Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	jesus_n	15,155	5	6.0417	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30138	Differences in judgment about vvater-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints, as saints, proved lawful in answer to a book written by the Baptists, and published by Mr. T.P. and Mr. W.K. entituled, Some serious reflections on that part of Mr. Bunyan's confession of faith, touching church-communion with unbaptized believers : wherein, their objections and arguments are answered, and the doctrine of communion still asserted and vindicated : here is also Mr. Henry's Jesse's judgment in the case, fully declaring the doctrine I have asserted / by John Bunyan.	Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.; Jessey, Henry, 1603-1663.	1673 (1673)	Wing B5509; ESTC R21419	60,966	126

towards them that sought him not according to due order 1 Chron. 15. 13. Was God so exact with his People then that all things to a Pin must be according to the Pattern in the Mount Heb. 7. 16. 9. 11. whose Worship then comparatively to the Gospel was but after the Law of a Carnal Commandment and can it be supposed he should be so indifferent no● to leave men to their own liberty to time and place his Appointments contrary to what he hath given in express Rule for in his Word as before Ezek. 44. 7 9 10. It was the Priest's Sin formerly to bring the uncircumcised in heart and flesh into his house Answ. That there is no such Order in that Commission as you feign I have proved As for your far-fetch'd Instance 1 Chron. 15. 't is quite besides your purpose The express Word was That the Priest not a Cart should bear the Ark of God Also they were not to touch it and yet Uzza did Exod. 25. 14. 1 Chron. 15. 12 13 14 15. Numb 4. 15. 1 Chron. 13. Now if you can make that 28th of Matthew say Receive none that are not baptized first or that Christ would have them of his that are not yet baptized kept ignorant of all other Truths that respect Church-Communion then you say something else you do but raise a mist before the simple Reader but who so listeth may hang on your sleeve As for the Pins and Tacks of the Tabernacle they were expresly commanded and when you have proved by the Word of God That you ought to shut Saints out of your Communion for want of Baptism then you may begin more justly to make your Parallel How fitly you have urged Ezek. 44. to insinuate that unbaptized Believers are like the uncircumcised in heart and flesh I leave it to all Gospel-Novices to consider Your third Argument is The practice of the first Gospel-Ministers with them that first trusted in Christ discovers the truth of what I assert Certainly they that lived at the spring-head or fountain of Truth and had the Law from Christ's own mouth knew the meaning of his Commission better than we but their constant practice in conformity to that Commission all along the Acts of the Apostles discovers that they never arrived to such a latitude as men plead for now a-dayes They that gladly received the Word were baptized and they yea they only were received into the Church Answ. How well you have proved what you have asserted is manifest by my Answer to the two former Arguments I adde That the Ministers and Servants of Jesus Christ in the first Churches for that you are to prove were Commanded to forbear to Preach other Truths to the Unbaptized Believers or that they were to keep them out of the Church or that the Apostles and first Fathers have given you to understand by their Example that you ought to keep as good out of Churches as your selves hath not yet been shewed by the Authority of the Word The second of the Acts proveth not That the three thousand were necessitated to be baptized in order to their Fellowship with the Church neither doth it say THEY yea they only were received into the Church But suppose all this as much was done at the first Institution of Circumcision c. yet afterwards thousands were received without it Your fourth Argument is None of the Scripture-Saints ever attempted this Church-priviledge without Baptism if they did let it be shewn The Eunuch first desired Baptism before any thing else Paul was first baptized before he did essay to joyn with the Church Our Lord Christ the great Example of the New Testament entred not upon his publick Ministry much less any other Gospel-Ordinance of Worship till he was Baptized Answ. That none of the Scripture-Saints if there be any unscripture ones so much as attempted this Church-priviledge first remains for you to prove But suppose they were all Baptized because they had light therein what then Doth this prove that Baptism is essential to Church-Communion Or that Christ commanded in the 28th of Matthew or gave his Ministers by that authority not to make known to Believers other parts of Gospel-Worship if they shall want light in Baptism The Eunuch Paul and our blessed Lord Jesus did none of them by their Baptism set themselves to us Examples how to enter into Church-Communion what Church was the Eunuch Baptized into or made a Member of but where is it said that the unbaptized Believer how excellent soever in Faith and Holiness must for want of Water-baptism be shut out from the communion of Saints or be debarred the Priviledge of his Fathers House This you are to prove Your fifth Argument is If Christ himself was made manifest to be the SENT of God by Baptism as appears Mark 1. 9 10. Then why may not Baptism as the first Fruits of Faith and the first step of Gospel-Obedience as to Instituted Worship be a manifesting discovering Ordinance upon others who thus follow Christ's steps Answ. That Jesus Christ was manifested as the SENT of God by Baptism or that Baptism is the first Fruit of Faith and the first step of Gospel-Obedience as to instituted Worship is both without proof and truth the Text saith not he was manifest to be the sent of God by Baptism nay it saith not that by that he was manifest to others to be any thing thereby you have therefore but wronged the Text to prove your wordless Practice by Yea John himself though he knew him before he was baptized to be a Man of God for saith he I have need to be Baptized of thee and comest thou to me and knew him after to be the SENT of God yet not in or by but after he was Baptized to wit by the descending of the Holy Ghost after he was come out of the Water as he was in Prayer for the Heavens were opened to John and he saw and bare Record because he saw the Spirit descend from Heaven and abide upon Jesus after his Baptism as he was in Prayer Mat. 3. 13 14 15 16. Luk. 3. 21 22. Thus we find him made known before and after but not at all by Baptism to be the SENT of God And that Baptism is the first fruits of Faith or that Faith ought to be tyed to take its first step in Water-baptism in the instituted Worship of God this you must prove is not found expressed within the whole Bible Faith acts according to its strength and as it sees it is not tyed or bound to any outward Circumstance one believeth he may and another believeth he may not either do this or that Your sixth Argument is If Baptism be in any sence any part of the foundation of a Church as to order Heb. 6. 1 2. it must have place here or no where why are those things called first Principles if not first to be believed and practised Why are they rendred by the learned the A.

the Body of Christ Jews and Gentiles bond and free partook not thereof Object But Ephes. 4. 5. saith there is but one Baptism and by what hath been said of granted Water-baptism will be excluded or else there is more Baptisms than one Answ. It followeth not that because the Spirit will have no corrival that therefore other things may not be in their places That because the Spirit of God taketh the preheminence therefore other things may not be subservient 1 John 2. 27. The Apostle tells them That the anointing which they have received of him abideth in them and you need not saith he that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you all things By this some may think John excludes the Ministry no such matter though the Holy Ghost had confirmed and instructed them so in the Truth of the Gospel as that they were furnished against Seducers in v. 26. yet you see John goes on still teaching them in many things As also in Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers vers 12. for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ vers 13. Till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. So in the Spirits-baptism though it have the preheminence and appropriateth some things as peculiar to it self it doth not thereby destroy the Use and End of Water-baptism or any other Ordinance in its place for Water-baptism is a means to increase Grace and in it and by it Sanctification is forwarded and Remission of sins more cleared and witnessed yet the giving Grace and regenerating and renewing is the Holy Spirit 's peculiar Consider Tit. 3. 5. By the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Baptism being the outward sign of the inward Graces wrought by the Spirit a representation or figure as in 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like Figure whereunto Baptism doth now also save us not the putting away of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ not excluding Water-baptism but shewing That the Spiritual part is chiefly to be looked at Though such as slight Water-baptism as the Pharisees and Lawyers did Luke 7. 30 reject the Counsel of God against themselves not being Baptized And such as would set Water-baptism in the Spirit 's place exalt a duty against the Deity and dignity of the Spirit and do give the Glory due vnto him as God blessed for ever unto a duty By which mistake of setting up Water-baptism in the Spirit 's place and assigning it a work which was never appointed unto it of forming the Body of Christ either in general as in 1 Cor. 12. 13. Eph. 4. 5. or as to particular Churches of Christ we may see the fruit that instead of being the means of uniting as the Spirit doth that it hath not only rent his seamless Coat but divided his Body which he hath purchased with his own blood and opposed that great design of Father Son and Spirit in uniting poor Saints thereby pulling in pieces what the Spirit hath put together Him that is weak in the Faith receive you for God hath received him being such as the Spirit had baptized and admitted of the Body of Christ he would have his Churches receive them also whose Baptism is the ONLY Baptism and so is called the ONE Baptism Therefore consider whether such a Practice hath a Command or an Example that Persons must be joyned into Church-fellowship by Water-baptism For John baptized many yet he did not baptize some into one Church and some into another nor all into one Church as the Church of Rome doth And into what Church did Philip baptize the Eunuch or the Apostle the Jaylor and his house And all the rest they baptized were they not left free to joyn themselves for their convenience and Edification All which I leave to Consideration I might have named some inconveniencies if not absurdities that would follow the Assertion As to father the mistakes of the Baptizers on the Spirit 's act who is not mistaken in any He baptizeth no false Brethren creep in unawares into the Mystical Body by him and also how this manner of forming Churches would suit a Country where many are converted and willing to be baptized but there being no Church to be baptized into how shall such a Church-state begin The first must be baptized into no Church and the rest into him as the Church or the Work stand still for want of a Church Obj. But God is a God of Order and hath ordained Order in all the Churches of Christ and for to receive one that holds the Baptism he had in his Infancy there is no Command nor Example for and by the same Rule Children will be brought in to be Church-members Answ. That God is a God of Order and and hath ordained Orders in all the Churches of Christ is true and that this is one of the Orders to receive him that is weak in the Faith is as true And though there be no Example or Command in so many words receive such an one that holds the Baptism he had in his infancy nor to reject such a one but there is a Command to receive him that is weak in the Faith without limitation and it is like this might not be a doubt in those dayes and so not spoken of in particular But the Lord provides a remedy for all times in the Text Him that is weak in the Faith receive you for else receiving would not be upon the account of Saintship but upon knowing and doing all things according to Rule and Order and that must be perfectly else for to deny any thing or to affirm too much is disorderly and would hinder receiveing But the Lord deals not so with his People but accounts LOVE the fulfilling of the Law though they be ignorant in many things both as to knowing and doing and receives them into Communion and Fellowship with himself and would have others do the same also And if he would have so much bearing in the Apostle's dayes when they had infallible helps to expound Truths unto them much more now the Church hath been so long in the Wilderness and in Captivity and not that his People should be driven away in the dark day though they are sick and weak Ezek. 34. 16 21. And that it should be supposed such tenderness would bring in Children in Age to be Church-members yea and welcome if any body could prove them in the Faith though never so weak for the Text is Him that is weak in the Faith receive you It is not He and his Wife and Children unless it can be proved they are in the Faith Object By this some Ordinances

should they not only receive such as were weak within into mutual Affection but such as were without both to mutual Affection and to Church-fellowship Or else such weak ones as were without had been excluded by the Text. Oh! how is the heart of God the Father and the Son set upon this to have his Children in his House and in one anothers hearts as they are in his and are born upon the shoulders and breasts of his Son their High-Priest and as if all this will not do it but the Devil will divide them still whose work it properly is But the God of Peace will come in shortly and bruise Satan under their feet as in Rom. 16. 20. And they will agree to be in one House when they are more of one Heart in the mean time pray as in Chap. 15. 5. Now the God of Patience and Consolation grant that we be like-minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus I shall endeavour the answering of some Objections and leave it unto Consideration Obj. Some say this bearing or receiving were but in things indifferent Answ. That eating or forbearing upon a civil account are things indifferent is true But not when done upon the account of Worship as keeping of Dayes and establishing Jewish observations about Meats which by the Death of Christ are taken away and it is not fairly to be imagined the same Church at Rome look'd so upon them as indifferent nor that the Lord doth That it were all alike to him to hold up Jewish Observations or to keep Days or no Days right Days or wrong Days as indifferent things which is a great mistake and no less than to make God's Grace little in receiving such For if it were but in things wherein they had not sinned it were no great matter for the Lord to receive and it would have been as good an Argument or Motive to the Church to say the things were indifferent as to say the Lord had received them Whereas the Text is to set out the Riches of Grace to the Vessels of Mercy as Rom. 9. 15. That as at first he did freely chuse and accept them so when they sail and miscarry in many things yea about his Worship also although he be most injured thereby yet he is first in passing it by and perswading others to do the like That as the good Samaritan did in the Old Testament so our good Samaritan doth in the New when Priest and Levite pass'd by Pastor and People pass by yet he will not but pours in Oyl and carries them to his Inn and calls for receiving and setting it upon his account Object That this bearing with and receiving such as are weak in the Faith must be limited to Meats and Dayes and such like things that had been old Jewish Observations but not unto the being ignorant in or doubting of any New-Testament-Institution Answ. Where the Lord puts no limitation men should be wary how they do it for they must have a Command or Example before they can limit this Command for although the Lord took this occasion from their difference about Meats and Dayes to give this Command yet the Command is not limited there no more than Mat. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. That when they made use of his good Law rigorously in the Letter he presently published an Act of Grace in the 7th verse and tells them Had they known what this meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice they would not have condemned the guiltless as also Mat. 9. 13. Go learn what this meaneth I will have Mercy and not Sacrifice which is not to be limited unto what was the present occasion of publishing the Command but observed as a general Rule upon all occasions wherein Mercy and Sacrifice comes in competition to shew the Lord will rather have a Duty omitted that is due to him then Mercy to his Creatures omitted by them So in the Text when some would not receive such as were weak in the Faith as to matters of Practice the Lord was pleased to publish this ACT of Grace Him that is weak in the Faith receive you but not to doubtful disputation Now unless it be proved that no Saint can be weak in the Faith in any thing but Meats and Days or in some Old-Testament-Observation and that he ought not to be judged a Saint that is weak in the Faith as it relates to Gospel-Institutions in matters of practice you cannot limit the Text and you must also prove his weakness SUCH as that the Lord will not receive him else the Command in the first verse and the Reason or Motive in the third verse will both be in force upon you to wit Him that is weak in the Faith receive you or unto you for God hath received him Object But some may object from 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles Some there are that affirm this to be meant of Water-baptism and that particular Churches are formed thereby and all persons are to be admitted and joyned unto such Churches by Water-baptism Answ. That the Baptism intended in the Text is the Spirits-baptism and not Water-baptism and that the Body the Text intends is not principally the Church of Corinth but all Believers both Jews and Gentiles being baptized into one Mystical Body as Ephes. 4. 4. There is one Body and one Spirit wherein there is set out the Uniter and the United therefore in the third verse they are exhorted to keep the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace The United are all the Faithful in one Body into whom in the fifth verse in one Lord Jesus Christ by what one Faith one Baptism which CANNOT be meant of Water-baptism for Water-baptism doth not unite all this Body for some of them never had Water-baptism and are yet of this Body and by the Spirit gathered into one Lord Jesus Christ Ephes. 1. 10. both which are in Heaven and in Earth Jew and Gentile Ephes. 2. 16. that he might reconcile both unto God in one Body by his Cross the Instrument you have in vers 18. by one Spirit Ephes. 3. 6. That the Gentiles should be Fellow-Heirs of the same Body vers 15. of whom the whole family in Heaven and Earth is named And the Reasons of their keeping the Unity of the Spirit in Eph. 4. 3. is said down in v. 4 5. being one Body one Spirit having one Hope one Lord one Faith one Baptism whether they were Jews or Gentiles such as were in Heaven or in Earth which CANNOT be meant of Water-baptism for in that sense they had not all one Baptism nor admitted and united thereby So in 1 Cor. 12. 13. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one Body whether Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free we having been all made to drink into one Spirit which CANNOT be meant of Water-baptism in regard all