Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	ancient_a	church_n	council_n	2,300	5	6.8190	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33979	A supplement to a little book entituled, A reasonable account why some pious nonconforming ministers cannot judg it lawful for them to perform their ministerial acts in publick solemn prayer, ordinarily, by the prescribed forms of others : wherein is examined whatsoever Mr. Falconer in his book called, Libertas ecclesiastica, and Mr. Pelling in a book called, The good old way, have said to prove the ancient use of forms of prayers by ministers : and it is proved, that neither of the two aforementioned authors have said anything that proveth the general use, or imposition of such forms of prayer in any considerable part of the church, till Pope Gregories time, which was six hundred years after Christ, nor in any church since the reformation, except that of England, and (which is uncertain) some in Saxony.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.; Falkner, William, d. 1682. Libertas ecclesiastica.; Pelling, Edward, d. 1718. Good old way.	1680 (1680)	Wing C5343; ESTC R18940	53,644	120

assertion in safe terms Prescript forms of worship truly that I will not deny I believe that Christ and his Apostles ordained that men should worship God by Prayers Praises Exhortations and administring the Sacraments this form of worship yea and that they should Baptize in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost and were not these forms of worship these have been established 1600 years he means more though he either hath not worded it well or had a mind to speak safely though he did but deceive his Reader and say nothing to the purpose If he means That forms of words to be ordinarily used by all Ministers ordinarily in their publick Prayers were established in the Church that is generally used or required to be used in the universal Church or any considerable part of it these 1200 years though I for once run the hazard of my repute for learning with this great Dictator I shall deny it yea and further challenge him and all his friends to prove any such thing before Six hundred years after Christ when Popery came in with a full wind and tide Let us hear his proof to the contrary of this assertion He tells us That it is now 1312 years since the Council at Laodicea and then it was decreed that the Choristers should sing by book and that the same prayers should serve for noon and for Evening-service for every Assembly nor should any Prayers be read but what were received and established having been delivered to them by their fore fathers Here are three things asserted 1. That this Council of Laodicea was held in the year 368. 2. That they made such a Canon 3. That this is the sense of that Canon That all Ministers should use forms of prayer composed by others The Scripture tells us in St. John's time which was more than two hundred years before this the Church of Laodicea was a very lukewarm Church neither hot nor cold ready to be spued out of Gods mouth wretched miserable poor blind naked and proud and ignorant knowing not her own corruptions Rev. 3. 15 16 17. If such a Church as this did make such a Canon which concerned only their own Province it hath nothing in it either of a just pattern to imitate or of a just proof Chytreus tells us that there was a Council held Anno 364 but there is not the least mention of it in the Synodicon published by Dr. Pappus out of a M. S. wrote before the year 921. which yet giveth us an account of all Synods and Councils held from the Apostles time to the 8th Council held upon the union of Photius and Pope John Caranza hath it with 59 Canons it should make He saith there were but 22 Bishops at it of which the 18 Canon Caranza gives thus De eo quod semper supplicationes Orationum ad horam novam vesperam oportet celebrari That prayers should be made both at 9 in the morning and evening but whether conceived prayers or by a form it saith not how Balsamon reports it I cannot tell but it is more than I know if Caranza is not to be believed as soon as Balsamon and the Synodicon published by Dr. Pappas before them both Balsamon dyed 1203 his Works came not out till long after when the Papists published them and all Protestants know there is no great credit to be given to their Editions of any ancient Authors The upshot then is this 1. It is very incertain whether there were ever such a Council yea or no. 2. If there were there were but 22 men at it and it concerned only a part of Phrygia 3 It was a Church corrupt enough and indeed he that reads the pretended Canons will find it 4. This Council according to Caranza only decreed Prayers morning and evening but did not prescribe words 5. Balsamon speaks any thing which the late Papists had a mind to who made him speak according to the sense of their Father Gregory 6. However this was 368 years after Christ when the Church had as to worship lost her Purity His next proof is the Council of Carthage which he says was 1284 years ago that made a Canon That if any man did compose any prayers he should not presume to use them till he had consulted the most knowing men in the Church The intent of which decree he saith was That none should have the liberty to use what forms of prayer he pleased but that such only should be said as had been ratified by due authority and ancient custom I do not like dictating How doth this Author know that this Canon was made by a Council at Carthage 1284 years ago First if it were so it was 396 years after Christs time when as I said before the Church was corrupted enough in Rituals But what will he say if that Council never made any such Canon I can shew him a good Author to prove it that is Justellus who published the African-Code In his Preface to it p. 35. he speaks thus Whereas they say that there was a third Council held at Carthage when Caesarius and Atticus were Consuls I the less refuse it because Zonaras and Balsamo attest it and the Africane Collection mentioneth it but they are mistaken who ascribe 50 Canons to it there are but 21 which were made by it all the rest were made 22 years after in the time of Pope Boniface in the year 419 and this is proved by the words of the 47 Canon for Boniface was not Pope when Caesarius and Atticus were Consuls but was ordained 418 when Honorius and Theodosius was Consuls Now this was Canon 23 so as it was not made before the year 419. But as to what this Canon saith it is as material and nothing to this Authors purpose but for that I refer my Reader to what I have before said in answer to Mr. Falconer His next proof is from the Canon of the Council of Milevis as to which I have fully spoken before and only shall add this That this pretended Canon is not to be found in the African-Code published by Justellus where it ought to have been if any such had been made and not been a temporary constitution But for a fuller answer I refer my Reader to what is before said having nothing to add to it He goes on and says It was one great reason amongst many others why publick Liturgies were compiled of old that they might be Repositories of sound Doctrine and Preservatives of the Catholick Faith These were Antidotes to keep Christians from being poisoned with erroneous and rotten Principles as our English Liturgy is at this day an excellent Amulet against the infection from Papists Socinians Pelagians and other modern seducers and perhaps this is the Grand reason why the Belweathers of faction hate our Common-prayer-book c. As is the man so is his truth so is his spirit The Papists have had Liturges these 1000 years by this argument they are