Selected quad for the lemma: country_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
country_n	church_n	city_n	presbyter_n	1,849	5	11.3706	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61568	The mischief of separation a sermon preached at Guild-Hall Chappel, May 11. MDCLXXX. being the first Sunday in Easter-term, before the Lord Mayor, &c. / by Edw. Stillingfleet ...	Stillingfleet, Edward, 1635-1699.	1680 (1680)	Wing S5604_VARIANT; ESTC R35206	32,588	67

be_v no_o sin_n 2._o that_o a_o state_n of_o separation_n will_v be_v a_o sin_n but_o notwithstanding_o their_o meeting_n in_o different_a place_n yet_o they_o be_v not_o in_o a_o state_n of_o separation_n and_o herein_o lie_v the_o whole_a strength_n of_o the_o several_a plea_n at_o this_o day_n make_v use_v of_o to_o justify_v the_o separate_a congregation_n both_o which_o i_o shall_v now_o examine_v 1._o some_o plead_v that_o it_o be_v true_a they_o have_v distinct_a and_o separate_a communion_n from_o we_o but_o it_o be_v no_o sin_n or_o culpable_a separation_n so_o to_o have_v for_o say_v they_o our_o lord_n christ_n institute_v only_o congregational_a church_n 68_o or_o particular_a assembly_n for_o divine_a worship_n which_o have_v the_o sole_a church_n power_n in_o themselves_o they_o be_v under_o no_o obligation_n of_o communion_n with_o other_o church_n but_o only_o to_o preserve_v peace_n and_o charity_n with_o they_o and_o to_o this_o doctrine_n 111._o other_o of_o late_a approach_n so_o near_o that_o they_o tell_v we_o that_o to_o devise_v new_a species_n of_o church_n beyond_o parochial_a or_o congregational_a without_o god_n authority_n and_o to_o impose_v they_o on_o the_o world_n yea_o in_o his_o name_n and_o call_v all_o dissenter_n schismatic_n be_v a_o far_o worse_a usurpation_n than_o to_o make_v or_o impose_v new_a ceremony_n or_o liturgy_n which_o must_v suppose_v congregational_a church_n to_o be_v so_o much_o the_o institution_n of_o christ_n that_o any_o other_o constitution_n above_o these_o be_v both_o unlawful_a and_o insupportable_a which_o be_v more_o than_o the_o independent_a brethren_n themselves_o do_v assert_v but_o to_o clear_v the_o practice_n of_o separation_n from_o be_v a_o sin_n on_o this_o account_n two_o thing_n be_v necessary_a to_o be_v do_v 1._o to_o prove_v that_o a_o christian_n have_v no_o obligation_n to_o external_a communion_n beyond_o a_o congregational_a church_n 2._o that_o it_o be_v lawful_a to_o break_v 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and_o congregational_a church_n grant_v this_o to_o be_v true_a how_o do_v it_o hence_o appear_v not_o to_o be_v a_o sin_n to_o separate_v from_o our_o parochial_a church_n which_o according_a to_o their_o own_o concession_n have_v all_o the_o essential_o of_o true_a church_n and_o what_o ground_n can_v they_o have_v to_o separate_v and_o divide_v those_o church_n which_o for_o all_o that_o we_o can_v see_v be_v of_o the_o same_o nature_n with_o the_o church_n plant_v by_o the_o apostle_n at_o corinth_n philippi_n or_o thessalonica_n but_o i_o must_v needs_o say_v further_o i_o have_v never_o yet_o see_v any_o tolerable_a proof_n that_o the_o church_n plant_v by_o the_o apostle_n be_v limit_v to_o congregation_n it_o be_v possible_a at_o first_o there_o may_v be_v no_o more_o christian_n in_o one_o city_n than_o can_v meet_v in_o one_o assembly_n for_o worship_n but_o where_o do_v it_o appear_v that_o when_o they_o multiply_v into_o more_o congregation_n they_o do_v make_v new_a and_o 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pertain_v to_o worship_n and_o discipline_n shall_v be_v able_a to_o produce_v nothing_o in_o so_o necessary_a a_o point_n if_o that_o of_o which_o we_o read_v the_o clear_a instance_n in_o scripture_n must_v be_v the_o standard_n of_o all_o future_a age_n much_o more_o may_v be_v say_v for_o limit_v church_n to_o private_a family_n than_o to_o particular_a congregation_n for_o do_v we_o not_o read_v of_o the_o church_n that_o be_v in_o the_o house_n of_o priscilla_n and_o aquila_n at_o rome_n 5._o of_o the_o church_n that_o be_v in_o the_o house_n of_o nymphas_n at_o colosse_n 2._o and_o in_o the_o house_n of_o philemon_n at_o laodicea_n why_o then_o shall_v not_o church_n be_v reduce_v to_o particular_a family_n when_o by_o that_o mean_v they_o may_v full_o enjoy_v the_o liberty_n of_o their_o conscience_n and_o avoid_v the_o scandal_n of_o break_v the_o law_n but_o if_o notwithstanding_o such_o plain_a example_n man_n will_v extend_v church_n to_o congregation_n of_o many_o family_n why_o may_v not_o other_o extend_v church_n to_o those_o society_n which_o consist_v of_o many_o congregation_n especial_o consider_v that_o the_o apostle_n when_o they_o institute_v church_n do_v appoint_v such_o officer_n in_o they_o as_o have_v not_o bare_o a_o respect_n to_o those_o already_o convert_v but_o to_o as_o many_o as_o by_o their_o mean_n shall_v be_v add_v to_o the_o church_n as_o clemens_n affirm_v in_o his_o epistle_n the_o apostle_n say_v he_o go_v about_o in_o city_n and_o country_n preach_v the_o gospel_n 55._o and_o appoint_v their_o first-fruit_n have_v make_v a_o spiritual_a trial_n of_o they_o for_o bishop_n and_o deacon_n 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d 〈◊〉_d of_o those_o who_o be_v to_o believe_v from_o hence_o the_o number_n of_o convert_v be_v look_v on_o as_o a_o accession_n to_o the_o original_a church_n and_o be_v under_o the_o care_n and_o government_n of_o the_o bishop_n and_o presbyter_n who_o be_v first_o settle_v there_o for_o although_o when_o the_o church_n increase_v the_o occasional_a meeting_n be_v frequent_a in_o several_a place_n yet_o still_o there_o be_v but_o one_o church_n and_o one_o altar_n and_o one_o baptistry_n and_o one_o bishop_n with_o many_o presbyter_n assist_v he_o and_o this_o be_v so_o very_o plain_a in_o antiquity_n as_o to_o the_o church_n plant_v by_o the_o apostle_n themselves_o in_o several_a part_n that_o none_o but_o a_o great_a stranger_n to_o the_o history_n of_o the_o church_n can_v ever_o call_v it_o in_o question_n 2._o i_o be_o sure_a calvin_n a_o person_n of_o great_a and_o deserve_a reputation_n among_o our_o brethren_n look_n upon_o this_o as_o a_o matter_n out_o of_o dispute_n among_o learned_a man_n that_o a_o church_n do_v not_o only_o take_v in_o the_o christian_n of_o a_o whole_a city_n but_o of_o the_o adjacent_a country_n too_o and_o the_o contrary_a opinion_n be_v a_o very_a novel_a and_o late_a fancy_n of_o some_o among_o we_o and_o have_v not_o age_n enough_o to_o plead_v a_o prescription_n it_o be_v true_a after_o some_o time_n in_o the_o great_a city_n they_o have_v distinct_a place_n allot_v and_o presbyter_n fix_v among_o they_o and_o such_o allotment_n be_v call_v title_n at_o rome_n and_o laurae_n at_o alexandria_n and_o parish_n in_o other_o place_n but_o these_o be_v never_o think_v then_o to_o be_v new_a church_n or_o to_o have_v any_o independent_a government_n in_o themselves_o but_o be_v all_o in_o subjection_n to_o the_o bishop_n and_o his_o college_n of_o presbyter_n of_o which_o multitude_n of_o example_n may_v be_v bring_v from_o most_o authentic_a testimony_n of_o antiquity_n if_o a_o thing_n so_o evident_a need_v any_o proof_n at_o all_o and_o yet_o this_o distribution_n even_o in_o city_n be_v so_o uncommon_a in_o those_o elder_a time_n that_o epiphanius_n take_v notice_n of_o it_o as_o a_o extraordinary_a thing_n at_o alexandria_n and_o therefore_o it_o be_v probable_o suppose_v there_o be_v no_o