^t^mrn^' CL i 1 1 1 , •>» 1 /^ ^ 1^ 1 . -c Q. ^ J5 •: 1 ^ _^ ■'■• 1 ""^ h^ ^ • *^ Q. 1 # S o : ! ^■■^ 5 «^ o CD ' 1 J" — : '' 1 *S* Cj < , t^ H "aj ^ O 3 ^ 1 H 15 ^ 3 E 00 1 ! >>1 1 -Q S •^ ■o <:i \ c (U Si ^ 1 3^/ ^ - J ^ !i ^ ^i^^ ^, ':^.--:'^-^ tlV. VindicU Fcederis : OR A Vindication of the INTEREST that the Children of Believers, as fuch, have in the Covenant of Grace, with their Parents ; under the Gospel-Dispensation. BEING The Subftance of Two Sermons, with Addition' Preached to a Congregation in Wapping. ALSO Some feafonable Reflexions upon various un found, and Cruel PalTages Taken forth of two Furious Books of Mr M.CoTws^ Printed againft Infants - Baptifm' By F KAN. MEN C E, fome time of Fembrol^c Collcdge in Oxford, now an unworthy PaAoi of a Church of Chrift in Wapping near London. Magna eft Veritas^ (tir pY£valebit. LONDON, Printed for the Author, and are to be Sold by John Lawrence at the Angel in the Foul- trejy by Mrs. Mary Gurnet in Wapphig-ftreet near Bell Alley, and Mr. lillliam Wingod in. 'King-ftreet in Wapping, 1594. The EpjUe Ds^icatorj^, <^\\^ ^^^} 7o a Church of^r^l^^p^^ near London ^ Grace^ Mercy i and Teace be MukiMsd/'^: I Could not (dearly beloved) but judge it my Duty, to Dedicate thele Sermons unto you : part- ly ,becau{e you are my peculiar Care and Charge in the Lord,unto whom I do ow my Labour and Pains ; and al(b by reafbn of that joint Requeft you were pleafed toAttack me with- all, viz. that they might be made Publick ; giving me good affurance that they might be of great ufe for the good of Chriftians in this place. J have here C though it be againft my own inclination ) anfwered your defire ; Let this undertaking be at- tended with your ferious and folemn Prayer, that your hopes of good may be accomplifhed. What I have wrote in my EpiftJe to the Readers, many A 2 of Ybe Epijlle Dedicatory. ofyou can teftifie, you well know wliat a long time of Silence I have had ; how defirous I was to live in 'peace ; that alwaies being efteemed a Jewel of great price with me,hop- ing that the duft that hath been rait -cd to the darkening of the Air a- mong us, might ha ve fallen without any attempt of mine to fupprefs it ; but the violent effort of the Pulpit, and the furious Reports of the Prels, have fbmething awakened me from that eafe and quiet, I fhould have hQcn glad longer to have folaced my ielf withail : But alas it was time to- be fbmething alarmed, when the riames were inkindled about us, and Gor little Field in danger of being confumed, here is one that hath put this place even into a Conflagration. 1 fhall (I doubt not) fall under the ialh of many cenruringTongues,for^ this fmall endeavour, to vindicate this one exploded (though precious) Truth of Chrift. You have had ex- perience of my fpirit and deport- ment, and <:aiinot from the ftriaeft obier- 7k Eplftle Velicatorp obfervations you have made of me^ but fay, that fb far as may be, I have been willing to live in peace with all men, and what care I have taken to preferve peace in the midft ofand round about you. It would be matter of much comfort to me^ may this little Eflay beinftrumental to reduce this place into fomewhat a morefedate and calm temper : My Practice (ever fince the Lord w^as plafed to call meamongft you) hatlv been to give perpetual demonftrati^ onsthat I live, and can walk with all that are found in the Faith, and. of an unblameable Conv^erfation. I found you fixed upon that Noble,, Evangelical Foundation, which I have endeavoured to build upon^ Your laudable Principle is, that U- nicn with Chriftjis the great ground of our Comm.union oae with ano- tlier ) let us magnifie God, for what wx have found of his Gracious Pre- fence and Blefling, fince we came together, and ftand in that relatioa> as we do one to the other. I do wit!^ A J much'. ih Eftflk Dedicatory. inuch importanity requeft your Prayers, that I may daily have a re- membrance from you at the Throne of rich Grace : Watch againft all defigns of men that lye in wait to deceive, and to difturb our peace : Study much the Covenant of Grace, bleffed be the Lord that he hath not only ingrafted you, but alfb your Seed into it. You that have Chil- dren, plead the Promifes of the Co- venant vvith God for them : Take heed of fuch Principles, that do ine- vitably exclude your dear Babes out of the Kingdom of God, and render* their Salvation ( provided they ex- pire in their infancy) not only im- probable, but in any ordinary wzyf impoflible. Beg the Lord to put a^ flop, and to give a Check to that lying malicious fpirit, that like a Ipiteful Ghoft walks in this poor di- fturbed fpot. I doubt not,but whaf I have here tranfmitted from the Prefsjwill.be attended with the fame opprobrious Cenfure it met withal from the Pulpit ; mapy ignorant and rafh The Efijlle Dedicatory. rafli hot'headed ProfefTors did fe- verely judge me, and my Sermons^ that never heard them \ and jR) I do exped many will that fhall never read them, pour out their profound inveftives againft them. I muft ex- peft no better quarter, than honeft Mr. Giles Shute, who by many was caft and condemned,that never read his Books, neither were able to pals a right Judgment upon them, I do heartily wiili,thata greater number of my J;^dbaptif} Neighbours,would labour m.ore after the life and power of Religion ; and Study to know their own hearts better : then I pro- mife my felf they would not be fb prompt, and ready to undervalue and condemn others, as they be. I cannot but admire to fee what a change is upon their fpirits, words^ and aftions .- in our late times of re- ftraint they could be glad (many of them) to partake of my poor pains, and fometime fince ; but I do not lb much wonder at them, as at their Teachei*, who ever fince the la ft A 4 break- The Epijlle 'Dedicatory. breaking forth of our Liberty, hath lb much inveighed againft all that are not of his opinion, and hath laid fo much ftrefs and weight upon his Notion, about Baptifm, that hath diftilled fuch bitterneft into the fpi- I'it of many, that they be turned very fbwre and moroft, to thofe that cannot imbibe their Sentiments, I blefs the Lord, that I can fay, I have not been the Incendiary among us ; I lay ftill Six or Seven years till all was ( from Pulpit and Prefs by Mr, Collins') put into Flames about us : It is next to a wonder to me that any fhould be fb impudent, as to accufc me to be the Author of all the trouble that doth annoy us, not- withftanding my long filence, and that little oppofition that yet I have made againft a turbulent fpirit r that he might difcover the uttermoft. of his bitternefs, I muft have him feveral times, to pronounce in his Pulpit before all his Congregation, an open Challenge againft me. I do expe£l that fo foon as thele Ser- mons, Tl?e Epijlle Dedicatory^ mons, fhall have an accefs to his hands, that we fhall hear fuflicient- ly of his tumultuous fpirit : I have made a few remarks (as you may lee) upon his bold and undigefted Dodrine, rafhly and ignorantly thruft forth into the World ; giving^ you but a few Gleanings, to that Harveft, I may (if occafion be of- fered) prefentyou withall. I make noqueftion, but my challenger will Quickly fill our Ears with his An- Avers, be itfo, the Lord (I hopej will enable us to make our reply : I defire that he would remember, the nature of his Challenge, that it v/as> a fingle Duel, without propounding; any Seconds, that he hath engaged me in.. Stand faft in the Lord {my. dearly beloved) as ye have received the Lord Jefus, fb walk ye in him^, as ye have received how ye ought to walk, fo walk at all times, and a- bound yet more and more ; while I fbme, and that not a few, are cry- ing up an Opinion not.neceffary to. Salvation; let your Zeal run out A 5; after.- 27;^ Epiflle T>edicatory. after thofe Truths of the Gofpel in the believing, and praftifing where- 01^ you may obtain Salvation, and greatly rejoyce in the day of our Lord Jefus. Love one another ; pity and pray one for the other; live in peace and love ; and the God of Love and Peace fhall dwell with you. Finally,my Brethren,be fbrong in' the Lord, and in the power of liis might ; I commend you to God, 2nd the Word of his Grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are fanftified ; that he in order thereunto, would be pleafed to ful- fil all the good pleafure of his Good* nefs vy^ithin you, and the work of Faith with pov/er> is the hearty de* fire ofbim,thatis Your Servant for Chrifi's fake, . Fr4f^e Mence. The The EPiSXLE To the Candid ia&m^tM ••V. READERS, Efpecially thofe unto whom tliQ, following Sermons were Preached, "W T 7-E li'^e in a dA)\ and ^^e of Won- \/\/ ders^ in which the Divine Provi^^ dence , frodiiceth many Jirangi things ; behold here is frefented unto your eyes^ the pth fiance of two poor Sermons with con fider able enlargement^ that are exposed {throHgh great importunity) to the open light in the World. I have been very averje to con- tribute to the grieved and groamngPrefs./h^t is overcharg'^d byfnch Writings^ which were only fit {after they have been uttered in the. Pulpit) to be adjhdg^d to the perpetual Gravs of oblivion ; fnch I readily confefs are thefe Sermons^ and deferve no better Cenfure : It is a Prodigy to my felf that I fhould he pre- vailed upony to fuffer thefe Papers to appear with an open face ^ and to he exposed to the view of many, Ifenfhly-, and feelingly find caufe every day^more andmore^ to bewail.^ and to hliiflj at my ovpn ignorance and incapacity^ for the mrk^of the Minifiryy though J. have The Efifiie not been vacant of many Solicit atms^accom* ^a?7fdwith the Tears of ferioHS Chriftians^ that I vffodd admit fonie of my Labours to be J^rimed : But at the fame time a cold damp i hathfeizj'd my Spirits^ from a deep convict- on of my infiifficiency forfuch an under tah^ ^Z '-) J^^P^S ^^ ^^ ^^ ^y I^^'iy-i to he like the Ik af Adder ^ not to hearken tofuch Charms^ but to he inexorable : Ton may then demand:^ how comes it to fafs^ that thefe two Sermons have obtain d ?nore than all the reft: ever could r / have not only con/ider-d the Importunity of dear friends^ (/ did formerly withfixftd ) which of it felf coidd never have frtvaild ; but am fallen under a Convioiionyhat the pro* vldential Call of my Lord and Mafier doth oblige me ^ by reafon of the great diponour^ that is hroM^ght to his mofl facrcd and pure Name^from various in famom Do^rines^that have been divulged amongfl m ^ and that wuhfiich heat and fervor^ that we are upon tins little fpot in an Inflammation y yea near unto a Conflagration ^ infomuch that out of confcionfnefs of Duty^ and the importunity of thofe whofe hearts do bleef crying Sins that abound among tu j particularly the animofi- ties and dijfentions of the Profeffors of tlie Gofpel) our prefent enjoyments might be-y adding^ that Ijudg'd the Will of my Lord wasy that I fhould improve that little Talent he hathpkaid to intrufi me withal^ (to the utmofk The Epiftle mmoft of my power) in f reaching ufon the weighty and mofi necejfary Truths of the Go- fpel-, whereby (through Grace) J might fave my felf^ and thofe that hear me^ i Tim. 4^ id. Some of his followers waxed bold, looking upon what he delivered^ to proceed Ofit of the mouth of an [infallible Oracle , crying out of me^ why doth he not anfwer Mr, C. and preach up his fpri'nhling of In^ fants ^ if he had any thing to fay, he would not befilent. Tea,fome have been Jo impudent, as to fay ^ that what he doth, as to the baptiz.- ing of Infants, is againft the light of his own Confcience : Tofuch bold Ace lifers and Bea- fters, J jldall only return in the words of the Apoftle, Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judged another mans fervant } to his own Mafter he ftandeth or falleth. It is common among ft m, for thofe that un- der ft and not the right hand from the left in a* ny great point of the things of God, to judge and condemn the ?noft judicious and piom, that are not of their Meafures about Baptifn -, let hut a man renounce .his Baby fpr ink ling (as they fc or n fully call it) and pafs und.er the Water, he is an excellent Chriftian. If fame of their Preachers be never fo raw,crude,and illiterate, and can lay about them with abun- dance of Confidence, though mingled with a great quantity of Nonfenfe, yet they are ad" mir^d by thm being for dipping^without which what to the Reader, 1t>hat is all the Learnings Experiefjce, Fiety^ fains ^andfmcere endeavours offAithfnl Adi- niflers in fer'vtng fouls ? It may grieve any one that hath aferiopt^ confideration of the worth ofSohls^ a?id the mightinefs of thework^of the Miniflry upon his Hearty to hear^ how all that thofe deliver^ that decry the Baptizing of Infants J is magmfed^ as flowing from th& Spirit of the Lord^ though much that is vent- ed^ is but the apparent (proles) or ojf~fpring of Pride ^ Ignorance and Confidence, Oh ! let not my foul enter into their Secrets : who is fHJfcient for thefe things ? / wijh that there be not only contempt heaped upon the Word of the Lord and his Aliniftry^ but alfo blafphe- my upon the Spirit : Let men tak^ heed of be- ing too bold in fathering their palfionate SaU lles^and InveEiives againft their Betters^upon the Holy Ghoft ^ Oh ! that my bead were waters^andmine eyes a fountain oftears^ that I might weep day and night for thefe things ! To compleat all^ the high place in vLe Con^ gregation is not fufficient to difcharge the con^ ception of the fiomach againft us^but the Prefs mufi alfo groan to bring forth ^th at there may nothing appear but dung and filth upon our faces ^ and all the beauty of Religion^ and Evangelical Order of the Gofpel we vpalh^in^ in ay be totally defacd. From the Prefs hath heenfent into the midfi ofus^ two Pamphlet s^ lik^HntoS^n\]^tons Foxes th^t were join din the TbeEpIftle the Tail with fire-brands betwixt them to burn down all our Field ; as if nothing le/s than the total deftruUion of onr Vineyard could fujfce. With what care mufl thefe Prints immediately be difperfi into all quarters ? not only at the pkblick^ Meeting Houfe^ the Boohfelkrs ShopSj bntfome of them mufl be fern up and down in blank Papers to fever at Perfonsby the Penny - Toft^and others carry d to Coffee- Hmfes, and openly laid upon the Tables^ that every one that comes to tah^ a Pipe and drink a Dijhy might feafl upon and admire this none-fuch Author^ and not only the fiber y but the wet Drinkers jhould be baptiz.ed into his opinion,^ Thefe PooksCffich as they are^muft be diligent- ly in all places fcatterdy that if it bepojjible e- very hand might befnrnifit with a tool and weapon to beAt and cut u$ all into pieces : what. a fpirit is this man pojjeft withal^as if he would he a common troublefome Chofi^to haunt every houfe andheart^near untahim f Surely we are greatly ingag*d^ for our peace y and quiet ^ C ^y all lavp fid means') to do all that we can to lay him *, for it is he that hath been the great troubler of our Ifrael. I do fincerely defire him in the cool time of his fpirit^ provided^ when his eyes are opened^ he doth ever enjoy fuch afeajon^ folemnly toconfider the defcrip- tion that the wifefi of men dmh give of a pub* licky-rinoyer yProv. i6, i8. When Ifirficafi mine eyes nponhis JBooksy I could not but ad- mire to the Reader. mre them for Tride^ Ignorance and Confi- dince^ never yet faw J any thing fince I was ' ahk to hold a book^in my h^ndfor thefe qua^ lificationsfo excellent ; this hath been the opi- . nion of jnany^that have been much more able to jitdgcj than ever he will be to write, 1 jhall briefly tell you^ what was my vehe^ ?72ent provocation and prevailing inducement to preach the following Sermons^ vid. his an* dacioHS cruelty in his Book^^ offered to our Children^ to the Seed of all that have the fm- gular priviledgc of being in Covenant with tbe Lord. He could not in his writings content himfelf (as many of his Brethren do) -only to exclude them from their right to Baptifm^but mufi proeeed upon fuch wayes^ and means ^ that do inevitably Jhut them out of the King- dom of Heaven^ if fo be they expire in their infancy .^Uinc illae LaQhtYmx.What pious and tender Parent^ that hath a fericus concern- ment upon his hearty for the eternal ft: ate of hi^ ChildyCan hear fuch Dotlrine^and his ears not to tingle^ and his heart not to tremble ? . / confefs^ to havefnch wild amd cruel Do- tirine to be not only deliver d^ but lick'd up and admi/d among ft us (^ if it was one of the choiceft Truths of Grace, that our Lord andMafter fends hisu4mbaJJadors to proclaim) didcaufe a little ivim.ty, di that he hath made a Catechifm, which he hath di/pers'd among his Difciples.I have notyetfeen it, but fear, when I fhall obtain a fight of it (as now I do intend) I /ball fcarce find him wore excellent^ and fund, than what was the froduci cf that judicious Affeynbly that fat at Weitminfter ^ aUs they could find out no fiich way as here is prefented unto ^r, cf condemning and abfolving Infants : to mention this Mounte- hanl^ Divinity with caution and tendernefs, was all that I did prefume to do for many years ; I thought at this, 720 well temper'' d and fiber mind could fuf- fer a recoil, co??fidering my long and many provoca- tions. But what a noi/e did this make ? PVoat a duft did this raife ? Nay, into what a frisky did this put our admir'd Author? How w^s he nettled? that any of his DoBrine floould, [that was much ad- mir'd by fuch that we're juft as able to judge, as he to write)be calld into quiftion ; Notwithflanding all that was f aid, neither his venerable name, nor either of his Bgo!{s was fo much as mention d, that which wasfpoke^ did not carry any direB oppofition to his Believers Bajjtifm (as he calls it ;) yet he (as if he was the only Soveraign upon this Spot, and was in- vefled to the Reader. vefled mth a defvotich^proer^ taking upon him to rule (ts with an alfolute Authority) was put into a terrible commotio J2 and convulfion ; and many of his Devotaries were prejudicially pojjefl.ai if fame great Treafon had been committed againji their B^der and Guide : Wny^ but what is the matte)- ? A poor wan that lay bury d for fix or feven years in the Crave of patience andfilence, upon whom they had long trampled^ and over whom they had long infulted^ the top-mould of his Grave did a little dijcernibly ■ move, and what fhall we do^ provided there jhould be a I{efiirreEiion ? Oh ! how were all hands (tongues) called to help ? How muft the mouth of the grave he diligently watch' d that he creep not forth r leji our tottering foundation be dif^juieted, our high- tower d magnificent StruHure be fhak^en, our dire- ful Principles about dying Infants be deteSl-ed and difprov'd, and the fatal Sente^ice that we .have pro- 7iouncd be revers d ^ Little can any one Juppofe ore conceive what a tumult wai rais d from fojmall an alarm, ' all muft be upon the defence ; but with what Weapons muft that be made r Out of what Forge or Mint muft they como ? Surely out of that Infernal One cf Hell; that which I ynuft be ac- cofled withal at thefirfl Onfet mift be Lyes, as if nothi72g elfe was their Armour of Proof, and Weapons of Defence. It is wonderful that fo ma- ny of thoje, that would he thought the moft Ex- cellent, if not the only People of G$d amcngft Ui\ fhould themfelves give us their true Etymology, and dif cover what Lineage and Sicck they be of the Lord help them to confider, who is the Father of Lyers^ a?2d whofe Children they are that mal{§ Lyes ; Is this conftnant with the defcription that is given of Gods Children ? Ifa. 63. 8. For he .laid, SureJy they are my people, children that wiU The Epiftle will not lie. Let thofe thai- would he thought th^ greateft Inhabitants of the New Jenifalem, and to have their Names wrote in the Lamb's Book of Life, he careful they do not deceive and expofe themfehei by this Sin to a fearful Exchifiony Rev. 21. 27. I have a Black Catalogue of Zyes committed to PPriting, which I had thought at this Time to have prefented you wit hall ^ but forbear till another feajon. I Jhould have been very flad 7iot to have been concern d in this controverfe^ utfincel havefujfcrdfuch a violent arreft out of my grave of durance and filence^where I fhould have been glad to have refted all my dayes, andfinditig yny Pillow to be extreamly imeafie^ being flujft with piercing a7id pricking thorns ; I cojdd 72ot but offer this little Tefiimony for the Truth I am contending for. Widen I did difcourfe in my Pulpit about the Covenant fiate of Infants with their Parents^ I did not i7itend that what was deliver d fhould ever fall under the weight of the Prefs ; what hath been Spoken hath not been altogether deflitute of a Blef- fmg {through grace) unto majiy that heard it : the next Sabbath after my undertaking iyi this affair^ my good neighbour ( that he might fhew the ra7i' cour of his Spirit) producdi'n his Pulpit a Paper againfi me^ which he read in his Congregation, at the tail of which hedifcoverd his fling, which was *m open challenge that he proncwicd againfl W2f, to difpute me openly^ either in his^ orr my Meeting' Houfe ; thus the Gantlet (I do 7ict fay the Club) wai caji ; the fame week^ he did dijj?e-rje abroad that up- on the next Lords day, he would preach upon my Text, a7id cotifute me. I had thought to have ac- quainted you what an excellent confitter he is (hav- ing his confutation Ser7nons by me taken from his mouthy by the Pe7i of a ready Writer :) but upon fecond to the Reader. fccond thoughts, I flo.tllfufpcfid that until another occajion be offer d. This Champion that he might triumph jn his tnrft triumphant aiid ftately Chariot^ hath puhlipoed a^icther Challenge agaijift me in his Pulpit, after he had ( as he judgd ) confuted my Dohriyie about the Covenant. If it had been any of my Brethren that he had thus confuted a?jd challe7?gedj I fhcnld have wondered what m.a??ner of Spirit this Alan had been ofyone would have thought that if he had had any T/7/eCaIl to the Minijhry^ {which many £jueflion)the confideration of his Educa- tion might have fomctlmigfuppreffed the proud 'Ela- tion of his Mind, which in thefe Things doth emi" iiently and too apparently dif cover it f elf iCnd that he might vot have thought himfelf to have hscn a Star of the Fi'fi \iagnitude. I remember I have read of a Kjng that was advanced to the Throne from a mean Defcent and Calling, being a Potter by Trade, that the Canker of Pride might not at^ proach nor corrupt the I^yal Diadem, would have all his Provificns for his Table fervd with Earthcii Veffels, that fo he might freejuently have fnch an OhjeH in his Eye, that might keep him hmbk. I poa'l leave my good Friend and Anragoniit to make the Application. 1 have oftentimes thought in my grieved and forrowful filencc, that if it had f leafed the Divine Pi evidence to have placed fome of my Anabaptift Brethren (whom my Soul love} h dcrrly) in this Mans Poll ; we might have d^velt Jike Brethren^ might have taken fweet Courfef, and have walked unto the Hcufe of Gcd together, yea, might have carried on the t'Vdrk, of the Lord with one Hand., one Shoulder, and one Heart, I riutn f Chriltian Pleaders) truly fay, that what 1 have here put into your Hands to read in the foL kwing Sermons is wrote and defigned for the Honour The Epiftle to the Reader. ^ Hcyiour of God, the Grace of his Covenant, to interpoje a little betvpeen our poor Children and Little Ones, and that Soul-ama:{ing Doom that is pronounced againfi them, to reprove the ra/h and furious :^eal of our Adverfary, to Anfwer the vehement Importunities and longing ExpeSlations cf many of my good Friends, to commode all that hear me, in inftruBing them in this great and comfortable Truth of the Go/pel that 1 contend for, to give a checks to that Lying Spirit that is got loofe among us, to fatisjie any that are Jlum- b/ing and doubting about Baptifm, and to reduce (if the God of Peace fhail fee good ) this poor troubled Place to a peaceable tranquil Compofure, Oh ! cry to God, that this my Undertaking, fincerely profiituted to the good of Souls, may meet with fomc fuitahle Bleffmg thereunto, and that all my poor Labours in the H^ork^ of the Gofpel, may ob- tain good fuccefs. The Lord be with you, and blefs you, and caufe his gracious Face tofhine upon you, guiding you into the Way of Truth, and con- duhingyou to his Eternal Glory : My Hearts de- ■ fire and prayer for you' all is, that you may be favcd. J am Your AfFedionate Servant in Chrift, Pran, Me^icc. ( I ) A Vindication of the Intereft of the Children of Belie- vers in the Covenant of Grace^ e.coj}y when there was a great refort ,Qf people from many places j and affo J}en>c were G^nj^^ • ilounded, othei-s were amazed, r^ there- ?y\^ere. tiiftfe that mocked -, they thought' the Ag?9^Ie&, \7^.ialLpf hk?w..1k5fW;,, .4$jif ,.ttej%i^9^' ,.^^'-'^ d tlu-ough (3 ) through the Gift of the holy Spirit fo miracu- loLilly poured upon th.cm, was only the fruit aiid cffctt of their cxcelTive drinking. Thus we may obferve how Satan doth infligate thole that be under his conduct and iiiriucnce, to blafphcnie the raoft wonderful and obvious Works of God, ver. 6, 7, 8, ^r. In this Sermon the Apoftlc Peter undertakes two things. i: To wipe off that foul Afperfion, that was cafl upon them, of being filled with New Wine. It was very nee^dful for him fo to do, otherwiib this might he a means to obltruct tlie good fuccefs: of his Sermon : We may fee in many Fcrfes the way the Apoftle takes to clear ihem of tliis Dia- boHcal Accufation, firom ver. 14, to 22. 2. He Gomes to the peculiar Subjed tlie Spirit of Chrift did lead him unto, vi^. To fct home upon the Confciences of the 7^^'-^? ^^'^^'^^ great and fanguinary Sin in their cruel and malicious crucifying and murdering the Lord Jcfus,the Prince of life, the only Mcffiah and Saviour of the World.. Many of thofe that heard him were guil- ty of it, as we may fee by the round and pofitive charge, he di'aws up againft and faftens upon, thera , vsrfe 22, 2g. Here we may. apprc- liend, how fully and emphatically tlie Apoftle doih fix this Crime upon his Hearers, as to him that was barbaroufly murdered and crucified , therefore lie calkd him J^e'la of Nazareth, to fhew that he was the true Mcffiah, promifed by all the Proplu-Xs, a^id that they might readily underftand that he /pake of tliat very /^yw, whom they in fcor^.;and contempt called /efw cf Nazareth,' aixd upon \5/hpfe Cfofs they fixed that Title j tlie A*-'j poflleto make t!ie charge the more fjlL, he adds) tint if -vJ>^. that -ftfia of Ka^aietb^ thatvvasaMan apprpved of Gcdqrnong them bv Miracles, Wc-n^'" d>.r^. and Sign$, which God did'by him, and that in the midft of then:, as they thcmfelves weli E 2 knew : (4) knew ; It was him that tliey did take , and by wicked hands did crucine and Hay. It is to be obfcrved, that this terrible Accufation is exhibit- ed againft-all the Auditory of Peter, when he faith unto all that heard him, Ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and (lain, lie might deliver hirafelf thus unto them all, becaufe in fo great a company, many were prefent that aftually poured out the blood of Chrifi ; More- over the whole People cried out at the Tribunal, crucifiehim, crucifie him, and imprecated, that his blood might be upon them, and their pofle- r;ty, a/z\. the guilt of his blood, and the direful fruits of it. What a wonderful Spirit of Zeal and Courage, was the Lord pleafed to fill this Apoflle withal ? Even him,, who out of fear fometime before had denied his Lord and Mafter ; he was now full of the Spirit of the Lord, which is a Spirit of miglit and Arength, that did animate and fupport him. One would think that this bloody Congrefs, that were skilful in, and fcarce cool from the effufion of blood, yea of the beft of blood, would imme- diately have difpatched him and emptied his Veins. That the Apoftle might faften their execrable fm upon their confciences, .in murdering the Meffiah, he doth (from the Word of God) prove him to be fo. fie did not only propound his a(fertion, but he proved it, that fo he might involve his hearers, in- to a full and through conviO:ion. This doth evi- dently inflrud thofe, that take upon them to preach the triiths of Chrift, to prove them, and to be able to defend them. The Suitable mediums and arguments, the Apc- flle infifls upon to prove this his Doftrine, con- cerning Chrift, as how God raifed him from the dead, and concerning D^iwVa tipe of him, Imuft not ( 5 J) • not fland to^ fhcw, but muf> come to the next general part'l obferve in this Chapter. Thirdly, The good efFefts and gracious fruits of this the Apoflles* Sermon. After he had fixed the -charge lie drew up againft the Jews for murder- ing the MeiTfah, whom lie proved to be fo, then he comes with a fharp arrow of application, and ftrikes it deep (by the efficacy of the holy Spirit) into the hearts of his finful Auditors, ver.:^6. there' fire let all the houfe of Ifrael J^iow ajfuredly, that God hath wade the fame Jefm -whom ye have cyhcu fed, both Lord and Chrijl : He told them iiow emi- nently he was exalted by God, whom they had vilified and abafed unto the greateft contempt and ihame, and had put him to the jnoft painfal, ftiameful and curfed death, that ever could be. Oh ! to deal thus with the Son of God, the Lord of all, the only Meffiah fo highly exalted at the right hand of the Majefty on high, and made both 'Lord and Chrift, what a cut might this be to thofe that heard the Apoftle, being guilty of fo great fin, of fuch Scarlet impieties ? Tunc ingens ejiji'imulia^ quo Petrm mira libertate etfinceritate^ pupugit corda Jud^onim, See and behold, what wickednefs ye have committed, the guilt of what blood you have contracted ; what malicioufly and cruelly to mur- der the Lord Jefus, the Saviour of the world, who is the Lord of all, who is^^ver all, God blelTed for ever I This had by the bleffing of themofl high graci- ous dfeiftssnd fruits upon thofe that heard him. Firfi^ They were pricked at the heart, they were troul:^ed and grieved at their heart, becaufe of their horrid fin they had committed in their deteAable murder of Chrift. Doluerunt animps-^ qw)d crkcifixjflent Chrijhm. Pifca. Ver. 37. Secondly^ They ask Peter ^ and the refc of the Apoftles, what they Oiould do ? ver. 97. Now they were brought into a miferable plunge^. tlie B 3 bloudy ( 6 ) bloudy colour of their fin, and their Confciences boiling hot within them, pronouncing fiery Sen- tences againft them, the very fl^ig of the damned v/as crucifying tiiem ; this might well make them as am32ed,and confounded rebels to cry outjwhat •tTialiwe do? what courfe fhail we take, to get free fmm the charge of this crying fin ? no fooner were thefe poor wretches convinced, and begged councell of the Apoftles as to their efcaping that dreadful wrath that-was due unto them for their greatly meritorious fin •, but Peter gives them luitabfe zdiYiCQ^ direfting them how they might obtain eternal Salvation, by the biOud of him vvhora they had wickedly crucified and fiain, as m icT. 38. he doth exhort and direclthem, to repent, to be baptized in tlie iiameof Jefus Chrifi:, th:t they might receive rcmiTionof {m^ and the gift of the holy Ghoflj then they may be well af- fured, that through him whom they crucifTcd,they fhould obtain a difcharge from their Ibul-eon- founding guilt , and eternal Salvation. I (hall pro- ceed no further in the parts of this Chapter,neither Ihall I add any thing nwre as to the happy eneth ar.d events of the Apoftle's moft excellent Sermon, m tiie hearts, and Jives of thefe wonderful converts, that heard him, who though never fo wicked be- fore, \^tTtt\io: pyimiti£ eviingeli)^ fhewing the glori- ous efficacy of tiie fufferings of Chrift, that thofe that v/erehis inveterate enemies, and did fo inla- tiably tliirftforhis pure and fpotlefs bloud, that nothing could fatisfie, but their vvafhing their hands in the fame by a violent efFufion, fhould partake of the firft fruits of it. The Apoftle difcerning, what a miferable condi- tion they faw themfelves to be in, and into what a direfal abifs of divine wrath they apprehended themfelves to be fwallowed up , he does not on- ly nakedly call upon them to repent and turn to God, and to fly unto him for mercy j but gives unto unto tfiem dne of tFie mod gracioHS Motives ■and incourjgcments thereunto, telling them tlie promifc is unto them, and their Children. He did: well underftand, that their horrible fm did not OH!y e-xtciid unto them, but alio unto their off-- fpring j for they had not only poured out the fa- credbJoud of Chrifr themfelVe?, but aUb had in- volved theii- Childrenm the guilt of it, Mit. 2f. 2$. When F/7.tfe had faid I am innocent of the bk)ud of this Perfon, fee ye to it, tlien anfwer- ed all the people, and faid, his bloud be on us, and. our Children. Surely a lively fenfeof this, -made a deep wound in their Confciences. To re- 'lieve and fupport them in this mifcrable plunge, .Twhcn thev could iiot but Ice the wrath of a juft re- ■ ^^y^ging"Gdd,iT3d'y- to- invade bot^i them, and their Children, they could not but be in a deplo- rable cafe, faying, v,e have eternally dcflroyed ^nd ruined both our felves and pofterity : The Apoftle . prcfents them with a Plaifter broad enough for their Sore ; 'q, d, well though your fm be fo grie* V0U5 and damnable as to your felvc-s and little ones, yet repent, and turn to God, and it fnall be happy^both with you, and your Cinldren alfo : for faid lie, the promife is to both, ant will reach you, and your dying infuits j you fhall not be caft out of Covenant, but you, and your little ones fhall continue in the fame, that you were in before the aiHiual exhibition, and death of your Saviour, whom ye did impioufly crucifie and (lay. Oh what a full breafl of confolation was here, from the in^nite grace of God expofed tor thefe mife- rable creatures to fuck and hmg upon 1 thev^ry marrow and quintelfence of the Gofpel is pro- pofedtothem, for their effectual inducement to repent and believe. Here was the fountain ope n- ed for fin and for uncleannefs, in which thefe poor trembling finners might waili and bathe their guilty and filthy Souls •, - thefe were thofe that B J. now (8 J now look upon him whom they had pierced, and did mourn over liira, as one mourneth for his only Son, and they were in bitternefs for him, as -one that is in bitternefs for his firft born, Zecb. 1 2. ic. Peter gave them fuch a Cordial, that could r.ot but greatly refrefh and comfort them 5 here he was like to' his bleffed Lord and Mafter, the good Samaritan that had compafTion on him that fell among thieves , and was wounded , who went to him, and bound up his wounds pouring in oyle and wine, that fo he might both cleanfe and cure. Now we come to fix upon the words of our Text : Tiiat we may fee clearly, what is intended in them , let usi obferve a few particulars by way of general divifion that are comprehended in them. FirJ}, To whom this is fpoken ; it was to the Jews, who were then met together out of many Nationsat the Feaft of Fe«feco/?,x^er.$. and th^re were dwelling at Jerufalem Jews^ devout men out of €ver) nation under heaven. Some of thefe, nay many of them , were efFeftually touched at the heart by the penetrating Sermon of Peter^ or rather by the irrefiftible compunftion of the Spi- rit of God, cooperating with the preaching of Peter ^ as it was at another time, when this excel- lent Apoftle was preaching,^^/j- 10.44.^^/6//? Peter yet fpai^e thefe words, the holy Ghoii fell on all them that heard the word. When the holy Ghofl doth fall upon the heart,and into the heart of thole that hear j the word then ( the power and authority of it ) Oiall be found, and that by the moft perverfc and obfiinate fmner : it is he that makes the word to be quicl^^and powerful, audjJmrper than any two- edged fword, piercing even to the dividing afunder of foul and fpirit, and of the joints and marrow, and to be a difcerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearty Heb, 4, 1 2. Secondly^ (9 J Secondiy^ By whom they were fpoken ; F/^. by Pder, in the name of all the reft of the Apo- ftles* It plcafed the Lord at this time, and r upon this occalion , to conftitute him to be J the mouth of all, he was great in utterance, it is very probable the reil of the Apoftles might be willing to chufe him to be their Spokefman. How- ever the Spirit of the Lord did order it, that it fhould be fo, that Peter fhould be the man, that ihould preach this excellent Sermon, all the Apoftles v.'ere concerned in it, and did even fpeak in and with him, ver. i^.But Peter ftanding np, with the Eleven^ lift up his voice^ and f aid unto them, ye meu of Judea^ and all ye that dwell at Jcrufa- lem^ beihii l^norvu unto you, and bearhjn to my -^ordy, 8cc. Peter (pake in the company, and in the au- thority of the reft ; thofe awakened finners judg- ed that in the fpeaking of Peter, all were concern- ed, therefore when they were pricked to the heart, they fa id no^ only to Feter, but to the reft of the Apoftles,- men, and brethren what fhali ' we do ? - One Minifbr of Chrift, tliat fpeaks the word of God, preacheth in the fame authority^ that all the Minifters of the Gofpel do. T/:irdly,Why thefe words in the text were fpoken and affirmed 5 Itwds by way of Motive to prcfs on the exhortation, WG have in ver, 98. the Jews had lived under the former adminiftration of the Cove- nant of grace,in the which the MelTiah, tliat was to come, was exhibited in the promife,and ftiadowed in many Types, and Figures, by which they wepe taught to expeft , and to look for the coming of tlie MefTiah in Verfon, At laft in the time appoint- cd,he is come to bring, and to eftablifh a new and a more glorious adminiftration, not to diffolve the Covenant ( as fome would have.it ) but to eft*biiih it under a more eminent, and excellent difpenfa- tion, than ever it was before his incarnation, fuSPec- ingj and afcenfion. But becaufe lie came not with, B 5 . ^t|\jr extemar pomp and' ilate, That the carnal 7^>^>f ex- pefted him in,he was by them defpifed,rejefted. & . perfecute^ to death, which the infinitely wife God did overuletothe accomplifhment of his eternal purpofe, as to the Salvation of the elcft ^ yet theii* fin and wickednefs was never the lefs, who took the blefTed Son of God, the only MelTiah, and by wicked hands, did crucifie and flay him, though he was delivered by the determinate councel of God : the eternal purpofe and councel of the everlafting, and infinitely wife God, took phce ia the Jews perpetrating their enmity'and malice up- on our blelfad redeemer, /1^7jr 4.27,28. For of a truth a^atnji thy holy cbildjefw, whom thouhajl anointed both HeroJ, and Porrtm Filatc, with the Gentiles, ami the -people of Ifrael were gathered together, for to- do whatfoever thy hand, and thy councel determined before to be done. Though all was managed, by the adored wifdom of the eternally wife Jehovah, who brought his Son into the world, and delivered him up to be crucified j yet the . wickednefs of his implacable murdrers was never the iefs.The Apoftle finding feme of their hearts to be bleeding, re- lenting, and greatly affefted at their amazing im- piety, he labours to fet conviction home upon their Confciences, to drive the nail up to the head , he perfwades them to repentance, and "to fubinitto Chrift his difpenfation of the Gof- pcl, and to declare their fubmiffion, by theic being baptized in the name of the Lord Jefus Chrifi. Fourthly, we are to conrider,vvhat is here affirm- ed, this is the matter that we arc mofl to be con- cerned about, vi^, this promife is to you, and your children. V/hat this promife is, imports the Emphafis of this text ^ there are two acceptati- ons, I find to be of thefe words, I will mention, -both of tliem. I. Soxoe (II ) _ I. Some would have the Article « iTntyyiKldL^ to point at the Prpmifc before-rcciitioucd, ci- ted out of thePr6phet Joel, ler. i6, 17. But this is that which was (p-iken by the prophet Joel, and It (l) all c me to pafiinthe Lift days^ fjaith God J I will pour out of myfpirit upon allj1ef}> : and)our [ons, and pur daughters fjall 'prophejie^ and your )owig men jlall fee vifions, and your old men fl)aU dream dreams. This (fay forae) doth relate to the ex- traordinary etfafion of the Spirit of God, that fome fhculd enjoy.- But I find, that, there are Espofitors, that cncline not to this. I fhall lay down two or three Reafons, \vhy I judge, that the Promife in this Text doth not refer to that of the pouring out of the Spirit in great rneafurc. 1. The interpolation of a large difcourfe, be- tween the mention of that prom lie, and thiC Text, , feems to break eft all connexion, between the difcourfe concerning the Counfcl of God in giving ; up Chrift to death, and then to give him a Glo- rious refurredtion revealed at large in the Pfalms-, which had been now accompli liied by them, tho'' with wicked intentions : This interpofeth y fo , that here, the Apoflle feems to be upon a new matter, altogether difiin<^ from that promife of the extraordinai-y, and plentiful effufion of the Holy Ghofr. 2. Becaufe they that did believe, and wereba^:- - tlxed, did not receive thefe extraordinary gifts -j therefore it is not to be fuppofed, that the Apo- ftle would deceive, aud delude them, in nuking luch a' promife unto them, which was not to be performed, and never to be imparted unto them. The holy Preacher did only induce, and fweetly entice them with 3 prom-ife, which upon their ac« - cepting of his counfel, they might be certain to enjoy : It was indeed a moft gracious promife, fuch an one, that would make them eternally happy, and more necelfary than the gifts of Mi- - /•acles, ^ g. Be-. (12) 3. Eecaufe the promife here meant, is of a per- petual duration, at leaft to be in force in all Ages i ibr it is extended to as m^y, as the Lord IhalL^ call, which doth reach to all Ages, and General tions, and fo is a promifethat is not limited ancfl retrained to fome Ages, and to fome Chrifliansff but tcucheth and belongeth unto all : Wherefoever' God fhall be pleafed to call any, the promife (hall be extended to them, and their children \ this i laid down as a ground-work for the proceedings v of gtace, in encouraging to believe, and repent, to tlie end of timics, even unto the calling in of all the Eiea. 2. There is another acceptation of the Words, which I ll^all take up withal, fuch a one that I think is built upon better grounds *, let us obferve well the Article », that is fet before the word /r;w//t.', and tliat may give us a clear light herein, This muft denote fome great and eminent pro- , niife, that was made to the fewi\ and fuch a pro- mife that they were well acquainted withal ; The prcrnife k to yoH^ and to your child) etiy the promife that was made to you, and that is well known to you. This can fce looked upon as nothing lefs, then the Covenant of Grace, or one of the upper- moft or top-branches of it •, for to them did per- tain the Covenant of promife, Rom. c. 4. Who Are Ifraelites j ty whom pertaineth the adoption^ and the glory y ^rJ the covenants^ and the giving the law, and the fervice of God, and the promifes. Let us fce what tliey be called in JMs 5. 25. Te are the chil- dren of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers^ fafing unto Abraham, And in thyfeedOmllalltheS^ndredofthe earth be blejfcd. But wliat was tliat fay you, or what Covenant was that? You may fee it in Gen. 17.4, 7. As for me^ my covenant fs with thse, (ind thoujlmlt be the fdtbcr ( 13 ) father of many nations •, or as the words may be read, oi multitudes of Nations. He was then but the Father of one Nation, I but God doth here promife unto him, that he Oiall be a Father of a multitude of Nations. This muft needs look untotiie Gentiles^ and the many Nations of them, after the Incarnation, Suffering, and Afcenfion of the Meffiah, when the Wall of partition was to be broken down, and the Covenant of Abraham carried over unto them. And I mil eJlabli/J; my covenant between we, and thee, and thy feed after thee J in their generations, frr an everlafting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy feed after thee. This is the Covenant-prdmife the Apoftle urgeth upon thefe convinced and awaken'd Sinners, that lie might overcome them to repent, and accept of the new adminiftration of the Covenant ; for the promife was to tiiem , and to their Children. ilHod illis filios adjungit, pendet ex verbis promif- fionis 5 ero Den^ tuw, ((fy feminis tui poj} te. Gen. 1 7. 1 7. Vbi Dem flios patribm accenfet in adop- tionis gratia, Saitli a Learned Expofitor, ?.nd he addeth, Hie locw abunde refellit Anabaptiflas , qui infantes ex fidelibw genitos a baptifmo arcent, quafi nmfint Ecclefidi membra : This place (faith he) doth abundantly confute the Anabaptifh; who drive away the Infmts born of godly Parents, as if they wer^ not Members of the Church. 2. The Promife here fpoke of, raufl be fuch an one, which gives remiffion of fms, and the Gift of the Holy Ghofl ; fuch an one, that to droop- ing difconfolate Souls, allures of pardoning and fanftiiying Grace : Kt?/-. 58. Then Feter fiid unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you for the remiffion of fins, and ye (hall receive the gift of the holy Ghoji, This is that Promife, that lie tells them doth appertain to them, and not to tlieni only, but to their Children alfo. The fame Pro- mife we have, 7^^» S^* 33j 34) and Eiel^. 35. 25, 2^;27» ( 14 ) 2j, 27. It muft be fuch a Promifc, as carries in the womb of. it, the offer of pardoning and fan- ftifying Mercy , which is in the Covenant of . Grace. 5. The Scope of the Apofile isi to fhew, what an Obligation there was lying upon them, to ac- cept of and to believe in Chrifc freely offered unto them, and not to ftand out, and be fliy of com- ing under his new adminiftration : From hence he -argues, for the promife is to you ^ and your chil- dreii. We may fum it up thus, q. d. You are the Poilerity of fuch, whom God accepted, and took into Covenant with himfelf, promiiing to be a Godto^iiem, and their Seed, to v.hom he alfo promifed, to fend his Son, by whom this BlefTing lh9uld be confirmed j accordingly this promifed 'Seed, the great Promife of the Covenant, is come for this very end, Kom. 15. 8. Now I fay^ that Jefiii Cbrifl wus a mnijler of the circumc'ifipn for the truth of Goi^ to' confirm the promife made unto the fathers:- To confirm the Covenant, not to dilTolve it ', confirm it, to whom ? To the Jeivs, and alfo to the Gentiles. I but, .how is this confirmed by Chrifl, if th.e Children muft fince tlie cohiing of Chrifl: be fliut out of the Covenant ? Oh I what a fweet allurement vv^as here, to haften their ac- ceptance of the Apoftles Exhortation : Oh ! (faid he) do not you by your infidelity, and diflrufl: of the Grace and Mefcy of God, deprive your felves of fuch an inconceivable and ineAimablc Bleffing and Priviledge ; Thus faith an Excellent Author. So that the Apoftle lays before them a gpod encouragement to come to Clu'ilt, and a firm bottom of hope to found pardon upon their Re- pentance y becaufe in their Church-ertate, which was going alfo to be carried over unto the Gentiles, they and their Children were under,being in cove- nant with God, and flood firmly poiielfed of the feme, which God would make good to them, and confirm . ( 15 ) confirm them in •, if by their unbelief they did not cut themfelves and their cliildren off. So the Promife is tlie Covenant of Grace, made to A- brabafUj znd hi§ Seed, continued hitherto to them, and their Children. Here we may evidently fee, that the Apoflle does not undertake to diifolve the Covenant,, nor to cut off the gracious Entail thereof as to the Children, nor Ihut them out of tliis great ElefTing, he would efhablifii them in j but acquaints thete vile, and trembling ■'Sinners, tliat the Promife is to them, and their Children. 2. Qued. What k meant by Children ? Aiifrv. By Children is meant the natural Seed, Children after the Flefh, for the Covenant here is the Covenant made with Abraham, and his natu- ral Seed. This is that Covenant the Apoftle men- tions when he fiith, The promife is to yr^, and jour children : y\. That Covenant which they vvere well acquainted withal, and valued themfelves highly from. Our Brethren the Anabaptijh affirm. That Abraham's natural Seed had only a Covenant of temporal Promifcs, that the natural Seed had no part in tlie Covenant of Grace, but only the Spiritual, tlie Followers of Abraham's Faith. But we affirm, That by Children here are meant the natural Seed, Tji7? liKvon Cucdv-^ Such as w^re begotten of you, and did Jpring and proceed fiom your Loyns : As when the Covenant w^s renewed at firft with Abraham, God v/ould be a God to him, and to his Seed, that Seed that was to be circumcifed j fo the tcFms of rbe fame Covenant are here repeated by the Apoflle, Tf:e pvomife is to y-ju, and your children : Chriffc would make good his Promife to all Believers : This is that which ( I hope ) I (hall evidently prove in its proper place, Qucft. ( r^ ) 5. Que(l. But if the naturnlSeed be here meant, as having an Interejl in the Covenant with their Pa- rents, whether is not their Right and Title limited^ and rejhained by the follomng ExpreJJion j Tfje time of their calling, as. many as the Lord our Oodfiall call^ and none but fuch, and never till then .*' Anfiv. There have been fo many Learned Di- vines, that have gone before with fuch- clearneis of Light in this. Controvenle, that ht tie can be added^.or need to be fpoken •, foniething confo- nant to what they have faid,and agreeable to their Anfwcrs I (hall offer. We are to difcinguirn about Calling, for Cal- ling is cither effedual and faving, or-onjy exter- nal Calling. I. There is an eifeftual - and faving Calling, that which appertains to the Eleft of God, by wliich ( by the external Call of the Word, and the inward efficacy of the Spiritj they be through- ly Called out of all Sin unto God. To urge a iieccITity of this, without which, no Benefits of the bleffed Covenant of I'ronlife, can be obtained or challenged, .is a palpable^ Error, againft which there may be many Clouds of Wirncifes prcdu- ced to teilifie. In every Age of the Church, and . propagation of the Covenant, there h ive been many Hypocrites, and formal Profeifors, that have had a ftanding in the Church, which is a Priviledgeof the Covenant, yet had no etfecfual Calling j fo it is now, and will be at the coming of Chrift, when he Ihall find amongft the Virgins, as many fooHfli, as wife: Mat. S. 12. But the children of the, l^ngdom JJiall be cajl out into outer darkneji ; tijtre fnallbe weeping andgnaflnng of teeth, Ifa. 33. 14. The f inner s in Zi^n are afraid, fearful- nejl hath furpriii:ed the hypocrites : who among Mjhall dwell with the devouring fire / who among^ Hf ff)all dwell wUh everlajiing burnings } Hypocrites that are ri7) arc in the Cliurch, and externally in G^venant, ihall poiTefs the hotteft place in Hell. Will our Adverfaries that apply the Seal, and take into Covenant their way, be fo bold, as to fay, that all thofe they admit to Baptifm are true Believers, and Gofpel-penitents /* Do not many of them prove Apoftates ? And are. not many of them cafl out of their Churches, and delivered over to Sa- tan ? And may they not have cunning Hypocrites among them that enjoy many Priviledges with them, and fuch as they thought to be eifertually Called? 2. If they fay that an outward Call be urged, as necelTary to the obtaining an Intercft in the Promife, then the natural Seed of Believers en^ joy this Calling virtually in and with their Pa- rents, with whom they are confederate, which they are Called to do, as Dent. 29. 10, 11, 12. Where we have a folemn way. of the People vifi- bly (landing before the Lord, to enter into Co- venant with him, and they had their little ones with them, as confederates, with their Parents, and fo part of thofe tliat were feparated and Called to be the difiina: People of the Lord, Members of the Church in covenant with him. 2. Aiifii?. And what I judge the fulled : That that Reflriftion, As many as the Lord, jhall call^ pertains only to thofe that are afjr off, and hath no refpeft to thefe here fpoken unto, or to their children ; If we confider, the Apoftle doth add this, partly to difcovcr the glorious Intention of the Grace of God in carrying over the Promife and the Covenant of Grace under the new admi- niftration unto the Gentiles, who were accounted afar off, and alfo to give thofe he fpake unto the greater, and the more ample encouragement, to accept of, and clofe in with his Exhortation, to repent and to believe. As thus, If God will be lb (rS) fo gracious to them that arc afar oiT, as upon their repentance to admit them, and their chil- dren, into covenant with him j why do ye doubt and fear ? Both you and your children are in co- venant with him already. They that trouble us w ith the Du/l of their filfe Gloites, to bfftnd the Eyes of the Simple, and to darken clear Scrip- tures by all means, would liave that Claufe to be applied to all the three Subjet^, rz>. They, their children, and thofe afar oflF when Called, then the Promifc is theirs j but that the Apoflle mean- eth and reftrauieth this only to thofe that are a- £ir off, I fhall evince by feveral Reafons, which if ponderoudy thought upon, may give good fktis- faction herdn. ' : ' ■ ^ ' I, Calling of Perfons fuppofeth fudi that are at a difcance off; therefore it muft peculiarly and only belong to them that were afiir off, ot«3J ■ Tiii eif fAitA^v • In this Channel runs the Stream of Expofitors, thofe that be afar off, they mean the Geittiks in oppofition to the Jer^s that were nigh. Thus the Scripture doth diflin- guifli between the Jervs^ and the Gentiles^ Ifa. 57. I. p. I create the fuit of the lips y peace^ peace to him that is afar ojf\ and to him that is near : Here is a bleifed Promife of the Grace of God, in reference unto the Calling of the Gentiles, that were fsid to be afar off, -in oppofition to the Jeivs that w^ere nigh. They were nigh to God, and they and their children were in covenant : I but faid the Lord, / will create the fruit of the lips i peace toHhofe that are afar ojf, viz. the Gen- tiles, Eph. 2.11,12,1^, 17. Wberefrre remember that ye being in time pajfed uncircumcifnn by that which is called the circumcifwi in the fcfh made by hands ', that at that time ye were wit hut Chrift, being aliens fiom the common-wealth of Jfrael, and ftr anger s jfom the covenants of promife^ and without God in thi world : But now in Chrijl Jefw, ye who were ( 19 ) we}-e fomethnes far ojf, are wade nigh by the blood of ■ Chrijf. This was the ftate of the Gentiles, they were far off j I but the J^ews at that time were nigh. And came, and preached peace to y<^u whkh were afar off, and to them that rvere nigh,^ viz. the Jetvs, Children of the Covenant, God was their God, and the God of their Children : I but the Gentiles were Strangers from the Common- wealth of Jj'rael, not in covenant with God, and afar off; they be called, as we fee in the Scripture, thofe that be remote and diftant, and muft be meant in this Text. 2. V/hat rational account can be affigncd, or can any give why the Apoftle fhould here menti- on the Children, if children here, the Seed of the faithful that be in Covenant, Hiould not be meant of the Gentiles. J"hofe two Members of the diftinftion, you that are nigh, and thofe that are afar off., would take in all perfons in the worM v znd fruUra fit per plm a, (i[^c. the Children of thefe would be found either afar off, or nigh, one of thofe terms, would have involved them all; the men- tioning of the Children muft be an impertinency,if it were not for fome other reafon. There are fome I know for a Ihift (this bearing hard upon them) will urge that imprecation, Mat. 27. 25. but it is iniprobable^that all that were the hearers of this Sermon, didjoynin that dreadful wifh, for ma- ny of them were Grangers, and lived remote fromi Jerufalem, However the Apoftle prelfeth them all alike to repent,and to yeild fubjeftion to Chrift, by an argument from the Covenant, which car- ries weight enough with it, though they had never been guilty of that horrid imprecation. This argu- ment of the Covenant hath been prcfTed at ano- ther time to prevail upon the Jervs to the fame duty of repentance, AHs 5. 19, 20, 25. Repent ye there for ey and be converted that your fins may be bhtted r 20 ) bkttedoiit, wJyen the times of rcfreflmg jhall come from theprcfence of the Lord, and he fl}aU fend Jefm ChrW) which before was preached unto pu. In this verfe he doth incourage them from a promife, and obferve the rare Motive, ye are the children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant , which God made with our fathers, faying unto Abraham, and in thy feed fjjall all the kindred of the earth be bleffed. This extends to them that were afar off,not only the kindred of the Je*vj,but alfo the kindred of theGentiles,fhould partake of the blefKng oi Abraham, vi^, of the Covenant made with .4/)r4/w;«. Gal. 5. 14. That the blefjing of Abraham might come on the G entile s^ (the bJeffmg of Abrahams Covenant through Jcfus Chrift) whofe blood was the blood of the Cove- nant. 3. The Apoftle doth here 6-x his argument,in the benefit that will redound unto tljera, and to their pofterity by their fubmiffion to the Gofpel Admi- niftratiou j by this he doth Emphatically prefs them to it. 6(1 ! wliat an incouragingand cogent Argument doth this Apoftle (by a divine inftinft) urge them withall, fuch a one, that poor awaken- ed fouls, ready to fink into defperation could not tell how to rejeft or withftand. This feems to be the genuine fenfe of it, you are greatly trou- bled for fin, in general, and fome of you have been guilty of that dreadful fin, of a malicious pouring out of the incorruptible and fiicred blood of the Son of God, and crucifying the Lord of Glory jthereforehave highly deferved that his blood fhould be upon your heads , and upon the heads of your Children for ever^ and fmce you have in- (lead of reverencing, killed the.Lord of the Vine- yard, you have dreadfully provoked God to turn you out of it forever ; but if after all, you will but fubmit to him that you have crucified, it fliall not be fo, Youi' deferts though never fo great and (11 ) and crying^fliall never be given unto youj but }'0U ih.ill ftill be to the Lord a chofen and a peculiar People, the Church and the People of God ^ to you and your Children the Promife fhall ftill continue, and all under a better Admini- itration than ever ; becaufe there is now abun- dance more of grace.and of the Spirit to be pour- ed out, you and your Children (hall have the firfl experience of it. Oh how fweetly doth the Apo- flle here entice and allure them to accept of the Seafonable offer made unto them. 4. That interpretation certainly that renders this Argument of the Apoflle, to the Jews ( to prevail upon them to the duty exhorted unto ) to be a difcouragement unto them, and to dilhearten them in their fubmitting to theGofpel-Adminidra- tion, rather than an incouragement, is not to be admitted. That which doth contradid, or at leafl- wife greatly impede, and obflruft the defign of the Apoflle, muft not be entertained. What was the defign of the Apoftle, but to perfwade thefe poor lofi creatures to accept of Chrifr, and his Adminiftration that was taking place. Therefore that he might obtain his end (faid he) the Promife is to you, and your Children, for both were con- cerned in the blood of Chrift 5 and we may ratio- nally fuppofe , thefe weeping bleeding fmners were not only concerned for themfelvcs, but for their Cliildren alfo. They might well deliberate in themfelves thus, what will become of us, I and of our miferable off-fpring too ? Why fait;h the ApoftleJiere is that that may allay all the amazing and confounding tumult of your felf-condemning hearts, the Promife is to you, and your Children. The Apoftle did fee that their Soul-difeafe, had fo funk their Spirits, and they were fo ready to faint, that they wanted the higheft Cordial that could be poured into them, and without this in- gredient grcdient of their Children, it could never have revived them. This v/as the opening of a c&tn- fortable door of hope, in their pinching and af- frighting valley of Achor. I have wondered fornetimes, how our Friends the Anabaptijls can fupport their minds, when they behold their dear dying Infants, ready to expire and to give up the ghoU i to rcftrain the intereft of the Children of thefe Jews in the Promife, to the time of their calling, could not but be a confider- ablc difcouragement unto them from coming un- der this Adminirtration,rather than an encourage- ment. That it would have been fo I (hall give two Reafons to prove it. I This would make their exchange to be for the worfe,and not the betterj for the Covenant un- der which they were before, did run to them, and their Sccd^ but this runs otherwife to the great difadvantages of the Children, and the great dif- couragement of the Parents. Children by this way of Interpretation are excluded and difmilT; the Covenant till their call. This could not but Iiave a deep regret upon the hearts of thefe Parents, that were well inflructed into their Childrens Cove- nant-right with thera, and did fo ftrongly depend upon it as they did. 2*. This would put their Children into tjie fame condition, with thofe afar off, the reftriftion e- qually taking held of the Children of the Jefvs^ with the OenUles and Heathens y-et afar off , which would found harfhly in the Ears of the ^Ji it vyere fo, of what 'import mijid :thei^^g^-^ i4ieatt>e' but of this, V'tz^i^ If ye will now, yea-^ \fakened trembling Jews believe in ChriA, apdrf come under his Adminiflratiop, the Promife nuU coxitinue unto you, but your'Children fhall becut off and turned out of this, priviledgc,they (hall be in the fame condition of the reft of the ^Fni^n 'world, ( 23 ) world -, vviicn they hereafter , and any of the , IJsithen Ihail be rallcd,then tlicy may have a part . iu the fame Promife too, 'and not till then. This teixig contained in that Fnterpretation, whether * it would not in the nature of the Argument, rather drive them off, then draw them on, let any impartial perfon judge. Was this a probable way to comfort and fupport, thcfe felf-condemned Tin- ners, to deliver fuch a iieavy meliage unto them, as to wrcft from out of their bofoms, and to rend 5II tlieir Children out of the Covenant of grace, and turn them iato tiie herd of thofe that are afar off, that were out of Covenant, without God and having ( remaining in that condition ) no hope in the world? Epb. 2. 12. This would be but to add affjiclion to the afflifted, and to call a w-oivderful ftumbling Block in the way of thcfe Jews. But the true and found Interpretation gives them chioice relief, and removes all impediments out of their way, leaving them no remora to ob- flrudt or retard the Apoftles exhortation unto them. The Promife is already to you , and to your Children, as you are Jevfs^ which Promife ftiallbe confirmed to you and your Children if you now believe. I the Apoftle, that he might give them tlie highefc incouragemcnts, tells them furtlKrmore, that the Promife fhall be extended to thofe that are afar off, even to fo many as the Lord in any part of the world fhall call, and they, .and their Children fnall partake of the Co- vena^it maoftrine that is vioIcPxtly op- poied by thofe that venture foraething boldly to coutradt, and reftrain the Covenant -into a nar- rower compafs, than ever the Grace of God in conftituting of it intended, by turning (what they can) covenanted Infants into the fame mile- rable Wild Field, with the Seed &f Infidels and Pagans. But this is very plain to every Eye that will obferve the Scriptures, that wlien ever the Lord was pleafed to enter into a Covenant cf Grace with the Tarents, he did alfo with the Children, Gen. 12. i, 2, 9. Now the Lord faid unto Abrarn, Get thee cut of thy country^ and from thy kindred^ and from thy fathers houfe, into a land that ■Ijlall j}}ew thee. And I will make of thee a great nation^ and I will bleji thee, and make thy name great j and thou f}:alt be a bleffing. And I will bleji them that bleji tf^ee, and curfe them that airfe thee j and in theejhall all the families of the earth be blejfed. Gen. 17. 7. And I wiU ejlabliflj jny covenant betwixt me and thee, and th]/ feed after thee, in their gene- rations, for an everlajhng covenant , to be a God unta thee, and to thy feed after thee. This is not to laft for a time, ot for an Age only, but for ever, even to the utrnoft point of time^ until the Mediator (in whofe.' hands this Covenant is ) (hall perfectly accompliih his Work. Ver. 19. And God [aid ^ Sarah thy wife (hall bear thee afon indeed •■, and thou fhalt callhii name Ifaac : and I will ejlablifl) my co- i^emnt with him for an everlafling covenant, and with his feed after him, Afts 3. 25. Te are the children cf the prophe-ti, ami -of the covenant which God wade _ with our fathers, fafing utrto Abraham,- And^ in thy -feed flyaW all the children of the earth be blejfed : viz. All Nations,, -Here we ice. He v:^i not to be 2 Covenant-Father only to the Nation of tlie Jews, but alfo to thofe of the Gentiles -^ all of tlx-m that ihould be called,, and ^rcnverted unto God, by t!]e preacliing of the Gofpel, they were to be impa- c kd! led in Abraham^ Covenant, and he was to be their Father, Kom» ii. 17. And if fome of the branches be brol^en off, and thou being a wild olive-tree, rvert graffed in among them, and with them partal^eji of the root and fatnejl of the olive-tree. Here mud: be a grafting in, fuitable to the cafting out or break- ing off ^ that cannot be, unlefs the Gentiles and their Children ( their Spriggs ) be graffed in, as the Jews and their Children were . broken off. Gal. 9. 14. That the bleffing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles f tbmgh Jefw Chrijl -, J that we might receive the promife of the Spirit : Viz. The BlefTing of Abraham in liis Covenant might through Chrift be brought over unto the Gentiles, The Lord Jefus was the great Sttdi of the Co- venant, and the Mediator of it, and through the effufion of his Blood this Covenant is conferred upon the Gentiles, according to many Evangelical Promifes, made before the Aftual Exhibition and Incarnation of the Son of God , our Emmanuel^ God with w. Thefearca few of that Cloud of Witnelfcs, that might have been brought to prove this Doftrine 5 let them fuftice for the prefent, many more will occur in our Difcourfe. In the handling of this Point I would do thefe things* I. O^en the Define fomethtng more, II. Lay down the Demonjirations of it to prove it* III. Give fome Reafons of it, lY. Make a little fuitable Vfe of it. The Firft General Particular, The opening the Dollrine : To^do this, I (hall propound fome Queftions, and give the Anfwers unto them. Tliis may tend very much to clear up this Important and Evangelical Propofition. V I. Quell. (J7) I. Queft. Wjat Covenant are we b:re to undt^r- fiand to be the Covenant made with Abraham, that Believers^ and timr Seed^ are inclofed in together .■? Anfw. It is the Covenant of Grace: This is the Promife, or Covenant, in our Text, that refers to that in Oen. 17. 7- It is not a Covenant of Works, (as forae would have it to be.) Our Bre- thren the Anabaptijhj would by all means have this to be a Covenant of Works, or a Covenant only relating to carnal and outward Mercies and BlefTings, and that, becaufe (hould this be granted to be a Covenant of Grace, then we. have gained the Point, as to the Seal of the Covenant, per- taining to Infants. Our great Champion hath late- ly laboured extrcamly to violate this Text, -and to pull down tiiat bleifed Foundation God hath laid for us to build upon, as to our felves and little ones j by his fo doing, he offered bold attempts to fubvert many of the choice Texts, that apper- tain to this. To promote his Error, and Confi- dence, he would have this in fubftance to be the fame Covenant of Works which the Lord made with Adam j but I fliall have occaiion ( though but a poor Pifmire) to meet with this great Goliah that hath given roe feveral Challenges in his pub- lick Pulpit, in the hearing of his Magnifying Auditory. Methinks, if Men did but with a ferious 2nd impartial Eye, view that Text that mine refers unto, fuch is the nature, the tenor, frame, and circumftances of it, that they durft not call this into queftion : But how ready are Men to fhut their Eyes againft that Light, that would difcover unto them fomething, that they are too tenacious of. It is fad to fee how fome good Men, that would be thought great Admirers of the Grace of God, and yet do fet themfelves in this place againft this high Expreffion of his Grace m his C 2 Covenant. Covciunt. This is the fime Covenant of Grace, for the fubflance of it, that is now on foot in the Neiv Tefiament, (iinceChrift came, and hath fent down his Holy Spirit to enhghten us into tlie kiiowkd^e of his Grace, which runs through the . Covenant, whofe Blood was the Blood of the Covenant,) made with thofe Fathers according to the Flefli, of whoin Chrift came, who is blelfed fvir i:yer. FJere.becaufe my furious Ad ver&ry (right or ^v-rong ) v;ill have this to be but a Covenant of Works, or of outward Eleffings, and will not fuifer one Drop of the pure, and fpecial Grace of God in a Covenant-way, .provided for the Sal- vation of the Eie«^, norany Emanation of Gods Love to be through this Chanjiel tranfmitted into the World : i fhall endeavour to prove byfeveral thingSj that this is a Covenant of Grace j if we can out make good this, (I judge) we fhall gain a^ood Foint, and drive oiir Opponent out of one cf his flrongeft Pcfts^ and fhall take that, which ht runs to as his impregnable Fort. The Lord open our Eyes to fee the Truth in this great Affair, A'lth this l' think a great deal of Building will W.nd or fall. ' ' -I (hall briefly lay down fome Reafons^ thzt to nie -do : carry the Matter .beyond all" doubt, that 'he Covenant in Gen. 17. 7. was a Covenant ■ui: Grace. I. Reafon May be taken -from Abraham^ the i\rion chofen,out trom Xlie reft of the World, tapaf take of this diftinguilhing Priviledge. God uix! ^ippear to him, and did call him to fuch a ;;iTa: Favour : Thu^to take him and his Children, .tVifl his Family, into .covenant with himfelf, and T7 makc^himthe F^ither of the Faithful in all A,ies and Geiier^itions .j What could move the :j'jid to tliis, but his naked Love, Mercy, and h ice.'* This is that which God did .do for him, infiaite (29 ; Infinite Grace did fingle him out, for tliis bleiuxl Covenant-wock, calling him out from the midk of a wicked and idolatrous- People, and Genera- tion, Aits 7. 2, 5. Andbefaui^ Men, brethren, and 'fathers hearketr. The God of glory aj-peared^ unt^ our father Abraham, when he was in Aicjopotamia, tej:re he dwelt in Charran, And [aid unto him. Get thee out of thy country, and fiom thy l^ndred, and come into the land which I/JhillJJjew thee. Here we Ikivo the Lordfclefting (through difcrhninating Grac. ■an Heavenly one -j when the Lord doth promife . tliis Canaan, he dotli promife Heaven, which this v.asaType of-, the main thing and good, that the Lord defign d for liis People, by this Promife, was Heaven, and that they fhould be eternally laved. Abraham did fo under ftand it, and others ef the Fathers,, and fo fet their Hearts upon, and railiupan Expediation of that blelfed City and Country that was above j that what they had here were but dark Shadows,, and cloudy Reprefen- tations of what was to come, Hib, lu 10, 15, 14, I1-. i^- ^ „ , ( J7) 8. Reafott. To prove tliat the Covenant made here with Abraham, was a Covenant of Grace, is viT^, Becaufe of .that Obedience,the Lord did both require and accept at the hands of Abrnl)am, in this Covenant. There was Obedience, and there was Service, that the Lord did command, and expe- fted from Abraham 5 this will determine, whether this be a Covenant of Works, or of Grace. If it be a Covenant of Works, it requires notiiing lefs than pcrfeft Obedience, nothing Ihort of it will or can be accepted therein, as it was in the Co- venant made with Adam-, by thU and live. I, but now here in Abraham^ Covenant, the Lord doth call for, and accept of fniccre and upright Obedience, as mGetu 17. i, 2. And wh^i Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to him, and [aid, I am the Almighty God j wall^ be- fore me, and be thou perfeU, (vi:^. right or fnicere.) And I p/ill maJ(e my covenant betwixt me and thee. Every one knows, that though Abraham for Grace, and walking with aixi obeying God, was an ex- cellent Man ; yet he was not a fmlefs, perfeft Man i he had the perfeftion of fincerity, but not a finlefs perfe<^ion, fuch an one as Adam had in Innocency. In this Covenant, Abraham did walk before God, he did pleafe God, and he was ac- cepted by God in vertue of this Covenant, which could never have been, had it not been a Covenant of Grace, that had Chrifl to be the Mediatour of it, in whom he believed and fo»nd acceptance. Thus Beloved, I promife= my felf, that I have given you fuch Reafons, to prove that this Co- venant was #f Grace, (which the Lord made with Abraham, and his Seed for an Everiafting Cove- nant,) as cannot well be denied.. 2. Queft. Whether fome only, or alltheChiidmi of B: He vers, are in this Covcuant of Grace, wHh their ( 38 ) ihe-ir Parents ? Whether this Covenant doth indofe^ and. impale them all or not. Anftv, All they that are tlie Seed of the Faith- ful, the Lord takes iuto this Covenant with their Parents ; God doth not take .forae, or many, but i all 5 they be all in Covenant with the Lord, until \ they eject themfelves. Wlien the Lord made this ' Covenant, and X^ovi Abraham into it, he took all his Seed with him. Cam was in covenant as well as Abd^ and Ijhmael as well as Ijaac\ though fome have from Ele^ling Love, and Special Grace, a greater BlelTTng from the Covenant than others, ^s you will fee prtfently. This Covenant runs to Abraham^ and his Seed, and to his Seeds Seed. • Let not us curtail, and contract Gods Covenant, ^nd confine it to narro\^er bounds than ever the Lord defign'd. There be fome Men that talk great Wojds of the Grace of God, and yet in the mean time, are great Enemies to tlie co- pioufnefs, and amplitude o^ it largely exprelled in his Covenant. .3'. Queft. Some may fay^ Hiw can that be, that ■ihe natural Seed cfjach that be in coven.wt^ Jhould be in covenant too / Do not we fee by fad experience, that many of the Children of pilHi Parents, prove i^ery profane, and melted / iVhat do you hold falling fiom Grace ? Here is a IlocJ(^ that many mij}a\en ' Perfons do f0it themfelves upon, in rej]ie^l- of falling into Errour in this Ajfair, and many through igno- ranee do Jhmble upon, Anffp. More generally we muft ]g3ow, that as to the Poilerity of Abraham, there are two forts of them, though both in covenant. There is a SQt6. according to the Flelh, a carnal Off-fpring , and Generation ^ and they Avere the Seed qf A « trah/tm, and did highly Yalue thenifely,es «poa :thi&^ (39 ) this, and boafted much upon it, Mit, 3, 9. And thinly not to fay within yourfelves, Wc have Abraham to be our jathcr. Bear not too much upon this ; think not that this will excufe you, you may be the Seed of Abraham, and yet Enemies to tRc MeiTiah ^ for it was the Seed of Abraham, that did hate, perfccutc, cruciiie, and (lay him, A^s 2. 5o there is a Seed after the Spirit, that be pious and holy, and walk in the Steps of Abraham, and in the Paths of the Faith of Abraham, There is a double Paternity, there is the be- getting Abraham, and a believing Abraham ; fo there is a twofold Soniliip, Children according to the Flcili, and Heirs according to the Promife, Ram. 9. 6, 7, 8. f^ot at though the word of God had fatten mnf effelL For they are not all Iputel, which are of lyraei: Neither becaufe they are the feed of Abraham, arc they all children : but in Ifaac fltall thy feed be called, Toat is, They which are the chil- dren of the jJeflj, thefe are not the children of God : but the children of the promife are counted for the feed. V\. In (hort, though all that be in covenant are Children in a proper fenfc, yet all are not the Spiritual Seed ; for we fee here , that the Car- nal and Spiritual are called the Seed of Abraham, ver. 7. yet do not all walk in the Steps of Abra- harn, nor partake of the fpecial Grace that A- braham did. The Apoftle doth here tell us, tliat we muft not think, that the word of God had taken no effeft, becaufe not all, nay i^ot (compa- ratively ) many that are the SctA, the natural '^c.c6.Qi Abraham, did believe, and embrace it j therefDre he doth diftinguilh of the Seed of A- braham, them tliat be under the Purpofe of God to Salvation, and are chofen to Eternal Life, they do, and Ihall believe, and become the holy, tlic fpiritual, and peculiar Seed. Abraham hid two ^Soiis, ffimel and Ifaac, and both taken into co- v^enam? ( 40 ) venaiit 5 I, but the Line of Ele<^ion was to run through the Lines of Ifaac. That we may fomething more fully open this Matter to your fatisfaftions, and that you may rightly underfland, how any may be (aid to be in this Covenant of Grace, and yet in a State of Nature, and in the Firft Adum *, Lfhall dillingiuih herein, this well underftood- would contribute greatly to put an end to this Gontroverfie. Some may fay the Covenant is full of gracious Promifes, and what right can airy have unto the fame, that b: but the natural Seed ? Are they Promifes of faving Grace, or outward Priviledges, or tem- poral Mercies? Or what are they ? How is this to be underftood, that the Promiie is to the Chil- dren of thofe that are in covenant, if by Chil- dren are meant the natural Seed ? Anfw. By Promife, I underftand the Covenant of Grace (as I have faid) c^il'd alfo the Cove- nant of Promife, £p/;. 2. 12. and bccaufe of this, they that be in it are called the Children of tlie Promifes : Now the Promife, or the Covenant, is taken two ways \ and fo there are two ways of being in the Covenant. I . StYiUly^ And that which Divines call Fjedw Infenmm^ or Furs FsderU Intern.t, the Internal Covenant, or the fpiritual part of the Covenant, that which doth contain Promifes of fpii-itual BlelTings, and faving Graces, fuch as Juftification, Reconciliation, Regeneration, Adoption, Per- levcranc^, and Glorification, or Eternal Life ; and hence we read, that God will give a kcw Kcart^ tlvat he will take away the Stony Heart out of tiie ¥\c\\ and will give a Heart of Flefh, that he v/ill circamcife the Heart to love, and tear him, that he will write his Law in their Hearts,, and they fhall never depart from him, that.he will fprinkle clean Water upon them, and t\\ey Ihall b«- clean, .ind from all their tiithincrs and Idols r 41 ) ;viil he ckanfe them, that he will blot out sil their Iniquities, and cafl their Sins into the depth of the Sea, and remember them no more. This is the Internal, and fpiritual part of the Cove- nant. Thefebe the Excellent Promifes of Special Grace, that God will accomplifll and fulfil to all .the Eleiy «/ them do partake of and a great number of them fall flm-t of the Spiritual and Etern.tl Advantages of the^ fame : Therefore, what d) they obtain thereby, feeing he is not a Jew that ;V one outwardly, &c. ? What profit did Cain reap by being circumcifed, or Ilhmael ? For {as the Apoftle faith J circumcifion verily profiteth, if thou keep the law j but if thou be a breaker of the law^ thy circumcifion is made uncircumcifion, Rom. 2. 25. Behold the days come, faith the Lord, that I will punifh all them which are circumcifed with the uncircum- cifedj If a. 9. 2$. Anfrv. They have great Advantages more than others have, that are not fo much as externally in covenant ; I will refer you to the Apoftle, who propounded and anfwered this Queftion for us, liow.. 5^. I, 2, <^c'. He had faid in tlie dole of the Chapter before, to cut off the vain confidence of thofe tliat did fecurely repofe themfelves in their External Priviledges, that lie was not a few, tliat was one outwardly, y way , and (45 ) and tlien particularly, c/;/>/v, kctufe unto ihcm we) e omnmted the oracles of God^ dec. Thus fay feme, You liand Aiily to this, that Children be in covenant with their Parents, and God hath taken them into covenant with them, but what are they the better for it ? What advantage doth accrue unto them from thence ? I Anfwer, Much every way* Metliinks the Spirit of God forefee- ing how the Covenant, and the Infant-right in it, would be infringed, and invaded in -tlie Times of the Gofpel, did infpire the Apoflle here to ccn- tradift, and oppofe thofe bold Ufurpers, that fhould attempt to make Breaches upon the Lords facred Inclofure. I could (hew in many particu- lars the wonderful advantage that thofe have, that are but externally in covenant, above thofe that are not, and what an inefrimable Favour and BlefTing it is to be within the Pale of the Cove- nant. I fhall mention fome of the chief Privi- ledges tliat fuch do enjoy. I. They have the Excellent Oracles of God re- pofite-d among them, and committed unto them y this was the Priviledge of the Jews in pynpatnlo, and their great advantage, which did diftinguifii them from the reft of the World, and reprefen- ted them to all Nations to be a peculiarly happy and dignified People, Rom. 5, 2. Much every way : chiefly^ becaufe unto them were commited the oracles of God, This the Lord hircfelf declares to be one X)f their (ingular Prerogatives, Deut. 4. 8. And w^hat nation k there fo great ^ that hathjlatutes and judgements [0 righteom, as aii thii law which I jet before yon thU day? Pfal. 147. 19, 20. He fjea^eth bis word unto Jacob^ his Jtatutes and yndgements unto Jfrael. He hath not dealt fo with any nation : as for his judgements^ they have not iQiown them. Therefore from the fenfe of this wonderful Blef- fing, the PJalmiJi cries out, Praife ye the Lord. To have the cuftody of Gods Ordinances, and the the ufe of them, the Word, Sacraments, Wor- fliip, Miniflry, Paftors after Gods own Heart, and all the Service of God. Who can exprefs or de- clare, how happy the People are, that have fucli Depofitions, and are fo diftinguifh'd, and mag. nify'd, as to have the Means of Grace, in and by which they may come to know and learn the Mind of God j to have Ordinances, wherein they may draw nigh to God -, to have a Memberfhip and vifible Standing in that Society, where Salvation is ordinarily difpenfed, ^ohn 4. 22. For falvathn if of the Jews. There v^ere the Means, and no where elfe, not among the Samantans ; hence the Law was called the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob, Veut, gg. 4. Certainly thofe that under- ftand in any competent meafure, the Excellency of this Priviledge, cannot but adore, and admire God in it, and magnifie his Name for it. 2. Such tliat be but outwardly in covenant are part of, and go to make up the Vineyard of the Lord, they be planted in the Lords Vineyard^ they be part of the Garden of the Lord, hedg'd in, and feparated from the reft of the World, and God doth own them to be fo. It is no fmall be- nefit to be within the Pale ot the Church, and to have a lix'd Standing in Zion^ Ifa. $, 7. For the vineyard of the Lord of^ hojls is the hoitfe of Ifrael, and the ?nen of Judah his pleafatit plant. 3. They have the Propofals and the Offers of the higheft Mercy, they live under the Overtures of the richefl Grace, they be in the Kingdom,' and are the Children of the Kingdom j therefore have the higheft Tenders, and the clwiceft Invi- tations to the beft of Mercies. They are in the Kingdom, and Salvation is nigli unto them, the Bofom and the Arms of Grace and Love are al- ways before their Eyes, and ready to receive and embrace them. After the Days of the Meffiah, the Jews being in covenant with God, their happy (47) happy Eflatc was not to be overlook d, but to be honourably refpertcd, therefore they had the firfc otfer of Life, and Salvation by Chrifl after his Afcenfion. So it was in A^fs^ 2. and in other places, A^s 3. 2$, 26. Te arc the children of the prophetSy and of the covenant which God-made with QUY fathers^ f^yi"i ^^i(> Abraham, And in thy feed jhaU all the kindreds of the eaith be blejfcd. Vnto )0M frjl, God having raifed up his Son Jefui, fent him to bleji you, in turning away every one of you fiom his iniquities. They were yet in covenant, and the Lords Vineyard , and had this precious Tender of Chrift, and Salvation by him, fent unto them to bring thep? to Faith and Repen- tance, before it was fent unto the poor out-cad Gentiles, Afts 15. 4^. Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and [aid. It was neceffury that the word of God fljould have firjt been (foken unto you : but feeing. ye put it from you, and judge your je Ives mwonhy of everlajiing life, lo, we turn to the Gen- tiles. Paul the great Apoflle of the Gentiles did not betake himfelf to them, till his ErabafTy was rejcfted by the ]^ews, unto whom he v/as to make his Application. Our gracious Lord v/heii he gave CommifTiou to liis Apoflles, to Preach Repen- tance, and RerailTion of Sins in his Name, dire- fted that they lliould begin at Jerufulem. Oh ! how was his Heart upoii his Covenant-people , and how unwilling was he, that their Covenant- State fhould expire -, therefore he waited upon them to the utmofc period of the time, fet for the Patience of God to attend them. Oh ! Go, faid he, break up, and execute you^* Comraiflion, in that bloody City,, fee if they wiii ncpent and Believe, that I may not iay them wafc. The J^ews (as is well obferved by one) had a double Privi- ledge before Chrift came 3 they v/cTc.\_Soli , '] they were rdi^^e, th.ey were the only Church and People of tht Loid and incloicd fwin all the ' Nation (+8) Nations of the World •, there was a Partition-wali ererted between them, and the fpurious part of tlie World. And at the Afcenfion of Chrill, and tlic Tenders and Exhibitions of the Grace of Life, and Salvation, they were [ Prim}, ] they had the firft Effort of Mercy fent and direfted unto them. 4. Such have their dwelling, and refidence, where the gracious and peculiar Prefence of the Lord is to be enjoy 'd ^ fach have an Habitation where God hath fixt his Throne of Grace, and where iirc his delightful Walks, the gracious pre- fence of the Lord is with his Church -and People 5 thole that are his Covenant-Ones, they have the Signs, and the Symbols of his refidence in the midlt of them. His general Prefence by a glo- rious Extenfion diffufeth and difpofeth it felf eve- ry where j but This is the alone Happinefs of his feleft People to enjoy, Dent. 4. 7. For what nation is there fo great, who hath God fo nigh unto them ? Great, becaufe nigh. Pfal. 76. i, 2. Injudah is God l^iown : his name is great in IfraeL In Salem aljo is his tabernacle, and his d (fuelling-place in Zion. Viz. His peculiar place of refidence, Rev. 21.3. And I heard a ^eat voice out of 'k-eaven, faying , Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men j and -he mil dwell with them, and they f: all be his fcople, and God himfeTfp)aU be with 'them, Hnd be their God. Where the Tabernacle of God is, hinifcif is, and there he will dwell. How happy are they that dwell where God in a difrinft manner doth dwell ! And this is the Happinefs of all thofe ;hat dwell within the Bounds of tlie Covenant. " '• . -- 5. Thofe that be in covenant, and are Mcmberf df the Church, are always comprehended in, -and have the benefit of having a ftiare in the Prayer?' that are continually afcending up unto God for all Ipael. As it is the Duty of every fincere and true Believer to make SHtprHcution? for hiraftlf, and (49 ) and to offer up this Sicrifice to God with tli? publick Airembly ^ fo to be furc to be vcr>- mind- ful of Zi)/;, and to l>e very importunate wirlithc Lord for ail the Inliabitants of Jerui'^den:, Pfal. 12 2. 6,7. Ftny for the peace of Jcufaleiv. Vcace be within thy oralis, and projperitj within thy palaces. There is a continual Cloud ot Prayers going up to Heaven for thofe tiiat are the Lords Inclclurc, for all that are the Dwellers therein ^ every one, that is internally in covenant, will b(f fure to pray for all that are any. way in Federal Relation to God, PfaL 137. 5, 6. If I forge f thee, Jeru^ falem, let my right hand forget ker cunning. I}. I d^ not remember tbec^ let my tongue cleave to the rcaf cf my mouth. There is a continual Stock of Prayer treafuring up for the Church of God, in which the Infint Seed of Believers have no fmall Share. What an unfpeakable Benent is this ? To have an Interefl in the many Thoufands, that dwell at the Throne of Grace, always putting God in raind of, and pleading witJi him the Covenant, Day and Night, for all thofe that are within the compafs of it. 6. The Eleftion ot Grace, doth eminently run among, and through tlie Lords Covenant-Ones ; God hath his Election eminently amongft them ; the Golden Veins of Eledlion are chierly laid and difpofed in the Vifible Church •, there be fome to gather in, and Ibme to build up, when the Lord hath g.itlrcr'd up and called in b.is Eleft in any Place, or among any People, he will cafe away the reft : When all the Mine of Election is fpent, then God departs, and tranfplants his Gori>ej, and pitcheth. his Taber.nacic elfewhere , he knows where the fecret Veins ( of thofe that are. eter- nally chofe by him) ?.re to be found : He forfock tlic Places whei-e tlie Ssven Churches of Afia had their refidence, when he had brought forth all his Ele;^ : The Je^ were not to be rcisctcd, till ail 'D the ( so ) the Remnant of Gods Choice were fecured, Kom, II. 5, 7. Evenfo then at this prcfe?it time alio there is a rcmriant according to the cie^ion of grace. What then? Iff act hath not obtained that which }jt fcel^^th for j but the election hath obtained it^ and the rejl were blinded. John 4. 22. falvation is of the Jews. Till God did pluck up the Boundaries, the Election of Grace did ordinarily run in the Jewif}} Channel, though now and then in a very paffimonioit^ manner, one from without might be brought in, as Job. the Eunuch, ^c. 7. The Priviledge of a General Adoption ap- pertains to thofe that be in covenant 5 there is a Special, and there is a General Adoption j and it is a great Favour to have a Standing where there is a General Adoption : This is fo reckon'd by tlie Apoftle, Kom, 9. 4. Who are Ifraelites j to whom pertaineth the- adoption^ and the covenants. This is a Blefling always attending the Covenant j hence it is that all fuch have fuch Names- given to them, that fet out, and fignifie their Adopting-relation unto God, their Great and Glorious Father. Let us a little confidcr what Terms of Filiation the Scripture doth cloath and adorn them with, which doth demonftrate that great Advancement that is confer'd upon them thereby. Nothing ouglit to be of a flight and extenuated Eftimation with us, that is greatly magnify'd and advanced in Divine V/rit. The Body of thofe, that be in covenant with the Lord, though many, far remote and di- flant from any peculiar, Special and Internal Fruition, are called (i,) The Sons of God. He is pleafed'to accept of the Title of a Father unto them, Oen, 6, i. thefons of Oodfaw the daughters of men, that they -were fair. Thus we fee how early (becaufe of Covenant-relation ) they bore this Denomination. (2.) They be called the Children of the Lord, DiHt. 14. L. 2V are tbs children of the Lord your Ood, . - .^5' ) O-ti. They were brouglit fortli va a Focderal Bond, therefore the whole Mafs and Body ot" them obtain'd this Appellation : The nioft Holy, and the inoft High God admitted them unto this tall Pinacle of Honour, of being his Chiidrcii. ('3.) Hence it is that all Ij'rAd God doth call his5'.7n, intimating how diAinguifhingly tlie Lcrd ^oth alfumc and appropriate him to himfelf in this j^ear Relation, £xo^. 4. 22. And thou jljJt fay ur.to Pharaoh^ Tnin faith the Lord^ Ifrael is myfon^ even my firjl'birn. This was to be ufed as a powerful Motive to prevail upon Pharaoh, to fet Ifrael free from his cruel Bondage, he was the Lords. Ver. 23. And I fay unto thee^ Let wy fin 10, that he may ferve me : Wilt thou be fo bold, as to detain in bondage him, that I the Great and Terrible God do own, and declare to be my Son ? (4.) Hence Ephraim is called Gods dear Soih Covenant-relation is very near, and fo very dear unto God : All thcfe that are in covenant with him, are very near, and very dear unto him , Jcr. 31. 20. Is Ephraim my dear fin/ is he a pleafant child ? for find I fpa\e again]} him, I do earnejlly remember him jl'til : therefore my bowels are tronbied for him. Here is not only Relation, but Eovs'cls of Affections : Ephraim is not only the Lords dear Son,- but dearly and deeply bf loved of God. ($.) They be from hence called the Children of the Promife, zi^. the' Children of the Covenant*. Thofe that have fuch an Intereft and Title to the Promife, as to be called the Children of the Pro- rfiife, being born within the Pale of the Covenant, they are the Heirs of the Promife defcending of luch Parents, that do convey the precious Inheri- tance unto them. (6.) They be alfo called the Children of the Kingdom, born within the Covenant, and fo brought forth in the Kingdom of God, the King- dom of Chrift in the World, where he as the D 2 gre^t ( 50 great Ylng and Mediatour rules, and fvvayes tlic Scepter, Mat. 8.12. V/e fee that thofc here that flui! lor want of fpccial grace, be caft out for ever, yet that doth not hinder their being in Covenant, they are tlie Children of tlie Kingdom. I might add to all thefe particulars that have I toucht upon under this head, that becaufe of this Covenant-relation, we read of Childi-cns bread. Them that arc in Covenant, and in the Kingdom of God, they are the Children, and all the pro- vifions of the Kingdom, in refpeft of tlie precious meansofgrace, are called Childrens breads being mofl im.-nediately and direftly provided by their heavenly Father for them, Mit. 15. 26, But he jinfrvei-ed and /aid, it is not meet to tal^ the Childrens irsad^ and to caft it to dogs. Thefe that were not in the Compafs of the Covenant, were called dogs j the Jep^s were the Children, they being within •, the Gentiles in comparifon of them, \v^re like unto dogs being without. (8.j Thofe that be in Covenant are honoured with high and glorious Titles , and if we confider what is the nature and dignity of them, we may fee that they are not purely Titular , but are -fueh tliat do import fome rare and renowned PfivileJge •, I fhali name forae of thefe Titles tliat l:e afcribed unto them. ( i.) Koly, thofe that be in Covenant (although but externally fo ) arc called holy, Vent. 14. 2. For thou art a holy people t'j the Lord thy God, a people fcparatcd to God from the reft of the World, the Covenant is holy, and thofe that are inclofcd within it are a holy People, they are the Lords holy, feparated ones. This we have tranflated into the new Tefta- m-ent upon the new Adminiftration of the Cove- nant. I Cor. 7. 14. For the unbelieving Husband :s fdvUijied by the Wife, and the unbeliexnng Wife is finrrifie'dby the Husband J elfe wers ym' ChV.dienun- ^.dfftv^ Uit now are they holy* Strange violence is offered ' c S3 ; offered to this Tei^t, to deftroy .that federal h.^/l I ilefs tlut Oih-.cs forth in it. The AnabapUp.iQc^': would thiA) are ^>vX greatly to their fhif>?,- in^ (hifring off the force of tliis Text froirf theni^ xvben all that they will allow Believers from this "i c:-t is, that if one Parent be but a Believer, then tiicy- will free their Children from the foul charge^and fcandalous imputation of being B^frards : thus they comment upon the v,-ordsr//t' were your Chi [-■ dren Baftards, but now they be legitimate, law- iiilly begotten •, what muft be the corfequcnce cT this , but that th: Children of thofe Parei/s neither of which is a Believer mud, tho' they be Rever fo lav/fully V/arricd, and live never fo chafc- ly together, be Bafrards •, what a multitude of the cfF-fpring of this our Nation, mufr after this in- terpretation be ircgitimate.and a fpiirious baftard- ly Brood : This hath been fo often confuted, that I will fay no more to it, the very naming oi it may be a fufficient confutation of it. ( 2. ) A peculiar people, a people fet a part from others j the Covenant is for an enclofure, and fo for a reparation of fbme from the reft of the Vv'orid, tobediAind, and peculiar from others, Dcut,!^, 2. For tkoH art an holy ^jo^k unto the Lord tf)y God^ and the Lord hath chofen thee to be a peculiar peopk' unto himfelf above all the nations that are upon the earth. The Lord hath a vifible people that are to him a peculiar people, they are his Church, thofe that are in a peculiar Covenant-appropriation un- to Him. We have this Title and that before of f^o// afcribed to thofe that are under the Admini- ftration of the Covenant in new TeAament times. I Fet. 2.9. But ye are a chofen generathn^ aroy- itl Friejihood, an holy Nation^ a peculiar people. (5.) They be called Gods Houfnold or Family ; the worthip of God, and the bJefTir.g of the Cove- nant firft took place in Families, and thofe were the Families of the Lord ^ fince the - more open,v t> 5 pyblick '\ puliick and ditlufive dirpeocing of the Covenant, • ^'"^pfe tliat are the Lords Covenant ones, retain iWl the Title of a Family and Houftjtl^, and to this is brought dov/ii unto the time of the Gofpel, Gal. 6,10, As IV e have therefore opportunity let m do good unto all men^ efpeciaily unto them who are of the liouflM of faith ^ Viz. Gods Covenant-lioufhold, Eph, 2. 1 9. /voB? therefore r^e are no more Jhatigers and fireiners , but felbw Cit'iTens , and of the lioupM of'Qod j thofe Gentiles that were not ia Covenant, and fo not of the Houihold of God, Now faith the ApoAIe, you are made partakers of the Covenant, which was the pecuUar Blefilng of the Jervs, and ye are become now of the Houf- hold of Faith, and of God, or of the Houfliold. of Faith, and fo of God •, you are grafted into -the Olive, and tliis is fome of the fvveet and precious fat and juice of it. ( 4. ) Such be called Gods Vineyard, or the garden of the Lords, fureiy it is a Singular Priviiedge to be planted in the Lords. Vineyard, and not to have a fianding without in the Wildernefs of the World, which tlie Lord hath little regard for, or care of, ^'a. $. 1,7. Now. 1 vciil fingto my well beloved^ afongof my beloved touching bis Vineyard: My well beloved hath a Vineyard in a very fruitful hill '■, ' For the Vineyard of the Lord, of Hijls istheh')ufe of Ifrael, andthe menof Judah his pleaf lilt plant. The Church of God in Covenant \yitii Him is by the Lord Jefus, the Husband and Bridegroom of it delightfully called a garden, it being the fweeteft, themoft pleafant and fertilcfl fpotinallthc World, Cant. ^,12, 16. A garden enclofed is r/iy Siller^ my Spoufe; Aveal^, Oh north- ■wind^ and come thoufoutli^ and blow upon my garden^ that the fpiccs thereof may flow out. Cant. 5. i.J am come into my garden^ my Sifter^ my Spoufe, Cant. d. 2. My beloved is gone donrn into his garden^ to the bedi of [pi ces^ to feed in the gardens^ oJid to gather Lilies. thu? was the Church of the /cb^j- that was tlie Lords r55) Lords Covcn^tJt-incIofure filled, Zach. 2. $. There-- fore particular Churches that make up the Churclv Carholick, arc called golden Candlefticks, Rev, i. 2 D. T)e mylhry of the [even Stars which thou f.f»^-' ef} in my fight hand, and the [even gnlden Candle- J}ic{'s , are the [even Churches : The Lord Jefus walks in the midft of them , they are tlie place of his feet, and his delightful walks. Rev. 2. I. Me vpal^eth in the midj} of the feven- golden Candlejliclis, to fhevv his delight that he hath in them, the peculiar watch of his Provi- dence alvjut them, and his plentiful and his incx- haullible fapplvingof them. Oh how good is it to d^vcli wher^'Chrift hath his continual refidence, and his perpetual walks : 'tis a comf jrt?^bie thing to have the Lord of infinite grace, to vvaik con- ftantly to, and fro, by ones doer j how foon m.ay he op.en the door and come in, and bring his Elelfed retinue of peace, mercy, grace, and love jJong with him. {o.) The Church of Chrifl in- vok d in this Covenatit, is caHed Ileaven, this is Heaven upon Earth, where- the Throne of the bieired God is fixt ; v.-lien the Lord takes Believers and their Children into Covenant with himfelf, lie takes thera into Fleavcn ■, thofe that be out of Covenant do inhabit fuch darknef:, astorepre- fent tliofe that are even in Heli. f,but the Church of God that hath the light of the Word. and grace of God, fhining upon it, is Gcds heaven below. Rev, 12. I . And there appear ed a great n> mder in hc.ruen, 4 woman cloathed with the Sun. This wonder was fcen in the Church of God below, I, but here called Heaven for her trampling upon the World,, having the righteoufnefs of Chrifl: Ix'girt about her, and living in the Starry Region of Evange- lical and Divine light. Thus I have in forae Partieulars endeavoured^ . to dilcover fomcthing of tlie Privilcdges of thofe^ that be in Covenant vvith the Lord .from this head. I? 4 Lconie ( s« ; 1 come to another Priviledge which is this, that many of them that arc thus in Covenant (hall be fived, a multitude of them are Elecled, for here civiiy lyes the fecret Mine of Elccfion, where many null be called, an^ Etib:!lually brought home to God ; the great Bulk and Mafs of the Eki\ are taken, and dug out of the Loins of Believers,that are brought under Covenant, many of thofe tliat be in Covenant (hall be fure be to favedj therefore furely 'tis a great priviledge to have a ftanding a- mong thofe that iViall be favcd •, how is it the du- ty of thofe that do crijoy this mercy to bltfs the Lord for it,,, and to improve it for their own Chil- drer.s advantage .•'Tis good to have a footing and 4 welling in tliat Body, .out of which the Lord doth rail many to faving grace and glory, to be in tlie beft capacity and the mofl hopeful difpoii- tion as to Externals for life and Salvation. The Scivcraign Grace of God calls whom he pleafeth j but moS frequently the lot of Salvation, falls up- on the Children of Covenant Ones, they are the moft hopeful to partake of that great blefling of the Covenant of effedual calling, and of Iwving the Law cf God to be ingraven upon their hearts, fu 54, 13. AnJ all tb) ChiUycnJhall be taught of the L/tJ. Thole that are not ij Covenant with the Lord, as they do not regard, fo neither are. they under fach a hopeful expccbtion of t.he.iiC*^ complilhment of fach a promifc, as .thcfe a're^.- tlr^tare thcmfelves the Children cf the Promifc, uho have good right to approach unto the graci- ous Thrnne, and plead fuch a promif.^ with him that fits th.re with the' Rain-bow of the Cove- nant about his head. 10, Thio is the great groi^nd, that is ad.i)i-. nillred unto pious Parent?., greatly concerned ar[ bout the e:tternal good of thcSculsof their lit- tle Ones, to build their hopes upon ; godly Pa- rtnts, would call out the Anchor of hope upon a firm r 57 J firm ground, fuch that may hold •, and this i:> tiie great, if not the only one, thole the Lord is^ pleafed to bereave tlicm of, .md demand out ot their tender bofoms, tliis may quiet dKir hearts about their death, .md their eternal Stite. So that upon this account, a Parent may fay more then wliat one faid of a dead Child, E^o'in tlh p'^' ero nihil h.tbej preter diUclumy he maycompjfej^and fedate his Spirit with David^ who ^'hiie liis Child was Tick, did faft, and weep, refufL'g to cat •, I, but when the pleafure of the Lord wjs fignified by his death, he could arife, walh and eat, and go to the houfe of the Lord, and calmly pour out his fincere devotions unto the moft high^, faying unto them that were ftruck into ftupendous ad- miration of his great change, I ihall go to him, but he (hall not return to me. Surely Dravi had a farther profpert th/an the grave that prevailed upon him to this Sedate compcfure, and Serenity or mind, he did intiunate that his heart was at relV as to his felicity abov^e^ that hisSoi 1 (rlut he was mjlt concerned aboutj had made its cfcape from the nek and painfjl Body, into .4^/-4/wmj- bofom : the great Covenant Father, behaving this heart- fupp'orting promife , / rHll be thy God, and the 0'}d-fth)j'eed : This is Golpel and a roan interefr- ed in this promife may, nay is bound to lay .hold ' upon it, andtocafl himfelt upon the promife, as well for his little Ones, as for himfclf. Where- fore hath the Lord, as an Inftance of his unfearch- able grace, given fuch a promife, if not in o'.a* great and clofe affiiclions to be choice, and fui table fo3d, for our faith? What but this'can fupport Parents when they fee their tender In&nts in the bitter bonds of death, reclining their heads upon their difTolving Pillows, and having their Bowels to be founding and yearning within them. Now this, I would humbly demand, what they can build their hopes upon, to make theitv readily D 5 to ( s8 ; to comply u iih Divine Pleafure ? When the Souls of their Little Ones fit upon tlieir Lips, to take their tiight into an Eternal Ocean, that exclude tlieni put of that Covenant, they be confident they thcmfelves be in, and upon vvlnch they bot- tom and center all their truft and confidence as to their own Salvation \ for the ordinary way of Siivation is by jnd tlirough the Covenant. II. rhofe tjiat be in covenant thus have many_ great and temporal BIclTings beflow'd upon thera,. which others fall fliort of •,' tlicy fnare in the pe- culiar Providential Care, and Watch of God j there is the general Providential Care of God, which as he is an Omnipjefent M.iefty, filling all Places, L^crfons, and Things, with his ElfcntiaL Prcfenc/, out of which there can be no departing, or abiconding, lie doth extend unto all, PjaL 150. 7;85.c, jp, Bi;t moreover there is the pe- culicir Tranfinifjon of the Providential Care, Ob- fervatida. a nS/ tuition of God, and this is that v^hich every^'Mprrient doth environ and encircle the Churfh .In^ Covenant-Ones round about, and all tr:at jrcinterefted in the fame ftand polfeft Vvitli the tree fruition of, tliey are the proper Ob- 'K(\i of thS peculiar and fpcciaj Providential^ Watch pjl'tjpd; TfaL 121. 4. Behold^ be that l^ep&th '\j^:n/l^y:aU neither /lumber mr.JIcep. This denotes 'ti)e careful and the diligent keeping of the ClyyVcH, the" Lord is ever in the exercife of, ;is-ohe. faith, ^C(//w//, folmiudinem ^ diligemium cp'nmfai^ nee k^ymit nee dormifaf^ He neither fleeps nor numbers. The Lord fets a pecuhar Pence ;\bout h;s^Chorch, Ifa. 5. 2. And he fenced it,- — -. Alter'htlpi^njtedit, hefetthe Bcrice of his pecu-. liar Prpvicjcjlce" round about it, to preferve it, Jfa. 27. 5. 'I f/^e Lord dp l^ep it^ I will water it: every inment ; lejldny hurt it, I' will l^ep it night ^ and day! Thus we fee what a peculiar Yigilancy^ tlie Divine l£ye dotli exhibit viiito the Covenant- People: ( 5P )• People : This is no fmall Privilcdgc, to have a ^ Flace with tliole that arc thus boJi'tifv'd. I miglit bate added, tlut fuch have many outward Fa- vours of Peace, Plenty, and Prcfpcrity, and that People, Places, and Nations, do enjoy many rare Mercies for their lake j the Old World fpcd the better for ^'oah's fake, So.ijm for lof's, Fharmk fc r ■fjjefk\ as Obcd-cdm for the Arks fake, and Lnbivl\%jL^ greatly Weiicd for the fake of Jjicoh, A N.^ition fpceds tlic better for the Gofpels fake j nioft fare the better for the Elert, tlie greateft Body cf which defcend irom Covcnax-.t-Or.es, Temporal Blcifings are the xAppendices of that Covenant made with AhraL\xm, Oen. 17. where tlie Lund of Fromife was inferred, though a far -greater in that was intend^ed, as_ hath oecn fiiewn. . •More Privi'eciges might Have been convened unto iphcfc V'^«t ict wirat hath b-een faicl- fuifice, and I think what hatii been infifled upon may fatiiiie as to tliis Qiiei}i')n, We have fcen tlut th.cfe that are in covenant have advantage^ and that much every way. Dtit before we difmils this, let us a little di- -ftinftiy apply the Matter fuitable to the diflin- ^ion that I Itave laid down concerning the way of bfeing in covenant, as to thoie tliat- be Exter- nally, and thofe that be Internally in it. dbferve hecdfully here, that the fame rrcinjfes that are to the Pa'rentt, are to the Children, / win b^ thy God^ and the God of thy Seed-, TiiOfe thhit- the b->rd is pleafed to take into covenant "with himfelf, feme are Ele^, and'fome not E- kft:^ fo anfiongfi tiie Children, fome are Eie^, un4 fome not Elecl: y and liere I chiedy mean thofe h\\&. arrive unto the Years of the Adult. I. Thofe that be the E.^ft of the Natural Seed, they do partake both of the external, and inter- nal part of the Coveain^' j fop they do- partake ei tlie Vt^mik. m the^x'test -df k^ -fHch peculiar falvi*- ( «o ) falvincable BlelDngs, as Jaftiixjtion, Adoption, vSanclificarion, e^f. and Eternal Glorirtcation ^ in a Word, they do partake of Teaiporal, Spiri- tual, and External Priviledge*. 2. The Non-:Iecl: they do partake of the ex- tcrnc:l pjrt of tlie rromifts, and of the Cove- nant-VriviIcdges (as have been mentioned) which be cvcceding great, though not faving j there- fore not to be relied and rcflcd upon. I fliall here lay down Two Pojhms^ tliat (hail conclude this prefcnt Matter in hand. (i.jThat as God by the E'e'!lion of Grace doth make the difriiidion among tlie Natural Seed of Covenanters with God, accordingly is their Chil- drcns participation of the Promifc. The Eleft have the Promifc in the extent, the other in the external part only, which in it feif is a Priviledge and a great Advantage. Tlierc might have been given great luftanccs of this in Abrahams Family, and others, but I forbear, and Iha'l not need to fland upon it. Tliere is the Eled Jfaitc^ the Co- venant v/as eflabiiiht with him in ; ii its Spiritual and External parts v:, and Ijhmae I the Son of a Eond-woman in covcRant, and muft be circum- cifed too, .and participate of the S^dl, and be- come a great Nation, and have a Standing till his time come to be cafl out. (2.) That there is great ground, aftd very good f jundation, for a Parent in covenant with God, to pray, and to hope for the accomplifhment of tht Covenant in the extent of it. Pious Parents in covenant with Gcd^ Ihould labour to lay hold upon the gracious Prpmifes thereof, and put them daily infuit at the Throne of Grace, pleading of them for their poor Children with God ; Ay, and this IhouId be done with a great deal of hope, and that partly, becaufe the Purpofe of God is lecret,- i^nd not to be the Rule of our Covenant- Diitie^^ a^4i^'^^- Pfomife is open in the full, and .■""'- ' ' " ample ( 5I ) ample Extent of it*, and alio becaule Gods gra- cious Fromife is fo full, copious, and cbrapre- henfive, as to be the God of tlie Seed of thofe Parents he hatli highly gratified, and graced, in taking them into covenant with hirafelf 3 which Kaith ought in the largeft fence to take Iwid up- on, and fwallow down, and to be warinly, and comfortably exercifed about the inward, fpirrtu- ai, and eternal Bleffings of the Covenant for Chr!; dren. But fomewhat more of tliis, if the Lprd pleale, in the life of this Doftrine. Thus much for the firft General Pnng^ Viz. The opening of ibis I'olnt : Now w^c come unto the ir. General Head propofed in my Method, wliich is to offer forae Demonjirathns^ to Evince the Truth' of my Doclrine, and fb we fnali infift upon the -077 of this Gr^nt Truth. I. Tliis hath ever been Gods way in covenant- ing w ith his People •, this way God hath obfer- ved ever iirxe the Fall, yea, this was the way that he.took in the firft Covenant that ever was con- cluded between him and Man, ^n. The Covenant of Works th.at he made with A Jam in innocency, in his per tec I State 5 Adam and all his Pofterity were ft ri«:l:Iy included in that Covenant i f-> that as it fared with him, it was to bith liim *, a fa- mous and obvious Inftance iiereof we have ia Dent. 29, 9, 10, II, 12, One would think, that tliis fliouid for ever.filence the Oppofcrs of this Truth, Mere w^ juve the Adult, and all their Little Ones,. Handing before the Lord, to Gutc'r into covenant with him 5 the Littic Ones -were confederate with their Parents, and entered into covenant in, and ^vith th.em. Thus when the Covenant was carried over to the Gcfitiles, Chil- dren were ftill involved, as in our Text, Airs 2, 59. For' the promjje is to yoa,. and your chiLchcn.: An^.fo it fhall be unto, all /'W ars afar off, Wiheu they fliall. be calle,4,. and brouglit home imto God, they i)T^lI' CQ)n\e with theix Cliildreii with tlien^, and enter into covenant with the Lord, Rout. 1 L 1 7, 19. If here Children of the Gentiles be not taken into the Covenant with the Jervs, ia the place of tliofe that were broken off, then there WQwld be nq A»3lRgy> Qt E^oportion, between the ■ ( Gofpel-Covchant, or Covenant ^^^ ^r ace j let all the places of Scripcare, immediately here before fcentioned, beexumiued sstothePhrafe of them, J will be a God to you, or your God ^ and yoii tr^ people , wliich includes Eelieveirs and their Seed ; Novv in as much as this in tlie 1 7. of Gen. runs in the fdme Phrafe of the Covenant of grace that we fee in other places that are allowed to he fuch, »ve may ccnckide, that fuch is -this alfci* Doclor Ames faith tlius againfl Bellar,- Of^iiia iUacfiiA fptliant n d. novum fee dns eadcmphrafi jHmmatim ex- plkantur. So tliat when we arc challenged i to prcv€ tiie Covenant, with Abraham, to be a Co- venant of grace, and Circumchlon to be a Segl of the Covenant Of grace j Note that in this Point wc have to do with our old Adverfaries the Fapijh^ tho' marching forth under the banijtf/of- a People t)f another Denomiiia.tion •, for th'ekPoftrine as to the Covenant made' with Abraharny ' in the place mentioned, is thus, that it was a Covenant of out" ward blefTtngs, this is indeed the D.oftrine Of the worfi of .them, thus faith Bellar. LegimHiVeum promtjijfc Abrabama^ quando illi injunxh Circumcijio' nemytenenA ta-ntkm'ad litcram^ i. e. propngatmem pf^entatis, i^^terram palejiin^. Again, lilis. verba, -tro Dens turn, f$gnfficat toUm prmJimi. ,peculians _ frote^lionis. Thus we may. fee, thiit.Q'Ar great dif-t putant doth f^'eetly lick up the Po^rine of this $;reat Dodor of the Church of ilfiw^, tho^t^ give ^im his due, I believe he is not overmuch verfed m him ; to which Doctor A/nes anfwers, Legimm penediliionem illam Abrakamo promffiovem fu'ijje plane eandem cum ilia, qm jam §^€tes ex ient'ibm 'iMliiicabantur. Gal 3. Now when the Holy Ghoft rcftiiies in Scripture every where, .that theG7^ by &oci, faying, I am the Go^:^ of Abraham, and tfic^ God of Jfaac^ and t}ji God of Jacob ? God is mt the God of the dead, but the God of the iro'ing 5 where- our Saviour affirms, that the prcfent gloriiicatiao of Abraham's, Ijaac\s and Jacob's Spirits and the future Rc-iurreftion of their bodies, to live with God, both Soul and body forever, to he in- cluded m that Promife, and the very acconiplifli* ment of that promife, I amthe God of Abrahahfy 3ccf Hence this clearly appe^irs to be a Covenant oi grace, of Spiritual gnd eternal- BlefTings. (2.^ Jlie' promife ofthe Spirit is made to the Chil- dren of thofe Par-ents,that be in Covenant j there- fore they muft be alfo in Covenanr. Such ifntq whom God--promifeth his own Spirit, thcir's ii tiio promife ai-jd Covenant of grace j for that i§ a Covenant of promife, E^^el^. 7,6. 25. A^ne'Hf heart- will I give you, avd a new Spirit mil T pat within you, vcr. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and caufeym to wall^ in my ways. Tlic promife of the Spirit is one of the mcfr gracious pronjifcs^ , tliat the Covenant of grace is inriched wftlull; . Chrifl -and the Spirit are tiie two Em^3^ tical promifes. When Chrifr was upon the eaSh^ aiKi hafining towards" his afcenfloxi, diis wasthe great promife that he made to be left be^iind him 5 and this is the promife that by the graciou$ gift of God doth appertain tp the Children of^ thofe that are iHCovcnant'with the Lord, 7/iz; 44I: 3. Fr/f- / ^^illpouY mtferupdfrbdm that'll tlnrjly, avi fkuds itpoh the dry-groilnd,'fv^ilrpo:trmy-^ifrf^ upon t^jy- Seed , and 'myyMejfmg.up'm'iWHff^ ' fpring s Little Children tlrat fpring \^'^'^Mi twigs from' their parents, that be* grglPeti ir.to fhe' ' Covenant--: €k(tp,-$p. 2ri-. As forrhe,thn''Ts'm^ ' • E 2 Cove. (7«) Civenant with them, faith the Lord^ My fpirit that n upon thee^ and my words which I have put into thy TTiOuth, jhall not depart out of thy mouth, my out of the mruth of thy jeed^ mr out of the mouth of thy feeds feed^ faith the Lord, from hencefnh and for ever. Here is a blclTed Promife to tlie Parents, and the Children, of tliis rare Priviledge of the Spirit, with a perpetual Entail, A^s 2. 58, 39^ Repent, and be bapti:^ed every one of you in the name if the Lard Jcfw, for the remijjion of fins, and )e Jhall receive the gift of the holy Ohojl. Fpr the promife is unto you, and to )our children -, Viz. The Promife of RemifTion of Sin, and of the Holy Ghofl. The Truth is. Dying Infants withoutthis Promife could never be faved. (3.) The Promife of Regeneration belongs to fuch Children. Such to whom the Lord prorai- "feth Regeneration, and Renovation, mufl needs be in covenant, to them doth belong the Promife and Covenant of Grace, for that is a Eiefling of the Covenant of Grace, E\ekj ^6. 26. A new hea.)-t alfo will I give unto you, and a new fpirit wilt J put within you, and I will take away the Jhny heart out of your fleJJ), and I will give you an heart of flefl). This doth exprefly fct forth the Work •of the Holy Spirit, in renewing, and fanftifying, . and regenerating the Hearts of the Ele/V •, this is that which is promifed to the OfF-fpring of thofc in covenant with the Lord j therefore they thera- fclves muft alfo be ia covenant, Deut.-^o.S. And the Loi'd thy God will circumcife thy heart, and the heart of thy feed to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart ^ndwith all thy foul. The Seal of Circumcifion, the Token of the Covenant, did eminently fignifie, and AiTure this to all the Eleft Infants that were in covenant j therefore Regeneration and Sanfti- fication arc oftentimes fet forth by Circumcifion, and when the Lord calls for them, he doth it under the Name and Notion of Circumcifion : This (77 ; This might have been evidenced by manv places. Without this Promife, and the accompliinment of . it in tlie Hearts of dying Infants, they can never be faved ; for thofc Scriptures that exclude all unfanftified Perfons out of the Kingdom of Hea- veUy are as applicable to the young Children, as ^ to thofe that are the moft Adult. I need not ftand to call in here any of thofe many Scrip- tures that have fet an unmovable Barre before the Gate of Heaven, againft all unfanctified Sinners. (4.) The Promife of being taught of God is an Excellent Promife of the Covenant of Grace j thofc that iio partake of a Standing in tliis Co- venant, this is one of the Evangelical Promifes that tliey are intituled unto , thofe fhall have a greater Teacher than Man, vii^. they (hall be taught of God, and by his Spirit. This is the Promife that is made with fuch Infants, that are in covenant with their Parents, though fome do fcornfjlly fay, What can they learn ? Or what arc they capable to be taught ? Let fuch know, that they have reafonable Souls ; and God by his Spirit can eafily teach them, and they be under the promife of being taught of God, j^er, 51. 54. . And they fiall teach no more every man his ne'tghboury and every man his brother, faying^ Knovp the Lord : for they fl)all aS l(now me, fiom the leafi of them unto the greateji. God can teach the lead Infant to know him, Ifa. $4. 15. And all thy children fljall be taught of the Lord. Let us confider can any but thofe tliat be taught of God be admitted t unto the Eternal Injoyment of God : He will take no ignorant Sinner into the company of the Glorifi'd. It is faid of Timothy, that from a Child he knew the holy Scriptures, 2 Tim. 3. 15. Every one of you ( I prefume ) will readily grant, that his Knowledge was faving, and that, he was effectually taught of God ; and I muft tell you, that lie was very little when firfl he was E 5 taught, ijught, and this will appeir, if we confider the V/ord ill the Text, And that from a child thou hafi knim^n the holy fcriptmes ^ ^^i^^i^ -JL. fiom his infancy. . Some tliat be learned and critical do tell us, that the Word doth figniffe the very Embryo in the Womb. God is able to teach and to faDtliile there — pro prie did) ur de part h recens edito, u Child fo foon as brought forth of the Womb. It is an eafie matter for God to fulfil the Excellent Proraifes of the Covenant, and to. caufethe Babe that falls out oi the Womb, tp fell into the Arms of Grace, and he that fucks au )th2 Ereaft to dr-aw in the Heavenly JCnovvledge pf Chiift j otherwife how can many be taken ^ from the Breaft and the Womb to 'Heaven, as' doubtiefs a Multitude of Covenant- Babes are ? (5.) The Prottiife of Juftification, -and the Rc- miifion of Sin, . is an Excellent Promife of the , Covenant of Grace; The Blood of Chrifl is affu- red in this Boederal Mercy, not only to vvalh a- way the Filth, but alfo to remove the guilt of Sin. Pardon of Sin is one of the mofi ddirabte Branches of this Covenant, there can be no ob- taining the pardon of one Sin without it -, all the Promifes of pardon are founded upon the Grace of God, and latisfaftion made to Divine Juftice by tlie Blood of the Son of God, vvhofe Blood is" the ElO'Od of the Everlajlmg Covenant, I Ihall not (land to mind you of the many Promifes that we have of RemifTion 5 the Word of God doth aboundnvith them, and wherefoever you find any of them, you may conclude, that they do relate to the Covenant of Grace. Now the Covcnant- S^ed of thofc that be Believing Parents, have a fnare in thofc Promifes that hold out a Free and Full pardon of Sin, A!ts 2. 38, 59. Repent, and be bapti:^ed every one, dec. for the remiffim of Jhu^ For the promife is to you, and your Seed, Viz. That • ProiiKic and Covenant that, hath m.ide providoii • for fbi-'thtf I^.cminion of your Sin, and the Sin of your Children j for thiy liad involved their ChiU dren into the guiit of 'their Sin, but in the Ge^ venant there is pardon for both, ija. 4.^. 2^2'^^ Surely, JImU cnefay^ In the Lord have I }i^hte-7;Uty, and -doth challenge the fame from tJiem ; to them the Promife, and the- Covenant doth ap- pertain ; The fame Covenant that faith, Ton O^all E 4 / ^' ( 8o J te my people, faith, / wiU be your God. Now the Covenant requires of the Children of Gods People, that they be Gods People too, therefore tiie> be in covenant. Look as the Parents do covenant for their Children, in their Infancy, fo 'tis their Duty ( fo foon as may be ) to counfel, and to inflrutl thenj, as Covenant-children to know, to love, to fear, to ferve and obey God. Thefe are Covenant-Obligations : Thofe that the Lord is pleafcd to take into Foederal-relation vvith hirafelf, to be his People j it is that they ISay^be found in the conftant and perfcvering dif- charge of Relative Duties : Thou fl)alt be my pea- pie. What only to partake of Priviledge ? No y but alfo to perform Duty. Abraham was very feniible of this, and tliererore did command and oblige all of his, what he could, to be conver- fant in all necelTary and incumbent Covenant Duties. See what obfervation the Lord did make, of liim, and what a Commendation he fattens upon him, Gen, i8. 19. For J know him^ that he ■mil command hk children and hii hou/fjold afiei him^ and they fl)aU 1(eep the way of the Lord, to do jujlke and judgment. All Parents in covenant ought to f€2 to this i they are ingag'd in covenant with, and for their Children, and are under an indif- penfable Obligation to fee that their* Children walk and aft fuitably to the Priviledges, and Duties of it. God expefts a Revenue of Honour from covenant Children, -therefore he doth com- mand their Parents to bring them up in the Fear and Admonition of the Lord, Eph. 6. 4. And ye fathers, provoke not ) our children to wrath : but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, Thus timothy was educated and brought up from a little child. Children arc to be dedicated unto God by the Seal of the Covenant, by which they be bound to fear God, to ferve, to obey him, to keep his Word, and to walk in his Way, as 'Abraham r 8i J AbrtOjom did inftruft and command his to do» Believtrs Children mud be under Gods difcipline, bound to Gods' Worfhip, kept in Gods Way j they be the Lords People, Mud this be, and no Covenant-privikrdge belong unto them, and be what Fugam and Hsnthens only be ?^ This is the Covenatit'Diipenfation , firfl PriviUdgc\ and then Duty j therefore Children that are in covenant with the Lord are called Difciples, AUs 15, ic. A'?»j theiefore why tempt )e God^ to put a yol^ upon the ncci^of the difciples, • Tliey are in a pecu- liar manner to be inftrufted, and taught as thofe from whom God expects early Service. p. Dew/j/?..The fame Covenant is transferr'd unto the Times of the Gofpel, fince the Aftual- Exhibition and Afccnfion of the Meffiah •, the fame for E(fence, and Subftanre, though in the AdminAration of it, it may vary in fom::r circum- ftanccsi the bclieving,and the covenanted Gentiles^ ftand. in the very fame Condition by Faith, and in the very fame Kingdom-ftate for the ElTen- tials of it, out 5f which the Jetvs, through un- belief, were broken and call off j for they were graffed, e# rtV7o7j, in the. place and room oi thofe broken Branches, as Be^^a hath it, Rom^ 1 1 . 17. And it hath its firft rife from that feafon- able aAd never-failing Promife, Gen. 3. i ^ which wiil run through all the Ages of the World, wherefoever God hath his EleJt, by the preaching of the Gofpel to call into, atidto inclofc within the limits of the Covenant. It was the Saying of a- great Man, ^ut Adam and Eve^ when they en- tred upon a new Covenant bottom, were femi- nally a Vifible C^iurch ^ for by them, the World, as well as the Church,17as to be built. Here when the Lord did- reveal his Grace, and gracious Co- venant, he took in the Seed alfo, in the very dawning and. firft da.y-fpring of the Gofpel, God E 5 Ukes^ e ^2 ; takes m file Seed of the Woman, fo afterwards . to Abraham^ and fo all along until the Time of tl^ calling of the Gentiles. Now in the Times of the Gofpel, thofc that be called, be the Chil- dren of Abraham, they, and their Seed, have a Ijappy admittance into the Covenant of Abraham,. gnd are Heirs according to proraife, and blelled with that ever-living blather. The New Tejlament dbth abundantly tefiifie of tb.is i in many Scrip- tures we have the Old Tejlament Phrafc and Way,, Mat.S, II. /ifany/lmllowefiomtheeajl and from- ti:ev(^Jl^ and ff? all fit down with Abraham, IJaac,. OJui Jacob, in the kp'gdom of heaven.. Ey the Faith, of the Centurion CWiii takes an occafion to touch by way of prediction of the calling of the Gentiles^ and the reje^lion of the Jews, and the bringing of the Gentiles into the Covenant made with thofe. Bathers, "and Patriarchs. I do not know how to forbear the inferring of an excellent Obferv-ation' diat a Judicious Man makes upon this Text,, thus^ ^uoj-e mn fine admiraticne hoc additum fuit dome-- Qicos re^ni Dei, his v;as th? happy State of this Man, ^ foon as he: did believe, God took him into covenant and his whole Houfe, and all of them in the fame Hour of the Night, did partake of the Seal of the Qoycnant, after this. Exam.ple v^. praftice, ti^ 14, 15. This was the cafe of LydiayWpon her . . , belie- believing, fhe, and all her Houfe were Baptized. . 'Tis ftraiige-ifthat in all tliefc hcufcs, there might3# not be one Child, there might be children ir. feveral of them •, however children be a part, and a- choice part of houlholds. So that here is a Rule for us to ivalk by, that when the Mafter or head of the houfe doth imbrace the Faith, that was never Baptized before, both he, and his, arc . to receive the token of the Covenant, as upon, their believing, they do enter into it with Godo This is the right way to be obf.;rved, th^t Parents - entertaining tlie Golpel, that were never under 'the bond of the Covenant,, neither partak:ers of the Seal of it, muft be baptized j and their Chil-- dren, that are Foederally received with them by God, mud be alfo with them, Horn. 4. 16. There-- ford Yiy of faith, thtit it might be by grace-, to the emithe promife or the Covenant imght be [kve to air the feed , mt to that only wbicJ) k of the (aw, but io that aljf) which is of the faith of Abraham, v^ho is the father of U6 all, Viz^. He is the Father of all that do believe, both Jerc and Gentile, Eph. 2. 1 3, '14- But mw in Chri!} JefiM, yewhofome- times were far off, are . rrade nigh by the blood of Chrifl : For he is our peace, r^ho hath wade both one, 'and hath brol^en down the middle waU of parti- tion. Now by the blood of ChriO: the parting. Wall that was between the Jew and the Gentlio " is taken away, and both of them that believe s^re-- inclofed in one Covenant. The Gentile that ~TvS j ■ afar off being out of Covenant, and . the Jet^ ■ that Vv'as nigh being in Covena^it. Now in' the New Covenant all our Spiritual and 5 Eternal bleflings come fwimming to us uponi the blood of Chrin:,which blood for ever runs thiro' the Covenant. We have no other way of reniiffioi?: of Sin, of renovation and Regeneration, or-'of Eternal life, then ^^m^^/w had in theOldXefta-- fncr^t, John 8; <^, Neither doth the Lord req'uire • (84) . any otlier obedience from us, the» he did from .Abraham, therefore we are to walk in the ftepsof oui- Father Abraham. 10. Demonjh God doth challenge the Cliildrea of his people, tliat be in Covenant with him, to be his Children. There is a fpecial Intereft and propriety, that God layes claim to have in the Seed of his, tliey be more his children , then theirs-, they are brought forth for him, and by the. Seal of the Covenant are, and ought to be tlevotedand dedicated to God, £^e^. i6. 20, 21. Mrreove). thou hajl t.il^cn thy Som^and thy Daughter/y whom thoH haj} born unto mc, .and thefe haiUhon fa- aijiccd unto them to be devoured : Taaithou hajl flain^ my children. This is brought in, as a great aggravation of their fm, in their cruel and wick- ed Idolatry i bccaufe their Children were thofe. thit God had a propriety in, tho' they were their Parents cliildren by generation j yet they were his by Adoption, and Federal alfumption. To offer any Creature to an Idol, is a great fin, but to of- fer Children is far worfe, and to offer Gods Chil- dren , that is worft of all. V/hat greater Sacri- ledge can there be, than this, to rob God of his Covenant-Seed, brought forth unto hira, and to cafl them away, upon Idols ? May not they be faid to rob God that endeavour to rend, and tear his Children out of the Covenant, and refufe by the Adminiftration of the Seal to give them up unto God ? 1 1. Demjnfi, Shall be taken from many grofs, (I wifh I might not fay wicked) abfurdities,that fol- low the denying Infants intereft in the Covenant of grace \vith their Parent*. Tliat Do(?lrine can- not be of God, that is cloathed with, or attended upon witli many abfurdities. I do find that thofe that are great zealots in carting . Chil- dren gut of their bold, which the great Lord . (85 ) Lord Proprietor hath given them in the Covenant, are not apprehcnfive \v!iat abfutd things do attend them. The Livery of this Dottrine difcovers it to be of no good Family ; its retinue may render it very queftionable, yea, very unfound. Jhe truths of Chrifi admit of no abfurditics, of no grofs Inferences •, you can infer nothing from any Dortrine of the Gofpel, but. what is pure, and precious : Men to fupport their Errors, may endeavour to extort, and vvreft the holy Scriptures, to fpeaic their filthy Language, and to give countenance to their odious Tenents^ This is one of the VVorft abufes and heJlilhllapes that can be offered to the word of God a Satan himfclf hath an exquifite skill herein, and he hath taught many of his Difciples a dextrous knack in this black Art. Did but the Adverfaries of this - my Doftrine confider into wliat abfurdities they chafe their Game •-, and how the pretended beauti- ful face of their opinion is fcratcWt and torn, it would make tliem a little more modeft and mode- rate in their alfertions and cojiclufions. I (hall touch upon fome iew of that multitude of •abiurdities that do inevitably follow ftiutting In- fants out of the Covenant of grace, they are in- cluded in with their Parents. I. This doth impofe a great refiraint upon the blelfed Covenant,contrafting the large and copious grace of God, that is involv'd in it. This clips the wings of the love, grace and mercy of God, that doth dilate and ampline themfelves in a Covenant way. Men may boaft and vaunt that they are the great admirers, and promoters of the riches of Divine grace, but fo long as they do Eclipfe, and obfcure the glory, and tlie bxightnefs of it in the Covenant 5 fo long they are but empty Pre- tenders, like unto founding Brafs, andatinkliog Cymbal. The great way that the fountain of Grace hath alwayes taken to diff«fe and to con- vey (Stf) vey it felf, ever fince the miferable ftate of Man ftood in need of it, hath been thro' the Covenant of grace *, o\it of which to exclude Infants, is the ready wiry to contract, abbreviate and to confine it in flraighter Channels then ever. God intended it fGonvinced',^Fi' tp,.l?eheve, and repent. The J^pofrle ina-nyv Tejit ^, -doth. aifur/? them, that. tfae ^Rrorpifcis iiotji^y ^i tlwnij.-bwt to theirs Gbii- 4ren , likcmk, Mediin^S;.. what a .. biooSy .Knife 16 here, at the Th^o^' of all the. grjfcbiis 4feoyenant-promifes made- tp Infants , .or .pooT • Qiil^r^^. By:;thi5 opioioflthiey have Imali groand of ( 87 ) of rejoycing at the appearance oi Clirifl in the flelh, that did immediately abandon them ofPt of the Covenant.. V/eread Mat. 21. 15. of Children crying in the Temple, and fayiiii, Hofanna to tke fin of David i But this Doctrine. of fhutting them out of the Covenant gives them but little ground of thofe acclamations. But their foundiug out of the praifts of the Redeemer, is a clear Indi- cation that it was for their fake, that he was come to impart unto, and to inrich them, with all the redemption- blelTmgs wrapt up in the Covenant. Doubtlcfs. their zm^zing Hcfannafys the)»» poured out to their Mediatour of that Covenant they did partake of, were by a Supernatural inrrin ing , thjt extra Ecclefiam non eji jalus^ no Salvation m an ordinary way. To exclude all Infants of Believers from a notion of Abrahams Spiritual Seed, from a Covenant and Church.State^ is to put them into the fame State of the Chil- dren of InjideU and Fa^an Gentiles, who are Grangers from the Promife and Covenants, and in- a godlefSjChriftlefs and hopelefs State,£/)/?.2.i 1,12. This the Apoftle fets out to be the deplorable con? dition of all fuch, making no diflinctionof pofenfM remota, aut propinqfia, let this be well confidered. (2.) They cannot be judged to be, the Elect of God to Eternal life ■■, all that fhall 'Uved, are thechofento Salvation before all time^, Eph. 1.4,. 5. According at he hathxhofen m in- him, before the. foundation of the world, that wefl/ould be holy, and^ without blame before him in love- : Having pred^fii^ tLited w to tite adoption of children by J ejus. Cbrijf to. himfelf 2 Thelf. 2. 1,3. But we art bound, to-give thanl(s always to God for you, brethren beldved of the^ Lord; becaufe God hath from the beginning, chofen you. tofalvation, through fanllification of the Spirit^ and the belief of the truth. The line of Eleftion dotli. ufually, and for the moft part runs thro' the Line^ of the inchurched incoveuanted Parents ; there tlie greateft part o£ the golden Veins are plac'd. So it w« amongft the /en?/ in the duration of their r 89 ) their Church and Covenant- State, Kom. ii, 5. Even jo then at this prefent time alfo, there is a remnant according to the eleSliQn of grace. Now for isen to turn them out of tiie Covenant of Grace, is to render them in a very unpromifmg Station of the Eleftion of God, to appertain unto them. This is as to Gods eternal choice to make them altogether as hopelefs as the Seed of Pagans and In- fidels. Tho' I readly grant that fecret things belong unto Godjyet from what is revealed,we have little ground to judge that any confiderable quantity of the Eleft are to be concluded to be amongfl the Heathen world •, where the Covenant is not on foot, where Chrift is neither preached or known, where Souk be not converted nor called, nor any faving fignesby the fruits and effefts of Ele^ion difcovercd nor Demonflrated. (g.) Such cannot be fuppofed (by any ordinary profpeft) to be any of them, that God hath eter- nally given to Chrifl to Savej thofe that are faved in time, are fuch that are given to Chrift before aJl time ; When Chrift came into the World, to fuffer, to lay down his precious life, he openly declared, that it was for his fheep, for thofe the Father had given him, and for none befide, John 10. II, 15, 17. and 17.6, p. There was an eternal Covenant of Redemption concluded be- tween the Father and the Son -, in the which the Son did ingage to fatisfie Divine juftice, by be-, ing a Propitiation in his blood, for the Redempti- on of tliofe that were given him :' And the Father proraifed all grace here, and evcrlafting glory hereafter unto them as the fruit of his own grace, and the purchafe of their Mediatour that offered up himfelf as an offering, and Oblation of a fweet* fraelling favour, 2 Tim, i, 9. Tit. i. 2. And all this is conveyed and tranfmitted to them by, and thro' an Evangelical Covenant of grace made un-- to believing Parents and their Eleft Seed : For this (90) this is the great Sluce, thro' which ail the blcf- fings of tlie Covenant of Redemption do run. Now to bimifh Infants out of this Covenant, what foundation can we defer y to build any hopes upon, that they be any of thofe^ that be eternally given by the Fatlier, to the Son to bring i-nto a State of grace here, and mansions of dory here- after, PfaLSp. 23. My mercy will I ^eepfoi-him- for evermore, and my cc^veiutJit jlhtll fland fafl with. him, Vt^. with.Jefus Chri ft. (4.) We cannot look upon any of the Seed of Believers to be loved by God from the be- ginning, (if tliey be excluded that gracious com- padi: they be in with their Parents,) Gods^Iove te^ his Eleft before all time is manifefted to them ia' time ^ the eftablilhing of a Covenant of Grace,'- is the great effort and emanation^ of the love of God to the eternally, defigned and determinated Subje<^s of the fame God did fmgle out Abraham^, a?id his Seed, from the reft of the World, tO;- make an open patefaftion, and difcovery of the^ hidden, and fecret purpofes^ and intentions of hii^ grace> and love to them , therefore he entered in^ to a Covenant of Grace with them,not only with- Abraham, but alfo with his Seed, that being tlie great conveyance of all unto them. Eternal: grace, and Iov£ ftreams thro' it from the fountain-' of grace and love : So that if tliey be thruft out^ of this, they be diverted from the ufijal cur rentV of all gracious deiigns and purpofes j and this- muft of neceffity render their condition to be very ' dangerous and defperate. . ' (5.) Neither can they be hopefully lookt upoiv to be redeemed, and purchafed by Chrift and his- meritorious blood : That which gives belicvinff' Parents any good alTurance of hopes, tliat Chriu* extended his mediatory undertakings and fufFer-' ings for their Children, is the Covenant-intered '• their Children have obtained with them. Take away (9» ) away this Anchor-hold, and the Anchor that is caft <^, will come home, and Hope will languiih, and quickly grow very faint. But here in my DoSHne is a good' bottom for Faitii and Flope, in our wrefiling with God by Faith in Prayer, for the glorious Fruits and gracious Effefts of the Effu- fion of the Blood of the Lamb of God, that gave up himfelf unto death for us. The Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf came through the Covenant, and was the great Seed of the Promife j there^ fore he hath this Attribute given to him, That he is the MedhtQuy of the Covenant^ Heb. 8. 6, All his Mediation is promoted and tranfadcd - through this gracious Covenant, therefore alfo he is called Jefw^ the Mediatoitr of the new Covenant^ Heb. 1 2. 24. And alfo his Blood is called the blood 9f the EverlajYing Covenant 5 it cometh fwimming unto us through the Everlajiing Covenant : So that to (hut the Seed of the Faithful forth of this Co- venant, you do (as much as you can) carry them be fides the ufual pafTageof this Covenant-Blood. (6.) Neither can they be capable of RemifTipn and pardon of Sin. Infants as well all others be Sinners, guilty Sinners, and have an indifpen- fable neceflfity of the pardon of Sin, as wdl as the Adult ', they be born with the guilt of Adam, Sin lying at their door, which is a Arong Bar to keep them out of Heaven, unlefs it be by par- doning Grace removed : They come into the World, and can never go to Heaven, though they be never fo few Moments in it, without par- doning Mercy. But where is Forgivencfs feal'd ? Is it not in the Covenant of Grace ? Are not the Free and Gracious Promifes great Branches of, yea Eire.ntial Parts of the Covenant ? And are not the Promifes of RemiflTion, fome of the Pro- mifes of it ? K^ierefore we may fee that all thofe that are or fhall ^c pardoned, it mufl be by and through this Covenant j and if fo, where are the Hopes r 91 ), Hopes placed for the pardon of the Sins of our dying Infants, that are fhut out of it ? I ndW not (I hope) ftand to prove by fcv-eral Scriptures, that pardoning Mercy is Covenant Mercy, and is affured by the Promifes of it ; indeed there is not one Promifc of this, but what is a Covenant- one. Oh ! then let us have a care what we do, that we do not dare to difinherit the Children of BeHevers, in that which gives the greateft hopes of their pardon of fm. (7.) They cannot be the Lords Adopted Chil- dren, without this Covenant of Grace : Adoption is a Covenant Bleffing, take it in a general and in an efpecial acceptation j there cannot be fo much as a general Adoption without this Cove- nant, as I have (hewn you, becaufe of this all JJrael was called Gods Son and his Children ♦, this I have proved by many Scriptures which do a- bound with it ; much Ie(s can there be any fpecial and peculiar Adoption without a Covenant of Grace, this being one of the prime bleOings of it. Gracious Parents are greatly concern'd that their Children fhould be tho Lords, that they (hould be the Adopted Children of the Heavenly Father,and Heirs according to promife : but this is tlie pecu- liar favour and privilcdge of fuch, that are con- cluded within the compafs and bounds of the Co- venant, ^ thcCoyenaflt.fif grace, by wjiich* people are brought nigh,,3li^ gathered into s^ anto Chrift. i ■_■: : .' ., y.Wi (i c.) They be by this>v/ay of dealing fhut out of (i;*a word) all Covecaat-BkaTifig^, ; anjd .Ri[j-« viledges j viledgesjand To are reprefented to be in a mo/l de* plorablc and miferable condition, this flrips them naked of all the covenant-blcflings, they be cloath- ed and invefted with. It is the promife of the Lord, and it is a promife full o^ grace, that be will fljcw mercy to tboufands of them that love him^ and keep his Commandments , Vi^, To many generations of their Seed, and poflerity. I fhall here inlarge no further. Thus, by what hath been faid, you may fee that by excluding Infants out of the Covenant of grace, they be (hut out of all the ordinary ways and means of Salvation. For a full confirmation of all thefc particulars, we fee our frie<|ds,the Anabapttjls deny to the Infant-Seed gf Believers, the token of the Covenant, which Seals up all the Covenant-mercys that God hath proraifed and gracioufly provided : For it is to be obferved, that when the Lord did cftablifh his Covenant with Abraham, and his Seed, Gen, i-j. 7. in the 10. ver, Heinftitutcd and appoint- ed Circumcifion the Seal of the Covenant to af- fure Abraham of the performance of all the graci- ous promifes of it is. To deny the Seal then, is to breakthe Covenant, and (as far as man can) to de- prive the Seed of all priviledges, and benefits of it, 4, Theriie55t abfurdity from the Doftrine of turning Infiats out of Covenant is this, It doth not only hinder them, from being Members of Chrifl j but makes them the miferable off-lpring and Mem- bers of Satan. Thofe that de^iy Childrens Covc- nantlbip , by which they be Foederally holy, pre- tend fome kindnefs unto them s in as much as they would not have them to be baftards,they would ;not have them to be the produft and Children of harlots, and whoremongers ; but they indeavoor to make them the Children of the Devil, they cannot be the Members of the Body of Chrift, if not in Covenant} bccaufc all that are his he receives them by, ( 97 ) by, injoys them in, and communicates to them through a Covenant : Doth he pardon them : Doth he Adopt them ? Doth he fan^tifie them ? Doth he preferve them ? All is through a bleifed Covenant, witliout which they muft be plung'd into a miferable condition y God is not their God and Father, Chrift is net their Redeemer and Advocate, they be remote and far diftant from God, they be in the Tents of the EgyfUanSy of the Synagogue of Satan and his Children, if they be not in the Covenant of Grace, they can- not be in the Kingdom of God, but mufl be in the Kingdom of Satan, the God of the World, and the Prince of Darknefs, that rules in the Hearts of the Children of Difobedience. Until the converted Epbefians were called out of Sin, they were ^vithout the Covenant, and without a Promife, yea, without God and Chrift, and all hope in the World , both for themlelves and Children alfo. $. This takes from, and defeats godly Parents of all ground of hope, concerning the Eternal Happinefs of their dying Babes, Children and Little Ones. A Pagan, an Itifidel may by this Do^rine have as good a Foundation to build their Hopes of Happinefs upon, as to their de- ceafed Little Ones, as the moft holy Saints of God in the World : For what is that, which can give any one great hopes of another,but a vifible Cove- nant-State, where all Salvation is lodg'd and foun- ded ? To turn Infents out of the Covenant, and to make them Strangers thereby to all the falvifi- cable Promifes thereof, is the way to leave them no hope, nor their Parents for them. I wonder Tv'hat hopes in an ordinary manner (and we muft not build upon extraordinary things ) they can have concerning their Departed Infants, who be- fore they were difmift out of the World, were by them diiinift out of the Covewnt. For my F fart, ( pS ) .$»art, I do comfortably profefs, that tlie hopes that I have of the Salvation of my dear Young Ones, that are out of the Body, is purely built upon the Grace of God in this Covenant,, which I would not be without for Ten Thoufand Worlds. -Oh! Clniflians, Chriflians let not this Hold of Mercy go, as ever }ou would incourage your rfelves to hope, that your dear Expired Babes are :m the Bofom of Chrift, 6. And by confequence, according to this Do- ■;drine of our Adverfaries, we can have no hopes of feeing our buried Infants again in comfort, when we dye, or at the Bleffed Coming and the •Glorious Appearance of the Lord Jefus in the laft and ultimate Day. Wliat hopes can we have that our deceafed Infants are fallen afleep in the Arras of Chrifl, and that he will bring them again with him, and y©u fhall enjoy them eternally ? If Ihey be not inclofed and intrencht in the Cove- nant of Grace, vain are the hopes of all in this matter .without it. But whereas the Lord in cove- nant, hath in a moft gracious manner procjaim'd Jiimfelf thus, 1 am the God of Abraham, of Ifaac^ And Jacob, and of their Seed" for ever •, this is fufS- ^ xient ground to comfort our felves that we fhall 1 have a blelfed frefli View, and a glorious Enjoy- jnent of our little abfent Ones, and that for ever. There can be no ground of a happy Refurredtion to Eternal Life for our felves, or Infants, but by and through a Covenant j without this. Parents can have no warrantable, nor comfortable expe- ftation of feeing their Infants at the Right hand of Chrifl, in the Great Day, but on the Left, among them that were never in covenant, but lived and died afar off from Chrift, and fo with- out all hope. What can we expeft to hear of xmr Little Ones, when Chrift (hall judge the World in Righteoufnefs, if they be then found vwithout UiePale of die Covenant, but a formi- dable, (.99') dable, though a righteous, Doom pronounced againft them, to inhabit the Fhmcs of Eternal Burnings ? Thus I hjve innfted upon feme of the grofs Abfurdities, that do fall in with their cruel and unvvarrantable turning the Children of Believers out of the Blelfed Covenant of Abraham, the Fa- ther of us all. I wifh tliat all that have heard nie may ferioufiy, and impartially without all prejudice, ponder upon thefe things. I perfwade xny felf, did but Chriftians througlily confider thefe Matters; it would not be that many durfl he fo prompt, and bold, to dislranchifclnfauts of this Covenant Charter, .as they are. Many make nothing to make.Breachcs upon the Lords graci- ous Inclofure, that tliey may turn the Lambs forth into the Herds of the Goats and Wolves, Thus r have done with the Secmi General Head, propounded to be obferved in the -Method of this my Difcourfe, and fo I proceed. TIJ. To 'the Ti:ird General Head, the A/077 of this Matter, which is to give fome Reafins to fhew', why it is fo, \vhy the Lord doth take In- fants into "covenant with their Parents. Many good Reafons might be giyen fcr this : Bat I have been large upon the immediate preceding Head, that was in this Controverfie chiefly to be infifted upon j infomuch, that I defign much brevity in thisj but however, I judge it very fuitable to "give you a few Reafons of this good .and preciout Jo'm of Gofpel-Truth. ». I. Reafon Shall be taken from the Rich and abundant Grace of God j that is the inward mo- ving Caufe of all this Covenant, is all of pure- * Grace; and it is a great Birth. from the Infinite Womb of Grace. Here is an unconceivable In- ■ fiance of the Riches of tlie Grace of God to F 2 ' Sinners, ( 100 ) Sinners. Oh ! what but unfearchable Grace did the Lord maniftrft in calling Abraham out of an idolatrous place and Nation, and to eftablifli his Covenant with him, and his Seed for ever, and make him to be the Father of many Na» tions, Kindreds and Tongues ? Away with that pitiful Notion of a Covenant of Works, and out- ward Bleffings made with Abraham and his Seed, in Gen. 17, whereas the very Tenor of that Co- venant reprefenteth it to be a Sparkling Conftel- lation of the Shining Refulgency of the Grace of God. The God of Grace takes whom he will, and impales in this Covenant •, firft he was pleas'd to take the Jewes into it, and leave out all the V/orld befides, to enter into covenant with them, and to be their God ^ then Grace took the Gen- tiles in among the /ew/, and into the place from which fome through unbelief were broken off, Kom, II. 17. Tlie carting away of fome of the jew>s was the reconciling of the World ; God would fhew his Goodnefs and his Severity to whom he pleafcd, and who can fay unto him, What doft thou ? be gives no account of bis matters. Job 35. 15. Grace hath accepted of the Gentiles, and of their Seed to be holy, under the Adminiftration of the Gofpel. Is Grace lefs a- bounding, giving out lels Priviledges now, under the New, than under the Old Tejiament ? Hath Grace contrafted the Covenant more now than before ? Hath Grace no Covenant-Bleffings for the Children of Beiievers now ? And muft their poor OfF-fpring fufFer a cutting off of the Entail of the Covenant ? Hath facob carried away all the Blefling, and none left for the Children of the inchurched and incovcnanted Gentiles^ Surely Grace is not nbw ftraitned. Our dear Lord and Siaviour hath the fame Bowels of Mercy to poor tender Babes that ever he had, and as lie had tbca> when he faid, Suffer them to come wito me, ani ( 101 ; ami forbid them not, and declared that of /mc/; are the Kingdom of Heaven, Mit. 19. 13, 14. He took them up into his Arms, and put them into his Bofora, as we may well fuppofe, when he laid his Hands upon them and blelTed them ; Hath not Grace the fame effefts as to Children, as when he fent his Apoftle to tell the poor awakcn'd and bleeding Snniers, that the Promife was to theniy and their children / As when it graflfed in the Gentiles among the Jervs,, to partake with them of the Juice and Fatnefs of the Olive-tree, it hath not fpent all its Fatnefs upon them ; but if there be any Fatnefs, Nouriftiment, Satisfaction, and Comfort, to have hope in God from the Co- venant for poor Little Ones, we have it, and the Apoftle comforts trembling Creatures in our Text with it, and fo the Apoftle Paul in telling the Gentiles, that they be inferted in this Covenant among the Jews, and are Partakers of the fame Fatnefs with them. Thi§ therefoie doth Anfwer them, that demand and queftion How natwal ge^ neration can entitle a Man to Covenant-Priviledges .^ I demand, How doth natural generation entitle a Man to the Curfe ? A corrupt Man under the Curfe of the Firft Covenant begets a Child in his own likenefs as corrupt, and as accurfed as him- felf ', How comes this to pafs, but through the Juftice of God, in imputing to Children the Curfe of that Covenant, under which they were bom ? So e contra, a Believer under the Cove- nant of Grace, begets a Child, though corrupt as from him, yet by vertue of the Grace of the New Covenant, under which he is born, he hath a Focderal Holinefs, and is a Partaker of tlie Priviledges of the fame Covenant. So Grace i n the appointed time, (hall re-alTume the Jews that be caft out, and graff them again into their Old Stock, and they fliall be a Glorious Peop le. F 5 2. Reafift r 102 ; 2. Reafon, Sliall be t.ikeii from the final Caufe, there is a double final Caufe of it. 1. That the Lord may have and reap the Glo- ry of his Grace,- of this high exprefHon, and fig- nification of his grace, K/;^. in taking Infants into Covenant with their Parents •, which they do rob him of, that deny this grace to Infants, they do greatly abbreviate, extenuate and vail the grace of .God, that will only admit the Adult believing, and repenting Parent into Covenant 5 but by no means will their Seed and Little Ones : This is the way to congeal the divine bowels that be full of inward yearnings to inclofed Little Ones. That the Apoftle in my Text might adminiHer the beft, and fo the mofl expedient Cordial to the broken and afflifted feivs ; who were greatly con- cerned not only about their own,but the fafety and Salvation of their Children ^ tells them. That the 'pom'ife was to them, and their children : The belief and exercife of faith about this matter, is the ready way to promote? an excellent Revenue of. praife and honour for the grace of God : What wrong and indignity is offered to the grace of God, by fiiutting of poor Infants that cannot plead for themfelves, for whom the grjceofGcd and blood of the Covenant of the eternal 6'on willeffeftu- ally plead, cut of this Covenant ? Let men talk what they will of the Spiritual Seed, of the grace of God in Chrift, yet folong as they labour to abandon an innumerable multitude of the Su!}jefts of it, they are greaf Prevaricators from, and; perverters of that, grace j and fo become grand obflrufters of that Crop and harvefi of praife and honour, that he expefts from his Covenant-tranf-' actions of grace with Parents and their Children. 2. That fo by this means he miglit allure and gracioufly intice men and women to accept of,and to come under this Covenant ; This is indeed a fvvect decoy, thata gracious God is pleafed" to make make us of in this affair i this is to infinuate tne minds of men into a well likmg of, and acceptati- on of the Covenant, and the Gofpel admini- ftration of it : This is the fcope of the Apofllc in- my Text. Here the Apoftle was alluring his pen- five and weeping Auditory to accept of this y therefore he milks out of this breafc of Confola- tion that which might tafte fweet upon the Pa- lates of them, whofe Sins were now bitter as Wormwood and Gall, and were under Soul-ilnk- ing fears about their own and their Childrcns eter- nal welfare and condition. Wellfaid the Apoftle, I difcern your trembling and aking hearts, your overwhelming doubts and fears j but be ftill, fe- date, and corapofe your minds and thought?, accept of the Gofpel difpenfation, and for your comprehenlive encouragement and compleat i^- tisfaftion^ T fay unto you, The promife ii to you^ and your children. Oh! methinks, 1k)w did this revive their difconfolate and dejefted hearts, and drooping finking ^Ints, quickly melting their wills into a ready complyance with the Apoflles Exhortation, as we find prefently after our Text. If this priviledge were cut off, the Jews would have little incouragement to leave Mofes to follow Chrift -^-.to forfakc the Old, and to cleave to the New Difpenfation of the Covenant which was tlien fetting on foot, and which they were ex- horted unto* They well knew before, that they themfelves , and alfo tlacir Children , were in Covenant with God j and the Apoflle fpcaks unto them as fo inflrufted and eftabliflied *, therefore Did he, The promife U to you, and your childrem As if he had faid, I know that this is an Article- of your Faith, that which all the /e^rj- do very tenacioufly adhere unto, and this fhall be con- tinueil unto you. This the Apoftle doth firmly alfure them of, to win them over ; telling them that they Ihould be no lofers by coming under F 4 this ( 104 ; this Difpenfation ^ feeing the priviledge of hav- ing the Promife to them, and their Children, ihoald not be taken from, but confirraed unto them. This removed all impediments out of their way, and fo they did readily and unani- moufiy fail in with the Apoflles Exhortation. 9. Reafon, Becaufe the Lord would difcover his peculiar love to, and care of the Children of his own People. This is a peculiar priviledge, and it is to deraonftrate peculiar love and affection : It is alfo (as I (hall fhew you prefently) that the Lord may difcover his peculiar love to tlie be- lieving Parents. Here is the diftinguifhing love and kindnefs of God to -them both. God hath fuch a love for pious Parents and their Children, that he hath not ior the reft of the World j therefore he takes them both into Covenant with himfcif. Covenant Love is alwaycs expreft in the Scriptuies to be peculiar Love, that God might (hew even to the face of all the World j that difiinft and fpecial Love, which out of infi- Dite and fpecial Grace and Favour he had lodg'd in his heart to Abraham and his Seed j he was pleafed to take them both into Covenant with himfelf j and fo they came under a ble(red Mar- riage Bond, which doth not only denote a near Relation, but alfo Conjugal Affeftion. God hath a peculiar Love for them, will make them his Church and People, therefore brings them under a Covenant Bond, and Compaft, and Engage- ment ', Deut-. 4. 27. • And becaufe he loved thy f:!thers^ therefore be chofe their feed after them. This hath been the vvay of the Lord, to exprefs his peculiar love tliat he hath to and care over a People to enter into Covenant with them, which is of a dillinguilliin| and of a difcriminating- nature from the reft x>f the World and their Seed ', £^e(j. 16, S. I entered into covenant with thee. r los J ijjttf and thou becameft min€^ Mine and Covienant do alvvayes go together. 4. Reafon. Bccaufc the Lord may lay a good and fure foundation for the hope, comfort and joy of pious Parents concerning their Children. God knows how much tiic hearts of good men are concerned about tiieir little ones the Lord is pleafed to beftow upon them j Hdw much and liow deeply tliey be taken up in their confiderate and ftudious minds about their Eternal State. Reli- gious Parents know what immortal and never dy- ing Souls their Children are infpired withal, that muft be everlaflingly happy or mifcrable ; that raufk live with Saints and Angels, or Devils for ever •, they know not how foon it may pleafe the Lord to demand them back again from them, and confign them to an unalterable ftatioa ; they know that they have conveyed and communicated to.them a fmftil Nature, and as they are defend- ed from them, they be plunged in the filthy laby- rinth of Sin, and that they be born, under the guilt of Sin, by Nature Children of Wrath : Thefe, and fuch like matters cannot but often- times unk and overwhelm the thoughts of good Parents, and occafion penfive meditations about their little ones : Now for them to fit down and contemplate what grounds of hope God hath, been pleafed to give them, in relation to the tuls of their Children 5 oh how comfortable is ? And they find that all their hopes mufl cen- ter in this blefTed Covenant, which, the Lord hath been gracioufty pleafed to make with Parents and their Ciiildren. A Covenant abundantly in- riched with all Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal BlefTmgs and Priviledges, which may give full folace, and acquiefcing content and fatisfaftion. to godly Parents that are thus concerned, about their ChildreiL There is enough in that promile F 5 ^ (' io6 ; of- the Covenant, I wlil be thy God^ and the God ef thy feed. By reafon of the Covenant of Grace, Believers may look upon their Children tp be the gracious gifts ^^f God unto them : So did Jacobs Oen. 33. $. fiid he unto Efau, The fe are the chil- dren which G)d hath graciously given thy fervant/, and by reafon of this Covenant thev may hope apd believe, that Goi will graciouuy take care of and provide for them. If Parents did be- lieve that their Children were not in Covenant with the Lord, and tliat the promif^i and.privi- ledges did no more appertain unto them, thaii_ lyito the Children of Pagans and Infidels, asfoi-^c dp too impioufly alfert j I know not what joy and comfort they can conceive in their minds about their Children, iior what can feed their- Faith in crying unto and wrefding with God for . them •:. V/hat comfort can poor grieved Parents take concerning that miferable ftate they receive their Children into the World in ? unlefs'.they find fwect and comfortable fuppcrt and relief from the everlaftingly gracious -Covenant •, v/hich' doth vvoEderfuily magnifie the Grace of God to Parents, in that he hath taken their Children with them into it, and makes abundantly for- their peace and confolation.- This was that which fatisfied, and even raviilied the heart of David with joy, concerning his Family and Children j 2 Sam. 12. 23. when his Child was dead, he Vyas greatly comforted and fatisfied, faying, / fuiU go to him, but he /hall not come to me r, whiqk words, as I apprehend, denote the good hop^ that quieted his mind, through the thoughts he had of the eternal happinefs of his Child, and that he fhould fhortly go to him, and injoy the fame "happinefs with him. This good man David did meet with great difappointment m hisHoufe and Family °, but from the confideration of the Covenant, he had a never-failing fpring of joy •and ( 107 )' and comfort, which did exhilarate his Spirits iii their deprelTing finkings •, 2 Sm. 25. $. Al- thoHgh my honfe be not jo n>Hb God j yet he hath made with me an everlafling coxenant, ordered in aU lh':ngs\ And fure 5 for thU if all my falvatio)?, . and all my defire^ although he mal^ it mt to grow, » This is a full brcift of confbiatioii, upon which all godly Parents may hang, and fuck, and draw a fullnefs of peace and comfort for themfelves and Family in their moft difcouraging and dying difpenfations. '$. Reafon. Bccaufe by this means the Lord m.ay provide for a perpetual and an uninterrupted fuc- - (iefTion for his Church and Kingdom in the World. . That God will hive a Church unto the end of the •World is founded upon his Eternal Purpofe, the ■' Mediatory Tranfaftions of his. ever blelfed Son, . and upon the 'infallible Promifes of tiie never- failing Word ; Eut this is the w ay and expedient, tliat he is pleafcd to pitch and fix upon, for the prefe#ation and perpetual propagation of it ; 'he hath taken his Church into Covenant with . himfelf, the Parents and their Children, the lac- .ter of which are to promote and to provide for .- its continual fucceffion i that fo wlien Parents^-. have nniiht the work of their generation, and . ihalldefcend the ftageof the Worl^ their Chil4 dren may take place, and fill up the vacancy ia the Church of God. This was one great reafon ; why the Lord did take Adam, Koab, Abraham^' Jfaac and Jacob \uio Covenant with tlieir Chil-I- dren, that out of rheir Loins might iffue a Seed . to populate, and tc fccure the Church as to a i perpetual fuccerfion in Gods Family, Houle and ^ Kingdom ; So the Covenant in the new Difpen- fation of it takes in the Parents and their Secdj , . for the fame end and purpofe. For the great bulk . of the Ele^3 ^hd body for the future proviiion oil ( lo8 ) of the Church, are provided from the Coyena n Seed : Tl:erefore as it hath before been proved that Children are Members of the Kingdom an(i Church of God, this is one great end why the Lord hath inflituted Marriage for Covenant Pa- rents, that he might provide a conftant Seed for his Church. The Metaphors by which the Churcli is illullrated, defcribed and Hvely reprefented do abundantly demonflrate this j foraetimes the Church is compared to a Vineyard, foraetimes to an Orchard, and fometimes to a Garden j fee Cunt. 4. 13. ' Pfal. 80. 15. Ifa, 5. i, 7. Matth 11. 53. Cant. 4. 12, 16. and $. i. and 6. 2, 11. now we know that thofe that have tlie-tare of Orchards, Vineyards and Gardens, one principal thing that they liave in their eye and endeavour, is a fucceluon, either of Trees, Plants, Herbs "or Flowers, therefore they have their Nurferies and their Seeds. Oh ! fo it is here, the great God that takes care of his Orchard, Vineyard or Gar- den, hath a curious regard of, and refpedLto a conftant fuccefiion *, and the Infants anc^hil- dren of his inclofed and impal'd Covenant ones, are his Nurfery and his Seed to fecure a perpetual fupply for all vacancies, that frequently by Death are incident to his Church and Kingdom : though the Lord doth not fo confine himfelf, but that he doth foiifcimes take a wild Plant, and fct in his Garden, fuch a one as he may find in the Wil- dernefs or Forefl of the World •, but we fpeak of his ufual way cf provifion in this matter ', and becaufe of this, Parents in Covenant with the Lord, mufl be careful in their educating and ad- monifhing of their Children, v.'hich are the Lords Nurfery, that they may be a viiible and hopeful provifi'on for a fucceffion in the Church of God. For this very end they ought to have a fingular refpeft unto, and a careful and diligent comply- ancc with that holv command, E^b* 6, 4. And ( 109 ) yi fathers^ proxol^e not your children fo wrath ', bit bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the . Lord : Thus they muft endeavour to do that ; and when they fhall have finilht their \vork and courfc in the World, tliat then their Children may (land up in their room and place, as the immediate fucceirors to them in the Church, in the work and fervice of the Lord in their Generation. So much for the Third General Head propounded in my Difcourfe, and for the Dodrinal part of it j now we approach unto the life of this Point, which is the laft thing I promifed and propound- ed in this matter. IV. The Fourth General Thing to conclude this Point, Is to make fome ufeful improvement of it •"by way of Application. I did not, neither do I intend to be large m this particular, only I thought it was pity that fuch a Truth fliould be wholly overlook'd without fome, though but little Application. I. Vfe^ By way of Information. This Do- ftrine doth inform us of many precious Truths ^ it is a Field out of which we may gather raoft rare and excellent Flowers -, iti|^full Fountain, . from whence doth ilTue vaf^Kof Streams : Some of thofe things that ma^d deduced and inferred from it, I Ihall fet before you. I. This doth inform us of the exceeding Riches of the Grace of God, both as to Believers and thdr Seed. The Grace of God hath alwayes been expreft in a Covenant way •, here is Grace abound- ing and running over to Parents, thofe that God hath taken into Covenant with himfelf j here it is intended to all forts and degrees of the Chil- dren of Men i here is help to the poor helplefs Infant, even to him that fucketh upon the breaft, and a ground of hope adminiftered to tender and coa- Clio) concerned Parents to their dying Little Ones. In this Covenant is lodged a blelfed plethory of Grace, a full provifion made for the fmalleft as well as for tlie greateli, not only for elefting, but for calling, juftifying and faniHiifying Mer- cies •, here is that which is fufficient to fupply the leall: twig with liquor, to fill all forts of veffels ; There was a fullnefs of Oyl poured out in a Cove- nant way upon the head of our great High Prieft, that ran down and extended it felf to the utter- moft skirts of the garments, Pfal. 153. 2. It was of wonderful Grace, that God \v3s pleafed to fingle out Ab\ikam^ ' to eftablifh his Covenant with j and that it might appear in its clearefc beauty, and be mofl tranfparent, it did compre- hend his Seed for ever. So. in our Text, when the Apoflle would give his awakened and almoft fuccumbing Hearers the moft fuitable and fupport- ing relief, he opens the bofom. of Grace in the Covenant extent of it, telling them, The promifi is to them and theiv childreiu 2. This doth inftruct us into the high honour that the Lord is pleafed 'to confer upon his Peo- ple. It was not only an Aft of Grace, but alfo of FJonour, that God w^as pleafed to admit Abra- hitjn unto, when he took him and his Seed into this Covenant jMjkhim : This is that which made the Nation ofOf^eivs fo honourable, as it was above all the Witions of the World befides, they and theirs uere the Lords inclofure and Covenant People-, and \'o were difcriminated and diftin- guiihed from all the reft of tlie World : I may allude to that place, Ffal. 149. 9. This honour have ail the faints ; praife ye the Lord. ' Oh I Chri- ftians, you that do injoy this high preferment, thougli you have never fo fmaU a proportion of the matters of the World, yet God hath gratified you with greater honour than if your bamilies . had appertained to Crowned Heads, and Sceptred Hands , ( >n ) Hands ^ £<.t?jt» -i^- ^' ^"-^ I entered into covenant with theey faith the Lord God : Then did the Lord deck her with all manner of rich and noble Or- naments j and ver. 14. it is faid, Thy renown went forth among the heathens, for thy beauty was perfecly through my comelinejl which I put upon thee. 3. This doth inform us of the great raiflakeof thofe that deny the Children of Believers, as fuch, to have any intereft in the Covenant of Grace. This is the Do(^rine of our Friends the Anabap- tijh i but we have (f hope) fjfriciently proved^ that God is fo gracious as to take them into Co- venant, with their Parents : They be not left out, . till they be fo adult as to make profefTion of their Faith, Repentance and Obedience , and until then to be looked upon as the miferable ofF-fpring of Heath:ns, Infidels and Pagans. They that op- pofe this Truth, Ihut out the Natural and talk of a Spiritual Seed, 'and fo out of a 'pretence to magnifie the Grace of God, they do greatly eclipfe and rcftrain it. I might have infifred up- on the many evils, and the dangers of this, . but I muft not inlarge or dirLinfl:iy_fland upon parti- culars *, I might have told you, and proved ; ( I .) That our Adverlaries herein make another Covenant than what the Lord hath made, a Co- venant of Grace, excluding all the Children of thofe that are taken into it. It A^ld be ea(ie to fhew that from the Lords makiirg of a Cove- nant at firfl, and fo all along, both in the Old and New Teftament, he never m.ade one leaving out of the Children. (2.) That by tliis means there is very great and apparent wrong done unto the Infant Children, which are the Seed and Embryo of the Church of God. It's fad for thofe that take upon them the power and exercife of the Keyes, to exclude and Ihut them all out-together. Into what a mifera- ble fwtc and condition mufl theybe caffc into? Our (U2) Our great CfjaUtpion and Omllengcr hath labour- ed extreamiy in this matter j but how poorly and weakly is eafie to be appreliended by any compe- tently endowed with Covenant -Knowledge. (3.) That by this means the ordinary way and difpenfation of conveying and communicating the Fruits of Chrifts Death to Children, even to all the Infant part of his Church, is cut off. How can they partake of the Blood of Chrift for their renewing, cleanung, fanftification, juftification and remiHion of Sins ? Thefe be fome of the great and iingular Bleffings of the Covenant of Grace, through which the tiloodof Chrift, which is the Blood of the Everlafting Covenant, doth in an ordinary way run. (4.) By this means Men do undermine and la- bour to deftroy the validity and efficacy of all that God hoxh been plcafed gracioufly to deter-' mine, and hath done in a Covenant for Babes : Indeed the foundation of God (lands furc, and God knows who are his : Though Men may la- bour to cut off the Seed of Gods People from the Covenant, ygt the Lord is more merciful to them than men arc. I make no qucftion but the infi- nite Grace ot God doth (through a Covenant) fave many of thofe poor Children that their cruel Parents do i ^pa vour to fhut out. (5,) Thisiite off the hopes thjt Parents from this Covenant may and ought to hive concerning their dying Children, this being the grounid for their anchor hope to be caft out into *, and this cuts off their hopes as to the SanJliiication and Regeneration of thoCe that are living. (6.) This is the way to render the Prayers of parents, and of the Church of God for Little Ones, to be altogether infignificant and vain ^ this doth pafs a Sentence of condemnation upon them all. There ought always to be poured out a Flood of Prayers for the" Seed of the Church. It is r 113) is a very dangerous thing to condemn the Prayers of pious Parents, and of the whole Church, daily pour'd out upon this account, for thofe Children of the Covenant that have pals'd under the Seal of it, and by the fame have been devoted and dedicated in a folemn manner unto God. Let fome think as contemptuoufly of it as they pleafe^ and reproach it with never fo much fcurrthty and contempt j I would humbly advife fuch, to con- fider what is faid, Rev, 19. <5. And he opened bk mouth in blafpbemj againjl God^ to blafpheme hit tiame^ and hit tabernacle^ and them that dwell in heaven 5 vi^. them that dwell in the Church. Infants they dwell in the Church, they be a Mul- titude of the bleffed Inhabitants of it. (7.) By this means how do Men undermine all the Churches of Chrift, that adhere to this Dc- ftrine of Infants, and for their Baptifm. Manjb of the Anabaptijh do Found their Churches in renouncing Infant-Baptifin 5 accounting it no better than Antichriftian, and impofing another Baptifm, which they make to be an eifential part of the Foundation that their Church Stru- fture is built upon, and the only Door to admit into the fame •, nay, many of them do fay, .that ours are no True Churches of Chrift, and' all be- caufe we differ with them as to tlie Subjeft of Baptifm, and that we are but as Heaps or Herds of uncircumcifed Philijiines, (8.) By this means there is a great Stumbling, block laid in the way of the jews, in coming over unto the MeflTiah, and accepting of the New and Gofpel-Adminiftration of the Covenant : They ( rf^. the J^ews) are for the Old Tejfament in the latitude, and full extent of itj there- fore they are for the Seal of the Covenant to be fixt ftill unto the Infant ^ which accordingly in their vvay, they do ftrittly obferve and praftice to this very day j but to AlTert another Covenant, which (11+) which excludes all their Infant-Seed, this will liever go down with them, neither would it with thefe here in the Text, had the. Apoftle mentioned to them a Covenant rvithout their Chi!di"en. This would have been but faint and cold Encouragement to them, to have accepted of the Apoftles EKhortation, Thoughts of the Exclufion of their Children would have made them to hang back. (9.) This makes the Cafe of the Jews worfe, fince the owning of the MefTiah, than it was be- fore j and this in the Days of the Gofpel, greatly contrafts and narrows the Grace of God, as to- Believers. (lo.) This bereaves the Church of God ot a Multitude of its Members j for Children are the declared Members of the Vifible Church, by Chrift himfelf, as I have Hiewn, Oh ! what a. cruelty is here offered to, and an Invafion rasde upon the Church of God ? If Infants be not. iii . this Covenant, they cannot be in the Church v- this is to make fuch a Church that God never planted, one that is only conftituted, and made up with Adult Members. I am apt to believe, that the greatefl number of the Church is com- prehended in the Infant-Seed of it : The Body of Chrifl is but fmall refpeftively, but this is the way to makeit fmall indeed. Many more things might have been here added j but I have faid fomething before in this Affair, and fhall there- fore at prefent fay no more. 4. This DoHirine doth inform us, how cruel they may be lookt upon to be, that exclude them- felves and Children out of this great Priviledge ; I mean all wicked and ungodly Parents j for by their fm and wickednels they deprive themfelves and Children of the Bieffings of the Covenant,- the only-ordinary way of their Welfare and Hap- pinefs. Wicked and ungodly Parents do not only labour ( n$ ) labour to ruine themfelves, but alfo their Chil- dren, by cutting off themfejves and Little Ones ( fo far as they can ) by their Sins, from all the Grace and Mercy of the Covenant. It may well be faid of fuch, Tiiey are not Parentes, fed Pe- remptores, they have not the Love, the Bowels, and Care of Parents, that they may be Inftru- raents of their Childrens Salvation, which they are bound by all Bonds and Obligations unto j, but they labour to deflroy themfelves and theirs for ever. Ungodly Parents are more favage and cruel to their Little Ones tlian the moft unnatural and cruel Brutes, or Bcafts in tlie World : All that they do in their wicked ways and praftices,. hath not only a tendency to their own, but alfo to their Childrens eternal mifery and deftru<^ion j fuch declare, that they themfelves are not in co- venant with God, and they endeavour by this means to exclude their Children for ever, 5. This informs us of the great Sin of thofe tliat were the Seed of the Godly, and are be- come Adult, but do not walk in the Steps of their Parents, nor obferve the Covenant-Obliga- tions, that they be.under to ferve, to fear, to honour, and to walk with God, that do. not ob^ ferve their dedication to the Lord, and to be the Lords b^- their baptifmal Vow. What Parents did ingage to endeavour that they (hould do, they have no regard of, or refpedl unto -y but violate tlie Sacred Bonds of the Covenant by a wilful perpetrating of, and a voluntary giving up ot themfelves unto all Sin and Impieties j all that they do is effe(^L!ally to accomplifh their Exclu- fion by the juft Procedure of God againft them, even their utter Exclufion out of the Covenant. Hbwfad will it be with fuch, when God iliall reckon with them, and avenge the Quarrel of his Covenant ! This is a Sin that a Jealous God doth rcfent with great complaint, and with high dif- pleafure, pleafure, PfaL 78. 57. For their heati was nit. right with him^ neither were they jiedfaji in his covenant : Ezek. 44. 7. Ifa. 24. 5. Tue earth alfj ii defiled under the inhabitants thereof: becaufe they have tranfgrejjed the laws^ changed the ordinance^ broken the everlajiing covenant. Jer. 31. 32. Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers in the d.iy that Itook^them by the handy to bring them out of the land of Egypt ^ which covenant they braise, though I was a hmband unto them. How unkindly did God take this of them, in breaking fuch a Covenant, in which the Lord ftood in the graci- ous relation unto them of a hwband^ which fliould have obliged them to Honour, Chaftity, and Obedience for ever. 6. This doth inform us of one great ground that we have, and proceed upon for the bapti- zing of the Infants of believing Parents, that be in covenant with God j becaufe their Children are in covenant with them. This is very evident in our Text, A^ls 2. 99. Thofe the Apoflle had here to deal withal, he doth exhort them to re- pent, and be baptized, and fo to enter into the then Eftablilhing Adminiftration of the Covenant, they and their Children alfo, for the Promife was to both. Children that are taken into covenant with their believing Parents, ought to partake of this Seal of the Covenant with them, for the Co- venant is to the Children, as well as unto tliem. If Children be Fxderati, then they ought to be Signatiy there is a necelTary connexion between the Covenant and the Seal •, when the Lord was pleafed to take Abraham and his Seed into cove- nant with himfelf, the Seal of the Covenant was (upon ftrift command) to be Adminiftred unto the Infmt-Seed, Gen. 17. 10. The negleft of which was very difpleafing to God. To talk of being in covenant, and to deny the Seal to fuch that are,is very abfurd •, for this is to crofs and con- trad id ( 117 ) tradift the Exprefs Command and Inftitution of .God. Therefore our Friends the Anabaptijls, be- ing very appr^rhenfive of this, endeavour to evade the Stroke of this Blow by their miferablc Shifts, and fruitlefs Attempts, to prove that that Cove- nant in Oen, 17. made with Abraham, was a Co- venant of Works y herein they have laboured in the Fire, altogether in vain, for the Tenor and Circumftances of that Covenant do loudly pro- claim it to be a Covenant of Grace, and tiie na- tural Language of it, if it be fmcerely hearken'd unto, will be Grace, Grace. Abrahams Natural Seed were in covenant with God, therefore had the Seal of the Covenant, which was Circum- cition injoin'd them, as a Singular Priviledge : So in proportion thereunto in Gofpel-days, the Seed of Believers in covenant with God, ought to have, and to injoy the Seal of it, which is Eaptifm. 'Tis brought in as a great Objeftion againft Infant-Baptifra, That there is no Com- mand for it j but if Men will but lay afide all prejudice, and make ufe of the Reafon that God hath furnilh'd them withal, they may here fee a clear Command for it, ( though it be by confe- quence,) Was it not the manifeft WilJ of God, that they to whom the Covenant belonged fhould partake of the Seal of the Covenant ? Therefore the Seal is called the Covenant, Gen. 17. 10. as if to have the Seal was to have the Covenant, or to be in it, there is fuch an infcparable commu- nion and connexion between them ; nay, we may carry it home here, we may eafily fee a clear Command for it ; for it was the obvious and the •undoubted Command of God that thofe in cove- nant (hould have the Seal of the Covenant, tho'. the Seal be altered, as to the Infbrument, yet not as to the Subftance, and the Command for the affixing of it remains inviolable : As in the Sab- batli, though the Day of it be changed, yet the Command Command for it remains untouched, not in the leafl abrogated. If we renounce the baptizing of Infants upon a prefumpticn, that it can only be prov^d by cor.fequential Commands, tJien we Ihali involve our felves into an inextricable plunge, and intanglement of other giMat Truths ot the Gofpel, which can chieiiy be proved this way •, that the Adminiftration of the Lords Sup- per muft continue to the End of the World, mufl be drawn confequentially from fuch places as Mat. 28. 19, 20. I Cor. 11. 26. So when it is faid, As often as ye do thif, our Divines do infer a Command that it ought -often to be done, and not once, or twice, or thrice a Year, as the manner of forae is. What Rule can we have of dealing with Women, and cenfuring them, ia cafe tliey offend, but by the way of confequence, for the Rule is* expr^fly, If a Brother doth offend thee, dec. Nor is a Brother of the common Gen- der, Mat. 18. 15. iToejf. 5. 6. Here I might make mentiofi of fome great Things in matters of Faith, That Great Doftrine of the Refar* reftion of the Dead, that was fomething fparingt Jy, and darkly expreffed in the Old Te^ameiit^ our Lord and Saviour proves by undeniable confe- quencetothe Learned Sadducets, that were ver hement Deniers of it, Mat. 22. 51, 32. But as touching the refurre^ion of the dead, have ye not read that which was [poken to you by God, faying, I am the God of Abraham^ and the God of Ifaac, and the God of Jacob z* God U not the God of the dead, hut of the tiving. Mark, this is founded by way of confequence upon- that place, £xoi/. 3.5. Thus the Fathers proved againfl the Arrians that de- nied Chrift to be ElTentially one with the Father, they held him out to be of/iw^, confubftantial, or co'-effcntial with the Father : This is a great PoinJ of Divinity, and a great Article of our Faitii, yet there is ao dire^ Scrtpture to prove it. This is (119) is the way that is taken in Reafoning with thofe that deny and difpute againfl the Deity of the Holy Ghoft j How can it be proved, but by in- tiiiHble confequence of the Scripture, that there are Three dilliuft Perfons in One Div'nic EJfence, or Gydbead, or that there is in our Bleiled Medi- atour but one Perfon, and yet Two diilinft Na- tures ElTentially diftinguifhed ? Tlius, alfo we may resd in Matters of Fad, where the fame Rule doth hold, and mufc be ftrirtly obferved, as for Infiance, where it is faid, A^s 4. 4. Hirv- beit, many of them which heard the word, believed'^ and the number of the men vcas about five thoufand. VVJiat were there no Women among them, none of their Wives'? The word here is not the com- mon Gender that might comprehend the Woman, for it is f^ ctVcTp^r not <^ difi^aTmoV' It is ftrange if here fhould be no Woman, that did at this time beheve, and were baptized. I per- fwade my felf the Anabaptijls will yeild that here might be feme W^omen j Ay, but that ftiuft be drawn by confequence. Certainly we muft not ■ doubt, but that in the Churches of Ephefw, Phi' Uppi^ ColoJ^, and all the Churches of Afia had Baptifm among them, yet this mufl be (included .by confequences, or no way as I uftderfcand-. According to the Analogy of Faith, Evangelical Duties are not aiwayes grounded ypon Exprefs Commands, cither in Old or Keiv Tejlament, but from confequences drawn from either j as the Duties of praying Morning and Evening in the Family, and alfo in the Clofet alone, daily read- ing of the Scriptures, and prefix'd time of Me- ditation, fetting apart a Time or Day to fcek God by Pra}'er , in«a more than ordinary manner. Many more things might have been mentioned and improved in this Affair j How can any Man that is fo prove himfelf to be a Minifler of Chrifi ? Or any ferious and pious .Chriftian, that he hath an ( ISO ) an Intereft in Chrift, that he hath Saving and Special Grace, and is an Heir of Heaven, but by. confequence ? How many Arguments do the Anabaptijh found upon confequences to prove their Believers -Baptifra ? When they make for them, then they can cleave to them, and make the utmoft Improvement, but when they make againft them, then they be of no ufe or validity, but they cry out, Give w plain and pofitive Proofs^ and an abfoUte Command for fuch Infant-jprinl^ling^ ( as reproachfully they phrafe it, ) which my Antagonift is wonderfully fubjeft to. One great Reafon why many well-minded Chriflians run a- vvay with their Notion of re)efting Infants Bap- tifm is their not wifely confidering, and ponder- ing upon what I have ( though in much weaknefs) faid of the Covenant, and of the new Admini- flration of it in the Times of the Golpel : An Excellent Specimen we have of it in our Text, where the Gofpcl that never was before, in its recent Adminiftration is preached and believed by ihofe that never were before baptized, there the Adult do enter into covenant, with their Children, and both ought to be baptized, and aiterwa|ds this is coniirmed by whole Families that were fo. i^as '. it followeth not that be- caufe we read that thofe that were never under the Gofpel Adminiftration vv^cre never baptized before, but many were Heathens and Gentiles^ and were upon their Faith and Repentance ad- mitted into covenant, and received the Seal of it, that therefore their Children that enter into the fame Covenant muft be excluded the fame Token or Seal of the Covenant, but the quite contrary is true, for ftill the Promife runs to you and your Children, 7. This Doftrine doth inform us that Children are capable of fundry Bleffings of Baptifm, and that becaufe they are with their Parents gracioufly taken ( IJl ) taken into Covenant j mofc certainly the^Gcd of Grace would never have conferred this privi^cdac in vain j this Seal is not for blanks, God hutU great Grace and Mercy to beftow upon tiiem, therefore he is pleafed to impale them in^ tliis in- clofure, that he may be gracious unto them. I need notftand upon this, for I have largely dii- covered to you what lingular BlefTings of the Co- venant they be capable of, and what exceeding great and precious Promifes are made unto them •, • of which if they are not capable tlien God hath promifed in vain, and deluded the faith and hopes ! of good Parents that are built upon them : But who dare be fo bold as thus to accufe God ? I have flicwn you, how that to Infants God hath made Promifes of the Gift of the Holy Ghoft, of , Remiilion of Sin, of Renovation and Regenera- \ tion, of being taught of God , of having the Law of God wrote in their Hearts ^ thc«ugh they be net capable of Mans teaching, yet what can- not the Lord do for them ? He can as eaiily by his Spirit »frame and fafhion the few Creature in them, as he could curipufly form and fafhion them in their Mothers Womb ; and fo it muft be, otherwiie dying Infants can never be faved. V/e have a jate confident Writer Mr. //. C. who hath tranfmitted fuch things into the World , that plainly declare that Infants are not capable of the Bleflings of this Ordinance, and fo by confequence not of the Kingdom of Heaven, I will give a fcw^ pf his bold Sayings, very fatal to poor In- fants : He faith, thif Ordinance (fpeaking of Bap- tiim) cannot concern Infants.^ tut Believers, becaufe it iii a tejlijlcation of^ the P^e?ni^m of.. Sins, and Sal- vation to the worthy ff.ecciver, .and Sab'je^ of it, Whit doth he mean by YiH tejVijication but a Sign ard Seal of it ? then it muft inevitably follow, that Children are not capable of Habitual Faitli, nor of the Pardon of Sin ^ for here Believers and G Remiffion C '22 ) IHeraiffion of Sin are fet in oppofjtion to Infants (if what he faith (hould be true) as not capable of either. Again he faith, That Baptifm is a lively reprefentation of Regeneration^ therefore can only af- fell Believers^ (meaning adult Believers, that he is pleading for, to be the only fubjeft of Bap- tifm) : Tne Apojlle (faid he) aUddesto Baptifm, when he (peaks of the wafljtng of Regeneration, Tit, ^. <;. his' meaning is, that the Ordinance is a Hve- j(y body, fymbol and fign of Regeneration ; It is very true, 'tis fo j but mark how .this is brought in, and upon what account it is ; o//:^. to prove that EeUevers (that is adult ones) that profefe their Faith, Baptifm can only affeft them, it is fuch a fign, body and fymbol of Regeneration, and the New Birth only ; So that here Infants sre iliut out of Regeneration and the New Birth j they mufi not be Baptized, becaufe they are not capable of them, which is the unavoidable con- fequer.ce of this defperate Doclrine. Again lie tells us, that in Lul^e i8. where we read of In- fants that were brought to Chrift, which he took up into his Arms and blelfed ; that the Greel^ word fignifieth, a Child capable of teaching. Sure- ly if he, notwithffanding his flourifh of Learn- ing, had been able to have examined the Gree^ word, he would not have been fo confident a? to have fpoke thus : It is great pride for Men; to pretend to have fuch Learning they never* had any Education, nor Opportunity to attain- unto. I have ihewed before the proper and true meaning of the Greel*^ word in that place, and ti^iat from good Authority, unto which I refer you, and the fame that we have in Timothy : Let this Man talk of his Learning among thofe that' are not acquainted with his Education, and from' what his immediate accefs was to the Pulpit. A- gain he faith. If it be their Duty who beliei^ to be 'B^pti^ed^ then I infer^ that thofc that are nut capa^ hie ( Ii3 ) tie of this Grace of Faith are under no Dhitie OblU gation, nor their Parents neither, to Baptise them^ it ii only a piece of Wiil-Worflnp which God never re- quired. He fpeaks of the Grace of Faith in gene- ral, and denies that any Infants are capable of it, no not fo much as Habitual Faith •, if fo, then I underfiand no hopes given to their Parents of their Union with Chrift, Juftification, Remifnon and Sah'ation. Again he faith. That Infants Baj- tixed are not tanght of God^ nor made Difciples of Chrift. This is direftiy againft the exprefs Word of God, If a. ^4. 13. Am all thy children fhaU be taught of the Lord : Is not this giving God the lye ? fo in faying. They be not the Difciples of Cbrijl, is aifo direftly oppoiite to the Word of God i A^s 15. 10. t^ow therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the necl^ of the difciples ; which Difciples are evidently Children : FJere ftill you may lee v/hat fatal Doftrine this bold Affciier delivereth about poor Infants j can they be faved without their being taught of God ? Though they be not capable of riie teaching of Men, 5 et they are of Gods, and mufl: be tauglit of him, otherwife I underftand not how there canbeaiiy poffibility of their Salvation. Thus I have given you a few hints of many, that might be brought cut of this Authors W^orks. I think fach fanguine fayings as thefe are, about Infants in Covenant with God, do loudly call for trem- bling from me, and Repentance from him. 8. This Doftrine doth inform us, that a great part of the Scripture was written for the good and fake of Children ♦, God did greatly defigii and intend them in the choicefl: part of hii .Word. The Covenant of Grace doth compre- hend the mofl precious and gracious part of the Word of God -, though our late Author, and my Confuter tells us. To. it they were writ for the Adult ^ md not for the Infants : His Rcafon (I fuppbfe) is. C 2 bccauie < 124) becaufe of their prcfent ignorance. This is fome of this CKcellent Divines New Doftrine. We niiiy as well Hiy, that tlieir Mothers Womb and "Breafts, that the Heavens and the Earth, and all the Elements •, that Meat, Drink and Rayment, do not belong unto them j that Eating, Drink- ing and Sleeping, do not belong unto them ; But ^ve may afcend a great deal higher , if the Scrip- ture was not wrote for their fakes, what will be- come of thefe poor Creatures for ever ? Can God, canChrifj:, can any fpecial Grace be theirs ? Wliat are the Scriptures relating to the Covenant, the Blood of it, and the gracious Promifes of Re- mijTion, Union with Chrift, Adoption and San- ftitication, not appertaining to them ? Were not the Scriptures wrote for their fake ? when there ,ar£ fo many Directions and Commands abounding •concerning their Parents Duty t© them in all things, and all for the good of them, and to de- *nonrn-ate the great concerncdnefs of a gracious God for them, and the value he hath of them, ^urely if we do but confider, what is wrote ot Children in the Word, we may eafily fee that God ilid greatl)- intend them, in writing of it. . I will name a fevv places j Pfal. 78. 6, That the genet a- tion to come might ktiow h'lmy even the children which f}} all be born. Pfal. 127. 5. Z.o, children are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb h his reward. Prov. 20. 7. The juji man walketh hi hU integrity J his children are bleffed aper him. Deut. 4. 37. And becaufe he loved their fathers, he cbofe their feed after them. Ifa. 61.'^. Pfal. iB. 50. A multitude of Scriptures might be brought to ftiow, how that in many Predictions and Promi- fes, and other wayes, the Scripture was eminent- ly wrote for the fake of Infants and Children, and * llie Seed of Gods People. What doth not thofe precious Scriptures of Chrift, taking little chil- jttrena^pmohiiarmsy and blejfmg af them, apper- taia c J2S ; tain unto Children ? Is it not left upon Divine Record for their fake ? But that which is beyond: all may make us ail to be amazed, which is this ; If the Scriptures were not wrote for the fake of Infants, what fhall we Uy of all thofe Blclfcd Scriptures that were wrote about the Hc4y Child jefas, of his Conception, Eirth and Infancy? if it be as this bold Ajjerter would have it, then all Scriptures relating to the fame, mufi not be tb,e fubjeft matter of our Faith and Hope, but all of them fhould be expunged cut of the Word of God, or fland upon its record as idle i.rfignif.cdiit Stories. It is clear, that if the Scriptures were not wrote for the fake of Infiints, then our Lord JefusChrifl mufl come in for a Ihare in tliis To- ftrine, which well maybe called the Doctrine of Devils. This Man is greatly skilled in propound- ing fuch Doftrinc, that hath a dired tendency to exclude poor Children and Infants out of the Kingdom of God --, not only out of tlie Kingdom of Grace here, but alfo the Kingdom, of Glory hereafter. If the Scripture be not wrote for their fake, I know not the Duties that are incum- bent upon Parents concerning them, neither any hopes of any good here and hereafter can be con- ceived about them : But one would think tlie very naming of this, (hould be more than fuf- ficient to battle it, and its Author, irora the ftage of his Prefumption and Confidence. 2. Vfe, of tlie Doa:rine^ and all that further- more I fhall make of it, fjiall be of Iblemn and ferious Exhortation, and that to thofe Pious and' Godly Parents, who are inriched and honoured with this tranfccndent priviledgc of being in Co- venant with God, they and their Children alfo : As your Mercy is great, fo thofe Duties that do rcfult from hence are very great. God hath be- ftowcd much upon you, and lie doth cxpei!^ much G 3 from from you : Where much is given, from thence much is expe^cd : The Lord hatli done more for you than he hath for others, therefore he doth expeft more from you than he doth from others. A few of thefc many Duties that this Covenant, and your Intereft in it, do call for from you, I would fet before you, and exhort you to a dili- gent obfervation and praftife of. I. Make a great account of the priviledge of this Covenant State •, efteem it very high, tho' fome, and that too many reproach and trample upon it *, yet let it be a matter of wonderful va- luation with you. God hath revealed much unto you, if he hath but revealed unto you a right un- derftanding of his Covenant j PJal. 25. 14. The^ fccret of the Lord U with them that fear him , and ke mil fieiv them his covenant j or he will make them to know, to underftand the Covenant in its Nature and Latitude, this is a fecret that God re- veals. Ail thofe that enjoy this Bleffing, had need to efleem it very highly. What a bleffed ,entail is here upon your Children > Hiofe look upon themfelves to be very happy, that be the Heirs of great Eftates in the World, though they have not a prefent pofTenTion j yet there is a fure and certain entail upon them and theirs : But what is this to the entail- of the Covenant ? and unto the being Heirs to the Proraife ? How glad would fame be, (hould they be allured, that fuch a great Lordi'hip was continued to them and their. Cliiidren ? Ay, but here is the incomparable and for ever to be'cfteemed dignity, ri?. The promife ii to you and ) many now upon the Earth, vvill tefllfie againfc' fuch an abominable Aircrtion. He addeth fur- ther, Tl]nt Infants vpccp when they are Bapfiicdy as if they di.i dijfent. What a ChildiiTi ExprenTon IS tliis ? What think }ou ? had they not as mnch caufe of weeping when they were Circumcifed / wiiich put them to the greatcll fenfe and pain^ and gave the greatefl occafion of weeping. Oh that ever fuch ftufF fhould Ihew its fic? in the World ; Pray confider, is there not as great a fign of diffent in many that he doth Baptize, as a little weeping in fome Infants ? Do they not go into the Water trembhng and quaking, andover- whehn'd with fears, when they are piuiig'd over Head and Ears ? So that though he fpeaks of their joy, a great number of them are otherwife polfefl witli difmal friglTts, and want the beft Cordial that he can adminiftcr unto them again. Again he faith. That hfants-Baptifm hath not one Promrfc. Con^dently faid flill , without any- Proof, I doubt not but my Teirge his Stomach ar once. Pray confider what things or Do sHirines he- ranks together to be equal with him •, by this he" gives us to underftand, that the odious Doftrine of Tra)ifubJ}antiation is as grateful to hi^ Palate as Habitual Faith in Infants, and their being in Co- venant with their Parents. Papifts breaden God, which (by grofs Idolatry) they adore, is of the fame eflimation with him as the two others : : Oh ! let not my Soul enter into his fccrets -, wha^ G s Malice- ( no ) Txlalice and Envy doth this import ? and if Ta- tants are not capable of Habitual Faith, which is one blcifed branch of the New Creatuie-, and if they are not in Covenant, I know not how they can be faved. If it be fo, I mufl confefs, that I can difcry no ground of hope of the Sal- vation of my dear deceafed Children j but blelfed be God, I am better acquainted with the Cove- nant, and precious Graces of tlie Spirit, tiian that fuch froth and fpittle fhould in the kaft de- gree aftcft my Hopes. I never read or heard of any Man that profiled any Sobriety in Principles and Moderation (to thofe' tiiat in lelfer matters were not of his (ize and mcafure) to fpeak after this dcfperate rate ; thus to rank us with Papifts, and that in o^e of their raoft deteftabJe Princi- ples, which have caufcd the ctfunon of Uivers of the Biocd of Martyrs, and to render our Chil- dren, as we cannot but judge, uncapable of be- ing faved, dying in their Infancy. There is fome- thing fellows dole unto this, which is a new in- vented way of Saving of Infants, though they be not in the Covenant, nor have any Habitual Faith j and that is, to have their Sins done away, by an imputed Krghteouj'nefi : This would be fome- thing, had he given us any Proof of his New In- \^ntion, but not a word of this : Indeed I think he mull have a New Gofpel to prove this. I did fay, when I Preach'd thefe Sermons in my Con* grcgations, Tjot to tall^ of a Right eon fnefs of Im- pHta-hn without a Covenant Intereji and inherent San^iifcatm^ n^as Mountebanl^ Divinity : And fo I fay ftill, not doubting, but in a liiort time, I iliall not only fay, as he hath, but prove what I fay, as he hath not : I am fure the Scripture is abundantly on my fide. I pafs it by at prefent^ bccaufe I intend if the Lord pleafe, fuddenly ta dcmonftrate this matter : I am a weary of this pitiful trafh, therefore ihall fay no more, till I Ihall (' 13 1 ) Ihall Epitott.ize his Books, provided 1 have a fur- - ther Challenge and Provocation : Only I fhail give you one branch of liis Charity to us, that fometiraes prctendedly he calls Brethren, the Wounds he gives us, and the Darts he would- Arike into our Hearts, and the Pleartsof our Chil- dren, dtfcover him to be more like an inveterate Enemy, than a kind Brother-, for his Pen and Pulpit, as to us, are filled with little lefs thaa Wormwood and Gall j yea, 1 may add (from what I have here difcovered ) even with Poyfon *, : But pray take one touch of his Charity to his Brethren, as he calls them : He faith, without the lead Proof, That not onl) the Conformijls, tut alfo the Nonconforniijh\ have loji the Door, and the Subject' that jhyuld enter the Door : So that we have lofl the very ElTence of the Ordinance, vi^. of Baptifm ^ we have neither right Form nor right" Subje(^l: ■■, and who are they that enter not in by the Door, but climb up, and come in fome other way ? We kiiow the Scripture you refer to, and apply unto us, John lo. 7, 8, 9. 'Tis eafie here to fee your judgment of us, that we are the Thieves and Bobbers that come not in at the right Door., I lliall lay but little to this now, for 'tis but the proud and empty found of a Man that feemeth little to contider what he Ikitli ; only I do hum- bly, in the Name of the great Shepherd, Clial- lenge my bold Challenger, to anfwer this Cenfure he hath put upon all his faithful Servants, that are for Baptizing of Infants at the great Day : Here he . doth difcernably enough Unchurch us, Uaminifter us, and Inordinance us j the Lord lay not this Sin to his door. V/e have little reafon to wonder, that he Hiould give us fuch foul play^ when he ventures at the fame time to deal no more kindly with the Church of England, that is guarded by the ftrong Walls and Fences of the Laws of the Nation j forhe faith, I/XtJ the Can- formats. (*I3i ) fomifis alf) have hji the Door, and the Sub]eU that Jhould enter the Dm, and the very EJJence of the Ord'vutnce, and they their Minijlers enter not in at thi Vnr, Here is a Man that will not only tread over the low Hedge, but will venture upon the Iharps of the Pikes to vent hi-5 Unchrifliaii and Cenforiou3 Opinion. Chriliians, I hope fucli pitiful, raw, fpurious and jejune Allegations as thcfc I liave prefented you withal, will rather tiurn your Stomachs againfl them, than open your Tiiroats to fvvallovv them. Alas, I have given you but a little to what I might have prefented you withal j let not fuch empty AfTertions, with- out the leaft fhadow of probation, leifen your efteem of this Bieifed Doctrine I have been up- on. Truth is never tlie lefs precious becaufe it is calumniited by opprobrious and dirty Pens. Look upon this choice Truth by the Light of the Word of God, and you cannot but fee fuch a lu- ftrious beauty ill it, as to caufe an inconceivable eftimation and value in you for it^ 2. Word of Exhortation I would prefs upon you is, that you v/ould improve this Doctrine in the beft ways, and unto the heft advantages that you. can.. You and your Children being in cove- nant ought to be made the beft ufe of^ that may be. There be fcveral ways by which you ought to improve this Doftrine j I fhall propound forrx: of tb.em unto you, begging you to put them into . practice. I. By giving up your Children to God, in the ufe of the Seal of the Covenant, ( I mean Bap- tithi.j When God did make this Covenant with Abraham, and his Seed, he did fo, and fo it was all along when there was opportunity for it j the Covenant is the fame ftill for the Subfiance of it, and the Seal ought to be affixt to the Subjerts *, Let Men never fo much vilifie and reproach it, oaiiing it Baby-ba^tifmy and Sprhikling of Infants, without I ( 133 ) without the leaft foundncfs of Mind or Judgment. That is a pretty Saying for Children to laugh at, which our Neighbour in one of his Boohs brings in thus, That it may be very much quejhoned^ whether the Jay lor vce read of, Afts i5. Obat was baptised and all his HoufeJ- had any Children, feeing it hath been obferved, fome Tears agoe, that for very many Tears together, not one Child voas born to all the Jayl- keepers in all the County of EiXcx. This is a pretty dbfervation ; it feeras it was fome Years agoe, I believe he knov/s not when, however he is not minded to acquaint us of the Authour of tliis Excellent Story. Let Men talk their fill, pray do you mind your Duty God requires , that your Children that be his by covenant, fhould be given up to him by the Seal of the Covenant. Chri- ftians have many Inducements lying upon them, thus in this Ordinance to devote their Children unto God : (i.) By this they do manifefdy own, and fet forth their Belief of the Dodrine of the Covenant. It is Praftice that is the beft Indi- cation of the Eeiief of Divine Truth j we mu(V. not only be Knowers and Profellors of the Will of God, but muft be Doers alfoj that Man diC- Govers but a flender Manifeftation of his Know- ledge of the Covenant, whofe Atlions are not fomething comporting with the fame. Tis ob- ferved by fome, that the reafon why God met with Mofes, and threatned to kill him, when he was fending him for the deliverance of his Bre- thren into Egypt, w-:!s becaufe he had notcircum- cifed his Son, Exod. 4. 24, 2$. (2.) By this ■ means we do openly Ihcv/ forth the Grace and Goodnefs of God unto us, in. making fuch a Co- venant, and the wonderful Love and Kindnefs of Ghrift in dying for us, which Blood is the Blood of the Evedafling Covenant -, as in the other Seal of the Covenant, the Lords Supper, Chrifdans do fhew forth the Death of Chrift, i Cor, ij.26. ( ' ?4) }(^79Lyyl\\rn-, Ye do openly declare, preach, and publilh it j ib by the affixing the Seal to your Children you do fct out and declare the Infinite Grace, Love, and Goodnefs of God in taking you, and your Seed into the Covenant. (5.) By this you do enter your Children vifibly into the Church of God, or vifibly declare and fet them out to be fuch : Chrifl: hath declared them to be of the Kingdom of Heaven, that is of his Church, and Parents ought by tliis Ordinance to rcpre- fent and openly to declare them to be fuch. This is a vinble incorporating of them into this body, and a lifting them under the Banner of Chrid, to fccvG and to cleave unto him. They muft be put into Chrift's Lift, and brought under his Banner, though they do him at prelent but little fervice. Thus we find in the Scripture, when God hath .calTed Ilia People folemuly to enter into covenant with, him, to love him, to fcrve him, to obey him, they have appeared before the Lord with their Little Ones with them. Dent. 2p. 10, 11, 12, 15. Children that are brought under the Bonds of the Covenant, and Lifted for the Lord, it is their Duty when they attain to underflanding ,.to be very fenlible of the fame, and to do and ma- nage themfelves accordingly y for God will require their dedication and Parental obligation at their Hands. (4.) By this way Parents do ihevv their right - underftanding of, and do give a good teftimony uato the covenant which the Lord has been pleas'd to gratifie them withal. Thus did Abraham by h.is immediate complying with the Lord in the Seal of it j by this they do openly declare their well lik- ing of, and their great pleafure they take in the covenant, and how joyful and ready they are, that their Children fliould obtain, and be made the happy partakers of the Bleflings and Privjledges of it, and be the open and vifible Proprietors with them in it ; methuiks Parents Ihould com- mend^ ( '35 ) mend, and fet out the excellency of this covenantj and what fvveetnefs and comfort they have had in it, by being very willing and defirous, tliat their cl.ildren Hiould be within the corapafs of it, and as they have done, partake of the rich and emi- nent Bleffings of it. Pious Parents do not kr^ow how to live in any condition without the cove- nant, and the fuitable and feafonable Promifes of it i and how can they chufe then, but be very fo- licitous and defirous that their children fhould fvccjed them in lucli an Enjoyment and Tenour ? ($.) By this they do tcflifie their belief of the Truth, and of the baithfulnefs of God, and the Veracity of all the gracious Promifes compre- hended and lodg d in the Covenant : Indeed the Seal and Token is to alTure and to confirm all v therefore when the Lord was pleafed to eftablilh his Covenant with Abraham^ and his Seed, there w^s Circumciiion as the Seal affixt, to be a great Incouragement unto the Faith of Abvakam to be- lieve, und exped the Accomplilhmcnt of all the Covenant-Prom.ifes that God had made with him and his Seed for ever. Now Vv^hen Parents that be in covenant, do fuddenly by this Seal devote and give up their Children to God, they do fig- nifie and declare tlieir firm and unboubted Faith in all that God hath promifed to them and their Children ; and in this Matter they put up their Requefls to God, exercifing Faith in the Pro- mifes for their Children, and fo alfo after in their frequent Requefts for Covenant-Mercies for them. (6.) By this means Parents do as they ought to do, lay great Obligations upon themfelves, unto tlie greatefl: care and diligence that may be, that their Children may partake of the Internal Part and faving BlefTmgs of the Covenant. What a ftrift Tye and Bond muft this be to Parents to be greatly concerned for the Souls and Eternal Sal- vation of them I They have given them up unto God, GocI, as his Children, in a Covenant-Obligation, and have ingag'd for them, now they mufc look to their Charge and Trufl,-that the Souls of their Little Ones do not perifh through their default, by their carelefnefs and negligence in their dif- charge of their weighty and incumbent Duty,, that the Living God in this gracious Covenant hath irapofedupon, and injoincd them. Abraham \u6. a great rtfpeft unto this, which caufed the Lord to give him this commendation, Gen. i8. ip. For I }^mv him that he mil command his children^ and Jm houfljold after him -, and they jjjail keep the way of the Lor d^ to dojuftice and judgment. It was but in the Chapter before this, that he did enter into covenant with the Lord for himfelf and his : Oh J faid God, ( know that he hath a fence of his Co- venant-Obligation upon him, that he hath lately received from me, and he will obferve it, being careful of his f loufhold that they may perform the Duties, and'injoy tlie Blefftngs of the Covenant. What a clofe and ftrid Engagement is this to Parents, that they bring up their Children in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord ? How doth this call upon us to prayer, to educate care- fully, and to inflru(^ our Children in the know- ledge and fear of the Lord ? 5. Improve this great BlefTing of the Covenant for the Encouragement of your Hopes as to the Spiritual Birth of your Children. This is the great Concern of pious Parents about their Children, fo foon as they fee that they be once born, t'ut they may be born again, that they may not only be born of theFlefh, but rUb of the Spirit, that they may not only have a Natural but alfo a Spi- ritual Birth : It is for this that godly Parents do groan and travail. You that are thus concerned for your Childten, 'tis the Covenant of Grace that mufb be your great Encouragement in be- iieging the Throne of Grace for them, your Pangs foe r 137 ) for the New Birth in your Children muft be co- venant Ones, it is the Covenant, and the Media- tour, and Blood of it, tliat muft animate, quick- en, and fupport your Hopes in this great Aifairj you muft put the Promife in fuit, and plead them with that God of Infinite Grace, Love, and Faithfulnefs, that hath put you and yours into this bocderal Compact. You may humbly go to God, and tell him that he hath promifed to be your God, and the God of your Seed, to teach you, and your Children, and to circuracife your Heart, and the Heart of your Children, to love, and to fear Iiim, that he hath promiicd to pour out his Spirit upon your Off-fpring, and that your Children fhall be taught of God, Gen. 17. 7. Dent, 30. 6. E^el*. ^6. 25, 27. Ija. 44. 3. and $9. 21. and $4. 13. And many fuch Golden Pro- mifcs of rich Grace comprehended in the Cove- nant, as Food for the Faith of Parents that make confcience daily to purfue and wreftle with God, for the renewing and fanclifying of their Chil- dren. Wherefore go to God, and plead his Co- venant after this manner. Haft thou not prorai- fed to be a God to me and mine ? Is not the Pro- mife to me, and my Children ? Thou haft (hewn abundance of Mercy in giving tliem all Natural Parts of the Body, and Endowments of Mind ', Ay, but, Eleffed Lord, thou hafl confer 'd greater Mercy than this upon them. Thou hail put them in thy Covenant, and haft planted them in thy Floufe and Family, they have a Standing in thy Church : Lord be pleafed to bedew them with aii thofe Heavenly Bieftings thou haft promifed thofe whom thou haft placed and planted in fuch a ca-" pacity fo near unto thee ; Thefe Natural Endow- ments be great Mercies, but haft thou not promi- fed a New Heart, a New Spirit, aUb to write thy Law, and to put thy fear into their Hearts? Oh !• be a God to me and mine in the comniunicatioii Gf («J8) of all Covenant precious Bleffings, in the greatcfi Latitude of them. When God had faid, he will be a God, wliy may not we hope for the accom- plifiiment of the fulled Senfe thereof? Say to God, HuJ} thou mt made with me an Ever lading Covenant^ ordered in all things and fur e^ and thU Pi all m) falvatiou, and all my dejire^ 2 Sam. 255. 5. We ought to undei fland, Wievc, and plead the Covenant in the greatelt Latitude of it for our felves and ours. 4. Improve the Covenant to Duty and Obe- dience; let the Prornifcs of the Covenant ftriftly, and for ever bind us to Obedience j where there is the greatefl Grace dilpenced, therr is the grcat- tft Inducement and Obligation to Duty and Obedience. The Cave : iiii'that faith, God wiH H OUT God, requires us, aivA ours, to^e hi* People-, there is a Covenant-en^ j^v^cment upon us , and ours, to be the Lords. But alas 1 how little is this thought upon ? Moll covet to have tliek Chil- dren to be baptized, and glory in their Baptifra, but feldom make this to be any part of thek care, and endeavour, that their Children be the Lords. How little care have many Parents about the holy Education of their Children ? How they bring them up in the Fear, Nurture,^. and' Admonition of the Lord ? How few commaiid. their Children, and Houfhold to walk m the vva^'s of the Lord ? What Falfehood and Breach of Covenant is here ? That Charge may be drawn up, and Exhibited a- gainft fuch carelefs and treacherous Parents, Pfaf, 78. 3^, 37, Neverthele/i, they did flatter him with their mouthy and they lyed unto them with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they JledfaJ} in hk covenant. How many Parents d« flatter God, and his Minifters ? Promifing great Things at the baptizing of their Children, but foon forget all, never taking anv care according to their Covenant, of the Souls of their (139) their Children, that they may partake of ttic BleflTings of the Covenant •, they are very earned for the Outward Seal, but little concerned for the Inward Grace. "What will Baptifm avail for you, and your Children, if you are contented only with the outward Badge and Mark of the Difciples and Followers of Chrift ? Rom, 2. 28, 29. For he h not a JoWy that k one outwardly •-, neither U that circumcifion, which if outward in the flefl) : But he if a Jew^ that is one inwardly j and chcumcifmi is that of the hearty in the (ptrit^ and not in the letter, whofe praife is not of men but of God. Outward Priviledges and Ordinances will never prove you to be good Chriftians j you and yours muft have the Inward Circumciiion of the Heart, Regeneration, the New Birth, and San- ftification, fliort of which nothing will avail to Salvation, GaL 5. 6, For in Chrifi Jefw^ neither circumcifion availetb any thing, nor Hncircumcifion, hut a new creature, 2 Cor. $. 17. If any man be in Chrift, he is a new creature. We are faid to be baptized into Chrift, and to put on Chrift j we muft fee that we have an Union with Chrift, and are renewed by the Spirit of Clirift, if ever we hope or defire to be inrichcd with the Saving Be- nefits of Baptifm. 9. Exhortation is to thofe tliat are the happy PolfelTors of the Incomparable Mercy of the Co- venant, admire and magnitie the Grace of God herein, that he fhould not be content to irgage his Grace to, and for you, but to yours with you. You and yours were all Rebels and Traitors to God, and he hath received both into Favour and Grace with himfelf -, God might have taken you into covenant, and have left out your Children, and that would have been an high ExprefTion of his Grace and Favour unto you, but this is con- fer'd upon yo\x and your S^^d too, this gives you tlie fulleft occafion and obligation to magnifie him C HO ) ban above the Heavens, and to csufc liis Praife to be continually in your Hearts and Moutlis. How ihould this alwayes affccl and raviQi your Hearts,? To confider many of you, that the Lord ftiould be pleafed to pifs by you, when you were polluted in your Blood, and ihould fay unto you. Live ^ that wlien you were in your Elcod and tilth, (through your pollution and contamina- tion) fit for nothing, but to be abhorr'd by God, that r'lat fliould be a Time of Love to you y that he fhould then fpread a Skirt of Grace and Fa- vour over you, and cover your Nakednefs, and fvvear unto you; and enter into Covenant with ycu, and not only you, but alfo yours, fnould be taken into tiie Bonds of the fame, and become his, E^ek: 16. 5, 8, c, 10, <^c. What Grace is this, that we ihould be taken ( poor Gentile.f) and cut off the Wild Olive-tree, and graffed into tiie Good Olive-tree, which is contrary to Nature? That fome of the natural branches fhould be broken off, and we fhould be taken and grafted in in their place, and partake of the root and iat- nefs of the Olive- Tree ? What matter of perpe- tual Thankfgiving to God is here adrainiflred to us? Kom, II. 17. ^c. Remember oftentimes what you were by Nature, into what a miferable plunge of all infelicity you were caft ? how re- ir.o'e and diflant from God, many of you before Converfion were without the Covenaut, having ■no Promiie ? This might be the condition of fundry oi' you, born out of the Covenant, and every way in a defperate condition as to the con- cerns of your Souls, and Eternal Life. I cannot prefect you with a fuller and a -clearer defcrip- tion of your former flate, before the Lord brought you under the means of Grace, and ef- fe^'tually called you, then you h.ive in Eph, 2. XI, 12, 13. Wherefore rememkr^ tba.tbe^g in times pajl C HI ) j'.tj? Gentiles in the pJJj^ who are caUect umrcum- cifiofij by That which is called the circumcijion in the flefl) made by hands : Toat at that time ye were without ChiiJ}, being aliens from the commonwealth of Ijrael^ and fir angers from the covenants of pro- mije, having no hope, and without God in the world : But now in Chrifi Jefw, ye who [on^e times were far offy are made nigh by the blood of Chri^, The pool" Gentiles, of \vhom we were part, were afer otf, becaufc not within the pale of the Covenant. This was the oppofiticn that was between the Jew and the Gentile \ the tormer was nigh, be- ing in Covenant j but the other afar off, not be- ing taken into that inclofure, ver. 17. Oh ! magnifie God that thou tliat wert afar off, art brought nigh by the Blood of Chrift : Tlie Blef- fjng of Abraham is come to the Gentiles, and. come unto thee, and thy Family, through Chrift, GaL 5. 14. What caufe haft thou to wonder that art yet within the bonds of tiie Covenant ? and thy Little Ones, the Children that the Lord hatli gracioufly given thee to be with thee ? That thou and thine are become the Children of the Covenant and of the Promife, magnifie. God for fo ineftimable an injoyment, and improve it to the utmoft advantage of thy felf and thine, but be not ignorantly guild and trapan'd out of it, as many are in this day. 4. Exhortation. Teach and inflruft your Chil- dren, fo foon as they be capable of it, in the right knowledge and undcrftanding of the Cove- nant. As the Lord hath honoured you, in taking you and your Children into Covenant, you ought to be much in explaining and unfolding the Pn- viledgcs and Duties of it to your Children. This is one of (the Magnalia) the great things that God hath written in his VVord> vit^. that we our felves and off-fpring Ihould be well verfed in, and ac- quainted r 142 ) qtiainted with. This is one great way to difcover tlie high efteem that you have of the Covenant, for your felves and Children, when you take de» Hght to ftudy to arrive unto a good underftand- ing of it, and carefully to inftruft and teach your Children the knowledge of it. Timothy had Con- fcientious Parents, or Parent that did fo teach and inflruft him, that when he was very little, he was well acquainted with the Scriptures, 2 Tim, 3. I $. Many there be that are very defirous to have their Cliildren to be Baptized, and to par- take of the Seal of the Covenant i but little make it their work and bufmefs to admonifh and in- flruft their Children, fuitable to that Relative Duty, which they (land under the obligation of to tiieir poor Children, One great reafon why many (as I find; do renounce and rejeft the Seal of the Covenant, is, becaufe they were never well inftrufted into the knowledge of it, nor the Du- ties they were bound unto the performance of, by the Seal of it. Few Parents (no not fome that have the root of the matter in them) do take that care, as they are bound to do, to inform their Children into the Gofpel-adminiftration of the Covenant, fince the time of the Incarnation and Afcenfion of the MeJJiah, and to fhew the parallel that there is between the Covenant firfi: openly eftablifh'd with the J^err>s and their Seed, and now with the (jentiies and their Seed. Where- foever the Gofpel is fent (by Divine Conduft) un- to any place, and Preach'd, that never had the Beams of its Glorious Light fhining before •-, there thofe that believe and repent raufl be Bapti:zed, and their Children with them , and enter into the Covenant together > for faith the Apoflle, The py'omife is to you and your children^ and to thofe that are afar off\ and even to as many as the Lord fimllcali, T/je promife^ ^/^. the Covenant, is ts )9U ( 143 ) y u and )mr children % ay, and fo it (hall be with thole that are afar off, even the poor Children of the Gentiles^ fo many as the Lord fliall call, they with their believing Parents fhall be received into Covenant with the Lord j A5is 2. 38, 59. I (hall conclude all with one word of Exhoiia- tion, unto ungodly and unconverted Sinners : It is to exhort them in the name and fear o-f the Lord, that they would convert, repent and turn unto the Lord. To Repent is one of tiie great Doftrines that is charged upon us in oar Commif- fionsto Preach to, and urge fevercly upon Men. John the Baptijl did much fill up his Miniftry, in calling upon thofe that did at any time attend upon it, to repent. Our bleffed Lord began his Miniftry in founding out the fame DoiJtrine. This is a Doftrine, that we that Preach the Gofpcl, ought to be folemn and in(tant in. How happy would it be, if there were no other contention among Minifters than this, for every one to (Irive to bring moft Souls to Faith and Repentance ? It may be matter of lamentation, to fee how many take upon them the Work of the MiniCtry -, fuch that I fear, though they make nothing to con- demn and di(annul the Miniftry of others, are fcarce able to prove their own Call thereunto j how they labour abundantly more to profelytc their followers to their Opinions, than to obtain Converts to Chrift. But to clofe all j I do here intreat and beg all that hear me, that be yet out of Chrift, impenitent Sinners, to repent and turn to God, and take hold upon the Covenant, and the rare Bleffings and Promifes of it *, and for your encourigement, Toe promife fljall be unto you^ and ym- children. You aid yours will betaken into this Covenant : If you are not in it already, what will you ftand, and ftout it out againft God, 4uider the precious means of Grace, and the rich tenders ( '44 ) tenders of the Gofpel propofed unto you ? and to labour to ruinc your felves and Children for ever, fa far as you can ? After all the terrible • thrcatnings of the Word that have been defeated by you, oh let not this be rejefted, but let it melt your Hearts into Repentance : This (i fay of my Text) The promife is to you^ and your children. Amen, ¥ e I N I s,,„ t, 1 ^ A- .m^ -,■/ 4<^, "^^^u^.