Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	doctrine_n	england_n	6,989	5	6.3346	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84062	The nullity of church-censures: or A dispute written by that illustrious philosopher, expert physician, and pious divine Dr Thomas Erastus, publick professor in the University of Heidelbertge, and Basil. Wherein is proved by the holy Scriptures, and sound reason; that excommunication, and church-senates or members, exercising the same, are not of divine institution; but a meere humane invention.	Erastus, Thomas, 1542-1583.	1659 (1659)	Wing E3217; Thomason E1783_2; ESTC R209663	63,863	128

as he relateth albeit the Pope did interdict them and pronounce them Excommunicate Persons FINIS Courte●u● Reader The●●●ooks following are Printed for or Sold by Simon Miller at the Starre in St. Paul Church-yard S●all Folio DOctor Lightfoot his Harmony on the New Testament which will shortly be reprinted with large Additions The civil Warres of Spain in the Reign of Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany and King of that Nation wherein our late unhappy differences are paralleled in many particulars A general History of Scotland from the year 767. to the death of King James containing the principal Revolutions and Tranfactions of Church and State with Political Observations and reflections upon the same by David Hume of Godscroft The History of this Iron Age. Mr Paul Baine on the Ephesians The Queen of Arragon a Play In fol. In Quarto large Jo. Barklay his Argenis T●anslated by Sir Robert le Grise Knight by his Late Majesties special Command Quarto Small An Eperimental Treatise of Surgery by Felix Wortz Abraham's Faith or the good Old Religion proving the Doctrine of the Church of England to be the only true Faith of Gods Elect. By John Nicholson Minister of the Gospel The Anatomy of Mortality By George Stroad Three Treatises 1. The Conversion of Ninevch touching Prayer and Fasting 2. Gods Trumpet sounding to Repentance 3. Sovereign preservatives against distrust full Thoughts and Cares By Will. Attersoll Minister of Gods Word at Isfield in Sussex Aynsworth on the Canticles Paul Baine his Diocesans Trial Gr●lle against Appolonius A Treatise of Civil policy being a clear Decision of 43. Queries concerning prerogative right and priviledge in reference to the supream Prince and people By Samuel Rutherford Professor of Divinity of Sr Andrews in Scotland Politick and Military Observations of Civil and Military Government containing the Birth Encrease Decay of Monarchies the carriage of Princes and Magistrates Mr Pinchin his Meritorious price of mans Redemption cleared A strology Theologized shewing what nature and influence the Starres and Planets have over men and how the same may be diverted and avoided Wells his Souls Progress Christ tempted the Devils Conquered Being a plain Exposition on the fourth Chapter of Sr Mathews Gospel By John Gumbledon Minister of the Gospel The Saints Society Dr Stoughtous thirteen choice Sermons with his Body of Divinity The Reasons of the diffenting Brethren concerning the Presbyterian Government together with the answer of the Assembly of Divines Camdens Remains The Harmonious Consent and Confession of Faith of all the Protestant Reformed Churches in Christendome The discription of the Universall Quadrant by which is perform'd with great Expedition the whole Doctrine of Triangles both plain and Sphericall Also the Resolution of such Propositions as are most usefull in stronomy Navigation and Dialling By which is performed the proportioning of Lines for measuring of all manner of Land Board Glass Timber Stone c. by Tho. Stirrup Mathemat Large Octavo Florus Anglicus with the lively Effigies of all the Kings and Queens since the Conquest cut in Brass The Reconciler of the Bible wherein above two thousand seeming Contradictions are fully and plainly Reconciled Evidences for Heaven containing infallible Signs and real Demonstrations for assurance of Salvation published by Edm. Calamy Minister of Aldermanbury Lond. The Life and Reign of King Charles from his Birth to his Death By Lambert Wood. The Night-Search the second part By H. Mill. A view of the Jewish Religion with their Rites Customes and Ceremonies Usefull Instructions for these Evil times held forth in 22. Sermons by Nicholas Lockyer Provost of Eaton Colledge The Nullity of Church-Censures or Excommunication not of Divine Institution but a meer humane Invention Written by the famous Tho. Erastus and never before Englished Small Octavo Ed Waterhouse Esq His Discourse of Piety and Charity Panacca or the Universall Medicine being a Discourse of the Admitable Nature and Virtues of Tobacco By Dr. Everard and Others A view and Defence of the Reformation of the Church of England very usefull in these times Daphnis and Chloe A most sweet and pastorall Romance for young Ladies by Geo. Thornhill Gent. Mr. Pet. du Moulin his Antidote against Popery published on purpose to prevent the Delusions of the ●riests and Jesuites who are now very busie amongst us Herberts Devotions or a Companion for a Christian containing Meditations and prayers usefull upon all occasions Ovid de Ponto in English The spirituall Seaman or the Matriners Companion being a Compendium of the Principles of Religion by Jo. Durant formerly in the Navy now at Christ-Church in Cant. The Loves of Clerio and Lozio a Romance Mr. Knowles his Rudiment of the Hebrew Tongue A Book of Scheams or Figures of Heaven ready set for every four Minutes of times and very usefull for all Astrologers Florus Anglicus or an exact History of England from the Reign of William the Conquerour to the death of the Late King Lingua or the Combate of the Tongue and five Senses for Superiority a serious Comedy Venus Cabinet unlockt and her Secrets laid open The Spirits Touchstone being a clear discovery how a man may certainly know whether he be truly taught by the Spirit of God or not The poor mans Physician and Chyrurgion Physicall Rarities containing the most choice Receipts in Physick and Chyrurgery for the cure of all Diseases Incident to mans body By R Williams To which is added the physical Mathematicks By Hermes Tres Magistus The Idol of Clowns or the Relation of Wat Tiler's Rebellion Historicall Collections or Ecclesiastick affaires in Scotland including the murther of the Cardinall of St. Andrews and the beheading of their Queen Mary in England by R. Watson The Christian Moderator in 3 parts The Golden Fleece or a Discourse of the cloathing of England Dr. Sibbs his Divine Meditations Vigerius Preceptes of Idiotismes Grotij Poemata Three Books of Mr. Mathews Minister at Swansey in Southwales 1 The Messiah Magnified by the mouthes of Babes in America or Gaius and Gamaliel a helpfull Father and his hopeful Son discoursing of the three most considerable points 1. The great want of Christ 2. The great worth that is in Christ 3. The good way that is chalkt out by Christ 2. The New Congregationall Church prov'd to be the old Christian Church by Scripture Reason and History 3. The Rending Church-member Regularly cal'd back to Christ and his Church A physical Dictionary or an Interpretation of all the tearms of Art and markes used in Physick Anatomy Chirurgery and Chymistry Duodecim A Collection of Proverbs English French Dutch Italian and Spanish all Englished and Alphabetically Digested by N. R. Gent. Doctor Smith's practice of physick The Grammar War Possellius Apothegmes Fasciculus Florum Crashaw's Visions The Juniper Lecture Helvicus Colloquies The Christian Souldier his Combate with the three arch-enemies of man-kind the world the flesh and the devil Hensius de Crepundiis The History of Russia or the Government of the Emperour of Muscovia with the manner and fashions of the people of that Countrey Drexeliu's school of Patience Drexelius his right Intention of every ones Action Viginti Quat The New Testament The third part of the Bible Sir Richard Baker's Med. and Prayers for every day of the Week Playes The Ball. Chawbut Conspiracy Obstinate Lady The London Chanticlers a Comedy full of various and delightfull Mirth never before published BE pleased to take notice that there is now in the Presse Eighteen Books of the Secrets of Art and Nature Collected out of the choicest Authors both Antient and Modern first designed by John VVecker Dr of Physick and now much enlarged by Dr R. Read The like never before in the English Tongue

your Servant CHR. TO THE READER BE pleased to be informed that the defences of these Theses against Mr. Beza and others are likewise translated and if thou desire shall be Printed In both which if thou find not all Answered that can be said against them or hath been said by Mr. Beza Mr. Catherwoods in his Altare Damacenum Mr. Gilespy in his Aarons Rod Blossoming or by the Divines of London in their Jus Divinum never believe me to have reason if thou wilt be at the pains to conferre their Reasons and Answers with what is by our Author A●swered and urged The Life is somewhat Scholastick and Laconick Nevertheless to know the force of his Reasons is well worth the time that shall so be employed I chused rather to be a Pedant in adhereing to the Authors words and Construction then to be too busie in anothers Labour Pardon the Errors of the Presse in this Edition for both my Amanuensis and the Corrector are Presbyterians the next Edition shall make an amendment of these faults which now we desire thee to amend c. To the Reader that is pious and desirous of Truth THOMAS ERASTUS Physician wisheth all health and Happiness LEast any that shall fall on these my Writings should wonder what causes induced yea fully moved me to enter this Dispute concerning Excommunication I will briefly and truly relate the originall and occasion of the commencement thereof It is about sixteen years ago since some men were seased on by a certain Excommunicatory-feaver which they did adorn with the title of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and did contend that it was holy and commanded of God to the Church and which they earnestly did desire should be imposed on the whole Church They affirmed the manner thereof to be this That some certain Presbyters should sit in the name of the whole Church and should judg who were worthy or unworthy to come unto the Lords Supper I wondred that then they consulted about these matters when neither we had men to be Excommunicates nor fit Excommunicators for scarcely the thirtieth part of the people did understand or approve the Reformed Religion all the rest were our violent enemies so that any man that was indewed with the least understanding could not but foresee that there would follow on this necessarily a dangerous schisme of the multitude Therefore at that time it seemed to me not good to inquire how any might be throwne out of the society of the Church But on the contrary I rather judged that we should use means to induce most to the knowledg of the truth and to infold them into the Church And they that were to be Overseers herein did neither in age and experience nor in wit and judgment no nor in carriage and authority so farre excell the rest that they should be esteemed able to discharge these matters worthily Wherefore when I did see this business which they so violently desired could not go forward without the loss and overturning of the Church I oft requested them that they should ponder the matter accurately and that they should not rashly begin any thing which afterwards they should repent but in vain For although at that time my opinion was that Excommunication was commanded in the holy Scriptures yet notwithstanding I found not the manner thereof which they proposed to us to be commanded there Wherefore seeing it seem'd that Christ had left the manner thereof free to our own choice I also did seriously consider of the way and manner which would most fit our matters and draw least trouble with it In which I used so much more diligence as I had observed it to be more destructive to Christianity not only in former times but now also Whilest I was in these thoughts and did inquire what the Antients had written concerning these matters and that I found all things weaker in them then I had perswaded my self I was compelled a little to doubt of the whole business presently after that I consulted the Schoolmen but found nothing better amongst them From them I betook my self to the Modern Writers But even amongst these men I found nothing more exact or solid yea I perceived that in some things they manifestly disagreed amongst themselves which made me a great deal more attentive Therefore leaving the Interpreters I returned to the holy Scriptures and in my reading I diligently noted according to my understanding what was consonant or dissonant to the received opinion In which the confideration of the Jewish Republick and Church did not a little help me For I thought thus with my self The Lord himself doth testifie Deut. 4. that his people hath Statutes and Laws so just and wise that the Institutes of no people that the Sanctions of no Republick that no Ordinances howsoever wisely constitute were able to compare with them Therefore it is necessary that that Church is most worthily and wisely ordered which cometh nearest to the constitution of the Jewish Church But in this the matters were so ordered by God that we find not any where two divers Judicatories concerning manners the one Politick and the other Ecclesiastick What then hindreth that the Church now also on whom the most mercifull God hath bestowed a Christian Magistrate should be less content with one Government After this I did conferre about my thoughts with good holy and Learned men and I did exhort them that they should not lightly ponder the Cause For it seemed to me most unnecessary to put two heads upon one body of a visible Church whose commands decrees and Government were already divers so that the rule of the one was not subject to the care of the other but the Government of each in its own kind was supream Indeed they would have had their Ecclesiasticall Senate or Presbytery so constitute that it should have the supream power of punishing of vices yea in the Magistrates themselves notwithstanding not with corporall punishments but with the debarring them from the Sacrament first privately then mixt if it did not succeed well then solemnly and publikely But I said I did beleeve that one Magistrate appointed by God could as well now bridle all transgressors as he could of old I did propose for example to my self the most famous Kingdom of Solomon which was as it were a type of Christs Church reigning on this earth And that we did not find either under Moses or under the Judges or Kings or under the Government of these that were called Rulers such two discrepant Judicators Nature denies saith Musculus two authentick Governments in the same people whereof one is not to be subject to the other I was not a little helped by those with whom I conferr'd partly because they observ'd some things better then I could partly because they gave me occasion to think of certain other things more exactly In the mean time I kept my self quiet neither did I reason with any man except he provoked me in this matter and being

understand Christs words any otherwise as is manifest by Peters Interogation on whom he asketh Is it enough that if my Brother sin against me seaven times I forgive him seaven times Peter was not ignorant that he neither should nor could of himself alone remit those sins which belong to the Church and divers others Thirdly The word to the proveth this Christ saith not let him be to us let him be to the Church let him be to others but let him be to thee alone which hath suffered or doth suffer an injury by him as a Publican Albeit chief speaketh to all the Apostles alike nevertheless he commandeth that the offender should be esteemed as a Publican to him only that was hurt by him and that after the admonition of the Church therefore he speaketh not of these things which belong to the whole Church or to many others but of these things which belong to every single man Fourthly He speaks of such sins as we ought so oft to forgive our Brethren for as oft as they say they repent of them and that this transaction or remission done betwixt two only shall be the end of all strife is clearly held forth in these words Again I say unto you if two of you agree together c. Ver. 19. but a great offence which belongs to more or to the whole Church cannot be forgiven by one alone By the way ye are to take notice here that the Adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 again doth declare that he said the same now just before albeit he used other words Fifthly Christ speaketh of such sins whereof they are not ashamed that have committed them or which they will not deny before any man if he speak of other grievous sins and of such as belong to the Church and many other witnesses should have no place For no man would confess that before witnesses that he remitted such an act if it were done privately But in all those things of which is spoken here there is degrees set down by Christ to be kept wherefore he speaketh of private injuries belonging not at all to others Sixtly He speaketh of such which the Church of which Christ speaketh here doth not punish but sendeth away the Offendor chastis'd only with words For in vain should he say if he will not hear the Church for indeed it could punish sins with publick punishment Seaventhly The Parable that immediately follows doth prove the same clearly which doth teach that God would not forgive them their sins that would not forgive from their heart their penitent Brothers without pain or punishment but the Church should not so as they say forgive the Offenders but should keep them at least for a time from the Sacraments untill they should approve their penitence to Presbyters chosen for this purpose Therefore he would have them forgiven seaven times a day that say they repent but would see Arguments of their Repentance of which Christ speaketh not one word here for he will have no other Argument then a confession of their fault which he that doth not dissemble it will not return seaven times a day It is then clearly demonstrate by these reasons that Christ doth not discourse here of these sins that are to be punished by Excommunication but of light and private injuries and of the meanes to compose them therefore it doth not belong to the business of Excommunication If the conclusion only used by Christ in the end of the Chapter be looked unto all cause of doubting will be removed XLIII Those that are of oppinion that Christ in this place and Chapter did institute Excommunication must be compelled to shew in what words this command is comprehended If they cannot demonstrate it to be contain'd there and it is in vain for them to say it is commanded here Therefore it s either in these words tell the Church or in these let him be to thee as a Publican or in these whatsomever you shall bind c. But that not any of these contain any such thing I will prove what solid Arguments therefore seeing it cannot be sought in any other words it is in vain sought after in this Chapter XLIV The words of Christ tell the Church prove only this that he that is injur'd by his Brother and hath indeavoured in vain to be reconciled to him may complaine of the injury to the Church or to the moderator of the Church Moreover that the Church hath right and power to reprove and admonish an injurious man that he may cease to be sick There is no more power here given to the Church then was given before to the witnesses if they only except this that the case was not to be brought before the Church without witnesses Would not this then be a foolish way of reasoning the Church hath power to reprove him that doth injury to others therefore it hath power to Excommunicate him and keep him back from the Sacraments But indeed some will say the Church hath no power to punish Offenders with corporall punishments or with the Sword therefore it is compel'd to punish them by forbidding them the Sacraments I answer That this connexion doth not follow albeit the Antecedent were true but that it is false being taken of the visible Church is clearly demonstrate to our eyes and senses by all the Old Testament and the History of all ages neither can it ever be proved that these should rightly cohere togegether it cannot punish by the Sword therefore it must debarre from the common Sacraments them that profess the same Religion XLV If he that is of another judgment shall answer that it is contained in those words let him be unto thee as a Publican and a Heathen I answer it is false for by no speech by no perswasion by no Arguments can it ever be demonstrate that this speech of Christ let him be to thee as an Heathen and a Publican is the same with this let them excommunicate let them be shut out from the Sacraments For in Christs time circumcss'd Publicans whither they were Jews or Gentiles were not kept back from the Sacrafices Temple Ceremonies and Sacraments Truly it seems that Christ therefore joyned a Publican with a Heretick lest any should judg that the interdiction of the Sacramehts were commanded here How could he according to the Law be kept from the Temple and divine worship seeing it was not a sin to be a collector of the publick revenues Neither is it in any place found to be forbidden by God and truly Christ hath not forbid it When the Publicans demand of John what was needfull for them to do that they might be saved he doth not bid them that they should forsake their office but he exhorteth them that they should not exact more then was imposed Luke 3. Christ likewise doth not bid Zacheus the chief of the Publicans to forsake this Office Neither doth he reprehend him for it Luke 19. Neither do we read of him who

the same as we may easily perceive by History and may gather by a sure conjecture from the 18. of the Acts. LI. Neither is it repugnant to what hath been said that some of the Jews said to Albinus that it was not lawfull to the chief high Priest to convocate the Synedrium without his permission as Josephus relates it in the 20. Book of his Antiquities for he only relates what some men did do but doth not praise the deed Moreover he ought not in the time of a inter-regnum to wit when Festus was now dead and Albinus was but yet on his journey to gather together a Judicatory to do a business of so great moment before the new president had confirmed to him that power for he procurd the Brother of our Lord James which was commonly cald Just to be put to death which seeing he was deare to many did take it very hardly for he was new recreated the high Priest and had not as yet been confirmd by the Romans Eusebius's 2. Book and 23. Chapter of his Ecclesiastick History sheweth that he greedily gripped this occasion of the inter-regnum but what is that to our purpose was therefore Archelaus named King in his Father Herods Testament and that by permission of Caesar not King because he would not admit the name of a King and exerce the Kingly power before he was confirmed by Caesar is the Magistracy of any Town which hath a Prince as there are many such in Germane therefore no true unlawfull Magistracy because the Prince being dead they are compeld to require a confirmation of their priviledges from his successor Now that the high Priest had power to convocate the Judges of the Synedrium the confirmation he had received formerly is clear from this that they did not say to Albinus that this was not simply lawfull for him but only that he ought not to do this without Albinus's knowledg LII Now it is solidly demonstrate that dic ecclesiae tell it to the Church doth signifie no other thing then tell it to the Magistrate of thy people or that is of that same Religion with thee before thou go to Law with thy Brother before a prophane Magistrate as the Apostle Paul 1 Cor. 6. excellently expoundeth it where he commandeth them for this cause to chose men of their own order to be Arbitrators But who doubteth that this can have no place where God bestoweth on us a godly Magistrate indeed Augustin in his second Book of faith and works clearly enough declared that he believed that excommunication should supply the place of the visible sword at that time when the Church wanted it For the fact of Moses in punishing transgressors with the sword and as Phineas killing the adulterers did prefigurate the punishing of the evill by degradation and excommunication to wit at that time when the sword was to cease in the visible Church I remember that some of the late Writers do affirme that the Jews therefore did observe this custome of excommunication which I have proved to be false with unanswerable Arguments and Testimonies because the Sword was taken from them But if this were true it would follow that it should have no place in the Christian Church which keepeth the power of the Sword Even as we are not necessitate now to appoint other Judges and Arbitrators to our selves beside the lawfull Magistrate Therefore it is most certain that the word Church in Matthew signifieth nothing less then an Ecclesiastick Senate which should have power to debarre from the Sacraments LIII There are two things that might be objected to us First How one cannot hear the Church if it be the Magistrate and hath the power of the Sword Next How those things that are spoken of binding and loosing can be fitted to this cause To the first we answered before That the Jews had not power to judg of all matters whatsoever but that all controversies almost which did not concerne Religion belong to the Roman Judicatory If then in those things any man would neglect the authority of the Synedrium Christ giveth him that is hurt leave to persue his right before the Gentiles as if he were to dispute with a Gentile or Publican Add this That many causes do occurre which the Law inparticular doth not punish or doth not forbidunder a certain punishment at which time it easily happeneth that the guilty is sent only away with a rebuke But if yet he doth not leave off to be injurious he that is offended by him may be instant with the Church or Magistrate that he may be punished for his Petulancy Albeit this answer also is true neverthelesse the first answer seemeth unto me to be most agreeable to the appointment of Christ to the times places and other circumstances LIV. The answer to the other reason is also easie for seeing the same manner of speaking here and the same words almost hereafter repeated which Christ used in the 16. of Matthew it is altogether necessary that if they signifie not the same thing yet that they should signifie something like it but to bind and to loose 16. Matth. signifieth no other thing then to preach the Evangel by which every one that doth believe shall be freed from sin and death Wherefore it signifieth no other thing here then to intreat his Brother that he would desist from injuries and rather follow godliness therefore because this is acceptable to God and he will punish those that do contrary to his Commandments he that after this manner doth dehort his Brother from doing injuries by shewing to him both the will and wrath of God he if he perswade him hath gaind him that is hath loos'd him if he hath not perswaded him the wrath of God remains on him as it remains or not remains upon him that believes and not believes the Evangel when he heareth it Preached But that we may be ready and easie to forgive the penitent Christ hath gone about to perswade us with what that elegant Parable by which the scope of his purpose in this place is easily discerned LV. I wonder above measure how in this present place some interpret to bind and to loose by keeping back and admitting men to the Sacraments seeing in the whole Bible there is not a place where those words are put for this matter neither did ever the Apostles shew by any word or sign that they so understood the words of Christ Christs command is extant that they should go out from them who would not receive the Gospell But first should shake off the dust of their feet Matthew and Luke 10. which we know to have been done Acts 13. and 18. but that they should deny the Sacraments to them who believe in the word or Baptized in Christ and embrace his Religion and Doctrine because their life is not answerable to the Doctrine we find it in no place either commanded unto them or done by them But here it will suffice to