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
upon the same account when after the travaile of his soule in the new creation he entred the second time into his rest as it is declared that he did Heb. 4. 9. 10. as was shewed p. 11. 12. as also appeareth by what he saith of himselfe Mark 2. 28. that he is Lord also of the Sabbath which he could not be unlesse he also had a rest which he entred into as God did into his Because that was upon the first day of the week when he rose from the dead therefore by vertue of that command Remember the rest-day to keep it holy the first day of the week is now to be remembred and kept holy in as much as that is now the rest-day of the Lord our God as formerly the seventh day was As for his Ascention I confesse it is not so clear although very probable to be upon that day from Acts. 1. Acts 1. 3. 12. by the computation of the forty days from his Resurrection and the mention of a Sabbath dayes journey from mount Olivet to Jerusalem occasioned as is likely from their making that journey then upon that day vers 12. But albeit his rest was not compleated till he passed into the Heavens and sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high yet he first entred into it at his Resurrection in as much as he was raised in incorruption with a spiritual body and in glory 1 Cor. 15. 42. 43. 49. 20. And because he did then first cease from the travaile of his soul Which I say being upon the first day of the week there needeth no more to fix that command upon this day as a day which God hath sanctified and blessed because it comes within the general rule prescribed that the rest-day of the Lord must be remembred and kept holy and that the Lord blessed the rest-day and sanctified it So as if we should analyse that fourth commandement we may take it thus In that commandement we have 1. A duty commanded namely that the Lords rest-day that is the day wherein he entred into his rest be remembred that is that the memorial of it be solemnized and that by keeping of it holy In that sense the word remember is used Exod. 13. 3 4. to 9. Remember this day in which ye came out of Egypt c. So Hester 9. 27. 28. The Jewes ordained and took upon them and their seed and upon all that joyned themselves unto them that they would keep these two days according to their writing every year and that these dayes should be remembred and kept and that these days of Purim should not faile from among the Jews nor the memorial of them perish from their seed So the Lord here commands the memorial of his rest-day to be preserved by keeping that day holy 2. The duty explained by shewing 1 The nature of it 1. As to the day 1. In general one in seven six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but c. 2. In particular for that season it is declared of the week the seventh day to be the day The seventh day is the Sabbath or the rest of the Lord thy God 2. As to the manner of observing and keeping of that day namely thou shalt do no manner of work therein thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy man-servant nor thy maid-servant nor thy cattell nor thy stranger that is within thy gates In which by a Synecdoche all other Sabbath days duties are commanded 2. The reason of it 1. Because God made the world in six days and rested the seventh 2. Because he therefore blessed the rest-rest-day and sanctified it because therein he had rested So as by this analysis we see that the seventh day was commanded to be kept in this manner not as the seventh but as the rest day of the Lord for that we see is the reason of the duty because God had rested therein and because he therefore blessed and sanctified the rest-rest-day I have been the longer upon this point concerning the Sabbath because it receives so much a like measure in the world with this of Infant-Baptisme and the clearing of the one will help us in the other For in like manner also in this of Abrahams Covenant there is 1. A duty commanded viz. to keep that covenant viz. the token sign or seal thereof which is a part of it which Abraham and his seed were and are to keep 2. A declaration or explication what was then the token of it namely that the man-child be circumcised and in case the Child was not circumcised that the covenant was broken By all which we see that notwithstanding the token of the covenant was specified then to be the circumcising of the child which is now abolished Yet the command of keeping the covenant in performing that which is the token of it is still in force and lieth on the seed of Abraham even his spirituall seed to this day Secondly For answer further it is to be considered that baptisme is now in the roome of circumcision and is the very same for substance to us as circumcision was to them before Christ namely the token and seale of that covenant made with Abraham and his seed as appeareth Gal. 3. 27 29. As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ And if ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise By which we see as was before observed that whatever we have as Abrahams seed we have it all in Christ and what we have in Christ we have it all as Abrahams seed and that we are baptized into Christ that is our initiation into Christ and whatever we have in Christ and whatever we have as Abrahams seed is sealed unto us in baptisme By which it is evident that as circumcision was to them so baptisme now to us is the token and seale of that covenant made with Abraham and his seed A further proofe of this we have also Coll. 2. 11. In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ being buried with him in baptisme wherein also ye are risen with him Where we see First that the thing signifyed or sealed or the spirituall fruit of circumcision was the circumcision of the heart in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh And that the very same is the spirituall fruit of baptisme signified and sealed thereby namely a death and buriall to sinne and a spirituall resurrection which is the same with the circumcision made without hands in putting off the body of the sinnes of the flesh Secondly that whereas Christ was circumcised and that not because he had a body of sinnes of his owne to be put off but the body of the sinnes of the flesh of the members of his mysticall body those only who are in Christ receive this benefit because they
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
world by multiplying Abrahams spiritual seed and that by making beleevers blessings to families and nations Let not the people of God so easily part with so ancient entayled priviledges wherein the Saints have rejoyced for so many ages Let them have so much compassion on their Children as not to blot their names out of Heaven or thrust them out of the Kingdome of Christ into the Kingdome of Satan for to one of the two Kingdomes they must belong Those who know their owne priviledge herein will not upon such slender grounds part with it as the manner of some is to do And as Gods promise unto Abraham and his seed is called a Covenant and therefore something to be performed on their part as a duty commanded and required by the Lord that his Covenant be not broken so let beleevers search and see what that duty is for which purpose let us make this further use of this point Vse 3. From thence to learne not to confine that great promise made to Abraham and his seed Gen. 17. within the compasse of an earthly Canaan as meant onely of the temporal things of that Land or the multiplying of his natural seed therein but also of all such blessings in Christ whereof Canaan and the good things thereof were types That very promise vers 8. of the Land of Canaan to be an everlasting possession to his seed and he to be their God by what hath been said in opening this point we see is yet in fulfilling even to us of the times of the New Testament in the spiritual blessings of the Heavenly Canaan and in the conquest of the World by the people of the God of Abraham whereof the conquest of that land by Joshuah was a type as hath been shewed If any shall affirm that in neither of these two respects that promise can be brought down to these times it behooveth such to find out some other sense wherein it may be so extended because we see that what the Lord confirmed unto Abraham of blessing multiplying and causing his seed to possess the gate of his enemies he confirmed it to us even to beleevers of the New Testament as his seed and heirs according to the promise In opening the point I was the larger in the proofe hereof and have therefore insisted upon some things by the by concerning the Kingdom of Christ although a full unfolding thereof would require a farre larger discourse because it conduceth much towards the clearing of Infant-Baptisme to be a duty which God requireth of his people that the full extent of Gods promise unto Abraham whereof we have found that to be one branch be considered and understood For if this be granted that the promise made to Abraham Gen. 17. especially that part of it v. 8. concerning Canaan to be an everlasting possession to his seed be of such extent and made also to his spiritual seed of the New Testament it will follow that that command of God in those words next following vers 9. Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations is to be meant also of his spirituall seed even in our dayes and as a command that now lieth upon the same spiritual seed in all Generations Psal 105. in as much as that command is brought in with a therefore upon the promise made to the same seed in the words next afore going Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations And saies God 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 ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you and v. 14. The uncircumcised man-child shall be cut off from his people he hath broken my covenant Obj. It will be said how is this command of keeping this covenant obliging to beleevers now since the covenant to be kept was then specified to be the circumcising of the child in as much as circumcision is now abolished Or what is this to baptizing children the point in hand to be cleared in this discourse To this I answer Answ First It is to be observed that this command of God is primarily fixed upon the generall duty namely the covenant to be kept and not upon this or that way of keeping either by circumcising or baptising so as the circumcising of the Childe came under the command onely upon this because it was declared then to be the token of the covenant and by the words it is supposed that when it should cease to be the token of the covenant it should no longer be a duty and what else by the same authority should be made the token of the same covenant would be the duty in stead thereof Mark the words he doth not say Thou shalt therfore circumcise every man-child among you as a token of the covenant between me and you for so had that been made the token for perpetuity to have continued so long as the covenant it selfe But first in general he saith Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations that is they should observe and performe the token of the covenant whatever that prove to be and in the second place he addeth 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 hath broken my covenant therefore as I said as for circumcision that was a duty onely upon those words declaring that to be then the token Circumcision is now abolished yet the command of keeping the token of Abrahams covenant is still in force and binding to Abrahams spiritual seed in their Generations therefore what is now the token of that covenant must be observed in stead thereof The like manner of institution we have concerning the Sabbath therefore those who deny Infant-Baptism oftentimes deny the Sabbath and not without cause for there is the same reason of both and we may illustrate the one by the other The Lord intended in time to change the day from the seventh to the first day of the week as he intended in time to change the token of Abrahams covenant therefore in the fourth Commandement also the command is not primarily fixed upon the seventh or any day to be remembred and kept holy but upon the general duty that the rest-day of the Lord be remembred and kept holy what ever that day fall to be Exod. 20. 8. 11. Remember the Sabbath day that is the rest-rest-day to keep it holy and the Lord blessed the rest-rest-day and sanctified it And the remembrance and keeping of the seventh day is in the commandement made a duty for this reason because that was declared to be then the day wherein God had entred into his rest after his making of the world And
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
forbid the application of the seal to Infants it behoveth them to shew by what warrant from God they make that alteration And whereas they of that opinion against Infant-Baptisme think that they are onely upon the negative part and therefore call for a precept or example to prove the lawfulnesse thereof thinking it sufficient because as they suppose neither precept nor example can be found thereupon to refuse the practice of it in this they are mistaken As for a command there it is Gen. 17. 9. Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore that is shalt perform the token of it thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations which as hath been shewed is a command which lieth upon Abrahams spiritual seed now in the times of the New Testament and it behoveth such as deny Infant-Baptisme to shew that God hath made such an alteration in the token or seal of his covenant as that it is now not to be applyed unto Infants and whereas the application of it unto them was a part of the token or seal thereof before Christ that since Christ it hath by a word of institution from God ceased so to be Thirdly This application of the token of the covenant unto Infants cometh not onely under the notion of a duty but also of a priviledge therefore is it said Acts. 7. 8. he gave to Abraham the covenant of circumcision and so he begat Isaac and circumcised him the eighth day It was therefore a gift conferred upon him and his which being given to Abraham and to his spiritual seed in their generations to him as the father of all them that believe to all beleevers as his seed a priviledge both to parents and to children which I say being once given by God who may presume to take it away without a word and warrant from himselfe and we know the gifts of God are without repentance Rom. 11. 29. therefore is it not to be imagined that by him it should be taken from his people least of all that now in the times of the new Testament his bounty to them should be short of what it was before Obj. It will be objected yet further that this command thus urged is onely from the Old Testament but if the application of the token of Abrahams covenant to Infants now had been intended the New Testament had not been so silent in it as not to leave us one precept or example for it To this I answer Answ First that the New Testament is not altogether silent in this matter as for instance Acts. 2. 38. where Peter said unto the people Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of the Lord Jesus for the demission of sinnes and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost for the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off that is even to the Gentiles also even as many as the Lord our God shall call Namely the promise of receiving the Holy Ghost which he saith they should receive upon their repentance and baptisme according to that in Joel mentioned vers 17. that in the last days God would poure out of his spirit upon all flesh as well upon Gentiles as Jewes and not onely so but also according to Gods promise unto Abraham therefore he saith it was not onely unto them but also to their children for as we may grant that in Joel to be here meant so we must not exclude that of Abraham for they are both as one in this matter The gift of the Holy Ghost and that also to the Gentiles is a main branch of Abrahams covenant as we see Gal. 3. 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Nor may we confine that promise in Joel to extraordinary gifts of tongues and miracles because it is a promise that was not to expire with the Apostles times Acts 2. 17. but extendeth to all the latter days and unto all those whom the Lord calleth among the Gentiles and is yet in fulfilling when all those gifts are ceased for that phrase the last dayes in Scripture signifieth all that space of time from the comming of Christ in the flesh to the end of the world 1. Tim. 4. 1. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 1. 2. 9. 26. And if the words be considered it will appear that the ordinary gifts of the spirit are also included therein Mark the words In the last days saith God I will poure out of my spirit upon all flesh This in the general In particular it followeth First your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams This we may understand of extraordinary gifts and prophesying fulfilled in the Apostles Prophets extraordinarily inspired in the Primitive times of use then in laying the foundations of the Church of the New Testament being of the seed of the Jews Secondly and on my servants and my handmaids will I pour out of my spirit in those days and they shall prophesie This must be meant of ordinary gifts because it is made a distinct thing to the former as that which God would do for all his servants he would give them the spirit of prophesie as we see Rev. 19. 10. when John would have worshiped the Angel because he had revealed such prophesies unto him the Angel forbids him saying See thou do it not and for this reason for saith he I am thy fellow servant namely in this thing and not onely his but also of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesie Now every beleever hath the testimony of Jesus so is it said Rev. 12. 17. The Dragon made Warre with the Church which keep the commandements of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ So chap. 1. 9. Therefore every beleever hath the spirit of prophesie although not so as to preach in the Church a priviledge forbidden unto Women 1 Cor. 14. 34. 35. yet to understand the prophesies which the Saints of the Old Testament ordinarily had not the prophesies were as things sealed up in those dayes but Christ hath opened the seales of that book to us of the New Testament 1 Pet. 1. 10. 11. Dan. 12. 9. Rev. 5. A promise to this effect we have also to all beleevers Joh. 16. 13. when the spirit of truth is come he shall lead you into all truth and he shall shew you things to come So Joh. 2. 13 20 27. he saith not onely to fathers and young men but also unto little children in religion that they had received the unction of the holy one and they knew all things being taught by that anointing As these places must be understood of what is common to all beleevers
a comparison between the people of God of the times before and after Christ touching the differing manifestations of God to them This in the generall is the Apostles scope for when he saith In thâ—se last daies God hath spoken unto us by his Sonne by us he meaneth not onely those who heard the Lord Christ speaking in the flesh that was more then he could say of those to whom he wrote this his Epistle that they all had so heard him speaking If therefore that had been his scope he had said To some of us he hath spoken by his Son Moreover the Apostle speaking of the same times and persons 1 Cor. 10. 11. saith Vpon us the ends of the world are come And that phrase we finde in the same sense used 1 Tim. 4. 1. 2 Tim. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 20. and Heb. 9. 26. therefore by us in these last daies he meaneth the people of God under the New Testament in all the times since Christ to the end of the world A further evidence whereof is the opposition made between us and the Fathers for as by the Fathers in time past he means the people of many ages before Christ so by us in these last daies he means the people of many ages after his comming in the flesh Thus we see the scope of these words in generall they shew the differing light of the former and of these latter ages of the world Now more particularly In this comparison we finde 1. Something wherein they are alike namely 1. In the Authour of this manifestation the same God hath spoken both to them and us the same God in the Old Testament and in the New Such things are said in both as none could speak but he Therefore in our search and study of the Scriptures neither the one nor the other is to be neglected by us 2. Something in the nature of it both to them and us he hath not done it immediately by himselfe but by Prophets then and that in divers manners now by his Sonne and he not onely God but also man Though he could have done it by himselfe either without a messenger or a voyce or any other means yet this hath been his course in all ages To send his treasure to us in earthen vessels He creates peace to him that is a farre off and to him that is nigh but he creates it as the fruit of the lips Esay 57. 19. I create the fruit of the lips peace 2. Something wherein they differ concerning which something is affirmed 1. Concerning them He spake to them 1. By Prophets that is by persons extraordinarily inspir'd by God 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2. By those Prophets he did it piece-meale 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now a little and then a little at sundry times Something to our first parents in that promise The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpents head more to Abraham more yet by Moses afterwards more by the other Prophets 3. This was done in divers manners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Dreames and Visions by Urim and Thummim by other extraordinary waies of Revelation 2. Concerning us in these last daies in opposition unto all these he saith onely this He hath spoken to us by his Sonne wherein however not particularly exprest yet something is implyed in opposition unto each of those particulars mentioned in the other namely that 1. Whereas to them be spake by such Prophets to us he hath spoken onely by the Sonne himselfe 2. However by those Prophets to them he spake piece by piece at sundry times yet to us by that one Prophet his Sonne he hath spoken all at once By his Sonne he hath revealed the whole mysterie of his will even that which was hid from ages and generations but now made manifest to his Saints Col. 1. 26. 3. Though in times past to them he spake severall waies by dreames and visions and the like yet in these last daies those waies are ceased and he hath spoken vnto us this one way onely by his Sonne These three things although not expressed yet are implied because of that opposition made of his speaking by his Sonne to his speaking by Prophets at sundry times and in divers manners else he could not have said that to them he spake so to us he hath spoken thus and because this his speaking by his Sonne is mentioned as comming in the place and instead of those his former waies of speaking One thing more I must adde by way of explication that the opposition made is not betwixt what was extraordinary then and what is ordinary now because the manifestations of God by ordinary means now are manifold and piece by piece even in these last daies but the opposition is betwixt what was extraordinary then and what is extraordinary now then by Prophets at sundry times and in divers manners now onely by his Sonne And by extraordinary I meane that which is above the common line of beleevers The words thus opened offer to us many things by way of observation I shall onely speak to those three particulars wherein the manifestations of God to them and us doe differ The first whereof and the third I shall put together in one conclusion which I shall insist upon in handling whereof I shall also touch upon the second The Conclusion or point of doctrin is this That However in the times before Christ God spake to the Fathers by Prophets extraordinarily inspir'd by the Holy Ghost and by divers waies of Revelation yet to us in these last daies those extraordinary waies and such Prophets are ceased and he hath spoken to us onely by his son what else is to be attained to in the manifestations of God to us is onely by the use of ordinary gifts in searching out the mind of God from what the Sonne hath spoken In handling whereof something must first be done yet further by way of explication and so the question will be this What the Apostle meanes by speaking He spake by the Prophets and hath spoken by his Sonne To which I answer That we are not to confine it onely to a literall speaking by a voyce Exod. 4. 8. because the Prophets sometimes spake by signes and the Sonne spake not onely by words but also by actions therefore it is said that his blood speaketh Heb. 12. 24. And by a voyce the Sonne spake but to a few in the daies of his conversing with us in the flesh but this his speaking in the Text is to us also upon whom the ends of the world are come as was shewed before therefore by his speaking by the Prophets we are to understand the whole manifestation of God which he gave unto his Saints by them whether by word or otherwise left upon record in the books of the Old Testament And by his speaking by his Sonne the whole manifestation of God by Jesus Christ and that not
onely in words but in his actions also his incarnation death resurrection ascention into glory even his whole work in the office of his Mediatourship upon record and unfolded in the writings of the New Testament Therefore the Apostle sayes the work of his Ministry was to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Therefore what the Apostles did in their Ministry was part of this his speaking by his Sonne for they gave forth no light into the world but in his face which is not meant of his naturall face for he was now ascended but by face is meant the whole draught or story of Christ as it is set forth in the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles Therefore also the Apostle saith the subject of his preaching was Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. and the summe of all that we learn in the Gospel is Christ Ephes 4. 20. Ye have not so learned Christ. By all which appears that this his speaking by his Sonne is not only by a voyce but by words and deeds both as they are set forth to us in the writings of the New Testament Therefore also if it be objected that even in the times of his speaking by his Sonne those extraordinary ways of revelation have been in use because the Apostles had them the answer is ready that what was done by the Apostles and Prophets in the Primitive times was his very speaking by his Sonne it was the meanes whereby the Sonne hath given out that word or manifestation of God which he had to speak and when the Apostle here opposeth this his speaking by his Sonne to those extraordinary wayes by Prophets in former times the meaning is not that the Sonnes speaking was not extraordinary but that being dispatcht and finisht which was done when what the Sonne had manifested was confirmed to us by those Witnesses chosen of God fitted and attested by miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost Heb. 2. 3. 4. that afterwards those waies of Revelation should not be in use Obj. It will be said If speaking by Apostles and Messengers be a speaking by the Sonne why was it not a speaking also by the Sonne before his coming in the flesh when he spake by Prophets especially since those Prophets of old were also the Messengers of Christ for he that gave the New Testament and confirmed it by his blood Heb. 9. 16. gave also the Old Heb. 8. 8. And it was the spirit of Christ which spake in those Prophets 1 Pet. 1. 11. The Prophets searched what manner of time the spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie by which spirit also he preached to those who were disobedient in the daies of Noah 1 Pet. 3. 19. To this I answer Answ First that it is true the spirit of Christ spake in them and they were sent by Christ the Son of God but the Sonne was not then made known as now he is therefore the Apostle Paul saith of himself that God did chuse him to reveale his Sonne in him or by him Gal. 1. 16. And the Evangelist speaking of the Word or Sonne of God saith of those times the light shone in darknesse and the darknesse comprehended it not Joh. 1. 5. therefore also the message was not then delivered in the Sonnes name as now it is We as Ambassadours for Christ beseech you 2 Cor. 5. 20. therefore though he spake in those Prophets yet that was not this speaking by the Sonne Secondly because then he spake onely by Messengers now he came himself and spake and the manifestation of God by him was not more by what he said then by what he was and did and though by Messengers still yet their work was onely to lay open and make out to us that manifestation of God which was given by the Sons coming and by what he said and did The worke of the Prophets then was to declare what the spirit of Christ revealed to them but the work of the Apostles and other Pen-men of the New Testament was to set forth and unfold what Christ himselfe in the whole work of Redemption had said and done which the Apostle cals a revealing of the Son by him and a preaching Christ crucified and a giving the knowledg of the glory of God in his face Gal. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 23. 2 Cor. 4. 6. therfore though this is done in some part by Messengers yet is it called a speaking by the Sonne the other not Which Objection being answered we may conclude that this his speaking by his Sonne takes in all the Scriptures of the New Testament in which the words and workes of Christ are set forth either by way of History as in the Evangelists or of Explication as in the Epistles or of Prophesie as in the Revelation And I must adde that it contains also the Scriptures of the Old Testament because he came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets and because what was spoken by the Prophets darkly was spoken over again by the Sonne with greater light according to that usual saying The New Testament was vailed in the Old the Old revealed in the New So as the summe of the point is this that what we have in Scripture manifested of God is all we are to expect of extraordinary revelations what else is to be done in Gods discovery of himself and his truth unto us is to be had in the use of ordinary gifts by study and searching out the mind of God from what the Sonne hath spoken in them For a confirmation of this truth something is further to be observed from those words in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these last dayes which words imply that there were certain periods of time foregoing there is at least a first and a second where there is a last Take one from Adam to Moses another from him to Christ then from Christ to the end of the World is the last Now what is it which makes these distinct periods of time namely the several degrees of Gods manifesting himself to the Sons of men now therefore because ours is the last we are to expect no other such manifestations of God but what we have received by this his speaking by his Sonne as we have it in the Text In these last daies he hath spoken to us by his Sonne To this may be added that in the Parable when messengers were sent at last he sent his Sonne and after him none Matth. 21. 37. And it is said that he reveals unto us all the Fathers mind All that I have heard of the Father have I declared unto you Joh. 15. 15. and none hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him A further evidence of this truth we have yet in the Text from that second note of difference mentioned in opening the words namely that however by those Prophets to them he