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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bishop_n	pastor_n	presbyter_n	5,642	5	10.0950	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96442	An ansvver to Mr. Francis Cornvvells positions & inferences, concerning dipping, anabaptisme, antipædobaptisme, tythes, and consecrated churches. Wherein the English Ministry is vindicated from the Anti-Christianisme, so deeply by him charged upon them. Published in speciall reference to the good of Mr Cornwells misled congregation. / By Robert Whittle, minister of the word of God at East-Malling in Kent. Whereunto are annexed, the fore-mentioned positions of Mr Francis Cornvvell, entituled, the Nevv Testament ratified with the blood of the Lord Jesus, is the Magna Charta of Beleevers in Jesus the Christ dipped; by which they are justified to be no hereticks.	Whittle, Robert, 1597 or 8-1679.; Cornwell, Francis. New testament ratified with the blood of the Lord Jesus.	1647 (1647)	Wing W2046; Thomason E516_1; ESTC R206141	27,828	25

Covenant to oppose all Popery and Popish Innovations and so will make this a Popish innovation Where first let him remember that wee are as well tyed by Covenant to endeavour the extirpation of all Heresie and Schisme and let him first clear himself of these before he accuse us of the other but let us see how he will prove this to be a Popish Innovation He tells us we joyn with the Apostate Fidus and the Councell of the 66 Bishops in the dayes of Cyprian If Fidus were alive to answer for himself he would returne to Mr. Cornwell the name of Apostate and content himselfe with his old name Fidus by which he hath bin known these 1400 years and whereas the title of Priest is cast upon him as a reproach it is no other then Presbyter sotranslated by Mr. Cornwell and if it be accounted an Innovation to joyne with 66 Bishops and that glorious Martyr Cyprian faithful Pastors assembled together in the Primitive times and that in the received doctrine and practice of the Church of God continued from the Apostles as Origan and Augustin witnes concerning the Baptisme of Infants which hath so good warrant from the word of God against a Sect sprung up within lesse the one hundred and thirty years first spread by St●rkins in Germany if I say to joyne with these in this be Innovation then let us be accounted Covenant-breakers But let Mr. Cornwell or his adherents shew when ever in the Primitive times the Baptisme of Children was not in practice in the Primitive Church or else no body of a sound minde can beleeve it to be an Innovation The question from Fidus to Cyprian was not whether Infants were to bee baptized or not but whether or no they were to bee baptized before the eighth day because Baptisme succeeded in the roome of Circumcision To this Cyprian with 66. Bishops assembled together answer'd in his eighth Epist lib. 3. Quantum ad causam infantium pertinet quos dixisti●intra secundum vel tertium diem quo ●atisunt constitutos baptizari non oportere considerandam legem esse circumcisionis antiqu● 〈◊〉 ●ntra octavum ●iant cum qui natus est baptizandum sanctificandum non put 〈◊〉 long●aliudin concilio nostro omnibus visum est in hoc enim quod tu putaba● esse faciandum ne●o consensit a Baptismo gratia prohiberi non debet infans receus natus None agreed to the not baptizing of Infants but were all of another minde even that children though newly borne were not to be kep● from Baptisme This was then the Doctrine and practice of the Church and how can you have the face to affirme that it was left arbitrarie till in the time of 〈◊〉 the third it was ratified by a Deor●● under the penalty of Excommunication you ha●● been already lasht for 〈◊〉 and dare you persist you cannot but know that this is a meere falshood of your owne invention if you doe but open your eyes and look into any Antiquity but you thinke none of your Congregation can discover it then do matter Innocent the third lived about the yeare 1198● Math. Palmerii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You have taken a leap of above 900 yeares to joyne Cyprian and Innocent together When you say By this Act of Fidus and the Councell of 66. Bishops and the Decree of Innocen●ius the third the Nationall Churches have trodden the holy City of Beleevers in Jesus Christ dipped under fo●t 〈◊〉 42 Moneths which reckoning a day for a yeare may 〈…〉 1260 yeares Rev. ●1 2. From whence doe you take your Computations of 〈◊〉 1260 yeares if from Cyprian it will amount to more by above one hundred and thirty yeares if from Innocent not 〈◊〉 so much by above 800 years and you cannot reckon from Fidus or Cyprians time for your selfe confesse that in their time and a long season after untill Innocent the third baptizing of infants was held an arbitrary thing and therefore that was no trampling of any under foot for if arbitrarie all had their liberty therefore your account must be from Innocent the third whom you give us both in Figures and words at length lest any should thinke you were mistaken and here sure you come short of your reckoning above 800 yeares will you not confesse your selfe here at fault tell your Congregation you were mistaken and let them for other things trust you accordingly But let us see if it were left arbitrary till Innocent the thirds time I suppose you know that the Decrees of Councells were so binding that they left nothing a●bitrary which they bound under the penalty of Anathema you may finde a Decree in the Milevitan Councell many hundred yeares before Innocent the third Quicunque parvulos recentes ab uteris matrum Baptizandos negat Anathema 〈◊〉 Whosoever denyeth Children to be Baptized as soon as they are borne let him be Anathema Was this to leave it Arbitrarie And if it had beene Arbitrary yet from thence it appeares that it was the practice of the Church in those Primitive times even whilst under Persecution neither can Mr. Cornwell or any other shew when ever the Baptizing of Infants was not in practice in the Church of God And whereas he requires Actuall faith and repentance as necessarie to Baptisme he cannot but know that faith and repentance are as necessarily required in Scripture phrase to justification and salvation as to Baptisme Luke 13. 3. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Rom. 3. 28. A man is justified by faith Mark 16. 16. He that beleeveth not shall be damned Now if the want of Actuall faith and repentance even in the judgements of Antipad●baptists themselves doe not debarre Children from justification and salvation why should it debarre them from Baptisme And seeing that the blessing of Abraham is come upon the Gentiles even the Covenant of grace which God made with Abraham not abrogated Gal. 3. 15. 17. but continued and confirmed to all that are in Christ as Abrahams seed verse twenty ninth For that Covenant or Testament which the Apostle speaks of as the old Testament abrogated was not in reference to the Covenant made with Abraham which was the essentiall Covenant of Grace but in reference to that Covenant which hee made with the Israelites when he took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt as appeares Heb. 8. 8 9 13. which as the same Apostle explaining himselfe tells us stood in meats and drinks and divers washings and carnall Ordinances Heb. 9. 10. Which were outward Ordinances annexed to the Covenant for its manner of Administration yet called by the name of the Covenant even as Circumcision also is called the Covenant though but a Signe or Seale of the Covenant by a Metonymie of the Adjunct these outward Adjuncts are onely abrogated as it stood onely in these but the substance I will be thy God and the God of thy seed continues still firme God then having

Rev. 14. 12. cryeth from heaven for vengeance this day against you who now walke in the steps of the high Priest and Pharisees of old who killed the Lord Jesus and their owne Prophets and have persecuted us and please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to preach the Gospel to the Nations that they may be saved to fill up their sinne alwayes for the wrath of God is come upon them to the utmost 1 Thess 2. 15 16. But if you have hardened your hearts through the love of money which is the root of all your evill Yet good Lord open the understanding of the multitude of the people that you have so long deceived by your pretended holinesse and humane learning that remaine in mysticall Babylon yea and give them a true knowledge to depart from them and not be partakers of sinne denying the Lord Jesus the Christ Yea and the good Lord convince them that they have beene in the number of them that have persecuted the Lord Jesus in his members that have contended for the faith of Jesus Christ though they did ignorantly through unbeliefe so that they may trembling cry out What shall we doe Oh let thy good Spirit direct them ● to repent of their dead works and be baptized every one of them in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for remission of their sinnes yea and give them the gift of thy holy Spirit that they may willingly forsake their spirituall Aegypt the pleasures and profits of this world And chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season yea and esteeme the reproach for Christ to be greater riches then all the treasures of Aegypt knowing there is a reward of glory sayd up for them in the highest heavens Heb. 11. 26. M. Whittle I read in the Scriptures but of two Testaments The first was made by the circumcised people of Israel and ratified with the blood of Calves and Goats c. And Moses sprinkled both the Booke and all the people saying This is the blood of the Covenant that God hath enjoyned you Exod. 24. 6 7 8. compared with Heb. 10. 19 20. This Testament was to continue and to be observed by the circumcised people in their generation without any alteration either by addition or dimunition under the penaltie of a curse untill the time of Reformation Heb. 9. 10. Namely untill Christ the substance of all the shadowes was come and crucified Ephess 2. 14 15. 2. The second or New Testament ratified with the blood of the Lord Jesus with all the Promises Ordinances Priviledges and the Inheritance therein bequeathed the Testator Jesus being dead is now in force to beleevers in Jesus the Christ dipped and is to remaine till Christ commeth againe to restore all things And no man or powers under the penaltie of Anath●ma Maranatha may adde to it or detract from it lest they dis-annull this last Testament Rev. 22. 18 19. These things being thus premised you may God enlightning you easily discerne the vanitie of that distinction that is now in use amongst you of the English Ministery by which you deceive your simple hearers namely that there is one promise belongeth to the gathering of a Church and another promise belongeth to a Church gathered First they say Abraham was called and circumcised and then his seed after him was to be circumcised So say they when God calleth his Church from Jewes and Heathen they must first beleeve and repent before they are baptized But when the Church is gathered then say they the promise belongeth to the beleever and his seed and the seed or infants of beleevers are to be baptized Now that you may see the vanitie of this distinction Moses that was faithfull in all his house as a servant layeth downe the subject matter who should worship God in Israel and keepe the Passe-over and the Ordinances thereof namely the circumcised Israelites Hence the Covenant of circumcision was given at once to Abraham and all borne in his house and bought with his money of any stranger which was not of his seed Every male amongst them must be circumcised the eighth day or else they must be cut off from the people the Covenant was broken And it is said of Abraham that he circumcised himselfe and Ismael his son and all borne in his house and bought with his money the selfe-same day that God commanded him Gen. 17. 9 10 11 12 13 14. So Gen. 17. 23 24 25 26 27. And If a stranger will keepe the Passeover to the Lord let all his Males be circumcised and then let them come neere and keepe it For no uncircumcised person shall ea●e thereof Exod. 12. 48. So that there was not on● way for the admittance of the father and another for the seed but one way for both and it was to be a token in their flesh for an everlasting Covenant namely that 〈◊〉 keeping the Law should have the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession Gen. 17. 8 13. But when Israel changed this subject-matter she is called a rebellious house because she brought in strangers uncircumcised in flesh and uncircumcised in heart to eate of his bread and pollute his Sanctuary And God chargeth them to have broken his Covenant Ezek. 44. 6 7. compared with Gen. 17. 14. Exod. 12. 48. So the Lord Jesus that was faithfull in all his House as a Son which house are we beleevers in Jesus Christ dipped Heb. 3. 6. layeth downe how his Church should be gathered out of all Nations namely by preaching the everlasting Gospel and who shall be baptized namely every creature in every Nation that beleeveth in Jesus Christ and repenteth of his dead workes seeing the New Testament holdeth but one Lord Jesus Christ one Gospel-faith and one Baptisme So that a beleever in Jesus Christ dipped is the subject-matter to worship God in his spirituall house of the New Testament and no man under the penaltie of a curse might alter it Gal. 1. 8 9. And as the Prophet was not to shew any of the Israelites that had broken the Covenant in admitting strangers uncircumcised in flesh to come into his Sanctuary Ezek. 44. 6 7. untill they were ashamed of their abominations But if they were ashamed of all they had done then they were to shew them the forme of the house and the fashion thereof the going out thereof and the comming in thereof c. Ezek. 43. 10 11. Neither can you expect O you that are of the English Ministery that the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 shew you the beautie of his spirituall House and the catring in there at and the O●d 〈…〉 thereof So long as contrary to your Covenant to oppose all Popery and Popish In 〈…〉 and to see a Reformation agreeable to the Word of God you joyne with th● Apostate 〈◊〉 the Priest and the Councell of the 66 Bishops in the dayes of cyprian yet in their time and a long season after they held baptizing of infants as an arbitrary thing untill it was after ratified by ● Decree in the time of Pope Innocentius 3. under the penaltie of E●communication for all N●●●nall Chruches under the Popes Jurisdiction to observe Namely that baptisme of infan●s of beleevers should succeed circumcision And by this Act of Fidus and the Councell of 66 Bishops and the Decree of Innocentius the third the Nationall Churches have ●roden the holy C●●●●● beleevers in Jesus Christ dipped under foot ne●re 42 moneths which reckoning a day 〈◊〉 year may amount to neer 1260 years Rev. 11. 2. unlesse the Lord of his free mercy open your 〈◊〉 with the eye-salve of his Spirit and make you ashamed of all your Traditions of infant-baptisme whereby you have enrighted a wrong subject to the Promises Ordinances Priviled g●● and Inheritance of the Spirituall house of the New Testament And when the Lord by his good Spirit shall convince you of all the evill you have done in Persecuting Christ in his Members 〈◊〉 contend for the Gospel faith and especially for oppos●●g the Lord Jesus in his Kingly and P●●ph●ticall Offices in all his outward administrations in admitting of Members into the spirituall Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Namely by repentance from dead workes confession of faith 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ and baptisme which are the three first principles of the Doctrine of Christ which all the members of the Churches of Judea which were in Christ tooke up and practised before they were added to the spirituall house in breaking of bread and prayer Heb. ● ● Act. 2. 41. So that you trembling cry out What shall we doe The holy Spirit by Peter that sp●●●eth will tell you Repent and be dipped every one of you in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes and yee shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit Then so many of 〈◊〉 as shall gladly receive his word shall be dipped and shall be added to the Congregation of beleevers in Jesus the Christ to continue in the Doctrine we have received from the Apostles 〈◊〉 in Sain●s fellow-ship that keepe the Commandement of God and the faith of Jesus Rev. 14. ●● and in breaking of bread and prayer Act. 2. 41. 42. and have a right to all the Promises 〈◊〉 ledges and Inheritance that Jesus Christ according to his New Testament hath purchased 〈◊〉 you that obey his Gospel Heb. 5. 8. Yours who is adjudged as Hereticks by you but because he refuseth to keepe the Traditions of the Elders but will rather observe the Commandement of Christ as the Pharisees of old upbraided Christs owne Disciples Matth. 15. 2. yet prayeth that God would open your understandings that you might understand the New Y●stament Christ hath ratified with his owne blood that yee might not sinne against his mercies and his members lest you stay your owne soules Francis Cornewell FINIS