sign of Circumcision as a seal of faith if not of that faith of which he treats For wheras it might be objected that if Abraham were justified by beleeving before he was circumcised as is said v. 3. 9. 10 then what needed hee after to haue been circumcised The Apostle answers v. 11 that hee received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousnesse of faith vvhich he had yet being uncircumcised which faith v. 9 vvas reckoned to him for righteousnesse that by it the covenant of grace between God him might be confirmed as covenants among men formerly agreed upon are by the seals thereunto annexed Lastly who endued with common sense and modesty can deny that by the righteousnesse of faith wherof Circumcision was a seal is meant the righteousnes which is by faith as v. 3 Abraham beleeved God and it vvas imputed to him for righteousnesse and v. 9 faith vvas reckoned to Abraham for righteousnesse which righteousnesse of faith in this whole discourse he opposeth to the righteousnesse of works by the Law as is expresly to be seen v. 3. 14. 15. 16. But now what say our Adversaries to these things as men in a maze and not knowing how to finde the way out goe sometimes backward sometimes forward and sometimes leap unorderly from one place to another so doe they in expounding this Scripture In their out-leaps about Abrahams fleshly children I shall not need heere to follow them Where after they say that Circumcision was a seal of Abrahams faith in beleeving God that he should be the father of many Nations and that this was imputed to him for righteousnesse they say as much as we do or desire they should But where they say in the very same place that hee received not circumcision to seal up his faith in the Messiah they goe backward most dangerously to bring in a faith to justification imputed for righteousnesse which yet is not in the Messiah Was righteousnesse ever or is it imputed to any for justification but by faith in Christ then promised now exhibited The reason insinuated by them is a pleasant one namely for that Abraham had faith in the Messiah 24 years before he was circumcised Whereas on the contrary it could not haue been a seal of such faith except hee had had the faith before whether longer or lesser time it matters not but is as it pleaseth him who bestowâ—th both the one and other Signes and Seals are not to be set to blankes neither doe they make things that were not before to be but serv onely to confirm things that are These things thus cleared the Reader must be requested not to measure our arguments from Abraham and Isaaks circumcision to the Baptism of Infants by the crooked line which these men draw between them but by the right rule of sound reason applyed as followeth in three particulars First that the Covenant unto which Circumcision was annexed was the Covenant of the Gospell and not of the Law and old Testement as they take it For then it could not haue been to Abraham the seal of the righteousnesse of faith any way but of unrighteousnesse and condemnation every way for righteousnes is not by the Law which worketh wrath and by which sin revives and becomes exceeding sinfull And surely it is more then strange that any beleeving the Scriptures should beleev that the Lords Covenant made with Abraham and so with Israel in him by which he took them to be his peculiar people from among all other peoples because hee loved their father and them by which they were a blessed Nation having Iehovah for their God in remembring of which covenant with Abraham c. he so often shewed them mercy and did them good and in time gaue his Son Christ to saue them from their enemies and lastly by which Covenant they shall again be called when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in and so all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Syon a Deliverer and shall turn away ungodlinesse from Iakob For this is my Covenant unto them when I shall take away their sins As concerning the Gospell they are enemies for the Gentiles sake but as concerning the election they are beloved for the fathers sake for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance that this covenant of loue and mercy making them blessed which are taken into it and procuring the giving of Christ and of salvation should be the covenant of the old Testament and Law Of the Law I say and old Testament which is the ministery of death the letter that killeth which worketh wrath was added for transgression by which sin reviveth and all die and are accursed What is this else but to bring the currant of gracious mercy into a channell of severe justice and to curse where God blesseth as Balaam purposed to haue done Secondly we conclude hence that the Church of the Iews and Church now is one in substance though diversly ordered one Uineyard in which there are both grown trees and yong plants one Kingdom which was taken from them and given to us the branches of one oliue tree holy in the same holy root Abraham from which most of them were broken off for unbelief and we by faith planted in their place one body and therefore having Infants in it now as then and the same therefore to be baptized there being also one Baptism as one body as they were circumcised of old Baptism as elsewhere I haue proved at large to their silencing in that point comming in the place of Circumcision Thirdly that all their disputes against Infants Baptism because they cannot manifest faith and repentance are but the same quarrels which might haue been picked of old against Infants Circumcision That there was something in Abrahams circumcision extraordinary is true for he first received it for his posterity and for the Proselytes with them which joyned themselvs to the Lord so was there also in his faith as he was the father by example to all that should beleev after him Their prophane assertion that faith was required of none to wit men of years for circumcision I haue formerly disproved How can it come into the hearts of reasonable men that the Lord in whose eies the prayers sacrifices and all other services of ungodly men were so abominable should like of their circumcision Lastly for Abrahams children of the flesh according to their misunderstanding of them they were by nature children of wrath as well as others and had thereby no more right to circumsion then the Infants of Sodom It was of grace and not of nature that they were within Gods Covenant Of Gal. 3. and Rom. 9. we haue spoken at large formerly and of their misconstructions of the Apostles meaning Lastly we neither run as they say nor goe to the old Testament Law or Moses for the baptizing of Infants but to
their saying hath not done so much for many of us as for many of them who haue enioyed more excellent outward means of grace offered then many of the others Oh you the followers of these guides yea you the guides your selvs call to remembrance the dayes of your ignorance and prophanenes specially divers of you before your first conversion to the Lordâ— and consider whether you were not deeper rooted in sin then many others who yet haue not received the grace which you haue done to beleev and repent and giue the glory to Gods grace and not to your own free-will that you beleev repent and obey rather then they Be not unmindfull of this unspeakable mercie of God towards you aboue others equal and aboue you in the enioying of outward means least it come to â—o appeare in time that you were never indeed partakers thereof ADVERSARIES NExt they come to shew what Election is laying down for that end at large the Parable of the mariage of the Kings son Math. 22. and infisting specially upon the Lords conclusion vers 14. Many are called but few are chosen inferring thereupon that it was the Kings will and pleasure that all the bidden guests should come and bring their wedding garment DEFENCE THE Scripture we acknowledge and their inference but both affirm and haue proved that besides and aboue this will of God in bidding and inviteing the guests common â—o those that came not and that came and to those that came with and without the wedding garment there was a further work of Gods pleasure and will towards the Elect vessels of mercie setting awork his powerfull spirit in their hearts to make them willing to come and that furnished as they ought And so oft as these men as they doe it very often doe urge the will of God that men should beleeve repent and be saved so oft the Reader must call to mind this distinction First that this will of God extends but to such persons as to whom the Gospell the onely means of inviting men is preached Secondly that towards those that do effectually beleeve and repent there is also a further degree of Gods good will and pleasure according to which he reveales unto them effectually heavenly things opens their hearts to attend to the things spoken and gives them to beleev and repent upon their hearing as the peculiar fruit of their eternall election Their spiritual sense also of the parable I acknowledge But whereas Ereunetes sees that Election consists in the wedding garment and righteousnesse of Christ which is Christ himself whom the faithfull do put on by faith and obedience He sees that which is not to bee seen and sees not that which is plain enough Who having common sense will say that Christ and his righteousnesse and the chusing of a man or his election are all one Christ is not our election but he in whom we are chosen or elected Neither is our putting on of Christ by faith and obedience our election as they unskilfully make it Election is Gods work not ours for it is God that clruseth us and not we our selues but the putting on of Christ by faith and obedience is our work by Gods grace and not Gods God doth not beleeve and obey but we by his grace Now before we come to refute their opinion about Election hereafter layd down more plainly but here more confusedly with certain scriptures rather heaped together then orderly brought for their purpose it is expedient we examine a distinction brought by them of this divine Election by occasion of an objection from Ephes. 1. 4. which is that election is either in the decree or purpose of God onely or else effectually and particularly made as they speak This distinct on in a good sense but not in theirs is good and true For God elects men before the world or before they be in his decree and purpose onely But it must withall be considered that this election is also in Gods purpose actuall and particular before the world Nothing in God is potentiall bâ—t all actuall Otherwise there should be imperfection in God as all potentials are being to be perfected by their actualities They should therefore say that Gods election of some particulars was onely in his decree before the world and is by him in time brought into actuall execution And here also it must be minded that whereas all the question in effect amongst all is about election as before the world and in Gods eternall decree they in effect passe that wholly by and onely treat of it as God in time puts that in decree in actuall execution Now though their reasoning of election here be full of confusion and contradiction as any judicious Reader may see â—â—d such as out of which their meaning can hardly be pickeâ—â— yet this is plain that they will haue it to depend upon the condition of faith and repentance going before affirming expresly that those persons in whom God findeth faith and obedience them he electeth to salvation in his son of meer mercie for the quality which he findeth in them But now wherein this election properly stands they neither shew us nor understand themselues as is plain by their crosse and unconstant assertions of and about it wherein yet they are so peremptory and bold as if they carried all by plain demonstration of undoubted truth What course then are we to hold with them Considering it is with them as Salomon speaks of the harlot who was lowd and stubborn whose feet aboad not in the house but she was now without now in the streets and laying wayt in every corner I haue no other way but to pursue them into and hunt them out of every corner where they lye in wayt to deceive First then for Math. 22. Many are called but few chosen It must be noted that there are three degrees of mens calling to Christ. The first when the Gospel is preached but the so called refuse wholly to answer come so were the first guests called The second is when men are perswaded to come after a maner and in some shew but without truth of faith and repentance and so he came who wanted the wedding garment The third is when men come in true faith and obedience as they ought and so the rest of the guests came Of this third and last degree of calling the Apostle speakes saying Whom he predestinated them also he called whom he called them also he justified and whom he justified them also he glorified This cannot be sayd of either of the two former sorts of called but of the latter onely And for the Election here spoken of it may well be understood of the eternall election in Gods decree the fruits and wholsome effects whereof this unprepared guest shews himself not to be made partaker of though he participated of the outward calling even to the making of some shew of that which in truth
speak in the 9. 10. and 11. chapters Lastly we shall God willing make it appear in sundry particulars that these Adversaries by wresting of some things and omitting of others pervert the Apostles words to a strange sense how soever they think to get advantage by striking others first with that imputation And first though they account it plain and without difficulty that the Apostles meaning v. 5 6 is that not all the Israelits not all the children of Abrahams flesh specially not such as boasted of the observation of the Law were therefore in the state of salvation or should be saved yet in truth he plainly means another thing namely that all Israel all that were the seed of Abraham and children of the flesh were not that Israel that seed those children to whom the promise was made that is were not they touching whom God by his promise declared his purpose of election mentioned v. 11. For though all are saved that receiv the promise by faith and none by the works of the Law yet the Apostle in this place neither speaks a word of salvation as the effect of the promise but of election as the cause therof nor yet of mens receiving the promise by faith but of Gods making it according to election that so the purpose of God and promise manifesting it might stand according to election v. 11 that the word of God might take effect v. 6. even the word of promise At this time will I come c. v. 9 they are then called children of the promise not because they received but because the promise Sara shall haue a Son c. was made unto them according to the election of grace and stableness of Gods purpose v. 8. 9. 11 which promise also they did in time receiv by faith according to the election of that remnant from the rest the promise following the purpose of election and faith and salvation by it following the purpose and promise Though Israel that is all which were of Israel obtained not that which he seeketh for yet the election hath obtained it even the remnant of Israel to whom Gods promise is according to the election of grace in regard of which remnant according to election the word of God is effectuall and the promise fulfilled touching the yonger son of Rebeca of whose two sonns it was said before they were born or had done either good or evill the elder shall serv the yonger And as they truely affirm that neither birth nor works did prefer with God so I demand here what those works were by which Esau sought for justification The Scriptures expresly term him a prophane person that is a despiser of goodnes yea of his very birth-right which was a speciall legall priviledg How then sought he to be preferred with God and justified for birth or works Or how doth this example of Esau fit their imagined plain exposition specially to proue that the children of Abrahams flesh were not in the salvation who so much boasted of being Moses disciples in the observation of the Law when as the Law of Moses was not yet given nor the Law-giver born Their words following that God purposeth to prefer those that seek it by his free election through faith in Christ are true in themselvs but not in their sense Their meaning is that God purposed to saue them effectually that should beleev in Christ Iesus whereupon should be meant in this place onely such a purpose of God as was no more towards Iakob then towards Esau for God by their doctrine purposed to chuse Esau if he beleeved and not Iakob but upon his beleeving first But the Apostle speaks more then evidently of such a purpose of God as was towards Iakob particularly and alone excluding Esau. Besides the standing of this purpose and election are here noted as two distinct things of which election is the former and that according to which this purpose of God stands whereas they make them one and the same accounting election nothing but the purpose of bestowing salvation upon them that beleev Thirdly the Apostle cannot mean such a purpose and election as presupposeth faith in Christ which they would haue seeing he expresly affirms it to haue been when the children had done neither good nor evill Is to beleev in Christ to puâ— on the wedding garment by faith and obedience to submit to the righteousnesse of God which they will haue the condition upon vvhich election depends and the quality for which God elects the persons in whom he finds it are these to doe no good with with these men and is the doing of the contrary to doe no evill Lastly he saith not that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of vvorks but of faith as they say but not of vvorks but of him that calleth that is as followeth that vvill haue mercy on whom he vvill haue mercy By which it is plain that Paul doth not in this chapter as chap. 3. and 4 and Gal. 4 oppose works and faith but vvorks and Gods calling He should haue said for their purpose that the purpose of God stands not of works but of faith or of him that beleeveth and not as hee doth for the purpose of the Holy Ghost of him that calleth Shewing thereby his meaning to be in this whole discourse that the obtaining of righteousnesse or standing of Gods purpose in its actuall effect depends upon God alone according to three degrees here expressed first his gracious purpose of election in himselfe towards some secondly his free promise manifesting his purpose thirdly his effectuall calling in which his vvord of promise hath effect and his purpose stands firm and undisappointed notwithstanding the unbeleif of the body of Abrahams seed Their making Iakob and Esau types as they doe is like the rest or worse The Scriptures are not to be drawn from their natural simple sense without apparant warrant It is the high way to heresie to be bold in framing typical expositions And with what spirit these men are led this way appears by their expounding the parable Luk. 15 making the Iews the elder brother vvho sought salvation by vvorks and the Gentles the yonger in the offer of the Gospell seeking salvation onely by the free promise of God wheras the plain meaning of Christ is onely to avow his preaching to the Publicans and sinners resorting unto him against the pride and envy of the Pharisies those Publicans and sinners being Iews as well as the other Secondly I demand what it was in which Iakob typed out beleevers seeking righteousnesse by God and in which Esau typed out workers seeking justification by their own works The contrary in Esau is expressed in the Scriptures Lastly seeing it cannot be denyed but that Iakob as a faithfull and godly man was in time actually beloved of God and Esau as godlesse and prophane actually hated it must needs follow that God before the world was
as in a generall root was so conceived and brought forth by his mother in sin Secondly it is one thing to be conceived and born in sin another thing to be made of sin The former David affirms of himself the latter they vainly impute to us and refute in us with many words That Infants are under condemnation that is naturally guilty thereof hath been formerly proved that actuall faith in Christ is required for their reconciliation to God doth not follow hereupon Actuall I say for the seed of faith they haue and of all graces for but by Gods holy Spirit in them which carries all graces with it they cannot be holy and so not bee glorified if they be not holy first but that hereupon they need actuall faith is their saying without proof Actuall sins indeed require actuall faith but for sin in disposit on called originall why may not faith in disposition suffice through the mercy of God for the applying of it About the Infants of Sodom and Gomorrah they discourse marvellously as first in ranking them in their deaths with unreasonable creatures in theirs secondly in making them not onely innocent but godly also The Scriptures teach that besides the temporary death those Cities suffer the vengeance of eternall fire Let them proue children not to haue been of those Cities If God exempted them or any of them from that vengeance it was not for any condition cōmon to them with bruit beasts as they insinuate but with respect to Christ besides whom the Scriptures acknowledg no other Saviour nor no other salvation but by him ADVERSARIES TO a question moved by themselves What need Infants haue of Christ if they be not under condemnation they answer that through his redemption they liue and moue and haue their being and injoy all other earthly blessings with resurrection from the dead and glorification 1 Cor. 15. 12. DEFENCE THus they make Christ and Infants amends But how proue they that by Christs redemption they liue moue c The Scripture Act. 17 to which they haue reference is meant of the naturall life of all by Gods work of creation and providence which is nothing but continuation of creation and nothing at all to Christ as Redeemer The redemption for which Christ came is from sin and so from the curse due for sin as the Scriptures every where testifie The first Adam was made a living soule the last Adam a quickning spirit We haue therfore our naturall life motion and being common to Heathens with Christians by the first Adam our spirituall and glorious life by the second Lastly the Apostle saying 1 Cor. 15. 22 In Christ shall all be made aliue speaks onely of all beleevers as is evident v. 14. 17. 18. 19 who haue Christ for the first fruits and are Christs v. 20. 23. Are any Christs but Christians Is not the lump and the first fruits one Men should haue risen again though Christ had never come or been promised but to condemnation Our resurrection onely in regard of the glory of it is from Christs glorious resurrection And if Infants haue glorification from Christ then they haue the pardon of sinne from Christ also 1 Cor. 15. 17. 23 and therewith his Spirit dwelling in them for sanctifying and quickning them Rom. 8. 9. 10. 11. These men divide Chrst making him a King to some for glorification to whom hee is not a Priest for redemption by his bloud Next to a question by themselvs moved How wee must haue the Son they answer by keeping his commandements forgetting faith by which alone we receiv Christ from which followeth loue purity of heart and obedience Which faith hath more properly the consideration of a condition as a hand to receiv a promise then of an act of obedience to a commandment It is true being rightly understood which they add that repentance is of all sin to wit particularly of all sins known and generally of sins unknown For Who can understand his errours Cleanse thou me from secret faults said he that observed and knew his wayes better then either these men or I. Doe they think nothing amisse slips from them in thought word or deed or ever hath done whereof they doe not or haue not repented particularly Is their knowledge so perfect as they need not pray for further enlightning as Eph. 1. 17. 18 Are they certain they are ignorant of and erre in nothing in the Scriptures written for their bearning This their book sufficiently reproues their Pharisaicall dream of perfection Where speaking of Idolatry they affirm that God cannot bee worshipped after a false manner they expresly contradict the Scripture saying The people did sacrifice still in the high places yet unto the Lord their God onely Here was worshipping the true God and him onely and yet after a false manner in a respect The same the Apostle teacheth the Athenians The God whom you ignorantly worship declare I unto you When Papists direct their prayers to God the maker of the world and father of Iesus Christ hoping the rather to be heard by means of the Virgin Maries intercession who doubts but they worship the true God but in a false manner Neither doth Deut. 18. 20 proue the sin one of speaking in the name of a false God and speaking falsehood in the name of a true God but divers though both deserving death Next they in their wilde order come to treat of Faith where they affirm that no man can haue faith to justification before he haue repented If they had sayd that no man hath the grace or habit of faith before the grace of repentance it had been true God by the spirit of regeneration infusing the habits of all graces at once But that the act and exercise of faith in beleeving is before our repenting appears both by Scripture and common sense We liue the life of Christ wherof our repenting is a part by the faith of the Sonne of God God purifieth the heart by faith and justifies the ungodly by his faith In all which it is plain that faith hath the preheminence and first work So 2 Cor. 7. 10 Godly sorrow workes repentance Repentance then presupposeth godly sorrow Godly sorrow or whatsoever is truely godly must needs please God which without faith no man can doe but even every thing is sin Faith working that which worketh repentance must goe before it Secondly godly sorrow is not onely for the fear of punishment for so the devils are sorrie but for the offence of God specially Now none can be sorrie for his offending God except he loue God nor loue him except he know first that he bee loved of him in Christ in which faith consisteth We beleev therefore before we repent in the truth of the thing and order of causes though we can hardly discern this order in our own sense CHAP. VI. Of Baptisme IN the next place they come to
and after baptized Ioh. 3. 5 speaks of regeneration by the spirit compared in that place to water as elswhere to fire for its property in purifying And admit it speak of the ordinance of baptism yet must it follow regeneration as a means of confirmation As therefore Christians are not made by the ordinance of baptism so much lesse are Churches This I haue elswhere proved against them by many firm Arguments to which seeing they neither giue answer nor shew thereof though this be a main matter in question between them and us what should I say more to them These they may answer if they be able as I am sure they are not nor I think will ever goe about it Onely I here add this one thing If members and Churches be made by Baptism I demand when I. M. alone baptiseth one of his converts alone what Church or member of what Church is here made And if one alone may receiv or make members of the Church why not also cast them out and excommunicate them without the Churches presence or privity Such is the confused course of these men Here they cite sundry Scriptures but proving onely that which we willingly grant viz. that men and women converted from Heathenism and Iudaism to the faith of Christ and so to be added to the Church and being before unbaptised were to be baptized But how proues this that they were made either Churches or Christians by Baptism When any of the Heathens became Iews that is embraced the Iewish Religion and separated themselvs from the other Idolaters of the land to the Law of God and came to put their trust under the wings of the God Israel and were to be circumcised did their Circumcision make them such Or did it not onely declare and confirm that state of grace in and unto which God had called them Neither yet could the things forementioned be performed by their infants and yet were they made partakers of Circumcision with them ADVERSARIES BVT minde here a futher matter They say The Church at Ierusalem was the first Church of Christ and by faith and Baptism made a Church and in the next words that the twelue were so made also DEFENCE IF the Church at Ierusalem were the first Church of Christ as in a sense it may be so called I would know how the Baptism of Christ before that time and of Iohns before Christs having also joyned with them faith in the baptized made Churches Were any made before the first Or what and which were the Churches which they so made and gathered Both the one and other living and dying members of the Iewish Church I add considering how it is said of Iohn that Ierusalem and all Iudea and the region round about Iordan were baptized of him confessing their sinnes and of Christ that he made and baptized moe Disciples then Iohn it is very evident that thousands afterwards made members of the Churches in Ierusalem Iudea Samaria and Galilee were baptized long before by Iohn and Christ and were made members of the Church in our sense long after their Baptism Here then we see Baptism administred and yet no Church made and again Churches made and yet many the members thereof not then but long before baptized We grant as they say that Rome is that Aegipt Sodom and Babylon in mysterie mentioned in the Revelation but deny which they adjoyn as being both untrue and uncharitable that all in that Church are in Gods account as the worst pagans c. God hath his people considered in their persons in Babylon unto whom he saith Come out of her my people c. being held captiue there by her craft and cruelty Neither is Babylon called an habitation of Divels for that the devill possesseth men but to shew its desolation after the day of the fall thereof the Evangelist in that speech alluding to the forms of speech used by the Prophets before against Babylon Civill in regard of her utter ruin and desolation shortly to follow Neither is the Baptism in Rome a Babylonish or Aegyptian washing as they calumniate no more then the doctrine of Baptism in the name of the Trinity is a Babylonish doctrine but it is as a vessell of the Lords house though prophaned there Much lesse can that vitupery agree to the Church of England where the faith is sound for justification and salvation and effectuall for obtaining the same in those that truely professe it The Circumcision of Gods people though too much infected with their sinns in Aegipt and Babylon were noâ— Aegyptian and Babylonish no more is the Baptism in Aegypt and Babylon spirituall specially in regard of Gods people there as not a few also shew themselvs to be by comming out thence at the Lords call though some more slowly then other as of old they did out of Babylon Civill as Esra and Nehemiah testifie That the everlasting Gospell commands beleevers to be baptized to wit if unbaptized before we grant but that men become an habitation of God by his spirit and water is as if they said water dwels in men as the spirit of God doth It is hard to say whether Papists bread or these mens water be made the greater Idoll Neither doe we in retaining the Baptism received in Rome take a corner stone out of Babylon either for foundation or wall but bring thence a vessell of the Lords house there captived with the Lords people I know not but that the very circumcision of the Shechimites might haue been retained if any of the males had survived and embraced the truth of religion which yet was far from being lawfully administred Lastly though all were true which they say for anabaptizing in the generall yet were their particular practise not justified thereby nor our exception cleared being against their manner and the same singular from all other of their Sect in all places of baptizing by persons uncalled thereunto either by God immediately or mediately by the Church â—â— or otherwise then by their own particular and personall motion To their objection arising from the supposed proportion between Baptism and the Ministery and to their Demand Why I cast away my Popish Priesthood and retain my Popish washing for my Christianity as they please to speak I haue answered elsewhere at large neither haue they been able to this day or now are to say against mine answer any thing at all either true or colourable and yet neither haue they the humility to suffer themselvs to be taught better nor the modesty to hold their tongues in the matter but doe irksomely demand a new the things of old answered For the present I will onely note these three differences First it is absurdly said that a man is made a Christian by his Baptism as he is made a Minister by his outward calling He that is not a Christian before he be baptized becomes not one thereby But by the outward