Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
saint_n bishop_n church_n ephesus_n 1,251 5 11.4920 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A30136 A confession of my faith and a reason of my practice, or, With who, and who not, I can hold church-fellowship, or the communion of saints Bunyan, John, 1628-1688. 1672 (1672) Wing B5506; ESTC R36326 44,845 152

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

is not a visible Saint Now he that is visibly or openly prophane cannot be then a visible Saint for he that is a visible Saint must profess faith and repentance and consequently holyness of life And with none else dare I communicate First Because God himself hath so strictly put the difference both by word and deed For from the beginning he did not only put a difference between the Seed of the woman and the children of the wicked onely the instinct of grace and change of the mind as his own but did cast out from his presence the father of all the ungodly even cursed Cain when he shewed himself open prophane and banished him to go into the Land of the Runnagate or Vagabond where from Gods face and so the priviledges of the communion of Saints he was ever after hid Gen. 3.15 chap. 4 9 10.14 15 16. Besides when after this through the policy of Satan the children of Cain and the seed of Seth did commix themselves in worship and by that means had corrupted the way of God what followed but first God judged it wickedness raised up Noah to preach against it and after that because they would not be reclaimed he brought the floud upon the whole world of these ungodly and saved onely Noah alive because he had kept himself righteous Gen. 6.1 2 v. 3.11 1● 13. Here I could inlarge abundantly and add many more instances of alike nature but I am here onely for a truth upon things Secondly Because it is so often commanded in the Scriptures That all the congregation should be holy I am the Lord your God ye shall therefore sanctifie your selves and ye shall be holy for I am holy Ye shall be holy for I the Lord your God am holy Sanctifie your selves therefore and be ye holy for I am the Lord your God Besides 1. The Gates of the temple were to be shut against all other Open ye the gates that the righteous nation that keepeth the truth may enter in This Gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter Thus saith the Lord no stranger uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh shall enter into my sanctuary of any stranger which is amongst the children of Israel 2. Because the things of worship are holy Be ye holy that bear the vessels of the Lord. 3. Because all the limits and bounds of communion are holy This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof shall be most holy Behold this is the Law of the house Lev. 11.44 chap. 19.2 chap. 20.7 1 Pet. 1.15 16. Esa. 26.2 Psa. 128.20 Eze. 43.12 chap. 44.9 Esa. 52.11 Thirdly I dare not have communion with them Because the example of new testament churches before us have been a community of visible Saints Paul to the Romanes writes thus To all that are at Rome beloved of God called to be Saints And to the rest of the Churches thus Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints To the Saints that are at Ephesus and to the faithfull in Christ Jesus To all the Saints that are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons To the Saints and faithfull brethren which are at Colosse To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ c. Thus you see under what denomination those persons went of old who were counted worthy to be members of a visible Church of Christ. Rom. 1 7. 1 Cor. 1 2. Eph. 1.1 Col. 1.2 Phil 1.1 1 Thes. 1.1 Besides the members of such Churches go under such characters as these 1. The called of Christ Jesus Rom. 1.6 2. Men that have drank into the spirit of Jesus Christ. 1 Cor. 12.13 3. Persons in whom was God the Father Eph. 4 6. 4. They were all made partakers of the joy of the Gospell Phil. 1 7. 5. Persons that were circumcised inwardly Col. 2.11 6. Persons that turned to God from Idols to serve the living and true God 1 Thes. 1.4 7. Those that were the body of Christ and members in particulars that is those that were visibly such because they made profession of faith of holyness of repentance of love to Christ and of self denyal at their receiving into fellowship Fourthly I dare not hold communion with the open prophane 1. Because it is promised to the Church that she shall dwell by her self that is as she is a Church and spiritual Lo the people shall dwell a-alone and shall not be reckoned among the nations Num. 23 9. 2. Because this is their priviledge But ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 1.9 10 3. Because this is the fruit of the death of Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem as from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 3.14 4. Because this is the Commandment Save your selves from the untoward generation Act 2 40 5. Because with such it is not possible we should have true and spiritual communion Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness And what communion hath light with darkness And what concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidell Or what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols For ye are the temple of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will be a Father unto you saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6 14 18. Fifthly I dare not hold communion with the open prophane 1. Because this would be plowing with on Ox and an Ass together heavenly things suit best for communion in heavenly matters Deut 22.10 2. It subjecteth not the nature of our discipline which is not forced but free in a professed subjection to the will and commandment of Christ others being excluded by God's own prohibition Levit. 1.3 Rom. 6.17 2 Cor. 8 12. chap. 9 7.13 chap. 8.5 Paul also when he exhorteth Timothy to follow after righteousness Faith Charity Peace c. which are the bowels of Church communion he saith do it with those that call on the name of the Lord out of a pure heart 2 Tim. 2 22. Sithly In a word to hold communion with the open prophane is most pernicious and destructive 1 'T was the wicked multitude that fell a lusting and that tempted Christ in the desert Num. 11.4 2 It was the prophane heathen of whom Israel learned to worship Idols They were mingled among the heathen and learned their works