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A65885 The rector examined about his book scandalously stiled, An antidote against the venom of Quakerism, by John Meriton, who calls himself A.M. rector of Boughton in Norfolk : and his observations remarked, and the Christianity of the people commonly called Quakers, re-asserted and vindicated, from his perversions and aspersions / by George Whitehead. Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723. 1699 (1699) Wing W1953; ESTC R20277 40,584 48

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that the Inward Spiritual Baptism washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life the Spirit of Life the Power of Christ is the Saving Baptism the truly Regenerating Baptism the Baptism essentially necessary to Salvation and making Christians and not the outward nor the Sign Type or Shadow thereof is no venomous Doctrine but agreeable to Holy Scripture Testimony is evident from Isa. 1. Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes saith the Lord c. this was an Inward and Spiritual Washing Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from thy wickedness that thou mayest be saved This was a Heart-washing an Inward and Spiritual Washing whereby they might be Saved Zech. 13. 1. The Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness was a Spiritual Fountain The Lord God was the Fountain of Living Water which when they had forsaken they committed a great Evil therein as well as in hewing to themselves broken Cisterns which could hold no Water Jer. 2. 13. And the clean Water the Lord promised to Sprinkle upon his People to make them clean from all their Filthiness and to cleanse them from all their Idols Ezek. 36. 25. was a Spiritual Sprinkling with Spiritual Water and the Lord 's doing John 3. 5. Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God This was Spiritual Living Water Inward and Sanctifying Grace as the True Primitive Christians experienced and best of Reformed Protestants believed and not the outward Element of Water as Papists and this Rector believe and hold As in his page 28 before more fully observed yea he holds This poor Element as he calls it of Water as necessary to do away Sins and to work upon our Souls as the Waters of Jordan were to the Cleansing of Naaman 2 Kings 5. 13. so necessary quoth he are the Waters of Baptism to the Cleansing our Souls p. 31. Such Vertue he ascribes to this Element thus idolizing it even as highly as the Rhemists against the Protestants but contrary to Christ's own Testimony also If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me saith our Lord Jesus John 13. 8. who also required first to make clean the inside that the out-side might be clean also Therefore 't was the Inward Spiritual Washing of Regeneration the Washing or Cleansing of the Heart by the Word of Life the Holy Spirit and Power of Christ which was the Soul's Saving Baptism and not that of the outward Element Titus 3. 4 5. After that the Kindness of God our Saviour toward Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost And if the Baptism which doth now save us be not the Putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ according to that of 1 Pet. 3. 23. What can be more clear than that the Saving Baptism is that of the Spirit which is the One Baptism Ephes. 4. 5. whereby the Saints were all Baptized into One Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and not that of the outward Element which can neither cleanse the Soul nor wash away the Sin or Guilt thereof The Inward and Spiritual Grace Saveth the Soul from Sin and Condemnation and ought to be preferred to all outward and visible Signs which can neither Save nor Sustain or Relieve the Soul 't is Life and Substance which is divine can do that The One Spiritual Baptism and that One Bread that Spiritual Meat and Drink which cometh down from Heaven is that which both saves and nourisheth the Soul unto Eternal Life John 6. 1 Cor. 10. That Disciples and Apostles of Christ did Baptize with Water is not denied Acts 8. 36 38. ch 10. 48. ch 19. 3 4 5. but that they did Practice or enjoin it as an act of necessity pursuant to Christ's Commission in Matth. 28. 19. is to impose upon us or beg the Question but that it was rather permissively practised in con discention than by that Commission For 1st Water is not expressed in that Text. 2dly When they Baptized with Water they did not use the terms of the Commission in it We do not read in all the Acts of the Apostles that any of them Baptized with Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost or that they used those expressions or terms in their Baptizing with Water but in the name of the Lord or in the name of the Lord Jesus If Water had been intended in that Commission of Christ Matth. 28. 19. the Apostle Paul must be concerned in it it must be as much binding to him as any other Minister but he declares the contrary that Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. he does not say Christ sent me not only to Baptize but positively for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel which was part of the Reason he gave why he thanked God that he had baptized no more than those he mentions 1 Cor. 1. 14 15 16. as well as Lest they should have said he had baptized in his own name for 't is not to be supposed he would thank God for not performing part of his Commission if it had been to Baptize with Water as well as to Preach the Gospel but that positive and general Reason for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel leaves no room for him to say Christ sent me to Minister Water-Baptism in his Commission in Matth. 28. 19. for Water-Baptism was properly John's Baptism and Ministry to make way for Christ's higher Dispensation and Spiritual Ministry Matth. 3. 11. Mark 11. 8. Luke 3. 16. John 1. 16. Acts 1. 5. 10. 16. compare with Acts 19. 2 3 4. But I need not enlarge on this subject to answer the Anabaptists Argument for Plunging or dipping Believers in Water unless this Rector were in the Practice thereof and renounced his Rantism as they do as a Scriptureless Thing as they term Sprinkling Infants But referr him to a Treatise of one that was of his Coat i. e. William Dell his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Doctrine of Baptisms To the Rector's Referring the Reader to that Excellent Piece of Water-Baptism as he terms it writ by that worthy and Ingenious Author as he applauds him of The Snake in the Grass c. printed 1697. p. 29. Thus highly has he commended the Author of that Great Defaming and Reproaching Libel i. e. The Snake in the Grass but it would be too difficult a Task for him to defend the manifold Gross and Abominable Lies and Calumnies contain'd therein against the manifest detection and discovery made of them not only in my Antidote against the Venom of
this Glorious coming of Christ from Heaven with thy carnal Eyes thou now hast 2. If thou neglectest his Inward and Spiritual Appearance and Work mayest thou not neglect thy own Salvation thereby 3. Seeing our Lord Jesus Christ The King of Kings and Lord of Lords only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen nor can see c. 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. How canst thou expect to see him with thy Carnal or Fleshly Eye Hast thou better clearer and more lasting Eyes of Flesh than all other Men When I have thus questioned any it was in Opposition to their neglect of Christ's Inward and Spiritual Appearance and Work effectually to save them from Sin and Condemnation This Point is more fully answered in our Books and particularly in my Examination Entituled Truth and Innocency vindicated p. 61 62. And my thus questioning the Carnal Expectations c. of some Persons I affirm as 't was never intended to oppose or contradict our sincere Belief or Profession That God will Judge the World in Righteousness by his Son Jesus Christ in the Day appointed even in the Great Day of Judgment and that Harvest which is the End of the World So neither does what 's quoted against the same Profession contradict it unless it can be proved that Men may see the Power and great Glory of God with their Carnal Eyes they now have or that with the very same they shall see Christ at his last coming to Judgment in the Glory of the Father and all his Angels with him Matt. 16. 27. What the Rector objects against that Man of God William Dewsbery to prove us Insincere in our said Profession that God will Judge the World in Righteousness by Jesus Christ c. and him the said W. D. guilty of gross Perversion Herein our Accuser has shewn himself as Ignorant as Envious and as void of Christianity He quotes the said W. Dewsbery's Discovery of Man's Return printed 1654. upon a Passage where Rev. 20. 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 10. are only quoted with other Scriptures in the Margent of the said Discovery which the Rector recites at large and then makes his Observation against W. D. viz. Observe here his Gross Perversion he applying all this to the Light within and the Judgment within so that the outward Judgment at the Last Day which is here so plainly described is not by him professed as a thing to be expected p. 46. Ans. I cannot but observe the Ignorance and Enmity of this Person what he objects against the said W. D. is no proof at all that he did not profess or own Eternal Judgment or the final Judgment and Rewards at the Great and Last Day His words cited are these viz. Every one arise out of your Earthly Wisdom and mind the Light in thy Conscience and wait on the Power of the Lord in it and it will bring thee to Judgment before the Throne of the Lamb viz. within thee added where the Righteous Law will be opened in thy Heart that will cry through thy Earthly Heart for Righteousness and Judgment and the Book will be opened in thee where thou shalt see all written that thou hast done in the Body and shalt give an Account for every idle Word i. e. to the Light within added also and receive thy Reward for what thou hast done and thy Reward is Wrath and Condemnation which will pass upon thee from the presence of the Lamb within thee again added for thy Disobedience and breaking of the Righteous Law Where is the Insincerity or gross Perversion in all these words recited by the Rector Or any Opposition to our Profession before mentioned Surely to mind the Light of Christ in the Conscience to know his Power in it to bring Man to Judgment according to the Righteous Law in the Heart and thereby to see the Record that is made in Man of all the Evils done and committed by him This cannot be to oppose or contradict our Profession that God will Judge the World in Righteousness by his Son Jesus Christ in the day appointed but in order to bring Man to Repentance that he may escape the Judgment and Wrath to come upon the Impenitent World of the Ungodly And therefore our Adversaries bringing this Citation out of W. Dewsbery's said Discovery of Man's Return either to evince the Venom of Quakerism falsly charged or our Insincerity or Opposition to the Doctrine of Eternal Judgment c. This shews our Adversaries Insincerity and great Ignorance of the Work of Repentance The Rector has need to be corrected in this as in many other weighty Points his Enmity appearing chiefly against the Light within which both manifests and Judges those things that are reproved in God's sight For can any be truly humbled unto Repentance before they are convicted and know what Sins and Evils they are guilty of and chargeable for in the sight of God and of the Lamb Christ Jesus who is Judge both of the Living and of the Dead Surely no He who is the Heart-searcher and Tryer of the Reines and the very Inward Affections who sheweth unto Man what his Thoughts are will bring every Work to Judgment with every secret thing whether it be Good or Evil and if his Judgments do not take effect upon Men in this Life to humble them unto Repentance his Eternal Judgment will be heavy upon them in that which is to come 'T is by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning that the Lord Purgeth his People and it is through Judgment that Sion is redeemed and her Converts with Righteousness And how plain is it that W. Dewsbery's Testimony in this case even as 't is recited respects the present Law Light Judgment and Righteousness of Christ in Man and also cautions Men of and points at the future Judgment Wrath and Condemnation as that which will pass in the future upon the Rebellious for Disobedience and breaking the Righteous Law And both the Judgment that comes upon Man here and that which will come hereafter upon Man for Disobedience and Rebellion against the Light and Law of Christ in Man it all proceeds from the presence of the Lamb Christ Jesus to whom all Judgment is committed and Power given to execute it Awake awake to Judgment therefore all you that are a-sleep in Sin that Mercy and Judgment may meet and Righteousness and Peace embrace each other that being Judged as Men in the Flesh you may live according to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4. 6. And all who sincerely desire after God and to remember him in his ways must wait for him in the way of his Judgments as his Servants of old did Isa. 26. 8. And though this Adversary has added in the Citation within thee after the Throne of the Lamb and after the presence of the Lamb he adds within thee And after shalt give an Account for every idle Word he adds i. e. to the Light
Infants or Believers we are left at uncertainty by this Rector 't is enough with him to cry It must be with Water Water But who who must come under it Men or Babes Here we are at a loss What an easie way it is to make Christians and to get to Heaven if this be it viz. Learn and believe your Creed and that you are inwardly washed regenerated and entered into God's Kingdom by your Water-Baptism Whether as Infants or grown up is still the Question This Rector boldly tells us Nay further it appears That before our Saviour Baptized those in Judea he represented the Solemnity of Baptism as a thing necessary to enter Men into that Kingdom of God to which he invited them our Saviour not only telling Nicodemus John 3. 5. That except a Man be born again he could not see the Kingdom of God But yet more plainly That except he was born again of Water p. 5. and of the Spirit he could not enter into it p. 28. In this Interpretation of John 3. 5. to outward Water the Rector exactly agrees with the Popish Notion and Interpretation thereof That no Man can enter into the Kingdom of God nor into the Fellowship of Holy Church without Water-Baptism as held by the Rhemists see their Annotations upon John 3. 5. And therein opposed by the Protestants as appears in Dr. Fulk's Answer viz. It is not necessary in this place By Water to understand material Water but rather the Purifying Grace of Christ. As in Chap. 4. ver 11 14. where 't is called Living Water whereof he saith Washing with Water in Baptism is an outward Sign So that the Reform'd Protestants did place Salvation the New Birth and entering into the Kingdom of God upon the Inward Baptism by the Purifying Grace of Christ and not upon the Outward Element of Water they esteem'd that but an outward Sign of the Inward For the outward Baptism by Water the Rector urges our Saviour's Example and Practice from John 3. 22 26. p. 28. as if practised or ministred by Christ himself But that 's a Mistake for in John 4. 2. 't is expresly said Though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples I have run the farther into this Point in this place to shew what a Composition the Rector has run Christianity into But to return to some of his invidious Abuses and Perversions For the Credit of his Charge of Venom and Blasphemous Opinions relating to Christianity as well as to the Government against us he saith And to this end and purpose in the Month of March last past there were two Books presented to both Houses of Parliament the one Entitled A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles c. The other Entitled Some few of the Quakers many horrid Blasphemies Heresies c. And also a Sheet Entitled Some Reasons humbly offered why the Quakers should be examined p. 6 7. Here we may observe this Rector has owned these same Books as well as presenting them to the Parliament Now one of them that is a Libel stiled Some Few has an Owner with the rest Thou therefore John Meriton Rector so called art accountable for the manifold Abuses Perversions Calumnies and Traducings which are in those Books and detected in my Truth and Innocency vindicated which I doubt not but will turn to your great Shame and Disgrace who promoted them as will also your strenuous Endeavours to Insence the Government against us but that they had more Discretion and Prudence than to be influenced by two or three Invidious Persons against a Peaceable and Serviceable People Now concerning our Christian Profession on which the Rector makes his Observations to evince the Venom of Quakerism as he unjustly defames us He accuseth us with dubious and equivocal Terms agreeable to those of the Oracles of the Heathen p. 7. for our confessing That our Belief is That in the Unity of the God-head there is Father Son and Holy Ghost those Three Divine Witnesses that beare Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testimony These the Rector has judged as dubious equivocal Terms though they are Scripture Terms see Matt. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. John 14. 26. Chap. 15. 26. But not being content with this our Confession he begs this Question i. e. But if not Three Persons what Three are they page 8. Let him prove these Terms by plain Scripture as we have done ours and then we shall be resolved so as not to charge him with dubious Terms He might have spared his bitter Insinuations against us as virulent Poison grossest Errors equivocal Reserves wherein they meaning the Quakers may be thought to exceed their Brethren the Jesuits page 8. It had been more Prudence for him to have forborne or reserved these bitter Aspersions than to impose them upon the Reader which shews a great Enmity and bitterness of Spirit in the Man His repeated and partial Citations and Charge against G. F. W. P. and G. W. in page 8 9 10. are answered and detected in the second part of the other Examination i. e. Truth and Innocency c. under the first Head and Title Concerning the Holy Trinity What is alledged against G. W. out of Ishmael c. page 10. about the Three Persons though wrongly cited by the Rector p. 9 10. I have positively disowned that passage twice already both as 't is in it self and as it is none of mine and do now a third time disown the same which none therefore but the Implacable will repeat against me About a Heaven within and the Locality of Heaven p. 10. I do not find either G. F. or W. P. truly quoted or cited upon Examination The Matter as it concerns G. F. is answered in the other Examination aforesaid To the Rector's thus construing our Confession i. e. When they speak of Three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven that is to say quoth he the Heaven within them p. 10. Thus he imposes his meaning upon us as if we confined the Divine Three bearing Witness in Heaven only to a Heaven within us and not as being in that Heaven without us also which is a mistaken Construction for the Heaven wherein the Divine Three bear Witness is above and distinct from the Earth 1 John 5. 7 8. and yet the same Holy Spirit which is God bears witness in Earth too even in Mens Hearts and Consciences His Spirit bears witness with our Spirits c. And he that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. And he that inhabiteth Eternity and dwells in the highest Heavens dwells also in the lowest Hearts even with them that are poor and of contrite Spirits and tremble at his word how despised soever they are in the Eyes of the Proud and Envious whom God will debase And it was no lessening of the Blessed Record of the Divine Three
in Heaven for the Spiritual Believers in Christ Jesus to be promoted to the Honour and Priviledge of sitting together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 5 6. and their continuing in the Son and in the Father if the Word which they had heard from the Beginning remained in them 1 John 2. 24. As there is a Plurality of Heavens without us so there are degrees of heavenly States in Christ Jesus within us if our Conversation be in Heaven I charge the Rector with a false Quotation and Abuse of me in particular in his Observation on our Confession to the Divinity and Humanity or Manhood of Jesus Christ. Where he quotes Truth defending the Quakers p. 22. and against me saith Where he affirms Christ's coming in the Flesh to be but a Figure or Example answered in the other Examination part 1. p. 24 25. which are not my words but in the Priest's 35th Question wrongly accusing R. Hubberthorn therewith The Rector also wrongs R. H. and me in what he adds viz. Which is also the Saying of R. Hubberthorn and justified by G. W. in his Judgment Fixed p. 336. who tells you plainly what Man Christ the Quakers own i. e. their Light within only p. 11. He wrongs me again in both For 1st I never understood that 't was R. H's Saying that Christ's coming in the Flesh was But a Figure nor saw it ever so affirmed under his hand but by his Adversaries 2. Neither have I justified that Saying in Judgment Fixed 3. Neither do I there tell you plainly that the Man Christ the Quakers own is their Light within only I do not confine the Christ to within only though he be our Light within as well as he is our Mediator the Man Christ without But the Rector to fasten his Charge upon me adds viz. His words i. e. G. W's are these Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before he came in the Body of Flesh p. 11. Here the Rector cites a Consequence of a Proposition against me but not the Proposition it self wherein he is unfair Yet the Consequence proves not that I either affirm or justifie Christ's coming in the Flesh to be but a Figure 'T is fully answered in the Examination before and my Proposition from which the said Consequence is drawn is John bore witness of that Man Christ saying He that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me John 1. 15. Again ver 30. After me cometh a Man which is preferred before me for he was before me Therefore the Man Christ Jesus was before he came in the Body or Flesh he was that Spiritual Rock which all Israel drank of his Life was the Light of Men from the Beginning and all the Generations of the Righteous did Spiritually partake of the Benefit of Christ as Mediator both before and after his coming in the Flesh they virtually partook of the Sacrifice of the Lamb c. Judgment Fixed p. 336. Now could this be to deny either the Divinity or Manhood of Christ No sure but rather a Confession to both Neither doth it prove our Confession thereunto only a Paint or Varnish to deceive the Hearts of the Simple as this Rector would insinuate though very frowardly and unjustly And That Christ existeth outwardly Bodily without us at God's right hand my Enquiry for Scripture-proof for these words Nature of Christianity page 41. Anno 1671. proves no Insincerity in our Belief of Jesus Christ as he is truly God and Man according as Holy Scripture testifies of him and questioning those Terms was not to deny Christ's real Exaltation in Glory as he is at the right Hand of the Majesty in the Heavens What the Rector quotes against G. F. and W. P. about Christ that was Crucified and his outward Person c. p. 12 13. is answered and explained in the Examination aforesaid What he quotes against W. Smith's Primmer p. 8. printed 1668 i. e. They that are False Ministers preach Christ without Here wants the word Only viz. they preach Christ without Only in opposition to his being within for it was so corrected in the last Edition of his Works What carping and picking work do these Men make against us to make us Offenders for a word We also sincerely confess We believe and expect Salvation and Justification by Jesus Christ his Righteousness Merits and Works here they leave out and not by our own God is not indebted to us for our Deservings but we to him for his Free Grace in Christ Jesus whereby we are Saved through Faith in him not of our selves and by his Grace enabled truly and acceptably to serve and follow him as he requires He is our All in all who worketh all in us that is well pleasing to God To render us Insincere or Contradictory herein the Rector begins with G. W's Light and Life thus quoting him p. 38. viz. The Quakers see no need of directing Men to Jesus Christ or his Blood as it was outwardly shed at Jerusalem for Justification c. Herein he has falsly quoted me and misrepresented my words which if he read them 't was the more wickedly done If it was upon the Credit of another's Information 't was presumptuously foolish so injuriously to cite them My words in the place quoted are these viz. The Quakers see no need of directing Men to the Type for the Antitype viz. neither to the outward Temple nor yet to Jerusalem to Jesus Christ or his Blood It should be for Jesus Christ there knowing that neither the Righteousness of Faith nor the Word of it doth so direct Rom. 10. which is not to disswade People from Jesus Christ where he is to be found but from going to seek him in the Type before mentioned The Matter is answer'd before this Rector had need to be rectified himself Again He quotes G. W. thus p. 55. ibid. Where doth the Scripture say That the shedding of Christ's Blood outwardly was the meritorious cause of Man's Salvation And p. 64. It is False Doctrine to lay the meritorious cause or stress of Justification upon the shedding that Blood let out by the Spear He has here quoted me partially in both these passages especially in the last 1. My Question to the Baptist in the place was this Where do the Scriptures use those Expressions and so much vary about the Blood of Christ as one while to say that the shedding that Blood outwardly was the meritorious cause of Salvation c. p. 55. 2. Whereas the Baptist accused us with denying the shedding of the Blood upon the Cross that was let out by vertue of the Spear being thrust into his side to be the meritorious cause of Man's Justification as held in the Affirmative by the Baptist. My answer was The shedding of that Blood let out by the Spear was an Act of a wicked Man and the Spear an Instrument of Cruelty which to lay the meritorious cause or stress of Justification upon is false Doctrine for