268 The Birth- fnivileeige and Covenant- holrne e Ch.37 , cLeere9s prR- r-naíedox have no more or farther intereft then the feed of Heathens and 1 Pagans. When I firfl pub!ifhed my Rirth.priviledge, I here ex- Ì pesed oppofition, and did look that force would appeare to put { this limit to the Covenant in New Teflament-times, but for the Rate of the Church under the firít Covenant I thought i fhould' not have found an oppofite, and thefore was Ieffé mi -dfu1 of the confirmation of it , which I hope is now done to the Readers full' fatisfa6tion. As to thofe that plead fuch a change of things in' New Teftament- times, we might interrogate them in fundry par - ticulars. Pirft,when God by free Charter did once vouchfafe filch a grant to his people, how it can be made appear that it was ever re- verfed ; or any filch limit put to it, when the Church of God path held it in fee from 4braham to this prefent hour, they may well look that they fhould produce fame plaine word horn God (revoking his grant) that challenge them for ufurpation. It is true, that Gods Sovereignty is fuch,that he may contras his grace at pleafure; as he may wholly ftrike a people out of Covenant, fo he may put what termes he pleafes to ir; but fuch that affirme it should make it appear, in which hitherto they have beetle filent. They that will ejes us out of fo long a poffeflion, had need make their plea firme for our evision. Secondly, we might demand the reafons why the Covenant fhould renne in fo narrow a limit now,beingvouchfafed in fo great. a latitude then, being once made of God as with men of yeeres, fo with little ones, Teuts 29. Why fhould little ones be now ex -I eluded, and onely men of growth admitted? when it is granted I on all hands that God continues a people to himfeif, 1-how comes it to paffe that he admits them on fuch new termes? That his fa- vours are now thus fhortened,that as a leafe for term of life,differs from a fee- fimpíe for inheritance, fo the Covenant in New Tefta- -ment times differs from the Covenant vouchfafed of God to our fathers? W here the abfurdity lies that Baptifme fhould be ad- miniftred to thofe that do not asually beleeve, when yet Cìrcum- cifion.was adminiftred to infants in asgreat an incapacity. Thirdly, we might demand how they can avoid that great fcan- dall that muff: deeds by this meanes be given to the beleeving, Jewes, who waved the o'd way of the adininiflration of the Cove- nant, and embraced the new ? Tu have their infants upon this new admifpaon
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=