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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	law_n	sin_n	sinner_n	2,820	5	9.3094	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02435	A description of the Church of Christ, with her peculiar priuiledges, and also of her commons, and entercommoners With some oppositions and answers of defence, for the maintenance of the truth which shee professeth: against certaine Anabaptisticall and erronious opinions, verie hurtfull and dangerous to weake Christians. Maintained and practised by one Master Iohn Smith, sometimes a preacher in Lincolneshire, and a companie of English people with him now at Amsterdam in Holland. Whome he hath there with himselfe rebaptised. By I.H.	Etherington, John, fl. 1641-1645.	1610 (1610)	STC 12567; ESTC S118987	75,210	130

not apparrell Cesar may forbid God forbiddeth not Cesar may commaund Where there is no law there is libertie wee were in bondage once indeede when shaddowes were in place but now we are freed and set at liberty by the Son who is free and the very substance is in him God commaundeth all times for prayers and supplications 2. Thes 5.15 Cesar one time forbidding no time breaketh no law for euery one is contained in all And so in all other things that are not eyther commaunded or forbidden of God and in obeying Cesar therin wee giue vnto Cesar the thinges that are Cesars whereas otherwise if we obey him not wee are guilty of the breach of the morall law which saieth Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And so breaking this one great cōmandement we are guilty of that other the greatest of all Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule c. For although God doth not appoint and commaund Cesar in all what lawes hee shall make yet doth hee confirme all those lawes which hee doth made which are not contrary to his owne lawes and commandeth obedience thereto at the handes of all subiects to their Kings and gouernours and all other their superiours bee they good or bad of what profession soeuer he be whether Prophet or Priest or Bishop true of false so he haue power he must be obeyed or else we are guilty of the wole law of God Rom. 13.1 for all the powers that be as one saith are ordayned of God And therefore whosoeuer hee be that lyeth in prison or suffereth any punishment whatsoeuer for disobeying of any of these his gouernours in any of those lawes or Canons not opposite to Gods lawes he suffereth as an euill doer and so depriueth himselfe of that liberty which the Apostle exhorteth to saying Stand fast in the liberty wherin Christ had made you free and be not entangled againe Gal. 5.1 c. If you doe well saith one who will harme you 1. Pet. 3.13 The daes are past long a goe wherein there was a law which said Touch not tast not handle not c. wherwith consciences might be defiled but thanks bee to God who hath freed vs through Iesus Christ our Lord that whether wee eate or eate not tough or touch not obserue or obserue not wee offend not so that wee haue knowledge neither God nor our consciences so that withall we take heede and make not this liberty a cloake for sinne It is a good garment for a Saint but not for a sinner for hee takes liberty there-vnder 1. Pet. 1 6 to runne into all kind of riot and excesse But we as we must giue vnto Cesar the things that are Cesars So wee must giue vnto God the things that are Gods And in those things which neither God nor Cesar doth require but is in our owne liberty to take our leaue as to eate and drinke to put on to buy and the like heerein wee must not exceed least it ouercome and rule our affections and so wee turne our liberty to sin much rather let vs forbeare finding them not expedient for though all thinges are lawfull as one saith yet all things are not expedient 1. Cor. 6.12 I will not be brought saith hee vnder the power of any thing And looke on the saith he in another place who walke so as ye haue vs for an example Philip. 3.17.18.19.20 for many walke of whome I haue told you often and now tell you weeping who are enemies to the Cresse of Christ whose end is dānation whose God their belly and glory to their shame which minde earthly things but our conuersation is in hēauen And therefore let vs giue vnto God the things that are Gods and to Cesar the things that are Cesars And if Cesar should require any thing which belongeth to God let vs giue him our liues if we had ten thousand before hee should haue it 1. Pet. 3.17 and then we should not suffer as euill doers but for righteousnesse sake These things look vnto you that run from country to country and you also that stay at home and trouble the proceedings of Sion Know this that yee suffer as euill doers and cause others also to doe the like by following your steppes But some man perhaps will say Obiection I could almost finde in my heart to obey Cesar the King but I cannot abide these Prelates the Bishops to obey them canst thou not indeed Take loue into thy breast and then thou shalt see what thou canst doe I but thou wilt say Hee is no Cesar not yet a lawfull gouernour his calling and power is Antichristian and it came from the beast The Pope of Rome who receiued not his power from God but from the great red Dragon the diuell Reu. 13.2 Answere Well I aunswere Heere thou art deceiued two wayes first whereas thou saiest that our Bishops receiue their callings power from the beast the Pope of Rome is vntrue In former times indeede they did but now they receiue their callings and power from Caesar our King who hath authority to determine and appoint Titus 3.1 euery publique calling in all his kingdomes 1. Pet. 3.13.14 tending to the common-wealth of all his subiects as well for the feeding of their soules as for the preseruation of their bodies and goods And this is a charge laide vpon him by God himselfe as euery housholder is bound to prouide to his power all things necessary for his houshold both for soule and body And as the King is bound to see all his great houshold prouided for to his power and to place ouer them the best and fittest for the purpose I mean for soule and body So he may giue power and authority to all sorts of them to performe the will of God and to see his owne lawes kept and executed without resistance or disturbance Secondly whereas thou saiest that the beast the Pope receiued his power from the great red Dragon the diuell Thou saist true but thou shalt see if thou wilt looke well vpon the matter how thou doest deceiue thy selfe For tell mee who was that great red Dragon was it the diuell himselfe alone or was it the Emperour in whom the diuell dwelt Reu. 12.3 who is said to haue seuen heads and ten hornes wherewith the diuell alone is neuer described but the Emperour it was that gaue him his power and his Throane and great authority in whom the diuell dwelt as he doth in all such like bloudy Tyrants And as he hath done in the beast the Dragons successour in more cruell malice and deceit aboue forty of his two and forty moneths Ren. 13.5 wherein power was giuen him to doe But tell me who gaue the Emperour his power was it not God Christ our Lord saith to the Emperours Deputy Pilat Thou couldst haue no power saith he except it were giuen thee from

Rom. 11.26 and yet that some of them may and shall prooue cast-awayes contrary to the Scriptures which saith All Israel shall be saued meaning all Abrahams spirituall seed Iewes or Gentiles It is possible that ye can be ignorant how in the Churches of the Apostles times there were many euill workers euidently knowen vnreturned earthly minded of whom Saint Paul saith Many wake Phil. 3.17.18.19 of whō I haue told you often now tel you weeping c. Is not this manifestly to be seene throughout all the new Testament Did the Lord himselfe who knewe all thinges entertaine Disciples Iohn 6.64 baptising them whom hee knew did not beleeue in him nor yet were returned yea one whom hee knewe should betray him The Lord I say who could haue made his choise and haue taken the best and left the worst at his pleasure If he had beene so disposed or had intended to make the outer Court of his temple as pure as the temple it selfe whereunto none doth come to sacrifice but onely his royall Priesthood Did the Lord I say still who knew all things doe thus to teach vs in these cases what to doe to the worlds end And dare you which know nothing in comparison take vpon you to teach him and to contradict his practise Did hee entertaine all that came to him into his outward Court yeelding vnto them all the common things thereof And dare you so boldly to change his ordinance reiecting such as then hee entertained If hee had intended that none should be baptized but such as brought forth the fruites of regeneration hee would not haue then baptized nor haue suffered any to be baptized that were not first regenerate seeing that he knew them one from another he would haue giuen vs example both by himselfe and his Apostles and would not haue baptized any one Ioh. 8.39 but Abrahams true spirituall seede who should first haue wrought the works of Abraham of whom not one sonne of perdition should euer haue beene found This would the Lord haue done I say if his will and truth had so been in this outward condition of his Kingdome he would haue performed it persectly Seeing hee could doe in this case what he would he would not haue beene found vnfaithfull in his house as it is plaine hee was if that doctrine of yours be true All agree that the sinne of knowledge is greater then the sinne of ignorance Did Christ know his Fathers will was that none should be baptized but Abrahams spirituall seed and would he baptize those Ioh. 6.60 that knew not what it was to eate his flesh and drinke his bloud which all Abrahams seed did both eate and drinke of and therefore must needes know what it is would he haue entertained Iudas and baptized him seeing he knew from the beginning that he was the child of perdition and that he should betray him No no Christ our Lord would neuer haue done all these things if he had knowne his Fathers will to haue beene contrary he would neuer haue sinned so highly against his Father with his knowledge as he did if that be true which you affirme But you are the lyar and the sinner be it knowne vnto you It is you that breake the law of God and violate the word and waies of Christ by your cursed wayes and doctrine For his will is that common things should be for the many that are called but his peculiar things for the few that are chosen Wherefore hee compareth the common Court and Kingdome of heauen to a Net cast into the Sea Mat. 13.47 which taketh all sorts of fish both good and bad And his spirituall kingdome and holy temple Mat. 13.31 and 33. he compareth to a graine of Mustard seed to Leauen To a field wherein lieth a treasure hid of great worth which whosoeuer will enioy must purchase it with all hee hath Mat. 13.44.45.46 Which Kingdome the Lord saith Except a man be borne againe he shall neuer enter into nor see Perceiue you not these things M. Smith Iohn 3.3 are they hidden from your eies Matt. 3.52 Then are you not the Scribe which the Lord speaketh of which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen compared to a housholder which bringeth forth of his treasurie things both new and olde Obiection But peraduenture you will yet obiect that although there be some caught in the Net that doe afterwards proue bad yet they were good when they were first caught and brought forth good fruite before they were baptized and therefore Christ gaue Rules to his Church to the end that when any should offend if he would not be reformed after he had beene orderly dealt withall by the Church that then hee should be cast out and so cut off from the bodie Answere Is it possible that a branch of the Vine which brought forth good fruite should euer bee cutte off from the Vine for bearing of euill fruit seeing God is the husbandman of his vine Iohn 15.1.2 and euery branch that bringeth forth good fruite the same he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit Did you euer read in all the Scriptures that a good man one of Abrahams seed which brought forth good fruit and did the workes of Abraham that afterwards prooued an euill man and brought forth euill fruit and was therfore cut of for euer from the vine and from Abrahams spirituall house Hath Christ giuen rules to this end to cut of fruitfull branches Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem for so ye call them all whom yee Baptise His rules are not for you if you can rule no better then so But hee hath giuen them to his Church you say Obiection and we know no Church he hath but ours Know ye not indeed are ye altogether ignorant What say you to Master Francis Iohnson and his company at Amsterdam Answere They bost as much of rules as you And to all the seuerall companies of your fellow Anabaptists who haue beene such auncient professors of your faith Haue you shut them all out of dores to day and came in your selues but yesterday Is this the rule you keepe I pray you tell vs one thing Master Smith By what rule baptised you your selfe what worde or example had you for that in all the Scriptures Doe you affirme the baptisme of children to be the marke of the Beast because you say there is no word nor example in all the Scripture to proue that they may be baptised And yet durst you presume without either word or example to baptise your selfe If you go about to proue that lawful which you haue done by any word or example in the Scripture I say you cannot set one step forward to that purpose but you must allow thereby the baptisme of Children I maruell you did not preuent this obiection which wil be as hard a bone for you to gnaw vpon as you thinke the baptisme of Children is to vs. It was

and it answereth to Ierufalem which now is and she is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem which is from aboue is free which is the mother of vs all c. The meaning is That as there were two feeds euen from the beginning the seed of the serpent and the seede of the woman Gen 3.15 figured by Adams two first sonnes Gen. 4.3.4 Caine and Abell Caine going before with his sacrifice Abell comming after with his The one the sonne of the serpent the other the childe of woman the one the childe of the lawe of death the other the childe of the Testament of life for these two Testaments were before either Caine or Abell came to offer their sacrifice and were figured by the two trees that were in the midst of the Garden Gen. 2.9 the Tree of knowledge of good and euill representing the law oftenne commanddements For to the tenne comandements the tree of knowledge of good and euill one curse belonged viz. Reu. 2.7 Thou shalt die the death And the Tree of life representing the Testament and fruite of life as the Lord himselfe proueth when he saith To him that ouercommeth wil I giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the middest of the Paradise of God And as God did set before Adam life and death to chuse and he chose death to himselfe and all his posterity Gen. 2.16.7 so yet still and againe God hath set the same before vs as Moyses saith Behold Deut. 11.26 Deut 30.11.12.14.15 I haue set before you life and death curse and blessing to chuse And as Adam chose death euen so his generation for the most part chuse rather death cursing Rom 10.6.7.8 then life and blessing and are the bond-womans children and so will be like Caine and Ishmael I say as God did prefigure the two Testaments Gen. 19.10.12 and the two seeds to Adam and his feed vntill Abraham So did he then renew his couenants to Abraham figuring them by Agar and Sara and their seed by Ishmael and Isaack Which thing me thinks you M. Smith should not be ignorant of seeing you take such great matters vpon you Now these two sonnes doe not represent the naturall Iew Deut. 10.17 Iob. 34.19 Act. 10.34 35. and the naturall Gentile but the Spirituall Iewe and the Spirituall Gentile for God respects not of what Nation a man be of so he feare and seeke him his couenant shall be vnto him wheresoeuer he be as the Apostle proueth saying Rom. 2.14.15.16.26.27.28.29 If the Gentile doe by nature the things contained in the law that is be circumcised in heart he shall be found a Iew when the Iew circumcised in skinne but not in heart shall be found a Gentile For he is not a Iew that is one without but hee is a Iew that is one within and that is not circumcision that is on the skinne but that which is in the heart And these are the two seedes figured by the two sonnes Ishmael and Isaack and are not tyed either to times or places or Nations but are in all times and of all Nations wheresoeuer lesse or more Now the mothers of these two Children are said to be Hagar that is Sinai Gal. 4. and Sara that is Sion Ierusalem from aboue The one representing the Testament of commandements the other the Testament of mercy the one death the other life the one cursing the other blessing and these are the onely two Testaments of God And whether of these two you make circumcision to be the seale or signe of I cannot tell To be a seale of the promise of life or of any thing pertaining thereunto you flatly deny And to bee a seale of the commandements or of the curse pronounced with them Is as contrary as cursing blessing For circumcision was giuen to Abrahā as a seale of the righteousnes of faith Rom. 4.5 Psal 32.1.2 Rom. 4.11 which God performed not onely vnto him but to all his spirituall children as wel Iewes as Gentiles not only since Christs death but long before Not that circumcision did seale all Abrahams naturall Children to be the Children of promise nor yet any one of them nor Abraham himselfe But it was giuen as a seale not of their faithfulnes to God nor yet to seale their saluation vnto them but to seale God his faithfulnes in his promise to all those of Abrahams Children that vnhardned their hearts like Abraham Rom. 8.15 Whether male or female Iewe or Gentile which hee sealed in their hearts by his spirit of promise whereby they all cryed Abba Father And as the rayne-bow doth confirme Gods faithfulnes to the world not mans faithfulnes to God Euen as Baptisme now is a seale not of euery ones saluation that receiueth it but a seale of Gods faithfulnes in his Couenant of mercy made to all Abrahams seed baptised and circumcised in heart like him which he sealeth vnto their hearts by his spirit of promise not by baptisme And so baptisme doth come indeed truely in the roome of Circumcision not that Circumcision was a type of baptisme but they are both types of one truth which is Circumcision or baptisme in heart As Hagar and Sinai were of another truth Euen of the Testament of Commaundements which was giuen vpon mount Sinai which gendreth or increaseth bondage Which answereth to Ierusalem Ierusalem to it not because it should be so but because they would bee so Chusing rather to be Hagars sonnes Children to Sinai which begetteth and bringeth forth to death Heb. 3.16.17.18.19 Heb. 4.2 then children of Sara and mount Sion which bringeth forth to life For as it is written the Gospell and word that is preached vnto vs was also preached vnto them but the word which they heard profited not them for they when they heard it prouoked him yet not al but with whom was he displeased forty years euen with those that hardned their hearts and wold not heare his voice Euen Hagars sonnes And as Dauid cryeth out to them of his tnne Psal 95.8 saying To day if ye wil heare his voice harden not your hearts as in the prouocation For the most of all Abrahams naturall seed which possessed the earthly Ierusalem and earthly Canaan did chuserather to bee the children of death and bondage figured by the bond woman and Sinai Then to be children of life and liberty figured by mount Sion and the free woman being all for the most part of them Rom. 10.3 ignorant of the righteousnes of faith sought altogether to establish their owne righteousnes framed according to the Law of commandements as they pretended which neither they nor their fathers did euer keepe Ioyning therewith the strict obseruation of the Ceremoniall law supposing their whole life and saluation consisted therein which were both giuen to another end then that which they intended For the Law of commandements was giuen Rom. 7.8 not

by that righteous law the olde Testament Take heede make not another Testament two is all What carnall couenant doe you meane The Scriptures neuer told vs yet of a carnall couenant The two Testaments of God are both holy spirituall Rom. 7.14 as the Scriptures witnesse Heb. 7.16 Indeede there were carnall commaundements rites and shadowes belonging a while as seruants and Ministers to the new Testament teaching and preaching Christ Iesus which are called Rudiments impotent and beggerly Gal. 4.9 in regarde of their weakenesse leanenesse pouerty Yet the best means that then was to teach Christ till Christ himselfe came And were euen as a bondage yea to Abrahams spirituall seed compared with after times yet great thinges were taught by them though very darkly and weakly But when the substance came shadowes were cast away They are blinde men that can goe as well by night as by day The day is come the night is past the true light now shineth Who doe not walke therein but blinde men yet they say they see and therefore their sinne remaines Night birds they are and cannot see by day The day-starre neuer rose in their hearts And Master Smith though shadowes be gone the substance still remaines The two Testaments are both whole and sound as euer they were Math. 5.17.18.19 and still continue in their strength and force And the children of cursing and blessing doe still continue And whosoeuer they were in any age or time that put confidence in workes of any kinde whatsoeuer Either those contained in the ten commandements or any other letter sacrifice or ceremonie or any other religious exercise except the promise were all in bondage and were children to Hagar And also whosoeuer he be and when and wheresoeuer since Christ that puts trust and confidence in works whether workes of the law or of the Gospell or any ceremony or shaddow or religious exercise whatsoeuer or knowledge or faith except the promise of mercy and loue in Christ Iesus He or they whatsoeuer shal befound the bond-womans children of the race of Came and Ismael and inherite not with the heyres of promise And as then before Christ Ierusalem that should haue beene free whose children boasted much of their freedome and in his daies and the Apostles time also euen till her destruction was in bondage with her children euen so Ierusalem that now is who boasteth as much as they could do of her beauty riches and fulnesse I meane the great and famous Church of Christians through the world fulfilling her workes answering vnto her as shee did vnto Hagar and Sinai is also in bondage with her children Onely Ierusalem from aboue with all her children is free though her name be hid and her face couered with dust Arise thou captiue daughter Sion and put on thy garment of beauty for thy day is euen at hand Esay 54.7 For a little while in his anger he hid his face from thee but with euer lasting mercy will he embrace thee And tell me yet was the ceremoniall law the carnall couenant you meane that you say circumcision is the seale of For I would willingly search out all your holes and not leaue you one to runne into will ye say so Is it possible that a Ceremony can be the seale of a Ceremony or of Ceremonies For I trust you agree that Circumcision is a Ceremonie and did belong and make one with the rest What great thing was there in that law besides the promise of taking away of sinnes that Circumcision was a seale of for indeede the whole ceremoniall lawe may as well be called a Ghospell as a Law insomuch as it wholly intended Christ and the whole truth in him Exod. 25.40 Acts 7.44 Heb. 8.5 And therefore Moses is commaunded to make and order all things according to the patterne which hee saw in the Mount and so Circumcision was a seale of the promise and righteousnesse of faith not onely to Abraham but to all Abrahams spirituall seede both male and female Iew and Gentile Howsoeuer in their spiritual generation there is neither male nor female Iew nor Gentile Gal. 3.28 but they are all one Virgine and Spouse of Christ Iesus Mistake me not in my former speech as if I entended to make another Gospell of the law of Ceremonies but I call it so because it serued the Gospell and kept aschoole as it were to teach Christ and therefore it is said they were vnder Tutors vntill the time appointed of the father Gal. 4.2 neither is it another Testament besides those two Testaments which are described before but was a shaddowing law attending vppon Christ vntill he had offered vp himselfe which must all then vanish but the two Testaments are firme and stable spirituall holy and endure as I haue said before But to the matter againe for tenne to one Master Smith will runne to the land of Canaan and take it for his refuge but if you doe truely it will leaue you in the same distresse that you were in before for it is no land of rest for you now But tell me was it the carnall Couenant you talke of If you remember in the beginning of your answer shewing your skill in the origmals yet prouing your selfe very ignorant in the two Testaments as appeares by your distinguishing them you say the two Couenants or two Testaments for so you say Tell me doe you meane the two Testaments which the Scripture doth set forth and so often tell vs of And I pray you was the land of Canaan one of these two Testaments because the land of Canaan was promised to Abrahams seede Is it therefore one of the two Testaments If you will make euery promise that is in the Scriptures a seuerall Testament you distinguish faire you wil haue a hundred Testaments then at least And is this the Testament Circumcision did seale to the carnall seede What was the reason then they were caried into Babylon captiues It should seeme by your saying that God had forgot his Couenant quite for they were Abrahams carnall seede as you meane by carnall euery one of them Let me tell you They were not carried thither because they were not carnall 2. Chr. 36.15 26 17. but because they were not spirituall they circumcised their sonnes then in Babylon and doe still to this day Are they so blinde as you to thinke that circumcision dooth seale the land of Canaan vnto them Indeede it may well be for they are very blinde although experience might haue taught them otherwise long ere this day Indeede the land of Canaan was promised Abrahams seede and they were set in possession thereof with a strong hand but with what condition was that inheritance giuen them and for whose sakes Had it not been for Abraham his faithful one his spiritual seed Iacob his beloued they should neuer haue possessed that land Gen. 17.7.8 Deut. 4.37.38 Gen. 26.3.4.5 God would neuer haue cast out