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	church_n	primitive_a	3,218	5	8.9699	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85408	Philadelphia: or, XL. queries peaceably and inoffensively propounded for the discovery of truth in this question, or case of conscience; whether persons baptized (as themselves call baptism) after a profession of faith, may, or may not, lawfully, and with good conscience, hold communion with such churches, who judg themselves truly baptized, though in infancy, and before such a profession? Together with some few brief touches about infant, and after-baptism. By J.G. a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1653 (1653)	Wing G1189; Thomason E702_7; ESTC R207109	25,228	32

theirs the Apostle here insisteth on as inconsistent with that most dangerous and pernicious Error of denying the Resurrection of the dead which had now gotten head amongst them And if there were such a practise as this in this Church I mean to baptize some of the living members in the name and stead of some that were dead is it not a plain case that there were some of these members who lived and dyed unbaptized VI Whether when Paul soon after his conversion assayed to joyn himself to the Church and Disciples at Jerusalem Act. 9. 26. did this Church make any enquiry after his Baptism as whether he had been baptized or no in order to his reception amongst them or did they know that he had been baptized Or did Barnabas in giving satisfaction to the Apostles and Church concerning his meetness to be admitted into communion with them so much as mention his being Baptized but only declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way and that he had spoken to him and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the Name of Jesus Acts 9. 27. VII Whether upon a supposal that it cannot be proved from the Scriptures that any unbaptized or unduly baptized person was ever admitted into Church-communion by Christians in the Apostles days or that any duly baptized person held communion with a Church the greatest part of whose members he deemed either unbaptized or unduly Baptized is such a defect of proof sufficient to justifie a withdrawing of communion by a person who conceiveth himself duly baptized from such a Church the generality of whose members he supposeth are either not baptized or unduly Baptized considering that very many things may be matter of duty and necessary to be done which are not warranted for so much as lawful by any example in the Scriptures of like action in all circumstances It is the duty of Churches and of every member respectively to admit their women-members to the Lords Table yet cannot this practice be warranted by any example recorded in the Scriptures Yea in case at the time of this Sacramental Administration in a Church all the men-members should occasionally be absent except only the Administrator and it may be a Deacon or two and only the women-members present there is little question to be made but that the Administration ought to proceed notwithstanding and the elements be administred unto this female Congregation though there be no example of such an Administration as this in the Scriptures There is no example in Scripture of any person worshiping the Holy Ghost yet it is a great duty lying upon Christians to worship him When David and the men with him entred into the House of God and did eat the shew-bread a he had no Scripture-example to justifie his action no more had the Disciples to justifie theirs when they plucked the ears of Corn as they passed through the Fields on a Sabbath day yet were both these actions lawful and to a degree necessary The reading of the Scriptures translated out of the Original Languages into English Welch Dutch French c. is not only lawful but necessary in the Christian Churches in these Nations yet is there no example extant in Scripture of any such practice in the primitive Times no nor so much as of any Translation of the Scriptures at all It were easie to add more instances of like consideration VIII Whether is an action or practice suppose in matters relating to the service or worship of God upon this account evicted to be unlawful because it hath neither precept I mean no particular or express precept and wherein the action or practice it self with all the circumstances under which it becomes lawful is named nor example to warrant the lawfulness of it Or hath the practice of admitting women to the Lords Table any such either precept or example to justifie it Or in case a Minister shall preach to a Congregation consisting of young men only and from Rev. 22. 3 or 4 c. would such an act as this be unlawful or is there any such precept as that mentioned or example in Scripture for the warrant of it Or when David and those that were with him went into the House of God and contrary to the letter of an Institution eat the shew-bread had they either such a precept as that mentioned or any example to bear them out in such a practise Or doth not our Saviour in the Gospel justifie that action of theirs notwithstanding Or if the case or law of necessity or of peril either of health or life be pleadable for the justification thereof is not the same Law altogether as yea much more pleadable on the behalf of such persons who being of tender weak and sickly constitutions dare not tempt God or expose themselves to the imminent hazard of health or life by being doused in their apparel over head and ears in the water especially considering that God hath testified from Heaven his dis-approbation of the practice by suffering some to be grievously afflicted in their bodies and some also to miscarry in life it self by means in all likelyhood of the temptation Or hath not God sufficiently and plainly enough declared his mind and pleasure in all such cases as this in saying I will have mercy and not sacrifice a Or if it be pleaded that all danger of miscarrying in either kind may be prevented by chusing a warm room and warm water for the transacting of the Baptismal Dipping is it not queryable hereupon whether this be not to alter and change to new-mold shape and transform the Ordinance of God as men please and this under a pretext of observing it Or is there not as much difference between hot water and cold as is between a child and a man IX Whether when God hath by Faith purified the hearts of a people walking in a Christian Brotherhood and Fellowship together hath he not sanctified them And in case any person shall now despise or decline their fellowship as unholy doth he not sin against that heavenly Admonition delivered by special Revelation unto Peter What God hath cleansed {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. sanctified or purified call not thou or make not thou common a Or can a man lightly call or make that common which God hath sanctified in a more opprobrious and contumelious way then by fleeing from it as polluted or unholy X. Whether doth or needs a man contract any guilt of sin before God by walking in such a society of men who being otherwise confessedly Christian and holy have only some practice amongst them in the judgment and conscience of this man not approvable in case 1. he shall at any time openly declare his dislike of this practice and 2. Be no ways constrained or solicited to communicate in this practice Or when men may separate that which is precious from that which is vile and enjoy it thus separated

themselves are to be understood with limitation and restraine These things are sufficiently known to persons any thing conversant in the Scriptures 2. Neither is it here said nor is it a thing in it self much probable that ONLY they who were baptized were added unto them i. e. to the pre-ex●stent number of Disciples but only and simply that there were the number of three thousand added the same day Within which number it is the probable opinion of some that the children and families of those who are said to have gladly received the Word are comprehended it being no ways likely scarce possible that 3000 men should distinctly hear the voyce of a man speaking especially unless we shall suppose that these 3000 stood nearest unto him that spake and with the best advantage to hear there being many thousands more present which can hardly be the supposition of any considering man in the case in hand Nor 3. Is it said or so much as intimated or hinted in the least that any of the whole number of the three thousand who were added unto them were added by means or upon the account of their being baptized although this addition be not mentioned till after their baptizing It is ten degrees more probable that their beleeving or discipleship which according to the principles of those Brethren themselves with whom we now argue were precedent to their baptizing and not their being baptized were the reason and ground of Luke's saying they were added unto the Church or former number of Disciples considering 1. That the original main and principal foundation of the holy brotherhood amongst the Saints and that which makes them fellow-members or members one of another is not the Ceremony of their external Baptism but their fellowship and communion in the divine Nature and inward relation unto the same Christ by one and the same precious Faith 2. That it cannot be demonstratively proved from the Scriptures that those hundred and twenty Disciples Act. 1. 15. unto which it is here said that three thousand were added were or had been all of them baptized in as much as as will presently appear there were divers members of Churches in the Apostles days who were unbaptized no nor can it any whit more be proved from Scripture that the Apostles themselves mentioned Act. 1. 13. had been baptized then that John the Baptist was baptized 3. And lastly That had the Church or persons unto whom these three thousand are said to have been added been estimated by their having been baptized which must be supposed if those who are added to them are said to have been added upon the account of their being baptized their number must needs have far exceeded an hundred and twenty considering the great numbers and vast multitudes of persons that had been baptized by John Mat. 3. 5 6. compared with Mark 1. 5. Luk. 3. 7 21. as also by Christ himself and his Disciples Joh. 3. 22 26. Yea had the Church been estimated or constituted by Baptism the Evangelist Luke intending questionless Act. 4. 4. to report the increase of the Church and progress of the Gospel with as much advantage as truth would afford had prevaricated with the cause which he intended to promote in reporting their number to have been about five thousand only when as upon the said supposition and the tenor of the late premisses he might with as much Truth have reported them about forty thousand yea and many more Howbeit many of them which heard the Word BELEEVED and the number of the men were about five thousand In which passage the increase of the Church or addition unto the former Saints is with much more pregnancy of intimation ascribed unto their beleeving then in the other place it is unto their being baptized Therefore both men and women who are indeed tender of Conscience in things appertaining unto God had need have a better foundation to bear them out in their practise of rending and tearing Churches or if this name will not pass of rending and tearing holy Societies and fellowships of Saints then any thing that can be so much as tolerably inferred from the Text now argued Act. 2. 41. IV. Whether did not the Church of Christ at Rome in the Apostles days and so also the Churches in Galatia hold Church-communion with some who were not baptized considering 1. That the Apostle to the former writeth thus Know ye not that SO MANY OF US as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death Rom. 6. 3. and to the latter after the same manner thus For AS MANY OF YOU as have been baptized into Christ Gal. 3. 27. 2. That this particle {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as many as used in both places is in such constructions as these always partitive distinguishing or dividing the entire number of persons spoken of some from others by the character or property specified or at least supposeth a possibility of such a distinction {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as many as touched the hem of his garment were made whole Mat. 14. 36. This clearly supposeth either that there were some or at least that there might be some who did not thus touch So again They brought in all AS MANY AS they found c. Mat. 22. 10. So AS MANY i. e. as many men and women as are of the works of the Law are under the curse Gal. 3. 10. See also Mark 3. 10. 6. 11 56. Luk. 4 40. Ioh. 1. 12. Act. 3. 24 with others more of like tenor and import almost without number Therefore is it not without controversie and dispute that the Apostle saying to the Church at Rome and to those in Galatia As MANY OF You as have been baptized c. supposeth either that there actually were or at least that for ought he knew to the contrary there might be sundry of their members who had not been baptized And if he had either known or so much as by conjecture supposed that all the members of these Churches had without exception been baptized is it credible that he would have expressed himself thus unto them respectively As MANY OF You As have been baptized and not rather You having all been baptized or the like V. Whether did not the Church at Corinth in the Apostles days entertain members and hold communion with those who had not been baptized considering that he demandeth thus of this Church Else what shall or what will they do which are baptized for the dead if the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for the dead c Or doth not this imply that there was a corrupt and superstitious practise on foot in this Church to baptize one or other of the surviving kindred or Friends in the name of such persons respectively who dyed unbaptized and that this Church thought and supposed that such Baptism was available for good unto the deceased in such a case which practise and opinion of

and apart without suffering any inconvenience by that which is vile is it a point of wisdom in them to deprive themselves of the enjoyment of what is precious because there is somewhat which they suppose to be vile near to it XI Whether may persons who are weak in the Faith be rejected by a Church from communion with them in case they desire it only because they question or dissent from the sence of the generality of this Church in some one point of doubtful disputation Or is not the practice of a man who pretends to be strong in the Faith in renouncing communion with a Church or which is the same in rejecting a Church from his communion which he judgeth weak in the Faith only because they more generally dissent from him in a matter of doubtful disputation a practice much more unchristian and unwarrantable then the former Or is not the practice especially the necessity of dipping after Infant-ablution or Infant-Baptism a matter of doubtful disputation unless haply by matters of doubtful disputation we mean not whatsoever is questioned opposed or denyed by any man or any sort of men being asserted and held by others but only such things which are controverted and disputed with good probability on either side by men of gravity worth soberness of judgment throughly versed and expert in the Scriptures c. And whether in this sence or notion of matters of doubtful disputation is the necessity of the said practice of after-Baptism so much as matter of doubtful disputation the generality of Christians so qualified as hath been expressed unanimously agreeing in the non-necessity yea and which is somewhat more in the irregularity of it XII Whether did the Lord Christ pointing to any river or water say Vpon this water will I build my Church Or did he not speaking either of himself or of that great Truth viz. that He was the Son of the living God which Peter had confessed say Vpon this Rock will I build my Church a Or is there the softest whisper or gentlest breathing in the Scripture of any such notion or opinion as this that a true Church of Christ cannot be constituted or made no not of the truest and soundest Believers in the world unless they have been baptized after their believing how or after what manner soever they have been baptized before XIII Whether is an error or mistake about the adequate or appropriate subject of Baptism of any worse consequence or greater danger then an error or mistake about Melchisedec's Father as viz. in case a man should suppose him to have been Noah which he must be in case Melchisedec were the same Person with Sem when as he was some other man If so how or wherein doth the excess of the danger or evil of the consequence appear If not whether is it Christian or any ways becoming the Spirit of the Gospel to abandon communion with such Churches which being interpreted is to proclaim them polluted hated and abhorred by Christ only because a man supposeth them to lie under the guilt of such an error or mistake XIV Whether may not the importune contest or question about the appropriate subject of Baptism as it is stated by the Brethren of New Baptism in opposition to the judgment and practice almost of the whole Christian World justly be numbered amongst those questions which the Apostle calls foolish and unlearned and adviseth both Timothy and Titus to avoyd as being questions which ingender strife a and are unprofitable and vain b considering 1. That the experience of many years in the Reformed Churches abroad and of some years amongst our selves at home hath abundantly taught and informed us that the said question hath yielded little other fruit unto those that have set their hearts to it yea and unto others also but contention strife emulations evil surmizings distractions confusions alienations of mind and affections amongst Christian Brethren evil speakings vilifyings revilings needless and wastful expence of time loss of many precious opportunities for matters of greatest consequence unprofitable disturbings and turmoylings of weak Consciences shatterings scatterings rendings and teerings of such Churches and Christian Societies who till this root of bitterness sprang up amongst them walked in love and with the light of Gods countenance shining on them holding the unity of the Spirit in the band of peace edifying one another in their most holy Faith c. 2. That the said Question in the nature and direct tendency of it leadeth unto very little that is considerable or of much consequence for Christians to know and that what is brought to light of moment and consequence by occasion of the ventilation of it is nothing but what might arrive at the knowledg of Christians in a more peaceable and less troublesom way And 3. and lastly That those who are most confident that they have found the treasure of Truth which the Question we speak of seeketh after are no ways as far as any ways appeareth or can be discerned spiritually enriched by it but rather impoverished at least the generality of them losing by degrees that Christian sweetness meekness humility love patience soberness of mind fruitfulness of conversation c. which were observable in them before as if their new Baptism had been into a new or another Jesus altogether unlike unto him whom Paul preached XV Whether is any Member of a Christian Church or Society at any more liberty or under any greater necessity to excommunicate cut off or separate this Church or all the members of it from his communion only upon his private conceit or perswasion suppose according to truth that they walk not in all things according to Gospel-rule then this Church is to excommunicate him upon a true and certain perswasion that he walketh not in every thing according to the rule of the Gospel Or if Churches either be at liberty or under an obligation by way of duty to excommunicate every of their members respectively because they judg them not to walk in all things according to the Gospel are they not at liberty or bound in duty and conscience thus to cast out all their members one after another considering that not in some things only but even in many things as the Apostle James speaketh we offend all Or hath any single member of a Church any more liberty or authority to adjudg and determine without the Scriptures upon what grounds or occasions his departure from a Church is justifiable then a Church hath to make Laws and Constitutions of her own for the ejecting of her members Or is it anywhere a case adjudged in the Scriptures that if a Church in any part of the world suppose under the frozen Zone shall not practice dipping after sprinkling or other washing in the Name of Jesus Christ every member thereof stands bound in conscience yea or is so much as at liberty to reverse or disoblige himself from his solemn and sacred engagements to it XVI

named See Mark 6. 44. Joh. 6. 10. compared with Mat. 14. 21. If so doth not this argument or plea against Infant-Baptism halt right-down In the Scriptures we find no mention of the Baptizing of Children either by Christ or his Apostles or any others therefore no children were Baptized by them Indeed if we could here find no mention of the Baptizing either men or women then the non-finding any mention neither of children baptized were an argument of some authority and credit to prove that there was none of this capacity or age baptized XXXVII Whether in case it could be proved which yet hath not been proved nor I am full of belief ever will be the proofs lying much more strong and pregnant for it then against it that there were no children baptized during the Apostles days doth it by any whit better consequence follow from hence that therefore children ought not now to be or might not then as to point of simple lawfulness have been baptized then from the non-circumcising of the Jewish children for forty years together Jos. 5. 5. viz during the whole time of their journeying through the wilderness it follows that neither ought they to have been circumcised afterwards especially considering 1. That there may be many more and more weighty reasons though possibly unknown unto us why neither Christ nor his Apostles should baptize children in their days though the lawfulness yea and necessity of their baptizing at other times and in some cases be supposed then there was why the Israelites should omit the circumcising of their children for those forty years together which were specified And 2. That the Apostle Paul saith that he was not sent to baptize but to preach the Gospel meaning that baptizing whether personally or by commissioning or delegating others hereunto was not only not the principal but not any considerable end of his sending but the publishing and preaching of the Gospel for if he was not sent to baptize meaning neither one age nor one sex or other neither could he be sent to baptize children and if he was not sent to baptize either one or other in the sence declared neither was the Lord Christ himself nor the rest of the Apostles sent about this work in such a sence What marvel then is it that Persons sent about matters incomparably greater and more weighty should not be so throughly intent upon things of a secondary and lighter consequence as to prosecute them to the uttermost of what they lawfully might yea and in case of a lighter burthen upon their shoulder in those more important affairs had been bound to do Or are there not many cases wherein a man may break a Law i. e. a standing Law or a Law provided for ordinary cases and yet be blameless yea and some cases wherein he may do it with commendation See Mat. 12. 3 4 5. 2 Cor. 11. 17 18 21. 1 Joh. 3. 16. XXXVIII Whether is not that principle or humor in the children of new Baptism of making such sacred treasure hereof as generally they do estimating Christianity it self and acceptance with God by it counting all persons unclean and unholy and not meet for Church-communion who submit not unto it c. thus making Gods Nothing their All things is not this humor I say the express character of such persons in all ages who have unduly and without cause broken the bands of unity love and peace wherein they had been sometimes bound up in a sweet bundle of Christianity with other Churches to walk in some crooked and by-way of particular choyce by themselves to the offence grief and reproach of those Churches from which upon such an account they rent themselves Or did not Eunomius the Heretique who maintained this Doctrine by way of dissent from the Churches of Christ That the Son of God is altogether unlike the Father and the Holy Ghost unlike the Son notwithstanding the groundlessness and erroneousness of it yet attribute this high and sacred priviledg unto it that whosoever believed it could not possibly perish how wickedly soever he lived a Or did not the Donatists ascribe all Christian worth and excellency to their Sect and Opinions denying that there was any true Church of Christ in all the World but only amongst them and despising all other Christians but themselves and yet giving entertainment to most vile and wicked men in their Communion b as if the giving of the right hand of fellowship unto them in their way rendered men religious and holy in the midst of the practice of all wickedness Or did not Theophanes attribute so much to the use of Images in Religious Worship that he censured Constantine the Emperor by-named Copronymus as an Apostate from God for opposing Images and Idol-worship c Or did not some Jewish Teachers labor to possess men with such an high opinion of their Tradition and practice of washing hands before meat as that they ought to look upon him who should neglect or not observe it as one that lieth with an Harlot d Or did not the Author and Abettors of that hideous Doctrine That God seeth no sin in persons justified pronounce all those Traytors to the Blood of Christ that held the contrary e Or did not the Monks who generally were the compilers of the Histories of this Nation in former times place so much of the very essence as it were of Religion in reverencing Bishops and Monks of these times that as Daniel a late English Historian observeth they personated all their Princes either Religious or irreligious as they humored or offended the Bishops rochet and the Monks belly f Or did not Theodore the Abbot give this advice to a Monk who as himself informed the said Abbot was threatened by the Devil that he would never cease vexing and molesting him by temptations unto fornication until he left worshiping the Image of the blessed Virgin did not I say this Abbot give this advice to the Monk in his case that it were better that he frequented all the stews in the City then not to worship Christ and his Mother in an Image g Or do not all these instances with many more that might be added unto them of like consideration plainly shew and prove that to conceit and speak glorious things of any private opinion or by-practice is an argument of very great probability at least that this both opinion and practice are mens own or from themselves and not from God or agreeable unto his Word Or are there not several grounds and these near at hand very material and weighty to strengthen this conjecture yea and when the Apostle Peter saith that those that are unlearned and unstable pervert or wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction doth not this great danger or misery arise from hence that they who do wrest the Scriptures are inordinately conceited of and confidently rest and build upon such notions sences and opinions which are engendered and