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nature_n aaron_n apostle_n church_n 16 3 3.4014 3 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A33899 A brief essay concerning the independency of church-power Collier, Jeremy, 1650-1726. 1692 (1692) Wing C5244; ESTC R16602 9,933 18

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a_o brief_a essay_n concern_v the_o independency_n of_o church-power_n that_o the_o non-complying_a bishop_n and_o clergy_n be_v at_o the_o revolution_n due_o authorize_v in_o their_o respective_a charge_n be_v by_o none_o deny_v that_o they_o have_v not_o as_o yet_o be_v deprive_v by_o a_o synod_n of_o bishop_n or_o have_v any_o ecclesiastical_a censure_n pass_v agâin_v they_o be_v equal_o evident_a for_o though_o there_o be_v some_o bishop_n in_o the_o upper_a house_n when_o the_o act_n of_o deprivation_n pass_v against_o their_o brethren_n yet_o their_o vote_n suppose_v they_o legal_a be_v foreign_a to_o their_o character_n and_o give_v in_o virtue_n of_o a_o mere_o civil_a capacity_n they_o vote_v not_o as_o bishop_n but_o as_o lord_n of_o parliament_n and_o since_o the_o right_n by_o which_o they_o sit_v be_v a_o lay-privilege_n the_o act_n which_o they_o do_v in_o consequence_n of_o such_o a_o privilege_n must_v be_v of_o the_o same_o secular_a nature_n the_o case_n stand_v thus_o the_o question_n be_v whether_o a_o act_n of_o parliament_n suppose_v it_o legal_o constitute_v can_v void_a a_o ecclesiastical_a authority_n and_o unmake_v the_o governor_n of_o the_o church_n i_o shall_v brief_o undertake_v to_o maintain_v the_o negative_a by_o show_v the_o church_n power_n to_o be_v distinct_a from_o and_o independent_a of_o the_o state_n but_o to_o prevent_v misconstruction_n i_o desire_v to_o be_v understand_v that_o by_o church_n power_n i_o mean_v only_o that_o which_o be_v pure_o spiritual_a and_o that_o ecclesiastic_o as_o such_o can_v make_v no_o direct_a or_o indirect_a claim_n to_o any_o other_o and_o therefore_o first_o they_o be_v no_o less_o the_o subject_n of_o prince_n than_o the_o laity_n second_o their_o mere_o secular_a estate_n their_o civil_a privilege_n and_o jurisdiction_n be_v all_o under_o the_o cognizance_n of_o the_o state_n of_o which_o they_o may_v be_v legal_o though_o not_o always_o equitable_o disseize_v whenever_o the_o legislative_a authority_n of_o a_o kingdom_n shall_v think_v fit_a to_o do_v it_o have_v premise_v this_o i_o shall_v endeavour_v to_o prove_v their_o independency_n in_o thing_n pure_o relate_v to_o their_o function_n 1._o from_o the_o original_a of_o ecclesiastical_a authority_n 2._o from_o the_o end_n and_o design_n of_o it_o 3._o from_o the_o practice_n of_o the_o primitive_a church_n 1._o from_o the_o original_a of_o ecclesiastical_a authority_n the_o power_n of_o govern_v the_o church_n and_o perform_v the_o office_n of_o religion_n be_v neither_o any_o gift_n of_o the_o people_n nor_o hold_v by_o commission_n from_o king_n and_o prince_n it_o spring_v from_o a_o great_a original_a and_o derive_v no_o low_a than_o heaven_n itself_o our_o bless_a saviour_n who_o redeem_v the_o church_n be_v please_v to_o settle_v the_o administration_n of_o it_o by_o his_o own_o appointment_n from_o he_o the_o apostle_n receive_v authority_n to_o teach_v and_o govern_v such_o as_o be_v convert_v by_o they_o the_o word_n of_o their_o commission_n be_v plain_a and_o express_v with_o all_o imaginable_a advantage_n as_o my_o father_n have_v send_v i_o even_o so_o send_v i_o you_o whosoever_o sin_n you_o remit_v they_o be_v remit_v etc._n etc._n st._n john_n 20._o 21_o 23._o upon_o this_o account_n the_o apostle_n be_v call_v the_o ambassador_n and_o minister_n of_o christ_n 1_o cor._n 4._o 1._o and_o the_o people_n be_v command_v to_o obey_v and_o submit_v themselves_o to_o those_o who_o have_v this_o spiritual_a authority_n heb._n 13._o 17._o neither_o be_v this_o power_n to_o expire_v with_o the_o apostle_n but_o be_v convey_v by_o succession_n through_o all_o age_n of_o the_o world_n there_o be_v the_o same_o cause_n for_o its_o continuance_n as_o for_o its_o first_o institution_n and_o according_o we_o find_v from_o st._n paul_n that_o one_o reason_n of_o his_o give_v titus_n the_o super-intendency_a of_o crete_n be_v to_o ordain_v elder_n in_o every_o city_n tit._n 1._o 5._o thus_o clemens_n romanus_n 1._o ep._n ad_fw-la cor._n tell_v we_o the_o apostle_n in_o their_o travel_n use_v to_o ordain_v bishop_n etc._n etc._n for_o the_o advantage_n of_o such_o as_o be_v only_a christian_n in_o prospect_n as_o well_o as_o for_o those_o who_o be_v already_o convert_v and_o thus_o the_o sacred_a order_n have_v be_v continue_v without_o interruption_n for_o near_a 1700_o year_n now_o our_o saviour_n we_o know_v be_v no_o temporal_a prince_n he_o refuse_v to_o interpose_v in_o a_o case_n of_o property_n and_o declare_v express_o that_o his_o kingdom_n be_v not_o of_o this_o world_n st._n luke_n 12._o 14._o st._n john_n 18._o 36._o from_o whence_o it_o be_v plain_a that_o the_o authority_n which_o our_o saviour_n give_v the_o church_n can_v have_v no_o dependence_n upon_o the_o state_n because_o it_o be_v never_o derive_v from_o thence_o it_o be_v true_a all_o power_n both_o sacred_a and_o civil_a come_v original_o from_o god_n yet_o under_o the_o jewish_a and_o especial_o under_o the_o christian_a institution_n the_o crown_n and_o mitre_n have_v be_v divide_v and_o though_o the_o same_o person_n be_v capable_a of_o both_o yet_o the_o claim_n must_v be_v make_v upon_o a_o different_a account_n and_o convey_v by_o title_n perfect_o distinct_a and_o since_o the_o ecclesiastical_a authority_n do_v not_o hold_v of_o the_o civil_a magistrate_n it_o can_v be_v forfeit_v to_o he_o as_o the_o state_n can_v consecrate_v bishop_n and_o priest_n so_o neither_o can_v they_o recall_v their_o character_n or_o restrain_v they_o in_o the_o exercise_n of_o their_o function_n there_o be_v no_o reason_n a_o privilege_n shall_v be_v either_o extinguish_v or_o limit_v by_o those_o who_o be_v never_o master_n of_o the_o grant_n for_o what_o a_o man_n have_v no_o power_n to_o give_v he_o can_v have_v no_o right_a to_o take_v away_o this_o will_v further_o appear_v if_o we_o consider_v the_o mean_n by_o which_o the_o advantage_n of_o christianity_n be_v convey_v to_o we_o now_o that_o the_o sacrament_n be_v necessary_a for_o this_o purpose_n be_v evident_a from_o scripture_n for_o concern_v baptism_n it_o be_v say_v that_o except_o a_o man_n be_v bear_v of_o water_n and_o of_o the_o spirit_n he_o can_v enter_v into_o the_o kingdom_n of_o god_n st._n john_n 3._o 5._o and_o the_o lord_n supper_n be_v style_v by_o st._n paul_n 1_o cor._n 10._o 6._o the_o communion_n of_o the_o body_n and_o blood_n of_o christ_n that_o be_v the_o mean_n by_o which_o the_o benefit_n of_o christ_n death_n be_v apply_v to_o we_o so_o that_o without_o be_v partaker_n of_o the_o sacrament_n we_o can_v have_v no_o pretence_n to_o the_o covenant_n of_o grace_n no_o title_n to_o the_o assistance_n of_o god_n spirit_n nor_o any_o assurance_n of_o a_o bless_a immortality_n now_o i_o suppose_v none_o of_o the_o laity_n will_v pretend_v to_o a_o authority_n to_o administer_v the_o sacrament_n they_o will_v not_o challenge_v a_o right_a to_o seal_v covenant_n in_o god_n name_n or_o 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serviceable_a to_o the_o publisher_n purpose_n for_o though_o a_o unjust_a sentence_n ought_v to_o be_v submit_v to_o when_o pronounce_v by_o a_o proper_a judge_n yet_o when_o the_o cause_n do_v not_o lie_v within_o the_o cognizance_n of_o the_o court_n all_o the_o proceed_n be_v null_a and_o void_a it_o shall_v have_v be_v make_v out_o that_o the_o bishop_n insist_v on_o their_o right_n and_o challenge_v submission_n from_o their_o people_n for_o if_o they_o acquiesce_v the_o case_n do_v not_o come_v up_o to_o the_o matter_n in_o hand_n but_o here_o the_o manuscript_n fail_v as_o it_o do_v also_o in_o clear_v whether_o the_o behaviour_n of_o the_o bishop_n and_o people_n be_v found_v upon_o principle_n at_o that_o time_n own_v for_o if_o want_v of_o due_a information_n or_o fear_v or_o interest_n make_v they_o act_n as_o they_o do_v we_o have_v no_o reason_n to_o be_v govern_v by_o their_o example_n the_o vindicator_n procee_v to_o give_v in_o counter-evidence_n and_o prove_v from_o st._n cyprian_n who_o dispute_v the_o case_n of_o sehism_n at_o large_a and_o live_v in_o a_o age_n very_o valuable_a for_o antiquity_n and_o integrity_n that_o the_o catholic_n church_n maintain_v the_o right_n of_o canonical_a bishop_n both_o against_o secular_a magistrate_n and_o schismatical_a intruder_n as_o appear_v in_o the_o case_n of_o cornelius_n bishop_n of_o rome_n who_o be_v own_v by_o the_o whole_a church_n notwithstanding_o the_o opposition_n make_v by_o decius_n the_o emperor_n and_o novarian_n the_o anti-bishop_n and_o martian_a bishop_n of_o arles_n be_v refuse_v the_o communion_n of_o his_o brethren_n for_o own_v that_o of_o schismatic_n he_o observe_v that_o the_o principle_n insist_v on_o by_o st._n cyprian_n be_v not_o peculiar_a to_o his_o own_o age_n but_o maintain_v likewise_o by_o st._n augustin_n and_o optatus_n in_o their_o dispute_n against_o the_o donatist_n the_o vindicator_n pursue_v the_o argument_n and_o prove_v the_o antibishop_n and_o their_o 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all_o those_o advantage_n which_o be_v design_v in_o the_o constitution_n and_o guard_v by_o it_o such_o tenant_n when_o they_o relate_v to_o the_o church_n may_v with_o propriety_n enough_o be_v call_v fundamental_a error_n which_o bring_v they_o under_o the_o modern_a and_o receive_v notion_n of_o heresy_n the_o learned_a vindicator_n in_o the_o second_o part_n of_o his_o book_n go_v on_o and_o show_v that_o though_o the_o oxford_n manuscript_n how_o favourable_a soever_o will_v have_v be_v a_o very_a slender_a defence_n for_o the_o antibishop_n and_o their_o party_n yet_o they_o have_v not_o so_o much_o as_o the_o countenance_n of_o this_o record_n the_o instance_n produce_v be_v foreign_a to_o the_o present_a controversy_n for_o in_o all_o the_o case_n mention_v in_o this_o manuscript_n except_v that_o of_o callinicus_n which_o be_v dubious_a and_o not_o to_o their_o purpose_n either_o the_o deprivation_n be_v pass_v in_o a_o ecclesiastical_a synod_n or_o be_v ground_v upon_o 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church_n thus_o prove_v these_o conclusion_n natural_o follow_v first_o that_o it_o be_v no_o more_o in_o the_o power_n of_o the_o state_n to_o deprive_v the_o church_n governor_n of_o their_o pure_o spiritual_a authority_n than_o it_o be_v in_o the_o power_n of_o the_o church_n to_o remove_v the_o magistracy_n or_o disincorporate_v the_o state_n for_o all_o punishment_n and_o censure_n suppose_v jurisdiction_n in_o the_o person_n who_o inflict_v it_o but_o this_o supposition_n be_v inconsistent_a with_o the_o notion_n of_o independency_n those_o who_o be_v independent_a be_v in_o this_o sense_n equal_a so_o far_o as_o their_o independency_n reach_v and_o have_v no_o privilege_n to_o command_v or_o duty_n to_o obey_v on_o either_o side_n from_o whence_o it_o follow_v second_o that_o the_o bishop_n notwithstanding_o the_o lay-deprivation_n have_v the_o same_o spiritual_a authority_n they_o former_o have_v and_o their_o people_n the_o same_o obligation_n to_o remain_v in_o their_o 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unaltered_a however_o let_v we_o put_v the_o case_n for_o we_o may_v suppose_v any_o thing_n that_o the_o deprive_v authority_n be_v itself_o defective_a