Selected quad for the lemma: nature_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
nature_n	absolute_a	act_n	act_v	47	3	7.2912	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55393	Quo warranto, or, A moderate enquiry into the warrantablenesse of the preaching of gifted and unordained persons where also some other questions are discussed : viz. concerning [brace] ministerial relation, election, ordination : being a vindication of the late Jus divinum ministerii evangeliei ... from the exceptions of Mr. John Martin, Mr. Sam. Pette, Mr. Frederick Woodal ... in their late book, intituled The preacher sent / by Matthew Poole ...	Poole, Matthew, 1624-1679.	1659 (1659)	Wing P2850; ESTC R33938	110,108	175

consist of persons baptized and baptize them none can but he that is a Minister Christ therefore chose Apostles before Churches and the Apostles ordained elders to gather Churches To this they answer 1. A Church must needs be before an officer because he that is an officer is made an officer onely to a Church and therefore the Church is presupposed Reply This is a meer begging of the question and we have already at large confuted it and shewen that a Minister is an officer and acts as an officer even to such as are no Church 2. The Apostles were extraordinary officers and therefore that instance proves not that ordinary officers must be before Churches Reply Our brethren must take heed of denying the exemplarinesse of the Apostles to ordinary Ministers in the administration of Church affaires They themselves do oft make use of it And it cannot be denyed by any rationall or ingenious man that the Apostles as in some things they did act as extraordinary officers and are no president for us as in single and absolute jurisdiction c. so in other things their acts were ordinary and there examples binding as to us as their preaching baptizing c. And that this case is of the same nature may appeare from hence because the same reason which made it necessary fo● Apostles to be before Churches made it also necessary for other Ministers to be before them For the reason why the Apostles were to be before Churches was this because by them Churches were to be gathered and baptized And thus it was with the ordinary Ministers of those times they also were instituted then and are so now by that lasting institution Eph 4 11. c. not onely for the building up of Churches already constituted but also for the bringing in of those who are not yet gathered and therefore it was and is necessary still that Ministers be before Churches 3. They say Acts 14. 23. When they had chosen them elders in every Church the Churches therefore were before the chusing of elders Reply 1. That instance doth not at all enervate our assertion for although some Churches may be before some elders which we never denyed yet in the generall a Minister must needs be before a Church And thus much shall suffice for the vindication of those arguments which the Assembly used to shew that the essence of the call doth not lie in election It now remaines that I undertake the defence of those arguments which they used to shew that the essence of the Ministeriall call doth consist in ordination Wherein I must still crave the continuance of the liberty I have used i. e. not put my self or the reader to unnecessary trouble in animadverting upon every passage but onely to observe such things as are argumentative and have not yet falne within our cognizance CHAP. XIIII THE Assembly urged 2 Tim. 1. 6. and 1 Tim. 4. 14. They answer 1. It is questionable whether laying on of hands be here meant of ordination for that ceremony was used in the collation of gifts also Reply But forasmuch as this laying on of hands was done by an ordinary Presbytery which had not such a power of conferring gifts by the laying on of hands that being the peculiar priviledge of extraordinary officers therefore it cannot here be rationally supposed to be so used in this place but onely for ordination And therefore this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here said to be conveyed must needs be rather concluded to be an office which we often read to have been conferred by ordinary officers then a gift which we never read that an ordinary officer was intrusted to convey But that our brethren will not beare with For 2. They say this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not an office and here they repeat Mr. Hookers reasons so that in answering one I shall answer both and I must needs acknowledge that what is spoken upon this place is said very plausibly 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most commonly signifies gift not office 2. A man is not said to forget the office that is in him he is in his office rather then his office in him a man is said to stirre up his grace not his office 3. An extraordinary office such as this was could not be collated by ordinary officers Lastly they observe that this gift is said to be given not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the laying on of their hands as the cause but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with noting onely the concurrence and connexion To all which I reply 1. That both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used in scripture for office as well as gift our brethren themselves will grant so that the word being indifferent we must see which way other considerations will determine it For the second where most difficulty lies I reply 1. A man may properly be said to neglect his office or to disregard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be carelesse in his office or in the execution of his office I know no absurdity in it either in the English or in the Greeke Tongue If a Magistrate be slothfull carelesse c. we may properly say he neglects that Office that God hath put him in he neglects his place And as a man is said to neglect himselfe when he neglects those things and those actions which concerne himself so a man neglects his office that neglects the works of his office So for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strip it of the metaphor and it is no more but this put forth actuate exercise thine office Pauls bidding him stirre up his Ministry is no more then what elsewhere he bids him fulfill thy Ministry do the work of an Evangelist He that neglects the work of his Ministry invalidates his office disuseth neglects his office and he that fulfils the works of his Ministry stirres up his office For that other criticisme that a man is in his office not his office in him the office is ad●oyned to him not inhaerent in him that is hardly worth taking notice of because the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used so variously sometimes for one preposition sometimes for another sometimes for that which is inherent in him sometime for that which is adjoyning to him as all know that are not wholly strangers to the Greek Tongue that it is a vanity to lay any stresse upon it Sometimes it is taken for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometimes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and sometimes in for apud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is for a man to be apud se for a man not to be besides himself so here the Office 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apudte with thee which is committed to thee And as men are said to be in sin though indeed it is sin that is in them and they are said to enter into their masters joy though to