Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	church_n	member_n	visible_a	3,390	5	9.5639	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74979	Excommunicatio excommunicata, or, A censure of the Presbyterian censures and proceedings in the Classis at Manchester wherein is modestly examined what ecclesiastical or civil function [sic] they pretend for their new and usurped power : in a discourse betwixt the ministers of that Classis, and some dissenting Christians.	Allen, Isaac, 17th cent.; Allen, Isaac, 17th cent.; Heyrick, Richard, 1600-1667.	1658 (1658)	Wing A1026A; ESTC R42720	45,307	67

parts of the universal visible Church militant here on earth however they have also their publique Assemblies distinct from ours though sundry of them as there is occasion resort to ours also But how we should hereupon make either these or the lawless Persons that we speak of members of the invisible Triumphant Church all which we have reckoned to belong to the visible they must have eyes quicker then Eagles that can discern how this follows and therefore there is no fear our Charity should so far over-reach as you supposed it might But still you are unsatisfied For you know not it seems what we mean by the word Publique the publique Assemblies of the Saints By our professions and practises in our owning the publique Assemblies and where the publique Ordinances of the Word Sacraments and Prayer are dispenced which we our selves do constantly frequent and stir up others to frequent also it was plain enough what we meant by publique Assemblies And we are heartily sorry that you understanding our meaning as is clear by what you say anon should by this but make your way to give a lash at our Private meetings which are none of them such as we need to be ashamed of And which when we meet either for conference about matters of Religion or to pray together and humble our selves for our own sins and the sins of these times When there is not the opportunity of a publique Assemby or when personal or Family occasions call for a private is surely as commendable at the least as a private meeting upon domestical civil or political occasions and therefore not to be secretly girded at And on the other hand we do not meddle with the censuring of those who being godly and sound in the faith in the main points of Religion do yet differ from us in judgement in matters of Discipline and Government And have their Assemblies for Gods publique worship distinct from ours as we are barred from it by the rules of our Government as we have often said before And therefore we leave room enough for Consciences that are truely tender Though we cannot say so much for the Prelatical Government Neither do we transgress any Laws of the Land which have made no provision to except any Persons that we meddle with and are made censurable by the rules laid down in the form of Church Government nor have we under Colour of Authority made any Laws and Edicts but according to that power that the civil Authority hath committed to us have onely openly given notice in our several Congregations of what offences are censurable by the rules of our Government that the offenders might take heed they incurre not that censure of Excommunication which Authority hath awarranted us to inflict upon the obstinate and otherwise incorrigible And therefore except to execute what we are appointed to do by the civil power be to contemn it we cannot be thought to have done any thing in contempt of the civil power as it is not our ignorance of the Laws in force that we are confident being grounded in reason fight not one against another and which is your more charitable and favourable construction that hath led us into any practises that are transgressions of them And therefore though you much question upon what account soever it be that we have been led into what we have acted and think it concernes us to look to it whether we have not run our selves into a premunire Yet we are assured we are as sufficiently secured against that danger as all the Justices in the Land are that have acted upon other Ordinances of Parliament which they have judged to be in force as we do also those to be that have been the ground of our proceedings But you have yet further to except for whereas we said That like notice should be taken of all scandalous Persons Your next Quaere is Whether those that forsake the publique Assemblies of the Saints in the second order may not be taken for scandalous Persons comprehended in the third order Here we perceive you understood who were meant by those that did forsake the publique Assemblies of the Saints viz. Those who forsaking the Assemblies where the publique Ordinances were dispensed were upon that account really and indeed scandalous and so being comprehended under the latitude of that expression might justly merit to be censured as scandalous Persons And thus conceiving you were not mistaken yet we who were to express our selves popularly and so as we might be understood considering some of that stamp though they forsook the publique Assemblies of the Saints and constantly turned their backs as on the Lords Supper so on all other Ordinances yet if not drunkards and swearers whoremasters c. did not take themselves to be scandalous Persons Do not think that in this we are any more to be blamed by you we using variety of expressions onely for this end that we might be better understood then we blame Lawyers and Attorneys and wherein we judge them not to be blame worthy for using variety of expressions and Multiplicity of Synonnymous Words to make the matter more clearand out of doubt where yet one and the same thing is understood by all But now hereupon your complaint is That we burden you with Traditions in multiplying of orders fine necessitate ad Arthritim usque and cry out Quare oneramini ritibus And tell us of lengthning out our Paper which yet is not by these few words hereused made very much longer But if you had remembred the multitude of Canons and burthensom Ceremonies that were rigorously pressed even to the highest censure in Case of refusall and under the burthen whereof sundry truely conscientious Persons under the late Prelacy did sigh and groan When those that were scandalous enough in their lives escaped censure and which some have cause not so soon to forget we think you would have seen little