Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	apostle_n	church_n	prove_v	2,236	5	6.1879	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A83501	Reasons against the independant government of particular congregations: as also against the toleration of such churches to be erected in this kingdome. Together with an answer to such reasons as are commonly alledged for such a toleration. Presented in all humility to the Honourable House of Commons, now assembled in Parliament. By Tho. Edvvards, minister of the Gospel.	Edwards, Thomas, 1599-1647.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1641 (1641)	Wing E233; Thomason E167_16; ESTC R21753	47,020	78

the whole way of the Separation for the healing of that great Schisme sprung up of late in this Church I thought good for the present necessity to set forth these few and short Reasons more time being required to review transcribe and Print larger Treatises Now that which first moved me to the drawing up of these Reasons both against Independant Government and against the Toleration of it was the credible information given me of some Petitions drawne to be presented to the Honourable House of Commons for a Toleration of some Congregations to enjoy an Independant Government and to be exempt from the Government which shall be established by Law Now though I believe hope and pray daily that God will keepe that Honourable House from ever giving any Countenance much lesse granting any such Petitions yet considering how many there are of that way some Inhabiting in this Kingdome others who are come over into England on purpose being sent as Messengers of their Charibes to negotiate in that behalfe and observing how diligently and close they follow it by daily attending at Westminster by insinuating themselves into the company of sundry Members of the House of Commons by Preaching often at Westminster the more to ingratiate themselves and their cause Printing also their desire of a Toleration for Independant Government and that with casting of dirt upon the Reformation and Government of this Nationall Church what ever it may be as witnesse the Protestation Protested I a Minister of the Gospel and a Sufferer for it these many yeares last past being one who desires as free a passage of the Gospel and as through a Reformation according to the will of God as any of them have thought it my duty that I might discharge a good Conscience to God and to the Kingdome to Print these Reasons at this time that so when any of those Petitions come to be propounded in the House of Commons under specious pretences and faire pretexts there may by these Reasons appeare a Snake under the greene grasse Neither speake I this as if I would intimate that that Honorable House could be taken with colours and faire glosses I know that great Body is so full of wisdome and so Eagle eyed that they can both see into and fore-see a farre off the many evills and mischiefes of Independancy and Tolerations But I suppose these Reasons may have their use among some to furnish them the more with grounds against such Petitions for satisfying also scruples instilled by the Independant men into some others as also to demonstrate to the Petitioners the unreasonablenesse of their demands My aime therefore is by this following discourse l. humbl● to crave leave to enter in the Honourable House of Commons a Caveat both against Independant Government of Particular Congregations and against their Toleration and to present to the House a Writ of Ne admittas fetcht out from the Court of Heaven and from the Records of Holy Scripture Reasons Against THE Independant government OF Particular Congregations Reason I. THE Churches gathered and constituted by the Apostles watered by Evangelists and Prophets and after planting and watering having Pastors and Teachers with all other Officers as they say set over them by the Apostles and their owne Elections Yet it is evident these Churches could not well stand nor subsist of themselves with all these Officers but many of them had beene much indangered and subject to have beene ruined if some others besides these Churches and Officers had not upon occasions interposed and that authorotatively as the Apostles Evangelists and Elders of other Churches as doth appeare by the Acts of the Apostles and by many Epistles as to Corinth Galatia Colossians Timothy Titus 15. Acts 2. Cor. 12. Chap. 20. ver. 24. 2. Cor. 13. Chap. 1. 2. 10. ver. The particulars whereof I shall evince more largely hereafter Now if these Primitive Churches who had all the officers and were setled by the Apostles in all poynts according to Christs order yet in those times could not doe well Independently how can wee thinke that any particular congregation in these times which cannot be so setled having no Apostles nor any infallible men to direct them can doe well without dependancie And though it will be said these extraordinary Officers be now ceased yet let them consider whether there is not need of some way to supply this want to the particular Churches now But if it be said that the ordinary Officers of Pastors Teachers Elders with the body of the Congregation will suffice for the governing every particular congregation Independantly To that I answer according to their Principles In the Apostles times there were all these Officers in particular Congregations and setled in a perfect way and yet for all this particular Churches needed a dependancy upon Apostles Evangelists Prophets and Presbyters of other Churches and Timothie and Titus are set over the Church of Ephesus and Crete now though some of these be ceased and so this power may be ceased as it was in particular men yet that the Congregations should not need it now in these times as well as then no solid Reason can be given but there is much more reason for it now which therefore must bee in some other way be it Synods and Councels to supply the defects of each particular by the Conjunction of the whole the whole helping every part and supplying what is lacking to it and this reason hath the more strength in it if we consider that the Churches in the Apostles times were Churches in Cities it being all one to say in every City or in every Church 1 Tit. 5. 14. Act. 23. which Churches also had good store of Preaching Ministers amongst them as appeares by Acts 13. v. 1. Act. 20. v. 36 37. Compared with ver. 28. So that in all cases of Doctrine and Discipline having many Ministers to resolve and determine matters and to have carryed them with the more gravity and authority they might have subsisted the better Independantly whereas most particular Congregations now have but few Ministers one or two nay according to their Principles there may be none nor no Officer at all and yet these Congregations must be Independant having all power and government Independantly before Officers as well as after Reason II. THat Governement and power which causes men to runne upon the manifest violation of the constant practice and example of the Churches during all the time of the Apostles and puts Churches upon practices that are absurd unreasonable and prejudiciall to the good of their Soules that government is not of divine Institution nor to be received but such is the Independant power and government of particular Congregations The major is of undoubted Truth and will be denyed by none for the minor I will prove it in these following Instances First their Independancy forces them either to have Ministers and Officers without being ordained contrary to the practice and examples of the Churches