Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	body_n	church_n	member_n	1,786	5	7.7946	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30720	A name, an after-one, or, Onoma Kainon, a name, a new one in the later-day-glory, or, An historical declaration of the life of Shem Acher especially as to some more eminent passages of his day relating to his more thorow lawful call to the office and work of the ministry for about twenty years last past. ...	Bampfield, Francis, 1615 or 16-1683.	1681 (1681)	Wing B627; ESTC R16732	65,787	41

is not willing to insist upon as being loth to exasperate the Spirits of any concerned imparted it to the Friends in Gospel-Fellowship who upon due consideration and serious deliberation unanimously received her into Church-Communion the healing comforting Effects whereof were quickly felt in her Spirit Soul and Body too through Grace Upon this Case as to the Matter of Right ariseth this Question Whether under these Circumstances either this Sister in so coming off from that former Church or the Church with Shem Acher in so receiving of her have sinned and transgressed the Laws and Rules of Christ That neither she nor they are under Guilt in this Matter Shem Acher and the Friends with him do give these following Scripture-Arguments and Reasons bottomed upon Scripture-Grounds and Testimonies One Argument is drawn from the Principal Efficient Cause of a Church who is Jehovah Aelohim He it is * Psal 100. 3 102. 18. 149 ●2 Isa 43. 1 7 15 21. 44. 2 21 24. 51. 13. 54. 5. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Psal 47. 2. Acts 20. 28. Zech. 2. 8. Rev. 2. 1. Isa 27. 2 3. Deut. 32. 28. Isa 43. 1. 63. 16. Act. 20. 21. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 5. 25 26 27 29 30. Col. 1. 14. Heb. 13. 20. Rev. 1 5 6 17 18 19 20. 5. 9. 14. 4. Prov. 9. 1. Mat. 16 18 19. Heb. 3. 3 4 6. who createth and maketh a Church He calleth it purchaseth i● He feeds it he loves it as the Apple of his Eye He walketh in the midst of it He protecteth it He doth all things for it He dwelleth there He formeth and frameth it He is the Father of it As the Father and his Son and Holy Spirit is thus to his Church so also is Christ the Mediator the Redeemer of his Church its Saviour Deliverer Purchaser Buyer Builder To this Jehovah Aelohim she has * 2 Cor. 8. 5. given up her self which is the Primary Chief and Special Relation on which all higher Church-Communion and Fellowship is firmly and principally founded it is to supersede and over-rule all secondary meaner commoner and subservient Relations on which all lower Brotherly and Sisterly Communion and Fellowship is more remotely subordinately and less principally founded No after-inconsiderate-Obligation to any People can take away a former higher Obligation whereby a right doth accrew to another especially this other being the Supreamest over all The Argument runs thus If Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit if the LORD Jesus Christ God-Man who is the principal Efficient Cause of his Church who createth it and maketh it c. If he have this way evidently disposed of her where she may most and best honour and enjoy him in all Church-Ordinances and Church-Administrations according to Word-Rule she having thus given up her self to him in a primary chief and special Relation then neither she nor we are under Guilt so far in this Matter But Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit the LORD Jesus Christ God-Man who is the Principal Efficient Cause of his Church who createth it and maketh it c. has this way evidently disposed of her where she may most and best honour and enjoy him in all Church-Ordinances and Church-Administrations according to the Word-Rule she having thus given up her self to him in a primary chief and special Relation And Therefore neither she nor they are under Guilt so far in this Matter Another drawn from the Instrumental Efficient Cause of the Church of God which is * 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 26. Col. 1. 2 7. Acts 2. 41 47 4. 4. 5. 14. 6. 1 7. 8. 4 12. 9. 31. ●1 21 24. 13 49. 14. 1. 16. 5. 17. 4 12 34. 18. 4 8. 19. 19 20. 20. 28. Mat. 24. 45. Joh. 21. 1● 16 17. Act. 20 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Pet. 51 5. both sound Doctrine grounded firmly upon the Word and faithfully Preached by which the Church is born and propagated and also the Minister or Ministers of Christ who preach this sound Doctrine and do administer in the Church who do feed the Church who oversee it who watch over it who rule and discipline it who pray for it and such like They argue thus If this Sister have put her self in the same City under such sound Doctrine grounded firmly upon the Word faithfully preached and under such a Ministry which is the instrumental Cause of a Church of Christ where she has wholesome Food more proper and suited to her Cases by which she is better nourished is every way more advantaged more profited better cared and provided for in all Spirituals as to a Church-State-and-Relation for Doctrine Worship Discipline and Conversation having all instituted Ordinances more fitted to her Spiritual State Frame Acting and Appetite her Soul-cases more directly spoken unto there being more of a sweet Spiritual Accord in Principles and other ways between her Spirit and the present Church with whom she walketh which she could not for several years so enjoy in the other Society then neither she nor they are unde● Guilt so far in this Matter But this Sister c. Therefore Another is drawn from the Material Cause * Eph 1. 22. 4. 15 16. 5. 23. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Heb. 2. 15 16 17 18 4. 4. 15 16. Rom. 8 9 11 14. Eph. 4. 3 4 5 6. Song of Songs throughout Isa 33. 22. Eph. 5. 23. Joh. 10. 14 Heb. 3 6. 10 21 ●2 or 11. 2. Eph 4 4 15 16. ver 11 12 13. Mat. 11. 20. 28. 18 19 20. The LORD Jesus Christ is the supream Head of his Church the material Cause of the Church of the same Nature partaker of the same Flesh and Blood with all the living Members of his Church made like him in all except Sin the same holy Spirit who is in Christ refideth in the Church and in all and every of the regenerated Members thereof who by this Spirit are united to Christ animated ensouled by this Spirit from this Christ doth flow all Spiritual Life and Motion to his Church he is by far more excellent than the Church he has the Empire and Government over the Church he gives Laws to the Church he is the Saviour of it he doth acknowledg it and is acknowledged by it he is indissolubly united to it by the strongest closest Bond no other besides him is Head of the Church he is the Husband of it he fitly joyns the Members of it together into one Body he doth gift the Church and its Officers he is always present with it having all Authority and Power in Heaven and on Earth given to him for these holy good Purposes It is here thus argued If Christ in all this have so framed inclined and led this Sister and accordingly she have in all this thus submi●ted unto Christ in the fittest and

best way where she according to her raised expectation has received more of the Holy Spirit and of influences from Christ as a living Member under this Church as the only Head and as the Supream Material Cause of the Church then neither she nor they are under Guilt so far in this Matter But Christ in all this c. Therefore This was drawn from the Material Cause of the Church Supream A further Argument shall be drawn † 1 Cor. 6. 15 12. 27. Eph. 1. 22 23. 4 4 12. 5. 23. 30. Col. 1. 18 24. 2. 19. Joh. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 2. and the Titles of Paul ' s other Epistles to the Churches Heb. 12. 23. Eph. 4. 16. from the inferior Material Cause of a Church of Christ which are the Elect Believers and Saints who are the Members and the Body of Christ and have mutual care of and for one another Communion with one another and are jointly helpful to each other and do faithfully and friend●●y discharge the Gospel Duties of Church-Fellowship mutually towards one anothe● such as mutual considering of one another c. It is here thus argued If this Sister have joined her self there in Church-Fellowship with them amongst those whom she charitably hopes may be such living Fellow-Member● in Christ with her more and better suited to her Spirit in such a Church-way of Spiritual Incorporation where she has more freedom and better agreement in her 〈…〉 an more Spiritual Communion more really expressed and acted helpfulness as to Spirituals more enjoyment of the Gospel-Duties of Church-Fellowship mutually towards one another than in that Society where she was before and all this as the Inferior Material Cause of the Church then neither she non they c. But this Sister c. Therefore Another is drawn from the Formal Cause of a Church of Christ The Formal Cause or Form or * Eph. 4. 3 4. Acts 2. 41 47. 4. 32. 9. 31. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 27. 10 17. 1. 10 11. Phil. 2. 1 5. Eph. 1. 21 22 23. 3. 17. 2. 19. Rom. 8. 9. 1 Joh. 4. 13. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Eph. 5. 32. that which doth give a spirited Life Being and Motion is the uniting Spirit of the LORD enlivening the Church-Body and that Union of Believers in the Spirit with Christ as the Head and with and another as Fellow-Members of the same Mystical Body The Argument thus presenteth it self to be considered If the Spirit of this Sister in Experience according to the Word both were before Admission and hath been and still is since her Admission amongst such more knit and united by the Holy Spirit in Holy Spiritual Union to Christ and to these Fellow-Members where she has more of spirited Life Being and Motion than when amongst those with whom she walked in Society withal before which was broken off and taken away from her as to the quickness and comfort o● it as to the former Church in whose fellowship she could not any longer to any good satisfaction continue and where she had little or no expectation after much proof and long waiting to have it otherwise as the Case was circumstanced she being now made more sensible that her Spirit doth more close with and is more one in Union and Communion with the Spirit of that Church in this Church-way of Ordinances with whom she is joined and all this as the Formal Cause or Form or that which doth give a Spirited Life Being and Motion to a Church then neither she nor they c. But the Spirit of this Sister c. And therefore From the Final Cause a strong Argument may be drawn and its right words are forcible † Isa 43. 7 21. Jer. 13 11. 14. 21 Eph. 5. 26 27. 4. 11 12 13 15 16. 1 Cor. 12. 13. 10. 16 17. Luke 12. 32. 1 Cor. 14. 3 26 40. 10. 16 17. 2 Cor. 13. 10 The Final Cause or the great End or Ends for which Jehovah Aelohim has formed his Church and for which Christ gave and delivered up himself in respect of him is his Glory the Honour of his Name in the World that it may be as a Throne of his Glory the purging and cleansing of his Church and People their enjoyment of Spiritual Priviledges and Benefits purchased by the Blood of Christ their nourishing growing more up into and further perfecting in Christ their receiving more of all Spiritual Supplies from Christ their mutual Edification being built up more and more in their most holy Faith their possessing of signed sealed witnessed delivered free gracious Grants from the Father through his Son by his Spirit in the word of his Truth of Grace and at the last their everlasting Happiness in a clear sight and full enjoyment of the Heavenly Glory in his Eternal Kingdom in the better Country In the mean time the giving and receiving of Spiritual Alms Bread and Wine to hungry thirsting Souls as necessary Provision in their Voyage whilst here in the way The Argument is thus formed If this Sister after long Experience and much waiting and earnest Praying could not attain the forementioned Ends of Church-Fellowship in that way wherein she walked before whereas since she passed into Church Communion with others the LORD has graciously given her to enjoy in growing Measures much of these desired Ends and some good Beginnings as she hopes of the filling up of these in the Heavenly Country where she longeth and waiteth prayeth and prepareth to be with her LORD in the most pure and Glorious Church then neither she nor they c. But this Sister after long Experience c. Therefore Two other Arguments may be drawn from the just Right and due Property of this Sister * 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. Deut. 18. 6 7 8. The Gifts and Graces and Experiences of all the Faithful Ministers of Christ in the same City especially being one with Christ and his Word in the Faith and Order of the Gospel are a part of every Believers Portion there which they may use as their own especially when actually really more to their Edi●●cation as Providence doth give opportunity From hence it is thus argued If this Sister in this have acted but as her just Right and due Property is to enjoy this part of her Spiritual Portion and if they have but done her Right in granting her what is her own as due unto her then neither she nor they c. But this Sister in this has acted c. Therefore Also from her lawful Liberty This Sister reserved a Liberty if she found in Experience that her continuing there were not to her Satisfaction and Edification that then it should be free to joyn her self to some other Church of the same Faith and Order in the main of 〈◊〉 Believers and Seventh-day-Sabbath-Observers where she might be more to her Soul-profiting ● and † Rom. 13. 7 8. Prov. 3. 27