A41329:138
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their…
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their right to church-member-ship with their parents, and consequently their title to baptism. The cause of publishing this discourse after so many learned men have laboured in this province, is declared in the preface to the reader. By Giles Firmin.
London: printed for Tho. Simons, 1683
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.
Ans. 1. What do you mean by, so much are we better? Were none of these who were Circumcised being Abraham's natural Seed, also his spiritual Seed? Your words carried it as if not. Besides here would be a question, How the Elect-regenerate, the spiritual Seed, are Abraham's Seed; how is he a Father to them, as such? I am sure they are Christ's Seed, Isa. 53.10, 11. And we can give reasons, why they should be called his Seed. he is the meritorious and efficient cause of them, but Abraham neither way: You would have done well to have shown us this. Abraham is not so much a ⟨p. 41⟩Father to us, as Paul was to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 4.15. neither I am sure in this respect he was Father to Isaac, he did not convey Faith in his Generation of Isaac; how then is he a Father to us now? That there were Believers before Abraham, the Apostle, Heb. 11.4, 5, 7. Instance in Abel, Enoch, and Noah; (and more I doubt not) but yet in the History written by Moses, Abraham is the first person who is called a Believer, upon a special Promise given to him, Gen. 15.6. if any cause, he was but Causa exemplaris, which is Causa adjuvnans to the principal: By his example we should be stirred up to believe the Promise of God, as Abraham our Father did; (a)but he had such an advantage as we have not: he knew the Promise was made to him immediately, without any discourse, which we cannot know, but must first prove the Condition. But this I think also is a reason, He was the first person sealed, that received the Seal of that Promise or Covenant, and all his Seed after him commanded to receive and observe the same. This Sign and Seal being visible, I conceive Abraham is to be considered, as a visible-believing Father, and all his visible Seed must be sealed as the Father.
Ans. 1. What do you mean by, so much are we better? Were none of these who were Circumcised being Abraham's natural Seed, also his spiritual Seed? Your words carried it as if not. Besides here would be a question, How the Elect-regenerate, the spiritual Seed, are Abraham's Seed; how is he a Father to them, as such? I am sure they are Christ's Seed,