little ones that believe on me the like in Mark 9.42 Ver. 36. we find that it was such a Child that Christ took in his Arms such an one that has Angels for its Guardians such an one as the Scripture calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 18.15 such as were brought to Christ in the Arms of others not on their own Feet the Bringers whereof the Disciples rebuk'd not themselves being uncapable of Converse Jesus says the Kingdom of God consists of such And if there were no actual Sin in them I should be apt to have Charity for all of them for the much more on the second Adam's Side will scarce suffer any to be condemned where that is alone without the least Fruit or Effect The greatest Objection lying against these Texts is that the Infants spoken of seem to be capable of Offence to which if we take the Interpretation of Chrysostom with other Fathers for an answer to offend here is not barely to give an evil Example but to reject which was a Fault Christ reproves his Disciples for the Interpretation is the more receptible because Offending and Receiving are put in opposition to one another The common Opinion of Calvinists is that they have the Seeds of Faith or some Gift like Faith or a certain Inclination to Faith so that there is scarce any Party left but Socinians to join with in denying Infants to have any Faith * Indeed Mr. Lock denies Ideas innate but determines not how early they may be conveyed by Senses neither does he ever pretend to bar Heaven's Influence from creating Ideas in a Soul where its Case is not a span long nor its bodily Tools fit for Work Indeed Socinus says about the State of Adam that it 's ridiculous to attribute Faith in God to Infants and is like to the Dream of a feverish Man but I cannot dream of any particular Persons interested in the Righteousness of Christ without an Union to Christ and how one can be in Christ without Faith or the Spirit which works Faith is more than I can conceive of or than the Scripture informs me of which as generally attributes the Applicatory Work of Grace to the Spirit as the Redemptory to the Son 2 I find some sanctified from the Womb and even that sanctifying Grace in such Exercise as to move the very Organs of an Embryo in the Womb. Luke 1.44 The Babe leaped in my Womb for Joy Jer. 1.5 Before thou camest out of the Womb I sanctified thee How Sanctification can be without Faith is inconceivable that being it the Heart is purified by that the Soul lives by that we are clothed with Righteousness by there can no Assertion be more without Exception than that John 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Flesh and Blood cannot enter there and whatsoever is born of the Flesh is Flesh so that one must be born of the Spirit before he can enter thither But 't is observable that the Spirit blows where he listeth neither the Indisposition of the Body nor the Corruption of the Soul can impede his Creative Influence and it seems to me very unreasonable to deny a Spirit 's Converse with the Father of Spirits without a Capacity of conversing with Man in order to the one the Soul must learn how the Glass of the Senses represents such Objects to it nay there is need of Learning and Observation to know the right Hand from the Left it 's a Relation few of 40 Years understand a Hand is a necessary Organ to the Body but a very foreign extrinsical thing to the Soul If we come from Scripture to Experience and Observation we find it essential and necessary to the Soul to think it 's as natural for a Spirit to think as for a Body to be long broad and thick 2ly Wherever Thoughts are they are good or bad Gen. 6. The Imagination of the Thoughts of their Heart are evil continually All that proceeds from a Spirit is moral Christ says that defiles not a Man which goes in at his Mouth but what comes out of his Heart 1 Cor. 15. As the Father of Spirits is a quickning Spirit the Soul is a living Spirit the Image of him who is a pure Act. How can it live without Thought our Body cannot without Motion or be sanctified without good Thoughts If that sleep what can awake it 3ly We find it was a common Opinion in Christ's Time that an Infant was capable of sinning before it was born which he never thought worthy Refutation or Denial Did this Man sin or his Parents that he was born blind If being born blind was the Punishment of foregoing Sin then the Infant could act Sin why not Faith too 4ly Can they inform us of the Difference between a Soul newly formed by the Hand of God and after ten or twenty Years of Age that a Creative Operation of God should be needful to work Faith in the one but not able enough to create it in the other One should not make Exceptions to the Scriptures general Assertions without some clear and solid Reason this the Socinians grant His common way of saving is by Faith and common way of working Faith is by Creation and what Impediment can resist or render the Subject uncapable of that Influence Original Sin is more powerful by Habits radicated in the Adult than in Infants the part of this now under Consideration is the Want of that most like Image of God the Sense of Likeness and Image an Hebraism God cures that Privation by planting it in the Soul the Scripture informs us it consists in Knowledg Righteousness and Holiness Are the Infants sanctified without being transformed into the Likeness of God that is a Contradiction and it is as great a one to imagine the Image of God without Knowledg Psal 8.3 Out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings thou hast ordained Praise This is not objectively only as the Heavens declare God's Glory but actively with their Mouths which Mat. 21.15 was fulfilled by the little Children that went with their Mothers to the Temple though Luke 18. the Disciples began it 's like the Hosannas yet even Sucklings of two or three Years old filled up the Chorus And could their Tongues praise him and not their Souls think of him I cannot imagine that the Difference between a Suckling's Soul and a new-born or unborn Babe's is much 5ly Can all the Pains of an unregenerate Man study himself into a Spiritual discerning 1 Cor. 2.12 The natural Man knoweth not c. And can the want of that Pains hinder the Holy Ghost from induing the Soul with that holy Unction Suppose the Child die and be carried in the Arms of its Angels to Glory will it want Knowledg there or do the unprepared Organs while in the Body prevent the Holy Spirit 's Influence 6ly Take the Experiment of a pregnant longing Woman and we may find
Willings and Nillings Inclinations and Aversions as powerful in an Infant unborn as in the most adult Age. Is the Soul already able by its Maker's ordinary Influence to reach and govern the Imagination of Child and Mother both so early * If from the Mother the Creator's Influence is more still but that the Longing is from the Child not the Mother we may conclude first from this there are not such powerful Appetites in her when not pregnant 2ly Suppose immediately bringing forth by it the Mother longs no more the Child continues to crave refuses all things else most greedily eats that tho Food that needs a most strong digestive Disposition and is easy and satisfied with it and his regenerating Influence not create as powerful spiritual Inclinations towards himself May not the Object be as particularly distinguish'd and determin'd and as closely apprehended in Spirituals and shall not that be called Faith 7ly It is a common Dictate that many Probabilities make a Demonstration or sure Argument and I shall give as many more when these are answer'd but I am afraid I have given too many for such an end I shall conclude with Rom. 9.11 from which I make these Remarks 1. He denies not thinking but doing 2. He denies not that Infants may do Good or Evil in the Womb for he makes two Negations neither 3. He asserts that God had both elected and called the one 1st Before Birth 2ly Yet more early before doing Good or Evil says Jac. Alt. before the strugling in the Womb Gen. 25. God having called the one in the Womb. The Enmity between the two Seeds made Rebecca's Belly the Stage of the begun War the Lord tells her there were two manner of People in her Womb this Text tells us that God's Calling made the Difference †For viz. The Elder shall serve the Younger is by Paul said ver 13. to arise from God's Love and ver 11. to break forth first in Calling Or the 11th ver is the Sense of two Scriptures Gen. 25.23 and Mal. 1.2 Love is explain'd by Purpose and Mastery explain'd by Calling The Spirit of God in Hosea 12.3 applies as little a Story as this Strugling to the Spirit of God as Author Gen. 25.26 his Hand took hold on Esau's Heel Hosea from this most sharply reproves Jacob's Posterity as degenerating from their Father You says he confederate with the Assyrians and carry Oil to Egypt for assistance but Jacob took his Brother by the Heel in the Womb how entirely did he depend on God's Assistance how early did he long for the Inheritance how highly did he esteem the Promises And he adds another Instance of the same ver 4. from Gen. 32.24 from which we may further conclude if his Victory over the Angel was by Faith so was his Wrestling with Esau in Faith Joh. Schmidt draws this Doctrine from it Infants are capable of the Spirit 's Illumination and Operations for by this Grace he wrestled with Esau Faith is always esteem'd the immediate Effect of Calling Now here were Works and War in the Womb Works and Victory are through Faith for the Children being not yet born neither having done Good or Evil that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth I have treated this as an Opinion all along for Faith as it is God's Gift the Father's drawing to the Son by perswading and alluring and the Son 's apprehending the Soul immediately is all that I think necessary to plead for since Faith justifies as it unites to Christ and I am sure if the Father's drawing and the Son 's apprehending unite not our coming our believing which is the Fruit of it will not his Calling unites as much as our answering and the Denial of this in Infants seems very strange it is safe enough to assert Salvation in some without Means or under other Means than we enjoy but to assert Salvation without Grace either redeeming Grace in the Son or applying Grace in the Spirit is trampling on Christ's Blood and doing despite to the Spirit setting up another Gospel and to think the Spirit works different Effects in different Souls is as absurd there is one Faith as there is one Spirit what are contrary to the Effects of the Spirit in the Gospel are Fruits of the Flesh and Faith is the first Fruit of the Spirit or to think that the Spirit of God is in a Soul dwells there works there without Effects is as strange I have always as Hen. Alt. put this among my Problems i. e. abstruse Questions yet do think it of greater moment than that about Infant-Baptism for the one is about the manner of a Gospel-Ordinance the great Virtue whereof lies in doing it with a good Conscience there is nothing in the Ceremony of moment abstractly considered the other is about Gospel-Grace if one kind of Grace for the Old another for the Young one kind for the Dumb Deaf Distracted and who had no Opportunity of exercising their Senses about external Means of Grace another for them who have if God who has not limited Means by Grace has limited Grace by Means if the Spirit cannot sanctify my Soul and fill it with Faith Love and Patience because when an Infant I lost my hearing if one Man can be justified by another's Faith viz. the Parents or Christ's as Antin say as well as another's Righteousness viz. his 1 Kings 14. there was some good thing a real spiritual acceptable Good in Jeroboam's young Child there is little reason to think it was convey'd by means of Grace the Education of a Pagan Idolatrous Family did not afford it tho under some Places of Popery it may the Child may be was not yet capable of any But I shall return to the Adult If Faith be necessary in Infants surely it 's necessary in the Adult if without Hope we are without God if without Faith we are without Christ the Word preach'd has never profited us the Gospel is in vain and its Grace too to us if not mix'd with Faith but where it is all things are chang'd from a State of Death to Life the Soul lives by Faith it 's worse than a dead stinking Carcase until Faith dawn in it 2ly It brings Light into the Soul that was like a Dungeon before it is the Evidence of things not seen 3ly It 's an humbling Grace for by it the Soul is convinc'd of its Sin and Guilt a Man will never own that he was conceiv'd in Sin born in Iniquity by nature a Child of Wrath until the Light of Faith shine that will make the Soul say with Job I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now having seen thee I abhor my self in Dust and Ashes 4ly By Faith the Soul glorifies God Rom. 4.20 as Abraham did it will honour him in his Precepts Promises Providences it will bring every Imagination every Thought and carnal Reasoning into subjection to
Candlesticks for others Churches are set up out of Loyalty to Christ but what is the End but the Growth of one another and the Conversion of Strangers I should say more than would be believ'd by Srangers if I should give account of this Woman's Charity to Souls and as there was a Fulness with respect to the End so to the Principle tho harmless as a Dove yet not like Ephraim a silly Dove without Heart Her Comfort under her Crosses her Constancy under Discouragements her conscientious Subjection to Ordinances in the World's Esteem and bulk of Professors too vile and contemptible her Courage under Persecutions her Contentment under Circumstances that would have fill'd hundreds with anxious Care her Charity never abating upon Temptations from straitning Difficulties at home which at last her Faith may be said to conquer more than her Pains no Hypocrite could ever paint the Fruits of the Spirit to such a Life Heat and Motion never yet were drawn by any Pencil Her Pulse and Zeal Warmth and Works left no may be 's in any Soul that had the Spirit of discerning One of her Christian Sisters had assurance without Clouds tho with a most painful torturing Distemper 40 years together Her own Life of Faith wanted neither Joy nor Peace I wish that some poor Earth-worm some covetous Miser might lay to Heart the Ease and Pleasure that consists in being a faithful Steward that the rampant Prodigal would consider that tho he may rebel the Godly only doth rejoice Theirs is like the crackling of Thorns under a Pot a Noise not very harmonious nor delightful and the end is Ashes but the Joy of the Believer is all his Life is in his Death Death 's Ghostly looks his severe Blows his tormenting Wracks cannot imbitter this Cup of Joy as I am inform'd it was with her my Joy in the end is Joy without end This is another Ingredient of Fulness a Fulness in degree a Fulness of Joy when all our Sorrow flows only from want of more Holiness when with Lot it 's only from the Sins of the Sodomites we live among our Tears with David are either because the Wicked transgress the Law of God or our own Infirmities prevail into Deformities Consider O secure Sinner that every converted one is a Child of Light begotten of the Father of Lights and the Seed of Grace is a Seed of Light Now the meanest Light in the World will dispel Darkness from it self and in some measure communicate it to others the Stars will sparkle in the darkest Night a Candle will conquer a large Room of Darkness nay the faintest Light of a dri'd or scaly Fish or rotten Wood will remain invincible against all the Power of Darkness there is no Faith without some Assurance nor no Grace without some secret Joy If our Joy and our Hopes be in the serene Air of Heaven the Tempests below cannot extinguish it 3ly A following the Lord uniformly and proportionably is a following the Lord fully 1 Tim. 5.21 That thou observe all these things without preferring one before another and that thou do nothing partially The new Creature is neither maim'd nor monstrous there is a comely Symmetry in a Christian's Growth all his Zeal and Devotion is not terminated on one Ordinance according to the Weight and Moment of the Matters of the Law they are of Value with him he is no Pharisee to neglect the weightier Matters he values an Interest in Christ above all next an holy Life he esteems a Profession under all Marks of Christianity and is jealous of every other Mark lest it be the Beast's and Dragon's he prefers a whole Set and Species of Precepts and Ordinances to the Mode of one that may be debatable too The Churches Hedg has many Stakes in it the neglect of that is not the neglect of one Command but of a whole Series and the Means of quickning and giving Life to all 4ly A following the Lord fully is to follow him in all Places and Times whether the Company be for Truth or against it they are for it not imprudently casting Pearls before Swine But Truth is then like a Fire in the Breast and a Flame shut up in the Bones when derided and oppos'd and when Season requires is defended and vindicated Religion rules the Conversation in the Shop or Market Court or Kitchin as well as in Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says Aristotle in his Ethics A Caleb is a true Cube throw him where you will he falls on a Square True Gold wastes not in the Fire rusts not in the Water He is not a Pharisee good in open view nought in secret nor of the vain Religion James speaks of that lies all in the Tongue and yet not able to govern or steer that aright He always minds an over-looking and over-hearing God he fears continually and his Faith and Love keep pace with his Fear 5ly A following the Lord fully consists in a constant Desire and Endeavour after a Fulness fully and following after will consist without repugnancy in no other sense We find the Angels following after Knowledg prying and searching into Divine Mysteries and we read of them rejoicing in their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 's I have found him I have found him 4000 Years after their Creations at least Eph. 3. And shall the Angels in the triumphing Church above run to and fro for the Increase of Knowledg and the Angels below stand at a stay and say it is enough Did the Prophets in the Old Testament search into Brim and Bottom Time and Place Manner and Matter of their own Prophecies and shall not we A thriving Ministry would make a thriving People and a thriving People would make a diligent Ministry Do not cry to your Ministers Pray preach easy things and smooth things do not satisfy your selves only with old repeated things when it 's the Command of Christ that the Scribe be Learned and able to bring forth New and Old Make your Pastors live without Care in caring for them in worldly things that their Care may be alone spent in providing Food for your Souls It is not to be told in Gath what Grashopers we are in comparison of our Fathers by this very thing Heb. 6.1 how pathetically does Paul exhort the converted Hebrews to leave the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ and go on to Perfection Is there not some Truth in the false Calumnies of the Profane who spend their Sabbaths in the Fields Beds or Taverns who say We can tell all that we shall hear at Church we know more than we can do But new Arguments might make them believe that more firmly and if they believ'd what they pretend to know their Faith would make a new Life Did they believe that the Lord is good to those that wait on him and to the Soul that seeketh him they would not slight such a gainful Trade Let us then through Hearing Reading Praying and Meditating follow on to
Christ 5ly By it the Soul is preserv'd in danger 1 Pet. 1.5 it 's the Soul's Shield of Defence and Sword of Defiance 6ly By this we have Access to God and approach the Throne of Grace with Boldness 7ly By this we are patient in Tribulation we can suffer Reproaches while we trust in the Living God and have hop'd-for things realiz'd and presented to the Soul 8ly It 's a Rarity and yet a very seasonable Grace Egypt was a Type of Popery and the Wilderness a Type of the Brinks of the Church's Deliverance Faith was then rare but 2 of 700000 entred Canaan for want of it Heb. 4. So Christ says When he comes scarce shall Faith be found upon the Earth Would we know the Reason of our turning thus into the Wilderness again when we thought we were on Mount Pisga we want Faith It 's the very time for the Faith and Patience of the Saints and they want it like the foolish Virgins some want Oil all are asleep when the Bridegroom calls 9ly As it 's rare it 's difficult it 's as easy for God to produce it in the youngest Infant as in the oldest Man it 's a Fruit of the Spirit of God not of our Spirits all things in Man are against it nothing for it the stronger his carnal Reasonings grow the more difficult is the Work of Faith The Philosophers were the Gospel's greatest Enemies To suppose it in Adam before the Fall had been to suppose what was repugnant to and would have overthrown his State Fallen Man needs the Spirit to convince him that he is in Unbelief needs Christ being given for him needs a being given and drawn to Christ by the Powerful Arm of the Lord. Let not us be among the common sort of Israelites that despised the pleasant Land and believed not his Word Psal 106.24 who could not enter in because of Unbelief Heb. 3. last Zachariah who walk'd in all the Ordinances blameless was struck dumb 9 Months for an Act of Unbelief Luk. 1.20 Christ upbraids his Disciples for defect in another Act Mark 16.14 We have great and precious Promises of a better Canaan a more glorious Theocracy let us strive to enter by Faith The Emperor's Victory over the Turks his planting his Ephodical Tent between the Seas in the glorious Land would open a Pisga Sight of it to us Dan. 11.45 Shall not we believe God's Word or can we deny his giving of it His Word his Promise his Covenant his Oath we have his Seal we have the Experience of our Fathers we have Was not God always faithful Obj. But we cannot believe of our selves Answ 1st We can forbear many things which may hinder the Exercise of it as a Woman may prevent Miscarriage 2ly We can be humbled for gross Sins and let Convictions take place 3ly We can use Means and be diligent in the practice of all Ordinances 4ly We can be watchful in the use of them waiting with Fear and Trembling if the Angel will move in these Waters 5ly We can try it endeavour go about it seek out the Promises meditate on them propose them 6ly We can do this in subordination to God waiting if he will bless the Loaves in the eating 7ly Exercise Acts of Self-renouncing in the Performances Gal. 2.16 even the very Act it self That we might be justified not by the Works of the Law but by the Faith of Jesus Christ 3. A great Esteem of Divine Blessings and Favours They despis'd the pleasant Land Psal 106.24 Deut. 8.7 Hos 2.8 This Caleb did not he greatly esteem'd the Land there is yet a better Country and City Heb. 11. in our Promises My Parallel was a great Admirer of this New Jerusalem and no unthankful Undervaluer of our Day of small things she was not of his Temper who preferr'd a part of Paris to a Portion in Paradise All come short of this Pattern who love Egypt If any Man love the World the Love of God is not in him 2. If any are lazy and strive not to enter by the strait Gate into this Rest 3. When Heaven is not counted worthy the Dangers and Difficulties we incur by the way when the Anakims conquer our Faith Let us think on singing the Song of Moses and the Lamb of the 5th Kingdom in Succession 4. A Publick Spirit Her Pains were not so much for building her own Family as the Church of God a great and pious Zeal of this kind was like the Sacred Fire on the Altar that never went out I may say she went about continually doing good to the Rich minding them of their Duty with that Prudence that I never heard her complain'd of as a busy Body or the like to the Poor relieving them the Decay of this is of a mighty threatning Aspect Many counted Patriots of their Countrey have discovered Self too much a powerful End and Principle and the Effect of it is among the Body of the People they think there is no such thing as Tribuni Plebis If any Man seem to shew a Zeal for his Countrey the Vulgar Verdict is Does he want a Place never was a Nation less liable to idolize the Princes of their Tribes yet no doubt there are Calebs among them without some remarkable Revolution none or one is like to be our Lot The Heat of Contention between Non and Con never did appear more abated this Government seems like the Tree that sweetned the Waters of Mara yet where is the Man of so publick a Spirit as to reform the Abuses both Sides complain of One is that the Curses of the Law should stand in place of the Discipline of the Gospel publick Prayers are constantly according to form said in Lent for mending this hence is a publick Acknowledgment that the Church wants the primitive Discipline 2ly That there should be no Partition between the World and Church of Christ no Door of Entrance into the sacred Society of Saints this has made the Church the World the vilest and most abominable of Men like the Abomination that maketh desolate sitting where they ought not profaning the Lord's Table confirming their own Damnation it were a Season to perpetuate the Honour of some Publick Spirit but most mind their own things few Christ's 5. Of a Peaceable Spirit Caleb was none of the seditious Rebels that were for casting off Moses and making another Captain under whom they might return to Egypt My Parallel imitating our unerring Pattern has often rebuk'd such hasty Disciples that were immediately for bringing Fire from Heaven on Samaria she was no Despiser of Authority though a Longer for that fifth kind of Government that all the Kings of the World shall never prevent happy they who kiss the Son and put their Trust in him It is nigh and necessary Let us follow Caleb's Example not a Corah's or an Absalom's filling our own Place doing our own Business and with Faith Prayer and Patience wait for Christ's second Coming 6. A Spirit of
being offended with Sin or morally swaying no Scepter distributing no Rewards or Punishments by the Measures of moral Laws are of the like Tendency and render a Man liable to all Temptations Robbery Murder or Adultery under the probable prospect of Advantage and Pleasure with Secrecy or Impunity must be his common Trade therefore the Discovery of his Sentiments is a just Ground of driving him from all Civil Society But both by Scripture and Reason we are not only convinc'd of the Necessity of the Connection but the several Joints and Links of that Chain or Relation are revealed to us 1. Negatively there is not nor cannot be the Relation of a moral Proportion not in Sinners not in Adam when innocent not in Angels Mr. Baxter most Orthodoxly says the Doctrine is blasphemous to think that meer Nothing form'd into a Being and thereby indebted for working or serving Faculties or Capacities that its putting them in exercise or that the Fruits and Effects of their Growth should as much oblige God as the Subject of them is oblig'd to God 2. There is not the Relation that is purely federal by virtue of a Promise If thou live holily without Spot thou shalt be happy that was Man's Condition before Sin in the Covenant of Works There is not nor cannot be any such thing in the Covenant of Grace God having to do therein with guilty Rebels who have neither Power nor Will to change the Temper of their Minds Nor 3. Is there the Relation of Merit by reason of our Works having an Interest in Christ as the Papists phrase it tinct a sanguine Christi tho we and all we do are acceptable to God on that Score for meriting on that Bottom supposes this that though we cannot merit at the Hand of God without him yet we can merit at his Hand and that is of equal Absurdity with the former for there is no Proportion between our Service to him and his for us he needs not such Service at our Hands nor requires it nor could we perform it if he did The Dignity of his doing and suffering was from his Deity We have nothing in us proportion'd to his Humanity we are as much his by the Title of Redemption as God's by Creation so all we can do is due But though these are justly laid aside the Connection is stronger than a threefold Cord that is not easily broken for there is first a natural Connection Heaven grows upon Love to God Hell upon Hatred Happiness upon Holiness as sutably and naturally as the Fruit Leaves and Branches of a Tree grow from the Root or Seed of its kind Be not deceived God is not mocked for what a Man sows that shall he also reap A Man by sowing the Seed of Darnel Thistles or Nettles may as soon and as truly expect a brave Harvest of Wheat or Barley as a Man with an habitual wicked Life may expect Heaven for the sake of Jesus Christ 2. There is the Relation between Means and End Preparation and Possession a Journey homeward and Rest at home to him that 's abroad Suppose one should freely ransom a Slave from Algiers he can never enjoy his Privileges Possessions and Relations in his own Countrey without the Pains and Fatigue of a Sea-Voyage the Danger of the Waves and Billows of the Bay of Biscay Suppose one freely give an Estate or a Place of Honour at Court to a Beggar or Stranger he can never reap the Fruit of it without Pains he must fit and prepare himself for it 3. The Phrases of Connection are of a legal Tenour by reason of the Remunerableness of the Matter from the Tenour of the old Covenant as we see the New Testament delights in Old-Testament-Phrase for instance buried with him in Baptism the Jewish Way of baptizing being burying-like So what is now rewarded of Grace retains the old Phrase it had when it was by a Covenant of Works 4. There is a Relation with respect to the Subject to such and such Works are promised rich and everlasting Rewards because he who only can do them has a Right and Title to the Reward by the Promise and Grace of God 5. There is a Relation in respect of Christ and our being in him There was a Proportion between Works and Reward in the Mediatorial Covenant and therein he is considered as our Head So when one is in Christ the Promises are made to him in a legal Form by reason of Christ on whose Account he has a legal Right and Title to them tho abstractly considered none at all Thus we may see there are Motives sufficient to drive from Sinfulness or draw to Holiness without the Doctrine of Merit or Legal Conditions therefore we are to keep that fundamental Doctrine at the Bottom of our Hearts whenever we go about comparing our Works with the Reward we expect as we find Caleb did Josh 14. he begins to plead for Hebron as if it were on Merit I spied out the Land I brought word again as it was in my Heart I followed the Lord fully but bottoms that on Moses's Oath and that Oath on the Lord 's speaking that Word to Moses but Foundations lie deep and are not discover'd on all Occasions If the Lord will lies latent in the Thoughts of every Believer in all his Enterprizes yet one would not lightly and customarily express it lest it turn into a form of prophaning that Sacred Name and Sacred Assistance except on solemn Occasions when the Mind attends it with adoring Thoughts as David 1 Chron. 29. when he and his Princes had offered for the Temple 13005000 lb. of Gold and 2537530 lb. of Silver they offered it willingly but with solemn Acknowledgments that both it and the Heart and Willingness to offer it was of God and humble themselves under the sense of so great a Mercy as that Temper of Mind I have only these two things to make Application of in this Affair 1st That the Woman was very sound in this Faith 2ly That she was very holy in her Life The 3d Head is the Temper of Caleb's Mind which is only described from its Diversity and being alien from the Spirit of the Day not only another from the Canaanites or Egyptians but another from the Israelites Eph. 2. it 's the Character of one yet in the Gall of Bitterness and under the Power of Satan that he follows the Course of the World he was none of that Spirit and Temper his was contrary and opposite to the Course of the World they were blind and ignorant he of great Sagacity and Judgment they Unbelievers Tempters Provokers and Rebels he a Believer and an obedient one they were proud carnal selfish he not 1st A Spirit of Discerning a Spirit of Judgment and sound Mind was with him indeed there was little Opportunity for discovering this until the Wars and Wilderness were at an End yet his Judgment and Reason the grand Foundations of Learning outshin'd no less than
Worship of an unknown God and a blind Sacrifice are both alike unacceptable to him What a Nullity does Christ put upon the Samaritan Worship when he told them they worshipt they knew not what And as it cannot do good it cannot receive Good Faith is the Soul's Hand but a Hand without the Conduct of an Eye may lay hold on that which never will support it It 's by Knowledg many are justified it 's by Knowledg eternal Life is begun It is necessary in our Days if we would be able to defend the Truth or withstand the Gainsayers to be not only acquainted with the Fundamentals of Religion and the way of a Sinner's Salvation but to extend our Pains to the uttermost Compass of things contained within Sacred Writ for surely what God thought fit to reveal and record in a peculiar manner for our use it becomes us to study we cannot count it mispent time to learn when Omniscience condescends to be Teacher But besides there is this peculiar Reason for it because the Deists and they who deny the Divinity of the Scriptures derogate so far from them as to leave uncertain what 's Divine what not of this kind are Eben Esra Hobs Spinosa Father Simon the Author of the Five Letters c. for the Grounds of their Unbelief are generally built upon the Circumstances in * F. Simon finds three Authors to the five Books of Moses 1. Himself Author of the Law and Ceremonies 2. The Publick Scribes Authors of the History 3. Of many Additions which he falsly concludes to be since added or altered the later Scribes who compendized the publick Records From whence he concludes we know not what is his what not Or as Du Verse divides the Scripture 1. Some Divine i. e. where it says so 2. Some Humane 3. Some Prophane as David's Curses Scripture least minded by Translators or Interpreters as being of little Moment some apparent Contradictions in Time Place Genealogies or Titles for Instance Gen. 12.6 And the Canaanite was then in the Land hence would they infer that Moses was not the Author of all wrote in these Books that bear his Name and what is superadded by we know not whom is not to be received as infallible But there is no Foundation in the Text for their Conclusion for what Absurdity is it for Moses to tell us the Canaanite was in the Land when Abraham passed through it neither is Reason wanting for it viz. to give account of God's Fidelity to him in protecting of him when he passed even through it to take Seizin of it though the Canaanite was there whom he came to disinherit A 2d Ingredient in this singular Temper of Mind was Faith ver 11. How long will it be ere they believe Heb. 3.18 To whom sware he that they should not enter into his Rest but to them that believed not But Caleb was not of that Spirit V. 9. Their Defence is departed from them and the Lord is with us fear them not Heb. 3.16 Howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses did provoke and disbelieve And Heb. 4.3 They which believed did enter into Rest He could not follow the Lord fully without Faith nor was his Courage against so powerful an Enemy founded on any other Bottom by human Eyes they were like a David before Goliah nay in their own Esteem and in the Esteem of the Anakims their Enemies they were like Grashopers Chap. 13.33 But by the Eye of Faith he saw God as a sufficient Confederate and Assistant against all the Strength of Canaan the Anakims were like Grashopers in comparison of God and the meanest Worm he assists Caleb's Knowledg was qualified or specified by Faith It is a common Axiom that Knowledg may be without Faith but not Faith without Knowledg they are related as a living Creature and a rational Creature â—â—e may live without Reason but not exert Reason without Life This was a Grace in my Parallel not only well rooted but well fruited the Service she delighted in could only receive its Reward in the other Life Jesus Christ was at once the Object of her Love and Trust her Lot with the most of Believers had its wildersome Circumstances and through it she travelled leaning on her Beloved The sacred Oracles which are the Directors and Grounds of Faith were the Objects of her daily Study Peace with God as the Mediator's Purchase was the great Expectation of her Hope together with the seeing King Solomon with the Crown upon his Head glorified in his Saints and admired of all that believe through whom her Faith was finally and ultimately terminated on God as a faithful Creator from whom originally all Fulness flowed on the Head and Members of the Church which she longed to see presented without Spot or Wrinkle This is what of necessity we must imitate our Caleb in without Faith there is no pleasing of God they that believe not are condemned already Heb. 12.1 not only this but all the Elders from Abel are proposed as the Cloud in the Wilderness to follow nor is Adam and Eve to be excluded from being Drops of that dewy Cloud for though on Marriage he called his Wife Ishah of Man or Woeman yet after the Promise of the Redeeming Seed of the Woman he calls her Eve the Mother of him that quickens or enlivens all and the like Faith she professes and writes on her eldest Son Cain I have gotten that Seed the Man the Lord I have born Immanuel Gen. 4.1 as the most Critical do interpret the Words The only Exception about this universal Necessity at least among whom I have now to do is Infants it is supposed many of them are saved but questioned if Faith have any Instrumentality in their Salvation since Faith supposes Knowledg nay the Apostle Rom. 10. says it comes by Hearing which supposes not only the Exercise of a Spirit but of bodily Organs I shall say the more to it having just now received a Letter about it and two days ago another beside Visits I do profess it to be my Opinion but not a necessary Foundation no not to any Doctrine I then proposed for Charity for their Salvation through the Righteousness of Christ which the Letter grants is sufficient for all the Intents I mentioned it for however I shall shew my Opinion is neither singular nor wants Probability As to the first it 's the common Opinion of the Papists as we may see from Bellarmine and Gregorius de Valentia on Baptism so Suarez on Thomas and the Conference at Ratisbon they deny that Infants have actual Faith but grant habitual which is sufficient for my Intent but if we go to the Lutheran Churches they universally ascribe an actual Faith to Infants their Arguments are that the Spirit of God which asserts that they that have not Faith are in a State of Condemnation Mark 16.16 John 3.18 does assert that little ones have Faith Mat. 18.6 Whoso shall offend one of those
Courage and Charity he would have ventured against the Sons of Anak he run the Risk of the turbulent Rabble when nothing but God's immediate appearing could have saved his Life He would fain have saved Israel and have perswaded them not to rebel against God whatever was the Consequence Moses shewed yet more of this Spirit who preferr'd the saving of the People to the monopolizing all the Promises and the whole fruitful Land for his own Family 7. Of an healing uniting Spirit If she found any to be of the Houshold of Faith it was not in her Power to shut up Bowels of Compassion though she was settled in particular Fellowship with them whose Customs her own Judgment most harmonized with yet she was for a Bond of Peace wherever there was Union through the Cement of the Holy Spirit she was not for rejecting whom Christ had received a great Rule for Communion Rom. 15.7 Though their Faith be weak yet Rom. 14.1 they are to be received and not tormented and vexed with doubtful Disputations about Meats or keeping Days or some one particular Ordinance as that of Circumcision At first the believing Jews rejected the Fellowship of the Gentiles for want of it they unjustly compelled them to it But afterwards when the Roman Governours began to distinguish between the Jews and Christians thro' Pliny's Information and that the Jews were hated of the Romans and cut off for their cruel Murders and Slaughter but the Christians more favoured for their peaceful Tempers some of the Gentile Believers though unjustly too rejected the Communion of the Jews this was Diotrephes's Fault 3 John ver 10. Ecclesiastick * Vide Ittig de haeres Stockmannum Authors inform us that his Pride in doing by himself what was only in the Power of the whole Church to do was his great Sin There is in our Day the like Fault among some about Infant-Baptism the less the Difference is the greater the Sin is in making that Difference a Partition-wall of Division The Difference is not about the total neglect of the Ordinance though I do hear some are run to that Extremity both Sides grant its Necessity and Use as an initiating Ordinance the first visible Mark of a Disciple or Christian he that utterly omits it is by Profession a Pagan though it may be a Believer indeed he deals basely by the Saviour he believes in 2ly The Difference is not about the Subject I confess some run to the Extremity here too baptizing all presented to them viz. Believers for if we did not think that some Infants had Faith we should baptize none of them The Question is then about the Objects or Grounds of Charity Now let the Error be on which Side soever the Question is whether it be a sufficient Ground of Separation or refusing Communion because my Charity is more extensive than yours I may be think since God has revealed it and we see it fulfilled though not without many Exceptions of bad Children that God's common Road and Method of bringing his Elect upon the Stage of being is thro' the Loins and Bowels of them that are Elect and Believers though he has not tied himself to it then indeed it would be more than a Ground of Charity there being many Proselytes in all Ages even out of Cham's Line yet this is the King 's high Road and indeed the Stop that was put to it in cutting off this Entail among the Jews and beginning afresh with the Gentiles engrafting these formerly wild Branches to suck fully as much Spirit and Oil from the Root as the native Branches was such a Deviation from this wonted way of Divine Influence that it has been but once in the World will never be again was not without repeated Prophecies to prevent stumbling about it and that once was not a total Deviation from the common Road many being continued 2ly Because it was for a time only touching the Election they are beloved for the Fathers there is a Life and Resurrection to come to their Dead * I desire in this to be understood as observing the Difference between the Jewish Church and God's Method of propagating Churches among the Gentiles 3ly They have no gross Iniquities no visible Outbreakings no apparent Blains or Boils from the bitter Root of Original Sin they have only against them what is conveyed through the first Adam and what secret Emanations from it are contained within the Compass and Sphere of pure Thought or Imagination But then we have the much more of abundant Grace the much more of the second Adam for them I do assert that this Extent of Charity in any Man though professed and put in practice ought not to be a Bar for which any Christian Church should refuse him Fellowship and Communion The second Difference is about the Manner or Quantity of Water this initiating Ceremony is to be performed with if Dipt or Sprinkled Let us now take a like Case we can think on without Prejudice viz. the Cup in the Lord's Supper Suppose then some scrutinous Mind and scrupling Conscience should question whether any receive the Lord's Supper who drink not a whole Cup it is said Drink this Cup Is sipping drinking or is a Sip a Cup Would it not be unreasonable to refuse a Man Communion that would only take a Sip when the Body of the Church were for each drinking a Cup It would be of this Importance Sir you shall not be of our Church if you take not off your Cup. Some Controversy like this was between the Gentile Christians and Jewish notwithstanding which Paul Eph. 4. informs them the Baptism was one One Lord one Faith one Baptism From Mount Sinai until Christ's Resurrection that is during the Jewish Church-Constitution Dipping was the manner after Christ's Resurrection Mat. 28. he gives a new Institution more sutable to the Constitution wherein he intended to make light Burdens and easy Yokes after which we hear not of their going to the Water but the Water coming to them Acts 10.47 Some other differences Acts. 19. there were between John's Baptism and Christ's but that is not my Business it is Union Love Peace notwithstanding that Difference that is my Business and shall conclude it with a Saying of a Friend and Brother If a Seal should be set to a Blank sometimes and God afterward condescend to fill up the Bond however valid such an Act might be among Men no doubt it 's good in the Sight of God The 4th Branch is the Practice that flowed from this Temper of Mind He followed the Lord fully wholly constantly uprightly there was a Fulness in what Good he did This Fulness * Josias turned unto God according to all contained in the Law David had respect unto all God's Precepts and refrained his Feet from every evil Way Psal 119.128 I esteem all thy Precepts concerning all things to be right Eustathius says the Law is copulative in the Precept Love God and thy
know more fully to believe more fully Let our Faith grow more stable and fix'd at the Root by clear Evidence and powerful Arguments water'd with the Dew of Heaven until it come to a Demonstration of the Spirit and full Assurance of Faith Let it be like the spreading Vine stretching it self and by its tendrel Fingers laying hold of every Promise Let it flourish in Comforts and fructify like the Clusters of Eshcol that were planted by the upper and nether Springs To have a more full and perfect Patience until we are capable to possess our Souls and our Souls possess us in Want and Weariness in Reproach and Flattery that the things of the World and Persons too may still be an Obiter in Comparison To have a more full Practice do not say like Balaam Let me die the Death of the Righteous come let us live their Life a holy Life a penitential Life a self-deny'd Life a Life not like others The World's Custom and Course is the high way to Hell If we do his Will then shall we know the Doctrine But let us look to the Earth's excellent Ones its few Names who forget all that is past and counted the Victories over Temptations already attain'd nothing the Knowledg nothing Diligence nothing and therefore they pressed on to what was before never with Laodicea crying I am rich and full and need nothing no the Blessing is to them that hunger and thirst This is to follow the Lord fully to grow in Grace and in the Knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ to pierce the Sun with Eagles Eyes and soar towards him with Eagles Wings Lastly A feeling Sense of our Defectiveness this necessarily flows from the former Who will ever follow hard after what he feels no want of Will ever the Man that thinks he knows all the Scriptures cry out at a new Discovery I rejoice at thy Word as one that findeth great Spoil Psal 119. or under Darkness and Difficulties Lord teach thou me thy Statutes make me understand thy Law No he flattereth himself in his own Eyes and refuseth to understand He that sees not his own Sin as odious and troublesome as the Burden of a Twin-Carcase already dead will never cry out Who will deliver me from this Body of Death It is a true Saying of a Blush that it is malae Causae bonum Signum or as Homer phrases it an honest Heart has a weak Forehead He that is acquainted with the Deceitfulness of his own Heart is jealous he may be guilty he is conscious of so much Guilt Is it I Lord is it I says every honest Disciple O let my Heart be upright in thy Statutes says an upright David and elsewhere When thou takest away the wicked like Dross my Flesh trembles for fear of thee and I am horribly afraid of thy Judgments When Men can look back on their Sins as Lombard's Mother on her three Bastards with Pleasure she could not repent of the Act which had such brave Effects and Fruits it is very sad and forward on their Duties like Dreamers who find flying as easy as walking it is very dangerous Heal me for I have sinned my Bones are broken with it help me for I am weak is the Language of him who follows the Lord fully I come now to the second Part of the Text the Reward and 5th Member in the Subdivision proposed for a General Head Him will I bring into the Land whereinto he went Here is a poor indigent Jacob travelling with his Staff in his Hand and a Stone for his Pillow made two nay twenty Troops Here is a mean Caleb not all Heart as Fuller says for then it would be Calleb mean in Name mean in Birth the youngest of three mean in Possession mean in Place a Spy he has first gotten his Portion carved out to him and a large one too several Cities several Kingdoms Hebron one Debir one Bethlehem one the very Possessions of old Abraham Isaac and Jacob the Oaks of Mamre and the Wells of the South viz. Isaac's are all his and the Title the best in the World he holds of none but God but in Gratitude or by way of quit-rent he gives the Priests a large Share with him Here is a great Lesson for Men advanced from Poverty to Riches a low Estate to Honour a private Caleb to be the greatest Prince of Judah nay the greatest Part of Judah * I find the Body of the Tribe of Judah came of him by this Calculation Judah had but two Sons Pharez and Zerah who had any Posterity 2ly Pharez had but two Sons Hezron and Hamul and Hamul had no Posterity 3ly Hezron had but three Sons the third was Caleb in short by Birth he was the tenth Part or at least the twelfth Part as Judah was of Israel But then half of these were cut off when all above twenty Years of Age were cut off 2ly A 10th part were cut off when Achor the Troubler of Israel was destroyed and this may be further confirmed from the Genealogies of his Offspring containing more Families than all the Tribe of Judah beside for it was his Inheritance 1 Sam. 30.14 We made an Invasion upon the South of the Cherethites i. e. Philistins upon that of it which belonged to Judah or which is the South of Caleb Indeed his elder Brother Ram or Aram got the Honour of the Crown David's Line came from that Root yet Caleb wanted not the Honour to have Judges of Israel of his Posterity even in his own Day Othniel his Son-in-law It was not the first time the younger Brother became the better Man for Time and Eternity too but the Lesson we are taught is not to forget our Original and to remember it came through the gracious Promises not meritorious Purchase or Birth-right to remember Psal 113.7 that he raiseth up the Poor out of the Dust and lifteth the Needy out of the Dunghil that he may set him with Princes To remember the Pit out of which we were digged and the Rock from whence hewen This might be a great Remedy to some Peoples haughty Spirits their insolent Looks towards their own Flesh and Blood their imperious scornful Carriage towards others not long ago their Fellows if not Superiours or Supporters lest they hear of God as Saul When thou wast mean I advanced thee he had better have kept Asses all his Days than to have been a King his End was lower than before so will be thine pitiful not pitied the Subject of Misery and Object of Mockery miserable without Commiseration envied now and odious then if Humility of Mind attend not the Advancement of thy Condition and a faithful Improvement of thy Stewardship If I had Room for Inlargement there are here two Rivulets like the Brook Bezors that encompass the most fertil Land of Caleb or Subjects that meet in my Text one is the Pregnancy of the Promise the Bountifulness of the Blessing The 2d is the Proportion or