Selected quad for the lemma: judgement_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	church_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	1,430	5	9.3304	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34433	The font uncover'd for infant-baptisme, or, An answer to the challenges of the Anabaptists of Stafford, never yet reply'd unto, though long since promised wherein the baptisme of all church-members infants is by plain Scripture-proof maintained to be the will of Jesus Christ, and many points about churches and their constitutions are occasionally handled / by William Cook, late minister of the Gospel at Ashby-Delazouch.	Cook, William, Minister of the gospel at Ashby-Delazouch.	1651 (1651)	Wing C6042; ESTC R1614	62,529	56

of water That they are capable also of the spiritual grace of Baptism Gods many promises of circumcising the hearts of the faithfull seed and pouring his Spirit upon them c. prove as also the example of Jacob and John the Baptist whereof the one was beloved of God the other filled with the holy Ghost while little ones 2. I answer to the assumption by distinction of the first second act of reason faith The power or faculty of understanding or reason which we may call the first act Infants have else they were bruits and unreasonable creatures though the actual exercise thereof which is in man they want so a seminal virtual habitual faith implied in regeneration and the gift of the holy Ghost they have not a professed faith of ripe Beleevers 2. If men will needs have actual professed faith for the admission of persons to Baptism I answer Gen. 17.7 Act. 2.39 As parents by faith accept the Covenant for themselves and children according as Scripture propounds the Covenant Gen. 17.7 Act. 2.39 which is agreeable to the usual way of contracts and Covenants amongst men that parents take a Lease for themselves and infant-children and binde themselves and children to the condition as infant-children are parts and adherents of their parents having no use of power reason or will to provide for or dispose of themselves in their own persons untill they come to years of discretion so the faith of their parents may be said to be their faith as the parents act in taking a house or making a bargain may be called the childes act as no lesse beneficiall and obliging to the childe then to the parent at least untill he come to the use of reason where in his own person he may by some voluntary act ratifie or disannul it And here observe a second distinction of faith namely actual and professed It is this professed faith may be distinguished into Personal and private which is required of all persons which are at their own dispose at their first entrance into Covenant and admission to the seal of entrance and Common or publick faith which in a common or publick person may suffice in the behalf of those that are wholly under his power and at his dispose as Infants are to their parents This is sufficient for such to interest them in the Covenant and seal of admittance as we see in Abrahams and the Jewish Infants and Christians children which are holy by virtue of their parents faith 1 Cor. 7.14 and in this respect they may be said to have actual professed faith viz. of their parents If the Jews with their children were broken off by unbelief as the Apostle affirmeth Rom 11.29 then by faith they and their posterity had continued implanted untill their posterity should by actual professed unbelief break off themselves and their posterity The same is the case of the ingraffed Gentiles and will be of the Jews that are to be reingraffed vers 20.23 24 25. that by virtue of the faith of the parents infant-children should be in Covenant and beleevers even professedly by the profession of parents as it had been with Gods people for many generations before Christ for the Apostle speaks of such a growing up in the Olive tree that the implanted Gentiles and reimplanted Jews must expect as was that which the Church of the Jews had enjoyed to that time And sure if the unbelief of professed Infidels leave their infant-children in the case of professed infidelity and estrangement from the Covenant untill by their own personal individual faith they embrace that Covenant no lesse must the saith of beleeving parents leave their Infants in the state of professed or known Beleevers and persons in Covenant until by their own wilfull voluntary act they reject the Covenant for Gods promises to the faithfull and their posterity are no lesse full then his curses to the wicked and their posterity Exod. 20.5 6. 3. How ignorantly and impertinently that sentence is added by you Whatever is not of faith is sin any one may see And thus for the answer to your Arguments You prevent an Objection thus But you will say H. H. and J.B. Where doth the Scripture forbid That your Ministers will say is an unreasonable and unlearned question there being no proving negatives for then where doth the Scripture say You shall not worship the Pope go to Masse you shall not reade the Common prayer book or wear the Surplesse But it doth forbid Idolatry Will-worship which is that if you have no Scripture rule for the same and teaching for doctrine the commands of men which is this being only traditionall and that acknowledged by one of your Ministers lately in this Town that it was Ecclesiasticall and not Apostolicall Ans Deut. 4.2 Prov. 30.6 Iam 4.11 17. Rev. 22.8 9. The Scripture is such a perfect rule to Gods people of faith worship and holy walking both affirmatively and negatively that nothing may be urged as a duty Divine worship or truth but what is there commanded or taught nor charged as a sin Will-worship or errour but what is there forbidden or condemned either particularly and expresly or at least in general and to be gathered by good consequence 2. They are very ignorant and rash that will condemn worshipping the Pope going to Masse c. and yet cannot finde them forbidden in the Scripture yea they are too great friends to the Pope Masse and other superstition that will say or but insinuate that the Scripture doth no where condemn them or that will match Infant-baptisme with them 3. Forbear charging us with Will-worship Idolatry and teaching for doctrines the commands of men untill you have heard what Scripture grounds we can bring for our judgement and practice in this particular 4. Why do not you name the Minister which acknowledged this traditional and Ecclesiastical not Apostolical If there were any such let him answer for himself The Papists indeed call it a tradition of the Church to prove the imperfection of the Scripture and necessity of tradition Our Protestant Writers confute them in this shewing that it is grounded on Scripture not on tradition If any whom you call one of our Ministers speaks as the Papist against the whole current of Protestant Divines we are no more bound to stand to his principles or to defend him therein or answer for him then we are bound to do it for you and the Papists which agree with him in that opinion Now before I lay down our Arguments I must for the clearing of the truth confirm one thing which I have partly touched already It 's this That it is not only lawfull but necessary to argue from Scripture by way of consequence or deduction for the finding out of the truth neither must we alwaies expect expresse and immediate commands in Scripture for the particular circumstances and applications of the Ordinances of God or for the justifying of every matter of judgement and

will Christ take it that his people and Churches are thus compared with the slaves and Synagogues of Antichrist 2. Yet we are not ashamed to own that which is of God amongst the Italians Spaniards and French Shall we reject the Scriptures of the old Testament or be equalled with the Jews because we embrace them as Gods word which the Jews also professe to do Or must we cast off the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and many precious truths gathered out of them because professed by the Papists who yet overthrow by many false doctrines and superstitions what truths they professe no sure Neither are we to think the worse of Infant-baptism because it is used amongst them 3. Yea we make no doubt but that if in Italy Spain and France they would hold only that in doctrine worship and practice which is agreeable to Gods word even the holy Scripture which they professe to imbrace with us and cast away superstitious idolatry and impieties contrary thereunto reforming according to the word God would own them for his Churches neither should they need a new constitution or new Baptisme any more then new Scripture They have added indeed to Scripture and Baptism of their own but let them repent of and cast away their additions and keep that which is of God in judgement practice and worship according to the Scriptures which are amongst them and they become forthwith true and good Churches The Church of Judah after it had fallen to idolatry by casting away that idolatry in the time of Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah and Josiah was acknowledged a true and good Church without new constitution Nay more if backsliding Israel after her many abominations had returned to God when they had lien long in idolatry Ier. 3.1 2. 4.1 God would have received them as his people without new Circumcision Fourthly Whereas you say From this Infant-Baptism they are called Christians or Christendom You do not prove it We deny it and assert That we are called Christians or Christendom from our faith in Jesus Christ and the profession thereof and from our interest in the Covenant of Grace which God hath made with us in Christ the Mediatour exhibited yet granting that Baptism is the badge of our Christianity but not that which constitutes Christians What they of Rome or Spain say we passe not Fifthly Whereas you say or imply Baptism is dipping in your sense and call it sprinkling by way of scorn in our sense and would imply that Christ ordained and his Apostles practised dipping or as others expresse it dousing over the head not infusion or sprinkling We wish you to prove it if you can either from the proper signification of the word Mark 7.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 3.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the accomplishment of this Prophecie Act. ● v. 3. 17 18. Act 10.44 11 15 16. Luk. 12.50 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat 20 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 63 1 3. or from the nature of the Ordinance or from the historical relation of the Apostles practice or otherwise We finde that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies to wash or bedew or imbrew lightly whether by infusion of or dipping into any liquid thing with a light touch but that it should signifie only dipping or dousing the use of the word will not allow 1. It is used to signifie the ceremonial washing of cups pots brazen vessels or tables which may be as well done by infusion or pouring water upon them as by immersion or diping into the water yea in some of them much better 2. The same word is also used to signifie Christs baptizing with the holy Ghost and with fire This cannot be so understood that Christ should dip or douse men into the holy Ghost and fire but that in the Primitive times the holy Ghost should be poured upon them as the texts in the margin shew and that Christ would in after times pour his Spirit ordinarily on his people which Spirit in respect of operation is compared to fire as giving light heat c. 3. This word is used to signifie Christs death wherein his bloud was poured forth and sprinkled on himself and he washed in his own bloud I have saith he a Baptism to be baptized with and again Are you able to be baptized with the Baptism that I am baptized with 4. This word is also used to signifie Christs execution of Justice on his enemies he being compared to a mighty warriour which with wounding and slaying his enemies is besprinkled with their bloud which spouts out of their body when they are gashed and pierced by him Our Translators render that in the Revelation having his garments dipped in bloud Rev. 19 13. But it may be well read as that in Isaiah sprinkled with bloud For warriours do not use to dip or douse their garments in their enemies bloud lying on the ground but well may they have their garments besprinkled therewith as it gusheth out of their bodies being wounded by them 2. As for the nature use and end of Baptism it is to signifie the pouring of the bloud and spirit of Christ on our souls for regeneration remission of sins and sanctification wherein we are not said to be dipped or doused into Christs bloud or spirit but to be sprinkled therewith or to have them poured upon us Heb. 9.13 14. chap. 12.24 1 Pet. 1.2 Isa 44.3 Act. 2.18 So that Prophecie of Christs besprinkling many Nations Isa 52.15 may be understood of his sprinkling them with his bloud which having spilled he was so deformed more then any man ver 14. for justification and his Spirit which by his truth he purchased for sanctification The scope of the text and coherence speaking of Christs sufferings and the fruits thereof confirm the interpretation as most natural and proper 3. As for the relation which the Scripture makes of the manner of baptizing Iosh 3.17 Sometimes indeed it speaks of baptizing at the river Jordan but how improbable is it that they should go into that mighty stream 2 King 2.8 14. Act. 2.41 which could not be passed over safely on foot without a miracle and there be dipped with extream danger of drowning 2. We reade of baptizing in a City divers thousands in one day without any mention of their going forth to any great water to be dipped 3. We reade of baptizing a whole houshold in a City in the deep night without the least intimation of their going forth to a river or any great water to be dipped which if you consider well it may be you will not be so confident in calling baptizing dipping Sixtly You say that This baptizing or dipping of Beleevers was ordained of Christ and practised by the Disciples for the right constitution of true Churches This you speak as your own sense Ans This opinion was confuted before and by that which follows it shall further appear that neither Baptism

baptizing goes before saving Nay though Christ saith peremptorily He that beleeveth not shall be condemned you will not I think hence conclude that all Infants which you say cannot beleeve must necessarily perish in their Infancy though this might far more probably be concluded from the text then what you would conclude The words therefore are not to be taken so generally as to admit of no restriction but must be limited according to the subject-matter viz. that when professed infidels such as the Apostles were sent to are preached to they must be made disciples and beleeve and then be baptized and such as are quite out of Covenant and have no means of being taken into Covenant but by actual faith of their own must be condemned if they beleeve not 2. These Scriptures make much against you for while you urge them for your warrant you not only use no endeavours to go to the poor Nations and Heathens to preach the Gospel to Jews and Infidels as these Commissions require but are altogether unable for such a work For let me ask you Can you speak the tongues of all the people in the world of Indians Ethiopians Turks Scythians Jews c. Or can you work miracles which were so necessary for the laying of the foundation of Christianity amongst Infidels which power Christ promised to his Apostles to whom he directly gave this Commission and accordingly inabled them thereunto If you cannot do these boast no more of these Scriptures 3. Yea though you would insinuate that these Scriptures are much against our judgement and practice yet I hope it will appear anon that they are much for us Only let me first prevent an objection which is this Ob. If these Scriptures make not for the Anabaptists surely they cannot make for you The forenamed reasons hold as strongly against your selves as them for do you lay new foundations of Churches any more then they can you speak with all tongues and work miracles do you go amongst infidels to preach any more then they The difference of our judgement and practice from theirs Ans frees us from this objection which must necessarily press them For 1. Whereas they talk of constituting new Churches and so would lay a new foundation as if they were to deal with Jews and other Infidels We Ministers of Christ in this Nation and our brethren the Pastors and Teachers of Christian Churches in all other Nations build still on the old foundation laid by the Apostles and labour for the reformation increase and propagation of those Churches which were constituted by them or did flow from those first constituted Churches as branches from a stock so that we by virtue of these Commissions preach the word and baptize in all Nations where God is pleased to continue his truth not each one severally in all Nations but all of us distributively in several Churches and collectively in the whole visible Church each one looking to his proper charge and yielding mutual help upon occasion by which means the whole is provided for not inchoatively by way of founding or constituting but successively by way of edifying and propagating 2. Whereas we require of you to shew miracles speak strange languages because you profess on these Scripture grounds to constitute new Churches and lay the foundation of Christian Religion we have good reason for it sith miracles and tongues were necessary for this work to the Apostles and surely no lesse necessary for those that will undertake the same work now But seeing we build on the foundation laid by the Apostles labouring for the edification and propagation of the Churches constituted by them or at least which have by propagation flowed from those which they founded and seeing those Churches or that Church which we labour to edifie were first founded by them which had the gifts of languages and miracles and we teach a people that already professe Christ and are convinced of the truth of Christian Religion miracles are not necessary to us nor can be rationally required of us The same I may say of strange tongues 1 Cor. 15 2● of which the Apostle saith that they are a sign not to them ●hat beleeve but to them that beleeve not We therefore that preach to Christians Beleevers and Church-members need them not but you who pretend to constitute Churches look on those that are not dipped by you as Heathens Infidels and without Christendom should speak with tongues that you may convince these Infidels of the truth of your doctrine 3. You bring these Scriptures as directly and without deduction or consequence belonging to you we argue from them so as to apply them to our selves by deduction and consequence By this it appears how justly we make use of these Scriptures being Ministers of those Churches which by a continued flux have been propagated from those founded by the Apostles and so may humbly boast of Mat. 16.18 Mat. 28.20 and lay claim unto those promises Mat. 16.18 On this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it And Mat. 28.20 And to I am with you alway even to the end of the world which promises could not belong to the Apostles only for they continued not unto the end of the world in the work of the Ministry but to them and the Churches and Ministers which should succeed them For Christ promiseth to the Apostles that he will be with them in discipling baptizing teaching the things which he had commanded them unto the worlds end which work when the Apostles died they delivered up to succeeding Ministers I come now to shew how these places make for us 1. In Mat 28.19 That which you reade according to our Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teach is properly Make disciples or scholers Now not only aged persons which are come to discretion may be made scholers or disciples of Christ Isa 54.13 Ier. 31.34 Deut. 30.6 but also children 1. As God hath promised that in his Church where his Gospel and Covenant are dispensed he will teach his people from the least to the greatest all the Churches children shall be taught of God Gods Spirit shall not depart from their seed nor seeds seed c. 2. As they are with and by their parents devoted to God to be brought up in his School by outward instruction when capable and we know that little children which yet cannot learn being sent to school are called scholers Deut. 6.7 Eph. 6.4 2 Tim. 3.15 because they are in the school and intended for learning when capacity shall be given Thus children of Beleevers are from their infancy devoted to to Christs School to be brought in the nurture and information of the Lord and we know no age is uncapable of Gods teaching 3. It is said Act. 15. v. 1. compared with 10. that the false Apostles which urged Christians to be circumcised according to the law of Moses which we know was that children