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
A47522	The glory of a true church, and its discipline display'd wherein a true gospel-church is described : together with the power of the keys, and who are to be let in, and who to be shut out / by Benjamin Keach.	Keach, Benjamin, 1640-1704.	1697 (1697)	Wing K66; ESTC R19810	25,670	74

THE GLORY OF A TRUE CHURCH And its Discipline display'd Wherein a true Gospel-Church is described Together with the Power of the Keys and who are to be let in and who to be shut out By BENJAMIN KEACH Mat. 18.18 Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven LONDON Printed in the Year 1697. To the Baptized Churches particularly to that under my Care My Brethren EVery House or Building consisteth both of Matter and Form And so doth the Church of Christ or House of the Living God The Matter or Materials with which it is built are Lively Stones ● e. Converted Persons Also the Matter and Form must be according to the Rule and Pattern shewed in ●he Mount I mean Christ's Institution and the Apostolical Churches Constitution and not after Mens Inventions Now some Men because the Ty●ical Church of the Jews was Na●ional and took in their Carnal Seed as such therefore the same Mat●er and Form they would have under the Gospel But tho a Church be rightly built in both these respects i.e. of fit Matter and right Form yet without a regular and orderly Discipline it will soon lose its Beauty and be polluted Many Reverend Divines of th● Congregational way have written most excellently it is true upon th●● Subject I mean on Church-Discipline but the Books are so voluminou● that the Poorer Sort can't purchas● them and many others have not Tim● or Learning enough to improve them to their Profit and our Brethren th● Baptists have not written as I ca● gather on this Subject by it self● Therefore I have been earnestly desired by our Members and also by on● of our Pastors to write a small and plain Tract concerning the Rules 〈◊〉 the Discipline of a Gospel-Church that all Men may not only know our Faith but see our Order in this cas● also True this tho plain is bi● short but may be it may provoke som● other Person to do it more fully Certainly ignorance of the rules of Discipline causes no small trouble and disorders in our Churches and if this may be a Prevention or prove profit able to any let God have the Glory and I have my End Who am Yours Aug. ●● 1697. Benj. Keach The Glory of a Gospel-Church and the true Orderly Discipline thereof explain'd Concerning a True and Orderly Gospel-Church BEfore there can be any Orderly Discipline among a Christian Assembly they must be orderly and regularly constituted into a Church-state according to the Institution of Christ in the Gospel 1. A Church of Christ according to the Gospel-Institution is a Congregation of Godly Christians who as a Stated-Assembly being first baptized upon the Profession of Faith do by mutual agreement and consent give themselves up to the Lord and one to another according to the Will of God and do ordinarily meet together in one Place for the Publick Service and Worship of God among whom the Word of God and Sacraments are duly administred according to Christ's Institution 2. The Beauty and Glory of which Congregation doth consist in their being all Converted Persons or lively Stones being by the Holy Spirit united to Jesus Christ the Precious Corner-Stone and only foundation of every Christian as well as of every particular Congregation and of the whole Catholick Church 3. That every Person before they are admitted Members in such a Church so constituted must declare to the Church or to such with the Pastor that they shall appoint what God hath done for their Souls or their Experiences of a Saving work of Grace upon their Hearts and also the Church should enquire after and take full satisfaction concerning their Holy Lives or Good Conversations And when admitted Members before the Church they must solemnly enter into a Covenant to walk in the Fellowship of that particular Congregation and submit themselves to the Care and Discipline thereof and to walk faithfully with God in all his Holy Ordinances and there to be fed and have Communion and worship God there when the Church meets if possible and give themselves up to the watch and charge of the Pastor and Ministry thereof the Pastor then also signifying in the name of the Church their acceptance of each Person and endeavour to take the care of them and to watch over them in the Lord the Members being first satisfied to receive them and to have Communion with them And so the Pastor to give them the right Hand of Fellowship of a Church or Church Organical A Church thus constituted ought forthwith to choose them a Pastor Elder or Elders and Deacons we reading of no other Officers or Offices abiding in the Church and what kind of Men they ought to be and how qualified is laid down by Paul to Timothy and to Titus Moreover they are to take special care that both Bishops Overseers or Elders as well as the Deacons have in some competent manner all those Qualifications and after in a Day of solemn Prayer and Fasting that they have elected them whether Pastor c. or Deacons and they accepting the Office must be ordained with Prayer and laying on of Hands of the Eldership being first prov'd and found meet and fit Persons for so Sacred an Office Therefore such are very disorderly Churches who have no Pastor or Pastors ordained they acting not according to the Rule of the Gospel having something wanting Of the work of a Pastor Bishop or Overseer 1. THe work of a Pastor is to preach the Word of Christ or to feed the Flock and to administer all the Ordinances of the Gospel which belong to his Sacred Office and to be faithful and laborious therein studying to shew himself approved unto God a Work-man that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth He is a Steward of the Mysteries of God therefore ought to be a Man of good Understanding and Experience being sound in the Faith and one that is acquainted with the Mysteries of the Gospel Because he is to feed the People with Knowledg and Vnderstanding He must be faithful and skilful to declare the Mind of God and diligent therein also to preach in season and out of season God having committed unto him the Ministry of Reconciliation a most choice and sacred Trust. What Interest hath God greater in the World which he hath committed unto Men than this Moreover he must make known the whole Counsel of God to the People 2. A Pastor is to visit his Flock to know their state and to watch over them to support the weak and to strengthen the feeble-minded and succour the tempted and to reprove them that are unruly 3. To pray for them at all times and with them also when sent for and desired and as Opportunity serves and to sympathize

with them in every State and Condition with all Love and Compassion 4. And to shew them in all respects as near as he can a good Example in Conversation Charity Faith and Purity that his Ministry may be the more acceptable to all and the Name of God be glorified and Religion delivered from Reproach 5. He must see he carries it to all with all Impartiality not preferring the Rich above the Poor nor lord it over God's Heritage nor assume any greater Power than God hath given him but to shew a humble and meek Spirit nay to be clothed with Humility The Office and Work of Deacons THE Work of Deacons is to serve Tables viz. to see to provide for the Lord's Table the Minister's Table and the Poor's Table 1. They should provide Bread and Wine for the Lord's Table 2. See that every Member contributes to the Maintenance of the Ministry according to their Ability and their own voluntary Subscription or Obligation 3. That each Member do give weekly to the Poor as God has blessed him 4. Also visit the Poor and know their Condition as much as in them lies that none especially the aged Widows be neglected Of the Duty of Church-Members to their Pastor 1 st 'T IS the Duty of every Member to pray for their Pastor and Teachers Brethren pray for us that the Word of the Lord may run and be glorified Again saith Paul Praying also for us that God would open unto us a door of utterance to speak the Mystery of Christ. Prayer was made without ceasing of the Church unto God for him They that neglect this Duty seem not to care either for their Minister or their own Souls or whether Sinners be converted and the Church edified or not They pray for their daily Bread and will they not pray to have the Bread of Life plentifully broken to them Motives to this 1. Ministers Work is great Who is sufficient for these things 2. The Opposition is not small which is made against them 3. God's loud Call is as well as Ministers themselves for the Saints continual Prayers and Supplication for them 4. Their Weakness and Temptations are many 5. The Increase and Edification of the Church depends upon the Success of their Ministry 6. If they fall or miscarry God is greatly dishonoured and his Ways and People reproached 2 dly They ought to shew a reverential Estimation of them being Christ's Ambassadors also called Rulers Angels c. they that honour them and receive them honour and receive Jesus Christ. Esteem them very highly in Love for their Work sake Again he saith Let the Elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in Word and Doctrine that is as I conceive such that are most laborious 3 dly 'T is their Duty to submit themselves unto them that is in all their Exhortations good Counsels and Reproofs and when they call to any extraordinary Duty as Prayer Fasting or days of Thanksgiving if they see no just cause why such days should not be kept they ought to obey their Pastor or Elder as in other cases also Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves 4 thly It is their Duty to take care to vindicate them from the unjust Charges of evil Men or Tongue of Infamy and not to take up a Reproach against them by report nor to grieve their Spirits or weaken their Hands 5 thly 'T is the Duty of Members to go to them when under Trouble or Temptations 6 thly It is their Duty to provide a comfortable Maintenance for them and their Families sutable to their State and Condition Let him that is taught in the Word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things Who goeth a Warfare at his own Charge who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof c. Even so hath the Lord ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things They should minister to them chearfully with all readiness of Mind Ministers are not to ask for their Bread but to receive it honourably The Ministers Maintenance tho it is not by Tythes c. as under the Law yet they have now as just a right to a comfortable Maintenance as they had then the equity of the Duty is the same Our Saviour saith Dr. Owen and the Apostles plead it from grounds of Equity and Justice and all kind of Laws and Rules of Righteousness among Men of all sorts calls for it 7 thly It is their Duty to adhere to them and abide by them in all their Trials and Persecutions for the Word Ye were not ashamed of me in my Bonds c. 8 thly Dr. Owen adds another Duty of the Members to their Pastor viz. to agree to come together upon his Appointment When they were come and had gathered the Church together c. Query Are there no ruling Elders besides the Pastor Answ. There might be such in the Primitive Apostolical Church but we see no ground to believe it an abiding Office to continue in the Church but was only temporary 1. Because we have none of the Qualifications of such Elders mention'd or how to be chosen 2. Because we read not particularly what their Work and Business is or how distinct from preaching Elders tho we see not but the Church may if she sees meet choose some able and discreet Brethren to be Helps in Government We have the Qualifications of Bishops and Deacons directly laid down and how to be chosen and their Work declared but of no other Office or Officers in the Church but these only Quest. May an Elder of one Church if called warrantably administer all Ordinances to another Answ. No surely for we find no warrant for any such Practice he being only ordained Pastor or Elder of that particular Church that chose him c. and hath no Right or Authority to administer as an Elder in any other where he is not so much as a Member Quest. May a Church call out a Teacher that is no ordained Elder to administer all Ordinances to them Ans. You may as well ask May a Church act disorderly Why were Ministers to be ordained if others unordained might warrantably do all their Work if therefore they have no Person fitly qualified for that Office they must look out from abroad for one that is Yet as we say Necessity has no Law provided therefore they can't do either it is better their Teacher be called to do it than that the Church should be without their Food and Church-Ordinances neglected yet let all Churches take care to organize themselves and not through Covetousness or neglect of Duty rest incompleat Churches and so