Abraham First Because this righteousness of faith the Text saith he had before he was circumcised Therefore good reason it might be sealed or confirmed having it before he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised But his posterity after him at eight daies old cannot be said that they had this righteousness of faith to seal having it not preceding their Circumcision The second reason the text affords us is that he might be the Father of all that believe this is the main reason the Apostle insists upon He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith that he might be the Father of all that believe This reason cannot be applyable to any of Abrahams posterity besides himself for they were not the Fathers of all that believe That was proper to Abraham to be a high Father or a Father of all nations therefore as I said before God promising in Abraham that publique righteousness as a father of all Nations in the the covenant of grace adds to that covenant an external covenant to be intailed in his line and in his flesh as a confirmation of the same A third reason is this Here is the Spirit of God affirming the sealing use of Circumcision to Abraham only and not to any one of his fleshly seed and as before upon a reason special to Abraham Now where the Scripture hath not a Mouth to speak we must not have an Ear to hear But the Scripture here only affirms Circumcision to be a Seal of the righteousness of faith to Abraham and affords no such thing as to his seed A fourth reason lies in verse 13. That the promise of Abraham to be the heir of the world was not to him nor his seed through the Law that is through the covenant of Circumcision but through the righteousness of faith For if they which are of the Law be heirs then faith is made void and the promise of none effect because the Law worketh wrath therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promises might be sure to all the seed Not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all as it is written I have made thee a father of many Nations before him who believed even God who quickneth the dead So that there is not in all the Scripture a place more clearly proves the covenant of Circumcision intailed on the fleshly line of Abraham to be a covenant of works than this 4. of the Romans clearing and setting the covenant of Circumcision and Faith in opposition holding forth that Abraham and all his spiritual seed had their Justification in another covenant and not in the covenant of Circumcision clearly holding forth the covenant of Circumcision to be works and not Grace which doth sufficiently prove that the covenant of Circumcision had no promise of Justification or eternal life in it But further An Appendix to the second Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of works That the covenant intailed on the flesh must needs be understood to be a Covenant of works viz. that of Circumcision appears in Philip. 3.2 3 4. and so forward where saith the Apostle Beware of Doggs beware of evil Workers beware of the Concision for we are the Circumcision that worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ and put no confidence in the flesh By flesh he means the covenant entailed upon the flesh the covenant of Circumcision it is plain by his answer for he saith If any man thinketh he hath whereof to trust in the flesh I more circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamen an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousness of the Law blameless And this he sets by no more than dung or dross in comparison of the other Covenant or Promise of Christ righteousness and salvation by him which he received by faith and he suffered the loss of all things for the sake of him and did accompt all the whole privilege of Circumcision and the covenant of works to be but as dung that he might win Christ which if the promise of Christ and salvation and justification by him had been given in the Covenant of the flesh and line of Abraham then it had been very improper for Paul to accompt this as dung and to cast contempt upon it as that which was wholly void of Christ It would be very sinful for any man in such a case to cast such contempt upon the covenant of grace it self and the privileges thereof peculiarly relating to the same But you see Paul doth here clearly distinguish two covenants The one of saith the other of Circumcision This will further appear in Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish that having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh Where he again distinguisheth two covenants the one Spiritual the other a fleshly covenant The Gallatians having at the first hearing of him begun to imbrace the Gospel or the Spirit or Spiritual word of the New Covenant and now they would join the covenant of works in the flesh with the Gospel which it is evident he means the covenant of circumcision which here they would seek to be perfected by Therefore in Gal. 4. lâ—tter end he clearly distinguisheth between two Covenants under the figure of Sarah and Hagar and two seeds holding forth the covenant of Circumcision to be the covenant of works and to be that bond-woman as it were in chap. 5.1 2 3. Chap. 6.12 13. So that if you will seriously mind these Scriptures they do most evidently prove that the covenant of Circumcision made in the flesh or fleshly line of Abraham is a covenant of works and that which the Gospel or Covenant of grace is set in opposition to and as this covenant of Circumcision is set in opposition to the covenant of eternal life as having all the works of the Law included in it So consider the new covenant speaks thus I will put my Law in your hearts and in your minds will I write them But Circumcision is a covenant not in the heart but in the flesh only as you have heard This is the second ground why the covenant of Circumcision cannot be a covenant of eternal life but a covenant of works only The third reason to prove Circumcision to be a Covenant of works an not of eternal life 3. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works is Because that there is no promise of eternal life in it but of temporal blessings in the Land of Canaan and that God promising himself to be a God is only in that respect as to outward Protection and Provision in the Land of Canaan and other like privileges And that is noted by the Apostle in Heb.
of the Romans occasioned by the Apostles former answer For though the Apostle had granted in the beginning of the third chapter that the circumcised Jews were in some respect privileged above other Nations and that chiefly in those eminent tenders and offers that the Gospel held out amongst them which though it proved not effectual to all yet he minds to some it was effectual But yet after in verse 9. The Apostle begins to manifest his understanding that to be a Jew after the flesh and to be in the covenant of Circumcision did not free men from the guilt of damnation no more than other men that were Heathens that were not Jews after the flesh neither circumcised To this purpose he states a question What then Are we better than they No in no wise For we have before proved that both Jew and Gentile are all under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one where the Apostle goes on to prove That the Jews after the flesh in the covenant of Circumcision were equally in a damnable and sinful condition with the poor Heathenish Infidels all equally guilty before God verse 19. and his inference is in verse 20. that therefore by the works of the Law no flesh should be justified in his sight cleerly holding forth That to be a Jew and circumcised and to be under the Law is the self-same thing and when the Apostle had concluded that being a Jew in the Covenant of Circumcision did in no way difference him from the Heathen as to life He now shews what way both Jews and Gentiles come to the Justification of life and that is freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood and therefore he excludes the Law of Works wholly in the matter of Justification and brings in the Law of faith shewing clearly that he hath but one way to justify both Jew and Gentile which is by Faith in Jesus Christ the true promised seed in the new covenant Upon these words the Romans seemed thus to argue chap. 4. ver 1. Is it so that a man may be a Jew and have interest in the covenant of Circumcision entailed upon the fleshly line and seed of Abraham and yet be not better than Pagans or Heathens as to the matter of life What shall we then say that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found As if they should say if a man may be a Jew of the seed of Abraham and so of the covenant of Circumcision and as to the matter of Justification and eternal life be no nearer than a profane Gentile that is not Abrahams seed nor hath any Interest in the Covenant what privilege doth Abraham find in the covenant appertaining to or intailed on the flesh Unto which the Apostle answers in the second and third verses and so along in the chap. 4. of the Romans clearly distinguishing two covenants the one of Circumcision a covenant of works the other a promise of Jesus Christ made to the faith of such as believe Therefore saith the Apostle in the 2. ver and so forward If Abraham were justified by works he hath wherof to glory but not before God plainly interpreting that the covenant that our Father Abraham had interest in as appertaining to the flesh of him and his seed after him in their generations was a covenant of works in which Abraham had nothing to glory in before God the reason is given because he was justified before God in another Covenant or promise Gen. 15.5 6 For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was accompted to him for righteousness And thus the Apostle goes along shewing that Justification was not to be had in the Covenant of works intailed on the flesh of Abraham But by faith in the Covenant of grace the promised seed which he proves by Davids Testimony in Psalm 32.1 2. set down in the 6 7 8 verses of this chapter Now â—hus much being said he states the question Whether this grace of Justification came upon the Circumcision only or the uncircumcision also for we say that faith was reckoned unto Abraham for righteousness Now here is the question seeing that Abraham had two covenants made with him one the Gospel of Faith and the other a Covenant in the Flesh In which of these had he his justification to eternal life The answer is plain for saith the Apostle not in circumcision he was not justified in or by the Covenant of Circumcision but in the promise of the promised seed which God is said to give a covenant for his people by faith in that seed even in uncircumcision was Abraham justified and that as I said before 24. years before the covenant of Circumcision was made with him he was justified believing in the promise of the Messiah that was to come out of his loins according to the flesh In whom all Nations of the Earth should be blessed Now God promising that the Messiah according to the flesh should come out of Abraham viz. out of his Loins or his flesh and this was then a great article of his faith that he was to believe to righteousness not only that Justification was to be had and blessedness to be had But it must be had in that seed that was to come out of Abraham according to the flesh And as a confirmation and seal of this publique righteousness confirmed in Abraham as a Father of all Nations God elects that flesh and blood to himself I mean the family of Abraham in an external Covenant to point out to all the world that as verily as God did take this nation according to the flesh to himself by this external covenant so would God be incarnate in this flesh And as the flesh of the fore-skin of the member of Generation must be cut or bruised and the blood shed by which the Jew according to the flesh was bound to keep the Law this I understand did figure out how Christ the true seed of Abraham descending out of his loins by Generation should considered as male and not female by breaking his flesh and shedding his blood fulfil and satisfy the Law So that this Covenant of Circumcision was of sealing use to Abraham to confirm this other covenant and a School-Master to lead to Christ as all other Branches of that old covenant were Therefore saith Paul in Rom. 4.11 Moreover he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the Righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised that he might be the father of all those that believe Where observe the Apostle calls not circumcision a seal but a sign He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised There are these reasons in the Text that restrain the sealing use of Circumcision only to Abraham The sealing use of Circumcision proved to be peculiar unto
the Priests looked upon him and behold he was leprous in his fore-head and they thrust him out from thence yea himself hasted to go out because the Lord had smitten him And Uzziah the King was a Leper to the day of his death and dwelt in a several house for he was out off from the house of the Lord. Thus you see the sad curse of God executed against such like inventions in the service of God that men set up in the room of Gods commands thereby justling out his Commands as the Scripture saith This is for a man to set up his Posts by Gods Posts and in a sense setting up himself in the place and room of God and flowes from abundance of Pride as here it is said of King Vzziah preceding this his sin his heart was lifted up to his own destruction Now most certain it is That man Moses was faithful in all Gods house as a servant in giving the Church then exact and perfect rules how they should serve God unto which they must not ad and from which they must not detract nor take away Diut 4.2 so Christ is every way as faithful over his house as a Lord Heb. 3.4 5 6. and rightly to this purpose is applyed that in Col. 2.8 with 20 21 22. For men to imbrace any worship to their God that they have not a rule for it is in that chapter condemned as will-worship and traditions of men and warily consider that it fosters men in a sinfull neglect of that holy and solemn Ordinance of Dipping believers Do not all our Protestant Authors in all their Disputations against the Papists defend that Faith and Repentance precede Baptism thereby confuting the Papists that Baptism is not to convey grace where it is not but to confirm Grace and strengthen it where it is and in that Catechism imbraced generally by all Protestants in the Common Liturgy in England this question being demanded What is required of them that are to be baptized The answer is Faith and Repentance which doth plainly manifest that it was the judgement of all those that were Protestants owning that Liturgy that none ought to be baptized but such as repent and believe not only so but that do confess faith and repentance because in Baptism there is as Peter saith The answer of a good conscience 1 Pet. 3.19 compared with Philip and the Eunuch Acts 8.38 If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest Saith the Eunuch I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God So in Acts 19. it is said They came to the Apostle confessing their deads Now consider that this doctrine in all those times was defended that faith and repentance must needs precede baptism why because they concluded it a seal of the new Covenant and therefore where persons were not in a Covenant by Faith did in apposition to the Papists defend they had no interest in baptism Now let any soul that is not blinded with the subtilty of Satan and by means of the stumbling block of iniquity set up in his own heart as saith the Lord in Ezekiel 14.4 Let such I say judge how cross to this Doctrine they do practice that do baptize visible graceless and Christless children so far as any man is able to judge Object But some will say I grant this baptizing of children is a meer tradition and that not to be practised by Christians and I do believe in the primitive time Believers only had this Ordinance dispenesd upon them but I do conceive saith the Soul I have received the baptism of the Holy Ghost therefore I need not that Ordinance of Baptism by Water and the rather because I think that was Johns baptism and the baptism of the Holy Ghost being come hath put an end to that Baptism of water Answer Then you deny in Judgement any Ordinance of Baptism at all to stand in force which is be sure an upstart opinion exceeding cross to the Doctrine of Christ in his Gospel but let me as warily as I can answer this question First you do think it was Johns baptism it is true that John baptized or dipped into Water those that came to him confessing their sins and professing faith in him that should come after him But though it is true Johns baptism in this respect pointing out Christ to come is done away yet it is as true that the Lord hath afresh since his death and resurrection intituled this ordinance of dipping believers into Christ already come and fully exhibited in the flesh Matth. 28.19 20. with Mar. 16.16 and Peter after the Holy ghost was in that extraordinary manner powred down upon him according to Johns Prophesie to wit with cloven fiery tongues he doth after this by the direction of the infallible Spirit command all his converts that were prickt in the heart Acts 2.38 to repent and be baptized every one of them for the remission of sins and they should receive the gift of the Holy ghost Where you may see that this was baptism of Water that he commanded all that repent to submit to because the Holy Ghost as those extraordinary gifts was to follow to wit those gifts that Joel prophesied of And so in Acts 10. When Cornelius and his house had heard the word of God the Holy Ghost fell upon them and as an effect thereof they spake with new tongues and magnified God And then saith Peter to them of the Circumcision How should we forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we So that this great Apostle was so far from this opinion that he urgeth the contrary that because they had received the Holy Ghost and that in the extraordinary gifts thereof which John foretold Christ should baptize them with saith he How shall we forbid water plainly holding forth that it is baptism by water that he here is speaking of and in which verse 48. he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus because they received the Holy Ghost therefore they must not be denyed that Ordinance of baptism by Water clearly holding forth that the enjoying the Holy Ghost was so far from being an argument why souls should not be baptized with water that it is an argument that they ought to be baptized more especially and this appears in Paul after his conversion which I understand was wrought by Christ immediately For saith he to Annanias Behold he is a chosen vessel to me for he now prayeth therefore say I he was now converted as to the inward work of faith changing his heart But when Annanias came to him he laid his hands upon him and there were two effects of this his laying on of his hands He received his sight and was filled with the Holy Ghost and he arose forthwith and was baptized that is to say after he was filled with the Holy Ghost he arose and was baptized in water Acts 9.17 18. compared with Acts 22.16
Papists hold that the Ordinance of baptism conveith grace by the very work done which is so generally confuted by all Protestant Authors that it is not worth the speaking of p. 25. The Covenant of life not made to the seed of believers as coming out of their loins and therefore the baptism of infants drawn thence by a false consequence ib. Two Covenants the one of Works the other of Grace or the one Old the other the New p. 29. Why though the Covenant of Grace be absolute yet the promises are held forth under a condition p. 35. Faith the gift of God p. 36. Repentance the gift of God ib. The Covenant of grace obscurely delivered to our first Parents p. 37. The New Covenant not entailed upon any fleshly line p. 38. What is meant by the blessedness promised to Abraham and to his seed page 39. Circumcision proved to be no covenant of eternal life but a typical and carnal Covenant p. 42. How the word Everlasting is taken in the Law ib. First argument to prove Circumcision a covenant of works pag. 44. Second argument to prove Circumcision a covenant of works p. 48. The sealing use of Circumcision proved to be peculiar unto Abraham p. 53. An Appendix to the second argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 55. Third argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 57. Fourth argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 60. Fifth argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 61. Sixth argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 65. Seventh argument to prove circumcision a covenant of works p. 70. To say that the covenant of grace is entailed on the flesh overthroweth the main fundamental points of our religion p. 71. The third General Head p. 84. Somewhat offered to prove that God presently upon the Fall made an outward carnal covenant entailed upon the flesh ib. Why the covenant of circumcision made to Abraham and his seed and not to others p. 88. To defend a covenant of life entailed on the flesh is virtually to deny that Christ is come in the flesh p. 93. None have right to the Covenant of grace but such aâ— are united to Christ by faith p. 94. Answers to such Scriptures as are alleged to prove the Baptism of Infants p. 101. An answer to that text Acts 2.39 p. 101. An answer to that text 1 Cor. 7.14 p. 105. An answer to that text Rom. 11.16 17. p. 110. An answer to that text 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. p. 119. Faith made not Israelites capable of performing the Ceremonies of the Law p. 130. An answer to that Text Mat. 19.13 p. 132. An Exposition of that Text Gal. 4.21 p. 140. Why the Ordinance of Baptism is administred but once the Ordinance of the Lords Supper often p. 168. What things are essential to a particular visible Church p. 169. Vnbaptized persons not to be admitted into Church fellowship p. 172. The Commands of Christ must not be disputed p. 177. THE Doctrine of Baptism AND THE Distinction of the COVENANTS OR A Plain Christian Treatise explaining the Doctrine of Baptism and the two Covenants made with Abraham and his twofold Seed ACTS 2.37 38. Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost THese words of my Text have a special dependence upon the words foregoing in the Chapter The occasion of the words in the Text laid open for in the beginning of the Chapter you shall find that the Apostles and the Church were all with one accord in one place when the Day of Pentecost was fully come And according to the promise that Jesus Christ commanded them to wait for and that John had foretold of That one should come after him that should baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire the which was at this time fulfilled for as the Author of the Acts here relates Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a Rushing mighty wind and it filled all the House where they were sitting and there appeared unto them Cloven Tongues like as of fire and it sate upon each of them And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance Now this I understand to be the Baptism which John speaks of viz. that of the Holy Ghost and of fire which Christ should dispense as you may see was extraordinary and upon special occasion communicated to the Apostles they being now to give testimony of Christs Death Resurrection and Ascension The Lord in order to this work communicates to them the extraordinary Gifts of the holy Ghost and that in an extraordinary manner For here was outward signs which were cloven Tongues of fire resting on them and here was also the Holy Ghost with the extraordinary Effects of it as the inward things signified by the outward sign all which was I understand extraordinary for the fitting of these Apostles to that extraordinary work which God had to do by them First They were to be eye-witnesses of Christs Majestie in the flesh Secondly The Reasons why the Holy Ghost descended in an extraordinary manner upon the Apostles They were to be Master-Builders to lay a Foundation which all after Ministers to the end of the World were to build on they being Penmen of Scripture Thirdly They were now to overthrow all the Jewish Worship and all the Mosaical Administrations put to an end by Christs Death and to furnish them to this extraordinary work which Christ as an effect of his Session at the right hand of God pours down these gifts upon them as beforementioned this being noised abroad how they spake with other Tongues the multitude came together wondring at them and some thought they had been drunk but Peter standing up with the eleven began to lift up his voice to teach them And first The Contents of Peters Sermon to the Jews upon the descent of the Holy Ghost He proves by Scripture that these gifts of the Holy Ghost were formerly promised by the Lord and as an effect of his Ascension now given to them and he endeavours in this Sermon preached to prove First That Jesus was the Christ a man approved of God by Miracles and Signs that God did work by him amongst them Secondly He endeavours to prove by Scripture that he did suffer and dy according to the Counsel and Will of God Thirdly That he did rise again from the Dead which he from Scripture doth justifie And that in the fourth place God had exalted him by his right hand to be both Lord and Christ and he proves that by the visible gifts of the Holy Ghost which they did see and
hear and lest they should not understand who he meant he tells them in the verse before my Text That it was that same Jesus which they had crucified that God had made Lord and Christ Now when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do The benefit of preaching the Gospel Whence observe from the text That preaching and hearing the Gospel preached is a special means to convert Souls as appears when Peter preached and cleerly held forth that he whom they had crucified and slain was now to be Lord and Judge and exalted to that Dignity by God the Father When they heard this they were pricked in their Hearts What is the beginning of true Conversion In the second place We may observe from hence that true conversion begins with a prick in the heart Thirdly They when wrought upon and pricked in their hearts said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do How they that begin to receive the saving light are affected both towards it them that hold it forth Whence in the third place observe That it is the disposition of such that have the beginning of saving light to desire more and that from them whom God hath spoken to their Souls by Obedience accompanieth true conversion Fourthly That which they do earnestly enquire after is what shall we do which respects obedience they believing Christ to be a Lord as well as a Saviour know that he must be submitted to therefore said they What shall we do Whence we observe That a true converted soul is an obedient Soul In verse 38. the answer of Peter to them is in these words Repent and be baptized every one of you from whence we do observe further All called to Repentance by the Gospel that where the Gospel is preached all men are called to repent Lastly Whosoever believes and repents ought to be baptized That it is the duty of every man that believes and repents to be baptized Now this last observation of the text is that which I shall at present speak to for the satisfaction of such Souls that may at present be doubtfull of this truth and for the confirming such souls as do already believe it Now for the better and more clear speaking to this point in hand I shall explain what this Ordinance of Baptism is And that in four things The Ordinance of Baptism explained which will more cleerly appear if we examine the Commission that Christ gives his Disciples in Mat. 28.19 20. where we find v. 16. that the eleven Disciples were sent by Christ who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him v. 18. v. 19. Christ saith Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you From whence you may observe four things contained in this Commission essential to this Ordinance of Baptism Here is first the Ministery The four Essentials of Baptism secondly the Form thirdly the Name into which and fourthly the Subjects First The Ministers that must dispense this Ordinance and that is preaching Disciples and so in the 16. verse are the eleven denominated then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee and Jesus in verse 18. came and spake unto them saying All power is given unto me in Heaven and Earth Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them Who a lawful Minister of Baptism Whence you may observe that the persons bid to go are Disciples enabled to teach the doctrine of the Gospel for the conversion of souls to faith and repentance for it is clear That they that are bid to teach are bid to baptize also so that from this Commission I gather that a disciple enabled to bring down God to a soul and to bring a soul again up to God is a lawful Minister of Baptism for that is the tenour of the New Covenant Heb. 8.10 I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people and I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Canticles c. 3. so that as God in Christ is to be opened and that in all the fundamental Doctrines of faith for mans salvation so is the souls conformity to God to be preached as the souls duty to God again so that where God hath furnished a Minister with abilities from himself to declare the Doctrine of Faith and Repentance to conversion and having converted that soul is furnished with the knowledge of God to teach to this soul all the fundamental Ordinances according to the Commission which saith Teaching them to observe whatsoever I have commanded you It is without doubt that this is a justifiable Minister sent from the Lord according to the Commission But though a man should be able to preach the doctrine of Faith and that ably for the conversion of souls unto that faith yet being destitute of the true knowledge of the doctrine of Baptism and how it ought to be dispensed to be sure this man is not a justifiable Minister according to the Commission because he is ignorant of his Commission that when he hath converted souls to the faith neither knows how to discover to these men the fundamental Ordinances of God neither can discover to them the evil of those superstitious practices which they have been nursed up in by the Traditions of their Fathers Yet notwithstanding I dare not say but so far as they have a gift they are warranted to administer the same from the first of Peter 4 10. who saith Let every one as he hath received the gift Minister and so it was lawful for any Christian man in that sense to administer such gifts which God hath bestowed on them But sure it is That these that are utterly unacquainted how to dispense the Ordinance of Baptism were never sent of God to dispense it That instead of dipping do sprinkle and instead of the true subject A Beleever dispense it upon a carnal ignorant child and instead of doing it into the Name of Father Son and Holy-Ghost do sprinkle them at the naming of so many words only The true form of Baptism In the second place the true form of Baptism is commanded of the Lord Jesus by way of dipping and as it were by drowning overwhelming or burying in Water and not by sprinkling with water as appears many waies First In that although there be frequent mention made of that appointment of Christ in his last Will and Testament yet it is never expressed in the word that may be rendred Rantism or Sprinkling but by the word that is rendred Baptism or Dipping Secondly In that the word by which it is so frequently expressed doth in proper English signify to Dip to plunge under water and as it were to drown them so
that not of your selves It is the gift of God Where he holds forth that though Faith be an Instrumental means of our salvation yet it is Gods free gift wrought in us Faith the gift of God therfore surely a covenant gift Paul upon this ground in Phil. 1.28 saith It is not only given us to believe but to suffer for his names sake where to believe it is given of God and so in Acts 18.27 speaking of Apollo saith that when he came he helped them much who had believed through grace as in Hebr. 12.2 where Jesus is said to be as well the Author as the finisher of our faith All which passages do shew that Faith is as well given in the new covenant as the Salvation tendred upon that condition Repentance the gift of God And so is also repentance a New covenant gift as well as remission of sins tendred upon that condition as you find in Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his own right hand to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of sins and in Acts 11.18 When they heard those things they held their peace and glorifyed God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life Where observe to Gods Israel both of Jews and Gentiles God doth grant and freely give Repentance as well as salvation and remission of sins promised upon the condition of Repentance as likewise appears in the 2 Tim. 2.25 where the Ministers of God are commanded in meekness to instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will at any time give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth which doth plainly prove that though Repentance and Faith be the condition that the Gospel is tendred on yet you see the Lord doth in the New covenant give faith and repentance as well as Remission of sins and eternal life And further I shall make it appear The Covenant of Grace obscurely delivered to our first parents That this covenant of grace to eternal life was first more obscurely and darkly revealed to our first parents God directing his speech to the Devil in Gen. 3.16 for the greater terror of the Devil and the greater comfort of his Elect God saith I will put enmity between thy seed and the seed of the woman it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel This speech contains in substance the covenant of grace Christ the true spiritual seed being here promised who in Scripture is held forth to be the very substance and marrow of the New covenant therefore the Lord saith in Isaiah 4â— 6 speaking of Christ I will give thee a Covenant of the people a light to the Gentiles where the very gift of Christ is called a covenant because where he is promised all heavenly and spiritual blessings in him are there given all the promises being in Christ Yea and in him Amen 2 Corin. 1.20 And all spiritual and heavenly blessings are in him Ephes 1.3 He saith he will put enmity between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman which must needs have thus much in it That God would put or infuse in the seed of the woman his created gifts of holyness and purity and that precious love of God whereupon it must needs be that this new nature would be hated by the Devil as being opposite to him and also must needs hate the Devil with his evil nature as the Psalmist saith Ye that love God hate evil Christ tells us in Mat. 10.34 Think not that I come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter-in-law against the Mother-in-law and a mans foes shall be they of his own house-hold And Luke saith five in one house shall be divided three against two and two against three chap. 12.52 And what should occasion this division but that new nature which the Lord infuseth into his own seed or children which cannot comply with the seed of the Serpent So Peter saith they spake evil of us because we run not with them to the same excess of Riot 1 Pet. 4.4 So that I understand that here in this third of Genesis is the whole New covenant included The New Covenant not intailed upon any fleshly line This new covenant was never intailed upon any fleshly line or generation as the covenant of circumcision was but was still confirmed of God in Christ and to such souls only in Christ as you find in the promise to Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Where you may observe That here is no respect of persons in the matter of these blessings to everlasting life But all Nations in Christ as well one Nation as another if in Christ have those blessings promised to them and thus much is imployed in that promise that all nations out of him are accursed But God here directs his speech to Abraham some may say it is true What 's meant by the blessedness promised to Abraham and his seed but with respect to Christ now who as touching the flesh was in his loins and this blessedness or justification of life which was confirmed in Abraham as a Father of all Nations is by the Apostle Paul called the Gospel Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Heathen through Faith preached the Gospel to Abraham as it is written In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed so this blessedness spoken of in Gen. 12.3 is expounded by Paul to be justification by faith in Christ and in Acts 3. this blessedness is there expounded to be a turning of every one of them from their iniquities Acts 3.26 And also this Gospel promise or covenant is spoken to in Gen. 15.5 where he bids Abraham look up to the Heavens and if he could number the Stars of Heaven and the Sands upon the Sea-shore so shall thy seed be and Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness This promise is quoted by the Apostle Paul as the Gospel covenant in Rom. 4.3 in opposition to the covenant of Circumcision intailed upon the flesh or fleshly line of Abraham For Circumcision was a Covenant in the flesh as the Apostle calls it which he also expounds in the 1. and 2. v. to be a Covenant of works but more of that hereafter only that which I would observe at present is that the Apostle confirms that Gospel promise in Genesis 12. and verse 3. and Genesis 15. and ver 5. to be the new covenant wherein was given through faith the Justification of Life excluding in this point the covenant of Circumcision called Works Rom. 4.1 2. and both these covenants are made with Abraham in Gen. 17. there you find the new covenant made with him to verse the 6. and from the 7.
verse to the 14. the covenant of Circumcision in the flesh the new covenant is expressed in the third verse where he saith As for me my covenant shall be with thee and thou shalt be a Father of many nations or of a multitude of nations and thy name shall be no more called Abram but Abraham for a Father of a multitude of nations have I made thee this is by the Apostle Paul in Rom. 4.17 18. held out to be the Covenant of life which he doth clearly hold distinct and different from the covenant of Circumcision in that place denying that Abraham or his spiritual seed had their justification in the covenant of Circumcision but bringing in this that Abraham should be a Father of many nations and so shall thy seed be as that in which Abraham and his spiritual seed whether of Jews or Gentiles were and should be justified And this promise or covenant is made with Abraham in Gen. 18.18 In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed So long as Christ was according to the flesh in Abrahams loyns the promise runs thus In thee meaning that through Christ which then was in him should all nations of the earth be blessed But assoon as Isaac was come out of Abrahams loins as in Gen. 22.18 then saith he In thy seed shall all the nations of the Earth be blessed whereby seed most strictly is to be understood Christ as the Apostle Paul intimates in Gal. 3.16 where he expounds this word seed to be not seeds as of many but seed as of one which is Christ So this blessedness in the seed Christ is here expounded to be Gods confirming his Covenant in Christ and note that this blessedness which David holds out to be the Covenant confirmed of God in Christ it was not entailed upon the flesh of Abraham and his fleshly seed but made in Abraham as a Father of all the spiritual seed in all nations and confirmed in the seed Christ to all nations Here the Jews after the flesh have no more interest than any other nation except it be by faith for faith only unites to this seed and gives an in-being in the same This blessedness is expounded by David in Psalm 32. last ver To ly in remission of sins and purgation of the heart from guile and expounded by the Apostle in Acts 3. last ver To be a turning every one from his iniquities for so there Peter expounds this blessedness confirmed in Abraham and his seed And though Christ did fulfill this covenant to the Elect of the Jews yet the rest were hardned and were never in this sense blest either in the point of Justification or purgation from sin because they were never in Christ the true seed by faith nor never were thereby the spiritual seed of Abraham walking in the steps of his faith as all his spiritual seed did Rom. 4.12 and Gal. 3.29 If you be in Christ then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise Thus I have given you from clear light of Scripture that there were two covenants a covenant of Grace and a covenant of Works the covenant of Grace belonging to Abraham and his spiritual seed in Christ and all along from Adam to all the spiritual seed of the Woman that were born of promise as the Apostle describes the spiritual seed in Rom. 9.8 for he saith such are accounted the seed that are so born of promise And so at this day all nations both Jews and Gentiles that are born again they are the seed and children that only have an Interest in the promise of salvation And so much for this first head Circumcision proved to be no covenant of eternal Life but a typical and carnal covenant Now I come in the next place to prove that the covenant of Circumcision is no covenant of eternal life but a typical covenant yea a covenant of works which is also called by the Lord a Covenant in the flesh Gen. 17.13 and therefore to be sure no covenant of eternal life But for the better clearing of the truth of this I shall first expound some words in the covenant How the word Eve lasting is taken in the Law and that is the word Everlasting Covenant that word seems to some to hold it forth a covenant of life because it is said to be everlasting wheras the word everlasting used in this Covenant is to be understood only for the Ever of the Law for the time of the Jewish State as alwaies the word is to be understood when applyed to the Jews in their generation As for example In the 16. of Leviticus it is said the Priest should make an attonement for the holy Sanctuary an attonement for the Tabernacle of the Congregation and for the Altar and he shall make an attonement for the Priests and for all the people of the Congregation and this shall be an everlasting Statute to you to make an attonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year which everlasting here must needs be understood but till Christ came and so in Numb 25.13 He shall have it and his seed after him even the Covenant of an Everlasting Priesthood because he was zealous for his God and made an attonement for the Children of Israel speaking here only of a Ceremonial Priesthood typing out Jesus Christ the substance that was to put an end to it And so this covenant of Circumcision is to be understood as everlasting as Canaan and the possession thereof which was until Christs comming who was the substance thereof this being a Maxim That wheresoever the word Everlasting or Ever hath this joined with it to you or to your seed in their generations that then it is to be understood only for the Ever of the Law and the time and period of that Ministration till Christ come and no longer Exod. 40.15 Thou shalt annoint them as thou didst annoint their Fathers that they may minister unto me in the Priests office for their annointing shall surely be an everlasting Priesthood throughout their generations And so you have it in Exod. 30.20 21. Moses saying When they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall wash with water that they dy not and when they come near the altar to minister to burn offerings made by fire unto the Lord so they shall wash their hands and their feet that they dy not and it shall be a Statute for ever to them even to him and to his seed throughout their generations The next word that I would speak to is I will be to thee a God and to thy seed after thee which to some seems to hold forth a covenant of grace in that he gives himself as a God in this covenant To which I answer That God either gives and makes himself over in a covenant of works which is upon a condition of works done in the creature or else he gives himself in an absolute covenant of
saith he Ask the Antients and they will tell thee for we have those with us much more elder than thy Father which doth argue that there were very antient godly men fit to be inquired of as touching those heavenly mysteries that were much older than Jobs Father in that East Country And it is plain that neither they nor any of their children or families had right to Circumcision and the blessing of Canaan but most sure it is they had interest in the Covenant of life which plainly shews that Circumcision was but an earthly typical covenant such as good and godly men might nor have interest in and such as wicked men had an interest in Do not we find That all Davids sons were in this covenant but how many except Solomon had any right to the covenant of life yea Abraham himself had eight Sons and each of them a Generation but there was none of the other had the covenant of Circumcision made with them but only Isaac though the rest were as truly the Sons of believing Abraham as Isaac was for Ishmael and the six Sons that he had by Keturah with their generations were all the children of the same believing Abraham as Isaac was and yet this covenant ran not upon either of their Posterity but in Isaac saith the Text shall thy seed be called though we may not be so uncharitable but to think that many of the seed of those that went into the East Countrey might be the elect of God and in a covenant of Grace yet be sure they had not an Interest in this covenant of Circumcision and the Inheritance of Canaan And Isaiah tells us in Isaiah chapter 1. verse 9. That if God had not left him a very small Remnant Isâ—el had been as Sodom and Gomorah So that there was in the whole Nation of Israel that were in the covenant of Circumcision but a very small Remnant selected out from the rest into the covenant of life as in Romans 9. the Apostle so makes use of the words and in the Romans chap. 11. ver 5 7. the Apostle saith the election in and amongst Israel have obtained it and the rest were hardned or blinded The rest may some say what rest the rest of Israel in the covenant of Circumcision But it is plain that all Israel were elected one as much as another in the Covenant of Circumcision by which they were as I have said seperated to God from all other nations But it is plain That there was a Gospel Testament confirmed of God in Christ held out and tendred to the Jews by the Holy Prophets and Pen-men of God the election obtained that and the rest were hardned remaining still in the literal and old Covenant of Circumcision which they had only right to by generation But this none could have right to but by the regeneration and new birth and therefore saith Isaiah 8.28 I and the children that thou hast given me are as signs and wonders in Israel implying clearly that a little handful of Israel are given to Christ in the Covenant of grace out from amongst the body of Israel the rest of the multitude of Israel remained without being given to Christ making signs and wonders at such as were given to him by being admitted into a covenant of eternal life through faith which it appears the whole body of Israel were not admitted into but some few only So that you see Souls may be in this covenant of Circumcision and be damned and out of it and saved therefore this cannot be a covenant of eternal life but only a Typical covenant of Works The sixth ground to prove that the Covenant of Circumcision was but a covenant of Works 6. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works an outward Typical Covenant was this That this Covenant of Circumcision might be broken as the Lord saith in Gen. 17.14 And the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from my people he hath broken my covenant Where observe though he were born of the Family and of the seed of Abraham and so had an interest in the Covenant yet he might forfeit his right and break this covenant so as to be cast off from Gods people This is therefore that old Covenant spoke of by Jeremy chap. 31. ver 31. I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not like that Covenant which I made with their Fathers which they broke and my soul had no pleasure in them For as I have shewed before it is impossible that the New covenant can be broken because it is an absolute covenant made on no condition to be fulfilled by the creature but the Lord works both to will and to do of his good pleasure in this covenant therefore it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that shews mercy Therefore the Lord speaking of the new covenant in Jer. 33.15 and so forward saith In those daies and at that time I will cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David he shall execute Judgement and Righteousness in the Land in those daies shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith he shall be called The Lord our righteousness for thus saith the Lord David shall never want a man to sit upon the Throne of the house of Israel Neither shall the Priest the Levite want a man before me to offer burnt offerings and to kindle meat offerings and to do sacrifice continually And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah saying Thus saith the Lord If you can break my covenant of the day and my covenant of the night that there should not be day and night in their seasons then may also my covenant be broken with David my Servant that he should not have a Son to reign upon his Throne Where you see the spiritual covenant cannot be broken as Psalm 89.34 My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Therefore it must needs be a covenant of works that is conditional he made such a covenant with the Priest mentioned in the first of Sam. 2.30 where the Lord saith to this purpose Wherefore the God of Israel said I said indeed that thy house and the house of thy Fathers should walk before me for ever But now saith the Lord be it far from me for them that honor me I will honor and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed You must still mind those promises the Lord makes upon condition the creature not walking in the performance of the condition on his part God is set free or at liberty whether he will perform such conditional promises yea or no. But it is not so in absolute promises confirmed of God in Christ Gal. 3.17 those promises are all Yea and Amen as you see in 2 Cor. 1.20 But the covenant of Circumcision being a covenant
of works a poor creature truly interessed in that covenant might break it forfeit his interest and be cast out and rejected out of that covenant from amongst his people as is clearly confirmed in Isaiah 50.1 Thus saith the Lord where is the Bill of your Mothers Divorcement which I have put away or to which of my Creditors have I sold you behold for your iniquities have you sold your selves and for your transgressions is your Mother put away Now beloved a divorce argues a breach and forfeiting the covenant which the body of all Israel was in and we know all along the National covenant was that of Circumcision and they that know in the least measure the nature of the covenant of Grace cannot but know it to be such a covenant out of which a soul cannot be divorced from the Lord. But some may say There are many that are visibly in a covenant of Grace now under the Gospel and yet may be cast out from Gods people yet it followeth not but that it is a covenant of Grace and so then they might be visibly in a covenant of Grace and yet be rejected Answ Persons may now profess to be in Christ and so in a covenant of Grace by an outward profession but this being barely a profession and not in truth in them that profess the same they profess they were in that which in truth they never were For under the Gospel we have no infallible rule to know who is in the covenant of Grace and who not because we have only the confession of themselves who may deceive themselves and us But we have an infallible Rule to judge That Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the seed forward in their Loins or their generations were in this covenant of Circumcision and therefore it is a great mistake for any to evade what hath been said upon such a groundless objection Now consider That it is that great and faithful God that saith and professeth Abrabam his seed and family after him from Jacob forward were in this covenant with him But now it is only poor unfaithful Man hypocritical dissembling proud man that saith he is in the Covenant of life when it proves not so or when it visibly proves the contrary for Saints have a Rule to disown such But this is a most certain truth that God did never put a soul away and make a divorce between himself and any one Soul in a covenant of life and it is as certain that the whole Church of Israel were in reality and truth in the covenant of Circumcision as appears in Gen. 17.10 11. where Abraham and those born in his house are to be circumcised And so Psalm 105.9 10.11 which covenant he made with Abraham and his oath with Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob by a Law and to Israel for an everlasting covenant saying Vnto thee have I given the Land of Canaan the Lot of your inheritance Now it would plentifully appear if further proof needed That God his own self testifyeth his making and entering into covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their seed forward therefore let no man please himself with such a poor groundless objection That the family of Israel were only visibly or in the judgement of Charity in the covenant of Circumcision as Hypocrites are now in the Covenant of Grace For there is nothing more clear than this that Israel were in truth and reality in the covenant of Circumcision expressed by the Mouth of God himself and nothing more certain that Israel were never all of them so much visibly in the covenant of grace For if it were necessary I could multiply places of Scripture to prove the most part of Israel visibly unbelievers living in those manifest fruits of the flesh as Drunkenness Swearing Lying Whoring Stealing Covetousness and palpable Ignorance without faith and knowledge shedding of blood All these notorious sins were constantly in the greatest part of the Church of Israel that they neighed as fed Horses after their Neighbours wives and were given to oppression and horrid Idolatrie All these sins being such manifest fruits of the flesh that such as live in them the Apostle saith cannot enter into the Kingdom of Christ and of God but are visibly the children of the Devil Therefore to say the whole body of Israel were visibly godly and so visibly in the covenant of Grace that is a most gross mistake they were really in the outward National covenant of Circumcision but not the generality so much as visibly in the Gospel covenant of life For it could not be denyed but that those Jews in the 8. chapter of John verse 30. and so forward were Abrahams children interessed in the covenant of works yet Christ is far from concluding their right to the covenant of Sonship the heavenly adoption but rather in that respect concludeth They are of their Father the Devil whose works they did they being Lyars as he was from the beginning and enemies to Christ as the Devil was therefore he excludes them from being the children of God so that the main mass of blindness and darkness lying upon mens minds is this they mix and confound the two covenants made to Abraham the one a spiritual heavenly covenant made to him as a Father of the faithful and to those only who walk in the steps of faithful Abraham and the temporal covenant of Circumcision to the seed according to the flesh frō Jacob forward and those joining themselves to that family So then in a word the covenant of Circumcision must needs be a covenant of works and not of eternal life because it might be broken which the covenant of eternal life cannot be 7. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of works The seventh ground to prove the covenant of Circumcision not to be a covenant of Grace is That if we maintain the covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of Grace to eternal life therein we overthrow many fundamental points of Religion which is a strong ground to prove it is not of Grace but an outward typical covenant For it is impossible that such understanding of Scripture which crosseth plain fundamental points of religion can be true Now for to give you some example for this First you must needs confess that the covenant of Circumcision was made to Abraham and his seed after him in their generations Gen. 17.7 from Isaac and Jacob forward So that being born in the house or Family of Israel or being bought with the money of one of the Israelites interessed a person in that covenant he coming forth of that line was born heir to that covenant and the privileges of the same Now consider To say that the covenant of Grace is entailed on the flesh overthroweth the main fundamental points of our Religion That the chief and precious privileges of the covenant of grace are adoption or Son-ship Justification and the inward work of sanctification all which privileges
infatuated and had no ears to hear his plain word They of this opinion do defend the contrary to what purpose should any man seek the conversion of any of Believers children whether formerly of the nation of the Jews or now the nations of the believing Gentiles seeing they are born heirs of a covenant of eternal life and so are in as good a state without conversion and believing and being born again as any other soul by believing and by new birth can be brought into This doctrine tends to justify the Rebellious Jews against John Baptist and against Christ the Sadduces and Pharisees came to Johns Baptism Matthew 3. Saith John O ye Generation of Vipers who hath forwarned you to fly from the wrath to come bring for 〈◊〉 fruits meet for repentance and think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father John you see would have this people to be converted to intitle them to this covenant of Grace and so to baptism which is an Ordinance of the same covenant and not so much as think so erroneously as if being children to Abraham according to the flesh should intitle them to the same therefore saith he think not within your selves we have Abraham to our Father and we are his children according to the flesh and therefore we need not a work of conversion or true Repentance to intitle us to the privileges of the covenant such as was baptism And also in John 8.31 and forwards saith Christ unto some Jews unto whom he spake If you abide in my words then are you my Disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free and then you shall be free indeed They answered him We be Abrahams children and never were in bondage to any How sayest thou then We shall be made free Where you may observe these wicked obstinate Jews were of the same opinion that they were in a state of happiness good enough by generation by being Abrahams seed according to the flesh Jesus answereth Who so committeth sin is the servant of sin and the Servant abideth not in the house for ever We find Christ afterwards tells these Sons of Abraham that they were so far from being the adopted sons of God in a covenant of life that they were of their Father the Devil and these same persons Christ speaks to in verse the 24. telling them Except they believed Christ was he they should dy in their sins Christ was far from this opinion as to think that covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of life but he doth throughly reprehend them for this groundless confidence which error was the main obstacle that hindered the Jews from faith and repentance because they thought it intituled them to happiness enough to be of the stock of Abraham and to be born heirs of the covenant of Circumcision This very rotten opinion was to them one of the Devils sleights to lull them asleep in a carnal and unconverted condition they thought that needed not which thought of theirs had been true enough provided all the children of Abraham had by generation interest in the covenant of life which other men could have no interest in without regeneration But Christ you see presseth a necessity of conversion to these children of Abraham that at the present were as fully interessed in the covenant of Circumcision as Abraham himself even to Nicodemus which was a Ruler of the Jews Christ presseth a necessity thereof to him and also labours by a parable in Luke 16. to convince those sottish Jews that one might be the seed of Abraham according to the flesh and yet be irrecoverably damned and therefore he brings in the rich man in Hell speaking thus Father Abraham I pray thee send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue And Abraham is brought in owning him to be his Son speaking thus My Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Where you may observe That the man in Hell irrecoverably damned owns Abraham to be his Father and Abraham also doth acknowledge him to be his Son My Son saith Abraham where you clearly see man may be a Son of Abraham and yet damned thou hadst thy good things in this life but Lazarus his evil things Ezekiel 18.9 10. where a just man is presupposed to beget a son that is a Robber and a Shedder of blood and that goes out in all manner of wickedness and that in Israel Wherein observe Abraham owns no other privilege belonged to the rich man by virtue of being the Son of Abraham but what was in this life or in this world Hell was his best portion in the world to come which if he had been born heir to the covenant of life how then could Abrahams affirmation have been true Beloved Let all ingenuous Spirits that are not willing to walk blind-fold consider how contrary to the whole tenor of the Gospel this opinion is and how destructive to this fundamental principle of the Gospel the necessity of Christ of Regeneration and destroys all sense of the necessity of conversion and helps to harden men to destruction as it did the blind Jews who as it appears were fully blinded in the receipt of that opinion that being Abrahams seed according to the flesh interessed them in happiness and eternal life Fourthly This opinion destroys the doctrine of the new covenant and the nature of it and the manner of Gods making of it with the soul for to make a new covenant with the soul is to write the Law of God in a mans heart and in his mind and to infuse saving knowledge and faith by which God unites the soul to himself and so pardons all his sins and without any condition considered in the creature binds over himself to be their God freely in Christ and binds over himself to own them to be his people And only thus and no otherwise is God said to make his new covenant with a poor soul Whereas this dream would seem to bear you in hand that a whole nation may be in a new covenant and have it made with them and yet have none of all this work wrought in their hearts Fifthly This opinion destroys the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ only seeing that it doth hold out another way than by faith to come to Justification which is by carnal birth of beleeving parents for if a soul be admitted into a Covenant of life I hope you are not ignorant that Justification is a great privilege in the new covenant and really the portion of all that are in that covenant Sixthly This opinion destroys the Doctrine and foundation of all Gospel Churches where it is held which will appear by two things First It destroys the matter of the Church you know that this is a fundamental truth that the matter of the Church ought now under the Gospel to be Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 Spiritual
Worshippers John 4.23 Lively Stones 1 Pet. 2.5 Such as are redeemed from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Such brought out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now this error destroys the truth or opposeth it self against the truth of God lying in all these Scriptures it brings in the nation of believers all born of their body their seeds seed in their generation if you will be faithful to this principle whereon this seems to be grounded For the covenant of Circumcision was not only to the next generation immediately flowing from Abraham But to thy seed after thee in their generations And we see in that generation in Christs time they were as well called Abrahams seed as Isaac himself was and they did call Abraham their father Therefore if the covenant of Circumcision shall be mans patern we must necessarily have a Church that is national consisting of succeeding generations for many hundred years coming out of believing persons loins and so set up the partition-wall again between the natural branches and those that are wild by nature So that this tenet doth of necessity destroy the true matter of a Church because it unavoidably admits into the Church all the unconverted and unregenerate children born of the bodies of such persons that either are or have been accounted believers And as it destroys the matter of a Church in admitting such that are not made Disciples so it occasions such as do believe remaining in that opinion to live in that sin of neglect of the Lords Baptism contenting themselves with that counterfeit of Baptism which they had in their infancy So that this evil opinion occasions the constitution of a Church or Congregation of good and bad promiscuously and all these unbaptized both the good and the bad and what light in the Gospel have you to justifie such an Assembly to be the true Church of Christ that doth consist of some Religious people in the Judgement of Charity and a world of carnal children admitted and received in among them and all both the carnal and the religious never baptized with the Lords baptism I do deny such an Assembly can be owned an orderly Church of Christ Thus you see what a great error this is that opposeth it self against so many fundamental points of the Gospel But may some say though we receive in children by baptism into our Church we do not admit them unto the Supper The Question is when you will admit them See what an untroden path you are run into Do you own your children to be in a covenant of Grace and eternal life and inrighted into the privileges of the same and is Baptism the privilege of the new Covenant and not the Supper also if it be how dare you keep them from their right and privilege I pray you how long did the Apostles baptize their members before they admitted them to the Supper If you look in Acts 2.41 42. you shall find so many as gladly received the word of God were baptized and presently they continued in the Apostles doctrine Fellowship breaking of Bread and prayer as soon as they were baptized Therefore you have no ground at all upon any pretence to suspend such members that you own privileged in all the Ordinances of God from the Supper which you have received into your Church by your supposed baptism Thus you may see what horrible Consequences flow naturally from maintaining a Covenant of eternal life in the flesh Seventhly This opinion defends another gross error That persons may have right to a covenant of life without union or in-being in Christ by faith it is a sad thing that souls that profess knowledge In the Gospel and to be preachers of the same should be so blinded thus to mislead people in so weighty a point as this is and that should endeavour to leaven thousands of poor people with such a sad error that opposeth it self against the very substance of the Gospel in holding all the whole Nation of Israel to be in a covenant of eternal life and also the carnal children of believing parents among the Gentiles though they had no union by faith in Christ the greatest part of them I come to the third thing which is to prove that the covenant of eternal life The third general general head never was nor shall be made with any but such as believe or such as are in Christ and for the better clearing of that you must understand that as soon as the seed of the woman was promised to wit Christ Jesus which was the whole of the new covenant all promises being Yea and Amen Somewhat offered to prove that God presently upon the Fall made an outward carnal covenant entailed upon the flesh and spiritual and heavenly blessings being given in him this being one main point then to be made known to the Sons of men that he must come out of the woman You must I say understand that the Lord did presently make an outward covenant which was typical intailed upon the flesh out of which the Messiah should come But I must confess this is not held forth so clearly till the time of Abraham nor then so clear as it was afterwards by the hands of Moses But it is clear to me that in substance the same covenant of Ceremonial obedience which was given to Moses when the people came out of Aegypt the same was given to Adams generation upon the promise of Christ which was to go on in the fleshly line out of which Christ was to come and this to continue till he did come in the flesh and then to cease The reason that induceth me thus to judge is this I find Cain and Abel at the end of the year of daies bring their sacrifice and the one brought the first lings of the flock and the fat thereof Thus did God command the same things to Israel by Moses Exod. 34.19 13.12 13. And you see Cain brought the first fruits of the ground and we find this delivered by Moses as part of the covenant to the Jews in Deut. 18.4 26.2 for saith the Lord Thou shalt bring of all the first fruits of the Earth which thou shalt bring of thy Land that the Lord thy God gives thee Micah 7.1 Levit. 2.12 14. Pro. â— 19 Though ye do not here see from what rule Cain and Abel did thus do yet we must take for granted they had it from God how else could Abel have performed his worship acceptably if he had not a ground to do it by faith and it is certain he did it in faith therefore had he rule for the same as Hebrews 11.4 And we find that in that time there was a distinction of clean and unclean Beasts that went into the Ark. Now what cleanness or uncleanness is here meant is by virtue of a Law for certainly that Law which God gave to forbid such beasts and creatures was that which made one clean and not
was a National Election and a National rejection and he saith The Elder shall serve the younger this saying the Elder shall serve the younger is interpreted by Mal. 1. to be a loving of Jacob and a hating of Esau laying his Mountain wast that is his Church-power or privilege that he seemingly had expected to have been heir of and the loving of Jacob is meant the external electing Love into the covenant of Circumcision according to that in Deut. 7.7 Speaking thereof the whole Nation The Lord did not set his love upon you not chuse you because you were more in number than any people for you were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you This Election and this love is equal alike to the whole nation of Israel therefore so considered you must mind this is as I said before only an external election of Jacob and these in his lines into the National covenant of Circumcision as before in Genesis 18. he saith In Isaac shall thy seed be called the meaning as the 17. Chapter expounds is this that the seed in their Generations that God would continue the Covenant of Circumcision upon was that seed which was to come out of Isaac and not that which came out of Ishmael and the six Sons of Keturah none of them or their seed were to be of that great Nation which God promised to make of Abraham for the Lord saith to Abraham Gen. 18.18 I will make a mighty nation of thee Now by this Nation you must understand is meant the National Church taken into the Covenant of Circumcision whereas in the spiritual covenant all the Nations were to be blest in him and he is to be the Father of multitudes of Nations Gen. 12.3 17.4 5. but this Covenant of Circumcision must not relate to any but to those that came out of Isaac with his family and then those that came out of the Loins of Jacob with his Family though this be a true literal interpretation of these Texts and really the proper mind of God yet there is a mystical and spiritual sense pointed and driven at which Paul that infallible Apostle did clearly give out from those Texts in Romans 9. That as Isaac typed out Christ so this temporal seed elected in Isaac typed out this spiritual election in Christ the temporal seed in a temporal covenant elected in Jacob points out the choice of Christ and all his seed into a spiritual covenant So a spiritual election in these Texts was typed and figured out as the Apostle doth clearly maintain The Apostles not being the Ministers of the Letter but the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. but most true it is That Jacob and the whole Nation in him were elected into an outward Covenant and Esau and his seed were not but were refused and past by And consider now in the womb was Jacob and his posterity any more the seed of a Believer than Esau and his seed were Sure it is he was not Therefore away with that error taken for granted that the covenant of Circumcision was made to believers and their seed This covenant of Circumcision you may clearly see was not made to Abraham nor to his seed considered as a Believers but upon this ground or reason that the Messiah was to come of Abraham not of Lot the Messiah was to come out of Isaac and not of Ishmael nor of the six Sons of Keturah and Christ was to come out of Jacob and his posterity and not out of Esau Here you may nakedly see how greatly they mistake that think the covenant was made to Abraham and his seed considered as believers and believers seed If a National covenant was made with Abraham and his seed according to the flesh out of which flesh the Messiah was to come and that upon this reason then you cannot conclude that the covenant can belong to any Gentile and his seed but upon the same ground Therefore if you would tell where to find a Gentile now among many others that were to have Christ to come out of his loins according to the flesh then you would have the same ground to say that in like manner a Church covenant should run upon him and his seed untill Christ were come out of that flesh or line But when Christ was come and fully exhibited in the flesh then the ground upon which this Covenant was given being ceased To defend a Covenant of life entailed on the flesh is vertually to deny that Christ is come in the flesh the covenant also ceaseth Therefore for any man to go about to defend a covenant in the flesh it is a doctrine virtually denying that Christ is come and fully manifested in the flesh Therefore you may from all that hath been spoken draw this Conclusion That there was never a Covenant of eternal life made with any but with such as did and do believe all along till Christ not since Therefore see that objection answered that the spiritual privileges are not less under the Gospel than under the Law though we deny all the carnal Generation to have any right to the covenant of Grace or privileges thereof both then as well as now the offers and tenders of the Gospel we must confess were to that Nation and in that sense they were called the children of the Prophets and of the covenant Acts 3. and latter end and in that respect now the privileges are larger because all nations are in the same sense the children of the Prophets and of the covenant now since Christ came the Prophet and Minister of God having Commission now to publish the Gospel or new Covenant to all Nations None have right to the Covenant of Grace but such as are united to Christ by faith But further to prove that none have right to a covenant of Grace or life but such as had and have union with Christ by faith is most plain First Because as you have heard the new Covenant was confirmed of God in Christ only Gal. 3.17 And all the promises are in Christ Yea and Amen Therefore this Covenant cannot belong to any soul out of Christ because they are Yea and Amen in him 1 Cor. 11.25 This Cup is the New Testament in my blood saith Christ If the New Testament be in Christs blood then what hath any carnal or unbelieving wretch to do with this Testament that have not faith in his blood And further we do find in Matth. 3.17 the Lord saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased mark the words in whom then to be sure out of him he is not well pleased that is in respect to this especial well pleasedness or electing love in the covenant of life according to that in Ephesians 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the Beloved out of the beloved there can be no acceptation Therfore it is said God accepted Abel and his offering Gen. 4.4 The Author to the Hebrewe ch 11.4 tells you Abel by
Faith offered a more acceptable or excellent Sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous So by Faith in the promised seed he came to be righteous and accepted of God as you have heard in Ephes 1.3 God hath blest us with all spiritual and heavenly blessings in Heavenly things in Christ Jesus Therefore no heavenly or spiritual blessing can belong to any out of Christ for as in Adam all dy so in Christ shall all be made alive There is none made alive but those that are in Christ for the wicked mens resurrection is not said to be to life but to damnation 1 Cor. 15. â—1 with John 5.28 29. And therefore in thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 18.18 must imply thus much that out of Christ the true seed all the Nations should be accursed Gen. 12.3 with 22.18 Gal. 3.8 I must confess it is a sad thing that at such a time of the world as this where the means of grace and knowledge of the Gospel hath been so plentifully held forth that we must be forced to bestow such pains to prove that men cannot be in a State of salvation and acceptation before God in a covenant of grace without union in Christ by Faith But howsoever considering that the Apostle saith There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but by the name of Jesus and a particular faith in him Acts 4.12 and therefore Peter saith in John 6.69 Whether shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life he is the way the truth and the life John 14.6 There is none can come into the Fathers love and mercy nor into the covenant of life or any spiritual privilege but by him he is the narrow way that leads to life and few there be that find it as Matth. 7.14 therefore saith the Apostle He that hath Christ hath life but he that hath not Christ hath not life but all the carnal unbelieving children from the foundation of the world unto this day have not Christ therefore not life that is to say nor the covenant of life nor the justification of life which every man must needs have that is in that covenant of life We find that all the Patriarchs and holy men of God by faith and patience inherited the promises and not by generation Heb. 6.12 and 11.12 therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the Stars in the sky for multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable these all dyed in Faith This text speaks of that spiritual and believing seed of Abraham which he considered as believing and faithfull Abraham was the Father of according to Gen. 15.5 6. so shall thy seed be Secondly It further appears that the covenant of eternal life was never made with any but such as believe because all unbelievers both of Jews and Gentiles are charged under sin Romans 3.9 and have the wrath of God abiding on them John 3. last Yea though of the seed of Israel and children of that covenant of Circumcision to them Christ saith Except ye believe that I am he you shall dy in your sins John 8.24 And the Gospel tells the national Church of the Jews John 3.18 That those of them that beleeved not were condemned already because they believed not in the only begotten Son of God Which clearly proves that none of them were in a covenant of life by Generation for if they had then the want of conversion would not have damned them nor left them in a state of damnation Further doth not Christ himself call and account the unbelieving Jews the world when he saith to his disciples If you were of the world the world would love his own but because you are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you And this world that Christ chuseth his disciples out of and that hated his disciples as they had formerly hated him are but the Nation of the Jews that were in that covenant of Circumcision which plainly proves that all unbelievers in that nation were the world and therefore not in a covenant of Grace And again it must needs be so because the Apostle saith in Romans 4.16 therefore is it of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed Observe from the Text if the promise or covenant or any spiritual privilege should be intailed upon the flesh or conveyed any way then by Faith it could not be by Grace And again Faith is the first differencing Grace to difference Gods peopl from all other Acts 15.9 and put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith therefore it is impossible the covenant of grace can be made to any other but such as have faith And again I find none counted the Spiritual seed of Abraham unto whom the covenant of life belongs but them that are in Christ by faith as Gallat 3.28 29. There is neither Jew nor Gentile there is neither Bond nor Free neither Male nor Female for you are all one in Christ Jesus and if you be in Christ then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise and so Rom. 4.14 If they which were of the Law be heirs Faith is made void and the promise made of none effect meaning thereby the Covenant of Circumcision as appears in ver 10. 11. and so in Romans 9.7 8. Not because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called that is they which are the children of the flesh they are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Where you see that the Apostle doth deny that seed of Abraham that were only his children according to the flesh to be the spiritual seed but such as are born of promise or begotten by promise they are accounted for the seed chosen in him and united to him by Faith These were pointed and figured out by the National and Temporal seed that came out of the Loins of Isaac those Souls there born in the house and bought with money were in the outward covenant and privileges but these regeneate and born again by promise are the Heavenly seed So the heavenly generation are such only born from above and this is that the Psalmist speaks of in Psalm 22.30 A seed shall serve him and it shall be accounted to him for a generation For the Temporal Israel and the typical Election of them into the temporal covenant did point out this Spiritual Election in a Spiritual Covenant confirmed of God in Christ Jesus Further it appears that none but such as believe are in a covenant of Grace because without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11 6. therefore Abel by faith had his person and his offering accepted Gen. 4.4 but
Cain and his offering being not in faith God accepted not for all the thoughts of such a man are only evil and that continually till they believe as Gen. â— 5 and 8.21 All the imaginations of all believers till converted are evil and only evil continually Secondly their words are evil Matth. 12.34 O Generation of Vipers how can you being evil speak good word for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh an evil man out of the evil Treasure of his heart brings forth evil things and as their thoughts and words are evil so in like manner their actions are all evil natural actions as eating Job 20.23 When he is eating to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall rain it upon him while he is eating thus you see natural actions are evil such as eating and drinking for satisfying his hunger and also civil actions are evil as Prov. 21.4 an high look and a proud heart and the ploughing of the wicked is sin if plowing then all his civil actions and also his best duties of worship as his sacrifice is an abomination to God Prov. â—8 9 15.8 Isaiah 1. with 66.4 Upon this ground it must needs be that the Covenant of Grace and eternal life cannot belong to any such persons that do not believe for it is impossible to be in a covenant of Grace and yet not to have persons nor any of their best actions accepted Yea further all mankind are compared to beasts till they believe Job 11.11 Vain man would fain be wise but man is born like a wild Asses Colt with Jeremy 2.23 24. Yea the Lord saith in Revel 21.8 That the fearful and unbelieving and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and Sorcerers and Idolaters and all Lyars shall have their portion in the Lake which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death Beloved therefore if any have been so deluded as to believe such a notorious error as this is to think that any ever hath been in the Covenant of life but such as are in Christ by faith I desire God may give you repentance for maintaining such a fundamental error as this is And now in the fourth place Answers to such Scriptures as are alleged to prove the baptism of infants I shall endeavour to answer such Scripture allegations and those especially brought in from the New Testament to countenance this error wherein I shall endeavour to take off those false and corrupt Glosses that are usually put upon them wherein men pretend to prove the covenant of grace among the Gentiles to run in the flesh and line of believing parents under the Gospel which I am sure was never yet since the world began nor never shall be with any neither parents nor children but such individual persons that particularly believed in Christ with their own hearts And first let me speak to that in Acts 2.39 An answer to that text Act. 2 39. which is usually pretended to be a proof of the covenant in the flesh the words are these The promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Now I pray you take notice how evident this Text makes against this error For this Text affirms only the promises to belong to so many even as God shall call and that is a fundamental truth if by promise you understand the gift of the Holy Ghost or remission of sins or both to be promised in this text It is most true that so many as God shall call have an interest both to Christ and all the promises in him and only they for saith the Text Repent and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost So that remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost it is safe to understand here to be meant that promise that is said to belong to them to their children and to those afar off even so many of them and their children and of those afar off as the Lord our God should call agreeable to the words thus understood is Rom. 8.30 moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified So that justification or remission of sins is here given only to called persons with these agreeth that of Heb. 9.15 For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgression that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of the eternal Inheritance So here you see that those that are predestinated to have a covenant of life and the blessing given in that covenant are first called as 1 Pet. 2.9 He hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light Now this text is plain to prove that those Jews and Proselytes that then heard him and their children and also the ten Tribes new afar off and also the Gentiles the promises did belong to so many of all these as God should call and except Souls be given up to a Spirit of Delusion will any dare to affirm that the promises of the Spirit remission of sins and eternal life do belong to any other Will any be so ignorant as to judge that those promises did belong to the Generation of the Jews whether they were called or not though they continued in unbelief and hardness of heart and impenitency Is not such a corrupt interpretation against Christs words to that very people John 8.24 Except you believe that I am he you shall dy in your sins speaking to these very Jews and doth not John the Baptist say to these John 3. last He that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him directing this speech indeffinitely to the generation of the Jews the seed of Abraham such as were in the covenant of Circumcision But if by the children you understand so many of them as God should call whether then at that time or afterwards to the end of the world it is most true that to such of their children the promise of grace did belong But Beloved the Scripture is in nothing more full than in this that the promise of grace belonged not to any of those Iews seed but such as were called for God shuts them under unbelief and because of unbelief they were broken off Rom. 11. if unbelief excluded them from that external relation which before Christs death they then had in the Covenant intailed on the flesh and Christ coming in the flesh and fully exhibiting and putting an end to that covenant no other covenant standing in force in the Church of God but what Christ was the Mediator of these unbelieving Iews of necessity were broken off The promise of remission of sins was so far from running upon the
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
as two covenants the one a conditional covenant of works the other of grace an absolute covenant as in the 4 5 6 7. verses of that 11. of the Romans and so the main drift here of the Apostle is to hold forth that though God did now cast off from being his Church the carnal seed that were only in the covenant of works this covenant standing no longer in force but growing old and vanishing away as in Heb. 8.13 in which covenant he chose this nation to himself yet nevertheless the Apostle doth affirm that God had a remnant that were elect that should be called of that natural seed of Israel even to the end though for the present the greatest part were hardened in unbelief So that when he saith the branches were broken off we are not to understand that such of them as related to Abraham as a Father or Root of Believers in a Covenant of grace were broken off For then we should hold falling away from and out of a Covenant of life which would be a gross error but the branches were broke off from the Root considered in that national covenant of Circumcision which was a Covenant of works that carnal people might really be in as you heard before This National Covenant now ceasing as I have shewed and being put an end to by Christ he becomming the substance of the same covenant and that being the partition wall at that time between Jews and Gentiles But the Apostle now affirms in Gal. 5.6 and 6.16 That Circumcision availeth not any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature and Faith that worketh by Love therefore all of the Jews that believed not ceased to be members of Gods Church Because now Abraham is no way considered as a Father and a Root in the Gospel Church but as faithful and believing Abraham in a Covenant of eternal life therefore unbelief now cuts off the nation of the Jews Why had not unbelief cut them off many hundred years before The answer is plain for so long as the typical covenant of works stood in force Israel by being of that family or that generation whether they had faith or no or any appearance of grace or no were interessed in that covenant and in the privileges thereof But now when Christ was fully exhibited in the flesh and that covenant ceasing and the covenant of life now only remaining it becomes so that only those branches and that lump of believers the spiritual lump only remain in the Church whether Jews or Gentiles So that if you will seriously mind the scope and drift of the Apostle you shall see that the Lump and the Branches here intended must needs be holy because the First-fruits and Root are holy which is meant those of Gods spiritual elect of the Jews that he would call to the end of the world which since is confirmed in the 28. verse For saith the Apostle As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes meaning the Gentiles but as touching the election they are beloved for the Fathers sake Not as if God hated these rejected Jews for the sakes of these Gentiles properly or loved a certain number of the Jews for their fathers sake properly But thus for the Gospels sake they became enemies that is the Gospel promise or Covenant having as you have heard before respect to all Nations Gen. 12.3 Gen. 22.18 with Gal. 3.8 Now this Gospel Covenant being not capable to be divulged to all Nations so long as this external electing love to the Nation of the Jews was kept on foot in that Covenant of Circumcision being a partition-wall therefore this bond of favour and frendship being broken in this external covenant they came to be enemies because of the accomplishment of the promises of the Gospel to the Gentiles that those beloved elected of the Jews and ten Tribes even are beloved for their Fathers sake meaning for the promise sake made to their fathers concerning their calling which must needs be accomplished Isaiah 65.23 for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them meaning all such elected off-spring as this 11 of the Romans speaks of the calling For saith the Text As touching the election they were beloved for the Fathers sake so that for the promise sake made to their Fathers they shall in time be actually elected with an eternal electing love But to mind this Scripture further it makes exceedingly against any fleshly covenant running in the fleshly line of the Gentiles because that these words in verse the 20. to the 24. do declare that the Gentiles came to be Abrahams spiritual seed and so a branch of that stock only by faith in Christ that fat Olive For if you are Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise Gal. 3. last And as it is said the Gentiles are graffed into this stock or root of Abraham contrary to nature it must needs cut off such a conclusion as That all believing Gentiles seed shall come by nature into this Stock It being not only against the whole scope and drift of this place but against the express words which saith the Gentiles are graffed in contrary to nature and stand by faith and further that unbelief broke off the Jews Now this would be a strange riddle in my judgement first to conclude that the whole nation of the Jews were in a Covenant of eternal life and yet never had faith no not so much as visibly for the greatest part of them Secondly That they were broken off from a Covenant of eternal life and why because of unbelief And yet nevertheless believing Gentiles their unbelieving seed in the midst of his unbelief is grafted in This in substance is what is drawn from this text for proving a covenant in the flesh But let any impartially judge how much a shame it would be to wrest Scripture so contrary to the Scope and meaning For this chapter shews that there were two seeds two covenants one of Grace or the Gospel the other of works and that men could not obtain aright to this Gospel Covenant but by vertue of election and that meerly of grace the other covenant of works and the fleshly seed in this Covenant were broke off that is from any privilege comming from Abraham according to the flesh that fleshly covenant being put an end to by Christs being come in the flesh All unbelieving Jews upon that ground cease to be Gods Church much more unbelieving Gentiles for if unbelief broke off the Jew be sure it will as effectually keep out the Gentile as it is clear it doth because they stand by faith only and are graffed in contrary to nature and it is said the Jew if he abide not in unbelief shall be graffed in again From all which it is plain that there is no other way now under the Gospel to come into or stand in the house or Church of God but by faith neither for Iew nor
Gentile and so far is the Apostle free from concluding that the Gentiles come in by nature that he affirms the contrary that he is graffed in contrary to nature Plainly holding forth that all both Iews and Gentiles in a state of unbelief were excluded from those privileges For as before hath been proved the ground upon which the covenant of Circumcision was made unto Abraham and his seed according to the flesh was not because he was a believer but because Christ was to come of that line according to the flesh If you could find out any Gentile under the Gospel out of which the Messiah should come according to the flesh then there were the same reason and ground that an external typical covenant should run in his line or flesh till the Messiah were fully exhibited But I hope none will be such an Anti-christ so highly to deny Christ come in the flesh seeing Paul saith Henceforth we know no man after the flesh for saith he We have known Christ after the flesh but henceforth we know him so no more That men were known that is approved as privileged persons in Gods Church by being in that covenant intailed in the flesh of Abraham viz. that covenant of Circumcision But from henceforth we know no man no not Christ himself should be minded as standing interessed in that covenants he being now known to be one receiving a more excellent ministery than the Ministry of Circumcision a better covenant grounded upō better promises Heb. 8.6 7. the following words confirm this Exposition Therfore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things pass away and all things become new compared with Gal. 6.15 It is not Circumcision availeth any thing c. therefore we are not now to know men according t the flesh No not Christ as come in the the flesh circumcised and by virtue of that privileged in the Church But we are now to know him as fully exhibited and as before a Minister of a better covenant grounded upon better promises So that this 11. chapter of the Romans doth so little serve to countenance the covenant of eternal life to run in the flesh that it exceedingly makes against it cuts it up by the Roots affirming no other of the Gentiles or their seed to be graffed into this stock or root but contrary to nature which he expounds to be by faith Therefore take the whole drift and scope of that place and you shall have two seeds two covenants a certain select number out of those that were in the old Covenant elected into the new covenant the rest of all the body of Israel in that old Covenant were blinded and hardened and never obtained an interest into the new Covenant And when Jesus Christ the Substance of the old Covenant was come then that ceasing and now but one covenant remaining the covenant of Gods Church it s of necessity only believers and spiritual seed now can remain in the Church Hereupon all the unbelieving seed of Jews and Gentiles are utterly excluded out from the Church and Church-privileges which never was so long as an old external covenant stood in force The next Scripture Text An answer to that text 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. brought in for defence of the Covenant in the flesh is 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. verses Moreover Brethreen I would not have you ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and did all eat of that spiritual meat and drink of that spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. This is another Scripture which is made use of to prove a Covenant of Salvation to run in the flesh But beloved the drift of the Apostle here is as it is throughout the Scripture to give out the mystery and substance that shadows typed out to come according to that in 2 Cor. 3. We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit meaning that the main thing which the Apostles did hold forth in their Ministery when they had to do with types and shadows was to set forth the substance or Spirit or heavenly things that was pointed at and so here Beloved know this that these were all types and ceremonies here spoke of belonging to the carnal Jew therefore saith the Apostle They were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea He doth not say they were all baptized into Christ but unto Moses which is a main passage I would present to you You must understand Moses was a solemn type he was a Saviour to save them out of the Land of Egypt their present bondage into Canaan He was a Mediator of that temporal covenant Gal. 3.19 and in this did Moses type out Christ the temporal Covenant did type out the spiritual and heavenly covenant and the temporal Israel did type out the spiritual Israel This temporal redemption of Israel out of Egypt into Canaan typed out the spiritual redemption from sin Bondage the World and Devil into that heavenly Canaan The Covenant that Moses was the Mediator of you have heard was the covenant of Circumcision which is before cleared to be a Covenant of works delivered in substance to Abraham but after committed by writing to Moses as Act. 15.1 where the Teachers did command them to be circumcised and keep the Law after the manner of Moses compared with John 7.22 Moses therefore gave unto you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Father In Acts 15.1 It is said by the false Teachers That except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved Those Teachers were of the same opinion with these in our daies who hold that the Covenant of Circumcision was a Covenant of life and therefore concluded such persons out of it could not be saved their conclusion was doubtless answerable to the premisses For if that Circumcision had been as they judged it a Covenant of eternal life then 〈◊〉 of it none could have been saved Therefore it is said in the 5. verse Certain of the Sects of the Pharisees that believed did say it was needfull to Circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses And in the tenth verse it is said Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the Disciples which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear which was the Covenant of Circumcision which on Gods part was the promise of the Land of Canaan with all the good things thereof and the external privileges as protection and preservation And on their parts they were bound to keep the Law therefore you shall find that Ezra and Nehemiah entered into an oath and a curse with the people then to keep this covenant on their part as that Nation were bound to do And this was that Covenant which the false
Teachers perswaded the Gallatians to be a Covenant of life and that they could not be saved without it which covenant the Apostle Paul called the flesh in Gal. 3.3 meaning that Covenant which God had established in their flesh for an everlasting Covenant as he so calls it Gen. 17.13 This shall be my Covenant in your flesh saith the Lord for an everlasting Covenant Therefore saith Paul in Rom. 4.1 What shall we say that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found if Abraham were justified by works Mark his Exposition of that Covenant appertaining to the flesh to be a Covenant of works which in â—â—e 10. verse he clears to be Circumcision in opposition to that Gospel promise which Abraham had before he was circumcised and so he doth all along in that Chapter Herein the 3. of Gal. he doth set the Covenant of grace and that of works in opposition the one he calls the Spirit the other flesh which he most evidently explains in Chap. 5.1 2 3. where saith he Stand fast in that liberty which Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoake of bondage Here observe again that he calls it as Peter doth Acts 15.10 a yoke of bondage which is evident that they were set at freedom and liberty from as that which was abolished and they freed from as a yoak which neither they nor their Fathers were able to hear as appears in Gal. 5.1 2 3. Behold I Paul say to you if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Nay in v. 3. For I testify to every one that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law and in ver 4. He sets it in opposition to the covenant of grace and this is explained more in Gallatians chap. 6.12 13. verses Now all this considered you may clearly see the Covenant of Circumcision made to Abraham and his seed in their Generation that he would give them Canaan with the blessings thereof and in that sense be their God to protect preserve and externally to privilege them with the means of grace and tenders of the Gospel and the external blessings of Canaan upon condition they would be circumcised and keep the Law All these things are typical this deliverance out of Egypt typing out the deliverance out of Hell That temporal Israel after the flesh that were redeemed out of Egypt typed out the spiritual Israel that were redeemed out of the spiritual bondage and as before hath been said Moses then a temporal Redeemer Mediator or Saviour typed out Christ the spiritual Mediator and Saviour therefore in the 1 Cor. 10.6 The Apostle tells us these were our figures or types So this being premised we have the sense of the Text here plain that as the spiritual disciple or Israelite when he believes and confesseth his faith thereby shewing his interest in Jesus Christ is baptized into Christ Jesus the Mediator of that Covenant which he is in by faith So the temporal Israel by birth or being bought with money or cohabitation in that family of Israel comming to have a right to the Covenant of Circumcision whereof Moses was the Mediator they were likewise baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea that being as real a confirmation to them of the temporal deliverance from Egypt into Canaan by the hand of Moses as our baptism is a confirmation to the spiritual Israel of their spiritual deliverance by Jesus their Mediator from death and condemnation to eternal life And whereas the Apostle calls that meat spiritual meat and that drink spiritual drink he here speaks figuratively as before affirmed Not that the Manna eaten by the whole Nation of Israel was in it self spiritual but it was a figure of the spiritual bread therefore Christ saith to the Jews in John 6.32 33. Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven Observe that word Giveth not did give but giveth for the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world And therefore saith he My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven that is the substance of that shadow and so that rock was Christ meaning a figure or type of Christ What is all this Beloved to the proving of a Covenant of life running in the flesh either then or now to the Gentiles under the Gospel seeing it is clear that all these Ordinances as the Apostle calls them Heb. 9. Carnal Ordinances did type out or figure out spiritual and substantial things For their sacrifices for sin typed out Christ but they were not Christ and their typical remissions which they had by their sacrifice That remission I say which the whole body of Israel had by offering up their sin-offering can be understood to be no other but typical A man might be under that typical Remission and yet ne under the wrath of God and be damned and a poor Gentile at the utmost part of the Earth believing as Rahab did in Canaan as truly justified though he had none of this typical remission and none of these before mentioned figures so that we conclude the whole Nation of the Jews had not a covenant of eternal life in the flesh made unto them though they had a temporal typical covenant as I have all along called it that is consisting of such Laws and privileges that had not Christ in them but did point at him to come therefore they are called in Heb. 9. Patterns of Heavenly things but not the very things themselves They are called by the Apostle Beggarly Elements or Rudiments of the World or a School-master to lead to Christ The Jews literal obedience to the Law typing out the obedience to faith Deut. 30.12 13 14. with Rom. 10. from v. 6. to the 10. ver Now beloved the literal obedience in it self performed by the carnal Jew though it figured out the substantial obedience viz. faith in Christ and though the Rest in Canaan typed out the spiritual Rest in Christ yet I hope no man will be so absurd but he will confess that this litteral obedience it was not the spiritual obedience and that this rest in Canaan it was but a shadow of that rest in Christ not the very rest it self But some may say so of baptism and the Supper that these are the signs of inward and spiritual things but it doth not follow that these are the spiritual things Beloved Observe warily for here lies the ground of this great mistake the want of distinguishing between these figures that type out Christ to come and these Sacramental signs that do confirm and ratifie his being already come Those typical signs and figures then which typed out Christ to come did properly belong to that typicall seed the body of Israel that typed out the spiritual seed to come But now these signs I say these Sacramentall signs that are instituted
since Christ came for the confirming he is come these belong only to the spiritual seed in whom Christ is come already dwelling in their hearts by faith Therefore as Christ is a spiritual and substantial Mediator of a Substantial and spiritual covenant so these spiritual Administrations of the spiritual covenant belong only to such as are in Christ and this new Covenant by faith and that have Christ dwelling in them as hath been before in the former part of my discourse manifested In the new Testament Faith and Repentance are required of them that are to be baptized Here is Water what letteth If thou believest with all thy heart it is lawful Acts 8.38 implying it was unlawful to baptize any that did not believe with all their heart at least in profession And so when Christ dispenseth the Supper He commands it to be received by his Disciples Matth. 26. He saith to his Disciples take eat and he said to his Disciples Drink ye all of this and Paul saith Examine your selves and so eat of this bread and drink of this Cup. If you will not shut your eyes against the light there is nothing more plain than this That those administrations under the old covenant did not require such qualifications as are essentially requisite to be found in the persons that must partake of these substantial signs of the new Covenant As for Circumcision it was not necessary for all that were circumcised to believe and repent or to have faith in Christ or to be converted and made Disciples by preaching as necessary Qualifications to partake of the Ordinances But the institution in Gen. 17.13 saith All born in thy house or bought with thy money though never so ignorant carnal or have never so wicked parents or parentage yet such ought to be circumcised this institution running upon that family But baptism is a confirmation of our Regeneration already wrought in us and our new birth and our union with Jesus Christ by faith and therefore belongs only to them where this Regeneration is to them that are born again of Water and of the Spirit and so the Passeover was to be partaken of by the carnal Israelite after the flesh viz. the captive the slave bought with money Heathen Black Moor or of the Canaanites but the Lords Supper only belongs to Disciples able to discern the Lords body by faith without the which they bring Judgement upon themselves and make themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord except they are able to examine themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cap. So that which the Apostle drives at in this chapter is this principally that as the temporal Israel who were the Church of God then privileged in that temporal Covenant upon their falls and sins were by God visited and corrected to shew to all the world that he would not countenance sin in them without sad reproof so he concludes in this also the Gospel-Church professing the covenant of grace and enjoying the privileges thereof they should not escape if they turn aside from God and sin against him without checks reproofs and sad admonitions from him and here lies the scope and the rather might such caution be given to Gospel churches because they were in a covenant of Grace onely by a visible profession and therefore may possibly receive the greater danger by sin if their profession should not be right and saving Object But some may object That there were some precious Saints then in the Old Testament and do you think that they did not perform the Ordinances with spiritual hearts Answ No question such did as it is said of Abel By faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Duties performed from faith with an eye to Christ were then acceptable when so performed though ceremoniously and such duties relating meerly to the covenant of works Only I would have you to observe that the carnal Israelite was without faith capable to perform every ceremonial Law Faith made not Israelite capable of performing the ceremonies of the Law required by the old covenant according to the express tenor thereof as truly as the believer So in no wise can it be said of the duties relating to the new covenant either then or now as repentance spiritual prayer thanksgiving and divers other duties perpetually at all times and universall to all Saints I deny that the carnall Jews were capable of the true performance of these I mean as to answer the Rules or Institutions given For if you look to the Catechism in the Common Prayer Book you shall find that it was a maxim received by all that own that Liturgy That no less than a profession of faith and repentance was required of them that were baptized Whence observe they thereby confirm the doctrine that I have been all this while pleading for that none but such as have Faith and Repentance in their hearts and do profess the fame should be baptized Object But may some say Did not some bring their freinds to Christ to be healed and Christ seeing the faith of those which brought them healed them And if they believed for others to the healing of their bodies why not also then for the saving of their souls Answ This is directly the Papists Argument with which some do close rather than part with their Idol But to speak to this more particularly There is nothing more plain than that God did give gifts of healing to many as that the faith of one contributed to the healing of the body of another as their Servants and children as in the case of the Centurion in Matth. 8.7 8 9. verses and Jairus the Ruler over the Synagogue But this is no way to prove that one man should come to have union with Christ and so to have justification and eternal life by the faith of another For in this case the Prophet saith The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 And he that believes not is condemned already that is every individual he that believes not shall be condemned and he that believeth shall be saved but some do bring in that text in the 7. of the Hebrews that Levi paid tyths in Abraham therefore why should not souls believe and repent in their believing Parents as well as Levi paid tythes in his believing Father Abraham It seems to me that this Act of Abraham was performed as a publique person in his paying Tythes to Melchisedeck herein representing his Posterity but not so in all the rest of his Acts It doth not follow that he believed and repented for all his posterity for this were a notable ground indeed for Papists implicite Faith We know that Adam in his fall did act sin as a publique person in which all mankind are said to sin Romans 5. But it doth not follow that all the future Acts that Adam committed he did perform as a publique person for if
and Hagar the covenant of Works both these women continued in Abrahams house together for a time the first child he begat by the strength of nature without faith in a promise of a bond-woman The other he begat by faith in a promise without strength of nature of a free-woman and the free-woman continued in Abrahams house with the bond-woman and her son without any Scruple till Isaac was born and also weaned And when the son of the bond-woman persecuted Isaac the free-woman testifyes against the bond-woman and her son and will have them no longer to abide in the house with her son Abraham likewise had first the free-woman and the last the bond-woman The free-woman was sometime barren in Abrahams house but the bond-woman was fruitfull Now the mystery that the Apostle hints to be held forth in this History is clear from which he speaks in this 4. of the Gallatians which must be this That God in like manner first made a covenant of Grace even as Abraham first had a free-woman which covenant in a great measure was barren bringing forth no seed or else totally barren as Sarah was in respect of that substantial seed Christ Jesus which Isaac typed forth as soon as God had made this covenant he in the same house or Church hath also a Hagar that is a Covenant of works in which God hath abundance of seed becoming his by strength of nature without faith in a promise and the Covenant of grace as Sarah in a sense becomes barren All which time the covenant of grace and covenant of works both agree very well to be in Gods house together but at the last as the free-woman brought forth Isaac so the covenant of Grace brings forth Christ Jesus without strength of nature by faith in a promise as in Matth. 1.21 Luke 1.35 and when this substantial seed is come then the covenant of grace and works remain in Gods Church together but afterwards when Christ the true Isaac was as it were weaned that is come to maturity so as to appear that he was now in the office of the Ministery the Scribes and Pharisees with the high Priests all the sons of Hagar the old covenant persecuted Christ and those in him Whereupon the free-woman or rather the free Covenant of grace doth testify that a covenant of Works with her seed shall no longger remain with her in the Church of God But now the free covenant and her sons that is the Covenant of grace only and her children born by faith in a promise onely must for a time forward remain in the house of God So that now rejoice thou barren that barest not the Covenant of grace becomes fruitfull having seed in all nations therefore the Apostle saith the Jerusalem which is above which is free is the Mother of us all and those us or we that were members of the primitive Church were born from above by faith in a promise Therefore it is plain from hence that there were no carnal babes in that Church But when Christ the true seed of the Covenant was persecuted by the Jews which were the children of the covenant of Works the Gospel doth plentifully testifie the abolishing the Covenant of Works and the casting forth of those bond-children out of Gods Church Acts 13.45 46. But when the Jews saw the multitude they were filled with envy and spake against those things which 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 far from you and judge your selves unworthy of everlasting life lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord commanded us And as appears in the 11. chap. of the Romans and as that 4. chap. of Gall. in express words saith in the 25. verse this Hagar is meant Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem that now is and is in bondage with her children this being so clear that the bond-woman and her son that is to say the covenant af works and all those related to Abraham only in a covenant of works are cast out of the house of God How opposite then is their opinion to the truth that still would have a fleshly generation to be in the house of God with their children But seeing the natural branches that truly were descended of the Line of faithfull Abraham might not have that honor How much less the unbelieving seed of the Gentiles that are wild by nature Thus you see in brief this objection answered and that there is no ground for childrens baptism but an imagination through thick darkness upon the minds of people they setting up this idol in their hearts God hath answered them accordingly as the Prophet speaks in Ezekiel 14.2 3 4 5. verses And the word of the Lord came unto me saying Son of man these men have set up their idols in their heart and put their stumbling block of their iniquity before their face should I be inquired of at all by them therefore speak unto them thus saith the Lord Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his Idols in his heart and putteth the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face and commeth to the Prophet I the Lord will answer him that commeth according to the Multitude of his Idols that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart because they are all estranged from me through their Idols Where you see that when souls set up an idol in their heart God doth answer them according to their idol as he hath in this case suffering blind blindnes and uncertainty of judgment to befall them For such as defend childrens baptism and the ablest I have met with do grant they have no command or example in the New Testament for their practice but ground the same on a consequence which you have heard evidently proved is drawn from an error For to affirm or maintain that the covenant of eternal life is made with believers carnal seed is a dangerous error and therefore the consequence must needs be as false and rotten as that error from whence it is drawn then judge you what a pitiful consequence that must be Take the whole result thus Childrens baptism hath no ground from the word of God either Command or Example for it but a consequence as before so that it is meerly a tradition of men setting up in the place and room of the Commands of God to wit baptizing of Believers This groundless tradition which makes void the commandment of God even as the wicked Jews did in Mark 7.7 Howbeit in vain saith the Lord they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men and in verse 9. He said unto them Full well you reject or frustrate the commandments of God that you may keep your own Traditions and in verse 13. Make the word of God of none effect through your traditions which
When Paul had received the holy Ghost Annanias saith And now Paul why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized for the washing away of thy sins calling upon the name of the Lord. Observe that Annanias had an immediate extraordinary commission from Christ by vision to come with the message to Paul and Christ in a vision bids Paul go to Annanias and he should tell him what he should do and Annanias according to that Commission of Christ upon his being filled with the holy Ghost commands him to be baptized And this agrees with the Covenant of grace in Ezekiel 36.27 where the Lord saith I will put my Spirit in them and cause them to walk in my way and Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and will put my Spirit within them and will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh that they may walk in my Statutes and keep mine Ordinances to do them and they shall be my people and I will be their God Where you may see that God is so far from giving his Spirit to the end that souls should plead thereby freedom from the practice of those commanded Ordinances of Christ that on the contrary it is the end why God gives his Spirit to enable and to cause them to walk in his way and in his Ordinances and in particular baptism And observe the Apostles have not left us a bare example only that they did baptize after that Christ powred out the Holy Ghost and that by the authority received from heaven but doth command it as you have heard to all that repent and believe and to all that receive the holy Ghost to submit to it But again the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire that John foretold of it is clear was extraordinarily given upon an especial ground and reason fulfilled in Act. 2. The Holy Ghost falling down in fiery Cloven tongues in the sight and view of the bodily eyes which was that outward sign and that clear light and fervent zeal and love they had in uttering the wonderful things of God in variety of strange tongues was the inward thing signified So that herein the baptism of the Holy Ghost was an outward sign and an inward thing signified but there is now no man in the world hath this baptism only it is true that the Spirit in the saving gifts of faith repentance and the like is held to be essential to the Ordinance of Baptism of water and must be joined together with it without which it cannot be said to be an Ordinance of God there must be the inward grace as well as the outward sign This Baptism that the Apostle according to Christs Commission hath left a standing Command for cannot be Johns baptism his holding forth Christ to come baptizing them in that doctrine But in this we baptize persons in Christ already come and fully exhibited And though it may be objected that the Apostles practiced some things that were abolished as the circumcising of Timothy and the like We also say that as they practised it among the Jews so the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles saith if they be circumcised Christ should profit them nothing but they were faln from grace and we never find that circumcision was practised among the Gentiles that were void of all Religion before they taught them It is evident in the new Tastament that Circumcision is abolished as part of the Mosaical Covenant and yoke of bondage Gal. 5.1 2 3. but the case in baptism is clean otherwise Whereas you hear the Apostle did press Cornelius his family to be baptized who was a Gentile never acquainted with Johns baptism nor wedded to such a doctrine as that whereby we should think that Peter did baptize them to condiscend to that error or weakness in their minds Again he doth not only simply baptize them as a Liberty that might be done or not done but commands them to be baptized and so doth as you heard before he did in Acts 2. and it cannot be said that the Apostles commanded any duty to be done with a promise of blessing to the right performance of the same after the Holy Ghost came down upon them but it must needs be a solemn standing Ordinance of God that every soul upon pain of the guilt and rebellion against Christ his head and King ought to be subject unto But this of Baptism hath as aforesaid many standing Laws left in holy Record speaking to all that believe and repent promising remission of sins and salvation to the right performance of the same which proves it to be a standing Ordinance of the new Testament And truly with the same reason Souls may affirm that Christ ceaseth to be a Mediator as to hold the Law of dipping believers ceaseth so much and no less is affirmed by the Soul that saith the Ordinance of baptism is an expired Ordinance he may as well say Christ is expired and abolished as a a fleshly form as some have had the confidence to say For as in the time of Moses Ministration till there was a change of the Priesthood there could not be a change of the Law no more now except there be another Christ and Saviour come or another Priesthood instead of this Priest and Minister of the New Testament assure your selves there can be no change of this Law as in Heb. 7.12 18. Therefore such as pretend to profess Christ to be their Saviour that came of the seed of David and the same persons deny and slight this fundamental Ordinance of Baptism they do therein testify that they reject Christ in their heart as abolished and have got some pretended fancy-Christ instead of him It is utterly inconsistent with the Faith of the Gospel and with true Religion to hold baptism and the Supper two solemn Ordinances and Symboles of the new Covenant to be abolished for in Ephes 4. the Apostle pressing there a visible Church-union layes down the main things wherein that union consists called saith he by one hope of their calling one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptism this one Baptism cannot be meant the Spirit because the Spirit is mentioned distinct but baptism here must needs be meant that standing solemn Ordinance of God commanded to every one that believes Now the Apostle pressing here a Church Union doth mention these particulars that are essential to a visi lâ— Church-union without which they could not walk together if not in these things agreed and where a people in all these particulars are one no other thing coming should make a breach of their union Object But some other souls will object and say That Believers baptism is an Ordinance of God and he thinks they do well that are drawn out to practise it by a power from God But saith the soul I want a divine power upon my heart drawing me out to the practice of the same and that is the let and hinderance in me Answ This objection
his Wants If any thing hurt a babe he will cry and make his complaint to his Father So the child of God if any streight oppresseth him he cries to God his Father The natural child will imitate his Father and his Brethren so the new born babe imitates God the Father and Christ and the rest as it were of his brethren the new born babe when young a little will content it so should the new born babe in grace be in all conditions and states content And this I understand to be the proper meaning of this place Of such is the Kingdome of God that is of such souls that are spiritually qualified by Gods grace answerable to little children in nature Mat. 18.1 to 6. of such godly new born heavenly babes is the kingdom of God And this Exposition agrees with the right scope of the place and the true analogy of Faith And therefore I would have you seriously to consider that this covenant of grace in the flesh the whole word of the Lord disclaims it and will give no countenance to any such notion so destructive in its consequence to the truth of God as you have heard before Object But some may object and say But this which you call a Covenant of Works consisting of Temporal promises and also Laws and Statutes you are not to understand that to be a distinct covenant from the Covenant of eternal life but a form of Administration that the Covenant of Grace was then administred in And the carnal children were not then interessed in the main privileges of the Covenant as Adoption and Justification but the outward promises and privileges only made to their Fathers Answ I know this objection some do bring which if it be well weighed is inconsistent with their own arguments For if this objection be true then was there no covenant made to Abrahams seed but onely an administration of a Covenant And therefore ill do they affirm that the covenant was made to them therefore the administration But this doubtless is false and this objection as I said is false and groundless as appears by several express testimonies in Scripture which doth evidently prove two distinct covenants as for example Saith God in Genesis chap. 17. and verse 7. And I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee Where observe that the Lord doth not say that he will establish an administration of the Covenant with his seed in their generations but his covenant and Abraham and his seed must keep his covenant and in verse the 13. this my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant not this administration of my Covenant shall be in your flesh and so in Hebr. the 8.6 7 8 9 verses But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which is established upon better promises Mark as I have before shewed at large here were two covenants the one upon better promises the other upon worse promises which must needs be understood temporal blessings and deliverances and privileges Therefore he saith they serve unto the Example and shadow of heavenly things and in verse the seventh if that first Testament had been faultless there should have been no place sought for the second And in the nineth verse he saith that the old covenant they continued not in therefore God regarded them not and in verse the 12. in that he saith a new covenant he hath made the first old Now that which decayeth and waketh old is ready to vanish away which Scriptures do evidence as clear as the Sun at Noon day that there was a real covenant made with the Jews made before with Abraham but committed to the Church in writing by Moses when he led them out of Egypt and this Covenant they brake said Jeremy chap. 31.32 and here the Apostle saith they continued not in it and the last verse saith it was made old and therefore vanishing away and in Hebrews 9. there the Apostle calls this old covenant that contained in it shadows and paterns of heavenly things the first Testament wherein the Apostle in verse 17. and forwards doth shew there were two Testaments the one confirmed by the blood of Bulls the other confirmed by the blood of Christ And if this were not true then most falsly do such affirm the covenant was made with Abrahams seed therefore the privileges if Abraham lineally had no covenant made with them but only an external and outward Administration and Privilege c. Upon that ground there was no national Covenant at all made with Israel but only an outward administration and that being granted to be Ceremonial except you can prove another Ceremonial administration as carnal as that administration was now in force there is not the like ground why carnal and unbelieving children should have any share in it But that there were two covenants is most evident An Exposition of that text Gal. 4.21 c. as appears in the New Testament as I have formerly at large endeavoured to make good only I shall add that in Gallatians 4.21 and forward where saith the Apostle Tell me ye that would be under the Law do ye not hear the Law for it is written That Abraham had two sons the one by a bond-maid the other by a free-woman but he who was of the bond-woman was born after the flesh but he of the free-woman was by promise which things are an allegory that is by these things other things are meant For these are the two Covenants the one from Mount Sinai which gendereth to bondage which is Agar for this Agar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to Jerusalem that now is and is in bondage with her children but Jerusalem which is above is free which is the Mother of us all Now we Brethren as Isaac was are children of the promise but as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit so it is now notwithstanding cast out the bond-woman and her son for the Son of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman So then Brethren we are not children of the bond-woman but of the free And in the next chapter he saith Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not intangle again with the yoak of bondage which he afterwards explains to be the Covenant of Circumcision Gall. 5. â— 2 3. But to speak something to this text Abraham here by the Apostle is understood to represent God by way of type and figure as it were his two women Sarah and Hagar the two covenants of God the two sons Ishmael and Isaac represents as the text hints the two seeds in these two covenants of God Now Sarah the free-woman represents the covenant of grace