Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	prove_v	scripture_n	17,112	5	7.1099	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85548	The shipwrack of all false churches: and the immutable safety and stability of the true Church of Christ. Occasioned: by Doctour Chamberlen his mistake of her, and the holy scriptures also, by syllogising words, to find out spirituall meanings, when in such cases it is the definition, not the name, by which things are truly knowne.	Graunt, John, of Bucklersbury.	1652 (1652)	Wing G1594; Thomason E674_21; ESTC R207205	29,575	28

Lords Supper and all which for the more cleare condemnation in disobeying the Gospel Now forasmuch as the Congregation and Common-wealth of England in these respects is like the Congregation or Common-wealth of Israel and that in Gods great House as the Apostle saith There are both honourable and dishonourable Vessels servants evill slow and negligent as good and diligent Virgins foolish as well as wise some spirituall but most carnall and all to be provided for by the Stewards of this great House such as are in supreame authority not onely in matters between man and man but also in duties between God and man not onely for meum and tuum but also for the publick worship and service of God And as Moses Solomon and Jehosaphat provided not onely corporally but spiritually for Israel so and in like manner the supream authority of England ought to provide for every one his portion that no lack or want may befall any capacity neither of carnall or spirituall Christians and as wholesome and good lawes for men so pious and decent Rules for Gods publick worship so far as it concernes their power and direction And consider also the Jewes before Christs Incarnation had a Rule for most of their externall Ordinances by the Word as the expresse day for Gods Worship and the Tribe who to wait on the service also the time when the member what and the parties themselves both active and passive for Circumcision And for the Passeover what for the matter the kinde the age the preparation the parties who to provide it and the manner for participation Now there is no such expresse Provision for the carnall Ordinances of God since Christs Incarnation and ascension 't is true there 's example for Baptisme but no command who shall Baptize neither when for time nor how for manner whether all parts of the body in generall or which member in particular And so for the Supper of the Lord Bread and Wine are the Elements in the institution thereof and in the future practice injoyned but who shall provide it and what kinde of wine or what sort of Bread or who in particular shall blesse or administer it or how the Communicants shall take it is not in the word determined and without these and the like circumstances the Ordinances cannot be celebrated Now if the present Authority should give Rules for the whole Common-wealth or Congregation for all perticulars as formerly they have done in a Parochiall way for time place persons and administrations thereby the spirituall and heavenly Christian is bound to yield obedience as the carnall and outward Christian for as the Saints are free as they relate to the person of a true Christian for so their communion is above the reach and rule of any outward direction for their Baptisms they are spirituall as I have shewed before their Teacher exceeds all Teachers from men for they havean Vnction from the holy one that teacheth them all things And they stand not in need of any private or carnall mens teaching yet as they stand or sustain the persons or Members of a State or Common-wealth and under Authority so Gods Law binds them to be obedient to every Ordinance of man and their communion externally with carnall Christians doth no more prevent or preinic● their communion spiritually then Cain's externall communion corrupted Abel's Ishmaels defiled Isaacks or the proud Pharisees polluted the penitent Publicans And although inwardly and spiritually yet not externally nor corporally severed one from another till the harvest least with extirpating the bad the good may suffer prejudice And therefore it appears plainly that in a Common-wealth that professes the Faith the carnall with the spirituall may commuicate in the externall Ordinances of Gods worship except the injunctions are evill and unlawfull as were the abominations of Antichrist from which the Saints are commanded to separate least by pertaking with her sins they shall be punished with the participation of her plagues And also that it is in the power of the Magistrate to order all externalls for the publick worship of God that are not already so done by the S●iptures Now if this be so then what ground or warrant have you or any man whatsoever to select form and order Congregations of your selves when the whole Common-wealth is congregated already by Christian Authority And how can those that are under this Authority cast off their obedience to which in conscience they are bound and gather Churches out of Churches without any warrant from God or man for they were in the profession and communion of Gods Ordinances before and emboddyed and congregated before by Acts of the Nationall Congregation the high Court of Parliament And what other things they doe ordaine and constitute that was not done before by the said Authority the wisest and learnedst of them all cannot shew rightly nor prove plainly but it will appear to be their owne imagination tradition and phancy by duely considering the Scriptures with what is abovesaid in the distinction between the spirtuall and carnall Christians as also the distinction between the externall part of Gods Ordinances and the Divine and Heavenly part I am sure these Rules are according to the practice of our Lord and his Apostles they never neglected the publick nor disobeyed the Magistrate therein nor contemned participation with them yet let us alwayes bear in minde that the faithfull and regenerate Christians are the Church of God and although the carnall Christians are amongst them in externall participation yet they are not of them nor doe spiritually participate with them The consequence of selected Church-gatherings admits of many absurdities as I have shewed in former discoveries Thus much Doctour for the publique good hath your private mistaken conference occasioned and we have more yet to make knowne upon the next opportunity And my conclusion shall be a word or two to the State and Authority of this Nation against an ancient continued superstitious distinction of the people of this whole Common-wealth even of all degrees from the highest to the lowest that distinguish the whole into two parts Church and Common-wealth Clergie and Layetie Now in common reason if in this Nation the publike Ministry for those are they they mean by Clergy although no man can prove it by Scripture be the Church then the State Magistracy and the rest of the people are not the Church or Congregation of England which seems to crosse the Scriptures denomination for the whole Nation of the Jewes Priests and People are often called the Congregation or Church and the Reason is beyond exception because they were a people professing and communicating in the externall Ordinances of God and but a small remnant of the multitude faithfull to communicate spiritually Now as spirituall and heavenly Christians are Gods peculiar little house vineyard or Church so outward Christians may bear the name of his Vineyard Church or great House also as an outward Jew or Christian bears the

name although not the nature of a Jew or Christian inwardly And if the Supream Authority doe not annihillate this distinction aforesaid and cause it to be forgotten in time it will pull up and advance Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy again as the Oake the creeping Ivy and a generall provision made for the many as before is expressed would supply all men in all things both Divine and humane Beloved Christian THou that hast read what is here declared for publique good see the Doctour and his doings in the glasse of one Scripture 2 Pet. 3. 15 16. the Apostle Peter speaking of his brother Paul and of his writings according to the wisedome of God given unto him he speaks of some that notwithstanding had received the common faith yet were unlearned and unstable who did wrest not onely what they said but also the other Scriptures to their owne destruction Now the tearms in the Text doe shew us plainly what these Believers were even such as should perish first because they were unlearned that is not spiritually taught of God secondly they were such as were unstable that is were not built upon the foundation neither were deep rooted as the good ground but such Christians as were lyable to wither as the stony ground to be choaked as the thornes and to loose what they had as the High-way side And such Christians as these doe not understand onely but they pervert or give false Expositions of the Scriptures those Heavenly things intended by the Text are not understood by their earthly minds therefore it is said That there are some things hard to be understood that is the Heavenly estate of the Children of God their spirituall sufferings here and their glorious hope they have of the everlasting inheritance in the World to come which supernaturall excellencies as they are in themselves are hard that is not to be understood by carnall Christians such as the Doctour hath declared himselfe to be in all his Arguments Now if any please to see the other poor endeavours of thy Faithfull Friend thou mayest have them thus nominated 1. A True Reformation and perfect Restitution 2. Truths Victorie against Heresie 3. Christian Liberty to the Lords Table 4. A Defence of Christian Liberty 5. A Cure of deadly Doctrine 6. A Lamp of Light 7. A Right Vse made by a stander by at J. G. and I. S. Disputes at Great Allhallows 8. A brief Discovery of Faigned Presbyterie and Capt Norwood's Declaration proved an Abnegation of Christ There were some other things but they are out of Print FINIS a Gods Servants in speaking the truth to the blame of such as mistake doe not reproach them for they are commanded to reprove them and must not call bitter sweet nor sweet bitter They are commanded also to call that darknesse that is so and that light that is light and to justifie the just and condemn the wicked b And to assent to the truth is tollerable with a right understanding but that you are the man that have blasted God c. is plainly proved in my second Letter and throughout the Tryall following c My words meaning if you take a true view of them doe not contradict as you shall see in my discovering of your owne daubing which you say is the Church of Christ and Gods perfect work in building his owne habitation d Do you dare to boast of pure Ordinances when all you doe in the outward without the spirituall part and meaning thereof is abominable iniquity and for bodily exercises that rotten Strumpet the Church of Rome will outdoe you although you should add your owne vanity in your lacivious washing your Damsels feet and legs also for shame bring not in your former carnality unrepented of under the Vizzard of the Churches innocency But consider what is written for in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision or Baptisme or Vncircumcision availeth any thing but a new creature And again faith that worketh by love And againe but keeping the Commandements of God Are any of these heavenly effects brought forth by your Plants Nay a bad tree cannot bring forth good fruits For all that hath proceeded from you are but sower Grapes and yet you will compare your bramble Berries with the Grapes of the Vines of Canaan e T is true you mentioned the words of Peter but your carnall discourse thereof shewed plainly you understood not his meaning neither can you til you repent and be a new man f And if your spiritual Experiences be of no higher nature then naturall Philosophy is then your experience is vaine for all things under the Sun are vanity since their deprivation through sin and the curse And as you your selfe have made use of Philosophy our Lords and Pauls use and yours is at a broad distance And that all your sill●gisms were fallacious is sufficiently proved hereafter g Here take notice what frieght of pride the Gentleman is laden with in these words Them that hear not me hear not him that sent me for every thing he hath said or written proves him not to be sent of Christ although he affirm of himselfe that he is for if I had sent him saith the Lord he should have spoken my words unto the people which he hath not as hereafter is more cleared