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truth_n	according_a	church_n	word_n	2,678	5	4.0797	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36444	Martyrion Christianon, or, A Christian and sober testimony against sinfull complyance wherein the unlawfulness of hearing the present ministers of England is clearly demonstrated, severall weighty queries proposed, objections impartially weighed in the ballance of the sanctuary and found wanting / by Christophilus Antichristomachus.	Douglas, Thomas, fl. 1661.	1664 (1664)	Wing D2039; ESTC R26734	81,925	102

Law-giver hath enjoyned to be observed touching the Orders and Ordinances of his House deny the Prophetical and Kingly Office of Christ Deut. 18. 18. Acts 3. 22. Isa 9. 6. But the present Ministers of England hearken and conform not to the Revelation Christ hath made touching the Orders and Ordinances of his House Therefore T is the minor or second Proposition that in the thoughts of some is capable of a denial but the verity thereof shines forth as the Sun in its brightness in the review of the Orders and Ordinances of the House of Christ appointed by himself and the present frame and deportment of the Ministers of England with respect thereunto Which of them have they not made void by their Traditions This is that which Christ hath said 1. That all power for the Calling Institution Order and Government of his Church is invested solely in him as the alone Lord Sovereign-Ruler and Head thereof Mat. 28. 19. 1 Tim. 6. 14 15. John 3. 35. Acts 3. 22. and 5. 31. T is upon this foot of account that Christ chargeth his Disciples not to be called of men Rabbi nor to call any Father viz. not to impose their Authority upon any or suffer themselves to be imposed upon by any in the matters of their God Mat. 23. 8 9 10. because one is their Master and Lord viz. Christ Hence also the Apostles lay the weight of their Exhortations upon the Commandment of Christ 1 Cor. 11. 23. and 14. 37. proclaim all to be accursed that preach any other Gospel Gal. 1. 8. yea though Angels from Heaven should they live and speak as such charge those to whom they write Not to receive any into their houses that bring any other Doctrine much more not to receive them as their Teachers 2 John 10. yea the Spirit of the Lord in the close of the last Revelation of his Will it pleased this great King and Lawgiver in such a way to give forth testifies That if any man shall adde unto these things the Lord shall adde unto him the Plagues that are written in his Book Rev. 22. 18. Do the present Ministers of England conform unto this great Institution in words indeed they do so But what meaneth the bleating of the sheep and lowing of the Oxen in our ears Do they not own other Lords Heads and Governors that have a Law-making power and would enforce the consciences of the Free-born Subjects of Christ over his Churches besides him What doth this less than evidently proclaim their disobedience and rebellion which is as the sin of Witchcraft against the KING of Kings and their rejection of his Scepter and Soveraign Authority over them But of this more hereafter 2. This great Prophet and King hath also revealed and proclaimed That 't is his Will that those whom he hath called by his Word should separate from the world walk together in particular Societies and Churches having given up themselves to the Lord and one another according to the Will of God for their mutual Edification and comfort in the Lord. The truth of this Soveraign Institution of Christ he that runs may reade in the Scriptures hereunto annexed 1 Cor. 1. 2. and 5. 12. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Rev. 18. 4. John 15. 19. and 17. 6. Acts 2. 40. and 19. 9. Phil. 1. 5. Act. 2. 41. and 17. 4. 2 Cor. 8. 5. with many more In the proof of this matter we might be copious but that we study brevity The diligent Reader knows where to find this theam at large treated of by learned Ainsworth Bartlet Cotten Rogers c. How do the Ministers of England acquit themselves in respect of this Solemn Appointment of the Lord alas who sees not that they are in their practice at open defiance herewith have it in derision and contempt making no difference betwixt the Holy and Prophane admitting persons led captive by the Devil at his will that openly blaspheme the Spirit of the Lord and deride its effectual opperation in the consciences of men into their Society Are any too vile except such as truly fear God and desire to press after Holiness to be admitted by them into their Communion Is not their Church-State so unlike is it to the Institution of Christ a very Babel a Den of Dragons and Hold of Unclean-Beasts 3. That he hath entrusted them so called and united together with Power and given them Rules for the due and right exerting thereof for the carring on the Worship of his House to chuse Officers over them to act in the Holy Things of God for and to them of which more shall be spoken in its proper place to admit Members excommunicate Offenders c. all which we find shining forth in brightness in the ensuing Scriptures Act. 1. 23. and 6. 3 5. and 14. 23. 2 Cor. 8. 19. Mat. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 4. Do the present Ministers of England conform unto this Institution of Christ nothing less is there any thing like this in the whole oeconomie invented and practised by them do they not to the utmost of their power labour to break this Bond of Christ asunder cast away this Cord from them by stirring up the Magistrate to persecute by Fines Imprisonments Banishment c. the precious People of the Lord that desire to be found in the practice of this Law of Christ branding them with the odious names of Phanaticks Sectaries Schismaticks c. 4. That the Officers of his appointment are only such as these Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Widdows or Helpers Who as they are in one particular Congregation so they have not any Lordship or lordly Authority over each other being all Brethren Ephes 4. 11. Rom. 12. 7. and 16. 1. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Phil. 1. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Acts 6. 5. and 15. 2. and 20. 17. and 28. 21 28. 1 Tim. 3 chap. and 5. 9 10 17. This Law of Christ so clearly revealed in the Scripture they are so far from subjecting to that they have neither the name nor thing required by him therein Set up other Officers and Offices as if in open contempt and defiance of his Authority of which it may righteously be said He did at no time command them neither did it ever enter into his heart so to do 5. That these Officers be chosen by the common Suffrage of the Church of Christ and solemnly set apart by Fasting and Prayer this is evidently comprized in the ensuing Scriptures Acts 1. 15. and 6. 1 2 3 5. and 14. 23. and 1. 23 26. and 9. 26 27. In conformity whereunto we find the Saints for many centuries of years after Christ in the peaceable possession of this their Priviledge and Right Clemens in his Epistle to the Church of Corinth p. 57. saith Our Apostles also knew by our Lord Jesus Christ that contention will be about the name of Episcopal-Charge Therefore for this reason having received a full predetermination they constituted such as were fore nominated and in

it being a Prophecy expresly relating to the Jews and their miraculous Conversion if there be no such thing as a National Church of the Institution of Christ as most certain it is there is not the Assertion whereof is wholly destructive of Gospel-Administrations Then 2. Whether National Ministers are the Ministers of Christ or whether there can be a true Ministry in a false Church as a National-Church must be if not of Divine Institution upon what pretence soever it be so denominated 3. Whether God doth not bear as much love to and exercise as much faithfulness over his New-Testament-Churches as over the National-Church of the Jews If so Then 4. Whether he hath not as of old he did with reference unto the then Church determined the whole of the Worship appertaining unto them to whose Institutions without any humane additions it s the duty of souls soley to conform Yea 5. Whether he hath not now as then designed the several Officers and Offices his Wisdom thought sufficient for the management of the affairs of his House so that the invention of new ones by the sons of men is not only needless but a daring advance against the Soveraignty Care and Wisdom of God over his Churches 6. Whether the Priviledges of Saints be not every way as great and extensive under the Gospel as those under the Law if so then Whether the solemn deputation of men signally pointed out by the Lord for the administration of holy things in his House by the Body of his Church be not now as then their peculiar Priviledge 7. VVhether any Church in the World we speak of a visible instituted Church hath greater security against Apostacy from God and that sore Judgment of having its Candlestick removed and being unchurched than that People of the Jews had if not then whether supposing a National Church to be of the Institution of Christ it may not so come to pass that it may be so over-spread with corruptions that it may lose the Essence of a Church and justly be disrobed of that appellation 8. VVhether the Ecclesiastick and Spiritual Rulers Governours and Officers of such a Collapsed Church may not righteously as of old be accounted and esteemed as false Prophets that go about to cause the people to forget the Name of the Lord or his pure Worship by their Lies or unscriptural Traditions Innovasions and Ceremonious Pageantries 9. VVhether Separation from such a Collasped Church in respect of its Worship Ministers and Ministry be not only justifiable but as of old the duty of the Lord 's faithful Remnant that desire to worship him according to his Appointments Yea 10. VVhether supposing a Church so called thus dreadfully as aforesaid departed from the pure Institutions of Christ never to be according to Truth a visible instituted Church of Christ and the Lord 's poor People living in the Nation never by their free consent Members thereof as it is on the pretended Churches part most unheard-of-Cruelty to compel them so it be not on the part of the free-born Children of God most stupendous folly and disvaluation of the Institutions of Christ and ingratitude to God for the Light and Liberty from the Yokes of men received imaginable to joyn affinity with it in Worship or attend upon the self-invented Ministry that appertains thereunto Many more Questions of the like nature and importance might unto these be added CHAP. I. The great care of Souls in their Accesses to God should be to sanctifie his Name Divine Institution to be heeded in the whole of our Worship The Question proposed That 't is lawful to hear the present Ministers of England denied one Argument proposed to consideration Nothing may be practised in instituted Worship but what is warranted by the Scripture The Testimonies of the Ancients produced That Hearing is part of instituted Worship proved THis is that which the Lord hath said I will be sanctified in all that draw nigh me and before all the People will I be glorified The great care of Saints in matter of Worship is to sanctifie the Name of the Lord therein This is the great thing that God looks at the omission whereof he often severely punishes the children of men for now in order hereunto it 's necessary that in all our approaches to God we see to the Institution of the Lord both in respect of the matter and manner of Worship that it be according to Divine Prescript else we cannot sanctifie the Name of God therein nor glorifie him before the people Hearing as was said and shall beyond contradiction in its proper place be evinced is part of instituted Worship it therefore more nearly concerns Saints than many are aware of to have their consciences resolved from the Scriptures of God in the matter under enquiry Whether it be lawful for the Saints to hear the present Ministers of England 'T is the Negative we have received under our maintenance because we are satisfied Christ hath so To the proof whereof we now address our selves Argument 1. That which there is no warrant for in the Scripture being part of instituted Worship is not lawful for the Saints to practise But there is no warrant in the Scripture for hearing the present Ministers or England and hearing is part of instituted Worship Therefore The major or first Proposition is evident 1. From the nature of instituted Worship which consists in this that it be of Divine Revelation else whatever it is it is not instituted Worship 2. From the Verdict of Christ who pronounces all the Worship of man to be vain and fruitless and so unlawful that is bottom'd on any thing but Divine Revelation Mark 7. 7. 3. If it be lawful to conform to any one part of instituted Worship without warrant from Scripture 't is also lawful to conform to another a third the whole which would banish instituted Worship out of the world 4. To assert that it is lawful to conform to any part of instituted Worship without warrant from Scripture reflects sadly upon the Wisdom and Faithfulness of Christ for either he was not wise enough to foresee that such a part of Worship was or would be requisite or had not faithfulness enough to reveal it though the Scripture compares him to Moses for faithfulness who revealed the whole Will of God to the making of a pin in the Tabernacle 6. It pours out contempt upon the Care of God over the New-Testament Churches as if it were less to these then to the Church under the Law and the Oeconomie of the Gospel as not so compleat as that of old the whole of whose VVorship Orders and Ordinances as was said was bottom'd upon pure Revelation 7. It carries with it a sad reflection upon the Authority of the Scripture as not thorowly furnished to make the man of God perfect 8. The Lord condemns not only that which is done against the warrant and direction of the VVord but also that which is done beside it

to communicate and God accepted of them in Christ granting to them a general Repentance for those Iniquities they saw not to be so knew not themselves guilty of Which is all we shall at present say hereunto The intelligent Reader knows that these things are not of any moment for the invalidating of what hath been offered upon this subject Thus far of this eighth Argument The present Ministers of England are guilty of Idolatry therefore 't is the duty of Saints not to hear but separate from them CHAP. VIII A 7th Argument against hearing the present Ministers of England 'T is an offence grief and cause of stumbling to the Saints proved Two Objections answered The nature of Scandal given An eighth Argument proposed to consideration The various wayes of partaking with others in their sin considered That hearing the present Ministers is a partaking with them in their sin proved Argument 7. 'T Is not lawful for Saints to do any thing for the doing whereof there is no positive Precept in the Scripture that is an Offence Grief Scandal and cause of stumbling to their Brethren But the hearing the present Ministers of England as there is no positive Precept in the Scripture for it so it is an Offence Grief Scandal and cause of stumbling to the Brethren Therefore The Major or first Proposition is bottom'd upon express Precepts in the Scripture Rom. 14. 13 15 20. 1 Cor. 8. 9 13. and 10. 24. The Minor or second Proposition consists of two parts 1. That for hearing the present Ministers of England there is no positive warrant in the Scripture if there be let it be produced and this Controversie is at an end The contrary thereunto hath all along been manifest in this present Discourse It cannot enter into our hearts to imagin that the Lord Jesus having instituted Officers of his own for the management of Affairs in his House should ordain that any of his Houshold should attend upon the Ministry of such as are not of his institution as hath been abundantly demonstrated touching the present Ministers of England that they are not nor is it by many pleaded as their duty so to do but onely as their Liberty which they judge they may or they may not do without sin 2. That for the Saints such as are visibly so profess themselves to be such to hear the present Ministers of England is an Offence Grief Scandal and occasion of stumbling to their Brethren This is too evident to be denied to how many thousands in England for whom those that as yet attend upon the present Ministry thereof dare not but think Christ dyed is the practise of some herein a Grief Scandal and occasion of Stumbling Their groans and tears alone and together upon this foot of account will better demonstrate the truth hereof than our words can Yea how many poor souls have been drawn by reason of the practise of some Leading Brethren in this matter against the checks of their own consciences to a Conformity herein to their after-grief and wounding Upon whose doors 't is to be feared and we wish they would in the fear of God lay it to heart may be written THE BLOOD OF SOULS If it be said Object That there is a twofold Scandal 1. Scandalum acceptum a Scandal or Offence taken 2. Scandalum datum a Scandal or Offence given In respect of the former possibly many may be offended at their practise in the matter treated of and so would some or other whatever is done by them 'T is impossible but Offences should come that there is any just Offence given by them herein is denied To this we answer Answ 1. That as we admit of the distinction so no doubt there is a truth in what is suggested thereupon That whatever I do some one or other will be offended at it There are a generation of men whom the doing of my duty will offend and cause to blaspheme these are not to be minded but to be pitied Christ himself was to some a Rock of Offence and Stone of Stumbling 2. But 't is not yet proved nor like to be that the Scandal treated of is a Scandal taken and not given the very nature of Scandal given as is confest by all and evident beyond exception from the Apostles discourse 1 Cor. 8. 10. lying in the doing of what is judged by me to be my liberty which other Saints are not fully perswaded of in their own minds to be so but are ready to conclude it to be my sin and evil and from thence have occasion of Grief or Stumbling administred to them This was the very case of the Church of Corinth upon the occasion whereof Paul writes to them 1 Cor. 8. some of them judged it their liberty to sit at meat in the Idols Temple others not being fully perswaded hereof were scandalized many wayes at this their practise which the Apostle therefore condemns as unlawful Should it for Arguments sake be granted though in truth it be not so that 't is the liberty of Saints to hear the present Ministers yet many of the sincere Lambs of Christ being stumbled grieved and Scandalized herear for that very reason if no more could be said herein it becomes our sin to be guilty whereof who can chuse but be filled with trembling that hath ever with seriousness read that terrible Commination of Christ Mat. 18. 6. Whoso shall offend one of these little Ones that believe in me it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the Sea especially when those that are thus scandalized are able to demonstrate that their Offence is not any pevish Humour or foolish Nicety but what is too really administred by the actions of their Brethren When they shall hear Christ commanding them to separate from every thing of Antichrist Rev. 18. 4. and therefore from his Ministry and they are in conscience perswaded the Ministers of England are such which they judge they are able to demonstrate When they consider how the Laws of their dear Lord and Law-giver are made void by the traditions of these pretended Ministers whose Kingship they see them visibly opposing when they find upon them the characters of False Prophets and Apostles and are able to manifest that they are deeply guilty of the sin of Idolatry from whom they are enjoyned by Christ to turn away yea when they take a veiw of the frame of the spirits of their now Conforming-Brethren in dayes past and the Principles were then owned by them That they did then some of them at least separate from the Assemblies of England as not true Churches of Christ and accounted the Common-Prayer-Book-Priests persons not meet to preach unworthy to be attended upon in their so doing and see them now saying A confederacy with and attending upon the ministry of those very persons and things from whom not onely Christ hath commanded them to separate but these very