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
A91883	Liberty of conscience: or The sole means to obtaine peace and truth. Not onely reconciling His Majesty with His subjects, but all Christian states and princes to one another, with the freest passage for the gospel. Very seasonable and necessary in these distracted times, when most men are weary of war, and cannot finde the way to peace.	Robinson, Henry, 1605?-1664?; Walwyn, William, 1600-1681, attributed name.	1643 (1643)	Wing R1675; Thomason E39_1; ESTC R20544	74,273	74

much as possible to withstand and hinder such a separation for instead of preaching unto the true Beleevers according unto St. Pauls doctrine that they should separate themselves and not communicate with notorious sinners we quite contrary turne our speech and power too towards Papists Blasphemers Traitors and the mixt multitude in generall forcing them and the true Beleevers to assemble and communicate together to have one Faith one Baptisme one Church and whether it may involve us in one doome I leave to others to determine and at present only advertise that from hence arises a double inconvenience one to our selves by communicating with Atheists Papists Traitors Blasphemers and Reprobates of all sorts from whom we are commanded by St. Pauls Epistle to Timothy 2. Tim. 3. 5. to turne away whilest we notwithstanding force them whether they will or no to joyne with us in the most sacred Ordinances of God the other inconvenience is to those that are so forced by making of them hypocrites and time servers so much worse then they were before or as our Saviour saith Matth. 23. 15. Two times more the children of the divell when perhaps what they would have done of their owne good will though erronious might have been in part excused by ignorance and a good intention as St. Paul did when he persecuted the Church of God 1 Tim. 1. 13. and so far are we from building up the mysticall body of Christ by compelling the personall presence of Papists and such like at our spirituall exercises that it only hardens them so much more and alienates their mindes so much futher from being wrought upon by such arguments as are alledged from reason or from Scripture In a Sermon preached before the House of Commons the 27. of December 1643. I finde these words It feareth me that a great part of Mr. Alexander Hendersons Serpag 18. the people of this land are still fond of a formall service and a proud Prelacie and yet the Covenant which apparently professes a finall extirpation of them both had found such acceptance that I beleeve there is scarce one man in a hundred throughout all London but hath subscribed to it however I am fully of the same opinion and verily conceive that from the carriage and effect of this businesse only it may cleerly be observed how easily multitudes of men will permit shipwracke to be made of their soules and consequently how incongruous and dangerous a way of proceeding it is to joyne profit or preferment hopes or feares threats or force to worke upon the conscience for although the Covenant hath passed thus currantly I finde notwithstanding by discourse that the greatest part of people are little weaned from the present Service Booke and wish better to Episcopacie a little reformed I meane the rigour of it only with some small superfluities of the Lordlinesse and that it should still remain Diocesan rather then Presbyteriall or any other Church government whatsoever but for such as hold with independencie how their stomacks can throughly digest the Covenant I cannot any wayes imagine I know that much is said and done in many places in behalfe of uniformity a Nationall Church and Covenant which things indeed carry a great shew of wisdome in wil-worship as the Apostle saith Col. 3. 23. were it not that our Saviour told us That in vaine they worship him teaching for doctrines the commandements of men Matth. 15. 9. But wherefore such labouring in vaine and striving against the streame to obtaine a superficies and false lustre of a Nationall Church Doe we thinke that Gods salvation is also Nationall Surely if the seven thousand which never bowed knee to Baal had been in a body Eliah 1 King 19. 18. would have knowne them better we see indeed that they have all the face or shew of Mahumetans in Turkie Papists in Spaine and Lutherans in Germany but this is the worke of man and not of God and though the power of flesh is such to keep the purity and saving knowledge of the Gospel from them they will be sure enough to rise up in judgement and with their uncircumcised hearts and law of nature Rom. 2. 2● condemne the tyranny of those that kept it from them And they allege also the great reformations wrought by Ataxerxes Ezra 7. 23. and other good Kings under the the Law who said Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven and many still crie out aloud upon a reformation of Religion or building up the mysticall Temple under the Gospel after the same manner by fire and sword never remembring that there was expresse order and direction from God himselfe concerning every thing Exod. 25. 40. 26. 30. Heb. 8. 5. Exod. 27. 19. about the first Temple not a pin excepted whereas many of latter times out of greater eagernesse to have the worke done then care and consideration to the well doing have put their owne commandment afoot instead of Gods requiring judgement to be executed speedily upon them that disobeyed whether it were to death or to banishment to confiscation of goods or imprisonment with as much confidence as though the Prophet Ezra had purposely recorded it not so much that God Cap. 7. 26. might be glorified in Artaxerxes great carefulnesse and just commands for beautifying of his Temple as to countenance their owne wil-worship and inventrons But did God ever say to any Christian people as he did to Abraham Gen. 17. 8. I will give unto thee and thy seed thy neighbours Country whose inhabitants were without the Covenant of workes for an everlasting possession How much lesse does God give thee the confiscation of thy brothers estate whom thou wilt perhaps acknowledge to be within and canst not possibly prove to be without the covenant of Grace because he differs from thee in opinion or some cases of conscience only Did God ever say to Christians as he did to Abraham v. 14. The uncircumcised man-childe shall be cut off from his people If Christians have any command equivolent hereunto why is it not impartially put in execution If they have not who shall answer for such as have beene persecuted or put to death without it But as whatsoever God hath commanded should be punctually done so what God hath not commanded ought not to be done the adding to in Deuteronomy Deut. 12. 32. and Johns Revelation Rev. 22. 18. is as much forbidden as the taking from it and Salomon sayes Prov. 30 6. Adde thou not unto the words of God lest he reprove thee and thou be found liar I am confident it cannot be denied but that the endeavouring and practice of coercive power to sway the conscience in any kinde is for the most part either expressively or by undeniable consequence quite contrary to the principall intention and letter throughout the whole Scripture in which respect if there were some few texts or passages which

castest my wor●s behinde thee Yet these Persecutors and Inquisitons which compell others to communion with them doe not barely prostitute the sacred Ordinances of God by a●table 〈…〉 cing and alluring a mixt multitude to abuse them but far more ●o naturally and with greater impiety because spirituall then those of Sodome tempt provoke and force them by ●●●●ny severall wayes to ravish and deflowre the Church their spirituall Mother and dearest Spouse of Christ Nay suppose Christ Jesus himselfe should come againe personally and llive amongst us upon earth I would very saine be assured how he might be free of being persocuted and crucified againe according to the principalls of such government if he should either worke miracles or teach or speake any thing besides the rule of mans inventions or above the capacity of our fraile and carnall apprehensions It is acknowledged that St. Paul sayes Rom. 13. 1. Let every soule be subject unto the higher powers but this only is meant in civill matters and not such as may concerne the inward governing and reglement of the soul or affect the conscience with remorse and guiltinesse for first we finde in severall other texts that if the difference be between Gods prerogative and the powers on earth It is better to they God then man and Act. 5. 29. that Paul meant no lesse appears clearly in the same Chaper where he sayes Rom. 13. 5. Ye must needs be subject not only for wrath but also for conscience sake which cannot possibly succeed if they commanded any thing contrary in conscience or the divine Supremacy unto which only as it is acknowledged even by the light of Nature the conscience is primarily subject and not unto any other Law or Court without expresse warrant and dispensation Secondly though we must be subject unto all Powers because the Powers and Ministers are of God yet we are not bound to be subject to any of them farther then their known respective powers extend for the power which is assumed beyond their bounds is not of God and so the reason which Paul urges why we must be obedient falls to ground I meane in respect of active obedience and for passive especially towards those that are supreme I refer the Reader to such as have so lately argued it so largely I de●●●e not to seem as thinking that Christians may live as they list for when Paul told the Galatians Gal. 5. 13. that they were called unto liberty he bid them withall not use it for an occasion to the flesh of that government is ever a whit the lesse necessary in any Church State on Common-wealth for even a Corporation or family cannot well subsist without it but it may not be imagined that God did not prescribe and leave expresse warrant how he would have his owne house governed Paul tells Timothy that he wrote those things unto him hoping to come in person shortly but in case he carried longer that Timothy might know how he ought to behave himselfe in the house of God 1 Tim. 2. 14. and as Paul thought these directions enough and Timothy might not goe beyond commission so neither may we imploy any other means or instruments to uphold Christs government or houshold then such as were by him prescribed which St. Paul sayes 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. are only Spirituall but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds casting downe imaginations and every high thing which exalteth is selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ And he said to the Ephesians Put on the armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the divell for we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against the rulers of darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Eph. 6. 11 12. The armour prescribed by him was only spirituall and therefore their enemies cannot be imagined otherwise then spirituall But if civill powers or others have authority in matters of Religion then their commands and Laws in that respect must be as absolute as in any other and ought equally to be obeyed which would ingage the whole Kingdome still to the Discipline of the Common-Brayer-Book and government of Episcopacy which for the present stand established by sundry Acts of Parliament unrepealed and all Puritans Non-conformists or Protestant separatists of what sort soever are as subject to persecution as any Papists which appears by the respective Acts themselves in that behalfe 2. and 3. Edw. 6. cap. 5. and 6. Edw 6. cap. 1. 1. Eliz. cap. 2. And if Subjects may say that Episcopacie and the Service-Booke are Antichristian contrary to the word of God and may be their own judges in that respect what hinders but they may say so too concerning Presbytery or any other government Wherefore there remaines no modium either a Liberty of Conscience must be permitted us to enjoy our owne opinions in matters of Religion or else there is a necessity of being liable and subject against Conscience whensoever the civill powers which surely are no more infallible then Ecclesiasticall shall happen to enact or stablish any thing else lesse consonant and agreeing to the word of God And whereas the 15. Chapter of the Acts is commonly alledged from whence they deduce the authority and use of Synods with a supremacie of power in matters Ecclesiasticall I say that whatsoever is pretended from thence in behalfe of Synods Papists have long since said the same and far more in favour of their Generall Councells but that there is no ground at all in that place neither for Synods or General Councells in that way which is pretended by either of them besides sundry others will manifestly appeare by these few reasons First because Paul and Barnabas with the others sent from Antioch did not appeare as Commissioners or Representatives at the consultation of Jerusalem jointly to consult with the Apostles and Elders about the Act. 15. 4. 5. matter in question but only made relation of their message as bare messengers 2. The Text it selfe saies they should go to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders about this question and not unto a Synod Vers 2. Thirdly the Apostles and Elders of Jerusalem only came together to consider of the businesse as appeares by collating vers 6. with vers 2. and 4. the multitude which were then present being perhaps standers Vers 12. by as I may so say or rather the Brethren also who if they did consult in v. 23. they were the Brethren of Jerusalem the naming whereof evidences more plainly that there were no others who consulted Fourthly Synia and Cilicia had no Commissioners there for if they had they would have been named as well as Paul and Barnabas when the Apostles Elders and Brethren of Jerusalem wrote their letters and the decree Vers 23. should have been published in the name of the Commissioners and Representatives of Antioch Syria Cilicia and

might seem to colour it yet they ought to be so much more deliberately considered and pondered on for the honour we owe to Gods truth and charity to our neghbour In Matthews Gospel cap. 28. 20. it is said Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you But I doe not finde persecution to have been expressely commanded in any place of the Gospel and whereas some would infer it from the words Let all things be done 1 Cor. 14. 40. decently and in order as by the coherence with the whole Chapter it appeares plainly to relate only unto the orderly proceeding behaviour in their assemblies or publick meetings so it possibly cannot be made appear from hence that there is or ought to be a power to persecute or put to death for then this conclusion would follow that the Church Note of Corinth had commission given them to put a man to death only for indecencie or for having done any thing which was unseemly or out of order but this would be both a great absurdity injustice and blasphemy to affirme againe Let all things be done decently and in order cannot possibly signifie or imply a power or order of fining imprisoning and putting to death unlesse you will say that the Apostles Disciples and all Christian Churches especially that of Corinth had the same power and then you must either say that there was no delinquencie to proceed against in a coercive way which is notoriously false or else you must condemn them all because they did not practise it at any time for as the precept or command was given to the Church and Saints of Corinth so Pauls meaning and intention must needs be that they of all others should observe and practise it fully and punctually in all things that it might have been a president to others and lastly that the commission of decencie and order in all things was given 1 Cor. 1. 1. 2. Cap 9. 10. Cap. 10. 11 8. unto the Church of Corinth is plaine since the whole Epistle is directed to them particularly and by name but it was written for instruction and concerned equally all the Disciples Churches of Christ both then living and us as S. Paul saies On whom the ends of the world are come now it is grosse and preposterous to think or say that Paul gave the Church of Corinth such commission that is an order or authority to Note use coercive power for the better prevailing that all things might be done decently and in order because he knew they wanted and could not have the assistance of the civil Magistrate thereunto and if the coercive was not intended to them much lesse to future Churches who have only received the same commission after so many reversions and can not pretend that the words thereof should have a different or larger signification in our favour then was meant unto the Corinthians unto whom it was immediately directed and we may well presume that if it had signified a compulsive or Lordly jurisdiction to have been put in execution by Christian Churches or Common-wealths in after ages which cannot be because of so many absurd consequences which follow thereupon yet dato non concesso in such case I say the Apostles and primitive Christians though they themselves had wanted coercive meanes and power would not withstanding infallibly have left some ground or warrant inserted in the letter of the Gospel to be conveyed successively unto posterity for their better direction in 〈…〉 nesse of such concernment and so great obscurity in that sense which is objected but if the point be intricate or dubious the safest way is to proceed no further then we have a precept or president of our Saviour or his Apostles to warrant us especially in matters of so high a nature as are the worship and service of God Almighty the Discipline of his House and tender consciences of his dearest Saints In the Gospel we meet with Bishops a Presbytery Elders Deacons Apostles Evangelists Disciples Prophets strange tongues and Interpreters 1 Tim. 3. 12 4. 14. Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 3. 8 5. 1. 7. Act 6. beginning Luke 10. 1 23. 1 Cor. 12. 10. Eph 4. 11 12 13. Rom. 12. 8 of tongues Elders that rule well and labour in the Ministery some to take care of poore widowes others for exhortation Pastors Teachers for perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ untill we all come in the unity of the faith as St. Paul sayes But what spirit of truth doe we ever meet with which saies that any of these were given for the corporall imprisoning banishing or putting to death the body of Christ which are his Saints as of latter times too too often hath beene practised where finde wee in the Gospel order or authority to convent accuse and arraigne men with power of life and death for matters of religion or opinion only this is but traditionall and far short from being Canno●icall and Christian it is true we finde here a precept for endeavouring to accomplish a unity of faith in the Saints or the Saints in the unity of faith but this was neither universall nor nationall unity as appeares afterwards where he sayes unto the same Ephesians Walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mindes much lesse was any constraint or compulsion ordered Verse 17. or intended to be used for then both they and all other Christian Churches had been bound to make all others walke with them in unity of faith or to walke unto the gallowes and the Apostles admonition in such case would have been both more proper and effectuall which the Ephesians as such Church commanders pretend if he had ●aid Walke not as other Gentiles who because they will not walke with you in unity of R●ligion and uniformity of discipline are deservedly compelled to walke unto the gallowes Hath it not often been instilled into the eares of Princes as Hansan the great favourite did unto King Ahasue●us concerning the Jewes Gods people who were then afflicted in captiv●●y and so ●bjectly contemp 〈…〉 le that they could not possibly be dangerous to the State and ye● proud Haman ●stner 3. 8 9. c. only because a consciencious Mordecai was scrupulous and could not ●ow and doe rev●ience to him as the King commanded 〈…〉 ed h●●●●jesty 〈…〉 a there was a certaine peopl● scattered ab 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 spersed into all Provinces of his Kingdome whose lawes were divers from all people neither kept they the Kings lawes and therefore it was not for the Kings profit to suffer them in which respect if it pleased his Majesty that letters might be writ for their destruction he promised to pay ten thousand talents of silver into the Kings treasurie hereupon the King con●ented to the Edict that all of them men women and children should be massacred and for Hamans good counsell remitted the ten thousand