Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	admit_v	church_n	visible_a	1,210	5	9.2185	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A25291	The marrow of sacred divinity drawne out of the Holy Scriptures, and the interpreters thereof, and brought into method / by William Ames ... ; translated out of the Latine ... ; whereunto are annexed certaine tables representing the substance and heads of all in a short view ... as also a table opening the hard words therein contained.; Medulla theologica. English. 1642	Ames, William, 1576-1633.	1642 (1642)	Wing A3000; ESTC R23182	239,577	422

Faith which may be easily perceived by sence 28. This visible profession is that visible communion of the Saints which they have with Christ and among themselves 29. The acts of communion with Christ are those visible acts by which they present themselves to God in Christ to receive his blessings and to give the glory of them to him 30. The acts of communion among themselves are all those acts by which they study to doe good each to other but especially those which directly make to further their communion with God in Christ. 31. Many acts of this latter kind are to be exercised also toward those who as yet are not members of the Church because by a certaine power they are to be judged to belong to it 32. This Church as it is visible in it selfe is in respect of others and comparatively also distinguished into the Church lying hid and manifest 33. That which is manifest is when the number is greater and the profession more free and more publick 34. That which is hidden is when the number is lesse and profession lesse open which is wont to come to passe by reason of heresies persecutions or prophane manners abounding abroad 35. In the same respect also the Church is purer and impurer as the profession is more or lesse perfect 36. But this profession doth not depend upon confession only and preaching of the Word but also upon the receiving of it and religious obedience to it 37. But although the Church be subject to such changes and may leave any part of the World yet it hath never totally falled or shall faile from the beginning of the gathering it to the end of the World 38. For Christ must alwayes have his Kingdome in the mids of his enemies untill hee shall make his enemies his foote-stoole 39. Yea the Church doth never wholly cease to be visible for although sometime there scarse appeare a Church any where so pure that one may fly unto it in communion of the same worship in all things yet the Church doth in some sort abide visible in that very impurity of worship and profession CHAPTER XXXII Of the Church Instituted 1. THE Church as it lives upon Earth although it be not wholy visible together yet it is visible in its parts both dividedly in the severall members and joyntly in companies or Congregations 2. The former visibility is by mens personall profession which doth not make a Church simply visible but in certaine members or visible members of the Church although the Church in it selfe or in its integrall state is not visible in the same place Acts 19. 1. Paul came to Ephesus where he found certaine Disciples 3. That visibility which is in distinct companies or congregations doth not only make a visible Church but touching the outward forme doth make so many visible Churches as there are distinct congregations Revel 1. 4. The seven Churches 2 Cor. 8. 1. 19. The Churches of Macedonia all the Churches 4. For those congregations are as it were similary parts of the catholick Church and so doe partake both of the name and nature of it 5. Therefore a particular Church in respect of that common nature which is found in all particular Churches is a Species of the Church in generall but in respect of the catholick Church which hath the respect of an whole it is a member compounded of divers severall members gathered together and so in respect of those members it is also an whole 6. Such a congregation or particular Church is a society of believeres joyned together by a speciall band among themselves for the constant exercise of the communion of Saints among themselves 7. It is a society of believers because that same thing in profession doth make a Church visible which by its inward and reall nature doth make a mysticall Church that is Faith 8. But because true Faith hath holinesse joyned with it which it doth effectually worke Acts 15. 9. And so the profession of true faith cannot be disjoyned from the profession of holinesse therefore the Church is promiscuously and in the same sense called a society of believers and of Saints Eph. 1. 1. To the Saints which are at Ephesus and faithfull in Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 1. 2. compared with 2 Cor. 1. 1. Rom. 1. 7. Colos. 1. 2. 9. Hence visible and particular Churches also by reason of this Faith which they professe are rightly said to be in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ. 1 Thess. 1. 1. 2 Thess. 1. 1. 10. It is also very probable that there is no such particular Church in which the profession of the true Faith flourisheth but in the same also there are found some true believers 11. But those who are onely believers by profession so long as they remaine in that society are members of that Church as also of the catholick Church as touching the outward state not touching the inward or essentiall state 1 Iohn 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us 12. Among believers there are to be accounted as members of the Church the children of those believers who are in the Church 1 Cor. 7. 14. Your children are holy For they are partakers of the same covenant and the same profession with their parents 13. Yet infants are not so perfect members of the Church as that they can exercise acts of communion or be admitted to partake of all the priviledges thereof unlesse there doe first appeare an increase of Faith but they are not to be excluded from those priviledges which pertaine to the beginning of Fait and entrance into the Church 14. Believers doe not make a particular Church although peradventure many may meete and live together in the same place unlesse they be joyned together by a speciall bond among themselves for so some one Church should often be dissolved into many and manyal●…o should be confounded into one 15. This bond is a covenant either expresse or implicite whereby believers doe particularly bind themselves to performe all those duties both toward God and one toward another which pertaine to the respect and edification of the Church 16. Hence it is that in the old Testament wee doe for the most part so often read of the renewing of their covenant as there is related any solemne reformation of the Church 17. Hence none is rightly admitted into the Church but by confession of Faith and promise of obedience 18. This joyning together by covenant doth onely so far forth make a Church as it respects the exercising the communion of Saints for the same believing men may joyne themselves in covenant to make a City or some civill society as they doe immediatly respect a common civill good but they doe not make a Church but as in their constitution they respect holy communion with God among themselves 19. Hence the same men may make a City or politicke society and not a Church or a Church and not a City or both a Church