Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	faith_n	knowledge_n	true_a	3,217	5	4.9873	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84653	Severall queries concerning the church of Jesus Christ upon earth, briefly explained and resolved wherein is shewed and proved, 1. That there is a church of Jesus Christ upon earth. 2. What this church is? 3. How a people become a visible church? 4. That the churches in England were at first rightly constituted? 5. What manner of government Jesus Christ hath ordained in and for his church? 6. What manner of persons those ought to be, that may be continued in, or admitted into the church? 7. What is the duty of church members towards Jesus Christ their head, and one another. / By John Flowre M.A. preacher at Staunton in the county of Nottingham.	Flower, John, b. 1623 or 4.	1658 (1658)	Wing F1386; Thomason E2141_2; ESTC R208378	33,318	112

SEVERALL QUERIES concerning the CHVRCH of JESUS CHRIST upon Earth briefly explained and Resolved Wherein is shewed and proved 1. That there is a Church of Jesus Christ upon earth 2. What this Church is 3. How a People become a Visible Church 4. That the Churches in England were at first rightly Constituted 5. What manner of Government Jesus Christ hath ordained in and for his Church 6. What manner of Persons those ought to be that may be continued in or admitted into the Church 7. What is the duty of Church members towards Jesus Christ their head and one another By John Flowre M. A. Preacher at Staunton in the County of Nottingham London Printed by T. Mabb for Edward Thomas and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the Adam and Eve in Little-brittain neer the Church 1658. TO THE Right Honourable EDVVARD Lord WHALEY Lievetenant Generall of the Army under his Highness OLIVER Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereto belonging Right Honourable THis which was at first conceived for the use and direction of my own Congregation I have at the desire of some private Friends suffered to be brought forth to a more publick view and I have also made bold to tender it to your Honour which though I confess unworthy either of your judgment or acceptance yet the countenance and many respects which I have received from you have heightned me to this presumption hoping you will please to pardon that confidence in me which your own favours and encouragements have begotten I hope I have not in this offended against the truth I am sure I have not willingly nor wittingly if I have through ignorance or mistake I shall willingly be rectified and be glad to see my errours Therefore in such ca●e Let the righteous smite me Ps 141.5 and it shall be a kindnesse let him reprove me it shall be an excellent oyle which shall not break my head In ●y pre●enting this small piece to your honour my ambition is onely to make an honourable and thankfull mention of your name your deserts h ve merited a better monument than I am able to elect for them Your Noble and civill deportment towards all in the Counties more especially under your Command chiefly your countenancing and encouraging of the pious painfull Ministers of the Gospel hath justly gained you a good report of all men and of the truth it self which honour that you may alwayes have by still co tinuing stedfast and unmoveable and always abounding in the work the Lord is the prayer of Your Honours most obliged in all duty and service JOHN FLOWRE TO My much esteemed friends and neighbours the Inhabitants of the Town and Parish of Staunton in the County of Nottingham BY the providence of the most high Isa 7. Acts 17.26 that hath appointed the tit es that are comming and shall come an ●●etermined the bounds of each one ha●itation I am seated among you in this place Ps 16.6 and I hope I shall have no other cause but that I may say with the Psalmist the lines are fallen unto me in a good place I account not that so much a good place where there are good fields good corne good pasture But I account that a good place where there is a good people a people swift to hear willing to be reformed ready to submit to the Scepter and dominion of the Lord Jesus and not crying ou● like those Rebellious Jews Lu 7.19.14 we will not have this man reigne over us I account such a place a good place for it is not the fatnesse of the soile but the fear of the Lord that maketh rich I blesse God I have received no discouragment since I came amongst you I have not found you stubborne or perverse froward or refractory or resisters of the word of truth which hath been delivered to you but I have found you rather humble and meek and willing to imbrace the Gospel which as it is your praise so it is also my happinesse and joy For what is it that makes the life of a Minister of the Gospel comfortable I tell you if he be a man that truly fears God and is faithfull to his master it is not the greatnesse of his Living the fulness of his barnes But it is the obedience of his people to gospel-precepts their growing in grace their adding to faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance 2. Pet. 1.5 and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and to brotherly kindnesse charity their willingnesse to be reformed their readinesse to receive the truth with love their not being barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ O! The blessing of God upon his labours in Spiritualizing his people this refresheth him when he seeth dead people quickned enemies to Christ reconciled children of wrath become children of grace those that were afar off now made nigh strangers from the covenant now interested in the promise there is no greater joy to a sincere minister of the Gospel than this This was St. 3 Ioh. 1.4 Johns greatest comfort I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walke in the truth O what a rejoycing is this when a Minister can say of his people as St. Paul could of his Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified and to the Romans to whom he preached Ye were the Servants of sin but ye have obeyed from the heart the forme of doctrine which was delivered unto you Ro. 6.17 But ah what woe is it to a faithfull minister that when he hath spent himself and his pains for many years yet is forced to complaine with the Prophet Lord who hath beleeved our report Isa 53.1 They were servants of sin and they are so still they have not obeyed from the heart the form of doctrine delivered to them They were thieves covetuous whoremongers drunkards Revilers Scorners and they are so still they are not washed they are not sanctified an● this is an heart-breaking to a sincere Minister of Jesus Christ and many such there are that with the Prophet Ier. 13.17 mourn in secret for this thing I must confesse I have what respects I can desire from you in relation to things temporal and my endeavours shall be to gratifie you with things that are spirituall which are of the greatest concernment in the world Our main businesse in this world should be to labor to make your calling and election sure To be diligent that at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ to judgment we may be found without spot and blameless men indeed make other businesse then this But alass That so little regarded saying of our Lord Jesus Christ will be proved true one day What will it profit a man to win the world and lose his soule While providence

with Jesus Christ to be loyall and faithfull to him for this is essential to the relation of a Spouse or wife that she enter covenant with her husband to be loyall and faithfull to him And as the church is rightly called the Spouse of Jesus Christ by vertue of this her covenant so is the Lord also called the husband of his church or Spouse for he doth covenant with her Levit 26.12 Gen. 11 1. that he will be her God her sheild her exceeding great reward that he will never faile her nor forsake her The sum of the answer then to this third Question is this That a company of people become a church or under the relation of the wife and Spouse of Jesus Christ by entering into an holy covenant with him to take him for their Lord and God and to submit unto all his holy Ordinances without such a covenant their could be no such relation betwixt Jesus Christ and the Church as there is for all relations of that nature are founded upon Covenant Section IV. Containing the answer to the fourth question Whether the churches of England were at first rightly constituted IF the people of England were constituted a Church or gathered into a church-way in that way and after that manner that the Apostles did constitute a church or Churches or gather a people into a Church-way at first then the people of England were at first rightly constituted a Church or gathered into a Church-way But the people of England were at first constituted a Church or gathered into a Church-way in that way and after that manner that the Apostles did constitute a Church or Churches or gather a people into a Church-way Therefore the people of England were at first rightly constituted a church or gathered into a Church-way The major proposition is undeniable the minor I thus prove If the people of England were constituted a Church or gathered into a Church-way upon their receiving of the word forsaking of heathenish superstitions and idolatry and embracing the faith of Jesus Christ engaging to serve him Then they were constituted a Church or gathered into a church way Acts 2. chap. 19. in that way and after that manner that the Apostles did constitute a Church or Churches or gather a people into a Church way But the people of England were constituted a Church or gathered into a Church-way upon their receiving of the word forsaking of heathenish superstitions and Idolatry and embracing the faith of Jesus Christ and engaging to serve him Therefore they were constituted a Church or gathered into a Church-way in that way and after that manner that the Apostles did constitute a Church or Churches or gather a people into a Church way The sequel of the major proposition is undeniable The minor proposition is proved by all the histories relating to those times which declare that the Infidel Pagan people of England by the preaching of salvation through Jesus Christ were converted unto the faith forsaking heathenish superstition and Idolatry And indeed our own sence and reason must needs induce us to be perswaded of this for if this were not a truth how then came they our progenitors by the name and religion of Christians which we their successors do retaine to this day being derived from them to us The name of Christian by which they were called the exercise of Christian religion which they practis'd upon the preaching of the Gospel doth abundantly prove that relinquishing Paganisme and Idolatrous worship They did imbrace the faith of Jesus Christ And that they did also at that time covenant to take and own Jesus Christ as their Lord and only saviour by serving him and submitting to his holy ordinances the very act of their Baptisme is sufficient to informe and convince all intelligent and considerate persons For what Infidel or Infidels I mean such as were so brought up and so lived for many yeares were ever baptised before they had given evidence of their faith in Christ repentance and resolution to own Christ as their Lord and King for the time to come That the Apostles baptised none that were brought up in Paganism and Infidelity without such evidence and engagement as before is very clear in the Scriptures yea so evident that it is past doubt or question Shall we then think or dare to say that those who tooke upon them to be Ministers of Jesus Christ in those dayes when England was an Infidel Pagan Nation and were sent hither to preach the Gospel to this Nation then in such estate as before I say shall we dare to judge or think or speak that these baptis'd the people then of this Nation without evidences of faith repentance and engagements to own and serve Jesus Christ as their Lord and God I am sure if they did ever or could but read the Scriptures they could not be ignorant whom they ought to baptise and upon what evidence and far be it from me to judge or think that they would be wittingly and knowingly so injurious to the truth the Sacrament of Baptisme and practise of the Apostles as to baptise the then people of this Nation without some manifestations of their faith and repentance and resolutions to own and serve Jesus Christ for the time to come as their Lord and Saviour I can hardly believe that any man will censure the first converters Baptisers of our nation either to be men ignorant of or malitious against the truth one of which they must needs judge them to be if they say they baptised without such evidences of faith and repentance as before But if these first converters did by the preaching of Jesus Christ to the Pagans of England turn them from their Idols to embrace the said faith and upon the said evidences of faith repentance and resolutions to cleave to Jesus Christ as their only redeemer did admit them to be baptised then they did rightly constitute them a Church or gather them into a Church-way according to the manner and practice of the Apostles recorded in the Scriptures which that they thus did is both a probable and charitable judgment That they did not is a rash and unchristian like censure Ob. But the Church of England had its constitution from Rome therefore it was never rightly constituted neither is a true Church Sol. To this I answer that the antecedent is not altogether true possibly it may be grant it in relation to a part not in relation to the whole For ought I know or any one can disprove there might be a Church of Christ in England nere as soon as there was one in Rome The Scriptures do indeed declare that there was a Church in Rome in the Apostles times and therefore we may believe it The Scriptures do not deny that there was a Church of Christ in England in those dayes the Chronicles and Histories relating to those times affirme it and therefore I see not why it should be

Country men may read in Mr. Fox 's Book of Acts and Monuments out of Gildas Tertullian Origen Beda Nicephorus which being so we cannot but conceive the Churches in England were rightly gathered and planted according to the rule of the Gospell And all the corruptions found in them since have sprung from Popish Apostacy in succeeding Ages and for want of thorough and perfect purging out of that Leaven in the late times of Reformation in the dayes of our Fathers Cottons way Churches New-England So that all the work now is not to make them Churches which were none before but to reduce and restore them to their Primitive Institution Thus Mr. Cotton And it being granted that the Churches in England were rightly constituted and gathered at first it will easily be proved that there hath continued a true Church in this Land unto this day though very corrupt and impure especially when subject to the Papall yoke Yet in those saddest times of corruption and persecution God had his Church and Ministery in England who witnessed to the Truth and appeared for a Reformation of such corruptions abuses in the Church though many of these by the power of a prevaling faction in suffered for such zeal and love to the Church the Truth I say the Church in England under the greatest Corruption was never without some Witnesses some Names which suppose they were but a few in comparison of the greater part that corrupted themselves and were made drunk with the wine of fornication spoken of Rev. 14.8 Yet will not God disown that to be a Church when these though but few names be found God own'd them to be a Church in * Rev. 3.1 * verse 4. Sardis and yet tells them they had but a few names which had not defiled their garments And though the Church in England might be reproved of corruption in Doctrine yet this did not unChurch her no more than it did the Church of Pergamus which God owned to be a Church though they held the Doctrine of Baalam Rev. 2.14 Though the Church in England might be justly reproved of corruption in manners and discipline yet this did not un-Church her no more than it did the Corinthians whom St. Paul calleth a Church of God though in the same Epistle he reproveth them both for their corruption in manners and discipline 1 Cor. 11.21 Though in the Church of England by the power of a prevalent factious party cha 3.1 2 3 chap. 5. many of the precious Saints of God were put to death yet this doth no more un-Church her than the same sin did the people of the Jews whom God al along own'd as his Church though a prevalent wicked factious party among them killed the * Mat. 23.37 Prophets and stoned the Messengers of the Lord that were sent unto them The Church in England since its first Institution unto this day cannot be justly charged to have made shipwrack of the faith of Jesus Christ by disowning or erring in any thing fundamentall to that Faith or necessary to the esse or being of a Church Therefore the Church in England continues to be a Church of God still As for her many and grievous corruptions both in Doctrine discipline and manners they are sadly to be bewailed and diligently to be reformed These blemish and disbeautify a Church and justly provoke God against it These are inconsistent as to the well being but not to the being of a Church And though the Church in England did joyne with and own the Church of Rome whilst the said Church held the fundamentals of Christian Religion and was sound in matters of Faith yet when the said Church of Rome did begin to faulter there to deny fundamental verities and make shipwrack of the faith which she hath done since the Councell of Trent at that very time did the Church in England refuse her the right hand of fellowship disown and separate from her and so continues unto this day After this manner also did the reformed Churches in Germany Suevia Denmark France separate themselves from that faction of Rome and likewise so continue at this day They that deny the Ministery and Churches in England to be a true Ministry and true Churches must of necessity also assert defend and affirm these to me most horrid and desperate Conclusions First Conc. 1 That the reformed Churches beyond the Seas are no true Churches but false and Antichristian Churches and Ministery The Reason is because the Church in England and these Reformed Churches reach out the right hand of fellowship to each other have the same Baptism the same Ordinances the same Ordination the same Discipline as to the substance of it Therefore if the one be false and Antichristian the other cannot be a true and Christian Church or Churches Secondly Conc. 2 That Luther Calvin and all those famous Lights and happy Reformers of the Churches beyond the Seas were false and Antichristian Ministers Thirdly Conc. 3 That Cranmer Ridley Latimer Tayler and many more who laboured much the Reformation of the Church in England from Romish superstition and were famous instruments as to that work and afterward sealed unto the truth with their blood and are now Triumphing in heaven that all these were limbs of Antichrist and no Ministers of Jesus Christ Fourthly Conc. 4 That there hath been no true Church nor Ministery of Jesus Christ for many hundreds of years upon earth For if neither in England nor beyond the Seas where then hath it been Now if Satan did so prevail against the Church as utterly to raze the very foundation of it how will this consist with that word of our Saviours * Mat. 16.18 Vpon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it If there hath ever ceased to be a true Ministery upon earth how will this again consist with that promise of our Lords * Mat. 28.2 Loe I will be with you unto the end of the world Fifthly Conc. 5 That there hath been no true conversion of Soules unto God for these many hundreds of years in England but that all have continued dead in sins and trespasses Children of wrath without Christ aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world This was the condition of the Ephesians whilst they were no Church Ephes 2. nor had a Gospel-Ministery amongst them And this hath been for many hundreds of years and still is the sad condition of England if without a Church and true Ministers of Jesus I cannot see how that ture conversion should be wrought by a false and Antichri-christian Ministery * Jer. 23.32 I sent them not nor commanded them there fore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord. Therefore by what Ministery a people profit are converted from sin and Satan to serve the Lord and fear