Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	body_n	church_n	mystical_a	1,148	5	10.4023	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A12475	The communion of saincts A treatise of the fellowship that the faithful have with God, and his angels, and one with an other; in this present life. Gathered out of the holy Scriptures, by H.A.	Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?	1607 (1607)	STC 228; ESTC S118775	187,194	518

and all the furniture for the service of God at the ordination and authorizing of the Priests and Levites at the first making and solemnizing of the covenant at the renewing of the same and at the repetitiō of al the Lawes ordinances of the Lord. Vnto al every of the Israelites was cōm●nded the care and observation of all Gods statutes that neyther all nor any of them man nor woman nor familie nor tribe should forsake the Lord nor suffer among thē any root to bring forth gall and wormwood but playnly rebuke their neighbour when he synned in private or testifie against him in publick if they could and there were need to bewray execute judgment vpon open notorious malefactors even the leprous and vnclean though the trial of them apperteyned to the Priests yet al the children of Israel were to look that such were removed out of the host yea the care of the Priests purity in their administration apperteyned to all the people And long after both in counsels and in the redressing of publick evils trespasses all Israel indifferently had their hand and presence as the scripture sheweth Ezra 10. 1. 9. 12. c. 9. The churches in the Apostles dayes had also the like right libertie for the multitudes of beleevers wer both beholders acto● in the cōmune affayres as at the choise ordinatiō of church-officers at the deciding of questiōs controversies at the excommunication or casting out of impeniten● synners at the choise appointment of men to cary the grace or benevolence of the Saincts ● their needy brethren at the receving and reading of the Apostles Letters and generally in the publick communion and fellowship of the Apostles one of another They were also willed to exhort ● admonish ech other even the Officers of the churches to ma● diligently and avoyd the causer● of division and offences to loo● that † no root of bitternes sprung 〈◊〉 and troubled thē least therby many should be defiled 10. These the like privileges in the faith and practise of the Gospel ar permitted to al Saincts in al churches which they must vse in al sobrietie order and peace not presuming above their calling place or mesure of vnderstanding nor abusing their libertie to the trouble or annoyance of their brethren And therfore Elders or Governours ar set to rule the people and togither with the other Officers to weild the churches affaires By which means confusion is avoided order observed in the Assemblies as was in the primitive churches wher the Overseers and publick Ministers propounded discussed caried matters in seemlines and peace These guides ar to be heard reverenced and submitted vnto in the Lord they attend to the publick service of the church and are as the hand mouth eyes of the same by such God of old signified his wil to the people for the obteyning of that promised seed that should bruise the Serpēts head and bring blessing vpon all families of the earth And vntil that seed which was Christ came our Fathers generally embraced that kind of life thought it a dishonour to die childlesse a●● since that time it hath stil been kept in and sanctified vnto the church to such as saw good or had need so to live both for the avoiding of syn and for other help and cōfort which that estate affordeth But they which have from God the gift to conteyn their vessels in holines and honour without mariage and which addicting themselves to the service of Christ find it best for avoyding the burdens cares of this life to keep thēselves single in virginitie or widowhood are counselled by Christ and his Apostle so to rest Yet if any mary they syn not onely they must so ●ive as if they were not maried so vse al other worldly things as if they vsed them not because the fashion of this world passeth away And in their marying they must have care not to match themselves in an vnequal yoke with vnbeleevers for that hath alwaies been reproved but onely in the Lord though if they be maried to vnbeleevers before they are caled to the faith they must not then depart or put away 3. The faithful man woman thus fastned in wedlock are heyres togither of the grace of life and so ought to live in peace and love the wife being subject to her husbād whose glory she is as vnto the Lord. Their fellowship as it is in spiritual duties so also in humane such as be living cōversing togither educatiō of children governmēt offervants ordering of y familie joynt labour diligence for their livelihood and al other offices wherby their mutual love help and comfort may be mainteyned in this honorable state of life which to forbid any Christian 〈◊〉 a doctrine of Divils and which● a shadow of that mystical hevenly communion between Christ his church whiles the man loveth cherisheth his wife as his own body the womā again loveth feareth obeyeth her husband This societie endureth vntil death and can not be dissolved except for adulterie for which trespasse if the magistrate inflict not death according to Gods law the injuried person may lawfully divorce and put away the offender 4. The next in the family a● children which as they are the inheritance and wages of the Lord so must they be brought vp nour●ured in his fear for they are his holy frō the womb And because foolishnes is bound in the harts of children therfore the parents ar to governe correct but without provoking them to wrath least they be discouraged For them are parents also to store vp provide for their maintenance mariage and other necessities what in them ●ieth the children againe honouring and obeying their fathers and mothers in the Lord recompensing them if they can ther be need in their old age povertie And they that shal smite curse or blaspheme their parents o stubbornly refuse to obey them are for such vnnaturalnes to die the death 5 Servants ar the last in the familie inferior vnto children both in durāce and fidelity yet as their fellowship may be in the faith for which their maisters should regard them above servāts even brethren beloved so in civil societie they are notwithstanding to be in subjection to their maisters faithfull and pleasing them in all things Of these ther be two sorts 1. Free or hired servants 2. and Bōdmen or Sclaves Of the first sort wer● the poor Israelites which sold or hired out themselves for necessitie to their brethren or were chaff●ed by their