the word Baptizo and Rantizo in their significations neither did I ever heat any sober honest man affirm it but have more handsomly excused there practice of sprinkling by saying that they used it by a rule of charity in cases of necessity in this cold Climate as David did enter into the house of God and eate shew bread and I must speak for M. Rutton in that case which did say That sprinkling might be called Baptism because it was so set down in the book of Common-prayers the which was more honestly spoken than to say that the word Baptizo is taken frequently for sprinkling but to the examination of your cited text Matth. 3.11 He shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire and say you are not sanctified men rather sprinkled than plounged with the spirit Are we not imperfect here below knowing in part and sanctified in part To which I answer Cor. 13.9 I have indeed read that the Apostle wrote to the Corinths saying we know but in part and prophecie but in part but I never yet read that the godly were sanctified but in part neither do I beleeve that God doth his work by halfs as touching mans sanctification but as saith the Author to the Hebrews He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one and that Christ hath with one offering perfected for ever those that are sanctified by giving himself for the Church Hebr. 2.11 Cap. 10.14 that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it a glorious Church God doth not his work by halfs in the work of Sanctification not having spot or wrinkle or any suchthing but that it might be Holy ad without blame And you may also see that Gods washing and cleansing is not in part but throughout from the words of the Prophet Ezek 16 9. Then washed I thee with water yea thorowly washed away thy blood from thee and so saith the Apostle to the Corinthians that some of them were drunkerds and fornicators but they were washed and sanctified and justified from whence we may see that God doth his work perfectly as touching sanctification and cleansing so then he that is born of God sinneth not but keepeth himself that the evil one toucheth him not This is truth whether you and your bene-fellowes or bountiful friends can witness the same in you ye or nay not that I say that the godly are free from temptation for neither was Christ nor do I say that it is impossible that the sanctified ones may be overtaken in fault The godly sin not with the wils consent but their minds and hearts are pure unto the Lord. yet I do say and affirm that the godly or sanctified man sinneth not with the consent of the will although it is possible for him to be overtaken unawares through the slites of Satan but however he keepeth his minde and heart pure to God and so through the spirit mortifieth the deeds of the flesh and brings into subjection such thoughts and imaginations as are offensive unto God and if it otherwise fall out that some that were sanctified washed throughly did turn again to the wallowing in the mire this was not because they were sanctified but in part but because when they were washed and thorowly washed and made perfect Ezez 16.15 2 Pet. 2.4 Jud. 6. that then they trusted in it and sinned and liked not that good estate and therefore God cast them out of his sight as he did the Angels which sinned which were once perfect and in a good estate But to pass to your second supposition only take notice of this by the way that the spirit is so far from being compared to sprinkling of a little water that it is compared to much water as you may see from Christs own words saying John 7.38 39. He that believeth on me as saith the Scriptures out of his belly shall slow rivers of living water and this he spake of the spirit that afterward he meant to give to them that beleeve And so to your second text which is Matth 20.22 where Christ saith he hath a Baptism to be Baptised withall meaning that of his sufferings the which say you was rather sprinkling than plounging having his head crowned with thorns and his hands and feet nailed and wounded yet he was not wounded in each part of his body To which I answer I hope no sober minded man will say that our blessed Saviour was not plounged or overwhelmed in sorrow when he cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Whose sorrow like unto his sorrow Math. 26.46 and what meant those great drops like blood that trickled from him Esa 53.1 2 3 4 5 6. and himself falling flat to the ground before he was nailed to the Cross what sober man dareth to say that Christ was not plounged into sorrow and greef and sufferings and the Apostle tells you that if one member suffer all the members suffer with it 1 Cot. 12.26 so then Christs sufferings was no small sufferings nor in part but very great in every part so as to press him flat to the ground so that there never was any mans sufferings to be compared to His and yet there were many before him that were over whelmed in sufferings as you may see Hebrews 11. Chap. And so you may see that neither of your reasons which you cited to prove Baptism to be taken for sprinkling are of any weight as first sanctification is not wrought in part in the Soul but thorowly as I have already proved allthough I could say much more Again The Spirit of God in the Soul is not compared to a little water but to very much waters even rivers of waters Christ was more than sprinkled with sufferings for he was plounged into great sufferings the Burden thereof caused him to fall under it flat to the ground and made him cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And secondly that the Baptism of Christ in sufferings was not small or in part but very great in every part that being overwhelmed he fell to the ground and sweat drops like blood before he was nailed on the Cross and when he was nailed on the Cross his heart was overwhelmed with sorrow that he cryed out in the bitterness of his Soul My God my God why hast thou forsaken me He troad the Wine-press of the wrath of God and poured out his Soul to death and groaned under that great oppression the which clearly sheweth to us that Christ was not sprinkled but plounged or overwhelmed in sufferings And again Whereas ye would have me Remember how the parallel lyeth between Johns Baptism and Christs Baptism with the Spirit Act. 1.5 and Christs giving the Spirit compared to pouring in respect of the few drops in the time of the Law by sprinkling for Christ only was plounged with it receiving of it
subject which is Whether children be the subjects that Christ appointed to be Baptised yea or nay and that they are is affirmed by you First because you say there was but out Covenant since the fall which in the substance was Christ although in respect of several administrations called Covenants as bâ—ing several waies administred as under the Law by Circumcision under the Gospel by Beptism To which I answer and say that such as do affirm there is but one Covenant know not what they say nor whereof they do affirm but I shall shew that the Scriptures do reach us that there is two Covenants two kinds of blood to confirm their administrations and the first Covenant as in respect of enjoyment was God gave a temporal land viz Canaan to Abraham as you may see Genes 17.8 the which he and his seed should have enjoyed for ever had they not sinned as you may see in these words and I will give to thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and I will be their God and that Canaan was that which was called and accounted the Covenant although Circumcision was called the Covenant as in respect of the administration of it so was the Law from mount Sinai called the Covenant but you shall see that the land of Canaan and the blessings therein was that which was the Covenant it self Exod. 6.4 5. And I have also established my Covenant with them viz. Israel to give them the land of Canaan the land of their Pilgrimage wherein they were strangers and I have heard the groaning also of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage and have remembred my Covenant and I will bring you into the land concerning which I did swear to give it to Abraham and to Isaac and to Jacob and I will give it to you for an heritage Levit 26.9 I am the Lord. Hence you may see that Canaan was the Covenant together with such like blessings as namely multiplying of them not onely in the increase of their bodies but also of the fruits of the earth and he gave also unto them his Laws and Statutes Levit. 18.5 that if they kept them they should live long in the land yet these things did but appertain to the flesh and if they did see a future enjoyment it was by Faith in another viz. the new Covenant Gal. 3.12 for the Law was not of Faith but the man that kept it should live in it that is in such enjoyments as it brought the which was no other but that of the fleshly blessings Gal. 3.19 20. and this Covenant had a mediator the which was Moses and it had administration and the blood of Bulls Heb. 9.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13. and Goats to dedicate it of which I shall not speak in particular at present and thus I have found one Covenant namely an earthly blessing And now I shall pass to look out a second Covenant I doubt not but I shall finde out a far better Covenant than that which hath been spoken of although that Covenant was such a Covenant that no people had the like blessings namely to have a land flowing with Milk and Honey and great increase that it was the praise of the whole earth But to shew what is that better Covenant established upon better promises and as the first Covenant was an earthly one even the earthly land of Canaan with the blessings appertaining thereunto so the new or better Covenant is the Heavenly land of Canaan that is established on better promises so that although Israel brake that Covenant or the conditions of that Covenant so that they were cast out yet it will not be so in the time when we are put into the possession of this New-Covenant or the thing Covenanted we do already enjoy it by Faith although we have not a foots breadth in the present possession of it as the Land of Canaan was given to Abraham for his Seed when he or they had not one foots breadth in it in present possession but after they diâ—enjoy it they were cast out of it again but this Covenant is established on better promises that is when we come to the enjoyment of the thing covenanted Revel 3.12 namely the heavenly Canaan or inheritance we shall go no more out but shall have the Name of God written in our fore-heads and that there is a New Covenant and that it is a Covenant of Heaven and an Eternal Inheritance and that the blood of Christ dedicateth it and that he also is the Mediator of it and that it hath spiritual administrations as the first had carnal and that there is two Covenants not called so in respect of the administrations of them but in respect of the Covenants themselves read these Scriptures in the room of many more that may be cited Heb 8.6 chap 9.11 14.15 1 Pet. 1.3 4.2 Cor 4.8.9 Heb 9.23 chap. 12.17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Col. 1.5 Heb. 10.34 Gal. 4.24 compared with Heb. 12.22 and Revel 3.12 and chap. 21.2 There is two Covenants proved one of an earthly land of Canaan for a floshly seed and the other of an Heavenly land of Canaan for a spiritual seed For these Scriptures you may see that there is two Covenants as before said and the one an earthly Covenant or a Covenant of earthly enjoyments and the other is a Covenant of Heavenly enjoyments and both these made with Abraham as you may read Gen. 12.3 compared with Gal. 3.8 with Heb. 11.8 9 10. comp wit 16. and that Covenant of Canaan was made Gen. 15.18 and established Gen. 17 7. and called to remembrance Exod 6 4 5. and put them in possession as you may see in the book of Joshua And having proved that there is two Covenants I have answered all as touching that which is written in your fifth page to the 13 line But because you affirm whether our children shall be debarred from the priviledge which the children of the Jewes did enjoy in Circumcision and whether Circumcision yea or nay was a priviledge To which I answer and first I say That Circumcision was a priviledge that without it the children of Israel might not be admitted to live in Canaan nor enjoy those earthly priviledges for no uncircumcised person must come there and this priviledge also they had thereby to be taught the fear of God by their being in such a plice where the fear of God was to be learned the which beleevers children now do enjoy without the heavy yoak of Circumcision or without being Baptised you may see this clearly discoursed if you read my book entituled Dagons Down-fall and so I shall pass to that federate holiness which you speak of 1 Cor. 7. Beleevers children are federately Holy say you and therefore are to be received by Baptism into Christs
the younger as in respect of Adam and therefore be contented and do not hate your brethren for you also may have salvation if you fâ—ll it not by your sins the which if you do by hating and casting out your brethren know it was written for your admonition that for Esaus violence against his Brother Jacob the Lord haâ—ed him at the last Deut. 2.5 although he loved him at first when he was courteous to Jacob and you Mount Seir unto him so that Israel must not meddle with it but when Esaus cruelty began against his Brother then the Lord hated him and at last laid his mountains and heritage the which he gave him waste for the Dragons of the Wilderness and this was the Apostles reasoning to Israel to admon sh them from their murmuring and cruelty and the like against the Gentiles but God hated not Esau before borne and yet afterwards did hate him for his wickedness and that God may love and hate one and the same creature and not change in his Decree I have already proved by Gods loving and hating the Angels and I have also shewed how the execution of his Decree depends on his two Attributes viz. Mercy and Justice and where the Apostle speaks of children he means the Nation as aforesaid or otherwise saith nothing to the matter to wit of the controversie between Jew and Gentile which is the sum of his discourse in Romans 9. and that you may see that which is spoke in Scripture as of Esau means the Nation of the Adamites read Gen. 36 8. in these words Thus dwelt Esau in Mount Seir Esauis Edom from whence we may learn that when the Lord speaks of hating of Esau he means Edom because Esau is Edom. Objection But you will say that Esau could not repent and therefore reprobated before he was born Answ To which I answer Heb. 12 27. the meaning of the Text is this that when Esau had sold his birth-right and neglected the time and opportunity of his blessing by his being abroad a hunting in the field that then there was no seasorable time neither was there room or plice for repentance so as to be accepted in reference to the obtaining of that which he before had despised â—ould and neglected although be might repent or cry or tear his heart for it is a true maxime that the last of time is without recovery and therefore saith Christ to Jerusalem If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day but now is it hid from thine eyes and so forth Luke 19.42 But take this in short that Esau having despised his birth right and sold it that then there was no reason that he should enjoy the blessing which depended on the birth-right and was to be given as a consequence of this and much more I might say but I pass and leave you to examine what I have said as to this in my former discourse and by the way take notice that this was but an external blessing and also that he had sold it and therefore no room or place for him to regain it again after he had despised it although he might seek it with tears and this is set out for our warning that we might not despise or neglect or ell for this Worlds enjoyment our inheritance which is not the mount that might not be touched but mount Zion the City of the living God and the heavenly Ierusalem and the innumerable company of Angels and so forth and so I pass to the fourteenth verse Verse 14. What shall we say then Is there unrighteousnesse with God God forbid Annot. This verse we may see implies an objection in these words Is there unrighteousnese with God to which the Apostle answereth nay God forbid as if he should have said there is no injustice with God for he doth every thing very justly for he might hate Esau or Edom for their wickedness although they were from Isaacs loins and also the elder people too were of right external blessings did belong by vertue of the fleshly line but Gods choice and blessing depends not on Nations or Generations upon a fleshly account but every Nation that feareth him and worketh righteousness shall be accepted of him and this the Apostle further clears in the fifteenth verse which is the reason that the Apostle urges from Gods words to Moses Vers 15. For he saith to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion Annot. In this verse we may see Paul clears up Gods Justice in casting off the people of Israel for their sins in shewing that God is not so ingaged to any people upon a fleshly account or upon an account of choosing them to bear his name so as if they rebel against him not to punish them and cast them out of his sight and therefore repeateth what the discourse was between Moses and the Lord as touching Israel and saith the Lord said to Moses that he would have mercy on whom he would have mercy that is as if the Lord should have said to Moses trouble not thy self so much about this people as to wish thy self blotted out of my Book that I may have mercy on this people for they are a rebellious stiff necked people therefore pray not nor intercede for them for I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy thou shalt not appoint me whom I shall have mercy on for I will have mercy on whom I please that is I will have mercy on humble obedient souls and such as sin will I blot out of my book and this is meant by the words of the Apostles saying He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and that you may more clearly know what is meant by these words premised consider these two things First the occasion of Gods saying to Moses I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and that was Israel had grievously sinned against the Lord by making them gods to go before them Moses undertook to intercede for them to the Lord and in his intercession useth many motives to move God to have mercy on them Exod. 32.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. as first he beseecheth the Lord to spare them because saith he the Egyptians will speak and say for mischief did he bring them out that he might slay them in the mountains Secondly Moses desires the Lord to remember Abraham Isaac and Israel viz Jacob thy servant to whom thou swarest by thy own self and saidst unto them I will multiply your seed as the starrs of Heaven these and such like motives Moses useth to prevail with the Lord to turn away his anger but the Lords answer is that Israel was a stiff-necked people and therefore saith he Let me alone that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation Nevertheless Moses was not satisfied but did go on to
From whence we may see that when God hath given any man his Spirit so as to qualifie him for the work of the Ministery and the Church Elected him for the same then according to the practice of the Church of Antioch and others also they ought to keep a day solemnly unto the Lord by fasting and prayer Act. 3.1 2 3. at which time the Eldership ought to lay their hands upon the person or persons so Elected and approved of as aforesaid and give them their charge in the presence of all the Congregation and this is Gods method and our practice in Ordaining of Ministers And again their charge is mainly to preach the Gospel instant in season and to study that they may divide the word of truth aright that their profiting may appear to all men that behold them and several other thing of this nature that might be added as matter of their charge but I shall passe both from this particular and this subject and come to the vindication of Zions Redemption Zions Redemption Redeemed IN the answer of this discourse viz. Zions Redemption your ignorance as I suppose is very much discovered As first say you The ten Tribes are threatned never to be a people more and Hose a tells us say you God will love them no more Isa 7.8 Hosea 9.15 16 17. God will cast them away and they shall be wanderers amongst the Nations and yet say you I believe there is hope of their call for they are elected and beloved page 31. To which I answer and say That although you know not the mystery of God in the prophets yet you might have learned to lay your contradictions farther asunder for say you in page the 29 that God saith by the Prophet Hosea He will love them no more and yet in your page 31. you say They are elected and a beloved people as in Rom. 11. Gould discover your ignorance at large but because time is precious I shall onely disprove what you say and not so much paraphrase on your words to shew the contradistions as possibly I might do if I had time But say you Israel shall not return again into their own land for God will love them no more Therefore it will be necessary for me to open your Text of Scripture cited by you and secondly to prove that God had an everlasting love to the house of Israel as in reference to the manifestation thereof in time And thirdly to prove that the ten Tribes viz. Israel shall return and also Judea into their own Land and these in their particular order And first to the first Isa 7.8 which is to open these two Texts of Scripture Hos 9.15 16.17 namely Isaiah and Hosea which saith the Prophet Isaiah 7.8 For the head of Syria is Damascus and the head of Damascus is Reazin and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken that it be not a people Ans To which I answer and say 2 King 17.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 That this Text is a Prophecy of Ephraims extirpation from being a Nation in their own Land so that Israel for their sins was to be carried away captive as was done according to Gods word as is recorded in the Book of the Kings yet not such caprives as that they never were to return For the very same Prophet that prophecies of their Captivity also prophecies of their return as you may read in the eleventh Chapter of his Prophecy saying And he shall set up an ensign for the Nations Isa 11 12 13 14 15. and shall assemble the out-cast of Israel and gather the diâ—persed of Judah from the four quarters of the earth and the envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off and the Lord shall utterly destroyâ—th tongue of the Aegyptian Sea and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the River viz Euphrates as Rev. 16 12 and shall smite it in the seven streams and make men go over dry-shod and there shall be an high-way for the Remnant of his people which shall be left from Assyria like as it was to Israel in the day when that he came up out of the land of Aegypt From whence we may see that although Israel must be broken from being a Nation for a time yet there is a Remnant which spring from their loins which shall return again and enjoy their own Land But I shall passe at present to your next proof of Scripture which is the words of Hosea saying All their wickedness is in Gâ—lgal Hos 9. for there I hated them for the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of mine house I will love them no more all their Princes are revolters my God shall cast them away because they did not hearken unto him and they shall be wanderers among the Nations From these words you conclude that they shall never return because the Prophet saith That he will love them no more but his God will cast them out and make them wanderers among the Nations In these words we may learn these two things First the prophets zeal for the Lord that he doth not onely pray to the Lord to bring judgements upon them Jers 14. as in the foregoing ver but also saith that he wil love them no more also saith he My God will cast them out and make them wanderers amongst the Nations And secondly he giveth the reason why he thus spake and that was saith he Because they did not hearken unto the Lord but were revolters from him Now let the Reader judge whether you understood what you printed for doth this Text imply that Israel shall never return because the Prophet saith That HE will love them no more But admit the Prophet speaks as in the person as we may say of God yet the reason why he would love them no more was because of their sins now if they had repented God could not but have loved them according to the property of his mercy Do you not know what is the property of the Attribute of Gods Mercy Did you never read what the Lord said unto Israel in the tenth Chapter of the Book of Judges Judg. 10.12 13 14 15 16. In these words Ye have for saken me and served other gods wherefore I will deliver you NO MORE Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation From whence we may see that God useth the word NO MORE in this place saying I will deliver you no more and also we see the cause was for their sins yet when they humbled themselves and said We have sinned do thou unto us whatsoever seemeth good unto thee Judg. 12 32 33. deliver us only we pray thee this day and they put away their strange gods from among them and served the Lord and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel And
will be his glorious Army Mat. 24.30 Zach. 14.14 Exod. 1.11 Rev. 1 7. Zach 12.10 Joh. 19.26 yet it s plain he shall descend upon Mount Olivet and restore Israel and put the new earth into the possession of the meek from whence we never finde they shall return but Gods Tabernacle shall be with them there as before said and there is not one objection that I know of at present but may easily be answered Joh 14 1 2 3 and where it is said Christ is gone to prepare a place for us we know Christ tells us that in his Fathers house there is many mansions and therefore no great need of prepatation onely speaking according to mans capacity and so John saith Rev. 11.2 3 4 he saw it adorned as a Bride for her Husband and that house that Christ calls his Fathers house and that inheritance that Peter saith 1 Pet. 1.3 4 5 is reserved for us in heaven 〈◊〉 her but that new Jerusalem that shal I come out of heaven viz from above â—he clouds and be situated upon the new earth and so Christ will be the King and Governour of the whole earth at which time he will reconcile to himself a things both in heaven and earth and his will then will be done on earth as now it is in heaven Christs will shall be done in earth as it is done by Angels now in heaven so that every knee hath of things in heaven and earth at that time shall bow before him when there shall not be Lords many or Gods many but he onely Lord throughout all the earth and his name one onely we except him the which hath put all things under him but yet we ee not all things subdued under him for there are many that will not have him to reign over them and the last enemy which is death is not yet destroyed but I passe briefly to the next thing which is The heavens say you shall retain Christ till the restauration of all things and therefore Christ will not come untill the wicked be raised for say you shall the earth after it is restored be digged up and disaced for to raise the wicked To which I answer and say that such as you have you put into your book you erre and know not the Scriptures or the power of God cannot he who gives to every seed his own body after it is turned to dust a thousand years raise up such by his power without defacing the earth or putting the earth in an incapacity to bring forth her fruit after the manner of an earth restored or did you never read that the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Korah and his company and yet closed her mouth again or hath not he that openeth the earth power to shut it again without defacing of it and did you never read that God took out one of Adams ribs Gen. 2.21 and closed up the flesh instead thereof and yet not Adam defaced or imperfect by it many such like instances might be added but the objection is not worth an answer and therefore I passe to the next thing onely take this by the way that is the Heavens are said to retain Christ till the TIMES of restauration and we know that the word TIMES in the plural number is taken for years as Nebuchadnezzar was to be turned out into the open field till seven TIME Dan. 4.23 had past over him meaning seven years so then the text may be read thus Acts. 3.19 The heavens shall retain Christ till the year of restauration the which being duly weighed and truely understood will teach us that the times or years of Christs reign will be the times or years of restauration and so I come to the next thing which is say you Satan was bound a thousand years Page 38 39 as not to hinder the propagation of the Gospel although he raised persecution against the professors thereof Answer what may I say to this peice of contradiction 〈…〉 hindred when the Professors thereof 〈…〉 to death if this 〈…〉 not the Gospels propagation know not what hindreth it but this is as likely to be true as the conversion of persons from a state of sin to a state of grace called the first resurrection for John in his vision saw all that had suffered under the Romish Babylon from Rev. 18. and all that had suffered under the great Antichrist to be alive again in the state of resurrection from the dead but the rest of the dead men lived not again til the thousand years were finisht and that this means a resurrection from the grave is plain because the Apostle saith that the dead in Christ shall rise first also John saith that when the thousand years are finished 1 Thes 4. Satan shall be loosed and gather God and Magog and then shall be the resurrection of the rest of the dead men according to the saying written And the sea gave up the dead that was in it and death and hell viz. the Grave delivered up the dead which was in them c. And again whereas you say John saw the souls and not the bodies of them that were beheaded in heaven with Christ To which I answer and say Gen. 46 26. it is said that there was above threescore souls came into Egypt with Jacob now did these souls come without bodies or is not the body or the individual man called the soul this you may read frequently in Scripture Hos ch 10 11 as in the book of Hosea and several other Scriptures And whereas you say that John saw their souls in heaven The text saith no such thing that John saw them in heaven but the text saith that John saw the souls of them that were beheaded and they lived From whence we learn that God shewed John the state of the resurrection of the just to be a thousand years before the resurrection of the wicked The dead in Christ shall arise from the dead a thousand years before the wicked for the rest of the dead men lived not again untill the 1000 years were filnished Rev. 20.6 7. and when Christ speaks of his coming and raising the dead and changing the living that live in him â—e saith that Two shall be in one bed the one taken and the other left and that this agreeth with Pauls words to the Thessalonians which saith the dead in Christ shall rise first iâ— plain because Christ adds this word also where the carkâ—se is thither will the Eagles be gathered all which sheweth that the dead in Christ shall rise first and John resolves the doubt that is how long the dead in Christ shall rise before the other dead men and that is saith he a thousand years for the rest of the dead men lived not again untill the thousand years are finished this is the first resurrection So then the resurrection spoken of by John is not to be understood
Church To which I answer and say that your word federately your matter intimated in it are far ferched consequences that the holiness spoken of in 1 Corinths 7. will not admit any to Baptisme the which if it would then the unbelieving Wife or Husband which is as holy as the Child ought to be Baptized and how far that is from truth I shall leave the Reader to judge but that the Text doth say that the unbeleever is Holy read it and you shall see to difference in the word Sanctification and Holiness in that place for Tindal readeth it thus Eâ—uxor infidelis sanctificata est inviso alioqui câ—rte liberi vestri improbri essent nunc autâ—m sanctisunt So that the word may be red the unbeleeving woman is Holy or hallowed to or by the man as well as sanctified but the holiness mentioned in 1 Cor. 7. is no other but a matrimonial holiness as I also have proved in my precedent treatise and so I pass and leave you to read your answer there Again you say God owned those children presented to him in Circumcision Ezek. 16.20 21. and called them his children To which I answer and say if you were demanded how you could prove that those children were Circumcised you would be much troubled to prove it for surely their Parents were not so careful to give heed to Gods Commands the which if they had they would not have offered their children to Molech which was fobidden and theresore Circumcised they were not doubtless and if they were prove it Exod. 22.39 Exod. 13.2 Nehem. 10.35 36 37. But you will say how cometh it to pass that God calleth them his children The answer is those that were offered up in the fire was the first born and the Lord before had commanded for himself all the first born and they are said to be Holy to the Lord and hence he calleth them his children yet take notice that I do not deny but God did own such as was offered to him in Circumcision but it doth not follow therefore that he will own such offered up in Baptism for he had commanded children to be Circumcised at eight dayes old and therefore good reason that he should own them but he never commanded children of eight dayes old to be Baptised and therefore it is a vaine conceit to think that God will own that which he never appointed Again you say That the premise under the Gospel is to Beleevers and their children by vertue of the Parents Faith Act. 2.39 Answer The Text doth not say that the promise under the Gospel is to beleevers and their children upon their Parents Faith surely your eyes be very dim or your understanding very shallow in looking on that place see the Text Act. 2.39 Repent and be Baptised every one of you and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit for the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit is to you and your Children in their non-age are not heirs to the Holy Spirit and heaven by vertue of their Fathers Faith as you fondly conceit children and to all that are afar of even to so many as the Lord our God shall call Now I pray see doth this Text say that the Gospel promise belongeth to children of Beleevers upon their Parents Faith the text hath not such a consequence in it the meaning of the Text is briefly thus the Jews were pricked at the heart for Crucifying of Christ and desiring his blood to be on them their children the Apostle knowing that all sins should be forgiven unless that against the Holy Ghost saith to them not when they were beleevers but before they did beleeve Repent but as if they should say there is no hope of mercy if we should repent yet there is saith Peter for God hath promised to pour out af his Spirit in the last dayes upon all flesh and also on your children even on your sons and daughters and therefore your condition is not so bad as by you supposed nor your childrens but they shall receive the Spirit even so many of them as God shall call your wicked practice in Crucifying Christ hath not so far deprived you or them from mercy but if you or they obey the voice of Gods call he will give you or they after you the Holy Spirit therefore repent every one of you here is ground enough for you to repent and to be Baptised and gladly to walk in Christs wayes That promise Act 2.39 was the promise of the Holy Spirit and it was made to all upon condition of obedience and Faith and declared to those poor wounded Souls that they might have ground to repent and beleeve the Gospel and thus you see the Text saith the promise was to them before they did beleeve that they might have ground to beleeve and obey the Gospel and therefore this maketh not for beleeves seed being under a Gospel promise for these did not beleeve when the Apostle saith the promise is unto you but if the promise of the Spirit be made to all children upon their Parents Faith then every beleevers child most consequently have the Holy Spirit or otherwise God not so good as his promise but the promise in Acts the second is a general promise of the giving forth of the Holy Spirit to all flesh Jews and Gentilis Fathers and Children even so many as are the called ones of God but in my former Treatise I have shewed the reason why the Apostle maketh mention of their children in this Text and so refer you to that further to peruse and pass to the next thing the which is A chaâ—ge of evil on us in denying the children of Beleevers Church Priviledge To which I answer that in that particular your selves do lie under evill in denying children Church priviledges namely that priviledge of the Lords Supper the which of right belongeth to every member of Christs Church for they that were or are to be Baptised or to continue in the Doctrine of Christ in breaking of bread and prayer and Baptism is not properly a Church priviledge but that which is to be done without the Church and those priviledges that are properly accounted Church priviledges you do deprive children of and also when you write again resolve this question whether the Lords Supper of right do not belong to all that are Baptised unless they are cast out forsin and if so then clear your selves if you can of depriving children of Church priviledges but you may see this also is discoursed and answered in my former Treatise entituled Dagons Down-fall And so I come to the Examination of that cited place Mat. 28.29 Go disciple all Nations or make disciples all Nations and Baptize them to which you would have me read Iohn 4 1 2 3. the which is equivolent with the words in Mat. 28. the which is read thus When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had beard that Iesus made and