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A04417 Christ on his throne. Or, Christs church-government briefly laid downe and how it ought to bee set up in all Christian congregations. Resolved in sundry cases of conscience. Burton, Henry, 1578-1648, attributed name. 1640 (1640) STC 14541; ESTC S107732 25,100 92

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we ought not to regard it Fourthly the very next age after the Apostles produced many grosse errours and superstitions as Eusebius tells us and as the Apostles premonished Act. 20. 29. yea they complained of it in their own times while they yet lived For the mysterie of Iniquity saith Paul doth already worke c. which mysterie was that of Prelacy as appeares clearely from that Text where the Man of sin who exalts himself over the Church is set forth as the head and top of that mysterie namely of the Hierarchy which is and hath been the L●rna or source of all iniquity And Jerome who lived in the fourth Century said That Prelation over the rest of the Ministers was a thing of humane presumption and not of Divine Ordination and though it was first devised for a remedy against schisme yet it proved in time the greatest schisme that ever was namely the schisme of Antichrist and all his crew of Prelates from Christ the Hierarchy being a meer enmity against Christs kingdome betweene which two there is as great a Chasma or gulfe as between Paradise and Hell CASE III. But seeing Episcopacy is of very great and reverend antiquity as they say is it not best to reduce the present Prelacy to the antient condition of Bishops in the Primitive Church NO unlesse they can proove these Bishops to bee such as Gods Word alloweth Wee reverence that antiquity which is joyned with verity But antiquitie without verity is oldnesse of error as said old Tertullian When one asked Christ If it were lawfull for a man to put away his wife for every cause Christ gave no indulgence at all but reduced that antient abuse among the Iewes to the primitive institution of God in Paradise Secondly The matter in hand is of higher moment than to be regulated by any humane ordinance or reduced to any antiquity other than the Scripture it selfe For the thing here in question concernes no lesse than the honour of Christs Kingdome and his royall prerogative in the government of his kingdome as we shall further see Thirdly that which is originally vicious cannot by tract of time bee made good Custome we see hath not made Prelates better but worse and worse in all ages An evil egge brings forth an evill Bird And Christ saith An evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit And Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire And Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be plucked up by the roots And Either make the tree good and the fruit good or make the tree evill and the fruit evill If therefore the tree of Prelacie be originally and in its owne nature evill as having no foundation in Scripture as being none of Gods planting it ought to be so far from being a patterne for its antiquity as it ought utterly to be rooted up as being a novelty and not antiquity for that only is truly currant which is antiently true CASE IV. But if the Prelacy be plucked up and quite taken away what government shall be left for the Church of God FOr resolution whereof wee are to consider these necessary things First That that Government alone be set forth which Christ himselfe hath left us in his Word For who but the King and Law-giver of his Church and kingdome of Grace should give Lawes and appoint how it shall be governed Secondly we are not to think that Christ who was the Law-giver of the Old Testament was not also the Law-giver of the New and hath left us sufficient direction therin for the government of his people both for faith and manners Now in the Old Testament all must bee done according to the Pattterne shewed to Moses in the Mount even to the least pin in the Tabernacle So also for the Temple and the forme thereof David received all in writing by the Spirit of God 1 Chr. 28. 12. 19. No place is left nor power given to men to invent any thing or impose the least ceremony in the worship of God So in the New Testament is layd downe a perfect platforme of wholsome words which is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good worke CASE V. But we see great difference in mens opinions concerning that forme of Government which Christ hath left in his Word What then shall we do in this case or what is that forme of Governement which we shall pitch upon FOr answere hereunto first however all such governement as is contrary unto and expresly condemned in the Word of God such as the Hierarchy is ought in no case to be admitted or maintained Secondly as wee cannnot doubt but that Christ hath left an exact prescript forme of governement in his Word for the Church of the New Testament so we ought diligently in the use of all good meanes to enquire after that good old way and to finde as much of it as wee can and to follow what we know Thirdly if after all our search there be not a full agreement in all godly mens judgements in some things which seem somwhat more difficult or doubtfull we must not therefore either reject so much as is cleare or yet breake Communion and fellowship with those Churches which differ from us in judgement or practise so long as they maintaine not any government which cannot be warranted by the Word of God holding that rule of the Apostle Let us saith he as many as be perfect be thus minded God shall reveale even this unto you Neverthelesse whereto we have already attained let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing CASE VI How can the Church be without prelates in these respects especially 1. For ordaining of Ministers 2. For inflicting of Censures 3. For calling of Synods 4. For determining of doubts arising in matters of Faith 5. In appointing of Ceremonies 6. For Orders sake 7. For Confirmation of children 8. For dedication of Churches 9 For the forme of Doctrine FOr answer hereunto First in generall there is no need at all of any such Officers in the Church as are not of any divine Institution as Prelats are not as aforesaid yea such officers in stead of any profitable usefulnesse are most unprofitable and pernicious as the Lord saith to false Prophets I have not sent them therfore they shall not profit this people at all Secondly and particularly First Prelates are no way requisite or necessary for ordaining of Ministers First because they ordaine rather a new order of Priests than true Ministers for which cause the Booke of Ordination calls them Priests whereas true Ministers are never called in the new Testament priests Secondly They ordaine no true Ministers of the Gospell if wee may beleeve their practise but rather a sort of dumbe Priests for when they have ordained a