Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	divine_a	esteem_v	great_a	107	3	2.0706	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96941	A modell of the government of the church under the gospel, by presbyters, proved out of the holy scriptures, to be that one, onely uniform government of the universall visible church, and of all nationall, provinciall, classicall and congregationall churches: which is according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ. Which may serve to stay such as are doubting, with hope of full satisfaction, and clear demonstration of this truth, shortly to be made by the reverend Assembly of Divines. / Composed by a Presbyterian minister of the city of London, and approved by divers of his learned brethren, and at their request published.	Walker, George, 1581?-1651.	1646 (1646)	Wing W362; Thomason E342_3; ESTC R200927	24,926	36

preaching of the same word and doctrine which they wrote and preached Thirdly Although the Pastours and Teachers which succeed the Apostles are unable to work miracles and to write infallible Scriptures and give unchangeable rules to all Churches as the Apostles did because they have not such extraordinary gifts and calling Yet in things which are in the power of ordinary Presbyters and Pastours as meeting many together in Synods and Presbyteriall Assemblies to decide and determine controversies according to the Scriptures it is a thing as easy and ordinary for them wherein to imitate them as for many Lords and Commons to meet in a Parliament to remove grievances in the Common-wealth And certainly so farre as God makes us able we are bound to follow their practice and examples Fourthly The more extraordinary gifts that the Apostles had the lesse need they had to meet in Synods and Assemblies either all or divers of them together Paul and Barnabas had an infallible spirit and did dispute against the errour at Antioch and condemned it by as infallible a sentence as the Apostles did at Jerusalem And yet for a paterne to all succeeding Churches and to make the judgement and determination of more authority in all Churches of beleeving Jews and Gentiles and to shew the unity of spirit and uniformity of doctrine and discipline among them all an appeal was made to a generall Synod of all the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem And therefore the necessary use and reason of such Synods and Classicall Presbyteries being still the same in all ages And ordinary Ministers of Christ having more need of common help and assistance because many eies see more then one and many heads consulting together will better search out the truth and true sense of Scripture in doubtfull matters and of great concernment The objection doth make more for the confirmation of the doctrine to wit that the practice and examples of the Apostles in the manner of governing the Church is of divine authority and ought to be esteemed the will and appointment of Christ 7. Now out of these points plainly proved by cleer texts of holy Scripture We may easily raise a perfect definition or description of that Government partly Ecclesiasticall which Christ as King of his Church hath set up therein namely this That it is the exercise of power and authority in matters spirituall which concern the salvation of souls given by Christ to the Pastours and Elders of his Church for the gathering building up and well ordering of it and for the perfecting of the Saints the members thereof For the confirmation of this definition in every part and member of it we have expresse words of holy Scripture First the Commission which Christ the supream Lord gave to his Apostles and to their successours in all ages to the end of the world was not only by preaching the Gospel to make men Disciples but also to open the kingdom of Heaven and by Baptisme to admit beleevers and Disciples into it and to teach them to observe all things whatsoever he had commanded them Matth. 28. 19 20. But to shut out unbeleevers as being under damnation and in the kingdom of Satan Mark 16. 16. And that by this Commission not only power and authority was given them to propound the word by way of doctrine but also to use the rod of discipline and to correct and censure all such as were offenders untractable and puffed up the Apostle Paul sheweth 1 Cor. 4. 20 21. Where he saith that when he cometh to Corinth he will know not the speech of them that are puffed up but the power For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power even to use the rod of correction and sharp censure as the next words shew viz. What will you Shall I come to you with a rod or in love and in the spirit of meeknes And what this rod is the next chapter immediatly declares in which he gives them a charge In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to excommunicate in their solemne Assembly the incestuous person And 2 Cor. 10. 8. and Chap. 13. 10. He doth plainly affirm that to him and his fellow-Ministers the Lord hath given power and authority even to use sharpnesse Secondly That this power is not carnall nor exercised about worldly matters but is spirituall and mighty through God exercised in pulling down the strong holds of sin and Satan casting down imaginations and every high thing which exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ The Apostle affirms 2 Cor. 10. 4 5. Thirdly This power and authority is given to be exercised for edification not for destruction as the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 10. 8. 13. 10. even for the perfecting of the Saints and for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephes. 4. 12. Fourthly The exercise of this power and authority is uniform and the waies of it the same in all Churches No supreme Magistrate hath power to alter it it is not to be usurped nor contended for by any to whom God hath not given abilities nor called thereunto It belongs to the Pastours and Teachers who have a calling to expound publikely the Word and law of Christ and to their assisting Elders who are fit to judge accordingly For such the Apostles appointed to be their successours and not civill Magistrates which were not known in the Church till many years after the days of the Apostles And to the Apostles and their successours the Lord Christ gave this power to rule his Church and it continued in their hands in all the Apostolicall Churches The same waies which the great Apostle of the Gentiles observed himself he taught in every Church every where 1 Cor. 4 17. and so he ordained in all Churches 1 Cor. 7. 17. And when any swerved from the institution of Christ in the use of the ordinances and contended for forms and fashions differing from the common rule and custom The Apostle reproved and blamed them as appears 1 Cor. 11. 16 17. The Pastours Elders and Teachers who labour in the Word and Doctrine and watch for the souls of the people and by the holy Ghost are made overseers over the flock are the Governours and rule over them in the Lord and they ought to submit themselves to be ruled and guided by them as being the stewards of Gods house his Church and dispensers of the mysteries of Christ as these places following do shew Act. 20. 28. Take heed to your selves and to all the flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God And 1 Cor. 4. 1. Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God And 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them that labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you And to esteem them very highly in love

A MODELL OF THE Government of the Church under the Gospel by Presbyters Proved out of the holy Scriptures to be that one onely uniform Government of the universall visible Church and of all Nationall Provinciall Classicall and Congregationall Churches which is according to the will and appointment of Jesus Christ Which may serve to stay such as are doubting with hope of full satisfaction and clear demonstration of this truth shortly to be made by the Reverend Assembly of Divines Composed by a Presbyterian Minister of the City of London and approved by divers of his learned Brethren and at their request Published LONDON Printed for Tho. Vnderhill and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible in Woodstreet 1646. To the Honourable City of London and all the Inhabitants thereof who sincerely seek and desire a true reformation of the Church according to the Word of God GIve me leave most famous and renowned City and ye the Right Honourable Lord Major the Right Worshipfull Aldermen and religious Common-Councell and Commoners to congratulate and rejoice with you for that honour which the Lord hath laid on you in these daies of great confusion You under God have been the guard of this present Parliament by which so great things have been done for the safety and defence of three Kingdoms Your free contributions of your wealth and substance have been the sinews of this warre undertaken for the defence of our Religion Laws and Liberties Few Counties in this Kingdom have been able to defend themselves much lesse to help others except those whom you have encouraged and set on work by your example and to whom you have been a bulwark against the enemies who by you have been terrified from invading them All the associated Counties have cause to blesse God for the vicinity and neighbour-hood of London And all the rest of the Kingdom may say If the Lord had not helped us by the Forces Arms and supplies of men and money from London we had been utterly destroied and laid waste But the chief glory bestowed on you by God is your courage for the truth and true Christian Religion your earnest study and constant endeavour for promoting an happy Reformation of the Church in Religion Dostrine Worship and Discipline according to the Word of God your zeal against Sectaries Schismaticks Hereticks and Blasphemers who labour cunningly to corrupt your servants to steal away the hearts of your wives and children to pull many fair feathers out of your wings and to draw Disciples after them and your standing steadfast in the old paths and walking in that good way Ier. 6. 16. which the Lord Christ by his Apostles hath praescribed to the Vniversall Church In which all the pure primitive Churches of old and all the best reformed Churches have walked from the daies of your Fathers untill this day God hath inabled you wonderfully by his grace to resist the subtle temptations of the world and the Devil I know when you were courted with offers of greatest honours and priviledges to withdraw you from your purpose and resolution of standing for the common weal of State and Church and of supporting and upholding of the props and pillars of this Land when it trembled and was ready to be dissolved I cannot forget that sad time full of fears and dangers when the chief command of your City being in the hand and power of Malignants who had also a strong faction by which they attempted to overthrow you it was the opinion and profession of some of the most faithfull Patriots and wise members of Parliament that unlesse God did put into your hearts a resolution to stand up for them they had small hope of saving either the Church and Kingdom from ruine or our Religion Laws Liberties and their own lives from destruction and in that juncture of time the Lord did put such a spirit of courage fortitude and holy zeal into you who were the main body of the City that you stood up and appeared openly for the worthy Patrons of your Religion Laws and Liberties whereby they were animated to proceed vigorously in their wonted course of justice to the terrour and astonishment of all the enemies and disturbers of our peace After this you have been strongly assaulted by spirituall wickednesses divers waies First by cunning seducers who usurping the name and outward shew of rare Saints have stollen away the hearts of many and with feigned sanctity and large promises of a pure platform and modell of Church-Discipline and perfect Reformation according to Christs own institution have drawn them into Schisme and separation from their own Congregations But you by your wisdom have quickly smelled out their fraud and vain boasting of great things which they can never perform and bring to passe Secondly you have been tried when Scriptures failed them and favoured not their modell with bold pretences of new lights which you have scorned as wise men are wont to scorn and not vouchsafe to look after those ignes fatuos wandring lights and night fires by which fools who follow them in the dark are lead into dangerous pits boggs ditches and downfalls Thirdly they have represented unto you Presbyterian Government as a Bugbear and cruell monster worse then Popery and Prelacy unto which if you submit you and your children are made slaves for ever to the lust of proud peevish tyrannicall Priests And allthough many credulous fools and unstable souls are hereby terrified and skared out of their wits and run wilde after severall dangerous sects and know not where to rest Yet you are no such strangers to the Gospel nor so little acquainted with the Scriptures of the New Testament as to be moved with such skarecrowes but rather by such rabid railing against Government of the Church by Classicall Presbyteries you have been moved and stirred up after serious consideration and consultation had with your godly Pastours and Teachers diligent searching of the Scriptures and good assurance of understanding of divine truth gained to your selves to be more earnest and importunate in promoting that Presbyterian Government besides which there is no mention of any other in all the writing of the Apostles nor any other acknowledged or received in any well reformed Churches in all the Christian world The Apostolicall Church at Jerusalem consisting of many thousands and ten thousands of beleevers and so many particular Congregations was altogether governed by the Apostles and Presbyters Assemblies Synods and Presbyteries as appears Act. 11. 30. and 15. 6. and 21. 18. The Christian Church of the Gentiles gathered unto Christ in severall Nations Countries and Cities by Paul and Barnabas had every one their Presbyters ordained to have rule over them in the Lord Acts 14. 23. The Church of Ephesus that great City of Asia had also divers Presbyters whom the Holy Ghost had made overseers to watch in common over it Acts 20. 17 28. And of them S. Paul speaks 1 Tim. 5. 17. saying