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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	ceremony_n	church_n	rite_n	2,845	5	10.3412	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10399	Tvventy nine lectures of the Church very necessary for the consolation and support of Gods Church, especially in these times: wherein is handled, first, in generall concerning first, the name; secondly, the titles; thirdly, the nature, fourthly, the diuision of the true Church: secondly, of the visible Church ... and lastly, the application of it to all Churches in the world so farre as they are knowne to vs. By that learned and faithfull preacher, Master Iohn Randall, Batchelor of Diuinity, pastor of Saint Andrewes Hubbart in little Eastcheape, London, and sometimes fellow of Lincolne Colledge in Oxford. Published by the coppie perfected and giuen by the author in his life time; carefully preserued and adorned with notes in the margent, by the late faithfull minister of Christ, Master William Holbrooke.	Randall, John, 1570-1622.; Holbrooke, William.	1631 (1631)	STC 20683; ESTC S115641	423,199	550

the Scripture the written Word of God and nothing else The Scripture is the onely rule of Faith and of obedience what it teacheth must onely be beleeued and what it commands must onely be obeyed and nothing else as necessary to saluation And generally all Churches acknowledge the Scripture to be the canon yea the Popish Church to his day retaines the name though they cast it out at the backgate yet at the foregate they take it in the Canon that is as much to say as the rule Now what is to be done with a rule All things are to be fitted to it and not it to any thing Carpenters and Masons they fitte their tymber and stone to the rule and not the rule to the tymber or stone so then the Scripture being the rule whatsoeuer is to be beleeued or obeyed must be squared by it and looke how much it comes short or goes beyond or misseth on this hand or that of the rule so much it comes short of true sauing faith and obedience and so much wee goe out of the way of Saluation therefore cast away all other measures as crooked traditions customes c. and sticke fast onely to this rule as to the perfect square of all Religion we must put nothing to Gods Word nor take ought there from this the Lord himselfe commands Deut. 4.2 and 5.32.35 Secondly as this is the rule of faith so it is the tryall of euery truth the Scripture is the onely touch stone of truth if Paul teach the truth it must be tryed by the Scriptures Act 17.11 Let heathen men bring their Paganisme the Turcks their Alcoran the Iewes their Talmud the Papists their Catechismes councels customes and traditions to this touchstone and this this will shew them all to be starke counterfeits very drosse and filth not worthy to be once looked after much lesse to bee esteemed the pretious golden truth of God that soules should be saued by Lastly yet mistake not as to thinke that all matters of substance and saluation were expresly in the word that is by name and in so many words as we are to apprehend it but at least by consequence and to be deducted by sound and sanctified reason applying it to the circumstances of the Text and to the analogy of faith And so we haue finished those things that concerne matters of substance Wee come in the next place to matters of circumstance and these are of two sorts either miracles or discipline either miracles for indeed it is a part of the power of the Catholique visible Church as it containes altogether from the Apostles themselues downe to our times for with them it was an ordinary thing to doe miracles Matth. 10.1 Our Sauiour gaue them power against vncleane Spirits to cast them out c and Marke 16.17 and 1 Cor. 12.9.10 to another is giuen the the guifts of healing to another the operation of great workes by the same Spirit And it was very necessary at the first planting of the Gospell that they should haue this power for the confirming of their office and authority that planted it but now there is no vse of miracles their Doctrine and writings being sufficiently confirmed already and therefore that power is restrained and what Church soeuer challengeth this power may iustly be censured for Anti-christian spoken of in the 2 Thes 2.9 Secondly or Discipline and that is of two sorts either matter of Gouernement or matter of Ceremonies of the first wee haue spoken already of the second wee will speake a word by Ceremonies we vnderstand the time place and gesture to be obserued in Gods worship and seruice we will contriue the whole businesse into this obseruation Euery particular visible Church hath power from God to ordaine some outward Rites and Ceremonies for the outward carriage of Gods worship within that Church or Congregation Marke the parts of the Note Doct. First I say euery visible Church for the inuisible not being contained within the bounds of any one setled outward state can haue no such orders Secondly I say particular for besides that a generall visible Church cannot so be properly assigned to a place and if it were yet being of so large an extent as commonly it is it cannot be brought within the compasse of the same outward Rites Thirdly I say hath power from God to ordaine Ceretaine Rites Fourthly I say for the outward carriage of Church businesse for they haue nothing to doe with the Inward man Fifthly I say they must be within that particular Church for one Church is not to prescribe another what they should doe except their case be very like and that there be a willingnesse in the Receiuer So the Note is cleare we come to the proofes Acts 15.1 2. In the Church of Antioch there was a matter in question as touching Circumcision an outward Ceremony the Apostles being then at Ierusalem were by the consent of the Church of Antioch consulted withall about it and accordingly they deliuer their iudgement in the 23. verse c. And therein shew their power and consequently the power of the Church after them for the causes being perpetuall the course must be perpetuall too and they shew their power both in disanulling some Ceremonies as Circumcision vers 10. as abstaming from meat offered to Idolls and blood verse 20. which were certainely things in their owne nature indifferent as the Apostle shewes of meats 1 Corinth 8.8 And yet all this they did with the assistance of the holy Ghost verse 28. and that onely in things needfull as in the same verse and this they did not so much for the thing it selfe but for the auoyding of offence And so in the 1 Cor. 11.2 c. where the Apostle mentions the ordinances which hee had deliuered them already which are generally vnderstood of matters of order and decency and the circumstances make it plaine enough for after verse 3 c. he deliuers them other ordinances keepe which hee had not deliuered them before concerning the vncouering of the mans head and the couering of the womans head which were things indifferent in themselues yet for comlinesse sake hee doth there inioyne them and verse 20 c. hee deliuers certaine other ordinances concerning the outward carriage of Gods worship in the Lords Supper as their tarrying one for another eating before c. verse 33.34 And whereas many other things were out of frame with them he promiseth in the end of 34. verse to order the rest at his comming to them where it is cleare that the ordering of things concerning the outward carriage of Gods worship is in the power of the Church it selfe for still the Rule holds that the disease continuing alwaies requires a continuall reamedy from time to time So in the 1. Cor 14.26 40. The Apostle would haue all things done decently and in order hee giues them this generall rule for matters of Ceremony and they must draw particulars accordingly

and this Rule holds as well for the Church now as then there being the same necessity there must also be the same power So the point is plaine that euery particular visible Church hath power from God to ordaine certaine outward Rites c. The reasons to proue this point are these First some Reas 1 Ceremonies are necessary in euery Church no Religion can possibly be carried without some outward Rites and Ceremonies Now who shall ordaine these but themselues as best knowing their owne State As in a priuate family who shall ordaine orders for it but those of the Family Secondly no Rights are vniuersall to hold euery Reas 2 where in all Churches no that is impossible because diuers Churches are of diuers states and therefore euery Church must haue power to ordaine Ceremonies for themselues Thirdly no Ceremonies are perpetuall in one and the Reas 3 same Church euery Church in time differing from it selfe by the change of occasions and states and then the Ceremonies which they had before are not fit for them now and therefore still they must haue power to ordaine as their state shall require Lastly if a particular Church hath not power to ordaine Reas 4 certaine Rites the Church vnder the Gospell is inferior to that vnder the Law For that was prouided for in this kinde by the Lord himselfe and that in particular But the Church now is not so prouided for of him If any say it is let them shew where therefore it must needes be that hee giues the Church now power to prouide for themselues in this kinde The vses are these First this teacheth the Church to Vse 1 take the benefit of this authority that God hath giuen them but you will say the Church is ready enough to take their liberty herein and therefore they had need to be bounded and bridled that they goe not too farre eyther for multitude vnprofitablenesse superstiton or the like The limits and bounds therefore that euery Church is to containe themselues within in ordaining Ceremonies are these First they must doe nothing that is opposite to Gods Word Secondly they must haue no opinion of Gods worship placed in them as the Surplice and the Crosse if the Church so inioyne them it makes them vnlawfull If they haue beene abused so heretofore by the Papists that is not their sinne now take away the abuse and the things may still be imposed and put in practice Thirdly wee must haue an eye to doe all to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 Fourthly they must be done without scandall or offence as much as possibly may be the Church must be wary heerein for though all things be lawfull yet all thing are not expedient 1 Cor. 10. 23 32. Fifthly all things must be done to edification 1 Cor. 14 26. Lastly all things must be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 as in Exod. 28.40 Aarons sonnes must haue Coats and Girdles and Bonnets made them for glory and beauty which being the end that the Lord in the Legall Ceremonies did ayme at it must needs be our end also in the like cases and thus the Church may safely ordaine Ceremonies The last vse is to teach vs that if we liue in a Church where such things are ordained that are not simply vnlawfull we must take heed that we resist not this power or the things thereby ordained Bridle thy selfe from dislike specially from refusall yet yeeld with some perswasion of conscience take such a course whereby thou mai'st obey the Magistrate and the Church and yet not offend the weake heerein is wisedome yet rather obey the Magistrate though with offence for heere disobedience is the greater sinne and so takes away the sinne of offending the weake and indeede in this case I giue none offence because my hands are bound and I haue no liberty to doe otherwise but what if a man be not perswaded of these things What is then to be done must hee separate from the Church No first they must labour to be better informed secondly they must resolue to beare with a great deale rather then to make a rent in the Church thirdly suffer thy selfe to be ouerborne in things indifferent by the authority of the Church till thou be'st able to proue it simply vnlawfull or to shew that there is greater scandall in the vse of it then in disobeying the voyce of the Church and of the Christian Magistrate I know that it is sinne to disobey the Christian Magistrate except I know that God commands the contrary Now in these indifferent things I doe but feare I doe not know that God commands the contrary to that which my conscience is doubtfull of now shall I runne into a knowne sinne because I would auoyde a sinne onely feared So much shall serue for this point And so wee haue finished the eyghth point concerning the power and authority of the Church The sixe and twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH YOu may remember that 9. points were propounded to be spoken to concerning the Church whereof we haue already handled 8. of them And now wee are to speake of the ninth and that is the application of all that which hath been spoken to all visible Churches in Christendome that I knnow of those Congreagtions that professe not Christianity we meddle not with The Pagans that professe heathenish Religion no Christian the Iewes that professe the Law and not the Gospell the Turks that professe that abominable Idoll Mahomet and not the Sonne of God Iesus Christ these wee haue here nothing to doe with they are vtterly excluded from the outward name of a Church as being assemblies quite of another kinde they haue no Christ not somuch as in outward profession and therefore are no Church at all It is the Christian assemblies that is those that professe the faith of Christ crucified that wee are heere to speake of you shall vnderstand that the Doctrine concerning the Church whereof I haue spoken hath been so plainely and fully deliuered that if it be rightly vnderstood it will easily apply it selfe to all Christian Churches in the censure of those that are Religious Iudicious but yet because diuers Christian Churches are of diuers conditions differing one from another as well in time as in place and because the chiefe reach of this whole discourse both in teacher hearer is this to see how we may iustifie our standing in the present state of this Church of England therefore for your better direction both to helpe your iudgement concerning other Churches and to settle your resolution touching the goodnesse and soundnesse of this Church that we liue in I will endeauour God willing to make application of that which hath beene spoken as to all Churches in generall so more particularly to this Church of ours The generall diuision of all Churches that eyther are or haue beene since our Sauiours time is two-fold First according to their situation and so some are Easterne and the

vnto vs the sufficiency Scrip● Thirdly such as forbid any addition to or detraction from the Scripture Fourthly such as condemne all Doctrine taught either without or besides the Scripture Rhemists 15 Acts ● The Papists say the church may coyne new articles of faith What authority the Church hath about articles of Faith Hyper 6● Hyper 54. Secondly that the Church make any booke to bee Canonicall Scripture Which the Papists hould this confuted by diuers reasons Thirdly that the Church hath power to deuise adde diminish or alter any part of Gods worship which the Church of Rome hath done prooued by diuerse things Fourthly concerning customes The fathers iudgement concerning customes Fifthly concerning traditions How and in what sense tradition is to bee receiued Answers to the Popish tenent concerning tradititions Answer 1. Ob. Answer wherin is shewed that the Baptisme of Infants the change of the Sabbath and that so many bookes are Canonicall Scripture and are not had by tradition but proued by good consequence out of the Scripture Answ 2. Answ 3. Their proofe out of 2 Thes 2.15 Answe Answ 4. The scripture the so onely rule of saith acknowledged to bee by all Churches generally Secondly the Scripture is the onely tryall of euery truth How euery matter of substance is to be found in the Scripture Concerning Churches power in matters of circumstance and they are of two sortes one of miracles and what is to be helde concerning the same Secondly of discipline and this is of two sorts either matter of d●scipline which is spoken of before or secondly matter of ceremonies and what the church hath power to doe therein The bounds the Church is to keepe in ordaining matters of ceremony 1. 2. Vse 2. 1. The ninth generall point concerning the Church viz. the application of all that hath bin spoken to all visible Churches in christendome that I know of The generall diuision of all churches that haue beene or are since our Sauiours time into Easterne and Westērne and this according to their sc●tuation Secondly according to their language and so some be greek and some latin Churches VVhether Schismaticall or hereticall Churches may be accounted true visible Churches What a Schismatike church is Hereticall Churches First what they are and when any particular man is to be reputed an Heretike Heresies of 2. sorts first such as ouerthrow the foundation What this fundation is Resol Those that deny directly this foundation or any part thereof cease to bee Christians and are no more visible Churcher The Greeke Churches be here spoken of and what weare to thinke of them 1. of the Greeke Churches generally disperse in most at the Easterne parts of the world Ortelius 100. Ortelius 97. 98. 108. Secondly the Greeke Churches which are more particularly and properly so called and what we are to hold of them deliuered in an obseruation Doct. The mayne error of the Greeke Churches The Greeke Churches better then the Popish-Church The Papists vnchatarible censuring the Greeke Churches answered The Greeke Churches not gu●lty of Schisme from Rome The Greeke Churches neuer subiect to the Romane Church One note of the Church as the Papists account it is found in the Greeke Church viz succession of Bishops The goodnes of God in perseruing of his Churches seene in the Greeke Churches vnder the Turke The miseries of the Greeke Church vnder the Turke in many particulars in regard of their persecutions in regard of the Religion of the Turks The Religion of the Turks 1. a pestilent Religion directly opposite to Christ 2. It ouerspreadeth a great part of the knowne world 3. It is a pleasing Religion For what it was that the Lord suffered such famous Churches to come to ruine applied to vs. The Western churches and first of those that acknowledge the Pope their head as the Church of Rome and those that hold with her and what ma● be said and held of her deliuered in two obseruations The church of Rome as now it standeth may in some sense be reputed a true visible Church A differen●e betweene the papacy or the pop●sh ●action and some better spirits amongst them in regard of whom the whole may be called a true Church The popish church doth not directly deny any part of the fundation but in outward shew of words affirme it The church of Rome hath beene a true Church The Papists by their Doctrine of iustification by workes must ouerthrow the foundation they by this ouer throw Christ not directly but by consequence Quest Answ It is not so great a sin to deny Christ directly as by consequence yet hee that doth this deserueth to be cut off from Gods mercy The Church of Rome compared with the Church of Israel 2. with the Church of the Iewes in our Sauiours times With the Church of Galatia Circumcision doth as neerely by consequence cut off from Christ as iustification by workes with the of Church Sardis Baptisme a true Sacrament in Rome and rightly administred there for the substance of it Those that were Baptised in the Church of Rome were lawfully Baptised Ob 1. Answ Ob. 2. Answ The ordinati of our Ministers from the Church of Rome and yet a lawfull ordination The question where the Church was before Luthers time answered The inconuenience preuented by acknowledging that the Church of Rome may be accounted a true Church What to thinke of our fathers that liued in the Popish Church They of the Popish Chu●ch are to ●e ●ud●ed rather mis-beleeuers then vnbeleeuers The 2. Obseruation wherein is further delired what may be sayd and held further of the church of Rome The Church of Rome so corrupt that it is not lawfull to ioyne with her This that is spoken against thee is in respect of the Pope and Popish factors Corruption of the Church of Rome reduced to 2. sorts 1. matter of Doctrine reduced to 1. part of the Doctrine Foure heads 1 concerning Scriptures And their error therein Three things 1 denying the sufficiency of the Scripture 2 Per●erting the truth of the Scripture 3 Disanulling the author●ty and credit of the Scripture many wayes 1 teaching the apochrypha●l bookes to be canonicall Scripture Secondly equalling traditions of men with the written word of God Thirdly preferring the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture Two heads wherein they orre in matter of Doctrine viz concerning the direct offices of the Mediator The Papists say there bee many mediators betwixt God and man The distinction of mediators of intercession and redemption answered Two things in a Mediator To be mediator of intercession is peculiar to Christ as well as to be mediator of redemption The popish sh●ft off praying to the Saints not as helpers but as intercessor Answered The popish reason for praying to the Saints departed drawn from our desi●ing the Saints on earth to pray for vs Answered The third head wherein the church of Rome erreth in doctrine and that is concerning Images The church of Rome an abominable whore deseruing