Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	work_n	work_v	wrought_v	2,848	4	8.2950	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B04710	A short brotherly examination of a sermon. At first preached by Mr Salomon Saffery, and after published in print; intituled, Part of a discourse, tending only to invite those that believe in Christ, to be conformable to him by baptisme. But intending to disswade from infant-baptisme. / By Robert Pittillok, a Scottish man.	Pittilloh, Robert, 1621?-1698.	1652 (1652)	Wing P2312A; ESTC R187082	15,814	21

unto him tempting him Mat. 19.2 and 9 and the Ruler who asked him what he should do to inherire eternall life Luke 14.18 Fourthly what weight and what to purpose in answer to the Disciples labouring to keep them back hath it otherwise while Christ saith Suffer them of such is the kingdom of heaven Lastly we shall desire the Author to remember his own words p. 11. l. 19 20 21 c. it is very improbable that the Holy Ghost should put in one mystical thing among so many others that are literall which is never found to be his course except when he tels us so for he delights not in our stumblings and it wil yet appear more then improbable considering it is expressed by two Evangelists in the same way the expression which by Luke is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly translated Infants to which may be adued the expression of their being brought compared with the multitudes said to follow him and the Pharisees came unto him these being expressions signifying their ovvn act and the other the act of others as in other places persons sick and unable to come themselves are said to be brought The second argument is this Those vvho somtime received Circumcision the seal of the Covenant of grace made vvith Abraham and his seed and never lost that vvhich by it vvas signified may see God and attain salvation but some not able to confess nor having practick holines somtime received c. vvho lived in the days of the Nevv Test so vve conceive the Author understands therefore desire not to extend it beyond his meaning and never lost vvhat by it vvas signified therefore some vvho confess not vvith their mouth and have not practick holiness may attain salvation For the first Proposition we hope none vvil deny but it vvas the seal of the Covenant of grace or that such as received it and never lost vvhat vvas signified by it c. may see God except they vvill say God gave such a seal to seal nothing and as a mock to Abrahams seed vvhich vve should look upon as blasphemy though reserving to the Lord his ovvn latitude in his secret acting as seems good in his eys vvho is debter to no no man The 2. Proposit vve prove thus All the Infants of Believers in Christ vvho believed at the hearing his Word vvhen he vvas upon earth and all those vvho vvere the Infants of such Believers as believed suddenly after Christs Ascension vvhereof there were not a few Acts 2.41 vvhich vvere eight dayes old before Christs death and resurrection received Circumcision the seal of the Covenant of grace and never lost vvhat vvas signified by it remission of sins and saving grace therefore some not having practick holinesse or able to confesse vvith their mouths somtime had the seal and never lost vvhat by it vvas signified That the children of such Believers as laid hold upon Christ suddenly after his Ascension unto glory vvere circumcised vve hope none vvill deny the Ceremoniall Lavv not being before Christs death abolished so far as that it vvas indifferent to practize it or not practize it Christ himself being circumcised and keeping the Passeover immediatly before his suffering Math. 26.19 and 20. and if it be said they lost vvhat by it vvas signified We ask for vvhat Not for any thing they had done themselves for the children had neither done good nor evil neither for any thing their parents had done for they believed and became Disciples of the Nevv Testament Without controversie formerly they vvere in sanctified reason looked upon as vvithin the Covenant of grace and fit materials for the Kingdom of Heaven being Members of a visible Church to vvhich Christ joyned though very corrupt And vve desire to knovv if any man vvho is not demented vvill say because their parents laid hold upon Christ therefore they became not members and in an uncapacity of seeing God To clear this in an instance Suppone Peter had a son ten dayes old before he vvas baptized of John the Baptist circumcised the eight day and he vvas baptized the eleventh of his sons age sure he looked upon his child the tenth day of his age as one who had something of what was sealed by Circumcision and consequently as one who might see God if this day he had died and shall we think the next day he was to change his judgment because he was baptized The like may be said of one whose child was circumcised the 8. or 10. day before Christs death and who believed and was baptized 8. dayes before his Ascension And withall to close this point we shal intreat the Author and all of such a judgment but impartially to consider how much it militates against the freenesse of Gods grace that it should be said not to be of as large extent to ages under the Gospel as in the time of the Lavv against the riches of his grace which is more abundantly even in extent communicat in the days of the Gospel which are times wherein God will have all men to come to Repentance and not a handfull of Judea only against the end of Christs comming which was to comfort all that mourn in Sion and give them a song of gladnes for a song of heavines to teach after his appearance and working out the work of mans Salvation No child dying before it come to the ability of confession and practick Holinesse shal see God No friends who are dumb can be looked upon as in a possibility of glory because unable to confesse No souls can be wrought upon by the Spirit in the decaying condition of their earthly Tabernacle except it be in the estate wherein they are able to confesse believing mothers of such a judgement cannot look upon their dying Infants who often in their esteem are to them moreprecious then their own lives but with deeply sorrowfull hearts Rachell wept for her children and would not be comforted because they were not Math. 2. at the 18. But such mothers may mourn for them because they neither are nor shall be but in a being which is worse then a thousand not beings Such judgement seems very incroaching upon the freedome of the Spirits working with the discomfort it carries along with it and we shall close this part with the rehearsing of two Stories we have heard to this purpose as we conceive from honest Witnesses The first is concerning a person dying of whom the report said having been long in a deep wound of Conscience still in dispair without gripping any Comfort after the failing of speech he was desired by lifting up of his hand to shew if he found any Assurance of Mercy which he did with such chearfulnesse of countenance and calmenesse of spirit a-little before the close of his eyes that all beholders rested assured he had the intimation of Divine favour upon his soul The second concerning a dumb man that being in a place where the Lords Supper was

an act of the minde contemning and not a simple omission For the case may fall out that some part of the Gospel fall in the hands of an unbeliever in India which by the working of the Spirit may become effectuall for his conversion wherein there is no mention of Baptisme or mention being made he may not understand what it means Such an omitter is no more weary of God then the Disciples spoken of Acts 19.1 2. were in not seeking for the Holy Ghost as the Apostle there speaks having never heard whether there were any Holy Ghost or not So though it were a duty for Believers to be baptized when they become sensible of practick holinesse and able to confesse with their mouth and should not have been administrate to them sooner which we dare not yet believe it is not in them a wearinesse of God till it be discovered to them to be their duty but should be in them a wearinesse of him to take it up being a sin against conscience and whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14 23. And as for proving the conclusion intended to wit that notwithstanding persons have been baptized in their Infancie so we speak because we reckon it Baptisme though we conceive the Author wil say Dipping of Infants in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is no Baptism at all when they become able to give a confession of their faith and sensible of practick Holinesse they are then to be baptized None of the Scriptures cited in the 5. Page prove the point not the first Acts 11.17 compared with 10.46 47 48. For neither Cornelius though a devout man nor any of his house were ever formerly Disciples of the New Testament and baptized Neither the second Luke 7.30 Nor the third Math. 3.7 8 9 10. Because both relate to persons which formerly were never baptized Neither the universality of it spoken of in the 6. and 7. pages which we grant in a larger sense then our dissenting Brethren will admit to wit to Infants of Believers in Church-Fellowship who are visible Disciples and Believers to Charities up-taking though not acting their Faith more then their reason and yet are reasonable creatures when they come from the womb But it follows not from any thing there spoken that either Children should not be baptized or are not Disciples or being baptized they should again take up that Ordinance when they become sensible of Practick Holinesse and able to confesse with their mouth Neither the Spirituality of it to keep the Authors own words except it be what is said anent the Spirituality of the Subject to wit that confession of the month is essentiall to Baptism and actuall Repentance from dead Works and bringing forth of fruit wherein his purpose is discovered and if as well proven as asserted we should lay our hands upon our mouths and take up that Ordinance with the first conveniencie But he must give me leave to say in sobriety and Truth what Galen profanely said of a worthy Pen-man of sacred Scripture Multa asserit sed nihil probat The strength of all the Arguments in that Section which treats of the Spirituality of the Subject as they relate to proving the intended conclusion foresaid may be reduced to this whatsoever is necessarily required of Persons said to be baptized in the places cited is necessarily in like manner to be required of all persons who are to be baptized But Confession actuall holinesse actuall repentance good fruits c. is required in all those Therefore it is required in all that are to be baptized Ans 1. All the places cited do not necessarily prove the second Proposition as John 4.2 Because some may be made and are Disciples who cannot actually believe and confesse Acts 15.10 compared with 1. and 5. shews Infants may be Disciples Neither doth the other Text Heb. 6.1 brought to fortifie prove that none can be Disciples but such as have actual repentance c. It will appear to the meanest impartiall Logician to be a bad consequence because the foundation of Repentance from dead works and of Faith towards God are the first principles of the Doctrine of Christ therefore there is nothing of them known till they turn in actuall and elicite acts Take the like for clearing in naturall things Preservation of naturall being is the first principle whereinto men naturally incline and whereupon all other naturall actions follow Therefore there is nothing of it taught before there be an actuall explicite knowledge and a faculty to confesse wherein it doth consist or love to father and mother naturall is the first principle of the fifth Comand whereupon others as branches follow therefore while they are children they have no love to them We hope none will deny but God is as free in the School of Grace as Nature But especially we answer unto the first Proposition That none of the Texts cited prove whatsoever is mentioned in them is required of all to be baptized And if the reasons of our denyal clear thus all the places cited are either instances or Scriptures alleadged to speak generally And neither prove the point not the first because the persons spoken of Math. 3.8 c. and John 4.2 were all in the Authors judgement persons come to age and the Eunuch Acts 1.37 was without all controversy of the same condition and instances of all particulars by-gone being able to afforde but a proportionall argument for the time to come can prove onely concerning persons of that same condition It is as if we should argue thus All men come to age must give their promise to be faithfull to the Liberty of a City before they can be admitted Free-men Therefore Children cannot be admitted Free-men I believe many of the Citizens of London and Edinburgh would much murmure if the Parliament should take such Logick for demonstrations The strength of the proof of the generall Scriptures consists to take up all together in the universal Particles in the 10. to the Ro. 9. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth v. 10. With the heart man believeth v. 11. Whosoever believeth Math. 10.32 Whosoever shall confesse v. 33. Whosoever shall deny me c. where by the way we cannot but admire a man of such Learning and Piety as the Author is said to be should make deniall and not confessing to be the same thing or equivalent seeing Paul Acts 23.6 though accused before a judge keeps up many particulars in christianity though for this he was accused in Christian Prudence mentioning but one the hope and resurrection of the dead common to him and the Pharisees his Adversaties because he found neither calling nor the glory of God at that time did require a further publishing We hope the Author after second thoughts wil acknowledge it is never lawfull to deny Christ but many times lawfull not to confesse lest casting Holy things to dogs they turn again all torent us The third universal particle