Selected quad for the lemma: order_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
order_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	presbyter_n	5,396	5	10.5715	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38578	Anabaptism considered Wherein the chief objections of that sect against infant-baptism, and the manner of baptizing by aspersion, or sprinkling, are fairly stated and answered; and reasons given why dipping is not to be taken as the essential or necessary mode of administration. In a familiar letter of advice to a parishioner inclining that way. By William Eratt, M.A. and minister of Hatfield near Doncaster.	Eratt, William, 1655 or 6-1702.	1700 (1700)	Wing E3220; ESTC R200374	28,824	40

against their Adversaries than in the Merits of their own Cause And this to me seems an Argument of a bad one when a Man by way of Subterfuge is forc'd to fly in his Adversaries face when he has little to say in his own defence And for once the Party must not take it ill if I serve 'em in their own sawce Well then I must ask them How they can with any face of Authority call themselves a Church for pray whence had they their Ministery for as the Apostle argues Rom. 10.15 How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him on whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent and in Hebr. 5.4 the same Apostle declares with respect to the Ministerial Function that no man taketh this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron 'T is plain our Saviour first chose twelve Apostles and gave 'em Power by Prayer and Imposition of hands to ordain others after them for the supplying the several Orders and Offices in the Church to all future Ages This St. Paul affirms Ephes 4.11 And he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers and for what end we are given to understand in the next Verse viz. for the perfecting the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ And the three Ministerial Orders of Bishops Priests or Presbyters and Deacons so often mentioned in St. Paul's Epistles have been happily preserved in the Church ever since the time of the Apostles and were rightfully and lawfully continued in the Church of England at the time of our Reformation from Popery Quest But pray then Where had the Anabaptists their Authority of Ordaining Ministers Who gave the Laity the right of Imposition of hands to Ordain Bishops Priests and Deacons Answ The Answer is I 'll warrant you They have an inward Call of God This is plainly Buckhold and Knipperdoling And thus far however they will own their first Reformers At this rate they may have as many Teachers as People for every one that has but enough of Confidence or blind Zeal may set up when he will his Call is good But I wish such Pretenders wou'd consider the Danger of offering strange Incense and also what befel Corah Dathan and Abiram for usurping the Priest's Office Numb 16.10 31 32. Quest And now I 'm doing I must ask 'em another Question or two If they have no lawful Ministers where is their lawful Ministery and then Where are their Sacraments if they have not proper Persons to administer them And now my Friend the Consideration of this matter alone would sufficiently startle and keep me off from going to this Sect which is in deed and in truth according to the Doctrine of our Saviour and his Apostles no Church at all Pray then good Neighbour be not so conceitedly foolish as to strain at a Gnat and swallow a Camel And thus I 've paid 'em in their own Coyn hoping that hereafter they 'll let our Church alone for they have work enough at home if they will but look to it to keep their own House clean they having neither Doctrine Discipline nor Worship as matters are with them truly Apostolical If what has been said will not dissuade you from running after those People I shall however have the inward Satisfaction of doing my Duty as the Prophet Ezekiel speaks Chap. 3. v. 19. Since I have given you warning if you die in your Sins as doubtless Heresie is a grievous one your blood must lye at your own door And now Neighbour I think I might conclude having already exceeded the usual Limits of a Letter But forasmuch as the matter I 'm upon is the Cause of God and of Truth is concerning the Welfare of your Soul and the Peace of my dear Parishioners I hope you 'll excuse me if I go on farther and examine some Objections made by the Anabaptists against our Mother the Church for I would not willingly leave one Stone in your way that should in the least make you stumble in your Return home to that Profession of Faith you have been brought up in which is built upon the Doctrines of the Apostles Christ Jesus being the chief Corner-stone The chief Objections then of our Adversaries for so I must term them so long as they prevaricate with the Gospel of Christ are chiefly two which they seem the most to insist on in proselvting or gaining Disciples both these concern the Sacrament of Baptism Obj. 1. That we are mistaken in the Subjects of Baptism in baptizing of Infants Obj. 2. That we are wrong in the manner of Administration in sprinkling instead of dipping I shall speak to these two Objections severally but forasmuch as my Letter is swoln already too big if therefore my Answer herein proves not satisfactory as being too brief give your particular Reasons of your Dissatisfaction and if they 're not already answered by the Assistance of Almighty God you shall not long want another Answer to such Objections as you shall make if of any weight or moment wherein I shall argue the matter with you more at large I begin with their first Objection theirs I say not yours for you do the Cause of your Mother the Church great wrong should you be on the offensive side when you ought to be on the defensive 't would be even unnatural to arraign her when you ought to plead in her behalf to join and engage your self with the adverse Party when in Duty and Prudence you should stand against it for what will all your Brethren my Parishioners and all other indifferent Persons say of you shou'd you so shamefully give up the Cause wherein both your Conscience and your Credit are concern'd before the same is fairly heard and try'd But I must go on with the Objection and as they put it the strength of it lies in these two things That there ought to be Faith and Repentance before Baptism the one say they Children cannot have the other they cannot perform and so are not capable of receiving this Ordinance Now to set the matter in question in a true light I shall examine the two Branches of the Objections separately 1. As to Faith I answer If thereby they mean an actual or outward Profession of Faith is necessary in Children before they can receive the sign of the Covenant this I deny and it lies upon them to prove it but then I affirm that Children of believing Parents have such * I mean an outward or foederal Holiness such as the Jewish Children had an imputed Righteousness of Faith as is requisite to entitle them to the initiating Covenant and so have a right to the Sign or Seal of that Covenant namely Baptism whereby they 're discipled or initiated into the Christian Profession