Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	apostle_n	church_n	teacher_n	2,224	5	8.9443	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52757	The great accuser cast down, or, A publick trial of Mr. John Goodwin of Coleman-street, London, at the bar of religion & right reason it being a full answer to a certain scandalous book of his lately published, entituled, The triers tried and cast, &c. whereupon being found guilty of high scandal and malediction both against the present authority, and the commissioners for approbation and ejection, he is here sentenced and brought forth to the deserved execution of the press / by Marchamont Nedham, Gent.	Nedham, Marchamont, 1620-1678.	1657 (1657)	Wing N389; ESTC R18604	109,583	156

as Moses was not because he had done things in all respects to answer the things done by Moses for then he would have left us such Rules and Directions at large which we cannot yet see upon Record as Mr. G saith he hath done for the Politie or Oeconomie of the Church and as fully and compleatly set down in writing as Moses left his but the genuine meaning of the place must be undeniably this That he was faithful in all things as Moses was because he published the Doctrine of the Gospel and sealed it with his blood for the expiation of sin and therein did what he was appointed to as faithfully as Moses formerly did what he was appointed to by God The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Equiparation of the faithfulness of Christ and Moses in this place respecteth only the reality and exactness of their performance both of them having alike punctually performed the several Appointments made to them by God but it doth not infer that there was or ought to have been a similitude correspondency or congruity in the whole manner extent and fabrick of their Institutions For to the end of the world let Mr. G. do what he can with the Scripture let him wring it by the nose to turn it which way he please as the Papists do or to force blood out of it as too many in our times do yet he will never be able to make this Text to serve his purpose Besides even in common sense it is manifest to any that is but the least acquainted with the Gospel that our Lord and Saviour hath not by positive Laws descended so far into particularities with us as Moses did with the people of Israel And so you see what is become of the Third Argument grounded upon a misunderstanding of that part of the Scripture concerning Christ and Moses We might be far more copious but this is too much for him ARGUMENT IV. THe Lord Christ being as was said faithful as Moses also was in all the house of God and his wisdom and providence every ways answerable to this his faithfulness it cannot be conceived but that with his precepts counsels and directions for the advancement and prosperity of the Gospel he hath taken up and filled the whole roomth or space which is capable of receiving Injunctions Orders or Directions in that kind So that no man can add insert or thrust in any thing by way of advice or under the notion of a prudential contrivance for the promoting of the Gospel but he must justle or thrust out and in our Saviours phrase make of none effect some or other of those precepts or directions which have been given by the Lord Christ himself for the same end Even as the Pope cannot gratifie any new Saint with a day in the Kalendar but only either by turning some of the more antient out of their long-continued possessions or else by compelling them to take the other into part and fellowship with them in their honor because the Kalendar is from the one end of it to the other already filled with the Names of the more antient In like manner the whole latitude and compass of wisdom and prudence for the due and successfull managing of the affairs of the Gospel being spread with the orders and charges given by Jesus Christ in that behalf it is not possible for men to devise or set on foot any method means or device of theirs for the promoting of this end but by disauthorizing or with reflection of disparagement upon some or other or all of the said prescriptions of Christ Nor is it possible for any man to invent or form any projection or make any provision which upon a true account will be found in any degree material or pertinent for the welfare or success of the Gospel wherein he hath not been prevented by the Great Author and Father of the Gospel himself Otherwise it must be supposed that men are either as hath been said wiser then God and able to supply that which hath been wanting in him or else that they are more sollicitous and carefull over the interest of the Gospel more intent upon the salvation of the precious Souls of men than He. Therefore the two Commissioners we implead the one of Triers the other of Ejectors being neither of them given in charge by Jesus Christ for the promotion of the Gospel nor holding any true or real Communion with any of his Orders in that behalf must needs be of another Spirit and tendency from these and rather counter-workers then co-workers with them and this experience it self hath sufficiently discovered Answer Now we are come to that which he calls his fourth Argument and expecting here to meet with somewhat of Reason or Religion because he boasts in his Title page that the whole Dozen and half are all Arguments of that nature I am not able in this to find a grain of either onely we have him sitting down in the Reverend chair of Tautology where he is pleased with much commiseration of the dull heads and weak memories of mankind tanquam ex Tripode most oraculously to dictate the same things again over and over telling us If Christ was as faithful as Moses in all the house of God then it cannot be conceived but that with his Precepts Counsels and Directions he hath done so much that no man man can adde any thing by way of advice or prudential contrivance for the promoting of the Gospel c. Mr Goodwin might have done well to give us a Transcript of those pretended copious Precepts and Directions and till he doth he must rest satisfied with the Answer given to his first Argument in reference to this particular because we are not at leisure for Repetition Howbeit because he seems to lay some weight upon these words In all the house of God some Reply must be made to that for the undeceiving of the Reader By 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the House of God is here meant the Church of God universal as will appear by comparing it with 1 Tim. 3. 15. where the house of God is plainly called the Church of the living God Now it is not to be denied but that Christ took care with as much faithfulness as Moses did for the ordering of all this House of God For whatsoever was necessary for the founding building and ordering of this House Viz. The Church universal he very faithfully provided He laid the foundation of it upon the Prophets and Apostles these latter viz the Apostles seconding that Doctrine of the Gospel which had been first published by the Prophets Moreover for the planting and building up of the House of God it is said That he set in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers after that Miracles then Gifts of Healings diversity of Tongues Lastly for the ordering of this House of his he left the great Ordinances and Institutions of Preaching the Word Baptism and the Supper which

in the close of it it being only an iteration of the same scandals against the Commissioners which in black Characters of envy he had set down once before and which we shall have occasion to take notice more at large in another place by and by ARGUMENT III. THey who devise new stratagems methods or inventions to aid the Gospel and to prevent dangers or inconveniencies incident to it beyond or besides all that Christ either prescribed or directed to be done upon any such account or for any such end do in effect deny what the Holy Ghost expresly testifieth of him viz. that he was faithfull to him that appointed him meaning God the Father as also Moses was faithfull in all his house Heb. 3. 2. For if it be supposed that the two Commissions specified be advantagious and benedict to the interest of the Gospel and that this is more like to run and be glorified in the World because seconded and assisted by the said Commissions then was not Jesus Christ faithfull unto God in all his house neglecting or forgetting to give any order to his Apostles or others concerning the levying or setting on foot any such means as these for the relief of the Gospel nor is it easie to imagine but much more difficult is it to prove when unto whom or by whom Christ directed the making of any such Evangelical Engines as either of the said Commissions are Answer For Answer to this First observe that this is but a repetition varying the Phrase of what he in effect said before in his first Argument and grounded upon the same Petitio Principii a begging of the Question which we must by no means admit seeing I suppose we have already made it evident as a matter out of question That it was not the intendment of Christ to leave nor did he or his Apostles leave any Rules and Directions of such a nature of so universal an extent variety and Influence as Mr. G. would insinuate he did as that they will serve in all respect for the publication of the Gospel and do positively exclude the Magistrate from doing any thing at all that is conducible thereunto which indeed as thus stated is the sole matter in question between our Superiours and their Commissioners and Mr. Goodwin in this business Secondly Whereas he calls the Commissions new strategems and inventions it s a wonder he should be a man so hot against Novelties whose phantsie hath been used to take a flight after all But certainly Sir you are not so old as to account what hath been almost from the beginning to be unto your gravity and long standing in the world but a Novelty If it hath been a constant practice in all Times that a man should not be admitted to an employment before he be found fit to undertake it nor continue in it unless he behave himself therein as he ought can it be a new thing now to make a Trial and Judgement of men upon the like occasion The practice you may finde both in the old and new Testament Besides you your self do tell us in you eighth Argument that the Trying of men thus is as old as Episcopacy and yet now it must be a Novelty that is no rare matter for you to contradict your self in all your writings and particularly in this as I shall shew you again by and by Furthermore you may if you please remember it was also a Course practised by the late long Parliament who when the former way of Trial and Approbation ceased appointed the Assembly of Divines at Westminster or a Committee of them to do the work as appears by the following Order Die Jovis 27. Julii 1643. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons House of Parliament That the Committee for plundered Ministers shall nominate none to any Parsonage or Benefice but such as shall be examined by the Assembly of Divines or any Five of them and approved of by Certificate under their hands H. Elsynge Cler. Parl. D. Com. And afterwards when the meeting of the Assembly was at an end then the Provision for examining and approving which you are pleased to represent as a meer novelty was so ordered that it was exercised by the same persons for the most part which were intrusted with the work before by the Parliament who thought it as the present Governors now have done a duty incumbent upon them to settle a way for the proving of the Qualifications of such men as offered themselves to them for the work of the Gospel before they would own and admit them to partake of the Publick Maintenance So that I hope by this time Mr G. is ready to retract and acknowledge his error for saying that the practice of Trying and approving men for Gospel-employments is a new Invention If he please a little to look upward he will finde it as old as St. Paul and Timothy and Titus c. So far is it from being a Novelty Thirdly whereas he saith Those who devise means to aid the Gospel and prevent Inconveniences incident to it beyond or beside what Christ hath prescribed and directed do in effect deny him to be as faithful to God the Father as Moses was For Answer to this observe That the great stress of his Allegation lieth in the particle As by vertue hereof supposing that if Christ were as faithful as Moses then he left as full and cleer Directions for the work of the Gospel in all points as Moses did for the Law But this cannot be the meaning of the place For in the 14. verse of the second Chapter he is said to be a faithful High Priest in two respects 1. In things pertaining to God having approved himself faithful in revealing the Doctrine of the Gospel according to the mind of him that sent him For that was one part of his Commission as you may read Luc. 4. 18. 2. In that he made Reconciliation for the sins of the people And so in these two regards he was faithful both as a Prophet and a Priest or as an Apostle and Priest as it is exprest a little after in the first verse of the third Chapter where we are bidden to consider his faithfulness in both those Capacities who as it followeth vers 2. was faithfull to him that appointed him as Moses was Now therefore the onely Inference that can be made from the place is this That as Moses was faithful to God in what he appointed him to so also was Christ God the Father appointed Christ as the great Prophet or Apostle of our Profession to preach the minde of God in the doctrine of the Gospel that was one end of his mission And he appointed him as our High-Priest to offer up himself a Sacrifice to make an Atonement or Reconciliation for the sins of the people Which two particulars being the ends of Gods appointing him and he having fulfilled them according to the appointment is in this respect said to be faithful

Things we ought to suppose are all that Christ was appointed to do in reference to the ordering of the Church seeing we read of no more and therefore having fulfilled the appointment of God therein we ought to beleeve him as faithfull in his house as Moses was in his because he omitted nothing for the establishment of it which the Father thought necessary for him to do in his own person As for other things which were necessary to be made use of in after-time for the gathering and ordering of particular Churches in divers Cities Towns or Countries he left them to the ordering of his Apostles to whom before his Ascension he gave a promise of the Spirit for their Direction and Assistance which after his Ascension was performed for when he ascended up on high he gave Gifts unto men to that end and purpose and therefore he was faithfull in all his House as Moses was in his though he and his Apostles left not Rules and Direction at such a Latitude as to answer so many particularities of Affairs and occasions as Moses did Nor indeed was there the same Reason for it for if it may be lawfull to guess at the ground of Gods proceeding thus in this particular who transacts all things according to the best and most excellent dictates and proportions of wisedom there appears to be a great deal of Reason why Christ and his Apostles having left such Institutions Rules and Directions which are foundational and absolutely necessary for the Constituting of the Church in general should not descend to the inferiour points of Regulation touching particular Churches so as to leave Rules for it as amply as Moses did or to prescribe means and Expedients unto the use whereof all men should be tyed up who endeavour to propagate or promote the Gospel For that Christ did not mean to set down positive and particular Laws of so wide an extent for all things as Moses did the very different manner of the delivering of the Laws of Moses and the Laws of Christ doth plainly shew Moses had command to gather the Ordinances of God together distinctly that concerned the Jewish Church and orderly to set them down according to their several kinds for each publick duty and office the Laws that belong thereunto as appears in the Books themselves written of purpose to that end On the other side the Laws of Christ about the affairs of his Church we finde rather mentioned by occasion in the writings of the Apostles than any solemn Thing directly written to comprehend and Record them in a Legal method and form which I mention not and therefore let no envious eye make such a construction seeing it cannot be construed in diminution of the said Gospel-Laws which with a devout heart I reverence as of the most sacred and most transcendent Divine Authority but I hint this onely to intimate that the very different manner of the delivery of the Laws of Christ and Moses touching Church-affairs doth shew that the one had no intent to leave Laws which might answer the variety of Gospel-occasions in particulars of so large a compass as the other did to supply Church-occasions in the time of the Law Besides be pleased to consider that when Moses gave those positive Laws and Ordinances both Ceremonial and Judicial they were intended onely for that particular Nation who then were the sole People House or Church of God and accordingly God in the framing of those Laws had an eye and regard to the nature of that people for whom they were made and peculiar and proper Considerations were upon that account respected in the composure to answer most of the Occasions that might fall out in the administration of the Affairs of that Church and State which end might indeed easily be attained by prescribing Rules in and to a particular Nation But when Christ came the Case was much altered for whereas the House or Church of God in Moses time was confined to one single Nation now it was to be made up out of all Nations The Laws of the Common-wealth were then made conformable to the Order of Church But the Church under the Gospel being to spread through all States and Common-wealths was so formed as it might without prejudice to the Civil Peace be entertained in any Nation and therefore as the framing of positive Laws Rules or Directions of the same nature with those of Moses which might serve to fit the different Tempers and Constitutions the various necessities Affairs and Occasions of all the Nations of the World or of those Remnants which should be first converted in all Nations and oblige them to a very Puntilio as Mr. G. pretends was in the very nature of the thing altogether impracticable so it must have proved no less inconvenient then unnecessary For Christ himself having appointed the principal Ordinances before his departure such as might be conveniently made use of by the Church Universal and his Apostles having left divers Rules and Directions which are of the same general concernment and which may indifferently serve to the principal parts of Oeconomy in the Churches in all the Nations of the world it s to be supposed he hath by himself and his Apostles done all that the Father judged necessary for him to do on the behalf of the Gospel and thereby approved himself faithfull in all his House as Moses was in his And whereas I maintain that in particular matters of lesser Importance concerning the way of carrying on the Gospel there are no positive Laws or Rules to be found of so vast a Latitude and comprehension as to reach all Purposes Occasions Accidents and Emergencies in all succeeding times all over the world so as for ever to exclude altogether the use of humane Reason and discretion from assisting about the way and means of publishing the Gospel this Assertion of mine is so far from occasioning any man thereupon to infer or imagine any defect of wisdom and providence on the part of our Lord and Saviour that it is rather a clear Evidence he hath as becomes his Divine wisdom and faithfulness therein so ordered the matter as was most agreeable to right Reason which is a ray of the Divinity and to the nature and scope of His and his Fathers own great design and intendment which was and is To gather unto him self a People out of all Nations upon the face of the Earth So there is an end of his fourth Argument in the confutation whereof it was necessary to enlarge thus a little more than ordinary because as 't is a supposition too much rooted in the conceptions of men in these times so he seems to build much upon it and with many flashes of Ostentation to dazle the eyes of the Reader The residue of his Arguments which follow import little else but matter of scandal to which though there be no other Answer due than what Michael the Archangel gave the Devil yet somewhat must be