Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	glory_n	jesus_n	lord_n	3,161	5	3.4412	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58206	Anabaptism routed: or, a survey of the controverted points: Concerning [brace] 1. Infant-Baptisme. 2. Pretended necessity of dipping. 3. The dangerous practise of re-baptising. Together, with a particular answer to all that is alledged in favour of the Anabaptists, by Dr. Jer. Taylor, in his book, called, the liberty of Prophesying. / By John Reading, B.D. and sometimes student of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford.	Reading, John, 1588-1667.	1655 (1655)	Wing R443; ESTC R207312	185,080	220

Anabaptism Routed OR A SURVEY of the Controverted Points Concerning 1. Infant-Baptisme 2. Pretended Necessity of Dipping 3. The dangerous practise of Re-baptising Together With a particular Answer to all that is alledged in favour of the Anabaptists by Dr. Jer. Taylor in his Book called The Liberty of Prophesying By John Reading B. D. and sometimes Student of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford LONDON Printed for Thomas Johnson at the Golden Key in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1655. To the Right Worshipful Sir WILLIAM BROCKMAN KNIGHT And to his truly vertuous Lady The LADY ANNE BROCKMAN THIS Antiphrastical age perverting terms to contrary meanings calling Truth Falshood Falshood Truth Vertue Vice and Vice Vertue c. not only minds us of Ephesian Wolves and spekers of ●perverse things but evidently shews that the time of which the Apostle warned is not instant but extant The deaf Adders will not be charmed or hearing endure sound doctrine that 's bitter to the wicked but after their own lusts heap up to themselves Teachers like Jeroboams Priests of the lowest of the people having itching ears We have so much experience hereof that we cannot but know that for the loud-crying sms of this Nation proceeding from contempt of his Word and Ministry the Lord hath smitten many tongues and ears with a worse then Egyptian plague a spiritual botch scab incurable itch madness blindness and astonishment of heart so that they hate the light and learning because they would have all like themselves that their ignorance might lie hid in one common darkness unreproved undiscovered all which like a shril Trumpet from the clouds of heaven sounding lowder and lowder gives the alarm to all faithful Ministers to take heed to themselves and to all the stock over which the H. Ghost hath made them overseers spiritually furnished like those repairers of the Temple both for building and defence taking to them the whole armour of God that they may be able to stand I may safely say no one age ever felt such various oppositions of truth Satan seeming in former times but to skirmish but now to storm the beloved City and Tents of the Saints with all his Legions of errours drawn up into one body of all which none more infest or hinder our work then those Moabites and Ammonites who contrary to Gods ordinance have intruded into the work of the Temple pretending to build with us saying with those enemies of Israel We seek your God as ye do Now the noon-tide Devil is on the Stage in his last scene whose part is if it were possible to deceive the very Elect. To which no ordinary dress can now fit him or his Ministers it must be and so is some close semblance of sanctimony in which the Saints delight without which Satan could not easily take them with which he often doth whilst incautiously credulous they are deceived by those whom they esteemed good The hunters of Ostriches used to dress themselves up with their feathers imitate their motions and scatter grains of seeds before them so the false Apostles deceitful workers seduce by transforming themselves into Apostles of Christ Ministers of righteousness scattering out of their delightful bags seeds of dangerous Heresies and Schisms Why I undertook this polemical task you know who were present at my first imbarquing in this controversie as also many of my reverend brethren who afterwards importuned me to the first part hereof If any ask why it comes out so late to publike view let the false Zibaes answer I can conjecture but not resolve it is now about two years since it was much desired fairly promised and accordingly sent to one Press where the children were come to the birth and there was no strength to bring forth Why I write after so many so much more able to defend the truth might possibly put me to the Oratours quaere● What is left for me to do but new adversaries arising giving fresh assaults and impudently affronting and challenging me in my publike charge to answer them what could I have answered the Lord if seeing the Wolf coming into the fold I had withdrawn or betrayed the soule of my● Auditors who might possibly have thought our cause deserted for which none durst plead All lovers of truth owe it respective defence and too much caution cannot be in things of so great moment as salvation of souls No man rationally asketh What need we two eyes who can see with one I am far from pleading universality for defence or multitudes for Patronage of truth let our adversaries reckon themselves many and think that Illes Defendit numerus junctaeque umbone Phalanges They have many Writers but if the cause be weighed by Scripture and solid reason then as Elisha said they are more with us then with them yet I heartily wish that many more would shew themselves on our part and neither betray the truth by their silence who can seasonably and ably speak in its defence nor encourage the adversaries thereof by such a Laodicea-like lukewarmness as shews a dangerous symptome of neutralitie For my part I cannot but be conscious of much disabilitie yet dare not but endeavour to defend the truth for this let whoso will condemn or acquit me God is all-sufficient Such as these endeavours are I submit to the judgment of the Church of God the pillar of truth and dedicate them to you who love the truth and by Gods assistance will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things though you know them and be established in the present truth yea I think it meet as long as I am in this Tabernacle God alone gives the encrease To him be glory in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men to you and yours constancie in the truth and happiness temporal and eternal which is the daily prayer of Decemb. 8. 1653. Your faithful and affectionate Servant in the Lord Jesus JO. READING The Preface to the Christian and Candid Reader GGood Reader know that as I was addressing my self to discharge a publike Engagment for writing something in answer to certain Objections made against Paedobaptism there came to my hand from a friend a Treatise under this Title 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Liberty of Prophesying c. in the 18 section whereof I finde A particular consideration of the opinion of the Anabaptists In which part of this Florelegie or flowers and selected points of Divinity are not onely some stingy expressions but also such a wilful or incautious collection of wilde Vines as may cause the children of the Prophets not unjustly to cry Mors est in ollâ It was truly reported by some judicious Divines who had perused the same that there are many dangerous stumbling-blocks to weak Christians and subtil arguments for defence and animation of the Anabaptists being cloathed

unto them we undertake not to make the truth evident to every gain-sayer and despiser thereof but say of such an one as Elisha for his servant at the beleaguered Dothan 2 King 6. 17. Lord I pray thee open his eyes that he may see The most manifest light of the Gospel had not evidence enough with the Pharisees whom Christ pronounced blind and it concerned them chiefly which he said they have winked with their eyes c. an unbeliever may doubt of any truth and then it is not evident to him The old Academicks were wont to question the testimonie and evidence of their own senses with a quid si falleris being not confident of the truth of that they saw with their eyes and heard with their ears Carneades doubted of all things yet certainly many things were evident of themselves to those who could and would see and know manifest truths though not to him 4. They who deny convincing evidence in Gods Word not only erre not knowing the Scriptures but tacitely accuse the Wisdom and Providence of God for mans salvation of insufficiencie for how shall matters of controversie concerning faith and manners be decided without sufficient evidence and if you think there is not sufficient evidence in Scripture to keep us from errour and to direct us in the way of truth and salvation in what other rule or testimonie will you place such evidence as you would have what in Traditions and unwritten verities where shall we feek these among our adversaries nay but no man can be edified by that which is destructive or in Enthusiasms and Revelations but what evidence can there be in those things whose authority cannot be proved and whose truth cannot be infallible nothing less then that which cannot be false can be the ground of faith and religion whatsoever falleth below that supreme certaintie is but opinion at most Now the Word of God only is infallible because he cannot lye T●● 1. 2. and therefore his Word is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 T●● 3. 16 17. 5 If it be rejoined that in our present question and some other cases the Scripture saith nothing expresly and positively to evidence the truth I answer 1 with Tertullian I am confident to say that the Scriptures themselves were so disposed by the will of God that they might administer matter to Hereticks seeing that I read there must be Herefies which could not be without Scriptures 2 That is Scripture truth which the Scripture proposeth or enjoineth by necessary consequence though not in express words and whosoever disbelieveth or disobeyeth that so far he rejecteth the Scripture in his errour and ignorance of Scripture So the Sadduces denyed the resurrection of the dead among other vain arguments so principally a non scripto because Moses whose writings only they received did not in terminis or express words and syllables say the dead shall rise again now though that is true Moses did not expresly say so yet our Saviour told them that therein they erred not knowing the Scriptures Mat. 22. 29. where he meaneth not express words of Scripture but necessary consequence for certainly they knew the express letter yet thought they had not evidence enough from Scripture because they found nothing there in terminis against their errour which Christ yet justly chargeth on them Ye do erre not knowing the Scriptures as touching the resurrection of the dead have you not read that which was spoken unto you by God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Well what express Scripture is here to prove the resurrection of the dead that Christ should charge those that denyed the same with errour and ignorance of Scriptures Truly no more then we find for Infant-baptism in appearance much less yet thus he who could not be deceived chargeth them because denying necessary consequence they required express words now the consequence was thus God is not the God of the dead but of the living therefore the dead shall rise again To the folding up of all I might repeat sundry things which as necessarily conclude our Infant-baptism as Infants circumcision into the same faith Gods Covenant with Abraham and his spiritual seed that is all Beleevers Christs honouring Infants with sacred embraces proposing them as heirs and patterns designed for the Kingdome of heaven the extent of Gods federal promise to us and our children childrens capacitie of the inward baptism signified in the external sign whole Families and Nations baptized of which children are and ever were a great part Christs absolute command to baptize all Nations without any tittle of exception to Infants Infants federal and ecclesiastical holiness by their parents and their own right But that I would not be irksom to the prudent and pious Reader to whom I heartily wish a right understanding in all things constancie in the truth and unitie of the holy Spirit that we may all meet in Gods eternal kingdom of glory AMEN A SURVEY OF The Controverted Points CONCERNING INFANT-BAPTISM c. THE SECOND PART CHAP. I. Infants of Christian Parents ought to be baptized I Need not be long in describing this Sacrament only I say that Baptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament succeeding Circumeision the Seal of the Old appointed by Christ for our Inlet into his Church our implantation into Him and the similitude of his death and resurrection in which the water sanctified by the word representeth the blood of Christ sealeth and exhibiteth to the Elect all the benefits of his inestimable merits death passion and resurrection to our regeneration remission of sins and cleansing our bodies and souls from them all though not presently so that we have no sin yet so as that believing in Christ we have no guilt of original or actual sin imputed to us to condemnation for the water by the Ordinance of God touching the body the Spirit of Jesus baptizeth body and soul. Hence Baptism is said to save us 1 Pet. 3. 21. the end of Baptism is that being baptized we might be illuminated being illuminated we might be adopted sons of God being adopted we might be perfected that we may become immortally blessed In our being baptized in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost we do as it were by a solemn Oath or Covenant declare and protest that we are wholly devoted to one God in Trinity of Unitie and God on his part herein testifieth that by this Seal of his Covenant he receiveth us into the participation of his free mercies in Christ and into the holy communion of his Church the body of Christ I Joh. 5. 7 8. The Protestant Church holdeth That the subject of Baptism are all they who either are

being there to command them to preach and to set to the Seal of the Gospel-covenant mentioning no particulars but intimating that all those that were of capacitie should be taught and that those that were not of present understanding yet if born of such persons as had given their names to Christ should be admitted to the seal of the righteousness of faith in Christ that they might be instructed when and as they were able to learn There are two conditions of Baptism Beleeve and Repent which seeing Infants as such cannot do their baptism ought to be deferred until they can We answer 1 These are the conditions If the question were concerning persons of years to be baptised but it is concerning Infants on whom no such condition is or can reasonably for the present be laid 2 The argument is impious and ridiculous as if one should say the condition of eating is labouring which seeing Infants cannot do let their eating or feeding be defered till they can The Apostle saith If there be any that will not labour let him not eat 2 Thess. 3. 10. who of any sense doth not understand that of those that can and will not and why not so in believing and repenting seeing that God requireth impossibilities neither in things temporal nor spiritual 3 As in the baptism of those who are of years a previous faith is required so is a subsequent faith of those who are baptized Infants which if they afterward have not they forfeit the benefit of the Seal which they received 4 Though Infants as such cannot have actual faith yet have they the seeds thereof in baptism covered or shut up in the habitual beginning of grace which Christ both can and doth work in them Nor is it simply necessary that the Sacraments should in the same moment in which they are administred effect all things which they figure or represent yea a dilatory paction hath place when in the making thereof there is some invincible let to present performance as want of the present use of reason is to infants faith repentance and obedience to the Gospel unto which they are by Covenant bound in their baptism and indeed to be within the Covenant gives the Infant a just capacitie to the seal of the same Now Infants of believing and baptized parents are within the Covenant Gen. 17. 7. Act. 2. 39. Christ was not baptized in his Infancie although the Deitie hypostatically united dwelt in him fully but deferred the same untill he was about 30 years of age therefore what ever habitual faith or seeds of grace can be pretended to for infants they ought not to be baptized until they come of years to know what they do We answer 1 Christ requireth not that we should imitate him in all that he did which is proposed to us for doctrine but not for imitation for example he was both circumcised as being of the feed of Abraham under the Law the righteousness whereof he was to perform Mat. 3. 15. and also baptized if we should be so Christ should profit us nothing Gal. 5. 2. 2 The time was not come at the birth of Christ for the repealing of the seals of the ceremonial Law nor was the seal of the new Covenant to be instituted untill the time drew near wherein he was to publish it by preaching the Gospel and accomplishing the great work of our redemption in his bloud therefore he that was Saviour both of Jews and Gentiles was circumcised in his Infancie and baptized as soon as that Sacrament was instituted 3 They that herein require imitation of Christ intimate a necessitie of deferring baptism untill the age of 30 years which our Antagonists that I know of do not practise 4 A bare example without a precept doth not bind to imitation Christ administred the communion with unleavened bread after supper in an upper room to twelve men only and no women but seeing we find no precept in the Gospel which commandeth us to do the same we believe we are not bound by that example 5. There was neither neglect contempt nor danger in so long delaying Christs Baptism there must needs be some of all these in the delay of our childrens Baptism Christ had no sin but we have both Original and Actual he not only foreknew but foreordained as God the manner and time as of his nativity so also of his death We neither know nor can appoint the time of our departures hence therefore we may not defer our childrens Baptism they may suddenly dye 6. Christ would not before that age be baptized and enter into his publike Ministry among other causes for this also that the truth hereof might answer the type preceding in the Levitical Priests who although they were received into the Colledge of Priests at five and twenty yet were they not admitted to exercise their Ministry until they were thirty years old Numb 4. 3. The Lords Supper may not be given to Infants by reason of their incapacity On the same ground neither ought Baptism the other Sacrament We answer That the reason why we may not administer the Communion to Infants is because God hath given an express command Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that Bread and drink of that Cup And there followeth a dreadful reason For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Now Infants can neither examine themselves nor discern the Lords body because they cannot understand the institution end use and condition of that Sacrament Therefore we do not administer it unto them until they can be instructed therein No such limitation can be shewed concerning Baptism for though Faith and Repentance be mentioned as conditions of Baptism and Remission of sins and Salvation to persons of years yet the case is far otherwise with Infants who though they cannot as such actually believe and repent yet we doubt not of their Remission of sins and salvation neither could those Infants who were circumcised actually believe and repent yet that barred them not from the Seal of the same Righteousness of Faith Again that which is said Mark 16. 16. is very considerable as hath been noted He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned It sheweth that the condition of believing is proposed to persons of years who may believe or obstinately reject the Gospel which Infants as such cannot do and therefore it cannot for present concern them without involving them all in the sentence of damnation which opinion were damnable and Antichristian Christ having positively pronounced for them Of such is the Kingdom of God To Infants to be born within Gods Covenant and to receive the Seal thereof obliging them to future Faith Repentance and Obedience is instead of all these Lastly Baptism is the Seal of Initiation Entrance and Admittance into the Church that therefore we give