Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	bear_v	ghost_n	holy_a	9,059	5	5.3927	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85551	Truths victory against heresie; all sorts comprehended under these ten mentioned: 1. Papists, 2. Familists, 3. Arrians, 4. Arminians, 5. Anabaptists, 6. Separatists, 7. Antinomists, 8. Monarchists. 9. Millenarists, 10. Independents. As also a description of the truth, the Church of Christ, her present suffering estate for a short time yet to come; and the glory that followeth at the generall resurrection. / By I.G. a faithfull lover and obeyer of the truth. Imprimatur, John Downame.	Graunt, John, of Bucklersbury.	1645 (1645)	Wing G1597; Thomason E277_7; ESTC R200005	70,586	79

thereunto by the Gospel vers. 15. Now the Gospel as I touched before consists of two parts repentance and remission of sinnes Luke 24. 47. which comprehends the two next particulars our effectuall calling by the work of repentance and whose sinnes whosoever is remitted that soule is justified in the Apostles meaning and both these effected by the Gospel and covenant of life and therefore called in Scripture the grace of God the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ the Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20. 24. the word of his grace verse 32. the word speaking peace by Jesus Christ Acts 1. the word of the Gospel Acts 15. 7. And these two effects which the Spirit of God works by his word in his elect to life and salvation are called in Scripture regeneration conversion a renewing a birth from above a new making and such like not in a naturall but a spirituall sense not as the first birth of our parents which procreated and produced us out of their bowels but by way of similitude and likenesse that as by nature we are born carnall unclean and children of wrath so by this spirituall birth we are born of God from above holy spirituall free even the sons of God as the Scripture saith for as that which is of the flesh is flesh so that which is of the spirit is spirit Now as by Adam came the offence and by Moses came the Law through which the offence abounded Rom. 5. 19 20. to mans greater misery so grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. 17. Adam was the authour of sin to his posteritie Moses was the Minister of the Law that condemned that sin but the grace and mercy of God the means of salvation both from sin and death that is only by Jesus Christ blessed for ever Now the manner and order the Holy Ghost taketh in working this grace in the hearts of Gods elect is plainly laid down in Scripture for him that is Christ saith St. Peter with the rest of the Apostles hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance to Israel and forgivenesse of sins Act. 5. 31. And these two parts of the Gospel which is the free grace of God to man-kinde are plainly and generally observed and preached by all the Prophets and Apostles and our Lord himself I will take from you saith the Lord your stony heart and give you a heart of flesh there 's the first part and in that new heart that I shall give you saith the Lord I will write my Law that is his Statute and love mercy and forgivenesse even a new and holy Spirit and that 's the second part of the Gospel Ezek. 11. 19. Chap. 26. 36. The baptisme of John that 's the first and the baptisme of Christ that 's the second part and both parts our Lord joynes together Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit hee cannot see the Kingdome of God neither to mourn with the Bridegrooms friends nor rejoyce with the Bridegroom himself and for as much as these making parts of a Christian are not of our selves but both the gifts of God it doth abundantly set forth unto us this excellent doctrine of Gods free Grace as the Apostle St. James saith who of his own will begat us with the word of trub Jam. 1. 18. And the grace of God saith holy Titus that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men and teacheth us to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lnsts c. Tit. 2. 11 12. Yea it is Gods free Grace and abundant compassionate goodnesse to finde out this new and living way to happinesse through Christ Jesus for hee himself is the way the truth and the life and God so loved the world that hee gave his Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternall life Joh. 3. 16. and none can so believe but hee that is regenerate John 1. 12 13. And the Lord is the spirituall bread that every one must eat of that shall be saved but none can so eat his flesh and drink his blood but by faith and none can believe but to whom it is given and it is given to comfort none but to the broken hearted and none are made penitent and humble thirsting and desiring Christians but to such as God gives repentance for this is the nature and method of this free Grace of God which the Scriptures set forth to us even that free Grace that Christ gives to him that is athirst freely to drink of Rev. 21. 7. hee gives the thirst and hee freely gives the water of life that so quenches that whosoever drinketh shall never thirst again Joh. 7. 37 38. And the Lord saith Come and drink but this coming is by repentance and this drinking is by faith Whosoever saith the Lord believeth in mee as the Scripture saith out of his belly shall flow rivers of the water of life yea to set forth the excellency of this doctrine of free Grace the Spirit of God takes upon him the office of a cryer in a court of Records Ho every one that thirsteth come yee to the waters come yee buy and eat yea the third time he cries come buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa. 55. 1. Heare now you Antinomians if any of you have an eare to heare the wisdome of God in the truth of the free Grace purchased and preached by Jesus Christ that it is not phantasticall as you have exprest it but that reall and substantiall grace that gives being to the new and spirituall man the very regeneration of the elect of God and as they are born of the Spirit so they are taught led and guided anointed and sanctified by the Holy Ghost who dwelleth in none of the bodies of the elected ones but where he hath wrought this heavenly work of grace there he dwells there he witnesseth there is but three that bear witnesse for God to the truth in the whole world and the Apostle tells us 1 Joh. 5. 8. it is the Spirit that 's the Spirit of God water that 's his first work and beginning of regeneration and blood that 's the finishing and accomplishing the new birth the sanctifying the binding up the broken heart by faith wherefore blush and be ashamed of your blasphemy against the truth in calling repentance a work of the Law and the preparation to faith a Popish doctrine and for ever hereafter take notice that the way of Christs free Grace is by water and blood 1 Joh. 5. 6. And that repentance is the beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Mark 1. 1 2. Now I should have spoke of the fourth particular of free Grace which is glorification but of that hereafter Heresie I beare you witnesse you have a zeale but it is not according to knowledge for if you did understand that excellent doctrine of justification before beleeving you would not speak so much of

of the Ministery for the building or edifying the body of Christ Ephes. 4. 11 12. 1 Cor. 3. 10. for as the Spirit of God by the ministery of his servants prepares and sanctifies them so he unites and cements them to have communion one with another in spirituall fellowship and this workmanship in the Lord is called in Gods Word the Church of Christ his House his Tabernacle his Body his Spouse his Temple the pillar and ground of truth the place of his dwelling purchased cleansed purified and sanctified by his own precious blood called and gathered by the power of his Word made to live by the spirit of his mouth having communion and fellowship by the Holy Ghost growing up together in holinesse as branches in one stock or root being members of one and the same body of which Christ is head as truly and really in a spirituall sense as the head of a man is naturally the head of the whole body confisting of many members Now notwithstanding all this that hath been said of the true Church and ten times more that might be spoke yet these false-ignorant carnall and fleshly builders those dirt-daubers have at all times taken upon them with all boldnesse without any blushing to affirm their wooden dirty filthy building to be Gods House and their rotten straw and stubble to be the work and building of Christ boasting and crying out of themselves by way of self-justifying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord Jer. 7. 4. where to their eternall reproof the Prophet to their very faces saith plainly notwithstanding all their vain confidence The Temple of the Lord Are these such as truly amend their wayes and their doings such as truly and throughly execute judgement between man and his neighbour such as oppresse not strangers nor the fatherlesse nor widow nor shed innocent blood nor walk after other gods vers. 5. 6. And as these false Christians robbers and oppressors take upon them my Names and Titles so also they assume my authority and peculiar priviledges to excommunicate mee and cast me out with these holy words in their mouths Let the Lord be glorified Isa. 56. 5. but he shall appeare to my joy and then they shall be ashamed this hath been alwayes the bitter cup they have made mee and mine to drink in anger and great cruelty but patience hath ever assisted us and enabled us to indure a thousand such injuries They say I am a widow desolate and forsaken and lay the contempt of barrennesse upon mee but that word of life supports us In patience possesse your souls and again Rejoyce thou barren that bearest not break forth into singing thou that travellest not for the desolate hath many more children then shee that hath an husband Gal. 4. 27. Isa. 54. 1. Now what have you said more for your Church and members thereof then the Papists can say for themselves or any other Antichristian Congregation you call your members to an account of their conversion as you call it so much the Scribes and Pharisees can say which compassed Sea and land to make a Proselyte and in so doing made him more the childe of the Devill then he was before Mat. 23. 15. even worse by two degrees a wofull act to return and not to return to mee saith the Lord Hos. 7. 16. Jer. 4. 1. Again you say of your selves you have joyn'd your selves in Church-covenant and you have set up Christs ordinances and you have cast away all superstition and abomination whereas the Saints and Church of God ascribe all to him thou hast washed us thou hast called us thou hast sanctified us thou hast made us unto our God Kings and Priests c. And for your covenant it is a meere humane invention and your people ordaining their Ministers both of the same nature of Popish unwritten verities which as they are not to be found in the Scriptures so labour to forget to practise preach or think of them any more for ever Heres You esteem too meanly of us and our doctrine what will you dare to speak against the Church of Christ take heed what you do for wee walk in a Church-way and communicate in the purity of all Gods ordinances as preaching praying fasting baptisme breaking bread and the like and we have separated our selves from all mens inventions and unlawfull Antichristian Assemblies Truth You know there are such as say and do not the Whore of Rome doth make greater brags then the virgin Spouse and so did their predecessors before them the Pharisees yet all of both their bostings are but false and counterfeit compared with the prayers tears fastings communicatings sacrifices oblations and worships of the Saints And for your separation from other Christians look to it for except it be with such caution which I perceive you know not of it may prove as Achans forbidden wedge of gold and Babylonish garment destruction to your selves for the Pharisees who justified themselves and condemned others were your fore-teachers in this manner of separation for they separated from Christ and John the Baptist calling our Lord a sinner and his servant a devill accounting them nor any one of those penitent humble little ones whom they had converted to the truth worthy their company witnesse the Pharises exception against that holy woman whose tears and love testifies to the truth where and in what nation the Gospell is preached to the worlds end for a memoriall of her Mark 14. 9. compared with Luke 7. 39. and this way of separation the Prophet from Gods own mouth calls an evill and wicked way to walk in Isa. 65. 25. which people say Stand by thy self come not neer to me for I am holier then thou these saith the Lord are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day for the truth is in no case are trut believers to separate from other Christians in communion but in such cases that they cannot communicate with them but they must sin with them as it was with that Apostate and Idolatrous Church of Rome who made such wicked and opposite lawes to the truth that a true Christian could not partake with them in any of the ordinances of God but hee must be defiled with their abominations one way or other for they caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the beast Rev. 13. 12. whom whosoever doth worship shall never have rest but shall be tormented with the wrath of God day and night for evermore Rev. 14. 10. 11. in such cases as these the Scripture is cleare Come out of her my people lest you partake of her sins and be made partakers of her plagues 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. And in this case did the Church of England separate from the Church of Rome in which Church of England you now are in whose lawes decrees and ordinances are all against the abominations errors and superstitions of Babylon and all ordered and directed according to

is justified before hee believes I will asswage the hardnesse of the question by the mildness of a comparison that which acquits and frees a malefactor is the sealed pardon of the King so likewise that which comforts and assures the penitent heart of mercy and forgiveness is the sealing witness which Gods Spirit beareth to or assureth the humble heart of the free Grace and love of God through Jesus Christ so that justifying faith to the sorrowfull sinner is as the sealed pardon to the malefactor and to this agrees the Scriptures Acts 10. 43. To him that is to Jesus Christ give all the Prophets witnesse that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins thus speaks Gods Word and not as you speak so that it cannot truly be said neither ought any dare so to preach that a man is justified before he believes nor that he believes before he be justified but that it is the same gift of Gods Spirit at one and the same time even then to believe our justification when he accepts us just in him that justifieth the ungodly and as it is given by the Holy Ghost to believe so it is continued maintained and increased by the same Spirit as the other spirituall gifts as hope love joy and patience are and whosoever doth receive the Spirit of adoption he hath with it the testimony of it which is justifying faith let us take heed wee do not separate that which God hath joyned together for that is directly against the commandment Matth. 9. 6. Let no man put asunder that which God hath joyned together and in vain doth that man argue to prove which is first in the Sun the heat or the light so vain it is in you to argue whether justification or faith be first for when or to whomsover God gives one he gives them both Rom. 3. 26. wherefore I retort your arguments thus If God give remission of sins to the penitent elect then the impenitent elect are not justified but hee gives remission of sins to the penitent elect Acts 2. 38. therefore none of Gods elect are justified before they are called and their sins remitted wherefore never hereafter teach your disciples that the elect of God are justified before they believe but learn to teach them to repent that their sins may be done away as the Apostle teacheth to life and salvation Act. 3. 19. and so St. John saith of the Jewes they did not repent that they might believe and consider our Lords doctrine to Nicodemus hee tells him not of his election although our Lord knew well that secret but hee preaches to him conversion Except a man be borne again he cannot see the kingdome of God Joh. 3. Regeneration must be sought for by the elect and by these effects and operations of the Holy Ghost to make sure to themselves their election this is Gods way prescribed in his Word And lest I fall into your error as I have briefly disproved your doctrine and discovered the falshood and mistie sophistrie of your arguments so now by the help of God I will lay down and confirm the truth it self how the Scriptures do speak of justifying and believing that so you may come to know that which hitherto I perceive you are very ignorant of Wherefore thus saith the Scriptures concerning justification We are justified freely by his grace saith the Apostle Rom. 3 24. Titus 3. 11. likewise that wee are justified by his blood that is by the blood of Christ Rom. 5. 9. and also that wee are justified by saith Rom. 3. 28. so then these three terms are to be considered in our justification the blood of Christ purchasing the grace and favour of God and an assurance of it given to the lost the dead the broken penitent mourning heart whereby though it be dead yet it is made to live the broken is healed the emptinesse is filled the thirstinesse is quenched comforted and refreshed with the favour and love of God in and through Jesus Christ justification then is the imputed righteousnesse of Christ assured and made known to the elect by faith and this doctrine is cleared by the Apostle beyond the least exception speaking of holy Abrahams justification and being fully assured saith hee Rom. 4. 21 24. that what God had promised hee was able to perform therefore it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now it was not imputed for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if wee believe Observe first that the Apostle affirmeth justifying faith a full assurance for wee shall have occasion by and by to make use of this and secondly that the righteousnesse of Christ which is our justification is not given to us but by faith in these words to whom it shall be imputed if wee believe so that justification and justifying faith can no more be severed parted or divided then the light and the heat from the fire and to this purpose St. Paul calls Christ the just one and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus Rom. 3. 26. so that it is proved against all the Antinomians in the world that then and not before when God justifies his elect then and at that time he gives justifying faith Act. 13. 38 39. And as I promised before so I will here briefly shew the divers acceptations and distinctions of faith and three particulars do comprehend all other sorts and distinctions whatsoever Historicall faith to believe Gods Word the faith of miracles by which it is given to a Saint or a sinner to work this or that miracle so also in the third place the Scriptures speak of justifying faith of which it is said wee live by wee are comforted by through which wee are purified and justified and this sort of faith is called in Scriptures the faith of God the faith of Jesus the faith of Abraham the faith of Gods elect the faith that worketh by love the faith in the blood of Christ the faith accounted for righteousnesse the faith of the operation of God the most holy faith and may be thus defined that it is a full firm and certain trust or confidence written by the power and Spirit of God in the low humble penitent and broken-heart whereby it is given assuredly to believe that all his sins are forgiven and thus he is made one with God by reconciliation and atonement in and through the eternall and everlasting love of Jesus Christ the materiall cause of this justifying faith thus defined is a full sure and undoubted trust or confidence the formall cause is the free grace and favour of God the Father and of his Sonne Jesus Christ the efficient cause is the alone work of the holy Ghost thereby imprinting in and assuring of the hearts of the elect of this confidence of this grace and mercie the principall and finall cause is the glory of God and our Lord Jesus Christ and the end

of God the Father descend from thence and now judge the world and all these things in a mysterie a Metaphor and Allegory You read say they of these things in the letter 1600. yeers ago but now they are in the newnesse of the Spirit and according to these principles expound all the Scriptures both of the old and new Testament Now say they is the wedding of Cana of Galilee fulfill'd in the spirit where righteousnesse is the Jesus the union between God the Father and the Son the Bride and the Bridegroom the mother of Jesus they say is the word of truth that brings to passe this holy marriage and the turning of water into wine is the oldnesse turned to newnesse flesh into spirit so that thereby the new man becomes co-deifi'd with God and God again co-hominifi'd with man and that now Christ whips out the buyers and sellers out of the Temple meaning by Christ righteousnesse and by the buyers and sellers sins and corruptions and by the Temple mens bodies expounding that Text Hebr. 1. 13. Sit on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool to be meant of their holy anointed ones and when Christ which is righteousnes is risen in them by regeneration then that saying is brought to passe that is written Hos. 13. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 54. Death is swallowed up in victory they say they are Moses and the children of Israel and all naturall men are Egyptians which by conversion become Israelites and that now Moses is contending with Pharaoh the Devill to bring the chosen of God through the red Sea and barren hard and desolate wildernesse into Canaan the land of rest the peace of conscience and favour of God and that now God calls Abraham out of Vr of the Chaldees making it the land of devills as the Hebrew word signifies to set forth to us every unregenerate mans dark and sinfull estate naturally and Gods calling of Abraham out of it to go to a land he would give him to signifie unto us the conversion of a sinner to God and Davids killing Vriah to signifie the quenching the Spirit the Apostle dehorts from and Reubens going up to his fathers bed the weaknesses of such as are babes in Christ as St. John speaks of calling them little children and young men 1 Joh. 2. 12 13. And that in this nonage this youth of theirs it is with their anointed ones as it was with Christ which signifies anointed Mat. 3. 4. who as soon as God testified to him from heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased and when he had fasted and separated himself from his naturall wayes and sinfull affections forty dayes and forty nights as Moses was fortie dayes and fortie nights in the holy mount where hee received the covenant of perfection in a figure And the Text saith afterwards he was an hungred that is this new man hungred and thirsted after righteousnesse and as the Text saith The tempter came to him the meaning is say they the sinfull flesh the enemy to the Spirit said to him If thou be the Son of God command that these stones be made bread but the new man answereth it is written the man Christ shall live by the truth the Word of God then the tempter uses other means to have him to be a self-justifier and account of himself as the holy Citie of God makes him to be advanced in his own thoughts as the highest of all as a pinacle is above the rest of the building and then to presume in his infancie as if he had the experience of old age and perfection it self and so the holy childe answers thou oughtst not to tempt but to wait patiently on thy Lord thy God His third and last temptation is the proffer of the whole world unto this young man in Christ but being now grown in strength in righteousnesse makes a speedy answer Get thee behind me Satan God is only to be worshipped and served so the tempter left him and the Angels ministred unto him in all passages of service till they brought the holy One from one degree to another to sit down at the right hand of the Father and to come to judge the world And of this spirituall estate do they understand all the Scriptures that speak of the resurrection of the body understanding it this spirituall body and this spirituall resurrection and that Christ is dead or alive in every man in the world dead in the naturall or sinfull estate and made alive and raised in the illuminated estate and the terms in Scripture of this present world to be the sinfull estate and the world to come the regenerated estate which they call perfection eternall life and the glory of the Father the world without end affirming there shall be no end of the heavens and of the earth the whole creation but that it shall continue for ever successively one generation after another and as man comes from God so he goes to God in matter and time infinitely These and a thousand grosse and blasphemous doctrines are the tenents of the Familists which are the very depths of Satan from which I wish thee to repent if it may be by any means obtained and learn to leave off your scorn and contempt of Scripture-learning and labour to be taught by the Spirit of truth in the true meaning of Gods Word Heres These doctrines which you call Familists are the tenents of N. H. that is Henry Nichols who lived in Germany and writ divers small books as The Gospel of the kingdom The Prophecy of the spirit of love The Glasse of righteousnesse and divers others but although he be a seducer and grosly deceived to the overthrow of the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ in affirming holinesse and righteousnesse to be Christ the Lord now I am so far from his opinion that I think Jesus the Prophet of Nazareth to be only man that is meere man and not God and man and to partake of the Deity no more then any other naturall man doth Truth You expresse your selfe to be an Arrian for Arrius that proud Bishop whose time was above 200. yeeres after the Apostles and did then fall from the truth of the Scriptures as they clearly set forth our blessed Saviour in his divine nature as well as in his humane and invented and broacht divulged and published this heresie that Jesus Christ was only man and not God which heresie backt with his authority proved a great and cruell persecution against the faithfull and true Christians 150. yeers together as Ecclesiasticall Histories according with the plain and holy Word of God do declare as it appeares in the first of John compared with Genesis 1. and Prov. 8. 22 23 24. and John that beloved of the Lord Revelations the 9th chapter makes a full and plain description of the person of Arrius his power authority and the compleat time of his persecution and false doctrine where

in hand to take heed we do not mistake the meaning of Gods Word nor to give any other sense or exposition then that which is its own lest we be found such as fight against the Scriptures and by false and lying interpretations violate Gods Law and wage war to kill and slay the two witnesses the old and new Testaments the lamps and light of truth Rev. 11. 7 8. let us take heed of this brethren for the judgement against this sin is written and revealed already to adde or diminish from the Word of God to be a heavie inevitable dismall cursed sentence Deut. 4. 2. Prov. 30. 6. Rev. 22. 18. And if you had considered the Scriptures concerning the name of God and Lord you should have found even the Apostle himselfe to expound to the Church of Corinth what he meant by his speaking or writing to the Church of Ephesus One Lord c. for hee saith there be many Lords and many gods so call'd both in heaven and earth but to us saith he there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. there is but one such a Father and Lord and holy Spirit who is the giver the purchaser and worker of the grace by which we are called in the same one hope of our holy calling Eph. 4. 4. but in other respects the Heathens Idols and the Gentiles gracious Lords are called God and Lord for so did the Gentiles speak of Herod deifying him with a shout saying The voyce of God and not of man and Christian Emperors Kings States and Potentates in regard of authority and jurisdiction are called Lords and Gods in which they do represent God I have said you are gods saith the Scripture but you shall die like men Heres But wee have a plain word for our teaching and baptizing Matth. 28. 19. but you baptize infants for which you haue no word for and therefore it will be said at last Who hath required these things at your hands for indeed you do but continue the mark of the beast in all your babies baptizings Truth Whereas you say Christs words in the last of Matthew proves your preaching and baptizing you say more then you can make good or that I can believe from that Scripture and although there be no expresse words in the Scripture for the baptizing of Infants yet there is as sufficient warrant for it as for most things you practise your selves for what plain word have you for the time of publike assembling or generall meetings what word have you for your people to ordain their Minister what command doth authorize you your self to baptize what word have you when to receive the Lords Supper when to administer it and where who to provide the bread and wine and what bread and of what grain and the wine of what grape you have not a word for women to receive the Sacrament and abundance other particulars practised by you Will you therefore say you do that which you sin in doing so as you say we do I think not The truth is we need not a word for there are generall rules in the Scriptures that include particular practices and divers things under the Gospel being of the same nature under the Law the rules given under the Law serve under the Gospel so the Apostle proves to the Church of Corinth from the Law of Moses Deut. 25. 4. That Ministers of the Gospel should have maintenance that as they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 13 14. compared with Deut. 18. 1. So we may truly say it is ordained that as the children of believers before Christ both Jewes and Proselytes were to be circumcised Gen. 17. 11 12. Exod. 12. 48 49. so believers and their children since Christ are to be Baptized as St. Peter speaketh the promise is to you and to your children and to all that are a far of even as many as the Lord our God shall call I beseech you observe this place St. Peter here spake to the Jews the men of Judah and Jerusalem vers. 14. Yee men of Israel hear these words saith he vers. 22. so preacheth to them that Jesus was the Saviour of the world whom yee have taken by wicked hands and have killed and being dead was buried who was raised again and now sits at the right hand of the Father and is made the Lord and Christ the alone Saviour of the world and they that gladly receive this doctrine of salvation by Christ were baptized vers. 41. who before had been circumcised Now as the promise did onely belong to Abraham and his Spirituall Seed and yet all his naturall children and the children of believing strangers were to communicate of circumcision which was the outward signe of the Covenant of the righteousnesse by faith as before is proved So likewise under the Gospel the same covenant of life and salvation is made only to Gods chosen faithfull regenerated servants and their spirituall seed yet the naturall children of these faithfull Christians may partake of the outward baptisme which is the outward signification of the baptisme of the heart as circumcision in the flesh was a signe of the circumcision of the heart and according to this rule the place before mentioned and divers other Scriptures speak as Acts 16. 15. that Lydia and her houshold was baptized so the Jailor was baptized and all his that is his houshold and the Apostle Paul baptized the houshold of Stephanus 1 Cor. 1. 16. And our Lord Jesus laid his hands on little children and blessed them and rebuked his Disciples for forbidding them to come Luke 18. 16. and the Apostle is cleer in the resolution of this question to the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 7. 14. saith he the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the believing wife and the unbelieving wife by the believing husband else were your children unclean but now are they holy that is in respect they have right unto the outward covenant being born of one that believeth But some of you Anabaptists would have these words holy and unclean to mean bastards or unlawfully born which is such an exposition as was never heard nor read of before and this exposition admits of much absurdity for it nullifies the law of marriage amongst the Heathens who have as certain rules for marriage according to their manner and custome as Christians have for the Scripture prescribes no form Secondly this exposition makes Abraham himself and most of the Patriarchs wives to be bastards for they were the children of Heathens by father and mother as holy Sarah Rebecca Rachel and Josephs wife the mother of Ephraim and Manasses a bastard and that holy

any preparation to justifying faith for by Christs stripes we are healed from the beginning of the world And to prove this truth I argue thus First all the elect of God are justified before God but some of the elect of God doe not yet beleeve therefore some that doe not beleeve are justified before God Secondly he that is in Christ is justified But we must be in Christ before we can beleeve therefore we must be justified before we can beleeve Truth I answer the due observation of terms is the true preservation of proprieties and except you justly distinguish of the terms before God himselfe and Gods grace by which he doth justifie his elect you cannot understand truly but you must confound heaven and earth together and make God Man and Man God concluding such blasphemies as the Familists doe to whom hundreds of you are fallen within this two yeares who affirme of the Trinity that God the Father is the Minde the Sonne is the Word and the Spirit is the Word made knowne And under these termes mistaking the verity of the mystery of the Trinity conclude such gross blasphemies as these conclusions hereafter specified making God the Father the Mind God the Son the Word of that Minde God the holy Spirit the effect or revelation of the Word And as these are three so they are one as you say so it is and was at first in the creation God the Father was the Mind of God God the Son was the Word of that Mind and God the Spirit was the working meaning or manifestation of that Word so that in that which God said Let us make man and he spake and the Heavens and the Earth was made the Firmament the Sun Moon and Starres the Sea and the Fish therein the Aire and the Fowls therein the Earth and the Beasts Herbs and Trees therein as God spake the word and all these were created so that as they were made by the Word so they are the Word and as the Word and the Father are one and as the Father the Word and the revelation of it are one so whatsoever the Word made is one with the Father the Sonne and the Spirit And then the conclusion must be this The whole creation is God himselfe Now to avoid such blasphemous consequences we will distinguish of the terms and therein shew the fallacy of your Arguments and then I will discover and establish the truth against your doctrine which by this means will easily appeare to be false First for the terme that concernes God justified before God you say which if you meane as it concernes God in his infinitenesse it is so farre above our line or the capacity of the elect in point of reconciliation with God as the highest heavens are above the center of the earth for with God himselfe there is nothing before nor after For the Scripture speaks thus of God in this respect that he calleth those things that be not as though they were Rom. 4. 17. And again one day is with the Lord as a thousand yeares and a thousand yeares as one day 2 Pet. 3. 8. Thus you see Gods thoughts are not our thoughts nor his wayes as our wayes saith the Lord but as the heavens are higher then the earth so are his wayes and his thoughts higher then ours Isai. 55. 8 9. But when the Prophet comes to speak of Gods work in the creature to salvation then he speakes in the creatures language and capacitie so that except man obey the voyce of God he is left without excuse in these words Seek the Lord while he may be found call yee upon him while he is neere let the wicked forsake his was and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return to the Lord God and he will have mercy upon him and abundantly pardon verse 6 7. Thus as the Prophet we must distinguish between Gods eternall purpose and decree which is a secret known to himself only towards his elect before all times and his calling and justifying of them in time which is the effect of his foreknowledge and predestination and that which makes known to the elect Gods secret purpose And although it be said Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect the Apostle there doth not understand the justification of the elect before time as you doe but the justification of his elect in time called and justified And although there can be nothing laid to such an elect justified to his condemnation yet many things may be laid to his charge in regard of his weaknesse and frailty If any brother be fallen through weaknesse you that are spirituall restore such a one by the spirit of meeknesse Thus Nathan charged David and David chargeth himselfe Against thee onely have I sinned So our Lord chargeth his faithfull servant Peter and Paul withstood him to his face and saith He was to be blamed And so that holy Apostle blameth himselfe also Oh wretched man that I am saith he And the Scripture saith There is not a righteous man that liveth and doth good and sinneth not And again If any man say he hath no sinne he deceiveth himselfe and the truth is not in him And the elect of God are renued again after sinning by repentance as the Church of Ephesus is admonished by Christ to repent and do her first works Rev. 2. 5. And however the Saints do daily sin after justification yet through Gods grace they are recovered again daily by repentance and maugre the malice and temptation of Satan the snares of the world and the concupiscence of their own natures yet the Lord that loved them once doth still love them for ever and doth wash off their filthinesse and ownes them so for his own that neither their sins nor any power or any creature whatsoever shall or can condemn them Secondly you say some of the elect of God do not believe and therefore they are justified before they believe I pray where did you finde or learn this Logick which is so contrary to the wisdome of God which teacheth thus by Christ all that believe are justified from all things Act. 13. 39. And again those that he calleth hee justifieth but your doctrine saith they are justified before they are called see in a word how directly your preaching is against truths doctrine And of the same nature with your former is your second Argument which runs thus he that is in Christ is justified but wee must be in Christ before we can believe therefore we must be justified before we believe which in the very terms is another doctrine then St. Paul teacheth us who saith plainly wee are justified by faith Rom. 3. 28. And he justifieth the ungodly but I question your knowledge of justifying faith which if you did truly know you durst not teach that men are justified before they believe it is true hee that is ingraffed into Christ is justified but it doth not follow therefore a man

expresse in this point I would they were cut off that trouble you Gal. 5. 12. I pray do not the fore-named false and lying spirits preach another Gospel another God another Christ and so fall within that rule of Moses Deut. 13. 5. that Prophet and that dreamer of dreames that perswadeth from our true God to a false shall be put to death according to that holy Prophets commission Ezra 7. 26. that whosoever would not do the Law of God and the King execution shall be made upon them whether unto death or unto banishment or confiscation of goods or imprisonment Oh remember Gods own hand against such blasphemous gain-sayers and withstanders of God and man Numb. 6. the earth opened its mouth and buried them alive their tents wives children cattell and all that pertained to them Wherefore give unto God the things that are Gods and to Cesar the things that are Cesars do not build Babel again under pretence of conscience and learn this truth that you must needs be subject to all lawfull rules lawes and orders not only for wrath but also for conscience sake Rom. 13. 5. Now for as much as upon true triall all of you of all sorts that are not born of God are plainly proved to be none of Gods house none of Christs Church nor the Temple of the Holy Ghost therefore that she may more apparently appear to your understanding I shall indevour to make a brief description of her her children The Scripture speaks of her sometimes by the name of a man and sometimes under the name and appellation of a woman and at other times in the Neuter gender either he or she in these words They overcame him with the blood of the Lamb c. They loved not their lives unto the death hee said unto them on his right hand Come yee blessed of my Father c. and abundance the like Scriptures by which terms either sex is to be understood now where the Scriptures set forth unto us the Saints and Church of Christ in the Feminine gender under the name and title of a woman then it notes unto us her fruitfulnesse in bringing forth unto God as well as unto men Jerusalem from above is the mother of us all Gal. 4. 26. Of us all that is of all those that are born of God which birth is spirituall and heavenly as before hath been shewed and in this sense she brings forth fruit unto God also Rom. 7. 4. And to men Gods elected servants shee is a nursing mother with bowels of compassion she hath two breasts full of sincere milk for her little ones that are young and for her strong and elder children shee hath stronger meat she killeth for them her beasts she hath wine and bread she furnishes her table Prov. 9. with a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow Isa. 25. 6. The fruit of the rightous is a tree of life and they that turn souls unto God are wise Prov. 11. 30. The children of this woman are the children of Wisdome our Lord speaks of who only are they that can testifie to the truth These are the wise that shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and these are they that turn many unto righteousnesse who shall be hereafter as glorious as the stars for ever and ever this is she whom God calls Sion and Jerusalem that bringeth glad tidings even the joyfull voyce the people in whose heart is Gods Law and covenant of life for ever in and by them preserved for they are the keepers of his truth and as they know the truth so they preach it and declare it it is a fountain in them Out of their bellies do flow rivers of water of life so also it is a store-house a magazine of the Lords provision abundance a plenty of things old and new this good man out of the treasury of his good heart bringeth forth that which is good this housholder is the Scribe instructed unto the kingdome of heaven who bringeth forth of his treasury things new and old their fountain is their own and not anothers it is only this spirituall and heavenly woman the Church of Christ who unfoldeth and maketh known to the world the manifold wisdom of God Eph. 3. 10. which woman sometimes according to the grace given her is called a holy woman a pure undefiled chast virgin behold these are my mother saith the Lord himself and sometimes gloriously described there appeared in heaven saith St. John a great wonder a woman clothed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of twelve stars great with child travelling in birth with pain ready to be delivered Rev. 12. 1 2. Observe this woman is continually fruitfull still increasing still big travelling and bringing forth unto God and as she is thus glorious in regard of her graces so in regard of her sorrows and sufferings she is called a barren woman by such harlots as call themselves the wife of Christ who not knowing the low the spirituall the humble penitent poor condition of the true Spouse despise her hate and contemn her as Hagar the bond-māid did her Mistress Sarah the free-woman and report of her that is the Lords love and delight as desolate and forsaken of her husband even a despicable and forlorn widow and shall so be accounted of all that are filthy till her sufferings are ended even as the off-scouring of the earth This holy Church of Christ is also described unto us in the Scripture under the Masculine appellation a man the first-born a man-child Israel saith the Lord by the Prophet is my first-born Deut. 4. 23. Let my son go saith the Lord for Israel is my son my first-born vers. 22. I am a father to Israel saith the Lord and Ephraim is my first-born Jer. 31. 9. where by Israel and Ephraim God means his faithfull chosen people his Church so the first and primitive fruit of the Church under the Gospel is called a man-child Rev. 12. 5. And shee brought forth a man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron Now this name or appellation of the Church notes out unto us two things First the honour and dignity of the Church that although now in this life they suffer and go by the worst of all carnall and outward Christians yet in the time to come they shall receive the self-same honour which to their Lord alone and in chief belongeth And as they shall have the same honour with their Lord Mat. 19. Rev. 2. so the Lord is pleased to be called by their title also Psal. 89. 27. I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth and then he speaks of his Church vers. 29. His seed also will I make to indure for ever and his throne as the dayes of heaven where he will place his Church with himself for evermore Mat. 9. 28. Rev. 2. 27.