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BAP WB87
COpy i
<fe PRINCETON, N. J.
Presented by Mr. Samuel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa.
Agnew Coll. on Baptism, No.
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2011 with funding from
Princeton Theological Seminary Library
http://www.archive.org/details/calebsinheritancOOewed
C A L E B'S INHERITANCE
C A N A A
By GRACE, not WORKS.
A N SAW E
To a Book Intituled
The Do&ritie of Baptifm, and diftin&ion of the Cove- nants, lately published, by 7 ho. Patient:
W herein a review is taken,
I. Of his four EfTentials, and they fully anfwered j Ergo
II. Dipping proved no Gofpel practice, from cleer Scripture.
III. His ten Arguments for dipping refuted.
IV. The two Covenants anfwered, and Circumcifion proved a Covenant of Grace.
V. His feven Arguments to prove it a Covenant of Works> anfwered-
VI. His four Arguments to prove it a feale onely to AbrahAm , anfwered : and the contrary proved.
VII. The feven Fundamentals that he pretends to be deftroyed by taking Infants into Covenant, cleered j and the afperfion proved falfe.
VIII. A Reply to his Anfwer given to our ufual Scriptures. For Infant- fubjeds of the kingdom, in all which Infant-baptifm is ckered, and that Ordinance juftifyeo\
g" — -
By £.j^a Member of the Army in Ireland* ~ — — — — ^i
J oh. i .46. Can any good thing com&out of Nazareth, come and fee.
Rev 16 15 Bleffed h he that wakheth and keepeth hit Garments , left he walk naked, and
they fee hit fhtme. 1 -ich. 13 4,5. And it fhaU come to.pufs in that day, the Prophets (htQ be afbamed, every me of
hisvifion, andhefhallfay , 1 am no Prophet, I am ah m band-man. For man taught me to
{eep cattle from my youth.
L:.xdettt Printed for George S a wbridge , at the fign of the Bible upon Zttdgat e-h\\L 1656.
The Author to the Chrijiian Reader^ eJpeciaEy fncb who art \m Comrades and Brethren, in the Ar- mies of this Commonwealth.
Shall tell thcc no long {lory of experience to draw on thy belief to embrace either truth, or error , nor do I think that an Ar- gument fufficient to perfwade men ; befides their reafon, and Conscience. Tis that which Gods word condemns, in that boaft- ing Church, who to intice and allure others, cryedout me was rich, and indued with fubftancc, and want- ed nothing 5 when yet (lie was poor and miferable, and blind and naked. He that hath faith in this kn[ey let him have it tohimfelr before God , and happy is he that condemns not himfelf in the things he allows. Thefe are boafting days, I wherein men in falfe ways under falfe Ordinances, pre- | tend to have much communion with God. A day is coming when their works will be manifeft , whether wrought in God or not when wood,hey,and ftubble will be burnt uprthe work is already on the wheele, and a poor doubting Chriftian then wil lye necrerChrifts heart5thcn fleftsly boaftersric is not mens pretences to be acquainted with the depths of God, that will
A 2 make
one end to the other , I have not met with one Scripture by him quoted, but hath been mod fharaefully abufed, either in Explication, or Application; and if that large (lory of his experience were right , which he fpeaks of in his E- piftle , it is ftrange that a man fo pretending fhould not hit the right mark of anyone Text. God direct us to under- ftand hisMinde and Will ••■ that fowe may know the truth, and hold it fail in erring days , when there are fo many de- ceitful counter-truths abroad , that Chrrltians may not mi- ftake the one for the other, and run up and down like Sam- fons Foxes 3 in days of heat, when fo much combuftible ftubbleis abroad, tofct all in flames. Methinksthe moft acceptable news in thefc Athenian days , to all good men, would be, to hear our fallen Brethren reclaimed , and dif- fenting Proteftant friends united in one Faith , under one Lord , in one Baptifm : That hearts and hands being joyned againft the common and publike enemy of the truth , the work of our Generation may the better go on and profper.
Divifion and difTcntion is but the Divels bone of ha- tred and ftrifc caft amongft Brethren $ who well knows that nothing is more like to obftruft Gods work in every generation. k^As that wife man tells us , how can two walk together except they are agreed i When perfons are dif- joyned , in heads , and hearts 5 be fure they will fall fhort of the end. Our Lord Chrift himfelf well knew the danger of fuch Doctrines , when he applycs it to Kingdomes, and Families , and tells us they cannot ftand.
Look upon that Image of the four Monarchies in Da- niel the fecond, that hath ruled the world. It is divifion hath been their ruine, when Gold, Silver, Brafs , Iron, and Clay have been mixt. It is the glory of the Fifth
Tk//N«"« Of, -1-1TT
Monarchy, that {hall ftand as long as the world lads, that it is but oneftone cutout: and then it is like to be a fwel- ling one , when the other fhall be Babel'd , being fmotc on the divided Toes and Feet.
Look into Germany and Savoy , the flreets of the great City , are not the Witncfles killing there , that are to lye dead three days and a half i Irthat be fo, ftand upon your Watch-Towers , Chriftians 5 and fee Remes doom approaching : the expectation of their Ifles is mounted, to behold what God is a doing 3 let all the earth keep ftlcnce before him , the hope of Ifrael is at the doors : and e're long Abrahams Covenant will be the voice of the people. Thofe that divide here, fo as to caft off this Covenant, are undone, and ruined 5 thofe thatu- nitc upon Covenant -terms, and own the Conditions, arc , and fhall be as Mount- Sionn,ever removed.
Look toward the Wildernefs: [How goodly are thy Tents O facob ! and fee the Church coming out leaning upon her beloved : there will not be an Infant left be- hindc. It is pitty then to fee thofe who cry out, the Tem- ple of the Lord , to carry on the Dragons defign in making war againft the Churches feed. It hath been his project from the days of Abel 5 If they are let alone, the Church will foon grow too numerous : therefore Pharaoh will play his part , and Herod his part 3 That the voice of Rachel may be heard in Ramah , weeping for her children ,, becaufe they are not. If I am thought too hot in the following difcourfe \ let it be confidered, that to give an Anfwer to that book , is to work in the fire , It being fo full of Taunts and heats againft the Truth.
Reader, This Item I (hall leave with thee : Srudy Controverfic fo far as to finde the Truth 3 but take
heed
The Epiftle,
heed of lofing thy heart therein 5 get -as much expe- rience as thou canft , bur do not blaze it to the world : — — It is a word of advice from him who defircs to be
Thy ChriftUn friend Eb« Warren.
IT is the Authors requell to each Judicious Reader ,in hi* peruilng this Pcece, that whenfoever he meets with the fenfe interrupted by reafon of the Errata's ofrhePrefs, oc- caiionedby his far diftance, that then he would look back to jhis page , and with his Pen mend the efcapes in Prin- ting, viz,
InthcEpiftIep.5'.I.5.forftrcct$jr.(?r«j!.].i^.fMount=Sionneyer3r. Ittdunt-Sion nevtr.\.iot.ihtix lfcs,r.tbifc ifles.
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CALEBS
Inheritance in C A \ A^A 3^
By Grace, not Works.
E&
CHAP. I. The Doflrine examined; raffed from i Ad. 37.
T is the faying of the Holy Ghoft, 2 Tim. 3. that in the laft days perilous times Jhould come, and amongft the lilt of dangerous pcrfons he tells us there fhould befaffe accufers ; de- fti/ers of thofe that Were good: and yet they fhould be fuch as hadaftrm of godlinefs.And afcer he hath laid down what they are in them- felves , healfo gives a further defcripdon of them in their anions : what they fhould do and who they fhould be Itke.iVto as James and Iambres witbfood Mo- les, fo do thefc men refifi the Truth, men of corrupt minds , and repro- bate concerning the Faith : But becaufe the people of God would be fearful what the iffue of fuch things would come to, therefore in ver 9 he comforts them in this, That thej jhould proceed no further for their Folly fall be manifeft to all men , as theirs alfo was. AsV he had B faid,
|
v&^^&^yi |
|
|
111 |
§ l 908 |
|
■i?V *^* |
Caleb's Inheritance itfCaman,
faid, the way to put a ftop to fuch perfons*, is to lay open their folly .- and to (hew the world, that their accufations are falfe : this courfe did Mofts take with thofe Egyptian Priefts.'
The perfon with whom I am to deal in (his R?ply,hath (hewed him- fclf in Print, to come in the nomber of thofe falfe accufers, declaring to the world that our practice of Infant- Baptifm doth fight againft and deftroy,feven fundamental points in the Chriitian Religion ; by which we may fee his Charge mounts very high , and either he muft make it good, or elfc he will fall under the guilt of his own folly and blindnefs, if notwickednefs fo to affirm. And will bealfo thereby brought un- der that following defcription to be a refifterof the Truth, Co-partner with thofe falfe Priefts before mentioned.
I have therefore dealt with him not only in thofe particulars where- in the acenfition lyes , but have begun and ended with his whole piece: to unvail and difcover the rottennefs and deceit thereof, that fo, fuch who through weaknefs have been ready to embrace this error in their hearts, may in time diflodge it.
Thefe are the days wherein men heap to themfelves teachers , having itching ears ; for what is writ in this book, called The DoHrine of Bap- tifms, is no more then what long fince he publikely taught, as may be gathered from his own word«. But doub:lefs, if a man fhould defire an account of his Mioiiterial Authority, by which he entitles himfelf a laborer; it would appear to be more from men then God; and that he was never ordained, to fuch a work : But is rather in the number of Jeroboams Priefts, who was made of the lowefi of the people, in the fulled extent of that word.
In pag.5. We have the ground-work and foundation of all the en- fuing difcourfe, laid down in this Doctrine. That it is the duty of all that believe and repent to be baptifed ; which though it be truly raifed, yet ''isfalfly applyed , I (hill therefore examine this Do&rine in the application of it. For as 'tis tiue, that he that believes and repents, being converted from Judaifm or Heathenifm , ought to be baptized ; As fuch were they to whom the Apoftle preacht in this Ail. 2. from whence this Author takes his Text; I fay, as the application of this Dodrine is true to fuch that never yet imbraced the Gofpel,and fo ne- ver pra ftifed that Ordinance , foon the other fide , to apply it in fuch univerfal terms to tbofethat have embraced the Gofpel, and have been baptized, is unfound. For though a Doctrine be never fo truely raifed, yet if it be not as truely applyed, it is a wrenching andabufirg the Scri- ptures, which is eafilydone, when we confider not the difference and
natur
by Orate, not M'orkj*
nature of the Auditors: to deer which, let us come to fome inftances ; fuppofe a Church be truely constituted, of which, a great part may be hypocrites, fuch as were fuJju, Magtu , Ananias and Saphira , Hy menetu, Alexander, Phyletu* , mentioned in the Scriptures, all which were never true believers. Thefe, all thefe, or any of thefe becoming true Converts , and fuch as truely repent of their wfcked Hypocrifie; is this a Do&rine fit to be applyed to them; without doubt fuch a pra- ctice would quickly overturn the Authors dipt Societies : If he be true co the principles of this Doctrine, as by himfclf it is applyed ; or elfc his words do imply that fuch Doctrines of Faith and Repentance is to be preacht oncly to fuch as are without the Church , as if thofe that w ere within had no need thereof:when as we know they are Doctrines of the Gofpel : which is the kingdoms Gofpel, and belongs to fuch as are within as well as without the kingdom ; were I a Minifter and (hould come amongft mafter Patients people,and preach this DoArine, and apply it as he doth ; would he not think it very much knocktout of joynt in the application, to tell them it is the duty of all, who real- ly repent and believe to be baptized; doubtlels there is no rational Chnftsan but would fo judge: If therefore it holds i?ione, it muft held alfo in the other, for it is not perfons being hypocrites, or carnal,
hat nullifies their bapttfm : no though the Adminiftrator and manner alfo be circumftantiilly corrupted and defective : what if John had b* prized onely by pouring out water which he did (as (hail be after proved) when he fhould have plunged and dipt them as rhis Author doth ; The Ordis ance had not been thereby null and void for want of thac circusnftarce. So on the other hand, (hould this Doctor of dip-
ing convert a Heathen or Jew, and plunge him, when he (houldhave onely pou> cd the water on him after the Primitive practice , yet the bapti'm ftands in force ibll ; yea, though the Author fo dipping be no crue, real, but a pretended Mimfter ■ asZiphora's circumefing ftood m force though (lie were a defective Adminiftrator; and this is the general fenfeof Proteftant Authors ; that tho^e Children or perfons thac receive Popifh baptifm by their Priefts after they are really con- verted to the Faith of Chrift, ought not again to be baptized : and yet we fee they are as ignorant as heathens « by what therefore is faid, it is apparent the forementioned Doctrine is not to be extended to all alike, and though it be an undoubted truth amongft fuch as preach to the heathens in New England, or to fuch amongft our felves as are ver un- baptized, yet it is not therefore a futable Do&rine to fuch as have been Wore baptized either there or elfewherc. And yet we fee with what
B 2 furv,
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
fury, and heighth of Confidence this theam is profecuted throughout all his book : Tis a like Argument with this. When Chriit fcnt his Mi- nifters to preach and baptize, their Commiffion was to go into all the World. Therefore he that is a true Miniftcr of the Word and Baptifm muft be an Itinerary preacher. Auguftiu Cafar a Tyrant taxt his peo- ple ; therefore it is lawful for all Magiftrates to tax their fubjects : when laft hath been a Doctrine fo raifed by the Author in my hear- ing.
CHAP. IT.
Relating to the Adminiftrator anfwered.
HAving examined the Doctrine and foundation let us come to fur- vey the 'building to fee what work is made there ; he goes to o- pen and explain what is meant by baptifm , and fo leads us to a new Text , which indeed ufually leads the Van Argument : but is here brought in as a prop to uphold the Doctrine before raifed, Mai. a 8. i 8. From which two places he hath ingaged to run through the whole Controverfte of Baptifm in four EfTentials by him fo called,
I. The Mini iter
a. The Form
3. The Name into which
4 The Subject. All which being laid down as fo many EfTentials, if any one be want- ing , the baptifm in his fenfe is made null and void .- we are therefore come to examine thefe feveral heads, and firit the Minifter or Admini- ftrator :p. 6. preaching Difciples go je therefore! but when he afrerwards comes to explain his meaning, who they are, he fpeaks thus, That Di- fciplc that can bring down God to the foul, and the foul up to God, is a lawful Miniiter of baptifm.] I (hall therefore a little fearch into this Unheard of qualification . according to the place by him quoted; firft the perfons fpoken of, had an immediate Commiffion from Chrift. Go ye therefore : Secondly /The perfons fent were Apoftles ; men in Office, men of Gifts, for the work ; Go teach all Nations, bapifing, fuch they were that baptized in a way of office, power 3 and authority ; And be- caufc thefc, therefore every man that undertakes to preach by a Gift, either occasionally or intentively not having any Commiffion ot Call thereto may baptize: is this any lawful deduction, or rather is it not the
wav
By Grace , not Works*
way Co deltroy the Miniftry ? by this rule, if there be twenty in the Church of which this Author is a labourer, or Minifter, that can preach (or talk rather) as well as him felf, they fhall therefore take his power of adminiftring thefe Seals out of his hands. When as both he , and they are bound to defift from any fuch aftions until they are duly and folemnly admitted into an office that capacities them for the work ; And the contrary is condemned by the Apoftle, i Cor. 12. Are all Apoftles,*re all Prophets, are all Paflorsand Teacher s$ &c. And therefore God hath fet every member in the Church to be lifeful to the body in his due place : as are the members of the natural body , and not one to intrude upon the other. Confider further
Secondly, If that be all the qualification required for the admini- stration of Sacraments before mentioned , then may a woman be a lawful adminiftrator ; for though the title of preaching Difciples reaches onely to the Males : yet that kind of explanation will reach fe- males. What if fuch a one as Trifcilla, who was a Difciple , fhould amongft many of her own Sex , be an inftrument to convert fometo the Faith ? I hope it cannot be denyed but fhe brings down God to the foul, is it therefore lawful for her to baptize ? there muft therefore fuch a reftridion be put upon the words,as confines them to perfons in office, or elfe we are like to come to a ftrange kind of Reformation at laft. But indeed this kind of qualification , though the full current of the words are rough and harfh ; yet may it well fuit with their practice, for though they lay much weight upon the thing it felf, called the Or- dinance : yet are they veryloofc in this which he calls an Eflential, namely the Adminiftrator, for if the Paftor or Officer be abfent.or Tick ^but ufually they have neither) if the people do but defire fuch a bro- ther to baptize and give the Sacraments, although it be but for a day, this is lookt upon as a fufficient warrant to make fuch a perfon fit for the work, and thus the practice thereof fhall run in the vein ofDifciple- fhip, one baptifing the other, which is exprefly againft the very nature of the Ordinance, and all Scripture examples and prefidents. Look up- on Jchtt «he Baptift a Prophet , a man fent by God , the Difciples of Chrilt, all b\ himlelf called and Commifiioned : and fo thev were to dmu.ifter baptifm in a way of Office to the end of the world, and not •nely the Apoftles, but their fuccefTors alfo Pallors^ Teachers. Which re as well given to rheChurch,as theApoftles,Hrophers,& Evangelifts,. Efh.-\. 1 1. ard do atid fhall continue fo long as theComm.flvm regains 11 the woilds end : had it been pwen equally alike t<> -II heChucn Dilc pies, he would not have fingled out perfons in Office ; fo Philip
an
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
an Evangelift called by a voice from Heaven , Ananias called by a vifi- on from God Aft 9.
Ob j. But Baptifnt is an Ordinance that belong} to the Church, and it it in their power to give the keys as tbej JbaB judge fir*
Anfw. The Church can do nothing agamtt the truth , but for the truth : nothing without the rule. }f granted that all the males have their votes, yet the adminiftration of the keys lies in the Office or An- gels power, for adminiftration of the Seals Rev.iun. £4*^.44.5,1 1. Thirdly, Confider yet further how (hall we know who is enabled to bring down God to the foul , and the foul up to God ? Conversion is an ad of Grace, and not in the Creatures power ; and though a Mi- nifter may be truly called to the work by God and man : yet we know the word may not work for many years,but like fced.may lie hid in the ground, yet, mud not this man baptize any, by this rule, though con- verted by others , becaufe the fuccefs of his own labour lies hid , fo as that he is not able to fay he hath been inflrumental in that kind to the fouls of his hearers.
In pag.7. Heftrike* down our Miniftry at a blow,and indeed oppo- feth diametrically what before he affirmed : ' That though a Minifter 1 do preach fo as to convert , and bring down God to the foul , yet if ' he be ignorant of this pradicc of dippping , which he calls the true 4 way of difpenfing the Ordinance and a fundamental ? he is no juftifi- ' able Minifter, that in ftead of dipping (hall fprinkle carnal ignorant * Children. By which we may fee that the foundation of a true Mini ftry in his fenfe, lies more in the water then in converfion : For he de- nies any true Gofpel Miniftry , but rhofe of his own ftamp. So that when the Apoftle Paul affi ms the truth of his Miniftry was evidenced by that Seal, thefealof wj Jpoftlejbip are ye in the Lord^ 1 Cor. 9. 2. This Author would have it run The feal of a juitirlable Minifter, are ye in the water : and thus he deftroys not onely the p efent Miniftry of Chrift in this world ; but alfo thatof the Apoftles themfelves For as I (hall afterwards prove, they were all ftrangers to this pradice of dip- ping, their manner being by pouring water on the fubjed: If Jefus Chrift (hall then juftifieour prefent Miniftry in fealing their labors, it is too bnld an ad for a man of fuch a feeble practice to condemn them. Thus the Reader may fee his rcfult on both hands ; when the Argument is broughc againft our practice ; then no man is a lultifiable Minifter, except he know how to plunge , and doth fo pradice , when he comes to (hew what a lawful tdminiftrator is in hi* fenfe , then he that can bring down the foul to God ) fo that we may from hence fee, what
a
By Grace , not If crkst
!
a Babel Mmiftry this man of contractions would fet up in the world \ If I ftiouid here ask the Author of this new Bapcifm, under what Mini* ilry he was converted, no doubt but his ar.fwer would be very favour- able to thofe, whom hehereoppoferh. Remember then your third Doctrine ; That 'tis the difpofuion of fuch , that have the beginning of faving light, to defire more ; and that from them whom God hath fpoken to their fouls by ; Or elfe you may queftion whether you have any light at all. But becaufe 'tis to (peak a word for the truth, in op- pofing error,let me therefore return him Talion Law.
i. He that takes the Covenant of Grace for a Covenant of Works, can be no Gofpel Minifter, becaufe ignorant of the Gofpel in the fun da mentals thereof.
2. He that affirms a Believer at one time may be under two Cove- nants of Works and Grace, he is no Minifter of the Gofpel.
3. He that denies the extent of the Covenant of Grace to be as arge and compleat under the Gofpel, as it was under the Law» can be
no Minifter of the Gofpel.
4. He that is not lawfully Ordained to the work of the Miniftry , he can be no lawfull Minifter , becaufe like the falfe Prophets, he runs before fent,
5. He that (hall by his Doctrine and Practice , put greater burthen and yoaks upon the necks of Chriftians , then ever the falfe Teachers did by Circumcifion, Afts the 1 5. he is no warrantable Minifter : But fuch a one is this Author of the Doctrine of Baptifms ; ergo. The Mi- nor I (hall make appear through this whoie difcourfc , given in as an Anfwer to his Book. Laftly , as to that contempt and reproach which he cafts upon the feed of Believers, who arc Abrahams chil- dren, callii.g them carnal, ignorant, as though they were uncapableof any good : Let him that rails know, thac he that cafts off Abrahams feed when infants, as not fit matter for worfhip , doth keep them out as an unclean thing ; And fo, though God hath feparated them to a holy ufe ; they are made unholy, ar.d kept off as execrable, and fo ac- cused : Which the Lord no doubt forefaw , when he gave Abraham liiHC prcmife, Gen. 1 2. / roill cur(e him that curfeth thee. I fay this, this
ordofthe Lord willat laft ie. ch (ucb, and pull them down, if their eft were built as high as the ftars of heaven. Therefore hear and ear, a r.d do no more fo wickedly, all ye that hope for the blefling of ibrahams covenant.
CHAP
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
CHAP. III.
HUfecond EJfentia'l, relating to the manner of Baptifme bj dipping, anfwered.
THe fccond EfTential he fo calls in this Doftrine of Baptifmes , is the manner thereof, by Dipping, not fprinkling. To prove which, though he fay the word is rendred to Dip, Dous, Drown, or Plunge, in this he fpeaketh with ahood-wink'd underftanding, and muft (hake hands with the Roman Tribe, that ads from an implicite faith, belie- ving as learned men tels him ; though yet he can hardly afford them a good word, or charitable cenfure. As for the place he brings, i Kings 5.14. where the Prophet bids Naaman go wajh in Jordan [even times, and he dipt himfelf Anfrver , Though wafhing is fometimef by dip- ping; yet not alwaies, yea butfeldom. A man may properly be faid to wafh himfelf in a'River, though he only dips in his hand, and cafts water about him , which is moft frequent anfl ufual , both in our pra- ctice, and acceptation of the word, either in our vulgar, or in Scripture dialed : Were a man to wafh his face or head , muft he needs dip it ; and fo of any other part , or the whole body : But let us fearch the Scriptures, Markjj 4. Except ihej rvajb thej eat not; and Luke 1 1.3 c. Theymarvail at Chrift, that he had not fir ft wafbt before dinner : Js any man fo void of reafon to think , that before the Pharifces fate down, they plunged themfelves : And Chrift, who well knew what the word to baptize, or waft), fignified, gives them fuch an anfwer as relates to the powring out of water , fo wafhing onely the outfide of things, verfe 39.
Had their cups and platters,tables and beds,been dipt, and fo waiht, then had infide, outfide, and every fide, been wafht. The word then hath a promifcuous acceptation, fome times taken one way5fome times another ; as Sidnam clears this, Ttudeus, Scapula, Pafort Grotiut, do give the fenfe of the word . Therefore to no purpofe is this unlearned Authors Appeal to the Greek, Latin, and Englifh Churches : Though yet/tis confiderable , that he fhould acknowledge fuch as C hufches, whom his words and practice do fo much cry down { therefore I doubt his charity is much of the fame nature with thofe 6f the late fifth Mo- narchy; who though they would ufe the word of Proteftant Churches, yet they did look upon them but as the outworks of Anti-Chrift,which were fir ft to be ftorm'd : Foe there is fcarce a Book extant of the
Anabaptijh^]
By Grace, not Wothst%
Anabaptifts, but hath a touch thereof; fuch is thatPeece called Tb Storming of Antichrift, which came out long fince, and others of the like ftuffe.
' . Secondly, he tells us that the phrafe in which Baptifm is rendered, 4 doth ufually, and neceffarily import fuch a thing, A- d therefore when ' mention is made of Baptizing, 'tis commonly tranflated, in, or into,
* and therefore fuits moft with dipping, and not that prepofition 1 [[ with ] which i'uits moft with fprinkling -and when our tranflation
* telis us that John Baptized with water, he would corred it within 4 wattr jandinftcad of ye jha.ll be baptized with the fadyGhofl and with
* fire, it fhorld be rer.dred in the holj fpint and in fire.
Anfw : We may fee to what height ignorance is mounted, when he that knows not what a prepofition is, (hall undertake to mend tranfla- tions: what property of fpeech can there be in that phrafe, Marh^x. 8- to fa'j heejha/i baptize you. in the holj Ghcft, and in fire, when the word is, with : is it pofliblefora man to be dowftjdiown/d or plung'd into the holj Gheft, methinks he might blufh to (hew his ignorance.
But to make this clear, let's view and compare the place with Ails, I.J. Tor lohn truely baptized with water , fo Afark^i. 8. / have bap- tized jcu with water , and Math. u.J indeed baptife jcu with water but je fhall be baptized with the hdy Ghoft, and with fire, would it not be ftrange to read it into fire, confidering alfo, that thcfe words relate to the pouring out the holy Ghoft, fpoken of Atls 2. 3. and there appealed unto them cloven tongues , like unto fire , and it fat up0n each of them, they did not fit in the fire, but the holy Ghoft like fire fate upon them ; and then in verfe. 1 7. the Apoftle Peter, who very well knew what was meant by the word Baptize, interprets it, byloell 2.31 to be f^/>own^o«rofthefpiritprophefiedof. And thus when Chrifts tells them of their beingBaptized with the fpirif,'t appears to be meant of the fpirits pouring out, fo that from hence its evident, that lohns Baptifm was by pouring out warer, and not plunging into water, or elfe it would not have beenf > conjundivelv pi xi with the the manner of the fpirits Baptifm • lohn truely Baptized with water, but ye fh- 11 be Bapti- zedwith the holy Ghft. For as the pouring ou!" the holy Ghoft was the true Baptifm o!" the Spirit, fo hhn truely Baptizing with water, was by powreing it out alfo; let but anv Enflifhma* re^de it that knowes but how to make fence of what h: read<, & it mnft of neceffi- tie gives a dafh to all their plunging ; Let therefore fuch as have been deluded into fo groundlefs a pra^ice coi.fide*- it and repent thereof. A fecond paralell infhnceto confute this pradice of dippirg ,is that
C of
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
1111 in n
of Ifraels being Baptized inthe clouds & in the Sea I Cor 10. which by Paul the Apofile of 'the Gentiles, as before Peter was of the lews, is called a Baptifm : and by what principle of reafon or confcience, can any man tjiink that lfrael was plung'd into either cloud or fea, when the word of Godtels us they marcht through the fea upon drie la*d:Exo: 14 : 22. the waters being divided, yea Davids relating to this very march of IfraelVklm the 77. 15. 17.tellsust.hat this Baptifm ( which Paulio calls, in which beleevers and their feed were Baptized jwas by pouring out water, and not plunging into water ; For thus the word runs, the clouds poured out water.
Ifmentherfore will not harden their hearts againft the truth and blind their ownc eyes, here is light enough to (hew us what is meant by this word Baptize ; the Authotitie of Peter and Paul both eminent Apoftles bearing witnefs to this truth :& yet wee muft be deluded from the truth by ignorant men, againft not onely the very light of nature, but of Scriptures alfo. As for that other Prepofition example, which he brings in that page of baptizing in the Wilderriefs,and in Jordan, he tels us it would be improper to render it^with the Wildernefs and with fordanflnd therfore would urge it to be as improper in that other place.
I anfwer, the Reader may from hence alio gather how fadly fit this man is for a minifter, who to make our practice fpeake nonlence , doth not himfelfe know what belongs to a fenfe. For becaufe thepre- pofitiouQwiV/TJisby us maintained proper,when it relates to the matter, or manner, therefore he would have it alfo as proper when it relates to the place : as if I (hould fay, Mailer Patient hath baptized with the mil- pool wtth Dublin^ov in the milpool in Dublin. 4. n Pag. 9. his next place he brings to maintain his dipping is that of Paul. 1 (for 10. already touched on, they were all Baptized to Mofes in the Cloud, and in the fea, not with the clouds and with the fea. •
Anfw : Which is moft proper to fay, lfrael were Baptised by pouring out water from the cloud, and by Jprinkjing from thejea, or to lay, lfrael was Baptized by plunging into the cloud, and into the lea, fat then truy muft be all over-whelmed with both. And David in the place before- quoted tells us it was done by pouring out water; was it improper to fay ylfrael was Baptized in the fea, when they were in the fea? for though God wrought a miracle to divide the wacers, that IJratl might march upon dry ground , yet was it in the Sea. As when a man hath been in a fhoure of raine , Is it improper to fay he hath been in rhe rain . becaufe it is not proper to fay he hath been dipt into a cloud? I fhall therefore refer this to the confideration of the noft
judicious
T>y Gracey not Work^%
judicious of that Judgment (of which, there are many.) What ground of Reafon there can be for fuch a conftrudion as is made of that place, by this Author, and (hall alfo leave that place, Exod. 15. 4,5. to be thought of as an example, That when the Egyptians marched into the Sea, they were baptized in his fence, i.e. Dipt, dowft, and drowned3 but not Gods Ifrael; take fceed therefore of your too eager purfuit of Abrahams beed ; who as they were then, fo ftill are baptized by pouring or fprinkling.
Fifthly, In Page 10. the next place he brings for dipping, is in AttsS. 38, 39. Philip baptized the Etwuch, they being both in the water, he dipt the Eunuch^ as Jchn did Jefus, Matth. 3 16.
Anfw. Ard much at one, that is. the Eunuch was as much plunged as Chrift was plunged ; for the) were neither of them fo baptized. It hath been already proved, that fohns manner of baptizing, was not by plunginf ,but pouring out water ; and therefore that Text, Matth. 3 . : 6. ftands tor a cypher in this particular. A man may as properly befaid to go-downe into the water, and come up out of the water, though not wet-ftiod, as if he had been dipt all over : So was Jfrael in the Sea properly, and yet not dipt ; befides, Philip was as much in the Water as the Eunuch, and in that conftruftion they muft be both plunged; but not a word is here of the mode of Baptifm , onely he baptized him, the manner muft be pickt out of other Scriptures, which may be eafily gathered from what hath been already fpoken ; There may be other Reafons alfo given, why it could not be by dipping, as that the Eunuch was upon a journey travelling homeward ; and there- fore neither he. nor Thilip, provided with garments fuitable for fuch a work it being accidental to them both : For if it be a Gofpel Ordi- nance, it muft not be done, they being both naked ; for fo it would have been an a&ion of no good report, contrary to Pauls rule. And indeed, take it in the mofi ferious manner, as now pradifed , yet there is no (hew of carriage or deportment fuitable to the Majefty of the Gofpel of Chrift, which may eafily appear to any fober Chriftian, whofe eyes are not darkned by ignorance or blinde zeal : For what frravirv can there be foraMinilTer, who is Gods AmbafTadorro the World, 2 Cor.1). 20. to put off his (hooe's and ftockings,and to lead a Gentlewoman by the hand into a River, and throw her on her back? Is rhis a deportment fit for An.baffadors that come from God > whofe holinefs is fuch, that will not permit a Woman to be uncovered irunvailed in the Church, and (hall we think then he will own fuch inhumanities ? Methinks the very naming hereof fhould be a fufficient . C 2 • con-
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
confutation, which is enough to make a modcft face to blulh Alfo confidering, that either Subject or Adminiftrator, and perhaps both, may be of fo tender, weak, and feeble constitution, as they are not able to undergo the cold. Many fuch confiderations falls in, that were it pra&ifed amongft Heathens, that do by nature the things contained in the Law ; that very light amongft them would condemn it.
Sixthly, He argues in Page i o. from Johns Baptifm, his work being to Baptize, he remained near Jordan, and afterwards at Enon near Salem, becaufe there was much Water in that place. Ergo, Be bapti- zed by dipping.
Anfto. It hath been already proved from MarkjS. with Atlsi. 3. and Chap. 2. 17. which relates to Joel the fecond , That Johns Ba- ptifm was not by dipping but pouring out Water ; and therefore this cannot be the reafon why he chofe that place, namely, Becaufe there were many Waters to dip. Other Reafons muft be therefore given , as, That becaufe the work of baptifing a whole Region was very great ; and John not oncly bapcifing himfelf, but very likely, having msde Difciples which he taught more immediately, Luk§\\. 1,2. John4.iti. Matth.ii.iii. Luk§-].\Z as Chrift did his Difciples : He alfo might ordain and appoint them to the work, that fo when the whole multitude of people came together, they might have each a fhare of the work, and conveniency of place accordingly, becaufe there were many waters, when other pares of the Country were very fcarce thereof; as not onely Hiftory, but Scripture mention ; track lfraels march from Egypt.
Surely, had this Author of the Dodrine of Baptifms lived in Spain, or in many parts of Zona-torida. where they fell Water as we do Beer, not having enough to drown a man in a Country ; he would have been of a more fober judgment. Adding this alfo thereto, That when John baptized a whole Region, both men and women, rich and poor ; either, he muft fend out Orders to all the Country, to bring fuitable Gar- ments, which the poor, it is likely, could not do, or elfe promifcu- oufly he muft dip them naked, or, in fuch Garments as they wear ; the unworthinefs of which practice is already (hewn : Therefore it is much to think, that a pevfon who pretends to Preach the Gofpel, as this man doth, (hould be fo purblinde, having his eyes (hut againft the truth. But that God deals fo by men in a way of Juftice, when they fet up idols in their hearts, heanfwers them according to thei" idols, £^.14. 1,3,4,5. a place by himfelf afterwards quoted, though f&i fly applied.
Page
By Grace , not Works.
»3
Page the eleventh and twelfth, contains his feventh, eighth, and ninth Arguments, which maybe all put together, becaufe all alike, and the confutation of one anfwers the reft ; where he tells us, That Baptifm ought to be by dipping, is proved from the nacure of the Or- dinance ; and from the Analogy, it bath with the Death, Burial, and Refurre&ion of Chrift, many places he brings, but to very little pur- pofe. And therefore I anfwer with Mr. Sidenham
i. That plunging cannot reprefent it, is moft clear; for when Chrift was buried, he was not plunged into the Earth, but laid in Jofephs Sepulchre cut out of a Rock., Matth. 27. 6, which was the manner of burials amongft the Jews ; and if covering all over, though in a Rock, was fuffkient, to caufe fuch a refemblance by dipping, then had Chrift been covered in a Houfe or Coffin for three days j it muft alfo have been fo refembled.
2. Neither doth it anfwer to the mode of burying amongft Chri- ftians in Europe, or elfwhere : For the Earth, by which the perfon is covered, is applied to the fubje&, and call upon him ; fo that the ap- plying of water to the fubjeft in Baptifm, as John did, in thofe places before quoted, \_l indeed baptize yon with water >&c^\ doth more lively J -reprefent Chrifts burial, then dipping can. To what purpofe there- fore is it for a man to heap up a multitude of Scriptures,as this Author hear doth, to make all fure, when he is wholly miftaken in the thing, and manner thereof, and not orie of thofe Texts proves, that ever Chrift was fo buried ?
Seventhly. Tage 13. he comes to his tenth Argument to prove ' Baptifm by dipping, namely, becaufe it holds forth a conformity to 1 Chrift in hi* fufferings. So faith Chrift, 7 have a Baptifm, meaning ; his death, and can ye be baptized with the Baptifm wherewith I am ' baptized j meaning his afflictions. And this is fet forth by dipping ' into water, becaufe when the Saints in the Scripture exprefs their \ afflictions, they fer them forth by being in the depths, Pfd. 130. ''Out of the depths have I cried. And If a. 43. 2. when thou pajfefi I through 1 he ».. ters, they Jhall net overflow thee : Therefore Believers 4 a-e co b? dipt all oyei iufq ::he water ; and as he is raifed up again by 'the hand of the finifter, it holds forth, that fo fuch fools, (hail be j faved from all rh>ir afti'&ions by Chrift. P/i/. 34.17.- Many are the affli&hm of the vighteous , bat Cod delivereth them out of all • And c hat his doth fignifie our Salvation, doth further appear, 1 Tet. 321. ' yi'/.-^r fig?'*-' whereto 'to Baptifm evenfaves us : ■ And Aiark^ 16. 16. * Hi thai belt 1 est and « baptized, or dipt, Jhall be faved.
j Anfw.
I ■■ ■*■
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
Anfw. Whatftrange Hieroglyphicks doth this Author make in the Water, by dipping > What ftretchr inferences to make the Scripture anfwer his fancy ? let's try the places. If Chrift calls his afflictions a Baptifm, doth it therefore follow, That all Believers (hould reprefent it by plunging ? We know that many Chriftians never meet with fucU afflictions ; and fuch a practice to be fo plunged, would be a greater affliction then ever befel them ; and the place implies this,to be in deep waters, is an affliction ; or, would this new Doctor have Believers do themfelves a mifchief, to reprefent Chrifts afflictions : Which of neceflity, thoufands muft do by this practice of dipping. It is no hard matter to give feveral inftances hereof.
Secondly, What (hould fuch do to reprefent thofe afflictions of Chrift, that have not water enough in a Country, except they (hould make deep Ponds or Veflels of purpofe.Did ever the Martyrs inQueen Maries days, or the Primitive perfections , take that courfe, and yet no doubt but they were as much baptized into C hnfts death and af- flictions, as ever this Author could be , though with his practice he (hould give his body to be burnt, to juftifie the fame. Therefore, let the judicious but impartially judge what ftrange doctrines this Labor- er, for dowfing, brings, what though David cried to the Lord out of the deaths', yet his head ftil kept above water : unlefs he will affirm, that the promife in the place, by himfelf quoted Ijai^i 2. was not made good unto him, \jvhen thou pajfeft through the water, it pi Ml not over- flow thee. ~\ And though afflictions (hall never quite overflow achilde of God, yet by this doctrine the body muft be dipt all over : A ftrange refemblance !
The like we may fay to that of 1 Pet. 3. 2 \* by which he would prove, That Baptifm is a figure of Salvation, though yet, it cannot be by dipping under wacer,becaufe th? Apoltle calls it a like figure to the Ark : But the Ark was never under water, but always floating, and fo the perfons that were in the Ark ; therefore if Bapcifm be a- like figure, then it needs no going underwater for a fignirication : For had the Ark been dowft under water, the fignification had been loft, or at leafr noc fo clear. By this therefore, we may take the hint of an other Argument, to prove dipping underwater, not to be the Scri- pture way of bap. ifing. Thus we may fee how fully and apparently even his own Scriptures, makes againft both his Book and practice.
As to that other glace, Afatth. T6 16 it is quite befides the bufinefs ; for it dorh not prove Baprifm to be a figure of Salvation : one/y he that believes and is baptized i i.e. obeys the Gofpel, Jbaflbefaved. Thus
A tht>n
By Grace , not Worty,.
then his fecond Eflentiall of dipping hath been examined with all hi9 ten arguments ; upon which this Author of the do&rine of Baptifme' doth build the whole ftrefs and fabrick of dipping-grown perfons with foe much heat and confidence, and fuch flighting contempt of his oppofers, and upon the whole refult it appears but as a bubble quickly broken, Ergo dipping is no Eflentiall.
CHAP. IV.
His third head of Ejfentialls concerning the name into which perfons are Baptized.
\7\ /EE are come now to examine and look into this third V V Eflentiall (by him focaird J of dipping into the name of ;the Father &c. as 'tis by him opened page 14. i$- i<5. and 2 4. in which ' hee tels us a perfon cannot be rightly Baptized into the name, except ' he be able to give a diftind Accompt of the Trinitie of perfons in their feverall operations. Let us therefore review thofe primitive and ' Apoftolicall examples.
Anfw : The Baptifm of hhn, none will denie, but his Baprifm and Minifterie was from God, and fo a Gofpell-Baptizm : did the perfons he Baptized give this Account ? the contrarie is moil: evident,and that they claimed a right to that ordinance as being Abrahams feed to whom the covenant was made: therefore when the Pharifees came to be Baptized, who lived not as Abrahams Children, hee turns them back with a reproof think^not to fay within your /elves jou have Abra- ham to your Father '.foryouare a generation of Vipers. Had not the reft been receaved upon that confideration as Abrahams feed ; the reproof had not been fuir?.ble : but no mention is made of their diitincl know 'edg in the myftery of the Trinitie.
Secondly had this been an eflentiall, then was Johns Baptizm quite null, and the A pofllesalfo before Chrifts death : for the third perfon was not fo eminently known nor fent, becaufe Chtift was not then<glariried,y©a 7<^.r difciples never heard whether there were any
•lv Ghoit, therefore how could they beleeve in him ( and fo confefs ) *n diftir.dly and eminently ? Rom- 10. 14. Fhts iiuzhet appears by confidering the commiflionit felfe, and the
• ctic- of tht difciples chereupon : the words of the Commiffion are, 1;k leach all nations Sec- teaching them to obferve whatever J command
Jru i
i6
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
_i —
Jqh. In which fomething is to be taught before,forrirhing after Baptifm> now that winch is to be taught before is fo much as ca p;-cihes them /* be. Aifciples, for fo our oppofits give the Rendition of the words, got difciple all nations. As a Child then may be a difciple when he firft be- gins to learne his A. B. C. fo may a Chriftian bee a difciple of Chrift without fuch a high pitch of Knowledg into the myftery of the Trinitie. For without all peradventure, the Apoftles themfelves were ignorant thereof though Baptized, when Chrift firft called them>and were after- wards taught further by degrees ; for the Scripture tells us they were difciples before they knew how to pray Luke- li.i.«K
Fourthly, That this is no EfTentiall, further appears, if we view the practice of theApoftles after Chriftsafcenfionjasfor inftance,that place Atls 2- where fo many thoufands were Baptized together, can any reafonable man think that they all gave fuch a diftind Accompt of their faith into the perfons of the Trinitie, and that in one day. !The like alfo in the Eunuch Afts the 8. what Accorr.pts did he give, but onely I beleeve that Iefus Chrift is the fontr of God, and furely had there been more needfull, when he asked that queftion, what hinders ? Philip would not have Baptized him before he had given a fuller ac-' compt into all the perfons of the Trinitie, For to what purpofe had it bcen,when his Baptiftfi had been -null for want thereof;the like inftance alfoisthatof J7wc» Adagm AHs% 8. then Simon himfelfe beleeved alfo and was Baptized, and yet afterwards hee appeared to be foe Igno- rant of the holy Ghoft, that he would have bought the gifts thereof with money, yea were this to be decided by the Anabaptifts themfelves there would not be one in twentie rightly Baptized, iuppofing(though not granted ) their practice to be true, For how tew amongft them are able to give fuch an account of the Trinitie of perfons, when as alfo many of them, to my knowledg, aid that not of the meaneft, denie the penonalitie of the holy Ghoft at all? we may therefore fee what, new dodcines are intruded upon the conferences of weake Chriftian?, by men that doe not underftand what an EfTentiall is, yet I would not be fo underftood as that I fhould deny the forme of words, to all within the Covenant, when the ordinance i? adminiftred,or that I plead againft a prepofition or confeflion of faith, from fuch as are converted and not Baptized, which yet may be, *s hath been here proved, rhough there may be rruch ignorance of fo high a mifterie ; thus alfo having examined this head, we rind that the name into which B-Ieevers with their feed are Baptized is, not fo to be applyed, as that a perfon ought not to be baptized, unlefs he can fo diftin&ly anfwcr to this
. Dodors I
By Grace, nut H <///^/,
Dodors new Catechifme, Ergo fuch a kind of knowledg, is no EiTen- ciall.
CHAP. V,
Relates to the fuhjecl fit for Eaptifm, in which the whole Scriptures give in their votes to beleevers and their Infants.
f N rage the i 7 hee comes to his lad head of EfTenrialls, namely the 1 fubjeds to whom the ordinance is to be adnru'nutred, laid down in • <hef« tefmes, Difcip/er, pendent perfons : the Tex s he b*r ngs arc 1 Aiark^. 6. ;6- goe preach the GojpcllQcc. he that btleevcs and is bap- 1 tiz,edfb*llbefaved , compared with A-latth. .8. 10. Goe teach all ^nations Baptizing.
Anfw : I o cleare thefe places we are to confider, that before the death or Chrift theGoipe'.U/. f./^r^Wfj-Cuvenant wasfhut up to the Jewifh nation cnely; And rhereiore the wall of ftparation, being broken down Sy the dea h of Chrilt he inlarges that conim (lion to all nations » hich before was co: fined to the Jewes} According to (ha: old p-ophefieof Noah Gen. y. 27 God/hall inlarge lapheth ; and he fhall dwell in the tent of S hem. So that look what priviiedges the Je.ves had ^efo.e, and in what fence they were difciples, ani r anaanites made lub- jed ro them ; In the fame large extent the lame priviiedges ofcovenant- Jifciplefhip, was by this commitTion publiihc to the world, i.e. to all nations. G<">e teach all nations, i. e. open Abrahams covenant to all na- 10ns, i. e- Let all nations upon embracing theGofpell and fubmitting to the conditions of Abrahams covenant, ( for there can be no other Gofpell taught, ) have the fame benefit of being difciples that the Jews had bt fore, that is, both they and their ked ; for fo tis cleare the Jews and their Children were difciples, Efa 8. 16. feale the law a- mongft my difciples. A nd A Bs 1 5.- they were thofe upon whofe necks the falfe teachers would lay the yofy of Circumcifion after the manner of Mofesf&d are called in verfe o. Di ciples. Another cleare text for this \% Math io Is ft verfe, whofoever fhall give to one of thefe little ones a cup of cold water, onely in the name of a difciple, fhall not loefe his re- ward where we have three forsof perfons rfamed,^ Prophet', a righteous man, and a little Child, and the leaft of thefe called a difciple by Chrifl vimfelf, that, by little ones is meant Children, and not beleevers Adult, is plain, becaufe that otherwife it had been Tautologie, the word
D Hgbreons
t8
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
righteous man including all fuch Aduk-believers. £ See this place alfo to prove children di(c\$\es, Mattb, 11.15. with Lnk- 19.37,59.] For the whole verfe runs in diminitives, both as to the favors (hewn, and the perfon to whom : For as a lefs favor could not well be extended for Chrifts fake, then the giving a cup of water, (0 it could not be extended to a lefs fubjed, then to an Infant-difciple. The fame word isufed, MattbrS. 2,3,4,5,6 The rcfult comes to this, That if Chil- dren were difciples amongit the Jewtfh Nation, to whom the Gofpel or Covenant was firft preached ; and this new Commiffion was given by way of enlargement of that Covenant to all Nations, baptizing, rfrc *Tis then evident, that children of Believers are now alfo difci- pies, therefore fie fubjY&s for Baptifm ; and the putting of a«y other fence upon the place, as our oppofkes do fin all their Books lately publifhedj is but a reliing and abufing the holy Scriptures, And
Secondly, All thofe other Texts by this Author brought for bapti- fing of Believers in Page 17,18,19. are thofe, which in a right fenfe we deny not, provided, fas hath been already faid) They are convert- ed from Judaifm, or Heathenifm; or fuch amongft ourfelves that have for feveral years paft, negleded their Baptifm. An example whereof, we may take from the pradice of our Brethren of New England, inbaptifing many Heathens, lately converted, which this Author might have feen, had he ftaid there a little longer, and been as Patient in nature, as he is by name.
The next proofs he brings to prove Adult-believers, and not Chil drcn, to be the onely fubjeds of Baptifm, is all thofe Families, Page 20, mentioned in the New Teframent, where this oppofic undertakes to prove they were all converted Difciples, fuch as upon hearing the Word, did adually believe hitherto notwithltanding any thing he hath faid. As inpage 18* That God commands his Ministers to dip Believers onely : It hath been proved, and that by the teftimwj of two Affiles , That dipping is not the Scripture-way of bapifing; and that Adult believers are not the onely fub/eds of Bapcifm, is in part cleared: And though heispleafed to fay, The Apottles did baptize onely fuch, it fhall appear, That what he affirms therein, is againft the very fcope and minde of God, through the Scriptures, in thefe follow- ing examples.
1. The firft Family Tetft he quotes, is that of Lyded, Ails 16. 14, 15. iAnd a certain Vp#man named L\dea, a feller of Turple. of -he Citj$f Thiatira, which jorjbipped od, beard w, whofe hart the L>rd opened that Jhe attended, &c. And Veben Jhe was baptized and her houf.
U1A .'
By Grace> nut Wotlug*
hold,Jhe bef ought us, faying, If ye have judged me faithful to the Lord, come into my houfe, and/be confirained us. W hich Family Mt;. ^Patient fairh, were all Believers, Verfe 40. which Paul and Sjlas went to vific.
Anfy. The confideration of the words preceding the Text, and the feveral circumftances, will give a clear light to finde out the truth ; by him (and many Scribes of a Jate edition of that party) obfcured and darkned.
Firfts The perfons that were met together, were onely women.
Secondly, Of all thole Women met, we finde onely Lydea con- verted.
Thirdly, Upon her converfion, we finde her houftiold baptized, and that at the fame time : By which it is apparent, that flie took with her, her family to the place of worftiip ; for thus the words run, And when Jhe was baptized^ and her houfholdt /be bef ought m, faying, if you have judged me faithful to the Lord, come with mey drc. Both (he and her houfhold, were baptized before they went home ; by which alfo, we may very lawfully gather,
1 . That there were no men at the meeting.
2. That therefore thofe Brethren afterwards mentioned, could not be then at that time converted, becaufe, had there been men, and they wrought upon, the Holy Ghoit would not have overflipr them, to take notice onely of the Female : Therefore it is evident, That thofe Brethren fpoken of, Verfe 40. were either fome of the Family after- wards converted, or fome other of the City, then met at her houfe, which were after Lydea* s converfion, wrought upon, becaufe we finde Paul and Sjlot were committed to prifon j and it is hkely,it was upon that converting work, which the Gofpel made amongit them, accord- ing to the voice that called them, come over and help us. Or 3 . they might be believing Brethren from other parts, that came to buy Pur- ple, becaufe we finde the Spirit of God taking fuch exad notice of her profeMion, Verf. 14. But that thofe Brethren, were converted at that time, when flie and her houftiold were baptized, is againft the exprefs Letter of the Text, as any obfervant Reader may fee. This j Text therefore makes againft Mr. Patient ; for if Lydea and her houf- hold were baptized, when we finde onely Lydea converted : And if by houfe, is meant ( hildren, as I ftiall afterwards prove it is, then it is agreeable to the very minde of God, to fay, That her believing gave her Children aright to Baptifm, becaufe we do not finde any that be- lieved, but her, and yet we. finde all her houftiold baptized. Thus
D ^ then
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
then this pace breaks forth with much clear light, difpelling thofe foggs of error thatfcribbling pens have caft upon it.
Secondly, The next place hee brings is the Jaylor and his houfc ABs 1 6. who rejoyced in God with all his houfe, Q hee beleeving J For fo .the words are truly rendred, by which it doth not appear the whole houfe beleeved; but the whole houfe rejoyced, and yet, both he and his whole houfe were Baptized. Secondly 'tis obfcrvable, the exhortation given the Jaylor runs in the very itrains of Abrahams covenant, Gen. 17. wall>e before me, And I will bee thy God and xhe God of thy feed; (o here, beleeve,and thon /halt befaved and thy houfe, fo ABs 2. when they were pricks *n heart, as this Jaylor was, Repent and be Baptized, the promife is to you and your Children : fo here verfe 33. hee was Baptised, he and all that were of him. A fuller exprefiion could not well be ufed, to fee out his Children by , who may properly befaid to bee of their Parents, and none but they. Therefore, if the Jaylor and all that were of him were Baptized , when onely the Jaylor beleeved, though all rejoye'd, then he and his Children were Baptized j unlefs any man can be fo unreafonable as to fay, that thofe that were of him were not Children ; which to affirme, will but rather difcover weakenefs then Eclipfe the truth.
Thirdly, A. third example which holds forth a clearer light to the preceding, is that otZacheus, Lnks 9 who was a Gentile- Publican,yet upon Chrifts calling him, hee ufeth this argument, today 1 muft abide at thy hcufe, and in verfe 9. this day is Jalvatioa come to this houfe For as much as hee alfo is a Son of Abraham : In which word Q alft 3 tne vcrV covenant of grace made with Abraham and his feed is confirmed to him and his houfe though a Gentile, that had no rela- tion to Abrahams feed bv birth, yet, thou alfo though a Gentile, art the [on of Abraham ; and therefore falvation is come to thy houfe. Note- worthy are th-.1 collections of faidi'ull Sydenham from this place,whofe little peece hath made their water- workes totter, and remains not onely unanfVered, but unanfwereable, though the fpattering of a fcratching pen hath g'ven a late attempt to little purpofe. His collecti- ons are chefe^firft, * that afToon as /Trfc^c-w beleeved, Ghriir applyed 4 Abrahams promife to his houfe; And if there had not been fomething * more in it; he would have faid onely, falvation iskcome to thee .• For { the fpirit of God doth not put a fy liable moje in the Scriptures then 4 isufefull and neceiTarie.
Secondly Hee opens Abrahams covenant not onely to him, but his 'houfe, and argues the priviledg from his being a fon of Abraham,
though
By Grace , not Worlds \
' though a Gentile, (hewing that Abrahams covenant hath as large ' an extent amongrt the Gentiles, as it had amongft the Jews to a ' beletver and bis feed ; otherwife it had been enough to have faid 1 falvation is come to thee.- but to mention his houie with himfelfe, and 1 to bring them .into the blcfting,and give this as a reafon, becaufe " thou alfo art a fen of Abraham ,is as much as to fay, that the priviledges ' of Abrahams covenant are the fame to thee a Gentile and thy houfe, ' as they were to lfaac , for as much as thou alfo art a fon of ' Abraham, as well as hee. Now for Chrift to fpeak in this dialed, and 'to tell them of their houfliold and his favour to them, and that 4 in the beginning of the Gofpclls planting, and yet at the fame time ' to exclude their infants from all outward fignes of the promife, v which they ever had in darkeft dayes of Grace, is a ftrange policie 1 unfuitable to the fimplicitic of the Gofpell.
Thefe are fuch plain examples, that 1 marvel! what kind of con- fcience men pretend to have, when they (hut out the fun that (hines in thefe fcriptures, and cry out they are full of Jarknefs.
Fourthly, The next place and example brought by this Author, is ihe houfe of Stephanus Jxh.om Paul Baptized ; A Triumphant place fo thought,to prove that there was noChildren in thofe houfesmentioned i. Cor. ii. 6. chap 1 6. i%. the words run thus ; / befeechyou brethren you- kpow the houjholdof Stephanus, that it is the fr ft fruits of Achaia : that they have additled themfelves to the mimfierie of the Saints ; That yeefubwit your f elves to fuch y and to everyone that lab: uretb with us : where faith Matter Tatient,wee fee they were all mimfiers, and men that laboured with the Apoftles, therefore not Babes or Children.
Anfw : The A pottle doth not fay they were all Minifters, or fuch as laboured in the word and do&rine, as he did himfelfe ; But they are io faid to .Minifter , becaufe they addicted themfelves to the rsiniftring to the Saints, in away of Hofpiialitie, for fo the word is taken for relecving the Poor and fo the fame chap, refers to i Cor. 16. namely a free, liberall and charitable collection for the poor faints : varfe I. z. 3. ard 2 Cor 8. 4. chap. 9. 1 . nnv as touching the Minifring to theS 'aints ,' 'tis fuperflucus fcr me to write &c.In which places me fame word is ufed , a> here in this example of Sttphwtu o.nd his houfe, who addicted themfelves to the Mii,;tten'e of the paints. r»y wh.ch it appeares, that as the Apo: !e had bcailcd of others in the former chap, foin this alfo hee commends thef/eenefs and Hofpi- talitie of^ tephanvu ; becaufe, in fuch actions there is [much hearc- fmceritie to be feen in entertaining poor Chriftians, This bemg fo,
then
22
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan.
Then tis no bard matter to know, who is meant by the boufe of Stepkanw which Paul Baptized. For though the fervams 'tis likely might be gracious, and full of love to poor Chrtftians, yet by the word houfe is properly meant, Parents and Children, and 'tis very unlikely , the fervan ts of the houfe (hould be fo free, and hofpitablc of their Matters goods. And as for the Children, they were taken in by their Parents A&ions and fo the whole houfe is commended, For thehofpitalitie of Stephanus and his yoakfellow, as 'tis ufuall in fuch caufes, to fay, fuch a houfe is noble and free, when 'tis meant onely of the heads and chief of the family, andthefe were the perfons that Paul prefleth the Church to honour and efteem ; and to fubmit to fuch ; And not to fuch onely, but to every one alfo, that helperh with us, and laboureth. But '(is a ftretcht inference to fay, that becaufe his houfe addicled themfelves to the miniftrie of the faints, therefore they were all preachers, and fuch as laboured in theGofpell, and the Church was to fubmit themfelves to all the houfhold %. e. fervants, and all as minivers, therefore no Children. The like alfo the Apoftle preft them in the following verfe to fubmit to Tortunatm and Achicta, who came with a feafonable and re- freftiing releefand fupply to their wants j therefore ackxowledgjethem that are fuch,\er(e 18. u e. fuch who minifter releef toChriftians in neceflitie. >oMatth. 8. 15. 'tis faid that F eters Wives Mother miniftredto(hrift. Matter Patient, furely will not be fo far befides himfelfc, to think that (he preach: to Cbrilt, as a minifler ; from what then hath been alfo faid to this inftance, 'tis abundantly clear to any fober fpirit who is willing to fearch after truth, and not take things barely upon the count of Matter Patients word . Our oppofices have not fo honeftly quitted themfelves in al their writings in- interpreting this text, to lay a fnare, or decoy, to intrap, or intice people into the lake or error, by faying that here was none tut Adulr-S.leevers in this houfe, when as the tenor of thofe Scriptures hitherto which related to houttio ids, hath ftill run to the children upon the parents beleeving.
Quefi But how (hall T know, whether , when the Scripture (peaks of houfe , there were any Children } for the word is not expreft ; they might be houttiolds and yet no Children.
Anfto. 'lis the common way in finding out the mind of God in Scriptures to compare them, that fo what is darke in one, may be cle^rd bv the other ; And (incethe fpirit of God at the firtt tender of theGofpell, did delight to fpeak to Jew and Gentile, in the Old
Teftament"
By Grace , not Worlds \
Teftament Dialect, as to fay of Lydea, She and her Houfe, the Jaylor
and his Houfe, Cornehm and his Hqufe, Stephana and his Houfe,
Zachetu and his houle ; fo Crij}us believed in God with all his houfe,
the houfe of Ariftobulm, the houfe of Narcijfus ; it is as if he had
faid, If you would know what I mean by this word houfe, then look
back to my F\rfk will and Tefiament ; for what it was then, it is now.
Therefore when upon review, we (hall finde in the Old Teftament ,
there were Children mentioned, and chiefly included ; It will be then
an undoubted truth to fay, and maintain , That tn all thefe houfes
mentioned to be baptized, there were Children , wh.xh properly gave
the denomination, and they all baptized whileft little ones, upon the
Belief or ( ovenant- right of their Parents. See Gen. 12. 3. In thee
(hull all the families of the Earth be blejfed : Who are fo properly the
Family as Children? Chap. 30. 30, And when fkall I provide for my
own houfe alfo ? Who was that houfe that Jacob was bound to look
after, and provide for, but his Wife and Children. And Chap.^% . 18,
19^ Then faid Pharaoh, Say unto thy Brethren, take your Father, and
your Houpiold, and come unto me* And Vtrfe 19 it is explained to be
rheir little ones, Wives, and Fathers. So Num. 3. is. 2 Sam.iT,,*>.
fojh.2^. 15. So the Apoftle, He that provides net for his own houfe,
i% e. His Children, is worfe then an Infidel, and hath denied the Faith,
1 Tim.%.%. What denying the Faith can this be, for fuch as profefs
Chritt, if it be not the Faith of that Covenant of Grace, into which,
Believers and Profeffing-Chriftians with their Seed, are admitted ?
The negleft of a Heathen-Parent, in not providing for his Childrerl,
cannot be called a denying the Faith, but the denying the Law of
Nature. But the negled of Chrittians in not providing for their
Children, is a denying the Faith, becaufe vifibly within the Covenant.
Exod.l. 1. Prov.ll. 11. 1 Sam. 20. 15. 2SamQ. 3,9. 1 King.lj.
i*» 1h 2I»i2> 23- Pf*l»i2-7' ',3- Frov.i2.-j. Haf. 1. 4. 1 Tim 3
4, ?• & 5 4» 8. 2 Tim. 1. 16. A full Text alfo is, That where the
Prophet fpeaks of Ifrae Is converiion^ and gathering under the i aith
->f Chnft, yet to be fulfilled, fer. .1.1. At that time, faith the Lord,
will I be the God of all the Families of Ifraei, and they fhall be my people :
A Text io remarkable that it is enough to convince any man, that,
i *ok whaf God was to Ifraei, and the Families of Ifraei, in bieffin^
hem, as their God; •'. e. aged in Covenant with them, and cheir
• eed, fo he will be the fame God again to Ifraei, and their Families in
Gofpel-days ■ Which rime is near at hand, and thev, and their Seed,
whilft Babes,(hal be his peoplejfo that either our oppofits muft oppole
L, thar
Caleb's inheritance in Canaan,
chac do&rine of the fews converfion, when both they and their Chil- drrnihili be brought into the faith of Chrift, or elfe of neceifity thev m. ft acknowledge the truth by us maintained.
Now then to fuon up all, the premiffes confidered,and that upon the advantage the Spirit of God puts into our hands, in explaining what remnant by the wo.d boufe , h mfelf,- who is a better 1 xpoliror, then Mr. Taiient, or any elfe; We lee the whole Catalogue, or Cloud of Family- vVknefies and Examples, in Scripture, do give in then Ligh. and Tcftimony to Abrahams Infant- feed. A:\ithatwhen the Scri- pture Oeaks of Houfholds baptized, it is meant Parents and Child? en ; and when a Mafter of a Family was converted, and became the ion of Abraham, as Zacbens% though a Gentile, h.s !>eed, or Houfealfo, were taken vifibly into Covenant Lukt ia 3,6. So that by this time> we -fee the vanity, a^d felf-confidence of this Author, tofpeakfuch bitter words of Gail and Wormwood, a«- he doch in page /j. againtt a world of people ; who, as he faith, from Cuftom, and Tradition, run headlong after this Idol of mans invention. By which it is evi- dent, 1 hat whofoever embraceth not this new doctrine of dipping, which hath already been proved , not Apoftolical ; he is no orherwiTe lookM upon, or efter med, then, yea called an Idolater. And thus not onely the Truths of God, and f riviledges given to all Gods people, fuffer ; but alfo the Powers and Authorities of rhefe Nations- come to be undervalued, flighted, and contemned, for praclifing or counte- nancing fuch Idolatr.es; Thus the dark-fide of the Cloud,by this, ap- pears onely to fuch fpirits, when the Jfrael of God, i e Abrahams Seed, have light within their dwellings. Ye therefore who have up- right hearts to God, and his ways, that have been hitherto led in, thefe untrodden paths, and fo have loit the way, enquire after the. footlieps of the flock , and have more pity to your own bowels : Cut not off their entail to Grace, by lofmg ycur vifible right and ' title to the Covenant, in which the invifible part thereof is conveyed. What though they are born in fin and iniquity , yet the Prcmile reaches them whilil yorg, as it reached Ifaac when a Childe. If you are not wanting in your duties, your children have a Gofpel-rirhc;, the Seed of the fews hnd it, yea, they (hall have it again to the fame Covenant. Take heed leaft your Children cry out againft you at the laft day, and fay, their cruel Parents rook away their Bread, and gave away their birth-right for nought. Let me therefore fay with the Pro- phet, It hath and fliallbe for a lamentation, to feeChriltians kick againft their own mercies. And let me leave this with you Mr. Patient, ^ ~ Km-
warn
By Grace , not Woth^^
Ro.z. i\. thou that abhorrefi an Idoll, doe not cemmit facriledg, by dealing away a Church ordinance from thofe to whom God hath given it: Thus far his four Eflentialls are weighed, over which we may write that fuperfciiption DanieL 8. 15. Mene Mene [tekel vfharfin thou art peighed in the ballance and found too light.
CHAP. VI.
Page 23. 24. Is a freln&innt to the fubfeqnent chapter touching the Covenant*
WEE are now come to view th at pafiion of Weaknefs that lies in thofe two Pages, and firft, of his distinction given of Idola- trie, which though I grant to be good ; yet he ttill miftakesin application: for hee comes again to tell us, that in the room of this ' precious Ordinance of God, the dipping of beleevers, which Chrift ' hath confirmed by his blood, is fet up an Idoll of mans invention, ' namely the fprinklingof Carnall poor infants; and doubtlefs if there 'be an Idoll in the world, now fet up amongft men, this muft needs ' be one in his fencej becaufc he hath learnt this to be an Idoll, either c the worfhipping a falfe God, or the true God in a falfe manner, &c. Anfw. Let any reader Judg whether this man of the wacerie element doth not fpeak with as high a piece of confidence , as if he had a fpirit of infallibilities judg our pra&ice by, hee tells us that dipping ofbeleevers, was an ordinance confirmed, by the blood of Chrift, therefore fprinklingof Children muft needs be an Idoll his Allegati- cions have been examined in all the parts thereof, and; we ftill find ( notwkhftanding any thing he hath faid to the contrarie ) that Childrens Bapeifm remains an Ordinance, That dipping is not the way of the Gofpel 5 and therefore I muft tell him, that dipping was never confum'd by Chrifts blood ; Ergo, He fpeaks untnuhs in the name of the Lord : neither is it an Idoll of the firft or fecond magnitude $ no Image of Baptifm, fet up in th? room thereof by mans invention, which are terms by him ufed,to befpatter the truth. But the con. trary is proved, The Adminiftrators Right, a perfon qualified and ordeined j the manner, by fprinkling or pouring out water Right, the form of words Right, and the fubjed Right .• And therefore an Ordi- nance thatfhal (land; mauger al the malice of men) as a precious Ordi-
E nance
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
nance of Iefus Chrift,fo long as the Sun & Moon endures. Aid there- fore inftead of your appealing to men, fince there hath been enough faid, If you and I had never written, let us appeal to God j and let all thofe that own their childrens right in the Covenant fay, Amn.
In Page 25. he concludes agair,that Infant Baptifm is corrupt in the four Eflfentialls aforementioned.
Anftv: Firft then by his own words, tis not annihilated, but onely Corrupted,and that a perfon though corruptly Baptiz*d,ought not to be Baptiz'd, hath been already prooved. But,
Secondly, He reckons without his hoft, and therefore muft come to anewaccompt ; They are not EfTentialls, nor any of them, as laid down by him, but whimfies of his own brain ; therefore.
The next thing we are to follow him in is thebufinefs of theCove- nants,with its diftin&ions and extent ; from which he undertakes to prove, that Infants are not fubje&s of Baptifm. Though we have hitherto built upon a good Foundation ; yet if hee (hakes down this main pillar, it will be time to forfake the houfc . But before wee can come to his Arguments, we mull pafle by many falfitis and prolo. cutions, and goe through many impertinencies, which muft be born withall amongft the Patrons of Error. The firft thing he deals with is, A ( pretended ) falfe confequence, which he faith, wee draw from fcripture, to maintain Infant- Baptifm : It runs thus, * The Covenant ' of Grace is made with beleevers, and their feed : Therefore the feale
* of the Covenant belongs to them. To difprovc which he tells us
* 'tis againft the Law of the new Teftament.
Anpto. The new Teftament is Chrifts laft will to his Church ; in which hee (hews forth more love then he dd in his firft Teftament which was made to the fame Church ; and the Covenant of Grace* in the fpirituall part thereof, is the fame in both ; If therefore in the old Teftament, which was his firft Legacie, hee took Children into his kingdom, and yet now, his bowels fhould be (hut againft them who are not then called into libertie, but a greater bondage then before But grace in the Covenant being unchangeable, therefore Children ftill remain within Chrifts kingdom, except our oppofits can (hew us how, when, and where»they were out- la w'd.
Secondly, His infifting upon the Command,^*/*/?. 28. Go teach and
BaptUe, doth not at al croft this confequence, as hath been already
proved ; therefore no confequence of ours is fore'dto oppofe the
new Teftament.
Thirdly, But fuch without which his pra&ice is not Gofpell,
becaufe
!By Or act ^ not Worki.
bccaufe it (huts up the tender bowels of our Lord Jefus in a narrower compafs then ever the Law did, and the fancies and burthens, Mafter Patient would put upon our (houldiers, in that which they call the Oroinarce, would be heavier then ever the Loyns of the Law were j As to that Inftance he brings of Peter in Page 26. to prove con- icquencies againft commands unlawfull, becaufe he would have dif- 1 waded Chrift from furTering, in thefe words^r be it from thee Lord:
Anfw. IntteadofhandlingthewordlikeaMinifter, he ftretcheth the ftnngsof Scripture, till they crack: what kind of confequence could chis be, or from what place of Scripture, or againft what command, was this a confequence to fay, Far be it from thee Lord} Surely the mod any Engltjh Grammarian can make from thence is ; That ic was a dtfTuafive,but no confequence. However,by this we may Judg how feeble this mans Judgment is,when he thinks God hathCho- fen him as one of thofe, that (hall confound the wife of the world, -hat doth not yet underftand what a true, or right confequence is.
' Mafter Patient afterwards tells us, that all fuch confequencies 1 and books and arguments as are brought againft commands (to
• prove Infant Baptiim , which is cleerly implied ) he may fay of 1 '"hem, as Chrift to Peter, Get the behind mee Satan, thou art an offence %Ume. Fag? ;6. 27.
Anfw, Alas poor man, ifthePhyficks of truth offend his ftomack, which ft* »uld cure him; 'tis a fad figne hec is near paft recovery. How e . ?. , take chi? rxtracT from his own Inftance, that fo far as any man (hall diflwade others from truth, ar.dcaufe them to apoftatize from che ways of Chrift, hee Ads the Divels part, Ergo This I fay not ; Ger thee behind me Saran but this I fay, that book by him publifht, t-i which he fo bitterly reviles the good old way of God : for the ends aforefa;d. The lxare would doe well to have all fuch books, though in Folio, put into an Index Expurgatorius, amongft the whole Rabble 0 ["Erroneous and Heretical! peeces, that have been printed in thefe Licentious book-days : and fo condemn them to the fire, as they have done others not fit to be fuffered. And by this meanes, all Proteftant Churches through the world, will know, what Religion wee are of.
'In Page the 27 he pretends to come nearer the confequence,
* and grounds thereof, but doth not clofe till Page 2 8. And then bee ' tells us of the danger of the practice of Infant-Baptifm, that if it '. be maintained in all it's dtmenfions upon the Ground of the Cove-, 4 nant it will (hake the very foundation of the Gofpell.
Anfw. All thefe are but great fretting -words $f vanitie^ fit for
E 2 n^rhing
I
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
nothing but to delude the fimple, of which we have been long fince foretold, by the Apoftles of Chrift : but to the bufines of the Cove- nant at laft hee comes ; where at length we (hall find with what groffe ignorance, hee gropes about, to find a new way, but is mifta- ken.
CHAP. VII.
The two Covenants tnfwereL
PAgci&. In handling this confequence, and to tut off the rntereft of C hildren , and right to the Covenant , hee reduceth the method into thefc four heads • as before the Controverfie of Bapcifm was into four Eflcntialls.
Firit, To prove there are two Covenants held forth in Scripture ; a Covenant of Works, and a Covenant of Grace.
Secondly, That the Covenant of Circumcifion was not of Grace, but works. Thirdly, That none but beleevers ever had, or (hall have a right to the Covenant of Grace.
Fourthly, To anfwer fuch objections and Scriptures as are ufually alledged, to defend a Covenant of life in the flefh.
To prove the firfl of thefe, hee brings feverall Scriptures : the main of which is, Jer 31. 32, 33 34. but to what pur pofe, it will afterwards appear : the words are thefe. Behold the days come, that I \to7 make a newCovenant With the hotsfe of Jfrael, & the houfe offudah; Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers, when I took them by the hand, to bring them out of the Land of Egypt; which my Covenant they brake, though 1-was to them a httsband,fatth the Lord, ' where faith Mafter Patient, we find an old Covenant, and a new
* Covenant: the old broken, therefore of works j the new was not like
* the old, therefore of Grace &c
isfnfw. Before I (hall come to anfwer the Scriptures by him quoted I (hall kriefely premife, what a Covenant of Grace is; The Anfwer will be this, It's a gracious engagement [betwixt God and his peop/e upon Gofptll terms, requiring duties from them, in promt fmg mercy to them: what that mercy and duties be, and how far Conditio- nal!, (hall largely appear in its due place: this definition of the Cove- nant; importing a Condition is often denied by our oppofit.es>. and
fometimes
By Grace, not Wotkj,
79
a*
fometimes Granted, fo that to bee as a ftable foundation to build upon, I thought it moil fit for this place. And according to tkis definition, I (hall doe two things:
Firft, Give a brief Epitome or Analyfis of Abrahams Covenant.
Secondly, The whole enfning difcourfe, with all his Scriptures that he brings, will be from hence anfwered , and fo his weapons brought againft us, and many more added to them, (hall be made ufe of, to prove Abrahams Covenant in every part thereof, to be a Covenant of pure Grace ; which ( I am fure ) as tis the belt fortification I can mate to fecure the truth, fo the incorfions that (hall be made from hence, upon his confuted and new dodtrine , v. ill give a rout thereto.
Abrahams Covenant had two parts, Gen. 17. 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,14.
Firft, Gods part: this confifted in blefiings, carried on in a way of pcomife, and that twofold.
1. Inward and Spirituall ; I will be thy God , aF.d thy Seeds God : to give grace and Glory.
2. Outward and Temporall, fpecially in three things.
j. In multiplying his feed as the Stars.
2 . In making them blefiings to families and Nations.
3 . In giving them the Land of Canaan for an ever- lafting poftefiion.
Secondly, Mans part ; and this refpeded duties to be done and that twofold.
1 . Inward, rva/ke before wee, and be thou perfett.
2. Outward, and this alfo in three things efpecially.
1. In keeping to the feile or token which then was ( circumcifion, as now. Baptifm ) therefore in every Generation. 2- In keeping the Moral 1 Law. 3, All thofeTypical ceremonies relating toWorlhip. By all which we (hall hereafter fee.
1. That here are not two Covenants fpoken of.
2. That the Covenant of Grace is Conditional.
Firft it hath Godi part, and that confute of promifes and blefiings, Spiritual and Temporal. Secondly mans part confirming of duties, inward and outward, and all this but one Covenant. This Covenant was confirmed, Firft to Abraham as a publique Father : Secondly to his feed, i.e. all the heirs of promifes to the worlds end, both few* and Gennles. 1 By
3° i
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
i. By Promife.
2. By Oath.
3. Byfeale. So that what was promifed to Abraham ,was pr omifcd to al his feed,
and what was fworn and feald to Abraham^ was fworn and featchto all his feed. According to t redefinition alfo we fhall'fee a twofold admifilon into Covenant.
2. Into the outward priviledges of the Covenant i; Into the inward grace of the Covenant.
Hence alfo we (hall have light to fee, firft, how hypocrites and wicked men did then, and do now, get within the Covenant* Secondly howfuch as are within the Covenant do break it, As firlt hee that contemned or flighted, or negle&ed the token or feale of the Covenant to his feed, hath broken the Covenant,which being outward they might keep.
Secondly, The breach of any part of the MorallLaw, was a breach of the Covenant, and this alfo might have been externally kept by all, that were externally within the Covenant.
Thirdly, All thofe typicall Church rites might have been kept,and the neglect or breach of any one in the due order or manner required, was a breach of the Covenant : for negleft of the firft, Gods wrath wasfo kindled againft Mofes that he would have kild him; for breach of thefecondand third -Ifrael was alfo puniftit with death : many inftances thereof might be given; Hence alfo we (hall be kd to an anfwere how the Covenant is call'd.
1. Old and fo vanifht away.
2. New and fo remaines. 5. Anadminiftration.
This being briefly premi fed, I now come to give in the A :fwer to the place by him quoted, fcr. 31 32. wh;ch h brings to pave that there are two Covenants but groflfeh m:!ia\eu yec io fnr as v.e may goe without beach of faith to the rruth of 1 hnft, in acknow- ledging two ( ovenanrs, (h?II not deny him fri-ndfhip, a» namdy,
Firft, Thac there hath been two Covenants m de wi:h man: the one of workes before the fail, in which man flood alone without a mediator,under whch covenant al mankind by nature lies to this day, which is alfo mateiially the fame with that righteous Law Moral!, given to Ifr eel from mount Sin.ihy though upon other tearmes.
Secondly, The other of Grace made fince the fall, and tendred to Adam, in thepromife of Chrift, fince which, the Law in any part of
ic
By Grace , not WorJ^„
t, is not given as a covenant of workes, but as the Law of Chrift at in the hands of a mediator, therefore, Thirdly, Ic was never intended by God, either in giving circum- cifion to Abraham, or the Law to Jfrael, that ever Abrahams teed fliould enjoy Canaan, by the law as a Covenantof works, but only (as hath been laid down in the Analjfis ) as mans part, of the covenant of grace.
Qutfb. But if that was not a covenant of works given to Ifrael, v/hen God took them by the hand, in order to bring them into Canaan, wh it then can be the meaning of th at place, where the holy Ghoft fpeaksof, an old& new Covenant ? & tells us the new Covenant which he will make after thofe days, {lull not be according to the old,&c. The clearing of this, with a Queftian or two more, will take in all thofe fcriptures brought to this, and therefore I farther anfwer.
Firft, The Covenant there raentioned is call'd new^s the Law of love, Uhn i 3.34. I Iohni. X. is call'd a new Commandment cr Law : which yet is not new in it felf, but the fame Command as was given to Jfrael of old Lev. 19. 18 And as the new heavens and new earth are call'd new Re. 21. u And as the new Creature is callM new, which is not the annihilating the old, and creating new> but the putting of the old heavens and old earth, into a new frame of Govern- ment, and the old creature into anewftateof grace, fo the new Covenant is the fame that brought Jfrael out of Bgjft ,and con- tained remiflion of fins , and eternall life in Chrift by faith with all che bleflings of this life, butfo callM, new,
Secondly, Becaufe thofe typicall ceremonies and ordinances which were mans part of the Covenant of grace then, and related to his dude in Gods worfhip, were by Chrifts coming abobfht, and new ordinances under the Gofpell eftablifht in room thereof, for the pro- mising part of the Covenant of grace, From the beginning, hath ever been cloached, with the preceptive Conditional part, to bind up man to his dutie, and walking clofe with God in his Ordinances of worihip. And therefore whenChrift way held forth in the firft promife,immedi- atly facrifices were inftitutcd, a diftin&ion made betwixt clean and unclean creatures, the Law of tithes and firft fruits obferved, blood forbidden : familie-duties required, all which a diligent reader of Scriptures, may eafily obferve, from Adam to Mofes, before there was a publifhing the Law from Sway, and fo to Chrift, Track it from Chrift again, to the worlds end, you have the firft abolifht, a fecond inftituted, and as then, fo ftill ; to bind man to his dutie in walking
with .■■■
3*
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
with God, but not as in a diftincl: Covenant of works, but as the terms of grace, to which man is bound by the Covenant .• and thus thofe typicall ce emonies were as old clothes, and are called beggcrly Rudiments or Rags, in which the promising pare was clothed, and dreft. The Apoftle in Heb. 10. calls the exhibition of Chrift in flefh, in offering up his blood by once dying , and fuch manner of infti- tutions as fhouldbe written by him, to be the new Covenant verfe 15. 16; and puts it in oppofition to the Legall facrifices verfe 4. 5, there- fore verfe 19, 20. the fecond is called the new and living way confe- crated, implying, that as there is now a way to heaven confecrated by the blood of Chrift, and therefore new; fo there was a way to heaven before Chrift came, confecrated by the blood of Bulls and Goats, called old : by this then we fee, in what refped the Covenant is called new and old, namely, as relating to a new or old Church-ftate; the firft given as typicall by Mofes to Ifrael, as Chrifts kingdom; the fecond as fubftantiall, by Chrift to the fame kingdom ; but ftill in the fame Covenant of grace : for a Church ftate is given in order to a foules enjoying, communion with God in his ordinances, which is impoffible to be by a Covenant of works, fince the fall; thus then, the bringing of Ifrael into a new Church-ftate, under theGofpell, is called a new Covenant, which God will make with the houfe of Ifrael in thofe daies : This gives us light, to anfwer alfo that other place Heb. 8. 6,7. by Mafter Patient quoted to prove two Covenants, becaufe Chrift is called the Mediator of a better Covenant eftabliftt upon better promifes: for if the firft Teftament had been fault lefs, there would have been no place fought for the fecend; but finding fault with them, hee faith, behold the day is come, when Iwillmak^a new Covenant with the houfe of Ifrael, and verfe 1 j . In that he faith, anew Covenant, he hath made the firft old', now thatwhifh waxethold,is ready to vanijh away. By which tearms old and new, firft and fecond, better and worfe, he would needs underftand two Covenant? ; one of works, tht other of Grace.
Anfw. In this 8 Chap, the Apoftle comes to apply what he had treated of before in the former (fhap. verfe 1 now of the things which we have fpoken this is the furnme. In the former C hapter the Apoftle had been fpeaking of the Levitical Priefthood and Law, i. e. the Law of Ordinances, and therefore verfe 18. he tells us, the Commande- ment going before, i. e. before Chrift came,was difannull'd, becaufe of the weaknefs, and unprofitab/exeft of it, and gives the reafon in verfe 19. becaufe the Lawt i.e. the Law rf ceremonies made nothing per feci
By Grace , not Worlds*
incomparifon ,. but the bringing in of a better hope did, byVehichVoe draw nigh to God, by which be means the Gofpei- Ordinances of wor- th p; called better, becaufe oppofed to the Ceremonies of the Law, which therefore pre implyed to be wrote. And that by this bitter h>yet is meant Gofpei- Ordinances , is evident j becaufe the Apoftlv ufcth it as an Argument to the Church of the tlebrevts, to perfwade them to hold faft their profeffion, which tney were revoksng from j filing *hem,If they (hould oft off the Ordinmcesof worfhp, they could not then draw nigh to God ; fcecaufethey would thencaft off alfo the High-Priefthood of ( hrift ; foch.3.6. fVhafe hottfe are we if tee holdfafi the rejoycing of the hope to the end. And vcr. 14. We are made partakers of (fhrifl if We hsldfaft the confidence to the e»^;Hehcre calls that the confidence , which before he called thv* Hope and Confi knee, and ch,Io. 7, 5. faft mt afta) therefore jour Confidence, As if he id 'id, If you caft away the Ordinances, or worlhip, youftand no longer i elated to Chrift as hishoufe; nor have you any hope or g ound of hope, to draw nigh to God. So ch. 7. . 9. the Laft mxde nuthinf perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did • by which we draft nigh to God: ^o that the Ordinances of drawing nigh to God under the Gofpei, sre called a better hope, ss they fbnd oppofed ro e Ordinances of worftiip under the Law: which albeit thty did -pproach to God in them ; yet they were kept thereby at a greater
H ance,c/7.9',7.8,9. So
Ag in, let us review this chapter furthcr,becaufe the cleering up of cha ) 8. depends upon it And thefe Scriprures being fully anfwered, w* (hali not have much to do with the reft ; we have already feen, hit the O. dinarces of the Gofpei, are oppofed to thofe of the Law. And That this is fo, fce v. 1 t. IfperftBion was by the Levitical V^rieft- hood. (For pt-^dir it the people received the Law) what need was there of another Vrieflhoodto rife after the order of V'elchizedek? What law was this tbe people received, ver. 12. Tis fuch a law as was changed •ipn the change of t! e Priefthood , which csnnot be meant of the Moral Law, for this is frill the fme and not changed ; but the Law of the Altar, wHich in ver 1 6. is called a carnal commandment, which in ver. t -■ . is difanuilcd by reafon of the weaknefs of it , and ver. 1 9. for the Law made nothing perfell , and the resfon is given ch.9 9. Be- caafe it ~ftOA a figure for the time preftnt, in which were offered gifts and Sacrifices that could not make him that did it perfecl'.And ch. I O.I. The Law being but a fhadow of good things to come , can never with thofe Sacrifices fthich they continually offered, make the comers thereto perfeel;
far.
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
/or then they Would not have ceafed : and in ver. 8. when he fpeaks of Chrift coming to be offered, he draws this refult from the premiiTes j he takes aWay the firft that he may eftablifh thefecond.
Now in this 8 chapter he draws towards a conclufion , and in the firft verfe ; of the things which we have fpoken , this is the fum : he had before fpoken of the Law of Ordinances, and weakaefi thereof; and therefore in this 7.v.ofc$,hc calls it the firft Covenant, for if the firft Covenant had been fault left. Why .wherein was it faulty? The Apoftle had before told them, it was faulty becaufe it was weak, and unprofitable ; and had it not been fo , that law of Ordinances would have made the worfhippers perfect; And then no place would have been fought for the fecond Covenant. So then by the firft Co- venant 'tis deer is meant the Ordinances of the Ceremonial worfhip, and therefore finding fault with them , he fpeaks in the plural number [fifw] Ordinances, not Covenants, ver.%. (unlefs Mr. Patient will make two Covenants of works then) hefaiih, behold the day is come Vchen I Will make a new Covenant , referring to^r 31.52. with the houfe of Ifrael i.e. new laws of woi ftiip. Not according to the Cove- nant Im*de with their Fathers, &c. And verfe laft, in that he faith a\ veto covenant, he hath made the firft old, &c. And therefore whereas Mr. P. tells us that God gave Ifrael a Covenant of works to enjoy Canaan by ; It is moft abfurd : as by their following particulars fur- ther appears.
1. Had thofe typical Ordinances been a Covenant of Works gi- ven at Mount-i**** to Ifrael, then it had not been put ia the hands of a Mediator. For where God gives a people a Mediator j% fuppofed,he intends them Grace thereby. When Adam was put into a Covenant of Works, he was left to ftand or fall by himfelf without help; firce that no Covenant of Works was ever made. Gal. 4. Mofes is called the Mediator of the firft Teftament. Now a Will or a Tcftamem is an aft of Grace purely.
2 . Had it been a Covenant of Works by which they were to pof- (tk (fanaan , there had notbeenone manthatever bad enrred into that re ft. Foritwasimpofliblefor them to fu fil it, becaufe the powr erof doing, foas toanfwer a Covenant of works, was loft in the fall.
3. What favour had this been to Abraham , Ifaae , and fo to all the feed of Promife , to have fuch aflourifhing promife , to polTefs fuch a fruitful Land by a Covenant of Works, when many of the Na tions of the world did poiTefs a more fruitful country, and were ne-
1
By Grace , not Works *
— .
ver put to fetch labour and toy le , fuch difficulties ami dangers that Ifrael were put to?
4. 'Tii sgainft the Nature of a Covenant of Grace which God made with Abraham , firtt to put him into a Covenant of Grace foi fpiritoals, and then tweoty four yeers after fliould put him into a Co- venant of Works for Temporals. So that either believers mufi. fall from Grace, or elfe ftand under two Covenants at one time.
5. Had it been a Covenant of Works made with Abraham, I/aac, and fo along, as this Author affirms, then how came the bond- wo- macs fon a type of that Covenant, to be exempted from that Cove. nant of Works, and Jfaac which wes Sarahs fon, a type of the Cove- nant of Grace, and a child of Promife.to be put under that Covenan ? It could not be for any outward diftin&lon , in outward enjoyments , tor I fhmael had more cf the glory of the world tben7/W,Gen. 17.21.
6. Had the mercy intended Ifrael, related onely to externals in gi- ving them a fruitful Country, in blefllng their corn, wine, and oyle, the fruit of their bodies, their basket, and ftore,asMr. Patient affirms, and this to be enjoyed by a Covenant of Works ; then as a worthy Divine well obferves, in fomewhat the like cafe , how could Efau have been charged for a prophane perfon, for felling his birth-right ? For there had been no prophanerefsinthat, becaufe prophanenefs fuppofeth a contempt or negied of fomsthing fpiritual, which is tber- fore to be enjoyr d upon a fpiritual account, and not by works,
7. What the Prophet fpe,iks, fer. 31.22. and the ^poftle, Heb.S. 9. of Gods taking Ifrael bj the hand to bring them cut cf Egypt, is by the Prophet, Hof. 1 1.4. interpreted, compared with Mat.n 15. to be an aft of a tender Father who owned Ifrae I as a /on j for as a fa- ther in tender love and refpec't to his young child , takes h-m by the hand to teach him to go ; fo did God deal with Ifrael when a child The like be did to Ephraim ver. 3. 1 taught Ephraim alfo to go, taking him by the hand : fo when he destroyed Sodtm , Gen. 19. 16. Whilft Lot lingered as being unr/illing to leave Sodom the Text {i\\h,he laid hold upon his hand and brought him forth. And the reafon is given,be- caufe the Ltrd was merciful to them. So rhat what God did to his people in this kind (is moil deer; was from a pure Covenant of Grace, and Mercie, not by a Covenant of Works.
8. What God did to Ifrael in giving them reft in Canaan, was as (fanaan was a Type of Heaven, Ifa 65 9. and of the Churches ftate under the New-Teftament, fer. 3.18. Ffal. 105.6. For fo the promifc of Abraham, in giving them Canaan is by the Prophst David inter-
F 2 preied
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
cerpreted to be,to a thoufand generations, which therefore rnuft needs exten&to the end of the world. For fo 'tis called a Covenant for ever. And had his feed injoyed (fanaanitom Abrahams days , yet from thence to Chrift was but forty two generations, Mat. i. So that if Canaan was to be polfeft as a type of heaven , then it was no' to be pofTeft by a Covenant of work?, but by faith, fo Abraham pofTcft it, Heb. 1 1 .8,9, 1 o. By Faith hefojourned in the Land of promife as in a fkrange Country, dwelling in Tabernacles with Ifaacy and Jacob ; heirs with him of the fame Promife. For he looked for a City which had foun- dations, wkofe builder and maker ^9 as God. And ver. i s , 1 6. he fought a better Country, a Country whereof tuat was but a type. Now what promife were I/aac and ^acob heirs of ? Why that of the Covenant of Grace, Gen. ij.S. To thee will 1 give the Land of Canaan. And th s theApoftie telh us was pofTdtby Faith as a type of heaven ; therefore not by a ( ov.nant of Works.
p. It further appears by comparing, gen. 17 7. I mil be thy G od, wiih Heb. u.iS- Whtrefore Godu not afbamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for thtm a City, Where the Apoftle thus argues, that had he gnat pro n ifb to -ibraham been onely of an earthly Car naan ; wh ch this Author affirms, was fo be enjoyed by • Covenant of W'>rks; Go : would tave been aftumed to be called his God-; ris eviden: therefore, that fo'i men to affirm inch Dodhines as this , is to put an affront upon God hsmfelf
1 o. It frill further appe us,?hjt Abrahams feed injoyed Canaan by a Covenant of Grace ; becaufe what Aio/es and Iojbua did, who were their c ndu&ors, wa«- done by faith, and ri alfo applyed to all Ifrael, Heb 1 i . 27,28, } 9, By faith , he forfook Egypt , by faith he kept the takeover , by faith they paft th ough the red Sea So when ]ejhua led them over ]o^dnn i: was an ad or iaith ; yea the very conqueft of the enemy there, was an act of Faith, ver 30 therefore, for him ro af firm thatfi ft Covenant, be ore largely opened,to be thofe typical ce- remonies ; and tomans p^rt of the Covenmt of Grace, to be * Co VfnaBt of Works . by which they were to live happ.ly in Canaan, is fuch not rio s ftuffe that he might blufh to name it.
11. Stich a dodnnedirrdiy oppofeth thefe Scriptures, Deut* 9 4, 5,67,8 fpcakjiot theu in thy heart , faying, for my righteoufxefs the Lord hath brought me in to p"Jfefs this Land , and ver. 5. not for thy righteoufnefs , dofl thou pc(f. fs this Land , And ver46. not for thy righteoufnefs fer thou art afiiff-necked people, and ver.7 / rgct not how thou prevokedfi the Lord to wrath in the wildernefs , and from the day
that
'By Grace^ net Wotkt*
that ye came out of Egyt even to this day, until ye came to this place, ye have been rebellious agai-ft the Lord, and ver. 27. he refers back to Abrahams Covenant, and makes ufe of it as an argument to prevail wich God in Prayer ; becaufc be had promi frd to give them Canaan by grace, and not by rheir wosks, fo Aq ch. 0.11,12,13,16. Exodn. 24.^.3.6.8. and ch. 6.8. Numb. 14.23.
U. That reft the Apoftlefpeaksof Heb./\* 7. is meant of a like reft to that of Canaan, which Ifrael was cutfhortofF for wart of faith, Heb*l.i$. to Whom fftare he that they fhou Id not enter intohis reft; but to them that believed not ? this promife of reft is by the Apoftle called a p eaching the Gofpel, Heb.4. 2. lor unto ns Vras the Gofpel preached 04 veil 04 unto them ; implying cleerly , that what was fpoken in that proimfeof giving ifrael rcftxnCanaah was a preaching the Gofpel to them. So that ?s chefpiritual part of the Covenant, which con- veys juftifkadon by Faith, is by Paul called ?. Gofpel preaching, GW. 3.8. ^o the temporal part of the fame Covenant, Gen. 17.8. which this Author would fain make a Covenant of works, thereby to main- tain his errors.thefameApofrletelisus it wasaGofpel preach. ngalfo. By what therefore hath been faid hitherto, tis a Aiming truth, that A- brahams Covenant in all parts thereof, relating to fpirituais, and tem- porals, was a full and compleat Covenant of Grace, to which cir- cumcilion was annexed, as a leal, not as a diftind Covenant of works in order to the pofldling of Canaan ; becaufeas bath been proved, bythefe twelve confioerations , as there hath been no Covenant of works, given (ince the fall , fo ifrael in joyed Canaan by a Covenant of Grace ; r follows therekreiha: Circurncifion, and all thofe leg^i Ordinances, called the firfl Covenant w.;s no Covenant of works, but that part of the Coven int of Gnce that related to mans duty ; f herefore Gen. 17.14- tis called Cods Covenant , and the neglect 01' mans dury in that Covenant was a breach thereof.
cg. But if thtt place fer. 3 1.32. with Heb <:.6*7 be to be unierftood of a Covenant of Grace, and not of works ; then howmay it b>~ f*i'v zhazlfacl brake that Covenant? Can aCovenant ofGrace be broken? The Anfwer to this, upon what is laid down in the Anahfis of A- brahams Covenant , is plain, for there is no Covenant of Grace but hath Conditions , which bind man to his duty : tt was fo under the Law.- faith and repentance was the condition of the Covenant then, as tis now: and becaufe faith without worKs is detdjbeing alone, Jam. 2. 7. therefore Gud hath given Ordinances, and the Laws Moral to his people to keep faith alive , and man may break his part of the — Covenant;
■8
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
Covenant; fo it was with Ifrael, R*m.$. when the Queftion was put, tvhat advantage then hath the feW ? Much every way Jbecaafe to them, at to aM Ifrael, was committed the Oracles, and the Covenant, &c.
Here was the Covenant of Grace externally adminiftred to all : I but yet there was bat a remnant faved, and the greateft part of Jfrael were Covenant-breakers; and the like we have now, andii, and mult be acknowledged by all our diffenting friends of the dipt Soci- | eties, an external, and internal adminiitration of the Covenant: For | their confidence is not fo high as to fay , that all they dip are really ,' within the Covenanr, for we fee many of them turn Apoftatcs from [every thing that is good, and prove carnal wretches; as did Simon \MagHi, fudae, Hymenem, ^Philetta, Ananiai ,- and Saphira , who were all within the Covenant vifibly. If they fay they baptize not i upon the account of the Covenant at all, bat upon the profeflion of 'Faith; I anfwer, either they baptize as vifible believers, or real ; if vi- (ible, then as vifibly within the Covenant; if as real.then really with- in the Covenant : fo that (till the Covenant lies at bottom, and there is as much falling from Grace, and breach of the <■ ovenant upon their own principles, as is pleaded for. The like anfwer alfo is to be given to that other clsufe, of Gods being a husband to them, for the whole Nation of Jfrael was ingaged to God as a fpoufe, fer. 3.14. and fo under the Law of marriage $ and therefore when they were divorced, the whole Nation was caft off; yet one of a City and two of a fami- ly were taken to Zion, I fuch as were fpiritually within the Covenant they hadftill communion with God v 14T0 now,the whole Church is vifibly under a Covenant of Marriage to Chrift, believers and their feed, and are therefore the children of the kingdom, but yet we know the greateft part of a Church may be hypocrites, and fa the children of the kingdom may be caft out : fo that it is moil clear, a Coven int of G ace in this fenfe may be broken in thevifib e pirc thereof , by the vifible members of it.
P: The n?xt I find his piece driving at, is to prove the Covenant of Grace not to be made upon conditions,bat abfoluce:to prove it,he takes up many pages , though to little purpofe ; for what he in one place denyes , in another place he affirms • as in pag. 35, where he confeffeth Faith and Repentance the condition of the Covenant.
Anfa. If it be the condition of the covenant , then the covenant is not made without conditions. For indeed to fpeak of a covenant abfolute without conditions, is to fpeak of that, which cannot be;for if it hath no conditions,^ is no covenant, bat only a tender of grace:
'By Grace j not Workg%
And here lyes much of Mr. Patients great miftake, to take the tender of Grace for the covenant ; and thus he falls into the Antinomian Doctrine : and therefore as faith and repentance is the condition, fo the covenant is not concluded , betwixt God and the foul, till thofe qualifications are wrought, therefore the veins of free-grace arc full of riches, becaufe as God tenders, fo he gives fecretly the qualificati- ons that lay hold upon the tender, fo he did to our firft Parents.
z. But betides, if the covenant hath no conditions, why then doth not Mr. Patient baptize all that come, but they muft give fuchaftrid account of their faith as before hefpeaksof? or why areanycaft out that prove rotten ? will they make conditions therafclvcs, when God hath made none ? For the very ground of adminifrrirgall Or- dinances, is from the covenant as it is conditional : and if it be not conditional , then is it made with a drunkard , as a dmrkard ; and with a whoremafter, as a whoremafler ; with a blafphemer and Sab- bath breaker as fuch : and then to no purpofe is that of Paul 2 Cor, 6. 14,1 5 . What fellowjhip hath right eouftefs with unrighteeufnefs Jight Vtith darknefs, Chrift and 'Belial together e that place fer.i 2. 40. had fuch conditions as God requires. For his fear wot wrought in their hearts, that they fhouU not depart from him : the like alfo Ez.t ^. 1 6. s 9. Thus faith the Lord, 1 mill even deal with thee as then haft done, which haft defpifed the oath in breaking the covenanr.and becaufe he after- ward fpeaksof my covenant & thy covenant,therforeM F. concludes, here were two covenants; the one broken which was mans, the other kept which wastjods. But in this alfo there was but one covenant^ which had two parts, Gods part and m3ns , which was their manner of covenanting with God to make an oath to walk in his ways : and when they had broken this oath ; they had broken the covenant, fecond their part of the covenant : fee that place alfo, T^eh. 10.29, They entred into a curfe to Vralkjn the la'tot of God , that vere given by Mofesthefervant of the Lord', The Law given was the terras God bound them to in a way of Grace and Mercy, and their oath or curfe , declared their owning thereof; fo that when the oath wa^ bro- ken , the covenant was broken j therefore the dedu&ion that Mr. Patient makes from thefe Texts, that there are two covenants , is un- found and retten , and favours of too igr jrant a fpirit in thetove- nantof Grace. The like alfo E^ek; 56.25,36, 27. 1 will fprinkle clean water upon yeu / will takf aWay the heart of (lone >and give you a heart of flejb, &c. A nd ver. 37./ will yet for all this be enquired of by the houfe of Jfrael ; is not here a condition ? whereas therefore Mr.
Tatient
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
"Patient tells us if Gods people fin. • He binds himfelf to pardon * their (ins, a^d to remember their fins no more j and therefore it is 1 impofliole tor a foul once in this covenant to mifcarry.
Anfvo. Such an application as this, is fitter for a Synagogue of Libertines then a Church of Chrtft, God never pardons the fin of a people, but he makes them holy. And before he pa d :ns their fin he will make them l'marr, and cry out under the ftoke of his hand • how did David roar under the wrath of the Almighty? the whole book of Pfalmt fhews us ; fo Heman, and Ephraim, Manajfes, yea all the examples in Gods word, and the experiences of Gods people, they all fpeak out che trurh, Heb.7.2. that Chiift is firft a King of righteottf- nefs, before a King of Peace.
Therefore let fuch as fear the Lord remember the covenant of grace hath conditions, fuch as God will whip his people intoj and if the Rod will not do, his fhepherds crook (ball belaid on with ftrong blows, by this way had David com fort, Tfal.i^. And therefore'tells us, Pfal,%9. 1 7. If Gods people fix, and traifgrefs his Law^ he will vi- fit their tranfgreffions with a rody and their iniquities with (Iripes ; and though everlafting love is their portion , yet that is the way he takes to breed them up,fo bring them to covenan: conditions : And though the Elf d of God (hall never fina ly fall away ; yet they may and do break and fall from the vifible part of the covenant too often, chough they are broughc in again, and others fall off finally, us did thofe primitive Apofl ates already mentioned. So that place muft be under- ftood, ^.15-2,4 5,6 whith diftindionMr TatiexPmull admit of, and can never evade it.
All the reft of thofe fcriptures by him brought to prove the abfo lutenefs, or furenefs of the covenant, or two covenants . do bear the farce interpretation; take thof: two for inftance, Ifaiah n5.^, he^'rj ken to me incline your ear , hear and your foul /hall live : andl^ill\ make aneverlafting covenant. &c. SoH?b. '. 17, 18. wherein Godi willing to fhen> unto the hdrs of promife the immutability of hts counfel confirmed the fame by 01th to Abraham ; that by t Wo immutable things in which it was impoffible foy (jod tc lye : Vre might have ftrong cr.nf lo- tion : And though Mr Patient from thefc places concludes, the cove- nant-mercy of David to be fure, and fo immutable ; yet there muft be an inclining the ear, and hearkening to the voice of God : even of fuch as are really within the covenant ; and to fuch onely the cove- nant is fare.- But now there were many of the Church of the He- brews that we have ground to judge were but vifibly in covenant,and
By Grace , not Works,
fo, ontly pretended heirs of promife , and foch were they that wer falling from Ordinances thai forfook the afTemblies; fold their birth right , as thofc alfo already mentioned : So that we ftill fee the di- ftin&ion holds, fome are really, forae onely vifibly, feerringly with- in the covenant.
F.Pa.24 He afterwards brings many places to |>rove,that the con- dition of the covenant (which before hedenyed) is faith and re- pentance, and they are wrought in the foul by God.
Ahfw. That the condition of the covenant is fo wrought, isbyos confeft, but yet we may hare fee how whiffling erroneous fpirits are.- fometimes he affirms the covenant to be abfolutc, fometimes that it h conditional, that fo he might have a ftarting feole to flye out at : and let me remind him here • that if he keeps to this principle, that faith ind repentance is the condition of thecovenaat; he muft according co the Scriptures, admit of a vifible being in the covenant, as well as of aninvifible, in order to the communion of Saints in the world j for there are many pretenders to thofe conditions and qcal fications, which yet by vertue of their profeflion cannot be denyed thefealsor the covenant , becaufe they vifibly fubmic to the terms thereof, as is before [roved.
P. The next thing he grc fly errs in, is page 3 7 .where in his explain-, ing that Text, Gen. 3.17; of the feed of the womas, he tells us it is meant of Chrift ; That God would infufeorput into the womans fadt his created gifts of holinefs and purity;
Awfto. We may fee what old Springs of error this book of his bubbles up withal. For by this he makes Chrift only a compleat and perfed man,as Adam before the fall, with infafed qualifications, and by this made an ur.fpotted Sacrifice ; by which, the divine nature of Chrift is taken away , that he was not God as well as man : and the Hypoftatical urion (as Divines call it) isby thisdtftroyed , con- trary to the whole current of Gods word; and directly oppofmg fib.i. 1,2,3,10, 14. And the word was mads flej7)\and dwelt among ft us ver.iS. SoHif^.1.2,3. 1^.4.14,15. ch.^. 1,7,10,1 ;. multitudes o- Texts might be added. Arim thy error ftruggles to live, when thou irt dead.
2. When God faith, I will put enmity betwixt thy ktd and her feed we are not to underftar.d it mcerly of Chnft,butof the lnfan'-Chtrch feed For fo Eve by faith underftoo<J the promife, Gen.q. 5. when Sith was born, God hath appointed me amther feedinftead of Abel whim C ain flew. Which Infant- feed of theChurch is as truely in covenant,
I II l« •**' »>» ■
Caleb's Inheritance i* Canaan,
was, and (hall be to the worlds end , as Adult believers, and Satans malice is as much againft them, as the other, in all ages, as appears by ( rf^ bloody Murther, with Exod. i.to,i6". Mat.i.\6. Rev, ;2.2. 13.17. Therefore IV r Patient in his often endeavours to caft out this feed of thtChurch by confining thcChurcb,either toChrift perfonal- ly, or Adult believers,which fo often he cals the fpiritual feed,doth but (triveto do that now, which if he will but read thofe places cited%He may know who it was that ftudyed the fame practice in former ages.
P. The 38 page, tells us that the new covenant was never entailed upon any fltlhly line or generation as the covenant of circumciiion was, bu* was (till confirmed of God in Chrift , and to fuch oncly in Chrift as you findein the promiffsro^£r<*/w»* , G^.12,3.- In thee flail all nations of the earth be bleffed. Jn which there is no refpcft of perform in their blelTings to litej but all Nations in Chrift, as well ene as another are bleft, and all out of Chrift are accurft.
Anfpp. It hath been befo; e proved that the new covenant or cove- nant of grace, hath a twofold part or branch, the one invifible, the other vifible, and both are the covenant.The one relates to the grace of the covenant, the other to mans duty in the ufe of Ordinances. And this fecond parr, hath from the beginning run upon inrail to be- lievers and their feed ; even from the days of Adam to Chrift, and fo fincc ; yea the promifc which relates to the fpiritual feed , runs for the molt part uponintail alfo , though I do not fay that all the feed of believers are fo children of the promife. For as the intail vi- fibly took in all the (ted of Abraham, lfhmael as well as Jfaac, fo Sfatt as well as Jacob, Cain, as well as Abel , Ham and Japhet as well itShem , yet the feed by promife comes in by way of intayl, to the children of promife. As the covenant wascntayled from Adam to Seth , Enos, Kenan, fo to Noah, Shem, Arphaxad, and up to Abra- ham j and then to Jfaac^ Jacob, and bis twelve fons , but fo in Jttdah it continued to Chrift, fee Luke 3. to the end, compared with Mat . 1. to 17. where you (hill finde a fpiritual entail by promife* and were it not fo, what incouragement could it be to believers to be Stoicktin family duties, had they not a promife to reft upon , as touching fa- mily bleflings ? Which place in Luke 3. is fo cleer that Mr Patient to evade the ftrength and dint of Scripture, makes this whole line to run in a covenant of works: the contrary whereto is already proved that no fuch covenant is made with man fince the fall ; there- fore fee thefe Tests which prove an intai 1 ,De ut. 4 3 jSBecaufe he loved thy fathers, therefore hi ehofe their feed after them, So ch,io<$. the Lord
By Grace , not Worl{fm
had a delight in thy Fathers to Uve them , and he chofe their feed after them, tven you above all people, compared with Rom I 1 . 28. *i touching ths hltBion they are beloved fer their fathers fakf * ; Hence it is that we finde the Parents faith drawn forth to believe cheir feeds intereft in the covenant. Thus did Eve in the place before mentioned , be- lieve the covenant- ftate of S#/.>, as fooo as born. And therefore (he calls him another feed inftead of Abel. The like alfo we find of La- mech,Gen 5.28,29. who concludes that though God would deftroy and curie the earth • yet upon the birth of Noah , he (hoold be~a comfort to the Church: Thus was David drawn forth to believe.That becanfeof that Everlafling Covenant God had made with him, he fhould in time havehishoufexoftourifh, though yet God made it not to grow, Pfal. 89. 29, 3 4, 3 5 compared with 2^^.25.5. The like ground of believing is to reach to thefe days, and to the worlds end concer- ning the feed of believers right to the covenant, as Tfal 102.28. the children of thyfervants JbaH continue , and their feed jhall be eftablijhed before thee-, How long was this feed to continue ? See ver 26,27; £0 long as heaven and earth (hould remain. Hence it is that God hath
Ipromifed, to be the God of all the families of Jfrael, Jer. 3 1 . 1 . & Ifa.65. 13. That they are the feed of the blejfed of the Lord and thtir off firing frith thtm. Which bltfTednefs relates to more then externals , as by that 1 02 Tfal. appears. For the heaven and earth was to be folded up as a garment and to Wax old ; but the feed and off- firing of his children JhoulA remain, and have greater blejfings.
That place Gen. 1 2.3. Mr Patient doth acknowledge to beGofpel, bur in fuch low and general terms, that intflfed he denyesit • For faith he,all Nations that arc in Chriftare bleflfed. When yet, he will not acknowledge that ever any Nation were fo bleft, no not the Jews chemfelves ; but onely a remnant. And the reafon of hi» mittake ;5, becaufe he confidersnox that there isavifible being in Chrift, it in that place, Joh.\%.^\. Abide in nceanh Iinyow, he that abideth net in me is cut t'jf as a branch-. So that he confines the meaning of :he promife, in thee and in thy feed, to Chrift onely ; contrary to the due Unit of the- words. F<>r by thy feed is alio meant believers, and fo Clvift myitically in head & members is to beunderftood, Gen 13. <;. lookjofrards heaven and tell theflars ifthtu art able, fo Jhall thy feed be • Mr Patient I hope Will not make fo many Chrifts, and cb.ij.j. I frill efiablijb my covenant betwixt me and thee , and thy feed after thee in thir generations ; fo if Abraham had a feed in every generation which were to be a bieffiag thereto r So Gen. 12. 1 f: In bleffmg I will blejs
r- ■ thte.
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
thee, and wi.'I multiply thy feed, and thy fted fUall pcfeft the gates of his enemies , meaning toe conqueft of Canaan which could not be in Chrift perfonal , becaufe the Land of Canaan sum conquered many hundred yeers before he came, and fince tis defiroyd. So in thy feed all the T^jtions of the earth fhall be blejfed, vcr S. i e. in the multiply- ing of Abrahams ktd as the ftars , they fhould at laft come to be a bltfling ro all Nations ; by all which places it is cleer that the word feed which he confines to Cbrift,is meant of all believers to the worlds end: and indeed to deny this fenfe of the place, is to deny that Abra- ham had any Gofpel preacht to him, as any judicious rtader may ea fily obfetvejfor that which the Apoftle icow.j.iS.fpeaks of Abrahams faith to jufttfication, is referred to Gen. 15.5. Soflull thy feed be , that is,as the ftars of heaven for multitude , which t/fbraham believing, it ^9 as imputed to him for righteoufnefs j This Expofition therefore being granted.the other wi!! appear but lame and maimed. 3 The covenant faith Mr Patient, \s not intailed as circumcifion was. An fa. Though there hath been enough faid to fatisfie men of rea- fon , yet I (hall here , as in many other places, be forced to repeat what before hath been fpoken : If therefore Circumcifion be not a covenant of works, then it muft be the vifible part of the covenant of Grace , and then it muft run upon entail, as Mr Patient here grants ; Therefore let the Reader obferve it hath been already proved , The covenant had two parts; one for fpirituals,the other for temporals, in giving Ifrael reft in (fanaanyz.nd all the good things thereof : the firft part is proved to be Gofpel from Gal. 3 .P. and that the fecond alfo is Gofpel, fee Heb%\- 18. compared with f^.4.1,2 to whom/roar e he that thij/hould not enter into his reft , but to them that believed not, fpeak- ing of the reft in (fanaan , which Ifrael was cut fhort of in the wil- dernefs. And f/7.4 1 . Let w therefore fear ,U ft a premife being left us, fVe alfo fall Jh^rt, Ftr unto us is the Gtjpel preached as Vrell as to thetn. From whence it ii detr that ifrael never had reft mCanaan fey works, but by grace ; and therefore it follows, If Ifrael did not injoy Ca- naan by a covenant cf work* , and yet they did injoy it by the co* vensntof Circumcifion, then Circjmcifion was not of works, but of grace : fo that we fee our oppofites mud be forced to acknow- ledge the vifible part of the covenant of Grace to run upon inrail to believers and their feed. Thus we have done with this firft head, and have anfwercd all his material Scriptures ; which indeed doth al- fo anfwer the next following, or any tl ing material in bis book, and chough I have, undermined his. foundation fo, as that the whole
■ M ■ '■ ■ ■ ■■■■■I 1^1 W ■ , ■ ■ ■
jBy Grace, not Worlds,
fhufture is fallen ; yet becaufi I would feparate the ftones , from the other rubbifh , I (hall therefore tome to his next general head.
CHAP. VIII t/fn anffoer to the fecond general head touching the Covenant.
PAg. 42. The next general head by him laid down to prove, is, That Circumcifton is no covenant of grace, but of works, called acoventntin theflefh, Gen. 17. 13. but before he comes to his Ar- guments, he opens the meaning of the word everlafting , which is :o be onderftood of the ever of the Law , especially when it compre- hends with it their fced in their generations, and this he lays down as a maxim; to prove which, be brings Le v. t 6. Num. 2 5. 13. Exod.40. i5.dk 30.20,21*. all which places ipeakof the Lcvitical Pr;efthood,ei- ther of the line in which it (hould run,or the way by which they were inflated into tbeir office, by anointing , or the manner by which they approacht conftantly into the Tabernacle, or of the manner of their atonement for the people, all which frnuld remain as an everlafting ftature in their generation?.
A. That by everlafling we are to underftand the evirof the Law onely, is no found maxim: for though it be fo to be underftood in rhe places quoted , becaufe itrelatedto the Priefthood , and Tabernacle worfhip; yet if that covenant in Gen. 17. Which Circumcifion fealed then, upon which God promifed the Land of Canaan as a type of heaven, remains ftill as an everlafting covenant, then his maxim is broken: fee therefore that parallel Texc, Tfal. ioc.6 toGVa.17 O jefeed of Abraham his fervant, he is the Lord our God, he hath reman bred his covenant for ever, the -word which he commanded to a thoufand generations, ivhich covenant he made with Abraham and his oath with Jfaac, and confirmed the fame to Jacob for a Laft, and to Jfratlfor an e- ver/afting covenant ^faying.) To thee will I give the handof (fanaan, &c.
From which it appear: ,that the word everlafting is to be underftood to a thoufand generations,*'.* . to the worlds end ; becaufe the giving Ifrael Canaan , was a type of heaven , and from Abrahams days to Chriftwas but forty two Generations. Therefore this difference i« to be obfervedj that when he fpeaks of fratutes everlafting to be ob-
ferved
6 \
Caleb's Mxtuance in Canaan,
lervcd in their generations. 'Tis meant of thofe Statute Laws that God gave co//vW for worfhip; andfoas Mr Patient obfervesitis to be underflood for the ever of the Law. Bat when the Holy Ghsft fpeaks of a covenant, ever lafting, asinGmi7.i5. 'Tis fach a cove- nant that is to cominue.fo long as the heavens and earth (hall conti- nue, foiW calls it, Heb. rWo. The blood of the everlafting c ov e- nant. AndthisinG^.3.17. was that covenant that Chrift confirm- ed to Abraham and his feed 430 yeers before the Law , and called e- verlafting, in that place of Gexejttbefoie quoted; which everlafting covenant rook in an everlafting feed.and iscalled a Gofpel-preaching to v^WjGaI.3.8. and by John, Rev. 14.6. is alfo explained to be an everlafting Gofpel : from hence alfo it is that Paul in Heb.6. when he fpeaks of Gods bkfCmg Abraham and multiplying/?^/^, which he c tils 1 he heir; of promife, calls it his immutable Counfel, as rela- ting to both the covenant, and the feed of the covenant.- ' Now if there be an cverlaftingnefs in the covenant which takes in'fuch a feed as tt did to Abraham, then muft it continue longer then the Law or elfe there muft be a mutability. So again, if the petfons row cove- nant ng were changed, I e. If God were not the fame to believers and their feed now, as he was then, or if believers fliouJd now cove, nant onely for themfelves, and leave out their feed • then there is a mutation of the covenant: therefore David in Pfal. 102 26 27 28 before quoted, fpeaking of the infant feed of the Church t tells us that though the heavens and earth Jhould wax eld and perijb as a gar- ment, (which words are qu ^ted by Paul, Heb. 7. i». toaGofpel- <hirch)yetthatChurch-ftedfiouldconti„tu,(oa\[o PA/103. 17 18. from everlafting to everlafting, and that by vertue of t! at everlafting covenant.- therefore what feeble maxims this new D.&or tcacheth and how ill he compares Texts we may here fee:
Pag-44 • The next thing he opens is thefe words, / will be thy Gody and thy feeds God, and that two ways; the ore b a covenant of Orace.theorherbyacovcnarcof Works; rhefirft cbfclure thefe- cond conditional, and fo God gave himielf to be Abraham God bv ^ conditional covenant of Works.
A. That this is ftrange Divinity, that God fhouKibe a peoples Odd by a Covenant: of Work? fince the fall,} doubt no j^ut it will appearto found Chriftians, from what hath beesalre^ 1 d :i fhall therefore pafs ir to come to his confufed Arguments, forne of wh.ch i nave contracted into form,to take the better profped thereof />. His firfr Argument runs thus. Thatcovcnanc that rum upon I
■ tn n»n*i ■ 1 1 ngi ">i ****>*x***m**
!By Gracty not Works ;
in mmmft
conditions, is a covenant of Works : but fodoth Circumcifion, there-
A. To which I anfwer, Thefirft proposition is denycd and d.f- proved, and it is by him confeft that faith and repentance is a conditi- on of the covenant. So that by this he affirms pro and con. and may as well fay plainly, that the covenant of grace is a covemnt ofwork*. becaufe it hath conditions: therefore his foundation is too weak, and rotten forfuch a building.
P. hi pag-45- he would prove the land of Canaan to be given to Abr'ahtm&nd his feed by a covenant of works, and fo would be their j God, and then his Argument runs thus. Jf God gave the Land of | Canaan to Abraham and his feed upon the condition of Ctrcurrcifi- on, and keeping the Law ; then he gave the land of Canaan by a I covenant of works-.batGod gave the land to Abraham upon condition he would circumcife his feed ; Therefore.
tsf. This hath been already cleared, that circumcifion and keeping of the law was mans part of the covenant of Grace, in which the Church was to walk with God .being bound up to vifible duties then, as it is now : and that Canaan was not given Ifrael by works, my an- fwer to the preceding head makes clear , to which I refer the Readtr, yea it is directly againft thefe Scriptures before quoted, D^f.9.4,5, 6,7,8,^.10,11,12,13,16*. £***". 3.24. Heb,S'i$> ch.4. ^z.chu. 8 9 10. yea fo to affirm is to put an affront upon God himfelf.and to make bim afhamed of that title of being Abrahams God, Heb.11. 16. See alfo the twelve Scripture-confiderations before men- tioned. m . -. P. lnpag.45,4^. he brings feveral Scriptures to prove tnatCir cumcifion bound to the keeping of the Law. But not one of all thofc places by him quoted, fpeaks that they were bound to keep it as a co- venantof works , but as the LaW sf Chrift , and fo Jfraels Gofpel in which Juftification was conveyed ; and therefore when we read of the Primitive revoltings from Gofpel-Ordinances , to Circumcifion and the works of the law, as the Church at Rome, and GalatU did, it was upon the like miftake of this Author, who thought the law had been given them as a Covenant of works which was not fo intended, and by this means they came to reft in the law , and are condemned foritby the Apoftle, £<?;». 2.13, 17. q*l.$*i,2.
2. Confider, tbat Baptifm now , binds as much to keep the law
Moral acd Gofpel-Ordinances, as Circumcifion then, did bind Ifrael
to keep the fame moral law, with the legal Ordinances; and he might
*- — r — with
8
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
with as much evidence of truth argue, That becaufe Baptifro binds to keep the law , therefore the Churches of Chrift now arc under a covenant of works.
P. page ^7 he winds up thus: Abraham, as if God (hould fay I will be thy God, and thy feeds God, to protect, defend, deliver and blefsthec; with the bletfings of Canaan, in the fruit of the womb in thy basket and ftore, and with all outward bleiTings , upon condi- tion that thou wilt be circumcifed , and keep the law as a covenant of works.
A. A poor Argument, was it not ? to prevail with Abraham when he might havereplyed, Lord there are many that do poffefs afar greater portion in rhe world , yea thou haft faid that ray fon IJhmael flull have twelve Princes rife from him, and that he (hall be a great m an in the earth, yet none of them are bound up to fuch ftri<5t obli- gations. And when thou gaveft a covenant of works to Adam, he (hould have had leaven, and eternal happinefs and glory! A nd (hall I be content with an earthly portion upon fuch hard terms? And upon this account it is , the Author to the Hebrews doth fo ar- gue. That God would have been afhamed to be called Abrahams God, which yet Mr Patient is not aftiamed to tell the world in print
thac he was \yrsbrahams God by a covenant of Works : Horrid
fluffs? :
The like anfwer \% to be given to that piace^r. i 1.2,5,4,?. cur fed be the man th.it obeys mt the words of this covenant which I commnnd- edyour Fathers JVhen 1 brought them from Egypt faying, Obey my voice fojh.ll ye be my people , and I will be your God , that I may confirm the oath Vvhich I ffrare to your Fathers , to give them a land flowing Kith milk^and honey ; the Land was given by grace , and the covenant be fpeaks of was a covenant of grace^not of works ; but as faith leads to woiks, fo rhe covenant leads man to hs duty , in keeping the com- mmds of God ; it was fo then , and fo it is now, and in this fer.fr that plave is true, Pfal. 6. he rervardtth even man according to his worktt not for his wo>kj- And we are at this d*y Gods people and f c our God upon the fame terms of works, as then, See? Con 6.1-1 18 , come cut from amongft them, and be ye ft pirate, and toucVnot the un- clean things and then I Will be your Father , andyefcdl be my fans and daughters, fo that God becomes ours upon conditions fill , 3nd yet by no covenant of works.
P. Page 48. The laft thing with which he concludes this firft Ar- gument (if fuch it be; is this. Abraham had a covenant of Grace
By Grace , not Worhg,
rnadc with him, twenty four yeers before that covenant of works, and his happinefswich all his fpiritual feed was in that abfolate cove na^t.
A.H&& M.Tatients memory been good, he would not fo have con- tradicted himfelf, For firfr, this covenant of works he hath made to begin from Ad<*m> and fo dtlcended to Abraham. For he hath long before proved that the Law which was given from Sinai was in force before the days of Noah, how then is that like to hold with this, that 'he covenant of works was ro. given to Abraham? tis twenty four ycers after that of Grace.
a If he make Ci cun cifi^n the covenant of works, that he means: then it implyes ihtt &* foaham had two covenants of wtrksj one by defcent, and the other made afterwards.
5 Where he teife us , the happinefs of his fpiritual feci lies in the abfolure covenant j I anfvur, uhat fpiritual f^cd had Abraham if it was not Ifaac ? And yet Ifaac was the line in which the covenant of Circumcifion was to run, and not Ifhmael, Gen 17.21. So that look what happinefs the promife gave him of Gods being his God , was conveyed in that covenant: and either Mr Patient muft fay, it was no ! appinefs to him, to have God to be his God; or elfe if it was a hap- pinefs : then he muft acknowledge it in that covenant. Thus we fee how fadly he is beerror'd : certainly had this Doctrine been brought in the A politics days, he would have lookt upon it as another Gofpel, and it is a fad curfe that he gives to the preachers thereof.
P. Afecond Argument, though very improperly fo called, to prove circumcifion a covenant of works, is , becaufe it was a national covenant in the fl fh.
A. The prudent Reader may cafily obferve what a poor fhift this is to maintain Circumcifion a covenant of works ; as if a covenant of Grace could not be national: and though what hath been faid £0 prove Circumcifion a covenant of pure Grace, be fufficient ; yet I (hall briefly add : If the promife made with Abraham , was a Go- fpel promife, in wh ch were contained national bleflings , in thy feed all the nations of the earth /hall be blejfed • If the Jews (hall bere-in- graffed as they were cut t<fY; If by the (tone cut out of the moun tains, that (hall fill the world be to be underftood the Church and kingdom of Chrift; If the knowledge of the Lord (hall cover the earth , as the waters cover the feas ; If there fhall be a new heaven, and a new earth, wherein fhall dwell righteoufnefs • If the kingdom of God was taken from the Jews and given to another Nation:
H If
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan)
If the Church now coming out of the wildernefe , holds parallel with the Church in the wildernefs, under the Law ; If the kingdoms of this world (hall become the kingdoms of the Lord Ghrift, if chat Commiflion,^f*f.2 8. in order hereunto , be to teach all Nations, &c. If that Nation and kingdom that will not ferve Chrift (hall be cut off, If a 60.12. Then are the bleflings of a covenant of Grace na- tional bldlings ; and what God intended in Abrahams covenant was national : I need fay no more.
T. In pag. 49, 50, 51, 52. he runs into a large field of difcourfe, and over-runs the old Scriptures again (as ie is ufual with bim) to prove, that though the Jews had the covenant of Circumcifion given them by entail, yet as to matter of Juftification they were as far off, as Pagans, and heathens: and what Juftification Abraham had, was while he was uncircumcifed, and yet withal granting , That the Jews had the advantage of other Nations by having thofe Eminent ten. ders of the Gofpel held out among., them. And notwithftanding that covenant in the flefh .- yet they were all linnets , and therefore there is but one way of Juftification, which is by faith in bis blood ■ therefore Circumcifion muft needs be a covenant of works , for if it had been a covenant of Grace, it would have adminiftred Juftifica- tion with it ; This is the full fenfe as neer as I can collect,out of fuch ftragling dilcourfes„
Though the Scriptures he brings in thefe pages to prove what he af- ferts were before omitted, yet I (hall here take them in, as moft fit in this place, becaufe the tunning over things fo often, would otherwife make the Anfwer fo bulkifh, and therefore,
A. Though he faith, Juftification by faith was not given by Cir- cumcifion, i. e. by the aft done, as neither is it now given by Baptifm, yet Juftification was given in that Covenant of Grace which Cir- cumcifion fealed, and fo theEled did obtain it, Rom.4.1 u He recti* ved thefgn of Circumcifion, afeal of the right eottfnefs of. Faith, that he might be the Father of all that believe , though they be not Circumcifedi So that Circumcifion was the covenants feal , and not the feal of his faith, out of which the Gentile Nations were excluded, till that Jew- i(h Church was caft off,fo that the J.*ws were neerer then Pagans and Heathens, notwithftanding any thing he affirms, becaufe the one was under the call of the Gofpel and the tenders of Grace ,when the other wasafaroff, Aliens and fir angers, Eph. 2.11,12,13. But when the Gofpel came ataongft them alfo, then they were made nigh by the blood
By Grace , not Worhg>
of Chrift. The Heathens in New- England, will any fober under- ftandingCbriftian fay , they areas neer to a ftate of Juftification as chofe chat are born and bred Jp , and dwell under the found of the Gofpcl ? yea v1r. P. himfelf doth contrididt what ht in this iftirms, in acknowledging that the Jews were priviledged before o- cher Nations, in having fuch precious tenders of theGofpel, ^49. fo -hat we fee he doth not (tick faft to his own judgement in any thing. Bat wherein thefe precious priviledges fhould lye,or how the Gofpel fhould be tendred , if they were not vifible under the covenant of Grace, and fo neerer then Heathens , I cannot fee, nor, I am fure,he himfelf : for had not Juftification run in the Jewifh Ordinances, more freely then it did to the Gentiles, that had them not , they had mftead of being priviledged, been more in bondage and (Uvery then any Nation in the world.
«. There is not any one place, or Text ©r fyllable in the 2,3, or 4 to Rom.otin 12,1 7,17,1 8, 22.ofto.or 5,4,5. Gal.thst faithjuftification by faith was not given in the covenant of Gircumcifion,or that Juftifi- cation by faith is oppofed to Circumcifion, or that becaufe Abraham wasjuftified, before circumcifed ; thereforeCircumcifion is a covenant of Works. But this the Texts fay, that juftification is to ke bad in the covenant of Circumcifion , which were it a covenant of works, would not there be found, Rom. 3 .1,2,5,30. But
$. And becaufe he tells us in pag.5 5. That there is no Text in all the Scripture more eleer to prove the covenant of Circumcifion to be a covenant of works then this 4 .Rom, fetting Faith and Circa mcifi- On in opposition , (hewing that Abrahams fpirituaJ feed , had their juftification in another covenant 3 and not in circumcifion ; I have therefore taken it into this place , becaufe one anfwer will ferve both.
To deer this place therefore from this cloud of error caft upon it, I (hall ftay fome time, to fearch into it. The words are thefe ; What {hall we Jay then , that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flejh hath found } For if Abraham Vpos jufiified by works , He hath where- of to glory , but not before Qod j but Abraham believed God, &c. And bow was it then reckoned ? when he was in Circumcifion, or in uncircum- cifion ? mt in Circumcifion, &c.
A, By comparing this with the preceding chapter, as alfo with c h. 5,6,7,8. we findc the Roman Church chat had imbraced the Ordi- nances of the Gofpel j were then falling back into the works of the Law, and thofe legal Ordinances , in tbem to gain juftification. And -R 2. therefore
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
therefore they would be liftening after thofe falfe Teachers that present up Circumcifion after the manner of Mofes , which was the prevailing error in that Church, and is at this day , it being fo fallen that they maintain good works , do juftifie. Now the Apoftle to bring them off from this error, bids them look upon Abraham^ whom they acknowledged to btthe father of the faithful ; and fee how the cafe flood with him, how he was juftifyed ; fecretly implying that if he that was the Father of all believers was not juftifyed by works, then it would be unreafonible in hi -- children to think that they were; and therefore it was their duty to follow him.- by which we fee Abra- ham is held forth as a publick perfon in the Gofpel,to which Gofpel- Churches are to have recourfe,to recliHe errors in doctrines of Faith; and if upon fearch they found that Abraham was juftifyed in urcir- cumc fion, then they ftiould not think that Circumcifion was of ab folute neceffity to judication ; and therefore tells them it was their miftake, the Law was never intended by God to juftific any , but cb. 3 9. both few and Qentile are aU under fin , and vcr. 10 therefore by the deeds of the Law no fiejh can be juftifyed , for all have finned , and are therefore juftifyed freely by hU (frace without the deeds of the Ztf**, ver.28.upon which the Rom ins make this Objedion ,Rcm^ 1. Whit benefit or advantage then hath Abraham found, to whom ih . covenant was made? The meaning is becaufe Abraham had not his juftification by circumcifion ; therefore they could not fee any G<>- fpel-bencfit that came by that Ordinance atall ; fo much isimplyed in the words: the Ike alfo cS.j. what profit then it there of Circumci- fion ? and it is the fame objection in effect that M. /\ makes onely a hctle changed, For thus his runs ; If Abraham was nor juft-fV. d in rhe covenant of Circumc fion, then is Circumcifion a c vcmntoi works; both which the Apoft^anfwers, tha* though Abraham »n>i his feed wers not juftifyed by the Law, as a law or coven&n of works; yet there was a confiderable advant ige rhe Jevs h-d by c tc« cifion, and ch efly,becaufe unto them were c-.mmitted the oracles of '■lod.rna ch, , o;\. \\>hoare !fraelites,i. e a peculiar Nation iticicfed b. G >d h.mw> felf from all the Nations of the world, to them appertains the adoption, an i the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the LaVt , and tie fervice of Gody and the I'romtfes , whofe are the Fathers^ and of whom concerning the fie Jh Chrifi came ; As if he had faid , all this h^ap and bundle of benefits came in to the Jews and that Na*on , which no Nation under heaven had befides, and yet for nil this there were ma- ny that did not believe, ch. 3 . 3. For Vvhat though fame did not believe}
(by Or ace , not frerl^*
fall their unbelief make the Faith of God Without effect ? Godftrbid^ as if he had faid , The end for which God did lo much prmledge them above others was , that all his might bdieve ; but yet fome did not; implying that fome did, i.e. many of them were juitifyed. T erefore ch. 4. 9. he draws to wards a refult, cemeththidblejfednefs then upon the (fucumcifion onelj, or upon the uncircumcifion alio > how was it then reckoned} 1. e. If Abraham was juitifyed in uncir cumcifi- on , then the righceoufnefs of Faith comes not upon the ( lrcumci- fion onely : and ver. 12. To them who are not of the Circums-fion onelj : and ver. 16. Not to th^c feed onely which is of the Law And then the Apoftle concludes, ver. 23* that it Wo* not Written for Abrahams fa\e atom that right eoufnefs Was imputed to him, but for xs a If 0,1. e Rom. and all other Gentiles, if they believe, to whom Abraham s*- as well a Father, as to the Jews.
So that ihis triumphant place gives not the leaft continuance to his opinion; either that Circumcifion was a covenant of works, or that it ftand^i indirect oppefidon to faith , or that God gave a cove- nant of works to Abraham, to feal a covenant of Grace, as he con- fequentially affirms p. 5 3 he-efore fuch an interpretation as he hath given of this pi ce is m< ft unfound.
The lik? aniw^r is to be given to that place, Phil. 3. 2 3,4. whicfc he brings in pag.s}. as an Appendix to tvis fecond Argument; the Phi- lippians were aifo revo'ting to feek aire/ Juft. filiation- by the works of- the Law. 'he teachers of which Doctrine the Ap,,'ltle calls dugs , and evil-wo~k?rs. An J if any bai caufe to boaft oi the law ot Works, he ba J more ; yec o him it was but dang and d^gs meet , ajl h s pn- vih dges of behg a Jew, a Pbarifee, Grcumcifcd ; or.e that concerning the Law Was bh.mehfs. All this faith Paul ,1 can boatt of, but what js this as to matter of juftification, which is by faith alone in " brill .? The like plain anfvveralfo is and may be given to that other ^iace, fjW.3.3. which Church alfo were bsck Aiding into the fame error, and therefore he calis them fools, and tells them they were bewitched ch.%.1. And if they would be fecking Justification by works , they (h^nld find they were miftaken. For as manj as fought to bejujltfyed by the woy kj of the Law , were under the curfe. And that no man Ij the Works of the LaW Was ever juftifyed , is evident, be caufe the \ufl Jhall live by Faith, ver. 1 0,1 1, And therefore he lends them alfo to Abra- hams covenant , For to Abraham and his feed were the promifes made. And ver.i 8. he (hews them the iil-confequence that would follow, if they rboughc to bi juftifyed by works, For then the inheritance mufi I • be
I
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
be bj reerkj* that is the inheritance of Abrahams promifcs j both for the Land of Canaan, and til other fpirkual bleflings. If it were by the L«%? , then it u no more ofpromifes% But God gave them to Abraham by promife, And not by a covenant of works, remember that Mr P upon this agiin comes with the old Objection, wherefore thenferveth the La&,\f a man may not be jaftifyed and faved by the works of the Law ? to what end and pnrpofe then was it given ? The anfwer is, it "to as added becattfe of tranfgreffi n, that is, to make fia look like fin ; and thereby to ingage Gods people then, towalkclofc in the duties thereof, and in ver. ii.The Apoftle dire&Iy confutes Mr. Patients Doctrine. Is the Late then againft the Promifes, or in oppoftion to the Promises ? God forbid. By all which it appears that the Law was no covenant of Works, nor is Circumrifion or any part of the Law op- pofcd to Faith, as he would make us believe ; but this was the great miftake of many in Primitive C hunhes by falfe teachers means. And fo ©f all Ifraely as it is alio of Mr T. that the Law was given to th^ Church of the Jews as a covenant of works, which God never inten ded to any fuch end or purpofe.
CHAP. IX.
The tit sit thing we come to is the fever al Argument! he brings in p. J 3 . to prove Circumeifim onelj ajeal to Abraham) snfftered.
I. "pfrk , becaufe the righteoufnefs of Faith which it fealed ~ Abra-
JLham had it, before the feal was given , bat his pofterity could not be fa id to believe at eight days old : Therefore it was a feal to him, and not to them.
tA. The feal was not annext to Abrahams Faith, as Abrahams,bxxt to Gods covenant made with Abraham ; therefore it is called the feal of the righteoufnefs of Faith. So that what it fealed to Abraham was, as he was an heir of the fame Promifes with Jjaac and Jacob , Heb. 1 1.- 9. therefore what it fealed to him as an heir, it fealed to Ifaac and Jacob, and fo to all believers at co-heirs of the fame inheritance, Heb. 6» 1 7:
2. If it was a feal of Abrahams Faith onely, then it muft be either as it was a weak faith, or ftrong faith.
1 It could not be the firft , becaufe Abrahams faith is by the Apo- ftle faid not to be weak, Rom. 4. 19,20.
by Grace, not Worlds.
2. Jf it had been given as a badge of honor to Abrahams Fsithfas I have feen it affirmed in a pieceof C.B ) asaftrong faith .-then it inould have been given to A&am and Noah, who had as ftrong faiths as Abraham ; and lsfs Gofpel- light then Abraham had to work it.
$. There was no nectiTr.y to have Abrahams juftification fealed, more then Adams, Seths, Noahs, or any pf his predccefTors^fpecially if it be coofidered what M. P. bimfelf grants, that he was juftifyed twenty four years before this feal was given, therefore
4. Had it not been a feal to Jjaac , as well as to Abraham, and fo not onely a feal of Abrahams faith , it might have been given upon the birth of Ijhmael , and Abraham need not have itaid for a fon of promife, for it would have fealed as much then to Abraham, is it did after, if it was not the covenant-teal.
5. Had it not been a feal to lfaac , and fo a part of the covenant, then Ifaacs not being circumcifed had been no breach of the cove- nant; diredly againft that place, Cjtn.17. 10 Forafral theApoftle calls it , and a (ign God calls ft. So that had it onely been a feal of Abrahams Faith , the covenant had not come fealed to lfaac ; bs- caufe the feal reacht onely the Faith of Abraham, and when he dyed, the feal was broken off. Therefore
6. It is a eleer truth , that as the blcflings of the covenant were made to Abraham by Promife, and to his feed, fo Gods mam dri t being to make thefe covenant* blejftn,gs fure to all the heirs of Pro- mife, Heb.6.17. he therefore deals asa man chatwould bebclie- vedi Firfl he promife , fecondly, he fwears to confirm that Promife, Thirdly , hefeals what he hath promifed.So the feal become^the co venant-feal, as the oath is the Covenants oath : and what God pro- mifed to Abraham, he promifed to his ked ■ and what he confirmed by oath to Abraham he confirmed to his ked ; and wlw God there- fore fealed to Abraham , he fealed alio to his feed. All which t^s to JheV? the immutability of his Connfel to the heirs 'f Promife, not on- ly to fuch as were heirs under the Law, but to the worlds en& , as the Apoftle tells us before, in the place quoted:
II. His next reafon or Argument why it fealed onely to^br(xh*tm is, becaufe it is faid , he received it, that he might bet he Father of all that believe- Which could not befaid.of lfaac , becaufe he wis hut a child-
nA. Though Abraham was made the Father of the faithful , by having that feal given him ; yet he could not have been fuch a father without fuch a fon, becaqfe they are relatives , not onely in the natu- ral
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
ycers before ■IfMC was pronwftd ; yet hid God given him circomci (ion then, ,««W had not been the Fathsr of KiST!f IJbmatl was not ataithful child So that that J Vl ' ■ ufc to make ^.W a father of a Sfcn t stmleZT? make him fuch a fo„ of , fa.hful Father = There ?e a feaith t
HereiS"he oi'tit o/^"'* Pr°V\ita, fealoncly t0 <"«*•» " Mere is tuelpintof God affirming the fealmgufe of Circuocli a
to Ar*m onely.npon a reafon fpecial to him" ther f^re whe e h
T The f± ofar °rfh t0/?eak/We, Tft ** h*« » "« « "«£
fofwher [? ftid f P ^ 'U£b thing' batthe fPififof M- '• tor where s it faid « *.« „/«/,„ him „„,,. , n0 fuc£ T x . .
as a rawer, it lea ed to lfMe as a fon of that Father, for the coven nt related to poftemy. I may ihereforefay of him as the Propl 'er faid of the faife Prophets, who f..d theLord faith it, as hereMp do h when indeed the Lord hath not fpoken : therefore the Scriotn - ?.,h a mouth to fpeak if he had »n underftanding he t to know Wb « and what it fpeaks ■ let feci, therefore who haw ear, to hear hear what the (pint fpeaks to the Churches. ' '
ed i«I.VJ?B2h gr0U,"d °r rr"f°n he gim tha'tircumcinon feal- ea onely to ^fovj&aw, is drawn from Rami 11 tu.«, r 1 M
*.«* **** ,*,*,,« „„.„, ?::^L%7f:'tk
Anr. .. e foil, M. P. through the covenant of < ircumcfion *«
-rf. t. He here again fuppofes that which isdenved, and the con
trary proved, i k That Circumcfion was not a covenanTof work"'
a. When ,t u fvi.h frtmifi if hi, M.l the W af thl„„u ™ "
Zt" Air"T f^h the Lm'Tbt AP0« le means.tha £ was7o to be confined and tout up, to the generations of the Law onelv and fo ,t was not to his feed Through the Law oneTv h« through the r.ghteoufnefs of Faith , that is, hisPatr "ony cLe up on loch high rearms a, would re*cb ,» a tboufand !™Z™ mR" Qf , even to the Gentiles under the Coipei to theCrfd end and that this ,s „ meaning is clear, by the following word, * * J £?
had, by which he did believe the SSWRtt L'dtlfe
By Grace , not Workf*
on« upon the grounds of the Promife, that faith is qaite fruftrated, becaufe it went no further then the generations of the Law ; And therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace , to the end the promife mi<rht before to all the feed , and then he fully explains what he faid before, Ujtfure to that feed onely, which W^ere of the Law> where the word onelj dochfuppofe it was fureto the legal feed , therefore it cannot be meant of a covenant of work?, for fo the promife was ne- ver fureto any from the Creation to this day, or ever (hall be.
3. If the place were to be underftood in his fenfe, namely of a co- venant of works , Then it confutes in direct terms wl^at he hath fo much pleaded for in his book. As that Canaan fhould hi given by a covenant of works. For the promife chat he (houldbe the heir of the world, (in which that land was included) was nut to him and his feed through the Law, i e. fanh Mr P. not by tfce covenant or Circumcifion , but through the rigbieoufncfs of faith. And if the Apoftle frith , not by that covenant , then why doth Mr P. fo often affirm elfewhere it was ?
Thus we fee, there is nothing in all he hath faid , that proves Cir- cumcifion either a covenant of works or feal to Abraham onely, but enough to prove it a feal to all the heirs of promife, even wbilft they tre infants : All ye therefore that belong to the covenant of Grace, feamot to give your infant- feed that Ordinance which now is the feal of the covenant,
p. The lad Scripture he here brings to prove Circumcifion a cove nantof works is. Gal 4. latter end, where the Apoftlt compa esthe iwo covenants to S^r^and H^r,the covenant of Circumcifion is held forth to be the bondwoman, ch. 5. \2,ych 6.13. wh'-ch place doth pr ove , the covenant made t'n the flefhly line of Abraham i$ a covenant of Works. And that which tl'e Gofpe I is fer in oppofitton o, For the covenant of Grace is, / will put my Law in t'-eir hearts but the covenant of Circumcifion is not in the heart , but in the flefh.
A. The diligent Readtr may eafilyobferve the palpable contradi- ctions that are hereEo be found. Hagar types out the covenant of jvoiks. Sarah types out the covenant of grace, and the fl.fhiy cove- nant of Circumcifion (as he calls it) which is typed out by Hagar , is made in the flefhly Ine of Abraham which muft be Ifimael. And then he contradicts what he hath been all this while maintaining, * e. that the flefhly line is Ifaac and Jacob, in which th? covenant of C ir- cumcifion was to run : and fo alfo he oppofeth the Apoftle Gal.4.23
I 'But
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
\
But he that was born of the bondwoman , was born ttfter the fiejb : but he of the free- woman was by Promife 5 fo that what Paul calls the cbil* dren by promife, he calls the children of the fltfti. Thus men leaving truth making wife, God leaves them to poblifli their own folly.
That place Gal. 1.2, 5. is already anfwered.they were fueh that were | falling back from Grace to be juftified by works through their grof* miftake, thinking as Mr P. doth , thai the Law had been given for a covenant of works.
Laftly, Though God hath promifed to write the new covenant in the heart, yet the feals of that covenant are written in theflefli: fo it was then. For God writ the new covenant in the heart, anderthe Law, and yet circumcifion was no covenant of works. But a figare of what God did within, Ztotf.30. 6. it«w; 2.28,20. by which places we may fee Circumcifion had the fame promifes attending it then to believers and their feed,as baptifm hath now. And it may with as much evidence of truth, be faid, that baptifm is a covenant of Works , be- csfafe it is adminiftred upon the flefh ; as Circumcifion was then. Therefore all his Arguments and Scriptures he hath brought hitherto to prove Circumcifion a covenant of works,havc been ill drawn, and worfe applyed.
CHAP. X.
Wherein his 3, 4» 5 > a*A 6, Arguments are anfwercd to fiove Circum- cifion a covenant of Works*
III. Pi pag. 58. \X/Eare now come to his third Argument ] and VV that is, becaufe there is no promife of eternal life in it, but only a temporal blefling in the Land of Canaan, as pro- tection and provifion, and the like, to prove this he quotes Heb.2.6: Jer.ii.2,*. Deut.7H2,l$y & g0,i?4
A. 1. That Circumcifion, had n6 promife of eternal life attending it is falfe, for eternal life was promifed in Gods telling Abraham > he would be his God; it is fuch a blanks, that a believer may write what happinefs he wiMin it: God could not fay more, nor a believer defire more.
2. It had the promife of the heart-Circumcifion in order to pre- pare a foul for heaven, as the places above cited prove. Therefore it had the promife a If© of eternal life.
By Grace , not Work/*
.- If it had not had the promife of eternal happinefs , but onefy an earthly Canaan, and prote&ion therein, then in vain doth S. Paul uy,GW Vras nor ajhamedto be called Abrahams GW,Heb.1 1.16. An J in vain alfo did he with Ifaac and Jacob Vpali^ as Pilgrims in that land, expelling a better Country , i. e. aheavwlj, Heb. 1 1 . 8,14, \ 6.
4. As to thofe Texts he mentions, there is not one of them proves chat God only prom\fedAbrabams feed profperity in Canaan,though chat alfo was included, upon their obedience to Gods covenant, which wa-s of Grace, not works, as hath been before largely proved We fee therefore how well he hath diftinguifh: the Covenants.
P. IV. His next Argument to prove Circumcifion a covenant of works is,becauf a man by laying out a little mony might have bought a heathen into this covenanr,and have interelTed him into arl the pri- iledges thereof.
A* The covenant had two parts, one externa/, relating to mars do- ry in forms of worfhip; The other (piritual, relating to communion with God in thofe forms t as hath been often mentioned j into the rirft of thefe , all the perfons born in ^Abrahams houfe , or oought with mony were to be admitted , and the reafon is, becaufe all Abrahams family fo qualifyed were the vifihle Church, and fuch a taking into his family was a taking into the Church : which alfows a type of the purchafethat Chrift fhould pay by his blood. For the Gentiles, we ero be brought into Churcl - communion, of which thar was the fiifr fruits, both to them and htir feed; for doing whereof. Gods command did bear him out And this was to be a (landing rule to Ifrael when they came ro be I k ng dom, becaufe the foundat on of the kingdom was la;d in Abrahams family, Therefore,
t. When he faith, thit all fo bought, were purchae'd into sll the priviledges of the covenant, it is a grefs untruth; for juftificat on,and falvition were the cho;ce priviledges of that covenant wheh'^ey could not be bought into , and in that fenfe Peters anfver to Simor, Magus, Tkjmonj ferifh with thee , bad been properly applytd chough yet in the other con(ideration,what he did was an Oidinancc of God.
V. *P- His next Argument is , becaufe men out of this coven in: might be faved, and fuch as were in it might be damned.
t^f. Here is -ftill the fame diftinSion to be noted as before, for thofe that went to hell were never intereffe J in thefpiritnal part of che covenant, but onely into the external forms of worfhi-p ; the 1 ke
T «• indance
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
inftancc we have in the Apoftles days, Judas, Simon Ma^us, with the reft of thofe hypocrites, and Apoftates, were all intereffed in the ex- ternal part of the covenant , and yet went to hell : this likewife was the condition of tht fselijh virgins,, who becaufe tbey had lamps lighted , thought themfelves well enough \ and there retted : in this fenfe alfo are the- words of Cbrift to fee underftood. [[The children of the kingdom (hall be caft out,] I would a little re-
turn this Argument to M: *P. How many dipt Apoftates have fallen quite away from all grace and goodnefs of late yeers, both from them and us ? Surely it cannot be denyed, but they were vifibly ence in the covenant; therefore all thofe Scriptures and examples by him brought in, pag.62 ,63, 64.' are by this diftinclion anfwered , and the falfe varnifh by him put upon them is hereby wafht off, that fo they may be feen in their glory and fplendor.
2. It alfo appears that it was the lame covenant of Grace that jufti- fyed Lot, Job, and all lobs friends that were godly , though dwelling in another Country ,that juftifyed Abraham and his feed : for though they bad not the feal of the covenant, becaufe Abraham was the per- fonpitchtupon , to whom it fhould be firft adminiftred; yet they were worfhippers of God in a folemn way of facrificing: the like we may charitably think now, that many in the world who have not the fame means of Gofpel-Ordinances , may yet have fincere hearts to God, and be as a fcattered feed of fome gracious predeceflbrs • and yet not be within the vifiblc pale of the covenant.
This alfo duely confidered, is a full anfwer to the reft of thofe in- stances, of "Davids fons, and Abrahams fons, with the whole lump of Jfrael, of all which many were damned , becaufe onely in the vifible part of the covenant. We may therefore fee hitherto what feeble Arguments Mr. Patient brings 10 prove Circumcifion a covenant of works.
VI. P. His fixth Argument for the ends abovefaid is , becaufe this j covenant of Circumcifion may be broken, Otf.17.14.
A. Still the former dilHndtion kept makes the anfwer cafie and plain; forfuch who broke the covenant, broke but the external part thereof,- the other part could not be broken, and in this fenfe alfo the covenant in Gofpel days is broken, and as God unchurcbt 7/™*/ for breach of covenant , fo he doth flili , when a Church or people do apoftatize from his Ordinances : The Apoftle tells us fo, Heb 3.6 1 Whofe houfeare yve if we.hold faft the confidence and rejoyeingof the ' hope firm t9 the end, his meaning is , we are his houfc if we keep to
A
■
!By Grace, not Worlds,
the Ordinances of yrorfhip : implying , That if a people once caft off the Ordinances, they have broken the covenant, and ftand related to Chriit no longer as his houfe. I am fare that the extent of this. Ex- plication will reach Mr Patient , who hath broken the covenant of God, by carting out of his feed, And upon this very hinge it was, That all thofe examples of Gods jadgements upon Jfrael are given, when they revoke! from God , and brake this covenant, then God plagues them and cuts them off; and when they renewed their cove- nant,fafted, humbled their fouls and repented , then God fhewed Mercy; all which agrees to that remarkable place, which proves the covenant of Grace conditional , Gen. lS. 19. For I k*o\\> $A- braham Vci/l command bis children and bis houjbottld afierbim^ and they /hall kjet? the Way of the Lord, to do Jttflice and judgement. That the Lord may bring upon ^Abraham that which he hath fpoken of him ; cleerly implying, that if Abrahams fed did not walk clofe in their duties, they fhould faH (horc of their expectations , as we af- terwards finde Jfrael did.
Therefore whereas M. P. faith it is impoflible the covenant of Grace ftiould be broken, i: is falfe. For the external pare may be broken, which is part of the covenant : but the inwad part of it can never be broken.
tP. Pag. 67. He comes to anfwer this diftin&ion of the covenant is an Objection , but fo poorly , that it fcems he would gladly favour his own opinion ; perfons faith he , may profefs outwardly, to be in Chrift, and fo iti the covenant of Grace by profeflion : but becaufe ic was but a profeffion onely , and not in truth ; therefore they profefs to be in that wherein they never were.
tsf. We are now fpeaking of perfons being in the covenant as the Scripture holds tbem forth , to be within it ; And as men may in the judgement of Chaiity believe perfons to be in it, in or der to Communion of Saints in the world. If therefore the Scri- ptures tell us there is a twofold teing in it , then perfons are in the covenant that are within the vifible pare of it, as hath been fufHciently proved , and as bis own practice doth acknowledge : fo that in his anfwer to the Objection , he rather works like a ferry*man , then a preacher ; he feems to look towards an an- fwer, but rows the other way : therefore whereas he faith, we have an infallible rule ta judge Abraham and his feed to be within the co- venant of Circumcifion , becaufe God faith it , and the Objection before is groundlefs.
_. «^. It
61 . Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
A. It hath been already cleared , that Circumcifion was part of thecovenaitof Grace; and therefore by this he confefTeththaf perfons are viable within it, becaufe the infallible rule of the word of God faith t; and fo was the f^d he fpeaks of infallible (a< he calls it; within the Covenant; The like now, all that by pro- feflion 5< are admitted into Gofpel- Churches. We have the fame rule to judge, by. That they areaireaHy within the covenant as the feed of ^Abraham was then ; By which we may fee the Obie etion (lands in force, notwkhrtanding thofe puffs of wind , he hath
fi^JSlfc? i?thv' b(lttgllgln thlt ^rcat Catalogue of Ifraels fins at ail help him; For though it is not denyed but the moft part of them were wicked and prophane, yet as a feparated people God had chofen out, from the reft of the world , to be a Church , to whom he committed his Oracles, in that fenfe they were a people in cove- nant and fo flood till they were divore'e, and call off from being a people For which fee R,m.9. at large. And the reafon why they were fo wicked and.profane, maybe gathered from that place be- fore mentioned, Gr» 18.19. becaufe they kept not up family du- ties but grew carnal and Joofe in their Judgements ; and therefore loolenefs in prad.ee and converfation followed; a needful Item to all Gods peop e in thefe days.
The like anfwer is to be given to f.h.S 40,44. by all which then it • ppearMhat notone Argument he hath hitherto brought , proves Circumcifiontobca cove mnt of works: we are now arrived a? his laft Argument, and rhat drawn from the many ineonveniei.de. that will follow, if « be maintained a covenant of Grace : therefore Co to
SKE mXTc-r;.0 Cr°rSaDy ^«*~ be agree
Chap.
jBy Grace, not Werhg%
CHAP. XT.
Contains a vindication of the Firfl , Second , and Third Tunda- mentalL
P.pag.yi.lF the covenant of Circumcifion made with Abraham 1 and his feed , and thofe alfo that were born in his hoafe, or bought with monyamongft the families of Jfrael, were a covenant of Grace, then it interefled ail perfons by nature or practice, into the choice priviledges of Adoption , fonfhip , juftification , the inward work of fan&ification $ all which is afTerced by thofe who hold In- fant-baptifm. And then this fundamental in Religion is denyed, That all mAnhinde by nature are children of wrath , and that all men I are not charged under fin , both Jews and Gentiles, and that none is righteous, no not one. But faith Mr P. be it known to you, it was a truth through Jfrael in their Generations, and then he brings in ma ny Scriptures to prove that men by nature arc children of wrath., &c,
A.\. And be it known to you again , That this fundamental truth is fuch that we ail vail to , and therefore , it is not fo much as toucht, much lefs rooted up by our Do&rineor practice , in main- taining Circumcifion a Covenant of Grace , which I now come to make appear, and (till by the former diftinc'tionjTherefore I fhall de- fire the Reader to give me his hand, that we may not break compiny till the iiorm is over.
i There is a twofold Adoption, and therefore
2 A twofold fonftiip,
3 A twofold San&ification,
4 A twofold Juftification.
Thefe and all thefe , outward, and inward : fo that , by vertue of the extent of the covenant made with Abraham , perfons are born into thofe outward priviledges , though not into the fpiritaal part thereof: and thus were Jfrael adopted, Rom, q. 4. For it is one of the firft priviledges that Sz.Patd reckoas Jfrael had, to whom pertain- ed the Adoption and the glory, &c.
By which we fee that the Adoption appertained to all Jfrael , that
is, God made choice of them , to make them his peculiar fons and
people, by taking them into the vifible pale of the covenant of grace,
\ when
'4 \
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
vhen all the Nations of the earth befides were pad by. So that no people, or Nation in the world could fay God was their father , but the Jews; which is the benefit o: Adoption in either refpeft. But ir-w.rd Adoption runs more fpiritually , therefore called the/piritef Adoption^Kom.S.
Thus alfo, all Jfraelwttc the fans of G*d for which the Scripture is b deer. That fuch who deny it do but difcover much ignorance. See therefore thefe Texts, H0/.4. 1, ch.iui. foh.S.^i. Ezek.20.2j. And thus they are called che firft-born, Exod 4.22,23. And they had all theferviceof fonsto do toGodin thewilderncfs. Thelike alfoof finclitication, when perfons are by Gods appointment fepatated and fetaputto a holy ufe,of whicb.diveisioitances might be given,before and fince Chrift; fo alfo Juftification , outward before men , as well as inward, or how elfe ftiouid there be any communion of Saints on earth ? Thus Hagars fon , though by nature born under a covenant of work'/vas a Church member. And he could call ^Abraham fa- ther, as lfaac could , tl ough not under fuch a fpirkual confideration, for ftill the in- works of Adoption, Sonfhip Juftification, and Sanfti- ficatiGn, have run by pre m fe , in a dole hidden and fpiritual way, wo. king upon and changing the heart.- And though JJaac% factb, and the reft of the line, were all born in fin, as well as JJhmael , and! Efatt, yet ihe Promife takes time to wcrk , ard brings in the EIe6t of God, fome later, fc me ft oner ; yea, let ls bring dewn this again to a parallel , and compare it to the prs&ice of M P. Sure I am, he cannot fay, thatalJ, he, and ethers with h>m plunged upon their pioftflionof faith, are the real Adopted fons of God, or real y ho- ly, or reJIy juftfyed or fmdifyed , thit is fpiritually j But this they may fay, they are vifibly fucb, and fome may be luch alfo fpiritually; but who they be, is unknown to man, and yc t all were alike by nature born in fin, ard children of wrath.
2. And thus all thofe Scriptures, Ephef. 2. 2. bj ntture children of Vrrd//>,Rom.2,.9 none righteous, no mt one , are anfwertd. This was alfo the equal condition of Pattl, David, and the r<,fl born and con- ceived in fin; and yet, as Abrahams feed , they were intertlTed in the covenant then, as believers and t^eir feed are now We may then fee how his heap of chaff call upon the truth, begins already to be blown away;
II. P. The fecond fundamental which heprodaimsto the world, that our pradice overturns is , liability in a covenant of eternal life; for if all Ifrael were born in the covenant of Grace then all (hould
hJ
'■
By Grace , not Worlds,
be faved , but there were but a remnant of Ifrael&ved , all the reft damned. 7/4.10.22,2]. Ront.p. 22. And if fo born, they muft needs fall away from Grace.
A. As ftability in Grace is a glorious truth , fo neither doth this touch it* For it onely makes the outward pare of the covenant in- ftable. That is a falling away from their vifible being in the cove- nant, for as bath been faid, a man may be in rhe covenant , yet not in the Grace of the covenant. Thus Ifracl and all thefe Gofpel hypo- crites mentioned, fcli away , but the election ftiil remained .-fothe branches that were in Chrift, feh. 1 5. that bare not fruit , Veere cut off a»A withered: and thus all rhofe Teits that fpeak of a failing away aretobe underftood. The like now; though many Ap/ftares falh r'rom the ways of Godtyet the covenant remains liable, and rhe fann for ever.
III. P. The third foundation he pretends to be (haken, is the ne- cefllty of converfion, and regeneration which is a Dodrine eminent- ly confirmed by Chriitin theGofpel, for which be brings feverai Texts of Scripture: but to hold a covenant of life to run upon the carnal feed of believers oppofeth this: for then when Chrift faid, Ex- cept a man be born agciir^ !e cannot enter into' the kingdom of GodtJfrael might anfwer, that's not true, we have an interelt in the covenant of Grace already , and except ye believe that I am het ye JbaH dye in your (ins . they might fay again, that'* not tn.e,i for we know another way ro heav*n then by believing, and 1 fob.-)'. He that hath not the Sen hath not life. 1 his error replyss, there be thoufands interested in llfev wichout having Chrift, by carnal generation; Thus far he, wich much more of the like ituffe, with which he fills three pages together.
*A. Neither doth it at all tntrench upon thisDcdrine, asfaJfly (uggefted : therefore to deer this, we are to confider, firtt the ground of this miftake of h;s. from whence it rifeth,a$ any man may eiiily fee; namely, that the Ddrine of C onverfion, Repentance, and Regene- ration, is to be present onely to fuch as areVithout the C hmch , an-5 Kingdom of Chrift • for his argument runs as taking it £or granted, ^hat fuch as are the fubfeSs of the kingdom, are fuch in reality; when as by the former dilHn&ions', it is thdft apparent, that fjme arc fuch vifibiy onely, and fome reaiiy.
2. Therefore confider, the Doctrines mentioned are part of that Gofptl , which is the kingdoms Gofpel, as Chriil calls it, ar.d hat^ been ever preacht to 1 he fubjeds of the kingdom , fo it was to Ifrael of old; and though believers and their feed were taken into the cove- -— JK^ n^nr
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
nant (already proved to be of grace) yet this Doctrine of the new birth was preacht to them ; which is abundantly cleer from Chrifts words toifycodtmits fob.3.1 place by himfelf quoted; Art thouaDo' ft or in Ifrael^ andknoVvefl not what the • doftrine of the neVe birth means} implying, That he (hewed himfelf very ignorant, when he knew not that which was preacht amongft Jfrael : adding this alfo,That the Or- dinance of Circumcifion fo frequently ufed , was but a Type of the Circumcifion upon the heart , yea the whole tenor of the old-Tefta- ment runs in fuch tsrras that cleerly (hew their bleflednefs lies in re- penting and turning to God in pardon of fin , in fetting their delight in the Laws of the Lord, trufting in God , and fetting their hope in God , the book of Pfalms is full of it. So alfo in thofe primitive Churches planted by the Apoftles themfelves, who in admiflion ©f members, had a better infight to the truth of grace upon the heart, then any fince , and yet this Doctrine they preacht to the Church, z C or. 1. 17. R*m. 1.19. d>6Mi.8.io. Gal.5.19* Epb.q.23. therefore fuch as think the Doctrines of Repentance , New-birth, &c. (hould be preacht to the world onely, may hence fee their miftakes, amongft which number Mr P. is one, I (hall dill draw down the parallel to his practice , which I judge to be a good way to convince our diflenting friends of their error: can he think, that all that rnns in the fame ra, e with him, I mean into the water^hat they have no need of preaching Repentance or thenew-birth amongft thera. Purely if that be his judg- ment, he difcovers more ignorance and weaknefs then ever 2{jeode- musdid. Therefore
3. Let us glean up his Scriptures. The reproof that ]ohn gave the Pharifees, was not for pleading a title to Abrahams covenant as his feed, for it is evident he baptlz?d upon thataccompt : for had not the Pharifees claimed the Ordinances sis Abrahams feed , bcaufe the reft did fo, the reproof given them bad been little better then non-fenfe, but he checks them for their wickednefs , in not walking as became ^Abrahams children. $oa\fof«h. B, 3 2. Thelike &\(o Luke ]6. a place M. P. much delights to name, thinking it makes for his opinion becaufe Dives in htll owned Abraham as a Father, and Abraham owned him as afon, but yet for all that faith Mr. Patient , he was damned.
A. There is none denyes,but Abraham had more children damned then faved, yet neverthelefs fuch as were faved, were Abrahams chil- dren and faved by Abrahams covenant. And it is impoflible thatM. T. himfelf fhould ever be faved out of that covenant, though at pre-
Onr
By Grace , not Worhg.
fent he Co much flights it.- The reproof therefore that was given to DivesjNM not becanfe he called Abraham Father, as one of his fons, but becaufe he lived as an Epicure and a glutton , as the whole para- ble makes evident. And raethinks Abrahams Charity fhould be a fufficient reproof to Mr. P. for his want thereof: whereas therefore he tds us we have found out a newer way to beaven,then by theDo- drine of regeneration, it is but a caunt, wherein he difcoveis by what fpirit he writes and fpeaks ; Let therefore fuch ingenious fpirits to whom he makes his appeal, judge righteous judgement.
CHAP. XII. Wherein the fourth and fifth Fundamentals are maintained.
IV. P. pag. 7p. ^T*He next Fundamental he tells us we deftroy by JL maintaining Circumcifion a covenant of Grace, Is the Dodrine of the new covenant, the nature of it, and the manner of Gods making of it with the foul , in which he writes his Laws in the heart, and pardons their fins, infufeth Faith , binds himfelf over -o be their God without any condition in the creature, And thus and no otherwife, doth God make a new covenant with the foul, whereas this dream would make- us believe that a whole Nation may be in the new covenant, and yet have no work of Grace wrought upon the heart.
A. That the new covenant hath conditions , hath been already proved. God neither pardons, faves, nor jufiiflesany man ; with- out the condition of the covenant, whichever was, is, 8nd will be. Faith and RepcRtance, which two 3re of a large extent, and brings in a clofe walking with God in his Word and Ordinances , ard leads to a holy life, without which none (hall .ever fee the fate of God. Look back to Abrahams covenant, was it not made with him as a be- liever, Rom. 4. 3? what faith the Sznyiwrz} Abraham believed God,and it was imfuted to him for righteoufrefs , Had not Abraham been a be- liever, nghteoufnefs had not been imputed to him -3 and that this is a condition, the Apoftle makes it deer , ver. 23,24. Nov it was not written for his fake alone, that it was imputed to him : But for us alfo, to whom it Jhall be imputed, ifVee believe. *o that faith is cleeriy held forth as the condition both to Jew and Gentile, //k'56. 6. He that k*epcth the Sabbothfrom polluting it , andtak?th ho Id on my covenant,
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
Him Vvill I make joyful in my houfe of prayer . For my houfe fhall be cal- led the houfe tf prayer of all Nations : whac covenant is this, that a man mart iiy hold of but that of free-grace, which relates to his houfe of prayer in all Nations? For his Go/pel- houfe, with whom that cove- nant is made, is as well called the houfe of prayer as the Temple : fo that look how far tbe houfe of prayer goes to tbat people ?nd Nati- on,both the Sabboth aniCovenanc goes aliojfo as they muft keep the one, and take hold of the other.
Obj. But faith the opponent , though Faith be the hand , jet it is god that gives the hand , fo that jlill the Covenant is without condi- tions'*
Anf. This is ftill to argue pro and con. For if Faith be the hand and condition of the covenant, then it is on the creatures fide , that it is fo, and not on Gods. And the covenant is not made with any creature till they have a hand to receive it. And though it be given by free-grace, yet when it is given, it is the creatures hand; as the hand and eye of my body, it is free- grace that gives them, bat when they are given , they are my hands and my eys. And thus the Apo- ftle argues, it is of faith that it may be by grace ; and hereby grace doth abound, that God fhould give the Gofpel, and Covenant upon conditions ,• and when thefe conditions are wrought by hisGrace,yet he fhould look upon them, as ours ; ywMtTaiient hath before ac- knowledged, That faith is the condition of the covenant, and there- fore whereas he here tells us God infufetb faith, and binds himfelf o- ver to the foul without conditions,it is a mcer contradiction ; becaufe that faith fo infufed, is that condition which takes hold on the cove- nant : and by this new covenant, were Abraham, Jfaac, facobfefeph, David, Solomon% Nathan, and all the people of God under the old- Tertamenr, juftifyed and laved ; into the vifible part of which cove- l nant, all their feed was taken, yea the whole Nation of Ifrael And that i hey (hall be fo taken in again, feeRom- jX. at large compared with fer,$ i.i. therefore for him to call it a dream, is not onely a dif- covery of his flhaHownefs , but alfo an affront put upon thofe holy worthies before mentioned , by which he doth manifeft it to the world , affirming that the<orenam of Grace hath no conditi- ons , that he is a high Antinomian, as well as an Anabaptfft.
V. P. pag. 80. His next Fundamental is the doctrine of Juftifi- cation by Faith ; which this opinion of Circumcifion to be a cove- nant of Grace deftroys, in that it holds forth another way to obtain J ufl ification by, then faith, which is by carnal birth of believing pa-
cBy Grace > nut Worlds*
rent*. For if afoul be admitted into a covenant of life thereby ; I hope you are no: icnoran, that juftifcacion by faith is the great privi- ledge of the new covenant , and realty the portion of all that are in that covenant.
A. He here affirms two dired untruths.- But wbats that , when there is nothing elfe to be found in his whole book?
1 He tells us we hold another way of juftification then faith, by carnal birth, &c. which we abhor.
2 Another grofs untruth is , That Judication to life is the real portion, of all within the covenant of Grace.
Therefore let the former diftindtion be frill minded ; and then it is apparent , that we affirm no more , bat that believers feed have right to the external part of the covenant of grjee, which Ci came - (ion was a part of,as hath been proved? as for the fpiritual part of the covenant , namely, that juftification by faith, which he fp;aks of ; it bath ever been conveyed in a fecretwayof thefpirits working upon the heart : from which it is evident, that perfons may be vifibly with- in the covenant, and yet have no real work of Grace in their fowls, fo as to be juftifyed, as thofe examples beforementioned do abun- dantly prove, for then fttdas bad been really juftifyed. Take in alfo the parallel; then al themembers of their dipt focieties, would be real- ly juftifyed ; had we nothing elfe to plead,but the fenfible experience of thefe times ; it would be enough to (hew thefalfity of fucb an af- fertion .- for how many not oneiy of them, but of others alfo have fal- len away to diabolical delufions? Thus far therefore we fee thofe foundations , by him pretended to be fhaken , remain, notwith- {landing his high fwelling language, untoucht, and unmoveable : again
Ckap.
7° \
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
CHAP. XIII.
The fix th and feventh Fundamentals maintained,
P. pag. 80,8 1,82. "TpHis opinion deftroys the doctrine and founda- X tion of Gofpel- Churches. The matter there- of, which is Saints by calling , fpiritual worftiippers, 7^.4.23. lively ftones, 1 Pet. 2.$. perfons redeemed from a vainconverfation, iPet. 1. 18. brought out of darknefs into his marvellous light, 1 Pet- 2.9. Now this opinion brings in a whole Nation to be a Church, all born of their body, their feeds feed in their generations. This is a fetting up the partition wall again , betwixt the natural branches, andchofe that are wild by nature.
2 The manner "of gathering is deftroyed, and the Lords baptifm neglected ,and a counterfeit baptiim fet up in the room thereof.
*A. Though this head would require a larger anfwer, yet I (hall contract as briefly as I can, therefore
1 As to the matter of a Gofpel Church, it is believers and their (ced^ which I thus prove: the Church of Chrift is his kingdom in the world, to which the tenders of Gofpel-Grace and mercy belongs , it is therefore called the Gofpel of the kingdom, Jrfauiy.ig, before toncht upon.
It was fo before the comirg of Chrift, and itisfofince. If Grace therefore once took in children to be fub/eets of this kingdom , who then cafts them out ? not Grace, for that is unchangeable, and ther- by they were taken in ; Tis the Argument of Paul , If god]uftifies, whojhall condemn}Kom. 8-31,34. If God be for themt who Jbati be againft them ? If grace makes them holy, by feparating them to a holy ufe, who fhall make them unclean, and cut them off:' And that the fame bowels of Grace and tender affection remains in Chritt to little babes is deer, under the Gofpel, for offuch is the kingdom j he doth not fay offuch was the kingdom. For that indeed would have been quickly made ufe of as a plea againft us. "But of fitch is the kingdom , As \i: he had faid , My Kingdome is made ur^jf the fame materials, as the Kingdomes of the World are , not onely of men and women, but of children alfo, of fuch is the kingdome, would it no: be ridiculous to fay,there may be a kingdom without children? and that this is a metaphorical alluiion, to the kingdoms of the world
'By Grace, not Works*
is deer, not onely from the words or phrafe there us'd, but alfo from other Texts, The kingdoms of the world , /hall become the kingdoms ef Chrifl. And Abrahams covenant tells us how itfhouldbe, namely, by multiplying of Abrahams feed in all Nations , fo as that power at taft (hall naturally divolve into their hands, as it is worthily obferved by an eminent Minifter of thefe times, Mr Carter upon Abrahams covenant.
2. Oonfider, the foundation of this kingdom was laid in Abraham and his feed. For though God had his worftiip before, in families, from the beginning, upon the firft promife of Chriil, yet it came not to a kingdom. worfhip til! the promife was inlarged of multiplying the feed as the ftars of heaven. And fo Ifaac was takea in as a fubjed with his Father, though but an Infant- mbjectj and that covenant which took in them, was the kingdoms covenant ; and the feal of the covenant, was the fcal of the kingdom, which reaches as well Infint- fubjefts, as their Parents. If then the foundation of the kingdom were parents and children , then the.building upon that foundation muft be alfo parents and children, becsufe it is not a new but a conti- nued kingdom, Mat. 2 1.4?. This being duly weighed, it will alfo reach to that other relation, the Church ftands in to Chrift, of being hishoufe. And fotakes inthe place quoted, 1 Vet.i. 5. Andje as living ftor.es are built up a Jpirhual houfe, &c; Look what materials therefore were laid into the foundation of Gods fpiritual houfe, of the fame is it carryed up , till the top-flone be laid ; with (houtings, Grace, Grace ; And that Gods boufe, under the Law, was a fpiritu- al huufe, and their worfhippers, fpiritual worfhippers, is c eer ; be caufe Ifrael were a fepa> atcd people, from all Nations ; and were al- fo to be feparaied amongft themfelves.from.all moral and typical un- clcannefs; either in perfons or things, in order to a fpiritual injoy- ment of God in his worftiip, they being then as we now, to offer up [piritualfacrifices to Gody holy and acceptable, Se 2 Cor. 6. 1 ^,1 8. com- pared mthLev.26.1i'. Ifa 52.1 1. £*,?£_.} 7. 27. c^.44.7. And, the having children in that fpiritual houfe , did not at ail diminifh from the worftiip, to make it the lefs fpiritual, lfa.%6q> the aliufionof the fpiritual houfe under the Gofpel, is drawn from the nature of Gods fpiritual houfe under the Law, My houfe Jhall be called the houfe of prayer of all Nations , It was not fo called, from the walls and ftones of the Temple, though that alfo in a fenfe might be fo called , but from Ifraels meeting there , who was the praying people that God had then in the world , and the children were alfo carryed up to be
pre-
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
preferred before the Lord ExoLi^.i Levit 12.2,$. £/%a.22,?& :4.r7. Therefore, what ranks or degrees of people there were in the houie of prayer then; the fame was alfothe houfe of prayer ur> der the Gofpei in all Nations to confifr of : namely, of men, wmen, and children ; therefore the Apoftle calls the Church the houfliold' of faith : in which are taken in believers (evd : this doth alfo anfwer that place, Joh.4. fpiritual wojfh ppers,for fuch they were under the Law ; and yet their children alfo were included. The word is there uftd in oppafirion to this or that place, which they lookt upon them- felves bound up to, though Chrift was come ; as alfo in opposition to tier manner of worfhip ; which wa- then more carnal, Heb.9.10. Trach was alfooppofed to the Idol worfhip of the Samaritans'; but nothing at all can be gathered to take away the right of children : or that imports children not to be fit matter for a Church, kingdom, or houfe of God; efpecially considering it was the fame covenant' of Grace then that took them in, as it is now^'and if it be an immut b!e covenant to believers and their feed , as no found Chriftian can den- then are believers te^d (till in the covenant. And thus alfo children may be truely called Saint s , an i fan&ifyed perfons ; holy , becaufe f.tapirttoaholy ufein the ferviceof God.
3 Whereas therefore he faith, this opinion brings in a whole Na- tion of believers, it is his miftake ; for till God brings them in, the o- pinion snd practice doth not ; for it is but the incorporating of the famil es of believers, into Congregational Societies and Oiurches, unlefs there be fo many families as fill aNation, and then I chink without offence, they may be calif da Nat on of believers, and for ought I can fee, not improperly a National-Church ; ne.ther are we bound by Ifrads practice of Grcumcifing, to their fucceeding gene- ra tons , who had a command for it , (cho igh I believe they^were intwtf) corrupted in thrt Ordinance, as appears from that phce, E&L 44.7 J therefore to baptize our children to fucceeding qenei'ations, i the Parents wicked, becaufc the vifible unbelief of Parents curs off the:r fted, and their vTible believing hgraffs them in. And thus we hade John repuift vifible unbelievers that came to be baptized upon th? account of Abrahams covenant : fo that it appears thit Wf. P. is a ighoran: of the ground of ourpra&ice, as he Is of the truth of U> own
4 Neither is it the fetcing up again or* the partition wall betwixt he rafural brirche«,and the f_- that are wild by nature For the par- ••ition wallwft the legal-Ordinance*, Eph 2. 1 4, 1 5 , given to the Jew
By Grace , not Worhj ;
fh Nation onely : and (hatting out all Nations befides : fo much is implyed by Paul, Rom. 9. 4. To them appertained the giving of the Law and the Oracles^ that is . to them and none elfe, (oRom. 11.12. Mat 28. 19. which Commiflion was inlarged upon Chrifts taking a- *ay that partition wall, and copycd out according to the tenor of A- brahams covenant, GV*. 1 2. Jntheejhall all Nations of the earth be blejfed.
Theteforego teach all Nations \ Therefore alfo by natural branches, we are to underftand the Jew- i(h believing Parents and feed. Thefc were the branches of the cove- nants cut off for unbelief, His blood be upon us and our children, Mat. ^7.25. and Rom 11. 15,20. becaufe of unbelief they were broken off : VVhaf,they ? The firft place tells us, Parents and Children ; and ver. 1 j.(and iffomt of the branches were broken of implying that as Parent and feed were branches, fo fome of thofe branches were not broken off, but frill remained in ^Abrahams covenant, Therefore
2 By wild branches, or branches wild by nature y we are to under- (tand the Gentiles, Parents and feed, called wild by nature ; becaufe Ifraelih&t were God* Vineyard, Orchard, Garden, and foinclofed, weredrefs'd and prun'd by Chrift in his Miniftry, who was the vine- dreiTer thereof, when as the Gentiles grew wild as a Tree in a wilder- nefs. and fo were without God in the world, thus the natural branches were cut off, That the branches "toild lj nature might begraffed in. The Sun at noon day hath not fo cleer a lighr, as this Scripture hath to prove the covenant right and intereft of believers and their feed. In what therefore he affirms in pjg. 8 1 . that taking in of children is a fetting up the partition wall betwixt the natural branches, and b an- ches wild by nature , hefhews himfelf more blind then that poor man that faw men as frets walking. For by natural branche he un- derftands onelv adult profeflbrs : and by branches wild by nature, [ little infants ; when as the word of God tells us , that we are to un- derstand by branches, Parents and Children. By all which, it is appa- .ent that heunderftands not what the partition wa-1 is, or what the natural branches or branches wild by nature fignifies. Thus far we have examined the t utb of his Church.matter. The next thing is the form, Therefore
P. 1 he holding of this opinion that believers feed have arigbtto the covenant , makes people live in a negled of the Lords baptTm, contenting themselves with a counterfeit baptifm initeid thereof
L and
^ttSSttflh "»>>« height of fpirie this the world , 'with • cwmBfiMta ? ^ ^"^ thronSh truth did rhine in Ri™ It h, fi !'! ?" °^l ^ °f thi» his Effentials, that the Lords Bamifm » 1 V Pi0""1 m anfw« t0
Therefore believe him not 3h? .w» "ot ^ d.pping.. ntfi ag.inft him, thatTe abhor?f^ Lo,d£h"ft»j|l b« » fwift wit- fore fid down. ' Tnd whereas ie l^h^'," ' ^ 'h? reafon ^
gathered of .1 kinds b7t„ eood »„7k J d°Wn ,n!° the ka- wbicb he fo bold, to lay a charefof °mn ? ,M ; 5'« I hope be will not
a It hath b^eenalfo proved ffi 'onuPonChrift himfelf. king in believers and tE-ed il^J nnxtureas ,s made by ta- God bars out, upon the a™ 'of XT' eD WhM the 7° rd of
wou^etmtm SSSSSJf 3£?" fe** *« ons would not appear more ftrXhen „' "V?" l™ Cong«g«i- of boafting.for I do^t 4h * „«fn ™ ; h *"? "0t tb,!s •*"■*
ba^dnld™ ' SZmroX°^\Patb' ^Ufcwe yet deny tbem the Sacrament A li Zf ?hatcb" ra«D^>, ml
when they Ihall come to theLorSltw * a if yoU Wll) know they can Lmine themfelve, , ct x r ,V Ap°ftIe U"S J0".*1"
not prefemly fitfor JheSw!? ?""' *"**«'. 1* ** "«e ^figuration of the 3 ^ per , r /'^ * fpruai faft>a,ld a then, in which children ^eE^ C°rJ?>Z- « the ^'' «f God Ifrael now therefore ^7,11 L V wa* » Proration of Gods
bothptrvUedgeso th?coVZt tP ' ""r"* ^ SoPP"are 8 ",cc°"n»nt, asdrcumcifionand the Pafsover,
By Grace , not Worlds t
were then; yet the infant- feed of the kingdom maybe fie for the one, tboogh not fit for the other ; as the infant- fubjeds of the king* doms of the world ; they are fubjects, but not fit for ail the privi ledges of a kingdom, which confideration doth anfwer his cavils*' though much more might have been added upon another account. As to that Scripture Acl^.^i^z.Tbat all that Were baptised continued** breaking bread. I aniwer, They were fuch there fpoken of, that were capable of hearing the word, and which gladly received it; that were converted from Judaifcn. The like to which is practifed upon the con- version of any unbaptifed perfons at this day : and this makes there- fore for us , for though their children were admitted in upon the ac- count of Abrahams covenant, Thepromife u to you and your children; yret we do not finde they were admitted to the Supper : becanfe the fame promife belonging to them and their feed under the Law , yet the feed were not capacifyed for thePafsover. By all which, there fore it appears our path lies plain and open , that we may fee which way the footfteps of the flock have gone before us ; whereas if the blind lead the blind , they both tumble into a ditch or River. And thus both the matter and form of a true Gofpel -Church is maintain- ed by our doctrine and practice.
VII. The laft head of Fundamentals, which he faith our doctrine and practice deftroys, is
P, That perfons may have a right to a covenant of life , without an in- being in Chrift by faith, and is it not therefore a fad thing, that perfons that profefs themfelves Minifters , and to have knowledge in the Gofpel, ftiould be fo blinded as to miflead people in fo weighty a point as this is, and that they (hould endeavor to leaven thoufands o^ people with fuch aiad erroras oppofethit felf againft the futftancc of the Gofpel, &c-
A. It hath been the main policy of Satan in all times of Reforma- tion,^ endeavor the fubverfion of theMiniftery of Chrifr,and by all means to make them fall as (lars from heaven, becaufe he then knows how to carry on his kingdom, works of darknefs. And if J [rati can- not be overcome when they are united to ose God,in one way, in one Commonwealth; he will then divide tbem , becaufe then he know f his work will thrive in the hands of Jeroboams Priefts.
We may here fee what a heighth the falfe Prophets of this Com- monwealth are come to, that they can without check frnite the Pro- phets of God upon the face, with reviling wordst dragon-like, cafting a flood of waters outof their mouths,that fo their may not efcape; we
- T i mav
Caleb's Inheritance in Canaan,
may doubt fuch words arebutpreludiums to a remaining Tragfdy. I fpeakthe more in this, becaufel havcalfo fecna piece called the Kings of the Ea(t, which may be rather called the devils pleading for a Pulpit ; in which , when he fpeaks to the Minifters for licence to make ufe of them, he tells us if they will not give leave, they (ball be prayed down and pulled down. But I hope they rage the more be- caufe they have but a fliorttime. But to come to the anfwer : What he hath here faid , is of the fame nature with what be hath fpoken before, and fo hath been already aniwercd. Before he charged our baptifm to be a counterfeit baptifm, and here again our Minifters are bhnde, and mifleade thoufands to oppofe the fubftance of the Go- fpel. What taunting bold language is this, and how unfit for a man of his thred-bare knowledge and profeflion ? I hope the reader will excufeme, becaufeit istofpeaka word for thofe choice leaders of ChnftsHock. who areas fheepdumb before the (hearers of our times.
2 The former diftinftion of the covenant muft beiKH minded, and then it is apparent,that the charge put in againft ourMiniftery is falfe. I have been one of their followers above this 12 yeers3 I blefs God, I never heard fuch a doftrine delivered : That propagation gave an in- being in the fpiritual part of the covenant of Grace, which is thatM. P. intends by the covenant of life. Therefore what the Prophet faid to Abab, is not mif-applyed to him ; It i* be, and fuch like a* he, That are the troublers of Ifrael, That leavens the Nations with errors. That run before they arefenf.fcrhe -whom God hath fent , fteakj the things of God ; be fpeaks not the things of God, becaufe he underftands them not, as hath been made appear hitherto, he underftands not the cove- nant of Grace from works; what the ntw covenant is , the extent thereof,how to bapt»ze,or whom to baptize. And therefore with the falft Prophers, he teaches to revolt from God and his ways.
The Reader may by this time fee,«what wood, hay, and ftubble he hath bu'lr, that not one Argument hitherto, either to prove our pra- nce to overthrow the forenamed Fundamental , or Circuracifiona covesant of Works, hath been made good. Therefore it is evident , That they remain unmoveable and untoucht , notwithftandjngthofe I horrible outcryes, wherewith fce chargeth our do&rine and pradice withal, pag. 83.
C«AP.;
'By Grace, not Wotk^%
CHAP. XIV. The 7