Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A41501
|
A quære concerning the church-covenant practised in the separate congregations sent with a letter thereunto annexed, from J.G. to T.G., wherein is proved that there is much evill and manifold inconveniences in the exacting and urging such a covenant.
|
Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.; T. G.
|
1643
(1643)
|
Wing G1195; ESTC R1173
|
11,880
|
16
|
A QVAERE CONCERNING THE CHVRCH-COVENANT PRACTISED IN THE SEPARATE CONGREGATIONS Sent with a Letter thereunto annexed from J. G. to T. G. Wherein is proved that there is much evill and manifold inconveniences in the exacting and urging such a Covenant Jmprimatur Ja. Cranford Printed at London for John Bellamie and Ralph Smith and are to be sold at their shop at the three Golden Lions in Cornhill neare the Royall Exchange 1643. A Quaere concerning the Church-Covenant practised IN THE SEPARATE CONGREGATION By what warrant of Scripture or otherwise can any Church of Christ impose any such expresse and formall covenant upon those that desire membership with them as a peremptory condition of their admittance as is now generally practised in all your Churches We conceive the Scripture no where justifieth these proceedings but rather judge there is much evill and manifold inconveniences in the exacting and urging such a covenant FIRST COnfident we are as confidence it selfe can make us that there is no Commandement given to the Churches for exacting any such Covenant of those that are to bee admitted into Church-fellowship with them so that we conceive any such exaction to bee a meere humane invention and a straine of that wisedome that desires not only to exalt it selfe above all that is practised by men but above that which is written by God himselfe yea though instances examples could be produced of such Covenants both demanded and given yet this may stand without any warrant of lawfulnesse much more without the imposition of any necessity upon Churches at this day to make the like demand of their intended members and most of all it may stand without any necessity lying upon Churches to make the demand as of a duty of absolute necessitie First no example bindeth but by vertue and in the strength of some commandement if there were any thing necessary to be done which is not commanded by God then must there be found weakenesse imperfection in his Law therefore to make any thing necessary which the Law of God maketh not necessary is not to keepe the Law but as James saith to judge it Secondly there be examples found of many things done by many Christians yea by whole Churches in the primitive times not onely lawfully but with high and speciall approbation the doing whereof in these times is not onely no wayes necessary but lyable to much question whether lawfull or convenient The selling of lands and houses by those that were the possessors of them and bringing and laying downe the money at the Apostles feet was practised we know in the Apostles times Act. 4. 34 35. And as Tertullian witnesseth continued 200. yeeres together in the Church But I know no man now that pleads for the necessity of any such practice yea whether it would not bee much inexpedient for the Gospell and consequently in some degrees unlawfull if now put in practice a few thoughts would sufficiently discover Thirdly and lastly There is no question to be made but that many times the diversification of circumstances and aspects of things in the world and course of Gods providence have not onely a lawfull power of dissolving the binding force and authority of many examples but of suspending our obedience to many rules precepts and exhortations as for example that kinde of salutation betweene men mentioned Gen. 27. 26. 1 Sam 20. 41. and oft elsewhere being generally left and out of use those injunctions of Paul Rom. 16. 16. 1 Cor. 16. 20. and elsewhere Greet yea one another with an holy kisse impose no such literality upon the Saints in these dayes as they did when they were written neither doe I conceive nor I suppose you that the Elders of the Church are now bound to annoint the sick with oyle because this is commanded James 5. 14. neither doe I conceive that the French Churches lye under any guilt of sin for suffering their teachers to have their heads covered in their publicke ministry notwithstanding that rule or direction of Paul 1 Cor. 11. 4. Every man praying or preaching having any thing on his head dishonoureth his head because that topicall custome amongst the Grecians upon which Paul built this rule or assertion is wholly disused by their Nation and the contrary generally practised amongst them Though I doe not thinke this Scripture is to be restrained to the teacher only but to concerne as well the whole Assembly of men present who are all here said to pray or prophecy in a passive sense as women also are that is to partake of these ordinances with the teacher Other like instances might be given And doubtlesse the rule that Cameron gives who was a man of as much learning sharpenesse of wit and happinesse in opening the Scriptures as any the reformed Churches in France yea I may say in any part of the world have enjoyed of latter times is most true There are many things commanded in Pauls Epistles whereof there is no use at this day viz. as touching the literall and precise observation as is that of prophecying 1 Cor. 14. and concerning the habit of women prophecying which belong not to our times but concerning prophecying wee shall God willing move some speciall Quere's afterward And I verily beleeve that one maine reason and grand occasion of all separation from us on that hand you are gone is because the words of the sacred text fitted to particular occasions and to the condition of the times wherein they were written are taken and applyed by such men to themselves and others as they find them without due respect had to those weighty and materiall differences that are between one and the other as might be demonstrated at large if it were any part of our present purpose In the meane time evident it is by what hath beene said that though particular instances could be produced wherein the Covenant so much magnified so indispensably urged by your Churches generally upon their members before their particular admission yea by some Masters of your way defended in writing as the very forme and essence of a true Church the writing here hath gone a long time under your owne name but of late I heare you have disclaimed it hath beene practised by former Churches and put upon those which desired membership with them yet there is no sufficient ground to conclude a necessity now lying upon all Churches to doe the like except there be a precept or command found for the doing of it no nor yet to prove a lawfulnesse of doing it except circumstances lye cleare and faire for the doing it nay a precept or command it selfe will not evince a necessity hereof if any master or grand circumstance be now changed or altered upon which the precept was given but yet notwithstanding I adde in the Second place neither doe the Scriptures afford any instance or example wherein any such Covenant hath ever been demanded or exacted by any particular Church of those who desired
to be lamented that he by whom God hath reconciled the world to himselfe should be made a meanes of dividing this reconciled world between themselves The heavens I doubt not will accord us yet were it our greater comfort and glory if they might be prevented herein by the earth I verily beleeve it would strike a great stroake in compremising this contention if the great men and chiefe leaders on both sides could be perswaded but to take fast hold upon this free and noble resolution which yet I suppose we all intend to doe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} rather to do sacrifice to the truth then to be in bondage to suppostions I know not how to open my mouth wide enough to shew you the inlargement of my heart unto you if wee saw the truth clearely with you you should not raigne alone wee would doubtlesse at once divide such a kingdome with you Many indeed of your partie are ready to say in effect that as it is heaven that separated you from us so it is the world that separates us from you But if you have the truth with you which indeed if you have at least in many of your beloved Maximes woe to my wits reason and understanding never poore man so strangely misused by such friends in this world it would never bee a debtor to such interpretors or agents for it As for the world if it be as little on that side the Sea as it is on this it will never be so much as a moate in your eye to hinder you from seeing any truth of God clearely But as little as it is with us we thinke it too great and too good to be sacrificed upon the service of an errour at any time Otherwise I doubt not but the Saints of God in England tread as light upon the earth as you doe in Holland and are as ready to buy the truth and give as good rates for it as the best Merchants among you but howsoever I knew that this left-handed spirit rules much in men of your way who not ontent to make our standing naught labour much to make us worse then our standings yet I make no question but your anointing teacheth you better and more Christian thoughts concerning us And if wee judged it any advantage to the truth and cause we maintaine against you wee durst view morall imputations with you and are confident that wee could assigne and suggest against you both as many and as likely indirect and fleshly grounds for your departure from us as you can against us for keeping our first standing and profession But the truth will never be made great by such demonstrations or arguments as these on either side sometimes the truth is there where a man for many reasons would thinke there were least hope to find it and againe many times faire overtures and many pleasing inducements will but deceive and disappoint men in this kind And as for that kind of truth which wee inquire after and toyle in the fire of contention to find out viz. spirituall and divine there is no substantiall and satisfying meanes for the discovery of it but by a holy humble and unpartiall consultation with the oracles of God yea if it be of that species or especiall kind of truth which is not spread like the Mannah upon the face of the Scriptures but lyeth low amongst the deepe things of God 1 Cor. 2 10. as it seemeth your truth in those questions depending betweene us in part doth now it is not sufficient simply to consult or aske as it were the Scriptures concerning them but they must be examined and re-examined againe and againe both solitary and in consort they must bee put home to it and urged and pressed close together before they will speake their mind plainely in this case or deliver out any of this treasure yea in many cases a man must be content to goe to one end of the Scripture to know what they meane in the other yea that which is much considerable and I feare wants that which belongs to it they may seeme to deliver many pleasing and plausible answers under the shadow whereof the judgements and consciences of men be much refreshed for a season so that they may be ready to shoute for joy and congratulate themselves with his acclamation that said {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} he had found he had found and yet none of these answers neither be the {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the true direct and bottome meaning of them As Sampson gave Dalilah answer upon answer to her question or demand which pleased her for a time carrying a semblance of realitie and truth in them but still her experience discovered the insufficiency of them and then she rejected them and would not give over till shee had the true answer indeed Judg. 16. 7. 8. so doubtlesse the Scriptures may in many places to our apprehensions affirme many things and deliver out many notions of choyse approbation to us for a time the weakenesse and effects whereof notwithstanding farther time experience and a clearer light may discover yea there may from the same Scripture rise up many meanings and interpretations before us one after another that may bee in our eyes as Eliah Jesses eldest sonne was in Samuels when hee was sent to annoynt one of his sonnes for King surely so he looking on Eliab the Lords annointed is before him but he was yet a great way off from the Lords annointed there was Elihah Abinabad and Shannuah and more then as many more presented before him before David came in sight who was the Lords annointed indeed he was behind and a great way off in the field and must be sent for before he comes so the annointed sense and meaning of the Scriptures may yet bee farre off when we perswade our selves with the greatest confidence it is before us And as he said of benefits Multa perdenda sunt ut semel ponas bene A man must bestow many amisse that he may bestow one well so many times a man must cast away many interpretations of Scripture and those sometimes such as otherwise he would not wittingly part with that he may interpret at last as he ought to doe I make no question but you have had experience hereof in your selfe more then once for my part I confesse it hath beene a very frequent thing with me in the course of my studies and meditations to meet with both from the pens or mouthes of others and by mine owne conceptions also some interpretations which have much affected me upon the first greeting yea which for a time I have nourished in my bosome and have treasure of and yet afterward have apparently seene that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} my rejoycing was not good and by a strong hand of superior conviction have beene compelled to call that darkenesse and so to east it from me which sometimes I called