Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
kingdom_n	church_n	word_n	world_n	3,040	5	4.5870	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85398	Independencie Gods veritie: or, The necessitie of toleration. Unto which is added the chief principles of the government of independent churches. / Written by J.G. B.D.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1647 (1647)	Wing G1173; Thomason E410_24; ESTC R204458	3,087	8

INDEPENDENCIE GODS VERITIE OR THE NECESSITIE OF TOLERATION Unto which is added the chief Principles of the Government of INDEPENDENT CHURCHES Written by J. G. B. D. London Printed for William Ley 1647. Independency Gods Veritie OR The necessity of Toleration I Am not ignorant that I am now entring the field where many Combatants stand ready to encounter me but I hope the judicious Reader will not lay the crime of presumption to my charge because I undertake in one single sheet to vindicate that which whole volumes have calumniated nor that I devulge my thoughts in the defence of that which of late was so much opposed even that which so many learned and pious men surviving at this present both in Towne and City in Parliament and Army have seen to their grief trampled under foot and to their joy exalted Many there are who hurried on with the violent stream of their passiions if they but once hear Independency named with applause like a gald horse winch and kick and bear down all before them Edwards Vicars and Bastwick have wrote much but proved little or nothing of what they undertook but like some unskilfull Statuaries who in framing a Colossus if they make it straddle wide look big and gape they imagine they have equalled Apelles his Master-piece so they binding in one volume a whole bundle of invectives framed against that which in truth they are not able to oppugne conceive they have framed pieces both lasting and inimitable The grand Engin with which our adversaries would beat downe Independency is that Text of Scripture Cor. 11. every one of you saith I am of Paul I of Cephas and I of Christ But alas they doe not consider that this place maketh altogether against them for in these words we are given to understand that there were in the Primitive times divers Churches and Congregations under severall Pastors S. Paul doth not tax their manner of order but reproveth those contentious spirits that vaunted themselves to be under a more reall Pastor then others were as that Paul exceeded Apollos in the gifts of the Spirit Apollos Cephas and a third depraving them all and causing a Schisme boasting hee and those of his faction were the onely followers of Christ some there are that imploy these words of S. Paul Cor. 10. to extirpate Independency root and branch where he saith Now I beseech you Brethren by the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions amongst you I answer that for us to take this saying of S. Paul as a Precept that all men must be of one beleefe and speak one thing is rediculous for it is impossible and cannot be otherwise but that while there are different men there will be different minds and that wil seem good and right to some which to others will appeare erroneous and impious Therefore Saint Paul must be understood otherwise then so and to that end we ought to consider that S Paul giveth this precept in reference to their temporall actions as well as their spirituall performances as it were perswading them to pollicy lest by their divisions and factions the heathen amongst they then were conversant might have just occasion to despise their Worship and fit opportunity to injure their persons but let us grant that he spake to them wholly in reference to their spirituall performances yet it will not follow that the Church of God ought to be tied in one knot and kneaded in one lump for the Church of God though divided into distinct Congregations as they were in the Primitive time may speak one and the same thing although in different manner and like birds that sing divers notes yet make one harmony agree in one thing though diversly delivered besides if it were as these men would have it who professe themselves utter enemies to Toleration that every Christian by these words ought to be compelled to give outward obedience to what is injoyned what sundry grievous and dire inconveniencies may happen I shall set down First That service cannot be acceptable to God which is not performed with a willing mind and a curse lies on him that dosthe work of the Lord negligently which must inevitably happen if this course were taken to tyranize over mens Consciences Secondly by compelling them to do that which their Conscience alloweth not they sin against the cleer and destinate light of knowledge and so in part are guilty of the sin of the holy Ghost but now that all men may have a good conceit of us and be incorporated with us let him consider First What a sweet and heavenly communion we have amongst our selves how nothing is attempted prejudiciall to tender Consciences who though perhaps not resolved in some points yet Christ who alone ought to rule his Church we know in his good time will informe them Secondly That though we acknowledge Christ to be the only ruler of his Church yet ye devest not the temporal Magistrate of his power to punish all grosse crimes Thirdly That we allow none to be capable of our Member-ship till we have had a sufficient triall of their Conversation and have heard the confession of their Faith and the evidences of the truth of their conversion and till they have entred into a solemne Covenant and have the joynt assent of the whole Congregation whereby we come as neer as in us lies to the forme observed by the Church at Jerusalem Act. 1. 15. But on the other side consider our adversaries who are continually at variance amongst themselves how they constraine tender Consciences to obey their rigorous and Anti-christian commands how they bestow on the temporal Magistrate the office belonging only to Christ how they admit of all persons whatsoever without the least examination how their Ministers do deny exclaime and preach against Christs kingly Government how they and all the people under their Ministery are unconverted or at least 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 and deny Christ to be their king The necessity of Toleration PResbitery is the rivall of Episcopacy but Independency is of another straine and admiteth not of humane prudence in Church Government for the Church which is of a spirituall building framed of such lively stones as are not of the world nor of the wisdome of the world but founded only upon the wisdom of God revealed in the word by his Spirit is sufficient to constitute and and maintain a Church without any assistance from the Kingdomes of the world whose power they leave intire to it self for the Bishops and Presbyters by their Church pollicy stand Compettitors with the Magistrate to whom we leave all save only the kingdome of Christ which himself hath said is not of this world and so can be no trouble to it unlesse it be first troubled by it But as the case stands now at present Independency is the only line that can stanch our wounds the only damme that can stay the inundation of blood which is else likely to overwhelme us for the very name of Presbitery is hatefull to the people and it were too strange a relapse to give them againe their Bishops and their Litturgy and if either of the other be permitted there can be nothing expected but murmurings and clashings if not open mutinings but if a Toleration were allowed it would take away all occasions of tumults and Garboiles for when every man is permitted to use his Conscience according as he is perswaded in himselfe they will esteem their burthens not halfe so heavy as before and be incouraged to yeild obedience to those injunctions imposed on them by their Rulers which otherwise is not to be expected from them so that it is not only convenient but also very necessary that there be a Toleration Again any man the least inlightned will dispense with any compulsive ordinance more tamely then when he is constrained in point of Religion and we know well that the originall of our late Warre was the Bishops assuming to themselves that power which Christ never gave them to wit Of compelling men to yeild obedience to what ever they imposed and men now are grown more various in their opinions then ever before and will be as easily perswaded to forsake their meat as to relinguish their Tenets and moreover it is come to that passe but by what meanes I will not question that every man esteemeth it as properly his own as any Immunity contained in Magna Charta to use his Conscience without controule and when they shall be debarred of what they have so long injoyed and so much covet to keep what they may attempt let the wise judge therefore there is not only a reason but also a necessity of Toleration FINIS Imprimatur G. M.