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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	body_n	church_n	whole_a	2,235	5	5.6933	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10834	A iust and necessarie apologie of certain Christians, no lesse contumeliously then commonly called Brownists or Barrowists. By Mr. Iohn Robinson, pastor of the English Church at Leyden, first published in Latin in his and the churches name over which he was set, after translated into English by himself, and now republished for the speciall and common good of our own countrimen; Apologia justa et necessaria quorundum Christianorum, aeque contumeliose ac communiter, dictorum Brownistarum sive Barrowistarum. English	Robinson, John, 1575?-1625.	1625 (1625)	STC 21108; ESTC S102955	59,722	74

sentence or charge given but translated to religious use denoteth an assemblie of persons called out of the state of corrupt nature into that of supernaturall grace by the publishing of the gospell Now the Elders or presbyters as such are and so are said to be called to wit to their office of Eldership but called out they are not being themselvs to call out the church and unto it to perform the cryers office Neither do I think that the name Ecclesia Church hath been used by any Greek author before the Apostles times or in their daies or in the age after them for the assemblie of sole governers in the act of their government or indeed before the same governers had seazed into their own onely hands the churches both name and power But you will say as learned men use to do that these Elders susteyn the person of the whole multitude and supplie their room for the avoiding of confusion and so are ●ightly as commonly called The church representative I answer First no godly no nor reasonable man will affirm that this representation is to be extended to all the acts of religion or indeed to others then these which are exercised in the governing of the Church What is it then The Elders in ruling and governing the Church must represent the people and ocupie their place It should seem then that it appe●teyns unto the people unto the people primarily and originally under Christ to rule and govern the church that is themselvs But who will so say of a government not personall but publique and instituted as the churches is 2. If the Elders in their consistorie represent the church then whatsoever they either decree or do agreeing to the word of God whether respecting faith or manners that also the church decreeth and doth though absent though ignorant both what the thing is which is done and upon what grounds it is done by the Elders this being the nature of representations that what the representing doth within the bounds of his commission that the represented doth primarily and much more as but using the other for his instrument Now how dissonant this is to true faith and pietie how consonant unto the Papists implicit faith no man can be ignorant and I had raither wise men should consider then I aggravate 3. The constant and universall practise of the Apostles Apostolick churches do quite crosse this consistorian course The Apostle Paul well acquainted with the meaning of Christ doth 1 Cor. 5. so reduce into practise the rule and prescript of his maister Matth. 18. or to use the words of the Bishop of Chester There commaunds to bring into practise this power In the name of Christ with his spirit as he seems to leav no place for doubting to him who with diligence and without prejudice will compare together these two places what the Lord meaneth when he saith Tell the Church This our Apostle doth in that place reprove not the Elders or governers alone but with them also the whole commonaltie and bodie for tolerating the incestuous person amongst them Which therefore accordingly as his authoritie Apostolicall and care for all the churches d●d require he admonisheth and directeth that as mindefull both of the sinners repentance and salvation and therewith of their own puritie they would exclude by due order that wicked man from their holy fellowship And that by these words when ye are come together the whole church is to be understood manie but heavie freinds to the peoples libertie Iesuites P●clatists and others do graunt But we will annex certain reasons for the further clearing of the thing 1. They among whom the fornicatour was who were puffed up when they should have sorrowed and out of the middest of whom he was to be put who had done that thing they were to be gathered together in one and to judg and excommunicate that incestuous person But the fornicatour was not amongst the Elders alone neither were they alone puffed up when they should have sorrowed neither was that wicked man to be taken out of the midst of them and still left in the midst of the people and therefore not to be judged by them alone but by the church with them though governed by them 2. It did not of ould apperteyn onely to the Levites and Elders in Israel to purge out of their houses the materiall leven but to everie father of familie also so by proportion to the whole church now to purge out the leven spirituall there spoken of which also could not leven the whole lump or church in the Apostles meaning except it had concerned the whole church to purge it out 3. The Apostle wrote not to the Elders onely but with them to the whole bodie not to be commingled with fornicators covet●us persons or the like called brethren he therefore admonisheth them as the other to cast their stone at the incestuous man for the taking him away from the Lords people Manie more Arguments and the same verie clear might be drawn to this end out of the text it self but for brevitie sake I will omit them and annex this onely one which followeth from the second chapter of the second Epistle The same Apostle writing to these same Corinthians about the same incestuous person but now penitent as before delinquent seriously exhorts them that look what severitie they had formerly shewed in censuring him for his sin the like compassion they would now shew in ●eceaving him again upon his repentance therein plainly insinuateing that this busines was not in the hands of the Elders alone except we will say that they alone were made sad by the Apostles reproof that they alone by their studie defence indignation zeal c. testified that they were pure in the thing and except it belonged to them alone to pardon and comfort the repentant sinner and to confirm their love unto him And whereas some would inclose this whole power within the Apostles circuit as if he alone Bishop-like had passed sentence judicia●ie upon the offender and onely committed the declaration and publication of it in the church to some his substitute I deem it not lost labour breifly to ●hew how erroneous this opinion is of externall monarchicall government yea power also which is more in the church of Christ. And first one alone how great soever cannot suffice to make the Church or a congregation which Christ hath furnished with power of binding and loosing Math. 18 17 18. both reason and scripture teaching that for an assembly and congregation at least two or three are required ver 19. The Church which name signifies a multitude designeing by a new trope one alone singular person as saith D. Whitakers against Stapleton going about to prove that the name of the church belongs to the Pastours or Byshops or Pope alone 2. It is expresly affirmed 2 Cor. 2 6. that the incestuous person was censured by many which

Christ Math. 24 20. Pray that your flight be not in winter nor on the Sabboth I am not ignorant how the most divines both ancient and later do understand this sermon as Chrisostom saith as made of the Iewes seeing that as the same authour hath it neither the Apostles did observ the Sabboth day neither yet were they in Iudea when these things were done of the Romans many of them having departed this life and the rest if anie survived having bestowed themselvs in other places But with due reverence to them all be it spoken it seemeth by the text to be otherwise For 1. Christ made not this sermon to the Iewes as Iewes but to his disciples and those alone and the same comming unto him secretly to be taught by him whom he forewarned in the same place how that first at the hands of the Iewes in Iudea and after of the Gentiles every where they should be evill intreated for his names sake v. 3 4 9. 25 26. with Luke 21. 12. Secondly our Saviour in saying Pray ye makes it plain that that he speaks of them and their associates unto whom he speakes to wit Christians Lastly how could it be that Christ who by his death now drawing so neare as that there was but a step unto it was to abrogate and abolish all Iewish ceremonies and shadowes should to carefully provide for the so religious observation of a shadowish and ceremoniall sabboth and that not for a day or two but for so many yeares after the same his death Could anie thing more weightie be spoken by Christ or which could more deeply imprint in the hearts of men a religious regard of the Sabboth then that it behooved them to obte●n by prayer at Gods hands that they might not be const●eined unto that thing although permitted them of God in case of urgent necessitie which might violate and interrupt the publique and solemn sanctification thereof It is true then which Chrisostome saith that the Apostles did not observ the Sabboth to wit Iewish but the Christian Sabboth o● Lords day they did undoubtedly celebrate The fift and last Reason may be fetcht from the verie Gentiles themselvs who directed by the glimps of the light of nature how darkly soever shineing in them had their holy daies and some of the same such as in which not so much as the pleading and determining of suites were admitted It seemeth naturall that some day and morall that some day certain and distinct be sacred unto God and the same as Iunius saith every seaventh day in which men forbearing all servile works may consecrate and give themselvs to God in the duties of pietie and of charitie to men Which with what hinderance unto the one and other is everie where neglected can scarse either be uttered or conceaved For what tra●va●l if upon the overslipping of the most seasonable seed-time a slender harvest follow or that the market day being neglected penu●ie of provision should be found in the family We christ an● have the Lords day by the Lord Christ assigned us for the exercises of pietie and mercie in which he offers and exhibits h●rself in the fruits of his gracious presence in a singular manner to be seen and injoyed of his religiously observing the same Let us at no hand as alike unmindfull of Gods ordinance and mans infirmitie suffer the fruit of such a benefit to dy in our hands but let us accordingly acknowledg the same in thought word and work to his honour and our own good CHAP. VIII Of the exercise of Prophecie THere are they whose names I forbear for their credits sake who have not spared and that in their publique writings to lay to our charge that we will needs have all and everie member of the Church a Prophet and to prophesie publiquely With what mindes they let loose their tongues to utter these and manie mo most false and absurde vituperies against us we leav it to God to judg who knoweth with what conscience and desert of credit therein unto thee Christian Reader into whose hands this our Apologie shall come We learn from the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 14 3. that he who prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification exhortation comfort which to perform conveniently and as becomes the church-assemblie we make account comes within the compasse but of a few of the multitude happily two or three in each of our churches considering their weak and depressed estate Touching prophesie then we think the verie same that the Synode held at Embden 1571 hath decreed in these words 1. In all churches whether but springing up or grown to s●me ripenes let the order of prophesie be observed according to Pauls institution 2. Into the fellowship of this work are to be admitted not onely the ministers but the teachers too as also of the Elders and Deacons yea even of the multitude which are willing to confir their gift receaved of God to the common utilitie of the Church but so as they first be allowed by the judgment of the ministers And as the Apostle somet●mes said We beleev and therefore we speak so because we beleev with the Belgick churches that this exercise is to be observed in all congregations therefore we also observ it in ours Of this our both faith practise we have these amongst other speciall foundations The first we fetch from the examples in the Iewish church where libertie both for teaching and disputing publiquely both in temple and synagogue was freely given to all gifted accordingly without respect had to any office If any object that the examples of Christ and the Apostles in this case are incompetent seeing that Christ was furnished with his own and the Apostles with his authoritie he alledgeth that which is true in it self but to small purpose considering we lay not our foundation in this that Christ and his Apostles so d●d but in that libertie so to do was alwaies and in all places graunted sometimes offered them This libertie they obteyned not by the authoritie of Christ which the Rulers of the Synagogues Temple no more acknowledged then they did Christ himself but by the order then receaved and still continued to this day amongst the Iewes that they whom with the Scriptures they call wise men without all regard of publique office having any word of exhortation to the people should say on as we have it written Act. 13 23. Whereunto ●ad that divers of them in whom we instance were furnished with no such authoritie specially from Christ. The second we take from the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 14 where to the full he informeth the church at Corinth of the order of that exercise which they had formerly violated Which whole order according to Bezaj is apparently taken from the receaved custom in the Iewish Synagogues Which custom saith Peter Martyr seeing it was of ●uld both good and laudable in the synagogues of the

at anie defiance with the persons of the Bishops much lesse with the kings civill authoritie whereof they are possessed whether in matters civill or ecclesiasticall Of their persons their own Lords shall judg to whom they stand or fall There have been of that ranke who in our Marian da●es have preferred the profession of the truth of the gospell before their lives I hope there are also of their successours who if pressed with the same necessitie which God forbid would give the same testimonie though at the same rate unto the same truth of God revealed unto them Now as concerning their civill authoritie albeit we do not beleev that the same is at all competent to the true ministers of the gospell especially in that eminencie externall glorie and pompe of this world in which they far exceed manie worldly princes and rayther seem to represent the tryumphant then the militant church yet for so much as they both obteyn the same by the gift of the king and exercise it in his name we do not unwillingly yeald honour and obedience unto it and to his majestie in it But whereas it seems unto manie plain and evident that we may adjoin our selvs to the Church of England without any subjection or relation unto the spirituall government and governers thereof that is altogether beyond our capacities neither can we comprehend it how it may be that he who subjects and joyns himself to anie publique and politique bodie or communitie whether spirituall or civil becomes not in so doing ipso facto subject to the publique government and governers thereof and undergoes not a relation and respect actually unto them They raither are with all seriousnes to consider how faythfully and sincerely they quit themselvs and their consciences before God and men who contending and proving in and by so manie words and arguments that the hierarchicall government is papall and Antichristian do neverthelesse submit themselvs thereunto both in the respect and relation politicall formerly mentioned and also in acts properly ecclesiasticall into which the ecclesiasticall government and spirituall policie of the church doth necessarily diffuse it self Now I do earnestly entreat thee whosoever thou art acquainted with Belgick or raither Christian libertie and either free from the mists of prejudice or if anie way prejudiced yet not chusing raither to serve a preconceaved opinion then to follow an apparent truth that thou wouldest truly ingenuously tell whether if the Magistrates here from which they are far should by publique edict under severe penaltie constreyn all and everie the native subjects of the countrie into the bosom of the church without anie difference made either in respect of fayth or manners according to the place of their habitation and should set over this church so collected and constituted an Hierarchicall Bishop provinciall or diocesan in whose hands alone with his Officials Chauncellours Commissaries Archdeacons and other Court-keepers canonicall authoritie should be placed to constitute and depose ministers excommunicate and absolve both ministers and people yea whole churches yea with the living the dead that they may obteyn Christian buriall whether now in this confused heap and under this spirituall Lordship thou wouldest endure to remain either Pastour or member I suppose not You brethren have not so learned Christ whom you acknowledg both for the author of your faith and instituter of your order ecclesiasticall Neyther yet we having learned otherwise by the grace of God Christ the king doth gather and form unto himself another kinde of kingdom amongst men and the same to be administred by other officers and according to other lawes And if no place upon the face of the ●ruth should be free for us poore creatures refusing upon meer conscience of God as thou God the judg and searcher of hearts knowest to commingle and prostitute our selvs in and unto this confusion and domination hierarchicall we have most assured hope that heaven it self is open for us by Christ who is the way and whom in this dutie also we do serve in which we shall at the length be fully free from this and all other incumbrances Our adversaries bear in hand not onely others but even us our selvs also that we do for certain trifleing matters as they speak circumstantiall corruptions sequester our selvs from the Church of England And as nurses use to lisp with children so they that they might discend to our capacities do oft and much instruct us that unworthie members must be born in the church especially of private persons that some corruptions at least in the discipline and externall rites are to be tolerated that there may be the temple of God though prophaned the holy cittie though without a wall the feild of the Lord though the enemie sowtares amongst the wheat also a heap of wheat though much chaffe commingled therewithall And that we dul-bayards as we are may at the length conceav those things they verie seriously inculcate whet upon us in these the like considerations as that the Israelitish church in its time was steyned with almost all enormities both for manners and fayth that ●nto the same all Israelites and Iewes whatsoever without difference were violently compelled by King Iosiah and others as also that in the parable all were compelled to come to the mariage good and bad that the house might be filled Lastly that in the Apostolick Churches themselvs there were not wanting some who practised and others who taught vile and evill things that in one place the discipline was neglected in another the verie doctrine of fayth corrupted and manie the like matters which it were to long to repeat Surely foolish were we if we knew not these things impudent if we denyed them to be true for the most part and lastly unequall if we acknowledged not that manie the same or like blemishes after a sort will and do creep into the Churches of our dayes which yet to disclaym as unlawfull for the same stood neither with wisdom nor charitie But the prudent Reader may plainly observe by the premises that they are other matters and of greater weight for the most part wherewith we and our consciences are pressed We do not judg it an evill intollerable though greatly to be bewayled that evill men should be suffered in the church but that all of most vile and desperate condition that such and so great a kingdom affoards should thereinto will they nill they be compelled nor that the discipline as they call it or ecclesiast call government instituted by Christ is neglected or violated but that another plain contrarie unto it is set up by law and fully and publiquely everie where exercised Neither lyes our exception against any personall or acc●dentarie profanation of the Temple but against the faultie frame of it in respect of the causes constitutive matter and form Neither strive we about the walles of the cittie but about the true and lawfull citizens the policie