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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	world_n	year_n	zealous_a	21	3	8.1218	4	false

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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

much degenerate and be defiled in their doctrine and government desperately corrupted with error and sinfull practices as the Jews before Christ commonly and most of all in Christs dayes after Christ the churches of Corinth Galatia the churches of Asia Rev. 2. and 3. c. yet till Christ remove the candlestick and come himself and unchurch them they still abide churches of Christ and are so to be acknowledged of all Fifthly such as the state of the church is such is the state of the Ministry of that church and administration and so long as the true church remains a true church so long the ministry remains a true ministry and all the divine institutions authenticall administrations and truly the Lords ordinances notwithstanding the mixture of humane devices with them making the commandments of God of none effect through their traditions To cleer all these in each particular by the light of divine revelation would require a larger discourse then I intend and not so difficult as tedious I doubt not but any truly judicious considering the state of churches in the old and new Testament will yeeld without any other travell what is here set down and that the church ministry and administrations stand and fall together To come then to the question I affirm that if there be true churches in England then there is a lawfull ministry there and true authenticall administrations But there are true churches there Ergo there is a lawfull ministry there and authenticall administration The Consequent is cleer because it is the true being of a church that giveth being to the truth of ministry and ordinances and not the ordinances that give being to a church Lot any company set up preaching and administer the Sacraments I so call them for discourse sake that will not make that company to be a church but because they are not a church therefore they are not Gods ordinances The antecedent that there are true churches in England I prove thus If the true visible state of Christs Church be to abide from his time unto the end of the world as it must Dan. 7. Luke 1.33 Mat. 16.16 18.18.20 28.19 20. 1 Cor. 11. Heb. 12.29 c. then it is in England and places of like consideration that it hath continued in some other places of the world But it hath not continued in any other places of the world it will be gratefull to all that desire truth if any man can shew where also in England and places of like consideration hath Christs visible church continued Again if there be no other churches in the world nor have bin for many hundred yeers but those that are infected with Papisme that is the dominion of the Pope and traditional doctrine or reformed churches and England amongst others then either the churches infected with Papisme are the true visible churches of Christ or the reformed But there are no other churches in the world nor have been for many hundred yeers but those that are infected with Papisme or the reformed Ergo the one or the other must be the true visible churches of Christ But notwithstanding those that are infected with Papisme few grant it as now they stand Ergo the reformed and England amongst others Further if Antichrist must fit in the Temple of God 2 Thes 2.4 and the courts of the Temple be given unto the Antichristian Gentiles for a certain time Rev. 11.1 to 15. to tread under foot then there was a true church-estate where he sate and whilest he sate there and the true measured Temple whose courts he treads under foot nor can there be Antichrist unlesse there be the Temple and courts thereof where he is And if Antichrist ever sate in England then there was the Temple of God there before he sate in it and whilest he sate in it as also in other reformed churches The Temple or church is the subject wherein hee must sit The Antichristian seat is not the subject nor constitutes it but is an accident vitiating the subject the removing thereof Antichristianity doth not destroy the subject or make it cease to be but changeth it into a better state I shall adde this If ever there were true churches constituted in England then they remain so still or God hath by some manifest act unchurched them unlesse therefore they that deny true ministry in England and baptisme there can and do prove that churches were never constituted there or make good some manifest act of God unchurching them sutable to such acts of his in Scriptures in the like cases and whereby wee may cleerly discern the like effects all that can be said to disprove the lawfulnesse of ministry there or to prove the unlawfulnesse of administrations there so far as they are prescribed in the word will not be available And yet I shall be content to speak a little farther of the church-estate and ministry in England And concerning churches it is to be considered that a companny become or are a church either by conversion and initiall constitution or by continuance of the same constituted churches successively by propagation of members who all are born in the church-state and under the covenant of God and belong unto the church and are a church successively so long as God shall continue his begun dispensation even as well and as fully as the first and though in respect of the numericall members they are not the same yet truly they are the same in kinde Rom. 11.16 1 Cor. 7.14 Gal. 2.15 even as man continues the same in kind from the first man though not the same in number so the church-estate continued from Adams time till Abrahams in the world by succession of generations So the Jewes continued a church from Abrahams time till Christs Secondly the way to prove churches to have had true constitution is no way to be attained but either by Scriptures or humane testimony By Scriptures we may take notice of many churches planted in Judea Syria Galatia Achaia Macedonia c. and by name Rome Corinth Cenchrea Philip Coloss Thessal Ephes Smyrna c. of any other by name I know not That the Apostle preached from Jerusalem to Illyricum and that hee mentions his coming into Italy by Spain is evident but whether any churches were planted there or no divine records manifest not And as cleer it is that those churches mentioned in Scriptures are destroyed nor can wee by Scriptures prove the continuance of Christs visible Kingdome in the world for many hundred yeeres upward but in Rome which few will plead for to have any truth of church-estate and I see no need of proving any such thing in this case So that by Scripture testimony I know not where we may cast our eys to look upon any Church now or for many yeers past existent By humane testimony we may take notice of the Gospel preached in many places and amongst other in Britain by Apostolicall authority where the Word hath ever continued since

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 endevour to clear it in it self As also in the Ministery administring 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 MATTH 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come unto you in Sheeps-cloathing A parvulo recens nato usque ad decrepitum senem nullus prohibendus est a Baptismo August Enchirid. cap. 42. Dic quaeso omni me libera quaestione quare infantuli baptizentur Orthodox ut iis peccata in baptismate dimittantur Hieron advers Pelagian Dialog ter LONDON Printed by Matthew Simmons for Henry Overton and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-head-Alley 1645. To the Reader WHO is so ignorant but seeth what Satans Master-peece and greatest work in the kingdome of Christ is at this day viz. to divide and sow Tares of discord between man and man And truly whose heart bleeds not to behold the present divisions by sword by pen in affection in opinion under which the land of peace lies now a bleeding Among which divisions none more lamentable nor grievous to a tender spirit then those that are between persons professing the feare of God especially in those times when all their strength and spirits should be wholly taken up against the common Adversary watching their destruction at their very doores yet such is the malice of Satan to set them especially at a distance and at variance whom the pretious blood of Christ hath been shed to reconcile And this hee doth especially when he hath started a controversie according to the old observation In re Sacramentaria in matters of the Sacraments and therefore it is no wonder if hee troubles the world and divides the mindes of some piously affected about the baptisme of Infants although withall one would wonder in other respects how any godly men who have better things to minde should hold up the Buckler in defence of such a stigmatized doctrine by the pens of so many of Gods Worthies from the Scriptures If indeed there were any new light concerning it that was never yet discovered to the world this present age might have second thoughts and learn the more by others errours but when in this controversie men dig up onely the old Sepulchers and heap up little more then the dried bones and sculls of other mens examined condemned and corrupted devices this is very uncomfortable and very unbeseeming the spirit of a prudent and humble Christian who will never suffer himselfe to be removed much lesse attempt the moving of others from the ancient received opinion and practice of the most sincerely godly in all ages without mountains of arguments and light as cleare as the Sunne from the holy Scriptures to alter his mind or make him to remove the ancient Land-markes and therefore he that writ the life of Doctor Whitaker prudently observes of him that he was Academiae oraculum the Oracle of that University and Mundi miraculum the miracle of the world in his time because though hee was a man of such eminent parts yet he ever kept the ancient received Doctrine had nothing proper nor did he in veteri via novam semitam quaerere he did not seek a new path in the old way as almost all Divines of great parts doe use to doe as from Hierom he observes The Authour therefore of this Reply in which wee wish he had a stronger Adversary to honour well knowne in the gates of his people and among the Churches of Christ in this Westerne world for his learning godlinesse and peaceablenesse of disposition cannot bee justly blamed as any Fire-brand of contention in returning this Answer it doth but defend the Walls and Trenches of the ancient received Truth nor would he have made any resistance had he not been assaulted on that ground where himself with Gods truth have had just and quiet possession so long Nor hath he published it to increase disunion but for satisfaction of his conscience Firstly who hath given him this occasion to reply or if not of his yet of some others godly and tender who in simplicity have been or may be suddenly taken in the snares of the Fowlers of these evill times I remember it was Luthers prayer seconded often by learned holy and aged Paraeus A Doctore glorioso Pastore contentioso inutilibus quaestionibus liberet Ecclesiam suam Dominus To start this controversie about Infants baptisme I feare upon sad examination will fall under the head of those inutiles quaestiones especially in these unsetled and troublesome times and though pretended to be a work of Reformation yet will give as sad a blow to that which is firstly and principally to bee attended in it as almost any opinion I know and the end will speak as much And therefore a sober strong defence of the baptism of Infants may be very profitable useful against an unprofitable questioning of it now and the more because it is much to be feared that the doctrine of Anabaptisme especially in this controversie concerning Infants will gangrene farre and leaven much and that for these Reasons First because there is not that expresse word nor such manifest cleernesse in such full and expresse sentences of the Scripture as in many other practicall points For the practice of this there is sufficient Scripture to satisfy a sober humble mind that loves the truth in sincerity in this point yet they that are contentious and love scruples and questions a disease Paul would have cured 1 Tim. 1.5 6. will be alway touching upon that string viz. Where is your commandement I see not any expresse Scripture Yes that you may by just and ful deduction from the Scripture and that is a good proof from Scripture or else our Saviours proof of the resurrection was bad from I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob which is not expresly contained in these words but deducted from them Secondly if conscience and experience may speak there are but few Christians that have tasted the sweet and comfort of their baptisme and therefore are very apt to question this ordinance if they meet with a fit tempter to deceive them For this is a certain and everlasting truth viz. that that truth which a man hath received without love to it by some sense of the sweetnesse of it in times of temptation he will quickly cast off A man will not care for that bread that doth not feed him nor will keep on those clothes in Winter time that do not warm him nor love that truth which doth not refresh him and consequently will be ready to cut down that barren baptisme under whose covert he hath so long lived but never tasted of the fruit

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