Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	catholic_a	church_n	communion_n	2,376	5	9.1446	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96226	The humble advice of the Assembly of Divines, now by authority of Parliament sitting at Westminster, concerning a confession of faith, presented by them lately to both houses of Parliament. A certain number of copies are ordered to be printed only for the use of the members of both houses and of the Assembly of Divines, to the end that they may advise thereupon.; Westminster Confession of Faith.	Westminster Assembly (1643-1652)	1646 (1646)	Wing W1427; Thomason E368_3; ESTC R201270	24,629	58

Family of God out of which there is no ordinary possibility of Salvation III. Unto this Catholique Visible Church Christ hath given the Ministry Oracles and Ordinances of God for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints in this life to the end of the World and doth by his own presence and Spirit according to his promise make them effectual thereunto IV. This Catholique Church hath been somtimes more somtimes less visible And particular Churches which are Members thereof are more or less pure according as the Doctrine of the Gospel is taught and imbraced Ordinances administred and Publique Worship performed more or less purely in them V. The purest Churches under Heaven are subject both to mixture and error and some have so degenerated as to become no Churches of Christ but Synagogues of Satan Nevertheless there shall be always a Church on Earth to worship God according to his will VI. There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jesus Christ Nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof but is that Antichrist that Man of sin and Son of Perdition that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ and all that is called God CHAP. XXVI Of the Communion of Saints ALl Saints that are united to Jesus Christ their Head by his Spirit and by faith have fellowship with him in his graces sufferings death resurrection and glory And being united to one another in love they have communion in each others gifts and graces and are obliged to the performance of such duties publique and private as do conduce to their mutual good both in the inward and outward man II. Saints by profession are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God and in performing such other spiritual services as tend to their mutual edification as also in relieving each other in outward things according to their several abilities and necessities Which Communion as God offereth opportunity is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jesus III. This Communion which the Saints have with Christ doth not make them in any wise partakers of the substance of his Godhead or to be equal with Christ in any respect either of which to affirm is impious and blasphemous Nor doth their Communion one with another as Saints take away or infringe the title or propriety which each man hath in his goods and possessions CHAP. XXVII Of the Sacraments SAcraments are holy Signes and Seales of the Covenant of Grace immediately Instituted by God to represent Christ and his benefits and to confirm our interest in him as also to put a visible difference between those that belong unto the Church and the rest of the World and solemnly to engage them to the service of God in Christ according to his Word II. There is in every Sacrament a spiritual relation or Sacramental union between the Sign and the Thing signified whence it comes to pass that the Names and effects of the one are attributed to the other III. The Grace which is exhibited in or by the Sacraments rightly used is not conferred by any power in them neither doth the efficacy of a Sacrament depend upon the Piety or Intention of him that doth administer it but upon the work of the Spirit and the word of Institution which contains together with a Precept authorizing the use thereof a Promise of benefit to worthy Receivers IV. There be only two Sacraments ordained by Christ our Lord in the Gospel that is to say Baptism and the Supper of the Lord neither of which may be dispensed by any but by a Minister of the Word lawfully Ordained V. The Sacraments of the Old Testament in regard of the spiritual things thereby signified and exhibited were for substance the same with those of the New CHAP XXVIII Of Baptism BAptism is a Sacrament of the New Testament Ordained by Jesus Christ not only for the solemn Admission of the Party Baptized into the Visible Church but also to be unto him a signe and seal of the Covenant of Grace of his ingrafting into Christ of Regeneration of Remission of sins and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ to walk in newness of life Which Sacrament is by Christs own appointment to be continued in his Church until the end of the World II. The outward Element to be used in this Sacrament is Water wherewith the Party is to be Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost by a Minister of the Gospel lawfully called thereunto III. Dipping of the person into the Water is not necessary but Baptism is rightly administred by powring or Sprinkling water upon the Person IV. Not only those that do actually profess faith in and obedience unto Christ but also the Infants of one or both beleeving Parents are to be Baptized V. Although it be a great Sin to contemn or neglect this Ordinance yet Grace and salvation are not so inseparably annexed unto it as that no Person can be regenerated or saved without it or that all that are Baptized are undoubtedly regenerated VI. The Efficacy of Baptism is not tyed to that moment of time wherein it is administred yet notwithstanding by the right use of this Ordinance the grace promised is not only offered but really exhibited and conferred by the Holy Ghost to such whether of age or infants as that Grace belongeth unto according to the Councel of Gods own Will in his appointed time VII The Sacrament of Baptism is but once to be administred unto any person CHAP XXIX Of the Lords Supper OUr Lord Jesus in the night wherein he was betrayed Instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood called the Lords Super to be observed in his Church unto the end of the World for the perpetual Remembrance of the sacrifice of Himself in his Death the sealing all benefits thereof unto true Beleevers their Spiritual nourishment and growth in him their further ingagement in and to all duties which they owe unto him and to be a bond and pledge of their Communion with him and with each other as members of his mystical Body II. In this Sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father nor any real Sacrifice made at all for remission of sins of the quick or dead but only a Commemoration of that one offering up of himself by himself upon the Cross once for all and a spiritual Oblation of all possible praise unto God for the same So that the Popish Sacrifice of the Mass as they call it is most abominably injurious to Christs one only Sacrifice the alone Propitiation for all the sins of his Elect. III. The Lord Jesus hath in this Ordinance appointed his Ministers to declare his word of Institution to the people to pray and bless the Elements of Bread and Wine and thereby to set them apart from a Common to an Holy Use and to Take and Break the Bread

Therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful Name or to swear at all by any other thing is sinful and to be abhorred Yet as in matters of weight and moment an Oath is warranted by the Word of God under the New Testament as well as under the Old so a lawful Oath being imposed by lawful Authority in such matters ought to be taken III. Whosoever taketh an Oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully perswaded is the truth Neither may any man binde himself by Oath to any thing but what is good and just and what he believeth so to be and what he is able and resolved to perform Yet is it a sin to refuse an Oath touching any thing that is good and just being imposed by lawful Authority IV. An Oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words without equivocation or mental reservation It cannot oblige to sin but in any thing not sinful being taken it bindes to performance although to a mans own hurt Nor is it to be violated although made to Hereticks or Infidels V. A Vow is of the like nature with a Promissory Oath and ought to be made with the like Religious care and to be performed with the like faithfulness VI. It is not to be made to any Creature but to God alone and that it may be accepted it is to be made voluntarily out of Faith and conscience of Duty in way of thankfulness for mercy received or for the obtaining of what we want whereby we more strictly binde our selves to necessary duties or to other things so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto VII No man may Vow to do any thing forbidden in the Word of God or what would hinder any duty therein commanded or which is not in his own power and for the performance whereof he hath no promise of ability from God In which respects Popish Monastical Vows of perpetual single life professed Poverty and Regular Obedience are so far from being degrees of higher Perfection that they are superstitious and sinful snares in which no Christian may intangle himself CHAP. XXIII Of the Civil Magistrate GOd the supreme Lord and King of all the World hath Ordained Civil Magistrates to be under him over the People for his own Glory and the Publique good and to this end hath armed them with the Power of the Sword for the defence and incouragement of them that are good and for the punishment of evil doers II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the Office of a Magistrate when called thereunto in the managing whereof as they ought especially to maintain Piety Justice and Peace according to the wholsom Laws of each Commonwealth so for that end they may lawfully now under the New Testament wage Warre upon just and necessary occasion III. The Civil Magistrate may not assume to himself the administration of the Word and Sacraments or the power of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven yet he hath authority and it is his duty to take order that Unity and Peace be preserved in the Church that the Truth of God be kept pure and intire that all Blasphemies and Heresies be suppressed all corruptions and abuses in Worship and Discipline prevented or reformed and all the Ordinances of God duly setled administred and observed For the better effecting whereof he hath power to call Synods to be present at them and to provide that whatsoever is transacted in them be according to the minde of God IV. It is the duty of People to pray for Magistrates to honour their Persons to pay them Tribute and other Dues to obey their lawful Commands and to be subject to their Authority for conscience sake Infidelity or difference in Religion doth not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the People from their due obedience to him from which Ecclesiastical persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any Power and Jurisdiction over them in their Dominions or over any of their People and least of all to deprive them of their Dominions or lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever CHAP. XXIV Of Marriage and Divorce MArriage is to be between one Man and one Woman neither is it lawful for any Man to have more then one Wife nor for any Woman to have more then one Husband at the same time II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of Husband and Wife for the increase of mankinde with a legitimate issue and of the Church with an holy seed and for preventing of uncleanness III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgement to give their Consent Yet is it the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord And therefore such as profess the true reformed Religion should not marry with Infidels Papists or other Idolaters Neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life or maintain damnable Heresies IV. Marriage ought not to be within the degrees of Consanguinity or Affinity forbidden in the Word No can such incestuous marriages ever be made lawful by any Law of man or consent of Parties so as those persons may live together as man and wife The man may not marry any of his wives kindred nearer in blood then he may of his own nor the woman of her husbands kindred nearer in blood then of her own V. Adultery or fornication committed after a Contract being detected before marriage giveth just occasion to the innocent party to dissolve that Contract In the case of Adultery after marriage it is lawful for the innocent party to sue our a Divorce And after the Divorce to marry another as if the offending party were dead VI. Although the Corruption of man be such as is apt to study arguments unduely to put asunder those whom God hath joyned together in marriage yet nothing but adultery or such wilful desertion as can no way be remedied by the Church or Civil Magistrate is cause sufficient of dissolving the bond of marriage Wherein a publique and orderly course of Proceeding is to be observed And the persons concerned in it not left to their own wills and discretion in their own Case CHAP. XXV Of the Church THe Catholique or Universal Church which is invisible consists of the whole number of the Elect that have been are or shall be gathered into One under Christ the Head thereof and is the Spouse the Body the Fulness of Him that filleth all in all II. The Visible Church which is also Catholique or Universal under the Gospel not confined to one Nation as before under the Law consists of all those throughout the World that profess the true Religion and of their Children and is the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ the House and