Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	believe_v	faith_n	ignorance_n	1,362	5	9.1101	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88943	Church-government and church-covenant discussed, in an answer of the elders of the severall churches in New-England to two and thirty questions, sent over to them by divers ministers in England, to declare their judgments therein. Together with an apologie of the said elders in New-England for church-covenant, sent over in answer to Master Bernard in the yeare 1639. As also in an answer to nine positions about church-government. And now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.; Mather, Richard, 1596-1669. Apologie of the churches in New-England for church-covenant.; Peters, Hugh, 1598-1660.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1643 (1643)	Wing M1270; Thomason E106_8; Thomason E106_9; ESTC R18913	104,756	140

and with their Parents so as to be Admitted to all Church priviledges of which Infants are capable as namely to Baptisme and therefore when Parents are once Admitted their Children are thereupon Baptised if they were not Baptised afore as sometimes it falls out 2. But whether they should thereupon be admitted to all other priviledges when they come to age without any personall profession of Faith or entring into Church Covenant is another Question of which by Reason of the Infancy of these Churches we have had no occasion yet to determine what to judge or practise one way or other 3. But for the present this we would say It seemes by those words of your Parenthesis being otherwise fit you do acknowledge that Children of Church Members are not to be admitted to Church priviledges unlesse they be fit wherein we consent with you as counting it altogether unsafe that Idiots Franticks or persons openly ungracious and prophane should be admitted to the Lords Table though they were the Children of Church Members and thence we may inferre the necessity of their personall profession of their faith when they come to yeares and taking hold of Church-Covenant whereby we meane onely a Renewing of Covenant or a new professing of their Interest in Gods Covenant and walking according to it when they shall be Adulti for otherwise we do confesse Children that are borne when their Parents are Church Members are in Covenant with God even from their birth Gen. 17. 7. 12. and their Baptisme did seale it to them But notwithstanding their Birthright we conceive there is a necessity of their personall profession of Faith and taking hold of Church-Covenant when they come to yeares though you seeme to thinke it not needfull for without this it cannot so well be discerned what fitnesse is in them for the Lords Table and other Church priviledges as by this meanes it might And inasmuch as entring into Church-Covenant is nothing else but a solemne promise to the Lord before him and the Church to walke in all such wayes as the Gospel requireth of Church Members if they shall refuse to make any such promise and shall be unable or unwilling to make any profession of their Faith when it is required of them this would be an evidence against them of their unfitnesse for Church priviledges inasmuch as they openly breake that Rule 1 Pet. 3. 15. Be ready to give a Reason of the hope that is in you with meeknesse and feare What hope is there that they will examine themselves when they eat of that Bread and drinke of that Cup 1 Cor. 11. 28. Who when others do examine them they are unable or unwilling to give Answer Or how shall we thinke that they will receive the Lords Supper worthily or walke as becomes the Gospel if they do refuse to professe or promise any such matter Wherefore in this Point we cannot but fully approve the practise of the Reformed Churches among whom it is the manner as Zepporus writeth to admit Children that were Baptised in their Infancy unto the Lords Table by publique profession of their Faith and entring into Covenant consuetum est saith he ut qui per aetatem neque Doctrina Catechetica perfectum ad sacram Coenam primum admittuntur fidei confessionem coram tota Ecclesiâ publicè edant c. Polit. Ecles l. 1. c. 14. p. 158. that is The manner is that they who by reason of age and perficiency in the Doctrine of Catechisme are first Admitted to the Lords Supper should publiquely before the whole Church make confession of their Faith being brought forth into the sight of the Church by their Parents or them that are instead of Parents at the appointment of the Minister and likewise should promise and Covenant by the Grace of God to continue in that faith which they have confessed and to leade their lives according to it yea and moreover to subject themselves freely and willingly to the Discipline of the Church these words we see are full and plaine that Children are not in those Churches received to the Lords Table without personall confession of Faith and entring into Covenant before 4. But how long Children should be counted under age and whether Orphans are not to be admitted with their Guardians which is your sixt Quaery we should be willing to heare your judgement therein as having of our selves hitherto had no occasion to search into those Questions onely this we thinke that one certaine rule cannot be given for all whereby to determine how long they are under age but according as God gives experience and maturity of naturall understanding and Spirituall which he gives sooner to some then unto others Such Children whose Father and Mother were neither of them Believers and sanctified are counted by the Apostle as it seemes to us not faederally holy but uncleane what ever their other Ancestors have been 1 Cor. 7. 14. And therefore we Baptise them not If you can give us a sufficient Answer to take us off from that Scripture 1 Cor. 7. which seemes to limit this faederall sanctity or holynesse to the Children whose next Parents one or both were Believers we should gladly hearken to you therein but for the present as we believe we speake and practise according to our light And if we should goe one degree beyond the next Parents we see not but we may goe two and if two why not 3. 4 20 100 or 1000 For where will you stop And if we shall admit all Children to Baptisme whose Ancestors within a thousand Generations have been Believers as some would have us we might by this Reason Baptise the Children of Turkes and of all the Indians and Barbarians in the Country for there is none of them but they have had some Believing Ancestors within lesse then a 1000. Generations it being farre from so much since Noah and his Sonnes came forth out of the Arke We do believe that all Members of Churches ought to be Saints and faithfull in Christ Jesus Eph. 1. 1. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Col. 1. 2. Phil. 1. 1. and thereupon we count it our duty to use all lawfull and convenient meanes whereby God may helpe us to discerne whether those that offer themselves for Church Members be persons so qualified or no and therefore first we heare them speake concerning the Gift and Grace of Justifying Faith in their soules and the manner of Gods dealing with them in working it in their hearts which seemes to be your first particular in this Quaery Secondly we heare them speake what they do believe concerning the Doctrine of Faith so taking a tryall what measure they have of the good knowledge of the Lord as knowing that without knowledge men cannot well Examine themselves and discerne the Lords body as Church Members ought to doe when they come to the Lords Table And hereby also we would prevent as the Lord shall helpe us the creeping in of any into the Church

us nor that others should be offended at us for receiving the same For by the same reason men might still continue in their sinnes and not make any progresse in knowledge and holinesse that so they may not seeme unconstant which were contrary to the Scripture wherein we are commanded nor to fashion our selves according to the former lusts of our ignorance 1. Pet. 1. 14. But to be changed Rom. 12. 2. and renued Ephes 4. 23. and put off the old man and put on the new Ephes 4. yea to grow in grace and holinesse 2. Pet. 3. 18. and be stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. that our good workes may be more at the last then at the first Revel 2. 19. Sure it is the Apostle tells the Corinthians and Ephesians that the time had been when they were not the same men that now they are when he wrote unto them and yet he doth not blame them for leaving their former opinions or practise but commends them for it 1. Cor. 6. 11. Ephes 2. 3. c. And it is said of Apollos an eloquent man and mighty in the Scripture that when he came to Ephesus the way of God was expounded unto him more perfectly by Aquila and Priscilla whereas before he was instructed in the way of the Lord knowing onely the Baptisme of John yet this was no dispraise at all to him that now upon better information he would change his judgement to the better nor unto them that were the means thereof Act. 18. 25 26. Nullus pudor est ad maliura transire The time hath been and we may be humbled for it when we lived without God in the world and some of us in many sinfull courses and shall any be offended because we are not still the same and when God called us from the wayes of sin and death to the Fellowship of his grace in Christ yet some of us lived a long time in conformity to the ceremonies imposed in our native Countrey and saw not the evill of them But when God did open our eyes and let us see the unlawfulnesse thereof we cannot see but it would have been a with-holding the truth in unrighteousnesse and a great unthankfulnesse to God for light revealed to us if we should still have continued in that course through an inordinate desire of seeming constant and therefore it is not any just cause of offence that we have changed our judgement and practise in those things when we once perceived the Word of God to disallow them Indeed it hath been sometime objected against Mr. Cartwright and others that desired the reformation of the Churches in England in regard of Discipline and Church-Order that they which stood so much for Reformation in Discipline did in after times adde and alter some things beyond what they saw at first and what themselves had formerly desited and that therefore being so murable and inconstant in their apprehensions they were not to be regarded nor hearkened unto to which Objection Mr. Pa●k●r makes full Answer in Eccles lib. 2. ca. 36. p. 307 where he sheweth from the Scripture and the testimonie of Bishop Jewel Doctor Reinolds and others that in the Reformation of Religion God brings not his servants into perfection in knowledge and zeale at the first but by degrees so as they grow and make progresse in these things in such wise that their good works are more at the last then at the first as was said of the Church of Thyatira even as the man that had been blind when Christ ●● stored him to his sight could at the first but see men like tr●… walking and afterward saw every man cleerly and therefore●… is no good arguing to say these men have altered and correc●… such things from what their apprehensions were at first and therefore they are not to be regarded Now if this be no good arguing against Mr. Cartwright and those that in England have been studious of Reformation as indeed it is not then it is no good Argument against us in this m●●ter of Church-Covenant to say we now hold and practise otherwise then we have done in former time If any shall here reply that change from conformity to the cerem●nies to worship God more purely is warranted by the Word and therefore not blame-worthy and that the same may be said of the case of Apollos of the Corinthians and Ephesians forementioned and of Cartwright and the rest in his times We answer that this is true and thereby it appears that it is not simply the changing a mans opinion or practise that can be counted blame-worthy or offensive but changing without warrant of the Word and therefore in point of Church-Covenant the iss●● must not be whether we or others have formerly known and practised it but whether it have ground from Gods Word For if it have as we hope have been proved before in this discourse then the observing of it can be no cause of just offence unto others not imputation of inconstancy to our selves though in time past we had not had so much light as to discerne the necessitie and use thereof The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seek God though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the Sanctuary and grant unto all his Churches and servants that their love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgement that they may discerne the things that differ and approve the things that are excellent and by his Spirit of truth be led forward into all truth till Antichrist be utterly consumed with the breath of his mouth and the brightnesse of his coming and the holy City new Jerusalem come down from God out of heaven as a Bride adorned for her husband the Lambe the Lord Jesus to whom be all glory of affiance and service for ever Amen FINIS To. 2. To 3. To 4. Object Answ To 5. 6. To 7. To 8. To 9. To 10. To 11. Obj Answ To 12. To 13. To 14. To 15. To 16. To 17. To 18. To 19 To 20. To 21. T● 22. To 23. To 24. 25. To 26. To 27. To 28. To 29. To 30. To 31. To 32. Object 1 Answer Object 2 Answer Object 3 Answer Object 4 Answer Argu. 2. Object 1. Answer Obj. 2. Answ Obj. 3. Answer Argu. 3. Argu. 4. Argu. 5. Object Answer Argu. 1. Argu. 2. Object Answer Argu. 3. Object 1. Answer Obj. 2. Answ Obj. 3. Answer Object 4. Answ Object 5. Answ Argu. 4. Argu. 5. Object Answer Argu. 6. Object 1. Answer Object 2. Answ Obj. 3. Answ Obj. 4. Answ Obj. 5. Answ Obj. 6. Answ Reply Answ Obj. 7. Answ Obj. 8. Answ Obj. 9. Answ Obj. 10. Answ Obj 11. Ans● Obj. 12. Answ * By Brownists and Separatists you are to understād those of the riged Separation Reply Answ Obje 13. Answ Reply Answ

that may be infected with corrupt opinions of Arminianisme Familisme c. or any other dangerous error against that faith which was once delivered to the Saints as knowing how easily such men if they were admitted might infect others and perhaps destroy the Faith of some And this seemes to be intended in your second particular For both these we have our warrant as in Generall from those places which shew how Church Members ought to be qualified that they ought to be Saints faithfull in Christ Jesus c. So in speciall from that Math. 3. 6. Acts 19 18 Acts 8. 37. 38. Where men before they were admitted made profession of Repentance towards God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ for it is expressely said that they confessed their sinnes they confessed and shewed their deeds they professed their faith in Jesus Christ the Sonne of God Thirdly when this is done those that by manifestation of Repentance and Faith are approved as fit Members for a Church do openly professe their subjection to the Gospel of Christ and to all the Ordinances of God in that Church where now they joyne as Members which seemes to be your third particular in this Quaerie The Distinction of particular Churches one from another as severall and distinct Societies seemes to us a necessary ground for this practise for without this kinde of Covenanting we know not how it would be avoyded but all Churches would be confounded into one inasmuch as it is neither Faith nor intire affection nor Towne-dwelling nor frequenting the Assemblies that can make a man a Member or distinguish Church Members from other men See the Apologie 4. Your fourth particular in this Quaerie is Answered in the Answer to the sixt Position sent the last yeare Besides all these we heare the testimony of others if there be any that can speake of the conversion and Godly conversation of such persons which we judge to be a warrantable course from Acts 9. 26 27. It is the second of your Quaeries what things we hold necessary to the Being of a true visible Church in Generall which being Answere● this of the Parish Assemblies in England in particular whether we hold all or the most of them to be Churches we conceive might well have been spared They that now the state of those Assemblies may make application of the Generall to the particulars if they have a calling therunto Yet because you are pleased to put us to this also we thus Answer 1. That we doubt not but of Ancient time there have been many true Churches in England consisting of right matter and compacted and united together by the right forme of an holy Covenant For Mr. Fox sheweth at large that the Gospel was brought into England in the Apostles times or within a little while after Acts Mo● lib. 2. begining p. 137. Where hee reporteth out of Gildas that England received the Gospel in the time of Tiberius the Emperor under whom Christ suffered and that Joseph of Arin athea was sent of Philip the Apostle from France to England about the yeare of Christ 63. and remained in England all his time and so hee with his fellowes laid the first foundation of Christian Faith among the Brittaine people and other Preachers and Teachers comming afterwards confirmed the same and increased it Also the said Mr. Fox reporteth out of T●rtullian that the Gospel was disperced abroad by the sound of the Apostles into many Nations and amongst the rest into Brittaine yea into the wildest places of Brittaine which the Romans could never attaine unto and alledgeth also out of Necephorus that Simon Zelotes did spread the Gospell to the West Ocean and brought the same into the Iles of Brittanie and sundry other proofs he there hath for the same Point Now if the Gospel and Christian Religion were brought into England in the Apostles times and by their meanes it is like there were Churches planted there of Saints by calling which is the right matter of Churches and by way of holy Covenant as the right form for that was the manner of Constituting Churches in the Apostles times as also in the times afore Christ as hath been shewed from the Scripture in the Apologie And the footsteps hereof though mixed with manifold corruptions that have growne in aftertimes are remaining in many places of the Land to this day as appeareth by those 3 Questions and Answers at Baptisme Abrenuntias Abrenuntio Credis Credo Spondes Spondeo Dost thou renounce the Devill and all his works I renounce them all dost thou believe in God the Father c I do believe Dost thou promise to walk according to this Faith c I do promise For though it may be they conceived that men entred into the Church by Baptisme yet hereby it appears that their judgment was that when men entred into the Church there ought to be a renouncing of sin and believing on Christ and an open professing of these things with a promise to walk accordingly Secondly Though Popish Apostacy did afterwards for many ages over-spread all the Churches in England as in other Countries yet we believe God still reserved a remnant according to the Election of Grace amongst them for whose sake he reserved the Holy Scriptures amongst them and Baptisme in the name of the Trinity onely And when God of his rich Grace was pleased to stirre up the Spirit of King Edward the sixth and Queene Elizabeth to cast off the Pope and all fundamentall errors in Doctrine and Worship and a great part of the Tyranny of Popish Church Government though at first some Shires and sundry Parishes stood out against that Reformation for a time yet afterwards they generally received the Articles of Religion agreed upon Anno 1562. which are published and consented to by all the Ministers endowed in every Congregation with the silent consent also of the people and subscription of the hands of the chiefe of them wherein they do acknowledge no rule of Faith or manners but the holy Scriptures no divine Worship but to God onely no mediation nor salvation but in Christ onely no conversion by mans free will but by Gods free Grace no Justification but by Faith no perfection nor merit of works with sundry other necessary and saving truths all which containing the Marrow and Summe of the Oracles of God wich are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the eloquia Des concredited onely to the Church Rom. 3. 1. 2. and which are that saving Doctrine of truth which is fruitfull in all the world where it comes ●olo 1. 5 6. and upon which the Church is grounded and built and which also it holdeth forth and maintaineth 1 Tim. 3. 15. we do therefore acknowledge that where the people do with common and mutuall consent gather into setled Congregations ordinarily every Lords day as in England they do to heare and teach this Doctrine and do professe their subjection therunto and do binde themselves and their