Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
hand_n	body_n	foot_n	part_n	5,540	5	4.6773	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19031	An advertisement concerning a book lately published by Christopher Lawne and others, against the English exiled Church at Amsterdam. By Richard Clyfton teacher of the same church	Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.	1612 (1612)	STC 5449; ESTC S118626	88,142	134

functions given by the Lord in and to his church for the help and service of all to the building up of the mysticall bodie of Christ VVhereupon the Apostle shevveth it also by the similitude proportion of the members of the naturall bodie and of the severall faculties thereof vvhich he applyeth and extendeth even to the feeblest members and to the least and youngest children of the Church that are but newly baptised 1 Cor. 12 13-22 c. to vvhom yet he appointeth not the cases of sinne and pleas of the other members of the church to be brought for judgement censure as these men hereupon vvould inferre and as the matter in question is about Mat. 18 17. Moreover the things there spoken of the bodie and of the parts thereof might likevvise of old be applyed to Israel according to their estate and they vvere then bound accordingly to vvalke as members of one and the same bodie affording all help service and comfort they could one unto another Yet this might not then nor may not now hinder nor pervert the ordinance of God about the Elders hearing and judging the causes of their brethren censuring them according to their demerit but in deede it doth much more strongly establish it inasmuch as the Governours are by the Lord set in the Church for that use and so for the benefit of the whole as also that all the members have not gifts fit for examining of persons and deciding of cases and questions that doe fall out and yet notvvithstanding are members in the bodie and have othervvise their good use being fitly imployed and must be holpen of the rest as their need is and be partakers of the gifts bestovved upon others for their good and comfort And yet further this Scripture is more direct against thē in that it sheweth how in the Church some have a more chief place then others as the head eyes hands in the bodie are therefore to be respected imployed according to their gifts and place vvherein God hath set them 1 Cor. 12.14 28. VVhich is litle regarded of them vvho in cases of question and controversie vvhere there is greatest need of most knovvledge and vvisedome vvill then look vvhere the greatest number of the people is though they may be of the most simple and vvill have them to be the Church and to haue the Churches povver and authoritie to give the sentence yea albeit that all the Elders other brethren of better judgment but fevver in number be against them as if the multitude should still be follovved that there vvere no difference or inequalitie of gifts of Office or other respect at all to be had VVhich how far it is from the intendement of this Scripture alledged by themselues let all that understand according to sobrietie judge And let these men if they vvill not be taught otherwise 1 Cor. 12. cōpare vvith it rom 12. 3-8 yet learne of their ovvne bodies from vvhich the Apostle borrovveth his similitude here and there they shall see that all the members of the bodie are not given or used for counsel and determination in the things that concerne it though yet they have their other profitable use whereupon it is that vvhen some part of the bodie is hurt the hand is not used or sought unto to see withall nor the foot to heare neyther doth the head take them to consult and determine vvhat to doe there about but vvhen the head it self hath considered determined according to the gift dutie thereof then it useth the help of the hand or foot or any or all the members according as there is need and occasion And thus have all the members their good use service in the bodie being rightly used applyed thereunto But should novv hereupon the hands or feet say because they are not sought unto and employed to see hear determine as the eye eare and head are that therefore they loose their right and are not used or regarded as the mēbers of the bodie should Yet after such a maner plead the people aforesaid that they are vvronged loose their right and libertie if vvhen matters of sinne and question arise between brethren of the church they be not sought unto and bound to come together to hear and determine the cases to examine and censure the persons so dealt vvithall Nay though the Elders sitte publickly to hear and judge such causes and that it be left free for any of the people to come that vvil yet they thinke they have injurie unles that they be called upon and bound to come together and that they also make inquisition and censure the causes and persons dealt vvithall that the greater number of their voyces though vvithout and against all the Elders be taken for the Churches sentence c. VVhich in deed what is it els but as if eyther the whole bodie should become one member an eye an eare an head or the like or as if the foot should say Because I am not the hand I am not of the bodie or as if the hand should say Because I am not employed as the eye eare or head therefore I lose my right and am not used or esteemed in the bodie as I ought to be Yea vvhat is it els but to bring them selves into bondage and in deed to bring an Antichristian servitude on the people in the Church vvhen it being left free unto them to come or not to come yet that shall not suffice unles they be bound thereunto as is aforesaid And so it shall not be ynough that the Elders by their Office are bound unto it Rom. 12 7 8. 1 Thes 5.12.13 1 Tim. 5.17.18 and ought to have mayntenance for the doing of it and of the other duties of their Office but the men must vvithout any allowance for it leave their trades and callings the vvomen their houses and samilies the children their schooling and employment the servants their vvork and labour As may come to passe in great cōgregatiōs when many cases are to be heard c. and must come together though it should be day after day to heare and judge the cases that fall out betvveen brother and brother according to Mat. 18.17 For by this Scripture in 1 Cor. 12. chap. they vvill have it understood of men vvomen and children that can sorrovv and rejoyce vvith others as before vvas shewed And many moe things might be noted about this and the other Scriptures spoken of but these few observations may suffice Yet afore I proceed let me by this occasion note tvvo things more hereabout in generall The one that as it often cometh to passe vvith heretiks schismatiks Antichristians that the verie Scriptures alledged by themselves being searched and duly vveighed they are fit forceable against themselues so it is fallen out vvith these men in this case as may appeare by that vvhich hath ben sayd touching the

the truth of God or his imperfectiō the perfection of God Farre be it off yea let God be true everie man a lyer sayth the Apostle in the same place VVe vvill make the matter playne by an example and similitude out of the vvords of Ieremie chap. 3. A vvife being filthie vvith adulteries if her husband vvill pardon her and consent to receiue her and to dvvell vvith her she abideth still the vvife of her husband not by her ovvne deede doone for she hath broken wedlock vvhat in her vvas but by the benefit or goodnes of her husband So a Church overflovving not onely vvith lighter infirmities but also vvith heavie adulteries on her part in deed should cease to be a vvife but she ceaseth not on her husbands part For touching the election as the Apostle sayth Rom. 11.28 she is beloved for the fathers sakes speaking of the church of the Iewes It is a church so long as God calling her proclaymeth that vvhich is in Ier. 3.13 Onely acknowledge thine iniquitie that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and hast scattered thy waies to the straungers under everie green tree and ye haue not obeyed my voyce sayth the Lord. Turne ô backslyding people sayth the Lord for I am maryed unto you I will take you c. It is so long a church as God protesting calleth upon it departing from him and being rebellious as it is in Esa 50 1. Where is the bil of your mothers divercement wherewith I put her away or who is there of my creditours to whom I sould you c. The church then at length ceaseth to be a church vvhen God ceaseth to call it back taketh avvay the evidence of that holie marriage that is the holie Scripture out of the hand of the adulteres and her that is stubburne testifying that the matrimonie is dissolved on his part and so receiveth the covenant of grace unto himself It is not for any man to deny that to be a church which God calleth a church Neyther is it for any man to call that a church vvhich God having giuen the bil of divorce and taken avvay the draught of the mariage contract denyeth so to be And after this maner doe vve esteeme of the Church in vvhich the papacie is God calleth her vvith his calling by his spirit and vvord and the publike records of that holie mariage vvhich vve call the holie Scripture and the ministerie and things and holy actions vvhich before vve haue briefly reckoned up These things doe remayne to that church most manifestly on Gods behalf But in that on the behalf of men all these things and holie actions together vvith the verie persons themselues abound and overflovve vvith most grievous deadly corruptions that is the sinne of men not the fault of God vvhose grace truth is perfected in infirmitie On Gods part she is yet called Hammi my people and Ruchama finding mercie which most truly on her part might be called Lo hammi not my people and Lo ruchama not obteyning mercie as vve read in Hosea the Prophet But vve rely upon the mercie of God and according to his grace revealed vve speake our minde or vve giue our sentence concerning a church erring and going astray But this Church hath everie thing in it corrupt I confesse it But in that it hath all the divine things in the Scritures it is of God in that it hath them all corrupt that is of it self in that it hath all the divine things it is a church in that it hath the same all corrupt it is a corrupt church The church is not taken avvay by corruption unles it be totall as they speak vvhich they call destruction A corruption that is in part doth not take avvay a Church but vveaken it The Church of Rome hath all things corrupt but not altogether this is not a destruction but is to be called a corruption of it in part For to prosecute these heads particularly vvhich vvee haue briefly noted in the consideration of the Church God by the alone presence of himself calling doth lay the foundation of the Church in Christ the head thereof The church of Rome addeth another foundation to this foundation and to this head another nevv head vvhereupon it is called papall or popish vvherein it may likevvise rest The calling is to God alone in the church of Rome there is calling to others vvith God and the calling upon them Here is calling by the spirit and Scripture alone vvhence it receiveth the ministerie delivereth nothing more thē that vvhich it hath received from the Lord there it receiveth a ministerie from the spirit of Christ of the Pope from the Scripture and the ragged traditions of men here finally the persons things and actions are caried according to the doctrine of the Spirit the Scripture onely there all things are taken and exercised out of the Popes changeable shoppe and at his beck as they say they stand and fall So all the marks on Gods behalf are in it but for it self on it ovvne part as they say there is no marke intire no marke that is not corrupt by the papall poysonfull sorcerie and the order of all things most miserably perverted For vvhich cause in Lyons in France a certayne Frier did merrily preach to the people vvhen he sayd the Hugonots for so they are called in France did consent vvith the church of Rome in all their articles of fayth but there was one shrevvd vvord the vvord Onely at the crack vvhereof vvarre vvas inkindled for they beleeue onely vvhat the rule of fayth hath out of the holie Scriptures but the church of Rome requireth more unto fayth then is eyther conteyned in the rule of fayth or in the holie Scriptures because such is the authoritie of the Church These things being vvell understood all men vvill easely perceiue hovv that church in respect of God or on Gods part is yet a church but of it self is most corrupt very nere to destruction But here doe arise tvvo doubts difficulties by vvhich the mindes of many are troubled The first doubt is vvhat vve are to judge of the members of that church The latter vvhat the dutie of them is vvho are in that church and see the great corruptions thereof To the first question we ansvver on this manner A threefold judgment had neede meet together in this cause the first of truth the second of charitie the third of prudence or vvisdome The judgment of truth is of the common condition of the church by vvhich vve judge frō the calling of God that as yet she is a church The judgement of charitie is of the severall mēbers of the church by vvhich we presume they be members of the church whilst they are called vvith the calling of God and are in this way as David calleth it Psal 2. The judgement of prudence or vvisdome is that by vvhich vve discerne and distinguish persons things