Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	infant_n	kingdom_n	visible_a	3,042	5	9.7675	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77642	Scripture-redemption freed from men's restrictions: being an answer to a book lately published by Mr. William Troughton (who stiles himself a minister of the gospel at Onlep in Leicester-shire) intituled, scripture-redemption restrained and limited: as also the substance of several conferences and disputes had in England, Wales, and Scotland, with Mr. Heath, Mr. Bartley, Mr. Powel, Mr. Sam. Rutherford, and Mr. James Wood, two rectors of the university of S. Andrews, and many others, about the death of our most dear redeemer, and the controversies which are the constant concomitants of it. Together with a brief reply to Mr. Troughton's rayling accusations in his introduction. By J. Brown, sometimes of Orial Coll. in Oxford, afterwards a priest of the Church of England, and vicar of Tenbury in Worcester-shire; but now through mercy a preacher of the faith which once he destroyed.	Browne, James, 1616-1685.	1653 (1653)	Wing B5022B; ESTC R230501	118,497	139

next that the comfort of doubting and convincing of obdurate spirits I would intreat the Reader to survey this Work twice before he censure once to try what is here laid down by the Word of God and hold fast what is good for that blessing thou findest in it let Jehovah have the glory which I again assure thee is the earnest desire of him who is A servant of Jesus Christ and his Saints in him and of all his fellow-creatures as he may in the Lord J. B. The Answer TO Mr. Troughton's Introduction WHat the wonder-working Jehovah hath spoken of old by his Servants the Prophets is in these our daies fulfilled He doth his work his strange work and bringeth to pass his act his strange act The wisdome of the wise-men doth perish and the undering of the prudent is hid It is a marvellous work and a wonder to see how they who teach the precepts of the Lord by the precepts of men are taken in their owne craftiness and have their wisdome taken from them or turn'd into foolishness To behold how they that darken counsel by words without knowledge who speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him are snared in their Philosophy and vain deceits in their Sophisticated Syllogismes and Arguments which they produce against the truth of the eternal God whilst they seem to take part with it A strange and eminent manifestation of the hand of God against such was lately in a most evident manner seen against one Mr. William Troughton a Minister of the Gospel as he stiles himself at Onlep in Leicester-shire who hath put forth a small treatise intituled SCRIPTVRE-REDEMPTION RESTRAINED and LIMITED I confess when I first cast mine eye upon this title I was amazed with admiration that any should so forget themselves as to restrain and limit the redemption that the Scripture holds forth that any should set bounds unto or imprison such a soul-satisfying soul-sanctifying soul-saving doctrine as is Scripture-Redemption O you that call your selves the Ministers of the Gospel Is the Spirit of the Lord straitened are these his doings Did the Spirit of the Lord ever say that Christ dyed not for all or that he dyed but for some is there any Scripture from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Revelation that speaks thus yet if we should grant that Christ laid downe his life onely for a few and bought onely his Saints I say if this were Scripture-Redemption as it is not Mr. Troughton hath restrained and limited it Scripture-Redemption be it what it will is by him confin'd and restrain'd insomuch that I could scarcely be perswaded in my spirit but that it was rather the error of the Press then of his pen or at least that it was rather a slip of his pen then the error of his minde but when I considered in the reading of his book with what virulency of spirit he opposed such as suffer Scripture-Redemption to have its due liberty and how vigorously he bends his hand and head at least to make good his purpose even turning aside the texts of Scripture which say plainly Christ dyed for all for every man c. to make way for his dark consequences and logical conclusions I ceased to wonder at the presupmtuous folly which therein palpably appeared and admired the just and signal severity of God against such as in this illustrious Sun-shine of Gospel-light oppose his waies accuse his Saints and bring up an evil report upon that good will of God which he hath by Men and Angels manifested in all ages towards mankinde I have seen in darker daies that men have usher'd in their fond conceits and Saint-reviling Pamphlets with glorious names and soul-blinding inscriptions but God so took away his wisdome that he could not give his book a Title that might in the least palliate the perversness of his opinion The times of ignorance God winked at but if after full and fair warning by the bright appearance of eternal truth men will not beware he will leave them to themselves to foam out their owne shame and as that of Jannes and Jambres so shall their folly be made manifest to all men Oh where was the wisdome of that poor creature who restrained and limited Scripture-Redemption The desire of my soul is that he may see the error of his way and repent of his daring presumption As the name of his Book savours of ignorance so his Introduction to it is filled with malice as the judicious Reader may perceive by those black calumnies and aspersions cast upon my self and others As far as they relate to me I do willingly bear them and freely forgive my Lord and Master suffered more for my sake but for that they intrench upon the truth of God and reflect upon some pretious Saints I shall endeavour the removal of them yet freely acknowledging that truth which he upbraids us with and shewing where he misreports us and misrepresents our words to the world In the first place he accuseth us for accounting the dipping or sprinkling of Infants an Antichristian Idol It 's true and we have good reason so to judge when men have set it up as a part of Gods worship without a command from Jesus Christ who would certainly have spoken something of it if it had been of God For he was faithful as a Son Heb. 3. 6. and kept not back any of his Fathers counsel from the sons of men But whereas he sayes we exclude all Infants from the Covenant of grace it s utterly false for it s by the grace of God in Christ that they live and we know that to little Infants belongs the Kingdome of Heaven And that they who become not as little children cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Matthew 18. 30. But that they are members of the visible Church we deny and so doth Master Troughton too in the third page of his Epistle to the Reader where he hath these very words Visible title to and interest in the Covenant of grace consisting in a serious profession of the Christian faith accompanied with a sutable conversation is that which constitutes a member of the Visible Church of Christ If any spiritual soul ever look on Mr. Troughtons book I desire they would take notice of this passage and see how he condemnes us for that which he himself allowes and ownes and indeed 't is the purest position of truth drawn up by himselfe which I have seen in all his book But that being true as indeed it is how can infants be visible Church-members what profession of the Faith of Christ can they make and what good or evil can they do so that you see Mr. Troughton contradicts himself which is a usual thing as you shall perceive in the prosecution of this work But fearing lest he should retract his acknowledgment of the truth to which he is sometimes very a verse through the darkness that is in him when he

but to exhort such to hear to seek or inquire after God hear read and search the Scriptures that so they may come to know believe and repent is suteable to the direction of the Spirit through the whole book of God who hath enabled men and women come to years of discretion so as to discern betweene good and evil thus to do To call them to baptism and so make them members of a visible Church who never heard of God is ridiculous and M. Tro. himself in his Epistle to the Reader confesseth it under his own hand That visible title to and interest in the Covenant of Grace consisting in a s●rious profession of the Christian faith accompanied with a suteable conversation is that which constitutes a member of the visible Church of Christ whence two things are considerable 1. That infants are not whilest infants visible Members of the Church of Christ in that they make no profession of the Christian Faith neither is their conversation suteable to the holy precepts of the most high for they speak and act as children neither doth God require that it should be so for he speaks not to children 2. This discovers the folly of Baby-sprinklers who require more of poor creatures then they are able to perform which shews that their Ministery in this as in other things is not of God who never exacts that of any which he of his own free mercy and goodnesse hath not given them ability to bring to passe yea they are contrary to God and palpably contradict themselves After this short digression a sixth use that may be made of this doctrine is this that seeing God hath appointed set apart or chosen all men to serve him and enabled them so to do this should teach Ministers to take heed that they add not to neither diminish from the precepts which God hath given to mankind by laying more or lesse upon persons then they are able to perform which is a usuall thing for they say of infants that they must be baptized and be Church-Members though they have done neither good nor evil nay know not their right hand from their less and tell men that are 20. 40. 50. years of age that they cannot believe nor repent nay that they must not be baptized c. Lastly this may serve for a triall and examination to every man whether he hath done all that good which God enabled him to do and avoided that evill which he by the light manife-fested from God might have shunned that so he may through a certain knowledge of his actings in these things be comforted in his obedience through Christ the strength and arm of the Lord or repent of his non-performance of that which through that light or power he might have performed And now let the judicious Reader judge whether these things being very profitable do not freely flow from that doctrine which men call heresie Thirdly seeing some departed from the faith Hymeneus and Alexander put away faith and a good conscience all they in Asia turned away from Paul others deny the Lord that bought them and some tread under foot the Son of God and count the bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing and doing despight to the Spirit of Grace and seeing the Holy Ghost sayes it is impossible to renew them again by repentance who fall away after they are inlightened and are partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come therefore we admonish the Saints in the language of the Lord nay the Lord warns them by us to beware and take heed lest they fall and le●t there be in any of the brethren an evill heart of unbelief to depart from the living God and to beware lest any man deceive them and lest any of them fall from the grace of God as some did Gal. 5. 4. to beware of false Prophets and take heed lest they fall away from their own sted●astnesse c. which precious words of the eternall God were of no use if the Saints were not in danger even in their best estate here below We exhort them to watch and pray and stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free and to beg of God that he would hold up their go●ngs in his paths that their footsteps may not slide and to keep them from falling and turning back from him and knit their hearts to him pray one for another to him that is able to build them up that he would preserve them blamelesse in body soul and Spirit to the coming of Jesus Christ all which and thousand such like Petitions were frivolous if there were no danger and all those ●recepts and promises he that endureth be th●u faithfull he that overcometh 'T is true we do not exhort any to beware but such as walk in that way as those Saints of old did to whom those words we use were written and spoken that were improper and one means it hath been to deceive the poor ●ouls in this Island and make them think they were all Saints according to the Scripture account when they were exhorted not to fall away from their present s●ate whereas it had been happy for many thousand if they had fallen from it so they had fallen down and worshipped God according to his Word We do not exhort the Parish-Ministers of Great Britain much leste those poor bl●nd creatures who follow them idolize them and are led by an implicite faith to hold fast their profession for it 's very bad and Antichristian or to continue in the way where they are for it is not good nor to take heed that they depart not from the way of God for they are not in it or from the living God for they are not with him But we bese●ch them to repent and turn to God that so they may be baptized and added to the Church and enjoy the precious priviledges that pertain to such as worship G●d in spirit and truth i. e. according to his word which is spirit and truth well knowing that men may as well ●e destroyed for resisting the power of God and putting from them the Word of God and eternall life as for deserting the way of righteousnesse add turning from the holy Commandement delivered unto them and therefore they have no just cause to be angry against us as they are for the searcher of hearts is witnesse that we de●ire earnestly their conversion and salvation and therefore for my part I shall in love tell them this that if they shall still oppose Christ and call his way heresie take part with the Pope and Prelates in their Nationall Churches Baby-sprinkling forced maintenance c. none of which are according to the testimony of Jesus within few years they will be driven to darknesse but as many of them as imbrace the Gospell and walk in the way of righteousnesse which men call heresie whether they have

perceives it will make to his disadvantage and stick to that grand error that Infants are visible Church-members I shall onely add this 1. That they who were such in the Apostles daies gladly received the word and were baptized Act. 2. 41. 2. That to every Church-member every ordinance of Christ doth belong as breaking of Bread Act. 2. 42. preaching of the word Col. 3. 16. reproof Mat. 18. 15 16 17. judging of points of difference among brethren 1 Cor. 6. 4. c. I wonder why Mr. Troughton doth not preach to them break bread with them reprove them and set them to judge at least in the things of this life which are the smallest matters For we would gladly know who dares add to diminish from or alter the practice of Jesus Christ and his Apostles in the constituting of the Church of God or hinder any of his members of their priviledge Secondly He saith but he saith falsly that we hold none to be Saints Disciples or Believers but such as are grown persons and rebaptiz'd Here he misrepresents our expressions For first we are not so silly as to lay down such negative propositions we say indeed that as in the dayes of Christ they that did repent and believe the Gospel were baptiz'd and added to the Church so we are sure they who thus walk now are visible Saints Church-members and Disciples in that they follow the precepts and practice of Christ and his Apostles we account them sheep of Christ or Christians who continue in the word of Christ and keep the Ordinances as they were delivered to the Churches by the Son of God when they may so enjoy them and that they who neglect and despise them when they so may be had and practise Baby-sprinkling are disobedient to Christ and followers of the Pope In a word they which faithfully follow that light which God layes before them are the beloved of his soul and pretious in his sight As for his tearm rebaptize we neither know nor do we practice any such thing neither can he prove his accusation against us except he can prove that the sprinkling of Babes in the face with a little water be the Ordinance of Baptisme appointed for us by the Lord Jesus in his word of truth and then we shall owne it and Mr. Troughton also in it Thirdly He accuseth us for baptizing believers into this Faith that Christ died for all c. To which I answer If the Scriptures say Christ dyed for all I hope Mr. Troughton hath no just cause to finde fault with us for believing it except he can prove it to be a crime to believe as the Scripture saith which kinde of beleiving Christ hath made a pretious promise to Joh. 7. 38 39. And whereas he taxeth us for not joyning with others which he calls in derision Anabaptists I wish Mr. Troughton not to speak evil of what he knows not Mr. Jessey Mr. Kiffin Mr. Patience so far as they practice Gospel-Ordinances do as closely follow Jesus Christ as Mr. Troughton and others in their Baby-sprinkling do Antichrist In a word we are to joyn with the Lord Jesus the head of the body not with men nor follow them further then they follow Christ Fourthly He accuseth us saying that we owne such as Christs Disciples who are baptiz'd into our opinion be they never so ignorant and vain c. This is a meer scandal for first we baptize none but such as in some good measure know their miserable state by sin the love of God by a Saviour c. And as for such as walk in a vain conversation they are cast off if they refuse to hear the Church And whereas he saies we unchurch all that differ from us though never so spiritual heavenly experienced Christians I say first as before that they that walk up to the light which God allows them are his Congregation 2. That they who have the word of God and follow Christ and his Apostles in Gospel-obedience are the Church of Christ his Disciples and experienced Christians according to the Scripture computation see Joh. 8. 31. To the fifth Accusation where he saith we refuse to hear the ablest and most approved Ministers of the Gospel except it be to cavil against them I answer It is not so for those that are approved Ministers of the Gospel I mean such as yeeld obedience to to Jesus Christ in his commands and follow him in life and doctrine we freely hear But we do not judge them who reject the counsel of God and teach otherwise then Christ and his Apostles taught able and approved Ministers of the Gospel though they talk long and loud yea though they could speak with the tongue of Angels As for Tithe-takers Baby-sprinklers and Parish-Ministers their practice declareth them to be at least in some things Popish Levitical Priests acting contrary to the precepts and practice of Jesus Christ and so Antichristian By the word cavil I judge he means reason out of the Scriptures and in this we desire to do as we would be done by for we never deliver any Doctrine publickly but we are willing publickly to give an account of what we declare to them And for the serviceableness of those whom Mr. Troughton counts able Ministers to the state I shall at present be silent onely adding that most of us whom Mr. Troughton traduceth in the margin of his book have adventured our lives in the service of the Commonwealth and shall again when thereunto called Sixthly He accuseth us as overthrowers of Magistracy and for accounting the Parish-Priests Antichristian persecutors when they call for the civil power to punish such as would publickly dispute their Doctrine and Ministery he calls it the keeping of order and peace in the Congregation whilst they are about the worship of God and to prevent cumbustions c. I answer This is a meer fiction they are sure the Magistrates most faithful friends who desire them to wait on that office which God hath called them to and they are enemies to the civil powers who call to them to do that which is not appertaining to their duty Now we desire the Magistrate as a Magistrate to exercise his power in its proper place as for example if any had been at Odeby or are elsewhere stickers or breakers of the peace by any means God hath ordained the powers that are for the punishment of such evil doers But if any do desire to reason out of the Scriptures about the worship of the most high God they that call to the Magistrate to punish such or by the civil Sword to stop their mouths are Antichristian persecutors yea Tyrants over the consciences of their fellow creatures and those Magistrates who shall at the request of such Tyrants exercise their Authority against such as seek to finde out the truth by disputing with the false Ministery if they take not heed betimes will be overthrown by the might of the Lord as they have been before

that Infants are to be baptized and added to the Church before they either repent or believe and that God doth decree the unbelief and disobedience of men and that he will damn some eternally for Adams fault and others for not doing that which since they came to discern betwixt good and evill they had never ability from the Lord to perform therefore are we call'd Heretiques and because we are willing that our Doctrine should be tried by the word of truth both publikely an privately and desire by the same Touchstone to prove what others teach for doctrine and will not be deluded by Philosophy and vain deceit not stung with the tail of the old Serpent I mean the Prophet who teacheth lies Isa 9. 15. with Rev. 12. 4. therefore are we counted the troublers of Israel such as turn the world upside down ring-leaders of Sects c. as our Brethren of old were neither are we grieved by these things for our sakes but for theirs even our countrymen and brethren after the flesh who rage at us and incense the Rulers against us because we believe and speak what is written and will not receive nor practise the Doctrines and Traditions which are not written witnesse M. W. T. who though he hath not one word of Scripture speaking that which he affirms yet he raves and rails publikely and privately because his Arguments are not held Authentick accounted Canonicall and received as Maxims of divine truth when indeed they are but the thoughts of his own heart and collections tha● he hath made from men that must die If I should go from place to place and say Christ did not die for all and he died only for a few men and women and God commanded men to do no more then he hath enabled them to do and that he hath appointed some even from the beginning to be disobedient to his commands might not men say where is this written might they not justly say that here is no light in these things and that these things not being written are not for our learning doubtless they might Ob. But if Christ died for all then all shall be saved All are and shall be saved or deliver'd from the first death as I have declared and i● shall be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2. 6. only the Elect the Saints that is such as receive the light held forth to them shall escape the second death they that believe and obey him shall enjoy eternall salvation through him Rev. 2. 11. 1 Thes 1. 10. Heb. ● 9. Ob. All prophane ignorant persons will say that Christ died for them I answer first they speak truth though they know not what they say for put such prophane persons to prove it by Scripture and to give you the text in which their evidence is contained and they come short of assurance then they say they believe he died for them and at last when they are put to shew the ground of their faith or what their faith was built on they will tell you they hope he died for them and he died for all that believe on him and serve him Secondly I answer 't is one thing for a poor soul to say that Christ died for him and another thing to know it by an infallible testimony and therefore we endeavour to prove this to every man by the Scriptures which hold forth the dying of Christ for all that so they may know certainly that Christ shed his bloud for them and by the knowledge hereof either be drawn to love and live to the Lord Jesus or be left vvithout excuse Ob. But cannot men be left without excuse without the preaching of this Doctrine to them Ans They cannot when and where this doctrine may be preached and heard indeed where the Scriptures are not people shall not be accused for not reading searching and preaching them or for their not knowing the vvords that are vvitten in them for God will at the last day require according to what he gave Luk. 12. 48. but vvhere this is fully made knovvn that Christ tasted death for every man they vvho imbrace it and bind it to their hearts by believing find abundance of consolation and they vvho receive it not shall not at the last day be able to plead ignorance Oh then hovv sad vvill it be at that time for such Preachers as deny preach vvrite pray and rail against this foundation truth of the Gospell Ob. Is it not said Rev. 5. 9. 14. 3. 4. Thou hast redeemed us is God and these were bought from amongst men c. Ans These precious texts are true but yet they do not say that there vvere no more bought to God from amongst men for if vve vvill 〈◊〉 the Apostle Peter there are some that d● deny the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. to say that because 144000. vvere redeem'd or bought from amongst men therefore there vvere no more redeemed is bad Logick and vvorse Divinity and is 〈◊〉 one ●s ●f a man had redeemed a thousand men out of Turky meeting vvith three or four of them should receive an acknowledgment of their deliverance that he had redeemed them the standers by should argue that he redeemed no more Ans Secondly I have before shew'd that redemption is consider'd two ways first by the effusion of the bloud of Christ from the first sin or originall offence secondly by the application of that bloud by which the Elect such as walk in Gospell-obedience receive Redemption or deliverance from their sins which they have committed in their own bodies since they knew good and evill for no sooner is the bloud of Christ closely laid to the heart of a sinner but he presently begins to loath and leave sin and at length by a constant application of it becomes fully redeemed freed or delivered from his bondage of these later the texts by M W. T. alledged are especially to be understood and so the word of truth being rightly divided is kept from clashing and seeming contradiction all men left without excuse and the justice and mercy of God cleared against the calumnies of imperious sinners But there are some whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world It 's most certain that these words Rev. 13. 8. are a prophecy of the great Antichrist vvho shall exercise his power for a time times and the dividing or half of time Dan. 7. 25. two and forty moneths or 1260. dayes Rev. 11. 2. 3. with chap. 3. 5. or three years and a half and many shall follow his pernitious ways idolizing him and worshipping him as a God and it is as certain that such as worship him are not written in the Book of Life for God hath of old ordain'd to condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God unto wantonnesse and all Idolat●rs but this proves not that Christ never died for them but rather that he did die