A30138:375
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
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.
Answ. It followeth not that because the Spirit will have no corrival, that therefore other things may not be in their places: That because the Spirit of God taketh the preeminence, therefore other things may not be subservient: 1 John 2. 27. The Apostle tells them, That the anointing which they have received of him, abideth in them; and you need not, saith he, that any man teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you all things. By this some may think, John excludes the Ministry; no such matter, though the Holy Ghost had confirmed and instructed them so in the Truth of the Gospel, as that they were furnished against Seducers in v. 26. yet you see John goes on still teaching them in many things: As also in Ephes. 4. 11, 12, 13. he gave some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors, and Teachers, vers. 12. for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ; vers. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge ⟨p. 112⟩of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. So in the Spirits-baptism, though it have the preeminence, and appropriateth some things,1 as peculiar to it self, it doth not thereby destroy the Use and End of Water-baptism, or any other Ordinance in its place: for Water-baptism is a means to increase Grace, and in it, and by it Sanctification is forwarded, and Remission of sins more cleared and witnessed; yet the giving Grace, and regenerating and renewing, is the Holy Spirit's peculiar. Consider Tit. 3. 5. By the washing of Regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Baptism being the outward sign of the inward Graces wrought by the Spirit, a representation or figure, as in 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like Figure, whereunto Baptism doth now also save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good Conscience towards God, by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, not excluding Water-baptism; but showing, That the Spiritual part is chiefly to be looked at: Though such as slight Water-baptism as the Pharisees and Lawyers did