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( 26 ) 
 
 different in their nature, when commanded by 
 authority, are no longer indifferent to ns, but b 
 necessary in their use j and in disobeying the: 
 have the rule over us, we disobey God, who ha 
 manded us to be subject for conscience sake; and 
 fore all this we are to do, from a sense of tha 
 which they have to command, intrusted to tr : 
 God our Saviour, and of that great penalty to 
 we are liable by our contempt ; for he that dc 
 them, despiseth Him that sent them* 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 ERRATUM. 
 
 In page 9, (note) 7th line from the bottom, 
 * distinguished" read distinguishing* 
 
THt 
 
 CO VEN ANT -INTEREST, 
 
 O F T H E 
 
 CHILDREN of BELIEVER^ 
 
 ILLUSTRATED *nd PROVED: 
 
 And considered m 
 A SOLID FOUNDATION 
 
 FOR 
 
 INFANT BAPTISM 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 Concerning the Discipline of Ba«tized Child^eh 
 
 
 By A M Z I LEWIS, i M. 
 
 Pastor of the Church of Christ, in Fl rida. 
 
 That our Sons may be as Plants grown up in their Koutb ; 
 that our Daughters may be as corner Stones policed after 
 the Similitude of a Palace, 
 
 Vhls Day Is Salvation come to 
 
 al/o is the Son of Abraham. ]\ 
 
 The unfeigned Faith that is in thee, which dwelt fir ft in thy ^S. 
 Grand-mother Lois, and thy Mother Eunice t and I am 
 per/iiadjd that in thee alfo, Paul. ^? 
 
 be as corner Stones polijhed after ^ 
 \ David\ i ^3 
 
 to this Houfe, for fo much as hi ^y^ 
 m. Tesus Christ. '* ' " " V 
 
 CHATHAM.: 
 Pointed by SHEPARD KOL LOC K, i 7 %y 
 
 Urt-vrw 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 rHE queflion concerning the right of infants 
 to baptifm is very important, as it affecls our 
 praclice, fince we are indifpenjably bound to 
 keep pure and entire all the ordinances and infiitu- 
 lions of Chrift. For, if infants have no right to 
 baptifm according to the word of God, it is fuper- 
 ftition, and will-worfhip to baptize them ; but if 
 they have, it is injurious and difpleafing to God % 
 to exclude them from a) vifible fianding in^ his 
 kingdom. 
 
 Some boldly and ftrenuoufiy deny, that there is 
 any foundation in the word of God for the bap* 
 tifm of infants \ and the conviclion of fuch is not 
 greatly expelled : But there are others who doubt, 
 and being puzzled and perplexed in their minds 
 nhout the matter, feem honefily andftncerely defirous 
 to know and praclife the truth. Such, we may 
 pre fume, will impartially and diligently conjider* 
 whatever may be offered to elucidate the Jubjeft. 
 
 The moft plaufible argument againft the baptifm 
 of infants, has been founded on this principle, viz. 
 That a&ual faith is a neceflary qualification for 
 that ordinance. This argument is the dernier 
 refort, of the antipcedobaptifts, and the whole 
 weight of their caufe refts and depends upon it. 
 This has had more influence than every thing elfe 
 together, to perplex and confound fincere and con* 
 fcuntious chriftians 7 concerning the fubjecl of in* 
 
 fant 
 
br P R E F A C E. 
 
 fant baptifm. For, it muft be acknowledged, thai 
 according to the word of God, believers only are to 
 i?e baptized : And, though the children of the faith- 
 ful are to be reputed believers ; yet, as matters- 
 have been circumflanced, and as thefubjecl of bap- 
 tifm has been treated, it is not ftrange that people 
 in general Ihould not readily fee things in this light. 
 
 The covenant -inter eft of the children of believers 
 has been, with great propriety, generally infilled 
 m, as a principal foundation for infant baptifm. 
 But many writers on that fubjefi, have been very 
 deficient in illuftrating and defining the nature of 
 that covenant -inter eft : And hence their ingenious 
 and elaborate performances, have been lefs con- 
 •viclive, and more liable to cavils and exceptions 
 from iheir opponents. 
 
 My defign in the following feclions is. not only 
 to prove the covenant -inter eft of the children of be- 
 lievers -, but to illuftrate the nature arid extent cf 
 that covenant-inter eft, and fhew that fuch children 
 are to be considered and treated as vifible believer:, 
 and therefore to be baptized. Whether this di- 
 fign be in any tolerable degree anfwered and ex- 
 ecuted, muft be now fubmitted to the judgment of 
 the candid and judicious reader. 
 
 If it be proved, that the children of believers 
 are fo comprehended in the covenant of grace* as 
 to conftitute them vifible believers, this will, in 
 the opinion of many, afford a full and fatisfaclory 
 anfwer te the grand and fundamental argument 
 upon which the oppodtion to infant baptifm is wholly 
 built : And the foundation being removed, the 
 whole fabrick muft tumble to the ground-, and fo 
 
 the 
 
PREFACE, y 
 
 the fuljecl will be cleared from that difficulty, 
 which has been thought by many infuperable, and 
 which has certainly been very -perplexing to the 
 winds of fome honeft chriftians. 
 
 The arguments in the following pages are very 
 fcriptural ; and their whole weight and force de- 
 pends upon paffages, which appear to me very plain 
 and exprefs. They might have been more largely 
 itluftrated, and many others might have been ad- 
 ded. But 1 think I hadfufficient reafons to Jludy 
 brevity ; and on this account I have omitted the 
 arguments for infant baptifm, which have been 
 largely urged and enforced by others •, although I 
 am very fenfible that thofe arguments would greatly 
 corroborate what is here advanced on that fubj eel. 
 But there is lefs necejfity of repeating thofe common 
 topics, fince they will readily occur to thofe who 
 have thefiighteft acquaintance with this controverfy. 
 
 For the fake of brevity alfy, I have omitted to 
 anfwer many of the cavils and objections which 
 have been commonly raifed againft the arguments for 
 infant bapdjm ; efpecially, as, I humbly conceive, 
 they are in great me af lire preclude d y and their feem- 
 ing force and plaufibility deftrcyed, by ccnfidering 
 the fubj eel in the manner which is adopted in the 
 following effay. 
 
 If what is here effered to the public, afford 
 any light to candid and impartial enquirers, on the 
 fubjett of infant bapiifm ; or tend to enable end 
 excite chrifiian parents mere underftandingly and 
 faithfully to offer their child: en to Ccd in that or- 
 dinance, and train them up in the nurture and admo- 
 niticnof the Lord : This will anfher ike end^ and 
 compenfc.u for the pains and expenceof the author, 
 

 The COVENANT-INTEREST of 
 
 the Children of Believers il- 
 luftrated and proved. 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 The fuljeft introduced^ ftated, and explained: 
 
 GO D has always been pleafed to treat 
 with mankind in a covenant way. Thus 
 he did with Adam> at the beginning ; 
 and thus he has done in various inftances with 
 mankind in their fallen ftate \ as with Noab 9 
 Abraham^ and others. When God condefcends 
 to enter into covenant with tinners, fuch fede- 
 ral tranfactions may properly be called covenants 
 cf grace : For the divine honour and perfecti- 
 ons require, that finners mould receive benefits; 
 only in a gracious way. The covenants, of 
 which we have an account in fcripture, gene- 
 rally, (if not always) comprehended the k^d 
 or poftcrity of thofe immediately concerned : 
 And the bleflings promifed to parents were alfo 
 to be conferred on their offspring. This is not 
 only evident from particular inftances of federal 
 tranfactions recorded in God's word •, but from 
 the promifes indifcriminately made to the righ- 
 teous 
 
t 8 ) 
 
 teous refpecting their feed -, and the public and 
 ftanding rule of God's conduct, which is, to 
 /hew mercy unto tboufands of tbofe that love bim 9 
 and keep his commandments. 
 
 It was certainly an expreffion of abundant 
 grace in God, to extend his covenant-breflings 
 to the feed of the righteous. And, as all the 
 federal tranfactions of which we fpeak, were 
 doubtlefs defigned to be, at lead, figures of the 
 covenant of grace, which is eltabliibed in Chrift 
 with every believer ; fo we fhould naturally ex- 
 pect, that the latter would be as extenfive as 
 the former : And that, therefore, the children 
 of believers fhould be comprehended in it ; ef- 
 pecially, as the brightell and moft abundant 
 difplay of divine grace is defignedly made in 
 the promifes of the gofpel, which in Chrift are 
 yea, and in him amen. 
 
 By the covenant of grace I understand, that 
 gracious difpenfa'ion towards fallen man, which 
 God hath revealed in the gofpel •, in which he pro- 
 mifes the pardon of fin, the holy fpirit, temporal 
 hlefftngSy and eternal life, to all tbofe, who, being 
 chofen and effeclually called, do truly repent, believe 
 on Jefus C^rift, and embrace the promifes. 
 
 In covenants among men there are two, or 
 more parties, and conditions for each party to 
 perform. So, in the covenant of grace, God 
 is one party, who graciouQy condefccnds to en- 
 ter into covenant with his people through Jefus 
 Chrifl: ; And true penitents and believers, who 
 comply with the covenant propoled by God, are 
 of the other party. But, whether repentance 
 
 and 
 
( 9 ) 
 
 and faith may be properly called conditions or 
 not, I fhall not confider at prefent. It may 
 fuffice to obferve, that thefc exercifes are duties 
 incumbent on all, to whom the covenant is pro- 
 pofed, or to whom the gofpel comes ; that they 
 are wrought in the hearts of men only by the 
 power and fpirit of God ; and that it is to true 
 penitents and believers only, that the bleftings 
 of the covenant are directly promifed. 
 
 It may indeed be faid, that the blefiings o£ 
 the covenant are promifed to the ieed of be- 1 
 lievers, but not directly ; the promifes are made 
 to believing parents, and through them to their, 
 offspring, who may therefore be laid to be com- 
 prehended, or included with their parents in the 
 covenant of grace. 
 
 When I aflert, that the children of believers 
 are comprehended with their parents in the cove- 
 nant cf grace •, I mean, that the promifes of the 
 covenant of grace, which are made direclly t3 
 their parents, contain and exprefs bleffings to 
 be conferred on the children ; even the fame 
 bleffings in which the parents are interefted by 
 the fame covenant. For, as God promifes t<* 
 be a God to the parents •, fo he promifes to the 
 parents to be a God to their children* I da 
 not mean to aflert, that all the children of be*, 
 Jievers do actually repent and believe; or that 
 they will all finally be faved : But I aflert, that: 
 thefe bleffings are held forth in the promifes o£ 
 the covenant, and are fure to all thofe children* 
 whofe parents take hold on the covenant, and 
 embrace the promifes for them, as they may, 
 and ought to do, 
 
 b section;- 
 
SECTION II. 
 
 Tloe covenant with Abraham fJjewn to be the cove- 
 nant cf grace, 
 
 HAVING dated and explained my meaning 
 in the preceding lection, I proceed directly 
 to prove, that the children of believers are com- 
 prehended with their parents in the covenant of 
 grace. And here I oblerve, that the covenant 
 with Abraham ', or the covenant of ' circumcifion, as 
 it is called by Stephen (Acts vii. 8.) was effen- 
 tiailv the covenant of grace •, and that it ex^ 
 prefsiy comprehended his children or feed. 
 
 As this has been often and largely infifted on 
 £nd illuftrated by others, I fhall only briefly 
 mention fome confiderations, which fhew that 
 the covenant made with Abraham, was the co- 
 venant of grace •, and then confider, how the 
 children of Abraham ^ and his feed, were com- 
 prehended in it. 
 
 That the covenant with Abraham is the cove- 
 nant of grace, is evident, 
 
 ift. From the exprefs words of the covenant 
 and the promifes it contains. The words are 
 (Gen. xvii. y.) 1 will eft ablijh my covenant between 
 ine and thee, and thy feed after ihee in their gene- 
 rations, for an everlafting covenant \ to be a God 
 unto thee and to tly feed after thee. This is the 
 exprefs language of the covenant of grace, as 
 it is reprefented in various paMages of fcripture; 
 particularly by the prophet Jeremiah (chap. xxxi. 
 33.) and after him by theapoftle (Heb. viii. 10.) 
 by whom the new covenant, or covenant of 
 grace, is thus dcicribed : %bh is the covenant 
 
 that 
 
( M ) 
 
 t-hat I will make 'with the houfe of Ifrael, aft-er 
 ihofe days, faith the Lord ; I will put my laws 
 into thdr mind, and write them in their hearts : 
 And I will be to them a God, and they fh all be t» 
 me a people. And as the promife to Abraham is 
 cxpreiTed in the very language of the covenant 
 of grace •, lb it comprehends all the blelTings 
 of the covenant of grace, temporal, fpiritual, 
 and eternal -, which certainly cannot be predi- 
 cated of any other covenant. 
 
 That this promife to Abraham contained tern?-' 
 poral bleilings, will probably be allowed by all^ 
 that deny it to be the covenant of grace. But 
 if it Should .not, k may 'be proved by the inter- 
 pretation of Jacob, in the vow which lie mads 
 in his way to Padan-aram, after God had re- 
 newed covenant with him. (Gen. xxviii.) If God 
 will be with me, and will keep in this way which I 
 go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to 
 put on, Jo that I come again to my father's houfe 
 in peace, then Jhall the Lord be my God, And 
 that it contained the fpiritual blefiings of jufti- 
 ncation and fancufkation of the fpirit, is evi- 
 dent from what the apofile fays, (Gal. iii. 8, 9, 
 14.) Know ye thirefore, that they which are of the 
 faith, the fame are tie children of Abraham. 
 And, the fcripture forejeeing that God wcudjufiy 
 Jhe heathen through fa'nb, preached before the 
 gcfpel unto Abraham, faying, in thee /hall a I na- 
 tions he bleffed. And again, that the iUffing of 
 Abraham mght come upon -the Gentiles, thr ugh 
 Jefus Chrift, that we might receive the premie of 
 .the jpirit through faith. And thai eternal biciT* 
 ings are comprehended in the promife, is cleary 
 fiswa by oi?r ^avigur, who proves, againft th^e 
 
 Saddu.m 
 
It 12 ) 
 
 Sadducees^ the blefTed immortality of the Patri- 
 archs from God calling himfelf, the Go d of 
 Jbraham, the God of Jfaac, and the God of Jacob* 
 (Matt. xxii. 30, 32.) And the apoitlc vindi- 
 cates the propriety of God being called the God 
 of the fathers, from his providing for them an 
 eternal heavenly habitation (Heb. xi. 16.) 
 Wherefore God is not afhamed to be called their 
 Cod ; for be hath prepared for them a city, which 
 "was indeed a blefling well worthy of a God to 
 promife and beftow. And I may add, that 
 eternal life, and the glory of the heavenly Hate, 
 isalfo promifed in thefe very terms (Rev. xxi. 7.) 
 He that over comet h fhall inherit all things , and I 
 will be his Goi. As therefore the Abrahamic 
 covenant promifes all the bleflings that are con- 
 tained in the covenant of grace, and that in 
 thole very terms and words, which are ufed 
 abundantly in other paffages of the facred wri- 
 tings to exprefs the lame bleffings \ who can 
 doubt, but that it is really and fubftantially the 
 covenant of grace ? 
 
 2d. It is evident, that the covenant with 
 'Atraham is the covenant of grace ; becaufe cir- 
 cumcifion, which was called the token of the co- 
 venant % is, by the apoftle, expreisly laid to be 
 the feal of the righleoufnefs of the faiths which 
 Abraham had, being uncircumcifed. (Rom. iv. 11,) 
 Now, this faith of Abraham, of which circum- 
 cifion was the feal, was the fame, with that, by 
 which all believers are juftified •, as the apoftle 
 particularly (hews in the context. And the righ* 
 teouihefs of faith is the very effence of the 
 covenant of grace, as appears from its being 
 oppofed to the law a or covenant of works* 
 
 (v. 13.) 
 
( 13 ) 
 
 (v. 13.) For t'e prom ft was not to Abraham, or 
 to his feed through the kw 9 but thrcugh the righ* 
 lecufnefs of faith. And a^ain (chap. x. 5, 6.) 
 For Mofes defcribeth the righte:ufnefs which is of 
 the law, that the man that doth tkcfe things frail 
 live by them. But the rightecufnefs, which is of 
 faith, Jpeak-th en this wife, fay net, &c. If 
 therefore circumcihon was a fcal of the righte- 
 oufhefs of faith, it was a feal of the covenant of 
 grace, and the covenant made with Abraham, 
 of which circumcifion was the token, was the 
 covenant of grace •, in which all his ked are in- 
 terfiled, they being heirs according to the pre* 
 wife. 
 
 3d. It is farther evident, that the Abrahamic 
 covenant is the covenant of grace •, becaufe it 
 was confirmed of God in Chrift, and not difan- 
 nuiable by the law. (Gal. iii. 17.) Now, nocc- 
 venant, which God hath made with fallen man, 
 but the covenant of grace was fo confirmed in 
 Chrift, that it could not be dilannuied by the 
 law : And if it were not difannuled by the law, 
 we may be fure it is not by the gofpel. For, 
 Chrift is to confirm the prcmifes made to the fa- 
 thers : And all the promifes of God, that are 
 confirmed in him, are yea end amen. 
 
 S E C T I O N III. 
 
 Hew the children of Abraham and his feed were 
 comprehended in the covenant. 
 
 IP R O C E E D, as was propofed, to confider 
 how the children of Abraham and his feed 
 were comprehended in the covenant. 
 
 The 
 
( *4 ) 
 
 The exprefs words, in which God promifes 
 to be a God to Abraham, and to his iced •, and 
 the token, or leal, circumcifion applied by di- 
 vine direction to every male child in his family, 
 do plainly fhew, that his children were compre- 
 hended in the covenant ; and that the greateft 
 blefiings were promifed to them, through him ; 
 even the lame blefiings with which he himlelf 
 was blefled. No greater blefiings can be granted 
 to man, than are contained in the promife, / will 
 le a Gcd to thee. It has been mown to compre- 
 hend all the blefiings of the covenant of grace, 
 temporal, fpiritual, and eternal. In this pro- 
 mife God gives himlelf, as an all-fuflicicnt God 
 and portion •, and furely he can give nothing 
 greater. Happy, indeed, is that people whrfe 
 Gcd is the Lr/d (Pfil. cxliv. 15.) And it is the 
 fame blefiing that is promifed to Abraham for 
 his feed. And a God to thy feed : It cannot be 
 fuppoled that God intends one thing, when he 
 promifes to be a God to Abraham -, and another, 
 when he promifes to be a God to his feed. A 
 method of interpreting this promife, that would 
 make fuch a fuppofition necefiary, would be ex- 
 travagant and abfurd to the higher!: degree: 
 And if generally followed, would render it for- 
 ever impofiible to determine any thing from the 
 words of fcripture. 
 
 If, therefore, God's promife to be a God to 
 Abralcm, contain the blefiings of the covenant 
 of grace ; ev: n temporal, fpiritual, and eternal 
 blefiings for him ; furely the promife to be a God 
 to his ittd, muft include and exprefs the fame 
 blefiings to them. For, to ufe the apoftles lan- 
 guage," God would have been fijhamed to be calkd 
 
 their 
 
( «5 3 
 
 their God, if he had not provided for thtm a city* 
 Temporal blemngs only, would have been com- 
 parative'y imall things and unworthy to have 
 been the bafis of that peculiar covenant relation 
 between God and them, which is expreffed by 
 his being their God. 
 
 What has been faid is fufikient to {hew, that 
 the covenant with Abraham implies a promife, 
 that his children fhould be regenerated, and 
 have the fame faith which he himfelf had. Fcr 
 otherwife it would have been inconfiftent with 
 the divine character and perfections for God to 
 be their God, as he was 'he God of Abraham. 
 But they having the fame faith, woold cohfe- 
 quently be blefied with him. For, they wbub 
 be of the faith are bkffed with faithful Abraham* 
 And thus God would virtually lay to all the 
 faithful children, as he faid to their father, / 
 will be a God to you and to your feed. A ccordingly 
 it appears, that when God renewed covenant 
 with Ifaac and Jacob, he promifed them the fame 
 blemngs for them and their offspring, as he had. 
 before granted to their father Abraham, (Gen. 
 xxvi. 3, 4. and xxviii. 13, 14. and xxxv. 12.) 
 
 The grand objection againit this explanation 
 of the Abrahamic covenant is, that Chnft is the 
 feed intended in the promife : For thus the 
 apottle writes. (Gal. iii. 16.) Now to Abraham 
 and his feed were the premifes made. He faith 
 not, and to feeds as of many : But as of one, and 
 to thy feed, which is Chnft. And hence it is in- 
 ferred, that fuch blemngs as have been menti- 
 oned, were not promifed to Abraham, refpecting 
 his natural offspring or pofterity. 
 
 I aniwer \ 
 
( i6 ) 
 
 I anfwer ; If by feed in the text we are to tin* 
 derftand Chrift perfonally confidered, fo as to 
 exclude every other idea, when we fpeak of the 
 feed of Abraham being interefted in the pro- 
 miies ; it muft~be acknowledged, that the ob- 
 jection will lie with weight againft what has been 
 advanced. But if the apoille be fpeaking, as 
 no doubt he is, of Chrift as the head of his 
 body the church, of whom the whole family is 
 named \ and who, thus myftically confidered, 
 includes all his people in all ages of the world : 
 Then the text is perfectly confident with blefu 
 ings being promifed to Abraham refpecYing his 
 natural feed, in the manner that has been be- 
 fore afiferted. 
 
 The queliion maybe reduced to a fhort com- 
 pafs thus : Were the natural feed of Abraham 
 in any fenfe included in the covenant ? The af- 
 firmative is piain -, becaufe the token cf the 
 covenant was applied to them : And becaufe 
 their being brought to the pofleffion of Canaan, 
 is always reprefented as a confequence of God's 
 promise to Abraham refpedting them. Befides, 
 the apoftle exprefsiy teaches, that to them per- 
 tained the covenants and prcmifes. (Rom. ix. 4.) 
 
 If, therefore, the natural feed of Abraham 
 were included in the covenant, they were heirs 
 to the fame bleffings with Abraham. For, the 
 promife is exprefTed in the fame terms to him 
 and to them. And thofe who believe, and 
 thereby become the children of Abraham, are 
 -alfo intitled to the fame privileges ; for they are 
 bleffed with faithful Abraham, if it was a blefif- 
 ing to Abraham that God would be a God to 
 his natural feed or children, then this is a 
 
 ble fling 
 
( '7 ) 
 
 bleffing belonging to all believers ; for to fuch 
 the bleiTmgs of Abraham defcend. 
 
 Thefe things being confidered, it appears 
 that the text referred to in the objection is- not 
 at all contrary to the doctrine advanced above. 
 On the other hand, it affords the cleareft evi- 
 dence that the covenant with Abraham is the 
 covenant of grace, and that the bleilings of it 
 belong to all his faithful children. As the 
 apoftle fays in the context, If ye beCbriJFs, then 
 are ye Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the 
 promife. Now the promife is, / will eftablijb 
 my covenant between me and thee, to be a God to 
 thee and to thy feed after thee. Thus God faid 
 to Abraham -, and therefore thus he fays to every 
 believer, who is a child of Abraham, and there- 
 fore bleffed with him. 
 
 The nature and extent of the promife to 
 Abraham and his feed, reflecting their children, 
 may be farther afcertained, by taking a view of 
 the promifes of the fame import, which we find 
 made to the Ifraeiites his pofterity ♦, which will 
 be the fubject of the next feet ion. 
 
 SECTION IV. 
 
 A view of the promifes made to the Ifraeiites 
 reflecting their feed. 
 
 THE promifes made to the Ifraeiites refpecV 
 ing their feed will be to our*purpofe, 
 whether the covenant with Abraham be allowed 
 to be the covenant of grace or not. For, if 
 the covenant with Abraham be the covenant of 
 grace, then the confiderarion of thefe promifes 
 C will 
 
( iS ) 
 
 will mew the nature and extent of that covenant! 
 which is the thing propofed. But if "the cove^ 
 nant with Abraham be not the covenant of grace, 
 it will Hill appear, that thefe promifes belong to 
 the covenant of grace : And io a confideration 
 of them will tend to illuftrate and confirm the 
 grand point, viz. That the children of believers 
 are comprehended in the covenant of grace, in 
 the manner which has been reprefented. 
 
 It is evident from many pafiages in the book 
 of Deuteronomy, that when God promiles bleflf- 
 ings to the obedient Kraelites, their children are 
 alfo included in thofe promifes. Thus Mcfes 
 iays, (Deut. vii. 12, 13.) 7/ Jhall come pafs, if 
 ye hearken to thefe judgments arid keep and do them, 
 that the Lord thy God JJoall keep unto thee, the co- 
 venant and the mercy, which he /ware unto thy 
 fathers. And he will love thee* and blefs thee, 
 and multiply thee : He will alfo blefs the fruit of 
 thy womb. This paflage expcefsly confirms to 
 all the obedient children of Ifrael, the covenant 
 which God had fworn to their fathers ; that is, 
 to Abraham > Ifaac, and Jacob : And plainly 
 fnews, that in the performance of the promife 
 to the former, their children, the fruit of their 
 womb, fhouid be blelTed. Or, which is the fame 
 thing, that as God was the God of Abraham, 
 and his feed : So he would be the God of his 
 obedient pofierity and their kcd. 
 
 In like manner, when Mofes particularly 
 reckons up and pronounces bleflings upon the 
 obedient, and curfes upon the difobedient, 
 (Deut. xxviii.) he begins his catalogue of blefl- 
 ings thus : Bltfjed /halt thou be in the city, and 
 hleffed fhalt thou be in the field, BUffed Jhall be 
 
 the 
 
( 19 ) 
 
 ile fruit of thy body, that is, thy children. And 
 again, (Deut. iv. 40 ) Thou /halt keep his ftatutes 
 and his commandments, which I command thee this 
 day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy 
 children after thee. (See alio Deut. xi. 21. and 
 xii. 25.) 
 
 That God in thefe paflages promifes blefllngs 
 to the feed of thole who love him and keep his 
 commandments, is undeniably evident. And if 
 any fnould fay, that thefe are only temporal 
 bleiTings, andnotfuch as have been reprefented 
 as contained in the covenant with Abraham \ the 
 next palTa^e which I (hall mention, will, I think, 
 in this refpect be unexceptionable. It is found 
 among the words of Mofes, which he fpake to 
 the children of Ifrael in the plains of Mcab 9 
 where he lays, (Deut. xxx. 6.) The Lord thy 
 God will circumcife thine hearty and the heart of 
 thy feed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine 
 heart, and with all thy foul, that thou may eft life: 
 On which we may obferve, 
 ' lft. That Mofes is here explaining to the chife 
 dren of Ifrael, the covenant with God, which 
 he had led them to enter into in the preceding 
 chapter •, which covenant was a folemn renew- 
 ing with that generation, of the covenant God 
 had made with Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, 
 (chap. xxix. 1^.) and which contained bleffings 
 to the obedient, and curfes to the difobedient 5 
 and exprelsly comprehended all the people, 
 both parents and children, from the greateft tq 
 the lead. (chap, xxix, 10, u, 15.) 
 
 2d. That the blefilng promifed is circumci- 
 lion of heart, by which the fubjecls of it would 
 jps difpofed to love the Lord their God, with al[ 
 
( 2<? ) 
 
 their heart and all their foul : Which was cer^ 
 tainly a fpiritnal bklTing and a blefTing of the 
 covenant of grace, to be conferred upon thofe 
 who mould return unto the Lord* and obey his 
 voice* 
 
 3d. That the blefling is extended to the feed 
 of thefe penitent returning Jfraelites, in the fame 
 terms as to themfelves : As it was in the cove- 
 nant with Abraham, and in the other promifes, 
 which we have confidered. The heart of the 
 feed, as well as of the parents, was to be cir- 
 cumcifed to love the Lord their God. 
 
 4th. That when Mofes, in the molt folemn 
 manner, repeats the fum of this covenant, and 
 lets it before the people, (v. 19.) he makes it 
 to con fiil: in life and death, bleffing and curling ; 
 and exhorts them to choole life for the benefit 
 of their feed, as « ell as for themfelves : There- 
 fore cboofe life^ that both thou and thy feed may 
 live. 
 
 5th. That, as the promife of circumcifion 
 of heart is, without all controverfy, a promife of 
 the covenant of grace j lb Mojes feems in this 
 whole chapter more clearly to explain and preach 
 the gofpel to the people of Jfrael, than he had 
 done before. The apoflle quotes feveral verfes 
 out of this chapter, as the very language of the 
 golpel, or right eoufnefs which is of faith, (v. 12, 
 13, 14. compared with Rom. x. 6, 7, 8.) And 
 when Mofes faith, The word is nigh thee, in thy 
 mouth, and in thy heart, the apoitle exprefsly 
 adds, by way of explanation, that is the word 
 cf faith which we preach. And it is the obfer- 
 vation of an eminent writer, " That though 
 J Mofes had moil: of all preached the law, and 
 
 11 S ive -^ 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 " given it at Mount Sinai 5 and had hid the 
 * c gofpel under the types and fhadows of legal 
 * c ceremonies : Yet now, when he was to die, 
 " he doth, through the Holy GhoiVs coming 
 w upon him, preach the gofpel, and deliver 
 46 the covenant thereof clearly and plainly to 
 " the Jews : For you may read, (in Deut. xxix, 
 " /.) that he calls it, The words of the covenant 
 <c which the Lord commanded Mofes to make with 
 " the children of Ilrael, in the land of Moab, 
 " befides the covenant which he made with them in 
 " Horeb : It is another covenant ; and there- 
 fore the apoitle pertinently quotes the words 
 of this laft great fermon of Mcfes, to diftin- 
 guifh the covenant of works and the cove- 
 nant of grace.*" 
 If therefore this covenant made with Ifrael in 
 the land of Moab, be efientially the covenant 
 which was made and eftablifhed with Abraham* 
 Ifaac, and Jacob -, and if it be alfo the covenant 
 of grace, then the covenant with Abraham and 
 the covenant of grace are eflentially the fame. 
 And as the new covenant bleffing of circumci- 
 fion of heart is here exprefsly promifed to the 
 Jfraelites and their feed j this mews the meaning 
 and extent of the promile to Abraham to be a 
 God to him and his feed ; and makes it evi* 
 dent that fpiritual ble flings were to be conferred 
 on Abraham and his feed according to that pro* 
 mife. But if this covenant be not the covenant 
 made with Abraham, yet it muft be the cove- 
 nant of grace •, for to promife circumcifion of 
 heart, is effential and peculiar to that covenant : 
 And therefore, as it exprefsly promifes this to 
 
 the 
 f pr, Goodwin as quoted by Di< Guife. 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 the parents and their leed, it proves, that the 
 children of believers are comprehended with their 
 parents in the covenant of grace, 
 
 SECTION V. 
 
 Of God's promifes to the feed of the righteous in 
 general. 
 
 THE fubjecl: may be farther illudrated and 
 confirmed, by a variety of promifes and 
 declarations, which expre(s God's gracious pur- 
 pole, to the feed of the righteous in general : 
 And the paflfages, which I mall cite to this pur- 
 pole, are taken out of the pfalms and proverbs ; 
 in which books God's dated method of conduct 
 towards his people is exhibited, at lead in many 
 indances, without regard to any diftinguilhing 
 external relation and privileges, which the peo- 
 ple of Ifrael enjoyed, The promifes and de- 
 clarations in thefe parts of the facred fcriptures, 
 have been, therefore, rightly thought to be ap- 
 plicable univerfally to God's people in every 
 age and difpenfation •, at lead when not exprefsly 
 appropriated to fome particular perfon or fub- 
 jecl:. The pfalmid fays, (Pfal. xxv. 12, 13.) 
 What man is he that fear eth the Lord ! him jhall 
 he teach in the way that he jhall chcofe : His foul 
 Jhall dwell at eafe^ and his feed Jhall inherit the 
 earth. Here is evidently a blefling pronounced 
 upon the feed of him that feareth the Lord y 
 and it is a gofpel blefling — a new covenant blelT- 
 ing — a peculiar and didinguifhing blefling of 
 God's people, as may appear by comparing it 
 with other paflages. It is the blefling of thq 
 
 meek ; 
 
( 23 ) 
 
 rneek -, (FTal. xxxvii. n. compared with Matt, **, 
 5.) the bicfilng of thofe that wait on the Lord-, 
 (Pfal. xxxvii. 9.) the blefling of the bleffed of 
 the Lord-, (v. '22.) the bicfiing of the righteous-, 
 (v. 29.) the blefling of thole who wait on the 
 Lord and keep his way, (v. 34.) It either intends 
 a covenant right to earthly poflefllons, or it is a 
 promife of the eternal inheritance \ (Heb. ix. 
 15.) either way it is a blefling of the covenant 
 of grace : Otherwife it could not be made the 
 peculiar privilege of the righteous. Befides, 
 as it is a di (lingo idling blefling of the righte- 
 ous, it is atleaft an implicit promife, that the 
 feed of thofe that fear the Lord fliall be righ- 
 teous ♦, otherwife how could they be heirs to the 
 peculiar bleflings of fuch ? Again, the righte* 
 ous are called bleffed in contradiftinction to the 
 wicked who are cur fed •, (v. 22.) but the feed of 
 the righteous is bleffed ; (v. 26.) therefore the 
 feed of the righteous muft be leckoned among 
 the righteous. And thus they are heirs to the 
 fame bleflings and privileges which their righ- 
 teous parents inherit. 
 
 The fame thing is exprefsly alTerted in ano- 
 ther place. (Pfal. cxii. 1, 2.) Bleffed is the man 
 that j ear eth the Lord; that delighteth greatly in 
 hi, commandments : His feed /ball be mighty upon 
 the earth \ the generation of the upright Jh all be 
 bleffed. (See alfo Pfal. cii." 28.) To the fame 
 purpofe, among the bleflings of the man that 
 feareth the Lord, (Pfal. exxviii.) we read, thy 
 ehildren fhall be like olive-plants round about thy 
 table. The Pfalmift compares himfelf to a green 
 olive-tree in the houfe of God-, (Pfal lii. 8.) 
 by which he probably means tc exprefs his fac 
 
 and 
 
( H ) 
 
 fcnd flourifliing (late in religious and fpiritual 
 matters ; or, however, fome peculiar privilege 
 of the faithful, or of thofe that truft in the 
 Lord : For it is fet in oppofition to the ftate of 
 him, who made not God his ftrength ; but truft ed 
 in the abundance of his riches, and ftrengthencd 
 himjelf in his wickednefs ; which is mentioned in 
 the preceding verle, and the Pialmift adds, I 
 truft in the mercy of God for ever and ever. And 
 it is alfo obfervable, that the prophet Jeremiah 
 ufes the fame fimilitude to repreient the prof- 
 perous and flourifhing ftate of Ifrael, when God 
 planted them at firft, a noble vine, wholly a right 
 feed ; for he fays, the Lord called thy name, a 
 green olive-tree fair, and of goodly fruit. Hence 
 we may conclude, that when children are com- 
 pared to olive-plants, it fignities their pious cha- 
 racter, and hopeful and fiourifhing ftate in reli- 
 gious matters, manifefting them to be a feed 
 which the Lord hath bleffcd. And thus it teaches 
 us to expecl; that new covenant bieftings will be 
 conferred on the children of thofe that fear the 
 Lord. 
 
 I fhall only add two paflages more taken from 
 the proverbs of Solomon, which expreisly con- 
 tain bleffings to the feed of the righteous. The 
 firft is this, (Prov. xi. 21.) Though hand join in 
 hand, the wicked fhall not go unpunifhed ; but the 
 feed of the righteous fhall be delivered. In this 
 text, by the feed of the righteous being oppo- 
 i'ed to the wicked, it feems plainly implied, that 
 the former are not to be efteemed wicked, but 
 righteous. And the ftrong declaration refpecl:- 
 ing the punimment of the wicked, leaves no 
 room for them to expecl deliverance * but the 
 
 feed 
 
( 25 ) 
 
 feed of the righteous, being of an oppoflte 
 character, fhall be delivered. But there can be 
 no reafon to expect that the feed of the righteous 
 fhall be righteous, and fo be intitled to a pro- 
 mife of deliverance from the punifhment of the 
 wicked, unlefs it be founded in the covenant of 
 grace -, which mud therefore comprehend be- 
 lievers and their feed, as has been afferted. 
 
 The other text (Prov. xx. 7.) exprefsly fays, 
 Ajufi man walkelh in his integrity : His children 
 are blejfed after him: Which is fo plain, thac 
 after what has been faid, nothing more is need- 
 ful to illuitrate it, or fhew its pertinency to the 
 point in hand. 
 
 Notwithftanding what has been faid, perhaps 
 feme may think, that although there are evi- 
 dently promifes and declarations in the Old Tef- 
 tament, importing bleffings to the feed of the 
 righteous ; yet, as that was a dark difpenfation, 
 it is by no means clear, from what has been 
 urged from thofe promifes and declarations, 
 that children are comprehended with their pa- 
 rents in the covenant of grace : For fuch pro- 
 mifes and declarations may intend the beftow- 
 ment of fome temporal good things according 
 to fome method of conduct, not well under- 
 flood by us, which God obferved towards thofe 
 who were externally obedient, under that fha- 
 dowy and typical adminiftration : But as the 
 mind of God in the covenant of grace is more 
 clearly revealed in the gofpel, it is reafonablc 
 to expect, that if there be any fuch promifes 
 in that covenant, refpecting the feed of the righ- 
 teous, as have been repreiented, we lhall have 
 fome clear and direct evidence that fuch promt- 
 D fes 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 '£>$ continue in force, and are eftablifhed in gof- 
 pei times. 
 
 If there mould be any honed minds, who 
 ihould view matters in this light, I hope they 
 will impartially confider the following obferva- 
 tions, in which I fhall attempt to (hew, that the 
 bleTings of divine grace are extended to the 
 feed of believers under the gofpel, as well as 
 under the former difpenfation. 
 
 SECTION VI. 
 
 <fhc ex ten/ion of the covenant cf grace to the feed of 
 believers Jhewn from the prophecies of the Old. 
 Teftament. 
 
 IT is clear, that God extends the bleflings of 
 his grace to the feed of believers under the 
 gofpel from the prophecies of the Old Tefxa- 
 xiienr, which evidently relate to gofpel times, 
 and from theexprefs declarations of the new. 
 
 I fhall begin with the prophecies of the Old 
 Teftament ; and the firft paiTage I fhall mention 
 is in the book of the evangelical prophet Ifaiah, 
 (chap. ixi. 8, 9.) where the Lord fays concern- 
 ing his people, / will make an everlafting cove- 
 nant with them. And their feed (hall be known 
 among the gentiles^ and their offspring among the 
 people ; all that fee them fhall acknowledge them 
 that they are a feed, which the Lord hath bleffed. 
 There can be no doubt, but that this prophecy 
 relates to gofpel times •, fince our Lord, the belt 
 interpreter of fcripture, applies the beginning 
 of this chapter to himfeif \ (Luk. iv, 21.) and 
 the reft evidently follows in connection. Thq 
 
 bleflings, 
 
( 2 7 ) 
 
 bleflings, therefore, that are promifed, are pro- 
 mifed to goipel believers, with whom God, 
 through Chrift, makes an everlafting covenant. 
 And the bleflings of the covenant are extended 
 to their feed or offspring, and evidently fulfilled 
 in them ; fo that they are known and diftin- 
 guifhed by all that fee them, and acknowledged 
 to be a feed which the Lord hath bleffed. 
 
 We may next confider, as evidently to the 
 fame purpofe, the promife God makes to his 
 elect, (ifaiah Ixv. 23.) They Jhall not labour in 
 vain, nor bring forth for trouble ; for tley 
 are the feed of the bleffed of the Lord, and 
 their offspring with them. The whole chapter is 
 certainly a prophecy of gofpel times, and from 
 the 17th verfe to the end, contains a defcription 
 of the new heavens and new earth, by which is 
 reprefented fome glorious flate cf the church 
 in the latter days : And great and wonderful 
 things are predicted, and promifed to Jerufalem\ 
 that is to the church and people of God in thofe 
 times. And among other things vve have the 
 words now quoted, which exprefs peculiar bleff- 
 ings to God's c ho fen ones : For they are the feed 
 of the bleffed of the Lord. This may point at 
 their original, as they are the (eed of the church, 
 which is bleffed of the Lord ; or, rather their 
 quality and ftate, as they are a bleffed feed^-£ 
 feed which the Lord hath bleffed. We read of a 
 feed of evil-doers, that is, a wicked, evil-doing 
 feed : So here we have a feed of the bleffed of the 
 Lord, that is a bleffed feed. And their offspring 
 with them. Their offspring are partakers of the 
 fame bleflings with the parents : They are the 
 feed of the bleffed of the Lord too. Many a 
 
 foolijb 
 
( 28 ) 
 
 fcclifk fon has been a grief to his father ', and btU 
 ternefs to her that bare him ; but in thefe glorious 
 days it fhall not be fo with the people of GocL 
 They fhall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for 
 trouble. Their children fhall be bleflcd with 
 the blefTings of the covenant of grace •, and 
 fhall fhare with their parents in the privileges of 
 God's church and people, in that mod pure and 
 flouriPning ftate of the kingdom of God on 
 earth. 
 
 The paflages I fhall next confider, are in the 
 prophecy of Jeremiah -, where, in three chapters 
 fuccefilvely, we have efientially the fame pre- 
 diction, which expreffes the bleffednefs of God's 
 people in gofpel times, and has reference to the 
 new covenant as the ground of their blefied- 
 nefs : And in each paflage there is either a plain 
 intimation, or an explicit declaration, that the 
 children (hall be partakers with their parents of 
 new covenant bleflings. In the firft of thefe 
 pafiages, (chap, xxx.) after the prophet in God's 
 name had promifed the return of the Jewsirom 
 captivity, he takes occafion, as ufual, to fpeak 
 of the blefTings of the gofpel-day : For Chrift 
 is promifed under the name of David (v. 9.) 
 as in other prophecies -, and is afterwards defcri- 
 t>ed, (v. 21.) as a glorious one, J and a governor 
 proceeding from the midft of them, and approaching 
 to God. And here the covenant is expreffed in 
 the ufual ftile ; ye fhall be my -people, and I will 
 be your God. (v. 24.) And particular notice is 
 taken of their children, (v. 20.) their children 
 fhall be as aforetime, and their congregation fhall 
 be eftablifhcd before me. That is, their children 
 
 fhall 
 J Heb. adir. In our tranfiation, nolles. 
 
( 2 9 ) 
 
 fhall be included in the covenant, as they for- 
 merly were, and grow up a ktd for God, to 
 replenifn the church, and eftablifh the congre- 
 gation of his people. 
 
 If we may determine any thing by the lan- 
 guage, we may conclude that this is the fame 
 covenant with that fo particularly fpoken of in 
 the next chapter, (chap, xxxi, 31,32, 33,34.) 
 and quoted by the apoftle to the Hebrews, (Heb. 
 viii.)and considered by him as the gofpel cove- 
 nant of which Chrift is the mediator. The 
 words are, Behold the days come, faith the Lad \ 
 that I will make a new covenant with the houfe of 
 Jfrael, and with the houfe of Judah : Not according 
 to the covenant that I made with their fathers m 
 the day that I took them by the hand, to bring them 
 out of the land of Egypt, (which my covenant thy 
 brake, although Iwasanhujband unto them, faith the 
 Lord:) But this fhall be the covenant that I will 
 make with the houfe of Ifrael. After thofe days, 
 faith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward 
 parts, and write it in their hearts, and I will be 
 their God, and they fhall be my people. And they 
 fhall teach no more every man his neighbour, and e- 
 very man his br other > faying, Know the Lord: Ftr 
 they fhall all know me from the leaf of them unto the 
 greatefi of them, faith the Lord : For 1 will forgive 
 their iniquity, and I will remember their fin no 
 more. This is certainly the covenant of grace ; 
 and if it comprehends children with thtir pa- 
 rents, the point is proved. But, that this new 
 covenant contains bleflln^s for children with their 
 parents is evident, 
 
 1 ft. Becaufe it is made with the houfe of If- 
 rael, and the houfe cf Judah, which are repre- 
 sented 
 
( 30 ) 
 
 fented as the fame body of people, which God 
 took by the hand to bring them out of the land 
 of Egypt 5 and with whom he made the cove- 
 nant which they brake. Now, by the boufe* we 
 mud: underftand the family or generation of the 
 people, as the word is commonly ufed in fcrip- 
 ture, including all forts and ages, adults and 
 infants : For with the hcufe of Ifrael, and the 
 bcufe of Judah, taken in this fenfe, God made 
 the covenant referred to ; and the new covenant 
 is fpoken of as being of the fame extent. There- 
 fore parents and children, adults and infants, 
 are comprehended in it. 
 
 2d. It is promifed in the covenant, that all 
 fjjall know the Lord, from the leafi unto the great- 
 eft. This is a flrong expreffion, denoting the 
 tmiverfality of the knowledge of God, that is, 
 true religion, and might reafonably be taken, 
 according to the letter, to comprehend ftrictly 
 all of every age, parents and children : But if 
 this mould be doubted, becaufe univerfal terms 
 are not always to be taken in a {trier, fenfe * yet 
 it mud intend the body of the people in gene- 
 ral, and this would alio include the children ♦, 
 efpecialiy as it is alfo faid, they Jhall teach no 
 more every man his neighbour, and every man his 
 brother* faying* know ye the Lord. For if the 
 children were to be taught, this could not be 
 faid. The children therefore muft be compre- 
 hended among thofe, who mail know the Lord 
 from the leafl of them unto the great eft of them. 
 
 Thefe obfervations are greatly confirmed in 
 the next chapter (chap, xxxii. 38, 39, 40.) where 
 we find the fame covenant repeated in very 
 fimilar terms :• For God lays, they Jhall be my 
 
 people^ 
 
31 ) 
 
 people, end 1 will be their God. And 1 will give 
 them one hea^t and one way, that they may fear me 
 for ever, for the good of them and their children 
 after them. And I will make an ever lofting cove- 
 nant with them, that I will not turn awry from 
 them, to do them good •, but I will put my fear in 
 their hearts, that thy Jhall not depart from me. 
 It cannot be doubted, but this is the covenant 
 of grace, and the very fame in fubftance with 
 that in the preceding chapter. And that the 
 bleffingsof the covenant are extended unto the 
 children, is exprefsly declared •, for it is, for 
 the good of them, and of their children after them. 
 Many other prophetic paffages afford evidence 
 that God extends the bletlings of his grace to 
 the children of his people under the golf el -, 
 but 1 omit them, and proceed to confider what 
 light the new te (lament will afford to the fu eject. 
 
 SECTION VII. 
 
 Jhe exi en/ton of the covenant of grace to the dil* 
 dren of believers, proved direclly from the new 
 tefiament. 
 
 TH E covenant of grace is mod clearly de- 
 fcribed, and its nature and extent moft 
 fully defined in the new teftament •, and what is 
 there taught is not, on fome accounts, fo liable 
 to cavils and exceptions as what is contained in 
 the old. I fhall therefore, as was prcpofed, 
 proceed to confider the declarations of the gef- 
 pel on the fubjecl before us •, and (hew that the 
 children of believers are comprehended with 
 their parents in the gofpel-covenant, or cove- 
 nant of grace. 
 
 Our Saviour explicitly afierts, that little chil- 
 dren belong tg the kingdom of 'heaven , or the king- 
 
 dom 
 
( 32 ) 
 
 iom of God. (Matr. xix. 14.) Suffer little chil- 
 dren , and forbid them not to come unto me : For 
 of fuch is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom 
 of heaven, or kingdom of God, is a phrafe much 
 uicd in the new teftament, to exprefs the goipel 
 kingdom or church of Chrift, which is his body, 
 including the whole family in heaven and earth, 
 (Ephf. iii. 15.) and it really confifts of the rege- 
 nerate only : For, except a man be born again* 
 he cannot fee the kingdom of God -, though many 
 others may be vifibly comprehended in it. But 
 the relation of little children to this kingdom 
 is not only exprefsly aflertcd, but confidered by 
 Chrift as a reafon why they mould be iuffered to 
 come to him for his blefTing -, which (hews that 
 they are not only capable of the blefTing of 
 Chrift, and of the covenant of grace -, but have 
 an actual right to them, as belonging to the 
 kingdom of God. 
 
 It feems by our Lord's anfwer to his difciples, 
 with whom he was much difpleafed, (Mark x. 14.) 
 becaufe they forbad the infants to be brought 
 to him ; that they could not yet fee how little 
 children, who could not profefs faith in Chrift, 
 fhould have any right to the bleflings of his 
 kingdom. But he points out their miftake, and 
 teaches them that little children had as good a 
 right and (landing in the kingdom of God as 
 others ; and that they received thefe bleflings in 
 the fame way with others : For verily, fays he, 
 / fay unto you, whofoever Jhall not receive the 
 kingdom of God, as a little child, /hall in no wife 
 enter therein. 
 
 That thole little children were in covenant 
 with God, is evident, not only from the exprefs 
 
 declaration 
 
{ 33 ) 
 
 declaration of Chrift, but from the blefTing 
 which we are told he conferred upon them. For 
 thofe who are blefTed by Chrift are certainly 
 blejfed indeed, and blefied in a covenant way.' 
 But we are not told in this paffage ihat all chil- 
 dren belong to the kingdom of God : Nor is it 
 cxprefsly faid, what children have a right to the 
 great and important bleflings of the covenant 
 of grace. But it is exceeding natural to fup- 
 pofe, and therefore highly probable, that thofe 
 who brought thefe infants to Chrift, were their 
 parents, under whofe immediate care they were 
 placed •, and who would naturally, if pious, be 
 particularly concerned for their i'piritual good* 
 and fo influenced to fcek the blefTing of God 
 upon them. And, that thofe who brought thefe 
 young children to Chrift were believers, cannot 
 reafonably be doubted : For to come unto Chrift 
 for his bleiling for ourfelves or others, neceffa- 
 rily fuppofes faith in him. It follows, therefore, 
 as before, that the children of believers are in- 
 cluded in the covenant of grace. 
 
 When the gofpel was firft promulged, after 
 the afcenfion of Chrift, on the day of penticoft, 
 Peter, divinely infpired, and perhaps mindful of 
 his Lord's admonition, confiders children as be- 
 longing to the kingdom of God •, and declares 
 them to be interefted with their parents in the 
 promife, or covenant of grace. For, periwa- 
 ding his hearers to repent and be baptized for 
 the remifTion of fins, he fays, (Acts ii. 39.) The 
 promife is unto you and to your children, and to all 
 that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our 
 God fo all call. Whether this was the promife 
 made to Abraham, which in the language of 
 E the 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 the new teftament is emphatically called the pro* 
 wife •, or the promife of the gift of the holy 
 ghoft mentioned immediately before-, or indeed 
 any other promife which you can name, and 
 which might be pertinently urged by the apoftle, 
 as a motive for the hearers to repent and be 
 baptized : It mutt certainly be a gofpel prcmife, 
 or a promife of the covenant of grace, propofed 
 to thofe who mould repent and believe. And 
 as it exprefsly comprehended the children of 
 thofe who were then called : So it was of equal 
 extent to thole who fhould afterwards be called 
 from afar off. And the children of the latter, 
 as well as the former, were included in the pro- 
 mife, and fo heirs to the bleffings of the cove- 
 nant of grace. Accordingly when Cornelius^ 
 who was called from afar off was directed to 
 fend for Peter to inftruct him in the gofpel of 
 Ghrift, he was led to expecl that the bleffings 
 of grace fhould be extended to his family, and 
 that the apoftle fhould tell him words, 'Whereby 
 he and all his boufe fhould be faved. ( Acts xi. 14.) 
 The promife of the gofpel ref peeling the feed of 
 believers, is further manifeft from the declara* 
 tion made by Paul and Silas to the gaoler, en- 
 quiring, What mufi I do to be faved ? ( Ach xvi. 
 30,31.) And they f aid, believe on the Lord J ejus 
 Chrift, and thou floalt be faved, and thy houje. 
 This is a moPi exprefs promife of falvation to a 
 believer's boufe, that is, in fcripture ftile, to his 
 children : And the force of this text cannot be 
 evaded, but by a violent wrefting of the words 
 from their natural import. To fay, that the 
 gaoler's houfe or family mould be faved, on 
 their believing, is adding to the text •, and in 
 
 this 
 
( 35 ) 
 
 this fenfe it might as well as truly and perti- 
 nently have been laid to the gaoler, believe on 
 the Lord J ejus Cbrift and thou fialt be faved, and 
 thy neighbour's houfe, and all the houfe s in Phi- 
 lippi, and in the world. Why then is the text 
 limited to the gaoler's houfe ? Plainly, becaufe 
 it intends to declare fome connection between 
 his believing, and the falvatioa of his family^ 
 It is granted that the gaoler's houfe could not 
 be faved without believing for themfelves, for 
 the promife of falvation implies a promife of 
 faving faith, which is the gift of God, beftowed 
 in a covenant way, to the children of believers. 
 But the text mentions no faith but the gaoler's, 
 and to him the promife of falvation to his houfe 
 is evidently made. Nor is there the leaft inti- 
 mation in the hiftory of any faith, but that of 
 the gaoler himfelf, who (as it is exprefied in the 
 Greek) having believed in God rejoiced in all his 
 houfe. 
 
 That the children of believing parents are 
 comprehended in the covenant of grace is evi- 
 dent, from the apoftles words to the Corinthians : 
 (i Cor. vii. 14.) For the unbelieving hujband is 
 fanclified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is 
 Janciified by the hufband j elfe were your children 
 unclean, but now are (hey holy. In this text the 
 children, or whole parents one is a believer, 
 are exprefsly declared to be holy (or faints) 
 which is the diftinguiming character of the faith- 
 ful, who are fanctified in Chrift Jefus, and heirs 
 of the bleffings of the covenant of grace. In 
 this fenfe the word holy is generally ufed by the 
 writers of the new teftament : And thus it is 
 defined in the beginning of this epiitle, which 
 
 is 
 
( 36 ) 
 
 is directed to the church of God which is at Ce- 
 tiutb, to them that are Janclified in Ckrifi J ejus * 
 called to be faints* Since, therefore, the chil- 
 dren of believers are faid to be holy, nothing 
 more is needful to prove their intereft in the 
 covenant ©f grace. 
 
 If it be laid, that, fince the unbelieving huf- 
 band and wife are fancYitied by thofe that be- 
 lieve, we may as well affert the right of thofe 
 unbelievers to the promifes of the covenant, as 
 the right of the children who are called holy : 
 1 anfwer, by no means ; for what is faid of the 
 children isexpreffed very differently, from what 
 is faid of the unbelieving hufband and wife \ 
 and is doubtlefs of a different import. For, 
 -whatever may be intended by the phrafe that 
 reprefents one perfon as being fanctified in* 
 another, it is different from the meaning of the 
 limple appellation holy ; as it is different from 
 being Janclified in Chrifi J ejus. The creature of 
 Cod uled by his people for food, is JarMified to 
 them by the word oj God and -prayer ; but is not 
 called holy. And the lan&ification of the unbe- 
 lieving hufband and wife, is not in themfelves, 
 but in their believing conforts, and it terminates 
 in the children : So that thefe, and not the un- 
 believing parents, are declared to be holy there- 
 by. So 7 that the text is far from fuppofing the 
 fame holinefs in the unbelieving parents, as in 
 the believer's children. And therefore the latter 
 may be confidered as interested in the covenant, 
 while the former are excluded. 
 
 The fuppohtion that by the terms unclean and 
 ko 7 y, as they are ufed in the text, we are to un? 
 
 derftand 
 VGrtfo 
 
( 37 ) 
 
 derftand legitimate and illegitimate, is fo incon- 
 Mem with reafon and with the fcriptura] uie of 
 the words, that, I believe it will not greatly 
 perplex an honett enquirer. 
 
 Thus we have considered the nature and ex- 
 tent of the covenant with Abraham, and fhewa 
 how it comprehended his feed : We have taken 
 a view of God's promiles to the Ifraelites, and 
 the righteous in general refpectmg their off- 
 fpring : We have proved from the prophecies of 
 the old teftament, and the declarations of the 
 new, that the bleffings of the gofpel are extend- 
 ed to children with their parents : And from all 
 thefe confiderations we are obliged to conclude, 
 that God hath been gracioujly pleafed, in the cove- 
 nant which is efiabitihed in Chrifi with believer s y 
 to promife them the blejjings of fpecial and faving 
 grace for their offspring. So that believing parents 
 may and ought, according to the tenor of the new 
 covenant, to truft in God, to be a God to them and 
 fbeir feed. 
 
 SECTION VIII. 
 
 Objeclicns anjwered. 
 
 THE conclufion in the preceding fection 
 appears natural and eafy from the pre- 
 roifes •, and would, without doubt, be readily 
 embraced, did not Itubborn fait and experience 
 feem to invalidate the arguments upon which it 
 is founded- But fince we know that God's peo- 
 ple of old have had wicked children, and that 
 rrany of the leed of the righteous at the prefent 
 £ay, appear not only to be deftiuue of the fa- 
 ying 
 
( 3* ) 
 
 ving bleffings of the covenant of grace; but 
 notorioufly vicious and prophane, it is natural 
 to afk, What becorr.es of theie promifes ? How 
 are they fulfilled ? How is he faithful that hath 
 promifed ? And almoft every one is ready to 
 conclude, furely thole paffages which have been 
 ccnfiucred mud be uncierftood in fome other 
 fcnfe than that which has been given, 
 
 This objection is indeed fpecious, and ought 
 to be attended to. It is the grand and principal 
 one again (t the doctrine which has been ad- 
 vanced. If what has been laid, be again ft the 
 truth and faithfulnefs of God, let it fall to the 
 ground. Let God be true, and every man a liar. 
 If the objections difturb the mind of any unpre- 
 judiced enquirers, it is to be hoped they will 
 impartially confider the following things, viz. 
 
 i ft. Perhaps this objection will lie with as 
 much weight again ft the fulfilment of fome other 
 promifes in God's word, a?, of thofe which have 
 been fhown to refpect the feed of the righteous ; 
 and perhaps, in fuch a cafe, the prefent objection 
 would have recourfe to a method of anfwer, 
 that would equally obviate the difficulty before 
 us. And I would propofe for inilance, the 
 promife annexed to the fifth commandment, 
 which is adopted by the apoftle (Eph. vi.) as a 
 gofpel promife •, and de fire to fee how it is evi- 
 dently and in fact fulfilled to all thofe that honour 
 their father and mother. If the explanation of this 
 promife in the Weftminfter catechifm be admit- 
 ted, which lays, M It is an exprefs promife of 
 •* long life and profperity, as far as it fhall 
 66 ferve for God's glory and their own good, 
 ^ to all fuch as keep this commandment." We 
 
 may 
 
( 39 ) 
 
 may with equal reafon fay the fame, con*; 
 cerning the promifes which have been confi- 
 de red ; and afTure believers that God will actually 
 fulfill what he has promifed to their kcd 9 fo far 
 as it /bail ferve for bis glory and their good, 
 
 2d. It ought well to be confidereo, whether, 
 if the fulfilment of God's promifes be delayed 
 for the prefent ; and appearances feem to be 
 againlt it, we may therefore conclude that God 
 has not promifed, and that he will not perform 
 in his own time. God will anf er the prayers 
 of his elect, thcuvb be bear lonz ivitb them* 
 
 £d. Before we draw pofnive concluficns from 
 facts againit the fulfilment of divine promifes, 
 it well becomes us to confider, whether we be 
 proper and competent judges cf thofe facts, 
 We may judge thofe to be believers, who are 
 only hypocritical profeffors : And if the chil- 
 dren of luch be evidently wicked, we cannot 
 juftly conclude from thence, that God has made 
 no promifes to the feed of believers. And per- 
 haps many children of believers may appear to 
 us ro be wicked, who are really of a different 
 character, and will meet with the approbation 
 of their righteous judge at laft. As God has 
 given us no certain knowledge of the hearts 
 of others, we mult in many inttances, be very 
 incompetent judges of fuch facts, as the objec- 
 tion is founded upon. 
 
 4th. In determining this matter it is of im- 
 portance to know, whether the condition, en 
 the performance of which the promife is fuf- 
 pended, has really been performed : If not, there 
 is reafon to expect that the promifed ble fling 
 fhould be denied. And then the facts fuppoftd 
 
 in 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 in the objection are no argument agalnfl God 4 s 
 promifes or faithfulnefs; but againft the faith- 
 fulnefs of the believer in performing thole du- 
 ties, in the performance of which he is to expect 
 the bleffing. 
 
 Thefe things being obferved, I proceed more 
 directly to anlwer the objection •, and therefore 
 obferve, m 
 
 5th. That the promifes of the covenant of 
 grace are all made to be trufted in, relied on or 
 believed. He that believeth not, has no right, 
 according to the tenor of the covenant, to the 
 promifed bieffing. A man may believe on the 
 Lord Jefus Chrift in his mediatorial chancier, 
 and io be entitled to the promife of eternal life 
 and falvation : And yet never believe every par- 
 ticular promife of tbe covenant of grace with 
 application, fo as to plead it in a prayer of fairh. 
 Believing is exprefled in praying, afking, and 
 feeking. ^To thefe exercifes the promifes of the 
 gofpel are evidently made ; and by thefe, the 
 promifed bleffings are received, and* as it were, 
 drawn out of the great repofuory of bleffings 
 Jefus Chrift, who is the mediator of the new co- 
 venant, and in whom all the promifes of God are 
 yea and amen. (2 Cor. i. 20.) Hence Chrift 
 Jays, (Matt. vii. 7 j A[k and it Jhall be givenyou : 
 Seek and ye fh all find : Knock and it fliallbe opened 
 unto you : And allures his difciples, that their 
 father which is in heaven will give good things to 
 them that ajk him. And it is upon this principle 
 that prayer is fo much inculcated and encouraged 
 in the gofpel, and in this way it is that the in- 
 wrought fervent prayer of the righteous availetb 
 much. Accordingly the apoftle James tells via- 
 ble 
 
( 4* ) 
 
 blechriftians, (James iv. 2, 3.) Te have not, U~ 
 caufe ye a/knot. Ye ejk and receive not becaufe ye 
 ajk amifs. And the fame apoftle tells us what 
 kind of afking is connected with receiving, and 
 what not. (James i. 5, 6, 7.) If any of ycu lack 
 wifdom, let him ajk of God, that giveth to all men 
 liberally, and upbraideih not 5 and it Jkall be given 
 him. But let him ajk in faith, nothing wavering : 
 For he that waver eth is like a wave of the fea y 
 driven with the wind and teffed. For let not that 
 man think that he Jhall receive any thing of the 
 Lord, If therefore believes in Chrift muft afic 
 in fairh in order to receive the blefilngs promifed 
 in the covenant of grace-, and if they do not 
 afk thus, it cannot reaionably be expected that 
 the promifed bleffing mould be actually conferred 
 upon them. 
 
 From thefe confiderations it appears, that it 
 is not ftrange that the children of vifible chrifti- 
 ans, are many of them evidently deftitute of 
 faving grace, and even vicious •, although there 
 be fuch promifes to the leed of the righteous, as 
 have been fuppofed. Yea, it would rather be 
 ftrange, if it were otherwife : For the promifes 
 of God, which are the ground of faitH and hope 
 refpecling the leed of believers, have for a long 
 time been much out of the view of chriftUns. 
 It has not even been believed that God hath made 
 luch promifes-, nor is it generally believed among 
 chriftians at prefent. Children have not been 
 confidered as included in the covenant of grace ; 
 and therefore parents have not trufted in God 
 for the beftowmenc of fpirkual blefilngs on their 
 offspring •, nor have they pleaded the promifes 
 to ihefeed of the righteous in prayer, or ajked % 
 F thac 
 
( 42 ) 
 
 that it might be given them. In fhort, they haVe* 
 not taken God for their God and the God of their 
 feed, according to the tenor of the covenant. 
 And, perhaps, if it were generally believed, 
 that the covenant of grace comprehends the 
 children with their parents, as hath been proved, 
 God might not grant to every true believer thofe 
 particular exercifes of faith, with which the be- 
 ftowment of the blefTing is connected : For 
 faith is the gift of God> and his people are as 
 really dependent on him for every exercife of it, 
 as for that exercife of faith in the mediator by 
 which they are juftified. But we have reafon 
 to expect, that when religion fiourifhes and pre- 
 vails molt abundantly, as it will in the latter 
 days, the promifes refpecting the feed of the 
 righteous will be mod evidently and confpicu- 
 ouily fulfilled in fa 61 : For they will be the feed 
 of the bleffed of the Lord and their of spring with 
 them, 
 
 6th. The faith that is necefiary in believing 
 parents to enfure the bleiTmg to their children, 
 is a faith productive of fruits agreeable to its 
 nature •, and will influence the fubjects of it to 
 diligence and faithfuineis in training up their 
 children for God ; even as a justifying faith ne~ 
 ceiTarily produces fruits of righteoufnefs as its 
 proper evidence. And, as the promife of eternal 
 life is made to thofe that bring forth the fruits 
 of righteoufnefs, and continue patient in well- 
 doing ; fo the promife of bleiTjngs to the feed of 
 the righteous, is made to thofe who, being in- 
 fluenced by a proper faith in the covenant, are 
 faithful in educating and ditciplining their chil- 
 dren in the fear of the Lord. Very remarkable 
 
 and 
 
( 43 ) 
 
 and to this purpofe are the words of the Lord 
 concerning Abraham. (Gen. xviii. ig.) I know 
 him that he will command his children and his 
 bou/hold after him, and they /hall keep the way of 
 the Lord, to do juftice and judgment -, that the 
 Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which he 
 hath fpoken of him. Here the piety and obedi- 
 ence of Abraham's children and houfhold, and 
 the accomplifhment of what God had promifed 
 to him, are reprefented as being connected with 
 his care and faithfulnefs in educating them. 
 And it icems by the words, that without this 
 faithfulnefs, he would have no reafon to expect 
 that the Lord would bring upon Abraham that 
 which he had fpcken. And the wife man teaches 
 us how much the character of the child depends 
 upon his education, when he fays, (Prov. xxii. 
 6.) Train up a child in the way he jhould go \ and 
 when he is old he will not depart from it. The 
 only fecurity we can have, that our children 
 when old will not depart from the way in which 
 they have been trained up, mud be laid in the 
 promifes of the covenant in which they are in- 
 cluded, and by which it is eftabliihed, that they 
 fhall never fall. And the fulfilment of thefe 
 promifes is connected with their being trained 
 up by their parents in the way they fhould go. 
 This appears to be further confirmed in the fol- 
 lowing paffages, (v. 15, and chap, xxiii. 13, 14.) 
 Fcolifhnefs is bound in the heart of a child : But 
 the rod of corretlion fhall drive it far frc?n him. 
 Withhold net corretlion from thy child ; thou /halt 
 heat him with the red, and /halt deliver his foul 
 from hell. By the rod, We may underftancl the 
 whole of parental government and difcipline 5 
 
 and 
 
( 44 ) 
 
 and thus the wife man exprefTes a connexion, 
 which can be founded only in the covenant of 
 grace, between bringing up children in the nur- 
 ture and admonition of the Lord, and the de- 
 liverance of their fouls from foolilhnefs of heart 
 and the punifhment of hell. If therefore pa- 
 rents are neglectful of the important duty of 
 training up their children for God, how can they 
 expect that the promifes refpecting their feed 
 fhouid be fulfilled to them ? The folemn word 
 fpoken to Eli, becaufe bis fens made tbemfelvrs 
 vile, an4 be refrained them not, may be applied 
 to fuch. (i Sam. ii« 32.) I /aid indeed that thy 
 houje and the houfe of thy father Jhould walk be- 
 fore me for ever : But now the Lord faith, be it 
 far from me : For them that honour me I will ho- 
 nour, and they that defpife me Jhall be lighlly 
 ejieemed. 
 
 It what has been laid, be thought to be a 
 fufficienr and fasisfactory aniwer to the objection, 
 from fact and expedience, I imagine that others, 
 will not be greatly infifced en. Indeed fome 
 have been mentioned by the oppefers of the 
 doctrine that has been advanced ; but, as they 
 have been founded chiefly on mifapprehenfions, 
 they will probably vanifh when the fubject 
 comes to be rightly underftood. I fhall there- 
 fore pafs them all, except one, which I fuppofe 
 may be fufficiendy obviated in a few words. 
 
 It has been thought, that if the children of 
 believers have fuch an intereft in the covenant of 
 grace, as has been fuppoied, the confederation 
 of this will naturally tend to their fecurity in fin : 
 For if God has promifed the blefTings of his 
 grace to believing parents for their children | 
 
 why 
 
( 45 > 
 
 why mould not the latter be eafy and uncon- 
 cerned, depending on the promife of God, and 
 neglect the ufe of means for their falvation ? 
 
 Anf. i. There is certainly no weight in this 
 objection, unlefs the children know that their 
 parents are believers. 
 
 2. This objection has the fame nature and 
 weight as fimilar objections made againft the 
 doctrines of particular election to eternal life, 
 and the final perfeverance of the faints. If 
 therefore the latter have no weight, neither has 
 the former. 
 
 3. Did the promife of entering into Canaan 
 to Jofhua — the promife of the kingdom to David 
 and Solomon — the promife of fifteen years to be 
 added to the life of Hezekiab—ihe promife of 
 a temporal falvation to Paul, and the whole 
 (hips crew, who failed with him - y and many 
 other promifes of the like nature, that might 
 be mentioned, luperfede the neceffity of the ufe 
 of means, or tend to careleiTnefs and iecurity, 
 about obtaining the things promifed ? Or, did 
 the promife that John the Eaptiit fhouid be 
 filled with the Holy Ghoft, even from his mother's 
 womb, tend to make him carnally fecure and 
 negligent in matters cf religion ? If not, neither 
 will the promifes of fpecial grace made to the righ- 
 teous refpedting their feed have fuch a tendency. 
 
 SECTION IX. 
 
 IT he right of the infants of believers to baptifm 9 
 proved from the premifes. 
 
 IT is evident from the inftiuuion of baptifm, 
 from its nature and defign, and from the 
 conduct of the apoitlcs and primitive mini- 
 
 flers 
 
( 46 ) 
 
 flers of Chrift in the application of it, that alt 
 thole who believe are to be baptized. For when 
 our Lord gave command to the apoftles to 
 preach and baptize, he fo joined faith and bapr 
 tiim together, as to leave no room for us to ie- 
 parate them. He fays, he that believsth and is 
 baptized jhall be faved -, and, go teach all nations 
 baptizing them \ which (hews that all that be- 
 lieved were to be baptized, and that the apoftles 
 were commanded to adminifter the ordinance to 
 fuch, whenever their faith was manifefted. The 
 ordinance is a warning with water in the name of 
 the father, fon, and holy ghoft, to fignify a 
 fpiritual cieanfingby the blood of Chriit ; and 
 is appointed to mark that relation to him which 
 is formed by faith, and diftinguifh thofe that 
 put on Chrift by believing in him. For, fays 
 the apoftle, (Gal. iii. 27.) As many of you as have 
 been baptized into Chrift have put on Chrift. And 
 the ground of the practice of the apoftles and 
 evangeiifts in the adminiftration of baptifm, 
 appears in almoft every inftance of it, which is 
 recorded in thefacred hiftory. Evidence of faith, 
 was what they required, in order to baptifm y 
 and fo all that appeared to believe were baptized. 
 Thus Philip exprefsly ftates the terms to the 
 eunuch, If thou belkveft with all thine heart thou 
 may eft, (Acts viii. %?.) 
 
 When we afiert, that all who believe are to 
 be baptized, and confider this proportion as a 
 rule of procedure for the minifters of Chrift, 
 pointing out and diftingujfhing the proper fub- 
 jects of baptifm ; we muft always underftand by 
 believers, vifible believers •, or thofe that ap- 
 pear to believe. For God, svhofe prerogative 
 
 it 
 
( 47 ) 
 
 jt is to fearch the heart, has not given power to 
 his minifters to know absolutely what is in man ; 
 nor has he left any rules in his word by v.hich 
 they may certainly and infallibly determine who 
 are real believers, and who not. But when we 
 have fcriptural evidence that any perfon is a be- 
 liever, he muft be received, baptized, and treated 
 in all refpects as fuch an one, until he appear by 
 his fruits to be of a different character. Simon the 
 forcerer was not a real, but vtfibie believer , yet 
 he was baptized by Philip according to the rules 
 of Chrift •, and might be laid to be a proper 
 fubjecl of baptifm ; though it appeared not 
 long; after, that he was in the gull of bitternefs 
 end bond of iniquity. 
 
 The children of believers being interefted in 
 the bleiTings of the covenant of grace, as has 
 been particularly proved, are to be considered 
 as believers in Chrift. For if the promifes of 
 God hold forth that be will be their God \ and 
 that the bieiiings of the righteous fhall be con- 
 .ferred upon them : If they are declared to be- 
 long to the kingdom of heaven^ and are called 
 faints or holy y as we have (hewn *, furely thefe are 
 the privileges and characters of believers, and 
 belong to none befides. What more, or fo 
 much is faid concerning any of thole believers 
 who were baptized by the apoftlcs ? The chil- 
 dren of believers may not ail be real believers, 
 for reafons which have been given ; nor fhould 
 we expect that God would give us more infalli- 
 ble marks to difcern the real character and ftate 
 .of infants, than of adults. But we have reaion 
 to hope that the children of believers are chofen 
 of God, and united to Chrift 5 and this is all 
 
 we 
 
( 48 ) 
 
 we can fay of profefling adults : The former 
 then arc vifible believers, as well as the latter, 
 and muft be received and treated as fuch. We 
 may therefore demand in the language of an 
 apoftle, Can any man forbid water, that thefejhould 
 not be baptized, who have received the holy ghojt 
 as well as we ? 
 
 The argument for the baptifm of the infants 
 of believers, being reduced to a fyllogiftic form, 
 runs thus : All vifible believers are to be baptized ; 
 hut the children of believers are vifible believers \ 
 therefore the children cf believers are to be bap* 
 tized. The conclufion is inevitable ; and the 
 force of the argument cannot be evaded but by 
 denying one of the premifes, borh of which, I 
 if jp pole, have already been clearly proved. 
 
 But perhaps it will be faid, as it hath been, 
 that the right of a perfon to baptifm, depends 
 upon his actually making a credible profefiion 
 of his faith in Chrift, ot which infants are in- 
 capable, and therefore have no right to baptifm. 
 
 I anfwer, there is not the lealt evidence in 
 the word of God, that an actual profefiion is 
 required, as a qualification for baptifm. There 
 is indeed reafon to think, that thole adult per- 
 fans who were baptized in the times of the 
 apoflles, did either explicitly or implicitly pro- 
 fcfs their faith in Chrift, and that might be an 
 evidence of their right to baptifm. But it was 
 their faith in Chrift that was the ground of their 
 right, and the evidence, appearance, or via- 
 bility of their faith that was the ground of their 
 vifible right to that ordinance, and the founda- 
 tion cf the apoflles conduct in baptizing them. 
 And that evidence of faith which gave vifible 
 
 right 
 
( 49 ) 
 
 ri^ht to baptifm, was not always manifested by 
 their profeflion. It was manifefted to Peter in 
 Cornelius and his company, by the holy ghoft 
 failing on them •, and it was manifefted to Ana- 
 nias in Saul, by immediate revelation from God. 
 .Any kind of evidence, therefore, which makes 
 it appear that a pcrfon is a believer, may be a 
 fufficient ground of his vifiblc right to baptifm, 
 and a Efficient warrant for a minifter cf Chrift 
 to baptize him. And although infants ar? in- 
 capable of fpeaking for themfclves, and of ac- 
 tually making a profefTion of their faith ; y c 
 Go _; gra ciou ily f pea k s- for them to t e p ro m : J c s 
 dficjl declarations of his wo r d - 9 which are, at 
 lead, as fure and folid a ground of procedure 
 in the baptifm of infants, a-s the judgment o£ 
 fallible men, on an explicit profeflion of faith, 
 can be in the baptifm of adults* 
 
 k will probably be denied, that the children 
 of believers are vifible belie ye rs ; becaufe when 
 they grow up to years of maturity they gene* 
 rally m an i fell by their vain and wicked life, that 
 they h-ave not the grace of God dwelling in 
 them. 
 
 1 anfv/er, that it is no evidence that a perfon 
 was not a vifible believer when baptized, becaufe 
 he afterwards apoftatizes from the faith, and 
 becomes a vifible unbeliever. Simon th^force- 
 j-er was iuch an one \ and all who are admitted 
 to baptifm in adult age, according to the rules 
 of Chrift, and afterwards become openly wicked 
 in their conduct, are inftances which manifeft 
 the truth of this oblervation. If therefore the 
 children of believers, who, according to what 
 has been faid, ought to be reputed believers, do 
 G often, 
 
( 5° ) 
 
 often, when they grow up, mew a very differ- 
 ent and contrary character, this is no evidence, 
 that they were not vifible believers in their in- 
 fancy. 
 
 But it is faid that children generally grow up 
 in wickedneis •, and that it is very rare that per- 
 fons give evidence in after life that they were 
 regenerated in their infancy. 
 
 I anfwer, regeneration in infancy, and eviden- 
 ces of it in after life, are not perhaps fo rare as 
 fome may imagine. But, be it fo, that is no 
 proof that the infants of believers are not vifi- 
 ble believers. For it is, in the nature of things 
 poffible, that adult vifible believers, may ge- 
 nerally apoftatize, and become vifible unbe- 
 lievers. If one may, an hundred or a thoufand 
 may •, at lead there is no abfurdity or impoffi- 
 bility in the fuppofiticn. And indeed there is 
 reafon to fear that many adults, who call Chrift 
 Lord, and vifib'y belong to his kingdom here, 
 ■will be excluded from it hereafter. 
 
 Again, reafons have already been given, which 
 may account for the general apoftacy of the 
 children, confidently with the fuppofuion, that 
 the children of believers are vifible believers. 
 God's promifes have not been attended to, be- 
 lieved and trufted in by the parents. If parents- 
 believed, trufted in God, and did their duty, as 
 they ought, we have reafon to conclude, that 
 all their children would be the fubjecls of divine 
 grace. Accordingly when true religion, know- 
 ledge, and faith flourifh and prevail, as we be- 
 lieve they will in a future day •, God will 
 moft evidently, and in fact, as has been oblerved, 
 appear to be the God of his people and their 
 
 feed j 
 
( 5i ) 
 
 feed •, and the children (hall grow up in the fear 
 of the Lord, and in obedience to the faith* 
 For, they are the feed of the bleffed of the Lord 
 and their offspring with them \ and they floall 
 fpring up as among the grafs, as willows by the 
 'water ccurfes. 
 
 SECTION X. 
 Serious reflexions on the whole. 
 
 l. flT^HE doclrine contained in the preceding 
 j[ pages, prefents us with a very affi : cl- 
 ing view of the riches and abundance of divine 
 grace. The grace of God that bringeth falva- 
 tion to the chief of fmners through Jeius Chrift, 
 is exceeaing great and abundant ; and as fuch 
 is much celebrated in the facred fcriptures. Buc 
 how is it magnified and advanced, when it is 
 confidered as expended to the feed of believers, 
 as co-heirs with their parents to the exceeding 
 great and precious promiies contained in the 
 new covenant, which is ellablifhed in Jefus 
 Chrift the mediator ! David fpeaks of the mercy 
 of God, manifefted in promifing blefiings to his 
 houfe, as that with which he was more afFtcled 
 than with the mercy that terminated in himfelf. 
 (i Sam. vii. 19.) And this was yet a fmall thing 
 in thy fight* Lord God : But thou haft fpokert 
 alfo of thy fervent' s houje for a great while to 
 fame. And all the people of God have like 
 reafon to admire and rejoice in his extenfive 
 grace, exprtficd in the promifes of new cove- 
 nant bleiiings to their offspring. How dear to 
 us are our children in the bonds of nature ! 
 
 How 
 
( 5* ) 
 
 How tender are our feelings towards them $ 
 And how defirons mult every godly parent be 
 of their fpiritual and eternal good ! How corr- 
 fortable therefore and foul-ref?efhin£ to iuch 
 an one, to hear the voice of God fpeaking in 
 his promife, and faying, 1 will be a God U thee 
 and to thy feed I And under the influence of 
 thefe views, how would .his mouth be opened 
 and his heart enlarged to praiie God for the 
 riches and amplitude of his grace ! Say ye, who 
 know the tender and heart-felt concern of a pi- 
 ous parent, how often have you viewed your 
 Tiling effspring, and in the midft of their inno- 
 cent and childifh recreations, had your fouls, 
 "with glowing affeelion, yearning bowels, and 
 weeping eyes, (uddenly and irrefiftably drawn 
 forth in earned prayer to God for their eternal 
 ialvation -, or breathing out an ejaculation like 
 Abraham of old, O that thefe my children might 
 live before thee ! And could you then lay hold 
 on God's covenant, and plead thofe promii'es 
 which pronounce the beft of bleffings to you 
 and your children \ how glorious and abundant 
 would divine grace appear ! And hew forcibly 
 would it demand your warmeft gratitude and 
 your higheft praife 1 
 
 If God tad given no intimations in his word 
 of his gracious purpofes towards the feed of the 
 righteous, it would become us indeed to acqui- 
 cfee in his holy fovereignty, and acknowledge 
 his right to difpofe of them \ even as the potter 
 hath power over the clay. But iince children 
 are included with their believing parents in the 
 merciful declarations of God's word, we ought 
 iq rejoice and give glory to him : For nothing 
 
 can 
 
( 53 ) 
 
 xan be more delightful, than fuch an employ- 
 ment, or more honourable to his free, fovcreign, 
 and abundant grace. 
 
 2. This doctrine tends to enforce the obli- 
 gations, and increale the motives and encou- 
 ragements of parents, to truft m God's cove- 
 nant as it refpccts their children, and train them 
 up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 
 
 It is the duty of chriftians to have a particu- 
 lar regard to the religious inftrufrion and edu- 
 cation of their children. God has commanded 
 it in his word, and we are bound to obey. 
 Every word of God lays a great obligation upon 
 us -, and our obligations are greatly increafed 
 by every manifeilation of his truth and grace. 
 If God has promifed to be a God to believers 
 and their iced, we are bound to believe this 
 promife, and truft in him for the performance. 
 He that believeth not, makcih Gcda liar. If God 
 has magnified his grace in this promife, cur ob- 
 ligations are peculiarly ftrong both to believe 
 what he hath fpcken, and to do what he hath 
 commanded. It would be ingratitude in an ag- 
 gravated degree, not to lay hold on the cove* 
 nant, embrace the promiied bleffing for our 
 children, and train them up in the <&ay they Jhould 
 go. We are to confider our offspring as God's 
 chofen ones ; they are his children put under 
 our care to be educated for hisfervice and glory. 
 How ungrateful and wicked for us to be negli- 
 gent in the difcha r ge of this important truiU 
 How great and ftrong are the motives to be 
 faithful from the profpect of promoting the 
 kingdom of God, and the eternal falvation of 
 our children ! If we believed God's gracious 
 
 declarations, 
 
C 54 ) 
 
 declarations, how would fuch a faith encourage 
 us to teach our children the fear or the Lord, 
 fince we might be perfwadcd, on good grounds, 
 that they would net depart from it ! If we had 
 far lefs reafon than we have to expect that our 
 care and diligence in educating our children 
 would be bld'fed for their eternal good, it would 
 be our indifpenfable duty to be unwearied in 
 teaching them the way of truth. But how 
 much greater are our obligations and motives, 
 fince we have the promife of God for our en- 
 couragement that they mall be the ktd of the 
 blelfed of the Lord ! If children have fuch an 
 intereft in the promifes as has been fuppoied ; 
 then, in a very important fenfe, they belong to 
 the Lord, and to him they mould be devoted 
 by their parents. For God is not amamed to 
 be called their God. He is not called fo in vain ; 
 for he has promifed blellings for them worthy 
 of a God to beftow. If believing parents de- 
 fire to bring their children to (Thrift for his 
 bleffing, here is a firm foundation on which they 
 may proceed : For the promife is to them and 
 to their children, and of fuch is the kingdom of 
 heaven. It io much depends upon the faith of 
 the parents, as has been reprefented^ how mould 
 this induce us to act fuch a faith in God's pro- 
 miles as will enfure the bieiTing, and effectually 
 engage us to bring up our children in the nur- 
 ture and admonition of the Lord, led their dear 
 precious fouls mould perilh eternally through 
 cur neglect. A foiemn confederation this, to 
 all parents ! God grant that it may have its 
 proper effect on our hearts and cur conduct ! 
 
 3. this 
 
( 55 ) .. 
 
 g. This doctrine affords an awful confideration 
 to ungodly parents : For they have no right to 
 the promifes for ihemfelves or their children. 
 On the contrary, the promifes which hare been 
 confidered, areoppofed to threatenings of awful 
 judgments upon the wicked and their feed. For 
 the Lord thy God is a jealous God, vifiiing the in- 
 iquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the 
 third and fourth generation of them that hate me. 
 It is a dreadful confideration for the wicked that 
 they are going the broad way to everlafting de- 
 ftruction themfelves •, and much more fo fmce 
 they have reafon to fear that they (hall entail, by 
 their wickednefs, curfes inftead of biefings upon 
 their feed. It is true God may, and often does, 
 in his own fovereign way, grant the bleffingsof 
 his grace to the children of the wicked. Ocher- 
 wife the wicked world, to the t lateft pofterity, 
 would be in a hopelefs fituation. But the wicked 
 and unbelieving have not the fame reafon to ex- 
 pect God's blefiing upon their children, as the 
 righteous, to whom the promifes are made. 
 Let wicked parents therefore tremble, left, by 
 their unbelief, they are the occafion of their own 
 and their children* everlafting deftruttion. 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
APPENDIX, 
 
 Containing fome general obfervations on the 
 difcipline of baptized children. 
 
 THE difcipline of baptized children has 
 always been infilled on by the advocates 
 for infant baptifm, as a necefiary confequence 
 of that doctrine, and a privilege belonging to 
 thoie who have been devoted to God in that or- 
 dinance-, but the practice of foch difcipline has, 
 for a long time, been generally neglected in 
 the churches. If there be no foundation in the 
 word of God for the baptiftrv of infants, then 
 all who do not make a perfonal and explicit 
 profeffion of their fakh are to be confidered as 
 yifibly belonging to the kingdom of Satan, the 
 fpirit that worketh in the children of difobedi- 
 ence, and are therefore in no refpect fubjc&s of 
 church difcipline* 
 
 But, if children are to be baptized as belong- 
 ing vifibly to the kingdom of God, it undenia- 
 bly follows, that they muft be fubjecl to the 
 laws of that kingdom, and that they ought to 
 be disciplined according to the rules of ChritVs 
 houfe. 
 
 That in the primitive churches children were 
 members, appears from the directions given 
 them by the apollle in his cpiftles to fome of 
 thole churches ; particularly, when writing to 
 the Ephefians he fays, Children obey your parents 
 in the Lord, for this is right. For if children 
 did not belong vifibly to the church, which was 
 builded together at Ephefuf, for an habitation of 
 
 Cod 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 God through thefpirit, there would be a manifefl: 
 impropriety in giving fuch a direction, in an 
 epiftle, which was exprefsly written to the faints 
 at Ephefus, and to the faithful in Chriji Jefus. 
 And that thofe children were not adults, is clear 
 from the direction given to their parents, to 
 bring them up in the nurture and admonition of 
 the Lord. 
 
 The constitution of the Jewifti church was 
 very different in many refpects, from that of 
 chriftian churches : yet its general nature was 
 the fame. It had rules of difcipline : It com- 
 prehended parents and their children ; and the 
 latter, according to their capacity, were as pro- 
 perly fubjects of difcipline as the former. A re- 
 markable inftanceof this is in the law concern- 
 ing a ftubborn and rebellious fon. (Deut. xxi. 
 19.) This law, as to the letter of it, is not 
 binding upon us-, but it fhews that children were 
 fubject to the JevviPn difcipline : And there is 
 as much reafon that they mould be fubject to 
 chriftian difcipline under the gofpel. 
 
 Children are not capable of acting, or of be- 
 ing treated in all refpects like thofe of adult 
 a°e ; therefore, when they are confidered as 
 fubjects of church difcipline, regard muft be 
 had to their age, capacity, and circumftances, 
 as in other cafes. 
 
 As a vifible church of Chrift is a fociety, it 
 partakes of the general nature of other human 
 focienes •, and, though in many refpects, there 
 may be a great difference, yet the difcipline of 
 the one may be illuftrated by the other. 
 
 A human fociety, for inftance, a particular 
 civil ftate, like a vifible chriftian church, con- 
 
 H fills 
 
( 58 ) 
 
 fills of parents and children, adults and infants,- 
 The members of the ftate are all fuppofed to 
 be friendly to the intefefts of the community f 
 and oppofed to its enemies. The adults may 
 manifeft their friendfhip and fidelity to the 
 Hate, by a public perfonal profefuon, or an oath 
 of allegiance, and a correfpondent conduct ; 
 but the infants cannot, but are eonfidered as 
 friends or gocd fubjects, according to the pro* 
 fefiion or character of their parents. So it is 
 in a christian church ; its member's are to be 
 eonfidered as friendly to the caufe of Chfift, 
 their head and their king-, and oppofed to his 
 enemies. This app-ars in adults by their pro- 
 feiTion and correfpondent practice; but the in- 
 fant's character is determined, at prefent, by 
 that of his parent. The children of the flats 
 are fubject to its laws, and enjoy thofe privileges, 
 of -which they are capable while they gradually 
 grow up to maturity ; but not as adults : The 
 former are fubject to parents, tutors, or go- 
 vernors, who in a certain ferffe and degree act 
 for them, and are anfwerable for their conduct : 
 The latter act for themfelves, and are account- 
 able for their own behaviour. So the children 
 of the church are fubject to their parents, and 
 to be trained up by them in the nurture and ad- 
 monition of the Lord ; the parents being under 
 the care and direction of the church, with ref- 
 pect to their duty in educating their children. 
 When the children of the flare arrive to a cer- 
 tain age, they are required to do all the duties, 
 and are admitted to all the privileges of adult 
 members •, if they give the evidence which is 
 expected in adults, of their friendship or alle- 
 giance 
 
( £9 ) 
 
 glance to the (late. So the children cf the church 
 are to be admitted to all ordinances and privi- 
 leges, when they can attend on them understand- 
 f t and give the evidence i-equired in adults, 
 of their fiacere attachment to the caufe of 
 ax. And they are to be called upon and 
 required to do all the duties which are incum- 
 bent on the followers of Chri'ti. 
 
 In civil communities the age of maturity has 
 been generally fixed and ascertained - y but it may 
 be difficult to determine on a particular age, 
 when the children of the church are to be con- 
 sidered and treated as adults. As the fcripture 
 feems to be fil.ent In this cafe, perhaps churches 
 may and ought to judge of the matter, as they 
 rnuit in fome other cafes, according to the ca- 
 pacity v,nd improvement of children, which will 
 ;ry vari 
 When baptised perfons come to adult age,and 
 have beer, properly and furHciently inftrucled 
 and admonifhed by the church, and obftinately 
 refufe to com h their duty, and to walk as 
 
 becometh the followers of Chritt, they rnuft be 
 rejected, or cutoff as other obftinate offenders. 
 The cafe of baptized perfons in adult age, who 
 do not attend on ordinances according to the 
 commandment of Chrift, is in all refpects the 
 fame as to difcipline, with that of thofe who 
 have formerly- attended, but now withdraw. If 
 the latter are to be inftrufted and admonilhed 3 
 fo are the former •, and when excommunication 
 is requifite in the one cafe, it is in the ether. 
 Withdrawing from the Lord's table, or abff 
 ing from communion, is to be tolerated in r • 
 churches only when it arifes from (uch fcruplfs 
 
 as, 
 
( So ) 
 
 as, through the weaknefs of faith or knowledge, 
 may be thought to confift with fome evidence of 
 a ft ate of grace. 
 
 But it will be a query with fome, whether 
 thofe adult baptized perfons, who are confidered 
 as members of the church, and fubjecls of difci- 
 pline, and who mud be required to do all du- 
 ties, and attend on all ordinances, as becometh 
 chriftians, may be admitted to baptifm for their 
 children, and to the Lord's fupper whenever they 
 defire it ? 
 
 I anfwer, agreeably to what was before ob- 
 ierved, undoubtedly they mult be admitted to 
 all the ordinances which Chrift has appointed 
 in his church, in the fame manner, and on the 
 fame terms, with other members. But this doth 
 not iuppofe that they may come to baptifm, or 
 the Lord's fupper, without a profeffion of real 
 religion ; for no members are allowed to come 
 fo : but iuch a profeffion, if not exprefTed in 
 words, is actually made or renewed whenever 
 they attend upon thofe ordinances. Nor dcth 
 this impl) that any have a right, in the fight of 
 God to covenant or make a profeflion without 
 true grace ; for none can do this without grofs 
 hypocrify : Nor can any baptifed perfons be ad- 
 mitted to baptifm for their children, unlefs their 
 conduct agrees with their profefTion ; for in this 
 cafe they, and other members, are to be excom- 
 municated. 
 
 From thefe obfervations it will appear, that 
 we need not wonder, as fome have done, that 
 there are no more explicit directions in the word 
 of God, refpecling the conducl: of churches 
 towards their baptifed children, For they are 
 
 to 
 
c Sf ) 
 
 to be treated as other members of the church, in 
 every refpect, excepr when they are fo young a? 
 to be incapable of public difcipjine ; and then 
 the direction to phriftian parents is explicit 
 enough to bring up their children in the nurture 
 and admonition of the Lord. 
 
 The practice of churches, according to the 
 preceding obfervations, would be natural and 
 eafy enough, had it always been obierved ; but 
 as the difcipline* of baptiied perlbns has been 
 long neglected in the chutches, and children 
 have grown up without confidering themfelves, 
 or being confidered and treated bv the churches, 
 as proper members and fubjects of difcipline, a 
 reformation would ordinarily be actended with 
 much difficulty. The want of light in the 
 churches is one impediment ; but the want of 
 love and zeal for the glory of God, is a greater. 
 Without divine influences, all means and at- 
 tempts will be ineffectual. But we ought to be 
 diligent and ftrenuous in our exertions, while we 
 pray earneftly for the effufion of a fpirit of g'ace 
 upon the churches, that they may be reformed 
 in the practice of difcipline, and fo become ter- 
 rible as an army with banners. 
 
 x^> 
 
 VS 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 ?' 
 
POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 TH E doctrine advanced in the preceding 
 pages will, perhaps, appear new; and, on 
 that account, be condemned and rejected by 
 forne -, yet, I truft a there are not many, at this 
 time of day, that will be willing to acknowledge 
 that they are greatly influenced by fuch a mean 
 and irrational prejudice as this y but, perhaps, 
 there may be fome ; and others probably are 
 fwayed by the authority of great and good men 
 more than they imagine. Some fuch confider- 
 ations, together with the define of friends, have 
 induced me to lubjoin a few quotations to ihew 
 that the leading fentiment of this pamphlet is 
 not without its vouchers among die great and 
 the good : But at the fame time I think, and 
 would have my readers think, that a vo- 
 lume of fuch extracts would not have the leaft 
 weight, as an argument in favour of the doc- 
 trine. To the law and to the tefiimony -, if what has 
 been advanced will not (land that ted, let it fall 
 to the ground, though it may be countenanced 
 by the authority of ever fo many great and ve- 
 nerable names. 
 
 The fjrft tefiimony I fnall produce is from 
 the celebrated Dr. Van Mafiricht, who lived 
 in the lad century, and was fucceffively profef- 
 for of divinity in the uniy^fiues of Francfort* 
 Duijburgi and Utrecht, fie wrote a fyllem of 
 divinity, imitled, Thsclogia Theoretico Praftica* 
 which has always been greatly efleemed by Cal- 
 viniftic divines, as an accurate, learned, and 
 orthodox work ; and which Dr. Cotton Ma- 
 ther 
 
( 63 ) 
 
 ther recommends in the ftrcngeft terms, declar- 
 ing that he knows not thai the fun has ever 
 fhone on a human compofure «qua1 to it. In 
 this celebrated work we find the author fpeak- 
 ing of infant baptifm in the following manner: 
 € The reformed affirm, that the infants of be- 
 6 lievers are, by all means, to be baptized ac- 
 
 * cording to the inftitutlon of Qhiift. i. Be- 
 6 caufe they are included in the promife of. the 
 
 * covenant of grace, and to fuch baptifm is 
 
 * propofed. (Ac~h ii. 38,39.) 2. Bccaufe they 
 
 * are partakers of the benefits of the covenant 
 6 of grace, viz. Regeneration and remifTion of 
 6 fins, (Jer, xxxi. 33, 34.) 3. Becaufe they 
 6 are members of the rnyftical body of Chrift ; 
 6 otherwife they would be without Chrift, with- 
 6 out God, without hope of falvation •, (Eph, ii. 
 6 11, 12, 13.) therefore they ought to enjoy 
 
 * the feal of ingrafting.' (1 Cor. 12, 13. Rom. 
 vi. 3, 4.) And again, 6. c Becaufe they are 
 ' partakers of the Holy Ghofl, (1 Cor. vii. 14.) 
 c as appears in Jeremiah (Jer. i. 5.) and in John 
 
 5 the Baptift ; {Luke i. 15.) and Peter exprefs- 
 
 6 ly teaches that fuch ihould be baptized. (Ads 
 
 * x. 44.) 7. Becauie the children of believers 
 
 * are born to God, (Ezek. xvi 20.) and there- 
 
 * fore are federally holy to God. (2 Cor. 7. 14. 
 
 * Compare Ifa. xlix.,22.) 
 
 * They object, that fince baptifm is a feal of 
 c the covenant of grace, it requires faith -as a 
 6 qualification. Anfwer. It is granted that 
 6 actual faith is requifite in adults ; but in in- 
 ' fants the principle of faith is fufncitnt : nor is 
 4 actual faith more requifite for baptifm ihan 
 4 for circumcifion.' 
 
 In. 
 
( 64 ^ 
 
 In another place ^ fcys, ^ c The common 
 opiniQn of- ch^ m'ormed is, .hat the baptifm of 
 infants (at lea/c of h ; :-d) preui.ppofes rege- 
 neration 2i already wrought; becaufe thac 
 which ]fi not cannot be fealed by baptiim. 
 And this opinion appears to me moll agreea- 
 ble to truth. ' 
 
 Another testimony may be taken from Dr. 
 Witfius,a noted Dutch divine, profeflbr of divi- 
 nity in the univerfities ofFrancker, Uxrecht,and 
 Leyden, and alio regent of the divinity college 
 of the Hates of Holland and VVeit-FrieQand. In 
 his (Economy of rhe Covenants, as translated by 
 Dr. Crookihank, he writes thus : ' It is unjutlifi- 
 6 able to exclude from baptifmH^fe who are 
 4 made partakers of the holy fpirit; for thus 
 
 * Peter (Ads x. 47) Can any man forbid water, 
 « &c. We moreover conclude; even the chil- 
 « dren of believers have received the -holy fpirit. 
 « For, otherwife, they could neither be holy, 
 c which yet Paul declares them to be, (1 Cor. 
 « vii. 14,) nor be Gh rift's, to whom none belong 
 6 who have not his fpirit; (Rom. viii. 9.) nor fee 
 
 * the kingdom of Heaven, to which hone is ad- 
 ; mitted, but he who is born of water and the 
 ' fpirit. John iii. 5. Whence it follows, that 
 c water cannot be forbid, that infants mould not 
 c be baptized.' Book iv. Chap. xvj. S. 44. 
 
 I mall only add o -, e teftimony more, -which is from the cele- 
 brated Dr. Watts, who writes thus concerning the infants of 
 believers : ' In my opinion, fo far as they are any way members 
 4 of the vifible chriftian church, it is fcpor: fuppofition of their 
 
 * being, with their parents, members of the mvihbie church 
 ' of God.' 
 
 Thefe extracts are futficient to mew that the covenant-iutereft 
 of the children of be' evers has been explained by writers of 
 great reputation in the chriftian world, according to fentiinents 
 exprefied in this pamphlet.