A39697:168
Vindiciæ legis & fœderis
Vindiciæ legis & fœderis: or, A reply to Mr. Philip Cary's Solemn call Wherein he pretends to answer all the arguments of Mr. Allen, Mr. Baxter, Mr. Sydenham, Mr. Sedgwick, Mr. Roberts, and Dr. Burthogge, for the right of believers infants to baptism, by proving the law at Sinai, and the covenant of circumcision with Abraham, were the very same with Adam's covenant of works, and that because the gospel-covenant is absolute. By John Flavel minister of the gospel in Dartmouth
London: printed for M. Wolton, 1690
A REPLY TO Mr. Philip Cary's Solemn Call. › Section 3 › Argument 2: Argument II.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But so it was in both these Covenants. Ergo.
The Minor only requires proof, for which let us have recourse to the places, and see whether it be so or not.
(1.) For the first you instance in as a pure Gospel-Covenant made with Abraham, Gen. 12. 2, 3.. I must confess, as you dismember the Text, pag. 229. by choosing out the second and third Verses, ⟨p. 68⟩and leaving out the first, which was the Trial of Abraham's Obedience in forsaking his native Country, and his Fathers House; I say, give me but this liberty to separate and dis-join one part of a Covenant from the other, and it's easy to make any conditional Covenant in the World to become absolute: For take but the Duty required, from the Promise that is made; and that which was a conditional, presently becomes an absolute Grant. Suppose, Sir, that Abraham had refused to leave his dear native Country and nearest Relations, as many do; think you that the promised mercies had been his? I must plainly tell you, you assume a strange liberty in this matter, and make a great deal bolder with the Scriptures than you ought; and the very same usage the other Scriptures hath.
(1.) For the first you instance in as a pure Gospel-Covenant made with Abraham, Gen. 12. 2, 3.. I must confess, as you dismember the Text, pag. 229. by choosing out the second and third Verses, ⟨p. 68⟩and leaving out the first, which was the Trial of Abraham's Obedience in forsaking his native Country, and his Fathers House; I say, give me but this liberty to separate and dis-joyn one part of a Covenant from the other, and it's easie to make any conditional Covenant in the World to become absolute: For take but the Duty required, from the Promise that is made; and that which was a conditional, presently becomes an absolute Grant. Suppose, Sir, that Abraham had refused to leave his dear native Country and nearest Relations, as many do; think you that the promised mercies had been his? I must plainly tell you, you assume a strange liberty in this matter, and make a great deal bolder with the Scriptures than you ought; and the very same usage the other Scriptures hath.