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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A50159 A sermon before the provincial synod at Antrim preached June 1. 1698 / by Mr. John Mac-Bride ... MacBride, John, 1651?-1718. 1698 (1698) Wing M115; ESTC R14638 13,794 24

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this we say 1. Tho' this Assembly had in it some Men Extraordinary for their Office and Gifts yet did they not here meet or act as such but as Ordinary Church-Rulers which as Junius hath well observed so he hath sufficiently proved That the Apostles in all Constituted Churches did not act by Extraordinary Apostolick Authority but Joint with other Church-Rulers in an Ordinary Power and submitted to them Therefore we find the Apostles Peter and John sent from the Church of Jerusalem as Missionaries to Samaria Acts 8.14 And as we from hence prove against the Papists that Peter had no Supremacy over the rest of the Apostles because the Senders have Power over them they do send so their Subjection to that Church is hence evident It 's plain also from Peter's subjecting himself as aforesaid to the Trial of the Church at Jerusalem So Paul and Barnabas were subject to the Church of Antioch as appears from Acts 13.1 and also from this same Chapter which had not been had they acted by their Apostolic Extraordinary Authority wherein they were immediately subject to CHRIST only But that this Assembly was Ordinary is evident 1. From its Occasion which is Ordinary viz. a Heresie and Schism arising in the Church 2. Their Call to this Assembly was Ordinary the Church of Antioch Determined and Ordered Vers 2. Paul and Barnabas with certain others to repair to Jerusalem the Call of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem was of the same nature and therefore all but Ordinary 3. Their Constitution was Ordinary as consisting not of Extraordinary Officers only but of Ordinary Elders and Brethren also 4. These Ordinary Officers act with equal Authority as the Apostles do in this Synod the Synodical Act going out in their Name as well as the Apostles Vers 22 23. They joyn with them in censuring the Hereticks vers 24. Vers 28. They assert That it seems good to the Holy Ghost and us as well as the Apostles do and here give Commission to Paul and Barnabas c. as well as they 5. The manner of their Procedure in determining this Controversie was Ordinary not by Immediate Infallible Inspiration but by much Disputing and Reasoning vers 7. the several Apostles giving their Judgment according to Scripture wherein tho' they were not contrary to one another yet they differ'd and the Sentence of James finally acquiesc'd in not on account of Episcopal Authority as some would have it who to Exalt a Bishop would Degrade an Apostle but on Account of the strength of his Reasons and evidence of Truth from Scripture And altho' it be said vers 28. It seemed good to the Holy Ghost c. it will neither follow that Oecumenick Councils are Infallible as Papists teach nor that this Acted by an Extraordinary Apostolick Spirit For as Whitaker says Other Councils may in like manner assert their Decrees seem good to the Holy Ghost if they shall follow the same Method and Rule determine nothing but what is according unto the Revealed Will of GOD written in His Word which are called Words that the Holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2.13 6. Had the Apostles determined this matter by their Extraordinary Infallible Spirit what need had the Infallible Spirit in Paul and Barnabas to appeal to the Infallible Spirit of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem Was the Spirit in Paul c. an Incompetent Judge and Inferiour to theirs Nay surely he might have as easily determined the matter at Antioch and saved the Labour of Travelling to Jerusalem Whence 't is plain they acted by Ordinary Means and Power in dependance upon GOD's Spirit promised to His Church by the best Rule His own Word A Second Question Seeing this Assembly was Ordinary Whether did it act only by way of Council and Advice or by Juridical Authority as an Assembly whose Authority obliged the Churches subject to them to Receive and Observe them To this we say 1. That the Authority of this Synod or of any other is not Civil either for Matter Manner or End nor had it or hath any External Coercive Power to inflict Punishments Corporal or Fines and Imprisonments but as their Power was Spiritual so it was to be Executed by Suitable Means 2. Nor was their Power nor is the Power of any Synod destructive of the Power of Inferiour Church-Assemblies but perfective and assisting to them For tho' a Superiour Assembly should rectifie the Mistakes of an Inferiour Assembly this doth no more deprive the Inferiour of its Power than he who would better inform a mistaken Man doth deprive him of the Power of his Judgment when he only help'd him to judge better 3. Their Power as that of other Assemblies was not Arbitrary to do as they pleas'd but Regulated by the Word of GOD for no Assemblies have Power but for Edification and no Foundation for this can be laid but the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles 4. Yet we Assert it was properly and truly cloathed with Authority to deliberate and determine in those matters that were before it and its Determinations as those of other Lawful Assemblies do did oblige those under their Care and Inspection Reverently to Esteem them and Dutifully to Obey them as far as agreeable to the Revealed Will of GOD. And this is plain 1. Seeing GOD hath Commanded Church-Rulers to Assemble hath promised His Spirit and Presence in their Assemblies and to Ratifie what they Bind or Loose it is clear that their Acts ought to be Obeyed else their Assembling is in vain nor could Controversies ever be ended if none be obliged to stand to the Determination 2. All Appeals should be needless tho' Nature's Light teach them Were Synods only Consultative they should be only like that which Lawyers call Arbitrium boni viri which a Man need not stand to unless he so please and therefore all Power of Arbitration ought to have some Juridical Authority accompanying it to make their Determinations obey'd else we shall be as when there was no King in Israel and no effectual Means provided for the Redressing Grievances 3. Seeing CHRIST requires that such as neglect to hear the Church be accounted as Heathens and Publicans it is plain they have Authority when such as disobey are to be punish'd for such their Disobedience And its unreasonable to suppose this peculiar to single Congregations for then CHRIST should have had more care of single Persons than of whole Congregations of Men if no Remedy be provided for Debates arising betwixt Congregations or Offences done by one to the other Yea even single Congregations themselves should have no Remedy if one part be Injurious to the other but they must Divide and so be Destroy'd as Instances could be given As to the particular Power exercis'd by this Synod and may be by others it appears to be first that called Dogmatick which is not a Power to forge new Articles of Faith or devise new Matter or Parts of Divine Worship but it is a Power to