Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heart_n	act_n	hear_v	word_n	2,461	5	4.5030	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B04528	The lavvfulnes of hearing the publick ministers of the Church of England proved, by Mr. Philip Nye and Mr. John Robinson, two eminent Congregational divines. Together with the judgment of Dr. Goodwin, Dr. Owen, and other independents, as well ancient as modern, concerning forms of prayer, parish-churches, and communion with them: and the judgment of other nonconformists about kneeling at the sacrament.	Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.; Robinson, John, 1575?-1625.	1683 (1683)	Wing N1496; ESTC R203023	37,350	46

Duty we join in may so relate as I may partake of his Evil though I act nothing with him but what is a Duty on my part Receiving of Rents and Tenantship are so nearly related that if the Person with whom I partake thus have forfeited his Tenantship and of right is no Tenant yet by my accepting of Rent from him I make him one notwithstanding his forfeiture To exercise a Judicial Act relates so much to the Person legally constituted a Judg that if I submit my Cause to him that is not so and suffer I sin against my own Liberty In each of these what I do is good but partakes somewhat with the evil of another In our Spiritual Affairs that is a full instance 1 Cor. 10.18 They that eat of the Sacrifice partake of the Altar that is from the Relation and Connexion betwixt the Altar and the Gift Mat. 23.19 The Altar sanctifieth the Gift It is either not a Sacrifice or not a Lawful Sacrifice but by reason of the Altar For Application to the Case 1. My being present and hearing of a Conformist is no Approbation of the evil of his Conformity and so no occasional or transient Relation is raised thereby Approbation is an act of the Mind or Heart It is not shewed to him or others by me until it be expressed outwardly by my Words or Gestures which I have not in this case any occasion to do his Evil being done elsewhere and formerly and not in our presence that now hear him 2. Nor is there any set or standing Relation between him and me though he preach and I hear him constantly This creates no Church-fellowship or Communion To instruct and learn is an humane or natural converse and differs not from teaching or learning any other Faculty though the subject Matter I hear be Divine It 's true by the addition of a special Institution it becomes a Church-Ordinance so giving of Alms visiting of the Sick and the like which are Actions of common Humanity when brought under a special Institution do thereby become as much Church-Ordinances as Preaching 2 Cor. 6.14 What fellowship hath Light with Darkness or a Believer with an Infidel that is in respect to Church-Communion and Fellowship there is none yet a Believer and an Infidel may Preach and Hear may Teach and be Taught Acts 17. 1 Cor. 14. Rom. 1.13 3. For any special Tincture derived from his Evil to the Duty we perform with him it must be either from the Sins of his Person or his Ordination The former hath been spoken to As for the evil of his Ordination it relates not to his Preaching by any such near aliance as that the one may not be done without the other It is the duty of all Christians saith Ames to do their utmost to advance the Kingdom of God and therefore to teach others the Knowledg of God Why may not a Man Preach and Instruct others if he be able by word of Mouth as well as by Writing and Printing Theological Discourses This latter was never questioned by any sober Man OBJECTIONS ANSWERED Object 1. My presence at such Mens Preaching if I be silent and give no testimony against them will be an encouragement to their way Answ 1. If I had no other just and apparent reason for my being present it might be so interpreted but my presence relates and ought so to be judged unto the Word Preached If I be present in some consecreated place adorned with Images to hear a Sermon my presence ought not to be interpreted a Countenancing those Superstitions but the Preaching of Gods Word When the Preaching of Christ and a malitious Spirit was in one Man Pauls rejoycing at the one was no Countenancing of the other Answ 2. We do not so easily derive guilt or pollution by being present or in the Company of Sinners though we do not testify against them when they are not in Spiritual Communion with us A little Leaven leaveneth the whole Lump but no more The Contagion goeth no further than the Relation The Apostle 1 Cor. 5.9 layeth down clearly this difference from that Verse to the end He speaks of Judging that is censuring of others that we may prevent partaking with them in their Guilt By Judging we are to understand not only the Censure it self but the telling our Brother the reproving convincing and other private Duties in relation thereunto and avoiding their Company afterwards and it is applied with distinction of Persons in respect of their relation to us There are Fornicators of this World ver 10. and such are without ver 12. Now there is not that Obligation lying upon us to reprove their Sins as if a Brother be a Fornicator ver 11. In some cases we may be silent and leave the former to the Judgment of God ver 13. But in no case if he be a Brother Answ 3. To Reprove or give Testimony against an evil is a tender Duty and we may easily miscarry if the rules thereof be not strictly observed 1. Especially if publick in the Face of a Congregation come together peaceably to worship God 2. And the Person an Elder at least so reputed generally by the Congregation 3. The Sin also must be a gross Sin and apparant so to the Assembly But if it be doubtful as in our Case whether it be a Sin or such a Sin whether committed upon the place or formerly we know not where nor how long since if possibly he hath repented of it or is able to clear himself at least from the grosness of it I say in such a case were he a Brother and in this Relation I have no Call to reprove or give a publick testimony in such time or place especially Answ 4. This Objection renders not my coming to hear an Evil but my not reproving I am the rather bound to come for I have hereby not only an opportunity to receive but to do good if such reproving be a duty Object 2. Ordination and Conformity and Common Prayers and Ceremonies are connexed with Preaching as one intire Service by partaking thereof of the the one we contract the pollution of the other Answ 1. What God himself in a moral way joyneth together no Man may separate only God himself But what God in Nature hath joyned together he gives us leave to separate as Chaff from Wheat c. And so likewise for what Man joyneth together especially in the Service of God and such matters thereof as God hath not required A set Liturgy or stinted Form of Prayer for matter and Words to be used much less to be inseparably joyned with Preaching is not required by the Lord nor indeed is there any such necessary dependance by our Laws Answ 2. Ordination is not so necessarily connexed with Preaching either by God or Man Scripture-light mentions Preaching and Hearing as Duties Rom. 10. whereas yet there could be no Ordination nor are they so inseparably joyned by our Laws But if they were it

of the Word of God is not so inclosed by any hedg or ditch divine or humane made about it but lies in common for all for the good of all The particular Objections follow Object 1. No Man may submit his Conscience to be wrought upon by an unlawful and Antichristian Ministry neither hath God promised or doth afford any Blessing upon it neither can any have the sanctified use thereof Answ It cannot be said properly that the Office of the Ministry works upon the Conscience of the Hearer The Office only gives power and charge to the Teacher to teach in such or such a Church-state And as it resides in the Person of the Officer alone so the Communion lawful or unlawful which any hath with it is in regard of the lawful or unlawful Ecclesiastical Relation and Union foregoing between the Persons and not in any working of the Office upon the Conscience of any Secondly Though God bless not the unlawful Office of the Ministry which is not of himself yet he may and doth bless the Truths taught by the Officer which are of himself and from Heaven To deny this of many in the Church of England is Balaam-like to curse where God would have us to bless Object 2. To hear such a Minister is to honour approve and uphold his Office of Ministry Answ 1. If this be simply true then when the heathenish Athenians heard Paul preach or when an Unbeliever comes into the Church-Assembly and hears the Preacher he approves honours and upholds the Office of the Ministry which what it means he is altogether ignorant If any reply We know the Ministry of the Church to be as it is I answer That the knowing of it makes not our act the more or less an act of Approbation If I do an Act wherein I indeed approve of a thing if I know the thing I really approve of it upon Knowledg if I know it not I really approve of it but ignorantly 2. If I approve of the Office simply because I hear the Officer preach then I much more approve of all the Doctrines which he delivers because I hear him deliver them If the latter seems unreasonable so is the former much more except I be in Church-Communion with the Officer and then indeed I really approve of his Office as I also do of his Doctrine if it be according to the Confession of Faith made by me for then I am in former Union with him in the one or other and so have Communion in the Acts thereof If this were a good ground that every one approves of the Evil done in matter or manner where he is present none could live with a good Conscience in the Society of Men upon Earth Persons so minded are best alone for with others they will keep no Peace no not with themselves neither if they be true to their own Grounds But they plainly balk themselves in their Courses either in weakness of Judgment or partiality of Affection or throught want of due Consideration of their Ways Object 3. By this then it seems a Man may be present at any act of Idolatry and do as others do that practise Idolatry yet not approve of it And so the three Nobles in Daniel needed not to have put themselves upon such Pikes of Danger as they did for not falling down as others did in the Place Answ 1. In preaching the Truths of the Gospel no Idolatrous Act is performed as there was 2. It must be known that Approbation is properly in the Heart and only the manifestation of Approbation in outward Gesture Speech or Writing Both the one and other are evil if the thing be evil But here it must be considered that I may in some cases do the same outward Act which others do and wherein they manifest their Approbation of Idolatry or other Evil and yet I be free in Truth and Deed from all such Approbation and Stain thereof The Jews after Christ's Death and the taking away and abolishing the legal Ordinances thereby circumcised their Infants and frequented the Temple for Purification and other Mosaical Ceremonies as parts of God's Worship and still remaining of Divine Institution Paul also circumcised Timothy entred the Temple for Purification and yet did not approve any manner or way of the Error and Evil in the Jewish Worshippers To come nearer home it is the Custom in Popish Countries that all that pass by a Cross must in honour of it leave it on the Right-hand as they may be reason of the placing of it coming or going Now if I ride with others that way I may do the thing that they do and keep Company with them and yet not honour the Cross as they do It is besides the former the manner that such as so pass a Cross should in further honour put off their Hat to the said Cross But if I do this also I plainly manifest an Approbation of the Superstition The reason of the Difference is because I have another just Cause to do the former thing namely to keep on with my Company but have no just cause of the latter But now suppose that at the very place where the Cross stands I meet with some Friend or other to whom I owe that civil Respect of uncovering my Head I may then do that lawfully also upon the former Ground So if I had just and reasonable cause either of coming or standing by the Magistrate to whom I owe this Civil Honour whilst he is performing some Act of Idolatry in the Streets or else-where I might upon the same Ground go or stand uncovered by him without just Blame To apply these things to the Objection moved seeing no other Cause could resonably be conceived of the King 's commanding such a thing or of their doing the thing at his Commandment save the worshipping of the Idol they in so doing could not have escaped the just blame of Idolatry But now I have just Causes more than one of my Hearing and amongst the rest my Edification and therefore cannot be challenged therein to approve of the Ministers state or standing Besides that as formerly answered here is no Idolatrous Act performed Object 4. He that hears them preach hears them as Ministers of the Church of England and as sent by the Bishops and so in hearing them hears and receives them that send them according to that of our Saviour He that hears you hears me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luke 9.16 Joh. 13.10 Answ I grant the former part of the Objection and account the denying of it a point of Familism seeing the Officers of publick States in the executing of their Offices are to be esteemed according to the publick Laws and Orders of those States and not according to any underhand either Course or Intention by themselves or others They are heard as they preach and preach as Ministers of the Bishops sending and the Parishes

is necessary for our sound and entire comfort with the Lord our God that our Obedience be entire in respect of all his Holy Commandments which we do or can discern to be such and to concern us according to that of the Man of God Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments Psal 119.6 That so we may have our part in the Testimony given by the Holy Ghost of Zachary and Elizabeth which was that they were Righteous before God walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless Luke 1.5 6. That is both in the Moral Precepts and Sacred Ceremonies and Institutions of the Lord. Whose Examples we in our Place and Times are to follow not balking with the Lord in any thing great or small nor seeking starting-holes whereby to escape from him in his Word which is holy good and pure Good as coming from our good God good in it self and good for us if we converse therein as we ought in good Conscience towards God Zeal for his Ordinances Modesty in our Selves and Charity towards other Men specially towards them with whom God hath joined us in the most and best things taking heed lest by any uncharitable either judgment of or withdrawing from their Persons for such humane Frailties as unto which into one kind or other all Adam's sinful Posterity are subject we sin not more by our course held against them than they by theirs in them which God forbid To conclude For my self thus I believe with my Heart before God and profess with my Tongue and have before the World that I have one and the same Faith Hope Spirit Baptism and Lord which I had in the Church of England and none other that I esteem so many in that Church of what state or order soever as are truly partakers of that Faith as I account many thousands to be for my Christian Brethren and my self a Fellow member with them of that one Mystical Body of Christ scattered far and wide throughout the World that I have always in Spirit and Affection all Christian Fellowship and communion with them and am most ready in all outward Actions and Exercises of Religion lawful and lawfully done to express the same and withal that I am perswaded the heating of the Word of God there preached in the manner and upon the grounds formerly mentioned both lawful and upon occasion necessary for me and all true Christians withdrawing from that Hierarchical Order of Church-Government and Ministry and the appearances thereof and uniting in the Order and Ordinances instituted by Christ the only King and Lord of his Church and by all his Disciples to be observed And lastly That I cannot communicate with or submit unto the said Church-Order and Ordinances there established either in State or Act without being condemned of mine own Heart and therein pro●oking God who is greater than my Heart to condemn me much more And for my Failings which may easily be too many one way or other of Ignorance herein and so for all my other Sins I most humbly crave pardon first and most at the Hands of God And so of all Men whom therein I offend or have offended any manner of way even as they desire and look that God should pardon their Offences Thus far Mr. Robinson ADDENDA The Judgment of several other Independent Ministers as well Ancient as Modern concerning this Matter MR. Henry Jacob a strict Independent in his printed Declaration 1612 annexed to his Book called The Divine Beginning and Institution of Christ's True Visible Church he hath this Assertion pag. 6. For my part I never was nor am separated from all publick Communion with the Congregations of England I acknowledg therefore that in England are true visible Churches and Ministers tho accidentally yet such as I refuse not to communicate with and those of the Separation in some Matters are streighter than I wish they were And the Brownists in their Confession of Faith printed 1616 they declare That a Minister receiving Prelatical Ordination if he be a Parish Minister it makes not a nullity of the Ministry of him in every respect besides That is it makes not void all truness of Ministry in him as a believing Congregation assenteth to hear him and useth him for their Minister when on some weighty occasion they joyn only to that which is true in the said Minister and testify in the best manner they can that they do so orrdinarily leaving the Parish Congregation and Ministry for their Error With all professing publishing and practising freely and constantly the simple Truth therein with our selves this quitteth us from all Evil and appearance of Evil in this Matter it being no Evil nor appearance of Evil to join with the Parish-Congregation and Ministry in such respects and so far forth as is aforesaid we ought sometimes on weighty Occasions so to join and we sin if we do not And though we do not think every form of Prayer sinful and absolutely unlawful yet we think it not so profitable and to some hurtful Mr. Norton of New-England upon those words of our Blessed Saviour The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses Chair all things that they say unto you that observe and do Which saith he not only permits but requires and implieth full Communion The five dissenting Brethren viz. Dr Goodwin Mr. Bridg. Mr. Ny Mr. Greenhill and Mr. Sydr Simpson in their Apologetical Narrative pag. 6. they say We have always professed and that in those times when the Churches of England were the most either actually overspread with Defilements or in the greatest danger thereof that we both did and would hold a Communion with them as the Churches of Christ Mr. Firmin argues about this Matter pag. 29. Suppose there should be some humane Mixtures are all the Ordinances of God polluted Why do you not communicate with them in those Ordinances which are pure And in his Separation Examined pag. 40. says Corrupt Members there were enough in the Jewish Church and so in the Christian Church soon after and in the Apostles Times but you have no Example of separating from them Dr. Thomas Goodwin on the Ephesians pag. 487 488 489. His Judgment concerning Parish Churches Ministry and Communion In my last Discourse I handled what was meant by the word Church There was a necessity that lay upon me to open that distinction of Church Universal and Particular I gave you two Cautions about two Errors concerning each of these both toward the Church Universal and toward Particular Churches Concerning which I must necessarily say something to take away some Mistakes and Misapprehensions of my meaning for I walk by this Rule to give no offence to Jew or Gentile or to the Churches of God as the Apostle speaks The first Error I told you was of the Donatists of old who denied the Church Catholock and restrained it to one part of the World and yet the imputation of this Error lieth