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scripture_n acknowledge_v church_n word_n 2,764 5 4.2075 3 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A40709 The general assembly, or, The necessity of receiving the communion in our publick congregations evinced from the nature of the church, the Word of God, and presbyterian principles, in a sermon / lately preached in the Cathedral Church of Exeter by Francis Fullwood. Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693. 1667 (1667) Wing F2504; ESTC R35476 18,644 34

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the_o catholic_n or_o universal_a church_n yea_o in_o this_o general_a affection_n of_o the_o church_n do_v we_o not_o find_v something_o special_a something_o distinguish_v this_o from_o all_o other_o assembly_n certain_o there_o be_v no_o assembly_n so_o general_a this_o be_v emphatical_o the_o general_a assembly_n be_v confine_v to_o no_o time_n to_o no_o place_n to_o no_o sort_n of_o people_n take_v in_o god_n people_n in_o all_o age_n spread_v itself_o by_o the_o gospel_n over_o all_o kindred_n and_o tongue_n and_o people_n and_o nation_n upon_o earth_n have_v its_o head_n and_o ten_o thousand_o time_n ten_o thousand_o of_o its_o member_n in_o heaven_n and_o great_a multitude_n under_o the_o earth_n itself_o for_o though_o the_o soul_n of_o the_o saint_n be_v sever_v from_o their_o body_n by_o death_n yet_o in_o spite_n of_o death_n and_o hell_n itself_o both_o their_o soul_n and_o their_o body_n be_v for_o ever_o unite_v to_o christ_n and_o the_o church_n for_o they_o die_v in_o 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judge_n of_o all_o such_o be_v the_o happiness_n of_o our_o christian_a state_n and_o i_o pray_v god_n that_o none_o of_o we_o fail_v of_o the_o grace_n of_o god_n by_o the_o spring_a up_o of_o any_o root_n of_o bitterness_n in_o we_o shall_v 1._o verse_n 15_o c._n ●_o 1._o seem_v to_o come_v or_o fall_v short_a of_o it_o now_o you_o know_v your_o call_v brethren_n you_o be_v come_v that_o be_v you_o be_v and_o stand_v admit_v to_o you_o be_v and_o continue_v member_n of_o you_o profess_v and_o enjoy_v fellowship_n with_o the_o church_n of_o christ_n describe_v here_o by_o its_o nature_n it_o be_v a_o assembly_n by_o its_o quantity_n it_o be_v general_a by_o its_o dignity_n it_o be_v the_o church_n of_o the_o first-born_a and_o by_o its_o security_n it_o be_v write_v or_o enrol_v in_o heaven_n you_o be_v come_v to_o the_o general_n assembly_n and_o church_n of_o the_o first-born_a which_o be_v write_v or_o enrol_v in_o heaven_n and_o hither_o we_o come_v and_o shall_v proceed_v in_o 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assembly_n civil_a or_o a_o church_n of_o man_n gather_v together_o for_o 32._o act._n 19_o five_o 32._o public_a and_o civil_a occasion_n 3._o last_o there_o be_v a_o sacred_a church_n a_o holy_a convocation_n the_o church_n of_o god_n such_o 1._o 1_o cor._n 1._o 1._o be_v the_o assembly_n in_o the_o text._n 1._o here_o we_o may_v note_n it_o be_v a_o assembly_n not_o a_o rabble_n a_o confuse_a and_o turbulent_a meeting_n of_o ungoverned_a person_n upon_o their_o own_o head_n but_o a_o assembly_n that_o be_v a_o congregation_n that_o be_v also_o a_o convocation_n warrant_v by_o a_o just_a and_o a_o regular_a call_v ecclesia_fw-la say_v s._n augustine_n ex_fw-la vocatione_n appellata_fw-la est_fw-la it_o be_v easy_a to_o make_v it_o evident_a that_o profain_a author_n as_o well_o as_o sacred_a and_o ecclesiastical_a do_v place_n this_o call_n in_o the_o very_a definition_n of_o the_o church_n &_o propriè_fw-la coetum_fw-la aliquem_fw-la à_fw-la superiori_fw-la aliquo_fw-la convocatum_fw-la in_o finem_fw-la politicum_fw-la vel_fw-la ecclesiasticum_fw-la deno●at_fw-la yea_o the_o church_n and_o the_o call_v be_v synonimous_a term_n general_o in_o scripture_n let_v all_o assembly_n look_v to_o their_o call_v and_o if_o the_o magistrate_n allow_v they_o not_o let_v they_o be_v sure_a of_o the_o word_n of_o god_n otherwise_o we_o fear_v who_o will_v claim_v they_o 2._o it_o be_v a_o assembly_n that_o be_v habitual_o not_o always_o actual_o so_o much_o less_o altogether_o in_o one_o and_o the_o same_o place_n the_o root_n of_o the_o hebrew_n indeed_o signify_v congregare_fw-la and_o the_o church_n well_o enough_o be_v term_v a_o congregation_n but_o we_o must_v necessary_o understand_v it_o to_o be_v so_o in_o the_o first_o act_n only_o not_o the_o second_o it_o be_v so_o in_o its_o first_o constitution_n preparation_n disposition_n not_o always_o in_o the_o exercise_n of_o actual_a fellowship_n and_o communion_n indeed_o the_o nature_n of_o the_o church_n 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and_o fix_a society_n of_o christian_n not_o a_o steal_a or_o snatch_v or_o occasional_a meeting_n but_o a_o set_n and_o fix_a society_n whereby_o it_o be_v render_v visible_a and_o know_v to_o the_o world_n hereby_o it_o be_v know_v what_o st._n paul_n mean_v when_o he_o write_v his_o epistle_n to_o the_o church_n of_o rome_n corinth_n ephesus_n galatia_n etc._n etc._n because_o they_o be_v fix_v and_o constant_a and_o open_a in_o the_o profession_n of_o christianity_n in_o the_o same_o establish_v assembly_n it_o be_v the_o shame_n of_o our_o church_n especial_o in_o city_n that_o our_o congregation_n be_v certain_a only_o in_o our_o parish_n and_o our_o church_n distinguish_v only_o by_o our_o house_n and_o cohabitation_n our_o congregation_n be_v as_o fluent_a as_o river_n as_o unconstant_a as_o water_n and_o as_o water_n mingle_v and_o confound_v themselves_o one_o with_o another_o where_o indeed_o we_o have_v the_o same_o place_n but_o seldom_o or_o never_o the_o same_o company_n 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world_n as_o the_o world_n of_o infidelity_n and_o the_o world_n of_o impiety_n the_o worship_n of_o god_n as_o external_a by_o ordinance_n and_o internal_a by_o grace_n you_o have_v the_o church_n in_o its_o usual_a distinction_n as_o visible_a and_o invisible_a for_o the_o visible_a church_n be_v nothing_o else_o but_o a_o company_n distinction_n distinction_n call_v out_o or_o sever_v from_o the_o world_n of_o infidel_n to_o worship_n god_n in_o his_o external_a ordinance_n and_o the_o church_n invisible_a be_v a_o company_n call_v out_o or_o sever_v from_o the_o world_n of_o wicked_a and_o impious_a man_n to_o worship_n god_n in_o spirit_n and_o truth_n but_o see_v those_o that_o worship_n god_n in_o spirit_n and_o truth_n do_v also_o worship_v he_o with_o external_a worship_n and_o those_o that_o believe_v with_o the_o heart_n do_v also_o confess_v with_o the_o 10._o rom_n 10._o mouth_n the_o church_n invisible_a be_v find_v in_o the_o church_n visible_a as_o a_o part_n in_o the_o 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