Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	church_n	earth_n	militant_a	5,036	5	12.4963	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55001	A Platform of church discipline gathered out of the Word of God, and agreed upon by the elders, and messengers of the Churches, assembled in the Synod at Cambridge in New England, to be presented to the churches and Generall Court for their consideration and acceptance in the Lord, the eighth moneth, anno 1649.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1649 (1649)	Wing P2396; ESTC W2574	37,140	44

Ecclesiasticall Polity or Church Government or discipline is nothing els but that Forme order that is to be observed in the Church of Christ vpon earth both for the Constitution of it all the Administrations that therein are to bee performed 2 Church-Government is Considered in a double respect either in regard of the parts of Government themselves or necessary Circumstances thereof The parts of Government are prescribed in the word because the Lord Iesus Christ the King and Law-giver of his Church is no less faithfull in the house of God then was Moses who from the Lord delivered a form pattern of Government to the Children of Israel in the old Testament And the holy Scriptures are now also soe perfect as they are able to make the man of God perfect throughly furnished vnto euery good work therefore doubtless ●…o the well ordering of the house of God 3 The partes of Church-Government are all of them exactly described in the word of God being parts or means of Instituted worship according to the second Commandement therefore to continue one the same vnto the apearing of our Lord Iesus Christ as a kingdom that cannot be shaken untill hee shall deliver it up unto God euen the Father Soe that it is not left in the power of men officers Churches or any state in the world to add or diminish or alter any thing in the least measure ther●…in 4 The necessary circumstances as time place c belonging unto order and decency are not soe left unto men as that under pretence of them they may thrust their own Inventions upon the Churches Being Circumscribed in the word with many Generall ●…imitations where they are determined in respect of the matter to be neither worship it self nor Circumstances seperable from worship in respect of their end they must be done vnto edification in respect of the manner decently and in order according to the nature of the things them selves Civill Church Custom doth not euen nature it selfe teach you ye●… they are in some sort determined particularly namely that they be done in such a manner as all Circumstances considered is most expedient for edification so as if there bee no errour of man concerning their determination the determining of them is to be accounted as if it were divine CHAP II. Of the nature of the Catholick Church in Generall in speciall of a particular visible Church THe Catholick Church is the whole company of those that are elected redeemed in time effectually called from the state of sin death vnto a state of Grace salvation in Iesus Christ 2 This church is either Triumphant or Militant Triumphant the number of them who are Gloryfied in heaven Militant the number of them who are conflicting with their enemies vpon earth 3. This Militant Church is to bee considered as Invisible Visible Invisible in respect of their relation wherin they stand to Christ as a body unto the head being united unto him by the spirit of God faith in their hearts Visible in respect of the profession of their faith in their persons in particuler Churches so there may be acknowledged an universall visible Church 4 The members of the Militant visible Church considered either as not yet in church-order or as walking according to the church-order of the Gospel In order so besides the spiritual union communion common to all belivers they injoy more over an union communion ecclesiasticall-Politicall so wee deny an universall visible church 5 The state of the members of the Militant visible church walking in order was either before the law Oeconomical that is in families or under the law National or since the comming of Christ only congregational The term Independent wee approve not Therfore neither national provincial not classical 6 A Congregational-church is by the inst●…titution of Christ a part of the Militant-visible-church consistin●… of a company o●… Saints by calling un●…ed into one body by 〈◊〉 holy covenant for the publick worship of God th●… mutuall edification one of another in the Fellowship o●… the Lord Iesus CHAP III. Of the matter of the visible Church Both inr●…spect of Quality and Quantity THe matter of a visible church are Saints by calling 2 By Saints wee understand 1 Such as haue not only attained the knowledge of the principles of Religion are free from gr●…s open scand●…ls but also do together with the profession of their faith Repentance walk i●… blameles obedience to the word so as that in charitable discretion they may be accounted Saints by calling though perhaps some or more of them be unsound hypocrites inwardly●… bec●…se the members of such particular churches are commonly by the holy ghost called Saints faithfull brethren in Christ and sundry c●…ch es haue been reproued for receiving suffering such persons to c●…ntinu in fellowship amongst them as have been offensive scandalous the name of God also by this means is Blasphemed the holy things of God defiled Prophaned the hearts of godly gri●…ved the wicked themselves hardned holpen forward to ●…nation the example of such doeth endanger the sanctity of others A litle Leaven Leaveneth the whole lump 2 The children of such who are also holy 3 The members of churches though orderly constituted may in time degenerate grow corrupt scandalous which though they ought not to be ●…olerated in the church yet their continu●…ce ●…erein through the defect of the execution of discipline Ju●… 〈◊〉 doth not immediately d●…ssolv the being of the church as appeares in the church of Israell the churches of G●…latia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet wee conceive the substance of it is kept where there is 〈◊〉 real Agreement consent of a company of faithful persons to meet constantly together in one Congregation for the publick worship of God their mutuall edification which real agreement consent they doe express by their constant practise in comming together for the publick worship of God by their religious subjection unto the ordinances of God the●…e the rather if wee doe consider how Scripture covenants have been entred into not only expressly by word of mouth but by s●…crifice by hand writing seal also somtimes by silent co●…sent without any writing or expression of words at all 5 This forme then being by mutuall covenant it followeth it is not faith in the heart nor the profession of that faith nor cohabitation nor Baptisme 1 Not faith in the heart becaus that is invisible 2 not a bare profession because that declareth them no more to be members of one church then of another 3 not Cohabitation Athiests or Infidels may dwell together with beleivers 4 not Baptism because it presupposseth a church estate as circumcision in the old

Testament which gave no being unto the church the church being before it in the wilderne without it seals presuppose a covenant already in being one person is a compleat subiect of Baptism but one person is uncapable of being a church 6 All believers ought as God giveth them opportunity there unto to endeavour to joyn themselves unto a particular church that in respect of the honour of Jesus Christ in his example Institution by the professed acknowledgment of subiection unto the order ordinances of the Gospel as also in respect of their good of communion founded upon their visible union containd in the promises of Christs special presence in the thurch whence they have fellowship with him in him one with another also for the keeping of them in the way of Gods commandm●…nts recovering of them in case of wandring which all Christs sheep are subiect to in this life being unable to returne of themselves together with the benefit of their mutual edification and of their posterity th●…t they may not be ●…ut of from t●…e priviledges of the covenan●… otherwis if a believer offends he remaines destitute of the remedy provi●…ed in that behalf should all believers neglect this duty of ●…yning to all particular congregations it might follow therupon that 〈◊〉 should h●…ve no visible political c●…rches upon earth CHAP V. Of the first subject of church powr or to whom church powr doth first 〈◊〉 THe first subject of church powr is eyther Supream or Subordinat Ministerial the Supream by way of gift from the father is the Lord Iesus Christ the Ministerial is either extraordinary as the Apostles Prophets Evangilists or Ordinary as every particular Congregational church 2 Ordinary church powr is either the power of office that is such as is proper to the eldership or power of priviledge such as be longs unto the brotherhood the latter is in the brethren formally immediately from Christ that is so as it may according to order be acted or excercised immediately by themselves the former is not in them form●…lly or immediately therfore cannot be acted or excercised immediately by them but is said to be in them in that they design the persons unto office who only are to act or to excercise this power CHAP VI Of the Officers of the Church especially of Pastors Teachers A Church being a company of people combined together by covenant for the worship of God it appeareth therby that there may be the 〈◊〉 being of a church without any officers seeing there is bot●… 〈◊〉 and matter of a church which is implyed when it i●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ordained elders in 〈◊〉 ●…urch 2 〈◊〉 though 〈◊〉 be not 〈◊〉 necess●…ry to the simple being of churches when th●…y be 〈◊〉 yet ordinarily to their calling they are and to their well being and therfore the Lord Iesus out of his tender compassion hath appointed and ordained officers which he would not have done if they had not been usefull need full for the church yea being Ascended into heaven he received gifts for men and gave gifts to men whereof officers for the church are Justly accounted no small parts they being to continue to the end of the world and for the perfecting of all the Saints 3 These officers were either extraordinary or ordinary extraordinary as Apostles Prphets Evangilists ordinary as Elders 〈◊〉 The Apostles Prophets Evangelists as they were called extraordinarily by Christ so their office ended with themselves whence it is that Paul directing Timothy how to carry along Church-Administrations Giveth no direction about the choice or course of Apostles Prophe●… or Evange●…sts but only of Elders Deacons when Paul was to take his last leave of the church of Ephe●…s he commited the care of feeding the church to ●…o ther but unto the Elders of that church The like c●…rge doth 〈◊〉 commit to the Elders 4 Of 〈◊〉 who are also in Scripture called ●…shops Some attend chiefly to the ministry of the word A●… the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teachers Others attend especially unto R●…le who are therfore called Rul●…ng Elders 5 The office of Pastor Teacher appears to be distinct The Pastors special work is to attend to exh●…tation therein to Administer a word of Wisdom the Teacher is to attend to D●…mo therein to Administer a word of Knowledg either of them to administer the Seales of that Covenant unto the dispensation wherof the are alike called as also to execute the Censu●…e being but a kind of application of the word the preaching of which together with the application therof they are alike charged withall 6 And for as much as both Pastors Teachers are given by Christ for the perfecting of the Saints edifying of his body which Saints body of Christ is his church Therfore wee account Pastors Teacher to be both of them church-officers not the Pastor for the church the Teacher only for the Schools Though this wee gladly acknowledg that Schoole are both lawfull profitable necessary for the trayning up of such in good Litrature or learning as may afterwards be called forth unto office of Pastor or Teacher in the church CHAP VII Of Ruling Elders Deacons THe Ruling Elders office is distinct from the office of Pastor Teacher The Ruling Elders are not so called to exclude the Pastors Teachers from Ruling because Ruling Govern●…ng is common to these with the other wheras attending to teach and preach the word is peculiar unto the former 2 The Ruling E●…er work is to joyn with the Pastor Teacher in those acts of spiritual Rubc which are distinct from the ministry of the word Sacraments committed to them of which sort these be as followeth 1 to open shut●… the dores of Gods house by the Admission of members approved by the church by Ordination of officers chosen by the church by excommunication of notorious obstinate offenders renounced by the church by restoring of poenitents forgivē by the church II To call the church together when there is occasion seasonably to dismiss them agayn III To prepare matters in private that in publick they may be carried an end with less trouble more speedy dispatch IV To moderate the carriage of all matter in the church assembled as to propound matters to the church to Order the season of speech silence to pronounce sentence according to the minde of Christ with the consent of the church V To be Guides leaders to the church in all matters what-soever pertaining to church administrations actions VI To see that none in the church live inordinately out of rank place without a calling or Idlely in their calling VII To prevent heal such offences in life or in doctrin as might corrupt the