Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	bind_v	church_n	communion_n	1,436	5	9.0889	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89003	The difference about church government ended: by taking away the distinction of government into ecclesiasticall and civill: and proving the government of the civill magistrate onely sufficient in a Christian kingdom. / Written by one that by making peace, prefers to be called a blessed childe of God, before preeminence in this world. J.M. D. D. Published according to order.	Mayne, Jasper, 1604-1672.	1646 (1646)	Wing M1470; Thomason E339_8; ESTC R200855	12,314	20

By the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred Church Sol. is not always understood the Congregation of Christians but sometime any assembly as Acts 19. 41. Here therefore may well be understood the judicatory that then was amongst the Jews before spoken of which yet continued and amongst them when any should afterwards be set up of what persons soever it consisted and not any whole congregation that were such a government as was never heard of in those times or the times preceding neither is it necessary that they should be Officers properly Ecclesiasticall but any of the more honourable amongst people who have also power in the Common-wealth may constitute this judicatory but for the power of binding and losing spoken of Verse 18. it belongs not to them but to Preachers for which he changeth the person saying What yee bind upon earth shall be bound in Heaven hereby giving them power pro tempore that the inordinate might be awed till that Magistrates being converted they might be otherwise curbed To cleere which the more take this for a paraphrase If thy brother sin against thee by doing thee any trespasse or traducing thee or detracting from thee or offering thee any violence and neyther by private telling him of it nor by mediation of friends hee will be brought to acknowledge his fault and ask thee forgivenesse tell the Judges of it who have authority to proceed against offenders that they may if it be possible by threatning him with punishment cause him to repent but if not so give him over for an heathen incorrigible and no true Christian and let the Ministers of the Church exclude him from the Sacrament or Communion of Christians consequently from life neyther let him contemne because they that exclude him are but two or three d●spicable Ministers of the Gospel who have none authority or power in this world For whatsoever yee thus proceeding binde shall be bound c. Yea if there be not two but only one in that Church for as it is here sayd Whatsoever yee bind in the plurall number so Matth. 16. It is sayd Whatsoever thou bindest And by vertue of this Commission Paul alone delivered Hymeneus and Alexander to Satan 1 Tim. 1. 20. If it be demanded shall he not be bound from comming to the Congregation also Ans By no means because even Heathens came into the Congregations as may be gathered Jam. 2. and if not how should they be converted wherefore 〈◊〉 excommunicating wholly our of the Church for any sin is lawfull 1 Cor. Object 5. Paul requires the Corinth Church to put the incestuous man from amongst them which argues authority to censure in the Church I deny not Sol. but in those times there being yet no Christian Magistracy it was necessary that there should be some authority in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who preached the word to sentence grosse offenders who would other wise have 〈…〉 to the greater blemishing of Christianity But this 〈◊〉 that it ought still 〈…〉 be in a Christian Kingdom 〈…〉 can be suffered although there be no Church Government to animadvert against him Having this proved that the Government in all things in a Christian Kingdom is and ought to be in the Civill Magistrate let us now consider the other part of my generall Proposition concerning the Ministers of the Gospell That to them it is committed to Preach and Baptize and administer the Supper of the Lord is plain from the last words of Christ Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. Matth. 28. and from the charge at the Institution of the Lords Supper Do this in remembrance of me And they only may do these things in any other it is pride and presumption highly displeasing to God to do thē as in Saul to sacrifice in Uzziak to burn Incense 2 That to them also it belongs to put up the Petitions of the Congregation of particular persons in distresse we may gather from Gods Ordinance that the Priests should offer Sacrifice for the Congregation and for any person having trespassed but now troubled for it of the Prophets praying also in the Congregation c. 1 Cor. 14. and for the sick Jam. 5. 16. Kings have sometimes prayed publikely also though they might not Sacrifice as Solomon at the Dedication of the Temple and Hezekiah when many kept the Passover who were not cl●nsed piety putting them on to it and no prohibition lying against it But these were rare and extraordinary acts and not be ordinarily drawn into imitation as neyther that of Phineas a Priest killing Cosby and Zimri and afterward going as a Captain against the Midianites For not Moses but Aaron must blesse or pray publikly for the Congregation Numb 6. 23. And when the plague was in the Host he not Moses must go up with his Censor by offering incense to stay it 3 For ordayning Elders or Bishops it is committed to Titus and Timothy not to others who were not Preachers or Elders themselves and Acts 14. 23. Paul and Barnabas ordained Elders in every Church 4 For joyning man and wise together because it ought not to be without prayer blessing and instructing and that in publike who is so fit to doe it as a Minister 5 For obedience and submission unto them though they have no power by censure in judiciary proceeding to compell yet considerig the command obey them that go before you in doctrine and life and are your Leaders and submit your selves to them as to them that watch for your sonis Heb. 13. 17. There is no good Christian of what estate or degree soever but for conscience towards him that commands this will readily do it For when Zedekiah and the Princes of Judah would not obey Jeremiah speaking to them in the name and word of the Lord what grievous things did they suffer by the Caldees 6 For the Ministers or Presbyters power in Councel to manage controversies in point of Religion to determine that which was done in the first famous Councel at Jerusalem Act. 15. speaks plainly therefore it hath been followed as a president in the purest times by all the Christian World and that not without good successe in many ages to the suppressing of monstrous errors and to the keeping up of the unity of faith Thus I have by Gods assistance made good my whole proposition which if it might in all parts be subscribed to Oh! what great good would ensue to us all thereby The great controversie touching Church Government so greatly troubling and disturbing the whole Kingdom would be sopi●ed the difference betwixt Presbyterians and Independants ended the many strange and mons●●ous errours lately sprung up extirpated clashing and enterfeeing betwixt two sorts of Governments removed wicked men and Hereticks who feare not the word nor regard Church censures terrified and peace throughout the whole Kingdom setled Now that I may yet more effectually move the mindes of all my brethren who shall read

brought to repentance and to release them again But it doth not hence follow that in a Christian Kingdom where there is a sword sufficiently sharpned against all notorious wickednesses in people and in Ministers yea and Magistrates also doing unjustly that this censuring power of binding and loosing in particular Courts of Justice should bee continued for the reason before going And thus the objection made from the power given to Timothy and Titus is answered also it was but pro tempore when Kings should come on to be Christians the faithfull as well as others being then subjected to this civill coercive power in all things as they were by Titus his teaching to be prepared Tit. 3. 1. Put them in minde to be subject to Principalities and Powers and to obey Magistrates and it is reckoned up as one of the black brands of reprobate Christians Jude ver 8. To despise Dominions and to speake evill of dignities But it will not be granted Arg. 3. that if Preachers be not capable of this rule that none else but Magistrates are for there be other governments distinct from Pastors and Teachers in the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28. and Rom. 12. 8. the same is plainly intimated when after these charges Let him that ministreth tend upon his ministring and he that teacheth on teaching c. it is added hee that ruleth with diligence and agreeably to these places 1 Tim. 5. 17. It is said The Elder that rules well is worthie of double honour therefore there ought to be other Rulers in the Church besides the Magistrate to whom it properly belongs to censure in things Ecclesiasticall I answer it is to be noted that the Ruler spoken of Rom. 12. 8. and likewise the Governments 1 Cor. 12. 28. are put after not onely Pastors and Teachers but Helpes set forth by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Deacons also as being the lowest order in the Church whereby is plainly intimated that they had no power of censuring for then they should as superiours have been placed before them over whom they had power or amongst whom they had the chiefe power 2. In two of these places the same word is used which hath been already shewed to signifie nothing but leaders or men set over others or goers before and therefore if there be some in each congregation set onely over the manners of men to observe the irregular and to admonish them and if 〈…〉 wil not reform to present them to the Magistrate such 〈◊〉 as the Apostle means are not wanting in the Church but 〈…〉 shal we say to the governments spoken of in the third place doth not this word imply a power to 〈◊〉 ye● it doth for Government is necessary to the well being of the Church of God● but because he say●● not Governours but Governments the Office●● and 〈…〉 whereby the notorieties of men are brought to light that they might have condigne censure and punishment may well be understood by a Synechdoche because the Governours in whom the power is are holpen in their ruling by them For it is not credible either that any of the common people should have power over their Teachers or that by governments any other are ment then such as are otherwise called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as these Officers may well be and yet not in so high a degree as they that preach the Word of God for which they are set so low under them The Government then goes right according to the meaning of the Apostle when the higher powers having censured they see to the execution as are vigilant to examine privately and to present the scandalous and in the primitive times when they did thus officiate to the Presbyterie consisting of grave and learned teachers If it should be otherwise none it is to be feared will be found fit in diverse congregations for such authority either for want of knowledge or unblameablenesse of life 2 If any be in these respects yet not because homines plebes and so subject to contempt amongst their fellows who would never stoop but to their superiours in outward respects to be ruled by them 3 If they would yet such indignity should hereby be offered to Teachers as were intollerable and discouraging to some either to enter the Ministry or to continue in it Fourthly Arg. 4. no such government ought to be in a Christian Kingdom but what hath been by Gods own direction or allowance amongst his ancient people the Israelites but there was never any government Ecclesiasticall distinct from the Civill Ergo none such ought now to be in a Christian Kingdome For the Major it appears to be true because neither Christ nor his Apostles taught any thing but what there was ground for in the Law and the Prophets Caesar must have the things of Caesar the Minister that Preacheth the Gospell must live upon the Gospell as they that wayted upon the Altar of the Altar To preach and pray belongs to his office as to the Priests to teach and offer sacrifices for the people And as none might presume to doe this Priestly office but the Priest so none may preach unlesse they be sent that is be ordained according to the ●●ection of Gods holy Word that is being first proved then having the imposition of the hands of the Presbytery consisting not of Laym●n in part but altogether of Preachers for as much as wee no where read of the imposition of hands by any other For the Minor Moses was first the sole Ruler and when this burthen was thought to be too great for him alone seventy two more were joyned with him to help to beare it Numb 11. being chosen by sixes out of every Tribe of which Tribes Levi was counted none there being twelve Tribes besides to make up this number After this the Judge and the seventy two ruled in all things Light and direction to proceed according to Gods will they were indeed to seek of the high Priest and Priests whose lips must preserve knowledge and they must enquire the Law at his mouth Mal. 2. 7. So Joshuash must seek to Eleazer the high Priest Numb 27. 21. and in any difficult case they must come to the Priests Deut. 17. 9. but the Judge and the Counsell of seventy two had all the power Afterwards when Kings raigned in Israel King Solomon put Abiather the high Priest from his office setting up Zadoe and David distinguished the courses of the Priests and other Godly Kings from time to time ruled in things Ecclesiastical and Priests never till that after their return from the Babylonish captivity Princes failing in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes Mattathias the Priest and his sonnes being necessitated to it took the government upon them both in things secular and spirituall Matth. Ob. 18. 17. Tell it to the Churches and why to the Church but because it was his will that the Church should have power of censuring and if so then not the Magistrate alone