Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	abraham_n	righteousness_n	seal_n	9,017	5	9.6941	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77739	A confutation of the Anabaptists, and all others who affect not civill government; proving the lawfullnesse of it: and a full answer to all their cavills, that are, or can be made against it. With a nut-cracker for an unnaturall nut, whose shell is as hard as the scales of Leviathan, and the kernell of his heart as hard as a piece of the nether mill-stone, Iob 41.15.24. yet the hammer of Gods word that breaketh in pieces the rocks, Ier. 23.29. will break this nut, that all may see the devillish kernell that is in it. Also arguments against the Anabaptists, proving that infants borne of Christian parents ought to be baptized: with a full answer to all their cavills that are (or can be) made against it. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford.	Bakewell, Thomas, b. 1618 or 19.	1644 (1644)	Wing B530; Thomason E51_20; ESTC R209932	98,225	89

is this to Christ who came to put an end to all darke Types and shadowes and to manifest to the sons of men the infinite goodnes of the Father more clearely then ever it was before Christ is the light of the Gentiles Luke 2.32 Then let us not think that Christ came to deprive our children of that which the children of the Jewes had before his comming Eightly they will object and say that it is no where found that any one Infant was ever baptized by the hand of any of the Apostles I answer although it be not expresly by name set downe by the Evangelists yet it is plainly implyed when it is said that they baptized Lydia and her houshold and the Jaylor and all his Acts 16.15.23 But if all this will not suffice to answer them I reply that by the same argument women may be debard from the other Sacrament the Lords Supper because that we read of none that received it in the Apostles times but if we observe and consider well what the instrution requireth by that we may know to whom the use of the Lords Supper ought to be communicated now the same rule is to be observed in baptisme for when we consider to what end it was ordained we may easily see that it belongs aswel to Infants as to elder folks so that if they be deprived of it the will of Christ is manifestly defrauded then lot us not beleeve their lyes when they say that baptisme of Infants was not in the Apostles times But try the spirits whether they be of God 1 John 4.1 And search the Scripture daily and see whether those things be so Acts 17.11 Ninthly they will object that although Infants were Circumcised yet it will not follow that they should be baptized because that the signs the Covenant are different and also the names of the children For first say they Circumcision was a figure of mortification not of baptisme so I say too that mortification is the thing signified by both hence I conclude that baptisme doth rightly come in the place of Circumcision because that they both do signifie the same thing 2. Whereas they affirm the difference of the Covenant they are forced to wrest the Scriptures with audacious boldnesse and all because they would make them speake a damnable lye which is this They say that the Covenant which God made with Abraham did not exceed this temporal life al the promises therein contained are but for temporall things but if this be so hence it wil follow that the Jewes were only filled with benefits like swine fatted with huskes and so at length did perish with eternal damnation for say they Circumcision was but a litterall signe and the promises thereof were but carnall To this I reply that Hereticks may draw the same inference from baptisme for saith the Apostle we are circumcised in Christ in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the Circumcision of Christ and presently he addeth buried with him in baptisme Col. 2.11 12. Thus you see that baptisme is directly in the place of Circumcision and the fulfilling of baptisme is also the fulfilling of Circumcision for they figure unto us both the same thing yet I deny not but the land of Canaan with many temporall blessings was infolded in this promise yet not as the chiefe which was Christ and in him all spirituall and eternall blessings that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith Gal. 3.14 Thus those soule● murderers do not only seek to murder our little Infants but also the soules of all the Israel of God under the old Testament in saying that Covenant which God made with Abraham was but litterall and all the promises contained in it were but for carnall things 3. They say that in the old Testament they were called the children of Abraham because they carne of him and now none but the faithfull are called Abrahams children therefore say they that carnall Infancy which was by Circumcision grafted into the fellowship of the Covenant figured the Infants of the new Testament which are regenerated by the word of God to immortall life This is a truth but yet it is not the whole truth for as the Serpent beguiled Eve so doth this subtile Sophister seek to seduce those little ones that beleeve in Christ 1. Here you see that he excludes all our Infants from having any right in Christ because saith he the circumcising of Infants and receiving them or ingrafting them into the fellowship of the Covenant signified those under the new Testament which are regenerated by the Word which no Infant can be yet I have proved before that they may have the seeds of faith regeneration wrought in them by the spirit of God although the manner how it is wrought in them be hidden from us then why should he exclude these Infants Again he calls them all carnall Infants that were circumcised before that they manifest themselves so to be not considering that God is able to sanctifie them and to give them the gifts of the holy Ghost from their mothers wombe as I have shewed in Ieremiah Iohn the Baptist Again Abraham was called the Father of the faithfull aswell to Jewes as Christians for when a company of wicked wretches called themselves the children of Abraham saith Christ if ye were the children of Abraham you would do the workes of Abraham Ye are of your father the Divell and the lusts of your father ye will doe John 8.39.44 And Abraham rejoyced to see my day and ye goe about to kill me this did not Abraham vers 56.40 Againe all the faithfull whether Iewes or Gentiles are all joynt heirs with Abraham of the same promises and shall come from the East and West and sit downe with him in the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 8.11 so then by Circumcision the Jewes were taught that God was the author of their salvation by this knowledge their minds were raised to the hope of eternal life they were called Gods peculiar treasure and his purchased people and what can be wanting to them when God hath taken charge of them And Abraham had faith before he received the seale of the righteousnesse of faith that he should be the father of all the faithfull both of circumcision and uncircumcision Rom. 4.10.11 Yet God was pleased particularly to imbrace the seed of Abraham with his mercie and that the same mercy might be the more witnessed to them he gave them the seal of circumcision so like unto this is the Christian Church when the parēts receive the seal of the covenant so must the children also For if the root be holy so are the branches Ro. 11.16 Yea if but one of the parents beleeve the children are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 And are so accounted of God although they be Infants and not yet capable to be converted by the

word of God preached unto them yet they may have a work upon them by the holy Ghost which makes them to be in the Covenant and to have right to the seale of it which is baptisme Tenthly they object other differences to small purpose betweene baptisme and circumcision they say that baptisme hath relation to the first day of our spirituall battell but circumcision to the eighth day when mortification is ended and by by they fall soule upon themselves and break the neck of their owne argument saying that circumcision is a signe of the flesh to be mortified and baptisme they call buriall into which none can be put till they be already dead so that it is enough and sufficient to confute them in naming their owne contradictions but let them know that ●ortification is a continued action all the dayes of our life and the more we ●●●●ease ●n knowledge the more we increase in sorrow Eccle. 1.18 For wee ●ayly find more sin to be mortified and circumcision was not deferred till the ●th day because that should be the last day of mortification but God in great mercy to the infant did forbeare the first seven dayes because they are held to be most dangerous as also that it may have a litle more strength to undergoe so hard a service and also it was to typifie our Saviours resurrection Another filly cavill they would make that if we thus compare baptisme with circumcision then say they none but males ought to be baptized and yet say they you baptize females I answer circumcision being in the generative part it is all one as if both were circumcised so that if but one of the parents were in the Covenant as I said concerning baptisme the children are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Thus then we see the agreement between circumcision and baptisme in the inward mystery and in the promises in the use and in the efficacy of them Then why may not infants now be baptized aswell as they were circumcised it being far easier to them to beare it 11thly they object that infants understand not the thing there signified which is their spirituall regeneration this say they cannot be in their tender infancy therefore they are to be taken for no other then the children of Adam till they bee growne to age meet for a second birth I answer if they have the seeds of faith and regeneration wrought in truth by the spirit of God in their soules although the knowledge of it be hidden both from themselves and from us it is too weake an argument to deprive them of the ordinance of baptisme for sometimes the strongest Christian may thinke himselfe a cast-away and that he for the present hath not one dram of true saving grace as yet wrought in him but must we judge him to be so because he himselfe for the present cannot see it to be otherwise so then must wee judge all Infants to be in old Adam because they themselves are not capable to understand their own condition If they be in old Adam they are in the state of death and damnation And if they should then dye they must needs be damned for in Adam all dye 1 Cor. 15.22 But will these men leave them in that condition what is this but as I said before to esteem the precious sons of Sion comparable to fine gold to be but earthen pitchers These are more cruell then sea monsters to their young ones like the Estridges in the wildernesse Lam. 4.2.3 She is hardned against her young ones as though they were not hers because God hath deprived her of wisedome and hath not imparted unto her understanding Job 39.16.17 Christ calleth them unto him because he is life and that they might have life in them and these people drive them from him and adjudge them to death Neither will they bring them to Christ that they may have life they will not use the means to have them ingrafted into Christ that so they may be delivered from the bondage of death they deprive them of all salvation in debarring them from the ordinance of baptisme But they will demand how Infants can be regenerate which have neither knowledge of good nor evil I answer God is able to work the seeds of grace in them although we see it not and in this thing we must beleeve more then we see or else we shal condemn all those infants that die before they be capable of knowledge and so David shall go to hell to his departed Infant for saith he I shall goe to him 2 Sam. 12.23 And how can it be avoyded For we are all shapen in iniquity and in sin we were conceived Psa 51.5 We are all by nature children of wrath then those Infants that dye must be freed from the wrath of God and from the guilt of original sin or els they cānot be saved But here is our comfort God can sanctifie Ieremiah in the womb he can give Iohn the Baptist the gifts of the holy Ghost from the womb and why not our Infants aswel as they Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost in the wombe that he might sanctifie his elect in every age aswell at the first hour of their life as at the last if he please so then elect children shall be made holy and regenerate before they depart this life And although the word preached be the immortall seed to regenerate men of years it is not so to Infants neither hath the Lord so tyed himselfe only to that means but he may use some other in case that cannot be had as among Turkes and Pagans nor received by Infants yet we must not limit the holy one of Israel nor ty him to ordinary means in extraordinary cases 12. But they object that baptisme is a Sacrament of repentance and of faith which cannot be in Infants and we ought to beware lest they being admitted to the communion of baptisme the signification of it be made voyd I answer it is evident by Scripture that Circumcision was a signe of repentance yet Paul calls it the seale of the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4.11 So then if Infants among the Jewes had faith to seale why may not Infants of Christians have the like I mean the seeds of faith therefore baptisme is not void and of no effect to them Again if circumcision was commanded baptisme is implyed that is come in the place thereof and signifies the same thing and instituted by the same authority Then let them take heed how they rage against the ordinance of God and although Infants that were circumcised had no actuall repentance yet they were truely Circumcised into the mortification of their corrup and defiled nature in which mortification they should afterwards exercise themselves when they were grown to riper age and saith Iohn I baptize you with water unto repentance Mat. 3.11 And others that were baptized had not received the holy Ghost for as yet he was faln upon none of them only they

were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Then laid they their hands on them and they received the holy Ghost Acts 8.16.17 So then they were baptized into repentance and faith to come for as yet these graces be not found actually in them yet by the secret working of the spirit of God the seede of both lies hid in them Paul calls this the w●shing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Titus 3.5 But still they stand upon an expres word of God to command it I answer Circumcision had a command and baptisme is come in the place of it then let them shew how and when that command was repeated for although the signe be changed the command remaines still as it was to Circumcision so it is now to baptisme Again if they be elected and have this signe of regeneration and shall depart before they be capable to understand the mystery of it they shal be renewed by the power of the holy Ghost unconceivable to us before they goe hence be no more seen but if they grow up to age whereby they may be taught the truth of baptisme they wil be the more engaged to endeavour reformation of their lives having the token or signe of regeneration given them from their Infancy saith Paul we are buried together with Christ by baptisme Rom. 6.4 If this be done by baptisme then it was no● done before and saith he again as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 That they might henceforth live unto Christ and saith Peter baptisme is the answer of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 3.21 But they often erre in this that they will have the the thing it selfe alwaies in order of time before the signe But if this were so then Infants could not have beene circumcised for they could not manifest to others their regeneration being Infants but circumcision was to them the witnesse of good conscience the seeds of grace being there but the declaration and manifestation was applyed to the time to come so also baptisme is to confirme and establish the Covenant made by the Lord with us and we then receive the seale thereof and when wee actually believe being of age then we set to our seale that God is true John 3.33 13. They object that baptisme is given unto forgivenes of sins but this we grant as wel as they for we are al born sinners stand in need of pardon from the womb and also of she signe of it to assure us as soon as it may be had seeing the Lord doth not cut off Infants from the hope of mercy why should we deprive them of the signe which is far inferiour to the thing it selfe so then Infants have remission of sins given them therefore they ought not to have the signe taken from them They say again that Christ cleanseth his Church by the washing of water by the word Eph. 5.26 And this also we grant aswell as they for it quite overthrowes their errour For if the Lord will have that washing whereby hee cleanseth his Church to be testified by baptisme why then should we do so much wrong to Infants as to debar them from that which is given in generall to all the members of the Church And they also are heirs aswell as others to the Kingdome of heaven Mat. 18.34.19.14 And baptisme is an ingrafting into the body of Christ then Infants who are reckoned among the members ought also to be baptized lest we be found guilty of this horrible sin to pluck away by violence any member from the body of Christ 14. They object that the Apostles baptized none but those that did before make profession of faith and repentance For they said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles men and brethren what shall we doe Then Peter said unto them repent and be baptized every one of you Acts 2.37.38 And wh●n the Ennuch required to be baptized Philip answered if thou beleevest with all thy heart thou mayest Acts 3.37 Hence they conclude that baptisme is to be granted to none but toose that have saith and repentance given before I answ The first of these places doth not mention saith at all so that it seems by that place repentance alone may suffice and the other place doth not mention repentance so that it seems from that place that faith alone may suffice so that of necessity the two places must be joyned together but if you goe to joyne Scriptures together we will joyne with you and lay some other Scriptures to them both which will soone split your argument for these to whom Peter and Philip spake were men of yeares and sufficient to have the practise of repentance and to conceive faith Now such as these we grant ought not to be baptized till we conceive of their conversion and faith so far as it may be conceived by the judgment of men but the case of Infants is to be accounted otherwise as for example When any stranger joyned himselfe in communion with the religion of Israel they taught them first the Covenant of the Lord instructed them in his law before that he was marked with Circumcision because that he was by birth a stranger to the people of Israel with whom the Covenant was made and with whom Circumcision was established The Lord when he adopted Abraham to himselfe doth not begin at Circumcision and hide from him what he meant by that signe but first he declareth what Covenant he intendeth to make with him then after faith is given to apply the promises then he maketh him partaker of the Sacrament of Circumcision but why must Abraham first have faith and then receive this Sacrament and yet his son Isaac shal be partaker of it at eight dayes old I answer because that he was a man grown in years and before a stranger therefore it was meet that he should first learn the conditions of the Covenant our Isaac an Infant begotten of him is in Covenant by right of Inheritance according to the forme of the promise which was not only to be ●is God but the God of his seed after him Gen. 17.19 So that his son had right to it from the wombe although he understood not the conditions thereof being an Infant neither ought such Infants to be debard from the signe for this that they cannot swear to the form of the Covenant So then if heathens which are grown in age shall embrace the faith of Christ they must not bee marked with baptisme till they doe evidently declare their faith in Christ and repentance for their sins which only can open to them an entrance into fellowship of the Covenant but Infants of Christians as they are received of God into the inheritance of the Covenant as soon as they are borne ought to be received to baptisme but if a Turk or a heathen shall offer himselfe to baptisme he must not be rashly