Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	baptism_n	baptize_v	infant_n	1,991	5	9.3594	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75851	A modest reply humbly offer'd, as an answer to, and confutation of seven arguments collected and deliver'd by Mr. Samuel Lawrence, in a sermon preach'd at his meeting-house in Namptwich, Octob. 16th, 1691, whereby he would shew, that the infants of professing Christians ought to be baptized : with a seasonable word to my brethren of the baptized church / presented by the most unworthiest of her servants, S.A.	Acton, Samuel, d. 1740?; Lawrence, Samuel.	1692 (1692)	Wing A452aA; ESTC R203313	36,660	49

needs no sign of Remission of them But if with Austin you say they have Original Sin that must be washt away by Baptism why then their Holiness before Baptism is nothing but Uncleanness agreeable with some of your own Coments upon Psalm 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me So that it 's plain they have no Holiness to inright them to Baptism but rather need Baptism to make them holy Further Consider how manifest a Contradiction the Patrons and Defendors of pedo-Pedo-baptism meet with from each other not knowing where to find a stay for it's Support How doth Austin thwart you you say they that are born of Christians are to be accounted Christians that is they are Christians or ought not to be so accompted And he tells us as my Author quotes him in his Book De Verb. Apost c. 24. the Question being Whether the Infants of baptized Christians were holy he saith Not because as the Circumcised begot only the Uncircumcised so neither did the baptized beget baptized or holy ones the terms are equivolent the Reason he gives None is new born before he is born And further proves it by these two Illustrations 1. That the purest Wheat that is most purged from Chaff or Husk yet being sown brings forth Grain that has Chaff and Husk 2. That the best Grapes that are sown brings forth wild Grapes And there is reason to believe that most of the Fathers in this particular was of Austin's mind as might be gathered from the consent of whole Councels take one for all that is the Affrican Councel where Austin was both Present and President they thus Decree All that affirm young Children receive Eternal Life albeit they be not renewed by Baptism they are accursed c. And notwithstanding the shew of kindness you extend to Infants in your Coment upon the Text I am perswaded you are also of Austin's mind for if I mistake not in your second Argument you talk as if they must be washed by Baptism but I tro for what if they be not unclean but holy Further Every Holiness gives not a right to Baptism You confess the Holiness in the Text is not a Moral or Real Holiness which only opposes Sin Pollution and Uncleanness of Heart and Life so Holiness is proper only to the Adult The Vessels of the Sanctuary are as expresly said to be holy as the Children in the Text see 1 Chron. 22.19 and Ezra 8.28 then see how unsound you argue saying The Children of Believers are holy Ergo They ought to be baptized The Cups and Vessels of the Sanctuary are holy therefore they ought to be baptized Now to every considerate Man is not the one Conclusion as truly deducible from the quality as the other Who but Men willing to be deceived will conclude any more for the one then for the other Austin telling you whatsoever this Holiness is 1 Cor. 7.14 it is not of power to make Christians or remit Sins But you proceed and say It is not Legitimate Holiness neither is that the Question that the Apostle here handles Answer Surely Sir you shoot at Rovers and in this have spoken foolishly with your Tongue Is not Marriage and Matters relating thereto the Subject of this whole Chapter and does the scope and design of it bespeak the Apostle labouring the removal of some Doubts and Difficulties that many were under at Corinth that were turned from Idols to God though but young and weak in the Faith therefore they write to the Apostle for satisfaction in Matters and Things they were doubtful of And what more plain from the manner of the Apostle's addressing himself to them in the first Verse Now concerning the things whereof ye write c. One amongst others of these things we may rationally conclude was Whether a Husband or a Wife closing with Christ by Faith and leaving their Yoke-fellow in Unbelief and Idolatry might lawfully cleave to them and cohabit with them as their true and lawful Yoke-fellows and as before they did being both in Unbelief or whether they must not rather leave or disown them as to that Relation because of the spiritual difference that is now betwixt them Now whether this Doubt amongst them at Corinth might arise upon their accidental hearing of what God made the Duty of Israel in the Reformation in Ezra's and Nehemiah's times that they should put away their idolatrous Wives as Ezra 10.3 I leave And to the matter proposed by the Corinths the Apostle advises That the Believer by no means shall depart if in case the Unbelieving Party still please to abide and cohabit with them as vers 10 11 12 13. And further to resolve them in this matter he renders them a twofold Reason in the fourteenth Verse 1. The unbelieving Husband is sanctified by the believing Wife and the Vnbelieving Wife is sanctified by the believing Husband Which is as if he had said You are as truly Man and Wife in God's account now as you were before your Marriage as honourable your Bed as undefiled your living and lying together as unblameable in the sight of God as ever the Husband and Wife as truly sanctified a Companion for each other notwithstanding the difference between them in Matters of Religion which the Annotator on this Text in the Second Volume of Mr. Pool's Work saith The Believer without Offence to the Law of God may continue in a married state with such a Yoke-fellow notwithstanding their disposition in Matters of Faith And Erasmus with others tell us expresly That Children are legitimately holy agreeable with that in Malachy 2.15 where the Lord himself calls the Children born in lawful Marriage a godly Seed Therefore as a 2. Reason the Apostle removes the Absurdity that the scrupulous Converts at Corinth feared saying Else were your Children unclean but now are they holy i. e. Were it so as you fear that desparity in Matters of Religion dissolved the Marriage Bond why then your Issue would be born in Uncleanness and bear the Blot of Bastardy upon them But to remove this Scruple and satisfie that there abode is as warrantable as ever saith elsewhere Your Children were unclean but now are they holy Now as the Husband and Wife are sanctified to each other abiding in that honourable or holy state of Matrimony the Children born unto them are holy which needs no longer to be feared by you as Holiness and Sanctification opposeth the Uncleanness of Fornication 1 Thess 4.3 5. Now I pray Sir if this be not the Question that the Apostle here handles will you shew us what it is or cease to darken Counsel by words without knowledge You proceed and must needs have this to be Foederal Holiness explaining it thus As they that were born of the Jews were Jews not common and unclean as Heathen but accounted as in the Church so that you that are born of Christians are to be accounted Christians Answer The Heathen were bad

A Modest Reply Humbly Offer'd As an Answer to and Confutation of Seven ARGUMENTS Collected and Deliver'd by Mr. Samuel Lawrence in a SERMON preach'd at his Meeting-House in Namptwich Octob. 16th 1691 whereby he would shew That the Infants of Professing Christians ought to be Baptized WITH AN APPENDIX OF Seven ARGUMENTS SHEWING That Infants ought not to be Baptized WITH A SEASONABLE WORD to my Brethren of the Baptized Church presented by the most Unworthiest of her Servants S. A. Coloss 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men after the rudi●ents of the world and not after Christ. Jude 3. Contend earnestly for the faith on●● delivered ●o the saints LONDON Printed for the Author and a●● 〈…〉 ●ld by Tho. Pebian at the Bible in Gheapside near Bread-street-e●● ●692 Mr SAMVEL LAWRENCE SIR IF I am more bold then welcome in the Liberty I take in directing these Lines to you I am sorry but must be content and with Patience am resolv'd to bear the weight of your Censure which I can more easily do then think that such a Man as you should with such Fondness upon no better Grounds and in so unusual a Heat express yourself so Unsuccessfully as neither to Convince your Adversaries nor Please your Friends But knowing with many others that this comes not with a Surprize upon you long since acquainting you with what is now brought to light shall not stand to make any Apology nor for the Author who never intended the Project of this Undertaking till now being inform'd of his Death whose Pains I had desir'd but by the Disposing-Hand of Providence in vain and therefore have now adventur'd myself believing thro' the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which is most seen in the Weakness of his Creatures that necessary Supplies would be given to ingage in a Cause that so nearly concerns his Honour and Interest in the World Had it not been undue Reflections from the Pulpit invading the Right of my LORD and impairing as much as in you lay the Credit of his Holy Ordinance together with the Manners of some of your Friends who being present when you preach'd that Sermon from the 1 Cor. 7.14 and as Vessels fill'd with Wind that must either vent or flie not contented within their own Confines but trespassing upon their Neighbours Borders to proclaim their own Folly I had almost said together with yours boldly affirming That you had assign'd Scripture enough for Infant-Baptism these Lines had never taken Wing But the very act of Providence which brought your Sermon-Notes and Bible to my hand was such as gives ground to conclude that it was the Divine Pleasure the Structure you had built upon so sandy a Bottom should at once be cast into the Sea of Confusion And to be silent seeing his Right is under so manifest an Invasion must bespeak us to be the most base of Vassals for who is it that is bought with Monies of another from amongst the Gally-Slaves to injoy Freedom but will ever account himself oblig'd to maintain his Redeemer's Honour against all that shall offer to detract from or lay a Blot upon it How much less then shall the Redeemed of the Lord be still who are under a greater Obligation by how much more great the Redemption-Price is that was given So that how ever Unfit in myself yet from the Bond I am under and the Nature of the present Exigence am forced with Cresus his dumb Son to speak Yet from that Respect I have always born to you and still do I could sincerely wish you were not the Man I have to do with but since it is so I have acted with as much Candour as becomes me the Nature of the Cause considered having not rak'd in the Ashes of your Reflections but wish they may lie and die as they shall for me unless new ones give life to the old but hoping better things and that you will not think the worse of your own because it brings Interest along with it wishing you seriously to consider those Words of our Lord Mat. 5.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these commandments and shall teach men so shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven And together with Mat. 15.8 9. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men So in love I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is sufficient to instruct you in all things necessary to Salvation thro' Christ for whom I am all Mens more especially yours S. A. TO THE READER Friends and Brethren more particularly you who were present at the SERMON preach'd from 1 Cor. 7.14 by Mr. Lawrence at his Meeting-House in Namptwich Octob. 18. 1691 for whose sakes next to the Glory of GOD and our LORD JESUS CHRIST I have wrote these Lines as an Answer to his Seven Arguments whereby he would prove That the Infants of Professing Christians ought to be Baptized BRETHREN I Have reason to believe that you are in good earnest for Salvation and to secure your precious and immortal Souls from Loss and Ruine knowing that they once lost shall be no more capable of Repair Matth. 16.26 and that it s not the whole World though it could be given by one damned Soul to procure a Change of State Wherefore as a learned Man saith As the Worth and Loss of Heaven can neither be imagin'd or valued so the dreadful and perpetual Pains of Hell can neither be measur'd nor declar'd To obtain the one and escape the other sure then should be the principal Design and Business of every one of us in this Life The thing is possible and true Happiness next to GOD's Pardoning Grace in CHRIST JESVS consists in our Knowledge and Practice not that Knowledge will profit other ways then as it is accompanied with Practice Therefore says CHRIST If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 Neither will Practice avail but as it is Conformity to that perfect Law and Rule which He hath given us by which whosoever orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of GOD Psal 50.23 So useful is Holy Scripture which GOD hath given us as his Standard to measure all things that relate either to Matters of Judgment or Practice by that without them we are wholly in the Dark as to the Nature of all Positive and Instituted Worship as Solomon would have been when he was to build the LORD a House had he not received a Pattern for his Direction in doing all things that appertained thereto Now as all things was to be done according to the Pattern given of old in the House of GOD so nothing ought to be done now in the House or Worship of GOD but what he hath assigned by Pattern and Direction in his Word Wherefore saith he To the law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this word it is

a Lease in which your Childrens Lives are put together with your own will any say the Childrens are not in because the Parents have been the principal Actors 1 So that this is nothing but what is common amongst Men. 2 GOD hath dealt thus with Man all along in the Covenant of Works with Adam in the Old Testament with the Patriarchs or Fathers and can we think He hath altered his Methods What Evidence can be brought of that 3 It is but reason it should be so for Children are a part of their Parents till they come to stand on their own Legs and act for themselves 4 The thing signified doth belong to Infants as the pardon of Sin Regeneration and the Kingdom of Heaven c. therefore the Sign if the greater then the less If any object That for the same reason they may come to the Lord's Table because they have the thing signified Ans Weakly argued because that though the thing signified is the same yet the sign is different and they may be capable of the one that are not of the other Because they receive Milk are they therefore fit for strong Meat 2 may they not be taken in at the Door and washed by Baptism because unfit by reason of their Age to come to the Lord's Supper Second ANSWER If you would carefully examine and look into the nature of this Covenant mention'd Gen. 17. you will find it such as yields not your Infant-Seed the least Right to Gospel Ordinances it being a Covenant peculiar to Abraham which God made with him for his natural Seed his Children according to the Flesh wherein we have God promising unto him a very numerous and honourable Issue v. 5 6. 2 That as God hath graciously condescended to become a God in Covenant to Abraham even so He will continue to be the God of his Seed after him ver 7. from whence it 's evident that God hath chosen the whole Off-spring of Abraham in a peculiar manner to be his Covenant-People by vertue of that Covenant that He made with him for himself and his Seed and therefore 3 God on his part promiseth to plant and settle the Seed and Posterity of Abraham in the promised Canaan which was a Blessing peculiar to that People made sure to them by a Covenant-promise on God's part ver 8. as a Token whereof he gives them Circumcision to be kept and observed by them through their Generations as ver 9 10. And this we judge easie to make evident were that our Business though there be something of the Covenant of Grace intermixt with it But if by Covenant Gen. 17.7 you mean the Covenant of Grace made in Christ the alone Mediator unto Eternal Salvation why then we cheerfully assent that the Children of all professing Christians are included and heartily believe that the Infants of others are not excluded this Covenant with Abraham being but a recital of that which God made with lapsed Adam which was the Covenant of Grace in the first Edition of it Gen. 3.15 And Mr. Baxter is so far from thinking that any are excluded the Grace of this Covenant that he affirms The Law of Grace was as truly made with all men in Adam as the Law of Innocency was and that all were really alike in Adam and that Cain was not the Serpents Seed meerly for original Sin and as born of Adam as Abel was nor did God make him the Serpents Seed by Reprobation but that he made himself so by superadded Sins against the Redeemer and Law of Grace So that if a being in the Covenant of Grace be a sufficient ground to baptize any why then it is confest that all Infants have equally a Right to Baptism But it is humbly offer'd That neither Baptism now nor Circumcision in its place was given as a Sign and Seal to the Covenant of Grace for though the efficacy of its Grace did reach innocents and Believers in all Ages yet what Ordinance was ever annexed to it as its Seal through the several Ages from Adam to Noah in which Ages lived Abel Seth Enoch who by Faith walked with God and Noah with whom this Covenant was renewed Gen. 6.18 and from Noah to Abraham and from the time that Abraham had this Covenant ratified by a sure Promise of a faithful Seed before the Covenant of Circumcision was given out which was about 25 years A Seal it was to Abraham of the Righteousness of his Faith wherewith he believed whilst uncircumcised so the Holy Ghost applies it Rom. 4.9 10 11. Verses but to no other Person as a Seal as I know of Nay to imagine that Circumcision was a Seal proper and peculiar to the Covenant of Grace must needs be a Mistake else the Patriarchs of old Melchisedeck King of Salem and Priest of the Most High God an eminent Type of Christ just Lot and Job God's righteous Servant of whom it 's said there is none like him in all the Earth could have laid as good a claim thereunto as any besides but Circumcision never received its Being as a Seal annexed to the Covenant of Grace for had it been given as a Token peculiar thereto it would have remain'd I presume as unchangeable as the Covenant itself and would not have vanish'd away with the other shadows of the Mosaical Dispensation So that though we grant your Infant-Seed to be in the Covenant of Grace yet because of their Interest therein it follows not that they have a Right to Baptism that being now no more a Sign peculiar to the Covenant than Circumcision was that is now abolish'd for were it a Sign then the Covenant once had two Signs annexed to it as proper and peculiar even from the time of the institution of Baptism to Christ's Death till then Circumcision was in force and how absurd is this to imagine Neither is Baptism any more a Sign which you grant Children than the Lord's Supper of which you most uncharitably deprive them for they who in a Gospel sence have a Right to the one have no less Right to the other Besides the Seed promised to Abraham in the Covenant of Grace made or renewed with him is a spiritual and believing Seed and so the Holy Ghost expresly tells you if you dare depend upon his Testimony Gal. 3.6 7 8 9. of whom Isaac was the Type not a carnal and fleshly Seed figured by Ishmael as is obvious in the Allegory explain'd by the Apostle Gal. 4. from 22 to 29. And as it is Faith only which denominates a person to be the Child of Abraham Gal. 3.7 9. so it is Faith only that bespeaks a Person to be a fit subject for Baptism as Acts 8.37 38. Could any person shew where the Holy Ghost calls Baptism a Seal 't would be of some service to your Cause but as that cannot be assigned so Baptism cannot be any more than Circumcision was a Seal for the proper use of a Seal is to confirm ratifie and make sure