Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	bless_a	defend_v	great_a	47	3	2.0678	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47391	The ax laid to the root, or, One blow more at the foundation of infant baptism, and church-membership. Part I containing an exposition of that metaphorical text of Holy Scripture, Mat. 3. 10. : being the substance of two sermons lately preached, with some additions, wherein is shewed that God made a two-fold covenant with Abraham, and that circumcision appertained not to the covenant of grace, but to the legal and external covenant God made with Abraham's natural seed, as such : together with an answer to Mr. John Flavel's last grand arguments in his Vindiciarum Vindex, in his last reply to Mr. Philip Cary, also to Mr. Rothwell's Pædo-baptisms vindicatur, as to what seems most material / by Benjamin Keach ...	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.; Rothwell, Edward, d. 1731. Paedobaptismus vindicatus.	1693 (1693)	Wing K47; ESTC R39052	37,123	40

THE Ax laid to the Root OR One BLOW more at the Foundation of Infant Baptism and Church-Membership CONTAINING An EXPOSITION of that Metaphorical Text of Holy Scripture MAT. 3. 10. Being the Substance of Two SERMONS lately Preached with some Additions Wherein is shewed That God made a Two-fold Covenant with Abraham and that Circumcision appertained not to the Covenant of Grace but to the Legal and External Covenant God made with Abraham's Natural Seed as such TOGETHER With an ANSWER to Mr. John Flavel's last Grand Arguments in his Vindiciarum Vindex in his Last Reply to Mr. Philip Cary. Also to Mr. Rothwell's Paedo-Baptismus vindicatur as to what seems most material PART I. By BENJAMIN KEACH Pastor of a Church of Christ meeting at Horsly-down Southwark Rom. 9. 7. Neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all I hil dren c. ver 8. That is they which are the children of the Flesh these are not the children of God Gal. 4. 24. Which things are an Allegory for these are the two Covenants Gal. 3. 29. And if ye be Christ's then are ye Abraham's Seed London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by John Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey 16●● THE Epistle to the Reader WHEN I first entered on this Text I did not intend the Publication of the Sermons it was not at all in my Thoughts But after I had preached Two of them I was earnestly solicited by divers to do it which at last I consented to do Yet because some of the Arguments about that Two-fold Covenant God made with Abraham being before Publish'd in my Answer to Mr. Burkit I was at a stand in my Mind about it Yet meeting with Mr. John Flavell 's Vindiciarum Vindex being as he says a full Answer to Mr. Philip Cary 's Exceptions to his Vindiciae legis Faedoris together with a late Treatise wrote by Mr. Rothwell called Paedo-Baptismus Vindicatus I was resolved if the Bookseller would take the Copy to expose it to publick view finding no Person taking any notice of either of those late Treatises by way of Answer The former being so much cryed up as a weighty Piece I thought it was necessary to Examine and Detect the seeming Force of his chief Arguments for tho' the Author is deceased yet I fear his Writings on that Subject may do some wrong to the Truth by hindering such gracious Persons reception of it who are willing to be informed because he was a Man of great Parts Learning and I hope of Piety For by sad Experience I perceive some People build their Faith and Belief of Infant Baptism on the Credit and great Veneration they have of the Asserters of it saying How should such Men be Mistaken which is a poor Argument and a great Reproach it is to such Persons For their Faith it seems stands in the Wisdom of Men and not in the Power of God or certain Testimony of his holy Word God may Reader for some Reasons known to himself hide this and some Truths from some of his faithful Servants may be as a Rebuke to them for their over-valuing of humane Learning and to the People too upon the like account though the Knowledge of the Tongues I esteem in its place and could wish if the Lord saw it good all Gospel Ministers had the Knowledge of the Original Languages but as the Apostle says God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1 Cor. 1. 27. And base things and things that are despised hath God chosen yea things that are not to bring to naught things that are ver 28. That no Flesh should Glory in his Presence God makes use of Men that are of no account in the esteem of the Learned World to confound such who are of great Repute The Truth is that great Author hath not missed the Mark only in asserting Paedo-Baptism and in his dark Notions about the Covenant of Circumcision but also in a Point of far greater Moment viz. In asserting in this very Book the Conditionality of the Covenant of Grace These are his Words An antecedent Condition signifying no more than an Act of ours which tho' it be neither perfect in every Degree nor in the least meritorious of the Benefit conferr'd nor performed in our own natural Strength yet according to the Constitution of the Covenant is required of us in order to the Blessings consequent thereupon by vertue of the Promise and consequently the Benefits and Mercies granted in the Promise in this order are and must be suspended by the Donor or Disposer of them until it be performed such a Condition we affirm Faith to be c. This grand Error for so I must call it the Learned and Reverend Mr. Chauncy whom God hath graciously raised up to defend his blessed Truth at this present time and for whose Labours we have great cause to Praise the holy Name of Jehovah takes notice of in his late Treatise which is newly come to my Hand before I wrote this Epistle tho' my Copy is at the Press p. 128 129. Mr. Flavel saith he was a worthy Man but it may be not without some Hay and Stubble I wish it do not prove an attempting at another Foundation besides Christ c. You tell us saith he what an Antecedent Condition is That it signifies no more than an Act of ours and such is Faith I suppose you and he mean in distinction from a consequent Condition the Antecedent gains the Estate the Lawyers reckon it the Purchase-Money the Consequent Condition keeps it and it 's the Quit-rent which if it be not duely paid the Lord can enter and take the Estate so that Faith you 'll have to be the Antecedent Money deposited and laid down before you have any of your Spiritual Estate and you say it signifies no more than an Act of ours I pray Whose should it be but ours if the Condition be to be performed by us and Why is this put in it signifies no more unless the meaning be that Christ's Righteousness should be shut out and it should be reckoned under the Nature of this Condition merely as an Act of ours without Respect to Christ the Author of it and Christ the true Object of it See him at large Again he saith Every faedoral Condition is Ex pacto Meritorious so that you may challenge your Bargain upon Performance if it be but 20 Guineys to purchase an 100 l. per Annum so that we have only your Word for 't that it is not meritorious when it 's so in reality the nature of the thing speaks it to the understanding of all Men of Sence No no do not think to wheedle Christ out of his Merits and God out of the Honour of his Free Grace and us out of the Comfort of both You say it 's not performed in our natural Strength No and yet a Condition of a Covenant made with Man a most unreasonable Thing