Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	church_n	part_n	visible_a	1,675	5	9.3112	5	false

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

Christian but an Heathen People Let me add this farther Consideration all Disciples or Acts 11.26 Christians are by Christ enjoyned to be baptized Math 28.19 Acts 11.26 states it upon the●e people that are called named or counted Christians I know these are that arrogate to themselves the Name of Christians who are manifest Anti-Christians as Papist Athiests c. these may be excluded but those who in regard both of their belief and practice do justly and rightly retain the Reputation of Christians as they that are described in our fifth Proposition and the Generality of the People in this Country cannot be denyed to do surely Christs Injunction doth include them We may observe that Congregational men in England are not without thoughts and studies for enlargement of Baptisme Doctor Owen in his late Catechisme is plainly with us in the main Substance of the Cause viz. the baptizing of those we plead for though it seems be would have them baptized in another Notion For when as in Question 38 he makes the proper Subject of Baptisme to be professing Believers and their Infant Seed it is plain he intends Baptisme to many who according to his Platform are not in full Communion or may not come to the Lords Table nay are not with him so much as joyned members of a particular or instituted Church but are only professors of the Faith Compare Question 19 39 47 49. And I suppose there are Expressions to that purpose in other writings of his which I have not now by me The same thing may be Contained under the Expression at the meeting of the Savoy in their Confession of Faith Chap. 29. Thes 4. the Infants of one or both believing Parents are to be baptized using therein the words of the Assemblies Confession and we know in how large a Sense they take the word believing when as they say in Chap. 26. Thes 2. The whole body of men throughout the world professing the Faith of the Gospel and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it not destroying their own Profession by any errors everting the Foundation or unholiness of Conversation are and may be called the visible Catholick Church of Christ. How plain is it that the persons whose Children we would have baptized are professing Believers according to Doctor Owens Expressions believing Parents in the Assemblies Sense and such Professors of the Faith of the Gospel and of obedience to God as do not otherwise destroy that Profession all which say the Savoy meeting are of the visible Catholick Church of Christ And I suppose they would not have any part of Christs visible Church left unbaptized 'T is true they say this visible Catholick Church of Christ as such is not intrusted with the Administration of any Ordinance but they may mean as many do expressly hold that the p●●●on A●ministring Baptisme must be an Officer in a particular Chur●h though the Subjects baptized may be of the Catholick Church However such Catholick Profess●●s as they here describe are qualified for Baptisme If taking hold of the Covenant in a particular Church be in their mind further needful ours do that You may hereby perceive that you stand almost alone while you are against the baptizing of such as are described in ou● fifth Proposition Whether they should be baptized as in a Catholick or in a particular Church state is another Question and I Confess my self not altogether so peremptory in this Latter as I am in the thing it self viz. that they ought to be baptized yet still I think that when all Stones are turned it will come to this that all the baptized are and ought to be under Discipline in particular Churches your self and those few in the Minist●y here that diss●nt do bear a greater weight then it may be you are aware of For the People in the Country have in a manner no Arguments to object but this some of your selves some of the Ministers are against it I have lately in Course of Exposition gone over Exod. 4 24. as formerly over Gen 17 9 14. And the more I look into such Tex●s as those the more awful they are to me to make me fear lest we should be wanting to do the will of God in this particular and lest the Lord should be thereby displeased And I am afraid that we do not our duty while we let a matter of so great moment and of such publick and Practical Concernment as this is lye by from year to year without using more means to bring it to an Issue and to come to some settlement therein Thus you see with what Freedom I have opened somewhat of my heart to you about this matter had I not been Confident of your Candid Acceptation thereof I sh●uld not have done it I do affectionately thank you for your Remembronce of me before the Lord and desire a Continued Share therein hoping that I am not and shall not be in my poor measure u●●nindful of you whom I have a real respect for and do heartily love in the Lord. I am not without hope that we may be yet of one mind before we dye And I am ready to think that we had been so e're this if you had been pleased to attend and pursue a free Candid and through Debate of matters veybally and happily if some such Course were yet ●●ken amongst us that live here about it might effect an accord But however I hope we shall meet there ubi Luthero cum zuinglio optimè jam convenit The Lord direct all our paths for us that we may be found walking in the wayes of Truth and Peace to his Glory the good of others and rejoycing of our own Souls in the day of Christ In whom I am Yours unfainedly Jonathan Mitchel Cambridg December 26. 1667. FINIS