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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	new_a	old_a	testament_n	18,420	5	8.4579	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90063	Irenicum; or, An essay towards a brotherly peace & union, between those of the congregational and presbyterian way; shewing out of the most learned and renowned divines of the congregational way, that their positions concerning 1. Church matters and members. 2. Church constitution and form. 3. Church state. 4. Church officers and ordination. 5. Church government and censures. 6. Church combinations and synods. 7. Communion with and separation from churches. are sufficient for the establishing a firme and lasting peace between them and the Presbyterians ... In pursuance of the good design begun at the Savoy, where it was agreed, and declared, that such reforming churches as consist of persons sound in the faith, and of conversation becoming the Gospel, ought not to refuse the communion of each other ... Drawn up and published by Discipulus de Tempore Junior.	Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; D. T.	1659 (1659)	Wing N910; Thomason E978_1; ESTC R202985	58,516	89

unkindness or some evil onely conceived or which might be tolerated and healed c. is sinful and unlawful See chap. 4. quest 5. answ 2. Therefore O that those who have rent themselves from us to gather themselves into distinct Churches would be wi●ling to behold the face of what they have done in and judge it by this friendly glass and repent of what they have done unlawfully and sinfully 6. Neither the hypocrisie of some members nor the toleration of open scandals nor want of some Ordinances is a sufficient ground for men to separate from the Church Therefore our brethren can alledge no sufficient ground for their separation on from the Churches whereof they were sometimes members 7. Faithfulness of brotherly love in Church relation requires that the members of the Church should first convince their brethren of their sinful defects and duely wait for their reformation before they depart from them For secondly By the hasty departure of sound members from a defective Church reformation is not promoted but many times retarded Chap. 4. answ to quest 7. Therefore let those who have separated themselves the Ministery and assemblies they did sometimes attend upon lay their hands upon their hearts and seriously as before the Lord consider whether they have thus endevored and waited for a reformation in the Congregation where their fixed abode is or whether they have not by their hasty departure or by other indirect means hindred the work of reformation as much as in them lies the Lord lay it not to their charge If for this they be not condemned by their own consciences I am sure they are by their friends and brethren 8. The Ordination of Ministers in England by the Bishops is adventitious and accidental to their calling See chap. 4. quest 7. answer to Object 4. Therefore their ordination by the Bishops doth not make their calling null and void nor is it necessary that they should renounce that call and put themselves upon a new call unless withall they change their station 9. The difference between Independents and Presbyterians is not so great but that it might be healed and there might a be an union if some distempers and carnal corrupt respects did not prevail above principles of judgement and love to peace and truth See chap. 4. answ to quest 8. 10 No just ground of separation from a Church unless you find in it blasphemy idolatry or persecution See chap. 4. quest 9. answ 3. Therefore none of these crimes being proved against the Churches of England they have done unjustly who have separated from them The Conclusion ANd now Brethren If I could with Jotham get up into some Mount Gerizim where I might be heard and not seen or at least where I might be extra jactum lapidum I would speak plainly to you and not as he in parables And I would numbly and as in the sight and fear of God desire you to give not me but the Christian world some conscientious and satisfactory reason of your departing and yet continuing so departed from the Churches into which you were baptized wherein you were converted which reverend Mr. Cotton is not ashamed to own saying We cannot we dare not deny to bless the wombe that bare us and the paps that gave us sucke Mr. Cotton lett print A. 1641. pag. 3. line 27. the most of you that are converted and whereof many of you were sometimes Minister yet now you have not onely made a Negative secession from them but a positive and have drawn and culled out of those Congregations whom yet you confess to be true Churches as many of the choicest members as you could and gathered them as you speak into Churches not onely distinct from but opposite to the Rest of the Churches and Congregations of the Nation I say opposite for verily if you lived among Papists or Jews you could scarce shew a greater opposition or abhorrence of their assemblies and worship than you do of these Some of you may be will hear some of their Ministers sometimes preach though others of you will not vouchsafe that so some of you have heard a Rabbi in a Jewish Synagogue you know this is no act of Church communion you know you hear them Equivocally not as Ministers of Christ but as gifted brethren But who of you will break bread in their Assemblies though the principal leaders of your way have given it under their hand see Pap. of accommodat first to the Parliament and since to the world that they could do it who of you will vouchsafe your presence at the administration of Baptism in their Churches let it be the infant of never so holy parents but make as much hast out of their Assemblies as John the Evangelist did out of the Bath when he heard Cerinthus was in it What is this but to lay all these Churches and all the Members of them at least under the sentence of non communion And for this practice I could never yet hear any thing alledged but what is here fully answered and refelled out of your own Authors 1. If you say Their Churches are no true Churches See cap 3. per totum 2. If you say these Churches they have not the matter of a true Church which is visible Saints Answ This hath been answered already First for the matter Master Cotton hath told you Chap. 1. quest 1. That the Churches of the New Testament consist of no other matter than the Churches of the old consisted of and what visible Saints they were the books of the Kings and Chronicles Isaiah Ieremiah and the rest of the Prophets tell you That unregeneracy unless it be accompanied with such fruits as are openly scandalous doth not keep any from Church fellowship Answ to quest 3. cap. 1. that federal holiness or holiness by separation admits to the ordinances cap. 1. quest 4. And that persons who received their membership in their infancy proving notoriously scandalous ought not to be continued in Church-membership yet if they be that separation must not presently be made is the judgement both of Master Hooker and the rest of the Elders of New England See this chap. 7. answ to quest 6. 3. If you say These Presbyterian Churches have not the right form and constitution that is expresse consent and covenant Answ Why this hath been answered for Master Hooker and Master Cotton and the rest of the Elders agree that the Congregations of England have that which doth as truely constitute them Churches as if they were constituted by covenant as appears cap. 2. answer to question 4. See more cap. 3. 4. If you say In these Presbyterian Churches the Officers Lord it over the inheritance of the Lord and rob and spoile the brethren of the power which Christ hath purchased for them and bequeathed to them Answ It is clear by what hath been spoken already that the brethren in the Congregational way have no more nor other power than what the brethren in