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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44790	The glory of the true church, discovered, as it was in its purity in the primitive time also, a manifestation how and when the apostacy came, and how long it hath continued in the Church of Rome, proved to be in it, because she differs in doctrin & practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes : published for this end, that people may be informed, and their understandings opened to discern of the times and seasons, and see the difference between the lambs wife and the mother of harlots / by one who desires that all may come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved, and walk in the light of the Lord, Francis Howgill.	Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.	1661 (1661)	Wing H3162; ESTC R38990	108,097	179

Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God from whence it hath been inferred by many that baptism of infants was absolutely necessary to salvation Christ spoke of that which did regenerate and make a new and clense the heart and of the clean water which the Prophet Ezekiel spoke of which he would pour upon his people visible water cleanses not the inside neither doth regenerate but the water which Christ giveth to every one that thirsteth to drink is the water of life and this washeth the inside and cleans the heart and this is the washing of regeneration which whosoever comes not to know connot enter into the kingdom of God because that which is defiled is shut out but they that do not look after the substance hath made an idol of the figure but the Chuch of Rome themselves which were the first inventers and setters up of this humane institution have said that this must be recieved by tradition and not from the Scriptures because it could not be proved as a commandment witness Claudius Espontius a Popish Bishop at a counsel at Pysoy in France 1500. and yet this Doctrine hath been held out to the Nations for Catholick and Apostolick which the Primitive Churches made no mention of neither the Apostles taught any such Doctrine but was preached up by such who went out of the light and from the power into the Nations which became as waters for the first ordainer of baptism of Infants and that they should have a Godfather and Godmother was Ignatius Bishop of Rome long after the Apostles daves when Rome was got up into pride and claimed authority over all Christian Churches to impose upon them what ever they listed for Doctrine and such dark things as these have been brought forth whereof mention might be made of many things and what unsavory words as Godfathers and Godmothers is used not only amongst them but also amongst the Protestants to this day who is Gods father or who is Gods mother is this Apostolick Doctrine as though God was begotten by generation indeed is it not Blasphemy to affirm such things and also to hold up such things all which demonstrates these things to be in the Apostacy And therefore you who profess your selves that you are come out of the Apostacy and are reformed Churches for shame leave off practising and pleading for the upholding such things which the Scriptures do not own or else the practice of the Saints in former ages will judge you And it hath been reckoned as absolute necessary to salvation and therefore Victor Bishop of Rome did institute that the children might be christened by a Lay-man or Lay-women in time of necessity because infants were often in danger as Polydore makes mention Lib. 4. CHAP. VI. Concerning the Sign of the Cross and ordaining of Parish Churches LIkewise the Sign of the Cross and the Chrism are invented things which are in the Apostacy and therefore you who profess your selves reformed for shame leave off these things and come out of them and deny them Secondly Parishes and Parish Churches which were ordained and builded in the Apostacy and dedicated unto Saints which stand to this day both in the Church of Rome and in the reformed Churches so called and Church-yards which they call holy and consecrated ground to bury their dead in this is an invented thing and superstitious and yet it stands as an Apostolick order both among Papists and Protestants in the Primitive times in the dayes of the Apostles The Scriptures make mention of the Jews Temple at Jerusalem and of the Gentiles Idols Temples in which they worshipped the Apostles and Ministers of Christ who published the word of reconciliation and Christ the substance of all figures they gathered them that did believe of the Iews from the Temple and Temple-worship and the Gentiles from their Temples and Idols to worship God in the spirit and they met together in houses we read of no Parish Churches dedicated to Saints nor consecrated ground for they knew the earth was the Lords and the fulness thereof and was clean and good and blessed to them that believed and there was no dividing into Parishes then nor no compelling then Corinth was not divided into a Parish Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia and Smyrna and the rest were not all made into Parishes neither were them that believed not compelled or forced to come to the Christians meeting at Antioch Philippi Thessalonica Philadelphia or any other place that we read of in the Scriptures and the Apostles were not confined nor their spirits were not so strait as to stay over one hundred or fifty families twenty years and call that their Parish between such an hedge and such a ditch and such a water and such a way as Parishes are now divided into though I say they had houses to meet in and preached the Word and brake bread from house to house and sometime by the sea-side they congregated and sometimes on an hill and at certain places they met together to worship God they went not back to the Jews Temple nor Gentiles Idols Temples neither forced any of their maintenance as to minister unto them by which all may see that these invented Churches and Church-yards for holy ground and Parishes are not Apostolical nor was no Catholick nor universal thing then in the Primitive times neither was there any command given to the Christians to do any such thing neither reprehension for not doing such things The first Church or Temple that we read of was consecrated by Pius Bishop of Rome in honour of the Virgin Prudentia and afterwards Calistus made a Temple to the Virgin Mary a place beyond Tibris and instituted a Church-yard in Apius his street and called it after his own name And Dionysius in the year 267 divided both in Rome other places Churches and Church-yards to Curates and made Parishes and Diocesses to Bishops and commanded that every man should be contented with his prescript bonds and there was the beginning of Parishes Churches and Church-yards consecrated ground and in process of time when all Nations had drunk of the cup of fornication the Nations began to imitate their mother and to build and consecrate Temples and Churches and Church-yards to this Saint and the other Saint as is too too manifest through Christendom to this day And here 's the rise of holy Parish Churches which of late have been preached up for the house of God and the house of prayer which bears the name yet by which the Pope baptized them Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Mary Saint Hellen Saint Katherine Saint Gregory Saint Maudlen Saint Alban Saint Anthony Saint George Saint Margaret Saint Dunsto● Saint Clement Saint Christopher Saint Giles Saint Martine and painting and garnishing these houses with Images and pictures and hanging of flowers and boughes and garlands this came from the old heathen who sacrificed to Saturn and Pluto and this hanging up candles

THE GLORY OF THE True Church DISCOVERED As it was in its PURITY in the PRIMITIVE TIME Also A Manifestation how and when the Apostacy came and how long it hath continued in the Church of Rome proved to be in it because she differs in Doctrin Practice from the Church of Christ in the Apostles dayes Published for this end that People may be informed and their understandings opened to discern of the times and seasons and see the difference between the Lambs Wife and the Mother of Harlots By one who desires that all may come to the Knowledge of the Truth and be saved and walk in the Light of the Lord FRANCIS HOWGIL LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert at the Black-spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls 1661. TO THE READER OR Readers GReat hath been the Wisdom which God hath shed abroad in the hearts of his People and made known unto his servants through Ages wherein he hath made known his mind and will at sundry times and in divers manners sometimes by Types sometimes by Shadows and Representations sometimes by Dreams sometimes by Visions sometimes by Prophecy and there was not the least Ministration but it had a glory in it and the one living God manifested his mind unto the sons of men who feared his Name in every Generation and shewed unto them and signified his mind unto them what he was and shewed unto them how he would be worshipped and they that were obedient unto that which was made manifest in every Age and Ministration found acceptance with the Lord and the peace of God in their hearts After man had transgressed and gone from his Maker and lost the guide of his youth and broken Gods Covenant then blindness came upon him and a vail was betwixt him and his Maker and man increased and grew in an earthly part and lusted after earthly things whith fed and increased that part and the Image of God was lost in which the creature delighted yet notwithstanding such was and is the Love of God towards his Creation and to his workmanship that he did not utterly cast off man for ever but followed him to draw him back again out of the transgression to have unity with him who was his Maker and when man was gone into the darkness the Lord stooped so low as to come near him and to that state he was in and made a Covenant with man when mans heart was outward upon outward things and gave him commands outward and Statutes and Ordinances outward that he might worship therein which were shadows and types of some better thing to come and these were the Ordinances of the first Covenant which pertained to the changeable part that was above the seed but they typed forth more Heavenly things which was to be revealed in due time and when the seed came to be manifested and raised up they had an end and the cloud passed away and the day did spring forth in clearness and he brought forth which restored all that believe unto God viz. Christ Jesus then did God more clearly manifest himself in the earth through his Son who had the will of the Father and declared it who rent the vail and put an end to the shadows and blotted out the hand-writing and ended the types and figures and all that believed in him who was the end of them and the sum of all he overthrew the nature in them which was changeable unto which they pertained until the time of Reformation which was when he was sacrificed up a Propitiation for the sins of the whole world and they that did believe and received him came to be the Sons of God and declared the mind of God as it was revealed and as the spirit gave utterance and many did believe and did grow up and become of one heart mind and soul and worshipped God with one accord and in the spirit and in the power of the Father and separated from the Jewish worship and the form thereof and met together in the Power of God and glorified God and spoke of the things of his Kingdom unto all that waited for it freely and the Lord was honoured by them and glorified in them But soon after the mystery of godliness was brought forth the mystery of iniquity began to work and opposed the work of the Lord and transformed into the similitude and outward appearance and form and yet lived in the flesh and there began to be an apostacy and a deviation from that glory and power which was once revealed and Antichrist wrought with signs and lying wonders and got the words and hated the life and power and them that appeared in it and then they that were under his Government and Reign hated the Reign of Christ and said in their hearts we will not have him to rule over us though in words they confess him and then persecuted and drove the true Church into the wilderness and set up imitations and inventions and traditions and vain customs which they have called Apostolical and holy Institutions which are contrary unto Primitive Institutions and Ordinances onely brought in by them when darkness began to spread over the earth when the Bishops in the first three hundred years after Christ began to contend about dayes and times and meats and drinks and Rome began to claim superiority over all Churches called Christian and the Pope became as a Law-giver I have led thee through divers ages and times as briefly as possible may be to single out the Original and beginning of those things and who were the first Ordainers of them betwixt this and the Apostles dayes which are now accounted as holy Institutions The state and glory of the true Church in this Treatise thou wilt see before the Apostacy and the state in the Apostacy how she fled into the wilderness and how Mystery Babylon was raised and the false Church called her self visible many of her Doctrines and Practices which are contrary to the Primitive Church are here discovered and the Authors and formers made known whereby thou may come to see a difference in the Ordinances of the true Church and the Traditions and Inventions of the false Church which are too much contended for in this day by them who say they are come to the true Reformation according to the Primitive times but thou wilt see as thou compares but their practice with the Primitive times to be quite contrary and to be but smoke and that which has darkened the ayr clouded peoples understandings and hath led them into ignorance and darkness so that the way of Truth hath not been discovered unto many but the Lord is arisen and that which comprehends time is made manifest and all that which hath got up in the Apostacy is viewed and seen and laid open to the view of all that they may depart out of these things which are but the inventions and traditions of men in which Eternal Life is not to be had Read with meekness and

were quickned by it in their hearts and minds who believed and heard the voice of him who was the Son of God and so came to live Who could not be made alive in the exercising themselves in the Ordinances and many believed in him and he chose unto him Disciples who believed in him and sent them out to preach Repentance and to begin at Jerusalem though they were the chiefest professors and ordinance men and were for conformity to the Ordinances of the first Covenant yet repentance was to be preached to them and the first Principles of Religion though they had been and were the greatest professors and observers of the Ordinances of the first Covenant that was in the Earth at that time And afterwards he sent out Disciples and gave them Commandment to preach and Disciple all Nations in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and these which he sent out to preach the Gospel unto whom he gave power to cast out Devils and work Miracles Prophesied after a season the word of the Kingdom both to Jews and Gentiles according as the Prophets had testified And these who was sent out and made Ministers by the holy Ghost and received gifts from the holy Ghost for the work of the Ministery they preached not up the Ordinances of the first Covenant but preached Christ the everlasting Covenant and the power of God and the wisdome of God for the remission of sin and the word of faith they declared in the mouth and in the heart and went not to Tables of stone to direct people thither but to bring people to believe in him who was the Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the World that all men through him might believe And many did believe in him who was the Covenant and did believe through the Apostles words who was commissionated and fitted for the work of the Ministery and through their words which they declared many did beleive both of Jews and Gentiles and as many of Jews as did believe and separated from the Temple Priests Sacrifices Ordinances of the first Covenant and they met together in houses and other places Acts 20. 7. Chap. 28. 30 31. And the Gentiles which believed separated from their dumb Idols after which they had been led formerly and from their Temples and ceased any more to offer unto Idols and they met together at certain places in Towns and Cities not onely at Jerusalem but also at Antioch Collosse The ssolonica Corinth and divers other places which were long to enumerate Act. 11. 9. Chap. 17. 1 2. Chap. 18. 4. But now mark this that by which the Apostle gathered them from the Jewish Temples and Priest-hood and the Gentiles from their ●dols Temples was by the preaching of the everlasting Gospel to wi● no● the Law nor the Ordinances of the first Covenant but the Power of God and the word of reconciliation for the first Covenant of the Jews made not the comers thereunto perfect as pertaining to the conscience Neither the Gentiles Idols Temples nor Worships made them perfect as pertaining to the conscience but rather made them worse and more corrupted Heb. 9. 9. But the preaching and publishing of the word of reconciliation that did it was committed to the Disciples it was received and believed in by many both Iews and Gentiles as at Ephesus and elsewhere and they were made a habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes. 2. 22. Now mark this they preached not up the Letter of the Law nor that which was written in Tables of stone for the first Priest-hood that was ended and the Ministry of that and the vaile was over their hearts while Moses was read and their ability stood not in the litteral knowledge or in that which was written But they were able Ministers of the New Testament of the Spirit and so all that did beleive both Jews and Gentiles who received the word of Faith which was nigh in the mouth and in the heart Rom. 10. 8. They grew up in the knowledge of God and of his holy Sprit and great gifts grew amongst them as of Prophecy of speaking with Tongues of Interpretation and there was diversity of gifts and diversity of operations yet all by the same Spirit which the Apostles was made Ministers of and which they that did beleive and receive received gifts from it and knew the operation of it which wrought in them mightily to the throwing down the strong holds 2 Cor. 10. 4. And the principalities and powers of Darkness and to the translating and changing of them from darkness to Light and from Sa●ans power to the power of God even into the Kingdom of his dear Son Col. 1. 13. And several Congregations in divers Places were all one body whereof Christ the life was the head in which they had believed and of whose power they had tasted grew up in knowledge and wisdom and gifts and the day of Christ approached which Abraham saw And they exhorted one another admonished one another and when they met togethere at several places every one according to the gift of God as he had received nor from the Letter but from the Spirit did and might admister to the edification one of another and to the building up and comforting one another in the most holy faith which gave them victory over sin which faith was ought in them by hearing of the word that was nigh them in the mouth and in the heart which was the word of consolation which was in the beginning Moreover when they met together they might Prophesie one by one and every one exercise his own gift to the edification and comfort of the body as the Spirit did lead them in order and if any went out from his measure he was judged by them that were in the Spirit Furthermore they that had beleived the Gospel which was published to them for remission of sin they grew up into great enjoyments and attainments in the righteous life of Christ which was manifest in them And though first they knew the Ministration of Condemnation and the sentence of death yet afterwards came to know the Ministration of the spirit and the sweet assurance ard Testimony of it bearing witness to the Spirit that they were the Sons of God and they were made heirs according to the promise Heb. 6. 17. and were made joynt heirs and co-heirs with Christ in the Kingdome which is immortal which fados not away and did come to know Mount Sion and the City of the Living God Heb. 12. 22. and it were large to speak of the glory and the transcendent excellency of the Church of Christ which became a purchased possession to him in the primitive times or the first hundred years after the manifestation of Christ in the flesh But take notice of this that them that were sent out who had received freely of the Father of Christ and of the Spirit Ministred freely as they had received freely without

hardly stir from thence till they die except some greater advance offer it self also Commissaries Procters Parotters and these are subservient to the former then Chancellors Vice-chancellors Doctors of Divinity Batchelors of Divinity Doctors of Art Masters of Art Batchelors of Art Graduates under-graduates and these belong to the former then Prelates Parsons Vicars Priests Curates and Church wardens all which titles and names and Officers if they be but compared with the Scripture there will be hardly any parallel either concerning office work or Doctrine and notwithstanding all these orders and sorts who are fitted by humane learning or natural study though divers years exercised therein are not skilled in the word of righteousnesse neither hath the tongue of the learned to administer a word in season to the weary nor to turn the sinner from his sins and thus the form of things titles and names are holden up but who seeks after the power of God or to be made able Ministers of the Spirit Literal Ministers enough while maintenance lasts but the ministration of the Spirit few is acquainted with and if there be any such it is well if they be not Persecuted So in that which I have said the understanding will see that there hath been a great Apostacy since the Apostles dayes in the Ministry in Doctrine in Worship and practice divers of which I have touched upon to the intent that they that enquire after the Lord may depart out of the mist of ignorance and come to worship God in spirit and truth and in the Temple made without hands and be joyned to the Church which is in God which the Gates of Hell prevails not against though many will claim Authority from the Apostles few will own their life neither walk after their example so take but a few more Institutions which is called Apostolick to this day among them called Christian Churches Clatus the third Bishop of Rome was the first that wrote this tittle that is greeting and Apostolick blessing he ordained the order of Priesthood Everastus the fifth Bishop ordained that Priests should be honoured and that they should be shaven Alexander the sixth Bishop of Rome ordained that Matrimony should be only solemnized and that the married should be Blessed with the Priest there was the beginning of being married by Priests Sextus about the year 114. after Christ the seventh Bishop of Rome ordained Holy Water and ordered that it should be strowed abroad in Christians houses and when the People met to worship Telesphorus the eight Bishop of Rome ordained that the Communion should be laid upon an Altar and that Lay people should not touch the Holy vessels nor the Holy Garments of the Priests he ordained Lent which was to be kept by the Clergy in the year one hundred forty two Higinus the ninth Bishop ordained the Communion to be celebrated three times at Christmas and that Lent should be fasted Pius about the year 147 after Christ the tenth Bishop ordained that Crism should be Ministred as Baptism and that Children should have God-fathers and God mothers here was the beginning of this great Ordinance and he ordained that Easter-day should be kept on the Sunday Urbanus the seventeenth Bishop of Rome ordained Church-yards to be hallowed and forbad marriage of Priests Pontianus the eighteenth Bishop ordained that Psalms and Mattens should be sung in Church night and day to drive away evil spirits Sextus the twenty fourth Bishop in the year 222. after Christ ordained that Priests should wear Holy Garments as Coops and divers other things in imitation of Aaron and then came up surplices he commanded Images to be set up in Churches Foelix the twenty sixth Bishop of Rome ordained division of Parish Churchres and Diocesses to Bishops Leo the Emperor gave Commandment that all Images and Pictures of Saints should be taken out of the Churches for the avoiding of Idolatry but the Bishop of Rome withstood the Emperor the Emperor for his confirmation of taking of Images away called a Councel of Bishops about three hundred and thirty and they ordained and decreed that all Images should be taken away and burned in the 740. But in the year 769. Gregory the third called a Council together at Rome near a thousand Bishops and condemned Leo the Emperor and three hundred Bishops for taking Images out of the Churches and yet the former Counsel and this all of one Faith and Church which they use to say could not erre and the latter decreed they should be adored and Worshiped with all reverence Boniface the eighth he gave licence to the mendicant Friars to hear the private Confession of sins that people should confess to them Pope Alexander gave commandment that the Sacrament should be made of the Sweet Bread and commanded that water should be mingled with wine Innocentius the third ordained that People should confess their sins to a Priest once a year in the year at the least And these kinds of Decrees stand for Apostolical to this day among the Apostates and the reformed Churches so called do own many things that are too near a kin to them and preffeth them for Ordinances and holy Institutions yea in many Countries the self same things are both owned and practised in many particulars which I have mentioned before in other parts of this Book and are looked upon as divine service and holy Worship which the Ministers of Christ who have the word of reconciliation to publish are ashamed of knowing them to be such things as never was practised nor holden out by Christ or his Apostles but are brought in since darkness hath over-spread the Earth and the Power of God hath been lost And at the first Institution thereof though there might be some shew of a good intention in the formers of them but now they are become absolute Idols and however at the first some of the things mentioned might seem to some to be indifferent yet now being prest of necessity as the Ordinances of God they are become Idols and ought to be thrown away and departed from by all that professeth the Gospel of Christ Jesus and the worship of God in the Spirit For the Lord God hath drawn away his presence out of all formal and visible appearance since Antichrist and the false Church hath got them on for a Garment and to cover themselves withall to the deceiving of the Nations And now in this the day of his power hath appeared in a more mysterious and secret and hidden way and in a more spiritual appearance Into this deceit cannot enter nor transform and therefore all Babylons Merchants are angry and Antichrists followers are full of Wrath and the Dragon cast out floods after the heir and her that brings him forth and makes War with her Seed but the Lord is putting on her Beautiful Garments and Marrying her to himself and she shall reign and her Seed who are born of the Spirit when she that sat as a Queen upon the

Apostle gathered together many that believed and setled them in the order of the Gospel and the order came well to be accounted of and the conversation of the Saints of good account amongst many divers false Prophets and deceitful workers got up and as the Apostles met in houses and the Saint met together in houses the false Apostles they crept into houses and held the form as I said before and denied the power and they were to be turned away from by the Apostles exhortation to Timothy Now since the true Church fled into the wildernesse the false Church came into visibility and to sit as a Queen upon the Waters the Nations and Peoples ' other things have been brought in other things are brought in and invented which were not constitutions of Christ or the Primitive Churches And these the world have wondered after in the dark night of Apostacy And the worship hath been made up and compacted partly from the Jews worship partly from the Heathen and partly from themselves being corrupted and the Scriptures perverted every way to prove all this deceit Now many have Judged to relinquish the former superstitious practices and to come and to take up the form and practice again in the outward as it was in the Apostles dayes is to come out of the Apostacv Let all know this the outward Court of the City was given to be trodden under foot of the Gentiles to pollute and defile it and many may wait there and look there in the polluted Court and in the out-side that hath been defiled and many may visit the Sepulchre and wait for Christ when he is risen and so look for him to appear in that which he is risen out of the Iews at their Temple when it is left desolate the Christans so called may glory in their outward Court though it be defiled and so defiled as God will not appear therein again for he hath another way manifested himself unto the sons of men And now that worship that God requires that service that he requires and that glory wherein he will manifest himself is and will be in the Spirit which all people is to wait for which comes to witnesse restoration and to come to the end of the night of errour to the Bride the Lambs wife again Now a measure of Gods spirit being given to every one to profit withal which shews them sin and transgression and will lead out of it which shews formal worship and how deceit hath transformed into them and leads them that believed in it out of that which is polluted and out of deceit to Christ the sure foundation and mighty power of God and to know Gods peace and good-will to all men And that which must restore all people and bring them out of the Apostacy into purity and to have fellowship with the Father and the Son and one with another as it was in the Primitives times is the mighty power of God alone which must be waited for and believed in and received and made manifest in the heart of the People or else thev cannot come out of the Apostacy nor see to the end of those things that are to be abolished And this is that which must be witnessed by every man that comes to be a living stone of the holy City and a living Son of the free-woman and true member of the Heavenly Jerusalem whic● God hath caused to descend which is the Mother of all the Saints and the womb that brings them all forth and the breast at which they all suck and are satisfied and nourished up to everlasting life These sayings are faithful and true and blessed is he that heareth believeth and receiveth them And this is a Testimony of the People called QUAKERS whom God hath brought out of the Apostacy to the beginning again to see the brightness of the day of the Lord wherein there is not a Cloud Furthermore it is manifest how many things have been introduced and brought in concerning worship and ordinances and are taught to be Doctrines of the Primitive times when as they are brought in by men of corrupt minds in latter ages which had lost the faith once delivered to the Saints and had lost the Gospel order and compelled people by outward Law to submit unto them and yet all those things they would fasten upon the Scriptures and bring some Scripture which they pervert as a cloak and a cover to blind people withal but I shall descend to some particulars CHAP. V. Concerning Sprinkling Infants ANd first concerning baptizing or Christning Infants as it hath been called which is without prescribed command or example commanded or ordained by Christ or his Apostles although many in these latter ages have wrested the Scripture thinking thereby to make their own inventions to be reckoned or accounted to be Ordinances of God and the main ground which the greatest Rabbies have given hath been from these or the like Scriptures Go teach and baptize all Nations Mat. 28. 19. but this is nothing at all to prove baptizing of infants here teaching was to go before baptizing or Discipling as the words may be rendred for they were not like to be Discipled which were untaught now Infants not being capable of teaching so are not capable of being made Disciples Now to baptize Infants or sprinkle them with water which are untaught and not capable of being Disciples is a ridiculous thing and to do it so as the Church of Rome uses it and they who are separated from them is contrary to the Scriptures and there is no mention made of water at all nor Insants and their other Scriptures they have offered for proofs to prove this an Ordinance of Christ and why only because Christ took up Children into his Arms and blessed them and because he said whosoever enters into the Kingdom of God must enter as a little Child these Scriptures have been tendred for good proofs but the Spiritual minded will judge of the weakness of them who offer these things for a proof But again it hath been said and accounted Orthodox that baptism came in the room of Cricumcision but how they will prove it is yet unknown to many for the Scriptures make not mention of any such thing for one Type did never Type out another but every Type Typified a substance Now circumcision was a Type or a Figure and cutting off the fore-skin was a Figure of Circumcision and cutting off the fore-skin of the heart now baptisme with water is a Type or a Figure 1 Pet. 3. 21. which Typed out the spiritual washing of Regeneration and if baptism of Infants came in the room of Circumcision then how do they agree in a paralel the males was only circumcised and why are the females now baptized if baptism came in the room of Circumcision Another thing which hath been alledged for a proof that which Christ spoke to Nicodemus John 3. 5. Except a man be born again of water the