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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	faith_n	faithful_a	justify_v	5,528	5	9.0241	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70435	A letter of many ministers in old England requesting the judgement of their reverend brethren in New England concerning nine positions written Anno Dom. 1637 : together with their answer thereunto returned, anno 1639 : and the reply made unto the said answer and sent over unto them, anno 1640 / by Simeon Ash, and William Rathband.	Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662.; Rathband, William, d. 1695.	1643 (1643)	Wing L1573A; ESTC R11945	105,990	100

Baptisme the seed of the faithfull though as yet not set members of any particular societie In some circumstances there may be difference when yet the reason is strong if the difference be not in the very likenesse it selfe whereupon the reason is grounded One circumstance that is materiall to the point may overthrow the likenesse pretended and twenty different circumstances if they be not to the point in hand make no dissimilitude Now in this matter wee speake of no circumstance is or can be named why we should thinke it lawfull for the Apostles to baptize Disciples as yet being no set members of particular societies and the same should be unlawfull in all cases for ordinary Pastors in their particular Congregations though it be desired 3. What is done by extraordinary dispensation that is lawfull for them onely who have received such dispensation and by them cannot be communicated to others But the Apostles baptized by others seldome by themselves as hath been shewed 4. We might urge the rule which a reverend Elder among you giveth in another matter scil Those examples which are backed with some divine precept or which are held forth in the first Institution of an ordinance being part of the institution or which were the constant lawfull actions of holy men in Scripture not civill but sacred so binde us to imitation as that not to conforme thereunto is sinne For the Assumption to this Proposition it is plaine and naturall But the practise of the Apostles in receiving the faithfull Disciples c. is backed with divine precept held forth in the first Institution and was their constant lawfull practise agreeable to the practise of all others who were imployed in that service Ergo c. 5. In the first consideration you prove the Seales to be the priviledge of the Church in ordinary dispensation by this passage of Scripture Then they that gladly received the Word were baptized but if Apostles baptize by extraordinary dispensation in your sense this testimony is insufficient for that purpose 2 Reason OUr second reason In due order the Seales belong to them to whom the grant is given viz. Baptisme to the seed of the faithfull and the Lords Supper to beleevers able to try and examine themselves But the grant is vouchsafed to the faithfull and their seed forgivenesse of sinnes sanctification adoption and what other good things are promised in the covenant of grace are the grant or good things sealed in the Sacrament But those are granted to beleevers according to the covenant and they are so linked together that under one promised all are understood and if one be vouchsafed none is denied When God promiseth to circumcise the heart the forgivenesse of sinnes is implyed And when Circumcision is said to be the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith the circumcision of the heart by spirituall regeneration is included To whomsoever then the spirituall gift or inward grace of the covenant is given and granted to them the Seales of that gift and grant doth belong in their due order But the spirituall gift or grace which is the thing signified in the Sacrament is freely granted to true beleevers who have received the doctrine of salvation and walk in the wayes of truth and righteousnesse therefore the priviledges of the Seales belong unto them To this you answer The scope of the Apostle in the place Rom. 4. 11. is not to define a Sacrament nor to shew what is the proper and adequate subject of the Sacrament but to prove by the example of Abraham that a sinner is justified before God not by works but by faith Thus as Abraham the Father of the faithfull was justified before God so must his seed be that is all beleevers whether Jews or Gentiles circumcised or uncircumcised for therefore Abraham received circumcision which belonged to the Jews to confirm the righteousnesse which he had before while he was uncircumcised that he might be the Father of both but lest any one should think his circumcision was needlesse if he was justified by faith before circumcision he addeth that his circumcision was of no use as a seale to confirme to him his faith and the righteousnesse which is by faith yet as Justification is not the onely thing that Circumcision sealed but the whole Covenant also made with Abraham and his seed was sealed thereby so Abraham is to be considered in using circumcision not simply or onely as a beleever without Church relation but as a confederate beleever and so in the state and order of a visible Church Though the Apostle maketh mention of the righteousnesse of faith as sealed thereby which was not that which served for his purpose Now that Circumcision also sealed the Church-Covenant may appear from Gen. 17. 9. 10 11. where you may find that Abraham and his seed though beleevers were not circumcised till God called them into Church-Covenant and there is the same reason use of Baptisme to us which serveth to seal our justification as circumcision did yet not that alone but also the whole covenant with all the priviledges of it as Adoption Sanctification and fellowship with Christ in affections and the salvation of our souls and the resurrection of our bodies And not onely the covenant of grace which is common to all beleevers but Church-Covenant 1 Cor. 15. 19. Covenant also which is peculiar to confederates According to that of the Apostle By one Spirit we are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12. 13. And by one bodie he meaneth that particular Church of Corinth whereunto he writeth and saith Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular ver 27. And ergo Church-membership is required as well to the orderly partaking of Baptisme as it was of Circumcision Nor do we find that circumcision was administred to all that were in the Covenant of grace as all beleevers were but onely to such of them as were joyned to the people of the God of Abraham Melchizedech was under the covenant of grace so was Lot so was Job and his foure friends yet we no where read that they were circumcised nor do beleeve they were So that if Circumcision was administred to none but those that were joyned together in Abrahams familie and to the Church of God in his seed then may not baptisme in ordinarie course be administred to any beleevers now unlesse they be joyned to the Church of Christ for parum par est ratio But the first is true Ergo the second also Reply THe particulars in this Answer hath been examined alreadie and might have well been passed over because it is tedious to repeat the same things againe and againe Two things are affirmed by you 1. That the scope of the Apostle Rom. 4. 11. was not to define a Sacrament nor to shew what was the proper and adequate subject of a Sacrament But this weakneth no part of the argument for if the Apostle do not fully define a Sacrament

A LETTER OF MANY MINISTERS IN OLD ENGLAND Requesting The judgement of their Reverend Brethren in New England concerning Nine Positions Written Anno Dom. 1637. Together with their Answer thereunto returned Anno 1639. And the Reply made unto the said Answer and sent over unto them Anno 1640. Now published by occasion mentioned in the Epistle to the Reader following in the next page upon the desire of many godly and faithfull Ministers in and about the City of London who love and seeke the truth By Simeon Ash and William Rathband 1 Thes 5. 21. Prove all things Hold fast that which is good LONDON Printed for Thomas Vnderhill at the signe of the Bible in great Woodstreet 1643. I Have diligently perused this Reply to the Answer of the Ministers of New-England to the nine Positions which I have approved and judge very necessarie and seasonable to bee Printed and published Iuly the fifth 1643. Iames Cranford Rector of Christophers London Errata PAge 22. Marg. read Romae p. 33 line 27 r. society p 37. l. 21. r. Of all true Churches p 37. l. 3● r. parium p. 47. l. 41 r. saith p 48. l. 30. r. quin. p. 50. l. 31 r. Ordinance The faults escaped in the quotation p. 5● in some Copies the reader is desired to correct by Beza de Presb. p 57 l. 7. r. is the same p 61 l 25. r. Objection p. 61. l. 28. r. were dispensed p 64 l ●4 r. which without p. 67. l. 14. r parium p. 67 l. 29 r. therefore to them p. 6● l. 28. r. with Christ To the Reader Good Reader VPon the receipt of the Answer returned unto the Nine Positions Master Ball moved by the request of Brethren drew up this reply which upon perusall and joynt approbation was directed unto the reverend Elders of the severall Churches in New England The Reply sent miscarrying in the hand to which it was committed though both Letters and printed Bookes trusted in the same hand were delivered Hereupon another Copie was from New England desired and accordingly prepared in the yeare following In the meane time the Answer being tendered to the Presse it was judged more meete to keepe the Reply in readinesse to attend the publishing of the Answer then to part with it in the other way This intelligence was the last yeare conveyed into New England since which time there hath been an expectation to see that in Print which now is sent abroad to open view By this Relation it is manifest who are voluntiers and who are pressed to come forth as defendants in these Controversies These differences betwixt the loving Brethren of old England and New had not been made thus notorious if some who cry up the Church way in New England as the only way of God had not been forward to blow them abroad in the world But surely the providence of God is remarkeable in bringing these questions into debate at this time When the Ministers of the Gospell from all the Counties in the Kingdome are called together by both houses of Parliament to consult about the healing of our breaches which are very many and dangerous The Copie of this Reply being committed to our custodie we are necessitated to appeare in the publication of it yet we shall preface nothing concerning the Treatise it selfe because our known respects to the reverend and judicious Author will tender us partiall and our testimony can adde no credit to his works which withall indifferent Readers will plead sufficiently for their own acceptance If this discourse shall adde any discovery of light unto them who desire a sound judgement in the controversies here agitated our end is obtained and our prayers answered who are Thy Servants in and for the truth Simeon Ash William Rathband The Letter of those Ministers in England who requested to know the judgement of their Brethren in New England in Nine positions wherein the reasons of this their request are truly reported Reverend and beloved Brethren WHiles we lived together in the same Kingdome we professed the same faith joyned in the same Ordinances laboured in the worke of God to gaine soules unto his kingdome and maintained the puritie of worship against corruptions both on the right hand and on the left But since your departure into New England we heare and partly beleeve it that divers have embraced certaine vain opinions such as you disliked formerly and we judge to be groundlesse and unwarrantable As that a stinted forme of prayer and set Liturgie is unlawfull That it is not lawfull to joyne in prayer or to receive the Sacrament where a stinted Liturgie is used 3. That the children of godly and approved Christians are not to be Raptized untill their parents bee set members of some perticular congregation 4. that the Parents themselves though of approved piety are not to be received to the Lords Supper untill they bee admitted as set members 5. That the power of Excommunication c. is so in the body of the Church that what the major part shall allow that must be done though the Pastors and Governors and part of the assembly be of another minde and peradventure upon more substantiall reasons 6. That none are to be admitted as set members but they must promise not to depart or remove unlesse the Congregation will give leave 7. That a Minister is so a Minister to a particular Congregation that if they dislike him unjustly or leave him he ceaseth to be a Minister 8. That a Minister cannot performe any ministeriall act in another Congregation 9. That members of one Congregation may not communicate in another These and other such like which we omit to reckon up are written and reported to be the common Tenents in New England which are received with great applause maintained with great confidence and applauded as the only Church way wherein the Lord is to be worshipped And letters from New England have so taken with divers in many parts of this Kingdome that they have left our Assemblies because of a stinted Liturgie and excommunicated themselves from the Lords Supper because such as are not debarred from it And being turned aside themselves they labour to ensnare others to the griefe of the godly the scandall of Religion the wounding of their owne soules if they did advisedly consider the matter and great advantage of them that are wily to espy and ready to make use of all advantages to prejudice the truth Beloved brethren if you stood in our places we are well assured it would be no small griefe unto you to heare and see the people led afide to the disgrace of the Gospell upon weake and groundlesse imaginations and in rash and inconsiderate zeale to deale with that which is of God as if it were of man And if it be to us griefe of heart to heare that you have changed from that truth which you did professe and embrace that for truth which in former times upon sound grounds you did condemne

or repelled any that voluntarily submitted themselves upon that pretence It appeareth many wayes that when the Apostles planted Churches they made a Covenant between God and the people whom they received But they received men upon the profession of faith and promise of amendment of life without strict in quirie what sound work of grace was wrought in the soul In after ages strangers from the covenant were first instructed in the faith and then baptised upon the profession of faith and promise to walk according to the covenant of grace Now the profession at first required of all that were received to baptisme was that they beleeved in the Father Sonne and holy Ghost This was the confession of the Eunuch when he was baptised I beleeve that Jesus Christ is the Sonne of God The Creed is honoured of the ancients with glorious titles as the rule of faith the summe of faith the body of faith the perswasions of faith but by the Creed they understand that rule of faith and law of faith and institution of Christ which was then given when he was about to ascend into heaven and commanded his disciples saying Go teach all Nations c. It is true that in after times as occasion required some other Articles were added as explanations of the former to meet with the heresies of the times which began to trouble the Church But for substance of matter in things to be beleeved the Church never required other acknowledgement of them that were to be received into the congregation of Christs flock and admitted into her communion And for things to be done or the practicall part she requireth of them that were to be received to baptisme an abrenuntiation of the devill the world and the flesh with all their sinfull works and lusts The first principles then of the doctrine of Christ being received and the foresaid profession being made the Apostles and the Church following the example of the Apostles never denied baptisme unto such as sought or desired it If this be the Covenant that members admitted into Church-fellowship do enter into and this be all you require of them whom you receive you have the practise of the Apostles and the whole Church in after ages for your president But if you proceed further then thus and put men to declare what worke of grace God hath wrought in their soul in this or that way which perhaps is not determined by the word of grace at least not agreed upon among your selves we beseech you consider by what authority you do it and upon what grounds you stand But we will enter no further upon this matter because it comes not within the compasse of these Positions and to attribute so much to private letters as to make them the ground of another dispute we may not VII POSITION That a Minister is so a Minister of a particular Congregation that if they dislike him unjustly or leave him he ceaseth to be a Minister Answer OUr Answer to this consists in two branches 1. In case a Minister be set aside by the Church meerly through his own default 2. By the Churches default without any desert of his In the former case it is evident he ceaseth to be a Minister to them any longer as appears in foure conclusions 1. It is cleare from the Word that a Pastor or Teacher in these dayes hath no Apostolicall power over all Churches but onely limited to that one Church where God hath set him Paul gives not the Elders at Ephesus a generall Commission to go teach all Churches but to go feed that one flock over which the holy Ghost hath made them over-seers Act. 20. 28. So Peter gives direction to Elders to feed that flock of God onely which was among them and take the over-sight thereof 1 Pet. 5. 2. 2. It is as cleare that all this power of feeding which the Minister hath in that Church is nextly derived to him from Christ by the Church who hath solemnly called him to the work and promised to obey him therein for if he have it elsewhere it must be either from Christ immediately or from some other men deputed by Christ to conferre it on him or he must take it up of himselfe Not the first for that was proper to the Apostles or Apostolicall men therefore Paul proving his Apostleship saith he was called not of men nor by men but by Jesus Christ himself Gal. 1. 1. Not the second for we never read in Gods Word that any ordinary Officers or other besides the Church that had any Commission given them from Christ to call Ministers unto Churches Not the third for no man taketh this honour viz. of a Priest under the Law or of a Minister under the Gospel but he that is called of God Hebr. 5. 4. Therefore it must needs be from Christ by the Church 3. As the Church in the name of Christ gave this power to a Minister to be what he is and do what he doth amongst them when such a Minister shall make and manifest himself apparently unworthy and unfit to discharge the place which they thus called him unto so that they may discerne that Christ the head of the Church hath refused him from being a Minister unto him they may then upon as good grounds depose him from it as they called him to it 4. When a Church hath thus in Christs name put forth this power of shutting as before it did of opening to a Minister then he must cease to be a Minister unto them any more for we know no such indelible character imprinted upon a Minister that the Ministery ceasing the Minister ceaseth also 2. In case the Church shall without cause or sufficient weightie cause rashly or wilfully set him aside whom Christ hath set over them and whom they so solemnly called and promised before the Lord to submit unto and so abuse their power given them by Christ it is doubtlesse a very great wrong unto the Minister and sinne against Christ himselfe before whom it was done and not onely Christ himself will take it ill at their hands for such contempt done to him in his Ministers according to Christs speech Luke 10. 16. He that rejecteth you rejecteth me And Gods speech 1 Sam. 8. 7. They have not cast off thee but me But even other Churches also may admonish them And if they prove obstinate therein withdraw the right hand of fellowship from them and concerning the Minister himself thus deposed seeing it is done not by Christ but by the Church without Christ yea against the mind of Christ we conceive though he be by them deprived of the execution of his ministery among them yet untill he accepts of a call to another people he doth yet still remain a Minister of Christ in whose account notwithstanding such deposition he hath true right of administration among that people Reply THe question is of Ministers unjustly forsaken or driven from the Church or congregation and