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
A90063	Irenicum; or, An essay towards a brotherly peace & union, between those of the congregational and presbyterian way; shewing out of the most learned and renowned divines of the congregational way, that their positions concerning 1. Church matters and members. 2. Church constitution and form. 3. Church state. 4. Church officers and ordination. 5. Church government and censures. 6. Church combinations and synods. 7. Communion with and separation from churches. are sufficient for the establishing a firme and lasting peace between them and the Presbyterians ... In pursuance of the good design begun at the Savoy, where it was agreed, and declared, that such reforming churches as consist of persons sound in the faith, and of conversation becoming the Gospel, ought not to refuse the communion of each other ... Drawn up and published by Discipulus de Tempore Junior.	Newcomen, Matthew, 1610?-1669.; D. T.	1659 (1659)	Wing N910; Thomason E978_1; ESTC R202985	58,516	89

Churches hear their Ministers as Ministers of the Gospel and hold communion with them in their Churches Answ We may hold and retain communion with them in baptizing our children as occasion may fall out by absence of our Ministers in their Churches Apologetical Narration They say but do not Mat. 23. and by occasional receiving the Supper of the Lord in their Churches and receiving such member of theirs as are duly qualified unto communion with us occasionally also our Ministers to preach in their Congregations and receive theirs also to preach in ours as Ministers of the Gospel Papers given to the Committee of accommodation by Thomas Goodwin Philip Nye William Bridge Sydrach Simson Ierom. Burroughs pag. 29. line 17. Quest 9. What shall we judge then of the Separatists or Brownists are they of Antichrist Answ Sure their practice is blame worthy 1. Because they separate where Christ keeps fellowship Rev. 1.18 and that he walks with us we argue Mr. Cotton because he is still pleased to dispense to us the word of life and edifies many souls thereby and therefore surely Christ hath fellowship with us and shall man be more pure then his Maker where Christ vouchsafes fellowship shall man renounce it if they be converted where had they their conversion 2. Have not many of Gods servants heretofore kept company with Churches as corrupt as ours are did not Peter and John keep company with their persons and shall they be more pure and curious 3. Christ commands if thy brother offend thee admonish him Mat. 18.17 c. then tell it to the Church and if he hear not the Church let him be unto thee as a heathen or a publican he doth not say let the Church be unto the as a heathen or a publican if the Church hear not thy complaint Now there are many of our Separatists never admonish their brethren nor made their complaint to the Church and if they did and the Church heard them not must they therefore excommunicate the Church and renounce it Therefore unless you finde in it blasphemy or idolatry or persecution there is no just ground of separation Mr. Cottons exposition of the first epistle of John fol. 156. l. 38. Object I. They say our worship is corrupt Answ Suppose there were and are sundry abuses in the Church Mr. Cotton yet that is no safe ground of separation Ezek. 5.11 Ezek. 9.4 So when the sons of Eli corrupted the sacrifices of God their sin was great yet it was the sin of the people to separate and abhor 1 Sam. 2.17 Mr. Cottons Exposition of the first epistle of John fol. 157. line 10. Object 2 They say our government is Antichristian Answ We say it is that Government that expelled Antichrist and sundry have witnessed it with their blood and I say further That there is no such corruption in our state as was in Jerusalem when Christ and his Apostles kept fellowship with them as two high Priests c. Ibid. line 13. Obj. 3. They say our Ministry and Calling is Antichristian Answ We say we do not profess our selves enemies to Christ Mr. Cotton and for our Calling many of us are elected by the peoples approbation or by such as are set up by the King or State and if God bless our Ministry to convert thousands to God it is an evident sign God approves our Calling for if it were Antichristian they would not convert souls unto God Ibid. line 18. Object 4. They say our people are corrupt and some such as Paul bids not to have communion with 1 Cor. 5.11 as drunkards whoremongers and the like Answ We cannot deny but that there are very many corrupt and scandalous persons in our Church But Mr. Cotton 1. Private Christians have no authority to put them out 2. For Ministers if they see it would turn to the dissipation and destruction of the flock it were better to forbear 1 Cor. 5. Mat. 13.29 30. Ezra 4.20 they ceased from building the Temple when there came a command against it O that you were wise to consider these things therefore they had better forbear when it cannot be redressed without greater prejudice to the Church 3. The corruption of some doth not corrupt the Church nor the ordinances of God he that eates and drinks unworthily eats and drinks damnation to himself not to the whole Congregation and you shall finde many Churches as corrupt as the Church of Corinth yet the Apostle would not have them renounce it Mr. Cottons exposition of the first epistle of John fol. 157. line 28. Hitherto of communion with and separation from the Church now to draw some positions from these particulars with some inferences upon them 1. There may be acknowledged an universal visible Church which is the materia prima of particular Political Churches and may in some respects be called the first Church and particular Churches ortae Chap. 4. answ to first and second question Therefore the Catholike visile Church is not a Chimaera nor a chief pillar of Popery as some please to speak 2. Every faithful person yea every one that looketh for salvation by Christ is bound to joyn himself to some or other particular Church of Christ See answ to quest 3. chap. 4. Therefore some or other particular Church is bound to receive every one that looks for salvation by Christ and desires to joyn himself unto them for to say that every Christian is bound to joyn himself to some particular Church and yet no Church bound to receive him is to lay an impossible obligation upon a Christian 3. All the believers of one place be it Town Village or Parish are bound to joyn together in one Church and this order cannot be disturbed without guilt of Schisme and it is most for edification for men to be of the Church that is in the place where they dwell See chap. 4. answ to quest 4. Therefore the practice of those who gather into one Church members dwelling in three four or six several places distant many miles each from other tends not to edification nor cannot be excused from guilt of Schism 4. Peoples joyning with a Parish in choosing and calling a Minister is such an engagement as it is not safe for such to remove from such a Minister but upon such grounds as may give him due satisfaction See chap. 4. answ to quest 5. Therefore they have provided but an uneasie pillow for themselves to lay their heads on another day who have cast off those Ministers with contempt and scorn to the breaking and sadding of their hearts whom themselves chose and called as most of the members of the gathered Churches so called throughout England have done 5. To separate from a Church either out of contempt of their holy fellowship or out of covetousness or for greater enlargements with just grief to the Church or out of Schisme or for want of love or out of a spirit of contention in respect of some