Selected quad for the lemma: evil_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
evil_n	good_a	life_n	tree_n	2,346	5	8.7759	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78217	Ichnographia. Or A model of the primitive congregational way: wherein satisfaction is offered, by unfolding (according to the Scriptures) what the right order of the Gospel, and way of the saints in the visible worshipping of God is, in the dayes of the New Testament. And how the saints in these dayes may walk up to it, notwithstanding their present hindrances. Together with the maine points in controversie, touching the right visible church-state Christ hath instituted under the Gospel, with the extent of church-officers, and power of particular visible churches, and continuance of divine ordinances and institutions under the defection and apostasie of Antichrist. By W. Bartlet, Minister of the Gospel, at Wapping.	Bartlet, William, 1609 or 10-1682.	1647 (1647)	Wing B986; Thomason E381_17; ESTC R201418	140,788	175

about it as the Apostle did Timothy 1 Tim. 6.14 and this he doth two wayes 1. Partly from feare of their being seduced 2 Cor. 11.2 3. 2. Partly that he might prevent their seducing Col. 2.4 18 19. and so much for Scripture 2. For examples We may reduce all to three heads 1. To what hath been 2. To what now is 3. To what shall be 1. To what hath been and so two wayes 1. To the Apostles times As the Churches of Corinth Rome Ierusalem Antioch 7. Churches of Asia the Churches of Iudea Macedonia Galatia 2. Next after the Apostles death which we find recorded in the works of ●useb Hist ●l l. 4. c. 22. ●6 ●r l 7. c. 26. ●t in pluri● suis opusc ●or in Epist ●b de habit ● ● Hom. 5. l. ● de morib ●es ●om li. 5. c. ● with many ●rs that have ●e collect●y Daneus ● other Mo●e Authors ●eir systems ●ivinity Eusebius and other Ecclesiasticall writers and were in the dayes of Ignatius Iustin Martyr Ireneus Tertullian Origen Cyprian and others all which were under this visible Church order and politie wee speak of 2. What now is not only in this Kingdome but in New-England and other reformed Churches abroad in the world 3. What shall be and cannot be farre of when the Iewes shall be called and the fullnes of the Gentiles brought in which the Scriptures speake out abundantly 3. For reason and Argument to cleare this point I shall referre all to these six heads 1. Because it is agreeable to the Law of nature and nations for we find by experience that there is scarce in the whole world any Nation whether Turks Indians Romans but they have still had their externall and visible order of worship and government they have their Temples Priests Lawes Ordinances Sacrifices Ceremonies which they visibly observe and conforme themselves to the observation of Now doubtlesse Iesus Christ is not behind heathens in his Church and Kingdome 2. This is no other then is suitable to the practise of the Church of God in all ages and conditions before the comming of Christ 1. In Paradise before the fall of Adam there were two sacramentall trees the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evill which were not simple trees but trees set a part by Gods appointment and divine institution as water in Baptisme c. 2. After the fall before the Law was given while the Church of God was in Families then they had externall worship sacrifices Priesthood first borne c. 3. When the Law was given in the wildernes there was an externall forme of worship and Ordinances suteable to their condition a moving Tabernacle c. and after the Israelites came into Canaan there was a fixed Temple at Ierusalem and a compleate forme of Worship in externals that God had prescribed to Moses and after revealed to David by the Spirit 1 Chron. 28.11.12.19 Answerable to which though in another kind Iesus Christ hath laid downe and given out to his Saints a platforme of Church order under the Gospell as the Apostle holds forth plainly in his Epistle to the Hebrewes as Heb. 7.12 where he shewes that the old Law will not serve a new order but we must have a new one and he proves tha● Moses and Aaron are met together in Christ For Christ is not only a Priest as Aaron but a law-giver as Moses and he did both their works a high Priest to succeed Aaron and an Apostle to succeed Moses as Heb. 3.1 Christ is Aaron in point of offering up sacrifice and Moses in point of prescribing lawes for holy worship With many other places 3. This Church order and sacred politie is most consonant to the Church of Christ as t is his visible Kingdome City House or Temple Now a visible Kingdome and House or City must have an order and government equivalent as all men grant * Ecclesia es● domus Dei ait Paulus 1 Tim. 3.15 atque in dom● Dei nihil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conf●fieri debet i● docet idē Pa●lus 1 Cor. 1● 40. sed omni● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 e● politia aliqu● in ea opus e● ut decenter ordine omni● fiant ger●tur Daneus Eccles 4. It is requisite in reference to Christ himselfe the master of this house and King of this Kingdome in which the glory of his power wisdome and goodnes abundantly shines forth even to the am●zement of men and Angels 5. It is necessary in respect of the Saints fellowship and communion together in the worship and service of God 1. In respect of the exercise of their graces which cannot so well nor so conveniently and with that advantage to one another be performed as in this order as the Apostle holds forth in 1 Cor. 14. per totum For as it is in Civill society or Politie so it is in Ecclesiasticall Now in Civill Government that Politicall vertue that is in a man cannot be so wel exercised and managed in a confused multitude alone by himselfe as in a society So here these gifts and graces which Christ hath bestowed by his Spirit on the Saints cannot be so well exercised singly by themselves alone as when they are united together into a Church state and order as 2 Cor. 12.7 2. In respect of their enjoying the ordinances for its worth our serious knowledge and observation that the ordinances of Christ are not due to Christians meerly as Christians or Beleevers but to Beleevers as in a Church State for a Beleever is to come under a double consideration as a man is Now a man is considered two wayes either as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as he is rationall or politicall that is as he is a man by himselfe or as he is joyned to some society or Corporation So a believer is to be lookt upon either as a believer or member of Christ singly by himselfe or as a member of some visible Church of Christ and in this latter sence only is he capable of enjoying fellowship with Christ in his visible ordinances and worship The reason is this because the same Christ that inwardly unites him by the Spirit and faith to himself doth outwardly also call him to his body the Church to worship and serve him in the use of his Ordinances 3. In respect of those many singular helps and encouragements that in this Church-state they enjoy as I shall hereafter in particular shew Which without it they are deprived of for a man cannot possibly be so happy alone as he is in company especially when that society proves a helpe not a hinderance to him as this doth we now speake of We find that in the very state of innocency God saw that it was not best for Adam to be alone now if society were good for man in a perfect state how much more then in an unperfect state as the Saints are now in whiles they

yet plainly hold a cessation of them for the present and therefore forsake the Assemblies of the Saints to which they were joyned and say there are no Churches no Ordinances no Ministery now to dispense them but all lost under Antichrist Now that such men may see the evill of their opinion and practice herein and so if it be the good pleasure of Christ they may come to repent and doe their first works and returne to the Shepherds Tents where Jesus Christ feedeth and causeth his flock to rest at noone Cant. 1.7 8. I shall set these few considerations before them from the evils that follow this practice 1. That this opinion practice of theirs Five evill effects that attend those th● hold cessatio● of a visible Church-stat● directly crosseth the very letter of the Scriptures is that of Eph. 3.21 formerly mentioned where the holy Ghost saith that glory is to be given to God by Jesus Christ in the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is throughout all generations or ages Now how could this Scripture be true if there be an or generation in which this Church state doth cease and is utterly lost So that of 1 Cor. 11.26 where the holy Ghost also shewes that the Lords death that is the effect and fruit of his death in the administration of the Supper is to be observed and made use of by the Saints in Church-fellowship for their benefit and comfort to his comming againe Now how can this be if the Church and Ministery and Ordinances are all lost and ceased And that of Mat. 18.20 and 28. last verse in which places Christ promiseth to be with his Churches and people in the administration of his Ordinances to the end of the world as wee have formerly shewed 2. It discovers men notwithstanding the high thoughts they have of themselves to be of a low and sensuall frame of spirit that Thomas-like will not beleeve nor give credit to the testimony of the Word unlesse they see and have visible and sensible signes and wonders wrought before them and so to speak truly destroy the excellency and livelynesse of faith which our Saviour placeth in this that it acts and works most properly and genuinely when it hath no externall and visible signe to look on as Ioh. 20.29 30. and the Apostle Heb. 11.1 The Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites and those hard-hearted Jewes indeed in our Saviours time stood much upon signes and wonders that so they might beleeve but our Saviour returnes them this answer that an evill and adulterous generation seeketh after a signe but there shall none be given them that is to profit them c. Mat. 12.38 39. And we may much feare that all those signs and wonders that God hath of late wrought in England to recover us out of our old wayes and to bring us to his own instituted wayes of worship shall not profit such kind of spirits who walk more after the flesh then spirit in the very things of God 3. It makes men to place the power and authority of administring the things of Gods house in that which is fallible and deceiving as gifts of working Miracles are and may be in a false Ministery as we have shewed before and if it were possible our Saviour saith the elect themselves would be deceived by the workers of them as in Mat. 24.24 for there shall arise false christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. 4. Such as are carryed on in this way are unavoidably brought to deny themselves Beleevers for if there be no conversion now for want of such a Ministery as they talk of then they exclude themselves from the number of the faithfull and proclaime to the world that they are strangers to the Promise and Common-wealth of Israel being without God and Christ and hope in the world and this at length some stick not to affirme not onely denying worship but Beleevers and Scripture also 5. Lastly It not onely leaves upon them the guilt of cursed ingratitude and unkindnesse to Jesus Christ for what he hath bestowed upon the Saints and vouchsafed to them and they at least wise some of them have enjoyed in the use of church-fellowship and ordinances for I appeale to them and other of the Saints whether the highest and sweetest enjoyments from Christ have not been by the Spirit in these Now this relinquishing of this fellowship I say doth not onely render them odiously ingratefull to God but exposeth them also to most dangerous and dreadfull temptations and at last to Apostasie and that unpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost as appeares from Heb. 10.23 to the end where he makes for saking Church-communion ver 25. to be the Prodr●mus and fore-runner of that unpardonable sin ver 26 27 28 29. and a drawing back to perdition ver 39. and how just is it with the Lord to leave us when we wilfully put our selves out of his protection Wherefore let such be intreated in the bowels of Christ to take heed how they tempt the Lord in this kind I say those that are wilfull in their way and refuse counsell I shall leave with such men those few Scriptures of 2 Chron. 15.2 Heb. 3.12 and Rev. 2.4 5. to be considered which I conceive doe in a speciall manner look to the walking and continuing of the Saints with God and Jesus Christ in his Ordinances and hold forth the danger of relinquishing and forsaking them CHAP. V. That the godly in this Kingdome are every where bound to gather themselves into this sacred visible politicall Church-state and order of the Gospell if they are of a competent number in those places where they live or to joyne themselves to those particular churches of Christ which are already rightly gathered One of these must be done by them NOw that this is the duty of the godly I shall labour to make out from these ensuing Reasons and Arguments which are as so many soule-quickning and convincing motives and which by the blessing of Christ may be very effectuall to put them upon the practice of it ●otive The 〈◊〉 of Christ 1. Is taken from the call of Christ which is to come from Babylon to Sion that is not onely from grosse and sinfull practices but also from communion in speciall ordinances as Esay 52.11 Rev. 18.4 2 Cor. 6.16 17. Act. 2.40 Ephes 5.11 he calls them to Sion that they may be a habitation for the Lord to dwell in As long as you continue that are Saints in your old Babylonish wayes of confusion you can never be a holy temple to Christ nor a golden candlestick for him to walk in And therefore the names of Temple house tabernacle candlestick are given to Beleevers especially as they are in Church-fellowship 1 Cor. 3.16 17. Eph. 2.21.22 Heb. 3.6 Rev. 1.20 21.3 ●otive The ●ple of the ●s in the ●itive times 2.

in their proper place for a man may be qualifyed for the place and office of a Minister and yet no Minister he may have excellent endowments of humane learning naturall parts truth of holinesse and yet no Minister Some women have store of all these and many Lawyers and Physitians abound in them and yet no Ministers in office So that I say though many men have excellent naturall parts acquired gifts of humane learning many precious breathings of Christ and the Spirit in him yet that doth not presently denominate him a Minister in office and I may adde no not his Ordination by the Classis nor a Noblemans or a gentlemans Presentation or bestowing an Advowson or Benefice upon him no nor the execution of that office in a parish where he is sent T is not enough to say a man is a Minister but how truly and lawfully he came to be a Minister Quest What is it then makes a true and lawfull Minister Answ A true and lawfull call to that office and worke of the Ministery as Heb. 5 4. Now this call in these dayes is not onely internall from God in qualifying a man and making him willing to the worke but externall from those he is to take the charge of whose prerogative it is they have received from Christ to choose their own officers which the most learned and judicious * Cyp. Ep. 3 4 68. Theod. l. 1. c. 9. Euseb de vit Const l. 3. Azor. the Jes part 2. l. 3. c. 28 l. 6. c. 14. Jerom ad Ruff. Ambr. epist 82 Nazian Aug. Bazi Chrysost So multitudes of Moderne Writers as Cal. Musc Bulling Jun. Ames Cartwr c. Divines of all sides grant as could with ease be manifested Now the first of these is not sufficient without the last and God hath so joyned them together that it were no lesse then high presumption in any to separate them So that this being granted for the truth as it cannot be denyed then it must needs follow that most of the Ministers of the Church of England are not Ministers properly in office being without the call of their people to them especially the godly and not a few of them living where there were never any godly to call them A fourth hindrance in their way is That they look upon this way Impediment 4 as a way of separation which hath been and still is such an eye-sore to many that they had rather dye then touch with it Now to remove this I answer in a word there is a two-fold separation the Scripture speaks of 1. A good separation a separation from evill from evill and sinfull wayes and things and persons a separation from false worship from Babels confusion a separation of the precious from the vile of the cleane from the uncleane 2. A Bad separation from good to evil from Christ to Belial from God to the Devill as Jud. 19. Now that Separation we stand guilty of is of the first sort and not the last the separation which God allowes commands and justifyes and without the practise of which he will not be well pleased with his people as Jer. 15.19 2 Cor. 6.18 Rev. 18.4 Ephes 5.11 2 Tim. 3.5 and therefore I conceive there is no just cause or reason why the godly in the Kingdome should be offended at what is now done and which they themselves are called also to practise Indeed if they could prove their By Nationall Church-state ●n the King●ome of Eng●and I do not ●nderstand the ●reaching of the word and administration of ●he Sacraments ●for these make ●o more a Church then ●he ornaments ●f a house make 〈◊〉 house But ●hat false visi●le order poli●ie institu●ion in which ●hese divine or●inances are ●erformed The officers members of the National Church-state ●ot being framed regulated ●nd ordered ac●ing to Gospell ●nstitutions but ●fter the tradi●ions inven●ions of men ●●om whom ●hey receive being and ●ubsistance Nation●ll Church-state to be of divine and Gospell constitution as I said before it were something but till that be done they shall find in the end that they themselves are guilty of the fault they lay to the Congregationall mens charge * 5. Another stumbling block that lyes in the way of many godly persons is because they see many after they have entred on this way to fall into grievous errours and some turne Libertines and grow loose in their w●lking Ans Now to remove this consider these following pariculars 1. Suppose this be a truth and so to be greatly lamented yet dare any man say that such persons would not have taken such courses if they had not entered on this way of the Gospell How many are there which are guilty of grosse errours in judgement and loosenesse in practise and yet never knew in all their lives what this way of the Gospell meant as in Germany France Holland England and other parts of the world 2. If this way be of God and hath footing in the Scriptures example from the Apostles practise and approved of by many famous servants of God and purest churches in the world as we have shewed you then farre be it from any to make it the cause of such abominations Can the light of the Sunne properly beget darkenes Impediment 5 so as properly can the way of the Lord be said to beget these evils either in judgement or practise 3. Did you ever heare or know of any Church where the government was most exact according to the Scriptures and unquestionable that hath been perfect and without errours or hath God promised that here on earth his Churches should be totally free Doth not the Scripture speake otherwise which is left to us for our instruction as in 1 Cor. 11.19 There must be heresies amongst you saith the Apostle and he gives the reason for it that so those that are approved may be made manifest amongst you not that these heresies and evils do necessarily flow from the true being and right government of a Church but only per accidens viz. from the evill disposition of those members that are sinfully tollerated in a Church and not cast out and those temptations of Sathan that they are exposed dayly unto by Gods permission 4. Consider where the Lord is most rightly and purely worshipped there the Devill is most busie to make Divisions sow the seeds of errour occasion scandals and offe●ces and the Lord in infinite wisdome seeth it good to have it so partly 1. That his power may appeare the more in preserving such a Church and society 2. That his wisdome may appeare the more in guiding such a Church 3. That his mercy may appeare the more in pardoning his People 4. Lastly that his justice may appeare the more in hardning those that do not love but hate his wayes 5. Such as fall into errours and loose walking after their entrance on this way of the Lord come not thereunto from their submitting to that way but from