Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	call_v	church_n	pillar_n	2,921	5	10.5182	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47561	The gospel minister's maintenance vindicated Wherein, a regular ministry in the churches, is first asserted, and the objections against a Gospel maintenance for ministers, answered. Also, the dignity, necessity, difficulty, use and excellency of the ministry of Christ is opened. Likewise, the nature and vveghtiness of that sacred vvork and office clearly evinc'd. Recommended to the baptized congregations, by several elders in and about the City of London.	Knollys, Hanserd, 1599?-1691.	1689 (1689)	Wing K711A; ESTC R213604	49,141	150

actual Investiture in our Nature of a●… Power in Heaven and Earth Mat● 28.18.19.20 And Jesus came an● spake unto them saying All Power 〈◊〉 given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore Teach all Nations ●… And lo I am with you always even 〈◊〉 the End of the World. Amen Also after His Blessed and Glorious Ascention and Sitting on the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Heb. 8. ● Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him 1 Pet. 3. 22. Did by His Apostles give Commandment and Direction for the continuance hereof to the end of the World and his Second Coming without Sin unto Salvation Heb. 9.28 As Acts 14.21,22,23 After they had by their Ministry been blest with the Conversion of many Souls they took care to direct them into the Duty of Church Communion and by their Suffrages Ordained them Elders in every Church So the Apostle gives this as the Reason Why he left Titus in Creete he not having opportunity after Preaching the Gospel to them to put things into due Order Tit. 1.5 That he should set in Order the things that were wanting or left undone by the Apostle and Or ●…e Elders in every City that is Church in euery City as before Acts 14. who are called Elders Bishops or Pastors and Teachers Names significative of the●… Authority Office and Work. 2. Christ being now in Heaven and an extraordinary Call being ceased the Scriptures being a perfect and standing Rule to the Church through all Ages he has committed this Care to her self according to the Power given to Her who is the Pillar and Ground of Truth to provide Ministers for her own Edification in Obedience to his Commands and Rules given in his word as he shall see good to Bless her with Spiritual Gifts and Abilities in order to the fitting them for this Work the Father also has Covenanted to give his Spirit in the Gifts and Graces of it and promised that the Words he has put into Christs Mouth and the spirit that is upon him shall never depart from him nor his seeds seed for ever Likewise has according to the Circumstances of time the Church hath been under blest her as with his Grace so with all needful Spiritual Gifts Eph. 4.7.11 For the perfecting the saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edifying the Body of Christ So that whilst there is a Church Millitant Saints on this side Perfection any of the Members of Christ Mystical Body on Earth those Spiritual Gifts needfull to their present State shall be given and be amongst them for the Support of the great Ordinance of the Ministry and for the good of the Church 3. And as its the Churches Duty to Seek these Spiritual Abilities and improve them when they are given to these great and Holy Ends so she must walk regularly herein in obedience to the Rules given by Christ in this Case who hath laid down the qualifications both Negative and Positive of all such as ought to be called to this great work and Trust of Ministring by Office 1 Tim. 3.1 to 9. Tit. 1.6.9 we have no warrant to put any into the Ministry otherwise save such as are here discribed and competently fitted for it For as it was a sin of Old in the Church to put any into the Ministry but those whom God appointed by the Rules given to them so it can be no less Evil for the Church now to call any forth into Office but such who are qualified as God's Word directs and now as Christ hath made this grant of Power to the Church of choosing her own Officers for her Edification so he hath left Rules for her who and how to chose as we said before So likewise he has laid down those special Duties of the Officers in the Church who are to take the oversight Feed Govern Go in and out before them Acts 20.17,18 1. Pet. 5. and 2. 4. When the Church has had a Tryal of the meetness and Abilities of any Person or Persons for this work and service they are by Election and Choice solemnly to set him or them a part by Prayer and Laying on of Hands Acts 14.21,22,23 Acts 6. By which a new relation ariseth of an Elder and a Church a Pastor and a Flock This must be therefore by the mutual voluntary acts of each other by which the Duties of each relation becomes binding upon them according to the Laws of Christ It is the Pastors Duty now to Watch Feed and Govern the Flock and to give himself up to it It is the Churches Duty to submit themselves to Him in the Lord to Love Reverence and Administer freely to him 1 Pet. 5.1,2,3,4,5 Heb. 13.7.17 How greatly then must those Churches be to blame that unconcernedly live in the neglect of so great a Duty upon which the Edification of the Church and her Well-being so much depends as well as Gospel Order For although the Essence and Being of a Church depends upon its Institution in respect both of Matter and Form A competent number of Believers may by mutual agreement lay the Foundation of the Being of a Gospel Church but they cannot be a Church Organical without Officers which the Lord hath placed there for the orderly Exercis●… of his Authority committed to her To neglect this is to despise the Wisdom of Christ who best knows wha● is for the good of His Church and for Her Edification in this State. 2 To slight His Goodness in so useful and beneficial an Institution 3 It s a contempt put upon his Authority as King of Saints who has in his Soveraign Right in and over the Church Ordained it so to be for the Churches Good and Well-being Secondly As there should not be a neglect of this Duty so there should be great care taken that we answer the Will of God herein wherein His Name and Honour is so much concerned in Respect of his Love to and Care of his Church therefore the greaest diligence should be taken that the Rules He has given be duly observed and Applications made of the Qualifications laid down in respect of all such that are called unto Office The outward Call is an Act of the Church the acceptation of the Person so called is an Obediential Act of him to the Will of God but neither of these can be regular where there is not at previous indication of the Mind of God in bestowing those Spiritual Gifts and Qualifications as may render him competently fit to the Discharge of his Office and Work. Now in a Churches undue proceeding herein they discover their own weakness if not Ignorance in respect of the Rule it self and injure the Person so called in laying the weight of so great a Work upon him who is not furnished with Spiritual Abilities to discharge it thereby expose the Honour of Christ and Reputation of His Gospel in the World which should be dear unto us And we have reason to

the excellency of the Gospel Ministry above the Ministry of the Law And what great Blessings and Priviledges upon many Accounts we have above them One would think these things were enough to stir up all Faithful Christians to leave their Disputings and heartily with a cheerful Mind be ready to contribute towards the defraying the moderate Charge of a Gospel Ministry in such a manner as may give Reputation to our Sacred Profession certainly the Labourer is still worthy of his Hire and every one will say not less worthy because he Labours under the Gospel than they who Laboured under the Law. Eighthly An Elder or a Pastor of a Church is under a special Charge to Use Hospitality and to let himself be a Pattern of Charity and other good Works that so he may the better adorn his Profession This is his Duty and if he fails herein he loses some part of those most excellent Virtues in which he ought to shine but if he be Poor and left 〈◊〉 the thorny cares of this World and the Church not administring so to him 〈◊〉 to put him into a Capacity to answe● this requirement of the Gospel whe●… will the fault and blame lie Therefore since he ought to be a patern of Hospitality and Charity we argue 't is doubtless the indispensible Duty of the People to whom he Ministers to be conce●ned to the uttermost of their Abilities to make him capable of giving Proof 〈◊〉 this Grace by the Exercise of it as the●… may be Occasion Ninthly We also argue for this Duty from the Consideration of the Honourableness of it when 't is faithfully discharged it being one of those things which 〈◊〉 Honest Just Pure Lovely and of g●… Report there is both Vertue and Pr●… attends it Phil. 4.8 First of all Ho● can Men think you are the People yo● profess your selves to be viz. Such w●… endeavour to VValk Blamelessly i● observing all the Ordinances an● Commandments of the Lord Jesu●… whilst you neglect this so plain and undeniable an Institution even such a one that 't is expresly said So God hath Ordained it c. VVhy are you so Zealous for some other Precepts and Remiss here Doth not the same God who commandeth you to Repent to Believe and to be Baptiz'd and to Love one another command you also to Communicate to your Ministers in all good things How is it then that any can be so partial in the Law of Jesus Christ 2. This will in a great measure de●iver you from that reproach of Covetousness What can any People ●hink should be the cause why Christi●ns should suffer their Ministers to want what is necessary for them when ●hey themselves are so full Unless it ●e from the Spirit of this World which is a Sin too often laid at the ●oors of the Professors of this Age Would to God there was no cause or ●round for it 3. Hereby the People will also rai●… the Reputation and Honour of the●… Ministry and shew their great estee● of them which well agrees with th● Exhortation of the Apostle Let t●… Elders that Rule well be accounted w●… thy of double Honour especially they w●… Labour in the Word and Doctrine F●… the Scripture saith Thou shalt not M●… the Mouth of the Oxe that treadeth 〈◊〉 the Corn For the Labourer is worthy 〈◊〉 his Reward 1 Tim. 17.18 By double Honour here is mean● as some conclude Reverence or H●nourable Esteem for Christ's Sake● whose Ambassadors they are said 〈◊〉 be and so represent His Most Sacre● Majesty 2. Maintenance And 't is evide●… this cannot be excluded in this plac●… considering the Connextion of t●… Words following for the ScriptU●… saith Thou shalt not muzzle the O●… that Treadeth out the Corn and 〈◊〉 Labourer is worthy of his Reward T●… Verse saith our Annotators maketh evident That Maintenance is part of the double Honour that is due to such as Labour in the Word and Doctrine This then must be granted it tends to the Honour of Christ's Ministers but 't is as evident to all that those Persons let them be of what Perswasion soever if they should leave their Ministers to the wide World to shift for themselves and though Poor take no care of them instead of honouring of them they would cast a slight and contempt upon them and hence 't is that others also for their following of some Trades do lay them under great reproach which the Churches to whom they belong if able might and oug●… to deliver them from We are perswaded there are some rich Members 〈◊〉 most Congregations that would not indure that any of their near Relations should fall under such or the like Circumstances or be exposed to such Inconveniencies because of the dishonour they Judge it would be to ●…em People knowing they are Wealthy and Great in the World an● able to do considerable for such nea● Kindred or else all would say they have no favour nor esteem for them And shall Men shew greater favou● and respect to their Carnal Relations than to Christ's Ambassadors Thi● surely ought not to be Tenthly Further to Evince thi● great Duty It may not be amiss to consider of other great Inconveniences that 〈◊〉 fellow the neglect of it There are som● Ministers in the Churches who wer● brought up to Learning and who ar● utterly uncapable to follow Secula● Trades and Callings now if Provision be not made for these Me●… What will become of them How 〈◊〉 it possible they and their Famili●… should Live Besides What Inco●ragement is here given to others wh● are Young whom God hath Grac●ously indowed with considerable Gif●… and are willing to give up themselv●… to the Ministry And for their bette● Accomplishment endeavour after th● Knowledg of the Tongues c. which we all confess is very good and serviceable though not of absolute necessity in a Minister Who will apply himself we say to gather and lay up those stores of solid Learning which oft-times in the Defence of the Truth against Opposers has been found very profitable when he can expect nothing but Poverty and Distress thereby Nay furthermore may not this neglect quite deter any Godly Young Men to exercise their Gifts in order to serve the Churches in after times when Death shall call away those Labourers the Churches have ●ow amongst them should they see ●he present Ministry slighted and ●ot provided for Or what ground ●ave we to expect a Blessing by the Providence of God to attend the Churches in respect of an Able and Honourable Ministry in time to come when His great Ordinance is slighted ●nd neglected which He in Wisdom ●ath Ordained for an Encouragement upon this very account In his own Way we may look for a Blessing bu● not out of it Nay to be plain with you Have not some in a few Years last past see● to their great trouble and grief how this neglect and ommission of Duty hath laid divers hopeful young Men who were indued with