Selected quad for the lemma: church_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A05126
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A true description out of the VVorde of God of the visible church
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Barrow, Henry, 1550?-1593.
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1589
(1589)
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STC 1526.5; ESTC S2507
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7,542
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12
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his worde and leade them to the still waters euen to the pure fountaine and riuer of life Hee must guyde and keepe those sheepe by that heauenlie sheephooke and pastorall staffe of the worde thereby drawing them to him thereby lookinge into their soules euen into their most secrete thoughtes Thereby discerning their diseases and thereby curinge them applying to euerie disease a fit and coÌ„uenient medicine according to the qualitie and danger of the disease and giue warning to the Church that they may orderlie proceede to excommunication Further he must by this his sheepehooke watch over and defend his flock from rauenous beastes and the Wolfe and take the litle foxes etc. The Doctours office is alreadie sett downe in his description His speciall care must bee to builde vppon the onely true grounde-worke golde silver and pretious stones that his worke may endure the triall of the fire and by the light of the same fire reueale the Tymber Hay and Stubble of false Teachers hee must take diligent heede to keepe the Church from errours And further hee must deliver his doctrine so playnlie simplie and purelie that the church may increase with the increasing of God grouwe vp vnto him which is the head Christ Iesus The office of the Auncientes is expressed in their description Their especiall care must bee to see the ordinaunces of God truely taught and practized asweell by the officers in dooing their duetie vprightlie as to see that the people obey willinglie and redilie It is their duetie to see the Congregation holilie and quietlie ordered and no way disturbed by the contentious and disobedient frowarde and obstinate not taking away the libertie of the least but vpholding the right of all wiselie iudgginge of times and circumstances They must bee readie assistauntes to the Pastour and Teachers helpinge to beare their burden but not intruding into their office The Deacons office is faithfullie to gather and collect by the ordinance of the Church the goodes aud beâ—euolence of the faithfull and by the same direction diligeÌ„tlie and trustilie to distribute them according to the necessitie of the Sainctes Further they must enquire and consider of the proportion of the wantes both of the Officers and other poore and accordinglie relate vnto the Church that provision may be made The Relieuers Widowes office is to minister to the sicke lame wearie diseased such helpefull comforts as they neede by watching tending and helping them Further they must shewe goode example to the yonger Women in sober modest godlie conuersation avoyding idlenes vaine talke light behauiour These Officers though they be diuers and seuerall yet are they not seuered least their should be a diuision in the bodle but they are as members of the bodie hauing the same care one of another ioyntlie doing their seuerall dueties to the seruice of the Sainctes and to the edification of the Bodie of Christ till wee all meete togither in the perfect measure of the fullnes of Christe by whom all the bodie being in the meane whyle thus coupled and knit togither by everie ioynt for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of everie parte receyueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifing of it self in loue neyther can anie of these Offices be wanting without grieuous lamenes apparant deformitie of the bodie yea violent injurie to the Head Christ Iesus Thus this holie armie of sainctes is marshalled here in earth by these Officers vnder the conduct of their glorious Emperour CHRIST that victorious Michaell Thus it marcheth in this most heavenlie order gratious araye against all Enimies both bodelie and ghostlie â— Peaceable in it self as Ierusalem terrible vnto them as an Armie with banners triumphing over their tyraimie with patience their crueltie with meekenes and over Death it self withâ—dying Thus through the blood of that spotles Lambe and that Worde of their testimonie they are more then Conquerours brusing the Head of the Serpent yea through the power of his Worde they haue power to cast downe Sathan like lightning to treade vpon Serpents and Scorpions to cast downe strong holds and everie thing that exalteth it self against GOD. The Gates of Hell and all the Principalities and powers of the worlde shall not prevayle against it Further hee hath giuen them the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen That whatsoever they binde in earth by his worde shalbe bounde in heaven and whatsoever they loose on earth shalbe loosed in heaven Nowe this power which Christ hath given vnto his Church and to everie member of his Church to keepe it in order hee hath not lefte it to their discretions and lustes to be vsed or neglected as they will but in his last Will and Testament he hath sett downe both an order of proceeding and an end to which it is vsed If the fault bee priuate private holy loving admonition reproofe is to be vsed with an inwarde desire earnest care to winne their brother But if hee wil not heare yet to take two or three other brethreÌ„ with him whom he knoweth most meete for that purpose that by the mouth of two or thre witnesses euerie word may be confirmed And if he refuse to heare them then to declare the matter to the Church which ought seuerelie and sharpelie to reprehende grauelie to admonishe and louinglie to perswade â—he partie offending shewing him the heynousnes of his offence and the daunger of his obstinacie and the fearefull judgements of the Lorde All this notwithstanding the Church is not to holde him as an enimie but to admonishe him and praye for him as a Brother proouinge if at anie time the Lorde will giue him repentaunce For this power is not given them to the destruction of anie but to the edification and preseruation of all If this preuaile not to drawe him to repentance Then are they in â—he Name and power of the Lorde IESVS with the whole Congregationn reveâ—entlie in prayer to proceede to excommunication casting him out of the couenaunt and protection of the Lorde for his disobedience and obstinacie and committing him to Sathan for the destruction of the fleshe that the Spirit may bee saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus if such bee his good wil and pleasure Further they are to warne the whole Congregation and all other Faithfull to holde him as a Heathen and a Publicane and to abstaine them selues from his societie as not to eate or drinke with him c. vnles it bee such as of necessitie must needes as his Wife his Children and Familie yet these if they be Members of the Church are not to joyne to him in anie Spirituall exercise If
A TRVE DESCRIPTION OVT OF THE VVORDE OF GOD OF THE VISIBLE CHVRCH 1599 A TRVE DESCRIPTION OVT OF THE VVORDE of God of the visible Church AS there is but one God and Father of all one Lorde over all and one Spirit So is there but one Trueth one Faith one Saluation one Church called in one hope ioyned in one profession guided by one rule euen the Worde of the most high This Church as it is vniversallie vnderstood conteyneth in it all the Elect of God that haue bin are or shalbe But being considered more particularlie as it is seene in this present world It consisteth of a companie and fellowship of faithful and holie people gathered in the name of Christ Iesus their only King Priest and Prophet worshiping him aright being peaceablie and quietlie governed by his Officers and lawes keeping the vnitie of faith in the bonde of peace loue vnfained Most ioyful excellent and glorious things are euerie where in the Scriptures spoken of this Church It is called the Citie House Temple and mountaine of the eternal God the chosen generation the holie nation the peculiar people the Vineyarde the garden enclosed the spring shut op the sealed fouÌ„taine the orchchyard of Pomgranades with sweete fruites the heritage the kingdome of Christ yea his sister his loue his spouse his Queene his bodie the ioye of the whole earth To this societie is the couenant and all the promises made of peace of loue and of saluation of the presens of God of his graces of his power and of his protection And surelie if this Church be considered in her partes it shal appeare most beautifull yea most wonderfull and even rauishing the sences to conceaue much more to beholde what then to enioy so blessed a communion For bâ—hold her King and Lord is the King of peace Lorde him selfe of all glorie Shee enioyeth most holie and heauenlie lawes most faithfull and vigilant Pastours most syncere pure Teachers most careful and vpright Governours most diligent and trustie Deacons most louinge and sober Releeuers and a most humble meeke obedient faithfull and loving people everie stone livinge elect and precious everie stone hath his beautie his burden and his order All bound to edifie one another exhort reproue coÌ„fort one another louinglie as to their owne meâ—bers faithfullie as in the eyes of God No Office here is ambitiouslie affected no lawe wrongfullie wrested or wilfully neglected no trueth hid or perverted everie one here hath fredome and power not disturbing the peaceable order of the Church to 〈◊〉 his complaintes and griefes and freely to reprooue the transgresions and errours of anâ—e without exceptions of persons Here is no intrusion or cliâ—ing vp an other way into the sheepefolde then by the holy free election of the Lordes holie and free people and that according to the Lordes holie and free people and that according to the Lorde Ordinance humbling them selves by fastingâ— and prayer before the Lorde crauing the direction of his holy Spirit for the triall and approving of his Giftes c. Thus they orderlie proceede to ordination by fastinge and prayer in which action the Apostles vsed layinge on of handes Thus hath euerie one of the people interest in the election and ordination of their officers as also in the administration of their offices vpon transgression offence abuse c. hauing an especiall care vnto the inviolable order of the Church as is aforesaid Likewise in this Church they haue holy lawes as limits bondes which it is lawfull at no hande to transgresse They haue lawes to direct them in the choise of euerie officer wat kinde of men the Lorde will haue Their Pastour must be apte to teach no yong Scholler able to diuide the worde aright holding faste that faithful worde according to doctrine that he may be able also to exhorte rebuke improoue with wholesome doctrine to conuince them that saye against it He must be a man that loueth goodnes he must be wise righteous holie temperate hee must be of life on reproueable as Gods Stewarde hee must be generalie well reported of one that ruleth his owne housholde vnder obedience with al-honestie he must be modest humble meeke gentle louing hee must be a man of great patience compassion labour and diligence hee must alwaies be carefull and watchfull over the flocke whereof the Lorde hath made him overseer with all willingnes chearefulnes not holding his office in respect of persons but doing his duetie to everie soule as he will aunswere before the chief Shepheard c. Their Doctor or Teacher must be a man apt to teach able to diuide the worde of God aright and to deliuer sound and wholesom doctrine from the same still building vpon that sounde ground worke he must be mightie in the Scriptures able to conuince them gainsayers carefullie to deliuer his doctrine pure sound plaine not with curiositie or affection but so that it may edisie the most simple approuing it to euerie mans coÌ„science he must be of life vnreproueable one that can governe his owne housholde he must be of manners sober temperate modest gentle and louing c. Their Elders must be of wisedome and iudgement endued with the Spirit of GOD able to discerne betweene cause and cause betweene plea and plea and accordinglie to preuent and redres euilles alwayes vigilaÌ„t and intending to see the statutes ordinances and lawes of God kept in the Church and that not onelie by the people in obedience but to see the officers doe their dueties These men must bee of life likewise vnreproueable governing their owne families orderlie they must be also of maners sober gentle modest louing temperate etc. Their Deacons must be men of honest report hauing the misterie of the faith in a pure coÌ„science endued with the holy ghost they must be graue temperate not giueÌ„ to excesse nor to filthie lucre Their Releeuers or Widowes must be women of 60 yeares of age at the least for auoydinge of inconueniences they must be well reported of for good workes such as haue nourished their children such as haue bin harberous to straungers diligent and seruiceable to the Saintes compassionate and helpeful to them in aduersitie giueÌ„ to euerie good worke continuing in supplications and prayers night and daye These Officers must firste be duelie proued then if they be founde blameles administer etc. Nowe as the persons giftes coÌ„ditions manners life and proofe of these officers is set downe by the holie Ghoste So are their offices limitted seuered and diuers The Pastours office is to feede the sheep of Christ in greene and wholesome pastures of