AN ANSWER OR CONFVTATION OF Divers Errors Broached and Maintained By the Seven Churches of ANABAPTISTS Contained in those Articles of their Confession of Faith Presented to the PARLIAMENT and other grosse Opinions held by them against the cleare light of the GOSPELL By THOMAS BAKEWELL 2 TIM 3.8 9. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith But they shall proceede no further for their folly shall be manifest unto all men as theirs also was Imprimatur John Downham LONDON Printed for Henry Shepheard and William Ley and are to be sold at the Signe of the Bible in Tower-Streete and at Pauls-Chaine neare Doctors Commons 1646. The Contents of this Boooke CHAP. I. THis Chapter containes a confutation of many errours mentioned by the Anabaptists in their Articles of faith defended against me by one of their Teachers CHAP. II. This Chapter containes other wicked errours of the Anabaptists mentioned against me First that the bodies of men consisting of flesh and bones is their soules and that they have no other Secondly that the breath of men and beasts is their spirits and that it is immortall and liveth when their bodies are dead Thirdly they hold that in the Resurrection the bodies both of men and beasts shall rise againe and their breath shall be againe infused into them CHAP. III. This Chapter containes wicked errours mentioned against me by the Anabaptists who hold an Universall Redemption by Christ if not of beasts as was mentioned in the former Chapter yet of all men although they be already in hell torments CHAP. IV. In this Chapter they hold it unlawfull to use that Prayer of Christ Math. 6.9 as a Prayer by the godly and the ungodly with a briefe confutation of that errour CHAP. V. This Chapter containes a disputation with the Anabaptists about the Magistrates power in commanding those of a contrary judgement to conforme in publicke worship or to punish them in case of refusall To the Reader CHristian Reader The Apostacy of others should be as a warning to us that as we have set our hand to the plow of profession we may not looke backe Luke 17. but goe on unto perfection and presse toward the marke and for the joy that is set before us we should endure the Crosse and runne with patience the race that is set before us and never turne to the right hand nor to the left but goe on thorough the narrow gate along the straight way to Zion with our forces thitherward and encourage our hearts to the Lord by that everlasting Covenant that shall never be forgotten and we shall obtaine if we faint not the end of our faith shall be the salvation of our soules if we hold out to the end we shall be saved being faithfull to the death we shall have the Crowne of life then I say Good Reader take heede of Apostacy doe not beginne in the spirit and then end in the flesh for then your former righteousnesse shall never be remembred but for your sinne you shall dye but to those that persevere in the way of righteousnesse all their former sinnes shall be forgiven and never remembred more but they shall be cast into the bottome of the sea and blotted out of the book of remembrance and they shall be esteemed as perfectly righteous having no spot nor wrinckle nor any such thing then keepe thy garments for thou must walke with Christ in robes made white in the blond of the Lambe pure religion will keepe thee from being spotted by the world and that thou mayest so doe keepe thy selfe from the fornicatours of the world yea from both scandalous and erroneus persons doe not inquire saying how doe they serve their Gods Deut. 12.31 Come not among any erronius persons Israel living amongst them soone learned their workes Psal 110.35 enter not into their paths goe not with with wicked men avoyde it passe not by it turne from it and come away Prov. 4.14 15. If they say loe here is Christ or there beleeve them not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets that if it were possible would deceive the very elect Wherefore if they say behold he is in the desart goe not forth behold he is in the secret chambers beleeve it not Math. 24.24.26 If they preach any other Gospell then that the former Saints have beene taught let them be accursed Their new Lights is but Satans delusion when he transforms himselfe into an Angel of light The old way is the good way our Fathers walked therein and were not confounded Psal 22.44 Then if they bring not this doctrine receive them not into thy house nor bid them God speede 3 Jon. 3.10 Pertake not of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure and he not carried about with every winde of doctrine The slight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lie in waite to deceive with fairs words They deceive the hearts of the simple and carry away captive unstable soules into destruction then it is a good thing the heart be established with grace Be ye rooted and built up in Christ and stand fast against all the wiles of the divell be not like the Athenians desiring to hearâ— have not itching cares after novelties labour to have godlinesse with content and a setled minde upon the truth of the Gospell so shalt thou stand in these perillous dayes When iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold labour to love the truth and thou shalt not be given up to beleeve liâ—s labour to doe the will of God and thou shalt know his doctrine whether it be of God and receive nothing for truth till thou hast weighed it in the ballance of the Sanctuary let not thy affections be fastened on any thing before thou hast tryed it receive nothing for the love of men nor respect of persons but search the scriptures and see whether those things be so and follow Paul but as he followes Christ and if sinners entice thee consent thou not if they say come let us heare such a Trades-man preach goe not with them least thou be snared to thy destruction Then doe not tempt the Lord nor presume of thine owne strength to stand in such temptations but take heede least thou fall be ever jealous of thine owne heart for it is deceitfull above all things keepe it with all diligence and leane not to thine owne understanding and if thou desirest satisfaction in any point in controversie acquaint thy Pastor with it before thou give consent to any thing new come up or to walke in a way not cast up from the ancient pathes reads this Book and let the Scripture be thy Judge and if it satisfie thee in any thing give God the prayse and let me be remembred in thy prayers and I shall remaine thine in all Christian duties to be commanded THOMAS BAKEWELL A CONFUTATION OF Divers Errors of the Anabaptists contained in their
be made alive but every man in his order 1 Cor. 15.21.22 23. So then although we beleeve the resurrection of men we dare not beleeve the resurrection of beasts But they say That when the Lord hath takeâ— the breath of all creatures and they are dead and turned to dust then he sends forth his spirit and they are created and so he renues the face of the earth Psal 104.29 30. this they say is a plaine resurrection of all the creatures from death to life I answer Here in this place they are said by the Spirit of God to be created and so in Gen. 1. The Spirit of God moved upon the waters in the work of Creation And saith Job The Spirit of God made me Job 33.4 all this I grant yet this will not prove a resurrection unlesse you make the worke of Creation to be a resurrection from death to life But they say this was spoken after they were dead and returned to dust Psal 104.29.30 I answer this is frequent in scripture For things that were done first to be set downe last 1. Sam. 15.35 There is mention of Sauls death and Samuels mourning for him and then Chap. 17. Saul conferres with David about his going to fight with Goliah and afterwards he persecutes David But was all this after his death because it is set downe after it Againe thou renuest the face of the earth this cannot be meant of the resurrection from death to life but rather it is to be understood an enlarging of strength and comfort after some great scarcity with a new supply of plenty But here is nothing concerning resurrection from death to life Thirdly the Saints of God never expected any resurrection of beasts that ever I read of before these Anabaptists but they have alwayes expected a resurrection of men for saith Job Job 19.25 When wormes have destroyed this body yet in my flesh I shall see God And Martha saith I know that he shall rise againe in the resurrection of the just Iohn 11.24 and saith David My flesh shall rest in hope Psal 16.9 And besides the Saints in all ages embalmed the dead and buried them in coffins and sepulchers and cleane linnen to declare that they expected that they should rise againe but I reade of no such thing done to beasts and they that expect their resurrection might doe well to bury them more decently that the world may see that they beleeve a resurrection of beast Fourthly there is no example in Scripture that any beast ever did rise from death to life but we have many examples of men and women received their dead raised to life againe Heb. 11.35 and the man that was buried in the Sepulcher of the Prophet and touching his bones he revived and stoode upon his feete 2 King 12.21 And in the New Testament one newly dead and another in the coffin and another dead foure dayes and many came out of their graves at the death of Christ then if we have so many examples of men that arose and not one of beasts we must beleeve the one and reject the other as an abominable errour Fifthly beasts can neither dye the death of sinne nor suffer the death of eternall punishment neither can they rise to the state of grace nor to the state of glory which were a most miserable and shamefull thing for any to affirme therefore there is no resurrection for beasis Sixthly To rise from death to life at the last day is called the resurrection of the just and the unjust Acts. 24.15 Now if they say that beasts have done evill they shall come forth to the resurrection of damnation Iohn 9 25. or if some have done good and some evill then some of them shall be saved and some damned and then they must come before Christ the Judge on the Throne to receive either the sentence of absolution or condemnation These abominable errours are not fitting to be named amongst Christians much lesse to be embraced and defended by any and it would seeme incredible that any should be so blinde as to harbour such errours where the light of the Gospell comes but onely we know at the downefall of Antichrist The divell will stir up all the old heresies that ever was to uphold that tottering Babell But to come againe to the argument the covenant of workes was not made with beasts but with man onely then it was not the beasts but man onely that sinned against that Covenant of workes and man onely was punished for the breach of it and not the beasts although his punishments was not only upon his person but upon his whole estate and so accidentally the beasts were punished but not as their punishment for their sinne but as mans punishment for his sinne Then if beasts have neither sinne nor punishment from what should they be redeemed but they say if all men were not redeemed how should they rise again I answer Although all men are not redeemed neither doe they all rise by vertue of redemption yet Christ by his power will raise those that are not redeemed to partake of that punishment that is due to them for acting in that sinne with their soules when the whole man broke Covenant with the Eternall God But they say it is sufficient to punish the soule eternally although the body rise not I answer if they had kept that Covenant the body should have had the benefit of it to eternity therefore because it sinned with the soule it must suffer with it eternally But they say the body riseth without sinne I answer yet if it did so the soule being filthy and comming out of hell will defile it as a just requitall to the body which defiled the cleane soule as soone as it was infused into it but I suppose the bodies of reprobates shall not rise without sinne But as the tree falls so it lies there is no repentance in the grave but the same body and no other shall arise Job 19.26 For sin shall lye downe with him in the dust Job 20.11 and having the guilt of sinne upon it As a Part of the curse it shall be raised to partake with the soule in punishment for the whole man sinned and the whole man shall be punished eternally But they say As by the sinne of one man death came upon all men and beasts so by one man came the resurrection of the dead For in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alive 1 Cor. 15.21 22. Answ Beasts were but the goods of men it was man onely that sinned and was punished for all men being in Adam sinned and died for their owne sinne for it was theirs as soone as they were in him by nature so also those that are in Christ shall rise againe to grace here and to glory hereafter CHAP. III. Turne thee yet againe and see greater abominations They hold an Vniversall Redemption if not both of men and beasts yet of all men although they be already
suffice to shew that the soule is not the body Secondly they hold that the breath of men and of beasts is their spirits and that it is immortall and liveth when their bodies are dead To this I shall doe as before to prove that their breath is not their spirit and answer what they have to say to the contrary as I goe along onely as I said before that the spirit soule or heart of man is for the most part meant the same thing for substance onely by spirit some times is meant the understanding or principle ruling part of that divine thing and the soule is meant the lower parts or lesse principle the will and affections which are to be regulated by them and by the heart is meant the conscience that officer of the soule which hath a charge to see that this Order be kept yet I say for the most part when any one of these is named all that divine thing is meant then the breath of man and beasts is not the spirit I prove by these arguments First mans breath is a vanishing thing his breath is in his nostrils and wherein is he to be accounted of Isa 2 22. It is a winde that passeth and commeth not againe Psal 76.39 It was breathed into man Gen. 2 7. the Lord commanded the winde to breath and the breath came into them But the soules of men are created 1 Pet. 4.19 God is the Father of the spirits of all flesh Numb 16 22. and the heart of man is incorruptible 1 Pet. 3 4 then the vanishing breath of men and beasts is not their spirit Secondly man and beast have all one breath and yet the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of beasts goes downewards to the earth Ecclâ—s 3.19.20 21. therefore the breath of men and beasts is not their spirit Thirdly Job makes a distinction betweene the spirit of man and his breath saying if God should set his heart on man to gather unto himselfe his spirit marke and his breath Job 34 14. Here is that divine thing the spirit with the signes of it which is the breath then all flesh shall perish and turne to dust but his spirit shall returne to God that gave it and the spirits of men and Angels can live in the third heavens above the region of the winds without breath neither shall men when their bodies are made spirituall at the resurrection neede any breath for it is no part of soule or body and Legions of spirits have beene in one man and yet I supose he had no more breath then another man and they might all speake and yet the man not breath then I suppose the breath is but a part of the winde already created infused into mortall creatures while they remaine mortall in this life and then to returne and never come againe Psai 78 39 therefore the breath of men and beasts is not their spirits But they say the â—oure windes are called the foure spirits of the heavens Zach. 6.5 Hence they conclude that winde or breath in man is his spirit I answer the winde moves the cloudes of heaven as our spirits move us or as the vitals of beasts move them therefore they are called the spirits of the heavens but our breath doth not move us so but rather some thing within us moves us and when our breath goes out in speaking or otherwise we should dye if we had not something else within us to draw it in againe acting with our vitals and when that power is gone we dye But they say the body without the spirit is dead Jam. 2.26 and that say they is their breath But if we should grant this that the body without breath is dead yet it will not so follow that breath is the spirit but that breath is a signe of life or a signe that there is a spirit in that body which doth produce that breath As the fruite of the tree is not the life or spirit of the tree but rather a signe that there is life in that tree that doth produce these fruits Then they say Mans breath of life was breathed into him Gen. 2.7 and when the childes breath was gon he died 1 King 17.17 And if God take away breath from all mortall creatures they dye and returne to dust Psal 104.27 therefore say they the breath of man and beast is their spirit I answer as before it will not follow because the signes of life come and goe with life that therefore it is life it selfe There be many signes of life as eating drinking walking and talking and when they cease man dies yet these be but signes of life and so is breath in men and beasts and therefore it is not their spirit Fourthly to affirme that the breath in man and beasts is their spirits many absurdities would follow for they having one breath Eccles 3.19 and if this were their spirit then a beast may have the spirit of wisedome and knowledge Isa 11 and the spirit of a beast might search the deepe things of God as well as the spirit of man 1 Cor. 2.10 11. and the spirit of a beast may be wounded Prov. 18.14 and if breath were spirit then God would delight in broken breath Psal 51. and in poore and contrite breath Isay 66. And if breath be spirit some shall be borne of breath and God will give new breath and all the gifts of the spirit would be nothing but more breath added and when the spirit also departed from Saul his breath failed him and those that separate from the Church do it because they have not the breath Jude 19. and Daniels excellent gift of the spirit was nothing but a great breath And when God requires that we should Sing and Pray with the Spirit he meanes nothing but breath many more vile absurdities would follow if we should be so damnably blinde as to beleeve that the breath of men and beasts is their spirit as some Anabaptists hold Thirdly they hold that in the resurrection the bodies of men and beasts shall rise againe and their breath shall be infused againe into them To this as to the rest I shall shew that the bodies of beasts shall not rise againe and for brevity answer what they have to say against it as I goe along First beasts have not immortall spirits as I have shewed before unto which their bodies should be againe united but their spirits are gone downeward to the earth Eccles 3.21 Then if these beasts should be raised up againe it would be a new creation of beasts out of the earth as they were at the first and could not be a resurrection of them from death to life Secondly the Scripture makes no mention of the resurrection of beasts and we must not be wise above that which is written 1 Cor. 4.6 but the Scripture saith Thou bringest man to destruction and sayest returne ye children of men Psal 90.3 As in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all
therefore he died for 〈◊〉 Thirdly Christ died not for all and every man in the world for He was the good shepheard who gave his life for the sheepe Iohn 10 11.15 but all are not the sheepe of Christ neither by election nor calling For at the day of Judgement Christ will divide the she perfrom the gâ—â—tes and sar to the sheepe Come ye blessed and to the goats Goe ye cursed Math. 25.33.41 then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world but they will grant this saying Christ died for all and therefore for his sheepe but I say againe that they must be sheepe either in election that shall be brought into this folde Iohn 10 16. or else they are already in the folde by calling but this will not prove that he died for the goates and dogges that shall Fourthly Christ dyed onely for them that he knows The Lord knows who are his 2 Tom. 2.19 And Christ knows his sheep John 10.27 and as the Father hath his book wherein the names of all his are written Luke 10.20 So the 〈◊〉 hath his book of life Revel 13.8 But some at the last day will neither be found written in the book of life nor in the Lambs book therefore he will professe unto them that he never knew them Mat. 7.21 22. Luke 13.17 So that if Christ knows his sheep for which he died and yet at the day of judgement there shall be some that he never knew then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world Fifthly Christ dyed for no more then he prayed for and now makes intercession but sayth he I pray not for the world John 17.9 and not to make intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 He makes intercession for all that come unto God by him Heb. 7.25 And sayth he I pray not for these alone but for them also that shall beleeve through the Word John 17.2 Thus Christ prayed for all the elect that shall come unto God by him and that shall believe in him but some he would not pray for but sayth I pray not for the world Joh. 17.9 for then if Christ would not vouchsafe to pray for all and every man in the world shall we thinke that he would die and spill his bloud for all But say they all were given to Christ and if he prayes for all those that were given to him then he prayes for all I answer all reprobates are given to his power to be ruled by his rod of iron these are under his regall government that they shall not doe what they list he hath a bridle for their lips and a hook in their nose these hee rules with rigour and because they will not doe his will they shall suffer this displeasure But the other he rules with sanctifying and saving grace but to the other hee will neither give grace not glory therefore he neither prayed nor dyed for them Sixthly Those for whom Christ dyed it was to redeem them from all iniquity Titus 2.14 The precious bloud of Christ redeemed us from our vain conversation 1 Pet 1.18 19. The bloud of Christ shall purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 He washed us from our sins in his bloud Rev. 1.5 But some shall never have their sins purged Ezek. 24.13 Some their sins shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Mar. 12.31 Then if Christ dyed to redeem from sin and by his death to reconcile some to God Rom. 5.10 and yet some shall never be forgiven neither sin purged then Christ did not die for all and every man in the world But they say Christ takes away the sins of the whole world yet they believe that he justifies none from their sins till they behold and believe it John 1.29 I Answer If none be justified till they believe that Christ takes away the sins of all and every man in the world then they shall never be justified for as I said before some shall never be forgiven nor their sins purged then if all sin shall he token away by Christ and yet the Father will not justifie them this were to taâ—e God to bee unjust Again shall not I be saved unlesse I make CHRIST a lyer Doth hee say some shall never bee forgiven and cannot I bee justified unlesse I believe that he taketh away the sins of every man in the world Again If Christ takes away the sins of every man in the world I would know what else can hinder their justification or salvation Is not God true in his word to CHRIST to save them that hee hath freed from sinne â—â—s For this is the Fathers will sayth Christ That all which hee hath given mee I should lose nothing but that I should raise it up at the last day John 6.39 Then doth the Father want power to keepe those that Christ hath redeemed No My Father is greater then all and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand John 10.29 Then did Christ lose them again no hee saith All those that thou hast given me I have lost none but the sonne of perdition who was onely given to him by office but not by grace and favour then what is the fault are their sins forgiven and taken away by Christ and yet they will not bee saved this cannot be for sayth the Father to the Sonne Thy people shall bee willing in the day of thy power Psal 110.3 Then let Popish Arminians bee ashamed to say CHRIST taketh away the sinnes of every man in the World and yet the greatest part of it damned For nothing but sinne separates between us and our God Esay 50.2 Then they say it is not the death of Christ that makes any difference of men For he gave his life a ransom for all and would have all saved 2 Tim. 6.1 2. And it is predestination and faith that makes the difference I Answer It is true It was decreed that CHRIST should die for the elect and their faith believes that hee hath done it and so they are justified and shall be saved But then they say there bee two elections one generall for all men But the other is not decreed till men believe and is particular for beleevers For say they if God should make some men which hee doth not elect to be saved he would be the positive cause of sin in them and then for that sin he caused to damne them which would be miserable Truly I answer God is not the positive cause of sin in any hee never infused sinne into them hee made man righteous yet mutable and hee was not bonnd to support him therefore hee fell yet God did not make man to damne him nor desires hee the destruction of any creature but hee desires the glory of his justice and better all creatures should perish then hee should lose the glory of his justice as in our own case
stand to their courtesie whether any will bee saved or not what miserable arguing is this Seventhly They say Christ dyed for all and yet all not saved because His Father made him Iudge of all John 5.27 28 29. I answer as before by this Argument he dyed for Devills and Angels that never sinned for he is the judge of all but if Christ shall slay those that will not have him to rule over them and cast unprofitable servants into utter darknesse Luke 19.22 27. and render vengeance on these that obey not the Gospel 1 Thes 1.7 8 9. Is this sufficient to prove that Christ hath bought them with his heart bloud when hee shall thus condemne nhem let all wise men judge But then they say if Christ should condemne these that he dyed not for in that he would be unjust I Answer as before If this were so then Christ were unjust to condemne the Devills or else they must prove that Christ dyed for Devills but men and Angels were all condemned for their sin against the Covenant of works and hee was not bound to send men a Saviour to redeem them and to establish those Angels that did not sin This may suffice to prove that Christ did not die for all and every man in the world CHAP. IV. They hold it unlawlull to use that Prayer of Christ Matthew 6.9 at a Prayer both by the godly and ungodly THey say the godly must not use this Prayer of Christ because the fift petition is forgive us our trespasses when as they are forgiven already and therefore ought not to pray for pardon of sin being pardoned already I Answer David a man after Gods own heart when Nathan the Prophet told him that the Lord had put away his sin yet he prayed the Lord to deliver him from bloud guiltinesse 2 Sam 12.13 Psal 51.14 and in his old age he prayed the Lord not to remember the sins of his youth and to pardon his iniquity for it is great Psal 25.7 11. And although the Lord will cleanse the house of Israel from all their uncleannesse yet for this he will be enquired of by them Ezek. 36.25 26 29 97. And they must take up words and say take away all our iniquity Hos 14.2 and the Apostles by Christ were taught daily to say forgive us our sins because we sin daily and our assurance is but for the time present and who knows how soone he may lose it and say with David and Jeremiah I am cut off Psal 31.22 Lam. 3.54 and with Iob Though thou holdest me for thine enemy and settest me as a mark for thine arrow Iob 7.20.13 24. But they say if any man lack assurance of Gods favour let him pray for it rather then for pardon of sin being done already I answer assurance of Gods favour is employed in that prayer for pardon of sin for it is sin onely that separates betweene us and our God Esay 59 2. and we should more desire the pardon of sin being an offence to God then our own comfort that comes by that pardon again the way to get assurance and to keepe it is by praying for the forgivenesse of sins for suppose we have at the present our comfortable assurance that all our sins past are forgiven yet we sin continually and every new sin is as a cloud betweene God and us and darkens our assurance of it now by this prayer we disperse and dispell these clouds which would soon deprive us of all our comfortable assurance of Gods favour therefore David prays to be clensed from all his secret sins although unknown Psal 19.12 for all sinnes will cause the Lord to hide his face from us more or lesse Esay 54.2 but they say Christ taught his Disciples to pray for pardon of sin before hee suffered because hee had then appeased the wrath of his Father yet afterward hee required no such thing but if Christ had not satisfied the wrath of God before he came in the flesh and suffered in it then I would know what became of all the Patriarks and Prophets that died before but I have often said that God made a Covenant with Christ from all Eternity to give him all the Elect as they fall in the severall ages of the World upon condition that he should give his life a ransome for them and so the Father set him a day and trusted the Son for the payment of it and gave him all the elect according to their Covenant that fell in those ages before the day of payment for the purchase and then in the fulnesse of time he paid for the purchase and now the Son trusts the Father to give him all the Elect that fall in those ages since the purchase was paid so then the death of Christ was vertuall to save those before his comming as well as those after for God was in Christ reconciling the World or multitude of the Elect in every age of the World from the first to the last to give them to Christ and so by vertue of the Covenant he was slaine from the foundation of the World Revel 13.8 Therefore it is said by Isaiah unto us a child is born Esay 6.9 And Abraham saw his day and was glad Joh. 8.58 And Christ was as pleasing to his Father before he came in the flesh as after for sayth he I was set up from everlasting then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight Prov. 22.23 30. Therefore if Christ say in Jobs time I have found a ransome then he will deliver his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light Iob 33.24 28. so then in every age when the Father gave any to Christ his death did vertually satisfie for them they being in Christ by faith with whom the Covenant was made but they say before Christ suffered all power to forgive sins was in the Father and afterward given to him Mat. 28.18 And then and not before he got the keyes of hell and death Revel 1.18 I Answer Christ had power to forgive sin before he suffered Mat. 9.5 6. for he was King of his Church ever since that promise was made to Adam Gen. 3.15 and had the keyes of hell and death ever since although he never made it known to the world till then Rom. 16.25 and if that covenant had not been made before the covenant of works was broken by Adam all creatures had perished eternally but they say although Christ taught remission of sins after his death yet then he did not teach to pray for pardon of sinne I Answer that prayer which he had taught before was to remain to the worlds end for sayth he When you pray say forgive us our sins and to denie this were to renounce all those truths taught by him before his death and to confine our selves onely to what hee taught afterwards Again then the Doctrine of resurrection was most in question to be resolved on
therefore hee laboured to strengthen the faith in that Doctrine onely Luke 24.37 39. John 20.27 and this doctrine of the resurrection being confirmed all other doctrines taught before were confirmed also But they say the ceremonies of Moses Law may as well continue now as that prayer of Christ for hee did as well then command them to goe and offer sacrifice as Moses had commanded Mat. 8.4 I Answer although the sacrifices of beasts did end at the death of CHRIST yet the sacrifices of prayer and praise was not then to end for praise and thanksgiving must be continually in heaven Heb. 13.15 and that of those Lepers was such a sacrifice nine of them went not at all and the tenth returned to CHRIST and gave him thanks and it was approved of him as sufficient Luke 17.16 18. so then whether they were brought to Christ by the helpe of a sacrifice or immediately it was not much materiall so that they came to him then although the sinne offering of beasts be ceased by the Sacrifice of CHRIST once for all yet the sacrifice of prayer for pardon of sin may still bee a sweet incense Psal 141.1 but they say When Christ taught them thus to pray the Law was in its full strength but now Christ hath put an end to the Law which is the strength of sin 1 Cor. 15.56 And the Law being ended sin also is ended and needs no prayer for the pardon of it I Answer The morall Law is eternally setled in heaven Psal 119.89 103.20 and sin remains in hell for they shall blaspheme God in their torments and cannot repent Revel 16.9 11. and if sinne should cease the fire would goe out for It is sin and the wrath of God that is like ariver of brimstone to it Esay 30 33. so then as in heaven is neither sin nor misery to the elect but in hell is both the reprobate and in this world all things are alike to all Eccles 9 1 2 the Soints and reprobates have both sin and miserie although in a different manner for it reigns in the one and is dying in the other but he is a lyer that saith he hath no sin 1 John 1.8 For no man liveth and sinneth not 1 King 8.48 Eccles 7.20 Then feeing as the Saints have sin they must pray for the parden of it as the best means in the world to subdue it then the godly may say this prayer But then they say the ungodly may not say this Prayer of Christ as a Prayer because they cannot call God Father I Answer although they bee none of his children by grace and adoption yet they are his children by creation thus Adam was the Son of God Luke 3.38 and so God is the Father of all things Job 38.28 and if carnall men doe pray they may obtain some temporall things as well as Ahab did by fasting 1 King 21.29 so God hears all mortall creatures Psal 104.21.145.15.147 9. Then they say carnall men ought not to say the first petition praised be thy name for they cannot doe it from the heart I Answer the best of us all when we pray if Christ did not put the incense of his merits amongst them could not be pleasing unto him Revel 9.3 and if none should praise the Lord but those that doe it with their whole heart God would have very little praise in this world when as every creature that hath breath is commanded to praise the Lord Psal 150.6 Then they say none can give God thanks but they that have received somthing of him but this I grant for what creature in heaven earth or sea that hath received nothing from God if there be none such but all have received of him somthing then let all praise him But they say for carnall men to pray Thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven were to pray for their destruction but how can that be when they pray that the will of Christ were done hy man on earth as Saints and Angels doe it in heaven both chearfully and constantly in salvation rather then by suffering his will upon them in hell torments for ever Then they say that carnall men may not say Give us this day our daily bread for that is to be understood The word of God which the Saints have had and still desire but how can this be must we aske for so much of the word as may onely suffice for a day and doth the word of God consume in the using of it when not one jot of it shall fail Mat. 5. It was the loafes that Christ said was meate that perisheth John 6.26 27. Again if Christ in this petition did not teach us to pray for temporall things then how could his prayer be perfect and why would hee give thanks for meate that perisheth if he would not pray for a blessing upon it Then they say here is to be understood that Christ taught them to pray for his spirit but I say again how much of his spirit will suffice for a day and I hope they will not so blaspheme the eternall spirit of God as to say it consumes in the using of it no It is a well of living water springing up unto eternall life John 4 14. then this petition being for carnall things and not the spirit of God carnall men may pray for them and obtain them Then they say if carnall men should say forgive us as we forgive them that trespas against us in this they would seale up their own damnation because they will not forgive others Mat. 18.29 30. But what of this shall they escape damnation by not saying of it and if they cannot they had as good say it to obtain some temporall things as to be both miserable in not saying of it both here and also hereafter and besides the using well of these gifts in seeking them by prayer and giving God thanks for them is Gods way to obtain better mercies as some in asking temporall things by that prayer obtain spirituall mercies Mat. 9.2 Then they say carnall men must not say Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evill because they are never out of temptation I answer the godly are in the same condition tempted either by the world flesh or the devill continually and they cannot escape them all together except they goe out of the world 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. then must they not pray and use the meanes to escape them Then they say carnall men are temptation it selfe but I say how can that be For as they are Gods creatures they are good and not to be so called and it is but their words and deeds that tempt for their thoughts cannot neither is it all their words and deeds but some of them onely and they have a naturall conscience to oppose those words and deeds that are tempting to others and why may they not pray against them then we ought not to discourage any but rather teach