Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
knowledge_n	apostle_n	faith_n	grace_n	1,538	5	5.4128	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42933	Gods government of his church, and the deputation thereof to men both for the civill and ecclesiastical estate : especially for the ecclesiasticall, concerning which many doubts and debates are now moved.		1641 (1641)	Wing G958; ESTC R21789	29,179	52

God was much enlarged The Church is now and ever was a Body consisting of severall members some in this a 1 Cor. 12. Body are eyes some hands some feet c. some b Luk. 22.26 are greater and chiefe some lesse in the Kingdome of Christ The lesse have a lesse service or charge the greater and chiefe are or should bee of greater service and imployment for the good of the whole and so they are indeed though it may seeme otherwise A prudent and considerate man will not judge the belly in the Roman Apologue to bee idler then the other parts nor the Master of the Ship sitting at the Sterne a lesse actor for the welfare of the passengers then they which tug at the oares or hoyse or strike saile As the hand and foot are content with their owne offices so should each member in the Church but yet there is a difference in some regard for one of inferiour place in the Church may desire the improvement of his talent and abilities may desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as was said above As Saint Paul approves this so the practice of the primitive times shew it then to have beene usuall Matthias of a Disciple was made an Apostle Philip of a Deacon became an Evangelist Furthermore concerning the performance of these Ecclesiasticall offices Saint Paul speaking of and particularly reckoning up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the diversities of Gods gifts sheweth a more excellent way to use them namely That whatsoever gift of God in this kinde any one hath hee should above all make use of Christian love without which tongues prophesie knowledge faith and all other gifts and graces are nothing and with which Christian love if any ones heart bee truly enflamed hee will apply himselfe to doe good in the Church in whatsoever kinde hee can as Pastor as Deacon as a fellow-workman as a Presbyter as an helper c. yea doe any usefull service in the Church as God gives ability and occasion is offered So Saint John being an Apostle did as a Prophet write the Revelation and as an Evangelist also his Gospel a divine supplement to the three other Gospels and then his Epistles Paul sent forth to preach did sometimes baptise performed the part of a Deacon and Evangelist yea became all things to all men But how may it appeare that any one as a Bishop had many Presbyters and Deacons under him or had a Diocesse or a large circuit of a country to be overseen by him Answer Wee may observe that the Apostles in regard of thepaucity of labourers in the great harvest of God had large as I may call them Diocesses and that each of them settled Presbyters in many Cities as we conceive by that which we read of some of them It is also manifest that there were many Presbyters at once in a Act. 20. Ephesus Acts 20. in Jerusalem Act. 11.30 in Antioch Act. 13.1 b Act. 11.30 at Caesarea there were at one time Philip the Evangelist Paul c Act. 13.1 and the companions of his travels Agabus and Luke These would not have stayed there but that there was worke for more then one of them Seeing professours of Christianity much increased and the Apostles endevoured to hold them in the true faith and still to convert more Proselites it necessarily followeth that they would not see them want any needfull supply of Teachers and Instructors but sent their Ministers and helpers to any Church as any present occasion required and that they call'd them back as they found necessary and expedient for any other place And seeing some Cities were large and had many a Act. 13.5 Synagogues which the Apostles made use of and so probably such as were by them sent or left there to preach it was requisite that they should have more then one Presbyter for the same over which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Angell of the Church was left When the rest of the twelve Apostles were dead and Saint John onely left alive but aged he not able to visit some remote Churches in his own person by writing to the seven Churches of Asia informed every one who had an eare in any Church whatsoever to heare their duties These Angels might according to the example of Titus left by Paul in Creet ordaine Presbyters in every of their Cities They might also try those who said * Rev. 3.9 Rev. 2.2 they were Jewes that is Christians and might examine them who pretended to be Apostles and were found lyars Had not these seven Churches more then one Teacher entertained in them no stranger would have fained * Say he was an Apostle a mission unto any of them and if the Angell of a Church exercised his power to examine and reject false pretenders we see thereby what his authority was for he who could do thus by a stranger might doe as much by a Presbyter bred up in his owne Church As for Diocesses the thing is ancient For the great Cities of old had some Pagi or villages neer adjoyned and subordinate to them Hence we read of a Jos 15. Gilead Ekron c. and their villages of Jerusalem b Ezek. 16. and her daughters Of this there is no need to doubt because it is usuall in all Countries whatsoever as being a thing for many reasons expedient and therefore wee may well grant that Ephesus Smyrna Philadelphia c. had some villages depending on them and subject to them and that therein some free men of the chiefe Cities did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inhabit And thus the thing is ancient how late soever some affirme the name to be Men also have used of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to dwell together for mutuall defence and comfort one of another so that the thing here also is ancient and was fitted of old for the name of Christian Parishes Suppose there were such adjacent villages to the great Cities and that the retired persons and shepheards there harkned as soon or sooner to the Gospel then the richer and greater Citizens who were cumbred with worldly imployments burdened with the weight of honourable places because also the shepheards of Bethlehem and Joseph of Arimathea and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coasts neer adjoyning to the more noble Cities were often more attentive to the Gospel then the great men in Jerusalem and other large Cities suppose all this yet how will it appeare that these Angels or chief Overseers of the Churches had such large revenues as some Bishops in these our dayes Answer To this an answer is easily made No man can expect that a river should have so great a stream at or neer the spring head as it hath after many miles running 'T is not possible that a Lords or Knights house in New-England should be as well built furnished and attended as a Lords or Knights house usually in Old-England The Angels and Presbyters of the primitive times found stronger

different parts of a mans body be serviceable each to other and all be usefull for the good of the whole Nor did Christ himself only work micacles but shewed in his Apostles and other instruments a manifest concurrence of his almighty power as hee had done in Moses and Aaron when he fent them for building up of the Israelitish Church The case is much alike for now the Roman power and tyranny afflicted the Christian Church as of old Pharaoh did the Israelitish But what ever was the power opposing Christianity Christ shewed himfelse not onely to be the great Prophet before promised whom God at that time raised like unto Moses but also to bee a mighty King going b Rev. 6.2 forth conquering and still more and more to conquer For as when before Sauls time Samuel well ordering the Ecclesiasticall estate and all matters by God committed to his charge God was the c 1. Sam 12.12 King of Israel and mightily defended them against their enemies So when in the primitive times the Aposties and their successours well managed matters spirituall in the Church Christ shewed himselfe to bee their King and graciously protected them and made the Gospel to prosper in despite of all malicious and tyrannous designes to root it out 1. No policy no strength can prevaile against the Almighty how great soever it seeme in the eyes of man Gods wayes are not as worldly mens and at that time this was his course As Moses appointed seventy Elders subordinate unto him for deciding smaller matters and easing him in his charge of Judging the people so it pleased Christ as man and to set a pattern for his Deputies to use subordinate officers to appoint seventy Disciples to goe two by two as labourers into Gods harvest into all parts whither hee himselfe would come Christ also sent the twelve Apostles 1. Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 the witnesses of what hee did and spake to call both Jewes and Gentiles to Gods truth Such messengers of old were Moses Aaron Elias Esay Jeremie Ezechiel and other Prophets whom God sent early and late to bring the old Israelites and Jewes out of Egypt and Babel and what Proselites they could from their superstitious errours and wicked wayes 2. God now also endowed some of his servants with the spirit of Prophesie who as it seemed good to God did first upon extraordinary occasions and for the speciall use of the Church foretell things to come and secondly expounded Scriptures which God for the comfort and instruction of his people had formerly given Prophets of both these kindes God of old raised for the building of the Jewish Church 3. God appointed some to be Evangelists writing a compendious story of Christs life and death namely Matthew Mark Luke John others Evangelists preaching and divulging the same in their sermons and opening som passages thereof in their writings So in times before from the beginning of the world God as he saw it necessary or expedient for the use of his Church in divers manners and divers parts caused the Gospel of Christ redemption by his name to be preached to Adam Noah and others and afterward by Moses David Esay Zachary and all the a Luk. 1.70 18.35 24.25 Act. 3.18 Prophets since the world began And therefore often in the new Testament for the chiefe passages of Christs words and actions and what b Act. 3.21 should befall untill his second comming and for the chief doctrines delivered by the Apostles the Law and the Prophets are usually cited 4. 1. Cor. 12.28 Ephes 4.11 God gave some to be Pastors and Teachers who were to informe their auditors mindes with knowledge of truth and to direct their practise Such of old were the Priests and Levites interpreters of the Law which was read and preached every Sabbath in their Synagogues Hence the terme Rabbi interpreted a Teacher or Doctor was never unto Christs time so frequently but in some respect abusively for the best things may be abused used among the Jewes Of Christs comming at twelve yeares old among these Jewish Teachers the Gospel speaketh John 3. Christ met with Nicodemus and others of this kind Rulers and Teachers in Israel So they of old who were chiefe in the schools of the Prophets were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teachers and did by their schollars as Paul did by Timothy teach them 2. Tim. 2.2 that they might teach others who in time should bee able to teach And whereas God frequently calleth the children of Israel his sheepe they who fed them with sound doctrine and led them on in the practice of Godlinesse were of old their Pastors or Shepheards and from them is the term borrowed in the new Testament 5 Christ enabled some to work miracles for the confirm tion of the doctrine of the Gospel in the first publishing thereof and for the more speedy withdrawing of the Gentiles from under the Romish tyranny and superstition as he had done of old for the deliverance of Israel from out of Egypts bondage and Idolatry and as hee did at other times upon divers just occasions 6 God gave to some the gift of healing the bodies of men infirme or diseased that the world might bee more sensible and seriously considerate of cures done upon their ill affected soules Such cures were of old wrought in taking away of some of the plagues of Egypt the Leprosie of Miriam and Naaman the deadly disease of Ezekiah the raising from death the Widow of Sarepta's and the Sunamites children the dead souldier and other the like 7 God appointed some to bee helpers such as by their company consent in the truth and any service of love were taken unto the Apostles and Apostolicall men when they journyed from nation to nation In this kind went together Paul and Barnahas Act. 11.25 30. Barnabas and John called Mark Paul and Silas Acts 15.93 41. Timothy and Erastus Acts 19.22 and Paul Barnabas and Titus Gal. 2.2 Paul and Tychicus Ephes 6.21 They also were helpers whose names are joyned with Paul's in some of his Epistles as Timothy 2. Cor. 1.1 Phil. 1.1 and Sosthenes 1. Cor. 1.1 Of this number also may they be counted who ministred unto the labourers in Gods harvest of their substance and supplied them with necessaries 8 God also gave Governments stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a borrowed word most properly spoken of governours of Ships By this terme the Spirit seemeth to allude to the entertainment which the Church of God sindeth in the world that is tossed as a ship in the troublous and dangerous sea and partly to the government in a ship where care is ever taken to have a Master and masters mate and * So the seventy were sent two by two and the Apostles travelling took a helper with each of them double officers in severall places that if the first in place mis-carry the mate may be ready to succeed or if both subsist the inferiour on any