Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	answer_v	church_n	scripture_n	3,948	5	6.4379	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

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