Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	apostle_n	church_n	elder_n	5,779	5	10.2377	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09320	The seaven golden candlestickes Englands honour. The great mysterie of Gods mercie yet to come. With peace to the pure in heart aduising to vnitie among our selues. By Richard Bernard, minister at Batcombe in Somersetshire.	Bernard, Richard, 1568-1641.	1621 (1621)	STC 1963; ESTC S113795	38,453	126

Church deliuered from Sathans Seedes-men from his Assemblies from his Throne and from the Iesabel of Rome and the Depths of Sathan therein and doe shew the threefold estate of the Church come out of Babylon as in Sardis a weake reformation in Philadelphia an excellent dignitie of the Church and then afterwards the Laodicean condition Who so marketh these how can he deeme otherwise of these Churches then of the Types of Christs Church 5. Wee may bee mooued further so to thinke from the situation of these Cities and from the order which the Prophet obserueth in writing vnto them from Ephesus Northward to Smyrna yet more North to Pergamus from this to Thyatira Eastward and so more and more to Philadelphia and then bendeth Southward to Laodicea Which situation pointeth vs out the declining of the Church to darknesse and then a recouering by little and little light againe bending East Southeast from the North. The Church came from Iudea out of the East it went a little Southward but far West then into these Northerne parts and so Northeast and shall circle about till it come to be a Church againe in Iudea at the Conuersion of the Iewes when the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in 6. And lastly the answerablenesse of the Type and Antitype will fully giue satisfaction in this point which that it may appeare I will will here parallell them together THE FIRST GOLDEN CANDLESTICK THE FIRST CHVRCH In the Type In the Antitype The Church of Ephesus The Primitiue Church and Ephesine State 1. THis is the first as it were chiefe of the other set in the first place 1. THis is the first Church and therefore called the Primitiue Church hauing place and prerogatiue aboue the rest 2. This was plāted by Saint Paul the Apostle Acts 19. and 20. and gathered of Christian Beleeuers frō amonge notorious Heathen Idolaters and wicked men Acts 19. 28. Eph. 2. 12. and here Timothy was placed to order all things for Doctrine and Discipline 1. Tim. 1. 3. 2. This was planted by the Apostles and gathered of Iewes and Heathen Idolaters Gentiles they being commanded by Christ to goe into all the World to preach the Gospell and when they had planted Churches they did appoint Timothyes that is Bishops and Elders for Doctrine Discipline for wel ordering of the Churches Mat. 28. Acts 2. 3. 8. 10. 11. c. Acts 14. 23. 3. This was planted with much affliction to the Apostle and Brethren 1. Cor. 15. 32. and there were many Aduersaries 1. Cor. 16. 9. 3. This was planted with great and manifolde persecutions The Apostles were martyred and the Christian Pastors and people put to death euerywhere for the Gospell of Christ had a World of Aduersaries during the Reigne of the Heathen Emperours of Rome Acts 7. 23. Euseb l. 2 c. 25. l. 3 c. 15. 29. l. 4. c. 15. Oros l. c. 7. 10. Niceph. l. 2. 4. This hath Christ set out vnto it as hauing seuen starres in his right hand and walking in the midst of the seuen golden Candlestickes 4. This had Christ protecting his faithfull Pastors with the power of his right hand and shewed himselfe in it in an extraordinary manner by his holy Spirit effectually working by his Word and making it renowned by Miracles and Wonders Acts 2. 3. 5. 8. 17. 14. 10. Rom. 15. 19. Iornand de temp Success l. 1. in Reg Rom. serie Theod l. 1. 7. Sleid. de 4. Imp. l. 2. Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 8. c. 15. 5. The Angell of this Church was 5. The Angels of this Church first the Apostles then the Apostolicall at the beginning and so continued for a space full of vertue very laborious patiently suffering and fainted not men and others after them which were aduanced to authoritie not by money but by good report were full of vertue painfull Preachers and many made Expositions Commentaries vpon the Scriptures and others published Apologies and their defence of Christian Religion and patiently suffered for the Truth as did Pollycarpus Iust Martyr Germanicus and infinite others Tertull. Apolog. c. 39. Iust Apol. 2. Trithemius de Scriptor Ecclis Quadratus Aristides Iust. Martyr Melito Bishop of Sardis and others Euseb l. 3. c. 32. l. 4. 8. 3. 6. This Church was troubled with false Apostles and wicked Nicholaitans but the Angell was zealous could not beare with them but vsed boldly his authoritie and shewed 6. So the Primitiue Church was troubled with many false Apostles Heretikes and wicked liuers and Antichrists but the Angels were then zealous and could not beare with them but 1. They fled their familiaritie as Iohn did out of the Bath from Cerinthus Titus 3. his hatred against their wicked nesse 2. They communicated not in words as Irenaeus saith cited by Euseb so zealous they were as Polycarpus his answere to Marcion sheweth 3. Some wept and lamented that they had receiued Baptisme of Heretickes 4. Some confuted them as Agrippa Castor did Basilides and Iust Martyr did Marcion 5. They kept the wicked from the Sacraments from Prayer and beeing found obstinate cutthem off from the body of the Church as they had learned by Apostolicall precept and practise 1. Cor. 5. 1. Tim. 1. 20. 2. Cor. 11. 12. Euseb l. 4. Aug. l. de heres Epiph. de heres Iren. l. 1. 3. Euseb l. 4. 14. 2. Iohn ver 7. 1. Iohn 2. 18. 22. 4. 3. Euseb l. 7. c. 8. Euseb l. 4. c. 7. Trithem de Scriptor Ecclis Iust Mart. Apol. l. 2. Tertul. Apologet. c. 2. Origen on Matth. tract 35. 7. hom on Ios Socrat. l. 1. c. 17. Cyprian Epist ad Cler. Rom. 7. This Angel towardes the end forsooke his first Loue so as this Church did languish and grow remisse in Religious duties and therefore euils could not but grow vp therein 7. So this glorious Church lost of herloue and zeale her Angels became more remisse in their duties neglecting Discipline and saith Euseb through much ease libertie securitie they degenerated from the true rule of Pietie Bishops against Bishops people one against another yea hypocrisie and malice so raged saith he that persecution beeing begunne on others they had no sense nor feeling thereof Cyprian Epist l. 4 Ambrose on 1. Tim. 1. Euseb l. 8. c. 1. Fox Acts Monuments p. 69. 8. This is threatned for the decay of loue to haue the Candlestick remoued out of his place 8. So this Church for the decay of loue and increase of euill felt so the LORDS wrath as if indeed the LORD had purposed to haue had his Church no more vpon Earth For hee sendeth vpon them that raging Tyrant Dioclesian with his companion Maximinianus to murther thousands to burne the Scriptures and to raze downe   Churches from the very foundations of them Eusebius lib. 8 cap. 2. 3. Though the Lord doth here threaten yet hee promiseth a reward of happinesse He then that hath an

ment of the Conuersion of that people and of their happy condition vnder Christ seeing the Prophets foretell it the Apostle prooueth it and Christ himselfe beareth witnesse herevnto Luke 2. 32. 34. OLde Father Simeon in his praysing God telleth how Christ was prepared to bee saluation before the face of all people in Verse 30. 31. then this generall speech of all people hee diuides into two heads first to bee a light to lighten the Gentiles and then to be the glorie of his people Israel In thus placing one before the other hee fore-shewed how Christ should shine as light to the Gentiles whose eyes should bee opened by his spirit to take him for their Sauiour and then the fulnesse of them being come in hee should bee a glory to Israel make them renowned glorious Which glory as yet they haue not attayned vnto for hitherto hee hath bin to them a stumbling block a stone of offence and not glory And it is further obseruable that this holy man telleth the blessed Virgin that Christ shall bee set for the fall that is the reiection of that Nation as it is taken in Rom. 11. 15. and rising againe that is the receiuing to grace of many in Israel The fall we see the rising of them againe wee must see in time for God is true in the one as well as in the other Acts 1. 6. HEre the Apostles vpon the very day of Christs Ascension asked our Sauiour whither hee would then restore the Kingdome of Israel They did exspect an outward restoring of state and glory to their Nation Our Sauiour doth not finde fault with the opinion as an error neyther denyeth hee the thing but implyeth rather that such a thing should be only the times and seasons saith hee was not for them to know which his Father had put in his owne power 2. Cor. 3. 16. THe Apostle as he taught the Romanes so heere hee speaketh of their miserable estate blindnesse of mind and how as yet the vaile was ouer their heart thus he speakes of the Nation and whole people of the Iewes whom he calleth the Children of Israel of the blindnesse of their minde and of the vaile ouer their heart his wordes are to bee vnderstood And hauing thus spoken of their miserable condition he turneth his speech to the hope of their Conuersion and saith Neuerthelesse when it shall turne to the Lord that is that Nation or the heart of that people the veile shall be taken away This shewes that the Apostle did looke for their Conuersion though hee could not set downe the time which is as Christ said kept secret with the Father Acts 1. 6. Being by these Scriptures and former Reasons perswaded of the Conuersion of these Ancient people of God so much for the honour of Christ and our good let vs vse such meanes as may further the same euen also in compassion to their poore soules and our mutuall solace together Meanes to be vsed for their Conuersion First To pray with all earnest affection of spirit that God would in his mercy take away the veile that lyeth ouer their hearts to open their eyes to behold and see with vs their true Messiah and Dauid their King our Lord Iesus Christ that so their might bee one Shepheard and one Sheepfold euen so Amen Secondly To send able instruments among them to reason with them to write vnto them that so if it were possible wee might saue their soules some of them in our time at the least as the Apostle endeuoured in his time as we haue heard Rom. 11. 14. Thirdly To labour to remoue the mayne let which hindereth chiefly their Conuersion that Beast false Prophet that Romane Antichrist with his vsurped Dominion For the Iewes detest Idolatry and are very cunning in the Law and Prophets where they see it forbidden and spoken against and knew that their Fore-fathers were grieuously punished for it and therefore they cannot imagine that such Christians can bee Gods people that liue in such grosse Idolatry which is a continuall stumbling block before their eyes to keepe them from Christ Let vs therefore seeke the ouerthrow of that Romish Religion as for our owne soules safetie the peace of Christendome so also for the blessed Conuersion of this miserable people who can neuer bee regayned to the Truth and brought to the profession of Christ till Papistry be destroyed Fourthly Let vs frame our liues aright to all holinesse and righteousnesse that so they may see our good workes and glorifie God in the day of Visitation which shall not onely prouoke them but shall redound to the amplification and improuement of our owne both temporall and eternall happinesse which the Lord grant so bee it Amen PEACE TO THE PVRE IN HEART OR Good aduice to walke wisely to preserue VNITIE among our selues that our vnited Forces may be stronger against the common Enemie REceiue wholsome instruction thou that readest If thou bee desirous to walke in a straite way yet let it not be framed after thine own wil but look it be the right way chalked out by Gods Word The Golden Meane is a sweet measure when a man will bee neither foolishly superstitious nor lewdly presumptuous the two rockes of offence the one on the right hand the other on the left menacing destruction It is good to walke with an euen foot and it is grace to endeuour to be what wee ought to bee though wee cannot attaine to bee what wee should be Bee no Atheisticall Securitan acknowledge God in all thy wayes nor yet a Wil-worshipper mans corrupt will is at oddes with God if it prescribe any thing in Religion as matter of worship the same turneth to wickednesse Be no fantasticall Anabaptist the true Spirit informeth the minde out of the Word nor an Arminian the new coyned Opinionist nor a Palagian an olde Hereticall Dogmatist No blasphemous Arian nor Lullianisticall Rosacrucian Be no Schismaticall Brownist nor the fond and foolish Allegorizing Familist nor any new Nouelist to arrogate any thing to thy selfe aboue others to be an author of new Deuices thereby to draw Diciples after thee Beware of Heresie and Schisme hate also hypocrisie and prophanenesse Heresie razeth the foundation Schisme cuts off Communion Hypocrisie is a painted shew without substance neuer affording inward comfort and prophanenesse stayneth the glory of Christian profession Bee no Pseudo-catholike doting vpon the deedes and doings of that man of sinne Allow antiquity but bee not deceiued with the pretence thereof The old way is the good way when it can be shewed by the Word Traditions of men besides the Truth often make Traytours to God Custome not against conscience is good but it may not bee a Law to any in an ill path Examples of men worthy imitation are not to be neglected but their Errours and crooked treadings are not to bee opposed to diuine Precepts God must in matters of Religion beare sway man is only to further