noble and a more edifying way of finding out the mind and will of God then they were then appears by this because that was the time of laying foundations ours are the times of building upon foundations being layed and of growing up to a more perfect man Ephes 4. 12. 13. Now though there be a strength in the foundation that is not in the building yet there is an eminency in the building above foundations It appeares also in that when knowledge shall most increase which towards the end it shall it shall increase that way namely by labour and study in searching of the Scriptures not by extraordinary visions or revelations Dan. 12. 4. At the time of the end many shall run to and fro that is shall search to and fro and knowledge shall be increased The same word is used 2 Chron. 16. 9. The eyes of the Lord do runne to and fro throughout the earth to shew himselfe strong for them whose heart is perfect towards him that is he searches and seeks occasions to shew his power for such it is meant of such a going to and fro as men use in searching such as when the children of Israel went about gathering the Manna Numb 11. 8. where the same word is also used Fourthly I may adde that which was mentioned before concerning Antichrist that notwithstanding in the Apostles dayes the same light did shine forth among the Saints and in some respect greater yet that then he had his rise and increase and in these our days is falling and declining to his utter ruin and extirpation which shewes that the Saints of these times in some respect even in point of knowledge and edification therein have preheminence above those who lived in the Apostles times Vse 2. Learn from hence what course is to be taken to be built up in the manifestations of God unto your soules search the Scriptures study throughly that Book of God and give your diligence to understand what God hath spoken to us by his Sonne That is the Mine in which we are to dig for this Wisdom as for Silver and search for it as for hid Treasures Prov. 2. 4. And look not after extraordinary visions or revelations Or else if that be your way you see First your labour will be lost your expectations frustrate Those wayes of speaking now are ceased since God hath spoken to us by his Sonne Secondly you shall runne a most desperate hazard of delusion because you are not in your way and so have nothing to defend you from the subtilties of Satan The way of the Lord is strength to the upright Prov. 10. 29. And he hath given his Angels a charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways Psal 91. 11. but out of your way you have no promise of protection as for instance If it be in things within the compass of nature and reason sense and reason is your guide look what their direction is that is your way and a sufficient guard they are from his delusions therefore our Saviour said to his Disciples Luk. 24. 39. Behold my Hands and my Feet that it is I my self handle me see for a spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as ye see me have implying that in matters of that nature sense and reason rightly used are a defence sufficient in a common way of providence from delusions of the Devil Or if it be in matters above nature as the things of the Spirit are yet if you keep to the word of God that is your way and that will keep you and be your protection because it is a creating word so as although it speaks of glorious things above the line or sphere of nature yet is it able to make all good But if it be in natural things you deal without sense and reason or in spiritual and supernatural things without the Scripture or in any other way of revelation then by the word of God which he hath spoken by his sonne now are ye upon the Devils ground and in his snare and he shall lead you captive at his will so the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 2. 25 26. Those who oppose or acknowledge not the truth are in the snare of the Devil and taken captive by him at his will The reason is because he is a spirit who can make powerfull impressions upon phansie and much resembling those of the spirit of God and so in stead of a Conception by the Holy Ghost you shall ere you are aware receive a strong delusion of the Devil Thirdly by this means will you be taken off from that where your advantage lies embracing in stead thereof a phansie or a shadow Thus the Jewes who followed after the Law of righteousnesse their desire in general was good I bear them record saith the Apostle that they have a zeale of God but they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law and so by means of that diversion were deluded by Satan and their own corruption and attained not the Law of righteousnesse Rom. 9. 31. Thus also the Disciples did not know or not consider how their advantage was in Christ crucified their hearts were altogether set upon an earthly glory for which cause how foolish and slow of heart were they to beleeve all that the Prophets had said concerning Christ Luk. 24. 25. So in this case the advantage of the Saints lieth in their being led by the Spirit into all truth and that not by immediate speaking of himself but by taking of the things of Christ and shewing them unto us John 16. 13 14. Now therefore if you neglect the study of the Scriptures seeking after and expecting revelations extraordinary by the spirit you are besides your work and lose the advantage of the season The Spirit will never that way lead you into any truth It will take of the things of Christ and shew them to you communion with Christ by faith pardon of sinne the blessed priviledge of adoption the infinite satisfaction which the father takes in his beloved sonnes obedience the admirable healing vertue in his blood the life and blessednesse to be enjoyed in fellowship with the father and his sonne such things as these of Christ the spirit will take and shew them to you it will ravish your soules by what it makes you see in each particular it will cause you to comprehend with all Saints what is the height and depth and length and breadth to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 18 19. it will fill you with all the fulnesse of God but as for any immediate revelations of himselfe without the things of Christ and without the Word so he will do nothing for you Satan may come and make strong and powerful impressions upon your spirits without taking any of the things of Christ but not the spirit of God which impressions if you listen or give heed unto your thoughts and labours are diverted from your
as in Abraham he laid the foundation of that Kingdom so in him he begins that promise of a blessing upon beleevers families that when his Church should consist of many families put together yet each might have his blessing still upon it Fifthly This he doth because it is the most naturall and readiest way to multiply the spirituall seed for the increase of that his Kingdom which as in Abraham he began so in this promise first given to him of a blessing upon Families and Nations by making him all beleevers blessings he laid a foundation of the greatnesse of it This is that which maketh this Kingdom to be like leaven as was shewed whereby although at first it was but little yet at last it shall leaven the whole lump By his making believers blessings they are the means whereby persons are seasoned with the knowledge and love of Christ especially the young ones brought up under their tuition Should he have taken his elect from all places of the world alike then it may be here had been three or four in England as many in France and so of the rest the Turks Persians Indians all other Nations must each have had their proportion so as the Saints must have lived each one alone by themselves and in an ordinary way could not have been built up nor the Kingdom of Christ increased But when God casteth the lot of his Saints together making his choice by Families Kindreds and Nations by this means the gifts of Gods people are improved and light increased one beleever receiveth help and taketh light from another the succeeding generation from the former and each generation is exceeded by that which commeth after because the children stand as it were upon their fathers shoulders and in many things see that which they saw not untill at last the earth be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea Esay 11. 9. and the whole world be subdued to the power of the Gospel the Sword and Scepter of his Kingdom And I must adde that this is one great designe of God in the times of the New Testament to bring down the knowledge of himselfe by Jesus Christ so far to our capacity as that by the use of ordinary means and gifts in studying the Scriptures Dan. 12. 4. Joh. 16. 13 14. Heb. 1. 1. his people may search into and understand the deep things of God so as not to need the help of extraordinary gifts such as the Prophets had under the Old Testament which then in the nonage of the Church were of use and necessary Now had not he taken this course in his election he had been crossed utterly in this his purpose because had he not so provided for the education increase and edification of his people it must have been by extraordinary waies and gifts or not at all Quest 3. If the question further be why God should so exceedingly multiply the spirituall seed Answ The answer is easie many reasons may be given I shall mention onely that in the Text viz. that God hath need of such a number that the seed of Abraham might fill the world and so might possesse the gate of their enemies which as we have heard was part of his promise unto Abraham And though it be true that God could cause a few if he so pleased by strength and force of Armes to subdue the whole world yet that he would not doe because he loveth to carry on his work especially now in the times of the New Testament as much as may be by ordinary means and waies and hath abundant cause as his designes are laid so to doe and the promise is that the Church shall fill the world as well as rule over it Dan. 2. 35. Matth. 13. 33. And because as he will himselfe be righteous in all his works and the Kingdome of Christ must be a righteous Kingdom Psal 45. The Scepter of thy kingdome is a right scepter so the affairs of this Kingdom shall be managed and the increase thereof endeavoured by his people by such means and waies as are according to common rules of righteousnesse and justice among men Which could not be should it by violence only be effected God hath given the earth to the children of men Psal 115. 16. so as the property and right of persons to their Estates Lands and Liberties is not founded in that which is spirituall but in nature in common providence and in that great charter given to the first Adam and to his posterity Gen. 1. 28. And God blessed them and God said unto them Be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowles of the ayre and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth Which power and dominion over the creatures is as wel continued to the sonnes of men now since the fall as is the efficacy of that blessing in those first words be fruitfull and multiply and replenish the earth Therefore doe we finde the same again renewed to Noah and his children Gen. 9. 2. Into your hand they are delivered Only a sanctified use of things and that all things are in the hand of Christ to be mannaged for his peoples good is from our spirituall state and interest So that his Saints are not by their Saintship entitled to any such possession of their enemies gate as that by force they may therefore take it unto themselves Obj. It will be said it may be that when the Nations in the promised Land were destroyed by the Church of God his people did not act therein according to the common rules of righteousnesse among men in as much as Israel had no such title in nature or reason to that Land To this I answer Answ That what the Israelites did in this was by speciall revelation and command from God who when he would make a Nationall Church and so the Land possessed by his people an holy land accordingly when the iniquity of the old inhabitants was full did by his prerogative institution execrate or anathematize them devoting them unto destruction which sentence as he might justly passe upon them for their sinnes so his people also might as justly execute at his command But there is no such revelations nor commands nor such administrations to be expected now in the times of the new Testament yea though it be a truth that even in these times also there are execrable things which by vertue of his institution are to be rooted out of the Church whereof that conquest of that Canaan was a type And if we seek out the answer-type or what among his people now may hold parallel with that action we shall not finde it in an earthly but in an heavenly Canaan nor in a casting of wicked persons out of a nation or out of the world but out of the Church by excommunication Nor may any thing at all be
Magistrates will have their free course and upon grounds of nature and reason as before And what influence the Kingdome or Subjects of Christ shall have upon the Kingdomes of the World will not be destructive to them but perfective of them That which is spiritual destroyeth not that which natural but perfects it The power will be naturally devolved upon them as from other causes so also because of their number and having power and authority in their hands they shall do the same things for which government is ordained and upon the same grounds in nature as before onely here will be the difference what they do they will do it like Saints and as becomes those who are subjects of the Kingdome of Christ and as in obedience unto his command As a beleever does all the same duties in nature in all relations in the world Parents to Children Masters to Servants Children to Parents Servants to Masters one Neighbour to another as he did before his conversion or as other men doe only with this difference unregenerate persons do them onely upon a natural ground and because nature is corrupt the duties many times are done accordingly but a beleever though he doth the same things and upon the same natural ground too yet he doth them also in obedience unto Christ and as sent by him about that work in which respect his people are said to be sent by him into the world Joh. 13. 16. The Servant is not greater then his Lord neither he that is sent greater then he that sent him In our conversion he taketh us out of this world Joh. 15. 19. Because ye are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you And he sendeth us into the world againe because there lies our work and the same duties in nature we are to doe yet not as being of the world but as being of Christ and called out of the world and sent in againe by him Thus when the men of this world are in place of government they act onely upon principles of nature and the nature of man being by sin corrupted the work is done accordingly hence is all that injustice in the world even from those whose work and interest it is to preserve justice what they can But when this power is cast upon the people of the Lord though they shall performe the same work of righteousnesse in government and upon the same ground in nature too yet they shall act as persons who have more then nature in them namely as such who are sent by Christ and governed by his word and spirit So as the inhabitants of the earth shall have no cause to complain that power is put into such hands nay they shall greatly rejoyce in that day as is foretold often by the Psalmist Psal 97. 1. The Lord raigneth let the earth rejoyce O clap your hands all ye people shout unto God with the voice of triumph for the Lord most high is terrible he is a great King over all the earth Psal 47. 1. I come now to the Application wherein although much use may be made of this point otherwise yet I shall insist onely upon two things First upon such things from it as may tend to clear the point of Infant-Baptisme Secondly something I shall also adde concerning the Kingdome of Christ First I say upon Infant-Baptisme concerning which yet I shall not enter at large upon that controversie onely I shall insist upon such arguments as do arise from this point Other arguments there are and fitly urged also which I shall not mention Now for that purpose it will not be amisse nor impertinent from what hath been said in opening this point Vse 1. First that hence we learn and observe the difference and agreement between those two great promises made by God unto his people The first to onr first parents Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head The other this promise unto Abraham Blessing I will bless thee and thou shalt be a blessing and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed and multiplying I will multiply thy seed c. I say wherein 1. They agree viz. 1. Both to be fulfilled in Christ 2. Both made to a spiritual seed 3. Both for the encrease of that seed and the conquest of enemies 4. Both comprehending the whole Gospel 2. They differ that in this promise unto Abraham the Lord maketh an addition to the former namely he giveth a more particular account how this conquest shall be accomplished 1. By putting this seed into a Kingdome that is whereas before it was in families onely that many families should be put together to be a separated peculiar people to himself a Kingdome of Priests and an holy Nation as they are called Exod. 19. 6. This kingdome he began in Abraham when he chose his seed first to be carried on in the Church of the Old Testament then in the Church of the New Testament under a differing manner of administration yet the same kingdome still as appeareth by that of our Saviour The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from the Jewes and given to others Matth. 21. 23. Which kingdome as to the matter of it was from the beginning but was not put into such a forme nor by any word of God so appointed to it untill Abraham received the promise and he and his seed made the heires of the world as hath been shewed 2. By that provision which God hath made for the encrease and greatnesse of this kingdome by blessing beleevers so as to make them blessings to Families Kindreds and Nations This being the means appointed by God for multiplying the seed by so casting elect children upon elect Parents as was shewed in opening the reasons of the point Which being so now for our purpose let it further be considered that as God made an addition to his Gospel or rather a further discovery of his mind therein in his promise unto Abraham so he also made an addition to the seals for confirmation of it to his people namely the seal of Circumcision which also was first given to Abraham and not in use before And as this addition to his Gospel was a promise of making beleevers blessings to families and nations in order to the multiplying of the seed and encrease of the Kingdome of Christ so the application of this seale to Infants is part of the seale thereby signifying and confirming that promise of such blessing So Gen. 17. 10. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee every man-child among you shall be circumcised and the uncircumcised man-child that soul shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant Had not the application of it to the Infant been part of the token of the covenant the childs not being circumcised had not been a breach of the covenant nor could
the Apostle Rom. 10. 6. applyeth to the Gospel in opposition to the Law as in it selfe considered without the Gospel or as a covenant of works Before the Fall the Law was given by God as Lord of his Creature but since the Fall it hath been the Law of the Kingdom of Christ which maketh it cease to be a covenant of works 1. Because Christ in his Kingdome is so our Lord as he is also our Head and we the members of his body and quickened by his spirit and therefore part of our duty therein required is that it be done by his strength Joh. 15. 5. Philip. 1. 11. In the covenant of works the Law was Do this and live but in the covenant of grace it is Do this in the strength of Christ and live 2. Because our state and condition as subjects of his Kingdome dependeth not upon our keeping the Law but upon free grace in Christ by faith although our comfort in that Kingdom and State be much according as we keep or break that Law Joh. 14. 21. He that hath my Commandements saith Christ and keepeth thē he it is that loveth me he shal be loved of my father and I wil love him and will manifest my self to him So we are to understand those words when the Apostle saith we are free from and dead to the Law and are not under the Law but under Grace that is in respect of our state and condition or of the justifying of our persons In the state of innocency Do this and live was the covenant in respect of state therefore Adam had no sooner sinned but he was in a state of eternal death but to us onely in respect of the comforts in that state wherein we are as subjects of the Kingdom of Christ and members of his body Therefore although we are punished for sin yet not with eternal death but with temporal punishments whether corporal or spiritual and that out of love to do us good as from a Father our state in Christ continues still Therfore although we are bound by this Law as subjects of his Kingdome yet we are free from the law in respect of that legal state as under a covenant of works 3. Because however we are punished by Christ for sinne yet the matter is wholly taken up by him in his Kingdom and we are not carried out thence to be punished or thrown to hell Therefore are we free from the Law as to the eternal curse 4. In that when he punisheth for sinne he proceedeth therein according to the nature of the justice of his Kingdom which is the justice of a Father which obligeth him in punishing to aime not only at the glory of his justice but also at the good of the person punished which end if he can attain by sparing he is engaged even in justice and that he may be a righteous Father to spare or if a lesser affliction will do it to take a lesse and although sometimes when he sees cause he will not spare and when a lesser affliction will not do the work he takes a greater and comes with seven times more Levit. 26. yet never to punish any of his children according to the full desert of any sinne He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Psal 103. 10. Now this is not according to the tenour of a covenant of works for there is no such liberty taken there is no sparing because the end of punishment therein is not the good of the person punished but onely the glory of his justice Thus we see that although one ingredient in the general nature of the Law both before and since the coming of Christ be that it is a command under penalties yet it follows not that either they were or that we now are under a covenant of works I have made so large a digression upon this subject because some do insist so much upon this point against Infant-baptisme alledging that the new Testament is so silent in it for by that which hath been said of the general nature of the Law to be one and the same to the people of God under both Testaments we see clearly the reason of these two things First how God could make the time of the old Testament to be the season wherin he would instruct his people in his Law and that for all ages afterwards according to that of our Saviour The law and the Prophets were until John and since that time the kingdom of God is preached implying that the doctrin of the Law was unfolding until then Secondly why the Lord Christ who is the Apostle of our profession and was faithful to him that appointed him as Moses also was faithful in all his house Heb. 3. 1. that is in all the service of it should speak so little in his new Testament concerning the Law which is the rule which he hath set for the service of that his house namely because he could look upon that for the greatest part to be done already And should he have been more particular therein he had taken his people off from the study of the old Testament which he would not doe since it was written for our learning yea he purposely avoyds it that he might oblige his people to that study His faithfulnesse in the house of God did bespeak it of him Therefore whoever shall confine himself only to the new Testament to finde out the law of Gods worship and service he shall never finde it not onely as to Infant-baptisme but also to all other Ordinances whatsoever because as I said the new Testament speaks of things only by hints here and there for the most part and as supposing many things then already known when that was written and commonly received among his people As for instance he saith of his Church even that Church wherein Timothy was instructed touching his behaviour 1 Tim. 3. 16. and therefore meant of a visible Church that it is his House See p. 28. and the Church of Corinth is said to be the Temple of God 2 Cor. 6. 16. But where is the nature of the house or Temple unfolded in the new Testament For that we must goe to the old and there we finde that a Temple or an house of God must be separated from that which is common and made sacred to his presence and such must a people be who are now his House and Church which presence of his when he totally withdraws he calleth it a profaning or defiling of his Sanctuary Ezek. 24. 21. I will profane my sanctuary the excellency of your strength that is he would make it common and to be as any other place Again the word separate is sometimes used in the new Testament as Acts 13. 2. 2 Cor. 6. 17. which is of necessity to be understood by him that would understand the Ordinances of God and service of his house or the house it selfe for
nature of sanctification it is a giving up or a separating of a thing to God Rom. 12. 1. 2 Cor. 7. 1. and in voluntary agents it is a giving up of themselves to God else the will is not given up to him and so the man is not sanctified therefore in the sanctification of the understanding it is made active in its own illumination and gives up it selfe to the power of the word of truth and to God therein hence it is that whilst the spirit of God sanctifies us through the truth it begets in us a beliefe that it is the truth of God Secondly by this sanctification so far as it prevaileth for it is but in part in this world we are delivered from the corrupt biasings of the heart which are the cause of all our darkness and unbeliefe of all those shifts evasions wherby we are kept from owning his authority in his word men of corrupt minds they are who are reprobate concerning the faith 2 Tim. 3. 8. Thirdly in the work of sanctification the soule findes the infinite power of God in this truth in mortifying sinne in a new birth to righteousnesse and in filling of the soule with comfort which however is a work secretly carried on in the soule and so many times the power of the sanctifying word not much taken notice of in actual thoughts yet the soule wherein it is accordingly doth secretly owne and acknowledge this power of the word and God himselfe therein yea even when actual thoughts from the corruption of the unregenerate part are reasoning against it and would not see it Thus we see upon what further ground our beliefe of the truth as the truth and word of God depends besides the credit of the persons by whom we are instructed and taught therein Who notwithstanding may be acknowledged as Ambassadours from Christ who speak to us in the name of God and in his Authority upon a twofold account First from the nature of their work which is to instruct us in the truth of God in which although much of the truth slips besides our faith and knowledge because of the weaknesse both of Teacher and Hearer and it may be but very little of it is discovered unto us yet something is done in that behalfe so as we can say of this and that particular truth which we have learned by their meanes that it is indeed the word of God and how small soever that be yet it cometh upon our soules from our Teachers in the name of God and in his authority because as it will be granted that when we receive the truth of God in his authority it is not therefore to be supposed that we are presently possessed of all the truth of God at once nor of all that truth which is spoken to us should it be by persons of infallible gifts because we receive no more then what we understand so it is as true that how small soever that part of the truth of the Gospell be that we receive as truth we cannot but receive it in his name and authority because he is the God of truth and the things revealed in it are such as none else could reveale but he therefore called his truth John 17. 17. Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth And indeed that onely doe we receive in his name and authority which we receive as truth were it by persons of infallible gifts therefore I say so far as they are able to fasten any truth upon our understandings they are truly said even from the nature of their work to speake to us in the name of God Secondly from the nature of their office which is such as they are therein consecrated and appointed by a creating word of institution to be in this thing in stead of Christ himself unto the Church so as he saith to them He that receiveth you receiveth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Luke 10. 16. and 2 Cor. 5. 20. We sayes the Apostle are Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God This the Apostle speaketh of himself and others as those to whom God had committed the ministery of reconciliation vers 19. Now that ministerie was committed not onely to Apostles and Evangelists He gave also Pastours and Teachers for the work of the ministerie Ephes 4. 11. 12. So Heb. 13. 7. Therefore I say by vertue of his word of institution they are in this capacity not by vertue of any infallibility or freedome from errour in their teaching The ministery is that Ordinance of God whereby the truth of God is by degrees to be discovered and whereby that which is discovered to be his truth should come upon the soule in the same Authority and Power as if God himselfe did speak it to us God could as easily have spoken to us himselfe from time to time but he chuseth rather and finds it necessary to deal with us according to our capacity that his terrour may not make us afraid as Elihu said to Job Job 33. 7. and to bring downe the knowledge of himselfe to such wayes and meanes agreeable to our condition as that we may receive it in earthen vessels and yet be assured that it is the word and truth of God and so as that in this Ordinance of the ministery we have that which is equivalent unto his speaking to us himselfe This is the manner of Gods dealing with his people in bestowing himself upon us that what we cannot have immediately by himselfe by vertue of his ordinances we should have in equivalency or in effect made good unto us which is one reason why the Scripture calleth a false Ordinance an Idol or a false god namely because that is the nature and use of the ordinances of the worship of God to be to us as in his stead or to be equivalently or in effect as Christ himselfe unto our soules Thus in the supper of the Lord we have his body and blood though not his body and blood in nature or by transubstantiation yet because that supper is his ordinance wherein we do enjoy the communion of his body and blood the bread and wine in that use and administration is equivalently or in effect the body and blood of Christ unto us So the Church wherein we worship God is called the body and house of Christ though as in it selfe considered consisting but of a few and of them it may be a great part Hypocrites it cannot properly or primarily be so called yet that being his ordinance wherein we enjoy communion with him as members of his mystical body and as the temples of the holy Ghost and wherein we do the work and enjoy the comfort which belongeth unto us as such therfore in equivalency and in the way of an ordinance that Church is to us the body and house of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 27. The Church of Corinth is called his body