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	gospel_n	preach_v	2,817	5	6.7760	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87828	Seven questions about the controversie betweene the Church of England, and the Separatists and Anabaptists, breifely [sic] discussed. 1. Whether is the Church of England as it now stands a true church? 2. Whether the Church of England be a right nationall church? 3. Whether are the ministers in the Church of England sent of God, and so are true ministers or not? 4. Whether is the baptisme of infants a true and lawfull baptisme or no? 5. Whether it be lawfull to be rebaptized or not? 6. Whether it is lawfull to separate from all the publike ordinances and Christian assemblies in our English church, because there are some defects in discipline, and in other things amongst us? 7. Whether is it necessarie to demolish our churches (steeple-houses as the Separatists call them,) and to build them in other places, because they were built by idolators for idolatrous worship, were abused with images, and dedicated to saints? By Immanuel Knutton, preacher of Gods word at Beeston in Nottingham shire [sic].	Knutton, Immanuel, d. 1655.	1645 (1645)	Wing K744; Thomason E25_20; ESTC R4217	31,540	40

the businesse I speake of Object But the Ministers of the Gospel should be called in a Church way by the Church and not be obtruded upon them as many Ministers in this Church be against the consent of the people in this land people being prophaine as Heathens and being no Church cannot chuse Ministers neither are such true Ministers as are called by them Ans 1. I thinke every Godly and Learned Minister will not account himselfe a Minister sent of God as he hath his calling from the Prelates but will rather looke at his divine qualifications for the Lords worke as his internall call from God and at his peoples election of him to such a charge as his outward call and will looke at the Episcopall ordination as a meere Ceremony which cannot nullifie his divine call from God and the Church 2. I conceive that sometimes a Minister may be sent of God to preach the word when the people desire him not As after Christs ascension the Apostles disperst the Gospel in divers heathenish Nations so may it now fall out if a Minister should goe and preach among the Pagans and convert divers of them to the truth for ought I see he may be truely said to be a Minister sent of God 3. Though our land hath many prophaine in it yet it s a Nationall Church as I proved I should propose this quaere to the conscience of any reasonable man Suppose a prophaine parish where no meanes of grace ever was nor any Godly Christian ever dwelt should from the conviction of the necessity of preaching make earnest suite to some Godly and able Minister not tyed to any other charge to be their pastour and teach them the way to life I demand whether this man have a true divine call from God to them or not I conceive he hath though they be not a true Church yet they may be God by his spirit may excite in them a true desire after the word and that Minister may have much worke to doe there Acts 16.30 Paul and Silas had a true call to goe into the Jaylours house at his questioning of them about salvation though he was not fully converted 4. I thinke a Minister may be truely sent of God by a Synod of Godly and Learned Divines to a Pastorall charge though the people sometimes call him not as if he be to preach the word in a prophain parish that desires not powerfull preaching but hates it and would oppose the comming in of such a Minister the Synod may send him to such a place and God may blesse his labours to the conversion of many there a learned Synod is better able to judge of a Ministers ability and fidility for that sacred function then a vulgar congregation and there are too many ignorant parishes in this land who will hardly ever call zealous and godly Ministers to them if our blessed Parliament and reverend Synod have not a care to send such to them Object But the Ministers of this Church are maintained by Tithes a Jewish Ceremony and abolished long since by Christ Answer Tithes are not ceremoniall for a Jewish Ceremony was a carnall type of an holy thing injoyned for the service of the Tabernacle and Temple only untill the time of Reformation ●eb 9. Now to say that tithes were instituted to signifie something only for a time as all ceremonies were is not truth If any say they signified the maintenance of Ministers under the Gospel then it will follow that they signified a farre larger maintenance for the Ministers of the Gospel then the Leviticall Priesthood had because the office of Ministers of the Gospel is of greater worth excellency then the office of Priests and Levites under the law Also because the Antitype or thing signified is larger then the type or ceremony signifying Neither could tithes signifie an Arbitrary maintenance to be left to the will of the Magistrate as some say for this were to make a certainty tipyfie an uncertainty That tithes are morrall and so perpetuall I thus prove it 1 Cor. 9.13.14 That is by tiths else the Apostles apodosis answers not to his protasis then the similitude were lame Reas 1 Because The heathen by the light of nature judged that tithes were to be paid to such gods as they worshipped if the light of nature dictated tithes to be perpetuall then much more doth the word of God Herodotus saith that Cyrus King of Persia having conquered the Lydians offered the tithes of all to Jupiter Plutarch saith the Romans used to offer tithes to their gods Camillus vowed tithes to the goddesse mater Matuta in case he should overcome the Vejans Hee saith Lucullus grew rich because he observed the vse of paving tithes to Hercules Xenophon saith that others used to pay tithes to Apollo Pliny writing of the Sabaeans and Aethiopians more barberous then the Romans saith that Marchants may not meddle with the Spices which those countries yeeld abundantly before the Priests have laid out the tenth to their gods Festus saith the people of old did offer all the tenths to their gods Which use amongst all Nations shewes that it was dispersed from Noah amongst them yea it argues that it came from the incorrupt light of nature before the law was given Reas 2 Because That tithes were the Lords right long before the law was given Levit. 27.30 Here is neither institution nor assignation of tithes but a declaration of the Lords right here he saith not they shall be or let them be as was said of other Ceremoniall lawes as of the Passeover Exod. 12.24 But as it s said of the seventh day it is the Lords Sabbath so of tithes they are the Lords All that which concerning tithes was instituted in the law was that tithes should be assigned to the Levites so long as they served the Tabernacle Numb 18.21 Though God gave the tithes to the Levites yet did he not first found them in that Incorporation but only transferred his owne right to that order of Priesthood so long as it should endure and after the ceasing of that Priesthood the same right descended to the Ministers of the Gospel so tithes were due to the Leviticall Ministers as Ministers not as Leviticall and so are successively due to Evangelicall Pastors as Pastors not formally as Evangelicall Reas 3 Because It was the custome of Gods Church in all ages to pay tithes to the Lord before the law was written so Abraham paied the tith of all Gen. 14.20 Object That which Abraham payed was of the spoyles Heb. 7.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ans The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the best of a mans goods sometimes the first fruits But admit that it signified spoyles and that Abraham gave tithes of the spoyles yet it more confirmes the right of tithes for if he gave tithes of the spoyles much more did he use to doe the same of his owne goods for here the Apostle saith Heb. 7.2 He gave

Prophets frequently speake of it Isa 60. Isa 61. Isa 62. and 63. and 64. c. Jer. 30. Jer. 31. Jer. 33.12 13. Ezek. 34.25 26 27 28 29. Ezek. 36.24 Ezek. 37.25 Likewise we find these Prophets speaking of Nationall Churches amongst the Gentiles which should come and joyne with the Church of the Jewes Isa 49 23. Isa 60.16 Isa 19 24.25 Doubtlesse there shall be many famous Nationall Churches after the conversion of the Jewes which I hope drawes on fast And when those dayes are come there will be more famous National Churches then ever the old Jewish Church was Zach. 14.20.21 Object But the Church of England wants those Church Officers mentioned Eph. 4.11 which Christ left to his Church Answer Can there be no Church no Christians without them What shall we say of the Families of the Patriarkes of the Jewish Congregations under the Law yea of Christ and his Apostles Either deny them to have beene visible Churches or shew us these distinct Officers amongst them looke upon the Church since Christ was there not a worthy Church of God in Jerusalem from the time of Christs ascention till the Election of the 7 Deacons those hundred and twenty Disciples Acts 1.15 And 3000. Converts Acts 2.41 those continuall troopes that flocked to the Apostles were they no true Church Let the Apostles and Evangelists be Pastors and Doctors where were their Elders Deacons Releevers Afterwards when Deacons were ordained yet what newes is their of Elders till Acts 11.30 Yet that of Jerusalem was more forward then the rest we will not as the Separatists are wont argue from Scriptures negatively no proofe yet much probability is in St. Pauls silence He writes to Rome Corinth and other Churches Those his divine letters in a sweet Christian civillity salute even ordinary Christians and would he have utterly passed by all mention of these Church Officers amongst his so precise acknowledgement of lesser titles in others if they had beene ere this ordained Rom. 1.8 1 Cor. 15. 1 Thes 1.7 Gal. 4.15 All these notwithstanding all this were true Churches famous forward and exemplary Onely the Phillippian Church is stiled with Bishops and Deacons but no Elders besides them Phil. 1.2 But through Gods great mercy we have many who conscionably teach and feed by teaching call them what you please Lecturers Parsons Vicars c. If they preach Christ truely upon true inward abilities upon a sufficient if not perfect outward vocation such are Pastors and Doctors allowed by Christ we stand not upon circumstances and appendancies of the fashions of ordination manner of choice attire titles maintenance but if for substance these be no true Pastors and Doctors Christ never had any in his Church since the Apostles left the Earth QVEST. III. Whether are the Ministers in the Church of England sent of God and so are true Ministers or not Ans I Affirme they be true Ministers of Jesus Christ sent of God into his Vineyard to build up his Church and People as living stones upon Christ the cheif corner stone Reas 1 Because we have many Godly learned and painefull Ministers as well qualified for that worthy function as any in the world who are exceedingly dilligent in the excercise of their gifts endeavouring to convert and confirme soules to the utmost of their ability now their ability and fidility argues that God hath sent them Rom. 10.15 Jer. 23.21 22. As if he had said I gave no commission to these Prophets yet they ran as of their owne heads c. If they had received directions and creands from me and had delivered them accordingly to my people they should have laboured to have turned them from their leud courses Where the Lord shewes that the conscionable and able preaching of his word proves that he sends such about that worke Reas 2 Because That God hath blessed the labours of the Ministers of this Church to the conversion of many and to their confirmation in the truth which thing God would not have done if he had not sent them Jer. 23.32 1 Cor. 9.2 Yea. the Separatists themselves received their first Illumination Faith and other graces from the word preached by us before they made a divorcement from us Object But the Ministers of the Church of England were called by the Prelates whose calling is Antichristian from the Pope therefore they are not the Ministers of Jesus Christ Ans I grant that the calling of the Lordly Prelates as they are described in the second Article of the Covenant exercise their jurisdiction in their Courts by their Substitutes is Antichristian yet the Godly and Learned Ministers of this Church called by them are true Ministers called of God for these reasons Reas 1 Because the Prelates are Christians and so their calling of us is not altogether unlawfull with the Separates every Vlebeian Artificer hath power to elect and ordaine by vertue of his Christian profession the act of the worthiest standing for all how can they deny this right to persons in some measure qualified for this worke Reas 2 Because The Prelates are learned men and Divines many of them are judicious and orthodox in judgement against popish Heresies and have written and preacht substantially against them which yet I speake not in favour of their calling for I looke upon it as Antichristian and directly opposing Christs words in Mat. 20.25 26. Reas 3 Because The Prelates in their ordination command us to preach the Gospel truely now ● we be not rightly called because called from them then one of these things of both these must necessarily follow Either it is unlawfull for the Prelates to command us to Preach the Gospel or it is unlawfull for us to preach the Gospel as they command us I cannot see how the former can be unlawfull because their charge and command to Ministers is no waies Antichristian but Christian for they command us to preach the Gospel not as Popish Prelates but as Christians and Learned Divines now good counsell is worthy to be followed from whomsoever it comes though from an enemie I see not how the latter is unlawfull if one be qualified w●th fidelity and ability he ought to preach the word though the Prelates licenced and commanded him because as yet here was no other outward way of calling Ministers to preach in this Church of England appointed and established by authority I heard of an Usurer in this Kingdome who had gotten very much money by usury and unjust gaine he made it his only calling which doubtlesse is unlawfull it pleased God to convince him of the unlawfullnesse of his usury he made restitution largely to his debtors and sent his servant with restitution money to divers of them though his course of usury was unlawfull yet it was lawfull yea needfull for him to command his servant to carrie home restitution money to such as borrowed of him and it was lawfull for his servant to obey him in this of the like nature is