Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	age_n	church_n	time_n	2,142	5	3.6322	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77507	The sacred and soveraigne church-remedie: or, The primitive and apostolicall way of composing ecclesiasticall differences, and establishing the churches of Christ. Wherein the authority and utility of lawfull councels and synods is asserted and vindicated, and divers of the sad controversies of the times modestly debated; first preached in the parish church of great Yarmouth, and now published for a preservative against the poyson of anti-synodall suggestions, and a preparative to the receiving of what mercy God shall please to convey unto his Church in this kingdome, through the hands of the present reverend Assembly of Divines. / By John Brinsley.	Brinsley, John, 1600-1665.	1645 (1645)	Wing B4725; Thomason E269_27; ESTC R212361	64,670	94

would ne'r have had any hand in commanding nor yet the Churches in obeying But I forbeare to reason any further against that for which I suppose scarce a shadow of reason can be given I rather passe on to some other Objections and Allegations which finding them to be but bladders full of wind I shall only prick them 〈…〉 leave them to evaporate of themselves Object 2. In the second place it is alledged that this binding power being allowed to any such Synodicall Decrees it may prove prejudiciall to the Church and to the Truth a thing which experience maketh good The Councels which we read of in the new Testament wherein there was a concurrence of the Civill and Ecclesiasticall power did they not give sentence against Christ himselfe against his Apostles against their way and Doctrine Of latter times how prejudiciall have many Councels been to the Church in condemning the truth in countenancing and confirming of errors Instance but in that one Councell of Trent then which never was there any undertaking more threatning to the Church more pernicious to the truth Answ We answer It is true thus it hath been and thus it may be but what of this Things the more excellent in their use they are the more dangerous they may be in their miscarriage Great Ordnance in a Fort or Castle being well managed and plyed against the enemy they are the strength and security of a Citie but being turned against it they batter it down Even of such use are Councels and their Decrees Ecclesiasticall Ordinances to the Church now who will thinke Forts and Bulwarks fit to be slighted ●nd all their Ordnance to be dismounted because possibly they may prove disadvantageous Object 3. But it will be further urged Experience hath found Councels of this nature to be often prejudiciall seldome advantagious to the Church witnesse that now trite and threadbare testimony of that ancient Father * Greg. Nazianzen that Dur● quaerimonia as Calvin truly calleth it that harsh and rigorous complaint of his wherein he professeth that for his part he never saw a good end or desirable successe of any Councell or that they procured any decrease but rather an increase of evils to the Church Answ. To this home charge set on by a single testimony take answer briefly 1. To judge of things by the successe and event oft-times proves but an unrighteous judgement Hopefull undertakings though never so wisely projected and well intended may yet possibly miscarry Usefull Institutions not onely humane but divine may at sometimes prove unsuccessefull an● ineffectuall And so may it possibly fall out with the most promising Synods or councels But where is the fault what in the undertaking in the institution it selfe Not so but in the persons perverting or opposing it So saith our learned and judicious Dr. Whitaker concerning that first and great Councell of Nice held a little before Nazianzens dayes of all Councels the most famous since the Apostles times yet as Hilary complaines it did not finde that successe which was desired and hoped for The evils of the Church were not decreased but rather increased by it sad stormes and tempests followed upon it But whence was this Non Synodi quidem c. The fault was not in the Synod but in wicked and perverse men opposing and making head against it Even as it is with the Gospel it selfe where it commeth it hath ordinarily a Sword attending upon it I come not to send peace but a sword Mat. 10. 34. But what is the cause of this Not the Gospel which is in it selfe the Gospel of peace but those rebellious ones who will not submit to the Gospel 2. As for this testimony of Nazianzen the learned cannot but wonder that such a passage should fall from such a pen I cannot but wonder saith our worthy Whitaker that that Father should judge so perversely and write so bitterly concerning Councels But herein he was alone As for the rest of the Fathers we shall finde them clean of another minde judging and speaking as honourably of Counc●●● and Synods as Nazianzene did coursely concluding them to be not onely usefull but in some cases necessary That of Augustine is well known Concilioru ● in Ecclesia saluberrima authoritas The Authority of Councels is most wholsome for the Church saith he speaking of Generall Councells And Cyprian saith as much or more of Topicall particular Synods Necesse habuinius c. We held it necessary saith he to gather and celebrate a Councell of many Priests or Ministers assembling together So as against this one singular testimony of this single Father we may well oppose the dissenting judgement of all the rest 3. Suppose that Father in his time never saw any good end of Synods What shall we thence conclude against them Upon the very same ground might the promoters of this charge as well conclude against our Parliamentary Assemblies in this Kingdome Touching which for our parts many of us here present may say as Nazianzen doth there of Councels that in our time we have not seen a desirable successe of them they have not answered our hopes and expectations but most an end have left us in statu quo prius in the same if not in a worse condition then they found us and yet I hope neither they nor any other who are true-hearted to their Countrey will dare to speake a word or entertain a thought against the use utility and necessity of them 4. Suppose that Nazianzen might say that he had not seen any good successe of Councells in his times Shall we therefore say the like of all other Councells What say wee to this first Councell held by the Apostles and Elders at Hierusalem had not this a good end Let the Text informe us what was the successe of it And so were the Churches established c. What say we to many other Councels in after ages instance in those 4. first generall Councels so universally received and approved of by the Church However the immediate successe of some of them did not answer expectation for the setling of Peace and Truth in the Church yet shall we say that the Churches of God in after ages are not beholding to them Councels and Synods in this are sometimes like unto Comets let not any pervert or abuse the comparison which have not their effect till some yeers after their appearing I remember what the Apostle saith of Parents they doe or ought to doe lay up for their children And this have the fathers of those Councels done laid up for posterity laid up many precious truths which have been usefull to the Church of God in all succeeding ages Ungratefull should we be should we not acknowledge our selves beholding to them and many other Councels and Synods since those times Not to go far back What think we of those Synods or convocations call them as you please in this Kingdom wherein

the Psalme which was endited by the Holy Ghost And thus in the Text It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us viz. to the Holy Ghost speaking to us in the Scripture So the Greek Scholiast cited by M. Cartwright expounds the place Now then what ever lawfull Councell or Synod met together in the Name of Christ shall proceed after the same manner as the Apostles here did making the Word their rule and direction grounding their determinations and decrees thereupon either upon the expresse letter of it or upon just and necessary consequences and inferences drawn from it however they may for reverence sake to that first Councell which in some respects is not to be patterned by any succeeding Synod viz. in respect of the persons of the Apostles there present men of an extraordinary function and assisted at this time no question though not with an immediate yet with a more then ordinary measure of an ordinary spirit proportionable to that highest place which they then occupied in the Church and in that Councell decline the forme of words by them used as Mr. Cartwright observes that the African Councell upon that ground as he conceives did yet without either Blasphemy or Presumption it is conceived that they may to the same effect say of their decrees that they are the minde of the Holy Ghost as well as their minde for which this patterne may bee their Warrant And thus I have as I hope sufficiently cl●ered this scruple as also answered this objection touching the extraordinary quality and immediate assistance of the Apostles in this first Councell So as this beaten Muse being now stopped and this trite evasion put by what remaines but that the conclusion should stand firme viz. That a lawfull councell or Synod being met as the Apostles and Elders in this first Councell were and proceeding after the same manner as they did may determine Church-differences and ordaine Decrees for the Churches ●o keepe Quest But how farre reacheth this Synodicall Power and in what cases may they make such Decrees Answ. In answer hereunto I shall purposely decline as much as may be all collaterall controversies as viz. whether such Synods be invested with a power of Jurisdiction reaching to the censuring of persons erroneous or scandalous I will not goe from what the Text directly leadeth me to The Decrees here delivered by Paul and Silas to the Churches we shall finde them directly concerning two things Doctrine and Practice D●ctrine whether circumcision was then necessary or no Practice whether they should then eate things offered to Idols or no c. Both these the Councell here states and determines First declaring the erroneousnesse and dangerousnesse of that opinion which some would have obtruded upon the Churches under their name viz. touching circumcision disclaiming it as none of theirs This they doe explicitly vers. 24. implicitly vers 28. Then interdicting and prohibiting them the use of som things which then were or were accounted indifferent unto them vers. 29. These two the sentence of the Councell here directly reacheth not to speake what it doth obliquely how it also reacheth the pe●sons of those who had beene the broachers of that new Doctrine whom it passeth a sharp censure upon viz. declaring and pronouncing them to be Troublers of the Church and subverters of soules vers. 24. And these two the sentence of lawfull Councells and Synods may reach they being invested with a double power the one Dogmaticall the other Directive not to speak of that corrective power the power of censures which if it bee not Formally yet Vertu●lly and Eminently it must bee conceived to bee in such Councells 1. They have a Dogmaticall or Doctrinall power in declaring of Doctrinall Truths or Errours This power I thinke will be yeelded them at all intelligent hands even by those who in other cases are most tender and jealous of allowing them any power of Jurisdiction And it is no more then what the example of the Church at Antioch leadeth us to who in a Doctrinall point of difference which could not be satisfactorily determined amongst themselves they referre it to the concurrent judgement of other Churches met together in a Synodicall way wherein finding it agreeable to Scripture and Reason they acquiesce and rest satisfied A pattern for the Churches in all succeeding ages shewing them what they are to do in like cases But to let this passe as a truth confessed by all who are not more wedded to their own private fancies and wills then either to Scripture or Reason 2. The second branch of this Synodicall power is Directive in matters of Practice Such a power we find the Councell here exercising upon the Churches regulating them as touching their practice And surely this may lawfull Synods doe lay out the Churches way for them order them in matters Ecclesiasticall ordaining Decrees touching what they are to doe or not to doe which Decrees may be imposed upon the Churches Quest But what then Hath such a Councell or Synod an absolute Legislative power to make Lawes and impose what burdens they please upon the Church Answ. Not so The power of a Councell or Synod is not Magisterial● but Minist●riall Not absolute but limited Many limitations may be assigned whereby this power is determined and bounded I will touch onely upon two 1. They may doe nothing against any law of Christ who is the onely Law-giver of his Church Here is no room for non obstante's Christs Lawes being unrepealable unalterable they may not be so much as tempered with by any particular persons nor yet by any combinations of Men or Angels 2. They may ordaine nothing but what they have a warrant from the word for A warrant either explicit or implicit either a particular or generall warrant either a particular warrant in expresse tearmes or atleast a generall warrant clearely held forth under those generall rules of Order Decencie Edification Such w●●e the decrees which the Councell here ordained They imposed nothing upon the Churches but what they had a warrant from the word for Either an expresse and particular warrant This they had for the prohibiting of for●●●●tion which being taken literally properly as I conceive by M. Bezis leave that here it must is expre●ly condemned in the word Or else a generall warrant This they had for all the rest the prohibiting of the eating of Idolothytes things offered to Idols of blood of things strangled the two latter branches of the Caremoniall Law all of them at that time in their own nature indifferent But the use of them was at the present become scandalous and offensive to the weak brethren and so tending rather to destruction then to edification Hereupon though they had no expresse word of Scripture for it yet proceeding upon that generall ground they prohibit the use of them for that time though otherwise in themselves indifferent By the same rules are other Councels and Synods to proceed And