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	way_n	2,608	5	4.6000	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61842	The indecency and unlawfulness of baptizing children in private, without necessity, and with the publick form seriously recommended to the consideration of both the clergy and laity of the Church of England : to which is added, a brief exhortation to the constant receiving of the Lords Supper.	Strong, Martin, b. 1663 or 4.	1692 (1692)	Wing S5995; ESTC R15237	25,798	32

from the 5th to the 16th page will find it undeniably proved that St. John and the Apostles themselves baptized in Public That both the Greek and Latin Churches do the same at this day and that several of the Antient Fathers Justini Martyr Tertullian St. Athanasius Greg. Nazianzen St. Ambrose and Chrysostom St. Cyril and most learned Writers of the Primitive Church whose Names are in the Margin do all contend for Baptism in Public He will find it proved that the Baptizing in Private houses Concilium Constans Meldense Vernense Cassander Hospinian Chamier Vasquez c. Rel. Assemblys p. 294. has been often condemned and prohibited by whole Councils of Bishops And all this abundantly strengthned by the Testimonies of several other learned Writers Men of great esteem in their times After all which I presume we may very justly conclude with the learned Dr. Sherlock That the Primitive Christians always administred Baptism in Public places and in the presence of the Congregation and never that the Custom thus continued in all the following Ages Now the force of this Argument amounts to this That in all cases not positively determined by the Scripture The Practice of the Primitive Church is the surest way for us to understand the Mind of Christ and his Apostles For we cannot but think that those who convers'd with the Apostles and with the Apostolical men of the next ages are the safest guides for us to be directed by who live so remote from those times The Authority of Antient and Vniversal Tradition has always been esteemed sacred and venerable and whatever men may think now yet to contradict the concurring Testimony and Practice of the Universal Church was heretofore always thought one of the greatest Sins and Follies that a Man could be guilty of The Fathers themselves do often confute Heretics of their times from prescription or the constant Traditionary Faith and Practice of the Church For tho we do not make Tradition to be a Primary and Infallible Rule as the Holy Oracles are Yet where the thing is doubtful or disputable where the Scripture is silent there certainly the received Practice of the ancient Vniversal Church is the surest guide for us to follow There is an Obligation upon us of the present times to conform as much as may be to the Practice of the Universal Church and to avoid Novelty and Singularity in all things relating to the Worship of God And therefore when we have so many plain Testimonies of Antiquity for baptizing in Public and can find no one Church in the Christian World that ever practised otherwise when we have so many Ancient Fathers Councils and learned Writers condemning Private Baptism and pleading for that which is Public and not any one single Author produced of a contrary persuasion There is certainly so much respect due to this Vnanimous Consent of all our Pious Ancestors as proves it to be very rude indecent and immodest for us of the present age to contradict the general sense of Christianity to affront and condemn the Holy Catholic Church of Christ by our contrary Practices and to think our selves wiser than all the Christians that went before us who for 1600 years together have always Baptized in Public and no doubt for good reasons Thirdly The Administration of Baptism in Private houses without just Necessity and with the Public Form is contrary to the Express Laws and Rubrick of our own National established Church of England This is so plain and undeniable a Truth that a modest man would think it needless to go about to prove it to any man who has got a Common-prayer book and is but able to read the Rubrick without coloured Spectacles which is as plain and express in this particular as words can make it For 1st The very appointing of two distinct Offices and the calling one of them by the Name of Public and the other by the Name of Private Baptism is a plain demonstration of the mind of the Church in this respect For to what purpose has the Church composed a distinct Form of Baptism for cases of sickness and extreme Necessity if she had ever thought that the Public Form might have been then used as well But let us examine the several Titles of those two Offices And the first we find is called The Public Baptism of Infants to be used in the Church Now the very word Public proves that 't was never intended to be used Privately And the addition of that Clause To be used in the Church is an unanswerable Argument that it ought not to be used in Private houses But let us proceed from the Title to the Rubrick for Public Baptism And the first thing we meet with is This. The People are to be admonished that 't is most convenient that Baptism should not be administred but upon Sundays and other Holy-days when the most number of People come together And this our Church requires for two very good reasons which immediately follow both which reasons conclude strongly for Public and against Private Baptism The first is That the Congregation there present may testify the receiving of them that be newly baptized into the number of Christs Church The second is That by the Baptism of the Infant in the Church every Person present may be put in mind of his own solemn vow and profession made to God in his own Baptism To this purpose the learned Dr. Comber tells us That Infants ougut to be brought to the Church Discourse upon the whole Common Prayer p. 338. that there may be many Witnesses of this solemn act and that others may be put in mind of their Vow as also because they may be admitted Members of our Religious Assemblies in the proper place And he that has a mind to see farther how much Public Baptism tends to the Edification of the Church Let him read Dr. Sherlocks Rel. Assemblies p. 293. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consider withal how the Custom of Baptizing in Private can be reconciled with that Precept of St. Paul 1 Cor. 14.26 Let all things be done to Edifying that is in all acts of Public Worship let every thing be so performed as may tend most to the benefit and advantage of others Dr. Hammond in locum and Dr. Beveridge his Sermons on this Text. which is the Paraphrase of a very learned man on the words In the third Section or Paragraph of the Rubrick before Public Baptism The Godfathers and Godmothers and the People with the Children are required to be ready at the Font Now I hope this may pass for a plain Command for the bringing of Children to the Church for where else is the Font Are there any in Private houses Or how can Children be brought to the Font if they are not first brought to the Church where alone the Font is placed But this is not all the time is also specified as well as the Place The Children are to be