Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	angel_n	father_n	power_n	1,931	5	4.4475	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76088	The storming of the Anabaptists garrisons, vvith a brief discovery of the weaknesse of the same, & of the inconsiderableness of the sconces and forts of all the other sectaries, in despight and contempt of all the which, any Christian souldier may safely march to Heaven, without the least danger; ... In a word, in the insuing discourse, the vanity of all novell opinions is discovered, the ignorance of all the which can no way hinder any mans happinesse: and the baptisme of little children borne of Christian parents, whether Iewes or Gentiles, is proved by the word of God to be lawfull, ... / By Iohn Bastwick, Doctor in Physick.	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.; Smart, Richard, fl. 1647.	1647 (1647)	Wing B1071; Thomason E390_23; ESTC R201542	43,659	52

consider other passages and duly weigh Christs actions and expressions towards little children at other times and what he sayes and testifies of them the truth will yet more perspicuously appear viz that children of Christian parents have a right to Baptisme and that the children of the Jewes as well as their Parents were equall in Priviledges and were as well baptized as they When our Saviour Christ reproved his Disciples for their dispute which of them should be greatest it is related Marke the 9. ver 36. 37. That Christ tooke a child and set him in the middest of them and when hee had taken him in his armes he sayd unto them Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my Name receiveth me and whosoever shall receive me receiveth not me but him that sent me And ver 42. he sayth Whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that beleeve in me it is better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke and and he were cast into the sea And in the 17th of Matth. it is recorded there that when there was a dispute amongst the Disciples who is the greatest in the kingdome of heaven Christ to discide this controversie ver 2. called a little child unto him and set him in the midest of them and sayd except yea be converted and become as little children ye shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven whosoever therefore shall humble himselfe as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdome of heaven And who so shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me but whoso shall offend one of these little ones which beleeve in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea and ver 10. speaking unto his Disciples he saith unto them take heed ye despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you that in heaven there Angels doe alwayes behold the face of my Father which is in heaven c. These words of our blessed Saviour concerning little children borne of the Jewish Nation then his people in Covenant with him require a deepe consideration and truly if they be rightly weighed they may be an excellent means if not to put an end to the controversie between us and the Anabaptists yet of convincing many gainsayers who have meane and low thoughts of little children for Christ in these words doth greatly magnifie the dignity of little children where he proclaimes the same blessings to such as shall in his Fathers name receive them as he doth to any that shall receive his Disciples or a Prophet affirming that they that received them receive himselfe and him that sent him and they that shall offend any one of them it were better that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were cast into the middest of the Sea And he pronounces no greater judgements against the greatest enemies of his Church Moreover Christ in terminis saith they beleeve in him If any shall aske me how that can be that little children beleeve I answer that Christ hath sayd it who is the author and finisher of our faith Heb. 12. the true witnesse who cannot lye and who can as well worke faith in little children who doth whatsoever he will in heaven and earth Psal 115. as to put into the heart of good Josiah when he was young and but eight yeares of age to seek after the God of David his father and to doe that which was right in the sight of the Lord 2 Chro. 34. ver 1. 2. 3. And who found some good thing towards the Lord God of Israel in the little child a wicked Jeroboam 1 King the 14. ver 13. Which good God himselfe wrought in him And all reason will dictate unto any man that God can as well worke faith in little children as fill John Baptist with the holy Ghost even from his mothers wombe Luk. the 1. ver 15th according to that of Christ John the 3. ver 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth the Spirit of God can as well worke his graces in little children as in growen persons who hath ordained strength out of the monthes of babes and sucklings to still the enemy and avenger Psal 8. ver 2. and as Christ sayth to perfect his praise Matth. 21. ver 16. I say therfore in regard of the great power of God and in regard of so many Presidents of his wonderfull working of grace and good in little children and in regard that Christ himselfe hath sayd that the little children of the Jewes did beleeve in him I doe beleeve that they had faith in Christ and by vertue of that had right unto Baptisme as well as their parents But which is yet more Christ saith not only little Children beleeve in him but that the offending of the least of them not only exceedingly displeaseth him but excludes the despisers of them out of heaven and for further terror to such as should offend them he sayth that their Angels behold his Fathers face in Heaven intimating that little children have a guard of Angels to protect and defend them and to punish their enemies so that whatsoever can make any of the most eminent servants of God to be in esteeme amongst men and whatsoever Priviledges they are graced with the same things are to be found in the little children of beleeving Parents and such as are in covenant with God for they by Christs testimony have humility and faith and a guard of Angels to attend them as well as men and women and God is their Father as well as theirs and Christ is their Redeemer as well as theirs Who saith ver 11. that he came to save those as well as they asserting moreover they that received such little children receive with them Christ and God and they that offend them are accursed Now then when little children partake in all the eminentest priviledges which the ancientest beleevers are graced with and are in as high esteeme in Gods account as they by all reason they are not only capable of Baptisme but have a right unto it as well as their Parents as being in the covenant as well as they And truly it may not be passed over slightly which addeth something yet to the dignity of little children Jesus Christ sends his Disciples to schoole to those little children and makes them his Disciples masters and from them bids them learne their first ●esson of ●u●ility and selfe-denyall tell●ng them that unlesse they become like one of them they should never enter into the kingdome of heaven which is as great a dignity as can almost bee conferred upon the sons of men to be made the masters and teachers to those that were to teach the world for in some respects Christ equaliseth those little children with himselfe for Matth. the 11th ver 28. he saith unto all such as would be saved Learne of me for I am

meeke and lowly of heart And here he so dignifieth little children that he sends his Disciples to schoole to them which I affirme is as eminent a favour as he shewed to any men when he was up●n eatth and therefore doubtlesse those that Christ so graced in all respects are worthy of Baptisme and have a right unto it and all such as despise little children borne of Christian parents and count them Infidels highly offend Yea there are other passages yet not to be passed by concerning little children It is related Math. 21. ver 14. 15. 16. That the blind and the lame came unto Christ in the Temple and he healed them And when the chiefe Priests and Scribes saw the wonderfull things that hee did and the children crying in the Temple and saying Hosanna to the Sonne of David they were sore displeased and sayd unto Christ hearest thou what they say And Jesus sayth unto them yea have ye not read out of the mouthes of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise Here we see that when Christs enemies were offended at the acclamation of the children Christ allowed of their witnesse and confirmes it by Scripture teaching all men that they did well and their duty and that God was honoured by it and that in all ages God would be glorified by the very mouthes of babes and sucklings who should set forth his praises as they did so that by the words of Christ it is sufficiently manifest that they confessed him before men and were not ashamed of him and hee had taught his Disciples and all men that they that confesse him before men hee would confesse them before his Father in heaven and here hee approved of them and owned them as his witnesses which is also as high a dignity as is conferred upon any of Christs followers and therefore I will never doubt to conclude that those children had right to Baptism that Christ so honours and that they were baptized by John and Christs Disciples amongst the other people and world that followed Christ for Jerusalem and all Iudea and all the regions round about Iordan were baptized and Christs Disciples baptized more then Iohn and children by Christs testimony beleeved in him and confessed him as well as others Ergo they were baptized And therefore in all these regards I may use the same words to all the Anabaptists that Saint Peter used when the Holy Ghost fell on them in Cornelius his house Can any man saith he forbid water that these should not bee baptized that have received the holy Ghost as well as we Acts 10th 47. I say in all these regard I may say unto the Anabaptists Who can forbid water that the children of those that are borne of such parents as are in covenant with God as the Jewes children then were and Christians children now are should not bee baptized God having graced them with such eminent significations of his favour and owning them so often to be his children and having put no difference between the Christian Jewes and their children and Christian Gentiles and their children yea they being now under a better Covenant and more surer promises Surely all those that doe forbid water that the children of Christian Parents should not be baptized are such as withstand God which Saint Peter durst not doe Acts 11. ver 16. and for my part I never will doe who by Gods assistance shall live and dye in this faith that children as well as women and men amongst the Jewes had not only right to Baptisme as well as their Parents but that they were really Baptized and that the children of the Christian Gentiles were as well baptized in their severall families as their Parents and that they ought still to be till the comming of Christ and in this faith by the grace of God I will live and dye This Mr. Smart to gratifie your desire I thought fit to write unto you whom I truly love in the Lord that you may know not only my opinion concerning this point of controversie but have by you my reasons for the same All that I have now to say unto you is this The times in which wee live are perilous times in respect of the many dangerous and desperate opinions that are now abroad destructive to the life of godlinesse which our Baptisme tyes unto and tending to the ruine of Christian Religion and disturbing of Church and State if the Lord from heaven by his mighty power doth not rebuke this spirit of errour that is now gone out into the world yea it is sad presage that great Judgements hang yet over this Land for the preventing of the which we ought cortinually to be put upon the duties of fasting and prayer and all watchfulnesse in them the meanes that God himselfe hath appointed for the diverting of his wrath and to these duties we ought to the uttermost of our power to joyne a godly life and a holy conversation as we have covenanted by our baptisme that so wee may set forth the praises of him that hath called us out of darknesse into his marvellous light knowing that the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ which that you and I and all such as feare his Name may doe and for ever persevere with all constancy in the truth is the daily prayer of him Aprill this 27. 1647. That loves you for our Masters sake JOHN BASTVVICK Errata PAge 6. line 33. for Mountaine read Mountague P. 7. l. 32. for which incertaine freemen and bonds r. within certaine Precincts and bounds P. 8. li. 16. for forced r. fed P. 8. l. 24. for and r nor P. 14. l. 24. for a man this r. this man a. P. 20 l. 27. for in Ierusalem r. Ierusalem P. 20. line ult for the concerning c. read the places above quoted all the doubt is concerning the Major which being FINIS