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	timothy_n	titus_n	4,674	5	10.6389	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02178	The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham, minister and preacher of the Word of God collected into one volume: reuised, corrected, and published, for the further building of all such as loue the truth, and desire to know the power of godlinesse. By H.H.; Works	Greenham, Richard.; Holland, Henry, 1555 or 6-1603.; Hill, Robert, d. 1623.	1612 (1612)	STC 12318; ESTC S120843	1,539,296	988

few and as it were to an handfull now it is giuen to many and to all nations then to one sexe more specially now to both the other is that then they had knowledge now they haue more and a greater measure both of knowledge and repentance For young men shall see visions and old men shall dreame dreames This I say is the first difference that this grace is offered to moe nations For the first was bestowed onely vpon the Iewes for they onely had the Law Psal. ●47 19. but now al is one Christ is the head both of the Iew and Gentile there is one shepheard and one sheepfold both of Iew and Gentile The second note of difference is that the young men should see visions and the old men dreame dreames This is a great benefit and a singular signe of God his loue to his people that they should some of them see visions and some dreame dreames It is said Numb 12. 6. that the Lord would be knowne to a Prophet among his people by a vision and that he would speake vnto him by a dreame and though then of al some did prophecie some did see visions some did dreame yet now all shall prophecie all shall see visions all shall dreame dreames not that all shall be Prophets as the Anabaptists and Familie of loue doe gather but that now sons and daughters seruants and women should haue as great knowledge as they that among the Iewes were chosen Prophets Now that it cannot be litterally vnderstood there is great danger if it be not rightly vnderstood it is proued thus Because there was neuer any age at one time wherein all were Prophets yet this saying was true and fulfilled in the Apostles time and yet not so literally that we can perceiue that all the Apostles prophecied and saw dreames Peter and Paul indeede saw dreames but where shall we find that all the other Apostles did so and yet this were not so fulfilled vnlesse the hearers also should prophecie But this was not so euen at that time and therefore it was not literally fulfilled in them that all sorts of men had all these gifts and therefore it must needes follow that it was neuer so vniuersally fulfilled because either at that time it was fulfilled or neuer For euen in the Apostles time all were not Teachers neither shall it euer be in any time hereafter because God is a God of order and not of confusion and hath appointed and purposed this diuersitie that some should bee Teachers and some learners Wherefore the Apostle after hee hath set downe the diuers callings of Christians for edifying of the Church 1. Cor. 12. he addeth vers 29. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers Yea Paul proueth that it was not then so For as there be diuers mēbers in one bodie al members haue not the same office so it is in the Church of Christ. For all are not Prophets all are not Apostles all are not Teachers As if he should say Wee see it is not so but God hath otherwise disposed it Ephes. 4. it is saide that Christ when he ascended did ordaine diuers offices some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the gathering together of the Saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ vntill the number of the elect be fulfilled and not vntil men become perfit in this life as some men haue foolishly dreamed Here we see some Teachers and the rest the worke of the ministerie Againe Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians intituleth his Epistle to the Saints which was the Church and to the Bishops and Deacons which were the Ministers of the Church all the Saints were not Bishops all the Saints were not Deacons Besides if all were Bishops what neede the rules which Paul giueth to Timothie and Titus for the chusing of Bishops 1. Corin. 14. Paul saith if any man be a Prophet or spiritual that is a disciple where he constituteth two orders to wit a Prophet or Teacher teaching by the spirit and a Christian not of the cōmon sort but taught of God or one that hath receiued of the graces of God And againe it is said that young men should prophecie Were then all yong men Prophets Indeed Titus was yong a Minister but he was chosen by Prophets and foretold of had been instructed in the Scriptures from his childhood For Bishop he is so called of his office because he ouerseeth so he is called an Elder for his grauitie which sheweth that euen ordinarily then the Teachers were olde Christ began not to preach vntill he was thirtie yeeres old and Iohn was old before he began to preach and therefore ordinarily men ought to bee of good age before they come to that calling not that I thinke that none ought to teach before they bee thirtie yeeres of age but that it neuer was ordinarie that any young man should teach for it is giuen in precept that Teachers should not be young schollers But it is one question what God may doe and another what is ordinarily done For God can and doth often raise vp young men to shame the aged as it may be thought he hath done euen in our daies but this was neuer ordinarie neither yet ought it to be Women were not ordinarily admitted to this function yet God to shew his power and to shame men doth sometime raise women Prophetesses It is said here that women should prophecie What was this euer fulfilled did women euer take vpon them the roome of teaching Indeed there was a Prophetesse among them but that was not ordinarily And when the women of Corinth began to be bold and to speake in the congregation the Apostle giueth out a flat rule that women should not speake but learne in subiection It is said further that seruants maids and men should see visions Was this euer fulfilled did they at any time take this office vpon them Indeed if they had had the gifts they had been fit but wee see it neuer came to passe And seeing it was not then fulfilled in the Apostles time then was it not any time fulfilled before nor in any age since Yea let vs drawe an argument from the Anabaptists and from the Familie of loue themselues this is not fulfilled euen in them For are all of them Teachers Indeed if they could doe this that were the way to conuert all vnto them but they are not For some yea and the most of them are learners those men that seeme to be teachers are not yet according to this prophecie full of the Spirit For the abundance of God his spirit maketh his people the bolder Peter was not afraid of the whole Councel Steu●n made his persecutors and accusers ashamed and the Apostles were alwaies the first to answere for the defence of the doctrine But it is thus with the Familie of loue No surely

easily perceiue that Rebecca had not such a conflict when the two yong babes were within her as thou shalt haue when Sathan beginneth thus to worke And for this cause was it that the Church in Baptisme did appoint that euery one should euen then prepare himselfe to fight with the Diuell with the world his owne affections and all the lusts of the flesh Now when a man hath once entred into this fight and for want of due considerations is not able to goe further because he looketh not vnto the charges thereof then what will bee saide of him Behold the foolish builder loe the vnwise souldier and is not this a great reproch Satan shall laugh at vs herein And this defect in fore casting and premeditation is the cause that some men are carried away from the trueth by this meanes and by that meanes but fewe continue stedfast in it vnto the end Hence it commeth to passe that so many being grounded in the pleasure of this life swell in ambition and are as it were choaked with delights in pouertie some runne to vnlawfull sl●fts many by reproches and taunts fall away some burst with anger and some are either carried away with grieuous errors or else with Idolatrie because they doe not consider that Satan is a spirituall wickednesse in heauenly things Some come to drowne and to hang themselues and all for want of consideration Wherefore it behooueth all men to bee most circumspect and warie in this that they consider what that is which they bee to take in hand before they enter rashly into it But yet Satan hath another shift when hee cannot cause vs to bee carelesse and negligent in premeditation then hee will make vs to trust too much to our owne strength as hee did moue Peter to doe who if Christ had not prayed for him and if he had not been grounded on the rocke before hee had vtterly ●●scaried otherwise hee maketh vs to be ouer circumspect and warie in this behalfe as hee did Ananias and Saphira Againe if he see that thou makest a conscience to offend the Lord then hee will set before thee the waight of thy sinnes and the great dangers that thou art in that thereby hee may moue thee to despaire but if hee perceiue that thou art carelesse in off●nding God then will he set before thee the mercies of God that thereby thou maist presume O most perilous temptation when on euery side Satan shall seeke to entrap thee and bring the● vnto destruction Some againe he maketh thus to thinke Alas if I shall giue my selfe to this seuere and strict examination of my selfe then I shall bee plunged into extreame sorrow and griefe and brought into melancholie o● I shall neuer be mine owne man I cannot begge I cannot abide for the words sake to lose my country my wife children and such like and therefore I can neuer come to be a Christian. Thus hee causeth thee onely to see and looke into the perill which shall come vnto thee in professing the word of God but the price of thy saluation and me ioyes of this life to come he neuer telleth them to come into thy minde and this is also a most perilous temptation Thus the diuell by one meanes or other goeth about to deceiue vs either he maketh vs to thinke that the way is not dangerous or else that it is so dangerous as wee shall neuer bee abie to get through it But notwithstanding these great and manifold combats as the hope of profit doth moue the builder to goe on forward in his building so must wee in our spirituall building in hope of some especiall commoditie not leaue off but goe on forward And as in warie the hope of victorie doth stirre men vp to continue to fight so seeing o●● v●ctorie is alreadie gotten by Christ let no labour stay vs let no dangers hinder vs but let vs go on forwards both in our building and warre Let vs consider that we fight not in our own strength but vnder Christ Iesus who hath gotten the victorie for vs who fighteth for vs he hath ouercome Satan in all his temptations and accusations so that he shall neuer be able to ouercome vs either in the sinne of presumption or desperation We may not therefore be now driuen backe the cost of our warfare must not frav vs Christ Iesus will minister harnesse strength weapons vnto vs and he will get the victorie for vs. The great and heauie iudgements of God against sinners let vs set before our eyes the comfortable sayings of the holie Scriptures as this Esay ●1 The wolfe shall lie with the lambe the Leopard shall lie With the kid and the calfe and the Lion and the fat beast together and a little childe shall leade them Whereby is meant the mightie power of Christ in regenerating our corrupt nature which is as fierce as a Lion and as sauage as a wolfe or also if wee relie vpon Christ Iesus he is able to turne the hearts of the cruel●st to pitie vs. Thou must beleeue that Christ by his mightie power hath begotten the a●ew and hath deliuered thee as it were out of the mouth of the Lion and therefore in no wise bee dismaid but comfort thy selfe and beware of fearefull desperation When our Sauiour Christ saith that it is as possible for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God as it is for a Cammell to goe thorowe the eye of a needle O this is a fearefull saying but againe it is a great comfort when hee saith that with man this is vnpossible but with God all things are possible It seemeth to a couetous man to bee a very hard thing to depart from any thing but when Christ Iesus shall be the mightie worke of his spirit truly touch the heart of Zacheus hee can make him willingly to giue halfe of his goods vnto the poore and if that he hath imured any man to restore the same foure fould That was a hard and fearefull saying of Saint Paul 1. Corinth 6. and 9. verse Neither Fornicators nor Adulterers nor Idolaters nor Wantons nor Buggerers nor Theeues nor Couetous men nor Drunkards nor Railers nor Extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God But that which followeth was most comfortable vnto the Corinthians and so it is most comfortable vnto vs And such saith hee were some of you but yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of our God Loe here how Corinth was once a wilde and brutish people but after their calling they became sound in faith and were made the Church of God And in Titus 1. verse 12. Paul saith That the Cretians were alwaies liers euill beasts and slow bellies and saith hee this witnesse is true wherefore rebuke them sharply that they might become sound in the faith Whereby wee see how these wicked people were by Faith purged and made the

on as inceptors in Christianitie others walke on as proficients in Christianitie a fewe runne on as absolute christians in the race First Euery christian is the runner Secondly they begin to runne after iustificatiō by faith in Christ Regeneration Before which the shackles of sin hinder their running Thirdly the ende of this race is the ende of their life Fourthly the race it selfe is the way of Gods statutes Fiftly the place for these runners is this present world for in the world to come we neede not to runne we shall then receiue the ende of our faith which is the saluation of our soules Sixtly the marke at which they ayme is Iesus Christ that they may perfectly knowe loue and possesse him and therefore this race is nothing else but a continuall and most ardent desire studie and endeuour to profit in the knowledge faith loue incorporation and possession of Christ. Seuenthly The price appointed for such as runne well is eternall life with Christ in heauen Eightly this race hath in it these degrees maturè properè rectè constanter First maturè begin betime Secondly properé make hast Thirdly recté keepe on right Fourthly constanter continue to the ende All which that we may performe we must resolue First that we haue neuer runne farre enough for this were to dreame of an Anabaptisticall perfection Secōdly we must euer ayme at our marke which is Christ Iesus Thirdly we must forget our ground behinde vs and all those steps we haue troden in it Fourthly we must euer endeuour to that which is before vs. Fiftly we must cast off all impediments in this race Sixtly and lastly let vs consider that when we haue runne heere as fast as we can yet is our reward and crowne in heauen and this will make vs to runne on still When thou shalt enlarge mine heart Some thinke that the Prophet straitned because of his enemies meaneth that if God should graunt him victorie ouer them then his feete should be as hindes feete to runne on in the aboue named way But it is probable he speaketh of that griefe he had at the consideration of Gods wrath for sinne and indeed such sorrowes doe so drawe together the heart that they make a man not onely slowe to doe good but that he cannot moue a foote in this way but if God remoue them and quiet the conscience Rom. 5 1. we are so readie and fit to euery good worke that we will not onely walke in these paths but with great alacritie runne on in the same Nothing can stay vs when that sorrowe is taken from vs no not contempt imprisonment or losse of life THE 5. PORTION ¶ Verse 33. Teach me ô Lord the way of thy statutes and I will keepe it vnto the ende I obserue that in this one octonarie which is not to be found in any of the rest namely that in euery seuerall verse there is a seuerall prayer In the first whereof he prayeth to be taught and then promiseth to take that which God shall teach him He had before resolued to runne in this way but he felt forthwith his owne naturall aberrations and therefore commeth to this guide to be taught Teach me O Lord As the Eunuch in the Acts desires Philip to teach him and a schollet in the schoole his maister to teach him or a stranger in his iourney some guyde to teach him so Dauid heere desires God to teach him It seemes this way is hard to be found by any man and worthie to be found out by all men in which Dauid so often desires to be directed He was no doubt a guide to the blinde an instruct●r of the ignorant and a learned scholler in the schoole of Christ but fearing all his owne wayes and hungring after greater knowledge which is as the principall wheele of a clocke to the rest he still be●aketh himselfe vnto prayer Why then shall we thinke that if he haue once gotten a gli●pse of Gods glory reuealed in his word a sma●ch of that knowledge manifested in his will a tast of that sweetnes which is in his Lawe or some vnderstanding of that way which leadeth to life we haue enough and are of our selues able t● behold that glorie apprehend that knowledge relish that sweetnes or runne on in that way O let vs rather say as Dauid doth Teach me ô Lord. Thus the faithfull after God hath liberally bestowed on them great graces ought alwaies to walke in feare and humilitie knowing that they are subiect to many temptations which they are neuer able to resist vnles he that hath begunne his good worke in them doe make them to continue in the same And I will keepe it vnto the ende It is not enough to begin well but we must goe on this is the comeplement of true pietie righteousnesse Is our garment it must be like Iosephs partie coloured coate downe to the heeles not like that of Dauids Ambassadors cut off in the middest It is the Christians sacrifice and God requires not onely the head that is the beginning but also the tayle that is the ending of this sacrifice Remember Lots wife let vs reade that historie least we our selues become an historie ¶ Verse 34. Giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy Law yea I will keepe it with my whole heart Giue me vnderstanding c. We thinke that wisedome is only found amongst the politicians of this world that he who can prouide for himselfe preuent his enemie circumuent his friend and see furthest into the affayres of this world he is the man yea the onely wise man But Dauid here thinks that true wisedome is in vnderstanding and keeping the Lawe of God Moses thought so Deutr. 6. Salomon thought so Prou. 1. 6. Iob thought so chapt 28. 28. and hee that is not of this minde shall one day be enforced to say Alas I haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in me Isa. 8. If any one therefore doe want this true wisedome let him as Dauid doth and Iames exhorteth all to doe aske it of him who giueth liberally to all men and vpbraydeth none Iames. 1. 6. And I will keepe it with my whole heart As he promised before p●●seuerance so he promiseth sinceritie The heart is the Christian sacrifice the fountaine of all both good and euill actions and the principall gift which God beggeth at our hands My sonne giue me thy heart It was once ●● saying of the Bishop of Rome when he would giue licence to our English Catholiques to come vnto our Churches and so be present at our prayers Fili da mihi cor tuum s●●ssicit Sonne giue me thine heart and it sufficeth but he hath retracted this his teleration now he will haue all or nothing Our God is not like their God our aduersaries being iudges He indeed requireth the heart because if we bestow it on him we will forthwith giue him all the rest Let vs not thinke that any seruice

the Canker-worme hath eaten that which the Canker-worme hath left the Caterpiller hath eaten they haue spoyled the Church from hand to hand Wherefore it behoueth those places that haue so cast the Lord out to labour the haruest may be recouered and that the branches be new planted that the holds cast down may be reedified and that the vines decaied may be repaired For want whereof euerie priuate mans field being as a garden and euerie mans garden being as a Paradise the Lords garden whether for want of manuring or for the sleeping of the dressers I know not lyeth like the field of the sluggish man and his vineyard like the vineyard of one that is idle And where euery house is curiously sieled euery citie aptly compacted the house of the Lord whether for that the spirituall workmen are confounded among themselues or the ouerseers of the worke be willingly corrupted lieth void waste in many places so that they that see it are constrained to say O Lord why doest thou behold vs thus and sufferest to see such vastation Neither yet shall the voyce of the enemie crying in the day of reuenge race it race it downe to the ground strike vs with such a terror as when violence shall come vpon vs our wiues our children without all respect of age and estate It is not possible that we in our great securitie should cōceiue a shadow of that inexplicable griefe which shall follow that persecuting plague hastning towards vs when the carkases of our friends shall make a way and be as a path in our streets when our women shall villainously be abused in the Lords Sion the children put to the edge of the sword the Princes hanged vp by the hands no sparing shall be of sexe or of age and besides so outragious a rage when our foes shall come to tread as holy ground where the glorie of God his house should strike them stone dead when their sword should be abashed and lose it glittering when it should see the Maiestie of the Lord in his Ministers and Preachers This is a matter of griefe and indignation for the harmelesse blood powred out by the king of Babel on the ground being compared to the blood of the Saints shed by the Pope it would be but as a spoonfull in respect of the Sea When this moodie Tigre comes he will pretend that he rootes out heresie but then why doth he suck the blood of infants who are not capable of heresie Well if this be his intent to roote out heresie is the sword a fit instrument to do it Paul and Peter and the rest of that blessed colledge and Christ himselfe put many notable heretikes to silence by the force of reason and not by dint of sword Was it Christ his meaning that the successor of Peter should draw out his sword when Peter himselfe was bidden to put it vp And yet this royall Priest and Bishop generally will drowne the Church in her own blood And do we not see how the guides Pastors and ouerseers of the Church are driuen out of sundry places where this Bishop hath set his foote whose harts could haue bene better contented at once to haue sealed their doctrine with their blood than to be separated from them to whose soules they had deuoted themselues An heauie farewell no doubt they took of their congregations when as we reade of some who filled their high waies with their beasts laid their children at the feet of the Pastors whē they departed from them crying vnto them What shall be our estate now ye are gone to martyrdome Who shall wash our children in the cristall waters of Baptisme Who shall ease our afflicted consciences when the aduersary shal accuse vs Who shall leade vs the way of life and bring our soules to rest Recompence them O Lord as they haue deserued that are the cause of this O Lord giue them sad harts So heauy a crosse will it be to see an irremediable desolatiō of holy things we know not yet the bitternes of this cup yet we haue them amōg vs which haue tasted it whom let vs entertaine with Ioseph with teares of mercie and let vs in their suites say to the Lord they haue beholden miserie O Lord cause them to behold the light of thy louing countenance for their reliefe comfort So be it 17 It is the great iudgement of God vpon the corrupt iudgement of the world that vnlesse sinne be prodigious and monstrous such as goe round about the world we are not mooued with it When we admonish other sinnes of iesting and such like forsooth we must smile when we doe so and we must laugh vpon them least we moue choler and giue offence Well for all sinne in equall measure and for the least of all sinnes Christ Iesus the Sonne of God was faine to shed his precious blood Howsoeuer sinne seemeth little to vs in committing it was very great to Christ in suffering for it They be small sins to vs which are vsuall to all but if they were not vsuall they would seeme prodigious 18 All the senses especially the eyes as they are most singular instruments to receiue good things by if they by Gods spirit be directed so if they be not well ordered do bring greatest euils and therefore Dauid prayeth that his eyes might be guided aright and Iob maketh a couenant with his eyes vnder which the other parts are included as also when Dauid maketh a couenant with his mouth Ioseph his mistresse first offended in looking without a cause for the wantonnesse of vaine lookes bewray the corruption of the heart we must then striue to haue a lawfull cause of all our doings that so we may be assured of Gods prouidence to watch ouer vs least if any harme happen vnto vs we be the iust occasion thereof Secondly she offended in not keeping a measure for whosoeuer seeth his owne corruptions truely will be afraid of the very appearance of euill as Iob although he was neuer adulterer yet priuie to his corruption he made a couenant with his eyes Iosephs mistresse spake to him day by day and he refuseth she abideth stil in her euill purpose but he still refuseth her and here is the difference betweene Gods children and the wicked the one continueth still in wickednesse and would haue all others such the other perseuere in godlinesse and would bring all men to the same she was conuinced of her fault and yet sorrowed not but continued Where note the oftner sinne the lesse griefe a note of the children of the diuell But contrarily the oftner sinne the more griefe a note of the child of God Ioseph was young about thirtie foure yeeres and yet chast contrarie to those that say fornication is but a tricke of youth Ioseph was entised and yet yeelded not a signe of a pure heart for although temptations be offered of those yet it proceedeth of our corruption