and the sheep of his hand as was said before The Apostle urgeth us to hear his voice because he is the Apostle and High Priest of our profession faithful in his house as the Son and the Builder of it He varieth the title but he speaks to the same thing for what the Lord Christ doth as the Apostle and High Priest of our profession in his house he doth it as the great Shepherd of our soules as we see Psal 23. where David seting forth the blessings of his house as we see in the close of the Psalm and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever he doth it by this The Lord is my shepherd I shal not want He maketh me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me by the stil waters c. We heard before that two things especially he doth for us as our Shepherd he feeds us and he gives us rest Ps 23. 2. He giveth us green pastures he maketh us to lie down therein He spreds a Table for us and that in the presence of our Enemies Both these he giveth us in himself he is our Bread of Life he is our Rest In order to both these he hath built us an House of rest which is his Church as we shall see anon There he feeds us and there he causeth his flock to rest at noon Cant. 1. 7. He appoints also a day of rest to be celebrated in his house in the Service of it And because his sheep are not as the wild beasts that live of their own finding but are under the government and guidance of their Shepherd therfore called the Sheep of his hand Psal 95. that is of his government Psal 77. 20. and such as know his voice therefore at his voice it is that they come together as his flock in his house and Worship and that upon the day appointed for it by himselfe O come let us Worship and bow down c. To day if ye will hear his voice c. All this he doth as our Shepherd and he doth it also as the Apostle and High Priest of our profession in as much as in that capacity he appoints his house and the service of it and was faithful therein to him that appointed him as the Apostle sheweth And in as much as he is Lord also of the Sabbath as he is of his house and hath set apart and sanctified that day for the service of it this being as much in effect as if every Sabbath day we heard from him a voice inviting us to rest with him in his house therefore is it that the Prophet brings in the people of God in that manner as upon that day exhorting one another saying O come let us Worship c. to day if ye will hear his voice Nor is there any other day wherein the Saints can be supposed ordinarily to exhort and stirre up one another to worship God The other six days are appointed for labour Exod 20. 9. I have been willing to stay the longer upon this because it will be useful in opening the Covenant of God with Abraham as we shall see anon And because in these two chapters the third and fourth we have a clear evidence for the Christian Sabbath which also I shall make some use of in clearing the duty of Infant-Baptisme which is the thing especially intended in this discourse for which cause also I shal stay yet a litle longer upon these two chapters before I come to my Text to shew from the words of the Apostle that by to day if ye will hear his voice in that Psal 95. is meant the Christian Sabbath day which may be cleared in this manner First It is evident that it is meant of a day of rest chap. 4. 7 8. He limiteth a certain day saying in David to day after so long a time as it is said to day if ye wil hear his voice harden not your hearts for if Joshuah had given them rest namely that rest of which David speaketh then would he not afterward have spoken of another day Therefore of a day of rest it must be meant else the Apostles argument had not been concluding nor pertinent because many other days might have afterward been spoken of although Joshuah had given them all the rest that was ever to be expected Secondly It is meant of such a rest as God can and sometimes doth swear in his wrath against his own people who are his house and the people of his pasture that they shall not enter into it this cannot be said of what they enjoy in their personal interest by faith only but as for the comfort of his Ordinances and Sabbath how this may be said concerning that we shall see anon in opening the promise of God to Abraham Thirdly That it is meant of a Sabbath days rest appeareth by the manner of the Apostles arguing in this place in as much as the Apostle proveth it to be another day of rest besides what was in use in the Church before Another in opposition to the seventh day Sabbath and that because David speaketh of it as a rest to be entred into a long time after although the seventh days rest was entred into from the beginning of the world in as much as he spake in a certain place saying in this wise and God rested the seventh day from all his works and in this place again if they shall enter into my rest implying a promise that some shall though others shal not enter into it Now saies the Apostle this being spoken by the Prophet David of a time then to come and again that he limiteth a certain day saying in David to day after so long a time there remaineth therefore the keeping of a Sabbath for the people of God namely over and besides the seventh days Sabbath Now from this his manner of arguing it is evident that he supposeth this day of which David speaketh saying to day if ye will hear his voice to be a day of the same kind as the seventh day Sabbath was because else there had been no such opposition to be made nor would there have been place for an although or a notwithstanding in the case as in v. 31. because any other rest might have also been entred into from the beginning of the world as a believers personal rest by faith was but that which maketh the opposition is that David speaketh of a Sabbath days rest to be entred into now a long time after even in the times of the New Testament of which times that Psal 95 is a Prophesie as appeareth by the Apostles application of it in this place and thereupon he concludes it to be another day of rest remaining for us besides the seventh days rest By this we see that by to day if ye will hear his voice is not meant only of a Christians personal rest by faith which is every days enjoyment and was entred into from the beginning of the
world but of another Sabbath days rest besides what was in use before Fourthly Because it is meant of a day of rest to be celebrated in the house of God in his Worship So the Apostle concludeth verse 9. There remaineth therefore a Sabbatisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the celebration of a Sabbath for the people of God a word comprehending the Sabbath and Worship put together as was before observed And the coherence of the words Psal 95. implyeth as much O come let us worship and bow downe and kneel before the Lord our maker for we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts c. It appeareth also from the Apostles wherefore chap. 3. 7. His house are we wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith to day if ye will hear his voice c. So as if the question be what voice or what day the answer from the Psalm and from the Apostles inference must be this the day of worshiping the Lord our maker and of resting with him in his house and his voice whose house we are inviteing us unto it Fifthly Because the Apostle understands it of a day to be kept upon the same ground in relation unto Christ his ceasing from his works and entring into his rest as the seventh days Sabbath was in relation to God his ceasing from his works after his making the first creation and entring into his So it followeth verse 10. There remaineth therefore the keeping of a Sabbath to the people of God for he that is entred into his rest that is Christ hath ceased from his works as God did from his And that it may appear that it is Christ of whom he thus speaketh I must stay yet a little longer upon these words for the clearing of it The Apostle in these words maketh a further application and explication of that ninty fifth Psalm for his purpose for whereas in that Psalm it is said that he is the Lord our maker and we the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand and therefore should come together worship and bow down and kneel before him he makes this the reason why this other day of rest of which David speaketh should be looked upon as a Sabbath thus to be celebrated in his house and worship as the former Sabbaths were because this our Lord and maker Jesus Christ spoken of in that Psalm hath entred into his rest and ceased from his works as God did from his And that it may appear that Christ is that Lord our maker whose voice we are to hear upon that day Consider what is said Heb. 3. 4 5 6. Christ the Apostle of our profession who built the house and built all things and is God he as a Son was faithful over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm to the end Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts He exhorts them in the words of the Prophet and brings it in with a wherefore upon what he had said of our being the house of Christ therefore he supposeth his voice it is we are to hear whose house we are which says the Apostle is Christ the Son of God who built both it and all things else His house are we wherefore to day if ye will hear his voice And that it may also be clear that those words v. 10. are to be understood of Christ his entring into his rest First I must a little mend the translation or rather the placing of the words therein for these words his own in the former part of the verse he that hath ceased from his own works which make them seem to be meant of a Beleevers ceasing from his sin which is his own work are not rightly placed there but should be in the latter clause thus He also hath ceased from his works as God did from his own works for so they are in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is as God did from the works peculiar to his first creation so did Christ from his Secondly consider the words v. 14. which are brought in with a seeing then pointing to something going before namely to his entring into his rest v. 10. Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Jesus the Son of God c. Which can refer only to those words v. 10. of his entring into his rest for that supposeth his passing into the heavens Thirdly it cannot be meant of ceasing from sinne because it is such a ceasing as was God's ceasing from his works which was such as he took satisfaction in what he had done it was not onely Negative or a bare ceasing from labour that God entred into but a Positive rest and satisfaction Exod. 31. 17. He rested the seventh day and was refreshed And looked upon his work and said it was exceeding good But he that ceaseth from sin looketh upon that as evil and taketh no satisfaction in it at all Fourthly Consider that those words v. 10. are the Apostles argument to prove that there is another rest or keeping of a Sabbath remaining for the people of God besides what they had from the beginning of the world v. 3. and since Joshuahs time v. 8. for our ceasing from sin upon our rest in Christ by faith proveth no such matter Fifthly I may adde what our Saviour Christ saith of himself Mark 2. 28. Luke 6. 5. That he is Lord also of the Sabbath He is Lord of Heaven and Earth Lord of his House and Lord of his Worship There are differences of administrations but the same Lord. 1 Cor. 12. 5. and he is Lord also of the Sabbath which he could not be unlesse he also had entred into his rest ceasing from his works as God the first creator did when he ceased from his because the reason of the keeping of a Sabbath is put upon this because it is the day of our Lords entring into his rest Exod. 20. 11. Our everlasting Sabbath in Heaven will be an entrance into the joy of our Lord Math. 25. 21. so also the comfort of a Sabbath now is Communion with the Lord of the Sabbath in his own rest Therefore since he is Lord of the Sabbath he must enter into his rest as God did into his as the Apostle speaketh of him in this place By that which hath been said it appears that this is meant of Christ his ceasing from his works and entring into his rest Which being so it is evident concerning this other day of rest of which David speaketh saying To day if ye will hear his voice that the Apostle understands it of a day of rest to be kept upon the same ground in reference to Christ his entring into his rest as the seventh day was in reference unto God his entring into his
had confirmed by oath to Abraham that he might shew the immutability of his counsel to the Heirs of promise and that we might have strong consolation he gives that for one the multiplying of his seed A further proofe we have Gen. 15. 5. Look now towards Heaven and tell the Stars if thou be able to number them and he said unto him so shall thy seed be Abraham beleeved it is said and it was counted to him for righteousness This the Apostle bringeth to prove justification by free grace through faith in Christ Rom. 4. 3. 18. 22. Therefore that multiplying of his seed promised in those words so shall thy seed be had reference not onely to the Jews but also to believing Gentiles the increase of whose number by means of Gods blessing believers so as to make them blessings as Abrahams seed was intended in that promise and as part of that Gospel which God preached unto Abraham else his beleeving it had not been imputed for righteousnesse nor the Apostle alledged it to prove justification by faith in Christ as he doth in that place Again we know that one great promise to beleevers now under the New Testament is that the kingdome of Christ that is the Church at last shall fill the world Dan. 2. The stone cut out without hands which smote the image upon the feet and brake to pieces the Iron and the Clay the Brasse the Silver and the Gold became a great mountain and filled the whole earth And the stone is interpreted of the kingdome of Christ v. 44. To this purpose is that of our Saviour Matth. 13. 31. comparing the kingdom of Heaven to a grain of mustard seed which is the least of all seeds but when it is grown is the greatest of all herbs And that it is like to leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meale till the whole was leavened Now the Lords making beleevers blessings and thereby multiplying Abrahams seed is that which makes his kingdome thus to be like leaven whereby the whole world at last will be seasoned with the knowledge and love of Christ Therefore this multiplying of beleevers so as to fill the world is made by the Apostle Rom. 4. 13. to be part of Abrahams promise The promise that he should be Heir of the World was not to Abraham or to his seed through the Law but through the righteousness of faith Then mark what followeth v. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the Father of us all as it is written I have made thee the Father of many Nations Who against hope beleeved in hope that he might be the Father of many Nations according to that which was spoken so shall thy seed be namely as the stars of heaven for number From these words observe First that Abraham by the promises given unto him was made the Heir of the world Secondly that the promise of multiplying his seed in those words I will make thee a Father of many Nations and so shall thy seed be was one promise whereby he was so made the Heir of the world Thirdly that this promise of multiplying his seed and of his thereby being made the Heir of the world was not made to Abraham or his seed through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith therefore a Gospel promise Fourthly that this promise was made sure to all beleevers as well Gentiles as Jews Fourthly A fourth thing conteined in Abrahams promise confirmed both to him and all beleevers is that his seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies Gen. 22. 16. The place here cited by the Apostle in the Text as intended also to the Heirs of promise in the New Testament By my selfe have I sworn saith the Lord that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is upon the Sea-shore and thy seed shall possesse the gate of his enemies that is their power and authority For as gates were for defence so they were places of judgement Amos 5. 15. Hate the evil and love the good and establish judgement in the gate Deut. 16. 18. Judges shalt thou make in all thy gates Dan. 2. 49. Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were set over the affairs of the provinces but Daniel sat in the gate of the King This therefore was Gods promise unto Abraham that by means of this blessing he would so multiply his seed as they should not only fill they should also subdue the world at last and raign over it Psal 47. 3. He shall subdue the people under us Rev. 11. 15. The Kingdomes of this world shall be the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ Dan. 7. 18. 28. The Kingdom and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most High and all Dominions shall serve and obey him All this you may observe is reduced to Abrahams promise Psal 47. which is a parallel prophecy to that of Dan. 7. O clap your hands all ye people shout unto God with the voice of triumph for the Lord most High is the King over all the earth He shall subdue the people under us and the nations under our feet God raigneth over the heathen God sitteth upon the Throne of his Holinesse Then mark what followeth The Princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham All this dignity and power therfore is confirmed upon them as his seed and heirs of his promise And although by what hath been said it is evident that this also is one branch of Gods promise made to Abraham Yet I shall adde one place more wherein with submission I suppose we have also a prophesie of what God wil do for his people in this kind and all reduced still to his promise unto Abraham It is Psal 105. mentioned before a Psalm made upon occasion of Davids bringing the Ark to the Tabernacle which he had prepared for it upon mount Sion as we see 1. Chron. 16. 1 7. in which accordingly we have a prophesie foreshewing what God will do when he shall set his King upon his holy hill of Sion having dashed his enemies in pieces like a Potters vessel even when the Kingdomes of the earth are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ In which prophesie observe two things First how he putteth all that he saith therein upon Gods promise unto Abraham O give thanks unto the Lord make known his deeds among the people sing unto him talk of his wonderous works O ye seed of Abraham his servant ye children of Jacob his chosen Againe v. 8. Which covenant he made with Abraham and his oath unto Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob saying Vnto
it needs not much be questioned but that their possessing of the gate of their enemies in the earthly Canaan was a type of what the spirituall seed should doe as to the enemies gate in the times of the New Testament But because to some it may be it will be yet a question let us consider Thirdly what is said of Canaan Gen. 9. 26. Where the Lord giveth a promise to Shem and Japheth to the selfe same purpose and of the same tenour as here in these two places he doth to Abraham and his seed Blessed be the Lord God of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant God shall enlarge or perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant As for his being a servant unto Shem that was fulfilled in the conquest of the earthly Canaan by Abrahams seed who were Shems posterity but for his being a servant to Iapheth dwelling in the tents of Shem that is to be fulfilled in the times of the New Testament when Iews and Gentiles make one Church one spiritual seed of Abraham Gal. 3. 16. Rom. 4. 16. That I think will be granted to be the meaning of those words God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem. And upon the same account as Shem and Japheth are put for the Church of the New Testament wherein none can with any certainty affirm which is Japheths posterity in nature and which is Shems Canaan is there put for the wicked of the world whether of his posterity or not And as Shem and Japheth are there made types of the one so also is Canaan of the other and the meaning this that in the times of the New Testament there will be a season wherein the wicked of the world shall be under the Church of God Therefore here when God comes to renew the same promise unto Abraham with an addition touching the manner how it should be accomplished namely by his blessing and multiplying his seed he speaketh in the same phrase and saith To thee and to thy seed will I give all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies The meaning therefore must be the same namely that he and his seed should be heirs of the world and that his seed should fill the world at last and rule over it as hath been shewed For a further clearing hereof consider how the Prophet Zachariah speaking of those last times wherein that promise Canaan shall be his servant shall bee fulfilled saith In that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts Zach. 14. 21. where by Canaanite is meant a wicked man or a man of the world according to that in Rev. 21. 27. a place parallel to this in Zachariah speaking of the same times and things There shall in no wise enter into it that is the Church or House of God any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of life And for a further illustration of this matter it is considerable what one very probably observeth concerning that of Abraham Gen. 14. how in rescuing Lot he overcame those four Kings whose people afterwards became the four Monarchyes or Kingdomes set forth by Nebuchadnezzars image which Abrahams seed at last shall break in pieces and obtain their power Dan. 2. Amraphel King of Shinar afterwards the Babylonian Monarchy Gen. 11. 2. Arioch King of Ellasar the Grecian for Hellas is the name of Greece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he came into Greece Acts. 20. 2. Chedar-laomer King of Elam the Persian Esai 21. 2. Dan. 8. 2. And Tidal King of Nations the Roman for it is said Gen. 10. 2. that by Japheths posterity were the Isls of the Gentiles or of the Nations divided which is the same title with this in Gen. 14. King of Nations or of the Gentiles for it is the same and it is taken for granted that the posterity of Japheth did inhabit and people Europe where afterward the Roman Monarchy did obtain Which being so then Abrahams conquest was a type or sample of what God would do for Abrahams seed his Saints in after ages then a long time to come Thus we see in these foure things what that promise is which God made to Abraham and in him to all beleevers as his seed and what particulars are contained in it And it needeth not seem strange that it is so comprehensive because it was intended to contain the whole Gospel which Gospel we see doth not only bring us the glad tidings of remission of sinnes and salvation by Christ but also concerning the Saints being put into a Kingdome as also the increase and power which that Kingdome shall obtain and by what means it shall be made so to increase for which cause also it is called the Gospel of the Kingdome and godliness is said to have promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1. Tim. 4. 8. Now let us in the next place consider the reasons of the point and that in each of those particulars before mentioned which therefore I shall shew by answering so many Questions viz. four Quest 1. Why the Lord should take this course in blessing of his people Evident it is that he was resolved to blesse them as his Children with all spiritual blessings in Christ but why should he do it in such a method to single out one of his people namely Abraham and to blesse him as the originall pattern and in him to blesse all the rest as his seed For so the point is that what God confirmed by oath to Abraham he confirmed it to us even to all beleevers to the Worlds end To this I answer Answ The reason of it is in the Text. Namely that he might shew the immutability of his counsel to the Heirs of promise and that he might doe as much as might be to help and strengthen his peoples faith that they might the better trust him The Lord knew that by drawing out his work into length of time as he hath done and laying his designes so long before he should have occasion to do the same things over againe and againe and therefore should in his works to former of his Saints give types and samples of what his people might expect in after times even in that great work the conquest of the world by the Gospel of Jesus Christ As for instance what he did for Israel in the flesh in their deliverance from Egypt driving out the Canaanites before them managing the affairs of his Kingdome among that people in that Land he doth over again though in a more spiritual way for his people under the Gospel which are the Israel of God and the seed of Abraham also Gal. 3. 29. 6. 16. Heb. 8. 8. And their condition made parallel with ours by
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
done by the Church as such but what is spirituaâ—… And although the people of God shall have just cause to make war against Antichrist and his party yet it shall be upon a natural and civil account for their just liberties opposed and invaded by them Therefore I say that in a way of righteousnesse his people may obtain the possession of the gate of their enemies One course which God taketh to fulfil this his promise is by multiplying them As by blessing he will multiply the seed so by multiplying them he will cause them to possesse the gate of their enemies And by this means that dominion and power which they shall at last obtain shall need no force either to get or to maintain it but it shall naturally fall upon them as from other causes so also by reason of their number even according to the law of nature and common rules of righteousnesse and justice Therefore is it said Esai 2. 3. that in the last days when the mountain of the Lords House that is the Church shall be established in the top of the mountains and exalted above the hills and all Nations shall flow unto it and when Christ shall judge among the Nations that they shall beat their swords into plow-shares and their speares into pruning hooks Nation shall not lift up sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more What course the Lord will take also to lessen the number of the wicked before that day come I shall not now discusse although the Scripture is not silent in it but what by destroying the one and what by multiplying the other the number of the seed of Abraham will in time be such as that in a way of righteousnesse and justice the possession of the enemies gate will be theirs Therefore I say God hath need of such a number for a fulfilling of his promise And this is one reason why he so exceedingly multiplies the seed of Abraham Quest 4. As to the fourth Question why that should be part of his promise also that Abrahams seed should at last obtain such power I need to say no more but that this was his promise from the beginning even to our first Parents that the righteous should subdue the wicked at the last Gen. 3. 15. The seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpents head And afterward renewed to the Sonnes of Noah Shem and Japheth Gen. 9. 27. God shall perswade Japheth and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem and Canaan shall be his servant that is Jews and Gentiles shall make one Church and the wicked of the world shall be under their authority and power as hath been shewed Therefore I say this their possessing the gate of their enemies is but what the Lord hath even from the beginning engaged himselfe to do for his people And in Abrahams Covenant we have but the same repeated only with this addition namely the manner how this seed shall obtain this power Thus you have the reasons of the point Now before I come to application it will be necessary that I answer one objection more which is this Obj. Our Saviour saith his Kingdome is not of this world Joh. 18. 36. How then shall his Saints obtain such possession and power so as the Kingdome and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to them and the Kingdomes of the Earth become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ To this I answer Answ That notwithstanding all this yet it is most true that the Kingdom of Christ is not of this world nor ever shall be It is a spiritual an heavenly Kingdome The matter of it the laws the power and the end of his Kingdome are all spiritual Whatever is of this world is fading and hath a period set for its continuance but the Kingdome of Christ is everlasting Thy throne O God is for ever and ever Psal 45. 6. Therefore when it is said That the Dominion and the Kingdome under the whole heaven shall be given to the Saints of the most High and the Kingdomes of the earth become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ the meaning is not that the Kingdome of Christ shall then be of this World or shall cease to be a spiritual Kingdome or that the Kingdomes of the world shall cease to be of this world that is the one shall not cease to consist of that which is natural both for the Matter Order Power and End of the Kingdome nor the other cease to consist of that which is spiritual and heavenly for that were for it to degenerate and to be deposed from its glory But as a man when he is made a subject of Jesus Christ in his conversion is made a spirituall man a new creature not but that he is the same man in nature still but such a work is wrought in him as he is equivalently another man yea as much another in effect as if he had been annihilated and a new man made out of the dust for though he be the same man in nature still yet by Union and Communion with Christ he is acted by another principle of life to what he was before namely by the quickening spirit of the second Adam 1 Cor. 15. so that whereas before he was onely of the first Adam now he is of the second before was only of the earth earthy now he is also of the Lord from Heaven So when the Kingdomes of the earth are become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ they will be the same Kingdoms in nature still and the same things done and upon the same grounds of common justice yet because the people of God will be so multiplied as theirs will be the power it will be equivalent to such a change as if they did cease to be the Kingdomes of the earth and were turned into the Kingdome of Christ The Kingdomes of Christ and of the world will ever be distinct in their Nature and Use yet such influence will the Kingdome of Christ have upon Commonwealths as they will be as it were swallowed up into it And indeed as our Saviour alledged that unto the Roman Governour when he was accused for an enemy to Cesar and for which it is evident he put him to death because he made himself a King alledged I say for his defence that his Kingdome was not of this World and therefore would be no interruption unto Cesars so may it be alledged still against the jealousies and hard thoughts which men are apt to have of the people of God because of this Doctrine that the time will come when the seed of Abraham shall possess the gate of their enemies I say it may be alledged that the Kingdome of Christ is not of this World and therefore no cause of any jealous thoughts that his subjects should be any disturbance to the Kingdomes of this World Justice and righteousnesse and obedience to
blessing which these are not yea though we cannot with certainty affirm of this or that Infant of a beleever that it is inherently holy yet holy as thus separated and differenced from those who are common by that word of blessing from God under which they are As we cannot upon certainty affirm of any particular person in the Church that he is inherently holy because he may make a lye in his confession yet of every such person we can say he is in that sense holy namely as separated unto God in that relation and thereby differenced from those who are common or uncleane To this I adde that as it is a necessary qualification in the confession of one who is received into Church relation that therein be held forth in words and actions that which giveth a positive ground of hope that he is inherently holy so in this promise of God to Abraham concerning his purpose of election so by families as hath been shewed we have no less ground of hope concerning Infants of beleevers In the one we have a persons own profession concerning his spiritual state and interest in Christ 1 Cor. 7. 14. Matth. 10. 14. in the other we have what God himself professeth how he hath separated them unto himself and made them part of his kingdom and partakers of the blessing of his covenant And as a person of ripe years is received to baptisme not because he is certainly known to be inherently holy but upon his profession to be such wherein both himself and the Church may be deceived so upon that which God hath said concerning Infants are they to be received also Nor let it seem strange that those who are made holy from a word of blessing from the Lord are by him appointed to have the seale of that word and covenant by which they are so made holy as in the former use was proved that he hath so commanded and appointed Which also is another reason why such children are by the Apostle called holy namely because they are not onely within the covenant of Abraham but also are appointed of God to be a subject recipient of the seale of that covenant The seale is holy and those to whom it is applyed must be so or else it is profaned and made common As for that interpretation given of that place by some els were your children unclean but now are they holy to be meant that else their children were bastards but now they were legitimate It cannot be the meaning of the Apostle because so the Apostle had answered nothing to the satisfaction of those who had put the Question to him about putting away an unbeleeving Wife For it seems the Corinthians had written to him and had put certain questions to be answered by him as we see vers 1. whereof that was one Now for him to say that a beleeving Husband might lawfully keep his Wife still though an unbeleever else were their children bastards had been to leave them as dark and unsatisfied as before for that had been but idem per idem or barely to affirm the thing But it is evident the Apostle bringeth that of the childrens being holy as an argument to prove their lawful continuance in that relation notwithstanding one of them was an unbeleever Nor can we suppose the Apostle would so reason that except one of the married couple be a beleever their children are bastards Moreover the holinesse here mentioned is supposed to be such as the unbeleever contributeth nothing to it he is sanctified he doth not sanctifie therefore cannot be meant of legitimacy of birth which must be as well from the one as from the other since marriage is an ordinance not peculiar to the Church of God but common unto all mankind By this answer of his it appears that it was a Jewish scruple that did trouble them namely whereas under the Law it was a sinne for one of the Church of the Jewes to marry a strange Wife that is one who was not of the Church and in such case they were commanded to put away their Wives and to separate themselves from them as being polluted by them as we see in Ezra 10. 11. 9. 12. as it was also the sinne of the old world that the sons of God that is they of the Church did take in marriage the Daughters of men that is of the posterity of Caine Such was the Law of the communion of Saints also in the Church even in those dayes Therefore the Corinthians put the Question to the Apostle whether now also in the times of the New Testament one of the Church might continue in Wedlock with one not of the Church but an infidell To this the Apostle answereth that if the unbelieving Wife was not sanctified in or by the believing Husband that is if any Church-Law was thereby broken so as their continuance in that relation was not lawful but did cause pollution to the beleever that then their Children must not be reputed holy but unclean or common so as if they would deny the Wife mariage communion upon that account they must deny their children all spiritual communion in the Church For such was the Law to the Jewes Ezra 10. 3. They put away their Wives and such as were born of them also and that according to the command of Ezra and according to the Law By that which they granted he proves that which they did question Obj. If it be objected that upon this account not onely children of beleevers but also Nations must be reputed holy because the promise is that beleevers shall be blessings also unto Nations To this I answer Answ The case is not the same for children are immediately under this word of blessing in the familie relation as the people of God in the Church are immediately under that blessing which the Lord commandeth out of Sion But as for Nations they are under it in a more remote capacity by means of what the Saints are in their families and in the Church Therefore although such as are of the Church and the children also of such families are holy yet it followeth not that therefore the Nation should be holy To this I adde that children are in the power of parents and at their disposing and so as when they in their sanctification or being made holy give up themselves to God by faith and obedience to his ordinances their children are therein vertually given up also in as much as a beleever in some respect giveth up to God together with himself all in his power Now this cannot be said of any nation whatsoever Obj. It will be objected yet further That the Jews are said to be holy even the whole people of the Jews who now are unbeleevers Rom. 11. 16. If the first fruit be holy the lump is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches yet have they no right to baptisme and therefore that this holiness of the children of
Gospel of the Kingdom that beleevers should be blessings to their children namely so as they should be means of their conversion and in that respect of bringing them to Christ by an internall work of grace upon their hearts so it was very suitable and necessary that they should in such externall waies also bring them to Christ as there they did that he might lay his hands upon them and blesse them Thirdly the reason also why our Saviour was so much displeased and angry with his Disciples for their rebuking those that brought them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word is and it is to set forth the most passionate indignation had against a person The same word is used Matth. 20. 24. to set out the displeasure taken against James and John by the other Disciples for their ambitious request to be one at the right hand and the other at the left hand of Christ in his Kingdom When they heard it saies the Text they were moved with indignation against the two brethren 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason I say why he was so much moved with anger upon this occasion namely because not onely his affection to the parents and the children but also his own interest so much concerned in it led him to it His Kingdom is his portion and hath been his great designe from the beginning of the world Matth. 25. 34. The greatnesse and increase of this his Kingdome depends much upon little ones being brought to Christ so as when his Disciples forbad Infants to be brought to him they crossed him in his designe and interest Let all the true Disciples of Christ be afraid to incur his anger upon this account Now for our purpose First if infants are part of the Kingdom of God and so the blessings of that kingdom belong unto them as the Apostle Peter said in a like case Act. 10. 47 Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized since baptism is the seale of our entrance into this kingdom and the blessings of it and they a part of this Kingdom therfore receive the Holy Ghost as well as we Secondly this command of Christ upon such grounds was not given to his Disciples onely for that short time wherein he was to be with them in the flesh It was recorded after his ascention and of a perpetuall obligation to the Disciples of Christ in all ages then to come What was so written was written for our learning and we have no other such externall way of bringing them to Christ that he may lay his hands upon them and blesse them but in baptisme wherein our initiation into the Kingdom of God and the blessings of that kingdome are sealed And as by his laying his hands upon them and blessing them at that time we see that infants are capable of benefit by outward signes which themselves cannot consider nor understand so that in baptisme now the Lord Christ in doing his part therein doth the same thing in effect as then he did to those children when he took them in his armes laid his hands upon them and blessed them in as much as their entrance into his kingdom and the blessings of it as I said is therein signified and sealed Thirdly to this I may adde that unto whom he is a King to them he is also a Prophet Therefore as of such is his Kingdom so such are his Disciples and are made Disciples when their parents are converted because they are then in the way of the spirits teaching as hath been shewed Called Disciples Acts 15. 10. Circumcision called a yoke put on the neck of the Disciples This by the way I observe as a sufficient answer to that argument brought by some from Matth. 28. against baptizing Infants yea supposing it should be granted what they say to be the sense of that place namely that onely those who are made Disciples may be baptized Although more might be said about those words in answer to it namely that in the words baptizing them Matth. 28. 19. we have by a Synecdoche a part for the whole an usuall form of speech in Scripture for we know the Apostles commission did extend as well to a setting up of other ordinances as of baptisme Therefore when he saith Goe teach all Nations baptizing them it is as if he had said Goe teach them and enter them into the practice of the worship of the Gospel of which among other things the application of the token of Abrahams covenant to Infants may be a part any thing in that place contained notwithstanding No more at present upon that subject But having had occasion in opening this point to speake of severall things concerning the Kingdom of Christ I must adde something though but briefly by way of application also upon that Vse 6. Therefore a sixth use of this point may be that from thence we learn to rectifie some mistakes about this Kingdom and to remove such prejudice and hard thoughts as may be apt to lie in the minds of men against it Dan 7. 27. Psal 47. 3. namely whereas it is said that the Kingdom and Dominion and the greatnesse of the Kingdome under the whole Heaven shall be given to the people of the Saints of the most high And that they shall fill the world and the Lord shall subdue the people under them and the Nations under their feet These may seem to be hard sayings and not to be born This doctrine will some say teacheth the people of God to be ill subjects to graspe and reach after power and to be disturbers of Commonwealths and indeed it is true if things be not rightly understood there seemeth just cause of such offence but if matters be scanned and considered rightly there is no such cause of any jealousies or fears at all 1. By that which hath been said in opening this point we see that although it must be granted that as the Church of Christ is a growing thing and of the encrease of his government and peace there shall be no end Esay 9. 7. and therefore must fill the world at last and that what the Lord hath said of Abrahams seed concerning a possessing of the gate of his enemies must be fulfilled in its time yet that God will take a most naturall genuine and satisfying way to bring his people to such power You see he will doe it by multiplying the seed of Abraham He will not doe it by violence he declareth against it Esay 2. 4. but by the word of truth meeknesse and righteousnesse Psal 45. Nor by unrighteous waies of any kind The scepter of his kingdom is a right scepter No feare of any unrighteousnesse in it it is a spirituall Kingdom and ever shall be so When the Lords mountain shall be exalted above the hills it will be the Lords mountain still The weapons therefore of its warfare are spirituall the sword of the spirit which is the word of God is that
whereby it shall subdue the world and that also as it is managed by his Saints in their families and congregations the Lord so making them blessings to one another and his kingdom thereby to be as leaven whereby the whole lump by degrees at last shall be seasoned with the knowledge of Jesus Christ This is the nature of that conquest whereby his kingdom shall be made so great 2. Observe moreover that this power whatever it be shall be in the hands of Abrahams seed So the promise is Thy seed even his spirituall seed for that promise was made to his seed of the New Testament also as hath been shewed shall possesse the gate of his enemies It is not said that such as are pretenders to be Abrahams seed shal have this power The same seed which God will blesse and thereby multiply shall possesse the gate of his enemies Therefore also when this is brought to passe it shall be said The Lord reigneth let the earth rejoyce Psal 47. 97. Rev. 11. 15 16. which could not be so said if this power was to be given to any but his own people Therefore since it is to be in such hands it will be matter of rejoycing not of any griefe at all Obj. It will be objected that even hypocrites in the Church till they are discovered are in the judgement of charity to be reputed by the Church to be Abrahams seed and to be received to all externall priviledges and ordinances accordingly therefore we cannot appropriate or restraine this promise only to the true spiritual seed of Abraham To this I answer Answ First It is true that even such are to be so reputed and received by the Church but it is one thing what the Church may and must doe in her administrations another thing what God will doe in his work of providence Now this promise is of what God will do in his work he will cause the seed of Abraham to possesse the gate of his enemies Where the Scripture speaketh of what is to be done by the Church to her members it taketh in all the branches of that vine both good and bad but where it speaketh of what God hath promised to doe or give unto the Church it confineth it onely to beleevers Yea even those externall priviledges of the Church in the administrations of the worship although the Church may impart them even to hypocrites being members for such will get in unawares yet God hath not given them unto such but to believers onely As for hypocrites they are partakers of them upon another account namely because among other priviledges which God hath given unto his people this is one that they shall have to doe with one another in the communion of the Church in the ordinances of the worship as confessours and the Church-relation to be built upon confession and the ordinances given to them not as beleevers onely but as confessours Matth. 16. 16 17 17 19. Upon this it is that hypocrites also are received by the Saints when unknown to the same externall priviledges with themselves because they also are confessours of Christ Not that they have any right to claime any of them though the Church have warrant to give them unto such being claimed by them they take them at their own perill the people of God doe but their duty although they doe not theirs Were this power therefore of possessing the gate to be given by the Church as part of that which she is to administer unto her members it would follow that it should be imparted in the same latitude namely to the same persons together with other priviledges to which professours are received in the Church and so hypocrites would it may be have the greatest share But Christ hath left no such Legacy in his Testament to the Church to be a disposer or dispencer of civil power His Kingdom is not of this world as hath been shewed This promise therefore speaketh not what the Church shall doe but what God the most high will doe who ruleth in the kingdome of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will Dan. 4. 17. Secondly yet because what God doth in this matter he doth it by men and by Saints too among others although not in a Church capacity for a further answer to this objection I must also adde that in those daies wherein the seed of Abraham shall obtain this power the Church shall be brought to that perfection as that there will be few or no hypocrites therein and if but a few the power in effect will be in the hands of the true seed of Abraham notwithstanding by reason of their number What perfection the Church in those daies shall be brought unto is held forth in sundry places As for instance Esay 60. 21. the Prophet speaking of those times as appeareth by Esay 59. 20 21. compared with Rom. 11. 26. saith Thy sunne shall no more goe down for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light and the daies of thy mourning shall be ended thy people also shall be all righteous and they shall inherit the Land for ever the branch of my planting the work of my hands that I may be glorified I the Lord will hasten it in his time Till that time come it is not to be expected So Esay 35. 8. An high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holinesse the unclean shall not passe over it no Lion shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall goe up thereon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walke there and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and sighing shall flee away This promise is reduced to Gods Covenant with Abraham concerning his blessing and encreasing his seed Esai 51. 1 2 3. 11. And of the same times is that spoken Rev. 21. 27. when it is said God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes v. 4. And the City had no need of the Sun for the glory of the Lord did lighten it v. 23. v. 27. is added there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye but they which are written in the Lambs Book of life So Rev. 22. 14 15. Blessed are they that do his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the City for without are Dogs c. and whatsoever loveth and maketh a lye Zach. 14. 21. In that day every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holinesse unto the Lord of Hosts and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts From these places I determine not an absolute perfection in the Church then or an exemption from all Hypocrisie but a far greater measure of Purity then as yet is
for the Sabbath day and so the blessing of the house of God is set forth Psal 23. 5 6. As for instance In prayer our heavenly father giveth the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luk. 11. 13. And by one Spirit are we baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12 13. In the supper of the Lord we have the communion of the body of Christ namely in partaking with our head in the same anointing with the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 10 16. are all made to drink into one spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. And so in all the rest The worke therefore to be done in this also of hearing the Word is that by the hearing of Faith we receive the Holy Ghost Gal. 3. 2. and that upon our beleeving we are sealed by the holy spirit of promise Ephes 1. 13. that is that there be First A powerful impression by the word upon the soule from the spirits witness to it setting of it home with life and vigour begetting and confirming faith changing the heart subduing it unto the power of the truth of God so making it unto the soul a creating word without which work it is but a dead letter to it Secondly The Image of Christ as it were stamped upon the soule in that impression elsewhere called his being formed in us Gal. 4. 19. in reference to which the word is called an immortal seed that liveth abideth for ever by which we are begotten in the new birth 1 Pet. 1. 23. called also an ingraffed word James 1 18 21 because it turneth us into its own nature and makes us like to Jesus Christ which image consisteth in our likenesse to him in his death and resurrection Philip. 3. 10. in the mortification of sinne and a spiritual resurrection unto newnesse of life Rom. 6. 5. Thirdly A witnesse of the spirit to the soule of our interest in God upon this new birth and giving us the earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1 14. in our enjoyments of him in communion with all the persons of the Trinity Father Sonne and Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 5 6 7 8. Rom. 8. 16. 17. Vse 3. A third use of the point may be a confutation of that opinion entertained by some that there are not now in being any true Ministers of Christ who can as Ambassadours from Christ in the name of God and in his authority speak unto the people because there are none that can take upon them to preach by an infallible spirit The reason alledged is because those who speak so in the name of God as his Ambassadours or as in his stead must do it by a Word which is wholly undoubtedly and meerly true that so they may be certainly known both to themselves and others to be so commissioned from the Lord and that both preachers and hearers may be infallibly assured that it is indeed the word of God which they preach Thus say they the first lawful preaching of the Gospel was performed by word of mouth and that such as was syncere 1 Pet. 2. 2. Sound Doctrine Titus 1. 9. Such as was received not as the word of men but as it was indeed the word of God 1 Thes 2. 13. And therefore since God hath nowhere commanded nor licensed that what was begun by such a word of truth should afterwards be carried on by a word not wholly and meerly true that those who now take upon them to perform that office of a Minister in the worship of God speaking in the name of God and as his Ambassadours unto the people in as much as they cannot pretend to such infallibility do act without commission and are guilty of will-worship and are not to be reputed the ministers of Christ in as much as all Administrations in the Church are to be by his institution and command Now from that which hath been said in opening this point we have a full and satisfying answer unto this namely First that however in laying the foundations of the Church of the New Testament and in setting down the institutions of the worship it was necessary that God should make use of persons of infallible gifts which accordingly was done in Christ and his Apostles and Evangelists yet that it was never intended that the work should be carried on by such but that in building upon those foundations and in the Churches growing up even to the measure of the stature to which it is intended in this world Ephes 4. 12 13. the work of God should goe on and prosper in the hands of his servants by the use of ordinary gifts in studying the Scriptures and in teaching and instructing one another in the knowledge of the Gospel and so as each teacher in the Church hath need to be taught and is supposed to be subject unto errour as hath been shewed from 1 Thes 5. 19. pag. 145. which will yet be more clear from that place if it be considered that those duties there mentioned by the Apostle in that golden chaine from vers 16. to 21. are linked together in such order as they are depending one upon another in a Christians practice as if we should read them thus That ye may rejoyce evermore pray without ceasing for that end in every thing give thanks for that end quench not the Spirit and so of the rest as you would not quench the Spirit despise not prophesie and for that end prove all things and hold fast that which is good for he that proves them not despiseth his teachers doctrine as not worthy to be considered or examined Now this connection betweene these duties being the Apostles scope it appears that the Spirit is quenched by despising that prophesying wherein there may be some errours and mistakes Therefore however the Apostles and Evangelists who were to write the Scripture had an infallible gift yet ordinary Elders of Churches even in the Apostles time had it not but were subject to mistakes as we see in the Angels of the seven Churches Rev. 2. 3. And of the Elders of Ephesus it is said that even from amongst themselves should men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Acts 20. 30. Secondly We see also that the state and condition of the Church of the New Testament bespeaketh as much that the Church should be built up by the use of such gifts onely and that extraordinary gifts should cease as hath been shewed in the third Reason of the point God had otherwise in part lost his end in speaking to us by his Sonne of which his speaking one end was that he might bring down the knowledge of himself so farre to our capacity as that in the use of ordinary gifts by search and study of the Scriptures we might understand the great and deep things of God without the help of gifts infallible and extraordinary Thirdly the nature of the office of a Pastour and Teacher in the Church speaketh no lesse in as much as they are