Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	lord_n	word_n	3,012	5	3.9367	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90658	A reply to a confutation of some grounds for infants baptisme: as also, concerning the form of a church, put forth against mee by one Thomas Lamb. Hereunto is added, a discourse of the verity and validity of infants baptisme, wherein I endeavour to clear it in it self: as also in the ministery administrating it, and the manner of administration, by sprinkling, and not dipping; with sundry other particulars handled herein. / By George Philips of Watertown in New England.	Phillips, George, 1593-1644.	1645 (1645)	Wing P2026; Thomason E287_4; ESTC R200088	141,673	168

Last of all there is no more necessity of being baptized with water then of eating the bread and drinking the wine yet it is not allowed to be common but appropriated to Ministers and yet the reason will as well prove commonnesse of this as the other To the fifth humane authority without Scripture is of no force to argue points of Christianity That of Athanasius done in sport is absurd and sheweth the boldnesse of superstition Concerning heretickes baptisme they had Ministeriall calling and therefore it is beside the state of the question Secondly some again stating the question after Antichrists exaltation propound three wayes as professed in the world The first by such as hold a succession of Ministers from Rome or lesse and so of Baptisme A second of Familists and the scattered flock that none may meddle therewith lawfully till there come some extraordinary men and condemning both these A third is holding forth and affirming that any Disciple of Christ in what part of the world soever coming to the Lords way by the Word and Spirit of God preaching that Word of God unto others and converting them he may and ought also to baptize them To prove this they bring three Arguments The first is taken from the re-building of the Temple after the captivity in Babylon by proportion thus As every Israelite then with whom the Lord was and whose spirit the Lord stirred up was commanded to go to build Ezr. 1.3 5. though some were more excellent in the bufinesse then the other so now every spirituall Israelite with whom the Lord is and whose spirit the Lord stirreth up is commanded to go and build the spirituall Temple which they do by begetting men anew by the immortall seed of the Word so making them living stones and then couple them together a spirituall house upon confession of their fins by baptisme In brief an Israelite circumcised in flesh God stirring up his heart was commanded to build the Temple made with hands from the first stone to the last Therefore an Israelite circumcised in heart not baptized in the flesh God stirring him up is to build the Temple made without hands from the first stone to the last Go preach and baptize teaching his Disciples to the end of the world The second Argument If John Baptist being unbaptized himself preached converted and baptized then may any man else do so too but John Baptist unbaptized preached converted and baptized Ergo any man unbaptized may preach convert and baptize The consequence they prove thus All things written afore time were written for our instruction Rom. 15.4 The same God that spake with John in the Wildernesse speaketh now to us in the Scriptures the same word hee spake to John and therefore seeing the Lord hath spoken who shall not preach and practise according to his Word seeing God now speaketh to no particular person one more then another The third is from humane authority Mr. Perkins and others confesse that if a Turk should come to the knowledge of the truth in Turkie he might preach the Word to others and converting them might baptize them though unbaptized himself Now these are their Arguments to which I answer First in generall the apprehension falls in with the Papists determination in the point and herein differ that they hold it may be lawfull for any yea unbaptized in case of necessity and extraordinarily to baptize when no other can be gotten but these hold that any unbaptized may do it in any case at all times and ordinarily nor do their Arguments exclude women whose spirits the Lord may stirup and the instance that the captives returning include them fully for of that sex there were some forward in the work Neh. 3.12 as of old in building the Tabernacle Exod. 35.22 In particular I answer to the first Argument First the consequence is false for the comparison is not of things alike The Temple signified Christs humane nature and Heaven and sometimes it signifies a Believer and not a church-estate as is cleer Joh. 2. calling his body the Temple Heb. 8.2 Chap. 9.1 Chap. 11.24 A Tabernacle more excellent not made with hands nor of this building which were figures of the other and true Tabernacle and Temple which God had builded and not man to argue from the Temple to the Church whereas it was a figure of Christ cannot be allowed Secondly the builders were all Gods visible people in covenant with him and circumcised but the argument speaks of them that are not Gods visible people nor baptized c. therefore not to be admitted to build as Neh. 2.20 Ezr. 4. Thirdly they went up the whole body together to build but they did not all actually build but some workmen only whom God had made able and skilfull the rest of the people incouraged contributed and oversaw the rest Ezr. 3.7 to the 10. So by proportion every one may not every one cannot actually perform this thing only the Carpenters and workmen whom God hath gifted and justly officiated to that purpose the rest must incourage contribute and forward the work according to their place Fourthly they had Gods Word by Cyrus to set them on and being hindred had Haggai and Zachary to presse them to it but these look for no such allowance Besides it is incongrnous to oppose the Temple made with hands to the Church as made without hands and also that the church is wholly made without hands being made by mens endevours yea effecting sometimes no true infallible spirituall stones Last of all it dissolveth and overturneth that institution of Christ Ephes 4.11 Who gave some to be Apostles c. for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints whereas they say every man may doe it and apply at randome that to every man no officer nor baptized person That of Mat. 28. was spoken but to the eleven who were baptized and especiall officers already chosen and set up officers in the church To the second from John Baptist c. the Antecedent affirms John unbaptized but no word of proof given nor one syllable of reason For though it bee not expressed of whom when and where he was baptized nor is there mention of Christs Apostles baptisme yet it follows not that John was not baptized If I shall affirme the contrary viz. that John was baptized and inferre from hence no person unbaptized may baptize for John was baptized and say it is written for our instruction this will not be granted And why might not John baptize himselfe being the beginner of the new Testament as Abraham circumcised himselfe though after some body circumcised did it And if John Hel. or Smith baptized himself first and then baptized others John Baptist might doe it as well as he Or what if God baptized him as he buried Moses Or what if he were baptized in the Jewish church they practising a baptisme to every proselyte to make them members incorporate into the common-wealth of Israel But secondly I deny

of it never felt the comfort of the shadow of it and assuredly what ever reasons men pretend against baptizing of Infants this is generally the root of those evills they never felt the benefit of it they never received this truth in love and for this cause God sends strong delusions about it 2 Thes 2.10 11. And it 's Calvins observation concerning the Libertines and Anabaptists in his time the Lord saith he never suffered a wicked man to fall into a strong delusion but because he did not love the truth at all nor leaves a godly man in a delusion for a time but because hee did not love the truth enough Some have therefore thought the best way to stop the spreading of Anabaptisme was for some holy and able men to leave the controversall part and more plainly cleerly and positively to set out the nature and use of baptisme and what benefits a Christian may reap thereby and how he may suck out the milk and honey from this Rock and then hee that once tastes the good of it beholds the infinite riches of Gods grace therein will not be easily perswaded to cast away that which he feels of such daily use and precious vertue to him Thirdly in regard of the unsetlednesse and ungroundednesse of so many godly Christians partly through the want of setled and able Ministers among them partly through a carelesnesse of spirit in taking truths upon trust of other mens judgements only not labouring to be grounded in them themselves and hence when they are strongly assaulted by Familists Anabaptists Antipsalmists c. they fall down heaps upon heaps and most miserably wounded because they want armour and weapons strong grounds and cleere principles from Scripture to defend themselves and therefore it was the ancient complaint of zealous Gildas that the Arrian heresie and other poisonfull opinions like so many poisonfull Serpents infected the ancient Britains because they were a people alwayes desirous of novelties and stablished in nothing and therefore let the Reader make much of such books and of this in speciall whereby the judgement may be convinced and the heart established in the blessed truth of Christ try all things herein and weigh them in the ballance of the Word what thou findest to be of weight receive in love and remember to take heed of rejecting that if some things herein should want some grains and seem too light do thus for the truths sake and so imbrace this truth in these divided times for peace sake that they that have one God and one and the same Jesus may have one faith and one and the same heart as in other so in speciall in this point and not set the whole house on fire to roast their own Egs and that this may be let sober minded men attend but unto these generall rules 1. First remember the blessed Apostles Golden rule of peace Phil. 3.8.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Let every Christian make it his chiefest studie his greatest businesse to prize Jesus Christ to be found in him to know him and the power of his death and resurrection to presse toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus here is work for you saith Paul sufficient to take up all your life-time and thoughts all your life long let us therefore saith hee as many as be perfect i. that think our selves most perfect and exact Christians knowing more then all others be thus minded and then if in any thing you be otherwise minded and differ one from another God will reveal the truth unto you On that God would give those that are most zealous against Paedo-baptisme to consider of this rule How usefull is it for many to trouble themselves and the churches with these conceits who if well catechized would be found extremely ignorant and ungrounded in the most necessary matters about their union and spirituall communion with Jesus Christ and if they were well busied in matters of that heavenly nature they would have little desire to spend their time and thoughts about lesse weighty and more doubtfull points 2. Secondly labour for holinesse of mind and a mean esteem of your gifts parts knowledge wisdome c. The Apostle doth beseech the Philippians if any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit that they would be like minded Phil. 2.1 2. and the means to this he sets down vers 3. In lowlinesse of mind let each man esteem of others better then themselves You that contend against Paedo-baptisme think thus viz. that as you are to prize Christ so every truth of Christ and you are perswaded in your consciences that you have herein the truth on your sides otherwise you would not strive for it and that though many nay most godly men have been and are otherwise minded yet you think they are but men and therefore may be deceived I answer 't is very true they are men and I had thought you had been so too and therefore may not you be deceived Is not lowlinesse of mind of use now to think how foolish thou art and apt to be deceived and to esteem of others very godly better then thy self didst never see the folly of thine own counsels hadst never experience how blind thou hast been many times not able to see things before thy very feet Did the Lord never acquaint thee with thy extreme ignorance and uncapablenesse of spirituall mysteries even about such as none question or doubt of and maist not thou be wofully deluded and blinded about that thy opinion with so many as much acquainted with God as thy self yet dare not but question and do fully condemn hast not felt thy heart naturally disliking truth and imbracing errour and through the hollownesse of it returning many ecchoes to one false noise Feare therefore thine own weaknesse deny thy own wisdome think meanly of thy self and this difference will soon cease Little threads may be easily tied together you can hardly do so with cables ends they are too big to fasten be little in thine own eyes and thou wilt soon cease contending about these points 3. Thirdly observe the fruit of this opinion for by the fruits not of false teachers lives for they are in sheeps clothing but of their false doctrines yee shall know them Mat. 7.6 First it leads men to destroy the extent of Gods free grace in that everlasting covenant he hath made with Abraham and all his seed Jewes and Gentiles to be a God to him and his seed and hence come those audacious cries of a carnall covenant God made with Abraham and not Evangelicall nor a covenant of grace and is it nothing to destroy Gods grace Is it not a crying sin to refuse God to be thy God and is it no sin to refuse his promise of being the God also of thy seed which but that I dispute not now is as much Evangelicall as the first branch is if the

church-office is in the church it self Hereunto I adde these reasons First that which concerns all the church it is reason it should be done by all the church but to have this or that man an officer to administer concernes all the church Ergo it is reason it should be done by the church to choose him to office Secondly no adjunct in order of nature is before the subject nor is capable of receiving any thing but as it adheres to and so from the subject but ministry is the adjunct of the church and the church is the subject Ergo the ministery is not capable of any power but as it adheres to the church and so from it as the eye in the body c. Thirdly the Church is the Spouse of Christ and his body but a Presbyterie is not the Spouse not the body but a part of the Spouse or body Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12. Ergo the power is in the church primarily and not in the Presbyterie else the head should not derive power to the body at all and though the Presbyters qua Believers are a part of the body of Christ with the rest that make up the whole yet as Presbyters they are parts of Christ and not of the church the mouth and eyes of Christ and not of the church so they and the church as believers have no power but they derive it immediately from Christ which I cannot see how it may be made good Fourthly if the church hath power to refuse a man and to put him out then shee hath power to choose and put him in but the first is true else shee sins not in suffering false teachers nor can shee decline a vitious Elder or shut her self of him invito vel non curante presbyterio Fifthly there is no power that any can have from heaven ordinarily but by some transaction between God and them but there is no such transaction between God and the Presbyterie primarily the covenant is not made with them but with the church Rom. 9. v. 4. Ephes 2.12 13.19.20 Ergo the power is hers primarily and as the first subject of it from Christ Sixthly if the church and not the Presbyterie be the kingly nation royall priesthood and Kings and Priests unto God then the power belongs to the church and not to the Presbyterie but the church is the kingly nation c. and not the Presbyterie Ergo the power belongs to the church and not to the Presbyterie The Antecedent is true Exod. 19.1 Pet. 2.5 Rev. 7.6 and that as a church The Consequent is evident Because c. they should be titular things only and have a naked name only without power and they that are not Kings and Priests c. as the Presbyterie qua tales they should have the power Last of all if the words Go tell the Church be meant not of the presbyterie only but of the church of Saints the whole body consisting of flock and Elders then the power belongs not to the Presbyterie but to the whole But the words Go tell the church are not meant of a Presbyterie but of the whole consisting of flock and Elders Ergo the power belongs to the church as totum and not to the Presbyterie distinguished from the church All this is manifest from the use of the word church which in the new Testament is no where used for the Presbyterie alone but sometimes for the members alone without or distinct from Presbyterie as Acts 14.23 and 15.4.22 1 Cor. 12.28 frequently for the whole flock and Elders together Junius c. Some I confesse alledge those places Acts 14.27 and 18.22 to prove the word church to mean Presbyterie and the reason they give is this That it is not probable that the Apostle there saluted all the church or gathered all the church together but rather the Presbyterie But there is no force in this reason for it is like will I say that he gathered the whole church and saluted the whole church and might do it well enough without any inconvenience yea and the Text saith he did and therefore it is more then likely even a most certain truth The places therefore will not prove that the word church doth mean Presbyterie nor argue that Go tell the church is tell the Presbyterie Secondly from the relation of the party offending which is to the church and not to the Presbyterie for their fellowship is with the church as church the covenant and brotherhood is with them and therefore though the Presbyterie orderly exerciseth the power yet it is in ordine ad Ecclesiam there is no particular relation between the party and Presbyterie as may advantage the Presbyterie to exercise such an act of power over the party no more then they may administer the Sacraments to a private person but to him as a church member and with the whole church Thirdly the Presbyterie consisting of three or four Elders are ofsended by a brother bound up in fellowship with an hundred private brethren now the Presbyterie admonishing they can go no further if they be the church and the brother not hearing the Presbyterie is to be accounted as a Publican and Heathen though not one of the hundred know of it and so if a private brother offend and bring it to the Prebytery Fourthly the Presbytery may be the party offending and then you must tell the Church that the Church offendeth that is go tell themselves If you say I may tell the Classis I answer Take for granted there is such an ordinance yet I will suppose they may take in with the offending Presbytery and I must stay at a generall Councell if it may be had which is not free from errour neither And I shall as willingly stay at a Church of Saints unlesse I see more convincing grounds to enforce the institution of them as divine appointments And if a Church offend there is another course to be taken this rule will not reach here Fifthly if by Goe tell the Church bee meant the Presbytery then there being but two or three of the Presbytery a brother offended cannot take one or two of them for witnesses because then he should tell the Church before the turn come and could make no further proceeding But a brother offended may take one or two Presbyters for witnesses Ergo Presbytery cannot be the Church And if it cannot be taken for a Presbytery much lesse for a Classis Synod Councell Nor doe I observe any of Christs Apostles in any directions given by them to Timothy Titus or any Churches or people or Christ himself in his Epistles to the seven Churches of Asia speak one word of going to a Classis or Provinciall Synod and Church and which certainly they would have done if there had been such an institution Again Christ would have blamed the Classis or Presbyteriall Church and not every particular Angel and the particular church to which he belonged And I verily think hee would have spoken some word