Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	covenant_n	new_a	testament_n	4,131	5	9.2871	5	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76088	The storming of the Anabaptists garrisons, vvith a brief discovery of the weaknesse of the same, & of the inconsiderableness of the sconces and forts of all the other sectaries, in despight and contempt of all the which, any Christian souldier may safely march to Heaven, without the least danger; ... In a word, in the insuing discourse, the vanity of all novell opinions is discovered, the ignorance of all the which can no way hinder any mans happinesse: and the baptisme of little children borne of Christian parents, whether Iewes or Gentiles, is proved by the word of God to be lawfull, ... / By Iohn Bastwick, Doctor in Physick.	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.; Smart, Richard, fl. 1647.	1647 (1647)	Wing B1071; Thomason E390_23; ESTC R201542	43,659	52

whereas Christs yoake is easie and his burthen light â—f Christ himselfe may be beleeved Math. 11. ver 13. and therefore being Christians they are now in a farre better condâ—tion and under a better covenant and more sure promises then they wre before which is yet more evident from the Apostle Paul in the second of the Cor. chap. the third who sayth God hath made us able ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter killeth saith he but the Spirit gives life And then comparing the Covenants together the Old and New though they were both glorious as he asserteth yet he affirmeth that the covenant of the New Testament is farre more glorious that being the ministration of the Spirit the other the ministration of death and concludes in the ninth verse if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more doth the ministration of righteousnesse exceed in glory and in the 18th verse he saith Wee all now with open face beholding as in a glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. So that if we did but duly consider the whole scope of the Apostle in this chapter and in all his other Epistles we should find that he laboureth to set forth the great honour and dignity of Christians above the Jewes not only in regard of the more cleere manifestation of the will of God under the Gospell and freeing them from all those burdensome and painfull yea and costly ceremonies but in that they are in many respects preferred before them for whereas before the male children only and the males in families were to receive the Seale of Circumcision and that at a limited time Now by being Christians that difference is taken away and all the families of Christians both young and old men women and children are to be admitted after one and the same way according to that of Saint Paul Gal. the 4. ver 27. 28. 29. For as many of you saith he as have been baptized into Christ whether young or old have put on Christ there is neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Iesus And if yee be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise Out of which words it is easie to gather not only that the believing Gentiles exceed the Iewes in many respects but that they are still in covenant with God and Abrahams seed and heires according to promise That is they have right to all the promises and are in covenant with God as well as Abrahams children were and therefore in all the former respects and from the very testimony of Saint Paul it is most evidently manifest that Christians and their children are under a better covenant and more sure promises by being Christians then the Jewes were but if according to the doctrine of the Anabaptists the children of Christians are not in covenant still with God and are not to be baptised they are inferiour to the Jewes and their children who were all baptized into Christ by Moses in the cloude and in the seas as Saint Paul 1 Cor. 10. ver 1. 2. 3. asserteth whose words are these Brethren I would not that yee should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloude and all passed through the Sea and were all baptized by Moses into Christ in the cloude and in the sea c. Now that children were there as well as men and women which some of the Anabaptists lately denyed it is apparant from the first of Exodus and from the 10th chapeer of the same Booke where it is related that Moses told Pharaoh that they must have their childâ—en as well as their men to goe to sacrifice in the Wildernesse and would not depart and leave Egypt without their children which from many more places may be proued as in the 14th of Numbers ver third where the people sayd Wherefore hath the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword that our wives and our children should be a prey c. For which their wicked and rebellious murmuring against God in the 30th verse the Lord saith unto them Doubtlesse ye shall not come into the land concerning which I sware to make you dwell therein save Caleb the sonne of Iephunnieth and Ioshua the sonne of Nun. But your little ones which yee said should bee a prey them will I bring in and they shall know the land which yee have despised c. Out of all the which places it sufficiently appeareth that their little children were in the sea and in the cloude and were baptized by Moses as well as their men and women which the Anabaptists stifly deny Withall it may here be taken notice of that Baptisme or washing doth not alwayes signifie a dipping over head and eares For all our fathers were baptized into Christ by Moses in the Sea and yet they passed through the Sea on dry land as the story at large declareth the which also might be proved from many other witnesses of holy Writ but this I speake only by the way The maine thing in hand is to prove that Christians whether Jewes or Gentiles and their children are in no priviledges inferiour to the Jewes and their children which was ratified by all the places above quoted and that of Saint Peter Acts the 15th where he saith God put no difference betweene the beleeving Iewes and the beleeving Gentiles and that of Saint Paul Cor. 1. chap. 7. where hee asserteth that the children borne though of but one of the beleeving Parents are cleane and holy and out of the places in the 7th and 8th chapters of his Letter to the Hebrewes where he saith they are under a better Covenant and more sure promises better therefore every manner of way which it could not be if Christians and their children were not still in covenant with God as well as they and if they had not they and their children equall right to Baptisme as the Jewes and their children had to Circumcision and if they did not indeed exceed them in all priviledges which to deny is no better then to deny the Scripture and give the Spirit of God the lye for the Scripture saith that Christians and their children are within the Covenant and are both made one are holy and cleane and that there is no difference betweene the believing Gentiles and the very Apostles yea that Christians are under a better covenant and more sure promises all which truths the Anabaptists stifly deny and spend all their strength to fight against Now I appeale to any understanding Christian whether it be not great flattery in any man to stile the Anabaptist a harmlesse people If any amongst us should but rob his neighbour of a Calfe or a Sheep or of some of his Lambes or should but cause his cattell to

all such opinions as neither Christ not the Prophets nor the Apostles or any of the pen-men of holy Scripture have taught us The Scripture hath sufficiently taught us that this is life eternall to know the only true God and whom hee hath sent Jesus Christ Iohn the 17. ver 3. the knowledge of which any may attaine unto without the knowledge of them and their tenents And Paul disired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him Crucified and counted all things as dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ the Lord and left us for the ordering of our lives to follow the example of Christ in doing and suffering and the rule of the word Phil. 3. And the Scripture hath abundantly declared Acts the 2. that the City of people that receive the Word of God gladly and continue stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of Bread and prayer are the Disciples of Jesus Christ and a true Church as that of Ierusalem yea a true formed Church as the Independents themselves hold as is manifest in their Writings although at that time that they say it was a true formed Church it had neither Deacons nor Elders nor distinction of Members nor officers nor discipline or excommunication but they were all sed and governed by Pastors and Teachers in common as all the Primative Churches we read of were Now then what sinne or error is it in me or any at this day to beleeve that wheresoever amongst any people or in any City the Gospell is truly and faithfully preached embraced and believed by them whether by particular Ministers set over them severally which incertaine freemen or bonds or by Ministers in Common and where the Sacraments are duly administred and amongst whom there is the true invocation of God that that people so qualified is a true Church or Churches though there be amongst them neither distinction of members or officers nor that perfection of Discipline as is to be wished I desire I say any man to shew me what error or sin it is in me to believe that any such peopâ—e so qualified is a true Church for we have the prime and Mother Church the Church of Jerusalem for a patterne of a true Church and so called in the holy Scripture and so esteemed of by the Independents themselves at that time when they only believed and imbraced the Gospell and were baptized and when they continued stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of Bread and in prayers although then they had neither distinction of Officers or Members and wanted that part of discipline of casting out of corrupt Members as the Independents themselves and Anabaptists in their writings have taught us Now if the Church of Jerusalem I say at that time was a true formed Church and from the which they ought not to sâ—parate I can see no reason that it should be a sin or errour in me or any other in these our dayes to believe that in what City or Country soever the people embrace the Gospell and partake in all those ordinances that made them a true formed Church though they be forced and ruled with Ministers in common should not be a true formed Church or Churches as that was or any of the primitive Churches where they were all fed and governed by Ministers in common in their severall bounds and cohabitations as all the story of the New Testament sufficiently declare And I would very gladly also be informed what sinne I commit in not separating from such Assemblies although there should be some failings both in Members and Discipline then seeing we have neither Precept and President allowed oâ— for any such separation in any of the Primâ—tive and Apostolike Churches nor in the whole word of God where we read not only of ordinary errors but of such heresies as razed the very foundation and of such maliversation amongst them in respect of manners as wee shall scâ—rce read of greater in prophane histories Now if for neither errors in doctrine discipline or in manners those glorious Christians made no separation from the publick Assemblies of the Saints I see no warrant we have now for lesse matters to make rents and Schismes from the true Churches of Jesus Christ neither doe I believe that any of them shall ever bee able to make it sinfull in any Christian now not to separate upon such occasions for if separations from the publick Assemblies were by the Author to the Hebrews so blamed and found fault with as a sin in them it is sinfull now and no vertue but a grand error and in this faith will I live and die that whosoever doe make needlesse separations from the Assemblyes of those that are as good Christians and as true beleevers as themselves do that which is highly displeasing unto God and that which will bring downe his judgements amongst us especially When they doe it at such times as when all those things are taken away as might in any respect be accounted scandalous or offensive unto them and when for substance there is nothing that they differ from them Againe if I or any Christian stedfastly believe unto the death that there were more Assemblies or Congregations of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem then one because we find it recorded that they met daily in severall houses to communicate and that they were all combined together and subordinate to one Presbytery within that Precinct and were to be governed and ruled by them in common and for ever reject the opinion of Independents who hold there were no more Christians at first and last in that Church or City then did or could ordinarily meet in one place and that their Officers did nothing nor could doe nothing in that Church without the consent of the whole Congregation and that that particular Congregation was Independent and from which there might be no appeale I say if I or any man reject this their opinion can it hinder me or them from salvation or is it any sin in me or them so to believe If they shall say it they must first shew me what law in so beleeving I have transgressed without which there is no sinne Againe if I believe and persevere in this faith that it is sufficient for any that will be made a member of any Christian Church to repent believe and be baptized and reject all those novell opinions of the Independents concerning their walking sometime with the Congrâ—gation and their making a particular confession of their faith and bringing in the evidences of their conversion and their taking of a particular explicit Covenant and comming in by the consent of the people what transgression I pray is in this my beliefe or what law of God do I violate if I peremptorily to the death persevere in this my opinion that faith repentance and Baptisme is all that God requires of any for their admission into Church fellowship and communion and

beleever or of one that confessed his sinnes as some suppose for he was the Lambe of God that tooke away the sinnes of the world and he knew no sin he was the holy Child which is a sufficient argument also that all that were baptised by John did not make an orall confession of their sinne for here is an other exception and therefore it is manifest that Christ was not baptised under the notion of one that confessed his sinne as the rest of the people were but only as he was of the seed of Abraham and borne under the Law and being in covenant with God as his Genealogie sufficiently declares he had a right unto Baptisme by vertue of that and challenged his priviledge Matth. 3. telling John that it behoved him to fulfill all righteousnesse for he was sent to Baptise all in covenant with God without any limitation both men women and children if they refused it not and it was his worke and it had not been righteousnesse in Iohn the Baptist to refuse Christ or any of the children of the Jewish Nation then in covenant with God and therefore I conceive it is great unrighteousnesse in all those that now refuse Baptisme to Children borne of Christian Parents and such as are in covenant with God So that were there no other Presidents of Baptisme without publick confession but this one example of Christs baptisme it may appeare that all those that were baptised by the Baptist were baptised as well by vertue of their Covenant as any confession of sinne and that they had right unto it as being then the people in Covenant with God and could not be hindred from it except they excluded themselves as the Pharisees and Lawyers did and therefore in that it is called the Baptisme of Repentance and that the people are sayd to confesse their sinnes I conceive it is for the reasons above specified And for my part I shall ever believe not only that all the Children of the believing Jewes had as much right unto Baptisme the seale of the Covenant of the New Testament as they had unto the promises and the Gospell it selfe but that they were really baptised as well as their Parents the which Gospell when they amongst them that were obstinate and resisted the Spirit of God as their fathers had done Acts the 7. rejected and regarded not yea put it from them as we may see Acts the 13th ver 46. Paul and Barnabas turned unto the Gentiles who embracing the faith they with their children were made partakers of all and the same priviledges the Jewes were as we shall see afterward and therefore I verily beleeve that for all such of the Jewes in Iohn the Baptists time as embraced the Gospell and heard him that both they and their children were baptized Matth. 21. ver 32. and Luke the 7. ver 29. for any thing that can be alledged to the contrary for Ierusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Iordan and all that heard him were baptized saith the Scripture now children as well as their Parents heard John the Baptist who preached through all Iudea and in Ierusalem whither all people were bound thrice a yeare to bring up their children to the Feasts at which times both Christ himselfe and all his Apostles in regard of the great concourses of the people that resorted thither went up to preach taking those opportunities of publishing the Gospell as Christ himselfe declareth Iohn the 18. ver 20. where he saith answering to his enemies I ever taught in the Sinagogue and in the Temple whither the Iewes alwayes resort and in secret have I sayd nothing So Saint Iohâ— the Baptist taught publickly there also for Herod himselfe heard him gladly yea the children themselves at Ierusalem were so well instructed by his and Christs ministry in the mistery of the Gospell and the knowledge of Christ that they cryed Hosanna to the highest and gave testimony before all men that they were well taught whose witnesse concerning Christ when his enemies were offended at Christ himselfe ownes and approved of so that it is apparant that their parents brought them according to coÌ„mand to wait upon the ordinances and not only so but that they had learned their lesson as well as their Parents and durst make a publick profession of Christ when they were affraid and Christ had taught them that they that confessed him before men those would he confesse own before his Father in heaven by all which it is evident that their children were as well the children of Abraham Moses Disciples and in covenant with God as well as their Parents and by vertue of their Covenant had bin as well baptized as they for saith the word of God Ierusalem and all Iudea and all the Region round about and all that heard Iohn were baptised but those children heard him and confessed Christ as well as their Parents Ergo. Yea which is more the Anabaptists do acknowledge that all such as can make a profession of their faith in Christ have right unto Baptisme now it is apparant that the little children in Jerusalem publickly professed Christ to the great indignation of the Rulers therefore did not the Scripture say that all that heard him were baptised which children and women did as well as men yet by their owne confession and according to their own principles it is abundantly evident that the Children in Jerusalem were baptized as well as their Parents for they cryed Hosanna when they durst not but the Scripture sayes that Ierusalem was baptized by the Baptist What a wickednesse therefore is it in the Anabaptists to exclude the children of the beleeving Jewes from the Baptisme of Iohn when the word of God it selfe and all reason is so cleere for it seeing his commission was without limitation to the whole Nation of the Jewes to baptise them as the people of God in Covenant with him But because an Anabaptist not long since being in conference with me seemed to make nothing of Iohns Baptisme and looked only at the Apostles Baptisme I shall now also prove that the Apostles and Disciples Baptized both men women and children and that before Christs death and Ascention for their commission was as large as Iohns who were confined within the limits of Iudea and Israel and commanded not to goe to the Gentiles but only to the Cities of the Jewes And it is related of them that they Baptized all that came to their Ministry and followed Christ and that they baptized more then Iohn and this the very enemies of Iohâ— and Christ knew very well as is evident Iohn the 3. ver 22 23. After these things saith the Evangelist came Jesus and his Disciples into the land of Iudea and there he tarried with them and baptized And Iohn also was baptizing in Anon neere to Salim c. and they came and were baptized Here we have this witnesse that aâ—l that came unto the ministry of Christ and John none

excâ—uded were baptized And in the 26. ver the Jewes say there unto Iohn Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Iordan to whom thou barest witnesse behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him And in the fourth chapter ver 1. 2. it is recorded there When the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Iesus made and baptized more Disciples then Iohn though Jesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples he left Judea Out of which places this truth is sufficiently apparant that all that came unto Christ and waited upon his ministry and that of John the Baptist and Christs Disciples were all baptized and that the Disciples baptized more then John And as it is apparant by these places and those testimonies that went before that all that waited upon John and Christs ministry the Pharisees c. only excepted were baptized So the Scripture in many places relates what great concourses and multitudes of men women and children waited upon Johns and Christs ministry for there followed him saith the Scripture Math. 4. ver 25. Great multitudes of people from Gallilee and from Decapolis and from Jerusalem and from Judea and from beyond Jordan And in the 12th of Luke ver 1. When there were gathered together an innumerable multitudes of people c. And to passe by many places to prove this truth I shall only make use of two more as that in Math. the 14th 13. c. where it is recorded that the people hearing of Jesus his departure they followed him on foot out of the Cities and it is there said that when Jesus saw a great multitude he had compassion towards them and he healed their sicke and fed them Christ Preached to them and healed the sick and refreshed them he was their Physitian for soule and body and the Apostles Baptized them Now in this great multitude there were women and children as well as men that waited upon Christ ministry as the 21. verse proves for saith the Evangelist and they that had eaten were about five thousand men besides women and children And in the 15th of Math. which is the other place I shall now satisfie my selfe with it is related at large ver the 30th that great multitudes came unto him and that Christ after the curing of an those that were diseased called his Disciples unto him and sayd I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three dayes and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way And in this great multitude also there were women and children as well as men and growen persons for it is sayd ver 37. that they did all eat and were filled and ver 38. they that did eat were foure thousand men besides women and children from all the which places of holy Scripture I shall now prove that the Apostles also as well as John Baptist baptized both men women and children They that baptized all that came unto Christ and waited upon his ministry amongst the which there were women and childrn as well as men yea that baptized more then John they baptized both men women and children But the Apostles baptized all that came unto Christ and followed his ministry amongst the which there were women and children as well as men yea they baptized more then John the Baptist Ergo they baptized both men women and children For the major and minor of this Syllogisme they are sufficiently cleere from the places above quoted if by the mouths of many witnesses any truth may be confirmed and therefore the conclusion will necessary follow for most certaine it is that those great multitudes that followed Christ and waited upon his ministry consisted of women and children as well as of men and they were as well in covenant with God as they and Christ had equall compassion of the women and children as of the men and did as soone cure the children of those Parents and Rulers that had faith in him as he did those that did actually believe in him themselves as we may see in the Noble mans sonne and the daughter of the Canaanitish woman whose Parents believed and he ever relieved and preserved as well their children as their parents as in the places above cited where it is recorded that the women and children were as well fed by Christ as their Parents and that hee had as well compassion on them and care towards them as towards men And the places out of St. John the second and third declare that Christs Disciples baptized all that came unto Christ and followed him and the Apostles ministry and the fore-mentioned Scriptures evidence also that women and children waited as attentively upon Christs ministry as the men for it is sayd that they had all been attending upon him three dayes without eating and therefore it must necessarily follow that if the Apostles baptized all that followed their Master that they baptized women and children as well as men which the Anabaptists exclude not from their baptisme Now the holy Scripture being so cleere in this point it is sufficiently evident that they were all baptized both men women and children for the Apostles had their Commission from Christ and were sent to Baptise all the people of God then in Covenant with him without any restriction or limitation either of sex or age and women and children were as well in covenant with God as men neither doth the Scripture any where before Christs death record any thing to the contrary or relate any thing of the baptisme of men more then of women and children or exclude children more then men or women from Baptisme therefore when the Scripture sayes nothing to the contrary we are no more to exclude the children of the Iewes from the ordinance of Baptisme because they preached Faith and Repentance to those that were of yeares then the children of the Iewes or Profelites were to be excluded from Circumcision because Faith and Repentance were first preached to their Parents for God had declared in his holy Word and by his practice from the calling of Abraham his friend out of the Land of the Chaldeans and all strangers under the old Covenant that the same way and manner of admitting the Parents into Covenant with him and the same law of admission was to be used in all succeeding ages towards their children for their admittance and for the admittance of those that were of their houshold and God changeth not to be the Father and God of the children of beleevers under the Gospell as well as he was the God and Father of his people and their seed under the old Covenant neither are the children of Christians whether Iewes or Gentiles inseriour to those of the Iewes in any priviledges as I shall by by make appeare So that when Christ after his Resurrection and before his Ascention when he instructed his Apostles for forty dayes in all things belonging to the Kingdome of

And therefore were as holy as the Jewes and their children as holy as their children as being branches of that holy root and wiâ—hin the Covenant as well as they which doctrine is confirmed in many more places of holy Writ as in that above cited out of the 1 Cor. 7 ver 14. where the Apostle telleth them that if either of their Parents be beleevers their children are cleane and holy Which manifesteth cleerely to all men of understanding that the children of Christian parents are not only within the Covenant as well as the children of the Jewes but that they also are to be consecrated unto God as well as the Jewes children were as being holy and cleane which was by the Sacrament or right of Circumcision amongst them and therefore ought to be by Baptisme amongst us the Seale of the Covenant of admission For the same way of admission of the Father into the family and houshold of God was used to their children before the Law and under the Law therefore the same way of admission of the Parents is to be used of admitting their children under the Gospell which is by Baptisme they being as well in covenant and holy as well as their Parents But for farther proofe that children of Christian Parents are still as well in covenant as the Jewes were I shall desire you to learne what Saint Paul writeth in his 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians chap. 4. ver 13. where he saith unto them that did overmuch sorrow for the death of their Christian friends and Children I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope Meaning those that were without that were not in covenant with God asserting by these words that the Thessalonian Christians were in a blessed condition as being within the pale of the Church and in covenant with God for such as were without the Covenant were without hope and without God in the world as the Apostle saith Ephes 2. ver 12. which beleevers and their children are not and therefore equall in all priviledges with the children of the Jewes and in Covenant as well as they were with the which words he greatly comforted the Thessalonians and animated them against the immoderate sorrow and griefe for the death of their friends What a great wickednesse is it therefore in the Anabaptists to affirme as they daily doe that the children of Christians are no more within the Covenant then the children of Turkes and Infidels which is a meere fighting against God and a giving the Spirit of God the lye and an overthrowing of the Scripture which proclaimes them clean and holy and within the covenant which might be enough for ever to satisfie any sober-minded Christian should I not adde a word more to what I have spake But because that it is a received opinion amongst all the Anabaptists that children of believing parents are no more within the Covenant then Turks or Infidels and that they have no more right to Baptism then catts or doggs for so they have been heard speake I shall adde an argument or two more to the former for the preserving of those that are yet in the truth from their wicked errors and for the confirming of others and for the convincing of all gain-sayers and for the comfort of all Christian parents and their children that they may all see that they are equall in priviledges with the Jewes and their children and thus I argue Those that are undr a better Covenant and more sure promises by being Christians whether Jewes or Gentiles then they were before by being Jewes they and their children are inferiour to the Jewes and their children in no priviledges belonging to heaven and happinesse but far above them But the Christian Jewes and beleeving Gentiles are under a better Covenant and more sure promises by being Christians then they were before by being Jewes Ergo They and their children are inferiour to the Jewes and their children in no priviledges belonging to heaven and happinesse but farre above them And therefore if the Jewes and their children were within the Covenant under the old Testamenâ— and received the seale of the Covenant which was Circumcision for the admission into their Church then all the Christians and their children under the Gospell ought likewise to receive the Seale of the Covenant which is Baptisme for their admission For the conclusion of this Syllogisme and the consequence from that they will stand undeniable if the major and minor be proved and they are sufficiently evinced by the Aposile writing to his Country-men in his Epistle to the Hebrewes where he labouring to set forth their dâ—gnity now they were Christians and to shew they lost nothing in any of their priviledges by it and comparing them together proves by many arguments through the whole Epistle that they being now Christians were in a much better condition then when they were Jewes and therefore that they should not be discouraged or think themselves in a worse estate then they were befor and in expresse tearmes asserts they were under a better covenant and more sure promises His words are these Heb. 7. ver 20. 21. 22. And in as much as without an oath he was made a Priest meaning Aaron for those Priests were made without an oath but this with an oath mearing Christ by him that sayd unto him the Lord sware and wâ—ll not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament And chapter the 8. ver 6. But now saith the Apostle hath he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is a Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises Here we find the words twice reiterated for the more sure ratification of this truth And what Saint Paul writes to them he writ to all other Christians as we may see in the second Epistle of Peter chapter the third ver 15. 16. Now then if the beleeving Jewes and their children were all in covenant with God and had equall right with their parents to the Seale of the covenant which was Circumcision in their admission to the Church and if the Christians whether beleeving Jewes or Gentiles are not with their seed still within the covenant and have not right to the Seale of the same which is Baptisme in their admission then they are inferiour to the Jewes in Priviledges and under a worse covenant and not under a better and more sure promises which is to give the Spirit of God the lye and to overthrow indeed the doctrine of the New Testament for the whole Scriptures of the New testament witnesse that in all respects they that embrace the faith are in a farre better condition then the Jewes were whose necks were under such a yoake by Saint Peters testimony Acts the 15th ver 10. as neither they nor their forefathers could beare

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