Page:A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace (John Ball).djvu/59

 Rh the state of grace, and made partakers of the benefits of Christs death. It is contrary to the truth. For no such thing can be found in the Scripture. In this first promise we find a manifest distinction betwixt the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Serpent: but that all Infants be of the seed of the woman, that we reade not: and therefore we cannot receive it. And when we see by experience, that many thousands are excluded from the externall Covenant, and God hath left them without all meanes, whereby they should come to the knowledge of Christ if they live, we cannot thinke all Infants effectually to be comprehended within the Covenant, and to be partakers of the good things promised therein. We know God is not tied to the meanes, nor doe we absolutely exclude every particular man from the grace of the Covenant, who is excluded from the Covenant outwardly administred: but we cannot thinke, they should universally be partakers of the grace of the Covenant, who are rejected and cast off in respect of the externall pledges and administration. And if all Infants be partakers of the benefits of the Covenant, it is a wonder the fruits thereof doe seldome or never shew themselves in them that live; or that God should leave them in such condition, as if they live, it is ten thousand to one, being destitute of all meanes to bring them to the knowledge of Christ, they shall fall from the grace received, and so plunge themselves into eternall perdition. Whether this opinion will stand with the tenour of the Covenant as it was renewed and further manifested to Abraham and the Israelites after him, we shall have occasion to consider in the Chapters following.

He Covenant made immediately upon the fall with Adam and Eve, God delivers it by accident, when he denounced judgement upon Satan, and in that whole passage doth not mention the name of a Covenant: but in the further manifestation of the Covenant of Grace to Abraham, God doth not only of purpose fall into it, and directly look at it, but openly declares the nature of