Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	darkness_n	light_n	shine_v	2,694	5	9.5580	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35667	Truth outweighing error, or, An ansvver to a treatise lately published by J.B. entituled, A confession of his faith and a reason of his practice, or, With who he can, and with who he cannot hold church-fellowship ... by John Denne ...	J. D. (John Denne)	1673 (1673)	Wing D1027; ESTC R11873	57,462	128

Christian that in the Primitive times remained dark about it then he will shew the Christian that was received into Fellowship without it Well said Mr. Bunyan When the sky falls you will catch Larks You have already told us the Primitive Christians all believed it yea the unconverted knew as you say it did belong to the Disciples of Christ and yet you would now know the Christian that was dark therein and in that you know that to be impossible if your own words be true therefore you offer if we do that then you will shew the Christian that was received without Baptism which you well know is also impossible to be done Wherefore to shew your resoluteness right or wrong we have this Thesis from you pag. 82. That if you should grant which you say is more than can be proved but it is but your say so Baptism to be an initiating Ordinance and that it did as Circumcision of old give a being of membership to the partakers yea set the case men were forbidden to enter into Fellowship without it yet the case may so be that these things notwithstanding men might be received into Fellowship without it Where are we now what is John Bunyan not content to set his posts by the Lord's posts but Antichrist-like he must needs advance himself above God 2 Thess 2.4 giving new Laws contrary to what the God of Heaven hath given in his Son Jesus Christ If Baptism be an initiating Ordinance and gives a being to Membership yet all that avails nothing with J. Bunyan he will receive members without it and that in despite of God although he hath forbidden it What Doctrine is this Would you know a reason of his Practice which he pretends to shew you In short it is his will maugre all opposition even of God himself For set the case men are forbidden by the Lord to enter into Fellowship without Baptism yet J. Bunyan will receive them But let us hear what he pretends as his warrant pag. 83. And that is first the Example of the Jews in the Wilderness who saith he notwithstanding Circumcision gave a being to Church-membership without which it was if you will believe John Bunyan positively commanded none should be received into Fellowship yet for all this more than six hundred thousand were received into the Church without it and also retained there and that even by Moses and Joshua Answ To this Position I shall say First Circumcision never gave a being to Church-membership neither was there any such positive Command as is pretended that none should be received into the Church without it John Bunyan I suppose will grant the contrary for sure he will allow Holy Women to be Church-members Secondly The six hundred thousand were not received into Fellowship by Moses and Joshua neither were they any wayes accompted by them Church-members but as they were the natural seed of Abraham to whom the Promise was made Thirdly Their neglect of Circumcision was an evil and a reproach to them which was said to be rolled away in their Circumcision Josh 5.9 wherefore whatsoever was the impediment it matters not it was a sin in them and a reproach unto them although J. Bunyan pretends they had a legal reason to excuse it which also as he thinks or at least saith pag. 94. many have in these dayes to neglect Baptism although an enjoyned Duty an holy Ordinance of God What excuse I mean legal can that be He saith The want of Light Our Brethren saith he have a manifest reason an invincible one one that all the men on Earth or Angels in Heaven cannot remove for it is God that createth Light wherefore if Moses and Joshua thought fit to Communicate with the Vncircumcised as aforesaid why may not I have Communion yea the closest Communion with visible Saints although they want Light in and cannot submit to that meaning Baptism I shall therefore saith he hold Communion with such Answ Who could ever have thought that John Bunyan should have Preached the Doctrine of those persons against whom he hath so frequently manifested inveterate hatred He hath often cryed out against others for saying The Light within is the Rule for Christians to walk by but now he himself confidently affirms it yea in opposition to positive Commands and express Prohibitions making it the great reason for and against a Practice yea such a one as neither Men or Angels can remove But this is no strange thing Herod and Pilate two great Enemies agreed in one against Christ But let me ask J. Bunyan Whether Light makes a thing to be a Duty or no Duty is God's Law subservient to our Light I suppose he must answer Yea for it is congruous with his reasoning that what God Commands is no Duty to those that have no Light therein or at least the want of Light is a sufficient excuse for the neglect thereof For saith he pag. 94. God creates Light I suppose he means therefore if they have no Light it is because God hath not given it c. Well would it be if this be so for the greatest part of men to have such an Advocate as John Bunyan at the last day to plead on the behalf of their disobedience that they wanted Light to do otherwise yea that God never gave them Light If the Rich man we read of Luke 16. had but in this condition had John Bunyan to plead for him his mouth would not have been so soon stopped But stay I remember Christ said unto the unprofitable Servant Luk. 19.22 Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee And what if it should be so said to John Bunyan where would he be then and what would become of his Brethren under whose arm-holes he hath sowed pillows Doth not he say pag. 45. I believe Jesus Christ by the Word of the Scriptures will judge all men at the day of Doom And if so the Word of the Scriptures saith Luk. 12.48 He that knew not his Lord's Will viz. hath no Light in it shall be beaten and good reason for the want of Light is through their own neglect the Light shined in darkness but the darkness comprehended it not Joh. 1.5 It hath been before proved That this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World but men love darkness rather than Light Joh. 3.19 Would J. Bunyan think it a sufficient reason against Faith for a man to say I have no Light If it be a good reason in one thing it is good in all Paul once said Rom. 7.9 I was alive without the Law at least he thought so when he did not know Sin which by John Bunyan's reason is a sufficient excuse for any evil if I want Light to do otherwise But surely John Bunyan is conscious to himself that notwithstanding what he hath pretended concerning the weight of the aforesaid Reason which he saith is invincible yea so that all the men on Earth or Angels in Heaven cannot remove