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/n3^.^~~
•*
A &)
{CHRISTIAN,?
Sober & Plain
EXERCITATIOH
Sober & Plain jf
| ON
| The two grand practical Con- % troverfics of thefe Times 5
t N F AN T-B A P T I S M,f
* talis
* AND
t SINGING OF PSALMS** ffl
4 Wherein all the Scriptures on both Rdci^ & are recited , opened and argued , with bre- 4» ^ vity and tenderneft ; and whatever hath been <& largely difcuffed by others, briefly contract-
us*
ed in a fpecial method for the edifica-
^
tion of the Skint s.
<$*• . *£" I
_ — . ; ; _ , , __ y -
5 By Cuthbm Sidenham, Teacher to a ChtirC.H %
* of Chrift in Nemaftle upon 77/^.
* LONDON .. ... $ ^, Printed for ifo&r* ff&V*, and are to be fold by «£
^ trantisTyton at the three Daggers in Fleet- (lreti3MK tie X ^ l»ner-Temple»gate. i 6 $ 4*
a
> - ;
To his dear and honoured Bro- ther Mr. William VurMt, my faithful fello w- labourer imhe Gofpel •• And the Church of Chrift, over whom the Holy Ghoft hath made us joync-overfeers.
Dearly Beloved , ^ *?.
■-* Prefem jott thefe firft- fruits of mi por labours, as a fledge if my love, and teflimony of mf unfeigned de fires and longings after jour fettkmtnt^ and coin- fort together. I am indeartd ts you in the bowels of Chrift, and for his fate 00 myMfuntopu • CMyhigheft ambition in this. pcrldis, to fee you fiablijhed in truth , and ffourilhwg in the glorious graces of the CoffeL 1 have treated on thefe two fubjetfs, becaulel Uow they are the fimping errours of thefe Times, andhavethefaireftgloffesfeten them, and have too much influence tedifturbthe Peace md Order of Churches : Thefrfi efpeiall-j.
'.■
The Epiitic Dedicatory, which eats out mem affeiHons , and creeps at the hurt Itke a gangrene infenflbly % an opinion which hath been always? ominous, and of a won- deYfttl jlrange infiit'enM> accemfanitd with tht moft dangerow mirmoferroursy fince the frjt Bmb\io *of: it was: brought fart b^ whether by a jttdgemvt ofGody or from its natural and Je- er et connexion with other principles of dark* nefs, 1 will not determine 5 only G$d hathfbew- edfome black characters on it m every Nation tebe?e it hath prevailed t, though we cannot but fay, many Saints are innocently under the power ofiu
Fvrthefccond, I hope when mens hearts come mTnne, their voices mill likewise : The former denies more Fundamental Principles^ as the Co- venant in its extent, andfubjefys • thefreenefs tf Grace $ the riches of its workings in the Jttew Teftament • and contracts the Gojpel^ leaving more Grace vifibleinthe Legal and old Tejlt* man difpenfation, then in the New.
I lhave only fummed up what others exprefs more at large, with fomething new, and never pt toncbed, that t know of : And as to the me- thod,
The Epiftlc Dedicatory. thody all is new, and made fit for par life, if Cbrifi fet it home on you. 1 have nothing elfe to add, hut to tell you you have been jet kept pure in the midfl of many Diflr affions % and the vio* lence of defperatc Opinions : Take heed of 'plan* fib le err ours that come painted to yon with the name of the moft glorious truths : Loft not your glory at laft * try and weigh every tittle that is propounded : It's mj defire you may have the glorious Titlegiventoyou the Bcrcans/W, to he {ivyivi&&r) men of better breeding then to take up atiy thing on truft, though from the A- pofiles thtmfelves , untill you know how they wereinfpired : Compare Scripture with Scri- pure; donotdi/lraffyourfehesintke Gofpel$ lay truths together, they willjhine in their proper glory : Part not foeafily with antient entaitd priviledges : Have fo much pity to your ChiU drtn\ & not to blot their names out of Heaven by your own hands, until God do it by fever aign- ty • do not bury them alive : Thofe that know the riches offuch a priviledge, will not eafily part with it upon fuch poor terms as moft propofe. 1 plead for poor Infants $ and it's but charity to /peak for thofe whofe tongues are tied. I intend brevity in thti^s in all the following Dihourfc.
Wi The
The fcpiftle Dedicatory ~. The Lordfiil you with wifdom and under- stand ing,and give you to know w«hat his per * feft will is3and hearts to obey k : And thrive like Saints of the New Tefta went, that lie at Chriftsbreafts night and day. Tbefe are the de fires of
Your unworthy Teacher,
Cuthhert Sifynhaw*
C HAP.
o>
H A
P. I.
:.
an en-
Sever d Confider attorn premifed, as trance to the THfcourfe.
£ F O R E I enter on the main que- stions handled in this Difcourfe , it will not be unneceffary to prernife fomething in general concerning this Contr overlie, which is fuch a bone off contention among the Saints, for to make our way clear before us.
And i. Let this be confidered, that there is no- thing in all the N.T.againft the baptizing of Infants, not one hint from any exprefs word dropt from Chrift or his Apoftlesj not one phrafe, which though never fo much ftrain'd, doth forbid fuch an acl ; but there is much for it in divers Scriptures compared to- gether ; and what is wanting in the one, is fupplyed in another abundantly, as hereafter will appear.
A 4 a. The
ft)
l 2 ' JbC fum °f aH *" our °PP°&es have to fa y, T hough they mike a great deal of noife in the World, "only this, that they can find no fyliabical precept, «r word of command in terms, faying, Qo baptize Wants ; or any positive eximple where ic is faid in (o many words, Infants were baptized ; only aclual be- Itevers, as they believed, were baptized : ail that they fay befides, is only to quarrel with Qur argu- ments, and make Qiift to £vjde the ftrength of them, put this is their onlyargumenr, and their AH; for however they talk of the Covenant, and fleOily and ipintual feed, yet this is the qoliabs [word, none like to it I would therefore fairly encounter with ic in the Portal, that I may fee all their ftrength before me. Concerning which, taie in the'econfiderations; Firft, th:s argument is bu.ic on thisfaife- principle, That nodireclcotifcquences from Scripture are man- datory, arid fo obliging, nor of Divine Authority, which all Orthodox Profi-ffors and Divines grant, butchefe which are a^amft Infants bap.ifro; and ic « moft clear .- for,
i. The way to know Scriptures, is by com- paring them together ,i Cor. 2. 1 3. and this mutt needs be by their Harmc/me-, sad by deduction from one to another.
2. Without Trne confequeflce were as ccripture; no one could fptak trbth t>uc thefe that fneak jult the very express of Scripture.
3. There could be no fpifitual reafons nor argu- ments ufed in any Difcourfeto be of any force or
con-
(?) confequence, though from the Scripture ; forthere can be no arguing from Saipture,but by confequen- ces add dedu&ion; for in ail arguments there muft be a medium and a conclufion, a proportion and an in- ference.
4. Nothing upon this account can be Scripturc buuhe very letters and fyllables in the Bible j no- thing of the meaning or fenfe is Scripture ; for you muft draw out the fenfe and meaning from the let- ters by rational confequence , as the condufion from a proportion by a fit medium; and how abfurd would this prove , that letters (hould be Scripture, and not the fenfe / and fo it muft be according to that Maxim of theirs.
5. This is againft all preaching, and expounding Scripture ; nothing muft be read but the very bare characters for to draw any deductions from • it is to no purpofe, though never fo direcland full ; for if they be not Scripture, they cannot bind confcienccs ; and co what end is preaching, but to open and sup- ply Scripture ?
6. The fearchings of the Scripture were the mod ufclefs undertaking that could be imagined ; for what need I fearch, but read ? for no confequence, by comparifon of Scripture, is of authority to fatisfie my conference* if I draw a conclufion from a text, and perceive the meaning of it to be thus; if nothing without it be laid down in fo many fyllables, how many fuch ftrange abfurdities would follow the de- nying conferences from Scripture, which a,re purely
de«
(4) deduced > and by this principle, that where there are not fo many letters put together in one fentence, there is no command, men would foon draw Reli- gion into a very narrow compafs.
7. This would be as much againft themfelves • For,
Firft, They have no command in fo many words, Go and baptize a&ual or vifible believers : if they hy fuch were baptized : h's anfwercd,that is not to the purpofe : lor it's a verbal command required by them to give warrant to an ordinance.
Secondly, That they muft prove by confluence alfo, believers were baptized, £rgo there was 1 com- mand : Neither,
Thirdly, Can rhsy prove oneacl concerning tfjeir own form of baptizing by any comrmnd,bjit bycnn- fequences : When they lay Infants are not to be ba- ptized, they draw it from confrquence thus,becaufe there is no command 'in their fejife $ When they af- firm the Covenant i? ru>t made with. believers now, and their feed, 5s with Abraham, it's drawn by con- fequence, becaufe, (ay they, Abrabtw is no natnral father to us, as to thf jewsaod becaufe that covenant was a mixc Covenant^ &c When they come to prove baptizing to be by plunging, they argue by confequence, becaafe the wtjrd (igniries ir, becaufe they went where much water was, and went down into the water,, &:. though they ate miftaken ia all their confluences, as I lhail hereafter (hew; yet this is full ad hommw*. and againft themfelves,
who
(5) who deny confequences to warrant infiirution*, and yet have nothing for to prove their own wvy, -butivhat is by confequeneefroTn Scripture.
8. It's common among the Apoftles to argue id fuch a method, and to deduce one thing from an- other, to make out what they intended ; 2 CV.5. 1 4. We thus judge , ;/ Chrift died for all , then all are dead; if the firft be true, then the latter; fo l Cor. 15. 13, 14, 15,16,17,18, ip, 20. and all that Chapter, arguing out the refurre&ion by fit me- diums : fo about the Ordinance of Baptifm,^^?j 10. 47. Can any man for bid w at ery Why thefe Jhould not be baptized , who have received the holy Ghofla4 well as We ? There was never any command to baptize thefe that had received the holy Ghoft, nor any example of any baptized on thefe terms ; but the ApoftJe argues from the equivalency of the mercy, and the Teafonoftheftate they were in* the fame method he ufes 1 Cor. 10, 1$, 16, 17, 18. 1 Tim. $* 17, iS.
9> There will be hardly found a definition of the moft do&rinal and high myfteties of the Gofpel, but by comparing Scripture with Scripture, and fo making it forth by confequence ; what perfect de- finition of juftification, or of juftifying faith, info many formal expreffiors in all the N. T. but what mud be deduced by comparing Scriptures together (to make one refuk? where are women either by fuch a wordy exprefiion commanded to receive the I-ords Suppcrfor any example?if they fay (*rsp»w»0
fig-
■ (?)
figmfies both fexes, yet it's ftill by confluence, no
command or example .- and why not (Zy,&) u
ft tofigmfie Infant Saints, as grown Saints, Infint-
r°^ ' ■ W68 ho,inefe ? ''« »PPlyedto both •
io. Deny confluences to have the fireoathof commands, and you wiiJ leave very few duties to be refit? frt<,be,avLoided, in the OJd or New IS?' XpTd the tc" Commandments, the <«n of the Law, without confequance*, and very few S , VrVf"1, «an,8refl-ors, but ,ft0fty de! fperate douched perfens. Af<*,5. Cbrift expounds the whole law, and by confequences from ihe in- ward me^mng, draws out neweonfiderations of du- ties; and .fince the Bible is but a W.fyfteme of
S, a f °*l by *«'«»l-fpiria«l compart {om «nd m erene^sj butenough tptheM confide, ration on thu head of commands and confequences .?'W^ wehaue apromife; laid as tbe&un-' dat.onof.duty, that i» equivalent to anyexprefc command ; for as commands in the Gofpel do fup. po/e promife.*, to encourage us to ad them.and help nsinthem .- Jo promifes made to perfons do include commands efpecially when the duties commanded are annexed to the promifes, a, a|| New Tefiament Ordinances are, as well as Old.
tJt'wlu-'f *smucnintheN.T. to prove In- tant-oaptifm, from the true principles of right to
Ordinances,
Ordinances, is they have for tbefe whom they ba- ptize; for they baptize grown perfons on fuch and f«ch confiderations : and we (hail hereafter fhew^ we baptize on as ftrong and equivalent grounds; and thatYenotfgh to warrant a command,todemonftrate the tame fubftantial grounds of the command CO reach the fame cafe*
-'4,-If we can find no pofitive command in fo many words for their baptizing (fhewing the fame fcn- damental grounds) it's reqnifite they fhould (Lew as fome exprefs command to, the contrary, and fome *uthentique repeal, feeing Infants fo long enioyed fuch a like Ordinance ; upon the fame grounds Chrift would not have taken away foch an antient priviledge , when his grace abounded , and fuper- abounded,but he would have left fome characters of it in the Gofpel* and entred fome formal discharge in his Word of fuch perfons^ and given a warning of ft to the Gentile believers to expect it • but he hath both by his words and carriages left clear demon- fhations, that he is fo far from repealing, as he con- firms ir to Infants ; let the Scriptures opened here- after fpeak to this.
The third confideration premifed is this, as all that they urge as to examples of aclual believers, bee. ing baptized, all along the New Teftamentj efpeci- aliy the^#/, and that if thou bdieveft thoumayft, &e. we can freely grant without any damage to this truth : For,
i. We fay as they* profeffiog believers grown
men
(*)
men were fide baptized, and (a they augbuabr, who are tobethefoftfabjecVofbhe a^awniflurjon of anOrdinaflavpeffomabletogivean account of Ihei r own faith ^ it was fo wi ch Ahr^m^ Qw. J 7. 24. hewaaop years old when he was circumcifed, snd he rauft be rirft circumcifed before he could con- vey a right to his feed -, now you, may a* well argue, AbtAhtrnvite firft circumcifed when fo ©14, there- fore old perfons ate to be circumcifed, and none t\k\ asbeeaufe grown perfons were baptized, there- fore not Infants* when they muft be foil baptized rhemfelves ; for Chiidrerraiebaptized by the pro- ft firft co them, and in tbemco -theic teed. 1 . ftfl affirmative pofrion is net exclufive of fub- 0><!Rnares ; becanfe belkvens were laid to be ba- pc^ed, Ergo nor iheir ked, is not true reaioning ; 1 r heir fetd were comprehended with them in the fame promifc.
3 A non&Be ad Hon fafttsm, non valet confeqHBn- f&i 1$ Divines fay; becaute it'^ncc eapreft in fo man *Wrirf$,the eforeit was not done, is no argument: e^c i3i-ly when there ia enough to Shew it was done, though no^ written ; Chrift i'peaks fhorr,. shac we irwy feareh • he expe&s N.T. Saints to be fo ingenu- es to take more by a hint, then thofe of the Old who were not fobred as we now ; they had every plnof the Tabernacle appointed; it's. not fo putv dually fee down now, either as to Churchts, or Go- vernment, but only the main Subftantiah laid down. 3rd b?$ left to the mgeroiiry of else Saint* to draw forth the tonfequencc*," Laftljr,-
(?) Laftty,to premite no more; God hath alway* ordained fomeOrdiriar*ce$ • in rtie udminiftration of which, for the moft part, the it^^hath been pure- ly paflive, to expreis his own free grace modem?* nently, as Circkmclfion on Infants 5 And can we think he hath left no Ordinance now as avifible cha- racler, only to hold forth his meer grace in the N.T. where he reigns by grace ? And there i*no fign fo fit to exprefs it as Baptifm, and no fubjeel fo capable as poor Infants.
— —
Chap. IL
Jhout the nature of theCoyenant made with Abraham.
E fird great tfting in this Controvert i$> to* confidmhe nature of the Covenant, which is, the firtY foundation of the priviiedge to believer^ and their feed,as it ws? frft n^ade with Abraham and hVs fjed, in the orfmfe of all belt- vers 2nd their feetf bbth J c ws and Genciks • fotio large is the extent ctf that Cov rum to both, as hertafter (hill be proved firoft New lefts meikexpreffioris -j and if w* fmd the fame Covering reaching Gentile-believers , and their Children, as Abraham a*d his, we cannot be denied the new external fign and fcal of the fame
Covenant^
(10J
Covenant; for though the outward figns may be changed, yet (here is no change of the priviiedges, if the Covenant remain entire. For the opening of Which we fhall confider,
1. Ihe naure of Abraham* Covenant.
2. How perfons may be faid to be in that Covenant,
For the firft, we muft begin with that placer</#w. 17. where God began not only to exprefs the Co- venant in larger terms then formerly, but to add a yifiblefeaitoit, vi*» that of Circumcifion '.There be many conje&nrcs about this Covenant; thole that differ, conceive it to.be a mixt Covenant, made up of fpiritua! and temporal biemngs together, and not of the fame purity with the Covenant ip theNew Teft ament, and To make a carnal par<^ and»a fpiri- tual part ofir,and Circumcifion to bef annexed efpe- cially to the former, not fo to the latter ; this is the true relation of their judgement about this. Ltt us review the Covenant, and its terms, and we Ihall foon find she miftake.
Firft i and chiefly, We affirm this was a Covenant of pure grace, the fame in fubftar.ee with the Co- venant adminiftred now under the Gofpel, fines Chrifts coming in the fliili and fpirit.
i , Jt was founded upon pure grace, Gods love to 'Abraham^ and 'cis not any thing in ^Abraham* Qt his, to move God more then to the Gentiles.
2* It was a Covenant without works, therefore of pure gr&ce, Rom. 4.* ,2>3> 4*5 • *°d *^ along the €hap:er* $. It
fli)
3. It was a Covenant made only with a believer upon Gofpel terms; the fame the New Tefhment holds forthin rhe 3,4, and 5. v. of that Chapter ; now faith is the only condition of the Covenant of grace.
4. It was a Covenant made in Chrift, and there- fore a pure Covenant of Gracf , as any can be in the Gofpel, Gal.$. 16,17,18, and 20.
5. Confider the tenure of this Covenant, Gen.ij* 7. 1 W*// eftablifb my Covenant heme en me and tbte0 and thy feed after thee in their generations) to be a Cjod to thee^ and thy feed after thee. Here is the fabftance and ftrcngth of this Covenanr,to be a God to Abra- ham and to his feed^and what can be more then to be Jehovah to him ? can there be any esprefiion more high, or that can let forth more graced purity then this? It's more then can be expreft, that God in- gagethhis Deity to him 5 and ic is as much as if God had laid, whatever I am in mine own Godhead, I will be to thee and tfw ^d, to make you happy and bleffed ; this is the firftand main thing premifed^ and it comprehends Chrift,grace,glory, all bleffinas above imagination ; the Apoftle in Heb.%*io* ufeth tfae fame expreffion as the ium of all, when he fpeaks of the new Covenant, Imtt be to them a god, and tbeyjkall be to me a people. We need adde no more, ifthatwerenota Covenant of pure grace, the Go- fpel knows none other.
That whkh they have to fay why it's a mixt Co- venamr?snd a temporalis forne of the moft ignorant
B affinnj
affi
rflij is from the following expreffion of GW.17.8.
And I will give unto thee^andto. thj feed after theejhe Land wherein thou art a ftr anger, all the LandbfCz- minfor an ever lofting yoflejfion>&c* Now fay they, if the promifes be mixt, fo is the Covenant.
To which I anfwer, that the Land of Canaan, and fuch like promifes, were but additional, and added exfuperabundanti, to the firft promife, not at all in- corporated to the bulk and body of the Covenant which was made in Chrift,and confided of more pure confederations • thefe promifes were but fitted to the oucward administration of the firft promife of gracf , and the ftate of Abrahams family, but there was no mixture; For,
i. The Covenant with Abraham is repeated in the New Teftsment entire, without any of thofe ad- ditions, as is proved formerly.
2. The promife of Canaan was typical of Heaven, and fo did but more open the fit ft promife, to be their God;(bewing them that God would bring him and his to Heaven , and the fulnefs of his glory, as he would bring them to an outward Canaan; and this was fuited to Gods defigty in admimftring that vail: promife by types and outward figures : fo ^Abraham clofed in with it by faith, as a promife expounding figuratively the fubftance of the Covenant , Heb. 1 1. 8,9,10. lb 13, 14, 15, 1 *5. Sothatthefirft promife was po(itive,and (hewed the nature of the Covenant; the other was typically expofitory , Canaan letting out Heaven, and the eternity of their reft with this
God
God in Covenant* and this will no more maSsed mixt Covenant , then the type and the fubftan£e when the? meet together will differ in fignifica- tion.
3. We may as well fay, thefe promifes in the New Teftament make up a mixt Covenant, and fo of a different nature, when God faith in Mat. 6. 33. Seekjirft the Kingdom ofGod> and /ill things elf e [ball be added; and I Tm.\* 8. GoMintfs hath the pro- mife of this life> and that which is to come \ which are as much mixt as ever the Covenant made with Abra~ ham was ; whereas all know, thefe are but accidental appendixes of the promife ofgnc;, and difpenfed according to the ufe he hath for, and the conditions of his Saints : thus Qanaan was added to the Cove- nant, as all other things to the Kingdom of God
4. If this be a mixt Covenant, becaufe Canaan ii added, and the like, then how comes it to be the fame in the N. T.and to be of force now, when no notice is taken of Canaan, and the temporal pro- mifes ? Sure in this mixture the promife of free grace was primary,and like oyl at top 3 for Abrahams Co* venant the very fame for fublhnce, is clear, and without mixture in the Gofpel, though itisadmiw-* ftied externally, as it was then, and the blefltngs of Abraham come on the Gentiles, though not of ait externa) Canaan.
If they fay that Canaan was added only for the difpenfation of the Covenant to ths Jew^it's grant* ed ; but that it (hould make a mixture in the Go vo-
nant, is mofl: falfe,which is the fame for ever,though the oucward adminiftration be different ; things may be added, yec not mixt, as a mans cioaths ro his body, and yet there is no mixture between a mans flcfh and his cioaths.
But let us come to Circumcifion , thefcal of this Covenant; i: fealed it, fay they, as a mixt Cove- nant.
Then. i. It fealed the one part as well as the o- ther .• take it in their own fenfe, chat is, it fealed God to be their God, as fcanam ; and fo it was not a feal meerly to a temporal promilc,
2. if the Covenant was fo mixt in the nature of ir, then Circumcifion fealed unequally, though it was added t6 a mixt Covenant, for it fealed the pro- miie of Canaan to thofe that never went into £V naan, as many that died before that time,and after- wards many that were circumcifed died in the Wil- dernefe, and under Gods wrath, and fo fealed no- thing at ail,neither part of the Covenant viiibly;and that is hard, that to fo many there foould be neither the fulfilling of fpifitual, nor temporal part of the promife.
3. Grant them this Covenant was mixt, then it was either in the fubttance,* or circumftances;if in the fubftance, then Abrahams Covenant was not Gofpel, and believers muft feek for another Father, as to the example of faith, and that were to make it rather like Nebuchadnezzar s Image of Iron and Clay, then made upof Gofpel materials; If in cir-
cumftances
ds)
cumfhnces of adminiftration, and additamcnts of external types, it's granted, and we have the fame promife now, with new outward adminiftration ; if this mixture were in the nature and fubftance of the Covens nt,then is mult remain as long as the Co- venant lafted, and 10 unto this day ; for no man is fobold C though many are bold enough) as to fay that Abrahams Covenant is abrogated ; if it be un- der any other consideration, it's eafily waved, and the truth the fame : So that Circumcifion feaied the Covenant primarily in its nature, as a Covenant of grace, and God being a God to circumcife their hearts &c.and Canaan, and other things confequent- !y and accidentally,as God made a promife of them, for the better vifible adminiilration of the Covenant to them in that external polity. And fareJy its beyond an ordinary reach to believe, that God fhould make a Covenant with Abraham* and for his faith in it fhould create him the Father of the faithful in all ages, arid this Covenant fhould be brought in the N.T. and renewed, and the tenure of it frefhly held forth to believers there, and yet at the fait making of ic God fhould mix temporal promifes with the fpiritualffubftance of it, and annex a feal that fhould only or fpeci ally feal the temporal part of it, and fb poorly confirm the main and efTential nature of ir, efpecialfy when God fpeaking of Abrahams faith^ iliks Circumcifion the feal of the righteoufnefs of it, ^«w.4.But ofthisiqpre in another Chapter.
B 5 Ch a >•
g h a p. in.
Yhe diflinBion of Abrahams feed into fiejhly and Jpiritual, into natural and bdk^vingy confidered • whether the In- fants ofbelieajers may not he called in the New Teflament} the feed of Abra- ham, I
T'H E next thing which muft have its place of confederation, is that queftion of Abrahams feed, with whom the promiie was made ; and upon this hinge hangs all the main weight on both fides; and if we make out Infant? of believers in the N.T. to be in Covenant, as Abrahams ktd9 the contro- yerfie would be at end i Id make ouc thi$,the moft of the following Chapters are defigned ; only in this we (hall fall mOre dire&ly on the queftion it felf.
Thofe that differ from us make many diftindions pfarkflily carnal feed of Abraham* andofafpiri- tual feed, a believing and a natural (ced, which di- ftin6l:ions are taken out of Rom. Q. 7, 8. Gal.. 4. 23 , and Chap. 3. 16. and moft true, it well applyed; but before I come to open the Scriptures, I would premif&chefe confederations concerning Abraham and his feed.
I. That
(*7) i. That Abrahams fpiritual feed were as much his flefhly feed alfo, Ifaac as IJbmael, except Profe- Jytei and Servants. _
2. The Covenant was adminiftred to all Abra- hams natural and flefhy Children,as if they had been fpiritual, and before they knew what faith was, or could actually profefs ^Abrahams faith.
3. It's no contradiction in different refpc&s, to be a feed of the flefh by natural generation, and a Child under the fame promife made with the Parent; for they both agreed in Abrahams cafe ; none was a Child of promife, but as he came of Abrahams flefh> and as he came from Abrahams flefh, fo every one had the fealof Gods Covenant onhisflefti : Thus a fpiritual promife was made with Abraham and his carnal feed.
4. There was no diftinclion of Abrahams fledily feed and his fpiritual feed, in the O.T . but all com- prehended under the fame Covenant, untill they de- generated from ^Abrahams faith,and proved ihernr felvesto be meer carnal, and rejected the pro- mife,
5. There is a carnal and fpiritual feed of Abra- ham, even under the N. T4 as our oppofites mufl: ac- knowledgers well as Infants; fo are the mod vifible Profeffors which they baptize ; which may have no grace; and many prove carnal indeed, through the predominancy of their Jufts and corruptions.
cv When there is mention of Abrahams carnal f?e<l !B opposition to fpiritual feed, it cannot be
fi 4 meant
fi3) meant primarily orfolefyof thofe that de Untied from Abrahams fcih : for then //Wand facet? were the carnal feed,yea Chrift himfeJf> who as concern, ing the flefo came of Abraham $ ir mud be therefore of thofe of Abrahams feed which degenerated and flighted the Covenant of the Gofpd, and thefe were properly the carnaUeed.
Salable to this Is that diftirftion of Abraham be- ing ft natural and a fpiricual Fat her : F«fe
Fttft, HewasanwunlFathertottiefcto whom he Wa$ a gtitfafal £afe, as t* &?$fc* and /W, and the go% of *hdr fofterity.
Secondly, All ko whom he wa§ a natural Father wereundel &fc Covenant, afldWtbe feal> *rtriil tlity^e^eitlfefHrelves; cbcptetaifc wA in both relation?, as to outward admtniltration; &vm. j-.if ^3:4- Aftd if rfren &m Hate tkft*s,you may a*£ue as much *gifa(k Abrahams immtM&& from enjoy - rng Yhefe privflc^e-, as believers natural feed now, and with asrr net of tritfi.
Burner ik weigh tte%Strip:mves*h&hw bright by our Oppolices : Fi.ft, confider that of Rom. 9. 6>7 8 They sre wet cvl iftfcel ft*t rfj*r*f Iff ael ; mi- t'jfrlrecaufe the j are the feed of Abraham arethej afl 'Children, bmvn thy ffedlvcafied i rfaft&
the j Vehicb are the CtxMren ohte ftefo9 thefe are not the Children ofGJ : J to the Chufcen vffromife are accounted for thejefd,
The Apoftle in chH Chapter doth wirh a bleeding heart begin the farfftory of the jtws t ejefifofi torn
being
(19) being a Church, and fpeaksas one loth to mention it, and therefore brings it in with a paffionate and beany Apology, V, i, 2, 3. he was in heavinefs, he could Willi himfelf dvjfcfc*, accurfed from Chrift, For his brethren, his Kinfmen according to the flefli, that is, for thefe that we call Jews according to the
flcftl.
J^But what needed all this trouble to have a carnal generation of men cut off? why doth Taul rate on fo heavily ?
SoU In the 4, and $ , v. he tels you, who are Israelites y to whom pertaim the adoption of glory , and the Covenant y and the giving of the Law ± and the fervice ofQod, Andthefromifesjvhofearethe Fathers^ fifwhom as Concerning theflejh Chrift came, : Here is ■a Catalogue of high priviledges which belonged to the Jews,which they were to be cut off from, which lay on 'Pauls heart, and was like to fink him.
Ob. Well, might fome fay, v. 6. then the promife of God is in vain, if they be rejected unto whom the adoption and the promifes belong.
Sol, The Apoftle anticipates that Obje£tion,Not as though the Word of God hath taken no effecl; no, the promife is the fame, and immutable $ but they are not all Ifrael which are oflhid ; neither be- caufe they are the ked of Abraham&tt they all Chil- dren, &c. This is the very natural coherence of thefe words ; let us now ufe our judgements to diftinguifh and review the place, and we fliallfind it a weapon whofe edge is turned againft thefe that count it their own. 1. The
I. The Apoftle is fadly troubled for his kinfmen after the fiefb, for their rejeflion ; his reafon is,be- caufe of the Covenant, and the prormfes made to them, becaufe they were the natural feed of Abra- ham : which holds forth that the promifes and the priviledges of the Covenant were made indefinitely toallthelfraeliies.
a. That it's a moft fad thing to be excluded from the outward and geoeral adnvniftracion of the Co- venant. Why foould /W thus break out in his af- fections, for the lofs of outward priviledges, if it were not fuch a mercy to be under them ?
3. The Apoftfe holds forth, thatperfons maybe under the outward adminiliracions of the Covenant, and yet not get the efficacy of it ; v.6. They are not «lt Ihtel tb*t are of Mrtti -, the Covenant was made with Abraham and his feed,al! that were of him:and yet ail were not Ifracl, that is, partakers of the in- ward life and efficacy of the Covenant ; the Apoftle only in thefe verfes endeavours to takeo{£ that Ob- jection, that God had broive his Covenant by call- ing away the Jews, and fo tfiflingm'flhech of thefe that were meeilyoi hi* &fh, whohadthe outward4 adminiftraticn, but not the inwaid fruit, and thefe which were ele# in the promife,in Ifaac [ball thy feed becalledi the reft hecaisthe Children of the flefli, the former the Children of promife, v. 8. and fo though they were under the outward difpenfation of the Covenant, yet God was not mutable, nor his j?rouufe, though he rejccled them, fwaufe qf their
(2i;
own degeneration ; fo that the torn of this place
' i. That the Covenant was made in general with Abrahams feed, to all that came from him.
2. That in the adminiftratioa of general and in- definite promifes, there is a fccret diftinaton, and a vein of eleflion carried through the admimftration, that takes hold of fome, not of others.
q. That none are the Children of promife, real Saints, but thofe that have the true effeds of the Co- venant in their hearts.
4. That all Children of Believers, though the pro- mife vifibly belong to them, as to Abraham and his feed, yet may not folio w their Parents faith,and fo not be Ifraet, though of Ifrael,
But here is nothing at all to demonltrate that Infants, becaufe Children of the flefh, are not under thepromife:but rather the contrary ;for wMtcfia/l thjfeidbecaHedt(%\t\\God t now he wai a Child of AbrahamsMn, as well as thefe which were caft oft, and yet a Child of promife 5 fo God makes his Co- venant indefinitely with believers and their feed, and vet the efficacy of the Covenant may reach but fome, an Jfaac or a Iacob, an elefi veflel, and yet the other under the outward adminiftration, until they manifest the contrary i But more oi this from that,
I come'now to that other place fo much urged by thems^/.5si0. Jty» to Abraham andbufeed were the promifes made ; befaith not, to feeds, 0s of many.
bm
(*2)
$ut of one, rvhlch h Chrifl : Now by Chrift here can- not be meant barely Chrift perfonal: fcr then no be- liever (hould'be accounted for the feed but oneJy Chrift ; it muft be meant of Chrift myftica!iy,or Po- litically cotifidered,as the vifible Head of the Church; if to Chrift my ftica), then to ail the Elecl as in hiro, and fo to Infants aswell»as grown pedbns, who make tip that rnyftical body$ but thus the ptomife is conveyed under ground as it were, none knows the veins of it : thus in the Old Teftament fleih and flc(h came from Abraham fht Covenant adminiftred to them both by ks feal, yet one fle(h enjoying the fpiritualblefli^^s, the o; her rejected.
Take the promife to be made to Chrift, the ktd9 as the Head of a vifibk Church,then ftill it fpea&s for us; for Infants of believers were never call out of the viable Church sribey were once in jand the promife is made now to tihem with their Patents, as (hail be hereafter proved at large : but if we look no farther back then the 14. v. of t&s Chapter, we {hail re- ceive fome light to th« : It's faid in the 1 3 .v. Cbrifi hath redeemed ttifrom the owfe of the LaVcf being ■mA&e a enrfefer «*, &c that the bieffi*gtf Abraham might came -en the Gentiks through Cbrift : Abrahams t>!efling what was it, but the promifes,and the fruits, and priviledg** of the premie aftd Covenant made to him and his feed ?The fame bleflingisnovv cc5s»£ on the Gentiles, but through Ctwift, who toolcaway all obftru&ions in the p*#«ge ,fcf cte Covenant by to death; Now,
1. This
i. This blefling of Abraham was not perfonaJ, but to him and his ked.
2 This very blefling is come on Gentile be- lievers, is on Abraham : therefore it rnuft come on believers of the Gentiles, and their feed alfo: For,
3. It cannnot be called Abrahams bkfRngy except it come on the Gentiles according to the fubftantiai terms of Abraham* Covenant : Now this was the abfolute form of Abrahams blefling, I Will be a Goi of thee and thy feed ; and this very blefling is come on the Gentiles through Chrift, as it came on Abra- ham ; and therefore it raufi: be to believing Gentiles, and their feed: elfe it will neither be Abrahams blef- ling in the fornyior fatnefs of it ; Abrahams blefling willdefcend on the Gentiles dipt half off, not like it felf : And it mull: needs be a very uncouth faying to all judicious ears, to fay, that Abrahams blefling is come on the Gentiles by Chrift, as it was on the Jews by Abraham, and exclude half the Subjects at once from any right to it; for fo you muft, if you cattout the feed of Gentile believers.
And to what end fhouldthe Apofifefay, The blefling of sAbrabam^ and not the promile or Co- venant is come to the Gentiles, but,that he intended it to the Gentile believers and their feed,as formerly it came to Abraham and his ? This (hall be further cleared from «^?/2. and Rom.i 1. in their order.
But in gal. 3. lg.the Apoftle (fay they,) defcribes who are the feed ; Ifjott be Chr*ft'f* then jou are
Abrahams
Abrahams /£*?/, and heirs according to promife : So that now no Children born of believing Parents cad be the feed ; for they muft be Chrift% according to that in v. 26. fVe are all the Children of God through faith in Chriftfefw.
In general, not to omit that which Beta faith on the place, that CUramontanm Bible hath the words thus, and as he thinks more right, ** 3 h *& & Xe*r£ Ifyen be one m Chrift, then areje Abrahams feed : This is (uitable to the former verfe, where he faith^ There u neither left nor Greek, neither bond nor free^ &c. but ye are all one in Chrifi lefts ; and if ye be alloney then Abrahams/***/ : From which*
1. Unclear the Apoftle is endeavouring co take away all difference between Jew and Gentile, and to hold forth their unity in Chrift, where there is no diftinclion as formerly : but now the Gentiles being one in Chrift, are Abrahams fctd, as well as the natural and believing Jews*to a
a* The Apoftle here hath no intent to (hew the diftiri&ionof Abrahams feed as the fubje&of the outward privikdges, and administrations of Ordi- nances, bur to (hew that none are fpirtcually and re- ally ^Abrahams feed, and heirs of promife, but fuch as are Quid's, one in him with Abraham : For if this fhould be the diftinclion of feed as the fubjeel of outward Ordinances, it would be as much againft profiling believers as Infants • for there is a carnal profeffion as well as a fiefhly generation, the former mote abominable. tiiltelojL
US)
the tropofition from this expreffion, as .they draw ir^s thus • None but thefe who are ChriiVsare Abrahams ked, and none are Chrifts's but real be* liever% and therefore none bat they muft be b*i jptized.
Thus fome fayf though weakly) The fpiritual feed arc now the fubjeftof Baptifm, the new Creature/ the man in Chrift, Baptifm knows no flefti, with many fuch like expreflions from this and other pla- ces : But fee us weigh things.
i* If none but fuch are Abrahams feed, and fo none but fuch the fubjeft of Baptifm,then vifible be- lievers are not the fubjed of Baptifm ; for they may not be Chrift's, or new Creatures,no more then In- fants ; hardly one among twenty that are truly in Chrift among the moft glorious of them, and fo not Abrahams feed.
2. None muft be baptized at all upon this ac- count; for who knows who is Chrifts according m eledion and faving faith ?
If they fay, We have charitable grounds to be- lievefo of vifible Profeffors, until we fee the con- wary;
Ianfwer, This is nothing to the Queftion, as us
reflated, nor as it lies in the text ; the text faith, If)' be thrifts, thenje are Abrahams/^ : You fay none ate in Chrift but real believers, and you muft baptize none but a fpiritual feed,and newCreaturesj which will require not only a judgement of charity*
but infallibility to determine,
2, The
(*5) 2. The Apsflle isi*cre deieribiog what the real feed and fpi ritual feed are , as having an inwaid right toChrift, and not what the apparent feed of Abrahams was ; For ,
1. Mark whom he fpeaks unto ; to grown pes- fons, the galatkvs, who were vifible Profeffors and Believer?.
2. He puts them to a trial of themfelves, whether they were Chrift's or no, after they had made a pro - feffion ; for they having legaliz'd, and returned to look after Jewifti Ordinances and works, he tells them, their Ordinances were nothing, their priviledges nothing, being Jew or Greek, but as they were in Chrift : The fam,e he follows cn,Chap« 6. l%. In Chrift neither circtmcifion nor metr-enm* ciSoyt^vailetbany thingtbut a new Creature ; So that rhe Apoftle here puts an [" if] co the profeffing Ga- Utiani , // ye be Chrifi's 9 then art ye Abrahams fe*A.
S* If you have no more but the judgement o£ your charity to dilUnguifo thus of meaifl Chrift|teal believe4£,and Abrahams feed,then we have che ferae ground of charity to act on Infants of believers; for, rr' ■-
i. They maybe Chriftsas well as grown per- sons.
%. God would have us accwat them holy, as we (hall prove from that, i Cor.j, 14.
3. Seeing ciiey have been taken into the fame Covenant.
4. Seeing
1 <*>
4* Seeing Chrift (hewed fomuch refpe^tolsio fonts, when brought to him. To /udgc a tifible Pro- feflbr to be Chrift's, and Abrahams feed, I have no- thing but the purblind eye of my probable judge- fnent.To judge a believers Infant Chrift's, I have s general Scripture affertion, and the ground of an in* definite promife * which is more then all my con* jeclures ; So that,
i. Vifible Profeifors are not the fpiritual feed o£ Abraham ; for they may not be Chrift's ; therefore there is no fpiritilal feed but thefe that have faving faith, which all have not .
2. Infants of believers are as much the fpirkwaS feed of Abraham as vifible profefsing believers, and we have as much ground to judge of the one as tH other 9 until they manifeft the contrary ; and out judgement on them may have lefs deceit in it then there is in that we pafs on grown perfons. ,:
3. If you will diftinguifb of Abrahams fleCbfy feed and fpiritual under the Gofpel, you cannot apply it to InfantS| but to profefsing believers ; for the Children of believers are not the flefniy feed of Abraham^ but if there be any fuch diftinclion, ig muft be between vifible grown Profcitors, of whom fome are fpiritual, and Chrift's; and others earn*!* and born under Mount Sinaisund not Chrifts;
4. It's a true rule in Logick, that in every good divifionjP^r^ s debent inter fe cpponi}Tht Parts ought to be oppofite : Now to be born front Abraham both as a natural and fpiritual Father, was both
C so 1a n?oftp
f28)
common,through the promife in theOld Teftamcnrj and not umverfally oppofite ; and fo it may be now; an Infant is born of the fle(h of a believer, yetthe Covenant makes the believer a fpiritual'Fatherin iome ftfpe&s, as well as a natural.
5. The feed takes its denomination from the Co- vertattt>and its tenure ; and if the Covenant be im&e to Abraktm and his ked, and thefe were at firft In- fants of hi* body, and renewed with believers in the NX as we (hail prove in the following Difcoorfe: then Infants of believers are the feed now as well as formerly, Abraham only being the firft root and Father.
6. Vifibility of profefrion doth no more make a man of the fpiritual ktd^ and fo Chrift's now under the New Teltamenr, then the Covertant in its out- ward adminiftratioriin the Old, made all the Jew* and their Children really new Crettiires, and a fpi- ritual feed; for under the one, and the other, pcr- fons may be carnal.
AH thefe confideratibns are to (hew that thefe places of Scripture are iniftaken , and do not (hew who is the kxd as td Ordinances, butwhoarfcdie feed as to etedion and falvation ; and that Infant* may beas well the feed, notwithstanding all thefe places,as well as vifible ProfeflTors.
^If any fayr ;Bm we have ho warrant to judge of any but by vifibfe pfofefsion.
Sol 1. Let us judge as God would nave us, and we (hall find as much gtotfnd to pafe fnch a judgement on.
Infants
(*9) Infants as them; if God call them holy, we may do fo9 and it will be dangerous then to call them un- clean.
2. The promife is the furer way of Judging, feeing at beft we can but judge externally, and with hopes 5 and it's better to rely on God* and to expeft what he will do through his promife, at lead on fome, then to truft my own judgement.
3. The Word owns Infants of believers vi(iblya as we own vifible PfofetTors, as the Scriptures fol- lowing will demonftrate.
For the prefent, ferioufly view all thefe places to- gerher, </<?». 17. 7. *Atts 2. 38,39. Deut. jp.tf.ii * 12,13,14. Rom. 10. 1,6,7,8. with Heb. 8.io5li9 Ier.31. 22. Efay 65. 23. with many fuch places, that hold forth the ktd to Infants as well in the New Teftament as in the Old.
I end this Chapter with this confederation , thac if you exclude Infants of belie vers to be Abrahams feed, upon this ground,becaufe they are not the fpi- ritual feedtthen dafh out the name as well of grown Profeflbrs to be Abrahams feed,who are no more fo really becaufe of that, then thefe Infants, and we (hall quit the one with the other, and then there flasll be found no vifible fubjecls of Baptrfm, either of Infants or grown perfons : for they are both, as to election and inward grace, unknown to us to be Abrahams feed ; they were both formerly accounted Abrahams leed5grown perfons, and Infants efpecialty by thi C+wnant 5 and now the one fs to be accounted C z Abrahams
Abraham kzd , viz. grown perfonj profefling- though they may have no tight to the inward grace of the Covenant; and Infants who had fir ft right next to Abraham, muft be excluded, though they have never fo real an intereft, becaufe they are In- fants, and cannot fpeak for themfelves: But fo much of this j the next Chapter will fecond this.
Chap. IV-
How any perjon may be /aid to be in the Co* <venant^the dhvers confederations about
it.
mil 3 "fl
TO the former let this be added , becaufe it feems flange how any can be in Covenant^ and 3?et not partake of falvation : In opening of this,the common diftindtions of all Divines muft be repeat- ed, that according as there is an internal and exter- nal adminiftration of the Covenant, fo there is a twofold being in the Covenant :
i. Secundum propvfetum eleftionk, According to the purpofe of ek&ion in Gods hearty and his eter- nal decree; fo only the eleel, and thefe which have f3ving faitbyare in Covenant ; this fome call, and not improperly, to be intentionally in Covenant, God principally intending the Covenant so them 5 others
cili
call it (pi ritually and favingiy from the effefJ.
2. There is a being in Covenant *'» facie viftbilk Ecclefit, In the face, or according to the judgement of a vifible Church,where judgement and charity are mixc together, Rom.94. Deut. 29, ro, 12, 13, 14. hh. 15.2, John l. 11. Pfal. 50.5. wirh variety of Scripture : And of fuch there are two forts.
1. Such as (land by their own vifible profefsion, as all firft Covenanters do, fo all vifible Saints now, and fo many Profdytes in the Old Teftament,^^. 12.44,45* De$tt.2g.io9n. Gen.i2.$. Orelfe,
2. As in a Political Moral confidcration, as in the right of another through a free proraife ; as if a Prince give a title of honour, or apiece of land to one andjhis heirs,they are all interefted init,yet fome prove fools, or traitors, and are afterwards incapa- ble : It's fo in this, and was with ^Abraham and his feed 1 Now that this diftinflion holds in the New Teftament, I (hall thus difcover to you;
1. If men deny an external, as well as internal being in Covenant, none can adrainifter an external Ordinance, an outward fign to any ; for we muft go by external rules in thefe a&ings.
3. Vifible Profeffors will have the worft of it.; for we muft adminifter no Ordinance to thefe which are not internally in Covenant ; and we have no proof but their own exprefsions, and our good hopes, and prefent probable judgement to warrant us, and many vifible mifcarriap ?s to contradict out: judgements and hopes at fpeci i times.
Cj 3- Wc
(32j 3.Wefetafeaitoablank to all grown perfons who are baptized, or receive the Lords Supper,with- outw© know them certainly in the Covenant; and that who knows? for our judgement will no 'more hinder the feal from being a blank to grown Pro- Feffoi* then to Infants, without they prove real at Jaft.
4. The beft evidence you can have from any of their being in Covenant, is but vifiblc exprefsion.% fuppofitions, and hope?, and probabilities, ail which you mnft help out by your own charity, and fallible obfeivation ) for G04 hath promifed no feal on my fpirit for another mans condition > it's** bleffed mercy if I get the feal on ray own heart for my
So that the great Qwftion willfce anfwered from this, which Mr. Tombes and they all urge, That if God made the Covenant with believers, and their feed, they muR all be fived, &c. With which I ftiail but thus pirly.
1. Doth God make the Covenant of falvuion Vvith eve?y vifible Proi'dYor whom they baptize ? or with eveiyvifible Saint ? or do they baptize them out of Covenant ? Then how come any to fall off, and be damned ? or what rule have they to baptize by?
2. Why fTiouy it be thought more hainous to feta feal on Infa^s, as in the Covenant, thenoa uSefe Profeffors wU$ after wards prove not co be in Covenant f
z. Or
(33)
$. Or do they baptize, becaufe that perfons are in the Covenant ? If not, then upon no Spiritual ac- count ; if upon their being in Covenant, then either internally or externally ; on the fiift ic cannot be abfolucely, but as manifested externally ; not upon a meer external being inCovenantjfor then they may feta feal to a blank : if upon both together, the one externally demonftrated by the other, then it is ftiil by the external being in Covenant that we judge with hopes ofthe other. There is a trick that fome have got> whereby they think to evade this being in Covenants the fundamental ground of Baptifm,by this diftinclion ? That ic is not being in Covenant, but being an aflual Believer, gives right ; To which lanfmr.
i. That the Covenant, take it fpintually, is the ground of faith, not faith of the Covenant.
a. If the Covenant be the ground of faith f for who can believe without a promife? ) it may well be the ground of an outward priviledge.
3. To feparate the Covenant from the convey- ance of a^ual privileges, isalmoft as dangerous as to feparate acluai faith from the Covenant s for the one gives a right as well as the other.
4. Infants in the Old Teftaraenc were thus as really to be efteemed in the Covenant, as aftual vu fible Believers are now ; and under the external ad- minittration of the Covenant, as the Profely tc*,who came in tothejewifib Church, and wer| tjte nut
! Ca for
(34) For that there is an external adminiftration of the Covenant of Abraham, or rather of God m Chriit, even in the New Teftamenr, is clear 5 for that many were baptized who proved hypocrite^ and many believed vifibly likewife,as Simon Magus % Hjmenatu, Alexander, Philetus, &c. many in all the Churches; and yet thefe muft be accounted the fpi- ritual feed, though moft wicked, becaufe they can profefs their own prefent (udden faith: and poor In- fants of believers muft be accounted the carnal feed, though fo long under a Gofpel promife ; of which you (hall not want proof hereafter! V r *t ?i 3»o '*
Now that alt which are baptized, or have any Ordinance, have ic adtniniftred fundamentally oh the ground of the Covenant externally adminiftrcd, I prove thus.
I. God adminifters all his graces by Covenant, much more outward Ordinances.
*. Souls can have no challenge or intereft in God, but by fome Covenant or other ; God is tied to none, but as he ties himfelf.
?„ If there were not a vifibie and external admi- piftration of the Covenant, none jbould know of the irivifible defign of it unto any : ail things would be in the dark to us, as to Gods Covenant, in a vi- sible difpenfat ion.
4. If this invifible defign were not fecretly carried on in an outward vifibie difpen lation, there could be . none condemned by an outward rule : for who can condemn thefe who are intentionally, and invifibly
in
on
in Covenant* oifotRe? And if every one vifibfy in Covenant be intentionally and fpiritually in Cove- nant,it's jaft the fame.
The whole is this; None are in Covenant (fty they ) but real believers, the Spiritual feed, fonone Co be baptized but fuch : when it comes to appli- cation of the Ordinance, then none are the fpirrtual feed but vifible believers ; and thefe vifible believers can be judged by no way but by an external pro- fefliontobein Covenant; and Infants are no vi- fible believers, therefore no fpiritual feed ; | when as the one is as vifible by promife, as the other by pro- feffion.
__ ! ■*
Chap. V. Opening that place in Acts 2. 39.
'Tfjuv $ %bv \m,fyxia> xj rots Tiwoft vywv , x) ****
1,, **
*W s fti (V.
TH I S Text I firft hold forth as (it to difcover the New Tcftament application of the Covenant of grace, and its continuation to believers and their feed, as to Abraham and his in the Old Teftament : Its the firft Argument ufed after Chrifts afcenfion,
to
tm
to provoke the Jews to repent, and fufrmit to Go- fpel' ordinances; and the firft open promulgation of the Covenant both to Jew and Gentile, with the prime priviledges of it; in which is contained the Gofpel-Covenant made with believers and their feed.
r. Here is f I fW>Wi*J) the promife j which can be no other then the promife of remiffion offins, and fo of falvation; futable to that \nGe*.ij.y.tiid repeated at large in ?er. 3 r. 34. For it mnft either be a promife of temporal things, Of fpiritual j of temporal things it cannot be; for there is do ab- fo lute promife of thefe things in the NewTtftamenr, but as included in, or following fpiritual mercies, as Uiiat. 6. 33 Neither is there a fy; liable itL.this Chapterpreflingmentolook after temporal enjoy- ments, or engaging them to embrace the Gofpel by any outward emoluments.
Ob. The great and only interpretation of this promife by thefe that differ, is, that ft hath reference to v. i5. and is meant of the promife of the holy Ghoft prophefled of by foil, Chap. 2.28. which was to be poured forth in the latter daies, and bow vifibly and eminently begun to be fulfilled at the day ofPentecoft.
To which the Anfwer will be cleat* and fair,thou$rr that be granted ; and not at ail weaken-,: but Strengthen the former fenfe ; For,
1. Thatpromiieis afpiritwai prdmife, tnd.mDie
large and comprehenfive of fpiritual mwG&VA'
" any
(37) any other; the promising of thetpiritisas much as to promife all at once, graces, gift?, yea Heaven it felf, for all are but the fruits of this promife ; Chtift in the Old Teftamenr, and the Spirit in the New, contain all the promifes in an eminency. When Jc- fus Chrift was to leave the World, and fpeak all his heart at once, and leave his lad bleffing, that fhould be better then his bodily prefence among them,he ex* prefles all in this, that he would fend the Spirit, Job. 14. 16,26. Ci.15.26* 16."/, And of this large pro- mife, as well according to Chrift's promife before his Afcenfion, as Joels Prophefie, the Apoftles and Believers received the flrft fruits in this folemn day of Chrifts triumph : So that to fay it's the promife of the Spirit, is as much as to fay it's the promife of all fpiritual things : For this read in Gal. 3. 14. the Apoftle fpeaking of the fruits of Chrift* death, faith, It Was that the bleffing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through leftts C^rt?* f^at ®e might receive the promife of the Spirit through faith; The fame phrafe that is in this 3 8 . And in the promife of the jpirit, Which is to be received by faith* is included jvftification,fan5iification; yea all gr aces % and its here joynedwith the bleffing of Abraham : But,
2, If they take the promife of the Spirit in a \U mitedandreftriclivefenfe, for the external gifts, as the moftdo, for the gifts of tongues, and miracles, and prophefie, they both clip the promife, and make the argument and comfort from it invalid, and of no efficacy,
1. It's
OS)
i . It's a mighty wrong to that famous prom ifc of the Spirit, tocircumfcnbeicin thefe accidental gifts which were efpecially neceffary, and almoft only for that feafon : when it's a promife that reacheth all the latter days, and is ftill accomplishing, though all thefe extraordinary gifts are ceafed.
2. This ftrairned fenfe is expunged by the man* neroftheexpreflions of that Prophetic, both in jfo/, tnd this in the nAEls, I will four out of my fpirit on *U fiejby and on your fervantt and handmaids will / four out ofntj fpirit : Which (hews the univerfality and variety of the fubjecls, and bleflings in this pro* mife, that it fhili be fo large and full a mercy ; as if there were to be bo limitation of its meafure.
3. If it were meant meerly of thefe gifts, why then there is no more benefit of that promife after the Apoftles days, but thatChrift was out of date, and did expire with that age ; whereas it is a promife made for all the time of the New Teftamenr, which is expreft by the latter days, and the lafl days, up and down the Scripture . r^rfjo oft
A parallel promife ro this you have in I/a. 44. 3. I will pour water on him that is thirfty% and foods on the dry ground ; 1 Will pour my fair it on tkjfeedy and m) kteffing on thjoff-fpring : Now the promife of the fpirit is always appropriated to the New Tcftamenc day?,*
And Secondly, This cannot be the meaning o£ this phrafe, if iye confider to whom the Apoftlfi fpeaks, to perfons pricked itrtheir hearts, Tty**ded for
their
(19)
their fins in crucifying oflefus Cbrift, trying out ^,37. Otfe n and Brethren, What Jhall we do to be faved ? Now what comfort could this be to tell them they fhould have extraordinary gifts ? their hearts were bleeding under (in, their eye was on falvation, they faw no hopes of it, nor knew the way to obtain it ; the Apoftle bids them repent and be baptized $ they might have faid, What (hall we be the better ? why (faith the Apoftle) Ton {ball receive the gift efthe holy Gkoft; for the promife u unto you ; What pro- mile? of gifts, of tongues and miracles : What is this to our fouls ? how will this fave us? might they well objecl. It would be but a poor comfort to a wounded foul for to tell him of a promife of gifts, not of fpiritual grace 5 and the holy Ghoft is 1 bet- ter Pbyfician then to apply fuch a raw improper plaifterto a wounded heart, which would hardly heal the skin : this promife is brought in as a cordial, to keep them from fainting, and to give them fpirits to believe, and lay hold on Jefus Ghrift ; And truly no other promife but that of free grace, in order to falvation, can be imagined to give them comfort ift that condition.
But to put ail out ofqueftion? That the promife prophefied of in Joel, and quoted here, was the pro- mife of falvation, and the kme with the Covenant of Grace, Confult the Original in Joel, and the pa- rallel in this of the Atts ; inloeli.JJ. the Prophet founds all the promifes that went before, and all that come after* on Shis, That he k the Lord their God^
and
(4o) m&wme el/e • which was ihe very exprefs words in chat Covenant made with t^brahum : And then af- terwards, viz. in the New Teftament, to make out this fully 9 HeVpiltpouretttbufpiritonaUfleJb, <$>c. v. 32. which is a part of that prophefie, and is quo- ted again in v. 21 . Whofoever fhaU caR on the name of tkeLordfaillbefavedi one grace put for air; and (alvation being put at the end of the promite, muft needs be the aim of it. The fame exprefiio» you have again repeated, Rom, 1 oi 1 3 .
And in the former v. 3 8. he exhorts them to re- pent , eitapwdufyTiav^ for the renvffien of fin $ th exhortation is to a Gofpelduty; the effect and profit of k was to be remi(fion of fins, and receiving the gift of the holy Ghoft ; and the prormfe muft needs be anfwerable, by which all is enforced ; and it muft needs have been a mighty low and difpropor- tionable way of perfwafion, to put them upon foch high things in the former verfe, and to encourage them only by the narration of a promife of fome temporary gifts in the folIowing,when their eye and heart was kt on -re million of (ins, and falvation by Jefus Chrtft ; and nothing but a promife holding forth thefe mercies could have been confideraWe to them.
And it's very obfervable, in chat verfe he joyns remiffion of fins with the gift of the holy Ghoft 5 and then adds fte promife to both, as the ground of one and the other, and comprehending both : And for that expreffion of Receiving tb* gift of the holy
Ghoft,
f(*0 Cjbift, it may well be noted, that it is a»4*<& # A>- Zixv & -n^ixcLTzf cly\*s the free gift ; not ^^aaVf**^ the gifts of the heiyfpimt ; rioting the very fending ofthe fpiritasafree gift to beftow all mercies on them ; and fo refpeding rather the free and bounte- ous manner of beftowing the holy Ghofton them* then any limited effecls of his reception.
By all which it is demonftrated, that this is no or- dinary, common, no temporal promife, or of mecr gifts, though never fo extraordinary, but a promife of free grace.
I only add this to all the reft, as undeniable by this principles of thefe that differ; it's a promife made not only to thefe Jews, but it's univerfally to the Gentiles, and to all the called of Cod : but all that are called have not received fuch gifts of {be holy Ghoft which then were given ; but everyone that is effectually called doth receive the promife of remtflion or fins, and the free favour of God, an4 therefore this promife mud be taken mainly in that fenfe* ,
• But the great difficulty is in the following part of the verfe, and about the intereft of their Children in this promife; and therefore the next work mull be to make out this, that the Children as well as the Parents are included in this promife, as they were in the promife made with Abraham.
I. Let us confider to whom the Apoftle fpeaks: to the Jews, who wereprickt in their hearts; The promife U ti> jon and pur Children ; He (peaks to
them
(42)
them after the wonted manner of expreffion in the Old Teftament,when ever the promife is mentioned; and ufeth their own language in which they were trained up in from their Fathers; IVeillfathe (jodof the and thy feed, Gen. 17. ThefromifeutoyoH and your Children ; If the Apofte had intended to ex- elude their Children from the fame privi ledges they had formerly by the Covenant, he would never have fpokenin fucha known diale&ofthe Old Tefta- ftient : and to jews, who could take it in no other fenfe but this, that the promife (hall run as formerly, to them and their feed.
2. Lee us mind on what ground this is brought in, viz. as an argument and ftrong inducement of them to repent and be baptized,- as in the former VCtfe ; for the promife is tdymandyour feed 2 He en* ceurageth them from this to receive the Ordinance ofBaptifmthemfelves, for the promife was ftill the fame to them and their Children * only now they mnft firft believe and be baptized themfelves, ere their Children could be confidered in the promife ; If the Apoftle had not intended to hold forth to them now believing and being baptized, and theit Children, the fame privi ledges they had before as to the promife, it would have been the greateft delu- sion inftead of an argument to perfwade them to be baptized on this ground, becaufe the promife was to them and their Children ; they had been rather de- ceived by it then enlightned ; and (tumbled by fact* a proportion more then informed of a New Tefta- mem adminiftmion* 3« ^potf
,^3>
3 . Upon what hinge can this Exhortation turn ? Where is the vertue and ftrength it hath to move them to be baptized themfelves, bat on this con- federation, that they fliould not only enjoy blefiings themfclves, through the promife, but their Children! with them ? The promife to them was enough for themfelves to fubmit to that Ordinance .* but the height of the enforcement is from the riches of the, promife, that it was not only to them, but their Children- they might blefs themfelves and theirs by fubmittingto theGofpel; elfeto put in the namd of their Children fpeaking to the Jews, was but to Tay a temptation before them, and rather to puzzle them then encourage them : And doubtlefs the Holy Ghoft would never in the firft opening of the Go- fpeJ, and encouraging fouls to embrace kt ufe fuch s language and expreltion that might deceive thofe he fpake unto i for what could the Jews imagine or conceive upon fuch a difcovery , but that if they themfelves did repent and were baptized, the pro- mife fliould be the fame in theN. T. to them and their Children , as it was formerly to Abraham, upon hvs believing and being circumcifed3 to him 2lnd his ke&t there being no exprefiion the Jewg were fo accuftqmed to, and more delighted in, died that of theptomife to them and their Children? And . but to mention their Children with the ptoraife, if it was not meant to hold forth that they were ftill its die promife, was fufficient to have deceived thern9 who were never inftrucleil in any other method;
D Ths
C44J The great defign of the Apoftle was to open the NX promife,and by that to encourage the poor wounded Jews to repent and be baptized : And that they might have no cloud on their apprehenfions, ordif- couragemenr, he utters it xnlingtMvernacuU, in the phrafe the promife was always expreft in the Old Te- ftament.
4. If the intent of the Apoftle were not to hold forth the fsmeoefs and identity of the priviiedge of the promife to thejews and Gentiles now believing, 3s was formerly; he would never have mentioned Children when he mentions Baptifm, and efpecially not in the fame line with the promife made to thePa- rents ; and with one breath exprefs the promife to both* and make that the ftrength of his argument to put them on the pradice of that Ordinance : And doubtlefs it had not been fo candid a way,nor futablc to the fimplicity of the Gofpel, to tell them of their Children, juft when he tels them of being baptized the mfelves; and name them immediatly with the pro* rmtie, if the defign was utterly to exclude them both from the promife and Baptifm. I have been the lon- ger inculcating thefe confederations, becaufe there is much in them, and engaged perfons can (lightly pafs over the rnoft eminent places with a meer glance.
Ob. But it's objected, That the latter claufe* (ojmav qfAsteti'tTiTctt o x^ei©- ) Js many as the Lord jha/Icail, is a limitation of the verfc,and no more are under the promife j and fo Child ren,if God (ball call them, ftiaii alfo enjoy the promife*
Sol.
Sol. For anfwer to this Jaft obje&ion, which is the ftrerrgth of their confidence from this place, we muft confider thefe particulars.
I. That in this verfe you have an exacl diftributiori of the world into Jew and Gentile, according to the ufualdiftributionin other Scriptures; the Gentiles being ufually called thefe afar of ; and the promife equally diftributed among 5 only he adds (as many as the Lord {hall call) to thefe which are afar, as moft proper in that place : but it can in no fenfe be re- ferred to the former part of the verfe, either to Pa- rents or Children : For,
1. He changes the tenfe in both parts of the verfe/ in the firft part unto the Jews, he fpeaks depr&fenti^ of the prcfent application of the promife; Repent y on,
and be baptized for the promife u to you and your
Children ; even now the promife is offered to you ^ and they were then under the call of God •< But when he fpeaks of the Cicntiles,becaufe they were yet afat OfF,and not at all called, he fpeaks defuturo^ as many as God (hall call, even of them alfo ; which is the firftesprefs hint of the catling of the Gentiles m all the Ads of the Apoftles. ^
i» How unequal would the diftribntfon be of this verfe, "hot futablc to the laws of exprefsion among rational men? li As many as the Lord Jkall catt \ flibuld b?« limitation to the former pare of the vsrfe.
the word, Children, muft needs be redundant and fu- perfiuous ; for Jews and Gentiles comprehend all the world. Now Children muft either be one pare of the world j or comprehended under one or both names, or be a diftinfl world by themfelvel, neither Jews nor Gentiles : And this muft needs follow on fucha reading of the words*; for thedefigndf the A polite is to hold forth the freenefs of the promife to Jew and Gentile, and their Children ; to thefe Jews at p'refent, to the Gentiles arid their Children when God (hould call the Parents, as he did thefe Jews. Now put Children by themfelves, as a third party , and add whom the Lord Jhall call, and you ex- clude them from being either Jews or Gentile?, and lo excommunicate them from any hopes of calling, or being faved ; Now this is,
i. Contrary to that known rule in Logick, That Omnii bom diflribttiio debet ejfe bimembm ; only of two members and thefe oppofite one to another 5 to bring in a third mars all. So that it is moft clear,the words muft be nnderftood as they are trarflated^The promife is to you Jews, and your Children at pre- sent, and to thole afar offalio, and their Children, when GQ(hi\\ca8them] t\k calling cm with no fenfe beapplied to any tittle of the formerpartof the verte, without you make it monftrous, and unlike itfelf.
3. ItVagsinft another rule about diftriWion,
which
*
which i$,That Partes Mvifionis ambulent <zqnali pajftt, That the parts of a diftribution fhculd be equally fee together. Now here will be a mighty inequality* as to the communication of the promife ; if the words (hould be taken in their fenfe, the Jews will have a greater priviledgc then the Gentiles, if Children be not equally added to both ; the Jews had the pro- mife made to them and their Children at prefent; thefe afar off (hall only have the promife to thern- felves, but not their Children.
3 . Confider how comes this word (your Children) to be kept in, for what end and ufe, if it were not to (hew fome fpecial priviledge they have with their Parents, when God cals or converts the Parent ? what (lands it for but a Hone of offence to confeicn- tious hearts ?
Objection.
Ail they infwer to this, is, that the Apoftle names their Children to comfort their Parents, becaufe they had wi(hed Chrifts blood on their Children, and io to give them hopes they might yet be faved, if God (hould call them.
SOLUT ION.1
To fee the fad (hifes of errour, is wonderful : Can any man imagine, that the Parents could doubt more,
D 3 o%
or fo much of their Childrens being accepted and for ved,when God fhould call them who were innocent, and only under the fudden raflicurfeof their Pa- rents, when they faw that the promife was to them- felves, and Chrift offered pardon to themfelves,who were the adual murtherers of the Lord Jefus.
%. Such a confidcration would rather fadden then? then refrefh them, to mention the calling of their Children ; For they might more doubt of that, then of any thing, whether God would call them or no, and be as far to feek as ever they were,that they would have but cold comfort upon this account ; this was enough to break their hearts if that were in their eye; the old way of conveying the ptomife is cut off, no promife but to called ones ; our poor Children are uncalled, and God knows whether ever they may be called of God : Thus might they reafon : But when he includes them in the fame promife with Parents, and exhorts the Parents to repent, upon this ground, that the promife is to them and their Children ; this favours like a Gofpd-camforting-exhorcation, and could not be but of great efficacy upon their fpirics.
4» What Qrange myfterious tautologies would be in this one verfe ? if. that Uft fentence fhould refer to all the former exprejfions, we rnuft read it thus to make out their fenfe.
The promife is to yott Parents of th$ Jews, when
God
God (lull call you fand they were then under the call) and to your grown Children, when God ftnll call them ; and to all which are afar off, when God (hall call them : Can any man with his underftanding about him think the Holy Ghoft foould faulter (o much in common expreflion of his mind, i%hen there was no need of adding or calling to any part, but to thefe that were afar off, who were never yet under Gods Gofpel call?
Laftlyi the word,Children,may and muft b$ under- flood of Little Ones,Infants,not of adult and grown perfons, for thefe reafons,
i. The word here (twois ) properly fignifies an off-fpring, any thing brought forth, though it be but of a day, of a moment old ; Thus when a woman is faid to be in pain,and to bring f orth,this word is ufed > John i6*« 21. Luke.1. 31. Mat. i.t6,Lukei. 57.
2. It's an indefinite word, and therefore may not be retrained to grown Children, except God had expreft it in a peculiar phrafe.
3. It muft needs be efpecially meant of Little Ones, becaufethey are diftingui&ed from them felves, who were men of years. Now when we diftinguiih be- tween Men and Children, we fuppofe the one aduk, the other under age,and not grown up* and it is con- trary to all ways of expreflion to think other wife, D4 4. It
4.Xtcarmotbe rationally conjectured otberwife, bccaufethe Apoftle doth joyn them with their Pa- rents in the fame promife, and not leave them to ftand by themfelves, as grown perfons rnult*
So that all things weighed, this Text of Scripture, jf there were no more, holds forth the famencfs of the promife to Believers of the Gofpel, both Jew and Gentile! and their Children, aseyer it was to nAbrnhAm% and his natural feed.
e
HAP,
(41J Chap. VL
Their great Plea from Mat. j. 8,9. con- cerning John the Baptift'S Speech to the Sharif ees and S adduce s} made <vain ■' and that Text cleared from miftakes.
TH A T we may dill take off the main QbjeAt- ons, let us view that place fo much flood on, Mat. 3, 7, 8, 9. when lohn /*W «m»jj e//^ Tha- rifees and S adduces come to hii Baptifm t he faith, Q generation of Vipers, Who hath forewarned jou to flee from the Wrath to comet bring forth fruits meet for repentance ; And think^not to fay within your [elves we'have Abraham to our Father ; for Ifaj that God Us $kh of thefe fiones to raife up Children to Abraham: From this Text they gather, that the pretence of be- ing Abrahams Children could not give them aright to Baptifm ; and if John denied Abrahams natural feed on that account, much more would he the adopted Children.
That this is no fuch ominous place againft Infant^ Baptifm, Confider,
I. Who they were he fpeaks unto, the Phari fees and Sadduces, men at age, and degenerated from Abrahams faith, perfons that lived on their own works and righteoufnefs ; therefore he cals them
(4«)
$ovfpctt*lKthav, A generation of Vipers i which was not as they were Abrahams Children,buc a* they had not walked in Abrahams fteps, but were quite degenerated : Thus he did not refufe them beeaufe Abraham was their Father, or upon that account thtt Abrahams feed had not right to thepromife; but as only pretending Abraham to be their Father, when they walkt contrary to the principles of Abra- hamsfaich.
2. This is the fame now as to grown vifible Fro- feffors, who have related their faith to the Church, and fo are baptized upon that account of faith, and repentance s yet if afterwards they grow carnal and apoftate,*nd if fuch ftiould come to receive the Lords Supper, and challenge it beeaufe they are baptized, we might fay the fame as Iohnto the Pharifees and Sadduces : Do not chink to fay that you are b*j*tl- zed,or that you ha vs had godly Patents j for you are i generation of Vipet?, you have cut off your own right by contrary actings in your own perfons ; and yet it doth nothing at all impeachthe truth of this pofition, That believers and their Isfants are 01 Co- venanted ongbt to be judged fo until they roantfeft the contrary ; or that if they believed themfelves af- terward*, the promife fhoufd not be unto them and their Children : And that Text holds not no mors then this, That when perfons are grown up to years, andrcome to undemanding, they maft then ftafld oil their right, and loekeomtkeoutpeifonal qaalifict- tions for new Or4minces;
3i This
f47) 3. This was at the firft inftitution of the Or di- nahce, when Baptifm Was newly adminiftred : Now new inftitutions (as before,) require grown perfons, and aftual vifible believers to be the firft fubjecTof them ; they could not baptize their Children firft ; for then the Parents would be neglected $ and the bririging in of a newOrdinance requites renewing of fpecial a&s in thefe which partake firft of it ; as if an old Leafe which is made in the name of a man and his Children, be at fuch a feafon to be renewed upon fome certain termssthe man himfelf muft come, and acknowledge his owning thefe terms, and then it is to him and his, as before : So now in the New ft* (lament God renews the Covenant of Abraham , adds a new initiating feal to it; it was before en- tail'd in fuch a line/which is cut off • it's now of the fame nature, only every one muft come in bis own perfon firft, as Abraham, and enter his own name, and then the promife is to him and his feed : Thus it was in the former place, where when the Jews came to be baptized, they were exhorted firft to repent and be baptized themfelves ; then the pro- mife U tojoH and your Chil&nn : So that this we %(- firm,
1. That no man muft be baptized, or receive an Ordinance by any fleflhly prerogative ; but where there is an entail of a promife, there is a fpiritua! ground of adminift ration.
2. That no perfon grown up to years of under* ftanding,hath right to a fealing Ordinance, but upon his own perforsal qualification^' 3, That
M8)
3. That petfons may have prefent capacities, and vifible right to Ordinances, and yet afterwards jcuz off themfelves, and be found incapable, as Ijhmaeli and here the Pharifees and Sadduces.
4. That the exception of fomeperfons upon the account of their degeneration, and perfonai defers, doth not hinder but the old priviledges of the pro- mife may be conveyed to thefe which do really em- brace the Gofpet, and to their feed $ all thefe are undeniable in themfelves : And this Text reachethno further then to the exclusion of thefe which hadde- monfirated themfelves to be only the Children of the fteft^andnot of the promife alfo : which is a demon- stration only a pofterioriy from their after actings; and teacheth us that thefe that boaft in outward pri- viledges, without looking after perfonai qualified; ons, and holy frames .within* may be as well judge4 carnal, as Heathens and profhane perfgns.
CffA?«
Chap. VII.
That fpecial place in x Cor. 7. 14. opened, and argued-, Elfe were your Children unclean, but now they are holy.
THIS place of Scripture, though it feems to ftand by k felf,yet hath full correipohdence and harmony with all other places in the N. T. con- cerning this truth. As the former did hold forth the promife, the Covenant to Believers and their Chil- dren, in diftinclion from all the world : fo doth this leave a character of fpecial qualifications furable to a fubjecl of fuch an Ordinance; and when the pro- mife and the qualification fhalJ meet together, there is enough for to capacitate to any Ordinance.
The Apoftle is in this verfe anfwering a fcruple which might arife in the hearts of the Corinthians concerning abiding together of married perfons } the one being a Convert, and a Believer ; the other, whether manor woman, an Unbeliever ; as ic was a common cafe in the Apoftles times, the Husband might be converted, the Wife not ; and the Wife converted, and not the Husband ; the Word work- ing on the one , not on the other 5 this begat a doubt in the believing Party ,whether he or (he might with t good conference live together in that ftate.
Th§
The Apoftie anfwers it, ver. U, 13- pofitively, that they oughtnot to feparate, or leave each other, notwthiftanding that the one was an Unbe lever 1 Andhegivesin this ver. 14. a ftrong and peculiar ar- gument, which he makes wftar omnium^ for the un- believing Husband is fanftified in the believing Wife,&c. Elfe were jour Children Mclean, but now
they are holy. .. e .
The fcopeofthe ADoftle here is to hold forth fome fpecial Gofpel-priviledge annesed to thcfiatei and he frames his argument by no ordinary medium, of the lawiulnefs of the marriage according to a na- tural, moral or poficive rule, but i m*jon, from an eminent advantage they had together in the Oo- fpel : For, A#6 . .
1. The unbelieving Husband is fanttifted m, or,
to, or by the Wife.
2. TheChiidrenin fuchattateareholy,asitthey
had been both believers. . . pr.A.
That the Apoftie holds out a Gofpel-puviiedge, not common to meet unbelievers in their marriage-
ftate, is clear ; . .
t. Becaulethe Apoftie puts the advantage on the believers fide, and there feetb it ; the unbelieving Husband is ianftified in the Wile, as believing* and fo comrarily , the unbelieving W ifc m Jthe Husband: So Beza affirms, that in two fpecial po- nies he finds the words thus read, ^^%^ i,n3*ityl^: neither can it bold fenfe with the former words but ti thus read > And if it had not
been the Apoftle* proper meaning to fhew the fpc- cial priviledge the believing party hath notwith- ftanding the unbeliever, he would have only faid, the Husband is fanftified to the Wife, and the Wife to the Husband ; that would have been the plaineft and ieaft ambiguous expreffion of fuch afentence: and the Apofte would never have made an argument of four terms, when three could only fatisfie ; for all know, that an argument with four terms is mod de- ceitful and falfe.
2* The Apoftle doth ufe higher terms and phrafes in this argument, then is ever ufed in Scripture to ex- prefs a meer lawful or common priviledge ; as to be fanilified in the Wife,and the Children to be holy ; expreflions of another dialed: then to hold forth a civil, or natural, or legal conjunction ; being tingled out in Scripture, to hold forth the beft ftate of per- fons and things, in relation to God and his ufe.
And the Apoftle ufeth two terms, both negative and affirmative ; they are not unclean, but holy ; the opening of the afe of which two words will clear the point under consideration,
The word here (dndtep™) unclean, in the Old Teftament, is commonly ufed for thofe legal polluti- ons and uncleanneiTes which made men to be fepa- rated from theCongregation, and excommunicated from the priviledge of Ordinances, until they were waihed and fanclified ; Thus in Levn. 5. 2, 3,4. Chap. j. 19.& 14.7, 8. //rf.52.1. H^.2.ij,with many other pkces, where unclean is oppofed to *
pre-
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firefeht futable capacity for Chnrch-privlledges; But hat famous place in Ms. 10. 1 4- (hews it mod cleat what the proper ufe of this word is ; he loynsit there with what is common or prophane : When the v.- fion came to him of eating all forts of Creatures, he faith, Not ft Lord; for Ihave noieattnjnj thmg that iscommJor mclL (W*^ Th«sv.fion was about his going to C«W to open the Gofpel ttf him, and bring him into the Church who was a Gen- tile and fo common and unclean, not fit for Gofpel- tfriviledges, as the lews were thought to be. Now fn a civif fenfe things that are common are not un- clean ; but in a religious fehfc, what is common is ad- judged unclean ; Now Cornell being a Gennle, without the pale of the Iewifo Church, he cak h,m common and unclean.as alt the Gentiles ; were ^efotf they came under the promife ; but God anfwered, What God hath clenfedfit fanned, call not thvcvm* iJ„: Cornell was not a Baftard.no. .unlawfully be. gotten ; but he was not accounted a he m™bcr,Jhe was without the Church ; therefore the ApoftleaK him common and unclean : lf™.^Z$S*- with the Apoftle here; when he fatch that Children are not unde*«, he mult needs mean they are not of c^mmonufe.brtobe eluded from outward Pn- viedeesof the Church : But that is not all, but he pSely faith; they, are fWjl ^i "« gfe
ufed to eiprefs the Hebrew word ^ ,«h-ch j« lignifies what is $* Dm* aenm^dxihn ^*
An)
which is appropriated to a Divine ufe ; which Is trie* proper notion of holinefs in the Old and New Tefta- ment, and never taken otherwife : For the proof of which, I have compared above three hundred places in the Old Teftament according to the Septuaginc* and all the N. T. places where the word is ufed. And this all do granr^ even Mt.Tombes himfelf, that the word generally is taken in Scripture to exprefs a reparation of things to God, and he only brings thefe places wherein he thinks there is another ufe of ir I Tim. 4. 5. Every filature of God is good, and not to be refufed, if it be received With thanksgiving ; for it is fanUified by the Word and Prayer (wdtyj ) Hence i faith he, is meant only the lawful ufe ef th$ Creature , in oppofition to what is to be refufedi It is 8 wonder,but that God leaves men to blindnefs when they leave truth$how any man of common underftan- ding,finding the Word holy &/d»#*/k<J, always ufed in a religious fenfe, fhould fly to this place to make an exception. The Apoftle faith firft, Every Crea^ ture Which God hath made is good in it f elf, and none to) be refufed : that is, all may be lawfully ufed without any legal pollution, as formerly : But then he goes higher, fpeaking of a religious ufe of outward things^ They are fanned by the VVord and Prayer ; they are ail good, and lawful in their ufe to every man ; but they are only fanttified by thefe holy meatfsy the FTordand Prayer. And he might have as well faid, that the Word and Prayer are not holy means, but only law- ful to bs ufed 3 as that the faaclification which is by E tfef©
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the Word and Frayer, is to make the Creatures only kvvful to be ufed if a wicked man eat his meat with- out feeking a blefling on it, of giving thanks, will any one fay that he hath not a lawful ufe of the Crea- tue? but any man may fay, it's not farcified to him. The Apoflle in thefe 2; ver. goes ongraditim, by degrees, from a lawful uie to a holy ufe of the Creatures 5 All* good, and may be fifed, but they are fanBifsd by the Word and "Prayer : thus you fee the nature of this priviledged place.
But the main place Mr. Tombes aliedgeth for ho- linefstobe ufed for what is barely civil or lawful, U that 1 Thef. A- 3 ,4,7- ?** * *he m« of God , your fm^f cation, that you abftain from formcatton, an* Jet every onepoffefs his vejfel in fanttification and ho- nor;''fir God hath not called M to uncleannefs % but holmtfs. Here mcleannefsutaken^itifotei fir for- nkation.andhotinefs forchaftity.
To which I anfwer with Mr, Marjbal , That cha- tty among the Heathens is never called ianaifica- tion but among Believers it is, being a part of the new Creation, and one branch and part of then fan- aification wrought by the Spirit or God. And tbouah 'Mr. Tombes faith this isbuc alMt, yet he lm*! fee it demoftfttative, if he obfetve thephrafes in the Text, and the nature of fina»ficatton ; in the 3 &i ver. the Aooftie befeechech and exhorteth them to walk as they had received from b'm^to walk* and to fleafe god according to the rules of fejus fhrifti and he urged* ir in ver, the 3; with ch«;
($5)
h'stbeVoillofGoh even yonr finEiification, thatis^ that yoHfbQHttvedkjnallholinefs, futab/etatheb/ef- fed rules of the gofpel, and as one part and eKpreffiofc of hohnefs,. toabftainfromfin; And he inftanceth fpccialfy in fornication, which was the common and reigning fin among the Gentiles: So that if you view the place you (hill find, That,
I. Hefpeaksoffanclificauon in genera!, in its full latitude, ver. 3 as futable to ail the will and mind of God ; This is the VeHlof God^venyourfanmjicauoni that is,it is Gods command, and Gods delight to fee you fanclified: then he brings in abftinence from fornication (the fin of the times) as one part of tfiac holinefsGod requires; For fan<Sihcation may b@ considered as it lies in vivification , orinmortifo*/ tion, which for dtftinclions fake we may call the two pares of fanclifkation. Now chafticy in it felf, as in the Heathens and natural men, is not properly a part of fenaification ; fome other tpithite becomes ic better: Would Mr. Tombs call all the abftinencies and admgs of the Heathens by the name of fandifi. cations, and fpeak like a Chriftian and a Divine? Would it be proper to fay in his Pulpitf when he was fpeaktng of the nature of holinefc and chafticy) fan- cied Socwtesfroly Arises} And can he think the Apoftle would exprefs chat which is common among Heathens , in fuch a high Gofpel-dialea as fanclifi- cation is appropriated aiwayes in Scripture to God, Angels, Satncs, and their higheft graces and work- sngv and to things railed above common ufe, de- £ 2' dlcmi"
dilated to God and his fervice, but that he meant it according as the whole tenure of Scripture defines holinefs .? How much will the phrafe of holinefs and fan&iflcation be debafed and made cormnon, if that fenfe ftiould be admitted, contrary to the Scripture ufe of the Word ? But that is a weak cafe that puts men to fuch extraordinary fhifts to maintain.
But to go on a little further ; The fame word is ufed-by the Apoftle in all his falutations, and infer i- pcions of his Epiftlcs to all the Churches ; **'f *#**§ to the Saints or holy ones at Rome, at Corinth, Cja- latia%Ephefm , &c. which when appropriated to per* fons, always fignifies a vifible Saint : So here, when he calls Children of believing Parents holy,he cannot but mean they are to be accounted as vifible Saintsf until they do profefs the contrary ; and I know no reafon can be given why the meaning of the Apoftle in his Epiftles, when he writes *w*«k*Wj to th* Saints, Qiouid not be as well underftood written only to the legitimate.and thofe that are not baftards at Rome, Corimh%&c as well as for them to inter- pret the farrie word fo in this place : Tor *7<«'i when applied to grown men,mutt (ignifie vifible and Evan- gelical holinefs, and mult be tranflated Saints : but when- applied to Children, it muft only fignifie legi- timacy, that they are not Baftards ; when ail men know, that magis & minmtae* variant f pec iem 5 and the word is of the lame import in every place of che New Teftament.
Ok If any (hall be fo critical as Mt.Tmfosis ,
to
($7 J to enquire how they can be faid to be holy:what ho- linefs is heremeant,whetherinherenr,or imputative, or vifible >
Sol. I anfwer , It's a holinefs of fpecial fepara* tion to God, and his ufe, as a peculiar people : Some call it a federal holinefs, from the ground of the pri- viledge ; others an Ecclefiaftical,or Church holinefs, from the account and efteem the Church ought co htveof fuch Children.but the firft more fully anfwers the largeft ufe of the word in Scripture. As for In- fants,
i. They are capable of inherent holinefs.
2. They are in Covenants we have proved, and fo have a holy relation on them >
3. They are capable of feparation to Gods ufe from the womb, and fo of being holy to God.
4. By the fame reafon we account grown men holy, we may account Infants of believers holy ; for thefe that make a profeffion,may have no inward and inherent holinefs ; and a bare profeffion is not ho* linefs; we only account them holy by a judicious cha* rity • and we are often deceived, and have caufe to repent of our judgements s Infants may be inwardly fanclified, and God hith taken them into the Cove- nant with their Parents, and would have us look on them as ieparated to himfelf; which is ground e- nough to build our charity on, as to efteem them holy, as grown perfons. There is no difference buc this in it ; That concerning the holinefs of perfons at age.we truft our own judgements j and in judging
£ 1 of
of infants we truft Gods Word, who hath com- prehended them under the promifewith their Pa- rents ; there hath been as many deceits in the event, in oar judgement of thofe of riper years, p in that which is a&ed through a mixture of faith and charity on Infant*. And Gods promife, though never fo in- definite, is a furer ground for hope, then my pro- bable judgement- which is the moft \ can have of the generality of ProfrfTors of riper years.
j^ But if any one fay further, What is this to Baptifm? here is no mention of it in this place.
Sol. It's true, baptifm is not mentioned here ; but here is mention of a qualified fubjecl for Baptffm, which is all that is contended for: And if the Apoftle bad faid they were believers, then thefe of the con- trary opinion would conclude, here is enough for Baptifm; but its all one in that he calls them holy, which you fee is more then legitimate; and you may tranflate it with as much propriety, 8lfe were your Children impure, but now t before Saints ; that is, fo to be efteemed through Gods Covenant, as if they had profeffed their own faith.
Laftly, As k would be moft abfurd to imagine the Apoftle (rioqld ufe a pure religious word to ex- prefs a common and ordinary priviledge : fo there would be no confiderable medium for augmentation in that fenfe^and no fuch force in &#**& (elfe were, &c.) which hath force from the fpecialnefs of the toriviledge to their iffue, not only to be lawfully begotten, as the Children of unbelievers are, when
lawfully
(59) lawfully married : but to be in a peculiar ftate of fe- parationtoGod, and to be accounted fie members with the believing Parent of the vifible Church of Chrift.
And what a poor and cold anfwer, as to comfort, would it be, when the believer was fcrupled about abiding with his or her unbelieving yoke-fellow, to tell them,Continue together; for your Children (hall not be Baftards : but how full of ftrength and fweet- nefs muft it be, if taken in the contrary fenfe ? Re- main with your yoke-fellQws, though unbelievers ; they are fandified to you , and you (ball notwfch- ftanding bring forth a holy feed ; a feed of God, as the Old Teftament expreffion ; in Covenant, as if you were both believers ; this founds like a medium mod demonftrative and confolatory , both for fa- tisfaclion and comfort; What plainer teftimony, or fairer character can be written to die w the qua- lification of Infants of believers, then to write them holy, and give them the fame name that is given to Chrift, and Saints in Heaven and Earth ?
rsn
.
E 4 Chap,
*-ir, ; <*
t Chap. VIII.
The Harmonie that notable Chapter ,Rom. 11. hath with the former Scriptures . the \jy \6] \7> <verfes efpeclally o- peneL
THAT the Adverfaries of this truth may fee we want not a harmonie of Scriptures to con- firm our judgement, the next place to be considered Ofisthat3 Rom n.efpecially ver. 15,16 17. of that Chapter; which if well weighed, will demonftrate the holinefs and Church meroberfliip of theChildr^en of believing Gentiles , as much as of the Jews Children that defcended naturally from *Abr& ham.
The fcope of the whole chapter is to difcover the breaking off, or cafting away of the lewifh Na- tion from being a Church, and the priviledgethe Gentiles get by thi?, & their ingrafting into the fame root; and the promjfeof the reftauration of the lews again, when the fulnefs of the Gentiles ftiould come in; and every one of thefe expreft with va- riety of notions, and interlined with many cautions concerning Gods aclings in this great difpenfation. Concerning the full explication of this Chapter , tylt.Cc£fa$ mdMf< Btxter have done worthily, and
have
(6t)
have with much clearnefs argued for Infants Church- memberfhp from ir. I (hall oneiy for methods fake, and your fatisfadtion, open the main and moft controverted terms in this Chapter concerning this fubje^. As,
1. What this breaking off, or cafting away of tha lews imports, and from what they are broken off; from the vifible or invifible Church, v. 15.
2. What is meant by the fir ft fruits, and the lump, and the root, and the branches ; and how it can be affirmed , that if the root be holy, fo are the branches, v. 16.
3. What this ingrafting is, and how the Gentiles are /aid to be ingrafted, and to be partakers of the fatnefs of the Olive, v.17. For the fMt, This cafting off, and breaking off, is not from the invifible, but the vifible Church.
1. This will maintain falling away from grace, and pleafe the Arminians, the great Enemies of the, Gofpel of free grace : but this the Apoftle prevents, ver. 1,2,3,4,5. by anticipation of that Objection, diftinguifliing the EIe#, and himfelf as one 01 them, from being caft off : I fay then, hath God caft away his people Whom he foreknew ? God for hid. 1 alfo am an I/raelite, &c. If the cafting off meant here was from the invifible Church, then IWand the other Elecl among the Jews were caft off from that Church; but God forbid, faith Paul, v. 5. there is a remnant at this prefent time according to the ele&ion of grace, whereof Pml was one 5 therefore it rauft be from
. the
{6%)
the vifible Church they were broken off : But here iht Armenians and Pelagians agree with thefe that are againft Infant-baptifm, as they do in many other opinions. Mr. Tombes hath nothing to fay in his Examenoi Mr. Marfoals Sermon, to avoid this ab» furdity, but only this, pag. 64,
The meaning is not (faith hz)offome of the branches in the invifible Church\but as When our Saviour Chrifi ufing the fame fwilitude Jays ^q\\ 1 5, 2. Every branch in me not bearing fruit,he taketh tw&y.The meting ut not that any branch in him could be fruit lefisor tak$n away ; but he calleth that a branch in himt which Wai fo in appearance : fo the slpoftfe Jpeakjng of branches broken of, means it not of fuch m Were truly fbjtut fo in appearance. Thus far he.
Which is a granting of what he denies ; for to be a branch in appearance,i§ only to he a vifibtebranch; and no branch that \$ meerly in appearance fo, and not realIy,t5one of the invifible Church, nor caj* ever be faid to be broken from it, but only from bis vi- fible ftate which he hath,but £** ****** ) y* i$.i& as a branch in outward priviledges , andfeeming graces. . m^,. -
2. The breaking off, &c. it was of the Jewifh Nation, of the collective body, though not of every individual, arid therefore it muft needs be from the yifiblc Church ; for as a Nation they were a Church, and the whole Nation was call: away and rejected • pow as a Nation they were not all members 0? the invifible Churcfe, vcr. 7, 8. witk-ver. 17.
3« ItS
3. Its a vifible breaking off, therefore cannot be from the invifible Church, ver. 3,4, 5. 17,18,19. For as Mr. Baxter well obferves, There can be no vi- fble removing from an invifible term.
4. Its a breaking off the natural branches, fo he calls the Jews : Now the body of the Jewifh Church were not natural branches in a fpiritual fenfe ; for they believed not as Abraham did ; but only called fo as they were naturally defcended from his ioyns, and were members of the vifible Church, and flift partakers ofthe outward priviledges of theCovenanc made with him : 1 has the Apoftle diftinguiflhech of the body of the JewiOi Nation, Rom. 9. where after he had reckoned up al the priviledges of the Ifraelites in general, ver.4, Who are lfraelhesjofthom pertains the adoption andthe glory, and the Covenant s^&c, ma- king way by this to (hew the fadnefs of their rejecli- on, in ver. the 6. to prevent the fame Obje&ion, the Apoftle in this Chapter faith, They are not all Iirael which are of Ifrael ; that is, not all fpiritual, though all natural branches; and thefe priviledges did vifibiy belong to all. As for that diftinftion of Abrahams being a natural and a fpiritual Father, it may go for currant until they come to apply it, and then it is moft vain ; for all that came from Abraham as a na- tural Father, had a title to all thefe priviledges fore- mentioned , which belonged to the vifible Church until they did degenerate, and call: themfelves out, as Ijhmael and Efau^&c. But of this formerly.
Laftly3 If they were broken off from the invifible
Churchp
f*4)
Church, it muftbe either from union with Chrift,or communion wirh Chrift and his Spirit; for this is the true definition of the invifibie Church, that in it fouls have real union and commmunion with God in Chrift through the Spirit : but none of the Jews that were broken off had fucha union or communion , and therefore could not be broken off from it : But fo far they may be faid to be brokrn off from the in- vifibie Church , as by remote confequence , as they were excluded from all the means of grace, and the Ordinances ; which are the ufual ways and methods of Ood to bring fouls into communion with him-
feif. *m:
a. Let us confider what is meant by the firft fruit*, and the lump,and the root,and the branches : There be many opinions concerning this, efpecially two mud be debated ; fome think it Chrift, E&aliamfkn. as thefe that follow Origen , and the atmraikcm allegorical Fathers : But tha* firftly nefcwpfiDQ- and priraari|y ^ the firft fruiK an(i
varum no. . . \ 1 L j t. V
prhm, Orig. tne lumP> and the root, and the bran- ches, cannot be irieaqt Chrift neither perfonally not myftically, is mod: clear if we con- sider,
i. Iefus Chrift was not the firft fruits in regard of the whole lump of the Icwifh Nation,and fo can- not anfwer to the firft fimilitude.
2. Iefus Chrift cmnot be Taid to be root unto thefe which were caft away ; no branches really in him arecut off, but fo were they; for that place of
the
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the 15. of Jdhn, ver. 2. which feemeth tofpeakof fome branches which are in Chrift, and yet are taken away for not bearing fruit : it may be better read , and according to the Syriackj thus ; Every branch that brings not forth fruit in me, he takes aVvay j that is,that do bring forth fome kerning fruit, but not as in Chrift as root and principle.
3. In ver; 24. the lews when they fhall be called* its faid, They {ball be graffed into their own Olive: Now Chrift is not properly their own Olive, but fo is Abraham, &c.
4, T4ie lews are laid (as formerly ) to be rja* tural branches of this root, but fo they were not of Chrift ; but Chrift was a natural branch from that ftock, Rom.9.$. tvhofe are the Fathers } of Whom as concerning the fie Jh Chrift came.
Mr. Tombes himfelf ingenuoufly confelTeth this < page 67* of'his&Mxff**, That by the root cannot be meant £hrift ; and gives us the hint of another ar- gument from thofe expreffions, v.24. of fome bran- ches, wild *? &w3 according to nature ; and of in- grafting in, *k£.$vn9t contrary to nature^ into this OJive ; he concludes the root cannot be Chrift : for Chrift bath no natural or preternatural branches in him ; all are wild ere they be ingraffed into him as s living root : And the other expreflion , v. 1 8. of our not bearing the root* but the root us, if we boaft againft the lews, doth evidently demonftrate, thac the root here is not properly meant of Chriftjthough he bg the eternal root of all fpiricual happinefs*
f?t
(66)
fee forth gloriouily in many other places of Scrip- ture.
Others by the root mean the Covenant : But the bell and moft genuine fenfe is to interpret ic of Abra- ham ; with whom, and with his feed, as To many bianches,che Covenant was made ,and by which both the root and the branches were made holy : And this anfwers fully to both the fimiiitude? . For?
j. It's an dilution to the Legal rights about the fiift fruits which were to be offered up to God ; and by that all the whoie rnafs, all the fruits that came after were accounted holy: Thu> Abraham was the firft fruits of che jews : he believing firft, and being in Covenant, aii che lump^ the whole body of the Jewiih Nation were taken in to be a Church, and were accounted holy.
?. As a root it anfwers to him from whom all the jews (prang up, and from whom they drew all their Church pnviledges, as their breath; Thus the Lend by the Prophet in J fa. 51=1, 2. bids the Jews to lopbi to the rock^ont of which they Vvere hewen, and the pt cut of which the) were digged : he means it of jtf&r&baw&t&i as appears by the iecond verfe^ Look^ to Abraham your Father^ and to Sarah that borcjou ; for I called him alone \and blejfed and increafed hiwfitQ*
Qb« But what kind oi onfequence isthis? and how doth the A pott k make u(e of this ? // the firft ffms bs hlyy fo id the lamp j and if the root b* holy, fo are the branches i Ftom what prktcpk doth the Ap*>$)e ar$ue ?'
Sol
(&7)
Sol. Tfae Apoftte in the former verfe fpeaksof a receiving in again of the Jewifh Nation,and brings in this as a ground to hope for it, There is yet a holy root Which hath an influence on the brunches ; andar* gneu that if the root be holy, When the branches broken off [ball be re-ingraffedjhey /hall be holy likitoife* The like phtafe you have in v.28. As touching the Gofpel, they are enemies for your fake 5 but as touching the JEletlion, they are beloved, A* w>* »»7»#tf, for their Fathers Jake; G W having focafl his EleElion^ as to run in that vein mofi eminently : And forne do render it, They are beloved through their Fathers : But this is clear ;
1. That Abraham, or as Tome fay, Abraham , Jfaac and Jacob were the root.
2. That he argues from the hoiinefs of the rooty totheholinefsof the branches: that is, from them as Parents, to their pofterity as Branches.
3. That this was an ufual and common principle of arguing in Scripture, from the Parent to the Po* fterity ; for elfehe had fpokenin the dark, and had proved notum fer ignotins^ if they could not uni- verfally reafon fromlt ; and if you obferve,he writes it as an Axiom of the greateft demonftration % and never (lands to prove it further,
4. It had been an argument of no force for to prove the calling in of the Iews,and their happy ftate upon re-ingraffing, to tell them, If the root be holy^ fo are the branches ; and they are beloved for the F&* tbersfake , if there were not a virtue ftill in the root
to
(62) to derive holinefs to them, when they fhoufd be re- ceived in, and ingraffed to their own Olive ; he Jays ail the weight on the root,being ftill holy and frefh, chough the branches be broken off. And what can you make of this as to argumentation ? If the root be holy% Ergo the branches \ and apply it to PerfonSj and Parents jbuc in a moral and imputative confedera- tion.
Ob. But holinefs is not propagated by nature,, from the Parent to his Child ; and we all derive fin by nature from our Parents; and are, as the Apoftle faith, Eph. 2.2. by nature the Children oflfrrath, &c. and as David fakh, Conceived in Jin,
Sol. 1 • It's true, we are (0 ; and there is no ho- linefs propagated by nature, take it for internal ha- bits 5 as a wife man doth not convey his wifdom, or a venuous man his venues to his Chiid,neither carr a Believer convey hisfairhand other graces to his Child ; and in this fenfe Abraham is not a roor^he begets no believer; and under thisconftderacion the argument cannot bold j Abraham in this fenfe is only a root, ■&&&*yp*iuu»s ^exemplary only $ Chrift IS fcrtfta**ftj| efetlaally , to convey (itn-Uar graces : Bur,
2. There is a holinefs by gracious eftimationoc imputation, which flows from Gods Covenanr, or fome fpecial privi ledge given to fuch a ftoek, or kin- dred, or Nacion 5 God taking fuch a family* fuch a (lock, znd feparates it to Ikhtifclf for fome holy ufe, and fobkffcth them: And thus k was with Abra- ham.
<69) bsm, and is molt common in the Scriptures, and ac- cording to the nature of privileges among men i where the fon <&f a Freeman is free, and the fon of 3 Nobleman a Nobleman * and by way of allalion 5 ( though it doth not hold in all particulars) as in ju- stification, Ghrifts righteoufnefs is imputed, and we accounted holy by it : So as to fome fpecial privi- ledges, the root, the Parent being holy, and in the Covenant, his Child hath the advantage oi it ; not meritorioufly from the Parents faith, but virtually through Gods gracious promife to the Believer and his feed. But,
3. This is not by natural generation, for then k ftiould be to all Children; but by grace and pre- portion 5 its Gods good pleafure thus to derive the priviledge, and out of fpecial refpeft to the Parents! and to encourage them in their own faith , and ftrengthen them in their hopes concerning their ktdi thus did God choofe out Abraham and his family from all the world, and bleffed him ; yet it was noc from nature his ktd were more bleffed then all the world beddes. But as Dr. Willet faith well on thrs place, The branches are holy becaufe ef this holy root 5 not fa an aEtnal and inherent holinefs^ but by a pre- rogative of grace grounded on the promife efGod made to Relieving Fathers and their feed ; Which is the fame in the New Teftament as in the Old ; and in this fenfe the argument is Ctrong, and enforcing the fcope ok cheApoftle. So that though the generation .be na- suraljthe derivation of a Title to Church priviledges.
(7*) 5 nd the characleriftical note of holinefs is given them by grace in the Covenant,which takes in the branches ivuh the root. In no fenfe befidescsn this argument be true, without you make the rootChrift: which you fee cannot be meant in this place without great abfurdities.
The third and fpecial term to be opened, is, wha* rhising^ffingisof the Gentiles into the root, and how they are ingraflfed ? v. 17, 19,
For the underftanding{>f this, Mr. MarfiaHhmh laid down a fare pofition, which neither Mr.Tombes, Who is the mo ft learned Adverjary of this Truth, nor any other hath or can (hake ; and that isjTkat them- ^raffing in of the Gentiles muft be fut Able to the break- ing off the J eves ; as they were broken ojf,fo are We in- graffed : This the Apoftle clearly proves in every tfeiie.In v Ay. Thou being a Voilde Olive, fpeaking of the Gentiles collectively confidered, wert ingrafted, h&vTzit^ lYiyamongHthem 3 fo Grotius trarvftates it, Pofitus es inter ramos illius arboris. Thoaart fee a- rnong the branches of that tree ; and fo referring to the ftrft words of the verfe, which is implyed, that fome remained ftill ; for bu: fome of the branches were broken crT, and the Gentile- believers were in- oculated among them , and by a fpecial adoption were partakers of the fame priviledges 5 according to that of the Poet Ovid4.
Venerh infitio : fa ramtsm^ ramus adoftet,
Bm the beft referenceis to the former part of the
verfei
wife* as it fpeaks of thefe branches wh<eh were bro- ken off; the believing Gentiks were ingraffed* ( w a'w) chat is, as 2fc^<aand the ^W^trantlatef it,praipfis, for them, that is, i* ramorum defraUonm locum, in the room or ftead of the branches which were broken off; they were taken away, we ingraf- fed ; Others cranflate \x,cum illts, with them, which remained when we were inferced : but either inter- pretation will become the fenfe of the place.
Now the reafons which flow from this Test con- cerning the fubjeel which we have in hand, may be eafier flighted then anfwered : This pofition being laid down, We believingG entiles are ingraffed into Abrahams Covenant, in the room of the natural 'bran- ches Which Were broken ojf: Now3
i. The Jews and their children were Broken off from the Church, their children bdng members as well as the mfelves; therefore believing (gentiles and their children are ingraffed in, the ingrafting in is finable to the breaking off : they have nibbled abpue this reafon ; but the beft of the Adverfaries have never iai'd any thing yet , as to fatishe a rational Sainr.i^rij
2. Some branches were not broken off ,• for fo. Its implyed9 in that he faitba If fame were broken off- and if they were not broken off, then not their children ; for ic was not only a breaking off per- Tonally, but of fucceffion,and of their poftericy witfi themfelves ; Now if we be ingraffed among chefe^ otwitfuhsfe that are not broken off, we and our
t i CUMku
(7*) CrTifdren mutt iikewife be ingrafted in; elfe there will be a fchifm between J< w and Gentile, in en- joying the pnviledges naturally flowing from the fame root : No man will be lo bold as to fay, chit the believing Jews were broken off$ and if not they, then not thd Children which were then Infanrs, and had not afhd unbelief : For either they muftbe broken off for their own fins, or their Fathers ; not for their Farhers, for fomc of them were believers , and not broken off$ not for themielves, for fome of them were Infancy therefore fome Infants were not broken off ; for their Fathers continued in the faith $ and we believing Gentiles are ingrsffed in among them $ therefore our Children alio.
3. In the latter end, when the Jews fhall be in* graffed in again to their own Olive, which is pro- rntfed in ths Chapter, they and their Children (hall t*e taken m,v.26. And fo all Ihzd/hallbefaved ; and cur ingrafting »o is ffiill iutabla to theirs.
4. The Gentiles are faid to partake of the root, and the fatnefs of the Olive tree5 in the tame verfe .• this (^vfyJomnsfpitys) fignifles the full participa- tion and fellowfhip in all the pnviledges and advan* tegeWftferoor, as the lews had. Nowiheirpii- vtlejge was not perfonal co chemlclvts, but to their p< ILnry , and therein lay the a nets of tnar Olive, in he 'Ulnelsand large ext^n of it< pnviledgeand ferninal verrue, char, k corr.prenendtd Parent and Ch>ld. So hf a* the lews catting off was not only pcrional, but Politique* that is, of them and theirs 3
fo
fo our ingraffing in their room is • and as they had the farnefs of the root and Olive once, fo have we I Now we could not be <aid rp be, ( ^hotvovU # l\^y %£mhn\&'%\h9ii£) To haze a mutual felIoVefhip with the Jews m the root and fatnefs of it , if w be orly perfonally ingraffcd,and they and theirs brokin off economically $ if there be a fellowfhtp, itmuft be at lead in fubftantials : And this was the moll: eminent and fubftantial privilcdge of the lews, that they and their pofterity were taken into the fame Covenant:The Apoftle opens this further in 276.3. 6. And efpecially, if we remember, that their break- ing off, and our ingraffing, is into the vifible Church, as is formerly proved, and muft needs be granted ; for all that were broken off , were not broken off from election, and the invisible Church ; neither are all the Gentiles which are ingrafted in, elected, and really of the invisible Church. So that the refultts this ;
1 . That there is a real ingraffing of the believing Gentiles into the fame root from which the unbelie- ving lews were broken off.
2. This breaking off was from the vifible Church, and its priviledges, not from the in vifible j io is the ingraffing of us into the vifible Church.
3 . Aa th^ir cafting out was of chem and their po- fterity, fo is our grafting in of us and our Children • Thefe conclufions flow nacurally from the Tex: ; and all other deductions will be but as dregs after the fpirits are exuafied*
4. And
r?4;
4. And to add to the reft this confederation , That if the pofterity of the Gentiles be not taken ihs *s the Jews were, there will be the greateft inequa- lity of the communication of the fatnefs of the root that can be imagined; and the Jews may rather boaft againft the believing Gentiles,?hen theyagainft them • feeing the root conveyed privileges tothem $nd their pofterity, but only perional priviiedgesco she believing Gentile • to the oneadouble mercy, £0 the other only a (ingle.
Ob. But this great Objection may be made •; Mb believer is now a root $3 Abraham, he is but only a branch y and therefore its not to be conceived how It can be argued from this to evety believer, Iff the root be holj^fo are the branches^ as it may be to Abra* bam.
Sol. It's granted, every believer, nor any, cannfct properly be called the root, as A,brah#w. Was* and snaftridfenie : Yet,
1, They are ingrsftVd into the fame root, -and convey the faftie priv ledges vo their branches, H if^c% and facob3 and the twelve Tnbes'did toctoetr poftericier. who were not property nor absolutely the root, but branch-:* oi it ; and we sll know, that a Slip well inoculated or ingrafted, becomes after- wards a natural branch ; and receives as much from £he root, as thefe wh'ch gre& nacuialiy On it : So lEhac its as ftrong to argue on the Gentiles fide after Ingrafting 3 // the root be holj^ fo are the brattchei.; a$ from Abraham to the Jews, who were natural
branches
f75)
branchcsjAs an adopted fonjhim and his have as full a title to the inheritance as a natural fon.
There is only this difference between the convey- ance of priviledges of the Jews as natural branches ,' and the ingrafted Gentiles ; That fhe whole body of the Jews, good and bad, were called branches; now only Believers of the <j entiles jWho are called by theGofpel, with their children, are ingrafted into that root.
2. Though every Believer is not the proper root, but only a branch of that root 5 yet for being in- grafted, he is naturalized as the Jewifh branch, and fo muft have the fame privi ledge.
3. There are branches of branches; and the poor- est branch hath fome twigs, and fpteading fprigs growing from them which are of the fame confidera-' tion, and do receive of the fatnefs of the root as well as the main branches ; and in this fenfe every branch may be faid to be the immediate root of the lefler twi£s; Thus believers ingrafted into the root, are holy, and their Infants that are branches of the branches immediatly fprouting forth from rhem,aie holy alfo,and under the fame confederation ; and the argument holds dill for the ingrafted branches, as for the natural.
And as Mr. Blake faith well, The branches of An* cefiors are roots ofpofterity ; being made a holy branchy in reference to their iflue jhey become a holy root. This might be much more enlarged , but that I would not be voluminous 5 its enough that believers are
F 4 ingrafted
(16) jngraffed with cheir Children into the fame roor, « is formerly proved.
And then the argument holds firm,T hat thefe that lire in the roo^routt partake of the fatnefs of it 5 and ehey which are ft\ the Coyenant,cinnoc be denied the ptiviledges of it.
Ghab. IX.
Wherein Mr. T ombes his eight Arguments in his Apology agamft AfhMarfhal;,
for the tngrafjing injnentioned v. 17 . to he of the Gentiles into the in^vijihle fhw ch hy election and jawing faith ] are
examined and anfwered. \
>5tff
npHE great endeavor qi thefe who are of the A contrary opinion in opening this Chapter, is, Toprovetharihe insffrMfttg of the Gentiles into the root is by election and faving faith , and fo inro the jnviGble Church j for they fee their cafe is in hazard if itfhouldbe meant of the viable Church: And therefore,though enough be fpoken before to prove what we affirm ; yet becaufe hdz.Tombes hath laid down eight Arguments with (omuch confidence on
the
(77) theotherflde as unanswerable ; I think it riot ami fs to beftowone Chapter in rhe difcovery of the un- foundnef&of hisreaions, that the truth may have a fairer pafTage into your understanding without clouds or demurs.
His firft reafon is, Apologie />. 71 . That ingrafting 'tyhtch is by Cjods fole poVeer , tt is into the invifibh Church : but fo is the ingrafting of the Jews, ver. 3. Ergo. For god is able tp graft them.
SoL 1. As to argue from Gods power to his will, is always unfound in Divinity and in Reafon; God is able, therefore he will : So,
2. To argue from power to ekclion, is of the fame nature ; for election is feldom or never at- tributed to Gods power, but to his will or good pleafure.
3. To argue from Gods power in general, to the putting of it forth abfoluteiy in fuch a determi- nate ad, is as ltrange ; God is able to grarT them in, Ergo it muft be into the invisible Church 5 as if God flhewed nothing of his power, but in the workings of faving grace ; efpecially if we confider what a power it is, and only from God : But to take the very prejudice the lews have even from the letter of the Gofpel to bring them but to confefs Chrilt,after fo long a darknefs, as it was in the beginning of the Gofpel i but to make the Gentiles but outwardly own and profefs the Gofpel, andyec not members
of
(78)
of the invifible Church; to tike away the very grofnefs of natural! darknefs and ignorance , is a work of mighty power; And to an outward con- verfion, where perfons have been long under the power of darknefs, there needs the fole power oi Cod.
4. The Apoftle may well put in rathet Gods power then his will, when he fpeaks of the ingrtffing in of the Jews 5 for it will require an a& of power to gather them but vifibly oncaagain, and bring them into one entire body to make a vifible Church,when they are (o Scattered up and down all Nations ; and at fuch a diftance one from another, that it is as the gathering of the bones of dead men ; and fo its likened to the refurredion from the dead, v. 15. So that we need go no further to enquire why their in- graffing (hould be attributed to Gods power, feeing there is need enough of a Divine power but to ga- ther them together from the four winds, to make a collective body, and fo to be a vifible Church.
Befides, when the Apoftie fpeak; of power ia working of faving faith, hedoth put other Epithites to fct k forth : and not only barety fpeaks of power which God puts forth in all afh,but exceeding great* nefs of power, Eph, 1.21,21.
Arg^ a. His fecond Argument is, That ingraffing, Which u called reconciliation, oppofite to cafiing dtoay% that is bj eleUion anA giving faith 1 bnt fo it-the m*. ^v.15.
Sol
(79)
SoL If he means reconciliation in the ftritTefl: ferife, as it denotes pardon of fin?, and being made friends witk God by Chrifts attonement and me- diatotfihip : which muft be his fenfeif he fpeaklike himfelf : Then many abfurdities may follow.
i. That the Jews and their rejection was the ground of the Gentiles reconciliation unto God.
2. That no reconciliation was obtained for the Gentiles before the lews were broken off.
3. That thofe which are reconciled, and their fins pardoned, may be caft off- for fo were the lews ; and the Gentiles threatned with the fame mifery on the fame ground, v. 20.
4. As there is external and eternal falvation fyo- kenof, 1 Tint. 4. jo. fo there may be an outward and inward reconciliation ; the Gentiles were caft out from the vifible Church for fo many hundreds of years, without any hope or promife, *An& ftr anger $ to the Commonwealth of Ifrael, Efbef.i.xi ,12. and fo vifibly caft off; and it was a great reconciliation but to break down the middle wall of partition be- tween lew and Gentile, as to vifible priviledges and Ordinances: And foby the reconciling the world may? be mote properly meant the bringing them in under the means of the Gofpel, and the outward difpenfa* tions of the Church 5 which is Gods common wsy and method of falvation ; and which to fome is real arid effectual unto inward grace, unto others only to outward priviledges.
And the very phn-fe^tfc reconciliation of the Vvorld^
to
(So) to Orthodox ear*, deafens and dafhe th the other in- terpretation ; for the body of the Gentile. world ( which he mean ) are nor fo reconciled as by ext- ern and favim; grace- though the found of theGoipe: hath gone through all the world.
Ob. 3. Thirdly faith he, the in?raffing mud be meant of th*t aft whereby the branch /Und* m theJree as a branch: but that is by giving of faith. The minor ^P^vedalfo v.20. they Veere broken off by unbelief, and We ft and b) faith, &c. . J'
Sol. Irs true, the ingrafting is by fa th, as their creaking off was by unbelief : but as their unbtl.ef was (hewn in a publquerejeaionof the GofpeJ,ind by k they and their Children were broken off fo the Gentiles are ingraffed in by pub] ique prof eflion Of faith, and acceptation of the Golpel for chem- ielves and thetr Children ; and this rnuft needsbe the Apoltfes meaning : For,
i. Ver.iS. He bids the Genriies not to boaft a- gainfr the branches that were broken off. Now how could they boaft againft them but for vifiblepr ivi- ledges ? invifible, are out of cognizance to others : Do Saints boal> againft one another for election and reprobation? chefe fecre.s of- the Almighty : This Argurnen: Mri?^^urgeth with much advantage, in his Book. *l
2. Inp.rp. he explains further what the nature of their boafting might be 5. thou wilt (ay/The branches
were
I
were broken off, that I might be ingraffed : nowcm *riy man conceive they fhould boaft: bccaufe the bran- ches the Tews were broken from election and true faith, char they might begraffedin by a new a£ of Gods election, and by true and faving faith I So in /er 20,21,22,23. he exhorts the Gentiles to look, o their flanging, and to t*k* heed left the; be broken yff alfo ; For if God fpared not the natural branches ire, much lef will he /pare thee : What, are they shorted to look leaft they be cut off from Gods jle**ion &c? Will Mr.Tombes turn a downright Arminian that he may have any plea againft the ba- pcizmg of poor infants/
* There is a twofold way of ingraffing, either by jpintualimplanrationintoChrift, or by vifible pro- ^efljon of tairh ; aad both thefe ihould meet in one perfon, rhowgh they may alL be feparated ; a vifibla. Profcffor may noc have faving faith within, yet may bave t So here, the ingrafting in is into the vifible Church by v.iiblc profeflion; among which fome arey orne are not in vifible members;but the very terminus ^f ingrafgng is not into the invifible, but the vifible Church,- fur neirhc r rhc Apottle, nor an Angel could fell who were ingraffed into the invifible Church,nOE yho broken off , buc only from the vifible Church* trft as the^ proper term, and then by confequencg From the invifible ; for from this Church none were ibfolutely broken off that ever were in, and into it few ingrafted.
So that' if theingraffingbe vifible, the term muft
be
be viable alfo ; but the ingrarnag is viftale, &£* the term is fo : This is according to MtTombes his own form of argumentation, from the term to the in- grsffing ; the major is proved before.
Ob. Fourthly, That ingraffng is meant y v. 17. Whereby the wild OUve is wpar taker of the root and fatnefs of the Olive ; hut fitch is only eleclion and fa- ying faith; he proves the minor, by diftinguifrung who the root is, which he well affirms to be ssibra- ham.
SoL To wrficrt there needs no other Anfwer then what Mr Blake hath given him < If the root be Abra- ham, arid the in gracing in be only by e left ion 9and deri- vation of faving graces ( whi» ;:h he means by the fat- nefs of the Olive) then it muft be that wears all ehbl in Abraham as a common root • Abraham may fay. Without me you can do nothing.
To which Mr.Tomkes only 3niwers by confeflion, That it wsuld follow tf he made Abraham a root m Chtift, communicating faving faith : Butlmakth- br ahara a root as the Father of Believers , not by be* getting faith 7 but as an exemplary caufe. How poor an evsfion is (his of lo confident a man in his opinion, I iubroix to judgement.
Let him mind his Argument, and the force of it r That txgraffing is meant whereby the wild Olme is pari/ik^r of the fatnefs of the root % but that is$nly MeFtioti tifid f&ving. gr$c$j &§*
C83)
t. Were not the natural branches which were broken off partakers of the fatnefs of the root ? and were they all elecled and partakers of faving grace*, or outward priviledges only?and why then (houidtc be thought abfurd for the Gentiles by ingrafting to partake of the fatnefs of the root only in outward priviledges, feeing it was fo with the natural bran- ches, and they all grow on the fame root ?
2. The old abfurdity will arife Hill from this , That Saints may fall away from eleUion and faving grace.
3. How can he imagine Abraham to be the root, and the fatnefs of the root to be ektlion and faving graces , and chat engrafting the way of being co- partakers with the root, and yet deny Mr. Blake s Argument, Thai We are eleUedin Abraham ?
1 . Its improper to call a root an exemplary caufe ; there is no harmonie between them ; an example cooveyes nothing * here is a conveyance of fat- nefs.
2. How unfutable to good language is it to fay, That luch are partakers of the fatnefs or fulnefs of an example > can we think the Apoftle would fo fas over* reach?
3. Were the lews partakers of the fatnefs of A, braham in the Covenant3meerly as from an Exempla- ry caufe ? had not they it from him as a natural Fa- ther, God making the Covenant with him and his feed ? and do not inguffed branches afterwards be- come as natural ?
He'
(84) He only adds, p.7$. That if it were meant of out- toard priviledges, it V?£re falfe • fur the Cj entiles Were not partakers of the outward priv Hedges ^Abra- ham.
Sol. ^Abraham is a root in the New f eftament as well as in the Old, and ftill (lands by virtue of the Covenant to Believers and their Children: And though Old Teftament Ordinances were taken away with the lews, and that Church ftate, yet the root is not taken away$ but the New Teftament priviledges grow on the fame root ; and our ingrarling in gives us to be pattakers of the facnefs of them, as we Has it gave to the lews the participation of former pri- viledges until they were broken off.
All the reft of his Arguments are much of the fame natsre j only a touch further of each of them.
Ob. 5. From v. 25. If the breaking offthe.fews be by blinding, then the ingraffing is by giving faith ; but the former is true, fo the Utter*
Sol. This is the fame in cffetl, with the. third Ar- gument : Yer,
, 1 There is not the famereafon, feeing He takes it of giving faying faich ; their blinding was judicial* apunifh'nunt lor their unbelieving, rejecting of the Gofpel,though they had not faving faith to embrace the Gofpel 3 the giving of laving faith is not on fneh terms j neither is faving fairh fo abfolutely
antecedent
( K )
antecedent to make a viran a member ofthe viflbte Church, as blinding is to Gods hnaf rcjefliofi.
2. Blmdnefs came btr inpan'on Ifrael ■ it fell Onely on rhe meerv.fibjr members, not the inv<(ible and cleft : therefore the ingraffin^ muft be onely of vifible members into che v Wok tStoiA, v. 7 The elcaion hath obtained ft- buc the rctt were blinded.
ATg.6jfrt-i*gr4ffing of the Jem pofoceth frf- vatton, u by tuning them from their in am t), &c. then it u to the inmfible Church : but fo it U; V.26V *7- Ergo. ' '
a ft£ rT° which r §ive thJs fair Anfwer , That doubdefs according to chofe romifeswhen the Tews Oia be called in to be a vifible Church again, there (bill be abundance of more glory be brought in with them, then ever yet the w<>rJd faw5 and the new Heavens and the new Earth,the coming down of the
new Jer*fatem%*nd all chdft- glorious things are firted
to fall in with that time. And from thefe confiders-
tionsmany do interpret v 26. h.*i\\hAtififi*ll'
all lfraei be faved. But yet,
1 They (hall be ingrsfled in as a vifible Church i
elie <L*f£rrfWand the Fathers would never be men-
tioned as roots. 2. Hfey (hull be ingraflcd in as they were bro-
Ken off : nbwr they were broken- off as a vifible
Chuich,
G' I kit
cm*
*. AJ! that can be gathered is this, That the ful* mfi offal vat ion, and the virtues of the promife?# (hall more fully and univerially taie effed: en the Jew? , even to the falvation of all of them ; and fo
the invifibie and vifible Church be mote, puce, and as one in the earth ' but this fulnefs (hail be to. them as a vifibte Church, and on the earth.
Ar£. 7* If the re-ingraffing be by vertue of Gods eft ft ion and love J hen it is to the invijttt Church • but the former is true p. i%* Ergo. ■
Sol. i. It's Taids That as touching election, the Jews are beloved for their Fathers fake; hence it follows , God hath a love of eleclion tq ikliever?, and their natural kcd ; for fo the Jews were the na- tural feed of Abraham. Bur,
2. It's granted that the calling of the Jews (ball be according to Gods ele&ion and firft love -y and that Gods election (hail more fully take hold of the Jews at their re-calling, then of any Nation : but yet (till the Argument h of no force to prove that their re-ingrafting, and fo ours, is only or firftly into the invifibie Church ; for they are elected as well to be a vifible Church, as to be partakers of inward graces ; and their re-ingrafting muft be fpecially and firftly into the vifible Church from which they were broken off, or elfe there will be no correfpondence between their rejection and re-ingtaffing.
The
(87) The laft and weikeft Argument is this ; If the in- gaffing of Jews and (J entiles be the fruit of gods mer- cy r the breaking off by fhutting up in unbelief i then it is into the invtfikle Church by elettion, &c* butfo it is- Ergo.
Sol. You fee he hath fpent his flock and ftrength to be fo low at laft : This Argument needs no An- fwer,but by (hewing you the unfoundnefs of this univerfal proportion on which the Argument is built. Whatever i* a fruit of gods mercy \is from eleclion9 and iagraffng into the invifible Church .* Which propor- tion is moft falfe, univetfally confidered : Are not bea!th,raeat and drink,prefervition, all outward pri- viledges,fruits of Gods mercy i Is not long-furTering to thefethat perifh, and the affording the means of grace and falvation, the inftitution of Ordinances, fruits of Gods mercy ? and yet muft they be given onclytp eleclones? and do they ingraffto the in- vifible Church ? but fatis eft repetere : you have feed the utmoft ftrength of the greateft Antagonift to the Truth we hold out.
Chap:
Chap- X-
The tiarmonie of Mat. 19. 1^14. with Mar. 10. 13. and Luk. 18. 15,16,17.
concerning the bringing of Infants to thrift } hu afis to them , how far it contributes to prove Infant-baptijm. -
YO U have feen how the Scriptures agree in holding out fome fpecial priviledges in tbeNJew Teltament,as in the OJd,to Believers and rheir kcd: Let us now come to view Chnfts own carnage and a&ions to Infancs • which (Ik ws both the Special re- jfpeft he had to them, and would have his Mmifters and Churches to have like wife. Foi thi«, compart Mat. 19. 13, 14. Mar. 10. 13, 14,15, 1(5. with Luk: 1 8. 1 5 , 1 6, 1 7. Where Jtehen little C hddren Were brought to Chrift,and his'Dtfctples did fyrbid them, Chrifi Vim angry ^and charged them not to hinder themy for theirs Was the Kingdom of Heaven ; and he tool^ them up in his arms, laid his hands upon them^ and bleffed them. For the opening this place more clear- ly, Confider,
1 . Who they were which were brought to Chrtft.
2. Who brought them.
3. Why the Difciples Hi forbid them to be brought.
4*Chrift9
(8© ;
4 Chrifts reafon why he would have them not hindred.
5. Chrifls anions to and on them, what they %- mount unto.
For the firft, who they were which were brought to (Thrift ; in CMarl^ they are called vnufl^ and well Mandated little Children, or Infants ; the word is a diminutive word, and is fpecially to be applied to Infants, Lul^i.j6.Zacharia4 ufeth the fame word of John, when he was newly born; sAnd thou Child (iwf'uv ) /bait be called the Prophet of the Highefi , SccVidetureffe allqua emphafis dimintttivijooc fzltem loco mtmme negligenda^ taith Beza. The fame word is given to Chnft when he was in the manger, Mat. 2. 1 1. The Wife men found w Mop 9 the young Child* or infant, With Marv, &c. Htl.11.23. ^Mofesh called vnuJiov, when he was hid among XUufht, tefie the FlagS> This word, faith Hippocra- 5SK£- T ",S S«ventothefewhlch are under vnnio did* the age ofleven years ; and us moftly tnr, iwt an- ufed among he Evangelifts fortoex- tm defecundo. pref$ the tendered age of man , which Gurti> is Infancy : So Spanhem.dub. Svang.
put in Luke the holy Ghoft ufeth another wood of full figniflcation for Infants (^ £%iw) which word is ufed for a Babe in the womb, an Embryo, Luk. 1. qi.fVhen Elizabeth heard the falutation of Mary, the Babe leaped in her Vpomb >3 Igtc'i^o^ to a?«V©- h t» xo/Atct dv7n$ ; it's the fame word ; but more properly it is ufed for a Child newly born, a fucking Babe thac
G 3 we
cm
we carry in our arms : Thas 2 Tim $.i$:Timoth] is laid to know the Scriptures from a Cutely &* #«#*$ fromhis Infancy ; not when he was an Infant , but from his Infancy ; chat is, as foon as ever he was pafl; a Babe, and came to underftand any thing, he was learnt the Scripcures.The fame word, £pe'p©-4ts given aifo to Chrift, when the Wife men found him in fwadling clouts, La^.n. So that this is moft clear, that they were Infants, tender young ones, Babes which were brought to Chrift; And if the two words did not properly (Ignifie Infant?, yet in that it's faid ghey were brought to Chrift,wotf id prove it; for the word &&C<?4?i&> , properly (ignifies to carry, as k's ufed moftly in Scripture for. But,
2.Who thofe were that brought them , it's moft probable that their Parents brought them 5 and thefe had believed rhemfelves,or madeforrie proreffion of fatth ; for they bring them to Chrift to be under his bieflingj for fomc Special favour to be fhewn by Chirft to themjit wis for a fpiritual end they brought them, to be touched by Chrift. &c. to have fome virtue from him ; and who could have fuch bowels to bring Infants to Chrilr,butrheir own Parents ? and to abide the frowns ot the Difriples, and their checks, but Parents , who love their Children next themfelves, and would have them ble {Ted together with them? fo that its more probable it was their Parents which brought them then any others ; and that they were Believers,who had fuch a fenfe ot their Infants condition?, and of Chrifts refpetSs.
And
And befides.they were then m the Coafts otjvdtj^ where many had profeft their faith, and were bapti- zed by -fob*, and longed to have their Infants con- firmed by Jefus Chrift ; efpecially when we look on ^,19.15, They brought them to Chriji to lay h^ hands <m them, and pray over them.
r . If we confider why the Difciples fliould for- bid them,and rebuked thefe that brought thern/urejy it could not be out of any cruelty to Infants ,. or that the Difciples had no bowels to Infants,6r deiire they might not be happy with their Parents ; their af- fections could not be fo ftraightned and bound up in unnaturalnefs : but it mud be from forae fuch prin- ciple which thefe of the contrary judgement take up, That they were not capable , and were firft to be taught j That onely grown men, and ProfeiTofcs cf faith, were fit for Ordinances ; and therefore they rebuked or chid them, and forbad them to do io any more : As if they had faid, What have we to do wish Children, as to outward Ordinances ? they are not capable, they cannot profefs their faith; and we muft have perfons able to hold forth the Gofpel, which muft be vifible fubje&s of Chrifts Kingdom : Doubtlefs fome fuch grounds they muft needs goon, or elfe they muft (hew a ftrange kinde of paffion againft Children, moft unbecoming thefe which had but the rags of natural affeclion left in them..
4. See Chrifts affections to them, and the reafon of it; When Chrifi fa\\> it (nywfoi&l) he Vffds much difpleafed: It's a word that is ufed to exprefs fuch a
C 4 kinde
kinde of ibrtow as breaks the heart • aifo to llornach any thing, and to have die ipirit raited in contcmpc of an unworthy adion or perfon : Thus Chrilt was grieved at them, and he looked with contcmpc on his Difc^-Ici, as dealing moft unworthily wirh poor I$Tants, in forbidding them to be brought to Crinft ; and therefore he commands them to i'uffcr them to bring Infants to him, and not to forbid trpem. Thefe £wo words (hews how vehement Chr ft was and how 'xnuch his heart was let towards infants., You finde Sometimes that Chrilt gave fo me (harp wordstohfs Difciples, and to Peter efpecialiy ; but never to have bis fpiric to rife in indignation againft them,as when they would forbid Infants to be brought rohim • and that which makes drift fo earneft, mud needs be pf« great weight; he was never to moved when they all forfook him, and Peter did forfwear htm, as when they der-yed Infants to come to rum.
I c ujd wiih chat the ie which with l^rnuch con- tempt and fcurnlous ianginge forbid Infants to be baptized, might resd this place jwjthi obfervant fpi- rics , and at, lead: grow more. fober and kfc violent in' iheir e^pffl^qns concerning poof Infants ; doubt- !efs it's a warning to all Ciuiifo Difciplqs.
Npv the reaion which Jefus Chnft gives, is, Of fuck & the Kingdom ofuoa ■ The reafonfhews what the ptivilepge was they would exclude Infants from, vfat being vifibly judged to bcl&gig to the Kingdom of God; and Chr.iHaith, Of fuchuthe Kingdom of God- Now take tfee Kingdom or Qod
cither
(«; ;
either for Heaven and Glory ; or fecondly, by way of allufion, for the Church, and the ftate of the Go- fpeJ, it will ferve as a full reafon ; Of fuch, that is, of Infants, is Gods Kingdom made up, as well as of grown men, and they are as fie fubjecls as you are : But doubclefs he efpecially means by the Kingdom of God, as well the Kingdom of Grace in a vifiblc Church, as the Kingdom of Glory ; becaufe elfethis could be no reafon to convince the Difciples of their errour, for they were againft the vifible bringing Infants to Chrift for to get fome outwsfrd (ign of favour to them ; and Chnft tels them, they may be as well brought to Chrift , and receive a vifible figi^ as grown perfons » for the Kingdom of God is made of Inch, as of others.
i. Chrift (hews their intereft inoneofthehjgh- eft priviledges, The Kingdom cfGed, and chat vi- (Sbly.
2. He fpeaks it de prafenti ; not onely refpeSing their future eftate, what they may be ; but that even new the Kingdom of God is of fuch.
5 . He ufeth this as a common inftru&ivc principle for the future , never to forbid not onely thefe, but fuch like Infants to be brought to him : For ™W • Of fuch it the Kingdom of Gob , Chrift would have them take it as a conftant principle, That wherever they found fuch like Infants, they fhould not reje6l them, but look on them with Gofpel refpect.
Ohj. Ihefe that differ have nothing to fay to this, but, That Chrift means it of fuch as children for hu- mility,
mility, and mecknefs , and lowlinefs ; and therefore in the following verfe he faith, He that (hall not re- ceive the Kingdom of Gad as a little Child , Jhallmt enter therein,
Sol. Ir/s true, Chrift takes an occafion to fcxhort them to humility and meeknefs, from the pattern of Ihefe little ones. But,
i. Chrift (hews Infants right to the Kingdom of God, as well as the Difciples, and grown perfons, who can profefs their own faith.
i. If Chrift had mejrtt onty to mike an example andrefemblance, he might have taken Sheep , and Doves more property ; for they are more meek and gentle then Children , who are commonly froward and peevidi.
3. This croflfeth the end of Chrift* reafon, which wis, That Infants ftiould not be kindred from being brought to Chrift, For of fuch is the Kingdom of God. Now if he had mianr or fuch as were onely like them in forhe qualities , nor of themfeives, there was no- thing at all in Cbrifts reafon : And thusmuft the words be rcndred on that account ; Suffer Infants to come to me, and d* not for bid them ; for not of them % hnt of humble per fans that refemblethm, is the King- dom of God. Men will rather make Chrift fpeak non- fenfe, then lofe their opinion*.
4. Can we think Chrift could be fy difpleafed with his Difciples for hindring little ones to be brought to him, meerly to fbew them as refemblaneesand patterns to grown men; iftt MM ehfeftafon, For
(95) offuch u the Kingdom of God, when he had examples more fie to that purpofe, even among the meer Jen- fible Creatures r No, Chrift (hews the priviledge of fuch Infants ; and checks his Difciples pride , who would have none but themfelves and grown perfons to be eftcemed as having any vifible inter eft in the Kingdom of God.
Laftly, Let us view Chrifts carnage and aclions to thefe Infants; he did not onely fhew them as examples, but tookjhem up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blejfed them j all expreflions of the mod: fignal love, and favour, and of great import, if duly confidiered.
ii He took them up in his arms, httymutm^^- dvTzt . the Word fignifies to embrace with fpecial af- fections; fo the French Tranflttion Embracer Ti/cator embrachiare , amplexabttnde geflo , Bud. Chrift took them up in his arms, and held them forth as Monuments of his love ; and doubtlefs to (hew hi:? Difciples, that he would have fome outward fign and charafter of peculiar refpeel fet on them by his Church and Saints : Such a carriage was not out of a natural afTeclion only to thefe that could not pity themfelves, but from a heavenly ftrain of love which he bore to thefe little ones, as to the higheft pro- feffing Difciplc ; and muft needs be fyfflbolical to his Churches , to take heed how they reject them Wholly from any vifible right to the Kingdom of God : Chrift was to leave the world (hortly , but he leaves it as a rule to his Difciples
2. Chrift
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2. Chrift laves his hands on them ; which was ufed, among the Jmtii as a form of fpecial biefling, and in the N.T. for eminent ends.
1 . For to cure all forts of difcafes by a miraculous power, Luk 4.4^.
2. For confecration of any to a Divine work and fervice ; thus Church* Officers were folemnly fepari- ted to Chrills work, as peculiarly fie for it, <4£ls6%6. tsfftslis* 1 Tim.q 15, and5.2i. iTVwi.6.
3. It was ufed tor confirmation after Saptifm, and as an outward way whereby the holy Ghoft was conveved; and this is the moft common ufeof it in the A£b of the Apofties, %dtts% 17 18, 19. and 1 9. c. where thofe that were baptized had the Apo- ftles hands laid on them, and they received the holy Ghoft s And to this purpofe may we apply Chnfts acStothefe Infants, toconfirm the promife folemnly after Biptifm. For,
I, It was ever ufed (except to lick perfons) after Baptifm.
3. As it prefuppofeth Baptifm to precede , fo it's an outward fign of a iptcial fignificancy, and holds forth as much as if Chrift had baptized them ; for in that outward rite the holy Ghoft was conveyed; and by laying on of hands others received the holy Ghoft, as the former Scriptures exprefs; and why not in this acl of Chrift on them ? Take all the cir- cumftances together, and you cannot imagine it to be a complemental a# : And if ths were as am out- ward fign of their receiving the holy Ghoft, wha$
Jboald
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JhouldhinierJtoater that Infants Jhould not be baptized, feeing they have received the holy Ljhofi as Weil as Voe ? Adfcjo.47. Ch» ift laid his hands, on them , Bene- diUas fcilicet manus in quas a Patre [ho accepetat omnia bona Cceli & 7 err *, faith a learned Divine on this place j Helaidthofe bleffed hands on them jn Which he had received from the Father JI good things in Hea» yen and Earth. This aclflhews,
1. That Chrift would have fomc ourwtfrd yifible fign of favour fet on fuch I nfants by C burehes : And Impofition of Hands being one of the cho^feft , Chnft ufeth that as moft proper to fbew his Au- thority.
2. That holds forth, That if they be capable of impofition of hands, they are of an Ordinance of like nature,which efpecially looks ac a fubjecl: purely paflive.
Ob]. If it be ObjecledjWhy did not Chrift baptize them as well as lay his hands on them, if he meant to hint out their right to Baptifm ?
;SoL It's eafily anfwered, That Chrift baptized none at all; but he did that which was an Ordinance ufuaily in thofe Primitive times adminiftred aitec Baptifm, and equal to it,as to its dignity ; and fo far above Baptifm, as it was more extraordinary in its practice: And fo we may argue from chis to Baptifm, either inclufivelyjor amajorif from the greater ; and I have more from this place to confirm me,' that if Chrift baptized any, he would thefe Infants ; feeing he (hews fo much re/peS to them,more then to any
grown
(98) grown perfon ; ami did to them thofe afts which were equivalent, if not fupcreminent to them, then any can have againft it. Let any that differ frpm us, (hew anywhere in the Gofpel where Chrift laid his hands on any but defperate difeafed perfons to (hew his power , or on Infants to (hew his love, and confirm their antient priviledges, or upon any perfon in this latter fenfe unbaptiz,ed.
Ob). 2. If it be faid , This was an extraordinary acl of Chrift, and no ordinary pattern may be drawn
Sol. I anfwer ; Grant it to be extraordinary, yet it argues more ftrongly, if Chrift ufed an extraordi- nary acl to (hew his affe&ion and love to Infant?* much more may the Church (hew ordinary aSs to them.
2. Chrift (hewed this extraordinary carriage, the more to check and convince his Difciples for their extraordinary contempt of poor Infants,who would not allow them an ordinary intereft in vifible pri- viledge?. And kVconliderable, that Impciitionof Hands was not an ufual Ordinance,or adminiftred by any but Chrift.before the afcenfion of Chrift, and the tending of the holy Ghoft.
3. Though Chrifts acl: fhould be extraordinary, in regard of the imitation of that .acl by us ; yet he grounds it on an ordinary rule and principle ; For of [uchii the Kingdom ojGod$ which he lays down as a fundamental rule. And this is the lead that can be gathered from it 5 That if Chrift on this ground fee
an
(99) an extraordinary fign on infants , becaufe the King- dom of God did vifibly belong to them ; we may on the fame principle fet an ordinary initiating ligri on them, as vifible members of chat glorious Hate , as well as on grown vitible Profeflbrs, who are but probable members, according to the moil judicious charity 5 efpecially if we will think Chrifts judge- ment in fuch cafes equal with our own*
But left all this (hould be thought but a meer out- ward a& of Chrifts, that carried nothing of any in- ward defign of grace, bebleffed them after all, as the fulleft cxpreftion of his heart ; and to demon- (hate, that whatever grace he had (hould be theirs as others ; for fo the word, Ivhoyei Jura, , fignifies, either to fpeak well of, or to any concerning perfons or things; and thus Chrift may be thought to fpeak much of the ftate and priviledges of thefe Infants^or ehe to blefs them, by defiring for them , or com- municating to them all forts of mcrcie?,as ble flings ; according to that Epb. 1.3. And what can be more then for Chrift to take up Infants in his arms, lay his hands on them, ss an outward fign, to confecrate them to himfelf, and to (hew their capacity of re- ceiving the holy Ghoft , and then to blefs them ; which comprehends the communication of all gra* ces, and good things? And yet we muft with fcorn (poor probable Difciples our felves ) deny them a little water; and think it too much to have them named among the ioweftfort of vifible Saints, when Chrift owns them publickly, and faith, that of fuck as
thefe
(1 00)
~tkfe is the Kingdom of God; and they may have more incereft in that Kingdom, then thefe rhar exclude them : but I (hall rather believe Chrifts teftimony, then any mans froward opinion .* It's only a wonder how Saints, that have felt Chrifts bowels themfelvts, and read this Text, can be fo rigid to Infants of Be- lievers, to Whom Chrjft hath been fo kinde, and ex- emplary in hrs carriages ; and ftampt fuch vifiblecha* raelers of his lave on, even in adminiftration or out- ward figns. To what end fhouid Chrift do all this in fuch a high and peremptory ftrafn of affclion , if it were not to teach us charity and refpeel: to In- fants, in thsfe ordinary adrriiniftrations they are ca- pable of; and to confirm their old ftate in the Church, by fuch a new and unwonted carriage; Chrift abounding to them who were mefl: under- valued, and could fay nothing for themfelves? And bow harfti is k to conceive, that Chrifts intent was hereafter to caft them out of the vifible Church, and from the participation of all outward figns of fa!- virion , when hi* carriage was thus tranfeendently loving to them ; and fo only to give them a light- ning before death ? Let mens confeiences , not gulph'd in prejudice, judge : This Text, if there were' no more, will fly in the Confeiences one day of the moft confident Contemners of Infants, and their B^ptifrn.
I (ball only add, to fatisfie the learned, the con- fer^ of godly and eminent Authors on this Scrip- cure*
2V>
NoneftuJUhiftoriain toto cohice Ev^ngelko, qui frequent ins in Templo legator, quam b$c ipfa. Quoties enim Infant ad facrum baptifmatit fontem ajfertur^ toties etiam ex agendis Ecclefiaftkis h<zc hiftorU recitar tur ; fed admodum raro eadem in Scclefia recitatur. Chemnitius '& Polycarpus, Lyferus in Harm, Evan- gel.
Anddoubtlefs it's no ordinary note, that three of the Evangeliftslhould fo punctually relate thisftory, without any considerable change of words or ;fen(e<> All the Obje&ion is,becaufethe word Baptifm is not infertcd, when as much as that comes to is ; and tint Chrift baptized no grown perfons.
Hinc jam illud eft quod dixijfe Dominant omnes trei momorant, talium enim eft regnum ffcslorum% N on fane adult or urn tantum% qui ut Infantes fife hu- miliarunt^ quod Anabaptiftdt, contendunt. Hoc enim finfu^ quod dixerat fibi Infantes apportandos effe9 tanquam fubjecla, ratio minim} cohzreret, &c Fa- cejfat igiturftulta iftaveftrafapientia $ Smite In fax** tes mihi adduci, aio enim nonfolum horum ejfe Regnum Cwlorum '.fed nullum omnino Regni loujusfare particU pern, mft Infantibm his ftmilis evadat.
Si jam ad Ecclefiam pertinent, & ipforum eft Me* gnum Coslorum : cur eisftgnum Baptifmi, quo in Mc~ clefiam Qhri^i^qui ad earn pertinent, recipi filent^ ne- garemus > Siqui hcedi inter eos funt, turn excludendi neks erunt, cum id ejfe fife prodidemnt ; inter ea n% H first®
(roi)
Jimus fever tores Chrifto- ant eft nofirum bapti-
zare plujquam Domini amplelli, imponere mantis er bene dicer ejtiit ? qm fia >ei ant char it at is jattstra , per Baptifmam Chrijto adducere qms addnci ftbijujjlt f
Much more then this hath Bucer on Mat. i 9. 1 $, 14, 15. full of fpintuai consideration.
To this doth Mujcnlus, Calvin, Heza, add their holy teftimonies ; But 1 fpare thefe quotations, be- caufe it's ad homines, to men like our ielves : Let thefe which difTent read impartially, andconfiderif this place (hcutdftand alone, without any harmony of other Scriptures, whether there be not more in ic for Infant-baptifm, then any thing they have a- gainft iz : I would be fo ingenuous with them, as to deal with any of their awaked Consciences.
Mi £
»xs ■
HO t?
.IfJt*
Chap:
Chap. XL
Wherein is conjidered the method of God iti the Old Teftament, of admtntfiring Or- dinances in Families jj arid haptt^img Houfliolds in the New-Teflament j and how far it contributes to Infant-baptifm*
ITS not a flight thing to cohfider, how tha£ everfince the Fall this hath been anufual method of God in adminiftration of the Covenant, and pri- viledges of grace, to make it run through families and houfholds of Believers, as the fpecial veins | Hence families, as they were the firft natural focieties, fo they were the full Churchesjthe Covenant and the privileges of it was among thgm- from vfdam to Abraham it went on thus : And when the Co- venant in Abrahams time came to be more ex* prefly opened, and fairer expounded, God goes on fttll in the fame method, makes the Covenant with Abraham and hishoufhold; only the family wa§ enlarged ,' it became a greater houflhold , accord- ing to the vaftnefs of the exrent of the Covenant;, yetftillitwasdifpenfedastoafamily. Now if yon come to the New Teftament, there you fee God go- ing on in the fame method, as if he had caft by art, H i eternaif
rio4j
ererna! decree this platform : Baptifm,the New Tc- ftament Ordinance, is adminiftred according to the fame de.fign.ro families and houflbold?; Let us con- fide* what Chrift himfelf faith toZacheus, Luke 19. who was a Gentile, and one of the chief Publicans, upon occafion of this mans converfion, to open the nature and continuance of the Covenant to the Qen- tiles in the fame form as ic was to Abraham $ This day isjalvation come to they hoitfe y forafmuch as he alfo it a fin of Abraham : Hereis the iame language ufed in adminifiracionof Circumcifion in the Old' Tefta. merit ; and the fame reafon, for a/much as healfo ( tectSow tcjctvTv's fo'i*:ACgta(i '6hv J is a fin of Abra- ham : What can be drawn from this place more proper then the/e conclufions ?
i.< Tha" as foon as ever he was converted and be- lieved, Quill applies the promife to hishoufe ; if there were not fornething more in ir, he would have only faid, Solvation is come to thee.
2. ItV clear that he opens the Covenant made with Abraham ; not only to himfelf, but his houfe j and argues from his being a fonof Abraham^ that therefore the Covenant is not only made with him, bat with his houfe, that is, his feed: it were enough for co call' him the fon of Abraham, and to fay, fal- vatio's fs come to himfelf : but to mention his houfe, together with himfeF, and give this as a reafon, be- daufe he is the fon of aAbr,iham, is as much as to fay, the priviledgesof the Covenant is the fame to you arid your houfe,3s ic vi&sto-Jfaacvcii Jacob for a/much
as
m healfo is a [on of Abraham, as well <u they. Now for Chrift to fpeakin this diak£,and to tell them of their houftiofds, and of favour to them m the begin- ning of the GofpeJ, and yet at the fame time exclude thetr Infanrs from all outward Hgns of rhe promife, which they ever had in the darkeft days of grace, is aftrange policy, unfutabletothe fimplicityof Jefus Chrift.-
Concerning this continued method of God, though this Zacheus be a lingular, yet he is not the only example, it you read all along the ACls of the Apoftles;thde which had houftiolds,the promtfe runs with a gracious entail. Atls n, 14. Cornelius hath the promife to him and his houfe. ABs 16. 1 5. Lydia was baptized, and her houfliold. Ver. 31. rhe A- poftle exhorts the Jaylor to believe, and hefhould be favedj and his whole houfe ; luft as Cod made the Covenant with Abraham , Walkjbefore me^andbe thou perfeftfien. 1 7. 1 , 2,7. And I Will be a god to thee, andthjfeed}ot houfliold. In ver. 3 3 . its faid, be was baptized, and all his (Jv-w 4) 0/ *w?j he and all that were of him ; a moft emphatical expreffion to fee forth his Children, who are the natural on>fpnng, and who are properly a mans own • he changes the general phrafc of a houfe,which may fometimes con* prehend more, aed comes more clpfe home ; ween he faith, he was baptized, he faith, all his (*>£} of him , which cannot be meant of fervants, who are our own as goods and lands are, but not of a man : but mud firftly and primarily refer to his Children,
H 3 who
(io6)
who are begotten of htm ; and it may be fecondarily to his kindred ; in the fame phrafe you have it tran- flated, Rom. 16. xo, n. The Houfbold of Ariftobulus, the houjhold of NarciiTus ; but it is* t^ U t 'Ah&~ J&a*, & a*} mt tftfxfapi . xbefe of Ariftobulus and NarciiTus -.which mutt efpecially be meant of their Children, and thefe that defended frora their Joyns.
The only Obje&ion is from the following v. 3 4« where it is faid, That the fajlor believed With all his
Joufe $ and fonone were baptized but Btiiev^rs. To which I anfwer, That is not a reftriclion or exception of ail that were baptized, but a ddcripti- on of Che power the Wordhad upen all his houfe withhimfelf j for he faid in the former verfe,thac he was baptized, and with his thofe which were begotr eenofhim; and in this verfe he (hews the adual in- fluence of the Word on all his boufe likewi/e .• So £hat the words are an after defcription of the mighty Workings of the -Gofpel, not only to himfetf, who was baptized 3 and fo his; buc on all hisboule be- tides.
s, Qihers, and men of good account, do relate ttv'qiMi, with afl hi* hufe^io the j aylors rejoycing, not to his believing ; ana fo read it thus, And when he had brought them into hid houfe, he fet meat before lhem% and rt\o)cedy believing Cod^ with ail his houfe j And it may be as well [dared to the one as to the other.
However it-s very obfemblejbat wh$n he fpeaks of
the
fx°7) the Apoftles preaching, and their bdieving,h<* names his houfe nuheiargelt term ; v. 32. They preached the Word to him, and all that were foiimt.Wm to all that Vw em his houfe : But when he fpeaks of bapnzmg, hefaich( that you may be fare his Chil- dren were baptized) that he, and all of him, or all his, -were baptized. Now he doth not fay, all that believed, but all his Were baptized J though there is no doubt but all that believed were baptised
alfo.
But if there were no fuch emphatical expremon, as is by the holy Ghoft in the baptizing oj: the Jaylors houfe; yet there is enough to make forth an example of Infant- baptifm from the very notion of baptizing whole houftiolds, fo frequent in the Gofpei.
1 . It will be very Grange confidence to affirm , that in all thefe houfes there were no Infants, or little Children.
2. There is greater probability, and Ctronger grounds to believe, when he names houfholds that there were little ones in them, then that there were
not.
3. Efpecially when the word, houfe, in all lan- guages in the world is moft ufually put tor Children of the houfe, who maintain and keep it up : and (o often in Scripture, Qen> 30. 30. and 45, 18, 19 2\£ 3.15. ffaU 115.12,13' x Tint. 5'8-
4. Where whole houfes are baptized, there In- fants are not excluded, if they be in thehcufe ; and
H4 if
if not excluded, they are included; they cannot be excluded, for they are ptincipal parts of the houfe; and if only' adult>y or grown perfons fhould be meant, when Children are named, thst would be to exclude Infants from being Chikjren, as well as front being parts of the houfhold.
When Abraham and his houfe* were circumcifed, Abrahams Children were the principal pares of the houfe ; and they were fir ft circumcifed, and then his fervant?, and alt in hi* houfliold were circumcifed alfo, being ProfefTors of the fame faith ; for <*Abr*- ham had a godly family : Yet upon a different ac- count; the one by vertue of Abrahams Covenant, which was made primarily with him and hisChil- dren,wkh aljhkfamilyT«kewife,as they profeft A- brahams faith, and ferved Abrahams God ; and foit may be eafiiy conceived; how whole houftiolds were baptized in c he New Teftament , the Children as in theFachersCuvenan: $ the Servants and others by Venue of r he fame profeffion ; And in this fenfe there will be no ambiguity in the phrafe of baptizing whole houfhold*.
Laftiy, That the Apoftle fhouid borrow an ex- ^reftion alway> nfed in the Old Teftanent to include ^Children tipccially, and make ufe of it in the New to exclude them,vrou!d be Strange but co conjecture: Now when ever the houfhold is f poke 9 of in the Old Teftamenc, i: always includes Children, This is ftill more for the biprizing of Infants, then anything they can fay againftir ; «nd compared with all the
former
(IQ9) former Scriptare«,may make up a full demonfiratjoo to a judicious conlcience.
'
Chap- X II.
C'trcumcijion and fBaptifin compared; that they harve both one fpiritual fignifica- tion ; the true nature of them both open- ed, and what influence this confideration hath toprorue lnfanubaptifm.
IT 'S well known among thefe that are agalnft baptizing of Infants, what weight they put on that Ordinance of Baptifm, that all other feern light in their eyes, and of no account in refpecYofthar. When they fpeak of Circumctfion, th^y ufualiy call that a carnal Ordinance, fealing only carnal and tem- porary things, and only reaching the outward man • the one requiring only the flefh for its fubjeft, the other a fpiritual man, a new creature, &c. And fo much do they idolize(fotfoIfear it is among many) Baptifnvhat even faith it felf feems little without it; But that I may wa(h off this paint, and make Ordi- nances look like themfelvesjet us compare thefe Or- dinances together, and view them in their dignity* and worth, and fignifications. And,
i. In
(no)
I. In general for Circumcifion ; We all know how much it was prized among the lews above all other Ordinances, and that it was the laft that was taken away with the gresteft difficulty ; about which the Apoftles had more ado, then about the taking iway all the Ceremonies ; whereby we may judge, the lews did look on it as the great feal of all their priviledges ; which when that was loft, all was loft. Read the Epiftle to the Romans, Chip a. 3. when he would fpeak all their outward priviledges at once, he faith,. What advantage hatha Jtw} what profit of Circumcifion 9&c ? So in the Galatians., Phthppians^ JZphefians 9 Colojftans. many. Chapcers are (pent to take them oft from Circumcifion.
2. Circumcifion was that Ordinance which was immediately annexed to the Covenant, and a con- firmation of it, ^7^.27.7,10. therefore called the Covenant.
3. It was an Ordinance inftituted long before the Legal and Mofaical Ceremonies of an elder date : It was not a type oi Canaan , but of Chrift to come in the flefti of the ked of Abraham, and of rhe circum- cifion of the heart, which Chrift was moft fully to perfeclin the Gofpel.
There is or;iy one Gentleman that writ a Book of Baptifm, printed in the year 1646 will have Cir- cumcifion to be a typ* of Baptiim, which cannot be : For,
1. Types mnfthave fomeching in their outward face to reprefent another thing more eminent and
real?
real °. Now Circumcifion hath nothing in the out- fide to fee fonh Baptifm.
2. It is not fo handfom to make one outward (igq the antitype of another.
4, Circumcifion was as holy an Ordinance as Baptifm in the New Teftament • for they are both in themfdves outward a6ts, and no holinefs more in one then in another, but as they have from inftitu- tion : only Baptifm is more eafie to the fkfh then Circumcifion ; and yet not more eafie, if that way of dipping ftiould be the only way of baptizing, efpeci- ally at fome feafons, and to fome bodies.
5. TheN.t. gives as large and honourable cha- racters of Circumcifion, as it doth of Baptifm ; thus the Apoftlecals it in Rom.q The Jed of the right eouf- mfs of frith : A character fo refplendent and glo- rious, that the Gofpel can give no higher to an Or- dinance. And as much as he faith of Baptifm in ef- fect, 1 pet* 3.*i.that baptifm faves through the an- fwer of a good confeience, the contrary Opinionifts are put to hard (Lifts to avoyd the ftrength of this place j and therefore fome would evade it thus , faying, That the Apoftle doth not call it a feal of the Covenant or Proraife, but of the righteoufnefs of faith.
Sol. A miferable evafion I as if the righteoufnefs of faith were not included in the Covenant, or there were any righteoufnefs of faith but what comes by the Covenant, and fo would make a feparation be- tween the promife of righteoufneft, and the righte- oufnefs promifedo Others
Others would cloatli the Text with this difguize,. That it fealcd it only to Abraham, whereas it was fo to lfaac% and Jacob, and Dawd, and-ail that were in the Covenant.
This is held forth molt clearly in that verfe,
i. That Circurneifion was a Teal of the pure Co- , venant of grace,in Which righteoufne (s was promifed to Abraham and his feed indefinitely.
2 That this feal was applied to all the feed that r were but externally and vifibly in Covenant, to In- fants ; and the fame fign that Abraham received upon profeflion of his faith, rm Child received ; and therefore He is faid to be the Father of Circurneifion, as of Faith; ver. xz
5. Doctor wilkt from this place holds fo?th the fsrhenefs of the fbbftance of the Sacraments of the Old and New Teftamenr, both wfiich do feal the righteoufne fs of hith ; and lays it asagreaterrour on the Romanics, who affirm, That the Ofd Teita- ment Sacrament's did not exhibite the graces of the New. - • •
4. This cannot be denied from the place, with- out men will -wilfully put out their own eyes, that Circurneifion had as glorious a ufe as Baptifm, vizXQ , feal the righteoufnefs of faith ; which muft be as well to others that had the tjuetflicacy of the Covenant; as to Abraham himfelf; and no higher mercy can sny Ordinance of the New Teftarnenc feal to any.
* There were mam/ other circumftan'tial and acer-
dent*!
f"3)
dental ufes of circumcifion according to the Jewidi ftatc,as we will grant Mr. Tombes, a«,
i . To engage to the performance of the whole Law, gd. 5.2,3. tAfts 15.10.
2. To be a partition-wall between Jew and Gen- tile, Eph. 2. 14.
But when the Apoftle would give circumcifion his true character, and (hew what the primary, and fub- ftantial ufe of it was, he calls it a fcal Of the righteoufnefs of faith.
6, Circumcifion and baptifm fignifie one and the fame thing, and fo agree in being figns of the lame grace,- compare Colof. 2. 1 1> 12, 12. with Rom, 6* 3,4. and c».v. circumcifion fignjfies the putting oft the body ofthefinsoftheflefhjbaprifm is into Chriftsr death, and to teftifie the crucifying the old man with him, that the body of death might be deftroyed, as by the comparing thefe two places it is moll clear, and ^.v.and 6.ver. of /?0*»*6.chap.oneiy baptifm hath this larger confederation in it, as that it takes in Chrifts refurreclion with it, and alfo the quickning of the Foul together with him,which was not fo fully fig- nifiedin Circumcifion, but implied, according as the Apoftle argues in the fame place, Romt6- S-y. for if we have been planted in the likencfs of his death* we fhall be alfo in the Jikenefs of his refurreclion; the one being a confequence of the other; and as circum-* cifion didcuteffthe foreskin in token of the de- ftruclion of fin, fo baptifm by wafhing, fignifies the taking away the pollution of fin ; thus God whenh*
would
( H4)
would ptomife to kill fio, and work all grace, he e* meffeth it by eircumcifions/ will etrcumcifi thy heart, lultbe hem oftbjftd. Deur jo.6. And the Apoftle TW/.J.4. faith, fViaretfthtctrcuaictfio^ttM is, we have the true work of grace in us.
Thereafon why I urge thefeconfiderationj, is to hold for the capacity of Infantas well foi : baptifm „circumcifion;there is noreafon why they fliould be thought more uufir and incapable for the one then
^nMSilSSte were a ieal of the righteouf. nefcof Faith, and yet applied to Infants, and ba- Jtifm can feal nohighe, mercy, why (hould it be Sought fuch a ftrange and unmeet thing to _ bapfze ihemmore then to citcutneife them I • thej , ufual ly to vou put a feal to a blank in bapt.ztnglnfantsjthe fame 8$ be faidas to Circumcifion , yet they were ,c£ eumcifed as well as Abraham ttet profefth.sown S I muft acknowledge I never could yet under- End why Infants (hould be thought fit to have that KppSd to them in the Old T«^£g* £ Ww calls a feal of the righteoufnefs pf Faith, and «' be denied it in the New Teftament .as incapacious, Sten Sprite, can feal nomore. I with it were fan,
^at^ond.y, when Baptifm (hall Ggnifie the fan* ttung in ^fiance, be both figns of the fame grace; the one cutting away fin as with a kn.re, tne other watbing it away with water ; and yet Infant, upland ™ft * <° h"e tbe »dminift""°n °f ^
one ordinance*, not of the other; ifthefe of the dif- fering judgment, did with more fobriety weigh fuch confederations as thefe, they would not with fo much foolifh contempt write and fpeak of Infants Ba- ptifm.
A knife may be applied to an Infant, as to Abr&~ ham, though old , and in the heigth of his Faith, and fcal the righteoufnefs of it ; but water muft one- ly be pouted on actual believers, and grown perfons, fuch as Abraham, but not on Infant?, though it hath no more to fealj as if there were fome ftrange excel- lency and vertue in the nature of water, that it were too precious to wafli the Infants of believers : For, if there be no more vertue in the water that ba- ptizeth, then in the knife that circumcifed, you fee there is no more glorious uie of the one then the other. And what end God (hould have to put fuch a Seal on Infants in the Old Teftament, and exclude them in the New, when tht Ordinances both fignifie the fame fubftantial grace, let any Christian hear!: imagine. :f?^
Chap,
(II*)
Chap. XIII. TbatfatnotM place, Colof.z.i), \iropemd: the correspondence between Circumcifion and Baptifm further cleared.
THe fcopeof the Apoftlcin the former veries is to diffwade the Chriftians from Jew.ifh cere- mon?e$,efpe<:ially from Circumcifion ♦ and he doth iz efpeciafly frocn the difcovery of Chritis fulnek, and our being compleat in him^that is, you need nothing cut of Chrift now 5 but they objeot we wane Cir- cumcifion 5 he tells them they are circumcifed in him, i i. v. where the Apoftle diftinguifheth of a twofold circumcifion, one ^^Wtm^ made with hand?, the other ^«£2^'"'?©", made without hand?, which he calls the Circomcifion of Chrift, but it h wrought by Wm, and is byuniqn with himjand you beingcifcura- riftd in Chrift, and have the grace fignirkd t>y out- ward Circurnafion, you need no mote i but there be two things they might ebjeel ; > £4f*ql
^iifljthar this is nothing to the qiuftion:you would take us eff from outward Circulation, by telling us we are inwardly circumcifed, whereas the fign and the thing ngnifted fhould always go together; Abra» bam had this Circumcifion and other*, and yet were outwardly circumcifed. Secondly, they might objeft we arentot fo corn- pleat
("7)
pleat in Chtiftas Abraham and his feed,* for,befides the inward grace, they had an outward fign and Seal to confirm ic to them.
The Apoftle in the it verfe anfwers both at dncfc, (hey were not onely circumcifed inwardly, ,with Chrifts Circumcifion, but there was an outward fign in the New Teftament to be applied to them, of the fame confederations Buried with him in Bapnfm,&c* This is thefummeof the words, let us now eonfidec what may be fairly deducted from them.
Many, and the mod of our Divines, do conclude from hence the fucceffion of Baptifm in the place or room of Circumcifion, that this Ordinance is ap- pointed in the New Teftament in lieu of the formers and for. the fame ends and purpofes; which doubtlefs •is true from this place j if men would truly weigh the import of the words, and not fight with their own fhadows.
Firft, this compleatnefs in Chrill is as well to en- joyment of Ordinances, and outward priviledges^ai inwsrd graces ; elfe he would never have mentioned Baptifm outwardly , when in the former verfe he fpeaks of inward Circumcifion * he would have kept ftill in that ftrsin.
Secondly, obferve how he joins them together^ncj makes them one; the inward circumcifion confirmed by the outward baptifm, circumcifed with the. Cir- cumcifion of thrift 4 buried with him in baptifm * now this could not be proper , nor of any poOibls connexion but by putting the outward fign of tau
i
Pttfm inftead of the outward fign of Circumcifion ; *hat is j you are circumcifed becaufe baptized ; you change but the outward element, or inflrument 3 but the fame inward grace is confirmed by both; chus the words are legible, andco beunderftood without difficulties but any other interpretation wMbe found moft rugged, and unfiiitable : For,
Thirdly, as the Apoftle could not fay in the former v. that they were circumcited in Chnft bur from the analogie between the outward fign, and rhe inward grace; chat is,if the outward fign of Circumcifion bad not fignified (uch an inward work ; <o neither could he have found chcy were circumcifed in Chnft, being buried with him in baptifm, if that Ordi- nance of baptifm did not as an outward fign an* fwer to that inward Circumcifion, and were infteai of that fign which did directly reprefent ic for- merly.
Fourthly, the nature of the Apoftlesdefign holds ©at this ; for he would take them off the praflife of Circumcifion- and this he doth by difcovering of another Ordinance, more fuitabie to the Go- fpcl, which (hould fignifie the fame thing unto them, in a more large and emphattctll manner, Sig- nifying not onely Chrtlts death, but his refurre- dton ; fo that in the very import of the phraie he cals baptifm a Gofpel circumcifion ; and this argu- ment he ufech as molt effectual to take them off Cir- cumcifion, by fhcwmg them rhey were cornpkar in thrift hi th^ New Teltament,« to inward graces,*nd
outward
(^9) outward Ordinances, for though thev were aot cir« cumcifed, they had baptifm to fupplie rhe wane or ic with advantage, fo that thty (hould nor loft* n? Or- dinance, but exchange. In whom }o& are ctrenmcifed^ &c. buried with him in baptifm ? if baptifm did hot feal and confirm the inward Circumci(ion,ic could not be faid circumcifedin Chrift% being buried with him irt baptifm, and baptifm could not leal inward Circum- cifion , but as it was of the Came ufe with outward Circumcifion, which did mod directly fignifie the city cumcifion of the heart ; and baptifm held the fame analogie,and was inftituted to the fame end; therefor^ it's called the waftiing of regeneration. Suppofe the. Ordinance ftlould again be changed, and the foyer**, (ion (houid be thus, That baptifm (bould be atjolifti- ed, and citcumcifion fee up again, and theApoftle (bould cxprefs himfclf after the fame mannerjintend- ing to rake them off the uk of baptifni, and to be circumcifed $ and fay ye are compieat in CJirift, jra whom ye are alfo baptized with the baptifm of Chn(t9being circumcifed with himjwoutd not the de- duction be clear, thit circumcifion was ordained in** ftead of baptifm , and to fupply the defect of that Ordinance? the fame conclufion mull be accotding to the words as from circumcifion to baptifm.
The fumme of all is. That as inward circumcifion was figntfied by the outward circumcifion the circunv ciiion made without hands, by the circumcifion with handsj. as the proper and direcl fign of it ; fo is thac inward dajamcifion ■{■ as really and fully fignified*
I £ and
(120)
and confirmed by baptifm; and that Ordinance 2s ap- pointed to reprefent and feal thar,u the outward ad of circumcifion was formerly: fo that circumcifion and baptifm, as co the thing fignified , and the inward in- tent of their ufe,are made alt one ; elfe it will be very hard to make fenfe of this place of Scripture.
The Pleas againft this interpretation are of little worth, if weighed ; fome fay it's onely meant of the inward circumcifion, and inward baptifm, which in- terpretation will fcrve us better then themfelves; for if inward graces, and of the fame fubftantial work be done on us, as circumci fed and baptized in Chrift, it flie ws the onenefs of the outward figns in the fame fignification.
Mt^Tombes faith in his Examen p,o$. That there is an analogic between circumcifion and baptifm: yet faith it is rather between circumcifion and Chrifts bu- rial, then between circumcifion and baptifm, as Chrj- foftom^ and after him Theophjlatt on the place.
All which will (till make out the truth of our in- terpretation ; For,
Firft, if there be an analogie between them, as is, and mull be granted, then there is fome proportion and agreement between thefe two Ordinances; now it's not in the outward adminift ration, nor the exter- nal! fign , in that there is no proportion between s knife and water;and therefore it mud be in their pro- per fign ification and reallufe, which is the Apoftles (cope in this place : and therefore he exprefleth the inward grace properly fignified by the one Ordi- nance*
(in) nance, and yet confirmed by the other; Circumelfei in him, being buried With him in Baptifm.
2. If the analogy be between Circumciiion and Chrift* buriaf, not between it and Bapcifm,yet it will come all to one, yea be our advantage ; For,
i. That fhews that Circumcifion did hold forth as much as Baptifm, viz,. Chrifts death and bu- rial.
2. That when we are faid to be buried with Chrift in Baptifm, and that is the outward fign to reprefenc our burial with Chrift, we are as if we were cireur&r cifed i Circumcifion holds analogy with Chrifts bu- rial , and fo doth Baptifm with both ; And thus take it in what fcnfe you will , the Text will clc« it fcif.
.&G
I ^ Chap,
(Ill) u
Chap. XIV.
A char Explication of Mat. 28. 19. with Mar* 1 4. 15, -i 6-. wherein their argu- ment from the fir fl injiitution is opened atdfonfuted.
LET* us at Icngth'torae ro viewtfcat prime Text, fJW«*A.»8. r^ on which theie chat areagainft ftfib^baiptifrti lay thtf moft weight* As from eh? very fifftinftitutionof, that Owdkttrtc^, Chrift gives tiis Apoftles there Commi{Tt<™ to teach and baptize;. Co Jfe tfaefore, and teach all ?^ations^aptiz,;ng them in the mine of the Father^ Son and holy Cjho]}* Wence (lAStmfc&Ti) which they tranflate, Dilciple all Nations, and then baptize them, they argue, None are to be baptized by Chrifts inftitiirion , but thefe which are firft taughr, and Co made Difciples: But In- fants are not capable to be taught, or to be made pifciples. Ergo, They may not be baptized.
TfeatjJ may flaew the errors of this argument, and foTulty clear up the point , the terms with their con- nexion both in the major and minor proportion muft be examined from the words of the Text, and that parallel place, Mar. \6. 15, 16. which for me- thods fake I (hall hold forth in thefe following con- Gderatioro,
I. For
1. For the word /w«t^MTstVatT«, we (hall not much ftand on, whether it be tranflated to make Difciples, or as it is in our common verflon , Go teach all Na- tions ; for it is fometimes a verb tianfidve $ to teach by writing, or viva voce , with a living voyce ; and fo it is to be taken here , faith learned whitak$r De Script, and moft agreeable with CMar. 16. 15. whete he bids them go preach the Gofpel to every Creature, 1
2. The ftrength of the argument lies (if there be any ftrength in it ) on theabfolute (uppofed con- nexion ber ween di-opling and being baptized;there- fore they fay , None but thefe which are capable of
' teaching , are capable of B*rxi(m ; which is Fallacia a diBo feemdum q,uidaddiBumfimpliciter% a Fallacy to take thac abfoluccly which is meant only according to fome refped. but to (hew the idlencfs of the con- nexion ;
1. You find preaching or teaching the Gofpel to be feparated as to ihe admimft ration, and neceffary and immediate connexion, by Paul himfelf , 1 Cor. 1 . 17. Chrift fent me not to baptize y bm to preach the Gojpel ; 10 he faith in the former verfes , He taught manyi baptized few,
2. Compare this with Mar. 16.15,16. which ex- pounds this, you will find believing and being ba- ptized as clofe connected to faIvation,as here Bapti- zing to Teach; He that believeth and is baptized. Jhall befavtd. Now if any will ftand on the order of words CO prove 1a infticution, we may as well argue
from
(124)
from Ma^p they from Mmbtw ; None muA b» Jieveth.ind is not baptized, csn behaved • and rhir Lp^'er40f.pbrLafethey"e "bfolutely joyned' °
dc to make Uaptifm equal W)th faith to falvation » tad yet we have as much ground to argne from Zm Pne place fo as they front the other s?«k£*J JJH adm,t fome other quahfying term to m,K
fnfjf °rder ^f things is not al<vsy«, or commonlv
t^Yo^f '* SCtiptUre by the P°fitlon' «f *» words, for fometimes one thing m-the order of
Ztl!^?ote anotber> wh*h ™S
tore and coofidentionij antecedent to it5 as Mar.i 15. Repentance is pot before Faith,fow. to. «. Con- feffion wuh the mouth i< put before belief with nll« „ ' ™o/il™£n * with abundance of other places of Scripture. Thus many things in the Evan- gehftsare left out by one,fuPPkd bylnother and the fame word diteSly utt«c*in 6n/in«r ed in an- other Really about the admmiftration of Se i-Ofds Supper. For to avoyd tedioufnels^onlult the placesyour fejV«. Mau ,6.26, 17.Mar.14X *3- t^k: it. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 15. ' X '
3^Athirdcon(iderarion to open this Text in Mm fwtom companngit once more with itspa-
he elf <r ,5-'^^ereit < ^Preach the G»/ei; ** <t is, Tetck*»il,*p„v : Now hence it follows,
th?t
(12$)
that their teaching was by holding forth the GofpeL As much as if he had faid, Open the Covenant, tell men the riches and fulnefs of grace : Now if they muft teach the Gofpel,they mud needs inftrud: them in the Covenant, which was to thefe that believed, and their feed. Nowfutableto this Commiflion, Peter, when he comes to open the Gofpel to the Jews pricked in their hearts, prefently holds out the promifeto them and their Children, ABsT.^S^ 30. and by that to make them both Difciples. So Gal. 3.13, The bleflings of Abraham to come on the Gentiles, is one of the main parts of the Gofpel. Now if they teach men Gofpel, they mud preach as Peter did when he had converted the Parent > The Promife is to you and to pur Children. Thus in Luk- %* 72. this is made one great end of Chrifts coming , to perform the mercy promifedto our Fathers, , and to re- member his holy Covenant ; fo that preaching the Gofpel is preaching the Covenant.Now that Infants are in the Covenant as well as grown perfons, we have formerly proved.
4. This is no more then was required of Abraham at the time of Circumcifion, and yet his Infants were not excluded from the Ordinance, gen. 17. Walkjbe- fore me , and be perfett. Chap. 18. 10. Abraham was to command his Children, and teach them to keep the ways of the Lord-' and yet his Children were not to be kept from the fign of the Covenant, until they were taught, and had walked before God in upright- nefs3 \%v4brah^m.
5- 1°
(1 16}
J. To come home to the word- in their own fenfe, lu^taofdm fignifies Make DifiipUs-,; now Children are not capable of being made Difci^les, fay they.
I anfvver , i . Some have been made Difriples be- fore they were diftinclly taught,as the twelve, whom Chrift cai!ed,and they followed him,tnd became his Difcip!e% and were real Difciples,yeca$ ignorant as Infants, and were taught afterwards by degrees
2. One isfaid to be made a Difcipleeven in vulgar phrafc , as well who is lifted in the School co be taught , as one that is teaching or already taught , though he hath not learnt a letter : Thus in ail Schools lis a qfual phrafe at the firft entrance of a Child, he is called a new Scholar, or a new Difciple : Thus Infants being entred into Quids School , and given up to be caught in time, and by degrees , may be accounted Dticipl s ; it was fo in the former in- fiance, and ii*& no firange exprcflion in civil Schools.
3. Infants are exprcfly called Difciples iothe New Teftamenr, as well as grown and taught men : Thus es4%s 15.10. Circumcifion •§ called a yoke p»to»the neck of th&Di/ciples s that »s, on Iofaaos,.whc*weKe the fpecral SubjecV of that Ordinance, and bote the burthen of if, and not properly the Parents ; aadyet the Parents had 1 he deep fenfe of ic refle&ing on them- felves and their little pass, and die*eforfi he calls ic» yoke that they nor. their Fathers were able to bea< ; especially becaufe it did bind them and then Children
to
(127)
to keep the whole Law* there is no evafion of this-, if they fay it was meant of the Fathers, and of the do clrine of Circurncifion , which. did bind themfeives; yec they muft grant the yoke was on their Children as to the aft ; and that if the dp&rine was fo bur- thenfome, much more the praclice , which the poor Infants are under; and they are called indifirmeiy Difciples t6thet by themfelves,or with their Parents* And the argument is thus : Thofe were Difciples on whom the yoke of circurncifion was laid ; but on In- fants was this yoke laid. Ergo Infants are Difciples intheNewTeflarnentexpreflipo. If you will make any diftin&ion,it mud be in the manner of lay ing on the yoke , vU. on the Parents doclrinally , on the Children actually : but there can be no reftridion of the word, Difciples, from tbefe on whom that yoke was laid, as is expreft in that Chapter. Confider ,
4 Let us come to the fubjeds to whom the Gofpel is to be preached • and they taught and baptized $ ic is in Mttbeto , ?wn£ 7* %&pn> all 7{ations; in Marl^ it is, Pretch the Gofpel, **V» *tiV«, to every Creature i Now that Infants (bould be none of all (be Nations , and excluded from being of this crea- tion of God , who were included as fpecial fubje^ls when the Church was in but fo fmal a fpot of the world , is from our narrow apprehenfions in the Gofpel times of difpenfation of Grace.
And the argument our Divines bring from this place is ftrong and moft confiderable : The Gofpel If to be preached to every Creature, all Nations muft
(I2g)
be difcipled - but Infants are a part of this creation^ are included in ail Nations ;• therefore the^ muft be made Difciples alfo.Read the Text again; Mat, 28. go teach all Tfations (?wT*Tce6$M ) bay tiding them (Jvixs ) which muft needs refer to (** Zdw) though the one be mafculine,the other; the neuter; or elfe muft relate to nothing, forithirhno Relative befides to anfwer unto .- This is very common in Scripture, and the fame phrafes,as thevfe well know that undeiftand the Greek in Rev, 2. 2 6,t 7. and Chap, ip. i^.thereise^tfwithrtfT^jasMr.C^ffofiV. E. Well obferves. Cohfult ABs 15.17. and 26, 17. Atts 21. 25. Eph. 2. 11. Mafculinesjoyned with (id-w ) that fign'ifesdfl Nations. Now are Infants none of the Nations, or none of the National crea- tion which the Gofpel may reach ? God forbid.
The words hold forth only the general commifli- on given to the Apoftles after Chrifts death 5 which was an enlarging of their bounds,; who were only formerly circumfcrlbedin Ittdca, and charged not to go into the way of the Gentiles : but now the em- pale is broken down, they muft preach the Gofpel to every creature, teach all Nations, and baptize them; but it doth not hold forth either the proper fubje&s of B aptifm ,crr t!h'4 form or manner of bapti- zing, which (hould not be delivered ("according to their own rule of inftitutionsj in general and indefi- nite terms, as, Every,(>eatHre,dflNXtiotJs-}indby tranGtive words, as, Prfach the Gofpel to them , teach thm. If this be the prime inftitution of biptizfof,
from
(1*9) from which place they exclude Infants, when Chrift ufeth fuch univerfal and comprehensive expreflions - we fhall defire but to deal with them on their ground 3 and the fame Text will ferve to prove our positions more demonftratively then theirs : And this Texc (hews, that Chrift gave commiffion to the Apoftles and Minifters to preach and baptize ; but in what order to do it,or what (hould be required co the qua- lification of thefubjed as abfolutely neceiTary, is not at all difcovered in this Scripture; they muft look for another Text to exclude Infants betides this,eife give up their confidence.
Either this placets the full and exa& rule of u£ flitutionof baptizing, or not; if they fay it is, then it would defcribe the perfons, and the manner , the matter and the form of baptizing , and that in the ufual phrafe with other Scriptures : but here is only a general commiflion to two great aSs, viz,, to preach , teach and baptize ; and we may fay in the fame place , that whoever are outwardly taught, or do buc hear the Gofpel ( though they walk never fo contrary ) muft be baptized ; for the commiffion is , Teach and baptize, nothing of the parties enter- tainment of it is mentioned in this Mat, 28. nor of the qualification of the fubjecl with any diftinguifih- ing character. If they fay this doth not hold forth all the institutions in every particular , as they muft grant, then we may compare other Scriptures with this, to make out the full institution , as thefe where
Infants
(130) Infants ire mentioned with fo much gracious eon« fider ation, as hath been formerly t xprcii- 46*
Chap. XV.
Concerning the fignification and uje of the word Baptifm y or to be baptised • the genuine Etymologie of it in the Old and New Teftament ; the places in the New Teftament brought to projie it fignifies to plunge the u?hole body 7 an- jwered.
TH E confidence of thefe that diflfcr hathieen fo great, that as rhey have excommunicated In- fants from the ct parity of ftfeh a privtledge , which ihey had fo old a titfe unco ; fothey have iorced this only fenfe from the word to baptize , that it tnuft fig- nur*e to plunge the whole body under water $ and deny that to betrue Baptiim , which is not fo ad- rrviniftred ; and fo make it as efifentia! ro the maimer, as vifibfe profeffion to the matter.
For clearing up of -this* mift , I iiave diligently en- yuiredinto the propriety of the word , and itstffein lire Greek Tranfco*§ of the Old" ami New Tefta- ment?
05*)
merit, which are the beftguides in this cafe 5 and if we look narrowly , it will be very hard to find, and Very feldome , that ever the word in Scripture is ufed for the total imraerfion of the body, 01 being abso- lutely under water
The word (&<riK*i) fignlfies artiong all Wri- ters both Heathen and Ecclefiaftical, promifcuoufly to d«p into,or wafli with water, by pouring on of ir, or Iprinkling • and there is nothing more ufual in the New Teftament expreflion of it, then to hold forth any kind of wafliing ; It's expreft in Authors by ma* def*&aret lavare, abluere, to wet or wafli : thus Bn* d&iis , ScapuU , Pafor and Grotiw do interpret the word,though they grant it is, and may be taken more ftrtclly for imrnertion : but let the Scripture explain it k\f9Mar. j. 4. it is ufed for the wafliing of hands, and of cups, and beds,and brazen veffels, and of ta- bles ; which is not by plunging them in the water , fo much as wafliing them by the pouring forth of wa- ter on them ; for fo it is expreft , when they came from the market tbey dufft not eat (*irp*faidtyfi) without they were baptized, that is, waflbed ; which could not be their whole bodies, without both ex- ceffive trouble and danger , for which times and lea- fons rauft be obferved ': And befides this ( faith the Evangelift ) they retained many other things in cu- ftome 9 &*!fti*F** fixym, &c. as the Baptifm of cups , that is, lotiont 3 toi the wafliing of cups ; which may be as well done ' y pouring on water 3 as by plunging into water-, and was and is ufual \y done in
alf
all Nations. So in Lnk- i i. 3 V the Pharifees won- dred at Jefus (%v « votm kCatfldn ©rfrS «piV* J that he was not baptized before dinner, that is, did not tvafli. Arid Hel>. 9. 1 o. all the Ceremonial wafhings or fprinklings are called Baptifms ; in a metaphori- cal fenfe it's ufed for the pouring forch of the fpi- fir.
And further, when it is tf anil tted to dip, both in theOIdandNewTeftament, ic Signifies commonly the lead touch or tad of any thing that is liquid. So Luke 16. 24, Dives begs that Lazams might be fent ( I** MAm. to <**? w t* Sclktu Aif aurtv <a*t©-) that he might baptize, or dip the top of his finger in wa- ter to cool his tongue ; the leaft drop would have been prized by bim, I Sam. 14* 17. finathan is fiid to dip the end of his rod in an hony-comb, that is, but to take a very little; and the word is (dviM^) (oithnkAingxoJ. 12.22. Joh.\*.. 26.
But to put it out of queftion , that there needs no fuch rigidnefs ; and in prefsing this method of plunging, from the word Baptifm^ let us compare it with other phrafes. When the Scri- Differt a Amttt, pture would exprefs a covering of quod 4 prof"*- the whole body under water, and fo S5 ISSlST * **^ ™ being wholly under Paforj Lextc. water, it uleth two other words, as different from baptizing » viz. HA-MTarriZifyi* aad«Au£«u and /£«£$. Compare L Car. 10. 2. All the Fathers and the Israelites are fatd to be baptized in the Cloud, and in the Set; they bad
only
(us;
only the dewingsofthe Cloud,and thefprinklings o? the water on them as they paft through.- But in Exod, 1 5-4,5' when he fpeaks ofPbaroah ard hisHoalt^ he doth not fay they were baptized in the waters, but ufeth thefe two words, *&7e7i6vnnv iv efw^pj SaWwvj *#*v w*r* drowned in the Red Sea^ fubmerfi ; and hed adds, the depths have covered them ; and >&Tt&£ m guSwiamtiSof, they fank, or as the word is I dbufed themselves into the bottom as a ft one j while the Ifraelites Were but baptized under the gentle droppings of the Cloud, and of the Sea. And the very fame di- itinftion did the Greek Writers make between bap- tizing and doufing, or carting under water ; espref- fing by baptizing, to be in the water as a Bottle if j/ck Ship that is feldom or never wholly overwhelmed i And this appears mod demonstratively to be. their, meaning by the verfe of the Ancient Oracle of the Athenians, who well knew how to fpeakand diftiir giiifti Greek.
A?jlg; gdifttUfa, fovea Jim i %4w$ l&. Baptize or \\>ajh hibi>\itm inftar as a Botttlein water % but do not drown him, or utterly plungo him.
Whereby it plainly appears thk the word ( to bap- tize) (ignifies any kind of wafhing , whether by fprinkling or pouring out of water, or dipping into watered that it is Specially diftinguifhed from thefe words that do (Tgoifie a totalfubmeifion 5 and thsfe
men do rsck the word only to fpeak for plunging under water, excluding the ulual and more common fence of if, which is to waGi or cleanfe.
Bee lee us view the Scriptures which they bring for rhe maintainsnee of this fignification, yJ/rff.3. 13,16. jeftts after he was baptize Ajteent firaight Wajesup out of the Water ^ ( tlviQuhm ra vJkrQ- ) which may be crai .flited, he went up from the waters, ^ fignifying more properly ab then ex , from then out ; and it is mod fiiitable to trar.flate it fo,becaufe all rivers,for moft parr,!ie low,and in valleys, in corning to which we are (aid to defcend, and coming from to afcend ; thus when Chrift afcended, in Att.J.9. He Wat ta- ken cut of thrir fight, that is, from their fight. Of the like consideration is :hat other place, which h^ fo much weight on for to hold forth plang- ^$8 8. 36,37,3 8. Of Philip and the Eunuch,it is v $?ent both down Into the Water ( *?* " v«k? ) may as well, and better be trarflated, they mn totr towards ths Water {\t feems they being pn the upper grcund/pied water below them,and fo 0 it co be baptized, as it is a common :o go dOvvn to the water (ide; fhould we grant them this interpre- tation* that ttoej Went both down into the water which ..rig of the wprds,yet it can never be proved t their whole body was dipt all over; nay go into the W2ter5and yet not be over his . i how can they prove by this place they went how tar tfoy went; or whether Phi-
* C *35 ) //pdid not take up water,, and poured it on him ; ©4 whether be duckc him under water, or dipt oneiy his head ; nothing can be proved from this place $ but if they conjecture one thing, we may another, with as much evidence. In the 1 07. Pfal. it is faid, They thrt go down to thefea injhipsrfeethy wonders $ when they, go down into the Tea in Giips, is the fhip plunged all over ? or are they under water in the fhip ?
Yet thirdly, it is evident that their going into the water^ is diftinguifhed in the fame ver. from the Eu- nuchs being baptized 5 they went down, or to (or according to their own mind,) into the water3and he baptized him : fo that the going into the water,take it for dipping and ducking,is not baptizing,but fome- thing diltincl>another acl| and if they will prove go- ing down to the water,or into the wacer,in this place denotes the dipping of the whole body , then he muft be dipt before he was baptized ; for Thilip baptized him after they went into the water. ^
Again, there is as much from this phrafe to prove Philip to be dipt as the Eunuch $ and if dipping be baptizing, for the text faith exprefly,: they both Went. down to ,or in the water ^ you interpret it after their qwn heart, that they both went into the water, <Phh>, Up was as much in the water as the Eunuch; for therq is no exception made,but both went in together,and whofhould then baptize the Eunuch? if thisfeeni to be aa abfurdity to them3 how can they from thi| ejxpreflion, jiuhe. (evereft acception, conclude tjW Eunuch was dipt i but they both went into rtie wa»
(116 J •
ret together, feeing the Text fpeaks as much of Phi- lips going into the water, as of the Eurrachs : But if we take it according to the fiift tranfhtion, that they went both down towards the water, there may be fome rcafonable account givsn how the one was bap- tized | which feems to be moft probable, by pouring out water upon him.
If any one object further from the next verfe,tbaE they afcended out of the water, here is net ( ^ro as in the former place,but ** w £<&w ) out of the water , yet ic m\\ not ac all- help them; for it is faid of chtm both, they came up out of the water, and it fpeaks as much of Philips dipping hrmfelf as the Eunuchjand you may as well argue that Philip was new dipt, as that the Eunuch was baptized by dipping, becaufe they both came up out of the water;befides>one may be faid very properly to come out of the water, if he put but his foot into it ; and thus you fee on what weak foundations thefe high ftructures of confidence and rigidnefs are built.
The third and molt triumphant place, which they cry up, and adore for this manner of baptizing by d ippi ng, is John 3.23. And John was baftiKing in tA^non near to Salem, becaufe there Was much water there.
If we confider impartially, here is but a Geogra- phical defcription of this place, of its fruation, nigh Salem , and of the bene fie they had of water, in re- gard of the moft places befides in the countrey, c/4;- nen lying nigh the banks of fordan-^ni whereas they
Jay
mm
lay the weight on this, that he gives k as a reafon why Iohn was baptizing at ^nonjotemfc there was much water there; it may be a very good reafon Why he chofe that place for the countrey to come in, and be baptized, becaufe they might go many a mile in thefe hot countreys, and noc meet with a drop of water, and it was a great priviledge accounted to thefe places that banked on Iordan, that they had much water ; but what argument is this to prove that John plunged all he baptized ?
The Argument according to their form muft be thus ;Iohn baptized in *s£non, becaufe there was much water 5 Ergo, baptizing is by dipping all the whole body a this is a dangerous and ominous way of argu- ing to thofe who deny confequences,and deductions, for to warrant duties without exprefs fyllabical pre- cept ; I hope they will allow us the fame priviledge of demonftration, when we fay, whole houfes were baptized, 8rgo9 Infants and Children, who are the pillars of a houfejis not this more fair and probable, then that loh* plunged their whole body, becaufe there was much water ? There is none of our confe* quences for Infants baptifmfo (trained and far fetchr, as we have demonftrated formerly 5 it was neceffary for them that had fo many of feveral parts to baptize, to go where there may be much water, when they could get hardly a drop many miles round about,and - yet not imrnerfe every one they baptized ; you may in SngJartd go 20 miles in fome countreys, and not fin4 a river co plunge a mans whole body under the K 1 water.
water, what would it be in Spain, and the other hot countr eys,where water is fold as wine and bear with us how far might they go ere they could get a river to plunge themfelves in.?Thus you fee how little rea- fon they have from thefe Scriptures to be foprerem- jirory and rigid,as to make the efTence of baptifm to be dipping, or plunging all the body. The laft pretence commonly urged for this dipping, is from the analogie it hath with (Thrifts burial, from that Rom 6.4. £0/2.12 Buried with htm in baptifm \ hence fay they it is clear one muft be dipt under wa- ter,elfe it will not reprcfent a burial. In this they put all their confidence,and therefore let us ferioufly view their ftrengtb.
Sol. Fir ft, let it be confidered that they ftill make ufe of confquences, to prove indicutions, which they will not allow u?o ■
" But more particularly, i, Plunging the wbote bo- dy into the water, doth not hold (tolitode neither with Chrids burial, nor the manner of burials in the moftpart of the world ; for firft, for Chrifts burial and the manner of tc,was not by throwing under the earth, for Chrifls body was wrapt in a linnen cloth by Tofsph, and laid ifi a Tomb , or Sepulchre , hewenoutofa rock, for that wasthecuftomeof the Jews, e rape (pecum excavare condendis corporibus : •Matth. 27.60. To cut out apUce like a cave, or den, out of* rocl^ to lay their dead bodies int as is obferved by a man of great learning,and diligence: thus when we fleep in our houfes we may be (aid to be buried, having fomeching over $11? heads. Secondly,
(n9)
Secondly, the manner of burying in Europe is not by plunging the body into a pic of durt, but by call- ing duft or dung on the perfon: fo that rheir pouring out water on an Infant asapsffive fub/ecl, feems more to anfwer the . Cmilitude of burying, then the calling into the water, wherein there is fome motion of the party himfelf contributing to his ba- ptizing.
Thirdly, no man is faid to be buried who falls in- to the water, or under earth, without he (lay there fome considerable time.
Fourthly, we are faid to be buried with ChriCI in baptifm, in regard of the ipiritual union we have withChrift in his death, and burial; and this is as much fignified by ppuring water on a perfon(as earth on a dead body) as well, I fay, as by plunging. Let us now confider what remains to be faid againft this abfolute rule, as they would make it ; you have feen all their main places for plunging,with what de- monftration, at the beft ex probabilibtu & incertis^ out of provable and uncertain conjeclures, which they fo much tax us wichall, and yet the eye fees noc itfelf.
Let us now go on, and confider what other places oi Scripture fpeak more direcl to qualifie this rigid opinion of plunging.
Whzn,John began firft to adminifter his officii t Is
h\dMat.$.$, That Ierufalem, and all Judea, and all
the regions round about lor dan went forth to John^and
were baptized of him in Jordan : A man had need have
K 4 good
rnan.v th6uun6 that came forth, far «£ dJjE J
nimb'efof ASK? great T y' 0I the «"«<* nimoer o thefe InhaDKants ; and how they could be
gv bapnzed men and womer-jn their cloths pro
imfcnonfly.or how d,ey could get garments foS
« to make the aS decent, « wVpl," K oujd
have, tong there were fo many, forth? wc^en and
the qv wo prepare the mfc|v« lor the cojotMS-
Biftrttion or forf, an Ordinance, I cannot du£.
^r#bw^^b^Sw
M "PC-rtam; and that wbicbii fo hotly contended {0r'-'f [m;-^b!^ilchingsd,el confidS Thehkco! thac , ^4r where jio* were
£ef w,th rhe like .rcpnvfe. .- fo that it i,S laid they, were; bapt^d, naf how . and the word as you have .een, , n* ,, {$g - £ ^"J/j
od^ng^utadmicsofamoreiargT^fica-
jbardiy be conceived how it could fee done vwtjn that gravity the Go (pel requires, by plunging in their own proper habits; and fuchfadden acls could not be done with fuitabje preparations of garments.
But to come to particular, inltances, and parallel them together with former plsces,which are brought to prove this kind of dipping; and let us judge which hath more demonftration. ABs 9.18. Paul was bap- tized in the houfe of Judas ; there is nothing of a Jordan or yEnon, a river that he was carried unto ; neither can they by any thing prove that Paul was thus dipt, but only their good will to have it fo 3 nei- ther is it probable that every houfe had a deep pond belonging to it, or a river running through if, or fo vaft a receptacle or cittern to hold water as to plunge 3 mans whole body in it.
SecondlyjConfider the Jailors cafe, ABs 16.33. nc was baptized in the prifon, and at midnight, he and his houfe; he wa(hed their (tripes, and they waQied him in token of remiffion of fins.
All that the moft rational and profound Critick of that judgement can fay, is onely this » That it may be fuppofed he had fome great vetTeI,whtch feme had in theie hot countreys for wafhing themfelves tn,ard fo made ufe of it himfelfto be baptized ; but what a poor fuppofirion in this?there is nothing either in the texr,or from reafon to countenance it 3 who can ima- gine that in thefe hot countreys, where water is fo fcarce aid precious,* poor Jay lor (hould have (uch a veifel of fo largs and vaft a continent, which mud
coft
■Cm*)
coft much ; oc that the State would provide foch a veflel in the Pri'fon to bathe and refredi Prifoners who are under fufpition, or cenfures of all forts of crimes againft the State ? but no more of that ; its too grofs to conceive : And why may not we as well argue thus ; The Jay ior wa> baptized late in the night in the Prifon ; Ergo pot by plunging,buc wafh- ing or pouring out water on him,as they argue from fob 3.33. John was baptizing in ^£no» near Salem, becaufe there was much water there • Ergons bapti- zed'by plunging ; I leare it to any fober judgement ro determine ; if the one prove that baptizing may be by dipping, the other proves it may be by fome other way.
T hus you fee the Scripture is not fo peremptory as thefe men are, but hath left the method of bapti- zing in genera), and under a latitude : Neither can they bring one exprefs.ptoce which holds it forth ei- ther in precept or president ( whkh they call for from u? to (hew them for our judge menr, and will not be fatisfied in all other confederations) and have no more but conjectural confequences to prove their abfolute determination^, but what their confidence fupplies ; N And if there be any abfolute need of dip- ping, it is to cool the heat of thefe mens fpirits, who deny Eaptifm to be true,becaufe they have not been plunged.
The fum of all is this • They affirm the word/ To &?/****,( jgnifies only immerfion,plunging or dipping the whole body under water ; we deny it, and fhew
that
r i43 ^
tfoat it (ignifies to wafh by pouring on water, and more often in the Old and New Tefhment ; and that when this word is ufed in the Scripture, itsop- pofed toother words thatdgnifie properly doufing, or calling under water: And I think I may fay it without too much rafhnefs.that they can hardly bring one explicit place in the Old or New Teftament, where the word, To baptize, is v&d pofitively for plunging or doufing under water ; and doubtlefs the moft of that judgement know not what the meaning of the words are, elfe they would not lay the effence of Baptifmona word of fuchalarge ufe.
The Scriptures being thus cleared , to fpeak at lead:, that plunging is not abfolutely neceffary to conftirute the truth of Baptifm : Let us now come to confider the morality of this judgement , and the practical conveniencies or inconveniencies of this way of phmging ; for if it be the only and pure Gofpel- Way, it will have no ominous or uncomely afpeclon other rules, which are from the fame authority, nor any way afperfe the Gofpei.
i.I know not how to believe that Chrift would ordain any Ordinance, and tye fouls ftriclly to it, that cannot be pradifed univerfally by all, and but in fome places,and at fome feafons,without manifold inconveniencies and dangers unto nature : For if only dipping fhouid be baptixing^nd every one that believes ought prefently to be baptized, how (hall they do that live in thofe hot and dry Countryes where water is fo (careers it is in many places of the
worldj,
044)
world, whomufi: be forced to go fo many miles to come to a River, and yet may only find itafmall Brook, with which they can hardly wet their feet in pifllng over, as it is in many places of the World ?
And if there were in every place never fo much water, yet how dangerous is it for fome bodies who are rheumatick, and fubjeel to Catarrhs and deflexi- ons, in the winter time ("for no feafon (hould hinder a man from the praclice of an Ordinance,) in cold and wet to be plunged into the water ? it were enough to beget difeafes in the moft healthy bodies; Chrift is more tender of the bodies of his Saints, then co put them into fuch hazards ; and I hope no one will con- ceive baptifm to be a chirm to prevent all inconveni* encies and difeafes on the body : yet thezeal of thefe of that way carries on fo furioufly, that they think its impofftble foi them co get any hurt, though they plunge chemfeives into the water in froft and fnow: but its dangerous to tempt God out of his ordinary way ofprefervation, when there is no ah- folute necefficy for fuch a practice. Befide**this'Or<- dinance would be a greater yoke and burthen then Circumcifion^ if this rule of theirs (houtd?be founi- verfally followed ; for there was no danger Co the child by tint act, though ic feemed bloody and hard: But if all perfons ( for none are excluded b^ any weaknefs or indifpofition) Giould be thus bapti- sed* how eminent ^danger would many bean ?. And if it prove fo hazardous^o.thebodiesof manybcakhy ones, that have in winter time but accidentally fallen
into
into the water, though they have not been under water, that it hath coft them their lives, the violence of cold fo piercing th-jir bodies an<! animal fpirits(oii which we have many experiences ) how would it be for others, who labour under daily weaknefs > And there is no prormfe, that the water (hall have no power to hurt thofe which after this manner are ba- ptized* no more then others. Flefh and blood is the fame in all, which is the immediate fubjeel of fuch an ad ; and God doth proportion his Ordinances to keep correfpondency with his other rules of mercy, and prefcriptions for ufe of means. In a word, if* this be the only way of baptizing , happy are thofe that live in hot Countrey s, or have bodies of braf?„
Its faid,if it be an Ordinance, God will preferve • but that is the qeeftion* and that which demonstrates it, is not the only way ; if it be a way at all, it i? B Thac it croffeth Gods rule* for prefervation of a mansfelf; the pra^iceof it atfome times being? kind of a decree of felf-murther, and very unfutable to the laws of mercy and tendernefs, that command4 the very heart of Chrift ; and fuch anabfolute un- qualified command doth not look like an Ordinance of theGofpel; For if baptizing be immediatlyto be pradifed after believing^ according to their prin- ciplesjthen what (hould hinder water that they may not be baptized ?Suppofe they be fick and weak, nip- pofe the feafon be unfutable, and yet the foal defires so be baptized r Yob mull either go agatnft all rules
of
(H6) of nature to plunge that perfon,or elfe find out fome; other way of baptizing ; or elfe a Gofpel command- mull be neglecled ; for there is nor precept,nor pre- sident of 4elay of that Ordinance ( ftjil to their own pofitions)in ail the New Teftament; and fo both the baptizer and baptized mutt fin in performance of a duty^for the one fins if he by any pretence deftroys his own health ; and the other fins in being an in-' ftrument in ir. I wifti men were confederate of the nature and effects of thefe things ; which if it were more communly pra&ifed, we (hould have heaps of inftances to make good this consideration.
2. Its very much to be obferved, that Chrift who hath bid us avoid all appearance of evil, (houldor- diin any Ordinance wherein there muft needs be fome fuch appearance fit for fleflb and blood to ad on ; I have fo much modefty as only to prefent this? how women, take it in what habit you will, can be baptized publickly, where all may come with men* and by men, without appearance of evil. And if the. ispcitle would have women to be vailed or covered huhe Congregation, tacaufeofche Angels, takeic, either literally or tropically, to (hew the modefty of Church- nlfcmblies, and to prevent any fhadow of temptation j how can we think that its iutable to Apoftolical rule, that women fhoald appear in the 6penair> out of their wonted habit, in agarmene, sexc to nakednefs , and fo be plunged into water*? mi 1 am loth to enter into thefe fecrets.
I only propound this, Whether or 00 that this
1 .: ; ^'apti'te1
(147) bapiifm by plunging, be not rather a baptizing of mens cloaths,and upper garments,then of the body, if the perfon baptized be not naked ? and if he or fhe be, how odious a cuftome would that be ? I can-* not but think that that part that is baptized,ought to be naked,that the water may immediatly fall on that placejclfe fomething elfe mull be baptized primarily, and the flefti fecondarily and by confeqoence.
This is'the reafon why we only pour water on the face, becaufe its the principalleft part wherein the image of God moft appears, and the foul (nines forth moll eminently, on which ail the workings of mens humors and afte&ions leave the vifibleft im- preffion and fymptomes. And itsobfervable, that the fame word in the Greek (a&'wnw) fignifies both the face and the perfon, becaufe the whole per- fon is reprefented by the face. And thus we baptize the perfon in baptizing his face, which we can look on, and waft naked, and not be afhamed. Let :hefe' men that are fo zealous for dipping and plunging the whole body,con(ider from all this,what warrant they have from Scripture for their fo much rigid conft* dence.
C h a f\
( MS) Chap. XVI.
An explication of that place } Heb.io; 22. About wafnrigthe whole body with pure water-, the improper application of it to their manner of baptizing Iff plunging the whole body.
' n. Ftetallthaihrng-andfoiftsoftjieAntipedoba- /Wifts.this place in Heb.w.v. « forced in to -iv evidence foe that mir.net of baptizing, former- ly fo much contended for. Ltttu irO> warmth* ir«e heart in full ajfurance <rf fa.tb, havingowr heart, fbrlnkledfrom an evil confeiener ,w» d 'ogr bodm wfied iuhpure water; from hence they f«j^'nf muftbe by dipping and ' plunging, or wafti.ngthe boiv throughout. I|C ,
t et us review it with its context, and we fta.l find fhev chew but upon a dry bone. For,
f irftthe fcope of the Apoftle in all this chapter,* iot in the leaftto difcover the manner of baptizing, liuc to open two things. . ,
1 The fulnefs of the fatisfaflion and merit of C-briftt offering himfelf, and being a facr.fice for re- miffion of fins, in oppoficion to all Legal, and On. dowy o«erinp,jrf«ppem from the i.v.unco the a^
(149)
which was began to be demonflrated fa the former chapters, efpeciaily the 9. chap.
2. To encourage fouls in their approaches to God onfuch a glorious account now in the NewTefta- ment, fointheip. ver. Having therefore boldntfs (**nnefcur) or freedom, to enter into the holiefl by the blood of ^efmy by a new and living Vvay^ &c. In this 22. v. he bids them draw nigh with a true heart, and full affurance of faith, &c.
Secondly, that his fcope or intent is not to open the manner of baptizing, is evident- for he writes to thofethat were baptized already as thefe Hebrews were ; for you have no coocroverfie in this Epifife about circumcifion and bapcifm, as in the Rom. gM "Phil. Colof. but only concerning Chrids pried ly Of- fice, efpecially compared with the levitical, Aironi- cal Priefthood, and the virtue of Legal-ceremonisl facfificec, and the facrifice of Jefus Chrift as High- pried, as any one that runs may read ; now either they muft fay thete were not baptized before, or elfe muft conclude that his defign is not to inform them (and that fo cranfiencljr; of the nature or manner of admimftring of that Ordinance.
Thirdly, the Apoftle here doth dkttiiy inftruel the fouihowtomake confident addrefles to God^viz, rrom the fenfe of our judication and fana^cation together . for fo by our hearts being fprinkled from an evil confcience,is meant, <& can be meantno othe£ then Chrifts blood fprinkled on our fouls, in theaffu- tmcQof our abfohitidn- from fio, and the waging
with pure water no more ( but by this outward ex- prefiion ) of the purity of our conventions, as to fandification, that we may not come with fcandal of external unholinefs, when we pretend to be juftified by Chrifts blood.
Fourthly,the ufual word is here left out which ex- prefleth that Ordinance-and it is your bodies not ba- ptized but wafhed (asa^Vc/) which is a clear allufion to that of Levit. 16. 4. from whence it feems to be excerpted, when Aaron the high Prieft was to enter into the holy place, and before he was to be attired for that work, it is faid, He /hail ^a(h hu fiejb in wa- ter, andfo put them on ; the 70. tranflate the words thus, As^7*u JA.77 m v in <m(Jiot He fhaK wajh his whole body with water > to fignifie «the holinefs he ftiould Jiaveinhisperfon, as from external publick polluti- ons ; the very fame intent of the Apoftle is here,thac if we would be confident before God, when we ap- proach unto God, we muft come with Chrifts blood on our confidences, and no known pollution on our converfations ; and if we will follow their grounds from comparing thefe two places, we may conclude that baptifm was as much an Ordinance of the Old Teftamenr,as the New, for wafhing ; the body was ufedinboth. Fifthly,it is a ufual phrafe in Scripture to exprefs the fancMcation of our perfons,from inward & outward defllements,by the wafhing of water and wafhing tht bodyj& yet not in the leaft to hint out the manner of baptizing by water ,as into the fpecial adminiftration
of
of that Ordinance; thus in gfa.1.16. when God faith to his backfliding people,wa(h you,make you clean 3 muft he needs mean, go and be baptized ? but thai outward expreffion is put for the reforming of thd? wayes,and expounded by putting away the evil from their doings or works; thus in fob: i 3. Chrift expreff- eth juftification and fanclifkation, by walhing in ge- neral, and then walhing the feet ; he that is wafhed, (which is not baptized;for Chrift faith he muft wa(ha or dkPeter could have no part in him;and Chrift did not baptize ) fuch a one need no more but to Wa(h his feet, that is, walk holily ; fo that here is wafting^ and waflhing of the feet, and yet neither meant of baptizing nor waftiing : Thus likewife in the CiMffi thians it is faid,as to their fandification,iV(?^7^^ #*/W, nowyouarecleatifedinoTVpuarejttftifieds he means not Now you are baptized, but of the fpecial purification of their hearts, and lives from their for- mer pollutions of flefh and fpirit ; which though fig* nified by baptifm,yet fo remotely, as no man can ga- ther the conftant method of exterual baptifm from it.
Sixthly, he faith your bodies wafhed ( &&n 0 Qctp&) with clean or pure water ; now I hope, as to baptizing, none are fo fooliQi as to ftand on it3whe- ther they be baptized after a rain when the water is puddled,or whether only in pure & chryftal ftrearns3 from an unpuddled fpring or ocean • and yet thep muft be tied to the one as the other, if this Text be their prefident* and we may as well queftion {torn
L $ tssss
this Text, whether they be rightly baptized, if there be any mud,or flime,or filch in the water, as whether we be baptized if all our bodies be not wafhed ; but now this expreffion to fet forth holinefs and fan&ifi- cation, is mod apt and full of life : our hearts and conventions, in drawing nigh unto God,fhouldbe as if externally they were wafhed with clean water, tranfparent and fpotlefs before him, (Lining with an Evangelical brightnefs, and fpiritual purity ; for it will be very hard to draw nigh to God with a good confcience, and a tainted and befroearedbodyor converfation, with unholy ads, whereby Godisfo much di(lionoured;efpeciaily to corners the Apoftle faith in the former part of the \eifetwith a true heart and full affurance of faith.
Seventhly, if he had meant by this wafhing of the body, baptizing, he would not have made fuch a dif- proportion ( according to their own rule ) between thefign and thing fignifiedjfor he fpeaksof the heart being only fprinkled, and yet the body wafhed with clean water ; now if bapcifm doth not fignifie and feal juftificacion ,as well as fan&ification,it is not a fea! of the Covenant of grace ; and if it do fignifie, it cannot go beyond the thing fignified in expreffion and outward reprefentation. And if Chrifts blood in Heb. 1 2-24.be called the blood of fprinkling, and it be one of the main things fignified and fealed in baptiim ; well may we anfwer it by an outward aft, without offence or fin.
Eighthly,grant that by wafhing the body is meant
baptizing
(m )
baptizing here ( which you fee cannot he extorted by violence, or extracted by any chymical virtue ) yet it will not ferve their turns : For, Firft,> he body is faid to be wa(hed,when any one or more of the principal parts in fight or ufe, are wafh- ' ed ; and what is done to any eminent or command- ing part, it carries the denomination of the whole with it ; for Maries anointing and wafliing of Chrifts head and feet in Luke 7.44>45-is interpreted in John 1 1 . 2, for the anointing of the Lotd,as much as if (he had done it to all his body throughout; though it is only expreft in the former place of the a- nointing and wafliing his head and feet, This is moft ufual in Scripture.
Secondly, if they will go to the Itriclnefs of the term of wafliing the body ; then,
Firft, it mull: be vvailhed naked, or elfe it is not a wafliing of the body.
Secondly,it mult not be a bare dipping or plunging into water, bat fome other aft muft be done with the body,w*. a rinfing or rubbing, as we do pots or cloaths which we wafli, which are not faid to be waflied,beciufe dipt under water, but fo rinfed as the filth and dirt is taken out ; I only urge this to (hew inevitable inconveniences thefe men will bring on themfelves by fuch interpretations of Scripture.
Many other considerations might be added, if this Trait would bear the weight of them,
L 5 Chap^
Chap. XVIL
AfhoYtfummlng up of the former principle^ and arguing them from the method of the Apojlle Peter about tho/e be baptised, Adts 10.47.
n^Hat we may bring up ail unto a full conclusion, + let that pike be confidered, ^#/ 10.47. an(* the manner of the A pottles arguing in it, which is mod fpecial to what we would prove ; his argument lies in this, they have received the holy Ghoft as well as "tot: Ergo,whu fhould hinder waterPwhere there is a qualification, there may be an administration of that Ordinancejthisis grounded on a common principle; now if we obferve,
Firft/he Apoftle changes the ufual expre(fion,and faith not, Seeing they have believed as well as we^ but feeing they have received the holy Ghoft as well as Vte , What fhould tinder f The argument is from the equi- valency of the qualification •'■ for whereas he faith all along formerly ,^7 believed and were baptized ; and to the Eunuch,^^.8.37./f/W believeft thou maift; but here, feeing they have received the holy Cjhoft as well as We ; this change of phrafe (hews the qua- lification not to lie in one term or expreffion,but in the univerfal equality of Gofpel manifeftacion, to
fome
(1$$)
fome one way, to fome another « that if any title in the Gofpel can be found properly, either by Gods promife or our judgement, applicable to any perfon, we may fay, What fhould hinder water ? now to re- ceive the holy Ghoft, is the largeft and mod vaft ex- preffion,as to a qualification,that ever could be men- tioned, taking in both real graces and all external gifts and priviledges, which are all conveyed by that holy Spirit, whether common or fpecial, as is before expreft in another Chapter.
We (hall defire on the Apoftles account to argue from all thefe pregnant Texts of Scripture concern- ing Infants ; and having the fame premifes we (hall not certainly draw a wrong conclufion,when we find the Scriptures giving fuch titles to Infants,and fo ma- ny fpecial carriages of Chrift to thera,which amounts to as much as is fpoken of any that were baptized, why may not we fay with Teter, What Jhould hinder water ? as for inftance,
If Infants be in the Covenant, that ^Abrahams promife belongs to them, as we have proved, What Should binder Water f
If Infants be \\o\yjvhat Jhould hinder water? Thefe which are vifible Saints may be baptized ; but fo are the Infants of believers; for they are called (*>*) i Cor.y.v\9 The fame name given to denominate all Saints ; now to be holy is as much as to be a be- lievers to receive the holy Ghoft is made all one with being a believer ; and what then fhould hinder water?
So
dm
So again/when the Gentiles and their pofcerity are ingraffed into the fame roor, Rom. i 1 . which is A, • brAham and the Covenant, and the branches holy as the root, what fliould. hinder water I
If Ghrift wais angry when Infants were forbidden toccrme to hint, and charged his' Difcipies to fuffer them to be brought, who can forbid water ? efpeci al- ly when Chrift took them up in his arms, laid his .bands on,and blefled ihem^which is as muchand more then is done in baptifm, what (bould hinder water to be call on them? and (o wc may argue from every place in the former difcourfe, upon this very prin- ciple; fortheApoftte argues neither from precept inore2ample5but from a parallel qualification3becaufe ehey had received the holy Ghoftjand (urely all thefe places of Scripture concerning Infants, will fully a- mount to rwtas up an equivalent qualification in them to a v.fible profeflicm of grown perfons.and fo we may argue on the fame ground with Teter ; be- fidesjlnfants arexaf able oi receiving the holy Ghoft as we'll as grown peifons, and why not capable of water? if they fay it is only a vifible believer,a vifible profelTor that i? the fubjecl; Weanfwer,
You fee the Apoltle uieth feveral expreffions sboutir, fometimes adively, fometiraes paffively, fometimessf thou beiievd^here.feeing they have re- ceived the holy Ghoft,bu? never fairh a vifible Sainr, or a vifible believer, or one that aduaily profeffetb ; and fomay we fay,feeiug the promtfe is to them/ee- ing they are holy,feeing they are called Difciples,fee-
ing
(*57)
ing they had Chrifts hands laid oh them, and were bleffed, feeing ihey are capable of receiving the ho- ly Ghoft, what fliould hinder water I
guefi. If they fay ftill there is no command 5 I infwer,
Firft,there is as much as is faid of others that were baptized.
Secondly, there is no command in terms from Chrift or his Apoftles to baptize profefling believers, or thofe that fhould receive the holy Ghoftjyet they were baptized.
Thirdly, where there is parallel character? to Qiew qualification ,there may be the fame outward fign ap- plied ; on this principle the Apoftk reafons in this Scripture ; it is only to be wondred how fo many direct places of Scripture, which cannot but fparkle in the confidences of thofe which are diligent and diving into truth, can be fo lightly evaded and made nothing of, while men pretend to fearch truth impar- tially, without deceit or guile.
Chap:
058)
Chap. XVIII.
Wherein Ufhewed who is to adminijler this Ordinance of baptifm, according to the rule of the Gofpel.
AS thefe that are contrary to Infant baptifm are (trie!:, and moft fevere in other ci rcumftances, which they think muft be in that Ordinance, (o they are mod (light and rude in their confederations and pra&ife, astotheadminiftrator of that Ordinance, making every male Difciple,or any one that can give an occafional word of exhortation, the minifterof this Ordinance, which they do otherwife (hut up, as in the moft holy place, and put the very fubftance of the Gofpel in it; this is moft unfutable to the Gofpel, and makes baptifm one of the pooreft and loweft Ordinances, and of no fuch folemnity, feeing every Difciple may baptize another, and he that can fpeak any thing of the Gofpel may do fuch an acl.
But if we trace the rule,we (hall fee, that as it is an Ordinance ofpublick cognizance,fo it muft beadmi^ niftred by a publick Officer, who hath received com- miffion authoritatively from Chrift and his Church, and that it was never adrniniftred by any one but he that was either ordinarily, or extraordinarily called thereunto • begin with lohn the Baptift, fo called from his work and defignment to the adminiftration
of
of that Ordinance; he was extraordinarily called, as the proprieties of him witnefs,with the circumftances of his birth and behaviour, Luk,. i. 7J&C Matth.
All the time of Chrifts miniftry, his Difciplcs by immediate commiffion from himfelf baptized, and noneelfe : and we all know how they were called, and who gave them power.
When Chrift gave up all his power and authority to be continued to the end of the world,or his fecond coming, Matth. 28. Go teach all nations, baptizing them9tnd gave them their general and publick com- miflion, he gave it to thefe that were to be Apoftles, ind to thefe that fcould fucceed them in ordinary, md as by fettled commiffion, not to every one that Should be made a Difciple ; this was a commiflion to them at large,and yet appropriated to fuch an or- der, without we will fay all arecommiffionedto :each and baptize.
Afterwards, when the Gofpel order of Churches came to be fetled,and particular inftrudions giren?as :o the foundation and method of adminiftration in Churches, it was never adminiftred by any but thofe :hat were for the time extraordinary, or ordinary fecled Officers of the Church, whofe names arefum- med up in 1 Cor. 1 2.28,29. *fld Ephq. 1 1. Apoftles, Prophets, Evangelifts, Paftorsand Teachers j befides ;hefe,none have office or power to fuch admmiftrad- >n but only thefe.
Thofe that we the more fober and intelligent fort
of
(itfo)
of our oppo(ites,grant us this,that the adminiftration of baptifnus of publick cognizance ; and that ordi- narily it muff be adminiftted by tbofe which are in publick and fee office ; but generally every brother among them of any fuppofed gift may be a bap* tizer.
As for Philip and Ananias , whobaptized,the firft was an Evangelift, an extraordinary efficer,as the A- poftles, raifed and infpirited, and impowred much after the fame manner;and if wc confuk with ABs 8. he had fpecial commiflion arid authority from hea- ven, by a Divine call, to perform that acl on the Eu- nuch 3 and fo for Ananias who baptized Paulas one of their own judgement faith well,he was deputed in an extraordinary manner to that miniftery, Aft. 9. the Lord appearing to him in avifion; and thefe ex- amples cannot be drawn into an ordinary rule, with- out the fame circumftances be found ufual.
And it mud needs be fo that none but one of the fetied officers of the Church, who is to preach the Gofpel, may be a bapcizer.
Fiifl,becaufe it is a Church Ordinance y Chrift hath now left the keyes to the Church, fet in the Church fucceffively fuch perfons who are actually to admini- fter ail Ordinances in it 5 and if it be a Church Ordi- nance, onely thefe may adminifter it who are called to one of thefe offices in the Church ; all grant this, that it is a Church Ordinance, though forne take the Church more largely, others more ftriclly.
Secondly,kis an acl of power to baptize,^'.*8.
All
All power is given to me in heaven and earth; go teach and baptize ; now power is conveyed by a fpeciall commiffion and call. For a man to exercife a gift of knowledge by utterance, needs no fuchfolemnity ; but to baptize, it being a fealing of a fpecial privi- ledge to others,muft come from an office- power,and fo cannot ordinarily be adminiftred by a gifted Difciple,
Thirdly, there would be no diftin&ion as to pow- cr,between Apoftles,Evangelifts,Paftors and Teach- ers, in administration of any Ordinance, and every brother of the Church, if their rule Hand ; this is the common confufion of the moft of the contrary judgement, which utterly overthrows the other of Gofpel Churches,
Chap:
Chap. XIX.' On Chrifts being baptized bj Johnjvhen he was about the thirtieth year of his age 5 whether any thing can be gathered from it againji baptizing of Infants *
THis is the lift plea urged from Chrifts example, that he was not baptized untilr about the thir- tieth year, therefore none but grown perfons ought to be baptized, if there be any force in Chrifts ex-
ample. , -.
To which isanfwered, t. Ift general, aftingsare not^always to be our examples j for fame acl he did meerly as Mediator, God-man, unimitablebyus,as to be crucified for our fins ; fome he did out of fpeci- ilreafon, and eminent emergency, as to fait forty dayes and nights in the wildernefs, with many luch like, up and down the Scripture, that ate no rules to as j his perfonal and reprefentative afl% and thefe whxh have been acled upon extraordinary occafion and reafon, cannot be drawn into practical rule of example to us. • . .
a. If we will take Chrifts example for a rule in thi* that he was baptized when fo grown up, why then we may as well take Chrifts praffife, as our ex- ample, in the adive fenfe, be baptized none, therefore none are to baptize ; the fame holds asftrong as the other i if any fay the rule afterward warrants that,
fo it doth the biptizing of Infants, as hath been for- merly proved.
3. And more home, Chrift was a Saint in the womb, he profeffedhis faith from a childe, difpu. ted with the Doclors about Divine things when he was but 12. years old, fo that he could be baptized with an infallible evidence at firft, and yet was not baptized untill fuch an age ; hence if we will follow Chnfts example,though men be known to be profef- fors, and never fo godly, yet they muft not be bap- tized untill juft they come to the fameftature, and term of years that Chrift was baptized in,- therea- fon is ftronger for the one then the other, becaufc Chrift, though he had fuch a vifible, fuch an infallible right to it, yet did abftain from the pradiife of jt,untill juft fuch a time, which he chofe out as fltteft, fo that the time hath as much force to make an ex- ample, and binds as ftriaiy to the obfervance of it, as the general confideration of him, as a grown per- fon: upon this account no man muft be baptized untill he be 29. or full 30. years of age.
4. There may be many confiderations why Chrift was baptized at years.
1 • That he might enter on his publique miniftry with the more greater folemnity of fuch an Ordi- nance, and have a teftimony from heaven to him in that Ordinance, which was gm^TheHo/j ghofi des- cending on him in the form of a Dove, Mm. I. two laft v. Now Chrifts entrance into his publique miniftry* began immediately after his baptifm, how he con-
verft
0*4) verft for the moil: part of the former years, is very dark in Scripture.
2. It might be alfo, becaufe he would give a tefti- mony to fohn Baftift, who, though he was defigned from the womb to that work, yet began to afl bis office but a little while before, and had foon done. It is a queftion whether he baptized anycortfderable time after he baptized Chrift } but juft as Chr ift did arife in his miniftry, John fell in his.
3. As there is no reafon to be given why Chrilt fhould live fo long, and not take on him his pubhquc miniftry, untill fuch an age, nor may it be urged as fuch an example to us ; fo there is no rsafon perem- ptorily to be given why he was not baptized untill ■then,- and fo the rule is uncertain, and of no value. But this example is contrary to the following rule left for baptizing, according to their own princi- ples ; For, ■ . ..
i. That Ordinance was immediatly admin»ftred(as tbaO after believing, and profeffion ; Chrift wasa known Believer>and Profeffor before;r,eitber did be make a new profeflion to ?^» when he came to be baptized ; but John rather fcrupled if as an att too high for him to perform* as to fuch a glorious per- for, M*t.$.f*ffer it to be done (faiih Chntt) &C It i would be a fin for us to delay fo long.
- Chrifts Baptifm was upon no other grounds then our*, his to fulfill all tighteoufnefs in our ftead, or to watfi away unrighceoufnefe , the filth ot the <kfln, and fpirit, as an outward fign of rr, and io
cannot come under the common rule • this I conceive fufficient to be fpoken as to that confideration; there onely remains, that queftion which will eafily be an- fwered on the former grounds , if they prove if ue- as they are dcmonftrated, The Lord give a hlejjing u thefe confidtrAtkns onyonr heart*
M ChaK
(166)
Chap. XX. That Baptifm doth not form a Church.
SO much do our oppofites advance Baptifm , that they make it the only conftitutive principle of a Gofpel Chgrch,by which men enter into the Churchy and are made vifible Members onely by its admini- ftration,and in their own method. But we (hall foon dethrone that pofition by the authority and force of Scriprure and rational argumentation.
Onely in general, I doubt our Divines have un- wittingly given them too much ground to affirm as they do , calling it an entrance into the Church, an iniriating Ordinance , feal , and by their practice of late to let the Font nigh the Church porchj though I would not much ftand upon it , how proper it is to call it an initiating Ordinance : ( a phrafe I have nfed in this difcourfe Pro forma) without it be be- taufe it is the firft feal to be adminiftred in the Order of Sacraments ; but it will be eafily proved that Baptifm gives no effence or being either to a Church, or memberfhip.
i. Becaufcaman muft be a member, and of a Churcbjere he can be Baptized according to the Go» ipell rule.
2. Sacraments are Ordinances to be adminiftred ill the Church, and to the Church , which fuppofeth trie exiikr.ee of the Church beforqthus i Cor. 12.28*
ifbif.
(i67)
Ephef. 4. 11, is, 13, the Lord hath fct inland give* all officers to the Church, if fo, Sacraments , whicr muft be adminiftred by officers, if rightly.
3- A Church may be without Baptifm , and ye* be as true and as real a Church ; as the Ifralltes were fo long in the wildernefs without Circumcifion which was as much an initiating Ordinance, as evei Baptifm was; now nothing can be without its form and exift
4. That cannot be the form of a Church or make a man a Member, which remains the fame, and un-^ touched after excommunication, whereby a man is cut off from memberfhip at. prefent, but now though the Church may take away his membership , they cannot his Baptifm, which is the fame (till , and i$ not loft.
5. Forthisisanabfolute rule, that that which givesthe form, or being to a Church, icmuftceafe when the Church ceafeth, or when a Membet ceafeth to be a Member, it mult ceafe with it ; and that mull: be renewed, as^often as membership is renewed, and fo one rauft be Baptized again , as ofcen as he re-* news Memberfhip • this is moftabfurd, yet muft fol- low from fuch a principle.
6. Baptifm is a fign, and feal, therefore gives no being to any thing, but confirms it • It is a con- sequent aft , and fuppofeth fornething prc-exM ftent.
Ob). As for that place they fo much (land on ; <AU, 2,41, As many as received the Veord gladly ,,
M 2 weri
Were Baptized, and there Was added that day about 3000. fouls ; hence they fay they were added by Baptifm.
Sot.Thz words fay not,they were added by Baptifm, but puts a full point, or Hop after that fentence , as mmy as gladly received the Voordjtoere Baptiz.ed.Thcic chat fentence ends. And the Apoftle goes on a new account ; and faith, there ti> ere added that day 3000. fouls yb\xi doth not at all (hew the manner of their adding; fo that thefe words are rather a recapitulati- on, and fumming up the number of Church Members added that day,then any defcription of the way of their taking into the Church : as if one (hould fay, he had 3000 li. in gold addedto his eftate,he only (hews it is fo,but not how he came to have that added,fo it •mud be here ; and the former reafons prove the im- poffibiiity of fuch an interpretation.
2. Ob). There is one place more urged to prove Baptifm to be the form of a Church, and that which makes a Member, which is, 1 Cor. n.i^yye are all BaptUed into one body , there? Baptifm onely embodyes members.
Sol. To which I anfwer flrft, The Apoftfe fpeaks there primarily of this Baptifm of the Spirit, not of watery So by one Spirir, we are Baptized into one Body, not fo much of Baptifm by water.
But fecondly, grant it to be meant of Baptifm by water , yet it proves nothing that Baptifm is the fotmof that body, which hath its matter and form liofiaefs, and unign before baptifm \- baptized intc
on<
(16P)
one body, doth not here (Lew the eiTemial ccnftitu- tion of a Church, but the confirmed union.
For firft, we are faid in Gal. 3. 27. to be Baptized intoCkrift; now none will conjedure thac baptifrn gives the form of union with Qhrift , but oneiy feals it ; fo into one body, may be as to the unity of communion in the fame body.
2. The phrafe of baptizing into, or in one body, (hews the body exiftent,and in perfecl being before, elfe we could not be baptized in a body , or into a body ; for when one is baptized firft , into whan body is he, and the fecond, and third incorporated ? until! a body be compleac, they cannot be faid to be baptized into it, or in it ; therefore baptifrn can- not conftitute the form of a Church , which is this body, faying, we are baptized into it,that is, to hold union and communion with fuch a body.
3. This argument is inferted more to prevent Schifm, thentoexprefsthe. way of firft embodying or conftitution of Churches,as the whole context de- monftrates.
4. ft is the fame reafon with the Lords Supper , and we may as well be faid as to the firft conftitution, to conftitute Churches by thac Sacrament , as by baptifrn, 1 Cer.iQ. 1 6,17. The cup ofblejfing We blefs* u it not the Communion of the blood of Chnft} the break that rve breaks k it not the Communion of the body of Chrifi tfor rve being many are one bread, and one body, for We are all partakers of that one bread. So thac we may as well be faid to be gathered into a Church by
M 3 the
(i7o)
the Lords Supper , as by Baptifm , for by it we are made one body, and one Spirit.
But laftly, if Baptiftn doth elTentially conftitute a Church, and is its form , then all who are Baptize'd are reall Members of the Church, and muft have all priviledgcs,be they never fo loofe and vain ; for they bave the elTentiall qualification, and the pcrfecl form, and what will any defire more ? and ftrange confe- rences muft needs follow : you may make whom you will Members, and make them Members before &hey are Members, and Baptize into a body before there is a body, or any knowledge of what frame the body is ; you may baptize and have no Church, for they may never come into Union, and Communion, who are baptized upon there terms , and then no Church can be conftituted ; for who (hall baptize fir ft? for he muft have an extraordinary Commifsion, for he can have no ordinary delegation, until! the form be introduced which makes the Church, and that form is not, untill a competent number be baptized, and Co Church power muft be csercifed firft without a Church, and political power without fcboiyt
It is wonderful ro imagine how thefe that differ , flight and unchurch all the Congregations , though rnade up of the pureft, and (pecialleft Saints, without mixtures of humane allay, and meerly in this princi- , pie they are not baptized in their Form , nor plunged under water, which with them is onely^ baptizing and under this principle, Faith, and Repentance., and
the
P70 the mod refplendent graces of the beft Saints muft lye buried, and no Church , if not thus dipt •* I hope you fee the fallacy , if not the perfed folly of this poficion , and how Churches ftand upon other principles more firm , and fare; though we would not lofe any ornament of the Gofpel to adorn this body,yec we dare not constitute it of fuch ingre- dients.
M4 AGOSPEL
GOSPEL^ORDINANCE
CONCERNING
The finging of Scripture-
Pfalms, Hymns and Spiritual
Songs ^ the lawfulnefs of that
Ordinance.
LONDON^
Printed for R. m and are to be fold at the
three Dttggers in fleetftreet. 1654.
•
fi7S)
Chap. I.
Concerning the finging of Scripture-® '[alms ;
Hymns yand fpiritual Songs ; the lawful-
nefs of that Ordinance.
|He next publick controverfie which Sa- tan hath raifed to difturb the Churches, is about the pracWeof tinging Scri- pture-Pfalms , on purpofe to deprive the Saints of the benefit of that foul- raifing,andheartTraviftiing Ordinance,by which God is publickly and folemnl y praifed,and the fpirits filled with the glory of God; and becaufe your hearts may be (tablifhed in every truth*and not (o eafily perfwa- ded to part with fuch a holy Ordinance, I could not but endeavor to clear up this alfc9 which you have in this method.
Firft, that tinging of Pfalms, Hymns, andfpirU tual Songs, vocally with the voice,and mufically,is an Ordinance of the New Teftament, conftantly to be pra&ifed in the Churches of Chrift,
Secondly,
(i76)
Secondly , Open unto you the three exprefsions, Pfalms, Hymns, arid Songs, wherein they agree, and whether there be any difference between them.
Thirdly,(hew you that it is the Pfalms of David, Afaphi Heman , and the Hymns and fpiritual Songs of thefe holy men, which are recorded in Scripture , thac is the matter ordinarily to be fung.
Fourthly, anfvver the main objections of the dif- fenters ; thefe are fcattered up and down this fmall Treatife.
For the firft.it isejearfrom Epk$Ag.he bids them be filled withtheSpirit^^Ts^fpeakingto one another, andin Col. 3.13 .Teaching and admonijhing one another , <Ai<PaTHOi,Ti{3'>t) fo'3-5T«;'Ti; io.vT*{ <£stAp.jfr i&vyivolt ttifoAcuf
ftsnvpcMws ; What ever thefe be as to the matter of them, yet the finging of chem is commanded as an Ordinance, and a fcccia'l Ordinance for edification $ That the Apoftle exhorts here to this as an Ordi- nance, is clear ;
Firft,becaufe he fpeaks to the whole Churcb,and as a publick duti*,not appiopriated to arty Office, but as a commandment univeiTd on al!.
Secondly, he doth difUnguiftuhis Ordinance from that of preaching or teaching doclrinally, which be- longs to the Officer, or ocafionally to a gifted bro- ther ; for he doth not only fay , as in other plices , teach and admoni(h : but in Pfalms, and Hymns, and Songs, which (hews the manner of the teaching and admonilhing, not in the general , bu: in fuch a way as by finging with Pfalms,&c, and as Mr, Cotton well
obferves,
077)
©bfervesjif the Apoftle had meant the ordinary and common way of teaching, he would have faid, teach one another out of the Pfalms, or from them, rather then in,orwiththem,whichistheufual language pf the holy Ghoft in exprefsing fuch a duty ; fo in Pauls example, ^#.28.23«&fo Thiliph faid to preach Jefus to the Eunuch, ( dm r?i4y ^^Tav7m)hom that Scri- pture in Eiaiah;andfurely he would never have added the word (Mwtu) in the following part , finging with melodie in your hearts, if this teaching and ad* monifhing were not to be difcovered in fuch a pecu- hr Ordinance. To which places we muft add that of tbfc i Cor. 14. 15, 16. where the Apoftle fpeaks to the Church, as to the orderly adminiftration of that Ordinance, it?, 17. v. where he fpeaks of finging as a diftincl dutie, and to be done in publick before the Church ; and that phrafe of finging with the fpirit , and with underftanding , is very emphatical , as Di- vines obferve ; fori cannot fing with the fpirit, but I muft alfo with underftanding- but theunderftanding here, muft be meant of others who hear me,and joyrs with me in that acl ; however , publick finging was then an Ordinance folemnized in the Church $ and we (hall hereafter fee what kind chefe Pfalms were they fung ; Thus fames 5. 1 3. If any be merry, let him fing Pfalms $ though this be particular in the Text, yet it is of the fame confideration with the for- mer ; and thefe places hold forth the inftitution • finging is an Ordinancejand a fpecial one in the Go-
fpd. .
Secondly,
(i?8)
Secondly, that it is not only meant of an inwarc frame of rejoycing; but that it is of the voice,ismoP apparent :
Firft,from the very words of thefe Texts ; Speak: ing to one mother ; teaching one another , in Pfalmj, ana Hymns, Sec. Now no man can fpeakto cdifie others by inward workings, • or (ilent re joycings.
2. Befides the melody to be made in our hearts, we muft (ing with melody, which (hews not only the inward frame,buc the outward acl,and order;for me- lody in the heart were enough to exprefs the in- ward grace ; but he adds an outward exprefsion s Singingwith melody in your hearts ; fo that it is with the voice as with the heart.
5. Singing in Scripture is ever put in diftinclion from bare reading or fpeakingj and commonly Signi- fies a modulation of the tongue, or exprefsing any thing mulically and in cune,and (0 k is a mufical fpeak- ing.
4. There would be the greateft confufion of Or- dinances^ preaching and prayer would be made all one with fingingjnay .internal works would be found contrary to outward exprefiions; and if there be any fuch thing as preaching,and prayer,and exhortarionjt muft be different from linging,even to the mod igno- rant;for no man will lay-, when a man meerly fpeaks or preaches, he fings, without his. tone do make them call him 3 finging preacher or talker, as too many ei- ther out of affectation or cuftome, have given juft caufe to fufpecl.
5. This
5. This is undeniable,if there be any fuch command as to fing,it is vifible;forelfe no man could ac any time be faid to fing or not fing; it mud be an outward ad; for elfe we muft fay we have only fouls for that Or- dinance, and bodies for all the reft,
<?. All that ever fung in the GofpeI,as to praSice, fang vocally ^Mattk 2*5.30. Thej went out and fung an Hjmnftox. muft be with an audible voice,^#.i6* i^rPanl and Silas fung, and all heard them • and if it be an inward acl only, who (hall know when men fing or think^or would they have men to be gods, to judge when men fing Pfalms, and Hymns, and fpiri- tual fongs inwardly .? what needthefe names outward- ly? A more ungrounded opinion was never invented by the deviJ,and furely he hath fitted it for the weak.* er and moft perfectly captivated forts of profelytes, who have rirlt left their reafons, and then their con. fciences.
Can my inward joy teach another > or my private ejaculations admonifh another ? I wifh Satan have not thefe men at his will : they would have finging to be an Ordinance, but no man to hear them 5 So that if finging be not a diftinclvifible Ordinance, then no man can tell what it is to fing ac all, but the fame with preaching,praying, talking, or only an invifible motion of the ioul, known to God only ; which is moftabiurd, when we look on the weight of thefe slacesof Scripture mentioned formerly.
Ob. If any objeel, If finging be with the voice, why lot with other inftruments, as Lute, and Harp, anct Organs, &c. as in the O. Te SoL
Sol. M In ■■*» ^w Teft.mcnt the voice and the W are only Gods infttumencs; this holds forth the £c a my of worfhip from foul and body as from 0Pne^errony;artificial inftruments are la.d .fide , not
"TclTJhe voice is ftill required.becaufe it « the
wardinfttumentbefidesisfo. ■ £„.„,!„ :„
Thirdly, nothing can be espreft fo fignifictttly tn JSS'd»rrfkS «by the vo.ce , «»*• "J* prefsions of God we have in words,and the tongue can beft mike out them. 7,.^ ftrVoice,
fourthly, theunion of heart, nd t< ongue^o rvoce
rsarp, cci. wc ,Ariir:ft«f,ctifiCe- when the fab- ceremomesweretoChnltsiacr.nce, «
ftance came, they ceafed ; *"« ^J^'S row the fpirit being mote abundantly pourea tortn nd they"have no fignificancy ;buc there.needs foul and body alwayes to fing out D.vine ftor.es, wh,!e » this
world
"FiLy, this hath been p^rf^Jj before the New Teftament dayes , by the Ftopw" , o finging to God with a lively voice,when the vo.c= (h ibeafLute.andHarp^daUinftrumenKtoGod
.. :„ F/i«8 (as W.Cotton in that precious Treat le ir% prophetically to the Gofpel. >«"»¥*
(\Z1)
Sixthly, if they dare grant this* that there muft be no finging by voice, then they cue off them felves from any fort of finging by gift, in PfaIms,or Hymns, and fpiritual Songs, and any outward way of cxprefs ng Gods praifes ; and muft blot out finging in any way publickly as to be looked after, though a perloh ne- ver fo much infpired by the holy Ghoft ( after their own fenjjpjfoould extemporariiy compofe,and breath forth the moft glorious Sonnets , or heavenly An- thems ; for what is not a duty in it felf , and general in the nature of it,is not a duty to the rhoft raifed fpi- rit,if never fo well gifted in fuch a myfterie.
Butthe wifet fort of the contrary judgement, who confultwith Scriptures and the nature ofthings3will not own the diffent of others as to this, butconfefs finging of Pfalms muft be by voice, & lay it on another foundation ; that it is Pfalm>, &c. but not thefe we fing, that the command fpeaks of, but Pfalms of ano- ther constitution , from a peculiar gift, and fo to be looked on by the Church , vhu not to fing Davids Pfalms, or Afaphsy or the like ; but from the fillings of the Spirit in fuch a perfon,and on a fudden break- ing forth for the edification of the Church. 1 end this with what Zanchy faith on thefe places 5 Thefe words <* x«VT'> an<l <=* ** kol^Ha vpav^ finging with grace in your hearts, non exclttdunt vocem oris^ verum exclttdunt hypocrijin & vamtatem, ex qua fere loqumtur ebrii vino (& b %^\<l valet at que «* T^ H&Jiiais ) they do not exclude the voice, but hypocri- fie, and vanity, from which men drunk with wine do
NT fing/
fing ; and in y out hearts, is as much as from your heaits,that isnotvainlyvoras hypocritically, but as from inward fenfe : So the Greek Scholiafts ,
Chap. II.
What's meant by thefe three exprfysions > Pfaims, Hymns, Spiritual*Songs . how they are ufed in the Old Teflament and the New 'Tefiament 5 from which the matter of finging is cleared*
TH E next difference is about the matter of finging, which all muft grant to be Pfaims, and Hymns , and Spiritual Songs .• but what thefe Pfaims were, &c. and how to dtftinguifa them one from another, muft be debated ere we can clear the point between thefe three exprefsionfi ; forae eon- ititute one difference, fome another.
"Vfthpoi^ Tfa/ms, fay fome, are fuch Songs which
were fung with other Inftrumems betides the tongue,
SVfiMfi Hjmns^ fuch as aie made only to
jZ&Yi" exprefs the praifes,and fee out the excellcn-
• . ciesof God. £&«?**» Sengs , fuch as con-
CblUS. um noc on|y praties, but exhortations.
prophefies, thankfgiving . and thefe onlj
fang with the voyce and tongue.
Othei
Others difference them thus : Pfatms are thole
which were pend by David wd others , drawn isp*
into meeter to be fung in the Temple in a mufiea!
(train. Hymns are thofe excemporal praifes
Gro- wnic^ kreak ^orcn uPon occa^on ^r01" *
hearc filled with the Spirir, and obfervanc o£ ttUS* Gods goodnefs. Songs or Odes they call fuch chit were premeditated not withouc fome art : Thefe tb<ty call the Songs of Mofts , De- borah, Hannah^ Simeon-, Maryt &c*
Bnc we (hail find , if we confute the ufe of the words, the difference will not be consider- able between them -and that they are ufed pre- mifcuoufly in the Old Teftamenf, from whence ivc muft leatn how they are to be taken in the New i Now,,
i. I find they are ufed in general as the title 6£ Davids P films , which are named promt Icuoufiyiy thefe three words.
2. That the three.Hebrew words,v/^.^»tO Mif£ mr9W Schir.dmnTehi/Iim, to which thefe three, ^V^/r^/a^, do fully an(wer, are u4id in the Pfalms one for another 5 withouc diftin- dion ; and fometimes two of them joyned toge* ther as the title of one Pfalm ; fometimes all three Joyned together in one title f we could heap up tr- amples inthis kind » Judges 5. J. faith Debroab i m-\& f-TVtfK, / Mlfing, Imllfing unto the Urd; it's transited by the 70 ; **»/*«« $4**0 here is two words f the one ufed for a Pfalm, the dther fo<£
ns4;
an Ode or Song pat to exprefs one act. i Chrcn.\6* £ji.the two fame words are tranflated thus m the 70. dmn fyvyvnJAT*, Sing unto the Lord, fiHg an Hymn unto the Lord. \nPfal. 105. 3. which is the fame Pfaira, only inferred into the body of the Book of the Plalms , the former word tptOT, is rendred by 4*> ast£, fmg Pfalms : and thus the fame word in the fame verfe is expreft by thefe two words, yet tidid forth one thing. In Efay 12.5. "pET is rendred iJuv'i<rcLTz, In the title oiPfaL 38. i.Mizmor is ren- dred by &<?», which is here tranflated a Song : and in moft of the cities one is ufed for another without di« ftinclion ^and *Vfcr Schir, which is moft uiually ren- dwd by »Jn a Song , yet is alio rendred bv 4*V®" aT/tlm, PfaU^ I. and47. 1. And by*J>^ , a Hymn, If ay 42. 10. As for the other word D^nr, Tehi/hm, that comprehends fully both Hymn- and Songs j it is the general title of the Book of Pfalmc, where the variety of the m are contained. And as fome particular Pfalms are called in the Greek Hymns or Odes, according to the two former words: fo this word is put at top holding forth the fignificancy of all the reft, and diftinguifhing the Pfalms from all other Books of fcripture as thefe that know th«fu- perfcriptionof that Book underftandj and itfigmfles the moft univerfal and full way of praifing God , efpecialiy by tinging ; and 11% expreft by various words ^ as (*ivtiv, Imuviw ) to praife ; (ifapitiZw ) to commend or fet forth the refutation of another ; ( A?*^" )togiorifit ordifcover the glory of another $
( ivhtfw ) to hkfs, with many other expreffions ; So in particular ( Wftetv ) Pfal. 145. 1. but moft cfpeciaily is this laft word ( p-"frnn ) which is a word for all Pfalms expreft by ( uf*w ) a Hymn ; as 2 Chrpn.7.6. and 23.13. Pfal. 39.4. 2 Cbren. 29. 3©. ■ <PfaL 21. 13. Pfal. 64. i. and 99. 3 • where rheonc word is tranflated by the other.
For their conjunction of each of them together in one a title of aPfalm,is very ufual,and often inverted: The title of Tfal- 29. 1. is in the Hebrew, TUHDtfD. Mizmor Schir; in the Greek Tranflation its •Uk^h.^ a Jits, APfalmofaSong, or a Song and al* [aim* So 64. 1. and 47. i. and 26. 1. but in 6y 1. there the title is 1D?0 "VW, and tranflated #<h $$&*% A SongofaPfalm, oraSengand Pfa/m. So<P/^/.82.i. But unto the title of Pfal. 75. the 70 Greek Inter- preters ( from whom thefe words are borrowed in the New TeftamentJ do add all the three together 5
£ Am'?tor . ^ /y^/w /<> Afaph *» ar W**£ Hyww * a Song to the Affyrians, By all which we fee, and might by many more, ;jae
1. That there is not fuch a critical diftinclion to be made between a fpiritual Pfalm, and a Hymn, and Song, but that they are put indifferently one for an- other,
2. Having opened the words with their ufe (I hope with advantage to thofe that know the language of the Hebcew with the Septuagint) let us now con- sider them as the matter to be fung, and what thefe
N $ Pfalms,
Pfalr^Sj Hymns and Spiritual Songs ate; whether Davids, Afafh*) HetnAns, and fuck other which are foundin Scripture ^>en*d by holy men upon fpecial cc- caftons,or another of a new campofure ; the former of which I affirm to be an Ordinance of the New Teftament.
i. Thefe are the ticks given folely to Davids jpjaZins , and the other Scripture- Songs, which chefe holy men, Divinely infpired, breathed forth, and kit on record: And as Mr. Cotton excellence argues, What reafon can there be why the Apoltle CbouAddi- rec3us in our tinging to the very ti:k of Davids Pfdlms , and other Script ure-Song?, it' he meant we flaould not (ing thefe Vfakns and Songs ? Either we xnuft exclude 'Davids Tfalms.znd the reft from being called Pfalms, orHymns,ot Spiritual 'Songs, or elfe £hey mult be fung as well as other e.
2. The names are borrowed from the Greek Tranflatorsof the Old Teftament,and there is no di- fltinclion of them in the New ; neither can any one tell whit they meanjbut as by their ufe in the CMd Te- ilament : Now thefe names were ufed there a&pecu*- !iar characters to exprefsand diftinguifb the works of Am'^Und the reft .which were penned to* be fang in the Church : Let thefe which ate againft finging £)a- vids TfalmSyiTid of other holy men, (hew us any one word or fyllable in the New Teftarnent , where my of thefe words are taken in any other feate theft as they were in the Old, and yet we are commanded to Cing them in the New ; onthis ground the<afe would
be
(1*7) be foon concluded ; when the queftion is propound- ed, ( granting this is a command for finging ) what fhaiiwe fing ? why,Pfalms, Hymns, and fpiritual Songs ; how (hall we know what thefe are ? we muft look in Scripture, where thefe words are ufed ; now we find them nowhere explained fo properly as in the Old Teftament $ where they are the ufual titles oi^Davids Pfalms,and the fongs of other Holy men, and no other ufe of them expreft in the New ; why may not we judge then , thefe are the Pfalrns, and inns, and fpiritual Songs we are there command- :o fing > But ,
Come to the New Teftament,and there when ever Chrift or his Apoftles fpeak of Pfalms , they re- fer us to Scripture Pfalms, Luke ao,4i.(Chrift faithj As it is written in the Book of the Pfalms, that is the 1 1 o. Pfalm,The Lord faid unto my Lord, fit thou at my right hand: in Luke 24.44. when Chrift would make anexacldivifion of the Old Teftament, he divides them into the Law of Mofes, the Prophets, and the Pfalms , diftinguifhing the Pfalms from all other Scripture, as a peculiar book by it lelf ; And as when we arecommandedto readthe Law3andthe Prophets, we cannot think them to be any other then the wri- tings of Mofes and Samuel ', and the reft of the Pro- phets in the Old Teftament ; So when we are com- manded to fing Pfalms,not the Law or the Prophets: how can we imagine it unlawful to fing that part of Scripture which is properly called the Tfalms, as the writings of DavU9 Afafh, &c ? So the Apoftle,
N 4 j*Q.
4&s i.20.fpeaking of Judas his fall, and ruin, faith, . as it was written of him in the Book of the Pfalms, Let his h ablution be made At folate, &c.7y!60. 16. and in the \6v*rfe (faith Peter) the Holy Ghoft by the month of David fpake this concerning fudas,^. v.io* for it is written in the Book of the Pfalms. *ABs 2, esffis 2 ? . and 2p.in ftead of faying as in the Pfalms, > he faith, DdWfpeaketh ofChnftthus and thus in Pfal.i6.ABs 13*3*$* fpeaking of Chritl again ; he faith,/// it is Written in the feconfrp fdlmfftt v.^yAs it is written in Another Pfa/m, which is the 1 6. By all which is clear what Chrift and the Apoftiesv^gBd have us underftand by Pfalms (when we are'tom fllanded to fing them)efpecially thefe P/k/w^whfch are called the Book of the Pfalms ; and there is no other Pfalms fpoken of in the New Teftamenc ; and the Holy-Ghoft is the beftExpoficor of his own com- mands. »>3aw men muft either deny the/e of Davids, (is before) to be "Pfalms , or eifechey are bound to fing them as for Hymns and Songs 5 they ate com- prehended under this general word {fPfalmi ;J being all exprelt in the Book of the Pfalms 3 as hath been demonftrated. ■*
4, Let us confider the vainicy of the contrary opini- on,in regardit utterly makes way for will*worflaipy- which they feem to be fornnch agairft. For fir ft , I &m commanded to fing Pia!msr Hymns, Songs r the Old and New Teftamenc fpea,k of no other Bklmt then of D.dvidsindAfapbs>8£ of fuchiike infplred per- fansj^nd tfcey are called she Ffalms by Chnft *nd his
ApO-
(1*9)
Apoft!es,but you muft not ling them (fay they. JI ask what Pfalms then muft you {ing * there is no fight in Old or New Teftament to warrant any other; either you muft fancy a P film , and (ay Chrift meant this way, when he fpake of the Book of the Pfalms, and devife a new way of wor(hip out of your own brains, or elfe (ing the it Pfalms , which Chrift and his Apoftles call Pfalms. Befides, 2. How can any man perfwade himfelf, or others, when he tings, that he (ings a Pfalm, when he doth not (ing that which in Scripture is onely called a Pfalm ? Or how can any man diftinguifa, now I (ing a Pfalm , now a Hymn , now a Song, when there is not one word in the New Teftament to diftinguifib them one from another, or the two latter from the Book of the Pfalms ? if any man from the New Teftament can diftinguifh a Pfalm from a Hymn, or a Hymn from an Ode or Song, or any one from another.but as they borrowit from the Old Teftement t mt mihi magnus nAfollo ; he (hall be an Oracle I will coniult more then with Scripture. They ceil us Davids Pfalms, and the like are not to be fungi Chrift and his Apoftles call them fpecially by the name of Pfalms, and command as to (ing Pfalms.Now let them (hew us any other Pfalms from Scripture, and we are fatisfied ; but it's hard to be perfwaded from fuch a precious Ordinance, by a meer Negative, and the workings of a melancholy fancy, or the preemption or a hot brain that he hath a gift of compofing Pfalms, and Songs, and Hymns, for the edification of the Church,
Let
(19*)
tet us go on further, and cry the Scripture exam- ples ; and begin with onr Lord Jefus Chj iff, and his Difciples ; after the adminiftration of his Supper ; its faid in Math. 26.30. and Mark 14.26. when they had fang an Hymn, for a Pfitlm) (as the margeV ex- prefleth irjand its all ontjkey went forth to the mount Olivet ; the words are, «S ipvfottvfiie kSi^M «* t5 «#* &c.Take it either as all Trarflatorsintei prepa- ying fung an Hymn, Hymn mUo Arab : The] went forth, ox they Vcent forth hymning, for ringing of a PfalmJ its not mareria! : But 1 . Irs clear they fung openly with their voice. 2. TheyJanga Pfaimot Hymn ; now what this Hymn ftiourd he , is the que- ftion,whether one of Davids Pj 'aims, or any in ehat Book ; to which I anfwet: I. Irs onely faid they fung an Hymn orTy aim, and its moft probable, yea de- monnrative, that it was one of thefe Pfalms , or Hymns of David and the other Holy men, becaufe Chrift himfelf fpeaks of no other , as before t 2. Becaufe Chrift was Jo much prophefied of in thefe Pfalms, which were formerly fnrrg prophetically, and with thankfgivingfor thefe very acls before-hsrrd. 5. Becaufe Chrift did itill quote the fame Pfalms^ prove both his Divinity and faf&fthgs ; fo did his A- poftles. New it was no more dishonour, or unfuitable to Chrift to fmg wirh his Difciples one or more of thefe 'Hymns or Pfalms , then it was to prove himfel;:, and his rnedistorfhip by them, which he doth in all chef (inner phces, ye* the very nature and manner of his Af&riflgs. 4.We>ftave
Scripture
Scripture ground from Chrifts expreHIon to believe
the one,ar.d onely cur own conjecluses that be fung
any other ^Pfalms^ or Hymns ; and th*t Chrift both
before and aft er his death fhould bring his choice
proofs of his perfon, and humiliation,and glory from
the book of the Tftdnu^ and when he was to* fufTer
it (hould be found they fung a Pfalm> or Hynw-> and
yet not one of thefe Pfaltnsjs very hard to prefs on a
Scripture confeience, efpecially when the a&cxprtft
is in general,and the fame word ufed for finging fuch
Tftlmsjmd no other determination of it in tbe New
Teftaroent; let men but weigh things in an equal bai-
knee of the Sanctuary and Judge; yea, let them who
are fo high on the other fide, (hew us from Scripture
what that Hjmn% or Pfalm was, which Quill and
his Difciples fung after the Supper , and give us any
place as a comment on it>and but the hint to our de-
monftration,and we (hall think our felvcs well quit
of fuch a roiftake : in the mean while the argument
Hands thus untouched, Chrift and his Difciples fung
an Hymriy and Chrift and the Apoftles fpeak of no?
other Hjwns> or Tfalms , but thefe recorded in the,
Old Te(tament,eipecially thefe in the book of 'rjie .
P films } therefore they fung none other. And furejy
Chrift would conform his praclife to his expreflions,
or would have made fome diftinclion.
The fecond great example of finging is that oiPmi
and Silas% Atts v6. 25* where it is faid, Thy fung m
Hymn to Qodjrr gave praifes in tkefrifon at midnight -x
we are (till on the fame account as formerly, and ask
what
Op*)
whit this Hymn was they fang, if not one of thefe Pfalms of Scripture which they might have chofen for this prefent condition ? If any one can fay it was an exemporary ejaculation, let them (hew us their proof;we (hew them the Scripture ufe of the word, and which was known to them ; and thefe that op- pofe muft have fomething from thereafon of the Text, or ufe of the Word to contradict us, and con- firm themfelves ; they did not barely (ing , bat tipuvTovkov, they fung Hymns; and do not we go on furer grounds that ting thefe Pfalms and Hymns ; which in the New Tcftament Ghrift and his Apofties do call fo, then what we imagine to be Pfalms.ind Hymns ^z. by an unfcripturaJ fuppofiti. on? fo that the fumm of all may be drawn up thus to argue, j, -; $riT
i; Ic is our duty to obey Divine commands; It is t command to fing Pfdms^Hymnsffirittml Songster ge^ it is our duty. tgifr^aiti
a. It is a command to fing Tfdms, Hymns^ fciri* tud Songs ^ as to the matter ; but there is no other Pfylms, Hymns > or tyiritud Songs mentioned in the 01dorNewTtftamenr,bu: thefe which arepen'dby Holy men,infpired to that end j frg*,it is our duty to
P
Km)
C H A P, HI.
An Anfmrto that objecHen concern** bneine
fit- .
ONtrfpecial Objedion that is made againft fing- tog Scripture Pfalm,, &c. is that it hinders the exercife of gifts, and fo its but formal ; all duties in the Church muft be done from a gifc.
Anfwer. i You fee here is a duty laid on uuio fuch limitation as from a gift.
2, The matter is prefcribed you, P/*/«,f and fa>m/,and-^/9and to thefc you are efpeciaily en- joyned : now the limitation of the matter limits the daw.
g.There is no promife of fuch a gift in the Gofoe! tocompofcP/4/«M, uAHjm*. God hathprovi-' ded matter fufficient ; there is a promife for the fpirit of prayer and Application, Zack.u. and of prea- ching andj>rophefying, in jW, repeated in Afc 2. but no diftma promife for a gift of fpiritual Poetrir v or Singm&for there are but three things required to Iwging fit matter, a voice, and heart • all which may be performed without any fuch fpecial gift of com- poimg , the matter Is ready, if the heart and Yoicebe pre lent,
4. It is a duty laid generally on the whale Charca." w.thout any d.ftinft.on of gifts 5 all ate commanded to ling, &c. Here is no hint of a gift requited.
5. Cbrift
(m)
x. Chrift would not ordain an Ordinance of fuch confequcnce,which the Churches (html d wane the ufe of- tome utterly , and not one among many (hould know what it means;for there is hardly one among a thoufandof Saints which hattvfuch a gift of aompo- fing Tfalms , and Hymns, &c. and if it be an Ordi- nance in one Church,all others may want it,tndfo he deprived of the comfort of fuch a fweec Ordi- nance for want of a pretended gift, when they hare mutef enough of pratfes before them.
rf. Ic is lawful to make ufe of the gifts of others, as well as to ufe our own ; when a man hath* gift of prayer,! joyn vvithhim,and make ufe of bisgifts,&c. !*> is it much more lawful to make ufe of the gifes of holy and blefled men in Scripture,who had that glo- rious gift of competing all forts of Pfalms, Hjm*s> and fpiritual Songsttnd when we fing them with me- lody in our hearts, we manifeft ail thofe treafcresof the g*fct of che fpirtr,- that brearhed mzhdt-ffalms, &c. as if we had from a pet fonil gifecompofed them our feives ; for if we fing them with the fametmder.* fhiidmg , with the lame inward affedion of love, joy, &c. we fing the® with the fame
Py Yf there were fuch a gift promifed/it would have Meamenuontdby Chrift orhw Apoftles,» the gift of tongues and miracles were,aud Saints would have bOTtnftrucled to feck for tt, andthefe that had ft , would have been commanded to wait on it, as tht BVderi are on exhortation, cexching, rilling , the
Deacons
090 Deaconson adffiiniftring, and diftributing,&c. Rom 12.6/7,8,9,10.
8. It is Anticbriftian to introduce an Ordinance to be pradifed among the Churches, which hath not been commanded by Chrift and his Apoftles, ( thefe that differ, make much uie of the word Antkhriflian) and cannot bur grant this principle to be undeniab!e;now I affume bu: to introduce; A way of Tinging by a gift, with catting off Scripture-*?/*/*^, and Hymns, and Songs,vm never commanded by Chrift or his Ape- ilk&yergo, itisAntichriftian . the minor hath been proved bcfore3-there is no mention in the writings of Chiift or the Apoitles/>f finging Pfidmby* perfonai gift, or of a gift of compofing Ffalms either for our lelves or the Church; neither is there mention of any ochcr <Pjalms, Hjmns, and Songs, as the matter to be tang; but fuch as are pen'd in Scripture i and left to b&Iurig by ail the Churches. Thus it men will bring in a new Ordinance, they mutt (hew their authority from the Wordpor elfe apply the word ^ntichrlflUn tothemfelves.
For that espreffion in i Corinth. 14.26. When job come together fiwr®-^^,,^; everJ ont hath * yfdm , hath acDoarineytcc. from whence they gather they had a gift of compofing Pfalms by the apicit, which they were to fing in the Church if they did it orderly. j
To which I further anfwer, there is not any thins to explain what Pfalm this was. 2.Wefeave mor^reafon to ^hink it was one of thefe
Scripture
(m)
Scripture Pfalms, which the New Teftamcnt always calls a Pfalm (as he faith, in the fecond <?/*/. and m another P/Vmas before) far more reafon then they have to fay it was a Pfalm of their own compohng by a gift ; every one hath a Pfalmi that is , this and the other have a P/*/»v that «, one had this, Pfalm inScripture which he thought moft proper^n- othcr,another of thefe P films Jot Iw©- »s not to be taken univerfaily of all,buc fingularly ; one hath this, another that; thus fome 5 but rather the meaning is, not as if one had this Pfalm, and another another ; but one hath a Pfalm, another a Z>*#r*W,another to fpeak with tongues, another to prophede 5 now thus there was a confufion among them; one would have a 'Ffnlm fung, another would have his Dottrtne, or wordofCortftrftftiott as moft fit^nother his Revelation. Now the Apoftleonely tells them they might ail be done one by one, and in order 5 he that had iTjWaj to be fung, might in its proper place , but thiadoch not prove thac it was a Pfalm extemporanly com- pofed, or by aperfonal gift, or that it was not ona 01 the Pfalms in that which the Scripture calls the Book of the Pfalms. «
Objea .If any fay furthest muft needs be from a gift, becaufeit is joyned with other afls which were meerly from a gih&s Do8rinesTongues .Revelations , Trophecjjnteryretation.
1 Aniwer, Of theie things here named, foroe are accounted extraordinary, and peculiar, as gifts of Te»z«esJievelationsfittQ<l for thefe times j the other * ordina*
forae think this laft extraordinary alfo) to having a PJalm, maybe accounted ordinary, and not from an extraordinary gift, as the gift of tongues was , however you muft not make a particular argument from things of divers confederations and ufes.
2.0ther Scriptures have determined what a ^falm is, and it may be eafily gathered what it is in the Co. rintbians for one to have a Pfalm i we prove they had a Pfiim ; let them prove what that <Pfalm was. befidesthefe Scripture-/*/*//^ onely mentioned in the New Teftament;
It is mod evident that the matter of finging is de- termined by the words of the Apoftle,in Mffl^>$A& LettkewordofGoddwellrichlyinyoti^c. which \n Efh. 5. i*more in general, Be filled with the Spirit, which do not make any difTereneejfor theWord andj the Spirit muft makeup the melody in our hearts 8 but -IbJl- the word of God is the matter to be fung with the Spirit, as ic is the matter for reading, prea- chtng,mterpretation ; but he here names that part of the Word which belongs to the duty heenjoyns* as a fpecial part of that Word which ought to dwell richly in them, as to fuch a duty of finging : So that,
1. If 7>y«Aw,and #;»»/, and Songs fa part of the word of God, then they may be fung.
2. If that part of the Word be more properly fit- ted to the duty commanded then any other, it muft be fo reftramed here,
tf 3: That
(19%)
}. That it k (o, appears, becaufehe fpeak9 fo par- ticularly* That the Word wight d^ell in them rlchl), teaching andadmonifhing one another pox. in generates by Preaching, Doctrine", or the like : but in Pfafms, and Hymns, and fpiritual Songs, which mull; needs be the great duty in the Text,and ail before reftridled to char.
4. Then the word of God in generator any fpe- cial Word of God may be faid to dwell richly in a perfon, when the fpiritual intenr, fenfe, and meaning of it, with the inward fpirir, and power of ic upon all occafions doth appear in the duties commanded by it ; and thus you may fee the verfe in its parts.
1 . Here is the duty, finging.
2. The Word of God, the matter
3 . The fpecialty of the Word fo fitted to rfee nature of that duty , Pfalms , Bjmns , and jpiritttal Songs-
4. The peculiar way how ro be a perfect fpiritual Snger; it is to have this word dwell in a man, and richly .having the true fenfe, fweet experience of this word in the heart, being upon all occafions able to cull out in the language of Scripture, Pf*lmst Hymn^ and Sonvs, futable to our own conditions or c* thers.
If the Apoftlehad meant here a gift of compofing new Pfalms, &c.as he would not have ufedtheOld Teftament language without an explanation ; fo he would* not have mentioned the word of God iri fuch aclofe limitation as in Tfalms^ and Hjmns, and
Songs,
(199)
Songs ^ whicti are eiegecica! to the word of God to be fung,if he had not inr ended that put of the Word as fitted for that Ordinance; for no man knowa what thefe expreflions hold forth, but as they are found in the word of God ^ and as a diftincl and emi, nentpartofit. It were more proper to fay, Let the grace of God dwell in you? or thegoodnefs of God. thaC you may from the fenfe of it break forth upon alf-oc- cafions to praifcs. But to name the Word of Go<f„ and nam$ ft with that modification's Pfalms,Hymn*, Songs, which we all know is a part of it, and bid us fing, and deny us in his intention for to fing thefe Pfalms which are part of that Word, is too unwor- thy a refleaion on the Holy Gboft, and the Pen-men of Scripture. And that feems very ftrange to afrlrrh3 that I may not fing that Word of God which is cal- led by the name of TJatms, Hymns, and ^«£/,when this Word muft dwell in me richly to that end and ufe.
Laftly, thefinging of thefe Pfalms, Hymns, and Songs, is the Word of God, is molt adapt and pro- portioned to the particular ufe the Apoftie intended, by finging in the Church, which was to teach and ad- monifh one another- Now no gift of any Saint can be fo powerful, and authoritative to teach, as the Word of God in thefe Pfalms, which were pen'd bf the fpirir, as a rule to all Saints, and their gifts ; ao4 as the Word of God is made ufe of feveralways to teach, and admonifii, fo this is one fpecial way,by Pfalms^Hjmns Jongs, When I fing by a pretended 0 * gift,
/20(>J
gift* I fee caufe ofjealoufie, that it may be more a fancy then the fpirit ; every man hath caufe of fufpi- tion from whence it comes, and ere I can be fatisfied, Imuft compare it with, and try it by the Scripture ftrainof PfalrnsyHymns>*n& Songs, But by finging the very words of Scripture with fenfe, and experi- ence, I teach both by my holy carriage in the action, *nd the word it felf commands by its own authority, as when it is read.
But that I may more clearly open this* how that the Word of God in P/atmt, Hymns, and Songs ^ is the mod fie matter of finging, let us view that part of the Wotfd called by thefe names, and fee how far it will reach this kind of edification^ beyond all that which may come from a prefent gift to compofc mat- ter tor fuch a duty. i ijito'-'lCI^H
i. Befides the ipi ritual elegancy of phrafe, the in- fpircd ftyte of that part of holy writ,whkh is beyond " ordinary with the height of matter, of no vulgar compofure, it having fuch attending ftampof Di- vine authority on ir5 rouft needs conveigh its fenfe with more weight and power, then any thing from particular invention, though aififtcd by a gift of the fpirir, which comes but in the fecond place, and can- not be put in any confideration with lhac authority as the other, nor inferred among the heavenly Ca- nons and Scripture rules for Saints to build their faith on, or dired their lives.
2. The Jargeneis, and comprehenfivenefs of the fcope of the&orteft Pfalsn, is fo^ that it will give
matter
( 20I )
matter to ftudy and ponder on, and give advantage to enlarge our thoughts and affetfions on more then any particular gift ofany Saint now can be rationally conceived to afford ; for commonly the befl gifts are but an enlargement ofthefirft: text, and bring forth nothing^ novo, no new thing , and all theie Saints with all their gifts muft be glad to have recourfe to that part of the Word, as the reft, for the fulnefsof teaching and admonition.
3- The variety of matter in thefe Tfatms&c. is fo wonderful, that they do provide before- hand by an eternal wifdom, for the conditions of all Saints, either perfonally, or myftically,that no man (ing any thing, but if that Word dwell in him richly, he may hnde a fuitabie Pfalm prepared for him,by the fore- "ghr, and wife, and infallible diredions of the Al- mighty, and in this, the Book of the Pfdmntm- kends all other parts of Scripture,and may be called the Epitome of the whole Bible. In fome Scriptures vou have Jittle but matter of ptecepr, in others little but hiltorical relations of perfons, and anions- but in the Book of the Pfalms you have the variety of matter concerned in ail the whole Scripture, moft fuitabie to the vaft duty of ringing praifes.
i. Matter of all forts of prophefies referring to the very latter end of the world.
; 2. All forts of general and fpecial direclions, either for Faith or Life,
3> All forts of promifes fitted to particular condi- tsorj&,
O 3 4. All
( 3Q>)
4. All forts of experiences in what condition a (boi may be in, either of trya! or triumph, either to foul or body.
5. All forts of figns? and characters of heavenly motions arid frames to God. ' 6. All fort of thankfgivings and pray fes for fpiriru- si or temporal mercies, with their various diicords, which makes up the harmony of the whole. He is a jttiildcinthe Scrippure,thatdoth not admire the un- paralleled variety of truth in that Bocft; fo that if I were raifed by fome extraordinary gift to the great- eft enlargement of composing a cPfa/mJ or Jptrityal Song on a (pecial occafton, I fhouldcomc fliortof the variety,and fulnefs of the leaft of thefe Pfalms, and yet the ignorant (landers bymight more admire my gift,and there would be more danger in ir/hen to ring the Scriprure- ?/*//»; which have nothing from rnen to grace rhem but their own native mayfly and authority* And truly, it is fomewhat odd for one go be fee up by others, or for any one tofcefetup himfelf as a fpiritual Poet in the Church, and the Church to fing his thoughts, with the neglect of the Ward of God, which is furnifhed with iuch variety for the conditions of fouls
And as the Word of God in general is fo large, andvaft, and various, that all the Saints with their higheft emprovements can never come up to the ful- nefs of itf and all the valt folio's that have been writ- ten by commentators of ail fort*9bave hardly pierced she bark, the (hell, the letter, and all Saints of the ! higheft
( *03 ) higheftattainmenr, mull: dig in to it as thecnely vi- able Mine, and we muft not exclude the Pfalms as co Kinging from that fulnefs and variety, feeing Chrift himfeif when he diftinguiftmh the whole Scripture, gives the Tfalms an equal part.
Chap. IV. Concerning the Tranflation of Davids Pfalms5 and other fpiritual Hymns, and Songs, xvitfj the Anfaer to the objection artftng from it*
IHave endeavoured to prove the duty ; let as con*- (ider the ftrength of the main Objections againft
it,
Ob. The firfl: in order is that which carps at the Tranflation, and that into Meetre,as the humane in- vention ; the Tranflation ( fay they ) is corrupt and efpecially as into Meetre, and Tune 5 if you will (ing Davids Pfams, fing them in Hebrew, as they were fung formerly ' this they much flick on.
Sol. To whicji I anfwer,That in thefe Pfalms,and Songs, there was a fet Meetre, fitted to Tunes, and Voices, and mufical Instruments ; none can deny that obferves the Dedications of moft Pfalms, and thofe of undeiftanding that can read learned Gomartu may fee it fully, and with great exaclnefs ; where the fpi- ritual prefie of thefcPfalms is excellently fet forth. O 4 2. So
( *°4)
7. So far as there is coriuption in the Tranflation, it is fpurious, and not to be approved of> but cor- rected.
3. But Tranfhtions according to the import of the words and fenfe of the text, are as much the Word of God, as the Text in the original ; for the cohe- rence of word and fenfe make up the copy entire and perfect.
4. Which follows, the Trarfhtion of the words in Meetre^if itfyave the full fenfe of the words,is as much the Word of God,as it it were tranflatedin profe, or ordinary fentence for reading 5 for it is not Ae way or method, but the fenfe and meaning of the words, that is the Word irf God. So that I may as well fay tvhen I fing in fuch a compofkion, it is as much the Word of God as when I read the fame words in the Bible,onely they are orderly difpofed for that a&on. None mull by this reafon,pretend to know the Wor4 of God in reading or expounding>but he that knows the Hebrew,and Greefe ; 3nd rhat mull be al(o in the firft perfect copy, immediately rrarfcribed from in- spired underftandingsjfor all things befides arc either tranflations,or add!tion$,orfubftraclions,ffQrn which two laft comes perfeel corruption. •
So that a crarfliton for figging, or reading is the fame Work of God ^ long as it harh the fame iubftan- tiaf truth in it; anci (ing rhem which way you will, either as they lie in the verfe, or as the fame verfe is digefted into ftaves, and with mufical notes, it is -all one as to the nature of finging, and the ttatoflition
may
may be as Orthodox in Meetre, as in Profe • fothat you fee what force, efficacy, that objection from the tranflacion carries with it ; Iconfcfs there are many defers in the tranflation into Meetre, bur there arc the like in fome copies in profe,or continued fentence; but as to the nature of the thing, one verfe may as well be made two,according toimifical notation,and yet retain the fame continued fen fe, as remain one, only bounded by Arithmetical figures, as 1,2,3. &c\
Ob. But if any one fay the Pfaims, as thus tranfla- ted info Meetre, are but an humane invention, and you worfhipGod onelyafcera humaneforrn.
SoL The Anfwer is at hand.
1. To know the fignificancies of the tongues, and how to translate them to edification, is a fpecial gift ofGodsfpirit, 1 Qor. 12.28,29. 1 Corinth* M.ia2>
2. On this ground we read humane inventions when we read the Old or New Teftament in any transiti- on, but the firft copies of Hebrew and Greek,wherein they were firft written.
3 . Is it not more a humane invention for to ling any thing of my own compofing,then for tofing the very matter, andfenfeofthe Word of God in my own tongue f and yet its ufual among thefe that are againft this Ordinance,to cry aloud,! t is a humane invention, Antichriftian.
4. The tranflation of the Scripture for to be read, is as much a humane invention's in pocfie tobefung; but this is an Objection urged for want of a better.
Ok
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Ob. The next grind Ob je&ion j*f that we may as well ufe a fet form of Prayer, as of finging P/alms • rhe one is as lawful as the otber,the one (lines the fpi- ric as much as the other.
SoL i .There is no Divine holds that a fet form of Prayer is abfolutely unlawful, for then no man may meditate before hand what he ought to pray for,nor confult with his own mouth, or Gods promifes • for if'I meditate on what I need, and what God hath promifed, I form fuch petitions, and tyemyfdfto them as neceiTary to be petitioned for, and it jaay be I may have no occafion for a long while to be^ any thing of God,but the fubftance of thefe premeditated confiderations or my want.
2. Here lies the unlawfulnefs of fet form of Prayer, that it is compofed by one, and impofed by another, to which I am limited, let ray Wants be what they wiil,requiring further additions when I neither ftudy my own wants, nor am permitted to urge them to God in my prayer.
3. This is a more Curable Objection againfl: thofe that pretend to fing by a gift, and do make Pfalms, or Hymns, or Songs, for themfelvfts and others, with ipeglecl of inspired Pfalrm, and Hymns. So finging of £fa;mss and ufing a fet form of Prayer, are very nigh of kin, and hold much correfpondency.
4. But to (ing the very words of thefe Scriptures wichunderftanding,<s a command, as hath been for- sperly proved ; and if you take a ietrfbrm o^ pray- ing, for praying Scriptuie-wWs^aud fpeakingto
God
jCod in that language, it is noe only Jawful,but is the excellency of fome Saints, who fel^iom make a Peti- tion, but they urge it in Scripture- dialect, and (hew the Word of God to dwell richly in them ; thus for finging to praife God, or ting to God in his owe form of words in the fpirit,and under(tanding,whac can be more fqtable co God , and fweet to the foul >
5. There is a great deal of difference between praying andfinging,as to the method of performance, though praying and praifes may be considered in the fame duty, yet praying and Jingingte quite a diftinft method; for the very words, to fing Pfalm% and Hymns, and Songs, import a fpecial method of the voice in a fet tune, and proportion, whereas prayer in the method of performance requires no fuch exacl* nefs ; if one (hould take on him to fing, and not in a fee form, and tune, he would be ridiculous to all hearers : but a man hath a larger liberty in prayer,and is not tyed to fuch ftrait connexion?, heighths, and falls, flops, and paufes ; but the nature of this Ordi- nance calls for it, elfe it cannot be done gracefully, though there be grace in the heart- And if the Apo^ ftle had not meant by finging of Pfalms, finging «*»- JtcallyMz would have onely bid them praife in the ge- neral, and have Iefe out the outward expreffion of it, which cannot be a&ed but in a fet form .
6.1f finging Were not in a mufical manner, fas be* fore J it were the fame with pray er, for you may fing out a prayer, and praife in praying. Thus mDavidst
Halms.
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Pfalms. How many Pfalms which were matter only of petition, yet were fung with faith and confidence in (Sod? For performance, the Apoftle James diftin- guifheth them apparently, Is any fickj let UmprAy\U Any merry?let himjing Pfalms ; and the other Apo- ftle, Let us pray With the Spirit ytnd under ft andingyand fing with the Spirit ,&c. Now wherein lies the diffe- rence ? In prayer you have varieiy of workings, and considerations; there is Deprecation^ Imprecation, dc* clamatioHtind Admiring* Pleading^nd urging promifet and the like. So in fmging, there are the like; the dif. ference is onely in thefet, and mufical way of expref- fion, which requires a more fet form before- hand to rule my outward carriage by, in that Ordinance ; whereas in prayer we are not tyed to fucba feverity of method, and fo need not have our words fo form, ed.
Another p!ea,whicb is fomewhat fcurrilous,by the ruder forr, yet much urged, is, that we lye when we fing Pfalms, and affirm chat we cannot but lye when we fing the phrafes of many Pfalms, As that of Da- vid,0 Lord I am not puffed in mind? Jam as a Weaned child, &c.
To which I reply, in general, that fome miynoe have the frame of thefe expreflions, when they fing, and fo may perform a duty which may be but as a lye to them. buc>
i. In fpecial, there is no Saint but can in f<#ne meafure fay what ever David faith in that or any o- ther Watajdefcribingthe fpiricual qualification of,
his
his heart; all graces are in every Saint there mtjie feed, and habit, and in a proportion, though all are not fo eminent and apparent in the bud and fruit ; though no godly man is free from pride, yet he can- not be a godly man that is a proud man in attuftgna* to, which hath never been humbled, and brought out ofhimfelf; thus all along the 119. Tfalm, thatA- natomy of a Saints inward parts, when David hith, He delights in the Law ofGody He hops ra Geds mer- cy ,His foul longs after God > He keeps his C0i*M*"<lm rnents. He hates every evil way , &c. every godly man may fing thefe and all other Pialms,and fpeak truth * for the reality of thefe frames are the fame in every gracious heart.
2. Whatever I finde tobethe cafe of any Saint, I may make it mine according to the likeoefs of ray condition to it, and yet not a lye, 3. One great ufe of finging is to commend the excel* lency of fuch graces which are and have been in o- thers to fweeten the harflinefs of other duties, and to ftir and quicken the heart to the endeavouring after fuch like frames ; therefore fome Law-givers have put their Laws into verfe firft, that the people might take a pleafure in them, and Gng them as their recreations, and be the more insinuated into 0- bedience.
4. 1 can tell no lye fo long as in the fincertty of my foul I fludy my duty, and fing with defire after fuch qualifications, from the contemplation of the beauty of them in fuch holy men, though I do not find she
pre-
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prefent frame fo high as I breath after, and fuch men found ac prefent.
Ob, But this Objedion jgrant it in its full Latitude, proves nothing againft the nature of the Ordinance of finging, but the per fons who ting, who are not fit- ly qualified to forne exprefiions.
Again, others plead, Pfalms that are fung are not futable to my condition.
Sol. i. That is nothing Hill againft the Ordinance of finging ; if it do not fit you,fc fits others. But,
i.There is nothing in Scripture- exprcifion&but all Saints at all times may make fome ufe of in the very reading or finging; if not fo particularly , yet as to the general nature of in(truclion,and edification,it is pro- fitable ; Saints mud read all Scripture, with faith and undemanding ; though every place may not fo di- reclly open their prefent condition; and why may not they ling as well all Pfalms .?
3 It (hould be the care of Officers in the Church,to be very choice in picking out Pfalms fie for the ] Church, according to the nature of the body, and times, and feafons; and I could wifh there were jnore choicenefs oblerved in that particular ; yet the Ordinance remains (till the fame. . 4. When I (ing any of thefe Pfalms, I foould by faith perfonate the fame (late of the Church, or the Saints, as when I apply promifes made to others, I do their conditions , as if it were fpoken to me. 5. It is for want of Divine ftudy of the nature of
thsfc
(Ill)
thefe Scrrpturecxpreffions, and the myftery of them that we fay fuch a Pfalra is unfuitable to our conditi- ons ; for if when I read undetftandingfy, lean get profit by themjean the fame when I fing them,
6.li it do not reach my condition, as to a particu- lar cafe I am troubled withali,oi the providence I am eminently under j yet it concerns the ftate of the Church , and I may fing thetn as a Member of the fame Body,and fympathifing with them either tn for- row ot joy, in afflictions or triumphs; which is a fpecial way ro ac! the graces of Saints, fometimes to fing what concerns others as themfelves, as to pray for others as themfelves ; this is like Chrifts heart in heaven.
Laftly , you have opportunity enough to chufe Pfalms for your emergencies. It is good to keep the harmony of the whole Body in the main.
Ob. That which follows next as urged againft this truth, is, that its confufion to fing together, and thac but one (hould fing at one time.
Sol. Still this is not againft the Ordinance of find- ing. But,
i . Singing is more melodious and fuitable, wherf performed by many, then onefeveral inftrumen: ac one timejand fo feveral voices make the greater Har- mony: the excellency of fingingliesin theChurchf which is made up of divers voices.
2. Chrift and his Difciples fung together, Mat ^6. 30. tfci'aOTcmftthey fung, Taut and Silas Ac!.. 1 6 2?. fung together in thePrifon, not one after another, but together. Ok
(2u;
O^.But if any one fay,when one pra^s^ali may be laid to pray,tbough he doth but confenr;ic way be fo in finging of Pfalms.
It is Anfwered,i. All Ordinances muft be confider- cd according to their proper nature^ fome Ordinan. ces are To to be adm»niftred,as that onely one at once can perform it, as publike prayer, and preaching, and yet there muft be a distinction even in thefe : my filence in prayer ought to be when I pray with ano- ther ,and yec t may be faid to pray as well as he which is the mouth of the whole, becaufe my heart is with him in the fame petitions, and my defires go equally with him ; but it. i» not fo in preaching, where fileoce muft be likewife from the nature of the Ordinance ; yetthough I content fully with the matter,and agree in all that is faid with never fo much affection , yet I cannot be faid to preach,but onely he that fpeaketh preacheth. So now as to finging there is a difference likewife of another confide ration $ if onely one (ing, none elfe can be faid to (ing, though they joyn with the matter,and agree to ic in their hearts ; for its an ouwatd a6t,and terminated in the perfon that per- form^ it ; and though in my filcnt conjunction, I msy really ptaife God, yct,I can in no fenfe be proper- ly laid to fing with others,without I do ufe my Voicd and Organs as they do. This confederation will give light to men that rrffnde the nature and diftinclion of Ordinances in their outward adminiftrations.
a.That which iAhe confufion of ether Ordinances,, is the beauty of this $ for two to preach, or pray to- gether
gether at the fame time and place, were the greateif confufion imaginable $ but for a hundred to (ing to- gether is trioft harmonious, andpleafant; fo far from the breach of order,that harmony is moit difcovered by it.
3. It hath been the cuftome of the Churches always thus to pra&ife ; and there is nothing in ghe nature or the Ordinance, or Divine precepr, or example a- gainft it. I (hall conclude this with a word from An* tiquit y, concerning this prtctife, ; Eufehin his EcchfiHtfl. Jib.^cap.J 3. quotes twtf Epiftles oiPUniu* Secun&tu to Trajan (he Emperor* teftifying that Chriftians were wont to gather them- felves before day to fing Pfalms and Hymns toge- ther : the fame doth Philo fadim tcftifie^ who lived in the Ap9ftles time, as the fame gufeh faith, liki. cap.22. Now in the time of Plinins and Trajan, did fyhn the beloved Difciple live, Mth ZanchAn Sph.^ 18.29. whereby it appears an Apoftolicai inftitution; Tertul. in his ApoU. 19. faith, that it was a ufuall cuftome among theChriftians,after their Lovc-Feafk, cajtere de Scriptnris Santin^ to fing of the Scriptures • his meaning is, doubtlefs, out of, or from the Scri- ptures : In the Weftern Churches this hath been the conftant praaice^though much corrupted by the Re~ *m» additions to Saints methodjbut yet that bleffed Ordinance is now more fpecially recovered, and made pure for Saints according to primitive inftituti-
\ Chaf
(*M>
Chap. V.
The great abnfes rf the Roman and Epifcppal Church about thts Ordinance^ whereby many flick not to call it Antichriflim^ hath hee»*y
i. 'TtHe introducing mufical Inftruments together A with, as Organs, Harps, Viols, &c. whertitaf in the New Teftament God requires the Voice as ihe onely Organ of the heart in woifhip.
2. They had a meer order of Singers to whom they gave penfiqns unto for that purpofe, and eiclu- ded the Church from the perions of that duty, which is of fo Univerfal a concernment.
3. They would hrig in Latin,and with fuch ftraisi* of their Voices, that the words might not be undcr- llood.
4. They (pent molt of the time in (inging^nd gave not other Ordinances, as preaching^ and praying, their due time of exejcTe. Thus have precious Ordi- nances been abufed by the corruptions of men $ buc J are now reftoring unto their purity 3 and will every day be more glorioufly pr&Siie^in the Churches.
Cha*. 1 Ah
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Chap. VI. How we way he faid to teach and admgnifh one another, in Pfalms, Hymns, and Songs, according to that of C ol . 3 . 1 6^ 1 7 .
MAny think there can be no fuch ufe of linging, as to teach and admonifh one another by it 5 but if we confider,there ate many leffons to be Icarnc one another from this publique conjun& , finging Scripture. Pfalms.
i. They teach one another,and by the very aft ad- monifti one another ro get the fame frames thefe Holy men had in the penning the PfaJms, and in, the variety, and fpirituality of them ; to get Davids frame, in finging Davids Tfalms : and fo for the reft.
2. Us by this they teach one another the Unity and Harmony that is and fhouid be among Saints as one body, that their happinefs and joys are bound up together, and fo the mifery of one, is the mifery of the whole ; and this is a glorious leffon to know their Union together, a* a body equally concerned in the glory, or ftiame of one another, equally interefted in :he praifes of God ; there is no duty praclifed in all ■he Gofpel that doth fully exprefs the Communion ;>f Saints, and reprefent Heaven,as the Saints finging :ogether; the Lords Supper doth reprelcnt the Com- nunion of Saints very lively, but not fo as mutual! Pa finging,
finging, when all at once, not by confeot onelyi but cxprefly fpeak the fame thing in the Time moment $ in the Lords Supper,though afterwards they were all one bread, yet they all do not receive it at the (ame inftantofcime, but take fucceflively the Elements ; but in Tinging they all joyq perfedly at once to found Gods prayies,as if they had but one Lip, and one Voice. This is the perfecl Embleme of Heaven, r>o jarring, all with one Voice and Heart cryjng Hal- ielftjabtHa/Uffijah*
3, They teach one another this leflbn a!fo,T*£.with what alacrity and cheerfulnefs they fhould perform all their duties together ; with fweetnefs of love,and joy they ought to walk together.
4. They teach one another how to carry them- selves in all conditions with joyful! and prayfing frames of fpirit, for matter of the Pfalms ; ana arevarious, not onely affording matter of exultation, and graculacion ; but alio reciting the fadnefs and low condition of the Church ; yet ari are fit matter to be fung ; Lachryms. mult be Jung, fs4 things with a fpiritualjoy full heart in God an&hispromifes; mer- cy, and judgement in rhe fame fong, exprelt in melo- dy of the Voice, and Heart ; and it ftiews afoul is not in a right temper when he cannot (ing over his j condition an a u 5. They teach one another by tmging,and adrno- nidi one another to avoid any thing ihac may hinder their joys in Communion, and break their Har* raony in Jpirkuaiaclmgs ; all which, and many more
arc
are great exhortations, and are taught naturally by Saints mutual finging together.
Chap. VII, Concerning fwging with a mixt multitude.
MAny who grant finging to be an Ordinance a- mong Saints, yet ftumble to fing in promifcu- ous manner with others ; efpecially becaufe there are fo many Pfalms of fach compofition that doth not feem to concern a mist multitude.
For opening of this, I muft lay down this gene- rail pofition • that prayer and praifes are natural duties belonging to all men,men as men ; though on- ly the Saints can do them beft, and Spiritually ; it is upon all men by the Law of Creation.to feekto God for what they want, and to thank him for what they have : this is due unto God, owning him as » Crea- tor, and Benefaclor ; and though finging be a part ©f inftituted worftiip , yet its onely an addition of Order & a regulation of a natural duty. And as there is no man but is bound to pray for mercies, fo none are exempted from praifing God for mercies, though they fing in a lower tune then Saints, Thus David calls in all creatures to blefs and praife God, as a na- tural duty according co their feveral capacities, BfitL t s6,Pfal. i i7.P/*/.i07. P/al. i ©£. P f 20.21 ,22! Praifes, its the natural duty of al!> the proper duty of Saints, the perfect acl of Angels. ob.
(>i8) Ok You will fay they cannot perform it night, and glorifie fouls.
Sol. i. Their want of ability doth not discharge them from fuch a duty engraven cm theirConfciences and arifing from the natural refpecls they have to God as a Creator ; to perform which, God gave full power; at folt.
2.Het every man do his dury coirfcientioufly.he may afterwards come go do it fpirkually ; though I (houki lofe the f«nie of a duty m my confcieRce, yet the dory lyes on my conscience from Gods autjbork.y, and my relation ro him*
i. By the fame rule every one fhould abftain-from performance of a du^y for want of prefeuc ability, whereas the dury rnufi be done, and the ftrength ex- peeled from Heaven, and waited for according to the Divine manner of difpenfation.
2. Its not unlawful! to joyn in any acl with others, or to countenance them in it, which is really their duty as weJJ as our own;! cannot fin in joyning. with aoy one in chat acl to perform, . which is the dmy of another,as niine,tiiaughhe may want the prefent ahi*
For duties mud be meakired according to the rule, not the abJuuesof the pet&wner ; now its no duty for any man to receive the Lords Supper, or be a Member of a Church in order toCommunion^witb- outhe find himfelf in fome mtafure fitted b^mm;} theie iealing Ord^ces'ei ih£\iS¥pel> iup^ofe^d require fome o&her qualification, and ate gec^arto
viable
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vifible Saints^but where there is a natural CharacTer* or an Ordinance as to the fubftance of ic at leaft e- cjualjy concerning alljthere'it is no fin to joyn in the administration orit 5 and if weconfider of it warily, umegenerate men are great (tiarersin the mercies ot the Churches ; befides their own pa'rticular,that they may well afford their voice without fin, and we joyn with them in fetting forth Gods praifes ; But more1 clofely, and particularly.
1. When the Church and Saints of God are ga- thered together to worfliip him, infinging- it is no more unhwfull to fing with others that ftand by and joyn their voices , then when in prayer they ftand by, and give their content, we do not fo much joyifr with them as they do own Gods agings a- mong us : it is no fin in them to joyn with us in inch a duty, neither can it be any fin in us to fing, though others very carnal will outwardly praife God with us.
2. The carriage of Saints in their hearty and real! expreflions of prayfes may convince others in the coldnefs, andiownefsof their fpirit, and ftir them up to fome fpiritual apprehenfion**
3. Though it be lawful to joyn with them in fuch at duty generally considered, yet it were to be wifhed in a mixt multitude, there were more care in the choice of Pfalms , to fit them to the very duty of praife and thanks, which is fo really belonging to all theCongregation:and that mud be lamented,that the choice of Pfalms, to a mixc multitude, is not fo con-
fidered
(tio) fidered as ic ought to be, which makes the Ordinance fo much (lighted in itspubliqueadminiftration, But however, the incapacity of others to their duty, fhould not hinder me from performing mine7efpeci- ally when I cannot, nor ought not to hinder others' frorrifuch in aft.
FI^CI s*