they all are separated things But we finde not in the new Testament what it is but in the old we must search and there we finde it often made opposite to that which is common that is which is and worketh onely within the common road of nature therefore we finde that then a thing is separated when it is set apart for a supernaturall efficacy and end of which nature all the Ordinances of the worship then were and are so still So for the Sabbath where shall we find that the first day of the week is to be remembred and kept holy as the Rest day of the Lord as the Seventh day was if you have not recourse to the fourth Commandement where the command is fixed upon the generall duty of remembring and keeping the Rest day whatever that day fall to be as was before observed Page 75. I might give many such instances I shall name but one more and that is this the applying of the token of Abrahams Covenant to infants which must have been more particularly appointed in the new Testament had not the command of God when he gave to Abraham that Covenant and the seal thereof been so expressely fixed upon the generall duty of keeping the token of the Covenant yea whatever that token prove to be for God did intend to change it as was shewed And withall the application of it to the Infant so expressely made an essential part thereof as being that wherein was signified and sealed that branch of Abrahams Covenant which made it to be his and to differ from what was given before in reference to which also and to the seals thereof he was called the Father of them that believe and therefore receiv'd both the one and the other both for himselfe and us as was shewed before namely a blessing upon families in order to the multiplying of the spiritual seed Which being considered the silence of the new Testament in this matter of Infant-baptisme is an argument rather for it then against it because had it not been taken for granted and as a thing commonly received by all the Churches from the light of the old Testament that this token of Abrahams Covenant should also be applyed unto Infants those who had so many questions and disputes to be decided by the Apostles had never let so great a priviledge go so quietly without so much as a question put about it And it had been necessary that the Lord should have given a caution for leaving Infants out of this new administration that we might have known his minde had he so intended Vse 4. Hence we see a reason why the Apostle faith of the children of beleeving parents that they are not common or uncleane but holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. one reason is because they come under this word of blessing from God in as much as that word was confirmed not only unto Abraham but also to all beleevers Blessing I will bless thee and thou shalt be a blessing and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed That which God blesseth he sanctifieth and separateth from that which is common or unclean As it is said of the Sabbath day he blessed the Sabbath day and sanctified it that is made it a day which should not be reputed common but holy Nor are the children of beleevers under a blessing onely in a common way of providence as he blesseth the corne and the beasts of the field as hath been shewed although according to the ordinary course of causes and things in nature it must be acknowledged a blessing to be born and brought up of beleeving parents for if that were all it would not make their children holy It is said that Christ upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. so as the common course of things in nature is not without a word of blessing from God The earth which drinketh in the raine that cometh oft upon it and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed receiveth blessing from God Heb. 6. 7. So Psal 107. 38. yet here is no holiness in all this because this is done in the common course of nature and that which maketh any thing to be holy is something which is spiritual and supernatural or separated from that common road And this is the case of Infants of beleeving parents they are not onely under a word of common providence but also under such a particular word of blessing from God by meanes whereof beleevers are made blessings to their children in that which is spiritual and supernatural even to the conversion of their soules to God without which word of blessing all prayers and good example or meanes of education whatsoever are not so effectual thereunto Hence it is that the Apostle puts that difference between the Gentiles and the Jewes as between a wild Olive and a good Olive tree Rom. 11. 24. If thou wert cut out of the Olive tree which is wild by nature and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good Olive tree That which made this difference was not to be found in that which was meerly natural for the Jewes were borne in originall sinne and corrupted thereby as much as the Gentiles but in something supernatural namely because the Jewes though they were sinful too yet they were under the means of grace and they had God engaged by covenant to them and their children for their good But as for the Gentiles he left them to their natural condition without such means to mend them nor was God engaged so to them for their good but they were under the curse of God therefore they grew wild as a tree in the Wildernesse that hath none to order it And so were all those that came of them such children of such parents alike under the curse of God in sinne and not looked after or regarded by the Lord as it is said Acts 14. 16. He in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their own ways And whereas the Jews are called the natural branches of this good Olive tree and are said to be Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 2. 15. this is not spoken because this difference was from nature onely and not from that which is supernatural but because this priviledge they had by birth according to the covenant of God with Abraham And we see by that of the Apostle Rom. 11. that look what priviledge the Jewes had of this kind the beleeving Gentiles do now enjoy since their being graffed into the same Olive tree from whence the Jewes for a time are broken off and that when the Jewes shall be again graffed into it they shall enjoy the same again as was shewed p. 39 40 41 c. Therefore I say this is one thing which makes this difference between the children of beleevers and of unbeleevers that they are holy and these common or unclean because they are under such a word of
and the sheep of his hand as was said before The Apostle urgeth us to hear his voice because he is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession faithful in his house as the Son and the Builder of it He varieth the title but he speaks to the same thing for what the Lord Christ doth as the Apostle and High Priest of our profession in his house he doth it as the great Shepherd of our soules as we see Psal 23. where David seting forth the blessings of his house as we see in the close of the Psalm and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever he doth it by this The Lord is my shepherd I shal not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me by the stil waters c. We heard before that two things especially he doth for us as our Shepherd he feeds us and he gives us rest Ps 23. 2. He giveth us green pastures he maketh us to lie down therein He spreds a Table for us and that in the presence of our Enemies Both these he giveth us in himself he is our Bread of Life he is our Rest In order to both these he hath built us an House of rest which is his Church as we shall see anon There he feeds us and there he causeth his flock to rest at noon Cant. 1. 7. He appoints also a day of rest to be celebrated in his house in the Service of it And because his sheep are not as the wild beasts that live of their own finding but are under the government and guidance of their Shepherd therfore called the Sheep of his hand Psal 95. that is of his government Psal 77. 20. and such as know his voice therefore at his voice it is that they come together as his flock in his house and Worship and that upon the day appointed for it by himselfe O come let us Worship and bow down c. To day if ye will hear his voice c. All this he doth as our Shepherd and he doth it also as the Apostle and High Priest of our profession in as much as in that capacity he appoints his house and the service of it and was faithful therein to him that appointed him as the Apostle sheweth And in as much as he is Lord also of the Sabbath as he is of his house and hath set apart and sanctified that day for the service of it this being as much in effect as if every Sabbath day we heard from him a voice inviting us to rest with him in his house therefore is it that the Prophet brings in the people of God in that manner as upon that day exhorting one another saying O come let us Worship c. to day if ye will hear his voice Nor is there any other day wherein the Saints can be supposed ordinarily to exhort and stirre up one another to worship God The other six days are appointed for labour Exod 20. 9. I have been willing to stay the longer upon this because it will be useful in opening the Covenant of God with Abraham as we shall see anon And because in these two chapters the third and fourth we have a clear evidence for the Christian Sabbath which also I shall make some use of in clearing the duty of Infant-Baptisme which is the thing especially intended in this discourse for which cause also I shal stay yet a litle longer upon these two chapters before I come to my Text to shew from the words of the Apostle that by to day if ye will hear his voice in that Psal 95. is meant the Christian Sabbath day which may be cleared in this manner First It is evident that it is meant of a day of rest chap. 4. 7 8. He limiteth a certain day saying in David to day after so long a time as it is said to day if ye wil hear his voice harden not your hearts for if Joshuah had given them rest namely that rest of which David speaketh then would he not afterward have spoken of another day Therefore of a day of rest it must be meant else the Apostles argument had not been concluding nor pertinent because many other days might have afterward been spoken of although Joshuah had given them all the rest that was ever to be expected Secondly It is meant of such a rest as God can and sometimes doth swear in his wrath against his own people who are his house and the people of his pasture that they shall not enter into it this cannot be said of what they enjoy in their personal interest by faith only but as for the comfort of his Ordinances and Sabbath how this may be said concerning that we shall see anon in opening the promise of God to Abraham Thirdly That it is meant of a Sabbath days rest appeareth by the manner of the Apostles arguing in this place in as much as the Apostle proveth it to be another day of rest besides what was in use in the Church before Another in opposition to the seventh day Sabbath and that because David speaketh of it as a rest to be entred into a long time after although the seventh days rest was entred into from the beginning of the world in as much as he spake in a certain place saying in this wise and God rested the seventh day from all his works and in this place again if they shall enter into my rest implying a promise that some shall though others shal not enter into it Now saies the Apostle this being spoken by the Prophet David of a time then to come and again that he limiteth a certain day saying in David to day after so long a time there remaineth therefore the keeping of a Sabbath for the people of God namely over and besides the seventh days Sabbath Now from this his manner of arguing it is evident that he supposeth this day of which David speaketh saying to day if ye will hear his voice to be a day of the same kind as the seventh day Sabbath was because else there had been no such opposition to be made nor would there have been place for an although or a notwithstanding in the case as in v. 31. because any other rest might have also been entred into from the beginning of the world as a believers personal rest by faith was but that which maketh the opposition is that David speaketh of a Sabbath days rest to be entred into now a long time after even in the times of the New Testament of which times that Psal 95 is a Prophesie as appeareth by the Apostles application of it in this place and thereupon he concludes it to be another day of rest remaining for us besides the seventh days rest By this we see that by to day if ye will hear his voice is not meant only of a Christians personal rest by faith which is every days enjoyment and was entred into from the beginning of the
of their relation to it as branches of it So as this blessing upon families and kindreds and his ordering in such manner his election as hath been shewed as by this Scripture you see it was intended in the promise unto Abraham so also that it is still in being and shall be to a thousand generations to all generations so I suppose we are to understand that phrase Psal 105. even to the worlds end Which will yet be more evident if we compare this Rom. 11. with Esai 59. 20. For the Apostle cites that place to prove the conversion of the Jews to be expected in the latter days v. 26. So all Israel shall be saved as it is written There shall come out of Sion a deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob For this is my Covenant unto them namely the Jews when I shall take away their sins that is when they are called and ingraffed again into their own Olive tree from which for a long time they have been broken off Now if we look into Esai 59. we see there what this covenant is viz. in the words next following at vers 21. This is my covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed even for ever Then mark what the Apostle affirmeth hereupon Rom. 11. 28. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sake but as touching the election they are beloved for the Fathers sake for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance So as it is the purpose of God's election thus made according to his covenant with Abraham which entayleth thus his blessing upon families from generation to generation which as by this of the Prophet Esaiah compared with that of the Apostle it appeareth that it shall be verified even to the converted Jews in the latter days so by the Apostle Rom. 11. we find that this priviledge is no other then what is and hath been enjoyed by beleeving Gentiles since their being graffed into the same root and Olive tree from whence the Jews were broken off For this cause also the Apostle saith of the children of beleevers that they are holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. And the Apostle Peter exhorts the repenting Jews to be baptized because the promise was to them and to their children Acts. 2. 38. Both which places I shall open in the application namely this in the third use of the point the other in the fourth A further evidence of this truth that in the covenant of God with Abraham was promised to his people such a blessing upon posterity we have from the nature and use of circumcision and the application of it to the child as a necessary and essential part of that ordinance Gen. 17 10 14. this branch of the promise concerning the circumcision of the heart of the seed of his people being thereby signified and sealed As also from Abrahams being therefore called the father of all them that beleeve Deut. 30. 6. because of his receiving this promise of such a blessing upon families and the seal thereof in order to the increase of his spiritual seed â—am 11. to 18. Both which I shall have occasion to speak to in the first use of the point and thither I refer my Reader rather then stay upon either of them here Where we shall also see that this second branch is one maine thing which is peculiar to this covenant of God with Abraham which was therein added unto that promise which was given unto the Church of God before Obj. But it will be said that many times a godly parent hath ungodly children and sometimes the children of ungodly parents prove beleevers how then is a Beleever a blessing to his family or how is Gods election caried through the families of his people as was said To this I answer Answ First that although he maketh his people blessings yet sometimes it proveth not effectual Gods blessings do not always take effect upon the sons of men through their sin As he hath promised his blessing upon his word that is that God himself will be present with it and work in and by it for which cause it is not a common but an holy word namely so in it selfe yet is it not always effectuall to the hearers of it Secondly There is an evident reason why notwithstanding God hath promised such a blessing upon beleevers their families and children yet that sometimes this blessing should not take effect 1. Because sometimes family duties are neglected beleevers sometimes follow not Abrahams steps in faith and obedience and in close walking with God as his servants and friends as they ought to do and then no wonder if such persons and their children come short of this blessing because God who ordaineth to the end ordaineth also to the means therefore the children of such Parents by such example will be apt to grow remisse and carelesse in Religion 2. Because although his promise be to carry his election so as to cast elect children upon elect parents yet he reserveth to himselfe and also useth in this a liberty namely ever and anon to be still breaking off some and graffing in others into this holy root So he passed by Ishmael and took Isaac passed by Esau and took Jacob afterwards he brake off the Nation of the Jews and graffed in the Gentiles at last he will graff the Jews again into their owne root So now a days a beleevers child proves ungodly then is that child broken off an unbeleevers child is converted to the faith then is that child graffed into this holy root Therefore for a right understanding of this promise made to Abraham we must take in that caution or qualification to it And it was necessary as God hath so farre confined himself in his election namely to families and nations that he should withal reserve this liberty because if he had so entayled his election to beleevers families as that none of their posterity should ever be broken off very many and great inconveniences through mans corruption would ensue 3. A third thing conteined in the Lords promise unto Abraham is That by thus blessing and making beleevers blessings God would multiply his seed Gen. 22. 16. Blessing I will blesse thee and multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of Heaven c. So Gen. 17. 2. I will make my covenant between me and thee and I will multiply thee exceedingly and v. 5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram but thy name shall be Abraham for a Father of many Nations have I made thee This also is part of the Gospel and conteined in the promise made to him and us as we may see further by that which is here expressed in the Text. When the Apostle would give instance of what God
attained to I may and I may adde to what degree soever of purity and perfection in the Church the meaning of those expressions is to be extended lesse or more it is evident that untill the Church be come to that ripeness and glory yea even such as may deserve that title of the new Jerusalem which cometh down from Heaven wherein righteousness shal dwel the people of God may not expect to possess that power The truth is should such power be put upon them now as things are in that condition wherin the Church of God is at present there would so many put on visards of Hypocrisie and seeming Saintship to get into place as but very few of the true spiritual seed of Abraham should obtaine it and such dissemblers and pretenders being in place would act very much unlike to Saints and so much the worse by how much the more they are refined in profession and the outside of religion being false and rotten still within Therefore as the Lord hath designed such a power even in this world unto his people so he hath reserved it untill such time as they shall be in a fit capacity to receive and use it as he saith Esai 60. 22. I the Lord will hasten it in his time Thus we see that notwithstanding this objection the promise of such power is intended unto such as are Abrahams spiritual seed indeed not to those who are pretenders only to be such so as when that day comes as it shall naturally fall upon them so there will be no cause of grief to people that power is so placed as it will then be To conclude this use I must adde a word by way of caution least I be mistaken in that which hath been said namely this That in the mean season till this new Jerusalem be come down from Heaven it is not to be supposed that the people of God should lay aside their swords or not to share among others in the power of Common-wealths and not be instrumental and that above others too sometimes in carrying on the work of God in the world in order to the encrease of his Kingdome and that by force too so far as it is capable to be used to advance that work But as when the whole power shall be put into their hands according to the prophesies mentioned before it shall naturally be divolved or cast upon them and become theirs according to the common rules of justice from principles of nature and reason as hath been shewed so much lesse in the mean time in being serviceable to their Country shall they act in any other capacity then as good Common-wealths men and as being involved in the same common interest with others of that nation or society whereof they are a part Their Saintship may fit them for their trust and in elections may bespeak them to it by way of merit but not entitle them to any place or power in Common-wealths The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world nor ever shall be as was shewed before in opening of the point Should the power and government be entitled to Saints as such we had need be in a better capacity to know them and to say which are Saints which not then indeed we are Therefore to salve that difficulty those who have pretended that priviledge and acted thereupon have accordingly ordered their affaires by pretended Revelations from Heaven which practice how absurd it is and what a monster in a Common-wealth is obvious to any understanding that will but consider that acts of justice in a Common-wealth are to be of publique cognisance and such as are supposed to be owned or ought to be by the community or the major part thereof for which cause a Revelation from Heaven brought in evidence in any court although it should be true is not a sufficient evidence for any Judge to go upon in passing sentence because unlesse the Judge have a Revelation also it comes not within his understanding to be able to judge of the matter If both Judge and Witnesses have a Revelation speaking the same thing yet he may not passe the sentence thereupon because the sentence of the Court is supposed to be the vote of the Common-wealth therefore the power even all the power thereof if need be is engaged to put the sentence in execution And for this purpose it may be pertinently considered whether that was not one cause why Cain was not to be put to death for his murder because having done it secretly in the field it was not revealed but by the Lord himselfe for what cometh within the cognisance of any Civil Court of matters criminal to be punished must be within the compasse of sense or reason Vse 7. One thing more concerning this matter I shal adde which is a seventh Use to be made of this point Namely that those who are the people of God doe learn from thence what course is to be taken by them to advance this Kingdom By that which hath been said we clearly see the course they are to take is to endeavour what they can to increase the number of his people And in order thereunto that they labour to be blessings to their Families and to the Nation and places where they live to be a meanes to season the hearts of their little ones servants friends and neighbours with the knowledge and love of Christ And though the work is great and far beyond our own abilities or all that we can do by instruction or example should the Lord withdraw his powerful assistance yet we must know that God is able who hath promised to make beleevers blessings to Families and Nations and by multiplying them to cause them to possesse their enemies gate Now for this end that you may be blessings in this manner First take heed you break not Abrahams Covenant as those persons do who deny the application of the seal thereof to Infants as hath been shewed from Gen. 17. and thereby as much as lieth in them do nullifie and make void that promise therefore in defence of that mistake it is often seen that they deny that promise to be of such extent Far be it from me to say or think that none of that beleef eare blessings to Families or Nations Many of them I beleeve are holy and sincere and very deare to Christ who knoweth how to passe by the errours and infirmities of his people and maketh even such notwithstanding that mistake instruments of much good to both But this I may affirme from what hath been said in this point that those who thus forbid little Children to be brought to Christ whatever is pretended are in that thing but small friends to his Kingdome and in that particular an ill way it is they take in order to their being blessings either to families or nations The right way of increasing that Kingdome and of exalting his throne and power in the world being waved and neglected other ways which