Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	bind_v	church_n	communion_n	1,436	5	9.0889	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70943	An answer to Mr. William Prynn's twelve questions concerning church government at the end whereof, are mentioned severall grosse absurdities, and dangerous consequences of highest nature, which do necessarily follow the tenets of Presbyteriall, or any other besides a perfect independent government : together with certaine qveries.	Robinson, Henry, 1605?-1664?; Burton, Henry, 1578-1648.	1644 (1644)	Wing R1665; ESTC R17515	26,672	28

be taken from them rather then resist the Powers so they may quietly enjoy the Liberty of their Consciences the Scriptures the principles on which they ground themselves doe necessarily inforce them to it 6. Doubtlesse in all Nations from the first preaching of the Gospel till now Christians did multiply and particular Churches likewise which for the most part had dependencie on and communion one with another and were all subordinate to Nationall and Provinciall Synods and publique Ecclesiasticall constitutions but such Churches as were chiefly Papall or Episcopall and never Presbyteriall till within the memory of our Fathers and why we may not retreat backe againe into the errours of a hundred yeares as well as not passe forward unto a farther measure of light and knowledge I finde little satisfaction Phil. 3. 12 13 14. 7. The selfe same Law of Nature God and rectified reason which instructed and warranted all Nations to subject themselves unto some publique forme of Civill government obliging all persons and societies of men alike which they conceived most advantagious doth not warrant us to doe the like in Church affaires because whatsoever civill action the Civill Magistrate requires may be performed by the outward man or else be expiated by penalty without taint of conscience But the Church government as it aimes at and regards the Spirituall service and performance Joh. 4. 24. so the punishments must have a Spirituall effect Mat. 18. 18. and cannot be undergone or worke upon a mans spirit unlesse he will himself neither may he be willing thereunto unlesse he apprehend them to be according to Christs Government and Institution 8. From Exod. 23. 17. and 34. 23 24. with Exod. 34 23 24. and Deut. 16. 16. Levit. 17. 3. 4. 8 9 which speakes of the Nationall Church of the Jewes appearing at Ierusalem thrice a yeare you can no fitter apply it to prove a Nationall Church of Christians than make it possible for all the world if they were Christians which in such a sense must be Nationall to appeare thrice a year at Ierusalem or excuse them if they did not appear and if you grant a Catholicke Church throughout the world which may reach from one end thereof even to the other I wonder how it can be denyed that such as joyn in an Independent Church way may not as possibly be accounted and prove true members of the Catholicke but for the distinct Synagogues and Parochiall Assemblies as you call them of the Iews to which the people living together in a City were alotted and restrained I finde no ground in Scripture but strong evidence for a kinde of Independent Churches amongst the very Jewsd as you may gather from Deutt 12. 12. 18. c. 16. 11. 14. c. 26. 11. 12. Judg. 17. 18. Chapters by such of them as kept Levites to officiate in their families The Synodall Assembly you point at in the Acts 15. was no formall Synod neither would you as I conceive be contented to be bound by such an other to wit by a particular Church that is a Parish Church in your account if you hold any such in those dayes of another place whereof you your selfe are no member If you say an assembly of brethren at Jerusalem or any other particular place would now want inspired Apostles to make them Synodall or their Decrees of binding power I cannot help you till it please God to send us others neither doe I finde it in the power of man because they have not an Apostolicall spirit to supply the want thereof by numbers by multiplying or assembling so many more Presbyters or Presbyteries all men subject to the same passions with our selves Act. 14. 15. which is such a peece of simonie as we must be driven to grant that God Almighty hath hertofore infatuated such inventions or yeeld the Papists therein the upper hand But where doe we finde that those of Jerusalem sent binding decrees to the Churches of the Gentiles I see it not in Act. 15. 22. to 32. c. 16. 14. ● 21. 25. which you produced for that purpose since whatsoever their decrees were though they were infallibly assisted by the presence of the Holy Ghost v. 28. the penalty thereof was no more than If you doe observe these things you shall doe well v. 29. In Gods name then if you will needs have Synods and equalize them with the Apostles in making of decrees which I feare mee may amount unto presumption let them at least binde no otherwise than the Apostles than these of Jerusalem to wit Spiritually give them no sting or poison of Civill power which will subtilly undermine enervate and quite eat out the spirituall other than which you will and may well for this very cause acknowledge the Apostles neither had nor exercised But what are these binding decrees of that Synodall Assembly are they any other than a small portion or Historicall narration of the Acts of the Apostles did they then binde the Churches of the Gentiles or all Christians since any otherwise than other portions of Scripture doe And if you will have Synods and Parliaments to make the like binding decrees at present doe you not say by consequence and in effect that they may prescribe us another Gospel other Scriptures which though they were not differing but alike to what we have received are we not forbid to adde unto them upon perill of damnation Rev. 22. 18 19. But for the Churches of England Ireland Wales Scotland c. recorded by Historians and Canons I feare me if well examined they will rather be found Church walls than Church Assemblies living Temples of the Lord whereof Christ Jesus is the corner stone 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. Eph. 2. 20 21 22. such stocks and stones have the lazie covetous aspiring and which is worst of all persecuting lergie-men endeavoured to bring poore Christians to the laity as they call them that they might afterwards hew and hammer them into whatsoever else their owne lusts most desired 9. In my answer to your 3. and 4. Questions I hope to have given you if you consider of it some satisfaction that even in the Apostles times the Christians if they had been inspired thereto or so desired might have made themselves a Nationall Church what ever the Civill Magistrate had beene as well as Papists in England who alwayes were and still are subject to their Bishop in chiefe from whom they have appeale to Rome or the Jewes themselves which so long as they were a Church were still a Nationall Church though subjected to heathen Princes as touching Civill matters in captivity and strictest bondage For suppose England ought to be and were a Nationall Church of Calvinists or other kinde of Protestants if the Prince thinke good to alter his owne Religion or some party of the Subjects a fourth fift or so does the Kingdome cease to be a Nationall Church if it do not let the Kingdome enjoy their Nationall Church and particulars such as will their