A57966:271
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the sovereignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the soveraignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...
Edinburgh: printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Brown, 1655
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.
3. If the positive command be general that all these in Covenant should be marked with the initiatory seal of the Covenant: As Gen. 17.7, 8. I am thy God, and the God of thy seed: Therefore old and young be Circumcised, then there was no other command in particular, to baptize old or young, but the institution of Baptism in place of Circumcision needful. As touching the application of it to persons, old or young, except the ground of external Covenanting stand as warranting to administrate the seal to all, so Covenanted; Yea, and if there be a positive command and warrant in the New Testament to tender the Seal of Baptism to none but to the aged, that can give an account of their faith, and do actually believe; then should there be an express command in the New Testament concerning Baptism as concerning the Lords Supper▪ that every one before they be Baptized,1 try and examine themselves whether they savingly believe or not, before they be Baptized, otherwise they receive their own damnation, as in the Lords Supper, for self judging and self examination, if actual believing and being internally in Covenant, as these in whose heart and inward part the Law of Grace must be engraven, be the necessary condition required in all these to whom the Church can warrantably tender Baptism as the seal of the Covenant: And we require a positive command in the New Testament, see that ye Baptize none though they profess they be in Covenant, except such as can try and examine whether they savingly believe or not: and here Anabaptists must flee to the consequences of the Word and reasons drawn from the Covenant of Grace, as well as we, and an express command they cannot flee unto, nor is it in Old or New Testament: It should not move us, that Infants understand neither command ⟨p. 98⟩nor seal, nor Covenant, for the Argument is against the Holy Ghost, and they are obliged to answer it; for Infants are as ignorant of the promises the special mysteries of the Gospel, as of Precepts of the Gospel. And yet the promises of the Covenant of Grace are expressly to Infants of the New Testaments Acts 2.39. promise, [Greek or Hebrew], The Gospel promise made to Abraham,