Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	duty_n	member_n	threefold_a	30	3	17.2858	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81727	Gospel-Glory proclaimed before the sonnes of men, in the visible and invisible worship of God. Wherein the mystery of God in Christ, and his royall, spirituall government over the soules and bodies of his saints, is clearly discovered, plainly asserted, and faithfully vindicated, against the deceiver and his servants, who endeavour the cessation thereof, upon what pretence soever. / By Edward Drapes, an unworthy servant in the gospell of Christ.	Drapes, Edward.	1648 (1648)	Wing D2139; Thomason E472_27; ESTC R205811	164,938	187

First For being a Heretike Now if any one aske me what a Heretike Ans is I answer he is one that preaches a doctrine which denies What a Heretike is the faith Of which sort were they that denied the resurrection Christ come in the flesh dying at Jerusalem for our sinnes and the like Secondly For open scandalous wickednesse as adultery idolatry theft lying drunkennesse swearing or the like Thirdly For refusing to heare the Church as Christ saith If any man refuse to heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And againe If any man among you walke disorderly have no company with him that he may be ashamed But what if there should any one fall into some open sinne and should manifest Qu. his repentance to the Church before he be cast out ought the Church to cast him forth No verily For if the Church can judge their repentance to bee Ans true they may not doe it for the end of the Ordinance is if the Lord see it good for their repentance Now if the Lord makes them repent without it to what purpose wilt thou doe it This appeares to me cleare from Pauls words 2 Cor. 12. 21. Who saith He is afraid he shall be humbled among the Corinths and bewaile them which have sinned already and have not repented of their uncleannesse and fornication which they have committed Which words I say intimate to me they ought to have repented of their evill deeds and if they had done so Paul need not have bewailed them but their not repenting made him to be afraid 5. They have power to receive in members who were cast out The Church may receive members who were cast out if they repent upon their repentance Consider 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 8 9. Wee may there see Paul writing to them to forgive a wicked person lest he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow and confirme their loves towards him Now if this repentance be true it causeth the soule to be humbled for his sinne to acknowledge it before the Church to mourne for it and to desire again to be received by them for if in truth he seeth his evill he will desire to be entertained againe by that people that cast him forth that they may have cause of joy in him as well as once they had of sorrow But this is not the whole Church that hath this power but the representative Church viz the Officers in the Church so that when Christ saith tell it to the Church he meanes the Elders To this I briefly answer That the Church viz the whole Church hath this power as is evident in the casting forth of the incestuous person Paul writes to the Church bids them Purge out the old leaven he doth not write to the officers of the Church only but to the whole Church So Acts 15. when the whole Church at Antioch sent to the Church at Jerusalem to advise concerning a difference The whole Church came together and gave their advise It is said The Apostles Elders and Brethren send greeting verse 23. Some bring this place to prove a Nationall Synod but if it should prove such a thing behold the whole Nation must be this Synod for the whole multitude were there viz of the Church with the Apostles and Elders where every brother had his liberty to speake But the Apostle Paul cast out Hymeneus and Alexander and delivered them Object to Satan so that excommunication is to be performed by an officer Behold a thing here considerable that which Paul did in his Sol. owne person by himselfe is likewise done by a Church with his consent therefore saith he I have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed In the name of the Lord Jesus when you are gathered together and my spirit That you deliver such a one unto Satan 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. Pauls spirit is his will approbation or consent so that what the Apostle might doe in person they might do by the same power and spirit that was in him and them so that this is no argument at all to prove any such thing Now the end of this power given to the Church is not for destruction but edification Chap. X. Sheweth the duty and gifts of the Church HAving thus finished the nature and power of the Church I The duty of the Church come to shew them their duty and that under a three-fold consideration First Of members to members their duty is to watch over each Of members to members other Under the Law God placed watchmen over his people at whose hands the bloud of them that miscarried through the watchmens negligence was required Ezech. 33. 16. Christ hath set the Saints in one body to be carefull of each other to watch over their words and actions at home and abroad wherever they have opportunity They ought also to cover the infirmities one of another there is a great fault among Christians this day who delight to spread abroad the infirmities of their brethren If thy brother offend thee t is thy duty oh man to tell him of it first betweene thee and him if he heares thee thou hast gained him thou oughtest to forgive him If he refuses to heare thee take two or three more with thee and if he refuse to heare them and not before as thou expectest to be freed from the charge of a violater of the command of the Lord Jesus Tell it to the Church and if he refuse to heare them let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican Yet further t is the duty of every member to assist exhort advise counsell and helpe his fellow member to relieve his necessities t is our duty to study to please one another in the Lord. This watch should be over one another in all things in all places at all times in all relations Secondly The duty of the Saints in the Church is to frequent Of the members duty to the Church their assemblyes not to leave them not to burthen or trouble or offend them to contribute their utmost assistance to them to help forward the building to warne the Church of any thing may endanger it Thirdly The duty of the whole is to looke to each member to The duty of the Church toward its members enquire how it is with them in soule and body to administer to their wants to reprove rebuke admonish receive in cast out this watch of theirs ought to have an eye into all relations many may live well in the Church but we must enquire after every one concerning their behaviour towards wives or husbands parents or children masters or servants for many may at home be passionate carelesse give ill examples be idle or the like which cannot be discerned in the Church but this ought we to looke after By vertue os what authority have you to do to meddle with one another in civill Object things By

built upon a mistake of their Epistles for they Sol. were not written to persons unbaptized but already baptized So that it was needlesse to urge Baptisme to them Yet we shall finde Paul in the Hebrewes telling them they had need to have the principles of the doctrine of Christ taught them againe of which Baptisme is one But if you looke into the Acts of the Apostles you will there finde Baptisme to be practised as much as any Ordinance for there are the travels of the Apostles and their doctrine to unbelievers registred where you shall finde thousands baptized Now Baptisme is part of the foundation in the house of God which must not be laid againe But yet some are ready further to object against Baptisme of water and say Object nothing enters into or hath a being in the Kingdome of God but that which abides for ever but water must perish therefore it cannot be in the Kingdome of God To which I answer if by the Kingdome of God you mean that Sol. invisible state of the spirit living with the Lord I shall shew you this is a mistake for is is said We are saved by hope which abides not alwaies for the thing hoped for being enjoyed hope ceaseth But if you mean the Visible Kingdome of heaven viz the Church of Christ behold you are much mistaken for tongues and prophesies were in the Church and shall not abide for ever for the Scripture saith Prophesies shall faile 1 Cor. 13. 8. But yet I say though that which is visible shall fade yet that which is represented by it viz the Fathers love in Christ Jesus shall never faile and our obedience shall ever be recorded with the Lord. That which you have said is true proves Saints may be baptized with Object water but yet it is an indifferent thing and so it is no great matter if it be left undone That which is neither commanded nor yet forbidden is left at Sol. a Saints liberty But know the commands of the Lord are not of so indifferent a nature the transgression of them or any of them is sinne Now to say Baptisme is such a thing makes void those Scriptures which command it to be preached and practised as I have proved from Math. 28. Marke the last with other Scriptures He that said to the Disciples Goe preach and baptize likewise saith to believers by the mouth of his Apostles Repent and be baptized So that I say againe whatever believer shall neglect this command sins against the great Lawgiver the Lord Jesus Thus have I endeavoured according to my talent to answer all those objections I have yet met withall of any moment hoping it will now appeare to thee that Baptisme of water is an Ordinance of the Lord Jesus and not to be so carnall as men suppose but a spirituall Ordinance whose author principle leading to it power enabling to performe it and true end of conformity to it are all spirituall which though in a sense viz as it is performed with water may be called externall or outward yet the spirit and life of it is like the Kings Daughter Psalme 45. All glorious within whose cloathing is of wrought gold And surely it is no more outward then charity which I suppose none but some old hard-hearted usurer will deny to have place in the Church of the first-borne and why may not Baptisme be admitted likewise into the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus Some say T is a yoake and they say true but it is Christs yoake whose yoake is easy and his burden is light others say if they should submit to it they shall be in bonds and not have that liberty they enjoyed before they say true they shall be bound but to nothing but Christs lawes and be infringed of no liberty that may be truly called Gospell-liberty true it is they are like to be more carefully and narrowly watcht over then formerly that so they may walk more conformable to the true nature of Christs flock whose inheritance is the Kingdome of the Father But this surely to an honest upright heart who feares the Lord will be accounted as his great priviledge and happinesse Chap. VIII Sheweth that believers being baptized ought to be added to the Church and what the true Gospell-Church is THE first thing being made manifest that all believers are to be baptized I come to the second thing I promised to discover to you which The Saints baptized are to be added to the Church was the command of Christ for those that were baptized to be added to to the Church By Church I here understand some particular visible Church which every believer ought to be a member of and adde himselfe to it T is not enough to be baptized which visibly enrights him into any Church but he must be taught to observe all things commanded whereof this is one to joine himselfe to some particular Church or Congregation Therefore is it said Acts 2. 42. They continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers Marke it they were not onely baptized but walked in the visible fellowship of the Gospell And againe it is said verse 47. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved And againe Acts 17. 4. it is said Those that believed consorted to Paul and Silas they embodied themselves together and cleaved to the Apostles verse 34. That it is the duty of Saints thus to do I shall manifest by two Reasons 1. From the nature of the Saints they are all one in Christ Jesus they are Christs sheepe the nature of whom is to flocke togegether they are members one of another Now it behooveth the members to be fixed in their owne body they are the souldiers of the Lord who ought to be in continuall order But 2. It appeares from the nature of the doctrine of Christ which points at unity one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Body whereof Christ is the Head God is one they are one the Gospell is one all which proclaimes it to be their duty to walke together as one in the Church which is Christs body But to make things appeare more plainly I shall shew you what the true Church of Christ is to which every believer being baptized ought to be added It is a company of people called out and separated from the What the true Church of Christ is world by the word of the Gospell to believe in Christ being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus walking together in mutuall agreement in the visible profession of the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Christ their Head and King I am not now treating of the Church of Christ as it is invisible consisting of all Saints in all ages making up one body but of a particular visible society or congregation of people who are that Church I have before described in which description there are these things observable 1. That Christs Church consists of people

were added viz. to the church about three thousand Act. ● 41. this was a doctrine to be preached commanded to be practised and was observed by the Saints of old But doe you thinke there may not be a visible church of Christ without baptisme of water surely all the churches in the Gospell were not baptized persons To this I plainly answer First the Scriptures no where hold Sol. forth any church to us without being baptized for this we find as soone as they beleeved they were commanded to be baptized with water Acts. 10. and to Paul himself beleeving was it said Arise why tarriest thou and be baptized If we looke into the Acts we shall find there very many examples for it and not one to prove or tolerate any other practise Secondly I say there can be no true visible Church without it hath its bottome or foundation from Christ but there is no church consisting of others then baptized persons approved on by Christ for Christ giving forth a rule of visible dispensations bids his disciples first Teach and Baptize them afterwards teach them to observe all that he had commanded them Marke last 19 20. Again if we consider the nature of the Ordinance of baptisme and of the church of Christ it will be evident for the nature of the Ordinance is a cleer manifestation of putting on Christ therfore saith the Apostle Know ye not that as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and the nature of a true Church is of a spirituall nature visibly holding forth that government Christ our head hath in us Again baptism is the first act visibly representing our union with Christ which gives us a visible right to all other Ordinances of Christ But if any shall yet say there may be a true visible church of the Gospel approved of by Christ without a submission to this Ordinance let them produce their grounds from the Scripture and I shall more throughly consider the matter in the mean time let this suffice us that while men walke in other wayes doubtfully without a rule for their practise we walk according to the Scriptures in being baptized and added to the church wheras they say many churches were planted without baptism it is an easy thing to say so but hard for to prove I am very confident all churches were baptized else the disciples of Christ had very ill observed their commands Goe teach and baptize Fiftly It is not enough that Saints be baptized but likewise The Church of Christ is an united company they ought to joyn themselves together first to the Lord then to one another therfore is it that we find it recorded that the Saints are a body compact together and that when many saw the judgement of God upon Ananias and Saphira they durst not joyn themselves to them Now this joyning after baptisme is nothing but the mutuall consent of each other giving up themselves to the Lord and one to another to watch over one another and walke before the Lord in his own wayes which of necessity must be done or else the Saints would be disabled from knowing each other watching over each other and admonishing or reproving each other thus did Paul joyn himself to the churches at Ierusalem but this will appear more plain if you consider what I shall say when I come to speake of the true nature and divine excellency of this church which I have already in a measure described unto you Chap. IX Sheweth the true nature of Christs Church and the power and authority thereof HAving thus described to you what the true church of Christ is I will now shew you its excellent priviledges and duty which I shall unfold to you in eight particulars 1. The nature of this Church 2. The power of this Church 3. The duty of this Church 4. The gifts of this Church 5. The Ordinances of this Church 6. The Order of this Church 7. The Ministry of this Church 8. The Communion and fellowship of the Church The nature of this church I shall first handle which I shall demonstrate The nature of Christs Church It is the house of God to you from the severall names that God hath given it in the Scriptures as first it is called the House of Christ or of the living God 1 Tim. 3. 15. Paul gave many instructions to Timothy how to behave himself in the house of God God dwelleth in the middest of the church the church is Gods houshold Mat. 24. 25. Herein may we see the nature of the church to be a compact and united body a house of living stones 1 Peter 2. 4. 't is not a company of unpolished stones lying scattered up and downe but a house built up whose foundation is Christ yea Christ is the corner stone thereof 't is a houshold whose master is Christ who is the Lord of that family which is called by his name the children of this houshold are Saints those that appear in their wedding garment the servants are the Ministers of the Gospell who are placed there to serve the family their food is the word of God the body and blood of Christ Jesus from whence al unprofitable and wicked servants are tobe cast forth 't is a houshold wherein every son and servant is enrolled by the bond of unity Secondly 't is the City of God Psalm 46. 4. in which city every It is the City of God member is a fellow citizen Eph. 2. 19. 't is a spirituall city that descends from heaven 't is a flourishing city whose inhabitants are made glad through that river whose streames flow from the fountain of life 't is a City walled with the almighty power of the Lord Jesus 't is a City defended with an innumerable company of Angels whose merchandise is not of gold and silver but of bread and water of life of glorious garments of needle worke the cloathing of whose inhabitants is wrought gold 't is the city of Sion of which 't is said Walke about Sion and goe round about her tell the towers thereof marke yee well her bulwarks consider her palaces that ye may tell it to the generation following Psal 48. 12 13. 't is a city incorporated whose citizens have one and the same Charter from heauen whose head is the Lord Jesus whose foundation and gate of entrance is Christ in which mercy and truth meet together righteousnesse and peace kisse each other Thirdly The church of Christ is Christs body Christ is the churches It is Christs body head yea he is the very life and soul of the church 't is his Spirit which quickens all 't is Christs body consisting of severall members every one is placed in the body for the service of the whole therefore saith Paul We being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another Rom. 12. 5. 't is a body fitly joyned together compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth