A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 2 · Chapter 4 · Section 2 (1 of 3)

A Discourse of the Two Covenants · Book 2 · Chapter 4 · Section 2 (1 of 3)

p. 203SECT. II. Twelve Queſtions for the ſtating Childrens Covenant-right reſolved.

§. 1. HAving thus far carried on the Proof of the Doctrine, let us now come to the Explication thereof, and that ſhall be in anſwer to theſe Queſtions. (1) Whether all children of confederate parents be taken into their Covenant, or only ſome, God putting a diſtinction between their ſeed, as we ſee he did between the ſeed of Abraham, when he ſaid, In Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called? (2) Into what of the Covenant the children of Believers are taken? whether into the regenerating and converting Grace of it, or only into the external parts of it, the outward priviledges? (3) If only into external parts, what advantage that is to them, and what they gain by it? (4) What this federal Right or childrens Holineſs is, wherein it does conſiſt? (5) What it is in the parents that give this right unto the child, whether grace and the power of godlineſs in the parents, or elſe their profeſſion, God taking them and their ſeed into a viſible Church? (6) What Right this is, whether it be only a right before men, or whether it be a right before God unto the viſible Priviledges of the Church? (7) From what parents this right is derived, whether from thoſe that are immediate only, or whether from them that are more remote, and where we muſt ſtay? (8) Why God will have the Covenant run by way of entail in reference to the outward priviledges of it, and not for the inward? ſeeing in the firſt covenant Adam p. 204was to convey the image that he had received, and the children of Adam were taken into his covenant for the ſpiritual part, the grace of the covenant, as well as for the priviledges of it; for the internal as well as for the external. Now the grace of the covenant is not conveyed from parents to children, it is no more ex traduce than the reaſonable ſoul is,Joh. 1.13.John 1:13 they that believe are born, not of blood, or of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God: why will the Lord have the ſame conveyance ſtill continue for the externals and the priviledges of it, when for the graces of it the intail is cut off for ever? (9) How far the adminiſtration of the old Covenant ſhould as a rule determine the adminiſtration of God under the new? that we may be able to reaſon from one to the other: he did ſo with Abraham and his poſterity, therefore he will do ſo with the Saints now; and whether in Abraham there were not ſomething perſonal and peculiar to him and his ſeed according to the fleſh, that they only that come in by a claim to the faith of Abraham cannot take unto themſelves? For Abraham in reference to the covenant is ſet forth two ways, either as a begetting Abraham, Rom. 4.Rom 4or as a believing Abraham; and whether the priviledges of both the children of Abraham according to the fleſh, or by promiſe be the ſame? (10) How far the Jews by virtue of Abrahams Covenant as being his ſeed, and as being taken into a Church-covenant in their parents, being the only viſible Church unto God on Earth, could pretend to a right unto the ordinances and priviledges of the Church of God under the New Teſtament? For if the parents were in covenant, ſo were their children taken in, at leaſt, into the externals of the covenant. (11) How children can be ſaid to be taken into Covenant, when they cannot reſtipulate, nor be ſaid to be obliged by their Covenant? (12) Seeing there is ſo much dispute about it, were it not much better to leave children out of this claim? For if they be elected we may reſt quietly in that ſtate, and leave them in the arms of Gods electing love, and reſting upon that foundation for their eternal ſalvation, the Lord knows who are his, and to defer their claim to the covenant, till they themſelves are able to take hold of the covenant, and to give their conſent thereunto, to give the hand unto the Lord, and then they may claim it with comfort, children from their parents right, and parents for their children, and then we may with comfort ſeal up that which we have good ground upon judgment to conclude to be a mans title and intereſt; and then the parents covenant-intereſt will come in at ſecond hand, and a man having himſelf firſt taken hold and conſented to the covenant in his own perſon, it will be a good argument for a man to plead with God for the mercies and bleſſings of the covenant: Lord thou art my God, and my fathers God; as Moſes did, Lord I am thy ſervant, and the ſon of thy handmaid: and ſo the Church, For thy ſervant Davids ſake turn not away, &c. Remember the covenant that thou haſt made with Abraham, and Iſaac, &c. And ſo did Auſtin after his converſion take a great deal of comfort in his mothers covenant-intereſt, and in all the prayers that ſhe did put up to God for him:Confeſſ. l. 3.11. Salutem meam ſempiternam chariùs parturibat corde caſto, &c. till the Lord in a dream gave her great hopes concerning his ſalvation: but till then a man can have little comfort in it.

Queſt. 1 Are all the children of parents in covenant taken into covenant with their parents; or only ſome ſelected by God himſelf, as he did in the children of Abraham, when he ſaid, in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called?

Anſw. The parents covenant takes in all their ſeed, and they are all in covenant with God till they be ejected. Cain was in covenant as well as Abel, till caſt out of the preſence of the Lord, and Iſmael as well as Iſaac, till the ſentence upon his mocking, caſt out the bond-woman and her ſon; and the Jews not only for their children immediately, but thoſe for many ages to come.Deut. 29.13, 14. Joh. 8.Deut 29:13Deut 29:14John 8 1. If we look into Abrahams poſterity, we read that they were of two ſorts; a ſeed according to the fleſh, a carnal generation, which the Jews ſtood ſo much upon, and gloried in, Mat. 3.9. We have Abraham to our father: and there is a ſeed of Abraham that walk in the ſteps of the faith of Abraham; and in this reſpect Abraham is called the father of us all: here is a double paternity from begetting Abraham, and believing Abraham, and here is a double ſonſhip, children according to the fleſh, and the heirs of promiſe, Rom. 9.6, 7, 8. They are not all Iſrael who are of Iſrael; neither becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham are they all children; but in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called, that is, they that are the children of the fleſh are not the children of God, but the children of the promiſe are counted for his ſeed; and becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham, they are not therefore all children: and this is more fully ſet forth in that Allegory of the Apoſtle, Gal. 4.22, 23. where we have Abrahams family ſet forth as a pattern and a reſemblance of the viſible Church of God, in which there are two ſorts of ſons, and two ſorts of mothers; there is the bond and the free woman; and ſo the Apoſtle ſays it was then, and ſo it ſhould continue in the Church of God while its militant ſtate did laſt; and yet both theſe ſeeds are taken into their parents covenant; and therefore all the poſterity of Seth are called the ſons of God, Gen. 6.1. and all without the Church, the daughters of men; all the Iſraelites were p. 205Jews outwardly: Ye are the children of the Lord your God, ſays Moſes, Deut. 14.1.Deut 14:1his peculiar people and treaſure; called alſo the children of the Kingdom, and the children of the Covenant, Act. 3.25.Mat. 8.12.Matt 8:12 And this is not only ſo of the Jews, but the Gentiles alſo, Gal. 3.26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus; and yet I ſuppoſe no man will ſay, that all in the Church of the Galatians were truly, really, and ſavingly ſo; therefore all their children were taken into the ſame covenant with their parents faith and holineſs.

2. The ſentence of Excommunication hath paſſed upon ſuch, and they have been ejected and caſt out of the Church and from all the viſible Communion and Priviledges of it. Now Church-cenſures are to extend to none but Church-members, 1 Cor. 5.12, 13.1 Cor. 5.12, 13.1 Cor 5:121 Cor 5:13 We judge them that be within, what have we to do to judge thoſe that are without? We ſee (1) That Church-government is an authoritative thing, a power of judgment, and ſo the Authority of Chriſt is called, Joh. 5.25. (2) There is a diſtinction of men, ſome are without, and ſome within; and this is a rule, Differentia diviſiva eſt etiam conſtitutiva, there is ſomething therefore that makes them to be without, and ſomething that makes them to be within; and this can be nothing but their own perſonal conſent, or their coming in by their fathers covenant. (3) This authority is not exerciſed upon them without; they are left to the judgment of God, as a man is that is wholly caſt off from all care of the Church,1 Cor. 16.22.1 Cor 16:22 let him be Anathema maranatha; to ſhew that the Church had done their utmoſt, uſed all means that were poſſible for them to do, and they did avail nothing, and therefore they did now caſt him off as incurable, and left him to the judgment of the Lord at his coming; ſo they that are without, are left to Gods judgment; but they that are within, are under the Churches care and judgment. Now that Cain was caſt out is plain, Gen. 4.14.Gen. 4.14.Gen 4:14 Thou haſt caſt me out from the face of the earth, and from thy face, &c. and ſo the meaning is, a vagabond I ſhall be on the earth, from thy face ſhall I be hid. Of this there's a double interpretation that's commonly given, anſwerable to a twofold acceptation of the face of God: [1] By Gods face is meant Gods favour, love, protection, and all the fruits of favour, as all men ſeek the face of the Ruler, and God ſays, I'le ſhew thee the back and not the face in the day of their calamity. Mercer. Gloſſ.[2] Others by the face of God do underſtand locum patefactionis divinae, &c. the place of Gods manifeſtation; and ſo it's put for the viſible Church, where the Lord in a ſpecial manner doth reveal himſelf; and therefore are the Jews called Jeſuron, or the ſeeing people, and Jeruſalem called the valley of Viſion, &c. and ſo to be hid from the face of God, eſt ab Eccleſia parentum ubi cultum Deo praeſtabant, &c. is to be caſt out of the parents Church, &c. and this is the interpretation that moſt of our Divines give of it. [3] It's ſaid, That whoever did find him would ſlay him. Cain was therefore a man taken into a Church-covenant together with his parents, though he was but the ſeed according to the fleſh, and ſo he continued, till, for the juſt deſert of his own ſin, he was caſt out, and had an immediate ſentence of Excommunication paſt upon him by God himſelf, the firſt example that we read of in Scripture of a Church-cenſure; and the ſame is true alſo of Iſmael, Gen. 21.10, 12. Gal. 4.30.Gen 21:10Gen 21:12Gal 4:30Caſt out the bond-woman and her ſon; ſhe did ſpeak, it may be, ſenſu ſuo de haereditate facultatum; but the Lord did carry it higher, as Pareus hath obſerved; and he expounds it de haereditate ſpirituali. Abrahams family was a reſemblance of the viſible Church, and the ejection was a caſting out of the viſible Church, and is to be underſtood of a viſible caſting out; therefore while Iſmael and his mother were in Abrahams family they were members, and came under Abrahams covenant; but when they were caſt out, then they were to be looked upon as people in covenant with God no longer, they could lay no claim to the covenant of Abraham. The ſame may be ſaid of the whole Nation of the Jews, who were all taken into a Church-covenant, they and their children, Deut. 29.12, 14. and yet but a remnant, a very few of them were ſaved and taken into the ſpiritual benefit of the covenant; and thoſe that were not taken in, they and their poſterity were alſo ejected, and the Lord called them Loammi, and gave them a bill of divorce to be ſuch as he would owne in way of Church-fellowſhip and Communion no longer; and the ſame courſe the Lord takes with the Gentiles alſo, when he removes the Candleſtick, Rev. 2.5.Rev. 2.5.Rev 2:5 By the Candleſtick is meant not only the preaching of the Goſpel and the Ordinances thereof, but the Church it ſelf, for ſo Rev. 1.20. the ſeven Candleſticks are the ſeven Churches; and the Lord would take away his Ordinances, and they and their poſterity ſhould be no more owned by God as his Church and people in covenant with him; ſo that they were broken off as the Jews were. Now they that are ſpiritually and ſavingly in the covenant can never be caſt out of any part of the covenant, it's everlaſting, and they never can be broken off; therefore it's meant of the carnal ſeed, thoſe that are externally in covenant, but not ſpiritually and ſavingly.

3. As for that place Gen. 21.12. For in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called, Gen. 21.12.Gen 21:12which is made ſo much uſe of to overthrow this Doctrine, and that none are taken into covenant with God but the… that do truly believe and be the ſons of Abrahams faith; the meaning ſeems p. 206plainly to be this: (1) It is to be underſtood, that the Meſſiah the promiſed ſeed ſhould not come from Iſhmael but from Iſaac: It's to be underſtood de ſemine benedicto.(2) Of the ſpiritual Seed, and that in a double ſence; [1] Of the peculiar and electing Love of God, which ſhould run in Iſaac and his poſterity; [2] De privilegio foederis; for all his Poſterity were not elected, and ſpiritually holy, and in covenant with God, but in his ſeed the viſible Church of God ſhould be continued, and they ſhould be thoſe amongſt whom the Lord would hold forth his Name, and ſet up his Worſhip, and this muſt be chiefly the meaning; for it's a comfort to Abraham againſt caſting out of Iſhmael out of his Family, which had a reſemblance of the viſible Church, and in the execution of this Church-cenſure to be done by Abraham the Prieſt of the Family, he muſt excommunicate one Son, as he was as a Prieſt to offer the other; and now the Lord comforts him in this affliction, that the ſeed that ſhould be accounted his and ſhould be continued as the bleſſed ſeed amongſt the Nations, ſhould be the Poſterity of Iſaac, and they ſhould be reckoned for his Seed; an expreſſion anſwerable unto that of Eve, Gen. 4.15. God has appointed me another ſeed inſtead of Abel whom Cain ſlew; that is, in whom and in whoſe poſterity the Church of God ſhould be continued unto the end of the world; though Cain were excommunicated, and Abel ſlain, yet the Covenant of God ſhould be made good unto the Woman and her ſeed; and ſo by thy ſeed ſhall be called in Iſaac, is meant the continuance of the viſible Church in the Poſterity of Iſaac, when Iſhmael was caſt out; and therefore this makes nothing to prove that none of Abrahams ſeed were taken into the Covenant but thoſe that were elected, and did walk in the ſteps of the Faith of Abraham.

Queſt. 2 §. 2. Into what of the Covenant are they taken, and in what reſpect can they be ſaid to be under the Covenant of Grace who are in a ſtate of nature in the old Adam? and therefore as you have ſhewed us under a Covenant of works, and we have heard from Gal. 4. that it's as impoſſible for a man to be under two Covenants at one and the ſame time, as it is for a man to be born of two Mothers; and when the ſon of the bond-woman ſhall be born of the free-woman; then can a man that is under the Covenant of works, while he does ſo remain unbroken off, be alſo under the Covenant of grace?

Anſw. 1 1. Of the Covenant of Grace there are two parts, anſwerable to the two ſorts of Promiſes that belong unto it; as there are the Promiſes of this life and that which is to come, ſo there are in the Covenant ſpiritual Priviledges, and there are ſaving Graces; and a man may be in the Covenant for the one and not for the other. All that are truely converted, they come under the Covenant in both reſpects; but they that are onelyonly ſo by Profeſſion, and outwardly, they have it for the external Priviledges of the Covenant onelyonly. And this is clear from two places, Rom. 3.1. he had ſhewed before, that nothing but true faith and holineſs gave a man an intereſt in the ſpiritual part of the Covenant; it was not thoſe outward things that a mans eternal happineſs did conſiſt in, he is not a Jew that is one outwardly; and although they be members of the Church of God, as they are viſible Profeſſors,Auſtin. yet they are not partes ſed peſtes, non membra ſed ulcera, &c. as our Divines generally maintain it againſt the Popiſh Doctrine, Ʋt Eccleſia catholica quam credimus ex ſolis conſtat electis: Daven. determ. 46.And therefore theſe outward things avail nothing to the inward and ſpiritual part of the Covenant, as before God, but thy circumciſion will be uncircumciſion; and the Lord ſaith,Jer. 9.23.Jer 9:23 he will joyn them all together, the circumciſed with the uncircumciſed; for one is uncircumciſed in fleſh, and another in his heart; and therefore the Lord call'd them Rulers of Sodom, and people of Gomorrhae; and their outward priviledges will ſerve to encreaſe their condemnation, ripen their ſins, and haſten their ruine; for he onelyonly is in Gods account a Jew that is one inwardly,Rom. 3.1.Rom 3:1 in the ſpirit not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men but of God.foreign; Now he comes to propound this very queſtion, Rom. 3.1. What advantage then has the Jew, or what excellency has the Jew more than others? for ſo the word is uſed Math. 5. What excellent thing do you? now he addes; that unto them did belong the external priviledges of the Covenant, who had nothing to do with the ſpiritual graces of the Covenant; and he makes it not a ſmall matter, to be under, or have a right unto theſe outward priviledges, but much every way, chiefly in that unto them is committed the Oracles of God, that the Law of God was written unto them, Hoſ. 8.12. and that it ſhould be call'd, Your Law; John 8.7.John 8:7they had a peculiar intereſt in it above all other people of the world, it was a Law written unto them, and as a Depoſitum committed unto them to keep, and ſo I conceive the word uſed foreign notes, namely, credita vel concredita ſunt, not onelyonly as Beza ſaith, ut proprium ipſorum theſaurum notat, As it notes their proper treaſure, but alſo as that which they were to be Stewards of, Iſa. 2.Isa 2and to convey and tranſmit unto other people; for the Law was to come out of Sion, and the Word of God from Jeruſalem; and in the latter days, the water ſhall iſſue out of the Sanctuary alſo, Ezek. 47.8.Ezek 47:8and from thence ſhall go into the Eaſt countrey, into the deſart, and ſhall go forth into the Sea, and thereby the waters ſhall be healed: ſo Rom. 9.4. he doth recount p. 207the external priviledges of the Jewiſh Church and Members thereof, and he doth reckon up eight very remarkable ones: whoſe is the adoption; not ſpiritual adoption,Rom. 9.4.Rom 9:4 but the honour to be called the Sons of God, and to be ſeparated from all other people,Deut. 14.1. 1 Sam. 4.22.Deut 14:11 Sam 4:22 and Nations under Heaven, by a Marriage-covenant, Exod. 19.5. the glory; the Ark was the ſpecial token of Gods preſence; and to them was given the Law, the Worſhip of God, Praeſentiae Dei Symbolum.the Promiſes; of whom were the Fathers, and of whom according to the fleſh Chriſt came. Now all theſe did belong to the body of the Nation, as being taken into a Marriage-covenant, and the external priviledges of it, which did belong to them that ſhould never have any ſpiritual and ſaving benefit by it. It's one thing to have an intereſt in the Covenant in reference to the ſpiritual and eternal mercies of it, call'd the ſure mercies of David, by the Prophet; and by the Apoſtle, the holy things of David; and another to have intereſt in the Covenant only in reference unto the temporal Promiſes and outward priviledges thereof; and there is many a man that has intereſt in the one, that neither hath, nor ever ſhall have benefit by the other. Therefore thoſe that are the Elect of God, when converted, they are taken into the Covenant for both; but all the ſeed of Parents in Covenant are taken into the outward Court, the external part of the covenant, the temporal Promiſes and outward priviledges of it, and are to enjoy them, and may claim them as their priviledge and right, till by their ſin they do deſerve to be ejected and caſt out of the Church, and excluded from this priviledge; which as a kind of a birth-right by grace does belong unto them**As there is a two-fold being in Chriſt, ſo there is a two-fold being in Covenant with God. Chriſt conſidered as a head in Heaven, ſo he has none but living members; but conſidered as a Vine ſpreading himſelf into a viſible Church on Earth, ſo he has many unfruitful branches..

2. I do not only grant, but teach, that as there are two Covenants, ſo all Mankind for the ſtate of their perſons come under one of theſe, they are all of them children and ſons of a covenant, anſwerably to their union with the heads of the Covenants, the firſt and the ſecond Adam. Therefore, 1 Cor. 15.47. the Apoſtle Paul makes but two men in the world, Adam and Chriſt, for both of them are Heads of a Covenant; they that are in the firſt Adam, not yet tranſlated, who do yet bear his Image, they ſtand under his covenant; and they that are in the ſecond Adam, bear his Image, they ſtand under his covenant, Gal. 3.29. and if you be Chriſts, you be Abrahams ſeed, &c. and it's as impoſſible for a man for the ſtate of his perſon to be under both covenants, as it is for a plant to grow upon two roots, or for a man to be born of two Mothers; the heads of the covenants are ſo expreſſely contrary, and the terms of theſe covenants ſo directly oppoſite, that it can never be, that a man can belong to them both: he that is admitted into the covenant of Grace, muſt of neceſſity firſt be cut off from the covenant of Works; for he cannot live by a Righteouſneſs in himſelf, and in another alſo. But yet this is true alſo, that a man who for the ſtate of his perſon is under the Covenant of Works, may yet have a title unto many temporal promiſes, and outward priviledges of the covenant of grace, and receive many benefits thereby; for the benefits of the Covenant of Grace are of three ſorts: (1) Ʋniverſal, which all the creatures have thereby, even the whole creation; it is by this covenant that the Government of the World is changed, and put into the hand of the Mediator; and ſo by this Covenant the World is eſtabliſht,Iſa. 49.8.Isa 49:8 the creatures are preſerved in their being, which elſe for the ſin of man, by the curſe of the firſt covenant, ſhould have been deſtroyed; and by this means the patience of God is exerciſed towards wicked men, and he doth ſpare them, and even the Devils themſelves by reaſon of the Dominion of Chriſt, and the Covenant of Grace, and the employments the Lord hath to uſe them in, as Veſſels of diſhonour in this great houſe the Church; therefore they have not the fulneſs of their Torment, but there is a time of greater torment by them expected, and at which they tremble; by this means the Sun does riſe, and the Rain does fall upon the juſt and unjuſt. (2) T…re are ſome ſpiritual and eternal priviledges, as Grace and Glory, which belong onelyonly to the Saints, who are the onelyonly proper heirs of the Covenant, and for whoſe ſake the Lord brought Light and Immortality to light through the Goſpel. (3) There are ſome evangelical priviledges, or external Church-priviledges onelyonly which belong unto ſome people whom God has by the calling of the Goſpel ſeparated unto himſelf, where he will ſet up his Ordinances, and make known his Name; and many a man may have theſe, who for the ſtate of his perſon is under the Covenant of Works.

Queſt. 3 §. 3. But if we ſhould grant, that children are with their parents taken into covenant, yet you confeſs it's but to the external priviledges of the Covenant, and that many of them are never made partakers of the ſpiritual bleſſings thereof; and therefore what do they gain by it, ſeeing he is not a Jew, that is one outwardly, nor that circumciſion that's outward in the fleſh; but he is a Jew that is ſo inwardly, and circumciſion is that of the heart, in the ſpirit not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of man but of God? What did Iſhmael gain by being circumciſed, or Eſau? for if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumciſion is made uncircumciſion, Rom. 2.25. and therefore it will but bring a further Judgment upon them: Jer. 9.25.Jer. 9.25.Jer 9:25 I will puniſh all that are circumciſed p. 208with the uncircumciſed; and it's obſerved by the Learned, that the Nations there mentioned with Judah, did uſe Circumciſion, but yet being out of Covenant with God, their circumciſion is made uncircumciſion; and ſo it was with the Jews alſo, that did break the Covenant, and behave themſelves unfaithfully therein; therefore, as the Gentiles converted are called Jewes, Pſal. 87.4, 5.Ps 87:4Ps 87:5and ſaid to be born in Sion, and to be the Iſrael of God, Gal. 6.16. ſo the Jews though circumciſed, yet living impenitently, are called Gentiles, Cananites, Amorites, Ezek. 16.3. Hoſ. 12.7. Amos 9.7.Ezek 16:3Hos 12:7Amos 9:7Ethiopians, Sodomites, Iſa. 1.10, &c. therefore thoſe outward priviledges may do them much hurt, and may heighten their Judgment; for there are none caſt out with ſo great indignation, as the children of the Kingdom; and there are no mens Judgments that come up to that height as theirs; and this is all the fruit that the greateſt part of them have; and for thoſe that ſhall be ſaved, they can have no ſpiritual and ſaving benefit in an ordinary and rational way till they be converted, and do themſelves conſent unto the Covenant; and therefore, it's a ſmall matter that will be granted, if this ſhould be granted, that Children are for the outward priviledges taken into Covenant with their Parents; for whoever doth plead it, that doth not himſelf conſent to the Covenant, doth but bring forth, as it were, Ʋriahs letters againſt himſelf.

Anſw. Unto all this that has been objected, I ſhall anſwer under two heads: (1) That it's a Priviledge both unto parents and children, that they ſhould be taken into their parents covenant: (2) I'le ſhew you the particulars wherein this great priviledge doth conſiſt, and in what reſpect the children are gainers by it, that never have any ſpiritual and ſaving benefit by the Covenant.

1. That it is a ſpecial priviledge for parents and children, that they are taken into their Parents Covenant, will appear by theſe Arguments and Demonſtrations.

1. It will aggravate their ſin if they abuſe it; therefore it's a mercy and a priviledge in it ſelf; for what is not a mercy and a priviledge in it ſelf, that cannot add to a mans ſin and Judgement. Now as it is in Riches and Honours, and all the Bleſſings in this Life, they will be unto a man Judgements if they are abuſed; therefore they are bleſſings in themſelves, bleſſings in the thing, though a ſnare to the man: ſo this very argument that's brought to prove that they are no bleſſings, and give no benefit, doth clearly prove, that the thing it ſelf is a priviledge and a bleſſing.

2. For a Child to be diſinherited and caſt out of his Fathers Covenant is a very great Judgement, and the foreſt of all outward afflictions that can befall a man; as we ſee it in Cain, Gen. 4.14.Gen 4:14Thou haſt caſt me out from the face of the Earth, and from thy face I ſhall be hid; it's the Sentence of Excommunication that the Lord paſſeth upon Cain: and ſo upon Iſhmael, Caſt out the bond-woman and her ſon: It's ſad for children to be caſt out of their Parents inheritance, but it's a far greater Judgment to be caſt out of their Parents Covenant, and they to be deprived of that Birth-right which doth belong unto them by the ſecond Covenant, as being born of confederate Parents; now if it be a great judgment to be caſt out, ſurely it's a great Priviledge to be taken into their Parents Covenant.

3. It's promiſed as a ſpecial Bleſſing for the viſible Church of God to continue in any mans Poſterity; and therefore we are to look upon it ſo, Gen. 4.25. it was ſo in Seth, God hath appointed me another ſeed inſtead of Abel whom Cain ſlew; Gen. 9.27.Gen 9:27and ſo it was promiſed to Shem, that the Church of God ſhould be in his Poſterity continued, and that in due time the Lord ſhould enlarge Japhet to dwell alſo in the tents of Sem; that is, either of the Gentiles that ſhould become a ſurrogated Iſrael when the Poſterity of Sem were caſt off, and ſhould be ingrafted in their room; or elſe of the fulneſs of the Gentiles that ſhould in the laſt dayes come in unto the Jews, and ſo make up but one Church with them, when the Lord ſhall make the Church of the Jews the Mother-Church, and ſhould give them unto the Jews f… daughters, &c. ſo in Abraham and his Poſterity, and that they might ſtill lay claim unto the Covenant and the Promiſe made unto their Fathers, being born the Sons of the Covenant. To have any particular office preſcribed by God in a Family, is look'd upon and promiſed as a great mercy; to have a Prieſthood continued in the Family of Aaron, and afterwards of Phineas as a reward of that great act of his in being zealous for the Lord in executing Judgement, for the Lord gave him an everlaſting Prieſthood; and to have the Kingdom continued unto David and his Poſterity, as he takes notice, Thou haſt ſpoken of my houſe for a great while to come; there ſhall not want a man of his loyns to ſit upon the Throne of Iſrael; and it's look'd upon as a great Judgment for a Family and a Poſterity to be diſinherited; as for the family of Eſau to be caſt out of the Prieſthood, and the Family of Saul to be caſt out of the Kingdom; how much more then is it a mercy to have the viſible Church of God continued in any mans Poſterity? for all bleſſings deſcend according unto this, as it appears in the Sons of Noah, there is a bleſſing upon Shem and Japhet, and their Poſterity, but it is in reference to a Church-ſtate; but there is no bleſſing upon Cham, p. 209but curſed be Canan; God would never take a Church out of his loyns, it ſhould never be continued in his poſterity: There ſhall not be a Cananite in the houſe of the Lord for ever; Zac. 14. ult.and therefore a ſervant of ſervants ſhall he be unto his brethren; the curſe and bleſſing is anſwerable unto the reſpect men have to a Church-ſtate.

4. It's the greateſt wrath that God doth pour out upon men in this life, to caſt them out of external Church-priviledges. The Jews, as when they were taken into covenant, it was for themſelves and their poſterity that God would owne their ſeed as his, and would avouch them to be his people; ſo when God did caſt them out, and gave them a bill of divorce, called them Loammi, and did remove the Candleſtick, he did caſt them out and their ſeed; the natural branches were broken off: if it be not a bleſſing to injoy it, ſurely it's no great judgment to be deprived of it; but the Apoſtle ſaith, Wrath i… come upon them to the uttermoſt, or to the end; therefore it the wrath be ſo great in a caſting out, ſurely there is a great deal of mercy ſhewed in the taking in.

5. The Apoſtle ſpeaks even of an intereſt in the external priviledges of the covenant as a very great matter; having ſhewed that all men by nature are in the ſame condition, and in a mans ſpiritual eſtate outward and Church-priviledges make no difference, he doth demand, Then what advantage a man hath by Church-priviledges, and what good there is in them? Rom. 3.22.Rom 3:22if they make not men to differ, what excellency hath the Jew above any other men or any other people? The Apoſtle ſays, Much every way; therefore though they may not differ in reference to a ſpiritual ſtate, yet there is a great excellency and advantage; and the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the grafting in of the Gentiles into the ſame Church-covenant, them and the poſterity, when the Jews were diſinherited, he ſays,Rom. 11.17. Privilegia & beneficia foederis in Eccleſia patrum depoſita, Par.Rom 11:17 That they did partake of the root and the fatneſs of the olive-tree; therefore in Scripture it's commended as a great advantage and priviledge unto a man to be brought into the external rights, and to have an intereſt in outward priviledges of the Church of God.

2. But what are thoſe priviledges and thoſe particular benefits that come upon a perſon and his poſterity thereby? (1) Many of them ſhall be ſaved, elected, and converted to God; for the Lord doth take the number of his Elect out of the loyns of his own, the Church of the firſt-born whoſe names are written in Heaven is hid in the viſible Church here as wheat in a heap of chaff. (2) It's the only ground of hope that parents have for the ſalvation of their children dying in their infancy; David did hope it, though he might ſay with Auſtin, Ego in illo puero nihil habui praeter delictum; yet he ſaith, I ſhall go to him, and his heart was quieted concerning his eternal ſtate, by virtue of the Covenant made with him. We have no other promiſe but this, I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed; and this is Goſpel, a man is as truly bound to lay hold of the promiſe, and caſt himſelf upon it, for his ſeed, as for himſelf. (3) There is no ordinary way of ſalvation but it is amongſt them that are taken into Covenant, ſalvation is of the Jews: Joh. 4.John 4there was in an ordinary way ſalvation to be had no where elſe; and therefore by being taken into the outward priviledges of the Church, a man is brought into the ordinary way of ſalvation.Eſa. 5.7. Exod. 15.5. Gen. 6.2.Isa 5:7Exod 15:5Gen 6:2 (4) It's a ſpecial honour to be the vineyard of the Lord, the garden of the Lord hedged in from the reſt of the world, his wall, a wine preſs, a garden incloſed, a fountain ſealed, to be called the Sons of God, the people of God, and the Lord to avouch them ſuch publickly before all the world to be his peculiar treaſure, the Lord to be their God, and they his people, above all people of the earth, theirs is the Adoption; it's ſpoken of this federal external ſonſhip.Rom. 9.4. Eſa. 22.1. & 29.1. Rom. 3.2.Rom 9:4Isa 22:1Isa 29:1Rom 3:2 (5) By this you have ſpecial priviledges: Jeruſalem is the valley of Viſion, and Jeſuron the ſeeing people; it is Ariel, the Altar of the Lord: chiefly to them are committed the Oracles of God, which they are to keep and to tranſmit unto poſterity; it's a depoſitum laid up and concredited to them: In Judah is God known, his name is great in Iſrael; Pſal. 147. ult.Ps 147he hath not dealt ſo with other nations; they are a people near unto him, and the Lord hath promiſed, that he will give them his ſpecial preſence: I will dwell in the midſt of them; Zac. 8.3. 2 Cor. 6.2 Cor 6Chriſt walks in the middle of the golden Candleſticks, though he be in glory. (6) By coming under the outward priviledges of this Covenant they have very glorious operations, mighty works upon them that other men have never experience of; and all this, even in them that periſh; and they have this as a fruit of their external intereſt; for Hoſ. 6.5. there is hewing and ſlaying, there is ſowing and planting, when the reſt of the common fields lye untilled,Mat. 13.3. 1 Cor. 12.8.Matt 13:31 Cor 12:8 and there are great gifts beſtowed, ſuch as the Lord doth not beſtow on any other ſort of people in the world; for the great gifts that come from Chriſt as aſcended are upon the viſible Church of God; yea the thorns and briars in the Church have the rain and influences, great and many common works of the Spirit raiſing and elevating and improving nature, the leaſt of which works and motions is more worth than the world, it is ſo in the things, though it prove at laſt a curſe to the man. (7) They by this means come under the care of the Church, and under the power of the Keys, under the prayers and under the cenſures of the Church, p. 210which do reſtrain them, and are many times bleſſed to bring men in; as the Apoſtle ſays, We judge them that are within. 1 Cor. 5.11.1 Cor 5:11(8) They attain many temporal bleſſings, and are delivered from many temporal afflictions thereby; Iſmael had many outward bleſſings by Abrahams Covenant; the external bleſſings of the Covenant are made good to them; God will not deſtroy Jeruſalem, and the judgment came not upon King Hezekiah, for David my ſervants ſake; and, I will not rent from Rehoboam, becauſe I will not put out the light in Iſrael.

There are two arguments that I would inſiſt on: (1) A viſible Memberſhip is promiſed as a very ſpecial mercy. (2) The contrary, to be caſt out of it, is threatned as a great judgment. 1.Gen. 9.27.Gen 9:27 A viſible Memberſhip is promiſed as a ſpecial mercy, Gen. 9.27. God ſhall perſwade Japhet, &c. Noahs family was the Church of God, but he did foreſee a defection, or an Apoſtaſie, that ſhould befal the poſterity of Cham and Japhet, and that the viſible Church of God ſhould only be continued a long time in the poſterity of Shem; but yet he doth foretel, that, though Chams poſterity ſhould be for ever caſt off, yet there ſhould come a time when the poſterity of Japhet tandem redirent ad unitatem Eccleſiae, Pareus.ſhould at length return to the unity of the Church. Now we read Gen. 10.5. that by the poſterity of Japhet the Iſles of the Gentiles were overſpread; this is therefore a Prophecy of the bringing in of the Gentiles into the number of Gods people, and they ſhall become a viſible Church unto God: for coming into the Tents of Shem, is being made members of the viſible Church. There is a double converſion of the Gentiles which the Apoſtle ſpeaks of, Rom. 11.12. If the fall and diminiſhing of the Jews be the riches of the Gentiles, how much more ſhall their fulneſs be? If upon their breaking off the Gentiles were gathered in, and inriched with their Church priviledges, how much more when they ſhall be called and come in in their national fulneſs, ſhall the Gentiles be inriched by them?Rev. 7.3, 4.Rev 7:3Rev 7:4 This is propheſied, Rev. 7.3, 4. Hurt not the earth, &c. and there were ſealed an hundred and forty and four thouſand of all the Tribes of the children of Iſrael, &c. It cannot be ſpoken of the Church of the Jews, for it is ſet after the ſeals, as a Prophecy that uſhers in the Trumpets; and as the ſeals refer unto Rome Pagan, ſo do the Trumpets unto Rome Chriſtian. Now there were four winds that were to blow upon the earth, and by their blaſts they would hurt the earth and the Sea; for there was power given to them by God unto that end: the winds do ſignifie motus bellicos and impetus hoſtiles, &c. warlike commotions, as we read in Jer. 49.36. Ʋpon Elam I will bring the four winds, and I will ſcatter them, and there ſhall be no nation whither the out-caſts of Elam ſhall not come. Dan. 7.2, 3.Dan 7:2Dan 7:3Dan. 7.2, 3. The four winds contended upon the great ſea; ſo that hereby is meant the incurſion of all the barbarous People and Nations, with their power and might upon the Roman Empire; but in this general invaſion there are ſome that the Lord would ſpecially protect, upon whom theſe deſtroying winds ſhould have no power; and that is meant by ſealing of them, Glaſſ.Amoris & ſingularis curae ſymbolum ſigillum eſt, The ſealing is a ſymbol of ſingular love and care: and yet when it is ſpoken of the Church of God, of the Gentiles in the Roman Empire, upon whom theſe ſtorms ſhould fall, and over whom theſe winds ſhould have power, they are ſaid to be of the Tribes of Iſrael: There were ſealed 144000 of all the Tribes of Iſrael: whereas Iſrael was caſt off and diſperſed upon all the four winds long before, and God had wholly caſt off the care of them, and reputed them as a people to himſelf no more; why then are the Gentiles called the Tribes of Iſrael? The reaſon is this, Quia in Iſraelis vicem ſucceſſerit, fuit que Iſrael ſurrogatus, They were ſurrogated Iſrael, they are Japhet brought into the Tents of Shem, that is, become the Church of God, and had all the Priviledges of the Church ſtated upon them inſtead of the Jews; and therefore their ſealing is called the ſealing of the Tribes of Iſrael. But there is yet another call of the Gentiles ſpoken of,Rev. 7.9.Rev 7:9 Rev. 7.9. And after this I beheld, and lo a great multitude which no man could number, out of all nations, and kindred, and people, and tongues ſtood before the Throne, and before the Lamb, cloathed with white robes, and palms in their hands, &c. that is, afflicto Eccleſiae ſtatui ſuccedit ampliſſimus & foeliciſſimus ejuſdem ſtatus. This is to be referred unto the time of the ſeventh Trumpet, when the Jews ſhall be called, and new Jeruſalem ſhall come down from God out of Heaven, when the mountain of the Lords houſe ſhall be exalted on the top of the mountains, and all Nations flow in unto it, when the Gentile Churches ſhall be given unto the Church of the Jews for daughters,Ezech. 16.Ezek 16 and they exalted as the Mother-Church over all the world; when the Nations that are ſaved ſhall walk in the light of it, and the Kings of the Earth ſhall bring their glory and honour to it:Rev. 21.24.Rev 21:24 and I conceive it's to be underſtood of taking of both Jews and Gentiles into a viſible Church by a firſt and ſecond converſion, and it is unto both promiſed as a ſpecial mercy: it's made alſo a ſpecial mercy by the Apoſtle,Rom. 11.17, 24.Rom 11:17Rom 11:24 Rom. 11.17, 24. and that both in reference unto Jews and Gentiles.

1. For the Gentiles, Thou being a wild olive-branch (for that muſt be the meaning, as Beza obſerves) art made partaker of the root and fatneſs of the olive-tree, &c. By the Olive-tree is meant the Church of Iſrael, Jer. 11.16.Jer 11:16the viſible Church, Jer. 11.16. The Lord called p. 211thy name a green olive-tree, fair and of goodly fruit; and the Lord did thus honour it, becauſe this is one of the moſt excellent of all the trees, the Fig-tree, the Olive, and the Vine, and that (1) for its greenneſs, for it doth flouriſh and is always green, (2) for its fruitfulneſs. And that it's not ſpoken of the inviſible Church, the Church of the firſt-born whoſe names are written in heaven, is plain for theſe two reaſons. [1] Becauſe the Jews are ſaid to be the natural branches of the good Olive-tree, and the Gentiles are ſaid to be branches of the Olive-tree that is wild by nature, and were grafted in contrary to nature. Now to Jews and Gentiles grace and regeneration are alike contrary by nature; ſo that there are no natural branches, neither is there any grace derived from parents unto children,Saving grace flows not from any company of men, no not from the inviſible Church, they are only Chriſts, and he only can communicate them; but Church-ordinances and priviledges are properly the Churches, and by the Church are derived unto all the members thereof, whether they be Elect or Reprobate. Mic. 3. ult.Mic 3 We are born again not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, Joh. 1.13. for amongſt Jews and Gentiles there is no difference, All men have ſinned and come ſhort of the glory of God, Rom. 3. but this is ſpoken of a birth-right priviledge, which doth deſcend and come upon a man as he grows upon ſuch a root; therefore this is meant only of a viſible Church-ſtate. [2] It's ſpoken of an Olive-tree which hath two ſorts of branches, ſome remain in their own Olive-tree, and are never broken off, but ſome there are that are broken off; for as Chriſt ſpreading himſelf as a Vine into a viſible Church, hath both fruitful and unfruitful branches, ſome are in him that bear no fruit, Joh. 15.2. ſo hath the Church of God as an Olive-tree ſome branches that abide, and ſome that are broken off. Now in the inviſible Church there are no branches to be broken off, for ex ſolis conſtat electis, it's the Church of the firſt-born whoſe names are written in Heaven; therefore this Olive-tree is a viſible Church, and the branches growing in it are viſible members; they that are grafted in are taken into viſible memberſhip; and they that are broken off, are caſt out from a viſible memberſhip: the root of this Olive-tree is Abraham the father of the Faithful, with whom as it were the Church-covenant did begin; for there was not a covenant made with him only for himſelf, That the Lord would be his God, but alſo the God of his ſeed; and therefore it's mercy to Abraham, but it's truth to Jacob, and the benefit of their grafting in is this, they partake of the root and of the fatneſs of the Olive-tree; the root is Abraham, and that in reference unto the Church-covenant made with him and his ſeed; wherefore they are the children of Abraham and of the Iſrael of God, and they partake of the fatneſs of Church-bleſſings, priviledges, and ordinances; for that muſt be meant; for it's ſuch a fatneſs that the Jews did partake of that were broken off, and ſuch a fatneſs from which they alſo might be cut off,verſ. 22. if they continued not in his goodneſs; therefore it muſt be meant of Church-ordinances and priviledges only, and not of the ſaving graces of the Spirit, which flow immediately from Chriſt, and not from the Olive-tree the Church.

2. It is made a ſpecial mercy to the Jews, when they ſhall be grafted in again into their own Olive-tree, that is, become a Church of God, and be taken into Abrahams Church-covenant, and be made partakers of Church-priviledges and ordinances; and this ſhall be the new Jeruſalem that is to come down from God out of Heaven; Rev. 1.2.Rev 1:2and this Church ſhall injoy communion by outward priviledges and ordinances, as the Churches of the Gentiles do; for there ſhall be a gathering of men to the Lord by them,Eſa. 66.19.Isa 66:19 there ſhall fiſhers in abundance ſtand upon the waters, and the fiſh, which is the perſons that ſhall be taken and converted by them, ſhall be as the fiſh of the great ſea, exceeding many; Ezech. 47.10.Ezek 47:10for the great harveſt of the Church is reſerved for the latter days, and the Miniſtry muſt continue ſo long as there are any of the body to be gathered in, or to be perfected, till we come to the unity of the faith, Eph. 4.13.Eph 4:13and to be perfect men; and there ſhall be Church-cenſures adminiſtred in their glory and in the higheſt majeſty and authority; there ſhall no unclean thing enter there; Rev. 22.11.Rev 22:11without ſhall be dogs, and every one that loves and makes a lye; and it's that this Church ſhall bewail as the great want in thoſe riſing Gentiles, we have a little ſiſter, and ſhe hath no breaſts: Cant. 8.8.Song 8:8by breaſts ſhe means the ordinances and the miniſtry of the word wherein milk for babes is laid up; therefore this Church that ſhe complains had no breaſts was the Gentiles; as afterwards the Gentile Churches do with joy and triumph relate of themſelves, verſ. 10. That their breaſts were like towers, &c. and as formerly the children of the Jews were taken into the Church-covenant with their parents, and made members of the viſible Church, which no man can deny; ſo it ſhall be with them again; as they were broken off with their parents, ſo with their parents they ſhall be grafted in, and thoſe promiſes made good unto them; their children were Church-members, and ſo ſhall they again be, Eſa. 65.23. they are the ſeed of the bleſſed of the Lord, and their off-ſpring with them, the promiſe is,Ezech. 16.20, 21. Jer. 30.20. Cant. 7.2.Ezek 16:20Ezek 16:21Jer 30:20Song 7:2 Their children ſhall be as afore-time, and their congregation ſhall be eſtabliſhed before me; which latter words do refer unto their Church-ſtate, they ſhall be ſons of the Church as they were in former times; and the Lord ſays, that the ordinance of Baptiſm ſhall be very fruitful even unto thoſe infants of the Church, and very efficacious, though now it's dark, and we find little benefit by it, being an ordinance of God appointed by him to convey ſecretly gracious influences p. 212tending unto infants ſpiritual welfare, ſo ſome expound that place Cant. 7.2. Thy navel is like a round goblet, &c. The Church is here compared unto a mother conceiving and bringing forth: now here is the way of nouriſhment for children in the womb not yet brought forth, which is miniſtred by the navel; as to children brought forth it is taken in by the mouth. Now there being no ordinance of which children in the womb of the Church while infants are capable, but Baptiſm; therefore it's conceived by ſome to be meant here by the navel of the Church: and thus we ſee it ſhall be a ſpecial mercy to the Jews, when they ſhall be ingrafted in again into the external form of a viſible Church.

2. To be caſt out from being a viſible member is the greateſt judgment that can befal a perſon or a people in this life; God doth then cut them up by the roots, (1) Ʋpon a perſon; 1 Cor. 5.5.1 Cor 5:5ſuch a man is delivered to Satan, left under his power and kingdom: a man without the Church is under the care and inſpection of the Church no more, but even left to the Devil to hurry him into all manner of wickedneſs or deſpair, as he did endeavour to do the inceſtuous perſon; and there was none of the Saints that might bear the burden with him;1 Cor. 16.22.1 Cor 16:22 ſuch a perſon is ſaid to be Anathema maranatha; a man delivered by the Church of God as incorrigible, until the coming of the Lord; we can do no more with him, and therefore hereby he is bound over to anſwer it before the Judgment-ſeat of Chriſt. (2) It's the higheſt degree of temporal wrath upon a people, Hoſ. 1.7.Hos 1:7Hoſ. 1.7. there is a pedigree of judgments ſet down, but yet the higheſt is Loammi, and this breaking off of the Jews, the natural branches,Hoſ. 2.2.Hos 2:2 and ſaying of your mother ſhe is not my wife, is wrath that comes upon them to the uttermoſt; and then a people may be truly ſaid to be utterly deſtroyed or brought unto an end;1 Joh. 2.18. 1 Pet. 4.7.1 John 2:181 Pet 4:7 this is the laſt hour, the end of all things is at hand; the end of your Worſhip, and Temple, and Ordinances, and Services, and ſo the end of your Church and Common-wealth doth now draw near; it's not meant of the end of the world; and that's the end that Chriſt ſpeaks of,Luk. 21.9.Luke 21:9 Luk. 21.9. Ye ſhall hear of wars and commotions, but the end is not by and by: Therefore when the Lord doth once unchurch a people, the end of all things is at hand with them, there is nothing but utter deſtruction remaining for ſuch; I ſay when the Lord doth thus, he doth cut them off by the root; as we ſee in the Churches of Aſia, What a miſerable condition have they been in ever ſince the Lord removed the Candleſtick from them? and of all the enemies of God the Antichriſtian Church is the greateſt, and is reſerved unto the greateſt judgments; and though it is true it doth fall by degrees, yet as ſoon as it became a myſtery, Babylon the great, the mother of Harlots, and ſpiritual Egypt, and Sodom, ever ſince the Lord hath been pouring out vials of wrath upon her by degrees, which will at laſt ſink her as a mill-ſtone into the Sea, and her plagues ſhall come upon her in one day, ſuddenly and irreſiſtibly, and the Lord will deal with her as a Harlot, and one to whom he hath given a bill of divorce, to the amazement of all the Chriſtian Churches; and it will be eaſier for her by all her art to weigh the fire, to meaſure the winds, to call back the day that's paſt, and to reſtore the verdure of the withered graſs, than to reverſe the ſentence that's written againſt Babylon, She is fallen, is fallen, it is become a habitation of devils, and a cage of all unclean and hateful birds.

2. Now the particulars wherein this great Priviledge conſiſts, are many.

1. They have by this means the offers of the higheſt mercies, they are the children of the Kingdom, and the gueſts that were firſt invited unto the wedding, and therefore it was neceſſary,Act. 13.46.Acts 13:46 ſays the Apoſtle, that the word of God ſhould be firſt preached unto you, foreign. There was a double priviledge that the Jews had before Chriſts coming, they were ſoli, alone, there was a partition-wall between them and all other people; but this being taken away, yet being the people of God to whom belonged the adoption, it's neceſſary that they ſhould be primi, the firſt to whom the Goſpel was offered. And the great mercies of our lives be offers of grace, and they are ſuch, as being neglected, all the world cannot redeem; and theſe many an ungodly man hath in a glorious manner made unto him that he doth never accept, but doth, as the Jews did, put it from him, and thereby judge himſelf unworthy of eternal life, and the grace that is offered him in ſuch offers of the Goſpel.

2. They have the moſt glorious preſence of God of any people in the earth; they are a people near to God, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he dwells with them, he has promiſed,Rev. 21.3. Ezech. ult. & ult.Rev 21:3 I will dwell in them, and walk amongst them; the Lord walks in the middle of the golden Candleſticks, he goes down to the gardens to gather lilies: Jehovah Shammah: Jer. 13. Even as a girdle doth cleave to the loyns of a man, ſo have I cauſed this people to cleave unto me, even the whole houſe of Iſrael; the Lord is in the middle of her; Chriſt ſits there upon a glorious Throne, and they are all gathered together round about him, after the manner of their pitching in the Wilderneſs, where all the Tribes did pitch and incamp round about the Tabernacle, and therefore they are ſaid to incompaſs the Lord about.

3. They have the moſt glorious influences: it's true, that Chriſt as Mediator hath a p. 213providential Kingdom as well as a spiritual; a Kingdom of Providence as well as of Grace,Ezech. 1.10.Ezek 1:10 and both are adminiſtred by the Spirit, They have quieted my Spirit, Zac. 6.8. but he hath a ſpiritual Kingdom in the Church, which is therefore called the Kingdom of Heaven, and all the members of it, whether they be regenerate or unregenerate, are called Children of the Kingdom, and upon thoſe the Spirit of Chriſt hath great works, for the fooliſh Virgins have oil as well as the wiſe; and they have many excellent gifts,Mat. 12.43, 44.Matt 12:43Matt 12:44 the unclean Spirit goes out of the man, when he returns he finds the houſe ſwept and garniſhed, for there is a great diverſity of gifts, but the ſame Spirit: and what is the foreign of thoſe gifts? only the Church,1 Cor. 12.1 Cor 12 for they are all for the body, and therefore they fall from them, when they depart this life, as Elijahs mantle did, when he went to Heaven; for then Prophecy ſhall ceaſe, and knowledge ſhall vaniſh away; and they have glorious common graces reſtraining ſin, and are Virgins that have eſcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Chriſt; and the houſe is ſwept, and the Devil is gone out, and thereby men are reſtrained from thoſe luſts which they dearly love, and forced to an external conformity, when they have no inward principles to ſupport them; and common graces elevating, improving, and ſublimating nature, as we ſee, Heb. 6.7.Heb. 6.7.Heb 6:7 The ground that drinks in the rain that comes oft upon it: there is a rain of Influences as well as Ordinances; and by this means nature is ſtrangely raiſed and improved, and yet the man continues in a ſtate of unregeneracy ſtill, and is nearer to curſing for it in the end.

4. They have very great temporal bleſſings; when Iſrael was taken into a marriage-covenant with God, the Lord ſays, I entred into covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine: Ezech. 16.8.Ezek 16:8then I cloathed thee with broidered work, and ſhod thee with badgers skins, and girded thee with fine linen, and covered thee with ſilk, I deckt thee with ornaments of gold, and put bracelets upon thy hands, &c. Upon the removal of the Candleſtick, if the Lord unchurch a people, all other bleſſings go away with it: They ſhall take away thy eminent place, Ezech. 16.39.Ezek 16:39and they ſhall ſtrip thee of all thy cloaths: and 2 Chron. 7.20. this houſe will I caſt out of my ſight, and I will pluck them up by the root out of the land which I have given them.

5. They have a ſpecial patience and long-ſuffering attending them, and the Lord doth bear with them far for his peoples ſake,Mat. 13.Matt 13 he lets the wheat and the tares grow together until the harveſt, and in the time of harveſt I will ſay unto the reapers, Gather the tares in bundles to burn: we know that the patience and long-ſuffering of God is ſalvation.2 Pet. 3.2 Pet 3

6. They are delivered from many temporal judgments that others fall into; there is a ſpecial preſervation and protection over them in the time of common danger, there is a ſealing for the Church, the Lord ſets a ſpecial mark upon them,Rev. 7.4.Rev 7:4 and wicked men receive much by this, and ſo even a Cham may be ſaved in a common deluge, where many a better man may be drowned. There are priviledges belonging to the ſociety that a man joyns himſelf unto, that a man injoys for their ſakes, but not for his own; as many a man, ſaith Auſtin, in the Invaſion of the Goths, did ſcape by joyning themſelves unto the Chriſtians.Auguſt. de Civit. And Rehoboam ſhall be a Prince all the days of his life, for David my ſervants ſake, that David my ſervant may have a light always before me in Jeruſalem. Jehoram the ſon of Jehoſaphat, 1 King. 11.34, 36.1 Kgs 11:341 Kgs 11:36a wicked man walking in the ways of Ahab and the Kings of Iſrael, and one who at the entrance of his Raign had practiſed that ordinary devilliſh policy in uſe amongſt Princes, to ſlay all his brethren with the ſword, and divers alſo of the Princes of Iſrael, thereby to ſtrengthen himſelf; and yet the Lord would not deſtroy the houſe of David, becauſe of the Covenant that he had made with him, to give him a light for ever; and when Jeruſalem was beſieged in the days of Hezekiah by a mighty Army, the Lord ſays,Eſa. 37.35.Isa 37:35 They ſhall not come into this city, nor ſhoot an arrow there, but I will defend this city to ſave it for my own ſake, and for my ſervant Davids ſake.

7. There is a holineſs that comes to them thereby; 1 Cor. 7.14.1 Cor. 7.14.1 Cor 7:14 Elſe were your children unclean, but now are they holy. (1) An inward holineſs and ſanctification it cannot be, for it's a holineſs that is conveyed from the parents, but ſo the graces of the Spirit cannot be, which are not of blood nor of the will of the fleſh. (2) Neither can it be meant of legitimation, Joh. 1.13.John 1:13that they are legitimate; for there is a lawful marriage between one man and one woman out of the Church as well as in the Church; ſo that they are lawfully man and wife, and their children lawfully begotten; for the truth of thoſe relations are not founded in grace, a father is as truly a father, a Magiſtrate a Magiſtrate, a husband a husband in wicked men; and grace adds nothing to the truth of them, though it doth to the comfort and right uſe of them. (3) It's ſuch a holineſs as is derived from the faith of the parent; for it doth not come unto the child through the unbelieving parent; for if they were both unbelievers the children were unclean; but it's a holineſs that comes upon the child from the faith of the parent, which can be nothing elſe but a federal holineſs, being taken into the parents covenant, which is either from father or mother derived unto the p. 214poſterity. Now all theſe are great bleſſings in themſelves, though they do ripen a mans ſins, and bring a greater curſe upon him in the end; for the mariſh places ſhall be given to ſalt; there be no men in the world delivered over to ſuch fearful ſpiritual plagues, as they are,Amos 8.1. Heb. 6.1. Queſt. 4. Anſw.Amos 8:1Heb 6:1 and if any men prove Devils they doe, the children of the Kingdom ſhall be caſt out, and the Lord will ſay unto them, I know you not, &c.

§. 4. But what is this foederal holineſs, and wherein doth it conſiſt?

This I ſhall ſpeak to, (1) Negatively, and ſhew you what it is not: (2) Poſitively, and ſhew you what it is; and both are very neceſſary in the preſent buſineſs, both that the falſe gloſſes faſtened upon this place may be removed, and alſo the true nature of this Holineſs cleared and eſtabliſhed.

1. Negatively, what it is not: and here I find three interpretations as falſe and corrupt gloſſes given of it.

1. Of a Holineſs of Regeneration: but that cannot be the meaning of it, for the gracious qualifications of the Soul are no more ex traduce than the Soul it ſelf;Joh. 1.13.John 1:13 no man is regenerated from his Parents, that he proceeds from; though they be themſelves regenerate, yet the New-birth is not by Propagation. In this ſence it is true, and to be underſtood, what Tertullian ſaith, None were born Chriſtians. Here is a caſe propounded to the Apoſtle by ſome of the converted Corinthians, 1 Cor. 7.12.1 Cor 7:121 Cor. 7.12. whether from the example of the Jews and the Law in force amongſt them, and their practice in Ezra, to put away their ſtrange Wives; or whether it were really the fear and jealouſie of their own ſpirits, leſt they might be corrupted by them, and leſt their converſe with them ſhould be diſpleaſing to God, and bring a Curſe of God upon them; for it's ſpoken non de matrimoniis contrahendis ſed retinendis, Calv.not of contracting but continuing marriage, Calvin. for elſe the command holds, be not unequally yoaked together with Ʋnbelievers; and marry onelyonly in the Lord; but being married, when they both continued in infidelity, whether now one party being converted and the other continuing in Idolatry, it be not the duty of the party converted to depart from ſuch a yoak-fellow, becauſe of the danger of being defiled by ſuch conſtant and intimate ſociety? In anſwer to this caſe, the Apoſtle ſays, if the unbelieving will continue, let not the believing husband put away his unbelieving wife, &c. and the Apoſtle gives the reaſon drawn from the powerful influence that a ſtate of Grace hath upon thoſe that are brought into it; for the priviledges of the Covenant of Grace are not like unto Concluſions in Logick, which do follow in deteriorem partem; the ſame grace that doth ſanctifie the man, hath a powerful and a gracious influence to ſanctifie all things unto the uſe of the man; and as Calvin ſays, pluris eſt pietas unius ad conjugium ſanctificandum, quàm alterius impietas ad inquinandum. There is a great deal of difference between jus naturale & evangelicum, a man may have a natural right unto the creatures, and that lawfull and before God; even unregenerate men may have ſo, which Chriſt beſtows upon them as ſervants, as a reward of their labouring in a lawfull way, and this is a right of Providence; but there is a right by vertue of union with Chriſt, when a man comes to take every creature as part of the Inheritance of Chriſt, as the Dowry that follows upon the Marriage with him; and this is a right of Promiſe: and anſwerable to this two-fold right there is a great difference in the uſe of any thing, between legitimum, legitime, and ſanctum, holy; a lawful uſe unregenerate men may have, who have according to the Law of God and Nature a lawful right; and ſo a Heathen may have a lawful uſe of Meat, Drink and Apparel, and Marriage, &c. but a holy uſe none have but Believers. There is a double curſe come upon all the creatures, and all relations by the fall: (1) They are deceiving; (2) They are defiling; they draw out a mans luſts, and they inſnare the man, and adde unto the inward pollution of his ſpirit the more, for to the unclean all things are unclean; the uncleanneſs of a man does pollute all things unto him, becauſe the Curſe is not taken off from them; and ſo doth the holineſs of the man ſanctifie all things unto him, all creatures and relations; the curſe being taken off from the perſon, it's taken off from all the creatures, and relations for his uſe, that it ſhall not be a ſnare to him to defile his Conſcience and improve his luſt, and thereby deſtroy his Soul.

Now as for that interpretation that is given by ſome, viz. The unbelieving is ſanctify'd, that is,1 Cor. 7.14.1 Cor 7:14 by living with them they may be ſanctifi'd; for how know'ſt thou, O man, but thou mayſt gain thy wife, In futuro de re incerta & optanda, ſed in praeterito de re jam peracta, &c. Chamier, p. 1418.&c. It's true, that the believer living with the unbeliever may be a means of conveying Grace; for grace is as fire that will turn all things into it ſelf; but that I cannot conceive to be the meaning here; for the ſanctification of the unbeliever is an uncertain thing, and many times does not fall out ſo, but the unbeliever is made the worſe, and the more enraged againſt godlineſs thereby; but the Apoſtle does not ſay, ſhall be ſanctify'd, as of a thing uncertain, but is ſanctifi'd, as of a thing paſt: thence it cannot be meant of true Grace; for this ſanctification nihil point in infideli, he is an unbeliever ſtill, p. 215and in himſelf ſtill unclean; in themſelves they are not holy, but yet they are ſanctifi'd, foreign, which Beza will not render per uxorem as we doe, by the wife, and by the husband, but in uxore, in the wife, and in the husband; that is, uxoris reſpectu, in reference to the believer either husband or wife: if I may preſent to you my own thoughts, I would here take foreign pro foreign, as it's uſually put in Scripture, 1 Cor. 7.15. For God has called us unto peace, it is foreign pro foreign, 1 Theſſ. 4.7. God has not called us unto uncleanneſs but unto holineſs; the Goſpel is ſaid to be preached unto every creature under Heaven, Col. 1.23.Col 1:23a place that has been lately abuſed much by ſome, upon which they would found that Doctrine, That men may come to ſalvation and to the knowledge of the Goſpel without the Word, becauſe they ſay every creature does preach the Goſpel, the Goſpel is preached in every creature; and ſo here, ſanctifi'd foreign pro foreign, it is unto the believer; though there be no holineſs at all in the Unbeliever, but uncleanneſs, yet it is ſanctifi'd unto the Believer, that it ſhall not defile him. And this the Apoſtle doth further clear in another relation; for if Grace in you cannot ſanctifie your Conjugal relation, then it can never make your Parental relation holy and ſanctifi'd unto the Children; for there is the ſame power in Grace to ſanctifie one relation, as another; for if the worſe party, the unbeliever, had a power to make the husband or wife unclean, then had he a power alſo to make the children unclean: but there is not ſuch a power in the Believer, but it is ſanctified to the other by Grace; and therefore are their children holy; foreign, alioquin certè, As Beza.elſe truely were your children unclean, but now are they holy: for if your wives were to you only as other Pagans wives, and ſuch of whom you have only a lawful uſe, as Pagans have, and not a holy uſe, then your Children alſo were in the ſame condition with other Pagans children, that is, unclean and prophane; but your children are not ſo, they are not in the ſame condition with other Pagans children, for God has made a Covenant with Abraham, and with his ſpiritual ſeed amongſt the Gentiles, as well as with his natural ſeed amongſt the Jews; and the courſe of that Covenant the unbelief of a Pagan wife, ſo remaining, ſhall not hinder, if the father be a Believer, and taken into the Church of God; as we ſee in the example of the ſon of Moſes, and in the example of Timothy, Exod. 4.24, 25. Act. 16.1, 2, 3.Exod 4:24Exod 4:25Acts 16:1Acts 16:2Acts 16:3his mother Eunice being a Believer, though it is expreſſely noted that his father was a Greek, and nothing ſpoken of him, but as if he were a ſtranger unto the faith. And if it be objected, that the Child is holy as the Wife is, who is an unbeliever; for the wife is ſaid to be ſanctified as well as the child, and this is but a holineſs of uſe, as you have interpreted, as all other things are by Grace ſanctified unto the Saints, and all of them tend to their ſpiritual good: In anſwer hereto here we are to conſider, that the Apoſtle does not ſay, that the child is ſanctified unto the Parents, but 'tis ſaid poſitively of their children, that they are holy. There is a double holineſs, ſtatûs & uſus, of ſtate and uſe, the wife is ſanctified unto his uſe, as all other things are by vertue of the covenant of Grace, a bleſſing to him, and ſhall not be a ſnare unto his ſoul, nor a means to pollute and defile his inward man; and ſo is his honour ſanctified, and his eſtate ſanctified, and all things that belong to him; which cannot be ſaid to be holy in themſelves, but ſanctified unto the man: but this of Children is the holineſs of their ſtate; that they are holy without reſpect unto their Parents uſe, they are ſo counted by God and are to be ſo reputed by men.

Now what is this holineſs? I anſwer firſt Negatively, what it is not: 1. It's not ſpoken of a Holineſs of Converſion and Regeneration; for, (1) The Sin of Adam came alike upon all Mankind, and by Nature all are alike polluted; and therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaking of Jews and Gentiles, he ſays in this reſpect there is no difference, but even the Elect of God are the children of wrath as well as others;Rom. 3.22. Epheſ. 2.3, 5.Rom 3:22Eph 2:3Eph 2:5 and if the Election of God have not that power upon a man to ſanctifie him, much leſs any relation elſe in the world can have in reference unto Regeneration, till the Spirit of God put forth upon him a work of his Almighty power. (2) This is not ſpoken of Regeneration; for it is a holineſs that comes upon the Child through the Faith of the Parent, whether he be a Believer in verity or in viſibility only; but the holineſs of Regeneration doth not come upon the child any ſuch way; if neither of the Parents do believe, the child is unholy, but if either of them be a Believer, there is from the faith of the believing Parent a holineſs comes upon the Child; but that is not of Regeneration. (3) It's a Holineſs that may be loſt;Joh. 1.13. Rom. 11.20.John 1:13Rom 11:20 for theſe branches may be broken off, that is, either caſt out with their Parents, as the Church of the Jews were; when the Lord was pleaſed to unchurch them and call them Loammi, he did with their Parents caſt out their Children, and they were holy unto God no more; or elſe they may be caſt out and juſtly deprived of their own priviledges by their own perſonal offences, and ſo be caſt off from this eſtate of holineſs: but this cannot be ſaid of the holineſs of Regeneration and Converſion, for there a mans holineſs is everlaſting, becauſe a p. 216man receives a ſeed of holineſs and ſanctification, which ſhall never dye, which can never be broken off; for he receives a ſpirit of ſanctification within him, and has not onelyonly an outward reſpect to holineſs put upon him, &c. but there is many a man in Chriſt as he is a Vine that ſpreads himſelf into a viſible Church on Earth that may be cut off from him, and may be caſt out as a branch and wither; and yet if we look upon Chriſt as he is a head in Heaven, ſo he has no dead members; but as a Vine upon Earth, ſo he has many a withered branch, that may be cut off, and be caſt out, and men gather them, and they may be caſt into the fire and burn, that is, they burn hotter becauſe they prove more wicked than other men, and their priviledges do but adde to their ſins and quicken their deſtruction.

2. It's not meant of Legitimation, that is, a civil holineſs (as ſome will call it) as if the meaning were, elſe were your children baſtards; but now they are holy; that is, lawfully begotten: (1) Becauſe the Legitimation of the child does not depend upon the faith of the Parent either one, or both; for we know that there were lawfull marriages among the Heathen, and where the marriage is lawfull by the conſent of one man and one woman, there the ſeed is legitimate, though neither of them be a Believer; as on the other ſide, a child may be a Baſtard and illegitimate though both Parents be believers, if not begotten in lawful marriage, by the mutual conſent of both parties, giving up themſelves each to other in ſuch a relation; as we ſee it in the child of David begotten in Adultery, which was illegitimate, though both the Parents were Saints; for ſo we have good ground to conceive of Bathſheba; Prov. 31.2.Prov 31:2Solomon the Son of my Vowes; now the holineſs here ſpoken of is ſuch as depends upon and flows from the faith of the Parents, one or both, and which onelyonly faith can give, and nothing elſe. (2) The Holineſs that is here ſpoken of, is ſuch as may be loſt;Rom. 11.20.Rom 11:20 there is a holineſs that is derived from the root unto the branches, and the branches may be broken off, and others may be grafted in; now a man that is legitimate cannot be made illegitimate, and a man that is illegitimate, cannot be made legitimate; there is no way in the thing it ſelf to make him ſo, whatever may be done in the account and repute of men to civil ends. (3) It has been well obſerved by ſome of our Divines, that this doth wholly take away the ſtrength of the Apoſtles anſwer, and make it to be nothing to the purpoſe; for when once the Corinthians were converted, they did ſcruple in point of Conſcience whether they might lawfully live with their Pagan yoak-fellows, for fear of being corrupted by them: Now the Apoſtle anſwers this caſe thus, You may lawfully live with them, for ye are lawfully Man and Wife, your marriage is lawfull; if your Marriage were not lawfull, your children were baſtards, but your Marriage is lawfull, and therefore your children are legitimate, which makes the Apoſtle ſpeak that which is nothing in it ſelf; for who did not well know, that the legitimation of the Child did flow from the lawfulneſs of the Marriage, and that if the Marriage be not lawful, the Child cannot be legitimate? This makes the Apoſtle ſpeak nothing to the purpoſe, or to the caſe that is propounded to him.

3. There is yet another interpretation given of it by Eſtius, which alſo I find Jerome in one of his Epiſtles to Paulinus to give as the ſence that Tertullian did put upon theſe words, asking,Fidelium filii dicuntur ſancti quia ſunt quaſi fidei candidati. How the Children of believing Parents are holy? He anſwers, Becauſe they are as it were in a way unto Faith and to Converſion, and brought under the power and bleſſing of a Chriſtian Education, and have the example of the Saints before their eyes, which may be powerful to Converſion; and ſo ſay they, Sanctification is ſuch a preparation, one deputed and prepared for ſuch an end;Iſa. 13.3.Isa 13:3 the Medes and Perſians are called Gods ſanctified ones, that is, ſuch as he has ſet apart and prepared for ſuch a work; and ſo do theſe ſeem to be ſet apart by holy Education, and as it were prepared unto holineſs and converſion; and this is a ſence alſo that ſome do catch after, to avoid the true ſence of the holineſs that is here ſpoken of by the Apoſtle: But this cannot be the meaning here, (1) Becauſe the Apoſtle does not here ſpeak, as Chamier hath well obſerved, de re incerta & futura, of a thing uncertain and future, but of ſomething which was already actually in being; not only they were in a way or preparation to holineſs, but they are holy, and the wife is ſanctified, as that which all the Believers in the Church of Corinth that were thus unequally yoak'd might build upon, though many of their Children ſhould never be converted by their holy and religious Converſation. (2) This is a holineſs that is derived from the root to the branches, and doth come upon the Children through the faith of the Parents; but for Religious Education, that may as well befall the Child of a Pagan, he may be taken into a Chriſtian family, as men were bought by Chriſtians of old, and had religious education; and in this reſpect any Pagans Child taken into a godly family to be educated, may as truly be ſaid to be holy as the child of a Believer; ſo a Turks Child taken here to be educated, is as truly holy as the Child of any godly man in the world: but this cannot be, p. 217for it is a holineſs that doth proceed from the faith of the parent, that if one of them be not a Believer, their children are unclean, and if they be, then they are holy; however they are educated afterwards, yet there is a holineſs that by grace comes upon them, and if the child of a Chriſtian ſhould be taken away by a Turk (as we have known many children have been, as Scanderbeg was, &c.) yet there is a holineſs comes upon the child from the faith of the parents, though he ſhould be deprived of holy and religious education, which good parents, if it had been in their power, would have given him.

2. Let us now come and ſpeak unto it poſitively, What is this holineſs that doth come upon children by the faith of their parents and by their coming under their parents Covenant? You ſay, that it is neither Regeneration, nor Legitimation, nor Preparation unto Grace by a religious education, what is it then by which they are ſaid to be made holy?

This holineſs is a special priviledge which the Lord hath annexed unto the Covenant of Grace, taking in the children of believing parents into Covenant with themſelves, making the promiſes of the Covenant to run to them and their ſeed; that as natural parents in a natural way convey ſin, ſo believing parents in a federal way may alſo convey holineſs to their ſeed.

1. There is an Adoption belongs to them,Rom. 9.4.Rom 9:4 Rom. 9.4. As there is an Adoption of God that is grounded upon regeneration by mens being begotten and born of God, ſo there is an Adoption that conſiſts in the external reputation only, when the Lord will honour men and viſibly owne them for his before the world, as Exod. 19.5. Iſrael is my ſon, Exod. 19.5.Exod 19:5my firſt-born. (1) They are ſeparated from the reſt of the world to be a viſible Church unto God, and by virtue of this ſeparation or partition-wall the Jews were commonly called the holy people, becauſe they were taken by God into the holy Covenant;Dan. 8.24. & 11.28.Dan 8:24Dan 11:28 for it's a holineſs that flows from the covenant, it's the holy Covenant that makes them to be accounted the holy people. There are two ſorts of men in the world, ſome are ſaid to be within, and ſome without. Now they that are brought into a viſible Church are ſaid to be within, 1 Cor. 5.11.1 Cor 5:11ſeparated from all other people to be a Church unto God, and out of which number God will in an ordinary way gather all thoſe that ſhall be ſaved, Joh. 4. Salvation is of the Jews, and unto which number all that ſhall be ſaved ſhall ſurely be added; Act. 2.47. And the Lord added unto the Church daily thoſe that ſhould be ſaved; for a perſon to have a hedge ſo made about him, and for God to ſeparate him from other men of the world, that are made of the ſame duſt with him, and that are no more polluted with ſin from Adam than he, and yet for the Lord to take one into ſuch a ſociety, and ſeparate him from the common rank of the men of the earth, this is a ſpecial priviledge and favour; as doth appear by the contrary judgment, when the Lord doth unchurch a people or a perſon, and call them Loammi, it is a fruit of the higheſt and greateſt wrath, when he doth break down the hedge, and remove the Candleſtick, and deliver a man unto Satan as they are that are without. (2) The Name of God is called upon them, and they are children born of God, and he doth owne them for his, and he is not aſhamed to be called their God, they are a peculiar people and a holy nation; Ezech. 16.8. Exod. 19.5.Ezek 16:8Exod 19:5which, as all Interpreters agree, is taken from Exod. 19.5. which related unto them, not as an inviſible, but as a viſible Church; ſuch a Church as had Officers over it, which the Church inviſible cannot have; and therefore God is called the God of Iſrael, and they are called the Iſrael of God; and that's the higheſt honour that can be put upon a creature, that the Lord ſhould be called their God, to have the number of his Name, as 'tis ſaid of Antichriſt, Rev. 13.17. he hath four things, the mark, the image, the name, Rev. 13.17. & 15.2.Rev 13:17Rev 15:2and the number of his name; and the Saints are ſaid to get victory over all theſe: I do not take number here to be arithmetical, a man conſiſting of numeral letters, as generally it hath been conceived to be, but I take number for the common account and eſteem that is had of men, and ſo it is taken in ſeveral languages, as in the Greek Homer hath it, foreign, a man of great account in war, a man numbred, that is, generally known to be a skilful and expert ſouldier; and in Latine we ſay, vir nullius numeri, a man of no account and eſteem, and Act. 1.26. He was numbred with the Apoſtles, that is, he was generally taken, accounted, and eſteemed as an Apoſtle, and to be added unto the Apoſtles order; ſo that the number of his name is that common eſteem and repute of men belonging to Antichriſt, to favour and to carry on his deſign, though under fair and ſpecious ſhews to the contrary, when men do not ſeem to declare it, but yet all their actings tend that way; as many a man doth oppoſe Chriſt under the profeſſion of Chriſt ſo there is many a man that doth exalt Antichriſt under the deteſtation of Antichriſt; ſuch men whatever their profeſſion and great out-crys are, commonly are eſteemed and reputed to be of that number, and that they do labour to build that which they would fain make the world believe, they endeavour to pluck down. Now if it be ſo great a diſhonour to have the name of the beaſt, or the number of his name, what an honour on the contrary muſt it be to have the Name of God called upon a man? And if getting victory over the name of the Beaſt, and the number of p. 218his name be ſo great a mercy and glory, what an infinite ſhame and reproach will it be for a man to have the Name of God taken off from him which was formerly called upon him?

2. The Ordinances of God do of right belong to them; and God hath therefore ſeparated them from other people, that he might ſet his Tabernacle in the middle of them, and they have his preſence with them;Rom. 9.4. Rev. 4.Rom 9:4Rev 4 there the worſhip of God is, there is a glorious Throne, by which is meant the Lord Chriſt in the preſence of his people, and it is of a viſible Church; for there are Beaſts and Elders, there are Believers, and there are Officers, which cannot be in the Church inviſible; therefore this preſence of God in Ordinances, and the Ordinances themſelves do belong unto this viſible Church, and the members of it have a right unto them all, as being born of believing parents; and they have not only jus haereditarium, an hereditary right, but jus actuale, an actual right, which is called jus in re, when they ſhall be made fit for them, and are capable of them: it was the great honour of Iſrael that it was the valley of Viſion, and that becauſe of the preſence of God there, it is called the holy City, Eſa. 12.1. & 29.1. Rev. 21.3. Ezech. 48.35.Isa 12:1Isa 29:1Rev 21:3Ezek 48:35Ariel the Altar of God; and the great honour of the new Jeruſalem is, Rev. 21.3. That the tabernacle of the Lord ſhall be with men: it is not meant of Heaven, for it is a Tabernacle, there ſhall be Ordinances therein; and the ſame is ſpoken of, Ezech. 48.35. Jehovah ſhammah.

3. There is a ſpecial Providence that doth watch over them: though it is true, not the ſame peculiar Providence that doth watch over thoſe that are really Saints and by union members of Chriſt, but yet there is a ſpecial Providence towards the viſible Church in reference unto all the works of God; and therefore, Zac. 2.5. to hurt them is as touching the apple of his eye, and he will be a wall of fire about Jeruſalem; theirs is ſuch a protection as other men have not; and therefore when the Lord did unchurch them, he ſays, he will take away the wall and the hedge, Eſa. 5.5.Isa 5:5and they ſhall be trodden down; that is, that peculiar Providence that the Lord did before exerciſe towards them, now he will remove and give them up into the hands of men to devour them; as it is in Deut. 32.30. ſaid, that their rock had ſold them, God did put them into the hands of their enemies, Thou ſelleſt thy people for nought: and we know amongſt men what it is for an out-law, a proſcribed man to be put out of the protection of the Law; and ſo when the Lord doth caſt any man out of the Church, he doth put him out of protection alſo.

4. The great and ſpecial workings of the Spirit of Chriſt do belong unto ſuch: it is true, that Chriſt hath a providential Kingdom as well as a ſpiritual, and the Spirit is the Viceroy and Prorex in both; the Spirit rules for him, and therefore there are mighty workings of the Spirit of God raiſing up the ſpirits of men, and fitting and preparing of them for to accompliſh the Lords work, and to bring about his ends, but yet in the ſpiritual Kingdom there are the chief operations of the Spirit; the Apoſtle counts three things as works of the Spirit:1 Cor. 12.4, 5, 6.1 Cor 12:41 Cor 12:51 Cor 12:6 (1) Gifts of the Spirit. (2) There are foreign, adminiſtrations, functions, and offices, and they are divers, which theſe gifts qualifie men for. (3) There are different fruits and effects, works and ſucceſſes that the Spirit doth give unto theſe gifts in different offices and adminiſtrations: but unto whom doth all this belong? they do all of them belong to the Church:verſ. 12, 28. he hath ſet in the Church offices, and given them gifts, and his ſaving gifts are amongſt theſe, and many very glorious common works, by which even unregenerate men are ſanctified; for the Blood of Chriſt by which they are ſanctified they may deſpiſe as an unholy thing; and in this priviledge of being a member of the viſible Church of God, and having the Name of God called upon him, and the ſervices of God pertaining to him, in this doth this holineſs conſiſt, and a man thereby is ſeparated from all other people in the world.