Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	catholic_n	church_n	universal_a	1,773	5	9.0565	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91895	Endoxa, or, Some probable inquiries into truth, both divine and humane: together with a stone to the altar: or, short disquisitions on a few difficult places of Scripture; as also, a calm ventilation of Pseudo-doxia epidemica. / By John Robinson, Dr. of Physick. Translated and augmented by the author.; Endoxa. English	Robinson, John, M.D.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1700; Thomason E1821_1; ESTC R203377	61,732	159

are conferred upon the place as glory holinesse c. These titles did indeed in some measure and for a certain time befit the Temple at Jerusalem because this sole place God had assigned for his solemn Worship But the Vaile being rent any place of service so it were in truth and spirit was agreeable unto him John 4. which hath of late made a just distinction between a meeting Templum quod teneat populum people and house But to the thing There being several opinions concerning a Church both ancient and modern I will endeavour what may be to build upon such general concessa drawn from Sacred page or reason as whereby the truth may be most manifest That God had a Church that is a selected company out of the World from Cain's time shall have unto the end is undeniable among all professing Christianity First in Families as in Noah Melchizedeck Abraham afterward in the Nation of the Iews and now under the Gospel dispersed throughout the face of the earth This Church as it is taken for an Universall Congregatum or Collective are all the believers past present and in some sense to come The Jews Gods elder daughter did not disdain to call the Church of the Gentiles their younger Sister though without breasts i. e. the sincere milk of the Word yea yet unborn Cant. 8. 8. This may be called as vulgarly it is the Universall or Catholick Church out of For which who prayeth prayeth for the dead which there is no salvation And of this many have been and are amongst the Pagaus Turks and remotest Hereticks saved by a way unknown to us as little Children are said to believe Math. 18. 6. i. e. onely passively having the root though not the form These hidden things are beyond the reach of any Ecclesiastical Consistory But that there are particular Churches and joyned into bodyes is past all controversie Now that the way of gathering of them as well as ruling is in a determinate manner unalterably set down either in the heart of man which none can averre or in the holy word by God himself let them especially look to this who urge an uniforme discipline upon all Churches might be gathered thus A Prince demanding obedience of his Subjects must needs set down positive Laws unalterable but by himself and not leave it to their prudentiall change Where When and How to obey This is a clear dictate of reason which God doth not ordinarily contradict Thus did Adam Noah Abraham before the written-Scripture teach their Families by the primmer of divine Traditions Not that every one by Enthusiasm was immediately inspired the teaching of their Children else had been frustraneous which God and Nature abhorreth Afterward God himself gave Moses a perfect pattern of every particular thing in the Tabernacle even unto the smallest bagatello's from the which he might not warp an Inch which did bind the Children of Israel immutably unto the time of Salomon who likewise did not in the least deviate from the expresse command of God in the meanest punctillo Hereunto were the Iews obliged untill Christ's time And what the Pharisees did in the worship of God either omit adde or alter was listed among the traditions of men and so rejected as spurious And is it reason that after Christs comming it should be left to prudence of man either Prince or Church to vary any way of worship of God according to the mutability of their own discretion The whole stream of both Testaments run irresistably this way God menaceth judgments to the Iews because their fear towards him was taught by the precepts of men Isa 29. 13. And the Temple speaking of Christian Churches is exactly measured by John Revel 11. which is far wide from any prudentiall way or which prudence importeth any alteration upon occurrences Moreover the Author to the Hebrews doth expresly teach the faithfulnesse of Christ as a Son above Moses as a Servant in setting down every particular concerning the ordering of his House which is the Church which no earthly power can or ought to change or silence the publishing of it but every one is bound faithfully to submit unto and in his place to divulge He is bound I mean in foro divino That God did at any time change the externall garbe of his Church was no mark of unadvisednesse in the Guardian but of weaknesse in his Ward He would in the twi-light and morning of the Gospel have his orphane put on her night-attire that the Sun being risen she might wear her Nuptiall Garment untill it with all outward services do set for ever What Politicians distinguish between Law and Counsell is granted between man and man but the introduction of this distinction into divinity doth look with the face of an encroachment For to despise either of these is sin and that is the breach of the Law The reason is clear because all his Commandements aime at our good and all his counsels are unquestionably profitable for us none of which quadrateth with those of men That Christ Mark 10. doth bid the young man sell all must not be taken in an absolute sense for a positive command or standing rule to him or any others but by way of probation If these things be true give a Testimony the selling of all thy goods To wade a little further the causes of a Church as being known I do but mention The Efficient God out of his love through the word and spirit perswading mens hearts to believe in his Son The Materiall are all the Saints and members of his mysticall body The Pormal Union with him and one with another The Final his own honour their revesting themselves into the formet or rather better image of Himself the edifying one another and their mutuall eternall blisse Now the way of gathering and rule of governing is the same namely the preaching of Ex quibus constamus iisdem nutrimur the word of God But because the manner of divulging the Gospel is by some of our age controverted and they would have nothing to be the word of God but the very text of the Old and New Testament because say they a concionatory way is not wholly intrinsecally undoubtedly and meerly true driving rather to content themselves with a private conclave worship by reading of the sole Scripture as it is and layeth than to be present at an assembly publickly serving God In a body Politick it is no wise to be tollerated much lesse in any Ecclesiasticall corporation that without mutuall help whilst every one sets up for himself the externall invasion of publick adversaries or the domestick pruning of rotten branches should be neglected Of these I desire first to ask one questiou Whether the Word in its original not being understood be able to convert souls Or Whether all to be converted must be masters of the Hebrew and Greek Languages Which both seem absurdities Or which necessarily must follow they must be