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	true_a	way_n	4,442	5	5.1488	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88586	The main points of church-government and discipline; plainly and modestly handled by way of question and answer. Very useful to such as either want money to buy, or leasure to read larger tracts.	Love, Christopher, 1618-1651.	1649 (1649)	Wing L3167; Thomason E1182_11; ESTC R208163	25,577	63

or both those Churches 4. If an Elder in no case have authority in another Church then if he preach there by vertue of office baptize ordain administer the Supper or the like those acts are altogether null and void as if they had never bin and persons so baptized or ordained ought to be re-baptized and re-ordained for if a Major of one Corporation do the act of his authority out of his limits in another Corporation the act is void in Law Reason but Congregational men wil not assert that Baptism by a Minister of another Congregation is void and null Quest 22. But those that dissent in these particulars are good and gracious men and their way seems to be purer then other ways and therefore I would not have any one to oppose these men for if the work be of God it will stand if of men it will come to nought Answ 1. The Anabaptists in Germany yea the first broachers and chief Propogators of ancient and modern Heresies and Errors were reputed godly men The Hereticks and Sectaries of New-England did seem very holy humble spiritual Christians full of Christ denying themselves far they could speak excellently and pray with soul-ravishing expressions and affections and yet notwithstanding they were severely censured some disfranchised others fined others banished by our Independent brethren there g M. welds Epistle before his book of the Rise raign c. 2. We cannot be assured that other men are truly godly and gracious they may be Hypocrites as the Parisees the word may signifie Separatists of the strictest Sect amongst the Jews were though we may not without good ground think so of them Corah Dathan and Abiram which took men and separated them into a distinct Congregation h Num. 16 5. 16. Psal 106. 17. and pleaded for power and liberty i Num. 16 3. and questionless profit too for if the Priests work might be taken from them why not their Tythes and wages saying all the Congregation is holy every one of them you Elders take too much upon you and that every man might excercise the function of the Priests k verse 10 were esteemed by all the Church to be the people of the Lord and they murmured against Moses and Aaron for opposing them l verse 41. yea 250. Princes of the Assembly or of the Councel of Governors which were religiously affect yea famous in the Church men of renown did joyn unto them m verse 2. so well did they esteem of them and doubtless they were no Blasphemers Hereticks fundamentally erronious nor groslly vicious in any kind and yet the Spirit of God calls them wicked men n vers 26. because of their Schism a work of the flesh o Gal. 5. 20. shewing men to be carnal p 1 Cor. 3. 1. 2. the original hath it restless and turbulent men the Greek hath it hard men and the Lord did execute his wrath on them and on the Congregation for their sakes q Num. 16 32 44. 45 46 47. and this instance is the more pertinent because the gain-saying of Corah is a sin of the New Testament as well as of the Old r Jud. v. 11 3. The question is not who are good men though if it were there are multitudes of good men against their way for one or a few for it but what is good and acceptable in the sight of the Lord For 1. They were as good and gracious men when they were Presbyterians as some were yea when they were conformable to Bishops Canons as leading men about London were as now they are yea so far as men can judg they were then more holy humble heavenly charitably affected more mortified to the world then now and they are not the better if they be not the worse for Independency 2. A good man may act for Satan and not discern it s Mat. 16. 23. M Archer an holy man did hold broach hellish opinions 3. The temptation lies in this when Angels from Heaven men of singular parts and piety preach other doctrines t Gal. 1. 8. 2 Cor. 11. 15. Satan which could catch godly men in the snare of Heresie Schism not wicked men whom he hath fast enough in the stocks by the other foot must make use of such as are reputed good A drunken loose Minister can never lead a pious people into error 4. As to the seeming purity of that way we know that the Word of God is the rule of purity whatsoever comes short or goes beyond it is impurity voluntary purity is as bad as voluntary humility the Pharisees seemed to be in a purer way and more afraid of pollution by sinners and more zealous in observation of the Sabbath then Jesus Christ himself Popery came up under pretence of purity piety chastity and charity if they can prove their way by Gods Word then it is pure if they cannot it is impure 5. As for opposing them both Magistrates Ministers and others are bound to contend in their places for the faith delivered to the Saints v Jud. v. 3 and to oppose false teachers w Tit. 1. 11 Revel 2. 2 2 Joh. v. 10 11. Gal. 1 7 8. Deut. 13. 6 7 8 Rom 13 4 which are ravening and grievous wolves x Math 7. 15. Act. 20 29 which do leaven and trouble the Church y Act. 15 24. Gal. 5 9 10 12. and as experience of this and former ages shews in Germany New England and in this Kingdom disturb the civil Peace 6. Though Heresie and Schism be works of the flesh and not from the God of Truth and Peace yet they may stand a while as Anabaptism did in Germany yea a great while though I hope they shall not as Arrianism Pelagianism and Popery have done and the true way may be suppressed 7. If Independency or Anabaptism c. be either Heresie or Schism or contrary to sound doctrine we are bound by Covenat let who will expound it to extirpate them or atleast each in our places to endeavor to the utmost the extirpation of them The known sense of the Scottish Nation which framed the Covenant and for whose satisfaction the Covenant was taken doth include Independency under the name of Schism or at least under those words Contrary to sound doctrine and the English could not but know this to be their sence of it and yet did not that we know of protest against it or explane themselves otherwise at the first taking of the Covenant if they have done it sithence and that Independency is covenanted against is further clear by the Parliaments publishing Ordinances for a Presbyterial Government which are ridiculous and null if any one that will may plead exemption from it by the Ministers of London and other places so expressing the sence of it and by the Independents themselves which now generally renounce or refuse the Covenant being conscious it neither is nor can be except it be made a nose of wax consistent with their Church-way 8. It may as well be said of Prelacy and Malignancy as of Independency that if they be of God they will stand and if not they will come to nought therefore we ought to refrain from them and let them alone not oppose them for questionles many of them truly feared God Quest 23. What is the difference between Prelatical Presbyterial and Independent Government Answ These three Governments do somewhat resemble Monarchical Aristocratical and Demonacratical Governments The first give power only or chiefly to one Minister in a Diocess the last gives the power only or chiefly to the people as the Brownists do for they hold that the people have a Negative Voyce and may disanul the acts of the Presbytery not only in facto as when the Kingdom will not withdraw from one that is justly and judicially outlawed but in foro that the sentence is null and voyd in it self but the Presbytery according to them hath not a Negative Voyce nor can disanul the act of the people in Election of an Officer deposing of him c. The middle is the right mid way between the other extreams consisting of Ministers and other Rulers and Governors which are chosen by and do represent the people as the Common Councel do represent the City of London and the House of Commons the Commons of England and placing the Government not wholy in the Mininistry nor in the body of the people but in Ministers and Elders How the Presbyterian way differs from the Independent way may in some measure appear by what hath been said Now it differs from the Prelatical thus The Prelate called and counted himself only a Bishop a Act. 20 17 28. Tit. 1 5 7. name common to Elders he challenged Jurisdiction above his Fellow-Ministers to belong to him as a man of an higher rank challenged that to one that doth belong to a Colledg did not associate Congregations but subjugate them to him and himself would be subject to no Presbytery he made the Cathedral or Mother-Church superior in power to the rest but the Presbyterian way is a social way as between friends confederates brethren where all judg and all are judged all things done communi Presbyterorum consilio where no Congregation or Minister is above another Congregation or Minister though the major part of them associated as of congregational members though equal one to another are above the minor part where every Elder is left to enjoy the office of an Elder and every Congregation the freedom of a Congregation in what belongs to them and they able to perform The Prelates power was altogether extrinsecal to those Congregations that were under it they did not consent unto it nor send commissioners to assist or concur in it but Classes and Synods are aggregates made up out of their mutual associations into one and do in matters of common concernment strengthen and help particular Congregations walking according to rule and reduce such as walk not in truth and peace but are leavened with Error and variance The Prelates urged Subscription Ceremonies had their Chancellors Commissaries Surrogates c. their Courts were remote from many of the people they were expensive oppressive by exaction of fees they promoted Tyranny Popery Arbitrary Government suffered idle ignorant profane Popish Arminian Socinian Ministers which the Presbyterian Government where it is in full strength as in Scotland doth not FINIS

the duties of their places became a Church together sufficiently distinguished from others and this is far from the Church-covenant urged by some it being only an agreement implyed in actions as when a man dwells in a Town joyns in chusing Constables and other Offices pays Lays and Taxes assists Officers and bears Office if required doth tacitly agree that he is one of that Town and yet we cannot say that he hath entred into covenant or that entring into covenant doth make him so Quest 16. How large or how little may particular Churches be Answ A Church must consist of more then two or three though when there was no more in the world but Adam and Eve they two made a Church if there was any for two or three were to give the second Admonition which if a man did not here they were to tell the Church f Math. 18 15 16 17. and therefore the Church must of necessity consist of more then two or three yea there should be in a Church a competent number to be Officers and Members at least the Members should be as a Flock that is many though there were no Officer but one Pastor The Churches in the Gospel were numerous consisting of thousands and that they might do so the Apostles planted Churches only in Cities and in great Towns Cenchrea the least was a much frequented populous and famous Haven-Town g Gualter in Rom. 16 so also were the Churches of Galatia Macedonia Judea placed in the Cities of those Countries as Antioch Laodicea Philippi Thessalonica Jerusalem Lidda c. and how numerous soever any Church did grow we read not that it was divided into two or more Churches or that there were more Churches then one in any one City or Town As it is acknowledged on all hands that a particular Church may consist of as many as may meet every Lords day in oue place for edification so it may be proved that the Church of Jerusalem did consist of more then did or could meet with edification in one place 1. By the multitude of Beleevers Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region round about Jordan were baptized by John h Mat. 3. 6 7 and the Disciples of Christ baptized more Disciples then John i Joh. 4. 1 and many of the people beleeved in Jesus k Joh 2. 23 7 31. 8 30 The Pharisees said the world is gone after him l Joh. 12 19 and after Christs ascension there were added 3000 souls m Act. 2 41 and 5000 n Act. 4. 4 and afterward the Disciples were multiplyed greatly and a great company of the Priests were obedient to the faith o Act. 6. 1 7 Now all these which deserved to be called a City a World of people thousands and multitudes for the Holy Ghost at the last leaves numbering could not meet together in one place for hearing the Word For no one room in a private house could hold them all no one mans voyce could reach them much less could so many thousands orderly at once receive the Sacrament together nor could be accommodated with beds to sit lie or lean upon which was Christs gesture a Table to receive at and Cups to drink in and therefore they were constrained to sever themselves into divers companies for breaking of bread p Act 2 46 and to meet distributively in their private houses for that purpose Hence it is observable that though proof be offered by some that the Church of Jerusalem did meet together in the Temple to heat the Word which was common to Jews with Christians and to chuse Officers which is not every Lords day-work and to which the presence of women and children the greater half of the Church is not required yet not one word is brought to prove that they all met in one place to receive the Sacrament the chief Church-ordinance 2. Twelve Apostles q Math. 9. 35. 10 1 seventy Disciples r Luke 10 2 besides Elders mentioned Act. 11. s Act. 11. 30 as being extant before that time which doubtless were diligent Preachers in Jerusalem the chief place of their residence and could not all nor most of them be imployed once every Lords day if there was but one Congregation in Jerusalem 3. The Church that prayed for Peter met many of them in the house of Mary and others of them James and his brethren elsewhere t Act. 12. 5. with 12 17 so that Church did not meet in one place 4. It is said that Paul abode in Jerusalem with Peter fifteen days v Gal. 1. 18 and doubtless Peter and he frequented the Church-meetings yet he saw no other of the Apostles save James the Lords brother he saith not they were not in Jerusalem but he saw them not which had been very improbable if not impossible seeing the Apostles were diligent in preaching if there had been but one Church-meeting in Jerusalem more might be said to prove that the Church of Jerusalem consisted of more then one Congregation and instance of the like may be given in other Churches of Samaria Ephesus Corinth c. Q. 17. May not every Congregation enjoy all the Ordinances of God within it self Ans No 1. Synods are the Ordinances of God and cannot be had in a particular Congregation yea general Councels are the Ordinances of God and yet cannot be found in any less Church then the universal visible 2. A particular Congregation consisting only of private Members cannot enjoy ordination by Presbyters which is an ordinance of God nor can she in that state regularly partake in Sacraments and Censures therefore combination or consociation of Churches is useful and needful in the aforesaid cases as also in case of a particular Churches insufficiency to transact her own business in case of business of common concernment to more Churches then one in case of an incompetent particular Eldership of appellation of presumed mal-administration of divisions in a particular Church of differences between Churches of spreading Heresies indangering Truth Peace decision of hard questions direction in hard cases or the like w Act. 15 Quest 18. Doth the Scripture warrant the use and subordination of Congregational Classical Provincial National and Oecumenical Assemblies Ans Yes it doth For 1. of Congregational Assemblies no question is made 2. The proving of the Church of Jerusalem to consist of more Congregations then one and their Elders questionless convening for Acts of government of those Congregations doth also prove the warrantableness of a Classical Assembly 3. There being warrant sufficient for combination of Churches and the Scripture not limiting it to such or such limits beyond which it may not exceed doth sufficiently warrant the greater combinations as occasion may require them and they may with conveniency be had the Scripture doth not determine those cases in which a Church may call neighboring Churches together for advice nor with how many Churches or with what Churches