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CHALLENGE 
 
 O ALL 1 HE 
 
 Antipadobaptifts. 
 
 
 By Gr LES S HVT E 
 
 of Limehoufe* $ 
 
 L N D N, 
 
 Printed by J', R. and are to be Sold 
 
 by JSIathaniel Hilkr^ at the Primes- 
 Arms m Leaden- Hali-ftrcet ; and at 
 the ^ut hour's Houfe in Limehoiife^ 
 
k^^^^^^mi ^w^j^ 
 
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 JP # 0^ 
 
 p Introduclion. ^ 
 
 MY dearly beloved Brethren and 
 Chriftian Friends, I bim^Bly 
 make bold to inform you with 
 theoccafion of my Writing at this time, 
 onthisSubjecfi: following. "But, 
 
 Fgft of all, I muH beg leave to acquaint 
 you that I formerly Writ an jinfwer to 
 Mr. Htrcules Collins Book, which he 
 Writ againft me becaufe i Vindicated In- 
 fants Baptifm. 
 
 Secondly^ I WVit an A^fwer to Mr. 
 Benjamin KeacWs^ook^ on the fame 
 Subjecft. 
 
 Thirdly and laftly, I Anfwered a late 
 Book of Mr. Benjamin Dennis's, 
 
 And becaufe neither of theie being ^;;- 
 fwered^ I thought to have been filent and 
 Writ no more on this bubjeft, having, fo 
 clearly and fo fully confuted their Prin- 
 ciplesj^s that neither of thefe Three Great 
 Champions could Anfwer me, nor vindi- 
 cate their own Principle and Practice ; But 
 A 2 yet 
 
4 IntroditBion. 
 
 yegtMi^pithflanding, about th8fepr4nig of 
 the laft Year, I received a Letter by the 
 Penny poft , without either Name or 
 Date, with an Incloled Book, ftiled, An 
 Apology for Mr, Slmte^ on the Head ' of 
 Eight pages of thefaid Book ^ but i^the 
 iflTic 16-page it is, Series Refl^Sf^^pon 
 ytnfams Baptifm. And this nan^^Gen- 
 tieman whicti fent me the Letter, did iii 
 ef!e<fl: dare me to Anfwer the faid Book 
 and his Letter, becaufe he gave me a 
 Diredion where to fend it : But I know 
 better than to' u4pfwer them privately in 
 hugger, mugger by Writing. And there- 
 fore when i had peruied the Book , I 
 thought it fafer and properer to Anfwer 
 both the Book and the Letter publickly in 
 Print, to prevent Mif-reprefentations, 
 which foipe people are apt to make,if there 
 be not a f pecial care taken to prevent them : 
 Aadaribir may be beneficial to others, 
 that are not wilfully blind. But I had fo 
 much bufinefs upon my hands then, and 
 long after I received the faid Letter and 
 Book, that I could not Ar/fner it fo ibon as 
 othervi/iie I would have done, though I 
 do own that the laid Book was printed the 
 Year before it w^is letit me ^ but I did not 
 think it worth my while to A/wer fuch a 
 Collection of Impertinencies, as I fhall 
 
 fwith 
 
JntroduBiorj. ^ 5 
 
 i^with Gods afliftancej make it appear to 
 be before I have now done with it. But 
 feeing this unknown Peribn hath thus 
 dared ine unto it, 1 coulci do no lefs than 
 give an Anfwer therunco. 
 
 Th^Fpntleman began his Letter thus^ 
 
 Mr. Shme^ 
 
 IHaffened to fee a Book of yours ^ Jntu 
 tukd^ Infants Baptifm proved : And 
 the Mode of Baptifm to be by Sprinkling - 
 In which Booh J find yon have made many 
 feremp^i-y Challenges to the Anabaptifts, 
 (^ yoH call them) the which I fie ji ton not 
 yon may have Anfwered fafficiently. But 
 not to meddle with any of them^ or any fart 
 of the Book, ^^ which yoM, laboured to f rove 
 your Tenet not only .different from the hefi 
 j^ut hoars Hpon that SubjcB^ hut alfo yott 
 wreft many Scriptures concerning Sprinkling 
 agalnft and from their true gtnuine fig^if- 
 cation, Jk^^ow what I could fay concerning 
 thofe Points^ hm a Piece coming to my 
 hand upon that SuhjcEt doth juftly flop my 
 mouth '^ The Title u, Serious Refle(fiions 
 upon Infants Baptifm, &c. The Juthour 
 whereof I have fetn^ hut do nor 'Vt. i^?^ow 
 him ; a young A4^n he is • But the Pure 
 notvpithfanding is very copioyj-^ and peril- 
 A3 ?mn 
 
6 « hitrodiiUlon, 
 
 fient to the Cafe : I having read it with 
 great fatufaEiion^I mw fend it to you ; and 
 fray read it with Chriftian Imfartiality^and 
 then I (juefiioti not it may tend to yoitr gcod. 
 J he Piece it felj btfpeaks its own Commen- 
 dation^ and needs not any farther Apology ^ 
 *as mcxny of your own Judgment mm have 
 read it wiliteft-ifie ; for it is fober^ingenuon^s^ 
 and as flain as the ^uhje'ch will admit of. 
 
 Here is a very heavy Charge laid upon 
 nie, viTi.. wreftingthe Scriptures ; and a 
 very high Encomium given to the Book : 
 From whence we may obferve (everal 
 things of note in this part of his Letter. 
 
 1 . In the firft place I obferve that he is 
 troubled at my many peremptory Chal- 
 lenges ( as he is pleafed to call them ) to 
 the u4nah.^ptrfls. 
 
 2. He is difpleafed becaufe I call them 
 u4nahaftifts, 
 
 5 . He queftioned not but that my many 
 peremptory Challenges would be Anfwer^ 
 ed fufficiently ; which indeed* is that I 
 have long expected ; but 1 find now upon 
 mature deliberation , that filence Is the 
 be ft Anfwer that they are capable to give 
 unto it. 
 
 4. He hath charged me with wrefting 
 the Scriptures ; but I find by him, that he 
 
Jntroduciion. n 
 
 is better and readier at Charging than 
 Proving ^ for if he, or any one elfe of 
 their own Opinion, could have proved it 
 upon me, why did they not do it ? el'pe- 
 cialiy when I gave them fo many peremp- 
 tory Challenges thereunto, as he himfelf 
 doth own, and is troubled at them. 
 
 5. He faith I laboured to prove my 
 Tenet different from the befi of Authours 
 on that Subjedi. 
 
 This is not only an old cunning Device 
 of the ^nabaptifts^ but alfo a very com- 
 mon one, as may be obferved in moft of 
 their Writings in defence of their Princi- 
 pie J for by this their Infinuation they en- 
 deavour to fet thole that oppofe their 
 Principles one againft another : But that - 
 will not do withperfons that have their 
 Eyes open 
 
 6. Re feems to threaten me with what 
 he could have faid concerning thofe things 
 which I V^'rit in Afifwer to Mr. Dennis s 
 Ecok*, hut why doth he not fay it, or 
 ibmebody elie for him ? It is pity the op- 
 portunity ihould be lofL But th.s I muft 
 needs lay , That i never knew any one of 
 his Perfwafion but what would fay all tliac 
 he could in defence of their Principle ; 
 aye, and more than ever they could jufti- 
 fie or prove to. be true to boote : And I do 
 
 A, 4, not 
 
S Jmrodnftion, 
 
 not fpeak this altogether without book ; 
 for \ have proved k publickly in print 
 uponlbmeof the chiefeft Sticklers among 
 ihem. 
 
 7. In thefeventh place I find by his own 
 confefiion that he can fay no more than 
 u hat IS faid already in the Book that he 
 'ent me ^ for if he could, why doth he 
 lay that the faid Book juftly ftopt his 
 mouth ? But in my opinion this is no good 
 Logick, which is the more to be wondred 
 at being it came from fuch a learned per- 
 fon as this Gentleman by his Letter he 
 fent me feems ro be. 
 
 8. He would fain have the Book afore- 
 faid admired for Three things. 
 
 ?. For the Youngnefs of the Anthour ; 
 
 . for faith he, Av^ryyoung Man he Is. 
 
 2. He would have it admired for its 
 copQufritfs* 
 
 3 . For \is perumnce : He is a veryyoun^ 
 Mfin ; hi't the Pkce nofwithftanding is very 
 cofiom andfertnient. This may pafs for 
 a flrange miraculous thing among many 
 people ; but it muft be among fuch as know 
 no better. 
 
 9. He would fain make me believe by 
 the Letter he lent me, that many of my 
 
 Perfwafion 
 
J'f2trodnSllon\ ^ 
 
 Perfwafion are ready to atteft their fa tls- 
 fadion they received by reading the afore- 
 faid Book, and to render their commenda- 
 tion thereof^ for faith he, The Piatit felf 
 befpeaks its own Commendatmi^ and nuds 
 not any further Apology^ as^n-afiy. of yoptr 
 oivn' judgment that have Read n imll te- 
 fitfie. 
 
 But I believe he cannot give an in'lance 
 of one Profelyce that ever it made ^ which 
 had it been true, there muft have been 
 many; for what a Man is fati; fied in, and 
 gives his commendation of, he muft be re- 
 conciled unto; and what more canbere- 
 quifue to make a Profelyte than this ? 
 
 lO. Andlaftly: Re hath given the faid 
 Book a very high Encomium * but before 
 I have done, I fhall make it appear by fome 
 of the Arguments therein , and by the 
 Judgment of the iacred Scriptures, that 
 he is miferjfbly miikken in his ludgment 5 
 For how can he hy triat the Piece 1$ fober 
 and -ingenuous, ^ hereas in the very Front 
 of his Introdudion there is fixed a falla- 
 cious ironical Declaration, namely, ^^ 
 Apology for Mr, Shute^ when there was no^ 
 fuch thing ever intended, or to be found in 
 all the Book • but being in favour of their 
 Principle, though a notorious Falfehocd, 
 A 5 yet 
 
I 
 
 lO IntrodtiBlon. 
 
 yet he counts it fober and ingenuous. I 
 doubt not but by Gods gracious Aflfiftance, 
 I ihall be inabled to give this Bookfuch an 
 Ar'[wer as all our Opponents (hall not be 
 able to gainfay nor refift, as much as it is 
 now admired by them. 
 
C M ) 
 
 CHAxLLENGE . 
 
 ./^igPf TO A L L T H E ^^^Jj^ 
 
 Aniipadoba^tifts, 
 
 Friem mk^own^ 
 
 OUR Letter, with an inclofed 
 Eook, I received, namely. An 
 Afology for Mr. Shme, You de- 
 fired me to read k with Chriftian impar- 
 tiality, and then you queftioned not- but 
 it mighr tend fo my good : Sir,I have read 
 it with Chriftian impartiality, and all the 
 good 1 find by k is, to give me a fair op- 
 portunit- further to expoie your erroneous 
 Principles to the view of au fober judicious 
 Chriftians 
 
 But by ihe way, before I proceed, give 
 me leave to tell you, that 1 do not believe 
 the Young man to be the foie Authour of 
 this Book 5 which you and your Party 
 
 would 
 
(12) 
 
 would make the worFd believe him to be 
 and chat for feveral Realons ^ \mz 1 will 
 name bnz one, and that is an infalut 
 'viz.. -^BSIyie he is not fo well si 
 
 >thoie*j^|lsJ^ues as the Authour of 
 Book leemS to be ^ for a Friend of mir1 
 asked him loagfince this Book was writ- 
 ten, whether he could fpeak Latw. and. 
 
 Jjis^^^ver was, that he could no™|^^at 
 li^efcs^as if he had been impofe^^Pln. 
 But however, it matters not to me who 
 vi'asthe Authour of it.. I find this Gentle- 
 man doth fcght%^xtol and ^mi-^ ir ^ 
 but that is no^Sew thirJ| for Men to admire 
 that which favours their own Principles, 
 right or wrong, true or falfe ; for in many 
 cales. Ignorance is the Mother of Admi- 
 ration ; and I muft tell him plainly, Let 
 Men admire it how they pleafe, I am lure 
 God abhors it, becaufe he is a God of 
 Truth. But the firft ftep that is taken in 
 this Book, is an ironical Falfhood ; for 
 faith he, A/i Afology for Mr. Skme^wheve- 
 as there v;as no fuch thing ever intended, 
 nor can be found in all the Book* And 
 this is the fobe'r kfgenuous piece which this 
 perfon would fain have people believe it to 
 be J but this is a moft abominable iniciui- 
 ty, for any peribns proffffing Chrifiianity 
 robec^uilty of exhibiting liich a notorious 
 
 untruth 
 
( 13 ) 
 untruth In the Face of God, Angels, and 
 IVen ^ but the damage is not to ine, but 
 to themfelves. But this by the way. Now 
 to proce^. ♦ 
 
 i; In p^g. <. of the pretended \A^ology^ 
 he affirmeth that the Goffel'LhHnh is built 
 Hfon the Foundation of AlHat Faith in 
 Chrift : And to prove it to be fo, he hath 
 quot^^-Z^f. i<5 1 8 and Aiat. 5,8,9. 
 The roniier Scripture of thefe I will make 
 bfe of to confute this Errour. We muft 
 confider that the Church of God hath a 
 two-fold Foundation, namely, Perfonal 
 and Dodrinal. 
 
 1 . I {hall prove the Foundation of the 
 Gofpel- Church to be the Perfon of Chrift ; 
 in Mat, 16. 18. jind I fay alfo unto thee^ 
 that thou art Pettr^ andufon this rock I will 
 build my church: and the gates of hell jhall 
 not prevail again ft it. - 
 
 This is upon Chrifts Perfon,which Teter 
 confelTed to be the Son of the Living God, 
 who- is the Rock of Ages, againfl whom 
 Satan could never prevail ; but not upon 
 the A^ing of Teters Faith. Pray mark 
 what cur Saviour faid unto Pcff r afterward 
 in the^ very fame Chapter, ver. 23. Get 
 :hes hhink f.'ie^ Satan^ thou art an offence 
 .into me : for thou favour efi not the things 
 rhat be of Cody but thofe that he ef men. 
 
( u ) 
 
 But in p^^. 56. this Authour faith thus, 
 "viz.- What an Exercife was the Dtfc^ples 
 imhelief to Chrifi^ Mac. 27. 17 ? 
 
 Pra^twhere was the Founda|^n of the 
 Gofpel Church then, when they were all' 
 thus exercifing unbelief, Mat. 27. ? For if 
 this Poiltion of his be true, then the Goi- 
 pel-Church ceaied to be on ics proper 
 Foundation ; And where was tht|^^nda- 
 tion of the Gofpel- Church, when anchrifts 
 Dilciples were in luch a deep deep as that 
 they could not watch with him but one 
 Hour, A/ari^ 14- 3 T) 40, 41 . ? 
 
 5. Where was the Foundation of the 
 Gofpel 'Church, when Peter denyed our 
 Lord and Saviour, ^id all the reft of his 
 Difcipies forfook him and fled ? as in Mark 
 14. 50. 68, -70, 71,72. The Foundation 
 of the GofpeiXhurch is a nxed Founda- 
 tion which can never be moved nor al- 
 tered. 
 
 2. Lot us fee what A^at, 3.8,9. will 
 afford them in favour of this their Pofiti- 
 on, which is as follower h : 
 
 Bring forth therefore fr nits meet for re- 
 fenta'rice. 
 
 And think not to fay within yonr felves^ 
 We have Abraham to our Father : for I fay 
 unto yoH^ that Cod is able of thefe fiones 
 to ratfe Hp children unto Abraham^ 
 
 This 
 
( -5) 
 
 This is altogether incoherent, and no 
 more for their purpofe than Mat. i6. 1 8. 
 
 2. I will prove that the Foundation of 
 the Gofpel-Church is on Chrift perfonally, 
 oucof the Old Teliament. 
 
 ifa. 28. 1 6. Therefore thmfakh the Lordj 
 Behold^ I lay in Zion for a fonndation^ a 
 fione^ a tried ftone^ a freciom comer-ftone^ 
 a fnre foundation', he that believeth^ fhall 
 not make hafte. 
 
 Here you may fee the Foundation of 
 the Gofpel Church, |iameiy, Chrift, and 
 A6tual believing diftmd one from the 
 other. 
 
 But the Apoftle hath clearly confuted 
 this irrour, and put it out of the reach of 
 all Controverfie, in i Cor. 3. 11. in thefe 
 words, viz.. For other foundation can no 
 man lay^ then that is laidj which is Jefm 
 Chrifi. 
 
 2 I fhall prove Chrift to be the Foun- 
 dation of the Church dodrinally as well 
 as perfonally, as in Eph. 2. 20^ 21. ^nd 
 are built upon the fomd^'tion of the afofiles 
 and profhets^ Jc/us Chrifi himfilf being 
 the chief corner ^fl one ^ In vohom all the 
 hmldlng fitly framed together^ groweth unto 
 an holy temple in the Lord. 
 
 The Church was built upon the Oodrine 
 of the Prophets in the Old Teftament- 
 
 time,. 
 
tiaie, and Chrift was the chief and preci- 
 ous Corner ftone then, fa. iS. i6. And 
 ic is buiic upon the Dodirine of the Apo- 
 ftles in the New 1 eftament-time, ard 
 Te;us Chrift is the chief Corner-ftone alfo. 
 VVhich*clearIy proves the flateof the Gol- 
 pel- Church to be the very fame now, as 
 it was under the Old Teftament-Difpen- 
 fation, though under another Adminiftra- 
 tion^ for the Apoflle faith they are fitly 
 frained together 'j aye, ^^d they did ail eat 
 the fime fpiritiial meaty and dranhjhe fame 
 fpiritual drink : (jFor they drank of that 
 fpiridial Rocf^that followed them : and that 
 Rock^woi Chrift, ) And they were alfo a 
 baptized Church, deny it who dare, i Cor. 
 10. ij2,3, 4. for they w?erf all ba^ti^ed 
 imto Aiofes in the cloudy and in the fea • and 
 Mofes was a Type of our Redeemer Jefus 
 Chrifl. 
 
 2. The Foundation of the Church, 
 namely, Chrift, is the objccfb of true fa- 
 ving Faith 1 herefore to make the acfling 
 of Faith the Foundation of the Church, i§ 
 to place the a<fting of Fairh in the room of 
 the objed of Faith, which is impoflible ^for 
 Faith muft have an objed before it can ad). 
 Therefore this Motion of our Opponent's 
 is abfurd and ridiculous. 
 
 ' Thus 
 
w 
 
 ( 17) 
 
 Thus I have utterly confuted this No- 
 tion, by proving that the Gofpel-Chrirch 
 
 is biiilr upon Chrift himfelf peribnally and 
 dodrinally, and not upon Mans adiing 
 Faith upon Chrift •, which latter is a Chri- 
 ftians Duty, but the former is a more fu- 
 rer Foundation, Unto which alone we do 
 well to take heed. 
 
 3. In the third place, what is the reafon 
 our Opponent broacheth this Error, nanie- 
 ly, to afTert That the Gofpei-Church is 
 built upon Mansacftual believing in Chrift ? 
 The grand Reafon is this, namely. To 
 exclude the Infant-feed of believers from 
 Baptifm and Church-memberfhip ; which 
 could they do, they would gain the point * 
 But that they can never do,lb longas ihefe 
 Scriptures following are in being. 
 
 1. The firft is in /k/^f. 21.43. There- 
 fore fay I unto you^ The kingdom of Cod 
 fmli be taken from yoH^and given to a nation 
 bringing forth the fruits thereof, 
 
 2. In Mat. ^, j4nd I fay unto yoi^.j thai 
 many floall come from the eaft and weft^ and 
 flail fit down with ^braham^and Jfaac^ and 
 Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the 
 children of the ki'^gdom fljall be caft ont into 
 outer darkpcfs : there flali be weeping and 
 gnafling of teeth. 
 
 This 
 
( i8 ) 
 This Kingdom of Heaven is the Gofpel- 
 Church, and theie Ghildren thereof were 
 the >Ti'.r, who were all, young and old. 
 Children of the Kingdom by vertue of 
 their Covenant -relation w ylbraham^wkh 
 whom God made the Covenant. But it 
 may be cb)e<fi:ed, What is this to the proof 
 of the Infant-fe i of Believers Church- 
 iDember/hip now among us Gen ties ? 
 
 To which I anfwer, i Vv ill make it ap- 
 pear to be very appofite. 
 
 I. As thefe unbelieving 'jcws^ and all 
 their children, were once 1 embers of the 
 vifible Church of Chrift, or Children of 
 the Kingdom, and v ere excommuriicated 
 and caft out of the Church; io all the 
 believing Gentiles , and their children , 
 which were thofe many that God laid 
 mould come from the Eaft and Weft, ^-c, 
 were taken into the Church, or r\ingdom 
 of Heaven in their room, and graffed in 
 among the believing ^ews and their chil- 
 dren: Rom. \i, 17. And if fome of the 
 branches he broken ojf^ a?idtho^btwg a wild ' 
 oHve-treey wen grajfed in among fi them^ 
 and with them partakefi of the root and fat' 
 ntfs of the olive-tree. 
 
 Now can there be a clearer Proof than 
 this ? For here the unbelieving Jews and 
 their children were caft out and broken 
 
 off, 
 
( IP) 
 
 off, and the believing Gemiles and their 
 children graffed in amongfl: the believing 
 yen?; and their children, that flood in the 
 Covenant. Pray take me fair ; for 1 do 
 not fay they were cail out of the Cove- 
 nant of Redemption : they never were in 
 it ; for had they been in it, they could 
 never have finned themfelves out of it, as 
 is clear from thefe Tvi^o Scriptures,^ i John 
 2. ip, 20, 21, P/^/. 89. 3 1, to 35. 
 
 2. Obferve what our Saviour faith in 
 particular concerning Chiidrens Church- 
 memberfhip, mMat,i^. Then were there 
 hroHght unto him little children^ that he 
 Jhould fut his hands on them^ and pray : 
 and the difcipks rehid^d them. 
 
 But Jefmfaid^ Suffer little children^ and 
 forbid them not to come unto me : for offnch 
 if tk hlngdoin nf h^^z^fn^ JYi'dZ l5, ThS 
 
 Church5'or Kingdom of Heaven, doth 
 confiftvery much of little children ; and 
 therefore tliey ought not to be forbid com- 
 ing, or being brought, unto Chrift, And 
 for my part, I know of no other Gofpel- 
 Ordinance wherein children can be brought 
 unto Chrift. for properly as by Faith in the 
 AdminiOration of the initiating Seal of the 
 Covenant, namely. Water- baptifm. I 
 do not exclude a'l other Ways, but 1 look 
 upon this to be the chief. 
 
 Deut. 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 Deut. 23 . The children that are begotten 
 of them^ jloall enttr into the congregation of 
 the Lord, 
 
 Thus you fee the Jews Children were 
 Members of the Church under the Law; 
 and the Infant-ieed of believers do make 
 the lame Figure in the Gofpel-Church, as 
 the Jeip J- children did under the Ceremo- 
 nial Law ; and they have the very fame 
 Promife belonging unto them, in AEhs 2. 
 39- and in Gods account they are holy 
 children, i Cor, 7« 14. 
 
 3. 'he State of the Church is the fame 
 now as it was from the beginning, and 
 ever wiH be to the end of the world, jho' 
 the Frame of the Church is now under a 
 more glorious Difpenfation, and will yet 
 be abundantly more glorious when Anti- 
 chriii's Kingdom fhall be deftroyed, and 
 the Jews converted, 2 Theff, 2. 8. and 
 Rom, 1 1 . Then the light of the rroon fiall 
 be as the light of the fm^ and the light of 
 the fim fhall be feven-fold^ as the light of 
 fevjn days^ in the day that the Lord bindeth 
 Hp the breach of his people^ and hea'e}h the 
 firoke of their woitnd^ lia. 30. La that day 
 (liall there be upon the bells of the horfes^ 
 
 IloliaWess vnto the lord , 
 
 2ech> i4» 
 
 But 
 
( 21 V 
 
 But this doth no u ay exclude the Infanc- 
 ieed of Believers from being Church- 
 members j for if k did, then thefe j v/o 
 Abiurdities would necefTarily fouow as 
 the coniequence thereof. 
 
 I The State of the Church could not 
 be the fame. And, 
 
 2. The Frame thereof would be infi- 
 nitely worie under the Gofpel, than e'.er 
 it was under the Law. 
 
 Thus I have overthrown and razed this 
 defigned new Foundation of our Oppo- 
 nent, to call out and exclude the Infant- 
 feed of teiieveis from Church-member- 
 fhipandBaptifm. 
 
 3.. Saich our A-uthour in pag, 7, It is by 
 Faith that we apprehend the Death, and 
 Sujjerings^ and RefitrreEtion of Chrifi^ as 
 Qurs whereof Baftifm is a, Sign^ and not 
 that we are invejied intofo an ineJiimahlePri- 
 'vil'cdge barely by Baftifm, In a W(rrd : It 
 is Fdth onely that gives m an inter efl in 
 Chrisl^ and cdnfequently in the Pri'i Hedges 
 befiovced by Chrtji. Moreover, wtthont 
 Faith it is imfoffible topieafe God', Bm o^Il 
 th£ Infants that etre baptt^Led, I dare pre- 
 fume to fay i have nor Faith, 
 
 Here are leveral things to be noted 
 from thefe Pofitions. i. It is by Faith 
 Chrift is to be apprehended. 2. It is Faith 
 
 that 
 
f 22 ) 
 
 that gives us a propriety in Chrift, and all 
 the Privi ledges punch a fed by him 3. Bap- 
 tifiTi is but the Sign thereof. 4. We are 
 not inveded.into thofe ineftimable Privi - 
 ledge? barely by Baptiim. 5. U is Faith 
 onl^ that gives us an Interefl: in Chrift, 
 becaule without Faith it is impoffible to 
 pieafe God. 6, And laftly ; It may very 
 fafely be concluded, that all the Infants 
 that are baptized have not Fairh. All 
 thele Pcfitions I do not only afTent to the 
 truth of them, but aUo confent thereunto : 
 And therefore no Soul whatfoever can 
 ever be faved without the Grace of Faith. 
 
 4. in p<i^. 53. faith our Authour thus, 
 He orly jh,^ll he delivered from the condemn 
 timer Sentence y that hath a real Imereft In^ 
 and union nntOj Jefm Chrift., 
 
 This is very true, I own it to be fo : 
 Therefore without area! Intereft in Chrift, 
 and that by Faith, there can be no Sal- 
 vation. 
 
 5. And laftly : \n fag, 33. faith he, 
 BPit the (landing in the Church now is not by 
 Birth Natural of any Parents ; no^ not of 
 Abraham himfelf^ unUfs there he Faith-in 
 the ferfons then:Jclve'^ the which excliideth 
 Infants, 
 
 Thi«j is a very hard Sentence upon poor 
 dying Infants. 
 
 Now 
 
(23; 
 
 Now let us fum up thefe three Pofitions, 
 and dilate upon them, and fee what they 
 will afford us. 
 
 I . Saith he, It is Faith only that gives 
 an Intereji in Chrift. 
 
 2- Ht Oidy [luill he delivered f} om the con- 
 demning Sentence^ that hath a real Inter eft 
 \n^ and Hnion Hntojeftis Chrift , 
 
 3, And laflly : V-defs rheye be Faith in 
 the-perCons ihe^JelveSy they have no ft and- 
 ing in the Churchy whiih exclfides Infants^ 
 
 That is, becaufe their Principle will 
 jiot allow them to be capable of receiving 
 the Grace of Faith. 
 
 I; It is Faith only that gives us an In- 
 tereft in Chriit j lb that no Soul wKarfo- 
 ever can be faved without the Grace of 
 Faith ; for if he fhould , it would be with- 
 out an Intereft in Chnfl, which is impof- 
 fible ; for if none can be regenerated, fan- 
 dified, nor faved, withouc an Intereft in 
 Chri:^ and that only by Faith, then dy- 
 ing Infi^ts muft have Faith, or they can 
 never be faved. 
 
 But none can b^ regenerated., fan(fiified, 
 nor laved, withouc an Intereft in Chrift, 
 and that only by Faith : Therefor i" dying 
 Infants mull have Faith, or the^ can never 
 be iaved. It is true a? our Authour faith, 
 It is Faith only chat gives an Intereft in 
 
 Chrift. 
 
( H ) 
 
 Clirill. So that the befl; conftrudiion that 
 can be| tnade of their own Arguments, 
 is thij^i namely, if any dying Infants are 
 faved. \ it is without an intereft in, and 
 union unto Chriit. 
 
 2. If none can be freed from the con, 
 demning '^entence without peribnal Faith, 
 then dvi^g liifant*? muft have Faith,or they 
 c^nioc be frti^'d from the co.»demning Sen- 
 tence ^^ut none can be freed from the 
 condemn'ng Senrence without peribnal 
 Fa: a : i hercTore dying Infants muft have 
 perlonal Faith- oth^rwife they muft fall 
 eternally under «h.: Sentence; the \ery 
 thoughts of whxh is grievous ar?d dread- 
 ful. • 
 
 ^ If r20?7e can fl^yid in the Chnrch unkfs 
 thtre he Faith in theperfo^^s themfdvesy 
 
 Thtn fay I, in uufwer unco it, Much 
 lefs (hall any be able to ftind be^e God 
 in the Day of Judgment wuiiout the Righ- 
 teoumefs of Faith. But our A uthour con- 
 cluded that Sentence thus, viz..^ivhich 
 exdudes /yfar.'ts^ 3 ^gainft Wh-xh I muft 
 enter my iblemn pn ♦:pft, bt-caufe thereby 
 he excludes all dying infants from eternal 
 Life and Sal vatic n 
 
 4 And laitly : >r it be impofTible to 
 pleale God wuhout Faith- theri dying In- 
 fants muft have Faith, or ihey cannot be 
 
 faved^ 
 
(25) 
 
 faved. But it is impoflTible to pleafe God 
 without Faith : Therefore dying Infants 
 mud have Faith, or they cannot be laved j 
 for God will fave none but fuch as he is 
 well pleafed with, and fully reconciled 
 unto through Faith in his Son Chrifl Jefus 
 our Lord, 2 Cor. 5. 19. 
 
 Thus you fee by the very fame Argu- 
 ments he hath ufed for to exclude the in- 
 fant'feedof Believers from Baptifm and 
 Church-memberfhip , he hath excluded 
 them from Eternal Life and Salvation: 
 But I have turned their own Arguments 
 upon them, and confuted their principles 
 without ftraining of them in the leail mea- 
 fure or degree. 
 
 4, In the fourth place, to be plain with 
 them, I am prone to think they have not 
 a good underftanding of the nature and 
 tendency of the Grace of Faith, becaufe 
 they feem to look upon it to be partly by 
 fome prequalification in and by the Crea- 
 ture ; for otherwife they " would never 
 prefume ro deny young Infants to be ca- 
 pable of receiving the Graces of the Spirit 
 in their Infancy. 
 
 1 . I fear they do not rightly underftand 
 what the Grace of Faith is. 
 
 2. They do not underftand how it is 
 wrought. 
 
 B 3. They 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 3, They do not under ftand the nature 
 and operation of Faith. 
 
 4. And laftly : They do not rightly 
 underfland who is the Author and worker 
 of it ^ and therefore I (hall give them the 
 beft inftrudions I can, (with Gods affift- 
 ance) for the illuminating their underftan- 
 dings, and the recftifying their judgments, 
 and the Lord biefs and fant^ify it unto 
 them all. 
 
 And for the clearer underftanding of it, 
 I (hall make ufe of this Method follow- 
 ing. 
 
 I . Firft of all I fhall fhew what the fin 
 <0f unbelief is, which is diametrically op- 
 pofite to the Grace of Faith. 
 
 ^. i (liall fhew how it came to fubjugate 
 Man under its power and dominion 
 
 3 Anid laftly : 1 fhall expofe the Author 
 of it. 
 
 I. In the firfl place unbelief isfpiricual 
 death ; .for all thofe that are under the do* 
 zninion of unbelief are fpiritually dea4 ; 
 for it was unbelief that brought fpirituai 
 death, as well as natural, upon all the 
 Poflerity of ^.,{am ; and this was that 
 death which reigned from j4dam to Mofes^ 
 Rom. 5. 14, Unbelief is the Father of 
 the fecond death ; for had it not been for 
 thefmof unbelief, the fecond death could 
 
 never 
 
( 27 ) 
 
 never have had any power over any one 
 Soul in the whole World ; for there is ne- 
 ver a fjnner in Hell but what was brought 
 there by the power of unbelief, John 8, 
 Jf ye believe not that I am he^ ye pjall dye 
 i'n your fins ^ 
 
 2. Spiritual death broke in and feized 
 upon Man through the Fall by unbelief, as 
 in Gen,i. But of the tree of the knowledge 
 of good and evii^ thou jhalt not eat of it : 
 for in the day that thoH eat eft thereof thoa 
 jlialt frrely dye. 
 
 Rom. 5. Wherefore' J as by one man fm 
 entred into the world^ and death by fin \ and 
 fo death paffed ufon all men^ forr that all have 
 finned, 
 
 3. And laftly : Satan is the Authour of 
 unbelief; for he came to the Woman, and 
 faid unto her, Te fhall not dye-^ but if ye 
 eat thereof J your eyes Jliall be ofened^ and 
 yefiall be as gods ^ knowing good andeviL 
 They.did not believe what God had told 
 them before, but hearkened to the delu- 
 (ions of Satan, and did eat of the forbidden 
 Fruit, and fo the Threatning took place, 
 and was executed upon them in the very 
 fame moment of their Rebellion -, for fpi- 
 ritual death feized upon them both, and 
 flew them, alid fo they lay dead under the 
 power of unbelief, and all their Poflerity 
 
 B 2 in 
 
r 28 ) 
 
 in them vertually : So that the Devil is 
 the Authour of Unbelief. 
 
 Thus you fee in part what unbelief is-t 
 and what miichief it hath done •, for it is.. 
 that which brought in fpiritual, natural,, 
 and eternal death, upon Mai>{iirid, and 
 the Devil was the Author of it. 
 
 Having thus premifed thefe Things, I 
 come now to fhew what the Grace of 
 Faith is. 
 
 I . In the firfl place faving fandifying 
 Faith is a Spark of Celeftial Fireinkindled 
 by the breathing of the Holy Ghoft in the 
 Soul of an ele(ft finner in the work of Re- 
 generation, that can never be extinguifhed, 
 in which the Soul is wholly paffive. 
 
 3. Saving Faith is the Image of God, 
 impreft upon the regenerared Sou! ^ for it 
 is that which affimilates him to God his 
 Maker; for the more Faith any Believer 
 hath, the more holier in heart and life he 
 is, and the clearer the Image of God ap- 
 peareth on him. 
 
 3. And laftly: Saving Faith is the Life 
 of God refiored unto the Soul ; for by 
 the Fall Man loft this precious Jewel , 
 namely^ fpiritual L ife ; for as in Addm all 
 iiyedy fo in Chrift fiall all be made alive : 
 And this Life is maintained and upheld by 
 the Spirit of God that begets it. By Faith 
 
 the 
 
r 2P ) 
 
 the Soul lives upon God in Chrift, and 
 fetch, th ;ii i from God throughChrift which 
 he ftand3 in need of ^ and as this precious 
 Jew^I was loft b ; the Fall of ^dam thro' 
 unbelief,fo it could never be regained nor 
 recovered but by Faith in our Lord jefus 
 Chrift, Rom 5. Therefore as by the offence 
 of one^ .judgment came ufon all men to con- 
 demnation : even fo by the right eoufnefs of 
 onv^ the free gift came fifon all men unto 
 juft-ficationof life. 
 
 2 i fliall (hew how the Grace of Faith 
 is wrought in the heart of an eledt 
 finner. 
 
 I . In the firft place, as fpiritual death 
 came in by the Fall through the demerit of 
 the firft j4dam by unbelief, 
 
 So likewife (ipiritual Life is reffored 
 again to Gods chofen People,through Faith 
 in the Righteouibefs and Merits of our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift^the Second ^dam jKom» 
 5. 17. For if by one mans offence^ death 
 reigned by one ^ much more they which re* 
 ceive abundance of grace ^ and of the gift 
 of right eoufnefs^ fhall reign in life by one^ 
 Jefm Chrift. 
 
 Ver. 2 ! . That as fin hath reigned unto 
 death^ even fo might grace reign through 
 righteoufnefs unto eternal life ^through Jefiu 
 Chrifi. 
 
 B 3 2. Saving 
 
(3o; 
 
 2. Saving Faith is everlafting Life, be- 
 gun and wrought by the Spirit of Chrift 
 in the heart of an eled fmner in this world, 
 
 Joh^i 3. f/e that believeth on the So??, hath 
 ever lading life . But luppofe he d g rh not 
 believe on the Son of God ? Why, the 
 Text telleth us, hepaii not fee life. And 
 is that all f O no ! hnt the wrath of Cod 
 ahideth on hm •, and nothing can remove 
 it fromhiiii, but Faith in our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift. 
 
 3. Andlaftly .• God intruded the firft 
 j^dam with fpiritual I ife in his own hands 
 before he fell ^ but Sat^n and unbelief 
 quickly robbed and deprived him of it : 
 But ncv/ (blefled be God) it is lodged in 
 an infallible Hand, in the Hand of the 
 Second Adam^ the Mediatour of the New 
 Covenant, Col 3. For^ye are dead^ and 
 yom- te u hid ivith ChriB in God. 
 
 When Chrift who is our lije^ fljall appear ^ 
 then fJ? a If ye alfo appear with him in glory. 
 
 Can there be any fecurity like this I to 
 have this Life hid with Chrift in God ? 
 Nav, Chrift i^ our Life. Adam xwluno- 
 cence had not his fpiritual Life fo well 
 fecured.^ for if it had, he could never 
 have faien and loft it. So that- the Life of 
 the Believer is better and more fecure 
 now than ever Adapts was m Innocence. 
 
 Again, 
 
( 31 ) 
 Again, the Apoftle laith m Gal. i, I am 
 crucified with Chrifi : Ntverthelefs I live ; 
 yet not /, bnt Chrlft liveth in me :_ a-nd the 
 life which I now live in the fie fi^ J live by 
 the faith of the Son of God^ who loved me ^ 
 and gave himfclf for me. 
 
 And thus thefpiricual Life, which was 
 ioft tbrough uiibelief by the Fall of the tirft 
 Adam^ is regained through Faith in our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift, the Second A^-b.m. 
 
 3. I win fliew fomethingof the nature 
 and oper?5tion of Faith. 
 
 1 . Firft of all ; True faving Faith ever 
 worketh by Love ; the Love of Go ? is 
 ; /thepWw//;w^^ol'^/e of aii our Mercies^ for 
 it is the Love of God the Fathc lets fairh^ 
 on work in the fouls of the Eledt, and 
 makes a through change therein^ John ^^ 
 For 6 odfo loved the world^ that ioe gave his 
 only begotten Son^ that wh^foever beiievtth 
 in him J might not fcrijJi^ h^t have e-'^er- 
 lafiing life. 
 
 2 \t is called the Faith of the opera- 
 tion of God, CoL 2. 12 It is God that 
 influenceth ft, and caufeth it to operate. 
 
 3 h is by Faith in Chrifi: Jefus that an 
 ele(f^ (inner partakes of the divine Nntnre, 
 and fo he comes to be made meet to par- 
 take of ihe inheritance with the Saints in 
 Light. 
 
 3-1. 4. Faith 
 
( ?o 
 
 4. Faith is the uniting Grace, it is the 
 very bond and ligament of union with 
 Chrift, it joyns the Son of God and the 
 foul of an eled finner together,. E^h. 4, 
 Till we all come in the nrnty of fdith^ and 
 of the Son of God^ &c. By the Fall we 
 were all feparated from Chrifl, as he is 
 God through unbelief ;for we were aliena- 
 ted from the Life of ood ^ but all that 
 have faving faith wrought in them, have 
 the Life of God in them. 
 
 5. There is no faving knowledge of 
 God to be acquired but by faith in Chrifl 
 jefus •, For this is life ctcynal^ to h^Gw thee^ 
 the only true God^ and Jefm Chrifi whom 
 he hath [em, 
 
 6. All the eiedt-of God, old and young, 
 are or fhall be begotten and born of God 
 through Faith, John i, 12, 13. Bat as 
 many as received him^ to them gave he 
 power to become the fans of God^evtn to them 
 that believe on his name : 
 
 Which were born^ not of bloody nor of 
 the will of the flejh^ nor of the will of man^ 
 but of God. 
 
 GaL 3. Te are all the children of Godj 
 by faith in Jtfm Chrifi. 
 
 1 hey are Gods children by adoption 
 and regeneration ; Therefore all ihofe that 
 have no Faith, nor never (hall have, are 
 
 none 
 
r 35 ; 
 
 none of the children of God, but are chil- 
 dren of the Devil by unbelief, and in a 
 ftate of fpiritual death and condemnation. 
 Therefore dying Infants muft have Faith, 
 or they cannot be faved, becaufe unlefs 
 they have faith, they are none of the chil- 
 dren of God j for all that are deftitute of 
 the grace of faith are deftitute alfo of 
 fpiritual life ; but all thar havefaving faith, 
 are pafTed from death unto life, Johrf 
 
 5- 24 ^ 
 
 7. And laftly : Jefus Chrift himfelf is 
 Eternal Life unto all the Ele(ft of God^ 
 
 I Joh?? 1.2- For the life was manifeftedj 
 and we have fcen it^ and hear witnefsy and' 
 jhew unt.oyoH that eternal life which was with 
 the Father^ andk manifefted unto m. 
 
 And the Apoftle faith. That God hath 
 given unto hs tiernal iife^ and this life is in 
 his ^on, 
 
 Th t is, in Chrift Jefus the Son of God ; 
 and at hisdifpcfal, as in ^ohn 17. Thoi^k 
 haft\_\ven him pOivtr over all fiefi^ that he 
 jhanld give eternal life to Oi many as thoa^ 
 ha ^ given him. 
 
 And this f ife is the grace of faith. So 
 that it is '. hrifts L ff»,andL hrifts Faith alfo^ 
 and is derived from God the Father thro^ 
 him on all the elecft ^ for God isthe Ori^- 
 ginal and Fountain of Life, Trov. 14. 
 
 B^ 3. 4, AA^d. 
 
r ^4 > 
 
 4. Andlaftly: To crown alt that ha tb 
 bten faid on this account, 
 
 1 . (jod is the anthonr andfinijher of om 
 faith^ Heb.. 12. 2. For it is the faith of 
 the operation of God^ Col 2. 12. 
 
 2. True faving Faith is a divine Qua- 
 lity^ infui'ed into the Soul by the holy Ghoil 
 in the work of Regeneration,and it (lands 
 2iot in the vvifdom of Men,but in the power 
 01 God, neither is it acquired by humane 
 Learning and Parts, nor by Maturity of 
 years. 
 
 3. Faith is not of our felve'?, it doth. 
 Slot grow m Natures garden, it is the gift 
 of Gcd, and God can beilow this gift 
 ijpon whom he pleafe,and when he pleafe ; 
 God may beftow \t upon an Infant in the 
 Wombvor in the Cradie,and deny ix. to the 
 wcr!dly-\% i^t and prudent , for all the ele<^ 
 arepaffive m the receprionof it ^therefore 
 .1: youi-ig babe is as c.apable of receiving 
 
 - iprritiiallife, as aiiy adult perfon is what- 
 ■ip^ever. 
 
 4. True faving fan^fiifying Faith is a 
 HayorEeani of divine Life, proceeding 
 from Gcci the Father, through Chrifl: the 
 Mediatour, and. hath God in Chrift for its 
 Center, which doth ever prop/end the Soul 
 10 God ward v/hen it h m exerciie, like 
 ssdieFlower-de-luGe-Pomt \n the Mari- 
 ners 
 
C35 ) ,.- . 
 nefs Compafs dorh alwayes point to the 
 North Pole, or Star, evtn lb doih this 
 bleiTed Flower-de fuce, nairiply, the r/ace 
 of Fairh, in the Soul of a Believer ever 
 point unto God the Father, rhroi.gh Chrifl 
 the Star of Jacob its proper Cenrer, who 
 as the Loadftone draws all the Ele(ft of 
 God untohiin. 
 
 John 12. 32. Jnd /, if I he lifted uf 
 from the earthy will draw all men unto me, 
 
 5/ And iafily / Where ever God be- 
 ftows the grace of Faith, there he beftows 
 all the reft of the graces of the Spirit, and 
 they are all habitually in ccnjundion in , 
 the fiffl moment of Regeneration, which -. 
 denominates that Soul ro be a Believer, 
 though he fhould never a£i Faith, but be 
 taken even from the very womb of rege- 
 neration into Fternal glory ; for God is not ^ 
 only the Authour of all grace, but the 
 Workec of it alfo, Ifd, 6. Lord^ thof^y 
 wilt ordain peace for lu : for thoii alfo hafi 
 
 n vis^ 
 
 TQr ought all our works i 
 
 Phil.- 2* 1 3. For it is God that xv-yrkcth in 
 yoiij both toivill (vndto do of his good pk-t^. 
 fnre. 
 
 And if God will work, who can le it ? 
 for it is \xi him we li ve.move and have 'jr 
 fpiritual being as weilaioui remportl, m 
 workeih:aIi things according to th^counfel' 
 
( 3^ ) 
 of his own Will by his Spirit that dwelleth 
 in us. 
 
 Therefore, for any perions to affirm, 
 That young Infants are not capable of re- 
 ceiving the grace of Faith, in which ever- 
 lafting Life is conveyed into the Soul, even 
 in this U'orld, is todeipife and dil'parage 
 the preventing Grace of God, and limit 
 the Holy One of Ifz-ael^ and confine his 
 free grace to years of diicretion and matu- 
 rity ^ fo that by their Principle, they do 
 make the way to Heaven lb ftraight, and 
 the gate To narrow, that it is impoffible for 
 any dying Infant ever to enter in, and be 
 faved. 
 
 T. Thus I hare (hown what faving 
 Faith is. 
 
 2. How it is wrought. 
 
 3. How it operates in the Soul, and 
 what effeds it doth produce. 
 
 4. t\ndhftly: That God is the Author 
 andFinifherof it. 
 
 For my part, I admire how our Oppo- 
 nents can ftand it out againft allthefe Fun- 
 damental Truths which are ^o contrary to. 
 their Principles ^ [here fore I exhort them 
 all in I he Name of God to confide r feri- 
 oufly of thele Things. 
 
 2. The Grace of Faith intituleth per- 
 fons to great Honour and Dignity. 
 
 T. God 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 1. God is their Father, and they are his 
 Children 
 
 2. They are Heirs ot Glory, Joynt- 
 hears with Chrifk. 
 
 3. Heaven is their inheritance. 
 
 4. They are Heirs of the grace of 
 Life. 
 
 5. Andlaftly: God hath delegated and 
 appointed all the heavenly Hoft of Angels 
 to be their guard in their life-time, and at 
 their death This honour have all the 
 Saints, great and finall, infants and adulr 
 perfons, as do plably appear by thele 
 following Scriptures. 
 
 I. The holy Angels attend them, and 
 minifter for them in their life. 
 
 Plal. 91. For he jhali give his angth 
 charge over thee^ to l^ef thee, in all thy 
 ways. 
 
 rhey Pi all hear thee uf in their hands ^ 
 left thou dajh thy foot again ft a ft one. 
 
 Mat. 18. WhofofljaU offend one of thefe 
 lutle ones which believe in me^ it were better 
 for him that a milftone were hanged ahoHt. 
 his nec\, and that he were drowned in the 
 depth of thefea,. 
 
 Take heed that ye defjdfi not one of thefe 
 little ones '^, for I fay nnto yon^ that in hea-^ 
 "ven their angels do always behold the face of 
 my Father which kin heaven^ 
 
 lor 
 
( 38 ) 
 
 For the Son of man is come to favc that 
 which was lost, 
 
 Here n is faid^ the Son of man is 
 
 co?ne to fave that which xvds lost '^ buc in 
 Luke 19. 10. there it is laid, f'or the Son 
 of man is come to feel^ and to five that 
 which W.U losl-. 
 
 Here are feveral things to beobferved as 
 we go along. 
 
 1. This Text in Luke I humbly con- 
 ceive reipeds adult Tinners, who are not 
 CMily loll by Original rins,but alio are wan- 
 dered and loil: by actual tranlgreffions ^ 
 for they are compared to loft (heep, in 
 Lake 15. that wander about after they are 
 loft j they do not continue in the place 
 where they were firft loft. 
 
 2. But ferondly, thofe in Alat. 18. I 
 conceive to be young infants, that are 
 only loft in a ftate of Original deprava. 
 tion^ who are compared to the womans 
 !oft piece of filver in the aforefaid L/% 1 5. 
 which remaineth in the place where it was 
 fjrft loft until it be found. 
 
 3 . That this in Mat, 1 3 . is fpoken con- 
 cerning eled young infants feems to me 
 very clear, becaufe our Saviour Chrift 
 had been treating about little ones before, 
 ia./^^, i8» i/^r. 45 5>5. and 10, &c, 
 
 si. Our 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 4. Our Saviour concludes this part of 
 his Speech thus, in ver. 14. Ez'cn fo it is 
 not the will of your Father which is in hea- 
 'verij that one of tkefe little ones jhonldfe^ 
 rijh. 
 
 Our Saviour direded his Speech to adult 
 Believers concerning thofe little ones in 
 thefe words, 
 
 Evenfo it is not the will of your Father j 
 &c. 
 
 That one of thefe little ones jlioidd perifj, 
 
 5. \nver, 10 thefe little ones which be- 
 lieved in Chrift, were under the charge of 
 the holy and blefTed angels ; for they are 
 called their Angels, to fhew Gods fpecial 
 Love undo them, and his Fatherly Care of 
 them, and their propriety in them. 
 
 6. Their Angels do miaifter for them in 
 the Church militant, with God the Father, 
 in the Church Triumphant in Glory, aa 
 appears by our Saviours words in ver* 10. 
 
 Tak^ heed that ye defpife not one of thefe 
 little o'nes ; ( thefe are the fubjec^s, viz., 
 little ones) for IfaymtoyoH^ (that was to 
 the adult Believers) that in heaven (that is 
 the Church Militant ) their angels (thefe 
 are the little ones- Angels) do alwayes he- 
 hold the face of my Father which is in heaven^ 
 (That is.,they minifter for them with God 
 the Father in Glory, fubordinate to Chriii 
 GU^^MediatOJ. 7, Theft 
 
r 40 ) 
 
 7. Thefe little ones which believed in 
 Chrift were loft in Original fin, and were 
 by Nature children of Wrarh, even as 
 well as others, 
 
 8. It is not the will of God the Father 
 that any of thofe eled little ones fhould 
 periili, but (hould have everlafting Life. 
 
 9. We ought to receive the Infant-feed 
 of Believers into the Number of God s 
 People,in the Name of Chrift, Matth, i8» 
 ^d whofo fliall receive onefach little chUd 
 iamynan^e^ receiveth me. 
 
 Here you fee what incouragement is 
 given by Chrifl: himfelf for the receiving 
 them into the Church, in his name-, for in 
 fo doing, we receive Chrift alfo: And I 
 know of no other publick external Ordi- 
 nance, wherein we are to receive Members 
 into the Church initially, butby Water- 
 baptilm ; for in C hrifts Coramiffion gene- 
 ral to his Minifter??. Mat. 2S. was, to 
 baptize in the Name of the Father, the 
 Son,and the Holy Ghoft ^ and the Apoftle 
 conimanded them '\n Ath i,- to be bapti* 
 2ed every one of them, that was, them- 
 felves and children, in the Name of Jelus 
 Chrift, becaufe in the conciufion of his 
 Speech unto them on itiat Hejfd, he faid m 
 ver, 39. For thepromife i$ unto you^ and to 
 yoHV chiUn^y and- to all th^t an afar ojf^ 
 
( 41 ) 
 
 even ^s many as the Lord our God fliall calL 
 lo. And laftly : The holy and blefTed 
 Angels are all miniftring Spirits- lent forth 
 to minifler for all them who (hall be Heirs 
 of Salvation, Hcb. i , All elecf^ Infants are 
 Heirs of Salvation; Therefore the Angels 
 minifter for them. Now pray tell us if >ou 
 can, in what any adult perfon is capable 
 of the Miniftry of Angels, for him, more 
 than a young Infant is of thek Miniftry for 
 himf For all the Elecfl: are paflive ijnder 
 
 their Miniftry ; for it is faid, they do 
 
 mimfier for them who Jhall be the heirs of 
 falvation : It is not faid, they do minifter 
 with them, nor mto them, in that Text, 
 but /or them. 1 dare prefume to fay,that 
 no adult perfon is able to give any parti- 
 cular diftin(n: account of the effects of An- 
 gelical Miniftry for him , more than a 
 young Babe can of theefFedsof their Mi- 
 ni{\ry for him, P/al, 103 17, 18, 19, 
 20, 21. 
 
 2 In the fecond and laft place ; The 
 blefTed Angels do minifter for all the heirs 
 of falvation at their hour of death, and 
 do not leave them until they are lodged 
 fafe in eternal Glory, Luke 16.2^^ -Aid 
 it came to fafs that the he^ger died^ and was 
 carried by the arfgels into j^brahams bo- 
 fome. 
 
 Thus 
 
r 42 ) 
 
 Thus 1 have confuted their Topping 
 Arguments again ft Infants Baptifm and 
 Church-memberfhip^ which ar? the main 
 Pillars on which their Principle ftands ; 
 for unlefs they can prove thai Lie Infant- 
 feed of Believers were caft. out ot the 
 Church and Covenant of Grace by the 
 perfonal coming of Chrift in the r^ew 
 Dilpenfation of the Gofp^el, ana alio that 
 dying infants can be faved without Faith, 
 which is without fpiritual Life, and with- 
 out a real intereft in, and uf*ion unto 't[as 
 Chrift, all they can fay to the contrary 
 fignifies nothing. I have given them ieve- 
 rai Challenges publickly in print,to prove 
 that the children of believing Parents who 
 were all in covenant under the Ceremonial 
 Law, were caft out of the Church and 
 Covenant of Grace under the New Dif- 
 peniaiion of the Goipel : And fecondly, 
 to fhew us what fin and tranfgreiTion they 
 peribnally committed, and were aftually 
 guilty of, that did fo provoke the God of ^ 
 Mercy and Grace ro deal fo feverely with 
 them as to excommunicate them all during 
 their Infancy .• But they could never An- 
 fwer me, though they have been hammer- 
 ing at it feveral.iimes, Ibme in one way, 
 and ibme in another, but none agreeing in 
 their Verdids, 
 
(43 ) 
 
 1. Mr. Hercules Collins affirmed, that 
 the Covenant which God eftablifhed and 
 ratified with Abraham^ in Gen. 17.7. was 
 a Covenant of Peculiarity, and therefore 
 it was difTolved and phickt up by ^he roots 
 at the coming of J(}hn rhe Bapiilt ^ and 
 to prove it to be fo,^ he quoted i^c/w. 11. 
 19, 20, 21. which is a Texr.^ together 
 with the whole chapter, that is diametri- 
 cally oppofite and contrary to their very 
 Principles. 
 
 2. Mr. Benjamin Reach affirmed, that 
 the Church under the Ceremonial Law was 
 a carnal Church, and alfo,that there were 
 Tv;o Covenants made with Abraham in 
 Gen. 17. 7. and thatone.of them with the 
 Church aforefaid, was aboliflied at the 
 coming of Chrift in the New Difpenfation. 
 of the Gofpel. 
 
 2. He likev^/ife affirmed. That Gcdhad 
 many wayes to fan^ifie and fave dying In- 
 favts which vce knovo not oJ\ neither is it ft 
 -we jljotild inqm-ye into it. Which is a very 
 iubtil way to prevent rhe difcovery and 
 dete'ftion of an Error, and liiiells of the 
 Eomijh Dodlrine, which declares that it is 
 not fit that the Lay people (hould read the 
 Bible. But Mr. H. C. affirriied that there 
 is but one w-ay, and that he calleth a better 
 way^ wherein God faves dying Infants 
 
 differing 
 
(44) 
 differing from that wherein he faves adult 
 Believers, and that is by the Jmfittation of 
 the Right ef)i4fnefs and Merits ofjefi^^s Chrifi 
 without the Grace of Fail h : That is, to 
 fave them without fpiritual Life ; for no 
 Faith, no Life: Which is to lave them in 
 aftate of fpiritual Death. 
 
 3. But in the third place ¥1^: Benjamin 
 Dermis differs from them bach, with a 
 refpe(f!: to the Church under the Law ; for 
 faith he, The Frame of the Jewifh Church 
 ha^jlng had its Day and Endj we look, u^on 
 it as taken down to admit a more glorio^a 
 DiffenfMiort, 
 
 Mr. D. doth not fay that the ftate of 
 the church was taken down or alter- 
 ed, but the Frame ^ which I own to be 
 true. But this by the way. And what 
 their next Anfwer will be to my particu- 
 lar and general Challenge Lgave them, in 
 xn"^ AnfxiQerioHv. Z;*s. late Book, I know 
 not. 1 have been long threatened with it, 
 but as yet I can fee no appearance of it, 
 though ( 1 blefs God ) I am ready to re- 
 ceive it, let it be what it will ; And as for 
 this (ham Apology , which was fent me in 
 a Penny.poft Letter, \ find upon fcrutiny 
 thereof, to conf.ft much of carnal Reafon, 
 manifeft Contradidions, and wrong Con- 
 clufions, and alfocarrieth that in the very 
 
 bowels 
 
(45 "> 
 bowels of it which doth utterly overthrow 
 and deftroy their own Principles • and I 
 admire that this Authour being io well 
 skill'd in Tongues, as k feems by the Let- 
 ter fent to me he is, fhould have no better 
 skill in Arguments ; for I will (hew them, 
 (without the help of Hebrew^ Greel^^ ot 
 Lnm') that in the aforelaid Book there is 
 Truth held in unrighteoufnefs j which I 
 willdemonftrateas followerh. 
 
 I . In the firft place, it is a great Truth, 
 That it's Faith only that gives us anintereft 
 in Chrift, ( for it is that which I chiefly 
 contend for with thole of their Principles) 
 but it is abominably unrighteous to con- 
 clude therefrom. That Infants are exclu- 
 ded from Baptifm and Church-member- 
 (hip, as this Authour hath done, becaufe 
 by the very fame Argument all dying In- 
 fants are excluded from Eternal Life and 
 lalvation ; for God will fave none, old or 
 youngs but them which have an intereft in 
 Chrift; for it is evident, that everlafting 
 Lire doth ever commence in the Grace of 
 Faith, John 3 . He that beUeveth on the Son^ 
 hath everlaft'w^ life. 
 
 This is indefinitely fpoken of all, old 
 and young : He that helieveth on the Son^ 
 hnth ever lofting life : and he that bdieveth 
 
 not 
 
r 4<5 ) 
 
 not the Son^ jhdil not fee life ; hat the wrath 
 of God abidethon him. 
 
 We are all by nature children of wrath^^ 
 and lb we abide till the Grace of Faith re- 
 movech \t from us ; for when Grace is ml 
 fufed, tlu-n Gods Wrath is removed, and 
 abideth no longer on us. 
 
 Now ! will purfueour Authours Argu- 
 ment aforefaid, and trace it to the Foun- 
 tain-head by this Text of Scripture, viz.* 
 No Faith, no real intereft in, nor union 
 unto Jefus Chrift ; and if fo, then no fal- 
 vation to be had by him, but the wrath of 
 God abideth on him. 
 
 This is the genuine confequence of the 
 Argument, according to the tenour of the 
 aforefaid Text of Scripture ^ the weight 
 of both which is fallen upon their avowed 
 Principles^ and crufhes them all into pie- 
 ces: For they hold. That dying Infants 
 are faved by an intereft in, and union unto 
 Jefus Chrift, though at the lame time they 
 deny them to be capable of receiving the 
 inftrumental Bond and L igament of union 
 unto Jefus Chrift, namely, the Grace of 
 Faith,though it is that only f as our Author 
 laith) which gives us a real intereft in , and 
 union unto Jejks Chrift. 
 
 Thus you fee I have made it evidently 
 appear, that in this Book of theirs (which 
 
 is 
 
( 47 ) 
 is fo much admired by them J that there is 
 Truth held in unrighteouliiefs. 
 
 Bur I find tha tiie Authour of thisfham 
 jifology isdifTatisfied at my Replication to 
 Mr. H* C's. Book, intituled, The Antidote 
 proved a Counter j-eit ; But inftead of pro- 
 ving that to be fo, he proved himfelf to 
 be a Counterfeiter of the Holy Serif ture by 
 adding thereunto, and detraiflirig there- 
 from, as I have fuffidently and publickly 
 proved it upon him, as may be feen in fag. 
 66-) 67, 69,7 I, 72, of my Vindication of 
 the aforefaid Antidote^ and are alfo plainly 
 to be feen in his own aforefaid Book, eipe- 
 cially in two remarkable Texts of Scrip- 
 ture,*which are diametrically oppofite and 
 contrary to their Principles. 
 
 T. The firflis Efh^ 2. 8, 9 in;>^.f. 5. 
 of his Book, where he hath thus written 
 as foUoweth. 
 
 B\ grace are ye faved through faith j 
 not of works ^ lefi- any man Jhould boafi. 
 
 Here it is to be obferved that he hath 
 fubtilly joined the^th.ver. unto the former 
 part of the 8th. without an &c, as if it 
 had been but one intire verfe^ whereas it 
 is thus written in the holy Scripture, and 
 brought in argumentatively by the Apoftle 
 St. Paul^ 
 
 For 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 For by ^r ace areyefaved^ through faith ^ 
 ^nd that not of your fe Ives : it is the gift of 
 Cod : 
 
 Not of works ^ left any man jhoM hoafi, 
 
 1 . He hath left out the argumentative 
 part, viz.. the word [_Forr\ 
 
 2. He hath left out the words which 
 are emphatically Ipoken by the Apoftle, 
 which words are thefe, X_and that not of 
 yoHrfehes : it is the gift of God : "] Which 
 is the latter part of the 8th. verfe. 
 
 The Apoftle St. Paul ( who was the 
 cholen and declared Apoftle of the Ge?niles') 
 had been fliewing thole new Converts, in 
 the former part of that fame Chapter,what 
 a miierable, undone, forlorn ftare and con- 
 dition they all had been in by Nature, be- 
 fore fuch time as God's Free Grace was 
 effectually extended unto them, and took 
 hold of them. 
 
 1 . They were ail dead in trefpaffes and 
 fins, ver. i. 
 
 2. That they had been under the Prince 
 of the power of the Air, the Prince of 
 death and darknefs, namelv, the Devil, 
 ver. 2, 3. For all his vafTals and bondflaves 
 are in a ftate of death and darknefs. 
 
 3. They were the children of difobe- 
 diencej as if the Apoftle (hould have told 
 
 ihena^ 
 
( >9 ) 
 them, that they were all begotten and 
 born of dilcbedience it leif. 
 
 4 They had been ilaves to their Lufts^ 
 fulfilling the defiresof the flefh. 
 .5. 1 he inordinncy of their corrupt 
 Minds had been their chief care and bufi- 
 nefs in the World. 
 
 . 6. And laftly : He laid that they were 
 by nature the children of wrach, even a> 
 well as others ^ But notwithftanding all 
 thefe God- provoking fins and tranigrefTi- 
 ons, which they had been guilty of, yet 
 God out of his preventing Love and Free 
 Grace, did quicken them together with 
 Chrifl, and did fave them by Grace thro' 
 Faith, and that not of rhemfeiv'es, but it 
 is the gift of God ; not by any inherent 
 or external prequalifications in or of them- 
 felves,orby maturity of years, but meerly 
 by the Free gift of God; and by thatonly 
 they were advanced to that high honour 
 and dignity to fit together with Chrifi; in 
 the Heavenly Places. For their confola- 
 tion, and alio for encouragement to the 
 Ages which were thcii to come, and to 
 ihew forth the exceeding Riches of his 
 Grace and Kindnefs through Jefus Chrii% 
 all thefe glorious Priviledges are the pro- 
 dudl of the preventing Love snd Free 
 Grace of God ^ which is theium and lub- 
 C ftance 
 
( 50 ) 
 {tance of the Apoitles conclufion, in w?\ 
 8. in thefe words, ^'f*<.. For by grace are ye 
 javed^ through f^'lth '^ and that mt of yonr 
 /elves : it is the gift of God. 
 
 1 . Grace is free^becaufe nothing is freer 
 than Gift, andQrdLCeis thegift o/ God. 
 
 2. Grace is free, in that it is prevents 
 ing ^ for we never defer ved it • but on 
 the contrary, wedeferved nothing at the 
 hands of God but Heil and damnation, 
 being by nature children of Wrath. 
 
 3 . And lafily : Gods Grace is prevent- 
 ing, becauie we- never defired it, nor. ib 
 ^niuch as asked for ii, nor fought after it ^ 
 forGod himfelf faith, I wa^ found of them 
 that fought me not ^ / xupa^ made mavifcU 
 mto the?J2 that a^ked not after ;we, Jfa, 6% . 
 I. Rom. ic. 20. And pray read Ez.eki 
 i6, 3, 4, 5,(5. and there you will find that 
 the Salvation of a finner-, from the Foun- 
 dation to the Top ftone is all pure, free, 
 preventing Love and Grace. So that from 
 hence we may infer, that a young infant 
 in the Womb, or Cradle, is as dead in 
 trefpalTes and fin; by nature, as an old 
 fmner, and as much a child of Wrath as 
 he ^ for the Apoftle faith, in i Cor. 5. If 
 one died for all., then v.^e re all dead, 
 
 I. Fr y obferveinthe fir ft place, as 
 one eled finner is no more juftified than 
 
 another, 
 
( Si ) 
 another, in the time of Regeneration, but 
 all are intirely jiiftined alike : 
 
 2. So in the lecond place, they were all 
 originally dead alike, for one finner is no 
 more dead by nature than another^ the 
 Reprobate is no more dead by nature thati 
 Gods Eledt are : There is no difference in 
 that Point, as is clearly evident from the 
 Apoftles words in Rom. 3. But now th^ 
 fi^ktcoufnefs of God whh^t the law is ma-i^ 
 nifefted^ being witnejfed by the law and the 
 frophets ; - . 
 
 ' ' ^£ve?J the right eoufnefs of God which is by 
 faith ofjef^s Chrift unto ally and upon all 
 them that belie'ue "^ for there is no differ 
 
 For aU havefmeS^ ^dimjlfif^-vf^he 
 glory of God'y ' ) '- "■ ^ ' '^ < • ' -rU 
 
 Being jnf^ifled freely by his grace j through 
 the redemption that is injefm Chrift. 
 
 I Cor. I ♦ 30. But of him are ye in Chrifl: 
 yeff^Sy who of God is made unto Hi m[dom^ 
 and right eoufnefs^ and [aniline ation^ and 
 redemption': He is made of God to be all 
 this unto us. 
 
 3. Pray take notice, all you of this 
 principle, that have declared publickly in 
 Print, That dying Infants may be fanfti- 
 fied and faved by the application of the 
 Rightebufnefsand M^its of Jefus Chrift, 
 
 C 2 without 
 
( $1 ) 
 
 without the Grace of Faith, in fome other 
 way, or in many ways ; you may fee fif 
 jypu will- not fhut your Eyes, and be wil- 
 fully hliud) in that foremenrioned Text, 
 J^iwi 3. 22. that the Grace of Faith, and 
 the Righteoulnefs .and .Redemption of 
 Chrift, are in conjuncf^ion, firmly linked 
 together:, And therefore what God hath 
 joyned rogetbt^r, letprpud Men have a 
 care how they part'afunder .• And thefaine 
 ^poftle ftileSAk in .^(>;«. 4. j^fia^^of the 
 right COM fnefs of the faith ^ ^Q, : ;\ 
 
 4. But though all IVjen are originally 
 dead alike in fin, yet there are differing 
 degrees of perfonal actual fins and trani- 
 grt (Tigris 'j none of which a young In/ant. 
 can ht gjiiikv of, and fherefore he hath not 
 that need or a<!lual Grace as an adult Be- 
 liever hath; but yet notwithftanding, he 
 haih as much need of Juriincation through 
 Faith in the Righteoulneis and Merits of 
 JdusChnft, as aa ^d ul t elecft finner hath, 
 becaufe by •feature he is as much a child of 
 Wraili as he.:^i)d hath as much need to 
 be quickened by Grace from a dead ftate 
 of unbelef an(i wrath^ and to have his 
 depraved n^r ur^ fandified and changed by 
 reg^tWatin^ Grace,a,nd to have the linage 
 Qt'.Oiod refsored and re:inftamp^ upom 
 him^y^Mo madje,a^0 oucaGod.thrQujgh 
 
 the 
 
( 53) 
 
 the Life that is in Chrifl: Jefuy our Redee- 
 
 mer,as any adult perfon harh what foe ver ; 
 
 for unlefs they have the Grace of Life in- 
 
 fufed into them by the Spirit of Chrift', 
 
 God will neither own them, norbere- 
 
 iconciled unro them ; for the Scriprure 
 
 faith plainly, that God is not the Co 'J.' of 
 
 \the dead^bnt of the livings A'fat 2?. God 
 
 , will notfave the dead, namely, thofe that 
 
 • dye naturally m a Itate of death rpiritoan, 
 
 ' though I hey never finned after the (imli- 
 
 , tudeof Ad'-irn^ Fom. 5. 11. that are buf in 
 
 their Original trefpal&s and fins : tor it is 
 
 a ftate cf reparation ^rom Chri^l:, and of 
 
 alienation from the life of God, Efh 2. 
 
 5. Though I here is no difference \\) |u- 
 ftification. but the Eied are juflified alike 
 one as much as another, yet there a^e dif- 
 fering degrees of Sandificacion, and fo 
 there will be in Glory ^ f-iras oneStar 
 differs from another in giory^ fo will it be 
 with the Saints in Heaven: for as their 
 INIeafure of Sandlification is here m this 
 Life, even fo (ball their Proportion of 
 Glory be in the Life which is to come : 
 Even as Face anfwerech to Face m a 
 Glafs. 
 
 6. It is the Faith of Gods Eledl: that 
 juRifieth a Sinner inftrameiitally in the 
 Work of Regeneration, which is empha- 
 
 G 3 tically. 
 
( 54 J 
 ticafiy called, The Faith of God% for it is 
 wrought by the Finger of God alone in the 
 Souls of all the Eiedt, both old and young, 
 in the New Birth .- And this only is that 
 which giveth anintereft in.and union unto 
 Jeius Chrift. 
 
 7. A Child is as capable of receiving 
 this gift of God, namely, Faith, as any 
 adult Peribn is whatlbever ; for there is 
 no aCiual fin or tranfgrelTion in a young 
 Infant to hinder or oppofe the reception of 
 Grace , and fo there is in an adult finner. 
 And I can fee no reafon but this, why Mr. 
 //. C. fnould leave out: thefe Words in 
 the Text, viz., [^andthat not ofyoarfelves: 
 it is the qtft of Cod. ] 
 
 For this is one great part of the Con- 
 troverfie between the Anabaftifis and us, 
 namely, the Creatures being paflive in the 
 reception of Gods Grace ^ becaufe that 
 maketh as much for the jufiifying, rege- 
 nerating^ and quickening of a young In- 
 fant, as it doth of an old finner ; for if we 
 are faved by Grace through Faith, and 
 ihat not of our felves, but it is the free 
 Gift and Grace of God, then furely an 
 ele£l dying Infant k as capable of quick- 
 ening regenerating Grace habitually, as 
 any adult Perfon is whatfoever ; for as the 
 former in an ordinary way doth not vifibly 
 
 aft 
 
( 55 ; 
 
 !ad^ Grace, lo neither can he adiually and 
 ivifibly commie fin ^ and habirual Grace is 
 ifufficient to fubdue and conquer the power 
 land dominion of Original fin. 
 
 9 And laftly : Grace doth habrcualiy 
 
 ,' purifie and fandlifie a perfon throughout in 
 
 I tedy, foul, and fpirit ; a little of this 
 
 i Leaven doth leaven the whole lump^which 
 
 ! denominates him a Believer ; forourSavi- 
 
 ourChriit compares Grace to leaven^ which 
 
 a little of it put into Meal, diflfufeth it felf 
 
 all over, and fo doth leaven the whole 
 
 Lump ; Even lo doth a little Grace, as 
 
 Original fin pollutes and defiles the ibul of 
 
 ■ a young Babe, and denominates him a 
 
 finner, Ffal •^i, fo doth habitual Grace 
 
 denominate him a Believer : For no adult* 
 
 Perfon can purifie and fandifie himfelf^y 
 
 for that istheOfBceot the Spirit of Chrift, 
 
 to do that for and in an eleft finner, rpho 
 
 of God is made nnto lu ntfdom^ and rights- 
 
 OH-friffs^ andfancitjlcation^ and redsmpwiy 
 
 I Cor,, I. 30. 
 
 2. The fecond Scripture he hath perver^ 
 ted is in AEi.^^. 38, 39. in fag. 13. of his 
 Book aforefaid, where he beginneth with 
 the latter part of the 37th. vsrfe^ asfoU 
 loweth, 
 
 Aden and brethren^ what jhall vpe do ? 
 Pster anfmred tk'y^h Repent ^ and be hap- 
 Q 4. tlz^cd 
 
(5^) 
 
 tizfAjn the T.atnt of JefmChrij}, for the 
 ri:fmjjion of ftrn^ a?:d yejhail receive the ^ift 
 of the kolyOhoJi, ' . 
 
 ^ For this piomfe is toyon^ and to your 
 c>W/^Vv;.- dfo^ yea^ to the very Gemiles afar 
 
 if^Jere is a perverfioii of Scripture with a 
 witoefs ! 
 
 Pray, Reader, mind the difTerence be- 
 tween this Aiuboiirs Invention, and the 
 lacred Scriptures ExprcfnOii and .mention ; 
 whicii are as ibiiows : 
 
 Aierj and- brethren what: jhall' 
 
 we do ? 
 
 ThenTeterfaidiihio them^ Recent^ and 
 Le baptiz ca every one cf yon in the name of 
 Jefi-. Cyjrtft, for the remijjhn of fms^ md 
 yeftMllreceive the gift. of the holy Chofl. ■ 
 - i'or thepronrfc i^s nmOyoH^ and to your 
 chddren^ and to all that are afar off^ even 
 06 many m the Lor dour GodfiiallcalL 
 
 Pray cbferve what Mr. H.C. hath left 
 out , and alio what he hath added and 
 changed. 
 
 1 . He hath \di out the firll word of the 
 aSth.i^'er/e, namely, [Then.'^ 
 
 2. In the fame verfe he hath left out 
 thefe words, viz^. [^every oneof yon.'] 
 
 3. In verfe ^9- ^g hath added and 
 changed : 
 
 I. For 
 
 ijj».-oi.'yi,ji!,: 
 
 ,iL6im 
 
r 57 ; 
 
 U For the jtromifry [^thls"] frpr^nfe : AS'; 
 i£ it had been a new-made Promife unto • 
 them ar that very tiine, which never had-. 
 a being before - whereas the Promile re- 
 ferred unco, and intended the Covenant 
 God made and eftabliOied with Ahrahhm 
 their Father ..and his-leed after htni,initbeii^r 
 generations, rnGen. 17.7. i. I^w' 
 
 Not only rothe Generation of the y^iv^V 
 but alio to the Generation of the Gentiles :^ 
 for God promiied that in Abraham all the 
 Nations of theEanhfhould be bleiTed, andi 
 that the Blelling of Abraham fhould corner 
 ,^ upon the Gentiles^ Gal 3 14, \6. 
 
 2. He hath added, i/ ro yon^ ayfd yotir> 
 children L'*'/^>3 inftead of, is utJtoyoH^anA 
 to your •childrtii. 
 
 3. And laftly : He hath added; j;^/?, to 
 the 'Vf/y C trunks ^far cf^ if they are ca'kd^ 
 inftead of the Apoftles words, which are 
 thefe, ami to all that are afar off^ tvzn a^ 
 many a/, the Lord chy God ^^i all call,. 
 
 Here we may oblerve, that he hatln 
 made a doubt of Gods Promiie to tha 
 Genttks concerning tht^ir effedluat Ga:|]n>q: 
 - and Convej fion, by that doi.bcfui aiTti^ibli 
 of his, namely, '^ea^ to^the ''mr-i;: (^smk^ 
 afar off^ j^ if"} they ^e-' . • " 
 is pofirively afemed rhu; , 
 ikaajd be called, as is obar^ \\ c ::v vx 
 
 C ' . 
 
-r 5S ) 
 
 ftles words, viz.. afid to all that are 
 
 afar offy even a^s many a4 the Lord our God 
 Jhall call. 
 
 Thus much for the fham Apology. 
 
 Secondly ^ In the fecond place I fhall give' 
 fomething in ^nfwer to the Letter k felf, 
 which the aforefaid Gentleman lent me 
 with the faid Book, though the main tcope 
 of it 1 haveanfwered already. 
 
 I . Saith he, / tvohU a Uttie make bold 
 irj fpe^hmg iwto^ and Hnravthlnf of thaty 
 Mac. 28. 19. which you have more thari once 
 ajfigved ai the maif? Scripture In which Chyifi 
 iiommandcd Infants Baftifm:^ which Serif- 
 tnre will appear to he a piai?2 prohibition of 
 fncha thin a. 
 
 To which I thus reply asfolloweth. 
 
 I . In the Hrft place it is true that Mat. 
 2?j. 19. is a Text of Scripture which I 
 have made ufe of to prove ChriftsCom- 
 irand for the Baptizing of the Infant- feed 
 of Believers, after their Parents firft clo- 
 fing with ChriH, as well as other Texts of 
 Scripture ; and I am of the lame mind 
 flill, notwithliandingall that you can fay 
 againft it, with all your Brethren to help 
 you, O but fay you, Chrifts Command 
 is to baptize none but them which are firft 
 caught ^ {ovfai:J7 cometh by hearing. Sup- 
 pole 
 
( 59 ) 
 pofe I (hould grant k to be ih ^ for I know 
 this is rhe firing you do fo much harp up- 
 on : And what if you ihould lee that 1 will 
 prove it to be lb too ? yet that dorh make 
 no more in favour of your Principle, than 
 that doth of your io much admired Apo* 
 logizer's afTercing", That it's Faith only 
 thiit gives 11,5 an Intirsfi in Chrifi^^nd union 
 unto him, 
 
 1. The Learned do fay that it i^, Go 
 and difcivle all nations by baptifm ; and: 
 teaching followeth in verfe zo. The Com- 
 mand is to go and difcipie aH nations^ bap- 
 Hurjg them^ &c. 
 
 2. If the parents are fo taught, as that 
 thereby they become Beh'evers, then are 
 fheirchildren holy children, i Cor. 7. 14, 
 A^s 2.39. then are they taken into the 
 Covenant of Grace, and thereby have a 
 right to the Seal of the Covenant^namely^ 
 Water bapfifjji. A Child is as capable of 
 the Difcipline of Baptifm, as an adul: 
 Perfon; for both are paffive under the 
 Adminiftration of that Ordinance. 
 
 3. In Mark \6. Go ye into all rhe worlds 
 And preach thegofpclto every creature, Hs 
 that believeth and u taptiz^ed , fhall be 
 faved ^ bnt he that believeth notj fiall be 
 damned. 
 
 From 
 
( 60 ) 
 
 Froitiihis latter part of the 'verfe is evi- 
 dently fet forth the abfolute neceflity of 
 dying Infants having a living Faith • for 
 without that they will be damned ^ for 
 our Saviour Chrifi himfelf faith, He that 
 hclievcth ?^ot^ &c. That is indefinitely 
 ipoken ot all, or anyone that believeth 
 not Ihall be damned, without any refpedt 
 of perlbns, age,- or lex; for God will 
 lave none in a ita^eof Unbelief. 
 
 Bur iome objedi that this was fpoken to, 
 and of adult perlbns onely, and that chiU 
 dren are not at all concerned therein : 
 
 But I utterly deny that to be true, for 
 thefe following Realbns. 
 
 1. M y fir ft Reafon is this, viz.. Becaufe 
 Chri^ft's O^^romand Isfio hto all the ixoyld^ 
 ivnd ])ieadj t he ^cqfpel to evefcy.tcreatHr c . 
 
 *. Where foi'e for any perfons to excjude 
 all Caildren from being concerned herein. 
 Is to exclude them from being Creatures, 
 or aay part of the rational Being., 
 
 2. i.n //f4t. 28. Chriils Command to his 
 Mjniflers and Servants is to Difciple or 
 Baprj/^e ail Nations ; which is the fulfil- 
 ling of that Gorpel-Prophefie in 7/^-2. 52. i 5. 
 So fhaU he Jpr inkle many nations ^^ &IC. 1 his 
 hChvltt^s rprinkling both Jeivs and OcfJ- 
 liiCi,:, for/xvhat.his MiniHersdo by vertUe 
 of his Aurhontv, s^nd in his ?^3aiT5e, he 
 
 himfclf 
 
( 6'i ) 
 
 hirnfelf doth iu So chat baptking all Ma- 
 tions, and Iprinkling many '^Nations, is 
 one and the fame thin? ^ for all Nations 
 muft needs be maKj Nations ; for all Na- 
 tions are I'o many, that there can be no 
 more. And here is good Authority for 
 fprinklingin faptilm. 
 
 But, lay our Opponents, Children are 
 not 'capable of being taugh% and faith 
 Cometh hyhearif^g. Here is Truth produ- 
 ced to uphold and maintain an Errour, Ic 
 is true that Faithcomech by Hearing; but 
 it is a grofs Error to conclude therefrom,* 
 that children cannot be taught, and there- 
 fore have no Faith ; for by the fame Argu- 
 ment it is impoflible for any dying Infant 
 ever to be faved, becaufe without Faith 
 they arefpiritually dead, as i have proved : 
 And God will not lave any foul, old or 
 young, in a dare of death and unbelief ; 
 for if God could have falved his Juflice in 
 faving finners in aftate of death and unbe- 
 lief, then Chrift needed not to have taken, 
 our Natures into union with himfelf, and 
 been offered up a Sacrifice for fin ; for 
 Chrifl died to redeem all the Eled of God 
 from death and unbelief. Nay, here I 
 fhal] bring their own Arguments to bear 
 upon them ; for iaith our Authour.^ It is 
 £ tilth only that gives m an inter efi in^ and 
 
 umon 
 
(62 ) 
 
 union mito Jcf^f^ Chrifl '^ and it Is pCf fin a I 
 Faith that frees m from the condemning 
 Sentence. 
 
 Now pray tell us (if you can) how or 
 which way it is poirible for a dying Infant 
 to be faved wichout an intere t in and Uiii- 
 on unto jefus Chrift ; for either they muft 
 be faved without an inrerefi: in and union 
 unto Jefus Chrift, or eife k ninfl be gran- 
 ted, that they iniift have Faith , which 
 only gives an Inrereft in Chrifl: ; for the 
 Scripture faith plaialy. That there is na 
 other Name under Heaven given whereby 
 we mult be iuved^neither is there Salvation 
 in any other but Chrift. 
 
 2 They cannot be freed from the con- 
 demning Senrence-5 or Curfe, of the Law, 
 without an intereftin and union unto Jefus 
 Chrift ; for by nature we are all under the 
 condemning Sentence and Curfe thereof, 
 until Chrift makes us free by redeeming 
 us from ityCal. 3. Chrif} hath redeemed 
 uifrom the curfe of the iaw^ hein^^ made a 
 CHrfe for us^ &c. And what then? why 
 then we are freed from the condemning 
 Sentence thereof, Rom 8. There is there- 
 fore now no condemnation to them that arre 
 in Chrifi Jefus^ &e. 
 
 Thus you fee plainly that them which 
 are freed from the condemning Sentence, 
 
 are 
 
(<^3 ) 
 are freed from ic by verrue of their union 
 ^ith Chrift, who himlelf did undergo the 
 condemning Sentence of the Law for all 
 then) (and them only , that are, or (hall 
 be in him : 
 
 For there is r.o co^idemnatlon to them 
 •which are in Qjrift Jefui. 
 
 Therefore all thofe that are out of Chrift 
 are under the condemning Sentence , and 
 what a milerable deplorable ftare and con- 
 dition mull all thofe perfons be in^that are 
 not capable of receiving the Grace of Faith 
 to unite them to Chrift ! for t^ they dye 
 in that condition, they dye under the con- 
 demning Sentence of the Law j in which 
 condition our Opponents leave all dying 
 Infants to grapple with, according to the 
 tenourof their principle. 
 
 Thus you fee what this Doctrine of 
 theirs affords, namely, That children are 
 not capable of receiving the Grace of Faith, 
 becaufe they are not capable of being 
 taught, 2LXidL faith cometh by hearing. But 
 pray mind what that Gofpel-Prophet faid, 
 in J fa. 54. 1 3 . And all thy children (Jjail be 
 taught of the Lord^ and great flj all be the 
 peace of thy children. 
 
 Ifa. 59. 21. As for me ^ this ismy cove- 
 nant with the ntT faith the Lord J My fpirit 
 that is Hpon thee^ md my words which I 
 
 have 
 
r 64, ) 
 
 have fur in thy mouthy J^all not depart- ci*^- 
 of thy ??iomh^ fior out of the month af thy. 
 feed J nor cm of thejfwathofthyfetdsfted', 
 faith the Lord^ from henceforth. 0?jd for 
 ever. 
 
 Sq that here you fee who is the Teacher 
 of all the Eledl, which are Gods Cove- 
 nant-feed, namely, the Lord. 
 
 2. In the iecoud pbce i (hall lay down. 
 Eight Qiieries, and anlwer them, for a 
 fiiil and compleat Aniwer to this their Ob- 
 jeQion aforeiaid> 
 
 I . The firft Qtiery (liall be ibis, namely, 
 Whether young Infants were ever capa^ 
 ble of being taught the Fear of the Lord, 
 which is inciufive of all the Graces of the 
 Spirit y for the Fear of the Lord is the 
 Fountain of Life ? 
 
 . 2, Whether Children. wer^^.ver.taught 
 the Fear of the Lord ? 
 
 3. Whether young Children are not as 
 apt and docible now under the New VAU 
 penfation of the.Gofpel, as ever they were 
 under the law?,, , 
 
 4. Whether Children ever had any- 
 need of being taught the Fear pf the 
 Lord? 
 
 5. Whether Children have not as much 
 need of. being taught the Fear of the Lord 
 now- under the New pilpenfaiion cif i\v\ 
 
 Gi)l|?eL 
 
( ^s ) 
 
 Gofpel, as ever they had under the Law? 
 
 6. Whether Children have not as great 
 , a priviledge now as ever they had ? 
 
 7. Whether the God of all (Jraceand 
 Mercy hach nor as much pity and compaf- 
 fion on Children now^ as ever he had to 
 thofe Chil iren under the Law ? 
 
 : 8.Andl.:ftlv: Whether the omnipotent 
 
 ■ oneJy wile God harh not as mi.ch rower 
 
 and Wildom to teach young Infents his 
 
 Fear, as ever he had ? 
 
 : To thele Eight Qiieries 1 fhall reply as 
 
 folioveth. 
 
 ' I. Firft of all, it is mofl evident that 
 " Children were once capcVole of l^eing 
 taught the Fear of the Lord, for other- 
 wife they would never have been inj-Mned 
 tolearn it. But there U'as an JDJiindion 
 laid upon them to learn it : And therefore 
 they were capable of beiijg taught, and 
 of their learning cf h. 
 J. Deut. 3 1 . When all Jjrael k come to 
 \ appAr before the Lard thy God^ in the place 
 • which- he jhall chofe : thoa p-jalt read this 
 ' law before di Jfraei^ in thtir hearing : 
 
 Gather thf people together^ men^ and wo- 
 
 7mn^ and children^ a^d thy ft anger that is 
 
 within thyj^ates^ that they may learns and 
 
 .fear the Lordy-mrGiyd^ and obferve to do 
 
 ' aH t^he words^of this Uw. 
 
 Here 
 
( 66 ) 
 
 Here you fee they were capable of be- 
 ing taught the Fear of the Lord ; for there 
 is an ablblure neceiTity for thein to learn n^ 
 becaufe without it there is no Salvation to 
 be had-, either for old or young; for it is 
 the very Fountain of fpiritual Life, as in 
 Prov. t/\. 27. The fear of the Lcrdis the 
 fournain of life^ to depart from the fn ares 
 of de^dh, 
 
 Tha'iefr ares of death are Flell and dam- 
 nation. 
 
 2. Children were taught the Fear of the 
 Lord under the Mofakl^ Difpenfation as 
 plainly appears from that aforementioned 
 Dent, 31. 
 
 3 . Children are as apt and docible now 
 as ever thofe children were under the Law 
 of Mofs : And tlierefore they are in 
 Chrifls ' oaimifBon with the adult,\vitnout 
 exception, viz.. Go into all the world, and 
 f reach the gofftl to every creature^ &c. and 
 difctple all nations^ bafttxing the?n^ &C. 
 in Chrifts fprinkling many Narions. 
 
 4. It is manifeftly evident, that chil- 
 dren had need of beins taught the Fear of 
 the Lord, becaufe God hath commanded 
 it, and their Salvation depeiicison it; and 
 as God does nothing in vain, fo he com-- 
 mands nothing in vain. 
 
 5. Children 
 
(<J7 ) 
 - . 5. Children have as much need of be- 
 ing taught the Fear of the Lord now, as 
 jcver Children had under the Law. 
 
 I. Becaufe they are as much depraved 
 by nature now as ever they were then. 
 e 2. They have as precious Souls to be 
 iaved now, as ever thofe children had 
 then. 
 
 3. Andlaftly: None can be fa ved with- 
 out the Fear of the Lord planted m them ^ 
 iFor, I. As Faith is the Grace of Life; 
 £oy 2. The Fear of the Lord is the Foun- 
 aJain of Life : 3. And laftly, It is pro- 
 cnifed to Believers children in Prov. 14. 
 26, 27. 1-/7 the fear of the Lord is ftrong 
 confidence : and his children Jliali have a 
 flace of refuge, 
 
 6. My Anfwer to the fixth Query is 
 this, namely, That children have not on- 
 ly as great a Priviledge now under the 
 Gofpel, as children had under the Law, 
 tut a greater. Pray read JSis 15. and 
 there you may find it to be fo : For Cir- 
 cumcifion which appertained to the eight- 
 days Diiciples fa few G'e;/f//e-Profelytes 
 excepted j was fuch a Yoke unto them, as 
 they werenot able to bear ; which was 
 aboliflied by the coming in of the Gofpei, 
 
 and 
 
{6% ) 
 
 and theSacrament of Water-baprifc in- 
 ftituted in the room thereof 
 
 2. When our baviour Chrift perceived 
 thar his domeftick Difciples rebuked rhoie 
 Believers which brought their children 
 unto him, to lay his hands on rhem, and 
 bleis them, he faid, SHffcrhttk ckildrtn^ 
 and forbid them not to cor^e iintame\ for of 
 fiich is the ki^a dom cf hta-ven^ Matth. 19. 
 ^nd the children of either believing Fa- 
 ther or Mother are holy children in Gods 
 account, \ Cor. 7. 14. And where is it lb 
 laid of children under the> Law ? Indeed 
 there is a Predidlion in Bfii 8.2 v.hich 
 was fulB Ted when our Saviour came intx) 
 the Temple concerning the '"races that 
 were in children, which our Saviour him- 
 lelf quoted in Aiati 21 . -— - — - — ^nd the 
 chiUiren crying in the temple^ and f-^iyn-'gj 
 Jiofannd to the fan 0^ : IM'i'id -^ they tvcre 
 fore di/hlca/}^^ ( Thefe'were the chief 
 Prieft and Scribes that v/ereihus foreiy 
 difpieaied) 
 
 ^ndfriidnntG h ni^ He^refr thoM what 
 thefefay? And'fefvusjcnth.iwtvthtm., Tea] 
 have ye never rtady.Oi^t of the mom h of 
 hnbes'^ and fiich lings ) thou hafi perfeckd 
 fr.aifs f 
 
 v. And lafi:Iy : The Covenant>promife 
 heloDgeth as much unto Believers , and 
 
 their 
 
iincir children now, as ever it did to j^hra- 
 A47W and his leed in his day, as in jitls 
 2. 39. for the promifc is ttnto ynu^ and to 
 your children^ (So far it was to the leed of 
 j^aham^ namely, the Jews) and to all 
 ihat are afar ojf^ tven ai mar.y a^ the Lord 
 our Cod jhc^ll calL Theie are believing 
 Gernilesaud their chi!dren,who werefome- 
 time afar off, but now are made nigh in 
 the 1 ,ord -vT.« IW, 
 
 V. 7. God harh as much pity and com- 
 fkiffion, for children of believing Parents 
 now under the Gofpel, as ever he had for 
 thofe children of Believers under the Law ; 
 for our Saviour Chrift lOok children up in 
 his arms, and bieiTed them, and prayed 
 linto the Father for them ; for Chrift is 
 their Mediatonr, their Redeemer, their 
 Advocate, and Inferceflbur, i Cor. 1.30. 
 £Kt of him art ye w Chrift Jtfm^ who of 
 God is made unto m wifdom^ and right eoaf- 
 nefs^ and f in th flection ^ and redemption. 
 
 : Kow i hrill is all this to eled dying 
 lafants; for they are as much under the 
 care and charge of Chr ft to cor?du<fb to 
 Giory, asan\ e!e(ft adult perlbn is what-' 
 Ibever. : 
 
 8. ^vA Jaftly : God hath as much 
 Power and Wisdom now to teach and 
 ' inftru(ft young babes as e\^er he had ; and 
 
 as 
 
r 70 ) 
 
 as God is the fearcher of hearts, fo he is 
 the only Teacher of hearts. It is God 
 alone that teacheth all the EledV, both old 
 and young; for who teacheth like him ? 
 as Job faith ^ and D^'z;?^ faith, in PfaL 34. 
 Come ye cmldre??^ hearken unto me : J mil 
 t&tchyOH the fear of the Lord, 
 
 Ifa. 54. j4r/d ail thy children [hall he 
 taught of the Lordy &c. ^ 
 
 Heb. 8. ^fid they (hall no more teach 
 every man his neighbour ^ nor every one his 
 brother y f^yhg^ Kmw the Lard : for all 
 ^mll know me^ from the ^af to the greattft. 
 And none are lefs than children. 
 
 Jer 32. And J will fnake an everlafting 
 covenant with the mj thdt I will not turn 
 away from thern^ to d,o them good -^ hnt I 
 rpillpiit my fear in' their hearts ^ that they 
 Jliall not depart fr omrre: ; 
 
 This of God's parting 'his Fear into 
 their Hearts, is the In-iufion of gracious 
 principles into their Souls in the \A/ork of 
 Regeneration -, for nothing can keep a Be- 
 liever from total Apoftacy but the Graces 
 of the Spirit. Therefore this Fear of the 
 Lord that children are faid to learn, and 
 that Coi hath f romifed to teach, is the 
 infiii:o)iof gracious Habits and Principles 
 into their Souls in the Work of Rege- 
 neration;'; VI. > 
 
 2. Now 
 
( 71 ; 
 
 2. Now for any Perfbns to affirm that 
 young Infants are not capable of being thus 
 taughc the Fear of the Lord, whxh com- 
 eth by hearing the Voice of Chrift by the 
 Miniftry of his Spirit, through God's 
 teaching them in putting the Grace of Life 
 into their hearts, namely, the Grace of 
 Fairh, iS not only to deipiie little Ones, 
 which is forbidden by our Saviour Chrift 
 'himfelf in Mat> i8. lo. but alio a tacit 
 defpifing the Wifdom and Power of God, 
 and making the Grace of Life to {land in 
 iiumane qualification, namely. Maturity 
 of years ^ which is to attribute that to the 
 
 ■ creature that properly and peculiarly be- 
 longeth unto God^ which is clearly pro- 
 hibited by the Holy Ghofi: in i Cor, 2. 5. 
 W'h^ yottr faith jliokld not ft and Vf the mf- 
 
 . dom of mch^ but in theporverbf God. 
 
 ^ That nofltfj {boitld glory in his frefenc€^ 
 1 Cor. I. 29. 
 
 3. John 5 Verily vf^rily I fay umo yon^ 
 
 He that heareth my rvordj £tnd believeth Ofi 
 
 him th'dtfent me^ hath cvtriafv'ing life^arid 
 
 jkall not come into condemnation ; h lit is 
 
 jpajfed from d.eath mjto lift, 
 
 yerilyvtrily I fay Hfitoyou^ The hour U 
 comi'/ig^ and now is^ when the dead jhaU 
 h^AY the vo lie of the Son of God : and 
 ley that -hear fl?a!l live. 
 
 TLT^^, 
 
( 72 ) 
 Plere are feveral obfervations to be 
 made from thefe words of our Saviour 
 Chrift. 
 
 1. Thefirftisthis, namely, That that 
 Soul only which hearerh the Word of 
 Chriil, and believcth on God the Father 
 who lent him, hath (or (hall have) ever- 
 lafling Life. 
 
 2. All they which do not thus hear 
 ChriftsWord, do not believe in God the 
 Father that fent him : Therefore they have 
 noteverlafting Life, but are ftill in a ftate 
 of Death and Condemnation, and are 
 under the v/rath of God ^ for it abideth 
 on them. 
 
 3. It is he, and he only, that heareth 
 the Voice of the Son of God that (hall live, 
 and be freed from the condemning Sen- 
 tence : For that -oul f]"iaii not come into 
 condemnation, becaufe he is pafTed from 
 Death unto I ife; and there is no condem- 
 nation to the livings but tothefpiritually 
 dead, Fom.S i. 
 
 4. Andlaftly: Here is a clear manife- 
 ftation of the Mighty Power of God, in 
 the way and method he taketh in railing 
 an eledi dead finner unto everla(ting Life, 
 in thefe words of our Saviour, viz^. The 
 hour is comings and novo \^ when the dead 
 Jball hear the voice of the Son of Cod^ and 
 
 they 
 
r 73 ) . 
 
 they that hear Jha/l live. It is, they jl)all 
 l)€ar^ and they jlmll Uve ^ noc they witl^ 
 
 : but they jhail. 
 
 This is Gods putting his Fear into their 
 hearts, namely, the infufion of the Habits 
 and Seeds of all Grace into their Souls r 
 And thus Faith cometh by hearing the 
 Voice of the -Son of God. So that they 
 
 I only that have the Son of God, have the 
 
 ' -Life of God in them ; For he that hath not 
 theSon^ (liall not fee life'^ but the wrath of 
 God ahicleth on him. 
 
 So that there is an abfolute neceffity 
 for eledl dying Infants to hear the Voice 
 •of Chnft, *audof being taught of God ; 
 for without it they cannot pals.fi-om Death 
 unto Life, and be faved • for all Chrifts 
 fheep fhall hear his Voice. 
 
 But it may be queried thus, viz,. What 
 IS this hearing Chrifts Voice, and being 
 taught of G od ? VV hy, the hearing Chrifts 
 Voice, and the teachuig of God, are the 
 fame thing. It is not meant of an auiicular 
 Voice of Chrifl, or of his Miniflers in 
 preaching the Gofpel ; for fo Reprobates 
 hear the Voice of Chriit as well as Gods 
 Elecf^ ■, for Men can teach but the Head : 
 it is Gods peculiar Prerogative to teach 
 
 ^ and inftrudl Hearts. This hearing Chrifls 
 
 Voice-is, when God plants a regenerate 
 
 D Ear 
 
. C 74 ) 
 Ear in the Heart of an elecH: finner •, and 
 then he heareth the ftill Voice or lecret 
 Whifpers of the Spirit of Chrift in the 
 Work of Regeneration ^ and no Man, or 
 Minifter , alone could ever teach thus ; 
 For every one that is thtu t aught ^or karmth 
 of the Father J cometh to Chrift^ and he 
 that cmieth to him,, he mil in no wife caFt 
 
 $Ht, 
 
 Laftly : I fhall clearly prove this great 
 Truth'by four Arguments, deduced from 
 our Saviours own words. 
 
 I. If ekOi dying Infants are any part 
 of Chrifts (beep, then they (liall hear his 
 Voice. Eut.all elecft dying Infants are a 
 part of Chrift's flieep : Therefore they 
 (hall hear his Voice, and follow him into 
 Eternal Glory in the Regeneration. 
 
 John 10. Afy jl^^eep hear myvoice^ and 
 J know them^ \and' they follow me. 
 
 And other JJjeep J have^ which are not of 
 this fold : them alfo I mnft hring.^ and they 
 jljallhear my voice ^ there jhali be one fold^ 
 and one (he f herd. 
 
 So that all Chrifts fheep fwhich are all 
 the eled of God ) both Jew and Gentile^ 
 old and young, great and fmall, fhall hear 
 the Voice of Chrift, and they that hear 
 fhall live, and be of one Fold j for Chrift 
 
 faith, 
 
( 75 ) 
 
 faith, / w«y? hmg them : There is a ne« 
 ceffity lyeth upon Chrift fo to do. 
 
 2. Chrift hath not one Fold for adult 
 Beh'evers, and another for deO: dying 
 Infants; for they are all in one and the 
 fame Fold, or Covenant, and (hall all fol- 
 low Chrift into Glory, Tohn 17, 24. Fa^ 
 ther^ I will that they alfo whom thoa haB 
 given me J be with me where I am \ that they 
 may behold my glory which thou h^ft given 
 me : for thou lovedft me before the fonnda^ 
 tion of the world, ' ~ 
 
 3. If all eledt dying Infants are all givea 
 by God the Father to Chrift,then they fhall 
 
 ..hear his Voice. But all the Elec^ of God 
 
 are given by God the Father to Chrift : 
 
 : Therefore eled dying Infants are given to 
 
 Chrift ; and they fhall hear his Voice, be- 
 
 caufe all his fheep hear his Voice : 
 
 John 10. Myheep hear my 'voice ^ and I 
 owthemj a??d they follow me, 
 j4nd I give unto thevt eternal lifsj and 
 they fhall never perijlj, neither Jhall any fluck 
 them om of my hand. 
 
 My Father which gave them me^is greater 
 th,m all : and none fiall be able to finely 
 them out of my Fathers hand. 
 There is fecurity for their perfevering to 
 the end. They are given to Chrift to re- 
 deem by giving them eternal Life, vvhich 
 D 2 he 
 
( 16 ) 
 
 he hath purchafed, John i-j. uisthouhafi 
 givtn him power over all feJJj , that he 
 jlwuld give eter?ial life to as many as thoii 
 haft given hhn, 
 
 4 Chrift prayeth for all them which 
 God the Father gave him ; and all that he 
 prayeth for are his (heap, and they fhall 
 hear his Voice ^ for he prayeth for none 
 but the elec^ : Therefore eledi dying In- 
 fants hear his Voice. 
 
 John 1 7. / Y^ay for them : J pray not 
 for the worlds hntfor them which thou haJl 
 given mey for they are thine, 
 
 4. Andlaftly : If none (hall have eter- 
 nal Life but them that know Chrift, and 
 that none can know Chrifl but them only 
 V'hich are taught of God, then ele£t dying 
 Infants do hear Chrifts Voice, and are 
 taught by him^orthey could notbefaved • 
 for Chrift is a Prophet to teach and en- 
 lighten all the eIe(fiof God, both old and 
 young ^ for otherwife they would befaved 
 without the benefitjof Chrifts prophetical 
 OfEce,. which is impoffible. 
 
 John I 7. 3, 25. ^nd this in life eternM^ 
 that they might know thee the onely true Cody 
 andjef?{4 Chrift whom thou haftfent. 
 
 j^ndl have declared unto them thy n ?ne^ 
 And will declare it : that the love wherewith 
 thoH haft loved me J may he in them^ and I 
 in them. John 
 
( 77 ; ( 
 
 John 5. 45. For it is rorittcn\n the pro- 
 phets^ Ai^ dtbtyjli ail he , til taught of Cod: 
 Everv man therefore rh.4t hath heard^ and 
 hath learned of the Father ^ coyfieth unto 
 me- 
 
 God teacheth the heart by a fecret Voice 
 through the Operation of the Spirit in the 
 Work of Regeneration. So that for per- 
 fons to affirm, That eled dying Infants 
 are not capable of hearing the Voice of 
 Chrift, and of being taught of God, is to 
 refle<ft difhonour upon Chrifts prophetical 
 Office, and rendering it ufelefs unto them 5 
 and akb upon Gods Power and Fairhful- 
 nefs, who hath faid that thty Jl^all all be 
 taught of Cod, 
 
 Thus 1 have given a fatisfacftory Anfwer 
 to this Objedion aforeiaid of our Oppo- 
 nents, by clear and genuine Arguments 
 deduced from the holy Scripture, by which' 
 .1 have fully proved, That all eled dying 
 Infants, as well as all the reft of God's 
 ele<fi:, are taught of God 5 and fo their 
 Faith Cometh by hearing the Voice of the 
 Son of God ;, for unlefs God planes an Ear 
 in the Heart of *an adult perlbn. he cannot 
 -hear the Voice of Chrift : And if Gcd 
 doth plant an Ear in the Heart of' a dying 
 Infant, he fhall hear the Voice of Chrift ; 
 D 3 and 
 
(78) 
 and they that hear (hall h've, and Chrift 
 muft bring them liafe to Glory. 
 
 4 Our Opponent faich, it is Believe^ 
 and be hapiz.ed ^ to which 1 thusanfwer, 
 So it was Bdleve^ and ht vircm'^cifed', for 
 aihraham l^elieved, and was juflified be- 
 fore that he and his children were circum- 
 cifed, Gtn. 15.6. u^nd he helkvcd in the 
 Lord^ and he counted it to him for righted 
 oiifncfs. 
 
 There was his Juftification in the Righ- 
 teoufnefs of Chrift through F.^ith, Rom, 
 3. 4. And after this, himlelf and his Male 
 children were circumcifed ; for after the 
 Covenant of Grace was ratified and eflab- 
 lifhed afrefh with Abraham^ in adding a 
 Seal or Token unto it, then that man child 
 that was not circumcifed at eight dayes 
 old, was to be excommunicated, . and~cuc 
 off from the People as a Covenant-breaker, 
 as in Gen. 17. 14. And the Hncircumcifed 
 7nan-chtld whofe fefi of his foreskin is not . 
 circumcifed^ that fonl jl^allbd cut off from 
 his people : he hath b'roken my covenant. 
 
 it may be fome will query thus, viz^. 
 How could a voung Babe of but eight 
 days old be any way. guilty of breaking 
 Gods Covenant, feeing he never had adu- 
 ally and perfonaliy entred into covenant 
 with him. 
 
 To 
 
( 19 ) 
 To which I anlwer as followeth : 
 
 1. My Anfweris this, The child was 
 pafTively guilty thereof through the Pa- 
 rents neglect, or contempt of the Ordi- 
 nance J and the fame may be laid now of 
 Parents that neglecfl or contemn their In- 
 fants Baptifm ^ which is the modefteft 1 
 can lay of it, becaufe the children of be- 
 lieving Parents have the lame Priviledge, 
 or footing in the Covenant of Grace now, 
 as theirs then had ; and therefore they have 
 a Right to all the external Priviledges 
 thereof, as they had. 
 
 2. For a full and convincing Anfwer to 
 this piece of carnal Reafon, is this. That 
 God himfelf hath faid it was io : Which 
 is a fufficient Anfwer, and there need no 
 more to be faid to it ; for who dare con- 
 tradi(fi or difpute it ? Gen. 17.14. Hence 
 we may obferve two things. 
 
 1. If Parents negled or contempt in 
 denying that Ordinance of Circumcifion 
 to their children when they were but eight 
 days old, was of fuch an evil confequence 
 as that thereby the'children broke Gods 
 Covenant, and incurred Gods Judgment 
 of. Excommunication. 
 
 2. On the other hand, What a blelTed 
 Priviledge did thofe children enjoy whofe 
 Parents. were Believers , and complyed 
 
 D,.4. with 
 
Mi Ith Gods Ordinance in this refpeffl? What 
 Friviledge} (you will lay) Why they 
 were in Gods Covenant with their Parents, 
 and had the Oracles of God committed un- 
 to them, Rom ^.1^1. 
 
 And thiS may fall as a Rebuke from 
 Heaven upon all thofe that are*againft In- 
 fant-baptifm, which is the initiating Seal or 
 Token of the Covenant,now,as Circumcifi- 
 cn then wa^^for GodsCovenant is the fame 
 now for Ibbftance as it then was , though 
 under another Adminiftration ; and the 
 Friviiedges of the Covenant are not* di- 
 minifhed by the coming of Chrift, but 
 rather enlarged and meliorated, as I fhall 
 prove by and by : For Chrift did not come 
 to deftrov,nor diminifb the Covenant, but 
 to confirm k^ as in Dari* 9. 26, 27. 
 
 4 John Baptized all the People by ver- 
 tue of their Covenant relation to God, 
 eftablifhed with Jhraham\ for he hdi^tu 
 zed Jertifakm^ andJWe^, and all the Re- 
 gion round about Jordan ^ that was,fome 
 of all Ages and Sex, that came unto him, 
 or were brought, wlfich did not wilfully 
 rejeci it^ as it was in Jfraels renewing Co- 
 venant with God 5 Dent. 29 10-, i?, 
 
 32, 13. 
 
 5. John^ Baptifm among the Jews was 
 as exteiifive as his Miniflry ^ for, Conle- 
 
 quentlv 
 
,' ♦"> 
 
 Oi ) 
 
 quently he is called the Preacher of Bap- 
 tilm, ^cls 10. which was publifhed 
 throughout all J^idea , and began from 
 Galilee after the Baptifm which John 
 preached. 
 
 d. And laftly ; When the Apoftles 
 turned from the unbelieving Jews to the 
 elec^ Gemtks^ then if the Head of the 
 Family believed, and made a profeflion of 
 the Faith, and was Baptized, the whole 
 fjoufl-.old were Baptized allp,becatife then 
 they were grafFed into the Covenant of 
 Grace who never were in it before, buc 
 V^QVQ fir angers unto the cove?jmts of fro- 
 mfe, Eph. 2. II, 12. 
 
 From hence we may obferve from the 
 Apoftles words , that the Covenant of 
 Grace is rtill the fame for fubftance under 
 the Difpenfation of theGofpel, as it was 
 to the Jews under the Mofaicl^ Law, which ■- 
 the Apoftle calls the ttme fajfed^ln the Text 
 la ft quoted, at which time the uncircum- 
 cifed Gemtks were flrangers unto it. 
 
 2. It is clear from hence that t\\ej€ws 
 enjoyed Ch rift in the 5i??<«i- Covenant, be^ 
 caufe it isfaid of the Gentiles^ they were 
 without Chrifl^ and that beeaufe they wers - 
 ft rangers to the covenants of fromtfe^ which \ 
 the Jews were in, - 
 
( 8a ) 
 
 3i We may obferve by the Apoftles 
 exprefTing himfelf in this manner, that it 
 was one and the fame Covenant all along, 
 from the very firft making it vvich j4dam 
 after the Fall ^ and the realbn is this, be- 
 caufe it is faid covenants in the phiralj and 
 fromife in the fingular, vi^. {jhe covenants 
 cf fromifc^ ] which is to fhew us, that 
 though the Covenant of Grace palled 
 through various Diipenfations and Admi- 
 iiiftrations by God's eftablifhing it with 
 feveral perfons at feveral times, ( and 
 therefore called covenants) yet the Cove- 
 nants had 'one and the fame Promife in. 
 them all : And what is that Promife ? 
 Why, it was Chrift, : en, 3, 15. for Godi 
 gave him to be a Covenant for the People, 
 
 4, We may obferve that Chrill: was in- 
 joyed by the Jews in -this Covenant under 
 ?he Law, and therefore th.Q Gentile shying 
 llrangers unto it^they wevfi without Chrifl^ 
 zni yjsre^ aliens J ro/n the commQ:^-vpealth of 
 IfiaeL So that the Covenant of Grace is . 
 flill the fame as it was then, only with this 
 digerence, Chrift was then promifed to.. 
 come ^ but now the Promife is fulfilled, 
 ior Chrift is come ; And the object of their 
 Faith snd: Hope was the fame, and the. 
 Means of Grace and Salvation the fame^ 
 though under dtffefent. Adminiftrations, 
 
(' ^3 ; 
 
 o; If we were to go into America to 
 plant the Chriftian Religion among the 
 Heathen who were altogether Grangers to 
 the Covenant of Grace, then indeed when 
 the Head of the Family believed, the 
 whole Houfhoid ought to be Baptized^ - 
 elpecially their children ^ for when the 
 Parents believe, the children are holy in 
 Gods account, i Cor, 7. 1 4. and that is a 
 iufficien: qualification for NA^ater-baptifm^ . 
 maugre all the oppofition our Opponents 
 can raife again ft this Truth: AEis\6.i^'^ 
 1 5 . Lydia believed, and (lie her felf v/as 
 Baptized, and all her Houihold. 
 
 2. The Jaylour believed alfo, and he - 
 was Baptized and all his Houfhoid in the 
 fame hour of the Night, j^^s 16. 29. to > 
 3 3 . They did not go out of the Houfe to ^ 
 a Pond or River to be Baptized. 
 
 3. The Houfhoid of- 5re;?^^;?/^ were al! 
 Baptized, i Cor. 1. 16. even fo it was; 
 with Ahraham^ the Head. and Father 0^ 
 the Houfhoid of Jfratl^ at the firft InRl^- 
 rution of- the Ordinance, of Circumcifion^ 
 which was then the Initiating Seal or To- - 
 ken of the Covenant of Grace, when ^ 
 Abraham believed his Seed were taken in^ - 
 to Covenant with him,and he had the To - 
 ken of the Covenant Adminiitred ...unto- :> 
 himfelf firS^ c\Rd.' then to ^his Seed alfo.-^ 
 
r 84) 
 
 They did partake cf the fame Priviledges 
 with him : Had he che Seal of the Righte- 
 oufneisof the Faith Adminiitred unto him, 
 why lb had they ? And lb it was with the 
 Prolelyted Gcntiies when the parents be- 
 lieved and were taken into Covenant, and 
 Circumcifed, their Children were allb ta- 
 ken into Covenant with them j and Cir- 
 cumcifed , which is a fufficienr Warrant 
 for ail Christian believers ro Baptize their 
 Children ; For they are as much in the 
 Covenant with their Parents now, as ever 
 the Jews Children were then ; for the Co- 
 venant never was broken, becaufe it was 
 Everlaftingly the fame, though it be un- 
 der another Ad minid ration. But, faith 
 our Opponents , *•' None but the Male- 
 * Children under the Law were Circum- 
 ^ cifed, the Female Seed v/ere not inclu- 
 ^ ded. To which, 1 Anfwer, Firft, If 
 Circunicifion was a Covenant of Works, 
 as Mr. B.C. hath confidently affirmed it 
 was, and the Female Seed not included^ 
 then the Male Children viere oqly in the 
 Covenantor Works by themfclves , and 
 the Females only were in the Covenant of 
 Grace by themfeives ; for all the Females 
 Seed were in the Everlafting Covenant 
 which God made v/ith Abraham , that 
 cannot be denyed. 
 
 ^:. it is true, the Ordinance of Cirruni- 
 
 eiiion 
 
( 85 r 
 
 clfionwasAdminiftred to none but theMale- 
 Cbildren litterally and properly; But ro 
 A fie rt that the Females were not concer- 
 ned therein , I utterly deny for thefe 
 Reaibns, . 
 
 I. The Male-Seed bore the Token of 
 the Covenant in their FleOi, not for ihem- 
 felves only, but for the Female Seed alio, 
 as is clear in Gen. 17. And 1 mil Eftahlijh 
 my Covenant between me and thee^ and thy 
 Seed after thee in thetr Generations for an 
 Everlafimg Covenant , to be a God unto 
 thee^ and to thy Se-ed^after thee^ 
 
 Now dare any Mart fay that the Female 
 ' Seed oi Abraham were not as much con- 
 cerned in the Covenant and Priviledges 
 thereunto belonging, as the Male-Seed 
 were •, for you iee here is no Exception 
 madeagainft them in the Terms and Body 
 of the Covenant : Bur for them^pray mind. 
 Gen. 17.9,1 1 .HereGod explains theTerms 
 of the Covenant more particularly, viz.. 
 
 And God [aid unto Abraham, Thou fh alt 
 ' k§€p my Covenant^ therefore thou and thyt 
 Seed after thee in their Generations. 
 
 God doth not fay, thou, and thy Male- 
 i feed after thee, but thou, and thy Seed af- 
 ter thee.^ in their Generations. 
 
 This is, my Covenant which ye (hall hep. 
 between me and you^ and thy Seed after 
 thee^ Every AUn Child among yopt (hall be 
 
eircumcifed ^ and ye jhall circamcife the 
 flejh of the Foreskin i and it [hall be a 
 Token of the Covenant betwixt me and you^ 
 not betwixt God and the Male-Children 
 only. 
 
 2. Circumcifion was a Token of both 
 Sex, keeping the Covenant ^ for if the 
 Males had not been Circumcifed, the Fe- 
 males could not have kept the Covenant % 
 And if the Females had not been included 
 in the Ordinance of Circumcifion , then 
 they ought not to have partaken of the 
 paffeover, but th^y never were denyed 
 the Sacrament of the PafTeover ^ Ergo^ 
 they were included with the Male- Seed 
 in Circumcifion. 
 
 3. Circumcifion was a Token be- 
 tween God and all the Covenant -Seed of 
 Ahraham^ as well the Female-Seed as the 
 Male-Seed of their keeping the Covenant, 
 pray mind the Scope of the Text in thefe 
 words, VIZ., 
 
 This is my Covenant which ye Jliall keep 
 hetvoeen me andyoa* 
 
 Who were thefe[.ye,^why ^\Ahraham\ 
 Seed,and who are thefe [you,^ that God 
 commanded to keep his Covenant , and 
 thcToken thereof?Why they were all the 
 %^^^ ol lAhraham which God made .the 
 
 Cove- 
 
(. 87 ) 
 Covenant wirh both Male and Female. 
 God did not fay, This is my Covenant 
 which the Males only fhall keep between 
 me and you ; But this is my Covenant 
 which ye (hall keep between meand you, 
 *■ that is both Sex which God made the 
 ' Covenant with,-and ye (hall Circumcile 
 ' the Fle(h of your Foreskin, and it fhall 
 ^ be a Token of the Covenant betwixt me 
 ' and you, that was both Sex which God 
 ' made the Covenant with ^ And if the 
 Female had not been included in the 
 benefit of it, why fliould God com- 
 mand them as well as the Male-Seed 
 to keep it, as you fee clearly he dido . 
 God never laid his People under any Com- 
 mand, but that their Obedience thereunto 
 did redound to their own Benefit, as well 
 as to his Glory. 
 
 3.T0 Exclude the Female Sex from being 
 concerned in the Ordinance of Circumci= 
 fion, is not to exclude them only from be. 
 ing in the' Covenant, but from their being 
 any part of Abrahams Seed : But our Op- 
 ponents deny this, becaufe they will not 
 allow that Baptifme came ia the. room 
 of Circumcifion, thereby to exclude In- 
 faittsfrQm.Baptifme^ Thougp Mr.i^.C 
 
(88) 
 
 did fay in his former Book, that as Cir- 
 cumcilion was the Door of Entrance into 
 the Jewijh Church, which was National, 
 fo Bap'ifm is now the Door of Entrance 
 into the Goipel-Church , which is Con- 
 gregational. 
 
 4. That very Coveaant which God 
 made v«/iih Abraham and his Seed is an 
 Everlafting Covenant which can never 
 be broken ;, ^nd therefore it doth belong 
 as much unto Gofpel- Believers and their 
 Seed now, as ever it did to the Jevos^ and. 
 theirs under the Law,^(;7j 2.39. Ach 23.; 
 GaL 3.14. What though the 5eals or To- 
 kens thereof are changed ,• namely Cir- 
 cumcifion for Baptiihie, and the PafTeover 
 for the Lords Supper, yec the Covenant 
 is the fame for fubftance,/(9r it is an E'ver- 
 Ufilng Covenant which can never be broken*- 
 Gen. 17. 7. Pfal. 105.8,9,10. Now 
 to affirm the contrary of this, \s to cor>- 
 tradidl God'jS Word and Oath, which is 
 very dangerous, 
 
 5. I pray mind what the Apofile faith, 
 of Circumcifion, the Apoftle propounded 
 a Queftion, and anfwered it himfelf^ the 
 occafion of the, Queflion feems as if there 
 had been fome difpute or Controverfie. 
 aiiiong the Jews about Infants Circum- 
 dfion when the Law was in force J juftas 
 
 there 
 
( 89 ) 
 there are fome among us now do about 
 Infants BapcifiTi ; What Profit or Advan- 
 tage do young Infants receive in their 
 Baptilme ^ but let them confider the Apo- 
 ftles Anfwer to this Queftion of his in 
 jRom. 3. IVhat u4dvamage then hath the 
 Jew, or what profit is there of ChcHvici' 
 far?. Here is the Queftion , the Anfwer 
 followeth, viz* M^ch every way ; chiefly 
 hecanfe that unto them were committed the 
 Oracles of God, 
 
 For what if fome did not believe^ jhall 
 their Vnhtllef make the Faith of God with* 
 OHt Ejfe^. 
 
 1 . In the firft place, What were thofe 
 Oracles of God that were committed ta 
 thofe Babes at their Circumcifion. 
 
 1,1 humbly conceive thofe Oracles of 
 God were the PromifesofGod which be- 
 long unto the Covenant of Grace 
 Efiablifhed vj\i\i Jihraha?n and his Seed, 
 and with M;/ejand Jfraelin Sinai. 
 
 2. Chriil: is the Great Promife , and 
 therefore it is called the Covenant of Pro- 
 mife ^ For by the Faith of God C hrift in 
 the Promife is convelghfd into the Soul of 
 an Eledl Perfon in the work of Regenera- 
 tion:, and this very Promile or Qracie of 
 God doth now belong unto Believers and 
 
 tlieir 
 
( 90 ) 
 their Children, as much as ever it did to 
 j^hraham andhis^ Jitis, 2. 39. 
 
 3. Thefe Oracles of God muft be the 
 Promiles of God belonging to the Cove* 
 nant of Grace , becaufe every Man- 
 child that was not circumcifed at Eight 
 day*es old 5 was to be Excommunicated, 
 and cut off from Gods People for a Cove^ 
 nant>Breaker, Gen, 17, 14. And what 
 muft Adult Perfons be guilty of now in 
 our days that deny Infant-Baptilhie ? 
 
 4. Pray .obferve what the Apoftle faid 
 concerning his Carnal Relations, who 
 were Jeipj, in Rom, 9. 3, 4. For I conld 
 wijh that my fe If were accurfed from Chrifi^ 
 for my hrethreriy my ki^fmen^ according to 
 thejieJJj, 
 
 Here you fee how vehemently he lon- 
 ged for their Converfion, and then he re- 
 hearfeth their great Priviledges in thefe fol- 
 lowing words, 'viz. Whoare Ifraelitesjto 
 whom partaweth the Jldojtion , and the 
 Glory^ and the Covenants^ and the giving of 
 the LaWj and the Service of God ^ and the 
 Promifes. 
 
 Here you fee clearly what thofe Oracles 
 of God were, which were committed unto 
 Children in their Circumcifion ; but thofe 
 were but External Priviledges, for you 
 fee FanCs Kindred had no faviiig Faith, 
 when he thus fpake. . 6. And 
 
• C90 
 
 6. AndLaftly, God beftows the Grace 
 of Faith upon all theEIcd^' young and old, 
 fooner or later before they dye, but upon 
 noneelfe^ and therefore it is called the 
 Faith of Gods Eled, and they are called 
 Heirs of the Grace of Life, i Fet, 3. 7. 
 For Fairh is the very Life and Being of the 
 New Creature^ and this is that life which 
 our Saviour faith in John 10. / am come 
 thai they might have llfe^ and that they 
 might have it more abundantly, 
 
 2. it feems by the Apoftles words, that 
 there was another Objedion raifed, which 
 is this, viz.. If the receiving the Sign of 
 Circumcifion was a Seal of the Righreoui- 
 nefs of the Faith of God , how comes it 
 to pafs that any of thole Perfons which 
 were thus figned and fealed, could prove 
 to be Unbelieving Hypocrites, why the 
 A poftle prevented this cavilling Objection 
 in that forementioned ^o«^. 3.3. As if the 
 Apoftle (hould haVe faid, What if fome 
 did not believe that were thus Signed and 
 Sealed Externally in their Infancy, but 
 proved to be Hypocrites and Unbelievers, 
 when they were Adult Perfons ^ yet that 
 did not make the Faith of God without 
 Effect unto others on whom God beftow- 
 ed it favingly : And the fame may be faid 
 of Baptifme , Circumcifions SuccefTor , 
 
 which 
 
( pO • 
 
 which is now the Sign and 5eal of the Righ- 
 teoufnefs of the Fanh of Cod^ and fo they 
 have the Oracles of God committed unro 
 them in their Baptifme, as the Jews Chil^ 
 dren had in their Circumcifion. 
 
 But if it be not a Sealing Ordinance , 
 Why do our Opponents themfelves Bap- 
 tize any in their way. i.- If it be not a 
 5eal of the Covenan?. then they 5eal to a 
 Blank as they are pleafed to charge us 
 with ^ butic is a Seal of the Covenant of 
 Grace \ and therefore k is not a Blank : 
 For the Righteoulnefs of Chrift, and the 
 Faith of God, are the EfTentials of the Co- 
 venant of Grace; and our Children are 
 in the fame Covenant with us External- 
 ly, if not Internally ; And they that do 
 not believe this, do feal to a Blank. 
 
 Now in the next place : For any Per^ 
 fons to affirm, That Dying Infants may 
 be Juftifyed and Saved without the Grace 
 of Faith, is to affirm that they may be 
 Juftifyedand Saved in their Original Sins^ 
 which is impoffible ; becaufe that would 
 be to tuflifie and Save them in a ftate of, 
 Sin and Death ; which is a? impoffible, as 
 it is for Reprobate Angels ro be Juftifyed 
 and Saved •, for God wiil never juftifie nor 
 fave any Perfon Old or Young , but them 
 in whom he worketh Saving Fairh , which 
 
 is 
 
V 93 J 
 is the Grace of Life; for they muft be 
 made alive unto God, through the Life that 
 is in Chrift JefuSj which may be fitly com- 
 pared unto Gods uniting the Soul unto the 
 Embryo in the Womb ; which is called 
 quickening ; becaufe at the fame time if 
 doth produce Life in the Creature, which 
 the Holy Spirit ajludes unto. 
 
 For God in uniting a Sinner unto Chrifl: 
 through Faith Inftrumentally in the 
 Womb of Eledion, doth quicken thofe^ 
 who before were dead in TrefpalTes and 
 Sins, E^h. 2. I. And y 014 hath he cjmk^ 
 n(d who were dead in Trefiajfes and Sins, 
 
 5 In the fifth place, I (hall fpeak feme- 
 thing concerning the Mode of Baptifme. 
 
 I . In the nrft place,. Vifible Baptifm 
 muft be by the Application of Water to 
 the Subjecfts Baptized. 
 
 For the Apoftle faith in Jtis 1047,48. 
 Can any man forbid Water th^t thofe (r^oald 
 not he Baptised , which have received the 
 Holy C hoft as well as we, 
 
 Jir7d he commanded them to he Baftiz.ed 
 in the Name of the Lord^ &c. As if the 
 A poftle had faid, W ho fhall, or dare for- 
 bid the bringing and applying Water to 
 Baptize thole that have received the Ho- 
 ly Ghoft as. well as we. 
 
 2. The 
 
( P4 ) 
 
 2^ The ApGJHe commanded them to be 
 Baptized in the Name of the Lord, he did 
 not command them to go to iuch a River, 
 or pond of Water to be Baptized in, no, 
 but to be Baptized. 
 
 3 . It may be obje<3ed, That thofe were 
 all Adult Peribns, and Adual Believers, 
 for they had received the Holy Ghoft : 
 But there might be Children belonging un- 
 to them for all that ; for they are capable 
 of Receiving the Holy Ghoft as well as 
 'the Adult ^ as I have iufficiently proved ; 
 for- they that receive the Graces of the 
 Spirit, receive the Spirit: Alfo thofe 
 Believing infants in A4dt.' i%, 3,6. had 
 received the Holy Ghoft as well as the 
 Adult Difciples of Chrift : So that by the 
 Apoftles words it is plain , That Perfons 
 ought not to be applyed to the Water n\ 
 Baptifme, but the Water is to be applyed 
 unto them, But where is Dipping then ? 
 
 2, 1 here is not one Example or Sha- 
 dow for Dipping in Baptifme in all the 
 Ceremonial Law, neither on the other 
 hand is there any one External Antitype 
 in the New Tefv anient Ordinances for all 
 thofe Sprinklings, Pourings and Wafhings 
 with Blood and W'ater^ under the Old 
 Teftament Difpenfation;But that Heaven- 
 fy thing, namely the Ordinance of Water-. 
 
 Baptifm, 
 
( 95 ^ 
 Baptifme, //e^, to* i. and C^^p8.5. pray 
 obi'erve two things. 
 
 I . There was Iprinkling under the Law 
 pradiced, * • 
 
 2 Whereas it is commanded by Chrift 
 to Dilcipie or Baptize all Nations , fo it 
 is predided that Chrift would fprinkle 
 many Nations. 
 
 Ifa, 40. 15. So (hall he fyrinkle many 
 Nations ^ &c. That is, Baptize many Na- 
 tions : ^n^ when the Jews are converted^ 
 then they jhall be Baftiudy* .Ez,eh^. 36. 25. 
 Then will I fprinkle clean water upon you^ 
 and yoH jhall be clean from all your filthy- 
 nefs^^c. 26. y^ new heart alfo will J five 
 yOH^ and a new Spirit will I pHt within yoH^ 
 and I will take away the (iony heart ont of 
 yonr Flepj^ and I will give you an heart 
 of Flejh. 
 
 Here you fee Gods Promife torhejeirx 
 is, Thar he will fprink'e clean Water 
 upon them, and they Oiall be clean. God 
 hath not fard that he will dip them in 
 clean Water, and they fhal! be clean : 
 Here the Initiating Seal, and the Covenant 
 boch are promifed to the Jews at their 
 Converfion. 
 
 4. Thefe fprinklings under the Old 
 Teftament, and Water- Baptifme under 
 the New , do both point at one and the 
 
 fame 
 
r 96 ) 
 
 fame thing namely, the Internal Sprink- 
 ling of the Blood of Chrift, and Renew- 
 ing by the Holy Ghoft in the heart of an 
 EJid: dinner, which is the Baptifme by 
 the Holy Ghoft, and with Fire , even as 
 Circumcifion of the Flefh, did fignifie Cir- 
 cumcifion of the Heart, which is the pow- 
 erful Operation and working of the Holy 
 Spirit in the Converfion of a finner to 
 God. 
 
 5. I (hajl prove thatthefe Teremonies 
 under the Law.were Typical Repreienta- 
 tions of Gofpel Ordinances, Heb. 8. 4, 5. 
 For t^' he were on Earthy (that is Chrift) 
 he fljonld not he a Prisfi ; feei?7g that there 
 are Priejts that offer Gifts according to 
 the LaWy who ferve unto the Exar/ifle and 
 Shadow of Heavenly things^ as Alofes rp^f 
 jid^wnilhed of God^ when he was about to 
 make the Tabernacle ; for fee^ faith he^ 
 that thou make all things according to the 
 pattern fluwed to thee in the Mount . Here 
 are feveral things which come under our 
 cottfideration from this Textof Scripture. 
 
 I The firft is this , namely , How 
 hard and difficult a Task the Apoftle h^d 
 to bring thole Jews that had embraced the 
 Chriftian Religion off from relying upon 
 their Abolifhed Ceremonies. 
 
 2. All 
 
r 97 ) 
 
 2. All thofe. Ceremonies and Sacrifices 
 were PJitreriis and Examples ot Gofpel- 
 Ordinatjces. 
 
 3. And laflly , We ought not to do 
 any thing in poinc of Divine Worllnp. but 
 what mull be according to Gods own in- 
 ftirucion, the Exprels Command of God 
 being thus, viz.. For fee that thou makj^ all 
 thmgs according to the Pattern Jliewed to 
 thee in the Mount. There muft be Divine 
 Sanation upon it. i 
 
 2. The Second Scripture is in Heh \q. 
 For the Law having ajhadow ofgoodthirigs 
 to come , and not the very huage of r;;e 
 thirgs. 
 
 3. The third and laft ^^criprure I fhall 
 make ule of at this time is in Colof 2. Let 
 no man therefore judge yoH in meat or in 
 drinky or in refpett of an Holy day^ or of 
 the New Moons ^ or of the Sabbath days ^ 
 which are a (hadow of thir/js to come^ but 
 the Body is 'chrifl. Hence we may ob- 
 {trvQy That all thofe Ceremonies and Sa= 
 crifices which were then Gods Ordinan- 
 ces under the Mofaick Law, wxre Exam- 
 ples and Shadows of good things to come, 
 and not the very Image of the things, the 
 Ceremonial Ordinances were but Shadows 
 of Chrift, but the GolpelrOrdinances are 
 the very Image of Chrid ^ The Apoftle 
 
 E alludes 
 
r 98 ) 
 
 alludes to the Shadow of a Man which gi- 
 veth but a dark, obfcure reprefeiitation of 
 him, but the very Image of a Man giveth 
 a true reprefentatioa of his very Fea- 
 tures. 
 
 ' 2. The Apoftle hath explained what 
 thefe Ceremonies and Sacrifices which 
 v/ere their Ordinances did then point at j 
 and alfo thofe things which were then to 
 come, viz,, the Gofpel-Ordinances, the 
 Ordinances under the Law pointed unto 
 Chrift through the Gofpel ; for he is the 
 Body or Subftance of them all ; for though 
 they pointed unto Gofpel-Ordinances, yet 
 through them unto Chrift the Body, 
 
 5, If Sprinkling under the Old Tefta^ 
 ment-Difpenfation was not an Example or 
 Shadow of Water- Baprifme under the 
 New Teftament , and reprelented the 
 fame thing as fprinkling under the L aw 
 did J namely, Regeneration and 5and^ifi- 
 cation by the Death and Spirit of Chrift, 
 then I defire our Opponents to tell us 
 what External Ordinance of the Gofpel- - 
 fprinkling was an Example and .- hadow 
 of; for it is fo plainly proved, that Sprink- 
 ling was a Typical Reprefentation of fome 
 Gofpel- Ordinance, as that it cannot be de- 
 nyed. 
 
 6, Our 
 
(99) 
 
 6. Our Opponents affirm, That Bap- 
 thme muft be by Dipping the whole Body 
 under Water,' becaufe we muft be Buried 
 with Chrift in Baptifme ; which afRrma- 
 tion they ground upon the Apoftles words 
 in Rom, 6. Know ye not ^ that fo many of 
 us ^s were Baftiz^ed into Chrift^ were iap- 
 tiz,ed into his Death, 
 
 Therefore we are buried with him by Bap- 
 tifme Hnto JDeath^ that like m Chrift wa4 
 raifed itp from the Dead by the Glory of 
 the Father^ eiien [owe alfo flwdd ivalf^in 
 newnefs of life. 
 
 For if we have been planted together in 
 the likenefs of his death^ we fiall be alfo 
 in the likenefs of his RefHrretlion^ knowing 
 this J that OHroldmanis crHcifiedvoithhim^ 
 that the body of Sin might be deflroyed^ that 
 henceforth we JJoonld not ferve Sin^ for he 
 that is dead is freed from Sin, 
 
 Here I muft make ibme Reflexions on 
 thele Scriptures, and alio upon our Oppo- 
 nents plea for Dipping. 
 
 I . If this being buried with Chrift in 
 Baptifme, is to be underftood lirterally, 
 and not metaphorically, as they will have 
 it to be, then they muft lye*as long under 
 Water in their Baptifme, as Jona4 lay \n 
 the Whales Belly,which was the true fign 
 ofChrifts lying in the Grave in his own 
 bloody Baptifme. E 2 2. The 
 
r ICO ) 
 
 2. The Apoflle was not Treating about 
 the mode of Bsptiime, but ofihe fignifica-. 
 tion thereof^ by which, he (hewed the 
 Blefled Effects of the Bloody Eaptifme of 
 Chi ift in the 5ouIs of all that are or (hall 
 be Regenerated, of which Wearer Bap- 
 tifine is but the5ign-, For as Chrift dyed 
 for fin J fo we muft die unto fin. 
 
 5. AsChrift's Body was crucifyed, lb 
 ue mud crucifie the Flefli with the Lufts 
 thereof, which is to deftroy the Body of 
 fin, or crucifie the old Man. 
 
 4.. Andlaftly, When the body of fin 
 is crucifyed and deflroyed, it muft be bu 
 ried with Chrift ^ for when the Old Man 
 IS buried with Chrift , the New Man ri- 
 feth with him, without which theiecan 
 be no likenels unto Chii/ls Death and 
 Rerurre(ftion :; and when we are raifed 
 ^'kh hi r>, wefhall walk with him in New- 
 ijef*? of Life, that is, Eternal Life is then 
 begun in the Soul which will Center in 
 Glory with God the Father 
 
 And this is all reprefenred unto us in 
 the Sacrament of Water- Baptifme, and 
 Avhen we are thus dead to fm , we are 
 for ever freecf from fin ; that is, from the 
 Tyrannical Power and Dominion of Tin, 
 and from the Condemnation thereof; 
 though we are not freed from the Inbeing 
 
 of 
 
( loi ; 
 
 of fiOj nor (hall we during this Natural 
 Life 
 
 .2. For a funher Illaftration, Let us 
 compare *^cripture wirh Scripture; for 
 the Apoftle alcribes the fanje thing to Cir- 
 cumcifion, as he doth to Bapriirne, where 
 he rpeaks again of being buried with Chrift 
 in Baprifme, in Co/o/ 2.9, 10, i 1, 12,13. 
 For tn him dwelieth all the fulnefs of the 
 Godhead bodily 
 
 And ye are cowflete In him^ which is the 
 Head of all Prifjcipality and Power, 
 
 In whom alfo ye are circumcifed with the 
 circHmcifion made wUhont hands ^ In pit^trg 
 off the Body of the fins of the Fkjh^ />y t::s 
 CircHmcifion of Chrifi hurkd wit'o A.: j^ 
 Baptifme^ wherein alfo yon are ^■' ^ 
 himy through the Faith of the o-. 
 Cody who hath ral fed him from the iji ^., 
 
 AndyoH being dead tn your fins ^ ana -; 
 uncirc timet fion of yom-feflj^ hath he c.mch 
 fted together with him^ having forgiven yon 
 all trtfpajfes, 
 
 I pray you, '^ell us, What all this 
 doth amount unto in favour of your Prin- 
 ciples and Pracftice, with a refpeft to the 
 Mode of Baptifme from the Apoftles words 
 in thefe two Texts of Scripture ^ viz.. 
 Rom. 6' and Colof 2. that you fhould from 
 hence draw a conclufion, that Dipping of 
 E 3 plunging 
 
( loi ) 
 
 plunging is the only Infallible Mode of 
 Baptilme, whereas it may as well be con- 
 cluded from hence. That Dipping was the 
 Mode of Circumcifion, becaufe the Apoftle 
 hath conjoyned both thefe figns and feals 
 of the Covenant of Grace together by way 
 pf allufion to lUuilrate the things they fig- 
 nifyed, namely, Regeneration, Jiift;fica- 
 tion, San(fiification, and Eterj:ial Salvation, 
 which is Circumcifion of the Heart, and 
 Baptifmeof the Holy Ghoft, and by Fire, 
 which is one and the fame thing , and 
 were purchafed by our Redeemer , God 
 over all, BlefTed for ever ; and are the 
 Blefled Fruits and EfTeds of his Death , 
 Burial, and Refurreftion : Thus you fee 
 thefe Scriptures leave you as they found 
 you, with a refped to the Mode of Bap- 
 tifme ; for they minifter no relief unto 
 your Principles, but rather make againft 
 it, becaufe that Circumcifion and Baptifm 
 are joyned together, as both reprefenting 
 one and the fame thing ; which is that, 
 that your Principle does not like, nor by 
 any means allow. 
 
 3. Here is another Scripture to corro- 
 borate that; which I have faid, touching 
 the Mode of Baptifme, i Pet. 3. ' When 
 * once the long-fufFering of God waited 
 ^ in the days of Noah^ while the Ark was 
 
 ^ pre. 
 
C 103 ) 
 
 * a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight 
 
 * Souls were laved by Water. 
 
 ' The like Figure whereunto, Bap- 
 
 * tifme doth alfo now lave us,not the put- 
 ' ting away of the filth of the fielh, but 
 
 * the anfwer of a good Confcience to- 
 ' wards God, by the Refurf ecftion of Jefus 
 Chrift. 
 
 Here are two things enveloped and 
 folded up in thefe words. 
 
 Firft, As Noahs Temporal Prefervation 
 and Deliverance in and by the Ark, was 
 Typical of Eternal Life and Salvation by 
 Jefus Chrift the Ark of God's Covenant, 
 even fo is Baptifme alfo. 
 
 Secondly , None are Eternally faved 
 by, nor for their being Baptized. For 
 External Holinefswill not give a Right to 
 Eternal Salvation, no, nor Foederal Holi- 
 nefs neither , though Inherent Holynefs 
 doth : Pray mind the Apoilles words ^ For, 
 faith he. The like Fignre wherenmo , even 
 JBaptifme doth alfo now fnve hs ; not the pit- 
 ting away the filth of the Flejh • There is 
 External Holynefs , bnt the anfmer of a 
 good Covfcknce towards God^ by the Refur- 
 region of Jejus Chrift , there is Internal 
 Holynefs* 
 
 3. Temporal Salvations and Deliveran- 
 ces are not a furefign of Eternal Salvation, 
 £ 4 nos^ 
 
( ^04 ; 
 
 nor External Purification , or putting away 
 the filth of the Flefh without Internal 
 Heart' Purification by theRefurrecfllcu of 
 jefus Chrift ^ of which Noah's Preferva- 
 non was a lively Type and true Sign. 
 ^nd Water- Baptirme is no more. 
 4. What Analogy is there between A/c^/Zs 
 Prefervation and Dipping for Baptiihie ; 
 for the Holy Ghoft faith, that Baptifine 
 maketh the like Figure unto it : 
 
 To which Queftion I anfwer in the Ne- 
 gative, There is none at all ; for it isal- 
 (ogerher Incongruous :> but it makes a true 
 Figure of Gods Wrath on the Old World, 
 for they were all immeried and drowned. 
 
 5. And laflly, What Analogy or Con- 
 gruity is there between Nualrs Preferva- 
 tion and Sprinkling in Baptifme: To which 
 ) anfwer in the affirmative, viz,. There is 
 a fweet harmonious agreement between 
 them : For Sprinkling in Baptifme is the 
 like Figure. 
 
 I, As Noah and his Familys preferva- 
 tion, in the tiine of the llniverlal Deftru- 
 d\ionby the Flood, was a Mark and To- 
 ken of Gods diftinguifln'ng I ove and Gface 
 unto them above all the reft of the World: 
 Even fo is W^ater Baptifme now to all true 
 GtTridian Believers and their Children, 
 which is the Figure thereof j aMarky atid 
 
 Token 
 
( 'OS ) 
 
 Token of Gods diftinguiiliing Love and 
 Grace above all other perlbns in the 
 \\ crld ^ for baprilhie is an External Sea- 
 ling the Name of God upon them, where- 
 by they are Externally received into the 
 Family of Chrift : For whofo jl?all receive 
 one fnch little Child in ChrtjPs Name , re- 
 ceizes Chrift hirt^felf^ Mat. i8. 
 
 2. As Noah and his Fatr.ily were all in the 
 Ark, even fo believers, and all their Chil- 
 dren are in the Covenant, and therefore 
 they all ought to have the Figure of A^o^/?'s 
 prtfervation adminifired unto them, viz.. 
 VA'ater-Baptifme, (and that by Iprinkling) 
 otherwife, it cannot anfwer to the Figure 
 o^'Nodrs prefervation ; for neither he, nor 
 any of his Family went over Board into the 
 Water and were Baptized, but they were 
 fprinkled with the Rain from Heaven , 
 and with Water that did fly over into the 
 Ark by the beating of the Waves againft 
 it, even as it doth againft a Ships- fides in a 
 ftorm at Sea, by which the JVlariners are 
 often fprinkled ♦, but if any are Dipped 
 in the Sea, they are commonly Drowned, 
 
 3. And Laftly, As the Waters in Mer- 
 cy bore up the Ark, and faved Nofih and 
 his Family, fo in Judgment it drowned all 
 the World befides : For the Text faith 
 that Noah was faved by Water, unto 
 
 £ 5 which 
 
( ie6 ) 
 
 ^vhichBaptifme is annexed: So that Bap. 
 tifme is by fprinkling or pouring Water 
 upon the SubjeA Baptized. 
 
 4.When the Scribes and Pharifees came 
 to our 5aviour Chrift, defiring to fee a 
 fign from him, but he told them , That 
 there JhoMld he no fign gvven to it^ but the 
 fign of the Prophet Jonas ^ ' For as Jonas 
 wa^ three days and three nights in the 
 Whales Belly J fo fljould the Son of Man be 
 three days and three nights in the heart of 
 the Earth, 
 
 Our Saviour did not direft them to the 
 Mode of Baptifme for a fign of his Death 
 and Burial^ and lying Three Days and 
 Three Nights in the heart of the Earth, 
 yet our Opponents will have Dipping for 
 Baptifme to be the fign thereof; but our 
 Saviour laid, That no fign fuoddbe given 
 to it J &c. He did not fay .^ no fign (hould 
 be given to them , but no fign fhould be 
 given to it, but that ofjona^ : Neither da 
 we find that Difpenfationof yo;7^j's lying 
 Three Days and Three Nights in the 
 Whales Pelly any where quoted in the 
 NewTeftament as a Sign or Figure of Bap- 
 tifme^but we do ofNoi^h in the time of the 
 Flood, I Pet. 3.20,21. and alfo in that 
 Difrenfarion of C ods Deliverance of his 
 People ojt of ex^^yp/ , when they pafied 
 
 through 
 
through the Red Sea, i Cor. to. i, 2- 
 It Teeins very ftrange, That feeing that 
 Difpeofation of 7o;7^'s lying Three Days 
 and Three Nights in the Whales Belly,, 
 was fuch a Splendent Sign or Figure of 
 Chriil's Death and Burial ^ if Dipping for 
 Baptifmebe fo too, that there (hould be rm 
 notice taken thereof in that refpedl, but 
 our Saviour Chrill's Anfwer to the Ca- 
 veiling Scribes and Pharifees doth fuffici- 
 ently confute the aforefaid Mode of Bap^ 
 tifme. « 
 
 5. Water-Baptifmeis an outward vili- 
 ble Sign of the Internal Myfterious Work 
 and Operation of the Holy Spirit in Rege- 
 neration, Renovation, and SandlificatioHj^, 
 by the Blood of Sprinkling j for without 
 ihedding of Blood there could be no Re- 
 miflion of Sins. 
 
 6. Andlaftly, I will appeal to any Im^ 
 partial Perfon whatfoever to judges, which 
 of thefetwo Modesin Bapiifme is moft 
 agreeable, andmaketh the Trueft Figure 
 or Sign of Sprinkling the Blood of Chriftj^ 
 which is the Blood of the Covenant, whe- 
 ther Dipping or Sprinkling; Hecaufe thisr 
 namelefs Gentleman that lent me the Let- 
 ter and Book hath charged we with wreft- 
 ing the Scriptures v ^caufe I affirmed^ 
 tha£ iprinkling under the LaWp was Ty- 
 
 £ical\ 
 
( io8 ) 
 pica! of Sprinkling in BaptiGne under the 
 New Dilpenlknon of the uofpel •, For 
 iprinkling under the Law did fignifie the 
 very fame thing as Baptifriie now doth 
 under the Goipel : Pray mind what Mofts 
 laid, and did under the Law , which is 
 quoted by the Apoftlein the Ne.v Tefta- 
 ment. \, In txol 24. 8. And Mojes 
 took the Blood and fprir'kled »t on the peo- 
 ple '^ -and /aid ^ Bihbla the Blood of the 
 Ciivermnr which -the Lord hath made ^vith 
 yon c Of? (e-mng all the fe words. ' '' - 
 
 Here are leveral things flow froin this 
 Old Teitament Text, 
 
 T . 1 he Finl is this , Tha t Mofes ap- 
 plyed the Blood of the.Covenant to the 
 p€^p e by fpripkling it upon them , he 
 did not apply tf^^ People to the Blood of 
 the Covenant, bv dipping them into it. 
 
 2. Here were the fame fort of Subje<fls 
 fprinkled by A^fofes^ 35 they were, which 
 j^o.'T? Baptized ; namely, oods Covenant- 
 People the Jews, iMen, Women, and Chil- 
 dren : For as A^fofes fprinkled all the Peo- 
 ple, {ojohn baptized all the People. 
 
 5. Though that Blood which Mofes 
 fprinkled on the People in it felf was but 
 the blood of a ^eaft, yet, Reprelenta- 
 rr.ely andSacramentaliy in Gods Account 
 u v;us the bleed of the Covenant, that is, 
 
 the 
 
( 109 ) 
 the Blood of Chrift as the Eread and Wine 
 in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, is 
 the ^ody ofChrift/orGod appointed that 
 to be an External fign of the Iprinkhng 
 of the. blood Oi Chriil under the Law, as 
 i?apciime now is under the Gofpel, fothac 
 it was their apt it me. 
 
 4 The Apofties quoted this in Exod. 
 24. 8. Firft the Apoftle5t. PW quoted it 
 in Htb. 9 19,20. For when Aiofes had 
 fpqhn every precept to all the People accor* 
 king to th€ Law ^ he too\ the Blood of Calves 
 arid of Goats with water and fear let wool \ 
 and hyjfop^ and fpr'inkled both the Book and 
 all the People ; faying-, This is the blood of 
 the. Tefl'arnent which God h'ath injoynedmto 
 
 r. Here is both Water and Flood, and 
 Chrift came by Water and Blood, i John 
 5. 6' therefore that Covenant in Exod. 
 24 8. was the Covenant of Grace, though 
 it was the Sinai Covenant, and is the fame 
 Believers and their Children are now in. 
 
 2. Here is the very fame Phrale or 
 Manner of Speech uled for Mojes's fprink- 
 ling, as is for Johns Baptifme, namely, 
 all the people \ therefore John^s Baptifme 
 was as Extenfive under the Gofpel, as 
 Adofess fprinkling was under the Law, and 
 fo it is to this day ; it was to all the Peo- 
 ple 
 
r iro) 
 
 pie then which were in Cofenant , and 
 their Seed, and to none elfe. 
 
 Pray look back upon that in Heh, 9. 1 3^ 
 14. For if the Blood of B nils, and of Com s,^ 
 ffrinkling the unclean^ fandtpeth to thefu-- 
 rifykigoftheFleJb. 
 
 How mmh more jl^all the Blood ofChrifif. 
 who through the Eternal Spirit^ offered him* 
 felf wlthoHt fpot to Godj purge your Con* 
 fciences from dead works, to [erve the living 
 Cod. 
 
 Pray take notice of the difference that 
 is between Mofes s fpr inkling , and the 
 fprinklingwitk the Blood of Chrift. 
 
 I . Mofes the Servant of God fprinkled 
 all the People with the blood of the Cove- 
 nant J but it was but the Blood of Beafts,. 
 and it was only Externally j it fan£lifyed 
 to the purifying of the Flefh, it did not 
 reach their Confciences; for many of 
 thofe People that were thus fprinkled, 
 were not faved, 
 
 2,. But Chrift the Son of God fprinkleth 
 all the Eled of God Internally with his 
 own Blocd;, of which Mofes i\\t Servant 
 of God s Sprinkling was but an Exrernat 
 Typical Sign , as Water^Baptifme now 
 is. 
 
 3. All that are, have been, or may be 
 Baptixed, may notbefaved ,, bur all that 
 
(nt) 
 
 are, or have been, or (hall be fprinkled 
 with the Blood of Chrift Iniernally, are fa- 
 ved with an Everlafting Salvation: For 
 they are, and ihall all be baptized with 
 the Holy Ghoft and with Fire. 
 
 4. ThcApoftleSt, Ferer likewife fpea- 
 king of fprinkling with the Blood of Chrift, 
 hath joyned Eledion and the Blood of 
 Chrift together : In the i Pet.i. 2. Elect 
 according to the fore-knowledge of God the 
 Father^ through fan^ifieation of the Spirit 
 unto obedience^ and ffrinkHng of the Blood 
 of Jefpu Chrift y &c. 
 
 Thus I have brought the Type to the 
 Antitype, namely, our Lord Jefus Chrift, 
 who was given for a Covenant of the Peo- 
 ple,and was held forth in all thofe Ceremo- 
 nial Sprinklings and Wafhings, and Sacri- 
 fices under the Law ^ and Bapttfme repre- 
 fents the fame things in which there is 
 Sprinkling, W afhing and Sacrifice : For 
 by Water- Baptifme we do Dedicate, and 
 folemnly Offer up our Children through 
 Chrift by Faith, unto God • from whom 
 we received them. 
 
 5. And Laftly, Our Saviour Chrift cal- 
 led his own Sufferings his Baptifme, in 
 Lnke 12. 50. which was the grand thing 
 that thofe Sprinklings and Sacrifices, c^c. 
 under the Law did then ftgnifie : And al- 
 
( Hi ) 
 
 fo that /?aptiime doth now fignifie under 
 the New Mpenfation of the Golpel .• 
 O.ur Saviour Chrift iaith,in Minh.26. tor 
 thti 16 mj,Bloo49/ith€Nevc>TeJf4/?icrnfW,hkh 
 is jloed I or many y for thtremifjion of f,ns. 
 
 For as in Chrift^s lufferings his blood 
 was (hed for ail the tledi, io all ihe Eledt 
 were vertuajly iprinkled and lan^ified by 
 it, bur the V were nor Dipped into ir. - 
 
 Now^ in the next place, 1 (liall Ihew 
 the incongruity th^t there is between 
 Iprinkling the blood of Chrifl , and dip- 
 ping for baptilme 
 
 1. In the firfl place, There is no man- 
 ner of congruity or agreement between 
 fprinkhng the blood of Chrift, and dipping 
 for Baptifme; for the fcrmer is applyed tp 
 the Subjed, but the Subject is applyed to 
 that in the latter. 
 
 2. Sprinkling in baptifme is a proper 
 Sign and 1 oken of God s Covenant L ove 
 and Grace, and lb is not Dipping ; for the 
 
 Mercy-leat was Iprinkled with the blood 
 of the Covenant, m L£vn. 16. And he 
 jhalltak^ of the blood of thtBHllock and fprin- 
 kleitwith his finger upon the Alircy-Sejit* 
 
 Which blood is called the blood of the 
 Covenant, in Exod. 24 8. 
 
 Here we may obierve, That it was not 
 the quantity of blood which-wasfprink - 
 .led, that fantfliryed the Mercy -Seat, but 
 
 the 
 
( ri3 ) 
 the quality ; it is nor laid that the Mercy- 
 Seat was Dipped into the blood of the Co- 
 venant ; no, but it was a little blood fprink- 
 ied with the Finger; and the fame is as 
 True and Authentick of Sandification by 
 Water- Baptifme. 
 
 , As likewiie in the cafe of Chrift's wa(h- 
 ing his Dilciples Feet, in John 1 3 . Stmvn 
 Ft ter faith unto him , thou jh alt never vpajh 
 my Feet* 
 
 Jefus arjfiveredhim^ If I tpajlj thee not^ 
 thoH hafi no part with we, 
 
 Simon Peter faith untohim^ Lord^ not my 
 feet only^ but alfo my handa^ and my head. 
 
 Jefus faith unto him-, He that is x^ajhed^ 
 needeth not fave to wajh his feet^ but is 
 dean every whit ; ^tnd ye are ckan^ but r,ot 
 all. So in fprinkling t)Je Mercy feat it was 
 fufficient, though but with a little blood 
 on the Finger : And fo baptifme, A little 
 Water fprinkled on the Subje(ft baptized 
 isfufficient, 
 
 2. In the fecond place, as I have pro- 
 ved that rprinkh'ng is a fign or token of 
 <^^od's Love and Grace, fo on the other 
 hand, Ifhal] prove, that Dipping is a fign 
 or token of Gods \\ rath and Ven- 
 geance, by Three Infallible In/lances. 
 
 I. The firft is this, namely, the old 
 ungodly World *, they were all Dipt and 
 
 Drowned 
 
( i»4 ) 
 
 Drowned in Gods Wrath and fore Difplea- 
 fure in the Deluge of Water, when Noah 
 and his Family were only fprinkled and 
 faved by Water, which was the like Fi- 
 gure unto i?aptirme ., but if Dipping for 
 ^aptiime be the IVlode, then thole that 
 were deftroyed and drowned, made the 
 truefi: Figure unto ^aptifme. 
 
 2. Proud Pharaoh and all his Mighty 
 Hoft in their hot purfuir after Ifmel into 
 the Red Sea. were all dipt aud drowned in 
 Gods Wrath and Vengeance, when Gods 
 Ifrael pa0ed on fafely, and were all ^ap- 
 ti^ed in the Cloud, and in the Sea by 
 fprinkling ^ for they were neither dipped 
 in the Cloud, nor in the Sea, i Cor. ic. t,2. 
 Rut there never were any Peribns deftroy- 
 edby fprinkling in ^aptifixJe, but what 
 there have been by dipping for: ^aptifme, 
 I know not ; Tome have affirmed that there 
 have been fome that have catcht their 
 Death by it. 
 
 3. The third and lad Inftance is this, 
 when our Saviour Chrifl doth come to de- 
 ftroy Antichrift, and fet up his Kingdom 
 in the World, which I believe is very near, 
 even at the door. He will come eloathed 
 with a Veftu re dipped in Blood, Rev, 19, 
 
 Thus I have made it out, thatiprink- 
 ling is a fign or token of Gods Covenant- 
 Love and Grace to all Eleft Sinners; and 
 
 proved 
 
(115) 
 proved alfo that ^aptilme is by applying 
 Warer to the Subjeds ii'aptized by fpnnk- 
 ling or pouring , and not by applying the 
 Subjeds Bapcized to the Water by Dip- 
 ping , the former being of Divine Infti- 
 tution,but the latter a Humane Invention : 
 So much for the Mo*de of Baptifme. 
 Have lately perufed a Book written by 
 
 Mr. jH. C o(Waffwg^ in Anfwer unto a 
 5ermon or Two preached by that Worthy 
 Divine, Ur.FMence^ late Paftor of a Con- 
 gregation mWaffing^is Text was vnjiBs 
 2.39.He Treated from thence concerning 
 the Covenant God Eftabljfhed mth'^hm-r 
 ham and his Seed, and with Jfrael upon 
 MoHnt Simi ; in which Book 1 find many 
 unwarrantable ftrange Pofitions, and very 
 Bold Attempts made by the Authour there- 
 of, upon the Covenant of Grace ; there- 
 fore I fhall lay down fome of the chiefeft 
 of his Arguments, and Reply unto them, 
 
 Had it not pleafed the Lord to have ta- 
 ken Mr. M. to himfelf , he would have 
 given him a humbling Aniwer , and iuffi: 
 ciently confuted him : But however, fee- 
 ing he is gone, and I am here, I fhall in 
 honour to Gods Covenant- Truths, and in 
 memory to Worthy Mr. M offer fome-~ 
 thing by way of Anfwer unto it inftead of 
 a better hand. 
 
 I. Firft, I (hall begin with that Argu-. 
 
 mene 
 
(,16) 
 
 ment of his in pag. 7. where he argueth 
 thus, vi2^. The Promife w the Text cannot 
 be the Abrahamical Covenant to him and 
 his Carnal Seed tn their fuccejfive Genera- 
 tions from Ifaac ; Cod w 04 not only a God 
 to their immediate feecl^ bat to their remote 
 feed: Mark^^ if God doth tah thy inime- 
 diiite Child wto Covenant^ 06 thopt art a Be- 
 liever J then yoH mnft conclude he mil be a 
 God to yoi'ir remote Generations, For this 
 u his Covenant rvii h /\braham, and he wade 
 it good for many hundred years to their fuc^ 
 c^jfive Generations^ till that Covenant was 
 broken^, and totally expired ; and until that^ 
 the Covenant flood fafi with the Infants 
 of the Vngodly ^ oi well as with thofe of 
 Godly Parents % fo that the Promife in the 
 Text cannot be theCovenant with Abraham, 
 btcanfe it doth not extend to fuccejfive Ge- 
 nerations, 
 
 I. He faith the Promife in the Text 
 cannot be the Abrahamical Covenant to 
 him and his Carnal Seed, and his reafon 
 for it is, becaufe, that Covenant was to 
 him and his Seed in their fuccefTive Gene- 
 rations from Ifaac. 
 
 Pray mind the Promife \n Act. 2. 39. 
 Tor the Promife i^ unto yon ^ and to your 
 Children^ &ic Pray what are Children, 
 but a Mans luccelTive Generations : Here 
 
 you 
 
('117 ) 
 you lee the main reafon of your point is 
 unhinged at firfl dafh ^ for a Mans Chil- 
 dren are his i'ucceflive Generations, and 
 the Promiie is to them and their C hildren. 
 
 2. That the CovenatJt God made with 
 ' ^braha/77^^;hem^de iz good^ (laiihhe) 
 ' for many hundred years to their fuc- 
 ceflive Generations ; and then it was bro- 
 ken, and totally expired 
 
 To which 1 Aniwer, Firft, In the Ge- 
 neral, and Secondly, more particularly. 
 
 I, In the C eneral • This is all Repug- 
 nant and Foreign ro the Sacred 5cripture , 
 for that knoweth no luch diftindlion nor 
 period of the Covenant God made and 
 Eftab!i(hed v.'\t\\ Abraham ^ Jjaac ^^ and 
 Jacob '^ therefore this is a grofs miftake 
 of his : For firll of all, God hath not on- 
 ly laid, but alfo iworn to it. That, that 
 very Covenant is an Everlailing. Cove- 
 .nant^ and therefore it could never be bro* 
 ken, nor totally expired, as he hath con- 
 fidently affirmed it was ; Pray behold the 
 Texts, and wonder at this Authours con- 
 fidence; Firft, mGen. 17.7. A7id I uill 
 e/fabltjh my Covetn^ra hetxc-nn mc and thte^ 
 and thy fttd after thee in their Generations^ 
 for a-n EverUflir.g Covenant^ to he a Cod 
 to thety and to tliy Seed after thee, 
 
 i admire this Authour doth nor quore 
 
 the 
 
(nS) 
 the Text, and lay it down fairly at large, 
 as it is in the Scripture ; but the reafon of 
 which, I conceive is, becaufe hehathfet 
 bounds and limits to the Covenant ; and 
 the Scripture hath fetnone, but on the 
 contrary, hath declared it tobe,an Ever- 
 lading Covenant. 
 
 2- God faith, and hath fworn unto it too, 
 That his Covenant which he made with 
 Ahraham^ Jfaac^ Jacob^ and J frael^ is to 
 a Thoufand Generations, and for ever ; 
 Pfal. 105. O ye feed of Abraham^ hisfer- 
 vam t ye 1 children of Jacob , his chofen*^ 
 he is the Lord our God^ his JHdgments are 
 in all the Earth » 
 
 He hath remembred his Covenant for 
 ever J the word which he commanded to a 
 thoHJand Generations. 
 
 Which Covenant he made with Abraham^ 
 and his Oath unto Jfaac. 
 
 And confirmed the fame unto Jacob for a 
 Law^ and to Jfrael for an Everlafiing CO" 
 venant. 
 
 And pray read /y^/. 89.2,3? and 29, 
 to 34. 
 
 Here you fee is Gods Word and alfo 
 his Oath, that Abraham's Covenant is 
 Everlafting , and he will not break it ; 
 therefore it could never be broken, nor 
 totally expired, 
 
 2. More 
 
( 119 ) 
 
 2. More particularly : God had a 
 Covenant of Grace ever fince the Fall of 
 Adam^ and alfo a People in it , and ever 
 will have, io long as the World (lands ; 
 and to put it beyond the Law of Mofes^ 
 God hath commanded it to a Thoufand 
 Generations, which is throughout all Ages 
 and Generations of the World, to the end 
 thereof: 2. All thofe that endeavour to 
 make it (horter than God hath commanded 
 it to be , are guilty of breaking this his 
 Command,and alio of making God a 1 yar. 
 
 3. For 111 u ft rat ions fake, Let us fee 
 how many Generations there were from 
 Abraham sd^-^ ^ in which the Covenant 
 was Eftablifhed to the coming of Chrift in 
 the Flefh ; which we have the account of 
 in Mdtth. I. 17 So aU the Generations 
 from Abraham te David are fourteen Gene^ 
 rations ^ and from David mtil the carrying 
 away into Babylon are fourteen Generations^ 
 and from the carryirig away into Babylon 
 unto Chrift are fourteen Generations, 
 
 ' So that here are but Forty and Two 
 Generations from the" time of Gods 
 Eftablifhing his Covenant with Ahra.- 
 ham unto the coming .of Chrift in the 
 Flefh, which was about 1 907 Years, and 
 God commanded it to a Thoufand 
 Generations- that is beyond all time, 
 
 and 
 
( I20 ) 
 
 and it was Ratified by Gods Sacred Word 
 and Oarh ^ nay, this very Covenant was 
 Goufirmed b/ the Death and Blood of 
 Chrift, which is the Blood of the Ever- 
 lafting Covenant , Da/j. 9. 26, 27. y^r^d 
 /ifttr thntfcore and two weeh Jljall Mejjiah 
 ■he cut of) 
 
 hit not for himfdf^ &c. 
 
 AndhejhaU confirm the Covenant with 
 tnany for one week^ &c. 
 
 ..It is the Blood of the Everlafting Cove- 
 .nant which God made with Abraham^ and 
 aUb with Moles^ of which the Sprinkling 
 of that Blod by A^ofes on the People was 
 Typical , in Exod. 24. 8. And Mofa 
 took the Blood and fprinlcjed it on the 
 Feopk , and faid , Behold^ ^ the Blood 
 ■of the Covenant,^ which the Lord hath made 
 with you concerning all thcfe words* And 
 there is the Book of the Covenant in the 
 verle before. 1 hus you fee 1 have pro- 
 ved the ^^r^/j^wic^/ Covenant, as he cal- 
 leth it, to be an Everlafting Covenant/rom 
 the Holy Word of God : Now, whofhall 
 we believe ? Shall we believe God that 
 cannot lie •, that hath faid, and altbfworn. 
 That the Covenant which he Eftablifhed 
 with Abraham^ Ifaac^ Jacohy zndlfrael^ 
 is an Everlafting Covenant, and to a T hou- 
 fand Generations, and can never be bro- 
 ken. Or 
 
. lii ) 
 
 Or Mr. Hercules Collins^ who faith ^ 
 It woi for many hundred years , and was 
 broken and totally expired ', judge all ye 
 faithful Servants of the Lord , rvho are 
 yoHr felves in this very Covenant with God^ 
 and God with you. 
 
 2. 5akhhe, in page 12. The Covenant 
 of Circumcifion hath only Temporal Bleffings 
 promifed in it , therefore it could not he a 
 Covenant of Grace^ &c. 
 
 To which I thus Reply, 
 
 I . God irade over himfelf unto Ahra- 
 ham^ and to his Seed after him, to be their 
 God in Chrift in that very Covenant, and 
 Circumcifion was but a Seal or Token of 
 the Covenant, and not the Covenant it 
 felf J as inG'f;?. 17. 1 1. jind ye fliall cir- 
 cumcife the flefi of your foresh^riy and it 
 jJjall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me 
 afid you, 
 
 Thofe are Gods own words, by which 
 it doth not at all appear to be the Cove- 
 nant, but only a Token of it .- Mind the 
 Apoftles words in Ro/n, 4. And he recei- 
 ved the fign of CircHmcifion^ a Seal of the 
 Righteoufnefs of the Faith ^ That was a 
 fign of the Circumcifion of the heart ; as 
 Water-Baptifmeis a fign of Chrift s Bap- 
 tifme by the Holy Ghoft, and with. Fire. 
 
 F But 
 
( ^^^ ) 
 
 But how this Authour can make Gr- 
 cumcifion to be the Covenant it lelf , as it 
 is paft my skill to determine, fo I am fure 
 it is paft his to demonftrate : Sometimes 
 he will have it to be a Covenant of pecu- 
 liarity , and fometimes a Covenant of 
 Works ; But in this Argument it is a Co- 
 venant of Circumcifion .* I perceive he is 
 for having it to be any thing, but that 
 which Cod really made it for j namely, 
 the Everlafting Covenant. 
 a.Can there be a more Gracious Promife, 
 than this found out in all the Whole Book 
 of God; namely, for God to make over 
 himfelf to be a Peoples God, and the God 
 of their 5eed in an Everlafting Covenant, 
 I challenge all the Anti-Covenanters to 
 produce it if they can : And is this but a 
 Temporal BlefTing, think ye ; What doth 
 God give us a Shell inftead of the Kernel ? 
 What though they had Temporal BlefTings' 
 given in vi^ith this Blefting of all BlefTings, 
 viz,, the Land ofCaf^aan^&c. Have not 
 we now in the time of the Gofpel Tem- 
 poral BlefTings promifed equivalent to that 
 of Canaan, if not exceeding \t : As in 
 Jldatth, 5. I'ut feekye firfi the Kingdom of 
 Cody and his Eight e oufne fs ^ and all thejh 
 things Ji^^lUe addtduhto yon. 
 
 Pray 
 
( ^2. ) 
 
 Pray Note, Ic is Gods Righteoufnefs, 
 and at Gods difpofal, and not Mans, until 
 it be made over unto him with God in the 
 ' Covenant, at a Sinners Converfion. 
 
 All thefe things, namely Food and Rai- 
 ment, and all other Temporal Blef- 
 fings that God lees meet and needful for 
 us, (hall be given unto us, Pfal. 84 i f. 
 
 2. In I Tim. 4. faith the Apoftle 
 thereyGoMinefs is profitable nnto allthw^s^ 
 having Fromife of the Life that now is^ and 
 of that which is to come. 
 
 Godlinefs is profitable unto all things : 
 ^ Why ? Becaufe that maketh all things 
 profitable unto us. 
 
 2. Becaufe with Godlinefs all Tempo- 
 ral Blellings, as '*vell as other Difpenfaticns 
 of God, are enjoyed Vv^ith the Bleffing of 
 God upon them. 
 
 3. Godlinefs is great Gain, becaufe all 
 things (hall work together for their good. 
 
 Again the i\poftle faith, m Rom, 8. 3 2. 
 He that [pared not his own Son^ hut delive* 
 red him Hf for Hs all^ how fh all he not with 
 him alfo freely give us all things. 
 
 4. Hence we may obferve the good af- 
 furance that God hath given us of all thefe 
 Temporal Eleffings, and Outward Enjoy- 
 ments that God fees needful and conveni- 
 ent for uSjif Godly, cho' never fopoor,they 
 
 F 2 ihall 
 
( ^u ) 
 
 Ihall have enough to bear their Expences 
 through this World, and that is fufficient ; 
 for his Portion is in the Heavenly Canaan : 
 What laich Daz^U in PfaL^^.i^^2$They 
 d^all not he a jlmmedin-thc evil time : And m 
 
 'c days of famine they jhall be fatisfied, 
 I have been yonngy and now am old^ yet 
 ^:ave I notfeen the righteous forfaken^ nor 
 ins feed begging bread, 
 
 I. Theie temporal Bleflings and outward 
 Enjoyments are promifed conditionally and 
 comparatively. 
 
 I. if yon feek fir ft the Kingdom of God 
 and his Righteoufneis, you iliall have all 
 ihefeTemporal Bleflings and Outward En- 
 joyments that are needful and conve 
 nienc for you in a Covenant way , Spiced 
 sndPerfUi^ed with the Love of God ; and 
 thus no Wicked Man in the World enjoys 
 them: For Gods Covenant-People enjoys 
 them under a Blefling • but Wicked, Car- 
 nal Sinners enjoy them under a Gurfe: 
 Aial, 2.r,2. J will even fend a Cmfe nfon 
 yoiiy and I will cmfe your Bleffings^ yea^ 
 I have curfed them already. 
 
 2. This BleiTed Promife of Chrift is 
 to take us off from anxious finful cares 
 about the things of this Life, and to be 
 leek ing after the Durable Riches that are 
 in him , as if he (liculd have faid, Do you 
 
 think 
 
( 125 ) 
 think that your Heavenly Father, that t3- 
 Heth care to feed the Fowles of the Air, 
 and to clothe the Lillies of the Field, Wi'1 
 he not much more provide for you of his 
 own Family, will he feed his Birds, and 
 ftarve his Children -^and this Chrifl makes 
 ule of as an Argument to ftirus up to this 
 Great Duty , viz.. Of firft feeking the 
 Kingdom of God and his Righceoufnef?, 
 and then he hath promifed that all thele 
 things fhall be added unto us. 
 
 2. Thefe Bleflings are joyned unto 
 Godlynefs to a Child of God, though with 
 aCurfeto the Wicked: For the former 
 have thePromifeofthe Life that now is, 
 and alfo of that v/hich is to come 
 
 But it may be objeded, ihat thefe 
 things are promifed conditionally : It is 
 true, they are; but, the Condition is very 
 eafie ; for we fhall have them for asking ; 
 for God hath promifed to give his Spirit to 
 them that ask him ; nay, he hath faid in 
 Rom, to. I woi found of them that fought 
 mt not^ I iVits made ?na>^ifefi mno the/n that 
 asked mt after t?te. But why then doth 
 Cod prefcribeCondirions, feeing we are 
 not able to perform them : For we know 
 not how to pray, but a& the Spirit it felf 
 helpeth us to pray ; Why, God hath noc 
 lofl his Power and Prerogative in requiring 
 F 3 and 
 
( 12<5 ) 
 
 and commanding it, though we have loft 
 our Power and Ability in -performance : 
 God commar4ds us to Circumcife, and to 
 make our khes new hearts ; But Gcd hath 
 promifed to do it for us, God commands 
 m to leek firft the Kingdom of 
 God 5 but he nm(i. firft fet it up in 
 lis; Nay, he haih promifed to do ky 
 TfaL 84. The Lor d^- will give Grace and 
 i'lory : ihere is the Kingdom of God, and 
 ihe Rigbteoufnefs thereof in that Prcmiie; 
 No good tlmg will he ivit behold from them 
 chat livs itfrtghtly : There is a promife of 
 Tt'mporal good things.and it is Chrift that 
 performs the Conditions for all the Eledh 
 
 3. AndLaltly, Ihefe Temporal Blef- 
 fcgs are given to us in fuch a way and 
 manner, as never -was exprefTed , either 
 unto Abraham ov Mcfcs ; for cur Tempo- 
 ral Blefijngs are reckoned among the Blef'0 
 fings pure ha led by Chrift, in AW/. 8. 32. 
 /3't rkat /pared twt his own Sori^ hut delive-' 
 red him uf for us all^ how fudl he not with 
 htm alfo freely give vu all things. 
 
 Therefore Mr. H. C. may as well fay. 
 That the Gofpel-Covenant , that is, the 
 fame Ahraharn was in ^ which Eehevers 
 ir^ now in, is a Covenant of Works-, be- 
 
 i;!e there are Tem.poral Eledings and 
 outward Enjoyments promifed, as to 
 
 make 
 
r 127) 
 
 make the fame thing an Argument to 
 prove that : That Covenant was a Cove- 
 nant of Works, which God Eftablifhed 
 with Jhrfiham and A^ofes : Thus you fee 
 what this Covenant of Circumcifion , as 
 he will have it, affords him in favour^ of 
 his Opinion, which is even nothing at all. 
 4. Saith this Authour , in /?^/. 11. 
 
 * Juftification doth not belong to the Co* 
 
 * venant of Circumcifion ; Ergo^ The Co- 
 '• venant of Circumcifion is not the Cove- 
 
 * nant of Grace : The antecedent appears 
 
 * from Rom. 4. 9, 10, 11,12, Here the 
 
 * A poftle oppofeth one to the other, and 
 
 * tells them. That Jlbraham was accoun- 
 
 * ted, 2L Believer^ and Righteous , not in 
 
 * Circumcifion, but in Uncircumcifion , 
 
 * and therefore they had no caufe to toad ^ 
 
 * as \^ Abraham hud been Juftifyed by the 
 
 * Law of Circumcifion , or a Law of 
 
 * Works : No, faich the Apoftle, it was 
 
 * before he v/as Circumcifed, and he re- 
 ' ceived the Sign of Circumcifioji, a Seal 
 
 * of the Righteoufnefs of his Faith, which 
 ^ he had being yet uncircumcifed^ 
 
 pray mind, for he hath perverted 4he 
 Text to bring his Marks to bear ; For^ 
 faith he, A Seal of the Rig' teoufnefs of 
 (His) Faich, which he had, &c. This is 
 3uft as he perverted the words of the Pro- 
 F 4. . mife 
 
( t2S ; 
 
 niife in this Text, which he here contro- 
 verts about ; viz.. Where he faid, C^^his] 
 Proniife,inftead of [the] Promife : So here 
 Chis") Faith infteadof Qhe] Faith,as if this 
 Seal had been peculiar to ^Abraham's Faith 
 only : But the Apoftle faith in the Text 
 Mr./y.C.quotes5namely^^o;;^.4,i i.jindhe 
 rtceived the Sign of Circnmcifion a Seal of 
 the Right eonfnefs of the Faith : Not his Faith 
 There is a vaft difference between the 
 fenfe of the words, viz.. His Faith, and 
 The Faith ; The former is reftri<ft and pe- 
 culiar , but the latter is Extenfive and 
 more General: And here followerfi his 
 building upon this Sandy Foundation, viz.. 
 *■ And pray obferve, faith he, That Cir^ 
 
 * cumcifion was a Seal only to his Perfonal 
 
 * Faith, and not to Infants that have no 
 
 * Faith : And this Seal was, that he might 
 
 * be the Father of all thatbeh'eve, though 
 
 * not circumcifed, and that Righteoufnefs 
 
 * and Life might be Imputed where Faith 
 
 * was,th0ugh no Circumcifion,which obli- 
 
 * ged them to a Law of Works for Life. 
 To which I Anfwer in the firft place, I 
 
 obferve. That this Authour is very ready 
 upon all feeming occafions to exclude all 
 young Infants from any Intereftin, or fa- 
 ving Benefit by the Covenant of Grace. 
 But now I think on t , He hath contra- 
 
 difted 
 
( 129 ) 
 dided himfelf as to his former Way and 
 Merhod which he prelcribed for the faving 
 ^ of Dying Infants without Faith, by the 
 
 * imputation of the Righteoufnefs and 
 ' Blood of Chrift unto them, that Righ- 
 ' teoufnels and Life might be imputed 
 
 * where Faith was , and not to Infants 
 
 * that have no Faith .• So that here he hath 
 excluded Infants from the Imputation of 
 ChrilVs Righteoufnefs and Life , which in 
 his Firft 13ook, he allowed them to be fa- 
 ved by, without Faith. 
 
 For, faith he, Circumcifion was a Seal 
 only to his Perlbnal Faith, and not to In- 
 fants that have no Faith; that Righteouf- 
 nefs and life might be Imputed whereFaith 
 was,and not to Infants that have no Faith. 
 
 2. He hath Reflrifted Circumcifion to 
 be a Seal to Abrahams Faith only .* And 
 this \s part of the Fruit of his (tiling it, A 
 Seal of the Righteoufnefs of his Faith, in- 
 ftead of the Faith. ; fo that in his account 
 God inftituted an Ordinance to no pur- 
 pofe, and Ere^ed and made a Seal tofeal 
 Blanks with, only Abraham himfelf ex- 
 cepted : * For faith he, vIt:.. Pray ob- 
 
 * ferve. That Circumcifion was a Seal 
 
 * only to his Perfonal Faith, and not to 
 
 * Infants that have no Faith. Pray were 
 not Infants principally concerned in that 
 Ordinance or Sacrament of Circumcifion^ 
 
 . F S Had 
 
( ISO ) 
 
 Had not all the Jews Male Children this 
 Seal miniftred unto them, or fetupon them 
 ateii;htdays old. 
 
 So that firft he hath contradided God 
 that made the Covenant, and inftituted the 
 Seal thereof : 2. He hath perverted the 
 Apoftles words. 3. He hath contradi<fted 
 himfelf in his former Method jof laving dy- 
 ing Infants. 4, And laftly , He hath ex- 
 cluded all Dying Infants from Eternal 
 Life and Salvation by the Imputation of 
 the Righteoufnefsof Chrift through Faith ; 
 for without Faith they cannot be Juftified, 
 Regenerated, nor Sandified ; and if fo, 
 then they cannot bemademeecto partake 
 of the Inheritance with the Saints in Light ^ 
 and if fo, then they all mufl: be damned<, 
 ff they dye in their Infancy ; from which 
 Dodtrine', Good Lord deliver us. 
 3. He infmnates that Circumcifion obliged 
 Perfons to keep the-vvholeLaw of Works 
 for Life and juftincation : To which I an- 
 fwerinthe firil place. 
 
 I. That the Bond of Chriftianity doth 
 oblige every True Chriftian , as well as 
 others, to a ftrict Obedience to the.Moral 
 Law for a Rule of Life ^ even- as much as 
 ever the Ordinance of Circumcifion did 
 when it was in ufe and being : For it. was 
 never appointed by God for Life and Ju- 
 fiification 5 but for a Sign and Seal of the 
 
 Righ. 
 
C 131^} 
 
 Righteoufnels of the Faith, which is cal- 
 led the Faith of God , Rofn. 4. i, 2, 3. 
 where the Apoille highly commended the 
 Priviledge and Advantage of Circumcifion, 
 when it was in ufeand force, therefore ic 
 obliged them no more to the Law of W orks 
 for Life and Juftification, then Baptiime 
 DOW doth, which came in the room there- 
 of, and is now the Seal of the Covenant or 
 Righteoufnefs of the Faith : Pray tell me 
 one thing: Doth our Gofpel give any 
 more toileration for Swearing, Curfing^ 
 Lying, Whoreing , Sabbath breaking, 
 Drunkennefs, Thieving, Coufening, Chea- 
 ting, Murder, and the like Sins now then 
 the Law did when Cireumcifion was in 
 force ^ (no furej for the Gofpel requires 
 as ftrid Obedience unto the Moral Law 
 as ever it did in A^ofts time ^ there is the 
 very fame reafon for it now, as there was 
 then 'j and what is that you will fay? 
 Why, Becaufe C od requires it ^ as I (hall 
 prove by and by from ourSaviours words,, 
 to the Young Man in rhe Gofpel 
 
 3. Lifeand juftification was never En- 
 tailed upon their Obedience under the 
 Aiofaick^ Law, no more than it is now un- 
 der the Hofpel , but on the A^ive and 
 Paffive Obedience of Chrift, who fulfilled 
 all Righteoufnefs for all the EIe<fl:, and 
 
 wrought 
 
( 131 ) 
 wrought out a perfed Perfdnal Righte- 
 oulnei's for all Gods Elect, Rom, 833,34. 
 Whofijall lay any thing to the charge of Gods 
 Ele^y it is God that j aft ifieth. 
 
 Who is he that condemneth^ it is Chrift 
 that dyedf yea^ rather that is rifen again ^ 
 who is at the right hand of c od^ who alfo 
 ?nakith Imerceffion for us. 
 
 Who is he that condemneth ? Why the 
 Law Condemneth and Curfeth too \ Ay, 
 but Chrift hath ftopt the Mouth of that, 
 and redeenfied us from :he Curfe of ir, 
 GaL 3. 13, 
 
 4. If Circumcifion was a Covenant of 
 Works, t\\Qu .Abraham vj^s in a Cove- 
 nant of Grace, and after that, in a Cove- 
 nant of Works \ for he Believed and was 
 Juftifyed before he was Circumcifed , nay, 
 he was in the Covenant of Grace, and the 
 Covenant of Works both at once, which 
 is ablbrd ^ being impoflible. 
 
 5. God never made a Covenant with 
 any Perfon, but that the Perfon himfelf 
 was in that Covenant when he made it with 
 him ; for when God made the Covenant of 
 Works with Adam^Q was in it,and when 
 he made the Covenant of Grace v/ith him, 
 put him into that. Now for Abraham 
 to be in the Covenant of Grace and of 
 Works both at once, is inconfiftent ^ nei; 
 
 ther 
 
( 133 ) 
 
 ther was Abraham judftifyed for his Cir- 
 cumcifion, nor for his Works, Rom, 4. 
 For if Abraham vrere jiiftifyed by workj^ 
 he hath whereof to glory ^ but not before God. 
 
 For what faith the Scripture , Abraham 
 believed Godj ar/d it was counted to him for 
 RighteoHfnefs : There came in his Juftifica- 
 rion at that Door, not by Works, but by 
 Faith in our Lord Jefus chrift. 
 
 6. I find this Authour grofly miftaken 
 about the Covenants. 
 
 I . He takeih Circumcifion it felf, which 
 was only a Token or Seal gf the Covenant 
 of Grace, to be a Covenant of Works ; 
 whereas he himlelf faith, it was a Seal of 
 the Righteoufnefs of his Faith , that was 
 Abrahams Faith only ^ fas he will have it) 
 now if the Scripture had faid it had been 
 a 8eal of the Righteoufnefs of the Works 
 of the I.aw, inftead of the Faith, as the 
 Apoftle faith , then Circumcifion might 
 have probably been a Covenant of Works^ 
 but pray mind the Scripture, in Rom. 1 1 .5. 
 And if by Grace ^ then is it no more of 
 IVorks^ otherwife Grace is no more Grace ^ 
 hit if it be of Worksy then is it no more 
 Grace^ otherwife Work^is no more Work* 
 
 Here you fee the Apoftle hath put it be- 
 yond all Difpute or Controverfie^For Ju- 
 ftification unto Life, muft be of Grace, or 
 
 of 
 
of Works ; there is no Medium between 
 thefe two; and if it be of Works, then 
 Grace is become i^fofacio^ null and void % 
 but it is evident by that the deeds of the 
 Law no Flefh can be juftifyed in the fight 
 of God, How then did Circumcifion oblige 
 them to a Law of Works for Life \ the 
 Law is a Rule of Life, but yet it is not a 
 Life-giving Rule ; it is laid, the juft fhall 
 live by his Faith; but it is no where faid, 
 That the juft fhail live by his Works ; 
 For neither the Moral I. aw, nor the Cere- 
 monial were ever intended to make null 
 and void the Grace of God ; but they both 
 were fubfervient unto it, GaL 3. 21, 24. 
 Is the Law then a^ainft the pyomifeofGodj 
 God forbid ; For if there had been a Lmv 
 given which could have given Life ; verily 
 Right eo ufncfs flioM have been by the Law, 
 
 ' W^herefore the Law wa^ oar School- 
 mafler to bring hs unto Chrifi-^ that we might 
 be JHJlifyed, 
 
 And the Ceremonial Law, thofe Sacrifi- 
 ces, Ceremonies, and the like , were all 
 Types and Shadows of Chrift, our great 
 High Prieft, and of all Gofpel-Ordinances j 
 for Chrift was the lubflance of them all , 
 Colof 2. 17. 
 
 2. He taketh th6 Covenant of Grace for 
 the Covenant of P<«demption ; now all 
 that have been or may be in the Covenant 
 
 of 
 
« 
 
 ( 135 ) 
 
 of Grace, and enjoy all the External Prl-. 
 viledges thereof, may not be faved • but 
 all that are in the Cove/iant of Redemp- 
 tion fliall be Eternally laved. 
 
 I. All that have been, or that may be 
 in the Covenant of Grace, may not be la- 
 ved ^ as for inftance ^ VicOiy in /Uatth 8. 
 11^ 12. u^'^jd I fay unto yoUy That m^ny 
 {hail come from the Ea.fi ^^nd Weft^, andjhall 
 jit down with Ahrahamj and IJaac ^ and 
 Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, 
 
 But the children of the Kingdom jiull be 
 caft oat into outer darkiiefs , there Jhail be 
 weeping and gnajhmg of Teeth. And in 
 Rom. II. 17. ^nd iffome of the Bran* 
 ches be broken off^ and thou being a wild 
 Olive -Tree ^ ivert grafted in among fl them^ 
 and with them fart ake ft of the Root and Fat- 
 nefs of the Oltve-Tree. 
 
 2. ' All that ever were or are in the Co- 
 enant of Redemption fhall be Eternally 
 faved, becaufe they are all Eleded by God 
 the Father, and given unto Jefus Chrift 
 to redeem, and he will lofe none of them j 
 for none (hall pluck them out of his hand, 
 and he will raile them up at the lad day, 
 John 17. and John 6. ^11 that the Father 
 giveth me^ fljall come to me\ It is not faid, 
 they will come, but, they fliall (ome to 
 Chrift) and him that comthtome<f I will In 
 m wife a aft out. 3. The 
 
( '36 ) 
 
 3- The Covenant of Redemption was 
 made between God the Father , and the 
 Son from all Eternity j and there was no 
 Sin in Chrift, therefore it was not made 
 for him, though it was made with him; 
 but it was for all his Seed that was in 
 him, Pf. 89. 28, 29. My Mercy will I 
 keep for him for evermore^ and my Cove- 
 nii''7t jhalljland fafi with him. 
 
 His Seed alfo will J make to endure for 
 ever^ and his Throne as the days of Hea- 
 ven. There can be no falling from True 
 Grace ; therefore it is laid in Rom, 3. 24. 
 Being jnflifyed freely by his Grace^ through 
 the Redemption that is in 'Jefus Chrifi. 
 
 4. The Subjed^s of Grace were none of 
 them in being when this Covenant was 
 made you fee ; but the Covenant of Grace 
 was made with Man after the Fall ; for 
 there was no need of Grace to Man before^^^ 
 but there was when Man had finned andl^^ 
 fell from God, and plunged himfelf and 
 
 all his Pofterity into an Eftate of Sin and 
 Mifery, out of which there could be no 
 Recovery,but in and through a Redeemero 
 
 5. And Laflly, Here is a Scripture that 
 defcribes both thefe fort of Perfons and 
 their Stations. 
 
 I. Thofe that are in the Covenant of 
 Grace by External Priviledges only , but 
 
 not 
 
( 137) 
 not in the Covenant of Redemption. 
 
 2. Thofe that are in the Covenant of 
 Grace Internally, and alio in the Covenant 
 of Redemption Eternally ; which are all 
 God's Eled ; in the i John 2. ip. They 
 "Went out from ta^ hut they were not of us \ 
 for if they had been of m^ they would^ no 
 doubt have continued with us^ but they went 
 out^ that they might be fnade manifefl that 
 they were -not all of us. 
 
 They abandoned all their Covenant-Pri- 
 viledges, and defpized their own Mercies, 
 and Apoftatized from the ways of God, 
 which they owned and profelTed , and fee. 
 med to have Embraced ; and thus they 
 went out from God's People the Church 
 among the Swine of the World, 2 Pet, 
 2. 22. But it is hapned unto them according 
 .to the true Proverb^ The Dog is turned to 
 ^his own z'onnt again j and the Sow that woi 
 wajhedj to her wallowing in the mire. 
 
 There was no faving Change wrought 
 in them ^ for they were but Externally 
 wafhed J it was but an outward Reforma- 
 tion ^ndProfeffion : They retained their 
 Doggifh, Swinifh Nature ftill ; They 
 were not begotten and born of God .- 
 For he that is born of God finneth not : 
 I John 3. 9. He doth not fo commit 
 Sin as to Apoftatize totally from God, 
 
 though 
 
( 138 ) 
 
 though Sin be in him , yet k doth not 
 reign there ; there could be no f uch thing 
 as an Apoftate in th s lenfe , if there was 
 not a Covciant of Grace , for a Terlbn that 
 joyns himfelf to a vrue Church, is in the ^ 
 Covenant of Grace Exrernaiiy , and' 
 partakerh ofallcne Erfternal Pr.viledfes 
 thereof ; yet hov/ n'sany luve toi ally fallen 
 from that high Station, and bee -me vile 
 and vain in their converiations ^ id fome 
 have turned lierce Perfecutors .'•* Chrift 
 and his People^ ard this is to g- t from 
 us, b.Kaufe they may be mzc mifefl, 
 that :hey were not all of \:^ 
 
 3, Bat them which wer^ ' "ove* 
 nanr of Redemption, reni^.... ^ it^ 
 
 and kept their Station ; for thty ac not 
 o.ily in Chrift's hand,, but alO in the haixi 
 of God the Father, Js/a7 10. ^rrd J ghe 
 unto them Eiernal Life^ and they jh all ne^ 
 *ver perifij^ neither (ball any fl/ick^ them ont 
 of my hand. 
 
 My Father which gave them me isgrea* 
 ter than all^ a?td none is able to finely them 
 out of my F,ithers b^nJ, 
 
 Satan Vvirh all his Temptations without 
 us • nor with all his Black Guard of Lufts 
 and Corruptions within us ^ nor all the Al- 
 lurements of the World Tiding with him; 
 nor all the power of Free Will in Man to 
 help him : All thefe Potent Enemies in all 
 
 their 
 
C 139) 
 
 their united Power and Force, fhall never 
 beabieto pluck one Soul out of the hand 
 of God in Chrifl-, for though his Grace be 
 never lb imall and weak, he is In the Co- 
 venant of Redemption , and Chrift's 
 ftrength is his to uphold him, and God's 
 Fear is in his heart, and he (liall never de- 
 part av;ay from him ; not that he will not 
 depart away from God, but he fhall not : 
 Therefore he need not be afraid, for he 
 fhall perfevere and hold out to the end, 
 and Arrive fafe in Glory. 
 
 4. And laftly, God requires all his Rkd 
 People at the hands of Chrid, and Chrill 
 prayed unto the Father for them all 5 and 
 ali that he prayed for, he came into the 
 World intentionally to die for , becaufe 
 they are all in that Eternal Compa(fr and 
 Ag^rtementthat was between God the Fa- 
 ther, and Chrift his Son ; For the Counfel 
 of Peace was between them both, Zech» 
 6. 13. John 17. 
 
 Thus I have proved that Circumcifion 
 was not the Covenant it [df^ but a Token 
 or Seal thereof. 
 
 2. That it did not oblige any Perfon to 
 keep the Law of Works for Juftification 
 and Life ; neither did God ever intend it 
 for any fuch end or dengn, no more than 
 he did Baptifme : Indeed, they were obli- 
 ged 
 
ionl-f.". T°r'"^', "^""^'"^^ Circum- 
 as a Rule of Life , and fo are we too' • but 
 not to take up and reft therein , S look 
 nof„rther, as all them wh.ch are in the 
 Covenant of W^orks do, and are by Nature 
 prone to it. y i\<«tuic 
 
 prone to it. 
 
 For Man naturally would rather go anv 
 
 t?rrrfftf'^''"^'^"'^'''^^^^'°"''hafco2 
 to Chnft for .t : Nayjs it not Chrifts own 
 cotnplamt^^^^. re rviU not com unto me 
 yjmghth^ve Life .-But here is a full 
 proof from Chr.fts own words, That we 
 are as much obliged to keep the Moral 
 part of the Law now, as ever Ifrad were 
 by the Srw Covenant, See Mmh. 19. 
 
 Good Mailer What good ting jin.ll I do] 
 that I may have Eternal Life. 
 
 And he [aid hmo hhn. Why calkU thoit 
 rn§ : !''"■'" "o-^'^IoodU one, that is, 
 
 "%[^''^''»ohim, which! Jefu-sfaid, 
 Thoujhalt dono Murder, ,hou fl'at no coj. 
 mtAduUery, thou Jl,a!t not JlLl,S^c. 
 
 So 
 
( HI ) 
 So that if this was a Covenant of Works 
 to JJrAely under the Old Teftamenr, then 
 it is lb now to us under theGofpel : For 
 you lee, that our Saviour gave as ftri^ 
 Command for the Obedience of it now, as 
 ever God did to Jfrael in the Swai Cove- 
 nant : Therefore this Argument of our 
 Opponents affords no manner of proof in 
 the lead meafure or degree, that the Sinai 
 Covenant was a Covenant of Works, and 
 fo was broken, and totally expired at the- 
 coming of Chrift in the Flefli. 
 
 6. SaithMr. //. C. in pa^e 13 , inAn* 
 fwer to that Worthy Divine^Mr-F./f/fwe, 
 who is now in Glory, viz.- ^ But feeing 
 /- my Opponent requires where God made 
 *• a r ovenant of Works with his Redee- 
 ' med People fince the Fall , I (hallfhew 
 ' him, that, from abundance of Scripture* 
 *• A rguments, that Covenant and Miniftra- 
 ' tion w^ich killeth and condemneth, can- 
 ^ not be the Covenant of Grace, butfuch 
 ' the Apoftle makes mention of in 2 Cor. 3. 
 To which I anfwer , The Apoftle 
 had been preaching up Juftification 
 and Salvation by the Righteoulhefs and 
 Merits of Jefus Chrift through Faith, 
 and (hewing them the vanity of hoping or 
 |. expeding Juftification and Salvation by 
 the deeds of the Law ; and thenefore he 
 
 con- 
 
( 142' ) 
 
 eludes thus, For the latter kjlkth^ bptt the 
 Spirit giveth life 'y for if the minijiration of 
 condemnation be Glory, mnch more doth the 
 minifi ration of Right eoufnefs exceed in 
 Glory. 
 
 The Letter here which the Apoftle 
 made mention of, is the Moral Law, which 
 is the Miniftration of Deah to a dinner in 
 the Covenant of Works : For when God, 
 by his Spirit in the t olpel fetsnomethe 
 Law of '.^'orks in i^s rigorous demands 
 upon the Heart and Confcience of a Sin- 
 ner, whereb • it fheweth him his IMifera- 
 ble Lofs and Undone State and Condidon 
 bv Nature, and the t rnpoflibility of ever 
 being juftifyed and favedby the deeds of 
 the Law ; Ths raifeth a Ston;: of Thun- 
 der and Lightning in his Confcience, and 
 brings him under a Thick Cloud, which 
 fills him with -^orrour , Terrour, and . 
 Trembling Amazement, even as it was 
 with Jfrael upon Mount Sinai^ ar the gi- 
 ving forth of the Law ; and while he ly- - 
 eth thus under Convidion, if it be real 
 and fincere, then cometh the voice of the 
 Trumpet exceeding loud ; namely, The 
 Gofpel, with gtad Tydings of Salvation ; 
 and fills him with Joy and Peace in Be- 
 lieving : The Law is fo r Ccnvid^ion, but 
 the Gofpel is for Converlion: The Law 
 
 goeth 
 
I 
 
 ( '43 "> 
 goeth before the Gofpel to make way for 
 ic in the heart of a poor 5inner ; wherefore 
 if the Law had been broken and totally 
 expired, where then is the Glory of it, 
 which the A,roltle Ipeaketh of : For, 
 faith he. If the minlfirartGn of Condtmna- 
 tiotJj (rvhich is the Laxv) be G lory ^ much 
 more doth the Miniji ration of RlghteoHf- 
 fiefs exceed in Glory. 
 
 Thus you fee there is Glory in this very 
 letter , ihat killeth and condemneth the 
 poor ( onvicfied dinner, namely* the Law ^ 
 which had it been broken and totally ex- 
 pired, it had been but a nullity ^ and what 
 Glory is due to a nullicy ? even none ntall. 
 But the Gofpel of Rightecufnefs dcrh ex- 
 ceed in Glory, as much as the voice of 
 the Trumpet did exceed the voice of 
 the Thunder at the giving forth of the 
 Law ! For it is not laid, that the Voice of 
 the Thunder was exceeding loud; no, 
 but the Voice of theTrumpec : The for- 
 mer repreienced [heTerrour of the Law, 
 and the hiter ihe Grace and Mercy of the 
 Gofpel J though the Law hach a thundring 
 loud voice in ir to condemn a inner, yet 
 the C^ofpel hath a far louder voice of Mer- 
 cy to lave him : There was a Glory upon 
 this Miiiiftracion of Death and Condemna- 
 tion, namely, Conviftionj but much 
 
 more 
 
( H4 ) . 
 more doth the Miniftration of Righteoui- 
 nels exceed it in Glory, even as much as 
 Regeneration doth Conticfiion j for in 
 Convi(^ion the 5inner ftands condemned 
 by Law in the Court of his own Confci- 
 ence, but in Regeneration he ftands jufti- 
 fyed, and Acquitted from all the guilt of 
 all hiS'Sins, and alio from the Condemna- 
 tion of the Law in the High Court of Hea- 
 ven : Eom. 8. There is therefore now no 
 CondemnAtiOn to them which m e in Chrlft 
 Jefns.^Q, 
 
 Who ^ all lay anything to the charge of 
 Gods EleBj it is God that jnftifieth^ 
 
 Who is he that condemneth , it is Chrift 
 that dyed^ ye^j rather that is rifen again ^ 
 who is even at the right handof Cod^ who 
 alfo ma^eeh Interceffion for us, 
 
 2. The poor 5inners confidence of Life, 
 and Righteoulhefs by the Law of Works, 
 is totally deftroyed :^ this letter hath killed 
 that : And now he lyeth dead at the feet 
 of Chrift ; he is brought home dead by 
 the Law to Chrift ^ and fo he continueth 
 until the voice of the Trumpet, exceeding 
 loud by the Agency of the5pirit doth come 
 and quicken him, and raife him from the 
 dead 5 for he was once alive without the 
 Law, before his Conviction , while he 
 expeited Juftification and Life by the 
 
 Lawj 
 
r 145 ) 
 
 Law, but v;hen the Commandment comes, 
 then Sin revives, and the poor Sinner dieth. 
 - They muft be dead to the Law ;for whilft 
 they are wedded to the Law, Chrift will 
 never marry them, Rom. 7. 4; 9. When 
 the Law comerh with an irrefidable po- 
 wer, and fees home Sin upon the Con- 
 fcience of a Sinner, then all his conceited 
 vain confidence of his being Juftifyed and 
 Saved by the Law, vanifiiech like the Mor- 
 ning Cloud, and Early Dew, all dead and 
 gone. 
 
 3. What was that which the Apoftle 
 faith was done away, that our Opponent 
 would fain make fomething on, in favour 
 of this his Pcfition, why ii was the Cere- 
 monial Law : For Vv^hen Chrift the Body 
 and Subftance was come , then all thefe 
 Types and Shadows. fled away, and was 
 of no further ule; for the Body which 
 madethofe Shadows is Chrift, Col. 2. 17. 
 Heb, 1 0. 1 . For they were all utterly Abo- 
 lifhed at Chrift's Death and Refurredion ; 
 for thofe things were nofubftantial part of 
 the Covenant of Grace ^ for the Scripture 
 faith, they were hmjhadows of good things to 
 come ^ the Body is Chrift : All the Cere- 
 monies before the Law was given upon 
 Mount 5;W/, and after h va given forth 
 there, pointed unto Chrift ^ namely Cir- 
 G cumcifion. 
 
r lA-^ ) 
 
 cumcifion, the PafTeover-fprinklings with 
 Blood Altars, Utenfils, Priefts, and Sacri- 
 fices. did all pourtrav or point unro jelbs 
 Chrift our High Prieftand Paffeover, who 
 was iacrificed for us, i Cor. 5. 7. and 
 Chrift was enjoyed in them all, for hey 
 were their Typical Gofpel : And as the 
 Ceremonial Law bore the Image of Chrift 
 the Mediatour of the Covenant , even fo 
 theMoral Law beareth the Image of anAb- 
 folote God ; namely, a Tranfcript of God 
 abfolutely confidered in himfelf, without 
 a Mediator or Days- man, who is EfTen- 
 tially Holy, Juft and Good-, that will by 
 no means Acqijit the guilty , even fo the 
 Law is Holy, Juft^ and Good, and will 
 by no means Acquit a guilty Sinner ; that 
 is, not in Chrift, no more than God will ; 
 for God and the LawpafTeth one and the 
 fame Sentence upon guilty Chriftlefs Sin- 
 ners. 
 
 4. Pray tell us, What is the firR work 
 that God doth in the Converfion of a Sin- 
 ner ? Pray look imoHeb, 8. i o. and there 
 you may fee, 1^;^. / will pit my Lam in- 
 f) their rnindy and write them in their hearts^ 
 and I mil be to them a God^ and theyjhall be 
 to me a People, 
 
 This is the very Marrow and Quintif- 
 fence of the Covenant of Grace ; Now 
 
 can 
 
( H7 ) 
 can it ever be imagined, that God would 
 Aboiifli this his Law without us , and yet 
 write it within us , ef en in our very 
 hearts ^ this is inconfiftent with the Wii- 
 dom of God. 
 
 5. The Moral Law, (which Mr. fJ. C. 
 will have to be a Covenant of \Aforks, 
 and therefore Aboliflied) is as much in ufe 
 and force now, as ever it was, when it 
 was given forth at Sinai ; that is , the 
 Morality of it ; Ay, and it was in ufe and 
 force before it was delivered unto Jfrael 
 upon Moimt Si id m all previous Ages of 
 the World ^ or elfe, Pray why did God 
 Excommunicate Cain from his prefence for 
 the breach of the Moral Law \ and like- 
 wife drown the Old World, and deftroy 
 Sodom and Gomorah by Fire from Hea- 
 ven ; why all this was for their difobe- 
 dience of this very Law. 
 
 6. That Man that can perfedly and 
 perfonally anfwer allthe Laws Demands, 
 and continually obey all its Commands 
 Ihall live of it ^ but that is out of the power 
 of meer Mortal Man, ever fince the Fall of 
 Adam ; But if he could, he would have no 
 need of Chrift, nor hisHighteoufnefs to 
 juftifie and fave him •, but there is no other 
 name under Heaven given among Men 
 whereby we muft be laved ^ neither h 
 
 G X there 
 
r 14S ) 
 
 there Salvation in any other, that is, by no 
 other Way, Means, Power, Authority, 
 or Appoiatment whatfoever. 
 
 7. None were ever Juftifyed and Saved 
 by their own Peribnal Obedience to the 
 Law in the time of the Old Teftament ; 
 and none (hall ever be laved without own- 
 ing and keeping it as a Rule of Life and 
 Obedience under the New Teftamenr, 
 that are adually capable of breaking of 
 it : Tet in many thwgs we ojftnd ali^ and 
 when we have ^one all that we can do^we are 
 hut unfYofit able Servants^ Luke in. 7, 8, 
 9,10. For when we would do good^ then 
 ivilis frefent with ns^ Rom. 7. u4nd there 
 iS not a^nft Man upon Earth that doeth 
 good and finntth?wt^ Hcclef. y. Iq. 
 
 8. The more Holyer and Spiritual any 
 Perfon is, the more Confcience that Per- 
 lon maketh of keeping the Moral Law ; 
 and can this Law be Abolifhed that is 
 written in their hearts and read in their 
 lives, think ye: And on the other hand. 
 Pray who are deeplier guilty of breaking 
 the Moral Law, than thofe very Perfons 
 are that exped to be Juftifyed and Saved 
 by it y as witnefs the [apift, and others : 
 But a Godly Perfon makes i: his great bu- 
 finefs to obey the Law : Nay, let me tell 
 ye, the Spirit of God will never be a wit* 
 
 neffing 
 
( 149 J 
 
 nefTing Spirit in that Perfon that doth 
 not make Confcience of keeping the 
 Moral Law as much as pofTibly he can,, 
 and is grieved for that wherein he comcth 
 fhort ot it 5 for nothing hindreth the Spi- 
 rits bearing Witneis with the Spirit of a 
 Child of God, that he is a Child of God ; 
 io much as the Tranfgreflion of the Law of 
 Cod doth ; for that cauleth the Spirit of 
 God to withdraw from us, and lufpend 
 the bearing Witnefs in us , and punifheth 
 us, Pfal, 80, if his ChiUre-ri forfake my 
 LaW^ ^ndvpalkjiOt in my Jiidpnents. 
 If his Children, Whole Children ? Why 
 thrift sown Covenant-Children, as you 
 may fee in the foregoing Verles. 
 
 // they I break my Statmts, and keep mt 
 my Commandrt'cnts, 
 
 Then mil I vifit their Tranfgrejjlon with 
 the Rod^ and their Imo^mty with Stripes * ne- 
 ^verthekfs my Lving-kindnifs will I not ut- 
 terly take from him^ nor f^jfer my fdthful'- 
 mfs to fall. 
 
 My Covenant mil I not hreaj^. nor alter 
 the thing that is gone oHt of my lips. 
 
 He hath pewed thee^ O Man what is 
 good^ and what doth the Lord thy God re- 
 quire of thee ^ h-Htto do y^ftly^ love Mercy 
 and walkj)nmbly with the Lord thy Cod, 
 
 G 3 " 9. And 
 
( 150 ) 
 
 9. And laftly , Chrifi is the end of the 
 Law for Righteonffiefs to nil that believe. 
 
 But how is Chrill: the end of the Law to 
 them, not \n point of Abolitiion , not to 
 d? (charge them from their Allegiance, 
 nor in point of Obedience thereunto, but 
 >!i point of his Obedience for them j for 
 he fulfilled all Righteoufnefs for them , 
 and them only which God the Father gave 
 him ^ for Chrifi: did not come to deftroy 
 the Law, but to fulfil it ; for he obeyed 
 the Law perfed^ly and perfonally , both 
 Pi(X\ve and PafTive; by which he made 
 full fatisfaOion to the offended Juftice of 
 God for all the Breaches thereof made, or 
 that ever (hall be made by hischofen pe- 
 culiar people. 
 
 Thus you fee here is no Weight nor 
 Force in this Argument of Mr. H. C's, to 
 prove the Sinai Covenant to be a Cove- 
 nant of Works with his Redeemed Peo- 
 ple : Therefore I think \t would be in a 
 manner needlefs to proceed any farther in 
 giving an Anfwer to the reft of his Argu- 
 ments, ieeing they are all built upon this 
 Sandy Foundation which I have already 
 Razed by the Sacred Scriptures : But 
 however, now my hand is in, I will pro- 
 ceed a little further, and fpeak to a few 
 more of his Arguments. 
 
 Z, Saith 
 
r 151 ) 
 
 2. Saith Mr. //. C, There is a Law «;;- 
 to which Believers are dead to^ in point of 
 Jufiification and Life from it ; which can^ 
 mt he the Covenant oj Grace^ but of Works ^ 
 for Saints are not dead unto a Covenant of 
 Grace. 
 
 This Argument is built upon his old 
 Foundation, which is already judged and 
 condemned, and utterly deftroyed : I do 
 affirm that all Believers were as much 
 dead to that Law in point of obtaining Ju- 
 ftification and Life from it, under the Old 
 Teftament,as we are now under the new; 
 for Old Teftament Saints were no more 
 alive to the Moral Law of Works in 
 point of Juftification and Life in the 
 fight of God , than Believers are now ; 
 For they were juftifyed and faved in the 
 fame way, and by the fame means, as all 
 God's Eledt are now; namely, by the 
 Righteoufnefs and Merits of our Lord Je- 
 fus Chrift through Faith Infirumentally ; 
 for the Morality of the Ten Command- 
 ments are flill in force, and areftill as 
 binding now upon Believers as ever they 
 were unto them, when thev were given 
 forth upon Mount Sinai ; and our Saviour 
 faith, that he came not to defiroy the LaWy 
 hut to fulfil it. But Mr. H,C, faith ta- 
 citly • and confequentially, That Chrifl 
 G 4 came 
 
( i5i ; 
 
 came to dedroy the law ; for .he affirms. 
 That the Moral Zaw was a Covenant of 
 Works in the time of the Mofakh^ Di- 
 fpenfation ^ and after many Hundred 
 Years ftanding b was broken, and total- 
 ly expired ; which muft be by the coming 
 of Chrid in the Flefh *, for there was no 
 ipace of time or vacation between the 
 Sind Covenant and ihQ Coming of Chrift ; 
 neither was the Church under any other 
 Difpenfatioiror Difcipltue between thefe 
 TwoDifpenfatiotis^ therefore h muft be 
 at the Coming of Chrift. 
 
 But 1 would fain have this Authour tell 
 us, if he can, w hen, or m what Age of the 
 World it was that Saints were alive unto 
 theiLawin point of Juftification and iife 
 from it, or in any one Age of the World, 
 fince xht Fall , which I am fure he cannot, 
 then this Argument fignifyeth nothing 
 
 3. Saith this Authour, ' ThatCove- 
 
 * nant which is repealed for the faultinefs 
 
 * of it, becaufe it could not juftifie, but 
 
 * was in that point weak through the 
 ' Flefh ; that could not be the Covenant 
 ' of Grace, for that will never beRepea- 
 
 * led, it muft be a Covenant of Works. 
 
 Now that Mr. H. C. doth count the 
 Moral Z^aw a Covenant of Works is plain, 
 in that he faith k was weak through the 
 
 Flefh, 
 
C 153 ) 
 
 Flefli ; therefore let us fee if that be Abo- 
 lifhed even from that very Text which he 
 alludes unto, viz.. Roku 8. 3,4. For what 
 the Law could not do^ %n that it wa4 weak 
 through the Fleflj^ God fending his own Son^ 
 in the likenefs^of Jtnfhl fleflj ^ and for fin 
 condemned fm in the fltjh^ that the Right e- 
 Ohfnefs of the Law might he frlfilled in 
 Hi^ &c. Here you fee the law was io far 
 from being Repealed or Abolifhed,that the 
 Righteoulheis of it was fulfilled, and that 
 for all the Elecfb of God, as well as before 
 Chrift came and a^ually dyed. 
 
 3. Though Chrift condemned Sin, yet 
 he never condemned the Law ^ which he 
 mull have done, ifit had been Repealed: 
 But hejuftifyed the Law to be Righteous, 
 Holy and Good ,in that he did not come to 
 deftroy it or repeal it, but to fulfil it : And 
 pray mind the fame Apoftles words \nRom» 
 7. 1 2, 13. Wherefore the Law isFIoly^ and 
 the Commandment Holy and Jnft and Good, 
 
 2. The Law is not w eak,but it is the fiefti 
 that is weak, and ever hath been fince 
 jidams Fall ; but the Law in it felf is as 
 ftrong and powerful now, as ever it was. 
 
 Was then that which is Good made Death 
 itnto mCy God for hid J hat fin that it might 
 appear fin^ rvorking Death in me ky that 
 •which is Cood^ that fin hythe Command^ 
 ment might become exceeding finfnL 
 
 G 5 So 
 
( IS4) 
 So that this Argument fignifyeth no 
 more than any of the former ; for there 
 was no Covenant of Works made with 
 Abraham nor Mofes for Juftification and 
 Life: Rom. Therefore by the deeds of the 
 Law there fhall be no flejh juftifyed in hit 
 fight. 
 
 Gal, 3. II. Bnt that no man is j lift i- 
 fyed by the deeds of the Law in the fight of 
 Cod is evident^ for the Jnft flfalllive by 
 Faith. 
 
 Though he be a Juft Upright Man, yet 
 he fhal! not live by that ; no, it is his Faith 
 he mull: live by. 
 
 But how did the Saints live in Old Te- 
 lia ment time ? Why, They did not live by 
 the Works of the Law : O no, but by 
 Faith ahb^ as you may fee in fleb: 2,^, 
 Behold his SohI which is lifted «p, ^ not up- 
 right in him ; bnt the Juft fhall live by his 
 Faith, 
 
 GaL 3. 18. 21. For if the Inheritance 
 tame by the LaWy it is no more of Fromife ^ 
 tnt God gave it to Abraham by Promife. 
 
 Is the Law then againfl the Fromife s of 
 Cod J God forbid: for if there had been a 
 Law given which conld have given Li/e^ ve- 
 fily Riahteoiifnefs flw^ld have been by the 
 Law. 
 Here you fee the Apoftle hath clearly 
 
( 155 ; 
 
 demonftrated, that there was never any 
 Law given for Life and Juftification ; be- 
 caule he faith ^ If there had been a Law 
 given, which could have given life, &c^ 
 But it may bequasried thus , Is the Z.aw 
 of no ufe then ^ to which I will fay, as the 
 Apcftle faid, God forbid ; for the Lvlw is 
 as much in ufe and force now, as ever k 
 was fince theTallof Adam : For the Apo- 
 ftle iaith, That by the Law is the knowledge 
 of Sifi^ therefore we conclnde^ that a Man is 
 jkfiijyed by Faith without the deeds of the 
 Law : The Law is not to come into the 
 Bride-Bed of Chrift with Faith in Juftifica- 
 tion, though it doth help to make the Bed 
 by Convicftion. 
 
 4. Saith this Authour, ' That Law 
 
 * which Grace is oppofed unto , muft be 
 
 * the Law of Works, Rom. 6. For ye are 
 rM nndtr the Law^ hut under Gr^ce, 
 
 To which I Aniwer, This is a Falfe 
 Glofs put upon the Text : For Grace doth 
 not oppofe theLaw,but Eftablifheth it^and 
 it is of the fame ufe now , as ever it was, 
 as 1 have already proved : Pray mind 
 the Scripture, ^0^.3^31. Do we then 
 make void the Law through Faith^ God 
 forbid ? Tea , we efiabiiflj the Law. 
 
 But how can this be ? For Mr. H, C, 
 
 faith, That the Xaw was broken , and 
 
 ° totally 
 
( i5<^ ) 
 totally expired : ForEftablifhingthe Law, 
 as the Apoftlefaithj and Breaking the Law, 
 as Mr. C. I'aith, are oppofite and contra- 
 di(fiory one to the other ; Now if the Scrip- 
 ture be true, then Mr. H. Cs Notion is 
 Falle and Abfurd, but the Scripture is 
 True J therefore Mr. Cs Notion is faife 
 and abfurd : Rom.'jWhatfiall we fay then^ 
 is the Lavp Jin j Godforhtd: Nay^ J had 
 vot k^ovcn fin hm by the Law ^ for J had 
 not known IhB^ except the. Law had faid^ 
 ThoH (halt not covet » 
 
 I Ihail draw fome Inferences from what 
 the Apoftle hath faid in this Chapter. 
 
 1. If Grace be oppofed to the Law, 
 then the Law is not good • and fo it makes 
 void the i:aw, to which the Apoftle faith^ , 
 God forbid; for Grace oppoieth nothing 
 but that which is evil. 
 
 2. If Grace be oppofed to the Law, then 
 the Law is Sin, to which the Apoftle alfo 
 faith, God forbid : For Grace oppofeth 
 nothing mort than ^'m, 
 
 3 . Grace is nor oppofed to the law of ^ 
 Works, as our Authour fuggefts, becaufe * 
 ilie Law difcovers Sin, and maketh it ap- 
 pear to be exceeding finfui in the eye of a 
 poor felf-condemiiing Sinner that lyeth 
 under Convidion. 
 
 4. Giace 
 
C 157 ) 
 
 4. Grace is not oppofed to the /.aw, 
 becaule the Law is Spiritual, Rom. 7. 14. 
 
 5. The Law doth not hinder the Infu- 
 fionof Grace into the heart of a Sinner, 
 nor oppofe his clofing with Chrifl: ; But the 
 Xaw is a Schoohnafter to bring him to 
 Chrift, (7^/. 3. 24. therefore Grace is not 
 oppoied to the Law. 
 
 6. Andlaftly, Gra#e is not oppofed to 
 the Law, becaufe it doth not hinder nor 
 oppoie that Obedience which is due unto 
 God that made the Law : Thus you fee 
 this Notion totally Confuted and De* 
 ftroyed. 
 
 5 Saith Mr. H. C, That Covenant which 
 faith , Do this and live^ muft he a Cove' 
 nant of Works ; But the Covenant of Grace 
 jaith^ Believe^ and live j and he that com- 
 mands it ^ gives it ^ Heb. 12. 2. 
 
 To this I Anfwer; Ihis is true in it 
 felf ^ and it is what I my felf afTerted in 
 my Firft Book , in Anfwer to Mr. H, C. 
 And this is a clear Argument to me, to 
 prove that Dying Infants mull have Faith, 
 or they can never be faved ^ for unlefs 
 they have Faith, they cannot live, but he 
 that commands it, gives it, Heb, 12. 2. 
 Therefore , That which ■ he hath been 
 ftrugling for by al] his Miilaken Argu- 
 ments and Corrupt Notions j He hath gi- 
 ven 
 
r 158) 
 
 ven away at once, and given it againft his 
 own avowed Principles, in this one Sen- 
 tence, viz.. Bat the Covenant of Grace 
 faith^ Believe and live^ and he th^t com- 
 mands it^ gives it. 
 
 This harh been the Emphafis and Main 
 Strefsofmy Arguments againft the An- 
 nabaftifts ^ namely, The Abiblure Ne- 
 cefficy of the Grace of Faith unto Eternal 
 Life and Salvation,both of Old and Young: 
 Nay, Saving Faith, though but in the Ha- 
 bit, is Eternal Life begun in the Soul : For 
 there muft be Habits and Principles, be- 
 fore there can be Adts : There mull be a 
 Tree before there can be Fruit. 
 
 2. There is God's Ability, and alfo his 
 Promife both of giving and working Faiih 
 in the Eled. And that is clearly to be 
 Inferred from the very Text he hath na- 
 med, Heb.M, 2. And God that commands 
 it^ giveth it ; For if Gdd had commanded 
 it, and not given it , they could never 
 have it. 
 
 2. God will fave none but the Living : 
 They muft be made alive unto God by 
 that Life that is in Chrift Jefus our Lord ^ 
 for God is not the God of the Dead, but 
 of the ■ iving; and without Faith with- 
 out Spiritual Life ; and if fo, then are 
 they dead in 1 refpafles and Sins ; for 
 
 there 
 
( 159 ) 
 
 there is no Spiritual Life to be acquired, 
 but in the Covenantof Grace • and that 
 Mr. //. C^ owns : Therefore Dying In- 
 fants niuft be in the Covenanr of Grace ^ or 
 they cannot be faved ^ For hy Nature we 
 are all Children of IVrath^ and without 
 Chrifly and Strangers to the Covenants of 
 Promt fe^ having no hope^ and wlthom God 
 in the World. 
 
 3. He faith, He that commands it y 
 gives it. 
 
 God commands us to believe, but it is 
 hehimfelfthat giveth the Grace of Faith, 
 and worketh it in us. 
 
 For God is the Amhoiir and the Finiflier 
 of our Faith., Heb. 12. 2. 
 
 Therefore God can give the Grace of 
 Life to an Infant, and finifh it in him, as 
 well as unto, and in an Adult Perfon; 
 And where Saving Faith is infufed, there 
 are all the reft of the Graces of the Spirit 
 in conjundion with it , cohabitating in 
 the Soul. 
 
 4. That Covenant which faith, Dotht/s 
 and live J was that Covenant which God 
 made with Adam-^ which he was in be- 
 fore he fell ; that comes broken to all his 
 Pofterity ^ therefore it was not the Sinai 
 Covenant ^ for there was no Grace or 
 Mercy to be found, or hoped for in the 
 
 Covenant 
 
( i6o ) 
 Covenant of Works ; for that requireth 
 asperfeifi, perfonal, and perpetual Obe- 
 dience, as ever it did of Adam before the 
 Fall 5 which Man in a Fallen Eftate can ne- 
 ver .performe ; for that Covenant taketh 
 no notice of Mans difability to obey it; 
 therefore God hath laid help upon one that 
 is Mighty to fave ; namely, the Second 
 Adam^ our Lord Jelbs Chrift ; But there 
 was pardoning Grace and Mercy to be had 
 in the S\nd Covenant, therefore it was a 
 Covenant of Grace. 
 
 I . Is ic not Great Grace for the Moft 
 High God to dwell with a People, and to 
 be their God ? Why, it is the very Mar- 
 row and QuintelTence of the Covenant of 
 Grace it ielf, in the higheft degree. 
 
 Exod, 2p. 45 . And I mil dwell amongfi 
 the Children oflfraelj and will be their God* 
 
 Exod, 34. 6 J 7. And the Lord fajfed 
 by before him^ and procUimed^ The Lord^ 
 The Lord God ^ Mercifully and Graciofu^ 
 Long'fiijfmng^ and Abnndant in Goodnefs 
 and Truth, 
 
 Keeping Mercy for Thonfands^ forgiving 
 Iniquity^ and Tranfgrefjlon^ and Sin^ and 
 that will by no means clear the guilty. 
 
 Now can any Covenant of Grace that 
 ever was made before the Smai Covenant 
 was made, be fuller of Grace and Mer- 
 cy 
 
( I^» ) 
 
 cy than this was ; therefore the SwaiCo- 
 venant muft be a Covenant of Grace, and 
 not a Covenant of Works, as Mr. //. C. 
 would have it to be. 
 
 6. Mr. H. C, laith , That Covenant 
 which was given with Horrour^ Trerrjbling^ 
 and jimaz^ement piyjt he the Covenant .of. 
 Works • hut fiich xv^vs the Sinai Covenant : 
 Pray take notice , that here he hath made 
 the Method which God uled in making the 
 Sinai Covenant to be the very Foundation 
 of his Argument, to prove it to be a Cove- 
 nant of Works : For ^ faith he^ That Cove- 
 nant which was given with Horrour^ Trem- 
 hling and Amaz^ement^ muft he the Covenant 
 of Works ^ hmfnchwas the Sinai Covenant ; 
 And therefore he concludes that it muft be 
 a Covenant of Works, without producing 
 any precedent for it m the leaft meafure 
 or degree. 
 
 I. He ought to have produced fome 
 precedent, wherein God did ever make a 
 Covenant of Works in this Nature, name- 
 ly with Horrour, Trembh'ng, and Amaze- 
 ment ^ for unlefs he could have given us 
 fome precedent for it , wherein God ufed 
 this Method in making a Covenant of 
 Works, the whole ftrefsof his Argument 
 is invahd ^ for here is a Conclufion without 
 any Premifes, a Building without a Foun- 
 dation 
 
( 162 ) 
 
 dation : There never was but one Cove, 
 nant of Works made with Man in this 
 \\' orld, and that was with Adam before 
 he fell. Therefore let us fee how that was 
 made: Pray mind C^ew. 2. And the Lord 
 God tooli the A.an^ and pit htm into the 
 Carddn of Eden to drefs Uy and to k^eep it.. 
 
 And the Lord God commanded the Man^ 
 J^ying^ Of every Tree of the Garden thofi 
 mayefl freely eat ; 
 
 But of the Tret of Knovi>lcdge of Good 
 andEvily thou jhalt not eat of it\ for in 
 the day that thon eatefi thereof^ thou jhah 
 furely die. 
 
 Here they might have eaten freely of 
 every Tree but one , and furely ^\e^ if 
 they eat of that one : But here was no 
 Thunder and Lightning ; nor no Hor- 
 rour, Trembling, and Amazement, at the 
 making of the Covenant of Works with 
 Adam in his Eii:ate of Innocency^ for 
 Adam had no Guilt upon him, therefore 
 he could have no Horrour in him : Now 
 had the Covenant of Works been given 
 forth to Adam^kh Horrour, Trembling, 
 and Amazement, to ufe his own words, 
 then he might have made it fome kind of 
 Argument to have proved the Sinai Cove- 
 nant to be a Covenant of Works. 
 
 2. This Authour hath Affirmed that 
 
 Cir- 
 
( i<f3 ) 
 Circumcifion was a Covenant of Works ; 
 therefore lee us lee for his Arguments 
 lake^ if that was given forth with Hor- 
 rour , Trerrjbling , and Amazement in 
 Cen, 17. 7, 10, II. And I wijl efla^ 
 hliJI) my Cdvtrnvit between me^ and tloee^ 
 And thy [ted after thee-f in their Genera^ 
 tions^ for an Everlafting Covenant^ to be a 
 God unto thee^ and to thy feed after thee. 
 
 This is my Covenant which ye jhall keep 
 between me and you , and thy feed after 
 thee^ every Man'child among yon Jl7all be 
 circHmeifed, 
 
 jindye jhall circiimclfe the Fiefo of your 
 foreskjn^ anditjlja/ibe a Token of the Cove* 
 nant between me and yon. 
 
 Here you fee there was no Horror, 
 Trembling, nor Amazement in the Efta- 
 blifhment of this Covenant with Abraham^ 
 which Mr. H. C fallacioufly hath affirmed. 
 That Circumcifion was a Covenant of 
 Works, when God faith it was but a To- 
 ken of the Covenant : And if it had been 
 a Covenant of Works, then according to 
 their Principle, none but the Male- Chil- 
 dren were in it ; for they urge this very 
 thing as an Argument againft Infants-Bap- 
 tifme ; for fay they, you ought to Baptize 
 none but the Male- Children, becaule the 
 Females were not Circumcifed; But I 
 
 have 
 
( iH ) 
 
 have fufficiently confuted this Abfurdity 
 already. 
 
 2. I will make it appear ro be inconfi- 
 ftent with the Wifdom and Goodneis of 
 (Jod to mak^a Covenant of vVorkswirh 
 Man in his Fallen !i{lare ab.:>ve Two 
 Thoufand Years after hf? made a Cove- 
 nant of Grace with Jidarp afrer the Fall, 
 Gen, 3. 15. For it was folcii.: from Gods 
 making it witli J.diZrn , un<.-.i ne Eftabli- 
 (bed the fame with -r^^r.?fcvi , : therefore 
 the making of Abraham'^s (> t-imnr could 
 be no prefidenc. 
 
 I. If Man could nor keep the Cove- 
 nant of Works when he was m a perfe^ft 
 State of Innocency, and Spiritually alive. 
 How was ic poffible that ever he could 
 keep it in a ftate of Death and Deprava- 
 tion ; this would have been infinitely 
 worle than to make Brick Vv'ichout Straw; 
 And God is no fuch hard Taskmafter : 
 For there is not a jnft man upon Earth that 
 doeth good^ and ftnneth not^ Ecckf 7. 20, 
 And the leaft fin is an irreparable breach 
 in a Covenant of Works ; for it knows no 
 Mediatour whereby fatisfadion might be 
 made for it ; And is this confident with 
 the Wifdom and Goodnefs of God , to 
 make a New Covenant of Works with 
 Fallen Man , when there was no pofiibili- 
 ty of his keeping the Old one. 2. They 
 
( ^6'5 ; 
 
 2. They mult work for Life and Salva- 
 tion, when ar the fame time they are 
 dead in Treipafles and Sins, Eph. 2. 1. 
 for no Grace, no Spirirual Life j and how 
 can a Dead Man work ? For the Dead 
 cannot praile God :; and aM that are in a 
 Covenant of Works are "^piritisaily Dead j 
 lb that it is wholly inconfiftent with the 
 VVifdom and Goodnefs of God, to make 
 a New Covenant of Works with Man, 
 when he was not able to keep the Old one. 
 
 3. if any are "^aved in a Covenant of 
 Works, it muft be by a perfonal, perpe- 
 tual, perfe<ft Obedience to the Moral Law, 
 by and of themfelves ^ lor the Law of 
 Works accepts of no farisfadion made by 
 another, but every Tub muft ftand upon 
 its own bottom ; nay, that wil] not do 
 neither ^ for there muft be full fatisfacfiion 
 made to the offended Juftice of God for 
 the firft breach of the Covenant of W^orks 
 by our Firft Parents •, the guilt of which is 
 imputed to all their Pofterity ^ the guilt of 
 that Sin muft be Expiated, Removed, and 
 Taken away, or elle God's Wrath can 
 never be Appeafed, nor himfelf Reconci- 
 led unto us; and this can be done no way, 
 nor by no means, but by and through a 
 Mediator and Redeemer ; and there can be 
 no Mediator or Redeemer in a Covenant 
 
 of 
 
( 1^6 ) 
 
 ot Works, becaufe then rhere would be 
 Two Mediators, vtz^. one to a Covenant 
 of Works, and another to the Covenant 
 of Grace ; whereas the Scripture faith. 
 There is bnt one Mediator between God and 
 M(^^n^ the Man Chrifi Jefns^ i Tim. 2, 
 And look into i Cor. 10. 1,2, 3,4. And 
 there you may fee that Chriil was with 
 Jfrael : And what was he with them for ? 
 Why, He was with them as their Media- 
 tor and P^edeemer. 
 
 • Therefore the Sinai Covenant was not 
 a Covenant of Works, but of Grace ; for a 
 Covenant of Works hath no Mediator. 
 
 4. There is no Repentance nor Pardon 
 of Sin in a Covenant of Vv'orks , becaufe 
 that Covenant is without a Days- man, to 
 lay hands upon both ; namely, upon anof- 
 endedGod,and offending Man^toA tone and 
 Reconcile them one to the other in Peace 
 and Amity : For there is none to fpeak a 
 good word for a Sinner while he is in the 
 Covenant of Works, nor minifter any 
 Relief unto him 5 neither dan fuch Ipeak 
 for themielves, becaufe they are Spiritu- 
 ally dead ; and the La w is againft them , for 
 that condefnns them ; The . aw commands 
 them to do this and live, and becaule they 
 cannot obey it, the Law pronouncech Sen- 
 tence againft them. 2. The Gofpel is 
 
 againft 
 
( '^7 ^ 
 againftthem; for that Ibirh, He that he- 
 Itevethj jhijil he faied^ but he that helieveth 
 not^ fljail be cirtmtjcd: . nd no perfbn in 
 a Cover.anc of Works can believe lu'. hrjft 
 fo long ns he is inthar Covenant. 3. God's 
 Wrath hangeth ovei their heads, ready to 
 fall down upon them, and devour them. 
 4, And laftly, Chrift will never own nor 
 acknowledge them , but will fay unto 
 them, Defart f'lOm rne^ all ye workers of 
 InlqiiUy i?no EverUsfir/g Bti'fiwgs prepared 
 for the Devil and his u^?7gels : And what a 
 miferable Cafe and Condition will all thefe 
 be in ; yet fo it will be with all that \\vt 
 and die in the Covenant of Works : But 
 there was pardoning Grace and Mercy for 
 all Ele(ft Sinners wrapped up in the Sinai 
 Covenant, as I have proved, and there- 
 fore it was a Covenant (.f Grace. 
 ' 5 There was never any Sinner what- 
 foever that was pardoned and acquitted 
 from the guilt of any one Sin, but by Faith 
 in the Blood of Ghrift • and this Grace 
 A^ofes did partake of in the Sinai Cove- 
 nant : For he was jaftifyed and Saved by 
 Grace, and fo likewife were all the Old 
 Teflament Saints before him from Aaams 
 day, and after Mofes^ to this very day ; 
 and fo it will be until all Gods Eltdi are 
 fafe Arrived in Glory, y^i^h 4. i iMeither is 
 
 there 
 
r 168 ) 
 
 tPjere Sahation in any other ; for then is 
 none other Name under Heoiven given a- 
 mofig Aie-n^ whereby we mufl befaved. 
 
 7/^.45.11. /, evenly ^amtheLord^ 
 and be fide me, thfre is no Saviour, 
 Heb, 1 1' By Faith Mofes when he was come 
 to years^ refufid to be called the Son of 
 Pharaohs Daughter , chnflng rather tofuf" 
 fer affliUiori with the People of God ^ than to 
 enjoy the fie afar ey of Sin for afeafon^ ^ft'^C" 
 ming the Reproach of Chri[t greater Rtches 
 than the Treafiires of Egypt ^ &c. 
 
 By Faith he forfiok ly^gypt^ not fearing 
 the wrath of the Kmg'^ for he endured^ as 
 feeing him who is inviftble. 
 
 1. It appeareth plainly, That God in 
 Chrift was the only Objea of Mofes his 
 Faith and Love j For Faith always vvork- 
 eth by Love. 
 
 2. It is as plain that Chrift was the 
 Mediator of the Sinai Covenant, which 
 Mofes and Jfrael were then in ^ for God 
 in Chrift is not the Objea of Faith and 
 Love in a Covenant of Works, becaufe 
 there was no Mediatour belonging unto it 
 to Aft Faith upon, had it been poflible for 
 a Man to have it, while he was in that 
 Covenant . for that Covenant doth not re- 
 quire believing , but doing : For as the 
 Covenant of Grace faith, Believe ^andthoti 
 
 f^idP 
 
r 1^9 ) 
 
 fljalt btfaved^ fo the Covenant of Works 
 laith, Do this^ andlhe : Therefore Faith 
 is of no ufe in a Covenant of v\ orks ^ but 
 you fee Mofts had Faith, when he was iw 
 the Sinai Covenant, in which he lived, and 
 alfo dyed ^ and he did exercife \\\s Faith 
 upon its proper Object, namely upon God 
 in Ghrill: j for a Covenant of Grace knows 
 no other God j therefore the Sinai Co- 
 venant was not a Covenant of Works, 
 but of Grace. 
 
 4. Andlaftly We may obferve from 
 the Text aforefaid, What a great Mea- 
 fure and Degree of Faith and Self- Deny al 
 God gave unto /M>/ej,which he never gives 
 to any, but unto them which are Regene* 
 rated, and in the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 1. By Faith he difdained to be the 
 Adopted Son of a very great Frincefs : For 
 he would not fo much as fuffer himfeif to 
 be called her Son ^ or to be called by her 
 Name. 
 
 2. He defpifed and refufed to be in- 
 veiled with Worldly Honour, Dignity^ 
 and Grandeur. 
 
 3. And laftly , He refufed and contem- 
 ned Worldly Riches, Profits and Plea- 
 lures ^ and did freely chule and prefer 
 Sufferings and Affii<ftions with the People 
 ofGod before it all j efteeming the Re* 
 
 H proach 
 
( I70 ; 
 
 proach of thrift greater Riches than all 
 the Treafures of E<jyvt : .Vfofes preferred 
 the worft of Chrift before the bett of the 
 World. 
 
 And all this Mofes did by Faith in our 
 Lord Jefus Chrift , for his lake, atid by 
 his Spirit ^ for he iuffered and endured all 
 thofe Temptations and Try lis, as feeing 
 him by an Eye of Faith, who was invifi- 
 ble to an Eyeof Senie : For our Saviour 
 Chrift was yefterday under the Law, to 
 day under the Gofpel, and forevermore 
 the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace, 
 Rev. I 8. I ^m Alpha and Om€ga^ the 
 Beglmiwg and the Endings faith the Lord^ 
 which is^ afid which was , and which is to 
 come^ the Ahntghty» 
 
 I fa. 44 6. Thus faith the Lord^ the 
 King of Jfr^el^ and his Redeemer the Lord 
 of tJofts , / am thcfirfi^ and I am the laji^ 
 and be fides me there is no God, 
 
 By the way, take notice, That Chrift 
 was Ipraels King and Redeemer ; which 
 I ftiall make further uie of by and by. 
 
 6 Chrift was a Lamb f]ain from theFoun- 
 dation of the World; .hrift was Crucifyed 
 and Slain reprefentaiively and Myftically, 
 throughout all Ages of the vvorld, from 
 Aaam^s Fall to this very day : V Vhat did 
 all thofe Bloody Sacrifices, and alfo the 
 
 pafTeover 
 
( I70 
 
 PafTeover, which latter was indltuted in 
 Mofts time, pourtray and fignifie unto all 
 the Old Teftatnent Saints, why they ex- 
 hibited the Crucifixion of our Lord Jefus 
 Chrift, darkly under a Vail unto them : 
 For as the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 
 doth (hew rhat Chrift our PafTeover did 
 come and was facrificed for us; i^o thofe 
 Sacrifices did (hew unto them, That Chrift 
 the Redeemer of the World was to come 
 in the Flelh, and be offered up a Sacrifice 
 for Sin. 
 
 I . For in thofe Sacrifices, Adam^ Noah^ 
 Abraham^ Mofes^ and ail the Old Tefla- 
 ment Saints, enjoyed Communion with 
 Godin aCrucifyed Redeemer, which then 
 was to come ^ even as Gofpel Believers do 
 now he is come in the Sacrament of the 
 Lords Supper ^ For Chrift fuffered in the 
 time of the Gofpel, for their Sins paft, 
 which were committed under the Law, as 
 you may lee in Rom, 3.24,2s' ^^^^^ 
 jiiftifyed freely by his Grace^ through the 
 Redem-^tion that is in Jefits Chrift , whom 
 Cod hath fet forth , to be a propitiation 
 through Faith in his Bloody to declare his 
 Rightcoupiefs for the Remjfwn of fins that 
 are pafl through the forbear ante of God. 
 
 That was, God did forbear that Debt 
 
 which was contracted under the Law, un- 
 
 H 2 til 
 
r 172 ) 
 
 til Chrift came in the Flefh , and adually 
 paid it'j but they were faved before upon 
 the credit of L^hrift, 
 
 Therefore the Sinai Covenant was not 
 a Covenant of Works, but of Grace. 
 
 7 And Laftly, To what end or pur- 
 pofe fhould God make a Covenant of 
 Works with Dead, Carnal Unbelievers, 
 who never were out of the Old One y 
 they are all in a Covenant of Works by 
 Nature, it is their Birth-right^ they were 
 born unto it : For Reprobates and Hypo- 
 crites can call nothing their own, ih truely 
 and properly as they may the Covenant of 
 Works. 
 
 2. For God to make a Covenant of 
 Works with his Redeemed People (as Mr. 
 jF/. C. affirmed) who were all in the Co- 
 venant of Grace by Regeneration, would 
 be for God to disfranchife and ftrip them 
 all of the greateft Bleding and Priviledge, 
 and lay them all under a very great Curfe, 
 Gal, 3. 10. For as many as are of the 
 workj of the Law are under a Cmfe ; for it 
 is written^ Cm fed is every one that continH" 
 €th not in all things which are written in the 
 Book of the Law to do them. 
 
 The Redeemed of the Lord can never 
 be turned out of the Covenant of Grace, 
 when once they are taken into it, though 
 
 rotten 
 
( 173 ; 
 
 rotten hearted Hypocriresmay, and fhall 
 be turned out of it ; for they are in it, but 
 Externally , in outward appearance and 
 profeffion. 
 
 3. This Si?iai Covenant could not be a 
 Covenant of Works, but a Covenant of 
 Grace ^ which I fliall prove by an Invin- 
 cible Argument ; namely, By the Glori- 
 ous Titles which are given to Chriil irr 
 the Old Teftament • in ffa. 43. Thm faith 
 the Lord J yoptr Redeemer^ tbs Holy cm of 
 Ifra^l. 
 
 Here he is called Ifaels Lord, Fvedeb- 
 mer, and their Hoi v One, Jf<^. ^:\.. Thus 
 faith the Lord , the King of Ifa^l.^ mid 
 his Redeemer^ the Lord of Ho f.. 
 
 Ifi. 33. The Lord is oHr King , he vpili 
 fa'vt US, ' 
 
 Chrift is not King of thofe that are in a 
 Covenant of Works ; for they are fo far 
 from being his Subje^s , as that they are 
 his Enemies, 
 
 2. They are Satans VafTals and Bond- 
 flaves ; the Devil Reigns King over them. 
 
 3. You fee Chrift is Ryled Ifr^cls Re- 
 deemer ; and there was no Redeemer to 
 a Covenant ofWorks, 
 
 Thus you fee by Chrift's Titles, that 
 
 the Siarii Covenant was a Covenant of 
 
 Grace, and not a Covenant of Works, as 
 
 H 3 Mr./f.Co 
 
( ^74 ) 
 Mr, JH,C hath confidenrly affirmed that it 
 was ^ therefore I would advile him to ftu- 
 dy tRe Myfteries of the Coveiianr better, 
 and confider of what the Lord hath laid 
 by his Servant in FfiL 25 14. The fecrtt 
 of the Lord is with thtm that jtar hm^ 
 and he rviil jherv them his Covenant; And 
 Jet him reirember that Chriil was Jfraels 
 Redeemer. 
 
 In thelaft place I fhal I produce a few 
 more Arguments from a better hand than 
 HTy own, for a full confutation of this 
 ^rofs Error of Mr. //. C. 
 ".Thefiril is this, viz. Adam m fooner 
 fell from God ont of or^e Covenant^ but God 
 graiioMJly toak^ him into another ; and that 
 was a Covenant with Chrifi^ which is mira^ 
 cnloufly wrapped up in that Text^ Gen. 3. 
 I 5 . ^^nd I Will put Entnity between thee and 
 the Worn an ^ and between thy feed and her 
 fced'^ it Ih^Il brttife thy head\ and thou 
 fhdt brmfe his heel : ' That was, to die 
 ^ for us ; and hence he \s faid to be a Lamb 
 ' flain from the Foundation of the World ^ 
 
 * becaule then in this Covenant Chrilt was 
 ' foretold and promifed ; Now that Co- 
 ' venant wherein there is a Promife of 
 
 * Chrift muft needs be a Covenant of 
 
 Grace. 
 
 2. Look 
 
C 175) 
 
 2. Look further, namely, unto Abr/i- 
 hum , and lee the Covenanr God made' 
 with him, in 6'e;;. 17. 7. And I wUl efia- 
 bltjh my '\ovena.nt h'ttwten mt and thee ^ 
 and thy [ted after thee in their Generations^ 
 for an Ever Lifting Covenant, 
 
 ' What Covenant this was is very ne* 
 
 * cefTary to inquire a little into, and the 
 ' rather, becauie there are fome in our 
 
 * day to cut off the Seed of Believers from 
 ^ the Covenant, and from Bapt'ime the 
 ' Seal thereof , deny it to be a Covenant 
 ' of Grace ; In this Covenant Chriil v;as 
 ' promifed to Abraham^ I mil he a God to 
 
 * thee^ and to thy feed after thee. 
 
 *■ For God is a God to none but to them 
 
 * that are in Chrifl: ; for while a Perfon is 
 
 * out of Covenant, he is without Chrift ; 
 
 * and without Rope, and without God in 
 ^ the World, Eph. 2. u, 12. 
 
 ' Abraham is (lyled a Believer, Ay, the 
 ' Father of all Believers, Rom, 4, 1 s. 
 ' Andhowcamethat 10 pais? Why, It 
 
 * is upon the fole account of the Cove- 
 ^ nant, that he is fo ftyPd, therefore it 
 ' muft be a Covenant of Grace. 
 
 2. ' It is faid of this CoMenanf, that it 
 
 ' was confirmed before of God in Chrifl r- 
 
 ' The Law which was Four Hundred and 
 
 ' Thirty-Years after, could not dilanul it: 
 
 B4 ^Pray 
 
( 17^ ; 
 
 * Pray confider what Covenant the Apoftle 
 
 * fpakeof; it was the Covenant made 
 
 * with Abraham : Now if this Covenant 
 
 * which was made fo long before, and the 
 
 * Law could not difanul it, and confirmed 
 
 * of God in Chrift, then this mult be a 
 
 * Covenant of Grace. 
 
 2 ' let us make one ftep further, and 
 
 * there I miift pitch my foot, which is 
 
 * from Abraham to A ojes time. That 
 
 * there v/as a Covenant made with the 
 
 * Church is clear, in Exod. 19. 5. Now 
 
 * therefore^ If yt mil obey my voice indeed^ 
 
 * a?j(i hep my Covenant^ then ye Jliall be a 
 ^ fccHliar Trtafure Unto me above all people : 
 \ for all the Earth is mwe^ Exod. 34. 27. 
 
 * Bfift, 4. 23. ■ 
 
 Now the great queftion will be, what 
 Covenant this was. 
 
 I . Mt could not be a Law that they 
 
 * expeded Life from': The Jews did ma- 
 ' ny of them fet up a Legal Righteouf- 
 
 * nefs, and refted upon the Works of the 
 
 * Law for Life ^ but it was not the In- 
 
 * tention of God ^ and this is evident ; in 
 
 * that this Covenant was confirmed by 
 
 * Blood, Exod. 24. 7, 8. Now this Blood 
 ' Tipifyed the Blood of ChriH:, therefore 
 ^ it could not be a Covenant of Works, 
 
 for 
 
C ^77" )• 
 
 * for that was never confirmed by ths: 
 
 * Blood of Chrifl: 
 
 2. ^ If the Sf^iai Covenant had been gi- 
 ' ven as a Covenant of Works, then^ if 
 ' once ir had been broken by any one Sin, 
 ' it had cut olFall Jfrael from any Salva- 
 ' tion by it , becaufe a Covenant of 
 ^ VVorks preiently condemns upon the 
 *- offence committed ^ for it admits of 
 ' no Repentance, nor no Satisfa(ftion done 
 ^ by another •, but this Covenant had Mer- 
 *• cy for Sinners in it : There was room 
 ^ for Mercy and Forgivenefs of Sin inthiST/ 
 ' Covenant , therefore- it could not be ' a: 
 
 * Covenant of VVorks. 
 
 ^ Let me make it out to ye, Thaf^is". 
 
 * Covenant was a Covenant of Grace 9'; 
 
 * though for the Manner of Adminiftra-^ 
 ' tion it much differed from the Cove- 
 *" nant of Grace now , yet for ibbflance- 
 
 * is much the fame ; God did deh'ver thar 
 *• Covenant upon Mount 5/;7^i, to let then:a-; 
 *^ fee the , Dreadfuinefs of Sin , and the 
 ' Terrourof the Lawagainfl Sin withour 
 ^ aMediatour y that this v;as the end for 
 ^ which God did it, is plain enough ir.n 
 ^ the Scripture,, the Law Entred, V Vhy ? 
 ' That the offenct might ahoundy Ram, 3,. 
 *' 20; 6"^/. 3. 19^ 22. They being' IgTior ant: 
 ^- of the Kigbtco^faefs of Chrifi^fopio-ht- txfi 
 
 H,5.. f#^j- 
 
( 17? > 
 
 * €ftahli(lj their own Righteottpitfs, There- 
 ^ fore God did fo order it, as to flop them 
 
 * ail from that, That Men might not have 
 ' any confidence in themielves , but to 
 ' bring theiTJ to Chrift, who is the end of 
 
 * the Law for Righteoufnefs to them 
 
 * which believe; they were very igno- 
 
 * rant of the Mifteryes of Chrift ; there- 
 
 * fore God fent them to School to the 
 ^ Law to inftrncft them, GaL 3. 24. 
 
 4. *• Pray what is that Relarion the 
 *; Covenant of Grace fixeth between God 
 
 * and us ? Why, It is even this, I will be 
 * ; to them a Cod^ and they jh^ill be to me a 
 
 * People^ Heb. 8. 10. Now you (hall find 
 *• tbg fame Relation between God and 
 ^ ^/lel of old, in Jer. 1 1. 3, 4. 
 
 * How can the Lord be a Covenanting 
 
 * God to Sinners, and how can Sinners be 
 ^ a Covenanting People to God, but by 
 
 * Faith in Chrift alone , and thus this E- 
 
 * vangelical Covenant , you lee, doth 
 ^ prove the Sinai Covenant to be a Co- 
 ' venant of Grace. 
 
 5. ^ Do but compare the Preface of the 
 
 * giving the Law and the Firft Command 
 ^ together ; and there you will fee it to. 
 
 * he a Covenant of C j race, Exod. 16. 2, 3.. 
 ^ JDtHt. $. 6, 7. I am the Lord thy God^ 
 
 vhick hoj^ghj. thee out of the- Land of 
 
 * ^gy^h 
 
(•• 119 y 
 
 ' t^^yp^ifrom the hofift of Bonda^Q^ thou 
 ' [halt have no othtr Gods before me. 
 
 *- ^garn, God never made a Covenant 
 ' of V .'orks finre v'an finned and broke 
 ' \ij and I will give ye ieveral Argu- 
 ' meuts to prove it. 
 
 ' I . Jmmediatelv afrer the Fall God did- 
 ^ Eftabliili the Covenant of Grace, Gen,. 
 ^ 3. 15. where you have a Promife of; 
 ^ Chrift, the Seed of the Woman : Now 
 
 * a Covenant of Works, after a Cove- 
 
 ^ nantof Grace is made is wholly incon- 
 ^ fiftent^ for they are dePtrudiive oneof- 
 ^ another, the Apoftlc fays in Rom. 1 1,6. 
 
 2. ' if God did make a Covenant of 
 ^ Grace, and after that, a Covenant of 
 
 * Works, then he made it poffible and im* 
 ' pofiible for a Sinnei^to be f aved by a Co- 
 ' venant of Grace : But it is impoffible 
 
 * for a Sinner to be faved m a Covenant 
 
 * of Works; Now for God to make it 
 ^ pofTible and impoffible, for a Sinner to be 
 ^ faved, is a contradiction, and that is no 
 ' ^ay becoming a God of Mercy ; 
 ' For one faith , Believe^ and thou jhak 
 ' he faved * and the other faith ^ 
 
 * Do this- , and thou fl)alt Iho ^ 
 
 * which is to Build up with one, 
 
 * hand'^ and pull- down with the other ; 
 f To offer Pvlercy freely , and then deoy 
 
to give it j To give Life, and then take 
 it way again. 
 
 '3. This is to make the Covenant of 
 Grace void, which God hath made to 
 be Everlafting and Sure, and is no more 
 changeable than the prieilhood of Chriit 
 IS; which God have laid, Thou art a 
 Frieftfor ever. 
 
 ' If God fhould fet up any fuch thing as 
 a Covenant of Works, it would root 
 out the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, there- 
 fore the Smd Covenant could not be a 
 Covenant of Works. 
 * 4. A Fourth Argument is, That the- 
 Law was given in luch a way and man^ 
 ner, as that it plainly appeareth, that 
 God intended it to be a Covenant of 
 Grace ^ And thej^ are Two things, if 
 taken together, will make it appear to- 
 be fo.: Firft, The Terrible Manner in 
 which God appeared in giving the Law 
 upon Mount fe'^/ in Thunder and Light- 
 ning : .What was the meaning of this, 
 but that God might convince the People 
 that they were unable to deal with this 
 God, arid this Law, without a Mediu- 
 tor. 
 
 Z, This filled them with fuch Fear, as 
 that they cryed out for a Mediatour be^ 
 tween God and them,, and Mo[t:i was 
 
 ' the 
 
C iSi ) 
 
 * the Man, and thus God condefcended .- 
 ' Now Mofes was the Type, and Chrift 
 ^ the/Nntitype, Lent. 18. The Lord thy 
 Cod will TAife «p unto thee a Prophet , 
 from the mtdjt of thee^ of thy Bmhren^. 
 like Hnto me ; uvto him jljall ye hearken 
 accordwg to all that thou defirejt of the 
 Lord thy CodinHoreb^ tn the day of the 
 Jiffe??7bly^ fayi'/^gj Let ?7ie not hear again 
 the voice of the Lord ^f^y God^ neither let me 
 fee this great Fire any more^ that I die not. 
 
 And the Lord f aid unto we^ They have 
 well ffoken that which they havefpoken, 
 
 Twlllraife them up a Prophet from amoyig 
 their Brethren^ like unto thee ^ and I will put 
 my Word in his Afo^th^ and he Jhall fpeak. 
 Hnto thenij aH that 1 jliall command him ^ 
 and it fid all come to paf^ That whofoever 
 will not hearken unto my words which hejhaU 
 fpeak in my Name , / n/ill require it of 
 him. 
 
 This Argument hath quite deftroyed 
 one of Mr. //. Cs Topping Arguments 
 which he produced to prove the Stnd Co- 
 venant to be a Covenant of Works, and 
 hath fwallowed it up, even as Jarons 
 Rod fwaHowedup the Rods of Pharaoh's 
 Magicians; for faith he, ' That Covenant:, 
 ^ which was given with Horrour, Trem- 
 ' blingandAmaiementj niuftbeaCove- 
 
 * nam 
 
r 182 ) 
 
 mm of Worksj but fucb was the Shai 
 Covenant, &c. 
 
 «• 3. I^he Mutual Stipulation between 
 
 * God and Jfrael in this Sif7ai Covenant 
 ' is the fame for Subftance with the Co- 
 ' veiiant of Grace, and that both 011 
 
 * God's part, ^nd Ifracls : On Gods part 
 ' there are Gratious Promifes, on JJ-iatls 
 ' part V of Gofpel Duties. Firft, Do but 
 ^ obferve, Gofpei- Mercies and Gracious 
 ' promifes are made on God*s part, when 
 ' this Covenant with //?\'^e/ was made. 
 
 *• I. He promifed to be their God., 
 ' Lcvit. 16. Exod. 20. j4nd this is the 
 ^ highcft Gcfpel^ Promfe^t her e is not a higher 
 
 * Prorr/ife in all the Gofpei.- 
 
 ' 2. He promifed ro own them as a pe- 
 
 * culiar Treafure to himfelf above all Peo- 
 ^ pie befideiu the whole World, Exod, 
 ^ 19. 5. 6. 
 
 Thus you fee this great Truth fplen- 
 dandy cleared and proved by thefe Argu- 
 ments, That I he c:ovenant which God- 
 Edablirhed with Abrahatn^nd his Pofteri- 
 ty. And 2 That which God made with 
 Affes \\\-ouh\o\mt Sin ai^ that they -were 
 borh of them the Covenant of Grace un- 
 d^T dififering Adminiftrations-. 
 
 ' But f.ii[h Mr. CoIUks ^ This Opinioti of 
 j^ourji dcitf QA s fhe Dov^rine of the New 
 
( ^h ) 
 
 Covenant, and the Foundation of Gcfpcl Chur- 
 ches •, In Anfvverto that, vi^. it muft be undcrv 
 flood comparative ly, in a Two-fold Scnce. 
 
 1. The Covenant of Grace is a New Covenant, 
 withrefpcjftto tiie C.wen;int of Works j which 
 is an old ruinated Covenant j for there is no* 
 thing but old things in it , nor belonging unto 
 It i and the oldell is , Do this and iivi ■■, which 
 was in force before ever tiie Covenant of Grace 
 had a being •, But tiiere is nothing but New 
 things in the Covenant of Grace : Ail ^-U things 
 are done aivay, ctrd aH things are become rew. The 
 greateft New thing of all, is Faich in our Lord 
 Jcfus Chrift 5 fjr it is, he that believcth iliail be 
 laved : And this Liquor of Lite was fet abroach 
 jafi after the Fall of Ada:n, Gen. 5. 15. 
 
 2. The Covenant of Grace is called a New Co- 
 Tenant', not that it is another Covenint, but 
 the fame which God made at firft with Ada?r7, 
 and runneth with tlie fame CoelcTii;iI Liquor now 
 as it did when, it was firft Broached j though it 
 runs frelher and clearv.r now, with refped to th.Q 
 Old Adminiftration under the Law .-. But the 
 Liguor is the fame, and ever will be y for it was 
 he that believed iTiould be Juftifyed and Saved- 
 then ^ and fo it is now, and ever will be, to the 
 Worlds end : And the Foundation of the Church 
 is the iame now, as ever it was 5 i Cor. 5. 11, 
 For of her fotindxtion can no man lay, then- that ii 
 laid, which is Jefus Chrij}, If he can (ind no- 
 better Arguments than fuch astliefe, or any other 
 that ever I faw of his, their Opinion raufc fall to 
 the Ground , and be ]o(I -y. [and iiideed it is 
 better lofr than found. 
 
 Mr. H. C. hath moft Unworthily Ridirurdthat 
 Tate V/Orthy Divine Mr. F. M, of woithv Memo- 
 ry, concerning his Fifth Argiiraent iDhisEooIft 
 
 Vinfid^ 
 
( i84 > 
 
 V/ndid J?. Foederis, faith Mr. C. in page 15. of his 
 Sand) Foundation^ His Fifth Argumenfi wants 
 Crutches to uphold it •, Doih this Covenant free- 
 ly hold out the pardon of Sins to them in it ? 
 
 * I'his he faid,Beciufe Mr.i->/— 's Fifth Argument 
 ' runs thus. vi:^. This is a Covenant that free- 
 
 * ly holds out, and, offers Pardon of Sin without 
 *- Works j. tl:creforc then it cannot be a Cove- 
 *^ nant of Works j it holds out pardon of fin free- 
 *- iy, by believing in-Chrifr, the Covenant of 
 ' Works we know) holds forth no P^ydon of. 
 ' Sin, no MerL7 to Tranfgrclfors, that violate and. 
 ' breaK the frmlieft point of it, G*?/. 5. 10. 
 
 Now can any Man that hath but a grain of 
 Spiritual Sencc condenrn the aibrcfaid Argument, 
 and declare to the World publickly, that it wants 
 Crutches to uphold it ^ furely that Man mule be 
 very ignorant of New Covenant Mylkries that 
 dares thus to judge of it, b-r he wlio he will. 
 
 I raufl: confefs Mr. H, C. handled Mr. M — very. 
 roughly ; he hath been very liberal with his Un- 
 worthy Reii.ftions upon hira, and extraordinary 
 free and generous of his hard words againft him y 
 his words have been as hard as the Flint-ftone 
 comparatively •, but all hi^ Arguments are as foft 
 as Silk ; Thus i have, througli Divine AiUftance, 
 Confuted all his miflaken Notions and Arguments 
 about the Cov^enanis God EAablilhed with Abya- 
 ham and .Mofis , and proved tliem to be the Co- 
 venant of Grace, though midcr differing Admi- 
 niftratioiiS v snd that Circumciilon v^as not the 
 Covenant, but a Token thereof; for if Circumci- 
 iion was a Covenant of Works, and the Sinai Co- 
 venant a Covenant of Works, then there were, 
 three Covenants of Works in being at [<9;>c^] 5 
 for the Covenant of Works God made with^ 
 Aduni is flillm being, though.it be broken, thi^- 
 
 is 
 
( i85 ).. 
 
 is theGennine Confequence of Mr. H. Ci. Argu- 
 ments ; whereas there is but one Covenant of 
 Works, no, nor but one Covenant of Grace ^ 
 therefore I hope Mr. H. C. will fee himfcif nii- 
 Aaken , and be fo wife , asto.fubmit to thefe 
 great Truths j and contend no longer with 
 them ', for it is more Honour to repent of an 
 Error , than to hold it. 
 
 Brethren, Since I have been writing this Book, 
 I xeceived a Letter from an Unknown hand, 
 without either Name or Date, which is to 
 this £ffe<^. 
 
 IObferve^ Cfatth he) Tnat w your former BooJ^ 
 you did Ajjert a Necejpty of Faith in Infants hi 
 order to J ujhf cation ^ for j<ty )ou , There is but one 
 way for the Jujlijicanon and Salvation of Infants and 
 Adult Ferjons^ and that is by Faith in Jefm Chrifl ^ 
 and i' being your Judgment that Infants are not ca- 
 pable in an ordinary way to exercife the Grace of 
 Fai'hy there} ore you Ajfert in p.gi* of your Reply 
 to Mr. B. K. that it is not Mans acling Faith that 
 p.ftifeth him, but it is the Habit of Faith in the 
 Righreoujhejs of Chili that doth that: And the con- 
 trary of this )ou fcem to fuggej} , is not confijhtrt 
 with the Free Grace of God in Jf'ufiif cation : Your 
 own Divines fay^ That' though Faith piftifyeth not 
 as an .4//, yet h' is the AU of Faith that jujUfyerh, 
 To which I anfwer, I am much of the fame 
 Opinion with tliem , and by God's Affifknce I 
 will make it out ; and yet not contradidl that 
 which I have formerly delivered touching this 
 matter : And therefore in the mil place, I will 
 lay down all that relates to tiiis point in -page 31. 
 of my aforefaid Book, which bcginneth in' pc^ge 
 3 o. and then prove the point in hand, whichi 
 begun thui, a/f - 2. Ail 
 
( m ) 
 
 2. * All Children are Ele^ed and Ghqftn of 
 God that are faved dying in ti.eir liifuncy, 
 •(there is the point) and therefore tiiey fnuft 
 have the Grace of Paith to unite them to 
 Chrift, which is die Faith riiat is peculiar to 
 all Gods Ele'l:, Tit. i, i, For all M^iikind by 
 Nature are in a State of Unbelief ; fuf it was 
 that Sin Which broiiglr Man into a State of Con- 
 demnation i for h?d ,;L;r Kirfl Parents believed 
 God, when he told th.m, If they did eat of the 
 Tree of Knowledge of Good and Etil^ they flwald 
 furely dye \ Man had iKver fell into a State of 
 Condemnation : Now the OppoOte Grace to 
 the Sin of Unbelief is Faith, and Habitual Kaitli 
 by the povverfub Agency of the Bkifed Spirit 
 ot Grace, is fumcicnt to fubdue and conquer 
 Original Unbeli f, and to juftifie and Sanclifie 
 .them by the application of the Rightcoufnefs, 
 Blood and Merits of Jefus Chrift to their Souls ; 
 It is not Manb xlfrrng Faith that turtifytth 
 him, but it is Habituii Faith in the Righ- 
 teoufnefo of j^Tus Chrift that doth that 5 th. 
 Act of Faith in a Senfc, may be f.iid to be the 
 Creatures, but the Habit of Faith is Gods own 
 F>ce Aft in the Creature ^ wherefore if Man 
 cannot l>e Juflifyed without hisA^fting of 
 Grace , then Juftihcation depends on the 
 Ading of the Creature : Though a Believer 
 may be fai i to have a" hand in his ownSinftirr- 
 cation, yet lie hath none at a 1 in Iris Juftifi ca- 
 tion. And this iswhat I Aifcrted \([-pa^e -^o 51. 
 Now I would ask this Gentleman thefe Three 
 following Quell ions. 
 
 li I would ask him , Wliether it be poffiblc 
 for any Elcft dinner whatfoever, Old, or Young, 
 to be Uiiited to Chrift without the Habit or 
 Grace of Faith i for if he can, it ii contrary to 
 
 the 
 
(187) 
 
 the Opinion of fome of the Anabapt'tfts them- 
 fdvcs, as I have ihcwn alrcatJy in this Booi<. 
 
 2. Whether it be pofTl%efor any Soul what- 
 foevcr to be JufrifNtd and Acquitted from tlie 
 Guilt of Adarns Firft 6'in 5 and fo be Eternally 
 faved without Union to Chiifl ; Tliis alfo is 
 contrary to t!:c Opinion of fome of, the Ana- 
 baptijJs thcmfelvcs^'-vvhich I have controverted 
 this point with. 
 
 5. And laftjy, Whether God hath conilituted 
 Two wavs of Juftifying and having his Chofen 
 People, as fome have, not without Ignorance 
 aff'nned, vi^. One for Eleft Dying Infants, and 
 another for Adult Perfons •, Tliefe Three Que- 
 flions I fhjil leave him to rnnfider \ and in the 
 mean time I fhall give you the Opinions of 1 wp 
 Learned Authours touching this Point. 
 
 1 . The firft fhall be Marttn Lu'her, who hath 
 thus faid, If Ch cumdfiou was valued upon the ac- 
 count of the Covenant^ and the Promifc canmt be re^ 
 ceived, but by Faith : Then this follows^ That little 
 Children^ ly the co opera'ion of the Hd) Spirit, may 
 have Faithy and the Heart of an Adidt Perfn ii no 
 mare capable of changing hirnflf'han an Infant. 
 
 2. Mr. MarHial jaith in page 78. Further to the 
 Glory of the Grace of God, T/jat this Vnion is fully 
 Accompliffjed by Chill}, giving the Spirit of Faith in 
 the Reception of him ', becaufe^ by thii Grace orSpt- 
 rrt of Faith , the Soul ii inclined to an Aclive Re- 
 csiv'mg ofChrifi 5 and no d ubt Chriflii thm united 
 to many Infants which have the Spirit of Faith^ be* 
 caufe they arc not. come to the Tears of Vnder flan- 
 ding. 
 
 And thefe Two Authours I quoted in my Vin- 
 dicaiion of the Antidote againCt Anab-.rpffme , hi 
 pag. .2,?-, ^24. But Mr. B. K. faid in anfwer to me, 
 That Tfetay, (faith he) the fame thing with Wor- 
 thy 
 
( t88) 
 
 thy Mr. MarOMl , as this Gentleman might have 
 feen how I charged him with abufing l^r.MarJIjal 
 in pag. 27- of my Rrfi to Mr.B.K. 
 
 2. Pray confidcr farther of that you charge me 
 with, in ray Reply to Mr B. K. and fee if you 
 cannot find that you are rniilaken in the Drift 
 and Scope of my Intention ; For when I fay 
 Habitual Paith doth juflifie 2 Perfon , I do liot 
 imagine that it lyeth in the Soul as a dead 
 lifcicfs thing*, for it is a Living A<-T:ive Principle 
 as it news from God. and influenced by his Spi- 
 rit •, for the Apvoflle calLth it, The Grace of Life, 
 of which the Eied are faid to be Ikirs 3 for it is 
 a Ray of the Divinr N ture, which when once a 
 Soul'is pairc'Tcdcf it,- he is made a p5rtak-;r of 
 the Divine Nature j it is j created (Quality or In- 
 Arument which God fonneth in the.Soul , even 
 in the work of Regenera' ion. 
 
 Pray hear what Mr. Samuel Winter faith in his 
 Book, p. 142. Faith may be [aid to be paffivein 
 oar JitjVifictitm^ hc-caufe the Hahit of Faith is paf- 
 five before it puts forth any aH '■, now rve are 'fulU" 
 fyed p foou as by the Habit of Faith ive are alive 
 in Chrill^ in thcjirfl Tiom^nt of our Converfion, before 
 . Faith puts forth any A^ •, Tons Cluiiren are JuiU- 
 fyed by the Habit of Faith : For m we were guilt) of 
 Adams 5*//?, which is imputed to us before we wei'e 
 aiiive in giving confert unto it, fo is the Righteouf 
 nefs r>f Chrid Imputed to Children, before they put 
 forth any Elicit A^ of Faith ^ therefore J fay they 
 are capable of that paffive Ordinance of Baptifme. 
 
 g. Faith abfolutely confidered in it fclf, doth 
 notiuflifieany Perfon, butlnftrumentallyin Con- 
 jund-ion vvith the Righteoufnefs and Merits of 
 Jefus Chrift it doth: If an Inftrument be made,it 
 doth not act of it fclf without a handtoufeit: 
 Faith is but a Creature or Inftrument, therefore 
 
 it 
 
( '8p ; 
 
 it muil be ai^ed by the Agency of the Spirit of 
 Chrift : For it is the Faith of the Operation of 
 God, Colof. 2. 12. And did I not Afcribe it to 
 the Agency of thcBlelfcd Spirit of Grace in that 
 Head of my Book which this Perfon carps at. 
 
 4. And lafcly, The Apollie faith in Rom. 8, 
 Whojh.ill lav any thing to the charge of Gods Elcit / 
 If 'u God that jujtijyeth. 
 
 Who if be that condemneth^ it is Chrijl that dyed, 
 yea, rather that is rifcn again, who is even at the 
 Right Hand of God , n^'ho alfi maketh Inter cejjion 
 for U{. 
 
 Heb. 12. 2. Looking unto ^cfus the Authour and 
 Finijher of our Faith. 
 
 Ifa. 26. Lord, Thou wilt ordain Peace for us^ 
 for thou alfi hafl wrought all our Wor\s in us. 
 
 Thus you fee in the Ger^ral, That the Jufiiff- 
 cation and Salvation of ah Eleft Sinner muft 
 be Intirely refolved into thefe Two things, 
 namely, God's Mercy, and Chrift's Merits. 
 
 2. More particularly : And firrcofalJ, I am 
 apt to believe, Tb.is Perfon holds that there is 
 more ways than one of juftifying God x Eleft j 
 even as Mr. H. C. held, ' that there isone way 
 ' wherein God Juftifyed the Adult , and that is 
 
 * by Faith j and the other of Juftifying and 
 ' Saving Dying Infants without Faith j or with 
 ' Mr. B.K. which holds, Thatthere is one way of 
 ' Juflifying and Saving theAdult-,but many ways 
 ' to fave Dying Infants, which we know not of 5 
 
 * neither is it fit we fhould pry into it : Ar.d here 
 I fuppofe lyeth the Snake in this Grafs -, and this 
 is that which troubles him : But there is no Au- 
 thority nor Countenance for any fuch Diflindtion 
 or Conception to be found in the Covenant of 
 Grace, no, nor in all the Sacred Scriptures be- 
 fide j for there is but one way of Juftifying and 
 
 Saving 
 
( ipo ) 
 
 Saving all forts of Eleft Sinners, Old and Young, 
 Jew and Gentile , Kom. g. 58. Seeing it is one 
 God which f}}all]ul}ttie the ciimmcifion by Faith, and 
 Vncircumcifnn tmougn Faith. 
 
 2. As rhcre ss but one way of Juftifying all 
 Gods EL>^1, Old and Young, Jeivs and Gen iles, 
 fo there is but one Lord, apid one Faith, and one 
 Biptifme •, Epb. 4. 5. This one Lord is our Lord 
 Jefus Chrifi, who is Lord over .ill God's Eled't , 
 Old, and Young •, i^or God the bather hath cho- 
 fen them from ail Eternity, and given them to 
 Ch;ift,to Redeem and fix in Glory, Eph. i. 4. 
 According as. he bath chofen min him^ before the 
 foundarlm of the IVorld, that wejJrMld be Holy, 
 
 ft is not faid we would be Holy •, No, But 
 that we Hiould be holy : Away with that Cur- 
 fed Doflrinv. of rrce Will in Man, that is, in 
 oppoiition to the Kree Grace of God in Mans Sal- 
 vation to Rowe^ from wl^tnce it came. 
 
 John 1 7. As tQ;U haji given him power over all 
 Fief}}, that he jhouid give Eternal Life to as many 
 as thou hdft gi en !>i>ru 
 
 I have :n tmfe'icd thy DJame unto the Men which 
 tboi* guvejl me out of the lV--ld j T/jinc they were, 
 andtooH guveilthem me. and they have k?pt thy 
 word: I pray for thfm, Ipray nn for tkeWorld^ but 
 fo r them which thou haft given me -, for they are 
 thine 
 
 And all mine are thine , and thine are mine, and 
 I am glo- ifyed in them. 
 
 Thus you f.e ChriH: is Lord over all the Eled •, 
 they are .^.!! j^iveii unto him of the Father, and 
 he mull lave theuj all ; r'oi he will fave none but 
 them vvhjch he Rci-.-.eth ovv:r; Fo Chrifl will 
 fay to the Wic-?ed, Sat tuofe mine Enemies which 
 would ml that I jhuld .'ieign over them, bring hi' 
 theVy and flay them before me. 
 
 2. Here 
 
( '91 ^ 
 
 2. Here is but one Faitli, and that is that 
 which is peculiar to all God's Eleift TjiHy t. i. 
 
 5. Here is but one Biptiloic, aiul that is for 
 none but the EkO- of God i For it is the Eap- 
 tif:ne of the iioiy Gliofl, ar.d wi^'h Fire, which 
 is the Interna] Bantifrii'. ; bur th.y .ire not Dip- 
 ped'into the Ho', Giioftand Fire*, b';t there is 
 the pouring forth of the Sr-irit, and (liedding 
 abroadof the Graces of the Spirit into heaits*, 
 fo that here Is but one Grd that juflifyeth, and 
 but one Faith to be juflifved b\\ and but one 
 Way in which ail rhe Eie<!l H^aJl be Gved, Ifa, 
 43. II. /, even /, am the Lvd ^ and he fide me 
 there is r.o Saviour j A>}s i r. 12; Kchher i^ there 
 Salvation in any other ^for there is none other Name 
 under Heaven given among men whereby n-e mujl be 
 favcd. 
 
 And th.at is by Faith in the Righteoufnefs and 
 Merits of JefusChriii. 
 
 Now if this Perlbn had known of any other 
 Way or Name whereby liifants mufl be faved, 
 ditfering Irom that Name and Way wherein rhe 
 Adult are Uvcd^ he inould have done well to 
 have informed us v for I muft ack.iowledge my 
 Ignorance thereof. 
 
 5. An Eleft Dying Infant mud be born again, 
 or he can r.evcr be ikved 3 for without Regene- 
 ration there can be no Salvation, either for Old 
 or Young, it is impo^Tible i for our Savioir faith 
 in John 5 Verily^ Verily^ I fay unto t.'jecy Except a 
 Mxn be horn again^ he cannn fee the Kingdom of 
 God: iejm Anjic^ered^ Verily^ Verily^ I fay unto 
 thee^ Except a Man be born of Water^ and of the 
 Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom fGod. 
 
 And if they cannot enter into the Kingdom 
 of God, they can never be faved. 
 
 6. Chrift 
 
C 192 ) 
 
 6, Chrifi muft be formed in every Soul that is 
 laved j There muft be a New Creation -, all Old 
 things mufl be done away , and all things raufl 
 become New ; Ail the Graces of the Spirit mufl: 
 be infufcd into them , and all their Sins muft be 
 wafhed away in the Blood of the Everlafling Co- 
 venant ; They muft be Born of God, i fobn 3. 9. 
 Whofoever is born of God doth mt commit Sin^ for hk 
 Seed remaimib in him^ and be cannot fin, becanfe 
 he is born of God. 
 
 Here you fee it is whofoever is born of God 
 doth not commit Sin j that is , Rich or Poor, 
 Male or Female, Old or Young ^ an Infant of 
 Days, or an Old Man fail of Years j whofoever 
 he be that is born of God , doth not commit 
 Sin; And why is it fo.** Why, Gods Seed re- 
 maineth in him-, and becaule he is Born 
 of God, this Seed of God is the Habits 
 and Principles of Grace which hath fubdued aiid 
 conquered the Dominion and Reign of Sin , and 
 he is now under the Dominion of Grace ; fo 
 that now he cannot totally and finally Apoftatize 
 nor Sin himfelf back a;gain into the Covenant of 
 Works, in which he was Originally •, that is, A 
 Carnal State in 5in and Unbelief*, for he is Born 
 of God, and he cannot be Unborn i^gain, nor 
 Annihilated and Reduced to nothing in point of 
 the Grace of Life ; For whereever that Coelertial 
 Fire is once kindled, it can never be totally 
 quenched nor extinguiihed by all the powers of 
 HqU and Inbred Corruption. 
 
 7. That Soul that is thus born of God , is Ju- 
 ftifyed j for you fee he is fully Acquitted and 
 Difcharged from the Guilt of Sin, and Eternal 
 Puniilimeat thereof; For this 6'eed of God that 
 
 re- 
 
r I9J ) 
 
 rem^ineth io him, hatli fo Sanftifyed and Clean- 
 fed him, as that the Filth and Pollution of Sin 
 (hall never deftroy him ; For as Juftification hath 
 fubdued the Dominion and Reign of Sin, fo San- 
 ftification doth Weaken and Enervate the Power 
 of Sin, and purge away the Filth and Pollution 
 thereof i fo as it fhall never hurt him, nor hin- 
 der his Eternal Salvation , no more than the 
 Bailaft that is in the Ship, to keep her ftiff and 
 fteady Ihall hinder her from Arriving fafe at her 
 Port ; For the Remainder of Sin that is in a 
 Believer keeps him HamWe,and from being over- 
 fet by Pride, his Sias fliall not have Dominion 
 over him •, And though Grace be but habitual, 
 yet it is durable -, though it be the Seed of God 
 remaining in him, yet there is a Prolitick Ver- 
 tue in it which fanftitieth the Soul, and fits him 
 for Communion with God : Habitual Grace may 
 fitly be compared to Leaven, which of it felf is 
 ofi defuiive Aftive Nature, as in Mat, 15. 53, 
 The Kingdom of ffeaven is like unto Leaven^ which 
 aWomantoof^, and hid in Three Meafnves of Meal 
 till the whole was Leavened. 
 
 Eveufoitis with the Kingdom of God, that 
 is in every Converted Soul : It doth diffufe it 
 (elf all over the Whole Man, it doth Leaven the 
 whole Lump v it fanftifyeth him throughout in 
 Body, Soul, and Spirit , the Plantation of Grace 
 in the Heart of an Eleft Sinner , is compared to 
 the moft paffive Dilpenfations and Tranfadions 
 that can be thought on. i.It is compared to 
 Seed that is Sown.' 2, To the Natural begetting 
 and Birth of a Child. 3. And laftly. It is com- 
 pared to the Refurreftion of the Dead : And 
 what can be more palTive than thefe ? 
 
 Pray, hear what that Late Famous lUuftrious 
 
 Divine of Worthy Memory Mr^ Cotton ot AVw 
 
 England^ Delivered in a Conference held by the 
 
 \ Elders 
 
( 194 ) 
 
 Elders of the Churches there. 
 < Saith he, Two things are meant by the word 
 Faith, and may be faid to be Padive in our Jufti- 
 fication in a double refped, becaufe * a habit 
 
 * of Faith may be called Paffive before it put- 
 
 * teth forth any A^, and we are juftifycd as foon 
 
 * as by an Habit of Faith we are alive in Chrift in 
 ^ the firft moment of our Conver^on , before 
 ' Faith hath put forth any Aft ; as we were all 
 
 * guilty of ^(/(iwj" Sin, before ever we were Aftive 
 ^ to reach forth any confent unto it. 
 
 * Faith may be faid to be Paffive in our Jufti- 
 ^ ficatioDjbecaufe it doth not lay hold on Chrift 
 
 * to fetch Juftification from him, till Chrift have 
 
 * firfl laid hold on us. 
 
 Thus you hear what the Opinion of this Great 
 Man was touching this great Point, and how well 
 Mr. Winter and he doth jump in their judg-ments. 
 
 8. And Laftly, faith our Opponent , There 
 'jDwik be Faith to apprehend Chrifi, and take hold 
 "ofhim, and cloie with him .- This is true, but it 
 is Truth begun at the wrong end j for the main 
 thing of all is emitted ; For tlie Apoflle faith, 
 That we are rather appreliended of Chrift ; that 
 is, Ghriil apprehends us fird, before we can ap- 
 prehend him. Pray mind three tilings, i . Chrift 
 faid unto his DifcipJes , Te have not Chofcn we, 
 but I have chofenyou 3 that was, Chrift had cho- 
 fen them f^rft j for every Regenerate Soul dotli 
 chufe Chrift 5 for it is faid of Mary that fhe had 
 chofen that better part that Qiould never be ta- 
 ken from her 3 that was, (he had chofen God ia 
 Chrift, for the Objctt of her Love and Faith, 
 and fo do every Regenerated Soul. 
 
 2. It is faid of Regenerated Souls, That" they 
 k>ve God, but it is becaufe he firft loved us. 
 
 5. So we apprehend Chrift, but it is becaufe 
 he firft apprehends i» ; He apprehends us iirft.by 
 
 Love, 
 
( '9? ) 
 
 Love, before we can apprehend him by Faith. 
 
 * For Faith (^as you heard) doth not Uy hold 
 * .on Clirift to fetch Juftification from him, till 
 ' Chrift firrt Jays hold on us. 
 
 But Faith is the Uniting Grace. 
 
 2. The Soul mud be united to Chrin, and that 
 muft be done by Faith *, The New Creature muffc 
 be formed in the Soul of an Eled Sinner , and 
 the New Creature raufl have all his Lineaments 
 pcrfeft, compleat, intire, and lacking nothing, 
 there muft be an Eye to apprehend Chrift, or 
 rath'er to beapprehended by him j and there muft 
 be a hand to receive him , though he rcceiveth 
 us firft, before we can receive him ; For none 
 can come to Chrift, except the Father which 
 fent him draw them, and Chrift and the Father 
 are one. 
 
 . Chrift that is formed wijkn the Soul layeth 
 hold on Chrift without him^Faith 5 and unites 
 the Soul unto Jefus Chrift j in which aft of 
 God's he is fully and freely Juftifyed , and not by- 
 Mans Acting Faith j though the Afting of a Per- 
 (bns Faith by the Influence' and Agency of the 
 Spirit of God in him ; After he is Regenerated 
 and Born of God may be an Evidence of hisbcr 
 i-ng juftifyed, yet it is no part of his Juftificar 
 tion ^ for he is juftifyed freely by Grace ^ he is 
 juftifyed in the very firft moment of God's plan* 
 ting the Sctdi and Habits of Grace in him 5 and 
 I wonder how any Perfons dare deny this great 
 Truth .that do own the Scriptures j for it is as 
 clear as the Sun that fliinefh, Rom 8. 59. V/h<ii 
 jhalt la) any thing to the chofge of Gods Ele7^^ it ii 
 God. that jujiifyeth'. Can any thing be clearer 
 fpoken than this is ? And in this Great Truth lyes 
 all a Chriftians Ground of Hope and Comfort, as 
 he Apoftle faith, Chriji in yon, the hope of Glory; 
 and; fo this Union to Chrift is brought about 
 I 2 pafTively 
 
( I9« ) 
 
 ipaiTively with a refpeft to the Creature,but a^ivc 
 with a rdpeft to God -, who is the Authourof all 
 Grace *, For of his own will bath he begotten hs figaln 
 through Faith unto a lively hope : And where thea 
 is Free Will in Man, or foreteen F^iith in the 
 Creature ? as feme' poor deluded Souls dream 
 on ', but tliey may as well dream of this, as that 
 Chrift dyed as much for the Damned in Hell, as 
 for the Saints in lieaven. 
 
 2. Wemuft have the Spirit of Faith, before 
 nwe can aft the Grace of Faith : There muft be 
 the Habit of Faith before there can' be an Aft of 
 Faith j there muft he the tree planted, before 
 Fruit can be expcfted or produced : For there 
 can be noEffeft produced, before the caufe be 
 in being ^ for how can there be au Effeft without 
 a Caufe ? It is impoflible : For of our felvcs we 
 <:ando nothing :i|(e are not able of our felves 
 to think a good jIBught, and how then can we 
 aft Faith of our felves under all thefe Circum- 
 flancesjfo as to be Juftifyed in the fight of God : 
 Pray confult the 5acj:ed Scriptures for a clearer 
 Light into this great Important Matter, Epb. 2. 
 "8, 9. For b) Grace are ye faved through Faithy 
 and that not of your felves^ it is the Gift of Gody 
 not dflVorl^s, left any Man fljould boajh 
 
 If Man could be Juftifyed and Slaved by his 
 own Afting of Faith , he would have whereof 
 to boaft \ but you fee that boaftiiig in this point 
 is totally excluded from the Creature 5 Therefore 
 as I laid in my former Book, in page gi^ ' Ju- 
 
 • ftification is by the Habit of Faith, which. is 
 
 • God's own Free Aft in the Creature, and notv 
 « by Mans Afting Faith. 
 
 For it is God that juflifyeth ; And pray mind 
 what is written in the 5acred Word of God j 
 and there you may fee if you are not vilfiiily 
 
 ^ blind 
 
( 197 ; 
 
 blind at what door Juftifrcation and .S'alvatioir 
 *jfomcth in at, \n John i. i2> 13.' But as many as 
 'received him, to them gave he prver to become the 
 Sons of God, even to them that believe in his Name, 
 
 But how come thev to receive Chrift , fo as 
 to be inverted with this Great Power, and Glo- 
 rious Priviledge j as that thereby they become 
 the 5oiis of God, and beheve in him •, Is it by 
 any Precedaneous Inherent QLiaiifications, name- 
 ly, by fo^'efeen Faith or Works , or by the po- 
 wer of Free Will in Mm, as fome carnally and 
 corruptly maintain ; Ono, All thcfe are Exclu- 
 ded you fliall fe^ ; and therefore all you that are 
 of this Erronious Opinion, mind weU what is 
 faid in the following Verfe j for unto you it is 
 principally fpokcn *, for here we -have a full de- 
 monfrration how this Receiving and Be'icviiigin 
 Chrift is brought about j by which an Elcft Per- 
 fon Cometh to be juftifyed, verf. i :?. Woicb were 
 born not of8!o\i, nor of the Tvillofthe FkQ), nor 
 of the will of Mm, but of God, 
 
 Pray mind, It is faid, which were born ; That 
 is, They were boni of God at tiieir Receiving of, 
 and Believing in ChriA : Here you fee it is the 
 New Birth, which introduccth all thofe Glori- 
 ous Priviledge^ : Mow pray tell us , if you can, 
 "What can an Adult Perfcn do more in this Paf- 
 five Reception of Chpift fto which Believing is 
 annexedj tli^n a young Infant can -, for you fee 
 all Power and Free Will in Man is Totally Exclu- 
 ded from the Creature in the Work of Regene- 
 ration , in the vtry fame moment of which 
 Tranfaftion of God in the Soul Juftification ta- 
 keth place , and he is then acquitted from the 
 Condemnirg Power and guilt of ail his fjns Origi- 
 liafand Actual ; therefore the Creature hath no 
 hand in his own'Juflification ; And thus you may 
 I 3, fee 
 
( 198 ) 
 
 feeby the light of the Holy Scriptures , how all 
 the Eleft of God Old and Young are brought in- 
 to a Ihte of Grace and Salvation ■■, namely^ by tlie 
 powerful Operarion of God's own Ffce Grace in 
 the New Birth. 
 
 2. when a Perfon is Regenerated and brought 
 into a Jufrifyed, Sjnttifyed State, Can that Per- 
 Ibn ::ft Grace of himfeif by Vertue of his being in 
 that State ? O no 3 nor by the Power of his own 
 Free Will neither : But the North wwdmujiawdkei 
 and the South whd wufi come and blon> upon ChrijVs 
 Giirdeujbefore theSpices thereof can floro oHt.So\^^A6. 
 
 We cannot exercife Grace, though we are in a 
 State of Grace without frelli fupplyesof Grace ; 
 much lefb can a Perfon aft Faith in his own Juiti- 
 frcation, which is compleated in the firft Infufion 
 of Gracious Habits and Principles into his Soul s 
 fir Godii the Anthour andFmfl)er of om Faith : It 
 is God that ordains Peace for us, (but how doth 
 God do it) by working all our works in us ^ 
 J[a. 26. 12. God will have all the Glory of Mans 
 Juflification and Salvation to himfeJf*, for. he 
 will not g^ve this his Glory to another , nor 
 his Praife unto Free Will in Man ; Bat of him are 
 ye in Chrijl Jtfus ^ who of God is made unto us 
 Wijdom^ and Right eoufnefs, and SanEtif cation and 
 Redemption^ i Cn, i 50. 
 
 4. Though Faith be the Inftrumental Juflify- 
 ing Grjce, yet allother Graces of the Spirit are 
 in conjundion with it; for when ever Saving 
 F^irh is exercifcd , it ever worketh by Love, 
 GaL 5. 5. It may be faid of !i*aith, and all the 
 reft of the Graces of the Spirit, as it is faid of t!i€ 
 Living-Creatures, and the Wheels in E:^elitel\ Vi- 
 fion, in Chap.- 1. • When thofe- iven% thefewer^i , 
 and rvhen tkofe fiood^ thefe flood -^ and when -thofe 
 rcere lifted up from the Earthy the Wheels were lifted 
 
 up 
 
C 199 ) 
 
 Iff) o<uer 'againft them, for the Spirit of the Living 
 Cfeatwi^s was in the Wheels. 
 
 Ev^n fo the Spirit of God is in all the Graces 
 of the Spirit, which are planted in the Soul in 
 the Work of Regeneration -, and the Grace of 
 Faith is the greateflWlieel among them ail •, it is 
 as a Wheel within a Wheel ; for as that moves^ 
 fo all the reft of the Graces moves •, and if that 
 ftands, ail the reft of the Graces ftands ;and when 
 Faith is Elevated and lifted up , all the reft of 
 the Graces of the Spirit are Elevated, and lif-. 
 ted up alfo. 
 
 5. The Glory of God's preventing Love and 
 Free Grace is as clearly difplayed , and as much 
 feen in the Juftifying and Saving E\e^ Dying 
 Infants , as it is in Juftifying and 6'aving 
 Adult Perfons •, for thev have no more hand 
 in their ownjuftification and Converf!on,than an 
 Eleft Dying Infant hath in his. Pray, What hand 
 had St. Paul in his own Juftification 2nd Conver- 
 lion , when he was Riding poft (as it werej to 
 Damafcus with his Pockets ftuft v/ith Warrants 
 from the High Prieft, to feize upon all that pro-= 
 feft the Name of Chrift and fill the Jails with 
 them 'y Why, he had even as much Inherent Po- 
 wer'of himfelf, as dead Lazarus had in himfelf, 
 to rife up out of the Grave from the Dead , or 
 as an Infant hath in his ovvn begetting and com- 
 ing out of the Womb into the World, Jobn.i.i^, 
 
 Now that you may fee how far you are mifta- 
 kea in yoi r Judgment concerning mine, Pray look 
 into my Reply to Mr. f/.Cs laft jhnV as J caU 
 it, in. page 14. ' But I can do more than 
 ' barely produce Scripture-Intimations to prove, 
 * That Children have had Faith; for they have 
 J .A * not 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 > n6t only bad the habit of Faith, but have 
 
 * a!fo exercifed it , Lkk_ei,^4. there is one, 
 f iTim. I. 5. there is another i and that there 
 
 * was Infant-Believers befides thefe , I reier to 
 
 * one of my former Heads,to thofe Children that 
 
 * were brought toChrift. Thefe were my words 
 verbatim. This was in 1^95. 
 
 Thus I have unfolded and explained my mea- 
 ning concerning Habitual Faith, vi^.'That it doth 
 not iuftifieany Perfon abfolutely corfidered in it 
 feK •, tor it is God that juftifye'^th , becaufe we 
 are jullifyed freelv bv his Grace ^ yet Faith doth 
 iuftifielnflrumentally and Habitually in conjun- 
 ftion with the Righteoufnefs and Merits of Jefus 
 Chrift. 
 
 For Firft. God tlie Father is the Primum JHo^ 
 biU\ or firft moving caufe of our juftificatiotl 
 decretally, which is a Fruit of his Eternal Ele- 
 ^ing Love of Good V/ill to Eleft poor Fallen 
 Sinners, John ^.16. Gal, 1.4. Eph. i. 4, 5. 
 
 2. God the Son is the Meritorious caufe of our 
 Jtiftification, i Cor. i. ^o. Rom. 8. 54. 
 
 ?. God the Holy Ghoft is the Applicatorious 
 Caufe thereof \ It is the Spirit that applyeth the 
 Redemption purchafed by Jefus Chrift'^ for it is 
 l»e that taketh ol Chrift's, 'and fheweth unto us, 
 7«A«i6. 14. 
 
 4. And laftly. Faith is the Inftrumenta! caufe 
 in JuAif\ingand Saving all theEled, both Old 
 and Young ; Rom. g. ^o. Ram. 4. g. And thus, 
 Though Faith doth not juAifie as an Aft of the 
 Creature, yet it is the Aft of Faith that Juflify- 
 cth .--^ But, How is that ? God is the Authour of 
 it, and nothing of the Creature is in it ; For doth 
 not the Holy Scripture make a Teftimonial 
 Challenge upon this very account, Rom, 8. in 
 <■ - thefe 
 
(201 ) 
 
 tfiele words, %i^ Wiji jLUl lay any thing to the 
 Charge ofGocCs Elcvi Z it is Go.i that 'fjlifyeth : ' 
 
 lVi}Q is be rbat Condc?niieth ? // is ChriJ that dyedy 
 yea rather that is rijen agaiiu rvho is even at the 
 ri^h hand of Go /, ^vho aljo maketb Inter ceffidn for us, 
 
 Goa is tiic /^utlrour ofour Faith, and alfothe 
 Finirtier thereof : Now, What is an Authourand 
 Finiiher of a thing, but the firft Inventer and 
 Pcrfecler of it j Or, as a Man that begins, and 
 fiuiilicth a thing of himfelf, without any Contri- 
 vance or Affiflance of another •, even fo God is 
 the foJe Authour of Eternal Salvation : And Faith 
 as it is of Gdd's own contriving, it is his own 
 Gift and Work in the Soul of a Convert -, (b 
 that God will have all the Glory of his own 
 Free Grace and Redeeming Love to himfelf •, he 
 will have no Co-partners with him in this won- 
 derful great Work, which is greater than that 
 was of making the World •, For Chrift never 
 Dyed to make the World, but fo he has to Re- 
 deem the Eleft part of the World , therefore 
 not unto us Lord, Not unto us, nor unto Free 
 Will in Man , but unto Thee alone be the 
 Vraife, and the Glory of Thy own preventing 
 Love and Free Grace. 
 
 Thus you fee I have given my Judgment 
 concerning habitual Faith •, and I find no caufe 
 to retraft what I faid in my Book of Reply to 
 Mr. 5. K, But I Ihall, leave that part to your' 
 felf, becaufe the Miftake is in you, and not in 
 me, for you was fo over and above eager upon 
 the matter, that you overlooked that which I 
 had written in the body of that Pofition , as ho» > 
 ping (I fuppofe) you had found fomething of- 
 Falje Dextrine whereof to Accufe me ^ but you , 
 mrfl your Mark ^ for 1 did there own the A gen* 
 ey of dieSpiritjand I do alio owuthdoftfunidn^ ^ 
 I .$ tality 
 
( 202 > 
 
 talit5r af Faith in the Juftifyingaftd' Saving all 
 tht Ele<a of God, both Old and Young ', And this 
 you may fee is my judgment, and hath been, 
 by all my former Writings on this Subjeft j And 
 I have clearly proved, That there is but one way 
 oi)uflif)ingand faving all the EIe<^, vix,, both 
 Dying Elert Infants, and Adult Believers. 
 
 6. 'And Laftly, I am Beholding to this Gcn- 
 tlcman^be he who he vvill,w:^. becaufe he hath ta- 
 citly juftifyed my Reply toMr.B./C.In whrchEook 
 I Exploded the Principles of- the Amhaptijh very 
 fully, but he could find nothing amifs in it , but 
 this, which he thought was a flip,' which I have 
 proved to be Orthodox and 5ound, and I hope 
 to. his fatisfaftion, and the fettlement of his 
 Judgment , for it is according to the Declared 
 Word of God 5 For if he could have found 
 any other Flaw in it, I doubt not, but that I 
 fhould have heard of it fufficiently by him, or 
 by Mr. B. K. who is wholly filent in this Matter, 
 and for thiscaufe he ought to comply with it. 
 
 IN the Fifth and laft place, I challenge all thofe 
 that areagainfl Infints-Baptifmeand Church- 
 Memberfhip , either Learned , or Unlearned , 
 Treacher, or Hearer -, who hath fo boldly and 
 confidently alferted, That Young Infa-nts are not 
 frspable of Receiving the Grace oi Faith in- 
 ' ftrumentally , to Regenerate, and Sanftifie 
 thejTi by the Renewing of the Holy Ghoft: in the 
 Blood of ■Sprinkling , to tell us how they can 
 . pray finccrely and heartily to God for the ^alva- 
 ' fion'oftlieir Dying Infants •, or what they would 
 defireGod to do for them, or with them, when 
 they are D^ing , with a refpe(^ to their Future 
 Eftate i feeing they will not allow them capable 
 tjf Receiying tlie Graces of the Spirit to fan^ifi^ 
 * ' and 
 
C ^Oi J 
 
 and change their Natures, and juftifie their Pettr 
 fons, and mjke them Partakers of the Divine Na- 
 ture, that fo they might be made meet to par* 
 take ot th^nlieritance with the Saints in Light. 
 Firfc of all, They cannot pray that God would 
 Illuminate their Dying Infants by his Spirit of Ik 
 lumination, becaufc they will not allow them to 
 be any ways capable of Receiving the Spirit of Il- 
 lumination , and therefore they quote one 
 D. Ta)hyi Corrupt Notion of Darknels , which- 
 they are very much enamoured with •, which is 
 this, vi:^. That Perfons were as good pray that 
 the spirit of God ftiould Illuminate a 5tone or a 
 Tree , as to pray that God would enlighten a 
 Young Infant. 
 
 2. They cannot pray to God to quicken their 
 Dying Infants, who are dead in Trefpaffes and 
 Sins, and by Nature Children of V/rath, even as 
 others y Eph, 2. g. Becaufe the Grace of Faith^ 
 which they deny them capable of, is the Vital 
 Principle j it is that Grace which giveth Life 
 under God by the Powerful Operation of his Spi- 
 rit, and upholds and maintains it in all the Saints 
 on Earth j for it is that which they do live byv 
 Heb. 2. 4. Heb. 10. 58. Gal. 5. ii. Now ths 
 Juft (hall live by his Faith, and fo they did in 
 all Ages of the World ■, there is no alte^atioa as 
 to that. 
 
 3. Our Opponents cannot pray that God 
 would give their Dying Infants a Real Intereft in, 
 and Union unto bur Lord Jefus Chrift, becaufe. 
 that mufi: be do.ne by Perfonal Faith, which ex- 
 cludes Infants according to their own declared 
 Principles. 
 
 4. According to their Priricfpks, they C4nncw 
 pray that- God would free their Dying Infants 
 fr<>mths CondieraaJDgScjnteDce of Eternal Dam- 
 
 • natiou, 
 
r 204 ) 
 
 nation , bccaufe without Perfonal Faith, that 
 can never bc'done -jjohn $.24 Verily ^erUy^ I fay 
 wao you. He that bearstb my word^ and bdieveth on 
 hmthat Jent me, hath EvMaJhng Life^ and fljaU 
 not come into condemnation, but is pajfed from Death 
 unto Life, All Chrift's Sheep Ihall hear his 
 Voice, and they that hear, lliall live, John 10. 
 
 5. They cannot pray that God would be re- 
 ccncil'd to their Dying Infants , becaufe, with- 
 out Faith it is impoffible to pleafe God *, And 
 they affert, That Infants are not capable of Re- 
 ceiving the Grace of Faith. 
 
 6. They cannot pray that God would Juftifie 
 and Acquit their Dying Infants from the Guilt 
 of Adam\ Firft Sin, by the application of the 
 Righteoufnefs and Merits of Jcfus Chrift unto 
 their Souls, becaufe that is the Righteoufnefs of 
 Faith j and they cannet pray for one without the 
 other, becaufe they, always go together in jufli- 
 fy'ng an Eleft Sinner. 
 
 7. They cannot pray, That their Dying in- 
 fants may b* Regenerated and Born again ; be- 
 caufe that mud be done by the Grace of Faith, 
 which the Apoftle calleth Precious Faith, 
 2 Pet, I. I. 
 
 Here is precious Faith, and I ikewife precious 
 Promifes, and the Righteoufnefs of God, and 
 cur Lord Jefus Chrift, . and the Divine Nature all 
 in a Concatenation in Mans Juftification, Rege- 
 neration, and Salvation J and aje not to be parted 
 afunder. 
 
 8. They cannot pray that God would Re- 
 llore and Enftamp his Divine Image upon 
 their Dying Infants , which was loft by ouc 
 Firft. Parents UnBelicf in the Fail j and there- 
 fore it is in.po(r?ble that can be d@ne witli- 
 out the Grace of Faith.; h% Unbelief lof| it, To 
 
 Faith 
 
( 205 )' 
 
 Faith Reftorcs it again-, ibt^^^^Urdtiilfp 
 preis his Living Im.igf upon Dead Sitiii^r'^,^'^b\it' 
 ail the Elert are Heirs of the Grjce of LMtJ 
 1 Pet, ^. 7. and they muft be poirefVcd of it 
 before they dye. . ^ " 
 
 9. And Laftly, Our Opponents cannot pray*' 
 unto God for the Salvation of their Dyin^g In- 
 fants, bccaufe they do not believe them to be 
 capable of being in the Covenant of Grace, the'' 
 all Perfons may not be Saved that are in the Co-' 
 venant of Grace ; for there are many that are in 
 that Covenant Externally by PrcfefftOiT only, and ' 
 enjoy the External Priviledges thereot ^ and will 
 plead them in the Great Day, whfvn Chrift will 
 never own nor fave *, but will fay unto them, 
 Depart from me all y^ worJ^crs of Iniquity , for I 
 ^o(v yok riot^ Lul^e 13. 25, 25, 27. And yet not- 
 ^ithftanding, there (hall not one Soul ever be 
 faved out of the Covenant of Grace •, for Chrift 
 knows all-his Eledt Sheep, for they hear his Voice, 
 and he will own and fave them all j But allthofe 
 who are in the Covenant of Grace oniy Exter- 
 nally, and die fo, Chrift will never oivn nor 
 fave them ; for they are none of his Sheep, they 
 never heard his Voice, neither do they belong to 
 his Fold *, but are of Sataiis Herd .* Thus you 
 fee our Opponents cannot pray for the Salvation 
 of their Dying Infants, becaufe they do not be- 
 heve that they are capable of receiving the Gra- 
 ces of the Spirit which is the Means of Salvation. 
 
 2. It may be queried by our Opponents thus; 
 1//:^. ' What good do the Prayers of Believing 
 
 * Parents do for their Dying Infants ? And what 
 
 * Priviledge or Advantage do either their Li- 
 ' ving or Dyin^ Children receive by it > 
 
 To which I thus Anfwer *, It 'is a very great 
 Priviledge : For firft they being Members of the 
 
 Church 
 
-. ( 206 ) 
 
 ehurchwith their Believing Parents have an ln« 
 tereft and -Share in the Clmrches Faitli and 
 Prayers, fames 5. 14, i$. 
 
 2. The Fai th and Prayers of Godly Parents 
 for their Children are very prevalent with God : 
 Of which I (hall give you four undeniable In- 
 ftances for proof hereof. 
 
 Thefird is hiMarl^^, And behold there cometh 
 one of the Rulers of the Synagogue Jaims by name^ 
 'and wh^n he favo him, he fell at his feet , and be- 
 fought him greatly y faying , My little Daughter ly- 
 eth at the pint of Deaths I pay tbeecome^ and 
 lay thv hands on her, thatjhe may be healed, and 
 Q)efl)all live, ^ 
 
 And Jefwi, went with him, &c. 
 
 While he et Jpal^ , there came from the Ruler 
 of the Synagogues Houfe , Certain which [aid thy^ 
 Daughter is dead. Why troublefi thou the Majler 
 any further. 
 
 As foon .'W ]fefHs heard the word that vms fpol^n^ 
 He fairh unto the Ruler of the Synagogue , Be not 
 afraid ; only believe ; And he to^^ ttje Damofel by 
 the hand, and (aid unto' her, Talitha cmni , which 
 ky being interpreted , Damfel (I fay unto thee,) 
 Arife , and ftruigbtway the Damfel aroje ^ and 
 walked; For JJje wets of the age of twelve years , - 
 and they were aflonijhed with a great aflohijh' 
 ment, 
 
 2. A Second Inftance isinMirj^p. There was 
 a lyian that had a Son poffelfed of the Devil 
 from a Child. • 
 
 Verfe 21. Andheas^ed his Father ^ How long 
 k it ago Jince this came unto him ^ and he faid ^ 
 of a Child, 
 
 And oft times it hath cafl him into the fire, and 
 into the waters to defiroy him : But if thou canji do 
 any things have compaffton on Hi^ and help mx. 
 
 fefm 
 
( 207 ) 
 
 Jefus fad unto him. If thou canfi belkxx ^ aii 
 things are pofjible to him that believetb.- 
 
 And Jhaightivay tbe^ Father of. the Child cned 
 ^iit^ and [aid mi h Tears, Lord, 1 believe , help 
 thou mine unbelief 
 
 Tlie Father believed and prayed , and his 
 Child was healed : As you may fee in t\\z2$, 
 25, 27. verfts of the aforefaid Chapter. 
 
 3. A Third Inflancc is in Marl^-j. 26, 27, 
 28; 29, 50. Here you may fee that a Mother be- 
 lieved and prayed for her Daughter that was 
 polTeired with an Unclean Spirit, and ihe was 
 cured. 
 
 4. The Fourth and I aft Inftance is of a Noble- 
 man in /a/jn 4. the Nobleman faith unto him, 
 Sir come down. Ere my Child die, 
 
 Jefus faith unto him. Go thy rvay, thy Son Itveth : 
 And the man believed the ypord that Jefus had fpo- 
 l(ett unto him, and he went hii way -, and as he ivits 
 ■.novo going down, his Servants met him ■, and told 
 him, faying, thy Son liveth : Then inquired he of 
 them the hour when he began to amend, and they 
 faid unto him, Tejierdayat thefeventh hour the Fea- 
 ver left him. 
 
 So the Father knew that it was at the fame hour^ , 
 in the which Jefus faid unto him , Thy Son liveth^ 
 and himfelf believed, and his whole Houfe, 
 
 Here are feveral things that did attend this 
 Miraculous Cure which ought to be obferved. 
 
 I . Here was the powerful Effefts of the Noble- 
 Mans Faith : He believed and prayed for his Child 
 that lay fick, even at tiie point of Death , and 
 God heard his Prayer, and anfwered him beyond 
 his cxpedation^ even in the very fame hour 
 when Chrift faid imto iiim, Thy Son liveth, 
 
 2, The 
 
. ( 208 ) 
 
 2. The Noblemans Servants that met him 
 •by the way , laid unto hhn the very fame 
 words as Chrift did, i/X- Thy Son liveth. 
 
 3. The Noblemans Faith procured Spritual 
 Lik alfo for his Child j For the Nobleman iiim- 
 felf beheved, and his whole Houfe ^ therefore 
 whatfoevcr Children lie had befides this on whom 
 the Miracle was wrought,whether .Older or Youn- 
 ger, were all made Believers at that time ; for 
 the Nobleman himfdf believed, and his whole 
 Houfe ; Faith and Prayers of a right kind doth 
 wonderful things in the World j nay , let me 
 tell you, it hatli a very great hand in governing 
 the World, efpecially in God's Providential King- 
 dom of Grace j Mat. 21. 22. And aU things 
 wbafjcever yf jhaU ai\^ in Prayer believing , ye 
 fl)aU receive. 
 
 Afart^ II. 24. Therefire I fay unto you ^ What 
 things pever ye defire when ye pray^ believe that 
 ye receive them^ and ye fljall have them* 
 
 Thus you fee in thefe Four Miraculous In^ 
 fiances , what wonderful things Faith and 
 Prayers of Believing Parents have done for 
 their Children in Gofpel-times : And the Door 
 of Grace and Mercy is as wide now, as ever it 
 was , if our Faith vvas but as great ^ for there 
 lyeth our defed, even in onr Faith : God is the 
 fame God now as he was then •, Hechangeth,not 5 
 He is Yefterday, to Day, and for evermore the 
 fame v <jod may Will a Change, but he never 
 chan.,erh his Will, 
 
 God's Covenant Love and Grace is as Copious 
 and. iLXtenfive to Believers and their Children 
 now, as ever it was •, and God delights as much 
 in Mercy now as ever he did. 
 
 §. And laillv, The Breads of the Pforaifesof 
 Gods Govenant Love and Graccruns as frtlh 
 
 and 
 
( 209 ) 
 
 and as freely to Believing Parents and thei^ 
 Children now, as ever it did ; and was but ou^ 
 Faith as great and as ftrong as theirs then was» 
 we migl^t obtain as Signal Mercies as they did* 
 for there lyeth all the difference : For Chrift faith 
 now to us as much as he did to them that were 
 about him then, vt:^, Whatfoever things yc /hall ail(^ 
 in ^rayer believing, ye Jhall receive them : And the 
 bcfi: thing we can beg of God for our Children, 
 is, that he would be gracioufly pleafed to infufe 
 Grace into their Souls in their Infancy ; for this 
 is the one thing neceffary , that better part that 
 (hall never be taken from them, either Living or 
 Dying; for if they have Grace when they are 
 young, they can never lofe it when they come to 
 be old .' Even as Solomon faith in anotiier parallel 
 cafe in Prov. 22. 6. Train up a Child in the rvayy 
 heflmiddgOy and when he is old ^ he will not depart 
 from it. 
 
 If this be true, with a refpeft to Childrens Ci- 
 yil Education, how much more mufl it be true 
 of the Spirits Operation , after Grace is infufed 
 into them j for they (hall never Apoftate trom 
 it when they come to be old : John the Bapiiji 
 had it when he was in the Woiab , Luh i. 44. 
 Johns Father and Mother were both of them Be* 
 1 levers, and in the Covenant of Grace. 
 
 But our Opponents Affert. that the Children 
 of Turks and Infidels have as much Priviledge as 
 the Children of Chriftian Believers : But the Fal- 
 lacy of this Pofition appearcth in this *, namely. 
 That all Unbelievers and Infidels are fpiritually 
 dead, and therefore they cannot pray'for Spiri- 
 tual I.ife for their Children, before tlycy have it 
 themfeives ; fortheApoftlcSt. Pmil himfelf, who 
 was Spiritually alive faid , For we kp'fw mi what 
 we flmuld pray for as we ought, hut as the Sphit it 
 
 felf 
 
( 2IO ) 
 
 felf helpetb our Infirmities, Scd Rom, B, 25, 27.. 
 So vhat the Children of Turl^ and Infidds have 
 net fo great a Vriviledge , as the Children of 
 Chriftian Believers : Hence we may obferve what 
 a Diabolic:]] Principle this is of the Antip&iobap- 
 nils, the like is not to be found among Chri- 
 ftians 5 for by their Principle you fee they can- 
 not pray for Regenerating, Renewing, Sanftify- 
 ing Grace for their. Dying Infjnts, to nuke them 
 meet to partake of the Inheritance with the 
 Saints in Light, they can only pray tha't God 
 would fpare their Lives, as they may for the 
 lives of their Korfes or Swine, when they are 
 like to Die. 
 
 But fay forne of the modeft fort of them , we 
 do dedicate ou • Children to God in Prayer for 
 them as fooi2 j. 'iorn \ but wh..t do this their 
 Dedicatioii tigtiifie , when at the feme time, they 
 decUre that there is no Coven- u.-Promife of 
 Gracr and Mercy belongeth uruo them, in their 
 Infa.icy, therefore they dedicate them in their 
 Unbelief, and likewife in their Childrens Origi- 
 nal ^ms, which is fuch a S-crifice as God ab- 
 hors •, for it is to offer up ui.to God a corrupt 
 thing, and no uncleaii thing fhall enter into Hca^ 
 ven ; If God will not accept of the Lame, 
 Blind, nor Sick for Sacrifice, as in Mil. i. 8, 
 Much lefs will he not accept of the Dead for 
 Sacrifice ; for our Opponents do not believe 
 either that God can or will give their Children 
 the Grace of Life during their Infancy ; there- 
 fore they offer up their Spiritually dead- Chil- 
 dren unto' the Lord for SacrificCi which is fuch a 
 Sacrincc as. is repugnant to Divine luflitution ; 
 and therefore inftead of a Dedication , it is a 
 P/ovocation , and they are guilty of Superffcitionj 
 for unlefs they- come to God by Faith, in., the 
 
 Promife 
 
(2tl) 
 
 Proraifc of Grace for their Ctiildren , accprding 
 to A^h 2. 9p. and fo offer them up to God 
 through Faith in the Righteoufneff V'6. Merits of 
 JefuE Chrift in the Covenant of Gri.cej it av;^*!- 
 cth them nothing, and wcrfe j for they do offer 
 up their own Unbelief and tlicir Cnildiens Origi- 
 nal Sins together, becaufe they do utterly deny 
 that there is any fuch thing as a Covenant Pro- 
 mife now under the Gofpel belonging unto them 
 in their Infancy j for they contemn and ridicule 
 the very Notion of it, as is plainly to bcfeen in 
 Mr. H. C's. Book, in Anlwer to me , in tliefe 
 words, vix_. ■ 
 
 ' I think Tranfubftantiatioo, Habitual Faithj 
 ' and the infant Seed of oeiievtrs in the Cove- 
 ' nant, are Terms equally allowable , and pro- 
 « bablv equally undtrftood among their various 
 « Profetfors-. 
 
 But the great Reafon why the Ambaptifts will 
 not allow that Young Infants are capable of re- 
 ceiving Grace in their Infancy, is, becaufe they 
 cannot make vifible Proftffion of their Faith ' 
 But what though they cannot do th^t , yet they 
 aVe capable ot receiving and poffeffing of it ^ as 
 I have fufficiently cleared and proved. 
 
 Ldftly. It may be obje^ied, "That it is not a 
 fit time for us Proteftants to have differences 
 one with another j but we fhoiild all unite in 
 Love and Peace ; This latter would be very ac- 
 ceptable "indeed, provided it might be upon 
 True Gofpel-Grounds of Loveand Uni>n, which 
 the Scripture directs u? unto , namely, Peace 
 afnd Truth, which God hath joyned together *, 
 the. want of which is the caufe of this my pro- 
 ceeding, and alfo my Warrant for fo doing, i*/^. 
 to deteft and extirpate the caufe of our Differen- 
 ces and Animofitie? ; For what is the caufe of all- 
 
 thofc 
 
(2,1) 
 
 tliofe t)iviiions and Commotions which are in the 
 Ghriftifn part of the World But Errours' and 
 Herefies j for it is that that lyeth .at the bottom 
 of- all i and how can this be 'remedied, but by 
 convincing People of the Danger and Eternal 
 Mifchief that doth attend them ; for if we could 
 but remove the Caufe, the Effeft would ceafe j 
 withdraw the Fuel of Errours , and the t ire 
 of Contention and Divifion will foon be Extin- 
 guiOied and go out ; there* are Scriptural Pro- 
 pheiies to be Accompliihed, and many Gracious 
 Promifes to be fulfilled, which thefe Errours and 
 Hereiies willh nder and obflruft, tijl they are 
 taken out of the way •, they are tumbling blocks 
 that lye in the way both of Jews and Carnal Ido- 
 latrous Gentiles ; and therefore it is high time to 
 bear a Teftimony againft them, becaufe the Lord 
 is at hind. ' . • 
 
 • I . Thcfe Errours and Herefics do hinder Union 
 in Mind and Judgment, i Cor. i. lo. Noiv I be- 
 fecch you Brethren, by the Name of our Lord J efm 
 Chrifly that ye ail fpeal^ the fame things and.that 
 there he no divifions'atn)^g you , but that )e be per- 
 fe^ly ]oyned together in the fame mind, and in the 
 fame judgment. 
 
 2. It obflrui^s Union in Love and. Affeftion, 
 and in Joy and Confolation ; Ph'iL 2. Fulfil ye 
 my py, ^hat ye he it\e-minded y having the fame 
 love ^' being (if one accord^ of one mind 
 
 3. Thefe differences in Opinion hinder us. from 
 glorifying God with one Mind , and with one 
 Mouth, as the Apodle exhorts us uiitp. 
 
 4. It hinders Union and Concord in the Wor- 
 fhip and Service of God, for we ought to fe^ve 
 the Lord with oneconfent, Zeph. 3. 9. ' 
 
 <,. Thefe Differences hinder Union in Faith and 
 Edification, £/)^.' 4. 5., 6, 13, 14. 
 
 6. And 
 
( uj ; 
 
 6. And laftly, Thefe Errours and Herefics do 
 hinder and obilruft the luttcr day Glory, and 
 will hinder the'fulfilling the i^rophefics and Pro- 
 mifes thereunto belonging, as Antichrift the 
 Great doth, till they are taken out .of the way : 
 /For there are Glorious Promifes Inveloped in 
 "the Prophefics, which do all belong unto Gods 
 Churches and People, Zech. 14. 5, 9. 
 
 Thus you fee in thefe Six Inftances, what a 
 pernicious, mifchievous thing thefe Errours in 
 Judgment are among the Churches and People 
 of God j fo that this Objection carryeth- no pro- 
 portion of worth or weight in it. Thus I have 
 unravelled our Opponents Principles, and totally 
 confuted them i fo that I have now done with 
 themj and I defire them all to confider fe- 
 rioufly of what I have faid , and alfo proved by 
 Scripture againft their Opinion --, and if any of 
 them (hall attempt to Reply to what I have writ- 
 ten, I defire them to give a plain Categorical 
 Anfwer unto the mod material points thereof, 
 without any Equivocation, Evafion, or Mental 
 Refer vation , and prove what they write by 
 clear Evidence produced from the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. 
 
 1 . I would defire our Opponents to lay down 
 the Covenant God Eftabliflied with Abraham 
 and his Seed j afid alfo that Covenant God made 
 with Mofes and I[rael upon Mount Sinai, fairly 
 at length as they are laid dowji in the Holy 
 Scriptures, which I find they generally emit j 
 and for what reafon I conceive, and they -them- 
 felyes very well know. 
 
 2. I would defire them if they can, to prove 
 by the Holy Scripture, that God did ever call 
 out and excommunicate the Children of Belie- 
 ving Parents out of the Church and Covenant 
 
 of 
 
( 2.1A. ) 
 
 of "Grace (ince Chrifl eamc in the Flefli, and 
 wjiat Aftual Sin they were guilty of which pro- 
 voked Gcd thereunto, 
 
 5. I detirc them to prove that Infants are not 
 capable of being taught of G'od now, as well 
 as they were under the Law. 
 
 4. I defire them to provcj that all the Privi- 
 ledges which Children enjoyed under the MofakJ(^ 
 Law werie deftroyed by the coming of Chrifl; in 
 the new Difpenfation of the Gofpel. 
 
 $. I would defire them to prove by the Sacred 
 Scriptures, that God hath one way, wherein he 
 faves EleA Dying infants, and another way 
 wherein he faves Adult Believers. 
 
 6. I defire them to prove, that Dying Infants 
 can pofTibly be faved, without being Regenera- 
 ted and Born of God , and alfo without the 
 Grace of Faitn. 
 
 7. I defire them to prove that Dying Infants 
 m^y be Saved that are not ^^ledled -, becaufe if 
 ih^y. are Elected, then the Grace of Faith doth 
 of right belong unto them, Tit, i. i. Eph» 2. 8. 
 
 8. I defire them to prove ho\v Dying Infants 
 may be faved without an Interefi[ in, and Union 
 unto Jefus Chrift, feeing that cannot be Effected ' 
 without the Grace of Faith, as they themfelves 
 hold and declare. .: • 
 
 p. I would defire them to (hew us, how Dy-* 
 ing Infants may be freed from the condemning 
 Sentence of the Law , without the Grace of 
 Faith, or befng in Chrift Jefus, Rom, 8. i. 
 
 10, I would defire thera to prove by the Sa- 
 cred Scripture, that the Righteoufnefs and Mct ^ 
 rits of Jefus Chrift dotji Judifie and Save a i)y- : 
 ing Infant without the Grace of Faith^ as 
 Mr. //. C, hath afl^rmed, and indeed it muft befoi 
 according to their Principle, which is repugnant 
 to the Scripture. xi. I defire 
 
( 21? ) 
 
 11. I dcfire them to prove by -the Sacred 
 Scripture, that ever any Soul, Old , or Young, 
 Infant or Adult, was favcd without being in the 
 Covenant of Grace, and then let them tcH us 
 how Dviiig Infmtscan be faved without Grace. 
 
 12. And laftly , I defire them to flic vv •us 
 how they can pray for their Dying Infants ac- 
 cording to their Principles •,-fo as they may re- 
 ceive any fuving benefit by it. 
 
 A bull Candid Anfwer to thefe Twelve Points I 
 challenge ahd expe^fl from you ; or an Ingenuous 
 Complyance and SuloniiiTton thereunto ; One of 
 thefe two will be your Honour, and the con- 
 trary a Difgrace'. : 
 
 I pray God fandifie thefe Truths unto you all, 
 and give you all a good undcrfhinding in tl;efe 
 New Covenant Myfreryes, which is the v/orft 
 harm I wiili to any of you •, for I can truely fay, 
 Hove your Pcrfcns,though I hate your Principles, 
 becaufe they are abominable in the fight of God, 
 I defire, if the Lord fee good, that we may all be 
 of one mind,and one heart knit together in Love, 
 that we may fervv.* the Lord with one confent , 
 for there is but One Lord, One Faith , Que Bap- 
 tifme, One God and Fathet of All, who is above 
 Ail, and through All , and in you All, that fo 
 we may keep the Unity of the Spirit in che Bond 
 of Peace. 
 
 Beloved in the Lord 
 
 IN this my Book," I have in thefirfl place given 
 an Anfwer tcfa Book falfly faid to be An Apo- 
 logy for Mr. Shute J which is mightily Admired 
 and Cryed up by the Ambaptilh\ 
 
 2. I have Anfwered a Letter fent me the lad 
 Year, without Name or Date, by one of that 
 Leaven with the aforefaid Book inclofed in iu 
 • 2, 1 have 
 
( 2.16 ) 
 
 3. I have vindicated the Honour of that Late 
 Worthy Divine, Reverend Mr. f. Mencej by con- 
 futing Mr.,f{. Cs Topping Arguments which he 
 produced to prove the Abrahamiacal Covenant to 
 be but a Covenant of Circuracifion , or a Cove- 
 naftt of Woirks. 
 
 4. Wherein he laboured to prove the Sinai Cove- 
 nant a Covenant of Works, I have confuted him 
 alfo, by proving it to be a Covenant of Grace. 
 
 $. I have aifo anfwered a Letter fent" me this 
 Year by an unknown hand, about the Great Fun- 
 damental Doftrine of Juftification. 
 
 6. And Laftly, I have proved that by the Do- 
 ctrine and Principles of the Anabctptifts , Tiiat 
 noncof thofc Perfons that hold it, can pray for 
 the Juftification, Regeneration, and Salvation 
 of their Dying Infants any more than for their 
 Dying Horfes or Swine ^ which is only that God 
 would Ipare their Lives, becaufe it is inconfiftent 
 with their Principles -, for they utterly deny 
 that young Infants are capable of receiving the 
 means of Juftification, Regeneration, and Salva- 
 tion, vi^. The Graces of the Spirit of Chrift to 
 funftifie and change their Natures , and make 
 them partakers of the Divine Nature, therefore 
 I Challenge them in particular to Anfvvcr this one 
 fingle Point By giving us fome particular Inftan- 
 cesof any of their Miniftcrs, Teaching and Ex- 
 horting Parents to pray for Renewing , Sanfti- 
 fying, Saving Grace for their young Babes, or 
 when any of them did ever pray in this manner 
 for Dying Infants,either for their own or others j 
 for without Renewing Sanftif^-mi; Grace , they 
 can never be faved ^ as I have fufficiently pro- 
 ved .• And what a Monftrous Corrupt Opinion 
 muft this be, under thefe Confiderations that arc 
 offuch an Abominable Confequence : From 
 which Principles, Good Lord, Deliver us. 
 F J N I S. 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 T FIND that this Anticovcnant Principle is but 
 •*■ ofa late Date herein England, as appeareth 
 by what Mr. Vjomat Wall luthwrkten con- 
 cerning them in his Book , Intituled, Ancient 
 Trut/j Revived, m page 1^6 (faith he) ' We read 
 ' of one JohnSmirh, firfl a Minifter in England^ 
 ' after joyned himfelf a Member of the Eujliflj 
 ' Church at Amjierdaw, where I/emy Ainftvorth 
 
 * was Teacher ^ and for Sin Smith was ca ft out 
 
 * of that Church ; Soon after, Satan drew him 
 
 * to deily the Covenant preached to ^^rrf/;rfw to 
 
 * be the Covenant of Grace, which led him to 
 ' deny his Baptifrae received in his Infancy; 
 
 * And though there'were many more then of 
 ' his Judgment, yet they knew not where to 
 
 * have an Adminiflrator to begin^Baptifme by 
 
 * Dipping 'y therefore as Satan had' begun to in- 
 
 * Airudt him, he added Sin to Sin , and Bapti- 
 ' zed hirafelf : Then he Baptized one Mr. HelviJJ} 
 
 * and John M'Wton, wi^h the reft 5 and this is 
 
 * Teftificd by one Mr. Jofeph, who as he faith, 
 
 * was one of them j and after by Grace renoun- 
 
 * ced their Evil doiog, and writ a Book againfl 
 ' them, Irttitled A bifcovery of the Erroys of that 
 
 * People in the Tear 1623. page6<,; likewife 
 ' H. Ainjworth faith.Mr. .S/wzV/j Baptizeti liimfelf 
 ' in his Book called Toe Defence of the Holy ScYip- 
 
 * r//re, vvritagainft 5W^/;, jtvz^e 69 82. So faith 
 ' Mr. C/?f^^ in his Chriftian Plea ^^^\a(i Smithy 
 ' p. 185. 224. Now let the Wife Judge in what. 
 ^ abominably difordcr they retain their Baptifrae 
 ' ever fiijce from Mr, S/wzW; ^ and whether it 
 
 ' flmketli not in the Noftrils of the Lord, ever 
 K ' fiFiCe 
 
* fince, as th« MinlAry ©f Cor4h apd his Com- 
 ' pany did. In his Table of particulars , where 
 
 * in this palTage is direfted to itjis queryedjWho 
 
 * began Baptifrae by way of Dipping amofig the 
 
 * Englifl) People that calls themfelves Baptifts ? 
 ' The Anfwer is , John Smith , who Baptized 
 
 * himfelf. 
 
 Thus you may fee upon what a rotten Foun- 
 dation the Principles of the Anabaptifts is built, 
 and at what Door that Anticovenant Doilrine 
 came in at among us in England y therefore it is 
 of the Earth, and b«t a Humane Invention j and. 
 ought to be abhpr'dand detefted by all Chriftian 
 People, 
 
 
 
,^ 
 
 "5;