Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	call_v	church_n	pillar_n	6,253	5	10.5659	5	true

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

Priests and Levites 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diversities of gifts of God of administrations and operations By Gods appointment and gracious dispensation the high Priest had the chiefe place other Priests were under him the Levites inferiour to these had one chiefe in every degree the rest under them had their different administrations some were Singers others Porters Some of these were gifted by God for exposition of Scripture or Prophecy or making sacred hymnes and other holy imployment So in time of the Gospel There were b 1. Cor. 12.4 5 6. diversity of gifts by one and the same Spirit diversity of administrations by one and the same Lord diversitie of operations by one and the same God Of the Disciples and scholars of Christ some were called to be Apostles and Teachers and Workers of miracles c. some to be Evangelists some to be Prophets These trained up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Attendants Deacons fellow workemen fellow souldiers These according as the Apostles pleased and saw expedient for the Churches use grew up from Schollars or Disciples to be helpers or Deacons and then afterward to be fellow workmen and fellow souldiers with the Apostles themselves for they of inferiour gifts were to endevour to obtain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the c 1. Cor. 12.31 more excellent gifts This Paul commands In the Law the chiefe places of the Priests and Levites over their brethren came to them by succession of bloud so that the hoary head found in the way of a faithfull and right performance of the charge entrusted unto him upon the death of the Sar or Nagîd prince or chiefe man in the high priesthood or any of the 24. Courses and the other places was preferred and succeeded the deceased But in time of the Gospel the Apostles and Apostolicall men by their appointment having the dispensation of matters under their Lord Christ committed to them and observing in severall persons the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gracious gifts bestowed by the divine power upon them whom they instructed destinated them to administrations and imployments accordingly which were diversified as was requisite for the building of Gods Church For as in the d 1 Co. 12.12 naturall body there be divers members of more noble or meaner use and all even the meanest very usefull so 't is in the Church or body of Christ And in regard that the Church is here militant under Christ the chief captain he hath his under and subordinate Captains they inferiour captains under them and lastly the common souldiers namely each private Christian who all in their places civill or sacred war under Christs banner for God hath not gifted men with an equality of courage and indowments and therefore intended not a parity either in Civill or Ecclesiasticall places There were of old among the sacred officers Sarim Negidim Nesiim Chieftains Rulers Princes of the sanctuary for the well ordering of the Priests in their severall administrations according to their faculties who were under them and doth not the equity of the matter require the same subordination in the Church of God now yea it appeareth that the Church of God was so ordered in the Primitive times for Christ ascending into heaven sate there as King of kings to preserve his people notwithstanding all Roman tyranny and appeareth there as high Priest for ever He sent twelve Apostles Bishops under him into severall parts of the world they disposed of such scholars as Christ in his life time or themselves did educate and instruct and planted Apostolicall men Presbiters Deacons their fellow workmen and the rest under other titles as they found the occasions of Gods Church to require and people fitted and ready to receive them This was put in practise in the seven Churches of Asia at Philippi Corinth and elsewere For see what course was observed in some few Churches the like we may conceive of the rest for their generall carriage The Epistles in the Apocalipse are directed to the e Apoc. 2. 3. Angel of each Church of the seven in Asia as denoting one principall man in each for so The Lord of the vineyard The Lord of the House The Lord of that servant elsewhere speeches in form like these imply one speciall Lord and not many Lords one equall to another Besides in those times there were some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not men which seemed to be eminent and were not but who were such as they seemed men f Gal. 2.6 9. of chiefe place above others dignified both by God and men pillars in Gods Church not pillars in the same rank as all good Christians are that is standing stedfast in Gods truth but pillars in regard of eminency and administration above others such were James Caiphas John And Paul and Barnabas taken unto them Again God who is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Architection The chief builder of the Church vouchsafeth the title to St. Paul that he is called an Architecton g 1. Cor. 3.10 a chiefe builder which intimates that the other Apostles were chiefe builders also and if Paul may well be stiled an Arch-builder he may also rightly be called an Archbishop Also St. John the Apostle was an Archbuilder an Archbishop under Christ The Archbuilder and the Archbishop For if Paul was so the same cannot be denyed to John Quia similium similis est ratio Christ supreme in authority gives order to John John sends the Epistles to the Angels of the Churches the Angels receive them for their own and the other Teachers for there were other Teachers besides the seven Angels and the peoples instruction This also is deducible from the equity of the Law and the order settled among the Priests of old for while Aaron the Type of Christ was alive Eleazar his sonne was stiled Nasi Nesiim Prelate of prelates or Chieftain of chieftains and the chief fathers in the 24. courses are Roshei Aboth Archpatriots and Patriarchs And seeing the new Testament doth often borrow not onely doctrine but termes of speech from the old and that very usually may we not judge that we have Architecton and Patriarch Bishop and the like borrowed from the old Testament and conceive that in the Grecian Eastern and African Churches as well as in the Roman Western Churches these titles and a like subordination of governours have taken place seeing Paul calleth himself Architecton this warranteth the rest of like nature Only a care must be had that they who have these titles 1. must not love a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 23.6 the title or preheminence belonging thereunto nor earnestly affect to be great in dignity but being call'd to any high place becom as Moses meek men and be truly fathers and overseers performing usefull service for the whole Church where they are thus dignified for Christ forbidding men to be called b verse 8 9 10 Rabbi Father Doctor yet in Scripture stileth men by the same c

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