Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A29276
|
The churches resurrection, or, The creating of the new heavens written by an unworthy gospel-minister, John Bryan.
|
Brayne, John.
|
1649
(1649)
|
Wing B4321; ESTC R23804
|
57,437
|
84
|
indeed the hiding of the Church no wonder if it be a hidden thing to us he saith in this place Omnes docebant omnes baptizabant he saith They observed not the time nor fasted before Baptism nor had Peter any Deacons at Cornelius house to Baptize as if the Deacons office was onely to Baptize he not minding that some of the seven may be with him and Baptize in all which he corruptly quarrels with the Apostles practice as if they had found a better form to serve God by then that of the Gospel which the Bishops of the times preceeding did correct and like the carnal Gentiles seeking to be wise became fools and like the foolish woman in the Proverbs pull'd down the House of God with both their hands and worse then she set up a Cage for unclean birds of their own predicted by Zech. 5.8 9. But of this in its place Ignatius Ep. to Policarpus He writing to Policarpus mentions the Presbytery and saith Vnà laborate inter vos unà certate unà currite c. ut dispensatores assessores ministri Dei. In the word Dispencers the admission of members to Ordinances is signified in Assessors their Government in general intended in Ministers their teaching 8. The Church was governed by these three conjunctly in Ecclesiastical things Ignatius to Trallis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessary whatever ye do ye go about nothing that is of Ecclesiastical publike concernment without the Bishop but also that ye submit to the Presbytery as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ In these is the Church true Presbytery onely and alone in these the Synod and Colledge of Ministery is existent and in none other Other Authority is Antichristian and tends to oppression of the Saints Tertull. in the forecited place de Exhortatione Castitatis Honor per ordinis consessum sanctificatus adeò ubi non est ecclesiastici ordinis consessus Offers Tinguis Sacerdos c. before he saith these have Ecclesiae aucthoritas the Church authority This is Consessus Ecclesiaestici ordinis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and any other Ecclesiastical convent then this Juridical is not according to the Primitive Church and Gospel-frame this was the true Presbytery and all other then these are spurious and false To this well agreeth that of Mat. 18.19 that if two of you agree on earth c. The Church while it was according to the Gospel institution governed by these three it was called The pillar and ground of Truth but when that fell and Ministers of other Societies ruled then came the corruption of the Church the Lord not approving of them as is well observed in the Preface of the Bibles written To the Reader printed in King James's days yet for all that the learned knew That certain worthy men have been brought to untimely death for no other fault but for seeking to reduce their countrey-men to good order and discipline and that in some Common-weals it was made a capital crime once to motion the making of a new Law for the abrogating of an old though the same were most pernicious and that certain which would be accounted pillars of the State and paterns of vertue and prudence could not be brought for a long time to give way to good letters and refined speech but bare themselves as averse from them as from Rocks and boxes of Poyson And he was no babe viz. Greg. Theol. but a great Cler. that gave forth and in writing to posterity in passion peradventure That he had not seen any profit to come by any Synod or Meeting of the Clergy but rather the contrary By saying it was in passion was a good plaister for such a dangerous sore He shews what the Councels before him he living about 380. did and indeed God ordained That not many together but seven men of several ages signified by the seven Angels are onely to restore the faln Church Hieron 1 Cap. ad Titum saith When Presbyters governed Ecclesiae cura aequaliter inter plures dividebatur To this may be applyed that of Egisippus cited by Eusebius Vnà cum Apostolis suscepit Ecclesiam administrandam frater Domini Jacobus qui justus ab omnibus cognominatus This was understood of Peter and John Gal. 2.9 and not of all the Apostles Paul and Barnabas ministred to the Gentiles James the less was slain before he took this Government by Herod So that it is without question here is onely meant the three Apostles who were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Peter calls himself 1 Pet. 6.1 according to the form of Government in the other Gospel Churches they being not differing one from another in form of Government Jerusalem being the patern or mother Church This Book is said to contain Apostolical Traditions but is lost and a counterfeit left in its place Nicephor Eccl. Hist l. 3. c. 26. 9. As the Ministers so the People were distinguished Anthanasius cites Theognostus in his Tract de verbis Evang. Matthei cap. 2. ver 31. quicunque dixerit c. Qui semel atque iterum terminos praetergressus ost minus feret supplicii qui vero tertio contempserit nullam veniam consequi potest Here by the bounds of the Church I understand the threefold Societies of the Saints under the third whereof if any contemned there was no pardon Athanasius primum secundum terminos appellat Catechesin hoc est initiationem de patre filio tertium vero qui est in consummatione mysteriorum sermone qui traditur in communicatione spiritus This shews the Government was much hid in Athanasius time he saith Catechizing was initiation which was not but in Baptism under the Doctors Ministery was initiation and not under the Catechists Ministery And then he saith In Catechizing were to be understood the two first bounds which was but one part of Ministery and that not of the Church neither without doubt Theognostus alludes to that of the Apostle Heb. 6.4 5 6. He is more clear in that which followeth Verum ex his nequaquam aliquis dicere poterit quod doctrina spiritus excellentior sit doctrina filii sed filius sese dimittat ad imbecillitatem imperfectorum spiritus autem signaculum est eorum qui perfecti sunt proinde non irremissibilis incondonabilis est blasphemia in spiritum quòd spiritus major est filio sed quod imperfectis detur venia iis vero qui gustaverunt coeleste donum quique perfecti sunt nulla relinquatur ad veniam excusatio aut paenae excusatio 1. Here are three bounds expressed of the Church 2. In these the Saints are divided according to their gifts in one the imperfect the other the perfect 3. In Athansius time these bounds were destroyed 4. He alludes these three Mansions to the Trinity making that the ground of them as the other before Dionisius distinguisheth them by these names Rudes illuminati perfecti Simil. Herm. 9. Omnos enim infantes honorati
appointed to doe The true helping Governour 1. Is indeed a Lay-Elder 2. His Institution is without laying on of hands Bilson cap. 11. perp Church-Government if they had laying on of hands they had not been Lay-Elder 3. The gospel hath instituted no Church-lay Officer but that of 1 Cor 6.1.6 who was only set up to compose differences in the Church in civill affaires 4. There is no institution for any such Officer in the Church as the Lay-Elders under Presbytery are assigned unto so they cannot but be an Anti-Christian Office acting by a Anti-Christian power unlesse we say there are to be Officers and Offices in the Church that are not of gospel institution As for that brought to prove them out of 2 Chron. 19.9.10 it is of no validity Christ saith No man putteth an old piece no not a piece to a new Garment therefore that is not Christs mind that they whatever their Office was should be to rule under the gospel though I think their Office was far differing from Lay-Elders now 5. The Office of the Elder was not about Ecclesiasticall things but 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ordinary businesse ver 1. and then ver 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lesser things ver 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things of this life or livelihood and to this Chron. 2.19.11 Amariah is for the matters of the Lord and Zebadiah in the matters of the King ver 10. proves it clearely The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth the Churches instituting some and in an autoritative way among themselves for determining differences amongst them occasioned about things abovesaid as in ver 4. Question will be whether the governour set up by the Corinthians were Iure divino The Governours Rom 12.8 1 Cor. 12.28 are said to be set up of God in the Church the same is meant doubtlesse 1 Tim. chap. 5. ver 17. Institution for an other Governour then this in this 6 to the Corinthians I prove all those hold the contrary to shew 1. The grounds to be observed by the Church in ordaining Lay-Elders are laid downe by the Apostle in this Chapter as fully as for the ordaining any other Officer in the Church First hee must be qualified with wisedome a wise man Secondly a Church-member Thirdly a member of their owne Church a wise man amongst them which proves it to be a proper office pertaining to the well governing of every Church Fourthly they are to bee set up to judge by the Churches authority Fifthly the Apostle doth approve the practise by arguments drawn à majore ad minùs they are just therefore fit to judge and more fit then those are unjust before whom they brought their Causes to tryall they shall judge the World and Angels how much more the things of this life Q. If these are Iure divino then whether are they to continue in the Church or not they being set down in Scripture to be set up in the Primitive Church Respons Master Bilson Chap. 10. Perpet Church Government saith they had no authority necessity nor perpetuity and after in Christian Common-Wealths these Iudges must cease because there is no cause of declinining the Tribunall of Christian Magistrates Yet he himselfe confesseth these to be Governours and Moderatours of their brethrens quarrels and contentions others he finds not in the Apostolick writings but such as withall were watchmen and seeders Chap. ibid. pag. 142. who then if not these were the helping Governours 1. He cals them Governours and yet saith rhey had no authority and 1 Tim. 5.17 God requires obedience to those that rule well 2 They were set up or appointed by the whole Church which must be a publick intrustment of the Church bestowed upon some particular persons for this end in the Church which is the common ground of authority that is set up over a free people as the Church in this case 3. Master Bilsons Title of his Book is the Perpetuall Government of Christs Church which shewes that the Government in the beginning instituted by the Apostles in the Church and consequently the Governours are to bee perpetuall of which this 1 Cor. 6.1 was one Object These were set up only to prevent scandals among the Heathen under the Christian Magistrate it needs not to be 1. Christ never intended the being of a Nationall Church in the World 2. If once Churches come to bee collected there is the same reason for them now that ever there was in the World 3. It was instituted to prevent scandals as well within the Church from offending one another as without from the offending the world Object This were to ecclipse Magistracy 1. He ruleth for the Magistrate and under him Rom. 13. and is to bee accomptable to the Magistrate for his acts if required 2. He ruleth not as the Magistrate by the sword to compell or force or lay any pecuniary mulcts on those that disobey or corporall punishment that indeed were to take the sword out of the Magistrates hand but by the word and by love shewing what is the command of Christ in their severall cases one to perform to another 3. To me it seemes the Apostle alludes to this power in the Church only he writing to the Church Rom. 13.1 Let every soule be subject to the higher Power and so cals the Church Elder the inferiour power so that this establishes the Magistrate Object You say the Church should set him up and so he stands not by the Magistrate Respons Indeed he stands jure divino now the priviledge God hath given the Saints is no more then the Magistrate gives to every petty Incorporation which is that they shall choose their own Magistrate Object The City Magistrate rules by the Law of the publick Magistrate Respons True the Elder rules in the Church by the gospel which if the world could beare it were far better if all were ruled by it onely Illust God ruled by the Magistracy of Rome by the Law of nature by Moses government in a way that made men more holy and mercifull one to another then others were why so God rules one way in the world another way in the Church more evangelically mercifully the members have a spirit of love by which they are taught to seek not their own but the good of one another 2. As in proceeding in the Church first tell one or two then the Church so remedy should be sought by this way of the Church first before any other 3. In case the member submit not to wholesome counsell according to the nature of the fact the ecclesiasticall Officers being first acquainted with it they may suspend from Sacraments excommunicate and deny society to them untill satisfaction in some way be given to the Church 3. This is authority enough for Christ to rule by which cannot be any way offensive to Magistrates it is a small boon to be granted Christ every free subject is granted as much in his house and shall not Christ have it