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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	bind_v	church_n	heaven_n	11,478	5	7.0638	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90879	A voice from heaven: or, A testimony against the remainders of Antichrist yet in England: and in particular, the court of tryers for approbation of ministers. / Born by Gualter Postlethwait, pastor to a Church of Christ in Lewes in Sussex.	Postlethwaite, Walter, d. 1671.	1655 (1655)	Wing P3022; Thomason E1498_3; ESTC R208640	39,391	112

miracles God had wrought among the Gentiles by them And whereas the Apostle speaks of myriads of Jews that believe Chap. 21. 20. it is not to be restrained to Jews dwelling at Hierusalem since it was the time of Pentecost Chap. 20. 16. when Jews and Proselytes came to Hierusalem out of all nations and we have express mention of the Jews that were of Asia vers 27. Neither is it impossible for Myriades in the language of Luke at least to come together and to hear at once the same Preacher To shew which Mr. Norton urges Luke 12. 1. However it be it seems that the Church of Hierusalem did at this time ordinarily come together in one place as occasion required for vers 22. t is said The multitude must needs come together This cannot be meant of the Officers for besides that they are the Speakers it would be incongruous to call them the multitude neither can it be meant of others besides believers for this speech of the Elders is to be speake some condescension in Paul to some Legal rites thereby to take off the offence of these that believing were yet Zealots of the Law as is plain and so such an understanding would not agree to the scope of the Elders Neither doth it seeme congruous that it should be said of any other but the Church of Hierusalem What other multitude should the Apostles and Elders expect that they should come together unto them as is implied much less determine their coming together as some understand the speech about the Apostles being come to town To this agree Calvin Beza and Diodate on the place We may adde to this instance that of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 14. 23. and Antioch Acts 15. 30. But I finde no contrary instances And this I say not onely against the Episcopal but also Classical Churches which are put in the room of those Episcopal Churches by the effectual working of the mystery of iniquity These are combinations of many 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 at least by some as to take away power of Government and exercise of Ecclesiastick Discipline from the Congregations and not onely infringing of it so leaving them but as the Curacies under the Bishops and their Ministers to have no more power then the Parish-Ministers had under the Bishops at least considered as the Ministers of such Congregations See Mr. Wood in his answer to Mr. Lockyer's Little Stone Part 2. Sect. 1. S. 4. I will not says he question the an sit or being of the subject of this assertion whether there be de jure and of divine institution an Eldership or Presbytery within a particular Congregation that is a Colledge of Elders belonging to one single Congregation by it self having power of Government and exercising Ecclesiastick Discipline although I know men learned and much exercised in the study of the Questions about Ecclesiastick Government are of the judgement that there is not such an Eldership or Presbytery And I confess it is right hard to finde in Scripture either precept or example for it Let us consider the judgement of these Learned men to which Mr. Wood seemeth to incline and more too as appears in his foresaid Treatise p. 369. where expresly he gives his judgement The fixing says he of single Congregations under appropriated Officers is not necessary by any divine institution c. Observe first that they appropriate the power of Government and exercise of Ecclesiastick Discipline unto the Eldership That is implied in what has been quoted and we need not search their Writings that are of that Way much to finde it expresly denied that Popular concurrence in acts of Government is to be proved by the Scriptures Vide Mr. Wood Part 2 of his aforesaid Treatise This how well it agrees with the institution Matth. 18. 18. let it be considered When Christ says Whatsoever ye binde on earth c. does not he include the offended brother to whom he directs his speech from vers 15 and of whom and whose act to the offender he had last spoken Especially considering that this verse contains the confirmation of the last clause of the fore-going verse mentioning the said act of the offended brother to the incorrigible offender that amounts to the casting him out of the Congregation of Christs Church and making an Heathen of him which that we may conceive that it was done though by him yet not by him alone but with the Church Christ adding the confirmation of this act speaks in the plural number and says not Whatsoever thou but ye shall binde c. yet withal keeping the second person that the offended brother be not excluded not saying Whatsoever he or they but ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heaven And when Christ promises the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven unto Peter his whole discourse lookes on Peter as a lively confessour of Jesus Christ his confession being the occasion of all that Christ speakes unto him and nothing coming in between the beginning and end of his Speech that may make us thinke that Christ considering Peter as a confessour of him at the first did afterward change his Notion and look on him otherwise Read Matth. 16. 16. c. Secondly they exclude the single Congregations considered severally each one by it self from having an Eldership having power to exercise Ecclesiastick discipline and so consequently the several single Congregations are excluded from having power of Government which they say resides wholly in the Elderships How likely this is let it be judged Is it likely that Go tell the Church Matth. 18. 17. should mean Go tell the Elders of the combination Is it likely that our Saviour so tender of the offenders credit and wary of offending him by making his fault publique that he must be told of it first alone then onely before so manay as may be sufficient to give a Satisfactory Testimony according to the Law Is it likely I say that he should appoint no mean between the two or three witnesses and a court of Elders of many combined congregations But not to stay here it has been proved already that the Church of Hierusalem and Corinth were single congregations that met together ordinarily in one place And that the Church of Hierusalem had her appointed officers and that the Church of Corinth exercised Ecclesiastick discipline who can deny But how unwarrantably soever hard they press their Classical way against the congregational even as hath been said to the utter taking away of power of Government from the several single congregations neither do they stay here but translate the power of Government to their Elderships subordinate one to another till they come to an Occumenical assembly to the officres of the whole Catholick visible Church of Christ as united in lesser greater combinations even to an occumenical assembly As Mr. Wood

in the aforesaid Treatise pag. 371. This is altogether strange to Scripture for if we grant that single congregations with their Eldership be excluded from the power of Government and exercising Ecclesiastick discipline yet will it not appear from Scripture that there are any higher Elderships or larger combinations of Churches then those of the first form and of the first step from the single congregation yea the contrary apears in that the Churches of Asia grant them collective Churches Rev. 2. and 3 chapters do severally receive of Christ the praise of their good and blame of their evil carriage each single Church for her self without any reflection on superior combinations notwithstanding some of them lay situate within eight or ten miles of each other and those that were farthest distant not above 200 miles each from other as some have computed the Journeys between them This is strange if there were superior Combina●ions and if there should have been 't is much that Christ should not blame them after so long continuance of Christianity for not setting up his ordinances especially considering the defection of divers of the Churches to whose charge it might well have been laid as a thing wherein they were accessary to their own Apostacy that they had not set all up Gods meanes to preserve them If it be objected that we read of an higher Eldership exercising acts of rule over a Proportional combination of Churches viz a Synodical assembly Act. 15. To this I answer We read not of any combination of any such combination of the Churches there mentioned viz. of Hierusalem Antioch Syria and Cilicia whereby they should become Subject unto the rule of one superior Eldership in matters conceived to belong firstly to their cognizance or that may be referred unto them or in which there may be appeales made unto them nor when and how the said combination was made and established Secondly here was no Synod by which our adversaries understand an assembly of Officers resulting out of many inferiour Presbyteries I say here was no Synod in this sense For we read of no forreigners that came to this Synod if we must call it so but these that came from Antioch of whom we finde nothing that may import their concurrence in the decrees of it but these proceeded from the Apostles Elders and whole Church that must needs mean the Church at Hierusalem and when 't is said With the whole Church there is a reflection in the expression on the Apostles and Elders as related at least in their present residence and action which is all can be said of the Apostles being general officers unto that Church onely So that upon the whole the result is that the decrees here made were of the Church at Jerusalem and the officers of it onely Thirdly here was no appeale from the censure of the Church at Antioch For we read not of any Ecclesiasticall censure that the Church at Antioch had passed either concerning the persons disputing or the things disputed but onely of dissention and disputation had betwixt Paul and Barnabas and those that came from Judea Neither were there any refers made from Antioch unto Hierusalem as though the matter were too high for their Cognizance or beyond their abilitie to determine For the Churches of Antioch and Hierusalem were alike congregational I say more then Classical in that strict sense wherein the next to Congregational is meant our adversaries cannot say and furnished both with extraordinary Officers to which appeals and refers in the sense before recited cannot agree But the reason of sending from Antioch unto Hierusalem seemes to me most probably to be this viz. to take off the scandal that came to the Church of Antioch and at least might come to those of Syria and Cilicia also by these false teachers by whose comming out of Judea it may be also bragging of the Apostles and Elders at Hierusalem that they taught the same doctrine to the brethren there yea moreover and it may be urging them to go and see if it Vid. Bez. in oc were not so by these meanes I say the Church of Antioch had as it is probable at least twice taken some offence and been staggered in their faith as though Paul and Barnabas had taught otherwise then the Apostles and Elders at Hierusalem And so the errand of these Messengers from Antioch to Hierusalem was primarily to get satisfaction that there was the same doctrine taught at Hierusalem that was at Antioch for the establishing of such as might be staggered and preventing of farther danger by the pretences of these false teachers And this seemes to shine forth clearly in the returne of those at Hierusalem in the 23 24 25 26 27. verses Because some had gone out from them that had offended the brethren of Antioch c. therefore they send chosen men of their own company that might take off the offence by assuring them of the contrary judgement of the Apostles to what those false teachers taught Fourthly here was no rule exercised over the Churches to which they of Hierusalem wrote the result of their conference occasioned by the Messengers from Antioch wherein they throughly weighed the controverted point to give a sound resolve for the establishing of the staggering brethren There was no rule exercised I say for Paul is so embarqued with the Church of Antioch by his residence there and deepe hand in carrying on the controversie with the false teachers that I cannot see how without diminution of his Apostolical authority that the decrees of the Apostles should be more then materially binding viz. because Gods word onely How Paul that in the defence of this same point causes whomsoever should preach otherwise then he with the rest of his perswasion Gal. 1. 8 9. had preached how he I say should submit unto any Judicature on earth Authoritatively determining of his doctrine whether sound or not so as their decrees should be formally binding viz. as the decrees of such a court this I cannot conceive And again 't is a joynt act to make these Dec●ees a joynt act of the Apostles Elders and brethren the whole Church concurs to the making and sending of them and that under the same Notion vers 22 23. 25 28. It pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church It seemed good unto us being assembled with one accord It seemed good unto the holy Ghost and to us which us must be interpreted by Apostles Elders and brethren mentioned in the inscription of the letter Now it will not be granted that the brethren did joyne with the Apostles in an act of rule over another Church or Churches Neither will it helpe to say that the concurrence of the Apostles and Elders and of the brethren was of a different nature For the text is so full as to the involving them together in the same act under the same expressions even the highest with so much punctualness in signifying their joynt

every dark hole But give me leave to say Take heed take heed that you set not up Episcopacie again Saints are afraid what the Commissioners for trial of Ministers will come to at last Some spake out their fears at first sight and wished it came not to another Episcopacy Let it be seriously enquired into I confess that at first I was pretty well satisfied with the Ordinance for their sitting save that 't is grounded in part on the defence of Patrons rights and properties but since my scruples increase That which most satisfied me at first and made me think favourably of these Commissioners I mean as such Commissioners was that their Commission gives them not power to invest into Office but that will not answer all my scruples now For though they are not to invest into Office yet they are to take the beginnings of their proceedings from the presentation of the Patron that presents to Benefice with care of souls originally and I know no qualification that is put on his presentation but onely care taken to preserve his rights and properties and so when they do confirm this presentation they do in effect invest into Office and supply the place of the Bishop to give the Complement to the Parish-Priest And again is there not the same-kinde of Tyranny exercised over the elections of the people that was formerly even as whom the Patron and Bishop could agree in he was the man for the place let the people be never so much grieved even so now if the Patron and Commissioners agree that brings in a Minister into a Parish in spight of their hearts But 't will be said that they are not looked on as Churches But I answer There cannot be denied but in many of them there are some reliques of a Church some poor Saints that are nourished in this Wilderness that should not be imposed on Let it be considered what Temple of God that is that Antichrist is described by usurping over it 2 Thes 2. 4. was it not the woman in the wilderness Rev. 12. 6. with 17 3. Antichrist raigns over the universal visible Church during the wilderness-state of the Church that is hid in the confusions of Antichristian order and lurks among the crowd of Gentiles in the outward Court that God owns not as a Church Rev. 11. 2. and therefore his Remnant is this Temple during the confusion of Antichrist lurking secretly among the Gentiles in their corrupt order Lastly does not the Ordinance for empowring these Commissioners provide for the propagation and continuance of our Parish-priests for though the Commissioners are not to make them so yet they approve them that are so without any alteration Apost pag. 104. of their standing Aaron would have excused his making the golden Calf if he could when he said There came out this Calf but Aaron should not have cast the metal into the fire over such a mould and then the Gold would not have come forth in such a shape so the aforesaid Ordinance should not cast Ministers in the fire of examination over the Parish-mould that is not taken away and then when any come out of this fire they shall fall into that mould they become Parish-Ministers or are continued to be so Let things be seriously weighed I make not cavils but speak out of conscience and the fear of the Lord. The fear of his Majesty makes me stand upon such things as these whose Name should be sanctified his Kingdome be submitted to and his will be done in earth as it is in heaven The Lord make his people of quick understanding in his fear not judging by the sight of the eyes and the hearing of the ear Things may have fair faces and be well spoken that are very foul filthiness of the fornications of Mystery Babylon whose abominations are in a golden cup. I cannot but look upon what Mr. Goodwin once said speaking of the Vid. a late tract of the world to come pag. 28. World to come in opening Eph. 1. 21. viz. That Christ will not cease till he has thrown down every rag all that dross and defilement that Antichrist and Popery brought into the World I cannot but look on this as comprehending as much in brief as I have said Jesus Christ will never rest sayes he till he hath thrown out all the dross of this world both of doctrine and worship that conformity to the World hath brought in I know the great Objection against what has been said is that Ministers will want their certainty but for all this they that trust in the Lord will say Cast up take away the stumbling-block and that with a great deal of fervour because of the promise They that trust in the Lord shall possess the land and inherit my holy mountain Isa 57. 13 14. God hath kept me I bless him from many a snare by enabling me to take the promise for my maintenance and when I first entered into the Ministery that Psa 37. 3. was set on my heart When I was in doubt whether to serve the Lord with a little means or go to seek more yea rather accept more for I was offered it in more places then one And I have been tried whether I would stick to i● God hath kept me to it though with much experience of my frailty through this comfort of the promise I have refused livings when I might have had them and laid thē down when God call'd for them in the witness of the Truth That I say in the strength of God is Vincat veritas ruat coelum Let us gain Truth with the greatest damage for he that is the fountain of truth is the fountain of good that hath riches of glory to supplie all our wants I proceed now unto a Use of exhortation Vse 2 to all Gods people to come out of Babylon according to such Scriptures as these viz. Isa 52. 11. it is an exhortation Diodate on the place sayes Diodate to the people to come out of earths Babylon and not to be allured and enticed by the unclean and profane benefits thereof And to all the Church redeemed by Christ to seperate it self from the communion and affection of the world and the corruptions and Idolatries thereof 2 Cor. 6. 11. If any say We are in a captive state yet heare what Calvin saith on Cal. in loc the place he admonishes them says he that although they be captives yet that they do nothing for the sake of their lords that their condition may be the better that they suffer not themselves to be drawn away from the pure worship of God that they be not polluted with their rites that they seeme not to worship their idolls c. assent to their religion The Prophet doth not sayeth he exhort the Jews to be clean when they shall be free but whiles they shall be held captive and undergo the peril of their lives Add Jer. 50. 8. and 51. 6. and 51.