Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	earth_n	heaven_n	loose_v	6,038	5	10.6252	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-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

Jesus Christ hath born for thee 2. What a Burden thou hast to bear of thine own 3. Mayst not thou in some things be a Burden to thy Brethren 4. Wouldst thou not have others bear thy Burden 5. May not God cause thee to bear a more heavy Burden because thou canst not bear thy Brother's 6. 'T is a fulfilling the Law of Love nay the Law of Christ. XV. The Glory and Beauty of a Congregation is the more manifest when the Authority of the Church and the Dignity of the Pastoral Office is maintained How great was the Evil of the gain-saying of Corah The Apostles speaks of some that are Selfwilled Presumptious who are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities God has put a Glory and high Dignity upon the Church and in it's Authority and Power Whom ye bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Moreover the Pastoral Office is an Office of Dignity they are called Rulers Angels Fathers For any therefore to cast contempt on the Church or Pastor is a great evil and a reproach to Christ and tends to Disorder and Confusion Lastly When Holiness Righteousness Charity Humility and all true Piety is prest upon the Consciences of every Member and appears in the Minister also that all strive to excell therein with their uttermost Care and Diligences The Conclusion KNow my Brethren That God loves the Gates of Sion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob Therefore the publick Worship of God ought to be preferred before private 1. This supposeth there must be a visible Church 2. And that they frequently meet together to worship God 3. That they have an orderly Ministery and one ordained Elder at least to administer all Publick Ordinances 4. Moreover that all Persons have free liberty to assemble with the Church and to partake of all Ordinances save those which peculiarly belong to the Church as the Lord's Supper holy Discipline and days of Prayer and Fasting Then the Church of Old separated themselves from all Strangers Yet others may attend on all other publick Ordinances with the Church as publick Prayer Reading and Preaching the Word and in Singing God's Praises as hath formerly been proved May others my Brethren join in Prayer with us and not praise God with us But O my Brethren let me beseech you to shew your high Value and Estimation for the publick Worship of God Motives hereunto 1. Since God prefers it thus Or has so great Esteem of his publick Worship 2. Because he is said to dwell in Sion It is his Habitation for ever The place where his Honour dwells 3. Here God is most Glorified In his Temple every one speaks of his Glory My Praise shall be in the great Congregation 4. Here is most of God's gracious presence as one observes it 1. His effectual Presence in all Places Where I record my Name thither will I come and there will I bless thee 2. Here is More of his intimate presence Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them He walks in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks 5. Here are the clearest manifestations of God's Beauty which made holy David desire to dwell there for ever See the appearance of Christ to the Churches Rev 2. cap. 3. 6. In that it is said that those that should be Saved in the Apostles days God added unto the Church 7. Here is most Spiritual Advantage to be got Here the Dews of Hermon fall they descend upon the Mountain of Sion Here God commands the Blessing even Life for evermore I will abundantly bless her Provision and satisfie her Poor with Bread Here David's Doubt was resolved 8. Here you received your first spiritual Breath or Life many Souls are daily Born to Christ. That good which is most Diffusive is to be Preferred but that good which most partake of is most Diffusive O magnifie the Lord with me let us exalt his Name together Live Coals separated soon die 9. Brethren as a worthy Divine observes the Church in her publick Worship is the nearest Resemblance of Heaven especially in Singing God's Praises What Esteem also had God's Worthies of old for God's publick VVorship My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts 10. See how the Promises of God run to Sion or to his Church He will bless thee out of Sion O let nothing discourage you in your waiting at the Posts of Christ's Door David desired Rather to be a Door-Keeper in the House of God than to Dwell in the Tents of Wickedness Yet nevertheless do not neglect for the Lord's sake private Devotion viz. Secret and Family-Prayer O pray to be fitted for publick Worship Come out of your Closets to the Church What signifies all you do in Publick if you are not such that keep up the Worship of God in your own Families O neglect not Prayer Reading and Meditation And take care also to Educate and Catechise your Children and live as Men and Women that are dead to this World and walk for the Lord's sake as becomes the Gospel See that Zeal and Knowledge go together a good Conversation and a good Doctrine go together These Two together are better than One. Brethren he that makes the VVord of God his Rule in whatsoever he doth and the Glory of God his end in what he doth shall have the Spirit of God to be his strength This is like Solomon's Three-fold Cord that will be One or it will be Three it can't be Two not can it be broken The Solemn Covenant of the Church of Christ meeting in White-street at it's Constitution June 5. 1696. WE who desire to walk together in the Fear of the Lord do through the Assistance of his Holy Spirit profess our deep and serious Humiliation for all our Transgressions And we do also solemnly in the Presence of God of each other in the Sense of our own Vnworthiness give up our selves to the Lord in a Church state according to the Apostolical Constitution that he may be our God and we may be his People through the Everlasting Covenant of his Free grace in which alone we hope to be accepted by him through his blessed Son Jesus Christ whom we take to be our High Priest to justify and sanctify us and our Prophet to teach us and to subject to him as our Law-giver and the King of Saints and to conform to all his Holy Laws and Ordinances for our growth Establishment and Consolation that we may be as a Holy Spouse unto him and serve him in our Generation and wait for his second Appearance as our glorious Bridegroom Being fully satisfied in the way o● Church-Communion and the Trut● of Grace in some good measure upon one anothers