that generation must needs be born heirs to if they were born heirs of a covenant of grace which if this should be asserted as it is by those who defend childrens baptism Then this fundamental point of Religion must needs be denyed that all mankind are by nature the children of wrath Ephes 2.2 and that all both Jews and Gentiles are charged under sin Rom. 3.9 And there is none righteous no not one But be it known to you this is a fundamental doctrine of truth generally acknowledged by all the godly That we are dead in sins and trespasses wherein in times past we walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the air the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lust of the flesh and of the mind and were children of wrath by nature as well as others Now the Apostle Paul affirmeth this to be equally the state of himself who was born in the Church of Israel as well as the Gentiles and David doth affirm this of all in general Psalm 14.2 3. which the Apostle Paul urgeth in Rom. 3.9 forwards speaking of himself and the rest of the National Churches of the Jews What are we saith he better than they meaning than the Gentiles No in no wise for we have before proved that both Jews and Gentiles are all under sin as it written there is none righteous no not one there is none that understandeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are together become abominable there is none that doth good no not one And in Psalm 51. David saith I was conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity who was a child of the Church of God as it is usually termed But beloved this doctrine is clear in Scripture and clearly experienced by every Godly Christian which truth must needs be overthrown if the whole body of Israel were born adopted Sons and heirs of a covenant of eternal life born heirs of Justification then they were never heirs of wrath nor in a state of damnation nor never proved nor charged under sin nor never all unrighteous because born heirs of a covenant of Grace aad of righteousness nor never born dead in sins and trespasses for that is inconsistent with being in a covenant of grace and life This opinion of holding the covenant of grace to be intailed in the flesh opposing it self so directly against this forementioned foundation of Religion must needs be a gross error so considered The second fundamental point of Religion that this error opposeth it self against is stability in a covenant of eternal life it cannot be imagined that I should much insist upon proving this Doctrine of stability in grace to be a fundamental truth I shall take that for granted from the nature of the new covenant in several Scriptures before recited as in Psalm 125. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be removed but as the Mountains are round about Jerusalem so shall the Lord be about them from this time forth and for ever And in Psal 89.33 If thy children sin I will afflict them with the rods of men but my loving kindness will I not utterly take from them nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth But taking this for granted to be a truth that all born in the Church of the Jews were born heirs of his stable Covenant and so were really and in truth in the covenant of grace then most of the Church of Israel that were in a covenant of grace were damned and not saved as Isaiah 10.22 23. Though Israel were as the sand of the Sea yet a Remnant of them were saved only And so Isaiah with Rom. 9.27 28 31. But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness hath not obtained to the Law of righteousness Paul saith Rom. 11.5 There was a Remnant according to the election of grace and in verse 7. how they obtained it but the rest were hardened all but the remnant were blinded and hardened Therefore if such multitudes as the sand of the Sea were all really in a covenant of grace most of them must be understood to fall out of the covenant and so to fall out of the covenant of life This is another fundamental truth that this opinion is fully against defending that souls may be truly in a covenant of eternal life and yet perish and be damned The third foundation that this error overthrows is The necessity of Conversion or Regeneration which doctrine is eminently confirmed by Christ in the Gospel as a fundamental truth John 3.4 5. where Christ speaking to Nichodemus tells him th except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And likewise in John 8.24 Except ye believe that I am he ye shall dy in your sins And John 3. two last verses He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him and he shall not see life The before mentioned errors that holds a covenant of life running in the flesh upon the carnal seed opposeth it self against this for might the carnal seed of Israel say to Christ why do you preach such a doctrine to us That except you be born again you cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We affirm the contrary seeing by the first birth we have an interest in the covenant of grace and eternal life already without believing and being born again and so are entered into the Kingdom of God and the privileges thereof Whereas you say That except you believe that I am he you shall dy in your sins why doth Christ pronounce death without believing seeing we are acquainted with another way to enter into life than the way of believing which is to be begotten of one of the church or a believer We find the Holy Ghost in the 1 John 5. saith He that hath Christ hath life he that hath not Christ hath not life No saith this error there were thousands that were interessed in life without having Christ that is to say by carnal generation Saith the Apostle There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but by the name of Jesus Yea saith this error There is another name by which we may come into a covenant of eternal life and so to be saved so that here lies the case where Christ in the Gospel powerfully affirms no other way to life but by believing regeneration and coming to Jesus Christ This opinion destroys all these testimonies opening another door of entrance into the covenant of life besides this and that by fleshly generation though Christ saith to Nicodemus Joh. 3. That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit as if souls were
unbelieving Jews the true fleshly seed of Abraham that the Apostle Paul affirms the contrary Acts 19.9 But when divers were hardened and believed not but spake evil of that way before the multitude he departed from them and Acts 13.45 46. But when the Jews saw the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things that were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold and said it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you but seeing ye put it from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life Lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us and v 50. the Iews stirred up the devout and honorable women and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas but they shook off the dust of their feet against them and therefore Paul is plain in Rom. 11. saying That God had a certain number that were of the eternal election among the Iews those obtained right to the remission of sins and the rest were blinded and hardened but it should seem to be the general understanding of those that urge this Text for a covenant in the flesh That if they were the seed of the Jews though they were not called nor did not believe but were hardned in their continuance in unbelief yet this promise of remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost belongs to them and this interpretation that this Text must have to defend a covenant in the flesh which I leave to any intelligent man to consider how greatly erroneous it is to affirm that the promise of the remission of sins belongs to the unbelieving and hardened children of the Iews that God hath nor nor doth call So that you may clearly see that the truth lyes in this text that the promise is to no more of Fathers nor children nor those afar off but such as God by his especial grace doth call to be the Sons of of God by faith An answer to that text 1 Cor. 7.14 Another Scripture made use of or rather abused and wrested to defend this error is 1 Cor. 7.14 The unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctifyed by the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy whence is gathered by those of that opinion that this holiness is as they call it a federal holiness of a covenant holiness that is to say God having taken the believing parent with the child into covenant with himself the child is in this sense holy that is covenant-holy Now for the better understanding this Text I pray consider how and in what sense God takes persons into Covenant with himself and that as you have heard is two waies either he takes souls to himself in a typical covenant so he took Israel to himself in that covenant and in that sense they may be said to be separated from the rest of the World which separation of them from the rest of the World to himself is a holiness that the carnal Iew was only partaker of such a typical and legal holiness that people being separated from all other nations in the world to God in this covenant now the word holy signifies so much as separating or setting apart and in this sense the Vessels of the Temple were holy as also the Priests being by Law set apart from the rest of Israel to offer the bread of their God Now in the 2d. place there is also a new covenant or a covenant of life that God takes a people to himself which is to write his Law in their hearts in their minds to sanctify thē to justify them Now this internal holiness which God as an effect of that Covenant infuseth into the heart is only this new Covenant-holiness for there is no other holiness that relates to the new Covenant when the heart and the inward man shall be purified through faith And when the whole heart and affections are by the powerful work of Gods grace separated from sin and those vanities below to heaven and heavenly things this is the only holiness that the covenant of eternal life conveys to souls The Hypocrite may have this in appearance but the elect and chosen have this only in truth he puts no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith and he hath by one offering for ever perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10. this sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth goes alwaies together 2 Thes 2.13 Therefore it is impossible that this should be the meaning of the Text that all believers carnal seed are in a covenant of eternal life and so have their hearts purified and sanctified through the work of the Spirit and faith before they are born and in this sense are born holy I know no other sanctification the Scripture speaks of belonging to a covenant of grace and eternal life and for that external or typical holyness in an outward covenant it cannot be because that was abolished through Christs death as appears in Heb. 8.9 chapters therefore far be it from the Apostle to intend here the countenancing of any such erronious opinion as that every believers Child was by virtue of his first birth internally holy with that holiness of truth as the Apostle calls it Ephes 4.24 If you please therefore hearken to the true meaning of this text which is to this effect The Corinthians having sent several doubts and questions to the Apostle to resolve and answer as appears in the first verse of this chapter he answereth them particularly and it seems among the rest they had a Jewish question started grounded as we suppose upon Ezra 9. Deut. 7.2 where you find it was unlawful for a Jew to marry with a stranger therefore Ezra caused all those men that had taken them strange wives to put them away as not lawfully married because contrary and against the Law given to them therefore they were to put them away and the children born of them as illegitimate and unclean in an unlawful fellowship These Corinthians it seems did propound in writing to the Apostle this question whether such of them as had unbelieving husbands and wives yet reimaining in idolatry might lawfully abide with them in that fellowship in the marriage-bed and whether that fellowship were not unclean and unlawfull as in Ezra's time Unto this question the Apostle answers verse 12. To the rest speak I not the Lord. If any Brother hath a Wife that believeth not and she be pleased to dwell with thim let him not put her away and the woman which hath a husband which believeth not and if he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him But also might they say why is not our marriage fellowship unclean Therefore in ver 14. saith he The unbelieving wife is sanctifyed as the Geneva Translation hath it to the believing Husband or else were your children
like manner as for Example Cornelius and his family having a personal union with the Lord and communion with him before Peter preached to him and he not being an obstinate professed enemy against any Law of Christ but contrarywise saying to Peter We are here to hear what soever is commanded thee of God Therefore the Spirit of God falling down upon them they spake with new tongues and glorified God and Peter and the six baptized Brethren being with them no question did join in Spirit and heart in that present Spiritual service which Cornelius and his family did perform to God they none of them at that interim of time being baptized nor convinced that baptism was an Ordinance of God For till Peter had consulted with the Brethren he did not press baptism upon them And therefore we find that he did instruct them after a consultation which he had with the Brethren saying How should we forbid water that these should not be baptized that have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And Paul in like manner between the time that Christ had converted him and his comming to Annanias prayed and we find God owns a personal Communion with him in that prayer for Christ speaking to Annanias saith That Paul was a chosen Vessel for behold he now prayeth manifesting that he owned Paul in that service Now he being in a teachable godly frame though ignorant of baptism in prayer God had Communion with him In like manner I judge from these Scripture examples it is lawful for a baptized person to have fellowship in prayer or speaking with any such soul which he is perswaded of to be godly and that is not a professed enemy to any command of God But God hath not as we find ever had any Church-union or Communion with any Soul that was unbaptized and it is clear that the Ordinance of the Supper is committed to a Church yea to a Ministerial Assembly gathered according to Christs Commission Mat. 28.19 20. where I understand the order there binding is this First the Ministers should teach the Nations or make them disciples by teaching and then the command is Baptizing them what them such that are made disciples by teaching Thirdly the Command is to teach them to observe whatsoever Christ hath commanded what them is here meant but such as are made disciples and baptized teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you and I will be with you to the end of the world that is he will be with a people first converted secondly baptized thirdly walking in the practical observation of all other administrations of Gods house as these eleven did and those they converted I say this his promise is to be with his people to the end of the World And this order is binding that as a Minister is commanded to baptize one made a Disciple and not any other so he is commanded to put them upon the practical observation of all his Laws and they only and till they are baptized they are not nor cannot be admitted into a visible Church to partake of the Supper of the Lord. And that this is the true meaning of Christ in the Commission appears by his Apostles Ministry and practice who by the infallible gifts of the holy Ghost were guided unfailingly thus to preach and practice as in Acts 2.37 38. with 41 and 42. verses First he teacheth them the Doctrine of Jesus Christ they hearing that were pricked at the heart and inquiring of Peter and the rest of the Apostles what they should do he saith Repent and be baptized every one of you See how he presseth the same order here as Christ doth in the Commission and afterwards in the 41. verse it is said So many as gladly received the word of God were baptized and the same day there was added to the Church about three thousand souls by Faith and Baptism and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of Bread and prayer Therefore the way that Christ hath ordained is That souls should be joined or added to the Church by Faith and Baptism according to that word in 1 Cor. 12.13 We are all baptized by one Spirit into one body Now though the Spirit as the inward thing signified be here spoken of yet the outward sign is also included as might be by other Scriptures cleared Thus Cornelius his Family were converted then baptized before they were constituted a Church So the Gaolers and Lydia's and the Church of Samaria in Acts 8. were all gathered by faith and dipping And for a Minister to gather a Church any other way is to go not only in an untroden path but cross and point-blank contrary to the doctrine and practice of the Apostles therby slighting the Rules of Christ in the Commission by which the Apostles Doctrine and practice was guided and which all the Ministers of the Gospel ought to be guided by Why the Ordinance of Baptism is administred but once the Ordinance of the Lords Supper often But yet further the Ordinance of baptism is to confirm our Regeneration New birth and Union with Christ in his death burial and resurrection Rom. 6.3 4 5. with Col. 2.12 Tit. 3.5 and therfore is to be received but once as a man is to be regenerated but once and born but once and changed from death to life but once but that ordinance of God viz. the Supper is for Christians growth and increase of grace and of constant use to shew forth Christs death till he come and therefore to be received often Now it must needs be a profâ—nation of this ordinance of God to divert and cross the order and so the special intendment of God in them and that is to admit persons to that Ordinance which is principally for Christian growth before you have admitted them to that Ordinance which is for planting them into Christ signifying the confirmation or washing of Regeneration and the new birth and Union with Christ the true stock and root from whence all spiritual growth is to be expected Therefore Baptism must be the first Ordinance dispensed or administred after conversion before the Supper So that it would be a profanation of the Ordinances of God to divert their proper order end and use to which our holy and jealous God hath appointed them and it is a tender point for those that profess themselves friends to Christ the Bridegroom to be venturing to take his peculiar privilege or prerogative out of his hands as to order and dispose of his own order in his solemn worship contrary to his Commission I do judge such a man that hath not a tender conscience in such cases is in that much unlike Christ and shewes much carnality because as you have heard God will have the honor to direct his people both for the matter and manner of their worship and order of his house But again as you have heard before in Ephes 4.3 What things are essential
8.6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is a Mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises Herein he clearly doth shew that the covenant waxing old and vanishing away was grounded upon worse promises which must needs be understood temporal promises as in Jerem. 11.2 3 4 5. Hear ye the words of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah and Inhabitants of Jerusalem and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt from the Iron Furnace saying Obey my voice and do them according to all which I command you So shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I may perform the Oath that I have sworn unto your Fathers to give them a Land flowing with milk and honey as it is this day then answered I and said So be it O Lord. Where you have this Covenant of Gods being his peoples God and giving them Canaan annexed to the works of the Law as being all one covenant Observe the words in the Text So shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I may perform the Covenant which I have sworn to your Fathers to give them a Land flowing with Milk and Honey You shall see that the promises of Canaan and the blessings thereof are annexed to the Law of works Deut. 30.15 See I have set before thee life and good and death and evil In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God to walk in his waies and to keep his commandments and Statutes and his Judgements that thou mayst live and multiply and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the Land whither thou goest to possess it And so in the last verse where he presseth the people to obey his voice that they might dwell in the Land that the Lord sware unto their Fathers to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give them And so in Deut. 7.12 13. Wherefore it shall come to pass that if you hearken to those Judgements to keep and do them that then the Lord shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy that he sware to thy Fathers and he will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee he will also bless thee in the fruit of thy womb and the fruit of thy Land thy Corn and thy Wine and thine Oyl the increase of thy Kine and the flock of thy Sheep in the Land which he sware unto thy Fathers to give thee So that you see the covenant of God giving himself a God to the National people of the Jews in relation to the blessing of Canaan was still upon obedience to the works of the Law that this covenant which God elected to himself the body of Israel in and by which he seperated them to himself from all the Nations of the Earth it is clear was a covenant of works wherein the people were bound to outward observance and worship and service to God Upon this Condition would God be their God and give them Canaan For there is a vast difference in Gods making over himself to be a God to a People in a conditional covenant of Works out of Christ and in an absolute covenant established of God in Christ For in such a covenant he was never the God of the whole family of Abraham or Church of Israel the elect obtained that the rest were hardned as in Rom. 11.17 4. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works The fourth ground is this That a man by laying out a little money might have brought a Person into this Covenant and interessed him thereby into all the Privileges of the same which if this were a covenant of life wherein the Spirit and Spiritual gifts of the Lord had been given a man might say as Peter did say to Symon Magus Thy money perish with thee But for that reason most certain it is That this covenant of Circumcision is no spiritual covenant which will appear from the words of the Covenant in Gen. 17.12 13. And he that is eight daies old shall be circumcised among you every man child in your Generations he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant Where observe That all bought with money must be circumcised so that if an Israelite should buy a black Moor or the most savage Heathen in the World he was bound to see him circumcised and being circumcised he was now in that covenant The truth is Circumcision was one of those carnal Ordinances that the Author to the Hebrews in Heb. 9.9 doth speak of that was appointed till the time of Reformation Now the person which the Lord would have circumcised must be of the family of Abraham and that is all the qualifications required For God doth not require a person so and so spiritually qualified as he doth now under the Gospel the Lord gives in general a Law and Commandment unto Abraham That all his Family must be circumcised and that he must see it performed It is not in the institution enjoined that the person that doth circumcise must be a believer neither is it enjoined that the person upon whom it is done must have Disciple-ship or the work of grace but this only He must be one of the Family of Abraham either born in his house or bought with his money and so the slave bought with money was as truly interessed into the covenant of God and the right of eating the Passeover as one born in the house of the seed of Abraham A fifth ground is this 5. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works That men out of this Covenant might be saved and such as were really interessed in it might be damned As for Example Lot dwelling in the City of Sodom and all the Godly that day in the whole world excepting Abraham and his house or family were no way interessed in the Covenant of Circumcision yet were saved And Israel who for the multitude of them were as the Sand on the Sea-shore and interessed in this Covenant yet but a Remnant of them were saved as Isai 10.23 Lot is commended to be a just and righteous man and yet this covenant was never made to him nor his seed and posterity the Ammonites and Moabites which were as truly the seed and children of a believer as the seed of Abraham were So you find Job in the Land of Vz in the Book of Job and his four friends and besides those of Jobs friends one of his friends doth intimate several other antient and godly persons in those times as Job 8.8 10. Joh 15.10 For