Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	christian_a	faith_n	life_n	1,074	5	4.4282	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10399	Tvventy nine lectures of the Church very necessary for the consolation and support of Gods Church, especially in these times: wherein is handled, first, in generall concerning first, the name; secondly, the titles; thirdly, the nature, fourthly, the diuision of the true Church: secondly, of the visible Church ... and lastly, the application of it to all Churches in the world so farre as they are knowne to vs. By that learned and faithfull preacher, Master Iohn Randall, Batchelor of Diuinity, pastor of Saint Andrewes Hubbart in little Eastcheape, London, and sometimes fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford. Published by the coppie perfected and giuen by the author in his life time; carefully preserued and adorned with notes in the margent, by the late faithfull minister of Christ, Master William Holbrooke.	Randall, John, 1570-1622.; Holbrooke, William.	1631 (1631)	STC 20683; ESTC S115641	423,199	550

contained and this is the more likely because about that very time that is somewhat before his Ascension hee spake vnto them of the things which appertaine to the Kingdome of God Act. 1.3 which if we vnderstand not of the substance of Gods Kingdome which is inward in the hearts of his Children but of the appurtenances of it as it seemes to bee then it cannot bee fitter applied than to this matter of Church-Gouernment For what doth more neerely and properly appertaine or is annexed to that Kingdome than this Now the Apostles must teach all that Christ taught them but Christ taught them this therefore they must teach it too and that not by preaching onely but by writing too for what they preacht they writ the substance of it therefore there is sufficient matter to bee found in Scripture to direct euery Church in the substance of Church-gouernment Let vs come somewhat neerer to the point Ephes 4.11 12. It is there said that Christ did therefore giue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the repairing of the Saints and for the worke of the Ministry and for the edification of the Body of Christ Whereby it is plaine that by those which Christ so gaue to be Apostles c. there is sufficient direction left for the edification of the whole body Now Gouernment is one speciall meanes for edification yea and for the gathering of the Saints and for the worke of the Ministry and therefore that is not vntaught by them and so consequently not vnwritten at least for the substance of it Ad to this that which the Apostle hath in 1 Cor. 12.5 9. especially in vers 28. and then it will appeare to be cleere enough where the Apostle tels vs of administrations and gifts so comes to those that are endued with those gifts and that are to exercise them whereof though some be temporall yet others are perpetuall Which if wee adde to that Ephes 4.11 then here is sufficient prouision ordained of God and set downe in his Word for euery Church to bee directed by for substance of Gouernors and Gouernment And consider that this is not spoken of the Corinths onely but of the Church in generall God hath ordained some in his Church c. that thereby it might bee plaine that it is appliable to euery particular Church The like place is in Rom. 12.7 8. where the Apostle speakes of Offices in the Church and of them that vse them These places then laid together proue the point Let vs come to examples of Churches in Scripture to proue the point further Wee haue examples of this in two Churches in Scripture that were best prouided for in this kinde and that is in the Churches of Corinth and of Ephesus Take the Church of Corinth for an example and see how sufficiently it was prouided for in this kinde and that in most particulars for they had the Word and the Lords Supper Sects and Offenders were punished yea and generally they haue Rules giuen them for the whole Carriage of Gods worship as in the 1 Cor. 14. Consider what Rules of edification and Order hee there prescribes and extends them to all Churches in their kinde and say then whether all Churches bee not sufficiently prouided for in the generall for this matter of Church-gouernment See this also in the Church of Ephesus Act. 20 28 Consider the Charge there giuen to all the Ouerseers of that Church that they should feede the flocke c. that is gouerne them as well as teach them Consider the manifold instructions hee giues them there how they should carry themselues and withall consider the particulars he chargeth Timothy withall in both his Epistles for the Gouernment of the Church and say if this Church were not sufficiently prouided for in this kinde If you yet doubt of it beleeue the Apostle Act. 20.20 where the Apostle saith that hee had kept nothing back from them that was profitable so that if Church-Gouernment bee profitable for them as surely it is very necessary then for the substance of it they were sufficiently instructed And so it will follow that all other Churches must bee so too either more or lesse though happily not in that degree of perfection as these were And so much for the proofe of the point The Reasons of it are these First it is so in matters of substance Reas 1 both for duties of life and for matters of faith namely that the whole substance of it is so set downe in Gods Word that euery particular man may receiue Instruction thereby how to carrie and how to gouerne himselfe If this bee so for a particular Christian in matters of faith and practice then this being a matter partly of faith but more of practice and being for the good of the whole body of a Church therefore the substance of it must needs bee set downe in Gods Word Secondly it was so in the Iewish Church in the former Reas 2 Testament God set down the matter of Church-Gouernment very precisely for the substance of it and that in most particulars and therefore he doth so with the Church in the latter Testament for must not the Church now bee as well prouided as then surely it must in matters of substance Reas 3 Thirdly Christs care of his Church proues it It is not credible that hee so tenderly louing her welfare and so gratiously prouiding euery thing else for her that hee would faile her in this leaue her without Gouernment at least for the substance of it It is not credible but that Christ being the Sonne would bee more faithfull in Gods House than Moses being but a Seruant as the Apostle makes the comparison Heb. 3.4 5 6. Or shall wee beleeue that Christ was not so carefull of the whole Church as Paul was of Ephesus But Paul wrote sufficiently to Timothy how hee was to gouerne and to behaue himselfe in that Church 1 Tim. 3.15 therefore Christ being more faithfull than Moses and more carefull of the whole Church than Paul was of Ephesus must needes leaue sufficient direction in Scripture how euery Church ought to be gouerned at least for the substance of it Reas 4 The fourth Reason is drawne from the Churches insufficiency if shee were left to her selfe Alas the Church is but a company of men blind and ignorant not able to direct and gouerne themselues besides they are headstrong and wilfull that they will not be ruled or else they are peremptory in their owne conceits loth to part with their owne inuentions though they are neuer so much against the Word therefore Christ must leaue direction and where but in his Word Reas 5 The fifth Reason is taken from the sufficiency of the Word 2 Tim. 3.16 17. For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse But how farre forth is it thus

peculiar to him and other ministers to administer it which wee blesse c. The third Duty is prayer Act. 6.4 and in the 1 Cor. 14.16 there the manner of publike prayer is plainely set downe that is that which is conceiued by the Minister and the people accompanying him in their affections and saying Amen The fourth Duty belonging to their Office is that they be an example to their flocke of holinesse in life so the Apostle exhorts the Elders to whom hee writ 1 Pet. 5.3 to bee an example to their flocke and so the Apostle exhorts Timothy to bee an example to them that beleeue 1 Tim 4.12 The fifth Duty is to visit the sicke So it is intended Iames 5.14 If any man bee sicke let him call for the Elders of the Church c. Their sixth Duty they are to vse and exercise the power of the Keyes both in binding and loosing for that also is common to them with the Apostles and that which is said to the Apostle in Ioh. 20.23 is said also to all true Ministers Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit on earth they are remitted c. This is peculiar to all in the Ministery and none else The seuenth Duty belonging to their Office is that they are to haue care ouer the poore I vrge it not so much that they should distribute with their owne hands yet that is needfull too where greater occasions are not hindred by it for so the Apostles all was brought and laid at their feet and they did distribute it till they had greater businesse in hand But this they ought to doe to see it performed by those that are in places both collections and distributions 1 Cor. 16.1 Eighthly and lastly their Duty is to bee continually resident and attendant ouer their Charge Act. 20.28 Take heede to the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers c. The very name Ouerseer intends so much that they must be continually resident ouer the flocke wherein the Apostles themselues though they went from place to place yet they were very carefull in visiting and in writing to the Churches which they had planted as Paul and Barnabas did Act. 15.36 and they did long to bee with them as the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 1.11 and when they were hindred from it they bewailed it as Satans worke therein So doth the same Apostle 1 Thes 2.8 and when they could not come themselues they supplied their bodily absence by the presence of their Ministers and Deputies as also by Letters But no ordinary Minister can thus excuse himselfe but they are continually bound to bee resident And the danger is exceeding great when the Pastor is absent as wee may see in the 1 Cor. 15.12 When the Apostle was absent some crept into the Church that taught errors and false Doctrine as that there is no resurrection c. and the danger of it amongst vs is too apparant and lamentable And therefore wee are to pray vnto God that those in Authoritie may force them that are tied to a Charge to be resident vpon it so much for Presbyters In the third place we come to Doctors I finde the word vsed in Ephes 4.11 and we expound it Teachers which hath two significations First I find it to bee vnderstood of those that teach the Word and that is the true and onely sense of it in the Scriptures secondly sometimes it is vnderstood of those that instruct Schollers specially in the grounds of Religion and so after in other matters and so it is taken in some antient Writers The question concerning Doctors is in the former sense this Whether there must bee such an one in euery particular Congregation as a seuerall Officer from the Pastor For answer whereunto I say that the Office of a Doctor is necessary in both senses generally in the Church and also in the former sense as hee is a Teacher hee is necessary in euery particular Congregation yea and further I say that if there bee in one and the same Congregation a Doctor in whom is the Word o● knowledge ioyned with a Pastor in whom is the word of wisdome 1 Cor. 12.8 it is not to be misliked But that this must be so of necessitie that wee deny for howsoeuer the gifts bee diuers the Doctors to teach and expound the Scripture the Pastors to apply it yet they may bee and are vsually found in the same Person and therefore wee shall find it Scripture that teaching and preaching concurre together in the same Officer so it is said of our Sauiour Christ himselfe Matth. 9.35 That hee went about teaching and preaching the Gospell And so it is said of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas Act. 15.35 That they continued preaching and teaching at Antioch And so the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.2 requires this in Timothy that he teach and exhort And this is generally required of all preaching Elders 1 Tim. 5.17 that they labour in the Word and Doctrine and what is that but to teach and apply And euery Minister must bee apt to teach What necessitie is there of a Doctor in euery particular Congregation Howsoeuer then they are diuerse gifts yet commonly they are found in the same person and that which they alleage Eph. 4.11 makes directly against them for if the Apostle there had meant to haue made them diuerse offi●es he● would haue disioyned thē with the same note of difference as hee did the other and haue said and some Pastors and some Teachers but in that he conioynes them together and saith Pastors and Teachers hee makes them to bee as one Now we come in the fourth place to gouerning Elders I finde Gouernors mentioned in Scripture as in the 1 Cor. 12.28 and also Rulers Rom. 12.8 And I deny not but this is of necessary vse in the Church for the Ministers must bee endued with it they must rule and gouerne as we haue seene before 1 Tim. 5.17 And it may bee of good vse too for the Church euen in those that are out of the Ministry as in the Christian Magistrate but that this must bee meant directly of some that must of necessity rule in euery particular Church besides the Ministers I cannot see specially seeing they ascribe to these Rulers a hand in the Censures of the Church which being a chief part of the power of the keyes and therefore appropriated to the Ministers and limited by Christ onely to the Apostles and them how shal they be imparted to others without their open wrong I will deliuer my iudgment briefely and freely in this case First either there were none such at all or if there were such they were onely by practice not by institution or if they were by institution yet they were for that present dispensation and not perpetuall or lastly if they were perpetuall yet our Church is not destitute in that case First either there were none such at all for first whereas it is said that the Iewes had their Elders

may liue peaceably and quietly vnder them in all godlinesse and honesty not onely in ciuill honesty as they are Magistrates but in all goodnesse too as they are Christian Magistrates to be countenanced and established by them where they bee Christians and to be tolerated by them though they be no Christians And surely these Officers of ruling and gouerning spoken of Ro. 12.8 and 1 Cor. 12.28 in all good consideration are to reach to the Christian Magistrate The second question concerning the ciuill Magistrate is wherein his Office consists I answer It consists chiefly in the matter of ouer-sight the last duty we spake of in the former exercise The new Testament is very scarce of proofes for this point because there were then no Christian Magistrates but it is abundantly supplied in the old and the equitie of the thing is the same in both you shall find then that his office consists specially as I said before in ouersight But the particulars wherein his Office consists are these First in calling Assemblies secondly in abolishing false worship and establishing the true worship of God thirdly in looking to the Ministery and their maintenance fourthly in causing the people to serue the Lord lastly in appointing Consistories you shall find these things performed by Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah as you may reade in the 2 Chron. 15. and in the 29. and 30. and 34. and 35. Chapters of the same booke And for the proofe of the particulars First for calling of Assemblies that it was performed by the King as in Ionah 3.7 And secondly for abolishing of false worship wee see it was performed by Moses the chiefe Magistrate Exod. 32.20 as also by King Asa in the 1 King 15.12 13 and 14. verses and for establishing Gods true worship it was done by Iosiah in the 2 King 23.2 3. and by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.3 4 5. And if we looke into Iudges 6. from the 23. to the 26. verse we shall find both these performed by Gedeon And thirdly for looking to the Ministery and their maintenance we may reade how it was done by Salomon in the 2 Chro. 8.14 15. and by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.4 and Chap. 31.4 and 16. and 17. verses and by Iosiah 2 Chron. 35.2 and by Nehemiah Chap. 13.11 12. verses And fourthly for causing the people to serue the Lord it was done by Hezekiah in the 2 Chron. 30. from the first to the sixth verse And Iosiah compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord 2 Chron. 34.33 and so Asa did the like 2 Chron. 15.13 And lastly for the appointing And lastly for the appointing Consistories you shall reade in the 2 Chron. 19.8 how it was done by Iehosaphat and commanded by God Deut. 17.8 Vse 1 The vses of the point are these First this shewes how God doth grace his Church in this world that he will haue the Sword to maintaine the Word and Princes that are the shields of the world to bee the shields of his Church and Kings and great Potentates to be her Seruants Vse 2 Secondly this serues for the reproofe first of the Papists that say that the Magistrate hath no power in the Church but vnder the Minister these are enemies to Gods ordinance and they rob Kings and Princes of their chiefest grace and greatest part of authoritie and also they rob the Church of her best defence vnder God on earth I am perswaded that if any Churches in these times of Christ and his Apostles had liued vnder a Christian Magistrate the Apostles would haue added somewhat expresly and particularly touching the Magistrate too Vse 3 Lastly this teacheth vs to giue glory to God for his great mercy towards vs that wee liue vnder a Christian Magistrate that the Word and the Sword goe together that the Church flourishes and her enemies goe to wracke that Christs Kingdome is mightly aduanced that the Gospell hath free and full passage This wee are to praise the Lord for and to pray for the continuance of his grace and care and continuall supply of such Magistrates and also we are to mourne and bewaile the losse of such hopefull successors and heyres when we see the breath taken out of their nostrils that should haue been the breath of our nostrils This we are euery one to mourne and to humble our selues for by fasting and by prayer if we cannot doe it publikely we must be carefull to doe it priuately for this is a grieuous iudgement and a fearefull token of Gods anger And surely if wee doe not turne vnto God and humble our selues for our sinnes we are to expect and feare some more heauy and fearefull iudgement to befall vs. The eighteenth Lecture of the Church AFter wee had spoken in the first place touching the duties to bee performed in the Church-gouernment we came in the second place to speake of the persons or Officers that are to performe these duties where we shewed first what manner of persons they ought to bee and secondly what they were by name Now we come to the third point namely the Rules and Lawes that these persons and officers spoken of in the second point are to bee directed by in the execution of these actions and duties spoken of in the first point that is the point wee are now to speake to All businesses to be done do necessarily require certaine Lawes and Rules to bee performed by and surely Gods businesse requires it much more It is not enough that the workes of God bee done but as they are good in themselues so the carriage must be good too they must be well done The Lord is very precise and iealous ouer his owne Ordinances and therefore as hee hath giuen expresse commandement that they be obserued for the matter and substance of them so also he hath prescribed certaine rules and directions how they are to be proceeded in for the manner and circumstances of them and therefore to performe the duty commanded neglecting the directions prescribed for the managing of them is like Sauls obedience which is said to be disobedience at the best it is but halfe obedience the Lord accepts it not For our sound and intire obedience to God consists in this when wee doe that which the Lord commands and when we doe it as hee commands it to bee done according to that in Exod. 39.42 43. where the children of Israel are commended because they did that which the Lord commanded them and in euery point as he commanded them Now the Rules here to bee obserued that these duties may be well done are many for order and plainenesse sake wee will reduce them to these three heads First the warrant must be good by which they are guided in the doing of them Secondly the manner must bee good whereby they are carried Thirdly the end must be good which we aymed at in the doing of them Wee will begin with the first The Rules and Lawes whereby these Persons and

no more of an antient Church than of one that hath beene within these two hundred yeares Let vs take the meane betwixt both these embrace them reuerently where they are not contradicted by the Word and so they are a sufficient warrant in those cases if wee bee destitute of better And so much bee spoken for the warrant of those things which are to bee done in Church-gouernment Now we come to the second generall head the manner whereby they must be carried that must be good too as well as the warrant whereon they are grounded for many times good things are marred by ill handling therefore that these good things may not bee marred with ill handling Obserue touching the manner of the carriage of them these Rules First that the most necessary and materiall duties bee first and chiefly prouided for secondly that all things bee done decently and in order thirdly that the peace of the Church be not troubled fourthly that whosoeuer hath any right in the performance of this businesse be not contemned or restrained of their right Lastly these duties must be so carried so farre as may be as best fits the ciuill Gouernment wherein wee liue We will begin with the first that is That the most necessary and materiall duties must bee first and chiefly prouided for and they are the Word and Sacraments and Prayer and the Ministery these must bee first looked to so our Sauiour himselfe takes this course he first prouides for these Matth. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. And so the Apostle Peter in Act. 2.37 38 c. First he preacheth and baptizeth And so the Apostle Paul in the 1 Cor. 15.3 First of all saith he I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how that Christ died for our sinnes c. First hee preacheth Faith and Repentance and the Reasons are plaine for this for these are the foundation of Religion therefore these must bee first laid else there can bee no building secondly these are the gatherers of Gods chosen if they haue not these none can be conuerted at all thirdly these are so effectuall to the being of a Church that where these are found there is a Church and where they are not there is none therefore these must bee first and chiefly prouided for The due obseruation of this Rule if it were carefully looked into would preuent much ignorance and dissention and other inconueniences many there are that nuzzle the people vp in Ceremonies onely and goe no further as the Popish Church This is a cause of horrible blindnesse and ignorance the people for the most part resting there and thinking they haue Religion enough if they obserue such and such Ceremonies and so are carelesse of true growth in Christianity by the true vse of the Word and Sacraments These are Pharisaicall courses to tythe Mint and Annise and to leaue the weighty matters of the Law Matth. 23.23 Others beate first and chiefly on Discipline and would haue that and nothing else taught a preposterous zeale which wrought much dissention as by lamentable experience we may see in our Church for this hath been an occasion that many haue separated from our Church and that many liue discontent in it not being first well grounded in the principall first faith and repentance must bee taught and afterward Church-gouernment The second Rule is All must bee done decently and in order for so is the expresse Rule 1 Cor. 14.40 First then decency is required in Church-gouernment this is required in ciuill and naturall duties and therefore in Christian and religious duties it is required much more Now this is not in all places alike for we must vnderstand that that which is decent in one place may bee vncomely in another that is to be reputed decent in any place which the customes and fashions of the place not repugnant to the Rules of Nature Ciuilitie and Gods Word haue made decent as for example prophesying with the hat on in the Church of Corinth vndecent 1 Cor. 11.4 but in the reformed Churches in France made decent by Custome they being in Gods stead to speake vnto the people they thinke they may bee couered Therefore still such customes are to bee considered and accordingly decency to be esteemed Secondly Order is required in Churchgouernment so it is in all other things specially it must be so in Gods Church he being the Author and God of order and not of confusion This was it that commended and graced Salomons house exceedingly so that the Queene of Sheba was rauisht to see it in the 1 King 10.5 and shall hee that is greater than Salomon the Lord Iesus want it in his house the Church It is a speciall grace belongs to the visible Church and therfore Cant. 4.2 Salomon speaking of the order of Gods Church shewes how comely it is Thy teeth are like a flocke of sheepe in good order which go vp from the washing c. Dauid was enamoured with it Psa 68.25 speaking as vnder a vaile of the godly order which is in Gods Church faith the Singers went before the Players of instruments came after and in the midst were the maides playing with Timbrells Now this order extends it selfe to two things first in things to bee done in the Church secondly in the persons that doe them First in things to bee done there must be order as in prophesying that one speak after another 1 Cor. 14.31 and so in order the Word must bee preacht before the Sacraments be administred prayer must bee before preaching Baptisme before the Lords Supper as also smaller matters must bee layd by while greater are in handling Act. 6 2. sometimes extraordinary cases of necessity may ouerbeare this Rule but generally it must bee thus So there must bee order in Persons the Superiours must bee first respected whether hee bee superior in yeares or in gifts and graces the Pastor must rule the flocke and not the flocke the Pastor Finally it is with vs in the Church as it is with Souldiers in the field euery man is placed by the Captaine and must keepe his ranke And so it must bee with vs wee must keepe our ranke that God hath placed vs in in the Church and not breake out for that is a grieuous sinne I would this were well looked into in our Church that men would not go beyond their rankes for this breedes disorder and confusion in the Church The third Rule is that the peace of the Church bee not broken nor troubled the Apostle in Ephes 4.3 would haue vs whatsoeuer wee doe to keepe peace and hee vseth a speciall phrase there Keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace As if hee should say if yee keepe not peace which is the bond your spirituall Communion is in danger to bee soone dissolued And in the 1 Cor. 11.16 the Apostle teacheth that contentiousnes is not tolerated in the churches of God The enuious Serpent and