A41334:365
A sober reply to the sober answer of Reverend Mr. Cawdrey, to A serious…
A sober reply to the sober answer of Reverend Mr. Cawdrey, to A serious question propounded viz. whether the ministers of England are bound by the word of God to baptise the children of all such parents, which say they believe in Jesus Christ, but are grossly ignorant, scandalous in their conversations, scoffers at godliness, and refuse to submit to church discipline ... : also, the question of Reverend Mr. Hooker concerning the baptism of infants : with a post-script to Reverend Mr. Blake / by G.I. Firmin ...A sober reply to the sober answer of Reverend Mr. Cawdrey, to A serious question propounded viz. whether the ministers of England are bound by the word of God to baptise the children of all such parents, which say they believe in Jesus Christ, but are grosly ignorant, scandalous in their conversations, scoffers at godliness, and refuse to submit to church dicipline ... : also, the question of Reverend Mr. Hooker concerning the baptisme of infants : with a post-script to Reverend Mr. Blake / by G.I. Firmin ...
London: printed by J.G., 1653
A SOBER REPLY TO A SOBER ANSWER, &c.A SOBER REPLY TO A SOBER ANSVVER, &c.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1First, you deny that such persons as the Q. mentions are visibly in Covenant with Satan, especially if tolerated, for so long they are visibly in the external covenant of the Church.
1First, you deny that such persons as the Q. memions are visibly in Covenant with Satan, especially if tolerated, for so long they are visibly in the externall covenant of the Church.
- 1Page 25.
What you mean by this External Covenant of the Church I cannot imagine: not Baptism I hope; nor the External Church covenant we speak of, and you so much oppose; for the Covenant of grace, they are not visibly under that: there needs no Covenant formally between the Devil and us, naturally he hath us strong enough though we make no formal Covenants with him. But when are men said to be under the Covenant of Grace? is it not when they, 1. Seek to understand it, 2. Choose it as their greatest joy and portion, 3. Rejoice in nothing so as when under the power of it, 4. When will not endure to be drawn from under the Dominion of it, but their hearts sink with sorrow when the old man rebels against it, 5. When externally their Conversation answers it, 6. When delight in those who are in Covenant with themselves also, &c. Turn it now, when persons care not for understanding of that Covenant, but they are wise in ways of sin, choose those ways, their joy is when they are in the enjoyment of such ways, cannot endure to be pulled off from them, but troubled when stopped in their course, visibly thus they walk in their course, and choose such for their companions, what shall we judge of these? What ever Covenant you mean, I am sure they are not under that Covenant visibly, of which Baptism is a Seal.
What you meane by this Externall Covenant of the Church I cannot imagine: not Baptisme I hope; nor the Externall Church covenant wee speake of, and you so much oppose; for the Covenant of grace, they are not visibly under that: there needs no Covenant formally betweene the Devill and us, naturally hee hath us strong enough though wee make no formall Covenants with him. But when are men said to be under the Covenant of Grace? is it not when they, 1. Seeke to understand it, 2. Choose it as their greatest joy and portion, 3. Rejoyce in nothing so as when under the power of it, 4. When will not endure to be drawne from under the Dominion of it, but their hearts sinke with sorrow when the old man rebells against it, 5. When externally their Conversation answers it, 6. When delight in those who are in Covenant with themselves also, &c. Turne it now, when persons care not for understanding of that Covenant, but they are wise in wayes of sinne, choose those wayes, their joy is when they are in the enjoyment of such wayes, cannot endure to be pulled off from them, but troubled when stopped in their course, visibly thus they walke in their course, and choose such for their companions, what shall wee judge of these? What ever Covenant you meane, I am sure they are not under that Covenant visibly, of which Baptisme is a Seale.