Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	church_n	member_n	visible_a	3,063	5	9.7114	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39051	Plain and exquisite Scripture-proof, that St. John Baptist and the blessed Apostles, and all the primitive baptizers, did baptize by sprinkling, or pouring water upon the person or persons they baptized, and not by dipping the person into water ... also some observations upon Mr. Keach's reflections upon my late treatise, intituled, Plain and express Scripture proofs, that John Baptist did as certainly baptize infants in the church of the Jews as the adult, with the confirmation of the truth reflected against by him / by Joshua Exell ...	Exell, Joshua.	1693 (1693)	Wing E3857; ESTC R15010	107,024	64

might the rest expect 2. It must be such a manner of Baptizing as would consist with the declared objects of Christ's Ministry to whom John was sent to prepare for the Lord and to whom the Disciples were sent and the Objects of Christ's Ministry were the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 And they were Infants eight days old to whom then it was to be administred and before that age they were of the Circumcision being Males of the Circumcised And being by Divine Command to partake of it And in case Infants should have been excluded the capacity of Circumcision which was Infancy and in which all were looked upon must have been certainly exploded the Church of Christ and none made mention of in that capacity For if any of the Seed of Abraham exceeded eight days old they were to be cut off as breakers of the Covenant if they were not circumcised at eight days old 3. Such a manner of Baptizing they used and administred Baptism in as would consist with their participation of the Ordinance as they were Children of Abraham and did enioy their priviledges as the Children of Abram For that they had and did enjoy under John the Baptist and the Apostles administrations Matth. 3.9 Acts 3.22 23 26. Acts 2.38 39. Matth. 10.6 7. 4. Such a manner of Baptizing as would render the Promise sure to all the Seed Rom. 15.8 Rom. 4.16 and confirmed the Truth of God to them all Acts 3.23 Deut. 18.18 19. 5. Such a manner of Baptizing as would consist with the ordinary natural strength of any one Officer to perform without any miraculous ability It was that which John Baptist did and could perform for he said I have indeed baptized you with Water Matth. 3.11 Luke 3.16 Mark 1.8 And what he did he did by ordinary natural strength for he did no Miracle John 10.40 41 42. 6. Such a manner of Baptizing as would consist with all Fleshes seeing the salvation of God that is enjoy the outward means of Salvation setting forth the benefits to be had by Christ and that was means to convey them to poor sinners Luke 3.6 If Children and Infants and all infirm persons had been excluded what would have become of that Pr●mise that was made so free and without any limitation 7. Such a manner of Baptizing as would consist with the Baptizing of they of Jerusalem all Judea all the Region round about Jordan the multitude and all the People and the lost Sheep of the H●use of Israel Matth. 3.5 6. Luke 3.7 Mark 1.4 5 6. Luke 3.21 Matth. 10.6 7. And they that can exclude Infants from being intended in and by these expressions must have a new Bible and make void the old 8. Such a manner of Baptizing as would consist with all the Trees in that Field that was either to stand or to be cut down and with all them whether Wheat or Chaff that were in that Floor that were either to be purged out or kept in to be gathered into the Garner or to be burnt up with unquenchable Fire Matth. 3.10 12. Acts 3.32 9. Such a manner of Baptizing as was consistent with the exaltation and magnifying of the power of God's Grace upon the Subjects thereof Matth. 3.9 1 Cor. 1.24 to 29. 10. Such a manner of Baptizing as the outward Baptism with Water might be a Sign Type and Figure of the Beptism with the Spirit Matth. 3.11 1 Pet. 3.21 Acts 2.38 to 43. Acts 11.15 16. Acts 15.9 Rom. 6.3 4 5. It was spoken by them that then Baptized which were the Apostles and John Baptist 11. Such a manner of Baptizing as any that were in the capacity either of Fathers or Children were capable of partaking of for to both these John the Baptist was sent to turn them to the Lord that they might not be smitten with the curse Mal. 4.6 Luke 1.17 And without Infants were not liable or obnoxious to the curse they must be there intended 12. Such a manner of Baptizing that all that were to bring forth good Fruit might partake of which Fruit among others was especially to come to Christ to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and to believe in him Acts 19.3 4 5. and whosoever was denyed the means could never be under the obligation to bring forth Fruit. 13. Such a manner of Baptizing as was consistent with all that were Subjects either of the Promise or of the threatning either of the promise of Grace and Glory or of the threatning of Wrath here or hereafter Acts 2.38 39. Acts 3.23 Rom. 2.6 7 to 12. Deut. 18.18 19. Deut. 29.10 11 to 16. 14. Such a manner of Baptizing as consisted with all that were to be the Subjects of Christ's Fan that he was to come with in his Hand Matth. 3.12 15. Such a manner of Baptizing as would not render the Commands of God to that People and that were then in force among that People of none effect for it was the duty of all them old and young to be at publick Ordinances and it was the duty of every one of them to repent and be Baptized and to hear that Prophet in all that he said to them Luke 7.29 30. Acts 2.38 39. Acts 3.23 26. 16. Such a manner of Baptizing as would not render the Institutions by Moses insignificant and ineffectual which were than in force John 7.21 22. Psalm 51.6 7. Rom. 15.1 4. Acts 26.22 Asts 24.14 17. Such a manner of Baptizing as would consist with the Church of the Jews then being God's visible Church and with the Right and Priviledge of the particular Members thereof If any should be exempted that were then members the whole must be overturned and that Oeconomy be rendered null and void But this was not for they were all sent to as an House or Family Matth. 10 6 7. God's Field and Floor Matth. 3 10 12. Matth. 15.24 25 26. 18. Such a manner of Baptizing as was agreeable with the Baptizing unto Moses by the Cloud in the Sea 1 Cor. 10.2 that all the Fathers were partakers of and baptized with in which the Water was applyed to them and not they dipped in the Water Heb. 11.29 which was done by him that could as easily have dip'd them as sprinkled them had that been the way in which it was to be performed 19. Such a manner of Baptizing as would consist with the Gravity Austerity and Fulness of the Holy Ghost that John the Baptist was filled with and came in and not such as would expose the Solemn Ordinance of Baptism to be a scorn and redicule to the enraged malicious implacable Spectators 20. Such a Baptizing as to the manner of applying of Water to the person Baptized that might agree with the Gospel Prophesies respecting the manner of Christ's Communications of his Sufferings to many Nations See Isa 52.15 Joel 2.28 Isa 44.3 Prov. 1.23 If any say this is spoken of the pouring out the Spirit the inward Baptism I answer then they do and must acknowledge Christ's Baptizing

that this man doth believe and t●at he ●ill but own his own assertions in this case The giving in confessions in writing to satisfie the Baptizor that persons are true converts is not commanded therefore it is forbidden 9. He saith p. 38. That Infants cannot be said as such to be receivers of Christ nor rejectors of him Beca●●e they are capable to do neither And yet he saith God may sanctify some elect Infants in page 38. And demeth it again in page 39. And saith Infants are not capable to repent And in page 49. Affirms that God may sanctifie some elect Infants And can these things be all true How blind soever some are Judged to be yet some have not such wide throats as to swallow these dreadful falsities Gods word gives us warrant to believe that one dry bone is as capable to receive the spirit of life as another dry bone Ezek. 3● 3 4 5. And Isaac and Jacob was as capable to be said to live in Infancy though in their blood as Abraham when adult Ezek. 16.4 5 to 14. And free grace can of the same lamp make one vessel to honour and another to dishonour And who can be a vessel of honour but by free grace Rom. 9.16 22 23. And that the carnal mind is enmity against God and is not subject neither indeed can be to the law of God Rom. 8.7 And that all the world are haters of Christ by nature in John 7.7 And if they were not then they need not Christ to slay the enmi●y nor to reconcile them to God O what dreadful things are these things That this Gentleman ass●r●s They that are capable of Election are capable of all things else to which they are elected or else the election must be lost Rom. 11.4 5 6 7 8. And this man doth acknowledge that there are some elect Infants p. 49. And if there were not there could be none of the Adult elect See one blessed scripture that he gainsayeth Isa 65.20 21. And if grace be a lively principle is not s●n too to oppose every thing of Christ Rom. 7.23 10. He saith p. 3● That Baptism Depends as to the right to it upon the positive commands of Christ. And I believe so too Or else it must be will-worship and the Apostles did nothing nor were to teach any thing but what was commanded Matth. 28.20 And then how dare he to affirm that it was a verbal confession that gave them right He must find them that the command or authority of Christ doth not extend to where the Gospel comes Before he can have warrant to deny them right to Baptism and that as a commanded duty And their sin to neglect or reject it Luke 7.30 John 17.2 11. He saith p. 38. We deny that Infants have the habit of faith Answ The scripture saith that all men have not faith and I never thought nor writ that all Infants had But some Infants have had the habits of faith as well as some men Witness Isaac Jacob Samuel Sampson Jeremiah John Baptist But he saith who is able to know that Answer So he saith in p. 34. Who knows who are in a true spiritual sense in covenant with God And then by the force of this mans reason rendered the Adult must not have the habits of faith neither Because it cannot be known And then what is his confession worth if persons will believe his own words and Judge of his confession by what himself saith 12. Observe that until he hath proved that all that John Baptist Baptized were every person of them true converts And that they made out the truth of their repentance by their confession of sin And that this confession was verbal and also that it was a commanded duty And that John required it of them And this to satisfy him And that this confession did gaine their right to be baptized c. To be admitted church members Not one of which things can be proved by Gods word But till he hath proved this and proved it by express scripture his few poor pretended Arguments must go for his own fancies without either demonstration of scripture or solid Reason 13. Observe that his Imagined Interpretation of Mala. 4.1 To prove John Baptist to purge the floor of any and much less of all Infants in the Jewish church is Notorious false as may be cleared from the expressions in the context Because John Baptist was to be sent before that day of the Lord came Mal. 4.5 And the subjects threatned in verse 1. And the proud and those that do wickedly And this Mr. Keach cannot Make Infants Because they could not at that age commit 〈…〉 And he saith Mr. Cotten understands it of the Scribes and Pharises p. 40 41 c. 14. Observe he saith that he hath shewe●●hat the Gospel dispensation hath overthrown the Mosaical constitution of the church of the Jews And that Christ hath ●nto ●n out the fleshly seed as such that is no Infant is to be member of the Gospel Church I pray all you thinking and Impartial men to observe his proof A d that is he hath shewed and that is as true as f he should say he had turned night to day or day to night as to say he had or could shew t●at when John the Baptist Baptized them the Church of the Jews was destroyed An● that all Infants are the fleshly seed and that no Infant is or was to be member of the Gospel Church For then he must make all the Infants that were singled out by especial prediction of Gods word to be Martyrs to be none of the Gospel Church Matth. 2.17 18 22 23. Contrary to Christs own words that declare sufferers for him to be of his family or houshold Matth. 10.25 2. Then they that Christ pray●d f●r and blessed must not be of the visible Church 3. This contradicts the express words of Christ For of such are the kingdom of God Mark 1.13 14 15 4. Then the all in the Church must never receive the kingdom of God if they do not receive it as they that are not to be of the church receive it Luke 18.17 5. Then they were the greatest instruments to stop the mouths of the Scribes and Pharisees and to make known Christs power and praise that were not to be of the visible church Matth. 21.15 16 Do you fee● your church with such falsities as these 15. He saith Infants Baptism doth them no good p. 40. There being no promise of ble●s●ng made to them in their Baptism Observe how contrary this is to the express words of the spirit of God by Peter Acts 2.38 39. The promise is to you and your children And to the Promise declared by John Matth. 3.11 If Infants are not expressed no more are Adult 16. He saith What appears not is not p. 40. and then God must have no church when he said he had reserved seven thousand to himself Their grace did not appear to Peter in Acts

to pour water upon or to sprinkle them with water this will consist with all adjuncts ●●d circumstances of the performance Besides no other performance of Baptism than this of sprinkling would consist with John's gravity and seriousness being filled with the holy Ghost nor with hi st●rity of carriage and conversation that he came in not eating and drinking and affable converse as Christ did 9. In that John's Baptism was a preparing them for Christ and making straight and plain the way of the Lord Matth. 3.3 Mark 1.3 Luke 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to direct from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendered by complano dirigo John 1.23 It is as the Learned observe coumpounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pono rectum enim est quod bene positum est Luke 3.4 Every Va●ley shall be filled and every Mountain and hill shall be brought low this makes Hills and Valleys to become Plains And the cro●ked shall be made straight this respects the straightness of the way and the rough ways shall be made smooth and this is from Isa 40.3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plain prepared way as persons do make by casting up Earth and Stones to make a High-way from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lift up Isa 57.41 So that John's Administration was in such a manner as did most clearly set forth the way of Christ's Communications clearly that all flesh might see the Salvation of God and to perform his Baptism by sprinkling was according to what was promised and prophesied of Isa 52.15 Ezek. 36.25 Isa 44.3 Joel 2.28 Zech. 12.12 and should John have performed by Dipping he must have eclipsed the way of Christ and not made clearer discoveries thereof If any can make that appear that dipping a pers●n into Water is the way to make the way of pouring upon or sprinkling with plainest they that can so apprehend I suppose will have little warrant of Scripture to prove it The Prophets way was to make the Visions plain and the Apostles way was to use great plainness of Speech 2 Cor. 3.12 and to deliver words easie to be understood though the matter was weighty 10. It may be argued and proved by the Subjects of the Administration all the Trees of that Field and all that Generation Matth. 3.9 Matth. 11.16 all the people of Israel Acts 13.24 or else it would not have been the sin of every Soul that did not hearken Acts 3.23 Luke 7.30 Fathers and Children Luke 1.17 the Circumcision Rom. 15.8 Now I do know none that do hold these capable of dipping but they were the subjects of Baptism as to the tender of it and their sin if they did not come being Children of the Promise Acts 2.38 39. therefore it was and must be performed by sprinkling or pouring upon 11. From the silence of the Enemies the Scribes and Pharisees and from their giving of it the title of Baptizing John 1.24 25. Should John have performed this Baptism by dipping how would they have railed again●t it as one that did do contrary to Moses and all the Jews also See Acts 21.19 20 21 22 23. They were ready to quarrel against every thing yet they never speak one word against his Baptism though upon other accounts they said he had a Devil yet they call this his performance and administration Baptizing John 1.25 which shews it was performed the same way that they performed their Baptizings in and that was by sprinkling and this by the express command of God and they had sinned against the very letter of the Law if they had not Numb 19. Luke 11.38 39. Mark 7.4 8. Paul argued his inoffensiveness to them and the groundlessness of their hatred against him in that he did say none other things than Moses in the Law did say should come and the Prophets too Acts 26.22 They would have had ground for their accusation if John should have turned sprinkling into dipping when the Prophets had foretold the contrary and Moses did contrary 12. In that pouring upon or sprinkling of the person with Water in Scripture and application of Water to the person is expressed by the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that John expressed his Baptism with 1 Cor. 10.2 the application of Water to the persons of all the Visible Church of God and this is intimated to be the same with the Corinthians Baptism and all expressed by the same word so Mark 7.4 8. Luke 11.38 John 3.3 5. And Peter expressed p●uring a po● or falling u●on by the same word Acts 11.15 16 17. and Paul in Acts 19.3 4. and so also our Lord Jesus Acts 1.5 13. In that the Holy Ghost useth another word to expres●●tio●ing by in ●he New Testament John 13.26 Rev. 19.13 Luke 16.24 Mark 14.20 that is set f●●●h by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 14. In that our Lord Jesus doth set forth John's Baptism to be from Heaven Matth. 21.25 26. and if from Heaven then it must be a s●gn type and figu●● 1 P●t 3.21 and then no c●ntradictory to what was foretold by the Prophets and then not of John's own devising and then 〈◊〉 there ●s no●hing said of ● new way of Administration by dipping then there is none to be ●●●●●ved no● was there any n●w way of Administration because there is nothing said of 〈…〉 14. If from He●v●n then it was not in a way of Confusion wit● the rest of Div●●● app●●●men●s nor c●●●●●y to ●he m●nner of Christ's administration of the thing signified 〈◊〉 it may ●e furth●● argued from the Holy Ghost's making use of the Noun from this Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to s●●●●rth all the Cermonial Purifications by which were all performed by sprinkling Heb. ● ●● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Noun that John's Baptism is expressed be which clearly shews that the holy Ghost does intend sprinkling b● it in that their sprinklings are so stiled ●●ve●s Baptisms as the word should be rendered ●●hn 3.23 24 25. 16. It may be further argued and proved That John 's Baptism and the Apostles Baptism with Water was p●●fo●med b● sprinkling or p●uring up●n In that it is set forth by all the various Titles and expressions that their Purifications by sprinkling were stiled and set forth by in scripture and the thing signified by it also As First To purifie and purification and purifying John 3.25 26. John 2.5 6. Acts 15.9 James 4.8 Heb. 9.13 14. Titus 2.14 2. To purge Psalm 51.6 7. Heb. 9.14 22. 2 Tim. 2.21 Matth. 3.12 Luke 3.17 Heb. 1.3 John 15.2 Ezek. 43.26 3. To wash Psalm 51.7 Rev. 1.5 6. 1 Cor. 6.10 11. Heb. 10.22 Ezek. 16.9 Eph. 5.25 26. Titus 3.5 6. Acts 22.16 4. To cleanse Ezek. 36.25 26 27. 1 John 1.7 9. Eph. 5.26 James 4.8 5. To make clean Mark 7.4 5 6 7 8 Matth. 15.2 19 20. Luke 11.38 39 4● Matth. 23.25 26. 6. To sprinkle Isa 52.15