Selected quad for the lemma: order_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
order_n	bishop_n	church_n	elder_n	2,200	5	9.7900	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34251	The Confession of faith of those called Arminians, or, A declaration of the opinions and doctrines of the ministers and pastors which in the United Provinces are known by the name of Remonstrants concerning the chief points of Christian religion / translated out of the original.		1684 (1684)	Wing C5791; ESTC R26041	123,515	276

as was uncontrollable and unquestionable and to which all Believers were bound to yield and obey And to these indeed were joyned both * Act. 15. 32. 21. 8. 1 Cor. 12. 28. Eph. 4. 11 12. Prophets and Evangelists and Teachers and Pastors and other such like who also themselves used and bestowed their utmost diligence and pains either for the gathering of new Churches or Assemblies or afterward for the nourishing and feeding and further instructing of these that were already gathered by the Apostles 4. But when such Foundations and Their following success first beginnings had now been laid by these lest when they were either absent or dead those Congregations should be scattered and decay again or come to nought and so by this means this divine and saving Doctrine by little and little should vanish away and be lost they every-where in those places where Churches were already gathered appointed them their successors to wit † Act. 14. 23. 20. 28. Heb. 13. 7 17. Phil. 1. 1. 1 Tim. 4. 16. 5. 17. Bishops Elders and Deacons by whose help endeavour and care those Churches might continually be preserved and as much as might be also encreased in number and gave express advice and command that the same afterwards at all times and in all places should be done in all Congregations giving withal an | 1 Tim. 3. 1 c. Tit. 1. 5. 6 c. exact description what manner of persons they ought to be who were thenceforth to be set over the Congregations for this end 5. And they indeed therefore appointed Bishops and Elders * Act. 20. 28. 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. 4. 2 5. Tit. 1. 9 c. 2. 5 17. Bishops and Elders that both of them by preaching the Gospel by teaching wholesome or saving Truth by confuting errors contrary thereunto also by exhorting comforting reproving correcting ruling and lastly by going before others by † 1 Tim. 4. 12. Ti● 2. 7. 1 Pet. 5. 3. their example c. might preserve or keep together the Churches already planted and by a continual succession to their utmost power might propagate the same And they ordained Deacons | Act. 6. 1 c. 1 Tim. 3. 9 10 c. that after they had been first proved or tryed they might diligently employ themselves in gathering and distributing alms and in pious and tender care-taking of the poor in the said Congregations From whence ariseth the perpetual necessity and manifold use of the whole Ministry of the Church 6. But because after the Apostles days The authority of those limited and those first Preachers of the Gospel or Founders of the Church when the doctrine of the Gospel had now already been fully enough proposed and in the judgment of God himself abundantly confirmed and lastly clearly committed to writing that immediate sending of Ministers ceased together with infallible instruction and the undoubted assistance of the Holy Spirit therefore an irrefragable Power or infallible Authority in teaching and ruling hath no more place also Which also even the Apostles themselves were minded to testify when they gave and left unto the Bishops and Elders a certain * 2. Tim. 3. 10 14. Act. 15. 24. 1 Cor. 14. 37 38. Tit. 1. 5. and perpetual rule of Doctrine and form of Discipline according unto which these were to teach and rule the Churches for the future by and expresly commanded them and seriously charged them that they should diligently keep the † 2 Tim. 1. 13 14. pattern or form of sound words which they had heard of them and that they should remember and hold fast that | Tit. 1. 9. faithful doctrine which they had learned and therefore bade an * Gal. 1. 8 9. Anathema to those who brought any doctrine contrary to or differing from that which they themselves had delivered † Rom. 16. 17. and withal injoyned the Churches that they should receive or admit of no other doctrine besides that which they had received from the Apostles no although even an Angel from Heaven brought it 7. But since it is the Duty and Office Of degrees and order among them of all Bishops and Elders | 2 Tim. 1. 13. to teach and * 1 Pet. 5. 2 3. govern the Churches according to that form that is laid down by the Apostles it appears manifest enough that they have not by any divine right any † Mat. 20. 25 c. 23. 8. Command Power or Authority properly so called one over another And yet do we not therefore notwithstanding altogether disallow of much less proudly reject those degrees of Teachers and Rulers which have now long since been appointed and every where hitherto taken place in diverse Churches of Christ for order and decorum's sake or for preserving good order For indeed God is not the | 1 Cor. 14. 33 40. 1 Tim. 3. 15. Author of Confusion but of Order if so be they do not at length degenerate into Tyranny and make shew of some worldly Dignity and Power rather than of a spiritual Ministry and of that modesty and moderation which becometh the Disciples of Christ 8. But if any one shall abuse the pretence Against the manifold abuse thereof of this order unto pride haughtiness and in particular if any by these degrees shall not stick to climb so high as arrogantly to assume unto himself not only a supreme Right to determine in matters of Religion and to decide all Controversies of Faith * Mat. 24. 49. Luk. 12. 42. c. 3. Joh. 9. 2 Thess 2. 4 c. 2 Pet. 2. 1 c. 2 Cor. 11. 20. Rev. 11. 7. 13. per tot Gal. 4. 29. but also to usurp Lordship over the Lords Heritage and over his fellow-servants yea over Kings and Princes yea further whether directly or indirectly to usurp a coactive power that is armed with outward force or upheld by the secular arm to punish others yea to punish them with the Sword and with Death who cannot out of Conscience attribute this Authority unto him or who refuse to subscribe to his Determinations Decrees and Statutes though in all other respects they be good and loyal subjects to the Common-wealth if any we say shall under this pretence usurp such a power in the Church of Christ or any other whatsoever like it or at least attribute to himself the same in words or suffer it to be attributed to him by others truly he seemeth unto us to recede very far from the Office of a true Bishop CHAP. XXII Of the Church of Jesus Christ and its marks or notes 1. FUrthermore those Congregations The Church of Christ and the Communion thereof or Assemblies which either by the publick pains or labour of these Ministers or otherwise by the word of the Gospel any ways whatsoever preached read or heard are gathered as it were into one body all and every of whose members have