A30138:376
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.
By which mistake of setting up Water-baptism in the Spirit's place, and assigning it a work, which was never appointed unto it ⟨p. 113⟩of forming the Body of Christ, either in general, as in 1 Cor. 12. 13. Eph. 4. 5. or as to particular Churches of Christ, we may see the fruit, that instead of being the means of uniting as the Spirit doth, that it hath not only rent his seamless Coat, but divided his Body which he hath purchased with his own blood, and opposed that great design of Father, Son, and Spirit, in uniting poor Saints, thereby pulling in pieces what the Spirit hath put together. Him that is weak in the Faith receive you, for God hath received him; being such as the Spirit had baptized and admitted of the Body of Christ, he would have his Churches receive them also: whose Baptism is the ONLY Baptism, and so is called the1 ONE Baptism: Therefore consider, whether such a Practice, hath a Command or an Example, that Persons must be joined into Church-fellowship by Water-baptism; For John baptized many, yet he did not baptize some into one Church, and some into another, nor all into one Church (as the Church of Rome doth); And into what Church did Philip baptize the Eunuch, or the Apostle the Jailer and his house? And all the rest they baptized, were they not left free to join themselves for their convenience, and Edification? All which I leave to Consideration. I might have named some inconveniences, if not absurdities that would follow the Assertion; As to father the mistakes of the Baptizers on the Spirit's act, who is not mistaken in any He baptizeth; no false Brethren creep in unawares ⟨p. 114⟩into the Mystical Body by him; and also, how this manner of forming Churches would suit a Country, where many are converted, and willing to be baptized; but there being no Church to be baptized into, how shall such a Church-state begin? The first must be baptized into no Church, and the rest into him as the Church, or the Work stand still for want of a Church.
By which mistake of setting up Water-baptism in the Spirit's place, and assigning it a work, which was never appointed unto it