children by regeneration, are the seed and in covenant with this Church, and this he proves further yet.
First, Because None of the Natural seed of Abraham are in the Covenant by vertue of any natural relation, though they did remain in the Iewish Church till the death of Christ, and as that Church then ceased so their being in the Church by an natural relation ceased also Act. 10.28. Rom. 9.8. Gal. 5.28.31—3.7, 8, 9▪14.16.19.26.28, 29.
Secondly, The Gentiles have no natural relation to become Abrahams seed by, therefore a believers child cannot become the seed of Abraham by being the seed of a believer, unless such children do believe themselves, and cannot otherwise in no respect be participants in the covenant made with Abraham p. 14, 15.
And again p. 18. No Gentile (saith he) is Abrahams seed at all but by believing the righteousnesse of faith, allthough he be the child of believing pa∣rents.
Now therefore because you tell us not only,
First that believers children in infancy are Abrahams children, though they yet do not the works of Abraham, i. e. believe not on him that justifyes them, as some of you dote they do, but also,
Secondly, that the promise of the Gospel is to believers and their seed.
These both are abundantly confuted by that quotation of mine, which quotes more Scripture then you will ever answer, so that I wonder you blush not to shoot out so boldly two such blind, and unsound assertions together, the second of which I shall say no more to, it being virtually answered by what is more formally spoken to the first & also because I have shewed so undeniably above, that I know your consciences must yield to it, and that from this Act. 2.39. whence you would wre••t a proof to the contrary, that the promise, if you take it for the profer of the Gos∣pel Grace, is to all men in the world, every creature, and so not to believers and their seed only, but to all unbelievers and their seed also, in case they shall believe, for he conditionats the promise on calling, for such these were, whom Peter spake to, whilst he was yet speaking that very word to them, viz. the promise is to you and your children; but if you take it for the thing promised, which is not Church-mem∣bership and participation of baptism, as some say whose absurdity therein I have declared, but the spirit, remission of sins, and salvation, this is made, good al∣so to the believer himself; and it is mercie enough to him that it is so I think, but not at all to his seed for his sake, nor his faiths sake, for if it be I testify his chil∣dren need no faith of their own: nay more God never made promise to save any of believing Abrahams natural seed, without faith in themselves for Abrahams sake, as neerly as he took Abraham to be his friend; for even he had sin enough of his own to have sunck him, if the same Mediator that saves any of his seed, in that way of faith, had not mercifully saved him the same way, nor yet for Abrahams faiths sake, for that merited not salvation for them, nor was it in∣strumental, but faith only in themselves, to any one of his sonnes salvation, for every one must bear his own burden, if Christ bear it not, and the just must live by his faith, and not his fathers, neither did he ever promise for his faiths sake to give faith to his natural seed as his, for then they must all have had it (qua sic including de omni, and being universale summum) or God should ly which he cannot; neither could God blame them (as he doth) for unbelief, but himself, without whom (say you they could not believe & who had promised to make them believe and did not; though yet he promised to circumcise i. e. by his spirit to sanctify the hearts of his spiritual seed, as well as his own i. e. all such as believe, and are in the faith with him, for the promise being still sure to all the seed, which it is made to they all must be blessed with faithful Abraham.
Now if God, who made the old Covenant promise of the earthly Canaan to Abraham, and his fleshly seed, did not make the Gospel promise to him and