Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	rule_n	scripture_n	7,256	5	6.4675	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42884	A true and lively character of a right communicating church-member briefely laid down in eighteen severall arguments: proving an absolute necessity of separating, not only, from all that are openly prophane, but from such also, who have not some visible, that is to say, probable worke of the sanctifying spirit upon them. By Iohn Gobert Master of Arts, and minister of the Gospel.	Gobert, John.	1650 (1650)	Wing G904B; ESTC R217419	24,327	70

blessed care that is the best way and likeliest to do most good But this doth the gathering of such qual●fied members it doth most anger and salt mens corruptions Ergo it is a necessary medium to cure men of thr maladies of sin and consequently a most profitable worke The major Proposition will be granted without further proofe because all that are taught of God do know that though to anger men simply may prove scandalous yet to anger mens corruptions is profitable to dispose them to repentance The Minor which is that the taking of visible Saints onely into Church-fellowship have most angered the world is proved diversly first from that which hath been done the conversion of soules and gathering of Churches secondly that which is daily done for this end and purpose For the first what other worke provoked the envy of Christ and his Apostles malignant Countrymen then the effectuall worke of their preaching to the gathering of men into an holy society and fraternity among themselves It is granted by all that are godly that for matter of Doctrine carnall men have alwaies lyen darke unto it they have not known what hath been preached neither have they had either the wisdome or the patience to enquire or examine but when by a necessary separation and withdrawing from their communion the godly made a Church among themselves and went about to save themselves from a froward generation this was the worke which madded them see for this Acts the second and forty and forty one compared with the Rulers carriage Acts 4 2. had not the people by a sacred Church-communion been subject to have been drawne from them they would no doubt have been far more moderate towards the Apostles see Acts 19 16. it was the peoples turning from darknesse to light and gathering from into a Sect as they called it among themselves which so much angred them Secondly we argue from that which is daily done by the course of an ordinary Ministery What Preachers soever have in a blamelesse and warrantable way provoked most contumely and obloquy from the wicked world these are they who have converted most and done most good by their preaching but such as have stood most for visible holinesse in Church Members have contracted to them most contumely and obloquy from the wicked world therefore these are they who have converted most and done most good by their preaching Daily experiment will prove the Minor Let a Minister never so well gifted be of this judgement That any may be received into Church-communion who live honestly and can answer to a Catechize and what store of Converts will they have The seventh Argument is from pregnancy of Scripture for this purpose of a lawfull and necessary separation from the world in matter of Church fellowship thus Whatsoever opinion or practice do make void the authority and rule of Scripture that opinion or that practice is not by any rrue Beleever to be imbraced but to receive any other into Church fellowship then such as are visibly holy does make void the Authority and Rule of Scripture therefore such kinde of practise is not lawfull The Major Proposition is easily granted The Minor is thus proved Whatsoever opinion or practise do send us from the plaine literall and Gramaticall sense of the Scripture to the glosses and uncertaine conjectures of men that of necessity must make void the authority and rule of Scripture but to make any other Church Members then such as are visibly holy doth this viz. It sendeth us from the plaine literall and grammaticall sense of Scripture to the various glosses and conjectures of men Ergo. The assumption is easily proved from Esay 52. 11. 2 Cor. 6. 17. as many as are of opinion that that Scripture and the like are to be understood of Idolators that we ought not to mingle with them in their vaine Superstition and Will-worship if they go no further they must come short of the true meaning of the Spirit in such Scriptures because Idolatry is but one sort and kinde of uncleannesse but that in Esay forbids all saying Touch no unclean thing Whence we come to demand to be resolved in two things First what it is to touch any thing unclean Secondly whether civill honesty or to speake more properly whether civill Morall men although they are skill'd to answer a Catechize whether such be not for all that as yet in a state of uncleannesse to both which demands i●…e receive a resolution from Scripture first men touch not onely in living and mingling with them in their evill works but to eat the Sacrament with them as 1 Cor. 6. uli with such no not to eat this cannot be understood of the other kinde of eating which isi granted by the Apostle to be lawfull when he saith That otherwise we should go forth of the world To be familiarly acquainted with civill honest men and to invite such and bid them welcome to our Table I suppose no wise man will ●ay the contrary but to have Church fellowship with them here at many scruple and that for good cause Secondly suppose that the eating there mentioned is meant of a civill and not a Sacramentall eating yet the Sacramentall is meant also and not excluded which made our Prelates as much out as they were in the administration of Church Discipline first to forbid the sacramentall and then when the greater excommunication came forth to forbid the other kinde of eating for the like purpose is Rev. 2. 19 20. All will grant that Ministers are not forbiden to suffer such to come and heare therefore Ephesus Angels sin was in suffering such to partake of the Ordinances in way of speciall communion For the proofe of the second Whether civill men be not in a state of uncleannesse I appeale to the consciences of all such as are taught of God An eighth Argument for the proofe of this purpose is from the manifest and certain difference which ought to be between the Jew and the Gentile thus Whatsoever belief or practise do confound the Synagogue of the Jewes with the Churches of the Gentiles that belief or practice is not lawfull But to take in Church Members such as are not visibly holy doth this It confoundeth the Synagogue of the Jewes with the churches of the Gentiles therefore to take in such sort of church members is not lawfull That these two churches ought not to be confounded but apparently to differ we have Scripture to confirme it as Rom. 3. 1. the Jewes are priviledged much every way above the Gentiles and the covenant and the promises and the glory belonged to these not so properly to the Gentiles Rom. 9. 4. And what greater priviledge could there be next to that of inheriting the Kingdome of heaven then to be a church member so farre as to the partaking of all the priviledges proper and peculiar to that Nation and yet to be unholy at least if not outwardly profane therefore all of that