Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	succession_n	9,913	5	9.7671	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11606	A threefold preseruatiue against three dangerous diseases of these latter times 1. Non proficiency in grace. 2. Fals-hearted hypocrisie. 3. Back-sliding in religion. Prescribed in a sermon at S. Pauls Crosse in London, September, 17. 1609. By William Sclater, Batcheler in Diuinity, and sometimes fellow of the Kings Colledge in Cambridge.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.	1610 (1610)	STC 21847; ESTC S116857	29,329	42

more honourable Heare the same Apostle 1. Tim 5.17 Chrys ad locum The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour Call it Reuerence or Maintenance or both how euer a specialty in it belōgs to them that labour in the word doctrine sure it is more soūd honour is there to be gained in the hearts of our people by preaching then by all outward helps whatsoeuer Thirdly what sayd I honour amongst men yea more comfort to our Consciences and glory in Gods Kingdome Heare Salomon He that winneth soules Pro. 11.30 Dan. 12.3 is wise and Daniel They that turne others to righteousnesse they shall shine as the starres in the firmament and Paul 1. Thess 2.19 What is our hope our ioy our crowne of reioycing are not you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming What comfort like this when a Minister comes before the Lord the great Shepheard of the Sheepe with the words of Isaiah Is 8.18 applyed to our Sauiour Lo mee and the children that thou hast giuen mee the sonnes daughters which by thy blessing I haue begotten vnto thee in the Gospell Fourthly I would haue added hereto the example of their worthy predecessours Beloued I am so farre from thinking that there were Lay-Elders in the Ancient Church hauing the care of Church discipline that I begin to be of opinion they were all Preaching-Elders that had to do in ordination and iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall The Apostles we know from whom our Reuerend Bishops haue more then probably deriued their succession were all laborious this way One of them on whose shoulders lay the care of all the Churches 1. Cor. 9.16 yet cryes Wo to him selfe if he preach not the Gospell And Timothy I presume was a Bishop yet hath that charge layd on him with an heauy adiuration 1. Tim. 4.1 2. To preach the word And for succeeding ages those Reuerend Bishops S. Ambrose Augustine Chrisostome c. what monuments haue they left vs more venerable then their pithy Sermons and exhortations to the people Let vs all therefore euen Superiours be exhorted so much as infirmities of age and the waighty affaires of Church-gouernment will permit to stirre vp the gift of God that is in vs that if it be possible we may strengthen the weake knees and keepe that which is halting from being turned out of the way Generall preseruatiues for all I come now to priuate Christians that they also may haue wherewith to preserue themselues from this fearefull and discomfortable estate of Apostasy Their most soueraigne antidotes are these Obedience according to their measure of knowledge receiued This is the Christian built on the Rocke Mat. 7. ad fin that heareth the word of God and doth it On such a man let the winds blow the flouds beate the raine fall he stands neuerthelesse vnmouable for he is built vpon the Rocke Our Aduersaries boast much of their thousand Proselytes I am perswaded if they were enquired of they should be foūd such as neuer made any Conscience of their wayes Now sure we are beholden to them that they haue receiued like a Draught the Excremēts of our Church Let them reioyce and applaud themselues in their Thousands for this yet take my warrant They shall neuer winne credit to any Religion whatsoeuer it is they professe Syncerity and vprightnesse of the heart before God Beloued I neuer knew right Nathaniel true Israelite indeed that proued a Reuolt Nor euer could read of Hypocrite but became Apostate if euer trouble arose for the Gospell It 's a true position He that begins Religion in hypocrisy ends in Apostasy 2. Par. 25.2 Verse 14. Amaziah did many things sauouring of vprightnesse in the eyes of the Lord but not with a perfit heart What was his Issue Returning from the slaughter of the Edomites he brought the gods of Se●r and set them vp to be his gods and worshipped them and burnt incense vnto them There is an Art in these times that hath more Students then any other of liberall or Manuall sciences the Art of seeming especially in Religion City and Country almost nothing but vizars Now would God we could remember what Chrysostome sayth Hypocrite is it good to seeme good in Matth. oper imperfect it's farre better to be good Is it euill to seeme euill it's farre worse to be euill c. and the saying of Christ me thinks should not be forgotten To him that hath shall be giuen Luk. 8.18 and whosoeuer hath not from him shall be taken euen that which it seemeth that he hath Labour for assurance and certaine perswasion of the Truth in your owne minds especially for that which is armour of proofe against Apostasy Experimentall sense of Gods holy truth Phil. 3.10 Thou shalt neuer feare infection in the poynt of Iustification if thou know the practise and experience of Iustification As on the other side when men rest onely vpon the authority of their Teachers and gouernours hauing no better reasons of beliefe and worship no maruell if they turne with the wind and run current with the Current and streame of the times And this is the lamentable vnsettlednes of our people that they looke no farther for proofe no not of faith and worship then the Authority of the Magistrate Now blessed be God that hath giuen vnto his Maiesty a right iudgement in matters of Religion and the Lord that hath begun that good worke in him perfect it vnto the day of the Lord Iesus Christ But if which be it farre from vs to surmise if I say the Lord should suffer him to fall To cagro dou leuontes me to Kurio Rom 12.11 or in his wrath depriue vs of his gouernmēt if he should permit vs to a Popish Ruler who seeth not how indifferent our people are such temporazing is euen now rife and that reading best pleaseth seruing the time not the Lord. Fors●ke not the assemblies and gatherings together of the Saints Heb. 10.25 1. Thes 5.19 Exod. 27.20 as the maner sayth the Apostle and we may say too of too many it Quench not the Spirit wouldst thou not quench him Despise not prophecying that 's the holy oyle for the lampe of the Sanctuary not being supplied therwith thou shalt soone perceiue it to grow dimme and by little and little to an vtter extinction Now brethren to omit both Popish and profane Recusants Is it not to be lamented that amongst those who seeme most to bewaile the declinings of our Church there should be some found so eyther nice or humorous that they refuse to arme thēselues against that which they so much feare and pity in others by diligent attendance to the worke of the Ministery One forsooth is too learned another too plaine a third too elegant or else too rude some too formall some too scrupulous none pleaseth but some one whom our parciall conceits haue made our Idoll So wanton are we growne