Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	aaron_n	abraham_n	david_n	34	3	6.0063	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A28344	Vindiciæ foederis, or, A treatise of the covenant of God enterd with man-kinde in the several kindes and degrees of it, in which the agreement and respective differences of the covenant of works and the covenant of grace, of the old and new covenant are discust ... / [by] Thomas Blake ... ; whereunto is annexed a sermon preached at his funeral by Mr. Anthony Burgesse, and a funeral oration made at his death by Mr. Samuel Shaw.	Blake, Thomas, 1597?-1657.; Burgess, Anthony, d. 1664.; Shaw, Samuel, 1635-1696.	1658 (1658)	Wing B3150; ESTC R31595	453,190	558

are under the same covenant as was Isaac to whom the promises were made If some of Abrahams children were left out that concerns not us so that we are taken in yet the instance is very weak to prove it As appeares saith he verse 19. concerning Ishmael and Heb. 11. 9. that Ishmael was himself in covenant though not established in covenant as God there and verse 21. promised concerning Isaac not his seed never received appeares not alone by the signe and seale which he received verse 23. which yet is sufficient for God to seale to a blanke is very strange to signe a covenant to a man never in covenant but also from Gal. 4. 30. What saith the Scripture Cast out the bond-woman and her sonne for the sonne of the bond-woman shall not be heir with the sonne of the free-woman A man cast out of covenant was before casting out in covenant Ejection supposes admission unlesse we will give way to our Authors dreame of Ejection by non-admission He was cast out after the time of the solemnity of his admission by circumcision as may be seen Gen 22. For that of Heb. 11. 9. it is a mystery what he will make of it unlesse he will conclude that because Abraham sojourned in the land of Promise that therefore none were in covenant that were not taken into that land so Moses and Aaron will be found out of covenant It is further said As for a visible Church-seed of Abraham that is neither his seed by nature nor by saving faith nor by excellency in whom the Nations of the Earth should be blessed to wit Christ I know none such in Scripture therefore some men have fancied such a kind of Church-seed as it is called I know not how saving faith comes in when a faith of profession will serve the turne The whole of Abrahams seed had circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith when many of their Parents had no more than a faith of profession Fourthly Were all these things yielded yet the Proposition as is said would not be made good from hence All these we see are made good against his exceptions Let us now see the strength which is reserved for the last push for overthrow of this Proposition The inference is not concerning title or right of infants to the initial seale as if the covenant or promise of it self did give that but the inference is concerning Abrahams duty that therefore he should be the more engaged to circumcise his posterity This should rather have been left to us for the strengthening of our proposition than have made use of it himself for refutation of it It was Abrahams duty to give them according to Gods command the initial Seale in this we are agreed whether it will thence follow that they had right and title to it or were without right let the Reader determine It is further said He was engaged to circumcise onely those that are males and not afore eight dayes and not onely those that were from himself but also all in his house whose children soever they were which apparently shewes that the giving Circumcision was not commensurate to the persons interest in the Covenant but was to be given to persons as well out of the Covenant as in If of Abrahams house and not to all that were in the Covenant to wit Females which doth clearly prove that right to the initiall Seale as it is called of circumcision did not belong to persons by vertue of the covenant but by force of the command If it could be proved that Abraham kept Idolaters in his house professedly worshipping a false god and gave circumcision to them in that faith and way of false worship it would prove that a man might have the seale and not be in covenant but it would not prove that he might be in covenant and be denied the Seale and then infant-Baptisme might be of easier proof Though they were not in covenant though they were not holy yet they might be baptized But I will not yield so much I do not believe that Abraham carried circumcision beyond the line of the covenant and that he had those in his house which were aliens from God seeing I finde that Testimony of the Lord concerning him Gen. 18. 19. For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him And that resolution of Joshua That if others would serve the gods that their fathers served that were on the other side the floud or the gods of the Amorites in whose land they dwell yet he and his house would serve the Lord Josh 24. 14 15. As it is a private mans duty to serve the Lord and not Idols so it is the Master of the Families duty to see that the Lord and not Idols be worshipped in his house As I do beleeve that if any of our adversaries had a profest Heathen in his Family he would not keep him there and not chatechize him and that he would not during his profession of Heathenisme baptize him So I beleeve concerning Abraham He catechized all that he took in as Heathens and did not circumcise them in their Heathenisme This some Paedobaptists as is said are forced to confesse when they grant the formal reason of the Jewes being circumcised was the command and the covenant he makes only a motive I wonder what need there is of an Argument to force such a confession The reason I say why Jewes were circumcised and Christians baptized is the command were there a thousand covenants and no institution of a signe or seale such a signe or seale there could have been no circumcision nor no Baptisme The command is the ground and the covenant is the directory to whom application si to be made We say all in covenant are entituled to the Seale for admission but we pre-suppose an institution They will have all Beleevers and all Disciples baptized which they cannot conclude upon their faith and knowledge barely but upon the command to baptize Beleevers and Disciples So that the command is with reference to the covenant with reference to interest in the covenant From these foregoing exceptions a conclusion is drawne that all this doth fully shew that the proof of the connexion between and the initial Seale without a particular command for it is without any weight in it And I conclude that it fully shewes that the proof of the connexion between the covenant and the initial Seale pre-supposing the institution of such a Seale and a general command is of that weight that all are meere frivolous trifles that are brought for exceptions against it Another Scripture holding out the connexion between the covenant and initial seale is Acts 2. 38 39. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sinnes

interpretation The people of the Jewes had the Original it self and spake the language in which Scripture was written yet the Priests lips were then to preserve knowledge and the people were to seek the law at his mouth Mal. 2 6. The cabinet was open to them as it is to us yet there needed a key for farther opening Those two Disciples with whom Christ had to deale with upon the way had the Scriptures either in the translation or Original as is evident from Christs own words reproving them for not beleeving all that the Prophets had written and yet a key of interpretation was needful and useful Christ opened unto them the Scriptures Luke 24. 32. If this Compassionate Samaritane were questioned as the Eunuch was by Philip understandest thou what thou readest he would not have given his answer How shall I understand without an Interpreter But would streight have answered Yes as well as any linguist in the world I have no need of your help for interpretation The cabinet is open spare your key This was one of the Arts that some Prelates made use of to keep up a reading Ministery to perswade that Scripture were so plaine distinctly read in our own tongue that they might be understood without any interpretation But the plainnesse and easinesse of a rule and the use of means for understanding of it stand together We maintaine a plainnesse in Scripture for the simple to understand but not sitting idle and lazy but searching the Scriptures and making use of those gifts of Christ which he shed forth from the right hand of the Father for the edifying of his body till we come into the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man That we might not henceforth be as children tossed to and fro with every winde of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse of those that lie in waite to deceive Ephes 4. 12 13. We may soone see their artifice that labour to beare them down Thus they know their cunning sleight may be carried in the dark and their impostures lie undiscovered Our compassionate man pretending to avoid a cheat acts the part of the most notable cheater The Prophet stood for that office of the Priests that their lips should preserve knowledge even when they had corrupted the covenant of Levi Whatsoever their way was yet this was their duty so must we for the Stewards of the mysteries of God It is their work to dispense them and the people are to seek at their mouthes for them But enough I hope hath been spoke for a Ministery for a knowing Ministery and objections against it fully satisfied CHAP. XXVIII An orderly way of admission of men into the Mininisterial function necessary AS men for the Ministery are to be trained up for the work So there must be an orderly way of admittance to it the way which Scripture traces out to us Self-consecration is alone beseeming the Priests of Jeroboam 2 Chron. 13 9 the lowest of the people that have neither inspiration nor education that have been taught of men not any thing that may conduce to the dividing of the Word aright but how to keep cattel Zach. 13. 5. or some answerable employment in its due place commendable but no introduction to the Ministerial honour These run and stay not for sending and going without commission they go without assistance and soon runne themselves into those bogges in which without special grace they are irrecoverably plunged they want home-reproofs the wounds of friends Zach. 13. 6. that they may no longer wear a rough garment to deceive When the Apostle layes down the greatest necessitie of preaching he puts the question How shall they preach unlesse they be sent Men that go upon this work must be able to make good their call The Ministery of the Gospel being of divine institution as well as the Priesthood of the Law there must be a call from God for the one as for the the other Heb. 5. 4. No man taketh this honour unto himselfe but he that is called of God as was Aaron There is none that expect not a call from God in this work but have their brand in the Scripture Jerem. 14. 14. The Lord said unto me The Prophets prophesie lies in my name and I sent them not yet they say sword and famine shall not be in this land by sword and famine shall those Prophets be consumed Jerem. 27. 15. For I have not sent them saith the Lord yet they prophesie a lie in my name that I might drive you out and that ye might perish and the Prophets that prophesie unto you And as they runne on their own heads so they vent their own tenents and prophesie out of the deceit of their owne hearts Jerem. 23. 26. Those shall never finde comfort in the work that are not able to say with the Apostle Christ sent me to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. 1. The work is Gods the advancement and setting up of his Kingdome the ruine and demolition of the Kingdome of Satan Acts 26. 18. The whole of all that they do is of high concernment to him Each man will see to his own businesse and finde labourers for his own work God hath no lesse care Jesus Christ is no lesse mindful Harvest-Masters provide harvest-labourers The Master of this harvest provides labourers for his work and gives them commission Mat. 9 38. 2. All necessaries for the work inward outward are to be supplied from him They must have livelihood and provision from heaven they must receive instruction from heaven They must be taught of God that they may teach God must protect he must encourage and embolden he must command successe and give encrease They are agents in his hand and must be appointed by him it is no marvel if they that be not sent of him be left destitue of all 3. He is a God of Order and he will have Order observed and in no way is Order seene so comely as when all know their places and stations When in a great house or a mighty Army each man will do what work he pleases undertake what place of trust and command he pleases each Souldier in an army will be a Commander each servant in a family a Steward there must needs be high and great confusion The manifold absurdities that will unavoidably follow in case each man may thrust himself into this work and so drive on his own interests see in Master Hall his Pulpit guarded Argument 5. This power of putting men into this work equally concernes the whole Trinity Each one of the persons hath his hand in the separation of men for it Jesus Christ in a vision sent Paul upon this errand Acts 26. 18. see further 1 Cor. 1. 17. Eph. 4. 11. He is an Apostle by the will of God Col. 1. 1. which is understood of the Father God set in the Church first Apostles secondarily

to doubting Christians First A life in distrust of God and rebellion against God provoking him to the highest punishment of the parents doth not divest the child of the title to the covenant and interest in the Sacrament of initiation into the number of Christians For proof of this look upon that act of Joshua when the people were got out of the Wildernesse and were brought into the Land of Canaan Josh 5. 6 7. The children of Israel walked fourty yeers in the Wildernesse till all the people that were men of warre that came out of Egypt were consumed because they obeyed not the voice of the Lord And the children which he raised up in their stead them did Joshua circumcise for they were uncircumcised they had not circumcised them in the way you see what the fathers were yet the children Joshua ordered to be circumcised Concerning their conversation the parents were enemies but as touching the election the choice made of God the issue is to be numbred among the beloved Who had a worse father than Josiah yet where was there a better son A circumcised man who in youth began to seek the God of his father David 2 Chron. 34. 3. Secondly Misbelief in a parent divests not the issue of this birth-priviledge though the father erre in the faith yet the child is not to be shut out of the number of beleevers We have in this particular the Apostle for a precedent had misbelief in the parent denuded the childe of this priviledge Saint Paul had not beene a Jew by nature but an Heretick or Sectary by nature being before conversion a Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee Scribe was a name of office but Pharisee the name of a Sect and therefore Christ warns to beware of the leaven that is of the Doctrine of the Pharisees as of the Sadduces Such was Pauls parentage and yet by descent and off-spring he is of the people of the Jewes What we say of Pharisees is as true of Sadduces It is not to be doubted but they were circumcised persons and entitled their children according to the Directory in Scripture for circumcision as appears by their embodying of themselves with the people of the Jewes Matth. 22. 23. Acts 23. 6. The most strict of Pharisees took them into their society which they had not done had they not been men of the circumcision we see the accusation charged on Peter on this occasion Acts 11. 2 3. A man transmits not his errors nor his vices no more than he doth his graces Thirdly ignorance of needful truths in a parent doth not divest the childe of this priviledge Those were the people of God and therefore brought forth children to God that did perish for lack of knowledge Hosea 4. 6. that went into captivity for lack of knowledge Isa 5. A reverend brother giving his reasons why he is among his brethren singular in this point not baptizing all born in his Parish one maine one is the grosse ignorance among them and that as he sayes not in Cumberland and those parts but in Essex such that if he should print his Reader would scaree beleeve it were possible to be true To which I only say I wish that our own experience in the places where we live did give us occasion of suspition that any wrong is done them Therefore to let the truth passe unquestioned I would only wish him to consider whether there might not have been found the like in Corinth that Church of the Saints 1 Cor. 15. 34. Some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame Whether there he might not have found the like among the illuminated Hebrews were not there those that were dull of hearing that when for the time they ought to be teachers they had need that one teach them againe which be the first principles of the Oracles of God and were become such as had need of milke and not of strong meat yet these were of the Church and therefore with them their children Fourthly illegitimation of birth adulterous copulation in the parents divesteth not such issue of this priviledge David had never in that manner sought in fasting and prayer his childes life had he believed that he must not have been of the seed of the Jews but of the uncircumcised Heathen Pharez was of such a birth yet who bore a greater name and glory in Israel than he and his family even where the illegitimation of his birth is noted there the glory of his race is magnified which is yet farther honoured in that Christ according to the flesh was made of his seed That seed of Abraham per eminentiam was out of his loynes Jepthah indeed was driven out by his brethren but not because that he was not of the seed of the Jews and people of God but because they would not have him to share of the inheritance among them A Reverend Divine saith Objections an ∣ swered That some persons may be notorious offenders as known Atheists mockers of Religion Idolaters Papists Hereticks Witches and yet professe before men the faith seemes to him to imply a contradiction These I confesse are plausible words to take with well-meaning souls that attend not to the language of the Scripture in this particular And for the first if he meanes Atheists in judgement that professedly maintaine in word what Davids fool said in his heart that there is no God and by mockers of Religion not those alone that oppose the power but with Lucian all notion of Religion and by Idolaters those that professedly worship false gods and worship not at all the Lord Jehovah then it cannot be denied that this is a contradiction But Reverend Master Rutherford whom he opposeth in that place hath no such meaning But for an Atheist in life to be a professour of the faith we have Paul expressely for it Titus 1. 16. They professe that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate The Apostle we see saw no contradiction in it and for mockers of Religion Peter did not foretell them to be out of the Church but within the bosome of it when he said There shall come in the last dayes scoffers walking after their own lusts 2 Pet. 3 3. For Idolaters if an Israelite might be an Idolater then a Christian How high were those in Idolatry mentioned Psal 106. 36 37 38 39 and yet in covenant ver 45. For the Church of Corinth the Apostle is plaine A brother may be an Idolater 1 Cor. 5. 11. It is within the Church and not without where men escape death by plagues yet repent not of the works of their hands that they should not worship Devils and Idols of gold and silver and brasse and stone and of wood which neither can see nor heare nor walke Rev 9. 20. For Papists I marvel how they are distinguished from Idolaters and Hereticks for Hereticks as false Prophets were