Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	apostle_n	church_n	doctrine_n	4,033	5	6.2595	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75492	A consideration of certaine controversies at this time agitated in the kingdome of England, concerning the government of the church of God. / Written at the command and appointment of the Walachrian classis, by Guilielmus Apollonii, minister of the Word of God at Middleburgh. And sent from the Walachrian churches, to declare the sense and consent of their churches, to the Synod at London. Octob. 16. 1644. Stilo novo. Translated out of Latine accorning to the printed copy.	Apollonius, Willem, 1602 or 3-1657.	1645 (1645)	Wing A3535; Thomason E1155_2; ESTC R208676	76,829	175

Church and is neither slacke nor sleepeth in the care of his We oft-times judge those things prosperous which are most adverse and think those things adverse which are most prosperous Our duty is to obey it is Christs work to judge All prosperity is from him from whom if it proceed not it cannot be called prosperity from him commeth adversisity which to us he makes to be either a remedy or a gain to Piety by that he comforteth our infirmity that we may be able to beare it by this he tryeth and crowneth our faith The Church cannot have entrance to the glory of heaven but by the crosse that is the common way of all whether we be Kings as one speakes or poore Peasants every one must take up his own crosse But Christ liveth ordering the Scene of humane affaires by his secret counsell We pray therefore that he who knoweth what is conducing to the good of mankind of his Church of you would vouchsafe to inspire such counsels into the hearts of Princes which may restore to you Godlinesse together with holy agreement and prosperity since we see we have nothing but prayers left for the asswaging the flouds of troubles amongst you O God of Peace remove this confusion from the Church of thy Sonne from the flourishing Kingdome of England O Lord Jesus the fountaine of all peace dissipate the counsels of those who out of a desire of spoile being greedy of glory stirre up the tumults of warres and waves of persecutions even against those who deserve it not Thou art the Redeemer save thine owne purchase Thou art the Saviour suffer not those to perish who depend on thee Thou art the Lord vindicate thine own possession Thou art the Head afford succour to thy members Thou art the Prince of Peace inspire those that are thine with mutuall love Thou art God have compassion on thy suppliants And you Brethren indure labours with a good courage and compose your spirits that for the cause of God and the Churches good you may with assured hope and firme confidence undergoe whatever by the counsell of God is laid upon you There is no affliction so great but humane nature may beare it if accustomed to it especially if there be Christian Fortitude godly confidence and a couragious mind Thinke with your selves not only thus That the Affliction doth thereby become the more mild if born with patience but that also the Philosophy of the Gospel binds you wholly to intrust and commit your affaires to God our Saviour like as one sick and in danger of life commits himselfe to the Physitian anointing bathing lancing searing being perswaded that in whatsoever wayes he disposeth of your troublesome condition he will do it all for your healths sake We are not to prescribe to God let him save or destroy doe what he will and know that he willeth nothing but what is best for you you shall have God with you while you labour with a good resolution in a good cause and you shall have with you the righteous cause of faith which was ever at last victorious against all the assaults and subtilties of the wicked and will doubtlesse be so now though God in his just judgement for the grievous sinnes of men may suffer the ship of his Church to be tossed in these waves Christ hath purchased the Church his Spouse with his owne precious bloud and hath promised to be with her to the end of the world he will not therefore now forsake her but rather confound those who feare not to extoll themselves against the truth from the great and gracious God therfore expect a happy issue The seeds of mourning and of teares promise a harvest of glory and joy God will poure forth the oile of gladnesse on those that mourne in Zion he will clothe them with the garments of salvation and praise who are oppressed with a spirit of heavinesse The House of God shall be purged by your teares God hath sent a fire into your lands not to consume the golden and precious vessels of the Lord but to purifie the sons of Levi and to cleanse his house from the drosse and filth of false and adulterate worship superstition schismes errours and offences that there be offered in all your borders a pure offering of spirituall worship according to Gods Institution For how great a thing are we to judge this that these troubles of your Churches have produced this holy Covenant between the three Kingdomes plucked up by the roots the differences between your Kingdome and that of Scotland conjoyned the English and Scots as brethren in the strictest bonds of unity and ingaged you all really constantly sincerely and to your utmost power to labour and endeavour to defend and maintain the Reformed Religion of the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against the common enemies and also to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdomes of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Rule of the Word of God and the Pattern of the best Reformed Churches as likewise to bring the Churches of God in these three Kingdomes to the nearest Conjunction and Uniformity in the Confession of Faith form of Church-Government Directory for Divine Worship and Form of Catechisme that all you and your posterity after you may as brethren live in the true Faith and mutuall Love and that the Lord may be pleased to dwell in the midst of you Which sacred Oath doth promise fruits greatly profitable to the Churches of God and exceedingly desirable wherein you have bound your soules under an execration if you doe not holily sincerely and constantly in the presence of God perform those things you have covenanted in the former heads of the Covenant We beseech you therfore in the name of God that denying all humane affections you deale faithfully in this businesse you do wholy cast forth of the house of God not only the Bish●tyranny superstitions already suppressed but also heresies schismes and whatsoever is contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse as your Oath asserteth Let your own consciences judge how heresies of all kinds can passe unpunished manyfold seeds of schismes be spread without controll and prophane doctrines of errors be commonly vented in publike in that city which by so expresse so sacred and severe an oath hath bound it self in the presence of God to cast out all errors heresies schisms from the house of God Pardon us Reverend Brethren it is just griefe of heart that enforceth us to complaine for that we understand that in Religion the publike worship of God and the spirituall Government of the Church there are such confusions rise amongst you that those amongst you who endeaour schismes spread heresies traduce the Reformed Churches breed stirrs and render the Churches face polluted do so without controll exult The true Church of God favours not seditious proceedings as being by instinct of its holy

its externall manner of existence in which are included both godly and reprobates II. We reject the opinion of those who think that in the Church none are to be admitted as members into the externall fellowship of the Church but such as have been by a strict examination first tried by other beleevers or the Elders of the Church in the exercises of Piety the duties of Prayer holy conferences and spirituall Communion and have manifested to them evident signes of Regeneration and have afterwards before the whole body of the Church publikely professed a sincere confession of faith and have either by a continued speech or by questions and answers made manifest by evident signes the saving grace of God in them whereby they are translated from the kingdome of darknesse to the Kingdome of God and such a spirit that in a Church Covenant sincerely faithfully and godlily in the presence of God and the whole Church they both can and will walk in the wayes of God For we reade not that in the Apostolicall Church this manner of admitting Church members was in use Those three thousand Act. 2. were not in this manner added to the Church of Christ but men were upon such a confession joyned to the Church of Christ as whereby hypocrites and persons not converted might have entrance into the Church and that under the inspection of the Apostles who were indued with extraordinary gifts of the Spirit Whence also in our Reformed Churches of the Netherlands members of Churches are admitted by a confession of the true Faith and Religion a solemne Protestation to submit themselves to the Discipline of the Church a testimony of an unblameable and inoffensive life As also Ames himselfe affirmeth that men are duly admitted into the Church by a confession of Faith and promise of obedience Medull lib. 1. cap. 32. thes 17. And in some more numerous Churches in the Netherlands it is the custome and practise for the Churches greater prudence in admitting members that those who desire admission into Church-communion before their solemne profession of faith are for some weekes severall times privately exercised and instructed if they be not sufficiently exercised and this instruction is by the Ministers in the Visitation of their severall precincts and is also publikely offered to all when notice is given of celebrating the Lords Supper The Ministers inquire likewise of the integrity of life and conversation of those who expect communion with us Afterwards they use to undergoe an examination before the consistory in their consistoriall meeting or before the delegates of the Consistorie which is performed by the Minister through all the points of Catechisme And last of all having been thus tryed they do in publike before the body of the Church by a bare affirmation give answer to these generall Positions Whether or no they acknowledge the Doctrine of our Churches to be the Orthodox faith and the way of Salvation Whether or no they promise by the grace of God to persist till death in the Profession of this Doctrine Whether or no they promise to live holily and as becommeth this Doctrine Whether or no they submit themselves to the Discipline of the Church In this manner are those who desire admission admitted to our Church Communion This custome though laudable is not indeed contrary but yet is beside the order of our Churches and is not in use in all our Churches which therefore we do not urge as absolutely necessary but make use of it for the greater Ecclesiasticall prudence in so grave and serious a matter In the meane time we esteeme that order established in our Ecclesiasticall constitutions to be sufficient for the due admitting of members into Church Communion according to the word of God CHAP. II. Of a Church-Covenant Question VVHether a Church-Covenant solemnly made between the Members and the Governours of a Church publikely before the whole Church whereby the members of a particular Church are by a publike and expresse agreement and promise associated and united amongst themselves to exercise the feare and sacred worship of God unity of faith brotherly love mutuall edification and all duties of piety in a holy communion with God and amongst themselves be absolutely necessary and essentiall to the constitution of a true Church so that without this Covenant there is no true or pure Church nor true Church member Answer THe Reformed Churches judge it necessary to the constitution of a particular visible Church that there be sacred union in the exercise of Ecclesiasticall communion expressed by certaine externall acts appointed by God and to be exercised in a visible Church society under one ministry and spirituall discipline But this union they affirme the members of a true Church enter into amongst themselves when they are united in one externall profession of the truth and holynesse and in the same baptisme and will frequent the same divine worship be subject to the same Church Governors be governed by the same law and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall and do submit themselves to the same discipline and partake of the same Supper of the Lord. And in this union there is they affirme a kind of tacit and virtuall Covenant which uniteth the faithfull into a particular Church although such a solemne Covenant betweene them in expresse termes be not publikely entered into before the whole Church as the question requireth We grant in this controversy 1. That there is a Covenant of saving grace between God and repenting Sinners founded in Christ the Mediator whereby all the faithfull are obliged to the performance of all duties of piety which he hath commanded in his word as well in Church communion and fellowship as out of it by which Covenant all those who are truly partakers of it obtain right to all those saving benefits which are contained in the promises of this Covenant 2. That there is a tacit or virtuall Covenant between the members of one and the same externall particular Church whereby they are obliged to the performance of those mutuall duties which are required of the members of a visible Church in reference to their particular Church communion as that they will be subject to the care and Discipline of their own Pastors frequent the same publike worship of God and be ruled by the same law and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall by which Covenant they also obtain to themselves right to those things which are peculiar to this particular Church and the members thereof and do not belong to other particular Churches 3. We grant that there may be an expresse and solemne Covenant in the presence of God and the Church upon extraordinary occasions entered into by all the members of the visible Church of one nation or kingdome when the Church in that kingdome or nation hath made defection from God and his worship or some other necessity call for it for the preserving or propagating or restoring of the decayed worship of God By which Covenant notwithstanding there doth not accrew

two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Matth. 18. and I am with you to the end of the World Matth. 28. Which primarily are to be understood of the inferior Consistories but there being an union and communion amongst themselves of all Churches the superior consistories are comprehended likewise 3. We deduce our argument from the practise of the Iewish Church For the Christian Church borroweth her frame of her Ecclesiasticall polity from the cōstitution not pedagogicall but essentiall and perpetuall of the ancient Church and therfore the Churches Consistories are now lawfully constituted according to the same forme according to which the Ecclesiasticall assemblies were constituted under the Old Testament And the reason is because it is manifestly evident that this order besides that it was of old instituted by God and by the fathers most religiously observed belonged onely to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or good order of a Church not to the pedagogy of the Law nor the distinct nature of that government But now under the Old Testament there were Synagogicall consistories in each City wherin the Scribes and Levits being presiding some Elders of the people and men more eminent in dignity were joyned to them whose office consisted as well in teaching as in moderating the actions of the Church and who tooke notice of beleevers manners and dispensed pious reprehensions and Ecclesiasticall censures towards the vices of offenders And there was also at Jerusalem a generall consistory or Synedrium held to which the most weighty matters were brought which in the lesser Synagogicall judicatories either by reason of their difficulty or the dissentions of parties could not be decided or ended Se Deut. 17. 8 9. 2 Chron. 19. 5 6 7. Jer. 26. 9 c. This argument our eminent and reverend Gersom Bucer in his dissertation de gubernatione Ecclesiae pag. 65. doth thus propose and not to be tedious it was requisite to set downe distinctly in what respect the order appointed amongst the Jews doth expresse the polity to be observed by the Christian Church in holding their meetings For first as of old the use of sacred Consistories as well Synagogicall in the severall Cities as the supreme at Jerusalem was appointed by Gods institution for the passing of judgements and determining controversies So in the New Testament even from the beginning of the Churches birth the Lord would have as well particularly in each City as in many Cities in common some form of ordinary judicatory to the end that both the Ordination of Ministers may be duly performed and the censure of manners administred else what could be more absurd either then the Precept of Christ commanding that he who refused to heare his brethren should be brought to the Church or the Apostles reproofe reprehending the Corinthians that they had neglected to proceed in the publike judicatory of the Church against the incestuous person Neither only had each particular Church their proper distinct Consistories but that also divers Churches when more weighty controversies did arise which could not in lesser Assemblies be determined did in the new Testament come together to one generall Councell the history of the Apostles testifieth Acts 15. c. And doubtlesse not only this ordinary superiour Court or Sanedrim was kept at Jerusalem but extraordinary Conventions called for the Churches Reformation the establishing Religion and the sincere Worship of God by a Nationall Covenant and for other holy occasions See Examples thereof Deut. 29. 20. 2 Chro. 15. 9. 29. 4 34. 29 Nehem. 10. 32. to 34. And such conventions being celebrated for morall duties the celebration of them lyeth as a duty on the Churches of Christ at all times 4. A fourth Argument is taken from 1 Cor. 14. 32. where the spirits of the Prophets are to be subject to the Prophets by Apostolicall Precept whatsoever therefore an Ecclesiasticall Prophet doth in his sacred function performe either in sacred Doctrine or divine Worship or Ecclesiasticall Discipline it ought to be submitted to the judgements of other Prophets Therefore one single Prophet of this particular Church is to be subject to the judgement of Prophets of other Churches And consequently Assemblies of many Prophets meeting out of divers Churches are here established to whom by the Word of God the Spirits and wayes of Prophets of particular Churches are subject Other arguments are also at hand in this cause if we purposed to contend by number of Arguments Hence also doe the Churches of the Netherlands hold their Synods endowed with authority and power Ecclesiasticall which do so impose their decrees on particular Churches that they permit not a private or particular Church to alter the order established by the Synods but injoyne all to observe their Canons established till it shall be otherwise appointed by the Synods See the Synod at Embden Ann. 1571. art 53. at Dort Anno 1574. art 91. at Middleburgh Anno 1581. art 69. at the Hagh Anno 1586 art 79. at Middleburgh Anno 1591. art 80. at Dort Anno 1619. art 86. We reject therefore the opposite Assertions 1. Of those who allow to Synods and Classes no other power then of Counsell and Perswasion as one brother towards another and one particular Church towards another Particular Sister Church may be counsell and perswasion direct and exhort to their duty so neither have the whole number of Churches that hold Ecclesiasticall Communion in Synods and Classes any other authority granted them by the Word of God but to perswade exhort and admonish Against whom we use no other arguments then what Master John Cotton himselfe hath in a late Treatise in English concerning The Power of the Keyes Chap. 6. We dare not say saith he that their power reacheth no further then giving counsell for such as their ends be for which according to God they do assemble such is the power given them of God as may attaine those ends As they meet to minister light and peace to such Churches as through want of light and peace lye in errour or doubt at least and variance so they have power by the grace of Christ not only to give light and counsell in matter of Truth and Practise but also to command and injoyne the things to be beleeved and done The expresse words of the Synodall letter imply no lesse It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and unto us to lay upon you no other burden Acts 15. 27. This burden therefore to observe those necessary things they speake of they had power to impose It is an act of the binding power of the Keyes to bind burdens And this binding power ariseth not only materially from the weight of the matters imposed which are necessary necessitate praecepti from the Word but also formally from the authority of the Synod which being an Ordinance of Christ bindeth the more for the Synods sake Thus Master Cotton 2. We reject also their contrary opinion who allow to

Synods a power Dogmaticall but deny a power Diatacticall and Criticall A power Dogmaticall which is a power and right of judging in matters of Faith and Religion doth so belong to Synods as that it is also given by God to single Pastors For the Apostle requires of Elders not only to exhort by sound doctrine but also to convince gainsayers and to stop the mouthes of the unruly vain-talkers and deceivers Tit. 1. 9 10 11 12. Doth not this plainly intimate that they are to judge of matters of faith if in a Particular Church there arise a disputation about any question of faith or the soundnesse in judgement of one who is reckoned a member of that Church be doubted of This therefore is not the whole power of Synods which belongeth even to single Pastours Hence there is also attributed to Synods a Diatacticall power whereby they have right to manage the externall Government of the Church so that all things be done decently and in order in the administration of Gods worship to the common edification of al. Not only the Apostles but the Elders also did in the Councell at Jerusalem decree that the Gentiles who had given themselves up to Christ should abstaine from things offered to idols and from bloud and things strangled Acts 15. 25 28. So when Paul at Jerusalem was received by the brethren not only James but the Classis of Elders advised him for the beleeving Jewes sake to joyne himselfe with some though too much addicted to the Law who had a vow on them and decreed to intreat him that for the peace of the Church and satisfaction of the weake he would vouchsafe so farre as in that case was yet lawfull to submit himselfe to the observance of the Law Acts 21. 20 21 22 23 24. We see therefore that a Classis of Elders do by a joynt care and endeavour provide for the observing of what with one consent they judged expedient for the Church I need not further instance in Councels in which that Presbyters joyned in consultation and decision for the establishing Ecclesiasticall decency and order is so cleare by their Acts that none can be ignorant So the Lawes of Ecclesiasticall Government in the Netherlands are by the Synodicall decrees imposed on particular Churches And that a Criticall power which containes the right of maitaining and exercising the Ecclesiasticall Discipline given by God to the Church for the judging and removing of scandals belongeth to Synods and Classes of Presbyters we shall by and by prove by places of Scripture For a Synod may assemble not only to admonish an offending Presbytery or Consistory of a particular Church but also if they refuse to heare to censure them by suspension deposition or removing from their Ecclesiasticall function c. Question 2. VVHether Classes and Synods have power of sending or ordaining Pastors in a particular Church Answer WE affirme in this controversie 1. That some heads in this argument are by the judgement of Scripture to be held undoubted which our Reverend Bucerus referreth to these heads First saith he that Election and Ordination of Ministers belong to the Church not to those that are without who are strangers from the commerce of beleevers and have not yet applyed themselves to their fellowship and conjunction For no where doe we reade in Scripture that such had Votes in Election of Ministers Secondly that this holy action belongs to the whole Church that is to both its integrall parts whereof the one is of those who are Church Ministers the other of those to whom they minister which is evidently declared by testimonies which may be brought from Scripture Thirdly that this businesse is not to be committed to some one or few of the Presbytery selected but belongs to the whole Colledge of Presbyters in common which appears by the Example of the Church of Jerusalem and of Antioch Acts 1. 23. 6. 2 3. 13. 1 2. 15. 22. Fourthly that the principall parts herein belong to the Ministers of the Church for they are to preside and guide the Church that the multitude through levity or tumult or ill designes do not miscarry and therfore to teach and exhort every one and moderate the whole action of Election with wholesome and right counsels Which is manifestly evinced by the testimonies we have produced I adde lastly that the Nomination was principally in the Ecclesiasticall persons the people were by their suffrage to declare their consent to it So when one was to be taken in into the place of Judas the Apostles named two and when one of them was chosen by lot the Churches approbation was presently added otherwise they did by their suffrage concurre to the Election But that the Apostles in the institution of Deacons did somewhat more condescend to the multitude Acts 6. 3. there was a peculiar reason for it for that they were especially in that tendernesse of the Church and when a murmuring arose of the Grecians against the Hebrewes to put off from themselves all sinister suspicion of those whose suffrages did not approve them To this purpose Calvin Luke relates that there were Elders constituted in every Church by Paul and Barnabas but he notes withall the way and manner of it when he saith that it was done by suffrages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those two therefore did create them but the whole multitude as the custome of the Grecians was in Elections declared by lifting up their hands whom they would have Calvin Instit lib. 4. cap. 3. sect 15. Therefore the chiefe of what the people were to doe was of those who were nominated to choose one All which is fully cleare from Scripture Thus Bucerus dissert de gubernat Ecclesiae pag. 323 324. 2. But because we are to account those in Ecclesiasticall Communion with us not only who have joyned themselves to some one particular Church as fixed members but those also on whom by reason of their function the charge and care of many Churches doth lie and who are to take care that in them all things be done decently in order and to edification hence the power of ordaining Pastors is not so granted to a particular Church as that absolutely by themselves they may be the Word of God performe all those things that are required to the Ordination of their Pastors But if the Ordination of Pastours in a particular Church be duly performed it ought to be done in Church Communion with the judgement consent and potestative Mission of Classes or Synods with whom that particular Church holdeth Ecclesiasticall Communion For Ordination of Pastours is not a thing peculiar to one Church and its members but a thing common to all the Churches of one Classis or Synod and what concerneth all ought to be performed by all That therefore a particular Church in such a matter of common concernment do not do ought which may disturbe the common order or which in a like case may