that Covenant to Abraham and to the Nations hee gave withal a Commandment Gen. 17.12 that the initial mark of the Covenant should bee set upon all whom hee had taken into Covenant both Jews and Gentiles and their Infants The Covenant it self and the mark of the Covenant are alike extended to all the same persons whether yong or old Note farther that when Christ renewed and established that Covenant in his own blood though hee changed the Sign yet hee repealed not that Commandment Nay Mat. 28.19 hee added a new commandment enjoining the new Sign Baptism to bee given to all Nations without exception of any persons formerly received into Covenant so that wee are under a twofold Commandment to Baptize our Infants one of God who first made the Covenant and gave that Commandment the which is still so of force that if Christ the Lord of the hous had not changed it wee were all bound at this day to bee Circumcised and seeing hee hath changed that Sign into Baptism but not the Covenant it self nor the Commandment thereto annexed it followeth that by the old Commandment enjoining Infants to bee marked and by Christ's new Commandment enjoining Baptism to bee that mark all that are not excepted out of the Covenant stand bound to recei it In like manner as the fourth Commandment injoining one day of seven for an holy Rest to the Lord doth binde us to observ our Lords-day the Commandment stand's of force though the first day bee changed so the Commandment for signing of the Nations whom God received into Covenant and their seed doth still oblige us to set the New Seal upon them especially seeing wee are again commanded by Christ so to do without any exception of Infants Hence I thus argue Argument 1 All that are taken into the Covenant of Grace ought to receiv the judicial Sign of the Covenant what ever the Sign be that God shall chuse and that according to the Commandment of God and our Lord Jesus Christ But Infants are taken into Covenant with their Parents as is proved therefore by the Commandment of the Lord they ought to recev the Sign which God hath enjoined to bee used and that Sign is Baptism Or thus If Infants have a right to the Covenant and the initial sign thereof then it is a wrong to deny them But Infants have a right to the Covenant and the initial Sign thereof both by God's Original Grant Gen. 17.11 14. And by Christ's confirmation of that Covenant made with the Fathers Rom. 15.8 therefore it is a wrong to deny it to them The Covenant under which wee are is the Gospel-Covenant made long since with us Englishmen and our Infant-seed with a command of giving them the Sign which at first was Circumcision and now Baptism by the same Divine Autoritie enjoyned and commanded to bee given without any exception of any within the Covenant Argument 2 My second Argument is grounded on Act. 2.38 39. then Peter said Repent and bee baptized c. In which passage of Scripture I note three things 1. Who the persons were of whom Peter saith The promise is to you and to your children they were a mixt multitude of many Nations as appears vers 10. strangers of Rome Jews Proselyts Creets and Arabians Note 2. What promise that is of which S. Peter saies it belongs to such people and their children and is applied to his hearers as the ground of their beeing baptized It is that grand promise made to Abraham to bee a God to him and his seed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Gospel-promiss of good tidings gratuitum Dei promissum quatenùs opponitur legi saith Beza in a word it is that promiss of blessedness Jer. 31.34 which consists in remission of sins to bee obtained by the promised Messiah Object Nay Why not rather understand it of the promise of the gifts of the holy Ghost promised Joel 2.27 and given by laying on of the Apostles hands especially becaus it is said in the end of vers 38. Bee baptized and yee shall receiv the gift of the holy Ghost Answ The promise here spoken of cannot bee understood I conceiv of the miraculous gifts of the holie Ghost 1. Becaus Peter's bearers received no such gifts and therefore S. Peter made no such promise to them for doubtless they received what was promised 2. Such a promise must here bee understood as belongs to Parents and their children and to all that shall bee called to the worlds end But there is no such promise in all the Scripture that the miraculous gifts of the holie Ghost shall fall upon Parents with their children and all that are to bee converted to the worlds end 3. A promise of such gifts seems not sutably applied to Peter's hearers comfort for their Question was what shall wee do to bee saved And Peter gives them 1. A direction 2. And a Promise A direction to repent and to acknowledg Christ to bee head and foundation of the Covenant of Grace and that life and remission of sins is in his blood where of Baptism is the Seal And then hee recites and applies to this comfort the promises of the Covenant q. d. yee shall receiv the benefit of the Covenant remission of sins and also the gift of the holie Spirit the Seal thereof those first motions now begun in your hearts shall bee followed with increas of Sanctification of spiritual light of joy comfort and assurance This interpretation doth exactly agree with the Apostles discours Gal. 3.14 where speaking of the blessing of Abraham to com on the Gentiles hee saith that wee being delivered from the Curse and restored into God's Grace by Christ shall receiv the promise of the Spirit through Faith i.e. the spirit of Grace which is the Seal of the promises of the new Covenant the gifts of the holie Spirit which had been so often and so solemnly promised by the Prophets Es 44.3 I will pour water upon him that is thirstie as Peters hearers now were and Floods upon the drie ground I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring and one say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob with Ezek. 11.19 cap. 36.27 A new spirit will I put within you I will take the stonie heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh Act. 2.38 Gal. 3.2 14. So that the gift of the Spirit in Peter's Sermon and the promise of the spirit in the Galatians and in the Prophets is all one thing for substance As for that place Joel 2.27 S. Peter expounds it Act. 2.17 of the descending of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles in fierie Tongues and it may well have relation to all those upon whom in like manner it did descend But if any man conceivs that that place hath a farther accomplishment in the New Testament in the larger pouring forth of the gifts of the spirit of illumination
is an Office appointed of God and that Ordination for executing that Office is an Ordinance of Christ in the New Testament our third Conclusion will naturally follow viz. That no man uncalled and unordained can with good conscience intrude upon that work and Office This position or Conclusion is proved by two places especially remarkable for this purpose the first is that of Zach. 83.3 4 5. And it shall com to pass that the Prophets shall bee ashamed every one of his Vision when hee hath prophesied neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceiv but hee shall say I am no Prophet I am an husbandman for man taught mee to keep Cattel from my youth 1. This place is a plain Prophecie of the times of the Gospel wherein many blessings are promised when the Messiah is com vers 1.2 Concl. 3 2. The words vers 4.5 are words of Recantation and repentance of som that pretended the Spirit and took upon them the Office of Prophesying when as they were not Prophets but husbandmen or bred up to som other Trades 3. The means by which this kind of Teachers were brought to shame and repentance is the zeal of the Christian Magistrate upon complaint made to him of their doings by their dearest friends vers 3. And it shall com to pass that when any shall yet Prophecie i.e. notwithstanding all spiritual means used to cleans the Land of seducing spirits and Teachers of fals Doctrines vers 2. if for all this they shall prophecie then his Father and his Mother which begat him shall say unto him Thou shalt not live c. the meaning is this that as in the Law of Moses Deut. 13.5 8. Hee that pretended himself a Prophet and was none was to bee punished by the Magistrate such a like zeal should bee used against fals Prophets in the New Testament their best friends endued with knowledg and discerning shall oppose them preferring their zeal and pietie towards God before the natural affection they bear towards their own children And there is reason as Mr Borough's thinks why their best friends should withstand them in this way 1. Becaus it is a thing abhorring to Nature Heart-divisions p. 19.23.24 that men should suffer God whom they honor to bee blasphemed 2. To see their wives and children and dearest friends to bee seduced into waies which wee think will undo their souls to eternitie and not bee able to help them nor our selvs unless wee can perswade the Seducer to desist and ask them why they do so and entreat them to forbear Therefore these must com under the Magistrates restraining power 4. Then follow 's the fruit of the Magistrates dealing with them viz. Their shame and repentance they shall disclaim their usurped profession and confess that they were never brought up nor fitted for it and so return to their former cours and Trade of living This Scripture is fulfilled in one part by the rising of fals Teachers in our daies and if it bee not fulfilled in the other part viz. in their repentance one principal caus thereof is becaus our Magistrates are so far from putting them to shame that they rather uphold them having enfranchized every Sect to hold Assemblies to preach who will yea to the disadvantage of Christ's Gospel have suffered his Ministers to bee vilified reproched even in Almanacks and to bee made the scorn and derision of the raging waves of the Sea and mocking spirits of which S. Jude complains v. 13.18 I pray God this bee not laid to their charge Conclus 3 Our second place is Num. 16.1 2 3 5. Dathan and Abiram were Gentlemen of the Tribe of Reuben the eldest son of Jacob Num. 26. 5 9. This is that Dathan and Abiram which were famous in the Congregation they thought they had as much right to the Government as Moses who came of a yonger Tribe and therefore like Levellers they say to Moses and Aaron wherefore lift you up your selvs above the Congregation of the Lord ver 3. And when they were summoned to appear before Moses they refused saying wee will not com vers 12.13 Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us out of a Land flowing with milk and honie except thou make they self altogether a Prince over us their quarrel was especially against Moses against the Civil Power Korah for his part was a Levite and hee would have none above him in the Church hee would needs do the office of a Priest as well as Aaron seek yee the Priesthood also saies Moses to him v. 10. His quarrel was Ecclesiastical against Aaron vers 11. What is Aaron that yee murmur against him Thus yee see how Korah did endevor to make common the Offices of the Priesthood and why becaus said hee all the Congregation of the Lord is holy vers 3. All have the gifts of the Spirit as if God's Ordinarie gifts of Sanctification did take away distinction of Callings and Offices But what saies Moses to all this geer vers 5. To morrow the Lord will shew who are his and who is holy and will caus him to com near unto him i.e. God will by miracle shew whom hee accepteth for his servant in the Government you or mee And who is holy i.e. whom hee hath consecrated to com near unto him by special Calling to do the Office of a Priest Aaron or you All the Congregation is holy by the Gift of common vocation unto Grace but not by special Gift of consecration to the Office of a Priest As Paul 1 Cor. 11.7 saith that the Husband is the image of God in respect of domestick Autoritie the wife is the image of God in respect of the gifts of grace as well as her Husband but the Husband and so every good Magistrate hath on him a twofold image of God 1. One by gifts of Grace common with other Saints 2. The other by special Calling and Autoritie to his Office in Church or State Well you see Korah's sin what it is but how doe's the Lord take this at his hands see v. 35. Those 250 men which offered incens and invaded the holy Office were burnt to death with fire from Heaven And for a Monument to all Posteritie that None who is not Called and Consecrated should presume to take upon him the Office of ministring holy things to make himself near to God in these peculiar Conclus 3 Services God commanded the Censers wherewith they had offered the Incens to bee kept for a memorial unto the children of Israël that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron com near to offer Incens before the Lord that hee bee not as Korah and his Companie vers 40. Also God commanded Aarons rod that budded to bee kept for a token against the Rebels and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings Num. 17.10 And they shall know that whosoëver cometh near to the Tabernacle of the Lord without a Calling to do the Office of a
the Circumcision these were Preachers of the Gospel with Paul Col. 4.10 11. And they beeing Priests were Autorized by their former Calling to preach Therefore when the Text saies Act. 8.1 They were all scattered abroad except the Apostles this cannot bee meant of all the Church for there remained many housholds of them vers 3. but of them who did preach Christ at Jerusalem as Stephen had don these were especially aimed at in the persecution and they seeing how it fared with Stephen betook themselvs to preach abroad the Apostles that remained behinde were persecuted James was killed with the sword and Peter imprisoned Act. 12.2 4. Circumstance evidencing this Truth is that of Act. 11.20 where it is said that som of them were men of Cyrene and Cyprus who when they were com to Antioch spake unto the Grecians preaching the Lord Jesus By these wee may judg what the rest of them that preached were when 't is said som of them were men of Cyrene the rest were of the same rank though not of the same Cities But these men of Cyrene and Cyprus were they lawfully Called and sent forth to preach Quest Had they any special Calling I conceiv they had for these reasons Conclus 3 Reason 1 First Becaus they were the first that converted the people of Antioch unto the Faith Act. 11.21 22 24. And God gave testimonie to their word by signs and wonders vers 21. the hand of the Lord was with them viz. to heal the sick c. as was usual in the first planting of Churches If they had not an ordinarie Calling yet surely they had an extraordinarie one becaus their Doctrine was confirmed with signs following Heb. 2.4 Reason 2 Secondly These wonder-working Preachers continued at Antioch Act. 11.22 till Barnabas was sent thither unto them from Jerusalem to confirm the people in the Faith these men continuing at Antioch are expresly called Prophets and Teachers Act. 13 1. Now there were in the Church that was at Antioch certain Prophets and Teachers as Barnabas and Simon called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and these ministred unto the Lord vers 2. Reason 3 Thirdly They that are called Prophets and Teachers Act. 13.1 are the verie same that fled and came first to Antioch and converted that people Act. 11.19 For 't is said vers 20. that they were men of Cyprus and Cyrene that came first to Antioch and preached and one of them Act. 13.1 is Lucius of Cyrene Lucius therefore of Cyrene called a Prophet Act. 13.1 was one of them that fled from Jerusalem upon that Persecution Act. 11.20 Hence I gather that seeing they that preached at Antioch and converted them were Prophets and Teachers And they that converted the Antiochians were the same that fled from Jerusalem upon that persecution therefore they that fled and preached were not men meerly Gifted but duly Called These Textual circumstances give sufficient ground to affirm that those which preached upon that scattering had som spiritual Calling thereunto far better grounds then can bee alleged to the contrarie Put altogether thus They all i. e. they which had kept companie with the Apostles and were of the seventie or of the converted Priests They are they that preached abroad 1. Becaus they onely are named 2. Becaus the seventie were appointed to preach in those places where they that were scattered did preach 3. Becaus they were men approved by signs and wonders 4. Becaus som of them are expresly Called Prophets and Teachers beeing the very same men that came to Antioch and fled from Jerusalem Let the same bee said of you and then preach in God's name els such a pattern will not justifie you nor bee a fit parallel for for your actions Conclus 3 Object 2 Answ Apollos was no ordained Minister See Church-members set in joint by Filo dexter Transylvanus against chillenden p. 17. yet hee preached Act. 18.24 Hee was an Autorized publick Preacher in the Church of Corinth for who is Paul or Apollos but Ministers by whom yee believ 1 Cor. 3.5 Paul speak's of him as his fellow-laborer and steward of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4 1 6. Yea it seem's that Apollos did Baptize as well as preach for the Corinthians were divided into Sects according to the Names and Number of them that taught and baptized them 1 Cor. 1.12 as Paul's misliking of them doe's import vers 13. were yee baptized into the Name of Paul And seeing som did call themselvs by the name of Apollo it follow 's that hee did also Baptize from which time they would call themselvs by the name of Apollo as others did of Paul ' Its true indeed Apollos preached at Ephesus before hee came to Corinth Act. 18.24 27. But seeing wee read that hee was a Minister and yet read of no new Ordination received after his coming to Corinth wee must conclude that hee was an autorized Preacher when hee preached at Ephesus Object But hee knew onely the baptism of John i. e. the Doctrine of John hee had been baptized onely with water in the name of Christ Sol. What of that Yet hee might bee as true a Minister of the New Testament as John Baptist himself for John taught the people that they must repent and believ on Jesus Christ and so hee baptized them Act. 19.4 The same Doctrine did Apollos preach Act. 18.25 28. Hee taught diligently the things of the Lord and mightily convinced the Jews that Jesus was Christ The Baptism of John and of Christ distinguished Act. 19.4 5. are not two Baptisms of water but onely one with water which is called John's Baptism Act. 19.3 and the Lord's Baptism Act. 8.16 But Christ's Baptism in distinction from John's Act. 10.44 46. was the pouring forth of the holy Ghost upon the Apostles and others in those daies as S. Peter doe's expound it Act. 11.15 16. saying That as I began to speak the holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning then remembred I the words of the Lord how hee said John indeed baptized with water but yee shall bee baptized with the holy Ghost compare Act. 8.15 16. when Peter and John were com to Samaria they praied for them that they might receiv the holy Ghost for as yet hee was fallen upon none of them onely they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Conclus 3 This Baptism of the holy Ghost shed on them was usually don by the laying on not of water but of hands Act. 8.17 Act. 19.6 Object 3 Paul saie's 1 Cor. 14.31 yee may all prophecie one by one that all may learn for the ministration of the Spirit is given to every one to profit withal Chap. 12.7 therefore all that bee able may preach Answ Paul's purpose there is to give directions concerning the use of spiritual gifts specially that of Tongues and Prophecie And becaus some used their gifts for ostentation not for edification therefore hee telleth them that in what kind soëver