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
A88943	Church-government and church-covenant discussed, in an answer of the elders of the severall churches in New-England to two and thirty questions, sent over to them by divers ministers in England, to declare their judgments therein. Together with an apologie of the said elders in New-England for church-covenant, sent over in answer to Master Bernard in the yeare 1639. As also in an answer to nine positions about church-government. And now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.; Mather, Richard, 1596-1669. Apologie of the churches in New-England for church-covenant.; Peters, Hugh, 1598-1660.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1643 (1643)	Wing M1270; Thomason E106_8; Thomason E106_9; ESTC R18913	104,756	140

be the case of any Church when they come to be without Officers as by warre pestilence c. it may come to passe There are some things common to Pastors with Teachers as that they are both Officers of the Church appointed by Christ both Elders or Bishops to rule and feed the Church by labouring in the Word and Doctrine Act. 20 28 1 Tim. 3. 1. Tit. 1. 5 7. and therefore the name of Pastour in a generall sense may be given to them both Ier. 3. 15. as also the name of Teacher Isa 30. 20. as those names may also be given to Apostles in as much as they also are Elders Pastors Teachers to rule to feed to teach the Church of God 1 Pet. 5. 1. Ioh. 21. 15. 16. 1 Tim. 2. 7. 2. 1. 11. And if Pastors and Teachers be both of them Church officers to feed and rule the Church by labouring in the Word and Doctrine they must not do this without application of it to the consciences and states of the hearers as God shall helpe them for this application is one part of his worke that is by his office to preach the Word without which the Word is not handled in such a manner as it ought to be 2 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 14. 25. Luk. 12. 42. and many hearers need this the Word delivered in generall without application of it being to them as bread set before children in the whole loafe And if both of them must labour in the Word and Doctrine and not onely in a generall way but with application we see not but they may both of them administer the Seales or Sacraments wherein there is a speciall application of the promises of the Gospel and the grace of Christ therein unto the faithfull and believing receivers 2. And yet for all this community between them they are not in propriety of speech the same Officers but distinct and so the Scripture speaketh of them Ephes 4. 11. For if a man would say their Offices are confounded because the same generall worke of preaching the Word and applying the same belongs unto them both By the same reason a man might say the offices of Apostles and Evangelists were confounded for both of them were to preach the Word with application of the same by doctrine and Seales and also that the ordinary Pastors were the same office with them both because hee also is to doe the same worke of preaching and applying But an Apostle is to feed and rule and teach by way of Doctrine and Application as an Apostle an Evangelist as an Evangelist and an ordinary Pastor as an ordinary Pastor and therein lyes the difference and wee may adde a Teacher as a Teacher and therein is he distinguished both from the Pastor and from all other Church Officers even as by the same they all are distinguished one from another the same generall worke of Doctrine and Application being common to them all 3. And for the Teacher and Pastor the difference between them lyes in this that the one is principally to attend upon points of Knowledge and Doctrine though not without Application and the other to points of Practice though not without Doctrine and therefore the one of them is called He that teacheth and his worke is thus expressed let him attend on teaching and the other He that exhorteth and his worke to attend on exhortation Rom. 12. 7 8. and the gift of the one is called a word of knowledge and the gift of the other a word of wisedome 1 Cor. 12. 8. as experience also sheweth that one mans gift is more doctrinall and for points of knowledge and anothers more exhortatory and for points of practise It is not the manner of Elders among us whether Ruling onely or Ruling and Teaching also to strive for authority or preheminence one above another as remembring what lesson our Saviour taught his Disciples when they were at strife among them which of them should be the greatest Luk. 22. 24 25. c. If Diotrephes strive for preheminence 3 Ioh. 9 10. verily we abhorre such striving and by the grace of God respect one another as Brethren As for the peoples duty toward their Elders it is taught them plainly in that place 1 Thes 5. 12 13. as also in that of 1 Tim. 5. 17 Let the Elders that rule well bee counted worthy of double honour specially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine and this Word specially shewes them that as they are to account all their Elders worthy of double honour so in speciall manner their Teaching or Preaching Elders These are answered in that which was sent the last yeare We doe believe that every Minister of the Gospel ought to be maintained with sufficient and honourable maintenance according to his need and occasions in regard of his person calling charge of children and hospitality so as he that preacheth the Gospel may in all these respects live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. 14. Gal 6. 6. 1 Tim. 5. 17. And this maintenance is not to be allowed as almes and courtesie but as debt and duty to bee paid according to the rule of Justice the Labourer is worthy of his wages Luk. 10. 17. which the Apostle sheweth to be according to all Lawes of nature nations Moses and Christ 1 Cor. 9. But for setled and stinted maintenance there is nothing done that way amongst us except from yeare to yeare because the conditions of Ministers may vary and of the Church to which they doe belong Neither doe we know any such thing to be appointed by Christ our Lord for the maintenance of the Ministery in these dayes but this we know that the great mountaine burning with fire cast into the sea upon the sounding of the second Trumpet Rev. 8. 8 9. is applyed by some good Writers to those times when Constantine brought setled endowments into the Church with ampla praedia as they are called are counted by some to bee no better then poyson to the Church as the Stories say that upon the fact of the good Emperour a voice was heard which said Hodie seminatum est virus in Ecclesiam And if those Writers be not deceived which so expound that Scripture as for our parts wee know not but they expound it truely then in as much as upon the casting of that mountaine into the sea a third part of it became blood and a third part of living creatures dyed and a third part of ships were destroyed it may be truely gathered thence that the bringing in of setled endowments and eminent preferments into the Church hath been the corruption and to some the destruction of such as lived by them both Church-officers and Church-members We doe not permit and call upon such whom you call meere Lay men and private persons neither being in the Ministery nor intended to it ordinarily to preach or prophecy publiquely in or before the Congregation if by ordinarily you meane frequently

another though now and then as need requireth Churches send to other Churches for their counsell and advice Meanes to preserve the Churches in unitie and verity and to reforme any that may erre thankes bee to God we have sundry First the holy Scriptures which are a perfect rule for Doctrine and practise 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. 2 Pet. 1. 19. Psal 19. 7 8. Secondly the Ministery appointed by Christ viz. of Pastors Teachers Elders and Deacons Ephes 4. 11 12. 1 Cor 12. 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. 1. Tim. 3. 1 2. c and vers 8. and in both these we have frequently holden forth unto us the Commandement of God wherein he requires Churches to bee of one mind and one judgement in the truth 1 Cor. 1. 10. 2. 13. 11. Ephes 4. 3. Phil. 1. 27. 2. 1. 2. and his promise to lead his people into all truth and holy agreement therein Jer. 32. 29. Isa 11 6 7 c. Zeph. 3. 9. Ioh. 16. 13. with many motives and Rules from Scripture for continuing in the said truth and love Now Faith makes use of these promises and submits to these precepts and exhortations and so both these being mixt with Faith are profitable meanes by the blessing of God for that end aforesaid Heb. 4. 2. as these Churches have found by experience for these yeares since our comming into this Countrey And any other meanes sanctified of God for the aforesaid end we hope we should be glad with thankfull hearts to improve and make use of as the Lord shall help As for a Platforme of Doctrine and Discipline which you mention as one meanes hereunto if thereby you meane no more but a confession of Faith of the holy doctrine which is according to godlinesse we know nothing but it may be lawfull and expedient in some cases for any particular person that hath received the gift to doe it or any Church or a●l the Churches in any Christian Common-wealth to compile and set forth such a platforme The practise of those Churches whose Confessions are contained in that booke called The harmony of Confessions as also of Master Robinson at Leiden and others of our Nation in other parts in the Low-countries who have published such platformes we see no reason to condemne or disallow neither count we it unlawfull or inexpedient for any Church or Churches or person or persons in the countrey upon just occasion to doe the like But if your meaning be of a platforme to be imposed by authority upon others or our selves as a binding Rule of Faith and practice so that all men must believe and walke according to that platforme without adding altering or omitting then we are doubtfull whether such platformes be lawfull or expedient For if the Doctrine contained therein doe in any particular swerve from the Doctrine contained in Scripture then the imposing of them is so far forth unlawfull and if they be according to it then they may seeme needlesse in as much as the forme of wholesome words contained in Scripture is sufficient Which reason against such Platformes makes nothing against Sermons or Preaching though Sermons must be according to the Doctrine contained in Scripture because Preaching is an ordinance of God and therefore not needlesse which we cannot say of such Platformes Besides as they are not necessary so they may be a snare unto men and a dangerous temptation of attending more to the forme of Doctrine delivered from the authority of the Church and the imposers then to the examining thereof according to the Rule of Scripture and so their faith may by this meanes stand in the wisedome or will of man rather then in the power of God as if men had dominion over their faith which things ought not so to be 1 Cor. 2. 5. 2. 1. ver Christians have liberty from God to search the Scriptures and try all things and hold fast that which is good Act. 17. 11. Ioh. 5. 39. 1 Thess 5. 21. but the foresaid imposing of platformes and confessions compiled by men doth seeme to abridge them of that liberty and if it be any meanes of unity yet it may be a dangerous hinderance of some verity and degree of truth as binding men to rest in their former apprehensions and knowledge without liberty to better their judgement in those points and shutting the doore against any further light which God may give to his best servants and most discerning beyond what they saw at first And therefore we doubt such imposed platformes are not lawfull or at least wise not expedient The consociation of Churches into Classes and Synods we hold to be lawfull and in some cases necessary as namely in things that are not peculiar to one Church but common to them all And likewise when a Church is not able to end any matter that concernes onely themselves then they are to seeke for counsell and advice from neighbour Churches as the Church at Antioch did send unto the Church at Ierusalem Acts 15. 2. the ground and use of Classes and Synods with the limitations therein to be observed is summarily laid downe by Doctor Ames Medul Theol. l 1. c. 39. Sect. 27. unto whom we do wholly consent in this matter But when you speake of doing no weighty matter without the consent and counsell of a Classes we dare not so far restraine the particular Churches as fearing this would be to give the C●asses an undue power and more then belongs unto them by the Word as being also an abridgment of that power which Christ hath given to every particular Church to transact their owne matters whether more or lesse weighty among themselves if so be they be able without such necessary dependence upon Classes as we have shewed before in answer to Q. 14. Sect. 3. 4. of that Answere And Master Parker testifieth that in Genevah and in the Low-countries where they have some use of Classes yet it cannot bee said that their particular Congregations are absque potestate omni in rebus grandtoribus ut in excommunicatione the particular Churches are not without power in the more weighty matters as in Excommunication Polit. Eccles li. 2. c. 36. Sect. 11. p. 310. And Master Baine sheweth the same saying They have power of governing themselves but for greater edification voluntarily confederate not to use or exercise their power but with mutuall communion one asking the counsell and consent of the other Dioces Triall Q. 1. p. 21. And a little after Geneva made his consociation not as if the prime Churches were imperfect and to make one Church by this union but because though they were intire Churches and had the power of Churches yet they needed support in exercising of it c. which is the very same that wee said before in Q. 14 viz. That all Churches have right of Government within themselves but some had need of counsell and advice of others because they are of lesse ability to transact their owne matters

in favour many of the people of the Land became Jews Esth 8. 17. But why is there so little proofe of this Church-Covenant in the New Testament 1. Suppose the New Testament said nothing of it yet it might have ground sufficient from the Scriptures of the old Testament for if it was Gods revealed will in those dayes that a companie should become a Church and particular persons become members of that Church by way of Covenant we may be sure it is so now likewise unlesse covenanting were peculiar to the Jewish Paedigogie indeed if it had never been used in those times but were some new ordinance peculiar to the dayes of the New Testament in such cases also a ground from the Scriptures of the New Testament were necessarie as there is in all such things wherein there is any change or variation from what was used in those times afore Christ as that there should not be Nationall Churches but congregationall and not one visible Church but many that there should be baptisme and the Lords Supper these are matters that are not found in the old Testament nor were appointed to be used in those dayes and therefore we must have warrant for them in the New and so we have But for the Covenant it is otherwise it is no new ordinance peculiar to the dayes of the Gospel nor any Leviticall ordinance peculiar to the Jewish Pedigogie and therefore the Scriptures of the Old Testament that give warrant for it may be sufficient as hath been shewed afore 2. And yet there is not wanting good warrant for it that it ought to be used in the dayes of the New Testament For 1. the Prophets do foretell it Isa 56. 6 7. and 44. 5. and Jer. 50. 5. Ezek. 20. 37. and in sundrie other places to omit the rest at this time because some of them have been spoken of before Onely let those words of Isa 44. 5. be well considered and see if they do not plainly hold forth that in the dayes of the New Testament men should openly professe their faith and solemnly bind themselves by Covenant to be the Lords people one shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand and sirname himself by the name of Israel These words are so plaine for open professing of faith in the Lord and open binding of mens selves by Covenant unto him as we conceive nothing need be more 2. The Apostles do sufficiently testifie that such a thing was practised in their dayes else how should we understand that fellowship in the Gospel in its full latitude and breadth Phil. 1. 5. if this combining into Church-fellowship be no part thereof yea when it is said they continued stedfastly or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be translated they strongly did cleave together or hold together in such a Fellowship which was not preaching and hearing the doctrine of the Apostles nor Sacraments nor Prayer but a thing distinct from all these If this combining themselves into a spirituall fellowship and societie of Church-state be no part thereof we know not how to understand it nor what that fellowship should meane If Doctrine and Sacraments and Prayer had not been particularly mentioned in the same place it might have been thought that the Fellowship in which they so steadfastly clave together had been no more but their coming together to observe these said ordinances and their communion therein But when all these are particularly mentioned and Fellowship mentioned among them as a thing distinct from the rest we may not confound it with the rest We might as well say that by doctrine is meant Sacraments and by Sacraments is meant Prayer as to say that by Fellowship is meant nothing else but the exercise of doctrine and Sacraments and Prayer And if these as they are distinctly named be distinct ordinances and may not be confounded then Fellowship being named in the same manner imports something distinct from them all and may not be confounded with them nor with any of them no more then the other may be confounded one with another And if so then as this Fellowship may import the communion of their gift and goods one for the helpe of another so it must first of all imply a combining of themselves into Church-state by mutuall agreement consent or covenant Furthermore when the Apostle writeth that by experience of the Corinthians liberall contribution to the poore Saints men glorified God for their professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ 2. Cor. 9. 13. he plainly imployes thereby that the Corinthians had made a profession or promise of such subjection to the Gospel as did comprehend this particular of distributing to the necessitie of the Saints among other things And their liberall distribution which he there speaks of was looked at as one point of their reall performance of that subjection to the Gospel which they had before professed and promised Now the Church-Covenant is nothing else but the professing or promising of such subjection and therefore this place is another proofe of Church-Covenant Besides it hath been shewed afore in Argument 3. that those places which speake of being added to the Church of joyning or assaying to joyne unto the Church Act. 2. 47. and 5 13. and 9 26. are not expounded according to the full meaning of them when they are understood of any other joyning if joyning in Covenant be left out And therefore the Scriptures of the New Testament do beare good witnesse unto Church-Covenant though as we said before the Scriptures of the Old Testament might have been sufficient if the New Testament had spoken nothing of it But Baptisme makes men members of the visible Church and therefore the Covenant is needlesse This is answered in the Answer to the fourth of the 32. Questions where it is shewed at large that Baptisme ●● a seale of the Covenant betweene God and the Church but neither makes the Church nor members of the Church nor alwayes so much as proves men to be members This Church-Covenant is a late devise and was not known in ancient time and therefore is to be rejected First True Antiquitie is that of the Scriptures Now sith Church Covenant is warranted by the Scripture as hath been shewed before in this discourse it cannot be charged to want true Antiquitie When the Papists are wont to charge the doctrine of Protestants with Novelty and such as was never heard of before Luther the Orthodoxe are wont to answer that if the doctrine do not agree with the Scripture then let it be condemned for Noveltie and if it do it is warranted by the best Antiquitie even the testimonie of God himself who is the Antient of dayes Our Faith faith Doctor White is in all points the same that is contained in the Scripture and so consequently of the same Antiquitie and therefore all they that say it