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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	according_a	church_n	power_n	1,492	5	5.1156	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A90932	The preacher sent: or, A vindication of the liberty of publick preaching, by some men not ordained. In answer to two books: 1. Jus divinum ministerii euengelici. By the Provincial Assembly of London. 2. Vindiciæ ministerii euangelici. By Mr. John Collings of Norwich. / Published by Iohn Martin, minister of the Gospel at Edgfield in Norfolk. Sam. Petto, minister of the Gospel at Sand-croft in Suffolk. Frederick Woodal, minister of the Gospel at Woodbridge in Suffolk.	Martin, John, 1595 or 6-1659.; Petto, Samuel, 1624?-1711.	1658 (1658)	Wing P3197; Thomason E1592_2; ESTC R208851	240,824	381

contra the name of a son doth imply a father to be the other Relative and so for other Relations Now the names and titles which the Gospel giveth unto Officers have such reference unto a Church as they do aloud proclaim that Officer and Church are the Relatives and not Officer and imployment If the question be asked To whom are they Officers the answer must be To a Church Officers are called Pastors and that intimateth that they are related to some flocks They are called Teachers and that speaketh them to be related to some who are Learners Therefore we conclude that Office is not a Relation to the imployment of the Ministry but to a Church one special end of which Relation is the work of the Ministry therein CHAP. II. Wherein is proved that Officers stand in Relation to a particular Church only and that they are no Officers to a Church universal Quest 2. WHat Church hath Office Relation to or whether Officers stand in Relation to a Particular Church only or whether they be Officers of an universal Church Answ We affirm That Officers stand in relation as Officers to a particular Church onely and we deny that they are Officers to a Church Universal Our Brethren at last grant a Relation between Officers and a particular Church page 143. and 151. and it 's proved from Act. 20. 28. We shall here hint a few words chiefly to shew that they are not Officers to an Universal Church and then it will necessarily follow that the Relation is between the Officer and a particular Church only We deny Pastors or Teachers to be Officers to an Universal Church Argum. 1. Because we can finde no Scripture-warrant for any Universal-visible-Political-Church The Gospel knoweth no such Catholick or Universal Church that we can any where finde Argum. 2. Because the Titles given unto Officers doe speak their office to be limited unto a particular Church and do forbid or deny their bearing any office-relation to a Church Universal In those Scriptures where our Brethren say there is an enumeration of Officers and so where it is most needful that their properest Names and Titles should be given them yet there those Officers which are still continuing are called Pastors and Teachers 1. Cor. 12. ver 28. God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers And Ephes 4. ver 11. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers And also where the qualifications of such Officers are layd down and so the properest Titles are necessary that it might ever be known what Officer ought to be so qualified there they are called Bishops which is no more but Overseers as Act. 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over which the Holy-Ghost hath made you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops or Overseers 1 Tim. 3. 1 2. A Bishop must be blameless the husband of one wife vigilant sober Tit. 1. v. 7. For a Bishop must be blameless c. These Titles being given upon such special occasions unto Officers they must undenyably be such Names and Titles as are proper to them so long as they are Officers It were an impeachment to the wisdome of the Holy-Spirit to say that then it did impose such names upon them as they might lose before they lost their Office We suppose our Brethren will not say that any are Preaching-Officers who are neither Pastors Teachers nor Bishops or Overseers Now we argue thus Major Proposit That Church only that is a mans flock doth or can he bear the Relation or Office of a Pastor to That Church only that is committed to ones charge for teaching doth or can he bear the Relation or Office of a teacher to That Church only that is committed to a mans oversight doth or can he bear the Relation or Office of a Bishop or Overseer to All this appeareth from those Relative names You may as well say a man is a father to that which is none of his childe or a master to him who is none of his servant as you may say a man is a Pastor to any that are not of his flock or a Teacher to those that are not committed to him to be taught or a Bishop and Overseer to those that are not under his oversight So that if a man ceaseth to have a flock then he must needs cease to be a Pastor if he ceaseth to have a Church to be taught by him then he ceaseth to be a reacher by office if he ceaseth to have any to be overseen by him then he ceaseth to be a Bishop or Overseer Minor propos But only a particular Church is a mans flock or is committed to a man for teaching and oversight and not the Universal Church Concl. Ergo A man beareth the relation or office of a Pastor a Teacher or a Bishop or Overseer only to a particular and not to an Universal Church That only a particular Church is a mans flock or is committed to a man for teaching and oversight and not the Universal Church We suppose our Brethren cannot deny for in their Jus Divinum page 143. they have these words Though we beleeve that every Minister is a Minister of the Universal Church yet we are far from thinking that he is actually an Universal Minister The Apostles had the actual care of the Church Universal committed unto them and they were not fixed to any particular charge but were Ministers alike of all the Churches of Christ But it is far otherwise with ordinary Ministers they are fixed to their particular congregations where they are bound by Divine right to reside c. So that according to the judgment of our Brethren ordinary officers such as Pastors and Teachers are have onely the care of particular Churches committed to them their actual power is limited by Divine right to these and not extended to the Universal Church they have no actual power to perform Ministerial offices or administer the Ordinances of Christ in any Churches without a special call but only in those particular Churches where they are fixed And that it is only a particular Church that is a mans flock or is committed to him for teaching and oversight and not the Universal Church we prove thus Because every Pastor Teacher or Overseer is expresly commanded by Christ actually to feed teach and oversee all the flock that is committed to him or them Act. 20. vers 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves and to not only some but all the flock over the which the Holy-Spirit hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God All that flock or Church over which the Holy-Spirit hath made any man a Bishop or Overseer he is commanded actually to feed and take heed to all the Universal Church so as he sinneth if he doth not Ergo The Universal Church is not that flock or Church over which the Holy-Spirit hath made any man a Bishop or

Church rightly constituted hath in it the power of a whole Church therefore 't is not a part whatever our Brethren deny us in our Congregations yet may they obtain a concession for a National Church-constitution we doubt not but they would be therein Independent and not allow the Authority of any Nation or of all the Nations in the Christian world to impose a form of order or Government upon them wherein they are not satisfied acting in all Church-work not as a part but a whole which they could not regularly doe if but a part of a Catholick Church 2. Every whole is really distinct from every part and from all its parts collectively considered they are constituting that is constituted but where that Church is which is really distinct from all particular Churches or wherefore it is we profess we know not 3. There is no Universal visible meeting to worship God Ergo no Universal visible Church The Synagogical meetings of the Jews were the meetings of several parts of that Church and there never was in them the power of the whole Church and we know not how it can be stiled a National Church unless it be from a national meeting Statis temporibus the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being never used either in a civil sense as Act. 19. 32 41. or a Sacred sense but propter Conventum either in fieri or in facto esse because the persons were met or under engagement to meet together yea the Church of the first-born however dispersed and scattered upon the Earth yet doth as an invisible Church meet invisibly and in Spsrit to perform the acts of worship required of such a Church we are confident whatever it be is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 assembling together is the formal reason of that denomination which is Coetus convocatus or the Congregation as 't is every where Coetus à Coeundo translated by Mr. Tindal in his translation of the New Testament 4. There are no distinct Officers appointed for such a distinct Church ergo there is no such Church Diocesan Bishops Provincial Arch-Bishops National ●atriarchs universal Popes would surely have been found in the Scripture had a Diocesan Provincial National or Universal Church been found there 5. There is no Church greater then that which hath the power to hear and determine upon offences committed in the Church but that Church is particular Mat. 18. 17. We know dissenting parties lay claim to this Text on both sides we say but this If it means the Congregation it excludes all other if it means the any other it excludes the Congregation which is unscriptural irrational absurd Obj. If notwithstanding all this some may judge that although Churches do not meet in their members actually yet they may meet in their representatives which being met may be called The Classical Provincial National Universal Church Answ We answer each of us in the words of Zuinglius to a like argument Representativam credo veram esse non credo i. e. That such a Church is a representative I believe but I believe not that it is a true Church 3. It 's a holy company a company of Saints Rom 1. 7. 1 Cor. 1. 2. said therefore to be in God the Father and in Jesus Christ 1 Thes 1. 1. 1. It 's the Kingdom of Christ the Body of Christ the Church of Christ yea Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. implying neerness of relation unto him but none visibly related unto Satan as the visibly uncalled are can be respected as visibly related unto the Lord Jesus therefore not of his Kingdome Body Church c. 2. The visibility of that which constitutes a member of the invisible Church declares a man meet to be received unto Communion in the visible but the Heavenly Call constituteth a member of the invisible Church ergo the visibility of that Call declares a man meet to be received unto Communion in the visible the members whereof are Saints by calling no Churches of Christ by institution but are Churches of Saints by constitution 1 Cor. 14. 33. 3. Every Body is to be considered first in its essential state before it can be determined such a body in its integral or organical state as man is compounded of soul and body and so constituted an essential whole who hath further more eyes and ears hands and feet parts and members which put him under another notion yet cannot all his parts and members which are integral compleat him in the being of a man Univocally if he be deficient in any part which is essential so is every aggregate in forming a flock of sheep 't is necessary to consider the nature of the creatures to be formed and none not sheep can be numbred to such a flock in forming a Church of Saints 't is necessary to consider the nature of the members to be formed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints visibly can be numbred to such a Church Invisible unbelievers may as well belong to the invisible Church as visible unbelievers to that which is visible We forbear multiplying arguments for further proof because we have the consent of our Brethren in the general as to the necessity of Saintship the whole strife being at the door of visibility and about the rule for the judgement thereof which some mistaking have their charity so large as to embosome nations of men Separatim conjunctim as Saints upon the account of a bare dogmatical faith especially if it be not contradicted with enormous scandals reckoning it among the errours of Jus Divinum Regim Eccles preface the Independents that they affirme the matter of the visible Church must be to the utmost judgement of discerning such as have true grace real Saints Concerning therefore a judgment of visible Saintship we are thus minded according to rule 1. Errours of judgement overturning the foundations of faith are inconsistent with grace Saintship Tit. 3. 10 11. 2. Errours of life everturning the foundations of holiness are inconsistent with grace and Saintship Gal. 5 19 20 21 24. and thus far we suppose our Brethren will walk with us 3. Total ignorance of the way and working of Christ in the heart is inconsistent with grace and Saintship 1 Pet. 3. 15. We ask our Brethren what rule they would walk by in applying comfort to particular souls if they would not enquire after truth of grace what experience of sins burthen what experience of Christs relief yea further we would know what reason they have to justifie a practise of enquiring after truth of grace in order to Communion in the Lords Supper and yet condemn us for the same practise in order to the Communion of Vindication of the Presbyterial Government and Ministry printed 1650. Saints who write thus He that would come to the Sacrament must examine himself 1. In general whether he be worthy to come c. 2. In particular whether he have true faith in Christ without which he cannot worthily eat this

were all scattered abroad and to shew how far it did extend it is added thorowout the regions of Judea and Samaria Yet not excluding Jerusalem or other parts from being places to which some were scattered Their being scattered thorowout the regions of Judea and Samaria doth not deny their being scattered about Jerusalem and other places also Or the meaning may be None continued together in Jerusalem except the Apostles no visible company of them continued worship together but the Apostles the rest were driven into corners Obj. It is Jus Divin said That they that were scattered went every where preaching the Word it is not said Teaching which may be actus Charitatis but Preaching whith is actus Officii how can they preach except they be sent Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 refers to the act of men in Office Answ 1. Teaching and Preaching in Scripture-phrase are the same Act. 4. 18. They called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name of Jesus Can it be imagined that they should onely prohibit teaching an act of Charity or do they not forbid all preaching in Christs Name and Act. 5. 42. They ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ Here teaching and preaching are made all one and the very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here used for preaching as one with teaching for both are in the Temple and in every house and if our Brethren will allow teaching in the Temple i. e. publickly as a Charitative act that will be as much as is contended for Here it is said Dayly in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ And therefore in that it is said They that were scattered went every where preaching it is all one in Scripture-phrase as if it had been said They went every where Teaching the Word 2. It is evident even by their own grant in the very Objection by the place they alledge Rom. 10. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to prove preaching to be an act of Office they alledge that Rom. 10. v. 15. How shall they preach except they be sent and the word there for Preach is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the same verse it is added as it is written How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and bring glad tidings of good things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Here in the same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used promiscuously and declared to be of the same signification now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for such as are no acts of Office Luk. 8. v. 39. The man out of whom the devils departed cannot be proved to be an Officer yet he went his way and published thorowout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him The word for publish is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Mark 1. 45. Christ clensed the Leper v. 42. And then charged him with silence v. 44 See thou say nothing to any man Yet v. 45. But he went out and began to publish it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Mark 7. 36. He charged them that they should tell no man but the more he charged them so much the more a great deal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they published it By all which it is evident that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Scripture-phrase and according to the judgment of our Brethren is of the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signifieth to preach yet this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to express acts of men out of Office and therefore it cannot be evidenced that they who were scattered were Preachers by Office from thence because they went about 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preaching the word Obj. 1. Act. 8. 5. There is but one of this scattered number named and he was a person in Office to wit Philip not the Apostle but who is numbred among the Deacons Act. 6. and called an Evangelist Act. 21. 8. By the singling out of this one who was in Office we may judge that the rest were persons in Office as well as he Philip was ordained Act. 6. 6. Answ 1. The consequence is very feeble Because one of those that were scattered was an Officer ergo all that were scattered were Officers non sequitur Some of those that were haled out of houses by Saul were women yet all that he haled out were not women Act. 8. 8. 2. Philip's Ordination was to the Office-work of a Deacon not of a Preacher Acts 6. 6. that Office and Ordination could not authorize him to preach It was to take off incumbrances from Preachers that he and the rest were made Deacons Acts 6. 2. It is not reason that we should leave the word of God and serve tables vers 3. wherefore brethren look ye out among you seven men If he were now an Evangelist it followeth no more that the rest were Officers which were scattered because he was then it doth follow that all who were scattered were Evangelists because he was one Obj. 5. It is probable that these that were scattered did baptise as well as preach Act. 11. 26. It is said there there was a Church setled at Antioch which could not be unless they were first baptised but there were none in Antioch to baptise them if they of the dispersion did not for Barnabas and Agabus and other Prophets came not to Antioch till the Church was founded Act. 11. v. 26 27. and this Church of Antioch is expresly said to be founded by the scattered Brethren Act. 21. 19. Now baptisme is to be performed onely by men in Office Mat. 28. 19. Answ 1. We cannot find that it is said there was a Church setled at Antioch before Barnabas had been there much less do we finde it expresly said that this Church was founded by the scattered Brethren Act. 11. 26. saith that a whole year they i. e. Barnabas and Saul v. 25 26. assembled themselves with the Church which clearly sheweth that then there was a Church at Antioch and also that Barnabas and Saul Church-Officers were there but Barnabas had been at Antioch before this v. 22 23. They sent forth Barnabas that he should go as far as Antioch Who when he came and had seen the grace of God was glad and after this he departed to seek Saul v. 25. But when the Church was setled whether before Barnabas came or after we finde not nor by whose hands The place alledged to prove expresly that it was founded by the scattered Brethren is falsly quoted by the Printer Act. 21. 19. for it speaketh nothing about the business If they mean Act. 11. v. 19 21. It is said there that the Hand of the Lord was with the scattered Saints and a great number believed and turned unto the Lord. But this is far from speaking expresly that a Church was founded

is a Gift not an Office 2. That some men have the gift of prophesie or that prophesying is a gift still continuing 3. That some men who are not ordained Officers have that gift of prophesie This last position is proved thus 1. Because there is no Scripture-warrant for the ordaining prophets and without a Scripture-warrant they may not be ordained Let any be produced 2. Because they cannot warrantably be ordained Prophets until they be discerned to have the gift of prophesie they must have the gift first and therefore some men not ordained have the gift of prophesie if it be a continuing gift 3. Because there are some who have the gift of prophesie who are no officers as will appear in what followeth and Ordination according to our Brethrens Judgment is the essential constitutive thing of an Officer He that is ordained say they is an Officer Many of these Prophets are no Officers and therefore not ordained For we suppose they will not say that a man may be lawfully ordained and yet be no Church-Officer Our greatest difficulty therefore is to prove the former Propositions Prop. 1. That the prophesying spoken of 1 Cor. 14. is a Gift not an Office Argum. 1. Because all who have the gift of prophesie are Prophets Our two first Arguments before given prove this we shall not here repeat them The Consequence is clear because all who have the gift of Prophesie are not Officers they must first have the gift before they can be made Prophets by Office If they be Prophets so soon as they have the gift then they are Prophets who are no Officers for if there had been such an Office the gift must have been before the Office Argum. 2. That which ought in duty and might warrantably in faith be coveted by every man who was a Member of the Church at Corinth that was a gift onely not an Office But the prophesying spoken of 1 Cor. 14. was such as ought in duty and might warrantably in faith be coveted by every man who was a Member of the Church at Corinth Ergo The prophesying spoken of 1 Cor. 14. was a gift onely not an Office The Major we prove thus 1. That which the Lord had no where promised to accomplish that could not in duty nor warrantably in faith be coveted for it is a humane faith that hath not a Divine promise to bottom upon But the Lord had no where promised to make every man who was a Member of the Church at Corinth or any other Church a Church-Officer Let them shew a promise of it that will assert it Ergo Every man who was a Member of the Church at Corinth could not in duty nor warrantably in faith covet to be a Church-Officer Ergo That which ought in duty and might warrantably in faith be coveted by every man who was a Member of the Church at Corinth that was a Gift onely not an Office 2. That which was impossible to be attained that could not in duty nor warrantably in faith be coveted It 's in vain to covet that which can never be had or which is unattainable But for every man who was a Member of the Church at Corinth to covet to become an Officer had been to covet that which was impossible to be attained 1 Cor. 12. v. 17. If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing v. 19 29 30. Ergo It could not in duty nor warrantably in faith be coveted 3. To say that the Prophets were extraordinary Officers as they must be if they were Officers at all else being ordinary Officers they must be still continuing and so there is still another Order of preaching Officers in the Church besides and distinct from Pastors and Teachers which they will not assert is more absurd If they were extraordinary Officers that maketh the case worse Can it be imagined that every man who was a member of the Church at Corinth ought in duty and might warrantably in faith covet to be an extraordinary Officer when it doth not appear that he might covet the ordinary Office of a Pastor or Teacher Doth it not sound harsh to say that every man in a Church ought to covet to be an Officer in the Church Can our Brethren exhort all the men that walk with them in Ordinances to covet that they may be Pastors or Teachers or do they unfeignedly desire it If they did surely they would not lay so much discouragement before gifted men to hinder their preaching And can they imagine that the Apostle should exhort the generality of men in the Church of Corinth to covet to be extraordinary Officers when themselves cannot exhort the generality of Christians to covet to be ordinary Officers Thus we have proved the Major of our second Argument for the evincing that the prophesying spoken of 1 Cor. 14 is a Gift onely not an Office The Minor viz. That the prophesying spoken of 1 Cor. 14. was such as ought in duty and might warrantably in faith be coveted by every man who was a member of the Church at Corinth we prove from vers 1 5 39. There is a command for it vers 1. Follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts but rather that ye may prophesie Vers 5. I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied Here he wisheth that not some onely but all prophesied the gift of prophecie then may lawfully be wished to all men that are members of a Church and he addeth a reason of his wish for greater is he that prophesieth then he that speaketh with tongues except he interpret that the Church may receive edifying because prophecie tendeth more to the edification of the Church then speaking with tongues without interpretation v. 39. Wherefore brethren covet to prophesie Here is an exhortation left in general among the Corinthians whereby he layeth it upon them as a duty and therefore it was that which any man amongst them might warrantably in faith covet to attain unto All had not attained to it but every man might covet to prophesie Ergo It was no Office Obj. Prophets are enumerated amongst Officers of the Church 1 Cor. 12. 28 29. God hath set in his Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers Ephes 4 11 12. Yea they are set next Apostles Mr. collings above Evangelists and Pastors and Teachers Apostles and Teachers were Officers set by God in his Church so also were Jus Divin the Prophets Answ 1. The placing of Prophets before Evangelists Pastors and Teachers cannot prove them to be in dignity above Pastors or Teachers Our Brethren themselves use these words Priority of Order is no infallible Argument Jus Divinum Regim pag. 133. of priority of worth and dignity we finde say they Priscilla a woman named before Aquila a man and her husband Act. 18. 18. Rom. 16. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 19. is therefore the woman preferred before the man the wife before the husband And in another place Ib. p.