Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	church_n	prove_v	3,145	5	6.1841	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A81501	The Discipline and order of particular churches, no novelty. Proved from Scripture, reason, autiquity, and the most eminent modern divines. Or, A discourse of the church, in a scripture notion, with her extent, power and practice, tending to moderate the minds of men, toward dissenters in matters ecclesiastical, and to acquit such from the charge of innovation, faction, separation, schism, and breach of union and peace in the church, who cannot conform in many things to the rules, canons, and practices of others. / By a Lover of truth, peace, unity, and order.	Lover of truth, peace, unity, and order.	1675 (1675)	Wing D1558A; ESTC R174652	61,995	98

themselves the name of the Church as invested with authority to make Laws to impose upon others in these Church matters For if a fourth Church on Earth distinct from the three descriptions above be not found and proved to be vested with this power and capable to execute it according to Christs mind none of these three did ever execute any such Power the two first never made Laws since they grew to big to meet in one place the third never made any to be binding or observed further than in and by the same Congregation or Society where they were made and by whom they were agreed to It is true we find That other Churches liking the Rules of some one Church did imitate them and agree of the same in their Churches also as Socrat. ●n his Eccles Hist lib. 5. cap. 21. p. 351. c. affirms That in those dayes there were diversities of Observations and Rites in several Churches without any forcing of any but every Church as it seemed good to them and that such as liked those Rites did commend them to their Posterity for Laws And Mr. Thorndike in his Book called the true way of composing differences pag. 26 27. saith That if a part of a Church speaking there of a National Church as men tearm it shall give Law to the whole such part that so doth for so doing are Schismatick If therefore any particular Church being but a part of the whole in his sence should make Rules for the whole or if it be said that the Convocation or Synod is such a Church who have this Power to make Laws for the whole these also are but a part of the Church in Mr. Thorndikes sence and but a little part too If these therefore shall give Laws to the whole then hear what Thorndike saith If yet they say This is the whole Church in their Representative Answer first cannot justly call themselves the Representative of the whole for they were neither chosen nor sent by the whole nor did the whole ever intrust them with any such Power Nor were they chosen sent and intrusted by the particular Churches of the whole without which in any rational way they cannot be supposed to be the whole Church in her Representative no nor the Church of England in her Representative if not so sent chosen and intrusted by the particular Churches thereof as above nor will they we presume challenge any authority from Christ immediately derived upon their persons to be the Churches Representative and to make Laws for them But Secondly If it should be granted though against all reason that they do indeed represent the Church of England yet then it must be proved by the Word of God or very good authority that any such Representative was called the Church and so accounted and hath such power to make Laws for many Churches or Congregations by Divine-right and to whose Laws those Churches were bound to give obedience for Conscience sake If that in Acts 15. be urged it seems to be altogether impertinent unlesse they will make the Apostles and whether all or some only we cannot determine the Elders of the Church in Jerusalem and all the brethren of that Church a Convocation or Synod And such another we can hardly find now adayes that this was so and no other is apparent from the very Text for all these met together about the matter and it is said verse 22. It pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send chosen men of their own Company c. cheif men amongst the brethren and in the next verses we find That the Apostles Elders and Brethren wrote about the matter and say It seems good to us being assembled together with one accord to send c. here the brethren were as much the Convocation as the Elders But then also consider the causes why the Church at Antioch sent to this Church at Jerusalem about this matter and why they in Jerusalem write their mind again to them they are two The first may be Supposed that is because there were some of the Apostles the second is Expressed that is because those men who came to Antioch and preached the Circumcision there pretended that they came from Jerusalem from the Apostles and whole Church there with this Doctrine therefore was there great reason why they should apply themselves to them to be resolved of the truth in that matter for about the same question Paul and Barnabas had before disputed at Antioch and also mark the matter they write about it hath a suitableness to that which they had desired to be resolved in The epistle tells them that they who wrote the Epistle had given no such commands to those men to teach such things ver 24. And further That it seemed good to the Holy Ghost to lay no greater burthen upon them than such necessary things therein mentioned which things were necessary to be abstained from because the use of them would then have offended and fornication was sin in it self and by the way note here are no new things required to be done of those but somewhat they should forbear to do because by doing it they may offend such who could not judge it to be lawfully done and sin Here now is not the least footsteps for such a Synod as the Convocation our Council of Bishops or Ministers as a Church to make lawes which shall be binding to any more than themselves who agree to them For the Church at Jerusalem had such a thing fallen out with them as did at Antioch That some had come from Paul and Barnabas and that Church with false Doctrine unto them might as well have written to them at Antioch to have been resolved And Paul and Barnabas and the Elders and Brethren of that Church of Antioch might have written an Answer to them with equall authority Nay but is there ground to give like credit or subjection to a Rule of any Convocation or Synod now as there was to the Apostles in those days Surely No But if it be said that they are the Churches Representative and their Lawes are the Lawes of the Church by humane authority only then it will be necessary to prove That such who take upon them to make Churches and Convey power to them by their Lawes have such a power delegated to them from Jesus Christ so to do Otherwise their Lawes will not creat such a Church with authority in these cases and to whose Laws obedience is to be expected for Conscience sake The old Rule must be remembered None can give to another that he hath not in himself But if it be said that the Governours of the Churches of a Nation or Kingdome with the Magistrates authority have power to determine of matters indifferent in their owne nature about the worship of God and in Church Government and by Law to impose them upon the particular Churches of that Nation For Answer to this first we think it a

Word sometimes the People did choose such as they thought meet thereunto and when any were sent by the Apostles or other the People of their own voluntary will with thanks did accept of them not for the Supremacy Imperial Dominion that the Apostles had over them to command as their Princes or Masters but as good People ready to Obey the good Councellors and to accept any thing necessary for their Edification and Benefit And again that the People before Christian Princes were commonly did Elect their Bishops and Priests thus far of Bishop Cranmer which words of his as Mr. Stillingfleet there affirms he put his own Hand to and gave it in in answer to certain Questions put to him in King Edward the Sixths Time and now remain upon Record Bishop Nicholson of Gloucester in his Vindication of the Church of England p. 27. grants the Truth of this That the People did choose their Pastors in the Primitive Ages of the Church in express terms and saith it was taken away from the People by Christian Princes when the Fathers disliked the use So far of him in this place Polanus in his Sintagma Lib. 7. Cap. 15. fully proves and affirms this Right to be Lodged in these Churches Under this Head De Electionibus seu vocationibu● Ecclesiasticis First he saith That the Liberty or Power of Election calling or sending of Ecclesiastical Persons is a Right which the whole Church hath in choosing and calling to themselves approved and fit Ministers and in placing them into Sacred Order p. 542. After in his next p. 543. under this Question a quibus Electio seu vocatio Ministrorum Ecclesiae fieri debeat By whom the Election or calling of Ministers of the Church ought to be made He saith That unto the Legitimate or Lawful Election of the Ministers of the Church especially of the Pastors is requisite a free and ingenious consent and Suffrage of the whole Church whose business it is that is of the Elders and Flock The which consent must not be had by intreaty or sold for a price much less forced and extorted so that it is the part of the whole Church to choose Ministers for themselves And there he gives these following arguments to evince it First because even in the time of the Apostles the whole Church whose business it was did choose Ministers for themselves or to it self Neither did the Apostles themselves saith he Ordain any one for Ecclesiastical charges only by their own Authority but always by the Church consenting and approving Acts 6.2 c. and 14.23 Secondly because by this means the Churches own Liberty which Christ hath given to it is kept For a Pastor or Minister of the Word of God is not to be obtruded upon the Church of God against his will Can. Null invit distinc 61. Thirdly because it serves to this That even the Ministers may with a good Conscience Rule the Lords Flock by whom he is Elected and the Flock of the Lord may in like manner yield themselves the more easie to him to be Instructed and fed than to him who beside or against their will is thrust upon them and again he is not to be acknowledged for a Lawful Pastor of the Church who hath been intruded on the Church by the Authority and Command of the Prince Quod testatur Concil Parisiense primum Can. Octavo Tomo Secundo Concil And after he saith in the same p. That fit Persons are to be nominated and presented to the People before the Election and should be openly proposed in the Assemblies And again in p. 544. Under this Question Qualiter seu quomodo Ministri Ecclesiae Eligi vocari debeant How the Ministers of the Church ought to be chosen and called Acts 14.23 Those Persons are to be Nominated of whom the Election and Calling ought to be made to this end that the Church by the free Suffrage of the whole Congregation or such to whom she hath committed a Right and Power of choosing may approve and accept of one of them That the Suffrages are collected by some Pastor of the Church or of another to whom he shall commit it And they are given either in Order by every Elector Vivâ voce or joyntly of all or many by lifting up of hands or either way c. For if by giving their Suffrages Vivâ voce there were variance and they go into many Sentences of unprofitable and tedious prolixity Those who had any Votes for Ordination were again named and every one being named they who chose him were commanded to lift up their Hands At the Nomination of whom either all or many lifted up their Hands this Man was concluded to be Lawfully Elected After this manner saith he Paul and Barnabas did Create Elders Acts 14.23 And after under this Question By what Rite or Ceremony c. he saith He who was Elected by the Church with free Suffrages at length received Ordination of the Pastors of the Church 1 Tim. 4.14 5.22 the whole Multitude of the Church being present Then Polanus concludes with these words They do therefore grievously sin who do manifestly drive away the Ecclesiastical People or Flock from the Election of their Ministers which saith he the false or Counterfeit Popish Bishops do yea they do grievously sin who do impose Bishops and Pastors upon the Church against their will Thus far Polanus agrees in his own words From some of the former Authorities The African Synod Athanasius Cornelius and others The Presbyterian Divines in their Book called Smectimnius admits this power to reside in the People of particular Churches and that by Divine Authority They say First That the especial power of Judging of the Worthiness or Unworthiness lay in the People Secondly That the power of choosing or refusing them upon this Judgment resided in the People Thirdly That the power descended upon them by Divine Authority Athanasius say they in his Epist ad Orthodoxos blamed the Intrusion of Bishops as against the Apostolical Precepts against the Canon and compelled the Heathen to Blaspheme Mr. Prin in his Book of un-bishoping Timothy and Titus p. 69. affirms this out of Alcuvinus de Diviniis Officiis Cap. 37. That Ministers of all sorts were made to the Year 800 by this Election of Clergy and People and that they were all present at their Ordination and consented to it Also he affirms in p. 72 73. That Martin Bucer in his Book of recalling and bringing in again the use of Lawful Ordination saith That this power is in the People Much more might be produced to prove this particular See only Magdeb. Cent. 4. cap. 6. col 43. Concil Trident. in English Lib. 8. p. 725. Lib. 7. p. 591. 598. Lib. 6. p. 404 405. And as to imposition of Hands upon these thus chosen Mr. Prin in the same Book p. 72 73. quotes Jerome Epist to Evagr. and his Comment upon Titus for this That the Ancient Consecration of Bishops

he tells this Church in general that they did affect Eusebius and would have Elected him to be their Bishop and then he perswades them to choose another seeing all did not agree therefore saith he not Lawful because saith he he that is Elected to a Bishoprick by the general Suffrage of Wise men assembled to deliberate thereof ought by Gods Law to enjoy it This is Recorded in Eusebius of the Life of Constantine Lib. 3. cap. 58. p. 52. Yea the great Nicene Councel agree it in these words expressed in Socrat. Lib. 1. cap. 6. p. 225. Speaking about some who might be in a Capacity of being made Ministers they say if they be found worthy and the People choose them they may Succeed the Deceased c. Yet further it 's manifest by the same History That where any one Congregation did divide into two Bodies each apart chose their own Bishops for themselves as in the Case of the Church of Antioch Socrat. Lib. 5. Cap. 9. p. 343. Lib. 4. cap. 1. p. 316. So in many other Cases when those of the true Faith had Bishops imposed upon them by the Arrians they divided themselves from the Arrians and chose to themselves Bishops and Assembled alone And it is observable That all these Bishops thus chosen and appointed of the People of these particular Churches were still acknowledged as Lawful Bishops by all and in all the Councels mentioned in those Histories Nor do we find the least Objection any where Recorded in those days against such who came thus to this Office as being unlawfully called To this Practice of the particular Churches and their Right thereto the Fathers give in their Testimonies also a touch of them therefore Tertul. in his Apol. to the Gent. Cap. 39. p. 137. English Translation saith That in these Assemblies there are Bishops that preside they are approved of by the Suffrage of them whom they ought to conduct So saith many others Possidon in vita Aug. Cap. 4. Leo. 1. Epist 95. quoted by the Magdeburg Divines Cent. 2. cap. 7. col 134 135. Cent. 1. Lib. 1. cap. 4. col 179. Cent. 3. cap. 6. col 146 147. The Roman Presbiters in their Epistle to Cyrian affirm that every Church hath a like Power of Choosing Calling and Ordaining Ministers and for just cause again to depose them Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 4. Aug. Epist 100. Cyprian Epist 68. And Cyprian himself saith That the right of choosing such as are fit and refusing the unworthy belong to the People and whole Church and that by Divine Authority And that the Officers and People did consult about it with common consent And for these things he is quoted by the Magdeburg Writers Cent. 3. cap. 7. col 153.173 174 175. Cap. 6. col 135 136.146 and also that the People did consider the Life and Manners of the Persons to be chosen and judge and much more to this purpose in those places before John Ferus a Fryer in his Comment upon Act. 11. and Magdeburg Cent. 5. cap. 6. col 178 179 180. Now we shall add a few Testimonies and Judgments of latter Ages and of Men otherwise differing The Papists themselves at the Councel of Trent acknowledged that this was the usual Practice of the Church of God for 800 Years together after Christ for the particular Churches to choose their own Ministers and they then affirmed that there were remaining at that day the Records thereof at Rome and they then and there desired that those Records might be destroyed lest Luther who maintained this Right to the People should make use of them to bring in the Custom into the Church again And they there also acknowledge that this was taken from the Church by the Authority of a Council only who made a Decree against it See the Conference of Rayno'ds Hart c. 6. p. 223. Hart saith out of Genebrard that Clemens took not the Bishoprick by the Councel of the Lord least the Example of taking it by nomi●ation of Peter should pass to posterity and derogate from the free providence of the Church in choosing of her own Bishop Geneb●ard Chronolg l. 3. in Lin. See more l. 4. Seculo 11. Cited in the same Confer Cap. 7. l ●76 Concil Trident. in English Lib 7. p. 590 591.598 See more of the same Council Lib. 8. p. 725. And he that wrote this History complains against Rome about this in these words The Church of Rome grant not the People the Election of their Ministers which certainly saith he was an Apostolical Institution continued more than 800 Years Concil Trident. Lib. 2. p. 163. Bishop Jewel in his Reply to Mr. Harding p. 230. Saith out of Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 4. That the Bishoprick was bestowed upon Sabinus by the consent and voices of the whole Brother-hood of that Church to which he was to be Bishop He there saith that Honorius the Emperour Writing to Boneface doth agree him to be Bishop whom some of the Clergy and whole Brother-hood shall choose And the Bishop himself then there affirms from hence that every particular Church is called the whole Church And after in p. 282. The Bishop affirms that Cyprian in the same place saith That the People being Obedient to Gods Law have Power especially to choose worthy or refuse unworthy Priests Mr. Stillingfleet in his Irenicum p. 306. quotes Tertul. Exhort Castil c. 7. for these words That all the difference between the Ministers and People comes from the Churches Authority and again p. 416. himself saith That Episcopal men will hardly find any evidence in Scripture or the Practice of the Apostles for Churches consisting of many fixed Congregations for Worship under the Charge of one man nor in the Primitive Church for the Ordination of Bishops without the preceding Election of the Clergy and at least consent and approbation of the People so much he allows there and something more in p. 339. where he useth these words speaking of Elders now the voyce of the People which was used in the Primitive times is grown out of use c. by which he confesseth it to be the Primitive Practice But Mr. Stillingfleet having as he saith been at the pains to transcribe some of Bishop Cranmer's words they will serve well here and we shall again transcribe so much of them as speaks to this particular See them in the same Irenicum p. 391 392. They are these That in the Apostles time when there were no Christian Princes by whose Authority Ministers of Gods Word might be appointed nor sins be corrected by the Sword there was no Remedy then for correction of Vice or appointment of Ministers but only the consent of Christian Multitude amongst themselves by an uniform consent to follow the Advice and perswasion of such Persons whom God had most endued with the Spirit of Wisdom and Councel c. Sometimes the Apostles and others unto whom God had given abundance of his Spirit sent or appointed Ministers of Gods

seem to intend any other nor any other ●corded in the Scripture of the New Tes●ment which doubtless would have been if Ch● had intended any other to have been continued 〈◊〉 the Church for it would have been necessary 〈◊〉 have known how such should have been Qualifi● as well as these But of these two see at large 1 Ti● 3. Titus c. 3. And that these were all in the Primiti● Churches the Century Writers affirm Magd● Cent. 1. Lib. 2. cap. 7. col 508 509. Cent. ● cap. 7. col 125. This also may we note T● after the Church had departed from the Apostoli● Order and by humane prudence appointed o● Elder or Bishop in every Congregation or Socit● 〈◊〉 the first step and after in a larger Circuit ●ve the rest Yet even these Bishops were then ●ke manner chosen by the Body of those Church● where in he was to be Bishop as the Authori● herein before alledged fully prove But now if it shall be Objected as some have ●med to do That this power of Election in the ●urch was not a Priviledge belonging to them of ●t but of conveniency Ere we give answer 〈◊〉 shall go over some such pretences as these ●irst the Papists Concil Trident. lib. 7. p. 590. They at the Council of Trent ●●itted this use to have been in the Primitive times the Churches But as to the Right they say ●re That though the people did choose yet it 〈◊〉 by the tacit or explicit consent of the Pope This conceit will easily fall for in those days ●re was no such thing in Nature as a Pope if ●y mean by a Pope such a one as is now at ●me with such Authority as he challengeth there● he could not by his consent bring it in or had ●een so the Pope had erred to have given con●● to the Church that she should have called her ●isters in another way than Christ had appointed Christ did not appoint this way If Christ did ●oint this way then his consent was insignificant-mentioned in this case unless they will say Christ ●n appointed no way but that he left all to the ●retion of the Pope in this matter which we ●k they will not affirm Again Secondly Bishop Nicholson of Glou●er in his Book before cited p. 27. admits the ●ter of Fact that the people did choose but ●o the Right he saith first That it was after 〈◊〉 Apostles days Although we see Arch-Bishop Cranmer Polanus the Magdeburg Divines and many others of express contrary Judgment in the places befo●● quoted and agree that this was in the Apost●● days and their own way in which they Ordain Elders in the Churches Secondly he saith That this was not a Pri●●ledge belonging to them of Right but of Conve●ency for which we have the Bishops own word ●ly not the least proof offered against which 〈◊〉 stream of other Learned and good mens judgme●● before cited generally run And this also the ●shop himself in the same place in the very n● words ingeniously adds and affirms That 〈◊〉 choyce of the People was derived from the Rule● Christian Equity and Society and he there furt●●● sub joyns this excellent effect it had That he● it came to pass that the People did quietly rece● willingly maintain diligently hear and hear● love their Pastors From whence we may conclude That su● such whom the Bishop there saith took away 〈◊〉 Power from the Churches were to be blamed 〈◊〉 rashness at least And that there is a loud call for 〈◊〉 restoring of this Conveniency if it be no mo●● to the Churches since it was derived from such ●cellent Rules and hath such desirable effects N● such to be found following any other way brou●● in in the room thereof And that it may of ●●vine Right rather than of Conveniency brou●● in by mans Wisdom for it is rare to find a C●●stitution of mans derived from such Principles 〈◊〉 to have such Fruits which do exceed for good● the Constitutions of Christ himself Again Thirdly One more such pretence we 〈◊〉 in Mr. Stillingfleet in his afore-said Book p. 2● Who though he had before in the place herein ●oted allowed that the People did choose yet ●e he saith It seems strangely improbable that the ●ostles should put the choice at that time into the ●ads of the People and he makes this the only ●und of his conjecture That there were none ●n that were fitted for the work but whom the ●●ostles did lay their hands upon by which saith 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost fell upon them whereby they ●●re fitted and qualified for the work the people ●n saith he could no ways choose men for their ●ilities when their abilities were consequent to ●●eir Ordination These are his own words as to ●●s matter But his ground seems very feeble for ●e concluding of such an improbability for we ●ust either take it for granted or he must prove ●rst that the Holy Ghost fell on none but such on ●nom the Apostles laid hands Secondly That the ●oly Ghost fell on no men till the Apostles had ●d hands upon them for the Ministry Thirdly ●hat when ever the Apostles laid hands on any they ●ere by that imposition of Hands Ordained Mini●●ers If this be not granted or proved then there ●●ght be many in every Church qualified with gifts 〈◊〉 the Holy Ghost and fitted for the work some ●●thout laying on of hands some by laying on of ●ands of the Apostles and yet not Ministers there●● Then these were fitted for the work and these ●ight be chosen by the Church before Ordination ●ut so it was it 's evident that the Holy Ghost fell ●pon many without imposition of hands that he ●ll upon some by imposition of hands before they ●ere made Ministers That all were not made Mi●●sters on whom the Apostles laid hands and who ●●ceived the Spirit So that Multitudes were fitted and qualified for the people to choose in every pla●● almost See Acts 10. There were many heari● Peter Preach and while he was yet speaking 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost fell on them all and they spake w● Tongues here is no imposition of hands nor s●ting apart for the Ministry for they were not ba●tized ver 47. yet were these Persons qualifi●● for the People to have chosen any man among them Again Acts 8.14 15 16 17. The were many Men and Women at Samaria that belie●ed and the Apostles at Jerusalem hearing of 〈◊〉 sent unto them Peter and John who prayed and la● their hands on them and the received the H● Ghost Yet sure Mr. Stillingfleet will not sa● these were made Ministers by this however the were qualified thereby to have been chosen by t● People Again Acts 19. Paul found certain Disciples 〈◊〉 Ephesus twelve in Number of Men he la● on them and they received they Holy Ghost a● Prophecyed And there is no colour to say that the● were Ordained Ministers thereby So that the● were more Persons qualified for the work to be ch●sen by the people