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authority_n	act_n	apostle_n	church_n	2,046	5	4.4187	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91895	Endoxa, or, Some probable inquiries into truth, both divine and humane: together with a stone to the altar: or, short disquisitions on a few difficult places of Scripture; as also, a calm ventilation of Pseudo-doxia epidemica. / By John Robinson, Dr. of Physick. Translated and augmented by the author.; Endoxa. English	Robinson, John, M.D.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1700; Thomason E1821_1; ESTC R203377	61,732	159

Free-Grace the higher Heb. 12. 24. The Blood of sprinckling speaking better things then that of Abel OUr general Translation is then the Blood of Abel I should rather read it then Abel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I find the Originals to differ The Question is concerning the sense which will carry it probably against the stream of former Commentators better for the active effusion of the Blood of Sacrifice then for the passive blood of Martyrdom which he suffered For the scope of the whole Chapter yea Book is to compare the Priesthood of old and their Sacrifices with that of Christs shewing the transcendency of the latter beyond the former Now to bring in the Blood of Martyrdom and compare it with the Blood of Sacrifices is an infringing of the Rule of Reason Comparata debent esse sub eodem quantum fieri potest proximo genere It 's more rational to confer the first acceptable Sacrifice set down by Moses with the last of Christs Or rather the Type Abel's offering the first-fruit of his Flock with the Antitype Christ's offering the last fruit of his obedience It hath a reference unto Gen. 4. 10. Thy Brother's blood cryeth That word cryeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth either a present misery or denuntiation of future Judgment But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaketh is of a soft and still nature As in our so in al-Languages there is a palpable difference between Vociferation and Speaking I adde Chap. 11. ver 14. of this Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the same word is used may better have reference unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Relatives respect ordinarily the immediate antecedent So that the sense should be and by that i. e. his Sacrifice He being dead yet speaketh which concenteth with the Exposition of the former Text. 1 Pet. 3. 19. By which also he went and preached to Spirits in Prison 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Being sent which agreeth best both with word and sense I see not how this proveth Christ's descent into Hell any ways neither in Soul nor Body but onely that he was preached by his Spirit by which He was quickned from the Dead ver 18. whereunto this relative which doth look unto the Generation of Noah that are now in Prison Concerning that Article Descended into Hell though great Volumes have been written about it yet with me the uncertainty of the Author not the Amanuensis else I must question the Authority of the Acts of the Apostles of the Epistle to the Hebrews and in the Old Testament more of the Symbole doth justly slack the eager enquiry into its truth Onely we find it first in the Syriack Tongue and many of the Eastern Churche either by negligence lost this Article or else on purpose left it out which latter because of its Senses ambiguity I am prone to embrace Severally it is expounded and few agree which I will not mention What I have beaten out upon the Anvile of mine own Conceptions you shall have First that in a publick Epitome of our Faith should be neither Tautology nor defect not a preposterous order I think none will deny Of each a word If for Hell you take the Grave as it is frequent with the Originals then is it a vain repetition his Burying before included so much If you will have it the Passion of Hell fire i. e. the wrath of his Father for all the sins of the world it must precede his Death here would be an absurd preposterousness For no passion after the consummatum est If for local or vertual descent it is either a part of his exaltation or humiliation Not the latter for it is not by us imitable as all his sufferings Miracles excepted since his Incarnation stand as well for our Ensamples at least habitually as for our comfort But in this none I hope mean to tread in his steps If as a part of his exaltation it must be either in his Body or in his Soul or according to his Deity Not according to the last for that was Omnipresent Neither according to the first for then could he not be in the grave three dayes and three nights nor in his Soul for that he recommended into his Fathers hands concording with his Promise made to the Thief This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise What some imagine that this should be an Exegetick Explanation of the fore-going Burial is inconsistent with sound reason since every Exposition ought by right to be clearer then the precedent subject The whole Earth indeed in regard as well of its dignity as distance may in respect of Heaven be called Hell or Inferi from whence descending to re-assume his Body this Article if it had any fore going Type or Promise might be expounded It is the dullest and sordidst piece of Pedantry to an ingenuous Spirit to believe with the Catholicks what the Church believeth and to be ignorant of the thing believed It remaineth then to know what to hold to if I give something more then humane credit to this Article that his three dayes and nights resting in the Grave opposite whereunto is his sitting at the right hand of his Father which Prophets fore-told and he himself had gloried in Joh. 2. 19. Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up again his forerunner being Jonas in the Whales belly is not mentioned in the Symbole except you have it here And all that while being in the Bonds of Satan was a furder humiliation than to go to Prison and presently be let out again Thus with much ado it will make a proper Article in its due rank and so I can make shift to believe that Christ descended into Hell A step or two out of the Road concerning the Systeme of the Apostles Creed where I observe some things inserted not absolutely necessary to the substance of our Belief as his suffering under Pontius Pilate the Catholick Church there being thousands now in Heaven past all Believing which were here altogether ignorant of these points Some things must be taken warily with a great caution as that the Father was the Creatour of Heaven and Earth whereas it is ascribed also unto the Son Joh. 1. 3. Col. 1. 16. and to the Spirit Iob 33. 4. according to the true and common rule in Divinity That all the Works ad extra are indivisible But a greater over-sight there is in the omission of two principal Heads the Basis of all our comfort 1 No mention there is of his actual obedience by which he purchased Eternal Bliss for us as by His Passion He freed us from the wrath of His Father For they are in an error who deny any fruit to redound to us by the perfection of His Works because say they He being made Man was by it subject to the Law forgetting that He put on Humanity for our not His own sake Et quicquid est causa causae c.

each First Cases might be stated in which it is lawful to forsake a true Church and so the Proposition shaketh But I deny the assumption that there is or hath been since the divorce of the Jews their Church and State being the same any National Ministerial Church in which none might abide alien from their Religion as far as concerneth the Moral Law Proselytus aut domūs aut Justitiae though some were exempted from the Ceremonial Obedience As were the Gideonites and Nethinims and so it is the begging of the question To the second I answer That there is a great difference of reading of a Prayer and committing Heads thereof to memory the case is the same in Preaching the latter being a means sanctified and a gift required in every Minister The former there being no Example or Rule for it nor any Pastoral gift eminent in it The Ministers Prayer is a stinting of the Spirit and so of my Prayer Ob. The Ministers Prayer is not my particular Sol. prayer nor properly his but the Churches and he therein the mouth onely of the Church unto God And if his Prayer be by the Spirit as it ought mine as a member is no other neither is mine more stinted then his In Preaching the case is inverted for there he is the mouth of God unto the People The Blessing is a mixt action as he doth apprecate unto us God's favours is his Vicegerent Unto which Amen following is the Peoples assent No man properly can bless himself but the lesser is blessed of the greater Heb. 7. 7. To conclude this point It seemeth more then probable that a company of faithful the heart no man knoweth uniting into a body become a true Oeconomical Church and having Christ for their sole Head may with a pleniporent Octroy or Concession claim priviledge to all the Ordinances instituted in the Gospel as by a Charter belonging to them by virtue of their Pact and Covenant with the Lord their King without any dependency upon any Forrein Authority either Secular or Ecclesiastical The same case is of a Church released from Babylonish Bondage who by Writ of Recovery may challenge her Pristine Inheritance I must clear up one Objection There are Ob. Hypocrites in the Church and Christ communicated with Judas For Hypocrites there is no Law against Sol. them Not Divine because they are the worst of Atheists Nor Humane because they have the face or vizard of devout Penitents The Church therefore taketh no cognizance of them and what an encased or discovered Hypocrite is I could never apprehend Christ indeed by His Theanthropy searching the Inwards knew Judas to be one but because he himself was beyond reach of Contagion and Judas's dissimulation in secret was not yet broken out into open profaneness every one of the Disciples questioning Who should be the Devil their Master spake of Christ did not refuse him which is the mistake of many Learned men in our days making his secure Example a pattern of their perilous practise Appositely do others observe that Christ would not be both Witness and Judge which no Court of Equity doth admit of CHAP. II. Of Ministers THere is a vulgar errour even among the best concerning the Name which if they mean as they speak is an open door unto Anarchy They call their Pastors as also their Magistrates yea Angels Their or the Churches Ministers which is false especially those whom they furnish with things necessary for this present life Whereas it is grounded upon a triple Foundation Natural Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corn Levitical By the Law of Decimation Evangelical 1 Cor. 9. If we have sown unto you spiritual things is it a great matter if we reap your carnal things Paying a Debt doth induce no obligation They are indeed God's Ministers and to they are styled 2 Cor. 6. 4. Rom. 13. 8. Psal 104. 4. not mans That 2 Cor. 4. 5. is a strain of holy courtesie Not to speak here of four things requisite to the constitution of a Pastor 1. A faculty of administring the Sacraments and Keyes which is called Mandate II. The applying of this Mandat to a certain person named Ordination Grotius 3. The adjoyning of the person to a certain company and that is Election 4. When the same exerciseth his Ministry by publick Authority which is with them Confirmation The discussing the truth whereof would take up time and swell the Bulk beyond my intention Let the first question be Whether a Minister may celebrate the Sacraments Quest out of his own Church There may be considered in a Minister's Exam. Office two things his Power over his own and his Duty of Benefit towards others Now no act of power can he exercise out of his Church but any grace of benefit he may provided always that by feeding of others his own be not pinched But because his duty of benefit doth extend to all whether of the same Profession or not that therefore his power should do the like is no necessary consequence This Key well turned will unlock most of our Dissenters Arguments The Sacraments therefore being no act of power seem to may be by him administred out of his own Church these considerations being ballanced 1. The Levites this way were tyed though to a Nation yet not to any particular Tribe Jud. 17. 9. 2. If he may not administer the Sacraments out of his own Church then none upon a just absence from their own might either themselves or their children be partakers of the Sister-Churches Sacraments which is against the practise of the Apostles and now best Reformed Churches The reason of the consequence is this If he admit a stranger either by that act he becometh one of them or no If not then he administreth to some out of his Church and why not then unto most or unto all Who shall set a certain bound or number If he become one of that Society then may he be a member of two or more Churches at once which though in Civil Corporations it may be admitted is inconsisting with Ecclesiastical Constitutions 3. Deacons might and ought sometime to administer out of their own Church 2 Corinth 8. 4. It would redound unto the greater comfort to the Neighbour-Churches in their building up and Spiritual Hospitality without any fear of ataxy The Administration of the Sacraments is an Object act of Power and Authority I confess it is an act of Place or Office not Answ common to every one So was the carrying out of the Ashes under the Altar yet without any power yea all the Sacrifices which went onely through the Levites hands ushered in no Authority with them But if the giving of the Sacraments be an act of power then by the Rule of Relates is the receiving of them an act of subjection But none will say that by receiving the Sacrament they become subject to that Church

with Scripture that Moses and thence all Magistrates are the preservers of both tables will hardly go down with me By keepers they must understand impertinency attends others interpretations overseers to look to the outward execution of the Ten commandements which if it were granted unto Moses it would prove but a lame argumentation to derive it unto Princes under the Gospel because their Church and Common-weale were the same subjects We are to pray and endeavour for the conversion of the Jews which can hardly be conceived without conversation But upon their co-habitation with us to compell them against conscience to a positive Celebration of our Lords day were Duci non trahi volunt a preposterous way to gain them to the true faith The interdiction of publick labour for the not disturbance of the rest is sufficient Neh. 13. 19. The Sabbath being a lesson of grace cannot be read by the letters of reason as was mentioned before But as the injunction of all Divine worship upon an unbeliever hath little equity in it so neither is it possible for the Supreme Power to take cognizance of the breach of every Commandement For the last precept Thou shalt not covet c. the new conceived motions and infant-affections of the desire of our Neighbour's goods are forbidden which because not apparent they are as if they were not I speak ad hominem according to that Maxim Non entis non apparentis eadem est ratio When these concupiscences break forth into actions they are to be ranked under the heads of Adultery or Theft And the Dealogue doth not admit of Tautology This concupisence if it be hidden to ones own self Rom. 7. 7. How shall it be manifest unto others Thus God securerh both tables with a lock which no key of reason can open That place Esa 65. I will create new Heavens and new Earth with the like consonant places are meant of new-moulding the State both in Church and Common-wealth under the Gospel when they shall be more remarkably distinguished But these men labour for a monstrous prothusteron that the Heavens should be ruled by the Earth the Higher governed Gen verkeerde weerld by the Lower and the greater by the lesser orbes Let every Sphere enjoy its proper Intelligence Neither can I so readily assent to those who affirme that two or three gathered together into a society rise up to an Organicall Church For that Mat. 18. speaking of such a Church presupposeth more persons For if thy brother offend thee there are two persons and after reproof will not hear thee take one or two with thee there are four perfons and those males whereas experience daily teacheth the contrary Acts 16. 13. besides the Church yet how small the embryo of a particular Congregation may be is hard to depose definitively As in all sensitive bodies these three faculties are required to attract to nourish and to expell the same may be said of every Congregationall body It must have power within it self to admit and receive in to nourish and foster those received and to expell or decline that which is noxious But the grand Quere will be Whence this Power is derived Doubt They of the See of Rome lay claim of inheritance to it by succession from Christ and Exam. his Apostles and so exclude as Hereticks all those that usurpe the title of a true Church or Ministry without succession or ordination from them Others even of our brethren in the Reformed Churches do deny this to belong to a Church without some succession or dependency on other Churches Of whom I dedesire the solution of these two Questions Whether a company of godly people being by Quest 1. shipwrack cast into the a barbarous or empty Iland where they are like to live out their dayes may not joyn into a spiritual body and so raise up unto themselves the exercises of all Ordinances revealed in Gods word If any one think that by stating the godly Sol. out of the Church it is a begging of the question he must have recourse unto the former distinction that they are indeed dispersed parts of the Vniversall Church but not organized by union unto Ecclesiasticall duties A multitude but no people Paul when he assayed to joyn himself unto the Church of Jerusalem Acts 9. 26. was as a private man no actuall member of any determinate Church but as an Apostle vertually of all confined to no particular place rather a Father then a Nurse to most of the Churches of the Gentiles Lest any should deny this Demand these things are tendred to their consideration Whatsoever is Spiritually a living body is Spiritually 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfecting it self An Axiom grounded upon Reason Aristotle applyeth it to the Soul of Man But all Believers are Spiritually living Bodies and have an inward principle to build up themselves and others in their holy faith So 1 Thes 5. they are commanded to edifie one another and 1 Pet. 2. the Faithful are called living stones Now presuppose that a company of living stones it is lawful to dispute upon a false Hypothesis meet and joyn together who will doubt but they may and ought to rear up from themselves a perfect Edifice Ephes 2. 21. From this ground arise all Politick Corporations Common-Weals and Kingdoms since a man for his well-being hath need of several things and one alone is not laid in with all kind of Handicraft or Art for a mutual good there is a coalescency So in the Church every one is nor an eye or hand some must act the ear others the foot Semblable is that of Solomon Eccles 4. Wo to him that is alone for if he fall who shall raise him up Again I ask In time of Reformation from Quest 2. Idolatry or profaneness to an Orthodox Holiness Whether there be not the same necessity which there was in the case stated before How shall they be reduced where there is Exam. no Church will be the question The Examples of the Disciples that were sent out by Couples will teach that These Hewers of Stone and Timber did by converting many fit and square them for a Spiritual Edifice If it be answered affirmatively then they may unite together into a Church without succession or dependency on other Churches If not either they must procure some Superltious or profane Minister to receive-in Members to ordain Officers in a true Church which is absurd or else they must stay till they meet with another true Church or Ministry which besides the difficulty favoureth of a Prelatical Jurisdiction of one Church over another of which something in the subsequent Chapter where the difference of Authority and benefit of one Church towards another is more copiously examined Some that meekly yet earnestly contend against this way object two main Arguments The first is It is unlawful to withdraw or separate from a true Church The second is concerning readd Prayer A word to