Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	lord_n	love_v	saint_n	5,636	5	6.4232	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85387	Cata-baptism: or new baptism, waxing old, and ready to vanish away. In two parts. The former containes LVIII. considerations, (with their respective proofs, and consectaries) pregnant for the healing of the common scruples touching the subject of baptism, and manner of baptizing. The latter, contains an answer to a discours against infant-baptism, published not long since by W.A. under the title of, Some baptismall abuses brielfy discovered, &c. In both, sundry things, not formerly insisted on, are discovered and discussed. / By J.G. a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1655 (1655)	Wing G1155; Thomason E849_1; ESTC R207377	373,602	521

creature which it affirmeth to be the relation specified Son-ship unto God and this in opposition to Faith and Repentance Mr. A's answer discourseth of the originall ground of the dispensation in God which being interpreted is nothing at all to the purpose By the way when the Argument with the Answer whereof Mr. A hath at present both his hands full asserteth the relation of Son-ship unto God to be the originall or first ground or qualification for Baptism it doth not take originall or first in opposition to immediate or next but in opposition to that which is after and subordinate So that it avoucheth Son-ship in children to be every whit as neer as immediate a ground of Baptism as Faith or Repentance or a declaration of either or a desire it self of Baptism are in persons capable of such things Yea and supposeth that neither Faith nor Repentance nor a Declaration of either are any grounds or qvalifications for Baptism at all but only as they make and declare their subjects men and women the children of God But 3. Were the Argument as he propoundeth it owned by his adversaries yet his answer would not reach it For whereas he saith upon the same ground one might as well argue Infants to be strong Christians or fit to be chosen Pastors Teachers or Deacons as to argue them capable of Baptism because persons are in these capacities by vertue of the love of God to them he builds upon the sand For persons are not in the capacities he speaks of by vertue of the love of God to them For then all persons towards whom there is love in God should be in the same capacities which is manifestly untrue Yea some may be in these capacities towards whom there is no love in God at all I suppose Mr. A. speaks of Gods speciall love or that wherewith he loves his Saints Judas was in the capacitie of being an Apostle which is more then of being a Pastor Teacher c. when his Lord and Master bare no such love to him It is rather by vertue of the bounty of God considered as exerting it self in such or such a determinate manner then of the love of God that persons are invested with such capacities So ●●at Mr. A's Instances besides that they hold no parallel or Proportion with the reasoning or arguing which he pretendeth to oppose proceed upon a groundlesse surmise instead of truth But let us see what work he makes in the further processe of his answer If then saith he we would come to argue steadily so as to conclude persons capability of Baptism from the love of Mr. A. p. 43 44. God to them we must consider the love of God under that particular and precise notion by which persons are put into an immediate not remote capacitie of Baptism For though it is true that the love of God which is vouchsafed Infants in the pardon of that sin that devolved it self on them from Adam doth put them into a remote capacitie both of Baptism and all other consequentiall acts of Grace which are vouchsafed men upon their believing and diligent and faithfull improvement of all means and opportunities of Grace c. yet it doth not put them into an immediate capacitie of these untill they do believe and have improved those means and opportunities upon condition of which such additionall and progressionarie acts of Grace are promised and suspended no more then a childes abilitie to read his horn-book or Primer puts him into a capacitie of understanding his Grammar I answer Sect. 173. 1. That neither have we here the Argument of his Adversaries so much as touch'd but an Onion talk'd of instead of an Apple as we have more then once lately observed 2. It is somewhat an uncouth expression to say that by any notion of the love of God how particular or precise soever persons are put into any capacitie of Baptism whether immediate or remote whatsoever the love of God it self may do in this kind certain it is that the notion of this love hath no operation either way 3. Neither is it so true that the love of God which is vouchsafed Infāts in the pardon of the sin devolved on thē from Adam doth put them into a remote capacity of b 〈…〉 ism c. For they are in this capacity as they are Infants simply or as members of the race of mankind However we have not yet so much as the softest air or gentlest breathing of an answer to that argument for Infant-baptism which bears so hard and heavie upon Mr. A's conceit of Anti-pedo-baptism It may be somewhat will come out at the last in the shape or likenesse of an Answer Therefore let us wait upon his pen a little further That the Dispensation of Gods Grace and love saith he is made to Infants in one respect and to persons of an immediate Mr. A. p. 44. capacitie of Baptism in another and that act of Grace which is vouchsafed Infants in the pardon of that first sin c. doth not put them into animmediate capacitie of Baptism appears upon these grounds 1. Because the act of Grace or dispensation of Gods love unto which Baptism doth appropriately belong is that which is exerted and put forth in the pardon of mens actuall transgressions and this too notwithout their repenting or beleeving whereas that act of Grace of which Infants partake is such as is vouchsafed unto them in the pardon of originall sin only and this too without their repenting and believing meerly upon the account of the death of Christ I answer Sect. 174. 1. Mr. A here undertakes to prove that which none of his Adversaries do denie viz. that that the Dispensation of Gods grace and love is made to Infants in one respect and to persons in an immediate capacitie of Baptism in another if by the persons he speaks of he means persons who have actually sinned which I question not is his meaning 2. By one and the same undertaking he undertakes likewise to refute that which none of his adversaries affirm or hold viz. that that that act of Grace which is vouchsafed infants in the pardon of that first sin puts them into an immediate capacitie of Baptism So that though he should prosper on both hands in this undertaking his prosperitie would be but a successefull beating of the air That which his Antagonists hold about this latter point is that the relation of Son-ship which by the Grace of God working in that redēption which is by Christ accrues unto Infants naturally descending from Adā partly by or from the pardon of the sin he speaks of partly also from that immunitie from actuall transgression which is found in Infants renders them actually or immediately capable of Baptism Even as it is the same Son-ship in persons of discretion though otherwise in part accruing as viz. from the remission of their sins both originall and actuall thorow believing which being made known or apprehended by the

Doctrine and practise of baptizing 2. How can that give visibilitie of Saintship unto men which is altogether as visible in men who are no saints as in those who are Doth the greennesse of the leaves in a fig-tree prove this tree to be a fig-tree when as the leaves of all or most other trees are green as well as this Or doth whitenesse of colour in an horse prove him to be that kind of creature which indeed he is I mean an horse when as many Cows and Sheep are white of colour as well as he These are strange kinds of reasonings from the tongues and pens of sober men Or were there not many in the primitive times themselves who wore the liverie of Baptism and yet were no Saints or children of God Or are there not multitudes amongst us at this day who in this liverie serve Sathan and consequently are no visible Saints unlesse it be of a very late edition and unheard of untill now Sect. 110. 3. Baptism gives no visibilitie or estimation of saintship no not in the regular or due administration of it therefore much lesse simply or universally We all presume that John Baptist and the Lord Christ himself with his Disciples administred Baptism regularly and duly yet was the Baptism administred by these no argument of Saint-ship in those who received it For notwithstanding Jerusalem and ALL Judea and ALL the region round about Jordan were first baptized by John Mat. 3. 5 6. and afterwards such vast multitudes by Christ and his Disciples that the Disciples of John repined at it and with much regret informed him that ALL MEN came unto him meaning Christ to receive Baptism from him Joh. 3. 26. yet how few of these were by Iohn himself esteemed visible Saints or children of God by means of their Baptism sufficiently appeareth from that his complaint in the ears of his own disciples and other Jews And what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth speaking of Christ and NO MAN receiveth his testimonie Ioh. 3. ●2 And Iohn the Evangelist had not long before said He came unto his own and his own received him not Ioh. 1. 11. Nor were there any more then an hundred and twenty that appeared at that solemn rendevouz of Saints at Ierusalem Act. 1. 15. after the ascension of the Lord Christ where all the Apostles now remaining were present All which passages with severall others which might be laid to them plainly enough shew that though the number of the Baptized ones in these times were as the sand on the sea shore yet was there a remnant only and this very small who were Saints or children of God amongst them How then did or could Baptism prove them to be visible Saints when as it did not prove them to be saints at all 4. In respect of whom or how many was the Eunuch Baptized by Philip in a desert made a VISIBLE saint by his Baptism Possibly his servants if there were any number of these with him did not know what his Baptism signified nor upon what account he was baptized And much more probable it is that in his own countrey of Ethiopia his baptism was vox non sign●ficativa and so no esteem of Saint-ship unto him there as neither doth Mr. A's baptism nor the Baptism of any others baptized amongst us upon the same account with him give any esteem of Saint-ship unto them in the judgement or opinion of those who know what belongs to Saint-ship and by what an estimate ought to be made of it Sect. 111. 5. The Scripture teacheth us to estimate the visibilitie of Saintship by other manner of characters and properties then by a being baptized yea and not by this at all as farre as I am able to understand By this saith Christ himself shall ALL MEN KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TOWARDS ANOTHER Joh. 13. 35. Doubtlesse there can be no better character or ground of satisfaction whereby to judge or esteem men visible saints or visible children of God then that by which the Lord Iesus himself hath so plainly determined that all men many know who are his d●scipl●s And whether for Beleevers to have love one towards another be the same with their being or having been baptized yea or whether many beleevers have not love one towards another who yet never were baptized as Mr. A. calls Baptism I am content Mr. A. himself shall judge and determine The Apostle Iohn in severall passages fully accordeth with his great Lord and Master touching the visibilitie of the children of God and that which differrenceth them from the world In this the children of God are manifest and the children of the Divell whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loveth not his brother 1 Joh. 3. 10. Again If ye know that he is righteous YE KNOW that every one that doth righteousnesse is born of him 1. Joh. 2. 29. See also ch 2 3 9 10. ch 3 7 14. ch 4 7 24 c. So likewise the Apostle Paul judged it meet for him to esteem the Philippians visible Saints in asmuch as both in his bands and in the defence and confirmation of the Gospell they were all partakers of his grace meaning aswell of that grace by which he was enabled to suffer as of that by which he was called actually to suffer Phil. 1. 7. See upon the same account 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. So likewise he commends Epaphroditus unto the Philippians as meet to be received in the Lord and therefore as a Person whom they ought to esteem a visible Saint because that for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death c. Philip. 2. 29 30. The Scripture in very many places speaks of mortification self-denial love faith c. uttering expressing themselves by a sutable conversation and most frequently of ●uffering for Christ and for righteousnesse sake as things rendering persons meet to be esteemed Saints and children of God but as concerning Water-baptism it never came into the heart of it to ascribe unto it any such thing Nor do any of nor all those three Texts of Scriptures which Mr. A. draggs by head and shoulders to serve him in his warfare do him the least service herein For 1. we have elsewhere demonstrated that his first Text 1 Cor. 12. 13. For BY ONE SPIRIT are we all baptized into one body c. maketh notably against that very notion or conceit which here he attempteth to build upon it a See water-dipping no firm footing for Church Communion p. 44 45 46 c. And concerning his two remaining viz. Rom. 6. 3 5. and Gal. 3. 27. we have partly in this discourse formerly a Sect. 104 105 c. and partly elsewhere b Water-dipping Postscript p. 66. 67 made it plain and evident enough to those that are not loth to see that neither of them have any right hand of fellowship to give unto him in his said

abroad very credible and not without arguments otherwise to confirm the truth of them that there are cunning Emissaries of the Romish faction Jesuites and others and these not a few who secretly and in a disguise insinuate themselves with all or most of the prementioned Sects amongst us These being the most exquisite and expert Artists in the world in glosses and colours know how of plausible Arguments and Pretenses to make fair faces to set upon every Sect and by-opinion whereby to allure the fancies of injudicious and inconsiderate people unto them and to set every party agog with a conceit of their own way and notions their most wicked and dangerous design being to distract rend and tear the Nation into factions parties and sects especially all those in it who seem to pretend with any zeal to conscience or Religion that so they may upon better terms of advantage commend the Romish Church and Religion for that unity which is found in them unto the generality of weak and carnal men amongst us being the bulk of the Natioan and whose Sovereign grievance it is not to have a National or State Religion wherein all must gree and hereby have the bro ader and larger opportunity either to work the Nation back again unto Rome or otherwise to bring the misery of confusion if not ruine it self upon us 9. As the English Proverb that a rowling stone § 16. gathers no Moss importeth that persons who oft remove and change either their dwellings or imployments do not ordinarily prosper or thrive in the world so neither do the souls of such persons usually prosper who are of desultory and light dispositions easily and without great weight and evidence of argument perswaded out of one form or way of worpshiping God into another or out of one Church into another Upon this account it is that the Apostle makes an opposition between being carryed about with divers or various and strange doctrines and having the heart established with grace Be not carryed about with various 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and strange Doctrines for it is good that the heart be established with grace not with meats which have not profited them who have been occupyed therein a Heb. 13. 9. clearly implying that such professors who are apt to be hurryed or carryed round from one opinion to another which are various and strange not depending on nor consistent with one the other or such wherewith the Church of Christ have not been acquainted for these are properly strange Doctrines are never like to attain the great blessing of having their hearts and consciences wel ballanced or established either with any excellent work of grace or holiness in them or with the sence or sound belief of the rich Grace of God in the Gospel The reason whereof might be given but that the Law of brevity forbiddeth it It was the confession of one who had some years before turned aside into the way of Ana-Baptism at the time of his execution for the horrid sin of murther committed in this City of which confession one of you if I mistake not was an ear witness that from the time of his going under water he sensibly found God departing from him 10. If it be a duty solemnly charged by God upon § 17. you as far as lyeth in you and if it be possible i. e. if you can compass or admit of it without sinning for unto Saints all sin by the Law of their profession is made and declared an impossibility b Joh. 3. 9. Rom. 6 2. 2 Cor. 13. 8. G●● 39. 9. to have peace with all men how much more ought you to judge your selves bound by ingagements of the highest to have and keep peace amongst your selves and one with another your Church and Christian fellowship wil be as a first fruits of that New Jerusalem which is now coming down apace from Heaven unto you if you be careful and diligent to knit your selves together in love standing fast in one spirit with one mind and one judgement and so continue Be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you 2 Cor. 13. 11. your God shall be your glory and you shall be the glory of all the Churches of the Saints round about you if you shall carefully endeavour to keep the unity of the spirit in the band of peace Behold how good and how pleasant it is for Brethren to dwell together in unity It is as the Dew of Hermon yea as that which descendeth upon the Mountains of Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing and life for evermore Psal 133. 1. 3. As on the contrary where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3. 16. and consequently God must needs behold persons and societics of this unworthiness a far off And to those whom he thus beholdeth misery and ruine must needs be neer at hand Therefore if differences at any time arise amongst you 1. Let every man remember that he knoweth but in part and consequently that the errour or mistake may possibly lie on his side 2. Let him candidly and with an unfeigned desire of being over-ruled though contrary to his present sence into the truth especially when love and peace are like to be gained and maintained withall weigh and consider the grounds and reasons of him or them who dissent from him 3. Let him that hath any thing suggested to him under the notion of a truth contrary to the present sence of his Brethren not over-hastily entertain it but rather suspect and expostulate with the suggestion And if he cannot thus satisfie or free his conscience let him argue and debate with himself the grounds of it upon such terms as he would oppose or counterargue the Tenent of an Adversary If this wil not yet deliver him let him by frequent and fervent prayer seek an intemerate and chast judgement at the hand of God If this notwithstanding he shall remain doubtful and unsatisfied 4. In case the matter of his suggestion supposed to be a truth be somewhat about the verge or out-works of Religion and not near the center or heart as matters of doubtful dispute amongst Christians for the most part are let him as the Apostle adviseth in somewhat a like case either have his faith to himself and not trouble his Brethren or the Church with it Or else let him declare and propose it like it self I mean with an acknowledgment that it is a point of inferiour concernment and for which he shall contend with no man to the breach of love or peace especially let him not strayn or bend himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to hyperbolize or over-speak the consequence or concernment of it In which kind of misdemeanor the high Ana-Bap●ist is the first-born of offenders yea though his notion for rebaptizing or as himself would fain have it pass for baptizing should be yeilded unto him for a truth He