Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A37722
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Baptismes in their verity: or, The baptisme of John, and the baptisme of Christ what they are in truth, as they are described in the scriptures of truth. And of what necessitie they are unto salvation. In a plain and brief manner herein declared. By one of the most unworthy servants of Christ, J.E.
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J. E.
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Wing E13A; ESTC R215328
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20,684
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hands all one with baptisme in truth And therefore he saith further If then yee be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on those things above and not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory Col. 3.1 2 3. This is that first resurrection spoken of Rev. 20.5 wherein whosoever hath part the second death shall have no power on him This baptisme then which the Apostles thus preached and describeth and causeth these spirituall and heavenly effects must needs be that given them in charge by Christ Mat. 28. Mark 16. the same which Peter saith saveth us 1 Pet. 3.21 according to the words of Christ He that beleeveth and is baptized shall bee saved This baptisme is of necessity to life and salvation which that with water of springs and rivers is not this may be where it is not and it where this shall never be And concerning the Belief that goeth before this Baptisme it is that common Beliefe which any man may have upon the generall publication of the Gospel as it is said Goe ye into all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature And is the same kind of Beliefe that Judas and those Disciples had who when Christ told them that except they did eate his flesh and drink his blood they had no life in them were offended and walkt no more with him of whom he said there are some of you that beleeve not though they did beleeve in that common kind And this kind of beliefe every one most have in some measure before hee can repent and beleeve unto remission of sinnes and salvation before he can eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood by beleeving in him But he that beleeveth not that is to say he that rejecteth the word after he hath heard it and been convinc'd by it despising the counsell of God concerning himselfe as many of the Jewes and also of the Gentiles did and doe at this day hee shall bee condemned as Christ saith Mark 16. John 12.45 And so some mens sins goe before hand to judgment as it is written And whereas Paul faith There is one Spirit one Faith one Baptisme Ephes 4.4 5 6. he speaketh distinctly of those three speciall graces mentioned by Peter Acts 2.38 and by himselfe Acts 19.4 5 6. before observed whereof the birth from above and Baptisme spoken of John 3. Matth. 28. Mark 16. consisteth and calleth the baptisme of Repentance by the name of one baptisme as distinguishing it by that name from that one Spirit and one Faith which he doth also distinctly name as being all three speciall things peculiar to Gods elect agreeing in one So Ephes 6. he counteth them as principall parts of the Armour of God and calleth the baptisme of repentance The preparation of the Gospel of peace vers 15. And these are the three spoken of by John where he saith And there are three that beare witnesse in earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one 1 John 5.8 Meaning by the Spirit the Spirit of Adoption and by the Water the teares of repentance proceeding from an humble contrite heart and by the blood the mercy and love of God shed forth in the same heart by the Spirit and so enjoyed assuredly through Faith in Christ which is the garment dipt in the blood of the Lamb. And so they agree in one bearing witnesse to the truth And these three were in all the holy Fathers and Prophets from the beginning bearing witnesse with them to the truth And in that woman which washt Christs feet with her teares and with such spirituall affections of love kissed them and anointed them with oyle of all which Christ himselfe gives testimony and proveth by her much love that she had much forgiven her Whose example is recorded unto us all to this day to read and consider For although the sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ was not then offered yet it was in account with God as the price wherewith they all of his chosen were bought and those graces purchased for them And therefore it being now accomplished the Disciple whom Jesus loved testifying of him and bearing witnesse also of the truth having those three witnesses in himselfe saith This is he that came by Water and Blood even Jesus Christ not by Water only but by Water and Blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witnesse and the Spirit is Truth 1 John 5.6 For so had John seen it as he saith But one of the Souldiers with a Speare pierced his fide and forthwith came there out Blood and Water And he that saw it bare record and his record is true and he knoweth that he saith truth that ye might beleeve John 19.34 35. And so it is true indeed as John said That Christ came not by Water onely but by Water and Blood for both came forth of his fide with the speare He came by Water to purchase the Baptisme of Repentance for us in respect of our sins and by Blood that we might be washed therewith from our sins and by it and his resurrection jusâ—â—â—ied and by his life saved according as himselfe declared to his Disciples after he was risen from the dead Luke 24.46 47. and as Paul saith Rom. 5.10 Unto him therefore who is the faithfull witnesses and the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the earth to him that hath so loved us and purchased these great things for us washed us from our sinnes in his own blood made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father was dead and is alive and shall never die more to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen NOw if all these things be so and that no man can be saved except he be born of water and of the Spirit and that this birth is not from below but from above of God and not by the will of the flesh nor of man as the Scriture saith Joh. 1.13 Joh. 3. Then no man can by his own will or power attain thereunto as some men teach and perswade who say that Adam with all in his loins was restored by the promise of the seed which is Christ to all that hee lost by eating the forbidden fruit and that there is therefore no originall sin to be supposed and that all children are conceived and born without any sin holy and good as Adam was in his first estate and that every child which dieth before it commit actuall sin is saved This kind of generall Redemption which some teach is not onely contrary to the Scriptures and so deceiving to the people but they doe hereby also make God to deal very unreasonably and unjustly in putting Adam and all in him
was it declaring plainly that John had but one baptisme in truth whereof that with water of the River was no part Neither was Johns baptisme of the Law or caused by it as some conceive and teach who therefore call it the Spirit of Bondage Nay but it is of the Gospel yea the beginning and first principle thereof and of the foundation as the Scriptures declare Mark 1.1 2 3 4. Heb. 6.1 And where Christ saith Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day and that repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.46 And that it was alwayes to be preached and effected in the hearts of the people before remission of sinnes and so before the faith which purifieth the heart and baptisme of the holy Ghost it is very manifest by sundry other Scriptures as Acts 10.36 Acts 13.23 Acts 20.21 And when Paul meeting at Ephesus with certain Disciples asked them if they had received the holy Ghost since they beleeved and they answered they had not heard that there was a holy Ghost And he asked Whereunto then they were baptized and they answered unto Johns baptisme And that Paul hereupon said John verily baptized with the baptisme of repentance saying to the people that they should beleeve in him that should come after him that is in Christ Jesus And when they heard this the Text saith they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 19.1 2 3 4 5. Where first by Johns baptisme of repenpentance is to be understood that effected by his preaching and by their being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus the purifying of their hearts by faith in Christ through the operation of the holy Ghost upon the hearing of Paul explaining the words of John which are He shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Matth. 3.11 it being as much as to say they should beleeve in him And then Paul approving them laid his hands on them and they received a further gift to speak with tongues and prophesied according as Christ had promâ—ied saying He that beleeveth in me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow Rivers of the water of life John 7.38 39. And in this manner did Peter begin at first to preach saying repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gist of the holy Ghost Acts 2. As much as to say repent and beleeve in the Lord Jesus Christ c. For remission cannot be attained by washing the body with the element of water but by faith onely So after Christ had appeared to Paul in his way to Damascus and hee having fasted three days and mourned no doubt for his sinnes when Ananias being come to him said Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes calling on the name of the Lord Act 22.16 This must needs be understood by faith in Christ as in the former places for sinnes cannot be washt away by any water of fountains or Rivers howsoever used but by the blood of Jesus Christ onely through beleeving in him for he it is that washeth away our sins in his blood as the Apostle John winesseth saying Unto him that hath loved us and washed us from our sinnes in his blood and hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever Amen And of all this both concerning the baptisme of Iohn and the baptisme of Christ had the Prophet Esay prophesied before as where he saith The voyce of him that cryeth in the Wildernesse prepare ye the way of the Lord c. Esay 40.3 And where hee saith Cast yee up cast yee up prepare the way take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people For thus faith the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity whose Name is Holy I dwell in the High and Holy place with him also that is of an humble and contrite Spirit to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Esay 57.14 15. So again where he prophesied of Christ saying The Spirit of the LORD GOD is upon me because he hath anoynted me to preach good tidings to the poore to binde up the broken hearted c. Esay 61.1 2 3. These excellent promises and speciall ministrations of good tidings to binde up to dwell with to revive to comfort c. are not made nor appointed so to be preached and performed unto all the world to every sinner in the same as some would have it Neither is Christ said throughout all the Scriptures to be anointed of God the Father to such a universall purpose and end but onely as it is here declared to the humble and meeke the poore the contrite hearted the mournfull repentant sinners so prepared by a speciciall power from above as before is exprest And so according to this did Christ the anointed of God preach to such people when he opened the book and read the same place unto them and said This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your eares Whereupon all bare him witnesse and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth Luk. 4.18 19 20 21 22. And as himselfe testified by the answer hee returned unto John by the two Disciples saying Goe and shew John those things which you doe heare and see that the blind recieve their sight the lame walk the lepers are cleansed the deafe heare the dead are raised up and the poore have the Gospel preached unto them or receive the Gospel for the words do intend and imply both Matth 11.2 3 4 5. Luke 7 19 20 21 22. For though it be true that in a generall consideration the Gospel was and is to bee preached to all the world to every man as Christ declareth in that parable Matth. 13 3 4 5. and by the words the spake at last to his Disciples Mark 16.15 Luke 24.46 47 48. and other places And that all men might alwayes and may now so heare it and bee enlightned to beleeve and know the things to bee excellent and true And further than this may partake of some gifts of the holy Ghost have a taste of the good Word of God and powers of the world to come have a foule Spirit cast out of him bee in kinde sanctified by the blood of Christ and yet notwithstanding all this fall away turn like the Dog to his vomit and like the Sow that is washed to wallow in the mire again the foule Spirit returning with seven worse than it selfe possesseth him and his end is worse than his beginning Although these things be true as plainly appeareth by sundry Scriptures they are as Hebr. 6.4 5 6 7 8. Hebr. 10.26 27 28. 2 Pet. 2.22 Matth. 12.43 44 45. Luke 11.24 and other places yet in