Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	aaron_n	power_n	zion_n	30	3	8.1304	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04542	A treatise of the ministery of the Church of England Wherein is handled this question, whether it be to be separated from, or joyned vnto. Which is discussed in two letters, the one written for it, the other against it. Wherevnto is annexed, after the preface, A brief declaration of the ordinary officers of the Church of Christ. And, a few positions. Also in the end of the treatise, some notes touching the Lordes prayer. Seuen questions. A table of some principal thinges conteyned in this treatise.	Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.; Hildersam, Arthur, 1563-1632. aut	1595 (1595)	STC 14663.5; ESTC S117234	146,027	152

whether he speak of invisible or of a visible Church of God If he speak of invisible he speaketh not to the poynt in question besides that they could not be counted an invisible Church and yet be knowen to be assembled together in Parliament If he speak of a visible Church as he must if he will speak to the purpose and as it seemeth he meaneth because he sayth they were then assembled together then how doth he prove this to be so In deed we deny not but God had his flock and Church even a true visible Church in this Land at the beginning of her Majestyes raigne For we have heard and read that in Queen Maryes dayes there was here a Congregation of faythfull people separated from the rest of the Land and gathered into fellowship together to serve the LORD according to his word and to keep themselves pure from the abominations of Antichrist That this Congregation also chuse them Ministers Elders and Deacons to instruct guyde and serve them in the Lord and that they had theyr holy meetings and showed notable testimonyes of their faith and love So long then as they kept communiō in this way we deny not but they were a true visible Church though it may be in some defects through want of further light and instruction The like we think also of our countreymen that were then at Frankford Geneva and other where beyond seas But when Queen Mary dyed and Queen Elizabeth whom God long preserve came to the Crown then the Masse and some other superstitions of popery being abolished agaynst which these Congregations had witnessed the truth in much affliction they herevpon dissolved and the severall members scattered themselves to theyr parishes here and there throughout the Land commingling themselves in confusion with the rest of the land that were Idolaters and repented not and submitting theyr soules to the Prelates and to the Ministery receyved from and executed vnder them as also to theyr courts canons excommunications and other Antichristian jurisdiction retayned in the Land And so have continued in apostasy from the way of Christ vnto this day Now these Congregations being thus dissolved and the members there of thus standing they were not now any lōger true visible Churches in the order of Christ but fallen into confusion with the world and into spirituall bondage to the Prelates and other Clergy the limmes of Antichrist So as from hence for the poynt in hand M r H. can derive no help for himself But be it that they had remayned still visible Churches in true constitution and had assembled together and committed this authority of ordination to the Prelates Yet this being not warrantable by the word of God it had bound no mans conscience neyther ben sufficient warrant for any to partake in theyr sinnes For the sinfull actions of the Church do not bynd or warrant vs any more then the sinfull actions of the world Neyther can all Churches or Nations vnder heavē make that lawfull which God by his word maketh vnlawfull Though all the people of Israel being the true Church of God enjoyne and commit vnto Aaron to make a molten calfe to go before them Yet was not Aaron therefore bound or warranted therevnto but sinned in so doing as they also did that tooke part thereyn Agayne for example sake let vs suppose that which in deed was not to wit that Moses and Aaron and all that were famous in the Congregatiō yea that the whole Cōgregation of Israel being the true Church should have committed to Corah Dathan Abiram ād theyr company power to take censers and burne incense thereyn before the LOrd yet they being not capable of that power by the Law of GOD neyther might have taken it neyther might any other have communicated with them thereyn but all that would not perish in theyr sinne should have departed from them and theyr tents When Achaz King of Iudah appoynted and Altar to be made after the fashion of the altar of Damascus though the disciples and people of God which at that tyme were in Iudah should have consented thereyn and committed power to Vryah and the other Priests to offer vpon it burnt offrings and peace offrings ād that to no other but the true God Yet should not ●riah or any other therefore eyther have done it or partaken thereyn When Ieroboam King of Israeel toke counsell with his Princes and people and made Priests of the lawest of the people which were not of the sonnes of Levi ād therefore not capable of the Priests office though the ten tribes having ben til this tyme the Church and people of God consented therevnto Yet did not this therefore bynd or warrāt any of them eyther to receyv that office or to joyne vnto them in the worship of God To come nearer our own dayes let vs suppose that which himself will think is as likely if not more thē that he alledgeth to wi● that in this Land was a true Church at the end of King Edwards dayes vvhich being assembled out of all parts of the Lād in Parliament in the beginning of Q Maryes raigne did commit this povver ād authority of ordination to the Prelates vvhereof by the Lavv of God they vvere not capable Yet will not M r H. say but it was vnlawfull notwithstanding for any to seek or receyve ordination from then Otherwise what impiety is there that by this meanes might not be made at least some what tolerable as may appeare by the examples and instāces before mentioned and infinite other that might be alledged The same Parliament whereof he speaketh authorising the book of common prayer did thereyn he knoweth commit power and authority vnto weomē in cases of necessity to baptize whereof by the Law of God they are altogether vncapable will he therefore say it is lawfull eyther for women to administer Baptisme or for any to yeeld their children to be baptized of them because they may reverence and take benefit of the Princes povver ād authority vvhich is of God though it be committed vnto and exercised by such as by the Lavv of God are not capable of it Many mo particulars might be alledged of like nature both out of the Scriptures and Lawes of this and other Nations but for the matter in hand the former allegations may suffice 2. Next where Mr H. sayth that at the beginning of her Maiestyes raigne the Parliament committed this authority to ordeyne Ministers to the Bishops he mistaketh the matter if he think that then first they receyved it For the authority of ordination was not then first committed vnto the Prelates but continued to them from former tymes ād ratifyed vnto them both at that tyme and afterward agayne in the eyght yeare of her Highnes raigne as may appeare by the statu●es then enacted Which it seemeth the Prelates and Priests of the Lād desired because theyr offices and authority being called into question they were not

third exception then was in the former I might proceed to that which followeth in his letter save that a few things which he hath here inserted by the way seem needfull first to be to wched As first where speaking of vs he termeth a Church sett in the order of Christ to be private members Towching which this I thought to note that a company of faithfull people though considered apart by themselves they be private men yet being gathered together in the Name of Christ and joyned together in fellowship of his Gospell they are a publik body a Church a citty a kingdome and that of Iesus Christ who is present among them to guyde blesse and confirme what they do on earth in his Name and by his power So that like as in a Citty the citizens considered apart are commonly private members yet ioyntly together are the corporation and publik body of that town so is it also in the Church of Christ whether it consist of mo or of fewer yea though they be but two or three so as they be joyned together in communion of the Gospell and gathered together in the Name of Iesus Christ as before is said Secondly where he accounteth themselves a true Church having many famous assemblyes and to be proceeded against by the rule of Christ Mat. 18. I have already aunswered and showed that first he must prove theyr assemblyes to be sett in the way of Christ afore these sayings can be verifyed of them or applyed to them Many there are in deed amōg them famous for theyr gifts learning wisdome sobriery etc. but they also stand subject to the same Antichristian disorder and confusion that the rest do Neyther doubt I but in the most popish assemblyes there be also many famous for theyr gifts and otherwise which yet can no way justify theyr Antichristian estate The Lord in mercy graunt that such as belong to him may bring themselves and theyr gifts vnto Zion for the help and beauty thereof and no more employ them as they have done to the adorning of Babel that whoore and strumpett appoynted to destruction with all her ordinances and constitutions wheresoever Thirdly where he saith there be many of the Ministers in England that are not yet in theyr judgment perswaded of the discipline I aske whether he think not also there be many of the Ministers in Rome Spayne and els where that likewise are not in theyr judgmēt perswaded of sundry other most excellent doctrines of the Gospell And whether therefore all other that see them must stay from acknowledging and observing them vntill such also be perswaded of them If Iohn wickleff William Swinderby Walter Brute Iohn Claydon Martin Luther Iohn Hus Ierome of Prage William Tyndall Iohn Frith Robert Barnes Iohn Rogers Hugh Latymer Iohn Bradford Rowland Taylour Iohn Philpott and other the faithfull servants and Martyrs of Iesus Christ should in theyr severall ages have stayed from obeying the Gospell so far as God revealed vnto them out of his word vpon this and such like pretences of the ignorance and error of others I would know whether in so doing they had ben faithfull to God as they ought But besides these I would also aske whether it might not with as great colour if not greater in some respect have ben said to the Apostles and Primitive Churches that the Priests and Levites of the Iewes were not perswaded in iudgment that Iesus was the Christ To conclude is it not straunge that in so great alight they should still labour with such figge tree leaves to cover the nakednes of theyr filthy abominations The next exception he taketh when he saith that other of theyr ministers do yeeld vnto the discipline in iudgment and desier hartely the establishment of it and the removall of all corruptions yet cannot see how they may with a good conscience forsake the callings and roomes they occupy for the want of the discipline This exception I say which also might be alledged for the papists is of like nature with the former or rather much worse inasmuch as he graunteth they yeeld to the truth in iudgment and deny it in practise They know by his graunt that Christ hath appoynted an order of Ministery and government to his Church for the administration of his holy things and for keping his people in the obedience of faith with commaundment to observe it to the end of the world for this they do and must vnderstand by the discipline Yet in theyr practise they yeeld not vnto it for himself saith here they want it And not that onely but they submitt also to another ministery worship and government here called theyr corruptions Which seing it cā not be Christs which they want whose can it be but the Romish Antichrists with whose cup of abominations this land as the other nations of the earth hath ben made drunck God give them in tyme to make conscience of retayning such Antichristian callings and roomes that they may cast of theyr rough garments and false offices wherein they have so long tyme deceyved the people and may throughly see and consider in theyr hearts how wittingly they stand in disobedience against Christ whiles he graunteth they vvant that holy order of ministery and government here called the discipline which Christ hath straitly charged to be kept inviolable vntill his appearing and whilest they think there shalbe taken from Babel a stone for a corner or for a foundation in Zion Whether this now be a sinne of ignorance in them let themselves examine Yet if it were they must remember that even that servant that knoweth not his masters will and yet committeth things worthy of stripes shalbe beat though in deed with fewer ●●●pes then he which knoweth it and prepareth not himself neyther doth according therevnto Let them therefore look to it and take heed they neyther refuse knowledge nor forgett with knowledg to ioyne obedience least in the end they feel that which is written that God will render vengeaunce both to them that knovv him not and to such as obey not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ. Fourthly where he excepteth that they havve not ben censured by other Churches and therefore are not thus to be refused besides that which hath ben aunswered before towching their Antichristian estate in respect whereof they are to be departed from without any other censuring Besides this I say I would know by what Churches the assemblyes in Rome Germany Fraunce and England were censured when Arnoldus de villa nova Ierome of Prage Martin Luther Iohn Calvin William Tyndall the Baldenses and the Bohemians with many other the servants of God in former ages left and forsook them Or whether they should still have remayned in Babylon till by some Churches she had ben censured Yea and how there could ever be a true visible Church agayne vpon the earth after the generall apostasy wherein all nations were made drunken