be no just Inferrence drawn that because Infants were Fellow Covenanters with their Parents under the Legal Administration that thus it is now under the Gospel For since it is Evident that the Law or Covenant it self is changed as the Apostle Expresly affirms it is Heb. 7. 12. It doth as plainly follow that the Seed is changed The Gospel Covenant that Believers are now under requiring other manner of Subjects than the Legal did as hath been already proved in the foregoing parts of this Discourse § 19. 'T is true in the time of the New Heavens and the New Earth before spoken of God hath promised not only to Circumcise the Heart of his People but of their Seed also to love the Lord their God with all their Heart and with all their Soul That they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying know the Lord For they shall all know him from the least of them to the greatest of them That they shall be all Righteous they and their Offspring also the Branch of God's Planting that he may be Glorified But that will be such a time and state of Perfection as we cannot now pretend unto And therefore as the State and Condition of God's People now is vastly different from what it was with them under the Law so it is no less vastly different from that State of Blessedness which both they and their Offspring also shall be Advanced unto at the time before mentioned So that what ever Priviledge the Off-spring of God's People shall then be Invested with It hath been already proved that God hath now appointed that such only as are Capable of making a Profession of Faith and Repentance are to be accounted as Visible Members of the Gospel Church according to the present Frame and Constitution thereof § 20. To conclude the present Point Since it hath been now so plainly proved That the Covenant which the Infants who were then Church-members did pass into was not a Covenant of Grace properly so called whereof Christ is Mediator nor a Gospel but a Legal Covenant or a Covenant of Works and that which is now Repealed From hence it unavoidably follows and that according to Mr. Baxter's own Grant that the Church-membership of Infants which was built upon it or as he saith Inseparably Conjunct is also Repealed with it And since the main Pillar for the support of this new Doctrine of the Church-membership of Infants under the Gospel fails as it doth it of necessity follows that all the other Arguments which Mr. Baxter hath mustered up to the same purpose to the number of no less than 26. and those again Multiplied and Sub-divided into a great many more are all of them wholly Insignificant also Since no other consideration whatsoever can sufficiently demonstrate the continuance of it under the Gospel unless it could have been proved that in its 〈◊〉 Institution it had a Gospel Covenant for the Foundation theâ— But the Contrary having been so plainly proved it follows with an equal necessity and that according to Mr. Baxter's own Concession that there is no shadow of pretence left to assert the Church-membership of Infants under the Gospel Administration that now is And if the Arguments for their Church-membership do all of them fail as we cannot but see they do From hence it also plainly follows that the Practice of Infants Baptism which is Built thereon must of necessity fall to the Ground as having no Scripture Foundation left it for the Support thereof And consequently it is as Evident that Mr. Baxter's Book called Plain Scripture Proof of Infants Church-membership and Baptism carries with it nothing else but an empty Title Vox praeterea nihil SECT X. FRom what hath been already said it appears that Mr. Baxter and others have much to Answer for that 〈◊〉 are guilty of such gross Mis-applications of the word of Truth for the uphold ing of Infants Baptism besides the unrighteous charges of Murder and Adultery which he and they have so strongly Laboured to fasten upon those of a contrary Practice from themselves in respect of Baptism as is Evident in reference to the foregoing Argument and as hath been already also manifested in respect of his and their Corrupt Glosses upon Acts 15. 10. concerning the Discâ—pleshâ—p of Infants Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a Yoke upon the Neck of the Disciples which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear As if Infants were intended by the Disciples there mentioned when not only in that Chapter but in the whole New Testament besides those only are meant by Disciples who being taught professed the Doctrine Preached by such a one As John's Disciples Christ's Disciples the Disciples of the Pharises and the Disciples of the Perverters And accordingly Baptism was Administred unto such as were made the Disciples of Christ by Instruction and unto none other pursuant of the Commission Mat. 28. 19 20. as hath been sufficiently opened and Explained in the foregoing parts of this Discourse And no less Blameworthy is he and they in respect of their Corrupt Interpretations of those Scriptures Luke 9. 47 48. Mat. 18. 5. â—nd Mark 9. 41. which speak of the Receiving little Children â—â— Christ's Name c. As if all those Scriptures were intended of Young Sucking Infants whereas they are plainly spoken of such little Children only as were capable of Believing in Christ which tender Sucking Infants after an ordinary rate are utterly uncapable of And therefore when Mat. 18. 2. we are told that Jesus called a little Child and set him in the midst of them and tells them ver 5. Who so shall Receive one such little Child in my Name Receiveth me It is Expressly Added ver 6. Who so shall offend one of these little ones that believeth in me c. Whereby we may easily perceive what kind of little Children Christ would have us Receive in his Name or under the Notion of his Disciples not Infants that are uncapable of Faith or of Discâ—pleshâ—p by Instruction without which it is impossible after an ordinary rate to be a Disciple according to the true and proper acceptation of the Word But such little Children as did actually Believe in Christ And who can deny but that such are Christ's Disciples Church-members and the proper Subjects of Baptism And the very same Expression with that in Mat. 18. 6. we meet with Mark 9. 42. Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that Believe in me c. Upon the very same occasion ver 37. the like Abuse hath been put upon those Words 1. Cor. 7. 14. Else were your Children unclean but now are they Holy As hath been already also Manifested in the foregoing parts of this Discourse which needs not here to be repeated § 2. As for Mr. Baxter's Argument for the Church-membership of Infants under the Gospel from Rev. 11. 15. where we are told that upon the Sounding of the Seventh
thee even in the latter days c. For it is plain that Moses aims not at this or that particular Captivity either in the time of the Judges before or after among the Philistines Egyptians or Babylonians since that had been of little Advantage to deliver them from one Captivity to let them fall into another and there let them stick for ever But the Words of the Promise are of a most Comprehensive Latitude viz. If they be driven among all the Nations ver 1. Or any of them be driven to the outmost parts of Heaven ver 4. The Lord will gather them from all Nations ver 3. And will fetch them from the outmost parts of Heaven ver 4. And it is plain that as the Promise is of a great Latitude so of a great Length also For this gathering them is promised after the Babilonian Captivity Jer. 29 1. Jer. 31. 10. Nay after Christ was come in the Flesh it is delivered as a Prophecy Jo. 11. 51. That Christ should gather together into one the Children of God that were scattered abroad as a thing to be fullfilled in after times § 12. And in this Respect therefore is it that the Prophet Jer. Ch. 31. 31 32 33. Reciting the same Gospel Covenant spoken of in the forementioned 30 Deut. Expresly Represents it as a thing future or as yet then to come as it had been before so represented Deut. 30. Behold the dayâ—s come saith the Lord that I will make a New Covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was an Husband unto them But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People And they shall teach no more every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them saith the Lord For I will forgive their Iniquity and I will remember their Sins no more Where we have the same Promises for Substance with those mentioned Deut. 30. 6. And to the same purpose the Apostle also Represents it as a thing future even after the Resurrection and Ascention of Christ Rom. 11. 25 26 27. I would not Brethren that ye should be Ignorant of this Mystery that Blindness in part is happened unto Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in and so all Israel shall be saved As it is written there shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away Vngodliness from Jacob. For this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their Sins wherein as we may observe that the Covenant he here speaks of is of the same Nature with the Promises mentioned Deut. 30. 6. as also with those before mentioned Jer. 31. So we cannot but take notice both there and here of the Futurity of their Accomplishment It being not to be fulfilled until the Fulness of the Gentiles be come in And so all Israel shall be saved § 13. And 't is in vain to say that these Promises have already had their Partial and Gradual Accomplishment For therein God promiseth not only to Circumcise their Heart but the Heart of their Seed also to Love the Lord their God with all their Heart and with all their Soul Which as it must of necessity comprehend the whole Body of that Nation Young and Old of all Sorts Ages and Degrees from the least unto the greatest none exempted So it doth as plainly express a time and state of Perfection which no particular Person much less a whole Generation of God's People in this World they and their Off-spring also could ever yet truly or justly pretend unto To insist therefore upon a Partial or Gradual Accomplishment of those Glorious Promises and thence to conclude that they might be made good or fulfilled in Moses his time or as Mr. Baxter saith in the time of the Judges or the Prophets that followed after would be no other than to darken Counsel by Words without Knowledge For as Moses doth expresly assure us that those Glorious Promises were not fulfilled in his time Deut. 29. 4. The Lord saith he hath not given you an Heart to perceive and Eyes to see and Ears to hear unto this day and as the Prophet Jer. is so far from owning any Accomplishment of them in his time that he doth plainly acquaint us that the Covenant was not so much as struck up or as yet Actually made betwixt God and them But as he tells us Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will do it So the Apostle Paul is as far from owning any Accomplishment of them in his Time For until this day saith he remaineth the same vail untaken away 2 Cor. 3. § 14. So that as it is clear that the Mercies promised Deut. 30. 6. were not fulfilled in Moses's nor in Jeremy's nor in the Apostle's Time So there is no Experience or History that gives us any account that they were ever since fulfilled And therefore neither indeed can we groundedly expect the Accomplishment of them till the second coming of the Deliverer before spoken of when that Prediction of the Apostle Rom. 11. 26. shall be fulfilled And so all Israel shall be saved And no wonder for this will be no other than the time of the New Heavens and the New Earth mentioned Isa 65. 17 18. For Behold I create new Heavens and a New Earth and the former shall not be remembred But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I Create for behold I create Jerusalem a Rejoicing and her People a Joy And the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her nor the voice of crying And ver 23. they shall not Labour in vain nor bring forth for Trouble for they are the Seed of the blessed of the Lord and their Off-spring with them With many other glorious Promises there Recorded which are no way Applicable to the present state of things in the Heavens and Earth that now are And indeed the whole 60th chap. of Isaiah is taken up with Promises of this kind And among the rest we are told ver 21. Thy People also shall be all Righteous they shall inherit the Land for ever the Branch of my Planting that I may be glorified So Chap. 61. 9. Their Seed also shall be known among the Gentiles and their Off-spring among the People All that see them shall acknowledge them that they are the Seed which the Lord hath blessed All of them most plainly Promises that were never yet fulfilled and therefore remain as yet to be Accomplished § 15. And indeed hitherto are to
be Referred the several Passages that lie dispersed up and down the Scriptures concerning the Blessedness of the Seed of the Righteous For though no doubt God hath a Gracious Respect unto many that are the Natural Descendants of Believers now and we may probably hope that the Grace of Election is for the most part continued in their Race yet as God hath made no such Covenant with us That he will be a God unto us and to all our Natural Off spring during the present Administration of things in the Heavens and the Earth that now are So whatever Blessedness of that kind God hath designed for his People we have no Scripture ground to expect the Accomplishment thereof nor the Jews neither till the time of the New Heavens and the New Earth before spoken off wherein as Peter tells us Righteousness shall dwell For then indeed the People or Subjects of that state shall be all Righteous the Branch of Gods planting that he may be glorified both they and their Off-spring also And therefore then and not till then may we expect the fulfilling of those Gospel Promises before mentioned concerning the Circumcising of the Heart both of them and their Seed also to Love the Lord their God with all their Heart and with all their Soul Which bespeaks no other than a time and state of Perfection when they shall have no need any more to Teach every Man his Neighbour nor every Man his Brother as now we must and therefore not to be understood of the present state of things Saying Know the Lord for they shall all know him from the least unto the greatest of them § 16. From all which it clearly appears that the Promises mentioned Deut. 30. 6. are of a vastly different Nature from what they have been generally imagined to be And indeed are so far from being a part of the Legal Covenant at Mount Sinai or of that Covenant which the Israelites with their little ones were entred into Deut. 29. That they remain as yet to be fulfilled They might be Fulfilled saith Mr. Baxter in the time of the Judges But why then were they so oft Captivated in the time of the Judges as well as afterward by the Philistiues Ammonites c And why were the Ten Tribes after carried away Captive by Salmanazer King of Assyria So as that they have never since been hear'd of in the World that we can understand And why were the two Tribes afterward also carried away Captive by the Babylonians and since Dispersed by the Roman and Turkish Powers and so still remain in a State of Dispersion as also in a State of Impenitency and Opposition to the Gospel unto this day A few indeed were Converted by John the Baptist and Christ in the day of his first Appearance But the Generality of the Jews were in Blindness after that in Paul's time Rom. 11. and still so rémain And what was the Conversion of a few to the Fulfilling of the All of these Promises to the All of the Jews But as sure as God is True and his Word most Faithful there must be a time when the forementioned Promises shall be Accomplished When as the Fulness of the Gentiles shall come in and be brought under the Obedience of Christ So the Jews also must be Called and the Fulness of them by that Deliverer whom God hath promised shall yet come out of Zion to turn away Vngodliness from Jacob. For this is my Covenant unto them saith God when I shall take away their Sins § 17. And therefore though Mr. Baxter saith true when he tells us p. 58. That Deut. 3◠is a Gospel Covenant since the Apostle Rom. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. shews it in Express Words For saith he when the Apostle had shewed that the Righteousness of the Law lieth in Perfect Obedience He that doeth these things shall live by them He then sheweth the Difference thus But the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thine Heart who shall Ascend up to Heaven to bring down Christ from Above c. But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach Now these words of Faith saith he the Apoststle Citeth out of this very Covenant Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. But then it doth not therefore follow that the Covenant mentioned Deut. 30. and that Chap. 29. is one and the same Covenant Mr. Baxter indeed takes it for granted that they are one and the same And therefore to prove that that mentioned in the 29th Chapter is a Covenant of Grace or a Gopel Covenant he Alledgeth these words in the 6th ver of the 30th Chapter for the Confirmation thereof and hereon Bottoms his Argument That because the Jews with their little Ones were entred into Covenant with God in the 29th Chapter and consequently were all Church-members and forasmuch as the Covenant which the Infants who were then Church-members did pass into was a Covenant of Grace or a Gospel Covenant as distinct from the Law which is Repealed therefore neither it nor their Church-membership is Repealed § 18. It cannot be denied but this is a Principal Argument which Mr. Baxter urgeth for the support of his New Doctrine of the Church membership of Infants and consequently their Baptism under the Gospel But how unjustly Urged and how little it signifies to the Proof of what he intends it for may by this time be easily Discerned since by what hath been said it plainly appears that the forementioned Scriptures in Deuteronomy which he Bottoms it on are by him greatly Abused and Mis-represented contrary to the plain Scope of the Spirit of God in them The Covenant mentioned in the 29th Chapter and that in the 30th being not one and the same as he would have it but two Distinct and Essentially differrent Covenants The one being a Covenant of Works as hath been plainly proved from Rom. 10. 5. which had Moses for the Mediator of it Deut. 29. 1. For the Faultiness whereof it is now Abolished Heb. 8. 13. The other a Covenant of Grace Rom. 10. 6 7 8. Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. which hath Christ alone for the Mediator of it Heb. 8. 6 7 8 9. And shall therefore never be Abolished Psal 89. 34 35 36. The one being plainly of a Legal Stamp the other Evangelical The one Conditional the other Absolute The one having its Existence but for a time upon an Occasional Temporary Principle the other suited to answer a Principle Existing from Everlasting to Everlasting The one being appointed only for the time then present till the Incarnation of Christ the other respecting a time that is as yet to come From all which it plainly follows that the Covenant spoken of Deut. 30. 6. is Essentinlly different from that which the Jews with their Little Ones were then entered into Chap. 29. as being Established upon better Promises So that there can
Angel there were great Voices in Heaven saying the Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ Which saith he Includes Infants as well as others that were to be the Members of Christ's Church or Kingdom To this we shall only give this brief Reply That this Scripture hath a plain reference to the time of the New Heavens and the New Earth which we have before spoken of wherein all the Kingdoms of the World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and all the Dominions of the Earth shall actually Serve and Obey him For then indeed God hath promised that his People shall be all Righteous they and their Offspring also the Branch of his Planting that he may be Glorified Isa 60. 21. which cannot be applied unto the present Administration of things in the Heavens and Earth that now are wherein we cannot say that one of a Hundred much less that the whole Race of Believers are subject unto the Scepter of Christ and consequently far from the true Gospel Characters of Church-membership in the Gospel Church § 3. As for Mr Allen's other Instance concerning the Covenant of the Rechabites wherein the Infants as well as those of Age were Included It is altogether as Insignificant in our present Case as the former concerning the Kohathites or his other Instance concerning those little Children who were said to enter into Covenant with God when their Parents did so Deut 29. 11 12 which hath been already Discussed For doth it follow that be-because the Children of the Rechahites were Engaged in a severe Ceremonial Covenant together with their Parents that therefore the Children of Believers are comprehended with themselves in the Covenant of Grace This would be indeed to make Christianity to be Hereditary But certain it is that Grace doth not now run in a Blood what ever it shall do neither is the Grace of God now Tied or Entailed unto any Lineage of Men whtsoever Though if it could be proved that all the Children of Believers were really and absolutely Included in the same Covenant of Grace with their Parents yet it follows not therefore that Baptism belongs unto them till capable of making an Actual Profession of their Faith in Christ as hath been already proved For it cannot justly be denied but that the Administration of Ordinances depends meerly upon the Law of Institution and hath varied in several Ages From Adam to Abraham there was no Ordinance to be Administred to Infants In Abraham's time indeed Circumcision was Instituted which belongs peculiarly to the old Testament Administration and was part of Moses his Law which is now Abolished and done away This was the first Ordinance that was Administred to Infants and not to all Infants but only to Male Infants living in Abraham's Family if they did Live to the Eighth day otherwise they had no Right to it though many of them doubtless in the Covenant of Grace and so Saved For want of an Institution the like may be said of Infants now many of whom are in the Covenant of Grace and so Saved by virtue of the Free-Promise yet not to be Baptized if they do not live to the time of Repenting and Believing the only time appointed for Baptism For none ever had a Right to the Administrations of the Covenant any otherwise than by virtue of a Positive Law Now if the Natural Branches the Seed of Abraham had no Priviledge to be Circumcised though in Covenant with their Father but by virtue of a Divine Law Expresly requiring the same neither can we expect that our Infants should have any Right to Baptism without the same Divine Warrant THE FOURTH PART Wherein the Baptism of Infants is further Disproved By way of Answer to the Arguments made use of by Dr. Burthogge and others for the Support of that Practice Wherein the Covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai Exod. 20. As also the Covenant of Circumcision made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7 8 9. Whereon so much Stress is laid for the Support of Infants Baptism are plainly proved to be no other than two several Editions of the Covenant of Works And consequently that no just Argument can thence be deduced for the Justification of that Practice Together with a clear and distinct Explanation of the true Nature and Difference betwixt the Two Covenants that of Works and that of Grace SECT I. WE should here have put a Period to the present Discourse but that there remains yet something further of great Importance which requires a Solemn Discussion and Determination according to the Light that shall be afforded unto us from the Holy Scriptures And that is Whereas Dr. Burthogge in his late Printed Discourse upon the Subject of Infants Baptism Asserts as many others have done before him that the Covenant made with Abraham and his Seed Gen. 17. 7 8 9. is the Covenant of Grace or that Original Grant and Great Charter by which Believing Gentiles always did and do claim Heaven and Earth and all the Promises they have Title to From whence he infers that they are to keep God's Covenant in the Gospel Sign of it that is Baptism and that both by wearing of it themselves and also by putting it on all theirs as Abraham was commanded to do in respect of Circumcision And forasmuch as the Mistakes which the Generality of the World hath for some season Laboured under in reference to the true Nature of the Covenant made with Abraham in the fore-cited Text have been the very Ground and Foundation of most of the Arguments which have of late at least been insisted on in order to the Justification of Infants Baptism We shall therefore the more Solemnly apply our selves toward a Substantial Discovery or Detection threof additional unto what hath been already offered in that respect in the foregoing parts of this Discourse And if it can be Substantially proved that the Covenant made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7 8 9. was not a Covenant of Grace nor a Gospel but a Legal Covenant or a Covenant of Works and consequently that the Gentiles are not concerned therein From hence it will unavoidably follow that all the Arguments thence deduced for the support of the fore-mentioned Practice howsoever they may be formed or framed do of themselves fall to the Ground § 2. In the first place then though we do acknowledge that God did indeed make a Covenant of Grace with Believing Abraham Which is the Great Charter by which Believing Gentiles always did and do claim both Heaven and Earth and all the Promises they have Title to yet that the Covenant of Circumcision for so it is called by Stephen Acts. 7. 8. which God made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7. 8 9 10. though there was Grace in it as there was in all the Covenants that God ever made with Men as hath been before noted is not a Covenant of Grace properly so called nor a Gospel Covenant whereof Christ is
same unto Jacob for a Law and to Israel for an Everlasting Covenant saying unto thee will I give the Land of Canaan the lot of your Inheritance And though 't is true Canaan was only promised in the Letter and was inherited only by the Carnal Seed and Descendants of Abraham yet in the mysterie it means the whole World of which Canaan was a part in which he took Possession or as it were had Livery and Seisin given him in the name of the whole § 3. The like is to be said concerning the Spiritual Seed of Abraham even the Gentiles also on whom that self-same Blessing of Abraham as being the fruit of the Free Promise doth also descend For in this respect it is that the Apostle tells us that all is ours But how For we are Christ's and Christ is God's And therefore as God hath promised that the Meek shall inherit the Earth Psal 37. 11. Mat. 5. 5. So he hath also promised that the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom and Dominion under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the Most High whose Kingdom is an Everlasting Kingdom So likewise Rev. 5. 10. Thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests and we shall Reign upon the Earth All which are glorious Promises and shall certainly receive their full accomplishment in the appointed Season as being indeed no other than Gospel Promises and of the same Nature with the free Promise of that kind even the Promise of Canaan made unto Abraham long before the Covenant of Circumcision was made with him So that it is no wonder that the Apostle tells as he doth that Godliness hath the Promise of the Life that now is as well as of that that is to come § 4. 'T is true Canaan was promised in the Covenant of Circumcision also as was also the Promise of a Coelestial Inheritance too When God told Abraham I will be a God to thee and to thy Seed after thee I will give unto thee and to thy Seed after thee the Land wherein thou art a stranger All the Land of Canaan for an Everlasting Possession and I will be their God Gen. 17. 7 8. But all these Promises though good enough in themselves yet being Conditional they were therefore failable and still liable to forfeiture as they were contained in that Covenant And therefore the Apostle would have us strictly to observe that the forementioned Promise concerning Abraham's Heirship whatever it signifies was not to him or to his Seed through the Law but through the Righteousness of Faith For though it should be granted that it hath reference to a Terrestrial Inheritance in Canaan and consequently to his Interest in the whole World in the sense but now mentioned Yet forasmuch as this Promise wa◠made unto him long before his Circumcision and was therefore a part of the free Promise The Apostle doth sufficiently suggest that that was th◠Promise he had most reason to trust unto or to relie upon as being a far surer Promise of the two and that both to himself and his Seed also than was the Promise of the same kind as it was contained in the Covenant of Circumcision which the Scripture doth so plainly represent unto us as a Conditional Covenant The Promise saith he was not to him nor to his Seed through the Law And why not through the Law Because as he also tells us in the very next following words If they which are of the Law be Heirs Faith is made void and the Promise made of none effect Because the Law worketh wrath for where no Law is there is no Transgression Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end the Promise might be sure to all the Seed The like he tells the Galatians also chap. 3. 18. If the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise But God gave it to Abraham by Promise Which clearly argues the Freeness or Absoluteness thereof which the Covenant of Circumcision was not It being evident that it obliged all that were under it to Perfect and Universal Obedience as the Condition of Obtaining thc Mercies therein contained Gal. 5. 3. For I testifie to every man that is Circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law And therefore though 't is true Canaan was promised in that Covenant as well as in the other as was also the Promise of the Coelestial Inheritance too when God promised to be a God to Abraham and to his Seed yet those Promises there mentioned being bounded as they were with Conditions impossible to be performed and therefore of a Legal Stamp and liable to forfeiture That is not the Way that is not the Channel through which the Blessings in Promise must be derived unto the Heirs of Promise For if ever they be derived it must be through the Free Promise and through that alone Yea if ever they be derived it must be through the Free Promise or not at all For saith he vers 21. If there had been a Law given that could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that the Promise by Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe § 5. But as we have already said the Promise that Abraham should be the Heir of the World is of a vastly different nature from the Promise of Canaan neither indeed is it at all contained in the Covenant of Circumcision where the Promise of Canaan is inserted For it is evident that the Promise that Abraham should be the Heir of the World hath a single reference to his Fatherhood unto all them that believe that is both Jews and Gentiles or the whole World of Believers Thus Pareus in his Comment upon the Place carries the sense of the Words and so the Apostle himself interprets it vers 11 12. And it is as evident that there is no Promise at all of that kind in the Covenant of Circumcision that Abraham should be the Common Father of all them that Believe That Covenant having a plain reference to Abraham's Natural Posterity only for as much as all those to whom the Promises of that Covenant were made were bound to be Circumcised as the Sign or Token of it which doth not concern the Gentiles at all So that it is the Gospel Covenant therefore which we have before spoken of which we find mentioned Gen. 12. 2 3. and not the Covenant of Circumcision mentioned Gen. 17. 7 8 9. that is the Great Charter by which the Believing Gentiles always did and do rightly claim both Heaven and Earth and all the Promises they have Title to SECT III. § 1. BUT whereas the Doctor lays a mighty stress upon those words of the Apostle before mentioned Rom. 4. 13. For the Promise that he should be the Heir of the World was not to Abraham or to his Seed through the Law but
Confirmation thereof As neither had the Legal Covenant at Mount Sinai for the Confirmation of that But the Promise which the Apostle here speaks of hath a plain Reference unto the Evangelical Covenant before mentioned which was first made with Abraham before his Removal out of his own Country Gen. 12. 2 3. which was afterward Repeated and Confirmed unto him by an Oath Gen. 22. where God tells him Vers 16. 17 18. By my self have I Sworn saith the Lord that in Blessing I will Bless thee the same words the Apostle useth and in Multiplying I will Multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven and as the Sand which is upon the Sea Shore And thy Seed shall Possess the Gate of his Enemies And in thy Seed shall All the Nations of the Earth be blessed which is a full and a plain Repetition of the Covenant which God first made with Abraham Gen. 12. 2 3. Saying I will make of thee a great Nation and I will Bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalt be a Blessing 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 In both which Scriptures we have a fair and full Recital of that truely Evangelical or Gospel Covenant which God made with Abraham And upon which all the Hope and Comfort of Believing Gentiles is firmly built and founded And it is plain that this is the onely Covenant which the Apostle speaks of and as it were points with his Finger unto it Reciting the very words and expressions of it without taking any notice at all of the Covenant of Circumcision or of any Expressions therein contained as having been Confirmed before of God in Christ Gal. 3. 17. And that as he here tells the Hebrews both by word and Oath that by two Immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lie there might be strong Consolation afforded unto all the Heirs of Promise § 2. No wonder therefore that the Apostle tells us as he doth Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made not a single Promise onely but the Promises For as it is evident that there is a Plurality of Promises and Blessing◠contained in this Gospel Covenant in reference to Abraham The like we cannot but observe in reference to Christ himself the Promised Seed Unto whom God doth not onely here Promise That in him should all the Nations of the Earth be blessed But also That he should Possess the Gate of his Enemies Both which are most full and Comprehensive Promises And that as well in respect of the Blessings of this World as of that which is to come Upon which account it is highly observable That as all the Promises both of the one sort as well as of the other do all run unto Christ the Inheriting Seed so from and by him alone they are to be Communicated to all his Members Forasmuch as he needs them not for himself And therefore when God told Abraham That in his Seed should all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed as he doth therein promise to be our God through Christ the Mediator And by him to bless us with all Spiritual Blessings by giving unto us an Inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away which is reserved in Heaven for us So in like manner When God tells Abraham That his Seed should Possess the Gate of his Enemies God doth herein Promise to give unto us through Christ the Blessings even of this World also For so it is Explained in Reference to Christ himself Psal 2. 1 6 7 8. Why do the Heathen rage c. Yet have I set my King upon my Holy Hill of Sion I will declare the Decree The Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession To which same purpose we are also told Rev. 11. 15. That upon the Sounding of the Seventh Angel there were Great Voices in Heaven saying The Kingdoms of this World are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall Reign for ever and ever From both which we may clearly discern the meaning of that Promise That Christ should Possess the Gate of his Enemies Even that the Actual Soveraignty of the whole World should at length be Committed unto him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords For which very purpose he now sitteth at the Right Hand of God from henceforth expecting till his Enemies be made his Footstool Heb. 10. 12 13. which Promise as it is plainly made unto Christ himself so it is of mighty Consequence unto his People also Since upon the foot of this Promise depends all their happiness in this World As upon the other their happiness in that that is to come For if Christ be Exalted in this World so shall his People also And if the Kingdoms of this World are to become The Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ so also shall the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom and Dominion under the whole Heaven be given to the People of the Saints of the most High Dan. 7. 27. So that since Christ is here promised that he shall Possess the Gate of his Enemies upon the same bottom have his People sufficient ground to expect that they shall Possess the Gate of theirs also Forasmuch as the same Blessedness that i◠Conferred upon the Head shall in due Season be derived to all his Members And indeed for this Reason are all the Promises first made unto Christ himself that he might have the single Honour in the Distribution of the Blessings therein Contained among his Servants and followers Rev. 5. 9 10 11 12. They sung a New Song Saying Thou art Worthy to take the Book and to open the Seals thereof For thou wast Slain and hast Redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every Kindred and Tongue and People and Nation And hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests And we shall Reign upon the Earth Therefore Worthy is the Lamb that was Slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing SECT IX MOreover That the Gospel Covenant before mentioned and that alone is the great Charter of the Gentiles hope is yet further evident from Gal. 3. For the Scripture foreseeing saith the Apostle Vers 8 that God would Justifie the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospel unto Abraham The Gospel What Gospel Was it the Promises contained in the Covenant of Circumcision wherein God promised Abraham that he would be a God unto him and to his Seed after him in their Generations By no means For that was plainly a Covenant of Works and concerned onely Abraham and his Natural Posterity which could yield no Comfort therefore to the Heathen