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
A65885	The rector examined about his book scandalously stiled, An antidote against the venom of Quakerism, by John Meriton, who calls himself A.M. rector of Boughton in Norfolk : and his observations remarked, and the Christianity of the people commonly called Quakers, re-asserted and vindicated, from his perversions and aspersions / by George Whitehead.	Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1699 (1699)	Wing W1953; ESTC R20277	40,584	48

Infants or Believers we are left at uncertainty by this Rector 't is enough with him to cry It must be with Water Water But who who must come under it Men or Babes Here we are at a loss What an easie way it is to make Christians and to get to Heaven if this be it viz. Learn and believe your Creed and that you are inwardly washed regenerated and entered into God's Kingdom by your Water-Baptism Whether as Infants or grown up is still the Question This Rector boldly tells us Nay further it appears That before our Saviour Baptized those in Judea he represented the Solemnity of Baptism as a thing necessary to enter Men into that Kingdom of God to which he invited them our Saviour not only telling Nicodemus John 3. 5. That except a Man be born again he could not see the Kingdom of God But yet more plainly That except he was born again of Water p. 5. and of the Spirit he could not enter into it p. 28. In this Interpretation of John 3. 5. to outward Water the Rector exactly agrees with the Popish Notion and Interpretation thereof That no Man can enter into the Kingdom of God nor into the Fellowship of Holy Church without Water-Baptism as held by the Rhemists see their Annotations upon John 3. 5. And therein opposed by the Protestants as appears in Dr. Fulk's Answer viz. It is not necessary in this place By Water to understand material Water but rather the Purifying Grace of Christ. As in Chap. 4. ver 11 14. where 't is called Living Water whereof he saith Washing with Water in Baptism is an outward Sign So that the Reform'd Protestants did place Salvation the New Birth and entering into the Kingdom of God upon the Inward Baptism by the Purifying Grace of Christ and not upon the Outward Element of Water they esteem'd that but an outward Sign of the Inward For the outward Baptism by Water the Rector urges our Saviour's Example and Practice from John 3. 22 26. p. 28. as if practised or ministred by Christ himself But that 's a Mistake for in John 4. 2. 't is expresly said Though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples I have run the farther into this Point in this place to shew what a Composition the Rector has run Christianity into But to return to some of his invidious Abuses and Perversions For the Credit of his Charge of Venom and Blasphemous Opinions relating to Christianity as well as to the Government against us he saith And to this end and purpose in the Month of March last past there were two Books presented to both Houses of Parliament the one Entitled A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles c. The other Entitled Some few of the Quakers many horrid Blasphemies Heresies c. And also a Sheet Entitled Some Reasons humbly offered why the Quakers should be examined p. 6 7. Here we may observe this Rector has owned these same Books as well as presenting them to the Parliament Now one of them that is a Libel stiled Some Few has an Owner with the rest Thou therefore John Meriton Rector so called art accountable for the manifold Abuses Perversions Calumnies and Traducings which are in those Books and detected in my Truth and Innocency vindicated which I doubt not but will turn to your great Shame and Disgrace who promoted them as will also your strenuous Endeavours to Insence the Government against us but that they had more Discretion and Prudence than to be influenced by two or three Invidious Persons against a Peaceable and Serviceable People Now concerning our Christian Profession on which the Rector makes his Observations to evince the Venom of Quakerism as he unjustly defames us He accuseth us with dubious and equivocal Terms agreeable to those of the Oracles of the Heathen p. 7. for our confessing That our Belief is That in the Unity of the God-head there is Father Son and Holy Ghost those Three Divine Witnesses that beare Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testimony These the Rector has judged as dubious equivocal Terms though they are Scripture Terms see Matt. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. John 14. 26. Chap. 15. 26. But not being content with this our Confession he begs this Question i. e. But if not Three Persons what Three are they page 8. Let him prove these Terms by plain Scripture as we have done ours and then we shall be resolved so as not to charge him with dubious Terms He might have spared his bitter Insinuations against us as virulent Poison grossest Errors equivocal Reserves wherein they meaning the Quakers may be thought to exceed their Brethren the Jesuits page 8. It had been more Prudence for him to have forborne or reserved these bitter Aspersions than to impose them upon the Reader which shews a great Enmity and bitterness of Spirit in the Man His repeated and partial Citations and Charge against G. F. W. P. and G. W. in page 8 9 10. are answered and detected in the second part of the other Examination i. e. Truth and Innocency c. under the first Head and Title Concerning the Holy Trinity What is alledged against G. W. out of Ishmael c. page 10. about the Three Persons though wrongly cited by the Rector p. 9 10. I have positively disowned that passage twice already both as 't is in it self and as it is none of mine and do now a third time disown the same which none therefore but the Implacable will repeat against me About a Heaven within and the Locality of Heaven p. 10. I do not find either G. F. or W. P. truly quoted or cited upon Examination The Matter as it concerns G. F. is answered in the other Examination aforesaid To the Rector's thus construing our Confession i. e. When they speak of Three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven that is to say quoth he the Heaven within them p. 10. Thus he imposes his meaning upon us as if we confined the Divine Three bearing Witness in Heaven only to a Heaven within us and not as being in that Heaven without us also which is a mistaken Construction for the Heaven wherein the Divine Three bear Witness is above and distinct from the Earth 1 John 5. 7 8. and yet the same Holy Spirit which is God bears witness in Earth too even in Mens Hearts and Consciences His Spirit bears witness with our Spirits c. And he that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. And he that inhabiteth Eternity and dwells in the highest Heavens dwells also in the lowest Hearts even with them that are poor and of contrite Spirits and tremble at his word how despised soever they are in the Eyes of the Proud and Envious whom God will debase And it was no lessening of the Blessed Record of the Divine Three

that the Inward Spiritual Baptism washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life the Spirit of Life the Power of Christ is the Saving Baptism the truly Regenerating Baptism the Baptism essentially necessary to Salvation and making Christians and not the outward nor the Sign Type or Shadow thereof is no venomous Doctrine but agreeable to Holy Scripture Testimony is evident from Isa. 1. Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes saith the Lord c. this was an Inward and Spiritual Washing Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from thy wickedness that thou mayest be saved This was a Heart-washing an Inward and Spiritual Washing whereby they might be Saved Zech. 13. 1. The Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness was a Spiritual Fountain The Lord God was the Fountain of Living Water which when they had forsaken they committed a great Evil therein as well as in hewing to themselves broken Cisterns which could hold no Water Jer. 2. 13. And the clean Water the Lord promised to Sprinkle upon his People to make them clean from all their Filthiness and to cleanse them from all their Idols Ezek. 36. 25. was a Spiritual Sprinkling with Spiritual Water and the Lord 's doing John 3. 5. Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God This was Spiritual Living Water Inward and Sanctifying Grace as the True Primitive Christians experienced and best of Reformed Protestants believed and not the outward Element of Water as Papists and this Rector believe and hold As in his page 28 before more fully observed yea he holds This poor Element as he calls it of Water as necessary to do away Sins and to work upon our Souls as the Waters of Jordan were to the Cleansing of Naaman 2 Kings 5. 13. so necessary quoth he are the Waters of Baptism to the Cleansing our Souls p. 31. Such Vertue he ascribes to this Element thus idolizing it even as highly as the Rhemists against the Protestants but contrary to Christ's own Testimony also If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me saith our Lord Jesus John 13. 8. who also required first to make clean the inside that the out-side might be clean also Therefore 't was the Inward Spiritual Washing of Regeneration the Washing or Cleansing of the Heart by the Word of Life the Holy Spirit and Power of Christ which was the Soul's Saving Baptism and not that of the outward Element Titus 3. 4 5. After that the Kindness of God our Saviour toward Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost And if the Baptism which doth now save us be not the Putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ according to that of 1 Pet. 3. 23. What can be more clear than that the Saving Baptism is that of the Spirit which is the One Baptism Ephes. 4. 5. whereby the Saints were all Baptized into One Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and not that of the outward Element which can neither cleanse the Soul nor wash away the Sin or Guilt thereof The Inward and Spiritual Grace Saveth the Soul from Sin and Condemnation and ought to be preferred to all outward and visible Signs which can neither Save nor Sustain or Relieve the Soul 't is Life and Substance which is divine can do that The One Spiritual Baptism and that One Bread that Spiritual Meat and Drink which cometh down from Heaven is that which both saves and nourisheth the Soul unto Eternal Life John 6. 1 Cor. 10. That Disciples and Apostles of Christ did Baptize with Water is not denied Acts 8. 36 38. ch 10. 48. ch 19. 3 4 5. but that they did Practice or enjoin it as an act of necessity pursuant to Christ's Commission in Matth. 28. 19. is to impose upon us or beg the Question but that it was rather permissively practised in con discention than by that Commission For 1st Water is not expressed in that Text. 2dly When they Baptized with Water they did not use the terms of the Commission in it We do not read in all the Acts of the Apostles that any of them Baptized with Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost or that they used those expressions or terms in their Baptizing with Water but in the name of the Lord or in the name of the Lord Jesus If Water had been intended in that Commission of Christ Matth. 28. 19. the Apostle Paul must be concerned in it it must be as much binding to him as any other Minister but he declares the contrary that Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. he does not say Christ sent me not only to Baptize but positively for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel which was part of the Reason he gave why he thanked God that he had baptized no more than those he mentions 1 Cor. 1. 14 15 16. as well as Lest they should have said he had baptized in his own name for 't is not to be supposed he would thank God for not performing part of his Commission if it had been to Baptize with Water as well as to Preach the Gospel but that positive and general Reason for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel leaves no room for him to say Christ sent me to Minister Water-Baptism in his Commission in Matth. 28. 19. for Water-Baptism was properly John's Baptism and Ministry to make way for Christ's higher Dispensation and Spiritual Ministry Matth. 3. 11. Mark 11. 8. Luke 3. 16. John 1. 16. Acts 1. 5. 10. 16. compare with Acts 19. 2 3 4. But I need not enlarge on this subject to answer the Anabaptists Argument for Plunging or dipping Believers in Water unless this Rector were in the Practice thereof and renounced his Rantism as they do as a Scriptureless Thing as they term Sprinkling Infants But referr him to a Treatise of one that was of his Coat i. e. William Dell his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Doctrine of Baptisms To the Rector's Referring the Reader to that Excellent Piece of Water-Baptism as he terms it writ by that worthy and Ingenious Author as he applauds him of The Snake in the Grass c. printed 1697. p. 29. Thus highly has he commended the Author of that Great Defaming and Reproaching Libel i. e. The Snake in the Grass but it would be too difficult a Task for him to defend the manifold Gross and Abominable Lies and Calumnies contain'd therein against the manifest detection and discovery made of them not only in my Antidote against the Venom of

the said Snake c. but more fully in a farther Scrutiny made in a Book now Extant Entituled Anguis Flagellatus Or a Switch for the Snake By Joseph Wyeth When this Rector can demonstrate a Probatum est of such vertue in that Poor Element as he calls it of Water-Baptism as to cleanse and cure polluted and distempered Souls from Sin Spiritual Leprosie and Diseases as Naaman the Assyrian was cured of his Leprosie by washing seven times in the River of Jordan 2 Kings 5. 13. or as the Blind Man found in washing in the Pool of Siloam that he receiv'd Sight and came seeing John 9. 11. unto both which the Rector alludes in 's comparison for Water-Baptism Then I say if he can evince a Probatum of such vertue therein according to his own comparison It will be a most pregnant Argument to induce People to believe 't is required of them to be dipt or baptized in the Element of Water and to hasten into it especially if they can believe it can effect such a Miracle as an Inward and Spiritual Cure upon their Souls as to Cleanse and Cure them from Sin and the Leprosie thereof as well as from Spiritual Blindness which answers the Allusions before and the more necessity thereof if they may not be so cured without it as this Rector saith of Naaman If he had neglected it he had not otherwise been cured How much more then quoth he when God has appointed the means of Baptism by his Son if we neglect it shall we be saved without it p. 31. This is like Dipp or Damn still and yet all this while he may mean Rantism which is not properly Baptism but I deny either i. e. with the Element of Water to be the means of Salvation or that as such God has so appointed them and that Men shall not be Saved without them i. e. without Sprinkling or Dipping in Water the Rector still imposes and begs the Question in all these without Scripture proof I would not be understood to own or allow any despite to Water-Baptism or inventing contemptible Names for it as the Rector insinuates as it was once a Dispensation from Heaven to John Baptist nor do I either condemn despise or contemn any who are tenderly Conscientious in the Belief and Practise thereof but desire they may see and come further so as to receive that Inward Spiritual Baptism the Washing of Regeneration by which Christ effectually Saveth the True Believers in him I desire none may Idolize the outward Element of Water which cannot Save to hinder them of the Inward which can Save And it being generally granted that the outward Baptism is an outward and visible Sign of an Inward and Spiritual Grace and Type or Figure of the Inward Baptism I wish Men would be so considerate as to examine what Necessity there can be of the continuance of the Sign or Type when they do not hear Christ the Great Prophet directing thereto nor does it effect the end proposed i. e. the Washing away of Sin seeing the Substance and Mystery thereof is made manifest and a Spiritual Dispensation or Ministry from Heaven given immediately directing to the Life Substance the end of all Shadows which really end in Christ the Substance whose Evangelical Ministry is a Dispensation of the Grace of God of Substance and not of Shadow Quest. Do you believe or own the Lord's Supper either as a Sign of the Love that Christians ought to have among themselves or as a Seal of the Saints Communion and Commemoration of Christ's Death for us or as Figurative of Christ's Body and Blood Spiritually received by Faith Answ. The Supper of the Lord we own and tenderly consider in a Two-fold Sense 1. In the Figure 2. In the Substance 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ at his Supper with his Disciples did eat the Passover which was for the fulfilling and Consummation of the Feasts under the Law see Luke 22. and at this Supper he did take and minister Bread and the Cup to his Disciples for there was no Transubstantiation saying This do in remembrance of me And saith the Apostle As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11. After this they did more clearly know his Coming and Christ after the Spirit Jesus Christ in them 2 Cor. 13 5. 5. 16. 2. And Christ said to his Disciples I will not drink henceforth of this Fruit of the Vine until that day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom Matt. 26. 29. And likewise of the Passover I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God Luke 22. 16. And he further said I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom c. Luke 22. 29 30. In these things we believe he spoke Mysteriously and that every Member of his Spiritual Church doth daily Spiritually partake of his Body and Blood by Faith as The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the Bread which we break Is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. The Son of God saith Behold I stand at the door and knock if any Man hear my voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will Sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. And Wisdom calleth to the Simple Come eat of my Bread and drink of my Wine Prov. 9. 4 5. And saith Christ The Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World I am that Bread of Life my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him John 6. We believe that all who thus do truly partake of Christ by Faith are in true Communion and Love among themselves which they do want who are only in the outward Observation of Signs and Shadows Upon which the Rector makes this Observation viz. The Reader may here discern how by their deceivable Words and manifold Corruptions of the Scriptures these horrid Impostors set themselves at work to evade and make null the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper as instituted and administred in Bread and Wine c. p. 34. Reply He passes severe Judgment before either Proof or Trial as one more expert in Railing and Reviling than in Demonstration For our considering the Supper of the Lord in a Two-fold Sence 1. In the Type or Figure 2. In the Substance Is neither Deceivable nor Corruption of Scripture consequently 't is a horrid Calumny to brand us as Horrid Impostors for such Consideration We know none but Papists that will deny the outward Bread and Wine to be