Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	church_n	true_a	worship_n	4,989	5	8.3710	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B09923	An epistle concerning baptism. [occai]sionally written upon the sight [of] two treatises published by Thomas James father of a Presbyterian congre[ga]tion at Ashford in Kent : who [ha]th reflected upon the baptized [C]hristians / [by] [W]illiam Russell.	Russel, William.	1696 (1696)	Wing R2357B; ESTC R187283	23,383	34

AN ●PISTLE Concerning BAPTISM ●●●asionally written upon the sight of two Treatises published by THOMAS JAMES ●●●cher of a Presbyterian Congregation at Ashford in Kent Who hath reflected upon the Baptized Christians WILLIAM RVSSEL Medicinae Doctor Academiae Cantabrigiensis Lover of Primitive Christianity 〈◊〉 for the old Paths where is the good Way and walk therein and ye shall 〈◊〉 rest for your Souls Jer. 6.16 London Printed in the Year 1696. 〈◊〉 those Inhabitants of Ashford and the adjacent Parishes who attend upon the Ministry of Mr. Thomas James THE Occasion of my writing this Epistle to you at this time ariseth from the Consideration of two Books written by T. J. The one intituled Spira's Despair revived The other called A Vindication of that Part of it which is ●●ed by the Anabaptists c. which is a pretended An●●o a Book written by J. W. in Answer to his first 〈◊〉 c. the latter of which he dedicates to you 〈◊〉 which Book he brings you in as Parties with him in ●●deracy against that People as making you to have ●●●al if not a greater Interest than him in that Pa●●●●ar he hath raised against them 〈◊〉 seeing it hath pleased God by his good Providence to put it into the Hearts of our King and both ●●●●s of Parliament to give us the free Exercise of our ●●●●on by Law which we esteem as a great Mercy 〈◊〉 a wonder to me to read such scurrilous and re●●●●ful Language against those of our Perswasion and ●●●ore for that it proceeds from one who is himself a ●●●●er from the established Religion of the Land and ●●●●ther of a Presbyterian Congregation And to find ●●●●ublishing to the World that the Inhabitants of Ashford and divers other Parishes did join issue with him in ●●●●ng it seems to bespeak but little Sense of the Good●●●● God and of our Rulers in the Liberty you enjoy 〈◊〉 whereas those Ministers that are of the Episcopal ●●●●ision do give us civil Treatment and do not con●●●● themselves to disturb our Peace and Quiet much less ●●●●oach and abuse us I was considering what should move Mr. Thomas James to act as he hath done And at last I concluded it must certainly proceed from that very Spirit and Principle of the first Founder of your Sect Mr. John Calvin who burnt the Books of Servetus a Learned Baptist and afterwards perswaded the Magistrates of Geneva to burn him alive Which Sentence was execute● upon him as Castellio testifies who was a Contemporary with him in these words Michael Servetus was burn alive for his Opinion at Geneva Anno 1553 upon the 27th day of October And yet as one well observes Mr. Calvin did acknowledg this of him That he was a Learned and a Charitable Man Notwithstanding this he wrote a Book to justify the● putting him to death as a Man whose Books were full 〈◊〉 Errors Which Book was sufficiently confuted by t●● Learned Castellio where he also shews that the Reason 〈◊〉 Calvin procured his Death was this lest the excelle●● Parts and Learning of Servetus should have eclipsed 〈◊〉 Glory of Calvin and prevented him from being the 〈◊〉 of a Party And yet Castellio was not a Baptist Now if Mr. James should have imbibed the same per●●cuting Principles it is no wonder to find so much Ranc●● of Spirit appear in him against the Baptists in our Day as he hath expressed in these two Treatises I speak 〈◊〉 this as if I meant to accuse the whole Party for 〈◊〉 know that divers of them are meliorated and have manifested themselves to be Men of better and more peacea●●● Principles But seeing there are some young Men of another mind I thought it not amiss to give you a Cau●●●● against it remembring what an honest old Presbyter●●● Minister said once to some others of his Brethren 〈◊〉 met to ordain three young Ministers who had decla●●● themselves for this persecuting Principle saith he 〈◊〉 will have no hand in their Ordination for there 〈◊〉 Firebrands enough in the World already and 〈◊〉 please God I will have no hand in sending more 〈◊〉 such as they are enough to set the World in a Fla●● where-ever they come And I fear your young Man may be of that number 〈◊〉 pray let me ask you a few civil Questions which I de●●● you to propound to him and do you demand of him ●●ticular and distinct Answers thereunto 1. Whether Mr. James doth not believe the Episcopal Church of England to be a true Church and their Teachers to be true Ministers 2. Whether he doth not own their Baptism and Ordination to be true and valid 3. Whether he doth not think it lawful for you to go to their publick Worship and attend upon their Ministry in their Parochial Assemblies rather than suffer Imprisonment and the loss of your Estates And if this be so Then 4. what can be the Motive to excite Thomas ●●mes to keep up a Separation from the established Church 〈◊〉 England now in a Time of Peace unless it be to get 〈◊〉 better livelihood for himself than he could otherwise ●●ain 5. Whether the fear of losing some of his Auditors or ●●ing hindred from an increase of their Number by which his Income might be diminished might not be ●●e great Motive which excited him to such a foolish way 〈◊〉 scribling against the Baptists 6. Whether it doth not therefore highly concern you 〈◊〉 make a diligent Enquiry into the Word of God and ex●●ne his Doctrines thereby that you may see whether ●●y agree with the Doctrine and Practice of the Apostles ●●d Primitive Christians lest you should be cheated both 〈◊〉 your Money and of your Souls Now Sirs if a prejudicate Opinion doth not interpose 〈◊〉 ●oubt not but it may be said of you as of those in Acts ●● 48 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you are disposed to eternal Life ●●ed then there will be some hope you will give credit to ●●e Authority of God in the Gospel of his dear Son ●●d be willing to learn what may be taught you Had not Mr. James opposed us in the Point of Holy Baptism I had not concerned my self with him believing he 〈◊〉 sufficiently confuted about his Calumnies against our friends at Ashford by another hand I shall therefore for the sake of Truth use my endeavour to elucidate the Point in controversy that you may ●●re a more clear and distinct knowledg of it Neither you nor your Teacher ought to think it below 〈◊〉 to be instructed in any Gospel-Truth but receive it 〈◊〉 meekness and humility and be thankful to them that 〈◊〉 take the pains to do it For Apollos who was a great Preacher and a Man mighty in the Holy Scriptures did not disdain that a Woman should instruct him in the Way of God more perfectly Acts 18.24 25 26. And for your better understanding the Point in Controversy I shall do these three things I. Shew you that Baptism is to be administred by Dipping Plunging or