lesse then two or three Matt. 18.20 3. Beleevers living in severall distinct parts of this Kingdom neither acquainted one with another nor have any thing to doe each with another in the matters pertaining to a Church yet by vertue of their Faith in Christ may have that forme or constituting Cause of a Church hee alledgeth that brings it into relation unto Christ yet none will say they are Christs visible Church as the Apostle meaned when hee writ saying unto the Church of God at Corinth and unto the Church of Galatia and if any will say any thing of them it must be in the words of the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle first Chapter first Vers unto the strangers that dwell here and there throughout Pontus Galatia Capadocia Assia and Bithynia F. Because the Church of England hath the essentiall notes and markes of a true Church 1. The Word of God purely and powerfully Preach't profest and maintained which alwayes gather a People to the Lord being so taught 2. The lawfull Administration of the two Sacraments according to Christs Institution Matt. 28.19 20. 3. True obedience to the Word of God a right following Christ voice and conforming to his will 4. The Vnion with God by his Spirit and Faith and with his Saints by love R. As he could not make it good in the matter and forme of a true Church neither will these Notes and Markes be found in her to be a true Church but will prove like unto the Nethinims who came of the Gibeonites who pretended that they were of the Levites and sought their writing of the Genealogies but it was not found therefore they were put from the Priesthood Josh 9.3.4.9.27 Ezra 2.43.62 Nehem. 7.60.64 65. Laodicean saith I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing But the answer of God is and knowest not how thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Revel 3.17 To the first note for pure preaching of the Word of God it is purely when it is without mixture with humane rites or humane Tradition or Authority of humane Authours But the Church of England in stead of being like unto the House of God the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 to hold up and forth pure truth Doth she not hold out Truth mixt with humane rites and Traditions in the Authority of humane Authors witnesse the doctrine of Infants Baptisme which to doe Christ saith you worship me in vaine teaching for Doctrine mens Preceps 2. The Word is purely Preach'd when it is in the simple purity of the Word it self and not to be wise above what is written holding out nothing in matter of Faith and Worship then the pure Word of God holds out so to be which only is sufficient to make the man of God absolute and perfect to all good Workes 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. But this is not a pure Preaching to affirme that the Scripture is not Sufficient to make the man of God perfect to every good worke Witnesse no man is able to preach the Gospel except he have humane Learning and the knowledge of Tongues 3. Thirdly then is the Word purely Preached when the whole Counsell of God is preached Act. 20.20.27 Now where any part of Gods Counsell is withstood there is no pure preaching of his Word but as it was said conserning the Pharisees and the expounders of the Law in the hearing of Christ preach'd in refusing to have heard to one part of Gods Truth in poynt of Johns Baptisme they were so farre from purely hearing the Word that they are said to despise the Counsell of God Luk. 7.30 so may it be said in the other respect to preach a part and not the whole Counsell of God made known is but to despise the Counsell of God Christs Prerogative Royall peculiar and alone King and Lawgiver to his Church is to be preach'd up and maintained Psal 2.6 Isaiah 9.6 Revel 19.16 and not to pretend to hold up Christs Prerogative in word only to spoile him of his Prerogative Royall which is so done when Christ hath said in his Word thus and thus shall ye preach my Word my will and my Commands But to contradict and say not so as the Word requires but thus and thus according to such and a humane Tradition of the Fathers this is to spoile Christ of his Prerogative as a King and to make void his Commands to his Church which he hath enjoyned them to observe unto the end of the World Mat. 28.20 And where any such things as these be are contrary to pure Doctrine there is not the Word purely preached Further not only purely but powerfully preach'd when according to the power of God subjecting people to the pure word of God that obedience that is from the heart unto the forme of the doctrine of Christ's Word to the truth as the truth is in Jesus not only to one Truth but every Truth of Christ teaching them to observe all that I command you Mat. 28.20 And the Word in such purity and power as the Apostles preach'd it calling and bringing home people unto God this they did in severall places and all this while not a note or marke of a true Church gathered for after this they planted Churches and of these Converts were joyned unto Churches and this may be out of a Church calling and conversion as the hand of the Lord was with divers after the scattering of the Church for the persecution about Stephen Act. 11.19 20 21. 2. F. Note But in the Church of England is the lawfull administration of the two Sacraments according to Christs Institution Mat. 28.19 20. R. By this note or marke of a true Church hee cannot make it good First the two Sacraments must be lawfully Administred and then lawfully when done according to Christs Institution Matt. 28.19 20. Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost In the Institution is plainly laid downe First Teach and then Baptize hee must so teach as the party be instructed by teaching teaching implies a Schollar learning Goe Teach all Nations that is Disciples all Nations Baptizing them Now how lawfully hath this Sacrament been by Mr. Knution or those his aspersion pleads for administred lawfully hath he taught or were they taught Disciples they administred Baptisme upon if not then not lawfully administred as the Institution is given by Christ to be observed Children cannot be the lawfull subjects of this Sacrament for they are not capable of teaching Christ Institutes and commands one thing you say and doe another thing he saith Teach and Baptize you say no Baptise without Teaching yea the untaught and such uncapable of teaching Is this a lawfull administration of this Sacrament and one will not serve without the other if that were lawfully administred for he enjoynes teaching to observe all that he commands vers the 20. F. 3. Note
marriage estate the man or the woman be Beleever their children are holy as belonging to the Covenant of grace A. This cannot be affirmed unlesse they will say all the Children of Beleevers are holy as belong unto the Covenant of grace but that is false for Beleeving Abraham had an Ismael a beleeving Isaac an Esau Againe to affirme all the Children of Beleevers are holy as belonging unto the Covenant of grace is false unlesse they will say those that are in the Covenant of grace may fall out of it which is to hold the errour of the Arminians contrary to this Scripture Josh 13.1 Philip. 1.6 and hee that hath begun the good worke will perfect it 3. If it be said their Children are holy as belonging unto the Covenant of grace they must distinguish and know which of them be such or else the seal of the Covenant Baptisme cannot be administred upon them 4. Or else they must bring the Word of God that saith plainly they are so holy to pertake of Baptisme within that place is no such thing expressed 5. It must be made out so holy belonging unto the Covenant of Grace as they are so by calling and have faith or else all afarre off who belong unto the Covenant of grace yet not called for implicite respect unto them Baptisme shall be Administred upon all the world without any calling or respect of faith in any the Argument taketh part with this having not a word of Christ to speake for it Ob. Infants are capeable of the thing signified by Baptisme therefore they may have it A. If they are capable it is by Grace and not by nature and till their capeablenesse by grace be manifested nothing is said if it be said they are capable by nature then are all children it is said many such belong to heaven But who that many be must be knowne Christ as God knew all things when hee said such all children none can say he meant Christ is said to blesse them and lay his hands upon them Children were brought unto him yet it is not said he baptized them for it is said Christ himself baptized none Joh. 4.2 and the Disciples are said to forbid them that brought little Children unto him which if Christ had used to baptize them they would not have forbid the bringing of them and none of these things in the least proves Childrens Baptisme Ob. It cannot be infallibly discerned which man hath true grace and is elected we may and ought to judge very charitably upon an exact profession and so upon a bare profession A. It doth not follow therefore upon no profession that this Ordinance must passe and to say the faith of the Parents may warrant their Children Baptisme then the faith of Parents may warrant their Children to pertake of the supper of which saith the Apostle let every man examine himself and so let him eate 1 Cor. 11.28 and in Rom. 10.10 hee saith with the heart man beleeves to righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to salvation it is neither with the heart nor the mouth of another Ob. But those Pharisees teach and Baptize Repent and Beleeve and be baptized is meant of such who were of riper yeeres A. The Institution speaks of no other and we must hold unto the words of Christ and not hearken unto the vaine Consciences of men and Arguments made up from Antichrist Apostacy nor false Premizes drawne from the Jews as what a false thing is this to say of the Jewes The faith of the Parents applying the Righteousnesse of Christ to themselves by their Circumcision it made their Children to be borne Jewes by nature the beleeving Jew could not apply the righteousnesse of Christ to him for his Circumcision for his Circumcision stood in relation to the old Covenant to be done away and bound him to the Law for Righteousnesse by that Gal. 5.2 3 4. though not as a Beleever yet as he had by Circumcision relation unto it so he was under the Obligation to the first Covenant to worke for righteousnesse so far was Circumcision remote to it as for him to apply the Righteousnesse of Christ to himself by Circumcision and their Children were borne Jews in the flesh and not by faith propagated Jewes which if so then Beleevers children of the Gentiles would be borne Jewes now in the flesh whereas the Jewes are properly said to be outwardly Jewes in the flesh only and by faith a Jew is one in word and that of the Spirit Rom. 2.28 29. and till they have Faith they are not so accounted Gal. 3.9 As for aledging whole housholds were baptised there is no mention made of any Children there were baptized nor that there were any Children in those housholds mentioned but in Act. 18.8 it is said Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue beleeved in the Lord with all his houshold the thing could not be affirmed of Children Ob. Out 1 Cor. 10.2 that the Apostle makes there passing under the Cloud and and throughout the Red sea a Tipe of Baptisme A. To bring it in a Tipe of Children Baptisme is false and would take away the force of the Apostles Argument for which he brings it admonishing and advertising those that partake of outward priviledges by their examples that they fall not into the same sinnes read from the 6. verse to the 12. of that 1 Cor. 10. Chapter Now it was not any thing pertaining unto Children the Apostle meanes who could not be forewarned by their examples nor receive his admonition he affirmes of what subjects he speakes to as the end of this his saying 15. vers I speake as unto them which have understanding judge ye what I say Ob. And for that aledged 1 Pet. 3.21 that the Apostle makes Noahs Arke a Tipe of Childrens Baptisme A. To tipe out that in the Gospel we have not the Antitype following is unsound for how Baptisme should answere this figure in Children cannot be made act who are not capable of it not having understanding to conceive of it for they are such have Faith the confident demand of a good Conscience claimes in God salvation through the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ Ob. Baptisme hath been effectuall to produce Mortification and Vivification in many as divers good people can witnesse which it should not have done if God had not approved of pedo-baptisme A. It is denied Baptisme doth not in it self produce Mortification and Vivification in none for if it did it should cease to be a Signe and become the thing signified Baptisme is but a signe of that invisible grace we have in Christ remission of sin and mortification of the flesh that by the power of Christ the sinfull body of the flesh is put off and by the vertue of Christs resurrection we revive and live unto God Christ the Power of life from God producing this in every beleever to which Baptisme is a signe Joh. 1.11.15 Rom. 8.11.13 Collos 2.10 11
A Briefe or Generall REPLY UNTO Mr. KNUTTONS Answers unto the VII QUESTIONS About the Controversie betwen the Church of ENGLAND AND The SEPARATIST and ANABAPTIST Briefly discussed By JOHN MABBATT Prov. 22.19 20 21. verses Vers 19. That thy Confidence may be in the LORD I have shewed thee this day thou therefore take heed Vers 20. Have not I written unto thee three things in Counsells and Knowledge Vers 21. That I might shew thee the assurance of the words of Truth to answer the words of truth to them that send to thee 2 Tim. 2.9 Even unto bonds but the Word of God is not bound Prov. 30.5 Every word of God is pure he is a shield to those that trust in him Printed in the Yeere 1645. Vpon the Honourable Court of Parliament Englands worthy Patriots be the spirit of magnanimity profunditie of wisedome and sound judgement the pleasure of Industriousnesse the happy reaping of a righteous soweing mercy abundantly and seasonably beshowring the fruits of the ground with a blessed increase for under the defence of the All-protection I doubt not of the free passage of all and every Truth A rich Treasure for Parliament and Kingdome the ground or cause of this following discourse as the seed of it was the Tenents of the Separation Mr. Knutton charged to be unchristian in his opposite writing yet I suppose the blade that riseth from the seed which sometimes an opposite controversie in some sense may be said to bee yet I hope will not be offended at the graine in thee are ripened for the use of the Owner thereof yet will be burne up the Chaffe with unquenchable fire ¶ The Power of safety overshadow the PARLIAMENT and glory dwell in our Land UNto the Pyons inquiring understanding Reader increase of knowledge is a portion of God in promise yours then shall we know the Lord when we follow on to know him Hosea 6.3 And as the weight of all heavenly knowledge is God therein understood so is there a worth in the knowledge of heavenly things in the knowing of them according unto God which knowledge no man hath by nature but only of God and in him enjoyed who manifesting himselfe unto us gives forth the knowledge of things which wee understood not before opening the mouth to confesse him and the things of him though others deny him and will not receive him nor the things of him But like the Jewes that would not beleeve that Christ gave sight unto the man that was borne blind Joh. 9.18 so is it with many too like the Pharisees who would not acknowledge God in it yet would hee that was blind but then seeing confesse Jesus although the Jewes had ordained that if any man did confesse that he was the Christ hee should be excommunicated out of the Synagogue who being cast out by them yet imbraced by Christ So is Christ unto all his holding fast his truths though for it they are excluded by men in reading these few lines in this reply you must not expect Scholler Phrases nor the eloquence of the wisedome of men the Greeks seek after no such things as runnes in the streame amongst men generally in allowance for we are not ignorant how that this way is spoken against every where yet God causeth Truth to gaine such that in receiving it are advantaged by it though there may be as Solomon saith a price in the hand of a fool yet he hath not the heart to take it but in you Beloved let the Word of God dwell plenteously or richly try the spirits search the Scriptures examine the texts of Scriptures alledged in proof in this matter in reply And as you read you shall first have the originall Question then Mr. Knuttons Answer Reason or Objection marked with the Letter F and Ob. wherein there passeth not a word but what was his owne Secondly in Note for that is mine in Replie is noted with the Letter R and A. which matter in Replie wherein it holds out my Judgement and practise with those Churches in the faith and order of the Gospel am willing to be tryed by the Scriptures as knowing that the day shall declare all things approved and what shall be disapproved that matter that is declared unto us shall be approved is the matter that the Scripture evinceth and approveth unto us and whosoever shall walke according to this Rule Peace shall be upon them and Mercy upon the Israel of God desiring not to be found in our owne righteousnesse after the Law but in the righteousnesse of God by faith in Jesus Christ under which covering the Lord everlastingly find you Beloved after your effectuall call of God unto the Faith and Order of the Gospel in Nottingham Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied unto you from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ although since it hath pleased God to make knowne his truth unto you you are not with us unacquainted with what Controversie Contention Tumults Oppositions that both you and the Churches in London and other parts of the Country have and doe meet withall for walking up to the Light of truth made knowne to us from God who hath fulfilled his promise unto us saying That hee would teach us and lead us in the way that we have not knowne Isai the 42.15 16. Vers in whom also we trust he will fulfill that his promise in Isai 49.11 where he saith I will make all my mountaines as a way and my paths shall be exalted Behold it much rejoyced mee and I was glad to heare that the knowledge of the true and pure Wayes of God was in manifestation unto you in Nottingham which was unknowne and unheard of by me that it was so amongst you untill that which was in opposition against you came out in publike view and Print here in London against you which one having one of the Books knowing it contrary to my judgement and practise gave it me saying here is that takes you to doe which I took and read understanding in it that the Author affirmes that he cannot maintaine in which affirmation of his the truth being opposed was one reason put me upon this Reply to his book the second Reason was in referrence to those persons in Nottingham opposed though unacquainted with any of them yet bearing affection to them as those in that Countie of Aliance from which I had my discent Among whom I hearing the truth imbraced was moved in referrence unto them having to them both an inward and outward relation yet through consciousnesse of mine own inabilitie found some demurre but being by a friend stirred to it and informing me of the desire in the contrary that there might be some answer unto Mr. Knuttons Booke I from a willing principle according unto the former reasons so to doe willingly according to what abillity and time God gave me I have made this Reply that his supposed Answers to these 7. Questions in his Book may appear as they are void