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A26821 Truth's vindication, or, A gentle stroke to wipe off the foul aspersions, false accusations, and misrepresentations cast upon the people of God called Quakers, both with respect to their principle and their way of proselyting people over to them also An epistle to such of the Friends of Christ that have lately been convinced of the truth as it is in Jesus. Bathurst, Elizabeth, d. 1691. 1679 (1679) Wing B1137; ESTC R2590 87,826 120

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the Washing of Regeneration or Renewing of the holy Ghost and being born again of Water or being born again of the Spirit are Terms Synonimous or Expressions to the same purpose all pointing at that One Baptism of the Spirit so faithfully believed and experimentally witnessed by the Quakers who are said to deny Baptism to be an Ordinance But how is it they deny it let their Cause be examined or there can no true Judgment be given whether they ought to be acquitted or condemned Infant-Baptism or Sprinkling of Infants this they do utterly deny as a thing by men imposed never by God or Christ instituted neither is there ony Scripture-Precept or President for it Indeed how should there since it was not taken up nor invocated for about 200 Years after Christ dyed and then it was first brought in by one Fidus a Roman-Priest in the Year 248. which was assented to by Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and first preach't up by Agustine then decreed by the Melivitan Council last of all ratified and confirmed by Pope Innocent the third which was not done till the Year 402. Yet we grant the Baptism of those that were adult or come to Age and had Faith to Entitle them unto it this was the Baptism of Iohn who was a fore-runner of Jesus Christ but this was not permanent and continuing but to pass away that Christ's might take place for he must increase but I must decrease saith Iohn himself John 3. 30. For Iohn's Baptism was but a Figure of Christ's Baptism but that he should be made manifest to Israel therefore am I come Baptizing with Water saith Iohn Chap. 1. 31. However where any now have believed it simply their Duty to be baptized as thinking it either for the Furtherance of the Gospel or Tryal of their Faith the Quakers are tender of judging them in that Case but if they stick in the Shadow and reject the higher Ministration then they are more Reproveable But there is a third Scripture I am yet to speak to and that has reference to Noah's Ark which was a Figure I have heard some of your selves say of our Ark Christ The like figure whereunto saith the Text even Baptism doth now save us it must be a baptizing into Christ then for the Apostle saith 'T is not the putting away the filth of the flesh so then 't is not Water Baptism for that can but purifie the outward man that that is External cannot cleanse the Spirit that is Internal and give the answer of a good Conscience towards God as it followeth in the next words wherefore saith Beza a Man whose Memory ye pretend to honour The Baptism which answered to Noah's Ark was not Material Water but the Power of Christ within which preserves us cleansed and enables us to call on God with a good Conscience But then the last clause of the Verse ought to be considered which having Co-herence with the foregoing words saith by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Lo here is the true Baptism indeed the which I am now pleading for and of which the Apostle speaks Col. 2. 12. Buried with him in Baptism wherein also ye are risen with him through the Faith of the Operation of God who hath raised him from the dead And now Reader since there is but One Lord One Faith One Baptism as saith the Apostle Ephes. 4. 5. whether this Baptism be the Sprinkling of Infants or outward Washing of grown Persons or the inward Cleansing by the holy Ghost I 'll leave the Witness of God in thy own conscience of judge and then to determin whether the Quakers are not greatly wronged in being charg'd with denying Baptism Now I come to speak concerning the Sacrament so called of the Lord's Supper In answer to which in the first place I must needs say I find not the Word Sacrament in all the Scripture but if by Sacrament ye mean a Sign then can it not be of necessity to continue longer then till the thing signified is come and clearly discovered so that granting it to be a Practice enioyned it was to last but its Day and Time that was till Christ who i the Bread of God that cometh down from Heaven which Bread is his Flesh that he gave for the Life of the World should come according to his own Intention see Ioh. 6. 33 35. Indeed the whole Chapter speaks of Christ's being the true Bread wherewith the Saints are nourished and that he would come again after his Departure see his Promise to his Disciples Iohn 14. 18. I will not leave you Comfortless I will come to you and that he meant an inward coming see Vers. 20. of the same Chapter At that Day ye shall know that I am in my Father and ye in Me and I in You saith Christ. And therefore saith the Apostle I speak as to Wise men judge ye what I say the Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ c. for we being many are One Bread and One Body for we all are Partakers of that One Bread I Cor. 10. 15 16 17 And indeed I do believe that herein is the Communion of Saints namely in eating of the Flesh and drinking of the Blood of Jesus Christ not Carnally as the Iews thought when they murmered at him saying How can this man give us his Flesh to eat John 6. 52. But spiritually wherein conflicts the true Brotherhood and Fellowship of that Church which is in God as with one another so with the Father and the Son by the holy Spirit at the Spiritual Table of the Lord. Now if any in proof of the outward Supper shall produce that saying in Matthew 26. 26 27 28. And as they were eating Iesus took Bread blessed it and brake it and gave to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body and he took the Cup and gave Thanks and gave it to them and said Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of Sins I Answer That that Figuratively pointed to the true Bread I think is very clear so likewise that the Wine there figured out that Spiritual Wine which was to come from him will not be hard to make appear For in the very next Verse faith Christ I will not drink of this Fruit of the Vine untill that Day when I drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom And that he did not mean they should stay for this Wine till they came to Heaven as some understand by the Word Kingdom see what himself saith in Matthew 16. 28. Luke 17. 20 21. Verily I say unto you there be some standing here that shall not taste of Death till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom And when he was demanded of the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God should come he answered them and said The Kingdom of God cometh not with
Observation neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you And that there this Wine was drunk by the Disciples see Acts 2. from the first Verse to the 18th When the Holy Ghost fell upon the Apostles how full of the new Wine of the Kingdom they were to the astonishment of Beholders and certainly this Wine of the Spirit or Wine of the Kingdom which is all one for Christ's Kingdom is a Spiritual Kingdom must come from him for he is the true Vine as he calls himself Iohn 15 1. So that the Text alledged doth not at all prove outward and Elementary Bread and Wine to be of use after Christ's second and spiritual coming for this he fulfilled before his Death and the Holy Ghost was not given till after he was glorified as was glorified as you may read Iohn 7 39. But possibly some may object It was practised by the Church of Corinth after Christ was inwardly come after the Holy Ghost was given to them as may be argued from 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. Where the Apostle repeating Christ's words in Matthew adds This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me To whom I answer in the behalf of the People whom I have undertaken to speak for if any break outward Bread and drink outward Wine with a sincere Intention as believing it their duty that they may the more be put in remembrance of the Body and Blood of Christ by the Remembrancer the Spirit of Truth which is appointed by the Father to lead the Saints into all Truth they judge them not but rather hope that such will come further out of the Shadow to the Substance But to do it meerly by Imitation or Tradition as most do is not to offer a Sacrifice to God in Righteousness however the outward Supper cannot be the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ which the Apostle speaks of in 1 Cor. 10. 15. and so on This can be but a Sign to put us in Remembrance thereof and therefore though it was commanded to and practiced by the Church of Corinth yet that doth not perpetuate its continuance For so was washing anothers Feet abstaining from things strangled and Blood annointing the Sick with Oyl laid upon the Saints of old which ye yourselves judge not needful to be practised now But if any shall say The Apostle relaxt some of these by saying in I Cor. 10. 25. Whatever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no Questions for Conscience sake Then it must be granted that there is no necessity for the Continuance of the other for the same Apostle saith The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of a Holy Day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath Day saith he wherefore if ye be dead with Christ Iesus why as though living in the World are ye subject Ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the Commandements and Doctrines of Men Coll. 2. 16 20 21 22. So here is as much said for the abolishing of this latter as to any necessity as can be alledged for the former therefore those that can dispence with the one have small reason to plead for the other And yet I testifie the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ the Quakers do own as that which every one must come to know and witness or they have no Life in them Now I appeal to the Reader How then can it be said that they deny the true Institution of the Lord's Supper Yet am I loath to leave the thing here being willing to hope I write to some who are Conscientiously scrupulous in this Matter who 't is like are ready to say as I my self in Heart have often said viz. To lay aside this Administration were at once to cast off and count useless what so many Martyrs in the Marian dayes so zealously contended for yea resisted unto Blood in striving to maeintain And having this Opinion I confess I was much swayed thereby as thinking it had been meerly for the outward Administration that they suffered Martyrdom but having since more seriously considered the Matter I can truly say I have received this from the Lord for Answer viz. It was not to maintain those outward Signs of Bread and Wine but to bear Testimony against the Falshood and Foppery of Transubstantiation that the Worthies of those dayes stood so stoutly against it that they counted not their Lives dear unto themselves that they might finish the Testimony they had received from the Divine Spirit which indeed History is clear in to them that read with Understanding For the Question put to them was not Why do you break Bread and drink Wine in your Sacrament without Consecration But What say you to the Sacrament of the Altar after the Bread and Wine is Consecrated is the Real Presence of Christ there I or no This was the Interrogatory they were to answer and bravely indeed did Tindal Philpot and others maintain their Negation to this Quest on which those that are acquainted with Martyrology cannot but have a Knowledge of Therefore the laying aside these outward Signs to be used by way of Remembrance when the Spirit it self is their Remembrancer This is not to put a slight upon the Sufferings of those Martyrs who then were breaking through a Cloud of Apostacy and Error the bright side of which blessed be our God hath since more fully appeared To conclude this Point If any shall be offended at what I have written to vindicate the laying aside of this outward Sign where the thing signified is inwardly come if they will dwell upon the Figure of the Death of Christ without and care not to come to know and witness his Resurrection and Life in themselves I 'll leave them where they are giving them to understand I have not attempted a formal Confutation of Error but a Vindication of the Truth CHAP. VI. Touching Free Will ALthough I have heard say That the Quakers are Free-willers yet this doth not prove them to be so no more than Peoples saying so is proof that they deny the Scriptures But since some are so willing to receive Reports against them something I shall say as to this Particular in behalf of them and that is this They are not of those that flightly say Man may be saved if he will for they know right well 'T is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy for we are not able of our selves as of our selves so much as to think a good Thought but all our sufficiency is of God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure And therefore say we with the Apostle Of his own Will beg at
brought forth and comes to have the Government in the Soul it must shall and will Reign over Death Darkness Sin and Corruption and all the Powers of Hell and the Devil I would have none think strange of what I have writ concerning this Thing though I know 't is a Mystery to the Natural Understanding of the wifest of the Children of Men and therefore since Paul was called a Babler for preaching such strange Doctrine to the Stoick Phylosophers Acts 17. 8. I can expect no better from some but to be counted a Non-sensical Scribler for writing of the same but this I am content to bear knowing in my self I had no Previous Intentions to amuse my Reader but having undertaken to describe in measure the extent of this powerful Principle of God placed in the Consciences of his Creatures following the Foot steps thereof for my Guide in this Matter Before I can attain to the End of my Journey I am necessarily brought hither and as I stand here I see by the Light of this Spiritual Pillar of Fire that though the Sea with the Waves thereof Roar yet is there a Way for the ransomed of the Lord to pass over and this Way is Christ the Light the Lamb the Grace the Gift of God given by the Father to bring out of the Fall which all Mankind are in by Nature that whosoever believeth in him layeth hold on him and continueth to be led by him should be brought into Fellowship with himself and abide therein forever and this same is he who leads in the midst of the Paths of Judgment and through the many Exercises that I have been writing of before he brings to the Banks of Salvation puts Songs of Deliverance into our Mouthes whereby we can sing of the Mercies of the Lord And thus having brought out of spiritual AEgypt's Land and caused to drink deep of the River of Judgment he then brings to Shiloh's Brook and giveth to drink of the Waters of Refreshment So 't is the same Hand that wounded which healeth and that Arm which broke us doth now bind us up the same Power which killed reviveth and he who once caused grief now giveth Songs in the Night And appointeth to Zion's Mourners Beauty for Ashes the Oyl of joy for Mourning and a Garment of Praises for the Spirit of Heaviness and who will in due time bring all his true spiritual Israel out of the Waste Howling Wilderness into a Land of Everlasting Rest. Thus it appears that the Light of Jesus in the Conscience is no Natural Insufficient Thing as some have sought to render it being something of God placed in every Man to witness against all sin convincing and reproving for that which is Evil contrary-wise prompting exciting and inclining to that which is good so that as many as yield to the Motives of it it is sufficient not only to condemn and to destroy but also to justifie and save being a measure of the Living Omnipotent Power of that One Law-giver who is able to save as well as to destroy see Iames 4. 12. which Power is Christ as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling Block and unto the Greeks Foolishness but unto them that are Called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God who as he was once manifest in the Flesh so now is he manifest in Spirit to be that Covenant of Light which the Father promised by the Mouth of his holy Prophet Isa. 42. 6. And this Light Power and Arm is in measure extended and reached forth at one time or other unto all people for the gathering unto him in whom the Election stands that so as many as obey his Call in yielding themselves to be gathered by this gathering Arm may make their Election and consequently their Salvation sure in him For this is he who would have gathered Ierusalem and saved her from that Ruin and Destruction which afterwards came upon her because she knew not the time of her Visitation 'T is the very same Jesus and no other whom we believe in for our Saviour who by his spiritual Appearance in the Hearts of the Children of men gives Light gives Life gives Power and Victory over sin to as many as follow the Leadings and Guidance of this Immaculate Lamb for 't is given to the Lamb and his Followers to overcome and who so overcometh shall sit down with the Lamb on his Throne and live and reign with him for evermore Rev. 3. 21. 12 11. Even the same which was with his Church in the Wilderness being that Spiritual Rock that followed them of which they drank by the way and were refreshed in him who is the Rock of Ages the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End the First and the Last the Antient of Dayes whose Dominion is an Everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed whose goings forth have been from of Old from Everlasting For he is the blessed and only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortallity and Eternal Life to whom be Glory and Honour Dominion and Power henceforth and forever Here now ye have a Description and that in Scripture Dialect concerning the Principle of our Faith something I have writ as to the Nature of it which though at first it causeth grief and brings in sorrow upon the Soul yet doth this sorrow work Repentance never to be repented of after which cometh reviving so that it was truly said Though Weeping may endure for a Night yet Ioy cometh in the Morning for they that sow in Tears shall reap in Ioy he that goeth forth Weeping bearing precious Seed shall doubtless come again Rejoycing bringing his Sheaves with him And such shall surely say In the Lord have we Righteousness and strength for in the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified and shall Glory in him not in Wisdom Wealth nor Strength but in this that they know him to be the Lord who exerciseth Loving-kindness Iudgment and Righteousness in the Earth as saith the Prophets Isa. 45.24,25 Ier. 9.23,24 And this is he whom we acknowledge to be our Iudge and Law-giver yea he is our King and he will save us for to this end hath he appeared by his Light in our Hearts and for this end doth he appear in the Hearts of all men that as many as bow down to the measure of his Appearance in them may thereby see and be enabled to forsake their Wayes and Doings which have not been good whereby they may be saved from sin and by the same saving Power and Spirit in their Hearts come to be led into the Way of all Truth which Way of Truth is Christ our Mediator and Intercessor with the Father through whom man comes to be accepted of God as he cometh into him in whom alone the Father