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
A70099	An exact enqviry after ancient truths, both in scripture and fathers touching the subsistence of the Church of God, digested into three parts : viz. I. True worship. II. Dominion, or divine jurisdiction. III. Discipline, reduced from our father Adams time, through all ages, to these present times ... / by W. Fenwick ...	Fenwick, William, 1616 or 17-ca. 1682.	1643 (1643)	Wing F724; ESTC R21240	51,760	74

of God to whom is committed the Administration of that hidden mysterie of God which was promised since the world began it was hid from all ages but now in these latter dayes made manifest to his Saints To whom God would make knowne what is the riches of his glorious Mystery among the Gentiles Which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory and Christ is the Image of the invisible God the first begotten of every creature that Word by whom all things were created in heaven and in earth and he is before all things and in him all things consist and he is the head of the body of the Church hee is the beginning and the first begotten of the dead that in all things hee might have the preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him all fulnesse should dwell And through peace made by the blood of that his Crosse to reconcile to himselfe through him even through Christ all things both which are in heaven and which are in earth This is that Mysterie which is committed to me your mother not that I should adde or diminish but that I should deliver unto you that which I have received of the Lord and for that this mysterie my Lord Christ is my head and Soveraigne of my soule I am called his mysticall body Therefore cast away all carnall and wordly conceits of mee and behold me in that mysterie as I am growing up into 〈◊〉 Ephes. 4. 5. which is my head that is Christ by whom through the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace I am a mysticall body like a naturall body coupled and knit together by every joynt for the furniture of the body according to the effectuall power which is in every part wherby the body receiveth encrease unto the edifying of it selfe in love And through this unity in my head I and my head make one compleat mysticall body so there is one body one spirit called unto one hope of our vocation one Lord one Baptisme one God and Father of all which is above all and through all and in us all But as a naturall body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body which is one though they bee many yet are but one body even so is Christ for I am his owne body by his spirituall union but marke well and understand this body is not one member as a Pope or Episcopus to take preheminence which would make division betwixt me and my head But in the body there are many members so in me the body 〈◊〉 Church of Christ there are many members and hee is the onely true and absolute supreme head And none but he can give many and divers gifts and administrations as in this 1 Cor. 12 4. 5 6 7. but the same Spirit the same Lord and though there 〈◊〉 diversities of operations yet one God is the same which work 〈◊〉 all in all Now if my head be God and my endeavour the gifts of the spirit who can impose upon mee any other gifts administration or operation but onely my Lord surely no Prince no Pepe no Prelate But consider me my sonnes in this thing that the administration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall no member nor person is to receive this talent and to hide is for God doth not light these lights to put them under a bushell but to enlighten the whole house the Church As every member of the body is profitable to other so are my members Therefore to some hee gives the word of Wisedome to another the word of Knowledge to another the excellencie of Faith to another the operation of great workes to another prophesie to another diversitie of tongues and to another interpretation of Tongues All these worketh one and the same spirit distributing severally as he listeth for Christ my Lord and head is God And the Father is in him and hee in the Father which is above all and through you all and in us all who gives unto every one grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ for it was prophesied of him that when he ascended who had first descended into the lowest dejection of earthly paines and debasement for the sinnes of man hee should also ascend and fit on the right hand of God and lead captivitie captive and receive of God the Father gifts to give unto man Not humane gifts to governe the terrestriall affaires of this life but divine gifts to guide and lead the soules of men into the way of peace and eternall felicitis Therefore seeing my ●●●d is the great mysterie of God and spirituall word of Life to whom I am united through the unitie of the Spirit I am his and he is mine and both one Christ one Church and Mysticall body or spirituall Spouse My Lord give me all spirituall gifts to translate me from darknesse into his glorious light from carnall and earthly things to bee made a spirituall and heavenly Spouse For God which made light to shine out of darknesse is he which hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But wee have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellencie of that power might be of God and not of man For these causes he gave and ordained some members to have diversitie of gifts and administration as first Apostles secondly Prophets and Evangelists thirdly Pastors and Teachers Then such as doe miracles for miracles follow the Word where there is need of confirmation and gifts of healing helpers as Deacons and Governours as Elders These are the instruments of ministration by divers gifts distinguished into divers administrations and offices which are distinguished by their spirituall operation and ministration of one and the same word and ministerie of God This is that order ordinance and government or spirituall jurisdiction which my Lord God your Father hath instituted for the repairing of the Saints for the worke of the ministery and for the edification of the body of Christ his Church even mee your Mother and this is to continue and not to be altered and restrained untill we all meet together in the unity of faith and that acknowledging of the Sonne of God unto a perfect Man and unto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Thus Right Honourable my Sonnes and Saints of God your Father I have presented my selfe unto the view of your heaven-bred judgements and spirituall wisedomes that you may behold mee all glorious within and not judge by outward appearance nor by politique reasons lest you be mistaken in my nature and condition and suppose me to be a terrestriall Hierarchie to bee governed by positive lawes traditions Decrees and Canons of men which cannot search the reines of the heart nor cure the soule nor lead her into blisse Therefore I request you to take into your consideration the heavie burdens

he came not into the world to deprive Kings and Princes of their subordinate power and prerogative therefore he told them plainly that his kingdome was not of this world and he told his Apostles that among them there should bee no such government or dominion in his Church as the Princes have on earth among men but the chiefest among them should be he that tooke the most paines to serve the rest with food of life The Church is called a kingdome because as in earthly kingdomes Kings and Princes have power by their politique lawes over the bodies goods and lives of men for their wealefull being on earth to the glory of God so in this kingdome Christ onely and absolutely from the Father through the Spirit hath power by the divine Word and law of God over the soules of men for their eternall happinesse and salvation of his elect and to the just judgement and condemnation of the reprobate to shew forth the abundant riches of his grace in that and in this to shew forth his wrath and power suffering with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction and in both the exceeding excellencie of his glory doth appeare and is effected Also it is called the kingdome of God because God the Father is the immediate fountaine from whence it floweth the person of the Sonne the head to which the whole body and every member really and in a mysticall manner is united and incorporated into him their head because God the Spirit is the immediate minister and dispensator of all divine gifts and spirituall blessings in heavenly things For this cause the Church in Scriptures is sometimes compared to a house or building compact together and built of living stones Christ being the corner stone or foundation and thus it is a spirituall house of Saints It is resembled to a naturall body composed of a head Christ and many members knit unto it and one unto another and sometimes it is described by the similitude of a throne set in heaven and he that sits thereon is assimilated to be one in Deitie but three in distinct subsistences like to three pretious Jewels The first appearing like a Jasper of a pleasant never fading flourishing greene the mother of all pearles The second a Sardine which is of a reddish flesh colour The third is in aspect as a Rain-bow that is of the Emerald colour as the eye can behold nothing more sweet or delightsome These colours represent the nature of the Trinitie of the God-head and round about the Throne were twenty foure Seats and upon the seats twenty foure Elders sitting cloathed in white rayment and on their heads crownes of gold This name of Elders is here given to all the members and congregation of Christ in his kingdome and their white rayment is to expresse the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed and freely put upon them and making them Kings Priests and Prophets to God the Father Their Crownes are to declare their Royall dignitie which they have by Christ for it is to be noted that whatsoever Christ is in himselfe either personally naturally or officially all his members are partakers of the same in some measure according to the gift of Christ by union communion inspiration and through externall and instrumentall ministration of his Word This is the Church of God now those things which are individually belonging to the Church at first the protecting power of God which is alwayes ready to defend and revenge the cause of his Saints for God takes their cause into his owne hand saying Vengeance is mine and I will repay it And God hath said touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophets no harme For this cause in this signe of the Church there is said to proceed out of the Throne lightnings and thunders and voyces because God doth punish the wicked horribly for the Churches sake none can escape his hands that oppresse his Saints for the Lord will roare out of Sion and will put forth his voyce out of Jerusalem A second sort of gifts are inward graces of Sanctification expressed in this vision by seven Lampes of fire burning before the Throne which are the seven Spirits of God which is the internall sanctification of Gods Spirit filling every soule with gifts like oyle of grace and fire of zeale to burne with praises before the Throne Like to the lampes in the Temple Exod. 27 20. by seven signifying by a definite number manifold gifts indefinite Next are outward gifts which are allegorically called a sea of glasse before the Throne like Crystall which expresseth the spirituall pure and unspotted worship of God and the ministration of his Word as transparent to the eye of the inlightned mind as Crystall glasse is to the eye of the body through which the Saints may see the glory and majesty of God in the face of Christ Jesus As this worship is pure without any spot of mans invention and consists as in the first tract is said of prayer praise and thankes arising and alwayes nourished by the doctrine of the word of God which the sea doth signifie because it is an Ocean of living waters pure like Crystall This Sea therefore declares the whole worship of God And in respect that the Saints inlightned by the holy Ghost are called burning Lampes it is to them like a sea of oyle to enrich and encrease their lights Another outward gift is described to be foure Beasts And in the middest of the Throne and round about the Throne were foure beasts the first like a Lyon the second a Calfe the third a face like a man the fourth like a flying Eagle and their bodyes are full of eyes before and behind These are the ministers and servants of God who attend the ministration of the Word and Doctrine and are placed betwixt the Throne and the Elders as embassadours and messengers of God to his people their place is in a neerer station to the Throne then the Elders They are compared to beasts to expresse their qualities which is required for the conditions of the times and seasons as the strength and courage of a Lyon the patience of an Oxe the prudence and wisedome of a man the Eagle-like contempt of earthly things and sharper sight in spirituall and heavenly things The number is foure to double the number of the tribe of Levi under the law to answer the number of Elders which is double to the twelve Patriarkes Their bodyes are full of eyes behind and before which describes that sharpnesse of riches and understanding in divine things wherewith they are inducd by the gift of the Spirit to discerne things past things present and things to come These beasts each one of them hath sixe wings placed round about them and full of eyes within the wings these wings are not for that use that the wings are to the beasts in E●●●●●…el two to hide the face and two to flye and two to hide their feet

the glory This kingdome is one entire kingdome of distinct gradations yet individuall like the wheeles in the vision of Exechiel one within another as the kingdome of Providence the Church of Christ militant with the Soules triumphant and the dominions powers and principalities of Angels ministring before him The dominion given unto Christ as he is the Sonne of man * Christ God and Man is the personall power of the Fathers eternall begotten Word by individuall union of Divine nature with the humanity communicated to Gods elect whereby hee is the ingraven forme of the Fathers owne person unto the world holding up all things by his mighty Word This Word by the ministeriall proceeding of the holy Ghost is that Scepter of righteousnesse whereby he guideth and ruleth his kingdomes as David saith thy Throne O God is for ever the Scepter of thy kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse This is that Scepter of righteousnesse by the precepts and power whereof Kings raign and Princes decree Justice For this cause Christ is called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the onely ruler of Princes Of the first gradation For the first gradation of Gods great kingdome God by Divine ordination in nature in the Creation gave a blessing and dominion unto Adam to fill the earth with his seed and to subdue it under his obedience For this cause it is said the heaven of heavens is the Lords the earth he hath given to the Children of men from hence God claimes the first borne to be his substitutes on earth which honour in the beginning was due to them as the dignity of their birth-right by Gods ordination which continued in the Family of Adam till Cain lost it by killing his brother Abell Cham lost it by scoffing his father Noah Esau sold it for a messe of Pottage and Reuben lost it by defiling of his fathers bed Then by the law of that ordinance the dignitie of Birth-right was of divine right conferred upon the Tribe of Judah and reserved in the line of Iudah for the Lyon of Judah who is the image of the invisible God the first begotten of every creature and for that all things were created by him and for him and that he is before all things and in him all things consist And also being the ordained Lambe of God before the foundation of the world he is therefore made the head of the body of the Church King of Israel that in all things bee might have dominion and preheminence both of things in earth and things in heaven For it was the Fathers pleasure that in him all fulnesse should dwell from this fountaine all soveraigntie is derived How Christ doth constitute his Vice-royes on earth Kings Princes and Potentates c. The first ordination of Soveraignty being thus as I have shewed of Divine right conferred upon the naturall Sonne of God sitting upon his highest Throne of glory farre above all powers and principalities he doth by his divine and all foreseeing providence constitute whom it pleaseth him to sit upon his earthly Thrones over any Nation people or language induing them with proper gifts of his owne spirit for rule and government Thus doth God constitute Kings and Princes and Rulers after what manner soever it bee done on earth whether by lineall descent or Nationall choise or by the sword howsoever the hand of Providence doth direct appoint and establish 1 Sam. 2. 4. Psal. 123. Hee raiseth the poore out of the dust and lifteth the beggar out of the dung to set them among Princes and to make them inherit the seat of glory Also hee pulleth downe and setteth up at his pleasure It is profitable for us to observe that Adam by his transgression lost neither the natural faculties of his soule nor the honour and dignity of his birth-right and dominion though at the first by losing that breath of life which was the light and life of his soule and that made him the perfect Image of God they were weakened and blemished in capacitie For if he had lost his naturall faculties hee had lost the forme of his being and if his birth-right and dignity of dominion had beene abolished before it had beene conferred upon another then should nature have been deprived of the ministration of judgement Justice and equity which would have brought forth an utter dissolution of the whole generation of man But after the sonnes of Adam as it were forfeited their dignity and birth-right of dominion by multiplying transgression then God the Father conferred the preheminence thereof upon the Sonne of Man even Christ that he might consecrate and appoint whom it seemed good unto him to sit upon his temporall Throne so that birth-right and preheminence might be his in whom all fulnesse dwelt And that by him Judgement Justice and equity might reigne with men Thus the Regall power of Princes is derived from Christ by the rule of divine ordination in nature for he that is the Author of nature is the observerr and preserver of all the ordinances in nature so that this royall office is restored to man by ordination in Christ But the priestly and propheticall office man hath from God by union and communion with Christ and by inspiration and supernaturall donation through the holy Ghost For this cause a Tyrant may bee a lawfull King by ordination of God yet no Christian member of Christ Difference betwixt Regall ordination and Divine power From hence we may extract an evident difference betwixt the power of royall ordination in nature and the supernaturall power of God which is given to his Church on earth That is a ministeriall power to distribute Judgement Justice and equity amongst men with absolute power of coaction to punish actuall offences with corporall or pecuniary punishment upon body lands and goods This other is a supernaturall power and divine efficacy properly given to the elect of God by inspiration whereby they have union and communion with Christ and one with another for every ones owne particular prerogative of son ship and for the edification one of another and to some men it is given in a peculiar manner and a greater measure of divine power and gifts for the ministration writing teaching and preaching of the Word and Sacraments of God which is that which was revealed by God to the antient Prophets and that which was taught by Christ and after written by the Spirit of God from the pen and mouth of the Apostles And this power is a ministeriall power mighty in operation to bind and loose the conscience to open and shut heaven and hell by declaring the judgement of God against unpentient sinners and his mercy in Christ to the penitent man as he hath taught and revealed for this power doth not follow the judgement and will of man nor succession of profession but is tyed and limited to the power of the Word and will of God Therefore what they bind