Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	apostle_n	church_n	corinth_n	1,463	5	10.8722	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01736	A short treatise against the Donatists of England, whome we call Brownists Wherein, by the answeres vnto certayne writings of theyrs, diuers of their heresies are noted, with sundry fantasticall opinions. By George Giffard, Minister of Gods holy Word in Maldon.	Gifford, George, d. 1620.	1590 (1590)	STC 11869; ESTC S114289	90,151	124

polluted by the company of the wicked which worship together with them especially when they can not remedie the matter To ouerthrowe this Argument you must of necessitie prooue one of these two things eyther that the Church of Israell did not retayne the prophane multitude in her bosome and so the good and the bad worshipped together or else that they were not Gods Church when this was suffered but all that came so together fell from God You shift from this and speake of Idolatrous times in which it is most certayne that the godly did not mixe themselues with the wicked in idolatrous worship We doo not argue whether the godly did ioyne with the wicked in idolatrous worship for it is most cléere they might not nor did not But whether the wicked were suffered and did ioyne with the godly in the true worship and whether they were polluted by communicating with them and that so gréeuously as to disanull the Couenant let the Scriptures be iudge in both these If I should stand to recite all the testimonies and all the complaints which are made by the Prophets against the multitudes of wicked which worshipped together with the godly at sundrie times it would be long some fewe may suffice in a matter so euident He that readeth the bookes of Moyses touching the state of the Church for the space of fortie yeares in the wildernesse what shall he finde in the most but multitudes of prophane rebels against whome the Lord sware that they should not sée his rest whose carcasses also he ouerthrewe in the desert and yet they were not cast out of the assemblie nor separated from the rest so long as they liued nor their seede reiected If yee will see an epitome of their rebellions for that space and for the time of the Iudges looke vppon the 106. Psalme Afterward when the Kings of Iuda raigned euen vntill the captiuitie what gréeuous complaints are made against them A great part which came to worship in the Temple were as Sodom and Gomorrah Iesay 1. 3. Being the Lords Vineyard they brought foorth stinking grapes Iesa 5. Hauing committed thefts adulteries periuries and other abhominable sinnes they came together with the godly to worship in the Temple in so much that the Lord demaundeth if they tooke his house to be a Denne of théeues Ierem. 7. The Préests themselues were not frée from this horrible pollution for it is written they are all dumbe Dogges that cannot barke they loue to sléepe they are gréedy and giuen to Wine Iesay 56. The Prophets prophesie lies the Préests exercise dominion by their hand the people loue to haue it so Ierem. 5. ver 31. The Préests conspire together they are like a roring Lion they deuide the pray they doo violence to the law prophane the holy things and put not difference betwéene the holy and prophane Ezech. 22. What horrible things are these by which the wrath of the Lord was kindled But were they not still the daughter of Sion Reade for this the Lamentations of Ieremie After they were returned from the captiuitie the print of the rod being yet in their skrinne they were not fréed from such pollution for Malachi accuseth both Préests and people and that heinously They mixed themselues by Mariage with the Heathen and prophaned the Sabbaoth by kéeping market vpon it Esra 9. Nehe. 13. From the time that God raised them vp no mo Prophets vntill the comming of our Sauiour Christ their state grew woorse and worse not onely by Sects but also that the Préests prophaned the Temple Iohn 2. Math. 21. The Teachers which sat in Moyses chaire did expound the law corruptly in sundry points they mixed their leuen they were hypocrites blinde guides couetous and ambitious Matth. 5. and 15. and 16. and. 23. These resisted Christ and would excommunicate those that should confesse him Iohn 9. And yet the godly did not onely worship together with them in the Temple but also our Sauiour dooth will they should heare them teach Math. 23. If they had béene polluted by worshipping together with them he would haue commaunded to separate themselues This were enough to shew the grosse heresie of the Brownists in this point but yet I will adde somewhat of the Churches founded by the Apostles In the Church of Corinth Saint Paul reprooueth many things There were factions and schismes among them The Preachers did set foorth the Gospell with humane wisdome The Pastors and Gouernours did not execute the discipline but suffered the incestuous person They straue one with an other in the law before Heathen Iudges They feasted in the idol Temples at the feasts which were kept in honor of the idols and so were partakers of the cup of Deuils They prophaned the holye Supper of the Lorde they abused spirituall gifts There were among them which denied the resurrection of the dead A Brownist will héere replye that this Church did repent being reprehended by Saint Paul as he witnesseth of them 2. Cor. 7. I aunswer that they were Gods true Church before they repented 1. Cor. 1. and also that they did not all shew repentance as that second Epistle which he wrote vnto them dooth declare and especially these wordes I feare least when I come I shall not finde yee such as I would and I shall bee found such as you would not least there bee strife emulations wrath contentions backbitings whisperings rumors tumults least when I come againe my God abase me among yee and I shall bewaile many of those which haue sinned before and not repented for their vncleanesse fornication and wantonnesse which they haue committed 2. Corin. 12 vers 20. 21. The seauen Churches of Asia Reuel 1. were not in euery respect commended for in some of them the Nicholaitans were suffered and they that taught the doctrine of Balaam and a wicked woman which made her selfe a Prophetisse was suffered to teach and to seduce the seruants of God One Church neither hote nor colde Another had but a fewe in it which had not polluted themselues Reuel 2. and 3. Yet are these named the Churches I conclude therefore that the not seperating of some wicked ones out of the Churche although it be euill yet is not such an euill as destroyeth the Church and that the godly are not polluted by the wicked which come together with them vnto the publike exercises of the holy religion Thus haue I prooued your article or your accusation partly hereticall and partly false I haue also made manifest that if yée did accuse rightly yet the consequence is to be disalowed as hereticall in as much as we sée that very often it hath come to passe that heapes of vngodly men haue worshipped together with the godly and they not polluted by them It may be some will thinke hardly that I account it hereticall that the Brownist concludeth after this sorte they haue open sinners and men prophane in life which doo worship together with them as members of their Church

all that doo ioyne together in that societie I might héere make an ende touching this second principall transgression but that there bée certayne particular reasons by which they stand to mayntayne theyr opinion First to this effect many doo speake If there be wicked men suffered to come to the Table of the Lord the Minister and Ecclesiasticall Gouernours doo commit so grieuous a sinne that they can not but be vtterly voyde of the true feare of God Then he which is a wicked man can not be a Minister of Christ and béeing no Minister of Christ there is no Sacrament of Christ deliuered how then shall a man communicate with that assemblie I haue shewed before that there be great sinnes and great neglect of dutie oftentimes where there is the true faith in weakenesse and so they sinne damnablie which take vppon them to iudge them no Christians The faithfull in Corinth were blinded in theyr owne faults and verie securely did the Pastors and Gouernours suffer the incestuous person to continue among them And whereas they say that if the Minister be vngodly he can be no Minister of Christ it is false for the man touching his owne person may be a reprobate and yet touching his ministerie a Minister of Christ Iudas was a Minister of Christ and baptized Iohn 4. ver 2. they were as truly and effectually baptized by him as by Peter and yet in himselfe a Deuill Iohn 6. vers 70. The two Sonnes of Ely were horrible wicked men 1. Sam. 2. ver 12. 22. and yet they are called not only Priests but Priests of the Lord 1. Sam. 1. vers 3. Ely himselfe did offend and was sharply punished that being not only their Father but also high Priest and Iudge he did not put them from the dignitie of the Office but did honour them with the same not regarding Gods honour 1. Sam. 2. vers 29. The Scribes and Pharisies who were not all of the Sonnes of Leuy for Saint Paule was a Pharisie and the Sonne of a Pharisie but yet of the Tribe of Beniamin were Ministers of the Church for Christ sayth They sate in Moyses Chayre and willed men to heare them notwithstanding they were blinde guides hypocrites prowde couetous ambitious and verie reprobates Matth. 23. Then next they alleadge that a little leauen doth leauen the whole lumpe 1. Cor. 5. Therefore where one open notorious Sinner is admitted to be a member of the Church all are leauened and polluted all doo fall from God I aunswere that Saint Paule rebuketh the Corinthes that they were puffed vp and did glorie when they should haue sorrowed for as many as had the power of the Discipline in theyr hands and did neglect were partakers of his sinne and not only they but of priuate members all that did not mourne and lament to sée such a foule matter wincked at As the Lord himselfe doth cléere all those which mourned for the abhominations of Ierusalem Ezechiel 9. so were they frée and not leauened which did mourne at Corinth for such abuses Moreouer it is verie false to say that whole Church was leauened or polluted with the sinne of that wicked man therefore they were not the Church of God For béeing giltie not only in that fault but in many other hée giueth them the honour of Gods Church writing to the Church of God which is at Corinth 1. Corinth 1. Then are obiected the words and commaundement of the Lord by Saint Paule If any that is called a brother be a fornicator or couetouse or an Idolater or a rayler or a drunckard or an extortioner with such see that yee eate not 1. Cor. 5. Some hold that this commaundement is giuen only against the eating with an open sinner at the Lords Table séeing we may eate common bread with such as be verie wicked Others doo argue thus If it be not lawfull to eate common bread with a wicked man how much more vnlawfull shall it be to eate with him that holie bread of the Lords Table as the Anabaptists lighting vpon these words of our Sauiour Christ but I say vnto ye Sweare not at all Matth. 5. do gather that it is vtterlie vnlawfull in any respect or at any time to take an oath and erre in not considering the circumstances whereby the words vttered in generall are to be restrayned vnto the particular abuse and rash swearing Euen so the Brownists taking the words as they stand and not waying the circumstances doo mayntayne absurdities They drawe theyr Argument of comparison from things in which the sinne or pollution is not for the sinne is not in the eating of the common bread neyther in eating the bread of the Lord with the wicked but in circumstances For I may eate bread with open sinners and offend thereby and I may eate bread with notorious wicked men and not offend therein yea I may grieuously sinne in refusing to eate with them I will expresse how If there be open grosse offenders and my familiaritie with them or my eating with them can not be but I shall eyther be partaker of their sinne or countenance and harden them in the same I offend if I doo not shunne their companie If any brother in the Church be conuict of foule sinne found obstinate and so Excommunicate euery member of the Church euen by the commaundement of God is to haue no fellowship with him that he may be ashamed 2. Thes 3. v. 14. But yet we are willed in the same place not to account him as an enimie but to admonish him as a Brother For if men should now in familiaritie receiue him to their table or go to his table it would harden him in his obstinacie and bring the censure and power of the Church into contempt This is that S. Paul dealeth about The wife of this man his children and seruants may eate with him or anye other where it cannot be eschewed for then it dooth not countenance him Now if I be in a ship vpon the sea among a company of vild wicked men or in a prison or in an armie and can haue no meate vnlesse I eate with them if I refuse I famish my selfe to death and so offend gréeuouslie We sée then it is not the very eating with them that dooth defile but the circumstances Euen so is it at the Lordes table where wicked men be admitted For such as doo admit them hauing power to repell do offend in eating there with them because they countenance them in their sinne But nowe a priuate member which is gréeued at this and dooth what lyeth in him to haue it redressed dooth not offend nor is not polluted by eating with them But as he that among the wicked in the ship in the prison or in the Campe doth offend in refusing his bodely sustenance so shall he if he refuse that heauenly foode of his soule for all the wicked cannot corrupt the same vnto him This man hath no fellowship with the vnfrutefull works of darkenesse