Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sin_n	forgive_v	power_n	remit_v	3,209	5	10.5023	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88695	The persecuted minister, in defence of the ministerie, the great ordinance of Jesus Christ. Setting forth the severall names of Apostles, prophets, &c. [brace] 1. That there is a ministerial office. 2. That the sacrament of baptisme by a lay-person is invalid. 3. That necessity is no plea. 4. That the long omission of the Lords Supper is unwarrantable. With many other things, plainly and methodically handled / by William Langley late of S. Maryes in the city of Lichfield, minister ...	Langley, William, b. 1609 or 10.	1656 (1656)	Wing L408; Thomason E860_4; ESTC R202682	143,990	208

to whom the Ministery of the Word is committed in a lawful calling For when there is no power Sacramentally or Ministerially to seal to what purpose is that fealing such doe violare praescriptos à Deo ordines violate the orders prescribed of God A Minister and not a private person represents the person of Christ in the Sacrament whose Deputy and Ambassadour he is and therefore he onely can offer and deliver with power and authority the outward signe which answereth fitly to the inward matter for he onely hath the key of binding and loosing a power that no Lay-man hath If you look unto men by whom this power is administred it is a meer Ministery but if you look unto Christ it is a most high authority than which there is on earth none greater more profitable or more excellent There are two keys the binding and loosing in regard of the divers objects and effects The loosing key is that part of the Ministery whereby remission of sins or absolution from sins in the name of Christ is pronounced unto the Believers according to Gods word publickly or privately and so Heaven is opened and the Believer loosed by the preaching of the Gospel from the bonds of sin and declared an heir of life The binding key is that other part of the Ministery whereby the retention of their sins is denounced unto the Unbelievers and disobedient and so Heaven is shut unto them and they are bound that is they remain captiv'd in the chains of sin and are adjudged to damnation unlesse repentance follow and these keys are of that weight and efficacy that whosoever is remitted or retained on Earth is also remitted and retained in Heaven according to that John 20.23 whose sins ye remit c. None must imagine that this power depends upon the person or worthinesse of the Minister for indeed properly he can neither binde nor loose any man but it depends upon his lawful Ministery or rather upon God himself who by the holy Ghost is powerful in the Ministery of the word as often as the Minister doth duely execute his office in this sense these two places are reconciled Mark 2.7 Who can forgive sins but God alone that is authoritative and that of John 20.23 Whose sins ye remit c. namely instrumentally therefore saith Attersol Take away the Minister and it is no Sacrament Fourthly a private man hath no power of Consecration without which the water is but common water Atters 1 book c 5. of the Sac. in generall and this is necessarily required to the substance of the Sacrament for when the word is added to the Element then there is made a Sacrament Now the Sacramental word consists partly of a commandment proper and peculiar to Ministers Go teach all Nations partly of a promise annexed in the name of the Father c. In all the Scripture we never reade of either command or promise warranting the use of Baptisme by Lay-persons without the power of Consecration Sacraments are as a dead body without life as a dumb shew without voice as an empty cloud without water and as a barren tree without fruit idle and dumb signs But it will not be amisse to speak somewhat of the Consecration of a Sacrament To consecrate Atters 1 book of the Sac. ch 8. is to take a thing from the Common and ordinary use and to appoint it to some other holy use It is the sanctification or dedication of the outward signes to an holy purpose without this the water in Baptism is common water the bread common bread the wine common wine and such as all men may take at their ordinary tables Without this it hath no power force and vertue 1 book ch 4. and if this be wanting there is no Sacrament for Baptism is no Sacrament except the word be joyned to it and consecrated to that use If either Minister Word or Element be wanting you take away the substance and bring in a nullity of the Sacrament Fiftly There is but one baptisme Ephes 4.5 in regard of the use and of the end so the Nicene Councel I believe one Baptisme for the remission of sins we doe all by this one dore and no other enter into the visible Church Now this one Baptisme is described unto us in the word of truth Atters 3 book of the Sac. of the Lords Supper chap. 20. which we may understand by the Institution of Christ and discharge those from that number of Sacraments that want the warrant of the word so that if there be any other than what is there prescribed it is none a fiction and humane invention This calls to my minde an expression of Zanchy's concerning the Baptism of the 12 Disciples of Ephesus Obs in cap 25. de Bapt Aph. 6. Cùm Paulum diximus eos de quibus Acts 19. Denuo baptizasse tanquam non rite baptizatos id sine ullius interpretis praejudicio diximus c. so goes on Whereas we said that Paul baptized again those of whom it is spoken in the 19 of the Acts as being not rightly baptized we said it without prejudice to any learned Interpreters for we condemn none Only we desire the Reader to construe favourably that word Rebaptize for we meant not that they which were rightly baptized were afterwards baptized again Sed qui vero baptismo praecedente scilicet vera de Deo Patre Filio Spiritu Sancto doctrina baptizati non suerant But they which were not baptized with true Baptisme where the true doctrine of God the Father the Son and the holy Ghost went before This to speak properly was indeed not to be rebaptized but to be truly baptized and presently after Illos duodecim discipulos fuisse à Paulo vel saltem jussu Pauli baptizatos tanquam non ritè antea baptizatos Those 12 Disciples were baptized of Paul or at least by Pauls commandment as having not been rightly baptized before These twelve Disciples have occasioned almost as many opinions the Treatises are large I shall confine them desirous to finish this fourth Chapter and so proceed to the rest concerning which we shall be brief Some from hence draw an argument of Rebaptization But August who held a difference betwixt Johns and Christs Baptisme yet defends his opinion from Rebaptization Ambrose and Hierome are of Zanchy's opinion as before related that by a counterfeit Baptisme under the name of the Baptisme of John they were rather defiled than washed or at least not rightly and duely baptized Chrys 3 tom in art Hom. 40. Orig in 19 Art August Tom. 7. cont Petil. c 7. Sueg Tom. 1. in Evang. Hom. 20. The Fathers taught that these words and when they heard it they were baptized were not the words of Saint Paul spoken of them which heard Saint John Baptist but expounded them as the words of S. Luke spoken of them which heard Saint Paul and so it seemeth evident from the Text. Some say that they

book of Bapt. ch 3. her example must not be drawn into imitation The same may be judged of any private or Lay man Neither doe we admit that case of necessity if it compell us to violate the orders prescribed of God besides the testimony of all the Orthodox this practise was absolutely condemned in the Councel of Carthage Can. 100. There is no plea for necessity which by the ordinance of God is broken and prophaned But admit a private person may administer the Sacrament of Baptisme It will follow that he may as well administer the Lords Supper for the dignity of one Sacrament is no lesse than the other CHAP. VIII That the efficacy of it is not tyed to the Instrument or outward signe IT depends not upon the person or worthinesse of the Ministers Buc. 43. com pl. of the power and authority of the Church but upon God who by the holy Ghost is powerful in the Ministery of the word as often as the Minister doth duly execute his office The Minister hath power of consecration and Sacramentall obsignation but not of conferring the power and efficacy of it a Minister may be said to cleanse from sin and to regenerate not effectively but sacramentally and to remit sins not authoritatively but instrumentally for by him as by an instrument Christ doth wash and regenerate And we must take heed of ascribing that to the Minister which is proper to Christ He may offer the signe but he cannot bestow the thing signified John may baptize with water but he cannot give the Spirit Man sprinkleth the body but Christ the soul being saved by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sprinkling of the blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.2 and this is signified by externall Baptisme which may wash away the filth of the body but not the conscience without the powerfull working of the holy Spirit Doctrine of the Church of England Art 26. and other Reformed Churches The efficacy of the Sacrament hangeth not upon the fitnesse or unfitnesse the vices and the virtues of the Minister his impiety and wickednesse makes not a nullity of the Sacraments but the want of him doth I confesse the Church should endeavour that the Ministers thereof be holy and unblamable and woe unto them if any perish by their vitious practises yet we must not measure the profit of the Receiver by the person administring The Sacraments are good though the Instrument be never so bad He may minister comfort to thee though none to himself As the workmen that builded the Arke prepared a meanes to save others but were drowned themselves I had rather make choice of an honest godly Minister than one prophane for such a work it is more comely and yeilds more comfort yet their power is the same Now there ought to be enquiry made after such as are bad Nor is God tyed to the outward signe but is a free Agent Sometimes the baptism of water is without the baptism of the Spirit as is seen in Simon Magus Sometimes the baptism of the Spirit goeth before sometimes accompanieth and sometimes followeth the baptism of water The effect of it is deferred till God see good It doth not of it self confer grace nor is it tyed to the Sacrament First they are the signes not the causes of grace Secondly that which is proper to God ought not to be bestowed on the creature Thirdly the subject of grace is not the body onely but the spirit Therefore the Sacraments doe not by their own virtue work any thing as flowing from their essence but ministerially or instrumentally onely effectually so farre forth as they encrease and nourish our faith Not by any inward power or virtue of their own but by virtue of the principall Agent or Worker they being means helps and instruments of salvation in which sense the Church is said to be sanctified and washed in the laver of water through the word Ephes 5.16 This is the chanell of conveyance but not the fountain 1 Pet. 3.21 So that of themselves of their own power or any reall and essentiall virtue they have nothing Grace is not contained and shut up in them as water in a vessel or as a medicine in a box therefore the bare want of it cannot bring the danger of eternall condemnation yet let men beware of putting a small account and estimation on them for they are Gods ordinances appointed by him to which we must neither make addition nor substraction The Sacraments cease not in themselves to be true Sacraments although administred by unworthy Ministers and received by unfaithfull people We doe saith the Confession of Helvetia ●orme Conf of the Minist of the word Art 15. confesse that the Ministers of the Church are as Paul termeth them the fellow-Labourers of God by whom he doth dispense both the knowledge of himself and also remission of sins turn men to himself raise them up comsort them and also terrifie and judge them yet so that notwithstanding we doe ascribe all the virtue and efficacy that is in them unto the Lord and give a Ministery onely to the Ministers For it is certain that this virtue and efficacy is not to be tyed to any creature at all but is to be dispensed by the free favour of God in what manner and to whom it pleaseth him For he that watereth is nothing neither he that planteth but God that giveth the increase Therefore Ministers are to be considered The later Conf. of Helvetia not as Ministers by themselves alone but as the Ministers of God even such as by whose means God doth work the salvation of mankinde For which cause we give counsel to beware that we doe not so attribute the things that pertain to our conversion and instruction unto the secret virtue of the holy Ghost Of the Ministers of the Ch their insti and offices chap. 18. that we make frustrate the Ecclesiastical Ministery But we are unjustly suspected of some as though we did attribute nothing to the preaching of the outward word Out of the decla● of the same Confes which Luther himself approved by his Letters Anno 1537. and to the Sacraments or as though we did take that from them which the Lord himself doth attribute unto them and by this means should overthrow and abolish the ordering and guiding of those things which pertain to the Church Whereas on the contrary side we have a chief regard unto this that we neither attribute too much nor too little to these things Notwithstanding The lat Conf of Helv. of the Sacraments of Christ ch 19. we esteem not the goodnesse of the Sacraments by the worthinesse or unworthinesse of the Ministers so likewise we doe not weigh them by the condition of the Receivers For we know that the goodnesse of the Sacraments doth depend upon the faithfulness or truth and the meer goodnesse of God Also we teach this that the Sacraments of themselves Out of the Conf of Boh of

Christ compares the Enemies of his Church 3. Nor his Ministers they are not free from persecution they must approve themselves in much patience in afflictions 2 Cor. 6.4 This the Apostle adviseth Timothy 2 Tim. 4.5 Watch thou in all things suffer afflictions this is to doe that work of an Evangelist as a good souldier of Christ to suffer afflictions ready to bear bloody blows of open Enemies and scorns of false Friends To preach the Gospel saith Luther as we should is to stirre up all the Furyes of Hell against us It belongs to us Ex officio to reprove to rebuke 2 Tim. 4.2 to pluck up to throw down Jer. 1. and we can expect therefore no great favour for we encounter with Beasts in the shape of Men with Wolves in the coats of Sheep with Devils in the habit of Angels with unreasonable and wicked men and must therefore expect persecution but alas poor soules they doe not so much wrong us as themselves they foam out their own shame and bewray their wretched I had almost said reprobate malice such as sit down in the seat of the scornfull make a low step to damnation God will laugh those to scorn that laugh his to scorn and despise those that despise us in expuentis recidit faciem quod in Coelum expuit That which a man spits against Heaven shall fall back on his own face Those indignities done to the Ministers of the Gospel shall not sleep in the dust but stand up in judgment Never was any truth so happily innocent as to maintain it selfe free from calumny and abuse S. Paul was a faithfull and painfull Preacher yet was slanderously reported Rom. 3.8 The best truths are subject to misinterpretation and there is not any doctrine so firmly grounded and warily delivered whereupon calumny will not fasten and stick slanderous imputations Neither Iohns mourning nor Christs piping can passe the pikes but the one hath a Devil and the other is a Drunkard and a Wine-bibber Iohn the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking and yet the people said he had a Devil and Christ came both eating and drinking c. The Servant is not greater than his Master neither an Ambassadour greater than he that sent him if they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more them of the houshold Mat. 10.25 If Christs doctrine did not think we the doctrine of his Ministers and Servants can escape the stroak of mens tongues Christ came to fulfill the Law and yet he was accused to be a destroyer of the Law he decides the question for Caesar Give unto Caesar c. and yet they charge him as if he spake against Caesar Ioh. 19.12 The book of the Acts doth witnesse how the Apostles were slandered as Seducers Sectaries vain-Bablers Hereticks Broachers of new false and pestilent Doctrines Nor did the Devil here leave off for if we read the Apologies of Athenagoras Tertullian and others it will amaze us to see what blasphemous seditions horrible and odious impieties were fathered upon the antient Christian Doctors those perillous times instant in the daies of S. Paul are become extant in our Age 1 Tim. 4.1 Some turn to the doctrine of Devils Others start aside to Schisme few love Religion in sincerity and the high and honourable calling of the Ministery is vile base and contemptible Now what are the Reasons or grounds of this contempt and despising of the Ministers of the Gospel 1. They discover the filthinesse and unmask the hypocrisie of the sons of men and so raise all the furies of hell against them It is observed the worst men of a Parish regard a good Pastor and his Doctrine the least for they are like Legs and Arms out of joynt and so cannot endure the touch of the Chirurgeons hand whose chiefest care is to work their cure they are to reprove and rebuke 2 Tim. 4.2 to root up and throw down Ier. 1.10 Men will raile and rage prosecute and persecute those that would pull down and overthrow their pleasant delightfull beloved and profitable sinnes The reason of this contempt proceeds from that cursed nature of man who is an enemy against all good and Ishmael-like persecutes the truth and Preachers of it Come let us imagine some devises c. Jer. 18. verse 18. It is desperate wickednesse to contend with those that justly reprove you to expostulate with them cast reproaches in their teeth and lay to their charge what you your selves are most guilty of Thus dealt Corah and his Complices with Moses and Aaron Numb 16 Ahab with Elias 1 Kings 18. The Israelites with Ieremiah Ier. 18. Amaziah with Amos Am. 7. And the Scribes and Pharisees with our Saviour Mat. 12.24 What a preposterous thing is it that the Hand or Foot should guide the Eye The Childe rebuke the Father the Patient direct the Physician the Scholler check his School-Master and the Sheep quarrell with the Shepherd no lesse preposterous is it for a people to instruct their Instructor and lesson those that should lesson them This contempt proceeds from a cursed heart and is a signe of desperate wickedness Thirdly to bring all to a triplicity This contempt of the Ministers of the Gospel may be imputed First to Sathan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that calumniator who out of contempt to the preaching would bring a loathing of truth he is the Father of Lyes the Prince of Darkness and therefore hates Truth and Light the Message and the Messengers Secondly it may be imputed to man partly to the Understanding when the judgment it self is weak or weakned through prejudice Or else to the Will men of corrupt mindes or to the affections overcome by carnall and seeming shews Or to malitious wickednesse and this is very dangerous God will hardly forgive those that sin of malitious wickednesse Thirdly it may be imputed to God not causing but permitting and suffering First out of justice as a fearfull Judgment upon wicked ones and to render them lyable to the greatest and sorest punishments Secondly out of triall of faithfull painfull Teachers not to be dismaid though briars and thorns be against them but to evidence their constancy and sincerity and how they live above all the scorn and contempt of men willing to suffer not the losse of reputation but a thousand deaths I should now come to severall Uses but I will summe them up in two The first is by way of encouragement to such as are persecuted it is their Masters and the Churches Lot a Condition from which they cannot plead exemption If all that live godly must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3.12 in vain doe the Preachers of Righteousnesse think to escape and not drink of Christs cup. God hath made us a gazing-stock to men and Angels Athanasius was nick-named Sathanasius Cyprian called Caprian Paul accounted mad and Christ himselfe reputed a Conjurer We must not fear if Bryars and Thorns be against us Ezek. 2.6 but encourage our selves in the Lord