and the Law Written in Stones that was not so Dedicated How strangely doth he Confound and Obscure the word and truth of God which ought to have been cleared and distinctly to have been declared to those he had Preached or Written unto For first he seems to take it for granted that there was no other Covenant made with Israel at Sinai but what was Confirmed by Bloud And Secondly That that Covenant which waâ— so Confirmed must of necessity have been Confirmed also by the Blood of Christ Typified thereby and therefore not a Covenant of Works But both these are no other than ungrounded suppositions that want a Foundation § 4. For first It hath been already proved That the Law Written in Stones had not been so much as received from God when the Ceremonial Covenant was so Confirmed And accordingly it was so far from being Confirmed by the Bloud of Christ that we do not read that it was ever Dedicated with any other sort of Bloud whatsoever It is indeed suggested that the Law Written in Stones by Gods own Finger had been also Written by Moses in the Book of the Covenant wherein the Statutes and Judgments were contained when the Bloud thereof was sprinkled on the People Since we are told Exod. 24. 3 4. That Moses came and told the People all the Words of the Lord and all the Judgments And Moses Wrote all the Words of the Lord and took the Book of the Covenant and Read in the Audience of the People and took the Blood and Sprinkled it on the People saying Behold the Blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these Words But if we duly attend unto the Scope of the Spirit of God in these passages we shall find it utterly Improbable that the Ten Commandments that had been Written in Stones with Gods own Finger were at all contained in the Book of the Covenant when the Blood thereof was Sprinkled on the People Forasmuch as God afterwards calls up Moses into the Mount saying I will give thee Tables of Stone and a Law and Commandments which I have Written that thou mayest teach them Ver. 12. Which clearly Implies that the Ten Commandments which was the only matter contained in the two Tables of Stone had not been Written by Moses in the Book of the Covenant wherein the Statutes and Judgments were contained and which he had accordingly Read in the Audience of the People For then it had been altogether Improper to say I will give thee Tables of Stone and a Law and Commandments that thou mayest teach them Since according to this Reckoning Moses had already done it When we are told therefore that Moses came and told the People all the Words of the Lord and all the Judgments c. We are plainly to understand it according to Deut. 4. 13. 14. where having Informed us that the Lord himself declared unto them his Covenant which he commanded them to perform even Ten Commandments and he Wrote them upon two Tables of Stone He Expresly adds The Lord Commanded me saith he at that time to teach you Statutes and Judgments And accordingly Exod. 24. 3. Moses came and told the People all the Words of thâ— Lord and all the Judgments That is all the Statutes and all â—he Judgments not the Ten Commandments For that God himself had already declared unto them with his own Mouth So that it is evident that it was the Statutes and Judgments only that Moses had then in Commission to declare unto the People And accordingly it is as evident that it was the Statutes and Judgments only that were contained in the Book of the Covenant when the Blood thereof was sprinkled on the People Though afterwards it is plain that upon the Receiving of the two Tables of Stone wherein â—he Ten Commandments were Inserted he had a fresh Commission to teach them the Ten Commandments also as appears by Verse 12. And which we find was accordingly performed by him Deut. 5. in the Several Ten Branches or Particulars thereof § 5. It is therefore a great mistake for any to affirm that the Law written in Stones was not a Covenant of Works because confirmed by Blood and Sprinkling whereas when it comes to be duly examined there appears no such matter but instead of being proved thereby to be a Covenant of Grace it is the more convincingly proved to be as it is indeed no other than a Covenant of Works In which respect Mr. Sedgwick's forementioned Argument may more justly and truly be thus formed That Covenant that was not confirmed by the Blood of Christ which alone can cleanse us from all unrighteousness no nor so much as by the Blood of Bulls or Goats or Calves which was plainly typical thereof could not possibly be a Covenant of Grace but of Works But the Law written in Stones was so far from being confirmed by the Blood of Christ that it was never that we read of confirmed by any other sort of Blood whatsoever Therefore that Covenant could not possibly be a Covenant of Grace but of Worlds § 6. Secondly Whereas the Apostle Heb. 9. speaking of the Ceremonial Covenant which was dedicated by Blood and Sprinkling doth plainly represent it unto us under the denomination of the first Covenant that had a Worldly Sanctuary vers 1. Opposing it to Christ as the Figure to the Substance vers 9. Calling the Statutes and Judgments therein contained by the name of Carnal Ordinances and such as could not make him that did the Service Perfect as pertaining to the Conscience vers 10. Another Building vers 11. And the First Testament as it 's Contradistinguish'd from the New-Testament and Christ the true and only Sacrifice thereof vers 18 19. Besides what he had told us in the 8th Chap. concerning this same First or Old-Testament that it was of a faulty decaying vanishing nature vers 7 13. From all this it plainly appears that even the Ceremonial Covenant it self could be no other than a Covenant of Works as well as that written in Stones And accordingly the Apostle informs us Gal. 3. 10. That as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse For it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Which Book of the Law here spoken of must of necessity be the Book of the Covenant written by Moses himself wherein the Statutes and Judgments or the Ceremonial Precepts were contained In respect whereof it is evident that though the Sacrifices and other things thereunto belonging pointed at Christ and the way of Salvation by him yet such was the severity of the Divine Sanction thereunto annexed that if those under that Administration had wrought never so hard and kept themselves in a Path of perfect and Universal Obedience to the multitude of those Ceremonial Precepts all their days which was impossible yet if at last cast there happened
forgiven and that have received the Holy Ghost are to be Baptized Now to affirm that all Infants of Believers either Actually or Imputatively are Sanctified Regenerated Justified is quite contrary to Rom. 9. 6. c. as also to daily Experience To Baptize them all therefore is most certainly a Preposterous and Irregular Practice The outward Sign according to your own Reckoning of right belonging to none but such as have the Inward Grace And who they are among them that have or have not this Inward Grace is not determinable according to ordinary Rule 'till discovered by an answerable Profession when coming to Years of Vnderstanding And then indeed when such a Profession is made we are bound according to a Judgment of Charity to reckon them as such as are made partakers of the Inward Grace whether so in realty or no. And according to this Rule only are we to proceed in our admission unto Baptism Obj. 15. But doth not our Saviour tell us that unto such belongeth the Kingdom of Heaven If Children therefore are capable of the greater then they are capable of the lesser If capable of a Membership in the Kingdom then of the Sign and Cognisance thereof But the First is true Ergo the Latter To this We Answer First That that which you are to prove is that all the Infants of Believers or the Infants of Believers in as much as they are the Infants of Believers are Actually partakers of the Inward Grace of Baptism and consequently such to whom appertains the Heavenly Kingdom Now neither doth the Apostle's Speech 1 Cor. 7. 14. prove it as hath been already shewed Nor doth this Text Mat. 19. 14. prove it And as neither of these prove it So Rom 9 6 7 8 9. Positively disproves it For first it is doubtful whether those were Infants or no of whom Christ here speaketh There being several Learned Men as Piscator and others that do maintain that the Speech of Christ Mat. 19. 14. is not of Infants but of Children that were capable of Instruction Which they gather from this that Christ called them Luke 18. 16. And elsewhere He saith Whoso shall offend one of these little Ones that Believe in Me. Mat. 18. 6. Mark 9. 42. Which after an ordinary rate of Speech cannot be intended of Infants And whereas it is said in Mark He took them up in His Arms. The Word so Translated is used Mark 9. 36. for the Imbracing of those that were of some growth whom He placed in the midst and of whose Scandalizing He there warns Nor doth the Greek Word used Luke 18. 15. Translated in English Infants prove it For the Greek Word there Translated Infants as Piscator himself tells us signifies a Child capable of Teaching As when it is said Timothy knew the Sacred Scriptures from a Child that is ever since he was a Boy not an infant It being the same Greek Word that is used in both places Secondly Though it should be granted that those were Infants yet there is no Certainty only Conjecture that they were Believers Infants which yet ought to be proved if you say any thing from hence to the purpose For though Christ was then in the Coasts of Judea yet it might as well be that the Children were brought by others as Parents and that without Faith in Christ as the Messiah upon the Fame of his Miracles and the conceit that â—e was a Prophet And so they might bring Children to him to be Blessed as Jacob and Esau by Isaac and Joseph's Children by Jacob. Thirdly Let it be granted they were the Infants of Believers of whom our Saviour here speaketh that of such is the Kingdom of God It may be as Piscator also observes referred not to their present state as if for the present they were in the Kingdom of God that is Believers and Justified but that they were Elect Persons and so in time of them should be the Kingdom of God Now that which gives right to Baptism is the present Estate of a Person Fourthly Though it should be granted that the little Children Christ here speaketh of are indeed young Sucking Infants that they are also the Infants of Believers and that unto them also belongeth the Kingdom of Heaven yet this is no sufficient Ground or Warrant for us therefore to Administer Baptism to Infants It being only the ground laid down in the Institution that can justly warrant the same That a Profession of Faith and Repentance is a sufficient ground is undeniably to be proved from the Scriptures But because some of our Infants are or may be in a state of Salvation or because for ought as we know unto all of them belongeth the Kingdom of Heaven that therefore they must all be Baptized whether capable of making an Answerable Profession or no Neither doth the present Scripture prove it which speaks nothing at all of Baptism nor doth any other that we can meet with give any Warrant or Countenance at all unto such a Practice Obj. 16. But the Gospel took place just as the Old Administration did by bringing in whole Families together When Abraham was taken in his whole Family was taken in So in this New Administration usually if the Master of the House turned Christian the whole Family came in and were Baptized with him The whole Houshold of Cornelius the first Converted Gentile Acts 11. 14. The Houshold of Stephanus The Houshold of Lydia The Houshold of the Jaylor Reply Whereas you say the Gospel took place just as the Old Administration by bringing in whole Families together By the Old Administration you mean Circumcision But we do not find the Gospel or Baptism took place just in the manner that Circumcision did For Circumcision was but in one Family singled out from all the Families of the Earth of the Males only whether in the Covenant of Grace or no Children or Servants Elder or Younger by the Master of the Family or others in his stead But in Baptism it is clean otherwise And as to the bringing in oâ— whole Families together it was but contingently so not always so nor constantly so according to any Promise or Prophecy And when it did so happen we find not any â—nfant Baptized nor any Intimation of Baptizing Housholds in Conformâ—â—y to the Administration of Circumcâ—â—ion but rather the contrary Express notice being given of the Faith and Repentance of those Admitted unto Baptism in the several Housholds recorded to have been Baptized whereas all were to be Circumcised that were of Abraham's Family both Children Servants Slaves and all whether making a Profession of Faith and Repentance or no. And this may appear by taking a view of the several Examples of Baptizing recorded in the New Testament Concerning John the Baptist it is said Mat. 3. 5. There went out to him all Jerusalem and all Judea and all the Region about Jordan and were Baptized of him in Jordan Confessing their Sins In which the practice of Baptizing
therefore said to have Obtained a more Excellent Ministry viz. than that of Moses by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which is established upon better Promises Heb. 8. 6. Besides we are expresly told Jo. 1. 17. That the Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ From whence it plainly follows that the Covenant insisted on was not a Covenant of Grace properly so called not only for as much as Moses was the Mediator of it But also forasmuch as the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ is here so plainly Contradistinguished or opposed thereunto § 4. But that this Covenant which by the Mediation of Moses was thus Solemnly renewed and afresh transacted between God and them in the land of Moab was plainly a Covenant of Works or a Legal Covenant will be yet further undeniable by comparing Exod. 1◠5. with Deut. 29. 9. and both with Lev. 18. and Rom. 10. 5. For as in Exod. 19 Where that Covenant is first mentioned which God made with Israel by the Mediation of Moses in Horeb or at Mount Sinai which the Apostle speaks of Heb. 8. when God took them by the hand to lead them out of Aegypt He there tells them ver 5. Now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all People for all the Earth is mine So in like mannner upon the same terms and by the hand of the same Mediator is the same Covenant afterward renewed with them Deut. 29. 9. Keep therefore saith God there unto them the words of this Covenant and do them that you may prosper in all that you do Now that both these were but two several Repetitions of the same Covenant of Works the Apostle plainly shews Rom. 10. 4. 5. Christ saith he there is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth For Moses describeth the Righteousness of the Law that the man which doth these things shall live by them which he citeth from Lev. 18. 5. Where the Lord tells them you shall therefore keep my Statutes and Judgments which if a man do he shall live in them The same with Exod 19. 5. and Deut. 29. 9. And the same Apostle also assures us Gal. 3. 10. that as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written saith he Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are in the Book of the Law to do them § 5. Now it having been thus proved that the Covenants Mentioned in both these forenamed Scriptures were made by the hands of the same Mediator Moses And that they were both also of one and the same tenor requiring perfect Obedience as the Condition of Obtaining the Promised Mercy And forasmuch as St. Paul doth so plainly assure us that this was no other than a Covenant of Works and that which he Contradistinguisheth or opposeth to the Righteousness of Faith or the Gospel Covenant which he afterward speaks of ver 6 7 8 9. of the same 10th to the Romans From hence it plainly follows That the formentioned Covenants both that in Deut. 29. as well as that in Exod. 19. which were but two several Repetitions of the same Covenant of Works are now Repealed and done away in Christ For so he doth plainly assure us Heb. 8. 8 9 13. where he tells us That if that first Covenant had been faultless then no place should have been sought for the second For finding Fault with them he saith Behold the days come saith the Lord when 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 when I took them by the Hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not And verse 13 In that he saith a New Covenant he hath made the first Old Now that which decayeth saith he and waxeth old is ready to vanish away From whence it is plain that the old Covenant he there speaks of which God made with his People when he took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt mentioned Exod. 19. 5. and Deut 29. 9. for the faultyness thereof is now Abollished For there is verily saith he Heb. 7. 18. a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the Weakness and unprofitableness thereof Upon which Account a New Covenant was to take place which was to be Established upon better Promises § 6. And therefore though 't is true in Deut. 30. 6. which Mr. Baxter urgeth and alledgeth to prove that the Covenant mentioned Chapter 29. is a Gospel-Covenant The Lord then promiseth that he will Circumcise their Heart and the Heart of their Seed to love the Lord their God with all their Heart and with all their Soul that they might live Which are plainly Gospel Promises yet it is evident that that is a distinct Covenant from that mentioned Chapter 29. the one being Conditional the other Absolute And it is as evident that the Promises therein contained were not to be fulfilled till after the Lord had turned their threatned Captivity for their Breach of the Covenant he now made with them and till after he had returned and gathered them from all the Nations and from the outmost Parts of Heaven whether they should be scattered and from whence the Lord there promiseth to gather and to fetch them as it is plainly Expressed in the 1 2 3 4 and 5th Verses of that Chapter compared with the 24th and 25th Verses of the 29th Chapter which was never yet fulfilled § 7. But saith Mr. Baxter Did God Promise Spiritual Grace to the Jews after the Captivity and not before Was not the Promise made to them that then were Were not they Captivated oft in the time of the Judges and so might at least be made good then If God would do as much for them before they forsook him and broke the Covenant by Rebellion as he would do afterward when they Repented then he would Circumcise their Hearts before as well as after But the former is true therefore the latter Besides some Divines say that the Promise Deut. 30. 6. is Conditional And if it be on Condition of Obedience than it was made to more than the Elect and if it were not performed to any but the Elect no wonder when it was a Conditional Promise and the rest performed not the Condition which God will Cause the Elect to perform §8 To this we Reply That as it is evident that the Promises mentioned Deut. 30. 6. are Absolute and therefore Essentially different from those mentioned ch 29. which were Conditional so they are as clearly to be understood in Reference to a time to come and cannot without palpable streining be applied unto the time then present nor indeed unto any
the Mediator And consequently that the Gentiles are not concerned therein is thus proved If that Covenant was as much a Covenant of Works as the Covenant of Mount Sinai mentioned Exod. 19. 4 5. and Edod 20. and the Covenant mentioned Deut. 29. 9 10 11. Nay as much as the Covenant made with Adam before his Fall Gen. 2. 16. 17. where God tells him Of the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not Eat For in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely Die All which Were but several Editions of the same Covenant of Works then it is not a Gospel Covenant nor a Covenant of Grace properly so called whereof Christ is the Mediator But it was as much a Covenant of Works as either of the Co-Covenants before mentioned were therefore it is not a Covenant of Grace nor a Gospel Covenant properly so called whereof Christ alone is Mediator § 3. That the Covenant last mentioned Gen. 2. 16 17. was a Covenant of Works We suppose none will or can at least Rationally deny Forasmuch as Life was Implicitely promised unto our First Parent upon his Obedience and Death was Explicitely threatned or denounced upon him in case of his Disobedience And upon these terms he was to Stand or Fall which was plainly and undeniably a Covenant of Works whereof Christ was not the Mediator That the Covenant mentioned Exod. 19. 4 5. and Ch. 20. which God made with the Israelites at Mount Sinai was of the same Stamp the Scriptures are every where full in the Proof thereof And as clear it is that the Covenant mentioned Deut. 29. 9 10 11. is but a Repetition of that made Exod. 19. c. As hath been already proved In respect of both which it is Evident that as Blessings were therein pronounced and promised to the Obedient upon Condition of their Obedience So a Curse was pronounced upon the Disobedient And thus Paul tells us Rom. 10. 5. Moses describeth the Righteousness of the Law that the Man which doeth these things shall live by them Which is a plain description of a Covenant of Works which he Citeth from Lev. 18. 5. You shall therefore keep my Statutes and Judgments which if a Man do he shall live in them And accordingly the Apostle doth also tell us Gal. 3. 10. That as many as are of the Works of the Law are under the Curse For it is Written saith he Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are contained in the Book of the Law to do them And so likewise ver 11 12. That no man is Justified by the Law in the fight of God is evident for the Just shall Live by Faith And the Law is not of Faith but the Man that doeth them shall live in them Those therefore that tell us that the Lavv is a Covenant of Faith do plainly contradict the Apostle vvho Expresly tells us that the Law is not of Faith but the man that doeth them shall live in them And therefore plainly and undeniably a Covenant of Works Thus it was with Adam in Paradice when God gave him the Command before mentioned Gen 2. 16. and denounced the Sentence of Death upon him in case of Disobedience upon the Account of which it is generally Acknowledged that he was then under a Covenant of Works It is Evident therefore that the Covenant mentioned Exod. 19. and Chap. 20. and that mentioned Deut. 29. were but two several Repetitions of the same Covenant of Works made with our First Parent and are frequently therefore in the Scripture Represented unto us under the Denomination of the First or Old Covenant Heb. 8. 7. 13. Ch. 9. 15. 18. there being therein a clear and a plain Manifestation of the Law written in the Heart of Man at the First § 4. Now that the Covenant of Circumcision made with Abraham and his Seed Gen. 17. 7 8 9 10. is of the same stamp or tenor with the three fore-mentioned Covenants in Gen. Exod. and Deut. is also as Evident For though 't is true God there promiseth to be a God to Abraham and to his Seed yet still it was upon Condition of Obedience with an answerable threatning in case of Disobedience As it was with Adam before the Fall In the day that thou Eatest thereof thou shalt surely Die. And as it was with them in the Wilderness Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are Written in the Book of the Law to do them So here ver 9. Thou shalt keep my Covenant therefore thou and thy Seed after thee in their Generations ver 10. This is my Covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy Seed after thee every Man-Child among you shall be Circumcised And ver 14. The Vncircumcised Man-child whose Flesh of his Fore-skin is not Circumcised that Soul shall be cut off from his People He hath broken my Covenant The same terms with the former Besides it is Evident that Circumcision indispensibly Obliged all that were under it to a Perfect and Universal Obedience to the whole Revealed Will and Law of God Gal. 5. 3. For I testifie to every man that is Circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law If it was so in Paul's time it was so in Moses's time And then it cannot be justly denied but it was so in Abrahams also according to what of the Law Mind or Will of God was then Revealed unto them So that in this Covenant which God made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7 8 9 10. 14. As Blessings are pronounced upon the Obedient upon Condition of their Obedience so as great a Curse is pronounced upon the Disobedient And as we have already said is therefore of the same tenor with the Three fore-mentioned Covenants in Genesis Exodus and Deuteronomy For did God tell our First Parent in the Garden of Eden concerning the Forbidden Fruit. In the day that thou Eatest thereof thou shalt surely Die and so in the rest we have the like Threatning here He that is Vncircumcised that Soul shall be Cut off from his People He hath broken my Covenant And if that were a Covenant of Works why not this § ◠And therefore though 't is true God promised to Establish his Covenant betwixt himself and Abraham and his Seed after him in their Generations for an Everlasting Covenant to be a God unto him and to his Seed after him ver 7 c. Yet still it was provided they kept his Covenant and fulfilled the Condition thereof on their parts ver 9. 10. Else they were to be Cut off And indeed the same Promises for the Substance of them were made unto the same People at Mount Sinai and upon the same Condition Exod. 19. 4. 5. You have seen saith God there what I did unto the Aegyptians and how I bear you on Eagles Wings and brought you unto my self Now therefore if ye will Obey my Voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye
in God that he will have to do with Men at any Rate yet that the Covenant from Mount Sinai was in any Sense or is by vertue of any proper Scripture Distinction to be understood as a Covenant of Gospel Grace whereof Christ alone is the Mediator This is that which for all those forementioned Reasons we utterly deny And this is the Point the onely Point which in the beginning of this Discourse we undertook to disprove And that as being of no small Consequence to the Church of God For upon this Hypothesis or Supposition That the Covenant at Sinai was indeed a Covenant of Grace or a Gospel Covenant for any other Notion of it will not serve the turn and consequently that the Covenant of Circumcision made with Abraham Gen. 17. 7 8 9. is of the same Nature the greatest part of the most plausible Arguments for the support of Infants Baptism are founded But if we have or câ—â— substantially prove that neither of these forementioned Covenants were Gospel Covenants no wonder if we make an Answerable Improvement thereof in its proper place by way of opposition to the forementioned Practice § 6 As for the Scripture before alledged 1 Tim. 1. 8. We know that the Law is good if a Man use it Lawfully It is indeed highly observable For as much as there is a Lawful as well as an unlawful use that Men may make thereof that is if we make use of it as the Rule of our Obedience then we make that Right Just Proper and Lawful use thereof which God requires For we know that in this Respect we are still under the Law to Christ And in this Respect it is true enough as the Apostle tells us that thâ— Law is Holy Just and Good For there is therein a Spiritual Discovery of the Holiness and Righteousness of Gods Nature and Being whose Image must be Ingraven upon us if ever we arrive unto true Blessedness But if we Preach it up or endeavour to Establish it as a Covenant of Life or as a Covenant of Faith and Grace which are Equipollent terms Let us distinguish as we please between a Covenant of Grace Absolutely and subserviently such and consequently are desirous in that Respect to be under it as the Apostle tells the Gallatians and which we cannot avoid if we reckon it to be a Covenant of Grace then according to the Apostles plain Scope in the whole Epistles to the Romans and Gallatians instead of using it lawfully we make an unlawful use thereof by perverting it to such a service as God never Intended it for And are guilty of mingling Law and Gospel together Life and Death and as we have said before a Ministration of Condemnation with that of Righteousness and Peace which would be no other than to overthrow both the Law and Gospel And this is the Apostles own Distinction given us as a Key to open this Controversie by Gal. 1. 6 7. SECT XIII BUT whereas it is yet further Objected That after this Rate both Moses and Abraham and all the Old Testament Saints were under two contrary Covenants at one and the same time from whence many Absurdites do follow As to this we dare not Impeach or Controle Infinite Wisdom We have onely declared plain matter of Fact so far as the Scriptures themselves do inform us For therein it is Evident as hath been already proved that both Moses and the whole Body of that People of Israel in the Wildernest were under the forementioned Covenant from Mount Sinai and that expresly as the Covenant which the Lord Commanded them to perform Deut. 4. 13. And that under the severest Penalties of a dreadful Curse upon every one that Confirmed not all the Words of this Law to do them unto which all the People were to say Amen Deut. 27. 26. This Covenant therefore they were absolutely under as being expresly made both with Moses and the whole Body of the Children of Israel without Exception of any Exod. 34. 27. which we have already argued at large could be no other than a Covenant of Works A Ministration of Death and Condemnation A hand writing of Ordinances that was against us contrary to us And therefore now Blotted out and taken out of the way being Nailed to the Cross of Christ When yet it is also as Evident from the same Holy Scriptures of Truth That at the same time both Moses and all the Elect among that People were under a pure Covenant of Gospel Grace as we have already proved when the Lord told Moses that he had found Grace in his Sight and that he knew him by Name and would make all his Goodness to pass before him and would Proclaim the Name of the Lord before him Saying I will be Gracious to whom I will be Gracious And I will shew Mercy to whom I will shew Mercy And when accordingly the Lord descended in the Cloud and stood with Moses there And Proclaimed the Name of the Lord The Lord God Merciful and Gracious Long-suffering and Abundant in Goodness and in Truth keeping Mercy for Thousands forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin Now we have already proved that these were two Distinct Covenants The one made with Moses and the whole Body of that People The other with Moses and those that were Elected among them onely And if these were two contrary Covenants and in themselves just opposite the one unto the other of them â—s indeed they were we have nothing to say but to Conclude with the Apostle in another case concerning the Call of the Gentiles and Rejection of the Jews that were once Gods onely Beloved People to whom pertained the Adoption and the Glory and the Covenants and the giving of the Law and the Service of God and the Promises O the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his Judgments and his Ways pâ—st finding â—ut Rom. 11. 33 34. § 2. However though 't is true New Testament Saints are absolutely freed from the Law as a Covenant of Works by the Sacrifice of Christ yet it is Evident that during the time thereunto appointed by the Father those before were under the Power and Tyranny thereof notwithstanding those Discoveries of Gospel Grace that were otherwise Revealed unto them To this purpose the Apostle tells us Expresly Gal. 3. 23. c. Before Faith came we saith he that is we Jews not we Gentiles for thess passages agree not with the Gentiles at all but we Jews were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith which should afterward be revealed â—or as he had said before The Law was added because of Transgressions till the Seed should come to whom the Promise 〈◊〉 made Wherefore the Law was our School-master to Christ that we might be Justified by Faith But after that Faith is come we are no longer under a School-master So again Chap. 4. 1 2 3. c. Now I say that the Heir as long as he is a Child