Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	know_v	scripture_n	tradition_n	4,218	5	9.5610	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75851	A modest reply humbly offer'd, as an answer to, and confutation of seven arguments collected and deliver'd by Mr. Samuel Lawrence, in a sermon preach'd at his meeting-house in Namptwich, Octob. 16th, 1691, whereby he would shew, that the infants of professing Christians ought to be baptized : with a seasonable word to my brethren of the baptized church / presented by the most unworthiest of her servants, S.A.	Acton, Samuel, d. 1740?; Lawrence, Samuel.	1692 (1692)	Wing A452aA; ESTC R203313	36,660	49

because there is no light in them Isai 8.20 To do more then he hath required or to do one thing that is not required for another that is will be found in a Day of Tryal equally Abominable with a not doing his Requirements at all It 's certain all Persons and Things shall be pronounced good or bad as they have or have not agreed with this perfect Law of GOD's Word all Decrees of Councils all Doctrines of Men all Controversies in Religion must be brought to the Test and abide the Award and Determination thereof Now that I may not detain you here let me humbly and earnestly beg three things of you 1. That you will pass Judgment upon what is commended to your view in the Arguments for with the Answer and Arguments against Infant-Baptism according as they bear proportion to GOD's Sacred Word and not as they accord with far-fetcht Consequences and doubtful Conclusions which at best in Matters of Worship can prove but one uncertain Medium and forged Warrant which through the unwearied Industry of some skilful Artificers is made fatal to many even such who do either affect Art above Truth or such who have not skill to discern and so become no less deceived then certain Country Peasants in some former Troubles in France of whose Folly * Epistle to Jesephus one tell us They attempting and entring into a City not far from them and lighting into an Apothecary's Shop furnisht with all kind of Drugs and Dainties and being allured by the pleasant Odours and delight of the Confections they tasted and supposing all to be of the same kind took and swallow'd down every thing whereupon some fell sick of Feavers some grew Frenzy and many lost their Lives to please their Appetites at least he that scap'd best gave occasion of Laughter to the Lookers on What use I shall make of this shall be only to put you in mind that it is recorded for the eternal Commendation of the noble Bereans That they would not receive any thing though offered by a Paul until by searching the Scriptures they had found whether those things he taught were so or no. 2. In reading of these Lines that you would lay aside all Prejudice that may possess your Minds either against the Person or Subject else the Mind by it will be rendred utterly uncapable of making right Judgment or receiving Truth though it presents itself with never so much Plainness and Evidence Prejudice was one if not the principal Cause why the Jews rejected CHRIST 3. Having thus discharg'd your Minds of what may hinder your Profit be earnest with GOD in Prayer to help you rightly to discern between the Mystery of Godliness the Iniquity that is contain'd and detected in the Scriptures and then I trust the Plainness of Dress in which these Lines appear will not be of considerable Disadvantages to the Truths contain'd therein for the more false any thing is the more artificially it had need to be set off and adorned A blear'd Eye loves not to look on the Sun Art and Humane Eloquence may tickle the Ear and well-pollish'd Discourses may affect the Fancy and yet prove but a mear Sound of Words and empty Husks remembring it's said of Lacon Hearing a Nightingale sing by the briskness of its Warbling and delicate Notes and the clearness and quavering Cadency of its Voyce judg'd it a good Prey but when he found and saw it to be of so small a Size he disdainfully left it and said Thou art a Voyce and nothing else Therefore where the Evidence of Truth appears refuse it not because offer'd in and presented under the Disadvantage of an unpollish'd Style but let the Reason of what is said be considered And that the LORD may give you Vnderstanding shall be the Prayer of him that wisheth you present and eternal Peace from GOD the Father through our LORD JESVS CHRIST in whom though the Vnworthiest of his Servants I am yours S. A. A Modest Reply TO Mr SAMVEL LAWRENCE HIS Seven Arguments FOR Admitting the Infants of Professing Christians into the CHURCH of CHRIST by Baptism deliver'd in a SERMON by him preach'd in Namptwich Octob. 18th 1691. AS it may be safely concluded that the great Interest of Man's present Peace and eternal Felicity is eminently concern'd in Religion and Godliness even so all true Religion is taught and takes its Being only from Divine Revelation which God in former Ages and divers manners gave out until the Knowledge of his Will was most perfectly reveal'd in and by his Son and our Saviour Heb. 1.1 2. who in Faithfulness to his Church discharged the Trust committed to him ceasing not to make known to the least Jot and Tittle every thing which he receiv'd or heard of the Father Joh. 15.15 He alone being found worthy to set up a Standard and to become a Law-giver and Statute-maker unto all Generations in things partaining to the Worship of God who no sooner had transmitted the Mind of Heaven to the Children of Men by a sure and perfect Law but it passes the Royal Assent he fixes the Seal of his own most precious Blood unto it for its Confirmation and then by the Father is advanced to the highest Dignity and Glory as a convincing Evidence not only of his Son's Faithfulness but the Purity and Perfection of that Law which he hath enacted as the only Mediator to the end Man should be perfect in the whole Will of God And in further Testimony thereof how great hath Heaven's care been throughout all Ages in preserving the Scriptures clean from those Corruptions and Errours which the Heart of Man tho' learn'd if unsanctied is too apt to dote on and cleave unto it is no less then wonderful to consider in whose hands the Sacred Scriptures in past Ages have been lodged and by whom they have been handed down to us that they have yet strength so loudly to bear Witness against Errours entertained with such Fondness and maintain'd with such Heat as of late hath appeared particularly in the Defence of that Unscriptural Practice of Infant Baptism and that there is not yet so much as one Word to be produced as their Warrant in doing what they have so earnestly contended for strongly argue that God hath marvelously over-ruled the Heart and Hands of all heretofore concern'd in that blessed Work of Translating the Scriptures into a Language known and understood by every one of us And as to the Sufficiency of Scripture as it contains all things necessary to be believed known or done either for Salvation or Church Communion I know not that what is said in the sixth Article of the Church of England is forreign to the Judgment of any Professing Christian saving those of the Papal Communion and some few of late sprung up who through Temptation and the Delusion of their own Hearts have rejected the Word as it is contain'd in the Scriptures of Truth as Useless the one accounts it insufficient to

A Modest Reply Humbly Offer'd As an Answer to and Confutation of Seven ARGUMENTS Collected and Deliver'd by Mr. Samuel Lawrence in a SERMON preach'd at his Meeting-House in Namptwich Octob. 16th 1691 whereby he would shew That the Infants of Professing Christians ought to be Baptized WITH AN APPENDIX OF Seven ARGUMENTS SHEWING That Infants ought not to be Baptized WITH A SEASONABLE WORD to my Brethren of the Baptized Church presented by the most Unworthiest of her Servants S. A. Coloss 2.8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit after the traditions of men after the rudi●ents of the world and not after Christ. Jude 3. Contend earnestly for the faith on●● delivered ●o the saints LONDON Printed for the Author and a●● 〈…〉 ●ld by Tho. Pebian at the Bible in Gheapside near Bread-street-e●● ●692 Mr SAMVEL LAWRENCE SIR IF I am more bold then welcome in the Liberty I take in directing these Lines to you I am sorry but must be content and with Patience am resolv'd to bear the weight of your Censure which I can more easily do then think that such a Man as you should with such Fondness upon no better Grounds and in so unusual a Heat express yourself so Unsuccessfully as neither to Convince your Adversaries nor Please your Friends But knowing with many others that this comes not with a Surprize upon you long since acquainting you with what is now brought to light shall not stand to make any Apology nor for the Author who never intended the Project of this Undertaking till now being inform'd of his Death whose Pains I had desir'd but by the Disposing-Hand of Providence in vain and therefore have now adventur'd myself believing thro' the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which is most seen in the Weakness of his Creatures that necessary Supplies would be given to ingage in a Cause that so nearly concerns his Honour and Interest in the World Had it not been undue Reflections from the Pulpit invading the Right of my LORD and impairing as much as in you lay the Credit of his Holy Ordinance together with the Manners of some of your Friends who being present when you preach'd that Sermon from the 1 Cor. 7.14 and as Vessels fill'd with Wind that must either vent or flie not contented within their own Confines but trespassing upon their Neighbours Borders to proclaim their own Folly I had almost said together with yours boldly affirming That you had assign'd Scripture enough for Infant-Baptism these Lines had never taken Wing But the very act of Providence which brought your Sermon-Notes and Bible to my hand was such as gives ground to conclude that it was the Divine Pleasure the Structure you had built upon so sandy a Bottom should at once be cast into the Sea of Confusion And to be silent seeing his Right is under so manifest an Invasion must bespeak us to be the most base of Vassals for who is it that is bought with Monies of another from amongst the Gally-Slaves to injoy Freedom but will ever account himself oblig'd to maintain his Redeemer's Honour against all that shall offer to detract from or lay a Blot upon it How much less then shall the Redeemed of the Lord be still who are under a greater Obligation by how much more great the Redemption-Price is that was given So that how ever Unfit in myself yet from the Bond I am under and the Nature of the present Exigence am forced with Cresus his dumb Son to speak Yet from that Respect I have always born to you and still do I could sincerely wish you were not the Man I have to do with but since it is so I have acted with as much Candour as becomes me the Nature of the Cause considered having not rak'd in the Ashes of your Reflections but wish they may lie and die as they shall for me unless new ones give life to the old but hoping better things and that you will not think the worse of your own because it brings Interest along with it wishing you seriously to consider those Words of our Lord Mat. 5.19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of the least of these commandments and shall teach men so shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven And together with Mat. 15.8 9. In vain do they worship me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men So in love I commend you to God and the Word of his Grace which is sufficient to instruct you in all things necessary to Salvation thro' Christ for whom I am all Mens more especially yours S. A. TO THE READER Friends and Brethren more particularly you who were present at the SERMON preach'd from 1 Cor. 7.14 by Mr. Lawrence at his Meeting-House in Namptwich Octob. 18. 1691 for whose sakes next to the Glory of GOD and our LORD JESUS CHRIST I have wrote these Lines as an Answer to his Seven Arguments whereby he would prove That the Infants of Professing Christians ought to be Baptized BRETHREN I Have reason to believe that you are in good earnest for Salvation and to secure your precious and immortal Souls from Loss and Ruine knowing that they once lost shall be no more capable of Repair Matth. 16.26 and that it s not the whole World though it could be given by one damned Soul to procure a Change of State Wherefore as a learned Man saith As the Worth and Loss of Heaven can neither be imagin'd or valued so the dreadful and perpetual Pains of Hell can neither be measur'd nor declar'd To obtain the one and escape the other sure then should be the principal Design and Business of every one of us in this Life The thing is possible and true Happiness next to GOD's Pardoning Grace in CHRIST JESVS consists in our Knowledge and Practice not that Knowledge will profit other ways then as it is accompanied with Practice Therefore says CHRIST If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Joh. 13.17 Neither will Practice avail but as it is Conformity to that perfect Law and Rule which He hath given us by which whosoever orders his Conversation aright shall see the Salvation of GOD Psal 50.23 So useful is Holy Scripture which GOD hath given us as his Standard to measure all things that relate either to Matters of Judgment or Practice by that without them we are wholly in the Dark as to the Nature of all Positive and Instituted Worship as Solomon would have been when he was to build the LORD a House had he not received a Pattern for his Direction in doing all things that appertained thereto Now as all things was to be done according to the Pattern given of old in the House of GOD so nothing ought to be done now in the House or Worship of GOD but what he hath assigned by Pattern and Direction in his Word Wherefore saith he To the law and to the testimonies if they speak not according to this word it is

direct us in all things necessary and therefore to the Word they joyn their own Traditions for the rendring it a more compleat and perfect Rule the other accounts it Useless and therefore directs all for Instruction to the Dictates of the Light within Of both these I have only to say Lord deliver my Soul from coming into their Secrets But you and we being agreed in all things touching the Authority and Sufficiency of the Scriptures I presume from thence an equal Freedom in us to refer the Tryal of the things wherein we differ to the Determination of Holy Writ being firmly resolved for myself to abide by its Award sincerely desiring that nothing may pass for Truth but upon their Testimony Now I shall not take notice of any thing you offer in your Sermon preach'd from 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your children unclean but now are they holy before you come to state the Question 1. Because I would not have this Paper to swell into too great a Bulk 2. Because there is not any thing material but what I shall meet with under one or other of your Arguments shall therefore recite your Doctrine which was this Doctrine That the Seed of Professing Christians have a Right to Baptism and ought thereby to be admitted into the Church or Body of Christ Whether your Text doth preach the same Doctrine you do from it I question and conclude that there is no more a-kin between your Question stated and your Words rightly consider'd in their proper place then there would have been had you drawn the same Conclusion from the first words in Genesis which tells us That in the beginning God made the heaven and the earth as I trust hereafter will be made evident to every judicious and unprejudiced Reader You proceed and say Here I shall not undertake to produce all the Proof that is for it nor answer every Quibble that is brought against it but lay that Foundation which if of God standeth sure and if it stands the contrary must needs fall Ans That you have produced more Proof then the Scripture affords you for your Practice is plain and Scripture-Arguments that strongly make head against your Practice be by you accounted Quibbles is not strange but very strange it is that you see cause to query whether your Foundation be of God and yet dare lend a hand to support a sinking and falling Dagon The Idol could not stand before the Art even so Lord in this our day let Errour fall before thy Truth and help you so to discern the Sandiness of that Foundation upon which all Errour with that of Infant-Baptism is built as that you may better improve the Certainty of its Ruine then those biggotted Priests and blind Philistines did the Fall and Ruine of their adored Dagon 1 Sam. 5.3 4. I now come to your seven Arguments you offer as Proof and Evidence though reasonably we might have expected for Proof and Confirmation of a Doctrine of so great moment two or three Witnesses from Holy Scripture but knowing that no such Evidence is to be found there we shall weigh and allow of your Authority provided your Arguments are strongly concluded in and truly deduced from the Scriptures and because I would not in the least be thought to injure you in my Reply I shall at large recite your several Arguments and so well as I can with the help of some Collections endeavour the Confutation of them And you say in your First ARGUMENT 1. I argue from the Command of Christ Matth. 28.19.20 For 1. the Command is so general as to include not exclude Infants surely they will be allowed to be a considerable Part of the Nations 2. Christ doth here prescribe the way of gathering his Church and preserving it to the end of the World now his Church consists of Infants as well as grown Persons and both are to be dealt with according to that State As to grown Persons First teach them and baptize them as to Infants finding them Disciples baptize them in order to their being taught when capable of it 3. All Nations is set in Opposition to the Jewish Nation therefore as the Disciples would have understood what and whom Christ meant if he had said Go circumcise all Nations c. So and its observable that Baptism was of use amongst them though not a Sacrament before as Maimonides speaks That they baptized the Infant or little Stranger upon the knowledge of the House of Judgment i. e. on their desire in behalf of their Children 4. The Practice of the Apostles in Baptising whole Houshoulds is a plain Comment on the Text and shews how they understood it Acts 16.15.33 1 Cor. 1.16 5. Infants are Disciples Acts 15.10 together with their Parents therefore may be baptized if not Disciples of Man's making so neither was Paul yet of God's making who graciously accepts them and takes them into his Covenant If any object That such Disciples are meant as are capable of observing Christ's Command Ans It 's true as to grown Persons with whom the Apostles had most to do in gathering a Church out of the World to Christ but as the Proselites were first taught and then circumcised but there Children were first circumcised before they were taught so it may and ought to be here nothing in Christ's Commission gainsaying it First ANSWER Whether all that you have said here doth not directly tend to darken Knowledge I refer to your own Conscience and shall leave all wise men to judge when the Text is read and the order of it laid down Our Lord Jesus Christ after he had declared himself invested with absolute Power given him of the Father to be Soveraign Lord and supream Law-giver to the whole World through all Ge-Generations He saith as Mat. 28.19 20. Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World This Command is so extensive as authorizes the Apostles of our Lord to take in by Baptism all Nations Discipled or so many of all Nations as should be made Disciples but how it includes one Infant that neither is made nor is capable as such of being made a Disciple I see not otherways than as Infants are a considerable part of all Nations and if therefore to be baptized then are all Nations to be baptized by the lump even Infidels Idolaters prophane and abominable persons as they are a part yea the greatest part of all Nations And this will as truly follow as the other if this Command may be understood without restriction but if not then the limitation must needs lye in the Word which says Teach or Disciple then neither the Infant nor prophane person can be admitted by this Text if the Order in which it is laid down be duly considered which

be a Maid or a Widow there being no mention made of her Husband and she reckon'd the Head of the Family which is not proper where there is a Husband besides she was a Trader and at this time many miles from home being now at Philippi but was of the City of Thialira as ver 12 compared with the 14. so that if she had any Children it is probable she should carry them about with her from place to place whither she went to trade and merchandize most likely she should leave them at her abode in Thialira and not that she would be cumbered with the trouble and care of her Infants in her Travels to traffick But that this may issue with Evidence against you the Apostles in the last Verse in this Chapter they went into the House of Lydia and when they had comforted the Brethren they departed So that it 's plain those of Lydia's Houshold were Brethren and the Brethren were capable of being comforted which Infants are not in the sence of that Text. A second Houshold is that of the Jaylor in the 33d Verse of the same Chapter the Jaylor and all his were baptized straightway all his that is as one observes his Wife his Servants and Relations for to them it may more properly refer than to his Children who whether he had any is uncertain but whether he had or not it 's not material in this Case for in v. 32. 't is said expresly And they i. e. Paul and Silas spake unto him the word of the Lord and to all that were in his House which cannot be imagined they should do unto Infants And v. 34. saith He rejoyced believing in God with all his House So then all that were baptized in his House were such as heard the Word of the Lord and rejoyced believing in God which Infants are not capable to do But A Third Houshold is that of Crispus Acts 18.8 And Crispus the chief ruler of the Synagogue believed on the Lord with all his house and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized Though it be certain that he with all his House was baptized from 1 Cor. 1.14 yet from this Text it is not so plain that he with all his House was baptized as that he with all his House believed on the Lord. And that such as believe were fit Subjects of Baptism who denies But A Fourth Houshold is that of Stephanas 1 Cor. 1.16 says Paul And I baptized also the house of Stephanas Now if any enquire what is said of this Houshold to hinder but that Infants might be there and consequently baptized why enough and that which may satisfie all men that there were no Infants here for the Apostle saith in the 16th Chapter of this Epistle and 15th verse Ye know that the house of Stephanas were the first-fruits of Achaja and that they addicted themselves to the ministry of the Saints Which Infants as such will never be capable of doing but are to be ministred unto Therefore how great an Uncertainty do the Patrons and Defenders of Infant-Baptism labour under Hence it was that the worthy Dr. Hammond grants that no concluding Argument can be deduced from the baptizing whole Housholds for baptizing Infants and certainly the Doctor concludes but rationally herein knowing that a clear word of Command is necessary to constitute a Gospel Ordinance as you your self have fully acknowledged in time past I now pass to the last Branch of your Argument wherein you say the Infants of Professing Christians ought to be baptized because they are Disciples which you would insinuate from Acts 15.10 which I find thus worded Now therefore why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples which neither our Fathers nor we were able to bear What is here in all this Text to prove Infants Disciples Not one tittle the Disciples here spoken of are those Gentiles that were converted to the Faith at Antioch who met with some disturbance occasion'd by some that came down from Judea urging the necessity of Circumcision saying as Vers 1. That unless ye be circumcised ye cannot be saved Hereupon Paul and Barnabas contends with them and says Why tempt ye God to put a yoke upon the neck of the Disciples in imposing the observance of Circumcision with the other Ceremonies of the Law upon the Gentile Church For the Yoke spoken of by the Apostle lay not strictly in Circumcision but in keeping of the whole Law whereunto they were firmly bound and obliged by Circumcision Gal. 5.3 which Infants were never capable of doing neither in the least are here intended for though this Church at Antioch is made up of Disciples we believe but that one Infant is here included we deny For when the Dissention grew hot between Paul and Barnabas and the men that came down from Judea the Disciples determined to send Paul and Barnabas up to the Council at Jerusalem to enquire as to that matter ver 2. and in the Third Verse you read That the Church or Disciples spoke of in the Second Verse brought them on their way and when they returned with their Answer from the Council you read in the 31. ver that they rejoyced for the consolation and in the 32. ver that Judas and Silas exhorted the Brethren and with many words confirmed them all which Offices performed and Comfort received Infants can no way be capable of neither can be intended in this place by the Disciples Besides to say Infants as such are Disciples is insipid and contrary to the true import of the word being render'd by all Lexicons and Dictionaries that ever I saw which tell us that a Disciple is a Scholar or Learner * 66 Epist to Dard. Austin saith That those who go about to make Infants Disciples do not only lose their pains but expose themselves to laughter And though it be true that all Disciples are of God's making and not Man's as you say Infants are and Paul was yet we tell you that Infants neither are nor can be made Disciples without a Miracle according to the sence and signification of the word neither are any made so as to be fit Subjects of Baptism till they have been instructed by Man what to do as appears from the Commission and Paul's own Case for upon his enquiring what the Lord would have him to do you read the Lord sends him to Damascus and there saith he it shall be told thee what thou must do Acts 9.6 And accordingly the Lord sends Ananias to meet and instruct Paul as ver 10 11. I come to your Second ARGUMENT I argue from the nature of the Covenant and Baptism as its Seal the Covenant belongs to them therefore its Seal Gen. 17.7 Acts 2.39 The Promise is to you and your Children c. It s true primarily and principally it belongs to the Parents who can come in and agree to it and seal but so as to include their Seed If you have