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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	church_n	congregation_n	elder_n	2,807	5	10.1144	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80541	A copie of tvvo vvritings sent to the Parliament. The one intituled motions for reforming of the Church of England in this present Parliament: most taken out of Irenaus Philadelphus. The other a humble petition unto the Parliament, for reforming of the Church of England: all taken out of the holy Scriptures.	Du Moulin, Lewis, 1606-1680. Motions for reforming the Church of England in this present Parliament.	1641 (1641)	Wing C6235; Thomason E238_12; ESTC R2679	18,517	27

be left unto the Church for every one to give according to the blessing which hee hath received of the Lord. And so Christ hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell and not by Popish Lordships and Livings or Iewish Tythes and Offerings As for the Law of Tythes it did cease with the change of the Leviticall Preisthood e Heb. 11. It is therefore humbly desired that the Land and revenewes of the Prelates and Cleargie yet remaining may now by this Parliament f 2 Co● 31. D● 17 1● 19.20 Esa 19 23. Ps 3.4 Ez 20.4 5 Pro. 3 10. Rev 17 1● be taken away and converted to better use As those of the Abbyes Nunneries have beene by former Parliaments Their originall beeing one and the same And further it is desired that not the distinction alone of Deanes Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and Readers be taken away but their offices and places also g Rev 11.18.14.8 ● 10.12 16.10 17.18 Chap. 2 Th● 3.8 in regard they are not elected called or ordained according to Gods Word but their entrance into the Ministery is by a Popish and unlawfull vocation strange from the Scriptures and never heard off in the primitive Church 10. No doubt but it is the office duetie of this present Parliament to cherish and protect the true ministers of Christ h Esa 23. 3 10.12 D● 17.14 19 20 Ps 2 11.12 72 and on the other hand to suppresse and root out by their authority all false Ministers and unlawfull Ecclesiasticall functions whatsoever i 2 C● 29 chap Therefore our humble Request is that all Popish Offices entrance administration and maintenance with their Names Titles and Priviledges may be now abolished and that every Christian Congregation may have freedome to enjoy the publick ordinarie ministery of Pastors k Act. 17. 2● Rom ● 7 8 Teachers Elders Deacons and Helpers as those onely which Christ hath appointed in his Testament for the feeding governing and building up of his Church And as every Congregation hath power l Act. 5. 23. 22.2 with 1.15 in Christ to take unto themselves meet and sufficient men into those offices so the Hierarchie and their dependant Offices beeing all unlawfull and Antichristian in the height of jurisdiction and place be taken away an act of Parliament be made that from henceforth these true Ministers which are too much vilified shall have more honour respect then heretofore 11. Howsoever the Papists doe place the power of the Keyes in the Pope the Protestants in the Bishops and the Reformed Churches in the Presbytery Classes and Synods notwithstanding according to the Apostolick institution every particular Congregation m 1 Co 5.4.11.12 13. Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 16.3 2 Cor. 8.19 Act. 18.23 15.23 18.22 hath power in and for it selfe immediately from Christ to exercise Ecclesiasticall government and all other religions Ordinances So that the power of Excommunication is in the body of the Church whereof the parties that are to bee cast out are members And so farre is the power of Ecclesiasticall K●yes from belonging solelie to Bishops and Ministers as that they themselves stand under it For the Congregation which did elect and ordaine them may if the cause so require depose them from the M nistery they exercise n 1 Tim. 3 10. 5 22. Rom. 16.16 Phil. 3 2. 1 Tim. 6.3 5. Eze. 44 12.13 Mat. 18.16 and if they remain obstinate and impenitent orderly cut them off by Excommunication And this is a truth so cleare and manifest viz. that according to the ancient constitution of the primitive Church the power of he ecclesiasticall Keyes is given to the whole body of every Christian Congregation o Ps 122.3 Act. 2.47 Rom. 16.2 Mat. 18.17 1 Cor. 5.4 c. and not to any member apart or to more members sequestred from the whole or to any other Congregation to doe it for them As that the learned on all sides as Papists Lutherans Calvinists Conformists Non-Conformists ancient Writers with the publick Confession of all the Reformed Churches what ever their practice be give Testimony hereto as we have it in our hands to shew if the Parliament be pleased to call for it 12. That there ought to be no Nationall Provintiall or Diocesian Bishops wee have shewed before neither are Churches to be made by the bounds and limits of Parishes for that is an ordinance of man even the man of sin and contrary to the faith and order of the Gospel but to consist of a company of people called and separated from the world by the Word of God p Act. 2.39 19.9 Rom. 1.6.7 10 14 c. and joyned together by voluntary profession of the faith of Christ in the fellowship and practice of the Gospel and therefore no drunkards no whoremongers no prophane persons at least which are known may be received retained or compelled to be members in the Church of Christ q Mat. 3.7 2 Cor. 6.14 Rev. 21. ult num 15 27 22 15. Esa 35.8 9 c. which is his body whereof he is head and his temple wherein hee dwelleth by his Spirit but the House of God must be kept as neare as it is possible free and cleane from all polutions and prophanations whatsoever And to this Church Christ hath given his power to chuse and call into office among themselves such as are fit without going to Synods or Bishops with Presentations of any for that is but a humane device and therefore by the Parliament not to be tolerated 13. That in stead of Lay Elders to sit in Nationall and Provintiall Synods an office that hath no root in Christs Testament let it be appointed by the Parliament that every Christian Congregation shall have free liberty to elect and ordaine as the Word requireth Governours or ruling Elders r Act. ● 28. R● 12.8 Phil. 1. 1 Tim. 17. Ep● 11.12 1 Cor. 28. n● 12.24 2● Exod. 3● 42. De● 1.13 being men of life unreproveable sober gentle loving temperate men of wisedome knowledge and sound judgement that may sit in the Church to see the Congregation holily and quietly ordered discerne between cause and cause plea and plea and accordingly prevent and redresse evils 14. A better course cannot be taken for providing for the poore then that the Ordinance of the Gospel be observed which is that Deacons be chosen in every Congregation ſ Act. 6. 1 Tim 8.9 Ro● 12.8 1 Cor. ● 28. Ph● 1.1 being men of honest report grave temperate not given to excesse nor to filthy lucre let these gather and collect by the ordinance of the Church the goods and benevolence of the faithfull and faithfully distribute the same according to the necessity of the Saints For Church-wardens Side-men and Collectours their offices are unlawfull and hurtfull unlawfull because they are counterfeits of Gods true Officers namely Elders and Deacons also

termed by King Iames the English Masse and fitly so because it was culled and wicked out of the popish danghill the por●●is vile Masse Booke full of all abominations and peaced and patched together without reason or order of edefication And this being abolished our further request is that this present PARLIAMENT will take such order as that no stinted or devised formes of prayer be by any nationall Sinod imposed specially upon the ministers of the Gospel in any part of the Kings Dominions but as the Lord hath furnished them with spiritual gifts a Act. 1 24 28 1 Thes 5 17 Rom. 8 26 27 1 Tim. 7 17 Neh. 2 4 Exo 14 15 1 Pet. 2 5 even so according to their present need and occasions they may have their freedome alwayes to pray in the spirit through the helpe of the holy Ghost For if it had seemed good to the Apostles the last Pen-men of the holy Scriptures that any stinted formes or number of words should be repeated or read out of a prayer booke they would certainly haue giuen commandement for the practise thereof but we find no prescript Liturgy in their writings nor had the primitiue churches any such thing what ever the Iewes fable of Ezra and the Papists of St. Iames and St. Peter And as we like it well that this PARLIAMENT should seeke for union with other Protestant Churches in matters of true doctrine so also to accord with them in all acts of their lawful discipline and chiefly in this that they doe not force and compel people to become members of the Church but let every congregation consist of a free and voluntary people and as for such as are prophane worldly and wicked let them be kept out of the Church untill they be called of God unto repentance and faith in his promise 4. Howsoever we agree unto the Articles of the Synod of Dort in al points there treated and concluded against the Aruntians yet we se not by any warrant from the word of God that it is lawfull for the ecclesiasticall officers of many churches to meet together and by joynt authoritie to make constitutions and lawes and to impose them upon all churches b 1 Pet. 5 2 3 2 Col. 5 Iam. 3 1 Rev. 14 9 10 11 This tyranie and usurpation we beseech the Parliament to prevent and not to grant any liberty to convocations or Synods to make Ecclesiasticall Cannons for al Churches but let every particular congregation as a special prerogatiue wherwith shee is indued by Christ be free from such bondag and burden 5. Howsoever some wish that Bishops be retayned in their places yet sure we are that this PARLIAMENT shall very much glorifie the sonne of God if as plants which the Father never planted they now roote them up For since the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists were taken away from this world there are not any other lawfull Bishops or Church-Governours then Bishops or O-verseers of particular Churches a Act. 〈◊〉 28 P● 1 1. 6. And seeing they are no Ministers at all in the Church of God but haue and do vsurpe the name and seate of the ministerie Their calling being Antichristian and contrary to the word of God b 2 T● 2 3 4● 1 Pet. 1 4 I● 22 25 26 Ep● 8 11 ● 13 R● 9 3 11 17 ● 14 9 ● wee therefore most humbly beseech this present PARLIAMENT not onelie to take from them as they justly deserve all Civill authority but also to doe to them as our Saviour dealt Ioh. 2. in whipping out the buyers and sellers and money-changer For of a certayntie they might better come into the Temple then any Metropolitan or Diocesan Bishopp into the Church of God yea and had more necessary use but they had abused holie things and made it a denne of theeues 7. The principall defect of discipline and the spring of all errours in doctrine and practice is not the want of Synods but rather of the knowledg of the Scriptures For the testament of Christ shewes us no Provintiall nationall emperiall and mother like Church having sundry meetings or assemblies and speciall Pastors over the same Neither hath Christ Iesus subjected any Church or Congregation of his to any other Superiour Ecclesiasticall jurisdictinn then unto that which is with in it selfe So that if a whole Church or congregation shall erre in any matter of Faith and Religion no other Convocations Societies Combinations or Assemblies whatsoever have by any Commandement from the Lord power to censure punish or controll the same but are onely to admonish them in a brotherly way and so to leave them to the immediate judgement of Christ For Bishops therefore and Parish Ministers to come together to discusse of the affaires of the Diocesse make orders and decide and determine among themselves the cases and controverses of sundry congregations It is a practise which the Apostles never knew Syon hath not heard of it Ierusalem which is aboue will not acknowledg it but as it began with the oppressing the only lawfull politie of the Church so the use of it hitherto hath been the cruelst and most ambitious tiranny in the world And therfore the Parliamēt is humbly desired not to countenance so injurious vnjust a course but to stand earnestly zealous for the pretious liberty and priviledg of the Saints the which Christ hath purchased for them with his owne blood 8. As the Scriptures a Act. 20 28. Rom. 12.8.7 Phil. 1.1 acknowledge no other for lawful Bishops but such only as stand ministers to some particular Congregation so neither doe they acknowledge any Ecclesiasticall censure rightly pronounced against them unlesse it be done by that Church of which they are members b Mat. 18 17.18 1 Cor. 4.5.12.13 2 Thes 3.6 with Lev. 24.14.15.16 23. Iosh 7 11.25 and by which they were elected into Office As for deposition excommunicaton and the like done by Synods whether Provinciall or Nationall it is but of the Earth newly devised an addition an institution an ordinance of Kings and Princes And this needs must bee so because Christ hath not placed this power any other where but in a true visible Church Now there is no true visible Church but a particular Congregation Company or Assembly of men ordinarily joyning together in the true Worship of God As for other Convocations Synods Societies Combinations c. the Title of a visible Church is improperly and untruely attributed unto them Of this judgement are our English best Divines c D. Ames Eng. puritne Baines Dioces p 12. repl to Down Offer for conference p. 2. 9. The right course for the due maintainance of ministers is by the free and voluntary Contribution of the Church d 1 Cor. 9 7.14 Gal. 6.6 1 Thes 5.13 1 Tim. 5.15 with Pro. 3.9.10 Num. 18.8.32 Not that Parliaments or Synods should impose any certaine rate or summe upon any man how much hee should pay but this is to

pu 329. 330. with holinesse and when any dangerous errours are broached for to ●uppresse them But at these meetings of Ministers of sundry Churches they medled ●ot with Excommunication l Ignat. ad Philad ad mag Tral Tertu Apol c. 20. Atha Ep in pers ad orthod Ep. ad Soli vit deg Ep. con Nicae c. 9 Eccl. hist Bas Epi. 58 ad Elitiū Theo. l. 1. c. 19 election and ordination of Church officers for all such ●hings they left as peculiar administrations to every particular Church onely if there were Heresies broached ‡ Cent. 2. c. 9 p. 159 160. 161 or some weightie point to be determined every one ●ave his judgement and advice and afterwards signified what was done to the Chur●hes who had still their liberty to receive or reject what was before concluded And thus for the space of 200 or 300 years as Brightman m on Rev. cha 12. p. 505. 506. edit 3. Iacob n neces Resor p. 57 c. and o●hers have well observed the Primitive purity of Church government was not destroyed ●either had Satan as yet brought in Prelaticall and Synod●ll pride into the Sheepfold of the Lord but every Congregation was free and subject to no other Ecclesiasti●all jurisdiction then unto that which was within it selfe Indeed about Constantines time and after as Cyprian o Epist de lapsis l. 4 c. 4. Eusaebius p l. 8. ● 1. and Am●rose q Com. in 1 Tim. 5. testifie and which is also affirmed by Casaubon r ad Card. Peron obs 4. p. 30. 31. Whitaker ſ de Rom. pont cont 4. p. 5. Mornaeus t H●● ●op p. 37. 38. Brightman u Apoc. c 2 p 67. and others Men began to devise a new order and manner of gover●ing Churches as they thought fittest to agree with the times and took away by little and little the independant power and government of particular Churches And had now their Councils and Synods to make what Canons and Laws they listed imposing the same nolens volens upon all Congregations not permitting the people to have a●y hand in the election of Ministers excommunication and the like x See Beza in res ad tract de minst Evan. de grad c. 22. f. 154. 155. Synod Laod. can 13. And how●oever the government left by the Apostles to the Churches was rejected under pretence to preserve the unitie and peace of the Church y Duaraen dist 8. and for the avoiding of schismes a Field of the Church l. 3. p. 157. 158. de visib non l. 5. c 4. factions and for the unrulinesse of the people b Scvlting hierarch anar l 11 p 134. and to prevent other evils yet whosoever will juditiously read the impartiall Writers of that age hee shall finde that the corrupting at first of Church government was principally through the pride c Greg l 4 Epi 38. and ambition of the Ministers for beginning now to have some outward state and meanes in the world thought it a disparagement that the Bretheren should be equall with them in the affaires of the Church d Chrysost in Mat hom ●4 Hieron in Epi ad Gal cvp 4. Much lesse could they any longer indure to be under their admonitions and censures how disorderly soe● they walked Adde to this another cause viz. the negligence Hieron n Esa l. 6 c. 30. and idlenesse of the people also the number of unfit members which were daily received such as f Chrys in opere imperfect hom 44. knew 〈◊〉 what their liberty in the Gospell was besides about this time the civill Magistrat● joynes with the Innovatours and corrupters of Church government and under divers threatnings and severe penalties commandeth every one to yeeld and conform themselves to the sinfull devices of their NEW MASTERS Having thus briefly declared what was the discipline planted by the Apostoli● institution g See Cen. 5. ca. 9. de Synodis in all Christian Congregations at first we have now onely a word more to speake to the Parliament being in hand at this present time with the reforming of 〈◊〉 Church of England Wise Polititians in their institutions of Government do hold for an infallible m●ime that for to reforme abuses and corruptions in States a better course cannot be ●ken then to reduce things to their primitive originall For as one truely saith h Field of the Church l 2. p. 49. 〈◊〉 first in any kinde or sort of things is truest and best Now our humble request is that leaving the MOTIONS of mens braine you w● looke backe to the Churches of the Apostolique institution and from them take yo● patterne and platforme to walke by for so God teacheth i Mat. 28 20. Act. 1 3. 2 Tim. 1.13 Heb. 3.5 you to do And it is i●deed the golden reed k Rev 11. 1. Eze. 41 which Christ now putteth into your hands saying unto y● Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein The authority of the Primitive Churches saith Gerson l De vit spirit is above all Churches 〈◊〉 therefore it is not in the power of Pope Councill or Church to change the doctrines and ●ditions delivered by the Apostles Brightman m Cha. 2. pag. 65. edit 3. on the Revelation hath a singular passage to the same effect T● first Government of the Church saith hee is common to all times and places and it is 〈◊〉 permitted to be at the arbitriment of men to follow what way they list but that alwaies i●forming a Church we must have recourse to the first beginnings to the which as our onely 〈◊〉 we must call back whatsoever strayeth from it and that they are not to be turned and 〈◊〉 according to the crookednesse and jarring sound of succeeding Churches Parker n Pol. eccl l 1 ca. 23. p. 59. l. 3 pag 95 30. in effect useth the very same expression So Cartwright o Repl. to Whitg l 1 p 25 26. and ●nolds p Confer with Hart pag 195. 459. yea and some Bishops too as Iewell q Defenc Apol par 6 chap 16 divis 2 p 762 and Bilson r Perpet Govern p 3. And Hooker ſ Eccles pol l 4 p 1 Cont Mart lib 4 cap 5. gi● reason for it thus the first state of things was best and therefore it must needs follow customes laws and ordinances devised since are not so good for the Church of Christ b● best way is to cut off later inventions and to reduce things to the ancient state wherein at 〈◊〉 they were And this agrees with Tertullians saying of old with which we will end 〈◊〉 Petition That is truest which is first that is first which is from the beginning that is fro● beginning which is from the Apostles FINIS