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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bear_v	enter_v	kingdom_n	5,396	5	6.1932	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77739	A confutation of the Anabaptists, and all others who affect not civill government; proving the lawfullnesse of it: and a full answer to all their cavills, that are, or can be made against it. With a nut-cracker for an unnaturall nut, whose shell is as hard as the scales of Leviathan, and the kernell of his heart as hard as a piece of the nether mill-stone, Iob 41.15.24. yet the hammer of Gods word that breaketh in pieces the rocks, Ier. 23.29. will break this nut, that all may see the devillish kernell that is in it. Also arguments against the Anabaptists, proving that infants borne of Christian parents ought to be baptized: with a full answer to all their cavills that are (or can be) made against it. Imprimatur Ja. Cranford.	Bakewell, Thomas, b. 1618 or 19.	1644 (1644)	Wing B530; Thomason E51_20; ESTC R209932	98,225	89

him 17.9 and he blessed them but who are blessed of Christ but they whose sinnes are forgiven Psa 32.1 And Christ was displeased with those that kept them from him which plainly shewes his tender affection to them and he gave his Apostles a double charge that they should neither forbid those that brought them nor drive way but freely give them admittance into his presence and saith Christ Hee that receives not the Kingdom of Heaven as a litle child he shal not enter therein and saith he their Angels are in heaven beholding the face of my Father which is in heaven that is they stand ready and hearken for a command from God to bee sent for their good Psa 103.20 But the angels are ministring spirits onely for the 〈◊〉 of salvation Heb. 1.14 they incampe about those that feare the Lord Psa ●4 7 Then why should Infants be debarred from the Sacrament of baptisme who have so f●re a Title to the Kingdome of heaven But they will say those in the Gospell are to be understood babes in Christ or young converts To this I answer when they brought them to Christ he tooke them up in his armes when he blessed them Mat. 10.16 which she wes plainely that they were litle children Secondly the Disciples call them young children and litle children ver 13. and Luke saith they brought unto him Infants Luke 18.15 And when Christ called a litle child unto him Mat. 18.2 he set him in the midst of them which argues plainely that he had him in his armes but see Mar. 9.36 there you shall see in plaine words that he took that very child in his armes and spake unto them Thirdly Christ saith unto his Disciples who were strong Christians except ye be converted and become as litle Children ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but now will those men who say this place is meant of babes in Christ or young converts will they I say make their inference thus that strong christians must become weak in faith yea the Apostles must become as babes in Christ their strong faith must become weake againe or else they cannot enter into heaven these men declare their folly as Sodom delareth her sin Isa 3.9 For doth not Christ often blame a weak faith see Mat. 8.26.14.31 and doth he not highly commend a strong faith Mat. 8.10.15.28 Rom. 4.20 Then the true meaning is this the Disciples had beene reasoning who should be the greatest Mat. 18.1 Mar. 9.34 then Christ tooke a young child in nature up in his armes to convince their pride and envy as the Apostle saith in malice be ye children but in understanding be ye men 1 Cor. 14.20 So here in pride and envy Christ would have them to be as children saying except yee bee converted from your pride and envy yee cannot be saved that is your pride and envy must be mortified crucified which makes you affect high places he that would be first the same shal be last servant of all Mar. 9.35.36 So then the Disciples were already converted from the state of nature to the state of grace but yet they were not sufficiently converted from their pride envy so then you see all these testimonies of Christ to be concerning young children in nature and not of young converts being growne in age therefore infants having such approbation and testimony from the mouth of Christ I say againe who dares hinder them from the ordinance of baptisme Eightly from the ends of baptisme which are these First it is a pledge unto us in regard of our weaknesse to assure us of all the graces and mercies of God especially of our union with Christ and of remission of sins and both mortification of them and vivification to arise from them to newnesse of life Rom. 6.3.4 For he that is baptized into Christ hath put on Christ Gal. 3.27 The second end of our baptisme is to distinguish Christians from Tuckes and Pagans for it is a signe of our Christian profession against all the enemies of Jesus Christ as Circumcision was a token of the Covenant saith the Lord between me and thee Gen. 17.11 Christians may say as David did Thy vowes are upon me O God I will render praise unto thee Psal 56.11 The third end of our baptisme it is a meanes of our entrance or admission into the visible Church of Christ for saith Christ Except a man be borne of water and the spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God John 3.5 The Kingdome of God here hath a double signification answerable to the double qualification sometimes it is meant the visible Church so then except a man be baptized with water he cannot enter into it it is also meant heaven it selfe and so a man must be borne of the holy Ghost or else he cannot enter into it The fourth end of our baptisme it is a meanes of our unity with the Church and people of God For we are all baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 There is one body and one spirit and one hope of our calling one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father of all who is above and through all and in you all Ephes 4.4 5 6. Then would you have a pledge of Gods love to you in regard of your children that they are united to Christ and their sins forgiven and mortified and that they are risen with Christ to the life of grace then let them be baptized And would you have them distinguished from the enemies of Christ and to have a signe and a badge of their Christian profession before the world then let them bee baptized And would you have them to be admitted into the Visible Church of Christ then let them be baptized And would you have them to enjoy the priviledges of the Church and to be at peace and unity with the people of God then let them be baptized But some will here demand whether baptisme be of absolute necessity to salvation or not I answer to make covenant with God and to be in the said covenant is of absolute necessity to salvation for unlesse God be our God in Covenant and we his servants we cannot be saved now baptisme is the seale of this Covenant and therefore necessary but in part 1. In respect of Gods command who hath enjoyned us to use it 2. In respect of our weaknesse that have need of all helper that may confirme our faith yet baptisme is not absolutely necessary to salvation For the want of baptisme doth not condemne the children of beleeving Parents if they dye before baptisme when it cannot be had for they being holy theirs is the kingdome of God although they dye before baptisme the thiefe upon the crosse and many other holy Martyrs dyed before baptisme that are now in the Kingdome of heaven and those parents that slighted this ordinance so that their children dyed without it if they repent of that sin it may be forgiven and their

baptized of us till after confession whereby he may so satisfie the Church 15thly they object from the institution of baptisme that Christ sending out his Apostles to all Nations commanded them first to teach and then baptize them Mat. 28.19 And so in the last of Mark it is said he that beleeveth and is baptized shal be saved nence they conclude saying that teaching must goe before baptis●ne by the expresse command of Christ to his Apostles and say they hee doth assigne baptisine to be a state after faith and say they Christ shewed us an example of himselfe which would not be baptized till the thirtieth yeare of his life I answer from the first of these that the Apostles after they have baptized any then they are charged to teach them to observe all things whatsoever Christ commanded them Mat. 28.19.20 Hence I gather frō their own exposition thus that although they do as Christ did who lived 30 years before that he was baptized al that time have bin taught to reform their lives yet by their own expositiō they must not observe do what Christ here commands them till they be baptized because observation reformation are set downe after baptisme in this place Then seeing they fall thus foule upon their own exposition that they must not observe practise till they be baptized in my judgmēt it were good to have thē baptized betime that they may begin reformation betime that they may not only be taught 20 or 30 years but they may observe and practise what they have been taught But here all may see what unprofitable hearers they make of their children who shall heare before baptisme because that teaching is set downe first but they must not observe and practise till after baptisme because that is set down last neither will they baptize them that they may observe and practise Here I may repeat againe what I said before that the Apostles were sent amongst heathens that are out of the Covenant but we are Christians in the Covenant and they were men of age but ours are Infants not capable of teaching But do they stand so much upon this that teaching is set down first although observation be set down after baptismein the same place then let us to this joyn another Io. 3.5 see Acts 22.16 where Christ doth not say except ye be born of the spirit first and then of water afterwards ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven but contrary he saith except ye be borne of water and then of the spirit shewing that baptisme must give them admittance into the visible Church of God here and they must be borne of the spirit that is regenerated before that they can come into God heavenly Kingdom and we know that many were baptized before that they had the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost given them Acts 8.16.17 Again they being sent to teach those that were capable of teaching then to baptize them but will it follow hence that Infants must be first taught and then baptized because Abraham was ninety and nine yeares old when he was circumcised must Isaac be so too a pretty conclusion But I have answered it already and proved it too weak an argument to debar Infants born of Christians from the seale of baptisme but further let me cleare this by a similitude the Apostle saith this we command you that if any will not worke neither should they eat 2 Thes 3.10 will they hence conclude that the Apostle will suffer none to eat but such as worke then what shall our aged people and Infants doe and our sick and weak and lame people doe shall we starve them all because they cannot worke this is our Anabaptists divinity who make that a generall rule for all which is spoken only of some for say they because men of yeares must be instructed before they be baptized therefore Infants must be so too and because men growne in health and strength must worke or else they must not eat therefore infants must doe so too or else they must not eat Now for the example of Christ who they say was not baptized till he was 30 years of age I hope they will not say that he wanted fitnesse till he was of that age to be baptized for when be was but twelve yeares old he disputed with the Doctors in the Teme pl and all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers Luke 2.42.46.47 Then the reason why Christ was not baptized till the middle of mans age or till he was 30 years of age was because he was minded then with his Doctrine to institute baptisme and that he might procure the greater authority to his institution he sanctified it with his owne body who was baptized to sanctifie that ordinance unto us and he sent out his Apostles to baptize all Nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Mat. 28. Though Iesus himselfe baptized not meaning with water because saith Iohn the Baptist he that commeth after me shall baptize you with the holy Ghost Mat 3.11 Thus Christ did then to many as also now when he make to that ordinance effectuall to the cleansing of their foules from sin but if they stand so much upon the thirtieth yeare why then did they suffer Gervetus one of their great Masters to begin at the age of one and twenty years to boast of himselfe to be a prophet and they suffered him to take the place of a teacher before that he had been a member of their Church 16 they object that if Infants be baptized they may aswell receive the Lords Supper I answer no that will not follow for the Scriptures shew us a large difference betweene those two baptisme is a signe of admission whereby they are numbred among the people of God it is a signe of spirituall regeneration whereby wee are born again the children of God whereas on the other side the Lords Supper is given to men growne in years and therefore able to beare stronger meat and whereas the Scripture never saith that any infants born of christian parents are unfit for baptisme yet none must receive the Lords Supper but such as discerne the body and blood of the Lord and are able to examine their owne conscience and able to declare the Lords death the Apostle exhorteth that every man should prove and examine himselfe and then eat of that bread and drinke of that cup therefore examination must go before which were a vaine thing to looke for from infants againe he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning the Lords body But if none can partake worthily but they that can discerne the Lords body why then should we give to our tender children poyson in stead of lively food Again the commandement is that ye shall doe it in remembrance of me and that other sentence as often as ye eat of this bread and

all the States and Peeres of the Land see Chap. 23.1 2. He indeed is chiefly named because he was the chiefe of them in blood neither did he set up Ioash but helped to maintain his right which was usurped by Athaliah in a word he protected the right heire but could not himselfe depose nor make over the Kingdome unto him hence I conclude that to exempt the Clergie from under the authority of the Civill Magistrate is rebellion Fourthly they object that Kings and Princes of their bounty have granted these priviledges unto them I answer the law of nature acknowledgeth a civill subjection and the law of God straightly commands it saying Let every soule be subject to the higher powers Rom. 13. And put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers to obey Magistrates and to be ready to every good worke Titus 2.1 Then I conclude hence that no law of any man may offer violence or derogate from either of these Fiftly they object from Ier. 1.10 where the Lord saith I have set thee over Nations and Kingdomes to plant and to pluck up Hence they gather that the Prophets and their Successors are not to be subject unto civill Government I answer the Prophet is set over Nations and Kingdomes but not to governe by the Civill sword but by the sword of the spirit in his mouth and he is to plant and pluck up Kingdomes no otherwise then by declaring that God would plant or pluck them up Sixtly they object from Isa 60.10 That Kings shall come and serve the Church under the new Testament and therefore the Church is not to be subject to Princes but they unto the Church I answer in the Church are two things first the persons of men secondly the things of God Now it is true that Kings are subject to the things of God in the Church as the word and Sacraments to these Ordinances of God no calling is exempted saith Paul our selves are servants for Iesus sake But to the first of these which is the persons of believers to these Kings and Magistrates are not subject but to this very question when some servants were converted when they lived under Infidell Masters they thought themselves by this spiritual calling to be freed from serving their Masters any longer but saith Paul Let every man abide in the same calling wherin he was called art thou called to the state of grace being a servant care not for it yet if thou couldest be freed from serving an Infidel use it rather but if thou canst not here is thy comfort he that is called being a servant is the Lords free-man therfore brethren let every man wherin he is called therein abide with God 1 Cor. 7.20.21.22.24 So a subject being called is not freed of his obedience to Civill Government although he were effectually called under Infidel Governours it is in this case as it is with outward riches the people of God onely have a true right to them all by Christ so that all the riches in the world is theirs all is yours and ye are Christs 1 Cor. 3.21 And what others have they are but usurpers yet beleevers must not presently goe and take these outward things from any man although he be never so wicked So it is with places of Masters or Magistrates although never so wicked yet while they are in it we ought to yeild obedience to them for saith Peter Cervants be subject to your Masters with all feare now marke not onely to the good and gentle but also to the froward 1 Pet. 2.18 Seventhly they object that Kings and Magistrates are as sheep and Ministers are as Pastors and Shepherds therefore say they Kings are under Ministers as the flock is under the Shepherd I answer in the Prophets or Pastors consider two things first their persons secondly their Ministery now in regard of their persons all of them are subject to their Princes and that for conscience sake but in regard of their Ministry Princes and Magistrates are to be subject both when the Word is taught the Sacraments be administred all must submit themselves unto it even as a mean man being a Serjeant may arrest a Baron Earle or Duke neither may they resist him because he commeth with the Princes authority to which he must yeild himselfe though not unto the person of the Serjeant So must Magistrates submit unto Ministers comming not in their owne name but in the name of God and Christ now this must be marked that Magistrates are not simply subject to the Ministry but so far as they teach the word truly and rightly administer the Sacraments the which if they doe not they have power to reforme or depose such ministers as shall faile in their administration and in this regard Magistrates are called Shepherds The Lord saith Cyrus is my shepherd Isa 44.28 Though otherwise he be a sheep so far as he is truly taught by the Minister For they may say to the King and to the Queeno humble your selves Jer. 14.18 And Herod feared John and did many things and heard him gladly Mark 6.20 Thus we see that all men are to submit themselves to the Magistracy or Civil Government and to the positive Lawes of the Land Now the Romish Clergy are not enemies to Civil Government as it is government but as it is in the hand of Civil Magistrates so that their drift is not to put it downe but to remove it from the Magistrates to themselves that they might make all Magistrates their vassals Secondly prophane people doe allow of civil government in their judgment but they would have some liberty to intrench upon it in their practise Thirdly Anunomians and Ean●lifts are enemies to the eternall law of God which is the ground and foundation of the civil law which while they take a way the foundation of necessity the whole building must needs fall So they although they wil not openly say that they are enemies to civil government yet by accident they are enemies to it in their way seek to overthrow it 4 the independant people or the Brownists who will have Kings and Rulers and Magistrates to have no hand in matters of religion but all to be servants to the persons of beleevers and so they deny Cesar his due which is to have power over the outward man both of words and actions body and goods although he hath no power over the things of God which are their soules and consciences faith and all the graces of Gods spirit that are wrought in the heart yet we must obey them for conscience sake Rom. 13.5 Not as to bring these things of God under their command but obeying because God commands it even from the heart as to the Lord Col. 3.23 Fiftly the Anabaptists who are absolute enemies to civil government to them 〈◊〉 chiefly intend yet all the the rest doe something dash against civil government and the most of them do expect a time under the Gosoel in

great famine and terrible siege were more cruell to their sucking Infants then the sea monsters or like the Estridges in the wildernesse Lam 4.3 The pretious sons of Sion comparable to fine gold were esteemed as earthen pitchers vers 2. So these men when Christ highly commends and greatly delights in young Infants these cruell parents think them not worthy of their society in divine ordinances how doe they know but they were sanctified in the wombe as well as Ieremiah Jer. 1.5 And how do they know but they were filled with the holy Ghost even from their mothers wombe aswel as John the Baptist Luke 1.15 But was Iohn sanctified from the wombe who was the first Minister of the Sacrament of baptisme what is this but to informe Iohn that Infants from the womb are fitted for baptisme And again Christ was conceived by the holy Ghost to sanctifie Infancy aswel as any other age that none may be excepted against then how dare these men make exceptions where Christ makes none then may Infants be sanctified in the wombe and receive the holy Ghost from the wombe Then saith Peter can any man forbid that these should be baptized that have received the holy Ghost aswell as we And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Acts 10.47 48. Fifthly the Apostles did baptize them that did but in a generall way confesse that Christ was the Son of God Acts 8.37 38. And they baptized Simon Magus many in Samaria when as yet the holy Ghost was fallen upon none of them onely they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Then they laid their hands on them and they received the holy Ghost see Acts 8.15 16.17 And the Apostles finding certaine Desciples said unto them have ye received the holy Ghost since ye beleeved that is have ye received the speciall gifts and graces of the holy Ghost since ye beleeved with a generall faith but say they we have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost and he said unto them unto what were ye baptized and they said unto Johns baptisme Acts 19.1 2 3. Here you see them baptized that can make but a weake account of their faith why may not Infants born of Christians be baptized much rather then these 6. Iohn baptized them with water unto repentance but saith he he that commeth after me shall baptize you with the holy Ghost Mat. 3.11 That is when Christ by his spirit shall make that baptisme by water effectuall by the inward working of the holy Ghost and yet all this but one baptisme Ephes 4.5 And Paul speaking to those that were baptized with water and yet were ignorant of the holy Ghost saith Iohn baptizeth unto repentance and saith to the people that they should beleeve on him that should come after him that is on Jesus Christ And when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus and Paul laid his hands on them and the holy Ghost came on them Acts 19.5.6 Now this was not another Baptisme but onely the inward baptisme of the holy Ghost as Iohn had told them before how that he which came after him should baptize those with the holy Ghost which then only received the outward forme Mat. 3.11 Then if this be so why may not Infants of Christians now be baptized unto repentance aswell as these But our Anabaptists will have Christ to be the forerunner of Iohn to baptize them first with the holy Ghost and then Iohn shall baptize them with water and so Christ shall prepare the way for Iohn and not Iohn for Christ But the spirit is like the wind and we cannot tell whence it commeth ●●r whither it goeth John 3.8 That new name written no man knoweth but he that hath it Revel 2.17 Then t were a vaine thing to wai●e for that we shall never know in mother so then to children borne of Christian parents we are to doe our duty in baptizing them and let the Lord alone to take his own time to make it effectual to them we must not tye the Lord to convert them to any limited time of their age some the Lord converts in the first houre and some not till the last houre of their life Again it is said when Christ was baptized and went out of the water then the spirit of God descended upon him and a voice from heaven came saying this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased Mat. 3.16.17 Then if we would see the work of God appear upon our children let us first baptize them and then we may looke for it and not before Seventhly we may take notice of the two Sacraments of the Jewes compared with ours and their agreement together first concerning their Passeover it was required that they should know the thing signified by it and that they should sanctifie and cleanse themselves before they did receive it and when King Hezekiah supposed that some of severall Tribes had not sufficiently prepared themselves and yet had been at that Sacrament he prayed for them saying The good Lord pardon them and the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah and healed the people 2 Chron. 30.18.19.20 And saith Moses concerning some that were defiled and had not cleansed themselves therfore they could not keep the Passover on that day Num. 9.6 Now to this Passover our Lords Supper doth well agree which requires examination and knowledge of the thing signified and a remembrance of the death of Christ till his comming againe 1 Cor. 11. But for the other Sacrament of the Jewes was nothing required of them if so be they were but children of circumcised Jewes and baptisme is come in the place of it why then should more be required of our children then was of the children of the Jewes let them answer if they can But suppose they should require some qualification in our children why may we not answer that children are the heritage of the Lord Psa 127.3 then why should they be kept from this ordinance of baptisme Again children were in the Temple and sang Hosanna to the sonne of David to the astonishment of the Priests and Scribes yet to the great approbation of Jesus Christ who said to the Priests have yee not read that cut of the monthes of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise Mat. 21.15 16. Psa 8.2 But doth Christ here acknowledge an Evangelicall perfection to be in the praise of babes and sucklings then who dares to keep them from the ordinance of baptisme Again Christ saith of such is the Kingdome of Heaven then who dares to make question of that which Christ affirmes and he kindly embraced them which he would not have done if they had not beene part of his Kingdom neither could he be deceived because he knew their hearts and he prayed for them Mat. 19.13 and his prayers were alwaies heard Luke 11.42 neither would he pray for the world but only for those that were given