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authority_n	according_a	church_n	power_n	3,403	5	5.0065	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66898	The late proposal of union among Protestants, review'd and rectifi'd being a vindication of the most reverend father in God, Edwin, Lord Arch-Bishop of York, and the reverend Dr. Tillotson, Dean of Canterbury, from the misprisions of an apocryphal proposer : with a full answer to his proposal, presented to the Parliament.	Womock, Laurence, 1612-1685.	1679 (1679)	Wing W3345; ESTC R20318	24,189	16

holy Scriptures To which I answer That we have nothing establish'd in our Church but what God hath set up by general directions and a just authority nor have we any thing in use and practice amongst us but what is in the root and ground of it as old as the Apostles nor is any thing imposed upon Ministers or People but what hath such sufficient footing and warrant in the Holy Scriptures That the Church hath power to institute external Rites prescribe Forms to make Canons and Constitutions to assist her Children and regulate their Practice in the publick Worship and Service of God is not onely the unanimous Confession of all Protestant Churches of any creditable denomination but is exactly consonant to the mind of God revealed to us in his holy Scriptures where he gives the Church a charge to do all things to edification and to his glory To this end he enjoyns her to perform all her holy Offices decently and in goad order This is God's express command in general but his Word hath no where determined the particulars wherein that decency or order does or shall consist it follows therefore undeniably that the Word of God or the Holy Scriptures do suppose or establish a Power in the Church to institute Rules prescribe Forms and make Canons to that purpose For a clearer Demonstration hereof let us seriously reflect upon these Considerations 1. That Christ and his Apostles intended Unity and to obtain and preserve that Unity they enjoyned Order and Uniformity in the Churches Christ's intent is evident in his ardent Prayer that his Disciples might a Joh. 17. be one and made perfect in one And we may read the great Apostle's aim in his earnest conjuring them b Eph. 4.1 to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace c Rom. 16.17 For there is one body and one spirit one Lord and one Faith one Baptism one Hope of our calling And elsewhere he is no less vehement Now I beseech you Brethren 1 Cor. 4.17 mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them That Order and Vniformity are enjoyned to preserve this Vnity is no less evident d 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Order is the Parent of Decency and to observe the same Rule is to follow Order Hence the Apostle exhorts the Philippians e Phil. 3.16 Let us walk by the same rule let us mind the same things And this is the onely way to keep out Schism whereupon he useth this Observation to the Corinthians f 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you Brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgment And he tells us to what end he requires this viz. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Rom. 15.6 even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ And upon this account their Order in the Church of Coloss was a Prospect of so much pleasure to him Col. 2.5 For though I am absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ For when men begin to break order they presently grow loose in their Faith both to God and Man 2. Consider that the Apostles at their first Preaching of the Gospel did not presently establish that Order which the state of the Church did afterward require The Church was to be gathered first and afterwards Orders prescribed how it should be governed This is evident not onely from those Decrees made in the first Council at Jerusalem but from the express resolution of S. Paul Acts 15. 1 Cor. 11.34 the rest will I set in order when I come 3. Consider that the Apostle expected such a Settlement should be made by such as were intrusted with the Government of the Church This is clear from his advice and command to Titus For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting or left undone From whence two things may be inferr'd irrefragably 1. That at his first Preaching of the Gospel S. Paul left some things undone which in his own judgment were afterwards fit to be done 2. That he expected the performance thereof from the care of Titus 4. Consider that the Apostle gives certain general rules or Canons to direct the Governours of the Church Instit l. 3. c. 19. sect 15. in making such Establishments such are these Let all things be done to the glory of God Let all things be done to edification Let all things be done decently and in order Hereupon Mr. Calvin does acknowledge such Ecclesiastical Constitutions to be lawful as consonant to the Word of God And Beza accounts them celestial and divine in respect of their foundation and end which is that general decorum commanded to be observed in God's Worship 5. Consider that the Apostle left it to the Judgment of Church-Governours to determine the particulars to be established in such cases For this cause left I thee Titus Titus 1.5 a single person and at least a Bishop in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting David Solomon and Jehosaphat Hezekiah Josiah and all godly Princes made Laws for the Church of God and were approved yea the Laws and Decrees of Nebuchadnezar of Cyrus and Darius were for the benefit of it And God hath promised that Kings shall be nursing fathers and Queens nursing mothers to the Church And it was truly and worthily said in Queen Elizabeths time by that Author before mentioned That Princes especially serve Christ even in making Laws for Christ L. Drios p. 162 Now let us lay these Principles together 1 That the solemn Worship and Service of God cannot be performed without Circumstances for of necessity Circumstances must cloath every action under the Sun 2. That these Circumstances are to be observed according to the rules of decency and order and that these rules are to be adjudged and determined by such as are invested with Authority to that effect it will follow unavoidably that all Subjects and Members of the Church are obliged in Conscience to obey such Determinations and Establishments For 't is most certain where some are impowered to command others are enjoyned to obey else the Power given to Superiours were given to no effect Vbi supra Hereupon Mr. Beza does acknowledge though these Ecclesiastical Constitutions be humane and mutable and do not bind the Conscience properly and of themselves yet if they be just and honest we are obliged to observe them as they contribute to the edification of the Church and that we may avoid scandal Nor want we a better Authority than that of Mr. Beza the

2.16 Vnâ clausulâ comprehendit Judaizantes Pythagorizantes vino abstinere perpetud non erat Judaicum nisi in paucis apud Pythagoristas frequens Cibis nonnullis Judaei abstinebant multo pluribus Pythagoristae Ne admitte tales magistros qui talia non observantes spesalutis excludunt Haec Grotius De crescentibus verbis indicatur in quantum creverit superstitio saith Calixtus The lessening of the words does intimate the increase of Superstition And he does make use of the Number Three that he may comprehend all saith Cajetan And as he goes on though we cannot tell certainly and in specie what Ordinances he means yet we are sure they concern Observances of an external carnal nature as Religious But by the Cardinal 's good leave they placed Religion in the Aversation and Non-observance of them wherein the Apostle reproves their vain Scrupulosity and affected Superstition Modern Expositors have not express'd themselves distinctly and clearly in this matter Ad Col. 2. but S. Ambrose though in few words delivers himself full enough to our purpose Omnis qui baptizatur in Christo moritur mundo cunctis enim superstitionum erroribus abrenunciat solam colit fidem Christi Every one that is baptized into Christ is dead to the world for he renounceth all the errors of Superstition that he may observe the faith of Christ onely as his Religion Those beggarly Elements of the Levitical Law and the Traditions and Ordinances of old Philosophers S. Ambrose calls the Observance of them Superstition For Superstition is an awful veneration of something that is dead under a notion that it still lives in a state of Glory Now those Philosophical and Jewish Ordinances which the Apostle reproves are as well dead to us as we to them Wherefore look upon them as surviving those Dispensations which gave them life and being and to have their imaginary Ghosts in veneration is certainly a most vain and gross Superstition To shut up this part of our Discourse By things indifferent we mean such things as God hath left free to us Col. 2.16 things neither commanded nor forbidden concerning which these Rules may be of use to direct our common Practice 1. Such as are afraid they should offend God and wound their Conscience Col. 2.21 1 Cor. 10.25 27. by the use and practice of such things as God hath not forbidden they are superstitious 2. Such as are afraid they should offend God and wound their Consciences Gal. 4.10 11. Mar. 7.5 c. by the omission or disuse of such things as God hath not commanded they are Superstitious 3. Such as make the use and practice Such was the Case in Gal. 4.10 11. Mar. 7.5 or the omission and forbearance of things indifferent a matter of merit of Religion or Divine Worship of necessity to Salvation Justification and Holiness and binding the Conscience of their own nature or upon any such account they are Superstitious 4. Such as are not led away by an affected singularity in matters that are indifferent 1 Pet. 2.16 with 18. Heb. 13.7 17. Gal. 5.13 2 Thes 3.6 7. Rom. 16 17 18. but do fix the use of their otherwise indeterminate Liberty according to the commands of a just Authority having respect to Polity Decency and good Order they do govern themselves prudently according to Apostolical direction But Lastly such as out of an opinion of Religion do refuse to conform to the Constitution of a just Authority in determining the use of their Christian Liberty about things indifferent to the ends aforesaid they do walk * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disorderly in reference to the Government and are upon the matter superstitious schismatical and scandalous In short then according to the Apostles way of Arguing Touch not taste not handle not by a parity of reason the bogling at those Instances amongst our selves appointed for Decency and Order in the solemn performance of God's public Worship and Service viz. Touch not the Surplice kneel not at the Sacrament sign not with the Cross are an Ataxy in Government a denyal of Authority in determing the use of things indifferent a retrenchment of our Christian Liberty a reviving of an old Superstition in other Instances and highly scandalous by casting a snare of necessity upon the Conscience and fixing an Opinion of Religion upon such Abstentions and Omissions as are but indifferent in their own nature This was charged upon dissenting Brethren by a Learned Man in the time of Queen Elizabeth La Drios ubi supra pag. 172. where he faith thus Those Mistakers and Tolerators so he calls them have forgotten the last and extremest degree of Revolters of Forsakers of Refusers and plain Contemners whose case is much to be pitied especially of those mistakers because through them they the rest are come into this downfall By this time I presume you will readily conclude that the Church hath great reason not to yield in those things which she her self calls indifferent though the Dissenters account them sinful For it is evident that hereby 1. She should betray the Truth and our Christian Liberty 2. She should give scandal to her weaker sort of Children who look upon these things as indifferent and submit to the use and practice of them as lawful out of obedience to Authority 3. She should hereby throw dirt upon the face of our first Reformers and condemn their vigilant Successors not onely as unwise in putting these chips according to the Irreverence of this Author into our Porridge but as unjust and tyrannous in imposing things sinful to wound the Conscience And lastly She should hereby encourage these Dissenters in their disobedience confirm them in their error and superstition and so cast a snare upon their Consciences That she may not be forced to do them this unkindness the Church finds her self obliged to deny them their unjust demands I see in the opinion of this Author these things are but bones of contention and stumbling blocks but we know some Spirits are of that temper they will stumble at the best Constitutions under Heaven if themselves have not a hand in them Christ himself is such a stumbling block as cannot escape their wanton kicks and censures 1 Pet. 2.8 Mat. 11.6 which makes him leave this Aphorism upon record Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Let us obtain so much Charity of these dissenting Brethren as to believe us in this our serious Profession that we look not upon the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church as matters of Religion or parts of God's Worship but as outward circumstances of Decency and Order in the performance of it and that coming into any other Protestant Church which differs from us herein we can as freely and sincerely communicate with them as in our own This Author tells us Rome was not built in a day but the structure which takes up much time and pains in rearing up may be pull'd

down speedily and Children are able to demonstrate this by their petty Experiments The first Reformers he confesses cast out abundance of filth and rubbish and what should be done more I hope there are none so ill advised as to overturn the Fabrick of the Church and grub up her foundation He says they could not finish the work nor add the top stone to the Reformation but I pray what hindered them did they want skill or wisdom zeal or courage authority or power I suppose there is no man so shameless as to affirm they wanted any thing needful to an advisable Reformation He faith indeed such was the iniquity of the Times the rage of their Enemies and the Opposition they met with they could not do it But reflecting upon the Proceedings of that Work we find that none gave them more trouble from time to time than these dissenting Brethren To take offence at every thing which is in use and practice in the Church of Rome and for that very reason onely Because it is so is very childish and ridiculous and for this I appeal to all the Lutherans with the most Learned and Judicious of the Reformed Churches The Learned Author in Queen Elizabeths Reign La Deios p. 113. so often mentioned told those Dissenters of that Age It is certain that a great part of the publick prayers in that Book which the Romans use was practised in the Church before the Beast came into that Chair and oftentimes God's people have either taken or resumed those things to God's Worship which have been abused by Idolatry The spoils of Egypt and Jericho the Vessels of the Temple abused by the Babylonians were again applied to God's Service If we used any thing wherein the Pope sheweth himself to be the Beast as his worshipping of dead Saints and Images and the Mass and such like then we might be said to bear his Image or his Mark but in the Prayers that we have there is no part no limb no claw of that Beast Some men I know to serve their own ends and some for want of better information are apt to take up that old thredbare method so fit to delude the hearts of the simple people They are ready to charge others with an inclination to Popery who stand at a further distance from it than themselves and upon much better grounds not as rash Zelots but as prudent Christians not out of design to secure their Estates but out of Conscience to save their Souls Yet we must not run so far from Rome as the manner of some is as to leave the Holy Scriptures the Apostolical Constitutions and the whole practice of the primitive Church with our common Faith the Creed and Sacraments behind us The Lines that are drawn to the greatest distance from this centre have the least strength in them L. Deios p. 114 'T is very well said of the Author even now commended The people of God must not fashion themselves like the Canaanites nor the Heathen about them in any thing wherein they are Idolatrous and Impious but in that they have as men God's people may be like them As they are Papists we will not be like the Romans but as they are Christians we may be like them We must not use the Bible nor the Name of God or Christ nor Baptism if we will have nothing that they have This was sound Protestant Doctrine in the happy days of that Queen of ever blessed Memory Consonant hereunto the most eminent Protestant Divines both at home and in forein Churches do unanimously profess to detest and renounce nothing of the Church of Rome but her Errors her Corruptions her Contagions her Idolatry Superstition and Tyranny And albeit these her Pollutions would not permit them to communicate with her in the outward exercises of Religion so contaminated yet they profess they never altered their purpose of persevering in the faith and practice of those things which are good in her And for this I appeal to Bishop Jewel in his a Latin 12. pag. 88. c. Apology and to Dr. Andrew Rivet in his b In Quarto tom 1. tract 2. q. 2. p. 289. Cathol Orthodoxus and to the Learned H. Zanchy in his c Cap. 24. sect 19. in p. 157. Faith concerning matters of Religion written when he was 70 years of age Sir when all is done the onely Judges of publick Constitutions are our Governours invested with Authority to that effect And I must tell you freely never were matters more throughly sifted and examined for six score years together than these Church matters never more care and pains taken than to adapt and fit them to the S●lemnities of God's Worship See her Act for Uniformity at the end It was the care of Queen Elizabeth and her Commissioners to ordain and publish such Rites and Ceremonies as were most for the advancement of God's glory the edifying of his Church and the due reverence of Christ's holy Mysteries and Sacraments And truly I am of opinion that her Royal Highness and her Commissioners were as wise as pious and as learned as our Dissenters They cried out of things as Popish and Antichristian in those days Pag. 154. as these do in ours And that Author so often mentioned did rarely encouter them at that time and we need no other Confutation Now then saith he how shall we know whetehr a thing be Popish and Antichristian or no By the Names That cannot be Names of their own nature be indifferent the Things contained in the Names as they are used of us might be examined And how shall we find whether they be Popish and Antichristian If they serve to promote Popery then are they Popish then are they Antichristian But if none of these things which they except against help to maintain Idolatry or the Pope's Supremacy or mens Traditions against the written Word or Free Will against the Grace of Christ or mens Merits against Justification by Faith or the Idol and Sacrifice of the Mass or Pilgrimages or Purgatory or Prayer for the Dead or Auricular Confession whereby the Priest keeps the Lock and Key of the Penitent's Conscience and makes it his Spy to discover his secret Inclinations and the his Press-master to engage him to execute any design of mischief or Satisfactions for sins by Penance or Indulgences or the keeping of the Word of God from the people in any unknown Tongue or the like if they do not maintain vice or unjustice nor Heresie amongst us but are directed to root out Popery to keep us in the true faith to advance the Word of God to establish our Justification by Faith to further Repentance and good works to punish sin to define that which is equal and right to keep the common peace of the Church Then are they not Popish seeing they are bent and exercised to the ruin of Popery But they are Christian and holy and appertaining to the Church of Christ