Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	believe_v	faith_n	6,183	5	5.3553	4	true

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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

which wilfully rejected the counsell of God against themselves which is recorded to their eternall shame and ignominy Now I say I read of none that were exempted from their Baptisme but such as rejected the counsell of the Lord which children could not do neither did the women as farre as I have been taught and therefore I may without any danger from the commission given unto Iohn the Baptist and Christs D●sciples thus argue for proofe of the lawfulnesse of children in Baptisme first beginning with Iohn the Baptists commission He that by his Commission from God Baptised in Ierusalem and all Indea and all the region round about Iordan and all people that followed his mnistery the Sadnces Pharisees and Lawyers only excepted Baptised both men women and children But John the Baptist by his Commission from God baptised Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Iordan and all the people that followed his ministry the Sadnces Pharisees Lawyers only excepted Ergo he Baptised both men women and children For the minor of this Argument it is sufficiently cleered from the concerning the major which places above quoted all the doubt is being proved the conclusion will ever stand firme and therefore for further illustration of this truth I will adde a few words more for the proofe of that because a great Anabaptist not long since pretended that this was but a supposition or at least an argument by consequence that children were then Baptized which if it were it is then but an argument by consequence likewise for the baptisme of men and women as well as of children for there is not any mention made of any man by name Christ only excepted or of any women that were baptised no more then there is of children for in the third of Math. and in the third of Luke and in the seventh chapter of the same booke the text is cleere that all the people and the multitude were Baptised the Saduces Pharisees and Lawyers only excepted Now when the Scripture is so full in this businesse that all the people that heard him the above-mentioned only exempted were baptised that women and children were as well baptized as men by Iohn the Baptist and as for men the Anabaptists deny not their baptisme and I by the same Law and Word may as well prove the Baptisme of women and children as of men for Ierusalem saith the Scripture and all Iudea and all the region round about Jordan all the people that came unto his ministry heard him were baptized Now Jerusalem and Judea and all the regions round about consisted of women and children as well as of men who were included in the multitude of people and they were also in covenant with God and his people and were to be brought to the ordinances as well as men neither is there any mention made that any were excepted but the Pharisees c. yea it is expresly said all the people were baptised therefore what the word of God holds out unto us that we ought to believe Neither will that evasion help the Anabaptists when they say that it is called the Baptisme of repentance and that they were baptised confessing their sinnes which say they intimates they were growen persons which is indeed but a meere cavill for those expressions doe no more exclude children of Christian Parents from Baptisme then the preaching of the Prophets when they say Let the wicked forsake his wayes and the unrighteous his thoughts Isa 55. and turne unto the Lord doe exclude the children of such from Circumcision because Faith and Repentance and confession of their sinnes are required first in the Parents of all that turne from their sinnes and Idols to serve the living God before their admittance into the Church But should it be granted that all the men and women that came to Iohns Baptisme did in their owne persons and for themselves make an orall and audible confession of their sinnes punctually before they could be baptized which had been almost an impossible thing for such multitudes to do yet it would not follow that their children were excluded from Baptisme for they were as well in covenant with God as their Parents and as well his children as they and the Scripture sayes expresly that Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan and all the people were baptised and therefore children are as well included as they and their Parents did as well include their children as themselves in their confessions if they made any publickly as the Prophets and people of God under the law in their publick confessions as well included all the people both men women and children as themselves and as all the Congregations with the Ministers and their Parents now daily doe at the baptisme of any whether men women or children but I speake this by the way not that I shall ever be of that judgement to believe or thinke that all that were baptized by John the Baptist or the Apostles did make each of themselves a publick confession of their faith before their admittance into the Church for the Scripture is cleere for the contrary both in the third of Luke and in the second of the Acts where it is related that they only came to John and asked him what they should do and in the second of the Acts they said unto the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do And in both the places it is recorded that they were all at that instant of time baptized without making any confession of their sins severally which such multitudes of people could not have done without infinite toyle and much time to both Ministers and people But I conceive under reformation that those expressions are set downe by the Pen-men of holy writ to shew the difference between the Baptisme of the people and Christs baptisme for the people yeelding and submitting themselves unto the ceremony of Baptisme which was as a hand writing against them and intimated unto them that they were conceived in sinne though they were not as the sinners of the Gentiles and out of Covenant and that they had need of washing and purifying in the blood of the Messiah and that they should daily repent and dy unto sinne and rise to newnesse of life I say in this regard by the acceptance and embracing of this ceremony they declared and acknowledged that they were by nature sinfull and had need of clensing and were for ever bound all their life long to mortifie the old man and put on the new man upon which conditions Christ was not baptised and therefore for distinction and making a difference betweene the Baptisme of the people and Christs baptisme and for the grounds above specified as I conceive it is called the Baptisme of Repentance and they are said to confesse their sin which all people tacitly do when they are baptised Christ only excepted for Christ was not baptised under the notion of a sinner or

In which words againe with saint Peter he maketh no difference between the Christian Jewes and Christian Gentiles saying that Christ hath made both one and therefore as the Jewes and their children had right to the Covenants of promise which were the seales of the covenant so now the believing Gentiles and their children had right unto the Covenants of promise and were equall in all priviledges unto them as being made both one and therefore as the parents of the Jewes and Proselites and their children were admitted after one and the same way by circumcision into the houshold of God so ought the Christian Gentiles and their children to be admitted after one and the same way into the Church by Baptisme for if they partake not in the same priviledges then there is a great difference betweene them and they are not made both one which overthroweth the doctrine of both Peter and Paul and gives the Spirit of God speaking in them the lye Yea Paul to the Galathians chapter the second ver 15. saying We who are Jewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles sufficiently declareth that they by being Christians lost nothing of their pri●iledges but that they were in covenant still with God and Timothy was circumcised by vertue of his mother being a Jewesse and Titus might have bin by the same law if it had been thought convement Neither was it yet ever supposed by any well grounded Christian that any of the converted Jewes lost any priviledge to themselves or their children by embracing the Christian Rel●gion and if the Jewes should have lost that priviledge to their children that by becomming Christians they must have been out of the covenant the Gospell had not been good tydings to them and they would very hardly have been induced to imbrace the faith but they knew very well that they by receiving the Word should better their condition both to themselves and their children if either of the parents were beleevers for in this doctrine they were sufficiently instructed by all the Apostles and Saint Paul 1 Cor. chap. 7. ver 15. affirmeth that the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the beleeving wife and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the believing husband else were your children uncleane but now saith he they are holy Which is not to be understood of Matrimoniall cleannesse or legitimation as the Anabaptists groundlesly pretend but of a faederall and covenant cleannesse which must necessarily be understood of some spirituall prviledge to the child for the Apostle there doth not speake to the Saints of any earthly priviledges who only instructs them about divine and heavenly matters and of the great benefits they enjoy by being Christians above the other men of the world which is sufficiently evident by that he sayth that by either of the Parents beleeving their children are holy and cleane and therefore fit to be consecrated and offered unto God which the children of the unbeleeving Gentiles were not no more then uncleane beasts neither could they be for they were by Christ called dogs which was in regard they were without the Covenant not in regard of Matrimony or their Marriage for the same Apostle had taught his Country men Heb. 13. saying that marriage was honourable amongst all men and the bed undefiled Whether they were Jewes or Gentiles and their children begotten in wedlocke were both by the law of God and Nations as well legitimate and lawfully begotten and had right to their fathers inheritances and estates as well as Christians children And if Paul should haue taught such doctrine to the people that all children that had not been born of Christian Parents had been bastards or had no true right to their fathers inheritance he would have gained the hatred of the world against himselfe and taught contrary doctrine to himselfe who sayd that Marriage was honourable amongst all men therefore it made not their children illegitimate which was a dishonour unto them yea he should then have taught against all the Prophets and the whole law of God which gives to all people a propriety and lawfull right to that they had lawfully gotten forbids all men to covet it and therefore there was no such pollution in their Marriages as made their children illegitimate though they were heathens or Infidels as the Anabaptists fondly imagine from all which it must necessary follow that by that expression calling their children holy his scope and intent in this was to shew the difference between the children of beleeving parents or either of them and unbeleeving parents and that in respect of spirituall and heavenly things proclaiming the children of unbeleeving parents uncleane as without the Covenant and the children of beleeving parents cleane and holy as fit to be offered up unto God as being then within the Covenant by which expression he doth equalize the beleeving Gentiles with the beleeving Jewes in all priviledges for the comfort and joy of all such as were then unequally yoaked who might otherwise have had many sad thoughts and doubts conce●ning their children as if they had not been within the covenant therefore I say the Apostle for the consolation of all such Christians whether men or women as were joyned to unbeleevers whether Jewes or Gentiles hee saith unto them that the beleeving husband sanctifieth the unbeleeving wife and the beleeving wife sanctifieth the unbeleeving husband so that their children are clean and holy Now that which God calleth holy and cleane none may call common or uncleane for so sayd the vision to Saint Peter Acts the 10. ver 15. What God hath clensed that call not thou common c. And Saint Peter by this vision sufficiently defended himselfe against those that were of the C●●cumcision and contended with him that he went into men uncircumcised and did eat with them Act. 11. telling them that the Spirit of God bad him goe with the men that came from Cornelius nothing doubting and related unto them farther that when he spake unto Cornelius and those that were with him the holy Ghost fell on them as on the Apostles at the beginning forasmuch therefore saith he as God gave them the like gifts as he did unto us who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ what was I that I could withstand God when they heard these things saith the Scripture they held their peace and glorified God c. And in the 15th chapter ver 9. saith he God put no difference betweene us and them purifying their hearts by faith And therefore they were within the Covenant as well as the Jewes and were pure and their children pure holy and cleane according to that of Saint Paul Rom. 11. Who affirmeth if the first fruit be holy the lumpe is also holy and if the root be holy so are the branches Now these were the first fruits of the Gentiles that Saint Peter was sent unto and they were graffed in amongst the Jewes and with them did partake of the root and Olive tree

exc●uded were baptized And in the 26. ver the Jewes say there unto Iohn Rabbi he that was with thee beyond Iordan to whom thou barest witnesse behold the same baptizeth and all men come to him And in the fourth chapter ver 1. 2. it is recorded there When the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Iesus made and baptized more Disciples then Iohn though Jesus himselfe baptized not but his Disciples he left Judea Out of which places this truth is sufficiently apparant that all that came unto Christ and waited upon his ministry and that of John the Baptist and Christs Disciples were all baptized and that the Disciples baptized more then John And as it is apparant by these places and those testimonies that went before that all that waited upon John and Christs ministry the Pharisees c. only excepted were baptized So the Scripture in many places relates what great concourses and multitudes of men women and children waited upon Johns and Christs ministry for there followed him saith the Scripture Math. 4. ver 25. Great multitudes of people from Gallilee and from Decapolis and from Jerusalem and from Judea and from beyond Jordan And in the 12th of Luke ver 1. When there were gathered together an innumerable multitudes of people c. And to passe by many places to prove this truth I shall only make use of two more as that in Math. the 14th 13. c. where it is recorded that the people hearing of Jesus his departure they followed him on foot out of the Cities and it is there said that when Jesus saw a great multitude he had compassion towards them and he healed their sicke and fed them Christ Preached to them and healed the sick and refreshed them he was their Physitian for soule and body and the Apostles Baptized them Now in this great multitude there were women and children as well as men that waited upon Christ ministry as the 21. verse proves for saith the Evangelist and they that had eaten were about five thousand men besides women and children And in the 15th of Math. which is the other place I shall now satisfie my selfe with it is related at large ver the 30th that great multitudes came unto him and that Christ after the curing of an those that were diseased called his Disciples unto him and sayd I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three dayes and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way And in this great multitude also there were women and children as well as men and growen persons for it is sayd ver 37. that they did all eat and were filled and ver 38. they that did eat were foure thousand men besides women and children from all the which places of holy Scripture I shall now prove that the Apostles also as well as John Baptist baptized both men women and children They that baptized all that came unto Christ and waited upon his ministry amongst the which there were women and childrn as well as men yea that baptized more then John they baptized both men women and children But the Apostles baptized all that came unto Christ and followed his ministry amongst the which there were women and children as well as men yea they baptized more then John the Baptist Ergo they baptized both men women and children For the major and minor of this Syllogisme they are sufficiently cleere from the places above quoted if by the mouths of many witnesses any truth may be confirmed and therefore the conclusion will necessary follow for most certaine it is that those great multitudes that followed Christ and waited upon his ministry consisted of women and children as well as of men and they were as well in covenant with God as they and Christ had equall compassion of the women and children as of the men and did as soone cure the children of those Parents and Rulers that had faith in him as he did those that did actually believe in him themselves as we may see in the Noble mans sonne and the daughter of the Canaanitish woman whose Parents believed and he ever relieved and preserved as well their children as their parents as in the places above cited where it is recorded that the women and children were as well fed by Christ as their Parents and that hee had as well compassion on them and care towards them as towards men And the places out of St. John the second and third declare that Christs Disciples baptized all that came unto Christ and followed him and the Apostles ministry and the fore-mentioned Scriptures evidence also that women and children waited as attentively upon Christs ministry as the men for it is sayd that they had all been attending upon him three dayes without eating and therefore it must necessarily follow that if the Apostles baptized all that followed their Master that they baptized women and children as well as men which the Anabaptists exclude not from their baptisme Now the holy Scripture being so cleere in this point it is sufficiently evident that they were all baptized both men women and children for the Apostles had their Commission from Christ and were sent to Baptise all the people of God then in Covenant with him without any restriction or limitation either of sex or age and women and children were as well in covenant with God as men neither doth the Scripture any where before Christs death record any thing to the contrary or relate any thing of the baptisme of men more then of women and children or exclude children more then men or women from Baptisme therefore when the Scripture sayes nothing to the contrary we are no more to exclude the children of the Iewes from the ordinance of Baptisme because they preached Faith and Repentance to those that were of yeares then the children of the Iewes or Profelites were to be excluded from Circumcision because Faith and Repentance were first preached to their Parents for God had declared in his holy Word and by his practice from the calling of Abraham his friend out of the Land of the Chaldeans and all strangers under the old Covenant that the same way and manner of admitting the Parents into Covenant with him and the same law of admission was to be used in all succeeding ages towards their children for their admittance and for the admittance of those that were of their houshold and God changeth not to be the Father and God of the children of beleevers under the Gospell as well as he was the God and Father of his people and their seed under the old Covenant neither are the children of Christians whether Iewes or Gentiles inseriour to those of the Iewes in any priviledges as I shall by by make appeare So that when Christ after his Resurrection and before his Ascention when he instructed his Apostles for forty dayes in all things belonging to the Kingdome of

all such opinions as neither Christ not the Prophets nor the Apostles or any of the pen-men of holy Scripture have taught us The Scripture hath sufficiently taught us that this is life eternall to know the only true God and whom hee hath sent Jesus Christ Iohn the 17. ver 3. the knowledge of which any may attaine unto without the knowledge of them and their tenents And Paul disired to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him Crucified and counted all things as dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ the Lord and left us for the ordering of our lives to follow the example of Christ in doing and suffering and the rule of the word Phil. 3. And the Scripture hath abundantly declared Acts the 2. that the City of people that receive the Word of God gladly and continue stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of Bread and prayer are the Disciples of Jesus Christ and a true Church as that of Ierusalem yea a true formed Church as the Independents themselves hold as is manifest in their Writings although at that time that they say it was a true formed Church it had neither Deacons nor Elders nor distinction of Members nor officers nor discipline or excommunication but they were all sed and governed by Pastors and Teachers in common as all the Primative Churches we read of were Now then what sinne or error is it in me or any at this day to beleeve that wheresoever amongst any people or in any City the Gospell is truly and faithfully preached embraced and believed by them whether by particular Ministers set over them severally which incertaine freemen or bonds or by Ministers in Common and where the Sacraments are duly administred and amongst whom there is the true invocation of God that that people so qualified is a true Church or Churches though there be amongst them neither distinction of members or officers nor that perfection of Discipline as is to be wished I desire I say any man to shew me what error or sin it is in me to believe that any such peop●e so qualified is a true Church for we have the prime and Mother Church the Church of Jerusalem for a patterne of a true Church and so called in the holy Scripture and so esteemed of by the Independents themselves at that time when they only believed and imbraced the Gospell and were baptized and when they continued stedfastly in the doctrine of the Apostles and in breaking of Bread and in prayers although then they had neither distinction of Officers or Members and wanted that part of discipline of casting out of corrupt Members as the Independents themselves and Anabaptists in their writings have taught us Now if the Church of Jerusalem I say at that time was a true formed Church and from the which they ought not to s●parate I can see no reason that it should be a sin or errour in me or any other in these our dayes to believe that in what City or Country soever the people embrace the Gospell and partake in all those ordinances that made them a true formed Church though they be forced and ruled with Ministers in common should not be a true formed Church or Churches as that was or any of the primitive Churches where they were all fed and governed by Ministers in common in their severall bounds and cohabitations as all the story of the New Testament sufficiently declare And I would very gladly also be informed what sinne I commit in not separating from such Assemblies although there should be some failings both in Members and Discipline then seeing we have neither Precept and President allowed o● for any such separation in any of the Prim●tive and Apostolike Churches nor in the whole word of God where we read not only of ordinary errors but of such heresies as razed the very foundation and of such maliversation amongst them in respect of manners as wee shall sc●rce read of greater in prophane histories Now if for neither errors in doctrine discipline or in manners those glorious Christians made no separation from the publick Assemblies of the Saints I see no warrant we have now for lesse matters to make rents and Schismes from the true Churches of Jesus Christ neither doe I believe that any of them shall ever bee able to make it sinfull in any Christian now not to separate upon such occasions for if separations from the publick Assemblies were by the Author to the Hebrews so blamed and found fault with as a sin in them it is sinfull now and no vertue but a grand error and in this faith will I live and die that whosoever doe make needlesse separations from the Assemblyes of those that are as good Christians and as true beleevers as themselves do that which is highly displeasing unto God and that which will bring downe his judgements amongst us especially When they doe it at such times as when all those things are taken away as might in any respect be accounted scandalous or offensive unto them and when for substance there is nothing that they differ from them Againe if I or any Christian stedfastly believe unto the death that there were more Assemblies or Congregations of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem then one because we find it recorded that they met daily in severall houses to communicate and that they were all combined together and subordinate to one Presbytery within that Precinct and were to be governed and ruled by them in common and for ever reject the opinion of Independents who hold there were no more Christians at first and last in that Church or City then did or could ordinarily meet in one place and that their Officers did nothing nor could doe nothing in that Church without the consent of the whole Congregation and that that particular Congregation was Independent and from which there might be no appeale I say if I or any man reject this their opinion can it hinder me or them from salvation or is it any sin in me or them so to believe If they shall say it they must first shew me what law in so beleeving I have transgressed without which there is no sinne Againe if I believe and persevere in this faith that it is sufficient for any that will be made a member of any Christian Church to repent believe and be baptized and reject all those novell opinions of the Independents concerning their walking sometime with the Congr●gation and their making a particular confession of their faith and bringing in the evidences of their conversion and their taking of a particular explicit Covenant and comming in by the consent of the people what transgression I pray is in this my beliefe or what law of God do I violate if I peremptorily to the death persevere in this my opinion that faith repentance and Baptisme is all that God requires of any for their admission into Church fellowship and communion and

And therefore were as holy as the Jewes and their children as holy as their children as being branches of that holy root and wi●hin the Covenant as well as they which doctrine is confirmed in many more places of holy Writ as in that above cited out of the 1 Cor. 7 ver 14. where the Apostle telleth them that if either of their Parents be beleevers their children are cleane and holy Which manifesteth cleerely to all men of understanding that the children of Christian parents are not only within the Covenant as well as the children of the Jewes but that they also are to be consecrated unto God as well as the Jewes children were as being holy and cleane which was by the Sacrament or right of Circumcision amongst them and therefore ought to be by Baptisme amongst us the Seale of the Covenant of admission For the same way of admission of the Father into the family and houshold of God was used to their children before the Law and under the Law therefore the same way of admission of the Parents is to be used of admitting their children under the Gospell which is by Baptisme they being as well in covenant and holy as well as their Parents But for farther proofe that children of Christian Parents are still as well in covenant as the Jewes were I shall desire you to learne what Saint Paul writeth in his 1. Epistle to the Thessalonians chap. 4. ver 13. where he saith unto them that did overmuch sorrow for the death of their Christian friends and Children I would not have you to be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleepe that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope Meaning those that were without that were not in covenant with God asserting by these words that the Thessalonian Christians were in a blessed condition as being within the pale of the Church and in covenant with God for such as were without the Covenant were without hope and without God in the world as the Apostle saith Ephes 2. ver 12. which beleevers and their children are not and therefore equall in all priviledges with the children of the Jewes and in Covenant as well as they were with the which words he greatly comforted the Thessalonians and animated them against the immoderate sorrow and griefe for the death of their friends What a great wickednesse is it therefore in the Anabaptists to affirme as they daily doe that the children of Christians are no more within the Covenant then the children of Turkes and Infidels which is a meere fighting against God and a giving the Spirit of God the lye and an overthrowing of the Scripture which proclaimes them clean and holy and within the covenant which might be enough for ever to satisfie any sober-minded Christian should I not adde a word more to what I have spake But because that it is a received opinion amongst all the Anabaptists that children of believing parents are no more within the Covenant then Turks or Infidels and that they have no more right to Baptism then catts or doggs for so they have been heard speake I shall adde an argument or two more to the former for the preserving of those that are yet in the truth from their wicked errors and for the confirming of others and for the convincing of all gain-sayers and for the comfort of all Christian parents and their children that they may all see that they are equall in priviledges with the Jewes and their children and thus I argue Those that are undr a better Covenant and more sure promises by being Christians whether Jewes or Gentiles then they were before by being Jewes they and their children are inferiour to the Jewes and their children in no priviledges belonging to heaven and happinesse but far above them But the Christian Jewes and beleeving Gentiles are under a better Covenant and more sure promises by being Christians then they were before by being Jewes Ergo They and their children are inferiour to the Jewes and their children in no priviledges belonging to heaven and happinesse but farre above them And therefore if the Jewes and their children were within the Covenant under the old Testamen● and received the seale of the Covenant which was Circumcision for the admission into their Church then all the Christians and their children under the Gospell ought likewise to receive the Seale of the Covenant which is Baptisme for their admission For the conclusion of this Syllogisme and the consequence from that they will stand undeniable if the major and minor be proved and they are sufficiently evinced by the Aposile writing to his Country-men in his Epistle to the Hebrewes where he labouring to set forth their d●gnity now they were Christians and to shew they lost nothing in any of their priviledges by it and comparing them together proves by many arguments through the whole Epistle that they being now Christians were in a much better condition then when they were Jewes and therefore that they should not be discouraged or think themselves in a worse estate then they were befor and in expresse tearmes asserts they were under a better covenant and more sure promises His words are these Heb. 7. ver 20. 21. 22. And in as much as without an oath he was made a Priest meaning Aaron for those Priests were made without an oath but this with an oath mearing Christ by him that sayd unto him the Lord sware and w●ll not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament And chapter the 8. ver 6. But now saith the Apostle hath he obtained a more excellent ministry by how much also he is a Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises Here we find the words twice reiterated for the more sure ratification of this truth And what Saint Paul writes to them he writ to all other Christians as we may see in the second Epistle of Peter chapter the third ver 15. 16. Now then if the beleeving Jewes and their children were all in covenant with God and had equall right with their parents to the Seale of the covenant which was Circumcision in their admission to the Church and if the Christians whether beleeving Jewes or Gentiles are not with their seed still within the covenant and have not right to the Seale of the same which is Baptisme in their admission then they are inferiour to the Jewes in Priviledges and under a worse covenant and not under a better and more sure promises which is to give the Spirit of God the lye and to overthrow indeed the doctrine of the New Testament for the whole Scriptures of the New testament witnesse that in all respects they that embrace the faith are in a farre better condition then the Jewes were whose necks were under such a yoake by Saint Peters testimony Acts the 15th ver 10. as neither they nor their forefathers could beare

more some Independents have acknowledged that they were convinced by reading of your Booke which I conceive to be one of the principallest causes that makes them so much maligne you and hinder the publishing of it And others of them upon the reading of your booke have writ out of the Countrey to some of their fraternity here in London telling th●m that they had read your Booke saying moreover that they could witnesse that you had writ nothing of them and their practices but what they could witnesse to be true and therefore earnestly exhorted them to mend their manners and carry themselves so as beseemed the Gospell all this can bee abundantly proved which induces me to believe that if that Book were but knowne amongst the people they would either speedily be undeceived if they were seduced or bee preserved from the errours of the times All that I have now to say unto you besides my good wishes is this You have had great experience of Gods love unto you who hath hitherto preserved you and delivered you out of so many dangers and from so many deaths and from the fury of so many enemies and preserved you in the truth who with all their fury rage and reproches have never in any thing beene dismayed I shall therefore earnestly desire you to consider that you serve the same master still who is the same All sufficient Jehovah be constant therefore to maintaine his cause and truth to the death and be not discouraged with any thing any enemy can doe unto you which words I utter not as in the least doubting of your resolutions but out of my hearty desire of your honour and happinesse which your s●ability and constancy will crowne with a L●●rell of i●mortall praises manger all enemies I pray sir faile no● with the s●●nest to let me receive th●se Arguments I desire and to heare of your health and happinesse and the welfare of all your● and you shall ●●ch 〈◊〉 and rejoyce 〈◊〉 who is Sir Your assured Friend in What I may in the Lords quarrell RICHARD SMART From my house in Scalding Alley at the Hand and Pen this 25 of March 1647. To his Christian friend Mr. Richard Smart at his house in Scalding Alley at the hand and Pen. SIR IF in the very day of the Apostles when truth was so prevalently and powerfully taught and confirmed with so many wonders and Miracles errours did then so abound that Saint in Iohn in his Epistle to the elect Lady greatly rejoyced to find any walking in the truth It is now no wonder that in these latter and perilous times so many revolt from the same and embrace errors and therefore it is exceeding matter of joy to all the lovers of the truth to meet with any that continue constantly in the same and truly it doth much rejoyce me to find you against so many temptations persevering in the love of it which will ever be for your honour here and reall comfort in life and death For your good opinion of me and of the Book I sent you and for your kind acceptance of the same I returne you many thankes and withall for your farther satisfaction I doe here in the presence of the great God that shall judge both quick and dead professe unto you that I never was in my judgement and opinion an Anabaptist Brownist Independent or any Sectary And as I have formerly in almost all my bookes manifested to the world that I differ'd in nothing from the doctrine of the Protestant reformed Churches beyond the Seas as those of France Germany and the Netherlands in any dominative or Principle point of Religion saving in the doctrine of the Sabbath or Lords day which in my judgement ought wholly to be employed and kept both privately and publickly in all duties of piety and charity and that with as much care diligence and reverence as ever it was amongst the Jewes saving I say in this point only I speake it again in the presence of God I never differ'd in any thing concerning faith or any fundamentall point of doctrine from any of those Churches nor never approved of any separation from Gods ordinances celebrated in them or allowed of the leaving of their publick Assemblies and therefore whatsoever either the Anabaptists or any of the Sectaries have formerly published or doe now speak of me intimating that I was once one of them it is a meere calumny and foule reproach and what I now say I shall be able to prove by a cloude of witnesses and those of their own party who have formerly been of my acquaintance and familiarly intimate with me who are ready as they have lately told me to witnesse for me that I was ever against their severall separations from any of Gods ordinances in our publick Assemblies here in England and that in the worst times and therefore the Anabaptists and Sectaries do use me very injuriously to perswade their followers or any others that I was once one of them But before I come to declare my opinion concerning the baptisme of Children of Christian Parents which is my theame at this time and to prove that there is very good warrant for it in the word of God I thinke it fit in this place to declare my judgement which you desired in your Letter I would doe concerning all Separatists whether Papists or Sectaries which is this that I am so farre from favouring their wayes especially in these times of our so happy begun reformation that I am able by Gods blessed assistance ever to make it good that whatsoever either of them by what names soever they are called hold or beleeve concerning Christian religion more then what is beleeved and embraced in the Protestant reformed Churches that it is either blasphemous impious or at least superfluous so that a man may dy either in the ignorance or contempt of it and yet goe safely to heaven And as for the vanity impiety and falsity of all the popish tenents I have sufficiently declared it in many Books and in that my discourse betweene me and Mr. Montayne called the Church of Englands true Church and for all the severall opinions of the Sectaries wherein they differ from the Protestant reformed Churches they are if not as impious yet as vaine and needlesse as those of the Papists so that a man may as safely goe to heaven without the knowledge of them as either the glorious Prophets or blessed Apostles who knew none of them and yet were all saved for nothing keeps men out of heaven but sinne and the transgression of the law of God Now I desire any rationall creature to declare unto me what law of God I or any man transgresse and what sin I commit if I beleeve and practice no more then the written word of God hath taught me to beleeve and doe and if I die in the ignorance of Independency Anabaptisme Antinomianisme c. yea let any of them shew me what sin I commit in rejecting