1I will not press again, that which hath been alleged before. But there is something further that sticks with me, which may answer your demand, and give you a ground for the exclusion of Infants, alleged out of Gal. 4.22, 23, 24, 25. Where the two Mothers, Hagar, and Sarah type out the two Testaments; and their two sons, Ishmael, and Isaac, type out the subjects of the same; the one by the bond-woman, born after the flesh; but he of the free-woman was by promise, v. 23. Now as Hagar the mother, signified the old state in general; so Ishmael her son, signified the children of the same state, borne after the flesh, as he was. For though he was the child of Abraham, yet he was no child of promise. Now for Sarah she was the lawful wife of Abraham, and so a free-woman, with whom the Apostle compareth the estate of the Church of the New Testament, the true Spouse and wife of Christ, who is free from all servitude and bondage, and stands only in subjection to Christ her husband, as Sarah did to Abraham; and Isaac her son, signifying the true, holy, and blessed seed. Of this holy stock, according to the Spirit, and so as Isaac was true heir according to promise. For the Gospel approveth of none, as true heirs of the blessing, and so the right seed, and truly in the Covenant, but only such as the promise produceth and brings forth, as it did Isaac. For Isaac came not by ordinary course of nature, but by virtue of the promise of ⟨p. 155⟩God, and faith in the same, which raised nature above it self, to bring him forth. By this the wisdom of God holds forth as in a figure, who are Abraham's seed approved of in the Gospel, and they are such as are brought forth by a power above nature, which is by the promise of God, and faith in the same, as Isaac was, &c.
1I will not presse againe, that which hath been alledged before. But there is something further that sticks with me, which may answer your demand, and give you a ground for the exclusion of Infants, alledged out of Gal. 4.22, 23, 24, 25. Where the two Mothers, Hagar, and Sarah type out the two Testaments; and their two sonnes, Ishm•el, and Isaac, type out the subjects of the same; the one by the bond-woman, born after the flesh; but hee of the free-woman was by promise, v. 23. Now as Hagar the mother, signified the old state in generall; so Ishmael her sonne, signified the children of the same state, borne after the flesh, as hee was. For though hee was the child of Abraham, yet hee was no child of promise. Now for Sarah she was the lawfull wife of Abraham, and so a free-woman, with whom the Apostle compareth the estate of the Church of the New Testament, the true Spouse and wife of Christ, who is free from all servitude and bondage, and stands onely in subjection to Christ her husband, as Sarah did to Abraham; and Isaac her sonne, signifying the true, holy, and blessed seed. Of this holy stock, according to the Spirit, and so as Isaac was true heire according to promise. For the Gospel approveth of none, as true heires of the blessing, and so the right seed, and truly in the Covenant, but onely such as the promise produceth and brings forth, as it did Isaac. For Isaac came not by ordinary course of nature, but by vertue of the promise of ⟨p. 155⟩God, and faith in the same, which raised nature above it selfe, to bring him forth. By this the wisdome of God holds forth as in a figure, who are Abrahams seed approved of in the Gospel, and they are such as are brought forth by a power above nature, which is by the promise of God, and faith in the same, as Isaac was, &c.
- 1Sylvester.Silvester.
