Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	add_v	part_n	word_n	2,755	5	4.4590	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74998	Some baptismal abuses briefly discovered. Or A cordial endeavour to reduce the administration and use of baptism, to its primitive purity; in two parts. The first part, tending to disprove the lawfulness of infant baptism. The second part, tending to prove it necessary for persons to be baptized after they believe, their infant baptism, or any pre-profession of the Gospel notwithstanding. As also, discovering the disorder and irregularity that is in mixt communion of persons baptized, with such as are unbaptized, in church-fellowship. By William Allen.	Allen, William, d. 1686.	1653 (1653)	Wing A1075; Thomason E702_12; ESTC R10531	105,249	135

particular and a Doctrine of Christ to be imbraced and followed as in the second and a thing which so much concerns their salvation as in the third particular hath been set forth then how comes any mans long neglect of his duty and of this Doctrine of Christ and of this means of his salvation totally to exempt him therefrom Does a mans doing his duty in other things priviledge him in the neglect of this Or hath any mans long continuance in the profession of the Gospel made that which was his duty long since to have done cease to be his duty now at all when as he hath neither already discharged it nor wants opportunity yet to do it Doubtless all such imaginations are but vain thoughts Upon occasion of that which hath been said whereby the salvation of men seems much concerned in the due use of Baptism it is like a question will arise in the minds of some whether I make Baptism a condition of salvation or a thing necessary thereunto Since so to do is looked upon as a most importune notion and conceit in as much as it is thought a most uncharitable censuring of many thousands godly persons that have died and yet were not baptized with other then their Infant-baptism as likewise of many thousands now living who cannot be perswaded that it is their duty For answer to this question 1. I desire to make Baptism nothing else then what the Scripture makes it nor to put more necessity upon it then what the Scripture hath put upon it an account whereof I have in part given and therefore shall refer those that desire satisfaction in this particular to the word of God to consider what that makes it how far necessary and how far not Only in reviewing those Scriptures which have been produced hereabout I shall desire that it may seriously be considered by those that think Baptism superfluous where the Gospel is commonly professed or at least amongst such persons that have long engaged in a consciencious profession thereof as likewise by those that make light of it looking upon it either as a thing indifferent or else that which is but little more I say I would have it considered by such whether it would be handsom or any whit like consciencious Interpretors or such that fear to diminish ought from the word of God to put such like constructions upon the Scriptures which such an opinion concerning Baptism in reference to such professors does suppose and which I shall here point at John 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God i.e. according to their opinion a man may enter into the Kingdom of God that is born of the Spirit though he be not born of water Again He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Mark 16 16. that is the foresaid opinion being Judg he that believeth shall be saved whether he be baptized or no. So again when the Scripture saith Repent and be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus for remission of sins Acts 2.38 that is if the opinion aforesaid do not erre repent and ye shall have the remission of sins whether ever you be baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus or no. For either this mangling of the sacred word of Jesus Christ must pass for a currant interpretation of these Scriptures or else Baptism must be necessary in relation to the salvation of those that will expect salvation in Gods way and upon his terms whether they be such as have long since entred upon the Christian profession or whether such who are yet to begin it This must be so unless we will suppose that God had one method and way of saving men in those times in which these Scriptures were first given out and delivered to the world and another way now which if any man hath a mind to suppose let it be at his own peril for my part I look for salvation in the ancient Gospel way and upon no other terms For if not one jot or tittle of the Law shall fail till Heaven and Earth pass away which I am sure is not yet Matth. 5.18 much less shall any of the Gospel For if the word spoken by Angels as the Law was was stedfast c. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord himself and afterwards was confirmed by those that heard him Heb. 2.2 3. The word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you 1 Pet. 1.25 Therefore adde not thou to his word lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar Pro. 30.6 nor take away therefrom lest God take away thy part out of the Book of life Rev. 22.19 2. As for those otherwise godly persons that are said to have lived and died un-baptized unless you will suppose what they received in their infancy to be Baptism I am far from judging them as touching their eternal estate if this sin of omission of theirs proceeded from ignorance and mistake as I believe it did as I would not judge those who lived and died in Episcopal and other Popish superstitions whilest otherwise truly conscientious and men fearing God Not doubting but that the most merciful God winked at the dayes of that ignorance and did consider the great disadvantages they were under as coming lately out of that thick darkness of Popish Apostacy and Superstition and so did accept them finding their hearts upright in the main according to that light they had and not according to that they had not Yet thirdly for those persons fearing God whether considered as already dead or as yet living that were in their times or that yet remain non-obedient not to say disobedient to this part of the Gospel upon occasion of some erronious notion or opinion by which they have been perswaded that they have done their duty in refusing Baptism upon the terms in which I plead it when they have done the contrary though I will not say their salvation was or is desperately hazarded hereby yet I do believe it to be much prejudiced hereby For to what degree Baptism when duly used doth by the institutive will and appointment of God contribute towards the salvation of men the contributions whereof are doubtless very considerable this wayes to the same degree must they suffer prejudice loss and disadvantage in their salvation who by any erronious opinion about Baptism do wholly deprive themselves of it as they do who refuse the Baptism of Gods making upon a conceit they have it already when as indeed they have nothing less If any mans work burn he shall suffer loss 1 Cor. 3.15 The Apostle Peter speaking of an abundant entrance that shall be ministred to some into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1.11 viz. to such as have quit themselves upon excellent terms of