Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	call_v	church_n	society_n	1,435	5	9.0715	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92864	Scripture a perfect rule for church-government delivered in a sermon at Margarets Westminster, before sundry of the House of Commons. By William Seigwich [sic] minister in Farnham in Essex. Published according to order.	Sedgwick, William, 1609 or 10-1669?	1643 (1643)	Wing S2388; Thomason E79_21; ESTC R12112	29,267	42

Kingdome to be delivered up to God at the last which is not the invisible Kingdome of grace for that is perfected in the end and so to continue for ever nor the externall Kingdome of the Jewes that already is dissolved but this ministeriall and evangelicall dispensation of ordinances which agrees with that of the Apostle Ephes 4.13 Those offices and administrations must stand till we all come in the unity of the faith c. For as the comming of Christ in the flesh abolished the Leviticall Church so the comming of Christ in glory shall thrust out the evangelicall 3. Hebr. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdome let us have grace c. It cannot be meant of the internall for that consists in grace the Apostle argues from this Kingdome to grace which were absurd if they were but one The consequence is not good any otherwise but thus having a visible and glorious Church let us have grace to enter into it and to walke worthie of it And that the externall Church is meant is apparent from the antithesis that it hath with the Jewish Church vers 18. c. For nothing is opposite to the externall Church under the Law but an externall under the Gospel 4. Many places in the Gospel where Christ speakes of this Kingdome to come can be meant of no other Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand Matth. 4.11 10.7 Christ intending to set up his government prepares materials converts Saints And Matth. 11.11 he compares the ministery of John with the ministery of the Gospel which he cals a Kingdome He that is least in the Kingdome c. i. e. He that is the weakest Minister in the Church under the Gospel is greater then John And that Christ hath instituted such a society and Kingdome such a visible Church reasons prove it If there were not such a Church there would be no communion of Saints here on earth That there is such a communion the Scriptures are plentifull it will be granted the consequent will appeare if we consider what communion is it is an arct close orderly and profitable fellowship For as in civill society that politicall vertue that is in a man is not exercised toward men in a crowd for a man may be solus in civitate alone in a multitude to be politicall or in society is to be united to families Cities Kingdomes So this spirituall fellowship is not with Christians as Christians nor many Christians within a same walls but with Christians united together in one body spirituall 1 Cor. 12.20 Psal 122.3 Ephes 4.16 and that rightly compacted and fitly joyned together Minister and people c. such as are to exercise offices and to administer to each other Now the reason why God would have such a fellowship is 1. For himselfe that he might enjoy the perfection of mankind which is men in society politicall is a step above reasonable By this his service is more rich and glorious having the grace and strength of many in one That we may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God It is a goodly and beautifull service that is thus presented to God Rom. 15.16 and is very acceptable as that Psalme is interpreted How good a thing it is for brethren to live together c. 2. For us Psal 133. there is as great necessity of communion in divine as civill things First in respect of our weaknesse It is not good for man to be alone was Gods judgement of man in innocency and now man cannot be good alone When we are as scattered Sheep the Lions will devoure us while we are as eares of corne growing alone Jer. 50.17 we shall be carried away with every wind of Doctrine against which tossings this is a remedy Ephes 4.14 Church-fellowship having a Kingdome of sinne and darknesse to fight with we need the power of a Kingdome to resist them Secondly in respect of our graces God that gives us grace gives us it to profit with A man cannot be happy alone 1 Cor. 12.7 nor good alone grace will fade and wither if it want objects to worke upon and is never so glorious as in propagation God that hath given us grace hath given it for others as to our selves as a faculty in a member is for the whole body the eye sees for all the eare heares for all c. And therefore there is a necessity of communion and so necessary there should be a Church There must be a Church that there may be ordinances For clearing this consider but these two things 1. That a Church is a chiefe ordinance 2. That the Church sanctifies and upholds all other ordinances First that it is the chiefe ordinance It is Gods Temple under the Gospel 1 Pet. 2.5 Heb. 3.6 called his building and house therefore the greatest 1. Compare it with the Temple under the Law in whose place it comes and under which this is prophecyed of familiarly in the Prophets that was the greatest under the Law so this under the Gospell 2. Compare it with the substance Christs body which is the Temple of all worship Destroy this Temple In whom the God-head dwels bodily Joh 2.19 Col 2.9 That which serves to so high a use as to represent Christ and in the maine worke of Christ to bring us into the presence of God must needes be the greatest 3. It is fullest of Christ many beleevers shining with the graces of Gods Spirit each having some of the divine nature all united in one body It sets forth the glory of God and in them Christ is compleate so full of Christ that it obtaines the name of Christ 4. Other Ordinances were made for the Church not the Church for them Man was one made for the Sabbath but the Sabbath for Man so other ordinances for the Church Therefore as under the Law the Temple was greater then the gold of the Temple so the Church is greater then the Ordinances of the Church 1 Cor. 11.12 Secondly other Ordinances subsist not but in the Church The ministery of the word a steward is not a steward but to a house a Pastor is not a Pastor but to a flocke How can a man Preach except he be sent Rom. 10.14 15. and a true mission doth require an externall call Discipline is not exercised but in the Church 1 Cor. 5.12 What have I to doe judge them that are without The Churches censures reach not till they be within the Church the keyes are nothing without a Kingdome All the Ordinances and Sacraments they are not due to Christians as Christians nor as members of the Catholike but to Christians in society in relation ministers and People therefore there is and must be an externall and visible Church distinct from the internall And hence it is that there are distinct callings to the internall and externall Church 1 Cor. 1.2 He writes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a company

called out and afterward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called to bee Saints a calling seperatim and a calling conjunctim as Junius and vers 9. called to the fellowship of the Saints Expositors observe a double calling from the words One to be members of Christ and of the invi●●ble Church and another of a particular Church to beleeve and to be added to the Church So that as a man is considered as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as reasonable and as politicall so a Christian may be considered as a Christian or member of Christ and as a member of a visible Church We have beene large in this being a speciall meanes to cleare the whole truth and the ignorance of this causeth much mistake in the world about Church-matters The second thing to be explained is the government of this Church Being a Kingdome or City or Family it must have a policy being not a worldly but a spirituall Kingdome it must have a spirituall policy and being a visible Kingdome it must have a visible policy such as the body is such must be the government of it To shew what this is For the name the Apostle helps us to a very apt one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2 14. the policy of Israel and what that is the Philosopher tels us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is order the word used here vers 7. and Col. 2.5 their faith and order So that by government we understand that order left by Christ to the Church for the administring of Church affaires or holy things For the extent of it we take it in the largest sense not onely for that part of government called commonly discipline or jurisdiction or the power of one over another c. but more largely for the whole ordering of the Church in all Church-affaires All are reduced to these two heads 1. The order of the parts of the body 1 Cor. 12.14 called the tempering of the body a right disposition of the parts every one in their place Pastors and Elders and Deaeons every one in their ranks 2. The order of the administrations and services of these parts to God and to each other as Prayer Word Sacraments Discipline and all the holy things of God And that we take in the largest sense too including the matter and manner for both come within this policy Christ commands the things themselves and the rites and ceremonies belonging to them For 1. Christ would not ordaine ordinanecs and leave them confused imperfect and halfe composed and subject them to humane skill to receive their forme and beauty 2. All things that God made in the world were perfect and every creature brought its shape into the world with accidents sutable to its being and sure God would not leave his holy ordinances and this second and more glorious world of the Church imperfect 3. If man were to prescribe the manner man had i.e. to command that we should injoy them in their manner or not at all a negative voice which is a greater power then God ever left man in his owne ordinances to admit and refuse 4. Christ hath left rules for them not onely for Preaching but by whom and to whom so in Baptisme and the Supper how they should be administred and to whom onely admit of this distinction Some things viz. such as are religious and immediately and particularly belong to the nature of the things themselves are peculiarly commanded such as are more remote as naturall and civill things are only in generall rules prescribed How these are distinguished we shall see hereafter For the extent of this government we shall lay these two grounds First for all internals Christ hath laid downe some internals both persons and things As 1. For matters of Doctrine and faith and inward sanctification there are Word Sacraments and Pastors and Teachers to administer them 2. For matters of conversation there is watching admonition c. for which there are Elders to joyne with the former as helps of government 3. For matters of charity there is collecting and distributing of Almes and for that are Deacons appointed For these externalls are as the barke of a tree or as a vaine in which the bloud runnes in these the inward life of grace is conveyed and to these three heads are they by Authors reduced Secondly that Christ hath laid downe all externals that are for the good of the Church That 's the property of a good Law to containe all and leave nothing to the Judge but the interpreting of such Lawes and the executing of them Christ the King of his Church hath made as many Canons as need all that is left for the Church is to execute these rules and in cases of doubt or difficulty to draw out the rule to particular occasions Or to conclude this point the government laid downe by Christ is ordinances of divine service or a liturgy a compleat way of serving the Lord in all his ordinances so called Hebr. 9.1 Having explained these two maine termes we proceed to prove the point The point will be sufficiently proved in demonstrating these five propositions 1. That it is necessary there should be a government of such an extent with all the rites and ceremonies belonging unto it 2. That it is necessary that Christ himselfe should prescribe it 3. That Christ hath actually done it and that sufficiently 4. That this government so commanded is perpetuall 5. That neither the Church nor any other hath power to alter any part of it or to adde any thing to it Propos 1 First It is necessary there should be such a government shewing the persons administrations with the rites and ceremonies belonging to them 1. Necessary by the Law of nature to the Gospel as a Religion for there never was a Religion without such The Aegyptians Romans Turks had their Priests Temples Rites belonging to them and shall Christ be defective in that which even nature requires Nature requires some Christ prescribes what 2. Necessary by the naturall Law by the second Command The affirmative part of a command is of the same nature with the negative the negative denies externall devised manners of worship therefore the affirmative requires a form of Gods devising The Jewish ceremonies did append to the second Command With out a prescribed forme the Law is imperfect therefore there must necessarily come a Law of service in the place of that which is abolished to supply the roome of it for till that be added a rule of externall worship the command binds in affirmatives but potentially viz. to worship God in his owne way when he should prescribe it 3. Necessary to our natures consisting of soule and body both created by God and redeemed by him 1 Cor. 6. ult therefore God must be worshipped by both 4. Necessary to t●●… Church as a Kingdome or City for policy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life of a City and without a Law for