Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	apostle_n	church_n	elder_n	5,779	5	10.2377	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A20683	A defence of church gouernment Dedicated to the high Court of Parliament. Wherein, the church gouernment established in England, is directly proued to be consonant to the word of God, and that subiects ought of dutie to conforme themselues to the state ecclesiasticall. Together with, a defence of the crosse in baptisme; as it is vsed in our Church, being not repugnant to the word: and by a consequent, the brethren which are silenced, ought to subscribe vnto it, rather then to burie their talents in the ground. By Iohn Doue, Doctour of Diuinity.	Dove, John, 1560 or 61-1618.	1606 (1606)	STC 7081; ESTC S110107	58,733	80

had his calling from his Father Moses from God Aaron from Moses the Apostles from our Sauiour Timothy Titus from S. Paul so we must consider in whom this authority resteth to call men to the ministery for none of these of whom I haue spoken had any consent of the people This custome of popular election is borrowed out of the Turkes Alcaron and not of the Bible It is saide to the congregation concerning the election of Deacons Looke ye out 7. men of honest conuersation c by which it is iustified which our law doth require that they vpon whom the Bishoppe Act. 6. shall lay hands must bring with them sufficient testimony of their worthinesse but in the words following it is said whom we may appoint to this businesse And afterward verse 6. when they were found out they set them before the Apostles and the Apostles prayed and laide hands vpon them but not the people as our Bishops assisted with other ministers without the helpe of the people ordeine ministers with vs. Therefore in their obiection out of the Acts where they alleage these English words When they had ordeined Elders by Act. 14. election in euery Church c they doe but deceiue themselues For the Greeke word is cheirotoneo of cheir an hand and teino porrigo extendo noteleno to reach or stretch forth or lay on not to eleuate or lift vp so cheirotoneia is not eleuation but imposition of hands in Eccesiasticall writers These words then cheirotonesantes eautois presbuterous is manuum impositione consecrantes sibi ipsi● presbyteros when by imposition of hands they had consecrated Elders or Ministers as Moses by imposition of hands conferred the holy Ghost vpon Iosua and sanctified him to be a Magistrate and our Deut. 24. Matt. 19. Sauiour in the Gospel by laying hands on the children blessed them And th●● cheirotoneia is expressed more plainely by another Greeke word in the Acts of the Apostles concerning Act. 6. the consecration of Deacons to be epithesis ion cheiron imposition of hands where the text saith proseuxamenoi op●thecan autois tas cheiras when they had prayed they layed hands vpon them And Gual●er in his Commentary vpon that place of the Acts which before was alleaged when they had ordeined Elders by election in euery Citie after he hath iustified these popular elections vsed in the Church of Tigurie and dispraised our manner of ordination reuoketh himselfe and confesseth by the word cheirotonesantes magis verisimiliter hîc incelligi manuum impositionem non incerto populo rem tam seriam committendam that in that place imposition of hands is rather to be vnderstoode then any popular election and that a matter of so great importance as the ordination of Ministers is not to be committed to the rude and inconstant common people He commeth now to his ob Sol and obiecteth in our behalfe as we doe our selues commonly alleage that it cannot stand with the state of a Kingdome that there should be a popular gouernment of the Church And he answereth himselfe that it is not requisite that the gouernment of the Church should bee answerable to the gouernement of the Realme To which his answer I reply that if the gouernment of the Church be not answerable to the gouernment of the Realme then our assertion is true that this popular gouernment cannot stand with the state of a Kingdome because the King is by the people excluded out of the Church gouernment With vs Bishops are the Kings Lieutenants in Ecclesiasticall causes and all Ecclesiasticall Courts are the Kings Courts they be held immediately vnder the King his authority in causes Ecclesiasticall being subalternate and immediately subordinate vnto our Sauiour Christ Now for as much as they which hold with the lay Eldership and popular gouernment doe claime their authority immediately from God without the King they derogate from the Kings authority in Ecclesiasticall causes and in Church matters they hold him for no King Lastly whereas we obiect that popular gouernment with vs cannot be but tumultuous and hee answereth that no tumults can arise by their gouernment considering foure circumstances First that it is Gods ordinance Secondly that it is to be executed by no greater multitude then a parish Thirdly that the Church guides being seperated from the people determine the matter and prepare it onely the people consent with them Fourthly if any few be violent and vnruly the next Iustices are to keepe the peace among them It is but an answerlesse answer For first that popular gouernment is not Gods but mans ordinance as I haue shewed Secondly it is apparant that diuers parishes with vs be so populous that they consist of many thousands and are as large in compasse as some Diocesse in other places Thirdly for the guides of the Church priuately to agree vpon the matter and to vrge the people and constraine them by the authority of Iustices of peace to yeelde vnto that which they haue decreed is as much as to make it no popular election at all because then free consents are denied them and all authority resteth in the guides of the Church For if there be no tumult it is wholly in the power of the Church Magistrates to conclude and establish what they list and the people must agree to it if there be a tumult the Magistrates of the Church are to command the Iustices to execute what their selues would haue done so that the people are vsed but as ciphers and haue no liberty in themselues So this is as good as no election Of Lord Bishops and Ecclesiasticall persons exercising ciuill authoritie THe common obiection is that our Sauiour being the chiefe Bishop was not held for a Lord neither had hee any outward pompe or glory in this world To which I answer if so be they inferre this conclusion vpon that example therefore Bishops must not be Lords the weakenesse of that argument will appeare by the like for they may as well conclude against Kings that because our Sauiour being a King yet was no Lord had no pompe nor glorie-therefore Kings must not be Lords c. I could answer further Tit. 2. that he was a Lord and so the Apostle doth call him a great Lord and the head of the Church and the Prince of Eph. 4. 15. Apoc. 1. the kings of the earth and because he is head of the Church all Kings doe holde their Crownes vnder him That the world did not acknowledge him for a Lorde it was their blindnesse Hee came to be crucified and had the world knowne him non Dominum gloriae crucifixissent they had not crucified the Lord of glory And yet in his state of humility hee had an honourable retinew to attend vpon him to the number of eighty two his twelue Apostles and seuenty Disciples Matth. 1● Luk. 10. Iudas was his treasurer or pursbearer he sent Philip to the market to buy bread he imployed his Disciples in such seruices

againe that there were many churches in those cities which he named euē in the Apostles time I haue alreadie proued when I shewed out of Eusebius that not onely Iulian the 10. did Alexandrinarum Ecclesiarum Episcopatum accipere take vpon him the gouernment of the Euseb hist l. 5. cap. 9. l. 2. c. 16. churches of Alexandria but also that Saint Marke did p●imus Ecclesias Alexandriae constituere first institute many churches in Alexandria And that the beleeuers were not so fewe as that they might be assembled in one congregation it is euident by the storie of the Acts of the Apostles and because he nameth Ierusalem I will instance in Ierusalem It is written in the Acts there were men at Ierusalem that feared God of euery nation Act. 2. 5. vnder heauen which heard the Gospell preached in their owne language and concerning the multitude of these saith Maister Beza they are to be vnderstood Quicunqù●x●eri illo Beza in annotat mai●rib in ●ilum locum tempore Hierosolymis vrsabantur adeò vt non modo exteros comprehendat quisedes illic vt in vrbe maximâ frequentissimâ posuerunt sed eos quoqùe qui studiorum religionis discendae cansâ illic ad tempus commorabantur quorum distributa fuisse collegia intelligimus ex ijs quae narrantur Cap 6. verse 9. and 9. 29. All strangers which at that time were resiant at Ierusalem that such a multitude comprehendeth not onely the strangers which had dwellings there being so great and populous a citie but also those which were students and came thither as vniuersitie men for learning sake which were diuided into Colledges as appeareth by the Act. Ch 6. 9. Where there arose certaine of the Synagogue which are called Libertines Cyrenians and of Alexandria and of them of Silicia Asia which disputed with Stephen and Act ch 9. 29 where the Grecians disputed with Paule And againe saith he Oportuit tam amplam ciuitatem ad quam etiam vndiqùe Iudaei tanqum ad cōmunem Academiam suos erudiendes mittebant in varios cae●us distribu● quos apparet ex hoc loco pro nationum varietate fuisse distinctos vt hedie Lutetiae multa collegia c. So spatious a citie to whom the Iewes farre and wide sent their sonnes as to a common vniuersitie to be trained vp was of necessitie diuided into many Colledges as it is now at Paris according the diuersitie of the nations as out of this place it appeareth c. Againe how did they all heare the Gospel preached in their owne languages Narrat Apostolus varij● linguis loqui coepisse id est modò hác modò iliâ non tamē cōfusè aut furiosê sed prou● h●c vel ille in varias gentes inciderat The Apostle sheweth that they spake diuerse languages not cōfusedly like mad men but as this or that Apostle did happen vpon this or that nation so he spake to them in their owne language Therefore at the very first there were diuerse Preachers and seuerall congregations speaking seuerall languages vncapable of hearing the word preached before them al at one time as they which be but one church or congregation And againe in the same chap v 41. there were added to the church in one day about 3000. ver 47. the Lord added to the church from day to day Yet Maister Iacob would haue all these being so many thousands so many nations not of one language but speaking diuerse languages to haue bin but one cōgregation Neither were they first all one congregation then by reason of their great increase as not able to assemble in one place diuided themselues into many congregations vpon the persecution of S. Stephen as Mr. Iacob affirmeth but they were many churches at the first as I haue already proued being seueral nations and speaking seuerall languages and those many Act. 8. 1. churches were scattered as it is written A great persecution was raised against the cburch of Ierusalē they were scattered abroad through the regions of Iudaea Samaria In which words the holy Ghost calleth Ierusalem but one Church which wee haue proued to haue consisted of diuerse congregations because all those congregations were but one church therefore they could not be diuided bodies absolute of themselues c. And wheras Mr. Iacob obiecteth that these congregations so diuided were not to be called churches because they were vncertaine and but occasionall I answer that so were all other churches in time of persecution euen those churches which he mentioneth out of Ignatius for as much as al the time of Ignatius there was persecution long after his time therefore they were but occasionall vncertaine But this disproueth me not but that I do rightly alledge against him that the beleeuers in Ierusalē were more then could be assembled in one congregation so in Alexandria and other cities Secondly he goeth about to proue that euery congregation is a diuided body absolute in it selfe because the Scriptures still speake of the churches as of one There is one Body one Spirit one Lord one Eph. 4 4. 5. faith one baptisme c. To which I answer that these words are vnderstood of Christ his vniuersal church which is inded vnica sponsa vnica columba one Doue one spouse betroathed to one husband one body knit and vnited to one head which is Iesus Christ for one head cannot haue many diuided bodies And therfore this argumēt maketh against himselfe The whole church is but one therefore parish churches are but members of that one and not diuided bodies for vnitas non potest diuidi that which is but one cannot be diuided And that euery parish or particular congregation must vse gouernment within it selfe he taketh vpon him to proue by the wordes of our Sauiour If thy brother trespasse against thee Mat. 18. 17. goe tell him his fault betweene thee him alone if he heare thee thou hast won thy brother if he heare thee not take with thee one or two that by the mouth of two or three witnesses euery thing may be confirmed if he refuse to heare them tell it vnto the church if he refuse to heare the church let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican Out of these words saith he is proued that euery ordinary congregation is a proper visible Church and a visible Church is but one congregation and euery such Church is indued immediately from Christ with power absolute to gouerne within it selfe and euery member of the Church must haue a sensible and visible vse of the whole intirely together In which wordes he ascribeth the Ecclesiasticall gouernment to the whole multitude of euery parish Further he diuideth this Church gouernment into these two parts to wit excommunication and elections so that euery priuate man be hee neuer so vnfit should haue his free voice and consent in all excommunications and elections Eor answer whereof

other tribes vpon which no sacrifice nor incense was offred nor intended to be offred should also be held for a monument of idolatry because the name of Iesus was abused and vainely taken by the coniurers it might not be lawfully vsed by the Apostles so the argument Act 19. 13. doth not followe that because the signe of the Crosse is an idoll to the Papists which worship it therefore it should be an idoll to vs which worship it not The Author his selfe as before I haue shewed saith nothing is an idoll but quatenù● it is worshipped and againe hee freeth vs from the crime of idolatry saying that our Church ascribeth no worship vnto it therefore hee doth not iustly call it by the name of an idoll and apply it vnto vs. Their abuse cannot disanull our lawfull vse and whatsoeuer may by them bee abused may by vs bee lawfully vsed therefore their superstition cannot make a nullitie of our sincere and true deuotion As the Crosse hath beene abused so hath Gods Temple beene profaned in the dayes of Ezechiel and in the dayes of our Sauiour Christ yet Ezechi 8 Ioh 2. neither of them would haue the Temple to bee suppressed Masses haue beene saide in all our Churches shall wee therefore be as the Brownists which refuse to come to Church to heare our dinine seruice They are the same Churches numero the Crosse is not therefore the argument followeth á maiori ad mious the Churches may bee as well remoued as the Crosse Fourthly the signe of the Crosse he saith is become an idoll therefore he denieth it to haue beene originally an idoll as the golden colfe was which was erected in Horeb and because Ex 32. 4. he denieth it to haue beene originally an idoll he must needes ouerthrowe that first ground which hee layed in his MINOR proposition where hee affirmed that it was an humane ordinance For the Author of the booke of reformation alledging the authoritie of Vrsinus in his exposition Maister Iacob vpon the second commaundement and the Author of the treatise of diuine worship affirme that all humane institutions in the Church are idolatry because they impugne the second Commaundement of the first Table and that the word of God is so perfect and all-sufficient of it selfe that man may ordaine nothing in the Church but all additions of men are idolatry I conclude therefore out of their own wordes that if it be become an idoll it was no humane ordinance and if it were an humane ordinance it could not become an idol because it was an idol ab initio frō the first institution of it And therfore because he saith it is become an idol he must grant that it was God ordinance And so I deny not but the holiest creatures in the world may become idolls by mans worshipping thē For so is the bread in the sacrament so is the beginning of S. Iohns Gospel In principio erat verbū being hung about childrens necks with certaine charmes of sorcery to keep thē from stumbling become an idol And the 18. verse of the 50. Psalme When thou sawest a theefe thou didst run with him being vsed with other circumstances by cōiurations to finde out stolen goods which is to ascribe diuine power to these creatures But for as much as originally the vse of the Crosse was lawfull we doe retaine it in our Church as originally it was vsed and therefore wee may iustifie the vse of it Fiftly therefore whereas hee saith that which is an idoll may not be vsed in Gods seruice it maketh nothing against vs which haue proued the Crosse to be no idoll Therefore that I may lay open the manifolde imperfections of this kinde of argumentation to shew that it is no lawfull syllogisme but a flat paralogisme in it I will discouer foure fallacies And that I may not be like them which as it is in the prouerbe will spell law and conster logicke I must be forced to vse such termes as belong to the Logitians which cannot be well expressed in English that I may obserue the lawes of schooles Out of the premisses which before I haue obserued First there is fallacia à dicto secundum quid ad dictum simpliciter quia in conclusione falso id tribuitur rei simplicitèr consideratae quod in praemissis tributum fuit aliquâ conditione seu determinatione circumstantiâ as Abetzon speaketh In the conclusion the signe of the Crosse is condemned as simply vnlawfull being simply considered without any respect of worship which in the premisses is not vnderstood but vpon circumstances and conditions of diuine worship to be ascribed vnto it Secendly it is a paralogisme called ignoratio Elenchi the ignorance of that fallacy quià non est idem respectus res non intelligitur ad idem secundum idem similiter eodem tempore there is not one and the selfe same respect but diuers the thing is not alike but diuersly vnderstoode it is not referred to one and the same things according to the same after the same maner and at the same time but all these circumstances are different one from another Thirdly it is fallacia nō causae pro cau●â such a fallacy wherin that is taken for a cause which is no cause the abuse of them which worship it is here alleaged for a cause why it may not be lawfully vsed amōg vs which their abuse is no cause at al. Fourthly it is fallacia accidentis a fallacy by reason of the accident which is included in that which belongeth onely vnto the substance and ought to bee vnderstood without any such accident For he draweth his argument from the euent which was meerely accidentall vnto the Crosse vnto the nature of the Crosse it selfe as idolum fit ergo verè idolum est It is among some vsed as an idoll therefore properly and originally the thing it selfe is an idoll They doe à praeteritis accidentibus aut euentis ad praesentiam rei argumentari draw their arguments from the accidental euents which are passed vnto the thing as among vs it is now vsed as for example because the signe of the Crosse was worshipped in the time of ignorance and superstition among Papists that therefore it is now worshipped among the Protestants after the reformation of the Church To leaue the title of the booke and come to the tract it selfe For proofe of the MAIOR hee alleageth Saint Iohns authority Babes keepe your selues from idolls as if that were a Iohn 5. 21 good argument we must keepe our selues from idolis therefore wee may not make the signe of the Crosse in Baptisme which before I haue shewed to be no idoll which is but petitio principij a begging of the question But for explanationof this text of Saint Iohn he vndertaketh two things first to set downe the definition of an idoll and secondly to limit vs how farre wee are to keepe our selues from idolls and therein he presseth vs with the