Selected quad for the lemma: judgement_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	authority_n	church_n	person_n	1,479	5	5.0691	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A88943	Church-government and church-covenant discussed, in an answer of the elders of the severall churches in New-England to two and thirty questions, sent over to them by divers ministers in England, to declare their judgments therein. Together with an apologie of the said elders in New-England for church-covenant, sent over in answer to Master Bernard in the yeare 1639. As also in an answer to nine positions about church-government. And now published for the satisfaction of all who desire resolution in those points.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.; Mather, Richard, 1596-1669. Apologie of the churches in New-England for church-covenant.; Peters, Hugh, 1598-1660.; Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1643 (1643)	Wing M1270; Thomason E106_8; Thomason E106_9; ESTC R18913	104,756	140

carry matters justly and according to the Rules of the Word The power of the Keyes Matth. 16. 19. among other things noteth Ministeriall or delegated power of Government and this power is committed by Christ unto the Church as may appeare if wee consider first to whom Christ directed his Speech in that place of Scripture not to Peter alone but to all the Disciples also for to them all the Question was propounded by Christ vers 15. And ●eter answered in all their names Secondly that he and they were not then looked upon as Apostles or generall officers of all Churches for that Commission was not yet given them but as Disciples and Beleevers believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth Jesus Christ the rocke upon whom the Church is built wherein as they did represent all Believers so in Peter and the rest the Keyes are committed to all Believers that shall joine together in the same confession according to the order and ordinance of Christ And therefore afterward this power of Government is expresly given to the Church Matth. 18. 17. according hereunto in that description of the visible Church as it is instituted by Christ in the new Testament Rev. 4. The members of the Church are seene by John in a vision sitting on thrones cloathed with white rayment having on their heads Crownes of Gold vers 14. Now Thrones and Crownes are ensignes of authority and power to note unto us that authority and governing power which is committed by Christ unto the Church Doctor Fulke hath this saying The Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven whatsoever they are be committed to the whole Church and not to one person onely as Cyprian Augustine Chrysostome Jerome and all the ancient Doctors agreeably to the Scriptures doe confesse against the Popes pardons chap. 3. P. 381. And elsewhere he saith The authority of Excommunication pertaineth to the whole Church although the judgement and execution thereof is to be referred to the Governours of the Church which exercise that authority as in the name of Christ so in the name of the who●e Church whereof they are appointed Governours to avoid confusion against the Rhemists on 1 Cor. 5. Sect. 3. And Doctor Whitaker hath these words Hoc est quod nos dicimus Petrum gessisse personam omnium Apostolorum quare hanc promissionem non uni Petro sed toti Ecclesiae factam esse totam Ecclesiam in illo claves accepisse De pontif Roman Q. 2. c. 4. Sect. 17. And in that Booke hee is pregnant and plaine in this that by the Keyes is meant all Ecclesiasticall power and Jurisdiction and that these Keyes are given in Peter to the whole Church The same is also taught by Master Parker Polit. Eccles l. 3. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5 6. where he proves by many Arguments that every visible Church which hee acknowledgeth to be no other but a particular congregation hath the power of all Ecclesiasticall Government and Jurisdiction commited to it by Christ Jesus and answereth many Objections to the contrary And page 2 of that third Book making mention of foure Opinions concerning those words of the Keyes and power of binding and loosing Matth. 16. 19. the first of them that understand the Pope onely to be meant thereby as Peters successour the second of them that understand it of the Diocesan Bishop The third of them that understand those words as meant of the Ministers but the Ministers alone The fourth of them that understand Peter to represent the Church in that place and therefore that that promise is made unto the Church Of these he refuseth the three first as unsound and maintaines the fourth as onely agreeing to the truth And Master Baine saith Every Church by Christs institution hath power of Government Dioces Tryall Quest 1. p. 8. And hee tells us page 11. what hee meant by Church The word Church saith he wee understand here not figuratively tataken Metonymically for the place Syn●cdochecally for Ministers administring ordinances but properly for a body politicke standing of People to be taught and governed and of Teachers and Governours So that in his judgement every Church properly so called hath power of Government within it selfe and by these words of his it may also be concluded that all power of Government is not in the Elders alone for the power of Government by Church institution is in every Church properly so called But Ministers are not a Church in propriety of speech but onely figuratively by a synecdoche And therefore all power of Government is not in the Ministers alone but a Church properly so called is the Body politique consisting of people and Ministers But of this more may bee said in the next Question Fourthly for the matters of Independency whereof this Question also makes mention We doe confesse the Church is not so independent but that it ought to dep●nd on Christ both for direction from the rules of his holy Word Ioh. 10. 27. Act. 3. 23. and for the assistance of his holy Spirit to discerne those rules and to walke according to them when they shall be discerned Ioh. ●5 5. and 16. 13. but for dependency upon men or other Churches or other subordination unto them in regard of Church Government or power Wee know not of any such appointed by Christ in his Word Our Saviours words are plaine If a man heare not the Chu●ch let him beto thee as an Heathen or Publican And his promise unto his Church is plaine also that whatsoever they shall binde on earth shall be bound in Heaven c. Mat. 18. 17. c. And the Apostle bids the Church deliver the impenitent sinner unto Satan 1 Cor. 5. 4. 5 6. Now when the man upon the Churches censure comes to be in case as an Heathen or Publican yea becomes bound in Heaven as well as bound in earth and also delivered unto Satan this seems to us to be such a firme ratification of the Churches censure as leaves no roome for any other Ecclesiasticall power on earth to reverse or disanull the same and so takes away that kinde of dependency and subordination of Churches Nos plane dicimus ●cclesias initiò regi solitas esse à suis pastoribus sic quidem ut nullis essent externis aut Ecclesi●s aut Episcopis subditae non Colossensis Ephaesi●ae non Philippensis Thessaloniensi non h● Romanae non Romanae cuiquam se● paris omnes inter se juris essent id est sui omnes juris et mancipij Whitak de Pontif. Roman Question 1. Chapter 1. Section 3. That is in summe The Churches were not dependent and subordinate to others but all of them absolutely free and independent Wee affirme saith Master Baine that all Churches were singular Congregations equall in dependent each of other in regard of subjection Diocesse tryall Q 1. pag. 13. The twentieth Chapter of Mr. Parker his third Booke of Eccles Politie hath this Title De summitate Ecclesiae particularis And

of themselves And Master Parker in the same place afore alledged in the page immediately precedent clearly sheweth against Doctor Downham Doctor Sutcliffe and others that those particular Congregations which have Presbyters of their owne with power within themselves are the most perfect and are precisely formed juxta formam illam quae in verbo patefacta est according to that forme which is revealed in the Word whereas others which have not the like are more defective and imperfect And if this be so then to binde Churches to do no weighty matters without the counsell and consent of Classes were to blinde them to bee imperfect And for Synods if they have such power that their determination shall binde the Churches to obedience as you speake it is more then we yet understand Indeed Bellarmine makes Bishops in a Councell or Synod to be Judges and that standum sit corum sententiae quia ipsi sic statuerunt quomodo statur sententia Praetoris in causis politicis that is either to obey or suffer de Concil Eccles l. 1. c. 18. But the Orthodoxe Writers do not consent to him therein for in their judgement the sentence of a Councell or Synod is onely inquisitio quaedam dictio sententiae ministrato●ia limitata ita ut tantum valeat decretum Concilii quantum valeat ejus ratio as Doctor Ames hath it in his Bellarminus enervatus upon that place of Bellarmine that is The sentence of a Synod is onely a certaine enquiring and giving of sentence by way of Ministery and with limitation so that the decree of the Councell hath so much force as there is force in the reason of it And Junius expresseth it thus Sententia Concilii per se ipsam suasionis non coactionis est judicium ministeriale non authoritatem per se necessitatemque adferens Animadvers upon Bellarmine in that place that is The sentence of a Councell is of it selfe onely of advice not of compulsion or constraint and brings with it a judgement ministeriall not authority of it selfe nor necessity whereunto we doe wholly consent As for that clause in this Question That the determination of a Synod should binde if not to obedience yet to peaceable suffering we know not what sufferings those should be for punishments in Purse or Person in respect of the body or outward man are not to be inflicted by Synods but by civill Magistrates and Church-censures of Excommunication or the like belong to the particular Church of which an offendor is a member out of the communion whereof a man cannot be cast but onely by his owne Church Onely Christ hath Authority to make Lawes for the government of each particular Church and the Members thereof and h●s lawes doe oblige all the Members and may not be omitted without sinne Jam. 4. 12. Jsa 33. 22. ● Mat. 23. 8 9 10. ●ct 3. 23. But for particular Churches they have no power to make Lawes for themselves or their Members but to observe and see all their Members observe those Laws which Christ hath given and commanded Mat. 28. 20. Deu● 33. 3. Iohn 10. 27. If any Church shall presume further they goe beyond their Commission and in such case their Ecclesiasticall Lawes may be omitted without sinne nay it would be sinne to be subject to them Col. 2. 20. To walke after them Hos 5. 11. to be such servants of men as not to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free 1. or 7. 23. Gal. 5. 1. The outward calling of a Minister consisteth properly and essentially in election by the people as Doctor ●mes sheweth Cas Cons l. 4. c. 25. Q. 6. And this election is so essentiall that without it the Ministers calling if you speak of an ordinary Church officer is a nullity And therefore Mornay that learned noble man of France approveth that saying of Chrysostome election by the people is so necessary as that without it there is neither Altar nor Church nor Priest-hood where omitting other things it appeares to be their judgement that without election by the people the Ministery is void And Mornay addeth of his owne concerning the Bishops amongst the Papists that they were nullá plane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nulla proinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the one presupposed the other no Imposition seeing without election in his booke of the Church c. 11. p. 375. Yet sometimes the peoples acceptance and approbation afterward may supply the want of election at the first as Iacobs after consent and acceptance of Lea made her to be his wife though hee chose her not at the first And by this we hold the calling of many Ministers in England may be excused who at first came into their places without the consent of the people If ordination by imposition of hands were of the essence of a Ministers calling then in those Churches where such ordination is not used their Ministers should want a lawfull calling which were an hard sentence against many Ministers in Scotland where as is reported this ordination is not thought necessary and therefore used or omitted indifferently Wee looke at Ordination by Imposition of hands as a solemne investing of men into their places whereto they have right and calling by election like to the inauguration of a Magistrate in the Common-wealth yet necessary by divine Institution 1 Tim. 4. 14. But not so necessary as if the Ministers calling were a nullity without it Essentia ipsa vocationis in electione legitima consistit Ordinatio pendet ab electione sicut Coronatio Principi● aut Magistratus inauguratio ab electione successione aut aequivalente aliqua constitutione Ames Bellarm. enervat Lib. 3. de clericis c. 2. Sect. 3. That is the essence of a Ministers calling consists in lawfull election Ordination depends upon Election as the Coronation of a Prince or the Inauguration of a Magistrate depends upon Election Succession or some other Constitution aequivalent And againe Ritus impositionis manuum non est absolute necessarius ad esse Pastoris non magis quam Coronatio ad esse Regis aut celebratio nuptiarum ad earum esse sect 10. That is the right of Imposition of hands is not absolutely necessary to the essence of a Pastor no more then the Coronation to the essence of a King or the Celebration of Marriage to the essence thereof Ordination of Ministers is not a private action but publique and ought to be done publiquely in the Assembly of the Church and therefore the persons that performe it whether they be ordinary Church Officers or no cannot in any congruity of speech be called meere private persons in that Action 2. The Church that hath no Officers may elect Officers or Ministers unto themselves therefore it may also ordaine them which Argument Dr. Whitaker useth as wee shall see anon If it have Commission and power from Christ for the one and that the greater it hath it also for the other which is