Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	authority_n	church_n	reject_v	2,895	5	9.0049	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26965	The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things in which they are misunderstood written to reconcile and pacifie such as by mistaking them hinder love and concord / by Richard Baxter.	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1679 (1679)	Wing B1319; ESTC R14830	193,770	379

prophesied to be Christian Nations never were distinct Christian Kingdoms but parts of the Empire nor had a National Church or Head being but parts of such a Church Nay when Rome got the National Primacy it had not such a Priestly Governing Soveraignty as the Jews High-Priest had § 25. Though there was no Christian King for three hundred years unless he of Edessa or Lucius of England of whom we have little certainty but it 's like that both were subjects to others yet if a Supream Church-Power had been necessary the Apostles would have before erected it which they never did For even Rome pretendeth to be by them made the Ruler of the whole world and not a meer National Head which Constantinople claimed but not as of Apostolical institution § 27. The question whether the Jews had they believed should have continued their High-Priest and Church Policy is vain as to our purpose 1. It being certain to Christ that they would be dissolved by unbelief And 2. he having setled another way and changed theirs 3. And if their Priesthood and Law except as it typified spiritual things had stood yet it would not have bound the Gentile Christians in other Nations § 28. When Emperours became Christians they did not set up the Jewish Policy nor thought themselves bound to it no nor any setled Priestly Supremacy for National Government For Councils were called but on rare accidents by the Emperours themselves and to decide particular cases about Heresies And the Pope had but the first voice in such Councils § 29. But if every Nation must have the Jewish Policy then the whole Empire must then have one High Priest and then the Pope hath a fair pretence to his claim of a Divine Institution as the Church Soveraign of the whole Empire which it 's like was then seven parts in eight of the whole Christian world at least unless Abassia were then generally Christians as now But then his power would change with the Empire and fall when it falleth § 30. III. But if the question be only whether a National Priestly Soveraignty be lawful or whether God's general Rules for Concord Order Edification do bind the Churches prudentially to erect such a form To this they sayas followeth 1. We will first lay hold on certainties and not prefer uncertainties before them We are sure that such a power of Apostles and Pastors as is before mentioned was established and that the junior Pastors were as Sons to the seniors ordained by them Whether the power of Ordaining and Governing Ministers was by Apostolical Establishment appropriated to men of a superiour degree in the sacred Ministry seemeth to us very dark 2. We are past doubt that all particular Churches by Apostolical order had Bishops and that a Church was as Hierom saith Plebs Episcopo adunata and as Ignatius the Unity of every Church was notified by this that to every Church there was one Altar and one Bishop at that time and as Cyprian Ubi Episcopus ibi Ecclesia 3. And we are satisfied that every Presbyter is Episcopus Gregis whoever claim to be Episcopi Episcoporum which the Carthage Council in Cyprian renounced 4. And we are satisfied that no Church-superiours have authority to destroy the particular Church form Ministry Doctrine Worship or Discipline which were setled by the Holy Ghost in the Apostles And that the priviledges and duties of these single particular Churches being plainest and surest in Scripture they must be continued whatever Canons or Commands of any superiour Priests should be against them 5. Nor can they force any man to sin 6. Nor have any Priests a forcing power by the sword or violence but only the power of the Word and Keys that is of taking in or putting out of the Church where they have power and binding men over on just cause to the judgment of God The power that they have is from Christ and for him and not against him and for the Churches edisication and not destruction and what is pretended contrary to this is none They cannot dispense with the Laws of God but preach and execute them 7. And these things being thus secured though in our doubts we dare not swear or subscribe that National Patriarchal Provincial or Metropolitical Powers are of God's institution yet we resolve to live in all Christian peaceableness and submission when such are over us § 31. And we must profess that when we find how anciently and commonly one Presbyter in each Church was peculiarly called the Bishop without whom there was no ordinary ordinations and against whom in matters of his power none was to resist and also how generally the Churches in the Roman Empire conformed themselves to an imitation of the civil power as to their limits in all the official part being all subject to the Emperour who set up no Ecclesiastical Peer we are not so singular or void of reverence to those Churches as not by such notices to be much the more inclined to the aforesaid submission and peaceableness under such a power nor are we so bold or rash as to reproach it or condemn the Churches and excellent persons that have practised it §32 Nay we have already said that securing the state worship doctrine and true discipline of the inferiour particular Parish Churches there are some of us that much incline to think that Archbishops that is Bishops that have some oversight of many Churches with their Pastors are Lawful successours of the Apostles in the ordinary part of their work And such of us have long ago said that the Episcopal Government of the Bohemian Waldenses described by Commenius and Lascitius is most agreable to our judgment of any that we know excercised Therefore that which we humbly offered for our concord in England at His Majesties Restauration was Archbishop Ushers form of the Primitive Church Government not attempting any diminution of the Power wealth or honour of the Diocesanes or Archbishops but only a restauration of the Presbyters to their proper Office-work and some tolerable discipline to the particular Parish Churches §33 But we must ever much difference so much of Church order and Government as God himself hath instituted and is purely divine and unchangeable from those accidentals which men ordain though according to Gods general Rules For these are often various and mutable and are means to the former and never to be used against them And of these accidentals of Government we say as they that say no such form is fixed by God Concord order decency and edification are alwaies necessary But oft times it may be indifferent whether concord order and decency be expressed by this accidental way or that And that which is most congruous for order decency edification and concord in one Countrey Church or time may be incongruous in another Therefore if the question be but how far the giving one Bishop or Pastor power over others or making disparity of Cities in conformity to

therefore that both extreams here are false 1. That men can be adult members of a particular Church that consent not or taken for such that no way signifie their consent and that it is not useful ad bene esse that this consent be intelligent and express and that the Offices consented to be truly understood 2. That a written or verbal covenant is of absolute necessity or that men should tie themselves to any thing doubtful or unnecessary but only to the relation and duties of members as of the universal so of that particular Church Both these extreams we do renounce Mr. Zachary Cawdry a Conformist hath shewed in a particular Treatise for Church covenanting how far he is from the mind of those Objectors for he would have the people engaged by covenant to their Bishops and Priests § 14. To conclude though we renounce fanatick Enthusiasts yet serious consideration maketh some of us think that too little notice is taken of the HOLY GHOST setting Pastors over the flocks which the Scripture mentioneth And though none on pretence of the Spirit must reject order or ordination nor make themselves the sole Judges of their own sufficiency yet 1. The due qualification of men with wisdom faith love and heavenly zeal and ability is the most excellent part of our Calling to the Ministry 2. Ex quovis ligno non fit Mercurius without necessary fitness no man is a true Pastor having not dispositionem rec●ptivam And without eminent fitness few are eminently serviceable 3. Experience assureth us that though the Office hath supernumeraries yet of worthy men God never yet raised up supernumeraries but the scarcity is lamentably great 4. All therefore that are duly qualified and have opportunity should be chosen ordained accepted and accept the Call if not offer themselves iu case they cannot otherwise enter 5. The Ordainer doth but ministerially invest him with the power whom the Spirit of God hath qualified for it by the inward Call 6. In case the Ordainers by envy or malignity or faction refuse such where there is true Necessity and Opportunity we conceive that mutual consent of the people and themselves may suffice to the orderly admittance into the Office much more if the Magistrate also consent Of which see Voetius de desparata Causa Papatus and a Dispute of Ordination by R. B. Three Venerable Monitors TO NONCONFORMISTS I. An Epistle of an African Council in Cyprian 68. p. 200. to Faelix a Presbyter and the Laity at Legio and Asturica And to Laelius the Deacon and the Laity at Emerita concerning their Bishops Basilides and Martial who were Libellaticks WHen we were met together most beloved Brethren we read your Letters which for or ●● the integrity of your faith and the fear of God you wrote to us by our Bishops Falix and Sabin●●s signifying that Basilides and Martial being blotted or d●fil●a with Libels of Idolatry and guilty of heinous crimes ought not to exercise the Office of Bishops and administer the Priesthood of God And you desired us to write back to you hereof and that your necessary sollicitude might be eased either by the comfort or the help of our judgment or sentence But to this your desire not so much our Connsels as Gods Precepts give an answer in or by which it is long ago or already by the heavenly voice commanded and By the Law of God prescribed who and what sort of men must serve at the Altar and celebrate the Divine Sacrifices For in Exodus God speaketh to Moses and warneth him saying Let the Priests who draw neer to the Lord God be sanctified lest God forsake them and when they come neer to minister at the Altar of the Holy let them not bring themselves into sin lest they die And in Leviticus God commandeth and saith Let not the man that hath a blemish or vice draw neer to offer gifts to God 2. Which things being already spoken and manifest to us it is necessary that our obedience attend to God's commands Neither may mans indulgence accept the person or grant any thing to any one in such things where God's prescription intercedeth and giveth a Law For we must not forget what God by the Propet Esaias saith to the Jews reproving them and angry with them that contemning the commands of God they followed the doctrines of men This people saith he honoureth me with their lips but their heart is far separated from me and in vain do they worship me teaching the commands and doctrines of men which the Lord also in the Gospel repeateth and saith Ye reject the command of God that you may establish your own tradition Having these things before our eyes and carefully and religiously considering them in the Ordinations of Priests we ought to chuse no Bishops but men unspotted and entire who holily and worthily offering the Sacrisices to God may be heard in the prayers which they make for the safety of the people of God seeing it is written that God heareth not a sinner but if any man worship God and do his will him he heareth 3. For which reason with full diligence and sincere tryal those men must be chosen to the Priesthood whom it is manifest God doth hear And let not the Lay people slatter themselves as if they could be free from the Couragion of the crime when they communicate with a sinful Priest and give their consent to the unjust and unlawful Episcopacy of their Governour seeing by the Prophet Hos●● God's censure threatneth and saith Their Sacrifices are as the bread of sorrow all that eat of it shall be defiled●● Teaching and shewing that all they do sin who are defiled by the sacrifice of a prophene and unjust Priest which we find also manifested in Numbers where Corah Dathan and Abiram challenged to themselves against Aaron the license of sacrificing The Lord there by Moses commandeth that the people be separated from them lest being joyning to the offenders they be guilty of their crimes Be separated saith he from the Tents of those obdurate men and touch nothing which is theirs lest ve perish with them in their sins 4. Wherefore the Lay people obeying the Lords commands and fearing God must separate themselves a peccatore praeposito from a sinful Prelate or Pastor and must not mix themselves at the sacrifices of a sacrilegious Priest because they chiefly have the power either to chuse Priests that are worthy or to refuse those that are unworthy Which very thing we see descendeth from Divine Authority that the Priest the Lay-people being present be chosen under the Eyes of All and by the publick judgment and testimony be approved worthy and meet As in Numbers the Lord commanded Moses saying Take Aaron thy Brother and Eleazer his Son and set them before all the Congregation on the Mount and take off Aarons stole and put it on Eleazer his Son and let Aaron die there God commandeth that the Priest be made before all