Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	good_a	reason_n	see_v	3,316	5	3.1434	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34433	The font uncover'd for infant-baptisme, or, An answer to the challenges of the Anabaptists of Stafford, never yet reply'd unto, though long since promised wherein the baptisme of all church-members infants is by plain Scripture-proof maintained to be the will of Jesus Christ, and many points about churches and their constitutions are occasionally handled / by William Cook, late minister of the Gospel at Ashby-Delazouch.	Cook, William, Minister of the gospel at Ashby-Delazouch.	1651 (1651)	Wing C6042; ESTC R1614	62,529	56

THE FONT UNCOVER'D FOR Infant-Baptisme OR AN ANSWER TO THE Challenges of the ANABAPTISTS OF STAFFORD Never yet Reply'd unto though long since promised Wherein The Baptisme of all Church-Members Infants is by plain Scripture-proof Maintained to be the will of JESUS CHRIST and many Points about Churches and their Constitutions are occasionally handled By WILLIAM COOK late Minister of the Gospel at Ashby-Delazouch LONDON Printed by A. Miller for Tho. Vnderhill at the Anchor in Pauls Church-yard near the little North-door 1651. TO The Faithfull Servants of Christ and Lovers of the Truth in STAFFORD And the Parts adjacent and others that are concerned in this Controversie of INFANT-BAPTISM which desire to imbrace the Truth in Love Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplied through the knowledge of God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Honoured and Beloved Inhabitants of Stafford AS your Wisdom Resolution Faithfulnesse and Activity to appear for the Truth and contend for the Faith shining forth in those whom God hath set in Civil Authority among you in that great push of temptation hath given occasion to many to glorifie God in your behalf rejoice in your stedfastnesse and pray for you and I doubt not yielded comfort to your own consciences so they have ingaged me to acknowledge my self your servant in Christ and for the Truth in this cause which doth so much concern the glory of Christ and comfort of Christians I therefore though conscious of mine own weaknesse when I heard of those many lowd and proud challenges that had been made by the contrary Party to dispute about this Subject was willing upon the advice and perswasion of some of my Brethren to undertake the Challenge relying on the help of Christ and the goodnesse of the Cause And having received the Papers of the Challengers in as short a space as I could prepared this Answer except some additions and explanations which since its return to my hand I thought meet to insert for the help of the ignorant for whose sake it is principally written upon the giving in of a Copy whereof a Reply was promised shortly by the Challengers I waited long and heard nothing of my Papers nor any Reply untill a Letter came to my hands from some of principall note among you dated Novemb. 11. expressing the contrary Parties boasting of a Reply ready long ago which was to be Printed with their Propositions and mine answered Whereupon I was then in that Letter and since by word of mouth desired to Print mine Answer lest I should be abused by others misrepresenting of the same My answer was that I would consult with my Brethren and if they should think it meet I would be willing to yield to you herein Ever since that time I have been cast on a wandring and unsetled condition as is well known far from my Study and Books Yet when I could gain a little time with the help of the Bible I added something by way of explanation for the help of meaner capacities that are not able to see the strength of an Argument or answer when it is barely propounded Two Arguments more I have also added to the former number from one Scripture whence I had only propounded one Argument at the first It may be some will demand What is the reason that their Challenge is not accepted in a way of publique Dispute seeing they have urged it frequently and confidently upbraided your Town and all Ministers that none would publiquely Dispute with them To this I Answer 1. What hope of a publique Dispute on good terms to be undertaken by a Minister of Christ when your own faithfull and peaceable Pastour might not be suffered to preach the Gospel to you a people committed to his charge 2. What incouragement can any rationall man have to Dispute with such as abhorre Syllogismes which are the rationall way of disputing 3. What hope of finding out or clearing the Truth by Dispute where there is no likelihood that the laws and rules of disputing will be observed with freedom safety peace and love with the help of a Learned Judicious and Impartiall Moderator 4. What likelihood of good by a Dispute wherein impudencie audaciousnesse and verbosity passion bitternesse and violence are like to bear sway 5. What can a publique Dispute in such a case which case there is too great cause to fear be but a sinfull abuse of pretious time of peoples patience and even of Scripture and reason it self 6. Who sees not that the drift of these men is to turn Religion into a matter of contention and to draw people together to vain-janglings and concertations as heretofore they met together at Stage-plaies Bear-baits and Cock-fights which abuse What pious heart doth not abhorre 7. It was judged that most or all these evils might farre better be prevented by calm considerate writing wherein the passions of fear anger c. and all tumults might be avoided and reason might speak and be heard 8. Yet if this way of discussing the truth shall not be satisfactory and good grounds of hopes shall be given that the afore-named evils may be prevented I doubt not but the Challenge will be accepted Otherwise no faithfull Minister of Christ may to satisfie the irrationall desires of some and answer the insolencie of others adventure on that which will be by the judgement of the prudent no better then a taking of Gods Name in vain and exposing of himself to certain danger Paul himself though full of zeal for the Truth was willing to yield to the Disciples and his Friends Act. 19.30 31. perswading him not to adventure himself into the tumultuous Theater It were much to be wished that those men which have but weak reason neither knowing how to manage an Argument nor capable of conviction thereby but are taken with plausible expressions and big words or drawn by hopes of honour pleasure gain ease or liberty into new waies like children Carried about with every winde of doctrine would make more use of their sense by which only it seems they live making no use of faith or reason in this case to observe the end and issue of these waies into which they are so easily drawn We need not go to Munster or other parts beyound the seas to see the judgement of God on these men Our own Countrey gives too many sad experiences thereof I will only give one instance of one whose name deserves to be written in the dust and doth already stink throughout the Land and therefore I will not stain my paper with it Yet he is so notorious and infamous that a short description of him will sufficiently put men in minde whom I mean In Warwickshire he appeared first crying down in his Preaching the Ministry of England and Infant-Baptisme After that he proceeded to be a great Dipper after that he became a Master of the Quakers and would cast people into Trances and Revelations as is credibly reported Lastly he became Head of

nor diping is essential to the constitution of a true Church Seventhly You say or imply This baptizing or dipping is that whereby they became and were truly called Christians Ans This is false that men cannot be right Christians without your dipping Yea though we understand it of true Baptism for faith or interest in Christ properly maketh Christians Being interested in Christ though we should be hindered by death or other providence from Baptisme yet we are true Christians as the thief on the Crosse Those three thousand mentioned in the Acts when they had beleeved Act. 2 19 40. were Christians even before they were baptized so Philip before he came to the water Baptism is rather an effect or consequent then a cause or antecedent of our Christianity People are rightly baptized because Christians not Christians because baptized 2. Neither were men hence at first called Christians because baptized for many thousands had been baptized a long time before they were called Christians For whereas great multitudes had been baptized by John the Baptist Mat. 3.5 6. Ioh 4 5 6. See Act 2. 3. to the 7 chap. and more by the Disciples of Christ before his death and many thousands also after his ascension at Jerusalem Samaria and elsewhere Beleevers were not called Christians untill a good time after the Persecution and dispersion at Jerusalem For the faithfull were first called Christians at Antioch Act. 11. ●6 where Paul and Barnabas had taught an whole year and the number of Disciples was mightily increased there is not the least intimation that Baptism or dipping gave them the name of Christians but rather their famous profession of Christ Thus much for particulars observable in the main proposition Eightly From the whole proposition in respect of the matter let it be noted that besides your implicit fastning on us some things which we own not and asserting as your own some things which you neither have nor can prove The whole state of the Question is mistaken by you You speak of Baptism which is for the constitution of Churches whereas the Question is What Baptism is to be used amongst us who are a Church or Churches constituted already We grant that to the first constituting of Churches amongst Jews or Infidels which were never a Christian people a Profession of repentance faith or obedience must be made by men upon the preaching of the Gospel that they and their children may be accepted into Covenant and baptized As Abraham professed his faith before that he and his family were circumcised but after that his children were circumcised without requiring of actual faith and repentance from them as precedaneous to Circumcision They that will constitute new Churches amongst Infidels ought as we judge first to require actual faith and repentance of that people before they admit them and their seed as members of the Church But whatsoever you think of us we Christians in England know that we were through Gods grace a Church constituted long ago whose defects and corruptions though many yet have not been inconsistent with the being of a Church neither such hath been the indulgence of our Lord Jesus Christ the head and King of the Church were we ever unchurched If you will go and preach among Jews Turks and infidels and make it appear that you have a commission for it we will not gainsay your constituting of Churches amongst them and baptizing Professors of faith But in the mean space let me advise you to take heed lest whiles you talk of constituting Churches amongst Gods people Act. 1● 3 2 Tim. 3.6 Tit 1. 11. Satan use you as his instrument to overthrow Churches by subverting souls and whole houses through speaking things you ought not for filthy lucre sake as he did those noted in the margin Ninthly Let it be also observed in the form of your propounding the whole state of the Question that you which would be accounted great disputers and discussers of the truth laying down a negative Proposition as is evident to any that can discern a negation from an affirmation in propounding it say we affirm when indeed you deny Will not these so grosse mistakes in the parts and the whole the matter and manner of this main question stated by you give just cause to judge that you are such men as those of whom the Apostle speaks in these words 1 Tim 1.5 6 7. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfeined from which some having swerved have turned aside to vain jangling desiring to be teachers of the law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirm Whereas you say H. H J.B. If it be we desire you to prove it by plain Scriptures Ans We have nothing to do to prove that which we never affirmed but you falsly father upon us as it may seem that you may fight with your own shadow But we shall by Gods assistance prove upon solid Scripture grounds That the Infants of Christians which are members of a constituted Church or Churches have right to the Covenant of grace and so to Baptism the seal of entrance into the Covenant and that it is agreeable to Gods word that constituted Churches should be continued by baptizing of children that are members thereof But first let us hear what you say for your way You proceed thus That the Baptisme of beleeving men and women by us practised H.H. J.B. is the Baptism of Christ we prove by these Scriptures Ans For the answering of your Scripture-proofs taken from Christs command and the Apostles practice I will first propound some things in general to be considered secondly make answer to the several Scriptures 1. I answer therefore That neither any nor all these Scriptures do prove plainly positively immediatly and directly without consequence or syllogism which I take to be your meaning when you call for plain and positive Scripture which I have heard that some of your way abhor and protest against that the Baptism practised by you is the Baptism of Jesus Christ In none of these Scriptures it is expressely said The dipping of beleeving men and women practised by Henry Huggar and James Brown is the Baptism of Jesus Christ Nor do we reade in the Evangelists Go Henry Huggar and Ja. Brown teach all Nations and baptize c. Nor do we reade that Christ gave a command to you two to preach the Gospel to every creature Nor do we finde in the Acts of the Apostles that H.H. and J.B. said to the Jews Repent and be baptized or that the Samaritans heard you two preaching or that the Eunuch went down with you to the water or that the Jaylour or Crispus the Ruler of the Synagogue were baptized by you or either of you If you have any plain positive Scriptures mentioning your selves you may produce them Neither have you cause to take it ill to be urged thus Seeing