Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	church_n	word_n	2,098	5	4.2654	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89779	The temple measured: or, A brief survey of the temple mystical, which is the instituted church of Christ. Wherein are solidly and modestly discussed, most of the material questions touching the constitution and government of the visible church militant here on earth. Together with the solution of all sorts of objections which are usually framed against the model and platform of ecclesiastical polity, which is here asserted and maintained. In particular here are debated, the points of so much controversie, touching the unity of the church, the members of the church, the form of the church, and church covenant, the power of the church, the officers of the church, and their power in church-government, the power of magistrates about the church, and some church acts, as admission of members, and other things set down in the table before the book. / By James Noyes teacher of the church at Newbery in New England.	Noyes, James, 1608-1656.	1646 (1646)	Wing N1460; Thomason E359_12; ESTC R201171	85,622	104

Jerusalem is the mother of us all 3. She is described with breasts to declare how she nurseth her new born babes with the milk of the Word But how and by whom doth the Church conceive bring forth and breed up her children Her head is indued with variety of gifts for teaching discerning and governing that is the seat of wisdom and government the body is the region of subjection To conclude the key of authority is in God the key of excellency is in Christ the key of ministry is in the Church fundamentally in the Presbyterie for execution A primo omnia per ordinem omnia ad finem omnis perfectio rerum omnium quies ordo est perfectionis sola inevitabilis via Isaacus a Telia I understand by the keys in the Text the official or stewardlike power of administring the word and prayer the seals and censures in the Church Election is an act of essential authority directly and primarily of derived authority secondarily and consequenter In case the Presbyterie doth censure the Church by vertue of derived authority and the Church the Presbyterie by vertue of essential authority other Churches must judge which cause is just by the rule of Christ in the Word Presbyters are not subject to the common members in censures of superiority In Israel the Elders or magistrates were primitively elected by a Democratical power and yet were not subject to a Democratical power being once elected A power in the people to set up and depose their Magistrates in way of authority constituteth a Democracy The fraternity hath a defensive power to non-communicate with their Elders or power of a defensive excommunication with reference to their Elders One Church hath a co-ordinate power of defence Jus est vel rectorium vel aequatorium in relation to another Church not offensive power In an Aristocracy or Monarchy the people have a defensive power to repel injury not an offensive power The Elders of the Church have power of order to act in all Churches upon the intreaty or consent either of Elders or the Churches themselves 1. Pro. 3. It is natural to all bodies to act for their mutual edification 2. The seals and such like administrations have a common relation to admit members to dispence censures hath a particular relation to a particular Church but the word and seals have a common and general relation to all Churches equally 3. There is a sacred-aptitude though no indeleble Character imprinted on Elders else they are not accomodated to administer holy things especially such things as are holy by institution This ministerial aptitude or fitnesse hath relation to holy things in all Churches there is nothing wanting to execution but orderly permission 4. The ground of dividing the Church into particular Churches doth warrant this power We are many Temples or Churches for edification sake If there had been many Temples in Judea what could have hindred the Priests from ministring as occasion required in any of them 5. We allow communion of Members why not of Ministers As Ministers depend on their particular Church for Authority to dispense holy things so Members depend on their particular Church for Authority to partake of holy things As it is a priviledge to partake so it is grounded upon Authority a Member may challenge communion And it is a priviledge also to dispense holy things though dependent on Authority 6. The Churches do mutually allow and ratifie one anothers acts One Church admitteth Members for all Churches and one Church electeth Officers for all Churches one gate of Jerusalem admitteth into the whole City Rev. 21. One Elder hath a general relation to the universal Church as well as a special relation to his particular Church To say no more it is sufficient that such a power of Elders tendeth to the edification of the Churches while nothing can be produced in oppositum The Apostle doth implicitely command us to do all things which are for edification confideratis considerandus when he commandeth us to do all things in such a maner as may be for edification 1 Cor. 14. What hath been said for the Unity of the Church doth shew that there is no ataxis or disorder in this communion of Elders There was no question in Primitive days concerning the power of Eldere in respect of Ordination Administration of the Seals and Preaching of the Word in all Churches It is commonly known that Anicatus permitted Polycarpus to administer the Sacrament in his Church See Magdebar Centariatores Concerning the Power of Synods and Councels or Churches Assembled CHurches have no power to invent Instituted mediums of Worship Pro. 1. or to make Laws concerning means of Worship which are not natural or to Institute mediums of Worship which are not contained in the first Commandment A Papist asked a Protestant What if our holy Mother the Church determine it The Protestant answered the Papist What if our heavenly Father determine otherwise 1. To make any thing holy for signification or operation which God hath not or more holy then God hath made it by Nature or Institution is so far Idolatrous or Superstitious and is Imagery forbid in the second Commandment 2. The Prophets and Apostles were charged to teach only what God had commanded and they professed they could do no more Deut. 4. Matth. 28. 3. Exod. 30. 1 Cor. 14.37 The Lord Christ condemned and opposed the Traditions of men both by Practise and Doctrine Matth. 15. 4. Our Saviour hath taken upon himself to Institute all holy Times Offices and Ordinances He is sufficiently wise and faithful we derogate from him in adding to his Institution 5. Kings themselves who are most independent and absolute have been corrected by God for taking upon them such a power 1 Chron. 13. 6. Circumstances which are natural means of Worship may be superstitiously abused by excess in using of them even remote means of Worship Quatenûs non expedit non licet as Canonical hours c. So far as any thing is excessively used in Gods Worship it grows unnatural and becomes an Image of mans invention We are to avoid appearances of Superstition as well as of other sins whether they are appearances in the opinion of men or in the nature of the things themselves in respect of their neer Neighborhood unto that which is evil Appearances of Superstition may be opposite to goodness when they are not contrary to truth Excessive use of remote circumstances in Worship whispers unto the weak that they are substantial means of Worship Invented means of Worship are unsuitable unto the nature of God who is a Spirit a Spirit hath no shadows to Christ who is not hid now in the vail of legal Ordinances to the great light of the Gospel the Word and the Church the shadows are longest when the Sun is lowest John 4. Phil. 3.3 we are called to Worship God in the Spirit It is a patching of that vail which

particular churches because they also are elders The twelve gates of new Jerusalem Rev. 21. are the particular churches the angels are Presbyters and are set to govern the gates the gates are not to open and shut of themselves but the angels are to open and shut the gat●s in the use of the keys The 4. beasts Ezek. 1. compared with those in Rev. 4. and the 4. orders of Levites about the Tabernacle Numb 4. may well seem to represent the elders of the Christian Church by which the Lord Christ is carried up and down to the World in the chariot of church ordinances The churches are represented by wheels which should readily follow the elders in way of obedience neither go before nor side by side together with their Elders Object The Apostles received their power immediatly from Christ Answ The same power may be derived mediatly which is derived immediatly The question is concerning the power of elders not concerning the manner of comming by it And the Apostles power was universal and extraordinary Object The Apostles wrote in the name of the church as well as in their own name Acts 15. Answ 1. The Apostles were wont to respect the Church so as to do all things in a brotherly manner 2. The Church is not named in respect of authority it had not authority over other churches and those decrees are called the decrees of the Apostles and elders Acts 16. Those elders must be supposed to be extraordinary elders else they might not be joyned with the Apostles in point of such an extent in authority 3. There was special cause to make mention of that churches consent because those questions did spring out of that church It is certain that the Apostles could determine without the church Paul had power to command and ordain 1 Cor. 16. and 1 Cor. 11. and 14. What though extraordinary elders might be the churches messengers by way of intreaty it was not by way of authority 5. The Church of Antioch sent to the Apostles and elders not to the church The Apostles and elders extraordinary were a great and standing Presbyterie of the universal Church Act. 14. I see no intention or intimation of a Synod or assembly of Churches in that act of the Apostles at Jerusalem The Apostles were onely called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chamier observeth Object The Apostles had an infallible spirit Answ The infallibility of spirit answers to the transcendency and universality of power in all Churches Ordinary elders have a spirit of excellency in respect of common members If the infallibility of spirit in the Apostles may admit of a limitation in respect of election why not in other acts also if they had been connatural to the power of the members 15. Arg. 15. It is sutable to the law of nature that the power of execution should be committed by the multitude to some elected and selected ones Adam had been a perpetual Monarch of the whole world according to a natural right if he had not sinned What should have deprived him of his natural titles What need of altering the natural frame of policy Bodin doth justly dispute for the ancient power of Fathers Fatherly power is the absolutest image of Gods absolute dominion and the most exact pattern of all power The natural constitution of the world yeeldeth no documents for a Democracy for a Democratical execution of power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Facile imperium in bonos Primum illud certum est si humano judicio res aestimetur nullum statum aut pagi aut vici aut urbis aut regionis aelieujus magis obnoxium esse turbis quam Democraticum Beza Ep. 83. p. 365. I conclude Let this discourse be compared with the practise of Reformed Churches of the church of Geneva and the peoples approbation or consent required by Calvin and others will amount to no more then I have acknowledged As for Cyprian he could censure yea even elect officers without the consent or counsel either of the Clerus it self If Calvin did attribute more power to the people in his writings then Beza yet their practise doth argue an accord in conclusion And Calvin in his Catechisme and in a Tractate de Coena Domini attributes power of dispensing censures without the consent of the church unto the elders Object Matth. 18. We are bid tell the church and the church is no where taken for the Presbyterie in the new Testament Answ 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for any assembly in the new Testament Acts 19.39 and therefore is applicable to an assembly of elders even according to its use in the new Testament 2. See Calvin Instit l. 4. c. s 3.4.7 The Presbyterie is called the congregation or church in the old Testament Namb. 35. with Deut. 19.12 Mr. Ainsworth and Mr. Cartwright have abundantly proved this point and Mr. Cartwright alledgeth many places of Scripture to shew that church in this place signifieth the Presbyterie Mr. Rutherford affirmeth the congregation in the old Testament is alwaies taken for the Presbyterie when it is meant of an authoritative congregation Our Saviour may well be supposed to conform his speech to the old Testament rather then to the new Testament to the use of the phrase at that time when he spake not so much to the future use of it in the new Testament 3. Our Saviour doth manifestly allude to the Presbyteries of the Jewes and gives the Christian church a pattern from the practise of the Jewish church One would not think that our Saviour should speak of an unknown church and not describe it because he directs the disciples to repair to it to direct one to a place unknown and unknowable is but labour in vain Besides those phrases heathen and publican and two or three witnesses do argue that our Saviour referred his speech to the Jewish church Two or three witnesses were required by a State rule in their civil Judicature and it was grounded upon morality and therefore to be observed in their Ecclesiastick proceedings to censure They might not have found out such a rule though naturally moral by the reach of natural light but being instructed by Gods Ordinance they could easily discern the morality thereof especially the Prophets and men of God which were raised up continually amongst them 4. The church is here explicated in the next words What you shall bind shall be bound in heaven If the church had been taken for the body of members it should in probability have run thus What it shall bind shall be bound in heeven 5. Else this rule did nothing concern the Apostles considered personally but they were personally to practise themselves according to this rule The Apostles were neither to judge together with such a church nor to be judged by such a church as consisted of the body of members 6. Is it likely that our Saviour should bid a brother repair in the first place to the body of