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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	antioch_n	apostle_n	elder_n	2,819	5	9.5165	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81727	Gospel-Glory proclaimed before the sonnes of men, in the visible and invisible worship of God. Wherein the mystery of God in Christ, and his royall, spirituall government over the soules and bodies of his saints, is clearly discovered, plainly asserted, and faithfully vindicated, against the deceiver and his servants, who endeavour the cessation thereof, upon what pretence soever. / By Edward Drapes, an unworthy servant in the gospell of Christ.	Drapes, Edward.	1648 (1648)	Wing D2139; Thomason E472_27; ESTC R205811	164,938	187

First For being a Heretike Now if any one aske me what a Heretike Ans is I answer he is one that preaches a doctrine which denies What a Heretike is the faith Of which sort were they that denied the resurrection Christ come in the flesh dying at Jerusalem for our sinnes and the like Secondly For open scandalous wickednesse as adultery idolatry theft lying drunkennesse swearing or the like Thirdly For refusing to heare the Church as Christ saith If any man refuse to heare the Church let him be to thee as a Heathen and a Publican And againe If any man among you walke disorderly have no company with him that he may be ashamed But what if there should any one fall into some open sinne and should manifest Qu. his repentance to the Church before he be cast out ought the Church to cast him forth No verily For if the Church can judge their repentance to bee Ans true they may not doe it for the end of the Ordinance is if the Lord see it good for their repentance Now if the Lord makes them repent without it to what purpose wilt thou doe it This appeares to me cleare from Pauls words 2 Cor. 12. 21. Who saith He is afraid he shall be humbled among the Corinths and bewaile them which have sinned already and have not repented of their uncleannesse and fornication which they have committed Which words I say intimate to me they ought to have repented of their evill deeds and if they had done so Paul need not have bewailed them but their not repenting made him to be afraid 5. They have power to receive in members who were cast out The Church may receive members who were cast out if they repent upon their repentance Consider 2 Cor. 2. 6 7 8 9. Wee may there see Paul writing to them to forgive a wicked person lest he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow and confirme their loves towards him Now if this repentance be true it causeth the soule to be humbled for his sinne to acknowledge it before the Church to mourne for it and to desire again to be received by them for if in truth he seeth his evill he will desire to be entertained againe by that people that cast him forth that they may have cause of joy in him as well as once they had of sorrow But this is not the whole Church that hath this power but the representative Church viz the Officers in the Church so that when Christ saith tell it to the Church he meanes the Elders To this I briefly answer That the Church viz the whole Church hath this power as is evident in the casting forth of the incestuous person Paul writes to the Church bids them Purge out the old leaven he doth not write to the officers of the Church only but to the whole Church So Acts 15. when the whole Church at Antioch sent to the Church at Jerusalem to advise concerning a difference The whole Church came together and gave their advise It is said The Apostles Elders and Brethren send greeting verse 23. Some bring this place to prove a Nationall Synod but if it should prove such a thing behold the whole Nation must be this Synod for the whole multitude were there viz of the Church with the Apostles and Elders where every brother had his liberty to speake But the Apostle Paul cast out Hymeneus and Alexander and delivered them Object to Satan so that excommunication is to be performed by an officer Behold a thing here considerable that which Paul did in his Sol. owne person by himselfe is likewise done by a Church with his consent therefore saith he I have judged already as though I were present concerning him that hath done this deed In the name of the Lord Jesus when you are gathered together and my spirit That you deliver such a one unto Satan 1 Cor. 5. 4 5. Pauls spirit is his will approbation or consent so that what the Apostle might doe in person they might do by the same power and spirit that was in him and them so that this is no argument at all to prove any such thing Now the end of this power given to the Church is not for destruction but edification Chap. X. Sheweth the duty and gifts of the Church HAving thus finished the nature and power of the Church I The duty of the Church come to shew them their duty and that under a three-fold consideration First Of members to members their duty is to watch over each Of members to members other Under the Law God placed watchmen over his people at whose hands the bloud of them that miscarried through the watchmens negligence was required Ezech. 33. 16. Christ hath set the Saints in one body to be carefull of each other to watch over their words and actions at home and abroad wherever they have opportunity They ought also to cover the infirmities one of another there is a great fault among Christians this day who delight to spread abroad the infirmities of their brethren If thy brother offend thee t is thy duty oh man to tell him of it first betweene thee and him if he heares thee thou hast gained him thou oughtest to forgive him If he refuses to heare thee take two or three more with thee and if he refuse to heare them and not before as thou expectest to be freed from the charge of a violater of the command of the Lord Jesus Tell it to the Church and if he refuse to heare them let him be unto thee as a Heathen and a Publican Yet further t is the duty of every member to assist exhort advise counsell and helpe his fellow member to relieve his necessities t is our duty to study to please one another in the Lord. This watch should be over one another in all things in all places at all times in all relations Secondly The duty of the Saints in the Church is to frequent Of the members duty to the Church their assemblyes not to leave them not to burthen or trouble or offend them to contribute their utmost assistance to them to help forward the building to warne the Church of any thing may endanger it Thirdly The duty of the whole is to looke to each member to The duty of the Church toward its members enquire how it is with them in soule and body to administer to their wants to reprove rebuke admonish receive in cast out this watch of theirs ought to have an eye into all relations many may live well in the Church but we must enquire after every one concerning their behaviour towards wives or husbands parents or children masters or servants for many may at home be passionate carelesse give ill examples be idle or the like which cannot be discerned in the Church but this ought we to looke after By vertue os what authority have you to do to meddle with one another in civill Object things By

after the flesh and the like I have answered them already in the doctrine of Baptisme of water I shall now speak a word or two to the Order of the Church Of the Order of the Church which is that sweet decent and due administration of every thing in its right season 1 Cor. 14. 40. this is that which directs how to speak when to speak and what to speak it forbids all confusion many may not speak at once this puts the administration of every Ordinance in its right place it first commands faith after that Baptisme then Church fellowship and breaking of bread it doth not turn things upside down and set the cart before the horse as we use to say as many men doe in matters of religion who will first break bread which is an Ordinance for their building up before they be baptized which visibly demonstrates their new birth This heavenly Order doth not first baptize and then preach conversion but baptizing those that are already converted this is that which the Apostle rejoyced to behold in the churches Col. 2. 5. I should now speak of the Ministry of this Church which is a Of the Ministry of the Church service committed by the Lord into the hands of some particular Members of the Church for the due and orderly edification thereof to whom he hath given the gifts before mentioned for discharge of their said trust which ministry first is evident in the brethren generally afterwards as occasion requires is committed especially by way of office to some particulars wherein I should shew you the true nature ground use and end of a ministry in the Church but I must now hasten a period to this discourse intending hereafter if the Lord affords opportunity to enlarge my selfe on it in the mean time know there may be a true Church without officers which I shall evidence by this demonstration If you search the Scriptures you shall find all officers of any particular Church are to be chosen out of the Church as is evident in the choice of the seven Deacons Acts 6. and so for Elders they were to be ordained in the churches Tit. 1. 5. which cleerly holds forth the Churches were to be before the officers for if the church was not first how could it be said officers must be chosen out of them or ordained in them The last thing I shall now handle is the communion of the The communion of the Church iswith the Father church and that is threefold First with the Father and the Son as saith John truly our fellowship is with the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 1. 3. viz. in prayer prayse breaking of bread and prophecy The cup of blessing that we blesse saith the Apostle is it not the communion of the blood of Christ and the bread that we break is not the communion of the body Christ 1 Cor. 10. 16. Secondly Their communion is one with another which is in the With each other light and truth of the Father and the Son communicating light knowledge wisdome relief support succour and assistance each to other joying rejoycing and sorrowing each with other for they being many members are one bread for we are all partakers of that one bread 1 Cor. 10. 17. Thirdly and lastly the communion the church hath with other With other Churches churches all the churches of Christ have but one head and as members of that head receive influence from it and ought to seek the good and preservation each of other their visible communion appears in their union in the doctrine of Christ there are two things principally belonging to churches to communicate to each other First Advice in matters doubtfull as is evident Acts 14. 15. c. In advice the church of Antioch sent to the church of Jerusalem for their advice wherein we see a liberty for every brother till they were agreed to give their judgement now this we must not understand to be a dependency one upon another but only a sweet unity and agreement they have each with other Secondly In contributing each to others necessities as if one be over-burthened it is the duty of another church to contribute as In supplying each others wants is evident Rom. 15. 26 27. 2 Cor. 8. and 9. chap. Acts 11. 29 30. The glory of the church of Christ in all these gifts priviledges and spirituall immunities to which it is born by the word of God are innumerable many of them I might here unfold to you but of all which with our Apostle I must conclude saying I cannot now speak particularly Consider seriously what I have written and the Lord give us understandng in all things FINIS Errata Pag. 18. l. 23. for that r. for he that l. 40. for at r. as at p. 21. l. 25. for made r. he made p. 23. l. 12. for appearance r. appearances p. 6 l. 21. for sent you r. sent me unto you p. 25. l. 32. for nothing to r. nothing to p. 30. l. 22. for alone r. done p. 32. l. 1. for God dy r. God should dy l. 14. for nature by r. nature appeareth by p. 43. l. 1. for dow is r. dowes for thing r. things for was r. were p. 51. l. 10. for to give r. would give l. 12. for many r. may l. 25. for yet be r. yet he may be p. 55. l. 22. for to doe r. do p. 56. l. 35. for never r. ever p. 66. l. 1. for though r. thou l. 4. for it r. then l. 40 for copying r. coyning p. 70 l. 39. for chief r. Christs p. 74. l. 2. for heads l r. l. for these r. these heads p. 75. l. 20. for wils r. thus wils p. 76. l 19. for Adam sinned r. Adam been cut off as soon as he sinned p. 79. l. 14. for shall r. that shall p. 83. l. 31. for him r. them p. 90. l. 26. for to come r. to become p. 114 l. 6. for many r. man for their r. his l. 22. for God r. of God p. 116. l. 36. for some r. none p. 119. l. 10. for circumcision succeeds baptism r. bapt succeeds circumcision p. 121. l. 2. for most r. the most p. 132. l. 32. for forge r. forget

Galath 1. 8 9. be accursed Therefore saith he againe He that denies Christ to come in the flesh is Anti-Christ Which coming in the flesh is not a coming in our particular bodies of the flesh for I can or another may say Christ is not so come to thousands and never be judged Anti-Christs for so saying except we may be so called for speaking truth but he is come in the flesh that is to say in that particular forme of flesh he tooke of the Virgin Mary which was of the same nature of our flesh but yet as distinct a body from ours as any of ours is one from another This Gospell is a Mystery made manifest that was hid in God hid from Ages yet now made manifest being hidden onely to them that are lost whose mindes the God of this Ephes 3. 9. Coloss 1. 26. 2 Cor. 4. 3. World hath blinded T is not to be revealed any otherwise then Paul preached it For God made manifest in the flesh is good newes and a great mystery yet revealed to the Saints Thus much for the Gospel it selfe 2. I come next to speake of the Administrator or Preacher of Who are the true Ministers of the Gospel this Gospell and herein I will minde you that the Gospell was preached by Apostles by Evangelists by members of particular Churches and by scattered brethren First By Disciples Math. 10. The twelve are there called Disciples Disciples which he sent forth to preach the Gospell who had a Commission from him while with them in the flesh So the Seventy afterwards were sent out by Christ Luk. 10. Which Disciples did baptize John 4. 2. Secondly By Apostles These Disciples Christ afterwards cals Apostles Apostles to whom he gave a Commission before his death and after his resurrection upon whom the spirit was given in the forme of fire and cloven tongues whose worke was now to beare witnesse of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that not onely to the Jewes as they were before his death but their Commission was enlarged to all the world Jewes and Gentiles Therefore saith Peter Must one be ordained to be a witnesse of his resurrection Now of the Apostles some received a Commission by word of mouth from Christ in the flesh and afterward from him as risen from the dead immediately But Mathias first being chosen by the Church God by lots called him Paul was immediatly called from heaven who received not the Gospell of man nor by man but from heaven These in a speciall manner were sent forth to plant the Gospell to plant Churches to lay the foundation therefore is it said The Saints are built upon the foundation of the Apostles Eph. 2. 20. And Paul saith I have laid the foundation Thirdly By Evangelists God hath set in his Church some Apostles Evangelists some Prophets some Evangelists Philip was an Evangelist that is to say a Preacher of glad tydings who was endued with the Spirit Act. 21. 10. Philip went up and downe preaching the Gospell of Christ baptizing both men and women Acts 8. 5. 12. Now the office of an Evangelist was not to be exercised in a particular Church but was to be exercised in the preaching of the Gospel in severall places And thus did Timothy who is commanded to doe the worke of an Evangelist accompany Paul preaching the Gospell And so Titus Tychicus and others went from place to place preaching the Gospell of whom wee reade not that they had such a particular call by a voice from heaven as the Apostles had but they were filled with the Spirit Members of particular Churches Fourthly By Members of particular Churches As for instance Stephen who was also a Deacon by which office he was not to preach to the world Acts 6. 8 9 10. Whose Commission was this That he was full of the spirit and power And so Philip who was at first a Member of a particular Church then a Deacon being the same Philip as I conceive is called an Evangelist Acts 21. 10. He preached the Gospell and did baptize Yea Barnabas went from Jerusalem to Antioch being sent thither by the Church where he preached And afterwards the same Barnabas was by the Church through the revelation of the spirit separated from them for to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles who was also in reference to this sending by the Church called an Apostle Fifthly and Lastly The Gospell was preached by scattered brethren Scattered brethren preach the Gospell to the world Acts 8. 4. They that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word who preached both to Jewes and Gentiles whose Commission I finde onely to be this That the power of God carried them forth to it His presence accompanied them and his blessing upon their labours pointed from heaven from whence they came as it is said And the hand of the Lord was with them viz those scattered brethren which were scattered upon the persecution of Stephen and a great number believed and turned to the Lord. These scattered brethren say some may be some of the Apostles Object Sol. It cannot be so for they were not scattered at that time for they tarried at Jerusalem as it is said Acts 8. 1. They were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria except the Apostles Thus may wee see clearly that one Gospell was committed to severall sorts of Christians to preach it to the world who were all sent of God being called of God according to the working of his owne spirit We confesse say some that you say true these did preach the Gospell but Object all these are ceased the Apostles dead Evangelists dead and the brethren who were then gifted and enabled to preach So that we would now know whether there be any such Ministers of the Gospell in our daies and if there be how we may know them In answer to this I grant that they are dead yet I say the faith Sol. which was required in the Gospell they preached was not confined to their persons but to their doctrine Therefore saith Christ I pray not for these onely but for all them which shall believe in thy name through their word And though those persons are asleepe yet their doctrine is the same there is but one faith one Lord one Gospell that which Paul and the rest preached and the power is the same still that is to say the spirit so that there be Ministers of the Gospell in our dayes that preach glad tydings who have the same spirit and power that they had which to me is manifest where it is said Christ 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 worke of the Ministry till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the

to Antioch being a good man and full of the spirit Thus was Paul and Barnabas separated by the Church for the worke of the Lord. Now I desire you to minde this that the power calling and enabling any to preach the Gospell and baptize is no other but the same power for the nature of it that carried out and enabled the Apostles and Evangelists of old to preach and baptize I say the Church hath power to appoint or separate any whom God hath made willing able to do this as a part of the work of the Lord for Baptisme of water is an ordinance in relation to Church fellowship which is visible And surely the Church is not destitute of power for the accomplishment of that which is so necessary in visible fellowship namely the administration of that Ordinance It is true say some many may preach the Gospell but are there any who Object so preach it as the Apostles did for the word in the Greeke speaking of the Apostles preached is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So saith Christ in his Commission 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Preach the Gospell which holds forth a preaching with authority having a message to deliver which word comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Gryer So that the Apostles preached even by way of Preclamation as it were But speaking of the scattered brethren Acts 2. It is said They went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Preaching after such a manner as any other might doe declaring the Gospell of peace but so that the administration of Baptisme is tyed to such who preach in the first sense and not to them that preach in the latter sense In answer to this objection I say That the Greeke words Sol. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are promiscuously used in the Scripture So that from them there is no good ground of such a scruple for in the 8th of Acts verse 15. the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used as it is said there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but verse 8. we shall see the same preaching of Philip to be held forth by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there it is said They believed Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evangelizing or preaching the things that concerne the Kingdome of God The same word is likewise used in the last verse And so Paul expresseth the true nature of his preaching by the same word saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sometimes we finde the preaching of the Gospell to be expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Acts 8. 25. so Acts 11. 19. There it is written They went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching the word to none but the Jewes By which it is evident that the preaching the Gospell is not so restrained to one particular word as no other word is sufficient for the holding of it forth But further the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a preaching a joyfull message like a good messenger from which I shall conclude that the Preacher of the Gospell He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved is the true administrator of this Ordinance But may some say Many that have professed to be the true administrators Object of this Ordinance and have administred it upon severall persons doe now deny it so that except there be some visible miraculous demonstration between them that doe truly preach the truth who are really sent of God and them that onely seeme to be so and in truth are not we are like to be deceived in the Administrator and so the Ordinance will be without effect In answer to this Grant that many may fall from what they Sol. professe and professe what they doe not really enjoy and seeme to be what they are not Yet notwithstanding we need not expect miracles of distinction nor question our Baptisme for mens denying what they professe it is neither a new nor a strange thing many in the Apostles dayes did so and Judas one of the twelve fell from his profession and ministry too yet the doctrine that Judas was commanded to preach did not fall in his fall Suppose a wicked man may speake the truth to thee who wast ignorant of it and God should make that truth to be powerfull in thee and that many should afterward deny it shall their unbeliefe and back-sliding make the faith of God of none effect God forbid So if a man preach thou oughtest to be baptized and thou dost submit to the will of God if he denies it thy Baptisme is true for indeed it is not essentially necessary to the administration of Ordinance of Baptisme that the administrator should be such a one that shall never deny the truth for if so it must be revealed from heaven who shall continue before we may be assured of a true Minister which we have no ground in all the Scripture to expect neither is that any ground at all for us to submit to that or any ministry Visible appearances are the ground of visible administrations and our faith and practise is not tyed to the persons of any but to the doctrine of Jesus Christ So that if any one comes in the name of a Disciple preaching the doctrine of Christ and God makes us to see it our duty to conforme to his doctrine wee should not question so much his calling as manifest our ready conformity to the will God I shall onely add this to this particular that I cannot finde that Gods people were ever made uncapable of doing their duty for want of an administrator But the same God that enjoynes the observation of a command likewise provides a sutable way for the execution thereof 8. The next thing to be spoken to are the subjects of Baptisme Of the true subjects of Baptisme of water which without guesses suppositions or strained consequences we shall finde plainly discovered to be Saints visible professors believers Therefore saith the Scriptures He that believeth and is baptized Baptisme followes faith as Peter evidently demonstrated when the Eunuch asked What hindred that he might not be baptized saying If thou believest with all thy heart thou mayst So it is said that Crispus and many Corinthians believed and were baptized they are such that repent and gladly receive the word these and these onely are the true subjects of Baptisme But may some say It is true visible believers are subjects of Baptisme so Object also are the Infants of believing parents therefore you doe amisse to restrain it to them that make an outward profession of the Gospell These late yeares have so abounded in this controversy that Sol. I might well spare my labour of answering any other wayes to it then by advising thee to consider what hath beene written by others but seeing it remaines still an objection I shall endeavour briefly to remove it out of thy way and therefore will shew thee that infants are not the subjects of Baptisme which I shall onely demonstrate by two