Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	according_a	church_n	discipline_n	2,858	5	9.0169	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01638	A golden chaine of divine aphorismes written by John Gerhard Doctor of Divinitie and superintendent of Heldburg. Translated by Ralph Winterton fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge; Loci communes theologici. English	Gerhard, Johann, 1582-1637.; Winterton, Ralph, 1600-1636.; Cecil, Thomas, fl. 1630, engraver.	1632 (1632)	STC 11769; ESTC S103039	111,208	568

such as are unworthy to be Priests and we see apparantly that it descends by authority from above That the Priest be elected in the ●ight and presence of the people and be approved and thought worthy by publike judgement and testimonie 36 Wherefore seeing that the power and right of calling Ministers belongs unto the whole Church Neither let the Presbyterie alone nor the Magistracie alone nor the rest of the multitude alone usurp challenge to themselves this power 37 For what concerns all That must all have a care of 38 But let all things be done decently and in order 1. Cor. 14.40 39 The publike and solemne testification of this Mediate Vocation is the rite of Ordination by which in the sight of God and in the presence of the whole Church the person lawfully called is separated from the rest of the multitude to this charge and office and is commended unto God by prayers and hath a publike testimonie of his foregoing Vocation 40 We deny that Ordination is a Sacrament if the word be properly and strictly taken 41 For it wants the outward Element expressely instituted by Christ himself in the New Testament It wants also the promise of application and obsignation of grace proper to the Gospell 42 Before Ordination there goes diligent Examination of the party to be ordained by which enquirie is made concerning his confession learning aptnesse to teach and order of life 43 The Rule of this Examination is set down unto us 1. Tim. 3.2 c. Tit. 1.6 7 8 c. 44 In which places such vertues are required of him that hath committed unto him the office of teaching in the Church as are either Common to him with other true godly or else are Proper and peculiar unto him 45 The Common are these That he must be blamelesse the husband of one wife vigilant s●ber of good behaviour given to hospitalitie Not given to wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a b●awler not covetous c. 1. Tim. 3.2 3 4 c. Tit. 1.6 7 8 c. 46 Now the reason why the Apostle maketh mention of these common vertues is Because integritie of life is required of Ministers not onely for the same causes for which they are required of other private Christians but also in a peculiar name That their ministerie be not calumniated reproached and ill spoken of and so the fructification of the word be hindred 47 The Apostle requires that a Bishop be the husband of one wife to stop the mouthes of Heretikes which speak against their marrying shewing thereby that marriage is no impure thing but so honourable that it is no hindrance to a man from ascending up unto the Bishops chair Chrysost. in cap. 1. Tit. 48 Therefore the Ecclesiasticall Order or the Clergie are not by Gods law forbidden marriage 49 For the temperance or continencie which the Apostle requires in a Bishop Tit. 1.8 cannot be proved to be understood of the vow of Continencie or living unmarried untill it be first shewed that there is no temperance or continencie in the married life of the Godly Ecclesiasticus 26.22 Galat. 5.23 50 Neither doth the Apostle hereby hinder those from the ministerie who after they have buried one wife have lawfully married another 51 But he forbids those to be chosen unto the Ministerie who in any sort sinne so against the ●eventh commandment that they are not the husbands of one wife 52 As for example If they live in adulterie If at the same time they have more wives then one If putting away and divorcing from them a lawfull wife except it be in case of adulterie they marry another or choose unto themselves one that is divorced from another 53 Neither yet doth he prescribe marriage unto all Ministers of the Church as a thing absolutely necessarie but he leaves it as a thing arbitrarie either to marry or not to marry and makes married Ministers subject unto the laws of Matrimonie established by God 54 The Proper and peculiar vertues which the Apostle requires of the Ministers of the Church are these That they must be apt to teach 1. Tim. 3.2 That they be furnished and instructed with the gift to teach be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Tit. 1.9 55 So much concerning the lawfull vocation or calling unto the Ministerie Now follows the faithfull discharge of the same 56 By the faithfull discharge of the Ministerie we understand all duties of Ecclesiasticall ministration according to the Apostle 1. Cor. 4.1 Let a man so account of us as of the Ministers of Christ and the Stewards of the Mysteries of God and in the 2. verse Moreover it is required in Stewards that a man be found faithfull 57 Which faithfulnesse consists in this That the things of the Church wherewith the Minister is entrusted by God be ordered and administred according to the prescript will of God 58 The things of the Church either concern Doctrine or the Sacraments or Discipline 59 The Office then of a Minister is contained in these three things the lawfull administration of Doctrine the Sacraments and Discipline 60 The administration or discharge of the Ministers office as concerning Doctrine consisteth in the Confirmation of the Truth and the Refutation of Errours 61 The Rule both of Doctrine and Reproofe is the onely Word of God 2. Tim. 3.16 62 Unto Doctrine pertaineth the interpretation of the Holy Scripture and the applying of the same unto the use and benefit of the Church 63 In the Administration of the Sacraments we are to consider both the Object and the Manner 64 By the name of Object we understand that provident care of the Minister by which he is held to have regard and foresight unto whom the Sacraments are to be administred and who are to be kept backe from them 65 And this is the chiefest cause why private Confession and Absolution are still held in some Churches although there are not wanting many other reasons 66 By the name of the Manner is understood that all things are to be administred according to the prescript rule of Christ and as the Apostle saith decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 67 The Ecclesiasticall Discipline is exercised in correcting faults and passing Ecclesiasticall Judgement and Sentence 68 Faults are to be corrected according to the order degrees prescribed by Christ. Matt. 18.15 69 Let Private and Publike admonition and warning go before and if those will not serve the turne let the severe Administration of Ecclesiasticall Judgement and Sentence succeed in the place thereof which consisteth in Excommunication 70 Excommunication the latter part of the keyes is either that which is called the Lesser or else that which is called the Greater 71 The Lesser is that by which the Sinner is interdicted the participation of the Lords Supper for a time 72 The Greater is that by which Lawfull Knowledge going before the obstinate and contumacious sinner is

former ages or whether they be at this day yet living 25 But it is necessarie that this consent be grounded on the Catholike writings of the Prophets and Apostles which are the onely foundation of the Church 26 It is called Apostolike in respect of the Doctrine of the Apostles because it began in the New Testament to be propagated by the Apostles which taught none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come Act. 26.22 And because it is yet at this day gathered together by the Doctrine of the Apostles sounding in the Scriptures 27 From whence it may be easily gathered what are the true Characters and signes of the True Church to wit The pure preaching of the Word the Lawfull administration of the Sacraments 28 For seeing that the Church is nothing else but a Companie of such as professe the true Doctrine of Christ publikely and use the Sacraments lawfully and there is no surer note of a thing thē its Forme Therefore we conclude that these and no other are the true proper and genuine Characters tokens and cognizances of the Church 29 If there be assigned any other as the Catholike name Antiquitie Duration Amplitude Succession of Bishops Temporall felicitie c. I say These are common to other Societies and Companies as well as to the Church neither are they of any force to prove a true Church unles they exactly agree and are joyned with the other notes before mentioned by us 30 Wherefore we thought good to note the words of Stapleton in relect princ fid Controv. 1. Quaest. 4. Art 5. pag. 113. Even as saith he little children do distinguish a man from a beast by the externall lineaments of body and outward figure of a man because they are led onely by their sense And those which are of riper yeares and have the use of reason but yet are rude and unlearned do it by operations of life functions which are onely proper to a man as to speak like a man to walk like a man c. But they which are wise prudent whose judgement pierceth deeper do it by prudence and understanding and other endowments which are proper unto man after a farre more excellent manner 31 So the Church of Christ is by those that are wise and Spirituall such as are the Teachers and Pastors of the Church known by the sound Do●trine and the right use of the Sacraments But as for those which are unlearned weak and little in Faith who are not able to judge of the Doctrine it selfe considered in its causes principles and meanes as also those which are without Faith who know little or nothing of the Church they judge onely by the outward face and appearance and by the multitude of the people which beleeve and their Pastors 32 This Similitude or Comparison of Stapletons we thought worthy to be noted For from hence it may be concluded that our notes of the true Church are proper genuine well beseeming spirituall men but theirs are doubtfull and uncertaine 33 The outward shew and face of the Church shadowed ou● by lineaments we willingly grant unto them But as for the Soule thereof that must they leave unto us 34 Hither belongeth that which Bellarmine himself openly confesseth That by those notes and markes by him assigned it is not prov●d evidently to be true That the Church of Rome is the true Church of God but yet it is made eviden●ly credible Libr. 4. de Eccl. cap. 3. Col. 210. 35 Furthermore seeing that the Gospell is not preached nor the Sacraments administred with like sinceritie in all particular Churches but the ●eaven of humane traditions and inventions is mixed with the pure masse of Gods Word Therefore in this respect and in this sense the Church is said to be more pure or more impure comparing one with another 36 So Christ would have the Scribes and Pharisees to be heard Sitting in Moses Chaire Matt. 23.2 that is delivering the Doctrine which Moses delivered according to the interpretation of Biel. 4. Sent. Dist. 1. Quaest. 4. Art 3. But withall he gives an Item to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees that is their false Doctrine Mat. 16.6 37 God can even by a corrupt Ministerie beget spirituall children unto himself Ezech. 16.20 38 The eares of the hearers are many times more pure then th● lips of the teachers 39 So the Popish Church is not a true and pure Church But yet in former ages under Poperie did God gather and even at this day still doth gather unto himself a Church 40 Our Churches are gone out of the Romish Babylon according to Gods command Jerem. 15.19 They have taken forth the precious from the vile They have accepted and do still professe and maintain the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and the Doctrine which is conformable and agreeable unto them separating them from the leaven of humane traditions 41 Can any one then deny that our Church is Apostolike Such as the doctrine is such is the Church The Doctrine is Apostolike And therefore our Church is also Apostolike 42 Let them therefore either convince us out of the writings of the Prophets and Apostles to have departed from the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles or let them not deny unto us the name of Catholike and Apostolike Church 43 And here we would have it accurately to be observed what the Acts of the Dyet at Ausburg Ann. 1530. do witnes How that the chiefest of our adversaries there confessed that the confession of our Faith could not be refuted out of Scripture 44 Hither will we adde out of S. Augustine Epist. 166. that In the Scriptures we have learned Christ in the Scriptures we have learned the Church· And why then do we not in them retaine both Christ and the Church 45 And againe we have another saying out of S. Augustine De unitat Eccl. Cap. 2. which makes against them Between us saith he and the Donatists the Romanists the question is Where the Church is What then shall we do Shall we seek it in our owne words or in the words of our Lord which is the Head of the Church In my judgement we ought rather to seek it in his words who is Truth it self and best knows his own body 46 And further we urge upon them that Exclusive particle of Saint Chrysostome Hom. 49. oper imperf in Matth. They which would know which is the true Church of Christ can know by no other means but Onely by the Scriptures 47 The word of God which this day is not extant but in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles is the seed the foundation and as it were the soul of the Church If the Church departeth from the tract thereof it departeth into errour and that so much the more grievous by how much the more remote and distant from the sinceritie of the word 48 From whence it may be easily gathered what we are to determine concerning that

way of Inherence 31 Immortalitie was a part of that divine Image For God created man to be immortall and made him to be an Image of his own Eternitie Wisd. 2.23 32 That death of the body unto which we are all subject since the fall of Adam is not the naturall condition of man But it is derived upon us as a punishment for the wickednes of his transgression 33 It is not a debt due unto our nature as it was at first created by God but it is our just merit and wages for falling away from God 34 At what time man opened the gate of sinne unto Satan knocking death entred in upon him and so passed upon all men Rom. 5.12 35 That immortalitie unto which man was created as likewise the whole Image of God was a naturall and internall propertie of the humane nature 36 In the body there was a most exact harmonie of all the qualities and it was governed by the soule which was created after the Image of God unto immortalitie 37 As therefore since the fall VVee are by nature the children of wrath Ephes. 2.3 So before his fall the first man was by nature the Son of grace and life 38 But the Degree of Immortalitie which was in our nature at the first institution and the degree that shall be at the perfect restitution are farre different the one from the other 39 The Immortalitie of the first man was That hee had power not to die but the Immortalitie of the Elect shall be hereafter That they cannot die August 6. de Gen. ad lit cap. 25. 40 And further seeing that Immortalitie is a part of the divine Image from hence it is apparant That even in the body of man there is some glimpse of the divine Image 41 The comlinesse of the clay did argue also the beauty of the soul. Bern. Serm. 24. Sup. Cant. Col. 564. 42 If any one ask whether Eve was made after the Image of God or no we answer that the name of Image is taken two wayes 43 Primarily and properly the Image of God was resplendent in the conformitie of the soule and all the powers faculties of man with the Law of God which was common to both sexes saving the diversitie of degrees 44 Secundarily the Image of God was resplendent in that externall priviledge of Dominion and rule the eminencie whereof properly belonged unto the man 45 And that there might be nothing wanting to mans felicity beside the grace of soule and body God added also the grace of place for he gave him his dwelling-place in Paradise 46 Man was created by God partly Spirituall and partly Corporeall Therefore God gave unto him also a twofold Paradise both a Spirituall and a Corporeall 47 The Corporeall or Terrestriall Paradise was a Type and School of the Spirituall and Celestiall Paradise that is great tranquillitie and joy in the minde of man 48 If any man be desirous that we should show unto him in what part of the earth the Corporeall Paradise was situate That we will doe if he will first plainly show unto us the situation of the earth as it was before the floud 49 That the garden of Paradise is yet extant and to be seen then will wee beleeve when any man can bring us a bough or a branch from thence or else demonstrate it unto us upon a good foundation 50 It is certain that Henoch and Elias live in Paradise But in what Paradise Not the Terrestriall but the Celestiall where Christ promised the good thief that hee should be Luk. 23.43 51 There were two trees especially which were a great grace to the garden of Paradise to wit the tree of Life the tree of Knowledge of good and evill Gen. 2.9 52 In the tree of Life there was set before man a Preservative against sicknesse and old age as also a Type of eternall beatitude 53 The tree of Knowledge was mans Temple and Altar and the service which he was to have performed unto God was To abstain from the fruit thereof 54 After mans fall it was so called from the Event For by tasting of the fruit thereof man learnt by wofull experience what a great good he had deprived himself of by reason of his sinne and what a great evil he drew upon himself by his disobedience 55 As concerning the question about the production of souls whether by way of Propagation or by a dayly and immediate Creation we do not dislike the modestie of those which say That it is sufficient for them to beleeve and know whither they shall come by living a godly life although they be ignorant from whence they came August 10. de Gen. ad lit cap. 23. 56 Let me be ignorant of the originall of my soul if so be that I can come to the knowledge of the propagation of originall sinne and the redemption of souls Aug. Epist. 157. ad Optat. 57 If by the Image of God we understand according to the Scripture phrase true righteousnesse and holinesse The Holy Ghost witnesseth that we have lost it and we finde it true by wofull experience 58 For what is Originall sinne but the losse and want of the di●vine Image which succeeded in the place of Originall righteousnesse 59 This doctrine concerning the Image of God leads us as it were by the hand that so we may come to the knowledge of Gods mercy and our own misery and further establisheth our hope 60 All laud and praise be given to God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost To the Father which created us in Adam after his own Image to the Sonne which merited for us the renewing of that Image and to the Holy Ghost by whom this Image beginneth again to be renewed in us CHAP. IX Wherein are contained Theologicall Aphorismes concerning ORIGINALL SINNE That is The Fall of our first parents and the corruption of nature which followed thereupon and is propagated unto their posteritie 1 THe first man continued not in the integritie and perfection wherein he was created and therefore it descended not upon his posteritie by any right of inheritance 2 He followed the deceitfull perswasion of the Serpent and so fell into sinne and the transgression of Gods commandment 3 In that naturall Serpent the infernall Serpent lay lurking 4 So then the Serpent which by his subtiltie deceived our first parents was disguised For there was a Divell in the shape of a Serpent 5 He sets upon the woman first being the weaker and not to be compared with man for the gift and endowment of wisdome 6 By a treacherous and deceitfull question about the meaning of Gods commandment he sollicits her to a very dangerous kinde of doubting 7 Outwardly with a faigned voice he propounds a question unto her Inwardly he wounds her soul with venomous darts and inspires into her the poison of doubting 8 Afterwards being grown more audacious and bold by reason of his successe he turns Eve● doubting into