Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	epistle_n	paul_n	timothy_n	2,910	5	10.4803	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58946	A seasonable treatise for this age occasioned by a letter written by one Mr. Woolsey prisoner in Norwich, to the then-exiled Church at Amsterdam; in which he endeavours to prove it unlawful to eat blood, things strangled, and things offered to idols, now in the times of the Gospel. Which letter is by the consent of the said Church answered; the grounds and reasons therein, examined and refuted; and the contrary thereunto proved from scripture: by Francis Johnson pastor Henry Ainsworth teacher Daniel Studley Stanshal Mercer elders of the same church. Written long since, but never published till now.	Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.; Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?	1657 (1657)	Wing S2245; ESTC R220970	16,657	24

mention of this Doctrine of blood c. then James approveth in like manner Peters words and would not have the Gentiles troubled but onely written unto about these things and maketh the reading of Moses in the Synagogues a reason thereof so that the Jews which had been accustomed to Moses law from old time were subject to be offended with these things whose weakness was to be born withall so much as might be as the Apostles did teach by their own example for which see Acts 21.20,21,23,24 1 Cor. 9 20. 3. The Apostle Paul having occasion to deal afterwards with the Church of Corinth about one of the things here mentioned namely meats sacrificed to Idols doth plainly teach that they might eat such meats if it were not to the offence of any mans conscience making this his ground that all things were lawful for him but not all things expedient or edifying 1 Cor. 10.23 Wherefore any things sold in the shambles they might buy and eat and whatsoever was set before them at an unbelievers Table they might eat asking no question for conscience sake so that neither things sacrificed to Idols whereof he there treateth nor strangled nor blood nor whatsoever else that might be prepared at an Infidels banquet could defile them with the eating or Trouble their conscience and this he proveth by Scripture for the earth is the Lords and the plenty thereof which testimony of David if it be of weight to prove we may eat any meat as the Apostle alledgeth it to that end then may we eat things sacrificed to Idols and strangled and blood because they are a part of the plenty of the earth all which is the Lords and by Christ ours But for the offence of others he saith Eat it not And why because of him that shewed it saith he and for that other mans Conscience not thine own adding withall For why should my liberty be condemned of another mans conscience whereby he evidently teacheth that it is our Christian liberty to eat any thing even meat sacrificed to Idols which yet was one of the things forbidden in the 15 of the Acts And would we have a better expounder of that decree then an Apostle and one that was present and imployed in that business and knew well the occasion and end of such writing to the Gentiles as then was which by this his Epistle he maketh so plain as none of any Judgment need doubt what was meant Now for your Objections where first you say If it had had any jot of type or ceremony the Apostles would not have forbidden it to the Gentiles for an hour We answer that neither did they in that sence that you alledge from Gal. 2.5 which was a bringing into bondage and loosing the truth of the Gospel but in another regard for the weakness of their brethren they would did and might For Paul an Apostle writing to the Romans which were Gentiles saith We which are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weake and againe All things indeed are pure but it is evil for the man that eateth with offence it is good neither to eat flesh nor drinke wine nor any thing whereby thy brother is offended And to the Gentiles of Corinth as before is shewed he saith Eat not meat sacrificed to Idols for the conscience of him that sheweth thee And himself gave an example who because of the Jews that were zealous of the law purified himself and offered in the Temple Acts 21.24,26 which we think you will not deny were types and figures Next whereas you say touching 1 Cor. 9,20 that Paul became a Jew to the Jew c. but he became not a Jew to the Gentiles and if this thing were ceremonial he must needs be counted to become a Jew to the Gentiles contrary to his own Doctrine and practise Gal 2.5 You shew no reason of this your assertion yea the contrary is most plain in that the Commandment Acts. 15. was in the Jews behalf whom the Gentiles were to bear with according to Pauls example and with him to become Jews to the Jews that they might save and not offend them It is you rather that are become a Jew to the Gentiles whiles you thus observe and urge all Christians of the Gentiles to observe the Jewish Types and shadows Unto 1 Tim. 4.4 where Paul saith Every creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused c. you answer that Christians liberty there is all one and the same which God gave to Noah no more nor no less when he saith Gen. 9 3. Every thing that moveth and liveth shall be meat for you It is strange that you will thus write For upon that liberty given to Noah there is presently restrayned even in express words the blood of all beasts but in this place of Paul every creature is permitted without any manner restraint either in expresse words or by any necessary Collection so that except you will deny blood to be a creature you cannot deny it to be permitted there of Paul Neither are his words drawn by us further then himself and other places of Scripture do allow for we have shewed many Scriptures that confirm this evident truth But then we must needs affirm you say that Paul in this behalf was yea yea with the rest of the Apostles in Acts 15. and by himself nay nay in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus We answer there is no need thus to affirme for he was yea yea in Acts. 15. for the weakness of his brethren as before is proved and so he alwaies continued even in his Epistles He was nay nay against observing legal Types as touching the things themselves both in the Acts of the Apostles and in his written Epistles But you that would bring us back to the ordinances of Moses and would burthen us with traditions of Touch not taste not handle not are in this your error nay nay not onely to the Epistles of Paul but also to all other Scriptures as hath been proved Finally where you alledge the co●firmation of that decree Act. 15. was ratified by Paul himself Act. 21. after that the Epistles of Timothy and Titus were written and thereupon would inferre that his words in those Epistles are drawe further then he intended it is before answered and proved that the decree you mention was but for the time and for the quiet of the Church and for the bearing with the Jews but the Doctrines in Pauls Epistles are perpetual and do concern the creatures themselves and our liberty in Christ to use them So that nothing which you have said can turne away the evident force of these Scriptures which as a sharp sword do wound and cut down this Jewish error which you to the hurt of your own soul and trouble of the Church have renewed in these last dayes whereof we pray God to give you a sight and Christian sorrow for