Covenant of Redemption and were so from all Eternity for that Covenant was made between God the Father and his Eternal only Son 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began But the Covenant of Grace was made with Man by God the Father in his Son Christ Jesus in the beginning of Time immediately as soon as man Fell Gen. 3.15 8. Not one Soul of all those in the Covenant of Redemption shall ever sin to such a degree as to fall short of eternal life and salvation for they are all in the hands of Christ and none can pluck them thence John 10. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life And they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God This respects the believers perseverance in his spiritual state and not his spiritual frame of heart for the same Apostle saith in the same Epistle chap. 1.8 If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Many Thousands have sinned themselves out of the Covenant of Grace and fallen short of eternal life and salvation For as God's eldest Son upon Earth namely Adam sinned and broke the Covenant of Works so Adam's eldest Son namely Cain was the first that sinned himself out of the Covenant of Grace and Ham was the first that sinned himself out of the Covenant of Grace after the Flood and Judas sinned himself out of the Covenant of Grace under the Dispensation of the Gospel and all those Jews we read of in Rom. 11. where it is thus said For if the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches And if some of the branches be broken off and theâ— being a wild-olive tree wert graffed in among theâ— and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree Well because of unbelief they were broken off 9. This Olive-tree which the Jews were broken of from and the Gentiles graffed into was the Covenant of Grace Mistake me not for I do not hold that popish Doctrine of falling from true saving Grace for it is impossible for any to fall out of a state of Grace though they may out of the Covenant of Grace because they are in the Covenant of Redemption which is the inner Court viz. Sanctum Sanctorum 10. And Lastly All that are in the Covenant of Grace are the Subjects of Water-baptism they are either baptized or ought to be But none but those that are in the Covenant of Redemption are circumcised in heart and baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire 2. Saith Mr. D. in pages 2 3. How came it to pass that holy men such who were interessed in the Covenant of Grace at the very instant of making this Covenant of Circumcision with Abraham were not concerned in that Covenant and the Token of it such as Melchizedec c. and the Fathers before the Flood to Abraham 's Time and after to Job and his Family and the Saints of God contemporary with him such as Elihu and Job 's Three Friends c. The Learned Mr. N. Cox hath so solidly opened this Covenant of peculiarity made with Abraham c. Here are several things to be observed from these Words of Mr. D's 1. Is this He calleth the Covenant which God established with Abraham and his Seed a Covenant of Circumcision 2. He queries how it came to pass that these holy men were not concerned in that Covenant and the Token of it Which is a contradiction for first he asserts the Token of the Covenant viz. Circumcision to be the Covenant it self and how and where he will find another Token for the Token of the Covenant I know not 3. I observe Mr. D's drift and design in calling God's Covenant with Abraham and his Seed a Covenant of Circumcision is to make way to lay a foundation to build their Covenant of peculiarity on but this I will prove to be a gross mistake for these Reasons following 1. Circumcision could not be the Covenant it self because according to their own Principles all the female seed of Abraham would have been excluded and shut out for they will not grant nor allow that the female seed of Abraham were any way concerned in Circumcision or had any benefit by it 2. Circumcision could not be the Covenant because it was but a Token of it Gen. 17.11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your fore-skin and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you That was with Abraham and all his Seed both male and female 3. Circumcision could not be the Covenant because in the Covenant it self God promised to be Abraham's God and the God of his Seed after him in their Generations Gen. 17.7 Ay and to a thousand Generations Psal 105.8 And God said I will make an everlasting covenant with thee c. Now Circumcision as to the Letter of it was not everlasting for it expired with the Ceremonial Law 4. And Lastly Circumcision could not be the Covenant it self because then Ishmael would have been in it which is repugnant to the holy Scripture â—â—r he had neither part not lot in the Covenant Gen. 17.18 19 20 21. But they run upon this mistake to prove Gods Covenant with Abraham and his Seed to be a Covenant of peculiarity with a design to exclude all the Gentile Believers and their Seed purely to destroy Infant-baptismâ— for they know that unless they can do that they cannot bring it to pass and this is the reason why they press these holy men aforesaid into their service viz. Melchizedec Job Eliâ—â— c. because they were not circumcised 2. I shall humbly offer my Reasons to shew why Abraham and his posterity were circumcised and not those holy men aforesaid 1. The first is because God never required it of them and therefore it would have been superstition for them to have done it 2. Because Abraham was chosen by God himself and fixed in a publick station to be a sub-representative Head and father of the faithful to the end of the World and so was not any of those Worthies aforesaid 3. God's Covenant was with Abraham several years before Circumcision was annexed unto it Gen. 17.4 As for me behold my covenant is witâ— thee and thou shalt be a father of many nations Now to which of those Worthies did God ever say he would make him a father of many nations 4. In Gen. 12.3 And I will bless them that bless thee and curse him that curseth thee And in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed This
submit to the discipline of Baptism Thus I have proved Infant-baptism and Church-membership to be of divine Institution and therefore have a right to the Ordinance of Baptism by vertue of Christs command and the Apostles argumentative mandatory Exhortation and also their covenant interest 1. Therefore I challenge all our Opponents to prove that ever the children of believing parent were once denied the Ordinance of Baptism is our Saviours time or his Apostles 2. I also challenge them to prove by any one Text of Scripture that none but adult believerâ— were to be baptized 3. Let them give us but one single Instance among all those Housholds which were baptized that any one child was exempted 4. And lastly Let them prove that Infant-baptism is any where forbid in the holy Scripture But if they can do neither of these as I am sure they cannot where then is divine Right which they so highly boast of and so confidently laâ— claim unto Why it appears clearly to be on our side and not on theirs and the Reason for it is undeniable For nothing can be of divine Right that is repugnant to the holy Scriptures But to deny the Infant-seed of Believers to have an Interest in the Covenant or Promise of God which intitles them to Baptism is repugnant to the holy Scriptures and therefore cannot be of divine Right as is clear from Acts 2.38 39. 1 Cor. 7.14 and Gen. 17.7 5. Some of those that are against Infant-baptism have publickly and confidently asserted in print that the children of Turks and Heathens have as much priviledge as the children of believing Christians but Mr. D. seems to be of another mind if he had but held tightly to it for saith he in page 2. Many of those you call the outward priviledges of the covenant of Grace our children have as well as yours Pray note by the way Mr. D. saith we call these Priviledges so he doth not own them to be really so and yet at the same time he saith their children have them This is a contradiction in it self for it is to have and enjoy that which they hold is not in being 6. I will prove that the children of believers have a far greater priviledge than the children of Turks and Heathens 1. First of all when the ungodly World was drowned and all destroyed all those children whose parents were not in the covenant were destroyed with their parents not so much as one of them escaped Pray take notice I do not judge nor meddle with their future estate But holy Noah and all his Houshold were saved Heb. 11.7 not one of his children perished in the Flood because they were all in the Covenant of Grace 2. When Sodom and Gomorah were destroyed by Fire from Heaven all those children whose wicked parents were not in the covenant perished with them in that conflagration but righteous Lot who was in the Covenant of Grace was saved and all his own children 3. Where is the chapter or verse to be found in all the Book of God that doth declare that the children of Turks or Heathens are holy children as it doth the children of either believing father or mother in 1 Cor. 7.14 4. And lastly Where is it said in Scripture to Turks and Heathens while such that The promise is unto you and to your children as in Acts. 2.39 Thus you see I have proved That the children of Christian believers have a far greater priviledge than the children of Turks and Heathens by which I have utterly destroyed that carnal ignorant presumptious Assertion of theirs 6. Saith our Opponents What benefit is it for a child to be baptized To which I Answer thus So might proud carnal Reason and natural Affection much more have queried in the time of the Mosaick Law What good doth this smarting Ordinance do to our children Or what benefit is it for them to be circumcised at eight days old which the Apostles themselves counted to be an intolerable yoke which they were not able to beaâ— Acts 15.10 and yet in Rom. 3. he counts it a very great priviledge and advantage for saith he What advantage then hath the Jew or whâ—â— benefit is there in circumcision Much every way chiefly because that unto them were committed the oracles of God Here you see the Apostles Answer is very compatible to this Query but saith he farther For what if some did not believe shall their 〈◊〉 belief make the faith of God without effect Here you see those eight-day disciples were capable of receiving the Oracles of God or else they would not have been committed unto them 6. Saith Mr. D. in p. 3. The primitive Fathers for six hundred years after Christ had a far different Medium to prove Infant-baptism by viz. The necessity of it to salvation Your notion of covenant-right from Abraham and habitual faith is not to be found in their Writings To which I Answer We are not bound to sail by their Compass if the Fathers were mistaken must we be so too I can produce some that were mistaken in a paraelel case long before their time and some of Mr. D's own Opinion that have been mistaken also in this Point in our Time 1. Some of those Jews that were converted to the Christian Faith in the Apostles time who were Teachers of others Acts 15. And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren and said Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses ye cannot be saved Here those men laid a very great stress upon the very manner of circumcision it must not be after the manner of Abraham but Moses 2. I have heard of some even in our Time that are against Infant-baptism that have held the same thing in effect for say they No baptism no salvation and they hold That there is no Baptism but that of dipping which is to reprobate all those who are not for dipping in baptism and all their own children also that die before they are dipped which is to place an Ordinance in the room of Christ's Righteousness But my good Friend It is safer relying upon Thus saith the Lord than upon Thus say the Fathers 2. I shall in the second place prove that the mode of baptism is by sprinkling or pouring water on the subjects in baptism and this I shall do partly to satisfie my much esteemed friend Mr. B. D. who gave me a strict charge on the Royal Exchange so to do though I have been very large already on this subject in my Replication to Mr. B. K's Book 1. I shall begin and make some Observations from Acts 2. where we find a great number that were baptized at one time but we do not find that the Apostles did lay any Injunction upon them to change their Rayment to be baptized in 1. They did not command the men to strip themselves and put on other Garments proper for the Ordinance and then come and be baptized neither did they say unto the women and
of the filth of the flesh that is external holiness but the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ There is Internal Grace and Holiness Temporal salvation and deliverances are not a sure sign of Eternal salvation nor external purification or putting away the filth of the flesh without inward heart-purification by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ of which Noah's preservation was a true Type or sign and Water-baptism is no more 6. What analogy is there between Noah's preservation and dipping in baptism for the Text saith plainly that baptism maketh the like figure unto it To which I answer in the negative There is none at all it is altogether incongruous all that can be said of it is this namely It makes a true figure of Gods Wrath on the old drowned World for they were all immersed and destroyed 7. And lastly What analogy or congruity is there between Noah's preservation and sprinkling in baptism To which I answer in the affirmative There is a sweet harmonious Agreement between them for sprinkling in baptism is the like figure 1. As Noah's Preservation and his Family was a Mark and Token of Gods distinguishing Love and Grace unto them above all the rest of the World even so is Baptism now to all true Christian believers and their children which is the Figure thereof a Mark and Token of Gods distinguishing Love and Grace unto them above all other persons in the World for baptism is a sealing the Name of God upon them whereby they are externally received into the Family of Christ for whoso shall receive one such little child in Christs name receives Christ himself 2. As Noah and his Family were all in the Ark even so believers and their seed are all in the Covenant and therefore they all ought to have the Figure of Noah's Preservation administred unto them namely Water-baptism and that by sprinkling otherwise it cannot answer to the Figure of Noah's Preservation for he nor none of his Family went over-board into the water and were dipped but was sprinkled with the Rain from Heaven and with the water that did fly over into the Ark by the beating of the Waves against it even as it doth against a ship at sea in a stooâ— by which the Mariners are often sprinkled and know this my self experimentally but if any â— the Mariners are dipped in the sea they are commonly drowned 3. And lastly As the Waters in mercy bâ—â— up the Ark and saved Noah and his Family eveâ— so in judgment it drowned all the World besides for the Text saith that Noah was saved by wateâ— unto which baptism is annexed Thus I have pâ—ved that sprinkling in baptism is of Divine Institution and dipping for baptism but a human Invention 7. Saith Mr. D. Habitual Faith is not to be fâ—â— in the primitive Fathers Writings To which â— thus reply What is that to us I will put it to a fair and short Issue which shall be this Either Mr. D. must grant that all elect dying Infants have Habitual Faith otherwise he must totally deny Original sin which he please here is his choice for this is the genuine consequence of it withoâ— offering the least force or violence unto his Allegation 1. For First If all young Infants by nature are guilty of Adam's Transgression then they cannot be saved without Regeneration for there is no passing immediately out of the Kingdom and Dominion of Sin and Satan into the Kingdom of Glory for there is a great Gulf fixed between them Luke 16.26 And if they are not in the Ark of Gods preventing Grace to ferry then over they must perish for the only Road to the Kingdom of Glory lyeth through the Kingdom and Dominion of Gods free preventing Grace for all old and young that are saved Eph. 2.8 2. All young Infants by nature are guilty of Original Sin and depravation Psal 51. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me Rom. 3. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Therefore they must have Grace poured into their Souls to subdue and conquer that original depravation or they cannot be sanctified nor saved for we all received our very shape and first being in sin Therefore they must have Grace to unite them to Christ the lost Image of God by the Fall of Adam must be restored unto them and re-instamped upon them and Christ with all the Graces of his Spirit must be formed in them or God will never save them nor be reconciled unto them no more than he will to the Fallen Angels and this must be done by the Infusion of Gracious Habits into their Souls 1 John 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him This Seed of God is the Principles and Habits of Grace which is a Fruit of the Spirit but Grace in Act and Exercise is called the Fruit of the Spirit 3. Habitual Grace is sufficient by the powerful Agency of the Spirit to subdue and conquer original Depravation in regenerating and changing their state and making them Partakers of the Divine Nature by the application of the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ for Justification and Sanctification by the aforesaid Habitual Grace instrumentally of which Faith is supream because without Faith it is impossible to please God 4. The salvation of all Gods Elect both old and young is begun carried on and finished by the Work of Christ without us and by the powerful Operation of his holy Spirit within us Christ ever lives to make Intercession at the Right hand of God for the Application of his Satisfaction to the Fathers Justice for us and his Spirit abideâ— in us to help our infirmities in making Inteâ—cession for us also with groanings which cannot 〈◊〉 uttered Rom. 8.26 27. And thus all Elect dying Infants are made meâ— to partake of the Inheritance with the Saints â—â—â—ight even as all Adult believers are for this 〈◊〉 the only way in which God doth justifie sanctifâ—â— and save all his chosen People both old and young and therefore it is emphatically called the Faiâ—â— of Gods Elect Titus 1.1 5. Wherefore if any dying Infants are any paâ—â— of Gods Elect as that they are then they mâ—â— have this Faith because it is peculiar to God Elect and to none else which is the Faith of the Operation of God and not by maturity of yeaâ—â— for he is the Author and the Finisher of it 〈◊〉 12.2 And it is the gift of God Eph. 2.8 We reverence be it spoken God may be compared 〈◊〉 a man that maketh a Watch with all the Whâ—â— and Pins and Members thereof but it may be 〈◊〉 doth not wind it up and set it a going as soon 〈◊〉 he hath made it but the Watch is a compleaâ— Watch notwithstanding though it should never 〈◊〉 set a going but it is ready to go whenever the Watch-maker please Even so God forms and