Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	call_v	church_n	rome_n	2,941	5	6.6026	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90119	A sermon preach't at a publick ordination in a country congregation, on Acts XIII. 2, 3. Together with an exhortation to the minister and people, / by another brother.	Offley, William, 1659 or 60-1724.	1697 (1697)	Wing O159C; ESTC R19633	32,388	32

A SERMON Preach't at a Publick Ordination IN A Country Congregation ON ACTS XIII 2 3. TOGETHER With an Exhortation to the Minister and People By another Brother LONDON Printed for Iohn Lawrance at the Angel in the Poultry 1697. THE PREFACE THAT this plain homespun Discourse wherein there is little but what is ordinary and common should he pressed not to Death but to Life and Light in this Critical Learned Age wherein there is so much Improvement made in several Points of Natural Knowledge I wish there were an answerable Improvement in point of Morality is to be attributed more to the Favour of its Judges than either its own Desert or the Inclination of the Author for it is not agreeable to his Humour to have the World troubled with old Matter new vamp'd up and put into a new Dress except it may be in such Practical Points as may have a powerful Influence upon the Affections which stand in continual need of Excitation only he would not be guilty of so much Stiffness or such an over-weening Conceit of his own Judgment as to resist the Joynt-desires of his Brethren And since they were the Instigators to and Promoters of this Publication he expects that they should be responsible for those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may be chargeable withal I know nothing that can be pleaded in its behalf but that things are laid pretty close together Nor have I seen any Sermon printed of late upon this Subject so that possibly it may be new to many and consequently the more acceptable If it may conduce to Edification either in point of Knowledge or Practise that will be an abundant Recompence for the no great Pains it cost the Author who is Devoted to the Service of thy Faith ACTS XIII 2 3. As they ministred to the Lord and fasted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. 16-96 the Holy Ghost said Separate we Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And when they had fasted and pray'd and laid their hands on them they sent them away THIS Book of the Acts is an Ecclesiastical History of the Primitive Church from Christ's Ascention to the second Year of Paul's Imprisonment at Rome which is about twenty seven Years in all It gives an account now the Christian Church was first planted and water'd was first gather'd and propagated both among Jews and Gentiles Among the Jews chiefly by Peter's Ministry whose Apostle he was Gal. 2.8 This is in the twelve first Chapters of the Book And also among the Gentiles by the Ministry of Paul who was their Apostle Rom. 11.13 from the beginning of this Chapter to the end of the Book So that here begins the History of Paul's Ministry to the Gentiles and it begins with his Separation and Ordination for this work in the words of my Text which I shall open particularly and distinctly As they ministred to the Lord. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I shall not lose time in confuting the Popish Dream concerning the Sence of this word as if it signified Sacrificing or saying of Mass as those two great Cardinals Baronius and Bellarmin translate it the latter of which saith Whensoever it is applied to the Sacred Ministry and used absolutely it is always taken for the Act of Sacrificing De Missa l. 1. c. 13. But this Conceit is sufficiently confuted by the Learned Casaubon in his Exercitations against Baronius Exerc. 16. c. 41. It signifies generally all manner of Publick Service whether Sacred or Civil and is applied to Angelical Service Heb. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ministring Spirits Here it must signifie all Religious Exercises of the publick Worship of God by Praying Preaching Singing and the like being joyn'd with to the Lord and fasted Hence Chrysostom expounds it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preaching and the Syriack by Praying Where observe That the Holy Ghost takes this occasion when they were met together in God's presence about his Work to reveal himself to them and give them particular Instructions and Directions concerning his Will and their Duty And fasted Probably this Fast was undertaken by the Church of Antioch in behalf of their Mother-Church at Jerusalem which at this time was under great Persecution by Herod as may be seen in the former Chapter The Holy Ghost said viz. By an inward Instinct or Motion to these Prophets here mentioned v. 1. God the Father spake outwardly by his Son Jesus Christ Heb. 1.1 Here he speaks inwardly by the Holy Ghost and so he does st ill in some degree Do ye so 't is in the Original Who were these ye The Prophets and Teachers whose names are express'd v. 1. The Command is given to them they are the Persons imploy'd by the Holy Ghost for this Work and in this Affair Separate me This some take to be an Answer to their Prayers for the Preservation of the Church then under Persecution as if the Holy Ghost had said I have heard your Prayers the Church shall be preserved and as a Testimony thereof Barnabas and Saul shall be now sent forth to enlarge its Tents to propagate its Doctrine and to beget many Sons and Daughters to it Barnabas and Saul Here now arises a great Difficulty If Barnabas and Saul were Apostles before What means this new Ordination They were separated to the Work of the Ministry before What need it be done again To make way for the resolving this Doubt and removing this Difficulty I shall lay before you what things are certain by Scripture in this case 1 It is certain that Paul was called to be an Apostle immediately by Christ for he affirms this of himself That as he did not receive his Apostleship from Man so neither by Man but by Jesus Christ Gal. 1.1 viz. at Christ's appearing to him in his Journy to Damascus for then he tells him I have appeared unto thee for this purpose to make the a Minister and a Witness Mark that delivering thee from the People and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee Sure this was plainly his Call to the Apostleship And therefore he seems to date his Birth as an Apostle or the beginning of his Apostleship from that time 1 Cor. 15.8 Last of all he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time Mark it There was the Time of his Birth viz. as an Apostle Then he had his general Commission 2 Immediately after this Call Paul sets upon the work of Preaching Acts 9.20 Strait way he preached Christ 3 Both Barnabas and Saul were Members of the Presbytery or Bench of Church-Officers at Antioch for they are reckon'd among the Prophets and Teachers there v. 1. 4 Before this Barnabas was sent by the Church at Jerusalem to confirm the Disciples at Antioch who together with Saul preach'd to them a whole Year Acts 11 22-26 5 After this and never before Barnabas is called an Apostle Acts 14.14 which when the Apostles