Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	article_n	believe_v	creed_n	2,820	5	10.5298	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49441	A treatise of the nature of a minister in all its offices to which is annexed an answer to Doctor Forbes concerning the necessity of bishops to ordain, which is an answer to a question, proposed in these late unhappy times, to the author, What is a minister?	Lucy, William, 1594-1677.	1670 (1670)	Wing L3455; ESTC R11702	218,889	312

an explicite Covenant He gives reasons of this Conclusion For thereby the judgement of the Members comes to be informed and convinced of their Duty more fully His Reasons of his Third Conclusion answered I Would ask whether a new Duty added by this Covenant or an old Duty which arose out of Baptism If a new I cannot judge of the fitnesse without I knew the particulars but am assured that whatsoever is added to the Covenant in baptism although it may have possible Allowance in Acts of Religion to some particular men upon some particular Occasions yet in general to presse such a Thing upon all Christians is not tollerable If it be no addition to that Covenant the only refreshing of that Covenant to the memory of a Christian is abundantly enough This likewise answers his 2d Argument page 49. They are saith he thereby kept from Cavilling and Starting aside from the Tenure and Terms of the Covenant which they have professed and acknowledged before the Lord and so many Witnesses I answer as before If the Terms be additions to what was in Baptism he ought not in general to prescribe them to all Christians If they are not Additions then that Covenant is the strongest he can make which was made in Baptism The same answer may be applied to his third reason For saith he thereby their hearts stand under a Stronger Tye. I answer no stronger than Baptism SECT IV. This Covenant of his cannot agree to Travellers THen he enters into a Second Question how far this Covenant requires Cohabitation His handling of which is very weak in my Judgement for since he allows Merchants and others upon diverse Occasions to be absent sometimes divers years he gives no satisfaction at all to shew how these men in their absence can partake of Church-blessings But me-thinks they must live without Preaching without Sacrament or any blessing of any Covenant of Gods because their Pastors and Officers reside at their constant place but contrarywise our Doctrine which makes each Presbyter an Officer of the Catholick Church and each Christian a Member of it it follows that any Ship may carry a Pastor and every man receive the Comforts and blessings of Gods Covenants from him which is like our Saviours providence for all and every particular But I omit this at this time as not necessary for our businesse and apply my self to his Reasons for his Conclusion That this Covenant gives the Essentials to a Church which he begins page the 50th SECT V. His Reasons answered HIS first Argument is thus framed in these words Every Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Corporation receives its being from a Spiritual Combination But the visible Churches of Christ are Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Therefore I can justly complain here that the Terms are altered which In a Logical Discourse should be the same I will reduce them therefore and so discourse upon it Combination must here be taken for Covenant or a Combination by Covenant so that the sence of that Proposition is Every Ecclesiastical Corporation receives its being from a Combination by Covenant In the Examination of this Proposition I will follow his own Expressions because I will dispute ex concessis He inst●nces in the Corporations of Towns and Cities There saith he they have their Charter granted them from the King or State which gives them warrant to unite themselves to carry on such works for such Ends with such Advantage So saith he their mutual Engagements each to other to attend such Terms to walk in such Orders which shall be sutable to such a Condition gives being to such a body Thus he Co●sider now that the form of every thing is that which last comes to give every thing its being and make it Compleat Secondly it is that which enables every thing to do its proper work Now Consider a Corporation hath first a Charter by which they are enabled to unite by Authority of which they assemble and come together and perhaps enter into some Engagement required by that Charter by this Engagement they are made the Matter of this Corporation but the form is the Influence of the Charter by which these men so engaged by Covenant are authorized to do this So in every question when it is moved concerning any Action we have recourse to the form Ask why this did heat or burn It is answered because it was fire had the form the burning form of fire Why did that grow because it had a vegetable form Now ask why did a Corporation do this or that let this Lease make that man free The answer is not made because they were Combined by a Covenant but because they have a Charter to do it so that the influence which that Charter hath upon the Corporation is the thing which gives that Corporation its being not their Union by Covenant which makes them but the Matter when the other gives the life and being force and operation solely to the Corporation To apply this to our purpose Suppose every little particular Church were a Corporation first they must have a Charter to unite in a Covenant which nor he nor any man living can shew me and although these men vaunt mightily of Scripture and Contemn all Doctrine which is not delivered there yet this which seems to me their Corner Stone and main foundation they have no not the least shew of any words of Scripture which can authorize much lesse exact any such Covenant but then suppose they had some such Commission yet not their union upon the Commission but the other Authorities expressed in the Charter must be it which enables them to do whatsoever they do not their union by that Covenant for ask why any man preacheth administreth the Sacraments or the like the answer is not made from any union but from the Charter which granted it Now I come to his Minor but the visible Churches of Christ are Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Corporations I deny this Proposition absolutely that every particular Church is a distinct Corporation and else he saith nothing to his purpose but are Members or branches of that great Corporation the whole Catholick Church SECT VI. Scripture Phrases abused by him HE offers at Scripture to prove this page 51. Every particular Church saith he is a City Heb. 12. 22. an house 1 Tim. 3. 15. The body of Christ Ephes. 4. 13 16. 1 Cor. 12. 12 27 28. Here is Cyphered Scripture All these places saith he there are spoken of particular visible Churches When I viewed the places I was amazed to read the holy Scripture so injured and that mighty Article of our Creed I believe the holy Catholick Church to be made such a Nothing as by his Application of these Texts it is Let us Consider the particulars the first place is Heb. 12. 22. But ye are come unto Mount Sion and unto the ●ity of the living God this is the phrase he must pitch upon to prove it a City but mark what follows The heavenly