Selected quad for the lemma: earth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
earth_n	bind_v	church_n	heaven_n	11,478	5	7.0638	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65833	The accuser of our brethren cast down in righteous judgment against that spirit of hellish jealousie vented in a great confused book, falsly entituled, The Christian-Quaker distinguished from the apostate and innovator, in five parts ; the fallacy and force whereof being herein clearly detected & justly repelled.	Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1681 (1681)	Wing W1887; ESTC R19917	128,311	327

't is much doubted that some Ignorant People have concluded that frequenting those Meetings is an Evidence that they are Heirs of Life and Salvation Observe He is now upon his doubts Reflecting by way of Inference upon he knows not whom among us and what is this but to render some Men or Women or both among Friends both Silly and Ridiculous as taking up such an Ignorant Conclusion as that their frequenting those Meetings were Evidence that they are Heirs of Life and Salvation which consists in the Power of Christ What Silly and Tedious Work has he made from his Doubts false Jealousies and Prejudice Disaffect XIX W. R. 1st part pag. 42. That the meaning of this Exhortation frequently uttered Have an Eye to the Brethren is chiefly meant with respect to that i. e. General Meeting this we take to be both Limitation and a Design of Imposition Observe This we take to be a Dark and Causless Reflection Whom doth he accuse with this frequent Exhortation and Design of Imposition We deny any such Design Disaffect XX. W. R. 1st part p. 46. And now as to the meaning of the word Church-Government in the sense of our Opposers we take it to be thus viz. That some who account themselves Members of the Body of Christ claim a Power to Rule over other some if not all the rest and give forth Sentences Directions or Orders which they ought to own receive or obey though they may pretend they see it not their Duty Observe This still we deem a Dark and Implicit way of smiting and may be construed to extend farther than can be proved and that to the Reproach of such Directions Orders c. as are really necessary and convenient we own no such a Claim of a Power to Rule OVER Christs Members or over their Consciences what Gospel-Power we have 't is given us not claimed by us as he imagins besides W. R. confesseth pag. 8. That 't is taken for granted that the Authority of all those Meetings ought to be the Power of God then we say this Power gives forth no Sentences Directions or Orders in the Church of Christ but such as the Light will give his Members a Sight and Sence of as to their true Use and Service as they wait in it By Church-Government we understand the Government of Christ in his Church who hath his Ministers Servants and Instruments therein as he alwayes had in his Church when gathered into visible Order and Society W. R. 1st part pag. 46 47. We think it necessary to quote those Scriptures from whence so far as ever we understood the most pertinent Arguments might be produced to prove Church-Government Mat. 18. 15 16 17. we find Christ thus saying Moreover if thy Brother shall Trespass against thee go tell him his Fault if he will not hear thee take with thee one or two and if he shall neglect to hear them tell it to the Church but if he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen Man Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall Bind in Earth shall be Bound in Heaven Compare this Scripture touching the Trespass of one Brother against another with what Paul writes 1 Cor. 6. 1 2 4. Dare any of you having a matter against another go to Law before the Unjust Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the World If then ye have Judgment of things pertaining to this Life set them to judge who are leaft esteemed in the Church We REASONABLY conclude that the words of Christ and of the Apostle ONLY hinted at either PERSONAL Offences or Differences touching worldly Matters and that therein the Duty of the Church was only to Exhort to submit to their Counsel which if they did not they might justly be esteemed as Heathen men but this is nothing to the Purpose of those who have approved a Plea for such a Church-Government as claims a Power of deciding matters relating to Conscience and outward things also on the occasion of Differences raised touching Worldly Estate and that others ought to obey such Decisions which in its natural Consequence hath as we take it no less tendency than to claim Power over our Properties as well as Consciences Observe In these Passages we judge our adversary has writ very Confusedly Contradictorily for 1st he grants from the words of Christ and the Apostle that the Church ought to be heard to judge in Personal Offences and Differences in Worldly Matters yea that therein the Duty of the Church was to Exhort to submit to their Counsel Query What Counsel if not tending to decide the Difference But 2dly he undoes that again in opposing the Churches Power of deciding matters relating to Conscience and outward things also on occasion of Differences raised touching Worldly Estate as tending to claim a Power over Properties as well as Consciences which is not only Contradictory but unjustly deduced for in that the Church is to be heard even in Personal Offences or Differences and to Exhort to a Submission touching Worldly Matters as he grants and in those matters the least esteemed in the Church have power to judge This is not to claim a power over the Properties of others as he very unjustly chargeth but by a right Judgment to compose the Differences and set them to Rights each man in his own that they may not wrong one another in their Properties nor go to Law with each other But whereas W. R. would bind up the words of Christ and the Apostle as ONLY hinting at Personal Differences touching Worldly Matters we find him again Inconsistent with himself in his 3d part pag. 36. on the words of Christ Mat. 18. 15 16 17. in these words viz. W. R. Perhaps some may object thus This relates not to outward Affairs but to Offences that are of a Spiritual Nature In Answer it may be said as to that the Scripture is wholly silent and therefore EVERY CASE wherein one Brother may Trespass against another may according to RIGHT REASON be comprehended in it Thus far W. R. Hence observe his Inconsistence is plain 1st on pretence of a Reasonable Conclusion he Limits the words of Christ and the Apostle and so the Church's Power therein to judge and counsel in that case only to Differences touching Worldly Matters 2dly He grants that Every Case wherein one Brother may trespass against another may be comprehended in it that is in what Christ saith Mat. 18. 17. and that according to Right Reason which Every Case may therefore include Cases relating to Conscience or Offences of a Spiritual Nature as well as those about Worldly Concerns Outward Properties c. Those that are Spiritual have Power from Christ to judge also concerning a Mistaken and Offending Conscience and a Wrong Spirit without Usurpation And 't is no difficult matter for the least Child of Light to give a right and absolute Judgment in the case of our Adversaries conscience