8.6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is a Mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises Herein he clearly doth shew that the covenant waxing old and vanishing away was grounded upon worse promises which must needs be understood temporal promises as in Jerem. 11.2 3 4 5. Hear ye the words of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah and Inhabitants of Jerusalem and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt from the Iron Furnace saying Obey my voice and do them according to all which I command you So shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I may perform the Oath that I have sworn unto your Fathers to give them a Land flowing with milk and honey as it is this day then answered I and said So be it O Lord. Where you have this Covenant of Gods being his peoples God and giving them Canaan annexed to the works of the Law as being all one covenant Observe the words in the Text So shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I may perform the Covenant which I have sworn to your Fathers to give them a Land flowing with Milk and Honey You shall see that the promises of Canaan and the blessings thereof are annexed to the Law of works Deut. 30.15 See I have set before thee life and good and death and evil In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God to walk in his waies and to keep his commandments and Statutes and his Judgements that thou mayst live and multiply and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the Land whither thou goest to possess it And so in the last verse where he presseth the people to obey his voice that they might dwell in the Land that the Lord sware unto their Fathers to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give them And so in Deut. 7.12 13. Wherefore it shall come to pass that if you hearken to those Judgements to keep and do them that then the Lord shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy that he sware to thy Fathers and he will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee he will also bless thee in the fruit of thy womb and the fruit of thy Land thy Corn and thy Wine and thine Oyl the increase of thy Kine and the flock of thy Sheep in the Land which he sware unto thy Fathers to give thee So that you see the covenant of God giving himself a God to the National people of the Jews in relation to the blessing of Canaan was still upon obedience to the works of the Law that this covenant which God elected to himself the body of Israel in and by which he seperated them to himself from all the Nations of the Earth it is clear was a covenant of works wherein the people were bound to outward observance and worship and service to God Upon this Condition would God be their God and give them Canaan For there is a vast difference in Gods making over himself to be a God to a People in a conditional covenant of Works out of Christ and in an absolute covenant established of God in Christ For in such a covenant he was never the God of the whole family of Abraham or Church of Israel the elect obtained that the rest were hardned as in Rom. 11.17 4. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works The fourth ground is this That a man by laying out a little money might have brought a Person into this Covenant and interessed him thereby into all the Privileges of the same which if this were a covenant of life wherein the Spirit and Spiritual gifts of the Lord had been given a man might say as Peter did say to Symon Magus Thy money perish with thee But for that reason most certain it is That this covenant of Circumcision is no spiritual covenant which will appear from the words of the Covenant in Gen. 17.12 13. And he that is eight daies old shall be circumcised among you every man child in your Generations he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant Where observe That all bought with money must be circumcised so that if an Israelite should buy a black Moor or the most savage Heathen in the World he was bound to see him circumcised and being circumcised he was now in that covenant The truth is Circumcision was one of those carnal Ordinances that the Author to the Hebrews in Heb. 9.9 doth speak of that was appointed till the time of Reformation Now the person which the Lord would have circumcised must be of the family of Abraham and that is all the qualifications required For God doth not require a person so and so spiritually qualified as he doth now under the Gospel the Lord gives in general a Law and Commandment unto Abraham That all his Family must be circumcised and that he must see it performed It is not in the institution enjoined that the person that doth circumcise must be a believer neither is it enjoined that the person upon whom it is done must have Disciple-ship or the work of grace but this only He must be one of the Family of Abraham either born in his house or bought with his money and so the slave bought with money was as truly interessed into the covenant of God and the right of eating the Passeover as one born in the house of the seed of Abraham A fifth ground is this 5. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works That men out of this Covenant might be saved and such as were really interessed in it might be damned As for Example Lot dwelling in the City of Sodom and all the Godly that day in the whole world excepting Abraham and his house or family were no way interessed in the Covenant of Circumcision yet were saved And Israel who for the multitude of them were as the Sand on the Sea-shore and interessed in this Covenant yet but a Remnant of them were saved as Isai 10.23 Lot is commended to be a just and righteous man and yet this covenant was never made to him nor his seed and posterity the Ammonites and Moabites which were as truly the seed and children of a believer as the seed of Abraham were So you find Job in the Land of Vz in the Book of Job and his four friends and besides those of Jobs friends one of his friends doth intimate several other antient and godly persons in those times as Job 8.8 10. Joh 15.10 For
THE Doctrine of Baptism And the Distinction of the COVENANTS OR A Plain Treatise wherein the four Essentials of BAPTISM Viz. 1. Who is a Lawfull Minister thereof 2. What is the true Form thereof 3. Into whose name it is to be administred 4. Who is a fit Subject thereof Are diligently handled As also the business of the two Covenants wherein is proved that the Covenant of life is not made to the seed of Believers as coming out of their Loins and therefore that the baptism of Infants is drawn from thence by a false Consequence By THOMAS PATIENT a Laborer in the Church of Christ at DUBLIN Acts 22 16. And now why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling one the name of the Lord. Ephes 2.12 Being aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenants of promise John 3.5.6 Jesus answered verily verily I say unto thee except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God For that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit London Printed by Henry Hills and are to be sold at his house at Sir John Old Castles in Py-corner 1654. The Epistle to the Christian Reader to whom the Author wisheth all grace and peace from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. THere being but a small moment of time from the Lord alotted to men in this life to run that Christian race set before them And considering what Christ saith That whilest it is day we ought to work for the night commeth when no man can work And further considering that Christ Jesus is gone to fetch a Kingdom and to return having left his Servants several Talents to be accounted for at his comming when every mans reward or punishment shall be according to his works which ought to provoke and stir up every Christian to a consciencious and carefull improvement of his strength for Gods glory and the service of his generation in this pilgrimage These among many other motives prevailed with me to present this Treatise to thy view being also pressed thereunto by many of Gods People formerly in England and of late in Ireland who have heard me upon the same Subject deliver the substance of what is herein conteined both in England and in Ireland Beloved Reader I know the World is filled with many Books stuffed with very much of mans wisdome which though the Apostle saith is enmity against God yet we find such discourses most pleasing to the carnal hearts of men in our age Therefore if that be the thing that thy itching ears do thirst after thou maiest spare thy self that labour for thou wilt finde that with as much simplicity and plainness as possibly I could I have herein given out by clear Scripture-evidence what the Lord hath made known to me For the clearing of this weighty point which God by his mighty power hath subjected my heart to believe the which formerly by reason of my ignorance and error I was much averse unto For after it pleased God to reveal his Son in me and to work a change in my heart the great and weighty thing that God presented to me was to make my calling and election sure which I found to be a work filled with many difficulties considering how far Hypocrites might attain in the profession of godliness and that they might come to have the counterfeit of all the Grace in the Child of God And this the rather appeared more difficult because I found my own heart so desperately wicked and full of deceit as Jerem. 17.9 and also found the wiles and subtilties of the Devil to be various and I constantly under several temptations and deep desertions when God though for a little season withdrew himself and the light of his countenance from me At which time I judged it my onely thing necessary to prove whether CHRIST were in me and my faith right as also my sincerity to the Lord. At which time I found but little settled rest or peace till the Lord had put that great question out of doubt in giving me a sure and well grounded confidence of my interest in him till which time I found little disposition to search narrowly into other truths which I then thought to be too remote for me to exercise my self in having received so much spiritual benefit in communing with God and mine own heart and searching out the difference betwixt the speaking of Gods Spirit my own spirit and the spitit of Satan But when I came to some good measure of settlement in my confident and well grounded hopes that I was the Lords then presently was I tempted touching the main and material fundamental points in Religion Which temptations as they were a great cause of trouble and restlesness in my soul so they occasioned me with great eagerness night and day in use of the best means God presented to me to seek satisfaction in the same at which time the Lord did carry on my soul with much vehemency after him so with much unweariedness For usually as one case and weighty question was answered to my satisfaction and comfort another was stated in my soul too hard for me in which experiences I for many years was exercised with all in which time I was ignorant of the true way which Christ would have his people to walk in But presently being convinced of the unwarrantableness of the Government of the Lordly Prelates and the Liturgy in the Church of England and the mixed Communions in the Parish Assemblies I was resolved God willing to examine all Religion as well in worship and the order of Gods house as I had done in other points But I at this time being by the divine power of God converted from the Church of England though with a great deal of difficulty being well furnished with arguments from Pulpit and Print and divers able Disputants for the defence of that false way but God breaking in by the power of his Spirit with clear Scripture-light subjected my heart to the obedience of the truth so that I found my heart closing with those truths in the love thereof At this time many godly Christians going to New England and being come up in my judgment to the way of New England in Faith and order went over thither being not convinced of my error and great darkness in sprinkling the carnal seed of Believers But verily I thought I had good warrant for that practise having then in substance the same grounds for the defence thereof that generally to this day is urged for the same Yet having in my heart so clear a light discovering how shamefully in many things I had been deluded and that by those which I could not but have charity to think were the Lords own Servants and finding the danger of receiving truths by Tradition was resolved to examine that point of Baptism And so I
constantly resorted to the meetings of the people in New England desiring to have good satisfaction in them and their doctrine and practice before I joined in Communion In order thereunto I constantly attended the preaching of the word where hearing many often preaching for baptizing of children of believing parents I began to examine the grounds thereof and the weight of their arguments and genuine scope and drift of the Scriptures alleged by them to prove that point and finding that the Scriptures 〈◊〉 generally 〈…〉 contrary to 〈…〉 and proper driâ—â—â—â—â—â—cope Also finding 〈…〉 thâ—sâ—â—â—â—tion Argument by 〈…〉 â—o exceeding contrary to several 〈◊〉 of Râ—â—igioâ— which both theâ— and I did believâ— These things being hinted into 〈◊〉 soul I wâ—â— resolved to examine the 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 formerly 〈◊〉 great profit 〈…〉 several other â—â—nts of Reliâ—â—â— Bâ—◠〈◊〉 this Resolution temptations came in 〈◊〉 my 〈◊〉 that I was but weak â—â—nd 〈◊〉 caâ—â— it were not a 〈◊〉 did I think 〈◊〉 â—any â—â—â—nent 〈◊〉 for Religion Piety Gifts and 〈◊〉 should not discover 〈◊〉 sooner 〈◊〉 I therefore it 〈◊〉 purpose 〈◊〉 â—â—me to trouâ—â—â— my self 〈◊〉 whiâ—â— I had this answer in 〈◊〉 soul that I had been too â—â—ng mislead already o◠〈◊〉 grouâ—◠〈…〉 and 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—n th◠〈…〉 cam◠〈…〉 peopâ—◠〈…〉 Not â—it 〈…〉 th◠〈…〉 choice 〈…〉 â—â—ching their flocks by Night In the first place this eminent truth was delivered and revealed to them when all the learned and eminent men in Israel had no knowledge thereof And finding the poor Theef on the Cross to have a sounder Judgement than the General Synod or Council of Learned Men at Jerusalem and also the Speech of Christ to this purpose in Matthew 11.25 where Christ thanks his Father for hiding these things from the wise and prudent and revealing them to Babes and sucklings out of his good pleasure the spirit being like the wind which bloweth when and where it listeth And also finding some of Christs Disciples bearing testimony of Christ in Luke 19.38 39 40. The Pharisees desired Christ to rebuke them But Christ answered and said I tell you if these should hold their peace the stones woulâ— immediately â—â—y out Where I observed Christ to descâ—â—â— and not to ascend he doth not say â—f his simple and weak discipâ—â— should neglect â—â—eir testimony th◠〈◊〉 Pharisees would cry out but if his disciples neglect the stones should which manifests that God loves to choose the most simple and foolish things to reveal his will by And then again I found God had not so much ingaged by promise to reveal himself to men considered of such outward and excellent parts but in Psalm 25.14 The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant And Christ saith in John 15.15 You are my Friends if you do whatsoever I command you henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you Friends for all things that I have heard of the Father I have made knoâ—â— you And David saith Thou hast made me wiser than my teachers because I have kept thy Commandments Where the Lord promises tâ—aching principally to such as fear him and conscienciously keep his Commandments guiding them in Judgement and in the way that he should choose Notwithstanding I found further Objections in my heart that though it was not men of parts and outward Learning but babâ— and sucâ—â—ings having their hearts bowed to obediâ—â—â— and to the holy fear of God That God would teach yet I was sensible of so much evil in my heart that I questioned whether I might not be mislead upon which I was put upon humble and fervent prayers to the Lord to guide and teach me and to reveal his mind to me having again resolutions to seek the mind of God in this truth and great incouragements to believe that God would satisfy me and the rather from my former experience of his goodness having satisfyed me in many weighty points that I was every way as much unsettled in Upon which this Temptation came in afresh upon me what need I trouble my self in a point so Disputable for if by my search and tryall in that matter I should come to see grounds swaying in conscience against childrens baptism that then I should be generally dispised and slighted of all the godly in that Countrie and not only be frustrated of Communion and Fellowship with them but must expâ—â—â— to suffer imprisonment confiscation of goods it banishment at least which would be my ruin not knowing where to go but in the woods amongst Iulians and wild beasts Under this Temptation I had a sore conflict my evil and treacherous heart resisting the blessed motions of the Spirit of God but considering that the ground of these discouraging arguments did arise from the flesh and the Devil as Peter when he said Pity thy self Master this thing shall not be to thee My Resolution was as Christ saith Get thee behind me Satan thou savourest not the things of God Which put me in no small agony or conflict for some good space together but it pleased the Lord to set that Scripture home upon my heart Buy the truth and sell it not buy the truth at any rate but sell it at no rate if truth cost me my life I must buy it though I might have all the favour and friendship in the world I must not sell it this wrought in mâ— a grounded and settled resolution that I would seek after the mind of God as well in suffering truths as other because Christ saith He that keeps the word of my patience I will keep him in the hour of Temptation apprehending that to be the words of Christs patience he embracing and practizing whereof would bring the crosse that is contempt and hatred from all sorts of men I found Christ said for this cause he was born and came into the World to bear witness to the truth these things satisfyed me and that from the Lord that I ought to make diligent search what his mind was in this point Hereupon I found the special presence of God with me carrying out my heart to the Lord by Faith and earnest Prayer to be instructed and guided all which time I was not acquainted with any that opposed Christening children and conversed onely with such as were for that practice Finding my carnal part to desire satisfaction in Infant-baptism but the more I conferred with or heard any preach for it the more was I convinced of the folly and ignorance of that judgment and practice having heard one man preach fifteen Sermons upon this subject urging that in substance which many considerable Authors had wrote I also searched many Authors who wrote thereof night and day with much attention weighing and examining the grounds they urged many times breaking my sleep by watching in the night season at the last it pleased the Lord to reveal his mind to me so that
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
set out for the maintenance of Childrens Baptism grounded upon this Consequence opposing themselves against duty as you have heard which is That every penitent or believing person ought to be baptized Now the whole tendency of those Books being to oppose the practicâ— of the same and to hinder it I may say of them as Christ said before c For upon this ground we may conclude all those Discourses not to be of God I shall therefore leave what is said to you seriously to weigh whether or no this is not an erroneous consequence But in the next place let us come nearer to examine this consequence both in its self and the grounds from whence it is drawn The grounds of this Consequence is That the Covenant of Grace belongs to believers Children the consequence is therefore Baptism being an Ordinance of that Covenant must needs belong to believers children in which two lyes our whole business for the grounds of this consequence is brought the Covenant of Circumcision that belonging to Abraham and his seed after him in their generation Gen. 17.7 and 10. to 14. From hence it is gathered That the Covenant of Grace viz. of eternal life belongs to believers and their seed born of their body For the Covenant God made to Abraham and his off-spring viz. the Covenant of Circumcision belonging to Abraham and his seed in their Generation therefore Circumcision the sign of the Covenant belonged to them so the New Covenant now belongs to believing Gentiles and their seed Baptism being an Ordinance of that Covenant belongs also to believing Gentiles and their seed this being the onely and alone foundation ground of all those except Papists for their Rantizing or Sprinkling of Children We shall endeavour to prove this ground from whence this consequence flows to be so far from being the truth that it is an error and yea such an error that if it were maintained with all those errors that naturally must needs be defended as consequences of this opinion it would shake the foundations of the Gospel But that I may with as much clear satisfaction inform others as God had clearly convinced my own soul of the truth of this I shall propound this method to be handled First then I shall make it appear to you That there is two Covenants held forth in Scripture the one a Covenant of Grace and the other a Covenant of Works or an absolute Covenant and a Conditional Covenant Secondly I shall prove that the Covenant of Circumcision was no Covenant of eternal life but a Conditional Covenant a Covenant of Works Thirdly I shall prove that none but believers ever had or shall have right to the Covenant of Grace Fourthly I shall endeavour to answer such Scriptures especially those in the New Testament that are usually alleged for defence of a Covenant of life in the flesh To the first That there is two Covenants mentioned in Scripture is very plain The one a Covenant of eternal life the other a Covenant of works Two Covenants the one of Works the other of Grace or the one the Old the other the New in which eternal life was not conveyed or given as appears in Jeremiah 31.32 33 34. But behold the day commeth saith the Lord that I will make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the Land of Egypt which my Covenant they brake although I was to them an husband saith the Lord. But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people and they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord for I will forgive their Iniquities and remember their sins no more You have here set forth two Covenants the one Old the other New and as here we find a New and Old Covenant so there is likewise mention of two Covenants in the eighth to the Hebrews where you have upon the matter the very same words only it is clear that Jesus Christ is the Minister of the New Covenant in the 6. and 7. verses of that chap. But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises for if that first Covenant had been faultless there would no place have been sought for the second In which place we may understand two Covenants a new Covenant and an old Covenant and Jesus Christ holding himself to be the peculiar Minister of the New Covenant unto the Church then gathered all those that are in Christ being Gods Israel Abrahams seed If you be in Christ then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise Gal. 3. the latter end So that those that are Christs have this Covenant now made to them and it appears at the 3. verse that the other Covenant was a meer Covenant of works in that he saith he hath made the first old And now that which waxeth old is ready to vanish away where by old Covenant he means that typical Covenant of works which run upon the fleshly line of Abraham till Christ came out of the flesh of Abraham and so put an end to that Covenant in the flesh and this you have further proved in Heb. 9.15 16. There is again mention made of two Covenants or Testaments the first and second the first was confirmed by the blood of Goats and Calves the second by the blood of Christ Now if any please but to search these Scriptures it will appear that there is two real distinct Covenants or Testaments the one of Grace and the other of works the one conditional the other absolute Now an absolute Covenant is a Covenant without all Condition required in the Creature but what God himself performs as Jerem. 32.40 I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me Where you see God undertakes both first that he will not leave or forsake his people but do them good and secondly undertakes that he will plant his fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from him And as in that eighth of Heb. he engaged that he will write his Law in their hearts and that he will be their God and they shall be his people and that he will teach them to know him and will pardon their iniquities and their sins he will remember no more Now here is nothing but what God hath
grace in Christ Jesus the Mediator without all condition of works to be fulfilled in the creature I shall make it clear That God no otherwise gives himself in the covenant of Circumcision but conditionally 1. Argument to prove Circumcision a covenant of Works which is the first argument that I shall use to prove the covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of works not a covenant of eternal life because it is conditional what God promiseth to be or to give to Abraham and his fleshly seed in their generations it was upon a condition that Abraham and his seed should keep his covenant on their parties as clearly appears Gen. 17.7 8 to verse 14. where you find the Lord engageth himself to Abrahamn and his fleshly seed to be their God and to give them the whole Land of Canaan In that sense he would be their God to possess them of that good land and all the blessings of the same upon condition that they should keep his covenant on their part both he and his generation after him And the subject matter of the covenant that they should keep is That he should be circumcised and circumcise all born in his house and bought with money But though Circumcision only be here mentioned yet all the works of the Law at that time made known to Abraham are there included as the Apostle expounds it who best understood that Scripture Rom. 2.25 For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision shall be made uncircumcision and so you have it Gal. 5.1 2 3. Stand fast saith the Apostle in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage which in Acts 15. it is said Neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear but verse 2. Behold I Paul say unto you That if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for I testify again to every man that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law And so much is clearly held forth in Gal. 6.12 13. Where saith the Apostle As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only least they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ for neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire you to be circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Where you may observe That for men to be circumcised themselves and not to keep the Law or otherwise to press it upon others the Apostle holds it to be absurd if withall they did not keep the Law that were thus circumcised And in the Text before quoted it is clear That Circumcision in the nature of it binds them over to keep the Law And to this purpose you find in Acts 15. There were certain Teachers that taught the Brethren That except they were circumcised they could not be saved Upon which the Apostles come together and in the 10. verse Peter saith Why tempt you God to lay a yoke upon the Disciples necks which neither our Fathers nor we are able to bear And what was this yoke but that they were to be circumcised and to keep the Law So that Circumcision was that which did comprehend under it the covenant of works or the yoke of bondage that Paul in Gal. 5.1 2 3. bids Christians stand fast in their liberty or freedom from that covenant or yoke of bondage which Jesus Christ had freed them from So that you may see that all the observation of the Law which we are set at liberty from by Christ Jesus his death was included in the Law of Circumcision So that in effect here you have the covenant Abraham as if God should say I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee in their generations to protect defend and deliver thee to bless thee and thy seed with the blessing of Canaan to bless thee and the fruit of thy womb in the Basket and in their store in all their outward blessings upon condition that thou and they will be circumcised and keep the Law Thus God makes a covenant upon condition So that if they fail on their part then he is left at liberty to fail on his part as that notable expression in Jer. 11.2 3 4 5. Hear the word of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and say thou unto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded unto your Fathers when I brought them from the Land of Egypt from the Iron Fornace saying Obey my voice and do according to all these things which I command you so shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I might confirm the Oath that I have sworn unto your Fathers to give them a Land which floweth with Milk and Honey as appeareth this day Whence you may clearly observe That God gives himself to be their God and the blessing of Canaan upon condition that they would keep the Law So shall ye be my people and I will be your God Now you must mind that Abraham had a new covenant of life made with him when he was 75. years old Gen. 12.4 which was 24. years before this time that he had the covenant of Circumcision and his happiness with all his spiritual seed was and is in that absolute covenant confirmed of God in Christ which stands in force still to believers in all Nations But this covenant of Circumcision was conditional and not absolute therefore no covenant of life but a covenant of works 2. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of works The second ground why the covenant of Circumcision must needs be a covenant of Works a Typical covenant is because it was a National covenant a covenant in the flesh as in Gen. 17.13 He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised so my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant To be sure such is not the covenant of grace to eternal life for that was confirmed of God in Christ as you hear to all Nations In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 12.3 and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 as I have formerly spoken to But the Lord saith of this Covenant of Circumcision that it shall be in their flesh for an everlasting covenant It is manifest by the Apostle Paul that this is therefore a covenant of Works Rom. 4.1 2 saith he What shall we say then that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found for if Abraham was justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God These words are inserted by the Apostle Paul for the prevention of an objection that might justly be in the mind
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
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
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
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
to a Particular visible Church 4. there is by the Apostle mentioned these things that are essential to a particular visible Church-union which are these First to be all called into one hope of our calling which the poor children which some admit into their society by sprinkling are not called to the same hope that believers are called into Againe One Body one Spirit one Faith one Lord and one Baptism one God and Father of us all Now it is impossible that a people should walk together acceptably that have not one hope of one and the same glorious Inheritance and that have not one and the same Spirit and assistance and guideance in his holy worship and that have not one and the same faith but in the doctrine of faith do mainly differ one from another and it is an essential difference inconsistent with Communion that the members of one Church should own two Baptisms the sprinkling of Infants and dipping of Believers and this Ordinance of baptism is one of the essentials of a true visible Church And lastly they are to own one God and Father of all Here you have from this Text a ground why such as are not inlightned in the Lords baptism cannot be admitted into Church-fellowship because in one and the same Fellowship there is to be owned as one Hope one Spirit one Lord one Faith so one and the same Baptism Again the main end of Church fellowship is That they there do practice whatsoever Christ hath commanded as you have heard before in Mat. 28.20 and as Cornelius saith in Acts 10. We are here saith he to hear whatsoever it commanded thee of God and saith Christ Ye are my freinds if you do whatsoever I have commanded you And this is without doubt that the true and lawfull Ministry in Christs Church is to see that all the members practice the observation of whatsoever he hath commanded and so to see all the Laws of Christ put in execution For that cause hath Christ given into his Church not only the key of doctrine but also the key of Discipline that if any soul in a Church shall be known wittingly or willingly to neglect any duty that the Lord hath commanded by his holy word especially a fundamental Ordinance of the New Testament as is Baptism and the Supper of the Lord it is without all question that such a soul standing out in that disobedience ought to be cast out of the Church speedily for the same without which the Church allowing or conniving at or tolerating a â—oul in one course of known disobedieÌ„ce do therby make the sin their own the whole people becomming really guilty of his sin and impiety And as the Apostle saith Thus will the whole Lump be leavened and that Church unchurched Amongst men he that concealeth murther and is privy and consenting to it and will agree to tolerate it is reckoned a murtherer in like manner in the case of theft Now the main end of Church fellowship and Ministerial power is to destroy sin and to execute the power of Christ against it and not to be fosterers and Countenancers of sin which you are if you agree to admit any person into your fellowship that refuseth to submit to Baptism that plain solemn Ordinance of the New Testament let his pretence be what it will be that person that is not brought over to yield obedience to whatsoever Christ hath commanded is not while so disobedient fit matter for a visible Gospel Church especially in those his fundamental Ordinances as Prayer Hearing Baptism and the Supper of the Lord Thanksgiving Contribution to the necessity of the Saints and maintenance of an official Ministery according to the ability that God gives them and by the same rule and upon the same ground that you will tolerate some members in the Church to live in the neglect of baptism you must tolerate such as neglect to hear the word and others that will not according to abilitie contribute to pious charitable uses and others that will not pray in half a year or at twelve moneth together under the pretence they are not moved to that duty and others that will in a gross manner neglect the duty of particular callings or relations which the Apostle in Thessal 2. doth give rule to be withdrawn from which is as the rest but the neglect of duty nay this practice lays a foundation for all disobedience and for gathering an Assembly of Rebels let me alone in my sin and I will let thee alone in thine But may some say is a godly mans omitting to be baptized or dipped a sin Yes certainly it is for 1 Joh. 3.6 the Apostle saith sin is a transgression of the Law Now you have heard several Laws of the New Testament do command that such as believe and repent should be baptized therefore to neglect is a transgression of those Laws and sincere obedience is universal obedience by this saith David I know I shall not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments But further consider if you receive a person into Communion Unbaptized persons not to be admitted into Church fellowship that doth not submit to the Lords baptism that soul justifies still a corrupt baptism that he had in his infancy and consequently is not ashamed of all he hath done amiss which Ezekiel speaks of but still stands in fellowship and Communion with a Church and Ministry which by the Bishops power dispensed the same and you receiving such a soul into Communion receive that Church and Ministery from which he had his supposed baptism and must certainly own all those Churches which that Ministery stood in fellowship with that so baptized him therefore it is a sad and serious matter who it is that is admitted into fellowship in the true Church of Christ and I would admonish souls to be careful that they do what they do in good order for God it is said made a breach upon Vzzah because he did not do what he did in due order Object But some may say Faith in Christ brings a soul into Son-ship and so to a right in all the privileges in Gods house Answ It s true Faith and Repentance doth intitle a soul but repentance according to the Gospel is a change of the heart a resolution to obey God in all his Commandments such a Repentance only the Church of Christ ought to own in those Members they receive And therefore though they ought to receive the weak in faith yet they have no rule to receive them but by faith and baptism So that though faith gives an interest to baptism yet faith and baptism are to prepare and fit a soul for Communion So many as gladly received the word were baptized and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand souls and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship in breaking of bread and prayer So here you see the word of Christ our Lord unto whom