Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	apostle_n	catholic_a	creed_n	3,075	5	10.1789	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88987	Christian liberty vindicated from grosse mistakes, occasioning so great divisions in England. Or, A tract, shewing what it is, and what it is not, the diversity of errours, a generall councell to be the meanes of beating them down, and how far forth conscience is to be born with, and the insolencie of the late remonstrants. Most earnestly recommended to the reading of the Right Honourable Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, and all those that through a mistake stand so stifly for the priviviledge [sic] of conscience at large, ... Whereunto is added an appendix of 17. questions, necessary to be discussed and be determined by the Assembly of Divines without delay, that every one may know what to hold and rest in, and the unnaturall divisions in the same body may cease. / By John Mayer, D.D. of Divinity.	Mayer, John, 1583-1664.	1646 (1646)	Wing M1421; Thomason E361_4; ESTC R201203	21,204	33

Sanctuary as in Hezekiah his time 4. Whether all the Communicants ought not to sit about the Table and not be left to this disjunction either at it or neere to it for then in one Church they may sit still to have it carried to them to other seates about and in another sit at the Table which tends to division in Christs Churches that ought all to goe by one Rule 5. VVhether the Minister ought not to forbeare giving the Bread to the Communicants before that be hath said all the words of institution touching the same because it is in the Directory said after these words Take eate here he shall give them the bread and whether his giving it ought to be any other then moving the vessell wherein it is towards them that each one after other may take it himselfe and then move it to the next till it comes to the neather end because these things are not sufficiently expressed 6. VVhy upon a day of Thanksgiving an afternoones meeting it intimated contrary to Nehem. 8.10 12. as though all the rejoycing then must bee spirituall and none civill which also hath beene used commonly Judg. 21.19 21. Hosea 2.11 Either 9.19 c. 7. Whether the keeping of the feast of the Nativity of our Lord ought to be altogether sleighted as superstitious sith it is of greater Antiquity by far then any other holy-days intituled from the Saints and although not commanded by the Lord in expresse word yet it is by consequence and commended by the Saints doing the like in former ages as by Ester and Mordecai appointing the Feast of Purim to be kept that the remembrance of the Jewes deliverance by Ester might never be forgotten And by Judas Maccabeus the Feast of Dedication graced by Christs owne keeping of it Joh. 10. And for the Antiquity consult with Chrysostome J●r●my and Augustine who lived before Gregory the first who had this fault that he was very superstitious and therefore this day and the Resurrection and Pentecost being kept before all Popish superstition by the testimony of the foresaid worthies cannot be taxable hoc nomine but for superfluity and excesse of riot onely then used which as chaffe let be winnowed away but let the VVheat remaine 8. VVhether the disorder of some of this or that particular Congregation in going commonly from that whereof they are members upon the Lords day may be tollerated where there is a faithfull and painfull Pastour as conducing to their more edification because this is pleaded yet to doe so is apparently evill the discouraging and quenching of the spirit in one Minister of Christ and puffing up of another a ground of disorder laying in many who are glad of such a pretext to goe for other ends c. Et non faciendum est malum ut inde proveniat bonum 9. VVhether being uncovered for reverence to God and his Ordinance in men in●●●me of prophesying ought not to be commended to the people because S. Paul speakes of it as asha●● and dishonour to a man to doe so as in praying so in prophesying 10. Whether the children of beleeving Parents ought not to bee baptized and whether sprinkling sufficeth without dipping and what solid reasons of both these 11. Whether Sureties are not rather to be accepted then rejected for somuch as we say Abundans cautela non nocet and many poore children have fared the better for their God-fathers or Godmothers 12. Whether both in administring this Sacrament and that of the Lords Supper it were not better to have a prescribed form of prayer then to commit it to each Ministers present conception because so this service must needs be unequally performed and by some very deficiently 13. Whether private meetings for preaching may be tollerated where the publike place is open because Christians met not in corners of old but being inforced through persecution about this Ordinance and this seperating is a condemning of our Congregations as impure and Antichristian 14. Whether persons justified by faith in Christ thenceforth are not lyable to sin any more 15. Whether Christs descent into hell be to be reteined as an Article of our Faith because it was out of the Apostles Creed in the Latin Churches for 500. yeares 16. Whether there be not a Catholike Church 17. Whether the Articles of our Faith and Ten Commandements have not need to be recited in the Congregation every Lords day Touching all these great satisfaction may be given to thousands by their determinations and convincing reasons and so most probably our Church-tempest will turne into a calme but otherwise it will probably rage more and more FINIS

bestowed labour upon you in vaine whereby it should seem that any other legall observance when there date was out is of like dangerous consequence To this I answer Answ That errors are to be considered either in the foundation or in the other building error in the foundation is about Christ who is the foundation whereupon his Church is built 1 Cor. 3 11. neither can any man lay any other yet the Church is said to be built upon the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the chiefe Stone of the corner where by the Prophets and Apostles their preaching of the truth and Prophesying and committing the substance of all to writing it meant but especially the faith touching Christ as the principall thing in these writings set forth and the Law of the ten Commandements which he must keepe that will enter into life and the Sacraments of which whoso partakes not cannot be saved Now in the foundation to erre is damnable because this is to rase the foundation of life to a mans selfe and if the foundation be rased whereupon the hope of life is built what can this be but a vaine hope as that building is vaine which is set upon the sands and shall certainly come to ruine Thus the Jewes and Turkes because they have no faith in Christ are in a damnable error And likewise Heretiks who hold not the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God or Jesus not to be very God as well as man or justification not to be by faith in Jesus Christ or deny the resurrection of the dead or the distinct beings of soules after death or the blessed Trinitie or confession of sinnes to bee necessary for the faithfull or the like monsters amongst Christians are all in damnable errors Lastly Papists who hold not Christ to be our onely Mediator but sacrilegiously adjoyn to him Saints and Angells in this mediating or interceding office and are makers and worshippers of Images and of the host or sacrifice as they falsely call the bread in the Sacrament and beleeve in the Pope as infallible and justification by workes of their owne and that satisfaction must be made to Gods justice by each one in suffering the pangs of Purgatory fire before he can enter into life with a rabble of many errors more doe also erre damnably Yea if any man hold any such error although not all or more he erreth damnably Touching other errors in the building they againe must be distinguish't into errors simple or obstinate Simple errors are errors that men fall into for want of a right understanding of the Scriptures being ready when they are shewed them to be turned therefrom Obstinate errors are errors stifely adhered to after discussion and determination against them in a lawfull Councell Now simple error in such things is not damnable but obstinate is For at Ierus there was a Councell of Priests and Levites assisted with a Judge whereunto in case of difficultie all men are required to come Deut. 17. ● and the determination being by them made in any controversie all are so bound unto that he who will not stand to it shall dye therefore Before this Moses who was a man extraordinarily inlightned lightned by God advising with God from time to time was the supreame Umpire And the like unto this was done Act. 15. when a difficult question about which divers were of divers opinions was resolved by the Councell at Jerusalem for this was sent to all the Churches to be kept by them And the Apostles by taking this course against diversitie of opinions gave example to us in succeeding ages to doe likewise Wherefore at all times the custome of the Chu●ch hath beene by Councells to make Canons and determinations of controversies and so it ought to be done at this day wherein more questions arise then ever in any one age before and to the Councells determinations ought all to stand And if any will not their errors now are obstinate and presumptuous and damnable By this we may conceive why they that erre about matters not of the foundation are so sharply censured sometimes and yet at other times defended or tollerated But what Councell is a lawfull Councell in the power wherof these determinations are Quest or there being a lawfull Councell are we so sure Of Councels that the Judges in these dayes shall determine nothing but the truth as the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem Act. 15. or the Priests Levites and Judges in elder times and if not there is not the like reason of being subject to their determinations To the first of these quaeries Sol. 1. I answer That a lawfull Councell in these cases is not a Councell consisting onely of secular Judges for that at Jerusalem of old consisted of Priests and Levites principally and a Judge or two adjoyned to them that is so ne few in comparison of them and the other more lately in the same Citie of Apostles and Elders that is Preachers of the Gospel having certain Brethren also adjoyned unto them But it is a Councell consisting of Preachers who are by Prayer and arguing to sist out the Truth some Brethren also being joyned to them as there were in the first Councell at Jerusalem that by their joynt consent their Decrees comming out all sorts may the more willingly submit to them for never did any offer in former ages to take this power from professed Theologues I mean the power of judging in matters The ological and to give it to secular Judges Neither do I know whether the presumption of Saul to offer Sacrifice or of Uzziah to offer Incence were more offensive to God then theirs to doe this Priestly office the Priest being excluded therefrom For any common Priest might offer sacrifice but to the High-Priest and other chiefe Priests and Levites Fathers of their families as most choice men from amongst the rest this office of judging in difficult cases was committed and therefore in some respect an higher Priestly office Neither did Uzziah so take upon him to offer incense as to put Azariah and other Priests from so doing It is a knowne saying Tractet fabrilia faber quisque suum callet artem neither doe men goe to any other but Physitians to judge of diseases to Lapidaries to judge of precious stones and to Lawyers to judge of Law-cases and shall it then be thought right leaving the Theologues whose profession and studie it is to goe to others who in Theologie be but their Schollars to judge of matters Theologicall But if this moves you not looke at Gods owne expresse Word The Priests lips shall preserve knowledge Mal 2.7 and they shall enquire the Law at his mouth that is not what is therein written for that was obvious to any man by looking into the booke but according to the Law to judge in this or that difficult case Againe yee saith Christ are the lights of the world Matth. 5. and no man takes

a light and puts it under a bushell c. which words what doe they show but that the Ministers of the Gospel ought to be used as lights not onely to give light by clearing obscurities in the word but also by determining the truth in any darke or difficult question which shall arise But it is feared if this be granted the power of the Minister will be too great over-topping even the highest in some things and why did not Joshuah then fearing this desire the Lord that he might not have recourse to Eleazar the High Priest for councell and direction Numb 27.11 and likewise other Judges and Kings after him What King did better then Joash in the dayes of Jehoindah whilst he hearkned unto and suffered himselfe to be informed by him and that it was a custome in Israel even till the birth of our Lord Mat. 2 4. to seeke information about divine things in difficult cases of the Priests appeares in that Herod gathered all the chiefe Priests together to know in what place Christ should be borne and the first most famous Christian Emperour Constantine that things might be rightly determined in the Church did the like when he called the Councell of Nice that I say nothing of other Emperours his Successours calling other Councells at sundry times to the same ends If a transcendent power in the ministery be feared if it be committed to them to judge in difficult cases why is it not likewise feared in their having power to preach permitted unto them to all estates and degrees For the Preacher in the Pulpit is above all his hearers how great and excellent soever they be as being one that personates Christ as his Embassadour Heb. 13.17 to whom even Kings and Princes must submit as to an accountant for them unlesse they will have him doe it with heavinesse which will be unprofitable for them There is no man that knoweth not that such as are superiour in some respects to all others are yet inferiour in some to the Higher Powers subject unto them even as others of their Kingdom and even in that wherein they are superiour they are subject at their command to assemble together and to doe their office and to such mulcts and punishments as they shall inflict upon them whether justly or unjustly as Zechariah stoned by Joash Michaiah imprisoned by Ahab Abiathar deposed by Salomon and the Prophet reproving Asa put in the Stocks by him onely let the Higher Powers take heed that they punish not unjustly as some of these did and smarted for it If then their Soveraignty in worldly things bee kept untoucht notwithstanding the determinative power in things pertaining to godlinesse permitted to chosen men of the Clergy why should they sinne against their owne soules so much as debarring them herefrom to whom it is given of God and properly belongs to ingrosse it to themselves Is a Kings power any whit the lesse if he commits his Law-businesses to the judgement of his Lawyers and then followes that which they prescribe No more is it when Ecclesiasticall matters being committed to Ecclesiasticall men to judge and shew the truth therein their judgements are followed by all men And hitherto of whom a lawfull Councell doth not consist Now let us see how it should be composed and by what authority called and to know this wee need not look further then to the Councell assembled at Jerusalem for of such as that consisted ought every Councell that resolves doubtfull questions to consist and so they ought to be brought together that is of Preachers sent from those places where the questions doe arise to the chiefe City to joyne with the Elders or Preachers there all the Brethren that will being present to beare and consent They are not then to be appointed by particular men of what power or authority soever but a certaine number to be chosen and sent from each great Towne or City even so many as they shall think fit who have the power to command this to be done for it is a businesse concerning all and therefore in choosing the men through whose hands it must goe there is great reason that both Ministers and people should all have a stroake the Decrees concluded upon being thus in a manner their owne and therefore such as every good Christian will be regulated by and ashamed to oppose If the Councels called by the Popes of Rome be considered by this rule they will be found not to have beene any lawfull Councells because they appointed each one in his time the men that should assemble Neither were those Councels called by the Higher Powers as all the most ancient Councels were ever since there were any Higher Powers to call them Lastly the Decrees of those Councels especially of Trent were none other but the Popes by whom a party was made to carry all things as ●ee would have them And even for our owne Assembly I would it might be considered whether there were not an error in the calling of it which haply is the cause why it succeeds no better nothing being yet done to the beating downe of dissentions in our Church but they rather encreasing more and more But although the Assembly be most lawfully met they are not infallible as the Apostles were who met in the first Councell at Jerusalem I answer a lawfull Councell or Assembly is the most infallible meanes that we have given us of God to determine the truth in every particular and therefore the Decrees thereof ought to be followed and reverenced by every childe of the Church none of them being against but according to the evidence of the Word which is the rule whereby we ought to goe in all things That it is the most infallible meanes it appeares because here are assembled the greatest Lights and most Orthodox from all parts of the Kingdome and that according to our president and what are a few in corners here or there in comparison of them that their opinions should not all give way to the Councels Decrees Certainly if these Decrees be fallible theirs be much more for the promise runnes Where two or three are gathered together in my Name there am I in the midst of them it being said before What soever two of you shall consent about on earth shall be ratified in Heaven Where hee speakes without all doubt of Preachers rightly assembled to determine of difficulties for he saith Whatsoever yee bind on earth shall be bound in heaven And not of men privately meeting some few of them together because so the Decrees and points agreed upon by one Assembly might be contradicted by another which would be so farre from conducing to unity where there be differences that they would be in danger of encreasing more and more And if Councels consisting of Elders or Preachers be not the most infallible meanes why did the Apostles adjoyn the Elders to them in that first Councell when as they alone were sufficient