Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	apostle_n	holy_a	lord_n	6,631	5	3.5276	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87828	Seven questions about the controversie betweene the Church of England, and the Separatists and Anabaptists, breifely [sic] discussed. 1. Whether is the Church of England as it now stands a true church? 2. Whether the Church of England be a right nationall church? 3. Whether are the ministers in the Church of England sent of God, and so are true ministers or not? 4. Whether is the baptisme of infants a true and lawfull baptisme or no? 5. Whether it be lawfull to be rebaptized or not? 6. Whether it is lawfull to separate from all the publike ordinances and Christian assemblies in our English church, because there are some defects in discipline, and in other things amongst us? 7. Whether is it necessarie to demolish our churches (steeple-houses as the Separatists call them,) and to build them in other places, because they were built by idolators for idolatrous worship, were abused with images, and dedicated to saints? By Immanuel Knutton, preacher of Gods word at Beeston in Nottingham shire [sic].	Knutton, Immanuel, d. 1655.	1645 (1645)	Wing K744; Thomason E25_20; ESTC R4217	31,540	40

Acts 2.45 Acts. 4 34 35 36 37. this course continued about 200. yeares during which time no marvell though they required not tithes that which was given them being a farre greater proportion such as oppose the morality of tithes now would not bee willing to deale so with us Ministers of the Gospel QVEST. IIII. Whether is the Baptisme of Infants a true and lawfull Baptisme or not Answer I Affirme it is a true right lawfull and fit Baptisme and ought to be used in a Christian Church professing Gods truth Reas 1 Because excepting the difference of the visible ceremony there is the same analogie of reason of Baptisme as of circumcision the same internall spirituall thing signified viz. remission of sins mortification of the flesh Deut. 10.16 Jer. 4.4.6 Act. 2.38 Act. 22.16 Rom. 6.4 both of them are Symballs of our Adoption into Gods family and so our imitation into the Divine Covenant Gen. 17.7.10 1 Cor. 12 13. Gal. 3.26 27. besides Baptisme succeedes Circumcision Col. 2.11.12 or else the conditon of Christian infants under the Gospel were worse then the condition of Jewish Infants under the Law in regard of their age if Baptisme might not bee conferred upon them now as Circumcision upon the Jewish children if Baptisme belong not to Infants then the grace and favour of God by Christs comming is more obscure and straight and lesse testified then it was to the Jewes which to affirme is an horrible indignity offered to Christ Object But there was an expresse commandement for circumcising of Infants Gen. 17. but no such for Baptizing of Infants now Answ 1 There is a generall command Mat. 28.19 20. all that beleeve of any condition whatsoever should be Baptized under which Infants borne of Christian parents are comprehended for in Lawes and Precepts that be generall an enumeration of singulars and perticulars is not required because lawes doe command concerning the whole Kind Secondly the Baptisme of Christian Infants hath descended and continued from the Apostles dayes to us Origen who lived in the yeare 213. said that the Church received the tradition from the Apostles to give Baptisme to Infants Augustine who lived in the yeare 420. said that Baptisme of Infants the Church univerfall held it not instituted by Councells but alwaies retained it and most rightly beleeved it to be delivered by Apostolike Authority Now such examples are aequivalent to expresse commands Thirdly The New Testament doth not literally command remember to keepe holy the Sabbath not to say grace before and after meales not to pray with our families morning and evening not women to receive the Lords Supper many other such like things I might instance yet we hold this to be morall duties and ought of necssiety to be performed and may be proved sufficiently by consequence out of the New Testament Reas 2 Because Christian Infants are in the Covenant of grace as well as the children of Israelites Gen. 17.7 Act. 2.39 for this blessed Covenant is exceedingly extended and enlarged by Christ good reason then the seale of this Covenant should not be straightned nor made narrower then Circumcision was now Christian Infants being within the Covenant of Grace Baptisme the Seale of it is their right for as much as they are Christians belonging to the Church of God 1 Cor. 7.14 here he saith your children are holy if but one of the persons married be a beleever some by holy understand legetimate as if he had said your children are not bastards but lawfully begotten and borne But the Apostle speakes not of civill legitimation for the children of Infidells may be and are legitimate others construe the words thus that your children are holy viz. by education in Christianity others interpret them thus your Children are holy viz. by the secret operation and illumination of the spirit which begets in them new inclinations towards God as in John Baptist and the Prophet Jeremy Others say thus your children are holy viz. They are Christians belonging to the Covenant and to the Church this I chuse holy here is not understood civill but legally the Law called things uncleane prophane as vessells and living creatures and men without the Church and so the Law called things dedicated to God holy therefore as the children of the Jewes in the old Testament were not uncleane but holy that is they were not Gentiles but Jewes in Covenant with God from the wombe by the vigour and vertue of that promise Gen. 17.7 though by nature they were children of wrath so here Christians with their children who are adopted into the place of the Jewes now in the new Testament the Apostle calls holy that is they are not Heathens but Christians though by reason of originall sin they are borne children of wrath so according to faederall grace wee are borne Christians though according to nationall generation wee are borne sinners by vertue of which faederall sanctity Christian Infants have as cleare a right to Baptisme as Jewish Infants had to Circumcision such then who oppose faederall sanctity and teach that the custom or Baptizing Infants hath continued in the Church not from example or command in Scripture but from the degrees of the Church take part with the Papists who stifly seeke to maintaine theirs against us Reas 3 Because Infants are capeable of the thing signified therefore they may be Baptized they may have grace secretly bestowed as Jeremy and John Baptist many such belong to heaven Mat. 19.14 as if he had said of such little ones and of others affected like them doth the Kingdome of God consist Marke 10.14 Christ blessed them then we may bestow the Sacrament and seale of blessing on them Object If wee could certainely know which Infants had grace wrought in them and did belong to Heaven then we might baptize them but this we know not therefore it s the best not to baptize them til they come to riper yeares to make a profession and a confession of the Christian faith Answer First know that wee cannot infallibly discerne which man hath true grace and is elected this God only knowes we may and ought to judge very charitably upon an exact profession so upon a bare profession Phillip Baptized Simon Magus Act. 8.13 We must never Baptize any if we stay for infallible knowledge of any particular mans Election and particular Sanctification Secondly the faith of Parents may warrant their infants Baptisme yea though they have a bare historicall faith not a justifying faith if they can credere ad baptismum though not ad salutem this faith makes their children fit for Baptisme there were many in the Apostles times who were Baptized having only an historicall faith as Magus and others Object But the new Testament runnes much upon these speeches beleeve and bee baptized repent and be baptized teach and baptize now Infants are not capeable of the exercise of any of these graces nor capeable of teaching and what good can the Parents faith doe to

SEVEN QVESTIONS ABOVT THE CONTROVERSIE betweene the CHVRCH of ENGLAND AND THE Separatists and Anabaptists breifely discussed 1. Whether is the Church of England as it now stands a true Church 2. Whether the Church of England be a right Nationall Church 3. Whether are the Ministers in the Church of England sent of God and so are true Ministers or not 4. Whether is the Baptisme of Infants a true and lawfull Baptisme or no 5. Whether it be lawfull to be Rebaptized or not 6. Whether is it lawfull to separate from all the publike Ordinances and Christian Assemblies in our English Church because there are some defects in Discipline and in other things amongst us 7. Whether is it necessarie to demolish our Churches Steeple-houses as the Separatists call them and to build them in other places because they were built by Idolaters for Idolatrous worship were abused with Images and dedicated to Saints By IMMANVEL KNVTTON Preacher of Gods Word at Beeston in Nottingham-shire Endeavouring to keepe the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace there is one body and one spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Ephes 4.3 4 5 6. London Printed by Tho Paine and are to be sold by Andrew Kembe at Margrets Hill in Southworke Anno Dom. 1645. TO THE HONORABLE COMMITTEE of Parliament in Nottingham Immanuel Knutton Wisheth all present hapinesse and future blessednesse IT is well knowne to your Honours that I endured a long and tedious bondage at Newarke together with my godly Con-captive and fellow labourer in the work of the Ministry M. William Hewit for the space of almost thirty weekes and how God wrought our enlargement by the worthy instrument of his glory Captaine John Needham Governour of Killingworth Castle in Warwickshire But at my returne to Nottingham from Newarke I found this Garrison much distracted by some Separatists in it who desert our publike Assemblies and the Divine Ordinances and have seduced too many to their way In my conference with them I found their Tenets unchristian and themselves pertinacious in them Their tenets were these 1. The Church of England is no true Church of Christ 2. The Ministers of this Church are not true Ministers not called of God 3. Baptisme of Infants is no true Baptisme therefore not lawfull 4. It is not lawfull to heare us Ministers Preach least they should by their presence approve of our Popish calling by the Bishops and because we preach in popish steeple-houses also because wee were Baptized in our Infancy but if wee will renounce our calling by the Bishops Preach at the Market-crosse not in the Steeplehouse and be rebaptized they well heare us otherwise not 5. Our steeplehouses ought to be demolished neither is it lawfull to worship God in them These their opinions too many in this Garison approve of and follow therefore I have breifely answered their arguments and published them that I might hereby excite others more able then my selfe to handle these points of controversie more fully and in the meane time I beseech your Honours to suppresse these errours offencive both to God and the godly least these Schismes turne to heresies endeavour to extirpate all Popery Scisme and Prophainnesse as the Covenant enjoynes you which you heard worthily explicated and urged home to your consciences in St. Maries Church on Thursday August 8 by that faithfull Minister of Christ M. Richard Whit-Church in his Lecture Sermon upon that Text Jer. 50.5 Almighty God establish you in his truth direct you ever by his spirit secure you and this Garrison by his presence or owne your designes with comfortable successe to the glory of his name and to the perpetuall happinesse of this Nation Amen So prayeth your Honours humble Servant Jmmanuel Knutton From my Study at Beeston August 16. 1644. ❧ SEVEN QVESTIONS about the Controversie betweene the Church of England and the Separatists and Anabaptists breifely discussed QVEST. I. Whether is the Church of England as it now stands a true Church Answer I Premize this that in this Church is much defect in Discipline and in the execution of it in comparison of other reformed Churches who in this farre exceede us Next I affirme it is a true Church yea the spouse of Christ Reas 1 First Because the Church of England hath the matter and forme of a true Church the matter of a Church are men and women in a right Logicall sence matter which is one of the causes hath this property it is passive for action is from the forme which is called the beginning of doing as matter is of suffering so are men by nature in the internall and reall worke of grace in conversion passive Phil. 2.13 such matter our Church hath it hath also the forme of a Church the forme of a thing in strict logicall sence is a chiefe cause which actuates the matter and perfects it it is a constituting cause now the forme or constituting cause of a Church is faith which brings it into relation to Christ therefore in Scripture the Church is called the Lords Spouse Vineyard House c. because of its relation to him this forme our Church hath it hath many true beleevers Now Discipline though it conduce to the well being of a Church to keep it in a sweet order yet it is not the cause of a Church it doth not give being to a Church as the cause gives being to a thing in nature a man is begotten and borne but the order he is tied to observe in his life makes him not a man but conduceth to his well being in his life so is Discipline to the Church so then our Church hath many true beleevers who by faith are united to Christ and are thereby made members of his body as the Separatists acknowledge and if they helpe to make up his body they must needs be Christs Church for his body is his Church Col. 1.18.24 Ecclsia est caetus hominum vocatorum Dr. Ames 1 Cor. 1.24 1 Cor. 10 32. Reas 2 Secondly because the Church of England hath the essentiall notes and markes of a true Church of Christ 1. One is the word of God purely and powerfully preacht profest and maintain'd which alwaies gathers a people to the Lord being so taught 2 Cron. 13.10 11 12. 2. The lawfull administration of the two Sacraments according to Christs institution Mat. 28.19 20. 3 The true obedience to the word of God a right following Christs voyce and conforming to his will John 10.27 4. The union with God by his spirit and faith and with his Saints by love Col. 1.4 2 Cor. 6.16 Rom. 8.14 Object But this Church wants the Discipline of Christ therefore no true Church Ans I confesse it wants it yet it hath these forenamed fundamentall essentiall notes by vertue whereof it s the Church of Christ as truly

fall into fearefull errours and heresies through the pride of their hearts Reas 4 Because it argues an extreame height of pride such as separate from all the ordinances are puft up with ambitious spirits like unto those in Isa 65.5 such would make themselves seeme holier then Christ and his Apostles who went and preached amongst the prophane Jewes and Heathens and though some of these seeme humble yet their seeming depth of humility may be a reall height of pride they may not lawfully separate from us except Christ also did whilest hee stayes with us they should doe the like Reas 5 Because this doctrine of Separation crosseth the judgements and practises of the godly Saints in all ages it is but of late invention those that seeme to have beene the Separatists their predecessors in former ages were the Donatists 400. yeares after Christ Donatus Bishop in Numidia drew many after him and had many favourers called by divers names Parmeniani Rogatistae Cirtenses Maximianistae Circumciliones the worst branch of this roote for these would burne or drowne themselves and account this kind of death Martyrdome the maine heresie of the Donatists was 1 that the true Catholike Church was no where else to bee found but onely in that corner of Africke wherein they themselves dwelt 2 that baptisme was not effectuall except it had beene ministred by one of their society against these heretiks did Augustine Bishop of Hippo contend with mighty grace the Separatists of these times are in some measure like them but in some points they exceede the Donatists Mr. Robinson and Mr. Johnson in one part confesse this their Separation to bee late and new but in the nature and causes thereof to be as ancient as the Gospel the former I grant the latter I deny for we never read that the Saints in Scripture separated from those assemblies where God was truely worshipped in the old Testament Elkanah frequented the publike Assemblies at Shiloh 1 Samuel 1.3 though there were more vile abuses of the Lords ordinances then amongst us in England 1 Sam. 2.22 and in that time betweene the Prophet Malachy Christs Nativity we reade that Zachary executed his Office Luke 1.8.9 and did not Separate from the Lords ordinances though there were fearefull abuses amongst them as farre as I remember in the Old Testament Caine was the first that separated from Gods holy servants and service Gen. 4.16 and Iudas in the new 1 Cor. 11.33.34 he wisht them not to separate but to reforme their horrible abuses of the Lords Supper Reas 6 Because to separate from us is to separate from the sweete presence of Christ in his Ordinances and from the fellowship of holy Saints as any be in the world which to mee seemes unlawfull Reas 7 Because the Separatists themselves had their first illumination in our Church by the word taught amongst us they made profession amongst us before they left us now that ministry of ours which first converted them doubtlesse through God assistance is able to build them up and they are bound to respect our Ministry before other because it first converted them 1. Cor. 4.14 15. this their separation is an ill requitall to their spirituall fathers Object Though we leave your Godly Saints and Ordinances yet wee have the society of other holy Saints and the Ordinances in purity Answ I beleeve there be amongst the Separatists some godly Saints but this is no signe of a Saint to depart from our Church for some defects in it it is altogether without example or ground from the Scripture and is rather a signe of a proud Pharisee doe not thinke that all your fellow Separatists are upright and sincere there bee as discembling Hypocrites amongst them as any are amongst us neither expect such edification from the ordinances dispensed amongst you as from the Ordinances amongst us because God gives you not now extraordinary gifts as hee did to the Apostles and your lay preaching wants those eminent gifts of learning which are gifts of the spirit 1 Cor. 12.4.10.11 which the ministry of this English Church enjoyeth yea some who followed the Separation a while but afterwards returned from it to our publike assemblies againe said that the Ministry amongst the Separatists is a very fruitlesse dead and heartlesse Ministry that they will often disagree about the interpretation of some places of Scripture and sometimes none of them hit upon the right sense whereas if they had a man of learning and judgement amongst them hee would soone resolve their doubts and prevent that unedifying confusion that is too much amongst them I desire you of the Separation to consider that place well Heb. 13.7 whose faith follow now those godly teachers who instrumentally converted you were not of your faith but did beleeve this English Church to bee a true Church wherein the Lord dwells and they joyned with us in Gods service I desire you likewise to tell mee ingenuously whether you have heard the voyce of Christ sensibly felt his spirit working upon your hearts more by the Ministry of this English Church than or by the Ministry of the Separation time was when you would have melted in prayer amongst us you would have trembled at Gods word in our Congregations ye would have obeyed from the heart that forme of Doctrine we delivered your hearts would have burned with zeale in holy performances amongst us you seemed to be inflamed with precious love to Christ to his ordinances and to his servants doe you finde the ministry of the Separation working these effects in you I hardly beleeve you do Object But your Ministers being called by the Prelates their calling is Antichristian we dare not come to your publike Assemblies to Gods worship because in so doing wee shall approve of their unlawfull calling Answer If you come to our Assemblies with good hearts to get edification by the word you bare presence at the ordinances is no approbation of our calling by the Prelates whilest your judgements and speeches are against it many godly and learned men frequented our Christian Assemblies even when the Prelates lorded it over us and troubled us with their ceremonies yet they approved not of the Prelates calling not of their ceremonies but manifested their disapprobation and utter dislike of them so I desire you to come and joyne with us in our Christian Services private and publike speake what you please against the Prelates and their Ceremonies and confute our outward calling from the Prelates by argument as much as you please so that you will but keepe the unity of the spirit with us in the bond of peace but this renting from us doth exceeding much hurt it brings many an able Minister into contempt and the word he preacheth to much disgrace it makes many weaker Christians to stagger and is commonly an inlet to divers errors and heresies for inveterate schismes oft times turne to heresies the Donatists because they could not effect their cruell designe against