Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	call_v	church_n	congregation_n	1,735	5	9.2238	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91884	A moderate answer to Mr. Prins full reply to certaine observations on his first twelve questions: vvherein all his reasons and objections are candidly examined and refuted. A short description of the congregationall way discovered. Some arguments for indulgence to tender consciences modestly propounded. By the same author.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.; Robinson, Henry, 1605?-1664?, attributed name.	1645 (1645)	Wing R1676; Thomason E26_20; ESTC R13022	43,033	54

members of Churches should be thus judged Saints because all the Ordinances that Christ hath left it s for to build up the Church they are to be administred in the Church now none have right to the Ordinances but Saints and therefore none may be admitted but such as can be judged so by the Saints Againe for the former which we say is consent or agreement whether by covenant or any other way we stand not on it we conceive first it ariseth from the nature of the thing the Church being a politick body wherein is rule and authority nothing but free consent or agreement to walk in such wayes can constitute it as in all other policies What makes England as a Common-wealth or as a Church to be such a policie but the consent of the people who have given up themselves to be governed by such Laws and Constitutions Secondly if this be not granted there can be no distinction of Churches in the world but all must be under one power for what makes England as a Church distinct from Scotland or Scotland from all Churches that they have no authoritative power over each other but onely this that the members of England or Scotland have not consented to walk under any other power but their own Surely the bounds of Seas or Rivers can no more distinguish Churches then a wall or a doore can if there be no other distinction and no other thing but consent can forme a Policie Besides Scripture is no way silent for the proof of this Not to urge many that place is famous and may serve for all in Act. 9. 26. Paul after he was converted it is said Assayed to joyne himselfe to the Disciples at Jerusalem and the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to be glewed to them Now observe Paul was converted and a Saint yet not joyned to the Church he was in that place where they were he was joyned to them as they were Saints yet he was not joyned to them as a Church and this joyning was not Physicall but Morall Now this must be done by free consent and willing subjection to the Ordinances or no way For the ordinary Officers of the Church they are Pastors Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ephes 4. 11. Teaching-Elders and Ruling-Elders 1 Tim. 5. 17. Deacons Acts 6. 1 Tim. 3. Widows 1 Tim. 5. 9. Rom. 16. 1. That the Church hath power of choosing its own Officers is cleare from Acts 1. 21. Acts 6. 3. and Chap. 14. 23. That a Church is but one Congregation having power within it selfe to exercise all the Ordinances is apparent in the new Testament neither do we read of any other there First the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for the Church signifieth no other neither hath it any other signification in the new Testament when referred to any visible Company neither is it used by any profane Author for to note out a larger Society then could meet together in one place For the Church at Jerusalem it was but one Church Acts 2. 46. and 5. 12. and 6. 1. and 15. 25. and 21. 22. and 25. 22. so the Church of Antiochia was but one Church Acts 14. 27. they are said to gather the Church together now that could not be the Elders for for Elders onely the word Church is never used and the same persons that are called the Church vers 27. are in vers 28. called the Disciples and Chap. 15. 1. the Brethren so Acts 11. 26. the same persons are called the Church Disciples and Christians Besides the Church of Corinth was but one Church was but one particular Congregation 1 Cor. 5. 4. 1 Cor. 14. 25. 1 Cor. 11. 17. vers 23. In uno codem loco neither can the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ever be shewed to signifie any thing else besides one particular Assembly as learned Baines wel observes I shal conclude this with quoting of what that judicious Divine D. Ames saith in this particular Med. p. 190. Hine variae Congregationes fixae ejusdem Regionis ac Provinciae plurali numero semper appellantur Ecclesiae non una Ecclesia etiam in Judaea quae tota fuit antea una Ecclesia Nationalis Act. 2. 46. 15. 12. 14. 27. 1 Cor. 5. 4 11. 17. 23. 1 Thes 2. 14. Acts 14. 23. and 15. 41. Rom. 16. 4. 5. 16. 1 Cor. 16. 1. 1. 19. 2 Cor. 8. 1. 18. 19. Gal. 1. 2. 22. 1. Rev. Ecclesiae enim illae particulares quae in N. T. commemorantur convenice solent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neque in toto N. T. legitue de institutione Ecclesiae amplioris a quo minores Congregationes penderent c. Thus you see a short description and discovery of what we hold about Church-government with some Scriptures in stead of others that move us to this way The Reasons and Grounds I doubt not but we shall see at large when that shall be made publike which our Brethren have urged in the Assembly and presented to the Parliament But to proceed For that part wherein he saith I should have proved that Christ hath set one immutable forme of government and have made it out by direct Scriptures besides what is laid down in the Observations which I doubt not to make good against his cavills I thought Master Prin had read learned Master Parker de Eccles Pol. Cartwright and the most of the Nonconformists who though Presbyteriall in their judgement yet have largely proved that to whom I shall refer him for larger satisfaction I know none that ever writ against the immutablenesse of a forme of Church-government in the new Testament but Episcopall and Pontificiall men as Hooker Bilson The judgement of the Church of Scotland is quite contrary For they assert their Presbytery to be Jure Divino and holds its Title onely from heaven it seems the Presbyterians differ as well as the Independants and they are also various in their judgements some think there is no forme of government others that there is But to the Arguments First Exod. 25. 40. I said if this were granted the Gospel would be straiter then the Law Heb. 8. 5. Christ more unfaithfull then Moses and the Argument lies thus according to his own drawing if God set a pattern to Moses of every thing to be done in the Church from which he was not to vary upon any termes these being but carnall Ordinances comparatively Heb. 9. 10. then he hath prescribed a forme of government in the new Testament to all Churches Nations c. from which they may not vary but the former Ergo the Medium or ground of arguing between these two is from the care that God hath of the Church at all times being one and the same rather more in the new Testament God had shewed lesse care over his Churches now than then if he had not prescribed a set Government for them also besides their Ordinances had been more spirituall far then ours

will never punish any man for the not obeying that he searcheth after prayeth God to reveale and yet cannot find it to be the mind of God much lesse should men force men who not only have no light in the thing but their light is against it to obey what they conceive is the mind of God 2. That Doctrine that puts upon any man an inevitablenesse of sinning may not be admitted but such doth this that men must obey what superiours command in the Worship of God though their judgements be against it and the minor is proved thus by instance to go against my light and conscience is sin and to disobey the Magistrates commands is sin and one I must doe yea it s the greatest hypocrisie that can be to follow that authority commands which yet mans conscience thinks is not to be done besides what do I know but the light I have is from the Spirit of God and if I go against it I am guilty of resisting and grieving the Spirit which is the greatest sin that can be 3. It is the greatest tyranny over mens souls that can be what can be greater then to make other mens judgments the rule of my conscience to sweare obedience to that my understanding is against surely its the greatest soul-inquisition that can be however Master Pryn saith I infer a blind obedience from his Position I know not how to infer otherwise for that must needs be blind obedience when a man must obey take it in what you will of this kind that which he seeth not either exprest or any way warranted by the Word it s to put men above God at least in this place for if I must obey because higher Powers judge it so their power must be the rule of my conscience which alone is subject to the Word and it s the greatest basenesse of spirit it dis-ennobles mens spirits hinders and utterly crusheth the growth of any ones gifts for if other mens judgments must be my rule and I sin in not submitting to it what need any man study to find out truth or with the noble Bereans to search the Scripture to see whether these things be so give men eyes and they will soon follow you else never call for such unlimited obedience Againe what if the Parliament and Synod should erre in setting up a Government must every one be bound to joine with them To which he answers First such an oversight is not to be presumed untill it be actually committed and it s neither Christian charitable nor any way of Christ thus to prejudge their resolutions And yet you to presume to determine what the Congregationall way is and censure what effects will follow though you professe you know not what they hold and never saw the way exercised we know as much of Presbyteriall and its effects as ever any can speak of the Congregationall therefore leave off your scandalous Titles of this way which yet you never saw did commit any thing worthy of them As for your sufferings you speak of I never mentioned them as your shame though you have made the honour of them lesse then the World thought it was in that you say you suffered not for opposing any Ceremony legally established or the Bishops calling but their Lordly power however you suffered and now we are glad we know for what you suffered yet holy Master Burton for his part confesseth the contrary that he suffered for preaching against the Bishops Government and the Ceremonies I doubt not but if ever God shall call us to suffer for this truth we shall have as much comfort and strength in standing for the Prerogative of King Jesus as ever you had for maintaining any Statute-Law whatsoever In the fifth saith he he grants that Independency will overthrow all Nationall Churches and Synods 1. Is it not even a turbulent dangerous Schismaticall unquiet that I say not insufferable Government which will admit no equall nor corrivall and thus he goes on with his uncivill calumnies for many lines But bona verba quaeso if you understand the words thus that in the judgments of these that are of this way there can be no Nationall Churches according to the Word so it overthrowes it but yet only in intellectu as I may say they cannot think it to be a Gospel Institution of a Church as the holding one opinion overthrowes another so is this that all Nationall Churches will be overthrowne by your Congregationall way and this sense which I meane deserves not such unworthy Language but if you take it as it seems you do that the Congregationall way cannot live by the other Government or in a Nation which is a Church but it will endeavour by force and armes to extirpate overthrow unchurch them that disturbe their peace slay their members c. It hath not as yet conceived such a thought and its contrary to its nature to bring it forth there is nothing so detestable to our judgements and I doubt not that should be more contrary to our practice then the disturbing the peace of a Nation what ever scandall men fasten on us To the sixth he sayes I returne no answer but plainly yeeld that there was never any Independent Church in any age or nation whatever totally converted to the Christian faith c. If Mr. Pryn understand the words thus That the congregationall way hath not beene set up as the government of any one Nation it s granted but that there was never a congregationall Church in any one nation is denied and it will put him to it to make it out Nay for the first foure or 500. yeeres I durst challenge him to produce any other then particular Churches that had the power of censures within themselves Justin and Irenaeus knew no kinde of Church in the world which did not assemble on the Sabbath and as learned Mr. Baines proves out of Euseb l. 3. 44. lib. See Bains diocesan triall 4. cap. 21. and lib. 2. cap. 6. that Churches at first were but Parishes and Parishes within Cities and he quotes Saint John lib. 3. cap. 23. saying to the Bishop Redde juvenem quem tibi ego Christus teste Ecclesia tua tradidimus Tertullian Apol. c. 39. knew no Churches which had not power of censures within themselves and we hold no more Saith Cyprian lib. 4. ep 1. Schismes were said to be from hence Quod Episcopo universa fraternitas non obtemperat And the same Author Epist 55. tota fraternitas i. e. unius congregationis tota multitudo ex qua componitur Ecclesia particularis Sabino de universae fraternitatis suffragio Episcopatus fuit delatus And againe lib. 1. epist 47. 58. 68. Ecclesiae igitur circuitus non fuit major quam ut Episcopatus totam plebem fuam in negotiis hujusmodi convocare potuerit He which is skil'd in Antiquity I doubt not but may bring forth multitudes of such testimonies as these all that we say is that a