A30138:225
Differences in judgment about water-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints,…Differences in judgment about vvater-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints,…
Differences in judgment about water-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints, as saints, proved lawful in answer to a book written by the Baptists, and published by Mr. T.P. and Mr. W.K. entitled, Some serious reflections on that part of Mr. Bunyan's confession of faith, touching church-communion with unbaptized believers : wherein, their objections and arguments are answered, and the doctrine of communion still asserted and vindicated : here is also Mr. Henry's Jesse's judgment in the case, fully declaring the doctrine I have asserted / by John Bunyan.Differences in judgment about vvater-baptism, no bar to communion, or, To communicate with saints, as saints, proved lawful in answer to a book written by the Baptists, and published by Mr. T.P. and Mr. W.K. entituled, Some serious reflections on that part of Mr. Bunyan's confession of faith, touching church-communion with unbaptized believers : wherein, their objections and arguments are answered, and the doctrine of communion still asserted and vindicated : here is also Mr. Henry's Jesse's judgment in the case, fully declaring the doctrine I have asserted / by John Bunyan.
London: printed for John Wilkins, 1673
Differences in Judgment about Water-Baptism no Bar to Communion.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
5. I show further, That to have fellowship for, to make that the ground of, or to receive one another chiefly upon the account of an outward Circumstance; to make Baptism the including, and excluding Charter; the ⟨p. 61⟩Bounds, Bar, & Rule of Communion, when by the Word of the everlasting. Testament, there is no Word for it; (to speak charitably) if it be not for want of Love, it is for want of light in the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Christ. Strange! Take two Christians equal in all Points but this; nay, let one go beyond the other in Grace and Goodness, as far as a Man is beyond a Babe, yet Water shall turn the Scale, shall open the Door of Communion to the less; and command the other to stand back: Yet is no proof to the Church of this Babes Faith and Hope, hath nothing to do with his entering into fellowship, is no part of the Worship of the Church. These things should have been answered, seeing you will take upon you so roundly to condemn our practice.
5. I shew further, That to have fellowship for, to make that the ground of, or to receive one another chiefly upon the account of an outward Circumstance; to make Baptism the including, and excluding Charter; the ⟨p. 61⟩Bounds, Bar, & Rule of Communion, when by the Word of the everlasting. Testament, there is no Word for it; (to speak charitably) if it be not for want of Love, it is for want of light in the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Christ. Strange! Take two Christians equal in all Points but this; nay, let one go beyond the other in Grace and Goodness, as far as a Man is beyond a Babe, yet Water shall turn the Scale, shall open the Door of Communion to the less; and command the other to stand back: Yet is no proof to the Church of this Babes Faith and Hope, hath nothing to do with his entering into fellowship, is no part of the Worship of the Church. These things should have been answered, seeing you will take upon you so roundly to condemn our practice.
You come now to my eighth Argument; which you do not only render falsely, but by so doing abuse your Reader. I said not that the Church of Corinth did shut each other out of Communion; but, For God's People to divide into Parties, or to shut each other from Church-Communion, though for greater Points, and upon higher Pretences, than that of Water-baptism, hath heretofore been counted carnal, and the actors therein Babish-Christians; and then bring in the Factions, that was in the Church at Corinth. But what May not the evil of denying Church-Communion now, if proved naught by a less crime in the Church at Corinth, be counted Carnal and Babish; but the breach of