More proofs of infants church-membership and consequently their right to baptism, or, A second…

To be a member of the Church, is to be a member of a society taking God in Christ to be their God, and taken by him for his special people. The act ⟨p. 68⟩which makes each member, is of the same nature with that which makes the society. The relation then essentially containeth, 1. A right to the great benefits of Gods sovereignty over men, Christs headship, and that favour, protection, provision and other blessings, which are due from such a powerful and graciou Sovereign to such Subjects, and from such a Head to his Members: As also a right to my station in the Body, and to the inseparable benefits thereof. 2. It containeth my debt of obedience to God in Christ, acknowledged and promised actually or virtually, really or reputatively. Now for the first, how can God be related unto me as my God, or Christ as my Saviour, and I to him as one that have such right to him and his blessings, by any other way than his own free gift? This gift must be some signification of his will: For his secret will is not a gift, but a purpose of giving. This way of giving therefore is by a civil or moral action, which is a signifying of the Donors will; and can be by no way, but either pure donation, contract, testament, or law. In our case it must needs partake of the nature of all these. It is not from one in any equality, nor capable of any obliging compensation or retribution from us. Being therefore from an absolute dis-engaged Benefactor, it must needs be by pure donation, or it cannot be ours. Yet as he is pleased as it were to oblige himself by promise, or by his word, and also to call us to a voluntary acceptance, and engagement to certain fidelity, gratitude and duty, •nd so is the stipulator, and we the promisers in ⟨p. 69⟩the latter part of the action: it is therefore justly called a contract or Covenant, though indeed the word [Covenant] frequently signifieth Gods own promise alone. As it proceedeth from the death of the testator (in natural moral-reputative being,) so it is called a testament. And as it is an act of a ruling Benefactor, giving this benefit to the governed, to promote the ends of government, and obliging to duty thereby, so it partaketh of the nature of a law. The commonest Scripture name for this act, is Gods Covenant or Promise, and sometimes his gift; which all signify the same thing here.