepoſition, as we ſay, is an addition, Phil. 4.17. Not becauſe I deſire a gift, foreign, but I earneſtly deſire (foreign) a fruit, or whatſoever was a effect of his Miniſtery.

3. They agree in that they repreſent the myſterie of regeneration.

Firſt, The cutting off the fore-skin ſignifies, the taking away that filth of nature: and is not baptiſm the laver of regeneration, and the waſhing of the new-birth? Tit. 3.5.

Secondly, They agree in their ſubjects …o which they are applyed, each of them being adminiſtred to ſuch as are incovenanted, which are the foreign, the firſt ſubject of the ſeals, (and not believers, quatenus believers, as ſome would have it) whether yong or old: So that being applied to Infants (though for the preſent wanting faith) they are not ſeals of a blank, unleſs we ſhould ſay that the Covenant was a mere blank. Rom. 4.11, 12.

Fourthly, they agree in their ends and uſes,

1. In that they are initial ſeals of the Covenant of grace, aſſuring parents, That as God is their God: p. 119ſo he will be the God of their ſeed; they are both to ſtrengthen the faith of parents in laying hold on the Covenant for their children. So that when the Lord ſeeth the faith of the parents, I am perſuaded he oftentimes ſaith to the child, (as to that man, Mat. 9.) Thy ſins are forgiven thee.

2. In them we are dedicated and conſecrated to God,Quod morale eſt durat, viz fid…m pr…f…endam ex dedicatione parvulorum foreign Sponſus dicitur puer, quando circumciditur, ſeucircumciſionis die, quia tum primum populo dei conjungitur, & deo quaſi deſponſatur. Exod. 4 Et ipſa dicebat, Sponſus ſanguinum tu mihi es, Targum. foreign Per ſanguinem circumciſionis iſtum datus eſt ſponſus nobis, tu…c dicebat ſponſus ſa…umum propter circumciſione…. Schindl See LXX. foreign.Exod 4 that is, given up to him and to his ſervice forever. 1 Sam. 1.…8. Therefore as Circumciſion, ſo baptiſm binds us to the keeping of the Law evangelically.

3. They ſerve to diſtinguiſh us from the world of heathens and pagans: they and theirs lie all of them uncircumciſed, I mean, unbaptized, with their ini…uities upon their bones, as the Prophet ſaith of Meſhech, Elam, Tubal, and the reſt of the Nations, (Ezek. 32.24, 26, 27.) branding them with this black cole of infamy, viz. That they were uncircumciſed.

4. They agree in this, That as Circumciſion was not,Gen. 17. In ipſo articulo temporis, in that juncture of time. Mat. 28. foreign, (foreign.) in the preſent tenſe as implying haſte:Gen 17Matt 28 ſo baptiſm is not to be deferred. Abraham and all his houſehold were circumciſed in that very day: even ſo baptiſm is not to be delayed, but with all convenient ſpeed the ſeal is to be applyed, (Act. 22.16. and now why tarrieſt thou? ariſe and be baptized.) For p. 120the neglect of this Ordinance is dangerous, as the contempt is damnable.

Thus far they agree, therefore (ſay ſome) Circumciſion was a type of baptiſm. Col. 2.11, 12. Paul contends with thoſe who labored to maintain jewiſh ceremonies and types, (v. 10, 11.) ſhewing that Circumciſion, which was the profeſſion of the whole law, was fulfilled as a type or figure to chriſtians by Chriſt in baptiſm, and therefore that was to vaniſh away as the types did, when they were fulfilled, v. 12. He ſhews how we are circumciſed in Chriſt, which is ſealed and effected by baptiſm, in which we are aſſimulated to Chriſt, ſo that baptiſm is a chriſtians Circumciſion; and then are we ſaid to be circumciſed with the circumciſion of Chriſt when we are baptized.

That Circumciſion is a type of baptiſm it will appear if we examin the properties of a type.

1. Types are inferior to their antitypes, of which they are but ſhadows and figures: ſo is Circumciſion to baptiſm in many reſpects.

2. Types were not true in themſelves comparatively, being a ſhadow of things to come; but in the body or truth which they type out, ſo in circumciſion there is a type of a type,foreign Signum ad vivum expreſſum. Luther. that is, a ſhadow of a more lively image: but as for the holineſs of children, which ſome ſay was ceremonious, we anſwer, That parents and children were federally and therefore morally holy, as the Apoſtle tells the Jews long after the aboliſhing of the ceremonies, viz. That they were an p. 121holy nation, a peculiar people. 1 Pet. 2. For what could the holineſs of children in the old typifie in the new?

3. When the antitype of truth is fulfilled, then the type ceaſeth:Maluerum J…daei hoc velum ceremoniarum diſſuere quam laceraere. Molin. and thus Circumciſion ceaſeth upon the uſhering in of baptiſm, though it was continued for a while, that ſo with the reſt of the ceremonies it might have an honourable burial, as being of a noble birth, even of Divine inſtitution. What hath been ſaid to Circumciſion as to the typicalneſs thereof, may with much more evidence of truth be applied to the ark,Aqua diluvij in Arcâ conſtituti… ſalutaris, extra Arcam ver… mortifera fuit. Aug. (wherein all the houſehold of Noah, that is, his children were ſaved) the like figure whereunto baptiſm now ſaveth. The like we have 1 Cor. 10.2, 6. And were all baptized unto Moſes, — and in the ſea. Now theſe things are our types, foreign, we may argue with much clearneſs from the ſhadow to the truth even in this place,In nube & mari, quae baptiſmum i… num eſſicium noſtro congruentem, obſcuriora potius elegit ſacramenta, quod ad antitheſin inter nos & illos magis valebant. Calv. if all were baptized, then their children; if ſo then, why not now? For was it not the Apoſtles ſcope to let them know that the Jews had the ſame priviledges for ſubſtance with the Corinthians, who notwithſtanding thoſe priviledges were not ſpared,From the type to the verity the argument is of force, unleſs there be ſome ſpecial reaſon to the contrary. becauſe ſo highly exalted with many Goſpel priviledges. O ye Corinthians (ſaith the Apoſtle) do not think to eſcape, for p. 122all theſe befell the Jews as types; therefore as the Lord dealt with them, ſo will he deal with you.