Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	body_n	soul_n	whole_a	13,673	5	5.8632	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57682	Infant-Baptism; or, Infant-sprinkling (as the Anabaptists ironically term it,) asserted and maintained by the scriptures, and authorities of the primitive fathers. Together with a reply to a pretended answer. To which has been added, a sermon preached on occasion of the author's baptizing an adult person. With some enlargements. By J. R. rector of Lezant in Cornwal.; Infant-Baptism.	J. R. (James Rossington), b. 1642 or 3.	1700 (1700)	Wing R1993; ESTC R218405	76,431	137

Externals of Religion are not to be regarded in comparison of its inward Life and Substance The Circumcision of the Flesh when the Commandment was most in force was nothing to that of the Heart Secondly We are given to understand that Baptism is the initiating Sacrament of the New Testament and so succeeds Circumcision which was the initiating Sacrament of the Old Thirdly We may note that our Baptism represents Christ's Burial and Resurrection in the manner of its Administration or if not in the symbolical Ceremonies yet at least it doth and must in its spiritual Concomitants and Effects And it behoves us to exemplifie Christ's bodily Actions and Passions in a spiritual way that as he died and was buried so should we die and even be buried unto Sin and as he rose so should we rise to newness of Life Mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections and daily proceeding in all vertue and godliness of living as our Church exhorts For the First That the Externals of Religion are not to be regarded in comparison of its inward Life and Substance In the former Verse the Apostle declares to his Colossians that they are circumcized in Christ that is by his Spirit as the Margin of your Bibles of the Geneva Translation hath it and therefore they need not be so scrupulously Zealous after an external Rite much less this of Circumcision which is now antiquated Since withall they want not an outward Rite in this respect they have Baptism tho' Circumcision be laid aside and abolished they have another Sacrament instituted in its room Buried with him in Baptism Now should you compare the Circumcision of our Saviour the inward Circumcision of the Heart with that of Moses the outward Circumcision of the Flesh you will without difficulty perceive that it infinitely surpasseth it in Dignity and Excellency that wounded the Body this enlivens the Soul The one pared away a little Skin and markt the Flesh the other mortifies the whole Body and quickens the Spirit And therefore they were extravagant who notwithstanding that excellent and Divine Circumcision which Christians have received are yet so sollicitously bent upon that which is but the Figure and Shadow Nevertheless to shew how rich that sanctifying Grace is which we have in Jesus Christ he adds that besides our being circumcised in heart and so divested of the Body of the Sins of the Flesh we have moreover been buried with him in Baptism in which we are also risen again with him which is a more excellent and lively Sacrament than ever Circumcision was a Sacrament resembling it and answering to it signifying and sealing up both our Mortification and Vivification But then there is both an outward and an inward Baptism or there is in Baptism the Body and the Spirit as I might have said in effect concerning Circumcision and the internal spiritual Part is the most material and ought to be more especially minded by us The thing that saveth us is by St. Peter said to be Baptism 1 Pet. 3.21 But that in Baptism which doth most contribute to our Salvation next to the vertue of Christ's Resurrection is not the putting away the filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God Which shews the outward washing is the least considerable q. d. 't is not so much the outward Administration as the Conversion of the Soul to God that is the effective disposition in which Baptism saveth us God will have mercy and not sacrifice as he said by his Prophet Hos 6.6 that is rather than Sacrifice Not that he did then renounce Sacrifice but would rather have Acts of Mercy and Charity shewn to Man than any such Sacrifices or Oblations offered or made to himself He preferred not Mercy or Charity before inward Devotion or the adoration of the Heart the Sacrifice of a contrite Spirit which he 'll in no wise despise but before any outward Acts or external Performances in his Service which is of little or no account at all with him where the inward spiritual Part is wanting which is the very Soul and Life of Religion But it cannot be supposed he would not have Sacrifice too seeing he had given so many Commands concerning it And therefore the Prophet immediately adds that he desired the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings q. d. he did not desire either Sacrifice or Burnt offerings in the same degree with other more material Duties So when St. Peter says that 't is not the outward washing with Water that saveth us but the inward Purification of the Spirit we are not to suppose his meaning to be that the outward washing is of no vertue or that the Baptism of Water is wholly excluded being an Ordinance of God but that if we would approve our selves unto God we must not rest in an outward formal Worship No not in Circumcision though the Law was never so much in being or were renewed or reinforced But we must Worship him inwardly with the Circumcision of the Heart So the sealing of the Covenant in our Baptism will be of little advantage to us unless we make good our Stipulation and can return some satisfactory Answer touching the Faith we have entertained and the Resolutions we have taken up to live according to that Religion we are initiated into Circumcision availeth not neither the outward Lavour of Baptism without the inward Sanctification and renewing of the Holy Ghost Hence ariseth our great Miscarriage and the frustration of all the hopes and advantages of those blessed Relations we are admitted to by Baptism when from time to time we mind only the external Rite and Ceremony which is low and mean without considering the substance and reality which is high and excellent The Figure the outward Element is poor and beggarly The thing signified is rich and heavenly The Seal is mean the Inheritance is great It hath differently fallen out with the carnal Jew and the carnal Christian the outward Glory of their Ordinances was a stumbling Block to them which made them rest in the Type and look no further the meanness of ours is a stumbling Block with us we look not for such Treasure in Earthen-Vessels Nor indeed can we so long as we make the Ordinance a customary Piece of formality But here I would not be thought to insinuate the Non-necessity of the Ordinance of Baptism which God hath appointed as the way in the common Order of means to bring to Grace and Glory for in this way he ordinarily brings us to Salvation And therefore makes it our Duty But he has not bound himself to outward means and instruments and consequently it cannot be said to be of that universal absolute necessity as if there were no Salvation without it The Covenant we know can convey Pardon and Salvation without the Seal Abraham was justified before he received the sign of Circumcision The seal of the Righteousness of Faith And the Thief upon the Cross was saved without