Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	act_n	church_n	elder_n	2,749	5	9.8945	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88157	An answer to nine arguments. Written by T. B. Wherein is plainly from the scriptures shewed, the weaknesse of his arguments, whereby he undertakes to prove both the Church and Ministry of England true; as likewise describing the nature and properties of a true Church and Ministry. Written long since by that faithfull servant of God and his countrey, John Lilburne Lieftenant [sic] Collonell: and now published for further good, by a well-willer to him and the truth.	Lilburne, John, 1614?-1657.	1645 (1645)	Wing L2081; Thomason E25_7; ESTC R212845	46,842	48

to those guifts and qualifications which the Apostle layes downe in the first of Timothy the 3. 5. chapters and the first or Titus then the Church hath authority to chuse them for her Officers Num. 8.9.10 Ezeck 33.2 Acts 1.23.6.3.5 14.24 but though they be never so fitted guifted and qualified yet they are not to take upon them to officiate in the Church of God by virtue of an Office before they have a true and lawfull Call from the Church who only and alone hath power from Christ her only King and Head to instate them into that Office and whereas before they were but members or private men as you in the Church of England call them and could not lawfully doe those actions that belong to a true Minister or Officer in the Church of God to doe yet now they may doe them upon grounded grounds for it is only their lawfull Call into their Office that puts a distinction betwixt them and the other members or Brethren of the Church as is plaine out of the first of the Acts where Joseph and Matthias were by the Apostles and Brethren set a part for the Apostleship and Joseph for any thing I know was as well fitted for the Office as Matthias was for the Church was not able to put a difference betwixt them which was the more fit but yet for all this they were not both Apostles but only Matthias who was lawfully chosen and immediatly called by God into the Office and then those actions that he did and Adminstrations that he administred was the execution of his Office so that it any should have questioned him whether he was an Apostle or no he would not runne to the Administration or Execution of his Office to prove himselfe a true Apostle but he would goe to his Call into his Office which was from God and which gave him a being in his Office and power to Officiate and doe those actions that he did and though he had nev●● lived to have executed any of those actions that belonged to his Office yet he had been a true Apostle for all thae by virtue of his Call into his Apostleship So that I say to you of your Ministers it is not sufficient for them when they tre questioned about their Calling and put upon it to prove it whether it be from God or the Diuell the one of which it must needs be to runne to the Execution and Administration of their Office to prove the lawfullnesse of their standings in their Office but they should goe to the power and Authority that instituted them into their Office of Priesthood and prove it whether it be true or no which if they cannot doe I say they are all false and Antichristain Officers and Ministers which all Gods people are bound in Conscience to detest as the Divell and oppose to the utmost of their power and strength and therefore I put you upon it to prove if you can the lawfulnes of their standing for doe you thinke that they which are Antichrists Ministers have a greater priveledge of exempion from proving the lawfulnes of their Calling and Office when they are questioned then either that great Prophet Jihn the Baptist or Josus Christ the sonne of God and his Apostles had truly I see no Ground nor Reason for it unlesse you will say their bare word is of greater Authority then the words of the Eternall Sonne of God and his Apostles For first of all John the Baptist when he was questioned by the Scribes and Pharisees what he was he doeth not say It is sufficient that I doe the worke of a Prophet and therefore you need not nor have noe ground to question me any further about my Authority no he knew such an Answer would not serve their turne and therefore when they aske him what he was he confessed that he was not the Christ what then art thou say they to him art thou Elias and he saith I am not who then art thou he said I am the voyce of one caying in the Wildernesse make straight the way of the Lord as saith the Prophet Esay as Joh. 1.19.20 and so forward So you see John brings Authority from the Scripture to prove his Office doeth not runne as your Priests doe to the Administration or Execution of his Office to prove his Office or the lawfulnesse of his standing in it Also Christ himselfe when he was questioned by the Jewes about his miracles and those great workes which he wrought by virtue of what authority he did them he answers and saith If I beare witnesse of my selfe my witnesse is not true and therefore he brings his Father and John the Baptist and the holy Scripture to beare witnes of him that he did not take up his authority that he exercised of himselfe neither did he come unto them of his owne head and in his owne name but brings the voyce of his Father and the authority of the Word to bear witnes that he was sent of God prophesied of old to be the Messias John 5.31.32.37.46 8.17.18 Also the Apostle Paul when he was questioned by his enemies about his authority or the lawfulnes of his office he goes unto his Call into his office and that authority that placed him in it and by that proves that he tooke not that authority that he exercised upon him without good grounds but had it placed upon him by Jesus Christ himselfe Acts 22.10.11 so forward Also when he was questioned by the false Apostles at Corinth and Galatia about his authority he answers for himselfe that he was an Apostle and was free for I have saith he seen Jesus Christ who placed me in my office and by his authority gave me my Apostleship and called me by his voyce thereunto so that my authority and calling is not from men as you false Apostles are nor by men as the Ordinary Officers of the Church are who are called by the Church who hath authority from God so to doe but immediately from Jesus Christ our Lord as all his true Apostels are 1 Cor. 9.1 Gal. 1.1 So that you see Paul proved he was an Apostle and a true officer of Jesus Christ before ever he preached his Gospell and before ever he was an instrument to bring any to the knowledge and obedience of the truth and before ever the Corinthes became being begot by his Ministery the Seale of his Apostleship And doth John Baptist Christ and his Apostles whensoever they are questioned about their authority by their opposers prove their calling into their office by virtue of which they doe officiate and administer those administrations they administer and thinke your Ministers those Preists and Deacons of Antichrist to have more exemption then Christ or his Apostles had and therefore if they be ministers of Christ as they say they are I put you and them upon it to prove their calling and office from him that they were instated into their Ministry by

made it manifest Well now to come to your fift Argument which is thus framed If the Church of Engl. have the true matter and forme of a true Church then it must needs be a true Ch. But the Ch. of Engl. hath the matter forme of a true Church Ergo. It is a true visible Church Ans 5. I Answer if it had the true matter forme of a true visible Church then ti were true indeed for these are both and only essentiall to the being of a true Ch. but I say you want them both But you for to prove it say that the matter of a true Ch. is a company of men and that you have and you say the Forme is a profession of true Religion truly you bewray the blindnes and ignorance of a man whse braines and understanding is infatuated and made drunke with the spirituall cup of fornication of the scarlat whore not in the least understanding what you say and affirme yet to answer your Arg. though I grant that where true matter and true forme is there is a true Church yet I absolutely deny that you have either true matter or true forme which you say you thinke none will deny so that the begging of things and takeing that for granted which I deny and which you are never able to prove is the best ground you have to prove your false Arg. true But now for the matter of a true Ch. you will have it to be a company of men making no distinction but let them be what kind soever they will serve it seemes to be true matter in your ch whether they be a company of men possessed with Divels and uncleane spirits from whose mouth Christ will owne no confession nor service but absolutely commands them to hold their peace and not to take his name in their mouthes to speake of him Mar. 1 s 25.34 oa whether they be Inchanters Sorcerers or diviners or wether they be whoremongers fornicatorss Idolaters adulterers drunkards swearers blaspheamers prophane persons lyars or those that commit the sin against the holy ghost so they be but men let them he what kind of men they will you say they are fit matter for a true church indeed I confesse they are the fittest matter for your church that you can have and your church is made up and doth consist of all such sorts kinds of wicked persons which doth evidently and undenyably prove it to be an Antich Ch. and one of the nationall Citties that is under the government of the Beast for he is said to compell all as you doe both rich and poor high low bond free to become his servants subjects and to worship him according to his lawes and whosoever will not shall not live neither in peace nor quietnes Rev. 13.15.16 and this is the practice of your Church daily and hourly for the most unfittest matter for your Churches are the Consciencious Saints that desire to glorifie God as well in their Bodys as in their S●ules and to walke unblameably in all his waies and if there be any such among you they are cast out of your Synagogues by you and prohibited either to buy or sell with you though such as these alone be the only true and fit matter for the visible Church or Kingdome of Jesus Christ Esay 35.10 51.11 Jer. 4.5 Act. 1.14.15 2.41.47 11.21.23 Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.2 1 Pet. 2.9 Rev. 22.14 For all uncleane wicked and ungodly persons of what sort soever are no fit matter to become members of Christs holy City new Jerusalem which is said to come downe from Heaven or visible Church for all such should and ought to be kept out from thence Act. 2.40 1 Cor. 5.13 6.9.10 Rev. 21.27 22.15 In the second place you say the proffession of true Religion is the forme of a true Church this you in England doe and have and therefore are a true Church For answer to which I say that I have already in the foregoing discourse fully proved that your Religion is not a true Religion but a false seing you worship and serve God not accoding to his Lawes and commands but with and according to your owne devises and Inventions but yet I doe confesse that yee doe professe like the Samaritane the worship of the true God but for all that with them you serve your Idols therefore by your owne grounds you have not the forme of a true Church wherefore by the same Ground it followes that you are not a true Church But now punctually to answer your Argument I affirme that th● forme of a true Church is for a company of beleevers who are washed in the bl●od of Christ by a free and voluntary Consent or willingnesse to enter into that heavenly and holy State City or Kingdome which in the word of God is plentiuflly described and by the power of Christ to become a constituted or Polytique Body or Corporation or an inclosed or fenced Garden or Vinyard and then by virtue of their combination uniting joyning themselves together each to other so unto the Lord promising to walk in all his waies to yeild obedience to all his Lawes commands as he requires they should Gen. 17. 2 Cor. 6 17.18 they become a true visible Church of Jesus Christ Deut. 29.9.10.11 2 King 11.17 2 Cron. 15.12 Nehe. 10.29 Psal 110. 3. Jer. 50.4.5 Act. 23.24 so hath power from Christ her head to cast out offenders 1 Cor. 5. to chuse elect ordaine her own Officers Act. 6.3.5 14.23 they ordained them Elders in every Church by Election as the Originall and Beza's Translation with others read it though the word Election by the Bishops fraud and Pollicy be left out in our last English Translation and to receive in beleevers 2 Cor. 2.7.8 and to keepe out wicked persons Rev. 21.27 and 22.15 and to reprove and admonish her owne Officers Bishops or Overseers Col. 4.17 or doe her selfe any sprituall good or exclude from herselfe any evill shee feares or is like to come upon her without the helpe or assistance of any either church or officers besides her selfe Rev. 1.2.3 ch but the Ch. of Eng. neither hath or ever had this forme in the least as I have fully manifested elsewhere as also you may read in a litle Booke lately printed called the Three Estates that is to say the Civill State the rrue Ecclesiasticall Sate and the False Ecclsiasticall State and also you want the profession of the true Religion and therefore your Ch. is no true Ch. of Christ for it is vnited by profession subjection to the Pope of Lambeth who is substitute to the Pope of Rome whome Mason in his Epistle Dedicatory before his Booke of Ordination of Bishops Preists and Deacons cals the Head and cheife over the Ch. of Engl. for they in their publike Court of High Commission at the censure of that noble and worthy Dr. Bastwicke have renounced