Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	body_n	eat_v	life_n	5,930	5	5.0703	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A74751	Queries of highest consideration, proposed to the five Holland ministers and the Scotch Commissioners (so called) upon occasion of their late printed apologies for themselves and their churches. In all humble reverence presented to the view of the Right Honourable the Houses of the High Court of Parliament.	Williams, Roger, 1604?-1683.	1644 (1644)	Thomason E32_8; ESTC R212639	13,716	21

QVERIES OF HIGHEST CONSIDERATION Proposed to the five HOLLAND Ministers AND THE Scotch Commissioners SO CALLED Vpon occasion of their late Printed Apologies for themselves and their Churches In all Humble Reverence presented to the view of the Right Honourable the Houses of the High Court of Parlament LONDON Imprinted in the yeare MDCX. IV QVERIES OF HIGHEST CONSIDERATION Proposed to Mr. Tho. Goodwin Mr. Phillip Nye Mr. Wil. Bridges Mr. Jer. Burroughs Mr. Sidr Simpson AND To the Commissioners from the Generall Assembly so called of the Church Of SCOTLAND Vpon occasion of their late Printed Apologies for themselves and their Churches In all Humble Reverence presented to the view of the Right Honourable the Houses of the High Court of Parlament LONDON Imprinted in the yeare MDCXLIV TO THE Right Honourable Both Houses of the High Court Of PARLIAMENT Right Honourable IT is a wofull Priviledge attending all great States and Personages that they seldome heare any other Musick but what is known will please them Though our Musick sound not sweet but harsh yet please you first to know it is not fitted to your Eares but to your Hearts and the bleeding Heart of this aflicted Nation 'T is true we have been humbly bold to presume as Ester into Ahasuerus his presence against your Order For who can passe the many Locks and Bars of any the severall Licencers appointed by you with such a Message By such Circumscribing and immuring of your selves by such a Guard their Persons we honour and esteem it is rarely possible that any other Light but what their Hemispheare affoords shall ever shine on your Honours Souls though ne're so sweet so necessary and though it come from God from Heaven These Worthy and much esteemed Persons unto whom we Quaery we have heard to be Men of Conscience of Abilities and are in this worthy of double Honour that according to their Consciences they appear in the Front and present their Moulds and Patterns of Church Government from Holland from Scotland to our inquiring England Their mutuall just Exceptions which they have already or may further expresse against each others Tenents we leave to themselves though we might expresse them to our advantage We shall be humbly bold in the name of the Lord Jesus and the many thousand precious souls for whom he hath paid so deare a Ransome to present such Quaeries to your Honours view as respect their joint Agreement Pardon the I hrase like Ephraim and Manasseh though fighting each against other yet both against Christ Jesus the Lion of Iudahs Tribe we mean so farre as they appose the Truth and Purity of his last will and Testament Most Renowned Patriots You sit at Helme in as great a Storm as ere poor Englands Common-wealth was iost in Yet be you pleased to remember that excepting the affaires of Heaven of Religion of Soules of Eternity all your Consultations Conclusions Executions are not of the Quantity of the value of one poor drop of water or the little dust of the Ballance of Elaiah were a true Prophet Esa 40.15 Yet concerning Soules wee will not as most doe charge you with the loads of all the Soules in England Scotland Ireland Wee shall humbly affirme and by the help of Christ maintaine that the Bodies and Goods of the Subject is your charge Their Soules and yours are set on account to those that professe to be the Lights and Guides the Messengers and Embassadors sent from Heaven to them You will please to say We are constantly told and we believe it that Religion is our first Care and Reformation of that our greatest Taske Right Honourable your Wisdomes know the Fatall Miscariages of Englands Parliaments in this point what setting up pulling downe what Formings Reformings and againe Deformings to admiration Three Instances are dreadfull yet to expresse Seasonable First The last and best of Englands changes established Lord Bishops they and two more Priests and Deacons are by Law the established Ministers of Englands Church The former makes the latter so far as concerns a lawfull externall Calling The Lord Bishops themselvs are now Voted Antichristian Your Wisdomes then see what Callings by Law the other two sorts Priests and Deacons have all this while bin furnished with Secondly if hee that eates and drinkes the Body and blood of Christ unworthily eateth and drinketh his owne judgement and all English soules are bound by Law to cate that Body and Blood at sixteene who sees not since as t is confest scarce one of a thousand but is found ignorant Impenitent Unregenerate at those yeeres that the Body of the People are compelled by Law to eat and drink at sixteen their own judgment Thirdly for Non-conforming to these and other practises the English Masse-Booke c. what heavy Persecution have thousands felt and that by Law established We shall in all humble Reverence suggest our Feares that for the very Laws and Statutes of Englands Parliaments concerning Religion and happily for some not yet suspected the Lord Iesus hath drawne this Sword that 's daily drunke with English Blood It shall never be your Honour to this or future Ages to be confined to the Patterns of either French Dutch Scotch or New-English Churches We humbly conceive some higher Act concerning Religion attends and becomes your Consultations If he whose name is wonderfull Counsellor be consulted and obeyed according to his last Will and Testament as you may please in the Quaeries to view wee are confident you shall exceed the Acts and Patternes of all Neighbour Nations bighly exalt the name of the Son of God provide for the Peace of this distressed State engage the Soules of all that feare God to give Thankes and Supplicate for you further the Salvation of thousands and leave the sweet perfume of your Names precious to all succeeding Generations QUERIES PROPOUNDED To the five Holland Ministers and the Scotch Commissioners WORTHY SIRS IN serious Examination of your late Apologies we shall in all due respect and tendernesse humbly Querie Querie I First What Precept or Pattern hath the Lord Jesus left you in his last Will and Testament for your Synod What warrant from the Lord Iesus for the Assembly of Divines or Assembly of Divines by vertue of which you may expect his presence and assistance If you say as all Popish Synods and Councels doe the Pattern is plain Acts 15. Acts 15. examined We aske if two or three Brethren of one particular Congregation at Antioch sent to that first Mother Church at Jerusalem where the Apostles were who being immediatly inspir'd from God could say It seemeth good to the holy Spirit and Vs to lay upon you no greater burthen c. as also who had power to make Decrees for all the Churches Acts 16. We aske whether this be a Pattern A Nationall Assembly necessarily inforceth an Assembly of the whole world for a Nation or Kingdome and so consequently for more Nations and all the World if under one

of Cavaliers cannot make a Parlament Army So we Querie how possible that a person or persons visibly in a state of nature dead in sinne in a state of enmitie and opposition against God Ephes Definitions of ought must not be from the corruption but Institution of it according to which mist be the reformation 2. Rom. 8. can ever please God be visibly maried to God fight for him under the Banners of Love c. Allegations may be brought from the corruptions of the Church of the Jewes and the Churches of Christ but We doe not use to define a Man by his Diseases nor a Garden by Weeds nor a Citie by a Tumult or an Army by a Rout or disorder especially when we treat upon an Institution or Resturation QUERIE VI. Although you both professe your Holynesse Diligence Zeale Courage Selfe-denyall Patience and the one of you the incomparable spirit of your Fathers in the worke of Reformation yet we Querie Excellent Witnesses of Christ Iesus who never proceeded to a Church-estate Whether there hath not been as Holy Able and Zealous Men since the Apostacie Men like Antipas Rev. 2. faithfull Witnesses of the Lord Jesus in what Light they saw even to Death who yet never came up to such a worke of Reformation as you speak of Yea without offence be it spoken have there not been as excellent and heavenly Reformers as your selves and Fathers whose professed Reformation you now dislike Who shall outshine many of the Waldensian Reformers for Holynesse Zeale Excellent reformers whose worke now seems to be beside the first Pattern and this Age dislikes forsakes c. One of the greatest Parlaments that ever was after all rejoycing and triumphing in it found Gods anger for their errors in reformation of his worship patience Where is or hath that pretious man been found who hath for personall excellencies outshined Luther and who shall o'retop those glorious Cedars Bishops Doctors c. burnt for Christ Jesus in Queen Maries dayes Yea where the Church we grant to have been true according to its Instistution for the time of it What Assembly what Parlament can compare with that of David and his Captains of thousands Captains of hundreths and every Leader and all the Congregation of Israel from Shishor of Egypt to the entring in of Hemath assembled together to reform the Worship of God in that true but Nationall Typical Church estate of Israel What rejoycing what playing was there of David and all Israel with Harps Psalteries Timbrells Cymballs and Trumpets and yet how angry was God what a Breach did he make for David and all Israel transgrest the due appointed Order 1 Cron. 13. 1 Cron. 15. QUERIE VII Since the Law was given by Moses A Nationall Covenant and a Nationall Church not found in the Doct ine of the Son of God but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ by whom though God spake divers times and divers wayes to the Fathers he hath now revealed his councell in these last times Heb. 1. We Quere where you now find one footstep Print or Pattern in this Doctrine of the Son of God for a Nationall holy Covenant and so consequenty though we conceive the one of you stumble at it a Nationall Church Where find you evidence of a whole Nation Country or Kingdom converted to the Faith and of Christs appointing of a whole Nation or Kingdome to walk in one way of Religion If you repaire to Moses Such as hold a Nationall Church of God must needs disclaim Christ and follow Moses consult with Moses and the old Covenant or Testament we aske are you Moses or Christs Followers or do you yet expect the comming of the Son of God to set up the Christian Israel the holy Nation the particular Congregation of Christian Worshippers in all parts of the world 1 Pet. 2. Heb. 12. c. We further Quere Whether a Nationall Covenant lead not in case If one whole Nation where should we stop why may not many and the whole world c. and as is practised unavoydably to a holy Covenant of many Nations 2 Pet. 10.20 yea to a holy league or Covenant in case of Augustus his Government of the whole world which should then turne the Darling and Spouse of God between whom and it there is such enmitie that if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 John 2. The Doctrine of Christ Jesus tells us that Acts 10.35 That in every Nation he that feares God The nature of the true Church or Congregation of Christ Iesus c. Not every Nation that feares God Christ Jesus tells us that his Church may come together to break bread in One place 1 Cor. 11. which Nations and Countries cannot possibly doe Christ Jesus tells us this his Congregation is now the Common-weale of Israel invested with the true Kingly power of the Lord Jesus to put forth every wicked person though King or Keysar from amongst them We Querie There cannot be 2 true kinds of Churches no more then 2 true Parliaments Whether it be possible there should be 2 true sorts or kinds of Churches any more then 't is possible there may be 2 true Parlaments in England though many scores or hundreths should be called There are indeed 3 score Queens and 4 score Concubines and Virgins without number which seem to imply and that even in these times as some also have interpreted severall kinds of Congregations or Churches Severall sorts of Churches like Brazen Silver and Golden Candlesticks and yet Christs Dove is but one and the only one of her motherr Cant. 6. The Light of much Truth may shine forth on the brazen Candlesticks of strong Nationall Churches maintained and held up by the seeming strong Sword of Steel in an Arme of Flesh c. There may be silver Candlesticks more refin'd and pure in respect of the Matter of which they are constituted viz. godly persons c. But Christ Jesus only walks in the midd'st of his Golden Candlesticks Gathered and Governed after the Golden Institution of Christs Word which is like fine Gold Rev. 1. Psa 19. Againe we aske A National Religion must rack Soules and Bodies Whether in the Constitution of a Natinall Church it can possibly be framed without a racking and tormenting of thè Soules as well as of the Bodies of persons for it seems not possible to fit it to every conscience sooner shall one suit of Apparell fit every Body one Law president every Case or one Size or Last every Foot Lastly The dangerous consequences of it Whether it be not the cause of a world of Hypocritets he Soothing up of people in a Formall State Worship to the ruine of their Soules the ground of Persecution to Christ Jesus in his Members and sooner or later the kindling of the devouring flames of Civill Warres as all Ages testifie QUERIE VIII Whether No Wars for

boast of the same against many Schismes and Heresies and doth try umph with wonderfull successe even against the Truth and the Witnesses of it according to Daniel and Johns Prophesies Dan. 11. Rev. 13. Thus it pleased God in his Providence to turn the scales of Victorie with a reliefe of their Armies to the Idolatrous Israelites and Edomites against the Moabites God sometimes gives great successe of Victorie even to Idolaters 2 Kings 3. and miraculously to deliver Idolatrous Apostate Israel from the mighty Armies of the Syrians 2 Kings 7. Thus he also rewarded hypocriticall Jehn for his temporall service in destroying Ahabs house with a temporall Honour to the fourth generation though himselfe and his continued in the Schisme Apostacie and Idolatry of the house of Israel We pray you also to call to mind how it pleaseth God out of the bottomles Ocean of his Goodnesse to cause his Sun to shine and his raines to fall upon the righteous and the wicked and time and chance saith Salomon happens unto all and one event It pleased the Lord to heare the Prayers of wicked Ahab God sometimes heares the prayers of legall cries of Idolaters and the Dwells themselves and to remit his temporall Affliction upon his temporall Humiliation Thus the Lord Jesus heard the prayers of the Divels themselves Luke 8. Upon the cry of the Idolatrous Mariners God mercifully provided to answer their prayers and cease the Storme by the casting out of Jonah Thus upon the external legall Humiliation of Ninivie it was reprieved and spar'd a season and Sodome had not been burned to ashes but had continued untill Christs time upon a supposition of their legall Humiliation Matth. 11. Thus although the Idolatrous Assirians feared Jehovah Iudgements taken off from the Assyrians upon the least shadow of Gods worship and served their gods 2 Kings 17. yet we hear no more of the Lions amongst them when the King of Assyria had taken order for one of Israels Idolatrous Priests to teach the Assyrians somthing of the manner of Gods service We Querie Whether all these Instances amount to more then Evidences of the infinite Mercies Goodnesse and Patience of God but are not proofs of their Worshipping of God according to his Ordinance that their Institutions were from him and their Reformations according to his Appointment Yea we further Querie Whether the power of godlinesse shining forth in persons may evidence their state and Worship good The power of godlines may shine in some persons living in great prophanations of Gods worship You both confesse the great profession of the power of godlinesse in England yet we beleeve the one of you acknowledge the Church of England as a Nationall Church not true and both confesse the Government Governours and the Common Prayer the Service and Worship of it to be abominable Yet it is confest that Englands false National Church with her Bishops Common Prayer ceremonies c. had more evidence of the power of godlines in her Children then was to be found amongst the Scotch French Dutch who pretend a Reformation purer It seems therfore evident that neither opposing of Heresies nor successe in Victories Deliverances nor power of godlinesse in some persons can evidence and prove their State and Worship to be right and pleasing unto God according to his Ordinance in Christ Jesus QUERIE XI Since you both seem to magnifie the Seales of Baptisme and the Lords Supper with a difference and excellency above other Ordinances We Querie where the Lord Jesus appointed such a difference and distinction And whether there was not as full Communion practised by the first Christians in the Word Prayer and Communitie as in the breaking of Bread Acts 2.42 Further we Querie since Baptisme is one of those Fundamentalls Heb. 6. and every one that will be saved is bound to prove his Faith and his Baptisme true Mark 16.16 he that beleeveth and is baptised shall be saved We Quere how a Baptismes or 2 Great Seals can be true in the Kingdome of Christ Jesus any more then 2 Great Seales can be true in the Kingdome of England And whether a Christian Commission Pattent Pardon Writ can be truly seal'd as is maintained from Rome any more then a civill Commission Pattent Pardon or Writ can be truly Sealed at Oxford To insist upon a late instance since the Bishops power and Calling is condemned as Antichristian how can we evidence the Seale of Baptisme true which we have received from them Furthermore since a true Baptisme giveth Right to all the Ordinances of Christ Jesus we Querie how any Protestant or Papist whose Baptisme you acknowledge to be true can be denied Communion in the Supper also according to 1 Cor. 12.12 By one spirit are we all baptized into one body and consequently into the participation of the Ordinances therof and if so we Querie how farre off Rome and the Pope himselfe is from our bosomes QUERIE XII Since you both professe to want more Light and that a greater Light is yet to be expected yea that the Church of Scotland may yet have need of a greater Reformation c. we Querie how you can professe and Sweare to Persecute all others as Schismatiques Hereticks c. that beleeve they see a further Light and dare not joyn with either of your Churches Whether the Lambes Wife have received any such Commission or Disposition from the Lamb her Husband so to practise Whether as King JAMES once wrote upon Re. 20. it be not a true mark and character of a false Church to Persecute It being the nature only of a Wolf to hunt the Lambs and Sheep but impossible for a Lamb or Sheep or a thousand Flocks of Sheep to persecute one Wolfe we speak of spirituall Sheep and spirituall Wolves for other VVolves against the Civil State VVe professe it to be the Dutie of the Civill State to persecute and suppresse them And lastly whether the States of Holland who tollerate though not owne as you say the several Sects amongst them which differ from them The States of Holland in permitting other consciences obey the Command of Christ of permitting the Tares are of another conscience worishp whether or no they com not neerer the holy Pattern commād of the Lord Jesus to permit the tares to have a civill being in the field of the world untill the harvest the end of it Mat. 13 VVhether those tares can possibly be taken for Hipocrites in the Church or Scandalous persons in the Common weal but are most properly false worshippers and in especiall and punctually intended by the Lord Jesus Antichristians the Children of the wicked one opposite to the true Christians the Children of the Kingdome VVhether for this very Truth which those States professe Noctate for the time bath been blest by God as that to admiration beyond either England or Scotland it hath not pleased the Lord to prosper the State above any other State in the word for the time since such their wise Permission Whether there can possibly be expected the least look of Peace in these fatall Distractions and Tempests raised but by taking Councel of the great and wisest Polititian that ever was the Lord Jesus Christ in this particular VVe know the Allegations against this Councell the head of all is that from Moses not Christ his Pattern in the typicall Land of Canaan the Kings of Israel and Iudah c. The danger and mischiefe of bringing Moses his Pattern into Kingdomes now since Christ Iesus his comming We humbly desire it may be searched into we beleeve it wil be found but one of Moses shadows vanished at the comming of the Lord Jesus yet such a shadow as is directly opposite to the very Testament and coming of the Lord Jesus Opposite to the very nature of a Christian Church the only holy Nation and Israel of God Opposite to the very tender Bowels of Humanity how much more of Christianity abhorring to poure out the blood of Men meerly for their Soules beliefe and worship Opposite to the very Essentialls and Fundamentalls of the Nature of a Civill Magistracie a Civil Common-weal or combination of Men which can only respect civill things Opposite to the Jewes Conversion to Christ by not permitting them a civill life or being Opposite to the civill Peace and the lives of Millions slaughter'd upon this ground in mutuall persecuting each others Conscience especially the Protestant and the Papist Opposite to the Souls of all Men who by persecutions are ravished into a dissembled Worship which their Hearts imbrace not Opposite to the best of Gods servants who in all Popish and Protestant States have been commonly esteemed and persecuted as the only Schismaticks Hereticks c. Opposite to that Light of Scripture which is expected yet to shine which must by that Doctrine be supprest as a new or old Heresie or Noveltie All this in all Ages experience testifies which never saw any long liv'd Fruit of Peace or Righteousnesse to grow upon that fatall Tree FINIS Errata Pag 6. line 13. dele Peter p. 9. l. 12. r. yeares since l. 26 r. have not been