Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	church_n	live_a	pillar_n	2,128	5	10.1651	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69670	A catechism and confession of faith approved of and agreed unto by the general assembly of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, Christ himself being chief speaker in and among them : which containeth a true and faithful account of the principles and doctrines which are most surely believed by the churches of Christ in Great Brittain and Ireland who are reproachfully called by the name of Quakers ... : to which is added An expostulation with and appeal to all other professors / by R.B.	Barclay, Robert, 1648-1690.; Barclay, Robert, 1648-1690. An expostulation with and appeal to all professors.	1673 (1673)	Wing B725; ESTC R26677	71,924	193

a real Member of his Body and afterwards be cut off A. If any man abide not in me he is cast forth as a Branch and is withered Joh. 15. 6. Q. May a Righteous Man then depart from his Righteousness A. But when the Righteous Man turneth away from his Righteousness and commits Iniquity and dyeth in them for his Iniquity that he hath done shall he dye Ezek. 18. 26. 33. 13. Q. May a Believer come to such a Condition in this Life from which he cannot fall away A. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is New Jerusalem who cometh down out of Heaven from my God and will write upon him my New Name Rev. 3. 12. Q. May such an 〈◊〉 ome to be assured that he is in this Condition A. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come nor Height nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8. 38 39. CHAP. IX Concerning the Church and Ministry Question WHat is the Church A. But if I tarry long that thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God the Pillar and Ground of Truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. Q. Who is the Head of the Church A. VVho hath deliver'd us from the Power of Darkness and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son and he is the Head of the Body the Church from which all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the Excrease of God 1 Coloss. 1. 3. and 2. 10. Q. What kind of Persons make the Church A. Them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1. 2. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as shou'd be saved Acts 2. 47. Q. Hath not Christ appointed any Officers in the Church for the Work of the Ministry A. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led Captivity captive and gave Gifts unto Men and he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the Edification of the Body of Christ Eph. 4. 8 11 12. Q. What kind of Men should such as are Teachers and Overseers of the Church be A. A Bishop then must be Blameless the Husband of one Wife Vigilant Sober of good Behaviour given to Hospitality apt to teach not given to Wi●e no Striker not greedy of filthy Lucre but Patient Not a Brawl●● not Covetous one that ruleth well his own House having his Children in Subjection with all Gravity for if a man know not how to rule his own House how shall he take Care of the Church of God not a Novice lest being lifted up with Pride he fall into the Condemnation of the Devil Moreover he must have a good Report of them which are without lest he fall into Reproach and the Snare of the Devil 1 Tim. 3. 2 3 4 5 6 7. For a Bishop must be Blameless as the Steward of God not Self-Will'd not soon Angry not given to Wine no Striker not given to Filthy Lucre but a Lover of Hospitality a Lover of good Men sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithful Word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the Gain-sayers Tit. 1. 7 8 9. Q. What is incumbent upon such to do A. Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the Flock over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God Acts 20. 28. The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder and a Witness of the Sufferings of Christ and also a Partaker of the Glory that shall be reveal'd Feed the Flock of God which is among you taking the Oversight thereof not by Constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready Mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but being Ensamples to the Flock 1 Pet. 5. 1 2 3. Q. Though they be not to Lord over the Flock yet is there not a Respect due to th●m in their Place A. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine 1 Tim. 5. 17. Q. Albeit then among true Christians every one that believeth is to have the Witness in himself being perswaded in himself by the Spirit yet is there not also a real Subjection to be to one another in the Lord A. The Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14. 32. Obey them that have the Rule over you submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give Account that they may do it with Joy and not with Grief for that is unprofitable for you Heb. 13. 17. And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in Love for their VVorks sake 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. Likewise ye younger submit your selves unto the Elder yea all of you be subject one to another and be cloathed with Humility for God resisteth the Proud and giveth Grace unto the Humble 1 Pet. 5. 5. Q. How ought true Teachers to minister in the Church A. As every Man hath received the Gift even so Minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God If any speak let him speak as the Oracles of God If any Man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 4. 10 11. Q. I perceive then that every true Minister of the Church of Christ is to minister of the Gift and Grace of God which he hath received But some are of the Judgment that Natural Wisdom or Parts and human Learning are the Qualifications which are of absolute Necessity for a Minister but Grace they judge not to be so absolutely necessary but that one may be à Minister without it What saith the Scripture in this Case A. A Bishop must be Sober Just Holy Temperate Tit. 1. 7 8. Q. Methinks it is impossible for a Man to be Blameless Just Holy Sober and Temperate without the Grace of God So that if these Qualifications be absolutely necessary then surely that without which a man cannot be so qualified must be necessary also But what saith the Scripture as to the Necessity of Natural Wisdom and Human Learning A. Where is the Wise Where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this World Hath not God made foolish

the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of Life maketh free from the Law of Sin and Death For such are become dead unto Sin and alive unto Righteousness and being made free from Sin are become Servants of Righteousness Therefore ought we to be perfect as our Heavenly Father is perfect For the Yoak of Christ is easie and his Burthen is light And his Commandments are not grievous And whosoever will enter into Life must keep the Commandments Hereby do we know that we know God if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a Lyar and the Truth is not in him Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not whosoever sinneth hath not seen him neither known him Let no Man deceive us he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous He that committeth Sin is of the Devil whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God For not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of the Father which is in Heaven Circumcision is nothing and Uncircimcision is nothing but the keeping of the Commandments of God ARTICLE XV. Concerning Perseverance and Falling from Grace VVE ought to give Diligence to make our Calling and Election sure which things if we do we shall never fall For even Paul kept under his Body and brought it into Subjection lest by any Means when he preached to others he himself become a Cast-away Let us therefore take Heed lest there be in any of us an evil Heart of Unbelief in departing from the living God Likewise let us labour to enter into that Rest lest any Man fall after the same Example of Unbelief For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened and have tasted of the Heavenly Gift and were made Partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted of the good Word of God and the Powers of the World to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto Repentance For he that abideth not in Christ is cast forth and is withered Yet such as overcometh he will make as Pillars in the Temple of his God and they shall go no more out And these are perswaded that nothing shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus ARTICLE XVI Concerning the Church Ministry THe Church of God is the Pillar and Ground of Truth Whereof the Dear Son of God is the Head From which all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God Which Church of God is them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus Who when he ascended up on high gave Gifts unto Men And he gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry Who ought to be blameless vigilant sober of good Behaviour given to Hospitality apt to teach not given to Wine no Strikers not greedy of filthy Lucre but patient not Brawlers not covetous Lovers of good Men sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithful as they have been taught that they may be able by found Doctrine both to exhort and to convince Gain-sayers Taking heed to themselves and to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Overseers to feed the Church of God Taking the Oversight thereof not by Constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready Mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage but as being Ensamples to the Flock And such Elders as rule well are to be counted worthy of double Honour especially they who labour in the Word and Doctrine And to be esteemed very highly in Love for their Works sake As every Man hath received the Gift so ought the same to be ministred if any Man speak let him speak as the Oracles of God if any Man minister let him do it as of the Ability which God giveth Preaching the Gospel not with the Wisdom of Words lest the Cross of Christ be made of none Effect Nor yet with enticing Words of Man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that the Faith may not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God Howbeit such speak Wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the Wisdom of this World nor of the Princes of this World which cometh to nought but they speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World to their Glory VVhich things they also speak not in the Words which man's Wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth For it is not they that speak but the Holy Ghost of Spirit of the Father that speaketh in them Who if they sow spiritual things ought to reap carnal Things for so the Lord hath ordain'd that they ●h●ch preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel for the Scripture saith Thou shalt not muzle the Mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn and the Labourer is worthy of his Reward Yet a Necessity is laid upon them yea VVo is unto them if they preach not the Gospel and their Reward is that when they preach the Gospel they make the Gospel of Christ without Charge Not coveting any Man's Silver or Gold or Apparel but their Hands minister to their Necessities that so labouring they may support the Weak remembring the VVords of the Lord Jesus how he said It s more blessed to give then to receive For they are not of the greedy Dogs that can never have enough Nor of the Shepherds that look to their own VVay every one his Gain from his Quarter That feed themselves and not the Flock That make the People err biting with their Teeth and crying Peace and preparing VVar against all such as put not in their Mouths teaching for Hire and divining for Money Nor yet of those which teach things which they ought not for fi●thy Lucres sake That run greedily after the Error of Ba●a● for Reward loving the VVages of Unrighteousness And through Covetousness with feigned VVords making Merchandize of Souls Men of corrupt Minds destitute of the Truth supposing that Gain is Godliness But they know that Godliness with Contentment is great Gain and having Food and Rayment they are therewith content ARTICLE XVII Concerning Worship THe Hour cometh and now is when the true Worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit in Truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him God is a Spirit and they which worship him must worship in the Spirit and in the Truth For the Lord is nigh to all them