Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	able_a	church_n	zion_n	69	3	9.0116	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39999	Rectius instruendum, or, A review and examination of the doctrine presented by one assuming the name of ane [sic] informer in three dialogues with a certain doubter, upon the controverted points of episcopacy, the convenants against episcopacy and separation : wherein the unsoundnes, and (in manythinges) the inconsistency of the informers principles, arguments, and answers upon these points, the violence which he hath offred unto the Holy Scripture and to diverse authors ancient and modern, is demonstrat and made appear, and that truth which is after godlines owned by the true Protestant Presbyterian Church of Scotland asserted and vindicated.	Forrester, Thomas, 1635?-1706.	1684 (1684)	Wing F1597; ESTC R36468	441,276	728

every thing But our meetings he sayes are in despite of the Law and we add disobedience to our schism Ans. 1. We shall easily acknowledge that all Christs actions are not imitable such as those of divine power as working of Miracles and the actions of divine prerogative as the taking of the ass without the owners liberty the actings of his special Mediatory prerogative such as the enditing of the scriptures giving of his spirit laying down his life instituting Church officers Col. 3. 16. Joh. 10. 15. Mat. 28. 18 19. These are not imitable nor yet such actions as were meerly occasional depending upon circumstances of time and place as the unleavened bread the time and such like circumstances of his supper But we say there are actions imitable as 1. in general Christs exercise of graces which have constant and moral grounds and are commended to Christians for their imitation every christians life as such ought to be an imitation of him the precious mirrour of grace Mat. 11. 29. Learn of me for I am meek c. Eph. 5. 2. Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us Joh. 13. 15. I have given you an example that ye should doe as I have done The christian must walk as he walked 1. Joh. 2. 6. 2. In particular Actions on Moral grounds flowing from the relations wherein Christ stood do oblige and are examplary unto those that are under such relations viz. Christs subjection and obedience to his parents and paying tribute to cesar do exemplify children and subjects their duty as in that capacity so his Ministerial acts and faithfull diligence therein do exemplify Ministers duty Now the question is as to this manner of Christs preaching in this case that is not in the ordinary and authorized assemblies of that Church but in the fields and in houses whether the grounds of it will not sometimes recur and oblige ordinary Ministers for it s ratio exempli we are to look unto rather then the meer circumstances of the Individual act as Chamier tells us Tom. 3. lib. 17. de Jejunijs And for evincing this in our case our Informers own answer is sufficient if we shall but suppose which neither our Informer nor any of his fellows have ever been able to disprove that Presbyterian Ministers are under a relation to this Church as her true Pastors and under the obligation of our Lords commands to officiat accordingly His grounds are the necessity of the work and the bitter persecution of Christs enemies both which grounds are still vigent in relation to Presbyterian Ministers as is said For what he adds of Christs acting this as head of his Church and not limit in the exercise of his Ministry as ordinary Ministers none of which is an universal postor It is very insignificant here For 1. every piece of Christs Ministry his very teaching and teaching in the temple was as messenger of the Covenant who was to come unto that temple and in the capacity of head of his Church yet are examplary for Ministers duties according to their measure 2. He dare not say that our Lords preaching after the manner instanced in the objection of his Doubter or his preaching while fleeing from persecutors was meerly founded upon this ground and did flow from no other cause and principle but this viz. that he was not limited in the way and exercise of his Ministry for he hath already assigned other Reasons of this viz. the necessity of the work and his persecution simply considered so that if he should assert this his 2. answer would contradict his first and besides he will not deny but that such as were not heads of the Church and who were in an ordinary peacefull state thereof limited in the exercise of their Ministry did preach after this manner for the officers of the Church of Jerusalem Acts. 8. in that scattering and persecution went every where preaching the gospel So did our first Reformers not to stand upon that moral precept given to the Apostles who were not heads of the Church viz. when they persecut you in one city flee to another and the Informer will not say that they were not to carry the gospel-message with them in this flight Now that which those who were not heads of the Church but Ministers yea and ordinary Ministers have done the parallel of and warrantably surely that Christ did not upon any extraordinary ground now expired But such is this way of preaching Ergo c In a word as its easily granted that ordinary Ministers are fixt and limit to their charges in a setled state of the Church so he dare not deny that a Churches disturbed persecute condition will warrand their unfixt officiating upon the grounds already given and he should know that others then the Pope were universal pastours and even in actu exercito of the whole Church viz. the Apostles as himself acknowledged nor can he deny that ordinary Ministers are in actu promo related to the whole Church as her Ministers given to her by Christ and set in her As for what he adds of our meetings that they are against the Law he knowes that all the Jews appointed that any who owned Christ should be excommunicat From the violence and persecution of which Law himself infers our Lords officiating in the manner contraverted and he can easily make the application to our case and answer himself The Doubter thinks it hard to be hindred by the Law from hearing the word of God and other parts of worship or that Ministers be hindered to preach i●… being better to obey God then men He answers 1. that the Law allowes and commands us to hear the word preach●… in our own congregations in purity and defends it which is a great mercy and that its better to worship God purely with the Laws allowance then in a way contrary to it Ans. 1. Granting that the Law did allow some to preach faithfully what saith this for their robbing so many thousands of the Lords people of the Ministry of some hundreds of faithfull Ministers will a piece of the Rulers duty in one point excuse their sin in twenty others and loose the people from their obligation to duty towards Christs Ambassadours This is new divinity 2. The law allowes none to preach in the manner he pleads for but with a blot●… of perjury in taking on the Prelats mark and complying with a perjurious course of defection and allowes none to deliver their message faithfully in relation to either the sins or duties of the time which is far from allowing to preach in purity and in this case we must rather adhere to Christs faithfull shepherds upon his command tho cross to mens Law then follow blind unfaithfull guides in obedience thereunto and this upon that same ground of Acts 4. 19. which he mentions But he sayes that answer of the Apostles will no way quadrat with our case why so 1. Because the Apostles had an immediat extraordinary

at the door and in the way and order of this Church That they are violently thrusting out and persecuring her faithfull Pastours that they perjuriously renounce a call from the people and ordination by the Presbyterie All which grounds he must either grant will supersede our obligation to owne conformists hic nunc according to our principles or quite his plea and pleading as to the disowning of Presbyterian Ministers in the exercise of their Ministry 8. He pleads in the close of the preceeding Dialogue that the covenant abjures Sel isme Now let us stand to this Decision the Informer will not be dissatisfyed if I shall borrow one of his topicks and shoot ane arrow from his own bow I would offer then to him this syllogisme That Schism which he pleads against is a Schism abjured in the Covenant but disowning Conformists in their present state circumstances refusing to be subject to them as the Ministers of this Church is not a schism abjur'd in the Covenant Ergo c. The assumption I prove thus If the disowning of Presbyterian Ministers in their present state and circumstances and withdrawing from them in the exercise of their Ministerial function and their Ministerial testimony against prelacy and for the Covenant be that schism which is abjurd therin then a refusing to be subject to Curats against whom they are testifying as the Covenant breakers and upholders of prelacy ad not owning them as the Ministers of this Church cannot be that scism Unless he will mak this scism such a Janus as will cast a maligne condemning aspect upon both the contending parties and bring adherers unto either of the two under this imputation But so it is that disowning of Presbyterian Ministers in the exercise of their Ministry is condemned in the Covenant as schism this we have already made appear it being a disowning of that establisht order and union of this Church which therin we do swear to maintain and a schismatical withdrawing from her faithfull Ambassadours and others contending for the ends of the Covenant to adhere unto whom and keep up an union wi●…h them herein the Covenant layes upon us an express obligation putting the imputation of schismatick division and detestable indifferency upon the contrary practice Ergo upon the whole it follows evidently that the owning of Conformists which he pleads for in this Dialogue viz. subjection unto and receiving ordinances from them as the Ministers of this Church and denying this to Presbyterian Ministers is abjurd in the Covenant as Schismatical CHAP. II. The Informers charge of internal and external Schisme put upon Non-conformists ●…f impeaching the Churches constitution and her practice in point of Worship for more than a 1000 Years examind His argument from Rom. 14. Heb. 10. 25. answered and retorted upon him His answer to the argument taken from the command of seeking the best gifts considered As also his argument from ancient canons from the Act of the Assembly 1647. from the reciprocal tye betwixt a Minister and his flock to fortify his charge of Schism repell'd HAving thus cleard our question and plea fortified our practice with these arguments We come now to examine the grounds on which this new Casuist imputes sinfull separation to us therein We acknowledge the evil of Schism upon these Texts mentioned by him which might have caused sad reflectings on himself and his party who are guilty of divisions and offences contrary to our received ordinances and the doctrine of this Church And so are lashed by that Scripture Rom. 16. 17. And who would have have us saying I am of this or that Rabbi or Prelat contrary to 1 Cor. 1 12. It 's they who have disownd a spirituall pure unity with this pure Church and are seeking a perjurious union in departing from God contrary to that precept Ephes. 4 3. And are so far from esteeming others in Lowliness of mind better then themselves as we are enjoynd Phil 2. 2. That their Rabbies trample on all Ministers and their underlings do most insolently persecute and despise faithfull Pastours for adhering to the Reformation authority and union of this Church against their innovations Schism is no doubt an evill which hath much infested the Church and our Church and the Scripture sufficiently discovering the evill thereof we need not Cyprian nor Jeroms elogies anent unity to persuaed it Only where he insinuats from that saying of Cyprian which he mentions Who asserts from 1 Cor. 13. that who are slain in their Schism their inexpiable sin is not purged by their blood and that they are not Martyrs that such is the case of the suffering people of God at this time we may discern the cruell venome and sting of this mans malice for all the sobriety which he pretends unto I shall only tell him that as its more then he will be ever able to prove that the Lords remnant are guilty of this sin and are assembling out of the Church when attending the Ministry of Christs faithfull Ambassadours in this Church so he and his fellows setting these murderers upon them in this duty will if they repent not be exposed to that vengeance which the cry of their souls under the altar who have been slain for this their Testimony doth plead for He would also do well to resolve this doubt upon Cyprians Testimony viz. Whether Cyprian did ever hold or if himself will dare to assert that the blood and sufferings of the best of martyrs did expiat their guilt As for Jeroms assertion that Schism and Heresy or some degree of it go together I think it is fitly applicable to himself and fellow Conformists who since their departing from the unity of this Church and her sworn Reformation have not only to justify their course vented gross errours in point of Oaths and otherwise but are now as every one sees posting fast to Rome in denying many and great points of our Protestant profession We accord to Augustines saying that separatists as such receive no life from the body the unquestionable godliness fellowship with the Father and the Son to which many Presbyterians are admitted and wherein they shine compared with the abominable prophanity of the whole of those almost that owne Curats will by this rule declare who are the Schismaticks and separatists from Christs body The comment of the Thorn which rents the lili●… Cant. 2. 2. Is very suteable to him and those of his way who have now of a long time rent the Lords faithfull flock wounded our Church and taken away her vail esteeming themselves Christians of the first magnitude so he esteems his most reverend Arch-Bishops and reverend under-fathers What pitifull preambles are these The Doubter alleadges that every separation is not schism This as we heard he acknowledges and that when communion with a Church cannot be held without sin separation is necessary wherein he yeelds all that we plead since we have proved that in this our case joyning to

all ordinary places appointed for divine worship nay scarce any place of residence in their native land free from the fulmina thunderbolts of Prelats mad rage But what sayes he to this argument he tells us 1. That tho Christ preached thus yet it was not to separat from the Iewish Church nor did he disowne the hearing of their teachers but allowed to hear Scribes and Pharisees with a proviso to beware of their leaven that he sent those who were miraculously heald to the Priests and did not bid disowne them Ans. 1. Whatever be concluded as to Christs disowning or seperating the people from the teachers of the Church of the Jews at that time wherin the Informer hath offered nothing which will amount to a demonstration of what he affirmes and his assertion tho granted will not fortify the conclusion he aimes at yet this is certain and undenyable and in so far his Doubters parallel argument stands inviolable against him viz. that our blessed Lord preacht after this manner which he condemns Since he condemns in universum simply Presbyterian Ministers preaching and peoples hearing them in this manner abstracting from the disowning of Curats and their Ministry so that this answer meets not the objection as levelled against his principles And he cannot deny but that in so far as Christ and his Apostles were owned their ordinary Jewish teachers were separat from and disowned but he condemns all owning of Presbyterian Ministers and withdrawing from Curats as ingraind Schism and sinfull separation This answer is the more forcible if it be considered that our Lord had liberty of their Synagogues to preach in yet he frequently left them and preacht in privat houses and in the fields and therefore Presbyterian Ministers may use this liberty whom in a peice of cruelty beyond that of the Scribes and Pharisees to Christ they have banish't from pulpits 2. As for our Lords not putting people to separat from that Church or the teachers thereof we have already shown how far it is from his purpose and what a wide consequenceit is from a non-separation from the Jewish Church and teachers tho corrupt while that legal dispensation stood which was shortly to be removed and the Gospel Ministry erected in its place and from our Lords tollerance thereof as Gods ancient Ministry though now corrupt to which he was to put an honourable close to conclude that a people are to disowne a faithfull Gospell Ministry and Church in complyance with a number of destroying Innovators ejecting them and razing a sworn Reformation which all that Church are bound to defend This is such a palpable inconsequence as any may upon first view discover it 3. There was beside what is said this reason in special wherefore our Lord would not have the Jewish Ministry at first universally left because he came as a Minister of the circumcision to confirm the promises made to the fathers he was to come to the temple as the Kings Son and Lord of all the Prophets who went before him the Law being to go forth from Zion and the word from Jerusalem Jesus came first to his own Therefore the Jewish Ministery and teaching was to stand for a time to make this apparent and as Christs great witness for his authority and the Doctrine of the gospel either for their conviction or conversion hence he appeald unto the Scriptures which they heard dayly read and preacht Search the Scriptures for they testify of me And when he enjoynd the healed leper to go and shew himself to the Priest it was to offer the Sacrifice which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them So that to make the substituting of the Gospel to the legal dispensation and ordinances apparent and its Ministry to the Jewish Ministry and Priesthood to which Christs death and resurrection only was to put a final period it was necessary it should be own'd in some measure And Christ could not wholly disowne it without stopping a great part of his mediatory fulfilling of all righteousness for he was as head of the circumcised people and as of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh to obey the Judicial and ceremonial Law and therefore he duely attended the passover and all the solemn feasts which could not subsist in their exercise without the standing of that old Ministry Now how far this is from our Question and inferring the owning of Curats in our case is obvious to the meanest capacity What he sayes of hearing the Scribes and Pharisees is already answered But now this Informer will offer some special reasons of Christs-preaching after this manner to cut short our argument here the first is Because he was to bring in the Doctrine of the gospel and preach himself the true Mes●…ah which was needfull to be done and because of the opposition of his doctrine by the Jewish teachers Ans. 1. Altho he was to bring in the doctrine of the Gospel into the world yet as he was sent first and immediatly to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and to exercise his Ministry toward them mainly upon which ground at his first sending forth the Disciples he commanded them to go to these lost sheep not in the way of the gentiles so he had the synagogues and Temple to preach in and frequently did so and yet notwithstanding went to the fields with great multitudes and to other places then these appointed for their ordinary and publick Worship and therefore Presbyterian Ministers may do the like who are denyed our Conformists Synagogues or ordinary places of Worship they being upon important grounds obliged as our blessed Lord was to officiat and bestirre themselves in the exercise of their Ministry And therefore 2. Since he reasons from the necessity of the Work which Christ was about and the opposition which he met with therein from his enemies these samegrounds pleads strongly for Presbyterian Ministers officiating in the manner contraverted because the preaching of the gospel by Christs faithfull Ambassadours was never more necessary and never met with greater opposition from its enemies and therefore upon his own grounds it followes that Ministers ought to embrace all occasions of preaching and in any place where they can have accesse Sure he dare not restrict the necessity of the work and the persecution from which he infers the Lawfulness of preaching after that manner to that particular necessity and persecution attending the first planting of the gospel or affirm that these grounds may never again recur for legitimating of this practice since thus he would condemn ou●… first Reformers Come we to the 2d Reason which is this Christ was head of his whole Church and was not to be limit in the manner of his Ministry as ordinary teachers but might preach where and when he pleased since all belonged to his Ministry and that none will say that he is pastor of the whole Church but the Pope nor can any meer Man do what Christ did in