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
Vindiciae Foederis OR A Vindication of the INTEREST that the Children of Believers as such have in the Covenant of Grace with their Parents under the GOSPEL-DISPENSATION BEING The Substance of Two Sermons with Addition Preached to a Congregation in Wapping ALSO Some seasonable Reflections upon various unsound and Cruel Passages Taken forth of two Furious Books of Mr. H. Collins Printed against Infants-Baptism By FRAN. MENCE some time of Pembroke Colledge in Oxford now an unworthy Pastor of a Church of Christ in Wapping near London Magna est veritas praevalebit LONDON Printed for the Author and are to be Sold by John Lawrence at the Angel in the Poultrey by Mrs. Mary Gurnel in Wapping-street near Bell Alley and Mr. William Wingod in King-street in Wapping 1694. The Epistle Dedicatory To a Church of Christ in Wapping near London Grace Mercy and Peace be Multiplied I Could not dearly beloved but judge it my Duty to Dedicate these Sermons unto you partly because you are my peculiar Care and Charge in the Lord unto whom I do ow my Labour and Pains and also by reason of that joint Request you were pleased to Attack me withall viz. that they might be made Publick giving me good assurance that they might be of great use for the good of Christians in this place I have here though it be against my own inclination answered your desire Let this undertaking be attended with your serious and solemn Prayer that your hopes of good may be accomplished What I have wrote in my Epistle to the Readers many of you can testifie you well know what a long time of Silence I have had how desirous I was to live in peace that alwaies being esteemed a Jewel of great price with me hoping that the dust that hath been raised to the darkening of the Air among us might have fallen without any attempt of mine to suppress it but the violent effort of the Pulpit and the furious Reports of the Press have something awakened me from that ease and quiet I should have been glad longer to have solaced my self withall But alas it was time to be something alarmed when the flames were inkindled about us and our little Field in danger of being consumed here is one that hath put this place even into a Conflagration I shall I doubt not fall under the lash of many censuring Tongues for this small endeavour to vindicate this one exploded though precious Truth of Christ You have had experience of my spirit and deportment and cannot from the strictest observations you have made of me but say that so far as may be I have been willing to live in peace with all men and what care I have taken to preserve peace in the midst of and round about you It would be matter of much comfort to me may this little Essay be instrumental to reduce this place into somewhat a more sedate and calm temper My Practice ever since the Lord was plased to call me amongst you hath been to give perpetual demonstrations that I live and can walk with all that are sound in the Faith and of an unblameable Conversation I found you fixed upon that Noble Evangelical Foundation which I have endeavoured to build upon Your laudable Principle is that Union with Christ is the great ground of our Communion one with another let us magnifie God for what we have found of his Gracious Presence and Blessing since we came together and stand in that relation as we do one to the other I do with much importunity request your Prayers that I may daily have a remembrance from you at the Throne of rich Grace Watch against all designs of men that lye in wait to deceive and to disturb our peace Study much the Covenant of Grace blessed be the Lord that he hath not only ingrafted you but also your Seed into it You that have Children plead the Promises of the Covenant with God for them Take heed of such Principles that do inevitably exclude your dear Babes out of the Kingdom of God and render their Salvation provided they expire in their infancy not only improbable but in any ordinary way impossible Beg the Lord to put a stop and to give a Check to that lying malicious spirit that like a spiteful Ghost walks in this poor disturbed spot I doubt not but what I have here transmitted from the Press will be attended with the same opprobrious Censure it met withal from the Pulpit many ignorant and rash hot-headed Professors did severely judge me and my Sermons that never heard them and so I do expect many will that shall never read them pour out their profound invectives against them I must expect no better quarter than honest Mr. Giles Shute who by many was cast and condemned that never read his Books neither were able to pass a right Judgment upon them I do heartily wish that a greater number of my Anabaptist Neighbours would labour more after the life and power of Religion and Study to know their own hearts better then I promise my self they would not be so prompt and ready to undervalue and condemn others as they be I cannot but admire to see what a change is upon their spirits words and actions in our late times of restraint they could be glad many of them to partake of my poor pains and sometime since but I do not so much wonder at them as at their Teacher who ever since the last breaking forth of our Liberty hath so much inveighed against all that are not of his opinion and hath laid so much stress and weight upon his Notion about Baptism that hath distilled such bitterness into the spirit of many that they be turned very sowre and morose to those that cannot imbibe their Sentiments I bless the Lord that I can say I have not been the Incendiary among us I lay still Six or Seven years till all was from Pulpit and Press by Mr. Collins put into Flames about us It is next to a wonder to me that any should be so impudent as to accuse me to be the Author of all the trouble that doth annoy us notwithstanding my long silence and that little opposition that yet I have made against a turbulent spirit that he might discover the uttermost of his bitterness I must have him several times to pronounce in his Pulpit before all his Congregation an open Challenge against me I do expect that so soon as these Sermons shall have an access to his hands that we shall hear sufficiently of his tumultuous spirit I have made a few remarks as you may see upon his bold and undigested Doctrine rashly and ignorantly thrust forth into the World giving you but a few Gleanings to that Harvest I may if occasion be offered present you withall I make no question but my challenger will quickly fill our Ears with his Answers be it so the Lord I hope will enable us to make our reply I desire that he would
remember the nature of his Challenge that it was a single Duel without propounding any Seconds that he hath engaged me in Stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved as ye have received the Lord Jesus so walk ye in him as ye have received how ye ought to walk so walk at all times and abound yet more and more while some and that not a few are crying up an Opinion not necessary to Salvation let your Zeal run out after those Truths of the Gospel in the believing and practising whereof you may obtain Salvation and greatly rejoyce in the day of our Lord Jesus Love one another pity and pray one for the other live in peace and love and the God of Love and Peace shall dwell with you Finally my Brethren be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified that he in order thereunto would be pleased to fulfil all the good pleasure of his Goodness within you and the work of Faith with power is the hearty desire of him that is Your Servant for Christ's sake Fran. Mence The EPISTLE To the Candid and Impartial READERS Especially those unto whom the following Sermons were Preached WE live in a day and Age of Wonders in which the Divine Providence produceth many strange things behold here is presented unto your eyes the substance of two poor Sermons with considerable enlargement that are expos'd through great importunity to the open light in the World I have been very averse to contribute to the grieved and groaning Press that is overcharg'd by such Writings which were only fit after they have been utter'd in the Pulpit to be adjudg'd to the perpetual Grave of Oblivion such I readily confess are these Sermons and deserve no better Censure It is a Prodigy to my self that I should be prevail'd upon to suffer these Papers to appear with an open face and to be expos'd to the view of many I sensibly and feelingly find cause every day more and more to bewail and to blush at my own ignorance and incapacity for the work of the Ministry though I have not been vacant of many Solicitations accompany'd with the Tears of serious Christians that I would admit some of my Labours to be Printed But at the same time a cold damp hath seiz'd my Spirits from a deep conviction of my insufficiency for such an undertaking judging it to be my Duty to be like the Deaf Adder not to hearken to such Charms but to be inexorable You may then demand how comes it to pass that these two Sermons have obtain'd more than all the rest ever could I have not only consider'd the Importunity of dear friends I did formerly withstand which of it self could never have prevail'd but am fallen under a Conviction that the providential Call of my Lord and Master doth oblige me by reason of the great dishonour that is brought to his most sacred and pure Name from various infamous Doctrines that have been divulged amongst us and that with such heat and fervor that we are upon this little spot in an Inflammation yea near unto a Conflagration insomuch that out of consciousness of Duty and the importunity of those whose hearts do bleed within them I could forbear no longer but went unto the Sanctuary to fill my shallow Bucket with some of the cooling and quenching waters that issue from under the Threshold thereof Oh! that there might be a blessing attending this my Essay we are so set on fire round about us by a man of a vehement Spirit that seems to threaten all about him opposite to his Principle quickly to be consum'd and reduc'd to ashes God be pleas'd graciously to allay his heat and quench his false fiery Zeal It is well known that for six or seven years I have born with his unparallell'd Confidence in his frequent inveighing against Infants-Baptism with many insufferable reflections upon us that are in judgment and practice different from him He hath besides his frequent Excursions an anniversary day ex proposito to batter us with his Rams to the ground A long time we have made no resistance against him as many of you that attend upon my Ministry well know but have patiently receiv'd the furious fire of his Broad-sides Good Christians have repair'd unto me begging me to lift up the Standard of Gods Word against him but my reply to them was Wisdom should rest in the Bosom of some and that I knew not how short-liv'd considering the various Threatnings of a Divine Providence for a multitude of crying Sins that abound among us particularly the animosities and dissentions of the Professors of the Gospel our present enjoyments might be adding that I judg'd the Will of my Lord was that I should improve that little Talent he hath pleas'd to intrust me withal to the utmost of my power in preaching upon the weighty and most necessary Truths of the Gospel whereby through Grace I might save my self and those that hear me 1 Tim. 4.16 Some of his followers waxed bold looking upon what he delivered to proceed out of the mouth of an infallible Oracle crying out of me why doth he not answer Mr. C. and preach up his sprinkling of Infants if he had any thing to say he would not be silent Yea some have been so impudent as to say that what he doth as to the baptizing of Infants is against the light of his own Conscience To such bold Accusers and Boasters I shall only return in the words of the Apostle Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that judgest another mans servant to his own Master he standeth or falleth It is common amongst us for those that understand not the right hand from the left in any great point of the things of God to judge and condemn the most judicious and pious that are not of their Measures about Baptism let but a man renounce his Baby sprinkling as they scornfully call it and pass under the Water he is an excellent Christian If some of their Preachers be never so raw crude â—nd illiterate and can lay about them with abundance of Confidence though mingled with a great quantity of Nonsense yet they are admir'd by them being for dipping without which what is all the Learning Experience Piety Pains and sincere endeavours of faithful Ministers in serving souls It may grieve any one that hath a serious consideration of the worth of Souls and the weightiness of the work of the Ministry upon his Heart to hear how all that those deliver that decry the Baptizing of Infants is magnified as flowing from the Spirit of the Lord though much that is vented is but the apparent proles or off-spring of Pride Ignorance and Confidence Oh! let not my soul enter into their Secrets who is sufficient for these things I wish that there be not only contempt heaped
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
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
the Apostle should here mention the Children if children here the Seed of the faithful that be in Covenant should not be meant of the Gentiles Those two Members of the distinction you that are nigh and those that are afar off would take in all persons in the world and frustra sit per plura c. the Children of these would be found either afar off or nigh one of those terms would have involved them all the mentioning of the Children must be an impertinency if it were not for some other reason There are some I know for a shift this bearing hard upon them will urge that imprecation Mat. 27.25 but it is improbable that all that were the hearers of this Sermon did joyn in that dreadful wish for many of them were strangers and lived remote from Jerusalem However the Apostle presseth them all alike to repent and to yeild subjection to Christ by an argument from the Covenant which carries weight enough with it though they had never been guilty of that horrid imprecation This argument of the Covenant hath been pressed at another time to prevail upon the Jews to the same duty of repentance Acts 3.19 20 25. Repent ye therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and he shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you In this verse he doth incourage them from a promise and observe the rare Motive ye are the children of the Prophets and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy seed shall all the kindred of the earth be blessed This extends to them that were afar off not only the kindred of the Jews but also the kindred of the Gentiles should partake of the blessing of Abraham viz. of the Covenant made with Abraham Gal. 3.14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles the blessing of Abrahams Covenant through Jesus Christ whose blood was the blood of the Covenant 3. The Apostle doth here fix his argument in the benefit that will redound unto them and to their posterity by their submission to the Gospel Administration by this he doth Emphatically press them to it Oh! what an incouraging and cogent Argument doth this Apostle by a divine instinct urge them withall such a one that poor awakened souls ready to sink into desperation could not tell how to reject or withstand This seems to be the genuine sense of it you are greatly troubled for sin in general and some of you have been guilty of that dreadful sin of a malicious pouring out of the incorruptible and sacred blood of the Son of God and crucifying the Lord of Glory therefore have highly deserved that his blood should be upon your heads and upon the heads of your Children for ever and since you have instead of reverencing killed the Lord of the Vineyard you have dreadfully provoked God to turn you out of it for ever but if after all you will but submit to him that you have crucified it shall not be so your deserts though never so great and crying shall never be given unto you but you shall still be to the Lord a chosen and a peculiar People the Church and the People of God to you and your Children the Promise shall still continue and all under a better Administration than ever because there is now abundance more of grace and of the Spirit to be poured out you and your Children shall have the first experience of it Oh how sweetly doth the Apostle here entice and allure them to accept of the Seasonable offer made unto them 4. That interpretation certainly that renders this Argument of the Apostle to the Jews to prevail upon them to the duty exhorted unto to be a discouragement unto them and to dishearten them in their submitting to the Gospel-Administration rather than an incouragement is not to be admitted That which doth contradict or at leastwise greatly impede and obstruct the design of the Apostle must not be entertained What was the design of the Apostle but to perswade these poor lost creatures to accept of Christ and his Administration that was taking place Therefore that he might obtain his end said he the Promise is to you and your Children for both were concerned in the blood of Christ and we may rationally suppose these weeping bleeding sinners were not only concerned for themselves but for their Children also They might well deliberate in themselves thus what will become of us I and of our miserable off-spring too Why saith the Apostle here is that that may allay all the amazing and confounding tumult of your self-condemning hearts the Promise is to you and your Children The Apostle did see that their Soul-disease had so sunk their Spirits and they were so ready to faint that they wanted the highest Cordial that could be poured into them and without this ingredient of their Children it could never have revived them This was the opening of a comfortable door of hope in their pinching and affrighting valley of Achor I have wondered sometimes how our Friends the Anabaptists can support their minds when they behold their dear dying Infants ready to expire and to give up the ghost to restrain the interest of the Children of these Jews in the Promise to the time of their calling could not but be a considerable discouragement unto them from coming under this Administration rather than an encouragement That it would have been so I shall give two Reasons to prove it 1 This would make their exchange to be for the worse and not the better for the Covenant under which they were before did run to them and their Seed but this runs otherwise to the great disadvantages of the Children and the great discouragement of the Parents Children by this way of Interpretation are excluded and dismist the Covenant till their call This could not but have a deep regret upon the hearts of these Parents that were well instructed into their Childrens Covenant-right with them and did so strongly depend upon it as they did 2. This would put their Children into the same condition with those afar off the restriction equally taking hold of the Children of the Jews with the Gentiles and Heathens yet afar off which would sound harshly in the Ears of the Jews If it were so of what import must the Argument be but of this Viz. If ye will now ye awakened trembling Jews believe in Christ and come under his Administration the Promise shall continue unto you but your Children shall be cut off and turned out of this priviledge they shall be in the same condition of the rest of the Pagan world when they hereafter and any of the Heathen shall be called then they may have a part in the same Promise too and not till then This being contained in that Interpretation whether it would not in the nature of the Argument rather drive
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
God doth not take some or many but all they be all in Covenant with the Lord until they eject themselves When the Lord made this Covenant and took Abraham into it he took all his Seed with him Cain was in covenant as well as Abel and Ishmael as well as Isaac though some have from Electing Love and Special Grace a greater Blessing from the Covenant than others as you will see presently This Covenant runs to Abraham and his Seed and to his Seeds Seed Let not us curtail and contract Gods Covenant and confine it to narrower bounds than ever the Lord design'd There be some Men that talk great Words of the Grace of God and yet in the mean time are great Enemies to the copiousness and amplitude of it largely expressed in his Covenant 3. Quest Some may say How can that he that the natural Seed of such that be in covenant should be in covenant too Do not we see by sad experience that many of the Children of pious Parents prove very profane and wicked What do you hold falling from Grace Here is a Rock that many mistaken Persons do split themselves upon in respect of falling into Errour in this Affair and many through ignorance do stumble upon Answ More generally we must know that as to the Posterity of Abraham there are two sorts of them though both in corenant There is a Seed according to the Flesh a carnal Off-spring and Generation and they were the Seed of Abraham and did highly value themselves upon this and boasted much upon it Mat. 3.9 And think not to say within your selves We have Abraham to be our father Bear not too much upon this think not that this will excuse you you may be the Seed of Abraham and yet Enemies to the Messiah for it was the Seed of Abraham that did hate persecute crucifie and slay him Acts 2. So there is a Seed after the Spirit that be pious and holy and walk in the Steps of Abraham and in the Paths of the Faith of Abraham There is a double Paternity there is the begetting Abraham and a believing Abraham so there is a twofold Sonship Children according to the Flesh and Heirs according to the Promise Rom. 9.6 7 8. Not as though the word of God had taken none effect For they are not all Israel which are of Israel Neither because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called That is They which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Viz. In short though all that be in covenant are Children in a proper sense yet all are not the Spiritual Seed for we see here that the Carnal and Spiritual are called the Seed of Abraham ver 7. yet do not all walk in the Steps of Abraham nor partake of the special Grace that Abraham did The Apostle doth here tell us that we must not think that the word of God had taken no effect because not all nay not compacatively many that are the Seed the natural Seed of Abraham did believe and embrace it therefore he doth distinguish of the Seed of Abraham them that be under the Purpose of God to Salvation and are chosen to Eternal Life they do and shall believe and become the holy the spiritual and peculiar Seed Abraham had two Sons Ishmact and Isaac and both taken into covenant I but the Line of Election was to run through the Lines of Isaac That we may something more fully open this Matter to your satisfactions and that you may rightly understand how any may be said to be in this Covenant of Grace and yet in a State of Nature and in the First Adam I shall distinguish herein this well understood would contribute greatly to put an end to this Controversie Some may say the Covenant is full of gracious Promises and what right can any have unto the same that be but the natural Seed Are they Promises of saving Grace or outward Priviledges or temporal Mercies Or what are they How is this to be understood that the Promise is to the Children of those that are in covenant if by Children are meant the natural Seed Answ By Promise I understand the Covenant of Grace as I have said call'd also the Covenant of Promise Eph. 2.12 and because of this they that be in it are called the Children of the Promises Now the Promise or the Covenant is taken two ways and so there are two ways of being in the Covenant 1. Strictly And that which Divines call Foedus Internum or Pars Foederis Interna the Internal Covenant or the spiritual part of the Covenant that which doth contain Promises of spiritual Blessings and saving Graces such as Justification Reconciliation Regeneration Adoption Persevetance and Glorification or Eternal Life and hence we read that God will give a new Heart that he will take away the Stony Heart out of the Flesh and will give a Heart of Flesh that he will circumeise the Heart to love and fear him that he will write his Law in their Hearts and they shall never depart from him that he will sprinke clean Water upon them and they shall be clean and from all their filthiness and Idols will he cleanse them that he will blot out all their Iniquities and cast their Sins into the depth of the Sea and remember them no more This is the Internal and spiritual part of the Covenant These be the Excellent Promises of Special Grace that God will accomplish and fulfil to all the Elect both Adult and Infants that die in their Infancy 2. Sometimes it is taken more largely which Divines call Foedus Externum or Pars Foederis Externa the External Covenant or the External part of the Covenant they being both in truth but Branches of one and the same Covenant This External Part contains Promises of many choice Mercies and Priviledges which God out of the bounty of his Grace bestows upon People that be in covenant with him which he does not bestow upon the rest of the World which be not taken into covenant with him One may be in covenant and partake of many precious and eminent Promises and yet have no saving and special Grace or Interest in God So it was with a Multitude of the Jews yea with the greatest part of them and that when our Lord and Saviour himself was amongst and conversed with them Rom. 2.28 29. For he is not a Jew that is one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Jew which 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 Viz. He is not internally and savingly a Jew he is but only an external one partaking of the external Blessings of the Covenant injoying the circumcision of the Flesh not that of the
of Covenant Ones they are the most hopeful to partake of that great blessing of the Covenant of effectual calling and of having the Law of God to be ingraven upon their hearts Isa 54.13 And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. Those that are not in Covenant with the Lord as they do not regard so neither are they under such a hopeful expectation of the accomplishment of such a promise as those are that are themselves the Children of the Promise who have good right to approach unto the gracious Throne and plead such a promise with him that sits there with the Rain-bow of the Covenant about his head 10. This is the great ground that is administred unto pious Parents greatly concerned about the external good of the Souls of their little Ones to build their hopes upon godly Parents would cast out the Anchor of hope upon a firm ground such that may hold and this is the great if not the only one those the Lord is pleased to bereave them of and demand out of their tender bosoms this may quiet their hearts about their death and their eternal State So that upon this account a Parent may say more then what one said of a dead Child Ego in illo puero nihil habeo praeter dilectum he may compose and sedate his Spirit with David who while his Child was sick did fast and weep refusing to eat I but when the pleasure of the Lord was signified by his death he could arise wash and eat and go to the house of the Lord and calmly pour out his sincere devotions unto the most high saying unto them that were struck into stupendous admiration of his great change I shall go to him but he shall not return to me Surely David had a further prospect than the grave that prevailed upon him to this Sedate composure and Serenity of mind he did intimate that his heart was at rest as to his felicity above that his Soul that he was most concerned about had made its escape from the sick and painful Body into Abrahams bosom the great Covenant Father he having this heart-supporting promise I will be thy God and the God of thy seed This is Gospel and a man interested in this promise may nay is bound to lay hold upon it and to cast himself upon the promise as well for his little Ones as for himself Wherefore hath the Lord as an Instance of his unsearchable grace given such a promise if not in our great and close afflictions to be choice and suitable food for our faith 〈…〉 but this can support Parents when they see their tender Infants in the bitter bonds of death reclining their heads upon their dissolving Pillows and having their Bowels to be sounding and yearning within them Now this I would humbly demand what they can build their hopes upon to make them readily to comply with Divine Pleasure When the Souls of their Little Ones sit upon their Lips to take their flight into an Eternal Ocean that excludeâ— them out of that Covenant they be confident they themselves be in and upon which they bottom and center all their trust and confidence as to their own Salvation for the ordinary way of Salvation is by and through the Covenant 11. Those that be in covenant thus have many great and temporal Blessings bestow'd upon them which others fall short of they share in the peculiar Providential Care and Watch of God there is the general Providential Care of God which as he is an Omnipresent Majesty filling all Places Persons and Things with his Essential Presence out of which there can be no departing or absconding he doth extend unto all Psal 139.7 8 9 10. But moreover there is the peculiar Transmission of the Providential Care Observation and Tuition of God and this is that which every Moment doth environ and encircle the Church and Covenant-Ones round about and all that are interested in the same stand possest with the free fruition of they are the proper Objects of the peculiar and special Providential Watch of God Psal 121.4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep This denotes the careful and the diligent keeping of the Church the Lord is ever in the exercise of as one saith Curam solicitudinem diligentiam connot at nec dormit nec dormitat He neither sleeps nor slumbers The Lord sets a peculiar Fence about his Church Isa 5. â—2 And he fenced it After he planted it he set the Fence of his peculiar Providence round about it to preserve it Isa 27.3 I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Thus we see what a peculiar Vigilancy the Divine Eye doth exhibit unto the Covenant-People This is no small Priviledge to have a Place with those that are thus beautify'd I might have added that such have many outward Favours of Peace Plenty and Prosperity and that People Places and Nations do enjoy many rare Mercies for their sake the Old World sped the better for Noah's sake Sodom for Lot's Pharaoh for Joseph's as Obed-edom for the Arks sake and Laban was greatly blessed for the sake of Jacob. A Nation speeds the better for the Gospels sake most fare the better for the Elect the greatest Body of which descend from Covenant-Ones Temporal Blessings are the Appendices of that Covenant made with Abraham Gen. 17. where the Land of Promise was inserted though a far greater in that was intended as hath been shewn More Priviledges might have been convened unto these but let what hath been said suffice and I think what hath been insisted upon may satisfie as to this Question We have seen that those that are in covenant have advantage and that much every way But before we dismiss this let us a little distinctly apply the Matter suitable to the distinction that I have laid down concerning the way of being in covenant as to those that be Externally and those that be Internally in it Observe heedfully here that the same Promises that are to the Parents are to the Children I will be their God and the God of thy Seed Those that the Lord is pleased to take into covenant with himself some are Elect and some not Elect so amongst the Children some are Elect and some not Elect and here I chiefly mean those that arrive unto the Years of the Adult 1. Those that be the Elect of the Natural Seed they do partake both of the external and internal part of the Covenant for they do partake of the Promise in the extent of it such peculiar salvificable Blessings as Justification Adoption Sanctification c. and Eternal Glorification in a Word they do partake of Temporal Spiritual and External Priviledges 2. The Non-elect they do partake of the external part of the Promises and of the Covenant-Priviledges as have been mentioned which be exceeding great though not saving therefore not to be relied and
less Priviledges now under the New than under the Old Testament Hath Grace contracted the Covenant more now than before Hath Grace no Covenant-Blessings for the Children of Believers now And must their poor Off-spring suffer a cutting off of the Entail of the Covenant Hath Jacob carried away all the Blessing and none left for the Children of the inchurched and incovenanted Gentiles Surely Grace is not now straitned Our dear Lord and Saviour hath the same Bowels of Mercy to poor tender Babes that ever he had and as he had then when he said Suffer them to come unto me and forbid them not and declared that of such are the Kingdom of Heaven Mat. 19.13 14. He took them up into his Arms and put them into his Bosom as we may well suppose when he laid his Hands upon them and blessed them Hath not Grace the same effects as to Children as when he sent his Apostle to tell the poor awaken'd and bleeding Sinners that the Promise was to them and their children As when it graffed in the Gentiles among the Jews to partake with them of the Juice and Fatness of the Olive-tree it hath not spent all its Fatness upon them but if there be any Fatness Nourishment Satisfaction and Comfort to have hope in God from the Covenant for poor Little Ones we have it and the Apostle comforts trembling Creatures in our Text with it and so the Apostle Paul in telling the Gentiles that they be inserted in this Covenant among the Jews and are Partakers of the same Fatness with them This therefore doth Answer them that demand and question How natural generation can entitle a Man to Covenant-Priviledges I demand How doth natural generation entitle a Man to the Curse A corrupt Man under the Curse of the First Covenant begets a Child in his own likeness as corrupt and as accursed as himself How comes this to pass but through the Justice of God in imputing to Children the Curse of that Covenant under which they were born So é contra a Believer under the Covenant of Grace begets a Child though corrupt as from him yet by vertue of the Grace of the New Covenant under which he is born he hath a Foederal Holiness and is a Partaker of the Priviledges of the same Covenant So Grace in the appointed time shall re-assume the Jews that be cast out and graff them again into their Old Stock and they shall be a Glorious People 2. Reason Shall be taken from the final Cause there is a double final Cause of it 1. That the Lord may have and reap the Glory of his Grace of this high expression and signification of his grace Viz. in taking Infants into Covenant with their Parents which they do rob him of that deny this grace to Infants they do greatly abbreviate extenuate and vail the grace of God that will only admit the Adult believing and repenting Parent into Covenant but by no means will their Seed and Little Ones This is the way to congeal the divine bowels that be full of inward yearnings to inclosed Little Ones That the Apostle in my Text might administer the best and so the most expedient Cordial to the broken and afflicted Jews who were greatly concerned not only about their own but the safety and Salvation of their Children tells them That the promise was to them and their children The belief and exercise of faith about this matter is the ready way to promote an excellent Revenue of praise and honour for the grace of God What wrong and indignity is offered to the grace of God by shutting of poor Infants that cannot plead for themselves for whom the grace of God and blood of the Covenant of the eternal Son will effectually plead out of this Covenant Let men talk what they will of the Spiritual Seed of the grace of God in Christ yet so long as they labour to abandon an innumerable multitude of the Subjects of it they are great Prevaricators from and perverters of that grace and so become grand obstructers of that Crop and harvest of praise and honour that he expects from his Covenant-transactions of grace with Parents and their Children 2. That so by this means he might allure and graciously intiee men and women to accept of and to come under this Covenant This is indeed a sweet decoy that a gracious God is pleased to make us of in this affair this is to insinuate the minds of men into a well liking of and acceptation of the Covenant and the Gospel administration of it This is the scope of the Apostle in my Text. Here the Apostle was alluring his pensive and weeping Auditory to accept of this therefore he milks out of this breast of Consolation that which might taste sweet upon the Palates of them whose Sins were now bitter as Wormwood and Gall and were under Soul-sinking fears about their own and their Childrens eternal welfare and condition Well said the Apostle I discern your trembling and aking hearts your overwhelming doubts and fears but be still sedate and compose your minds and thoughts accept of the Gospel dispensation and for your comprehensive encouragement and compleat satisfaction I say unto you The promise is to you and your children Oh! methinks how did this revive their disconsolate and dejected hearts and drooping sinking spirits quickly melting their wills into a ready complyance with the Apostles Exhortation as we find presently after our Text. If this priviledge were cut off the Jews would have little incouragement to leave Moses to follow Christ to forsake the Old and to cleave to the New Dispensation of the Covenant which was then setting on foot and which they were exhorted unto They well knew before that they themselves and also their Children were in Covenant with God and the Apostle speaks unto them as so instructed and established therefore said he The promise is to you and your children As if he had said I know that this is an Article of your Faith that which all the Jews do very tenaciously adhere unto and this shall be continued unto you This the Apostle doth firmly assure them of to win them over telling them that they should be no losers by coming under this Dispensation seeing the priviledge of having the Promise to them and their Children should not be taken from but confirmed unto them This removed all impediments out of their way and so they did readily and unanimously fall in with the Apostles Exhortation 3. Reason Because the Lord would discover his peculiar love to and care of the Children of his own People This is a peculiar priviledge and it is to demonstrate peculiar love and affection It is also as I shall shew you presently that the Lord may discover his peculiar love to the believing Parents Here is the distinguishing love and kindness of God to them both God hath such a love for pious Parents and their Children that he hath not for the rest of the World
that here might be some Women Ay but that must be drawn by consequence Certainly we must not doubt but that in the Churches of Ephesus Philippi Coloss and all the Churches of Asia had Baptism among them yet this must be concluded by consequences or no way as I understand According to the Analogy of Faith Evangelical Duties are not alwayes grounded upon Express Commands either in Old or New Testament but from consequences drawn from either as the Duties of praying Morning and Evening in the Family and also in the Closet alone daily reading of the Scriptures and prefix'd time of Meditation setting apart a Time or Day to seek God by Prayer in a more than ordinary manner Many more things might have been mentioned and improved in this Affair How can any Man that is so prove himself to be a Minister of Christ Or any serious and pious Christian that he hath an Interest in Christ that he hath Saving and Special Grace and is an Heir of Heaven but by consequence How many Arguments do the Anabaptists found upon consequences to prove their Believers Baptism When they make for them then they can cleave to them and make the utmost Improvement but when they make against them then they be of no use or validity but they cry out Give us plain and positive Proofs and an absolute Command for such Infant-sprinkling as reproachfully they phrase it which my Antagonist is wonderfully subject to One great Reason why many well-minded Christians run away with their Notion of rejecting Infants Baptism is their not wisely considering and pondering upon what I have though in much weakness said of the Covenant and of the new Administration of it in the Times of the Gospel An Excellent Specimen we have of it in our Text where the Gospel that never was before in its recent Administration is preached and believed by those that never were before baptized there the Adult do enter into covenant with their Children and both ought to be baptized and afterwards this is confirmed by whole Families that were so Alas it followeth not that because we read that those that were never under the Gospel Administration were never baptized before but many were Heathens and Gentiles and were upon their Faith and Repentance admitted into covenant and received the Seal of it that therefore their Children that enter into the same Covenant must be excluded the same Token or Seal of the Covenant but the quite contrary is true for still the Promise runs to you and your Children 7. This Doctrine doth inform us that Children are capable of sundry Blessings of Baptism and that because they are with their Parents graciously taken into Covenant most certainly the God of Grace would never have conferred this priviledge in vain this Seal is not for blanks God hath great Grace and Mercy to bestow upon them therefore he is pleased to impale them in this inclosure that he may be gracious unto them I need not stand upon this for I have largely discovered to you what singular Blessings of the Covenant they be capable of and what exceeding great and precious Promises are made unto them of which if they are not capable then God hath promised in vain and deluded the faith and hopes of good Parents that are built upon them But who dare be so bold as thus to accuse God I have shewn you how that to Infants God hath made Promises of the Gift of the Holy Ghost of Remission of Sin of Renovation and Regeneration of being taught of God of having the Law of God wrote in their Hearts though they be not capable of Mans teaching yet what cannot the Lord do for them He can as easily by his Spirit frame and fashion the New Creature in them as he could curiously form and fashion them in their Mothers Womb and so it must be otherwise dying Infants can never be saved We have a late confident Writer Mr. H. C. who hath transmitted such things into the World that plainly declare that Infants are not capable of the Blessings of this Ordinance and so by consequence not of the Kingdom of Heaven I will give a few of his bold Sayings very fatal to poor Infants He saith This Ordinance speaking of Baptism cannot concern Infants but Believers because it is a testisication of the Remission of Sins and Salvation to the worthy Receiver and Subject of it What doth he mean by his testification but a Sign and Seal of it then it must inevitably follow that Children are not capable of Habitual Faith nor of the Pardon of Sin for here Believers and Remission of Sin are set in opposition to Infants if what he saith should be true as not capable of either Again he saith That Baptism is a lively representation of Regeneration therefore can only affect Believers meaning adult Believers that he is pleading for to be the only subject of Baptism The Apostle said he alludes to Baptism when he speaks of the washing of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 his meaning is that the Ordinance is a lively body symbol and sign of Regeneration It is very true 't is so but mark how this is brought in and upon what account it is viz. to prove that Believers that is adult ones that profess their Faith Baptism can only affect them it is such a sign body and symbol of Regeneration and the New Birth only So that here Infants are shut out of Regeneration and the New Birth they must not be Baptized because they are not capable of them which is the unavoidable consequence of this desperate Doctrine Again he tells us that in Luke 18. where we read of Infants that were brought to Christ which he took up into his Arms and blessed that the Greek word signifieth a Child capable of teaching Surely if he notwithstanding his flourish of Learning had been able to have examined the Greek word he would not have been so confident as to have spoke thus It is great pride for Men to pretend to have such Learning they never had any Education nor Opportunity to attain unto I have shewed before the proper and true meaning of the Greek word in that place and that from good Authority unto which I refer you and the same that we have in Timothy Let this Man talk of his Learning among those that are not acquainted with his Education and from what his immediate access was to the Pulpit Again he saith If it be their Duty who believe to be Baptized then I infer that those that are not capable of this Grace of Faith are under no Divine Obligation nor their Parents neither to Baptize them it is only a piece of Will-Worship which God never required He speaks of the Grace of Faith in general and denies that any Infants are capable of it no not so much as Habitual Faith if so then I understand no hopes given to their Parents of their Union with Christ Justification Remission and Salvation Again he saith That Infants
visibly declare and set them out to be such Christ hath declared them to be of the Kingdom of Heaven that is of his Church and Parents ought by this Ordinance to represent and openly to declare them to be such This is a visible incorporating of them into this body and a listing them under the Banner of Christ to serve and to cleave unto him They must be put into Christ's List and brought under his Banner though they do him at present but little service Thus we find in the Scripture when God hath called his People solemnly to enter into covenant with him to love him to serve him to obey him they have appeared before the Lord with their Little Ones with them Deut. 29.10 11 12 13. Children that are brought under the Bonds of the Covenant and Listed for the Lord it is their Duty when they attain to understanding to be very sensible of the same and to do and manage themselves accordingly for God will require their dedication and Parental obligation at their Hands 4. By this way Parents do shew their right understanding of and do give a good testimony unto the covenant which the Lord has been pleas'd to gratifie them withal Thus did Abraham by his immediate complying with the Lord in the Seal of it by this they do openly declare their well liking of and their great pleasure they take in the covenant and how joyful and ready they are that their Children should obtain and be made the happy partakers of the Blessings and Priviledges of it and be the open and visible Proprietors with them in it methinks Parents should commend and set out the excellency of this covenant and what sweetness and comfort they have had in it by being very willing and desirous that their children should be within the compass of it and as they have done partake of the rich and eminent Blessings of it Pious Parents do not know how to live in any condition without the covenant and the suitable and seasonable Promises of it and how can they chuse then but be very solicitous and desirous that their children should succeed them in such an Enjoyment and Tenour 5. By this they do testifie their belief of the Truth and of the Faithfulness of God and the Veracity of all the gracious Promises comprehended and lodg'd in the Covenant Indeed the Seal and Token is to assure and to confirm all therefore when the Lord was pleased to establish his Covenant with Abraham and his Seed there was Circumcision as the Seal affixt to be a great Incouragement unto the Faith of Abraham to believe and expect the Accomplishment of all the Covenant-Promises that God had made with him and his Seed for ever Now when Parents that be in covenant do suddenly by this Seal devote and give up their Children to God they do signifie and declare their firm and unboubted Faith in all that God hath promised to them and their Children and in this Matter they put up their Requests to God exercising Faith in the Promises for their Children and so also after in their frequent Requests for Covenant-Mercies for them 6. By this means Parents do as they ought to do lay great Obligations upon themselves unto the greatest care and diligence that may be that their Children may partake of the Internal Part and saving Blessings of the Covenant What a strict Tye and Bond must this be to Parents to be greatly concerned for the Souls and Eternal Salvation of them They have given them up unto God as his Children in a Covenant-Obligation and have ingag'd for them now they must look to their Charge and Trust that the Souls of their Little Ones do not perish through their default by their carelesness and negligence in their discharge of their weighty and incumbent Duty that the Living God in this gracious Covenant hath imposed upon and injoined them Abraham had a great respect unto this which caused the Lord to give him this commendation Gen. 18.19 For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment It was but in the Chapter before this that he did enter into covenant with the Lord for himself and his Oh! said God I know that he hath a sence of his Covenant-Obligation upon him that he hath lately received from me and he will observe it being careful of his Houshold that they may perform the Duties and injoy the Blessings of the Covenant What a close and strict Engagement is this to Parents that they bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord How doth this call upon us to prayer to educate carefully and to instruct our Children in the knowledge and fear of the Lord 3. Improve this great Blessing of the Covenant for the Encouragement of your Hopes as to the Spiritual Birth of your Children This is the great Concern of pious Parents about their Children so soon as they see that they be once born that they may be born again that they may not only be born of the Flesh but also of the Spirit that they may not only have a Natural but also a Spiritual Birth It is for this that godly Parents do groan and travail You that are thus concerned for your Children 't is the Covenant of Grace that must be your great Encouragement in besieging the Throne of Grace for them your Fangs for the New Birth in your Children must be covenant Ones it is the Covenant and the Mediatour and Blood of it that must animate quicken and support your Hopes in this great Affair you must put the Promise in suit and plead them with that God of Infinite Grace Love and Faithfulness that hath put you and yours into this Feederal Compact You may humbly go to God and tell him that he hath promised to be your God and the God of your Seed to teach you and your Children and to circumcise your Heart and the Heart of your Children to love and to fear him that he hath promised to pour out his Spirit upon your Off-spring and that your Children shall be taught of God Gen. 17.7 Deut. 30.6 Ezek. 36.26 27. Isa 44.3 and 59.21 and 54.13 And many such Golden Promises of rich Grace comprehended in the Covenant as Food for the Faith of Parents that make conscience daily to pursue and wrestle with God for the renewing and sanctifying of their Children Wherefore go to God and plead his Covenant after this manner Hast thou not promised to be a God to me and mine Is not the Promise to me and my Children Thou hast shewn abundance of Mercy in giving them all Natural Parts of the Body and Endowments of Mind Ay but Blessed Lord thou hast confer'd greater Mercy than this upon them Thou hast put them in thy Covenant and hast planted them in thy House and Family they have a Standing in thy Church Lord be pleased