three some as I said above add A Fourth Of the Word because the word Baptism sometimes comprehends also the Doctrine baptized into as in Matth. 21.25 26. Acts 10.37 And indeed the word is compared to water frequently and therewith God doth besprinkle and wash the souls of men and makes them clean as John 15.3 yet I think this rather accompanies the several ways of Baptism before mentioned as being that that the Baptism of water obliges to and seals that which the Spirit properly baptizes with and by and that which afflictions are ordered to seal home and bore the ear of the soul unto then that the Scripture calleth it by it self a Baptism however this is not it that our enquiry is particularly about but about that of or with water Concerning which 2. Secondly I find the Grounds thereof in Scripture are either 1. More general and fundamental viz. The grace of God towards poor lost man testified in the gift of his Son to be the Saviour of the world by suffering for its sin removing its curse and procuring life and blessing for it into himself John 3.16 17. 6.51 according to that to Abraham In thy seed shall all the Nations and Families of the Earth be blessed This indeed is the main foundation and ground of all Gods gracious dealings with and dispensations to the sons of men and of all his Ordinances both before and since his coming only with this difference that those before his coming were grounded on and to mind and lead us to him as one to come those since are grounded upon his being actually come in the flesh and upon his being perfected through his sufferings for bringing blessing to all families of men and saving to the utmost all that obey him that this word of the beginning of Christ is the foundation of Baptisings in all its ways is clear Heb. 6.1 2. For indeed otherwise no Gospel nor Baptism into it no Dispensation of Spirit to us Afflictions had been destructions not corrections and so in particular its the Foundation of this Baptism we speak of 2. More immediately and particularly The Commission given for baptizing which I find was two-fold 1. One to John called then the Baptist Luke 3.2 3. called the Baptism of repentance because joyned with a Doctrine detecting the false confidences and erring ways of the Jews from Christ the Seed of Abraham and the free-grace of God in him and caâ—ling them to repent of them and turn in again to him Mat. 3.2 John 1.15.29 2. The other to the Disciples and Apostles of Christ Mat. 28.19 20. and between these two I find no difference prescribed as to the form of acting only in these two things 1. John's was to be practised upon the Jews only and so such as were before members of the Church of God The Disciples upon the Gentiles also for discipling them 2. John's was unto Christ to be revealed to them and for revealing him while he was but yet about his work for us on the earth The Disciples was chiefly after his Ascension into the Name of Christ as more fully and clearly revealed and so into the Name and to the worship of the Father Son and Holy Ghost more distinctly opened in their Doctrine 3. For the Ends of this Baptism I find it is 1. Negatively Not to distinguish between chaff wheat the spiritual and carnal seed that 's Christs own work not his servants Mat. 3.12 22.10 11 12. nor to approve the state of every such person as is baptized seal to them an undoubted enjoyment of Eternal life or that they are really and in Spirit one with God Christ or the like 2. But Affirmatively 1. On Gods and the Administrators part ministring in the Name of God and of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 20. 1. To hold forth ratifie and confirm the truth of the Contents of the Gospel and so to witness to the grace of God in Jesus Christ brought unto men so John not as a man barely but as a Preacher and Baptiser witnessed to Christ and so were the Apostles to witness to him in all their Ministration as God himself doth by them John 1.7.15.29 15.26 27. 1 John 5.10 11. yea as all the Ordinances of God both before and since his coming stand upon him as the gift of Gods love to man so as the Cherubims of old to the Mercy-seat they all look and witness to him Rom. 3.21 Heb. 10.1 And so in Baptism particularly God and the Administer as from God holds forth intimately the uncleanness that is in men one or other by their natural birth or humane actings the emptiness of all their own righteousness though after the Law And that in Jesus Christ by his death and resurrection for them there is forgiveness and redemption for them and blessing even righteousness and life brought unto them which in submitting to him and his Government they shall certainly receive from him and that he will by his Word and Spirit so wash cleanse and sanctifie them as to make them meet for fellowship with God Ephes 5.25 26. 2. To testifie and declare that neither God nor they in case they be guilful in the receit of this Ordinance and grace tendered there with do hold them bound under the guilt of former either natural or actual pollution so as to hold them out from his Church or Kingdom but do remit all past so as not to refuse to admit them to fellowship with themselves in his Church its ordinances and blessings as they be capable thereof So I look upon that in Acts 22.16 Wash away thy sins with Acts 10.28 Mat. 18.18 2 Cor. 5.19 2. On the Baptized's part it is 1. That he might have the promises held forth sealed and ratified to him 2. To disciple him to Jesus Christ and so subject them to his Regiment teaching a way of worship appointed and taught by him Matth. 28.19 20. Disciple all the Nations or Gentiles baptizing them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost that is unto the receit belief and acknowledgement of the Doctrine of God as so distinctly made known and into the worship of him the only true God the Father by through and as made known by and in the Son his Mediation and Doctrine declared and opened by the Holy Ghost in the Gospel and in his power working there-through in the heart teaching them to observe all things that I command you c. Even as the people of Israel in being baptized in the cloud and sea were obliged to believe and obey Moses and the Lord as ordering them by him 1 Cor. 10.12 and so also by being circumcised Gal. 5.2.3 And herein they that are baptized are baptized into the death of Christ to expect all their life there-through and follow him therein and do in this sence put on Christ Gal. 3.26 27. that is An Engagement an Obligation to listen to and believe on him as
of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Where it s to be minded first that he says not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for of these is the Kingdom lest we should perceive some peculiar occasion not ordinary or common to Infants but peculiar to these only some secret thing known to Christ alone and so should say it was to be stretched no further but to them or them that we can discern to be elected c. Nor is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that are like these the Kingdom of Heaven belong though many would conceive it so for that could be no greater ground for children then for Doves and Lambs coming to him the general word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally signifies of that kind that 's spoken of these and such as these whether it be applyed to things or persons not such in an Allegorical similitude So Rom. 2.2 The judgment of God is against those that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things that is those very evils and such like So ver 3. and chap. 1.32 Gal. 5.21 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against such things there is no law that is against those vertues and fruits of the Spirit and whatsoever else is of the same stamp or nature So also 1 Cor. 7.15.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such shall have trouble in the flesh that is such as he had spoken of before viz. they that marry c. Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven what 's that I answer The Kingdom set up by the God of Heaven in which he is King and reigneth by Jesus Christ prophesied of long since to be established in the house of David A Kingdom of which the Jews were the children it was preached to and the promise of it set before them yea they were educated under its Ordinances in part and to the expectation of it in the more Heavenly things The Kingdom more fully preached by Christ and in its priviledges rise and growth and its administration by Christ in the humanity in a more heavenly way then nigh at hand and ready to be revealed though not in its heighth of glory and large spreading lustre This is the Kingdom of Heaven of which there are divers stations and degrees of entrance into it and divers manifestations of it viz. 1. There is the outward Court the Church visible as visible or as outwardly priviledged by God and distinguished from other people not in it or if ye will the Government that Christ exerciseth in administration of his Heavenly Ordinances and Rites over men as visibly subjected to the profession of him the Church-state with its outward Ordinances the Oracles of God and his Statutes and Appointments So the Church-state of old among the Jews was part of that Kingdom that God through Christ and for him erected The Wisdom of God had there his House and Pillars Ordinances and Provision though less heavenly and more carnal then as now it s ordered by Christ come in the flesh and therefore rather called the Kingdom of God then of Heaven Matth. 21.43 This Government in the hand of Christ come being more properly both because as of God so more heavenly and less carnal then that before 2. The inward and invisible uniting with Christ by faith and so the Government of the Spirit writing the Law in the heart The power and priviledges injoyed in the inner man in forgiveness of sins peace joy conformity to God c. And this also is the Kingdom of God the more inward more heavenly and spiritual part of it and this also is held forth in the first and the right receipt of the first with all the documents thereof and spiritual operations afforded therein is the way to enter into this step of it For this is it into which men enter not but by regeneration Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost And 1 Cor. 4.20 That consists in power c. Into this the believer is translated out of the power of darkness Col. 1.15 The other step is more visibly upon men that are in it this more properly in them They that are but in the former Regiment may be cast out and often are for their unfruitfulness not receiving its instructions and operations of Spirit therewith as a little child so as to enter into this more spiritual Government Matth. 8.12 and 21.43 that or the Kingdom of God in that part of it for it s but one Kingdom in all its Regiments as the Temple of old was but one in all its Courts being like a Net gathering all sorts and like a man sowing good seed in the field wherein also the envious man soweth tares out of which all things that offend shall be gathered Matth 13.24.41.42.47 And like to the wedding made by the King for his Son to which the bidden guests refusing to come all that could be met with in the high-way and hedges were called and brought Matth. 22.1.9 10. yea to that all have liberty to come as the way to enter into it in its higher steps or more inward Government and Dominion But now this second step is yet more holy and into it may none enter but they that so have received the grace of God in what is held forth in the former as to be made an holy Priesthood unto God The former hath Laws for its Ordering and Government and in it is the power of Christ to order it which all ought to obey and be subject to in their several places and stations as in other Kingdoms but these are more visible and outward as Baptism the Supper Exhorting Teaching Hearing Prayer Communion Censures c. As also subordinate Officers Bishops or Elders Deacons c. Its Keys of Doctrine and Censures its Publick Register and Notary Book the Scriptures wherein its Laws and Orders are written and recorded This latter hath its Laws the same for substance with the other but written also more inwardly in the heart where the Spirit is more immediately Governour and Ruler and supplies all grace to the soul also These have fellowship with God and with Christ in spirit and heavenly things as well as one with another in outward Ordinances which these also have the inner Regiment being in these who are under the outward though not in all of them These have the inward true spiritual Baptism in the blood and price of Christ 1 Cor. 10 17. sprinkling their consciences and making their hearts pure and they feed spiritually upon Christ himself eat all of that one bread and partake all of that one spirit in him So as to be really and inwardly though mystically and spiritually one body being baptized into it by the Holy Ghost and made meet for the inheritance as well as outwardly baptized and outwardly eating the Memorials of Christ as the outward Regiment more generally do 3. There is also beyond both these a third step
or way of regiment in this Kingdom like unto the Holy of holies that into which Christ himself is really entred and all they that are in the second form do enter by hope but not as yet by real possession The Kingdom in Glory and Power exalted above all other This is that which is yet to be manifested Which Christ is gone to receive and which he shall come in even in the Glory of his Father and possess all his Saints that here have followed him faithfully withall In which the righteous shall shine as the Sun Matth. 13.43 and be filled with their Masters joy Christ and they being all manifested in glory even the glory of God Col. 3.34 so as that as Christ is now admired in himself by them that spiritually discern him so then he shall be admired also in all his Saints 2 Thess 1.10 11. and they shall be glorified with him In this all his and their enemies shall be put under them and bow before them even all that here have persecuted and hated them and they shall be possessed of all the happiness prepared and laid up in Christ for them even their inheritance The fulness of God and glory and perfect freedom from all the bondage of sin and servitude and from what ever did afflict and trouble them And this state of the Kingdom Christ shall come in at his glorious appearance again from Heaven when he shall raise up all his to meet him and be ever with him therefore also it s coupled with his appearance in 2 Tim. 4.1 This is the Kingdom in its flourish and compleatness as Solomon in his glory when as the other two are but the tendencies to this and like the Kingdom of David in the midst of oppositions The Keys of the Kingdom in the first state are committed to the servants of Christ to Peter and the other Apostles with their succeeding Church-officers and they may let in or put out there and when they walk in the Spirit in so doing Christ approveth what they do and admits too gracious operations of Spirit for blessing his Ordinances to them or withholds his presence from them as they admit or put out But for the other two states the Key is only with himself Revel 3.7 and into them none but he can give admission Whom he shuts out to them none can open and to whom he opens none can shut this state against them Into the second he admits by the spiritual Baptism those that receive the grace of God held forth in the outward Court and witnessed to by the outward Baptism rightly and effectually Matth. 3.11 12. Those that by the Word and Spirit accompanying it are truly prepared for him turned to him to look towards him and wait for him Luke 1.16 17. and 3.4 And these wait for and shall in patient continuance inherit the third into which no ungodly person no chaff in the floor of Christ none without the wedding garment though come into the house none that work iniquity though within the outward form and state of the Kingdom shall find entrance 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal. 5.20 21. Matth. 13.41 42. And let this be noted that though ordinarily when mention is made of the Kingdom of God and of Heaven preached and exhorted to be sought and entred into all these three stations of it are infolded in one another As when it s said Paul or Christ preached the Gospel of the Kingdom or preached the Kingdom of God c. yet as that they ultimately aimed at was the bringing men to the Kingdom in glory so that they most immediately and nextly urged unto men to receive and submit to was the first station The coming into the Church-state and submission to Christ in his Government Word and Ordinances therein as that which he set up as the Medium to bring them into union with himself and so to participation of his glory as the house in which his Feast is made ready and in a First-fruits in the regiment of his Grace and Spirit to be pertook of by those that duly and rightly receive the outward Ministrations in his Church the waters where the Spirit moves for the renewing of those that duly and submittedly wait upon him and wash therein The Bed of Love wherein the immortal Seed of the Word of God the Promise and Covenant made to Abraham is poured forth for the begetting children to him Under the Regiment of Christ here all ought to come all the Gentiles are to be discipled all so many as they found without choise distinction discrimination Matth. 22.8 9 10. and limitation are to be brought and here under to be nurtured that they might enter the second into which yet none of these do enter but them that intirely submit to him therein as we said before Those that obey him Acts 5.32 the upright hearted the poor in spirit the righteous they that bring forth the fruits of it and they shall have an abundant entrance Psalm 84.11 Matth. 5.7 and 18.3 2 Pet. 1.11 And going on therein shall be surely rewarded with the third Revel 2.26 27. and 3.34 and 3.21 Now how the words are to be taken here appears by what is said and by what follows in the Text viz. He that receives not the Kingdom of God as a little child c. that receives not in the present Tense Now the Kingdom to be now received by us is that that cometh now to us and that is certainly the Government of Christ in his Word and Ordinances as then to them ministred externally by Christ and as now left unto us in the writings of his Servants and by such as he hath instructed therein yet ministred unto us with all the operations of spirit that come along therewith in convincements and teachings to fit us for entring into the inward regiment or priviledges of it in righteousness joy peace c. This was that that came to the Jews or approached nigh unto them Matth. 3.2 and 10.7 Luke 10.9 11. and 11.20 But they received it not and some of them that received it yet not going on to receive it as little children with self-denial humility meekness they could not enter in to the inward regiment and its priviledges but finding the entrance too strait turned back again from it John 6 60.64 and 8.30 31 34. c. The Kingdom as it shall come in glory hath no rules annexed to it about men's entertaining it that I know of but its evident this of the external Ministration with the spiritual operations afforded therewith for bringing us into the state of spiritual union with Christ hath and we find that many could not become so far children in simplicity and self-nothingness as to receive it it being as ordered by Christ every where spoken against and we find yet that men not receiving the instructions of the Word of this Kingdom as held forth to men in the Scriptures in the reproofs and teachings of
it stick in the form of godliness nay sincerely attain to that muchless enter they into the inside of this Kingdom to have the Law writ in their hearts and to experiment the peace and joy that is therein Of such is the Kingdom the Government of Heaven and of God Nay I know not how to exclude them right to any part of it if we shall take it for the Kingdom in its Glory as some do for then much more should they have right to any other thing in it as they were capable of having it put to and vouchsafed them according to Peters arguing But sure he meant the Kingdom of God as they had the Keys of it or were to have and so as they had power of taking in or excluding suffering to come to Christ or forbidding them and as the blessings of it were to be obtained for and imparted to them through man's ministration for it was not from the after-glory or inward communication of spiritual grace that they went about to detain them but from that dispensation of blessing which they were brought to Christ for in an external way of ministration And therefore it is meet that we understand his Speech so as may reprove and correct their thoughts in that for which he faulted them As if he should say The Kingdom of Heaven which I preach and am instructing you to be my Ministers in and which I am setting up and gathering men into is of such as these Infants or for such as these whom you thus slight and reject therefore forbid them not but let them come unto me as to the great King thereof and Prophet therein to be blessed by me As for the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have the like in Matth. 5.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kingdom of God is theirs or of them they have right to it and it takes them in Now shall right be withheld from them to whom its due Are we authorized to disciple all the Gentiles baptizing them and that discipling them is a subjecting them to his Kingdom and Government and hath our Saviour said That the Kingdom is of such as those Infants And shall we deny to disciple them thereunto by baptizing them into his Name to be subject to his power set up in his Church for the nurture of them Do not they that deny them admission into the Kingdom run into that evil of his Disciples here or savour of the same root in them for which Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was very angry with them and to correct which and prevent it for the future he gave out this instruction For of such is the Kingdom c. But here we are encountred with many scruples and objection viz. 1. That these children were not brought to Christ to be baptized nor did he baptize them or bid his Disciples do it Object 1 but he was angry with them for bidding them to come to him because they therein hindred the occasion of his doing good to men and because the faith of the bringers was herein to be cherished and the power of Christ in blessing to be manifested and the exellent Doctrine concerning little children being capable of the Kingdom of Heaven to be delivered therefore no ground hence for Baptism It 's true these children were not brought for Baptism Answ but for somewhat higher then it nor read we that he baptized them for Christ baptized none with water himself nor that he bid his Disciples baptize them and whether they were baptized before or not in all the people being baptized it s not certain it s not exprest that they were or were not but he did that for which they came to him and by that indeed took occasion to shew his good will to men and cherished the bringers faith that thought he had blessing also for Infants and especially to open that Doctrine about Infants capacity for the Kingdom which should be of further use to the Disciples in ordering the Affairs of the Kingdom Now upon Christs words and specially this his instruction together with his after-commission for Gentile Baptism we ground the right of their Baptism But for the cause of his anger 't is more probable it was their low thoughts of them for their errour which he rebuked them for is best to be understood by what he saith for correction of them had his displeasure been against them for letting him in doing good or meerly cherish the bringers faith c. His speeches would have been to that purpose they would have contained the ground of his rebuking them as usualiy in all other cases they do But now its evident they contain the freeness of his grace to children and their capacity for the Kingdom and by consequence of his blessing therefore their fault by in the contrary their too low thoughts of them as if unmeet and unworthy of Christs care of them and acting in his Kingdom ministration towards them And no doubt but much of the wisdom and goodness of God and Christ is herein to be seen in ordering this providence that so he might take occasion to open his will towards them unto us in that which he foresaw would be much questioned and to order it to be so diligently recorded by three Evangelists that under the mouth of three witnesses we might be more confirmed in childrens right to the Kingdom and so by consequence to Baptism that takes them into it and acknowledges their right and might not keep them out upon such an opinion of them as the Disciples had of them As for these it was not perhaps so material to baptize them they yet being of the Jewish Church and so in the Kingdom by Circumcision and especially now when neither he nor his Disciples were about baptizing nor they brought to him for that which as we said perhaps they had received before These things were done and said rather for instruction to his Disciples for their after-carrying on the business of the Kingdom then for their present information about them particular children As usually his Doctrines and Speeches to his Disciples upon any such occasion had a special eye at their fitting for that business and out instruction All that discourse in Matth. 18. is plainly instructive to the Disciples about things pertaining to the Kingdom not only as at that present but rather as it should be ordered after his departure by them the determination of that question about Divorce Marriage and Continency was plainly instructive to them too for ordering the Affairs of the Kingdom in those matters too and this about children follows very fitly for their direction and instruction about them as also in the same order the Apostle gives hints of instruction about them 1 Cor. 7.10.14 I say not that the act of Christ then was a standing rule for Baptism But in his act doing that that is greater then Baptism to them and in his expressions of the ground of it instructions about