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	society_n	1,435	5	9.0715	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78612	A pretended voice from heaven, proved to bee the voice of man, and not of God. Or, An answer to a treatise, called A voice from heaven, written by Mr. Gualter Postlethwait, an unordained preacher, taking upon him to exercise the pastoral charge, in a congregation at Lewis in Sussex. Wherein, his weakness, in undertaking to prove all protestant churches to bee antichristian, and to bee separated from, as no true churches of Christ, is discovered; and the sinfulness of such a separation evinced. Together with, a brief answer inserted, to the arguments for popular ordination, brought by the answerers of Jus Divinum Ministerii Evangelici, in their book called The preacher sent. By Ezekiel Charke, M.A. and rector of Waldron in Sussex. Imprimatur, Edmond Calamy.	Charke, Ezekiel.	1658 (1658)	Wing C2069; Thomason E959_5; ESTC R207673	108,343	141

were more afterwards men of rare abilities and extraordinary indowments all whose labours cannot well be imagined to have been spent in the service of one single Congregation 3 The time when there was a full imployment for so many labourers was the first year after Christs Ascention and 't is likely 't was early in that year for in the second year Paul was converted whereupon the persecution begun at Stephens death slacked and the Churches were multiplied Act. 9.31 Now many more might bee brought in by the Apostles during the persecution for they abode at Jerusalem Act. 8.1 And they continued in Jerusalem divers years after the persecution was ended Act. 15.2 this Council being held about seventeen years after Christs Ascention Now that all this while the number of beleevers in Jerusalem should not bee encreased beyond the bounds of one single Congregation that might meet ordinarily together in the same place to use the Ordinances of Gods service and worship is to mee beyond beleef 4 At this time there were divers languages spoken in Jerusalem by persons dwelling there Act. 2.5 sixteen several languages are reckoned up verse 9 10 11. Now many of these persons being converted to the profession of the Christian faith Reason teacheth us to apprehend that they were distributed into several Congregations according to their several languages to have in them the mysteries of the Gospel preach't unto them for their edification in the faith of Christ For which cause and that some of them might preach unto strange Nations Christ poured out the gift of tongues on the twelve Apostles and one hundred and eight Disciples Act. 1.8.15 with Act. 2.1 2 3 4. These considerations prevaile with mee to conclude that in Jerusalem there were divers Congregations under several Teachers and yet all making up but one compleat Church All these several Congregations being called in the singular number the Church of Jerusalem This instance is granted by the learned Mr. Thomas Hooker who saith It doth not appear that setting aside the Church of Jerusalem they the Christians of one Church should needs meet in several places Survey part 1. P. 129. Therein acknowledging that it appeareth the Church of Jerusalem must needs and did and I doubt not but others did also But because your self and others much deny this of the Church of Jerusalem and that if this instance bee made good the cause is ours in the point of Presbyterial Churches consisting of divers Congregations I shall answer the Objections made by you and others Object 1 The three thousand Act. 2.41 say the Reverend Authors of the defence of the nine positions p. 125. were added to the one hundred and twenty They have their communion together described c. Answ 1 If this one hundred and twenty were the whole number of Disciples in Jerusalem gathered into a Church-way at this time then no account can bee given of those multitudes converted by the Ministery of John Christ the Apostles and seventy Disciples how they were disposed of Neither is it any way probable that the three thousand should bee added to the Church before those 2 Either these were added before the three thousand or not at all for ought appears from Scripture 3 That there were at this time many more beleevers of the Church of Jerusalem before the hundred and twenty is to mee out of doubt Christ appears to above five hundred Brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 These may be conceived embodied brethren of the Church of Jerusalem met together in the exercise of the duties of Gods worship Luk. 24.33 36. and a part of those converted by John Christ the Apostles c. And I am of opinion that Christ during his forty daies converse with his Apostles Act. 1.3 speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdome of God gave them directions for his worship and the Government of his Church and that during that time and between it and the mission of the holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost the Apostles did by Christs direction cast Christians into a certain Gospel-order which possibly till now they were not fixt in for the use of all the Ordinances of Christ in several societies under their proper officers and that these made up the Church of Jerusalem to which the three thousand were added to share in those priviledges which the rest enjoyed before which is implied Act. 2.42 4 The hundred and twenty were onely the Guides of the Church their number is made up of the twelve Apostles seventy Disciples and thirty eight Persons more all of Christs retinue whilst hee was on earth Act. 1.15 21. The Apostles and seventy Disciples were wee read in the Gospel made Ministers by Christ and the other thirty eight cannot well bee looked upon as no Ministers For 1 They conversed in the same special manner with Christ both before and after his resurrection as the Apostles and seventy Disciples did Act. 1.21 22. 2 Any one of the thirty eight was in as neer a capacity to bee made an Apostle in the room of Judas as any of the Seventy which argueth them to bee men of the same rank with the Seventy 3 All the hundred and twenty were to stay at Jerusalem waiting for the promise of pouring the Holy Ghost on them by which they should be endued with the gift of strange tongues Act. 1.4 5 13 14 15. with Act. 2.1 2 3 4. 4 From these last texts it appeareth that the whole hundred and twenty received the gift of tongues on the day of Pentecost the end of which was to preach the Gospel to people of divers languages now in Jerusalem and hereafter in other Nations Therefore all the hundred and twenty were Ministers and the three thousand were added to the Church of Jerusalem where they Ministred and they were the standing Presbytery the Guides and Governours of that Church and not any of them of the governed The multitude of baptized beleevers at Jerusalem being in all likelihood many hundreds if not some thousands Else what account can bee given of the success of Christs Ministery in Jerusalem mentioned Joh. 2.23 and 4.1 and 7.31 and 8.30 and 11.28 45. and 12.19 And this standing Presbytery of the Church of Jerusalem is the basis of the discourse of the Evangelist concerning the Church in this book of the Acts unto which many passages in it do particularly relate which by many and Mr. P. are thought to relate to the whole Church of Jerusalem as shall bee made to appear Object 2 All that beleeved were together Act. 2.44 continuing daily with one accord in the Temple verse 46. Therefore they were but one single Congregation Answ Together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relates not to the place of their assembling but to their oneness in heart spirit and practice The phrase is often used by the Septuagint in this sense to note mens concurrence in the same actions though distant in place Psal 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ariter

of Asia spoken of Rev. 2. 3. chap. were Presbyterial Churches consisting of divers Congregations which appears because 1 The Cities in the which they were planted were great Cities Ephesus was the head of Ionia the greatest market of all Asia famous among the Heathen for the Temple of Diana and there the Apostle Paul spent his labours for three years together Act. 20.31 Laodicea was one of the greatest Cities in all Phrygia famous for traffick The rest were also famous Cities and of great command Therefore 't is not probable that there was but one single Congregation of Christians in each 2 There was a great number of Teachers in each of these Churches To the Angel of the Church write so begins every Epistle Now 't is apparent from several places in these Epistles that there was more than one Minister in each Church and therefore this Angel must mean either a Colledge of Pastors in each Church or a President over that ruling society as the leading man in all acts of publike concernment and Church-government The former seems most probable and is proved by Smectymunus from Rev. 2.24 But unto you I say and to the rest in Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. where the Angel is bespoken in the Plural number as distinct from the members In Ephesus alone in Pauls time the Elders appear to have been so many as were more than needed for one single congregation Act. 20.25 36 37. Yee all shall see my face no more Hee prayed with them all They all wept sore these three all 's imply that they were very many And the Church is called all the flock vers 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which argues that there were several charges for them to attend upon So in Pergamos there were divers Pastors for there were divers erroneous teachers three some teaching the doctrine of Balaam Rev. 2.14 Some that of the Nicholaitans vers 15. and what more likely than that they did it in several Congregations and others holding fast Christs name who were so many that they are required to purge out those erroneous ones Therefore 't is not probable that they were all over one single congregation onely The like may bee said of the rest of those Churches that are exhorted to deal in a disciplinary way with false teachers There were very many Pastors in them and consequently several Congregations on which they attended 3 The Holy Ghost hints clearly that these Churches were Presbyterial consisting of divers Congregations when hee calleth each of them first a Church and then Churches Rev. 2.1 7. 8.11 12.17 18.29 So Rev. 3. Each of these bodies is called Churches as it was made up of divers congregations under their proper Pastors and yet but one Church as these congregations were combined and subjected together to the government of all the Elders in common These two Chapters well weighed would put an end to divers controversies among us about the Discipline of the Church For 1 Hence Christians might bee convinced that Church-power was never committed to the people but to Church-officers only The Angels only are censured for neglect and ill administration of Government in the Churches and praised for and exhorted to the due exercise of Discipline 2 Hence a combination of the Officers of divers congregations united to govern them in common may bee evinced The Elders in Pergamos sound in the faith must in a disciplinary way hinder the Balaamites and Nicholaitans from teaching their errors in the assemblies of Christians there 3 Hence appears that the spirit of the Prophets is not subject to the people but to the Prophets onely The Angel of each Church the Church-officers must try the Prophets and those that say they are Apostles Rev. 2.2 Let us now consider how Mr. P. proceeds p. 29 30 31 32 Classical Churches are put in the room of Episcopal Churches by the effectual working of the mystery of iniquity These are combinations of congregations united by subjection to one and the same Court of Elders chosen out of the whole to govern them These are pressed so far as to take away power of government and exercise of Ecclesiastical Discipline from the Congregations For they appropriate power of Government to the Eldership This agrees not with the institution Matth. 18.18 When Christ saies whatsoever yee binde on earth c. doth hee not include the offending brother Christ promised the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven unto Peter as unto a lively confessour of him and did not therein look on him otherwise I have already given in reasons to manifest Gospel Churches in Primitive times to have been Classical and more shall bee said to it upon your next paragraph The first branch of your charge against those that are for them I shall now consider which is that they appropriate the power of Government and exercise of Ecclesiastical discipline to the Eldership A sad crime beleeve it and as much to bee condemned as the appropriating of power of government in the Commonwealth to the Magistrate which by some passages in Mr. P's Book seems to bee in his judgement a crime too If the people can lay claim from Christs appointment to the power of the Keyes as to the Preaching of the Word administration of the Sacraments authoritative binding and loosing for the Keyes go together and were given to Peter together if these things belong to the Community in the Church wee shall confess our selves guilty in appropriating the power of government to the Eldership But though wee have looked much after it wee cannot discern any such grant and appointment of our Lord Christ the King of the Church And when I read such places as these Matth. 18.18 28.19 20. John 20.22 23. 21.16 Eph. 4.11 12. I cannot without offering violence to my reason imagine that they speak to and of the Community considering withall what express charges the Community have upon them from God to bee subject to those that are over them in the Lord as to their Governours Teachers Pastors Rulers c. But I will particularly consider the first of these Texts which is that Mr. P. urgeth for his cause and shew how little it makes for it That Mat. 18.17 18. speaks of the Church-Officers onely doth appear because it is spoken by Christ with reference firstly to the Jewish Church-governours than which there was then no other governing Church in being And this is the joint judgement of the Antients Ambrose Cyril Theodoret Gregory c. and of multitudes of later lights in the Church Melanchton Aretius Musculus Bucan Cartwright Parker c. and Mr. Fenner gives a reason of it from the words our Saviour useth viz. Publican Heathen and that otherwise the Apostles could not have understood Christ knowing then no other Church governing So that the Lord Christ manifestly alludes to the Jewish and gives from it a pattern to the Christian Church First the offending brother must bee dealt

Congregations for the setling of which Of Schism p. 37 38. Paul stayeth so long And besides this The Christians of all Achaia saith Dr. Owen did belong to the Church of Corinth and assembled therewith as they could for the participation of Ordinances and the Church of Cenchrea cometh under the same name with that of Corinth Put this together The beleevers in Corinth in Cenchrea and in all Achaia besides are accounted members of the Church of Corinth by the learned Doctor to whom I suppose Mr. P. will subscribe and then who sees not that there must needs have been many Congregations belonging to the Church of Corinth 4 There was a great number of Teachers in that Church that speech 1 Cor. 4.15 clearly implies it and this argues that there were several Congregations for so great a number of Teachers to attend upon 5 The Apostle speaketh expresly of divers Congregations belonging to the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your Women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep silence in the Churches Therefore there were Churches several Congregations to which the women of the Church of Corinth did belong Against this there are chiefly two Objections Object 1 1 Cor. 14.23 If the whole Church bee come together and all speak with tongues c. Therefore they were but one single Congregation Answ 1 The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and may well bee rendred about the same thing or for the same end and purpose n. to partake of Gods Ordinances Diodate saith to verse 31. yee may all prophesie c. namely by course and in divers or several Assemblies So saith Estius The Prophets were to prophesie in divers Assemblies and therefore it is said Let your Women keep silence in the Churches 2 I suppose none will say that all the members of the Church of Corinth did speak with tongues for then what need of an Interpreter and yet the Church here spoken of did so 3 Therefore here is a clear pattern of a Representative Church The Prophets as distinguished from the rest of the members are called the Church 4 Here is a clear pattern of Prophets in combination with and subjection to their fellow Prophets Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the other judge verse 29. Obj. 2 1 Cor. 5.4 5. When you are gathered together to deliver such a one to Satan Therefore they were but one Congregation Answ 1 The Text speaks not of the gathering together of all the members of the Church of Corinth but of the meeting of the Church Officers to excommunicate the incestuous person Authoritative binding acts of rule and government belonging onely to Church-Officers as is granted by the most moderate and learned of the Congregational Brethren The Key of Authority and Rule saith Mr. Cotton is committed to the Elders of the Church Keyes p. 20. alibi and so the Act of Rule is made the proper act of their Office Christ gave the power of binding and loosing to all the Apostles and the Apostles committed it to the Elders The power of the people is a power of liberty to joyn with the Presbytery in casting out or cutting off But authoritative power they have not Temple measured p. 35 And saies Mr. Noys A necessity of members consent doth constitute a Church excessively Democratical and renders the Elders onely titular Governours Hence it appears there was no need of the presence of all the members of the Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person 2 The persons that met for this work were to meet with Pauls pastoral spirit this suits the Church Officers not the people 3 Paul chargeth it upon the ordinary members as their sin that they mourned not for that sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for their Elders neglect of discipline using the passive voice not the active as Mr. Rutherford observes whereby it appears that the members were patients rather than agents That some of the ordinary members were present at the excommunication may bee granted But that all the members of the Church of Corinth were present or bound so to bee cannot bee proved Nothing therefore is hence gained The Church of Antioch also appeareth to have consisted of divers Congregations 2 The Church of Antioch because of the multitude of labourers there Divers of the Teachers of Jerusalem come to Antioch being driven away by the persecution and the hand of the Lord was with them in bringing in Gentiles to joyn with the beleeving Jews Act. 11.19 20 21. They soon want more labourers Barnabas is sent to assist in the work verse 22. hee findes the work so great that hee fetcheth over Saul to assist him verse 25. Barnabas and Paul stay at Antioch a whole year teach much people and here Disciples are first called Christians verse 26 and returning they abode there a long time chap. 14.28 What more likely than that there were divers Congregations belonging to that Church since it needed so many Teachers and kept there so long men so eminent Planters of Churches Object Act. 14.27 When they had gathered the Church together Act. 15.30 the mu●titude together Act. 11.26 they assembled themselves with the Church Answ The first Text may well bee understood of the Representative Church to wit the Elders by whom the multitude might at their set times of meeting for the use of publick Ordinances be informed And if wee should understand it of the whole Church the Text puts no necessity upon us of understanding it of their being all gathered into one and the same place They might bee gathered into their several meeting-places and there bee informed of the successe of the Messengers by several of them The two other Texts may also bee so understood The multitude might bee gathered and informed of the Epistle in their several meeting-places and Paul and Barnabas and the other Teachers might assemble with the Church in several meeting-places some in some and some in others From these Texts therefore nothing can be concluded to prove Antioch's a congregational Church 4 The Church of Rome The Church of Rome likewise appears to have been Presbyterial There was one congregation meeting in the house of Aquila and Priscilla Rom. 16.3 5. and two others meeting in other places vers 14 15. and there is ground to conclude that there were yet more Congregations belonging to that Church 1 Because Paul saluteth several in this Chapter that seem to have been Teachers in that Church vers 3 5 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. 2 The Faith of the Romans was spoken of throughout the whole world Rom. 1. which argueth them to have been a numerous Church 3 Their continuing sound in the faith for many years together when other famous Churches mouldered away argues the same Wee might also instance in the Churches of the Colossians Thessalonians Philippians But I shall for a conclusion mention the Churches of Asia 5 The seven Churches of Asia The seven Churches

swerving from his institution as of those that seek him in a way conformable to his Institution I suppose you will answer negatively But now through Gods goodness wee are able to say that God is and hath been as much found of us in our Churches and way and our Ministers have received as glorious a seal of their Ministery as any Churches that wee know of since the Apostles daies and farre more than our Congregational Brethren themselves in their way who although they deal out this hard measure to us to cry down our Ministery and Churches as Antichristian owe most of them that are renewed their conversion unto God unto our Ministery as the instrument for it in Gods hand themselves being Judges Though they had ten thousand Independent Instructors yet could they not say they are their Fathers for in Christ Jesus the Ministery of our Churches hath begotten them to the Gospel If I am become a fool in glorying they have compelled mee Object 4 But there may be and hath been good done this way errours suppressed c. and those that reject it now P. 61. made use of it once Answ The good that God brings out of evil is not to be construed into a divine approbation of it Nor the use that hath been made by good men of a false way of Churches to bee drawn into an argument to continue in it Answ What good there hath been done by reformed Churches few can bee ignorant of What good hath been done by Independent Churches hath not yet much appeared That some of their flocks are pure they owe to our Churches as hath been said Errours have been indeed suppressed by ours but not by theirs it appears therefore they have made but a bad exchange but cherished by many of them who have been to them as Cities of refuge and out of which they have swarmed abundantly into all parts of the Land and for this the Land groans And thinks Mr. P. to put off this so sleightly with his begged supposition of the truth of the Churches of his way and the falseness of ours Surely the beating down of errour and the promoting of truth is no contemptible note of a true Church though some corruptions bee found in it Rev. 2.2 4. and on the contrary c. That those that owned our Churches once have now rejected them I judge from the word to be their sin They should have continued in them since Christ hath not divorced them though he hath somewhat against them and have indeavoured to reform them But they have not laboured to heal yea they have widened and encreased our wounds and then they insult over us Antichristianize us separate from us and draw away the best of our flocks boasting in other mens lines of things made ready to their hands The Lord judge between us and them Object 5. and 6. But shall wee do it without the authority of the Magistrate P. 62 63 64 without the consent of the Church Answ That which is pressed is but the doing of the duty that lies upon every Christian to separate from unwarrantable societies The Text hath no such proviso if the Magistrate bid or give you leave then come out of Babylon Therefore wee are to resolve with Peter Martyr and with Wollebius c. After God hath made known his truth saies the first wee must not delay Consent indeed is to be expected if the matter be dubious and obscure to wit to him to whom it is revealed as the course of his speech makes manifest Answ The Magistrate is as no body with you unless you have him on your side and then you can change your note But wee hold that very much respect is to bee had to the Magistrate in this matter and all means possible are to bee used to ingage the Magistrate to carry on the work of Reformation Give mee but one example in all the Old Testament of any considerable reformation in the Church without the interposition of the power of the Magistrate or one example of it in Ecclesiastical history in a time when there were Christian Magistrates Can our Magistrates endure that their authority and power should bee contemned as it is I hope they will not but that they will exert it for the good of the Church in discountenancing restraining and punishing men of corrupt minds principles and practices leading to separation blasphemies errours and rebellion sheltring themselves under this notion that the Magistrate hath nothing to do with Church-matters and that all men are therein to bee left to their liberty and the dictates of their own spirits The places that you pick out of Martyr and Wollebius favour not your fancy The place of Wollebius taken in his sense I readily yeeld to That when Religion is depraved it is to bee reformed by the Magistrate But if reformation cannot be obtained of the Magistrate hee being an enemy to the Church then reformation lies upon those whom God hath furnished with necessary gifts for it neither is the consent of Roman Bishops to bee expected for if our Fathers had done so saies hee there would have been no reformation And hee produceth the examples of Gideon Jehoiada the Maccabes the Apostles c. to make good his assertion Now when you shall have proved 1 That the supreme Magistrate is an enemy of Religion the Church and reformation 2 That the way of reformation you contend for is indeed the way of God 3 That all lawful means have been used and notwithstanding reformation cannot be obtained at the Magistrates hands 4 That Englands condition and the State of the Church in the time of Gideon Jehoiada the Maccabes the Apostles and Protestant reformers are alike 5 That you have Instruments that have the like call from God and are furnished with such abilities for reforming as they had and were Then I confess this place will speak something for you 6 The reformation Wollebius speaks of referres chiefly to essentials in Religion and that hee is an Antagonist to your way of separation from reformed Churches appears sufficiently in his book Martyr you much mistake also 1 The reformation hee presseth referres chiefly to fundamentals in Religion 2 Those whose consent hee saies was not to bee expected were the Roman Bishops whom hee calls sworn enemies to the truth 3 Hee doth not incite and stirre up the people to set upon the work without the consent of the Magistrate but the inferiour Magistrates to endeavour in their places a reformation of Religion in banishing the impure Masse out of their Cities c. and how doth this reach your case 4 The cause hee saies was clear and such as was confessed to be Gods and delaies might indanger the loss of a good cause Consent indeed saies hee is to be expected if the matter bee dubious and obscure And here you bring in your shameful Parenthesis to wit to whom it is revealed which Parenthesis spoils and abuseth Peter Martyrs Text For his