Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	according_a	church_n	word_n	982	5	3.8217	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78463	Certain considerations and cautions agreed upon by the ministers of London, Westminster, and within the lines of communication, June 19. 1646. According to which they resolve to put the presbyteriall government in execution, upon the ordinances of Parliament heretofore published. Published by authority.		1646 (1646)	Wing C1690; Thomason E341_11; ESTC R5561	1,682	8

CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS AND CAUTIONS Agreed upon by the Ministers of London Westminster and within the Lines of Communication June 19. 1646. According to which they resolve to put the Presbyteriall Government in execution upon the Ordinances of PARLIAMENT heretofore published Published by Authority LONDON Printed by T. R. and E. M. for Ralph Smith at the sign of the Bible in Cornhill 1646. Certain Considerations and Cautions agreed upon by the Ministers of London Westminster and within the Lines of Communication June 19. 1646. according to which they resolve to put the Presbyteriall Government in execution upon the Ordinances of PARLIAMENT heretofore published WE Ministers of Christ residing within the Cities of London and Westminster and Lines of Communication having seen and read an Order of the Honorable House of COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT bearing date June 9. 1646. Requiring and Injoyning all the Ministers of the Province of London forthwith to put in execution the Ordinances concerning Church Government Hold it requisite humbly and faithfully as in the sight of God to shew our judgements and resolutions about this weighty matter for the clearing of our Integrities and preserving our Consciences void of offence both towards God and towards man We have seriously pondered the present state of things and find our selves whether we act as is required or act not to be in a very great streight On the one hand Prelacy being justly pulled down and the Church miserably groaning under Disorder Confusion many things cry aloud upon us in our places to put Church Government into actuall execution The Glory of God the edification of his Church the Duty of our Function the Ingagement of our solemn Covenant with God the command of the Civil Magistrate which so far as we can with a good Conscience we are resolved and hold it our Duty to obey and the present unspeakable miseries of the Church by wofull Divisions Blasphemies Heresies abominable loosenesse Libertinisme and Atheisme and the spirituall Ruine of many Congregations through false Teachers or want of faithfull Pastors for lack of Ordination On the other hand upon consideration of all the Ordinances of PARLIAMENT about Church Government wee finde many necessary things not yet established and some things wherein our Consciences are not so fully satisfied And therefore in our beginning to act we cannot but foresee how likely we are to be sinisterly interpreted by many who are prone to misconstrue all our actions of this nature We thereupon hold it necessary to expresse upon what Grounds we may proceed to act upon the Ordinances already established by Authority Although we conceive the power of Church censures and in particular the keeping off Ignorant and Scandalous persons from the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to be in Church Officers by the Will and Apointment of Jesus Christ and from him they receive their Office and Authority Yet we acknowledge it belongs to the Magistrate to have his Conscience satisfied in the truth of that Government of the Church which he will set up by his Authority from whom the Church Officers do receive Authority of the publike exercise of their Offices in his Dominions And in case the Magistrate be not so fully informed as to set up a right and perfect Rule in every particular the Church officers may yet act under that Rule Provided that they do not subscribe to or otherwise acknowledge that Rule to be intire and right in all points And therefore for these particular Ordinances although we humbly conceive that they do not hold forth a compleat Rule nor are in all points satisfactory to our Consciences Yet because we find many things established in them agreeable to the Word of God for which we desire heartily to blesse God and to be thankfull to the Honorable Houses Provision being made for inabling the Elderships by their Authority to keep away from the Lords Supper all Ignorant persons and many Scandalous persons with a Declaration of their Resolution that all Notorious and Scandalous Offenders shall be kept from the Sacrament and that there shall be a further addition to the Scandalous offences formerly enumerated We conceive it is our duty to begin to act in reference to Church Government by Congregationall Classicall Provinciall and Nationall Assemblies Resolving by the Grace of God to walk in al things according to the Rule of the Word and according to these Ordinances so far as we conceive them correspondent to it and to be accountable to the Magistrate whensoever he shal call us thereunto Hoping so to carry our selves as not only to injoy his concurrence with us on al occasions but also that he will supply what is lacking to make the Government intire and likewise make alterations in all things that shall appear to be amisse And in thus doing we trust we shall not greive the spirits of the truly godly either at home or abroad nor give any just occasion to them that are contrary minded to blame our proceedings FINIS