Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	church_n	head_n	visible_a	2,242	5	10.0238	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86561	Diatribē peri paido-baptismoū, or, A consideration of infant baptism: wherein the grounds of it are laid down, and the validity of them discussed, and many things of Mr Tombes about it scanned and answered. Propounded to the consideration of the Church of God, and judgment of the truly religious and understanding therein. Together with a digression, in answer to Mr Kendall; from pag. 143. to the end. By J.H. an unworthy servant of Jesus Christ, and preacher of the Gospel to the congregation at Lin Alhallows.	Horn, John, 1614-1676.	1654 (1654)	Wing H2798; Thomason E729_3; ESTC R17948	148,371	168

mentioning infants and yet it is certain that it was the manner of Moses to circumcise the infant male of all that came in and so by that rule they are included under the words You and Disciples also they were reckoned as parts of them in the external profession A man might as colourably wrangle and plead that the false Apostles desired only the circumcision of the actual believers of their Gentiles and not of their infants because they never mention their infants and because Paul says But they desire to have you circumcised as that they baptized such only and not infants because there infants are not exprest in the mention making of their baptism If the Apostle include their infants in the word you speaking of the way of admission into the Church which the false Apostles pleaded for then I see no reason or colourable ground to exclude them when they speak of the way in which the true Apostles did admit them Nor find I any such argument used by the Apostle against the Gentiles circumcision which yet were it as the Antipedobaptists say would have been a good one as this viz. that in case we admit circumcision according to the custom of Moses then we must bring in infants too into the Church again which are as uncapable of being members of the Church now as dogs or swine as some of the Antipedobaptists are ready over rashly to say this would presently have struck the nail on the head for they that were according to the will of God circumcised were taken thereby into the Church of God the Kingdom of Heaven according to the outward visible Court. Had this been a known principle or maxime amongst the professours of Christ and had Christ and his Apostles taught them such doctrine as that children are to be no part of the Church instituted by him there had been no ground for the false Apostles to have stood upon circumcision after the manner of Moses And no doubt but the Apostles would have made use of such an argument against them had there been such a Maxime seeing it would easily and evidently have confuted them and served to settle the Church in peace in that hot contention The exclusion of children from admission into the visible Church would have broken in pieces the ordinance of circumcision that appointing all the male children to be circumcised and so to be admitted into the visible Church with their parents The general silence of this argument against them in so hot a contest and when the Apostles writ so much to the believers to settle their minds against circumcision and its doctrine as also of the Jews and false Apostles taxing the Apostles with casting out and rejecting children is to me as good or better an argument to prove that there was no such Maxime as the exclusion of infants from the visible Church then the general silence of infants baptized is to prove that there was no infants admitted by baptism But to return to the Commission for discipling the Gentiles Go disciple all the Gentiles c. The Anti-pedobaptists find two Arguments here to exclude children 1. That our Saviour says they are first to be discipled before they be baptized and that children cannot be 2. That the word them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agrees not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nations or Gentiles it being neuter but the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 masculine but it rather agrees with the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 included in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them Disciples Of these two things I confess they make a great noise but when they are examined there appears no cause for it For 1. To the first it may be said not only 1. The order of words is not always the order of actions therein spoken for if so then John baptized before he preached which they will in no wise admit For it is said Mark 1.4 That John was in the wilderness baptizing and preaching the baptism of repentance If the order of words shew the order of actions then John baptizing before he preached the doctrine of baptism baptized some that did not believe that doctrine for how should they believe it before it was preached and so by that way of arguing they get nothing and yet this they often make use of as again in that of Mar. 16.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved See say they believing is before baptizing no man must be baptized till he have first believed not considering that by the same way of arguing men must first confess with their mouth to salvation that Christ is the Lord before they heartily believe to righteousness that God hath raised him from the dead because such is the order of words Rom. 10.9 If thou confess with thy mouth that Jesus is the Lord and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved And yet who sees not that that should be a vain confession of his Lordship and not to salvation as ver 10. that proceeds from a heart not first believing that Lord. And by the like way of reasoning when our Saviour says Joh. 10.16 Other sheep I have that are not of this fold them must I also bring and they shal hear my voice because he first mentions bringing them before their hearing his voice it should follow that they must first be brought by him namely to that fold as follows and there shall be one fold c. before they hear his voice Well then let us so take it but by what manner of action must they then be brought by him to the fold that is to his Church whereof his Disciples were the members if not by causing them to hear his voice for that follows after their being brought though usually to that he himself goes out to them with his servants to call and bring them in Prov. 9.3 4. with Luke 14.21 then sure it is by his servants baptizing them in their infancy before they be capable of hearing him for by what other action men should be brought to his fold before hearing him I cannot tell and if that be the action to go before let it pass for an impertinent place to our business but so we shall get much more by the bargain if not let them shew us how else he brings them before they hear him or else quit this manner of reasoning from the order of words But I say not only this may be replied to it but also 2. It 's not true that Christ bids them make them Disciples first and then afterward baptize them For the words are not going Disciple and baptize but going Disciple baptizing c. And it is usual in such manner of speaking for the Participle to declare the manner of or some mediate act unto the thing spoken of in the precedent Verb as to give some instances The Apostle Tit. 1.11 sayes of the Circumcision That they subvert whole houses teaching

of such is the Kingdom of Heaven Where it s to be minded first that he says not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for of these is the Kingdom lest we should perceive some peculiar occasion not ordinary or common to Infants but peculiar to these only some secret thing known to Christ alone and so should say it was to be stretched no further but to them or them that we can discern to be elected c. Nor is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that are like these the Kingdom of Heaven belong though many would conceive it so for that could be no greater ground for children then for Doves and Lambs coming to him the general word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generally signifies of that kind that 's spoken of these and such as these whether it be applyed to things or persons not such in an Allegorical similitude So Rom. 2.2 The judgment of God is against those that do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things that is those very evils and such like So ver 3. and chap. 1.32 Gal. 5.21 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against such things there is no law that is against those vertues and fruits of the Spirit and whatsoever else is of the same stamp or nature So also 1 Cor. 7.15.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such shall have trouble in the flesh that is such as he had spoken of before viz. they that marry c. Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven The Kingdom of Heaven what 's that I answer The Kingdom set up by the God of Heaven in which he is King and reigneth by Jesus Christ prophesied of long since to be established in the house of David A Kingdom of which the Jews were the children it was preached to and the promise of it set before them yea they were educated under its Ordinances in part and to the expectation of it in the more Heavenly things The Kingdom more fully preached by Christ and in its priviledges rise and growth and its administration by Christ in the humanity in a more heavenly way then nigh at hand and ready to be revealed though not in its heighth of glory and large spreading lustre This is the Kingdom of Heaven of which there are divers stations and degrees of entrance into it and divers manifestations of it viz. 1. There is the outward Court the Church visible as visible or as outwardly priviledged by God and distinguished from other people not in it or if ye will the Government that Christ exerciseth in administration of his Heavenly Ordinances and Rites over men as visibly subjected to the profession of him the Church-state with its outward Ordinances the Oracles of God and his Statutes and Appointments So the Church-state of old among the Jews was part of that Kingdom that God through Christ and for him erected The Wisdom of God had there his House and Pillars Ordinances and Provision though less heavenly and more carnal then as now it s ordered by Christ come in the flesh and therefore rather called the Kingdom of God then of Heaven Matth. 21.43 This Government in the hand of Christ come being more properly both because as of God so more heavenly and less carnal then that before 2. The inward and invisible uniting with Christ by faith and so the Government of the Spirit writing the Law in the heart The power and priviledges injoyed in the inner man in forgiveness of sins peace joy conformity to God c. And this also is the Kingdom of God the more inward more heavenly and spiritual part of it and this also is held forth in the first and the right receipt of the first with all the documents thereof and spiritual operations afforded therein is the way to enter into this step of it For this is it into which men enter not but by regeneration Of this the Apostle speaks Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God is righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Ghost And 1 Cor. 4.20 That consists in power c. Into this the believer is translated out of the power of darkness Col. 1.15 The other step is more visibly upon men that are in it this more properly in them They that are but in the former Regiment may be cast out and often are for their unfruitfulness not receiving its instructions and operations of Spirit therewith as a little child so as to enter into this more spiritual Government Matth. 8.12 and 21.43 that or the Kingdom of God in that part of it for it s but one Kingdom in all its Regiments as the Temple of old was but one in all its Courts being like a Net gathering all sorts and like a man sowing good seed in the field wherein also the envious man soweth tares out of which all things that offend shall be gathered Matth 13.24.41.42.47 And like to the wedding made by the King for his Son to which the bidden guests refusing to come all that could be met with in the high-way and hedges were called and brought Matth. 22.1.9 10. yea to that all have liberty to come as the way to enter into it in its higher steps or more inward Government and Dominion But now this second step is yet more holy and into it may none enter but they that so have received the grace of God in what is held forth in the former as to be made an holy Priesthood unto God The former hath Laws for its Ordering and Government and in it is the power of Christ to order it which all ought to obey and be subject to in their several places and stations as in other Kingdoms but these are more visible and outward as Baptism the Supper Exhorting Teaching Hearing Prayer Communion Censures c. As also subordinate Officers Bishops or Elders Deacons c. Its Keys of Doctrine and Censures its Publick Register and Notary Book the Scriptures wherein its Laws and Orders are written and recorded This latter hath its Laws the same for substance with the other but written also more inwardly in the heart where the Spirit is more immediately Governour and Ruler and supplies all grace to the soul also These have fellowship with God and with Christ in spirit and heavenly things as well as one with another in outward Ordinances which these also have the inner Regiment being in these who are under the outward though not in all of them These have the inward true spiritual Baptism in the blood and price of Christ 1 Cor. 10 17. sprinkling their consciences and making their hearts pure and they feed spiritually upon Christ himself eat all of that one bread and partake all of that one spirit in him So as to be really and inwardly though mystically and spiritually one body being baptized into it by the Holy Ghost and made meet for the inheritance as well as outwardly baptized and outwardly eating the Memorials of Christ as the outward Regiment more generally do 3. There is also beyond both these a third step