Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	church_n	member_n	visible_a	1,366	5	9.2837	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86328	The foundation of the font discovered to the view of all that desire to behold it. And, the baptizing of men and women when they believe (in rivers and fountains) proved to be a standing ordinance in the Church of Cchrist to the end of the world; by plain Scripture-proof. In answer to Mr. Cook's Font uncovered, for infant-baptism; and Mr. Baxter's Plain Scripture-proof for infants church-membership and baptism. With a word sometimes upon occasion to Mr. Hall's Font-guarded; which is more fully answered by Thomas Collyer. By Henry Haggar, a servant of Christ, and the congregations of his saints.	Haggar, Henry.	1653 (1653)	Wing H186; Thomason E711_1; ESTC R207114	109,478	143

generall in them but also such words as speak to every Saint in Christ and member in particular as the word all the Saints every Saint in Christ and every one of you and every branch in me c. But for example I shall give you one probable Argument from Mat. 18.15 16 17. in these words If thy Brother sin against thee go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother if not then take with thee one or two more that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church and if he neglect to hear the Church let him be to thee an Heathen man and a Publican From all which I argue thus First If it be the duty of church-Church-members to watch over one another and proceed in order according to this rule then they must be such as understand this rule But little babes of 8 daies weeks or months old cannot understand this rule Therefore they cannot be visible church-Church-members Secondly If it be the duty of church-Church-members to tell one another of their fault then they must be such as can both speak and judge what a fault is or else how can they tell one another of their faults But little Babes can neither speak nor judge in such cases Therefore they cannot be Church-members Thirdly If the faults of particular members in such cases may and must be brought before the whole Church for them to hear and judge then the whole Church ought to be such as can judge and likewise declare their minds But little Infants are not such Therefore no visible Church-members But it may be the objection against all this will be That this rule doth not reach or concern all Church-members because the word all or every one or whole Church is not found in the text But I shall leave it to the judgement of the wise that fear God and are worshipers of him in spirit and truth Many more such Arguments as this might be brought of which the time would fail to relate therefore I shall omit them and proceed to prove in opposition to Mr. Baxters and Mr. Cooks other Arguments that little Children that cannot speak words nor understand the Gospell if they hear it are not nor cannot be Christs Disciples Arguments I. My first Argument is from Mat 28.19 in these words Go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit The plain English of which Mr. Baxter himself confesseth to be Go make Disciciples baptizing them c. From whence I argue thus If those Disciples which Christ commanded the Apostles to baptize must be first made so then they were not so born if they had they should not have need to be made so Again the word saith Teach all Nations or make Disciples saith Mr Baxter Whence I argue thus If make Disciples all Nations and teach all Nations be all one as Mr. Baxter affirms then it s clear that Disciples are made by preaching the word But Infants that cannot speak words nor understand earthly things if we tell them can much less understand the things of the Kingdom of Heaven declared by the preaching of the Gospell Therefore Here Mr. Baxter and I must have some discourse before we part a for he telleth us of divers waies to make Disciples besides teaching of them which in plain terms is to say There is divers waies to make Scholars besides or without teaching of them which to me is a Paradox Again Mr. Baxter being very willing to prove Infants Disciples saith page 22. line 1 2 3. that its enough to make them Disciples that they are devoted to learning if they live and that they are consecrated to Christ as their Master who can teach them hereafter So that he would prove them Disciples or Scholars first and have them taught afterwards strange doctrine and unheard-of Divinity the which lest any should object against he stoutly backs with a learned Argument as he would have it thus Is it not a common thing to call the whole Nation of Turks Mahometans old and young why then may we not call our selves and our Children Disciples of Christ And then he tells us another story of a man that hired a Philosopher to teach him and all his Children and were they not all then Disciples of that Philosopher Answ But is this Mr. Baxters plain Scripture-proof that he telleth us of in the title of his book I do much admire that a man prosessing so much seriousness in his matters and soundness in his judgement tenderness of conscience and zeal for truth as Mr. Baxter doth in his first chap. page 2 should so turn aside his ears from the truth of the word of God unto such fables as these as if he were resolved to make the Apostles words true upon himself 2 Tim. 4.3.4 which are these The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and they shall turn aside their ears from the truth and be turned unto fables c. But let me a little speak to Mr. Baxter in his own language lest he be wise in his own conceit and think I cannot answer such learned Questions Suppose I should grant that little Children as soon as they go to Schoole and begin to learn their letters are Scholars doth it therefore follow that they are then fit to learn the things of God and be immediately nay long before that the Disciples of Christ I think not for the Lord Christ saith John 2.12 If I have told you earthly things and you beleive them not how shall you beleive if I tell you Heavenly But such Children that go newly to Schoole to learn their letters you may tell them of many earthly things that they cannot understand nor beleive at all Againe What if we grant Mr. Baxter that little Children are Scholars the first day they are sent to Schoole and having learned but the first letters This would make nothing for his purpose for do we ever know any man so idle and foolish and void of understanding as to send his Child to Schoole to learn its letters befor it could speak or understand would not Mr. Baxter himself say such a man were void of reason but Mr. Baxter doth affirn such to be Disciples of Christ and would have them sent to Chrits Schoole but if this be equity or godly wisdome let the godly wife consider and judge But Mr. Baxter would teach men by parallels and lay aside the word of God he might have made the comparison thus As little children the first day they go to Schoole to learn their letters are commonly called the Scholars and Disciples of Men even so those little Children or babes in Christ 1 John 5.21 the first