and right to the eternal inheritance then though Baptism witnessing to Christ and pointing us to him witness to the enjoyment of that union and forgiveness through the hearty belief on Christ yet it sealeth them not to the several parties baptized outwardly as their undoubted portion and priviledge in and by coming to this Baptism and so to be profest Subjects in the Kingdom or Church-state of Christ to be enjoyed by them The sealing of that is the proper work of the Spirit of Christ as hath been noted before And thus have we also viewed these Objections But 4. In perusing Master Kendals Answer to Master Goodwin I have lately met with one other Argument which though propounded only Ad hominem and by way of Objection by him to Master Goodwin as endeavouring to shew an inconsistency in his principles and doctrines yet as I apprehend may seem to carry some shew of weight in it amongst some of the Antipedobaptists that believe the Extent of Christs Death and Ransom yea it makes me call to mind that it is a prime Argument with many of them and therefore I conceive it very needful to say something to it and shew its invalidity It is to this purpose Christ by his death and sufferings hath wholly dissolved Object 4 and taken off from all men the guilt and condemnation that was brought on all men by Adams sin and so from all Infants so as that none shall perish now but for his own personal sinning against the Government and goodness of God by Christ therefore as Tertullian says Quid festinet innocens aetas ad remissionem Seeing Infants are not in danger of perishing while such nor have any sin to be washed from no need is there of their being baptized To this purpose is Master Kendals reasoning once and again and particularly in Chapt. 17. Pag. 203. twice and again Pag. 207. To which I answer Answ 1 1. By denying the Consequence because though Christ indeed hath dyed for all and through his death the benefit is to all men to justification of life Rom. 5.18 So as that there is salvation extendible to them in the publick person and tenderable to them in the Gospel So as that They are so far redeemed from under the Law or first Covenant made with Adam as that though they have broken it in him yet they are not under a necessity of destruction but Christ hath power to forgive their sins and bring them unto God that sin and law notwithstanding And no Scripture speaks of any perishing finally for that Adam sinned but generally for their own personal rejections of the light imprisonings of the truth abuses of goodness and patience and rebellions against Spirit by and through Jesus Christ extended and afforded as witness Prov. 1.22 23 24. c. Ezek. 24.13 Josh 3.19 and 12.48 Rom. 1.18 19 20 21-28 2 Thes 1.7 2.10 Rom 2.4 5. with divers others which also seem to me Part. 2. p. 83. may be inforced from Master Kendals own concessions As when he grants That all the goodness patience mercy men enjoy they have it as the purchase and procurement of Christ no such good thing being extendible according to the Covenant with Adam broken by us for from thence will it not plainly follow That he stood in the breach stopt the course of the Law cursing us only and debarring us of all good and gave it its satisfaction for all for their breach of it and sin against it that being in it self inflexible and not otherwise diverted from accursing us and depriving us of all good but by satisfaction given to it in some other bearing its sentence for us for if the Law could upon other terms have dispensed with our enjoyment of good and suspended its sentence yea have permitted mercy to us instead of curse we do in vain put the enjoyment of of those good things upon Christs Mediation If then he hath suffered the curse of it for all and so given it its demands as that he hath power to give contrary to its sentence then are all men no longer under it as the Covenant of life and favour in the sight of God or in regard of his binding them to live by their personal obedience of it in Adam and themselves or else for ever to be accursed and perish Though in mens consciences it have this dominion unless and till their ignorant hearts be better informed Isai 42.6 and 49.6 7. Matth. 25.31 to the end and believe the truth and as a means of convincement of sin and so tending to salvation it is yet in its force as in the hand of Christ who is become the Covenant to the people according to mens subjection to whom in the light he affords or sinning against him they are now to be judged Though all this I say be so yet it follows not from thence either 1. That Infants are guilty of or have no sin in them For the death of Christ neither maketh them less guilty of having sin in Adam or of being guilty of that sin as in him nor doth it take corruption or uncleanness out of them by its self men may be guilty in themselves of that that is not imputed to them and for which being forgiven they shall not suffer Paul nevertheless charges himself with being the chief of sinners because his sin was forgiven him through the blood of Christ 1 Tim. 1.15 And it is not Christs dying for men simply renews then but the discovery of the grace and truth of God to them and the belief of it with the operations of the Spirit of God therein that cleanses both the conscience and spirit of men Children are conceived in iniquity and born in sin spring out of an unclean root and therefore are unclean in themselves Job 14.4 Psal 51.4 5. or 2. That Baptism were it so is needless for 1. The Death of Christ for a man is so far from rendring Baptism needless to that man that indeed there is no ground for baptizing any man but by vertue of and upon the account of his death for him Christ as dead and risen for us is the ground and foundation of all mercies and of all ordinances and the promise of him was the foundation of all the ordinances before his coming 1 Cor. 3.11 Ephes 2.20 as might easily be evidenced Had it not been for his stepping in we had forthwith upon breach of Gods Covenant layn for ever in death and misery without any mercy or favour to us or hope of delivery but for that Christ had not had authority and power over any man to dispense favour to him or deal otherwise with him then according to the desert of his sin and sentence of the Law nor had there been any remission of sins either to be sealed to or sought for by any person nor no way for adoring or worshipping God nor could ten thousand baptisms do or have done any man the least benefit had not Christ
Sadduces did I grant it 's true that there is no truth couched in Scripture and thence to be deduced that doth contradict or evacuate any plain express truth of Scripture any collection from Scripture contradicting the open saying of Scripture is to be rejected as not rightly deduced for the Scriptures though in some places they may seem yet in no place doth deny or contradict it self in other places But many truths are couched in Scripture that are not so openly exprest in plain sayings as some others be as we before instanced I conceive if those called Anabaptists did seriously consider this and yet this is as plain and undenyable a Truth as any can be pleaded for it would make them more sober towards others in this point of Infant Baptism and not so vainly to vapor and so proudly to insult as some of them do in their own conceptions of the undenyableness of this ground for denying it viz. that it 's not plainly exprest in any Scripture Instance or Precept And now let us in the next place see if any ground for it may be found couched in the Scriptures and therein first of all let us view the Commission given by Christ to his Apostles for Gentile-Baptism 1. That Commission we find in Mat. 28.19 20. All Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto me go ye therefore disciple ye all the Gentiles baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you c. Where first we have to be noted the ground of this Commission in Vers 18. All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth that is Though as the eternal Word I had all Power over all Creatures before they being all made by me Joh. 1.2 3 Col. 1.16 yet could I not with consistence with my Truth or Holiness order all of them or any of lost mankind as now upon the account of my Death and Resurrection I am in the nature of man impowered to do had I not dyed and risen for men I must have destroyed them all for ever but as virtually upon this account before so actually now and in the nature of man am I invested with Power and Authority as of Lordship over all Creatures to order and dispose them as I please agreeable to my Fathers Will so over Mankind to help and save them and make all things subservient to my designs about them Therefore also have I Power to make new Orders and grant out new Commissions what and to whom I please as also to protect and defend them that I employ in the execution of my said Orders and Commissions Therefore I command require and commissionate you to be my Servants and Messengers in the Work that I please to enjoyn you Go ye therefore And further For as much as by virtue of my Death and Resurrection for all men I have ransomed all men even all the Nations of the world out from under the power of the sentence to death and condemnation to which the Covenant broken by Adam as soon as made with him almost did bind them over so as that now that Sin and Law notwithstanding you and what ever Death by occasion thereof falling upon them I can save any of them in looking up to me and for so much as that is the way to their life and happiness the only way to it that they be obedient and subject to my Government and beleeve on me * God having given all Nations to me for mine inheritance Psal 28 8. Isai 49.7 Acts 4.12 1 Cor. 1.21 Joh. 1.4.5.9 and the utmost ends of the Earth for my possession and me to be his Salvation to the ends of the Earth No other Name given under Heaven by which they can or may be saved and for as much also as the light of the knowledg of God by me as the eternal Word in the fulness of time to be made flesh suffer and dye held forth to them formerly in the Wisdom of God they by wisdom knew not but the light shining in darkness they do not comprehend It 's therefore my pleasure to send a plain Declaration of my Mind unto them and not only to reserve that priviledg to the people of Israel as formerly the partition wall between them and all other Nations being broken down by my sufferings Ephes 2.15 Therefore Go ye my chosen servants and Embassadours Disciple all the Gentiles baptizing them into the Name c. Here then secondly we have the Commission it self wherein baptism was first by our Saviour appointed to the Gentiles as a medium of their being discipled to him I confess baptism was practised before and that too upon all the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 3.21 people of every sort at least a word large enough to include infants too Deut. 31.12 Luke 9.13 with Matth. 14.21 Jude 5. but to our purpose this commission is more pertinent because it was given for the baptizing of the Gentiles and discipling them and so its rather to be read All the Gentiles as the same phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is translated in other places as Acts 15.17 Rom. 15.11 2 Tim. 4.17 and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gentiles commonly they having sufficient warrant before for discipling and baptizing the Jews in the former practising of baptism by John and themselves upon them and the commission given them Matth. 10. when the Gentiles were expresly excluded No other being to be baptized but such as were of the visible Church of God before Children of the Kingdom upon whom the name of God was called and so baptism was not to them the way of taking into the Church and Kingdom of God but for further instructing and taking in further them that were somewhat instructed in it before for that 's clear that the people of the Jews were already in the visible Church the Vineyard of God and Children of the Kingdom as in Matth. 8.12 21.42 43. The hedg was yet about them and the clouds rained upon them c. But now unto the Gentiles not fore-proselited and circumcised baptism was the way of taking them in and declaring and owning them to pertain to the Church nor do we read of any Gentile or Heathen coming into the visible Body and Company of the Church to be accounted of them by any other way or medium of outward institution after Christ's resurrection circumcision being not practised upon them and theirs in their admission as was formerly used in proseliting them Indeed that the false Apostles stood for and would have had the way of their entrance and admission still in which two it is observable that they make no mention of circumcising their infants but that they the Disciples ought to be circumcised as was the manner of Moses and Paul speaking to the Galathians says They constrain you and would have you to be circumcised Gal. 6.12 13. not
dyed for him therefore me thinks its strange that the granting of this should make Baptism needless but for which Baptism is wholly groundless This might easily be retorted against himself that there is no ground for baptizing children or very uncertain if Christ dyed not for all it would then be rather needful of the two to say till they grow up and give some testimony of their faith and so hopes that they are of the Election especially Baptism being into the death of Christ Rom. 4.2 3. that we may have good ground to baptize them into that that 's for them 2. Baptism doth neither take sin out of the nature nor off of the conscience I say this Baptism by water 1 Pet. 3.21 much less doth it take sin from before the presence of God so as that he imputes it not to men that the having these things undone should be the ground of its Administration as the Objection supposes while the supposing those things to be already done by the death of Christ is brought to argue it needless As its the sufferings of Christ that hath satisfied for sin and redeemed men from under the first Covenant to be now dealt with in and through Christ the Mediatour and hath opened the way for men to God again so it s the belief and receipt of the truth and grace of God in and upon which God forgives and acquits actual sinners of fore-going sins and justifies them and that both washes sins off from the conscience and purifies the heart and conversation This outward Baptism then doth neither after believing nor before take away sin That phrase Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling upon the Name of the Lord Acts. 22.13 signifies but either that in calling upon the Name of the Lord and yielding himselfe to his Baptism he should 1. Declare and manifest his hearty closing with the Lord Jesus and that he did repent him really of his former practises against him and so should manifest That he received forgiveness of his sins or 2. That so he should receive the external soul or ratification of forgiveness of sins to the believer And so 3. Receive a Ministerial forgiveness or washing them away so as to be no longer reckoned by the Church a persecuter of it and stranger from it but to be owned by them as cleansed from his former sins and that phrase Baptized for the forgiveness of sins Acts 2.38 That that hath sealed forgiveness of sins in Christ to them to be dispensed in believing and that in yeilding to the Name and entering into the Profession and Church of Christ they were in the way to receive it from him or have it sealed to them But those phrases prove not That the outward Baptism either satisfied for or procured cleansing in conscience or heart from sin 3. The having sin taken away off from men in point of obnoxiousness to punishment or off of their consciences yea the putting a man into such a condition as in which he is actually capable of salvation and so the rendring Baptism not necessary to salvation doth not take away the need of Baptism or make that the Administration of it should be groundless for 1. Then none should be baptized at all for we do not find Baptism asserted as necessary to salvation to any in the Scripture I mean the outward Baptism so as that without it no salvation We find He that believes and it baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 but never he that believes must be baptized that or else he must be damned Certainly the thief on the cross unless baptized before was not at all baptized yet was saved and surely Cornelius being justified of God and the Holy Ghost being poured upon him might have gone to Heaven had he dyed then before he was baptized and many went to Heaven before it was instituted 2. Then both the Antipedobaptists and Master Kendal baptize needlesly for 1. The Antipedobaptists say All its necessity is but a Necessitas precepti as the precept for it makes it necessaryâ— They believe before they are baptized surely if they believe they are actually under the promise of forgiveness yea by faith are justified from their sins and the death of Christ without doubt hath discharged them before God and brings remission to their consciences and begins to purifie their hearts and so they are translated from death to life before Baptism therefore by their rule Baptism is needless for them 2. Master Kendals principles make it needless too for did not Christ dye for the elect Infants and if so ought they to dye again or perish in the sins Christ dyed for Or ought they not rather as Master Owen sayes to be discharged of all actions and suits that may be made against them Say they not all its unjust that Christ should bear their sins and themselves too So that they are safe enough from condemnation nor possibly could perish though not baptized with outward Baptism And as for all other Infants they can have no good by it but must perish it notwithstanding being reprobate Ergo no need for Baptism by that reasoning But 3 There are other uses and ends of Baptism and reasons of its appointment in order to which there is need of it As 1. The obeying and fulfilling Christs Commission for discipling all the Gentiles baptizing them Matth. 28.19 2. The bringing or admitting them to Christ in his Church or Kingdom for his more special protection and blessing Matth. 19.13 14. 3. The discipling them to 1 Cor 10.2 Matth. 28.19 or obliging them to be brought up to the acknowledgement of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and not in the wayes of prophanness and Gentilism 4. The sealing the righteousness of the faith of the Gospel preached to and believed by Abraham but more fully performed and declared now as that though by nature we and all ours are unclean unfit for fellowship with God and admission into Kingdom yet through the death of Jesus Christ for us there is forgiveness for us in him and for ours an entrance into his Kingdom where blessing is to be met with for making us meet for fellowship with himself 5. The solemn profession of the Parents or Nurturers faith in the Gospel of Christ Ephes 6.4 5. in bringing them to have his Name put upon them with a knd of publick engagement upon themselves to bring them up for Christ 6. The putting away the filth of the flesh 1 Pet. 3.20 the stain of Gentilism and so the putting a Note of distinction between themselves with theirs and the Heathens that have not the Name of Christ upon them So that no ground for nor substance in that Objection flung so often in Master Goodwins dish by Master Kendal Indeed I rather wonder upon what what account he can baptize Infants that makes the Scripture-language so uncertain as that all Nations or Gentiles by his Line of interpretation may possibly reach but
Cor. 11.3.11.12 1 Sam. 27.9.11 and 31.2 3. As also in that of Ai Josh 8.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And all that fell in that day of men and women were twelve thousand even all the men of Ai. We must either say that there were no Infants or children in so great a City which is no way probable or say that the words men and women denote or include the several Ages in each Sex The like I might note on Judg. 9.49 51. But there is no Analogy between Circumcision and Baptism Object nor can their grounds be one and the same that that should be any warrant for this for neither doth Baptism pertain to the same Covenant with Circumcision nor succeeds it in its place room c. Answ There is much Analogy between Baptism and Circumcision at least as much as between the Priests under the Law and Ministers of the Gospel or as between the Altar-worship and the Supper of the Lord. And so as much ground of reasoning from one to the other here as there though I confess there is also great disagreement betwixt them I shall consider both of them and first the latter 1. They differ in the outward rite or matter of observance Circumcision was a cutting of the foreskin of the flesh Baptism is a washing of the flesh That had blood in it because true blood was not then shed that should make attonement and expiation for our sin to which that therefore pointed This hath no blood shed in it because the true blood that is propitiatory is shed and no other propitiatory Sacrifice is remaining only washing and cleansing in the vertue of that that is shed is now needful And therefore such an Ordinance only is left to us for our coming into the Church of Christ as represents that to us 2. They differ in the subject of them That was only upon males they being only capable of it and yet so as that females were by way of interpretation included in them as we noted before else all the females must have been excluded the Passover contrary to the Jewish Doctours But the Ordinance of Baptism is upon male and female both yea the Jewish Doctours say it was ever so amongst the Jews when they proselyted any to them all their males were circumcised baptized and brought an Offering and all the females were baptized and brought an Offering 3. In limitation of time Circumcision was required on the eighth day though in some cases they might omit it then Baptism is not so strictly tyed to a day or set time The reason we hinted before 4. Circumcision bound over to the observation of the Law given and to be given to the Fathers and by Moses and so to all the whole observation of the Jewish Religion but Baptism bindeth not thereto but to the faith and yoke of Christ to observe all things commanded by him Matth. 28.19 20. 5. Circumcision was to bring them under the profession of an expectation of the promised Seed yet to come and not as then come but Baptism is to bring men under the profession of the promised Seed as actually come and now to us Gentiles as having accomplished in himself the sin-offering and work of Sacrifice for our salvation and so into the Name of Jesus Christ and of God as known in him Father Son and Spirit Acts 2.37 38. Matth. 28.19 In these things they differ but in the main end they agree 1. They agree in this in being both the way or mediums of proselyting or bringing into an acknowledged unity with the Church in outward profession and obligation to observe the worship of God therein according to the respective Administrations of it now and then for as Circumcision was the Ordinance by which persons were admitted and declared to be of the Church of God and Religion of the Jews Branches of the stock of Abraham So Baptism is that Ordinance by which persons are admitted into and declared to be of the Church of Christ in its external Form and Government and become from the Gentiles ingraffed visible Branches of the stock of Abraham too as shall after more appear They that should not have been reckoned Branches of Abraham but by Circumcision are now so reckoned by Baptism And as that Circumcision bound to the observation of the Religion then of God instituted to instruct men to Christ so this Baptism obliges to the Religion and worship of God instructing us about Christ as now instituted by Christ So that children of Christians being to be brought up in the Christian institution nurture and instruction it follows that they are to be brought up in it and obliged to it by Baptism all the children of the Jews and Proselytes were in their way by Circumcision 2. They agree in this That as Circumcision was but an external Ordinance instructing to an internal Circumcision of the heart and sealing the righteousness of the faith of Abraham that he had in his uncircumcision viz. That he did righteously in believing in God according to his word concerning the promised Seed and his blessing of him and that God would perform his promises righteously to him and all that walk in that righteous faith of his So Baptism is but an external Ordinance too instructing to the inward washing and purifying of the heart by the grace of God in Christ to the meet making of a man to participate of the Covenant and promised Inheritance and it witnesses to the same promises partly as performed in the coming death and resurrection of Christ and partly as nigh at hand and ready to be performed to men in believing on Christ that promised Seed as Abraham did as that all that so do shall be blessed with faithful Abraham shall have remission of sins righteousness the Holy Ghost and eternal life And thus it s said That John witnessed unto Christ the true light which is to be understood of John not as a man simply but as preaching and baptizing so that his Baptism pointed to Christ to believe on him with the promises of forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Ghost to them that should so do As Circumcision sealed not the present righteousness of the party circumcised as if all that received that Ordinance were partakers with Abraham in the righteousness reckoned to him but to the righteousness of his faith so neither doth Baptism witness the righteousness of the party baptized for such may be a generation of vipers chaff and not wheat in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity but to the faith of Christ the Doctrine published concerning him as that He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world and that whosoever believeth in him shall be reckoned righteous and have eternal life So that the use of Baptism in its testimony and witness doth nothing more obstruct the baptizing Infants then that attested to and sealed in Circumcision obstructed formerly their Circumcision 3. There is the
says Josh 24.15 But the unproselyted Gentiles were not as yet the body of them called to the Church the Commission only was given forth the partition wall being broken down for calling and discipling baptizing them and not circumcising them as before Matth. 28.19 20. Sum up all this together then and we see its clear That the promise was to their children one and other till they wilfully put it away and they even the least of them were therein near to God capable of Christs blessing them and so had that that is here laid down as the ground and motive for being baptized into Christs Name for the forgiveness of the sin of their Nature so as to own them and care for them that notwithstanding as his upon whom he had put his Name and so of having the Holy Ghost to be with them and circumcise their hearts and sanctifie them as they grew more and more capable thereof That they were of the Lords Congregation and it was the Jews sin both against themselves and their children to oppose and put from them Jesus Christ which they ought to have repented of that every one of them being baptized into his Name and so submitting to him they might receive the promise now brought nigh and tendred to them by Christ in his coming To which adding that which the Scriptures and we from them have before shewed That the partition wall is broken down and we Gentiles that were afar off are now made nigh by the blood of Christ called to be partakers of his promise by the Gospel as Ephes 3.4.6 Then it will roundly follow That our children now are as near as theirs were then and so are of Gods Congregation are children of the Covenant and Kingdom by insition though not by natural descent from Abraham and so have the true ground of Baptism the Seal of that promise way of admission into the outward Court of Gods Kingdom into his Church and under his promise and blessing now to us as Circumcision was before Christs Ascension and the badg of difference between the Church and Congregation of God and them that are strangers to his Church and Covenant and to deny or defer it to them is to bewray our ignorance of Gods grace and gracious mind toward them and to cut them off or keep them out of Gods Congregation and so from the blessing of Christ there to be dispensed to them And I pray God help the Antipedobaptists to see and consider the injury they do to themselves and their children so would they repent of their mistaken zeal and be as zealous against their abuse of this and other Scriptures as now they are against Infant-baptism Whereas they object That only they that heard the word gladly were baptized ver 41. I answer That they were baptized that heard the word gladly is certainly affirmed but he that shall turn it and say That all that were there baptized did gladly receive the word shall speak as much beyond what he can prove as he that supposes it might be otherwise Children are often included tacitely in their parents at least in passive matters spoken of through the descriptions of those concerned in those passive matters may be by such acts as only sute to the parents or those of years only As it s said That the Lord removed Israel out of his sight and the King of Assyria carried Israel captive and the reason is rendred That Israel had sinned against their God and walked in the statutes of the Heathen and built them high places and set up Images which things Infants were not capable of acting in and yet they are without all doubt included in what is passively affirmed of them for Gods removing them and their being led captive 2 King 17. So in Gen. 34. Simeon and Levi making though fainedly a Covenant with Hamor and Sechem requires that every male of them be circumcised which certainly included not them they spake with only but their children and Infants too as every one of you in Acts 3.37 may do And in ver 24. it s said All that went out of the gate of their City hearkened unto Hamor and Sechem and every male was circumcised all that went out of the gate of the City Shall we say that because it s said All that went out of the gate of the City hearkened unto Hamor and they were all circumcised that went out of the gate of the City therefore all that were circumcised did actually hearken to or consent to Hamor and Sechem and that no child or infant but such as were able to go out of the gate of the City and to give actual consent to Hamor were circumcised surely it will not follow So Psalm 10.6 it s said Our Fathers provoked God at the red Sea yet God saved them and led them through the red Sea in which the Apostle tells us They were baptized into Moses 1 Cor. 10.1 2. And it follows That they then believed his word and sang his praises even Moses and the children of Israel Exod. 15.1 And yet I think no man will thence gather that only those that provoked God at the Sea or that after believed and sang praises were saved and led through the Sea Many other instances might be given to the same purpose so that nothing can be thence concluded from what is said of those that are mentioned to have been baptized that will inforce a straitening of the right to Baptism to such qualified persons which is also rather to be sought and minded what it is from the grounds of it as laid down in Scripture then from what is expressed as to the practise of it That Scripture oft mentioned by us in what we have said to this of Acts 2. viz. Acts 3.25 compared with Gen. 12.3 That in the seed of Abraham all the Families of the Earth shall be blessed may come in for another Evidence to the point in hand by it self for what doth it signifie less then that In Jesus Christ he through his death as a Ransom for all 2 Cor. 5.14 15. 1 Tim. 2.6 And Resurrection from the dead having answered the Law abolished death for all and so become Lord of all and the propitiation for the sins of the whole world Gal. 3.13 2 Tim. 1.10 Acts 10.36 1 John 2.1 2. hath in himself blessing for all Nations and for all the families of the Earth and not only for some persons in those Nations or Families God was in him reconciling the world to himself not imputing their trespasses to them And hath since his Ascension committed the Ministry of that Reconciliation by preaching and baptizing c. to his Apostles and such as succeed them in the Gospel 2 Cor. 5.19 20. In which Righteousness is unto all extendible to all and in the Gospel terms held forth to all so as that it comes upon all that believe close with and receive it Rom. 3.22 According to that in Rom. 5.18 The free-gift is
so desperately that he cuts so much off as in all the rest almost that of what he cuts off it may as truly or rather be said God so hated the world that he gave not Christ for them to believe on or as such a Medium of salvation as affords any good ground for their believing or possibility of their salvation but absolutely destined them through sin into destruction yea and he snips off the truth of that in John 12.47 where Christ is affirmed so to come not to judge the world but to save the world as to include the unbeliever on him too therein 4. Applying the same to 1 Tim. 4.4 he cuts out off all the greatest part of all as if we might not pray for all Chapt. 6. Pag. 26 27. because not for some in all cases as in case of the sin to death and because Christ praying for things whereof onely men as actual believers are capable excludes the world that is men as and while yet uncalled from being the objects of those requests when as yet his end in praying for those things for believers was the good of the world amongst whom he sent them Ver. 18.21 23. of Joh. 17. and that they might believe that God sent him even as the then believers already had done As if because when we pray for Magistrates for things properly suitable to them as Spirit of Government and excluding the common people as the objects of those petitions though their good be the end of them We should be by this snipping faculty denyed to pray at other times and in other requests as it 's evident our Saviour did Luke 13.6 7 8. and 23.34 for other men Thence also he once twice thrice snipt out the word all from 1 Tim. 2.2 For Kings all in authority because he its likely see that stood in his way to hinder his scant measure of but some of all sorts and renders it for Others in authority and ver 4. changes the phrase will have all saved into will save all As if between these two there were no difference As by the same rule he snips with his Philosophical-shears the greatest part of the signification of All and Every in all other Texts alledged with those words in them in this controversie 5. By the same Rule and Shears applyed to 1 John 2.2 he snips and scants the whole world so that it will lye in a narrow compass and snips the words to you that believe 1 John 5.13 which shews to whom his Epistle is directed all away to the believing Jews because ver 7. of Chap. 2. he tells them of the word they heard in the beginning though that be no more then Pauls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.2 3. to intimate that he preach'd no new doctrine now from what he and his Brethren had always from their first preaching doctrinated them in but by that sense of the whole world All the Gentile Churches lye in wickedness 1 John 5.19 6. By the like Application of Rom. 14.14 and 1 Cor. 8.11 to his Mety-ard he by his shears snips off all the Apostles Argument drawn from the mischief that might accrue to the weak Brother that Christ dyed for and makes little better then a meer scare-crow of it like the bidding of an Archer take heed if shooting with his arrow the roof of Pauls down which would fall alone if not so mightily supported with strong marble Pillars that ten thousand Arrows cannot bring it down though they may do some little damage by sticking in the wood-work or rasing the Leads Yet he gives such large measure to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him for whom Christ dyed by making him to signifie men of that species that he quite snips out the weak man Christ dyed for Chap. 18. Pag. 157. 7. Applying to the same Rule or Met-yard the Type of the Brazen Serpent to pass over many particulars he snips out all the blind men that were stung before he proves there were any such though were there such no more was required of them then what God requires of blind men and they are supposed possibly they may do Isai 42.18 To look towards the object with their blind eyes that they might see 8. And to say no more Applying to it that in Matth. 23.37 How often would I have gathered thy children He measures it so scantly as that he cuts off the Godhead of Christ from that See the like Expression spoken of God Ezek. 24.13 Would have gathered and by that means not only clips off the authority of those places in 2 Esdr 2.20 30.32 33. where those words are applyed to the Lord Almighty but also clips his wings so short under which they should be gathered making them but the wings of a man as that I fear they could not give sufficient protection to them To say nothing That in the Manhood he came not often to them but by his Prophets in his Spirit he came often which concurrence also of the Spirit with the outward means afforded as the patience of God to such as perisht in impenitency he clips off contrary to Gen. 6.3 and 1 Pet. 3.19 20. And so from other means more plentifully afforded to those Jews contrary to Neh. 9.20.30 Isai 5.3 4. Isai 63.10 11 12. Zach. 7.11 12. Acts 7.51 Yea Contrary to Iohn 14.9 10 11. he snips off all the real similitudes of God from Christ and faithfulness in not doing his own but his Fathers will by himself asserted John 6.37 38. While he makes Christ indeed as man to will their gathering and endeavours it when as God had no love or compassion towards them nor willed their gathering As for Christs purchasing faith and repentance for the Elect by purchasing understanding the obliging God to make them actually believe I think its a shred of humane Tradition that he brings not any Scripture to prove nor is it sown with the thread of any firm connexion with his own principles for if God without respect to Christs death decreed absolutely to bring these and those persons to glory surely there needed no obligation to be put upon him by the death of Christ to give them that that is necessarily requisite thereto Christ needed not except to remove the Sentence of the Law and so sin as obstructing the dispensation of those good things conducing to glory and to keep them from stopping up the passages of his love and then his own purposes and good will will yea saves engaged for the execution of themselves to give to every one according thereunto Christ hath procured that without violation of truth or justice he may give grace and glory to men and so much he may as he pleases give to any man without any such violation As for his snipping the 2 Pet. 2.1 and cutting off the real aggravation of the false Teachers sin by making the Text of no broder a meaning then only that Peter spake charitably or according to