Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	doctrine_n	error_n	4,723	5	7.2521	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92974	Flagellum flagelli: or Doctor Bastwicks quarters beaten up in two or three Pomeridian exercises, by way of animadversion upon his first booke, intituled, Independency not Gods ordinance. / By J.S. M.A. Published by authoritie.	Sadler, John, 1615-1674.	1645 (1645)	Wing S276; Thomason E298_25; ESTC R200240	16,323	26

is no wave of the sea but stands upon this bottome and foundation viz. That no priviledge is a hinderance in that thing wherein it is ordained for a priviledge and so the intirenesse of a Congregation whereby it is able to recollect it self as having the whole spirit of government in it is not to be made a barre to a church or churches that shall finde it convenient and for edification to joyn with other churches where God shall knit their hearts reciprocally in the common transaction of such affaires as they shall think fit and consent unto But this cannot be prescribed and injoyn'd upon them by man but is to be done electively by them as flowing indeed from a speciall love and pleasure which those churches take in one another and beare to one another This we say in their ordinary affaires they may do we speak not of cases extraordinary for difficulty and moment wherein if their own means suffice not they are bound to seek the help of other Churches Briefly to shut up all Had we a Collegde of Apostles or Apostolicall men wee should make as much use of them and reference to them as they did and were there more churches of such a temper and quality as they ought that might be the foundation of such a mutuall dearnesse pleasure and confidence wee might do more in this Way of associating then we do but wee hold it our right liberty and priviledge to do what wee do in this kinde freely and not to be compelled thereto nor indeed would it be any other then a meere formall association did it arise otherwise Win us therefore to an association by the beauty of your fellowships and you shall not need to compell us THe second Question which takes up full one third part of his Book is of the manner of gathering Churches and of admitting Members and Officers proposed by him 1. In the Chaos it seemes 2. Orderly as he supposes drawn forth into six Queries though I dare not say there is not interfering tautologie and great confusion The nature in which the things are viz. of Quere incourages mee the rather to do something in them for that I hope the Doctor wil not be great of his own sense but take an answer of these things from those that know the way better then himself who it seems is but a Caetechumenos therein I shall here therefore indeavour to instruct him in stead of refuting him for as much as to me it seemes unmeet that a man should be polemically exercised before hee be positively principled The first Quere which must go but for one though it be Legion I must answer to part by part as followes Whether for the gathering of Churches there be either precept or president in the Word of God A. Yes Is not the word a gathering ordinance are not the people thereby invited yea compelled to come in and called to fellowship with the Saints as well as with the Father and the Son is not man a sociable creature doth not nature teach us for politique advantages to fall into societies is there not heat where two lie together and is it not foreprophesied they shall serve the Lord with one shoulder And lastly Doth not Christ say Where two or three are gathered together in my name c. But all this hitherto you would be as sorry it should once come into question as I for who or what should be saddled for the Presbytery but such a like thing as they call a church at least only by this I perceive what churches you would have {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} i. All together tag rag no selection this is the way indeed to imbase the kind and make them carry gentle I demand therefore further ought not Church-societies to be particular certain and definite for as much as that which is every ones work is done by no body and to professe to owe equall and immediate duty to all is both the way to perform it to none and a signe that a man intends so But if that that followes must be taken for the meaning of this Quere viz. Whether Preachers and Ministers of the Gospel did ever leave their own ordinary charges to which they are called and whereto they are fixed with a command not to leave them and under pretence of a new way c. did run about and alienate the mindes of the people well-affected formerly to their severall Ministers c. I answer by no means is this warrantable But I count a vast difference between a Minister or Ministers going abroad of their own heads and meerly under pretences in a secret clandestine way to get the hearts of men from their sound and orthodox Teachers for this was the practice of the false * Apostles and on the other hand a Minister or Ministers going forth with the consent and approbation of a Church or churches when or where Christ shall make an opportunity and open a doore for the peaceable comely and orderly doing thereof either to vindicate some Truthes under reproach and disgrace through a cloud of ignorance and prejudice hanging over the eyes of men or to discover and lay open certain errours or usurpations wherein Christ is injured and the Saints liberties infringed and this in a free ingenuous way of preaching and dispute offering and commending their Doctrine and Way to the impartiall search and examination of all both Pastors and people that heare or will heare them by the Word and all this not to such an end to breed any disaffection or alienation between people and their Ministers but to make them both free by the truth that they may both of them know and practice their severall duties and Christ may reap the fruit of it in the honouring of his Name and themselves in the comfort of their own soules through obedience and faith The former is dishonest and abominable but this is honourable and a duty for which wee have Pauls example not only by a publique Epistle undeceiving the Galatians of that errour they had suckt in from men perhaps of a worse quality but even withstanding Peter an Apostle to his face for haking in the matter of circumcision For the third and last division of this Quere Whether it was ever heard of in the Apostles and Primitive times that any believing Christians were in great numbers congregated from among other believing Christians I answer 1. That 't is well known there hath been and may be great defects even in believers themselves and such as that they may need even to be cast into a new mould as witnesse the Galatians of whom the Apostle did travell in birth again till Christ were formed in them 2. It will be granted that believing Christians should desire and indeavour to be instructed in the whole will of God that they may touch no unclean thing and as they know to be still