Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	great_a	holy_a	see_v	3,964	5	3.2444	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A93935	An iron rod put into the Lord Protectors hand, to break all antichristian powers in pieces. Or, A discourse, which tends to a spirituall war with all sects and self-opinions, which are the Churches enemies: wil bring Englands everlasting happiness, and joyn all other lands into the body of Christs Church, to serve God with with [sic] one consent, Zeph. 3.9. All which was discovered to John Sanders of Harburn, neer Brimingham [sic]: by true apparitions, revelations, and many several visions, as the second book sheweth.	Sanders, John, of Harburn.	1655 (1655)	Wing S575; Thomason E842_23; ESTC R203488	52,643	75

heavy for him he grieving and making his complaint to God the Lord to ease him of his burden God commanded him in Numb 11. v. 16. to gather seventy men of the Elders of Israel and to bring them unto the Tabernacle of the Congregation to make a body under him and Aaron the High Priest to be helpers of Church government which as soon as they were elected set round about the Tabernacle the Lord took the spirit from Moses and gave it to the seventy Elders and they did all prophesie and did not cease Num. 11.25 Thus you see God ordained the seventy Elders even the compleat number when they were in the wildernesse that were of Iacobs houshold when they went into Egypt to make a body above the ordinary Priests for Church affairs he wanted not Judges or Officers for State affairs or Marshal discipline he took his Father in Law Iethro's counsel for that Exod. 18. Secondly under the Gospel Christ our Saviour the onely begotten Son of his Father when the fulnesse of time was come which God long before had determined when he said The seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head which is to be understood Jesus Christ should be born of a pure Virgin which should be set up as an Ensigne for the people and Nations to lead the chiefe Officers of his Army in his life time he gave no other weapons to the head Leaders and general Governours of his Army to carry on their warfare against all his enemies but the sharp sword of the spirit which proceedeth out of his mouth to slay the enemies of him and his Elect Christ first chose twelve Mark 3. and he named some of them Bonerges by interpretation sons of thunder then Christ ordained seventy other Luke 10.1 2 3. and sent them out when the harvest was ripe two and two together into every City or place which way soever he himselfe would come and he gave them power to carry on their work sending them forth as Lambs among Wolves and the seventy returned again with joy saying Lord even the Devils are subdued to us thorow thy name and Jesus said unto them that he saw Satan like lightning fall down from heaven behold saith Christ I give unto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions and all the powers of the enemy nothing shal hurt you neverthelesse in this rejoyce not but rather rejoyce that your names are written in heaven the same hour rejoyced Jesus in the spirit and said I confess unto thee Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and learned and hast revealed them to Fabes even so father because it pleaseth thee Luk. 10.17 18 c. Truely my Lord we must all believe that these very Scriptures are written for our instruction there is none that believeth that God is God and his Word is Truth that dare object or say but that these Scriptures are sent from God to us for no other end but to direct us to do the same which they speak of that hath been done here to fore in former ages for they are patterns examples and lines for us in this last age to erect build up and walk by and although God hath hidden these things from the wise and learned of this time as it pleased him so to doe in former ages as Christ saith Luke 10.21 and to reveale it to mean men which are but like babes and sucklings yet let none that bears the name of a Christian disdain neglect or despise these things for the meanes of the person of him whom God speaks this now but let all that will own the name of Christians rejoyce in the spirit as Christ their head Captain did in the spirit giving all praise and glory to him assuring themselves that the meaner persons they are that God doth it by the greater work of God is shewed therein and with all expedition to set about the work for by this example were our Primitive Christians to chuse their seventy Interpreters For when it pleased God to have the holy Scriptures translated or interpreted for the good of all that believe he did it by such a number of seventy which were all guided by the holy Ghost as it had been one man and they were as it were conduit pipes to convey the water of life into all Countries Nations Tongue● for the comfort of Gods Elect through out the World Thus you see there is no contradiction with God he is at the beginning and ending all one in his Church for as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost are all one in Trinity so is the true Apostolical and Discipled Church whom Christ promised the holy Ghost should be with to the end of the world Iohn 14.16 Iohn 17.21 And every member of the body have their proper gifts for offices and places for the building up ruling and gathering of the Saints under Christ their head 1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4.11 12 As Paul saith God hath ordained in the Church several Officers as first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers then they that do miracles after the gifts of healing helpers of governments diversity of tongues but saith he are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers are all doers of Miracles have all gifts of Healing doe all speak with Tongues doe all interpret 1 Cor. 12.28 29 30. These Scriptures sheweth us very plainly Proved that none of the new Elect or Gathered Churches are not true Churches that all our new elect and gathered Churches are out of the ways of God at this very time as far I may say as the East is from the West yet I wil not judge any But there may be many true members that belong unto Christ among them but thus by the power of God I wil assure you that none of the new Sects as cal themselves Churches are true Churches because they have neither true heads or body above them according to other Law or Gospel rule but every one strives to be a Teacher by resting the Scriptures to their own corrupt finister by-paths and so lose themselves and lead many more into woods wildernesses and desarts of strange opinions and so it wil be worse and worse stil daily more every day then other Eph. 4.11 12 13. til the mercy of God cause us to have an Apostolical and Discipled body under a head for the gathering of the Saints together for the work of the Ministery and for the dification of the body of Christ this wil be the way to make all the members of Christs Church meet in the unity of true faith as followeth if you can believe That the seventy Elders that God caused Moses to chuse had several prophetical gifts when they were chosen and brought to Gods Tabernacle at that immediate time Or if your Highnesse can believe that Christs Apostles and Disciples had several prophetical gifts for the making of a compleat body for Christs Church and the

seventy interpreters of the Scriptures were guided by the holy Ghost Then I intreat you for the Lords sake who hath sent me as a Herald to you to cause you to chuse such a number as you see Law and Gospel rule holdeth out a just proofe for which being chosen and elected as by the power of Gods holy word and spirit guiding me to direct you as hereafter followeth To shew your Highnesse and all the world by the power of God which he is able to perfect and make good in my weaknesse For as we read Mal. 4. that Elias will come before the latter day to turne the hearts of Fathers and Children one toward another and to end controversies in Families Nations and Kingdoms lest he should smite the whole earth with cursing that as where hatred warre devision and heresies have most and last abounded there grace love peace and concord may first begin to abound here for a true exampled pattern for all other Nations to follow us for Christ saith the first shall be last and the last shal be first There is no fearful or doubtful question to be objected against this earth and way which here is laid down the ground from antiquity of other ages how God hath sent the holy Ghost into such an equal rising number heretofore to carry on his work by but that he will do the like now if we would deny our own corrupt ways and embrace his waies which are all grace vertue and humility for God is Alpha and Omega at the beginning and ending of his workes all one and the same and his wayes of mercy are past finding out The Apostles say that these days would not come unlesse there were first a departure of the Faith by many falling into grosse erronious heresies blasphemies and apostasies there were never more then now therefore we may well assure our selves by natural reason that this is the very last age of the world and should be the best but nature is more abused now then ever it was in our forefathers days so that this time shewed forth it selfe to be the worst and the very dregs of all other ages that ever have been For behold both natural pride and spiritual pride abound in every high degree natural drunkennesse and spiritual not onely by excesse of drinking which is a very great reigning sin in this land but also Sects and selfe opinions which makes many thousands stagger without drinking of either wine or strong drink so that they are drunken and bereaved of all true spiritual senses and many others are blind by ignorance their knowledge being so weak and shallow in points of Religion that they know not their right hand from their left and although they have been brought up as it were in the Schooles of Moses and the Prophets in Abrahams bosome by going to Church hearing Sermons and reading or hearing the Scriptures yet they are prophane and covetous both people and Priests like one another so that it grieveth the holy Spirit of our God to see his people destroyed for want of knowledge In the late Bishops time in some places we were guided by a sort of Shepherds Of the late Bishops time which although they were knowing enough for learning and charitable enough to the poor in temporals yet they were prophane by starving their flocks But now we are troubled in most places with a covetous sort of Teachers I had like to said in all places being ignorant themselves they do not onely starve their flocks for want of saving and sound knowledge but also for lucre sake they drive and carry them into by and separate paths of errors and heresies so being like people like Priests God hath punished our sins together and yet our putrified sins being not healed are like to break out into another red sea of blood if God prevent not Now the Church being thus brought into the wildernesse weeping in her widows-like mournful Condition as one that hath lost her husband Luke 10. Rev. 9. and the Elders being all cast out of the City so that she hath no guide for her children which are left alone among fiery serpent-like Teachers and Scorpions and beastly poysoned opinions and the Ark and Temple of God is razed and taken by the uncircumcised of heart and we are a murmuring rebellious people worse then the Israelites were for our God hath brought us thorow a red sea of civil Wars to an entrance of a spiritual Canaans peace And if our rebellion against God doe not prolong our misery I fully believe we are neer the very entrance of a glorious time for the Church to break forth into her brightnesse and to shine in a more glorious manner then ever she did since Adams fal For the time is near at hand when all oppressors and dissembling hypocrites which do not speedily leave their evil ways shal be rooted out of power And those that have served God following the good old way shal shine as the stars do in the firmament both in Church and State and to enjoy a true religious … tled peace according to righteousnesse and true holinesse so that the civil Magistrate may be a wal to the Church and Ministery Four Monarchs being broken down there wil be another set up even a Kingly power under the Scepter of Jesus Christ Believe not those Dreamers Mockers Makers of Sects whose study is all to write or speak great swelling words against dignities and the powers which are ordained of God nay even against the Lords day or Christian Sabbath and the sacred ordinances of Gods Law and Christs command even the ten Commands which God writ with his own finger in stone never to be washed out or abolished having a double memento for the keeping of the Sabbath and Lords day as wel to the Christian Gentiles as the Jews for take away the Lords day even the day which is set apart onely for his worship if the candlestick be removed away from us the light of Gods true worship wil immediately follow Luke 10. But as Christ saith he saw Satan fal as lightning from heaven and transforming himselfe into a glorious Angel of light to carry on many with their new lights and false visions and new fangled doctrine to deceive if it were possible the very Elect but that is an impossible thing More I would have spoken of the Christian Sabbath and of these strange opinions to shew every poor soule the subtile wiles of Satan and the means at large how to escape him in this time of spiritual blindnesse and proud knowledge which darkens mens mindes and divides their judgements by grosse thick darknesse which if we have not lost our spiritual feeling we might feele it at none time under the Gospels glorious light which makes many other doat away their pretious time First a sign of the Stars ALL which wickednesse and Apostasies are but signs of a glorious time at hand nay even at our very doores For as

the spiritual eyes of the soul to discern that the youngest son should come to be greater then his brother although saith Iacob I know Manassch shal be great yet his younger brother shal be greater then he for his seed shal be ful of Nations and he set the youngers name before the elders Although it much displeased Ioseph who sought meanes to prevent his Father for doing thus yet Iacob knowing the decree of God would not alter it Gen. 48. from the tenth verse to the end of the Chapter A little before Iacobs death he called all his sons together to blesse them and to shew what would befal every one of them in the latter days and how Iudab should be the heads in that out of his linage Christ was to come and all people should be gathered to him In these prophetical signes Iacob is a representation of the holy Ghost and likewise for the manner and number of his family Of Moses laying on of hands Moses he followed this example of Iacobs laying on of hands Scriptures make no mention of it but a little about the time of his death Deut. 34.9 This Text of Scripture saith that Ioshuah the son of Nun which was the succeeder of Moses was full of the spirit of wisdom for Moses had put his hands upon him and he and Israel did as the Lord had commanded Moses In the Apostles and Disciples time at the Gospels first plantation as it is written for our instruction in several places of the Acts of the Apostles how that by their laying on of hands many received the gift of the holy Ghost Paul at one time laid his hands on twelve several men and they all received the gift of the holy Ghost and Prophesied and furthermore Paul exhorteth his son Timothy whom he had begotten Saith he Despise not the gifts that is in thee which was given thee by prophesie by the laying on of hands by the Presbytery Elders 1 Tim. 4.14 All these Scriptures were written for our instruction and learning there is none that believeth in God and his word that dare or wil object against it thus you see here is proved in Christs Church an example of twelve Apostolical Bishops under a High Priest otherwise called an Archbishop and a Discipled number of seventy to make a compleat body besides and the order of receiving of them in their several places and degrees into that holy office of the Ministerial Function and body of Christs Church according to those holy orders which have been alwayes practised by the ancient Fathers of both Jewish and Christian Churches in all former ages One Objection answered by Scripture ground and argument Object But happily many in our days may be apt to raise Objections against this truth that is so manifestly proved here by Gods holy Writ saying that Apostles and Elders are all one therefore say they there need be no other order but a number of Elders according to the Presbytery which order is mentioned in the Scriptures To answer these ●bjections and make them fall to the ground Look in the fifteenth Chapter of the Acts and the first second and third verses when there was a great diffention and disputation about Circumcision by Paul and Barnabas against them at last they ordained that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders of the Church The word Apostles in all places of Scripture standeth before the word Elders Paul was one of the twelve Apostles 1 Cor. 2.28 29. Eph 4. Barnabas Stephen Timothy and the others in their several places were of the company of the Elders of the Church Acts. 20.17 Multitudes of Texts and Scriptures might be raised to confirme this truth to shew that there was first an Apostolical number as chiefe twelve and then Secondly a discipled number of seventy according to order then in those dayes and that order would have continued till this very time had not corruptions and divisions cast them out of the Church But this I can by the power of God assure your Highnesse and all others that desire to know that we shall never enjoy perfect peace nor true Religion till that time be that there be ordained for the Church such an Apostolical and discipled number the which being done by God and mans appointment having their commission signed and sealed by God and man and being entred into a hallowed Covenant at the Ark or Tabernacle of Gods testimony meant the Church being received and ordained every one according to order to make a compleat body by joynt order their chiefe reverent father in God ought not to receive them into this holy office without the laying on of hands the which being done and they joyned together as one man for the work of the Lord for the ruling and gathering of the Saints and building up of true Religion being thus elected and choseu The true way to prove them by going to spiritual war with all Sects which are the true Churches enemies YOur Highnesse and many more may question me or demand saying How shal wee know whether thy calling and election be of God and sure and firm and not of mens traditions or superstitious consecrating 'T is answered thus It wil be known by this manner of trial that followeth whether or not that they be the onely men God hath appointed to beautifie his Church and to raise up Davids fallen Tabernacle here first in this land and to be a pattern example for all other lands to follow them Your Highnesse and they must 〈◊〉 ●lame open spiritual war against all Sects that hold 〈…〉 of Church fellowship that call themselves Religions and they may be all comprehended under four heads as namely these 1. Presbyterians 2. Independents 3. The Anabaptists must be calld And last of all the Church of Rome that is in these dominions must be call'd to this spiritual war to bring them to the Touchstone of Gods word All these aforenamed Churches so called or any other whatever ought to have both leave and command from and by your Highness to come to disputation together with them of the late and new ordained Election which is the Apostolical and discipled Body under a spiritual Head Then as Iude saith there will bee earnest contending among all these several elect for the faith once delivered to the Saints every sect such a certain number as equalizeth the fore named being chosen and ordained according as best pleaseth their several judgements or opinions When this Herald or Trumpet is sounded which God wil cause his holy Angels to stir up the hearts of men to do it in his good time Matth. 24.30 to gather his elect from the four winds to see the true way to joyne themselves to the true Ministerial head and body of Christs Church Eph. 4. in one united faith For when these several elections are gathered together there wil be casting of lots among these spiritual souldiers