workes of Abraham but yee seeke to kill me who tell you the truth this did not Abraham I must therefore tell you whose children you are yee are of your father the â—â—vâ—ll and his workes yee doe repent yee therefore and bring forth fruits worthy amendment of life and thinke not to say with your selves you have Abraham to your father for now the Axe is laid unto the root of the tree and every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is to be hewne downe and cast into the fire Matth. 3. 10. 11. which is you must not now thinke to profit your selves by pleading your naturall descent or birth from faithfull Abraham But you must be borne againe and have faith in your owne person as he had and doe the workes which he did else you are to be cut downe and cast out as unprofitable trees for now every naturall branch of all that natural tree or stocke of you Iewes whereof Abraham is your roote if it be not transplanted by my spirit into me the true Vine and so to be inabled to bring forth fruit in mee is to be taken away by my Father the husbandman but such as in me bring forth fruit he will purge that they way bring forth more fruit Jo. 15. 1. 2. Now then to shut up all put case it be granted which is not true that all the children of Believers are those to whom the promise belongeth are within the Covenant are elected yea and had faith also yet notwithstanding can they not warrantably be baptized untill they doe manifest and declare the same by profession this is apparent by the doctrine and practice first of Iohn Matth. 3. 6. 8 9. Mark 1. 4. Secondly of Christ and his Apostles Ioh. 3. 22. compared with 4. 1. 2. Act. 2. 38. 41. and 8. 12. 36. 37. and thirdly by the tenor of the Commission Matth. 28. 29. Mar. 16. 15. 16. 1. By this we may partly see the grosse mistake of all such great Clerks of our times which confound these two Covenants of Law and Gospell and make them both as one in substance and different onely in circumstance as in administration or in degrees the one more darke the other more light c. whereas indeed they are no lesse different then old and new workes and faith nature and grace then the Administration of condemnation and the administration of righteousnesse or than the letter killing and the spirit giving life 2 Cor. 3. 6. 7 8 9. or than a state of bondage and a state of sonnes Gal. 4. 21. c. And from hence this errour comes that in their teachings and writings they make such a kinde of hodge podge of the doctrine of the Gospell and so intermix Grace and Workes Truth and Error and distill thereby such a spirit of giddinesse into the hearts of their hearers that for the most part they walke in a circular maze or as in a twilight left between legall terrors and Gospel hopes betweene consolations and consternations of spirit all the dayes of their lives and never come to find that spiritual life brought to light by the glorious Gospel nor that rtyumphant state of son-ship and freedome purchased them by Jesus Christ through faith in his blood The Apostle tels the Church of the Romanes Chap. 6. 14. That sinne should not have dominion over them the reason hee addes because they were not under the Law but under grace whence it is evident to be under the Law is to be under the dominion of sinne and consequently of death Now therefore by how much any by their teachings doe confound Law and Gospell by so much they seeke to bring us or rather deteine us in Bondage to sinne And hence also followes that grosse error of admitting of Infants and a naturall seed as right Subjects of Paptisme and of the Gospell Priviledges These two errors like Hypocrites Twynnes smile and weep stand and fall together For if the doctrine of free grace by Iesus Christ in its native luster were once distinctly set out and the Spirituality thereof in its fullnesse of Beauty and glory clearely laid open It would then evidently appeare to all men that none ought to partake of such a spirituall estate and worship without being made sutable thereunto by Regeneration manifested by their Faith and Obedience to the Gospell But how sutable such Spirituall worship and Churches would be to a Priestly Levitical gay Clergy let the wise judge I cannot but much suspect that they do finde farre more sweetnesse and relish in their revenewes of hundreds per annum gleabes tithes c. Though it be from the world in a Church then they have hopes to finde in any thing from any such Church in the world I conceive therefore that there is no more hope to see that Tribe stoope so low or forget themselves so much as to owne and beare witnesse to this truth then there is to see them to allow the Doctrine and Practise of blessed Saint Paul Act. 20. 17. 34 35. to be now of use and immitation in our times or then to allow the speeches of Iesus Christ Mar. 12. 38 39 40. Luk. 11. 44. 52. Mat. 15. 14. To appertaine aswell to the Clergy of this Age as to them of any former age yea and aswell as to the learned Scribes c. of whom they were immediately spoken Wherefore to prevaile with these men in this point there is yet one Argument onely wanting to wit certaine revenews of 3. 4. or 500. per annum for each of them with which Argument I doubt not But one might convince the Judgements of a hundred in one day easier then a hundred can one in a whole yeare without it So prevalent is the world with our corrupt natures as by dayly experience is seene But these Arguments are of the earth earthly and sutable to earthly affections which men ought to mortifie and to have their conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 19. 20. Col. 3. 2 3. And seriously to consider Christs Arguments who reasons quite contrary telling us of denying our selves and taking up our Crosses dayly Luk. 9. 23. Of being sent as Sheep amongst Wolves Mat. 10. 16. Of being hated of all men Mat. 10. 22. Of suffering hunger and nakednesse 1 Cor. 4. 11. 2 Cor. 11. 27. Persecution tribulation affliction reproach imprisonment distresse yea death it selfe for his sake Mat. 24. 9. Io. 15 20. Luk. 21. 12. 2 Tim. 3. 12. 2. Cor. 6. 4 5. and 12. 10 And that except we first count our Costs and forsake all for Christs sake and the Gospells we cannot be his Disciples here in this world nor raigne with him in the Kingdome and world to come Luk. 14. 26 27 28. 33. Io. 12. 25. 2 Tim. 2. 12. 2. And from confounding of these two Covenants and States of Law and Gospell ariseth another great error and that of no small consequence For from hence as I conceive the Papists have brought in many disorders into
waited in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saved by water the like figure whereunto Baptisme doth now also save us by the resurection of Iesus Christ These then being only figures and allusions cannot serve at all to prove the point in hand Object There be divers other Baptismes as that of the Holy Ghost being inward and spirituall and the effect of the other which if a man hath that in water being an outward thing is not needfull Answ To which I answer that this in water being commanded us of God it must needs be our duty to submit thereunto unlesse we will reject the counsell of God against our selves as the Pharisees and Lawyers did Luke 7. 30. And deeme our selves wiser then God who commanded it and by slighting and neglecting the same become guilty of disobedience which is as the sinne of Witchcraft 1 Sam. 15. 23. Object But now as Circumcision is nothing nor Vncircumcision but a new Creature so Baptisme is nothing for Christ is now all in all Answ It 's true that now Circumcision is nothing nor Vncircumcision whereby to difference or preferre one man before another now in time of the Gospell but a new creature yet hence to conclude that therefore Baptisme is nothing is very absurd it being commanded us unlesse to obey and disobey Christ were all one and yet in some sence Baptisme is nothing but it s in the same sense as Prayer hearing and Preaching is nothing yea and as Faith it selfe is comparatively nothing to Christ who is all in all For in all our duties of obedience wee ought so to make and esteeme him but by our slighting of his commands instead of making him all in all we do make him nothing in all and all in nothing and our selves nothing at all But these and the like Aeriall Notions I thinke scarce worth answering holding firmely this conclusion that as Christ hath redeemed us both bodies and Spirits 1 Cor. 6. 20 so he requireth us and it is our duties to worship him in both not onely to believe him in the heart but to confesse him also with the mouth and with the whole man to yeeld him obedience to all his Ordinances and Commands without which we cannot approve our selves to love him nor be his Disciples indeed and truly Io. 15. 10. 15. 22. And it much pitties me to see such curious conceits and sublime Notions should be the ruine of so many precious Spirits as it is to be feared they will be 5. But their fifth and maine argument is yet behinde from the Covenant which God made with Abraham and with his seed Gen. 17. And hence thus they reason as the Covenant and promises were made to Abraham being a faithfull man and his seed and thereupon all his seed were circumcized in time of the Law so the same Câ—venant and promises are made to them being Beleevers and their seed And therefore their seed may now upon the same ground be Bapâ—ized To which I answer that neither Abraham nor his seed were circumcized because the Covenant was made with him for the Covenant was made with him above twenty yeares before Circumcision was Instituted as may appeare by comparing Gen. 12. 2 3. with Gen. 16. 3. and 17. 25. And yet all this time Abraham was not circumcized neither had he or any of his seed ever bin circumcized for his being in the Covenant had not the Lord afterwards expresly commanded the same Nor was that Covenant made with Abraham and his seed meerely for his being a faithfull man for then should it have bin made with Noah being a faithfull man but for his being such a faithfull man whom the Lord pleased to chuse and set out as a Patterne to all Beleevers Rom. 4. 23 24. And to be a Father of many Nations Rom. 4. 17 18. And in whose seed all the Nations in the world should be blessed Act. 5. 25. and 13. 23. to wit in Christ who was to come of his flesh And therefore although the Covenant and Promises were made to Abraham and his seed yet the consequence will not follow that the Covenant is likewise made with all Beleevers and their seed for Beleevers only are the seed and the seed only and none of them a Father in the Gospell sence nor any other save only Abraham to whom and his seed the Covenant and Promises are made wherefore to affirme that every Beleever hath now the same Covenant and Promises made to him and his seed as Abraham had to him his seed is very absurd and is all one as to say that now every Beleever by his beleeving doth immediately become a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham And if so I demand then where are any seed if all be Fathers For their seed and their seeds seed are all members of the Church and to be accounted faithfull and so to be all Fathers of the faithfull as well as Abraham from Generation to Generation to the worlds end Or more plainely thus promising onely this truth that there is now no difference betweene any Circumcision or Vncircumcision Iew or Gentile bond or free Male or Female But all are one in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. 28. I thus expresse my selfe if every beleever by his beleeving doth become a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham then it must be at the very instant of his beleeving that he doth become a father of the faithfull as well as Abraham and if so where then will be any Children to all these Fathers for none can be Children before they be faithfull and also at the same instant cease to be Children and become Fathers which implies a flat contradiction and then how can Abraham himselfe be father of all Beleevers Rom. 4 11 12. Or how then can the Promise be sure to all the seed if Beleevers Children be the seed for they will not affirme that all their Children are saved But this is affirmed of all the seed to whom the Promise is made Rom. 4. 16. Heb. 6. 16 17. compared with Gal. 3. 29. Now then if the Promise be sure unto all the seed unto whom it is made and all Beleevers and onely all Beleevers the Promise is sure to Then all Beleevers and onely all Beleevers are the seed unto whom the Promise is made and then none of Abrahams owne naturall seed nor the naturall seed of any other in the world are to be accounted the seed unto whom the Promise and Covenant is made untill they beleeve Rom. 9. 7 8. Rom. 4. 13 14. Gal. 3. 7. 9. This then being a most evident truth it may in no wise be granted that the Covenant is made with all Beleevers as with Abraham or that the Promise is made unto all these as unto Abraham or that all these are fathers as Abraham for all these are the seed and the onely seed and Children of Abraham And those to whom the Covenaâ—t and
the Gospell worship As nationall Churches Oblations Sacrafices first fruits Tythes Offerings Holy Ceremonies Holy Dayes Holy feasts Holy Temples Holy Altars Holy Places Holyest places Holy Persons Holy Garments Musicke c. And many other pretty trinkets of that kinde And into Government Office and Ministery likewise variety of sorts as Sextons Clarkes Curates Vicâ—ars Parsons Singing-men Orgenists Canons Petty-Canons Prebends Deans Arch-Deacons Abbotts Lord Abbotts Lord Bishops Lord Arch-Bishops Chancellors Officialls Commissaries Doctors Proctors Apparitors c. with a rable of them even to the Pope himselfe alluding to Moses Aaron and to the Kings and State of Israel Hence also collaterally have they brought the power of the Civill Magistrate into the Church as their Executioners and as subordinate and particular heads under the Pope the universall head who challengeth hence most wickedly to dispose of their Crownes and Kingdomes at his pleasure being willingly ignorant that the State and Church of the Iewes is to be considered in a two-fold respect one as it was a civill State and Common-wealth and Kingdome in respect whereof it was common to other Civill States and Kingdomes in the world the other as it was the Church of God and in relation thereto had Worship Commandements a Kingly office and government which no other state or Kingdome had or ought to have for herein it was altogether typicall this Kingly office and government in relation to the Church concentred only in Christ who now is onely the head King and Law-giver to Israel his Church and admitts of no other head to his Church subordinate or otherwise in any respect Ephes 1. 22. and 4. 15 and 5. 23. Col. 1. 18 2. 10. 19. 1 Pet. 2. 7. For this State being sprituall admits of none but him their spirituall King Head and Law-giver Iam. 4. 12. Hence the Gospel is called the Gospell and word of this Kingdome Mat. 4. 12 and 13. 19 Acts 2. 25. And the true Ministery of the Gospel a Ministery of the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. whereby men being converted to God are said to be translated into the Kingdome of his deare sonne Col. 1. 13. Hence God proclaimes from heaven commanding us only to heare and obey his Sonne Matth. 17. 5. he being the Christ of God Luke 9. 20. Hence Christ himselfe declares to us that all power in heaven and earth is given to him and commands his Disciples therefore in his name and by vertue of his power and authoritie alone to goe into all Nations and make Disciples baptizing them c. Matth. 28. 18. 19. And this honour of being Head of his Church gives hee to none at all by deputation or otherwise in any kinde it being the greatest prerogative and dignity for the greatest Monarch upon earth to become a true member and subject of Jesus Christ in his Church under the Gospell for by his being so he is made a childe of God a fellow heire with the Saints in light Col. 1. 12. yea a coheire with Iesus Christ of the everlasting Inheritance Kingdome and Glory Rom. 8. 16. 17. And the same honour have all the Saints for there is no respect of persons with God Col. 3. 25. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Jude 16. Eph. 6. 9. Iam. 2. 1. 2. 3. 9. and this will one day be made manifest to all men when Christ shall say Bring hither those mine enemies that would not that I should raigne over them and slay them before mee Luke 19. 27. At which time hee will be terrible to all yea to the greatest Monarches upon earth which rebell against him Psal 76. 12. and 82. all the Psalme Be wise now therefore yee Kings be instructed yee Iudges of the earth serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce with trembling kisse the sonne lest hee be angry and yee perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little then will it be manifest that they and onely they are blessed that put their trust in him Psal 2. 10. 11. 12. 3. This may likewise teach us to see and bewaile the great apostafie both in faith and worship that is brought into the world by this childish baptisme And what a glorious uniforme Babilonish Tower the man of sinne hath reared upon this rotten foundation bringing there by whole Nations at once into subjection to his carnall worship and indeed what is more sutable to his carnall Gospell and Worship then such carnall worshipers and nothing more conduceth to his Exaltation nor better serveth to the maintenance of him and his sutable Clergie in all their riches Pompe and Pride then this nay how possibly could he otherwise have corrupted the whole Earth and brought whole Nations to admire and follow and worship the Beast as he hath done And why then think we of reformation of Religion continuing this foundation Can we wash the Black-more white Or give spirituall life to a whole nation in a lumpe Hath God any such need of worshipers as to accept such lip-service meerely compelled by the laws and commandements of men Isa 29. 13. Mat. 15. 8 9. Is not every man first to be perswaded of the truth in his owne mind before he worship else is he not damned in himselfe Rom. 14. 5. 23. And who art thou that judgest and usurpest Authority over another mans servant 1 Cor. 7. 23. Seeing likewise the Church of England in the 13. article of her doctrine doth maintaine and a verre that works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his spirit are not pleasant to God for as much as they spring not of faith in Iesus Christ neither doe they make men meete to receive Grace or deserve grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sinne And this then being so what spirituall house thinke we can be built unto God upon such a carnall foundation May we expect grapes of thornes or figs of thistles must not the Tree first be made good and then the fruite had not God respect first to Abell and then to his Offering hath not God long since abrogated the state of the Iewes under the law and cast off Israel according to the flesh the naturall seed of Abraham to whom and his seed the promises were made Gal. 4. 29 30. Ioh. 8. 34 35. 36. And do we thinke to bring in the naturall seed of us Gentiles as acceptable on Gods Altar none in the time of the Gospell when the true seed is produced Gal. 3. 19. and when onely spirituall worship and worshipers are accepted Io. 4. 23. must the parents whether Iew or Gentile needs be borne againe of the spirit and onely by faith become the seed of Abraham and heires according to promise Gallathians 3. 7. 29. Romanes 4. 11 12. And shall their children become the same seed by nature can our natures produce a spirituall seed to Abraham which Abrahams owne nature never did nor could doe Rom. 9. 7. 8. Ioh. 3. 6. Neither can any shew any one such promise to any Believer in all the whole world and his seed as was and is to Abraham his seed who is therefore the father of us all to wit of all Believers and onely of Believers sew and Gentile father and child c. Rom. 4. 16. and therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed but the promise is sure only to Believers therefore Believers only are the seed of Abraham to whom the promise and ordinance of the new Testament doe properly appertaine Againe That administration of Baptisme which overthrowes the very nature of the Covenant of Grace and whole Gospell of Christs is Antichristian and abominable But the administration of baptisme upon Infants doth so because it stands upon the ground and interest which they have in the Covenant by naturall generation onely or by the meere profession of faith in the Parents or Sureties without faith in their owne persons whereby faith is made void and the promise which is the Gospel and Object of Faith is also made of none effect and so the preaching thereof becomes uselesse and vaine also Rom 4. 14. therefore the administration of Baptisme upon Infants is Antichristian and abominable These things being so it is most certaine that the baptisme of Infants is the greatest delusion and a thing of as dangerous consequence as ever the Man of Sin brought into the world and therefore the greatest maintainers thereof are justly to be esteemed the greatest deluders wherefore it is high time for us to looke about us to awake out of this drunken slumber and to see how hitherto wee and our fathers have beene blindly lead by our blind Guides into this depth of Ignorance and mist of iniquity and let us seeke out by what meanes and by whom wee are so miserably intosticated as to stumble and grope for our way thus even at noone day Rev. 17. 1. Come hither I will shew unto thee the judgement of the great Whore Rev. 18. 3. 8. 11. For all Nations have drunke of the wine of the wrath of her fornications and the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the Merchants of the earth have waxed rich through the abundances of her delicacies Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be utterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord who judgeth her And the Merchants of the earth shall weepe and mourne over her for no man buyeth their merchandize any more FINIS