Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	catholic_n	church_n	visible_a	4,689	5	9.3932	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31349	Catholicon, the expediency of an explicit stipulation betwixt the parochial ministers and their congregations, or, An essay to prove that the intervention of solemn mutual promises betwixt the parochial ministers and their people (faithfully to discharge their relative duties to one another) would be useful and expedient for these ends to promote in clergy-men regularity of life, and diligence in their ministerial function, to increase in the lay parishioners, Christian knowledge, sincere godliness, with a free and friendly conversation, to give a stop to separation, and reduct dissenters to the communion of the church without using secular compulsion, to secure the peace of the nation, to inlarge trade, and make provision for the poor, and that all may be effected without the least innovation, or alteration of the present legal establishment of the Church of England humbly tendred to the consideration of all English Protestants / by a parochial minister.	Parochial minister.	1674 (1674)	Wing C1498; ESTC R17127	21,417	32

by the Spirit of God who alone gives the increase whoever endeavours to plant or water be Conversion Multitudes to the praise of the Glory of the Grace of God have been and are daily Converted by the Ministry of the Church of England But yet I apprehend and shall endeavour to make it good in this present Essay that not only the more immediate ends of the Ministry would probably be more effectually promoted by such an explicit Confeederation intervening betwixt the Parochial Ministers and their people but many other appendant advantages would thence refult to the whole body of the Nation as I have insinuated in my Title-page I presume that all knowing Christians will grant that the ends wherefore Christ by his Apostles did institute Ministers in the Churches I mean amongst persons already converted to the faith were at least these following That they might watch over the souls of their flocks that they might administer to them the Word and Sacraments that they might in the name of their people assembled with them and with the concurrence of their peoples hearts and mouths also at least in saying Amen offer up Confession of Sins Prayers Praises and Thanksgivings in the publick Assemblies That they might Instruct Admonish Reprove and Comfort their People as their condition should require and that not only in publick Preaching and Catechising but in Personal Conference and by teaching from House to House That they might visit the Sick and promote the due relief and maintenance of the Poor of the Flock That they might baptize the Children of Believers and Adult Persons duly qualified and that they might receive to the full Communion of the Church in the Eucharist such Minor Members as being baptized in their Infancy are grown up to a due measure of the knowledge of God and Christ and his Gospel and are of unblameable lives and do make solemn profession to stand to their vow made in Baptism That all these are duties incumbent upon Ministers even under the Parochial Form I hope will be granted and shall not trouble my Reader with a proof of them till they are contradicted And that no Law of the Land or Ecclesiastical Constitution restrains any Parochial Minister from the faithful discharge of all those duties is undeniably evident in that those Laws confirm to Ministers their setled Maintenance for this very cause that they might be encouraged to be faithful in the service of God and of his Church in the premised duties And it is evident also that the most Reverend Fathers of the Church the Bishops would not only encourage Ministers to be faithful herein as some of us have found by address to our pious and learned Diocesans but that they would also rejoyce over such diligent and faithful Ministers and thank God for them and make mention of them in their prayers without ceasing So that upon an impartial search I believe it will be found that one of the chiefest reasons why this work is not done more effectually is to be laid to the charge of Parochial Ministers and their People And the greatest hindrance of them in doing mutually their duties herein will I presume be found to be this Because Ministers enter upon their charge with so little of solemnity and without such particular application to the people at their entrance as might advantage them in their future work For if we consult common experience we shall find that when any Persons enter upon any Office of Trust for others benefit the want of due solemnity at their entrance doth not only render them less careful to consider and discharge their duty but also those for whose benefit Officers are intrusted are both less inclined to submit to them in the discharge of their Office and more prone contumaciously to oppose and discourage their Officers when they attempt faithfully to do their duty Now it is but a little engine that I propose as likely to remove this and other great weights and mischiefs with Namely that at every Ministers entrance upon his charge there should pass a solemn Stipulation and Promise betwixt him and his People and the same should also with all convenient speed be solemnly made betwixt those Ministers who are already setled in Parishes and their People I shall not be so presumptuous as to impose upon any of my Brethren any forms of my own devising But yet that my Reader may clearly understand what I aim at it is necessary that I set down some form of words which might be suitable for the transaction of that solemnity Though I know that abler persons will easily find more apt and more comprehensive terms than mine are I will therefore suppose that some such forms as these following may conveniently be devised for this business I N. N. legally presented instituted and inducted into the Rectory or Vicaridge of N. in the Diocess of N. do solemnly promise in the presence of God to the Parishioners of the said Parish of N. That during my legal imcumbency and possession of the said Rectory or Vicaridge I will through the Grace of God endeavour faithfully to discharge amongst them and for their benefit the Ministry which I have received of the Lord I will declare to them the Gospel of the Grace of God in Jesus Christ and instruct them in the saving truths thereof both by publick Preaching and Catechising and by private conference as I have opportunity I will labour to secure them from those that would pervert them to either sins or errors I will endeavour to establish the weak to comfort the disconsolate and to reform the disorderly by admonition and reproof or if any continue obstinate after my private reproof I will proceed in my endeavours for their reformation in such effectual ways as the Gospel of Christ and the Laws of the Land do warrant me to pursue I will visit their sick and endeavour that due provision be made for the Poor of the Parish I will constantly at due periods of time unless hindred by sickness or other lawful impediments administer amongst them the Sacraments and other parts of publick worship according to the authorized forms of the Church of England I will prepare their Children by Catechising that they may be confirmed by the Bishop of the Diocess where such confirmation can with due solemnity and conveniency be obtained or that they may be admitted to full communion with the Church in the Sacrament commonly called the Lords Supper upon their serious profession to stand to the Covenant which they made in Baptism And in my discharge of all this I shall submit my self to the oversight and guidance of the Lord Bishop of the Diocess Witness my Hand The Parishioners may subscribe some such form as this I N. N. Inhabitant of the Parish of N. in the Diocess of N. do promise by the Grace of God to live as becomes the Gospel in charity with all men and unity of more special love with the visible Catholick Church that is with all that profess the faith of

are already entred upon our imployments as that which is Preliminary would do to them that enter with it And that also it would make our Ministry more acceptable and successful for the future is not to be doubted Besides that this would influence the whole body of the Ministers to make them regular and exemplary in their conversation is a presumption so rational that I need not stay to prove it For no doubt Ministers thus solemnly obliging themselves to walk as Examples to their Flocks in all manner of holy Conversation would both in Conscience and prudence set a strict guard both over their lives and languages remembring the wo due to them by whom offences do come But I must further let my Reader know that my projection is not only that this Stipulation should once be solemny made and never after be publickly Recognized so that the Subscriptions of Ministers and People being locked up in the Parish-Chest should so remain till Worms and Moths had consumed the Parchment or Paper But this I think may prudently and piously be done further namely that on the Lords day before the day of the Celebration of the Communion whether monthly or quarterly or after celebrated the Minister should after Evening Prayers recount before the people the promises mutually given exhorting them to remember and faithfully to fulfil the same both towards him and towards one another and the whole Church of God and that he should promise on his part with all fidelity through the Grace of God to look to his discharge of his duty to them Next let us consider what are likely to be the effects of this Covenant amongst the people First That it would promote holiness of Conversation amongst them is warrantably inferred both because the Ministers oblige themselves to a more special and particular care of every single person of their Flock and they of the Flock are obliged to a mutual care of one another and every one by this Covenant obligeth himself sincerely to endeavour to walk as becomes the Gospel And this particularity of relation by solemn promise interceeding betwixt the Minister and them would put the Minister on to personal and private applications by way of instruction or admonition which have their effect ordinarily beyond the general declarations of the truths of the Gospel in Catechising or Preaching or general reprehensions of vices in such publick discourses Besides they would be under a constant expectancy that upon their irregularity they should be dealt with after our Saviours Method Matth. 18.15 And that when they had been personally and privately admonished and did not reform they should be notified to the Congregation and upon further obstinacy be presented to those publick Ecclesiastical Officers who are impowred by Law to take congnizance of the same And that such Presentments would not end only in paying the fees of the Court and some Commutation mony there Nor could they imagine that the Parochial Congregation to whom the Offence and Scandal was given should never inquire what is done upon the presentment or require satisfaction from the offending party before they received them to Communion again And we may reasonably presume that all the pious Fathers of the Church the Bishops with the Ecclesiastical Officers under them would take care that such satisfaction should be given by the Delinquent And none of this would bring any 〈◊〉 innovation or alteration in Church affairs And further that hereby the people would be spirited to a free and Christian Nieghbourhood amongst themselves is not at all to be 〈◊〉 seeing it is the Ordinary Consequence of Combinations to give to the Combined a mutual kindness and confidence to and in one another Nay more whereas all other combinations that are made on the principles of universal and Catholick recusancy of Communion with other Christians and there are more Catholick Recusants in England than Papists do narrow mens affections towards others and cause them to malign censure damn and despise those who are not of their own bran and leaven it may justly be hoped that this coalition and combinement founded on the truly Catholick Principles of the Church of England which unchurcheth not nor reprobateth Christians of any form that hold repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ would give such an impression of humility and charity to all the Parishioners as that the Dissenters themselves should find the blessed and benevolent warmth and influence of it whilst we endeavour to live in the exercise of Charity and mutual good offices with all conscientious Dissenters and follow peace both amongst our selves and with all men One thing more I hope I may mention without raising the scorn of any sorts of Readers namely That in process of time this procedure would not only reform scandalous Ministers but scandalous Livings also I mean those poor Livings as they are called upon which even a frugal person cannot live and provide things honest in the sight of all men for himself and for his family Which were not indeed so poorly endowed Originally but first by the Popes Appropriations of the great Tithes to Orders of Monks and Nuns and after by the Impropriations of the same by King Henry the 8th to Lay-men and by other incroachments of the Laiety both in pretended Prescriptions and several other wayes not proper here to be reckoned up many Parish-Church is especially in Cities and Corporations are d prived of a due maintenance for the Ministers And Religion thereby receives as much damage as by almost any one of Satans later projects against the same Against which I propose this Parochial Stipulation as a Remedy very probable to be effectual for undoubtedly the Combined Parishioners would by the permission of those in Authority and by the assistance of pious Patrons either buy in Impropriated Tithes or raise an honourable maintenance for their Minister some other way I will add further That whereas now upon the decay of strength in aged Ministers the People are left too oft only to the guidance of a Curate that is of small abilities and small allowance because many Livings will not afford better Salaries if a competency be cantinued to them who have spent their time and strength amongst the People We may warrantably hope that the people of the Parochial Combination will neither be so ungrateful to him who hath faithfully laboured amongst them as to urge a larger allowance from him than his income will bear nor will they be so unconcerned for their own souls as to forbear to raise by contribution a fit allowance for an able Assistant I will add this further That it cannot be feared that People thus ingaged will permit that the Parish Clarks should be licentious Ale-Drapers or otherwise loose or vain persons But they will require that they be of a prudent and inoffensive Conversation The like care we may hope that the Parishoners and Ministers would take about the Election of persons prudent and conscientious

Christ crucified And that I will hold constant communion with the Church of England that is with all those Christian Subjects of the Kings most excellent Majesty who are united in the profession of those articles of Doctrine and in the exercise of those Forms of publick worship and in submission to that Ecclesiastical discipline that are agreeable to the Scriptures and owned by the Laws of this Realm And I will generally and ordinarily assemble with the rest of the Parishioners of N. aforesaid at the Parish Church there for the celebration of all parts of the established publick worship by Mr. N. N. Rector or Vicar there and that I will own the said Mr. N. N. as my immediate Guide in spiritual things under the inspection of the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of the Diocess And that I will attend upon the Preaching of the Word and Catechising and Administration of the Sacraments by the said Mr. N. N. and submit to his admonitions and give him all due honour for his work sake And that I will readily and chearfully do my duty as a fellow member of the same body to all the Parishioners of the said Parish of N. in labouring to build them up in the most holy Faith and in provoking them to love and to good works and in communicating to those of them that shall need relief according to that estate which God hath or shall bless me with And that I will mark those who cause divisions and avoid them And that if I shall happen to remove my dwelling out of the Parish of N. aforesaid I will desire and receive a Certificate from the Minister and Parishioners here to the Minister and Parishioners of the Parish to which I shall remove That I have lived in communion with them and with the Church of England and I shall likewise desire Letters of Commendation from the Minister and Parishioners of this Parish to the Minister and People of the Parish to which I shall remove requesting them that they will receive me with those of my family that are qualified for it to Communion with them in Holy Worship And I shall be ready to testifie by like solemn promise my readiness to joyn in Communion with that Minister and Parochial Congregation to whom I shall remove as I did before with the Minister and People of this Parish of N. Witness My Hand These or the like solemn promises do not as far as I am able to apprehend so much as shake one Pin in the present Fabrick of either Church or State Nor in the Stipulation is there any thing promised by either the Ministers or the People but what I judge they are obliged already to do and execure by the general precepts of the Gospel or the Ecclesiastical Laws and Constitutions of this Realm or Christian Prudence though they should never make and subscribe such explicit promises as these are I am sure that Ministers oblige themselves expresly to all this at their Ordination before the Bishop and Presbyters and Congregation then assembled And I easily grant that it is only matter of expedience and prudence as Ecclesiastical affairs now stand in England that this mutual covenanting should be so express and solemn for the Minister and Peoples doing their mutual duties to one another as Offices of Relations implies in both a Conscience that they are under an Obligation to one another which may not improperly be called an implicit Covenanting And therefore if any man shall rise up against these Papers I request him to remember That the Controversie betwixt us is likely to be only this whether what he shall offer be in the ballance of Christian prudence of more probability to promote those great ends of piety and peace c. than this which I propose And if any can offer better Expedients or shall evince that mine deserve not to be esteemed such I resolve to be no Heretick in Politicks or Prudentials desiring in uprightness to be conformed to St. Paul's profession to do all things for the truth and nothing against it In the mean time I will labour to shew how useful this Order would be to the ends proposed CAP. II. The usefulness of the Parochial Stipulation to promote regularity of life in the Ministers and their People with Brotherly Love and good Neighbourhood IT is plain to every mans observation that all the perswasives of men to any undertaking whether by representing the attempt as necessary or beneficial or honourable or under any other respects have no longer force than they are kept present and fixed in the mind and imagination of the Undertaker So that when once those arguments are slipt out of the thoughts the attempt goes on very dully because promoted only by the habitual impression yet remaining upon the Phancy The Solemnity therefore of this promise would six upon Ministers such a lasting and warm sense of their duty and so frequently renew their thoughts of it as would not probably permit them easily to grow remiss and inadvertent For indeed the promise made to many and before many witnesses would be apt to awaken in Ministers a remembrance of their duty upon the very sight of any of those to whom and before whom they made their ingagement But why should I trouble my Reader with a more large proof of that which I think no man can deny who is but Master of so much judgement and phancy as to present to his own imagination as it were in different Scenes One Person hasting and posting to his Living as to a Preferment only and another Person gravely and considerately entring upon his imployment with such solemn Application to the People as this we speak of Letting them know he comes amongst them with a desire and purpose through Gods assistance to serve to the Glory of God and their edification in the truth as it is in Jesus Christ Which of these two in any mans judgement is likeliest to pursue the work of his Office with the more vigorous diligence Besides this very solemnity of entrance would give the Minister such an esteem with the people as would highly advantage his future discharges For when themselves had thus by Covenant received him they would look upon him with all affectionate respects as their Guide yea they would entertain him as an Angel of God Whereas now the People till they have trial of us keep at a distance and are shy and jealous of us and if after some time they find that we are not proud and contentious or strict in looking after our dues many of them are not much further solicitous intimating therein that in the present state of Parishes the care of many Parishioners is rather to have a well-humour'd and quiet Neighbour than an able and faithful Minister And there is no question to be made but that the like Postnate Solemnity would strengthen the sense of duty in us who