upon him in his single capacity so his performing that duty incumbent upon him as a parent in reference to his Seed was absolutely necessary in order to his enjoying the good promised with reference both to himself and his Seed The truth of this Proposition is evident from these two places of Scripture compared together Gen. 17.1 and Gen. 18.19 Walk before me and be thou perfect There was Abraham's duty in reference to himself as a single person with whom the Covenant was entred For I know him that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep judgment and justice that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him that is that he may be a God to him and his Seed after him There was Abraham's duty as a Parent and Master of a Family and under this term Command all other duties subserving or referring to their walking in the way of the Lord were implyed and comprehended Now saith the Lord Abraham will thus command his Children and Houshold that the Lord may bring upon him what he hath spoken of him Whence it appears that Abraham's performance of his duty towards his Children and Houshold was a necessary condition of Gods bringing upon him or making good to him what he had promised in reference to his Children and Houshold and that without the performance of that duty he could not expect according to the true intent and meaning of the Promise that God should bring that good upon him or do that good to him and what is said of Abraham is true of all his Seed supposing them under that double capacity Abraham was to be a pattern to all his Seed both in priviledges and in duties Thirdly That whatever was the condition or restipulation of the Covenant as made with Abraham was the condition or restipulation required of his natural Seed and to be actually performed by them in their own persons so soon as they came to that maturity of age as rendred them capable thereof and that as indispensably necessary to the compleating and continuance of their covenant relation with God into which they as Abraham's natural Seed were admitted in their infancy though God was pleased to enter covenant not only with Abraham himself but with his Seed together with him and his accepting of the Covenant for himself and them constituted a covenant relation between God and Abraham and his Seed and that covenant-relation was continued during his Seeds infant capacity upon Abraham's account yet when they grew up to a capacity of a personal ingaging with God in a Covenant way and performing the restipulation required Now the continuance of that covenant-relation between God and them indispensably required their personal accepting of and performing that restipulation or condition that Abraham in their infancy had accepted for them and their non-acceptance or non-performance of that condition did ipso facto disanul the Covenant or forfeit their right to and interest in it and the promises of it God stood the longer by vertue of that Promise obliged to be a God unto them and for them to have supposed the continuance of that covenant-relation between God and them into which they were afore admitted and upon that account expected the good promised without their personal performance of the duty the Covenant did oblige them to had been a groundless presumption The truth of this Proposition is evident in part from what hath been already said and will more fully appear when I come to the proof of my second Proposition Abraham's commanding his Children and Houshold to keep the way of the Lord in order to that end namely their enjoying the good promised necessarily supposeth it for why should he command them to keep the way of the Lord in relation to such an end if their keeping that way had no necessary reference to that end but the end had been attained without their keeping that way besides were not this true there could have been no such thing as breach of covenant found among any of Abraham's natural Seed as will be obvious to every ordinary capacity Before I proceed further let me note by the way that this Covenant now established with Abraham and his Seed in their generations implyed a twofold condition necessary to be observed in order to Gods making good the promises of it referring to his Seed First There was a condition incumbent on Abraham himself there was something of duty required of him with reference to his Seed viz. that he command them to keep the way of the Lord as is observed in the foregoing Proposition Secondly There was a condition incumbent upon the Seed as grown up and become capable of understanding and performing it that is That they walk in the way of the Lord and supposing that either Abraham had failed in his duty or his Seed in theirs God had been acquitted of any charge of unfaithfulness to his promise though the good promised with reference to his Seed had never been given in God promiseth to be a God to Abraham's Seed as well as to himself yet with this condition that he instruct and command his Seed and that they accept of and perform the duty ingaged to by covenant Fourthly That Ishmael's breach of covenant did neither proceed from a failure on Gods part in making good the Promises made to him nor consist in his own loosing or falling from inherent Grace but did wholly lye in his non performance of that duty required as indispensably necessary to the compleating and continuance of that Covenant-relation he was admitted into with God and transgressing those Commands he was obliged to the observation of in brief he fell from a Covenant-state but not from Covenanted-grace for that he never had an actual possession of so that to affirm that Ishmael was in the Covenant now established with Abraham and his Seed and that that Covenant was the Covenant of Grace that Believers are sâ—ill under notwithstanding his breach of Covenant in the sence now opened is no way inconsistent with what is affirmed concerning the immutability of the Covenant of Grace we freely grant and our Opposites must grant it too unless they will admit of the absurdities aforementioned verse 12. that persons may be in an external Covenant state God ward and yet want the truth of Grace may loose a Covenant-state though not loose Covenanted-Grace or fall from a state of Grace But not to leave any doubt that may a rise in the minds of any about what hath been said unsatisfied I am aware of one Objection and that not without a seeming weight and strength in it will be made against what hath been said and that is this Object It will be said Doth not the Scripture plainly intimate it not positively offer â— That the Covenant of Grace cannot be broken no not in the sence in which it is now supposed Ishmael did break it and is not that at least one
is a full comment upon the Command as more generally laid down viz. That as in that phrase Thy Seed in their Generations he intended both Parents and Infant-seed so that the care of the Childs receiving and bearing the Token of the Covenant which is the whole of its keeping of it did appertain to the Parents as their duty And hence let it be observed that the will of God concerning Circumcision shews us what is his will concerning Baptism that as the one so the other should be applyed to the Infants of believing Parents as well as to the Parents themselves and that the care of the application of the one as well as of the other lyes upon the Parents Where note that I argue not from Anallogy but only take that discovery God makes of his will concerning Circumcision as a Comment upon that Command injoyning the keeping of the Covenant as more generally laid down But not to inlarge upon this by what hath been said the truth of the third particular sufficiently appears Fourthly That as Circumcision was the Sign or Token of the Covenant during the old Testament administration so Baptism is the Sign or Token of the Covenant under the new Testament administration Where note that when I say Circumcision was and Baptism is the Sign or Token of the Covenant I would be thus understood viz. that Circumcision was and Baptism is that Ordinance or Institution that God then did annex and now hath annexed to the Covenant serving to and performing of those various uses and ends with reference unto those to whom it was and is to be applyed that he proposed to himself as the reason and ground of his annexing a Sign or Token in the general to the Covenant established between himself and Abraham and his Seed in their Generations That Circumcision was this Ordinance or Institution is expresly declared Genesis 17.10 11. That Baptism is the present Sign or Token of the Covenant will appear these two wayes First More generally and thus Unless Baptism be the present Sign or Token of the Covenant the Covenant during this present administration is left wholly destitute of any Sign or Token at all let the Sign or Token be produced in case Baptism be not it 'T is true it may be it will be said That the Covenant under the present administration hath no external Sign or Token annexed to it neither is it necessary that it should the Spirit is the Seal of the Covenant of Grace and the more plentiful powrings forth of the Spirit upon Believers especially under that notion of a Seal makes an outward Sign or Token wholly unnecessary To that I answer First That though Believers are said to be sealed with the Spirit yet the Spirit is no where called the Seal of the Covenant neither indeed can it in propriety of speech be so called for if the Spirit were the Seal of the Covenant it should be given to all that are under the Covenant the contrary thereunto both Scripture and experience abundantly declare the Seal of me Covenant must be as extensive as the Covenant whereof it is the Seal Now take the Spirit as a Seal that is as given for that particular use and end viz. to assure and ascertain the Subject recipient of it of the good promised in the Covenant and so it is certain he is not given to every one truly and internally in covenant for a long time nor to some possibly while they live How many live many years and it may be at last dye without any sensible assurance of their covenant-state or injoyment of the good promised I so that the Spirit cannot properly be called the Seal of the Covenant he is rather as I may so express it a private Seal given by God to this or that particular Believer according to the good pleasure of his own will Secondly I answer That to seal and assure to those who are admitted into covenant with God their injoyment of the good promised is not the only use and end with reference whereunto the Sign or Token of the Covenant is appointed Hence suppose it should be granted that the Spirit is the Seal yea the only Seal of the Covenant of Grace yet that doth no way oppose the truth of what we here affirm concerning Baptism for though it should be not or that particular use nor appointed for that special end which yet it is as will appear by and by yet it may be the Sign or Token of the Covenant it may be of those other uses and serve to those other ends that God did propound to himself as the reason and ground of his annexing a Sign or Token in the general to the Covenant so that it is certain the Spirit cannot 〈◊〉 rationally supposed to be that Sign or Token of the Covenant which Abraham's Seed in their Generations were injoyned to keep and consequently for ought what is said of the Spirit unless Baptism be the present Token of the Covenant it is wholly destitute of any Sign or Token at all which that it cannot be hath been proved already as for the Lords Supper I suppose none will ever imagine that that can be the Token here injoyned if they should their vanity will easily appear Secondly This will more clearly appear if we compare Baptism with Circumcision the former Token of the Covenant that Circumcision was the Token of the Covenant is unquestionable and hence look what Ordinance under the new Testament doth most fully agree with Circumcision in regard of the uses and ends which as the Token of the Covenant it was appointed for and did serve unto that must needs be the Ordinance designed by our Lord Christ for the Token of the Covenant upon the cessation of Circumcision And here for the evidencing what is affirmed I shall do these two things 1. Instance in some of the more especial uses and ends whereunto Circumcision was appointed and whereunto it as the Sign of the Covenant did serve 2. Shew the exact agreement of Baptism with Circumcision in regard of those uses and ends Where let it be carefully observed that it is no way necessary for the proving Baptism to be the present Sign or Token of the Covenant that I should prove an exact agreement between it and Circumcision in all cicumstances nor yet in regard of all the uses or ends of the one and of the other if it be evident that their agreement be such as will evidence Baptism to be the Token of the Covenant upon the cessation of Circumcision it is enough as to my present purpose and that may be sufficiently evident by their agreement in some things though they should disagree in others especially there being no other Ordinance that can with any shew of reason be pretended to be that Token the application and reception of which is here enjoyned Abraham's Seed in their Generations a little may suffice to prove that Baptism is that Ordinance when there is no other
in some sort the more especially seasonable at such a time as this But suppose notwithstanding what hath been said the sending abroad of these Papers at this time should by any be judged unseasonable I have three things yet further to offer for my vindication First I considered that for the Mind to hang in suspence and lye under the pressure of fluctuating uncertainties about the mind and will of Christ relating to the discharge of duty is at any time greivous but more especially when the hand of God is lift up and that I know is the case of some truly conscientious Christians in reference to the practice here pleaded for and I judged it my duty to yield unto them what relief my mean ability would reach unto Secondly I considered that saying of the Wise man He that observeth the Wind shall not sow and he that regardeth the Clouds shall not reap Eccles 11.4 And whether I might live to see a more seasonable time was altogether uncertain unto me and for me to observe the Wind and stand gazing on the Clouds till overtaken by the night of death where no man can work and laid to sleep in the dust and thereby have lost my season for the sowing the Seed that Seed of which I may and must say it is Meshee as that word Psal 126.6 is rendred by Junius and some others it is Semon acquisitum Semen aliunde comparatum Seed that I have through Grace obtained from anothers store I hope I may truly say from his who as the Apostle saith Ministers seed to the sower and bread to the eater and that to use the Author aforementioned his words Prece pretio yet not so much of Silver and Gold as of that which by the Testimony of the Holy Ghost himself is the issue of much study viz. weariness and I may add wearing away of the flesh I was saying should I have observed the Winds and stood gazing on the Clouds till lost my season to sow this same Seed contained in the ensuing Treatise I could not have expected to reap when the Harvest comes what now through Grace I can in some measure live in the comfortable expectations of seasons lost though someting unseasonable prove a loss to the Husbandman when the harvest comes Thirdly The sending forth these Papers was necessary to prepare a way to and lay a foundation for a few practical sheets which if the Lord vouchsafe life and opportunity may follow wherein I intend as the Lord shall assist to make a more full enquiry into these four things First What are the Reasons of Gods appointing the application of the Token of the Covenant to the Infant seed of his people Secondly What are the benefits and advantages arising to them thereby Thirdly What is the duty of Parents towards their Children as incorporated by Baptism into the Mystical Body of Christ as visible And fourthly What is the improvement that Children themselves may and ought to make of their Baptism applyed unto them in their infancy as they grow up to years of maturity which things I could not fitly speak unto before their Covenant-interest and right to the Sign and Token of the Covenant arising therefrom was proved so that the appearing thus in publick in the defence of the practice of Infant-baptism was in some sort necessary unto me Secondly Another thing I conceive necessary for the preparing the Readers way to a more profitable perusal of the insuing Treatise is to make some enquiries what may have had and still hath too great an interest in the so far prevailing of the judgment and practice of lying opposite to that here pleaded for 't is I confess something strange to me whence it should come to pass that so many and those at least many of them truly conscientious Christians should at so easie a rate part with and give up their Childrens priviledge as to interest in the Covenant and the Token thereof and so readily take up an opinion and practice divesting them thereof Three things have often occurred to my thoughts as rendring this matter of wonder unto me First The plain evidence as to my understanding given in by the Scriptures to that their priviledge Secondly The utter silence of the Scriptures as to any express yea or plainly deduced consequential denial of it to them Thirdly That tenderness of affection natural and sure Grace destroyes not Nature to Parents towards their Children Hence notwithstanding what is urged on their parts from the Scripture yet I cannot but conceive there is either something wholly excentrical to the Question it self or some irregularity in the management of their enquiries in reference thereunto that hath had and still hath a considerable interest at least in manyes rejection of the Truth pleaded for and their imbracing the opinion and practice opposite thereunto Now it may not be altogether unprofitable to make some inquiry what that should be that so the Reader being forewarned may disintangle himself and have his mind more free to attend to and impartially weigh what is here tendered to him and upon a serious enquiry I conceive these six things may be assigned as of the importance mentioned First I cannot but think it must in part be imputed to a want of that tenderness of affection on towards Relations attended with the want of a right apprehension and true sense of the worth and excellency of spiritual Blessings and Covenant-priviledges that Christians ought to labour after the Apostle mentions it as one of the evils of the last times That men shall be without natural affection Now though this evil prevail not in the hearts of truly gratious Souls to a predominancy as it may and doth in the hearts of such who have only a form of Godliness yet it is too usually found that truly gracious Souls are more or less corrupted by the Epidemical evils of the times and places where they live in infectious times their blood and humors may be vitiated and corrupted to the producing of some evil symptomes upon whom yet the infection prevails not to the breaking out into a Disease to the taking away of their lives Thus I cannot but think that this evil of the want of natural affections too far prevails in though it prevails not over truly gracious Souls to the giving a very great advantage to the so far spreading of the opinion and practice aforementioned yet I do not say neither would I be understood as though I did suppose that this same evil hath been or is the cause or occasion of all their rejection of the practice pleaded for and complying with the opposite opinion and practice who yet do reject the one and imbrace the other I do not doubt but there are many among the contrary minded who are persons of much tenderness of affection towards their Children and have in a good measure a right apprehension and due sence of the worth and excellency of spiritual Blessings and Covenant-priviledges nor
as at first made to Abraham with reference to his Seed it was made to his Seed in their Generations that is to them and to their Seed or their Children as immediately descending from them for so the Covenant was established not only with Abraham himself but with him and his Seed in their Generations and in the same extent and latitude the Promises of the Covenant must be interpreted and understood as the Covenant was established with Abraham and his Seed in their Generations so the Promises of the Covenant were to him and to his Seed in their Generations and answerably I have so exprest my self throughout the ensuing Discourse And here let two things be carefully observed First That the Promise is made to Abraham's whole Seed both natural and mystical in one and the same tenour Hence secondly Look how the Promise was to be understood as referring to either kinds or species of his Seed so it is to be understood as referring to the other as it was to be understood as referring to his natural Seed so it it is to be understood as referring to his mystical Seed Now that it was as referring to Abraham's natural Seed to be understood as including Parents and Children is evident partly because the Promise as thus made as referring to them will admit of no other sence or meaning consistent with the truth and faithfulness of God in his Promises partly because God by his after dealing with the Jews declares that to be the sence and meaning of it and partly because the Prophets so expound it as to be fulfilled in Gospel times Now this Promise being so to be understood as referring to Abraham's natural Seed it must needs be so understood as referring to his mystical Seed Secondly This second Proposition is further evident from the Promises and Prophesies of the old Testament relating to new Testament times Thirdly From the express letter of new Testament which affirms positively that the Blessing not this or that part of the Blessing but the Blessing simply and absolutely is come upon believing Gentiles by Christ Fourthly From several passages in the new Testament which though they do not in express terms hold forth this settlement of this Promise upon believing Gentiles yet do plainly imply it For satisfaction in all which things I am necessitated to refer the Reader to the Discourse it self where he will find them largely spoken to These two former Propositions being established the third as I judge will be questioned but by few and it is evident thus for as Abraham's whole Seed are in their Generations that is both Parents and immediate Children under the Promise so they are under the Obligation of the Command to keep the Covenant that is the Sign or Token of the Covenant whence its evident that as the Covenant that Abraham's Seed in their Generations then were or after should be received into had and was to have a Sign or Token annexed to the administration of it so that it alwayes was and is the duty of Parents in Covenant as to receive and bear that Sign or Token themselves so to take care that their Infant-seed as joynt Heirs with themselves of the same Promises should receive and bear it and consequently that believing Gentiles they being the mystical Seed of Abraham are still under the Obligation of this Command and ought to be baptized themselves Baptism being the present Sign and Token of the Covenant into which they are received so to see that their Infant-seed be also baptized and as the Promise and Command are of an equal extent so interest in this Promise declares the person so interested to have such a relation to the mystical Body of Christ as is an undoubted ground of implantation and incorporation into that Body as visible by Baptism the Promise is made unto Christ and only to him either personally or mystically considered hence whoever have an interest in this Promise they must undoubtedly have so far relation to Christ as will warrant their implantation into him as mystically considered by Baptism that being the only means appointed by Christ for the implantation of any into his mystical Body And further we find the Apostle grounds his Exhortation to Baptism upon interest either in this or some other equivalent Promise which he would never have done had not interest in that Promise been a sufficient ground for the application or reception of Baptism but I must come to a close And thus Reader though there are some other things I would willingly have spoken to yet I shall only acquaint thee with two things and request two or three things of thee and then dismiss thee to the serious perusal of what is here tendered to thee First That which I would acquaint thee with is That whereas there are several Scriptures usually insisted upon for the proof of the lawfulness of this practice of Infant-baptism which thou wilt find in the insuing Treatise either not at all or very little touched upon the reason is not that I judged them impertinent or insufficient for the proof of that practice I judge they are full and pertinent and some of them especially that 1 Cor. 7.14 as managed in special by Mr. Baxter unanswerable but know that I do but glean after others and therefore have especially insisted both in the Arguments I have managed and Objections I have answered upon such Scriptures as have been more briefly touched upon by them and would desire the Reader as he hath opportunity to take what they have said from those Scripture for his more full confirmation supposing any doubts may yet remain in his mind in the Truth that I in common with them have pleaded for Secondly Another thing Reader that I would acquaint thee with is this That whereas 't is possible thou mayest have met with some Objections which are not here taken notice of the reason is because I judged them no way able to counter-ballance in the judgments of any of a competent understanding the evidence produced in confirmation of what I have asserted or else because they wholly concern others and not my self in the way I have proceeded in That which I would request of thee is First That thou take the three subordinate Propositions in that order I have laid them down and fully weigh the first before thou proceed to the second and then throughly weigh the second before thou proceed to the third to be satisfied in the truth of the first will conduce not a little to thy entertaining the evidence produced for the confirmation of the second and to be well established in these two will much facillitate thy imbracement of the last wherein the main Truth contended for is contained Secondly Let me request a favourable construction of what weakness appears in the management of the whole Debate thou wilt soon find that the Discourse here put into thy hand comes abroad in a very mean dress and not without many incongruities in
not agreed among themselves some granting that Ishmael was intended in that Promise and consequently that he was a party in that Covenant but deny that that Covenant was a Covenant of Grace Others granting that that was a Covenant of Grace but deny Ishmael to be a party in it whence it appears that in all these three Assertions viz. that Ishmael was intended in that Promise that the Covenant in which the Promise is contained is a Covenant of Grace That the Covenant of Grace cannot be broken we have the suffrage of some of our Opposites as they are taken severally But you will say They all agree 〈…〉 be all true taken conjunctively It is tâ—â—â— they do so and where their mistake lies either as 〈◊〉 what we affirm or as to the truth it self shall be now considered First And I shall first shew in what sence we hold and maintain the Covenant of Grace to be an immutable and unchangeable Covenant a Covenant that cannot be broken Secondly Lay down some Propositions for the vindicating the truth asserted in this first Proposition for carrying any appearance of repugnancy to that Principle held and maintained by us in the sence it is held and maintained by us concerning the immutability of the Covenant of Grace For the first and thus we must observe a twofold distinction First We must distinguish between an external and visible and an internal and invisible being in Covenant or between the Covenant of Grace as externally and visibly and as internally and invisibly plighted or mutually entred between God and men that there is an external and visible being in Covenant or that there is an external and visible plighting or mutual entring of Covenant between God and men where yet there is not an internal and invisible being in Covenant nor any internal mutual entring Covenant between God and men is evident through the whole Scripture and is so demonstratively proved by others especially Mr. Cobbett of New-England that it is wholly superfluous to add any thing I shall therefore only say that unless we do grant this distinction we must hold that either Christ hath no visible Body Church or People in the World or else that some may be of the visible Body Church or People of Christ who yet are not in any sence in the Covenant of Grace the former sure none will affirm and the granting the latter will grant what I contend for as will appear in the process of our discourse Secondly We must distinguish between being in Covenant through a personal acceptation of the terms of the Covenant and ingaging with God in a Covenant way and being in Covenant by vertue of the gratious tenour of the Covenant it self as made with Abraham and his Seed in their generations that there is a being in Covenant by a personal acceptation of the terms of the Covenant and ingaging with God in a Covenant way will be denied by none and that there is a being in Covenant or being under the promises of the Covenant by vertue of the gracious tenour of the Covenant it self will I hope sufficiently appear from the proof of this and our next Proposition Now when we say the Covenant of Grace is an immutable and unchangeable Covenant a Covenant that cannot be broken we intend it of the Covenant as personally and that intnely and sincerely entred by a truly regenerate Soul and not of the Covenant as only externally and unsincerely entred by Hypocrites nor of the Covenant as made with believing Parents with reference to their natural Seed and the meaning of what is affirmed concerning the immutability and unchangeableness of the Covenant of Grace is only this that when once a Soul is savingly wrought upon to a rightly closing in with Christ and a saving closing with the terms of the Covenant that Soul shall never totally and finally fall away so as to suffer an absolute and total loss of that Grace wrought in it nor be absolutely cast out of a Covenant state and relation God-ward whether these promises upon the warrant of which this immutability and unchangeableness of the Covenant is afferted and maintained will prove any more shall be considered at least so far as concerns my present purpose by and by Having then given the sence in which we hold the Covenant of Grace to be immutable and unchangeable I proceed to the second thing promised the Propositions and they are these First That this Covenant now established between God and Abraham and his Seed in their generations which I grant yea affirm that it was a Covenant of Grace the same in substance that Believers are still under was and still is a conditional Covenant Let not that term conditional offend I intend no more than what I suppose will on all hands be granted viz. That as God promised good to Abraham with reference both to himself and his Seed in their generations so he required the performance of duty as from Abraham himself so from his Seed in their respective generations In brief thus this Covenant contained promises of good from God yet with a restipulation of duty from the parties with whom it was made and unto whom the promises did appertain and this is essential to the very being of a Covenant as properly taken It is true this term Covenant is variously used in Scripture sometimes for a bare promise on Gods part sometimes for the restipulation on mans part sometimes for the token of the Covenant but these are improper significations of the word when it is properly taken it alwayes signifies a mutual compact between God and man wherein God ingageth himself by promise to them and ingageth them to the performance of what himself hath constituted to be their duty a Covenant in general when properly taken and consequently this Covenant in particular which must partake of the general nature of Covenants every Species must partake of its Genus being quiddam complexum implying two or more parties covenanting so two parties covenanted the giving of some good on the one part and the return of some performance on the other and that as indispensably necessary to the preservation of the Covenant inviolate on each part Secondly That this restipulation or condition on Abraham's part did concern him both as a single person and as a Parent standing in a parental relation towards his Seed taken in as joynt parties with himself into covenant my meaning is evident Abraham stood in a double capacity as a single party with whom God entred covenant and as a father of children to whom the promises of the Covenant did in common with himself appertain Now as Abraham as a single person in covenant was to accept of and perform the conditions of the Covenant he was in that capacity ingaged to by God so as a parent he had something of duty incumbent upon him with reference to his Seed as immediately descending from his own loins and as his faithful performance of that duty incumbent
possibly the condition may not be performed and then God is disobliged from making good the promises It is true you will say supposing it were a conditional promise it would not infallibly secure the good promised to all universally to whom it doth appertain but it is an absolute promise and the absoluteness of the promise taken in conjunction with the universality of the terms doth sure infallibly secure the good promised to all universally to whom it doth appertain I answer That the promise though there exprest absolutely yet is not absolutely absolute as before proved so though exprest in universal terms yet may be and is an indefinite promise indefinite promises being often exprest in universal terms yea let me say that absolute promises how universally soever their terms are are yet to be alwayes understood in an indefinite notion and the good promised is not infallibly secured to any individual or particular person meerly by the promises themselves but only upon supposition of the eternal purposes and decrees of the God to give the good so promised to this or that particular person in respect of absolute promises God hath reserved a libery to himself to give or withhold the good promised ina commensurableness to his eternal decrees and purposes and according as particular persons are elected and appointed to the enjoyment of the good promised or not elected or passed by From all it evidently appears that persons may have a visible and external actual right and thle to this promise and yet never have the good promised in present possession nor yet ever have it made good to them and consequently it cannot be concluded from the absoluteness or universality of this promise that the Infant-seed of believing Parents are not in the Covenant of Grace nor under the promises of it But let that suffice for our second subordinate Proposition CHAP. IX The third subordinate Proposition laid down how handled declared The first Argument for its confirmation proposed and prosecuted where that Command concerning the keeping of the Covenant Gen. 17.9 is largely spoken to I Come now to the third and last subordinate Proposition viz. That all those that are under or are the actual Subjects of that Promise wherein God ingaged himself to be a God to Abraham and his Seed in their Generations ought according to the will of Christ to be baptized all that are the Subjects of that Promise are the due and proper Subjects of Baptism There may be its true a tender of the Promise to such who ought not to be baptized they may refese that tender but to whom the Promise doth actually belong the Ordinance of Baptisme ought according to the will of Christ to be applyed This Proposition I shall endeavour to prove in hypothesi or as applied to the particular subject of our main Proposition viz. the Infant-seed of one or both believing Parents and thus supposing and taking it for granted as being already proved that they are the actual Subjects of that Promise I shall prove that they ought according to the will of Christ to be baptised and that by these three Arguments First If it be the duty of believing Parents not only to be baptized themselves but to take care that their Infant-seed as joynt Subjects with themselves of that promise be also baptized then it is according to the will of Christ that not only believing Parents themselves but their Infant-seed also should be baptized but the former is true therefore the latter The Consequence in the Major proposition is unquestionable what a Believer is bound to take care be done the doing of that must undoubtedly be according to the will of Christ But 't is the Minor proposition will be denied viz. That it is the duty of believing Parents not only to be baptized themselves but to take care that their Infant-Seed as joynt Subjects with themselves of the same promise be baptized But the truth of this is evident from the express Command of God Gen. 17.9 And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy Seed after thee in their Generations Now that it may appear that this Command doth constitute it to be the duty of believing Parents not only to be baptized themselves but to take care that their Infant-seed be also baptized I shall distinctly speak to these five things First That by Covenant in this place is mainly if not only meant the Token of the Covenant and by keeping the Covenant the application and reception of that Token Secondly That the Covenant that Abraham and his Seed in their Generations were or were to be received into alwayes had and was to have a Token annexed to it Thirdly That this Command requiring Abraham and his Seed in their Generations to keep the Covenant obliges not only Parents to have the Token applyed to themselves or themselves to receive and bear it but to apply or take care that it be applyed according to divine appointment to their Infant-seed Fourthly That as Circumcision was the Token of the Covenant during the old Testament administration so Baptism is the Token of the Covenant under the New Lastly That this Command doth equally and alike oblige believing Parents in their Generations respective to Baptism the present Token of the Covenant as it did the Jews respective to Circumcision the then Token of the Covenant For the first That is past all rational doubt evident God himself shews what he intended by Covenant and what by keeping of that Covenant When he applyes this Command as more generally laid down to Abraham and his natural Seed in particular verse 10. So verse 13. My Covenant shall be in your flesh plainly declaring that by Covenant he intended the Token of the Covenant and by keeping of this Covenant the application and reception of that Token though not affirming Circumcision to be the only Covenant to be kept and consequently not limiting the Command to it And here let us a little inquire into the sence and meaning of this term Token the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is usually translated by the Seventy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both the Hebrew and Greek signifie Signum tam nudum quam prodigiosum a sign both ordinary and prodigious and so is exprest by the Apostle Rom. 4.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Sign or token here we are to take in a pure logical notion and thus we may define it with Austen to be Id quod seipsum sensui preter se aliquid animo representat Or as a later Author Signum est quod seipsum sensibus id cujus signum est intellectui aufert A Sign in this logical notion is that which is obvious to or perceivable by sence and through the medium of sence presents to the mind or understanding what it is a sign of Whence it is evident that this term Token or Sign is not expressive of all the uses or ends that the Token of the Covenant here
commanded was designed or appointed to the term abstractly taken only expresses the general nature and design of that Ordinance but expresses not the various uses and ends it was in particular appointed to what these uses and ends are must be gathered from other Scriptures wherein God himself hath declared them of which I shall speak when I come to the fourth Particular But let that suffice in brief for the first particular to be spoken to Secondly That the Covenant that Abraham and his Seed in their Generations were or were to be received into alwayes had and was to have a Token annexed to it that is it had and was to have an outward Ordinance or Institution annexed unto the administration of it which though of various uses and serving to various ends not expresly declared in that term Token abstractly taken yet might be denominated the Token of the Covenant This is evident two wayes First A priore from the Command of God injoyning Abraham's Seed in their Generations to keep it Secondly A posteriori or de facto from the actual institution and appointment of such a Token For the first Let the words in Gen. 17.9 be diligently observed And God said unto Abraham Thou shalt therefore keep my Covenant thou and thy Seed after thee in their Generations Now God would never have injoyned Abraham and his Seed in their Generations to keep his Covenant that is the Token of it had he not intended to annex a Token to it And observe it the Command lyes on Abraham's Seed in their Generations without any limitation and consequently is incumbent upon Abraham's Seed while he hath a Seed upon earth Hence it is evident that as God intended to annex a Token to that Covenant then entred with Abraham and his natural Seed so he intended to annex a Token to his Covenant whether the same or another it is all one as to our present purpose into which Abraham's spiritual Seed viz. believing Gentiles in after Ages should be received we see the Command lyes upon Abraham's Seed in their Generations unlimitedly Now Believers under the new Testament as hath been proved are Abraham's Seed and consequently must needs lye under the Obligation of this Command whence there must needs be a Token annexed to the Covenant into which they are received for otherwise they would lye under an Obligation to keep the Token of the Covenant and yet have no Token appointed them by God to keep which would be absurd And that this Command is obliging to Abraham's mystical or spiritual Seed is evident by this Argument The same persons intended in the Promises of the Covenant are intended in the Command injoyning the Token But Abraham's mystical Seed as well as his natural Seed are intended in the Promises therefore they are also intended in the Command We evidently see the Promises and the Command run in one and the same extent and latitude I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations to be a God to thee and thy Seed after thee there 's the Promise Thou shalt therefore keep my Covenant thou and thy Seed after thee in their Generations there 's the Command Now if God hath not limited the Command to some of Abraham's Seed then we must not do it But God hath no where limited the Command to some of Abraham's Seed therefore must not we If any should say He hath limited that Command Let that limitation be produced and it shall suffice till then we shall conclude the Command is of an equal extent with the Promise Now there being a Command incumbent upon Abraham's whole Seed mystical as well as natural to keep the Covenant that is as God himself expounds it the Token of the Covenant there must needs be a Token to be kept Secondly This is evident de facto for the Covenant under the first Testament administration that will not be denyed and for the Covenant under the new Testament administration the truth of what I affirm will appear when I come to shew that Baptism is the present Token of the Covenant And therefore thirdly That this Command requiring Abraham and his Seed in their Generations to keep the Covenant obliges not only Parents to have the Token of the Covenant applyed unto themselves or themselves to receive and bear it but also to apply or take care that it be applyed to their Infant-seed The truth of this will again appear two wayes First From the Letter of the Command Thou shalt therefore keep my Covenant thou and thy Seed in their Generations Now under this phrase thy Seed in their Generations both Parents and their Infant-seed are included they are both included in the Promise as hath been already proved and therefore must needs be both included in the Command injoyning the keeping of the Covenant Hence that the Covenant be kept by the Seed as well as by the Parents themselves is according to the express letter of the Command which duty of keeping as to be performed by the Infant-seed can only intend their reception and bearing of it and so far the Infant-Seed as well as the Parents are under the Obligation of the Command hence an Infant not receiving or bearing the Token of the Covenant is said to have broken the Covenant verse 14. because the Infants as well as the Parents are under the Obligation of the Command to keep the Covenant Now if so be the Covenant be to be kept not only by Parents but by their Infant-seed it will undeniably follow that Parents are to take care that it be kept by them in as much as they as such are incapable of taking care of it themselves the care must lye upon some body and upon whom if not upon their Parents We see that God hath throughout the Scripture made it the duty of Parents to take care of and see to the performance of his will relating to their children as might be evidenced in variety of instances were it needful Secondly The truth of this appears from the clear and express discovery that God made of his mind and will as to Circumcision the ancient Token of the Covenant and thus as God injoyned the token of the Covenant to be applyed to the Infant-seed of Covenant-parents so he imposed the care of the application of that Token unto the Seed upon the Parents Every man-child among you shall be circumcised verse 10. He that is eight dayes old shall be circumcised among you verse 12. The Child in the application of the Token was passive and though upon whom the care of the application of the Token to the Infant-seed was laid is not expresly declared in this place yet that it was upon the Parents is sufficiently evident throughout the Scripture We see how angry God was with Moses when the circumcision of his Child was neglected and in that God so fully declared his mind in respect of Circumcision the then Token of the Covenant it
incline the heart of the Seed of Believers to a right and willing complyance with that Obligation put upon them by it and by this little hint we may easily perceive that God had weighty ends in injoyning the application of Baptism the present Token of the Covenant as well as Circumcision of old the then Token of the Covenant to the Infant seed of his People and that the application of it is of admirable use and benefit unto them when duly improved by them and certainly then it must needs be not only highly injurious to the Seed of believing Parents to withhold the Token of the Covenant from them they being thereby deprived of a special means subservient to their preservation in their Covenant-state and injoyment of all the good of the Covenant but exceeding prejudicial to the interest of Christ in the world the Tabernacle of David as we have before proved is raised up and upheld among the Gentiles by Gods taking Families into Covenant with himself Now to neglect a special means that God hath appointed subservient to the preservation of these Families in their Covenant-state must needs directly tend to the ruine and overthrow of the interest and Kingdom of Christ in the world But not to inlarge upon this at present From this little that hath been said we may easily perceive that the application of Baptism to the Infant seed of Believers is no such vain or useless thing as it is by two many supposed I have only a few more words to add as a Coronis to the whole foregoing Discourse and I have done That it is the will of our Lord Christ that the Infant-seed of one or both believing Parents should be baptized is to me upon the grounds afore laid down unquestionable how far it will be so to others I cannot say only this I know that whatever light is held forth by man for the discovery of the mind and will of Christ relating to any practice yet unless he who is the great Prophet of his Church shall vouchsafe to open the eyes of the mind and prevail upon the heart to imbrace and submit unto that light held forth the holding of it forth will be wholly insignificant as to any benefit accrewing therefrom unto men Man may according to what assistance is vouchsafed from Christ hold forth light discovering the way he would have his People walk in but 't is wholly in his own power whose Prerogative it is to lead into all Truth to inlighten the mind and cause that Soul to walk in that way Leaving therefore the whole of what hath been said in his hand and to his blessing I shall wind up all with a threefold advice according to the various sentiments of men about and their various concerments in the practice I have contended for First As for such who have been and notwithstanding what is here offered or hath been by others shall still remain to be so far dissatisfied about the practice we plead for as wholly to omit it and walk in that way that lyes in a direct opposition thereunto let me advise and in the Spirit of meekness earnestly beseech them to carry it under their present perswasions and practise with a holy fear and trembling The grounds held forth in the foregoing Treatise and by several others pleading for the same Truth seem so full and clear yea to me so convincing that I can hardly fear being accounted over confident though I take it for granted that the most confident and resolved of our Opposers must needs acknowledge that our doctrine and practice of Infant baptism stands upon the same level of probability if the advantage be not on our side that the opposite Doctrine and practise doth and that upon supposition of our Doctrine and practice being found agreeable to the mind and will of Christ the opposite Doctrine and practice must needs be highly prejudicial to the comfort of believing Parents the good of their Seed and which is most of all eo the supportation and propagation of the interest and Kingdom of Christ in the world And let me add that when the consequences of refusing or claiming a priviledge are of an even size the refusing such a priviledge suppose it be indeed granted and ought to be accepted of is a greater sin and more displeasing unto God than the claiming and appropriating of it supposing it be not granted nor that claim really warranted by Scripture is as is evident to every considerate person we see how much God was offended at Ahaz his refusing a Sign when offered to him how much God was displeased with Moses for neglecting to circumcise his Child therefore I say walk with a holy fear and trembling lest as some will meet with a Who required this at your hand so you shall meet with a How durst thou refuse this priviledge at my hand Secondly As for such whose judgment and practice agree with and answerably are confirmed by the foregoing Discourse especially such to whom God hath vouchsafed that blessing of Children let me advise and importunately intreat them yea in the Name of our Lord Christ command them that they satisfie not themselves in the bare discharge of their duty in regard of the application of Baptism to their Seed in their infancy know that your work is not done when you have brought yours within the verge or under the bond of the Covenant you will find in the foregoing Papers that your Seeds inheriting the good which in common with you they are Heirs unto depends much upon your faithful and wife discharge of your duty towards them as growing up to years of maturity Abraham must command his Houshold that they keep the way of the Lord and that to this end that God might bring upon him the good promised with reference to his There is hardly any thing a greater discouragement to Ministers in pleading for an administring Infant-baptism than the great neglect of Parents towards their Children when baptized and grown up to a capacity of understanding and improving their Baptism afore administred to them therefore seeing you lay claim to Abraham's blessing as his Children walk in Abraham's steps both in respect of your own personal faith and holiness and also in instructing and commanding your Children that they may keep the way of the Lord In particular let them know their priviledge and the danger of forfeiting of it by breaking that Obligation put upon them by Baptism thirdly and lastly As for such who are the Seed of believing Parents and who by Baptism have been dedicated and given up unto God in Christ and incorporated into his my stical Body as visible Let me advise perswade and charge them that they lay no more weight upon their Baptism in relation to their eternal happiness than the nature of the Ordinance and the end of Christ in appointing the application of it will warrant Baptism abstractly taken infallibly secures Salvation to none neither can Baptism of it self be laid as a sure ground to bottom a plea for Salvation upon He that beliveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not however baptized shall be damned is one of those unalterable Decrees laid up in the Records of Heaven In respect of which we may say as Job in another case of God He is of one mind and who shall that is none shall turn him Job 23.13 Your abiding in and injoyning the benefits of the Covenant into which 〈◊〉 as the Seed of such Parents you were admitted in you infancy undispensably requires your personal faith and obedience therefore be faithful in the discharge of your duty and in so doing you may upon sure grounds apply and improve your Baptism as Gods Seal infallibly securing your injoyment of the good promised FINIS