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A41784 Presumption no proof, or, Mr. Petto's arguments for infant-baptism considered and answered and infants interest in the convenant of grace without baptism asserted and maintained : whereunto is prefixed an answer to two questions propounded by Mr. Firmin about infants church-membership and baptism / by Thomas Grantham. Grantham, Thomas, 1634-1692. 1687 (1687) Wing G1542; ESTC R27161 38,572 48

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sprinkling Infants Nay the Church of Rome will by this Argument stand on equal Terms with you for many of her Ceremonies which you disallow For admit one Error and a thousand will follow Thus by your Argument Men may run they know not whither and return they know not when I now come to your two main Arguments for this you seem not much to rest upon but you use it ad hominem Mr. Petto's first Argument for Infant-Discipleship Some Infants are so discipled as to have the Name of the Father Son and holy Spirit upon them Therefore by the Will of Christ they are to be baptised Answer This Argument supposes that some Infants have the Name of Father Son and Spirit upon them before they be baptised This I take to be the newest Piece of Doctrine in the World and therefore must needs enquire what Infants these are How Mr. Petto knows them from others And at what time before their Baptism and also by whom this Name is put upon them and in what manner it is done For all these things he ought to know before according to his own Logick he may baptise them Till he do this and he must do it well too I deny his Antecedent Saying also that no Infants are discipled at all much less so as to have the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit upon them My Reasons are such as these 1. God hath not made this distinction in Gospel-times between some Infants and other some so as to disciple some of them by putting the Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit upon them He has taken down the Wall of distinction between Jew and Gentile accounting the one as clean as the other Act. 10. 28. And has given the same Order for discipling to all Nations Matth. 28. 19. but not a word in that Order to put his Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit upon any Person before they be baptised 2. No Man has Authority by the Word of God to make Infants Disciples at all much less by putting the Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit upon them before Baptism But the only Way assign'd by God to make Disciples is first by preaching the Gospel to them Mark 16. 15. Preach the Gospel to every Creature which shews the true Intent of our Saviour in the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which you refer us And our Criticks do allow that it signifies an actual teaching both in the Hebrew and Greek But the best Interpreter of that Verb is the Practice of our Saviour and his Apostles who made Disciples by actual teaching John 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plainly evincing the Truth of this 3. If it could be proved that the Name of the Trinity were upon the Infants of Christians yet this would not bear your Conclusion that they must be baptised any more than it will bear Augustin's Conclusion that they ought to partake of the Lord's Table Dr. Jer. Taylor and Dr. Barlow confess you may do both as well as either and that the Wit of Man cannot shew a difference in the Sanctions And indeed all your Arguments for Infants Church-Membership and Baptism if they were good might be improved against you concerning the other Ordinance for admit one Error and another will follow But let us examine your Scriptures by which you would prove your Antecedent 1. You bring Matth. 28. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Disciple ye all Nations Now if these Words did oblige the Apostles to put the Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit upon all Persons or Nations before Baptism it quite spoils your Argument which would restrain it to some Infants only Why do you thus abuse the Word Did the Apostles put the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit upon any one Infant Is not the Scripture silent as to this Or did they put the Name c. upon any to whom they preached till they received their Doctrine Or did they do this before they baptised them In that solemn Institution they did put the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit upon all such as gladly received the Word Act. 2. 40. Act. 10. ult And for this they had full Authority Matth. 28. 19. Mark 16. 15 16. even to preach to and so to disciple all Nations baptising them viz. Mathet as subintelligitur in verbum Mathetusate as the Practice of Christ had directed them John 4. 1. Jesus made and baptised more Disciples than John. And Junius and Tremelius adds the Particle Et Ite ergo docete omnes populos baptisate eos c. 2. You tell us they are Disciples not only who actually learn but who are in the School of Christ his Church in order to their future Learning This is not true 1. Infants are not in the School or Church of Christ as it is a School to learn any thing whilst they are Infants God has neither bound his Ministers to teach them whilst such nor enabled them to learn as such If you say this future teaching respects not the time of their Infancy then were you very fallacious in your Argument for this will prove all the Infants in the World to be Disciples as well as any of them seeing Christ's Church is the Light of the World and all that come to Years of Discretion having opportunity are bound to learn of her 2. But yet it does not follow that all who are under present means of Instruction are therefore to be accounted Disciples For you know many heard Christ preach who yet were none of his Disciples but his Persecutors many heard his Apostles teach who yet were not their Disciples for they put the Word of God from them and judged themselves unworthy of eternal Life I suppose also that all that hear Mr. Petto are not his Disciples how much less poor Infants that never heard him at all And here I require Mr. P. to name one Infant that he ever made a Disciple according to Matth. 28. and that will do more a great deal than his empty Dictates 3. You bring Act. 8. 3. and 9. 1. which shews how Saul made havock of the Churches entring into every House haling Men and Women to Prison and that he breathed out Slaughter against the Disciples Sure you may blush to bring such Texts to prove Infants Disciples nor will Act. 15. 10. bear your Inference The false Apostles would indeed have had the Disciples among the Gentiles to have been circumcis'd but it does not follow at all that every one were Disciples whom they would have circumcised This is just such a Consequence as this You would have Infants to be sprinkled Ergo all are Infants whom ye would have sprinkled This Consequence you will deny because you would have others also sprinkled who are no Infants And for the same reason I deny your Consequence for the false Apostles would have circumcis'd some who were no Disciples to wit Infants You bring here Gen. 17. but this we will consider
anon and Acts 21. 4 5. This Place informs us That the Disciples told Paul by the Spirit that he should not go up to Jerusalem Is it possible that * Infants who are not mentioned here should be of the number of these Disciples It is true 't is said that the Wives and Children went with Paul to the Sea-shore and kneeled down and prayed But are all Children Infants Or if there were any Infants did they kneel down upon the Sea-shore and pray with Paul And if not to what purpose has he brought these Scriptures 4. He brings a Cloud of other Scriptures in Figures for had he read them his Folly would have been seen with more ease Let us hear what these Scriptures say 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation Heb. 7. 26. For such an high Priest became us who is holy What must these Places prove I will set down your own Words As to the Name of the Trinity that of being holy is attributed often to Father Son and Holy Spirit And this very Name of the Lord holy he hath imposed upon the Children of Believers But what a wretched Consequence is here as if it would follow that all for whom Christ offered up himself or for whom he was God's High-Priest has thereupon the Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit on them Why according to this Logick Saul had the Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit upon him when he persecuted all that called on that Name And the Scripture is very plain that whilst we were Enemies Christ died for us but we had not then the Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit imposed on us And how follows it that because Christians are exhorted to be holy in all manner of Conversation that therefore Infants are discipled so as to have the Name of Father Son and Holy Spirit upon them Might not a Man by this kind of reasoning prove that all the Infants in the World have the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit upon them I am sure that God is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh and that all Nations are in respect of his gracious Providence his People and Sheep of his Pasture and exhorted to enter into his Ways with Praise and Thanksgiving Psal 100. The Places you bring from the Epistle to the Ephesians cap. 1. 13. and 4. 30. informs us that after Men believed they were sealed with the Holy Spirit this shews these Persons were no Infants Rom. 11. 16. shews that an holy Root has holy Branches 1 Pet. 2. 9. tells us Christians are a chosen Generation a royal Priest-hood a holy Nation a peculiar People that you should shew forth the Praises of him that hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light. As for Rom. 11. 16. it evidently refers to the great things which God will do when he calls the Jews which were cast off and so it little concerns our Question otherwise it were easy to shew that at that time how holy soever Abraham had been yet his Children were prophane enough But Mr. Petto's Drift is to make Men believe that each of them whom he calls Believers are as holy a Root in respect of conferring Church-Priviledges as Abraham was and so their Children must needs be holy for Baptism But this is a very unlawful consequence seeing Abraham never did nor ever can confer that Holiness upon so much as one of his Offspring which shall entitle them to Baptism because every particular Person 's Repentance and Faith is required as the true Antecedents to Baptism as is granted by the Church of England in her Catechism But how well she keeps to her Doctrine therein admits of consideration Upon 1 Cor. 7. 14. you teach that Infants are holy by separation to God and his Service But Sir can you tell us what Service of God Infants are fit for If other Men may judg as well as you then as they are not able to serve God in spiritual things so God requires it not of them whilst Infants But so strangely are you transported here that you tell us from Mr. Cotton That Sin it self is sanctified to Believers This is another Strain of new Doctrine and will it not follow from your Doctrine that Sin hath the Name of Father Son and holy Spirit upon it Let Mr. Cotton look to it You must have a care how you take up such Notions You will by no means admit the Holiness here mentioned to be meant of a Matrimonial or Legitimate Holiness And yet I pray what Sanctification of the Unbeliever can that be but Matrimonial so as the believing Husband and the unbelieving Wife might cohabit together as Husband and Wife without Sin The Childrens Holiness is derived from this Sanctification of the Unbeliever as the Word else being rightly referred does shew it doth This Holiness therefore in true Construction of the place is most fitly interpreted as Erasmus doth expound it of Legitimacy and so did the eminent Man Augustine of Hippo long before Erasmus take the sence for he tells us whatsoever that Holiness is it is certain it is not of Power to make Christians or remit Sins 5. The Figures which you give us out of the Old Testament are Lev. 19. 2. and 20. 7. Exod. 16. 6. Deut. 7. 6. and 14. 2. and 26. 19. and 28. 9. All which do shew That God was the Lord that Israel should know that he is the Lord that he is a holy God and that they should be a holy People But what is all this to your purpose God spake not these things to Infants he tells us so himself Deut. 11. 2. And know you this day for I speak not with your Children which have not known and which have not seen the Chastisement of the Lord your God his Greatness his mighty Hand and stretch'd out Arm c. ver 7. but your Eyes have seen c. Therefore ye shall keep all the Commandments c. Sure you have not proved your Argument by any thing you have yet brought for that purpose For By all that you have said it appears not that some Infants are so discipled as to have the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit upon them Nor are you able to name so much as one such Infant now in being and consequently you can with no shew of Reason baptise them I consider again Who must do this previous Work to Infant-Baptism Must the same Minister do both And what Order have you to put the Name of Father Son and Holy Ghost upon Infants twice once before you sprinkle them and then again when you sprinkle them There is one thing remarkable from your self and others in these later times who espouse this Controversy You all seem to be convinced that none are to be baptised but Disciples according to Matth. 28. 19. and indeed the Text is so very clear to that purpose that it cannot be
Men every where to repent and wills that the Gospel which contains this and many other precious Promises should be preached to every Creature And if Baptism may be a Seal of this Doctrine even there where there wants a Principle of Faith as you tell us it may then we may go and baptise every Creature and not higgle as you do about some Infants only but should we do thus God's Word would trip up our Heels as it does yours for tho he has proclaim'd Peace to the World by the Gospel yet he makes Faith necessary to the Pledg of its Reception He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved If thou believest with all thine Heart thou mayst be baptised When they believed they were baptised not one Person admitted without and then what is Mr. Petto that will adventure to give Baptism even there where there is not Faith no nor so much as a Principle of it How shall Baptism be the Answer of a good Conscience without a Principle of Faith And what good will it do you without Faith He quotes Isa 44. 3. I will pour Water upon him that is thirsty I will pour my Spirit upon thy Seed c. Well but not in Infancy when was this done to any of your Infants Or has not God made good this Promise in the Gospel Men must be thirsty before this Water be poured out upon them You bring Isa 59. 21. which might have shewed you that these Promises belong not to Infants seeing they cannot understand either the Word or Spirit which yet is here promised to be in the mouth of the Church and her Seed for ever or if you please in the mouth of Christ and his Seeds Seed for ever But Infants are so called saith Augustin à non fando because they cannot speak You bring Psal 25. 13. and 112. 2. where 't is said The Seed of good Men shall inherit the Earth and be mighty upon Earth and be blessed But I think these are unfitly applied to Infants in Infancy and yet if they concern'd them here 's no Proof that they are visibly in the Faith during Infancy But what shall become of the Infants of ill Men by Mr. Petto's Doctrine they are put by him in a Condition contrary to that of the Infants of good Men as if the Infants Blessing or Cursing must be measured out as the Parents are Believers or otherwise Let us see his Scriptures Psal 37. 28. The Seed of the wicked shall be cut off But why must this be applied to Infants Sure he has Mercy for them so as not to turn them into Hell. For he hath told us if those Children of wicked Men which live to years do but turn from the wicked Ways of their Fathers they shall not dy and so equal are God's Ways that if the Son of a righteous Man follow the Ways of wicked Men he shall die as to temporal Judgments I grant the Infants do sometimes suffer for the Sin of their Parents but our Discourse is about their Salvation You bring Rom. 11. again and thence you infer that the Infant-seed of the Jews was broken off for the Parents Unbelief But if this Breaking-off be understood of an Exclusion of Infants to Hells Torments it is a most false Opinion as I shall fully shew anon That Abraham by virtue of his Faith which he had being uncircumcised is a Father of the faithful both Jew and Gentile is very true But that any of them are his Children so as to be Members of the Church militant to do and suffer for Christ without actual Faith is not true nor does Rom. 4. 10 11 12. prove the contrary let us hear your Text How then was it reckoned when he was in Circumcision or in Vncircumcision not in Circumcision but in Vncircumcision And he re-received the Sign of Circumcision a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith which he had being yet uncircumcised that he might be the Father of them that believe though they be not circumcised that Righteousness might be imputed to them also And the Father of Circumcision to them who are not of the Circumcision only but also walk in the Steps of that Faith of our Father Abraham which he had being yet uncircumcised May the God of Heaven give you a good understanding of this Place and then all your struggling for Infant-Baptism would soon vanish For there is nothing more evident than this that none but such as so believe as to walk in the Steps of that Faith which Abraham himself had which was true actual Faith are the Children of Abraham in a visible Church-state to worship God either in Baptism or other Ordinances From pag. 48. You proceed to answer many Objections and in all you say this seems to be your great Stick That Infant-Interest in the Covenant Gen. 17. is not cut off by any thing so objected as you have set them down and unless this be shewed all Objections signify nothing to you 1. To which I answer Infants had as good Right to the Covenant of Grace before Circumcision and have the same Right now which they ever had to that blessed Covenant of this more by and by 2. No Person 's Right to Circumcision did arise out of the Covenant of Grace but did only issue from the Command of God otherwise all good Men then living must needs be circumcised for they were in the Covenant of Grace as well as Abraham 3. As Circumcision did not give Abraham's Seed an Interest in the Covenant of Grace so the Abrogation of Circumcision did not take that Interest from them Nor did the omission of it when in being cut Infants off from the Covenant of Grace It only cut them off from the Land of Canaan and the external Priviledges of the Jewish Churchstate For the delay of the Circumcision of Moses's Child did not cut it off from the Covenant of Grace nor did the omission of it fourty Years in the Wilderness cut them Infants off from the Covenant of Grace who died in that time howbeit before they possessed the Land of Canaan they must be circumcised which evidently shews that the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Circumcision are to be distinguished And therefore though Infants have now no Part in the Covenant of Circumcision yet they lose nothing by it because though it was very useful till Christ came for the Ends for which it was ordained respecting the Church-state of the Jews and the Birth of our Saviour of that Seed according to the Flesh yet the Removal of it was a great Mercy whether we respect the Severity of the Service it self or the Obligation to which it bound all that were circumcised Neither does any Man's Right to the Covenant of Grace arise from the Covenant of Circumcision neither does his Right to Baptism arise from the Covenant of Grace without a Divine Command appointing to whom and how it should be performed Now the Gospel being preached for the Obedience