Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	fire_n	ghost_n	holy_a	6,369	5	5.6726	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85422	VVater-dipping no firm footing for Church-communion: or Considerations proving it not simply lawful, but necessary also (in point of duty) for persons baptized after the new mode of dipping, to continue communion with those churches, or imbodied societies of saints, of which they were members before the said dipping; and that to betray their trust or faith given unto Jesus Christ to serve him in the relation and capacity, whether of officers, or other members, in these churches (respectively) by deserting these churches, is a sin highly provoking in the sight of God. Together with a post-script touching the pretended Answer to the Forty queries about Church-communion, infant and after baptism. By John Goodwin, a servant of God in the Gospel of his dear Son.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1653 (1653)	Wing G1213; Thomason E723_15; ESTC R202234	72,402	91

this I am certain of and so may any other person readily be that very much less it is A non-acting dothnot necessarily suppose an unwillingness to act but possibly a want of an opportunity only for acting and sometimes a want of power But a refusing to act always imports a want of will to act 3. Whereas he turns Querist and demands Will it follow that because these external rites Baptism and the like do not avail unto mens justification when they are observed that therefore they are not necessary unto Church-communion I answer affirmatively yes it will follow For if men may be justified without Baptism it follows that they may beleeve and be sanctified also andconsequently brought into the number of Saints without it Now that the will and pleasure of the Lord Christ is that all Saints without exception whether Baptized or unbaptized whether convinced of the necessity of Baptism orunconvinced should be perfected i. e. built up to the greatest meetness for their Inheritance in light that may be and consequently admitted into Church-communion where the best means of such an edification are to be found hath been sufficiently I trust proved in the preceding Considerations Concerning the rite of Circumcision how and with what limitations it was necessary to Church-communion amongst the Jews as likewise how different the Consideration of circumcision and Baptism is about the Regulation of Church-communion hath been argued at large already And whereas he demands How then can the Querist estimate the usefulnes and disusefulness of Baptism as to Church-communion by circumcision as he doth c. the Querist answereth That he is so far from doing that which he is here charged to do that as he even now intimated his since is that there is altogether a different consideration between Circumcision and Baptism in their respective relations to Church-communion Only herein he confesseth an agreement between them that as that is not circumcision which is outward in the flesh Rom. 2. 28. meaning not the circumcision which much commendeth any man unto God so neither is that Baptism which is externally administred and received the Baptism that much interesseth any person in his favour 4. Whereas he yet demands How the Apostles or others Christians in these times would have known or have been able upon good ground to have concluded that such persons had truly beleeved in Christ unto Justification and had been meet to be admitted to communion with them who should if any such had been have refused to obey Christ in submitting to Baptism c. I answer Whosoever refuseth i. e. professedly denyeth to obey Christ not only in submitting unto Baptism but in any other of his commands being made known to be his unto him cannot I suppose by any argument or testimony whatsoever be concluded to beleeve in Christ unto justification But this nothing hindereth but that in case any person be in the general course of his life conscientious and observant of the Laws of Christ as far as the knowledg hereof shall come to him he may be upon this account concluded a Beleever unto justification although being ignorant of or dissatisfied about any particular Law of Christ as suppose his Law concerning Baptism he should not exhibit obedience unto it Nor is a refusal to submit unto Baptism in these days of a like interpretation with such a refusal in the days of the Apostles Because then there could be no place for any question or doubt whether a submitting unto Baptism at least being required by the Apostles were an act of obedience unto Christ or no whereas now it is the sence of some worthy Christians I do not say it is mine that a submission unto Baptism is rather an act of will-worship then of obedience unto Christ and others are dissatisfied about the necessity of it Therefore although a refusing to be baptized then did argue a rejection of the Councel of God in the refusers yet supposing that God hath now layd Baptism aside which is the judgment of those lately mentioned a refusing to submit unto it rather argueth an accepting then a rejecting of the Councel of God As the Jews who refused to submit unto circumcision after the Gospel had been preached unto them did not herein reject the Councel of God concerning circumcision but imbrace and accept it however such a refusal before would have been a rejection of it 5. Neither doth the Querist estimate the Apostles judgment of Gospel Rites by what he speaks of circumcision but by what he opposeth both to circumcision and to uncircumcision and speaketh concerning them For whereas the Apostle expresseth himself thus In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but FAITH WHICH WORKETH BY LOVE And again Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing but THE KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD He plainly declares and avoucheth that that which is opposite to such things which are nothing a vail nothing and consequently which is somewhat and which highly availeth is not Baptism nor any other external rite or ceremony but such a thing which is as contra-distinguishable against these as against circumcision or uncircumcision themselves viz. Faith which worketh by love and The keeping of the Commandments of God Nor doth an opposition made between Faith and Gospel Ordinances any whit more set them together by the ears then the Evangelist John sets Moses and Christ who were and are as good Friends as Faith and Gospel Rites together by the ears in making this opposition between them For the Law was given by MOSES but Grace and Truth came by Jesus CHRIST Joh. 1. 17. Or then John Baptist set his Baptism and the Baptism of Christ together by the ears by opposing them thus I indeed have baptized you with water But He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire Mar. 1. 9. He that saith Luther was of an active resolute and tearing spirit Melancthon of a gentle and soft doth not set these good Friends together by the ears but only shews wherein notwithstanding their agreement as dear Consorts and Friends they yet differed the one from the other There are no two things in the world but differ in something the one from the other and consequently may in respect hereof be opposed the one unto the other Yea though Baptism I mean a submitting unto Baptism be the keeping of a commandment of God yet may it regularly enough be opposed to the keeping of the Commandments of God as one man may be opposed unto many or the setting of a mans foot out of his door to the performance of a long journey But these things are I suppose a little out of my Anti-querist his Element 6. Whereas he demands Why doth the Querist make circumcision a Gospel rite which is indeed a rite abolished by the Gospel I may much more honestly demand why doth the Anti-querist lay to the Querist charge a thing which he knoweth not no nor yet the words

are continually made sad within us viz. that the generality or far greater part of those who turn aside into this way do some more suddenly others by degrees impair and decline in their Graces lose that sweetness meekness love and Christian humility of spirit wherewith they were formerly adorned as if they were baptized in Marah a or in the waters of the Red Sea Never did we know any that by being dipped added thereby so much as an hairs bredth to his spiritual stature or that became in any degree either more meek or more humble or more patient or more merciful or more mortifyed self-denying or the like but very many have we known and heard of who upon such an engagement have made shipwrack of much spiritual treasure wherewith God had blessed them under their first Baptism Many have we known who went into the water Lambs and came out of it Wolves and Tygers many who went in Doves and came out Serpents as if they had met with the spirit that rules in the ayr under the water in stead of the sweet Spirit of Christ Yea we have known some who soon after their dipping have perpetrated and done things so unworthy and unsutable to their former genius which if any man had challenged them before their dipping that they would do after we have reason to judg they would have replied to the challenge as Hazael did to Elisha in somewhat a like case But what is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing 2 King 8. 13. So many sad spectacles and stories wherewith our eyes and ears are fill'd from time to time especially not being ballanced or counterpoysed with any thing desireable or of moment put us into some fears lest as God in his just though secret judgment gives Sathan a permission to haunt some houses and to misuse and terrifie those that shall lodg in them so he should for causes best known to himself though somewhat might with good probability be conjectured in this kind have granted unto this enemy of mankind somewhat a like power over the opinion and practise of Rebaptizing and to tempt those who suffer themselves to be intangled with them more dangerously and prevailingly then those who in simplicity of heart walk before him in the contrary way We are not definitive in this but only crave leave without offence to make known our fears And however God having multiplied grace mercy and peace unto us in that way of his worship wherein at present we walk we judge it no Christian prudence to tempt him in another But whether our Brethren have any just cause to cast us out of their communion for not forsaking a way of experienced peace and safety to walk in a way of so much danger as that they seek to conjure us into we leave to their own consciences and to all considering men to judg and determine CONSIDERATION XXIII The Consideration that sealeth unto me the conclu●ency and force of all the former against the practise of Church-rending upon the p●etence of undipt members is the invalidity of any thing that hath been yet brought to light and I presume of all that ever will or can be in justification of it 1. It is not true is hath been sufficiently proved that circumcision was constitutive of the Jewish Church or gave being of membership to all the leg●●imate members of it Or if this could be made good yet would it not follow from hence that therefore Baptism must needs constitute the Christian Church For what though it be supposed that Baptism succeedeth in the place of circumcision a supposition which though true and demonstrable enough yet neither lives nor dyes to me yet it followeth not that it should succeed it in all its circumstantial ends and relations Solomon succeeded David in his Kingdom yet he did not succeed him in his wives or concubines or any his relations of affinity 2. Nor do the contents of Act. 2. 41. prove so much as in f●ce or appearance that Baptism is of the essence of a Church-member For 1. Those who are said to have been baptized in the former part of the verse are not said in the latter to have been added to the Church but simply {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they were added or added to If the question be to what or to whom they were added if not to the Church the Holy Ghost himself may inform you expressing himself more plainly in a like case Act. 11. 24. And much people was ADDED TO THE LORD And 2. It is said Act. 2 47. And the Lord added unto the Church who Such as were baptized no but Such as should be saved or {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. those who are or were saved or delivered viz. from the general impiety of the Jewish Nation which was not by being baptized but by beleeving 3. and lastly for this In case their baptizing having been mentioned in the former part of the verse it should been said in the latter that they were added unto the Church yet {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} would not have proved {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the recording of their addition to the Church after their being baptized will not prove this addition to have been made by vertue or by means of their baptizing In the former part of the verse Ioh. 6. 49. Christ telleth the Jews that their Fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness he subjoyneth in the latter and are dead Will any man reason from hence because this eating Manna is reported in the former part of the verse and their death or being dead in the latter therefore their death was caused by their eating of manna 3. Nor doth that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 13. make any whit more if not rather less for Church-constitution by Baptism then the former For 1. When the Apostle saith by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body it is not necessary we should understand him to speak of water-Baptisw because 1. Here is another element expresly named wherein this Baptism might be administred viz. the Spirit whereas there is no mention of water at all 2. The phrase of being baptized with the Spirit or with the Holy Ghost as {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} might have been translated here as it is in all other places of like construction as viz. Mat. 3. 11. Mar. 1. 8. Luk. 3. 16. Ioh. 1 33. Acts 1. 5 Acts 11 16. is most usual and frequent in the Scriptures as the several texts now cited sufficiently declare whereas to be with or through the spirit baptized with water is an uncouth and hard expression no where found in the Scriptures nor carrying any regular Sence in it 3. If the unity or oneness of the body here spoken of did or doth depend upon their baptizing with water and was caused by this it had been impertinent for the Apostle to

disgraceful or reproachful way then when men shall separate from them as unclean or defective in Holiness CONSIDERATION IV. Such persons whom God judgeth meet for communion and fellowship with himself and his Son Jesus Christ the reasons and grounds of this his judgment being visible in these persons especially being acknowledged also by men ought not to be judged unmeet for any holy communion with the Holiest of men especially not by those who do acknowledg those things in these persons which are the grounds of their acceptance into the said communion with God The Apostle instructing the strong in Faith in their duty towards the weak i. e. towards those who were at present ignorant of many things which the other knew saith thus Him that is weak in the Faith receive you And again Let not him that eateth i. e. the strong in Faith who understands his liberty despise him that eateth not i. e. the weak Rom. 14 1 3. The reason why God would have no despising of weak Christians on the one hand nor judging of those that were strong on the other is delivered by the Apostle in these words vers 3. For God hath accepted him i. e. as well the weak as the strong and again the strong as well as the weak the reason equally relating to both the preceding clauses in the verse clearly avouching Gods accepting of persons when discovered or acknowledged by men for an obliging ground upon these not to despise them or which is by the Apostle interpreted as the same to reject them from their communion Now the grounds of Gods acceptance of men and women as meet for communion with him and his Son Jesus Christ are from place to place in the Scriptures declared such which are owned and acknowledged by persons themselves baptized according to the new and late edition of this Ordinance so much corrected enlarged and amended in those Churches and their members who at present make use of the former edition only In every Nation saith Peter speaking of God he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is ACCEPTED with him Acts 10. 35. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost for he that in these things serveth Christ is ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD c. Rom. 14. 17 18. If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have FELLOVVSHIP one with another c. to omit other places of like import which are many Now the Brethren of the New baptized Churches themselves at least such of them whose Judgments and Consciences have not been drowned by the dipping of their bodies do acknowledg all the said qualifications as the fear of God the working righteousness c. to be as visible in the members of bodies by them called unbaptized as in their own Yea some of them as yet retain so much Christian ingenuity as to confess that in our unbaptized Churches to please Jews we speak in the Jewish language we have persons of as great or greater worth for holiness righteousness the fear and love of God with all other Christian accomplishments as themselves have in the best of their Congregations notwithstanding the unimaginable advantage of their Baptism I wish in my Soul for their sakes that God would mercifully please to put it into their hearts seriously to consider of what insufferable height and insolency of spirit it strongly savoreth for men to judg those unworthy their communion whom the most Holy God the great and high Possessor of Heaven and Earth accepteth into his CONSIDERATION V. The main Pillar upon which the house of our new Dippers of Men and Dividers of Churches is built is the signification of the verb baptizo {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} translated to baptize as for others they are much more crazy although neither is this of any great strength But how few are there amongst those who with so much violence and height of confidence build troubles sorrows distractions and confusions of Christian Churches upon this Pillar that understand little or much what the said word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} meaneth or what it signifieth For ought they know upon their own account {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} may signifie either to tide or to run or to build as well as to dip So that all the Faith they have of the proper signification of the said word is built upon the authority and tradition of men And the truth is that men of greatest judgment and knowledg in the Greek tongue are not agreed about the adequate or exact signification of it Certain it is that the word which properly primitively and originally signifieth to dip is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} nor {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} being only a frequentative as Grammarians speak and of a diminutive form from the original {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is from the verb {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} with many others of like consideration in the Greek tongue And very considerable it is that the Scripture of the New Testament where ever it hath occasion to express the act of dipping constantly useth the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} never {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} See Luk. 16. 24. Joh. 13. 26. Revel. 19. 13. as on the contrary where ever it hath occasion to mention or express the sacred action of Baptism it never useth the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} but always {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Yea it is granted by the Dipping Grandees themselves that the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is often found in the New Testament it self where it signifieth nothing less or rather somewhat less then dipping Yea that when it is used in the Sacramental signification that it doth not signifie or import dipping unless it be said to signifie undipping or lifting out of the water also is to me evident from most if not all the places where the sacred action known by the name of baptizing is expressed by it I shall argue only that one at present Mat. 28. 19. The Apostles commission there as to the matter of baptizing is expressed by the said word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} c. Now if the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} here signifies to dip and not to undip or heave out of the water then had the Apostles no authority at all or commission from Christ to perform the one half of the baptismal transaction we speak now according to the Dipping principles viz. that which consists in the lifting or taking up out of the water those whom they were to dip into or under the water but in case they did raise or help them out of the

mention the unity of the Spirit For we by one Spirit are all c. he should rather have insisted upon the oneness or same-ness of water Baptism as he doth Ephes. 4. 5. 4. The unity or oneness of the body of which the Apostle speaks is not so much or so proper an effect of water-Baptism no nor of the oneness of this Baptism if it be any effect of either at all is of the Spirit by which this body is inspired animated acted and moved and the members of it knit together and kept from dissolution 5. Whether all the members of the body were baptized with water or no is uncertain The Apostle expresly professeth that he baptized viz. with water very few of them and who else should baptize them all no where appears whereas that they were all with or by the Spirit baptized into the same body i. e. perswaded and over-ruled in their judgments and consciences to imbody themselves in a profession of the Faith of Jesus Christ and of the Gospel is unquestionable 6 The Spirit is no where said to baptize men with water by or through the Spirit 7. Though there be no express mention in the vers either of God or of Christ who elsewhere the one or the other are said to baptize with the Spirit those who are thus baptived yet verse 6. God is named and this under the consideration of his unity or sameness as working all in all But it is the same God that worketh all in all And in the next verse it is said But the manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every man c. meaning by God mentioned in the verse preceding Besides There is nothing more familiat in the Scriptures then to express such actions which are proper unto God or Christ indefinitely and without the mention of either All Power is given unto me saith Christ meaning by God his Father in Heaven and in Earth Matth. 28. 18. Instances of this construction see Matth. 12. 37. and 25. 29. Philip 4. 12. besides many others Yea actions appropriate whether to Angels or men are sometimes thus expressed 8. The resemblance which the Apostle borrowed in the Verse next preceding that in hand from the natural body sheweth that the unity or oneness of that Church body of which he here speaketh is not such an oneness which accrueth unto it by Water-Baptism or any external Rite or Ceremony but by the oneness and sameness of that Spirit by which it is as it were inform'd inwardly and supported in life and spiritual Being For as the body saith he is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ intimating that as the natural body notwithstanding the plurality and diversity of its members yet is is made or becometh one intire body not by any external or accidental thing befalling or done unto every of these members respectively but by that spirit of life which diffuseth it self into all and every of these members proportionably and so by means of the oneness or sameness of it causeth a joynt coalition and natural consent in all these members to constitute and make one and the same entire body so is the mystical or spiritual Body of Christ made and doth become one and the same Body in its kind notwithstanding the great number and difference of the persons who are the members of it by means of that Spirit and his unity and sameness which communicates himself inwardly unto them all raising and begetting in them an holy consent to love and serve and accommodate one another much after the same manner as the natural members in that other body do 9. Nor is it any ways probable that in that clause {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} translated and have been made to drink into one Spirit the Apostle speaketh of the sacramental drinking in the Supper 1. Because drinking or the sup in this Sacrament is never found mentioned apart or without mention of the bread in the same contexture of Scripture with it 2. To say that they who have before this their drinking received the same Spirit are made to drink at the Lords Table for into or unto the same Spirit is very improper and not without very much ado so much as truth 3. Neither are Beleevers anywhere said to be made to drink or to have drink given them at the Lords Table in order to their obtaining the same Spirit 4. Learned Expositors give notice of several different readings of this clause found in Manuscripts and other Copies In a Manuscript saith Grotius upon the place this clause is thus read {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. and we all are one Body Oecumenius it seems did read it thus {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. e. and we all drank or were caused to drink one potion or one drinking for or unto one Spirit Some of the Fathers read the clause in their language Et omnes unum Spiritum potavimus i. e. and we all have drank one Spirit with which the Syriac also accordeth 5. The meaning of the clause if the reading we have be judged authentique construed with the former seems to be this We have by the same Spirit not only or simply been baptized into one and the same Body i. e. received such a proportion or measure of the Spirit given us which is sufficient to make us one Body but we have also been made to drink unto one Spirit i. e. have received of this Spirit of God so liberally so plentifully that we may very well become one Spirit hereby amongst our selves and walk together without either divisions in judgmēts or distances in our affections This construction of the preposition {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} might be exemplified from the Scriptures and however there is no hardness or unpleasantness in it And this Exposition of the clause receives countenance from all those passages in both Epistles wherein the Apostle signifies the more then ordinary pourings out of the Spirit in variety of gifts and graces upon these Corinthians But 10. and lastly Suppose it should be granted 1. That the Apostle in this Verse speaks of Water-Baptism 2. That his meaning is that by this Baptism they had been all baptized into one Body Yet 1. It doth not follow that this must needs be understood constitutively but declaratively only and that all implyed hereby should be that by their Baptism they did declare or signo tenus pretend unto the world that they were one Body not that they were constituted or really and actually made one Body by their Baptism 2. Both the said particulars admitted yea and this also that they were in a sence by Water-Baptism baptized constitutively into one Body yet will it not follow from all these put together either 1. But that they might have been yea and now were the same Body which they were by another Constitution and Constitutor one or more