them and said Verily I say unto you Except ye be converted and become as little children you shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little Child the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven Observe He doth not say that the little Child was or should be greatest in the Kingdome of heaven but whosoever of his Disciples did humble themselves as this little Child the same is greatest c.. And then saith he vers 5. Whoso shall receive one such little Child in my name receiveth me Thus it is plain and clear as the mouth of the Lord himself hath spoken it what children he would have received as Disciples in his name not little children of a few dayes old that can neither speak nor understand but such as humble themselves and are converted from their sins and become as little children But some will say How do you mean they should become as little children Answ I mean as Christ in this place that they should be humbled and converted and as Paul meaneth 1 Cor. 14.20 that they should become Children in malice but in understanding be ye men and as Peter meaneth 1 Pet. 2.1 that men should Lay aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envies and all evil speakings and as new-borne Babes desire the sincere milk of the word that they may grow thereby and whosoever shall receive one such little one as a Disciple in the name of Christ receiveth me saith Christ bur whoso shall offend one of these little ones that believe in him it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Mat. 18.5.6 Again if we shall understand that little Children are believers in this place then it followeth that whosoever is a believer and chastiseth his son betimes as Solomon adviseth It were better for him to have a milstone hanged about his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the Sea for certain we are that whosoever correcteth his Child will offend him And thus you see the absurdity which will follow Thus having answered all his Arguments or rather Cavils that have any weight in them or colour upon them I leave it to the wise to judge and proceed to prove that little children that can neither speak nor understand are not nor cannot be Christs Disciples And having proved already both by Scripture and reason that Disciples of Christ are such as are capable of the teachings of Christ I go to my second Argument Argument II. My second Argument is from John 8.31 32. in these words Then said Jesus to those Jewes which believed on him If you continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and that shall make you free But little Children that can neither speak nor understand cannot abide in the words of Christ for they know not what they are neither can they be made free by knowing the truth for they know nothing at all of it Therefore such little Children are not Christs Disciples indeed Argument III. My third Argument is from John 15.8 in these words Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit So shall ye be my Disciples whence I argue thus If the Disciples of Christ be such as must bring forth much fruit to the glory of God and so be his Disciples then little Infants that cannot bring forth much fruit are not his Disciples But the Disciples are such Therefore Argument IIII. My fourth Argument is from John 13.34 35. in these words A new Commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples c. from whence I argue thus If this be the mark that Christ hath given to all men to know his Disciples by namely if they love one another as he hath loved them then no man can know little Infants that can neither speak nor understand to be the Disciples of Christ because they cannot so love one another as Christ hath loved them neither do they know it is their duty But by this shall all men know Christs Disciples Therefore little Babes cannot be known to be his Disciples Argument V. My fifth Argument is from Luke 26. compared with Mark 13.37 Watch and pray alwaies that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things and to stand before the Son of man And what I say unto you I say unto all Watch. But little Children that can neither speak nor understand cannot watch and pray as Christ commanded all his Disciples neither doth God require it of them Therefore none of Christs Disciples Argument VI. My sixth Argument is from Mat. 13.10 11. in these words And the Disciples came and said unto him Why speakest thou unto them in Parables He answered and said unto them Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdome but to others it is not given From whence I argue thus If the Disciples of Christ be such as it is given unto to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heaven then little children that do not know the mysteries of the Kingdom are not his Disciples But it is given to the Disciples of Christ to know the mysteries of the Kingdome and that 's their priviledge Therefore little Children that do not know them are not his Disciples Thus far I have gone to prove that infants that can neither speak nor understand are not Christs Disciples and now it followeth that they cannot be his Disciples the which I prove by my seventh Argument Argument VII My seventh Argument by which I prove that Infants cannot be Christs disciples is from the same Text Matth. 13.11 To you it is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom but to others it is not given From whence I argue thus If it be given to none but the disciples of Christ to know the mysteries of his kingdom then children to whom it is not given cannot at that present be Christs disciples But it is given to none but the disciples of Christ to know the mysteries of the kingdom for to others it is not given vers 11. Therefore children to whom it is not given cannot be Christs disciples But I remember Mr. Baxter said If God call children Servants why may not we call them disciples Now it may be he will object here and say If Christ say that little children are of the kingdom of heaven Why may not we say they understand the mysteries of the kingdom I answer The cause is plain all children that are free-born subjects in a kingdom are of that kingdom and belong to that kingdom and may enjoy all the priviledges in that kingdom so far as little children need to enjoy but yet none of them know the mysteries of the Government and Order of that kingdom nor the Rights
and Customs of it till they come to understanding to learn them and when they learn then they are scholars or disciples and to them that learn it is given to know c. So also I believe that little children according to the Scriptures do belong to the kingdom of heaven and partake of the priviledges of divine protection and likewise of the redemption that is in Christ Jesus although they know nor believe nothing of it till they be of yeers and discretion to be disciples of Christ and begin to learn of him and then To them it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom as aforesaid Argument VIII My eighth Argument is from Luke 14.27 in these words And whosoever doth not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple Whence I reason thus If none can be the disciples of Christ but those that bear the cross of Christ and so come after him then little children that know not what the cross of Christ is nor yet what belongs to following of him as dear children in love cannot be his disciples But none can be his disciples but such as do bear his cross and follow him Therefore little babes cannot be Christs disciples Argument IX My ninth Argument is from Luke 14.33 in these words So likewise whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple From whence I reason thus If none can be Christs disciples but such as considering before what it will cost are willing to forsake all that they have yea and their own lives also for his sake then little children that can neither consider what it will cost nor yet resolve in themselves what to do cannot possibly be Christs disciples But none can be Christs disciples without they have the use of their Will Reason and Affections so far as to consider before what it will cost and to resolve after whatsoever it cost to forsake all and their own lives also as is proved by all these Scriptures Luk. 14.26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. compared with Matth. 10.37 38. and Mark 8.34 Matth. 16.24 25. Therefore they which say little children that can do none of these things are Christs disciples it is much to be feared that they never yet learned to know what a disciple of Christ is and are none themselves Thus having shewed the deceit of Mr. Cooks and Mr. Baxters Arguments in general by which they would prove that Infants are Church-members and Christs disciples and so fit subjects for Baptism I leave it to the view of all both friend and foe and proceed to answer Mr. Baxters eight Arguments by which he saith he proveth the Anabaptists way of Baptizing sinful His first Argument is this If there be no word of precept or example for baptizing the childe of any one Christian at yeers of discretion then to delay their baptism till yeers of discretion and then to baptize them is not the Scripture-way But there is no one word of precept or example in all the Scripture for the baptizing of the childs of any one Christian at yeers of diseretion Therefore to defer it till then and then to baptize them is not the Scripture-way Answ 1. I would gladly know whether Mr. Baxter do or dare judge Mary the mother of Jesus to be no Christian who said Luk. 1.46 47. My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour c. if he will deny her to be a Christian who rejoyced in God her Saviour then I will be bold to say he doth not know what a Christian is yea and that he is none himself Again if he confess her to be a Christian then his Argument is worth nothing for her childe viz. her Son Jesus was baptized at yeers of discretion when he was thirty yeers of age Luk. 3.21 22 23. And thus I have given him an example And our way of baptizing of people at yeers of discretion is a Scripture-way and therefore not sinful And now I shall retort his Argument upon himself that all men may see his folly thus If there be no word of precept nor example in all the Scripture for baptizing the childe of any Christian before they come to yeers of discretion then so to baptize them is not the Scripture-way But there is no word of precept nor example in all the Scripture for baptizing the childe of any one Christian before yeers of discretion Therefore to baptize them before yeers of discretion is not the Scripture-way and therefore sinful And thus is Mr. Baxter wounded with the edge of his own sword and his folly manifest Now to the second Argument which is this That practice which is utterly inconsistent with the obeying of Christs rule for baptism is a sinful practice But the baptizing of children of Christians at yeers of discretion is utterly inconsistent with obedience to the rule for baptism Therefore such baptizing is a sinful practice Answ This is the same with the first Argument therefore the same answer may serve But yet to make Mr. Baxter's folly manifest I shall give him his Argument again thus That practice which is utterly inconsistent with the obeying of Christs rule for Baptism is a sinful practice But the baptizing of children of Christians or others before they come to yeers of discretion is utterly inconsistent with the obedience to Christs rule Therefore it is a sinful practice 2. Whereas Mr. Baxter would make us offenders for doing of nothing that is to say for not baptizing children in their non-age I answer He can never make it a sin till he shew us what command we have broke in not baptizing them for all sin is the transgression of some law therefore saith the Apostle where there is no law there is no transgression But there is no law nor commandment in all the Scripture to baptize little babes that cannot speak before they come to yeers of discretion Therefore no sin to let it alone 3. There is both precept and example for baptizing men and women at yeers of discretion viz. when they believe Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved and Acts 8.12 When they believed Philips preaching they were baptized both men and women And Acts 10.48 Peter commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus c. And now seeing there is both precept and example for it therefore it is no sin to baptize men and women at yeers of discretion 4. That Mr. Baxters Mr. Halls and Mr. Cooks way of baptizing is sinful is evident First because they baptize little babes before they come to yeers of discretion for which they have neither precept nor example therefore utterly inconsistent with Christs rule for baptism and a sinful practice as Mr. Baxter himself hath granted in these former Arguments and thus out of his own mouth he is judged and condemned for a sinner Secondly that this their way of baptizing infants before
generall in them but also such words as speak to every Saint in Christ and member in particular as the word all the Saints every Saint in Christ and every one of you and every branch in me c. But for example I shall give you one probable Argument from Mat. 18.15 16 17. in these words If thy Brother sin against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother if not then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee an Heathen man and a Publican From all which I argue thus First If it be the duty of Church-members to watch over one another and proceed in order according to this rule then they must be such as understand this rule But little babes of 8 daies weeks or months old cannot understand this rule Therefore they cannot be visible Church-members Secondly If it be the duty of Church-members to tell one another of their fault then they must be such as can both speak and judge what a fault is or else how can they tell one another of their faults But little Babes can neither speak nor judge in such cases Therefore they cannot be Church-members Thirdly If the faults of particular members in such cases may and must be brought before the whole Church for them to hear and judge then the whole Church ought to be such as can judge and likewise declare their minds But little Infants are not such Therefore no visible Church-members But it may be the objection against all this will be That this rule doth not reach or concern all Church-members because the word all or every one or whole Church is not found in the text But I shall leave it to the judgement of the wise that fear God and are worshipers of him in spirit and truth Many more such Arguments as this might be brought of which the time would fail to relate therefore I shall omit them and proceed to prove in opposition to Mr. Baxters and Mr. Cooks other Arguments that little Children that cannot speak words nor understand the Gospell if they hear it are not nor cannot be Christs Disciples Arguments I. My first Argument is from Mat 28.19 in these words Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit The plain English of which Mr. Baxter himself confesseth to be Go make Disciciples baptizing them c. From whence I argue thus If those Disciples which Christ commanded the Apostles to baptize must be first made so then they were not so born if they had they should not have need to be made so Again the word saith Teach all Nations or make Disciples saith Mr Baxter Whence I argue thus If make Disciples all Nations and teach all Nations be all one as Mr. Baxter affirms then it s clear that Disciples are made by preaching the word But Infants that cannot speak words nor understand earthly things if we tell them can much less understand the things of the Kingdom of Heaven declared by the preaching of the Gospell Therefore Here Mr. Baxter and I must have some discourse before we part a for he telleth us of divers waies to make Disciples besides teaching of them which in plain terms is to say There is divers waies to make Scholars besides or without teaching of them which to me is a Paradox Again Mr. Baxter being very willing to prove Infants Disciples saith page 22. line 1 2 3. that its enough to make them Disciples that they are devoted to learning if they live and that they are consecrated to Christ as their Master who can teach them hereafter So that he would prove them Disciples or Scholars first and have them taught afterwards strange doctrine and unheard-of Divinity the which lest any should object against he stoutly backs with a learned Argument as he would have it thus Is it not a common thing to call the whole Nation of Turks Mahometans old and young why then may we not call our selves and our Children Disciples of Christ And then he tells us another story of a man that hired a Philosopher to teach him and all his Children and were they not all then Disciples of that Philosopher Answ But is this Mr. Baxters plain Scripture-proof that he telleth us of in the title of his book I do much admire that a man prosessing so much seriousness in his matters and soundness in his judgement tenderness of conscience and zeal for truth as Mr. Baxter doth in his first chap. page 2 should so turn aside his ears from the truth of the word of God unto such fables as these as if he were resolved to make the Apostles words true upon himself 2 Tim. 4.3.4 which are these The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn aside their ears from the truth and be turned unto fables c. But let me a little speak to Mr. Baxter in his own language lest he be wise in his own conceit and think I cannot answer such learned Questions Suppose I should grant that little Children as soon as they go to Schoole and begin to learn their letters are Scholars doth it therefore follow that they are then fit to learn the things of God and be immediately nay long before that the Disciples of Christ I think not for the Lord Christ saith John 2.12 If I have told you earthly things and you beleive them not how shall you beleive if I tell you Heavenly But such Children that go newly to Schoole to learn their letters you may tell them of many earthly things that they cannot understand nor beleive at all Againe What if we grant Mr. Baxter that little Children are Scholars the first day they are sent to Schoole and having learned but the first letters This would make nothing for his purpose for do we ever know any man so idle and foolish and void of understanding as to send his Child to Schoole to learn its letters befor it could speak or understand would not Mr. Baxter himself say such a man were void of reason but Mr. Baxter doth affirn such to be Disciples of Christ and would have them sent to Chrits Schoole but if this be equity or godly wisdome let the godly wife consider and judge But Mr. Baxter would teach men by parallels and lay aside the word of God he might have made the comparison thus As little children the first day they go to Schoole to learn their letters are commonly called the Scholars and Disciples of Men even so those little Children or babes in Christ 1 John 5.21 the first
day they go to Christs Schools to learn the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ Heb. 6. may be also called the Scholars or Disciples of Christ Again as men commonly call all the Turks old and young that are born of the flesh into Mahomets Kingdome which is of this world Mahometans even so we call all converts old and young which are born again of the Spirit into the Kingdome of Christ which is not of this world Christians By old and young converts I do not mean beleivers born of the Spirit and their Children as they are born of the flesh but I mean such as are spoken of 1 John 2.13 13. in these words I write to you little Children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake I write 〈…〉 â—â—â—hes because you have known him that is from the beginning I wrâ—â—e to you young men because you have overcome thâ—â—â—â—ked 〈◊〉 And chap. 5.21 Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen By all which we see that the least Children that were in the Church that John wrote unto were such as had known the Father chap 2.13 and such as could understand exhortations to keep themselves from Idols Now as for Mr. Baxter's man that hired the Philosopher to teach his children he neither telleth us what man it was nor how old his children were nor what the Philosophers name was and therefore I shall pass that over as a cunning devised fable not worth the answering and proceed to the next which is That mothers can teach their children partly by action and gesture and partly by voice to take off from vices and infom in vertue And methinks saith he ye should not make an Infant less teachable then some brutes But saith he nurses witell you more in this then I can O excellent Divinity and plain Scripture proof from where we learn these two things First that if it be a piece of good Divinity to prove that litle children that can neither speak nor understand are the Disciples of Christ then Nurses are better Divines then Mr. Baxter for saith he they can tell you more is this then I can pag. 23. Secondly he saith What will you make an Infant les teachable then some bruits from whence Mr. Baxter seems to imply that some bruits are capable of being Christs Disciples or else why should he say Will you have infants less teachable then some bruits As if he should say Some brutes are teachable enough to be made his disciples and what will you deny infants to be his disciples methinks saith he we should not make an infantiess decible then some brutes I remember he crieth out against Mr. Tombs in pag. 19. for arguing ridiculously when he proveth plainly out of Psal 119.89 90. that the heavens and earth are Gods servans in his answer to his proving infants Lev. 25.41 41. and if servints then disciples saith Mr. Baxter In answer to which Mr. Tombs saith The heavens and the earth are his servants are they therefore his disciples to which Mr. B. for want of a better answer saith O what cause have we all to look to the tenderness of our Consciences in time before engagement in a sinful cause hath benâ—â—med and made the word of God to be of none effect tous But I leave it to the impartial Reader to judge whether the same sayings may not more fitly be applyed to Mr. Baxter in this place I hope Mr. Baxter is not so void of judgement as to think brutes teachable enough to be made Christs disciples but I am sure his words imply no less Indeed I remember Mr. Baxter doth say in the beginning of his book that he will not meddle with such Arguments as other men have wrote of before but new ones that never yet were handled and I must confess these are such new ones as I never heard but how much to the purpose I leave it to the Reader wisely to consider and then judge Again he hath another Argument from Act. 15.10 the which Mr. Baxter saith doth prove Infants disciples to all that will not grosly overlook the Text and pervent it Ans An heavy charge against us I confess to be perverters of the Scripture but how true it will prove you shall see by and by The whole substance of Mr. Baxters Argument in the 15 and 16 pag. of his book is this from Act. 15.10 Why put ye yokes upon the neeks of the disciples c. But that yoke was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and according to the Law of Moses children as well as parents were circumcised therefore children as well as parents are disciples But I wonder what Mr. Baxter would do with this Argument if we should give it him and answer nothing to it I confess amongst ignorant and sottish people that do pin their faith upon Mr. B. words it may be taking out amongst those that are of noble spirits to search the Scriptures before they believe as the noble Bereans Act. 17.11 12. it can have no influence nor take no impression because it s but half an Argument and so he hath done his work that he hath taken in hand but to halves If we grant him all he says that it is but half an Argument is evident thus The yoke that they would have put upon the neck of the disciples was to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses but according to the Law of Moses none were circumcised but men-children therefore none else are disciples and therefore none but men-children are to be baptized by his own grant And so he hath done but half his work as I told you Secondly if Mr. Baxter please I will lead him step by step into the right understanding of this Scripture by Gods assistance thus What was the yoke Answ To be circumcised according to the Law of Moses and who was it laid upon then under the Law Answ Upon the Jews and their children And who would they have laid it upon Act. 15.10 Answ Upon the disciples as is plain in these words Why put ye a yeke upon the neck of the diseiples c. Who are disciples Here sticks the question still and it remains still for Mr. Baxter or Mr. Cook to prove infants disciples and then we grant they are those upon whom the false teachers would have put the yoke of Circumcision but the disciples of Christ are such as could deny themselves and take up his cross and follow him Luke 14. but little infants that can neither speak nor understand cannot so do therefore no disciples of Christ Lastly I shall cleer it by the words of the Text that the Apostle speaks of no children there thus Act. 15.7 we read that when there had been much disputing Peter rose up and said unto them Men and brethren you know that a good while ago God made choice among us that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the Gospel and believe and ver 8. God
that knoweth the hearts bare them witness giving them the Holy Ghost even as he did to us ver 9 and put no difference between them and us purifying their hearts by believing Now therefore saith the Apostle ver 10. why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples c. But now who were these disciples Answ v. 7. those that heard the word of the Gospel by the mouth of Peter and believed to whom God also gave the Holy Ghost and purified their hearts by faith as is plain ver 89. but little infants that can neither speak nor understand could not hear the word of God and believe by Peters preaching therefore they are not at all concerned in this place Another Argument that Mr. B. hath to prove infants disciples is in pag. 18 19. thus If infants are capable of being Gods servants then they are capable of being Christs disciples And he proves them servants from Levit. 25.41 42 where the Lord commandeth the children of Israel in the yeer of Jubilee to set free all their brethren with their little ones for they are my servants whence he concludes his Argument thus If God calls them servants why may not we call them disciples To which I answer Methinks its very strange he should take upon him to prove children disciples and when he cannot find such a word in all the Scriptures then he would turn us off with the word Servant and presume to call it Disciples and then say If God call them one thing why may not we call them another It seems Mr. Baxter will take leave in this thing to walk contrary to God and therefore I dare not trust him in another But I will shew him not onely in things but also in persons that we must not call them Disciples of Christ which God calleth Servants for in Jer. 25.9 chap. 27.6 chap. 43.10 in all these places God calleth Nebuehadrezer his Servant the King of Babylon an Enemy to the house of Israel whom the Lord made use of to destroy it and make it an astonishment and an hissing but yet I hope Mr. Baxter will not take leave to call him Christs Disciple if he doth I think his folly will be manifest to all men as it is now to me Another such Argument he hath page 21. where he reasons thus If Infants be capable of being Christs subjects then they are capable of being his Disciples A learned Argument and I will endeavour that all men may see the depth of it thus All the Children in this Nation are capable of being Subjects of this Common-wealth therefore they are capable of being University-Scholars This is the same with Mr. Baxters Argument but what truth is in either I leave to the wise to judge That Infants are capable of being subjects here or in any Kingdome upon earth Mr. Baxter affirms page 21. and therefore I need not prove it Thus having answered I proceed to his third Argument page 22. which is this If Christ would have some Children received as Disciples then they are Disciples but Christ would have some Children received as Disciples Therefore All the question saith he is of the Antecedent namely whether Christ would have some Infants received as Disciples or no the which he seems to prove by these Scriptures in his 22 page Luke 2.47 48. compared with Matth. 19.5 and Mar. 9.41 the which Scriptures I shall set downe at large to the view of all that they may see and consider whether they prove such things as he brings them for or not The Scriptures speak thus Luke 2.47 48. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers when they saw him they were amazed and his Mother said unto him Son why hast thou so dealt with us behold thy Father and I have sought thee sorrowing Mat. 19.5 And said For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they twain shall be one flesh Mar. 9.41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drinke in my name because ye belong to me verily I say unto you he shall not lose his reward Now what the two first Scriptures are to the purpose I leave to all that can read and understand Eaglish to judge But it may be he will say the Printer hath done him wrong I answer Then I have done him none as all may see that read the place and consider the quotations page 22. and I looked also in his Errata but there is nothing spoken of it and truly I dare be no interpreter of his meaning without his words therefore it remaineth that I onely speak to that Mar. 9.41 and Luke 9.47 Which I find after were quoted in that page thus And Jesus pereeiving the thoughts of their hearts took a Child and set him by him and said Whosoever shall receive this Child in my name and whosoever shall give a cup of water to you to drinke in my name shall not lose their reward To which I answer First Let the Reader take notice that the word Disciple is not to be found in the Text therefore it cannot prove Infants Disciples for if we prove the resurrection and the eternall judgement we must bring a Scripture that speask of the word resurrection and eternall judgement and so did Christ to the Saddnees he saith That the dead shall rise is evident and his sayings we take for as good Scripture as any is in the Bible although Mr. Baxter saith we would not in his tenth position to the answer of which I refer you Secondly To that in Mark 9.41 it s evident he speaks to the twelve saying Whosoever shall give you a cup of water c. And that he spake of actuall believers is evident ver 42. in these words And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleive in me c. Now that little Infants that can neither speak nor understand are beleivers in Christ I utterly deny and let Mr. Baxter or any man prove it by Scripture if they can for Faith commeth by hearing Rom. 10.17 therefore he speaks of such little ones as John writes to 1 John 2.12 which had known the Father Thirdly To that in Luke 9.48 Whosoever receiveth this Child in my name receiveth me c. I answer The Lord Christ himself answereth or rather cleareth this to purpose as you may read Mat. 18.1 2 3 4 5 6. at large Now that Matthew and Luke do speak of one and the same thing is clear by comparing Luke 9.46 which words are these Then there arose a reasoning among themselves which of them should be the greatest with Mat 18.1 which words are these At the same time came the Disciples unto Jesus saying Who is the greatest in the Kingdome of Heaven by this we see it is all one thing Now to the following words of Christ which are these And Jesus called a little Child unto him and set him in the midst of