Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	baptize_v	jesus_n	john_n	3,386	5	6.8394	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31640	A letter to Mr. Braine Br. of Divinity concerning an administrator of water-baptisme.	Chamberlen, Peter, 1601-1683.	1650 (1650)	Wing C1897; ESTC R40320	4,893	7

A LETTER TO Mr. BRAINE Br. of Divinity Concerning an Administrator of Water-Baptisme SIR UNless Disputes were syllogistical and then to a Moderator your Apprehensions are too nimble and your Learning too great and your Discourse too fluent to debate our difference by a multitude of words for ●either we our selves nor the Auditors do receive satisfaction I thought good therefore to proceed in writing not repeating what either you or I said in heat or anger but to take the Question de Novo You enquire after an Administrator which enquiry nor so much as the word it self is found in all the Scripture but is a new found word lately used to disturb the Ordinances of God But we may find the sum of the question in these words By what Authority dost thou these things Sir th● is the sum of your question and this Sir was the Pharisees Question Mat. 21.33 and might receive a like Answer by way of Question By what Authority dost thou demand these things The question was propounded by Pharisees men learned men of ●epute and Honour amongst the People men in humane Au●hority for they were Priests and Levites and Rulers of the People John 1.19.24 John 3.1 7.32.45.47.48 9.13 11.47.48.57 12.42 18.3 I cannot say they were Ministers but Commanders They asked this question to Christ the Anointed of the Lord the Son of God yet in the eye of men a Samaritan a Carpenters Son of no humane Learning yea one that was esteemed to have a Devil John 8.48 Samar Mat. 13.55 Mark 6.3 Carp Mat. 13.54.56 whence John 8.48 Mat. 10.25 Mark 3.22 Luke 11.15 a Devil Beelzebub This question was the question in the Bishops dayes to all that sought the wayes of Christ or endeavoured to propagate the Truth This question is the great question the main question of the Church of Rome and is yet the question amongst us intimating that there is no Authority but what cometh from Man or is successively by Man Alas poor men The workings of the spirit are invisible to humane sight The spirit bloweth where it listeth John 3. and Christ is a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchizedeck Heb. 5. Shall we ask Authority of Man to be wise or honest or just This was the folly the Parliament first ran in when those corrupt men were in it that cost so much blood When they asked leave of the King to discharge their Consciences to make just Lawes to discharge their Trust and ease the grievances of the People for which they were called Well Christ answers them with a question The Baptisme of John was it of God or Man Verse 26 John had Authority from God but they knew it not and propably had they not feared the People would have affirmed his Baptisme to be his own presumption and heresie For the Word came to John in the Wilderness Luke 3.2 and John wrought no miracle John 10.41 yet the People whom the Pharisees judged accursed John 7. and the Publicans justified God in being baptized of him But the Pharisees and Lawyers are said to reject the Counsel of God against themselves in being not baptized of him Luke 7.29.30 yet Sir there was no written word for Johns Authority to baptize Only an obscure Prophesie which they could not understand nor any but by the immediate spirit of God or the Son of God to interpret The voyce of one crying in the Wilderness c. Isay 40.3 there is nothing but a voyce and that in the Wilderness Yet this voyce in the Wilderness sets up an Ordinance the Ordinance of Baptisme for the remission of sins Luk. 3.3 justified by sinners Rom. 102. Phil. 3.6 condemned by zealous and learned Pharisees and Lawyers Luke 7.29.30 The People stood not capitulating with John about his Authority or how he could prove that the Word came to him in the Wilderness and who made him an Administrator Nor did they cavil at him for striking at their chief and main priviledge Luke 3.8 of being Sons of Abraham which they and all the world knew they were But the People asked him saying what shall we do then verse 10. They considered that what he spake was honest and reasonable and full of Piety and Holiness It was fit that men should repent for their Conscience told them they had sinned and finding the substance true they never quarreld with the circumstance of Authority yet they had then a visible Authority amongst them ordained of God Annas and Caiphas were High-Priests and the Priests lips were to preserve knowledge Sir I come near home you have ingenuously and publickly acknowledged Water-Baptisme an Ordinance of Christ and that it is necessary and it is only due unto Believers but you allow no Administrator because there hath been no visible succession I beseech you in the love of Christ to abate of the earnestness of your spirit in what you have been so long endeerd unto and now the more by having been heated therein by Disputes Look upon the business de novo as if you never had heard or been engaged to either side And the Lord in mercy to your soul and to his Church to the which you might be so bright and shining a Lamp if once perswaded of the truth grant you a clear and impartial understanding of his will and pleasure Sir God had a Church in the World though in the Wilderness And the Church was a Church a visible Church in it self though in the Wilderness and our from the manifest and stately Cities and Buildings of men And the Church was fed in the Wilderness Rev 12.14 Mat. 16 18. though the Habitation of wild Beasts And the Gates of Hell neither were nor shall be ever able to prevail against it If in the Wilderness where form and order decency could not be much more in the City in heavenly Jerusalem the Mother of us all Gal. 4.26 where God is our light Rev. 21.23 The God of Order 1 Cor. 14.33 Therefore whether in City or in Wilderness there is a Church and she is fed yea and some out of the Wilderness whilst she her self is in the Wildernes Rev. 12.17 a Remnant of her seed And such are they who keep the Commandemen●s of God and have the Testimony not of Men but of Jesus Christ ibid. When the Israelites murmured for want of water and that Moses gave it them out of the Rock they asked not whether they should drink in sanctified Vessels or stayed till Moses gave them every one their proportion They would not let the water run by them so in waste When we read the word of God and not of man that tells us Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners Jo 3.1 Tim and he is for salvation to the ends of the Earth Acts 13.47 And that whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16.16 And that unless a Man be born of Water and of the spirit he can in no wise enter

into the Kingdom of Heaven Jo 3.5 And that we finding experimentally that we can be baptized if we will there having never been any restraint in the word upon the Baptizer We cannot but hear the voyce of Christ John 10.2 We cannot neglect so great salvation we cannot belie the abilities and providence of God offered unto us It is not said whomsoever ye baptize but whosoever is baptized Mark 16. Whosoever worketh Righteousness is righteous 1. John 3.7 Rom. 6.17 not he that saith L.L. but he that doth the will of the Father Mat. 7.21 His Servants ye are to whom ye obey Not the Commands of God but our Obedience makes us his Servants If therefore ye ask by what Authority we obey the Commands of God I answer it is by the Authority and power of God For the word of God came to John in the Wilderness and the word of God is come unto us whether in the Wilderness or out of the Wilderness and you do not deny it to be the word of God All power is of God Rom. 13.2 Jo 19.11 If therefore we are baptized and it is his Command we should be baptized what do we question the Authority of his Command The hair of the ●ead falls not to the ground without his providence Mat. 10.30 Christ is with us to the end of the world Mat. 28.20 He hath not left us comfortless Jo 14.18 Blessed are they that believe and have not seen John 20.29 We cannot but have Authority to be honest to be just to be righteous to be faithful to be obedient It is ridiculous to affirm the contrary Every man that is wounded hath Authority to stanch his 〈◊〉 a blood or to do the like charity to another if he can without a Surgeon The word of God declareth the Command 〈◊〉 Teaching and Preaching and disciplining in the Active Mat. ●1 19.20 Mark 16.15 Acts 2.41 But of bapt●zing in the Passive or in ●articiple ibid. verse 16. Act. 16.15.33 and 18.8 8. ●1 c. If Preaching be more then Baptizing then whosoever may ●●●ch may Baptize But Preaching is more then Baptizing as may appear 1 Cor. ●17 Act. 10.48 〈◊〉 for the liberty of preaching whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You may read it in Act. 8.4.5 9.20 as 〈◊〉 as ever Paul was baptized and 15.21 and Phil. 1.14.15 Acts 18.26.28 ●1 Cor. 14.31 Act. 4.31 and 5.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the A●●s did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and false Brethren Jewes did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.21 Phil. 1.15 as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth is every man hath Authority to speak truth and ●peak that Truth which God will have published to the ●●e World And if man will not do it Luke 19 40. the very stones of ●●eet will The Heavens declare the glory of God and the ●●●ent sheweth his handy-work Psal 19. so that their 〈◊〉 is gone out to the uttermost ends of the Earth Rom. 10. ●one can preach unless he be sent Rom. 10.15 If we then 〈◊〉 we are sent for none can come unto Christ unless the 〈◊〉 draw him Jo 6.44.45 and all that the Father hath 〈◊〉 Christ shall come unto him Jo. 6.37 for the Gospel is hid to none but those that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 And as without Christ we can do nothing Jo 15.5 so we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard Act. 4.20 The voice of the Creation hath spoken to us the voice of Providence the voice of Conscience the voice of his Word the voice of God What should we boast of Visions of Revelations of Dreams of Chastisements of Sufferings of Miracles of Providence of Prayers yet we have a more sure word of Prophesie 2 Pet. 1.19 And Christ himself saith that if ye believe not the Scriptures how shall ye believe my words Jo 5.47 Words which shall judge us in the last day Jo 10. Words so unchangeable that Heaven and Earth shall passe away before one jot shall passe Mat. 5.18 That whosoever addeth the judgements and plagues of the Revelation shall be added and whosoever taketh away his Name shall be taken out of the book of life Rev. 22 18.19 yea though an Apostle or an Angel shall preach any other Gospel let him be accursed Gal. 1.8.9 This word of God saith Whosoever believeth and is baptized shall be saved and whosoever believeth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Shall this word have any more Authority because this or that Minister confirms it Man cannot make the word of God true nor can the Sonnes of man give Authority to the Word of God But whomsoever the word of Go● emboldeneth empowereth to be a Witness a Messenger 〈◊〉 Preacher though a Child Mat. 21.16 though an Earthe● Vessel 2 Cor. 4.7 though a fool 1 Cor. 3.18 thoug● a thing of nought 1 Cor. 1.28 He will by them perfec● prayse distribute his heavenly Treasure confound the wisdo● of the World and bring to nought things that are If we the for obeying the Command of God are this day accused wh● shall be said to those that obey not to those that forbid tho● Commands to those that oppose and speak evil of that ●bedience Sir I beseech you make hast and bring in that Treas●● Christ hath intrusted you with into the publick Stock of 〈◊〉 Church And by how much you perceive any weakness in 〈◊〉 by so much the more do you hasten to strengthen us that I may ever be Learned Sir Your very faithful Servant in the Lord PETER CHAMBERLEN ● August 1650. POSTSCRIPT The Heavens and the Earth were brought forth by the word of God Gen. 1. Man liveth not by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Mat. 4. The word of God hath made us and we are the workmanship of his hands Ps 100 The word hath said that wheresoever two or three are gathered together in the name of Christ he is there in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 If therefore any are assembled by the power of that word testified in that they therefore do it and not by the Traditions of men or Custome is not that an Assembly of Christ And if ought were wanting of a circumstance hath not he promised that what 2. shall consent so on earth his Father shall do it for them Mat. 18.19 Hath he not powred of his spirit on all flesh Act. 2. Is his Arm shortned or his promise broken Consider obey I beseech you resist not the power and spirit of God whereby we are sealed What Authority was there for those that were dispersed to preach or for Philip to baptize Acts 8. FINIS