blessing which these are not yea though we cannot with certainty affirm of this or that Infant of a beleever that it is inherently holy yet holy as thus separated and differenced from those who are common by that word of blessing from God under which they are As we cannot upon certainty affirm of any particular person in the Church that he is inherently holy because he may make a lye in his confession yet of every such person we can say he is in that sense holy namely as separated unto God in that relation and thereby differenced from those who are common or uncleane To this I adde that as it is a necessary qualification in the confession of one who is received into Church relation that therein be held forth in words and actions that which giveth a positive ground of hope that he is inherently holy so in this promise of God to Abraham concerning his purpose of election so by families as hath been shewed we have no less ground of hope concerning Infants of beleevers In the one we have a persons own profession concerning his spiritual state and interest in Christ 1 Cor. 7. 14. Matth. 10. 14. in the other we have what God himself professeth how he hath separated them unto himself and made them part of his kingdom and partakers of the blessing of his covenant And as a person of ripe years is received to baptisme not because he is certainly known to be inherently holy but upon his profession to be such wherein both himself and the Church may be deceived so upon that which God hath said concerning Infants are they to be received also Nor let it seem strange that those who are made holy from a word of blessing from the Lord are by him appointed to have the seale of that word and covenant by which they are so made holy as in the former use was proved that he hath so commanded and appointed Which also is another reason why such children are by the Apostle called holy namely because they are not onely within the covenant of Abraham but also are appointed of God to be a subject recipient of the seale of that covenant The seale is holy and those to whom it is applyed must be so or else it is profaned and made common As for that interpretation given of that place by some els were your children unclean but now are they holy to be meant that else their children were bastards but now they were legitimate It cannot be the meaning of the Apostle because so the Apostle had answered nothing to the satisfaction of those who had put the Question to him about putting away an unbeleeving Wife For it seems the Corinthians had written to him and had put certain questions to be answered by him as we see vers 1. whereof that was one Now for him to say that a beleeving Husband might lawfully keep his Wife still though an unbeleever else were their children bastards had been to leave them as dark and unsatisfied as before for that had been but idem per idem or barely to affirm the thing But it is evident the Apostle bringeth that of the childrens being holy as an argument to prove their lawful continuance in that relation notwithstanding one of them was an unbeleever Nor can we suppose the Apostle would so reason that except one of the married couple be a beleever their children are bastards Moreover the holinesse here mentioned is supposed to be such as the unbeleever contributeth nothing to it he is sanctified he doth not sanctifie therefore cannot be meant of legitimacy of birth which must be as well from the one as from the other since marriage is an ordinance not peculiar to the Church of God but common unto all mankind By this answer of his it appears that it was a Jewish scruple that did trouble them namely whereas under the Law it was a sinne for one of the Church of the Jewes to marry a strange Wife that is one who was not of the Church and in such case they were commanded to put away their Wives and to separate themselves from them as being polluted by them as we see in Ezra 10. 11. 9. 12. as it was also the sinne of the old world that the sons of God that is they of the Church did take in marriage the Daughters of men that is of the posterity of Caine Such was the Law of the communion of Saints also in the Church even in those dayes Therefore the Corinthians put the Question to the Apostle whether now also in the times of the New Testament one of the Church might continue in Wedlock with one not of the Church but an infidell To this the Apostle answereth that if the unbelieving Wife was not sanctified in or by the believing Husband that is if any Church-Law was thereby broken so as their continuance in that relation was not lawful but did cause pollution to the beleever that then their Children must not be reputed holy but unclean or common so as if they would deny the Wife mariage communion upon that account they must deny their children all spiritual communion in the Church For such was the Law to the Jewes Ezra 10. 3. They put away their Wives and such as were born of them also and that according to the command of Ezra and according to the Law By that which they granted he proves that which they did question Obj. If it be objected that upon this account not onely children of beleevers but also Nations must be reputed holy because the promise is that beleevers shall be blessings also unto Nations To this I answer Answ The case is not the same for children are immediately under this word of blessing in the familie relation as the people of God in the Church are immediately under that blessing which the Lord commandeth out of Sion But as for Nations they are under it in a more remote capacity by means of what the Saints are in their families and in the Church Therefore although such as are of the Church and the children also of such families are holy yet it followeth not that therefore the Nation should be holy To this I adde that children are in the power of parents and at their disposing and so as when they in their sanctification or being made holy give up themselves to God by faith and obedience to his ordinances their children are therein vertually given up also in as much as a beleever in some respect giveth up to God together with himself all in his power Now this cannot be said of any nation whatsoever Obj. It will be objected yet further That the Jews are said to be holy even the whole people of the Jews who now are unbeleevers Rom. 11. 16. If the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches yet have they no right to baptisme and therefore that this holiness of the children of
had confirmed by oath to Abraham that he might shew the immutability of his counsel to the Heirs of promise and that we might have strong consolation he gives that for one the multiplying of his seed A further proofe we have Gen. 15. 5. Look now towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be Abraham beleeved it is said and it was counted to him for righteousness This the Apostle bringeth to prove justification by free grace through faith in Christ Rom. 4. 3. 18. 22. Therefore that multiplying of his seed promised in those words so shall thy seed be had reference not onely to the Jews but also to believing Gentiles the increase of whose number by means of Gods blessing believers so as to make them blessings as Abrahams seed was intended in that promise and as part of that Gospel which God preached unto Abraham else his beleeving it had not been imputed for righteousnesse nor the Apostle alledged it to prove justification by faith in Christ as he doth in that place Again we know that one great promise to beleevers now under the New Testament is that the kingdome of Christ that is the Church at last shall fill the world Dan. 2. The stone cut out without hands which smote the image upon the feet and brake to pieces the Iron and the Clay the Brasse the Silver and the Gold became a great mountain and filled the whole earth And the stone is interpreted of the kingdome of Christ v. 44. To this purpose is that of our Saviour Matth. 13. 31. comparing the kingdom of Heaven to a grain of mustard seed which is the least of all seeds but when it is grown is the greatest of all herbs And that it is like to leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meale till the whole was leavened Now the Lords making beleevers blessings and thereby multiplying Abrahams seed is that which makes his kingdome thus to be like leaven whereby the whole world at last will be seasoned with the knowledge and love of Christ Therefore this multiplying of beleevers so as to fill the world is made by the Apostle Rom. 4. 13. to be part of Abrahams promise The promise that he should be Heir of the World was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith Then mark what followeth v. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all as it is written I have made thee the Father of many Nations Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might be the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be namely as the stars of heaven for number From these words observe First that Abraham by the promises given unto him was made the Heir of the world Secondly that the promise of multiplying his seed in those words I will make thee a Father of many Nations and so shall thy seed be was one promise whereby he was so made the Heir of the world Thirdly that this promise of multiplying his seed and of his thereby being made the Heir of the world was not made to Abraham or his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith therefore a Gospel promise Fourthly that this promise was made sure to all beleevers as well Gentiles as Jews Fourthly A fourth thing conteined in Abrahams promise confirmed both to him and all beleevers is that his seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies Gen. 22. 16. The place here cited by the Apostle in the Text as intended also to the Heirs of promise in the New Testament By my selfe have I sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the Sea-shore and thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies that is their power and authority For as gates were for defence so they were places of judgement Amos 5. 15. Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgement in the gate Deut. 16. 18. Judges shalt thou make in all thy gates Dan. 2. 49. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were set over the affairs of the provinces but Daniel sat in the gate of the King This therefore was Gods promise unto Abraham that by means of this blessing he would so multiply his seed as they should not only fill they should also subdue the world at last and raign over it Psal 47. 3. He shall subdue the people under us Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdomes of this world shall be the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ Dan. 7. 18. 28. The Kingdom and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High and all Dominions shall serve and obey him All this you may observe is reduced to Abrahams promise Psal 47. which is a parallel prophecy to that of Dan. 7. O clap your hands all ye people shout unto God with the voice of triumph for the Lord most High is the King over all the earth He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet God raigneth over the heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his Holinesse Then mark what followeth The Princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham All this dignity and power therfore is confirmed upon them as his seed and heirs of his promise And although by what hath been said it is evident that this also is one branch of Gods promise made to Abraham Yet I shall adde one place more wherein with submission I suppose we have also a prophesie of what God wil do for his people in this kind and all reduced still to his promise unto Abraham It is Psal 105. mentioned before a Psalm made upon occasion of Davids bringing the Ark to the Tabernacle which he had prepared for it upon mount Sion as we see 1. Chron. 16. 1 7. in which accordingly we have a prophesie foreshewing what God will do when he shall set his King upon his holy hill of Sion having dashed his enemies in pieces like a Potters vessel even when the Kingdomes of the earth are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ In which prophesie observe two things First how he putteth all that he saith therein upon Gods promise unto Abraham O give thanks unto the Lord make known his deeds among the people sing unto him talk of his wonderous works O ye seed of Abraham his servant ye children of Jacob his chosen Againe v. 8. Which covenant he made with Abraham and his oath unto Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob saying Vnto
the Apostle 1 Cor. 10. 1. to 11. and Psal 95. as hath been shewed Now this advantage to his peoples faith God would not lose therefore he giveth not only his promise and oath but also gives them first to Abraham and in him to all his Saints in aftertimes that so they might have their eyes and observation fixt upon all his works wrought for his people in ages before in answer to the selfe same promises to be beleeved by them And in this the heirs of promise have a double advantage to their faith whereby the immutability of the counsel of God is ascertained unto them First by way of experience in as much as they are required to believe no more then what they see others have beleeved and hath been fulfilled to them long before and beleeved it upon the same terms our case being made by this his blessing of his people in this method the same with theirs This therefore was Davids argument for comfort in his desertions nay of Christ himselfe of whom even in that very thing David was a type Psal 22. 4. Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted and thou didest deliver them they cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded Secondly in that it was the surest and clearest way of making known the mind of God unto his people thus by taking one of the same kind and making him a pattern for all the rest He might have done it by large descriptions in words but so had we been more entangled with variety of interpretations it being to pass through many ages languages and nations whereas by taking such a pattern to hold forth to all ages what his people may expect from him our understandings are fixed more upon things then words whereby we have a more certain knowledge and lesse subject to mistakes Thus the great priviledge and power of the Saints in conquering the enemies of those whom God will thus blesse by overcoming God himselfe by prayer was first given to Jacob Gen. 32. with his new Name and in him to all the rest of his people and for the selfe same cause Quest 2. Why the Lord who bestoweth his blessings according to his own free election should so confine his choice as to bestow these blessings by families and by nations that he taketh not his number proportionally from all places of the world alike Answ Many reasons may be given of this 1. It is not impertinent to be considered that his purpose is to raise up an abundant glory to himself from small things that is one reason why he chose men and among men not many mighty but the weak things of this world are chosen 1 Cor. 1. 26. therefore would he not leave little Children out of his Kingdome Mark 10. 14. Of such is the Kingdome of God saith our Saviour that is they also are part of it By such he meaneth not as so qualified but that of such also the Kingdome doth consist Both because it is by him given as an argument or reason why children should be brought to him for had he intended the qualification only it had been an argument as well to bring Lambs or Doves to Christ for so are the subjects of his Kingdome qualified even as Lambs and Doves And because he saith afterwards whosoever shall not receive the kingdome of God as a little Child that is as a child receiveth it shall not enter therein This our Saviour addeth to shew the mistake of his Disciples who thought it seems that little children were not capable of receiving the Kingdome of God or of entring into it or to be made partakers of the blessings of Christ and therefore did forbid their being brought to him to which he saith that they are as capable of that work upon their soules as others are in as much as in the first reception of the Kingdome of God into our soules we are as little Children are that is we are meerly passive in it Now because he would that little children also should be members of his Kingdome therefore hath he made it one branch of the Gospel of this Kingdome that the families of the righteous shall be blessed 2. Neither is it to be omitted that by this means is made to appear that in Christ the second Adam the same is done to life as was in the first Adam unto death As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15. 22. Now if you consider what makes us children of the second Adam you will find that the originall of our Sonship in Christ is Gods election Ephes 1. 4. According as he hath chosen us in him having predestinated us to the adoption of Children by Jesus Christ By a natural birth we cannot be made sonnes in Christ for our sonship is founded in grace therefore I say it hath its originall from Gods free election who will have mercy on whom he will have mercy Rom. 9. 15. Now therefore since this cannot be by natural generation and it must be acknowledged that the children of beleevers are by nature born children of wrath even as others Psal 52. 5. the Lord yet goes as far as may be and by promise hath so confined his election as ordinarily to cast elect children upon elect parents 3. That which is more clear the reason is because of his love to elect parents The Lord knows what it is for Parents to be blessed in their Children and how he indeareth himself to his Saints thereby Deut. 4. 37. Because he loved thy fathers therefore he chose their seed after them So Deut. 10. 15. to 21. Rom. 11. 28. As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes but as touching the election they are beloved for the Fathers sakes 4. Because of his love to his elect when children therefore he casteth them upon such Parents by whom they may be brought up in his fear which otherwise had not been and he loves to work as much as may be by second causes Where could Isaac have been so brought up as in Abrahams family I know Abraham saith God that he will command his Children and his Houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Gen. 18. 19. Had not the Lord thus far confined his choice for an absolute confinement there is not as was shewed before to Families Kindreds and Nations his elect had been destitute of means of Education and the great advantage in the family relation for the seasoning of the hearts of young ones with his fear had been lost which advantage God would not lose therefore in all the ages of the world his blessing still hath been upon the families of his people Untill he put his Church into a Kingdome every believers family was a Church as the Church is yet called the houshold of God Ephes 2. 19. 3. 15. His blessing therefore was upon them for that season upon that account And
Gospel of the Kingdom that beleevers should be blessings to their children namely so as they should be means of their conversion and in that respect of bringing them to Christ by an internall work of grace upon their hearts so it was very suitable and necessary that they should in such externall waies also bring them to Christ as there they did that he might lay his hands upon them and blesse them Thirdly the reason also why our Saviour was so much displeased and angry with his Disciples for their rebuking those that brought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is and it is to set forth the most passionate indignation had against a person The same word is used Matth. 20. 24. to set out the displeasure taken against James and John by the other Disciples for their ambitious request to be one at the right hand and the other at the left hand of Christ in his Kingdom When they heard it saies the Text they were moved with indignation against the two brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason I say why he was so much moved with anger upon this occasion namely because not onely his affection to the parents and the children but also his own interest so much concerned in it led him to it His Kingdom is his portion and hath been his great designe from the beginning of the world Matth. 25. 34. The greatnesse and increase of this his Kingdome depends much upon little ones being brought to Christ so as when his Disciples forbad Infants to be brought to him they crossed him in his designe and interest Let all the true Disciples of Christ be afraid to incur his anger upon this account Now for our purpose First if infants are part of the Kingdom of God and so the blessings of that kingdom belong unto them as the Apostle Peter said in a like case Act. 10. 47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized since baptism is the seale of our entrance into this kingdom and the blessings of it and they a part of this Kingdom therfore receive the Holy Ghost as well as we Secondly this command of Christ upon such grounds was not given to his Disciples onely for that short time wherein he was to be with them in the flesh It was recorded after his ascention and of a perpetuall obligation to the Disciples of Christ in all ages then to come What was so written was written for our learning and we have no other such externall way of bringing them to Christ that he may lay his hands upon them and blesse them but in baptisme wherein our initiation into the Kingdom of God and the blessings of that kingdome are sealed And as by his laying his hands upon them and blessing them at that time we see that infants are capable of benefit by outward signes which themselves cannot consider nor understand so that in baptisme now the Lord Christ in doing his part therein doth the same thing in effect as then he did to those children when he took them in his armes laid his hands upon them and blessed them in as much as their entrance into his kingdom and the blessings of it as I said is therein signified and sealed Thirdly to this I may adde that unto whom he is a King to them he is also a Prophet Therefore as of such is his Kingdom so such are his Disciples and are made Disciples when their parents are converted because they are then in the way of the spirits teaching as hath been shewed Called Disciples Acts 15. 10. Circumcision called a yoke put on the neck of the Disciples This by the way I observe as a sufficient answer to that argument brought by some from Matth. 28. against baptizing Infants yea supposing it should be granted what they say to be the sense of that place namely that onely those who are made Disciples may be baptized Although more might be said about those words in answer to it namely that in the words baptizing them Matth. 28. 19. we have by a Synecdoche a part for the whole an usuall form of speech in Scripture for we know the Apostles commission did extend as well to a setting up of other ordinances as of baptisme Therefore when he saith Goe teach all Nations baptizing them it is as if he had said Goe teach them and enter them into the practice of the worship of the Gospel of which among other things the application of the token of Abrahams covenant to Infants may be a part any thing in that place contained notwithstanding No more at present upon that subject But having had occasion in opening this point to speake of severall things concerning the Kingdom of Christ I must adde something though but briefly by way of application also upon that Vse 6. Therefore a sixth use of this point may be that from thence we learn to rectifie some mistakes about this Kingdom and to remove such prejudice and hard thoughts as may be apt to lie in the minds of men against it Dan 7. 27. Psal 47. 3. namely whereas it is said that the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high And that they shall fill the world and the Lord shall subdue the people under them and the Nations under their feet These may seem to be hard sayings and not to be born This doctrine will some say teacheth the people of God to be ill subjects to graspe and reach after power and to be disturbers of Commonwealths and indeed it is true if things be not rightly understood there seemeth just cause of such offence but if matters be scanned and considered rightly there is no such cause of any jealousies or fears at all 1. By that which hath been said in opening this point we see that although it must be granted that as the Church of Christ is a growing thing and of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Esay 9. 7. and therefore must fill the world at last and that what the Lord hath said of Abrahams seed concerning a possessing of the gate of his enemies must be fulfilled in its time yet that God will take a most naturall genuine and satisfying way to bring his people to such power You see he will doe it by multiplying the seed of Abraham He will not doe it by violence he declareth against it Esay 2. 4. but by the word of truth meeknesse and righteousnesse Psal 45. Nor by unrighteous waies of any kind The scepter of his kingdom is a right scepter No feare of any unrighteousnesse in it it is a spirituall Kingdom and ever shall be so When the Lords mountain shall be exalted above the hills it will be the Lords mountain still The weapons therefore of its warfare are spirituall the sword of the spirit which is the word of God is that
done by the Church as such but what is spirituaâ—… And although the people of God shall have just cause to make war against Antichrist and his party yet it shall be upon a natural and civil account for their just liberties opposed and invaded by them Therefore I say that in a way of righteousnesse his people may obtain the possession of the gate of their enemies One course which God taketh to fulfil this his promise is by multiplying them As by blessing he will multiply the seed so by multiplying them he will cause them to possesse the gate of their enemies And by this means that dominion and power which they shall at last obtain shall need no force either to get or to maintain it but it shall naturally fall upon them as from other causes so also by reason of their number even according to the law of nature and common rules of righteousnesse and justice Therefore is it said Esai 2. 3. that in the last days when the mountain of the Lords House that is the Church shall be established in the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and when Christ shall judge among the Nations that they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their speares into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more What course the Lord will take also to lessen the number of the wicked before that day come I shall not now discusse although the Scripture is not silent in it but what by destroying the one and what by multiplying the other the number of the seed of Abraham will in time be such as that in a way of righteousnesse and justice the possession of the enemies gate will be theirs Therefore I say God hath need of such a number for a fulfilling of his promise And this is one reason why he so exceedingly multiplies the seed of Abraham Quest 4. As to the fourth Question why that should be part of his promise also that Abrahams seed should at last obtain such power I need to say no more but that this was his promise from the beginning even to our first Parents that the righteous should subdue the wicked at the last Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head And afterward renewed to the Sonnes of Noah Shem and Japheth Gen. 9. 27. God shall perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant that is Jews and Gentiles shall make one Church and the wicked of the world shall be under their authority and power as hath been shewed Therefore I say this their possessing the gate of their enemies is but what the Lord hath even from the beginning engaged himselfe to do for his people And in Abrahams Covenant we have but the same repeated only with this addition namely the manner how this seed shall obtain this power Thus you have the reasons of the point Now before I come to application it will be necessary that I answer one objection more which is this Obj. Our Saviour saith his Kingdome is not of this world Joh. 18. 36. How then shall his Saints obtain such possession and power so as the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to them and the Kingdomes of the Earth become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ To this I answer Answ That notwithstanding all this yet it is most true that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world nor ever shall be It is a spiritual an heavenly Kingdome The matter of it the laws the power and the end of his Kingdome are all spiritual Whatever is of this world is fading and hath a period set for its continuance but the Kingdome of Christ is everlasting Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Psal 45. 6. Therefore when it is said That the Dominion and the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most High and the Kingdomes of the earth become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ the meaning is not that the Kingdome of Christ shall then be of this World or shall cease to be a spiritual Kingdome or that the Kingdomes of the world shall cease to be of this world that is the one shall not cease to consist of that which is natural both for the Matter Order Power and End of the Kingdome nor the other cease to consist of that which is spiritual and heavenly for that were for it to degenerate and to be deposed from its glory But as a man when he is made a subject of Jesus Christ in his conversion is made a spirituall man a new creature not but that he is the same man in nature still but such a work is wrought in him as he is equivalently another man yea as much another in effect as if he had been annihilated and a new man made out of the dust for though he be the same man in nature still yet by Union and Communion with Christ he is acted by another principle of life to what he was before namely by the quickening spirit of the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. so that whereas before he was onely of the first Adam now he is of the second before was only of the earth earthy now he is also of the Lord from Heaven So when the Kingdomes of the earth are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ they will be the same Kingdoms in nature still and the same things done and upon the same grounds of common justice yet because the people of God will be so multiplied as theirs will be the power it will be equivalent to such a change as if they did cease to be the Kingdomes of the earth and were turned into the Kingdome of Christ The Kingdomes of Christ and of the world will ever be distinct in their Nature and Use yet such influence will the Kingdome of Christ have upon Commonwealths as they will be as it were swallowed up into it And indeed as our Saviour alledged that unto the Roman Governour when he was accused for an enemy to Cesar and for which it is evident he put him to death because he made himself a King alledged I say for his defence that his Kingdome was not of this World and therefore would be no interruption unto Cesars so may it be alledged still against the jealousies and hard thoughts which men are apt to have of the people of God because of this Doctrine that the time will come when the seed of Abraham shall possess the gate of their enemies I say it may be alledged that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this World and therefore no cause of any jealous thoughts that his subjects should be any disturbance to the Kingdomes of this World Justice and righteousnesse and obedience to
the Lord have said this is my covenant that the man-child be circumcised if the application of that ordinance to the child had not in it a signification and confirmation of some thing in the covenant Thence also is that in Acts. 7. 8. He gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision and so or accordingly he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day That is he did it according to that covenant of circumcision so as the application of the seale to the Infant was part of the covenant to be performed on the part of Abraham and his seed in their generations even by his spiritual seed to a thousand generations in that which is the same for substance and equivalent to circumcision as we shall see anon And that this blessing upon families and posterity was signified held forth and sealed by circumcising the child appeareth further by that promise uttered in that phrase Deut. 30. 6. I will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed which kind of expression intimates that the promise of the conversion of their children was held forth and confirmed in that seale As when the Apostle saith We are baptized into one body it implyeth that our union with Christ in one body is signified sealed in baptisme because else those words had been in no capacity to have been so used in that sense as they are used both by the Apostle and by Moses But in stead of saying we are baptized into Christ the Apostle must have used some such words We are united or ingraffed into Christ And Moses must have said that God would convert their seed or he would change their hearts not that he would circumcise their hearts for what had the conversion of their seed been to circumcision or union with Christ to baptisme had not the one been signified by the one and the other by the other Moreover I may adde that the signe had not held proportion with the thing signified namely there had been nothing in the signe to signifie and seal that blessing upon posterity had the application of it to Infants been left out which I the rather urge because this blessing upon families in order to the multiplying of the spiritual seed is that peculiar addition made in Gods covenant with Abraham to what he had given before to Adam and his Wife which therefore in the seal thereof should not be omitted Nor indeed had there been any use of the application of it to the infant nor that made a part of the ordinance had there not been such a branch in the covenant as a blessing upon families and posterity to be thereby signified and sealed By that which hath been said I suppose is evident that as Abrahams covenant was sealed in circumcision so this additional promise in it of multiplying beleevers by making them blessings unto families and nations was signified and sealed by the application of the seal to Infants so as if that priviledge be denied unto Infants that which was given to us in Abrahams covenant is rejected as he saith Gen. 17. The uncircumcised man-child shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant And it is further to be observed that in reference to these two things namely this additional promise and the seale thereof in respect of which things only Abrahams covenant exceeds that promise given to our first Parents was he called the father of all them that beleeve First I say from this additionall promise is he so called as appeareth Rom. 4. 18. Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might become the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be that is as the Stars of Heaven for multitude Gen. 15. 5. It was not onely his beleeving in generall but his receiving and beleeving that promise concerning the Lords thus multiplying his seed that made him the father of many nations Secondly it was not onely that which made him so but also his receiving the seale of that promise as we see Rom. 4. 11. He received the signe of circumcision a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the Father of all them that beleeve though they be not circumcised that righteousness might be imputed to them also From which place we may observe First that circumcision was a seale of the righteousnesse of faith Secondly that because it was a seale of that righteousnesse which he had before he was circumcised he therefore became the Father of all that beleeve whether circumcised or not Now had not this seal been given him that he might be the Father of beleevers his receiving it at this or that time whether before or after his beleeving to righteousnesse had made nothing for the universality of his relation as a Father of all Beleevers That it was not his faith onely nor his degree of faith above others which gave him that title appeareth because First so should Eve rather be called the mother of the faithfull or Adam the father of them because they were the first beleevers and in likelihood their faith not much if at all inferiour unto Abrahams And Enoch Noah others are likely to have had as strong a faith as his Nor do we find Heb. 11. where all are mentioned that Abrahams faith is preferred before theirs One great advantage which is a longer experience of God theirs had above his And Heb. 7. we find as Abraham was above Melchisedek in one thing so he above Abraham in another He blessed Abraham and saith the Apostle without controversy the lesser is blessed of the greater V. 7. And that wherein Abraham had preheminence is not specifyed to be his faith but that he had received the promises V. 6. he blessed him that had the promises all which Melchisedek had not received namely such promises as were peculiar to Abraham as the father of Beleevers as for other promises of life and salvation by Christ the promised seed Melchisedek had received them as well as Abraham In this I say was Abraham preferred allthough by office Melchisedek was greater then he Therefore since there were beleevers and eminent beleevers before him he could not be the father of the faithfull either because of his faith or the eminency thereof Secondly besides this when God gave him his new name Abraham and made him the father of the faithfull he gave him something new which was not at least not so held forth unto beleevers in former times As when Peter had his new name and the keys of the Kingdom given him it was a new gift For albeit there was something of that nature before at least in substance in the Iewish Church yet not altogether the same So when to Iacob was given a new name with a promise of overcoming the enemies of the holy seed or of this kingdome by overcoming God in prayer it was a new promise for the Church till then had not such
occasions of enemies to rise up against it as now it had when God would single out a people rejecting some and chusing others and that in such an externall and eminent way to be a peculiar people and a Kingdome for himself Now should the Saints be hard put to it to do much that way in prayer This people and kingdome he began in Abraham as hath been shewed and although it is true Esau was not the first enemy against this Kingdome or seed Ishmael was before him yet Esau was the first who in that manner opposed it as to seek to destroy the seed As for Ishmael he slighted it scorned Isaac and mocked him so did Esau slight it at the first when he sold his birthright but at last he found himselfe pinched and aggrieved so as he sought to destroy Jacob. Enemies of God at first use to slight and scorne that which afterwards they persecute even to blood thus did Esau Therefore I say Jacob was the first who was put to it by conquering Heaven to prevaile against the enemies of this Kingdome and had his name of Israel given him thereupon Gal. 6. 16. And the peace of the Israel of God depends upon such a conquest at this day Thus in Abrahams new name and his being made the Father of the Faithfull there was something given which beleevers had not at least in such a way had not before in reference to which he was so called Therefore it was not for his faith only nor the eminency thereof Thirdly there is nothing in faith or in the eminency thereof that could occasion that his name to be given unto him When God gave Jacob his name Israel it was a name sutable to his prevailing with God it signifieth as much So the name Peter signifieth a Stone which was given to Simon and in him to us in reference to that confession of Christ which maketh us Stones in his Temple So when God gave Abram his name Abraham it was upon a like account Abraham signifieth a Father of multitudes and that reason of it is expresly rendred by the Lord himself Gen. 17. 5. Thy name shall be Abraham for a Father of many Nations have I made thee In the New Testament called the father of all them that beleeve And it pointeth us to this that it was in reference to something which he was to have as a Father for which he was so called namely this additional promise made to him in his covenant and the seale thereof concerning the multiplying of his seed by making him and all beleevers after him to be blessings to Families and Nations and was therefore so called both because he was the first Father that received this blessing which was a blessing upon parents their children and because at least in a great part by vertue thereof the holy seed was to be propagated and encreased And beleevers are said to be his seed because that promise covenant made to Abraham concerning the Lords blessing and multiplying his seed is so much a cause of their being brought forth unto Christ his ordering his election so as to bestow his blessing thus by Families and Nations being that which makes the Kingdome of Heaven like leaven as was shewed before one beleever ordinarily being the meanes of the conversion of another Some think beleevers are called the seed of Abraham because they are propagated from his example in beleeving because they are said to walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham But this is not a sufficient reason for that denomination Rom. 4. 12. for we are to look as well at the example of others Heb. 12. 1. There is mention of a cloud of witnesses compassing us about to whose examples we are to look chiefly to look at Christ the Authour or the Captain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and finisher of our faith Thus we see that Abraham had his new name and is called the Father of all them that beleeve in reference to these two things First because of this additional promise given in order to the encrease of his spiritual seed and Secondly because he had given him also the seale of this promise the circumcision of the child The summe of what we have in this first use for clearing the duty of Infant-Baptisme is this That from the consideration of the difference and agreement of these two great promises that to our first Parents and this to Abraham we take occasion to observe these five things First that in this promise unto Abraham an addition was made to the former promise Secondly that the Lord upon this occasion added a seale also for confirmation of his Gospel to his people namely the sign of circumcision the token of Abrahams covenant Thirdly that the application of the token unto Infants was part of the token of the covenant Fourthly that as this additional promise was of a blessing upon families and nations in order to multiply the seed so by this application of the token unto Infants was this promise sealed Fifthly that in reference to this additionall promise and the seale thereof was Abraham called the Father of all them that beleeve and they his seed So as what he received from the Lord both in the promise and the seale thereof he received it not only for himselfe but also for his seed even his spirituall seed in their generations Vse 2. A second use of this point may be that which the Apostle makes of it in this place when he saith this the Lord hath done to shew the immutability of his counsel to the Heirs of promise and that we might have strong consolation What the Lord hath intended and designed for beleevers let them embrace Let them not lose the comfort of this Oath and Promise made to Abraham and his Seed And let their care in this be as well in one thing as another Let their faith and hope enter into that which is within the vaile as the Apostle speaks even into Heaven it selfe whereof that within the vaile was a type Heb. 9. And there let the soule rejoyce in all the secrets of the covenant the whole mystery of the Gospel even in that which neither eye hath seen nor ear heard nor hath entred into the heart of a natural man to conceive The merit and satisfaction of the blood of Christ sprinkled upon the mercy seat the efficacy and power of his intercession as our great High Priest the blessed priviledge of our adoption the gift of his good spirit the glorious inheritance of the sons of God A free accesse into the bosome of the Father his infinit love his eternal and free election In all this so much above the sphere of natures light let faith be confident and strong in the Promise and Oath of God to Abraham and his seed And let not that branch peculiarly added unto his covenant be forgotten or neglected the Lords purpose of election as to families and posterity the conquest of the
attained to I may and I may adde to what degree soever of purity and perfection in the Church the meaning of those expressions is to be extended lesse or more it is evident that untill the Church be come to that ripeness and glory yea even such as may deserve that title of the new Jerusalem which cometh down from Heaven wherein righteousness shal dwel the people of God may not expect to possess that power The truth is should such power be put upon them now as things are in that condition wherin the Church of God is at present there would so many put on visards of Hypocrisie and seeming Saintship to get into place as but very few of the true spiritual seed of Abraham should obtaine it and such dissemblers and pretenders being in place would act very much unlike to Saints and so much the worse by how much the more they are refined in profession and the outside of religion being false and rotten still within Therefore as the Lord hath designed such a power even in this world unto his people so he hath reserved it untill such time as they shall be in a fit capacity to receive and use it as he saith Esai 60. 22. I the Lord will hasten it in his time Thus we see that notwithstanding this objection the promise of such power is intended unto such as are Abrahams spiritual seed indeed not to those who are pretenders only to be such so as when that day comes as it shall naturally fall upon them so there will be no cause of grief to people that power is so placed as it will then be To conclude this use I must adde a word by way of caution least I be mistaken in that which hath been said namely this That in the mean season till this new Jerusalem be come down from Heaven it is not to be supposed that the people of God should lay aside their swords or not to share among others in the power of Common-wealths and not be instrumental and that above others too sometimes in carrying on the work of God in the world in order to the encrease of his Kingdome and that by force too so far as it is capable to be used to advance that work But as when the whole power shall be put into their hands according to the prophesies mentioned before it shall naturally be divolved or cast upon them and become theirs according to the common rules of justice from principles of nature and reason as hath been shewed so much lesse in the mean time in being serviceable to their Country shall they act in any other capacity then as good Common-wealths men and as being involved in the same common interest with others of that nation or society whereof they are a part Their Saintship may fit them for their trust and in elections may bespeak them to it by way of merit but not entitle them to any place or power in Common-wealths The Kingdome of Christ is not of this world nor ever shall be as was shewed before in opening of the point Should the power and government be entitled to Saints as such we had need be in a better capacity to know them and to say which are Saints which not then indeed we are Therefore to salve that difficulty those who have pretended that priviledge and acted thereupon have accordingly ordered their affaires by pretended Revelations from Heaven which practice how absurd it is and what a monster in a Common-wealth is obvious to any understanding that will but consider that acts of justice in a Common-wealth are to be of publique cognisance and such as are supposed to be owned or ought to be by the community or the major part thereof for which cause a Revelation from Heaven brought in evidence in any court although it should be true is not a sufficient evidence for any Judge to go upon in passing sentence because unlesse the Judge have a Revelation also it comes not within his understanding to be able to judge of the matter If both Judge and Witnesses have a Revelation speaking the same thing yet he may not passe the sentence thereupon because the sentence of the Court is supposed to be the vote of the Common-wealth therefore the power even all the power thereof if need be is engaged to put the sentence in execution And for this purpose it may be pertinently considered whether that was not one cause why Cain was not to be put to death for his murder because having done it secretly in the field it was not revealed but by the Lord himselfe for what cometh within the cognisance of any Civil Court of matters criminal to be punished must be within the compasse of sense or reason Vse 7. One thing more concerning this matter I shal adde which is a seventh Use to be made of this point Namely that those who are the people of God doe learn from thence what course is to be taken by them to advance this Kingdom By that which hath been said we clearly see the course they are to take is to endeavour what they can to increase the number of his people And in order thereunto that they labour to be blessings to their Families and to the Nation and places where they live to be a meanes to season the hearts of their little ones servants friends and neighbours with the knowledge and love of Christ And though the work is great and far beyond our own abilities or all that we can do by instruction or example should the Lord withdraw his powerful assistance yet we must know that God is able who hath promised to make beleevers blessings to Families and Nations and by multiplying them to cause them to possesse their enemies gate Now for this end that you may be blessings in this manner First take heed you break not Abrahams Covenant as those persons do who deny the application of the seal thereof to Infants as hath been shewed from Gen. 17. and thereby as much as lieth in them do nullifie and make void that promise therefore in defence of that mistake it is often seen that they deny that promise to be of such extent Far be it from me to say or think that none of that beleef eare blessings to Families or Nations Many of them I beleeve are holy and sincere and very deare to Christ who knoweth how to passe by the errours and infirmities of his people and maketh even such notwithstanding that mistake instruments of much good to both But this I may affirme from what hath been said in this point that those who thus forbid little Children to be brought to Christ whatever is pretended are in that thing but small friends to his Kingdome and in that particular an ill way it is they take in order to their being blessings either to families or nations The right way of increasing that Kingdome and of exalting his throne and power in the world being waved and neglected other ways which
world by multiplying Abrahams spiritual seed and that by making beleevers blessings to families and nations Let not the people of God so easily part with so ancient entayled priviledges wherein the Saints have rejoyced for so many ages Let them have so much compassion on their Children as not to blot their names out of Heaven or thrust them out of the Kingdome of Christ into the Kingdome of Satan for to one of the two Kingdomes they must belong Those who know their owne priviledge herein will not upon such slender grounds part with it as the manner of some is to do And as Gods promise unto Abraham and his seed is called a Covenant and therefore something to be performed on their part as a duty commanded and required by the Lord that his Covenant be not broken so let beleevers search and see what that duty is for which purpose let us make this further use of this point Vse 3. From thence to learne not to confine that great promise made to Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. within the compasse of an earthly Canaan as meant onely of the temporal things of that Land or the multiplying of his natural seed therein but also of all such blessings in Christ whereof Canaan and the good things thereof were types That very promise vers 8. of the Land of Canaan to be an everlasting possession to his seed and he to be their God by what hath been said in opening this point we see is yet in fulfilling even to us of the times of the New Testament in the spiritual blessings of the Heavenly Canaan and in the conquest of the World by the people of the God of Abraham whereof the conquest of that land by Joshuah was a type as hath been shewed If any shall affirm that in neither of these two respects that promise can be brought down to these times it behooveth such to find out some other sense wherein it may be so extended because we see that what the Lord confirmed unto Abraham of blessing multiplying and causing his seed to possess the gate of his enemies he confirmed it to us even to beleevers of the New Testament as his seed and heirs according to the promise In opening the point I was the larger in the proofe hereof and have therefore insisted upon some things by the by concerning the Kingdom of Christ although a full unfolding thereof would require a farre larger discourse because it conduceth much towards the clearing of Infant-Baptisme to be a duty which God requireth of his people that the full extent of Gods promise unto Abraham whereof we have found that to be one branch be considered and understood For if this be granted that the promise made to Abraham Gen. 17. especially that part of it v. 8. concerning Canaan to be an everlasting possession to his seed be of such extent and made also to his spiritual seed of the New Testament it will follow that that command of God in those words next following vers 9. Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations is to be meant also of his spirituall seed even in our dayes and as a command that now lieth upon the same spiritual seed in all Generations Psal 105. in as much as that command is brought in with a therefore upon the promise made to the same seed in the words next afore going Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations And saies God This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you and v. 14. The uncircumcised man-child shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant Obj. It will be said how is this command of keeping this covenant obliging to beleevers now since the covenant to be kept was then specified to be the circumcising of the child in as much as circumcision is now abolished Or what is this to baptizing children the point in hand to be cleared in this discourse To this I answer Answ First It is to be observed that this command of God is primarily fixed upon the generall duty namely the covenant to be kept and not upon this or that way of keeping either by circumcising or baptising so as the circumcising of the Childe came under the command onely upon this because it was declared then to be the token of the covenant and by the words it is supposed that when it should cease to be the token of the covenant it should no longer be a duty and what else by the same authority should be made the token of the same covenant would be the duty in stead thereof Mark the words he doth not say Thou shalt therfore circumcise every man-child among you as a token of the covenant between me and you for so had that been made the token for perpetuity to have continued so long as the covenant it selfe But first in general he saith Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations that is they should observe and performe the token of the covenant whatever that prove to be and in the second place he addeth This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised and the uncircumcised man-child hath broken my covenant therefore as I said as for circumcision that was a duty onely upon those words declaring that to be then the token Circumcision is now abolished yet the command of keeping the token of Abrahams covenant is still in force and binding to Abrahams spiritual seed in their Generations therefore what is now the token of that covenant must be observed in stead thereof The like manner of institution we have concerning the Sabbath therefore those who deny Infant-Baptism oftentimes deny the Sabbath and not without cause for there is the same reason of both and we may illustrate the one by the other The Lord intended in time to change the day from the seventh to the first day of the week as he intended in time to change the token of Abrahams covenant therefore in the fourth Commandement also the command is not primarily fixed upon the seventh or any day to be remembred and kept holy but upon the general duty that the rest-day of the Lord be remembred and kept holy what ever that day fall to be Exod. 20. 8. 11. Remember the Sabbath day that is the rest-day to keep it holy and the Lord blessed the rest-day and sanctified it And the remembrance and keeping of the seventh day is in the commandement made a duty for this reason because that was declared to be then the day wherein God had entred into his rest after his making of the world And