many shal rejoyce at his birth because he shall have a new birth for parents may have great joy and gladnesse at the new birth of their children for he shall be great before the Lord although the wicked world shall contemne him and say he hath a devil yet he shall be great for he shall be a Baptist They are the greatest before the Lord that preach most soundly of Baptisme Paul the greatest of the Apostles preached most of Baptisme Luther was famous for Baptisme and Calvin the fourth Angel and name any that ever was famous in the Church that was not sound in the faith of his baptisme for no Anabaptist nor any other shall be great before the Lord in his Church which is not sound in that point that do not thunder out the Law to men that may drive them to the faith of their Baptisme in Infancie He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost from his mothers womb which is not so to be understood that all the elect do now receive the Holy Ghost in their mothers womb but that all the elect should receive the Holy Ghost in their mothers womb of the Church which is baptisme in their Infancie when their godly parents i. all the true Church pray for the holy Spirit to be given to their Infants For why should not the Lord give his holy Spirit to Infants at baptisme as well as to John And as Peter told the Jews Be baptized and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost He shall drink neither wine nor strong drink i. he shall be no drunken Minister the Holy Ghost shall teach him sobriety And he shall convert many of the children of Israel unto the Lord God The Baptist and all that preach most soundly of Baptisme convert most to Christ I have observed that those men and that those Ministers that have preached the Law and Baptisme most soundly amongst men have converted most and the reason why so few are converted in these dayes because few preach the Law cleerly in the spirituall breach and Baptisme as Luther prophesied Baptisme after his time would be lost so there be few preach Baptisme cleerly to make the tree good and the fruit good for the tree is evill and the fruit evill by Adam And here is the rule to know all Sermons to be good or bad by converting or not if they make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree evill and the fruit evill as it is Christs own rule Mat. 12. 33. This is the first main ground of a faithfull Minister to prove all his Doctrine and Sermons by if he misse this ground he cast out his net on the wrong side and catch no fish convert no souls though he labour all his life This is the right side that Christ bad Peter cast out the net on i. the net of the Gospel to make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree evill and the fruit evill and this is the reason why hearers get no assurance of salvation because they do follow such Preachers that make neither the tree good nor the fruit good nor the tree evill nor the fruit evill but partly good and partly bad We must do something to make our selves good before God which is the greatest abomination that Antichrist can set up against God to affirm that we can make our selves righteous in whole or in part as the Homily of our Church for then Christ died in vain Now seeing John the Baptist was fore-prophesied of by so many Prophets and by so many Apostles and by Christ himself that a greater then John have not sprung up among them that have been born of women that he was a burning and a shining candle and thus testified by an Angel from heaven Let us believe his baptisme was from Heaven let us know that those that are Baptists that preach most of Baptisme their doctrine is most heavenly and they shall convert most to the Lord for they point most to the Lamb of God that hath taken away the sins of the world who drew all his obedient hearers by preaching the Law from the sundry sorts of sects 1. to Baptisme and then shewed them Christ the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world Wherefore hearken to this Elias Repent and receive Christ the Lamb of God by Baptisme to take away your sins for so many as received him to them he hath given prerogative to become the sons of God so many as believe in his name which are born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God So he that would draw all the sects and divisions of England into one he must first thunder out the Law and shew how cursed they are all because they have not taken Christs counsell Rev. 3. 18. Then he must bring them to the faith of their Baptisme he must teach them there is one God one Faith one Baptisme and he that does not gather with John and Christ too into Baptisme scatter and here is the cause of all the sects and divisions in all the Churches in Christendome for when men have lost Baptisme some will have justication from all eternity some from the crosse all born and unborn some in the womb some at faith some at conversion some at death and some after death and then they must go wash to get remission of sins Thus he that gathers not into Christ by Baptisme scattereth abroad for except I wash thee thou shalt have no part with me so except thou take thy part with Christ from thy Baptisme thou canst have no assurance of salvation John preached saying Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand this is not only to be understood that he preached nothing else but the summe of his doctrine was by the Law he shewed them what horrible sinners they were the generation of Vipers detest your sins and your own righteousnesse believe in the Messias he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire for all that are baptized into Christ have put on Christ for in our Baptisme we received remission of our sins in the death of Christ into which we were baptized and buried and in Christ we received everlasting righteousnesse in whom by baptisme we are raised and he preached the kingdome of heaven is hand because Baptisme was at hand for where Baptisme is truly preached there the kingdome of heaven is at hand Christ and his righteousnesse is at hand in Baptisme peace is at hand to them that believe their baptisme they have peace with God and assurance of salvation and all the sects and professors of England have no peace with God nor assurance of salvation but they that believe they have peace with God from their baptisme into Christ in infancy and joy in the Holy Ghost is at hand by Baptisme as the Eunuch found true and the Jaylor and
his houshold after Baptisme rejoyced And I can testifie that my God shall fill you full of joy and peace in believing i. that you are in him that is true in that his Son Jesus Christ the same is very God and eternall life and this I know by faith in my baptisme into that Jesus that came by water and blood not by water of Baptisme only but by water and blood 't is that Spirit that beareth witnesse i. unto our spirits that we are the children of God Rom. 8. 16. that Spirit is true and those Christians that hold the true faith in their baptisme that by it and by the blood we know we are in him that is true and by the Spirit that beareth witnesse by both these they are the right joyfull Christians in all the world the Devill and the world are mad at them for their joy and are the citizens of the new Jerusalem the street of it paved with pure gold like transparent glasse signifie the lively faith of our Baptisme And this John had his garment of Camels hair he was no velvet or silken Preacher with long Camels hair on his head no his garment was hairy like Elias free from softnesse or pride and a lethern girdle about his loynes not broydered with silver or gold but like Elias in his lether girdle 2 King 1. and his meat was Locusts and wilde Honey to shew Humble-Bees honey and Locusts could content him as the Pulse did Daniel and the three children Daniel he did not desire delicate fare but he was in his apparel and diet far from pride or luxury There went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan and they were baptized of him in Jordan confessing their sins They went out into the Wildernesse to see a Prophet he was not a Reed shaken with the wind to run after every wind of doctrine but he taught that doctrine and baptisme that he was sent to teach from God for so he testified he that sent me to baptize with water said unto me Joh. 1. 33. But when they came to see him he so preached the Law and the wrath of God to come upon them for sin they confessed their sins i. they humbly confessed they were sinners before God by the Law and had deserved eternall damnation and prayed to God to forgive them their sins and took the Sacrament of Baptisme unto repentance for the remission of sins and bad them believe in Christ that should baptize them with the Holy Ghost which Johns baptisme could not do as the twelve men Acts 19. For by our baptisme now we are made clean from all our sins before God and regenerate that of the children of Adam we might be made the sons of God and as Ananias said to Paul Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins in calling on the name of the Lord Acts 22. And Paul testifieth that Christ doth cleanse his Church in the laver of water through the Word Eph. 5. and Christ saith Except ye be regenerate of water and the Holy Ghost ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Joh. 3. And Paul saith that Baptisme is the laver of regeneration Tit. 3. that we might have this ground of consolation in all afflictions that we are baptized and so regenerate and are adopted to be the sons of God And seeing Baptisme is a means saith the Expositor whereby we obtain remission of sins and the benefit of regeneration let us beware of that doctrine of Devils that through malice or foolishnesse we deprive not our children to come unto Christ to obtain remission of sins and the benefit of regeneration in infancy For if Christ say Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for of such is the kingdome of heaven then they must be baptized for they can come no other way to Christ but by Baptisme nor any other way be of the kingdome of Heaven as Joh. 3. 5. but by that of themselves or of their parents if they die in the womb for Baptisme is as the Ark for a man and his houshold 1 Pet. 3. 21. When he saw many of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces come to his baptisme he said unto them O generation of Vipers who hath forewarned you to flee from the wrath to come What you Pharisees that think your selves good and contemne others you that trust to your own righteousnesse you that say stand apart I am holier then thou you that think your selves better then other folks the Law doth declare you are a cursed generation for you are a poysonable generation and desirous of hurting you are the generation of Vipers for your fathers slew the Prophets and you are of the same viperous mind to kill them that discover your hypocrisie for all your plots are against them that discover you And you Sadduces What are you come to my baptisme What need you be baptized as if he should say you believe no resurrection nor Angel nor Spirit you are all cursed by the Law for you have not continued in all things you shall go cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his angels you shall finde a Devill in Hell that will not believe there are Angels in Heaven Well both of you are come to my baptisme look you be both of one faith to believe in the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the Pharisees and the sins of the Sadduces and of the whole world and thus he reconciled these Sects to be all one in their baptisme So the only way to reconcile all the Sects in the world is to shew them their abominable estate by Adam the generation of Vipers and how cursed they are by the Law and the wrath of God hangs over them and bring them all to faith in baptisme to obtain remission of all sins past present and to come and how they put on Christ in baptisme to make them everlastingly righteous For here is the cause of all the sects and divisions in Christendome for when men have lost baptisme then one sect will devise to get remission of sins one way as by a Popes pardon by pilgrimage or in Purgatory The Anabaptists by a new baptisme and by a new Church-way not appointed by Christ but invented of themselves to make them more righteous and holy and clean then others that are not of their way and therfore will not communicate with others for they think they are more holy then others by strictnesse of their order and thus all sects imagine that in that way they walk in they are lesse sinners then others and more righteous then others and therefore will not communicate with others and you will be a Church by your selves But I say unto you O generation of Vipers all you sects in Christendom come home to the faith in your baptism into Christ there is wrath coming upon all
Agag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal 1 Sam. 15. 33. so are all men that will not receive Christ by baptisme hewn down and cast into the fire of Gods wrath Joh. 3. 36. as Jews Turks and Heathens Sometimes it is taken for hewing by degrees as Exod. 31. 4. Hew thee two tables of stone Metaphorically it is taken for the preaching of the Law by the Prophets So Hos. 6. 5. Therefore I have hewn them by my Prophets and slain them with the words of my mouth by punishments and plagues and curses of the Law for their sins Therefore the Law and the Prophets indured untill John i. hewing them and slaying them as in Hosea for their sins and since that time the kingdome of Heaven is preached and every man presseth unto it How is the Kingdome of Heaven to be preached By faith and baptisme for remission of sins is preached by baptisme and the righteousnesse of Christ without which no kingdome of Heaven but by baptisme we come into the large heaven of remission of sins as Luther calls it in which we have remission of all sins past present and to come for the doctrine and work of Baptisme it came down from heaven as Christ posed the Pharisees The baptisme of John was it from heaven or of men intimating it was from Heaven But why did he call it the baptisme of John not the doctrine or ministery of John Answ To shew that his baptisme was the most heavenly thing For there was a man sent from God whose name was John Job 1. 6. And what was he sent to do Answ. To baptize He that sent me to baptize with water said unto me Vpon whom thou seest the Spirit of God come down and tarrying still upon him that is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost By all which you see that where baptisme is truly preached and administred there the Kingdome of Heaven is preached and is at hand and in it the Kingdome of Heaven is set open to all the elect and according to the established doctrine of the Church of England which all that have taken the Protestation are sworn to maintain that in my baptisme I was made a member of Christ a childe of God and an inheritor of the Kingdome of Heaven which is a heavenly point of doctrine that agrees with the reformed Churches and Scriptures for if any be made an inheritor of that Kingdome it must be by baptisme For Verily verily I sâ—y unto thee saith Christ Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot see the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. 5. For that which is born of the flesh is flesh and unclean and unfit for the Kingdome of heaven untill it be new born What is meant by good fruit All the fruit that man brings forth before God is sin or righteousnesse every evill man brings forth evill fruit of sin and every good man bringeth forth good fruits of righteousnesse A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit neither can a bad tree bring forth good fruit namely before God Matth. 7. 17. So that every man Church or Nation that will not now receive baptisme or believe by baptisme into Christ he is made a good tree and brings forth nothing but good fruit before God through remission of sins and Christs righteousnesse he is hewn down and cast into the fire What is meant by fire By fire in this place is not meant hell fire though they shall go afterward into hell fire that do not escape but they are cast into the fire of Gods wrath signifying that every man that bringeth forth evill fruit of sin before God that believes not by baptisme his sins are all forgiven and that in Christ he bringeth forth fruit of righteousnesse before God he is hewn down and cast into the fire of Gods wrath as is plain Joh. 3. 36. He that believeth in the Son which none can do before he be baptized into him bath everlasting life he that obeyeth not the Son i. to let him wash him Joh. 13. 8. shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him For fire is kindled in my wrath and it shall burn to the bottome of hell and set on fire the foundation of the mountains Deut. 32 22. Now in that he saith Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit we gather that all men now baptisme is offered are good trees or bad there are none indifferent or partly good and partly bad This is proved Matth. 12. 33. Either make the tree good and his fruit good or the tree evill and the fruit evill Augustine saith he commanded the Jews that they should be good trees and to bring forth good fruit and in that he saith make the tree evill he admonisheth them that they should not be evill for the Pharisees declared themselves to be evill trees by their evill fruit Others take it that Christ spake of himself as of a tree Thus the tree is known by the fruit and the fruit is like the tree The casting out devills is a good fruit as you grant in your children therefore if you in your words and judgements make the fruit good then also make the tree good for an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7. 18. Say of him that cast out devils he is a good tree not the prince of devils but if you make the tree evill and say I am an evill man and have the devill Beelzebub do not attribute the casting out of devils which is good fruit to an evill tree for an evill tree as Beelzebub is cannot bring forth good fruit nor an evill man by Adam cannot bring forth good fruit before God This you may see Matth. 7. 17. So every good tree that is made good by baptisme into Christ bringeth forth good fruit before God and a corrupt tree by Adam as all are by generation bringeth forth evill fruit i. before God Calvin noteth that this was the opinion of the Pharisees that they were partly good trees and partly bad and that they brought forth some good fruit before God and some bad for which they did sacrifice as some say now they are partly flesh and partly spirit and therefore do bring forth some fruits good and some bad and this was the opinion of the old Pharisees for their fained sanctimony was such that the people perceived them not Now Christ puts away this vizird and uncaseth all Hypocrites and tels them that all men are good or bad before God a good tree bringeth nothing but good fruit before God and a bad tree nothing but bad as Matth. 7. 18. for there is nothing such an enemy to true Christianity as to counterfeit a man in a twofold estate before God but they do in vain think themselves righteous that are not made good trees by baptisme into Christ for such justifie themselves before men and think to make themselves righteous in whole or
26. Now such as doe not abide in Christ indeed such saith Bullenger not onely shall be but are cast out already from the societie and inheritance of Christ and his Saints as he saith of the faithfull not that they shall have eternall life but they have it already as Joh. 3. 36. because Christ is possessed which brings with him righteousnesse and the fruit of eternall life as Calvin and Bullenger that he saith not he shall have eternall life for now as his own he possesseth it already and hath it and by hope expecting that which he knoweth most certainly shall be i. He is freed from death from malediction and condemnation and hath justification absolution felicitie and eternall happinesse And so he saith of the incredulous that beleeve not they are in the Sonne he saith not they shall have the wrath of God upon them hereafter when they die but the wrath of God abideth upon them i. now for all men by the sin of Adam are fallen under the wrath of God as Augustine and Eph. 2. 3. They have with them by naturall birth the wrath of God upon them and that for the sin of Adam But the Sonne of God came not having sin and clad with flesh that he might turne away the wrath of God if men receive the Sonne of God in Baptisme as all the Elect and grace offered by him otherwise wrath abides upon them I heare the Anabaptists brag they have a Church but I would know of them whether the witches of England can make a Church No why because they have denied their Baptisme no more can Anabaptists because they have denied their baptisme that made them of the Church Because where Baptisme is refused there grace is refused as is plaine Luk. 7. 30. The Pharisees and the Expounders of the Law despised the counsell of God against themselves and were not baptized of him but the people that heard and the Publicans justified God being baptized with the baptisme of John ver. 29. for the remission of sinnes So that you see that they that despise baptisme for their Infants despise the counsell of God against their owne children that will not suffer little children to come to him And all they justifie God that receive and beleeve baptisme for the remission of sins and put on Christ to make them everlastingly righteous before God Gal. 3. 27. they which believe it not are as with an ax cut down by the roots before God as all Heathens all Jews all Turks and Tartars and all Anabaptists and all Papists and Protestants that do not justifie God by baptisme for the remission of sins and righteousnesse are cut down in conscience and have no assurance of their salvation because they will have remission of sins and free righteousnesse by some other way then God hath appointed This is the most mournfull and lamentable thing in the world as our Saviour wept over Jerusalem saying O if thou hadst even known at least in this thy day the things that concern thy peace how often would I have gathered thy children together as the Hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and ye would not I would have gathered your children by baptisme and faith in me under the wingâ— of the Father and of the sun of righteousnes and of the holy Ghost Behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate Here is the cause why many places shall be left desolate now Christ is come as a thiefe by the judgement of a civill war because they believe not their baptisme the axe is laid to the root of the trees they bring forth sin they are hewn down and cast into the fire of Gods wrath Now this will appear more plain by the second Doctrine which is this That all men by nature are evill trees and can bring forth nothing but evill fruit all men now that baptisme is preached and administred in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that are now out of Christ and bring forth evill fruits before God of sin he is hewn down by the ax of Gods Decree and cast into the fire of Gods wrath that is every man that will not receive or believe his baptisme into Christ that he hath an eternall redemption through Christs blood the forgivenesse of his sins and in him he hath everlasting righteousnesse his person or his conscience is hewn down and cast into the fire of Gods wrath This is proved not only by the doctrine of John by the Text but also by our Saviour Christ himself Mat. 7. 17 18. So every good tree bringeth forth good fruit i. that is made good by baptisme and faith in Christ before God and a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit A good tree cannot bring forth evill fruit neither can a corrupt tree as all that are in Adam are bring forth good fruit Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire So Luke 6 43 44. For it is not a good tree that bringeth forth evill fruit i. of sin before God 't is not in Christ by baptisme it hath no benefit of Christs blood or righteousnesse that brings forth sin before God neither is it an evill tree that bringeth forth good fruit i. before God For every tree is known by his own fruit if it say it bringeth forth before God righteousnesse by faith in his baptisme it is a good tree but if it bring forth sin before God it is an evill tree for neither of Thorns gather men figs nor of bushes or Thistles gather they grapes neither doth God of naturall men which are but Thornes and Thistles gather any fruits of righteousnesse for they that are servants of sin are freed from righteousnesse Rom. 6. 20. i. they are evill trees that are out of Christ that can bring forth no righteousnesse before God but being made free from sin i. by baptisme and faith they are made servants of righteousnesse and to bring forth fruits of holinesse before God for he that is made an holy tree shall bring forth holy fruit Reasons why For all men are evill trees by generation all conceived in sin and born in iniquity all the parts of soul and body are corrupted by that sin of Adam so that their throat is become an open sepulchre which sends forth stinking smels before God their feet are bloody yea swift to shed blood their tongues are deceitfull their lips poysonable for the poyson of Aspes is under them their lips their mouths are full of cursing and bitternesse destruction and calamity are in their wayes and the way of peace have they not known there is no fear of God before their eyes thus all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God Rom. 3. 13 14 15 16 17 18. 23. and so all men by generation are evill trees bearing nothing but evill fruit A Crab-tree bears nothing but Crabs and as the
written in heaven through this golden cleer glasse of thy baptisme which thou receivedst in thine Infancy and now walk in this golden street by faith you may be assured and rejoyce that your names are written in heaven Luke 10. 20. Quest How know you that Answ. There be three which beare record in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Ghost these three are one and beare record in heaven that he hath given you a new name Rev. 2. 17. in baptisme for all your names were Adam before Gen. 5. 2. but they beare record that he hath given you a new name and his own new name Rev. 3. 12. And there be three which bear record in earth the Spirit and water and blood these three agree in one that your names are written in heaven for to whomsoever God hath given eternall life which life is in his Son Jesus Christ his name is written in heaven But the three in heaven and the three in earth do bear witnesse that he hath given you eternall life 1 John 5. 7 8. 11. Ergo your names are written in heaven that believe it on this ground and you are let into Paradise again for though Adam and all his children were shut out of it and the Cherubim with a flaming sword which turned every way to keep the tree of life Gen. 3. which signifieth this axe of the fiery Law Deut. 33. 2 given by Angels Acts 7. 53. keepeth every man from the Paradise of assurance of salvation for this axe of the Law cuts men off and shuts them out every way for originall or actuall sins mans merits or humane righteousnesse whosoever hath but one sin is cut down by the Law But by your baptisme into Christ you are let into Paradise again and have now right and title by your baptisme and by faith to eat of all the trees in the garden i. title to all things to be yours and you are Christs 1 Cor. 3. And you may eate of the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7. that is of Christ in the Supper and be more sure of eternall life then the tree of life could have made Adam and shall be kept in the Paradise of Gods protection For thus saith the Lord Because you have kept the word of my patience I will deliver thee from the hour of temptation that is come upon all the world to try them that are upon the face of the earth Rev. 3. 10. Now what is the word of Christs patience but the faith of baptisme into Christ crucified for the remission of our sins for the word of Christs patience is the faith in Christ crucified which Paul desired only to know 1 Cor. 2. Now what is a man the better to say I believe Christ was crucified dead and buried except he keep the faith of it for remission of his sins for the devills believe so much But the word of Christs patience which you keep is this that you say and believe that I am in him that is true in that his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 5. 20. in whom I am crucified and dead and buried and risen again with Christ in my baptisme into Christs death for the remission of sins and have put on Christ Rom. 6. â— 4 Col. 2. 12. Gal. 3. 27. That Church that keeps the word of Christs patience i. faith in their baptisme into Christs death for remission of sins though they knew not what Christ did for them when he washed them as he told Peter John 1â— but know it afterward shall be delivered from this houre of temptation but all other religious plants which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out The axe of the Law cuts them off for one sin before God but he that is holy and true saith be that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16. 16. that is he that believeth one baptisme into Christ for remission of sins shall be saved but he that believeth not his one baptisme into Christ for remission of his sins shall be damned as Heathens Turks Jews Witches and Apostates that have denied it For this is the Catholike faith I believe one Baptisme for the remission of sins which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved the axe cut them off Now when men have lost this Paradise then they must go till the earth full of false religions all serve an angry God The Heathen run to Jupiter the Turks to Mahumet the Jewes to Moses ceremonies the Papists to Saints to Pilgrimage a wildernesse and Purgatory Lo here is Christ say the Papists in the Popes chaire and pardon Lo here is Christ say the Luberans in consubstantiation and lo here is Christ say the Anabaptists in our new Jordan and yet it carries them into the lake Asphaltes mare mortuum the dead sea for he that denieth his first baptisme to take a second it is a dead and damnable sin as Heb. 6. 4 5 6. and Heb 10. 29. â—5 38. Lo there say all sects in our Church way and yet never a one of them have assurance of salvation because they have not faith in one baptisme for remission of sins for no man can have the knowledge of salvation but by the remission of sins as Luke 1. 77. Well you see the houre of temptation is come a flood of judgements flow upon earth for sin Here is an axe for you to cut down sin and an ark for you white-rayment Christians and citizens of the new Jerusalem namely the ark of our baptisme into Christs death for remission of sins It hath been building in England about an hundred yeeres you only have God seen righteous in this generation an end of all false religions is come and God will destroy them with the earthly men Enter you your wives and your children into the faith of this Ark but leave not your children out of this Ark nor take a new one for that is cursed Gal. 1. 8 9. For as the Ark saved Noah so {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the same Antitype which now saveth us Baptisme the translators were to blame to call it a figure for there is as much difference between a figure and an antitype as between the brazen Serpent and Christ 1 Pet. 3. 21. meaning of the inward Baptisme Now as you know many before the flood might come into the Aâ—k and look upon it and yet because they did not abide in it they all perished So now a â—lood of Gods judgements are come in this hour of temptation and many people have seen baptisme and been within it sacramentally but all that do not stay in it by faith shall perish Therefore little children abide in him that were shut or graffed into him by one baptisme that when he shall appeare we may be bold 1 Iohn 2 28. for behold Christ standeth at the dore and knocks in Laodicca in England and he will not leave
knocking with judgements till they take his counsell Rev. 3. 18. if any man will heare my voyce saith he and open the dore I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me You see Christ raps loud with the sword and cannons and he will knock with an earth-quake and with pestilence Luke 21. 11. In England and Scotland where are Saints with the sword and pestilence but in Ireland where are most Idolaters with sword and famine reasons I give in a book to come out in Christs knock at the dores of England Now is it not good letting of Christ in to sup with us and we with him when hee knocks and calls to us to take his counsel to buy of him gold to make us rich in the lively faith of the merits of Christs death in baptisme for a perfect remission of sins for he likes not this lukewarm lame remission of sins to halfes which many professe and white-rayment justification to cloath us that the shame of our nakednesse may not appeare and eye-salve of the Spirit that takes of Jesus water and blood to witnesse to your spirits you are the children of God Rom. 8. 17. that thou mayst see Rev. 3. 18. Christ will not leave rebuking and chastising England and knocking till they heare and let him in Now therefore let the loynes of your minds be girt about with verity and your lamps of faith burning Luke 12. 35. and ye your selves like men that wait for their Master when he will return from the wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open unto him immediately Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when he cometh shall find waking i. in the wedding garment Verily I say unto you he will gird himself about and will make them sit down at table and will come forth and serve them and if he come at the second watch or in the third watch and find them so blessed are those servants vers. 36 37. Now you blessed White-rayment Christians understand that Christ our Master is now returning from the wedding for I believe not any more Churches of the Gentiles before the marriage of the Lamb to the Iews shall be called and the third watch is come and the dawning of the day of the Iews is at hand and our Master now knocketh the dinner of the wedding of the Gentiles hath lasted about 1623. for the marriage of the Gentiles was called a dinner Mat. 22. 4. and the marriage dinner was furnished with guests of good and bad for all had not a wedding garment and therefore bad Now as noble Bridegrooms often times will bid a multitude to dinner but none but his speciall friends are bidden to supper So Christ the most noble Bridegroom hath bidden seven Churcheâ— of the Gentiles to the dinner of the marriage and now he is returning from the wedding of the Gentiles and he knocks and calls Rev. 3. 20. Blessed are you that let him in immediately for he calls for you his friends the White rayment Christians to come to supper Give me leave to shew you the friends of the Bridegroom why Christ now knocks and calls in England it is to call you to supper all that were bidden to the wedding-dinner were not blessed But now he saith write Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb these are the true sayings of God Rev. 19. 9. The wedding-dinner is past and Christ is returning from the wedding as Luke 12. 36. and behold he standeth at the dore and knocks in England with the sword and pestilence let him in for it seems some have not let him yet say it is the voyce of my well beloved that knocks saying Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for mine head is full of dew and my locks with the drops of the night Cant. 5. 2. for men that are let in use not to knock but those that are shut out Christ is about to marry his wife of the Iewes that shall make her self ready by baptisme and faith and he will grant to her to be clothed in fine linen bright and pure {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the justifications of the Saints Rev. 19. 8. And now Christ knocks at the dore in England to call his friends to go with him to the marriage-supper with his wife and will begin his supper in England he will sup with them Rev. 3. 20. The most rarest junkets are kept for the marriage-supper Now therefore heark hee sayes I will sup with him that lets me in and he with me see how Esdras prophesied of you 2 Esdras 2. 38. Arise and stand up and behold the number of those that are sealed for the feast of the Lord which are departed from the shadow of the world and have received glorious garments of the Lord Take thy number O Sion and shut up them that are clothed in white which have fulfilled the Law of the Lord Here you see he prophesied of you White-rayment Christians sealed for the feast as Christ doth Rev. 3. 4. 18. 16. 15. Now therefore all you that have put on Christ in infant-baptisme Gal. 3. 27. and made your long robes white in the blood of the Lamb as my Sermon of the blood of the Lamb declares prepare a supper for Christ the cheere must be prepared of hearts My son give me thy heart and it must be broken and contrite for he loves no stones that will not break for the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit A brâ—ken and a centrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal. 51. 17. Secondly these hearts must be served in at your supper in gold that he counselleth you to buy of him Rev. 3. 18. which is the lively faith in the merits of Christs death in one baptisme for remission of sins for thus Peter served in three thousand hearts that were pricked by the Law in baptisme in the name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins Acts 2. 38. Thirdly you must serve it in in the white-rayment justification wherein no shame of nakednesse do appeare for Christ cannot endure sin Fourthly you must buy eye-salve of the Holy Ghost to anoint your eyes that you may see Rev. 3. 18. For Christ will not sup with blind sinners Fifthly the marriage-chamber must be paved with the love of the daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 3. 10. i. with love to all the citizens of the new Ierusalem and now invite him saying Arise thou North-wind and come thou South and blow upon my garden that the spices thereof may flow out let my well beloved come into his garden and eat of his pleasant fruits Cant. 4. Now Christ hath prepared a supper for you for thus he saith I am come into my garden my sister my spouse I have gathered my myrrbe with my spice I have eaten mine honey comb with mine honey I have drunk my wine with my milke eat O friends drink and make you
in part which is the abomination of Antichrist but God knows their hearts i. to be evill trees Luke 16. 15. Now they bear themselves in hand that they were good and righteous men though they brought forth some fruit that was evill before God they should sacrifice for that and take it away well enough but they were deceived for John telleth them now baptisme is instituted to wash away all sins now you must make the tree good and the fruit good i. the person and the actions all good through the remission of sins in baptisme or the tree evill and the fruit evill i. the person evill by Adam for every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit i. if it bring forth any evill fruit before God now baptisme is administred it is hewn down and cast into the fire of Gods wrath Christ hath done nothing for them For all men now that baptisme is administred are in Adam or in Christ either they are regenerate of water and the Spirit or else they are not either they are ingraffed into Christ by baptisme and made good trees or else they are not ingraffed but are stil in Adam This the Lord shewed in a vision to Jeremiah by the two baskets of Figs the one had exceeding good Figs even like the first that are first ripe the other had exceeding naughty Figs they were so evill the Lord in this place saith the Expositor hath respect unto the Kingdome of Christ in which both Jews and Gentiles being ingraffed by faith and baptisme they are made good trees of the celestiall Paradise to bring forth good fruit and the other that are evill by Adam should have all the curses and plagues of God to seise upon them and be under wrath For thus saith the Lord of the men of Jerusalem that have obeyed me I will know them to be good but the evill I will give them for a terrible plague So now the ax is laid to the root of the trees every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire Erasmus in the old Latine translation It is hewn down in this present time 't is laid to the root of all bad trees that bear evill fruit and of such as bear no fruit as the unprofitable Fig-tree that bare nothing but leaves was cursed and the tree the Lord came three yeers seeking for fruit and finding none he saith Hew it down why combreth it the ground it hath been digged by the Law and dunged these three yeers of Q. Elizabeths King James and King Charles and I find no fruits of faith in this lukewarm Hierarchie and people the sword is come to cut thee down that combred the ground For seeing now Christ is come and appointed Baptisme which is the righteous branch of the root of David every one that is not by baptisme and faith ingraffed into him and made a good tree bearing good fruit is hewne downe by the Law and cursed of God and cast into the fire of Gods wrath that will burne to the bottome of hell but to so many as received him he gave prerogative to become the sonnes of God So many as beleeve in his Name And what are they Ans. Such as are borne of God Joh. 1. 12. Whereby we see how men are made good trees by receiving Christ by baptisme and by beleeving but all others have the wrath of God abiding upon them because they are evill trees and the axe of the curses of the Law will cut them downe or the sword or famine or pestilence For though God let many trees alone in the time of the Law that bare some fruit good and some bad as Moses Miriam David Jehosaphat for which they did sacrifice and God was appeased and some branches of the Israelites were hewne off by the axe of the Law because they bare bad fruits before God of Idolatry as the Danites and the Ephraimites yet Judah bare good fruit as Hosea 11. 12. Ephraim compasseth me about with lies and the house of Israel with deceit but Judah yet ruleth with God and is faithfull with the Saints But now seeing Christ is come and appointed baptisme to graff all men into Christ to be made branches of the vine Christ .i. to be taken out of Adam and of the Law to be graffed into Christ Now if any man abide not in me or will not be graffed into me by baptisme and faith for baptisme is the foundation of the lively faith baptisme that is the worke of the Father Sonne and the holy Ghost wherein is not onely water but water and bloud and the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost if any branch of man abide not in Christ by faith in his baptisme into Christ that he is made a good tree of righteousnesse to beare good fruit before God he is cast forth as a branch and withereth .i. in the assurance of salvation and bring forth no fruits of righteousnesse before God and men gather them and by Excommunication or in the judgement of men are judged none of the Church and they cast them into the fire of Gods wrath and they burne Now men are cut off from Christ three wayes First When a man forsakes his baptisme and turnes Turke and will be circumcised or turnes Witch that will make a Covenant with the Devill to deny her baptisme and deny God and Christ or turne Anabaptist to be rebaptized he doth not abide in his baptisme into Christ these will have a new baptisme which is not of God for he hath but one the second must be of the Devill these are gathered in the judgement of all Churches and justly excommunicated and cast into the fire of Gods wrath Such as turne Turkes Witches or Anabaptists have denied their first baptisme because they have trod underfoot the bloud wherewith they were sanctified and done despight to the Spirit of Grace and withdrawne themselves to perdition Heb. 10. Secondly Men are cut off that by hypocrisie fall from Grace given of God in baptisme to seek for remission of sinnes in whole or in part or to make himselfe righteous in whole or in part before God and will not beleeve he hath free remission of all his sinnes by the bloud of Christ in baptisme and an everlasting righteousnesse given of God freely in his baptisme when he puts on Christ that man is cut off to his faith that he does not abide in Christ and then seekes for remission of sinnes and righteousnesse in some of mans invention these abide not in Christ Thirdly Men wither in this faith and are cut off to their apprehension which have forgotten they were washed from their old sinnes i. in baptisme 2 Pet. 1. 9. and fall to a beastly life and Epicurisme which by repentance and faith in their Baptisme may get out of this snare of the Devill of whom they are taken prisoners to doe his will 2 Tim. 2.
in sin and pollute thy self more and more Well make haste to believe thy baptisme for the world will not hold thee long nor God indure thee to behold the light of this Son that will walk in darknesse of infidelity out of Christ for the ax is laid to the root of the trees every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire but thou dost bring forth bad fruit of sin Ergo thou art hewn down and cast into the fire In the second place we gather that all that are made good trees by Baptism into Christ to bring forth fruit before God shall be saved and not be cut down and cast into the fire All men have now the ax of Baptism laid to their roots except Jews and Heathens and Anabaptists which despise the counsell of God to their damnation to cut them out of the old Adam to graffe them into the new for it is certain that in Baptisme we put off the old man and put on the new for thereby the Father Son and Holy Ghost do graffe us into Christ and make us trees of righteousnesse trees of his own planting that the Lord may be glorified Isai. 61. 3. Now should Gods good trees of righteousnesse bring forth bad fruit of sin before God He saith no Mat. 7. 17. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit for by the remission of all sins in the blood of Christ in Baptisme the actions are made good by the eternall redemption and the everlasting righteousnesse which few men understand for by an eternall redemption by Christs blood in Baptisme we have remission of all sins past present and to come for ever before the Throne of God though we cannot yet believe it and we have an everlasting righteousnesse given unto us freely which makes us righteous for ever before God Hence saith Calvin is to be noted that men cannot do well before they be made good and therefore Christ saith to the Pharisees O generation of Vipers how can you speak good things when your selves are evill i. not graffed in Christ by Baptisme and Faith in him For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh i. from the abundance of good or evill in the heart and in Luke 6. 44. for every tree is known by his fruit for it is not a good tree that bringeth forth evill fruit i. of sin before God neither an evill tree that bringeth forth good fruit signifying that the good tree cannot but bring forth good fruit and hereupon the trees of the Lord are said to be full of sap i. full of the Spirit of Christ which cause them to bring forth good fruit for the seed remaineth in him saith St. John for whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sin because he is born of God i. though he do sin before men yet he cannot fall out of Christs blood and righteousnesse that he need a new sacrifice before God For with one sacrifice he is made perfect before God for ever Heb. 10. 14. For Davids blessed man is campared to the tree planted by the rivers of water in infancy yea into Jesus that came by water and blood not by water only but by water and blood 't is that Spirit that beareth witnesse and that Spirit is trtuh 1 John 5. 6. that bringeth forth fruit in due season for they that are planted in the House of God in their youth or infancy planted into Christ by Baptisme shall bring forth much fruit in their age for herein is my Father glorified that you bring forth much fruit and be made my Disciples And how shall any bring forth much fruit before God except the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart and all the works of his hands be made acceptable unto God but through Christs work in Baptisme for we cannot make them good by all the devices that mans brain can imagine but Christ must make them all good by his blood and righteousnesse freely without any works of man and give us faith to believe it But how is any man made a good tree before God that were all such evill trees by Adam First as trees are made good before men by planting or graffing before they can bring forth good fruit before men so must all men be planted or graffed into Jesus Christ by Baptisme before they can bring forth good fruit before God this is plain Rom. 11. 17. and 24. and though some of the branches be broken off and thou being a wilde Olive tree wast graffed in for them and made partaker of the root and fatnesse of the Olive tree for if thou wast cut out of the Olive tree which was wilde by nature i. by Baptisme wast cut out of Adam and wast graffed contrary to nature in the right Olive tree how much more shall they which are by nature be graffed in their own Olive tree for if we be planted with him into the similitude of his death even so shall we be to the similitude of his resurrection Rom. 6. 5. And how is that that we are graffed or planted into the similitude of his death The Answer is in the 4th verse We are buried with him by baptisme into his death that as they buried a man in the Sepulchre of Elisha that when the man was down and touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood upon his feet 2 King 13. 21. so the elect that were dead in sins in trespasses when they are cast into the grave of Christ when they are down and touch the vertue of Christs death by Baptism they revive and stand upon their feet before God We are made good trees because we are made branches of the Vine Christ as John 15. 5. I am the Vine ye are the branches Adam and Christ are compared to two trees Adam a wilde Olive the root of all men by nature Christ a sweet Olive or a Vine the root of all men by grace that are graffed into Christ by baptisme he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing i. he that abideth by faith in Christ by baptisme he bringeth forth much fruit of righteousnesse before God but he that abideth not in Christ to bring forth good fruit but in such a dead faith that he bringeth forth sin he is cast forth as a branch i. unprofitable by the judgement of God and withereth in the assurance of salvation and men gather them and cast into the fire of Gods wrath and they burn as they that turn Jews Turks Heathens Papists Witches and Anabaptists all these are justly excommunicated out of the true Church of God and judged to be under wrath because they have denied or forsaken or forgotten their Baptisme into Christ Why because by Baptisme
22 23. And concerning Infants dying before Baptisme if either of the parents be faithfull they are said to be holy 1 Cor. 7. 14. that is within the holy covenant of Baptisme for Baptisme is the Antitype of the Ark that as Noah prepared the Ark not only to save himself but also his houshold so the same signe which now saveth us baptisme I mean the inward Baptisme is received to save a mans self and his houshold that die before they can come unto it as Peter and Paul told the Jaylor Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved and thy houshold Acts 16. which he could not do without baptisme and therefore it is said that when he was baptized he rejoyced that he and his houshold believed in God for no man can believe in Christ before he be baptized into him for if he should say he believes he is in Christ he should believe a lie for no man can truly say he is in Christ before he is baptized into him and this caused Paul to say Andronicus and Junius his cousins and fellow-prisoners that were notable among the Apostles and were in Christ before me i. they were baptized before me professors and believers before me they were ingraffed into Christ before me when I was without Christ Ephes. 2. 12. and a murtherer If all be done in Baptisme that men be made good trees to bring forth none but good fruit and have perfect remission of all sins and an everlasting righteousnesse freely what need men repent or mortifie sin or pray for remission I answer though God hath sealed such a free covenant with us on his part yet we cannot know it untill we repent and believe and mortifie sin and pray for remission for these are to us-ward signes that the covenant of Grace was sealed upon us in baptisme to God-ward as that we were made so to himself a glorious Church not having spot to be holy and without blame Ephes. 5. 26. And as Athanasius that Champion of the truth saith that as a woman with childe by the springing of the Babe in her womb knoweth for certainty that she hath conceived fruit so the soul of a true believer knowes by the springs of his heart and by the inward joyes that he received the Holy Ghost in Baptisme Mark the word springs in the heart they are repentance mortification praying for remission mourning hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse love to Christ these would never have come up if no seed had been sown in Baptisme therefore he that is born of God is said to have seed remain in him which comes up afterward What Are the elect justified in Baptisme before God and receive the Holy Ghost there and are made Temples for the Holy Ghost to dwell in How can we believe this when we see many live loosly and walk in all kinde of sins a long time after I will not believe it except I could see some workings of the Holy Ghost in them I answer thou art a faithlesse Thomas that would not believe except he might see and feel did not Christ say to him and so to thee Be not faithlesse but believing blessed is he that believeth and hath not seen The Temple of Jerusalem was made you know for an holy house of prayer but if you had gone in Christs time you might have seen that they had brought in Oxen and Sheep and there was tables of the money-changers and seats of them that sold Doves and such a multitude of buyers and sellers that they had made the Temple of God a Den of thieves but they did not untemple it but it was a Temple still but Christ made a scourge of small cords and drove all the buyers and sellers out of the Temple So the elect by Baptisme are made the Temple of God for the Temple of God is holy which are ye 1 Cor. 3. 17. and they buy and sell Oxen and Sheep and Doves and bring in the tables of money-changers covetousnesse and usury and make the conscience a Den of thieves yet the man is not untempled therefore Christ will come to his Temple with a scourge of small cords of the Law and drive them sins out of the conscience and the Temple of God shall become a house of prayer that was made a Den of thieves therefore such Antinomians that will not have the Law preached will be wiser then Christ for Christ made a scourge of small cords i. of the Law for small sins saying thus He that is angry with his brother unadvisedly is culpable of judgement he hath broken the Law is accursed by the Lawâ— he is of the Devill that loves not his brother 1 John 3. 10. all the curses of the Law belong to him for he that breaketh the Law in one point is guilty of all James 2. A second cord but he that saith unto his brother Racâ—h i. gives a taunting speech to his brother in anger that is unadvised he is a greater sinner he is worthy to be condemned of a Councel he loves not his brother is of the Devill is cursed by the Law what will become of mockers and scoffers of their brethren A third small cord but he that saith unto his brother Thou fool is worthy to be punished with hell fire he is of Cain that hateth his brother and is a murtherer and you know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him thou art a railer thou art cursed by the Law for not continuing in all things written in the Book of the Law to do the same Wo unto thee thou railer thou art shut out of the Kingdome of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 10. What will become of you that practise railing against your brethren calling some Rogue Rascall Knave Villain Drab Puritain yea the most godly by one grosse name or other wo unto thee the Law tels thee thou art cursed and all crosses and calamities are punishments and plagues for thy sins Now if a spirituall murther be so great what is actuall killing A fourth small cord he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart or the woman on a man he hath broken the holy and pure Law of God is a damnable adulterer and accursed by the Law of God that saith Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the Law to do them Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Heb. 13. 4. But thou continuest not as thy conscience tells thee Ergo thou art cursed by the Law Let these whip sin out of thy conscience and whip thee to Christ A fifth small cord Thou hast been an usurer or a seller that hast defrauded or cozened thy brother of a peny he or his wife or some of his children or childrens children or childrens childrens children to the end of the world may want that peny and starve and die for want of a
peny-worth of bread or drink thou art guilty of his death for he that taketh away a mans living killeth him Thou that hast oppressed or defrauded thy brother in any thing God is the avenger of all such things thou hast slain thy brother wo unto thee thou manslayer as Luther saith to the objection of the Usurer that said he lent his money to usury not to the poor but only to the rich I thank you Master man-slayer you will kill no poor men but only those that are rich but you will make them poor by usury and so kill them if a peny be so much what shall become of you that have defrauded cozened spoyled and plundred your brethren of many shillings and pounds wo unto you let this scourge of small cords or sins driye out all these sins out of thy conscience by contrition confession mortification vivification prayer against sin love of righteousnesse that Christ may dwell in the Temple that was made good by Baptisme but you have made it a den of thieves by your sins and it will remain an house of Prayer for which it was built of God for the Temple of God is holy which are ye And for you that will not believe it is so because you cannot see it it shewes you are not dead unto reason you have not slain the beast reason you are nor resolved to believe whatsoever God sayes though it be never so contrary to reason you will believe no more then you can mould up with sight and reason you are but Dunses in Christs School Do not you know that the Kingdome of God is as if a man should cast seed into the ground and should sleep and rise up night and day and the seed should spring and grow up he not knowing how for the earth bringeth forth fruit of it self first the blade then the eare and after the full corn in the eare and as soon as the fruit sheweth it self anon he putteth in his sickle because the harvest is come What will you say there was no seed sown because you see none for many dayes The Kingdome of heaven is sown in Baptisme wherein the seed is sown into the ground and men sleep and rise up night and day and walk in their calling the seed grow and spring downward first with a feare of hell and grow to some knowledge of a way of salvation he not knowing how yet by thundring and lightening hail the law and rain of the Gospel the ground of mans heart bringeth forth fruit of it self by the Sun of righteousnesse first the blade of godly sorrow then the eare of faith after the full corne in the eare fruits of righteousnesse and holinesse and anon he putteth in the sickle and reaps men unto Heaven because the harvest of such a man is come Are we graffed into Christ by Baptisme and made good trees because we are made partakers of the fatnesse of the stock See that ye abide in Christ for though ye be wilde Olive branches by Adam yet such is the nature of the sweet Olive Christ as Psal. 52. Christ is this true Olive tree that is both fat and sweet and we are graffed into him by Baptisme to bring forth fruit in the stock Christ know that it is the nature of a fat and sweet Olive stock to change the nature of a wild Olive branch and contrary to our manner of graffing to make it bring forth sweet Olives So Christ the sweet Olive will change the nature of thy person and actions before God and make them all good that abide in him by this faith in thy Baptisme Is it so Christ is a Vine and are we the branches and how were you made branches but by Baptisme look you bring not forth evill fruit before God for he that bringeth not forth fruit in Christ but evill fruit of sin God taketh it away cuts it off it withers in faith and men gather them together and they burn such are hewn down and cast into the fire Are we members of his body flesh and bones For he can say as Adam did to Evab and so may we say Ephes. 5. 30. Then are any of Christs members in a twofold estate before God partly Adam and partly Christ what do any of Christs members hands feet legs arms fingers toes bring forth good fruit and bad too before God no all Christs members are good trees and a good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit before God here is comfort for thee if thou abide in this faith no man shall take thy joy from thee many lose their joy by believing they are in a twofold estate before God Again are you members of Christ by Baptisme where is your love to the members of Christ that are baptized into Christ as well as you Here is the reason of all the sects and divisions and wars in Christendome and no more love because they have forgotten their Baptisme as 2 Pet. 1. 9. they have forgotten they are members of Christ and children of God and inheritors of the Kingdome of heaven they say not why do we wrong one to another for we are brethren they have forgotten they were washed from their sins saith Peter and therefore if they have not put off the old man must needs live in old hatred malice envie and lying wherefore labour to bring all men to the faith of their Baptisme that in it they were made members of Christ for this faith would teach them to say Should one hand fight with another though the children of the Devill fight and could never agree should not the members of Christ love one another O quam iniquum est ut ii dissideant in terris qui in omnem aeternitatem una victuri sunt in coelis O! how unfit is it for those to disagree fight and hate one another on earth which shall live together for ever in heaven So that he that forgets his baptisme i. his washing from his old sins i. from originall and actuall sins that man cannot make his calling and election sure that hath forgot his Baptisme for he hath forgot the true faith i. that he is in him that is true and he hath forgot to adde to faith vertue i. of Christs death and resurrection and he hath forgot to adde to vertue knowledge i. of salvation by the remission of sins which was in baptisme and he hath forgot to adde to knowledge temperance for want of the knowledge of salvation by remission of sin cause men to fall to intemperance and he hath forgot to adde to temperance patience and thus they wrangle and fight with his comembers and he hath forgot to adde brotherly kindnesse he believes not his own sins are forgiven he forgives not his brother and he addes not love for he hath forgot Christ hath loved him and washed him from his sins in his own blood he covers not a multitude of offences in his brother so that you see the
all wars in Christendome is to teach them how they have all received one Spirit in Baptisme and baptized into one body that is a loving Spirit a peaceable meek and quiet Spirit that takes of Christs water and shews unto us and of Christs blood and shews unto us and of Christs righteousnesse and shews unto us Joh. 16. 14. But hast thou an hatefull spirit a wrangling angry fighting spirit that do not take of Christs water but of the Popes holy-water and shew to thee not of Christs blood and shews unto thee for remission of sins but of St. Frances his blood or some works of man for remission of sins or not Christs righteousnesse in Baptisme but mans righteousnesse and shew unto thee this is not the Spirit of Christ that the Saints are made to drink into at baptisme but thou hast forgot thy baptisme and so lost the Spirit of Christ for as the Spirit of God moved upon the waters i. as it were hatching and nourishing the crâ—atures in the creation So doth the Spirit of Christ still move upon the waters of baptisme i. on the preaching of the faith of the same regenerating converting and nourishing these trees to make them bring forth fruit unto eternall life And therefore the Preachers of Baptisme shall convert most unto Christ because his Spirit will move upon the waters Mr. Perkins rule is this If a man would be a Student in Divinity let him learn and practise his baptisme Commentaries are needfull to the study of the Scriptures and the best Commentary to a mans own self is his own baptisme for if a man hath learned to practise his own baptisme he shall be the better able to understand the whole and without this help the Scriptures themselves shall be but a riddle unto us I desire to prize this rule and to make as much use of it as ever any Christian man did for untill men understand by this rule what is meant by this counsell of Christ to England under the type of Laodicea for it now appeareth to all the Churches what Christ wrote to Laodicea he would spue out him and his Hierarchy out of his mouth untill this counsell of Christ be taken I counsell thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire that thou mayst be made rich Rev. 3. 18. that is the lively faith in the merits of Christs death in our baptisme into Christ which makes us rich sons of God Gal. 3. 26 27. and white raiment justification wherein no shame of nakednesse of sin appeare and eye-salve of the Spirit of Christ that takes of Jesus and shews unto us that came by water and blood not by water of Baptisme only but by water and blood 't is that Spirit beareth witnesse and that Spirit is truth 1 John 5. 6. Untill this counsell of Christ be taken in England and of the Lutherans the sword shall not cease 1. For as many as I love I rebuke and chasten Christ will not leave rebuking and chastening untill they be zealous of this counsell and repent of lukewarmnesse Rev. 3. 19. 2. For behold I stand at the dore and knock Ergo he will not be gone nor leave rapping with sword famine and pestilence untill they heare his voyce to buy gold white raiment and eye-salve and let Christ in to sup with them and they with him Rev. 3. 20. Then there shall arise in England the most conquering and raigning Church that ever arose in Chrstendome for to him that overcometh will I give to sit with me in my Throne as I overcame and sit with my Father in his Throne i. I raign and conquer and so shall my Church of England that take my counsell they shall conquer the Throne of the Beast and the false Prophet they are the woman clothed with the Sun white raiment Christians and citizens of the new Jerusalem Of this I have written at large and of the causes why this sword is upon the Land and what remedies must be used before it will cease O thou sword of the Lord How long will it be ere thou be quiet Turn again into scabberd rest and be still how can it be quiet seeing the Lord hath given it a charge against Askelon in England Scotland Ireland and against the Sea-shore There hath he appointed it Jer. 47. 6 7. He hath appointed the sword in Germany and England untill Christs counsell be taken Rev. 3. 18. For when they wil be guided by his counsel they shall be received to the glory of his Throne to conquer and raign upon earth Rev. 5. 10. FINIS See 2 Esdr. 7. 26. 34 35. See 2 Esdr. 6. 28. See 2 Esdras 15 â— 6. 14 15 16 17 8 19. 22 23 24 26 26 37. See 2 Esd 16. 10 11. 14 15. 19. 5. 33. 8. 46. All that get into this city are safe Mâ— Mi. Con. Mâ— Mi. Con. Ma. Mi. Con. Ma. Mi. Con. Ma. Mi. Con. Object Ma. Mi. Con. Hebr. 8. 2 Pet. 1. 9. Rev. 22. 1. Ma. Mi. Con. See 2 Esdra 8. 52 53 54 to 63. 1 Cor. 2. 2. Nicen Creed Athanasius Gen. 6. Rev. 3. 20. See 2 Esdras 13. 31. Ma. Mi. Con. Isaiah 40. Mal. â— Prepare away in their hearts Joh. 1. 12. As Kings Vallies He shall turn the hearts as Elias did He thundred out the Law Was a pointer Lest he smile with a curse Oh that the Lord would raise such another Rev. 3. 18. Mat. 17. 12. Iohn signifies the grace of God therefore should be a Preacher of free Grace Great for he shall be a Baptist Filled with the Holy Ghost from the womb As Peter told the Iews Be baptized every one in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2. 38. The rule to know all Sermons by Make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree evill and the fruit evill The abomination of Antichrist Seing that there is such a testimony of Iohn Baptist Let us be Baptists He drew all sects 1. to baptizing then to Christ He that gathereth not into Christs baptisme scattereth The cause of all the sects and divisions of England for when men have lost baptisme then to work for remission of their righteousnesse The Law the summe to bring them to repentance The Kingdom of Heaven was at hand In Christ righteousness and peace and joy Acts 8. 39. 4. Garment 5. Went out to see a Prophet sent of God Ioh. 1. 33. He so preached the Law Acts 19. By baptisme we are made made clean Acts 22. 16. Ephes. 5. Iohn 3. 5. Titus 3. 5. Doctrine of Devills Iohn 13. 7. Vers 7. Pharisees and Sadduces Sadduces The losse of Baptisme is the cause of all sects O ye sects flee from the wrath to come Christ is come as a thiefe Iohn 10. 10. Not make your selves more righteous then Christ Verse 8. Verse 9. Ezek. 36. 26. Verse 10. What the Ax signifies What is meant by trees What meant by hewn down Luke 16. 16. Answ Joh. 1. 33. Ephes. 5. 30. Gal 3. 26 27. Joh 1. 12. Rom. 8. 17. What is meant by fruit Doctr. That all men are good trees or bad trees Augustine 12. Serm de verbis â—om Mat. 12 33. Chrysost. Emth. Hieron Theoph. Opinion of the Pharisees Reason 1. Jerem. 24. Reason 2. Reason 3. 1 Joh. 5. 6. Tit. 3. 5. Joh. 15. 6. As the confession of witches Ephes. 4. 5. By hypocrisie Gal. 3. 27. The Devill likes a second Baptisme well enough for he never perswaded any to denie their second Baptisme Reason 4. Where Baptisme is refused grace is refused as in Jewes Turks Heathens and Anabaptists to their children 〈…〉 23. 37. Doct. 2. That all men by nature are evil trees and can bring forth none but ill fruit â—at 7. 17 〈…〉 19. Lukâ— 6. 43 44. Rom. 6. 20. Reasonâ—â— For all men are evill by generation Rom. 3. 13 to 19. Crab-trees Serpents Reason 2. For he hath an evill treasure Luke 6. 45. Mar. 27. Gen. 6. 15. Proâ— 15. 26. Prov. 15. 8. Reason 3. For one sin is of such a defiling nature that it defiles the person and actions Heb. 11. Ob. Almes Answ Luke 16. 15. Titus 1. 15. Vse Bewail thy generation Rev. 3. 17. Say not Abraham Generation of Vipers The Anabaptists against Luher at Munster shew what generation they are of Flie to Baptisme to be washed as David Peter knew not Mat. 5. Vse 2. An evill treasure in the heart Foolishnes to boast of a good heart How many thousand naughty thoughts Pray for a new heart Psal. 51. Ob. Answ Hos. 11. Iohn 3. 5 No more sacrifice Ephes. 5. 26. Heb. 10. 14. Acts 3. 23 John 13. 8. 1 Ioh. â— 20â— Ioh. 3. 5. Make the trees good and the fruit good Christ is come as a thiefe Civilian Vse Is sin of such a defiling nature Heavens Rom. 8. 20 21. Doct. 3. All that are made good trees by Baptisme into Christ shall be saved Gal. 3. 27. Isai. 61. 3. Matth 7. 17. Calvin Luke 6. 44. Psal. 104. 1 John 3. 9. Psal. 1. 1 Ioh. 5. 6. Ioh. 15. 8. Psal. 19. Quest Answ 1 By graffing Rom. 11. 17. 24. Rom. 6. 5. 2. For we are made branches of the Vine John 15. 5. Two trees Reason 3. For we are made members of his body Ephes. 5. 30. Gen. 2. How is the heart made good Ezek. 36. â—5 1 Cor. 6. 11. John 1. 7. 4. By planting on Christ Lâ—ke 23. 31. 5. By his Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 13. Quest Answ Psal. 130. 8. Acts 10. 6 Heb. 10. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 22. Acts 16. 34. Ob. Answ Ephes. 5. 27. 1 John Quest Answ As Arminians and Papists 1 Iohn 3. 10. James â— 10. â— John 3. 5. Mar. 4. 2â— to 29. Vse 2. Psal. 52. 8. Vse 2. Vse 3. Acts 7. Joh. 5. 20. See Brightman on that place Rev. 3. 10. Vse Vse 1 Cor. 12. 13. Gen. 1. On Gal. 2. 27. page 265. Rev. 12. 1. Rev. 3. 4. Rev. 3. 12.
THE AXE AGAINST SIN and ERROR and the Truth Conquering A Sermon on Matthew 3. 10. Now also the Ax is laid to the root of the trees therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire At which a Christian confessed she was converted and because it did good to her desired it might be preached again at her Funerall that it might do good to others saying they must be hewn down before they can be converted or builded up which Satan as he did Paul hindred which caused me the rather to write it out and send it to the Presse because the Enemy hate it lest it should convert more and endamage his kingdome which I have sent foth as John a fore-runner to make way for a more excellent Work of the counsell of Christ to England wherein are shewed the causes of the sword upon England and on the Lutherans and the remedies that must be used before the Judgements cease Written by John Eachard M. A. of Trin. Col. Camb. and Pastor of Darsham in Suffolke Matthew 12. 33. Either make the tree good and the fruit good or the tree evill and the fruit evill Rev. 3. 5. 12. A white-rayment Christian and a citizen of the new Jerusalem Published according to Order LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons and are to be sold by John Hancock at his Shop in Popes-head Alley 1646. To all the friends of the Bridegroom the White-rayment Christians and citizens of the New Jerusalem DEare and faithfull Brethren Mr. Brightman fore-prophesied of a Church to arise that should be the Woman clothed with the Sun which should glitter on every side round about with the most cleer light of the Scripture of the Sun of righteousnesse in the doctrine of justification as you may see on Rev. 19. 17. and chap. 12. 1. with the cleer knowledge whereof she being adorned as it were with a goodly garment came forth abroad and laid her self open to the view of the world And Rest saith hee shall be the naturall daughter of the woman clothed with the Sun meaning a spirituall rest which are the most entire and chaste Congregation of all the rest yet no Sect which above others shine with this glorious aray And it seemeth saith he that all the chief stresse and violence of the last battell in the West shall be turned against that holy Congregation which we said right now to stand glittering in the Sun which are the hill of precious fruits and the mountain full of holy pleasures of which God maketh more account then of all delight some things in the world Now you white rayment Christians are this woman clothed with the Sun for you all believe that you are clothed with the Sun of Righteousnesse and stand in him before God Here is an Ax for you for the blessing of Joshua belongs to you which he spake to the children of Joseph Thou art a great people and hast great power therefore the mountain stall be thine for it is a wood and thou shalt cut it down and the ends of it shall be thine and thou shalt cast out the Canaanites though they have iron Chariots and though they be strong Jâ—sh 17. So here are mountains of sins errors and false religions in England and Ireland it is a wood of Sects Schismes and Heresies but thou hast cut them down for thou art a great people and hast great power with the Lord in prayer and England shall be thine and thou shalt cast out the Canaanites of sin Idolatry and false Religions though they have Ordnance of iron and though they be strong lay this Ax of the Law to the root of them and shew them that now also every tree i. Religion Church Sect or man that bringeth forth sin before God Isai. 1. 16. is hewn down and cast into the fire of God wrath for the wrath of God is now revealed from heaven against all unrighteousnesse of men which withhold truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18 for the hour of temptation is come to try them that are upon the face of the earth Rev. 2. 10. in which friends shall fight with friends as with enemies and the earth shalll fear with them 2 Esdr. 6. 22. when there shall be seen an earth-quake in the world and an upâ—ore of the people that is the time wherein the most High will begin to visit the world which he made 2 Esdra 9. 4. 3 hard it is for men to keep faith and a good conscience now yea the strongest faith shall finde it difficult Would not you be glad to be delivered from this hour of temptation and were it not labour worth the pains to shew that you shall be delivered And though all evill trees shall be cut down with the aâ— of the Law yet that you are good trees of righteousnesse of his own planting that God may be gloriâ—ied and shall be saved Isai. 61. â— Come forth come forth thou Kings daughter all glorious within all light in the Lord the Sun of Righteousnesse shew thy self to the world thy garments are of broydered gold Psal. 45. 13. that is of the merits of Christ crucified death and resurrection given you freely in your Baptisme into Christs death for remission of sins Rom. 6. 3 4 Acts 2. 38. and are made glorious in the Sun of Righteousnesse that is risen upon you Mal. 2. 4. shew your selves to the world for the stressâ— of the baâ—â—ell in the West you heare shall be against you but you shall overcome by faith 1 John 5 4. when the ax shall cut down the wicked yet fear not you are got into the Sun and therefore are out of gun-shot for your souls yet put on the whole armour of God Eph. 6. 14. and gird up the loynes of your mindes with the girdle of verity and put on the brest-plate of Christs righteousnesse and above all take the shield of faith in your Baptisme and in the blood of the Lamb wherewith you may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and take the helmâ—t of salvation in Christ that you are in him that is true 1 John 5. 20. and the sword of the Spirit the Word of God and your feet thod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that testiâ—ies of Jesus that came by water and blood not by water only but by water and blood 't is the Spirit that beareth witnesse and that Spirit is truth and shall conquer Therefore stand fast and pray with all manner of praâ—er and supplications in the Spirit that testifieth of the water and blood of Christ for remission of your sins and you shall overcome For you have a strong city of the new Jerusalem salvation shall God set for waâ—ls and bulwarks Isai. 26. 1. open ye the gates of it Rev. 22. 14. that you the righteous nation that keep the truth maâ— enter in for by an assured purpose will Christ preserve perfect peace for you because
you trusted in him vers. 3 O trust in the Lord Jesus for ever for in the Lord our righteousnesse Jer. 23. 6. is strength for evermore vers. 4. for he will bring down them that dwell on high that fight against you the high city of Rome will he abase even unto the ground and bring it unto the dust v. 5. that your feeâ— shall tread it down and all doctrine of infidelity I call you White-rayment Christians if any ask my reasons they are these First because you are the few names in Laodicca of England as well as in Sardis that have not defiled your garments â— by a false faith or raigning sin therefore you shall walk with Christ in white for you are worthy Rev 3. 4. Secondly whosoever overcomes shall be cloâ—hed with white rayment saith Christ Rev. 3. 5. but you have overcome 1 John 4. 4. Ergo you shall be clothed with iâ— and therefore shall be white-rayment Christians for whomsoever Christ saith shall be clothed with white rayment I may truly call a white-rayment Christian but you overcommers are they that Chist saith shall be clothed with white rayment Eâ—go I may truly call you white-rayment Christians Thirdly whosoever have bought of Christ white rayment that he may be clothed that the shame of his nakednesse may not appear may be called a white-rayment Christian because he hath bought it Rev. â— 18. But you are they Ergo Again whosoever watcheth and keepeth Christs garments that are white as Rev 3. 18. lest hee walk naked and they see his shame is a blessed white-rayment Christian as Rev. 16. 15. But you are such Ergo you are blessed white-rayment Christians Also you are citizens of the new Jerusalem for on whomsoever Christ will write upon the name of the city of my God the new Jerusalem which cometh down from my God out of heaven Rev. 3. 12. shall rightly be called a citizen of the new Jerusalem but on you that have overcome Christ will write the name of the new Jerusalem Rev 3. 12. Ergo you shall be called citizens of the new Jerusalem This was spoken to Philadelphia not to us of Laodicea I answer whatsoever was spoken to any one of the seven Churches runs into the last for let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches Rev. 3. it saith it to you overcommers in Laodicea in England for what I say to you I say to all Marke 13. Now concerning the Philadelphians that were admonished by Christ to hold fast that they had that no man take their crown Rev. 3. 11. I gather the Philadelphians being admonished to hold it fast should lose it for if man must hold fast a crown he will lose it and that the Laâ—d ceans should take it from them for the white-rayment Christians that have overcome and taken Christs counsell Rev. 3. 18. shall take their crown from them to be called first citizens of the new Jerusalem And you shall take the crown from the Lutheranes because they defiled their garments and their works were not perfect before God Rev 3. 2 3. and shall be called first White rayment Christians Secondly whosoever is come to the celestiall Jerusalem and to be citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God are citizens of the new Jerusalem but by the blood of Christ in Baptisme and by faith Eph. 2. 13. Rev. 1. 5. you are come to the celestiall Jerusalem Heb 12. 22. and to be citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes. 2. 19. Ergo you are citizens of the mew Jerusalem therefore call your selves no more the Church of England or of the Luâ—herans or the like for they are shaken and shall be removed Heb. 12. 27. but call your selves White-rayment Christians and citizens of the new Jerusalem for you see God calls you so Now your city is of pure gold like cleer glasse Rev. 21. 18. for your city of the new Jerusalem is built of pure gold that Christ hath counselled you to buy of him Rev 3. 18. which is the lively faith in the meritâ— of Christs death in our baptisme for remission of sins Acts 2. 38. in the first love of Christ not of such as have taken a new baptisme and so forsaken their first love of Christ as the Church of Ephesus did and therefore the candlestick of the Church was removed out of their place Rev. 2. 5. because they tooke a second baptisme and forsook their first for which cause the Councel of Nice made it an Article of their Creed I believe one Baptisme for the remission of sins and it is like cleer glasse because through this golden glasse of your baptisme wherein you were washed sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 1â— you may see the face of God through it what a reconciled mercifull and loving Father he is to you that hath sealed a new Covenant to you to become your father and you his children and that your sins and iniquities shall be remembred no more Heb. 8. 12. and you may see through this glasse of your baptisme the face of Jesus what a blessed meek and loving Saviour he is to you that hath loved you and gave himself for you Gal. 2. 20. and washed you from your sins in his own blood and made you Kings and Priests to God his Father Ephes. 5. 25. Rev. 1. 5. and you may see as in a glasse 1 Cor. 13. 12 what a blessed holy and sweet Comforter you have that hath washed you in the new birth and the renewing of the holy Ghost Titus 3. 5. And the street of your city is of pure gold like to transparent glasse Rev. 21. 21. O walk in this golden street for it is transparent like perspective glasse for as he that hath a good perspective glasse may see far off so may you even your sins set as far as the East is from the West Psal. 103. 12. Peter complaineth of many that are blind and cannot see far off because they have forgotten their baptisme wherein they were washed from their old sins they have forgotten this transparent glasse But all you citizens of the new Jerusalem walk in this golden street of your baptisme it is a perspective glasse and as in a perspective glasse men look through two glasses so in this there are two glasses the first is made of the pure river of the water of life cleer as Crystall which is the pure water of baptisme Heb. 10. 23. the second is the blood of the Lamb both these meet in one look through them both together and anoint your eyes with eye-salve of the Spirit and you shall see far off even into heaven and behold Christ to be your wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. and your blessednesse happinesse holinesse eternall life everlasting glory immortality yea thou may see thy name
Christendome Christ is come as a thief by the judgement of a plundering robbing spoyling stealing pillaging civill war upon all sects Here is an Ark for you to be saved in come unto your baptisme what foolery have you professed Can you get a better remission of sins then Christ hath procured for you in his own blood in your baptisme If you should wash your selves an hundred yeers with all your tears and mortification and holy walking though these may give some satisfaction to the conscience yet you cannot wash your selves more clean from sin before God then Christ hath made you in baptisme and by his blood And seeing Christ hath made you everlastingly righteous in baptisme by putting on of Christ you cannot make your selves more righteous before God by all the works in the world then the wedding garment hath made you already and if you go about to make your selves more righteous by works before God you defile his garments you may make your selves more righteous before men but you cannot make your selves more righteous or more holy then Christ hath made you in baptisme and therefore all you sects come to your baptisme into this Ark and be saved from the blood of Gods wrath coming upon Christendome for the contempt of Christs counsell And all you Sadduces that are prophane and loose livers that believe not your resurrection for you purifie not your selves as he is pure 1 John 3. 3. Come home to believe your baptisme and you shall have your part in the first resurrection for blessed and holy is he which hath part in the first resurrection and the second death shall have no power over you The first resurrection before God is in baptisme as Col. 2. 12. though before men it be at conversion and faith Bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life i. bring forth fruits in Christ believe you are in him that is true in that his Son Jesus Christ and let this faith cause you to bring forth fruits of piety and charity And think not to say we have Abraham to our father for I say unto you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham He told them of their thoughts nourish not such proud thoughts as these that you have Abraham to your father you have a Church you have the Word and you have Sacraments you are the children of the martyrs for I tell you all you are cursed by the Law for not continuing in all things written in the book of the Law to do them and therefore come and believe your baptisme or else you are cursed for ever For God is able of these stones yea stony hearted people by baptisme to raise up children unto Abraham and give them faith to believe it Gal. 3. 9. and to take away the stony heart and give them hearts of flesh Ezek. 36. 26. For Now the ax is laid to the root of the trees every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into he fire Now Christ is come by baptisme and faith to make you good trees to bring forth none but good fruit every tree every church or sect or particular man that bringeth forth sin before God is hewn down and cast into the fire of Gods wrath Every man or church that will not believe his baptisme that by it he is baptized into Christ and ingraffed into him and made a good tree in Christ and bring forth good fruit before God he is hewn down by the Law and cast into the fire of Gods wrath for he believeth not that he hath the Son that he hath his blood that hath washed him from all his sins before God nor Christs righteousnesse to make him everlastingly righteous therfore the wrath of God abideth upon him John 3. vers. last What is meant by the Ax It is taken materially for anâ—…strument to cut down trees So Deut. 20. 19. Thou shalt not cut down the fruit trees with an ax when thou besiegest a city for thou mayest eat of them for the tree of the field is mans life but it is taken metaphorically for Gods Decree and Judgement as in this place Now is the decree of God come forth that every one that is not made a good tree by baptisme into Christ is hewn down and cast into wrath In the time of the Law there was sacrifice for wrath but now baptisme for men to get into Christ now no more sacrifice for wrath So Dan. 4. 11. 14. 21. Hew him down is the Decree of the most High So Zeph. 2. 1 2. Gather your selves together gather your selves together O nation not worthy to be beloved before the decree come forth for Gods decrees are never to be recalled The ax at the root is baptisme What is meant by trees Metaphorically by trees are meant men as is plain by Jothams Parable Judg. 9. 8. The trees went forth to anoint a king over them and they said to the Olive Come thou raigne over us but the Olive said Should I leave my fatnesse whereby by me they honour God and man and go to advance me above the trees No I am content with my estate to honour God in that estate I am created I will be content with my calling to honour God and man in that I must forsake my fatnesse and by taking of an higher calling of a King I may so dishonour God and man and the Fig-tree would not forsake his sweetnesse and good fruit to be a King nor the Vine would not forsake his wine whereby he cheered God and man to be King to which he was not called of God he should displease God and man but the Bramble would be King though most unfit for it that would do no good to them but scratch and fire them Also where the tree falleth there it lieth whether towards the South or the North Eccles. 11. 3. i. in what estate men die whether in a good estate or bad to heaven-ward or to hell so they lie So the persecutors of Jeremiah said Let us destroy the tree with the fruit i. let us destroy Jeremiah and his Prophesie Let us destroy the Preacher and his preaching but thou Lord God of Sabaoth that judgest right let me see thy vengeance upon them Jer. 11. 19. declaring the destiny of all such as plot to destroy a faithfull Pastor and the tree to be hewn down was Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4. 21. So Jude 12. Corrupt trees whose fruit withereth twice dead and plucked up by the roots are men that are dead by originall sin and then dead by actuall sin Reprobates that cannot repent are cast into the fire of Gods wrath and then heap up wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the just judgement of God Rom. 2. 5. What is meant by hewn down i. They are cut down before God that refuse or will not believe baptisme by Gods Law and Decree for as Samuel hewed
generation of Serpents and Vipers do not bring forth Nightingals but a serpentine viperous and a poysonable brood so all men that are all evill trees by generation can bring forth nothing but evill fruit A second reason why all men are evill trees by nature and bring forth nothing but evill fruit because he hath an evill treasure of sin and wickednesse in his heart which cause him to bring forth sin before God that defile the man as our Saviour speaketh plainly an evill tree out of the treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things and what are they see Mar. 7. 21. Out of the heart proceedeth evill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers thefts covetousnesse wickedesse deceit uncleannesse a wicked eye backbiting pride foolishnesse all these things come from within and defile a man What an evill treasure is here there is not some fruit evill and some good for the thoughts of his heart are evill continually Gen. 6. For the very thoughts of the foolish are sin and an abomination to the Lord Prov. 15. 26. And so for their words they are evill continually for the prayers of the wicked are all sin and are turned into sin and shall be a wickednesse against them for what hast thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth or my name when thou hatest to be reformed by baptisme and faith which would have brought forth reformed words And as for their works they are all evill before God for as Thornes and Thistles cannot bring forth Figs or Grapes so cannot these cursed trees bring forth good fruit but cursed whose end is to be burned The works and sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord Why all are such evill trees because sin is of such a defiling nature that it defileth the person and all his actions as one sin in the Angels and one sin in Adam and sin in Cain defiled his sacrifice so that God had no respect to Cains person nor his sacrifice Heb. 11. for sin had defiled him from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot that there was nothing but blains and sores and putrifying wounds which had made his person so evill and abominable before God that it could bring forth nothing but evill and abominable fruit Thus all men by originall sin are deprived of the glory of God and are deprived of power to bring forth good fruit for there is none that doth good no not one all are corrupt trees and can bring forth nothing but corrupt fruit and an evill tree saith Christ cannot bring forth good fruit Cannot an evill man do any good works Do we not see that they give almes build churches mend high wayes are not these good works An evill man may do good works before men as the Pharisees did they justified themselves by works before men but God knew their hearts i. that they were abominable Luke 16. 15. and not justified before God therefore he sayes to such that which is highly esteemed before men as great almes building of Temples and the like yet are abomination in the eyes of God because their persons are not in Christ neither are their consciences justified by faith in the blood of Christ therefore impure Tit. 1. 15. Is it so that all men are evill trees by generation conceived in sin and born in iniquity learn to bewail thy generation and see how wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked thou art by the same what an evill tree art thou by the same think not to say you have godly professors to your parents we are Gentlemen born or of Noble blood for all you that boast of such things are no better then the Pharisees which boasted they had Abraham to their father and yet being not in Christ God was not their Father but they were the generation of Vipers before God so are you that are not born of water and the Spirit and will not believe it you are by nature children of wrath and by generation as abominable before God as the generation of Vipers before men a deadly and poysonable generation for the she Viper in copulation biteth off the head of the fire and kils him and when she hath conceived the young Vipers gnaw out the bowels of their dam and kill her and therefore a most cursed generation so art thou so poysoned with sin that thou wilt destroy thy father that begat thee in the faith and mother Church as the Anabaptists and the people of it by persecuting the children of God Let this be a means to teach thee to bewail thy old birth with David saying I was conceived in sin and born in iniquity and so to be cast down for thy old birth that thou mayest flie to thy baptisme as David desired it Wash me with Hyssop and I shall be clean purge me and I shall be whiter then snow desire the Lord to manifest thy baptisme unto thee for no man can truly desire the new birth untill he see how miserable he was by the old for if thou couldest see how many sins thou hast brought forth by reason of the old birth it would be a means greatly to move thee to desire the new birth for your children and desire to understand your baptisme which Christ promised to Peter that knew not what Christ did when he washed him but he told him he should know it afterward So it would make us to desire to know afterward what Christ did for us at our baptism When David saw that he had committed adultery and murther he cryed out of his old birth but thou hast committed adultery before God for he or she that looketh on a woman or man to lust after them hath committed adultery in his heart and thou which hatest thy brother art a murtherer before God and he that saith to his brother Thou fool is worthy to be punished with hell fire and art in debt ten thousand talents of sins hast committed them O flie to Christ for to reveal thy new birth or else thou must be damned with the Devill and his angels because they are not born of water and the Spirit they cannot see the kingdome of God and no more shalt thou if thou be not of that faith Is it so that all men by nature are evill trees bearing evill fruit because they have an evill treasure of their heart that bringeth forth evill things As evill thoughts which defile a man before God Then consider what an evill treasure thou hast in thy heart all this while thou hast been ready to boast of it and to say thou hast a good heart to God-ward though thou canst not speak so much or pray as others yet thou meanst well and serve God and say the Creed the Lords Prayer and ten Commandements every day But I tell thee thou hast an evill treasure in thy evill heart that hath brought forth
evill things to God-ward as evill thoughts evill words and evill works and these are they that have defiled thee Doth your heart that is so good to God-ward as you say bring forth such bad fruit which defile the man before God I tell thee thy heart is naught for how many thousand naughty thoughts hath it brought forth before God How many idle words to be accounted for at the day of judgement and how many evill actions hath it brought forth If thou hast not a new birth and therein remission of all these sins it had been better for thee that thou hadst never been born therefore learn to see the naughtinesse of thy heart and pray for a new heart with David Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me For they that think they have a good heart to God-ward never saw themselves to have a bad heart such are in a wofull condition poor and blinde and naked but they that see themselves to have a bad heart and cry to the Lord for a new one and by faith wash his heart with the Hyssop of Christs blood by receiving the other sacrament of the blood of Christ to sprinkle his heart That man that cryeth unto the Lord against the corruption of his old heart and prayeth unto the Lord to create in him a new heart and goeth unto the Lords Supper that man hath a new birth and hath a new heart though he cannot feel it so new as he would Did not the good trees in the time of the Law bring forth bad fruit before God as David Moses Miriam Jehosaphat and yet they were not cut down and cast into the fire And so why may not good trees now do so bring forth some fruit good and some bad before God I answer in the time of the Law the axe was not laid to the root of the trees it was laid to the boughs and branches for God said I hewed them by my Prophets Hos. 6. 5. And you see how David for his ill fruit had four branches cut off the childe conceived in adultery was smitten of the Lord and died and the Lord said The sword shall not depart from thy house three other of his sons were cut off by the sword And Hiel the Bethulite had two sons cut off by the axe of the Law as you may see Josh. 6. 26. Joshua said Cursed be the man before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth Jericho he shall lay the foundation thereof in his eldest son and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates thereof i. his eldest son shall die by this curse when he begins to build and his youngest shall die when he set up the gates thereof This curse seemed to lie asleep many hundred yeers and forgotten and therefore in Ahabs dayes Hiel the Bethulite builded Jercho he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his eldest son and set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub i. they dyed according to the word of the Lord that he spake by Joshua and thus many Tribes of Israel were cut off by the Law though Judah remained still But now Christ is come preaching the kingdome of heaven by Baptisme into Christ to put on Christ now the ax is laid to the root of the trees of all Nations Churches and particular men to shew that all men now must be made good trees in Christ to bring forth none but good fruit before God or else the ax of the Law and Gods Decree and sword or judgements of curses is laid to their roots and are hewn down and cast into the fire of Gods wrath as Christs own words declare Mat. 7. 19. for there is no more sacrifice for sin Christ hath now set open such a fountain in Baptisme that doth more then all the sacrifices of the Law with one offering he hath perfected for ever all them that are sanctified Heb. 11. 14. i. in Baptisme For every person that will not heare that Prophet i. Christ to be washed in Christs blood in baptisme shall be destroyed out of the people Acts 3. 23 i. he that will not let Christ wash him he may have part in him without which he shall have none Joh. 13. 8. as the Pharises i. he that will not be graffed into Christ to bring forth none but good fruit before God he is hewn down by the Word of God he that will not believe shall be damned i. he that will not believe he is in him that is true in that his Son Jesus Christ which no man can believe but by his baptisme as Joh. 3. 5. Every person that will not make the tree good and the fruit good by baptisme and saith or the tree evill and the fruit evil by Adam and infidelity shall be destroyed out of the people O this civill war wherein Christ is come as a thiefe or with a judgement like thieves shall destroy multitudes of people because they will not obey Christ to let him wash them because they will not believe their Baptisme into Christ in infancy for evill trees bring not forth good fruit for some bring forth none as the Civilian Hew him down why combreth he the ground some bring forth lukewarmnesse some infidelity some ignorance some drunkennesse swearing lying banning and cursing all these are bad fruit such are hewn down and cast into the fire howsoever they are hewn down in conscience and that remaineth under wrath without any assurance of salvation though the person if it be elect may be under mercy graffed into Christ and all these sins forgiven in his baptisme which he knows not till he repent and believe Is it so that all men by nature are evill trees bringing forth evill fruit because sin within them is of such a defiling nature that it hath made both person and actions filthy and unclean Consider the horrible filthinesse of sin how it hath polluted and defiled the heavens and the earth for they shall wax old as doth a vesture and as a garment shalt thou change them they shall be burned because they be subject to vanity for the sin of man they groan and travell in pain for the pollution of sin so are thy person and actions become unclean by the defilement of sin O bewail thy sin make haste out of thy miserable and wretched condition by sin make haste to Christ by saith who came to take away our sins for thy sins have made thee subject to burning The heavens and the earth and all things therein shall be burnt because they are subject to vanity for the bondage of corruption The Angels that are polluted with sin shall be burned in hell for ever burning and never consumed The wicked that are not graffed into Christ shall be burned with the Devill and his angels where the worm dyeth not and the fire never goeth out and yet darest thou remain
we are made members of his body of his flesh and of his bone i. spirituall members straitly coupled together unto him for seeing Christ hath loved his Church and sanctified it and cleansed it through the washing of the water through the Word Ephes. 5. 26. he so made us to himself a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blame vers. 27. and by that Baptisme are we made members of his body of his flesh and of his bones as vers. 30. And therefore Christ doth feed us with his body and blood by faith that we might dwell in Christ and Christ in us that we might be certain that we are incorporated into him by Baptisme Therefore he took flesh of the Virgine to testifie that he acknowledgeth us for his members for Christ may as truly say of his elect that are baptized into Christ and have put on Christ as Adam said of Evah when she was married to him She is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh so Christ may say of all the elect that are married to him by Baptisme They are members of my body of my flesh and of my bones And by this means i. by Baptisme and by faith is the heart made a good treasure for God said I will sprinkle clean water upon you and you shall be clean from all your filthinesse and a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you I will take away the stony heart and give you an heart of flesh Ezek. 36. 25 26. and this heart is purified by faith Acts 15. 9. for when the heart is made pure it is made a good treasure for all things are pure to it so that as it is said on the one side of them that are not sanctified that the unbelieving and impure they are defiled Tit. 1. 15 16. But also as the Prophet Haggâ—i crieth out so are all the works of these peoples hands and that which they offer in the Temple is unclean Hag. 2. 15. signifying all comes from an unclean treasure So on the other side to the pure that is to them that are washed and sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and the Spirit of our God in Baptisme and their hearts purified from their sins by faith in the blood of the Lamb all things are pure and all the works of their hands what they offer in the Temple is made good fruit in the Spirit of God freely and thereby acceptable in the sight of God whom nothing can please but that which is pure and hereupon David giveth this answer to his own question Who shall dwell in the Tabernacle of the Lord and who shall rest in his holy hill even he that hath innocent hands which no man can have but by remission of sins in Baptisme wherein a mans hands are washed in Christs innocency and a pure heart which Christians obtain by faith in the blood of Christ Thus having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water we may keep our profession without wavering Heb. 10. 22 23. with innocent hands and a pure heart which shall see God Mat. 5. Men are made good trees by putting on Christs white rayment righteousnesse as a garment as Gal. 3. 27. Now if a man had such a garment that would make all his thoughts words and works good it would make him a good tree Adam you know hath so clothed all naturall men that he hath made all their thoughts words and actions evill shall we not grant as much to Christ to make the tree good and the fruit good If a man can bring a green tree to grow over a drie the green tree will make the drie green also and finde sap enough and make it bring forth much fruit as we have seen in a part of a tree being green growing over a dead and drie part it makes it fruitfull So Christ is a green tree and we drie as he saith If they have done thus to tâ—… green tree what shall be done to the drie Answ Truly if Christ do not grow over it and over the fruit of it it shall burne Men are made good trees by his Spirit for by one Spirit we are baptized into one body and made all to drink into one Spirit i. in Baptisme we are regenerate and new born of water and the Spirit that we might be one spirituall body whereof Christ is the head and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Therefore in the Supper we drink the blood of Christ that we might be made partakers more and more of the Spirit of Christ to be all of one minde and spirit Now he that bringeth forth fruit before God in the Spirit of Christ shall be saved otherwise he is hewn down and cast into the fire What are none made good trees but those that are graffed and baptized into Christ to bring forth good fruit before God Was not Cornelius his prayer and almes good fruit before God which came up to God before Baptisme Acts 10. And what say you of Infants dying before Baptisme I answer that Cornelius did pray in faith that Christ was to come as the Jews did before his coming which brought forth some fruits of faith that Christ should come and take away their sins and they brought forth some bad fruits of transgression of the Law as David for which they sacrificed Now therefore Cornelius being an elect vessell that he might not stand in a twofold estate before God to bring forth some fruit good and some bad God sent an Angel from Heaven to him and bade him send for Peter and he shall shew thee what thou oughtest to do i. to be made a good tree to bring forth nothing but good fruit signifying he shall shew thee by faith in the death and resurrection of Christ and by baptisme into Christ the tree shall be made good and fruit good Matth. 12. 33. For by the Law they were under the heavy yoak that we nor our fathers were able to beare which bare some good fruits and some cursed as Jehosaphat 2 Chro. 19. 2. and Hezekiah 2 Chron. 23. 25. Now if a twofold estate had been good enough for Cornelius what needed an Angel be sent from Heaven to send for Peter to bring him into a better estate before God then he was in which shews that we have now a better estate before God by Baptisme into Christ then the Fathers had under the Law as the Apostle saith God providing a better thing for us Heb. 11. 40. we have a perfect remission of sins and no more sacrifice for sin are with one offering made perfect for ever that are sanctified and how is that by Baptisme Ephes. 5. 26. and by Faith Acts 26. 18. by Baptisme to the person and by faith to the conscience as Heb. 10.
forgetting of a mans Baptisme into Christ is the cause of all the divisions sects wars and mischieves that are in the world and of the damnation of so many thousands for he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that will not believe his baptisme into Christ shall be damned for he cannot believe he is in Christ or hath remission of sins or an everlasting righteousnesse for he that will not believe he is baptized into Christ and hath put on Christ shall be damned if he never will be baptized What Do you hold that Baptisme do conferre grace ex opere operato I answer no for then all the reprobate that are baptized should receive grace at it but Judas and Simon Magus did not But I believe that all the elect do ordinarily receive grace at baptisme as many Scriptures Fathers and Churches declare Acts 2. 38. Joh. 3. 5. Gal. 3. 27. Tit. 3. 5. And Cyprian Gregory Nazianzen Athanasius Chrysostom Basil Jerome Ambrose Augustine Luther Calvin Beza Bucer Zanche Mourton Marlorat Hooker the confession of Helvetia of Scotland Belgick France Argentine Augustan Saxon Wittenberg Palatine and our Church of England in all which ten Churches the grosse and damnable heresie of the Anabaptists is condemned and of all such as hold that grace is not given to the elect Infants at baptisme And here is the reason when the Jews are called they shall never scatter more into sundrie opinions and sects and fight one with another because they shall be so soundly grounded on the faith of their baptisme into Christ that they are in him that is true and so are members and children of God that they shall love one another so in Christ as they shall never fight one with another more and then shall the seventh Vial be powred out on the air which is the kingdome of the Devill for he shall never have any power to set them together by the ears as he doth now Heathens against Heathens Turks against Christians Papists against Protestants and Protestants one with another for herein consists the subtilty of the Devill and the Pope to set Christians together by the ears that he may get both for he gets more by their killing one another then by any other way but after that the seventh Vial be powred out on the kingdome of the Devill by the preaching of Baptisme and Faith that we are in him that is true the Devill shall never have any power to set them at variance any more for all the true Church shall by the faith of their baptisme into Christ believe they are members and love as brethren and then the Prophesie of Micah Mic. 4. 2 3. for the Law Thorah signifies in generall doctrine and so may be taken for Baptisme as Johns Baptisme was from heaven shall go forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem i. that men are clean by the word that Christ hath spoken in Baptisme And he shall judge among many people and rebuke mighty nations a far off of sin of righteousnesse and of judgement John 16. because they believe not in Christ that believe not their baptisme he shall bring them to it and then they shall break their swords into mattocks and their spears into sithes nation shall not lift up a sword against nation neither shall they learn to fight any more but they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree and none shall make them afraid for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it i. between Jews and Gentiles which shall be truly graffed into Christ by Baptisme there shall be no dissention as there is now under the corrupt state of the Church for under that pure state of the Church they shall strive to shew all offices of love as they do now practices of hatred which is not so to be understood as if it were not lawfull now for Protestants to take up arms as the Anabaptists have held absurdly for so long as Antichrist fight against Christ they must defend themselves against him for the Church is terrible as an armie with banners she must fight But in the elect justified Church by baptisme into Christ and faith in the same among the right Olive branch Christians shall show such love peace and concord that they shall fight no more there is such love already to be seen among the white-raiment Christians that they had rather die then fight one against another And this is for the comfort of you the citizens of the new Jerusalem that are no Anabaptists nor Antinomians though the world may falsly call you by some grosse name for you hold the Law is to be preached in the killingest manner that can be and believe your baptisme in infancy and are sound in the faith of your baptisme you are the people that God will deliver in this bloody civill war For thus saith the Lord Jesus Because thou hast kept the word of my patience therefore I will deliver thee from the hour of temptation which will come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon earth Now the word of Christs patience is the true faith in our baptisme wherein we are baptized into Christ his death Rom. 6. 3. and buried with him and crucified with him and raised with him for the word of Christs patience is the faith of Christ crucified as Meyer dead and buried and risen again which are all included in the faith of our baptisme that we are in him crucified dead and buried to sin before God in him and risen again in him by baptisme which belongs not only to the Church of Philadelphia but to all other Churches that hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches I will deliver thee from the hour of temptation i. from the last persecution of Antichrist which is now come upon all the Christian world in these our dayes which is like to last till the Pope be destroyed Are we made good trees by putting on of Christ as a garment for if a man had such a garment as would make all his thoughts words and actions good it would make him a good tree Now Christ is such a garment of righteousness that is put on at baptism and by faith that it makes the tree good and the fruit good Behold Christ is come as a thief and the last persecution of Antichrist is begun blessed is he that keepeth his garments unto him i. which were put on at baptisme Gal. 2. 27. lest he walk naked and there see his filthinesse what an evill tree he is by Adam to bring forth sin before God in thoughts words and actions which should have been all covered if he had kept his garments that he put on at baptisme they are all cursed trees that keep not Christs garments Again are men made good trees by baptisme and faith because they are made to drink into one Spirit Then the way to bring all men to be of one Religion and to cease