The infants advocate of circumcision on Jewish and baptisme on Christian children. By Thomas Fuller, B.D.

CHAP. IV. That all visible Members of the Jew∣ish Church had a foederal Right to the Sacraments. (Book 4)

WE must carefully dinstiguish be∣twixt the reaping of spiritual Bene∣fit by, and the having of a temporal Right to the Sacraments. It is confessed that the for∣mer belong'd wholly and solely to the true Israel of God; but in the latter the worst and wickedest Jew equally shared with the best and holiest of that Nation, as all alike corporally descended from A∣braham.

For the proof whereof, in the first place it is worth the observing, how our Saviour in the same chapter, and dis∣course, namely John the 8^th▪ affirmeth and denieth the wicked Pharisees to be, and not to be the Seed of Abraham.

To be, verse 37.

I know that you are Abrahams seed, but you seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.

Not to be, verse 44.

Ye are of the Devil, and the lusts of your father you will do.

Here is no contradiction, but a consent, if the several respects be considered: By Pedegree they were; by Practice they were not; by Linage they were; by life, they were not; by extraction they were, by conversation they were not the chil∣dren of Abraham.

Now to look only on the Jews in the first capacity, who are Israelites according to the flesh; we find S. Paul, Rom. 9. 4. giving in an Inventory of their Priviledges which amount to eight particulars; and it were high injustice in any Christian to deny the least branch thereof. Theirs were

• 1. The adoption.
• 2. The Glory.
• 3. The Covenants.
• 4. The giving of the Law.
• 5. The service of God.
• 6. The promises.
• 7. The fathers.
• 8. Christ conceiv'd in the flesh.

Herein the Apostle intendeth not onely the elect Jewes, but the diffusive body of that Nation. Yea, in this present point, with heavinesse of heart, he sadly singleth out such Apostate Jewes, for whom verse 3. he desired in exchange to be accursed, and yet even to those did this survey of priviledges belong.

This is farther cleared by the acknow∣ledgement of the same Apostle, 1 Cor. 10. 2, 3, 4. affirming that all the Fathers were baptized into Moses, all ate and drank of the same spiritual meat, and drink, yet adding afterward, that with many of them God was not well pleased.

Lastly, it is evidenced by those frequent phrases in Scripture, wherein the disobe∣dient Jewes are threatned to be cut off from his people, and from Gods presence. Levit. 22. 3. Such could not be cut off from spirituall holinesse, or happinesse, wherein they were never truly planted, and whereof never really possessed, but onely from being outward members of that Church, which intitled them to a true right of the aforementioned prero∣gatives.

Indeed one reason, which makes many men loth to entertain this truth, to allow a foederall right to the worst of the Jewes, is a suspition, that the holding hereof will betray them to the dangerous opinion of falling off from grace, if that such who once were actually estated in such a Co∣venant-right, should afterwards make a finall defection from the same. Now, as I cannot blame them to be jealous with a godly jealousie, and to decline what is introductory of so comfortless an errour, as maintaining the apostasie of Saints: so I must condemn their over caution here∣in, to fear where no fear is. For, this foe∣derall right which the wicked Jewes had, never stamped upon them any character of saving grace, but was onely a right of capacity, putting them into an actuall possession of the means, and a possibili∣ty of salvation it self, if not frustrated thereof by their own wilfull default.

Suppose now there should happen a Contest betwixt the worst of Jewes, and the best of Heathens, about their spiritu∣all condition, should the Pagan bee so presumptuous as to affirm himself equal∣ly

advantaged to a capability of happi∣nesse with the Jew, the other might just∣ly confute his impudent bragging therein, alledging that his extraction intailed on him, a right to Circumcision, with the Covenant therein, and all the promises thereto belonging.

All will allow a reall difference be∣twixt an Usurper, and a Tyrant (though both be bad) the former, invading what is none of his own, the latter abusing what is truely his. Now, should a Pagan, quà Pagan, pretend to the Covenant of Circumcision, he were guilty of notori∣ous usurpation; whereas the wicked Jew too often tyrannically abused that Ordi∣nance, having a right unto it, but making no right use of it. And, although some civil Pagans did outstrip many impious Jewes in Morall performances, the Jews might thank their own lazinesse, falling so far short of the Mark, having such advantage at the starting, as a true right, and title to all Gods Ordinances.

This foederall right therefore must not be denied to the worst of men, within the Pale of the Church, lest the godly receive

prejudice thereby. The Story is suffici∣ently known of a landed Innocent, whose Estate some Courtier begged, on pretence that he was unable to mannage the same. The Innocent being brought for triall into the Princes presence, & questioned about his ability, returned this answer; My fa∣ther being a wise man, begat me who am a fool, and why may not I who am a fool, beget a sonne, who may prove a wise man?

To apply this story: Many now adayes seek to disinherit wicked men of their Covenant-right in the Church, alledging their prophanesse to be such, as doth dis∣franchise them of those Priviledges. May not such wicked men, (fools in Solomons phrase) plead for themselves; My father being a Saint begat me a wicked wretch, and why may not I beget a sonne that may prove a saint?

See we this in Ahaaz, the posture of whose generation was such, that he was fixed in the middle betwixt Jotham his godly father, and Hezekiah his gracious sonne; hee himselfe being the worst of men, 2 Chron. 28. ••2. Who in the time of his distresse did trespasse yet more and more

against the Lord, mending for afflictions as a Resty-horse with beating, onely the more untoward for the same. Yet this Ahaaz by his foederall-right, served to re∣ceive a true title to Circumcision from Jo∣tham his father, and to reach the same to Hezekiah his sonne; though enjoying in himself no spirituall benefit thereby.

And thus having concluded the whole Body of the Jewish Nation, comprehen∣ded within the compasse of the Cove∣nant of Circumcision, I proceed to shew how the Jewish children at eight dayes old, were capable to covenant: A Point having more verity, then evidence therein.