Selected quad for the lemma: nation_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nation_n	bless_v	promise_n	seed_n	4,230	5	8.0866	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78133	A discourse tending to prove the baptisme in, or under the defection of Antichrist to be the ordinance of Jesus Christ. As also that the baptisme of infants or children is warrantable, and agreeable to the word of God. Where the perpetuity of the estate of Christs Church in the world, and the everlastingnesse of the covenant of Almighty God to Abraham are set forth as maine grounds, and sundry other particular things are controverted and discussed. By P.B.	Barbon, Praisegod, 1596?-1679.	1642 (1642)	Wing B750; Thomason E138_23; ESTC R7333	22,862	40

at the present and say something of the fore part where there is two things considerable as generall grounds in the minding whereof sundry particulars will fall in The first is the Covenant of Almighty God to Abraham and to his seed after him in their generations Gen. 17. 7. It is an everlasting Covenant as in the nature of it so in the extent being made to a thousand generations continuing Psal 105. 8 to the time of Grace being in force after the sufferings of our Lord as apeareth by that of the Apostle Yee are the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant and againe the Covenant is made to you and to Acts 3. 25. 2. 39. your Children yea it did extend to the Gentiles they were a part of the seed unto whom this everlasting Covenant was made as we shall further shew hereafter This Covenant of Almighty God as it is everlasting and hath the same extent for ever as ever it had so it is a distinct thing from either of the Testaments old or new for let it be minded there is but two Testaments an old one by Moses a new Heb. 8. 6 7 8. one by our Lord Jesus Christ so the Scripture is cleare Hebrews 8. one confirmed by the blood of Goates c. and the other in or by the blood of the Sonne of God Now the Covenant to Abraham and his seed is neither of these two the old it is not nor any part of it it was made 430 yeares before and noe whit disanulled swallowed up or made voyd by the Testament of Moses as expressely the Apostle doth witnesse 3 Gala. 17. the new it cannot be in asmuch as it is as before is shewed 430. yeares older then the old and to make it a part of the new as some do is to subvert the order of God himselfe for so the new Testament by CHRIST the Sonne should be indeed the old and the old by Moses 430 yeares after should be the new alike mistake it is to make it a part of the old or the old it selfe as some doe and so to count it legall and carnall and the like when as indeed it is most gracious and hath nothing but free grace in it and in all the parts of it and indeed but for digression from the matter in hand I would say something further about this matter because I know some will count this a new thing but let them minde that though a Covenant and Testament have a common and generall acceptance in the Scripture phrase yet in strictnesse of speaking they are distinct and divers and not the same A Testament can be confirmed noe otherwise but by death or blood so the Apostle and so were He. 9. 6. both the Testaments old and new but a Covenant is otherwise ratified and a person may make divers Covenants but he can make but one Testament in asmuch as he can die but once Almighty GOD made one free gracious and everlasting Covenant with Abraham and his seed and two Testaments as we said before one by Moses which waxed old and one new by his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and though this may seeme new let any in sobernesse shew the error that attends it Now to returne to our matter This Covenant with Abraham and his seed being a distinct thing from either of the testaments and being everlasting and not made voyd by either of the Testaments the seed of the faithfull must needs be interessed in it so long as it doth last and continue but as before it is everlasting and so in the extent of it so as the believing Gentiles and their seed are interessed in it and made Abrahams seed they according as the Apostle declares in the 3 Ephe. 6. are made fellow heires and of the same body and partakers of his promise or Covenant in Christ through the Gospell The promise or Covenant in the 17 Gen. 7. The Gentiles they be a part of the seed to whom the promise was made Rom. 4. 16. which was made sure and good when the partition wall was broken down and there was neither Jew nor Greeke c. but all one in Christ Abraham being made according to the Gal. 3. 28. promise of God a Father not of one only but of many Nations that so in him and in his seed all the Nations of the Earth might be blessed he being made a Father Rom. 4. to them all not only to the Circumcision but to the uncircumcision according to the extent of the promise and everlasting Covenant of Almighty God unto him in the fulfilling whereof the promise was made sure and good to all the seed Romans 4. 16. 17. Indeed the Jewes as branches of the Stock of Abraham were broken off yet not all and the Gentiles grafted thereon Rom. 11. 17. which was according to that foretold by Christ the Kingdome should be taken from them and given to a people that would bring forth the fruite thereof namely the Gentiles Matt. 21. 43. And so those other sheepe brought in that were not of that Fold Iohn 10. that there might b● one Shepherd and one Sheepe-fold and not two the promise it being to seed and not to seeds that is to Iewes and Gentiles united together in one in Christ Gala. 3. 16. from all which and much more that might be said I take it to be most evident That the Covenant to Abraham was everlasting and to continue for ever that it did extend it selfe to the Gentiles as it did to the Iewes to the Natiōs of the Gentiles that beleeve as to the Nation of the Jewes to the seed of these and their posteritie now as to them and their posteritie of old That they to wit Children of the faithfull are of the Church of God and within the Covenant to Abraham and so by just consequence have a right to such Ordinances as are the seale of that Covenant as of old namely to be Circumcised with Circumcision made without hands and to be buried with Christ by Baptisme so Colo. 2. 11. as it must needs be a great wrong and violence to the Covenant of Almighty God and injury to Abraham the Father of the Faithfull to exclude such as God hath not only necessarily included but exprest in that his everlasting Covenant namely the Lineall seed of the Faithfull to forbid such to come to Christ as sometime some Disciples did finding fault Ma. 19. 13 14. with them that bring them as did those whom Christ blamed must needs be a changing the everlasting Covenant and a bringing in a new Gospell never learned of Iesus Christ Minding that former to be very cleare that the Covenant is everlasting the same of the same extent the lineall seed of the faithfull within it I now proceed to the consideration of the second thing which is That the estate of Christs Church hath bin and is stable and firm abiding to perpetuity some change in form and administration

say they with the holynesse of the Children To which I answere it is an easy thing to say so but a great deale harder to prove it The Scripture teacheth that to the pure all things namely lawfull Tit. 1 15 things are pure and so the wife to the Husband and the Husband to the wife in Gods Ordinance but the holynesse of the Children is an other thing according to the reason of the Apostle before set forth which I desire may be minded and I shall need say nothing further and truly this point of outward or visible holynesse or unholynesse of commonnesse and being uncleane is a point of great concernment which for want of right and due consideration great mistakes doe attend persons but I may not inlarge to speake of it here But yet still the matter remaineth to be declared that persons so much stick at and that is an example or precept for this practise of Baptizing Children which before I speake unto I shall desire first that they would minde what hath bin sayd before seriously and without prejudice Secondly I desire they would give such measure as they require to receive namely an example or precept for an Unbaptized person to Baptise himselfe or others Thirdly I would pray them to consider whether they doe not thinke the Apostle would have spoken more particularly concerning the rejecting of Children and keeping them off from the Church the custome being so ancient that Parents with their Children came in together an example of refusing them lyeth rather on their part to shew Lasty I will indeavour to shew them some precepts and examples And first for examples It is evident Children were Baptized aswell as men of yeares unto Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea 1 Cor. 10. 2. this is a cleare example and there is more in it then some are ware of Secondly there is cleare examples of Baptizing housholds the Jaylors and Lydia and the houshold of Stephanus by Paul himselfe 1 Cor. 1. 16. and as these so questionlesse other housholds as well as those three It is a rare thing to think there should be no Children If Children with their Parents were not as of old to enter the Covenant Church-state and Ordinance of Initiation Baptisme now as Circumcision of old surely the Apostle would not have spoken so generally and especially considering the Proselytes alway of old brought in their Children with them as a part of the whole Yea I affirme it is a full example in force for a president to after times that Families may and ought to be Baptized yea whole Families for Paul Baptized the houshold of Stephanus and there is no example of putting by Children at all And I further adde that if a houshold or housholds should be tendered to Baptisme wherein there were Children or Infants if Pauls example and the other should be alledged for pattern I suppose they had need have an example at the least if not a Precept to refuse the doing of it unlesse they would wil●fully shew they are not the followers of him as he was of Christ 1 Co. 1● 1. M● 1● ●0 that would have Children to come unto him and not to be forbidden there being no coming to him here but in his Church especially when he hath sayd that of such are his Kingdome Thirdly the Children of the Church of Coloss were Baptized as is plaine the whole Church were buried with Christ in Baptisme as the whole Church of old were Circumcised and as of old they were Baptized unto Moses as before Now a part of the Church were Children Colos 3. 20 21. But further there is the plaine order and command of Jesus Christ for the Baptizing of Children which I make appeare thus Abraham was to be made according to Gods Covenant unto him a Father of many Nations and so were his seed to be the Jews for a time were the only people but the time came the Kingdome was to be taken from them and given to a Nation the Gentiles that should bring forth the fruit of it Many Nations are to be Abrahams and to have him for their Father Now all these Nations according to the expresse command of Christ in the 28. Math. ●9 are to be Baptized and who dare gainsay him Now however it is possible though nothing likely there R● 4 18. should be three Families and no Children in them yet that there should be Nations and no Children is altogether impossible But the Nation and all Nations that imbrace Christ are to be Baptized according to Christs command and so Children as a party even as of old they were a part of the Nation of the Jewes and Circumcised yea and Baptized unto Moses as before The Nations that are made Abrahams seed the Nations that are saved the Kingdomes which shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord must needs receive Christs badge and be Baptized according to Rev. 21. 24. his will and pleasure one part of those being Children not come to understanding And upon what ground I know not that any should curtaile the Nations which according to Gods promise Abraham was to be a Father of by cutting off one part to wit Children when it is so manifest a thing Children were one part of the Iewish Nation and equally interessed in the Covenant and in Abraham for a Father also aswell as persons of yeares And that Nation when it shall be born againe in one day shal be compleat and shall not be a part by leaving their Children behind them This learning the Scripture doth fully and very plentifully teach yet some will conclude as an inconveniencie following thereon that if it were so then there must needs be Nationall Churches which followeth no more necessarily from it then tythes followeth from the Law alledged about the maintenance of the Ministerie ● Cor. 9. 14. The Institution of Christ in the one and other carryeth the force and is to be regarded But it may be sayd and is by some that in the 28 Mat. 19. our Lord requireth that they be first taught and then Baptized which Children cannot be hereunto I say that this first is their owne qu● in and an addition not to be suffered Nations are to be made Christs Disciples by Baptisme teaching is necessary before and after concerning the knowledge of God in Iesus Christ if persons of yeares are first to be taught the knowledge of CHRIST and then Baptised it doth not follow at all concerning Children in the least which are alwaies included in their Parents as the proselytes of old were to be taught the knowledge of the God of Israel before they were received to Circumcision the Ordinance of Initiation but not so their Children indeed it were most unreasonable to require it of them or to refuse them because of it when nature by time hath not done its part yet if any will inforce this so as b● wringing the nose to cause blood let them teach children of 10 daies old if they please for to refuse them Baptisme they may not for no conditionall If may be put in their case as there was none in Circumcision of old If any shall say thus we learne Christ of Moses I answere and say it is very lawfull for us so to do for he wrought of him and surely it is a very froward obscure way of reasoning to set the Children in way of oposition to the Parents in the case of beleeving of interest in the Covenāt of Almighty God which the holy Scripture never doth nor teacheth us to doe no not by one instance or example in the Scripture Nation is opposed and set in opposition to Nation Iewes against Greeks and other Gentiles Families against Families and Beleevers against Infidells but not Parents against Children according as these men doe Thus both example and precept is shewed in the case of Baptisme of Children which if neither could have bin shewed a just consequence is a reall demonstration of the will and pleasure of God as in other cases so in this of Baptisme and that may be gathered and is fully in the former part of this Discourse both negatively and affirmatively deduced I leave the further consideration of it and the whole matter to be considered of by those that love the truth whom the God of truth lead into all truth for his Sonnes sake Amen FINIS