Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	church_n	faith_n	pillar_n	2,322	5	10.2633	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41067	A touch-stone, or, A perfect tryal by the Scriptures, of all the priests, bishops, and ministers, who have called themselves, the ministers of the Gospel whose time and day hath been in the last ages past, or rather in the night of apostacy : they are tried and weighed by the Scriptures of truth, and are found out of the life and power of the scriptures, and out of the spirit and doctrine of them that gave them forth, and quite contrary to their principle and practice, both Papists and Protestants : unto which is annexed, Womens speaking justified, &c.	Fox, Margaret Askew Fell, 1614-1702.	1667 (1667)	Wing F639; ESTC R7178	82,431	96

burdens grievous to be born But this is contrary to Christ and his Apostles Doctrine and Example as hath been shewed already Moreover the Apostle Paul when he writeth his second Epistle to the Corinthins chap. 1. and relateth the sufferings and hardships that they had passed through how that they had the sentence of death in themselves he saith Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us in God who hath also sealed us and given us the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts not that we have dominion over your Faith but are helpers of your joy for by Faith ye stand Here the Apostle did not bind them and limit them nor called them to Courts to keep them under oppression and penalty in those things that were contary to their Faith and Principles this was contrary to Pauls practice for when he called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus unto him he said unto them Ye know that from the first day that I came unto you after what manner I have been with you at all seasons serving the Lord with all humility of mind and with many tears and temptations which befel me and how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you but have shewed you and have taught you publickly and from house to house testifying both to Jews and Greeks Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ And when he goes on mentioning his sufferings he saith None of these things move me neither count I my self dear unto my self so that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of the Grace of God for I have not shunned to declare unto you the whole counsel of God Take heed therefore unto your selves and to the whole Flock of God whereof the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers and feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Acts 20. Here the Apostle gives them no Commission to oppress or bondage those that they were Overseers over but to feed them and to watch over them For saith he after my departure shall grievous Wolves enter among you not sparing the Flock Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things therefore watch and remember c. This hath been fulfilled and largly manifested Wolves and Devourers have had a large time since that day Also the Apostle Peter saith thus The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a Witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over Gods heritage but being examples to the Flock and when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. Here is a perfect Example and Rule for all the Overseers of the Church of God Moreover when the Apostle writes unto his Son Timothy he saith That the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a Pure Heart and a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned Also he exhorts him First of all that supplications prayers and intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty and so he goes on exhorting this Bishop but never biddeth him set up Courts nor be a Lord over Gods Heritage for he saith This is a true saying If any man desireth the Office of a Bishop he desireth a good work a Bishop must be blameless the Husband of one Wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach I believe our Bishops are wanting here because they Hire and Imploy so many petty Teachers under them but he goes on Not given to wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler not covetons now our Laws and Courts signifie the contrary of this not a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into reproach and the snare of the Devil Moreover he must have a good report of those that are without holding the mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience So the Apostle goeth on exhorting the Bishops and Deacons that they may know how to behave themselves in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Ground and Pillar of Truth 1 Tim. 2 3 chap. So he goes on exhorting them what to Teach and Preach and how to order the Church in the 4th and 5th chapters concerning the Elders Elder-men and Elder-women Younger-men and Younger-women as also Servants he directeth him how to go by way of Exhortation to them all and saith If any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsom words even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing doting about Questions So he goeth on dehorting them from those things But thou O man of God saith he flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love and patience meekness fight the good fight of Faith lay hold on Eternal Life whereunto thou art called and hast professed a good profession before many Witnesses I give thee charge in the sight of God who quickneth all things and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession that thou keep this Commandment without spot unrebukeable until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ O Timothy keep that which is committed unto thy Trust chap. 6. Here is a weighty and a hard Charge laid upon Timothy the then Bishop and Overseer of the Church but here is nothing of making of Laws and setting up Courts and oppressing people and keeping them in Bondage and Slavery for when he writeth his Second Epistle to Timothy he saith My dearly beloved Son Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice and I am perswaded that in thee also Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the Gift of God which is in thee by the putting on of my hands for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound minde That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us This thou knowest that all they which were in Asia be turned away from me yet he doth not bid him Arraign them nor call them up to Courts nor Cite them nor Excommunicate them nor cast them into Prison but he exhorts him to be strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus and he layeth down how he should teach the people and commit