Selected quad for the lemma: hand_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
hand_n	bishop_n	church_n	presbyter_n	4,517	5	10.4419	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66823	The abridgment of Christian divinitie so exactly and methodically compiled that it leads us as it were by the hand to the reading of the Holy Scriptures, ordering of common-places, understanding of controversies, clearing of some cases of conscience / by John Wollebius ; faithfully translated into English ... by Alexander Ross.; Christianae theologiae compendium. English. 1660	Wolleb, Johannes, 1586-1629.	1660 (1660)	Wing W3256; ESTC R29273	215,518	472

the Church that he who had the charge of the Diocess of particular Churches was named Bishop yet the name of Universal Bishop belongs to none These are Doctors who in the Schooles teach youth the grounds of Truth which they may afterward professe in the Churches The RULE Pastors differ from Doctors That in this they have the charge of the Church these of the Schools They are to move the affections these to informe the understanding of their auditors Presbyters are godly and grave men joyned to assist the Pastors in such things as are fit for the good order of the Church in visiting of the sick in observing disordered livers and such like Deacons and Diaconesses of old were they who had the charge to gather and distribute the Church goods Act. 6.1 c Tim. 3.8 c. The RULE I. The collection and distribution of Church goods is of Divine right This appeares by the Oeconomie of the Old Testament for by the command of God Tithes were gathered for the Priests Levites and poor In the new Testament Christ refused not the money that was offered by godly rich persons Luke 8.3 out of which he sustained his Disciple● freinds and the poor also Ioh. 13.29 In the Apostles time the Deacons had charge of the Church goods Act 6 1. c. II. As we reprove the covetousness of the Romish Church supported with horrible superstition and idolatry in the gathering of Tithes and other Church duties as likewise their profuse wasting thereof upon their pomp and luxury so among Protestants they grievously offend God and the Church who unfaithfully dispense these goods Thus of the proper administration the common consisteth in the calling of Ministers in the well ordering of the Church in judging of Doctrine controversies and in the use of the keyes The calling of the Ministers is the choosing of fit men for the church into the Ministery after tryal had of their life and doctrine and an introduction of them by some solemn Rite into the Possession of their Office The RULES I. The chief efficient cause of this vocation is God who inwardly calls Ministers and furnisheth them with his gifts but the ministerial cause is the whole Church or at least the representative consisting of Pastors and Presbyters or other Church-men and not the Bishop or Pastor alone For the Apostles never challenged to themselves alone the right of Election Act. 1.23 and 6.5 and 14.23 II Three things are required to a lawfull calling triall election and confirmation III. Triall is both of life and doctrine and the life must be first tried before doctrine for he is not to be admitted to the triall of Doctrine whose conditions are not to be endured IV. The manner of Election is this After the pouring out of fervent prayers to God the persons being named out of whose number one is to be chosen either by the vocall suffrages of all or of the greatest part or else by holding up of hands that one is elected V. Confirmation is the introduction of the partie elected in which publike prayers being premised he is recommended to the Church and his calling is confirmed by imposition of hands VI. Pontificians falsly say that that is an unlawful calling which is done by the Presbyters without the Bishop For Bishops have not by Divine right greater power and authority VII The Reformed Church hath ratified the calling of them who in our fore fathers time reformed the Church not as if it proceeded from Popery as a bunch or swelling of the Church but as principally they were called by God and furnished with gifts They object that such men were called under Poperie but that their vocation is expired since they fell off We answer that they are falsly accused of falling off for they have not fallen off from the Gospel to the preaching of which they were called even in Poperie but from the corruption of the Gospel neither have they cause to cry out that they were called to preach the doctrine of the Romish Church for whereas they comprehend their doctrine under the title of the Gospel the Minister who observeth that in very truth it is far from the Gospel he by the right of his calling might contradict the same Although then they have revolted from the Romish Church yet they have not revolted from their calling VIII Neither can they produce any thing whereby they may infringe the calling of our Ministers performed according to the former Rules above handled For 1. When they ask by what right we teach we answer the same that Christ did to those that asked the same question Mat. 21.25 The Baptism of John whence is it from heaven or from men Even so we say the Doctrine of our Ancestors which is preached among us at this day whence is it Is it repugnant to the word of Christ and his Apostles or is it consonant If it be repugnant let them shew in what Articles If it be consonant they cannot reprove our vocation For where the true Doctrin hath place there the vocation is lawful Besides that calling which answers the example of the Apostles and Primitive Church is lawfull but that our calling is such cannot be denied The power of judging Doctrines is that whereby the Church enquires into mens Doctrine and cuts off the controversies that trouble her The RULES I. Every private man may and ought to judge of the Doctrine he professeth whether it be consonant to Scripture or not Act 17 11. The men of Berea dayly searched the Scripture whether these things were so 1. Cor. 10.15 I speak as to those who understand judge you what I speak 1 Joh. 4.1 Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits if they be of God II. This ought to be done also by the Presbytery or assembly when any great controversie ariseth III. As the holy Spirit is the chief Iudge of controversies so the Scripture which is the voice of the holy Spirit is the rule by which the straight is known from the crooked The power which concerneth the well ordering of the Church is that which determines what things ought to be done decently in the Church The RULES I. The object of this power are the outward circumstances of Divine Worship to wit time place and such like which in themselves be indifferent II. If in these any inconvenience is found the Church may lawfully abrogate the old Ceremonies and substitute such as are more convenient III. Yet the canons and customes of the Church must not equal the Scripture-canons The power of the Keyes is that which the Church useth for preservation of Discipline whereof are two parts to binde and to loose To bind is to denounce Gods wrath against sinners unless they repent To loose is to pronounce remission of sinnes to repentant sinners both which have certain degrees The degrees of binding are 1 A severe exhortation and commination after private admonitions have been re●ected this must be done by the

of the Old Testament will be clearer than these of the New for the Passeover represents Christs death clearer than the Bread in the Lords Supper But we must know wherein the clarity of a Sacrament consisteth chiefly to wit not in external signes onely but in the Sacramental word Now are not these words very clear This is my body which is given for you This is my blood which is shed for you There is nothing so plain concerning Christs death in the Passeover Besides it is false that the killing of a Lamb was a clearer signe because many more and obscure ceremonies were added to the killing of the Lamb as also because the breaking of Bread the pouring out of VVine and the receiving of both do most clearly represent the breaking of Christs Body the shedding of his blood and the participation of both VI. In vain do the Pontificians reckon among the Sacraments of the New-Testament Confirmation ●enance Extreme Vnction Ordination of Ministers and Matrimony Three thnigs are required to a Sacrament 1. That it be instituted by God under the Covenant of Grace 2. That it may have an external Symbol ordained by God 3. That the Promise of grace may be annexed to it Now these three belong only to Baptisme and the Lords Supper and not to any of the rest Confirmation is a Popish ceremony in which the Bishop or his Suffragan having asked certain questions of the party baptized concerning the Heads of Religion besmears him with a little oyntment putting a linnen cloth on him not to be removed by the witnesses before the third day and he cuffs him the better to remember the matter and that he may be sufficiently furnished with the holy Ghost against Satans tentations But where in Scripture do we read of the institution of this Sacrament and of its ceremonies where is the Promise We may more truly call this the Popes excrement than a Sacrament and that mark which the Beast puts upon the forehead of his worshippers Rev. 13.16 Therefore impiously do they prefer this Sacrament to Baptism for they teach plainly that Baptism is perfected by it and that in this there is a great●r measure of spiritual gifts than in Baptism and whereas any Priest or Pastor may administer Baptism yea any Lay man or woman Confirmation must onely be performed by the Bishop or his Suffragan Penance is a Sacrament with them in which the sinner having given tryall of his repentance is absolved by the Priest We indeed acknowledge that repentance is enjoyned to sinners and that power of absolving is given to Ministers though they feign a far other penance and absolution as shall appear hereafter But in the mean while there is no outward symbol instituted by God which hath a promise neither can these words I absolve thee be in stead of a symbol as Bellarmine would have it Extream Unction is a Sacrament amongst them in which the Priest having rehearsed some Letanies anointeth the party that is dying with hallowed oyl of the Olive in those parts of the body where the seats of the five Senses are and this he doth after the parties confession and absolution to the end he may recover his health if it be expedient for him and that the remainder of his sins after he hath received the other Sacraments may be wiped away Christ indeed promised his Disciples that the sick on whom they were to lay their hands should recover Mar. 16.18 Iames also commanded that the sick should be anointed after imposing of hands and prayer by the Elders which ceremonies were not Sacraments but voluntary rites joyned with miracles which together with the gifts of miracles are expired Therefore between extreme Unction and this there is no similitude For that I may say nothing of that magical exorcism with which the oyle is hallowed it is certain that in the Apostles time not onely dying people as now in Popery but any also that were sick were anointed Ordination is a Sacrament among them in which the Bishop alone or his Suffragan layeth his hands upon the Minister and delivereth to him with solemn words a Book a Platter a a Pastoral staff c. using also the ceremonies of Unction Shaving and imprints on him an indeleble character to confer Justifying grace Whereby he might rightly use the power of the Keyes Now although Ministers may be ordained by imposition of hands and prayers after the example of the Apostles yet this Imposition is a thing indifferent but for the Popish ceremonies they are partly Jewish as anointing partly Heathenish as shaving expresly forbid Lev. 19 27 Marriage is no Sacrament of the Covenant of grace both because it was instituted before the fall as also b●cause it is Common to all that are wi●hin and w●thout the Covenant yet we deny not but that Marriage is a representation of that spirituall wedlock between Christ and his Church but if for this it were a Sacrament then there should be so many Sacraments as there be Parables and Allegories Hence divers Schoolmen have denyed this to be a Sacrament And in what esteeme it is among the Papists appears by this that they make an irreconcileable war betweene Marriage and O●dination and forbid Marriage in their Clergy as if it were an unclean thing CHAP. XXIII Of Baptisme BAptisme is the first Sacrament of the new Testament in which the Elect being received into the family of God remission of sins and regeneration in Christ's blood and the Holy Ghost are confirmed by the outward sprinkling of water The RULES I. The word Baptisme signifieth a dipping and aspersion or wash●ng That it signifieth aspersion appears in Mar. 7.4 And when they come from the Market they eat no● except they be w●sh●d II. Here are four appellations of Baptisme to be considered ● The Baptisme of water 2. Of light or doctrine 3. Of the Spirit or gifts of the Spirit 4. Of blood or martyrdom III. Christ our Lord is the principal efficient cause but the instrumental is the Minister lawfully called IV. Therefore we hold not that baptism lawfull which is administred by any private man or a woman as in Popery For if in earthly Commonwealths that is not accounted of which a private man doth without command how much lesse can Christ be pleased with such disorder in his Church V. The outward matter is water But for oil salt spittle and other things which Papists joyn to this element belong rather to the profanation than administration of baptism VI The internal matter is Christ with his death buriall and resurrection with other benefits VII It 's external form consisteth partly in actions partly in words VIII The action is the aspersion of water which is used for dipping The dipping in and rising out of the water was a clear symbol of Christs burial and resurrection But because of the weaknesse o● Infan●s in cold countries we use sprinkling which probably was used by the Apostles when they bapt●zed