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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	administration_n	prayer_n	sacrament_n	2,563	5	7.2488	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10399	Tvventy nine lectures of the Church very necessary for the consolation and support of Gods Church, especially in these times: wherein is handled, first, in generall concerning first, the name; secondly, the titles; thirdly, the nature, fourthly, the diuision of the true Church: secondly, of the visible Church ... and lastly, the application of it to all Churches in the world so farre as they are knowne to vs. By that learned and faithfull preacher, Master Iohn Randall, Batchelor of Diuinity, pastor of Saint Andrewes Hubbart in little Eastcheape, London, and sometimes fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford. Published by the coppie perfected and giuen by the author in his life time; carefully preserued and adorned with notes in the margent, by the late faithfull minister of Christ, Master William Holbrooke.	Randall, John, 1570-1622.; Holbrooke, William.	1631 (1631)	STC 20683; ESTC S115641	423,199	550

Secondly I answer that it was so at the first too Luther and others first spreading the Gospell First some of our owne loued beleeued and embraced it by their preaching and then they perswaded others And I know not how our English at Amsterdam can shew any better calling to their Church But they except and say that in England our Church was gathered by proclamation and by the sound of a Trumpet as in Queene Elizabeths dayes so was done by compulsion and was not voluntary I Answer first some did come voluntarily and gladly and therfore at least for them it was a true constitution Secondly the compulsion that was vsed was onely to the outward meanes not to the faith and that is very ●ustifiable Iosiah compelled ill that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God 2 Chron. 34.33 But they say that was at the restoring not at the planting of a Church I Answer I see no Reason but that it is as lawfull in the one as in the other and therefore if it destroy not the true restoring why should it destroy the true planting But we say Queene Elizabeths Act was a restoring too for I hope wee had a true Church here in Queene Maries time though vnder persecution And I am sure then there was no compulsion to ou● religion nor such Gouernment Seruice ministry or people amongst the Protestants as they now except against and therfore it was a restoring Put case the Separatists haue any children or seruants that are negligent cold and backward in frequenting holy Assemblies or performing religious Duties publique or priuate and vpon admontion they will not reforme what will they doe in this case Will they vtterly cast them off or rather will they not punish them and thereby compell them to the outward meanes and to obedience thereunto wherein if God doe blesse their labours so that through his mercy such children or Seruants doe afterwards labour in the meanes soundly and conscionably shall this bee nought because they were brought thereto by compulsion No surely It is great comfort to the compellers that they tooke that course and it is great comfort to the compelled that they were so dealt withall So the compulsion vsed in restoring the Church in Queene Elizabeths time was lawfull and good against all their clamours and exceptions Secondly they except against the Government of our Church and say that wee haue a false gouernment and therefore a false Church But the consequence is false for then it must follow that a true Gouernment makes a true Church which is not true The Antecedent is false too If they had said it makes a faulty Church they had said true But that it makes a false Anti-Christian Church and I know not what it is a meere slander But say they your officers bee Anti-christian I answer the cheifest officers and those that be most spurnd at are the Bishops And they were before Anti-Christ Thirdly they except against our Seruice of God they say wee haue a false Seruice of God and therefore a false Church I Answer if they meane onely some part of our Seruice as they haue no colour so to traduce it all then the Consequence is false but if they meane all then the Antecedent is notoriously vntrue No part of our Seruice of God can be proued false it being performed of those that are truely religious amongst vs in truth and vnderstanding and affection They except first say they it is carnall I answer happly in some those that haue carnall mindes it is so but it is neither so in it selfe nor so in the conscionable performers thereof The Lord being one God an eternall infinite Spirit our hearts and spirits are lifted vp to beleeue in him to goe to him to cry and call vpon him in his Sonne Secondly they say It is Idolatrous your Seruice booke being your Idoll say they I answer that is no Idoll nor our Seruice thereby Idolatry Thirdly they say we haue a will worship inuented by man I answer wee worship not God by any inuentions of our owne or other mens as parts of his worship but onely as outward Carriages thereof And these also are such as our Church is perswaded are agreeable to these generall Rules of Decency and Order which God hath prescribed in his Word Fourthly they except against our stinted Prayers I answer them hath not the Church alwayes vsed stinted Prayers looke into these Scriptures and yee shall finde it so Numb 6.23 there was a stinted prayer appointed to Aaron and his Sons to blesse the Children of Israel withall Thus shall you blesse the Lord blesse thee and keepe thee c Deut. 26.3 to the 15. there is a forme of Confession and Prayer set downe which the people were to vse when they brought the first fruites 1 Chron. 16.7 to the 36. there is a Psalme which Dauid did appoint to giue thankes vnto the Lord by the hand of Asaph his Brethren Praise the Lord and call vpon his Name c And Psal 92. is intituled a Psalme for the Sabboth appointed to bee sung that day And our Sauiour Christ himselfe appoints a stinted Prayer Luk. 11.2 when ye pray say Our Father c And likewise himselfe vseth a stinted Prayer Matth. 26.44 and hee prayed the third time saying the same words And therefore stinted Prayer in it selfe is no sinne If they reply that they were so directed by the holy Ghost yet that is no let to vs for their conceiued prayers were also directly from the holy Ghost after a speciall manner yet that is no reason but that we may vse conceiued prayers though they be not so specially from the Spirit as theirs And yet we are not so confined to those set prayers but that we may and do in euery particular congregation before and after preaching inlarge adde alter and supply as occasion requires and that as freely zealously and spiritually as any may doe in other Churches yea but say they your Seruice was all taken out of the Portesse or Masse booke contrary to Gods Commandement Leuit. 18.2.3 Deut. 12.30 c I answer it is well knowne that the Church of Rome hath been a true and sound Church and it is knowne that in that time there was some forme of publike prayer and administration of the Sacraments in vse amongst them And as that Church fell by little and little from her integrity so that forme by little and little was corrupted Now the Church being to be reformed 〈…〉 was to bee reformed too and so it was that which was idolatrous and superstitious was cast out and that which was profitable was retayned partly for peace sake that the better sort might still bee held within the Communion of the Church but specially because it was of good vse euen before Popery so that we take nothing from them but what may in a charitable construction be well endured That which is most questioned is the crosse in Baptisme which we

God makes a couenant with Abraham there is the Word and in the 10. vers there is the Sacrament Circumcision and in the 23. verse there is Abrahams obedience He circumcised Ismael and all the males in his house So likewise when God sent to gather his people out of Egypt first hee deliuers them his Word by Moses Exo. 3.15 and 6.6 and he giues them the Sacrament of the Passeouer Exo. 12.3 and in the eight and twenty verse of that Chapter there is the peoples obedience The Children of Israel went and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron euen so did they And what was the Law and Sacrifices in the former Testament but euen as the Word and Sacraments are in the new Testament And did not the Lord require and receiue of the people a precise promise of obedience euen before hee prescribed them either Law or Sacrifices This wee may see hee did Exod. 19.5.8 God sent Moses to the people there before hee deliuered them his Law and before hee prescribed their sacrifices to know whether they would obey or not and they said they would So that vnder the Law there was the Word and the Sacraments and profession of obedience in the people and so a true visible Church And so Ioshua renewing the true worship of God Ios 1.16.18 redresseth the things amisse and brings in the Law and the Passe-ouer and the people they promise obedience in all things euen as they obeyed Moses And so in the 2 King 23.2 3 21 22 23. When Iosiah restored the Church of God First hee caused the words of the booke of the Couenant to be reade to the people in the second verse so there was the Word and in the 21. verse there the King restored the Passeouer so there is the Sacrament and in the third verse there is their obedience for the King made a Couenant with the Lord and all the people stood to it And thus likewise it was in the time of Ezra as you may read Chap. 7.8 And also in the time of Nehemiah Chap. 8. 9. they restored the Word and Sacraments and made a Couenant with God wherein they professed their obedience and so were restored to bee a true visible Church So then these must needs be the principall markes and notes whereby a true visible Church is discerned because they are not onely in the instituting of a true visible Church but also in the renewing and restoring of it when it is corrupted It is in this case as with a Campe in the field who as they are gathered at the first to their Colours and Banners so likewise if the Campe bee put to flight by the enemy the Generall hangs out and displaies his Colours and Ensignes that so they that are scattered may gather to them againe and that so they may bee a Campe as before So it is with Gods Church when it is put to the worst when it is corrupted and polluted hee displayes the Ensignes and Banners of his Word and Sacraments that so whosoeuer is fallen away may enter into Couenant againe and become a member of the true visible Church and fight vnder Gods Banner as well as hee did before Thus wee see how it was in the former Testament that these were the true marks of a true visible Church and so it is also in the new Testament I will giue you a patterne or example onely in two Churches and by them you may esteeme of al the rest The first is the Church of Ierusalem Act. 2.14 41 42. In the fourteenth verse it is said Peter lifted vp his voice c. there is the word preached and in verse 41. there is the Sacrament of Baptisme they that gladly receiued his Word were baptized and in verse 42. there is the Sacrament of the Lords Supper vnder the name of breaking of bread and there is also their profession of obedience for they continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer and so there was a true visible Church The second patterne is the Church of Corinth 1 Corinth 1.13 there was Baptisme and in the 1 Corinth 11.23 There was the Lords Supper and Chap. 15.1 there was the Word preached and also their obedience for the Apostle Paul preacht vnto them the Gospell which they receiued and continued in So that these are the chiefe and most principall markes of a true visible Church And where these are the Word truely preached the Sacraments rightly administred and profession of obedience to that which they doe both require there is a true visible Church of God The ancient Fathers doe acknowledge this in effect for they say that the Word preached and the Sacraments administred are the chiefest markes of a true visible Church but there must be obedience to them both for that is the Life of all and indeed euen the Papists themselues when they are out of controuersie doe grant the Word and Sacraments are the chiefest and clearest markes of a true visible Church And so much for the proofes Reas 1 The reasons of the obseruation are these First the Word and Sacraments are the causes and the definition of a true visible Church as wee have shewed and therefore must needes bee the most infallible markes of it But you will say how can the same things be the causes and definition and also the signes and markes too Yes very well As for instance the Sunne-shine is the cause and definition as also the infallible marke and signe of the Day and so the Word and Sacraments being the causes and definition of a true visible Church must needes also bee the clearest and most infallible signes and markes of it Reas 2 Secondly they must needes bee infallible markes of a true visible Church which are alwayes found wheresoeuer a Church is planted or wheresoeuer it is continued or wheresoeuer it is restored but the Word and Sacraments and obedience are found in all these therefore these are the most infallible notes of a true visible Church In the first planting Math. 28.19 and in the continuing Act. 2.41 42. and in the restoring as Ioshua's and Iosiah's times c. as we have shewed before Reas 3 Thirdly wheresoeuer Moses is taught and obeyed with his Ceremonies there is a Synagogue of the Iewes where the Alcoran is taught and Mahomet observed there is a Church of Mahometans So likewise where the Gospell of Christ is taught and his Sacraments administred and obedience yeelded to them there is a true Church of Christ Fourthly where there is good wheat sowen and thriues and comes up in the blade is not that a field of wheat So likewise where the Word is preached and the Sacraments administred and profession of obedience to them both is not this a true Church Not that profession onely makes a true Church but because as I have shewed it cannot be but whereas these are there is some that doe sincerely professe Fifthly is not shee a right

this that if we cannot reforme and redresse those things that are amisse then we must make open protestation against their failings ●s the Apostle did 1 Cor. 5.6 with sharpe denuntiations and threatnings of Gods Iudgments against thē if they reforme not so our Sauiour threatens the Church of Ephesus Reuel 2 5. That if she will not repent he will come against her shortly and remoue her Candlesticke c. and the Church of Pergamus in the sixteenth verse Repent thy selfe or else I will come against thee shortly and will fight against thee with the sword of my mouth So if I liue in a Church that will not reforme the things amisse if my place afford it me I will make open protestation against them and if that will not preuaile I will sharpely denounce the iudgements of God against them and so I shall haue peace in discharging my Conscience And so much for the last Duty to bee performed in the Church namely ouer-sight The seuenteenth Lecture of the Church COncerning the matter of Church-Gouernment I shewed you in the last exercise that the whole frame of it did consist of three Principles First of some actions and duties to be done in the Church secondly of some Officers or Persons that must doe them Thirdly of certaine Rules and directions whereby those Persons are to be guided in doing those duties Of the first of these three namely of the Actions and Duties to be done in the Church wee haue spoken already in the last Exercise Now we are to speake of the second point as God shall assist vs namely of the Persons or Officers that are to performe these Duties For euery Duty to be performed in the Church doth of necessitie require some Person or Officer for to performe it Now euery member of the Church is not presently an Officer of the Church but first a man must be a member and afterwards as his fitnesse is hee is to bee made an Officer neither yet is euery Officer to manage euery duty but seuerall duties are to bee matcht with seuerall Officers and euery Officer is to bee confined to that particular Dutie which hee is appointed vnto If you aske me Quest who or what manner of persons or officers these are My answer is twofold Answ 1 First I answer in generall that these officers must haue two things first they must be qualified with a competent measure of gifts fit for such offices secondly they must be appointed to such offices by the order and authority of the Church wherein they liue First they must be qualified with a competent measure of gifts fit for such offices for such is the admirable wisedome of God that as he hath ordained diuerse administrations that is to say duties to be done in the Church so proportionably he hath giuen diuers gifts that is enablements for the administration of such duties And these gifts hee hath not heaped vp all together vpon one man for one man is not able to receiue them all at least not to vse and weeld them all but hath distributed some to one man and some vnto another to euery one seuerally as himselfe pleaseth So the Apostle deliuers the matter very plainely and pithily in the 1 Cor. 12.4 to the eleuenth verse where hee speakes of administrations gifts and offices and saith that one and the same Spirit distributeth to euery man seuerally as he will And these three haue both a mutuall correspondency too and a dependency in Nature with each other and are inseparably ioyned together administrations require gifts gifts require officers and officers require administrations yea administrations require not gifts onely wherewith but officers also by whom they are to be executed and gifts require not officers alone by whom but administrations also whereupon they are to be imployed and officers require not onely administrations which they are to execute but gifts also whereby they are enabled to execute them Administrations without answerable gifts and officers are but dead matters there is no life in them Gifts without officers and administrations answerable are idle things there is no profit in them And so officers without administrations and gifts are meere shadowes and shewes no truth nor substance is in them So that these three are inseparably ioyned together And hence it is that whatsoeuer duty the Lord would haue to succeed happily still thorow the whole booke of God wee shall finde that hee matcheth that duty with gifts and officers accordingly This we may see in the twenty fiue and twenty sixe and so to the thirtieth Chapter of Exodus there was a Tabernacle to bee built and an Altar and an Arke to be made here is the administration then looke in the 31. Chapter second and third verses and wee shall see that there were presently gifts and officers fitted thereto In the second verse there was Bezaleel whom God had called by name for that worke and in the third verse there were gifts too Whom I haue filled with the Spirit of God in wisedome c. So likewise in Matth. 9.37 and chap. 10.1 2. In the ninth Chapter vers 37. our Sauiour saith The haruest is great c. here is the administration the preaching of the Gospell and in the tenth Chapter the first and second verses there are gifts and offices suted thereto for Christ calls his Disciples and giues them gifts for this purpose That may suffice for the first point Secondly they must lawfully be appointed to such offices by the authoritie and orders of the Church wherein they liue Tit. 1.5 the Apostle saith to Titus that hee left him in Crete to ordaine Elders c. I haue appointed thee saith he hee was not to doe these things of himselfe but according to the Orders established by Paul in that place And there is great reason for it for wheresoeuer an officer is thrust on a people against or besides their Orders or Customes it breedes in the people discontent against him and makes that neither hee nor his seruice is well accepted of them But what if we liue in a Church where the Gouernment and Orders are corrupt I answer It were for to bee wished that in all places officers might bee made after the best and purest manner but when we liue in places where we cannot be serued with the best and finest wee must bee serued with courser wee can haue no better than the place will yeeld Therefore if an officer bee appointed after the vsuall Orders and Customes of the Church though somewhat corrupt if withall he be qualified with some competent measure of gifts this sufficeth to make him a lawfull officer to them and so hee is to bee accepted and esteemed And that these two are most necessary as none being a lawfull officer ordinarily that hath not both and most sufficient as that whosoeuer hath these is a lawfull officer appeares by these Reasons First that which a man is lawfully seazed on he must haue both