Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	call_v	church_n	pillar_n	2,921	5	10.5182	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84133	The Anabaptists ground-work for reformation: or, New planting of churches, that no man, woman, nor child, may be baptized, but such as have justifying faith, and doe make profession thereof, before, to the baptizer, found false, with all things depending thereon. As being contrary to the Scriptures, and to the examples of Christ and his Apostles, ... Proved by severall arguments. Whereunto one T.L. a principall baptizer, (and apostle in their account) hath given his answers. Unto which answers, replies are also made by I.E. and some arguments annexed, proving, that the children of all such beleevers as were baptized, and so received into the Church, might be baptized, and received also. With a brief declaration what the true reformation is, and shal be, farre above these Anabaptists, and all such carnall builders conceits. And who the two witnesses of God are, by whom chiefly it is to be performed. Imprimatut [sic]. Iames Cranford,	Etherington, John, fl. 1641-1645.; Lamb, Thomas, d. 1686.	1644 (1644)	Wing E3381; Thomason E50_2; ESTC R23515	28,610	37

through the name of Christ a gift of the Spirit of God sufficient to make him a fit subject for Baptisme then he did his being in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie through the spirit of Satan sometime after All one as if T. L. should say and argue to prove that Judas his t●eason against Christ so wickedly acted by him when the Divell was entred into him so long after he had through the word of Christ and gift of the holy Ghost beleeved and was baptized made him as fit a subject for baptisme as the faith that he had when he was baptized in the esteeme of Luke and the rest of the Evangelists that writ of him which were very blasphemous to speake or once to goe about to argue to such purpose And whereas T. L. in his third place saith By this reasoning it will follow that a person which in case were in the Church should be excommunicated out of it by the rule should be received into the Church by baptisme which were contradictious In this T. L. saith true in respect to his owne reasoning for if Simon Magus his being in the gall of bitternesse c. made him as fit a subject for baptisme as the faith he had when he was baptized then he was now well fitted by T. L. his arguing to be baptized again and it is very probable if one may judge upon probabilities which is T. L. his rule that he hath baptized some such persons himselfe again and again And let me ask T. L. if it be not contradictious for a Baptizer though as great an Apostolicke one as himselfe to judge all that he baptizeth to have justifying faith and to be a Church of regenerate Saints and yet be but a Church of hypocrites for any certaintie of judgement he hath to the contrary The fifth Argument If Christ and his Apostles knew that there were and would be in the Church such beleeving Disciples baptized according to the rule of Christ as would be like the stony and thorny ground as well as good ground hypocrites and such as would offend the little ones that beleeved in Christ and despise him hold heresies c. and that it must needs be so that they which are approved may be known Then did not Christ nor his Apostles judge and account all that were and would be in the Church to be of the little ones that beleeved in Christ of the approved ones But Christ and his Apostles knew that there were and would be such in the Church as well as of the little ones the approved ones as it is evident by Matth. 13.21 22. Ioh. 6.64 65. Acts 5.1 2. Acts 8.13 Acts 20.29 30. Matth. 18.6 7. 1 Cor. 11.18 19. and sundry other places Therefore they did not so account and judge of all The Answer of T. L. I answer this argument confounds things that are to be distinguished First we must distinguish between the judgement and account of Christ which was above the rule given to the Apostles to judge by and the Apostles judgement according to the same rule Secondly we must distinguish between being and what possibly they might be and the Apostles judgement in relation to both Thirdly we are to distinguish between the whole joyntly and the parts severally and the Apostles judgement in relation to either Lastly we are to distinguish of the persons in respect of the time of their comming for baptisme and the time of their continuance in the Church These things thus premised the answer is easie First that Christ knowing things infallibly did not account of all that were admitted into the Church by baptisme to be true beleevers and approved and yet no rule to baptize any other but such as were so judged when they were admitted by them that admitted them and none of the places alledged doe prove the contrary The Apostles indeed might judge that those whom they conceived to have justifying faith according to probabilitie might possibly be destitute of it according to certainty And that although there were contentions and some great faults in the Church in the generall so concluded by the Apostles yet not determined who were the particulars alwayes that caused the same might leave the search of that to the Congregation who were to censure them accordingly And also having found the particulars they being in the Church the event of private and brotherly admonition and reprehension must be tried before they be excommunicated Whereas if they were not of the Church they must manifest repentance for every evill known before they be received to baptisme Matth. 3.6 Act. 2.38 The Reply of I. E. First where T. L. saith the Argument confounds things that are to be distinguished he speaks not truly it confounds nothing only it proves sufficiently that Christ and his Apostles did know and so may we by their testimonies and our owne experience that there alwayes were and would be in the Church baptized according to rule such as the places quoted doe describe and that the Church in the outward state thereof generally considered was never nor is otherwise to be judged of There will be false brethren false teachers hypocrites such as hold heresies stony ground thorny ground covetous persons lovers of this present world proud boasters lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God carnall corrupt persons whose belly is their God minding earthly things having eys full of adultery contentious c. And also of Gods elect some yet remaining like some of the former of them unregenerate and some regenerate sanctified ones justified by faith in Iesus Christ whom the holy Ghost calleth good ground trees of righteousnesse the children of wisedome the children of God the called of God in Iesus Christ beloved of God Saints by calling sanctified in Iesus Christ the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of truth the body and spouse of Christ living stones built on Iesus Christ the chief corner stone a spirituall house a Kingly Priesthood which doe offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ and of whom Christ saith And upon this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it c. For although the other evill sorts are altogether with these in the outward state of the Church partaking with them in common things yet these onely properly and truly spiritually and inwardly considered are the Church of the living God his Temple and Tabernacle And to this Church doe all the most speciall peculiar priviledges and treasures graces gifts and promises belong And when the Apostles wrote their Epistles to the severall distinct Churches as that of Rome Corinth and the rest they directed them chiefly to these who were beloved of God called to be Saints sanctified in Christ Iesus as appeareth plainly Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.2 Eph. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 Col. 1.2 1 Thess 1.1.4 1 Pet. 1.2 Although they did not sever them by name nor by person from the