Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	church_n	communion_n	separate_v	1,901	5	9.2917	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20920	Certayne letters, translated into English, being first written in Latine. Two, by the reverend and learned Mr. Francis Iunius, divinitie reader at Leyden in Holland. The other, by the exiled English Church, abiding for the present at Amsterdam in Holland. Together with the confession of faith prefixed: where vpon the said letters were first written	Junius, Franciscus, 1545-1602.; R. G., fl. 1602.; Junius, Franciscus, 1545-1602. Christian letter.; Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.; Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?	1602 (1602)	STC 7298; ESTC S105409	64,792	60

any commandement or vnder anie colour whatsoever 33 And being come forth of this antichristian estate vnto the freedom and true profession of Christ besides the instructing and well guyding of their owne families they are willingly to ioyne together in christian communion and orderly covenant and by free confession of the faith and obediēce of Christ to vnite themselves into peculiar and visible congregations wherin as members of one body wherof Christ is the only head they are to worship and serve God according to his word remembring to keep holy the Lords day 34. Then also such to whom God hath given gifts to interpret the Scriptures tryed in the exercise of Prophecy attending to studie and learning may and ought by the appointment of the congregation to prophecy according to the proportion of faith and so to teach publickly the word of God for the edification exhort●tion and comfort of the Church Vntill such tyme as the people do meet for and God manifest men with able guifts and 〈◊〉 to such Office or Offices as Christ hath appointed to the publick ministerie of his Church But no Sacraments to be administred vntill the Pastors or Teachers be chosen and ordeined into theyr office 35 And then wheresoever ther shall be a people fit and men furnished with meet and necessary guifts they are not onely still to continue the exercise of Prophecy aforsaid but also vpon due tryall to proceed vnto choyce and ordination of Officers for the ministery ād service of the Church according to the rule of Gods word And so hold on stil to walke forward in the ways of Christ for theyr mutuall edification and confort as it shall please God to give knowledge and gra●e therevnto And particularly that such as be of the seed or vnder the governmēt of anie of the Church be even in their infancie receyved to Baptisme and made partakers of the signe of Gods covenant made with the Faithful and their seed throughout all generations And that all of the Church that are of yeares and able to examine themselves doo communicate also in the Lords supper both men and women and in both kindes bread and wine In which elements as also in the water of baptisme even after they are consecrate there is neyther transubstantiation into nor cōsubstantiatiō with the bodye and blood of Iesus Christ whom the heavens must conteyne vntill the tyme that al things be restored But they are in the ordinance of God signes and seales of Gods everlasting covenant with vs representing and offring to all the receyvers but exhibiting only to the true beleevers the Lord Iesus Christ and all his benefits vnto righteousnes sanctification and eternall lyfe through faith in his name to the glorie and prayse of God 36 Thus being righly gathered established and still proceeding in christian communion and obedience of the Gospell of Christ none is to separate for falts and corruptions which may and so long as the Church consisteth of mortall men will fall out and arise among them even in true constituted Churches but by due order to seeke redresse therof 37. Such as yet see not the truth may heare the publik doctine and prayers of the church and with al meeknes are to bee sought by all meanes Yet none who are growne in yeares may bee received into their communion as members but such as doe make confession of their faith publickly desiring to be received as members and promissing to walke in the obedience of Christ Neyther any infants but such as are the seed of the faithfull by one of the parents or vnder their education and government And further not anie from one cōgregation to be received members in another without bringing certificate of their former estate and present purpose 38 And although the particular congregations be thus distinct and severall bodies every one as a compact and knit citie in it self yet are they all to walke by one and the same rule and by all meanes conveniēt to have the cōsell and help one of another in all needfull affaires of the Church as members of one body in the common faith vnder Christ their onely head 39 It is the office and dutie of Princes and Magistrates who by the ordinance of God are supreme governors vnder him over all persons and causes within their Realmes and dominions to suppresse and root out by their authority all false ministeries voluntarie religions and counterfeit worship of God to abolish and destroy the Idoll Temples Images Altars Vestments and all other monuments of idolatry and superstition and to take and convert to theyr owne ●●vile vses not only the benefit of all such idolatrous buildings and monuments but also the Revenues Demeanes Lordships Possessions Glea●es and maintenance of any false ministeryes and vnlawfull ecclesiasticall functions whatsoever within their dominions And on the other hand to establish and mainteine by their lawes every par● of Gods word his Christian Religion pure worship and true ministery described in his word to cherish and protect all such as are carefull ●o worship God according to his word and to lead a godly lyfe in all peace and loyaltie yea to enforce all their subiects whoever ecclesiasticall or civile to do their dutyes to God and men●protecting and mainteining the good punishing and restraining the evill according as God hath commaunded whose Lieutenants they are here on earth 40 And thus the protection and cōmandement of the Princes and Magistrates maketh it much more peaceable though no wit at all more lawfull to walke in the wayes and ordinances of Iesus Christ which he hath commanded his Church to keep without spot and vnrebukeable vntill his appearing in the end of the world And in this behalfe therefore the brethren thus mynded ād proceeding as is before said are both continually to supplicate to God and as they may to their Princes and Governors that thus and vnder them they may leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlines and honestie 41 And if God encline the Magistrates hearts ●o the allowance and Protecction of the Church therin it ought to be accompted a singular and happy blessing of God who granteth such nourcing Fathers and nourcing Mothers to his Church And it behoveth all to be carefull to walke worthie so great a mercy of God in all thankfulnes and obedience 42 But if God withold the Magistrates allowance and furtherāce herein yet must wee notwithstanding proceed together in Christiā covenant and communion thus to walke in the obedience of Christ ād confessiō of his faith and Gospell even through the middest of all tryalls and afflictions not accompting our goods lands wive● children Fathers Mothers brethren sisters no nor our lyves dear vnto vs so as we may finish our course with ioy remembring always that we ought to obey God rather then man and grounding vpon

maintenance in their off●●e by most perfect and ●s●●ne lawes in Gods word which lawes it is not lawfull for these Ministers or for the whole Church wittingly to neglect trangresse or violate in anie part nor yet to receive anie other lawes brought into the Church by any person whatsoever 21. None may vsurp or execute a ministerie but such as are ri●tly called by the Church whereof they stand ministers vnto such offices and in such maner as God hath prescribed in his word And being so called they ought to give all diligence to fulfill their ministerie to be found faithfull and vnblameable in all things 22. This ministerie is alike given to every Christian congregation with like and equall power and commission to have and enioy the same a●● God offerith 〈◊〉 men and meanes the same rules given to all for the election and execution thereof in all places 23. As every christian congregation hath power and cōmandement to elect and ordeine their owne ministerie according to the rules in GOds word prescribed and whilest they shall faithfully execute these office to have them In super abundant loue for their worke sake to provide for them to honour them and reverence them according to the dignitie of the office they execute So have they also power and commandement when anie such default eyther in their lyfe doctrine or administration breaketh out as by the rule of the word debarreth them from or depriveth them of their ministerie by due order to depose them frō the ministerie they exercised yea if the case so require and they remayne obstinate and impenitent orderly to cut them of by excommunication 24. Christ hath given this power to receive in or to cut of anie member to the whole body together of every Christian congregation and not to anie one member apart or to more members sequested from the whole or to anie other congregation to do it for them Yet so as ech Congregation ought to vse the best help they can heervnto and the most meet member they have to pronounce the same in their publick assembly 25 Every member of ech Christian congregation how excellēt great or learned soever ought to be subiect to this censure and judgment of Christ Yet ought not the Church without great care and due advise to proceed against such publick persons 26 As Christ hath for the keeping of this Church in holy and orderly communion placed some speciall men over the Church who by their office are to governe oversee visite watch c. So lykwise for the better keeping thereof in all places by all the mēbers hee hath given authority and layd dutie vpon them all to watch one over another 27 Finally whilest the Ministers and people thus remayne together in this holy order and christian communion ech one endevoring to do the will of God in their calling and thus to wallie to the glory of God in the obedience of faith Christ hath promised to be present with them to blesse and defend them against all fraud and force of theyr enemyes so as the gates of hell shall not prevaile against them 28 But when and where this holy order and diligent watch was intermitted neglected violated Antichrist that m●n of sinne did together with other points of Christian faith corrupt and alter also the holy ordinances offices and administrations of the Church and in stead thereof brought in and erected a strange new forged ministery Leitourgy and government Yea and the nations kingdomes and inhabitants of the earth were made drunken with this cup of fornications and abominatiōs and all people enforced to receiue the beasts marke and worship his image and so brought into confusion and babilonish bon●age 29 The present Hierarchy retayned and vsed in Englād of Arch●b Primates Lordbishops Metropolitanes Suffraganes Deanes Prebendaries Canons Pe●icanons Arch-Deacons Chancellors Commissaries Priests Deacons or Halfpriests Parsons Biccars Curats Hireling roving Preachers Church-wardens Parish-clerkes Also their Doctors Proctors and other officers of there spiritual courts as they call them together with the whole rable of the Prelates and their Servitou●s from and vnder them ●et over these Cathedrall and Parishionall Assemblies in this confusion are a strange and Antichristian ministerie and offices and are not that ministerie above named instituted in Christs Testament n●● placed in or over his Church 30 These their Popish offices Entrance Administration and maintenance with their names titles privileges and prerogatives also the power and rule they usurp over and in these Ecclesiasticall assemblies over the wholl ministerie wholl ministration and affaires therof yea one ouer another creating Priests citing suspending silencing deposing absoluing excommunicating etc. Their confounding of Ecclisiasticall and civile iurisdiction causes and proceedings in their persons courts commissions visitations the Priests of lesse rule taking their ministery from and exercising it vnder them by their prescription ād limitation swearing canonical obedience vnto them administring by their devised imposed stinted popish Leitourgie c. Finally the dispensations which they vse for plurality of benefices licences of non residency licence to mary and eat flesh both which with them are on certaine dayes ād tymes forbidden c. These we say are sufficient proofs of the former assertion the perticulars therin being duly examined by and compared to the rules of Christs Testamēt Not to speake here of Baptisme administred by midwives of the Crosse vsed in Baptisme of questions propounded to the infants of the Priests surplice prayer over the dead at buriall kneeling at the Lords supper and other the like popish corruptions almost infinite reteyned and allowed among them 31 These Ecclesiasticall Assemblies remayning thus in confusion and bondage vnder this Antichristian Ministerie Cour●● Canons worship Ordināces c. without freedom and power to redresse anie enormitie among them cannot be said in this confusion and subiectiō truly to haue Christ their Prophet Priest and King neither can be in this estate whilest wee iudge them by the rules of Gods woord esteemed the true visible orderly gathered or constituted Churches of Christ wherof the faithfull may become or stand Members or haue anie Spirituall communion with them in their publick worship and Administration 32 Therfore are all that will be saved bound by Gods commādement with speed to come forth of this Antichristian estate leaving the suppressiō of it vnto the Magistrate to whom it be lōgeth And all such also as have receyved or exercised anie of these false offices or anie pretended function or ministery in or to this fals● ād antichristiā constitutiō are willingly in Gods feare to give over and leave those vnlawfull offices and no longer to minister in this maner to these assemblies in this estate Neyther may any of what sort or condition soever give any part of theirs Goods Lands Money or monry worth to the maintenance of this false ministe●ie and worship vpon

never allowed and which never entred in to his hart yea which he hath so severely for bydden with fearefull judgements threatned vnto all hat shall so do But because we have bene very grievously slādred in our owne nation and the bruit thereoff hath followed vs vnto this land wherby we have bene hardly deemed of by many without cause we have bene forced at length to publysh this briefe but true confession of our fayth for the cleering of our selves from sclander and satisfying of many who desyred to knowe the thinges we hold Wherein if in any thinge we erre as who is so perfit that he erreth not we reade good reader thy Christian brotherly censure and information promysing alwayes through the grace of God to yeild vnto the truth when it shall be further shewed vs and leave our errors when by the light of his word they shal be reproved In lyke manner it shall be thy part and duty to acknowledge and submytt vnto the truth by whome soever it is professed looking allwayes rather to the preciousnes of the treasure it self then to the basenes of the vessells which conteyne it or the infirmities of those that witnes the same in whose mortall bodyes thow shalt see nothing but the markes and dyeing of our lord Ihesus Christ But hold not thy fayth in respect of mens persons neyther be thow moved at the evyl reports wich have bene raised of vs Here hast thow the trewe summe of our Christian fayth try all thinges by the true light of Gods word and if thou shalt reape and profit by these our labours gyve God the glory and remember vs vnto him in thy prayers Farewell in Christ Iesus 1596. THE CONFESSION OF FAITH OF CERTAINE ENGLISH PEOPLE IN THE LOW COvNTREYES EXILED We● beleeue with the heart confes with the mouth THat there is but one God one Christ one Spirit one Church one truth one Faith one true Religion one rule of godlines and obedience for all Christians in all places at all tymes to be observed 2 God is a Spirit whose beeing is of himself and giveth beeing moving and preservation to all other thing● beeing himself eternal most holy every way infinit● in greatnes wisdome power goodnes iustice truth etc. In this Godhead there be three distinct persons coeternall coequall and coessentiall beeing every one of them one and the same God and therefore not divided but distinguished one from another by theyr severall and peculiar propertie The Father of whom are the other persons but he of none the Sonne begotten of the Father from everlasting the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne before all beginnings 3 God hath decreed in himself from everlasting touching all things and the very least circumstances of every thing effectually to work and dispose them according to the counsell of his owne will to the glory of his name And touching his cheefest creatures GOD hath in Christ before the foundation of the world according to the good pleasure of his will foreordeyned some ●en and Angels to eternall lyfe to be accomplished through Iesus Christ to the ● prayse of the glorie of his grace 〈◊〉 hath also of al● according to his iust purpose foreappointed other both ●●xes● and ui●● to eternall condemnation to be accomplished through their owne corruptiō and desert to the praise of his iustice In the beginning God made al things of nothing veri good and created 〈◊〉 after his owne image and liknes in righteousnes ād holines of truth But streight ways after by the subtiltrie of the serpēt which Sathan vsed as his instrument himself with his Angels having sinned before and not kept their first esstate but left their owne habitation first Eva then Adam being seduced did wittingly and willingly fall into disobedience and trāsgressiō of the co●mnaund●●●nt of God For the which death came vpon all and reigneth over all pea euen over infants also which have not sinned after the like maner of the trangression of Adam that is actually Hence also it is that all since the fall of Adam are begotten in his owne liknes after his image being conceyved and formed in iniquitie and so by nature children of wrath and servants of sinne and subiect to death and al other calamities due vnto sinne in this world and for ever 5 All mankind being thus fallen and become altogether dead in sinne and subiect to the eternall wrath of God both by originall and actuall corruption Yet the elect all and onely are redeemed quickned raysed vp and saved againe not of themselves neyther by works lest anie man should boast him self but wholly and only by GOD of his free grace and mercy through faith in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and rights a●s●es and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written Hee that resorceth may reio●ce in the Lord. 6 This therfort is lyfe eternall to know the only true God and whom hee hath sent into the world Iesus Christ And on the contrarie the Lord will render vengeance in ●laming fire vnto than that know not God and which over not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ 7 How the rule of this ●nowledge faith and obediēc● concerning the worship ād service of God and all other christiā dinityes is not mens opinions devises lawes constitutions or traditions w●ritten whatsoeuer of men but onely the written word of God conteyned in the canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament 8 In this word Iesus Christ hath plainely reveled whatsoever his father thought needfull for vs to know beleeue and acknowledge as touching his person and Office in whom all the promises of God are yea and in whom they are Amen to the prayse of God through vs. 9 Touching his person the Lord Iesus of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote and whom the Apostl●s preached is the everlasting Sonne of God the father by eternall generation the brightnes of his glorie and the engrauē forthe of his Person coeffitiall co●qual and coeternall God with him and with the holy Ghost Ioy whō hee made the worlds vp whō hee vpholdeth and governeth all the works hee hath made Who also whē the fulnes of tyme was come was made man of a woman of the Tribe of Iudah of the seed of Dauid and Abraham to wyt of Mary that blessed Virgin by the holy Ghost comming vpon hir and the power of the most high ouershadowing hir and was also in al things lyke vnto vs sinne only excepted 10 Touching his Office Iesus Christ only i● made the Medi●tor of the new Testamēt even of the everlasting Couenant of grace betweē God mā to be per●●c●ly and fully the Prophet Priest and King of the Church of God for evermore 11 Vnto this office hee was from everlasting by the