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faith_n build_v church_n rock_n 7,063 5 9.4065 5 false
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A41062 This is to the clergy who are the men that goes about to settle religion (as they say) according to the Church of England, whether they may be bishops or presbyters, or what name soever they may go under. Fox, Margaret Askew Fell, 1614-1702. 1660 (1660) Wing F637; ESTC R27979 6,614 10

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This is to the CLERGY Who are the Men that goes about to settle RELIGION As they say according to the Church of England Whether they may be BISHOPS or PRESBYTERS or what Name soever they may go under I Am moved of the Lord God to give you a Warning from him in love to all your souls that you may not bring upon your selves the guilt of innocent blood and that you may be ware and cautious concerning this thing which is of great and high Concernment lest you do intrench upon the Right and Prerogative of CHRIST JESUS who is the Head of his Church which is his Body Eph. 1.21 22. the fulness of him that filleth all in all far above all Principalities and Powers Might and Dominion every Name that is named not only in this World but also in that which is to come who hath led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ that was the End and Work that they had to do who had received gifts from God for the Work of the Ministry Now if you have this Authority from CHRIST who is the Head of the Body his Church have received Commission from him and the gifts which he gives for this Work then you would be tender over his Saints and Lambs which he hath gathered into his Fold in this his Day by the Ministration of his Spirit which he hath given unto every one to profit with all and no man by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed Now prove your selvs let your practice prove you whether you have your derivation from this Root and Rock on which the whole Church is built which Rock is CHRIST who gives diversities of Gifts by the same Spirit for to one is given by the Spirit the Word of Wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit to another Faith by the same Spirit to another the gift of healing by the same Spirit to another the working of Miracles to another Prophesie to another discerning of Spirit to another divers kinds of Tongues and to another the Interpretation of Tongues but all these worketh that one and the self same spirit Now if you drink of this Spirit and be baptized into this body which you profess to succeed from then will you be tender and be careful of those that have received these gifts of his Spirit which may be several and various which Spirit cannot be limited because it proceeds from the Lord of Heaven and Earth 1 Cor. 12. and though there may be differences of Administrations yet the same Lord and though there may be diversities of operations it is the same God that worketh all in all And this is he that cannot be limited who hath created Heaven and Earth and rules and orders all things by the Word of his Power who will make all subject unto him and will make all his people willing in this day of his Power to be obedient unto him who is coming to rule in the hearts and consciences of men and there is he establishing his Throne which is for ever and ever and his Scepter there he will sway which is a righteous Scepter and the Nations will he rule with a Rod of Iron break to pieces all his Enemies like a Potters Vessel Now it is very like that you or at least many of you cannot believe that he is thus come and coming and therefore you may take the more boldness and liberty to act against him his Power because you will not see nor believe that this is he now that you may not be ignorant when Christ appears against those his Enemies that would not that he should reign am I moved to warn you before you proceed and go on in acting against the Lord God that you may not be ignorant in this thing Consider Paul who once was called Saul how zealous he was in persecuting of the Saints and he had great reason in that he was a Jew outward and touching the Law a Pharisee and concerning the Law blameless yet in the blindness of his zeal and ignorance breathed he out threatnings against the Saints which afterwards was his sorrow Now sit down solemnly and consider seriously that God is a Spirit and his Worship is in the Spirit and he hath promised the pouring forth of his Spirit and this cannot be limited to Time nor Place nor Person for it is not men that ye have to deal with in this thing but the Lord this is the Stone that all the Builders ever set at nought and did disallow which now is become the Head of the Corner which indeed is the Lord 's doing and its marvelous in our eyes Now if a man desires the Office of a Bishop he desires a good Work and not a great Name only but he desires that the good Work of God may go on and not to stop it But a Bishop must be blameless the Husband of one Wife valiant sober and of a good behaviour apt to teach not given to wine no striker 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.6 not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler nor covetous one that ruleth well his own House for if a man know not how to rule his own House how shall he take care of the Church of God For a Bishop must be blameless as the Steward of God not self-willed nor soon angry but a lover of good men sober just holy and temperate These are the Qualifications and Marks of them that should be Overseers of the Church of God And likewise Deacons must be grave not double-tongued not given to much wine not given to filthy Lucre holding the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience Let these also first be proved saith the Apostle And so those that desires or looks after or takes upon them these Offices of being Bishops and Deacons and to be Overseers of the Church of God they ought to be proved and tryed before-hand whether they are men fearing God and hating Covetousness bringing forth fruits of the Spirit not men of corrupt minds not reprobate concerning the Faith but holding the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience void of offence and were to give no offence neither to the Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God Such were these from whom the men of our Age would seem to derive their Pedigree but if they be searched thorowly they wil appear to be of a later standing to be Branches which springs from another Root which indeed is the Pope from whence they had their Rise and Beginning as might be clearly evidenced and demonstrated if it be desired Now it will be good and safe that these men do stand upon their own Foundation and Ground and not to stretch themselves beyond their measure nor to limit the Spirit of