Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	acknowledge_v	church_n	word_n	2,764	5	4.2075	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51414	New-Englands memoriall, or, A brief relation of the most memorable and remarkable passages of the providence of God manifested to the planters of New-England in America with special reference to the first colony thereof, called New-Plimouth : as also a nomination of divers of the most eminent instruments deceased, both of church and common-wealth, improved in the first beginning and after-progress of sundry of the respective jurisdictions in those parts, in reference unto sundry exemplary passages of their lives, and the time of their death / published for use and benefit of present and future generations, by Nathaniel Morton ...	Morton, Nathaniel, 1613-1685.	1669 (1669)	Wing M2827; ESTC R16332	139,372	220

but denied sundry things therein affirming his Book was adulterated And soon after being grown old in wickedness at last ended his life at Pascataqua But I fear I have held the Reader too long about so unworthy a person but hope it may be useful to take notice how wickedness was beginning and would have further proceeded had it not been prevented timely 1629. THis Year sundry Ships came out of England and arrived at Neumkeak Now called Salem where Mr. John Endicot had chief Command and by Infection that grew amongst the Passengers at Sea it spread also among them on shore of which many died some of the Scurvy and other of infectious Feavers Mr. Endicot understanding that there was one at Plimouth that had skill in such Diseases sent thither for him at whose Request he was sent unto them And afterwards acquaintance and Christian love and Correspondency came on betwixt the said Governour and the said Mr. Endicot which was furthered by Congratulatory Letters that passed betwixt each other one whereof because it shews the beginning of their Christian fellowship I shall here insert The Copy of a Letter from Mr. Endicot to Mr. Bradford as followeth Right Worshipfull Sir IT is a thing not usuall that Servants to one Master A Letter from Mr. Endicot to Mr. Bradford and of the same Houshold should be strangers I assure you I desire it not nay to speak more plainly I cannot be so to you Gods People are all marked with one and the same mark and have for the main one and the same heart guided by one and the same Spirit of Truth and where this is there can be no discord nay here must needs be a sweet harmony and the same request with you I make unto the Lord that we as Christian Brethren be united by an heavenly and unfeigned love bending all our hearts and forces in furthering a Work beyond our strength with reverence and fear fastning our eyes alwayes on him that is onely able to direct and prosper all our wayes I acknowledge my self much bound to you for your kinde love and care in sending Mr. Fuller amongst us and rejoyce much that I am by him satisfied touching your judgement of the Outward Form of Gods Worship It is as farre as I can gather no other then is warranted by the Evidence of Truth and the same which I have professed and maintained ever since the Lord in mercy revealed himself unto me being farre from the common Report that hath been spread of you touching that particular but Gods children must not look for less here below and it is a great mercy of God that he strengthneth them to go through it I shall not need at this time to enlarge unto you for God willing I purpose to see your face shortly in the mean time I humbly take my leave of you committing you to the Lords blessing and protection and rest Neumkeak May 11. 1629. Your assured loving Friend JOHN ENDICOT In the three Ships that came over this year to Salem in the Month of June besides many godly Christians there came over three Ministers two of them Mr. Skelton and Mr. Higginson were Non-conformists who having suffered much in their Native Land upon that account they came over with a professed intention of practising Church-Reformation the third Minister Mr. Bright was a Conformist who not agreeing in judgement with the other two he removed to Charlstown where also not agreeing with those godly Christians there that were for Reformation after one years stay in the Country he returned for England But Mr. Higginson and Mr. Skelton in pursuance of the ends of their coming over into this Wilderness acquainted the Governour Mr. Endicot and the rest of the godly People whom they found Inhabitants of the place and the chief of the Passengers that came over with them with their professed intentions and consulted with them about setling a Reformed Congregation from whom they found a general and hearty Concurrence so that after some Conference together about this matter they pitched upon the 6th of August for their entring into a solemn Covenant with God and one another and also for the Ordaining of their Ministers of which they gave notice to the Church of Plimouth that being the onely Church that was in the Country before them the people made choice of Mr. Skelton for their Pastor and Mr. Higginson for their Teacher And accordingly it was desired of Mr. Higginson to draw up a Confession of Faith and Covenant in Scripture-language which being done was agreed upon And because they foresaw that this Wilderness might be looked upon as a place of Liberty and therefore might in time be troubled with erroneous spirits therefore they did put in one Article into the Confession of Faith on purpose about the Duty and Power of the Magistrate in Matters of Religion Thirty Copies of the foresaid Confession of Faith and Covenant being written out for the use of thirty persons who were to begin the Work When the sixth of August came it was kept as a day of Fasting and Prayer in which after the Sermons and Prayers of the two Ministers in the end of the day the foresaid Confession of Faith and Covenant being solemnly read the forenamed persons did solemnly profess their Consent thereunto and then proceeded to the Ordaining of Mr. Skelton Pastor and Mr. Higginson Teacher of the Church there Mr. Bradford the Governour of Plimouth and some others with him coming by Sea were hindred by cross winds that they could not be there at the beginning of the day but they came into the Assembly afterward and gave them the right hand of fellowship wishing all prosperity and a blessed success unto such good beginnings After which at several times many others joyned to the Church in the same way The Confession of Faith and Covenant forementioned was acknowledged onely as a Direction pointing unto that Faith and Covenant contained in the holy Scripture and therefore no man was confined unto that form of words but onely to the Substance End and Scope of the matter contained therein And for the Circumstantial manner of joyning to the Church it was ordered according to the wisdome and faithfulness of the Elders together with the liberty and ability of any person Hence it was that some were admitted by expressing their Consent to that written Confession of Faith and Covenant others did answer to questions about the Principles of Religion that were publickly propounded to them some did present their Confession in writing which was read for them and some that were able and willing did make their Confession in their own words and way A due respect was also had unto the Conversations of men viz. that they were without Scandal But some of the Passengers that came over at the same time observing that the Ministers did not at all use the Book of Common-Prayer and that they did administer Baptism and the Lords Supper without the Ceremonies and that

Age when the Lord took him to himself He was Interred with much Honour and Lamentation In the time of his languishing Sickness he was visited by the Elders round about especially on the Sixteenth of May the day after the Court of Election when there being a general meeting of all the Elders of the Churches at his house they requested Mr. Wilson because they knew not whether ever they should have the like opportunity to hear him speak again and having been from the first a Pillar amongst them and of much Experience in his observation of the state of things That he would solemnly declare to them what he conceived to be those sins amongst us which provoked the displeasure of God against the Country He then told them That he had divers times and long feared these sins following as chief among others which God was greatly provoked with viz. 1. Separation 2. Anabaptism 3. Corahism This latter he did explain thus viz. when people rise up as Corah against their Ministers or Elders as if they took too much upon them when indeed they do but Rule for Christ and according to Christ yet saith he it is nothing for a Brother to stand up and oppose without Scripture or Reason the Doctrine and word of the Elder saying I am not satisfied c. And hence if he do not like the Administration be it Baptism or the like he will then turn his back upon God and his Ordinances and go away c. And saith he for our neglect of baptizing the Children of the Church those that some call Grandchildren I think God is provoked by it 4. Another sin I take to be The making light of and not subjecting to the Authority of Synods without which the Churches cannot long subsist And so for the Magistrates being Gallio like either not caring for these things or else not using their Power and Authority for the maintenance of the Truth and Gospel and Ordinances of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and for the bearing thorough witness against the contrary Should the Lord leave THEM hereunto how miserable a people should we be At night the Assembly being dismissed with Prayer Mr. Wilson did being desired by them so to do in a solemn manner bless the Elders making a short Prayer saying I am not like long to be with you the Lord pardon us and heal us and make us more Heavenly and take us off from the world and make us burning and shining Lights by our heavenly Doctrine and Example And I beseech the Lord with all my heart to bless you and to bless his Churches and to bless all his People and to bless all your Families and to bless your Wives and to bless all your Children and your Childrens Children and make us all more and more meet for our Inheritance and bring us all to it in his good time c. These words with some few other he spake with great affection and with tears and all the Ministers wept with him and they took their leave of him even as Children of their Father who having blessed them was about to die Upon the Death of that Reverend Aged Ever-honoured and gracious Servant of Christ Mr. John Wilson Pastor of a Church in Boston Interred August 8. 1667. AH now there 's none who does not know That this day in our Israel Is fall'n a great and good man too A Prince I might have said as well A man of Princely Power with God For Faith and Love of Princely spirit Our Israels Chariots Horsemen good By Faith and Prayer though not by Merit Renown'd for Practick Piety In Englands both from Youth to Age In Cambridge Inns-Court Sudbury And each place of his Pilgrimage As humble as a little Childe When yet in reall worth high-grown Himself a Nothing still he styl'd When God so much had for him done In Love a None-such as the Sand With largest heart God did him fill A bounteous Minde an open Hand Affection sweet all sweetning still Love was his Life he dy'd in Love Love doth embalm his Memory Love is his Bliss and Joy above With God now who is Love for ay A comprehending Charity To all where ought appear'd of good And yet in Zeal was none more high Against th'apparent Serpents Brood To Truth he ever constant was In Judgement wondrous Orthodox In Truth 's Cause never fearing face As if he were another Knox. The Prelates and their Impositions Did never him Conformist make But to avoid those Superstitions Great Worldly Hopes did he forsake When in New-England Errours winde From sundry other Quarters blew No one could him Conforming finde Nought from the Line of Truth him drew Firm stood he ' gainst the Familist And Antinomian spirit strong He never lov'd the Separ'tist Nor yet the Anabaptists throng Neither the Tolerator's strain Nor Quakers Spirit could he brook Nor bow'd to the Morellian Train Nor Childrens Right did over-look Nor did he slight Our Liberties In Civil and in Church-concerns But precious were they in his eyes Who stood among their fixed friends Grave Saint in England twice did give This farewell word to him While you Shall in that place New-England live No hurt shall happen thereunto Strange word and strangely verify'd He this day goes to 's Grave in peace What Changes sad shall us betide Now he is gone we cannot guess What Evil are we hastening to Lord spare thy People but awaken When such away do from us go That yet we may not be forsaken He a first Corner-stone was laid In poor New-England's Boston's Wall Death pulls this out the breach is wide Oh let it not now tumble all Hee 's now at Rest and reigns in Bliss In Conflicts we are left behinde In Fears and Straits How shall we miss His Faith Prayer Zeal and peaceful Minde Lord pour a double portion Of his sweet gracious pious Spirit On poor Survivers let each one Somewhat thereof at least inherit Gaius our host ah now gone Can we e're look for such another But yet there is a Mansion Where we may all turn-in together No moving Inne but Resting-place Where his blest Soul is gathered Where good men going are apace Into the Bosome of their Head Ay thither let us haste away Sure Heaven will the sweeter bee If there we ever come to stay For him and other such as hee J. M. Upon the Death of that most Reverend Man of God Mr. John Wilson Pastor of the first Church in Boston in New-England whose decease was Aug. 7. 1667. JOHN Wilson Anagr. John WILSON Oh change it not no sweeter Name or Thing Throughout the World within our ears shall ring VVHo so of Abr'am Moses Samuel reads Or of Elijah or Elisha's deeds Would surely say their Spirit and Power was his And think there were a Metempsychosis Yea like John Baptist in the Wilderness So was our John in Patmos here no less John the Divine resembling therefore rather And of New-Englands Prophets was the Father John