Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	abraham_n	child_n	seed_n	2,807	5	8.0209	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30136	A confession of my faith and a reason of my practice, or, With who, and who not, I can hold church-fellowship, or the communion of saints	Bunyan, John, 1628-1688.	1672 (1672)	Wing B5506; ESTC R36326	44,845	152

going before Exo. 19. and chap. 34.1.10 The second giving is here intended for so it cometh after faith which first receiveth the proclamation of forgiveness hence we are said to do this righteousness in the joy and peace of the holy Ghost Now he that in these things serveth Christ is accepted of God and approved of men For who is he that can justly find fault with him that fullfilleth the royal Law from a principle of Faith and Love If ye fullfill the royal Law according to the Scriptures Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self ye do well ye are approved of men Again he that hath loved another hath fullfilled the Law for love is the fulfilling of the Law He then that serveth Christ according to the royal Law from faith and love going before he is a fit person for Church-communion God accepteth him Men approve him Now that the royal Law is the moral precept read the place James 2.8 9 10 11 12. It is also called the law of liberty because the bondage is taken away by forgiveness going before and this is it by which we are judged as is said meet or unmeet for Church-communion e. Therefore I say the rule by which we receive Church-members it is the word of the Faith of Christ and of the moral precept Evangelized as I said before I am under the Law to Christ saith Paul So when he forbideth us communion with men they be such as are destitute of the Faith of Christ and live in the transgression of a moral precept I haue written unto you saith he not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such an one no not to eat He saith not if any man be not Baptized have not hands laid on him or joyne with the unbaptized these are fictions scriptureless notions For this Thou shalt not commit Adultery Thou shalt not Kill Thou shalt not Steal Thou shalt not bear false witness Thou shalt not Covet And if there be any other Commandment it is briefly comprehended in this saying Thou shalt Love thy Neighbour as thy self Love thinketh no ill to his Neighbour therefore Love is the fullfilling of the Law Rom. 13.9 10. The word of Faith and the moral precept is that which Paul injoyns the Galathians and Philippians still avoiding outward circumstances hence therefore when he had to the Galathians treated of Faith he falls point blank upon moral duties For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new creature And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6 15 16. As many as walk according to this rule What rule The rule by which men are proved new creatures The word of Faith and the moral precept Wherefore Paul exhorteth the Ephesians not to walk as other Gentiles in the vanity of their mind seeing they had received Christ and had heard him and had been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus that they would put off the old man what is that Why the former conversation which is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts Lying Anger Sin giving place to the Divel corrupt communication all bitterness wrath clamor evil speaking with all malice and that they would put on the new man What is that That which is created in righteousness and true holyness A being renewed in the spirit of their mind and a putting away all these things Eph. 4 For in Christ Jesus these words are put in of purpose to shew us the nature of new Testament administrations And how they differ from the old In Moses an outward conformity to an outward and carnal ordinance was sufficient to give they subjecting themselves thereto a being of membership with the Jews But in Christ ●esus it is not so of Abrahams flesh was the national Jewish congregation but it is Abrahams Faith that makes new testament Churches They that are of Faith are the children of faithfull Abraham They that are of Faith the same are the children of Abraham So then the seed being now spiritual the rule must needs be spiritual also viz. the word of Faith and holyness This is the Gospel concision knife sharper then any two edged sword and that by which new testament Saints are circumcised in heart ears and lips For in Christ Jesus no outward and circumstantial thing but the new creature none subjects of the visible Kingdom of Christ but visible Saints by calling Now that which manifesteth a person to be a visible Saint must be conformity to the word of Faith and Holyness And they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Hearken how delightfully Paul handleth the point The new creatures are the Israel of God The new creature hath a rule by himself to walk by And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Paul to the Philippians commandeth as much where treating of his own practice in the doctrine of Faith and Holyness requireth them to walk by the same rule to mind the same thing I desire to be found in Christ saith he I reach forward toward the things that are before my conversation is in heaven and flatly opposite to them whose God is their belly who glory in their shame and who mind earthly things Brethren saith he be ye followers together with me and mark them that walk so Mark them For what For persons that are to be received into fellowship and the choycest communion of Saints And indeed this is the safest way to judge of the meetness of persons by For take away the confession of Faith and holyness and what can distinguish a Christian from a Turk He that indeed receiveth faith and that squareth his life by the royal perfect moral precept and that walketh there in the joy and peace of the holy Ghost no man can reject him he cannot be a man if he object against against him not a man in Christ not a man in understanding The Law is not made for a righteous man neither to debar him the communion of Saints if he desire it nor to cast him out if he were in But for the Lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and prophane For murtherers of fathers and for murtherers of mothers for man-slayers for whoremongers for them that defile themselves with mankind for manstealers for prejured persons and if there be any other thing contrary to sound doctrine according to the glorious Gospell which is committtd to my trust 1 Tim 1.9 10 11. Paul also wen he would leave an everlasting conviction upon the Ephesians concerning his Faith and Holyness treating first of the sufficiency of Christs blood and the grace of God to save us he adds I have coveted no mans Silver or Gold or Apparell

have in their first and primitive institution T is possible to commit Idolatry even with Gods own appointments But I pass this and come to the thing propounded Secondly then I dare have communion Church communion with those that are visible Saints by calling with those that by the word of the Gospell have been brought over to faith and holyness And it maketh no matter to me what their life was heretofore if they now be washed if they be sanctified if they ●e justified in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. Now in order to the discovery of this faith and holyness and so to fellowship in Church communion I hold it requisite that a faithful relation be made thereof by the party thus to be received yea if need be by witnesses also for the satisfaction of the church that she may receive in faith and judgment such as best shall suit her holy profession Acts 9.26 27 28. 1 Cor. 16.10 2 Cor. 8.23 Observe it these Texts do respect extraordinary officers and yet see that in order to their reception by the Church there was made to them a faithfull relation of the faith and holyness of these very persons For no man may intrude himself upon or thrust himself upon or thrust himself into a Church of Christ without the Church have first the knowledge and liking of the person to be received If otherwise there is a door opened for all the hereticks in the world yea for Divels also if they appear in humane shapes But Paul shews you the manner of receiving by pleading after some disgrace thrown upon him by the false Apostles for his own admission of his companions Receive us saith he we have wronged no man we have defrauded no man we have corrupted no man and so concerning Timothy If Timothy come saith he see that he may be with you without fear for he worketh the work of the Lord as I also do 2 Cor. 7.2 1 Cor 16 10. Also when Paul supposed that Titus might be suspected by some see how he pleades for him If any do enquire of Titus he is my partner and fellow helper concerning you or our brethren be enquired of they are the messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ. 2 Cor. 8.23 Phaebe also when she was to be received by the Church at Rome see how he speaketh in her behalf I commend unto you Phaebe our sister which is a servant of the Church which is at Ceuchrea that ye receive her in the Lord as becometh Saints and that you assist her in whatsoever business she hath need of you for she hath been a succourer of many and of my self also Rom. 16.1 2 Yea when the Apostles and brethren sent their Epistles from Jerusalem to Antioch under what characters do those go that were the messengers to them It seemed good unto the holy Ghost and to us to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Saul men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Acts 15.25 26 27. Now though the occasion upon which these commendations were written were not simply or onely in order to Church relation but also for other causes yet because the persons concerned were of the Churches to be received as faithfull and such who would partake of Church priviledges with them they have therefore their faith and faithfulness relate to the Churches as those that were particularly imbodyed there Besides Timothy and Titus being extrordinary officers stood as members and officers in every Church where they were received Likewise Barnabas and Saul Judas and Silas abode as members and officers there where they were sent 'T was requisite therefore that the Letters of recommendation should be in substance the same with that relation that ought to be made to the Church by or for the person that is to be imbodyed there But to return I dare have communion Church-communion with those that are visible Saints by calling Quest. But by what rule would you receive him into fellowship with your selves Answ Even by a discovery of their faith and holyness and their declaration of willingness to subject themselves to the laws and government of Christ in his Church Quest. But do you not count that by water-baptism and not otherwise that being the initiating and entering ordinance they ought to be received into felowship Answ. No But tarry and take my sense with my word For herein lyes the mistake To think that because in time past Baptism was administred upon conversion that therefore it is the initiating and entring ordinance into Church-communion when by the word no such thing is testifyed of it Besides that it is not so will be manifest if we consider the nature and power of such an ordinance That ordinance then that is the initiating or entering ordinance as before Doth give to them that partake thereof aright to and a being of membership with that particular Church by which it is administred I say a right to and a being of membership without the addition of another Church-Act This is evident by the Law of circumcision which was the initiating Law of old For by the administration of that very ordinance the partaker thereof was forthwith member of that congregation without the addition of another Church-act Gen. 17. This is declared in its first institution and therefore it is called the token of the Covenant The token or sign of righteousness of Abrahams Faith and of the visible membership of those that joyned themselves to the Church with him the very inlet into Church-communion that gave a being of membership among them And thus Moses himself expounds it Every Man-servant saith he that is bought with money when thou hast circumcised him he shall eat of the passover without the addition of another Church-act to impower him there unto his circumcision hath already given him a being there and so a right to and priviledge in the blessing of Church-relation A Forreigner and an hired servant shall not eat thereof because not circumcised but when a stranger that sojourneth with thee will keep the Passover to the Lord let all his males be circumcised and then let him come near and keep it for then he is one of the Church and he shall be as one born in the Laad for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof Exo. 12.43 45 46 47 48 49. Neither could any other thing according to the Law of Circumcision give the devoutest person that breathed a being of membership with them He that is born in thine house he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised the uncircumcised man-child whose flesh of his foreskin is not c●rcumcised that Soul shall becut off from his people Gen. 17.13 14. Note then that that which is the initiating ordinance admitteth none into Church-communion but those that first partake thereof The Angel sought to kill Moses