Selected quad for the lemma: opinion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
opinion_n	great_a	know_v	time_n	2,058	5	3.3701	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A76517	Remarks, and animadversions, on Mr. Keith's two sermons, being his first after ordiantion, [sic] preached at the parish church of St. George's Butolphs-Lane, London, May the 12th. 1700. on St. Luke i. 6 Now impartially compared with his former writings, setting George against Keith, and endeavouring to reconcile them, by shewing what he should have said upon the subjest. By W.B. a communicant of the Church of England.	W. B.	1700 (1700)	Wing B224; ESTC R230841	17,705	18

for some long time some now taking such Opinions up only upon trust and without consulting or advising with the Learned entertains them as sure and certain Now to free those from their former mistakes and consequently from their Errors I know of no other way than wholly to forsake these Doctrines sucked in with their Mothers Milk which are turned to natural Food and Nourishment and totally adhere to the Pure and Unerring Word of God and not bring Hearts to it preposest with Doctrines and Opinions learned of their Grannums but to come with Hearts and Consciences free and not pre-ingaged in all Meekness Uprightness and Simplicity of Heart to hear what the Holy Jesus with his faithful and true Witnesses viz. the Apostles have and do say touching the Point and so receive and believe that alone tho' never so differing from the Opinions and Doctrines of some nay of many Tho' such are and may be offended at it yet I have chose rather to build on the clear Word tho' alone than on any blind Conjectures tho' magnified and embraced by many Thus far Mr. Dell to p. 5. So as he further saith In my inquiry meeting with that place in Heb. 6.2 where the Apostle speaks of the Doctrine not only of Baptism but Baptisms in the plural number which made me think and conclude that there belongs to every adult Christian more than one Baptism and what these then were being such necessary principal and fundamental Points I thought it my bounden Duty to enquire out and with Mr. Dell p. 8 9. have gathered and so concludes that they are two distinct Baptisms the first by Water to initiate and make us Members the other by the Spirit to strengthen and confirm so as to make us Children and if Children as St. Paul argues Rom. 8.17 then Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ c. The first called Water-Baptism from St. John the other being Fire-Baptism from Christ or his holy Spirit both which are confirmed by St. August contra liter Petil. 2. c. 39. where he saith Alium fuisse Johannis Baptismum alium Christi And both absolutely necessary to the Salvation of the Adult tho' by reason of a dark and dim Glass Mr. Dell could or at least would but see the one for as our Saviour argues about other things and this also so may I withal observe the one ought to be done and the other not to be left undone John 3.5 Verily verily I say unto thee except a Man be Born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And 1 Pet. 3.20 21. Eight Souls were saved by Water the like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth now save us c. And since that the Learned and Eloquent Apollos being as St. Paul tells us Acts 18.25 instructed in the way of the Lord spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord knowing only the Baptism of John Some of which things was undoubtedly Water-Baptism and consequently the Lord's as well as John's Nay further when St. Paul Acts 19.3 4. found certain Disciples which had only been Baptized with John's Baptism he Baptized them with the Holy Ghost by laying his hands upon them as verse 6. Now this with Mr. Dell p. 13. I must confess being a second Baptism was not as the Anabaptists fondly think a Renewing or Dipping them in Water but only a laying his hands upon them that the Holy Spirit might come to empower them I think Mr. Dell p. 14. has made an Objection and drawn a Conclusion from it which no wise Man either did or could ever make or draw viz. That John 's Doctrine was the same with Christ therefore his Baptism the same True tho' the Doctrines were the same yet this forced conclusion could not follow That their Baptisms were And p. 16. he saith That John 's Baptism was brought in besides the rite and manner of the Law and so a sign of a great Change to follow It 's but a mistake which proceeded either from Wilfulness or Ignorance for John's Baptism was brought in not besides but according to the rite and manner of the Law for the Jews admitted all their Proselites by it and their Children also were washed as well as circumcised neither was it a Sign that it should be changed or left off till the End for only the intolerable and burdensome Cerimonies of the Law such as Circumcision c. were to be abolished For John's Baptism as he tells us p. 17. is tho' Weak and Imperfect yet very Honourable was Evangelical as well as Legal being from Heaven Luke 3.2 John 1.6 33. so that God was and is the Author of this as well as the other for 〈◊〉 Publicans which received this Baptism are said to Justifie God when as the Pharisees and Lawyers that refused it did then reject against themselves that is to their own hurt the Counsel of God Luke 7.29 30. I wish there were none such now nay Christ himself who was Born under the Law and so Circumcised to fulfil it was subject to this Divine Institution of being Baptized with Water as Mat. 3.13 not that he had any Sins to report of himself but for us to imitate him in it for our Sins that he might fulfill all Righteousness Mat. 3.15 and tho' Jesus Baptized not himself but his Disciples more than John's as John 4.1 2. true our Lord the chief Bishop of our Souls as our chief Bishops now Baptized none It did not become him neither doth it them he had greater Work to do so have they He left it to his Apostles which were Subordinate so do our Bishops to the Subordinate Curates as a thing still needful to be done No wonder then if the great Apostle in such a large Circuit or Diocess as from Jerusalem to Illiricum Acts 15.9 Baptized no more than two or three Believing Families since he had a greater Work to do than lay that Foundation which was laid by Subordinate Ministers So as he saith Heb. 6.1 2. therefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us go on unto Perfection not laying again the Foundation of Repentance Faith the Doctrine of Baptisms c. Now tho' Water-Baptism gives not the yet it initiates into the Church and makes Members in order to be Baptized by the Spirit to become Children as Acts 19. and tho' it doth not give Kepentance and Remission to be Happy yet it 's in order to these Infants indeed having never committed any actual Sins have no need of Repentance only of Remission for their Originnl Sin which is done away by the Blood of Christ which the Water represents So that if they Dye in their Infancy they are undoubtedly Happy So that contrary to Mr. Dell's Ipse dixit in pages 26. 29. and 28. Water-Baptism both was and is absolutely necessary and to continue till the end so to make Infants dying before they commit actual Sins and also the Adult which is Born again of

with a band of Health as 1 Cor. 12. designed to Manifest that in the Church of Christ it 's as Monstrous and Impossible for all he Teachers or Governours as for the Body to be all Tongue or Eye And that it is as Preposterous and Destructive for all Promiscuously to thrust themselves into the Ministry when the Spirit moves as for the Members of a Mans Body to desert their Natural Scituation and all to press into the same Place nay besides if according to some Mens Fancies Abilities be all that is requisite to make a Clergy-man or Teacher then it 's highly reasonable to make due inquiry into those so as to be duly and truly informed of their Nature and Reality Now what Abilities soever any can pretend unto must either be infused or acquired If any then assume the Office of a Teacher meerly upon the pretence of infused Abilities or extraordinary Gifts then it 's just with the Apostles to put them upon the proving such by that sort of Testimony which was ever required in such a Case to shew them by working some Miracles For if such bold Pretenders are to be Credited upon their own bare Word how easily then will every confident Creature only by rubbing their Forehead with Brass pretending extraordinary Gifts and Abilities so by a meer bellowing Cozen the Silly and Ignorant do belye the Holy Ghost from whom all real Gifts come and consequently destroy all Order in the Church but we are commanded not to believe every Spirit but to try them whether they be of God since the Charge which is undertaken is no less than the cure of Souls For the great Shepherd would not have his Sheep to wander up and down least they go astray and be lost without any to feed them You know what a strict Command he laid upon Peter to feed his Sheep and Lambs and which he Faithfully Executed and Exhorted his fellow Elders or Ministers to do the like as 1 Pet. 5 1 2. Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the over-sight thereof not by constraint but willingly Not for filthy Lucre but of a ready Mind Now if these who are so forward to take upon them the Ministerial Office would maturely revolve that it brings with it a charge of Souls of which one Day they must give an Account c. This might perhaps not a little Cool their Heat and the due Apprehension of the weightiness of the Burthen would allay the Presumption of their Abilities Nor will it less deserve a serious Consideration that if all have a right to the Ministry then all have a right to be maintained by it as Saint Paul proves from the Law of Moses instancing in the Ox and Labourer the one not to be muzled and the other worthy of his Hire So arguing from common Equity that since Spirituals were Ministred unto them it 's no great matter if they reap their Temporals since as he concludes those that Preach the Gospel must live by it A double Portion both of respect and maintainance being due to them as 1 Tim. 5.19 to free them from the distracting Troubles of the World enabling them to the oblidging Offices of Charity and Alms-Deeds as to be not only apt to Teach but given to Hospitality which Consideration if the Pluralists will not have regard to it 's hoped and wished the Grand Council will and make as good and wholsome Provision for Pluralities of Parsonages as are for Wives and put a restraint upon the Overseers or Elders of the Church to make them for the future more Provident as not to admit more to be ordained than they are indeed bound tho' are not yet willing to maintain and that an Eye be had towards Personal Perfections as well as Abilities and Honesty of Descent as well as Probity of Manners and not to make Priests of the lowest for Interest or Favour Thirdly Nothing will serve some but they must and will be Teachers and through either an Envious Faction or a Mistaken Zeal they will detain that which is due or be Fingering the hallowed Censor and the Holy Fire I leave such to the Consideration of their Ancestors viz. Corah Dathan Abiram and Vzziah First for Instruction and then for Afrightment for diverse Inconveniences have befallen And consequently will unavoidably attend both Church and State by this as First They let some Presumptuous of their Abilities to take upon them to become Teachers has proved and will again make even Preaching it self which many in this Age account the All of Religion to become Weak and Contemptable by being exposed to all the Incongruities Follies Dotages and Imposters of the Ignorant and Confident of the Crafty and Deceitful making the Scripture it self our only Rule to be Hourly liable to such Freakish and Will Expositions as will make it most unlike it self and least able to be that which it was designed viz. a compleat Rule of Faith and Conversation Truth and Holiness And that there is more than a possibility of what I speak those have sufficiently informed us who have Expounded the Scripture as their Humours and Wills would have it speak by Commenting Upon the Laws and Commands till they left in them no Obligation making God's Word speak according to their Interest or Passions and so expose Religion to perpetual Corruptions And Secondly such doings will have but little influence upon the Peace and safety of the State to God For when every one hath a liberty to teach what and whom he pleaseth We may conclude from the Natural Pride of Men that each will desire to raise a Sect and become Head of a Party over whose Consciences when they have once got a competent Power it will not be long till they have both their Persons and Fortunes at their Devotion then their gathered Churches will be soon train'd into an Army There being no fitter Materials of New Troops than new Proselites who being imployed in the first warmth and briskness of their Zeal will not stick at any attempt tending to the advancement of their Way and to the Removal of whatsoever obstructs their Design And tho' the pretence of all this be Conscience and Zeal for the Lord the removal of Abuses and the publick Welfare Yet every Malecontent will help to the increase of the Cry So that all the Sons of Ambition Coveteousness Envy and Revenge will empty themselves into the Faction and those who least care for Religion will then make it their pretext to ruin that which is Established and therewith the State The sad Truth of which Observation dear bought Experience hath and now doth every where attest c. The Third Command or Ordinance which the great Apostle places before the last mentioned in Heb. 6.2 The Doctrine of Baptisms which is an initial Principle and fundamental Point of Christian Religion And since as Mr. Dell saith p. 2. There are and have been many which have and do maintain divers Errors and Opinions even