Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	faith_n	soul_n	work_n	7,291	5	5.7496	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A97212	Caleb's inheritance in Canaan: by grace, not works, an answer to a book entituled The doctrine of baptism, and distinction of the covenants, lately published by Tho. Patient: wherein a review is taken, I. Of his four essentials, and they fully answered; ergo II. Dipping proved no gospel practice, from cleer scripture. III. His ten arguments for dipping refuted. IV. The two covenants answered, and circumcision proved a covenant of grace. V. His seven arguments to prove it a covenant of works, answered. VI. His four arguments to prove it a seale onely to Abraham, answered: and the contrary proved. VII. The seven fundamentals that he pretends to be destroyed by taking infants into covenant, cleeered; and the aspersion proved false. VIII. A reply to his answer given to our usual scriptures. For infant-subjects of the kingdom, in all which infant-baptism is cleered, and that ordinance justifyed, / by E.W. a member of the army in Ireland.	Warren, Edward, Member of the army in Ireland.	1655 (1655)	Wing W956; Thomason E856_2; ESTC R9139	117,844	134

were saved were Abrahams children and saved by Abrahams covenant And it is impossible that M. P. himself should ever be saved out of that covenant though at present he so much slights it The reproof therefore that was given to Dives was not because he called Abraham Father as one of his sons but because he lived as an Epicure and a glutton as the whole parable makes evident And methinks Abrahams Charity should be a sufficient reproof to Mr. P. for his want thereof whereas therefore he tels us we have found out a newer way to heaven then by the Doctrine of regeneration it is but a taunt wherein he discovers by what spirit he writes and speaks Let therefore such ingenious spirits to whom he makes his appeal judge righteous judgement CHAP. XII Wherein the fourth and fifth Fundamentals are maintained IV. P. pag. 79. THe next Fundamental he tells us we destroy by maintaining Circumcision a covenant of Grace Is the Doctrine of the new covenant the nature of it and the manner of Gods making of it with the soul in which he writes his Laws in the heart and pardons their sins infuseth Faith binds himself over to be their God without any condition in the creature And thus and no otherwise doth God make a new covenant with the soul whereas this dream would make us believe that a whole Nation may be in the new covenant and yet have no work of Grace wrought upon the heart A. That the new covenant hath conditions hath been already proved God neither pardons saves nor justifies any man without the condition of the covenant which ever was is and will be Faith and Repentance which two are of a large extent and brings in a close walking with God in his Word and Ordinances and leads to a holy life without which none shall ever see the face of God Look back to Abrahams covenant was it not made with him as a believer Rom. 4.3 what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousness Had not Abraham been a believer righteousness had not been imputed to him and that this is a condition the Apostle makes it cleer ver 23 24. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him But for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe So that faith is cleerly held forth as the condition both to Jew and Gentile Isa 56.6 He that keepeth the Sabboth from polluting it and taketh hold on my covenant Him will I make joyful in my house of prayer For my house shall be called the house of prayer of all Nations what covenant is this that a man must lay hold of but that of free-grace which relates to his house of prayer in all Nations For his Gospel-house with whom that covenant is made is as well called the house of prayer as the Temple so that look how far the house of prayer goes to that people and Nation both the Sabboth and Covenant goes also so as they must keep the one and take hold of the other Obj. But saith the opponent though Faith be the hand yet it is God that gives the hand so that still the Covenant is without conditions Ans This is still to argue pro and con For if Faith be the hand and condition of the covenant then it is on the creatures side that it is so and not on Gods And the covenant is not made with any creature till they have a hand to receive it And though it be given by free-grace yet when it is given it is the creatures hand as the hand and eye of my body it is free-grace that gives them but when they are given they are my hands and my eys And thus the Apostle argues it is of faith that it may be by grace and hereby grace doth abound that God should give the Gospel and Covenant upon conditions and when these conditions are wrought by his Grace yet he should look upon them as ours yea Mr Patient hath before acknowledged That faith is the condition of the covenant and therefore whereas he here tells us God infuseth faith and binds himself over to the soul without conditions it is a meer contradiction because that faith so infused is that condition which takes hold on the covenant and by this new covenant were Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph David Solomon Nathan and all the people of God under the old-Testament justifyed and saved into the visible part of which covenant all their seed was taken yea the whole Nation of Israel And that they shall be so taken in again see Rom. 11. at large compared with Jer. 31.1 therefore for him to call it a dream is not onely a discovery of his shallowness but also an affront put upon those holy worthies before mentioned by which he doth manifest it to the world affirming that the Covenant of Grace hath no conditions that he is a high Antinomian as well as an Anabaptist V. P. pag. 80. His next Fundamental is the doctrine of Justification by Faith which this opinion of Circumcision to be a covenant of Grace destroys in that it holds forth another way to obtain Justification by then faith which is by carnal birth of believing parents For if a soul be admitted into a covenant of life thereby I hope you are not ignorant that justification by faith is the great priviledge of the new covenant and really the portion of all that are in that covenant A. He here affirms two direct untruths But what 's that when there is nothing else to be found in his whole book 1 He tells us we hold another way of justification then faith by carnal birth c. which we abhor 2 Another gross untruth is That Justification to life is the real portion of all within the covenant of Grace Therefore let the former distinction be still minded and then it is apparent that we affirm no more but that believers seed have right to the external part of the covenant of grace which Circumcision was a part of as hath been proved as for the spiritual part of the covenant namely that justification by faith which he speaks of it hath ever been conveyed in a secret way of the spirits working upon the heart from which it is evident that persons may be visibly within the covenant and yet have no real work of Grace in their souls so as to be justifyed as those examples beforementioned do abundantly prove for then Judas had been really justifyed Take in also the parallel then al the members of their dipt societies would be really justifyed had we nothing else to plead but the sensible experience of these times it would be enough to shew the falsity of such an assertion for how many not onely of them but of others also have fallen away to diabolical delusions Thus far therefore we see those foundations by him pretended to be shaken remain notwithstanding his high swelling language untoucht and

he will make them smart and cry out under the stroke of his hand how did David roar under the wrath of the Almighty the whole book of Psalms shews us so Heman and Ephraim Manasses yea all the examples in Gods word and the experiences of Gods people they all speak out the truth Heb. 7.2 that Christ is first a King of righteousness before a King of Peace Therefore let such as fear the Lord remember the covenant of grace hath conditions such as God will whip his people into and if the Rod will not do his shepherds crook shall be laid on with strong blows by this way had David comfort Psal 23. And therefore tells us Psal 89.37 If Gods people sin and transgress his Law he will visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquities with stripes and though everlasting love is their portion yet that is the way he takes to breed them up to bring them to covenant conditions And though the Elect of God shall never finally fall away yet they may and do break and fall from the visible part of the covenant too often though they are brought in again and others fall off finally as did those primitive Apostates already mentioned So that place must be understood Joh. 15.2 4 5 6. which distinction Mr Patient must admit of and can never evade it All the rest of those scriptures by him brought to prove the absoluteness or sureness of the covenant or two covenan●s do bear the same interpretation take those two for instance Isaiah ●5 3 hea●ken to me incline your ear hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant c. So Heb. c. 17 18. wherein G●d willing to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed the same by oath to Abraham that by two immutable things in which it was impossible foy God to lye we might have strong consolation And though Mr Patient from thes● places concludes the covenant-mercy of David to be sure and so i●mutable yet there must be an inclining the ear and hearkening to the voice of God even of such as are really within the covenant and to such onely the covenant is sure But now there were many of the Church of the Hebrews that we have ground to judge were but visibly in covenant and so onely pretended heirs of promise and such were they that wer falling from Ordinances that forsook the assemblies sold their birth-right as those also already mentioned So that we still see the distinction holds some are really some onely visibly seemingly within the covenant P. Pa. 24 He afterwards brings many places to prove that the condition of the covenant which before he denyed is faith and repentance and they are wrought in the soul by God Answ That the condition of the covenant is so wrought is by us confest but yet we may here see how whiffling erroneous spirits are sometimes he affirms the covenant to be absolute sometimes that it is conditional that so he might have a starting hole to flye out at and let me remind him here that if he keeps to this principle that faith and repentance is the condition of the covenant he must according to the Scriptures admit of a visible being in the covenant as well as of an invisible in order to the communion of Saints in the world for there are many pretenders to those conditions and qual fications which yet by vertue of their profession cannot be denyed the seals of the covenant because they visibly submit to the terms thereof as is before proved P. The next thing he gr●sly errs in is page 37 where in his explaining that Text Gen. 3.17 of the seed of the woman he tells us it is meant of Christ That God would infuse or put into the womans seed his created gifts of holiness and purity Answ We may see what old Springs of error this book of h●s bubbles up withal For by this he makes Christ only a comple●t and perfect man as Adam before the fall with infused qualifications and by this made an unspotted Sacrifice by which the divine nature of Christ is taken away that he was not God as well as man and the Hypostatical union as Divines call it is by this d●stroyed contrary to the whole current of Gods word and directly opposing Joh. 1.1 2 3 10 14. And the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us ver 18. So Heb. 1.2 3. 1 Joh. 4.14 15. ch 5.1.7 10 1. mult●tudes o Texts might be added Arius thy error struggles to live wh●n th●n ●rt dead 2. When God saith I will put enmity betwixt thy seed and her seed we are not to understand it meerly of Christ but of the Infant-Ch●rch seed For so Eve by faith understood the promise Gen. 4.5 when S●th was born God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel whom Cain slew Which Infant-seed of the Church is as truely in covenant was and shall be to the worlds end as Adult believers and Satans malice is as much against them as the other in all ages as appears by Cains bloody Murther with Exod. 1.10 16. Mat. 2.16 Rev. ●2 2.13.17 Therefore Mr Patient in his often endeavours to cast out this seed of the Church by confining the Church either to Christ personally or Adult believers which so often he cals the spiritual seed doth but strive to do that now which if he will but read those places cited He may know who it was that studyed the same practice in former ages P. The 28 page tells us that the new covenant was never entailed upon any fleshly line or generation as the covenant of circumcision was but was still confirmed of God in Christ and to such onely in Christ as you finde in the promises to Abraham Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all nations of the earth be blessed In which there is no respect of persons in their blessings to life but all Nations in Christ as well one as another are blest and all out of Christ are accurst Answ It hath been befo e proved that the new covenant or covenant of grace hath a twofold part or branch the one invisible the other visible and both are the covenant The one relates to the grace of the covenant the other to mans duty in the use of Ordinances And this second part hath from the beginning run upon intail to believers and their seed even from the days of Adam to Christ and so since yea the promise which relates to the spiritual seed runs for the most part upon intail also though I do not say that all the seed of believers are so children of the promise For as the intail visibly took in all the seed of Abraham Ishmael as well as Isaac so Esau as well as Jacob Cain as well as Abel Ham and Japhet as well as Shem yet the seed by promise comes in by way of intayl to the children of promise As the covenant was entayled from

CALEB'S INHERITANCE IN CANAAN By GRACE not WORKS AN ANSWER To a Book Entituled The Doctrine of Baptism and distinction of the Covenants lately published by Tho. Patient Wherein a review is taken I. Of his four Essentials and they fully answered Ergo II. Dipping proved no Gospel practice from cleer Scripture III. His ten Arguments for dipping refuted IV. The two Covenants answered and Circumcision proved a Covenant of Grace V. His seven Arguments to prove it a Covenant of Works answered VI. His four Arguments to prove it a seale onely to Abraham answered and the contrary proved VII The seven Fundamentals that he pretends to be destroyed by taking Infants into Covenant cleered and the aspersion proved false VIII A Reply to his Answer given to our usual Scriptures For Infant-subjects of the kingdom in all which Infant-baptism is cleered and that Ordinance justifyed By E. W. a Member of the Army in Ireland Joh. 1.46 Can any good thing come out of Nazareth come and see Rev. 16 15. Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Zach. 13.4 5. And it shall come to pass in that day the Prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision and he shall say I am no Prophet I am a husband-man For man taught me to keep cattle from my youth London Printed for George Sawbridge at the sign of the Bible upon Ludgate-hill 1656. The Author to the Christian Reader especially such who are his Comrades and Brethren in the Armies of this Commonwealth I Shall tell thee no long story of experience to draw on thy belief to embrace either truth or error nor do I think that an Argument sufficient to perswade men besides their reason and Conscience T is that which Gods word condemns in that boasting Church who to intice and allure others cryed out she was rich and indued with substance and wanted nothing when yet she was poor and miserable and blind and naked He that hath faith in this sense let him have it to himself before God and happy is he that condemns not himself in the things he allows These are boasting days wherein men in false ways under false Ordinances pretend to have much communion with God A day is coming when their works will be manifest whether wrought in God or not when wood hey and stubble will be burnt up the work is already on the wheele and a poor doubting Christian then wil lye neerer Christs heart then fleshly boasters it is not mens pretences to be acquainted with the depths of God that will make them sound Christians such there were in the first times of the Gospel that would be talking of depths but the holy Ghost calls them Satans depths I could heartily wish that the Author of the new Doctrine of baptism had no cause to doubt of the currantness of his coin I mean of his principles for heaven but this I am bold to say that did I pretend to be such a master in the school of experience I should not onely question all my teaching but learning also especially when it comes with such high swelling words against the ways of God and let me tell thee though I have no cause to boast of any thing yet in this I will lay my experience against his rejoyce and boast with much confidence and assurance that those Ordinances which he calls counterfeits and cryes down for error c. and stamps such a black brand of reproach upon throughout his whole book shall stand and triumph as the glorious truths of Jesus Christ in matter of worship when all his mists and fogs shall be dispelled with the son of righteousness The Reasons of my undertaking this task are these which follow 1 First Because I thought men of parts and abilities as they would look upon the piece to be weak feeble and inconsiderate and to deserve no answer so their time was better imployed then to spare it to such a work 2 Secondly Lest any on the other hand out of ignorance should think it unanswerable as I hear many that cry it up who are ready to mis judge that our silence gives consent thereto 3 Thirdly Because most of his Arguments I perceive are such as I have lately seen in pieces long since publisht therefore the answer of him doth answer others of the same strain 4 Fourthly Because the standing for this truth for the interest of Infant Church-seed in the covenant is a sprig of generation work as the holy Ghost witnesseth Gen. 17.9 which yet is opposed by our dissenting friends I have therefore used this Trowel with those in Nehemiah 4. 5 Fiftly And to let good men know there are a few names in Sardis that have not defiled their garments who are apt to think the contrary 6 Sixthly And to give a hand to pull them out that are fallen into Rivers to reclaim their practice by informing their judgements or at least to cause them to make a halt and to go no further in error but remember from whence they are fallen and repent 7 Because the name T. P. is lookt upon as the chief in this moist clymate that bears away the bell and therefore fittest to be answered his name being so well known amongst us as also because though there hath been never so much said yet if it comes not forth as an Answer by name there is but few that will vouchsafe to give it the reading As if the most part of that judgement were resolved to act from implicite Faith or to bolt out the truth and shut out the light that shines in so many choice and learned pieces that are publisht both touching the covenant and baptism I cannot but think there are many censorious spirits who will be ready to smite with a reviling tongue because they are even ready to call the Master of the house Belzebub much more therefore a mean servant It is the common language of the children of Belial in these days that if a man do but speak a word for the Ministery and servants of God imployed in that work of double honor as I am here necessitated to do there goes a Priest-ridden fellow All I shall say to such is to remember what Paul saith of scoffing Ishmael Gal. 4.29 30. The spirit by which his book was penned I shall speak little to it here because occasion will be offered to meet with it so fully in the Answer onely this I will say that from one end to the other I have not met with one Scripture by him quoted but hath been most shamefully abused either in Explication or Application and if that large story of his experience were right vvhich he speaks of in his Epistle it is strange that a man so pretending should not hit the right mark of any one Text. God direct us to understand his Minde and Will that so vve may knovv the truth and hold it fast in erring days vvhen there are so many deceitful

branches which reaches into Gospel-days since the exhibition of Christ to the worlds end For which cause Abraham is called the Father of believers under the Gospel which could not be that we should be Abrahams children If the blessing of Abrahams covenant reacht onely to Christ as pointing at him for so we must have been Christs children not Abrahams 4 Then the Apostle knew not what he said Gal. 3.14 when he tels the Church That Abrahams blessing is come upon the Gentiles through Christ For if it were onely meant of Christ then it would lose the title of Abrahams blessing But though Christ be come yet the blessing is Abrahams blessing still yea Christ is come that he may conveigh the blessing from the Jews to us as heirs with them and not distinct from them and what blessing it should be called Abrahams which Christ should hand over to us if not the blessings of the covenant in all the veins thereof is not to be understood Therefore 5 As the promise oath and seal were joyned together to make the blessings of Abraham sure so were they all conveyed to us intirely to shew the immutability of his counsel and purpose to us as it did to the Jews Heb. 6.18 that so the heirs of Abrahams promise under the Gospel might have strong consolation And upon this account it was the Apostle in Rom. 4. bids them cast an eye back upon Abraham their father to see how he was justifyed which had it not been so they would have been sent to Christ as a pattern not to Abraham He should have been called their father not Abraham so when he tells the Galatians ch 4.28 in order to rectifie their judgements in the like mistake of Just●fication now ye brethren as Isaac was are the children of the promise It had been to no purpose unless Isaacs promise had remained for they could not be children of that which was not From all which we see into what mistakes he is got and how sadly bewildered with his own notions upon what sl ght promises he draws so high conclusions to make his ware vendible For notwithstanding any thing he hath spoken as Abrahams blessings and covenant do not cease though Christ be come so neither do we deny by this opinion of ours that Christ is come or do we expect another Christ to come as he suggests It therefore appears the covenant of grace is of such extent that it takes in thousands into the visible part thereof that shall never be saved so that still the objection which he saith is answered remains in full force and vertue that the priviledges are not straitned more then they were under the Law therefore as children were then in covenant and received the seal so are they still in covenant and the Gospel seal is their due and cannot be denyed them P. Pag 94. The new covenant was confirmed of God in Christ onely Gal. 3.17 therefore it cannot belong unto any souls out of Christ 1 Cor 11.25 This cup is the new Testament in my blood If the New Testament be in Christs blood then what hath any carnal unbelieving wretch to do with this Testament that hath not faith in his blood A. These Texts makes full against him For that place Gal. 3.17 tells us that Abrahams covenant which was 430 yeers before the Law was confirmed in Christs blood Therefore the Law coming after could not make the Promises of God of none effect If then Abrahams covenant in which children were included were confirmed in that blood this new covenant being the same with Abrahams as himself confesseth and confirmed by the same blood Infants are still within the same covenant For the covenant is in Christ Yea and Amen to all the persons included in the covenant As there is a double being in the covenant internal and external so a double being in Christ Joh. 15.3 4 which being well distinguisht will cleer all such doubts Some of the seed are onely in Christ externally as Ishmael Esau and others Internally also as Isaac Jacob and so in the covenant whether Adult or Infants the like to be said to 1 Cor. 11.25 That cup is the New Testament or a seal of the New-Testament to all that are within that Testament As Christs blood typically sealed the first Testament to Abraham and his seed so Christs blood seals the New-Testament to believers and their seed of which that cup is the Sacramental remembrance the like also to Mat. 3 17. my son in whom I am well pleased i. e. as God was well pleased with Abraham his seed by promise that were in the covenant co firmed by Christs blood so is he now well pleased with believers and their seed by promise in the same covenant confirmed by Christs blood The same answer is to be given to all the rest of those places by him quoted with which he fills many pages to prove that none can be in the covenant of Grace except he be first in Christ P. In pag. 95. He condoles the sadness of these times That when the means of grace and knowledge of the Gospel is so plentifully held forth yet we must be forc'd to bestow such pains to prove that men cannot be in a state of salvation and acceptation before God in a covenant of Grace without union with Christ by Faith A. Alas poor man he would fain be pittyed for the pains he takes but who is it that puts him to it but his own erring spirit which makes him afraid of his own shadow Is there any of us that affirms so wickedly that acceptation is to be had in God without union with Christ If not he deals the more deceitfully to suggest such things as if our Ministry did it Therefore 2 Whereas he saith the means of Grace hath been pl●ntifully held forth It seems it is not by his opposites the publike Ministers For how can such hold forth the means of Grace that shall affirm such an acceptation is to be had without such an union which he affirms to be the principles of those that plead for infant-baptism but blessed be God If you have no better warrant to justifie your irregular and unnatural practice withal and condemn ours then such calumnies the experience of these days speaks aloud who it is that have held forth the means of Grace and glorious light of the Gospel It is evident enough from the budding and fructility of Aarons rod of whom it may be said they preach with Authority and not as the Scribes for their rods are dry and barren because they preach not conversion but subversion I shall touch upon a Scripture or two more leaving the rest for the Reader to answer in his own thoughts For indeed not one of them proves any thing he asserts Joh. 14.6 Mat. 7.14 He that hath Christ hath life he that hath not Christ hath not life we say the same but he that hath not Christ spiritually may have a visible right to the

Rock and Manna a type of Christ from hence the sense of the Text is drawn plain That as the spiritual disciple or Israelite is baptized into Christ so the temporal Israelite was baptized to Moses in the cloud and sea and they are called spiritual meat and drink by a figure A. He hath no way to put off his false doctrines but by turning all Scriptures into allegorical notions for what exposition he hath here given is as much besides the Text and as unlikely to be true as for me to say the man in the Moon is like M. P. for let us but consider that those Sacraments were spiritual to Israel as Gods Church as the Sacraments of the Gospel were spiritual to the Church of Corinth Now the Apostle in drawing the parallel doth not speak of a spiritual Church in a carnal Church or a spiritual Israelite and a carnal Israelite thereby making onely some to be baptized to Moses but tells as plainly they were all baptized to Moses Whereas this whimsical notion would make us believe there were some of Israel not baptized to Moses and when Paul saith they did all eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink M. P. tells us directly contrary You see then with what evidence of truth he speaks when the Authority of an Apostle must vail before him and though he saith the Sacraments are spiritual by a figure yet if he were askt by what figure he must either give a Parrots answer or say nothing albeit he shews his ignorance to be medling and his confidence I am unwilling to call it worse to notionallize the Sacraments themselves as if they were not a spiritual meat and a spiritual drink to the Church of God By which we see rather then he will have any dependance upon the Law he will run beyond the Gospel P. p. 127. Those typical signes and figures then which typed out Christ to come did properly belong to the typical seed the body of Israel that typed out the spiritual seed to come in Gospel-Ordinances instituted since Christ came which are for confirm ng that he is come and these belong only to the spiritual seed in whom Christ is come already dwelling in their hearts by Faith A. Here is such a pack of distinct●ons that were not I believe heard of in past ages It seems the spiritual Israel had no need of Ordinances for they did not properly belong to them but to the carnal lump and why then should Abel Noah Abraham and all the seed by promise be sacrificers why then should David cry out after those water brooks and even envy at the happiness of those birds who had their nests neer the Altar 2 If the body of Israel did type out the spiritual seed to come under the Gospel then whom did the spiritual seed of Israel type out either no body or by opposition the carnal Gospellers for the spiritual Israel were types though yet the carnal Israel or the body of Israel it will be hard to prove them types especially in that nature unless they were types of the Roman Apostasie 3 If temporal Israel did then type out the spiritual Israel now then their Apostasie backslidings divorce and casting off must type out the divorce apostasie backslidings and casting off the spiritual seed 4 If the carnal seed in those typical Ordinances did type out none but spiritual seed to be admitted to Gospel-Ordinances then all that are now Church-members must needs be spiritual and so there are no hypocrites now in the Church Let the world judge whether this is not wretched stuffe which yet is the natural consequence of thi● unnatural distinction P. 128. It was not necessary that all that were Circumcised should believe and repent and so be first made Disciples but Baptism is a confirmation of our Regeneration and our New-birth and Union with Christ by Faith And therefore belongs to them only that are regenerated and born again of water and the Spirit so the Lords Supper Let a man examine himself c. A. It was necessary that Abraham should be a believer before Israel could be circumcised For had not Abraham believed there had been no such seal given to his family as is already proved 2 To let pass his Tautologies as the least of his offence If baptism belongs onely to such as are regenerated why was Judas Demas Magus and those Act. 20.29 30. baptized or how shall it be known who is new-born or can it confirm Grace where there is none what confirmation was it of the New-birth to Judas and the rest surely his words must admit of a large charity to think that all that are dipt have truth of Grace confirmed in them thereby P. Pag. 130. The carnal Israelite was as capable to perform every Ceremonial Law without Faith as truely as the Believers A. A man had need of a belief of the biggest size also to credit this for the true performance of those typical Sacrifices was not barely in the work done but when the worshippers had an eye to Christ which the true believer then ever had For the main ing edient to make that worship truly performed was Faith then as it is now and he might with as much truth say that he that is formal in Gospel-duties either in prayer hearing receiving doth as truely perform them as he that is a true believer It is to me a most unsavory expression and such loose stuffe that surely if there be any close-walking Friends to the truth they cannot but reprove such loose doctrines P. Ibid. There is no less then a profession of Faith required in the Church of England before baptism and therefore this doth justifie what we hold and condemn what they practice A. He begins now to flye low to seek to streng hen his feeble practice by the Liturgy and Canon of the Church of England who before doth seemingly rejoyce that he is converted both from their doctrines and practice but what if they do hold that profession of Faith and Repentance should precede baptism so do we all And as Faith was to Abraham and is to us the condition by which all our seed is taken into covenant with the Parent so baptism seals the covenant and upon this ground Peter moved his hearers to be baptized he backeth the motion not barely from their own interest in the promise as personal believers but upon the joynt interest of their children with them upon their Parental believing Act. 2.38 39. Repent and be baptized For the promise is to you and your children implying that the covenants sealed should run as largely as the covevenant As it was to the grand covenant Parent of all the heirs of promise i. e. Abraham Thus all Noahs children were bap●ized in that typical baptism with their believing parents in the Ark 1 Pet. 1 3 21. Gen. 7.1 which was upon the same covenant-account that Abraham and his seed were circumcised and that a parental covenanting

they have addicted themselves to the ministerie of the Saints That yee submit your selves to such and to every one that laboureth with us where saith Master Patient wee see they were all ministers and men that laboured with the Apostles therefore not Babes or Children Answ The Apostle doth not say they were all Ministers or such as laboured in the word and doctrine as he did himselfe But they are so said to Minister because they addicted themselves to the ministring to the Saints in a way of Hospitalitie for so the word is taken for releeving the Poor and so the same chap. refers to 1 Cor. 16. namely a free liberall and charitable collection for the poor Saints verse 1.2.3 and 2 Cor 8.4 chap. 9.1 now as touching the Ministring to the Saints 't is superfluous for me to write c. In which places the same word is used as here in this example of Stephanus and his house who addicted themselves to the Ministerie of the Saints by which it appeares that as the Apostle had boasted of others in the former chap. so in this also hee commends the freeness and Hospitalitie of Stephanus because in such actions there is much heart-sinceritie to be seen in entertaining poor Christians This being so Then t is no hard matter to know who is meant by the house of Stephanus which Paul Baptized For though the servants 't is likely might be gracious and full of love to poor Christians yet by the word house is property meant Parents and Children and 't is very unlikely the servants of the house should be so free and hospitable of their Masters goods And as for the Children they were taken in by their Parents Actions and so the whole house is commended For the hospitalitie of Stephanus and his yoakfellow as 't is usuall in such causes to say such a house is noble and free when 't is meant onely of the heads and chief of the family and these were the persons that Paul presseth the Church to honour and esteem and to submit to such And not to such onely but to every one also that helpeth with us and laboureth But 't is a stretcht inference to say that because his house addicted themselves to the ministrie of the saints therefore they were all preachers and such as laboured in the Gospell and the Church was to submit themselves to all the houshold i. e. servants and all as ministers therefore no Children The like also the Apostle prest them in the following verse to submit to Fortunatus and Achicus who came with a seasonable and refreshing releef and supply to their wants therefore acknowledg ye them that are such verse 18. i. e. such who minister releef to Christians in necessitie So Matth. 8.15 't is said that Peters Wives Mother ministred to Christ Master Patient surely will not be so far besides himselfe to think that she preacht to Christ as a minister from what then hath been also said to this instance 't is abundantly clear to any sober spirit who is willing to search after truth and not take things barely upon the count of Master Patients word Our opposites have not so honestly quitted themselves in al their writings in interpreting this text to lay a snare or decoy to intrap or intice people into the lake of error by saying that here was none but Adult-beleevers in this house when as the tenor of those Scriptures hitherto which related to housholds hath still run to the children upon the parents beleeving Quest But how shall I know whether when the Scripture speaks of house there were any Children for the word is not exprest they might be housholds and yet no Children Answ 'T is the common way in finding out the mind of God in Scriptures to compare them that so what is darke in one may be cleard by the other And since the spirit of God at the first tender of the Gospell did delight to speak to Jew and Gentile in the Old Testament Dialect as to say of Lydea She and her House the Jaylor and his House Cornelius and his House Stephanus and his House Zacheus and his house so Crispus believed in God with all his house the house of Aristobulus the house of Narcissus it is as if he had said If you would know what I mean by this word house then look back to my First will and Testament for what it was then it is now Therefore when upon review we shall finde in the Old Testament there were Children mentioned and chiefly included It will be then an undoubted truth to say and maintain That in all these houses mentioned to be baptized there were Children which properly gave the denomination and they all baptized whilest little ones upon the Belief or Covenant-right of their Parents See Gen. 12.3 In thee shall all the families of the Earth be blessed Who are so properly the Family as Children Chap. 30.30 And when shall I provide for my own house also Who was that house that Jacob was bound to look after and provide for but his Wife and Children And Chap. 45.18 19. Then said Pharaoh Say unto thy Brethren take your Father and your Houshold and come unto me And Verse 19 it is explained to be heir little ones Wives and Fathers So Num. 3.15 2 Sam. 23.5 Josh 24.15 So the Apostle He that provides not for his own house i. e. His Children is worse then an Infidel and hath denied the Faith 1 Tim. 5.8 What denying the Faith can this be for such as profess Christ if it be not the Faith of that Covenant of Grace into which Believers and Professing-Christians with their Seed are admitted The neglect of a Heathen-Parent in not providing for his Children cannot be called a denying the Faith but the denying the Law of Nature But the neglect of Christians in not providing for their Children is a denying the Faith because visibly within the Covenant Exod. 1.1 Prov. 31.11 1 Sam. 20.15 2 Sam 9.3 9. 1 King 17 1● 13 21 22 23. Psal 127.1 3. Prov. 12.7 Hos 1.4 1 Tim 3 4 5. 5.4 8. 2 Tim. 1.16 A full Text also is That where the Prophet speaks of Israels conversion and gathering under the Faith of Christ yet to be fulfilled Jer. 1.1 At that time saith the Lord will I be the God of all the Families of Israel and they shall be my people A Text so remarkable that it is enough to convince any man that look what God was to Israel and the Families of Israel in blessing them as their God i. e. aged in Covenant with them and their ●eed so he will be the same God again to Israel and their Families in Gospel-days Which ●ime is near at hand and they and their Seed whilst Babes shal be his people so that either our opposits must oppose that doctrine of the Jews conversion when both they and their Children shall be brought into the Faith of Christ or else of necessity they must acknowledge the

truth by us maintained Now then to sum up all the premisses considered and that upon the advantage the Spirit of God puts into our hands in explaining what is meant by the word house himself who is a better Expositor then Mr. Patient or any else We see the whole Catalogue or Cloud of Family-Witnesses and Examples in Scripture do give in their Light and Testimony to Abrahams Infant-seed And that when the Scripture speaks of Housholds baptized it is meant Parents and Children and when a Master of a Family was converted and became the son of Abraham as Zacheus though a Gentile his Seed or House also were taken visibly into Covenant Luke 10 3 6. So that by this time we see the vanity and self-confidence of this Author to speak such bitter words of Gall and Wormwood as he doth in page 23. against a world of people who as he saith from Custom and Tradition run headlong after this Idol of mans invention By which it is evident That whosoever embraceth not this new doctrine of dipping which hath already been proved not Apostolical he is no otherwise look'd upon or esteemed then yea called an Idolater And thus not onely the Truths of God and Priviledges given to all Gods people suffer but also the Powers and Authorities of these Nations come to be undervalued slighted and contemned for practising or countenancing such Idolatries Thus the dark-side of the Cloud by this appears onely to such spirits when the Israel of God i e Abrahams Seed have light within their dwellings Ye therefore who have upright hearts to God and his ways that have been hitherto led in these untrodden paths and so have lost the way enquire after the footsteps of the flock and have more pity to your own bowels Cut not off their entail to Grace by losing your visible right and title to the Covenant in which the invisible part thereof is conveyed What though they are born in sin and iniquity yet the Promise reaches them whilst yong as it reached Isaac when a Childe If you are not wanting in your duties your children have a Gospel-right the Seed of the Jews had it yea they shall have it again to the same Covenant Take heed least your Children cry our against you at the last day and say their cruel Parents took away their Bread and gave away their birth-right for nought Let me therefore say with the Prophet It hath and shall be for a lamentation to see Christians kick against their own mercies And let me leave this with you Mr. Patient Ro. 2.22 thou that abhorrest an Idoll doe not commit sacriledg by stealing away a Church ordinance from those to whom God hath given it Thus far his four Essentialls are weighed over which we may write that superscription Daniel 8.15 Mene Mene tekel vpharsin thou art weighed in the ballance and found too light CHAP. VI. Page 23. 24. Is a preludium to the subsequent chapter touching the Covenant WEE are now come to view that passion of Weakness that lies in those two Pages and first of his distinction given of Idolatrie which though I grant to be good yet he still mistakes in application for hee comes again to tell us that in the room of this precious Ordinance of God the dipping of beleevers which Christ hath confirmed by his blood is set up an Idoll of mans invention namely the sprinkling of Carnall poor infants and doubtless if there be an Idoll in the world now set up amongst men this must needs be one in his sence because he hath learnt this to be an Idoll either the worshipping a false God or the true God in a false manner c. Answ Let any reader Judg whether this man of the waterie element doth not speak with as high a piece of confidence as if he had a spirit of infallibilitie to judg our practice by hee tells us that dipping of beleevers was an ordinance confirmed by the blood of Christ therefore sprinkling of Children must needs be an Idoll his Allegatitions have been examined in all the parts thereof and we still find notwithstanding any thing he hath said to the contrarie that Childrens Baptism remains an Ordinance That dipping is not the way of the Gospel and therefore I must tell him that dipping was never confirm'd by Christs blood Ergo He speaks untruths in the name of the Lord neither is it an Idoll of the first or second magnitude no Image of Baptism set up in the room thereof by mans invention which are terms by him used to bespatter the truth But the contrary is proved The Administrators Right a person qualified and ordeined the manner by sprinkling or pouring out water Right the form of words Right and the subject Right And therefore an Ordinance that shal stand mauger al the malice of men as a pretious Ordinance of Iesus Christ so long as the Sun Moon endures And therefore instead of your appealing to men since there hath been enough said If you and I had never written let us appeal to God and let all those that own their childrens right in the Covenant say Amen In Page 25 he concludes again that Infant Baptism is corrupt in the four Essentialls aforementioned Answ First then by his own words t is not anihillated but onely Corrupted and that a person though corruptly Baptiz'd ought not to be Baptiz'd that being already prooved But Secondly He reckons without his host and therefore must come to a new accompt They are not Essentialls nor any of them as laid down by him but whimsies of his own brain therefore The next thing we are to follow him in is the business of the Covenants with its distinctions and extent from which he undertakes to prove that Infants are not subjects of Baptism Though we have hitherto built upon a good Foundation yet if hee shakes down his main pillar it will be time to forsake the house But before wee can come to his Arguments we must passe by many falsitis and prolocutions and goe through many impertinencies which must be born withall amongst the Patrons of Error The first thing he deals with is A pretended false consequence which he saith wee draw from scripture to maintain Infant-Baptism It runs thus The Covenant of Grace is made with beleevers and their seed Therefore the seale of the Covenant belongs to them To disprove which he tells us 't is against the Law of the new Testament Answ The new Testament is Christs last will to his Church in which hee shews forth more love then he did in his first Testament which was made to the same Church and the Covenant of Grace in the spirituall part thereof is the same in both If therefore in the old Testament which was his first Legacie hee took Children into his kingdom and yet now his bowels should be shut against them who are not then called into libertie but a greater bondage then before But grace in the Covenant being unchangeable therefore Children