Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A88108
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A brief plat-form of that government which is called Presbyterial. By William Ley minister of the Word at Charlwood in Surrey.
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Ley, William, b. 1620 or 21.
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1648
(1648)
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Wing L1887; Thomason E457_1; ESTC R204958
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18,562
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30
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Wisely 11 Wisely Iraeneus worthily reproved Victor Bishop of Rome becaus hee resolved to excommunicate sundry Churches of Asia for no other caus but that they consented not with the Church of Rome in celebraing EASTER If none but those who were wise-hearted had to do in the rearing God's Tabernacle Exod. 31.6 certainly none but wise men should have to do in the framing or guiding of the Church Isa 11.2 3. 12. Zealously 12 Zealously Let your indignation bee shewed against the Offence not the Offender This will make you commend your enemie and reprove your friend Let your exclamation bee not O this Man but O this Sin 3ly III. Deacons Deacons they must bee sound in Faith unblameable in Conversation 1 Tim. 3.10 Their Office is 1. To collect and preserv the Alms belonging to the Poor 2. To distribute the same faithfully according to necessity so judged by plurality of Votes 3. To visit and comfort the needy and to see the Alms bee not mis-applied Acts 6. 4. To give an account hereof once a month If any do conceive this Government by Elders to have been but lately put in practice by reformed Churches let him suspend his judgment till hee have read what Ambrose Tertullian Cyprian have written in asserting its Antiquity a tast whereof hee may finde in the Epistle There is one thing common in the whispers of men that this Government is or will bee tyrannical O say som it will sting it will pare to the quick Behold a vain and sensual opprobrium I shall endeavor to stop the clamor before the Government bee setled which the Government it self when setled will confute to the full This Government doth not kill but cure it cut 's off not sound but rotten members Are you angry with your Barbar for cutting of hairs when super-numerary or with the Physitian for purging malignant humors or with the Scissars for pareing your nails This Government cut 's not off Parts but putrefaction not members but excrements not the Man but the Crime Was it not an impudent fellow that said hee knew Christ to bee a hard Master when alas there was not any that ever knew less of Christ and his nature then himself But I will evert this fancie not so much by Rhetorick as by Reason First then it is little less then blasphemie to traduce or defame a Government of Christ If this were of men it might bear Censure But if of God bee not fighters against God They that cannot endure the refineing fire of Christ willingly hee can make them endure his consumeing fire whether they will or no. 2. Hee that so harshly judgeth it is either an Atheist or a Libertine or a Scandalous person or at best hee is ignorant of the Government 3. Tyrannie is a Government beyond or against the Laws established But this submit's in all things to the minde of Christ 4. There is no more power placed in the hands of Ministers and Elders then what was formerly placed in the hands of the meanest Curate as the Rubrick before the Communion in the late Service-book doth fully demonstrate 5. If it bee Tyrannical it is so either over 1. Mens Estates but it hath no Mulcts Fines Forfeitures Confiscations 2. Bodie but it hath no Banishment Imprisonment Branding Striking Dismembring Killing 3. Soul but it desire 's to gain that not to destroy it and it is so far from enforcing sin upon it that it correct's it 1 Cor. 5.5 6ly It cannot bee Tyrannie becaus those who are the Officers and Censurers of others are and yeeld themselvs subject to the same Spiritual Censures as well as the meanest 1 Tim. 5. v. 1. ver 19. and all the favor the Eldership hath from Scripture is not to bee Saucily Censured or Malitiously Traduced or rashly Condemned by a fingle witness If any person elected to Office shall finde in himself such a haughty spirit as hee can neither rule himself nor bee ruled by his Brethren I wish him with Ammonius rather to cut off his Ear and flie then to usurp such an Office to himself which may caus not onely himself but the work of Reformation to miscarrie FINIS Imprimatur JA. CRANFORD
Presbyter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5. who am also an Elder Paul 1 Tim. 4.14 bid's Timothie neglect not the gift which was given by imposition of hands not of Episcopacie but Presbyterie * Totum hoc magis ex consue tudine quà m ex dispositionis veritate Hieron Ep. ad Evang. et Com. in Tit. Hierom tell 's us that the distinction of Bishops and Presbyters is of small use of different Order rather then Authoritie Like power to that which a Super-intendent or Prolocutor hath in a Synod or an Assemblie all this whatsoever Authoritie they usurp is more out of custom then Divine ordination And as for Lay-Elders if I may so style them Ambrose expounding these words rebuke not an Elder Doctorum desidiâ aut magis superbiâ Ambr. Tom. 5. on 1 Ep. Tim. cap. 5. complaine's that the Ecclesiastical jurisdiction-of knowing causes was degenerated from the Primitive use and devolved upon the Ministers First saith hee the Synagogue after that the Church had Elders without whose counsel nothing was don in the Church by what sort of means it went out of use I know not whether by the idleness or rather the pride of the Doctors Tertullian Mox praesident probati quique seniores Tertul. utì Grotius in in Matth 18. as Grotius recite's his words on his Comment on Matth. 18. Wee go into the Congregation there are exhortations praiers chastisements and anon approved Elders take their place Cyprian saith I received writeings from the Presbyters Donatus Honatus and Cardius but alone could not rescribe since I determined from the beginning of my Office to do nothing of mine own head without the consent of the * Sine consensu plebis nibil c. Cypr. l. 3. Ep. 10. in fine people Eusebius also lastly record's that Natalius who was seduced by Asclepiodotus having seen his Errors Euseb Eccles Hist lib. 5. besought the Church with waterish eyes and wet cheeks to compassionate and pardon him For further satisfaction in this particular notable is that confession which was ingenuously acknowledged by Episcopacie it self for as Mr M. relate's in his explication of the Covenant the Arch-bishops Bishops and whole Clergie of England declared to King Henrie the 8th and subscribed it with their own hands that PRELACIE was but a HUMANE POLITICK DEVICE of the FATHERS 2. It is Pure The Scepter of Christs Kingdom is a righteous Scepter it vindicate's the Word from irreverence and contempt hedgeth in the Sacrament from prophanation and promiscuousness while Spiritual railes keep back notorious offenders that Christ may not the second time bee betraied into the hands of Sinners with this the Church would bee as foul as Augea's Stable it would bee with Austin Porcorum hara colluvies rabidorum Canum a Swine-stie a companie of mad dogs or as Christ saith a meer den of Theeves 2. It is Spiritual both in respect of the Office Officers 1. Of the Office which consist's 1. In Admonition 1 Thes 5.14 2. Rebuke Luc. 17.4 3. In Censure Matt. 18.19 Joh. 20.21 Tit. 3.10 2. Of the Officers which are 1. Pastors Eph. 4.11 2. Elders Acts 14.23 1 Tim. 5.3 3. Deacons 1 Tim. 3.8 4ly It is safe for there bee two things which extremely hazard the Church 1. Want of the Lord's Supper which Christ commanded to have often in remembrance of him 2. Fals Brethren who lye in wait to seduce Gal. 5.12 the tolerateing whereof was dangerous to Galatia Pergamus and Thiatyra But som may say can not the Lord's Supper bee administred without Government Yes but if the people press in as profanely to the Table as the Tavern not so much hungring after Christ as the Elements that is not to discern the Lord's bodie or surcharged with surfetting or drunkenness as in Paul's time or with wrath and malice as in our times are these worthie to receive are the Seales Seales of life or of death to such and where there are many such will they bee staved off by a Minister alone without thoughts not onely of disdain but of revenge For my part I am resolved on the negative and lest any should think it to bee Juvenilis Calor a flash rather of youth then of maturity let him read what Chrysostom and Calvin determine in the like kinde Chrysostom saith it is neither Diadem nor Purple Major his nobis est poteflas Chrys Hom. in Matth. nor Magistrate shall move mee to give the Sacrament to an ungodly Person wee have more Power in the Church then they Juravi mihi potiù staâ—â—tumesse mâ—rtem oppetere quà m ut sâ—cram Dominî Caeuam c. Cal. Epist ad Virct p. 164. Besides the example of Theodosius the Emperor excommunicated by him for his slaughter at Thessalonica fully declare's it Calvin that famous Divine who is by Zanchius called Galliae Apostolus the Apostle of France saith I have sworn I have determined rather to die then so vilely to profane the holy Supper of the Lord as by giving it to unworthie Members 5. †Hac disciplinâ adeò nemo eximâ—batur ut principes quoque unà cum plebeis ad eum ferendam subjicerent Cal. Instit It is Impartial Ministers and Elders are subjected to the Government as well as others the Judges themselvs are subject to judgment as Trajan nobly spake in the Knighting of a Souldier If I do well use this sword for mee if not against mee the Government is for the prais of all that do wel for the discouragement of those that do evill 6. It is Aristocratical I call it so not in respect of * Christum si respexeris Monarchia dicitur nam ipse est Rex noster qui sanguine sue Ecclesiam acquisivit Sunt verò in Ecclesiâ qui legatione funguntur Presbyteri Doctores alii qui praesunt quorum respectu meritò potest dici Aristocratia Pet. Maryr loc com Class 3. lib. 5. pag. 783. Christ who is a Monarchical head but 1. in respect of us who are Ministerial Officers Councels and Parliaments are Aristocratical 2. by way of opposition to all Papal and Lordly preheminence counting with Gregorie in his Epist to Maurice the Emperor that hee that name's himself universal Bishop is the forerunner of Antichrist Let the best men bee ruleing-Elders and the best Ministers Preaching-Elders and this will produce the best effects Thus honored Gentlemen Patriots and Magistrates I have endeavored a little to possess you with a candid Interpretation of the present Government and to blow your zeal to an higher flame If the caus bee God's leave the success to him do but look on and stand still if you dare not advance and go forward and see the work of the Lord over in it and by it God is never wanting to his Church if shee bee not wanting to him and her self Wee complain of sins and corruptions and crie out O the times but as fondly as the Mother of her childe which will not use the