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SERMON V.

BELIEVERS AND THEIR OFFSPRING IN COVENANT WITH GOD.

ACTS, II. 39.

FOR THE PROMISE IS UNTO YOU, AND TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO ALL THAT ARE AFAR OFF, EVEN AS MANY AS THE LORD OUR GOD

SHALL CALL.

IN the former part of this chapter, we have an account of that wonderful out-pouring of the Holy Ghost upon the apostles on the day of Pentecoft. In the context we have Peter's folemn address to the mixed multitude, collected together on that occafion, in which the apoftle proves to them that Jefus Chrift, whom they had taken, and by wicked hands crucified and flain, was the Son of God, the true Meffiah and Saviour of the world. And he folemnly teftifies that God had raised him from the dead, and had exalted him at his right hand, whose blood they had impiously imprecated on themselves, and on their children. Under a fenfe of this guilt they were pricked to

the heart, and, under awful, apprehenfions of the divine wrath, in agonies of distress they cried out, men, brethren, what shall we do? The apostle then called them to' repent of their fins-to embrace the gospel, and to be baptized in the name of Jefus Chrift, as the only way to efcape the divine wrath, which was coming on that wicked generation, and as the only way to enjoy the bleffings and privileges of the gofpel difpenfation. This call they enforced by the weighty argument in our text. "For the promife is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call."

It is generally fuppofed that this declaration refpects both Jews and Gentiles. The promise is to you, and to your children. This refpects those who were of the Jewish religion. The promise is to them who are afar off, when God fhall call them, and to their children. This is fuppofed to have reference to the Gentiles, who fhould also be gathered into the church by the gospel, and fhould then enjoy the bleffings and privileges of the covenant of promife with God's people.

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We have feen in the preceding discourse, that all who believe are Abraham's feed, and heirs according to the promife; and that, by divine appointment, the infant children of fuch are to be received with their parents, and to be baptized. But it has been asked, what advantage is this to parents, or to their children? To give an anfwer to this queftion fhall be the fubject of my prefent discourse. I fhall, therefore, now endeavor, by divine affiftance, to fhew,

I. What the covenant of promife contains for believing parents with respect to themselves.

II. What it contains for them with refpect to their children.'

III. Shew how parents may have an intereft in this covenant, and enjoy its peculiar bleffings and privileges for themfelves, and for their children.

1. Under this head I do not propofe to speak of thofe bleffings which are common to believers in general, but only of thofe which are peculiar to them as parents. It is highly reafonable to fuppofe, that as they have a peculiar truft and charge, they also should have fpecial affiftance, and particular bleffings and privileges. The apostle fays, they are bleffed with faithful Abraham. Believing parents being heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jefus Chrift, have not only their fins forgiven; they have not only God for their God, for their father and portion-they have not only Jefus Chrift for their Saviour, the Holy Spirit for their Sanctifier; but, in the first place, they alfo have the great privilege, that their infant children fhould be confidered as in covenant with them. That this is a great privilege, every parental feeling is ready to acknowledge. It was before proved and illuftrated, that under every difpenfation of the covenant, this has been granted to believing parents, as God faid to Abraham, the father of believers, "I will be a God to thee and to thy feed after thee."

It muft certainly be confidered as a great favor to the parent, that the great and good God fhould thus graciously mention their infant offspring in the covenant with them. By this he doubtlefs intended to fhew his condefcending grace and mercy to his people, that they might be encouraged in the faithful difcharge of their important trust.

2. The covenant of promife, as has been prov ed in the former difcourfe, contains, for believing parents, the privilege of giving up their children to God in baptifm, through Jefus Chrift.-This is a great favor in every refpect, but especially, that by faith believers may thus bring their infants to the compaffionate Saviour for his bleffing--the Saviour who is ever present in his ordinances. When thus given to him, they may always with freedom, in their prayers, bring them to the throne of free covenant-grace and mercy; they may, mercy; they may, with hope, commit them to God's fatherly care; and they may, by faith, take hold of the covenant of his own appointment, and plead its bleffings for them, as for their own fouls.

3. Another privilege this promise contains for parents is, that their children, in their infant and most helpless state, may be, with them, members of the church. They may here confider them, in a peculiar fenfe, not their own, but the children of the household of faith. They may confider them the Lord's property, and that they are to be brought up for him. Thefe reflections will not only strengthen all their obligations, but also greatly fweeten all their care and labor. They afford, to believing parents, a sovereign balm for all their wounds, and a fweet cordial for all their fears refpecting their dear infant-children. How wonderful are the condefcending grace and goodness of God to his dear people! But how vile the ingratitude and unbelief of the human heart!

4. This promife contains, for believing parents, all needed wifdom and grace to bring their offspring up for God, while he continues them under their care. How often do parents find their

Arength fail in trying circumstances respecting them even in their infant-ftate? But what a bleffing have they in the covenant! Here is ftrength and affiftance; and, indeed, they never fail of obtaining a recruit when they come here by faith. In the riper years of their children how often do they find that they lack both wisdom and grace to give them inftruction, to reftrain them from evil practices, and to bring them up for God? But here is both grace and wifdom in store. Here they may come freely by faith, and obtain mercy, wisdom and grace to help in every time of need. God fays, in the covenant of promife, I will be a God to thee, O believing parent! The promise is to thee in the character of a parent, and contains every bleffing and grace neceffary for the education of your children, who are devoted to his fervice. Thefe bleffings are treasured up in Christ to be communicated to all those parents who come to God for them by faith by that faith which takes hold of the covenant-which works by love, and is productive of new obedience. Ignorant and unbelieving parents may think lightly of all thefe bleffings, but they must certainly be exceeding precious to him who has been made sensible what it is to be without God in the world-to him who is fenfible what it is to have a covenant-God and father through Jefus Christ, and to him who knows what it is by faith to plead the precious promifes for his own foul.-How fupporting to the tender, faithful, parental heart, when ready to fink under a view of the many evils which are thickly fcattered in the vale of tears, through which their dear child muft pafs! How fupporting, I fay, are thefe covenant-bleffings, efpecially when parents can take hold of the cove

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