Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	church_n	elder_n	2,509	5	9.8460	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34675	A defence of Mr. John Cotton from the imputation of selfe contradiction, charged on him by Mr. Dan. Cavvdrey written by himselfe not long before his death ; whereunto is prefixed, an answer to a late treatise of the said Mr. Cavvdrey about the nature of schisme, by John Owen ...	Cotton, John, 1584-1652.; Owen, John, 1616-1683. Of schisme.	1658 (1658)	Wing C6427; ESTC R2830	62,631	184

way which I delivered more laxly I expresse more distinctly in the Treatise of the Keyes which followed after and some things more fully and clearely in the way cleared then in either of the former Answer 3. When I say No Act of the Peoples part doeth properly binde unlesse the Authority of the Elder joyne with it Keyes pag. 36. I would be understood to speak it as I meant it of the Elders walking without offence in the Right Administration of their office and Conversation of their lives Answer 4. When Mr Hooker saith Excommunication is not an Act of Office Power nor of Rule but of supreame Judgment seated in the Fraternity I easily grant that the Excommunication dispensed by the Fraternity is not an Act of Office-Power But it may Justly be Inquired whether Excommunication being Dispensed by the Elders with the consent of the Church be not an Act as of the Churches honourable Judiciall Power so of the Elders Office-Power and Rule in the Church For as the Pastorall Preaching of the Elders is Officiall and so Authoritative though the Preaching of other Brethren as of the Sonnes of the Prophets be not so so why may there not be the like Difference observed here To deliver unto Satan seemeth to be an Act of Judiciall Office-Power as when in another case it is said The Judge delivereth a man to the Officer and the officer casteth him into Prison Matth. 5. 25. He that casteth into Prison is an Inferiour officer The Judge must therefore be a Superiour officer that delivereth an offendour to the officer to be cast into Prison In the Excommunication of the Incestuous Corinthian where both the Elders and Brethren concurred the sentence might well be delivered in Termes that expresse an Act of highest Authority To deliver unto Satan But where the Church is called to Act against their Elders who corrupt them with false Doctrine there the Apostle Requireth the Church to mark them and Avoyd them Rom. 16. 17 18. which may expresse an Act of liberty and Judiciall Power but not of Authority CHAP. 4. Touching the seaventh Contradiction and eighth The seaventh Contradiction is thus gathered 7. It was a Sacrilegious Breach of Order That Commissaries and Chancellours wanting the Key of Order no Ministers have been invested with Jurisdiction Yea and more then Ministeriall Authority above those Elders who labour in word and Doctrine The Keyes pag. 16. 7. There is a Key of Power given to the Church with the Elders as to open a doore of entrance to the Ministers calling so to shut the doore of entrance against them in some cases c. The Keyes p. 9. Yea to Censure all their Elders without Elders The Way p. 45. as before Ans. The power given to the Commissaries Chancellors I justly called a Sacrlegious Breach of Order in more Respects than one 1. In that being no Ministers they exercised more than Ministeriall Authority over the Elders For Ministers doe not exercise Authority over Elders no nor over any Brother but with consent of the Church But these doe it without and against the Consent of the Church 2. In that they exercise this Authority even in Churches wherein they have not Received the key of Order and so stand not so much as in the Order of Members amngst them 3. In that they proceed against them not for crimes committed against the word of God but for Neglect of Popish-Canons or Humane Traditions But now no Authority allowed to Brethren either in the Keyes or in the Way cometh neere to this Breach of Order For 1. In Joyning with the Elders to open a doore of entrance to Minister's calling They put forth no Act of Authority properly so called at all but only exercise a liberty and Power orderly which they have Received from the Lord Jesus to elect their own officers As the Peoples election of Deacons Act. 6. 2. to 5th And their lifting up of hands in the choice of Elders Act. 14. 23. doth declare And when they doe shut them forth it is not without their Elders where their Elders are not wanting or not wanting to their Duty And even then they put forth no Act of Office Rule or Authority properly so called as the Commissaries doe but only an Act of Judiciall Power common to the whole Church 1 Cor. 5. 12. 2. The People do exercise this Power only in their own Church where themselves are members and have Received a key of Order 3. They proceed not against any much lesse against their Elders but for notorious offences committed against the word of God in Doctrine or life so that this Contradiction speaketh as little ad idem as any of the former Touching the 8th Contradiction The 8th Contradiction is represented thus 8. We are so farre from Allowing that Sacrilegious usurpation of the Ministers office That private Christians ordinarily take upon them to Preach the Gospell Publickly The Keyes pag 6. 8. This is ordinarily Practised in England and Allowed by the Independant Brethren Yea they being but in the Notion of Gifted Brethren no Ministers to other Congregations doe it ordinarily themselves Ans. 1. This Contradiction is not of me to my selfe but of some others who whether they be Independants truly so called I doe not know sure I am that Presbyterians and Independants are not membra Dividentia though I see that all that are not for Popery or Episcopacy or Presbytery doe commonly lurke under the style of Independancy I hope the Replyer would be loth to Renounce the Protestant Religion because there are found some contradictions and greater than these in one of them to another Ans. 2. When I call it a Sacrilegious usurpation for Private Christians Ordinarily to take upon them to Preach the Gospell Publickly to Administer the Sacraments yet this latter of Administring the Sacraments the Replyer leaveth out and so the Contradictiction is not ad idem which is a Common failing in this and the rest For I would not say that it is a Sacrilegious usurpation for well gifted Brethren where ordained Ministers cannot be had there to Preach ordinarily and Publickly especially if they be Approved by those that have Power and requested thereto by the People wherein I goe further in giving way to the Prophecying of Private Brethren than my Reverend Brethren the Prefacers to the Keyes doe who only Allow them to Preach occasionally and not ordinarily which I speak only to this end That the Replyer and others may know there is more consent and Agreement in our Judgments then they take notice of or sometimes our selves either But if Private Brethren doe Administer the Sacraments at all whether ordinarily or Occasionally It seemeth to me like the Fact of Uzziah in offering Incense CHAP. 5. Touching the 9th Contradiction The 9th Contradiction is layd out thus 9. A Particular Church of Saints Professing the Faith that is members without offices is the first subject of all the Church Offices with all their Spirituall Gifts

keyes are Given to the Church of Believers The way pag. 1. that is a combination of Faithfull men as Mr. Hooker 2. The key of knowledg belongeth to all the faithfull whether Joyned to any particular Church or no The Keyes pag. 11. 2 The key of knowledge is given not only to the Church but to some before they enter into the Church Keyes pag. 2. Ans. This terme the key of knowledge is taken from our Saviour's words in Luk. 11. 52. Where he Reproveth the Lawyers who had taken away the key of knowledge and neither entred in themselves nor suffered others to enter The words argue that the entring in was not into the visible Church for into that the Lawyers had entred and were willing to admit others He speaketh therefore of entring into the state of Grace and so into the kingdome of Grace and Glory The solution then is plaine and easy The key of knowledge or Faith belongeth to all the faithfull whether Joyned to any particular Church or no For by it they enter into the Kingdome of Grace and Glory But if we speak of the keyes of a Particular visible Church they are all given to the Church or Congregation of Believers Touching the third Contradiction The third Contradiction is decyphered thus 3. The key of Order is Common to all the members of the Church keyes pag. 8. Then say we to Women and Children 3 It is not every place or Order in the Church that giveth Power to Receive Ordinances much lesse to Dispense them as Children and Women Way cleared part 2. pag. 19. Ans. 1. It hath been Answered above that such Generall Propositions hold true notwithstanding some knowne particular exceptions It is appointed to all men once to Dye which is an undoubted Truth though Enoch and Elias never Dyed Ans. 2. The Children of Church-members are in Order to Baptisme but excluded from the Lord's Table 1 Cor. 11. 28. Women have some parts of the key of Order whereby they have power to walke Orderly themselves and in a private way to help others to walk Orderly also Act. 18. 26. Tit. 2. 3 4 5. Only they have not Power to Admit members choose Officers censure Offenders But if they have any part of the power of the keyes the Proposition is true yea and it were true also though they had been kept from all Interest in the Exercise of the keyes Touching the fourth Contradiction The fourth Contradiction is thus laid out 4. Ordination is a work of Rule The way pag. 49. Ordination and Jurisdiction both Acts of Rule pertaine indifferently to all the Presbyters ibid. pag. 49. 4. As for Election Ordination of Officers these things the brethren may doe if need be without Officers The way pag. 45. 101. 4. Ordination is not an Act of Supreme Jurisdiction but of Order rather Hooker's Survey part 2. 75. Ans. Ordination They that make the least of it make it an Act of Prayer such Prayer by which the lesse is blessed of the greater as it is in all Prayer which is Joyned with Imposition of hands which Argueth it is an Act of majority of Power and majority of Power may without a Soloecisme be called Rule though not office-Rule yet Honourable preheminence I no where call it an Act of Supreme Jurisdiction which is that Mr Hooker Denies and seemeth to Deny it not Positively neither but comparatively rather Ordination saith he is not an Act of Supreme Jurisdiction but of Order rather then there is no contradiction here Nor will it be found in the other clause for though Ordination and Jurisdiction be said in the Way pag 49. to pertaine indifferently to all the Presbyters yet that is expresly spoken in opposition to the Lord Bishops who usurped both into their own hands as their peculiar prerogative and though I say else where in the Way that in Election Ordination of Officers the Brethren may act if need be without Officers yet the very word of limitation if need be Argueth that in ordinary cases ordination pertaineth to the Presbyters as other Acts there mentioned doe pertaine to the Presbyters and Brethren met together but as for Election I take it to pertaine principally to the Brethren Touching the 5th Contradiction The 5th Contradiction followeth in this sort 5. The keye of Authority or Rule is committed to the Elders of the Church and so the Act of Rule is the proper Act of their office Keyes pag. 20. The People discerning and approving the Justice of the censure give consent and Obedience to the will and Rule of Christ keyes pag. 15. 37. 41. The People stand in an Order even an orderly Subjection according to the Order of the Gospel pag. 11. 5. In case the Officers doe Erre and give offence they shall be governed by the whole Body of the Brethren The Way Pag. 100. The Church exerciseth severall Acts of Authority over the Elders The Way pag. 101. The People have some storke of Power and Authority in the Government of the Church pag. 36. They Rule the Church by Appointing their own officers ibid. pag. 16. Ans. 1. The former Columne in all the three Places speaketh of Elders walking in the right Administration of their office then in Propriety of speech the Key of Authority and Rule is committed to them 1 Tim. 5. 17. and is there made the proper Act of their office Then it is that the People Discerning the will and Judgment of Christ in their Judgment they do give Consent and Obedience to the will of Christ in Censures Advised by them Then it is also that they walke in orderly subjection to their Elders Heb. 13. 17. But the latter Columne speaketh of the Power of the Church over the Elders chiefly in case of the Elders mal-Administration of their office or misgovernment of themselves But then the Power which the Church putteth forth It is not office Power which is properly Authority but Potestas honoraria Answer 2. In Columne the second when it is said The People have some stock of Power and Authority in the Government of the Church Keyes pag. 36. They are the words of an objection not of mine owne Assertion And though some where I speak of Acts of Authority over the Elders I do clearely explaine my selfe in the Keyes pag. 36. That Authority is taken in a large sense and after a sort when it is Acknowledged in the People over the Elders As 1. When a man acteth according to his owne will freely he is then said to be {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Dominus sui Actus so the People in all the Acts of liberty which they put forth they are Domini sui Actus Lords of their owne Actions 2. The people by sundry Acts of liberty as in Election of officers in sending forth their messengers in concurrence with their Elders in the Admission of members and censure of Offenders in the Determination and Promulgation of Synodall Acts They have a great stroke and Power in

the Ordering of Church Affaires which may be called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Potestas a Power which many times in Common speech goeth under the Name of Rule or Authority But in proper speech It is indeed a Priviledge or liberty an {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or Power rather then Authority It is a common speech usuall amongst our best Divines That the Government of the Church is mixt of a Monarchy an Aristocracy and a Democracy In regard of Christ the Head the Government of the Church is Soveraigne and Monarchicall In regard of the Rule by the Presbytery it is Stewardly and Aristocraticall In Regard of the Peoples Power in Elections and censures It is Democraticall Chap. 3. Touching the sixth Contradiction The sixth Contradiction is thus Presented 6. Examination is one of the highest Acts of Rule and therefore cannot be performed but by some Rulers Keyes pag. 16. The Church cannot Excommunicate the whole Presbytery because they have not received frō Christ an office of Rule without their officers ibid. No Act of the Peoples power doth properly bind unlesse the Authority of the Presbytery Joyne with it Ibid. pag. 36. 6. If all their officers were found Culpable either in Hereticall Doctrine Or in scandalous Crimes the Church hath lawfull Authority to proceed against them all The Way pag. 45. In case of offence given by an Elder or the whole Eldership together the Church hath Authority to require satisfaction and if they give it not to Proceed to Censure Ibid. page 101. 6. Excommunication is not an Act of the Power of office but of judgment Nor an Act of highest Rule but of supreame Judgment seated in the Fraternity Surv. part 3. pag. 45. As a Church of Brethren can not proceed to any publick Censure without the Elders so nor the Elders without concurrence of the People Preface to the Keyes pag. 4. Answer 1. Here is indeede a Discrepance in Expressions between the Way and the Keyes But it was not my Act that any such Discrepance should have been extant The truth is That many yeares agoe and some yeares before the suppressing of the Bishops in England I was seriously moved by some of our Brethren and fellow Elders here to Draw up an Historicall Narration of our Church-way together with some familiar grounds of the same briefly In short time as God Helped I dispatched it which when our brethren had perused I saw they did not close with it Yet a Brother going for England got some where a Copy of it and Presented it to some of the Congregationall way there and I afterwards heard that neither did they close with it and in particular not with that Passage which is here recited as a part of the Contradiction Which since appeareth more openly by the Asterisk put upon that Passage and upon sundry other in the Book But before I saw that and had only heard That they did not fully Accord I hoped it had met with a timely suppression rather then an impression for I heard no more of it for two or three yeares after Meane while perceiving That one maine Point of Dissatisfaction was the Authority given to the Fraternity I considered more seriously and Distinctly of the whole Power of the Keyes and expressed my Apprehensions in that Treatise of the Keyes which our brethren here did well Accept and so did the brethren of like Judgment in England and some of them were pleased to Attest it with the Preface which is now extant before it yea I have heard as well as some other of our Brethren here by some letters from England that Reverend Mr Rutherford who was a great Part of the Assembly at Westminster offered to the Dissenting brethren That if they would come up to the Treatise of the Keyes themselves would meet them there But this was sundry yeares after the Treatise of the way had been finished and carried to England and as I hoped suppressed But it seemeth some Brother there having got a Copy of it being zealous of the Authority of the Fraternity and Perceiving that their Authority was not so fully Acknowledged in the Keyes as in the Way He caused his Copy of the Way which was indeed abrupt in the entrance and imperfect otherwise to be Published in Print which when I saw It troubled me not a little as knowing That the Discrepant Expressions in the one and in the other might trouble friends and give Advantage to Adversaries Afterwards Mr Hooker coming downe from Connectiquol to consult with the Elders here about his Book He pleaded seriously for the Placing of all Church power primitively in the Body of the Church and also for their Judiciary Power of Censure over the Presbytery suitable to what I had delivered in the Way Now though I cannot say that his Reasons did prevaile with me to lter the Placing of the First Subject of the Power of the Keyes from what I had delivered in the Treatise of the Keyes yet Perceiving that some mens Judgments did more Adhere as to his Judgment so to the former course of the Way others to that of the Keyes I suffered both to stand as they did especially seeing I could not help it the Book of the Way being published without my Consent and both the Way and the Keyes being disperst into many hands past my Revoking and Refuted by some So that if the Replyer find some Discrepancy in one of these bookes from the other Let him know that the Doctrine of the Way in such few Points wherein it differeth from the Keyes was not then mine when the Keyes were published much lesse when the Way was published which was many yeares after though it had been penned many yeares before And yet take all the Discrepancyes and weigh them I will not say with Candour but with Rigour and I do not yet remember nor can I yet find any of them but they lye rather in Difference of Logicall Notion then in Doctrine of Divinity or Church Practise as I said before Answer 2. This further let me Acquaint both the Replyer and the Reader withall that sometimes there hath growne a Question amongst us whether all Excommunication be an Act of Officiaria Potestas or not some Honoraria only If of Officiaria It cannot be Dispensed by the Brethren only as the first Columne hath it If of Honoraria It may and so the second Columne hath it and then the Contradiction is not ejusdem Neither is this Censure dispensed by the brethren as I conceive one of the highest Acts of Rule which is to deliver unto Satan 1 Cor. 5. 5. but Reacheth only to cast their Elders out of Administration of office to them and out of Church Communion with them The Truth is Ego libenter in eorum me numero esse Profiteor qui proficiendo Scribunt Scribendo proficiunt which gave me occasion to Adde the third Answer given above to the first Contradiction Some things in the