in Anâ—iochia Act. 13 where the Disciples first were entitled Christians or Annointed Ones In that Church amongst other Prophets was Barnabas The holy Spirite bid the Church set him and Paul apart for the worke After Fasting and Prayer they did so b In planting of Churches they had specially regard to the establishing Ministers in and to every Church for the government and service of the same The Church-officers were of two sorts First Elders or Governours the second Deacons or Serviâ—ours To this all accord But the Question nowe is Were there more soâ—tes of Elders than one moe sortes of Deacons than one Secondly wherein were these Elders and these Deacons exercised For the Deacons all almost easilie graunt that there were two sorts of Deacons or Church-Serviâ—ours the first of men Acts. 6. 3. c. 1. Timoth. 3. 8. the second of women 1 Timoâ—h 5. 9. c. Rom. 16. 1. That the first had the charge of gathering the benevolence of the Saintes specially every first day of the weeke 1 Cor. 16. 1 as also that they especially had the looking to the Loue-Feasts Act. 6. Iude. 12. almost all haue graunted That the second attended the sicke and impotent who can denie Corrupt ages and Antiquities could not wipe that out of mens writings For the Elders there is all the question The Lord-Bishops partie chieflie pleadeth for Elders onely exercised in Doctrine and Exhortation then they forget the dumbe Ministerie and yet which sufficeth for my Argument the most of that side who haue bene learned haue easily graunted that in the Primitiue or Apostolike Churches there were First Teaching Elders Secondly Elders assisting the former in Government but now say they such governing Elders are not necessary considering we haue in their roomes Civill Magistrates Hereabouts many haue written great Volums and multitudes knowe that I haue written not a litle let it then here suffice that the Patterne Churches had In them and To them two sortes of Elders or Over-seers the former sort was speciallie thogh not only exercised in Doctrine and Exhorâ—ation Rom 7. 8. called Pastors and Doctors Ephes. 4 11. The second sort speciallie though not onely exercised in Government Rom. 12. 8. 1. Timoth. 5. 17. Both these sortes Paul speaketh to Act. 20. except one will thinke that Ephesus Church had many Pastors in it Our Saviour his letters to Asia Minor Churches Revel 2. and 3. saying ever to the Angel of the Church and never to the Angels seemeth to cut that off but speciallie a particular Church being called a Flock it properly cannot admit moe than One Shepherd and so in English is Pastor This second sort of Elders is togither with the first sort necessarilie vnderstoode vnder the tearme Bishop 1. Tim. 3. 1. c. the Greeke word in plaine English as no Scholler can denie being Overseer for both the one and the other Oversee Heb. 13. 17. Obiect But every such Bishop or Overseer hath required in him that he be Apt to Teach Answ. I haue pondered what every side hath writ specially I laide every such thing before my heart during my last imprisonment when I stil looked but for hastie death and I then resolved to dye in that which is my present resolution I dare not say that these Governing Elders the Apostles planted were vnapt to teach Ieremiah 31. and Heb. 8 11. doeth so plainly teach that Great and litle in the Newe Testaments Church shall so abound with knowledge as I dare not say that the Governing Elders should be vnapt to teach considering they are Heads in the Church and must be able to iudg betwixt Plea and plea cause and cause which neither they can do except they be able to teach the truth in such cases That they ought to bee apt to â—each I beleue but that there is of absolute necessity required in them so large guifts for knowledge and vtterance as in the Pastor I dare not say cc The Election belongeth to the Church or assemblie of Faithfull gathered into one This Election the great Apostles of Iesus durst not assume to themselues so much as for the smaller Office Act. 6. 3. 5. The Ordination by imposition of hands sacramentall the Church left vnto the Apostles then present to whome for that succeedeth Elders or the chiefe of the Church d This watching is not only the dutie of such as are called to speciall place of Over sight but also a duâ—ie committed to every member of that mysticall bodie Heb. 3 12. 13. This watching is in casting not a curious eve but an eye of loue as first to our owne waies so after to the footesteps of our fellowe members that if there be any slip or halting wee may help that member in making more right steps And this is done by brotherly proceeding according to our Housholders Rule Mâ—tth 18 15. 16. 17. The Rule is this if the fact be private admonish that fellow member privatlie as thou maist winne him not loose him If he heare thee that is If â—ee repent Luke 17. 3. there is an end If he repent not thou art to take One or Two with thee no delight should be in publishing a brothers sinne no not within the Church these are to witnesse thy maner of dealing with him as also his carriage towardes thee If hee nowe repent an end if not thou must bring it before the Church not publish it in Gath or amongst the Vncircumcised I meane to these that are not of the Church for that is not only the way to destroy the credâ—te of a brother but also to make vile the holy profession If hee heare not the Church or mysticall body whereof hee is a member and whereof Christ is Heade accompt him as an Heathen that is barre him the spirituall Temple and accompt of him as of a Publicane that is do not eate or drink with him as the Iewes would not with Publicanes This course of proceeding even to the very casting out is onely to this end to winne the straying member and to bring home the wandring sheep Quest. If the Sinner denye the private sinne to mee or if not to mee dealing alone vet hee doeth before my witnesses deny his sinne what am I now to do must I there stay lest I trouble the Church with that wherof I haue no witnes or must I go on Answ. If the sinne be pregnant and plaine as Theft Adultery Muâ—ther c. whereof he cannot possiblie be forgetful nor thou mistaken thou must go on by the rule without stop till he stop his sinne The denyall of the sinne maketh the man so much more monstrous and vnto thee he should remaine deepe poysoning Leaven to others an Hypocrite but to thee an open wicked one Obiect But if I proceeding he shouâ—d likewise confidently deny the sinne before the Church and the sinne should rest vnconvicted then I should be censured for a slaunderer Answ. If the danger of such issue should hinder thee from proceeding then likewise the
ever-burning fire of Hell c IESVS the Iudge mounting his pure white Throne encompassed with Thousands of glorious Angels before him shall come all the Kindreds of the Earth and every Soule ioyned vnto his Bodie must abide by his Iudgment First he will separate his Sheepe from stinking Goates the cloake of Hypocrisie nowe comes off and having culled his Elect from the Reprobate he shall bid the Chosen of his Father Enter into the kingdom prepared for them wherevpon they shall mount vppon his glorious Tâ—rone and sit downe with IESVS their Heade Râ—vel 3. 21. Christ having seated in vnspeakable glory his Mysticall Body hee then turneth to the Goates on his left hand bidding them Depart accursed into everlaesting fyre prepared for the Devill and his Angels Matth. 25. 41. This voice as it passeth from Christ the Head so shall it be subscribed vnto by the voice of his Mysticall members and therfore Paul plainly affirmeth that The Saintes shall Iudge the World and the Angels 1. Cor. 6. 2. 3. Let the Devill and his Angels ey all his Coapaâ—tners praunce it heere while they may let them here abuse the Faithfull Saintes by calling by robbing them smiting them murdering them yet withall let them knowe that after they haue had Their Day IESVS his members shal haue Their Day what time the Devill and his Goatish Corporation shall from their mouthes receiue Iudgment irrevocable Iudgment by being adiudged to Hell-fyre for ever All this considered howe had wee neede to be sober and watchfull in Prayer that so when others shall crye like fooles Cover vs oh Hilles and Mountaines we may then boldly lift vp our heades in the Testimonie of a good Conscience knowing that that day shall be the day of our Redemption the day of our full deliverance from all evill After this glorious day all Creatures vnder degree of reason Rom. 8. 21. 22. do after a sort grone because then they shall bee freed from their present corruption which seazed vpon them through our sinne How much more should we groane and hunger after this Great day of the Lord what time all teaâ—es shall be wiped from our eyes Nay if we haue the first fruites of the Spirite Rom. 8. 23. wee will and do sigh after this Day Oh my God thou knowes even Thou knowes that my Soule leapeth for Ioy at the recordating that Day Oh sweete Iesus thou knowes that I am in some comfortable measure sweet Lord increase that mesure willing yea desirous to be conformed and made like vnto thee by sufferings and that because of the glory laide vp for thy members which in that day shall be revealed Oh sweet Comforter thou Holy Spirite Spirit of Illumination and Sanctification thou testifies vnto my Spiriâ—e Rom. 8. 16. that in Christ Iesus and by vertue of his once sufficient suffering I am reconciled vnto the Father and thou sweete Spirit opens my mouth with boldnes to Call yea cry vpon God as vpon a mercifull Father Galat. 4. 6. and that with full assurance of obtaining every thing is necessary for Soule and Body Mercifull Father so beholde me continually in thy Sonne my Saviour Christ Iesus as through him continually I may receiue an ever-flowing Fountaine of Light and Holines vntill I bee made perfect in my all sufficient Head Christ Iesus And herevnto sweete Father make me continually to bee watchfull because I am vncertaine at what houre thou wilt come vnto Iudgement vniversall or particular And herevnto Oh my God stirre vp all thy Elect Iewe and Gentile namely to be sober and watching in Prayer that so come thou at the first second or third houre we all may be found well employed in our severall sanctified Callings Amen for the glory of thy owne great Name So be it Come quickly sweete Iesus Amen d Because wee haue no promise of obtaining any good thing at IEHOVAHS hand without calling vpon his Name by true liuely and effectuall Prayer therefore I haue afterwards set apart a directorie vnto Prayer by whose Introduction and Forme all Novices in faith may be the easier allured to so holy an exercise an exercise neglected of this brutish Idolatrous age wherein either People vse it not at all or else by the suggestion of a false Spirite they in the roome thereof doe substitute a false kinde of Invocation consisting in Vaine Repetitions and ignorant Babling thinking like Idolatrers that their corporeall speaches shall merite Leaving that small Tractate to his peculiar place I here through the assistance of my good God do put an end to the Synopsis of holy Hystory What is in anâ— competent sort beseeming the worthines of the Subiect for that giue thou praise vnto him that giveth knowledge from aboue liberallie without dashing the Receiver in the teeth What any way is vnbeseming the Argument that shal be mine own and yet by Gods grace no sooner of me seene then disclaimed as an alyane and bastardly fruite And so beseeching my good God to pardon all my wants and to giue to the Reader holy Iudgment I here end PSAL. 119. 130. The Entrance into thy wordes oh Lord sheweth Light giving vnderstanding to the simple FINIS The vvhole of that vvhich hath bene taught may be resolved thus All the Doctrine of the Bible divideth it self into the doctrine of Generation Degeneration Regeneration The doctrine of Generation doth divide it self into the Creation Of Creaturs besides Man Of Man himselfe The doctrine of Degeneration or mis-creation divideth it selfe into 1. The fal of a most excellent Creature before Man 2. The fall of Man togither with inferiour Creatures The doctrine of Regeneration or Recreation divideth it selfe into 1. The Restauration of Man 2. The Restauration of inferior Creatures The worke of Creation craving the Father to Doe it The work of Mis-creation craving the Sonne to Recover it The worke of Recreation craving the Spirit to Confirme it Thus that One God distinguished into Father Sonne holy Ghost In One work is after a threfold sort occupied but man doth not mark this To the Tri-vne God be all Glory A PREFACE TO Prayer by way of Dialogue Qu. HAue you penned the subsequent Forme of praier to the end that any other shuld think they had well prayed in having read or said the same over Ans. No Saying over wordes is no more Praying than reading over wordes is Preaching As the Guift of Preaching is an immediate vtterance of the Lord his will conceived in the heart by the spirite of Iesus so is the Guift of Prayer an immediat vtterance Vocall or Mentall of things presently conceived in the heart by the Spirit of Iesus For this cause doth Paul tell the Galatians 4. 6. that whome God adopteth in Christ to them heâ— giueth the sprit of Christ even to this end that he may stirre vp the Heart of the adopted to crye Abba Father that is To call vehemently vpon God as vpon a mercifull Father not a Tyrant or Iudge And because none can truly pray
Serpents possessor and his seed of vnfaithful and rebellious people on the other side betweene them I say is heere fore-decreed a spirituall Battell Satan called the Dragon Rev. 12. 7. it may be because hee here possessed that kind of Serpent he shaâ— bruise the heele of Christ and his mysticall body far enough from the heart but the Blessed-seed in the end breaketh the Dragons head and casteth him out of Heaven into the Earth as worthie to be excommunicate to the death This Seede of the Woman darklie preached heere is afterwards in God his booke more and more clearlie revealed and taught 5. Staffe Promise of Life made through that holy seed Adam he calles her a Heuah dame of Life Then God to let them haue their right meed Our of the b Garden sends Man and his wife Life and Heaven lost they lost the Signes withall which holy Signes we Sacraments do call a Gen. 3. 20. As the Lord of Life was to come of womans not oâ— Mans seed so he entitleth his wife Heuah that is Giving Life From the Beginning holy significatiue names were given but we neglect the wisedome of God b As the Lord is the onely Institutor of Sacraments so he hath appointed that the sacramentall signe shuld be removed from These that haue not the Thing signified by that signe Adam Heuah hauing in themselues and for their seed lost Heauen they therefore are expulsed the Garden the signe of Heaven hauing lost Life they are banished from the sight of the Tree that signifyed Life Sacramentall Signes therefore are outwarde visible Creatures preaching vnto Man some inward invisible grace which inward thing or thing signified is as verilie to bee apprehended by Faith as is the outward Sign to be apprehended by the eye hand mouth 6. Staffe HEVAH after conceiu'd and brought forth c Kain Then holy c Habel churches figure right Who for his goodnes was by brother slaine In roome of whome God gaue her blessed d Sheth As of Kain came the seede of Serpents brood So of this Sheth came many Persons good cc whether Kain and Habel were Twyns Kain first came foorth and afterwards Habel in the same Conception it is not plain Yet considering that Heuah was to increase and multiplie for filling of the Earth it is not vnlike that in that her strength shee brought foorth more than one at a Birth-time Kain being taught Husbandrie by his Father and Habel instructed to keep sâ—eep Gen. 4. they brought sacrifices to the Lord. Kain as it seemeth rather as standing in awe of his Father but Habel offered with a free heart which was cause that the Lord reiected Kain and accepted Habel Kain seeing this Reiection he therefore slaieth Habel As hereby appeared Satans Serpentine-seede so the first borne of the Holy-seede is persecuted to death This wicked seede in Kain argueth that Heuah had not conceived till after their fall and therefore by consequent that Adam had not carnallie known the woman before their Fal. For had he there being no sin in them to hinder the blessing she must needs haue conceived an holy seed and so haue brought forth no Murderer That Habels sacrifices pleased God it was because hee first professed that maner of spirituall obedience not of his owne head but by God his Commaundement which precept he might well receiue of his Father Secondly because in that sacrifice he did though darkly see that one was to bee offered vp a slaine sacrifice for the sinnes of the People d In the next Staffe 7 Staffe To passe by Some of a Sheth came Henoch he Who walkt with God till God tooke him away Lamech and Noah that time Sheths petigre Matcht with Kains daughters to their dyre decay That sinne so greiued God as plainlie he Foretold to Noah the world should drowned be a Habel being slaine God giueth to Adam Sheth in his rome Sheth begot Enosh Enosh Kenan Kenan Mahalaleel Mahalaleel Iered Iered begot Henoch the 7. from Adam IVDI 14. Henoch begot Methushelah Methushelah Lamech Lamech Noah Noah begot Shem Châ—â— and Iapheâ— elder brother of Shem. Gen. 10. 21. Here Sheths seede was deeply degenerate from Henoch and Sheths sinceritie for they seeing the daâ—ghters of Men viz. of Kains lawles race to be snowt-faire Sheths Petygre marrieth with them mixing the holy seede with the vnholy by reason whereof Gyants and strong Miscreants abounded This so vexed the Lord as hee hastely repaireth to Noah and fore-tels him that hee may preach it to others that after the expirement of 120. yeares he would drowne the whole world with water Commanding him in the meane time to build an Arke of Pyne trees wherein HE and His might then be saved 8. Staffe One hundred yeares and twentie after then The a Cataracts were loosd Seas burst ope The rayne and waters drown'd the wicked men And over Earth had libertie and scope But â—re that day as God had Noah told An Ark he built of Pyne-trees room'd threfold a Noah preaching and building the Ark that 120. years the people believed not the spirit of GOD preaching in Noaâ— for the which as their bodies were drowned in the â—â—ood so their soules nowe remaine in the Prison of God his wrath 1. Pet. 3. 18 19 20. That water was a figure of Baptisme for as by that water Noah and his Familie the faithfull for Cham was not then seene-wicked were saved from Iehouahs wrath even so by Baptisme the Faithful are saved and the lurking hypocrite for the time fareth not the worse But as all without the Arke were vtterly destroyed by the same water even so shall Baptizing water be but a Sacrament of condemnation vnto such as receiue it vnworthelie whether they be within the Ark the visible Church as was Cham or baptized in the Church of the World or visible worldlings such as is that great Citie Revel 17. 18. 9. Staffe Into this Ark did Noah and his Wife His sonnes Shem Cham Iaphet a enter anone With sortes of Creatures all that breathed life Preserved in the Ark by God alone b After twelue Months the Men their wiues and all Out of the Ark did go at God his call a The Worlde was here 1656. yeares old and so tooke his end with water Noah hauing in the Ark of every cleane Beast for Sacrifice and of vncleane for preservation of their kinde to the Newe World aswell as of the cleane b Noah and his Wife with his three sonnes and their Wiues even 8. Persons in the whole as they went into the Arke at God his commaund so they come not foorth vntill he commaund Gen. 8. 16. Comming forth Noah offereth Sacrifice to God whose savour was acceptable and therefore the Lord blesseth Noah to the beginning of the Newe World promising that he would no more smite the World as he had done with water and thereof he appointed the Rainbowe to be a signe sacramentall Here was Noah permitted to eate flesh but forbidden to eate of the blood of
during the plentifull times for the better nourishing of the Body in the 7. penurious yeares 15. Staffe In time of a Dearth Old b Israel and his sonnese To Aegypt came from Canaan their due Good Ioseph gladsomlie to Father comes And bringeth him to Pharaoh his vewe Who giues to Israel for dwelling place The Land c Goshen environ'd with Gods grace a Iaacob sending his Sons into Aegypt to buye Coâ—â—e at their second comming thither Ioseph bewrayeth himselfe to his Brethren sending word back to his Father by them that it was Pharaoh his will and his desire that he would come vp to Aegypt b Israel hauing consulted with the Lord at Beersheba departeth with his whole Familie into Aegypt The number of the Persons that came into Aegypt are saide by Moses Genes 46. to be 70. asking into that Number Ioseph and his two sons Manaesseh and Ephraim Blessed Steuen in the Actes 7. 14. Numbreth 75. Soules by which second Number wee are taught to account some passed by of Moses Some writers do borrowe vnto this account the 4. Mothers of the Patriarches the two Sonnes of Iudah who were dead before this voyage in Canaan and so make vp 75. besides Iaacob himselfe A second sort doe as Moses borrowed three from Iosephs house for making vp 70. so they borrowe fiue moe from Iosephs house vnborne at Moses time of accompt and these fiue are Sonnes and Nephewes 1. Chron. 7. 14. 20. to Ephraim and Manasseâ— by which accompt they well obserue that Ioseph seeth his Children vnto the third Generation Genes 50. 23. Both these opinions if not Iudgements of others learned set downe In the third place I will adde my Coniâ—cture Moses hauing accounted the number of 70 he immediatly in the next verse Genes 46. 26 addeth All the Soules that came with Iaacob c. besides Iaacobs sons wiues were in the whole c. The Patriarks wiues so plainly excepted why may not Steuen borrowe them to the making vp of 75 Question Moses hath no where affirmed how many the Wiues were THEN liuing how then shuld Steuen accompt them Answer Holy Iude maketh mention of Henochs Prophecie as also of a Strife betweene Michael the Arch-Angell and the Devil about the body of Moseâ— neither of which is once mentioned before in holy writ Holy Paul 2. Tim. 38 telleth Timothie how Iannes and Iambres were the Sorcerers that resisted Moses in Aegypt yet neither Moses nor any Prophet after maketh mention once of the Number of the Sorcerers nor of their Names As they had that by speciall Revelation so why may we not think that Steuen at that Time if not before had the knowledge of that Number by like Revelation specially seeing Then he had a Miracle wrought in his eyes in that his be holding of Iesus Acts. 7. 55. after an vnvtterable soâ—te c Sheepherds being an abhomination to the Aegyptians some think from Exod. 8. 26. because the Aegyptians worshipped some such Beastes as the Israelites slewe for Sacrifice which is a colde suppose for that should rather make the Sacrificers hatefull than Sheepheards abhominable but the holy Ghost affirmeth that Calling to be abhorred of them Neither a. e wee ignorant that in every prophane Land some Calling as nowe are Soule-Shepherds is of base estimate by reason of which their abhorre and all professed themselues not only sacrificing Hebrewes but Sheepherds the King gaue them a Cuntry wherein alone they might inhabite A COMPVTATION OF GENESIS The age of â—he World  130 1 A Dam being aged 130. yeares he begetteth Sheth 235 2 Sheth aged 105. years begetteth Eâ—osh 325 3 Enosh at 90. yeares begetteth Kenan 395 4 Kenan at 70 years begets Mahalaleel 460 5 Mahalaleel at 65. years begets Iared 622 6 Iared at 162. yeares begets Henoch 687 7 Henoch the 7. from Adam Iude 14. at 65. yeares begets Mathushelah 874 8 Mathushelah at 187. begets Lamech 1056 9 Lamech at 182. years begets Noah 1536 10 Noah the 10. from Adam and the Lord his Tenth out of the first worlde at 480. yeares of age is foretold of the flood After 500. years of age he begetteth Shem the elder brother of Iapheâ— Genes 10. 21. and in his 600. yeare the flood came 1656 1658 1 Shem 2. yeares after the flood being then but 100. yeares old Gen. â—1 10. and therefore begot in Noahs 502. begetteth Arphaxad 1693 2 Arphaxad at 35 begets Selah 1723 3 Sâ—lah at 30. yeares begets Heber 1757 4 Heber the 7. from Henoch and from whome Abram and his seede tooke the name of Hebrewes hee at 34. yeares begets Peleg 1787 5 Peleg in whose time the Earth was divided at 30. yeares begets Regu or Reu 1819 6 Regu at 32. yeares begets Serug 1849 7 Serug at 30. yeares begets Nahor 1878 8 Nahor at 29 yeares begets Terah 2008 9 Terah being 130. yeares olde compare Gen. 11. 32. with Chap. 12. 4 begets Abram 2083 10 Abram at 75. yeares receiveth the promise The 10. he was in the beginning of the Newe World as Noah in the end of the Old 2108 Abram at 100. yeares of age hath Isaac 2168 11 Isaac at 60. yeares hath Iacob and Esau. 2298 12 Iacob at 130. goeth into Aegypt with his 70. soules Ioseph then being aged 39. 2315 Iacob being fed 17. yeares by Ioseph dyeth being aged 147. He was the 12. of the Newe Worlde and left behinde him 12. Worthies peereles On his death-bed hee fortelleth every of them of future events specially that the Shiloh Christ should come out of Iudah 2369 13 Ioseph dieth in Aegypt being 110. yeares olde 54. yeares after his Father Before his death hee giueth charge that at their remoouall to the Land of Promise they shoulde take his bones away with them That afterwardes was done In the meane time they embaume his corpes and chesteth him And so endeth Genesis containing from Adams Creation vnto Iosephs death 2369. yeares Heere or within one Chapter of Exodus falleth out the story of Iob. for forme Poeticall for Matter passing divine Iob laboureth to cleare himselfe of hypocrisie but not in the best manner for the extreamitie of his body and soules anguish daunteth his reason and breaketh his Patience His Three Kins folkes charge hypocrisie on his head The doctrine they deliver good but they faile in their personall application Their foolishnes should reproue Manies follie In the end Eloquent Elâ—â—u thrusts himselfe in reprooving both paâ—ties for follie but for the vpshot Iehouah himselfe sits Vmpire iustifying Iob for his servant condemning his friends for their false Application Iob sacrificeth for his friendes The Lord is satisfied Iob enriched and so endeth that divine Story In every Allegation of Gods Mercies and Iudgments having an eye vnto Genesis But because Iob came of Kâ—â—urah Abraham his latter wife and not of Sarah Queene-mother of the faithfull I therefore so passe from him to Israels Seede 16. Staffe From Israels Houshold sprong a mightie crue The a Aegypt King to keepe them vnder hand
the Spirit of Elias prepared the People vnto Iesus by hewing squaring and smothing their hearts lest otherwise Iesus should haue smit the Earth with cursing Vnto this Iohn came Iesus to be baptised Iohn refusing as being fitter to be baptised by Iesus our Saviour tels him it must be so for fulfilling of righteousnes Iohn baptizeth him in Iordan through which Iesus or Ioshua safely led Israel at what time the holy Ghost manifested himselfe vnder the bodilie shape of a Doue lighting vpon Iesus togither withall a voice passed from Heaven saying Thou art my beloued Sonne in thee I am well pleased Here was the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost concurring in this Baptismes solemnization The Sonne presents himselfe for fulfilling Righteousnes The Holy Ghost sheweth Iesus to bee simple and innocent as a Doue the Father proclaimes him first his Beloved Sonne Secondly In whome hee rested well pleased Thus was the Dore-sacrament of the newe Testament graced by ELOHIM that Three-one Quest. Why should Iesus be baptized with water seeing he was sinles and that Sacramentall water teacheth the baptized first that sinne is put away by the blood of Iesus secondly that the baptized is to die to sinne and to rise vnto a newe life Answ. Circumcision signified the like yet was he circumcised as he is here baptized Yet I easilie graunt nay I do boldlie affirme that hee was neither circumcised nor baptized for the two formeâ— ends and yet of absolute necessitie he was both to be circumcised and baptized that for this cause As Circumcision and baptisme were inioyned man because of sinne seales of sinnes forgiuenesse by blood-shed even by the blood of the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world so howe should them Sacraments of the Olde and Newe Testament haue bene holy and liuely to the receivers if so the holy Lambe and Lord of life had not in our nature so sanctified them Hee for giving Life vnto both them did therefore vndergoe both in his bodie Thereby Circumcision was made Heauens-doore vnto the old Church Zion and thereby was Baptisme made Heauens-entrye vnto the Newe Church Ierusalem from aboue So the Sacrament was not onely given to Preach Life to the first Adam but also To be made Life by the second Adam even as was the whole Lawe not only given to the olde Man but also to bee performed without blot by the newe Man from Heaven heavenly Despisers and neglecters of this Seale haue yet no assurance of life in Iesus Let them marke that c He gathers no Newe Communion before himselfe had vndergone the New Communions Sacrament for Baptisme was the doore into the new Testaments Church d Having gathered Schollers or Disciples he calleth 12. of them Apostles or Speciall Sent-ones and alotteth them to preach before him but not as yet to the Gentiles The Names of the 12. were thus Simon Peter and Andrewe his brother Iames and Iohn who were Zebedeus Sonnes then Philip and Bartholmewe Thomas and Mathewe the Publicane Iames sonne of Alphâ—us and Lebbeus Thaddeus Simon the Cananite and Iudas Isâ—arioâ— These twelue Apostles doe make answere to the twelue Patriarches of Israel e These 70. were sent forth with as large and like Commission as were the Apostles Mark that Secondly these 70. answered to Moses seaventie prophecying Auncients Nombers 11. 24. c. Here is Wisedome but who marks it 7. Staffe Great a wonders he did worke in every place But b Dragon still pursues him to the end He institutes A c Supper full of d grace Which to his e Church for ay he did commend That done he wends to pray in f Oliuet g Iscariot thitheâ— his foes did fet a Hee converted water into Wine and who but Iesus can turne our bred and water of affliction into a continuall Feast He gaue sight to the borne blinde bodie and who but he can giue holy light to the borne blinde minde He cured Leprosie and many other corporeall diseases incurable by naturall meanes and who but he can cure our souls maladies whose cure consisteth onely in metaphysicall or supernaturall meanes To the dead and stinking dead he gaue corporeall life and who but he can giue spirituall life to these that are dead and stinking deade in their sinnes Hee cast out devils possessing bodies and who but Iesus canne cast out the Devils that possesse mens soules b ELOHIM foretold Adam and Heuah that there should bee enmitie betwixt the Serpent and Womans promised seede as this IESVS was the Head of that holy seede so the Deuill ceaseth not to stirre vp his Serpentine seede to pursue this blessed Seede vnto the death but all in vaine vntill the time came wherein he himselfe was minded to lay downe his bodie c The time of his oblation being within one day he calleth the 12. togither and sitting downe on a lowe bed for so the Iewes did eat having first preached vnto them the necessity of his departure he first eateth with them the Paschall Lamb then afterwards he institutes the Newe Testaments supper consisting in Sacramentall Breade and Wine having finished the old Supper he institutes a new Quâ—st Was Iudas Iscariot present in both these Suppers Answ. In the first hee was Neither might any soule-maime debar any Circumcised from the old Supper nor yet any Soul-soare vnseene in the baptized debarre from the newe Supper Seene and knowne pollutions in the bodies of the Circumcised would debar them the holy Congregation and Supper so only seene and knowne sin vnrepented can debarre such the newe Testaments Assemblie and their holy Supper To the question therefore I answer thus Many learned and worthie deep reverence haue written that Iudas was present but yet I see somthing that keeps me from so thinking But first let it be granted that Iudas was there a Communicant what then you wil it may be with others conclude Then may wicked ones be admitted to the Lords Supper I answer it prooveth not that Knowne wicked may bee admitted for Iudas was not an open wicked one but a secret wicked one and therefore vnder God his Iudgment that knowes the heart and not vnder mans censure who knowes not the heart Obiect The man Christ knewe him for a Traytour and yet would not debarre him First the Man Christ knewe him not alreadie a Traytor for as yet he had not betrayed Iesus and Man must censure Actions or things that bee Patent not Latent Secondly Christ as he was man knewe not that hee had such a trayterly thought in his heart no more then as he was the sonne of man hee knewe the latter day for every meane wit knoweth that Thoughtes of men and personall Future Actions were communicated vnto his Man-hoode by the God-head or his divine nature If Iudas then had beene present hee was to Man there considered as man an hypocrite or vnseene Traytor and therefore nothing maketh for admission of vnrepentant knowne wicked to the Lords Table But as before I saide I rather think he was