Prodigy to me that any should Assert that the Covenant that God made with Abraham was a Covenant of Works and yet Circumcision was the Seal of it for so it is expresly commanded of God to be as we have seen Did we ever read of this Seal amx'd to the Covenant of Works No in the perfect state that Man was in when God enter'd into a Covenant of Works there was no need of nor occasion for this Sacrament or Seal Let us but a little consider the Uses and Words of this Seal and we may see that that must be a Covenant of Grace to which it is affix'd as a Seal for either it holds forth our need of Grace or the merciful provision of Grace prepared for us I shall only mention a very few Particulars 1. This doth intimate unto us that vile polluted State of Sin that we were conceived and transmitted into the World in This may give us the knowledge of our undone State by Nature how God may loath and abhor us for ever The cutting off of the Fore-skin of the Flesh discovers the filthiness of our Flesh and how by Sin we have forfeited our selves and all into the hands of Justice that we be filthy and guilty Sinners 2. This sets forth the gracious Purposes and Intentions of a merciful God to wash and to cleanse and to sanctifie us by his Grace and by the Blood of Sprinkling The Blood that did follow the circumcising Instrument did clearly signifie that therefore cleansing and sanctification are set forth by Spiritual Circumcision When God doth graciously promise to wash and to sanctifie he doth promise to circumcise the Heart Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul that thou mayst live Col. 2.11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ viz. By the Sanctification of the Blood and Spirit of Christ Phil. 3.3 For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit We have the inward Spiritual Circumcision of the Heart which was graciously signified by that Seal of the Grace of God belonging to that Covenant of Grace the Lord was pleas'd to make with Abraham and his Seed 3. To denote and set forth the need we have of the Blood of Christ to justifie us and that God would justifie us through his Blood And this Abraham had a special eye unto and his Faith was firmly fix'd upon after God had made this Covenant with him and his Seed and fix'd this significant Seal unto it This might be evidenced by many Scriptures Rom. 14.1 2. In many Verses in that Chapter therefore it is that Circumcision is called a seal of the righteousness of faith of that righteousness that is apprehended received and applied by faith certainly then that Covenant that hath such a significant gracious Seal added unto it can be nothing less or else than a Covenant of Grace 7. Reason To prove that this was a Covenant of Grace may be the great Result and Period of it which is no less than Heaven this is obviously implied in the comprehensiveness of this Promise we have here Gen. 17.7 I will be a God unto thee and unto thy seed after thee I will be a God unto thee and all thine Elect Seed for ever I will be a God to love thee to provide for thee to be with thee and with my self eternally to reward thee How vain and frivolous is our Challenger in Asserting that this Covenant made with Abraham was not a Covenant of Grace Because the great Promises of it were outward Blessings and the greatest of all was the Land of Promise Canaan What is not that a greater Promise for God to promise himself to be a God to Abraham and his Seed Is not an Infinitely Glorious and Blessed God better than Canaan than all the Canaans and Paradises in the World yea than thousands of Worlds But further to see the ignorance of this Man in the Scripture and in such Expressions which denote a higher good intended by God than what they themselves may import as this Promise is explained in the New Testament When God did make the Promise of an Earthly Canaan to Abraham and his Seed he did ultimately intend a better Land than this viz. an Heavenly one when the Lord doth promise this Canaan he doth promise Heaven which this was a Type of the main thing and good that the Lord design'd for his People by this Promise was Heaven and that they should be eternally saved Abraham did so understand it and others of the Fathers and so set their Hearts upon and rais'd up an Expectation of that blessed City and Country that was above that what they had here were but dark Shadows and cloudy Representations of what was to come Heb. 11.10 13 14 15 16. 8. Reason To prove that the Covenant made here with Abraham was a Covenant of Grace is viz. Because of that Obedience the Lord did both require and accept at the hands of Abraham in this Covenant There was Obedience and there was Service that the Lord did command and expected from Abraham this will determine whether this be a Covenant of Works or of Grace If it be a Covenant of Works it requires nothing less than perfect Obedience nothing short of it will or can be accepted therein as it was in the Covenant made with Adam Do this and live I but now here in Abraham's Covenant the Lord doth call for and accept of sincere and upright Obedience as in Gen. 17.1 2. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine the Lord appeared to him and said I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect viz. right or sincere And I will make my covenant betwixt me and thee Every one knows that though Abraham for Grace and walking with and obeying God was an excellent Man yet he was not a sinless perfect Man he had the perfection of sincerity but not a sinless perfection such an one as Adam had in Innocency In this Covenant Abraham did walk before God he did please God and he was accepted by God in vertue of this Covenant which could never have been had it not been a Covenant of Grace that had Christ to be the Mediatour of it in whom he believed and found acceptance Thus Beloved I promise my self that I have given you such Reasons to prove that this Covenant was of Grace which the Lord made with Abraham and his Seed for an Everlasting Covenant as cannot well be denied 2. Quest Whether some only or all the Children of Believers are in this Covenant of Grace with their Parents Whether this Covenant doth inclose and impale them all or not Answ All they that are the Seed of the Faithful the Lord takes into this Covenant with their Parents
upon the Word of the Lord and his Ministry but also blasphemy upon the Spirit Let men take heed of being too bold in fathering their passionate Sallies and Invectives against their Betters upon the Holy Ghost Oh! that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for these things To compleat all the high place in the Congregation is not sufficient to discharge the conception of the stomach against us but the Press must also groan to bring forth that there may nothing appear but dung and filth upon our faces and all the beauty of Religion and Evangelical Order of the Gospel we walk in may be totally defac'd From the Press hath been sent into the midst of us two Pamphlets like unto Sampson's Foxes that were join'd in the Tail with fire-brands betwixt them to burn down all our Field as if nothing less than the total destruction of our Vineyard could suffice With what care must these Prints immediately be disperst into all quarters not only at the publick Meeting House the Booksellers Shops but some of them must be sent up and down in blank Papers to several Persons by the Penny-Post and others carry'd to Coffee-Houses and openly laid upon the Tables that every one that comes to take a Pipe and drink a Dish might feast upon and admire this none-such Author and not only the sober but the wet Drinkers should be baptized into his opinion These Books such as they are must be diligently in all places scatter'd that if it be possible every hand might be furnisht with a tool and weapon to beat and cut us all into pieces what a spirit is this man possest withal as if he would be a common troublesome Ghost to haunt every house and heart near unto him Surely we are greatly ingag'd for our peace and quiet by all lawful means to do all that we can to lay him for it is he that hath been the great troubles of our Israel I do sincerely desire him in the cool time of his spirit provided when his eyes are opened he doth ever enjoy such a season solemnly to consider the description that the wisest of men doth give of a publick annoyer Prov. 26.18 When I first cast mine eyes upon his Books I could not but admire them for Pride Ignorance and Confidence never yet saw I any thing since I was able to hold a book in my hand for these qualifications so excellent this hath been the opinion of many that have been much more able to judge than ever he will be to write I shall briefly tell you what was my vehement provocation and prevailing inducement to preach the following Sermons vid. his audacious cruelty in his Book offer'd to our Children to the Seed of all that have the singular priviledge of being in Covenant with the Lord. He could not in his writings content himself as many of his Brethren do only to exclude them from their right to Baptism but must proceed upon such wayes and means that do inevitably shut them out of the Kingdom of Heaven if so be they expire in their infancy Hinc illae Lachrymae What pious and tender Parent that hath a serious concernment upon his heart for the eternal state of his Child can hear such Doctrine and his ears not to tingle and his heart not to tremble I confess to have such wild and cruel Doctrine to be not only deliver'd but lick'd up and admir'd amongst us as if it was one of the choicest Truths of Grace that our Lord and Master sends his Ambassadors to proclaim did cause a little zeal for Truth to wax warm within me and engaged me to draw up some cautions against and make some mild reflections upon such Infant-destroying matter therefore when I preach'd as the Lord did inable me concerning a sound and saving knowledge of Christ in the use of this truth I did blame some that were chiefly concern'd about other knowledge little respecting this adding That there was such a knowledge of Christ as to the object of it but was not that which was most necessary to Salvation as for instance that of Baptism as to the subject of it Thus I gently deliver'd my self saying that there be some Pulpits that reek with a blind Zeal against Infant-baptism but pray take notice that what I am going to speak is neither for nor against the baptizing of Infants only I cannot but take notice of a Pamphlet lately risen up in the midst of us that in its decrying Infants-baptism does proceed upon such Mediums that must unavoidably shut those that dye in their Infancy out of Heaven and so a terrible sentence of condemnation is denounc'd against them all this bold Writer doth presume to lay it down as one of his infallible positions that no Infants are in Covenant with their Parents that are Believers nor capable of habitual Faith one great branch of Sanctification and the new Creature indispensably necessary to Salvation This he is so confident of that in a scornful way he doth rank that odious Doctrine of Antichrist Transubstantiation with Infants being in Covenant with their Parents and their being capable of habitual Faith it seems they be all of the same import with him He being sensible what a foundation he hath laid to build the perdition of Infants upon that he might lick this ill-shapen Monster into some pleasing shape acquaints us that he hath found out a way to save Children notwithstanding One would wonder what this curious invention should be it is this vid. those Children that shall be saved shall so be by an imputed righteousness thus we see what it is to be a sagacious Divine I believe all the brains of the dull Schoolmen could never find out such an exquisite notion as this topping Preacher hath not only to send our poor Infants by swarms to Hell but also can recall them and reverse the doom that he hath denounc'd against them as if the power of Life and Death were in his hands The worst of it is here is nothing to prevail upon us to imbibe his new invented way but his own Authority his ipse dixit will not satisfie thinking men tho' it may go smoothly down with his own admirers That Caution given to us about false Teachers Gal. 1.8 cannot but stick with me I am certain here is another Gospel and that in a substantial point of our Religion and Articles of Faith I confess in the hearing of many of you I did say upon this unscriptural Notion what I see no reason as yet to retract that to talk of an imputed Righteousness without a Covenant of Grace without an imparted Righteousness was but Mountebank Divinity I understand it to be the judgment of all our Divines that Justification and Sanctification tho' different in their Nature and use yet are never separate as to their subject for those whom God doth justifie them also he doth sanctifie neither do I understand
say that what I have here put into your Hands to read in the following Sermons is wrote and designed for the Honour of God the Grace of his Covenant to interpose a little between our poor Children and Little Ones and that Soul-amazing Doom that is pronounced against them to reprove the rash and furious Zeal of our Adversary to Answer the vehement Importunities and longing Expectations of many of my good Friends to commode all that hear me in instructing them in this great and comfortable Truth of the Gospel that I contend for to give a check to that Lying Spirit that is got loose among us to satisfie any that are stumbling and doubting about Baptism and to reduce if the God of Peace shall see good this poor troubled Place to a peaceable tranquil Composure Oh! cry to God that this my Vndertaking sincerely prostituted to the good of Souls may meet with some suitable Blessing thereunto and that all my poor Labours in the Work of the Gospel may obtain good success The Lord be with you and bless you and cause his gracious Face to shine upon you guiding you into the Way of Truth and conducting you to his Eternal Glory My Hearts desire and prayer for you all is that you may be saved I am Your Affectionate Servant in Christ Fran. Mence A Vindication of the Interest of the Children of Believers in the Covenant of Grace c. ACTS ii 39. For the promise is to you and to your children IN this Chapter we have one of the first Sermons that was preached after the Ascension of Christ The very first that we read of unless we take Peter his divine Oration in the Chapter before concerning the apostacy of Judas and the choosing of another in his room to fill up the Number of the Disciples to be the first This indeed is a most excellent Sermon and of divine inspiration in which the holy Scriptures refering to that case were elegantly and opportunely explicated and applyed and the Auditory that he directed himself unto sweetly composed and instructed in the Election of another Apostle to fill up the room of him that betrayed his Lord and Master who through the insufferable anguish of his own Conscience was a most execrable Executioner of himself and by the just judgment of God had his bowels burst out Acts 1.15 c. We come unto the Chapter which my Text is part of in which we may observe four general parts First The Mission of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles who according to the promise and command of Christ were to wait at Jerusalem for the accomplishment of that rare and necessary blessing to fit them for that great and difficult undertaking of preaching and planting the Gospel they were commissionated unto who were to go together and not enter upon this great work until the Spirit did rest upon them Ver. 1 c. we have their obedience to their Lords command chap. 1.13 14. There is one thing very observable that when the Apostles and those that were with them were with one accord waiting for the fulfilling of the promise they did not sit dumb and silent together but they did pour out prayer and supplications to God they did not keep such a silent meeting waiting for the Spirit as the Quakers pretend to do They were not only waiting but praying it may be well supposed that they were making supplications to God for the obtaining that promised mercy they were under the expectation of Secondly The Sermon that Peter by divine assistance did deliver to the Congregation that was about him His Auditory was very great no wonder it was so partly because of the time of it Here was a great Season that might contract a numerous Assembly it was in the time of Penlecost when there was a great resort of people from many places and also because of that wonder that was then wrought in the descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles which enabled them to speak in various languages ver 4 5. When this extraordinary thing was noised abroad it brought the Multitude together some were confounded others were amazed and there were those that mocked they thought the Apostles were full of New Wine as if their speaking through the Gift of the holy Spirit so miraculously poured upon them was only the fruit and effect of their excessive drinking Thus we may observe how Satan doth instigate those that be under his conduct and influence to blaspheme the most wonderful and obvious Works of God ver 6 7 8 c. In this Sermon the Apostle Peter undertakes two things 1. To wipe off that foul Aspersion that was cast upon them of being filled with New Wine It was very needful for him so to do otherwise this might be a means to obstruct the good success of his Sermon We may see in many Verses the way the Apostle takes to clear them of this Diabolical Accusation from ver 14 to 22. 2. He comes to the peculiar Subject the Spirit of Christ did lead him unto viz. To set home upon the Consciences of the Jews their great and sanguinary Sin in their cruel and malicious crucifying and murdering the Lord Jesus the Prince of life the only Messiah and Saviour of the World Many of those that heard him were guilty of it as we may see by the round and positive charge he draws up against and fastens upon them verse 22 23. Here we may apprehend how fully and emphatically the Apostle doth fix this Crime upon his Hearers as to him that was barbarously murdered and crucified therefore he called him Jesus of Nazareth to shew that he was the true Messiah promised by all the Prophets and that they might readily understand that he spake of that very Jesus whom they in scorn and contempt called Jesus of Nazareth and upon whose Cross they fixed that Title the Apostle to make the charge the more full he adds that it was that Jesus of Nazareth that was a Man approved of God among them by Miracles Wonders and Signs which God did by him and that in the midst of them as they themselves well knew It was him that they did take and by wicked hands did crucifie and slay It is to be observed that this terrible Accusation is exhibited against all the Auditory of Peter when he saith unto all that heard him Ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain he might deliver himself thus unto them all because in so great a company many were present that actually poured out the blood of Christ Moreover the whole People cried out at the Tribunal crucifie him crucifie him and imprecated that his blood might be upon them and their posterity viz. the guilt of his blood and the direful fruits of it What a wonderful Spirit of Zeal and Courage was the Lord pleased to fill this Apostle withal Even him who out of fear sometime before had denied his Lord and Master he was now full of
the Spirit of the Lord which is a Spirit of might and strength that did animate and support him One would think that this bloody Congress that were skilful in and scarce cool from the effusion of blood yea of the best of blood would immediately have dispatched him and emptied his Veins That the Apostle might fasten their execrable sin upon their consciences in murdering the Messiah he doth from the Word of God prove him to be so He did not only propound his assertion but he proved it that so he might involve his hearers into a full and through conviction This doth evidently instruct those that take upon them to preach the truths of Christ to prove them and to be able to defend them The Suitable mediums and arguments the Apostle insists upon to prove this his Doctrine concerning Christ as how God raised him from the dead and concerning David a tipe of him I must not stand to shew but must come to the next general part I observe in this Chapter Thirdly The good effects and gracious fruits of this the Apostles Sermon After he had fixed the charge he drew up against the Jews for murdering the Messiah whom he proved to be so then he comes with a sharp arrow of application and strikes it deep by the efficacy of the holy Spirit into the hearts of his sinful Auditors ver 36. therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ He told them how eminently he was exalted by God whom they had vilified and abased unto the greatest contempt and shame and had put him to the most painful shameful and cursed death that ever could be Oh! to deal thus with the Son of God the Lord of all the only Messiah so highly exalted at the right hand of the Majesty on high and made both Lord and Christ what a cut might this be to those that heard the Apostle being guilty of so great sin of such Scarlet impieties Tunc ingens est stimulus quo Petrus mirâ libertate et sinceritate pupugit corda Judaeorum See and behold what wickedness ye have committed the guilt of what blood you have contracted what maliciously and cruelly to murder the Lord Jesus the Saviour of the world who is the Lord of all who is over all God blessed for over This had by the blessing of the most high gracious effects and fruits upon those that heard him First They were pricked at the heart they were troubled and grieved at their heart because of their horrid sin they had committed in their detestable murder of Christ Doluerunt animis quod crucifixissent Christum Pisca Ver. 37. Secondly They ask Peter and the rest of the Apostles what they should do ver 37. Now they were brought into a miserable plunge the bloudy colour of their sin and their Consciences boiling hot within them pronouncing fiery Sentences against them the very sting of the damned was crucifying them this might well make them as amazed and confounded rebels to cry out what shall we do what course shall we take to get free from the charge of this crying sin no sooner were these poor wretches convinced and begged councell of the Apostles as to their escaping that dreadful wrath that was due unto them for their greatly meritorious sin but Peter gives them suitable advice directing them how they might obtain eternal Salvation by the bloud of him whom they had wickedly crucified and slain as in ver 38. he doth exhort and direct them to repent to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ that they might receive remission of sin and the gift of the holy Ghost then they may be well assured that through him whom they crucified they should obtain a discharge from their foul-confounding guilt and eternal Salvation I shall proceed no further in the parts of this Chapter neither shall I add any thing more as to the happy effects and events of the Apostle's most excellent Sermon in the hearts and lives of these wonderful converts that heard him who though never so wicked before were the prinitiae evangelij shewing the glorious efficacy of the sufferings of Christ that those that were his inveterate enemies and did so insatiably thirst for his pure and spotless bloud that nothing could satisfie but their washing their hands in the same by a violent effusion should partake of the first fruits of it The Apostle discerning what a miserable condition they saw themselves to be in and into what a direful abiss of divine wrath they apprehended themselves to be swallowed up he does not only nakedly call upon them to repent and turn to God and to fly unto him for mercy but gives unto them one of the most gracious Motives and incouragements thereunto telling them the promise is unto them and their Children He did well understand that their horrible sin did not only extend unto them but also unto their off-spring for they had not only poured out the sacred bloud of Christ themselves but also had involved their Children in the guilt of it Mat. 27.25 When Pilate had said I am innocent of the bloud of this Person see ye to it then answered all the people and said his bloud be on us and our Children Surely a lively sense of this made a deep wound in their Consciences To relieve and support them in this miserable plunge when they could not but see the wrath of a just revenging God ready to invade both them and their Children they could not but be in a deplorable case saying we have eternally destroyed and ruined both our selves and posterity The Apostle presents them with a Plaister broad enough for their Sore q. d. well though your sin be so grievous and damnable as to your selves and little ones yet repent and turn to God and it shall be happy both with you and your Children also for said he the promise is to both and will reach you and your dying infants you shall not be cast out of Covenant but you and your little ones shall continue in the same that you were in before the actual exhibition and death of your Saviour whom ye did impiously crucifie and slay Oh what a full breast of consolation was here from the infinite grace of God exposed for these miserable creatures to suck and hang upon the very marrow and quintessence of the Gospel is proposed to them for their effectual inducement to repent and believe Here was the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness in which these poor trembling sinners might wash and bathe their guilty and filthy Souls these were those that now look upon him whom they had pierced and did mourn over him as one mourneth for his only Son and they were in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first born Zech. 12.10 Peter gave them such a Cordial that could not but greatly refresh and comfort them here he
was like to his blessed Lord and Master the good Samaritan that had compassion on him that fell among thieves and was wounded who went to him and bound up his wounds pouring in oyle and wine that so he might both cleanse and cure Now we come to fix upon the words of our Text That we may see clearly what is intended in them let us observe a few particulars by way of general division that are comprehended in them First To whom this is spoken it was to the Jews who were then met together out of many Nations at the Feast of Pentecost ver 5. and there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews devout men out of every nation under heaven Some of these nay many of them were effectually touched at the heart by the penetrating Sermon of Peter or rather by the irresistible compunction of the Spirit of God cooperating with the preaching of Peter as it was at another time when this excellent Apostle was preaching Acts 10.44 While Peter yet spake these words the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word When the holy Ghost doth fall upon the heart and into the heart of those that hear the word then the power and authority of it shall be found and that by the most perverse and obstinate sinner it is he that makes the word to be quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and to be a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 Secondly By whom they were spoken Viz. by Peter in the name of all the rest of the Apostles It pleased the Lord at this time and upon this occasion to constitute him to be the mouth of all he was great in utterance it is very probable the rest of the Apostles might be willing to chuse him to be their Spokesman However the Spirit of the Lord did order it that it should be so that Peter should be the man that should preach this excellent Sermon all the Apostles were concerned in it and did even speak in and with him ver 14. But Peter standing up with the Eleven lift up his voice and said unto them ye men of Judea and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem be this known unto you and hearken to my words c. Peter spake in the company and in the authority of the rest those awakened sinners judged that in the speaking of Peter all were concerned therefore when they were pricked to the heart they said not only to Peter but to the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we do One Minister of Christ that speaks the word of God preacheth in the same authority that all the Ministers of the Gospel do Thirdly Why these words in the text were spoken and affirmed It was by way of Motive to press on the exhortation we have in ver 38. the Jews had lived under the former administration of the Covenant of grace in the which the Messiah that was to come was exhibited in the promise and shadowed in many Types and Figures by which they were taught to expect and to look for the coming of the Messiah in Person At last in the time appointed he is come to bring and to establish a new and a more glorious administration not to dissolve the Covenant as some would have it but to establish it under a more eminent and excellent dispensation than ever it was before his incarnation suffering and ascension But because he came not with external pomp and state That the carnal Jews expected him in he was by them despised rejected persecuted to death which the infinitely wise God did overule to the accomplishment of his eternal purpose as to the Salvation of the elect yet their sin and wickedness was never the less who took the blessed Son of God the only Messiah and by wicked hands did crucifie and slay him though he was delivered by the determinate councel of God the eternal purpose and councel of the everlasting and infinitely wise God took place in the Jews perpetrating their enmity and malice upon our blessed redeemer Acts 4.27 28. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy councel determined before to be done Though all was managed by the adored wisdom of the eternally wise Jehovah who brought his Son into the world and delivered him up to be crucified yet the wickedness of his implacable murdrers was never the less The Apostle finding some of their hearts to be bleeding relenting and greatly affected at their amazing impiety he labours to set conviction home upon their Consciences to drive the nail up to the head he perswades them to repentance and to submit to Christ his dispensation of the Gospel and to declare their submission by their being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Fourthly we are to consider what is here affirmed this is the matter that we are most to be concerned about viz. this promise is to you and your children What this promise is imports the Emphasis of this text there are two acceptations I find to be of these words I will mention both of them 1. Some would have the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to point at the Promise before-mentioned cited out of the Prophet Joel ver 16 17. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel and it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams This say some doth relate to the extraordinary effusion of the Spirit of God that some should enjoy But I find that there are Expositors that encline not to this I shall lay down two or three Reasons why I judge that the Promise in this Text doth not refer to that of the pouring out of the Spirit in great measure 1. The interposition of a large discourse between the mention of that promise and the Text seems to break off all connection between the discourse concerning the Counsel of God in giving up Christ to death and then to give him a Glorious resurrection revealed at large in the Psalms which had been now accomplished by them tho' with wicked intentions This interposeth so that here the Apostle seems to be upon a new matter altogether distinct from that promise of the extraordinary and plentiful effusion of the Holy Ghost 2. Because they that did believe and were baptized did not receive these extraordinary gifts therefore it is not to be supposed that the Apostle would deceive and delude them in making such a promise unto them which was not to be performed and never to be imparted unto them The holy Preacher did
rested upon I shall here lay down Two Positions that shall conclude this present Matter in hand 1. That as God by the Election of Grace doth make the distinction among the Natural Seed of Covenanters with God accordingly is their Childrens participation of the Promise The Elect have the Promise in the extent the other in the external part only which in it self is a Priviledge and a great Advantage There might have been given great Instances of this in Abraham's Family and others but I forbear and shall not need to stand upon it There is the Elect Isaac the Covenant was establisht with him in all its Spiritual and External parts and Ishmael the Son of a Bond-woman in covenant and must be circumcised too and participate of the Seal and become a great Nation and have a Standing till his time come to be cast out 2. That there is great ground and very good foundation for a Parent in covenant with God to pray and to hope for the accomplishment of the Covenant in the extent of it Pious Parents in covenant with God should labour to lay hold upon the gracious Promises thereof and put them daily in suit at the Throne of Grace pleading of them for their poor Children with God Ay and this should be done with a great deal of hope and that partly because the Purpose of God is secret and not to be the Rule of our Covenant-Duties and the Promise is open in the full and ample Extent of it and also because Gods gracious Promise is so full copious and comprehensive as to be the God of the Seed of those Parents he hath highly gratified and graced in taking them into covenant with himself which Faith ought in the largest sence to take hold upon and swallow down and to be warmly and comfortably exercised about the inward spiritual and eternal Blessings of the Covenant for Children But somewhat more of this if the Lord please in the Use of this Doctrine Thus much for the first General Thing Viz. The opening of this Point Now we come unto the II. General Head proposed in my Method which is to offer some Demonstrations to Evince the Truth of my Doctrine and so we shall insist upon the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Great Truth 1. This hath ever been Gods way in covenanting with his People this way God hath observed ever since the Fall yea this was the way that he took in the first Covenant that ever was concluded between him and Man viz. The Covenant of Works that he made with Adam in innocency in his perfect State Adam and all his Posterity were strictly included in that Covenant so that as it fared with him it was to be with all that were to descend from his Loyns or all his Seed he falling all fell in him and with him Upon his Fall the blessed Covenant of Grace that was eternally provided through Christ the great Channel of the Grace of God took place and was published with Gods own Lips Gen. 3.15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Here we have the Seed immediately comprehended this I take to be the very same Covenant for substance that was made and more fully explicated confirmed and established with Abraham where was the first emanation and springing forth of the inexhaustible Fountain of Grace through a Covenant for apostate and trembling Adam who was capable of no other Covenant in that his miserable State It was only naked and pure Grace that could support him from sinking into eternal desperation and destruction Ever since the Fall of Man God hath been pleased to gather a Church and People to himself by covenant and he evermore hath taken in the Children with the Parents when ever he hath made a Covenant with a Family with a People and with a Nation he never excluded and shut out the Children and Seed accounting the Children to be of that Family People or Kingdom This might be abundantly proved were it needful We have fully seen it in the Lords covenanting with Abraham taking in all his Natural Seed with him a famous and obvious Instance hereof we have in Deut. 29.9 10 11 12. One would think that this should for ever silence the Opposers of this Truth Here we have the Adult and all their Little Ones standing before the Lord to enter into covenant with him the Little Ones were confederate with their Parents and entered into covenant in and with them thus when the Covenant was carried over to the Gentiles Children were still involved as in our Text Acts 2.39 For the promise is to you and your children And so it shall be unto all that are afar off when they shall be called and brought home unto God they shall come with their Children with them and enter into covenant with the Lord Rom. 11.17 19. If here Children of the Gentiles be not taken into the Covenant with the Jews in the place of those that were broken off then there would be no Analogy or Proportion between the rejection of one and the acceptation of the other 2. Demonst This hath been Gods way in his conveying all saving Good unto the Elect this is Gods ordinary way of communicating unto the Salvation of the Infants of Believers they being actually in the Visible Church and in covenant with God out of which ordinarily no Salvation can be expected and hoped for All the Promises that be made to Infants of any Spiritual Blessing conducting to their Eternal Happiness are lodged in the Covenant and the Promises are the Instruments of the Spirit of God in its great Covenant-work of distilling and infusing Grace into the Hearts of the Elect dying Infants Even before the World began God ordained and instituted all Good to be conveyed to us in a way and by vertue of a Covenant therefore 't is called the everlasting covenant and the everlasting gospel Heb. 13.20 Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus the great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant Rev. 14.6 And I saw another angel flie in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people This everlasting gospel I think may here be though not exclusively yet eminently meant the Everlasting Covenant of Grace through which in the preaching of it is transmitted all saving Good to all the Elect in all the Nations Kingdoms Kindreds and Languages in the World Nay Christ himself that unspeakable Gift is all the Elects both Infants and Adult in a way of a Covenant Isa 42.6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles His Blood is the Blood of the
no Gospel Covenant But let us hearken to Christ the best Expositor and applyer of Scripture who is the Substance and infallible Oracle of all divine truths Mat. 22.31 32. But saith he touching the Resurrection of the dead have ye not read what was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob God is not the God of the dead but the God of the living where our Saviour affirms that the present glorification of Abraham's Isaac's and Jacob's Spirits and the future Resurrection of their bodies to live with God both Soul and body for ever to be included in that Promise and the very accomplishment of that promise I am the God of Abraham c. Hence this clearly appears to be a Covenant of grace of Spiritual and eternal Blessings 2. The promise of the Spirit is made to the Children of those Parents that be in Covenant therefore they must be also in Covenant Such unto whom God promiseth his own Spirit their's is the promise and Covenant of grace for that is a Covenant of promise Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you and a new Spirit will I put within you ver 27. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my ways The promise of the Spirit is one of the most gracious promises that the Covenant of grace is inriched withall Christ and the Spirit are the two Emphatical promises When Christ was upon the earth and hastning towards his ascension this was the great promise that he made to be left behind him and this is the promise that by the gracious gift of God doth appertain to the Children of those that are in Covenant with the Lord Isa 44.3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and flouds upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring Little Children that spring like little twigs from their parents that be graffed into the Covenant Chap. 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Here is a blessed Promise to the Parents and the Children of this rare Priviledge of the Spirit with a perpetual Entail Acts. 2.38 39. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost For the promise is unto you and to your children Viz. The Promise of Remission of Sin and of the Holy Ghost The Truth is Dying Infants without this promise could never be saved 3. The Promise of Regeneration belongs to such Children Such to whom the Lord promiseth Regeneration and Renovation must needs be in covenant to them doth belong the Promise and Covenant of Grace for that is a Blessing of the Covenant of Grace Ezek. 36.26 A new heart also will I give unto you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh This doth expresly set forth the Work of the Holy Spirit in renewing and sanctifying and regenerating the Hearts of the Elect this is that which is promised to the Off-spring of those in covenant with the Lord therefore they themselves must also be in covenant Deut. 30.6 And the Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul The Seal of Circumcision the Token of the Covenant did eminently signifie and Assure this to all the Elect Infants that were in covenant therefore Regeneration and Sanctification are oftentimes set forth by Circumcision and when the Lord calls for them he doth it under the Name and Notion of Circumcision This might have been evidenced by many place 〈◊〉 Without this Promise and the accomplishment of it in the Hearts of dying Infants they can never be saved for those Scriptures that exclude all unsanctified Persons out of the Kingdo◠of Heaven are as applicable to the young Children as to those that are the most Adult I need not stand to call in here any of those many Scriptures that have set an unmovable Barre before the Gate of Heaven against all unsanctified Sinners 4. The Promise of being taught of God is an Excellent Promise of the Covenant of Grace those that do partake of a Standing in this Covenant this is one of the Evangelical Promises that they are entituled unto those shall have a greater Teacher than Man viz. they shall be taught of God and by his Spirit This is the Promise that is made with such Infants that are in covenant with their Parents though some do scornfully say What can they learn Or what are they capable to be taught Let such know that they have reasonable Souls and God by his Spirit can easily teach them and they be under the promise of being taught of God Jer. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest God can teach the least Infant to know him Isa 54.13 And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord. Let us consider can any but those that be taught of God be admitted unto the Eternal Injoyment of God He will take no ignorant Sinner into the company of the Glorifi'd It is said of Timothy that from a Child he knew the holy Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.15 Every one of you I presume will readily grant that his Knowledge was saving and that he was effectually taught of God and I must tell you that he was very little when first he was taught and this will appear if we consider the Word in the Text And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his infancy Some that be learned and critical do tell us 〈◊〉 the Word doth signifie the very Embryo 〈◊〉 the Womb. God is able to teach and to sanctifie there propriè dicitur de partu recèns edito a Child so soon as brought forth of the Womb. It is an easie matter for God to fulfil the Excellent Promises of the Covenant and to cause the Babe that falls out of the Womb to fall into the Arms of Grace and he that sucks on the Breast to draw in the Heavenly Knowledge of Christ otherwise how can many be taken from the Breast and the Womb to Heaven as doubtless a Multitude of Coverant-Babes are 5. The Promise of Justification and the Remission of Sin is an Excellent Promise of the Covenant of Grace The Blood of Christ is assured
to bedew them with all those Heavenly Blessings thou hast promised those whom thou hast placed and planted in such a capacity so near unto thee These Natural Endowments be great Mercies but hast thou not promised a New Heart a New Spirit also to write thy Law and to put thy fear into their Hearts Oh! be a God to me and mine in the communication of all Covenant precious Blessings in the greatest Latitude of them When God had said he will be a God why may not we hope for the accomplishment of the fullest Sense thereof Say to God Hast thou not made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and this is all my salvation and all my desire 2 Sam. 23.5 We ought to understand believe and plead the Covenant in the greatest Latitude of it for our selves and ours 4. Improve the Covenant to Duty and Obedience let the Promises of the Covenant strictly and for ever bind us to Obedience where there is the greatest Grace dispenced there is the greatest Inducement and Obligation to Duty and Obedience The Covenant that saith God will be our God requires us and ours to be his People there is a Covenant-engagement upon us and ours to be the Lords But alas how little is this thought upon Most covet to have their Children to be baptized and glory in their Baptism but seldom make this to be any part of their care and endeavour that their Children be the Lords How little care have many Parents about the holy Education of their Children How they bring them up in the Fear Nurture and Admonition of the Lord How few command their Children and Houshold to walk in the ways of the Lord What Falsehood and Breach of Covenant is here That Charge may be drawn up and Exhibited against such careless and treacherous Parents Psal 78.36 37. Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth and they lyed unto them with their tongues For their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant How many Parents do flatter God and his Ministers Promising great Things at the baptizing of their Children but soon forget all never taking any care according to their Covenant of the Souls of their Children that they may partake of the Blessings of the Covenant they are very earnest for the Outward Seal but little concerned for the Inward Grace What will Baptism avail for you and your Children if you are contented only with the outward Badge and Mark of the Disciples and Followers of Christ Rom. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jow that is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew that is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Outward Priviledges and Ordinances will never prove you to be good Christians you and yours must have the Inward Circumcision of the Heart Regeneration the New Birth and Sanctification short of which nothing will avail to Salvation Gal. 5.6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature 2 Cor. 5.17 If any man be in Christ he is a new creature We are said to be baptized into Christ and to put on Christ we must see that we have an Union with Christ and are renewed by the Spirit of Christ if ever we hope or desire to be inriched with the Saving Benefits of Baptism 3. Exhortation is to those that are the happy Possessors of the Incomparable Mercy of the Covenant admire and magnifie the Grace of God herein that he should not be content to ingage his Grace to and for you but to yours with you You and yours were all Rebels and Traitors to God and he hath received both into Favour and Grace with himself God might have taken you into covenant and have left out your Children and that would have been an high Expression of his Grace and Favour unto you but this is confer'd upon you and your Seed too this gives you the fullest occasion and obligation to magnifie him above the Heavens and to cause his Praise to be continually in your Hearts and Mouths How should this alwayes affect and ravish your Hearts To consider many of you that the Lord should be pleased to pass by you when you were polluted in your Blood and should say unto you Live that when you were in your Blood and Filth through your pollution and contamination fit for nothing but to be abhorr'd by God that that should be a Time of Love to you that he should then spread a Skirt of Grace and Favour over you and cover your Nakedness and swear unto you and enter into Covenant with you and not only you but also yours should be taken into the Bonds of the same and become his Ezek. 16.6 8 9 10 c. What Grace is this that we should be taken poor Gentiles and cut off the Wild Olive-tree and graffed into the Good Olive-tree which is contrary to Nature That some of the natural branches should be broken off and we should be taken and grafted in in their place and partake of the root and fatness of the Olive-Tree What matter of perpetual Thanksgiving to God is here administred to us Rom. 11.17 c. Remember oftentimes what you were by Nature into what a miserable plunge of all infelicity you were cast how remote and distant from God many of you before Conversion were without the Covenant having no Promise This might be the condition of sundry of you born out of the Covenant and every way in a desperate condition as to the concerns of your Souls and Eternal Life I cannot present you with a fuller and a clearer description of your former state before the Lord brought you under the means of Grace and effectually called you then you have in Eph. 2.11 12 13. Wherefore remember that being in times past Gentiles in the flesh who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world But now in Christ Jesus ye who some times were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ The poor Gentiles of whom we were part were afar off because not within the pale of the Covenant This was the opposition that was between the Jew and the Gentile the former was nigh being in Covenant but the other afar off not being taken into that inclosure ver 17. Oh! magnifie God that thou that wert afar off art brought nigh by the Blood of Christ The Blessing of Abraham is come to the Gentiles and come unto thee and thy Family through Christ Gal. 3.14 What cause hast thou to wonder that art yet within the bonds of the Covenant and thy Little