Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bishop_n	ordination_n	presbyter_n	9,874	5	10.5221	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87514	The whole faith of man: being the Gospel declared in plainness, as it is in Jesus, and the way thereof of old confirmed by divers signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the holy ghost. In thirty six heads, setting out mans way & work, from the day of his conversion to the day of his dissolution, and what therein is both to be believed and practised. / By Will. Jeffery, who hath for years been a poor labourer in Christs vineyard.	Jeffery, William, 1616-1693.	1659 (1659)	Wing J524; Thomason E1804_1; ESTC R209929	87,834	192

now Rome only was the chief City and reigned over the Kings of the earth when John wrote the Revelation for when Christ was born Augustus Cesar taxed all the world Luke 2.1 2 3. And when Paul appeals to Cesar they send him to Rome Acts 25.11 Chap. 27.1 and 28.16 So it is plain by these Scriptures and many more that when John wrote the Revelation that Rome reigned over the kings of the earth therefore the chief seat of this Woman the great Whore the Mother of Whoredomes is the City of Rome so then the Pope and his Cardinals Bishops with the rest of the Clergy as they call themselves and all Ministers that have Ordination from them immediately or by succession which stand in a Nationall way is the Whore that sits upon many Waters which is People and Multitudes and Nations and tongues Rev. 17.15 Secondly The Church of Rome and all Nationall standing is truly said to be Whorish because she bringeth in members and accounteth them of the Body or Church of Christ by Generation and so maketh her Church Nationall whereas the Church of Christ is by Regeneration or new birth Titus 3.5 And so not National nor Dependant but particular or Independant Thirdly This appeareth fully that the Church of Rome is a Mother of Harlots and all National Churches that spring from her are Whorish and so are her daughters because she baptiseth or springleth upon a fleshly account and so accounteth of her Members in a fleshly way by generation and so brings in Infants in a lineal way bringing in the old covenant in a confused manner and so receiveth false seed and so knoweth her members and her children in a fleshly way contrary to the expresse way of Christ as Paul sheweth Rom. 9.8 saith he They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the promise are counted for the seed And 2 Cor. 5.15 16 17. he sheweth that since the death of Christ Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away behold all things are become new Fourthly The Church of Rome the Lord Bishops and Presbyters which spring from her for they hold their Ordination which they had of her and their Infant-Baptisme which the Church of Rome administred to them and so shew themselves to be Whorish they have forsaken the Lord Jesus Christ the Head and his wayes and have gone a whoring after their own inventions as Israel did Psal 106.39 For the Lord Jesus ascended up on high and gave gifts to men and so sends forth a Ministry by gifts for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the ministry and for edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man c. Ephes 4.8 9 10 11 12 13. But this Harlot contrariwise brings up her Ministry to humane learning in sending them to the Universities and there they learn Philosophy from Aristotle a Heathen Author and such like and for them that are gifted by the Lord if they preach she forbids them But on the contrary note also that the Ministers of Christ ministring by gift Rom. 12.6 7. being qualified according to this 1 Tim. 3. and Titus 1. and approved by the Congregation of the Lord they are Chosen by them and Ordained and so made Bishops or Elders Acts 1.21 to the end chap. 6.3 and 14.23 But this Harlot makes her Ministers or rather Lords without the consent of her Parishes and forceth them in upon them whether they will or no and so her Maintetenance is by Tythes forced from men bringing in the old Priesthood yea in the time of the Law they did not imprison men if they did not pay their Tythes that we find and yet she doth and so this Romish Harlot hath made all Nations drunk with the wine of her fornication her Children are children of fornication according to the flesh by generation a carnal seed consisting of Parishes many of which consist of Swearers Liars Drunkards Whoremongers and such like and a humane carnal ministry forced upon the people and forced maintenance and also her poor is maintained by force and forcing men to worship with her or else Fines imprisonment Banishment or Death must be their portion and also she hath changed the Ordinances and the manner of administring them and the subject and so her way is not the way of love and so not the way of Christ and yet she saith in her heart and word I am and there is none else I sit being a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow and so let every one weigh well what is said that the Saints at Rome were once famous Rom. 1.8 but in time they departed from their espoused Christ the Lord and so came to change the Ordinances and yet she pretends to be the Spouse of Christ having a shew of all the Ordinances or the names of them for Believers baptisme she hath Infants sprinkling and for Laying on of Hands she hath Confirmation or Bishoping but the Presbyters have left this out and in this they are nearer Antichrist then the Lord Bishops and for Breaking of Bread or the Lords Supper that is in part ministred unto the People or Parish and so to the wrong subject being not penitent nor baptised persons and instead of the true Call to her Ministry she hath a humane way as hath been shewed which is not mentioned in Scripture and so Tythes and forced Maintenance instead of that which is by free gift and instead of singing with the Spirit and with the understanding also 1 Cor. 14.15 she hath singing in Rhime in a carnal formall way many together without understanding the Psalms being collected into English meeter by Tho. Sternhold John Hopkins and others and so she hath a glorious shew and a golden cup and through the Popes supremacy and the Peter-pence and prayer to Saints and doctrine of Purgatory and such like trumpery the Clergy is very rich proud and covetous and thus all may see the way of the Whore is National Generational Fleshly Carnal Humane after mens traditions thus she goeth a whoring after her own inventions and so you have a brief discovery of the Whore of Babylon which is the Mother of National Churches her Daughters and abominations of the earth and is drunken with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus Rev. 17.5 6. that is will be the cause of her fall and that brings me to the second thing even the fall of this Whore of Babylon the manner how and by whom and for the clearing up of this First consider that this Woman sits upon a scarlet colloured Beast full of the names

shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Also mind well that the power to judge differences and to deale with Members lyeth in the Body the Church not in the Officers destinct a part from the Church This will plainly appear First because the Lord commands Mat. 18.17 That the offender and his offence be brought to the Church that they may judge it now the company of Elders are not the Church 1 Cor. 1.2 Therefore they have not the power apart from the Church Secondly the Apostle writing to the Church of the Corinthians commands them when they are gathered together in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ to deliver the Fornicatour that had his fathers wife to Satan 1 Cor. 5. to the 6. Mark he doth not command the Elders to do it but the Congregation being gathered together to do it therefore the power lieth not in the Elders alone but in the Congregation Thirdly The Lord Christ saith that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them and their great ones exercise authority upon them but it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you shall be your servant and whosoever will be cheife of you shall be servant of all Mark 10.42 43 44. And therefore the Elders who are the cheife servants are not to exercise Lordship over their Brethen therefore not to rule without the Body the Church for if they should rule without the Body it would be like that evill that Solomon spake of Eccl. 10.7 Servants upon horses and Princes walking as servants upon the earth and so indeed it hath been and is where the Pope and Lord Bishops and Presbytery hath the power they make the members of their National Generational way slaves to serve with great burdens and many of them are very ignorant But although it be so that the power lieth in every particular Body the Church to govern according to the word of Christ yet understand that with consent the Elders and Messengers are to rule in love and are to be obeyed by every particular member they exhorting and commanding duty and declaring the sence of the Church according to the word of Christ Heb. 13.7 17. and also the Body the Church may command the Elders or Pastours and Messengers to look to their Ministry which they have received in the Lord that they fulfil it Col. 4.17 And also note it is good and safe for a particular Church in things of high concernment to call for or desire help from sister Churches and so Messengers who are to take care of all Churches in an especial manner are to go in such cases Act. 15. Quest Hath not the Magistrates power in the Church to set apart her Officers and to punish Offenders as he seeth good yea with death if he please Answ No for Christ hath not said any where that he should so do now if Christ have not said it nor it be not in the Law and Testament as it is not it may not be Isa 8.20 Heb. 1.5 Nay for the Magistrate to set apart Officers in the Church crosseth the Law of Christ which is that the Church by a free choise should set them apart as it hath been shewed before Again Magistrates may not punish offenders as in point of conscience for Christ commands the contrary Mat. 13.30 38. For there he saith that the children of the kingdome and the children of the wicked one shall both grow together in the field of the world till the end yea the Jewes that blaspeme against Christ are to be suffered for they are beloved of God for their fathers sake though they be enemies to the Gospel Rom. 11.28 and when the fulness of the Gentiles is come in all Israel shall be saved as it is written ver 25 26. So then the Jewes be to have liberty that is plain therefore all ought to have liberty of conscience that 's as plain So then the Magistrate hath not any power in the Church more then any other member but the power lieth in the whole Church to cast out offenders as hath been shewed but in all civil affaires as all sins against the second Table yea in all things that be civil that helongs to the Common-wealth the Magistrate is supreme and the whole Church is to obey him and honour him as the supreme in every civil thing for the Lords sake 1 Pet. 2.13 14 15. paying custome to whom custome belongeth and tribute as he or they hath and doth appoint Mat. 22.21 Rom. 13. from ver 1. to 10. Yea let them not dispute who is Cheif Magistrate no not by any means by warr but rather submit to the cheif Magistrate in being in every Nation So then from all this that hath been said it doth appear and that very clearly yea most excellently from the Scriptures of truth that God is a God of love and mercy and is long suffering and the riches of his goodness and bounty doth abound most freely and graciously towards all men and would have none perish but would have all come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved and that the way of Christ is a way of love in that he laid down his life for all men yea though they were and are enemies he tenders the word of the Gospel even glad tydings of peace beseeching by himself and by his servants though they do abuse them to be reconciled to God O how meek and lowly in heart was the Lord Jesus how doth his love and goodness appear in that he being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with him made himself of no reputation and took upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likeness of man and being found in the fashion of a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross And so the Lord of life and Glory by whom all things were created beseecheth the creature to be reconciled to God and so to obey him in love and walk up in the way of the Gospel which is a way of love for the love of God being spread abroad in the heart men having from the God of love received gifts the love of Christ constraineth to preach the Gospel and to feed the flock of Christ and to seek up them that go astray and the Saints in love minister and communicate unto them what they want and so Ministers are chosen in love and their Doctrin is heard in love and received in love and the poor relieved in love and them that sin are dealt with in love and their meetings of the Church and feasts are in love and their Communion in Breaking of Bread is in love so al duty is to be done without murmurings and disputings in love so Faith in Christ is available working by love so the children of God receive the kingdome as a reward in