Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	church_n	invisible_a	visible_a	2,874	5	9.2871	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26759	The utter routing of the whole army of all the Independents and Sectaries, with the totall overthrow of their hierarchy ..., or, Independency not Gods ordinance in which all the frontires of the Presbytery ... are defended ... / by John Bastvvick, captain in the Presbyterian army.	Bastwick, John, 1593-1654.	1646 (1646)	Wing B1072; ESTC R10739	685,011	796

to any man of but ordinary understanding that in those severall Cities which were after their change of government the Seates of their Bishops and Prelates they had many Townes and Villages and many Churches and Congregations under them all the which before this alteration were all governed by their severall Presbyteryes respectively and were all uuder them and were ordered and moderated communi consilio Pesbyterorum which the Independents themselves do acknowledge and my brother Burton by name in his vindication Hence is was that the blessed Apostles went from City to City to Preach the Gospell there in their Synagogues as the whole Scripture of the new testament relateth and they did not only Preach the Word to them in their severall Cities but in each of them ordained and constituted Presbyteries giving charge to Titus and Timothy to doe the same leaving the government of all those congregations and Churches in those severall Cities in the hands of those severall Presbyteries in their severall jurisdictions injoyning also those severall Presbyteries and Churches to observe the Decrees of the Synod and Councell of Jerusalem and commanding the people all Christians and believers in those severall Cities under them to be subject and obedient to all their severall Ministers and Guides set over them and to observe all that they should from God teach them to observe and doe as we may see out of the severall places I set downe at large in the foregoing discourse as out of the 14. of the Act. 23. Acts 20. 27. 18. Tit. 1 verse 5. 1 Tim. 5. verse 17. Heb. 13. verse 7 17 24. and the first of Pet. 5. 2. Iam. 5. 14. and Acts 15. 23. Acts 16. 4. Acts 21. 25. All which places of holy Scripture and all the Arguments by which I prove all the Primitive and Apostolicall churches to be classically governed my Brother Burton and I. S. passed by not so much as taking notice of them as they did not of those multitudes baptized by Iohn the Baptist and Christs Disciples of whom likewise they took no notice as not formed into a church or churches But as our Saviour said to the Seducers Matth. 22. Yee erre not knowing the Scriptures so I may truly say of all the severall Sectaries of this time they erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God to punish them for their wickednesse For would they but take the word Church in that sense the holy Scripture delivereth it unto us and relateth it the controversie would soone be at an end Now the word Church in all the places above quoted and through the whole Scripture of the New Testament for the most part is taken collectively either for all the catholike invisible or visible Church or for the representative body of the church or for many congregations and assemblies of Beleevers all combined together under one government either in a citie or countrie partaking in all the Ordinances as in preaching and praying and the administration of the holy Sacraments and in the exercising of godly discipline not onely within the wals of those severall cities but through all the townes and villages as farre as the bounds and limits of their severall governments precincts and jurisdictions did extend as Acts the 15. 23. The Apostles and Elders send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch that is to the Church in Antioch and in Syria and in Cilicia So that church is most often taken collectively as the church of Geneva at this day and of Basil and the other reformed Cantons as it was in the seven churches of Asia Now when the word church for the most part in holy Scripture is taken in this sense as the church at Ierusalem the church of Samaria Antioch Philippi Corinth c. and where there were many congregations and churches combined together and all collectively taken in this the Independents and all Sectaries erre that they alwayes take the word church for no more then can meete together in one of their pipkin congregations to partake and communicate in their Ordinances whereas the Scripture as I have in all the forgoing discourse sufficiently proved taketh the word collectively for many congregations under one government although every one of those severall congregations considered apart and by it selfe may truly and properly be called a church as being a Branch and Member of some particular church and communicating in all essentiall Ordinances with it as hath abundantly bin proved yet still it is considered but as a Member and a Branch or part depending upon the whole particular church under which it is and therefore classically governed From all which I may conclude that when all those severall Churches as that at Ierusalem Samaria Corinth Philippi Ephesus which my brother Burton saith must be brought in to make up a compleate paterne of Church government were all collectively taken and classically and collegiatly governed as consisting of many congregations and yet but under one Presbyterie in their severall precincts and jurisdictions my Arguments will everstand good yea they are all strengthned from my brother Burtons Concession and his expresse words For if when there were but three thousand Beleevers in the Church at Ierusalem as it appeares Acts the 2. they were then forced to sever themselves into divers companies because they wanted a convenient place so spacious as wherein to breake bread as my brother Burton saith how impossible a thing was it for them all after that time to meet together in any one place or a few when the church at Ierusalem multiplyed daily and that by many thousands and at last grew so numerous as they amounted to many Myriads or innumerable companies as appeareth Acts the 21. all which notwithstanding my brother Burton passeth by and taketh no notice of wilfully deceiving the poore people in concealing from them so apparent a truth But should I take notice of the error of his words and discover all his juglings my discourse would swell into a mighty volume for to speake the truth his expressions containe in them a heape of fraud and confusion all which hee must one day give a severe account for But not to take notice I say of his severall faylings what he grants is to be taken notice of viz. that when the Church at Ierusalem was in its infancy they wanted a convenient place spacious enough to communicate in all ordinances and therefore they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies in severall private houses to communicate Then of necessity when that Church was multiplyed into many ten thousands they must needs be distributed into many and many congregations and churches to partake in all the Ordinances and all these were but one church and under one Presbytery as my brother Burton acknowledgeth So that now I am most confident every judicious Reader will easily perceive that my Brother Burton and all those of the congregationall way meerly trifle and delude the poore and ignorant people

this truth is so well known and perceived by all such as will not wilfully blinde themselves as it cannot be denyed hourly experience furnishing men with Presidents of it For if any Delinquents be found out they are not hailed before the people but before such as are in authority there is not an ordinary Hew and Cry that is sent to any Parish but it is carryed to the Constable or his Deputy and to such in that Town or Village as are in place or authority so that the people trouble not themselves with it yea they will ordinarily say it concerneth them not it is not their place to intermeddle in the businesse of State that they affirme belonges to those that are in authority And as it is in the affaires secular and in the State so it is in the affaires of the Church those in authority in the Church are to mannage the affaires and businesses of the Church and not the people for God had appointed in all Churches in the New Testament which were but so many Corporations a standing Presbytery and Order of Ministers and Rulers in each of them in whose hands the government of them all within their severall Precincts and Jurisdictions lay the which Government they were ever to mannage and order by common consent and joynt agreement with which the people had nothing to do and with the which they ought not intermeddle for that had been to confound that Order God had established in each Church and this all well-instructed Christians knew and therefore in the Apostles times not any that I ever read of opposed that Government before Diotrephes who is blamed for this his temerity by St. John to teach all men not to do the like left they fall into the same condemnation so that they knew very well that howsoever all the Epistles of Sant Paul and the other Apostles were directed to the severall Churches of their times yet the managing of the affairs of those Churches belonged only unto the Presbyters Stewards and Angels of those respective Churches as we may see in those seven Churches of Asia where the Letters and the Epistles are directed to the Angels and Ministers of those Churches as those that had the Government of them in their hands and not to the people And so it was in the Church of Corinth a place that the Independents so much abuse Howsoever Pauls Epistles were directed to the whole Church yet the officers only and Presbyters of that Church had the managing of the whole businesse concerning the incestuous person both for the casting of him out and the taking of him in againe upon his repentance as is evident from the 2 Epistle and the second chapter where the Apostle saith sufficient to such a man is the punishment inflicted of many So that all the people did not censure him or inflict that punishment upon him but many to wit the Presbyters and those in authority in that Church And this agreeable to all reason and therefore Master Knollys is mightily mistaken in his Commentary exposition of this place and that of the Epistle to the Colossians in saying that as the Church or particular congregation of Corinth had power to judge them that were members therein 1 Cor. 5. 12. 13. and as the Church of Colosse had power to admonish Archippus Coloss 4. 17. so the Church whereof Diotrephes was a member might as warrantably admonish him These are his words in which there is a double yea a treble fallacy for first he taketh the word Church in another sense then the Scripture speaketh of it which in all the Epistles of the holy Apostles for the most part is taken collectively for a combination of many congregations under one Presbyterie within such a precinct and he onely understandeth it for a particular congregation and assembly and by this he deceiveth the reader 2ly By Church he understandeth the people the Presbyters excluded and saith that they had power to judge their Ministers whereas indeed though in all those churches there was a power yet it lay soely in the Presbyters hands and they only were invested with it and the people were ever to stand to their orders so long as they commanded in the Lord and the place of the people was to obey and therefore all that he saith about this businesse is a meere non sequitur●unc and this is the third error that insueth from groundlesse principles for this is not a good consequence Paul writing unto the Church of Colosse hath these words say unto Archippus that he take heed to his Ministry and writing unto the Church of Corinth the 1. and 5. saith vers 5. Deliver such a man unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh c. Ergo the people have the power in their hands over all the members of those Churches both Ministers and people This I assert doth not follow in all good reason No more then it will follow that if any Embassador should be directed to the kingdome of England now or if any Message should be sent unto any corporation of the Kingdome commanding such service from it to the State that the people in this Kingdom or the people in those corporations should intermedle in the affaires of publike concernment but all sound understanding men will say It belongeth to the great and grave Councell of the Kingdom to mannage publike affaires and to the Major and Aldermèn and the Common-councell of each Corporation to transact and order the publicke businesse and affaires and for this only reason because they are the men in those severall places that God and the people have invested with authority over them and it only belongeth unto them to order all affaires of publicke concernment who God and the people have called and appointed to this end and purpose And so it was in all the primitive and Apostolicall Churches the Epistles were writ to the churches but directed to the Angels and Ministers in them as whose place it was to watch over them for their good and who only had the power of the Keyes to bind and loose to cast out and take in according to Divine authority Yea all the world knowes that God never gave the Keyes to the people in any Church but to the Ministers therefore the authority of order and jurisdiction only belongeth to the Ministers and presbyters in every Church now when Master Knollys by Church understandeth a particular congregation or assembly and the people in it and not the Presbyteries in every Church he is much mistaken in his Commentary exposition and abuseth not only himself but all those poore deluded people that follow him Yea he destroyeth his own principles and those of the congregationall way for both he himselfe and I. S. do acknowledge That the Government lay in the Presbyters hands in every church Master Knollys his words to this purpose I have often ci●ed before and I. S. his words are these page 11. in asserting that the

brought into Christs fold and church and by that worke of conversion they were added to it as he that should this day take any of our Ministers and faithfull Pastors sheep out of their folds and steale them away as too too many of the Independent Ministers daily do and bring them into their new congregations may not that Independent Minister without any marvilous anticipation or mistake or without any error truly be said to have added so many more to his new church when the number of his members is thus increased And if another Minister be joyned with him as a teacher in that congregation or succed him if he also shall run plundering about both city and country as a gifted brother and bring in a great many more poore silly sheepe into his fold then the other did as they are notable cunning theeves may not it truly be said of him and that without any marvilous anticipation and mistake that he also added unto the church when still the the number is daily increased I am confident that all men of sound reason will say there is no error in all this And therefore I hope by all the judicious I shall be free from any blame or error in that I said those that were converted by Christ and made Disciples by his Ministry were added to the church and to those that were formerly converted by the Baptist But saith J. S. how could Christ make mo Disciples then Iohn Out of whom should he make them saith he when Iohn had swept all along with him as the Doctor affirmeth pag. 32. Not taking it Synecdochically Thus he shewes his acumen or rather his vanity in contradicting the Scripture and abusing me For he that hath ever read my booke and looks but in the 31 page toward the lower part shall finde these words That Jerusalem went out to Iohn and was baptized it must therefore by a Synecdoche be taken for all the common people promiscuously or for a mighty multitude of all sorts and of all ranks of people and of all professions as Publicans Souldiers and the ordinary inhabitants These were my very words there And therefore I. S. saying that I took not the word Synecdochically belyeth me befooleth himselfe and abuseth the reader and fights with his own phancy But for answer to his whibling Cavill I say Christ converted those he made his Disciples and Schollers out of the remmant or remainder of those that were yet unconverted in Ierusalem and in that work he added more unto that church which though the mother church as the other were Daughter churches through all Iuda yet it was but a particular church in that Nationall church for the being a Nationall church doth not exclude as this man fondly conceits particular churches from bearing the name of church no more then the Catholike visible church doth deny the name of church to any particular churches because they being similar parts do partake both of the name and nature of the whole as all the learned and Orthodox Divines do hold And therefore taking Ierusalem Synecdochically as I then did it is also here to be so taken and then Christ did make mo Disciples out of the people of Jerusalem that remained yet unconverted then Iohn had done before him and added them unto the church at Ierusalem that particular mother church in that Nationall church which as it was at that time in respect of morall worship governd by a Colledge of Elders or Presbyters as the Scripture everywhere relateth which is called a church so it was ever after governed by a Presbytery all those Synagogues and severall churches being all combind together under the rule and goverment of that Presbytery and making all but one church within its precinct after which manner all the other city churches throught Iudea following the example of this mother church were ever to be governed to the end of the world and this is indeed the true chuch mould according to the New Testament forme that all churches ought to be cast into if we will imitate the government of the mother church Ierusalem and all the daughter churches both in Judea and Israel as that of Samaria and into this mould did the Baptist and Christ cast all they converted Therefore when I said that Christ made more Disciples in Ierusalem then Iohn and that he added them unto that Church I speake nothing but that I have warrant for out of the good Word of God and the Scripture of truth and which is sufficiently backt and corroborated also by all sound reason And therefore it is wickednesse in I. S. to say that in so speaking it is a paradox For if it be a matter of ludibre in me and a paradox to say that Christ made more Disciples then Iohn Then likewise it is a paradox and matter of laughter in the holy Evangelist For he in formall words saith That Iesus made and baptized moe Disciples then Iohn I referre my selfe therefore unto the judgement of all honest godly minded men whether Saint Iohn be not as well censured and traduced by this vaine and wicked fellow as my selfe and whether in his so speaking he doth not give the Spirit of God the lye And his second paradox is as vaine and childish and impious as this where he saith is not this a marvelous anticipation and mistake to apply that which was done by the Disciples after Christs ascension unto the ministery of Christ himselfe For answer let I. S. take notice that in saying Christ made ●mo Disciples then the Baptist and in making them added them unto the Church at Ierusalem There is no marvelous anticipation or mistake as I. S. unlearnedly inferrs for in giving unto Christ his due honour and affirming he added unto the Church that was then in Ierusalem I have both the Scripture and reason for it and in so speaking I detract nothing from the honor and dignity of the Disciples for it is no error in any man to apply that unto Christ Ministery viz. the conversion of men and the adding of them to the church which worke properly and primarily belongeth unto him though in a Metaphoricall sense it may also be attributed unto the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell And therefore the mistake is in I. S. and not in me for he applyes that unto the Disciples which was done by Christ for it is said the Lord added unto the Church dayly such as should be saved It was done by Christ and not the worke of the Apostles but instrumentally and therefore I. S. is a prevaricator in many respects sinning both against God and man for here he giveth that honour which is peculiar unto Christ unto the Disciples and then he falsly accuseth me of an error and mistake when there is none and then would make me guilty of his own sins which I am free from as all they that read my booke in the page quoted by him may see and this is not all but in