God, and may well be called feales of the Covenant, as they did fignifie remiffion of fins in and through the bloud of Christ, our true Priest and Sacrifice. Whether God was pleased to confirme his Covenant by any other visible fignes or feales, in that state of the Church, is more then the Scripture hath revealed, One question remaineth to be discussed,fcil. Whether this Covenant of Promile was made in Adam with all and every Infant that fhould afterwards be born into the world? There be fome that hold the affirmative part, viz. That all Infants, whether borne of beleeving, or infidell parents, are compre hended under the Covenant of Grace, according to the internall efficacy, though not according to the externall adminiftration, fo as they be truly and effectually partakers of the benefits promiled therein. But the Authors of this opinion doe neither content with themselves in this, nor with the truth. Not with themfelves: for they say Christ died for all men confidered in the common lapse of maffe, in refpect of impetration, not of application. But if all Infants be partakers of the Benefits of Chrift, he died for them, and fo for all men in refpect of application: all men are effectually regenerated, juftified, fanctified and adopted, untill by difobedience they fall from that estate. Againe they confeffe, that God with the Fathers may and hath reprobated the children, which is directly contrary to this affertion. Arm. in Perk, pag. 92. Proba (Perkinfe) gratia rejectionem pravifam, non effe caufam defertionis, quia Infantes extrafœdus evangelicum morientes, grati am non repudiaverunt,qui tamen reprobi funt, & à Deo deferti: At, inquam ego in Parentibus, avis, abavis, atavis, tritavis Evangelii gratiam repudiarunt, quo actu meruerunt, ut à Deo deferentur. Velim enim mihi folidam adferri rationem, cur cum emnes in Adamo contra legem peccaverint, posteri ejus, atý, co ipfo pænam meriti funt & defertionem, etiam infantes in fui parentibus quibus gratia Evangelica oblata eft, ac repudiata,no peccaverint contra gratiam Evangelii: Perpetua enim est fa deris Deiratio, quod filii in parentibus comprehendantur & cen feantur. And whereas they teach that Chrift died for all men in refpect of impetration confidered in the maffe, but not as impenitent,unbelec vers, or obftinate, let this opinion ftand, and he died for impenitent and unbeleevers only in refpect of impetration, but for all men in the maffe effectually, fo as they be actually fer into the the state of grace, and made partakers of the benefits of Christs death. It is contrary to the truth. For no fuch thing can be found. in the Scripture. In this firft promife we find a manifeft diftinction betwixt the feed of the woman, and the feed of the Serpent & but that all Infants be of the feed of the woman, that we reade not: and therefore we cannot receive it. And when we fee by experience, that many thousands are excluded from the externall Covenant, and God hath left them without all meanes, whereby they fhould come to the knowledge of Chrift if they live, we cannot. thinke all Infants effectually to be comprehended within the Covenant, and to be partakers of the good things promised therein. We know God is not tied to the meanes, nor doe we abfolutely exclude every particular man from the grace of the Covenant, who is excluded from the Covenant outwardly adminiftred: but we cannot thinke, they fhould univerfally be partakers of the grace, of the Covenant, who are rejected and caft oft in respect of the ex ternall pledges and adminiftration. And if all Infants be partakers of the benefits of the Covenant, it is a wonder the fruits thereof doe feldome or never shew themselves in them that live; or that God should leave them in such condition, as if they live, it is ten thousand to one, being deftitute of all meanes to bring them to the knowledge of Chrift, they fhall fall from the grace received, and fo plunge themselves into eternall perdition. Whether this opini on will stand with the tenour of the Covenant as it was renewed and further manifefted to Abraham and the Ifraelites after him, we shall have occafion to confider in the Chapters following. + CHAP. VI. of the Covenant of Grace as it was made and He Covenant made immediately upon the fall with Adam Tand Eve, God delivers it by accident, when he denounced adgement upon Satan, and in that whole paffage doth not menti n the name of a Covenant : but in the further manifeftation of the Covenant of Grace to Abraham, God doth not only of purpofe all into it, and directly look at it,but openly declares the nature of the the Covenant. Gen. 17.7,8. And what is more remarkeable,God would have Mofes fpend many Chapters in opening the speciall paffages of this grand contract betwixt God and Abraham. At the first breaking forth of the Covenant,it was propounded in dark and cloudie termes, not eafie to be understood, and most things fparingly expreffed, and indeed rather implyed then expreffed: In this fecond rife and further manifeftation of the Covenant, we have it laid downe in a plaine and conceiveable language to all whom it concernes. Gen.17.7. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee in their generations for an everlasting Covenant: and it is fully expreffed both in refpect of the Head and Purchaser or Undertaker, the confederates in this Covenant, and fubfederates, the good things promised, and conditions required therein. That place of Gen. 3. is feldome alledged in holy writ, but now and then by way of allufion :- but thole of the Promife made to Abrabam and his feed often preffed in the perfon of Chrift, not only as Meritor of the Promife, and Satisfier of revenging wrath, nor yet as Maker of the Promiles, nor only as Ratifier of the Promifes by his death, nor as having the prime part in the Promises as man and Head, but as Treasurer of them for the whole feed of Abraham. For all the Promifes of God in him are Tea and Amen, to the glory of God by us. 2 Cor.1.20. And Paul, when he had to doe with the falle Apo. ftles, who would have blemished this free Covenant made with Abraham, by the Covenant of the Law,Gal.3.15,16,17. he fo infifteth upon it, as that in a fort he preferreth this manifeftation, and proveth that it was confirmed of God in Chrift, and could not be difanulled by the Law. This Covenant was made in forme of a Promife to be perfor med according to the purpofe of Election: In thy feed fball all nations of the earth be bleffed: and in forme of a Covenant confifting of a free Promife and reftipulation, I am God all-fufficient, Walke before me, and be thou perfect: Gen.17.1. And therein the inward force and vertue of the Covenant is to be diftinguished from the outward administration, as we are to shew hereafter. The Head upon whom this Covenant is fetled, both as Undertaker and Confirmer, Purchafer and Treasurer of all good things promised therein, is Jesus Christ: which is more fully expreffed and and often repeated in this second breaking forth of the Covenant. Gen.17.3.4. and 18.18. and 22.18. In thy feed fhall all the nations of the earth be blefed: which cannot be understood of the feed collectively but fingularly, fcil. of Chrift, as the Apostle expreffely proveth, faying, Now to Abraham and his feed was the promise Gal. 3.16. made,he faith not to the feeds, as speaking of many, but of one who is Chrift. But we must not conceive the Apostles argument to be taken from the Grammaticall use of the word Seed: for that is often put collectively in the fingular number: but from the quality of the bleffings there promised, which could not be accomplished in any other but in Chrift alone. And this is evidently holden out to be the literall fenfe in other places. Acts 3.24,25. But where fhall we find mention of the paffion of Chrift in this expreffure of the Covenant unto Abraham, which in the first manifeftation was clouded in the phrafe of bruifing his heele: and is effentiall to the Covenant of Grace in any overture of it, as containing the price and ransome by which all hinderances are removed, as the Apoftle faith, Christ was made a curse for us, that the blessing of Gal.3.13, 14. Abraham might come on the Gentiles. Some anfwer, that this is thrice put on in the paffage of this Covenant with Abraham; first, in the federall confirmation by the figments with the fmoaking fornace, and burning lamps, which paffed between those pieces, Gen.15.8,9,17. which howfoever it typified the dividing of Abrahams feed in Egypt with their fiery labours and forrowes: yet primarily the type expreffeth the torment and rending of Christ Abraham his prime feed, and by the fornace and fiery lampe, the wrath of God that runneth betwixt, and yet did not confume the rent and torne nature. Secondly, they conceive this perpeffion of Christ was expreffed in the bldud of the Circumcifion. Gen. 17. 10,11. For they be of opinion,that where God commands fhed-ding of bloud in any his ancient Ordinances, it doth fully reach unto the bloud of Chrift,and his everlasting Teftament. The bloud which was shed in the fignes ordained to feale the Covenant of Promife, what did it fignifie but the bloud of Chrift, whereby the Covenant was to be fealed. Laftly, we may find a full expreffion of his paffion in the refolved facrifice of Ifaac, which was typicall the death of Christ, and the Ramme in his ftead: wherein is fet forth an Embleme of Gods love unto the world, in that he hath truly facrificed his only Sonne Chrift to take away finne.Job.3.16. H And παραβολή τη typo vertit Tremelius ex Syri interpretis que מתלא vox Hebraice Sup eft, & apud Evang. Matib.13.25 Propheta Pfal. 78. .redditur παραβολή. Theod.in Epift. ad Hebr.11. Gen.17.4. Ge1.17.7% Gen. 18.22. And if fome of these be not lively expreffions, it may feeme to be implyed in the very Promife: for how fhould the bleffing promifed come upon the pofterity of Abraham, if the promised feed had not borne the curfe of the Law, and by fuffering removed it, that mercy might be glorious in conferring righteoufneffe and life eternall. In the former Covenant a fecret honour was put upon Eve, as he was made (if we may fo fpeake) the first pipe whereby God conveyed the grace of his Covenant unto her pofterity, who did not degenerate into the feed of the Serpent. But here the Cove nant is made with Abraham, who received it, not as an example only, nor as a type, but as an Ordinance leading unto the conveyance of the fame Covenant to all the confederates. In which fenfe it is plainly spoken to in the Epiftles to the Rom, and Gal. and he called the Father of the faithfull. Rom. 4. 11, 12,16, and they which are of the faith the children of Abraham. Gal. 3.7. the feed of Abraham, Gal, 3. 29. Abraham is not the Father of the faithfull effectively, as if he fhould be the worker of faith in all, or that men should be borne faithfull of him: For fo God only by the holy Ghost is the Father of the faithfull: But analogically for the grace of the Covenant given unto him on that condition and priviledge, that as Fathers transferre and paffe over their rights and inheritance to their children: fo he as a Father fhould propagate the righteoufneffe of faith and free bleffedneffe to all the faithfull by Doctrine, Example and Covenant. So that all who receive this Covenant from God in Chrift, doe likewife by faith draw it through Abraham, to whom the promise was made, Gal 3.16. The Subfederates are deferibed,and by that differenced from all the world,to be Abrahams feed. I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy feed after thee. Where these fpecialties are holden out. That God will be as good a God to Abrahams feed, as he is to Abraham himfeife, and that whatfoever right by the Covenant was invefted upon Abraham, fhould defcend as from a Parent under this Covenant, to all his fted by vertue of this Covenant made with him. But we must diftinguith Abrahams feed. For fometime by the feed of Abra ban is meant Chrift, who is the prime and principall feed, who |