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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	church_n	particular_a	visible_a	3,670	5	9.2317	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96684	God a Christian's choice, compleated by particular covenanting with God Together with an appendix, containing propositions, tending to clear up the lawfulness, and expediency of transacting with God in that way. In pursuit of a design proposed by Mr. R.A. in his book entituled, The vindication of Godliness. And by Mr. Tho. Vincent, in his book, called Words whereby we may be saved. To which is added, a brief discovery of the nearness of such a people unto God, on Psal. 148. 14. By Samuel VVinney, sometimes minister of the gospel at Glaston in Somersetshire.	Winney, Samuel.	1675 (1675)	Wing W3034; ESTC R231145	79,544	241

How often do men do this also on their sick-beds their resolution is very earnest and strong and how often doth it issue forth into express promise how apt are men to purpose and promise both when death and judgment look them in the face that they will become the Lords are grieved that sin hath swayd them so much and that they have served it so long and if it ever please the Lord to spare them recover them and continue them longer in the world they will be only for the Lord and for no other that they will drudg for the World fulfil the lusts of the flesh no longer nor ever any more as they have done make provision for it to fulfil them These things are not only determined in mens breasts but uttered by their tongues and with their mouths too at such a time and is not this the same thing the lawfulness of which we hereby labour to justify and establish 5. Nay further yet we find this occasionally done by Gods Saints upon some extraordinary deliverance out of eminent and particular troubles See this clear in the Prophet David's practice Psal 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant and the Son of thine hand-maid thou hast loosed my bonds The Psalm was penned as most and most rationally too agree upon the same occasion as Psal 18. as may be seen by comparing several verses of that and this together Now upon occasion of this deliverance which was from the hand of all his enemies from the hand of Saul Ps 18. Title the Prophet breaks out into express acknowledgment of his obligation to God and of his own resignation of himself to him accordingly Now all these things being considered and seriously laid together may we not reasonably conclude that a person upon deliberate and weighty consideration may take any such form of words as are drawn up by either of these serious Divines Mr. G. or Mr. A. or any other or any that they may draw up themselves from their own experience according to the Scripture and having done the preparatory duties there directed to fall down before God and solemnly undertake the engagement there proposed and a verbal profession of his acceptation of God his Son and Covenant according to the tenour of that form there drawn up and expressed Object 2. But saith a worthy Divine God never makes a Covenant with a single person personally Mr. Wills's morning Excercise on Rom. 5.12 and individually that all others are unconcerned in it but with whomsoever God enters into Covenant that person is a representative of others and is to be looked upon as a publick person otherwise God should make as many Covenants as there are persons which is the greatest absurdity to assert c. Answ 1. This is true if it be supposed that God makes different Covenants as to the matter of them as the Covenants of Works and Grace were and this is the very ground upon which this passage was uttered and that which it doth purposely drive at it being spoken about the Covenant with Adam and all mankind in him and with Jesus Christ and the elect of God in him For as Adam in the first Covenant of Works stood as the representative of all mankind that should descend from him by ordinary Generation so Christ in the second Covenant of Grace did stand as a publick undertaker in the behalf of all those whom God had appointed to Salvation Answ 2. But this doth not hinder but that God may enter into Covenant with many persons particularly and individually that Covenant being the same with all every one of them not only with the person of the representative himself but also with every particular person of that Collective body included in him that is to say every particular person of that numerous multitude obliged to God upon the termes of one an the same Covenant in that common or publick person may sue out claim and appropriate or apply to themselves in due time the benefits thereof and also may particularly transact with God in an holy giving up themselves to him for the performance through the strength of his own grace of that duty to which they are bound in the participation of those priviledges So God did with all and every particular of mankind under the Covenant with Adam And so with every particular elect person in the Covenant of Grace through Jesus Christ these two do not interfere nor clash one with or against another viz God taking such a number though never so numerous or many into Covenant in the representative and yet entring into Covenant particularly and with every one of them apart and in their own persons insomuch that every one of them may be concerned to lay hold on it as being bound in the same terms with the representative Object 3. But doth not this seem too much to savour of separation and look too much like that dividing practice of some in the Church who many of them otherwise good men as it is to be hoped do yet gather themselves out of and separate themselves from the Communion of the visible Church and enter into an express and explicite Covenant one with another how may these two be said to differ one from another A. For the solution of this Objection several things are to be considered 1. It will tend much to the clearing of the case to unfold in brief the nature of that express Covenant of these persons mentioned for by discerning what this is we shall be the better able to discern the difference between it and that we are now discoursing of For the nature of that Covenant as far as by reading yet I do understand it is this A Combination or joyning together of several Christians by mutual Consent and open and express Covenanting to use their own very words to walk together with such a body of Saints in a participation of all the Ordinances of Jesus Christ 2. But to this we may say as God of the Jews services who hath required this at their hands to make such a Covenant as this is we cannot find any such thing in all the whole Word of God either Commanded by Christ or practised by any former primitive Church It is true the Scriptures mention a general implicite Covenant of the Gospel as some Divines call it in opposition to that of those Brethren fore-spoken of or Covenant of Christianity which all professing Christians entred into by their admission unto the Sacrament of Baptism live in the profession of and hold to whereby they are bound to acknowledg God as their only Lord and Jesus Christ as their only Head Husband and Commander that they will conform to all his Laws and Ordinances appointed in his Word but of peoples openly Covenanting so to do with one another and only in this or that Society as it were apart from all the rest of the particular Congregations of the Catholick

Visible Church we never read of As favourable a judgment past on this practice as any I know Mr. Hudson of the Catholick vis Ch. p. 19. I shall insert of a dissenting Brother from it I dare not make a particular explicite holy Covenant to be the form 〈◊〉 particular Church because 〈◊〉 no mention of any such Covenant besides the general imposed on Churches nor Example or Warrant for it in all the Scriptures and therefore I cannot account it an Ordinance of God but a prudential humane device to keep the members together which in some places and cases may happily be of good use so it be not urged as an Ordinance of God and so it be not used to enthral any and abridg them of liberty of removal into other Places and Congregations for their convenience or urged as the form of a Church I deny not that mutual Consent of persons within such a vicinity to join together constantly in the Ordinances of God under the inspection of such such officers is requisite to a particular Congregation To which joyn that which another saith The Covenant of the Gospel or Christianity Mr. Cawdrey inconsist of Indop with the Script and it self p. 101. as it engageth them to God so to one another to walk in all the ways of God and to watch over one another and that primarily too their explicite consent only is a renewing of that Covenant 〈◊〉 ties the knot faster to a necessary duty 3. The consideration and laying together of all these things will help us to see wherein the difference of these two do ly which is very great and manifold 1. This express Covenanting openly to walk in such a way c. is not at all warranted in Scripture as this is though not by any express precept yet by prophesy and practice of the Saints of God as may be before seen to which add one more of Jacob to all the rest see Gen. 28.20 21. And Jacob vowed vow saying if God will be with me and will keep me in the way that I go and will give me bread to eat and rayment to put on so that I come again to my Fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Which words are not to be looked upon as an indenting with God or proposing conditions to God upon which he would or otherwise would not take or accept God to be his but a choice and ready acceptance of God upon any his own conditions be they never so mean or low according as he had promised to be a God to him as well as to Abraham and Isaac before him 2. This open Covenanting viz. with this or that Society is apparently tending to division Mr. Cawdrey p. 101. 4 last lines to the end of that parag and separation and thereby the members of one Congregation are parted from another as to the participation of all Gospel-ordinances but this is not so in this of our particular transacting with God this being the only fruit to bring the heart more near to God and unto a better conformity to his will in an holy Conversation 3. In the term to which it drives the one to a Combination one with another and so to this or that particular Society but the other only to a more firm union of the whole person in heart and life to God and Jesus Christ 4. They differ in this in that they make their open Covenanting to be the formality of a Church-member so this must follow that a Church cannot be without it nor are there any rightly admitted but in this way which no-where hath a Probatum est by Christ or any of the Apostles but as to this particular transacting with God of which we treat we say that it neither gives being to a Church-member nor yet to a member of Christ for this a man may be though this be not done as abovesaid viz. a true member of Christ and his Church too only this excites to the keeping of the heart and life in better order towards and before God 5. The one is privately done between God and a Christians own heart in his Closet the other is openly done before the Face of a whole Society The sum of all is this 1. The one hath warrant Gods Word in the other hath no Foundation there 2. The one tends to separation the other not so only for a man to separate himself from Sin and Satan to God and his Service but not from any part of God's Church 3. The one is absolute the other relative 4. Without the one if we believe them no man can be a true Church-member but without this formal express doing of the other a man may be a true member of Christ and his Church too Only let him look to it that he truely believes in Christ repents of sin and obeys God 5. The one done privately the other publickly and openly I shall close up all with a serious Wish or two about this matter 1. How could I heartily wish that no person that is virtually in Covenant with God were Ignorant of that Covenant wherein he is bound to him Ah! how many be there that Consider not at all that they are nor know or understand what it is so to be How sad is it as to be Ignorant of all others so of this so precious a priviledg and comfortable estate I wish that all persons would seriously mind it more and meditate of it that they may apprehend discern and perceive those obligations that lye upon them 2. How could I further wish with all my Soul that those that cannot but confess and acknowledg this would not so slight and neglect it as they do remember often that the vows of God are already upon you in some sence as to your Baptismal Covenant and vow and is this a light matter is God's Condescension thus to vouchsase to deal with you nothing is your resignation of your selves and obligation to an holy God nothing to you however you do make light of it it will be requited of you every one another day 3. How could I again earnestly wish that every Soul would often seriously renew their Covenant with the Lord. Renew your Repentance and Godly Sorrow for your sins and failings and for your being unsteadfast in the Covenant and renew your actings of Faith afresh on the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Mediator of the Covenant fuing out the benefits of his blood the blood of the Covenant which are the priviledges contained in the Covenant yea further that you would deal in this particular express way debated here proved and evidenced not only to be warrantable but also wonderously profit able follow those serious and spiritual directions proposed by Mr. R. A. that so you may once in good earnest compleat this work 4. Having dealt thus seriously I wish you yet still to be careful and watchful over your selves that you do not forsake this Covenant that you would

procure that great Dignity to be matched into the Crown of Heaven The Lord give an effectual blessing and success to this present Discourse and cause Souls to enter into a more strict way of Commun●●● with him Which is the earnest prayer of him who is Thy Friend and well-wisher in Spiritual-Affairs Thomas Watson Octob. 28. 1674. THE PREFACE Courteous Reader I Do here ingenuously confess that taking up a Book in my house and looking on the names of some books at the end of it I there met with a discovery of a Discourse on this same Subject both for matter and text a Discourse I say of a very Reverend Divine Mr. Richard Vines but I can and must as truely acquaint thee that it was after these Meditations of mine were studied preached and intended for the press and having transiently viewed it for I have not had time for various diversions to read it over though I believe near as short as my own and indeed one main reason was the fitting my own for and hasting it to the press I find that his and mine differ very much as to the methed of the handling of this blessed Priviledg and I have read from St. Austin that it 's very profitable for divers to handle the same point alii sic alii autem sic some in this wise some otherwise Whatsoever came from him must needs be excellent good yet sith that may be out of the press and known to very few but in and about London and scarce to be got I judg this as it cannot detract from the worth so nor prejudice the esteem and I hope will never hinder the pausal of that leaving both that this and thee to the blessing of the Almighty and not daring but out of an ingenuous strain heartedness to give thee this notice being my self accidentally acquainted with it I remain thine in the Service of the Gospel S.W. From my Study Aug. 28. 1674. Gods Covenant-People near unto him Psal 148. part of the last vers A People near unto him THis Psalm is of the number of them that are called Eucharistical pen'd by way of thanksgiving to God wherein the Prophet doth exhort all the Creatures to that Duty both that are in Heaven and that are one Earth too and I cannot better distribute them than it is already done in the Contents presixt before it with a very little variation 1. We find all things in Heaven all things Celestial exhorted so to do in the four first verses Praise the Lord from the Heavens ver 1. Praise him all ye his Angels vers 2. All his Hosts praise him Sun Moon Stars vers 3. c. and there is good Reason subjoyn'd vers 5 6. For he commanded and they were created and he hath established them for ever and ever c. 2. All things Terrestrial from the 7th vers to the 13th vers wherein we may observe all things i●a●i●ate or life-less are exhorted to bless God with all things animate or living 1. Irrational Creatures Beasts and all Cattle cre●ping things 2. Rational Creatures of all ranks Kings of the Earth and all P●inces and all Judges of the Earth of all ages young M●n and Maidens old Men and Children and here is good reason here subjoy●'d too first from what God is in himself vers 13. His Name is excellent and his Glory above the Earth and Heavens 2dly From what he hath done for his own People vers 14 ult He hath exalted the Horn of his People that is the dignity prosperity and plenty of his People After which the Prophet goes on to set forth the title that is given to them they are said to be his people and ●●●led Saints then specifies who they be viz. the people● of Israel the alone people that were in Covenant with God in all the world at that time 3. Then shews their Priviledg what their happiness was in the words of the Text They are a people near unto him So that in short the words lay before us the priviledg happiness and dignity of the Saints and People of God that are in Covenant with him which I shall lay before you in this Observation Doct. That God's Church People are near unto him or God's Saints and Covenant-people are a people near unto him or as word for word it may be rendered His near people ●ssi●●m pronom●n pro Sep●r●to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M. P● syn● 〈…〉 God's true Israel is his near people And besides what is spoken in this Text I shall confirm it by the consideration of one Text of Scripture more in which we may observe one passage wherein the very Priviledg that is here expresly spoken is strongly implyed Jer. 6.8 Be thou instructed O Jerus●lem lest my soul depart from thee according to the Original Language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●e lu●a●a r●●●aa● a●ima 〈◊〉 abs 〈◊〉 Buxt 〈◊〉 Lest my soul be disjoynted from thee a metaphor from a Limb thrust out of his place and put out of joynt There is as great a Nearness between God and his people a Nearness of Union of which afterward as there is between a mans Limbs and Joynts one to the other and you know that they are so near that it is an impossible thing to separate them without great pain and difficulty one from another Intimating what a pain and grief it is to God to leave or cast off a people Annotat. in Loc. whom he is once in league with and with how much difficulty he is drawn thereunto All that I shall open in the Explication of this Truth I shall draw up into this Query How and in what regard are God's Saints and Covenant-people said to be a People near unto him and whence it is And that through God's assistance I shall endeavour to open to you in five or six particulars First They are said to be near to God in regard of God's Nearness unto them and so this Nearness is a passive Nearness and some critically observe Exponipo test passiv● q. d. populo cui ille est propinquus Muis ex Ab. Ez M. P. sy● Crit. they must be Near to God if he be Near to them Nearness comes to pass by the approaching motion of one thing to another now if God be nigh unto his People and approacheth unto them certainly then they must be near unto him also and so there is a mutual Nearness between God and his People this is according to the direction the holy Ghost gives by the Apostle James 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you Now that God is Near unto his People the Scripture is as full of it as can be desired Deut. 47. It is the great Commendation of the People of Israel For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for Psal 145.18 The Lord is