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
A39885	God's goodness to this Israel in all ages being the substance of some sermons on Psalm LXXIII, I/ by J.F., minister of the gospel.	J. F. (James Forbs), 1629?-1712.	1700 (1700)	Wing F1443; ESTC R32028	51,365	93

not too mean an Employment for them to bring this Message to the Shepherds Luk. 2.8 9 10. Fear not for behold I bring you good tydings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord verse 13.14 And suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace good will towards men And that good old Man Simeon verse 28 29. When he had seen the Child Jesus he took him up in is Arms and blessed God saying Now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of they people Israel Christ himself being come they might now know that God was a great Lover of Mankind now they had an ample proof of his faithfulness in making good what he had long before promised Now they might be sure that Shadows would flee away the Substance being come Now they might be assured of the downfal of the Devil's Kingdom witness the silencing the Oracles of Jupiter Apollo and Hecate as also the locking up the Temple of Janus 3. God's goodness to the primitive Church was in furnishing them with Pastors according to his own Heart the greatness of which Mercy may appear from the Consideration of these Circumstances 1. The number of primitive Church-Officers was perfect and compleat for species and kind there was none wanting which her Condition did then call for Of extraordinary Officers there were Twelve Apostles Acts 1.1 Seventy Evangelists particular Churches had their ordinary Officers to wit Bishops i. e. Pastors and Teachers to whom the Administration of Ordinances and Oversight of the Flock was committed Presbyters or Elders who were to look to the Peoples Manners and Government of the Church 1 Tim. 5. And Deacons who were to take care of the Poor Acts 6. begin 2. There was then a parity and equality of all Officers in their kinds Amongst the Apostles none claimed a Superiority over the rest Peter's Supremacy was then unknown as the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were given to him Matth. 16.19 so also to the rest Joh. 20.23 The very affectation of pre-eminence was in those days distastful to Christ Matth. 18.1 2 3 4. and 20.25 26 Jesus called them unto him and said Ye know that the Princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be you Servant even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister And as it was distastful to Christ so also to themselves Matth. 20.21 22 23 24. When the ten heard what the Mother of Zebedee's Children had asked for her two Sons they were moved with indignation against them And as one Apostle was not over the rest of the Apostles so there was a parity between Bishops and Presbyters i. e. ordinary Preaching and Ruling Officers or Elders they were not two distinct Offices nor Officers as may appear from Act. 20.17 with 28. whom he had called Presbyters v. 17. he calls Bishops v. 28. 2. From Philip. 1.1 he directs the Epistle to the Bishops and Deacons Philippi being but a City it cannot be imagin'd that there were Metropolitan of Diocesan Bishops in the plural number in it therefore the Bishops there spoken of were only ordinary Church Officers This is the observation of Chrysostome on the Text. 3. From Tit. 1.5 with 7. For this cause left I thee in Crete to ordain Presbyters for a Bishop must be blameless This for must either be a reason of what is in the preceding verse or it signifies nothing the qualifications required in both are the same therefore they are not distinct Officers 4. From 1 Pet. 5.1 2. The Apostle exhorts the Presbyters to watch over their Flocks v. 5. taking the oversight of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishoping it over them The Work of both is the same and therefore the Office is the same 5. From Ephes 4.11 12. where all sorts of Officers both extraordinary and ordinary are reckon'd and if Lord Prelates be neither Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors nor Techers They are none of Christ's Creatures but of Humane Institution 6. From 1 Tim. 3.1 to v. 8 begin where the Apostle gives Rules for the Examination and Ordination of a Bishop and then immediately he passes to the Office of a Deacon without so much as mentioning any thing of a Presbyter as taking it for granted that Bishop and Presbyter were one and the same the Rules for Examination and Ordination of both are the same And thus you see God was good to the Primitive Church in giving her such Officers as did neither Lord it over one another nor over the Lord's Heritage A Third circumstance of this Mercy was the extent of the Apostolical Commission Matth. 28. Go Preach the Gospel to all the World whereas formerly it was confin'd within the compass of the Land of Judea such is the goodness of God to the Sons of Men now that he is not willing any should perish but all should come to the knowledge of the Truth See Act. 10.28 34 35. Mark 16.15 Luke 24.47 Act. 1.8 and 20.21 Rom. 1.4 5. 4. He did furnish the Apostles with variety of eminent Gifts and Graces suitable to their Work they had such a Gift of Preaching that they needed not Read or Study but they spake by immediate Inspiration from the Holy Ghost Gal. 1.11 12. Eph. 3.3 At one of their Sermons three Thousand were Converted Act. 2.41 At another five Thousand Act. 4.4 They had a Spirit of Prayer they needed not a Book to read a Prayer by a set form They had the Gist of working Miracles Matth. 10.8 By laying on of hands they could confer the gift of the Holy Ghost upon others Act. 8.17 and 10.44 and 19.6 In matters of Faith that concerned the Salvation of Sinners and the Church's Edification they were acted by a Spirit of infallibility Joh. 16.13 They could inflict corporal Punishments upon notorious Hypocrites and Blasphemers Act. 5.9 10. and 13.11 2 Cor. 10.6 They were endued with a prophetical Spirit whereby they could foretel things to come Rom. 11.5 26. 2 Thess 2.2 1 Tim. 4.1 2 Tim. 3.1 Joh. 16.13 The whole Book of the Revelation is prophetical 4. Consider the Church it self and God's goodness was great to them in these respects 1. Of Ordinances 2. Order and Government 3. Of the Purity and Simplicity of the Truth in those days 4. Of their Gifts 5. Their Graces 6. Perseverance 7. Sufferings 1st They had no Ordinances but what were of Divine Institution these also were divinely Administred and a glorious Presence of God was that that did highly beautifie all their Administrations Act. 4.31