A47391:78
The axe laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of…The ax laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of…
The axe laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of infant baptism, and church-membership. Part I containing an exposition of that metaphorical text of Holy Scripture, Mat. 3. 10. : being the substance of two sermons lately preached, with some additions, wherein is showed that God made a two-fold covenant with Abraham, and that circumcision appertained not to the covenant of grace, but to the legal and external covenant God made with Abraham's natural seed, as such : together with an answer to Mr. John Flavel's last grand arguments in his Vindiciarum Vindex, in his last reply to Mr. Philip Cary, also to Mr. Rothwell's Pædo-baptisms vindicatur, as to what seems most material / by Benjamin Keach ...The ax laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of infant baptism, and church-membership. Part I containing an exposition of that metaphorical text of Holy Scripture, Mat. 3. 10. : being the substance of two sermons lately preached, with some additions, wherein is shewed that God made a two-fold covenant with Abraham, and that circumcision appertained not to the covenant of grace, but to the legal and external covenant God made with Abraham's natural seed, as such : together with an answer to Mr. John Flavel's last grand arguments in his Vindiciarum Vindex, in his last reply to Mr. Philip Cary, also to Mr. Rothwell's Pædo-baptisms vindicatur, as to what seems most material / by Benjamin Keach ...
London : Printed for the author, and are to be sold by John Harris ..., 1693
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.
THE Proposition I am to prosecute, you may remember is this, considering the Context, viz. Now the dispensation is changed to be of the natural root or the Seed of Abraham according to the flesh, is no ground for Church Membership, or no Argument to be admitted into the Gospel Church, or to Gospel Baptism.
You say you have Abraham to your Father, or you are the Children of Believers, or you have believing Parents: Well, but what of this, (as if John should say) this will do you no good now, this will stand you now in no steed, this will give you no Right to Gospel Ordinances, nor particularly to Gospel Baptism; 'tho' it did to Circumcision, and Legal Ordinances, and Jewish Church Membership.
For Hagar and her Son are cast out, that are the Old Covenant, and the Fleshly Seed; this old Root and Right, now in Gospel Days is struck at. The Axe is laid to the Roots of the Trees, i. e. To your old standing on the Old Covenant Root, as you are the lineal Seed of Abraham: The time is come now, that the Old Covenant, and Covenant Seed, are to be rooted up, the old House and Constitution pulled down; God is now about to build a new Temple, and a more spiritual House, a spiritual Temple of living Stones; and rather then he will want Materials, he can of these Stones raise up Children unto believing Abraham, and so make good the Covenant of Grace, or Gospel Covenant made with him: Now you must be united to a living Foundation, i. e. Believe in Christ, whose way I am come to prepare, and make ready fit Matter for this new Building, namely, the Gospel Church, which is not to be, by natural descent from Abraham as such, but only those who have the Faith of Abraham; yea, that Faith he had not in Circumcision, but in Uncircumcision, or before he was Circumcised. You must grow out of a spiritual Root, i. e. Be Married to Christ (your first Husband, i. e. The Law or Old Covenant is Just at the point of Death) that so ye may bring forth Fruit to God,