Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	authority_n	church_n	scripture_n	4,231	5	6.1426	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47535	Gold refin'd, or, Baptism in its primitive purity proving baptism in water an holy institution of Jesus Christ ... : wherein it is clearly evinced that baptism ... is immersion, or dipping the whole body, &c : also that believers are only the true subjects (and not infants) of that holy sacrament : likewise Mr. Smythies arguments for infant-baptism in his late book entitled, The non-communicant ... fully answered / by Benj. Keach ...	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1689 (1689)	Wing K68; ESTC R17190	114,897	272

we doubt not but it is so in some good sense between the Almighty and a Believer who is the only Subject i. e. there is indeed a mutual Stipulation on both Parties in that Solemnity but an Infant can do nothing herein Baptism saith Bullinger is an Agreement or Covenant of Grace which Christ enters into with us when we are baptized c. Fourthly Baptism is called the Baptism of Repentance for the Remission of Sins one end of this Ordinance therefore is this viz. To testify the Truth of our Repentance and to engage us thereby to bring forth Fruits meet for amendment of Life As their Sins are not forgiven them saith Mr. Baxter till they are converted so they must not be baptized for the Forgiveness of Sins till they profess themselves converted seeing to the Church non esse non apparere is all one Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ is the sum of that preaching that makes Disciples Acts 20 21. Therefore both these must by Profession seem to be received before any at Age are Baptized And that no other say I besides them at Age ought to be baptized by this very Argument is very clear and evident Bullinger as he is quoted by Mr. Baxter I find speaketh thus viz. To be baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ saith he is by a Sign of Baptism to testify that we do believe in Christ for the Remission of Sins First mark it is not only an Ingagement to believe hereafter but the Profession saith he of a present Faith. Secondly And that not a common Faith but that which hath Remission of Sin. Farewel to Infant Baptism a present Faith is required of such that are to be baptized nay and more a present profession of it too Infants have neither Faith nor can they profess it Ergo they are not to be baptized Fifthly Another End of Baptism is as one well observes to evidence present Regeneration whereof saith he it is a lively Sign or Symbol Hence 't is called the Washing of Regeneration what signifies the Sign where the Thing signified is wanting Baptism is frequently called the Lave● of Regeneration it being a Sign or Figure of it to the Person Baptized Christ hath instituted no Baptism saith Mr. Baxter but what is to be a Sign of present Regeneration but to Men that profess not a Justifying Faith it cannot be administred as a Sign of Regeneration Therefore he hath instituted no Baptism to be administred to such Does not this Argument make void the Baptism of Infants as well as Adult Unbelievers by the Ancients Let Mr. Baxter take it again but with a very little alteration Christ hath instituted no Baptism but what is to be a Sign of present Regeneration but to little Babes that profess not a justifying Faith it cannot be administred as a Sign of present Regeneration therefore he hath instituted no Baptism to be administred to Infants The stress of the Argument lies in the Institution of Christ in that no Baptism is instituted and commanded by Christ but what is a Sign of present Regeneration not Future therefore Infant-Baptism can be no Baptism of Christ Sixthly Baptism is called An Answer of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Christ from the Dead or the Covenant of a good Conscience by the Resurrection of Christ as saith Sir Norton Knatchbul in his Learned Notes printed at Oxford 1677. in the belief of which Resurrection we are saved saith he as they were saved by the Ark. But now Infants cannot Covenant thus nor Witness thus in Baptism by a Belief of the Resurrection which saith the said famous Learned Man Baptism is an emphatical Figure or a particular Signal of to the Person baptized See what our Late Annotators speak upon the place In Baptism say they there is a solemn Covenant or mutual Agreement between God and the Party baptized wherein God offers applies and seals his Grace stipulating or requiring the Parties acceptance of that Grace and devoting himself to his Service and when he out of a good Conscience doth ingage and promise this which is to come up to the terms of the Covenant that my be properly called the Answer of a good Conscience it seems say they to be an allusion to the manner of Baptizing where the Minister ask'd the Party to be Baptized concerning his Faith in Christ and he accordingly answered him Dost thou believe I believe c. Acts 8. 37. Now are Children capable to do any of this Can they covenant with God Can they answer a good Conscience by believing the Resurrection of Christ or can Baptism appear to be a Symbol of it to them No nor indeed can Rantism be so to any other I mean to the Adult Seventhly Baptism hath another End and Use assigned to it viz. That the Party baptized may have an orderly entrance into the Visible Church and so have a right to partake of all other Ordinances and Priviledges thereof as breaking of Bread c. This hereafter I shall make fully appear nor is it any other thing than is generally owned by Christians and eminent Men but Infants cannot be admitted to those Priviledges viz. to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper c. and therefore ought not to be baptized for he that has right to one cannot be denied the other by any Ground or Authority from God's Word CHAP. IX Containing several other Arguments proving why not Infants but Believers only are the true Subjects of Baptism IF there is no word of Institution or any thing in the Commission of Christ for Baptizing Infants but of Believers only then not Infants but Believers only ought to be Baptized But there is no word of Institution or any thing in the Commission of Christ for baptizing Infants but of Believers only Ergo not Infants but Believers only are the Subjects of Baptism The Major Proposition is undeniable for if Infants may be baptized in the Name c. without any Authority from Christ or word of Institution or the least intimation of it in the great Commission what Innovation can we keep out of the Church This is enough to cause any Protestant to renounce his Religion and cleave to the Romish Communion who asserts the Church's Power is such that without a word of Institution she may do the Lord knows what Nor do they as far as I can find assert Infant-Baptism from the Authority of the Scripture but from the Power Christ has left in the Church in which they seem more honest than some Protestants that pretend to maintain this Rite by plain Scripture-proof without the least shadow or intimation of any such thing to the palpable Reproach of the Christian Religion As to the Minor 't is evident and owned by the Learned that those who are enjoined to be baptized in the Commission Matth. 28. are first to be taught or made Disciples But Infants cannot be made Disciples

those Anabaptists were very ill Men and guilty of several immoral Actions and held great Errors yet how unreasonable and uncharitable a thing is it to render all those People of that Perswasion in those times and also since to be as bad and as like guilty especially considering that the Principle and Practice of baptizing believing Men and Women in it self is so harmless a thing and no ways tends to lead Persons to such Evils For by the same Rule might not the best and most holy Church and People in the World or ever were in the World be censured and reproached and neither the Church of the Jews nor the Gospel-Church in the Apostles days escape sith in the first there were very ill Persons as Chora Dathan and Abiram and many others and in the last a Judas a Diatrophes an incestuous Person who was guilty of worse or more shameful Fornication then what was amongst the Gentiles as the Apostle affirms Besides as Mr. Danvers observes those of the same Opinion in former times are acknowledged to be godly and good Men or have an honourable Character given them and this too by the ample and authentick Testimony from their greatest Enemies he cites Rai●trus the Bloody Inquisitor of those in France and Baronius and Cassander of those in Germany nay and Mr. Baxter● himself who though he has been found free enough in his Reproaches yet to give him his due is pleased to witness to our Innocency in this Nation take his own words saith he That Anabaptists are godly Men that differ from us in a Point so difficult that many of the Papists and Prelatists have maintain'd that it is not determined in the Scripture but dependeth upon Tradition of the Church And I know as good and sober Men of that Mind as of theirs who are most against them c. And again he saith that Augustin and many Children of Christians were baptized at Age and that the Controversie is of so great difficulty that if in all such cases none that differ be tolerated we may not live together in the World or Church but endlesly excommunicate or prosecute one another But blessed be God we need not the Testimony of Men having the Testimony of our own Consciences which is our rejoycing as the Apostle saith that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not by fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God we have had our Conversation in the World. Tho there may be some of our Communion who may be under Guilt and gross Enormities and mistaken Principles and Notions to our great Grief and Sorrow as well as amongst other Communities of godly Christians but Charity will cover a multitude of Faults Object 8. But you lay too much stress upon Baptism Answ What some may do I know not but I am sure generally we lay no more stress upon it than we ought we say it is a Duty incumbent upon all Believers a holy Ordinance of Christ one of the great Sacraments of the New Testament and they that reject it do reject part of the Counsel of God. Yet we do not lay such stress upon it as some do upon Infant Baptism We do not say Men cannot be saved unless they be baptized provided they do not sin against their light and clear convictions of their own Consciences 'T is evident there are those who have asserted That Infants that die unbaptized shall not cannot be saved which certainly is abominable to affirm For were it our duty to baptize our Children yet can any think that the omission of our duty to them herein can exclude them the Kingdom of Heaven but 't is evident it is not required they are not the subjects of it Object 'T is no where said that Women received the Lords Supper yet 't is given to them Why may not Infants be Baptized as well tho there is nothing mentioned of their being Baptized in the Scripture Answ To this we Answer That there is ground enough from the Scripture for Women who are baptized Believers to receive the Lord's Supper Let a Man examine himfelf and so let him eat saith the Apostle viz. Man or Woman For so the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies There is one Mediator between God and Man. Is not Woman as well as Man intended there If there come into your Assembly a Man having a Gold Ring c. A double-minded Man is unstable in all his ways Are not Women as well as Men comprehended and meant in those places as well as Men tho not expressed 2. Were not Women as well as Men who believed Baptized Were not Women Disciples and commanded to be made discipline by the preaching of the Gospel in the Commission as well as Men And are not Males and Femals all o●● in Christ Jesus Is not this a meer trifling Vanity and nought but a piece of Foolery and Deceit to darken Counsel with words without Knowledg Women were Baptized we read of Lydia an honourable Woman that was Baptized And when they heard this 't is said they were baptized both Men and Women And they that were required to be Baptized and did partake of that Ordinance continued together in the Apostles Doctrine and in Fellowship and in breaking of Bread and Prayer This sufficiently proves Women received the Lord's Supper When shall we see the like proof for Babes Baptism Were not Women Members of the Chur●● and does not the Holy Supper belong to all ●●●●lar Members thereof This Objection seems to represent these Men like a person almost drown'd who catches hold of any little Twig or Flag to help him But Brethren these things will never do your business Object If we have no Scripture-Example to baptize Infants no more have you for the baptizing such Persons as you do baptize viz. those of Age whose Parents were baptized and educated from their Youth in the Christian Religion for evident it is those we read of in the New Testament who were baptized were such who were newly Converted either from Judaism or Paganism to Christianity Answ What tho we have no Example in the Scripture of any besides such you speak of that were baptized that ●eing the very beginning of that Gospel-Admini●●●ation yet is not the Commission a perfect Rule to succeeding Ages as well as it was to that present Age Evident it is that by virtue of the Commission none were to be baptized but such as are discipled or first taught before admitted to that Ordinance If the person be a Believer we have no ground to refuse him because his Parents were Jews or Heathens so we have no reason to receive others at all the more because their Parents were Christians 2. Can you prove that difference as to the state of the Parents in respect of what you speak of doth give you a warrantable ground to act contrary to the order and nature of the great Commission Matth. 28. 19 20. By the authority of which the Apostles