Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	true_a	visible_a	7,129	5	9.3865	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50206	The first principles of New-England concerning the subject of baptisme & communion of churches : collected partly out of the printed books, but chiefly out of the original manuscripts of the first and chiefe fathers in the New-English churches : with the judgment of sundry learned divines of the congregational way in England, concerning the said questions : published for the benefit of those who are of the rising generation in New-England / by Increase Mather ...	Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.; Mitchel, Jonathan, 1624-1668.	1675 (1675)	Wing M1211; ESTC W35680	45,581	56

either in way of Synod or Colloquie and with freedom and Candor verbally and fully discourse the matter and agree to some orderly Conclusion As for the Substance of the Cause wherein we have engaged I am daily more and more Confirmed that it is the Cause of Truth and of Christ and that wherein not a little of the Interest of Christs Kingdome and of the Souls of men is laid up I have heard you intimate as if there were failings in the manner of Calling and the managing of the late Synod and you speak of your expunging some passages in what passed the Press which would have discovered the nakedness of the contrary minded though I suppose if they had been printed they would have discovered more the nakedness of the Author or Authors then of the Subjects of those Expressions and Informations And I once had an Intimation as if some had gathered up a Narrative of matters that would shame us much if it should be published To all which I would say I do not know of any such great matter that can be objected or of ought Considerable that would seem strange if things be rightly represented among men of Infirmity as we all are And some of us were not slow in the open Synod and other wayes to own our selves such and to crave the Candor and forbearance that is needful for such which one would think Christian and ingenious Spirits should have been satisfied with But if there were more to be objected that way then there is is that any Argument against the matter and Cause it self Luthers Refo ma ion might be Condemned upon that ground for all know that he wanted not many failings in the management thereof God loves to humble Instrument● and to leave matter of humbling upon them even when they are carrying on his own good work but I should be sorry if there were to be found with us the Tyths of Irregularities that abound among our Anti Synod alian people in the Count● who slick not to despise reproach and distast Synods and Ministers and all upon the account of this matter whereby I wish the Lo d be not provoked unto Anger And how farr those few in the Ministry that have appeared in opposition may have been accessary thereunto I had rather they would seriously Confider between the Lord and their own Souls then I go about to determine We have been reflected upon by some as seeking our selves and driving on I know not what design and I cannot readily Imagine what Self Interest or Self End we here should be led by in this matter Sure I am for my own part that I prejudice my self much as to name Interest Ease c. For my appearing in this Cause Neither was I so insensible as not to feel it from the first I know my self to be a poor vile sinful Creature and can with some seeling say chief of Sinners and least of Saints but in this particular matter I have often said I wish my Brethren could see through me for I know not any design or desire I have in it in all the world but only that the will of God might be done among us his Kingdome be advanced these Churches setled on right Bases and flourish in the wayes of Truth Purity and Peace and that the good of the Souls of men might be promoted both in this and after Generation I am sorry to sphnd thus many Lines about the Circumstantials of the Cause the prejudices that are thence taken up against it have drawn me thus farr But touching the matter it self that hath been in debate between us which I had rather be discoursing of you may please to Consider at Leisure which of these three Propositions you would deny 1. The whole visible Church under the New Testament is to be baptized 2. If a man be once in the Church whether admitted at Age or in Infancy nothing less then Censurable evil can put him out 3 If the Parent be in the visible Church his Infant Child is so also The first is proved by the Arguments for the Synods first Proposition the second is plain from the Current of Scripture and Confirmed under the New-Testament besides other Reasons from the Carriage of Christ and his Apostles towards the Jewes who came into the Church by a membership received in Infancy The third must be owned by all but Antip●do Baptists The Frame of the Covenant Gen 17. inferrts it and Mr. D. imprinted Essay pag 23. grants that the Promise of the Covenant do●s not stop at the Infant Cold. These three things are all of them the doctrine of all our great Divines as well as of the Scriptures It is to m●● Confirmation to observe de facto that in the way of successive bap●●z●ng in Children of all that had a standing in the visible Church though with too much Laxeness and Corruption for want of Discipline the Lord hath continued Religion among Christian People from Age to Age whereas the like Continuance and Preservation of true Religion could not have been hoped for not propable in the Contrary way It was never heard of in the world from Abraham to this day since God appointed an entering Sign or such a Livery to be worn by his people to distinguish them from the world that a people did Continue for any length of Time to be Religious who were either all or the greater part of them uncircumcised or unbaptized The laying aside of Circumcision among the Midianites for that they did betimes lay it aside may be plainly gathered from Exod. 4.24 25 26. was quickly followed with the utter Loss of all true Religion among them and other of the Posterity of Abraham and Keturab I know the bare having of Baptisme does not alwayes keep true Religion but sure it is that the want of it will quickly lose Religion among a people To say that a people may be Religious well enough without Baptisme would be to reflect upon the wisdom of Christ in appointing such an external Sign of Christianty which surely was no needless thing It is easie to see that in the way your self and some others go the bigger h●lf of the people in this Country will in a little Time be unbaptized Mr. D. sayes in his Essay pag. 55. that out meer members as he calls them will soon be a farr greater number then his Sheep and Lambs i. e. then his Immediate and mediate members both of them and all the Generations of these meer members as he calls them he would have unbaptized now I leave it to Consideration how subversive to Religion this will soon be as also how absurd a thing that a Christian professing people yea eminently professing and of a more reformed temper then ordinarily the world h●th known As through grace the body of people of this Country yea and of our members not in f●ll Communion yet are should so soon be the body of them unbaptized as if they were not a