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A77174 Epidiorthōsis or a modest enquiry into the nature and state of churches. In order to their through-reformation. By Thomas Boyer minister at Rempston in Nottinghamshire. Boyer, Thomas, b. 1627 or 8. 1659 (1659) Wing B3920; Thomason E1929_2; ESTC R209993 18,874 81

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the Gospel the twelve Apostles received them immediatly from Christ himself when personally present with them on earth as their Tutor 3. Their seconds Matthias and Paul received them partly by the Ministery of the Church and partly from Christ immediatly Matthias was fitted for the work of the Ministry by Christ when he was personally present on earth Paul by the Spirit of Christ when he was ascended up into Heaven yet so as that the ministery of man was not wholly excluded either their vocation or mission c. Act. 1. 9. chap. c. but 4. The Reformers of the Churches of Christ Timothy Titus the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia c. have ever received them from Christ by the Ministery of the Church or the Officers thereof They have them mostly if not wholly this way for when there are men fit to be made use of in the work of the Gospel Christ ever employs them proportionably he never is in extraordinary wayes but in an extraordinary case t is pure necessity that makes him act by himself alone without means or Instruments 2. They differ in the nature of their Commissions The Commission that the first Preachers and Planters of the Gospel and of Churches by it had shewed was their power to do Miracles Heb. 2.4 This divine Commission they occasionally produced to convince the world of the truth of their mission But the Reformers of the Christian Churches have no such commission 2 Thes 3.8 9. but in stead thereof the Testimonial of approved and most eminent Preachers of the Gospel c. Such a commission Timothy and Titus had from Christ by Paul in his Epistles to them and the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia by John the Apostle in his Epistles to them And all other ordinary Officers of Christ from the Apostles and others in their Epistles to the other Churches respectively Such a commission all their Successors have usually had and still have It s commendably so in these Nations at this day And this is satisfactory and final evidence of an ordinary Minister 3. They differ in the extent of their authority The first Preachers and Planters of the Gospel John the Baptist and Christ might do their work in any part of Judea and the Planters of Churches by the Gospel might do their work in any part of the world but the Reformers of the Churches of Christ are hunted to particular places as Timothy to Ephesus Titus to Crete and the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia to their respective Churches c. Their commission is only to reform those Churches They are there and for that work only and may neither turn to the right hand nor to the left without further order 4. They differ in respect of other maintenance For 1. the first Preachers and Planters of the Gospel were extraordinarily provided for 2. The first Planters of Churches by the Gospel had their maintenance from the members of those Churches out of the common stock which the Church then had Act. 2.44 45 c. 3. In extraordinary cases they were sometimes maintained by their own hand-labour as was Paul Act. 18. but 4. The Reformers of the Churches of Christ have been and are maintained mostly by Tithes Those that have not been or are not thus maintained have been and are maintained by somewhat that is as near as can be equivalent thereunto especially in England almost ever since it was Christian For 1. the Spirit of Christ giving an account of the practice of giving Tithes or a tenth part of all to the Ministers of God with the greatest exactness that can be is so far from stigmatizing that he gives a very fair character of it Luke 18.12 14. Heb. 7. 2. This practice was not founded upon the ceremonial Law but was four hundred and odd years before it Genesis 14.20 and Heb. 7.6 3. Christ hath nowhere repealed but rather established the ancient Laws of God about peoples giving and Ministers receiving of Tithes Levit. 27.30 c. Deut. 14.22 Malac. 3.8 9 10. Luke 11.42 Heb. 7.5 8 9. 4. There 's general equity in such a course what was due to Ministers under the Law is much more due to the Ministers of the Gospel forasmuch as their Ministry is far more excellent 2 Corin. 3. c. 5. The Gospel-spirit hath pointed them out as most due to them and convenient for them 1 Cor. 9. Gal. 6.6 6. Former Magistrates in whose power they were in civil respect in this Nation did accordingly give them to the Ministers successively for ever and it is no small sin to violate so just and pious a will of deceased Magistrates Gal. 3.15 Heb. 9.17 7. There is no other probable way of having and continuing a right Evangelical Ministry and Magistracy throughout this Nation c. Object But we must do as the Apostles did Resp Prove that Universally Object None of the first Reformers were maintained by Tithes Resp It s probably true But 1. want of possession though it may render a mans title suspitious yet it is consistent with the best 2. If it were so that the first Reformers were not maintained by Tithes and be so that some are not yet it neither was nor is because Reforming Ministers have no right to Tithes but either 1. Because they were not Christian Magistrates that would see to the execution of the Laws of Christ and to the doing of Justice according to the Word of God whereby all men might enjoy their rights and properties or 2. Because the Saints enjoyed not liberty to improve their estates but were persecuted and unsetlted or 3. Because in those times they had not whereof to pay Tithes for ex nihilo nihil fit 3. So soon as these impediments were removed in this Nation It paid Tithes where it had things tithable and where it had not it made up a maintenance for its Ministers as equivalent as could be to that by Tithes and so it justly doth at present Object We are not Church-members nay we do not so much as hear those Ministers that will take Tithes c. Resp The Law of grace of God and of the Nation gives Reforming Ministers the Tithes for their support and maintenance in the execution of their commission 2. By vertue of these Laws they have a right unto them and are rightfully in the possession of them 3. Their right to them or possession of them depends not upon mens Church-membership or hearing of them though the Evangelical delivery of them doth 4. All that have a natural capacity ought to have Reforming Ministers be fit for and enjoy all Ordinances by them administrable to visible Saints and Churches of Christ Rev. 2.7 11 17 c. 5. Where self-love is overcome by love to Christ there will neither be head heart nor hand against maintaining of Ministers by donation and payment of Tithes 6. It s well if our innocent opposers of Ministers maintenance by way of Tithes