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A76080 Independency not Gods ordinance: or A treatise concerning church-government, occasioned by the distractions of these times. Wherein is evidently proved, that the Presbyterian government dependent is Gods ordinance, and not the Presbyterian government independent. To vvhich is annexed a postscript, discovering the uncharitable dealing of the independents towards their Christian brethren, and the fraud and jugglings of many of their pastors and ministers, to the misleading of the poor people, not only to their own detriment, but the hurt of church and state; with the danger of all novelties in religion. / By John Bastvvick, Dr in Physick.; Independency not Gods ordinance. Part 1 Bastwick, John, 1593-1654. 1645 (1645) Wing B1063; Thomason E285_2; ESTC R200066 144,017 171

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God bringing salvation hath appeared to all men for this very end that they should deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquitie and purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people zealous of good works I say I have been ever taught by Gods holy Word to beleeve that those Ministers that instruct the people to do al these things and where the people by faith imbrace and receive this doctrine are the true Ministers of Jesus Christ those congregations under them the church of Jesus Christ and of his sheepfold and that Christ in all such congregations is set up as King in his Throne as who rules in the hearts of his people and the which are swayed and guided by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit and deserve none of those contumelious languages the brethren asperse both Ministers and people with Of the ministers they thus speak and print That they deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and Churches so that such a conversion as is wrought by them comes not home to whole Christ and such with their converters doe deny Christs kingly government or at least and best they are converted but in part and that maine thing is wanting to wit Christs Kingly office and of all the people and Christian beleevers through the Kingdome that are not in their Congregations and new-gathered Assemblies they speak and print thus We say the brethren the independent ministers exhort them to set up Christ King in their hearts We exhort them to become and professe to be those Saints of whom Christ is King for he is King of Saints Rev. 15.3 but they will not beleeve us say they they will not depend upon Christ as the onely law-giver and King over their consciences Now what would you have us to doe in this case say they baptize the infants of such parents as will not in this respect professe nor confesse Christ to be their King Why doe you not know say they that no Infants have any title to baptisme that are not within the covenant visibly and how are they within the covenant visibly but by vertue of their parents faith outwardly professed and what outward profession of faith is there in the parents that refuse Christ for their onely King that are ashamed or afraid to professe to be in covenant with Christ as their King if therefore the parents professe not yea refuse thus to be in visible covenant can the children be said to be in visible covenant so to have a right in baptisme the externall seal of the covenant here is an obex a barre put These are their owne words which I have set downe at large the summe of them briefly is this that all the Ministers of the Church of England that are not of their fraternity doe deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government over mens consciences and churches and that all the people under their Ministery are men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the main thing to wit Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and infants the very sacraments and seals of grace with all church communion may and ought to be denied Another of the Independents amongst many of the contumelious and disgracefull speeches he uttereth out aganst the Ministers of the church of England calling them the blackcoats in the Synod who he is afraid will prove more cruell Taskmasters than their Fathers the Bishops who cowardly sit at home and in his apprehension for no other end but to breed faction and devision amongst the wel affected to the Parliament promoting their own interest which saith he is lazinesse pride covetousnesse and domination and amongst many such expressions as these he proclaimes them the sworne enemies of Jesus Christ and desiring that the Parliament may be put in mind of their covenant for he thinks they have sworn to root out popery he tels them they have established Tythes the very root and support of popery which he doth humbly conceive is a contradiction to their covenant and which will be a greater snare than the Common-Prayer to many of the precious consciences of Gods people whose duty it is in his judgement to dye in a prison before they act or stoop unto so dishonourable a thing as this is to their Lord and Master as to maintaine the black-coats with tythes whom they look upon as the professed enemies of their anointed Christ c. These are some of his formall expressions I leave the comment of these severall passages to others neither doe I rehearse innumerable such like sentences as are daily vented to the intolerable disgrace both of all the Ministers of the Church of England of all those beleeving christians that are under their several charges that in every pamphlet in the which they proclaim all the Ministers to be the sworne and professed enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ and such as deny disclaime and preach against Christs kingly government over mens consciences and Churches and for the people and beleevers in England they proclaime them to be men unconverted or at least converted but in part wanting the maine thing Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of the faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and Infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church-communion may and ought to be denied c. By the which words they not onely unchurch all the congregations of England Scotland Ireland but indeed all the reformed churches and unchristian all christians but those that are in their owne independent assemblies and account them as aliens and strangers from the common-wealth of the Saints and make Christ to be no King over them or to have any Kingdome in or amongst them but onely amongst themselves in their new congregations wheras Christ ever had a church or Kingdome upon earth in all ages before they were and hath without all controversie a true Kingdome in many churches in these our dayes where they are not Had I not seen their expressions in print and the book in which they are uttered set forth by authority with approbation I should not have beleeved that they had all of them bin so uncharitable but finding that book not only printed by license but generally applauded by them all and much magnified as the frequent edititions of it doe manifest I gather it is the universall opinion of them all Than the which what could be more uncharitably and unchristianly spoken what comfort can any of the Ministers of the church
of Engand have in the society of these men who whatsoever outward seeming favour they shew to them in their hearts conceive of them as the sworne enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and as men unworthy to live and who count it a dishonorable thing to their Lord Master to maintain those black-coats with tythes whom they look on as the professed enemies of their anointed Christ can I say any Ministers with joy and alacrity converse with these men no surely what reall comfort can any poore christian beleevers through the Kingdome either expect or look for at these mens hands if they were in their power whom they declare and that in print and in their Pulpits to be men unconverted or converted but in part wanting the main thing Christs Kingly office men visibly out of the covenant of grace who have not so much as an outward profession of faith who deny Christ to be their King to whose persons and Infants the very Sacraments and seals of grace with all church-communion may and ought to be denied can any true christians be reall friends to the enemies of Christ He saith Saint Paul 1 cor chap. 16. v. 22 that loveth not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathama Maranatha will any true Christians blesse those that God hath curst David said I hate them that hate thee yea I hate them with a perfect hatred And surely those that are true friends to Christ hate all his enemies now they looke upon our Ministers as the profest enemies of Christ and upon all the people under their ministery as enemies of his Kingdome and as men to whose persons and infants the very Sacraments and seales of grace with all church-communion may and ought to be denied they are their owne words can they therefore expect any reall friendship from them whatsoever outward curtesie they seem to shew them no doubtlesse how can any poore christian have any delight to come amongst these men or so much as to be in their society whom they account of as the enemies of Christ his Kingdom For my owne particular I would not willingly come in any mans company or be familiar with any that I thought a profest enemy of Christ and his Kingdome neither should I ever beleeve I could have any reall esteem from such as think me an enemie of Christ and his Kingdome It was the greatest calamity to the poore sufferers under the Prelats tyranny and to all those distressed christians that were haled into the High-commission court or into the Star-chamber or before the Counsell table for matter of Religion and conscience which was the lot of many thousands through the whole Kingdome that commonly their greatest enemies were those of their owne house their parents their brethren and fisters would be the chiefest calumniators reproachers of them and that in word and deed would most despightfully persecute them denying them the common humanity of hospitality and would not so much as look on them except it were to revile them and insult over them and would ordinarily joyne with their enemies both privately and publikely and desert them in their greatest streights as all of them can generally witnesse which not onely encouraged their enemies against them but added credit to their false accusations and calumnies for they would usually say ye may see what manner of men these are whose nighest friends are not onely ashamed of but thus speake of them which was a greater affliction unto them than all the other miseries and sufferings they underwent for had they been their professed enemies as David said they could easily have endured it and there would lesse credit and regard have been given to their words but they were their parents brethren sisters and familiars and therefore it added more sharply to their affliction So had they been our professed enemies as Papists Socinians Arminians or those of the Prelaticall faction that should have proclaimed us enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and had they denyed unto us and out children the seals of grace with all church communion it would not have troubled us but tu Brute that brethren that fellow-sufferers in affliction that had gone up to the house of God together and had taken sweet counsell together that they should now proclaime us the enemies of Jesus Christ and deny communion with us oh let not this be spoken in Gath and Ashkelon This is that that grieves and fads the hearts of their brethren more then all their former afflictions and gives a great advantage to the common enemy and scandalizes the Gospell and exposes both themselves and us to the scorne of the Malignants who ordinarily jeere and say see those holy Brethren that lost their cares together are now together by the eares and count one of another as a company of Infidels and disclaime all holy communion one with another and will not so much as admit of their children to baptisme or suffer them to receive the Sacraments with them But this is that that makes all men wonder to hear them proclaime all the Ministers of the Church of England to be such as deny disclaime and preach against Christs Kingly government when it is apparently evident both by all their preachings and writings and all their practices that they ever advance Christs Kingly government as really as any of those that oppose them who in preaching up the Kingly office of Christ and setting Christ upon his Throne are inferiour to none of them in this work For we are taught out of Gods Word that those Ministers set up Christ in his Throne that open the eyes of the blind and turne them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to God that they might receive forgivenesse of sinnes and an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ and that teach men to repent and turne to God and doe works meet for repentance and when the people that heare them give themselves first to the Lord and unto his Ministers by the will of God and after denying all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts live soberly righteously and godly in this present world And this the Word of God teach●● us is to set up Christ upon his Throne and those Ministers that teach all these things set up Christ upon his Throne and those people that embrace this doctrine make Christ their King as we may see 2 Cor. chap. ● ver 5. Tit. 2. ver 12. For Christ sits as King upon his Throne when he is beleeved in to be that horne of salvation that was raised up for us in the house of David that has saved and delivered all that beleeve in him out of the hands of all their enemies both spirituall and bodily that they may serve him without feare and when Christ rules in all their hearts by the Scepter of his Word and Spirit and when they owne him as their onely law-giver and acknowledge him to be the onely King in his
the prosperity of Ierusalem cleaved unto Christ and the Gospelll and stood for him and all his ministers and by all computations though all the power and Authority was in the hands of the malignant Magistrates of those times who were swayed and guided by the Scribes Pharisees Elders and the high Priests yet to one Pharisee or Malignant Scribe or Ruler there was ten of those that beleeved in Christ and honoured him and all his Ministers and Disciples Yea the Pharisees themselves do acknowledge it not once but many times as is evident from the places above cited and many more that might be produced So that if I should frame no Argument out of them it is apparent that those new additions of beleevers that were converted by Christ and his Ministery considered by themselves a part from those that Saint Iohn the Baptist converted were so great and numerous that they could not all meet in any one place for partaking of all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into severall Congregations and Assemblies if they would all be edified much lesse could they all meet together being joyned to those that beleeved through the Baptisme and Ministry of Iohn But out of the former places above specified I thus argue Where there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers in a word the whole people and City of Ierusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed there they could not all meet at any one time and in any one room or place and in one Congregation to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must be distributed into severall assemblies and diverse Congregations if they would all be edified But in Ierusalem the Scribes Pharisees and Rulers by their own confession being excepted there was an innumerable multitude of beleevers and in a word the whole people and City of Ierusalem whom the Pharisees accounted accursed Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake in all the Ordinances but of necessity must be destributed into severall assemblies and divers Congregations if they would all be edified For the major no rationall man will deny it that hath but read the Scriptures or is but a little acquainted with the Histories of those times For the minor it is evident from the placed produced and therefore the conclusion doth necessarily follow But I yet further thus argue Where there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place office with infinite multitudes of men and children and all the people they could not all meet together at one time and in one place and Congregation to pertake in all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers assemblies and severall Congregations if they would all be edified But in the Church of Ierusalem there was a world of beleevers with many Rulers and men of great place and office with multitudes of men and children and all the people Ergo they could not all meet together at one time and in one place to partake of all acts of worship but of necessity must be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would be all edified For the Major it is evident by the very light of nature neither will any rationall man deny it that hath not resolved to sacrifice himself to stupidity For the Minor the places above specified prove it for in expresse words it is said that the World followed him that is believed in him and that great multitudes entertained him with their acclamations and crying Hosanna the very children also seconding them And that the chief Priests Scribes and Elders sought to destroy him and could not finde what to do for all the people were very attentive to heare him The whole people we see here or the generality of them except the Scribes Pharisees Elders and High Priests which in comparison of them were very few believed in Jesus Christ and were his Disciples and such as were converted by his ministery and such a multitude there was of them as for that present they so awed the High Priests and Elders that they durst not destroy Christ though they desired it so that the minor stands firm and from the premises the conclusion necessarily followeth But out of the former places I yet further thus argue Where there was such an increase of multitudes of Believers as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himselfe and his seventy Disciples and twelve Apostles and John Baptist and all his Disciples were for the numerosity of them forced in severall places to preach unto them and baptize them there they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place or room or in one congregation to partake or communicate in all acts of worship but of necessity were distributed into severall congregations or assemblies if they would all be edified But in Jerusalem there was such multitudes of Believers that went out to the Baptisme of Iohn and Christ as that there was not water enough in any one place to baptize them all nor any one place in the wildernesse capable to containe or receive them all so that Christ himself and his seventy Disciples and his twelve Apostles and Saint John Baptist and his Disciples were for the numerofity of them forced to divide themselves into severall places and severall assemblies and congregations that all the people might partake in all acts of worship and be edified Ergo they could not all meet at any one time or in any one place but were of necessity forced to divide and distribute themselves into divers places and severall congregations and assemblies that they might all be edified For the Major and Minor of this Syllogism they are so evident both by reason and the holy Scripture that no man that hath not resolved with himself to remain incredulous and continue in his obstinacy can deny the truth of them so that the conclusion of necessity must from the premises be granted And all these multitudes of people were believers before Christs Sufferings Resurrection and Ascension Now I will take a Survey of the numbers that were added to the Church and to these Believers by the powerfull preaching and miracles of the Apostles after Christs Ascension And from the divers places that I shall gather out of the Acts of the Apostles frame such Arguments as shall make it yet more evident that there were such multitudes of Believers in the Church of Jerusalem as they could not all possibly meet together at one time and in one place or room or in one congregation to enjoy all the ordinances and partake in all acts of worship but must necessarily be distributed into divers congregations and assemblies if they would all be edified and that before the persecution we reade of in Acts 8.1 and in the Persecution after the Persecution
Gods Clergies I know not what it is to admit of none though beleevers and already baptized but such as will come in upon their owne tearmes and keep out the poore either altogether or as long as pleaseth them without any other reason but because they are poore and cast them out againe upon every slender occasion I say if all this be not a most diabolicall tyranny lording it over Gods Clergies I referre it to any moderate man to judge of and if to unchurch all churches but their owne and at one blast to proclaime them all enemies of Christ and his Kingdome and to deny all church-fellowship with them be not more than a Diotrephian prelaticall and papall authority there was never any in the world and if this be not to lord it over Gods Clergies there was never any knowne Now I say if the Independent Presbiters doe so timely begin their absolute lording of it what would they doe if their government were established by authority Their ministry and government is farre different from that of Christ and his holy Prophets and Apostles for they invited all the poore to come in and to buy milk yea to come in and buy milk without mony Isa 55.1 and Saint Paul for the encouraging the poore to come in saith not many mighty not many noble but the meane and contemptible things hath the Lord made choyce of intimating unto the poore that they have as good right to Heaven as the greatest and chiefest and our Saviour Christ saith come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and ye shall find rest unto your soules Our Saviour has no respect of persons but the poore are with him as acceptable as the rich if they be weary and heavy laden with their sinnes for that is all the condition that Christ requires in all that desire to be admitted members of his Church Now when these Presbiters already make so great difference between the poore and the rich and between beleevers and beleevers as they will admit none but at their owne times and upon their own conditions I do conceive that this is a most tyrannically lording it over Gods Clergies and inheritance which when they daily doe it and the Presbiters of the Church of England doe it not it is most apparent that their rule and domination is more prelaticall and more to be feared than that of the Presbiters of the Church of England for from the independent Presbiters they can never expect any appeale for reliefe and redresse whatsoever wrong or injury they have sustained by them and therefore there is no just cause why any should so traduce the Presbitry of the Church of England as to think they will lord it over the people from whom they may ever expect farre better measure than ever they can from the independent Presbitry which if it should once be established would tend to nothing else but to enslave the whole Kingdome and to bring in a confusion upon both Church and State But now it will not be amisse before the conclusion as we have compared the Presbiters of the Church of England with the Presbiters independent both in regard of their doctrine and discipline so now likewise here to paragonate them together in their proceedings for the advancement of Christs Kingdome that all men may see in that regard also which of their endeavours tend most to the advancement of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ and which of them ought to be preferred before other and which of them doth more really and truly tend not onely to Gods glory but to the peace also of the Church and State For the Presbiters of the Church of England they labour and endeavour as there is but one body one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and Father over all who is above all and through all and one true christian Religion Eph. 4. so that this only may be established through the three Kingdomes and that all erronious wayes of worshipping and serving God and that tends to lead men to perdition and make disturbance in Church and State may not publikely be tolerated The Independents on the contary both publikely and privately and in all their bitter railing and intolerable pamphlets as that of the compassionate Samaritan the storming of Antichrist and that of the arraignment of persecution and in many more of their scurrilous writings plead for a toleration of all Religions under pretence of liberty of conscience whatsoever they be as Judiansme Turcisme Popery Paganisme and all manner of sects and for the confirming of this their diabolicall tenent they bring in the example of the heathen Nations who suffered all Religions amongst them and the example of Poland Transsilvania and Holland those pantheons of all Religions and tell us of the Parable where Christ commanded that the Tares and the Wheat should be suffered to grow together till the harvest the day of judgement And use or abuse rather some other places of Scripture which as they conceive make all for a toleration of all Religions To all which their pretences I shall at this time briefly answer after I have set downe some grounds out of holy Scripture and produced some examples of Gods deare children friends and servants out of the same which must be the warrant of all christians to follow to the end of the world for whatsoever was written before was written for our learning 1 Cor. 10. Rom. 15. and by the Word of God and from the example of Gods serants we are ever taught that diversity of Religions amongst Christians ought not to be tolerated And first to begin with Abraham the Father of the faithfull and his seed whose examples all that are his and their children oughtto set before their eyes for imitation The Lord called Abraham as it is in Joshua 24. out of his Father Terah's house and from his kindred when they served other Gods made a covenant with him as it is at large set downe in the 12. of Genesis and in divers other places of the same book and in speciall in the 17. of Genesis verse 1 2 3 c. where the Lord reneweth his covenant with him and his seed and sets downe the conditions of his covenant with Abraham which was that Abraham should walk before him and be perfect and that then he would be his God al sufficient to provide for him and protect him wheresoever he came which covenant the Lord ever kept with Abraham and his seed delivering them out of the hands of all their enemies when they served him according to the conditions of the covenant walking uprightly before him as he will doe to all his children to the end of the world walking in father Abraham's steps and of Abraham the Lord sayes this in the 18. of Genesis ver 17 18 19. Shall I hide from Abraham that which I doe seeing that Abraham shall become a great and a mighty Nation and all the Nations of