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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	body_n	church_n	ephes_n	5,160	5	10.9909	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81213	The moderator: endeavouring a full composure and quiet settlement of those many differences both in doctrine and discipline, which have so long disturbed the peace and welfare of this common-wealth. Intended (especially at this time) to beget a brotherly love and unity amongst the ministers and people of all the three nations; the Parliament having now appointed a committee for receiving proposals for the propagation of the gospel. Brotherly unity amongst all Christians, especially amongst the ministers of Christ, being in it self so excellent and comely at all times, and (considering the danger and sad consequences of our present divisions) so desirable and necessary at this time: I conceive all overtures and counsels having a true tendency thereunto, worthy the publike light, and do therefore approve the publication of this ensuing discourse. Joseph Carly.	Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673, attributed name.	1652 (1652)	Wing C780B; Thomason E664_1; ESTC R206830	94,748	118

the Ministers of the profession that they should doe all things without murmurings and Phil. 2. 14. disputings and that they should bee in their conversation blamelesse and harmelesse as the Sonnes of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation and that they should stand fast in Phil. 1. 27. in one Spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel Where wee may observe that in that worke which is proper to the advancement of the Gospel of truth in the world the holinesse of life the peaceablenesse and the unitie of the professors are the necessary requisites without which nothing in this kind can bee effected For this worke hath two parts The one is towards the children of truth the other is against the adversaries of truth Towards the children of truth the worke is in respect of the common profession to concurre in the wayes of righteousnesse of faith of charitie and of peace with all those that call upon God out of a pure heart 2 Tim. 2. 22. and in respect of the aime of mutuall edification for practise it is to exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day Hebr. 3. 13. and to provoke one another to love and to good workes Heb. 10. 24. and for knowledge it is to endeavour that their hearts may bee comforted being knit together in love and to all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2. 2 3. Where we ought to observe that the studie of love and unitie have not onely an influence upon the common profession and that part of the peculiar worke of edification which is practicall to maintain it but also that it is a meanes to confirme and comfort the hearts of the beleevers in all the riches of the full assurance of the knowledge of the highest and most secret Mysteries And consequently that where this studie is not entertained there both the profession and all the comforts which arise unto the soules of beleevers practically and intellectually from their peculiar interests in each others edification doe wholly decay and the great mysteries of our salvation concerning God and the Father and Christ are darkned made doubtfull and by some utterly contradicted all which is brought to passe now adayes as much if not more then in any age heretofore by our dissensions As for the adversaries and gainesayers who are to bee opposed if wee take them to bee the principalities and powers of darknesse and spiritualities of malice in high places a chief part of the armour by which we are to fight against them and preserve our selves from their assaults is to have our Loines that is our affections girt about with truth that is with sincere love which is the bond of perfectnesse Ephes 6. 14. and to have our feet Col. 3. 14. with Ephes 4. 15. shod that is our wayes of conversion fitted with the preparation of the Gospel of peace that is with meanes of peace to prepare men to entertain without offence and peaceably the Gospel of the peace of God which is revealed in his word to us Ephes 6. 15. But if wee take the opposers to bee men although sometimes their mouthes must be stopped and they sharply rebuked Tit. 1. 10 11 12 13. Tit. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 23. namely when it is evident that they are vain talkers unruly deceivers and liars yet alwayes matters of strife and jangling both with them and all others are to bee avoided which we now have not heeded and the behaviour of the servant of God even in his greatest zeale and in the worst of times must never bee precipitate and hasty that is without long suffering 2 Tim. 4. 2 3. But chiefly towards such of whom there may be hope of recovery all gentlenesse patience forbearance and meeknesse of instruction is with great care to bee used as the Apostle doth teach Timothy 2 Epist 2. 24 25. which is a lesson almost utterly forgotten in these our dayes amongst some that esteeme themselves the chief of Professors Thus then wee see that there is no particular part of all the Ministeriall worke wherein the spirit of love and unitie must not appeare as the principall agent to make it successefull Fourthly and lastly their relation to each other as fellow-labourers in these workes is properly that of joynts which are between the Members of the body to unite them to each other and to make them dependent upon the head For in Ephes 4. vers 16. the Apostle doth cleerly speak of the visible body of the Church as it hath a spirituall communion with Christ and within it self by the meanes of that which every joynt supplyeth if then every part by his joynt that is by his Minister to whom is joyned a societie of Saints as a part of the whole is bound to supply to another part that which is his effectuall working towards the building up of the body in Love then it is absolutely necessary for him to correspond and concur with his neighbour and fellow-joynts for how can any part supply any thing to another part of the body without the joynt thereof So then wee must observe that the Associations of the Saints which are undeniable true parts of the whole should edifie one another by that which every joynt supplyeth For to that effect joynts are in the body and the Apostle saith in the whole body to let us understand that all the particular Associations of Beleevers in respect of the common profession are to bee counted as one Association and that by the joynts which God hath set in the whole the parts therefore are fitly to bee joyned together whence wee must gather that Ministers are not onely joynts to unite individuall Professors into a societie but to unite one Congregation unto another for hee saith that the whole is compacted by joynts it followeth then that the Congregations though distinct by themselves and one within themselves as to their severall joynts yet ought to bee further joynted with other Congregations and not to bee at a distance and stand by themselves as parts of the whole disjoynted from each other which is the posture whereat many desire to stand and is the practise of too many upon severall pretences to the great dishonour of the Gospel in the common profession of Christianitie But how contrary this is unto the true end of the publick worship of God to the calling of the Ministery to the aime of Christ in giving gifts unto men to the perfecting of the Saints and to the edifying of the body of Christ I hope such as are conscionable will bee able to see by that which hath beene hitherto said And although I thinke it needlesse to speake much more of this relation which Ministers ought to maintaine one to another seeing it hath already

the Gospel of Christ Mark 8. 38. Whosoever shall be ashamed of Mee and my Word in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him also shall the Sonne of man bee ashamed when he commeth in the glory of his Father with the holy Angels 2. To the second question whether yea or no hee should not joyne with others in the Acts of publick worship the answer will be affirmative thus Hee that should appeare in publick as a Professor of Christianitie ought to assemble himself together to call upon the name of God in Christ with such as meet to that effect The grounds of this rule are these places of Scripture Heb. 10. 24 25. Consider one another to provoke to love and to good workes Forsake not the assembling of your selves together as the manner of some is Act. 3. 1. Peter and John went up together into the Temple at the houre of Prayer the ninth houre Act. 16. 13. And on the Sabbath wee went out of the City by a river side where Prayer was wont to bee made and wee sate down and spake unto the woman which resorted thither Act. 17. 1 2. Where was a Synagogue of the Jewes and Paul as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath dayes reasoned with them out of the Scripture 3. To the third question What the Acts of the Profession are in the publick service and worship whereunto hee should joyne if he should apply himselfe unto other Professors The answer will bee twofold The first is concerning the Acts of service belonging unto the communion of Saints wherein all Christians are bound to joyn together as Christians without respect of persons or societies grounded upon particular interests and it is that which the Apostle doth command Timoth. 2. Ephes 2. 22. To follow righteousnesse faith charitie and peace with all such as call upon the Lord out of a pure heart The second concerning the publick Acts of divine worship in the assemblies whereunto Professors should refort of which these positions will be acknowledged by all 1. That the main and principall Acts of publick worship are the preaching and publishing of the Word of God and the offering up of Prayers and thanksgivings unto God which will bee found a truth in these places of Scripture Act. 6 4. Rom. 10. 13 14 15 16 17. and 1 Cor. 14. per totum and 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3 4. and Chap. 4. 11. 16. Col. 3. 16. Heb. 13. 15. 2. That these Acts should not bee ordinarily performed by every one that will put himself forward to speake but by some that are knowne to have the gift of prophecying and are approved set apart and called to that dutie Which will be evidenced in these places of Scripture Rom. 10. 15. and Chap. 12. 6 7 8. and 1 Cor. 12. 18. 27 28 29. and Chap. 14. 29 30 31 32 33 34 40. Ephes 4. 8. 11 12. and 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. 10. and Chap. 5. 22. Tit. 1. 5 6. 10 11. Hel. 5. 1 2 3 4. and 1 Pet. 4. 10. 17. 3. That those Acts should bee both f●r the matter and manner answerable to the Oracles of God and the rules of the word and done by those that performe them not formally and by rote but understandingly in spirit and truth as is clear by these places Rom 12. 6. and 1 Pet. 4. 11. 1 Tim. 1. 13. and 2. 15. and 1 Cor. 14. 19 20. John 4. 23. 24. 4. That although it is not in the power of any men to prescribe unto or impose upon the Churches and Ministery of Jesus Christ any set formes of publick worship otherwise then Christ hath ordained yet that the Ministers of the Gospel may and ought without prejudice to their libertie in Christ agree amongst themselves to observe some rules of uniformitie in their publick wayes to the end that the occasions of diff●nancie and confusion may bee avoyded and the fruit of publique edification by all spirituall meanes and helpes to decencie and orderlinesse in the Acts of solemne worship may be advanced will be gathered from these Scriptures Gal. 1. 1. 8 9 10 11 12. and 1 Cor. 11. 1. 23. and Chap. 7. 23. and Chap. 14. 37. Matth. 15. 9. Col. 2. 6 7 8. and 1 Cor. 14. 40. and 1 Cor. 11. 16. Col. 2. 5. Sect. II. Of Professors united to a Congregation ALthough it is acknowledged by all that Professors whiles they stand single if they walke orderly and behave themselves as it becommeth the Gospel doe partake of the spirituall communion of all Saints and have an interest in the publique Ordinances with all the Churches wheresoever they conveniently meet with them whiles they are unse●led And although this their interest is never lost after their set●lement in a particular Congregation so long as they remaine faithfull and obedient to Christ no more then they who are made free and partake of the priviledges of a particular company in London do thereby abridge themselves of their common rights and priviledges belonging to them as they are naturally freeborne or naturalized in the nation so long as they fall not from their allegiance Although I say this is agreed by all to bee so yet it is also acknowledged on both sides that Professors ought not to stand single but should be united in and to a body rightly constituted and governed according to the will of Christ which being cleer from these Scriptures Rom. 12. 4 5. and 16. 17 18. and 1 Cor. 1. 10 11 12. Ephes 2. 19 20 21 22. and 4. 16. Phil. 1. 27. Col. 2. 5. 19. Gal. 6. 10. doth give a ground to these following Rules concerning the constitution and government of particular Congregations wherein both sides if they will understand one another rightly I am confident are fully agreed 1. That such persons as have by their professed subjection unto the Gospel of Iesus Christ made it apparent that they are united unto him as the head by Faith and to all his members by love may and ought to bee united together in one Church-fellowship which is called a particular Congregation according to the sense of these Scriptures 2 Cor. ● 1 2 3 4 5. and chap. 9. 13. Ephes 4. 13 14 15 16. and chap. 2. vers 19 20 21 22. and 1 Cor. 12. 27. Phil. 1. 27. and chap. 2. 1 2. and 1 Thes 4. 9 10. Act. 2. 41 42. 2. That the particular Congregations thus constituted ought to bee governed by Elders and Deacons whereof the first are overseers of the wayes and state of the flock the second servants of their necessities both are Officers thereof walking as Brethren as servants and as members of each other in their administrations by a Brotherly equalitie whereby all usurpation of Lordly power in any of these over the inheritance of Christ is made void and all affectations of humane titles tending thereunto is acknowledged to bee utterly unlawfull in the household of Faith according to the truth revealed in these Scriptures 1 Tim. 3.

an Ephes 2. 21. holy temple in the Lord. For all are called unto the unitie of the same body by God and the ministeriall worke is appointed to bring all to the 1 Cor. 12 13. Col. 3. 15. Ephes 4. 13. unitie of the same faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ If therfore any plea bee taken up for a singular distance which is grounded upon disjoynting principles this will not suit with the purpose of God which is to make up the whole body of Christ into one that by the compacting of the members thereof there may bee an effectuall working in the measure of every part to Ephes 4. 16. make the increase of the body for the building of it self up in love What principle then soever doth overthrow this compacting of the whole for this end to bee fulfilled in and by every part is destructive to the glory of Christ and the happinesse of his members If then the principle of Christian libertie and the plea for it and for the particular rights of distinct Congregations is made by the subtiltie of Satan the chief instrument of our divisions and distractions at this time and in this kind it must bee qualified by the principle of holy communion and the plea for the unitie of the members of Christ and for the common rights of the profession of Christianitie For the Apostolicall rule is cleer that wee are indeed called unto libertie onely wee Gal. 5. 13 14. must neither use libertie nor plead for it that it may give an occasion to the flesh but wee are commanded by love to serve one another because the whole Law is fulfilled in this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe And if this Law bee not observed it is cleer that wee Rom. 13. 9. walke not worthy of the calling wherewith wee are called what ever the truth of our principle or the justice of our plea may bee in it selfe For it is not the Theoreticall upholding of a truth that will save us but the doing of the will of God woe be then unto us if by our disputes for that which wee think to bee truth and righteousnesse Satan doth insnare us and by the practise of a singular distance doth so far lead us out of the way as to make us his instruments to divide and disjoynt the spirits and the practises of professors that the essentiall unitie of the whole and the visible conjunction of the members being put out of the thoughts and aimes of common professors all societies may bee broken to pieces and all relations to common duties made void according to the will and fansie of every one that will pretend to bee a Saint in such or such a degree above his neighbour that so by our singular distances through strife for selfe-interests scandals may bee multiplied and the honour of Gods Name in the holy profession blasphemed in the world Therefore to avoid all this nothing is so fit or more necessary and usefull then to maintaine this communion and correspondency which we plead for which is nothing else but a free and voluntary concurrence of spirituall counsels and endeavours which God as the Father of Spirits and King of Saints doth require in his children and Office-bearers for the advancement of the kingdome of his Son that it may appear unto the world that the Church is his house that hee is the ruler of it by his Word and Spirit and that the Ministers thereof depend unanimously upon him as his childen and servants and that in their mutuall relations they stand united to each other not by a rule of their owne chusing and transacting from which they may exclude one way or other whomsoever they please but by the common rule which is his love whereby they are bound to each other as Brethren and as his servants that is fellow-members of the same body of Christ for al the members of every body are but servants to the head in the whole to to each other for the heads sake and for the good of the whole Although then every member hath a facultie of life and a right through that facultie to act in and by it self the worke of its owne office and hath immediatly from the head its direction what to doe and is not under the command of any particular fellow-member yet in the use of this facultie and in the exercise of this right every member is directed by the head to subordinate it selfe to the service of the whole and to depend upon the unitie thereof and not to stand or act by it self for the Apostle saith that the eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head though head and over all the rest to the feet though but feet and under all the rest I have no need of you but even the weakest and the most unseemly members are the most necessary and every one of them in the performance of their duties towards the whole for none of them are allowed to doe any thing for themselves alone are made to depend upon each other If this doctrine were laid to heart and applied practically without disputing to particular matters now in dispute and if our braines were lesse and our consciences more exercised in looking herein to that which is without all dispute the known will of God wee should not need to be troubled with the nicities though wee might conferre about them of the proper seat of right to power and government and with the nationall debates of the prioritie of the universall and of the rights and priviledges of the particular Churches upon which rocks our affections being now split all the duties of necessary communion correspondency and concurrence are neglected amongst us notwithstanding all the known excellencie commendablenesse and usefulnes thereof Therefore my purpose is to set before the consciences of those that seek life the lovelinesse of this dutie whereunto we have already attained if so be we will but put forth our hand unto it as to the tree of life in the midst of the Paradise of God and not feed upon the Theory of disputable opinions concerning particular rights and priviledges which are to us a tree of the knowledge of good and evill whereof the fruit doth worke nothing but death and enmitie between God and us and between man and man nothing but strife and distances by reason of our pride wherewith our knowledge doth puffe us up to appeare somewhat more then others in all our undertakings Sect. II. Of the excellency of unitie and of the fountaine thereof Charitie THe holy Ghost hath set himself of purpose to commend Unitie and Charitie unto us which now I am to speak of in two severall places of Scripture which I shall make the matter of this Section to represent onely the heads thereof in brief unto such as are conscionable that by themselves