Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	heathen_a	let_v	publican_n	2,742	5	10.9981	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30892	The anarchy of the Ranters and other libertines, the hierarchy of the Romanists, and other pretended churches, equally refused and refuted in a two-fold apology for the church and people of God called in derision Quakers : wherein they are vindicated from those that accuse them of disorder and confusion on the one hand, and from such as calumniate them with tyranny and imposition on the other ... / by Robert Barclay.	Barclay, Robert, 1648-1690.	1676 (1676)	Wing B718; ESTC R10444	60,765	91

cry out of Formality and Apostacy because they are not followed in all Things and if they be reproved for their Unruliness according to the good Order of the Church of Christ then they cry out Breach of ●iberty Oppression Persecution we will have none of your Order and Government we were taught to follow the Light in our Consciences and not the Orders of Men well of this hereafter but this gave the Rise of this Controversie which leads me to that which I proposed in the second place SECTION Third Whether there be now to be any Order or Government in the Church of CHRIST IN Answer to this Proposition I meddle not at this Time with those that deny any such Thing as a Church of Christ I have reserved their Plea to another Place neither need I to be at much Pains to prove the Affirmative to wit That there ought to be Government and Order in the Church of Christ unto the Generallity of our Opposers both Papists and Protestants who readily confess and acknowledge it and have heretofore blamed us for want of it though now some of them and that of the highest Pretenders are become so unreasonable as to accuse us for the Use of it improving it so far as they can to our Disadvantage for such is the Blindness of partial Envy that whereas the supposed Want of it was once reckoned Heretical now the present Performance of it is counted Criminal These then to whom I come to prove this Thing are such who having cast off the Yoke of the Cross of Christ in themselves refuse all Subjection or Government denying that any such Thing ought to be as disagreeing with the Testimony of Truth or those who not being so wilful and obstinate in their Minds yet are fearful or scrupulous in the Matter in respect of the dangerous Consequences they may apprehend such a Thing may draw after it For the clearing then as well the Mistakes of the one as answering the Cavils of the other I judge the Truth of these following Assertions will sufficiently prove the Matter which I shall make no great Difficulty to evidence First That Jesus Christ the King and Head of the Church did appoint and ordain that there should be Order and Government in it Secondly That the Apostles and Primitive Christians when they were filled with the Holy Ghost and immediately led by the Spirit of God did practise and commend it Thirdly That the same Occasion and Necessity now occurring which gave them Opportunity to exercise that Authority the Church of Christ hath the same Power now as ever and are led by the same Spirit into the same Practices As to the first I know there are some that the very Name of a Church and the very Words Order and Government they are affraid of Now this I suppose hath proceeded because of the great Hypocrisie Deceit and Oppression that hath been cloaked with the Pretence of these Things but why should the Truth be neglected because Hypocrites have pretended to it The right Institution of these Things which have been appointed and ordained by God must not nor ought not to be despised because corrupt Men have abused and perverted them I know not any thing that hath been more abused and pervented in the whole World then the Name of a Christian shall we then renounce that Honourable Title because so many Thousands of wicked Men yea Antichrists have falsly assumed it to themselves The Man of Sin hath taken upon him to sit in the Temple of God as God yet we must not therefore deny that God is in his Temple if the Synagogue of Satan hath assumed the Name of the Church of Christ and hath termed her Oppression and Violence the Power and Authority thereof therefore must not the Church of Christ its Authority be exercised where it truly is according to his Mind This I prefix to warn all to beware of stumbling at things which are innocent in themselves and that we may labour to hold the steady even Path of Truth without running in either of the extreams for that Jesus Christ did appoint Order Government to be in the Church is very clear from his plain Words Mat. 18. 15 16 17 18. Ver. 15. Moreover if thy Brother shall trespass against thee go tell him his Fault between thee and him alone of he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother Ver 16. But if he will not hear thee then take with thee one or two more that in the Mouth of two or three Witnesses every Work may be established Ver. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them tell it unto the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Ver. 18. Verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever yee shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven From which Scripture it doth manifestly and evidently follow First that Jesus Christ intended there should be a certain Order and Method in his Church in the Procedure towards such as transgress Secondly That he that refuseth to hear two is become more guilty as hardned then in refusing to hear him that first reproved alone Thirdly That refusing to hear the Judgment of the Church or whole Assembly he doth thereby exclude himself and shut out himself from being a Member and is justly judged by his Brethren as a Heathen and a Publican And lastly That the Church Gatherng or Assembly of God's People has Power to examin and call to an Account such as appearing to be among them or owning the same Faith with them do transgress and in Case of their refusing to hear or repent to exclude them from their Fellowship and that God hath a special Regard to the Judgment and Sense of his People thus orderly proceeding so as to hold such bound in Heaven whom they bind on Earth and such loosed in Heaven whom they loose on Earth I am partly confident that no rational Man will deny but that these nat●rally follow from the above mentioned Scripture and if there should be any found so unreasonable as to deny it I could prove it by necessary and unevitable Consequences which at present as taking it for granted I forbear to do If it be reckoned so great a Crime to offend one of the little ones that it were better for him that so did that a Milstone were hanged about his Neck and he were drowned in the Depth of the Sea without Question to offend and gainsay the whole Flock must be more criminal and must draw after it a far deeper Judgment Now if there were no Order nor Government in the Church what should become of those that transgress How should they be again restored would not this make all Reproving all Instructing all Caring for and Watching over one another void and null Why should Christ have desired them to proceed after this Method Why doth