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
A73049	Englands pvrginge fire Conteyninge two petitions, the one to the Kinges most excellent Majesty, the other to the High Courte of Parliament held at this tyme in England. Shewinge in diverse perticulers, how the Church in England might be ordered, yet more conformably to the Will of God reveiled in his worde then at this day it is. Herewithall is declared, the evell and lamentable effects of our vnable and negligent ministers: and the happy fruict of our learned and painefull pastors. A worke most needefull for theise tymes, as servinge to turne away the wrath and iudgements of God from this lande, through the removinge, (accordinge to the advertisements herein given) such disorders and evells, as for which the wrath of God may be, and is, kindled against this Land, and the church therein.	Proctor, Thomas, fl. 1621.	1621 (1621)	STC 20408.5; ESTC S124597	53,590	98

ignorance_n and_o indeed_o we_o fyndinge_v in_o scripture_n that_o deacon_n remain_v deacon_n be_v preacher_n act_n 6_o 8_o and_z 8_o 5_o we_o may_v well_o say_v that_o deacon_n as_o deacon_n have_v right_a to_o preach_v but_o here_o we_o find_v governor_n who_o be_v not_o to_o be_v teacher_n therefore_o these_o can_v claim_v the_o privilege_n of_o clergy_n as_o may_v deacon_n i_o conclude_v therefore_o that_o see_v god_n clergy_n be_v as_o his_o lot_n to_o be_v maintain_v at_o the_o charge_n of_o his_o people_n and_o see_v the_o apostle_n claim_v this_o for_o preachinge_a the_o word_n therefore_o these_o governor_n not_o be_v to_o be_v teacher_n have_v no_o right_a to_o be_v of_o the_o clergy_n but_o be_v to_o be_v lay_v elder_n again_o some_o may_v say_v but_o must_v such_o be_v in_o every_o parish_n church_n i_o answer_v yes_o for_o act_n 14_o 23._o we_o read_v thus_o and_o when_o they_o have_v ordain_v they_o elder_n by_o election_n in_o every_o church_n they_o commend_v they_o to_o the_o lord_n in_o who_o they_o believe_v if_o then_o in_o every_o church_n there_o be_v ordain_v a_o plurality_n of_o elder_n safe_a it_n be_v to_o have_v many_o elder_n in_o every_o church_n moreover_o seinge_v here_o it_o be_v say_v that_o elder_n implyinge_v many_o be_v ordain_v in_o every_o church_n and_o see_v we_o have_v before_o prove_v that_o in_o those_o time_n there_o be_v in_o the_o church_n elder_n who_o only_o rule_v and_o teach_v not_o and_o see_v it_o be_v not_o likely_a that_o the_o apostle_n will_v so_o soon_o charge_v every_o church_n with_o many_o clergy_n therefore_o most_o likely_a it_o be_v that_o these_o elder_n be_v many_o be_v part_n clergy_n for_o rulinge_v and_o teachinge_a part_n lay_v elder_n serve_v so_o rule_v only_o and_o indeed_o see_v the_o apostle_n commend_v the_o church_n to_o the_o lord_n it_o argue_v that_o he_o have_v furnish_v they_o with_o such_o elder_n as_o in_o those_o time_n be_v ordain_v by_o god_n to_o be_v in_o the_o church_n but_o i_o have_v before_o prove_v that_o god_n ordain_v governor_n who_o be_v not_o teacher_n aswell_o as_o teacher_n who_o also_o govern_v therefore_o we_o may_v not_o think_v that_o the_o apostle_n leave_v these_o church_n defective_a in_o either_o of_o these_o furthermore_o see_v every_o congregation_n be_v necessary_o to_o have_v a_o teach_v elder_a for_o shall_v a_o flock_n be_v without_o a_o shephearde_n every_o congregation_n be_v likewise_o to_o have_v such_o ecclesiastical_a officer_n as_o be_v under_o teacher_n for_o though_o every_o congregation_n be_v not_o to_o have_v those_o office_n above_o teacher_n and_o which_o be_v set_v over_o teacher_n such_o as_o be_v bishop_n and_o arch-bishop_n yet_o such_o office_n as_o be_v under_o teacher_n every_o congregation_n be_v necessary_o to_o have_v to_o conclude_v seinge_v a_o parish_n church_n can_v be_v deny_v to_o be_v a_o church_n therefore_o necessary_o it_o ought_v to_o have_v in_o it_o as_o elder_n to_o teach_v so_o elder_n to_o rule_v only_o for_o the_o defect_n in_o either_o of_o these_o will_v sure_o produce_v a_o defect_n in_o the_o governinge_v of_o the_o same_o for_o this_o cause_n we_o may_v not_o content_v our_o selus_fw-la with_o our_o civil_a lawyer_n only_o seinge_v they_o be_v not_o in_o every_o church_n but_o only_o in_o the_o whole_a church_n of_o a_o bishopdome_n and_o in_o the_o bishop_n court_n only_o neither_o may_v we_o take_v our_o church_n warden_n and_o side_n man_n for_o these_o governor_n seinge_v they_o have_v not_o power_n of_o judgement_n and_o punishment_n whereas_o government_n be_v lame_a of_o one_o hand_n if_o it_o have_v not_o this_o power_n sure_o therefore_o accord_v to_o god_n ordinance_n every_o church_n which_o have_v any_o elder_n in_o it_o be_v to_o have_v a_o government_n by_o elder_n but_o governinge_v imply_v power_n of_o judginge_v and_o punishinge_v therefore_o every_o church_n be_v to_o have_v this_o power_n in_o it_o as_o it_o will_v not_o be_v defective_a in_o its_o government_n very_o if_o we_o look_v upon_o our_o people_n in_o england_n observinge_v their_o life_n and_o conversation_n in_o every_o parish_n we_o may_v well_o say_v that_o here_o want_v the_o government_n in_o overy_n parrish_n which_o here_o we_o see_v the_o lord_n ordain_v for_o our_o people_n for_o the_o most_o part_n contentinge_v themselves_o to_o come_v to_o church_n only_o and_o satisfy_v the_o law_n by_o hear_v divine_a service_n and_o the_o word_n preach_v never_o make_v conscience_n of_o live_v also_o thereafter_o and_o this_o for_o want_n of_o feel_n near_o they_o the_o power_n of_o this_o parishional_a government_n for_o while_o at_o home_n in_o their_o parish_n they_o may_v use_v unchristian_a liberty_n in_o their_o action_n and_o talk_v so_o long_o as_o they_o keep_v themselves_o from_o so_o offendinge_v as_o that_o the_o law_n take_v hold_v of_o they_o our_o people_n be_v marvelous_a careless_a of_o observinge_v in_o their_o speech_n the_o holy_a restreinte_v of_o the_o gospel_n but_o if_o they_o see_v near_o they_o in_o their_o own_o parish_n a_o teacher_n and_o a_o deacon_n for_o clergy_n and_o some_o of_o their_o neighbour_n of_o the_o laiety_n have_v power_n to_o call_v the_o disorderly_a to_o accoumpte_n and_o to_o punish_v they_o who_o live_v not_o as_o the_o gospel_n require_v then_o what_o with_o the_o neereness_n of_o the_o observinge_v eye_n of_o these_o governor_n and_o what_o with_o the_o sense_n of_o their_o power_n to_o judge_n &_o punish_v they_o if_o they_o observe_v not_o the_o gospel_n in_o their_o life_n and_o conversation_n a_o holy_a awe_n will_v fall_v upon_o god_n people_n in_o every_o parish_n causinge_v a_o abstayninge_v from_o unseemly_a act_n and_o conversation_n and_o this_o much_o the_o rather_o because_o these_o governors_n dwellinge_a here_n and_o there_o among_o they_o they_o be_v near_o in_o every_o quarter_n of_o the_o parish_n to_o have_v knowledge_n of_o such_o as_o make_v no_o conscience_n to_o live_v and_o converse_v as_o beseem_v christian_n therefore_o aswell_o for_o the_o utility_n to_o god_n people_n which_o will_v arise_v by_o the_o have_v in_o every_o parish_n diverse_a of_o the_o ancient_n godly_a and_o honest_a of_o the_o laiety_n to_o govern_v in_o the_o parish_n as_o for_o this_o evidence_n from_o scripture_n that_o such_o be_v ordain_v in_o every_o church_n we_o shall_v be_v move_v to_o receive_v willinge_o the_o ordain_v of_o such_o in_o every_o parish_n church_n if_o it_o be_v object_v that_o here_o every_o city_n not_o every_o church_n be_v mean_v than_o i_o answer_v that_o in_o those_o time_n it_o be_v likely_a that_o some_o city_n have_v but_o one_o congregation_n and_o be_v so_o then_o to_o say_v of_o they_o every_o city_n or_o every_o church_n be_v to_o one_o effect_n neither_o true_o be_v it_o likely_a that_o so_o soon_o every_o city_n afford_v many_o church_n moreover_o seinge_v it_o be_v church_n not_o city_n that_o be_v to_o be_v thus_o order_v we_o be_v rather_o to_o understande_v every_o church_n than_o every_o city_n for_o these_o reason_n i_o conclude_v that_o it_o be_v safe_a and_o most_o profitable_a that_o every_o parrish-church_n have_v ordain_v in_o it_o lay_v elder_n to_o govern_v only_o aswell_o as_o clergy_n elder_n who_o both_o be_v to_o teach_v and_o govern_v if_o it_o be_v say_v that_o every_o parrish-church_n have_v clergy_n elder_n as_o a_o teacher_n or_o pastor_n and_o a_o deacon_n than_o thus_o scripture_n make_v nothing_o for_o lay_v elder_n then_o to_o this_o i_o answer_v that_o seinge_v there_o be_v evidence_n that_o in_o those_o time_n there_o be_v elder_n which_o rule_v and_o teach_v and_o elder_n which_o rule_v only_o and_o teach_v not_o therefore_o fit_a it_o be_v that_o here_o we_o understande_v not_o a_o plurality_n of_o clergy_n elder_n only_o but_o rather_o part_n clergy_n part_n laiety_n again_o some_o may_v say_v how_o many_o must_v they_o be_v in_o number_n i_o answer_v seinge_v we_o read_v of_o elder_n ordain_v without_o read_n also_o any_o set_a number_n therefore_o the_o church_n be_v not_o bind_v to_o observe_v any_o set_n or_o certain_a number_n as_o the_o parish_n therefore_o be_v more_o or_o less_o in_o circuit_n of_o ground_n or_o quantety_n of_o people_n so_o these_o governor_n may_v be_v more_o or_o sewer_a for_o where_o a_o parish_n be_v narrow_a of_o bound_n though_o it_o conteyn_v much_o people_n yet_o three_o or_o four_o of_o these_o governor_n may_v serve_v seinge_v they_o be_v near_o in_o neighbourhood_n to_o every_o one_o of_o the_o parish_n whereas_o where_o the_o parish_n be_v large_a of_o circuit_n there_o it_o be_v needful_a that_o they_o be_v seven_o or_o eight_o to_o the_o end_n that_o their_o dwellinge_a may_v be_v here_o and_o there_o to_o be_v near_o to_o those_o of_o the_o parish_n in_o every_o quarter_n