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	call_v	evangelist_n	3,049	5	9.9516	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96168	A brief narration of the practices of the churches in New-England. Written in private to one that desired information therein; by an inhabitant there, a friend to truth and peace. Published according to order.	Weld, Thomas, 1590?-1662.	1645 (1645)	Wing W1263; Thomason E298_20; ESTC R200239	15,892	20

A BRIEF NARRATION OF THE PRACTICES OF THE Churches in New-England Written in private to one that desired information therein by an Inhabitant there a Friend to Truth and Peace Published according to Order LONDON Printed by Matth. Simmons for John Rothwell and are to be sold at his Shop at the signe of the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard 1645. A BRIEFE NARRATION of the practises of the Churches in NEW-ENGLAND PREFACE Mr scope in this Declaration is onely to answer your owne desire and cleere our way from some misapprehensions which I plainly see have been suggested to you against our proceedings what weaknesse may fall from my pen in this relation impute it to my own slendernesse not to the cause in our hands Dirige corrige Jesu benignissime OUr practise in Discipline consists in these six heads especially 1. In gathering or founding our Churches 2. In calling Officers as Pastors Teachers Ruling Elders Deacons 3. In solemne Church-worship 4. In admitting of members 5. In recommendations and dismissions of members to other Churches 6. In censuring delinquent members by Admonition Excommunication For the first such as do intend to gather into Church-followship 1. Gathering the Church doe often in private meete together and seriously examine the spirituall conditions one of another even untill they be mutually satisfied in the judgement of charity of the truth of grace of each other of all such as they intend to make the foundationalls of that Church Which done they certifie the Magistrates and all neere adjoyning Churches of their intentions to erect a Church and the day when they purpose to meet in publique for that end and this is done 1. To shew they are not ashamed of the light 2. To crave the help of their prayers and the assistance of their counsell in so weighty a work being better experienced in those wayes of Christ then themselves as yet are 3. To cleere their own proceedings in their Brethrens consciences that they seeing their entrance to be according to the Rule may accept of them more comfortably into communion as any occasion shall require When the day appointed is come and some deputed persons sent from all the neighbour Churches which usually are the teaching and ruling Elders there present and most part of that day solemnly spent in fasting and praying for a blessing upon that enterprise Then one of them chosen to order the work of the day stands up and speaks to the other of the Brethren that they may now begin to act what they met that day for which is to joyn together into holy fellowship if the will and pleasure of the Lord be so and withall desires then that whereas they have manifested already Gods gracious workings upon their hearts to each other in private now they would do the same again before the Churches in publike Then himself begins Confession and makes confession of his faith in all the principles of Religon and then a declaration of his effectuall calling to Christ and how God hath carryed on the work of grace viz. Repentance from dead works and faith towards God both of which they insist upon in his soule to that day Then all the rest do the like which done to the satisfaction of the Brethren present they give testimony of the godly and approved life and conversation of each other After this Covenant they enter into a sacred and solemne Covenant engagement profession call it what you please whereby they protest and promise by the help of Christ to walk together as becomes a Church of God See Cottons Way in New-England p. 8. in all duties of holinesse before the Lord and in all brotherly love and faithfulnesse to each other according unto God withall producing their Covenant agreed on before amongst themselves then read it before the Assembly and then either subscribe their hands to it or testifie by word of mouth their agreement thereto Then the Brethren of other Churches some in the name of the rest reaching forth the right hand of fellowship unto them beare witnesse to their proceedings to be according to God testifie their acceptance of them into brotherly fellowship and do exhort them also in the Lord to proceed according to those beginnings and so prayers made and praises given unto God and a Psalme sung the blessing is pronounced and the Congregation dissolved The Churches thus gathered 2. Calling of Officers Acts 6.3 they look out from among themselves such who are fit for office and if none among them be so though usually those that joyn into a Church have one amongst them upon whom their eye is for such imployment they seek to the Lord of the Harvest to direct them elsewhere Matth. 9.38 and because Apostles Prophets Evangelists have no successors appointed in Scripture the ordinary officers we use to call Ephes 4.10 are Elders Teaching Pastors Teachers Ruling Deacons The Pastors office properly is to bend himself to exhortation Pastors Teachers Rom. 12.7 8. The Teachers office to give himself to instruction in points of doctrine explication of Scripture confutation of error c. The ruling Elder to order the Assemblies Ruling-Elders to look to the life and conversation of the whole Church and to visit from house to house to see how all thrive in godlinesse while the other give themselves to the Word and Doctrine and all of them together to govern the House of God and also to prepare in private all matters for Church and to survey the estates and ripen all such as are to be admitted in the Church before they produce them in publike c. The Deacons office is to have a diligent eye to look into the necessities of the Church and with a tender heart Deacons and carefull hand supply them from the Church Treasury with such things as they need for necessity conveniency and comfort and to see that none want but honourably to supply them even before they fall into any extremity or be forced to crave help from the Church and therefore he is To Collect diligently To Keep faithfully To Distribute carefully the Churches treasure Acts 6.2 that so hee may serve the Tables which is the proper work the Lords Table Ministers table and the poores table To the Deacons office Deacon 1 Tim. 5.3 we would adde Deaconesses where such may be had according to which should be widowes of the Church faithfull approved and full of good works who may give themselves to works of mercy cheerfully and to be serviceable also to those that are sick when the Deacon so conveniently cannot and sometime so modestly may not send their help as that sex may And here behold by the way the faithfull and tender care of our blessed Lord that fully provides in those officers for the necessities of all his Saints Ephes 4.12 viz. By Pastors Teacher Elders Deacons Widowes and hath given them their names works and titles in his House which are

love unto him and now not only their Temple doores but their armes and hearts are ready to receive him As the church hath power from Christ over a delinquent member to reject him from their societies so also over a scandalous officer to deprive him of his office among them though this wee speak de jure non de facto for blessed be God we never had any accasion to put this in practice and wee desire wee never may for as they and they only had power from Christ to call one to administer unto them so they have the same power upon just cause given and he making himself unworthy and unfit to perform that work they called him to and to administer holy things with his impure hands that when they shall see one just ground that Christ himself hath discarded from ministring unto them then they also may be Christs Instruments to depose him from the office they called him unto In all these church-administrations spoken in this Discourse Acts 2.46 4.25 5.12 our great desire and care is to carry all things with joynt consent of all the members which was the practice and honour of the Primitive times which Paul so much desired 2 Cor. 2.10 should be in the church of Corinth and through Gods great goodnesse we have obtained that mercy that usuually in all our admissions dismissions elections and censures it hath been so with us to our great comfort But in case there should any difference arise as possibly they may through the remaining darknesse of our mindes all not being able to see alike then such as dissent from their Brethren and propound their grounds which are either weighty from the Word and then it is the voyce not of the Brethren only but of Christ speaking in thee to which the rest submit and yeeld or else their reasons have little or no strength in them which the Brethren are able with ease to answer and then either the rest see it and yeeld or if they are not convinced of the invalidity of their reasons and the strength of their Brethrens answers it is either through the weaknesse of their judgement or the stiffnesse of their will if the former be the cause the rest lovingly inform them and patiently beare with them till things be in some sort cleered up that they are content wholly to submit and consent to make no further trouble which they are frequently taught to do in cases of such nature but if stiffnesse of will plainly appeare or a spirit of contradiction if they will not by loving information lay down themselves they think it meet to admonish them of pride and wilfulness and leave them under it till they shall repent whereby the liberty of their voyce is taken from them till they have removed the offence But if the cause should be weighty and dark Cottons Way of Churches pag. 95. Acts 15. and the doubtigreat on both sides wee call in light from other churches to whom by agreement they repaire and crave their counsell This being faithfully done by Gods ordinary blessing and presence to our comfort we speak it we have found it conclusive and availe That which follows is added out of Mr Cottons late booke of the way of the Churches in New-England that this Narration might be compleat HItherto of their practice in regard of each Church by it selfe and the members of it in the next place is to be related what the course is in respect of many Churches in communion and fellowship and this omitting that was said before in their mutuall assistance about the constitution of particular Churches and recommendation of members c. consists in two points generally for wee will name onely the chiefe first the combination into Synods or Assemblies Secondly Dealing with Delinquent Congregations For the first When either corrupt opinions or suspicious practices are scattered so as they cannot well be healed by any Church alone Assemblies the Elders of the Churches desirous to maintaine verity and unity of judgement in matters of doctrine and integrity of life throughout the Churches doe both acquaint the Magistrate being nursing Fathers amongst us to the Church with the necessary occasions and ends of a generall Assembly and doe also sollicite the Churches to send some fit persons at such a time place where the Assembly is to be held to consider and discerne of the matters in question The Assembly being met in the name of Christ and his presence called for by humble and earnest prayer the matters to be discussed are propounded by one of the Elders of that Church where we meet or by some other appointed by them and consented to by the Assembly The matters propounded the Elders do declare their judgement together with their reasons from the Word All which time it is free for any man present and all may be present if they will as well the Messengers of the Churches as others after leave orderly craved and obtained Acts 15.7 to propound their doubts without offence whence disputation doth arise as Act. 15.7 till all parties be either satisfied or convinced In points which are not so fully cleared and agreed upon or the nature of them such as may admit further discussion ☜ difference of apprehension without disunion of affection or disturbance of the Churches peace is permitted and each man is left to his Christian libertie so farre as they all attaine they judge and minde one thing if any be otherwise minded who in simplicitie of heart seeketh the truth and in meeknesse of wisdome and love holdeth forth the same wee hope God will in time reveale the same unto him in the meane time Rom. 14.2 3. all agreeing in this one Not to condemne nor to despise one another in differences of weaknesse For the second viz. the dealing with or admonishing of offending Churches When a scandall ariseth in a Church Admonition of delinquent Churches whether by corruption of doctrine or in manners if upon diligent search it prove true the Church hearing thereof sendeth Letters or Messengers or both unto the Elders of that Church and exhorteth them to take a speedy course to the redresse thereof But if the Elders prove remisse therein or be faulty themselves they then certifie the whole Church thereof ☜ to call upon their Officers as Paul sent to the Church of Colosse to call upon Archippus Col. 4.11 Col. 4.11 If the Church heare them not the Church offended taketh in the helpe of two or three Churches more to joyne with them If still the offending Church persist in the neglect of their duty and of the counsell of their brethren either the matter would be referred to a Congregation of many or all the Churches together if need should require or els if the offence be evident and weightie and of ill though not of generall consequence the Churches offended would as justly they might withdraw themselves from the right hand of fellowship and so forbeare all such exercises of mutuall brotherly communion with them which all the Churches of Christ are wont to walke in one towards another as mutuall 1. Participation of Ordinances See Cottons Way of churches cap. 6. Sect 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 2. Recommendation of members 3. Consultation in matters of weight 4. Joyning in Assemblies 5. Contribution to their outward wants 6. and helping to propagate such Churches which are with this 7. of admonition the severall acts of communion which wee hold as Churches one with another And though we have never been put to the utmost extent of this duty because the Lord hath so prevented that no church hath stood out so long yet if it should so fall out as God forbid wee look at it as our duty by proportion as one brother is bound to be faithfull to another and by example of the Church Song 8 8. who lookes for her little sister that had no breasts and of the Apostle 2 Cor. 11.28 who took care of all the Churches which publike spirit of grace and love is not dead with them all the Churches of Christ ought to have a care and watchfull eye over the publike good one of another though not virtute officii yet intuitu charitatis Now let all godly minded judge what errour or iniquity is in our Practice so much cryed out upon by the sons of men and some of our deare Brethren Psal 81.5 11.3 who cry us down for Separatists Schismamaticks Anabaptists and what not The foundations are cast down and what hath the righteous done Oh let men shew us from the blessed Word of truth where our errour lies let them set down a purer pattern before us and wee hope God will not so far leave us but that he will open our eyes and bow our hearts to entertain it but if upon mature thoughts they judge this to be the very Way of God 1 Cor. 11.1 Acts 26.9.29.4 2 Pet. 5.10 James 1.17 Isa 13.12 45.4 Lam. 4.2 Psal 2.15 Phil. 2.10.15 as we believe verily God is now about to cleer it so to be to all the world let them in the name of God lay away all prejudice against our persons and practices and follow us so far as we follow Christ So wee could wish that all men were as we are saving our meanness Now the God of all truth and the Father of all lights perswade the spirits of all his precious ones duly to prise those wayes of Christ and bow their hearts to stoop to the simplicity of the Gospel of our blessed Lord and common head Jesus Christ in whose blessed bosome of love and care I leave them and you ever resting Their and your loving Brother FINIS