verse to the 14. the covenant of Circumcision in the flesh the new covenant is expressed in the third verse where he saith As for me my covenant shall be with thee and thou shalt be a Father of many nations or of a multitude of nations and thy name shall be no more called Abram but Abraham for a Father of a multitude of nations have I made thee this is by the Apostle Paul in Rom. 4.17 18. held out to be the Covenant of life which he doth clearly hold distinct and different from the covenant of Circumcision in that place denying that Abraham or his spiritual seed had their justification in the covenant of Circumcision but bringing in this that Abraham should be a Father of many nations and so shall thy seed be as that in which Abraham and his spiritual seed whether of Jews or Gentiles were and should be justified And this promise or covenant is made with Abraham in Gen. 18.18 In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed So long as Christ was according to the flesh in Abrahams loyns the promise runs thus In thee meaning that through Christ which then was in him should all nations of the earth be blessed But assoon as Isaac was come out of Abrahams loins as in Gen. 22.18 then saith he In thy seed shall all the nations of the Earth be blessed whereby seed most strictly is to be understood Christ as the Apostle Paul intimates in Gal. 3.16 where he expounds this word seed to be not seeds as of many but seed as of one which is Christ So this blessedness in the seed Christ is here expounded to be Gods confirming his Covenant in Christ and note that this blessedness which David holds out to be the Covenant confirmed of God in Christ it was not entailed upon the flesh of Abraham and his fleshly seed but made in Abraham as a Father of all the spiritual seed in all nations and confirmed in the seed Christ to all nations Here the Jews after the flesh have no more interest than any other nation except it be by faith for faith only unites to this seed and gives an in-being in the same This blessedness is expounded by David in Psalm 32. last ver To ly in remission of sins and purgation of the heart from guile and expounded by the Apostle in Acts 3. last ver To be a turning every one from his iniquities for so there Peter expounds this blessedness confirmed in Abraham and his seed And though Christ did fulfill this covenant to the Elect of the Jews yet the rest were hardned and were never in this sense blest either in the point of Justification or purgation from sin because they were never in Christ the true seed by faith nor never were thereby the spiritual seed of Abraham walking in the steps of his faith as all his spiritual seed did Rom. 4.12 and Gal. 3.29 If you be in Christ then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise Thus I have given you from clear light of Scripture that there were two covenants a covenant of Grace and a covenant of Works the covenant of Grace belonging to Abraham and his spiritual seed in Christ and all along from Adam to all the spiritual seed of the Woman that were born of promise as the Apostle describes the spiritual seed in Rom. 9.8 for he saith such are accounted the seed that are so born of promise And so at this day all nations both Jews and Gentiles that are born again they are the seed and children that only have an Interest in the promise of salvation And so much for this first head Circumcision proved to be no covenant of eternal Life but a typical and carnal covenant Now I come in the next place to prove that the covenant of Circumcision is no covenant of eternal life but a typical covenant yea a covenant of works which is also called by the Lord a Covenant in the flesh Gen. 17.13 and therefore to be sure no covenant of eternal life But for the better clearing of the truth of this I shall first expound some words in the covenant How the word Eve lasting is taken in the Law and that is the word Everlasting Covenant that word seems to some to hold it forth a covenant of life because it is said to be everlasting wheras the word everlasting used in this Covenant is to be understood only for the Ever of the Law for the time of the Jewish State as alwaies the word is to be understood when applyed to the Jews in their generation As for example In the 16. of Leviticus it is said the Priest should make an attonement for the holy Sanctuary an attonement for the Tabernacle of the Congregation and for the Altar and he shall make an attonement for the Priests and for all the people of the Congregation and this shall be an everlasting Statute to you to make an attonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year which everlasting here must needs be understood but till Christ came and so in Numb 25.13 He shall have it and his seed after him even the Covenant of an Everlasting Priesthood because he was zealous for his God and made an attonement for the Children of Israel speaking here only of a Ceremonial Priesthood typing out Jesus Christ the substance that was to put an end to it And so this covenant of Circumcision is to be understood as everlasting as Canaan and the possession thereof which was until Christs comming who was the substance thereof this being a Maxim That wheresoever the word Everlasting or Ever hath this joined with it to you or to your seed in their generations that then it is to be understood only for the Ever of the Law and the time and period of that Ministration till Christ come and no longer Exod. 40.15 Thou shalt annoint them as thou didst annoint their Fathers that they may minister unto me in the Priests office for their annointing shall surely be an everlasting Priesthood throughout their generations And so you have it in Exod. 30.20 21. Moses saying When they go into the Tabernacle of the Congregation they shall wash with water that they dy not and when they come near the altar to minister to burn offerings made by fire unto the Lord so they shall wash their hands and their feet that they dy not and it shall be a Statute for ever to them even to him and to his seed throughout their generations The next word that I would speak to is I will be to thee a God and to thy seed after thee which to some seems to hold forth a covenant of grace in that he gives himself as a God in this covenant To which I answer That God either gives and makes himself over in a covenant of works which is upon a condition of works done in the creature or else he gives himself in an absolute covenant of
of the Romans occasioned by the Apostles former answer For though the Apostle had granted in the beginning of the third chapter that the circumcised Jews were in some respect privileged above other Nations and that chiefly in those eminent tenders and offers that the Gospel held out amongst them which though it proved not effectual to all yet he minds to some it was effectual But yet after in verse 9. The Apostle begins to manifest his understanding that to be a Jew after the flesh and to be in the covenant of Circumcision did not free men from the guilt of damnation no more than other men that were Heathens that were not Jews after the flesh neither circumcised To this purpose he states a question What then Are we better than they No in no wise For we have before proved that both Jew and Gentile are all under sin as it is written there is none righteous no not one where the Apostle goes on to prove That the Jews after the flesh in the covenant of Circumcision were equally in a damnable and sinful condition with the poor Heathenish Infidels all equally guilty before God verse 19. and his inference is in verse 20. that therefore by the works of the Law no flesh should be justified in his sight cleerly holding forth That to be a Jew and circumcised and to be under the Law is the self-same thing and when the Apostle had concluded that being a Jew in the Covenant of Circumcision did in no way difference him from the Heathen as to life He now shews what way both Jews and Gentiles come to the Justification of life and that is freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood and therefore he excludes the Law of Works wholly in the matter of Justification and brings in the Law of faith shewing clearly that he hath but one way to justify both Jew and Gentile which is by Faith in Jesus Christ the true promised seed in the new covenant Upon these words the Romans seemed thus to argue chap. 4. ver 1. Is it so that a man may be a Jew and have interest in the covenant of Circumcision entailed upon the fleshly line and seed of Abraham and yet be not better than Pagans or Heathens as to the matter of life What shall we then say that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found As if they should say if a man may be a Jew of the seed of Abraham and so of the covenant of Circumcision and as to the matter of Justification and eternal life be no nearer than a profane Gentile that is not Abrahams seed nor hath any Interest in the Covenant what privilege doth Abraham find in the covenant appertaining to or intailed on the flesh Unto which the Apostle answers in the second and third verses and so along in the chap. 4. of the Romans clearly distinguishing two covenants the one of Circumcision a covenant of works the other a promise of Jesus Christ made to the faith of such as believe Therefore saith the Apostle in the 2. ver and so forward If Abraham were justified by works he hath wherof to glory but not before God plainly interpreting that the covenant that our Father Abraham had interest in as appertaining to the flesh of him and his seed after him in their generations was a covenant of works in which Abraham had nothing to glory in before God the reason is given because he was justified before God in another Covenant or promise Gen. 15.5 6 For what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was accompted to him for righteousness And thus the Apostle goes along shewing that Justification was not to be had in the Covenant of works intailed on the flesh of Abraham But by faith in the Covenant of grace the promised seed which he proves by Davids Testimony in Psalm 32.1 2. set down in the 6 7 8 verses of this chapter Now â—hus much being said he states the question Whether this grace of Justification came upon the Circumcision only or the uncircumcision also for we say that faith was reckoned unto Abraham for righteousness Now here is the question seeing that Abraham had two covenants made with him one the Gospel of Faith and the other a Covenant in the Flesh In which of these had he his justification to eternal life The answer is plain for saith the Apostle not in circumcision he was not justified in or by the Covenant of Circumcision but in the promise of the promised seed which God is said to give a covenant for his people by faith in that seed even in uncircumcision was Abraham justified and that as I said before 24. years before the covenant of Circumcision was made with him he was justified believing in the promise of the Messiah that was to come out of his loins according to the flesh In whom all Nations of the Earth should be blessed Now God promising that the Messiah according to the flesh should come out of Abraham viz. out of his Loins or his flesh and this was then a great article of his faith that he was to believe to righteousness not only that Justification was to be had and blessedness to be had But it must be had in that seed that was to come out of Abraham according to the flesh And as a confirmation and seal of this publique righteousness confirmed in Abraham as a Father of all Nations God elects that flesh and blood to himself I mean the family of Abraham in an external Covenant to point out to all the world that as verily as God did take this nation according to the flesh to himself by this external covenant so would God be incarnate in this flesh And as the flesh of the fore-skin of the member of Generation must be cut or bruised and the blood shed by which the Jew according to the flesh was bound to keep the Law this I understand did figure out how Christ the true seed of Abraham descending out of his loins by Generation should considered as male and not female by breaking his flesh and shedding his blood fulfil and satisfy the Law So that this Covenant of Circumcision was of sealing use to Abraham to confirm this other covenant and a School-Master to lead to Christ as all other Branches of that old covenant were Therefore saith Paul in Rom. 4.11 Moreover he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the Righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised that he might be the father of all those that believe Where observe the Apostle calls not circumcision a seal but a sign He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised There are these reasons in the Text that restrain the sealing use of Circumcision only to Abraham The sealing use of Circumcision proved to be peculiar unto
that not of your selves It is the gift of God Where he holds forth that though Faith be an Instrumental means of our salvation yet it is Gods free gift wrought in us Faith the gift of God therfore surely a covenant gift Paul upon this ground in Phil. 1.28 saith It is not only given us to believe but to suffer for his names sake where to believe it is given of God and so in Acts 18.27 speaking of Apollo saith that when he came he helped them much who had believed through grace as in Hebr. 12.2 where Jesus is said to be as well the Author as the finisher of our faith All which passages do shew that Faith is as well given in the new covenant as the Salvation tendred upon that condition Repentance the gift of God And so is also repentance a New covenant gift as well as remission of sins tendred upon that condition as you find in Acts 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his own right hand to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance to Israel and Remission of sins and in Acts 11.18 When they heard those things they held their peace and glorifyed God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life Where observe to Gods Israel both of Jews and Gentiles God doth grant and freely give Repentance as well as salvation and remission of sins promised upon the condition of Repentance as likewise appears in the 2 Tim. 2.25 where the Ministers of God are commanded in meekness to instruct those that oppose themselves if God peradventure will at any time give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth which doth plainly prove that though Repentance and Faith be the condition that the Gospel is tendred on yet you see the Lord doth in the New covenant give faith and repentance as well as Remission of sins and eternal life And further I shall make it appear The Covenant of Grace obscurely delivered to our first parents That this covenant of grace to eternal life was first more obscurely and darkly revealed to our first parents God directing his speech to the Devil in Gen. 3.16 for the greater terror of the Devil and the greater comfort of his Elect God saith I will put enmity between thy seed and the seed of the woman it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel This speech contains in substance the covenant of grace Christ the true spiritual seed being here promised who in Scripture is held forth to be the very substance and marrow of the New covenant therefore the Lord saith in Isaiah 4â— 6 speaking of Christ I will give thee a Covenant of the people a light to the Gentiles where the very gift of Christ is called a covenant because where he is promised all heavenly and spiritual blessings in him are there given all the promises being in Christ Yea and in him Amen 2 Corin. 1.20 And all spiritual and heavenly blessings are in him Ephes 1.3 He saith he will put enmity between the seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman which must needs have thus much in it That God would put or infuse in the seed of the woman his created gifts of holyness and purity and that precious love of God whereupon it must needs be that this new nature would be hated by the Devil as being opposite to him and also must needs hate the Devil with his evil nature as the Psalmist saith Ye that love God hate evil Christ tells us in Mat. 10.34 Think not that I come to send peace on earth I came not to send peace but a sword for I am come to set a man at variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother and the Daughter-in-law against the Mother-in-law and a mans foes shall be they of his own house-hold And Luke saith five in one house shall be divided three against two and two against three chap. 12.52 And what should occasion this division but that new nature which the Lord infuseth into his own seed or children which cannot comply with the seed of the Serpent So Peter saith they spake evil of us because we run not with them to the same excess of Riot 1 Pet. 4.4 So that I understand that here in this third of Genesis is the whole New covenant included The New Covenant not intailed upon any fleshly line This new covenant was never intailed upon any fleshly line or generation as the covenant of circumcision was but was still confirmed of God in Christ and to such souls only in Christ as you find in the promise to Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Where you may observe That here is no respect of persons in the matter of these blessings to everlasting life But all Nations in Christ as well one Nation as another if in Christ have those blessings promised to them and thus much is imployed in that promise that all nations out of him are accursed But God here directs his speech to Abraham some may say it is true What 's meant by the blessedness promised to Abraham and his seed but with respect to Christ now who as touching the flesh was in his loins and this blessedness or justification of life which was confirmed in Abraham as a Father of all Nations is by the Apostle Paul called the Gospel Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the Heathen through Faith preached the Gospel to Abraham as it is written In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed so this blessedness spoken of in Gen. 12.3 is expounded by Paul to be justification by faith in Christ and in Acts 3. this blessedness is there expounded to be a turning of every one of them from their iniquities Acts 3.26 And also this Gospel promise or covenant is spoken to in Gen. 15.5 where he bids Abraham look up to the Heavens and if he could number the Stars of Heaven and the Sands upon the Sea-shore so shall thy seed be and Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness This promise is quoted by the Apostle Paul as the Gospel covenant in Rom. 4.3 in opposition to the covenant of Circumcision intailed upon the flesh or fleshly line of Abraham For Circumcision was a Covenant in the flesh as the Apostle calls it which he also expounds in the 1. and 2. v. to be a Covenant of works but more of that hereafter only that which I would observe at present is that the Apostle confirms that Gospel promise in Genesis 12. and verse 3. and Genesis 15. and ver 5. to be the new covenant wherein was given through faith the Justification of Life excluding in this point the covenant of Circumcision called Works Rom. 4.1 2. and both these covenants are made with Abraham in Gen. 17. there you find the new covenant made with him to verse the 6. and from the 7.
Abraham First Because this righteousness of faith the Text saith he had before he was circumcised Therefore good reason it might be sealed or confirmed having it before he received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith which he had being uncircumcised But his posterity after him at eight daies old cannot be said that they had this righteousness of faith to seal having it not preceding their Circumcision The second reason the text affords us is that he might be the Father of all that believe this is the main reason the Apostle insists upon He received the sign of Circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith that he might be the Father of all that believe This reason cannot be applyable to any of Abrahams posterity besides himself for they were not the Fathers of all that believe That was proper to Abraham to be a high Father or a Father of all nations therefore as I said before God promising in Abraham that publique righteousness as a father of all Nations in the the covenant of grace adds to that covenant an external covenant to be intailed in his line and in his flesh as a confirmation of the same A third reason is this Here is the Spirit of God affirming the sealing use of Circumcision to Abraham only and not to any one of his fleshly seed and as before upon a reason special to Abraham Now where the Scripture hath not a Mouth to speak we must not have an Ear to hear But the Scripture here only affirms Circumcision to be a Seal of the righteousness of faith to Abraham and affords no such thing as to his seed A fourth reason lies in verse 13. That the promise of Abraham to be the heir of the world was not to him nor his seed through the Law that is through the covenant of Circumcision but through the righteousness of faith For if they which are of the Law be heirs then faith is made void and the promise of none effect because the Law worketh wrath therefore it is of faith that it might be by Grace to the end the promises might be sure to all the seed Not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all as it is written I have made thee a father of many Nations before him who believed even God who quickneth the dead So that there is not in all the Scripture a place more clearly proves the covenant of Circumcision intailed on the fleshly line of Abraham to be a covenant of works than this 4. of the Romans clearing and setting the covenant of Circumcision and Faith in opposition holding forth that Abraham and all his spiritual seed had their Justification in another covenant and not in the covenant of Circumcision clearly holding forth the covenant of Circumcision to be works and not Grace which doth sufficiently prove that the covenant of Circumcision had no promise of Justification or eternal life in it But further An Appendix to the second Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of works That the covenant intailed on the flesh must needs be understood to be a Covenant of works viz. that of Circumcision appears in Philip. 3.2 3 4. and so forward where saith the Apostle Beware of Doggs beware of evil Workers beware of the Concision for we are the Circumcision that worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ and put no confidence in the flesh By flesh he means the covenant entailed upon the flesh the covenant of Circumcision it is plain by his answer for he saith If any man thinketh he hath whereof to trust in the flesh I more circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamen an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the Law a Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the Church touching the righteousness of the Law blameless And this he sets by no more than dung or dross in comparison of the other Covenant or Promise of Christ righteousness and salvation by him which he received by faith and he suffered the loss of all things for the sake of him and did accompt all the whole privilege of Circumcision and the covenant of works to be but as dung that he might win Christ which if the promise of Christ and salvation and justification by him had been given in the Covenant of the flesh and line of Abraham then it had been very improper for Paul to accompt this as dung and to cast contempt upon it as that which was wholly void of Christ It would be very sinful for any man in such a case to cast such contempt upon the covenant of grace it self and the privileges thereof peculiarly relating to the same But you see Paul doth here clearly distinguish two covenants The one of saith the other of Circumcision This will further appear in Gal. 3.3 Are ye so foolish that having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh Where he again distinguisheth two covenants the one Spiritual the other a fleshly covenant The Gallatians having at the first hearing of him begun to imbrace the Gospel or the Spirit or Spiritual word of the New Covenant and now they would join the covenant of works in the flesh with the Gospel which it is evident he means the covenant of circumcision which here they would seek to be perfected by Therefore in Gal. 4. lâ—tter end he clearly distinguisheth between two Covenants under the figure of Sarah and Hagar and two seeds holding forth the covenant of Circumcision to be the covenant of works and to be that bond-woman as it were in chap. 5.1 2 3. Chap. 6.12 13. So that if you will seriously mind these Scriptures they do most evidently prove that the covenant of Circumcision made in the flesh or fleshly line of Abraham is a covenant of works and that which the Gospel or Covenant of grace is set in opposition to and as this covenant of Circumcision is set in opposition to the covenant of eternal life as having all the works of the Law included in it So consider the new covenant speaks thus I will put my Law in your hearts and in your minds will I write them But Circumcision is a covenant not in the heart but in the flesh only as you have heard This is the second ground why the covenant of Circumcision cannot be a covenant of eternal life but a covenant of works only The third reason to prove Circumcision to be a Covenant of works an not of eternal life 3. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works is Because that there is no promise of eternal life in it but of temporal blessings in the Land of Canaan and that God promising himself to be a God is only in that respect as to outward Protection and Provision in the Land of Canaan and other like privileges And that is noted by the Apostle in Heb.
infatuated and had no ears to hear his plain word They of this opinion do defend the contrary to what purpose should any man seek the conversion of any of Believers children whether formerly of the nation of the Jews or now the nations of the believing Gentiles seeing they are born heirs of a covenant of eternal life and so are in as good a state without conversion and believing and being born again as any other soul by believing and by new birth can be brought into This doctrine tends to justify the Rebellious Jews against John Baptist and against Christ the Sadduces and Pharisees came to Johns Baptism Matthew 3. Saith John O ye Generation of Vipers who hath forwarned you to fly from the wrath to come bring for 〈◊〉 fruits meet for repentance and think not to say within your selves we have Abraham to our Father John you see would have this people to be converted to intitle them to this covenant of Grace and so to baptism which is an Ordinance of the same covenant and not so much as think so erroneously as if being children to Abraham according to the flesh should intitle them to the same therefore saith he think not within your selves we have Abraham to our Father and we are his children according to the flesh and therefore we need not a work of conversion or true Repentance to intitle us to the privileges of the covenant such as was baptism And also in John 8.31 and forwards saith Christ unto some Jews unto whom he spake If you abide in my words then are you my Disciples indeed and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free and then you shall be free indeed They answered him We be Abrahams children and never were in bondage to any How sayest thou then We shall be made free Where you may observe these wicked obstinate Jews were of the same opinion that they were in a state of happiness good enough by generation by being Abrahams seed according to the flesh Jesus answereth Who so committeth sin is the servant of sin and the Servant abideth not in the house for ever We find Christ afterwards tells these Sons of Abraham that they were so far from being the adopted sons of God in a covenant of life that they were of their Father the Devil and these same persons Christ speaks to in verse the 24. telling them Except they believed Christ was he they should dy in their sins Christ was far from this opinion as to think that covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of life but he doth throughly reprehend them for this groundless confidence which error was the main obstacle that hindered the Jews from faith and repentance because they thought it intituled them to happiness enough to be of the stock of Abraham and to be born heirs of the covenant of Circumcision This very rotten opinion was to them one of the Devils sleights to lull them asleep in a carnal and unconverted condition they thought that needed not which thought of theirs had been true enough provided all the children of Abraham had by generation interest in the covenant of life which other men could have no interest in without regeneration But Christ you see presseth a necessity of conversion to these children of Abraham that at the present were as fully interessed in the covenant of Circumcision as Abraham himself even to Nicodemus which was a Ruler of the Jews Christ presseth a necessity thereof to him and also labours by a parable in Luke 16. to convince those sottish Jews that one might be the seed of Abraham according to the flesh and yet be irrecoverably damned and therefore he brings in the rich man in Hell speaking thus Father Abraham I pray thee send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool my tongue And Abraham is brought in owning him to be his Son speaking thus My Son remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things Where you may observe That the man in Hell irrecoverably damned owns Abraham to be his Father and Abraham also doth acknowledge him to be his Son My Son saith Abraham where you clearly see man may be a Son of Abraham and yet damned thou hadst thy good things in this life but Lazarus his evil things Ezekiel 18.9 10. where a just man is presupposed to beget a son that is a Robber and a Shedder of blood and that goes out in all manner of wickedness and that in Israel Wherein observe Abraham owns no other privilege belonged to the rich man by virtue of being the Son of Abraham but what was in this life or in this world Hell was his best portion in the world to come which if he had been born heir to the covenant of life how then could Abrahams affirmation have been true Beloved Let all ingenuous Spirits that are not willing to walk blind-fold consider how contrary to the whole tenor of the Gospel this opinion is and how destructive to this fundamental principle of the Gospel the necessity of Christ of Regeneration and destroys all sense of the necessity of conversion and helps to harden men to destruction as it did the blind Jews who as it appears were fully blinded in the receipt of that opinion that being Abrahams seed according to the flesh interessed them in happiness and eternal life Fourthly This opinion destroys the doctrine of the new covenant and the nature of it and the manner of Gods making of it with the soul for to make a new covenant with the soul is to write the Law of God in a mans heart and in his mind and to infuse saving knowledge and faith by which God unites the soul to himself and so pardons all his sins and without any condition considered in the creature binds over himself to be their God freely in Christ and binds over himself to own them to be his people And only thus and no otherwise is God said to make his new covenant with a poor soul Whereas this dream would seem to bear you in hand that a whole nation may be in a new covenant and have it made with them and yet have none of all this work wrought in their hearts Fifthly This opinion destroys the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ only seeing that it doth hold out another way than by faith to come to Justification which is by carnal birth of beleeving parents for if a soul be admitted into a Covenant of life I hope you are not ignorant that Justification is a great privilege in the new covenant and really the portion of all that are in that covenant Sixthly This opinion destroys the Doctrine and foundation of all Gospel Churches where it is held which will appear by two things First It destroys the matter of the Church you know that this is a fundamental truth that the matter of the Church ought now under the Gospel to be Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 Spiritual
was a National Election and a National rejection and he saith The Elder shall serve the younger this saying the Elder shall serve the younger is interpreted by Mal. 1. to be a loving of Jacob and a hating of Esau laying his Mountain wast that is his Church-power or privilege that he seemingly had expected to have been heir of and the loving of Jacob is meant the external electing Love into the covenant of Circumcision according to that in Deut. 7.7 Speaking thereof the whole Nation The Lord did not set his love upon you not chuse you because you were more in number than any people for you were the fewest of all people but because the Lord loved you This Election and this love is equal alike to the whole nation of Israel therefore so considered you must mind this is as I said before only an external election of Jacob and these in his lines into the National covenant of Circumcision as before in Genesis 18. he saith In Isaac shall thy seed be called the meaning as the 17. Chapter expounds is this that the seed in their Generations that God would continue the Covenant of Circumcision upon was that seed which was to come out of Isaac and not that which came out of Ishmael and the six Sons of Keturah none of them or their seed were to be of that great Nation which God promised to make of Abraham for the Lord saith to Abraham Gen. 18.18 I will make a mighty nation of thee Now by this Nation you must understand is meant the National Church taken into the Covenant of Circumcision whereas in the spiritual covenant all the Nations were to be blest in him and he is to be the Father of multitudes of Nations Gen. 12.3 17.4 5. but this Covenant of Circumcision must not relate to any but to those that came out of Isaac with his family and then those that came out of the Loins of Jacob with his Family though this be a true literal interpretation of these Texts and really the proper mind of God yet there is a mystical and spiritual sense pointed and driven at which Paul that infallible Apostle did clearly give out from those Texts in Romans 9. That as Isaac typed out Christ so this temporal seed elected in Isaac typed out this spiritual election in Christ the temporal seed in a temporal covenant elected in Jacob points out the choice of Christ and all his seed into a spiritual covenant So a spiritual election in these Texts was typed and figured out as the Apostle doth clearly maintain The Apostles not being the Ministers of the Letter but the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. but most true it is That Jacob and the whole Nation in him were elected into an outward Covenant and Esau and his seed were not but were refused and past by And consider now in the womb was Jacob and his posterity any more the seed of a Believer than Esau and his seed were Sure it is he was not Therefore away with that error taken for granted that the covenant of Circumcision was made to believers and their seed This covenant of Circumcision you may clearly see was not made to Abraham nor to his seed considered as a Believers but upon this ground or reason that the Messiah was to come of Abraham not of Lot the Messiah was to come out of Isaac and not of Ishmael nor of the six Sons of Keturah and Christ was to come out of Jacob and his posterity and not out of Esau Here you may nakedly see how greatly they mistake that think the covenant was made to Abraham and his seed considered as believers and believers seed If a National covenant was made with Abraham and his seed according to the flesh out of which flesh the Messiah was to come and that upon this reason then you cannot conclude that the covenant can belong to any Gentile and his seed but upon the same ground Therefore if you would tell where to find a Gentile now among many others that were to have Christ to come out of his loins according to the flesh then you would have the same ground to say that in like manner a Church covenant should run upon him and his seed untill Christ were come out of that flesh or line But when Christ was come and fully exhibited in the flesh then the ground upon which this Covenant was given being ceased To defend a Covenant of life entailed on the flesh is vertually to deny that Christ is come in the flesh the covenant also ceaseth Therefore for any man to go about to defend a covenant in the flesh it is a doctrine virtually denying that Christ is come and fully manifested in the flesh Therefore you may from all that hath been spoken draw this Conclusion That there was never a Covenant of eternal life made with any but with such as did and do believe all along till Christ not since Therefore see that objection answered that the spiritual privileges are not less under the Gospel than under the Law though we deny all the carnal Generation to have any right to the covenant of Grace or privileges thereof both then as well as now the offers and tenders of the Gospel we must confess were to that Nation and in that sense they were called the children of the Prophets and of the covenant Acts 3. and latter end and in that respect now the privileges are larger because all nations are in the same sense the children of the Prophets and of the covenant now since Christ came the Prophet and Minister of God having Commission now to publish the Gospel or new Covenant to all Nations None have right to the Covenant of Grace but such as are united to Christ by faith But further to prove that none have right to a covenant of Grace or life but such as had and have union with Christ by faith is most plain First Because as you have heard the new Covenant was confirmed of God in Christ only Gal. 3.17 And all the promises are in Christ Yea and Amen Therefore this Covenant cannot belong to any soul out of Christ because they are Yea and Amen in him 1 Cor. 11.25 This Cup is the New Testament in my blood saith Christ If the New Testament be in Christs blood then what hath any carnal or unbelieving wretch to do with this Testament that have not faith in his blood And further we do find in Matth. 3.17 the Lord saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased mark the words in whom then to be sure out of him he is not well pleased that is in respect to this especial well pleasedness or electing love in the covenant of life according to that in Ephesians 1.6 He hath made us accepted in the Beloved out of the beloved there can be no acceptation Therfore it is said God accepted Abel and his offering Gen. 4.4 The Author to the Hebrewe ch 11.4 tells you Abel by
as two covenants the one a conditional covenant of works the other of grace an absolute covenant as in the 4 5 6 7. verses of that 11. of the Romans and so the main drift here of the Apostle is to hold forth that though God did now cast off from being his Church the carnal seed that were only in the covenant of works this covenant standing no longer in force but growing old and vanishing away as in Heb. 8.13 in which covenant he chose this nation to himself yet nevertheless the Apostle doth affirm that God had a remnant that were elect that should be called of that natural seed of Israel even to the end though for the present the greatest part were hardened in unbelief So that when he saith the branches were broken off we are not to understand that such of them as related to Abraham as a Father or Root of Believers in a Covenant of grace were broken off For then we should hold falling away from and out of a Covenant of life which would be a gross error but the branches were broke off from the Root considered in that national covenant of Circumcision which was a Covenant of works that carnal people might really be in as you heard before This National Covenant now ceasing as I have shewed and being put an end to by Christ he becomming the substance of the same covenant and that being the partition wall at that time between Jews and Gentiles But the Apostle now affirms in Gal. 5.6 and 6.16 That Circumcision availeth not any thing nor Vncircumcision but a New Creature and Faith that worketh by Love therefore all of the Jews that believed not ceased to be members of Gods Church Because now Abraham is no way considered as a Father and a Root in the Gospel Church but as faithful and believing Abraham in a Covenant of eternal life therefore unbelief now cuts off the nation of the Jews Why had not unbelief cut them off many hundred years before The answer is plain for so long as the typical covenant of works stood in force Israel by being of that family or that generation whether they had faith or no or any appearance of grace or no were interessed in that covenant and in the privileges thereof But now when Christ was fully exhibited in the flesh and that covenant ceasing and the covenant of life now only remaining it becomes so that only those branches and that lump of believers the spiritual lump only remain in the Church whether Jews or Gentiles So that if you will seriously mind the scope and drift of the Apostle you shall see that the Lump and the Branches here intended must needs be holy because the First-fruits and Root are holy which is meant those of Gods spiritual elect of the Jews that he would call to the end of the world which since is confirmed in the 28. verse For saith the Apostle As concerning the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes meaning the Gentiles but as touching the election they are beloved for the Fathers sake Not as if God hated these rejected Jews for the sakes of these Gentiles properly or loved a certain number of the Jews for their fathers sake properly But thus for the Gospels sake they became enemies that is the Gospel promise or Covenant having as you have heard before respect to all Nations Gen. 12.3 Gen. 22.18 with Gal. 3.8 Now this Gospel Covenant being not capable to be divulged to all Nations so long as this external electing love to the Nation of the Jews was kept on foot in that Covenant of Circumcision being a partition-wall therefore this bond of favour and frendship being broken in this external covenant they came to be enemies because of the accomplishment of the promises of the Gospel to the Gentiles that those beloved elected of the Jews and ten Tribes even are beloved for their Fathers sake meaning for the promise sake made to their fathers concerning their calling which must needs be accomplished Isaiah 65.23 for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their off-spring with them meaning all such elected off-spring as this 11 of the Romans speaks of the calling For saith the Text As touching the election they were beloved for the Fathers sake so that for the promise sake made to their Fathers they shall in time be actually elected with an eternal electing love But to mind this Scripture further it makes exceedingly against any fleshly covenant running in the fleshly line of the Gentiles because that these words in verse the 20. to the 24. do declare that the Gentiles came to be Abrahams spiritual seed and so a branch of that stock only by faith in Christ that fat Olive For if you are Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heirs according to promise Gal. 3. last And as it is said the Gentiles are graffed into this stock or root of Abraham contrary to nature it must needs cut off such a conclusion as That all believing Gentiles seed shall come by nature into this Stock It being not only against the whole scope and drift of this place but against the express words which saith the Gentiles are graffed in contrary to nature and stand by faith and further that unbelief broke off the Jews Now this would be a strange riddle in my judgement first to conclude that the whole nation of the Jews were in a Covenant of eternal life and yet never had faith no not so much as visibly for the greatest part of them Secondly That they were broken off from a Covenant of eternal life and why because of unbelief And yet nevertheless believing Gentiles their unbelieving seed in the midst of his unbelief is grafted in This in substance is what is drawn from this text for proving a covenant in the flesh But let any impartially judge how much a shame it would be to wrest Scripture so contrary to the Scope and meaning For this chapter shews that there were two seeds two covenants one of Grace or the Gospel the other of works and that men could not obtain aright to this Gospel Covenant but by vertue of election and that meerly of grace the other covenant of works and the fleshly seed in this Covenant were broke off that is from any privilege comming from Abraham according to the flesh that fleshly covenant being put an end to by Christs being come in the flesh All unbelieving Jews upon that ground cease to be Gods Church much more unbelieving Gentiles for if unbelief broke off the Jew be sure it will as effectually keep out the Gentile as it is clear it doth because they stand by faith only and are graffed in contrary to nature and it is said the Jew if he abide not in unbelief shall be graffed in again From all which it is plain that there is no other way now under the Gospel to come into or stand in the house or Church of God but by faith neither for Iew nor
over into the River or water to hold forth That now he must resolve to take up the Cross of Christ and suffer and not only so but this being raised and delivered out of the water again by the hands of the Minister doth hold forth that so shall such believing souls be saved and delivered from all their afflictions as in Psal 34.17 Many are the Afflictions of the righteous but God shall deliver them out of all And that this doth sign or signify our salvation appears in 1 Pet. 3.21 the like figure wherunto Baptism doth now save us and Mark 16.16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved So that Baptism is to sign and confirm signally our Sufferings and Afflictions with Christ so Salvation or Deliverance from them all the one in dipping and plunging him in Water the other in Raising him out again Into whose name Baptism is administred The third thing that is essential in this Ordinance of Baptism which I shall speak to will be what is meant by name of Father Son and Holy Ghost The Command is That the Mininister must dip them into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost the which the Lord Jesus commanding must be therefore essential to this Ordinance I shall therefore endeavour to shew you what is meant by name here That by which Father Son and Spirit are made known as a man is by his Name that is hereto be understood by the name Father Son and Holy Ghost we know the Gospel doth hold forth one God yet distinquished into Father Son and Holy Ghost the name here is to be understood that Gospel that doth so set forth God and describe him as the Subject Matter of our Faith Acts 9.15 But the Lord said unto Ananias Go thy way for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and Children of Israel for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my names sake Now Name in this place and in the Commission is to be understood that heavenly mystery of the Gospel in which God is discovered and made known as a man by his name One part of the Gospel mystery consists of a Discovery of the name of the Father by which he is distinquishably made known from the Son and Spirit and that in these particulars First In ordaining the Son 1 Pet. 1.18 in choosing and electing the Son Isaiah 28.16 with 1 Pet. 2.5 in sending the Son Gal. 4.4 John 3.16 17 in sealing the Son John 6.27 in promising the Son Isaiah 9.6 in bruising the Son and putting him to grief Isaiah 53. and laying all our iniquities upon the Son and to justify and freely accept such as believe in the Son This I understand is the Name of the Father And by the Sons Name is to be understood that by which he makes known himself to the Sons and Daughters of men as to take Flesh Heb. 2.14 Rom. 9.5 1.3 He kept the Law in order to dy As that just one or as a Lamb without spot and his making his Soul an offering for sin as a perfect offering for the sins and transgressions of his people Heb. 10.12 14. Isa 53. and that he did not only dy for our Sins but rose again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 and ascended into Heaven and makes intercession for us Heb. 2.25 And pours down the Spirit and gives gifts unto men Zach. 12.10 Ephes 4.10 11 12. all this the Son makes himself known by as by a name distinguishably from the Father and the Spirit And in the last place the Spirit is made known in the Gospel as that which in the first place convinceth the world of sin John 16.8 and pricks men in their hearts with a sense of sin and the wrath of God due for sin Acts 2.37 29. And the work of the Spirit by which that is made known Is the revealing of the Father and the Son and those great Mysteries unto the soul of a poor convicted Sinner for as Christ saith the Spirit of God shall lead you into all truth it shall take of mine and shew it to you John 16. and so no man doth understand the things of a man but the Spirit of a man that is within him So none shall or can understand the things of God but by the Spirit of God for the Spirit of God searcheth out all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.9 10. The Spirit doth not only discover mans misery and his lost estate by reason of sin but discovers a remedy which lies in the great love of God in Christ as before mentioned and worketh in the heart true faith and repentance disposing the heart to obedience This is the proper work or office of the Spirit by which he is distinguishably known from the Father and the Son And now when the Soul shall come to the Preacher and make known to him that the Spirit hath experimentally made known unto him his lost and damnable estate by sin and that he same Spirit hath discovered unto him the great love of God the Father in the gift of Christ to be a propitiation for sin as one dying for the chief of Sinners and that the Spirit of God hath made known all this to him and hath wrought faith in his heart to believe it and hath changed his heart from a Course of sin to renewed obedience for no soul can declare to a Minister the true work of Conversion but he must in so doing discover his knowledge of the work of the Father Son and Spirit and into this doth the Minister baptize him as in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And thus much for these three particulars In the fourth place The subâ—ect of Baptism we shall now come to the Subject that must be baptized and that as you have heard is one that is taught Teach all Nations baptizing them and as my Text saith Repent and be baptized every one of you which doth hold forth the person baptized to be a taught and repentant person But seeing the main thing in question hath alwaies seemed to be the Subject of Baptism who it is that is to be baptized this I shall therefore most insist upon wherein I shall endeavour to make plain to you first as I say that he is to be a believer a penitent person as appears Mark 16.16 Go preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved where observe That believing the Gospel is to go before baptizing and Matthew 28.19 Teach all Nations Faith and Repentance go before baptism baptizing or dipping them What them them that are taught or made Disciples by teaching and in my Text you find that Peter after Christ had poured down the Spirit upon them doth by that authority received from heaven when he had converted those Jews command every one of them to be baptized or dipped Repent and be baptized
grace in Christ Jesus the Mediator without all condition of works to be fulfilled in the creature I shall make it clear That God no otherwise gives himself in the covenant of Circumcision but conditionally 1. Argument to prove Circumcision a covenant of Works which is the first argument that I shall use to prove the covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of works not a covenant of eternal life because it is conditional what God promiseth to be or to give to Abraham and his fleshly seed in their generations it was upon a condition that Abraham and his seed should keep his covenant on their parties as clearly appears Gen. 17.7 8 to verse 14. where you find the Lord engageth himself to Abrahamn and his fleshly seed to be their God and to give them the whole Land of Canaan In that sense he would be their God to possess them of that good land and all the blessings of the same upon condition that they should keep his covenant on their part both he and his generation after him And the subject matter of the covenant that they should keep is That he should be circumcised and circumcise all born in his house and bought with money But though Circumcision only be here mentioned yet all the works of the Law at that time made known to Abraham are there included as the Apostle expounds it who best understood that Scripture Rom. 2.25 For Circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the Law but if thou be a breaker of the Law thy circumcision shall be made uncircumcision and so you have it Gal. 5.1 2 3. Stand fast saith the Apostle in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoke of bondage which in Acts 15. it is said Neither they nor their Fathers were able to bear but verse 2. Behold I Paul say unto you That if you be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for I testify again to every man that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law And so much is clearly held forth in Gal. 6.12 13. Where saith the Apostle As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only least they should suffer persecution for the Cross of Christ for neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the Law but desire you to be circumcised that they may glory in your flesh Where you may observe That for men to be circumcised themselves and not to keep the Law or otherwise to press it upon others the Apostle holds it to be absurd if withall they did not keep the Law that were thus circumcised And in the Text before quoted it is clear That Circumcision in the nature of it binds them over to keep the Law And to this purpose you find in Acts 15. There were certain Teachers that taught the Brethren That except they were circumcised they could not be saved Upon which the Apostles come together and in the 10. verse Peter saith Why tempt you God to lay a yoke upon the Disciples necks which neither our Fathers nor we are able to bear And what was this yoke but that they were to be circumcised and to keep the Law So that Circumcision was that which did comprehend under it the covenant of works or the yoke of bondage that Paul in Gal. 5.1 2 3. bids Christians stand fast in their liberty or freedom from that covenant or yoke of bondage which Jesus Christ had freed them from So that you may see that all the observation of the Law which we are set at liberty from by Christ Jesus his death was included in the Law of Circumcision So that in effect here you have the covenant Abraham as if God should say I will be a God to thee and to thy seed after thee in their generations to protect defend and deliver thee to bless thee and thy seed with the blessing of Canaan to bless thee and the fruit of thy womb in the Basket and in their store in all their outward blessings upon condition that thou and they will be circumcised and keep the Law Thus God makes a covenant upon condition So that if they fail on their part then he is left at liberty to fail on his part as that notable expression in Jer. 11.2 3 4 5. Hear the word of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and say thou unto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded unto your Fathers when I brought them from the Land of Egypt from the Iron Fornace saying Obey my voice and do according to all these things which I command you so shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I might confirm the Oath that I have sworn unto your Fathers to give them a Land which floweth with Milk and Honey as appeareth this day Whence you may clearly observe That God gives himself to be their God and the blessing of Canaan upon condition that they would keep the Law So shall ye be my people and I will be your God Now you must mind that Abraham had a new covenant of life made with him when he was 75. years old Gen. 12.4 which was 24. years before this time that he had the covenant of Circumcision and his happiness with all his spiritual seed was and is in that absolute covenant confirmed of God in Christ which stands in force still to believers in all Nations But this covenant of Circumcision was conditional and not absolute therefore no covenant of life but a covenant of works 2. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of works The second ground why the covenant of Circumcision must needs be a covenant of Works a Typical covenant is because it was a National covenant a covenant in the flesh as in Gen. 17.13 He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised so my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting Covenant To be sure such is not the covenant of grace to eternal life for that was confirmed of God in Christ as you hear to all Nations In thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 12.3 and in thy seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 22.18 as I have formerly spoken to But the Lord saith of this Covenant of Circumcision that it shall be in their flesh for an everlasting covenant It is manifest by the Apostle Paul that this is therefore a covenant of Works Rom. 4.1 2 saith he What shall we say then that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found for if Abraham was justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God These words are inserted by the Apostle Paul for the prevention of an objection that might justly be in the mind
8.6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent Ministery by how much also he is a Mediator of a better covenant which was established upon better promises Herein he clearly doth shew that the covenant waxing old and vanishing away was grounded upon worse promises which must needs be understood temporal promises as in Jerem. 11.2 3 4 5. Hear ye the words of this Covenant and speak unto the men of Judah and Inhabitants of Jerusalem and say unto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant which I commanded your Fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt from the Iron Furnace saying Obey my voice and do them according to all which I command you So shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I may perform the Oath that I have sworn unto your Fathers to give them a Land flowing with milk and honey as it is this day then answered I and said So be it O Lord. Where you have this Covenant of Gods being his peoples God and giving them Canaan annexed to the works of the Law as being all one covenant Observe the words in the Text So shall ye be my people and I will be your God that I may perform the Covenant which I have sworn to your Fathers to give them a Land flowing with Milk and Honey You shall see that the promises of Canaan and the blessings thereof are annexed to the Law of works Deut. 30.15 See I have set before thee life and good and death and evil In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God to walk in his waies and to keep his commandments and Statutes and his Judgements that thou mayst live and multiply and the Lord thy God shall bless thee in the Land whither thou goest to possess it And so in the last verse where he presseth the people to obey his voice that they might dwell in the Land that the Lord sware unto their Fathers to Abraham Isaac and Jacob to give them And so in Deut. 7.12 13. Wherefore it shall come to pass that if you hearken to those Judgements to keep and do them that then the Lord shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy that he sware to thy Fathers and he will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee he will also bless thee in the fruit of thy womb and the fruit of thy Land thy Corn and thy Wine and thine Oyl the increase of thy Kine and the flock of thy Sheep in the Land which he sware unto thy Fathers to give thee So that you see the covenant of God giving himself a God to the National people of the Jews in relation to the blessing of Canaan was still upon obedience to the works of the Law that this covenant which God elected to himself the body of Israel in and by which he seperated them to himself from all the Nations of the Earth it is clear was a covenant of works wherein the people were bound to outward observance and worship and service to God Upon this Condition would God be their God and give them Canaan For there is a vast difference in Gods making over himself to be a God to a People in a conditional covenant of Works out of Christ and in an absolute covenant established of God in Christ For in such a covenant he was never the God of the whole family of Abraham or Church of Israel the elect obtained that the rest were hardned as in Rom. 11.17 4. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works The fourth ground is this That a man by laying out a little money might have brought a Person into this Covenant and interessed him thereby into all the Privileges of the same which if this were a covenant of life wherein the Spirit and Spiritual gifts of the Lord had been given a man might say as Peter did say to Symon Magus Thy money perish with thee But for that reason most certain it is That this covenant of Circumcision is no spiritual covenant which will appear from the words of the Covenant in Gen. 17.12 13. And he that is eight daies old shall be circumcised among you every man child in your Generations he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger which is not of thy seed He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant Where observe That all bought with money must be circumcised so that if an Israelite should buy a black Moor or the most savage Heathen in the World he was bound to see him circumcised and being circumcised he was now in that covenant The truth is Circumcision was one of those carnal Ordinances that the Author to the Hebrews in Heb. 9.9 doth speak of that was appointed till the time of Reformation Now the person which the Lord would have circumcised must be of the family of Abraham and that is all the qualifications required For God doth not require a person so and so spiritually qualified as he doth now under the Gospel the Lord gives in general a Law and Commandment unto Abraham That all his Family must be circumcised and that he must see it performed It is not in the institution enjoined that the person that doth circumcise must be a believer neither is it enjoined that the person upon whom it is done must have Disciple-ship or the work of grace but this only He must be one of the Family of Abraham either born in his house or bought with his money and so the slave bought with money was as truly interessed into the covenant of God and the right of eating the Passeover as one born in the house of the seed of Abraham A fifth ground is this 5. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of Works That men out of this Covenant might be saved and such as were really interessed in it might be damned As for Example Lot dwelling in the City of Sodom and all the Godly that day in the whole world excepting Abraham and his house or family were no way interessed in the Covenant of Circumcision yet were saved And Israel who for the multitude of them were as the Sand on the Sea-shore and interessed in this Covenant yet but a Remnant of them were saved as Isai 10.23 Lot is commended to be a just and righteous man and yet this covenant was never made to him nor his seed and posterity the Ammonites and Moabites which were as truly the seed and children of a believer as the seed of Abraham were So you find Job in the Land of Vz in the Book of Job and his four friends and besides those of Jobs friends one of his friends doth intimate several other antient and godly persons in those times as Job 8.8 10. Joh 15.10 For
of works a poor creature truly interessed in that covenant might break it forfeit his interest and be cast out and rejected out of that covenant from amongst his people as is clearly confirmed in Isaiah 50.1 Thus saith the Lord where is the Bill of your Mothers Divorcement which I have put away or to which of my Creditors have I sold you behold for your iniquities have you sold your selves and for your transgressions is your Mother put away Now beloved a divorce argues a breach and forfeiting the covenant which the body of all Israel was in and we know all along the National covenant was that of Circumcision and they that know in the least measure the nature of the covenant of Grace cannot but know it to be such a covenant out of which a soul cannot be divorced from the Lord. But some may say There are many that are visibly in a covenant of Grace now under the Gospel and yet may be cast out from Gods people yet it followeth not but that it is a covenant of Grace and so then they might be visibly in a covenant of Grace and yet be rejected Answ Persons may now profess to be in Christ and so in a covenant of Grace by an outward profession but this being barely a profession and not in truth in them that profess the same they profess they were in that which in truth they never were For under the Gospel we have no infallible rule to know who is in the covenant of Grace and who not because we have only the confession of themselves who may deceive themselves and us But we have an infallible Rule to judge That Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the seed forward in their Loins or their generations were in this covenant of Circumcision and therefore it is a great mistake for any to evade what hath been said upon such a groundless objection Now consider That it is that great and faithful God that saith and professeth Abrabam his seed and family after him from Jacob forward were in this covenant with him But now it is only poor unfaithful Man hypocritical dissembling proud man that saith he is in the Covenant of life when it proves not so or when it visibly proves the contrary for Saints have a Rule to disown such But this is a most certain truth that God did never put a soul away and make a divorce between himself and any one Soul in a covenant of life and it is as certain that the whole Church of Israel were in reality and truth in the covenant of Circumcision as appears in Gen. 17.10 11. where Abraham and those born in his house are to be circumcised And so Psalm 105.9 10.11 which covenant he made with Abraham and his oath with Isaac and confirmed the same to Jacob by a Law and to Israel for an everlasting covenant saying Vnto thee have I given the Land of Canaan the Lot of your inheritance Now it would plentifully appear if further proof needed That God his own self testifyeth his making and entering into covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and their seed forward therefore let no man please himself with such a poor groundless objection That the family of Israel were only visibly or in the judgement of Charity in the covenant of Circumcision as Hypocrites are now in the Covenant of Grace For there is nothing more clear than this that Israel were in truth and reality in the covenant of Circumcision expressed by the Mouth of God himself and nothing more certain that Israel were never all of them so much visibly in the covenant of grace For if it were necessary I could multiply places of Scripture to prove the most part of Israel visibly unbelievers living in those manifest fruits of the flesh as Drunkenness Swearing Lying Whoring Stealing Covetousness and palpable Ignorance without faith and knowledge shedding of blood All these notorious sins were constantly in the greatest part of the Church of Israel that they neighed as fed Horses after their Neighbours wives and were given to oppression and horrid Idolatrie All these sins being such manifest fruits of the flesh that such as live in them the Apostle saith cannot enter into the Kingdom of Christ and of God but are visibly the children of the Devil Therefore to say the whole body of Israel were visibly godly and so visibly in the covenant of Grace that is a most gross mistake they were really in the outward National covenant of Circumcision but not the generality so much as visibly in the Gospel covenant of life For it could not be denyed but that those Jews in the 8. chapter of John verse 30. and so forward were Abrahams children interessed in the covenant of works yet Christ is far from concluding their right to the covenant of Sonship the heavenly adoption but rather in that respect concludeth They are of their Father the Devil whose works they did they being Lyars as he was from the beginning and enemies to Christ as the Devil was therefore he excludes them from being the children of God so that the main mass of blindness and darkness lying upon mens minds is this they mix and confound the two covenants made to Abraham the one a spiritual heavenly covenant made to him as a Father of the faithful and to those only who walk in the steps of faithful Abraham and the temporal covenant of Circumcision to the seed according to the flesh frō Jacob forward and those joining themselves to that family So then in a word the covenant of Circumcision must needs be a covenant of works and not of eternal life because it might be broken which the covenant of eternal life cannot be 7. Argument to prove Circumcision a Covenant of works The seventh ground to prove the covenant of Circumcision not to be a covenant of Grace is That if we maintain the covenant of Circumcision to be a covenant of Grace to eternal life therein we overthrow many fundamental points of Religion which is a strong ground to prove it is not of Grace but an outward typical covenant For it is impossible that such understanding of Scripture which crosseth plain fundamental points of religion can be true Now for to give you some example for this First you must needs confess that the covenant of Circumcision was made to Abraham and his seed after him in their generations Gen. 17.7 from Isaac and Jacob forward So that being born in the house or Family of Israel or being bought with the money of one of the Israelites interessed a person in that covenant he coming forth of that line was born heir to that covenant and the privileges of the same Now consider To say that the covenant of Grace is entailed on the flesh overthroweth the main fundamental points of our Religion That the chief and precious privileges of the covenant of grace are adoption or Son-ship Justification and the inward work of sanctification all which privileges
Worshippers John 4.23 Lively Stones 1 Pet. 2.5 Such as are redeemed from their vain conversation 1 Pet. 1.18 Such brought out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Now this error destroys the truth or opposeth it self against the truth of God lying in all these Scriptures it brings in the nation of believers all born of their body their seeds seed in their generation if you will be faithful to this principle whereon this seems to be grounded For the covenant of Circumcision was not only to the next generation immediately flowing from Abraham But to thy seed after thee in their generations And we see in that generation in Christs time they were as well called Abrahams seed as Isaac himself was and they did call Abraham their father Therefore if the covenant of Circumcision shall be mans patern we must necessarily have a Church that is national consisting of succeeding generations for many hundred years coming out of believing persons loins and so set up the partition-wall again between the natural branches and those that are wild by nature So that this tenet doth of necessity destroy the true matter of a Church because it unavoidably admits into the Church all the unconverted and unregenerate children born of the bodies of such persons that either are or have been accounted believers And as it destroys the matter of a Church in admitting such that are not made Disciples so it occasions such as do believe remaining in that opinion to live in that sin of neglect of the Lords Baptism contenting themselves with that counterfeit of Baptism which they had in their infancy So that this evil opinion occasions the constitution of a Church or Congregation of good and bad promiscuously and all these unbaptized both the good and the bad and what light in the Gospel have you to justifie such an Assembly to be the true Church of Christ that doth consist of some Religious people in the Judgement of Charity and a world of carnal children admitted and received in among them and all both the carnal and the religious never baptized with the Lords baptism I do deny such an Assembly can be owned an orderly Church of Christ Thus you see what a great error this is that opposeth it self against so many fundamental points of the Gospel But may some say though we receive in children by baptism into our Church we do not admit them unto the Supper The Question is when you will admit them See what an untroden path you are run into Do you own your children to be in a covenant of Grace and eternal life and inrighted into the privileges of the same and is Baptism the privilege of the new Covenant and not the Supper also if it be how dare you keep them from their right and privilege I pray you how long did the Apostles baptize their members before they admitted them to the Supper If you look in Acts 2.41 42. you shall find so many as gladly received the word of God were baptized and presently they continued in the Apostles doctrine Fellowship breaking of Bread and prayer as soon as they were baptized Therefore you have no ground at all upon any pretence to suspend such members that you own privileged in all the Ordinances of God from the Supper which you have received into your Church by your supposed baptism Thus you may see what horrible Consequences flow naturally from maintaining a Covenant of eternal life in the flesh Seventhly This opinion defends another gross error That persons may have right to a covenant of life without union or in-being in Christ by faith it is a sad thing that souls that profess knowledge In the Gospel and to be preachers of the same should be so blinded thus to mislead people in so weighty a point as this is and that should endeavour to leaven thousands of poor people with such a sad error that opposeth it self against the very substance of the Gospel in holding all the whole Nation of Israel to be in a covenant of eternal life and also the carnal children of believing parents among the Gentiles though they had no union by faith in Christ the greatest part of them I come to the third thing which is to prove that the covenant of eternal life The third general general head never was nor shall be made with any but such as believe or such as are in Christ and for the better clearing of that you must understand that as soon as the seed of the woman was promised to wit Christ Jesus which was the whole of the new covenant all promises being Yea and Amen Somewhat offered to prove that God presently upon the Fall made an outward carnal covenant entailed upon the flesh and spiritual and heavenly blessings being given in him this being one main point then to be made known to the Sons of men that he must come out of the woman You must I say understand that the Lord did presently make an outward covenant which was typical intailed upon the flesh out of which the Messiah should come But I must confess this is not held forth so clearly till the time of Abraham nor then so clear as it was afterwards by the hands of Moses But it is clear to me that in substance the same covenant of Ceremonial obedience which was given to Moses when the people came out of Aegypt the same was given to Adams generation upon the promise of Christ which was to go on in the fleshly line out of which Christ was to come and this to continue till he did come in the flesh and then to cease The reason that induceth me thus to judge is this I find Cain and Abel at the end of the year of daies bring their sacrifice and the one brought the first lings of the flock and the fat thereof Thus did God command the same things to Israel by Moses Exod. 34.19 13.12 13. And you see Cain brought the first fruits of the ground and we find this delivered by Moses as part of the covenant to the Jews in Deut. 18.4 26.2 for saith the Lord Thou shalt bring of all the first fruits of the Earth which thou shalt bring of thy Land that the Lord thy God gives thee Micah 7.1 Levit. 2.12 14. Pro. â— 19 Though ye do not here see from what rule Cain and Abel did thus do yet we must take for granted they had it from God how else could Abel have performed his worship acceptably if he had not a ground to do it by faith and it is certain he did it in faith therefore had he rule for the same as Hebrews 11.4 And we find that in that time there was a distinction of clean and unclean Beasts that went into the Ark. Now what cleanness or uncleanness is here meant is by virtue of a Law for certainly that Law which God gave to forbid such beasts and creatures was that which made one clean and not
Faith offered a more acceptable or excellent Sacrifice than Cain by which he obtained witness that he was righteous So by Faith in the promised seed he came to be righteous and accepted of God as you have heard in Ephes 1.3 God hath blest us with all spiritual and heavenly blessings in Heavenly things in Christ Jesus Therefore no heavenly or spiritual blessing can belong to any out of Christ for as in Adam all dy so in Christ shall all be made alive There is none made alive but those that are in Christ for the wicked mens resurrection is not said to be to life but to damnation 1 Cor. 15. â—1 with John 5.28 29. And therefore in thee shall all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Gen. 18.18 must imply thus much that out of Christ the true seed all the Nations should be accursed Gen. 12.3 with 22.18 Gal. 3.8 I must confess it is a sad thing that at such a time of the world as this where the means of grace and knowledge of the Gospel hath been so plentifully held forth that we must be forced to bestow such pains to prove that men cannot be in a State of salvation and acceptation before God in a covenant of grace without union in Christ by Faith But howsoever considering that the Apostle saith There is no other name under heaven by which we can be saved but by the name of Jesus and a particular faith in him Acts 4.12 and therefore Peter saith in John 6.69 Whether shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life he is the way the truth and the life John 14.6 There is none can come into the Fathers love and mercy nor into the covenant of life or any spiritual privilege but by him he is the narrow way that leads to life and few there be that find it as Matth. 7.14 therefore saith the Apostle He that hath Christ hath life but he that hath not Christ hath not life but all the carnal unbelieving children from the foundation of the world unto this day have not Christ therefore not life that is to say nor the covenant of life nor the justification of life which every man must needs have that is in that covenant of life We find that all the Patriarchs and holy men of God by faith and patience inherited the promises and not by generation Heb. 6.12 and 11.12 therefore sprang there even of one and him as good as dead so many as the Stars in the sky for multitude and as the Sand which is by the Sea shore innumerable these all dyed in Faith This text speaks of that spiritual and believing seed of Abraham which he considered as believing and faithfull Abraham was the Father of according to Gen. 15.5 6. so shall thy seed be Secondly It further appears that the covenant of eternal life was never made with any but such as believe because all unbelievers both of Jews and Gentiles are charged under sin Romans 3.9 and have the wrath of God abiding on them John 3. last Yea though of the seed of Israel and children of that covenant of Circumcision to them Christ saith Except ye believe that I am he you shall dy in your sins John 8.24 And the Gospel tells the national Church of the Jews John 3.18 That those of them that beleeved not were condemned already because they believed not in the only begotten Son of God Which clearly proves that none of them were in a covenant of life by Generation for if they had then the want of conversion would not have damned them nor left them in a state of damnation Further doth not Christ himself call and account the unbelieving Jews the world when he saith to his disciples If you were of the world the world would love his own but because you are not of the world but I have chosen you out of the world therefore the world hates you And this world that Christ chuseth his disciples out of and that hated his disciples as they had formerly hated him are but the Nation of the Jews that were in that covenant of Circumcision which plainly proves that all unbelievers in that nation were the world and therefore not in a covenant of Grace And again it must needs be so because the Apostle saith in Romans 4.16 therefore is it of Faith that it might be by Grace to the end that the promise might be sure to all the seed Observe from the Text if the promise or covenant or any spiritual privilege should be intailed upon the flesh or conveyed any way then by Faith it could not be by Grace And again Faith is the first differencing Grace to difference Gods peopl from all other Acts 15.9 and put no difference between us and them purifying their hearts by faith therefore it is impossible the covenant of grace can be made to any other but such as have faith And again I find none counted the Spiritual seed of Abraham unto whom the covenant of life belongs but them that are in Christ by faith as Gallat 3.28 29. There is neither Jew nor Gentile there is neither Bond nor Free neither Male nor Female for you are all one in Christ Jesus and if you be in Christ then are you Abrahams seed and heirs according to the promise and so Rom. 4.14 If they which were of the Law be heirs Faith is made void and the promise made of none effect meaning thereby the Covenant of Circumcision as appears in ver 10. 11. and so in Romans 9.7 8. Not because they are the seed of Abraham are they all children but in Isaac shall thy seed be called that is they which are the children of the flesh they are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed Where you see that the Apostle doth deny that seed of Abraham that were only his children according to the flesh to be the spiritual seed but such as are born of promise or begotten by promise they are accounted for the seed chosen in him and united to him by Faith These were pointed and figured out by the National and Temporal seed that came out of the Loins of Isaac those Souls there born in the house and bought with money were in the outward covenant and privileges but these regeneate and born again by promise are the Heavenly seed So the heavenly generation are such only born from above and this is that the Psalmist speaks of in Psalm 22.30 A seed shall serve him and it shall be accounted to him for a generation For the Temporal Israel and the typical Election of them into the temporal covenant did point out this Spiritual Election in a Spiritual Covenant confirmed of God in Christ Jesus Further it appears that none but such as believe are in a covenant of Grace because without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11 6. therefore Abel by faith had his person and his offering accepted Gen. 4.4 but
Gentile and so far is the Apostle free from concluding that the Gentiles come in by nature that he affirms the contrary that he is graffed in contrary to nature Plainly holding forth that all both Iews and Gentiles in a state of unbelief were excluded from those privileges For as before hath been proved the ground upon which the covenant of Circumcision was made unto Abraham and his seed according to the flesh was not because he was a believer but because Christ was to come of that line according to the flesh If you could find out any Gentile under the Gospel out of which the Messiah should come according to the flesh then there were the same reason and ground that an external typical covenant should run in his line or flesh till the Messiah were fully exhibited But I hope none will be such an Anti-christ so highly to deny Christ come in the flesh seeing Paul saith Henceforth we know no man after the flesh for saith he We have known Christ after the flesh but henceforth we know him so no more That men were known that is approved as privileged persons in Gods Church by being in that covenant intailed in the flesh of Abraham viz. that covenant of Circumcision But from henceforth we know no man no not Christ himself should be minded as standing interessed in that covenants he being now known to be one receiving a more excellent ministery than the Ministry of Circumcision a better covenant grounded upō better promises Heb. 8.6 7. the following words confirm this Exposition Therfore if any man be in Christ he is a new Creature old things pass away and all things become new compared with Gal. 6.15 It is not Circumcision availeth any thing c. therefore we are not now to know men according t the flesh No not Christ as come in the the flesh circumcised and by virtue of that privileged in the Church But we are now to know him as fully exhibited and as before a Minister of a better covenant grounded upon better promises So that this 11. chapter of the Romans doth so little serve to countenance the covenant of eternal life to run in the flesh that it exceedingly makes against it cuts it up by the Roots affirming no other of the Gentiles or their seed to be graffed into this stock or root but contrary to nature which he expounds to be by faith Therefore take the whole drift and scope of that place and you shall have two seeds two covenants a certain select number out of those that were in the old Covenant elected into the new covenant the rest of all the body of Israel in that old Covenant were blinded and hardened and never obtained an interest into the new Covenant And when Jesus Christ the Substance of the old Covenant was come then that ceasing and now but one covenant remaining the covenant of Gods Church it s of necessity only believers and spiritual seed now can remain in the Church Hereupon all the unbelieving seed of Jews and Gentiles are utterly excluded out from the Church and Church-privileges which never was so long as an old external covenant stood in force The next Scripture Text An answer to that text 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. brought in for defence of the Covenant in the flesh is 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3. verses Moreover Brethreen I would not have you ignorant how that all our Fathers were under the Cloud and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and did all eat of that spiritual meat and drink of that spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. This is another Scripture which is made use of to prove a Covenant of Salvation to run in the flesh But beloved the drift of the Apostle here is as it is throughout the Scripture to give out the mystery and substance that shadows typed out to come according to that in 2 Cor. 3. We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit meaning that the main thing which the Apostles did hold forth in their Ministery when they had to do with types and shadows was to set forth the substance or Spirit or heavenly things that was pointed at and so here Beloved know this that these were all types and ceremonies here spoke of belonging to the carnal Jew therefore saith the Apostle They were all baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea He doth not say they were all baptized into Christ but unto Moses which is a main passage I would present to you You must understand Moses was a solemn type he was a Saviour to save them out of the Land of Egypt their present bondage into Canaan He was a Mediator of that temporal covenant Gal. 3.19 and in this did Moses type out Christ the temporal Covenant did type out the spiritual and heavenly covenant and the temporal Israel did type out the spiritual Israel This temporal redemption of Israel out of Egypt into Canaan typed out the spiritual redemption from sin Bondage the World and Devil into that heavenly Canaan The Covenant that Moses was the Mediator of you have heard was the covenant of Circumcision which is before cleared to be a Covenant of works delivered in substance to Abraham but after committed by writing to Moses as Act. 15.1 where the Teachers did command them to be circumcised and keep the Law after the manner of Moses compared with John 7.22 Moses therefore gave unto you Circumcision not because it is of Moses but of the Father In Acts 15.1 It is said by the false Teachers That except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses they could not be saved Those Teachers were of the same opinion with these in our daies who hold that the Covenant of Circumcision was a Covenant of life and therefore concluded such persons out of it could not be saved their conclusion was doubtless answerable to the premisses For if that Circumcision had been as they judged it a Covenant of eternal life then 〈◊〉 of it none could have been saved Therefore it is said in the 5. verse Certain of the Sects of the Pharisees that believed did say it was needfull to Circumcise them and to command them to keep the Law of Moses And in the tenth verse it is said Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the necks of the Disciples which neither our fathers nor we are able to bear which was the Covenant of Circumcision which on Gods part was the promise of the Land of Canaan with all the good things thereof and the external privileges as protection and preservation And on their parts they were bound to keep the Law therefore you shall find that Ezra and Nehemiah entered into an oath and a curse with the people then to keep this covenant on their part as that Nation were bound to do And this was that Covenant which the false
Teachers perswaded the Gallatians to be a Covenant of life and that they could not be saved without it which covenant the Apostle Paul called the flesh in Gal. 3.3 meaning that Covenant which God had established in their flesh for an everlasting Covenant as he so calls it Gen. 17.13 This shall be my Covenant in your flesh saith the Lord for an everlasting Covenant Therefore saith Paul in Rom. 4.1 What shall we say that Abraham our Father as appertaining to the flesh hath found if Abraham were justified by works Mark his Exposition of that Covenant appertaining to the flesh to be a Covenant of works which in â—â—e 10. verse he clears to be Circumcision in opposition to that Gospel promise which Abraham had before he was circumcised and so he doth all along in that Chapter Herein the 3. of Gal. he doth set the Covenant of grace and that of works in opposition the one he calls the Spirit the other flesh which he most evidently explains in Chap. 5.1 2 3. where saith he Stand fast in that liberty which Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoake of bondage Here observe again that he calls it as Peter doth Acts 15.10 a yoke of bondage which is evident that they were set at freedom and liberty from as that which was abolished and they freed from as a yoak which neither they nor their Fathers were able to hear as appears in Gal. 5.1 2 3. Behold I Paul say to you if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Nay in v. 3. For I testify to every one that is circumcised that he is a Debtor to do the whole Law and in ver 4. He sets it in opposition to the covenant of grace and this is explained more in Gallatians chap. 6.12 13. verses Now all this considered you may clearly see the Covenant of Circumcision made to Abraham and his seed in their Generation that he would give them Canaan with the blessings thereof and in that sense be their God to protect preserve and externally to privilege them with the means of grace and tenders of the Gospel and the external blessings of Canaan upon condition they would be circumcised and keep the Law All these things are typical this deliverance out of Egypt typing out the deliverance out of Hell That temporal Israel after the flesh that were redeemed out of Egypt typed out the spiritual Israel that were redeemed out of the spiritual bondage and as before hath been said Moses then a temporal Redeemer Mediator or Saviour typed out Christ the spiritual Mediator and Saviour therefore in the 1 Cor. 10.6 The Apostle tells us these were our figures or types So this being premised we have the sense of the Text here plain that as the spiritual disciple or Israelite when he believes and confesseth his faith thereby shewing his interest in Jesus Christ is baptized into Christ Jesus the Mediator of that Covenant which he is in by faith So the temporal Israel by birth or being bought with money or cohabitation in that family of Israel comming to have a right to the Covenant of Circumcision whereof Moses was the Mediator they were likewise baptized unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea that being as real a confirmation to them of the temporal deliverance from Egypt into Canaan by the hand of Moses as our baptism is a confirmation to the spiritual Israel of their spiritual deliverance by Jesus their Mediator from death and condemnation to eternal life And whereas the Apostle calls that meat spiritual meat and that drink spiritual drink he here speaks figuratively as before affirmed Not that the Manna eaten by the whole Nation of Israel was in it self spiritual but it was a figure of the spiritual bread therefore Christ saith to the Jews in John 6.32 33. Verily verily I say unto you Moses gave you not that bread from heaven but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven Observe that word Giveth not did give but giveth for the bread of God is that which cometh down from heaven and giveth life to the world And therefore saith he My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven that is the substance of that shadow and so that rock was Christ meaning a figure or type of Christ What is all this Beloved to the proving of a Covenant of life running in the flesh either then or now to the Gentiles under the Gospel seeing it is clear that all these Ordinances as the Apostle calls them Heb. 9. Carnal Ordinances did type out or figure out spiritual and substantial things For their sacrifices for sin typed out Christ but they were not Christ and their typical remissions which they had by their sacrifice That remission I say which the whole body of Israel had by offering up their sin-offering can be understood to be no other but typical A man might be under that typical Remission and yet ne under the wrath of God and be damned and a poor Gentile at the utmost part of the Earth believing as Rahab did in Canaan as truly justified though he had none of this typical remission and none of these before mentioned figures so that we conclude the whole Nation of the Jews had not a covenant of eternal life in the flesh made unto them though they had a temporal typical covenant as I have all along called it that is consisting of such Laws and privileges that had not Christ in them but did point at him to come therefore they are called in Heb. 9. Patterns of Heavenly things but not the very things themselves They are called by the Apostle Beggarly Elements or Rudiments of the World or a School-master to lead to Christ The Jews literal obedience to the Law typing out the obedience to faith Deut. 30.12 13 14. with Rom. 10. from v. 6. to the 10. ver Now beloved the literal obedience in it self performed by the carnal Jew though it figured out the substantial obedience viz. faith in Christ and though the Rest in Canaan typed out the spiritual Rest in Christ yet I hope no man will be so absurd but he will confess that this litteral obedience it was not the spiritual obedience and that this rest in Canaan it was but a shadow of that rest in Christ not the very rest it self But some may say so of baptism and the Supper that these are the signs of inward and spiritual things but it doth not follow that these are the spiritual things Beloved Observe warily for here lies the ground of this great mistake the want of distinguishing between these figures that type out Christ to come and these Sacramental signs that do confirm and ratifie his being already come Those typical signs and figures then which typed out Christ to come did properly belong to that typicall seed the body of Israel that typed out the spiritual seed to come But now these signs I say these Sacramentall signs that are instituted
since Christ came for the confirming he is come these belong only to the spiritual seed in whom Christ is come already dwelling in their hearts by faith Therefore as Christ is a spiritual and substantial Mediator of a Substantial and spiritual covenant so these spiritual Administrations of the spiritual covenant belong only to such as are in Christ and this new Covenant by faith and that have Christ dwelling in them as hath been before in the former part of my discourse manifested In the new Testament Faith and Repentance are required of them that are to be baptized Here is Water what letteth If thou believest with all thy heart it is lawful Acts 8.38 implying it was unlawful to baptize any that did not believe with all their heart at least in profession And so when Christ dispenseth the Supper He commands it to be received by his Disciples Matth. 26. He saith to his Disciples take eat and he said to his Disciples Drink ye all of this and Paul saith Examine your selves and so eat of this bread and drink of this Cup. If you will not shut your eyes against the light there is nothing more plain than this That those administrations under the old covenant did not require such qualifications as are essentially requisite to be found in the persons that must partake of these substantial signs of the new Covenant As for Circumcision it was not necessary for all that were circumcised to believe and repent or to have faith in Christ or to be converted and made Disciples by preaching as necessary Qualifications to partake of the Ordinances But the institution in Gen. 17.13 saith All born in thy house or bought with thy money though never so ignorant carnal or have never so wicked parents or parentage yet such ought to be circumcised this institution running upon that family But baptism is a confirmation of our Regeneration already wrought in us and our new birth and our union with Jesus Christ by faith and therefore belongs only to them where this Regeneration is to them that are born again of Water and of the Spirit and so the Passeover was to be partaken of by the carnal Israelite after the flesh viz. the captive the slave bought with money Heathen Black Moor or of the Canaanites but the Lords Supper only belongs to Disciples able to discern the Lords body by faith without the which they bring Judgement upon themselves and make themselves guilty of the body and blood of the Lord except they are able to examine themselves Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cap. So that which the Apostle drives at in this chapter is this principally that as the temporal Israel who were the Church of God then privileged in that temporal Covenant upon their falls and sins were by God visited and corrected to shew to all the world that he would not countenance sin in them without sad reproof so he concludes in this also the Gospel-Church professing the covenant of grace and enjoying the privileges thereof they should not escape if they turn aside from God and sin against him without checks reproofs and sad admonitions from him and here lies the scope and the rather might such caution be given to Gospel churches because they were in a covenant of Grace onely by a visible profession and therefore may possibly receive the greater danger by sin if their profession should not be right and saving Object But some may object That there were some precious Saints then in the Old Testament and do you think that they did not perform the Ordinances with spiritual hearts Answ No question such did as it is said of Abel By faith he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Duties performed from faith with an eye to Christ were then acceptable when so performed though ceremoniously and such duties relating meerly to the covenant of works Only I would have you to observe that the carnal Israelite was without faith capable to perform every ceremonial Law Faith made not Israelite capable of performing the ceremonies of the Law required by the old covenant according to the express tenor thereof as truly as the believer So in no wise can it be said of the duties relating to the new covenant either then or now as repentance spiritual prayer thanksgiving and divers other duties perpetually at all times and universall to all Saints I deny that the carnall Jews were capable of the true performance of these I mean as to answer the Rules or Institutions given For if you look to the Catechism in the Common Prayer Book you shall find that it was a maxim received by all that own that Liturgy That no less than a profession of faith and repentance was required of them that were baptized Whence observe they thereby confirm the doctrine that I have been all this while pleading for that none but such as have Faith and Repentance in their hearts and do profess the fame should be baptized Object But may some say Did not some bring their freinds to Christ to be healed and Christ seeing the faith of those which brought them healed them And if they believed for others to the healing of their bodies why not also then for the saving of their souls Answ This is directly the Papists Argument with which some do close rather than part with their Idol But to speak to this more particularly There is nothing more plain than that God did give gifts of healing to many as that the faith of one contributed to the healing of the body of another as their Servants and children as in the case of the Centurion in Matth. 8.7 8 9. verses and Jairus the Ruler over the Synagogue But this is no way to prove that one man should come to have union with Christ and so to have justification and eternal life by the faith of another For in this case the Prophet saith The just shall live by his faith Hab. 2.4 Rom. 1.17 And he that believes not is condemned already that is every individual he that believes not shall be condemned and he that believeth shall be saved but some do bring in that text in the 7. of the Hebrews that Levi paid tyths in Abraham therefore why should not souls believe and repent in their believing Parents as well as Levi paid tythes in his believing Father Abraham It seems to me that this Act of Abraham was performed as a publique person in his paying Tythes to Melchisedeck herein representing his Posterity but not so in all the rest of his Acts It doth not follow that he believed and repented for all his posterity for this were a notable ground indeed for Papists implicite Faith We know that Adam in his fall did act sin as a publique person in which all mankind are said to sin Romans 5. But it doth not follow that all the future Acts that Adam committed he did perform as a publique person for if
all the posterity of a believing person so many generations to come as Levy from Abraham did believe and repent in their believing parents then there is no ground to oppose that all the world at this day are believers because they were all in the line of believing Noah he being the father from whence all the world did proceed that are now living this day And again observe that if the Covenant of life belongs to all believers seed then we need not want for Church-members because all the world are the children and off-spring of believing Noah and this argument carries the right of Covenant to all the world being the children of a Believer viz. Noah An answer to that text Mat. 19.13 Further some bring that in Matthew 19.13 There were brought unto him little children that he should put his hand upon them and pray and the disciples rebuked them and Jesus said suffer little children and forbid them not to come to me for of such is the kingdom of God and he laid his hands on them and departed In Mark 10.13 thus And they brought young Children to him that he should touch them and his Disciples rebuked them that brought them but when Jesus saw it he was much displeased and said unto them Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God verily I say unto you whosoever shall not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter therein From hence would some maintain a covenant of eternal life in the flesh for that end they bring this Text but let us examine what the meaning of it may be First whose children they were that were brought to Christ doth not appear its probable they were the seed of Abraham but what their mediate parents whether believers or wicked persons doth not appear certainly but by the former discourse in the chapter it should seem they might be wicked and ungodly persons for there were such mentioned before that tempted Christ and asked him questions The next thing is for what did they bring these children unto Christ most certain not to baptize them because Christ it is said baptized not but the Disciples John 4.2 What then were they brought to Christ for One Evangelist saith He took them in his arms and blessed them another saith He laid his hands on them and prayed All which considered in my judgement it doth probably appear they were brought to him to be healed of some disease it being usual in those daies that by prayer and laying on of hands they did heal the sick But the main expression in the Text to be noted is this That of such are the Kingdom of God From these words some gather that all the children of believing parents do belong to the kingdom of God and if to the Kingdom of God then to all the privileges of that kingdom But as you have heard it will be very doubtfull whether these children had any believing parents to the fifth or sixth degree for of such is the Kingdom of God saith the Text the which we must understand thus That all the children born of the body of Believers and that when little ones in arms do belong to the kingdom of God if you will make this text to countenance that error of the covenant in the flesh the which is erroneous as appears in that the greatest number of believers children never belonged in that sense to the kingdom of God for Adam had a Cain as well as an Abel Noah had a Ham as well as a Sem Abraham had an Ishmael as well as an Isaac Isaac had an Esau as well as a Jacob. And so I might mention all the Scriptures wherein in like manner God doth as well bring forth the generation of the wicked out of the godly and the generation of the elect out of the line of the wicked indefinitely But if by Kingdom of God be meant that condition or state that men are interessed in by virtue of a Covenant of eternal life and that believers children should by birth and generation belong to it then this fully crosseth that doctrine of Christ to Nicodemus Joh. 3.5 as was formerly spoken to Object But some may say It s possible that such a little child may believe because in Matthew 18. 3 4 5 6. verses it is said We should not offend such little ones that believe If you grant that some children when little do believe and therefore belong to the kingdom of God to that I assent let them be whose children they will whether of Believers or Infidels If they believe they are in Christ and so interessed in the Kingdom of God But what makes this for the covenant in the flesh of carnal unbelieving seed Again If by Kingdom of God should be understood the Jewish state or Church and children here understood for children of that Jewish nation then in that sense it is true that all the children born in the Jewish Church by virtue of their birth in that family or nation belonged as members to that National Church being interessed in the Covenant of Circumcision which was the national covenant and the privileges of the same and were by natural birth interessed therein Answ But the true and proper meaning of the Text appears plain to be here in Mark 10.13 14 15. compared together for when he had in the 14. verse said Of such belongeth the Kingdom of God in verse the 15. he presently saith Verily I say unto you whosoever receiveth not the kingdom of God as a little child shall not enter therein this I say interprets these words before Of such as the kingdom of God that is of such like in grace as these be by nature such souls that are by Gods grace subdued and brought into a child-like frame of spirit they only are such as are of the kingdom of God as for example When the Disciples reasoned who should be greatest among them Christ set a little child as a patern of humility innocency and harmlesness And also saith the Apostle Be you children in malice and old men in understanding 1 Cor. 14. and saith Peter As new born babes desire the sincere Milk of the word that ye might grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. â— And so as there is a parity held forth between a man and his wife and Christ and his Church so in Scripture there is between a child in nature and a child in grace as the natural begetting the spiritual begetting alluding to that there is the natural birth and the spiritual birth held forth by that sucking of the Mothers breast and by sucking of the breast of Gods word A little babe we know in nature will trust to his parents so the new born babe will trust in Christ if the natural babe want any thing it will go to its parents and ask them for it so must a new born Babe make his request known to God in all