this seed of the woman was to destroy the power of Satan by the word of truth as Satan had destroyed men by words of falshood Luke doth properly draw up his Line to Adam now when he is to begin to preach the Word The Line on this side the Captivity for which there is no record elsewhere in Scripture Matthew and Luke took from some known Records then extant among the Nation R. Levi saith There was found a Book of Genealogies at Jerusalem in which it was written Hillel was of the Family of David Ben Jatsaph of the Family of Asap c. Tal. Jerus in Taanith fol 68. col 1. They kept the Records of Pedigrees and of all other they would be sure to keep those of the Family of David because of the expectation of the Messiah from it SECTION XI MATTH Chap. 4. from the beginning to Ver. 12. MARK Chap. 1. Ver. 12 13. LUKE Chap. IV from the beginning to Ver. 14. The Seed of the Woman and the Serpent combating MARK and LUKE by these words immediately the Spirit driveth him and Jesus returned from Jordan do make the order necessary so that as for the subsequence of this to what preceded there can be no scruple Only there is some difference 'twixt Matthew and Luke in relating the order of the temptations which Matthew having laid down in their proper rank as appeareth by these particles then ver 15. and again ver 8. Luke in the rehearsing of them is not so much observant of the order that being fixed by Matthew before as he is careful to give the full story and so to give it as might redound to the fullest information As our Mother Eve was tempted by Satan to the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life as 1 Joh. 2. 16. for she saw it was good for food that it was pleasant to the eyes and to be desired to make one wise Gen. 3. 6. so by these had it been possible would the same tempter have overthrown the seed of the woman For he tempted him to turn stones into bread as to satisfie the longing of the flesh to fall down and worship him upon the sight of a bewitching object to his eyes and to fly in the air in pride and to get glory among men Luke for our better observing of this parallel hath laid the order of these temptations answerable to the order of those Jesus being baptized about the Feast of Tabernacles toward the latter end of our September is presently carried into the Wilderness of Judea by the acting of the Holy Spirit to enter that combate with the Serpent which was designed Gen. 3. 15. Forty days and forty nights He being all the while in watching fasting and solitude and among the wild beasts but sate as Adam among them in innocency the Devil tempteth him invisibly as he doth other men namely striving to inject sinful suggestions into him but he could find nothing in him to work upon as Joh. 14. 30. therefore at forty days end he taketh another course and appeareth to him visibly in the shape of an Angel of Light and so had Eve been deceived by him mistaking him for a good Angel and trieth him by perswasion by Scripture and by power but in all is foiled mastered and banished by a word SECTION XII JOHN Chap. I. from Ver. 15. to the end of the Chapter CHRIST is pointed out by John and followed by some Disciples COnceive the continuance of the Story thus Christ newly baptized goeth immediately into the Wilderness and leaveth John at Jordan on Judea side In the time of the forty days temptation John having now gathered his Harvest of Disciples on that side the River goeth over into the Country beyond Jordan and baptizeth in Bethabara Thither came some Pharisees by commission of the Sanhedrin to question him about the Authority whereby he baptized making no strangeness at baptizing which had been so long in use among them but questioning his Authority to baptize in that tenor that he did The next day after their questioning of him Christ cometh into sight is pointed out by John and followed by some of his Disciples For half a year John had baptized in the Name of Christ and knew him not ver 31 33. Only as all the Nation expected the Messias to come in time and John had it revealed to him that he was now ready to appear so John baptized and the People came to him upon this account He professed to all that came to him to be baptized and so he did to the Jews Commissioners now that he baptized only in the Name of him that was to come after him whose shoos latchet he was not worthy to unloose ver 27. Let a passage in Tosaphtoth comment upon these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is the token of a Servant He ties his Masters shoos or looses his shoos and bears his things after him to the bath In Kiddushin cap. 1. And the like saith Maymony in Mekerah cap. 2. A Canaanite Servant is like Land as to buying and he is bought by Money or by Script or by service in way of earnest And what is the earnest in buying Servants Namely that a man use them as they use Servants before a Master As to loose his shooe or to tie his shooe or to carry his things after him to the bath c. So that those that were baptized in this time of whom there was a very great number knew not of Jesus of Nazareth his being the Christ nor knew they more of Christ than they had known before but only that he was ready to come only they were baptized into faith in him and to repentance But when Christ himself came to be baptized John had discovery of him and so is able now upon the sight of him to point him out to his Disciples whereupon Peter and probably John and Andrew and Philip and Nathanael follow him SECTION XIII JOHN Chap. II. All the Chapter Water turned into Wine CHRISTS first Passeover after his Baptism THe words The third day in ver 1. mean either the third day from Christs coming into Galilee Joh. 1. 43. or the third day from his conference with Nathanael or the third day from the Disciples first following him they give demonstration enough of the series and connexion of this Chapter to the former It was about the middle of our November when Christ came out of the Wilderness to John at Bethabara and then there were about four months to the Passeover which time he spent in going up and down Galilee and at last comes to his own home at Capernaum Those two passages being laid together The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee Joh. 1. 43. And After this he went down to Capernaum and continued there not many days and the Jews Passeover was at hand Joh. 2. 12. do make it evident that Jesus had now a perambulation of Galilee which took up
were inabled to understand the Originals of Scripture which they understood not before Their birth and breeding had not allowed them so much learning as to understand any Bible that was then extant either Hebrew or Greek but here is the first operation of this gift of the Spirit upon them that they are first made able to understand the Originals of Scripture and then able to unlock them to any one in their own tongue And here should they begin that take on them to expound the Scriptures by the Spirit namely to unlock the difficulties of the Original languages for therein the mainest difficulty of the Scripture lodgeth according as was the method of the Spirits operation in the Apostles Pentecost was a time of rejoycing and at all such festivities the Jews had ever good store of wine stirring so that these men conclude that they had drunk too much and spake as men distract which Peter confutes by telling them it was not yet the third hour of the day or nine a clock For upon their Sabbaths and holidaies they used not to eat or drink till their Synagogue service was done Maym. in Schab per. 30. which was not of a good while after nine a clock His alleadging of Joel In the last daies I will pour out my Spirit c. teacheth us how to construe the phrase The last daies in exceeding many places both of the Old Testament and the New as Isa. 2. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 1. and 2 Tim. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 7. 1 Joh. 2. 19 c. namely for the last daies of Jerusalem and the Jewish State For to take his words in any other sense as some do for the last daies of the world is to make his allegation utterly impertinent and monstrous Three thousand converted are Baptized In the Name of the Lord Jesus ver 38. which no whit disagreeth from the command Baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son c. Matth. 28. 19. For the form of Baptism in those first daies of the Gospel of which the New Testament giveth the story may be considered under a threefold condition 1 John the Baptist baptized in the Name of Messias or Christ that was then ready to come but that Jesus of Nazareth was he he himself knew not till he had run a good part of his course Joh. 1. 31. as was observed before 2. The Disciples baptizing the Jews baptized them in the Name of Jesus upon this reason because the great point of controversie then in the Nation about Messias was Whether Jesus of Nazareth were he or no. All the Nation acknowledged a Messias but the most of them abominated that Jesus of Nazareth should be thought to be he therefore those that by the preaching of the Gospel came to acknowledge him to be Messias were baptized into his Name as the critical badge of their imbracing the true Messias But 3. among the Gentiles where that question was not afoot they baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And so that baptizing in the Name of Jesus was for a season for the setling of the evidence of his being Messias and when that was throughly established then it was used no more but Baptism was in the Name of the Father and Son c. Of the same cognizance were those extraordinary gifts of the Spirit evidences of Jesus his being the Messias and means of conveying the Gospel through the world and when both these were well established then those gifts ceased for ever All that believed were together and had all things common ver 46. The Children of those that believed must come under the title of Believers too or they must famish For this community of goods being for the relief of the poor as we shall shew at the fourth Chapter the Children Babes and Infants of believing Parents that were poor must be taken in under this expression All that believed c. or how did they for support if the community of goods reacht them as well as their Parents the title must reach them too When a Master of a Family was baptized his Children were they never so young were baptized with him and hence the mention of baptizing whole housholds Act. 16. 15. 33. They that pleading against Infants Baptism do cavill that it may be there were no Infants in those Families that are mentioned bewray that they little understand the manner of administring Baptism in its first use For the stress of the business lies not in this whether it can be proved that there were Infants in those Families where it is recorded that whole housholds were baptized but the case is this that in all Families whatsoever were there never so many Infants they were all baptized when their Parents were baptized Thus was the constant custom among the Jews for admission of Proselytes and thence this Canon That a Woman proselited and baptized when she was great with child her Child needed not then to be baptized when it was born Maym. in Issure biah per. 13. For if he had been born before she was baptized he must have been baptized with her And the New Testament gives so little evidence of the altering this custom at those first baptizings under the Gospel that it plainly on the contrary shews the continuance of it when it speaketh of the Apostles baptizing whole households ACTS Chap. III IV. PEntecost Feast lasted eight daies as well as their other Feasts Passover Tabernacles and Dedication did Jerus in Moed Katon and Chagigah at large The occurrences of the very day of Pentecost it self are related already Now whether the healing of the Creeple and the consequences upon that contained in the third Chapter befell upon the same day in the afternoon or on the next day after which was the day when all the males appeared before the Lord in the temple or further in the Feast is not certain but that they were within the compass of the Feast is more then probable by the great multitude that was converted at one Sermon Peter and John go into the Temple at the ninth hour the hour of prayer Talm. in Pesachin per. 5. The dayly sacrifice of the evening was killed at the eight hour and a half and offered at the ninth hour and an half Joseph Antiq. lib. 14. cap. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Twice a day namely in the morning and about the ninth hour they offered on the Altar There as they go in at the East-gate tha◠led into the Court of the Women they find and heal a Creeple which had been so from his birth The Jews looked upon this miracle as wrought by their own holiness as appears by the Apostles answer to them ver 12. For such a conceit walked among the Nation that extraordinary holiness might attain to miraculous workings R. Phineas ben Jair saith Industry bringeth to purity Purity to cleanness Cleanness to holiness Holiness to humbleness Humbleness to
and not like Enoch and Elias as is plain by the Text for that speaketh of shutting up heaven turning water into blood and plaguing the earth which had been the actings of Elias and Moses and none but they and no mention of Enochs ever doing such a thing at all We have therefore from that place as little warrant to look for Elias his bodily coming before the end of the world as we have for the bodily coming of Moses 3. The proper meaning of that Prophesie concerning the two Witnesses is to set forth the state of the Church towards the end of the world when the Jews shall be called and knit together into one Church with the Gentiles shewing that God will raise up a powerful Ministery among either people which the Holy Ghost characters by Moses the first Minister and Prophet of the Jews and Elias the first Minister and Prophet of the Gentiles These two people and this double Ministery are as two olive trees and two candlesticks standing before the Lord of the whole earth This Ministery shall be opposed by Antichrist and almost destroyed and brought to nothing And as Antichrist hath caused a general defection and apostasie already in the world having even slain Religion and the preaching of the Truth till in the age last past they revived again So shall he cause a defection and falling away for a season in the Church of the Jews after their calling so that Religion and the truth shall be in a manner extinguisht among them that Antichrist may make the measure of his iniquity full And as Rome in her heathenish power did first destroy the old Jerusalem and then persecute the new so must she do in her Antichristian power and mischievousness first undo the Christian Church consisting of Heathens only as it hath done already in the dark time of Popery over all the world and then undo the Church consisting of Gentiles and Jews united together but God shall revive it and then the true Religion and the Ministery of the Truth shall live again by the power and Spirit of God put into them That this is the aim of that prophecy in the eleventh of the Revelation might be shewed if it were seasonable by many arguments and consequently that the expectation of Enoch and Elias to come bodily and to fight with Antichrist c. hath not the least colour or ground from thence at all but this is not a place to dispute that Text. §. Art thou that Prophet There is some question whether to read it in the force of the Article or no there are some that do read it so and some that do not The Syriack and the Vulgar Latine take no notice of the Article at all but read it as if it were without Art thou a Prophet And so doth the margin of our English Bible But others with our English Text do interpret the words as speaking of some peculiar Prophet which was neither Christ nor Elias but some other pointed at and intended by that prediction Deut. 18. 15. Vid. Cyril and Chrysost. c. It is hard to guess at the mind of these Jews that speak these words we have in hand for both the Greek expression in this Text and the Jews exposition of that in Deuteronomy do so indifferently carry it either to a Prophet in general or to some singular Prophet in particular that it may be an equilibrious case whether to take it the one way or the other I rather take it the former and cannot but apprehend that their questioning of the Baptist in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is indefinitely meant art thou a Prophet Not this or that Prophet but art thou a Prophet at all For prophesie had been long decayed amongst them and when they saw one appear now of so prophetical a character as the Baptist was and when he had resolved them he was neither Christ nor Elias their properest question then was art thou then any other Prophet come after so long a time as there have been no Prophets among us And he answers No that is not in their sense not a Prophet of the same Ministery with those in the Old Testament but of another nature or not one of those Prophets of the Old Testament revived as Matth. 16. 14. but a Minister foretold of by one of those Prophets as Esay 40. 3. The reason that I refuse the strict interpretation of this question Art thou that Prophet as if they spake of some particular man is partly because the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not always to be construed in such a strictness as pointing out a particular thing or person but is very commonly nay most commonly of a more large and general signification But chiefly because I find not in the Jewish Writers any particular Prophet mentioned whom they expected to come as they did Christ and Elias and for ought I find they do not interpret that place in Deut. 18. 15. of any such a particular person but of the succession of Prophets in generall It is true indeed that Aben Ezra understands it of Joshua and Rab. Sol. on Jer. 1. understands it of Jeremy but this was of Joshua and Jeremy in their times but of any such singular person that they expected in the last times I find no mention unless the Priest of righteousness spoken of a little before or Messias ben Joseph should be reduced under this notion and name of That Prophet Ver. 25. Why baptizest thou then It is observable that they never question what he meant by his baptism but what he meant to baptize they inquire not concerning the thing but concerning his person and authority And in all the time of his course and ministery we never find that they made the least scruple what his Baptism was or what it meant but only they look on him and wonder and question what he hath to do to baptize And the reason of this was because the rite and custom of baptizing had been in common and ordinary practice and use among that Nation many hundreds of years before John ever appeared among them And as this common and known custom of Baptism used among them continually and ordinarily so long before and then made them that they never wonder nor question nor make strange of Johns baptizing as to the thing it self so the consideration of this very thing may give us much light and satisfaction in that controversie that is now afoot among us concerning the baptizing or not baptizing of Infants It is urged by those that deny Infants baptism that there is neither command for it nor example of it in the Scripture as there was for Infants circumcision Now this consideration giveth one ready answer if there were no other to be given If baptism and baptizing of Infants had been as strange and unseen and unheard of a thing in the world till John Baptist came as circumcision was till God appointed it to Abraham there is no
to consider in the second place it is not at all to be doubted but he Baptized in the name of the Messias now ready to come and it may be gathered from his words and from his story As yet he knew not that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messias which he confesseth himself John I. 31. yet he knew well enough that the Messias was coming therefore he Baptised those that came to him in his name instructing them in the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning faith in the Messias and repentance that they might be the readier to receive the Messias when he should manifest himself Consider well Malâ—c III. 1. Luke I. 17. John I. 7 31. c. The Apostles baptizing the Jews baptized them in the name of Jesus because Jesus of Nazareth had now been revealed for the Messias and that they did when it had been before commanded them by Christ baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost So you must understand that which is spoken Joh. III. 23. IV. 2. concerning the Disciples of Christ baptizing namely that they baptized in the Name of Jesus that thence it might be known that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messias in the Name of whom suddenly to come John had baptized That of St. Peter is plain Act. II. 38. Be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ and that Act. VIII 16. They were baptized in the Name of Jesus But the Apostles baptized the Gentiles according to the precept of our Lord in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. XXVIII 19. For since it was very much controverted among the Jews about the true Messias and that unbelieving Nation denied stifly and without ceasing that Jesus of Nazareth was He under which virulent Spirit they labour even to this day it was not without cause yea nor without necessity that they baptized in the Name of Jesus that by that seal might be confirmed this most principal truth in the Gospel and that those that were baptized might profess it That Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messias But among the Gentiles the controversie was not concerning the true Messias but concerning the true God among them therefore it was needful that baptism should be conferred in the Name of the true God Father Son and Holy Spirit We suppose therefore that men women and children came to John's baptism according to the manner of the Nation in the reception of Proselytes Namely that they standing in Jordan were taught by John that they were baptized into the Name of the Messias that was now immediately to come and into the profession of the Doctrine of the Gospel concerning Faith and Repentance that they plunged themselves into the River and so came out And that which is said of them that they were baptized by him confessing their sins is to be understood according to the tenor of the Baptists preaching not that they did this man by man or by some auricular confession made to John or by openly declaring some particular sins but when the Doctrine of John exhorted them to Repentance and to Faith in the Messias they renounced and disowned the Doctrine and Opinion of Justification by their works wherewith they had been before time leavened and acknowledged and confessed themselves sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Iordan John could not baptize in any part of Jordan so it were within the bounds of Judea which the Evangelists assert which had not been dried up and had afforded a passage to the Israelites when they came out of Egypt and were now entring into the promised land VERS VII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees § Some few remarks concerning the Pharisees and Sadducees TO attempt a history of the Pharisees and Sadducees after so many very Learned Men who have treated of their original manners and institutions would be next to madness We will briefly touch at a few things and those perhaps less obvious I. That the Pharisees do not derive their name as some would have it from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to expound is sufficiently evinced by this that there were Women Pharisees as well as Men. c c c c c c Sâ—taâ— chap 3. hal 4. R. Joshua saith A religious man foolish a wicked man crafty A woman Pharisee And the dashing of the Pharisees against the stones destroy the World Those things are worth observing which are spoke by the Babylonian Gemarists on that clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A woman Pharisee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Rabbins teach A praying Maid A gadding Widdow And a Boy whose months are not fulfilled these corrupt the World But R. Jochanan saith We learn the shunning of sin from a Maid and the receiving of a reward from a Widdow The shunning of sin from a Maid for R. Jochanan heard a certain Maid prostrate on her face thus praying Eternal Lord thou hast created Paradice thou hast created Hell also thou hast created the Righteous and thou hast created the Wicked Let it be thy good pleasure that I be not a Scandal to men The receiving of a reward from a Widow for there was a certain Widow who when there were Synagogues nearer every where she always sorted to the School of R. Jochanan to pray to whom R. Jochanan said O my daughter are there not Synagogues at hand round about you But she answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Will there not be a reward for my steps or for my journy hither for the Tradition saith These destroy the World as Joanna the daughter of Retib 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by one Gloss is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Maid given to prayer or a Maid of many prayers By another it is rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Maid given to fasting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Losing her Virginity by fasting A gadding Widow they call her who always goes about from place to place to visit her neighbours they are the words of the Gloss. And these corrupt the World because they are no other but bands and sorceresses and yet they pretend sanctity Joanna the daughter of Retib the Gloss also being witness was a certain sorceress Widdow who when the time of any child birth drew near shut up the womb of the child bearing woman with Magic arts that she could not be delivered And when the poor woman had endured long and great torments she would say I will go and pray for you perhaps my prayers will be heard when she was gone she would dissolve the enchantments and presently the infant would be born On a certain day as a hired man wrought in her house she being gone to a womans labour he heard the charms tinkling in a pan and taking off the cover the charms presently come out and strait the infant is born and hence it was known
are Seals Obligations and Privileges And upon every one of these children are capable of the Sacrament of Baptism First Why is it not lawful to imprint a Seal of Gods truth upon babes Memorials of Gods truth and faithfulness have been imprinted upon liveless and insensible things Thus the Bow in the cloud was set for a token of a Covenant between God and the Earth IX Gen. 13. And Joshua wrote Gods Law on the stones of the Altar VIII Josh. 32. It was imprinted on children by Gods appointment in circumcision why not now Why do we seclude children from that honour now Why uncapable now Mistake not in thinking that Sacraments seal his righteousness or interest in God that receives them no they seal Gods truth whosoever receive them Simon Magus received baptism and Judas the Lords Supper they were seals of Gods truth though not to their profit Peter Paul received them for advantage How As Seals Yes but not sealing their righteousness but as seals of Gods truth and so they confirmed their faith T is ignorance and a blind cavil to assert the Sacraments seals of his righteousness that partakes of them and therefore that Infants are not to be baptized Secondly Infants are capable of an Obligation A man may bind his heir though an infant So infants were bound by circumcision Why not now Nay see Deut. XXIX 11 15. You stand this day all of you before the Lord your Captains of your Tribes your Elders and your Officers with all the men of Israel your little ones c. That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God and into his oath c. Neither with you only do I make this Covenant and this oath But with him that standeth here with us this day before the Lord our God and also with him that is not here with us this day Where you see that those that were unborn and distant when Moses made this Covenant were bound to this Covenant and children are no further off than these For the equity of the obligation lies not in the parties understanding the thing but in aequitate rei in the equity of the thing it self How come all men liable to Adams sin Aequitas imputationis the equity of imputing it to them makes them liable as they are in Adams loins and Covenant How do men become bound to perform their duty Not because able but ex aequitate rei because it is so equal and fit that they should So children at baptism may come under obligation not because they are able to perform their duty to know it but the equity of the thing lays it on They have this natural bond upon them as Creatures to Homage God if the Sacramental bond be added they are bound as Christians to Homage Christ. Why should this be so monstrous since they are as much capable to know one as the other I may add they are part of their Parents and therefore to be brought under the same Bond. So I would answer an Anabaptist I baptize my child because I am baptized my self A strange reason will he say Let him give me the reason of those two passages Gen. XVII 14. And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my Covenant And Exod. XX. 5. I the Lord thy God am a jealous God visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children Alas what hath the poor child done Why doth God visit the iniquity of the Father upon the child He is part of his Parent and in the punishment of the child the Parent is punished Here then is the reason why Parents ought to bring their children to Baptism because they themselves are not whole under this bond and introduction if part of them viz. their children be out of it This is the reason of baptizing whole families Act. XVI 15. 33. c. Where you may see how they were first discipled by Baptism in a minute after hearing of Christ and also how the whole Family was baptized with the Parent It is childish to say it may be there were no children in those families and shews their ignorance that plead it For if never so many children they must be baptized For so was the Custom of the Jewish Nation in their use of Baptism when a Proselyte came in his children were baptized with him and all this upon this ground that all that were related to the Parent might come into Covenant But were succeeding generations of Proselytes children baptized I answer No but only the first generation was baptized Why then are we baptized after the conversion of our Nation I answer They had the Sacrament of admission Circumcision for true Israelites and that continued from generation to generation and Baptism being of the same nature and use requires the same continued practise Thirdly Baptism is for privilegial ends And a child is capable of privilege A child in the cradle may be made a King Children were capable of Circumcision that was a Privilege to be admitted into the Jewish Church why are they not capable of the like privilege now Talm. Bab. in Jeramoth Cap. 4. disputes this case and so resolves That one may be privileged though he know it not As one at a distance may be chosen Fellow of a College Why is not a child capable of receiving a badge of the privilege of being under the Covenant with his Parents Object But these Privileges come by birth of Christian Parents Answ. No not any privilege further than Baptism Birthright intitles to that and that admits to the rest of the privileges He that was uncircumcised was cut off though of circumcised parentage Gen. XVII 14. This argument the Apostle handles 1 Cor. VII 14. So that children are not only capable of Baptism as a Privilege but bound to Baptism as an Introduction to privileges and cut off without it as it was in circumcision We conclude with that remarkable passage Matth. XIX 14. But Jesus said suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Who brought these children Not unbelievers such to be sure would not they must therefore have been such as believed on him But what did believers bring them for Not to heal for if it were for that end why should the Disciples hinder them rebuking those that brought them vers 13. Christs answer to the Disciples shews that they brought them as children of Disciples and that Christ would own them as his Disciples which he by his words concerning them professeth them capable to be And the Disciples rebuked those that brought them not that they were ignorant that children were introduced into the Gospel bond and profession with their Parents but they thought this too much that they should desire so particular admission by Christ. It is observable that Baptism in the first times was the badge of Preservation from destruction See
at the mountain where he had appointed them The two times that he had appeared to them before this this Evangelist giveth account of before namely one time when Thomas was not present and another time when he was After dinner he putteth Peter to a threefold confession answerable to his threefold denial and foretelleth his Martyrdom but telleth that John should live till he should come meaning in that sense as his coming and coming in glory is oft used in the Gospel namely his coming to take vengeance of the unbelieving Jewish Nation Peter should be Martyred by them but John should live to see them receive their deserts SECTION XCII MATTH Chap. XXVIII from Ver. 16. to the end MARK Chap. XVI Ver. 15 16 17 18. LUKE Chap. XXIV Ver. 49. A sixth appearing at the mountain in Galilee to all the eleven and 500 more HIs appointing them into Galilee to such a mount it is like to that mount near Capernaum where he had chosen the Apostles and made his Sermon Matth. 5. was not barely to appear to the eleven for that had he done before and that could he have done at Jerusalem but it was an intended meeting not only with the eleven but with the whole multitude of his Galilean and other Disciples and therefore he published this appointment so oft before and after his Resurrection and we cannot so properly understand his being seen of above five hundred brethren at once of which the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15. 6. of any other time and place as of this He had appointed the place and the concourse argueth that he had appointed the time too or at least this concourse waited at the place till his time should come And here may we conceive that he kept the Lords day or the first day of the week for the Christian Sabbath with this multitude of his Disciples revealing himself clearly to them and preaching to them of the things that concerned the Kingdom of God Particularly he gives command and commission to go and Disciple all Nations For whereas hitherto he had confined them to preach only to Israel now must they preach to every creature Mark 16. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See Colos. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Jews ordinary language that is to all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon in his Proverbs makes known Theory and Practice to the creatures Kafvenaki in Prov. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He causeth the Holy Ghost to dwell upon the Creatures Midr. Til. in Psal. 135. Nimrod made Idols 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and caused the creatures to erre Tanch fol. 8. 4. The Lord requires that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the creatures should pray before him Id. fol. 16. 4. In which and an hundred other instances that might be given the word Creatures signifieth only Men and their charge and commission to preach the Gospel to every creature means to all men the Gentiles as well as the Jews Warrant then and charge is given for the fetching of them in the great Mystery Ephes. 3. 4 6. who had lain subject to vanity of Idolatry and under the bondage of all manner of corruption ever since their casting off at Babel 2203 years ago They had been taught of the devil his oracles and delusions c. but now they must all be taught of God Isa. 54. 13. by the preaching of the Gospel They had in some few numbers in this space been taught by Israel to know the Lord and proselyted into their Religion but now such proselyting should not need for all must come to the knowledge of God Heb. 8. 11. the Gospel carrying the knowledge of him and it being carried through all Nations Those of them that had come into the Church of Israel and the true Religion had been inducted and sealed into it by being baptized Talm. in Jebam per. 4. c. And so that proselyte Sacrament as I may so call it must be carried and continued among all Nations as a badge of homage and subjection to Christ to whom all power is given in Heaven and earth and of the profession of the true God The Father Son and Holy Ghost against all false Gods and false worship Infants born of Christian Parents are to bear this badge though when they undertake it they understand not what they do because none in Christian Families should continue without the note of homage to Christs soveraignty and this distinctive mark against Hethenism that worshippeth false Gods as no male among Israel after eight daies old must be without the badge of Circumcision Discipling was not of persons already taught but to that end that they should be taught and if the Disciples understood this word in Christs command after any other sense it was different from the sense of the word which the Nation had ever used and only used For in their Schools a person was made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Scholar or Disciple when he gave in himself to such a Master to be taught and trained up by him and in the Discipling of Proselytes to the Jews Religion it was of the very like tenour That sense therefore that many put upon these words viz. that none are to be baptized but those that are throughly taught is such a one as the Apostles and all the Jewish Nation had never known or heard of before That wretched and horrid opinion that denieth the Godhead of Christ and the Godhead of the Holy Ghost little observeth or at least will not see why the administration of Baptism among the Gentiles must be in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost whereas among the Jews it was only in the Name of Jesus Act. 2. 38. namely for this reason that as by that among the Jews Jesus was to be professed for the true Messias against all other so by this among the Gentiles who had worshipped false Gods The Father Son and holy Ghost should be professed the only true God And it would be but a wild as well as an irreligious Paraphrase that that opinion would make of this passage Go preach the Gospel to every Creature and Baptize them in the Name of the Son a Creature and the holy Ghost a Creature He promiseth the miraculous gifts of the holy Ghost to them that should believe not to all but to some for the confirmation of the Doctrine and chargeth the Disciples to return to Jerusalem and there to stay till he should pour down the holy Ghost upon them to inable them for this Ministry among all Nations to which he had designed them Mark and Luke do briefly add the story of his ascension because they will dispatch his whole story but that is related more amply Act. 1. A seventh appearing To Iames. After the appearing to above five hundred Brethren at once which we suppose and not without ground to have been that last mentioned the Apostle relateth that he was seen of James 1 Cor. 15. 7. and then of all
8. Matth. 3. 4. Seventhly Both of them had Heaven opened to them near Jordan To which two parallels more might be added if these two opinions of the Jews concerning Elias might be believed First That he was of the Tribe of Levi for they take him to be Phinehas as see R. Lev. Gersh on 1 King 17. Secondly That he restored circumcision when it was decayed from those words in 1 King 19. 14. They have forsaken thy Covenant To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children That is The hearts of the Jews to the Gentiles For first the hatred of a Jew against a Gentile was deadly and it was a special work of the Gospel and consequently of John that began to Preach it to bring both these to imbrace Christ and for and in him to imbrace one another Secondly Experience it self confirmeth this exposition for as the Gospel belonged to the Gentiles as well as the Jews and as John came for a witness that all through him might believe so did he convert and baptize Roman Souldiers as well as Jewish Pharisees Thirdly Baptism at its first institution was the Sacrament for admission of Heathens only to the Church and true Religion when therefore the Jews also begin to desire it and to consent to the Heathens in the undertaking of it then was the heart of the fathers turned to the children Fourthly It is the common and constant use of the Prophets to stile the Church of the Gentiles by the name of children to the Church of the Jews as Isa. 54. 5 6 13. 60. 4 9. 62. 5. 66. 12 13. Fifthly The Talmud expounding these words in Malachi seemeth to understand them of such a communion or reconciliation as is spoken of Vid. R. Sol. in loc Malach. Herod saith Josephus Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 7. slew John the Baptist being a good man and injoyning the Jews that exercising vertue and using right dealing one towards another and piety towards God they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 convene or knit together in Baptism And the disobedient c. In Malachi it is And the hearts of the children to the fathers But first the Holy Ghost is not so punctual to cite the very letter of the Prophet as to give the sense Secondly It was not very long after the Baptizing and Preaching of John that the Jews ceased to be a Church and Nation nay even in the time of John himself they shewed themselves enemies to the Gospel and the professors of it as concerning the general or the greatest part of them therefore he saith not that the heart of the children the Gentiles should be turned to their fathers the Jews which should cease to be fathers and should cease to be a people but to the wisdom of the righteous ones The disobedient As in this clause he refuseth to use the term of Fathers for the reason mentioned so doth he also of the correlative children because of his refusing that And yet he coucheth the sense of that title under the word disobedient which word in its most proper and natural signification reflecteth upon untowardly children disobedient to their parents As therefore by his omitting to call the Jews fathers he insinuateth their opposition against the Gospel so by terming the Gentiles disobedient in stead of children he sheweth what they were before they imbraced it In the wisdom of the righteous For so is it in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in and not to Wisdom in Scripture is often taken for Religion As Psal. 111. 10. Deut. 4. 6. c. and so is it to be understood here And this Wisdom is not to be held the terminus ad quem or the ultimate end to which these disobedient Gentiles were to be converted but in this wisdom or religion unto God For first let the two clauses of this speech be laid in Antithesis or opposition one to another as naturally indeed they lie the one aiming at the Jews as the proper subject and the other at the Gentiles and it appeareth plainly that two several acts were to be performed by the Baptist as concerning the Jews and their conversion First That he should turn their hearts or affections to God as in the verse preceding He shall turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God And secondly That he should turn their hearts and affections also to the Gentiles whom they hated before as here He shall turn the hearts of the Fathers to the children Secondly According therefore to this double work of John upon the Jews in that part of the Angels speech must the like duplicity be looked for in this that concerneth the Gentiles and to be understood though it be not expressed For the Angel in this part purposely changeth his stile and neither calleth the Gentiles children but disobedient because they were generally so before the coming of Christ nor the Jews Fathers because they ceased to be so shortly after nor mentioneth he the Gentiles turning to God but includeth it partly because he had set that as the chiefest work and bent of the Baptist of all to go before the Lord and turn men to him and partly he includeth it in this phrase In the wisdom of the righteous Thirdly It is not without divine reason that the hearts of the Gentiles are not said to be turned to the Jews as on the contrary it was said of the Jews to the Gentiles but that they should be turned in the wisdom of the righteous For the enmity feud and detestation that was betwixt Jew and Gentile and Gentile and Jew proceeded not from the same cause and Original The Jew abhorred the Gentile not of ignorance but of scorn and jealousie partly because they stood upon their own dignity of being the people of God which the other were not and partly because they were provoked with suspition that the other should be the people of God when they should not And therefore when the reconciliation is to be wrought between them it is said that their hearts or affections should be turned to them for they were point blank or diametrically against them before But a Gentile abhorred a Jew out of ignorance because of his Religion hating him as a man separate from and contrary to all men and accounting that to be singular and senseless superstition which was indeed the divine command and wisdom of God and not so much detesting his person for it self as for his religion and profession Therefore when the Gentiles must be brought to affect and to unite to the Jews it must be in the wisdom of the righteous or in the understanding knowledge and imbracing of that religion which the righteous ones professed which the Gentiles till they knew and understood what it meant accounted but vanity singularity and foolishness Ver. 18. Whereby shall I know this The Jew requireth a sign 1 Cor. 1. 22. And his so doing in these times when miracles had been ceased so long
opens the way to a partaking of holy things in the Church and placeth the baptized within the Church over which God exerciseth a more singular providence than over those that are out of the Church And now from what hath been said let us argue a little in behalf of Infant baptism Omitting that argument which is commonly raised from the words before us namely that when Christ had commanded to baptize all nations Infants also are to be taken in as parts of the family These few things may be observed I. Baptism as a Sacrament is a seal of the Covenant And why I pray may not this seal be set on Infants The seal of Divine truth hath sometimes been set upon inanimate things and that by Gods appointment The Bow in the cloud is a seal of the Covenant The Law engraven on the Altar Josh. VIII was a seal of the Covenant The blood sprinkled on the twelve pillars that were set up to represent the twelve Tribes was a seal and bond of the Covenant Exod. XXIV And now tell me why are not Infants capable in like manner of such a sealing They were capable heretofore of circumcision and our Infants have an equal capacity The Sacrament doth not lose this its end through the indisposition of the receiver Peter and Paul Apostles were baptized their Baptism according to its nature sealed to them the truth of God in his promises concerning the washing away of sins c. And they from this doctrinal virtue of the Sacrament received confirmation of their faith So also Judas and Simon Magus hypocrites wicked men were baptized did not their Baptism according to the nature of it seal this doctrine and truth that there was a washing away of sins It did not indeed seal the thing it self to them nor was it at all a Sign to them of the washing away of theirs but Baptism doth in it self seal this doctrine You will grant that this Axiome is most true Abraham received the sign of circumcision the seal of the righteousness of faith And is not this equally true Esau Ahab Ahaz received the sign of circumcision the Seal of the righteousness of Faith Is not cirumcision the same to all Did not circumcision to whomsoever it was administred sign and seal this truth that there was a righteousness of Faith The Sacrament hath a sealing vertue in it self that doth not depend on the disposition of the receiver II. Baptism as a Sacrament is an obligation But now Infants are capable of being obliged Heirs are sometimes obliged by their Parents though they are not yet born See also Deut. XXIX 11 15. For that to which any one is obliged obtains a right to oblige ex aequitate rei from the equity of the thing and not ex captu obligati from the apprehension of the person obliged The Law is imposed upon all under this penalty Cursed be every one that doth not continue in all c. It is ill arguing from hence that a man hath power to perform the Law but the equity of the thing it self is very well argued hence Our duty obligeth us to every thing which the Law commands but we cannot perform the least tittle of it III. An infant is capable of priviledges as well as an old man and Baptism is privilegial An infant hath been crowned King in his cradle An infant may be made free who is born a slave The Gemarists speak very well in this matter z z z z z z Bab. Chetâ—bboth fol. 11. 1. Rabh Honna saith They baptize an infant Proselyte by the command of the Bench. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Upon what is this grounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 On this that Baptism becomes a priviledge to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And they may endow an absent person with a priviledge or they may bestow a priviledge upon one though he be ignorant of it Tell me then why an infant is not capable of being brought into the visible Church and receiving the distinguishing sign between a Christian and a Heathen as well as a grown person IV. One may add that an infant is part of his parent upon this account Gen. XVII 14. an infant is to be cut off if he be not circumcised when indeed the fault is his parents because thus the parents are punished in a part of themselves by the cutting off of their child And hence is that of Exod. XX. 5. Visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children because children are a part of their fathers c. From hence ariseth also a natural reason of infant Baptism The infants of baptized parents are to be baptized because they are part of them and that the whole parents may be baptized And upon this account they used of old with good reason to baptize the whole family the master of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. In the name of the father c. I. Christ commands them to go and baptize the nations but how much time was past before such a journey was taken And when the time was now come that this work should be begun Peter doth not enter upon it without a previous admonition given him from heaven And this was occasioned hereby that according to the command of Christ the Gospel was first to be preached to Judea Samaria and Galilee II. He commands them to baptize In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost but among the Jews they baptized only in the name of Jesus which we have observed before from Act. II. 38. VIII 16. XIX 5. For this reason that thus the Baptizers might assert and the Baptized confess Jesus to be the true Messias which was chiefly controverted by the Jews Of the same nature is that Apostolic blessing Grace and peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ. Where then is the Holy Ghost He is not excluded however he be not named The Jews did more easily consent to the Spirit of the Messias which they very much celebrate than to the person of the Messias Above all others they deny and abjure Jesus of Nazareth It belonged to the Apostles therefore the more earnestly to assert Jesus to be the Messias by how much the more vehemently they opposed him which being once cleared the acknowledging of the Spirit of Christ would be introduced without delay or scruple Moses in Exod. VI. 14. going about to reckon up all the Tribes of Israel goes no further than the Tribe of Levi only and takes up with that to which his business and story at that present related In like manner the Apostles for the present baptize in the name of Jesus bless in the name of the Father and of Jesus that thereby they might more firmly establish the doctrin of Jesus which met with such sharp and virulent opposition which doctrin being established among them they would soon agree about the Holy Ghost III. Among the Jews the controversie was about the true
hinges upon which it turns n n n n n n Joma fol. 39. 2. Forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem the Gates of the Temple open'd themselves of their own accord Rabban Jochanan ben Zacchai declaim'd upon it saying O Temple Temple why dost thou terrifie thy self I know thy end will be destruction for so Zachary the Son of Iddo hath prophesy'd concerning thee Open thy doors O Lebanon c. The rest that follows doth plainly enough speak out desolation and ruin ver 2. 3. but particularly that is remarkable ver 6. I will deliver them every one into their neighbours hands how manifestly doth it agree with those intestine broils and discords those horrid seditions stir'd up amongst them And into the hands of their King i. e. of Cesar concerning whom they may remember they once said We have no King but Cesar. II. He describes the evil shepherds of the people under a Triumvirate ver 8. Three Shepherds also I cut off in one month c. i. e. the Pharisees the Sadducees and the Essenes which interpretation though it cannot but sound very unpleasingly in Jewish ears yet is it what seems abundantly confirm'd both from the context and the history of things They therefore would turn the edg of the Prophesie another way the Gemarists understanding the three Shepherds of Moses Aaron and Miriam o o o o o o Yaaâ—ith fol. 9. 1. Jarchi would have it the house of Ahab the house of Ahaziah and his Brethren Kimchi the Sons of Jehoahaz Jehojakim and Zedekiah Aben Ezra saith Perhaps they are the High Priest Joshua the person anointed to the wars and the Sagan or perhaps Haggai Zachary and Malachi c. But what can be more clear than that the Prophet speaks of those Shepherds that had wasted and corrupted the flock and who when the true Shepherd of the sheep should reveal himself would do the like again and who should these be but the Principals and chief heads of Sects and the leaders of the people the Pharisees the Sadducees and the Essenes Object But how can these properly be said to be cut off by the great Shepherd when he should come whereas it is well enough known that these Sects lived even after the death of Christ nay after the ruins of Jerusalem not to say that Pharisaim hath its being amongst the Jews to this very day Answ. So indeed it is said that under the Gospel The Nations should not learn war any more Isa. II. 4. and that there should not be an infant in age or one under age in the new Jerusalem Isa. LXV 20. whereas we find enough of war in every generation and that infancy or ignorance in Divine things abounds still But nevertheless God had done his part toward the accomplishment of such Prophesies namely he had brought in the Gospel of Peace and the Gospel of Light that nothing should be wanting on his side that peace might reign on the Earth and infancy in Divine things should be no more so did this great Shepherd bring in the Evangelical Doctrine the Oracle of Truth and Religion which did so beat down and confound all the vain Doctrines and Institutions of those Sects that as to what related to the Doctrine of Christ there was nothing wanting to have cut off those heresies and vanities III. This great Shepherd broke that Covenant that had been made and confirm'd with that people ver 10. I took my staff which was called Beauty and I cut it off that I might break my Covenant which I made with all the people With all the people i. e. with all Israel the Ten and the Two Tribes too And in the 14 ver the affinity and kin which was betwixt Judah and Israel is dissolv'd which it would not be amiss for those to take serious notice of who as yet expect an universal conversion of the whole Nation of the Jews Let them say by virtue of what Covenant if the Covenant of Grace that makes no difference betwixt the Jew and the Greek nor knows any one after the flesh If by virtue of the Covenant peculiarly made with that people that was broken and dissolv'd when God had gather'd his flock out of that people For IV. The great Shepherd when he came found that there must be a flock gather'd in that Nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. XI 5. A remnant according to the election of grace and these he took care to call and gather before Jerusalem should be destroy'd Zachary himself calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a flock of slaughter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poor of the flock ver 7. Where by the way whoever compares the Greek Version in this place must needs observe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the poor is by those Interpreters jumbled and confounded into one word For instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so the poor of the flock knew they read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Canaanites shall know the sheep c. So instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this or for you O poor of the flock ver 7. they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the land of Canaan Whence after that we have taken notice that they read Nun finale in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as not final I have some suspicion that these Interpreters might have had an eye upon the reduction of the dispersed captivity into the land of Canaan according to the common expectation of that Nation But this only by the by That of the Apostle ought to be strictly heeded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace Which is indeed as the Gnomon to that Chapter and above all other things does interpret best the Apostles mind for he propounds to discourse not concerning the universal call of the Jews but of their not being universally rejected which may very easily be collected from the very first verse of this Chapter Hath God cast away his people that is so cast them away that they are universally rejected God forbid for I my self am an Israelite and am not cast away This argument he pursues and illustrates from the example of those most corrupted times the age wherein Elijah liv'd when they threw down the Altars of God slew his Prophets and not a few worship'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Baal of the Zidonians whom Ahab had introduc'd and almost the whole Nation worship'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Golden Calf or Cow which Jeroboam had set up And yet even in that worst state of affairs saith God I have reserv'd to my self seven thousand men who have not bow'd the knee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Golden Calf the common and universal error of that Nation much less 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Baal of the Sidonians Even so saith the Apostle at this very time there is a remnant plainly intimating that he does not
he shewed what was meant by that Levit. XVIII 5. viz. That by keeping the Commandments not only life here but Eternal life hereafter is obtained And so it is further cleared by his words in Luk. X. 28. This do and thou shalt life So that this here was not barely a temporal promise but had wrapped up in it a further promise of Life Eternal And so had the other temporal promises that were given them And so some of the Jews interpret that Levit. XXVI 11 12. And I will set my Tabernacle amongst you and my Soul shall not abhor you And I will walk among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people not only of God being among his people here but of his being in the midst of them and they about him in Heaven And so you find the word Heaven in Scripture sometimes to signifie the Church here as well as it signifies the state and place of glory hereafter Now if you ask why God since he meant spiritual things and eternal under these temporal promises did not speak out but used such promises as might prove occasions of missing of those promises through misimprovement And so we find that this very thing proved the ruine of the Jewish Nation they being moved hereby to look at temporal things and to neglect eternal They looked and still look for a temporal Kingdom of Christ pompous and resplendent with worldly Iustre And this stands as it were a Wood or a Fog betwixt them and the discerning of his spiritual Kingdom that they cannot will not see it This makes them look for their Canaan again and to be planted and â—ettled there anew With which opinion too many Christians do concurr and look for some such glorious thing among the Jews even this year sixty six Why I say did not God speak out spiritual and eternal things but only obscurely hinted them in such temporal promises as these I Answer Because God would use the most feeling perswasions to them Men are not so sensible of things spiritual as they be of bodily have not the feeling of things that concern Life Eternal as they have of this Life To have said Honour thy Father and Mother that thou mayst inherit eternal life had been a fair argument but it is not so feeling to flesh and blood No Man but is very desirous of long life here and it is but one of a City and two of a Tribe that more desires Life Eternal The Gadarens are more sensible of their Swine than Christ and not one in many but a promise of earthly prosperity or bodily welfare comes nearer his heart than a promise of everlasting and heavenly glory health of body than of soul showers of rain than of grace bags of mony than all the treasures of Christ. Therefore God gave such promises as might be most feeling and perswasive those that were most like to take As the Apostle I being crafty caught you with guile as the Jews describe it As one that gives his Child Nuts and Plums to bring him on to learn so God gave to them those things that he was sure would most please them The Church of the Jews was a Child under age Gal. IV. 1 2 3. and God deals with them as with Children giving Ordinances and promises according to its childhood feeds them with milk and not with strong meat because they were not so able to bear it It is commonly said they were not able to bear spiritual dispensations in their abstract simplicity and therefore God gave them such carnal Ordinances according as they were able to bear them It is true they were carnal enough about the worship of God but was it not because they had such carnal Ordinances from the first The use of these made them dote on them Are there not thousands among Christians as carnal about Gods service as they That dote as much upon Ceremony and outward formality in Gods worship as ever they did And that because they have been brought up in such Ceremonious way or cannot come up to worship in spirit And might not the Jews have been as capable of the same spiritual manner of Religion as the Gentiles were if God had set it up among them when he first took them for the Church Wherein then did the Childhood of the Church consist First That it was yet but small of stature in comparison of that full body and growth the Church of God was to come to See that Eph. IV. 12 13. For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. What is the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ It is the mystical body of Christ in its full proportion viz. Jew and Gentile joyned together How small a Babe was the Church of the Jews in comparison with what the Church was when the Gentiles of all Nations were become the Church Secondly That Church was a Child in knowledge in comparison of the Church under the Gospel Hence that promise Esai LXV 20. There shall be no more thence an Infant of days The Gospel should bring in such light and means of knowledge that none should be a Child or infant in knowledge if they had a mind to learn 'T is true they were so childish because God afforded no clearer means of knowledge And it is as true that in some sort it was needful the means of knowledge should be but as it was viz. that God by those means might make way to the knowledge and embracing of spiritual things under the Gospel when it came Consider their carnal ordinances and temporal promises God in the Gospel was to bring in a spiritual Worship and Religion A better way to make way for the embracing of that could not be used than by shewing before the unprofitableness the uneffectualness of their carnal worship This the Apostle speaks to at large in the Epistle to the Hebrews Chap. IX 9. That gifts and offerings could not make him that did the service perfect That sprinkling the blood of Goats and Bulls could not purge the Conscience The experience of this was the way to make men harken after the Sacrifice of Christ that would do the work that blood of Christ that could purge to the utmost And the like might be instanced in other parts of that carnal service So God gave them especially promises of temporal things that he might teach them that they should not be losers by his service Their service was chargeable in gifts and offerings and in going up to Jerusalem c. Therefore it was needful that God should ply them with promises of temporal good that they should lose nothing by his service if they were faithful to it Observe that Exod. XXXIV 23. Thrice in the