Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	church_n	way_n	2,608	5	4.6000	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09441	The churches plea for her right, or, A reply to an answer made of Mr. Iohn Paget against William Best and others wherein the maine points of our present differences are handled and the principall causes of our troubles declared / published by William Best.	Best, William, fl. 1635.; Paget, John, d. 1640. Answer to the unjust complaints of William Best.	1635 (1635)	STC 1973.5; ESTC S151	93,797	110

effect the very same speach so Mr. Cartwright * Repl. to Whitg l. 1. p. 25. 26. and B. Bilson * Perpet Gouvernm pag. 3. Eccl. Polit. l. 4. p. 148. likewise Hooker gives a reason for it namely because the first state of things was best c. and therefore it must needs follow that customes Lawes and Ordinances dev●sed since are not so good for the Church of Christ but the best way is to cut off later inventions and to reduce things unto the ancient state wherein at the first they were And this agrees with Tertullians * Cont. Mar. l. 4. c. 5. saying of old That is truest which is first that is first which is from the beginning that is from the beginning which is from the Apostles ARGVMENT II. If Christ in Mat. 18.17 where hee saith Tell the Church doth meane a particular Congregation Then hath every particular Congregation an intyre power in and of it self to exercise Ecclesiasticall gouvernment and all other Gods spirituall ordinances But the first is true Therefore the second The proposition is cleare and certain maintained by the most judicious Divines viz. Vrsinus a Explica p. 2. p. 534. Zwinglius b Explan Act. 8. D. Andrewes c Tort. tort pag. 42. Chemnitius d In Mat. 18.17 Aretius e Idem Pelargius f Idem Hunnius g Idem Vatablus h Idem Munster i Idem Beza k De Eccl. l. 1. ca. 13. Erasmus l Paraph. in Mat. 18. D. Whitaker m De Rom. Pont. cont 4. Q 1. p 86 Cartwrith n Confut. Rhem. in Mat. 18. D. Fulke o Idem Parker p Polit. Eccl. l. 3. p. 79. and others The Assumption is prooved thus That Church which Christ intendeth in Mat. 18. hath absolute power in and of it selfe to performe all Gods ordinances but Christ intendeth in Mat. 18. a particular Congregation Therefore everie particular Congregation hath absolute power in and of it self to performe all Gods Ordinances Moreover let it be observed that this Church in Mat. 18. is given as a plat-forme or example unto all Churches to walke by As Moyses was to make the Arke in every respect proportionable unto the patterne which hee saw in the Mount even so c. ARGVMENT III. Whatsoever was commaunded to the 7 Churches to be practised by each of them apart in and for themselves that no Church of God must now omit But Ecclesiasticall gouvernment was commaunded to the 7 Churches to be practised by each of them apart in and for themselves Therefore no Churches of God must omit the practise of Ecclesiasticall gouvernment apart in and for themselves The proposition cannot be doubted off For as Chytraeus a In Rev. c. 1. p. 29. 54. Artopeus b In cap. 1. p. 11. Bullinger c In Rev. 2. Hom. 8. Brightman d In Rev. 1.2 3. ch and others write All Churches from these ought to learne what gouvernment to exercise what doctrines to teach what persons to excommunicate who to receive and to comfort and the like The assumption is prooved clearely in chap. 2. ver 2.14.20 c. Moreover Mr. Perkins * Expos upon ch 2. v. 20. ch 3. v. 7. speaking of those Churches sayth God gave to every of them power and authoritie to preach the Word administer the Sacraments represse evill men decerne false Prophets to exclude all obstinate sinners from all spirituall priviledges among them ARGVMENT IV. If the Church of Corinth had power and authoritie within her self to exercise Ecclesiasticall gouvernment Yea and did it I meane the Ministerie and the rest of the Church there Then ought not particular Congregations now to stand under any other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves But the first is true Therefore the second The first part is unquestionably certain and of this judgement was D. Willet a Cont. 9. Cent. 1. D. Fulke b Answ to the Rhem. 1. Cor. 5.4 Zanehy c In praecep 4. c. 19. p. 688 Bucer d De Regn. Chr. l. 1. c. 9 Piscator e In 1. Cor. 5. Obser 1. D. Andrewes f Tort. tor pag. 42. Pet. Martyr g 1. Cor. 5. Polanus h Synt. Theo. l. 7. c. 19. D. Feild i Of the Church l. 1. c. 5. Paraeus k In 1. Co 5 de Eccom Zwinglius l Epichir de Can. Missae ad Valent comp and others Againe whereas the Papists and Hierarchy doe say much after Mr. Pagets new doctrine that the Church of Corinth had not sole and alone authoritie in it self to exercise Ecclesiasticall gouvernment our writers viz. Mr. Cartwright * Refutat Rhem. 1. Cor. 5.4 Mr. Parker * Pol. Eccl. l. 3. c. 4. p. 1. 7. 18. c. others doe soundly refute them and proove the contrary by many reasons The latter part is prooved before in the Minors of the 1. and 3 arguments ARGVMENT V. Such actions the Church may lawfullie doe wherein no Law of God is broken But there is no Law of God broken when particular Congregations doe in and among themselves exercise all Gods ordinances Therefore they may lawfully doe it The proofe of the proposition doth arise from the definition of sinne which as Augustine a Cont. Fau. l. 22. c. 27. Ambrose b Lib de Paridis c. 8 truely define it is either a deed or word or thought against some Divine Law Lombard c Lib. 2. 35. Aquinas d Th. 12. Qu. 71. and other Schoolemen as they are called agree hereto The assumption is manifested in our first Argument the first part of it ARGVMENT VI. If the Apostle gave commaundement unto the Eldership of Ephesus for the whole administration of all ordinances in that Church Then may the Eldership of every particular Congregation administer among themselves all Gods ordinances But the first is true Therefore the second The Major is prooved two wayes 1. By Scripture Act. 28. vers 17.28 2. By the testimony of the learned Whitaker * Rom. Pont. Cont. 4. Qu. 1. c. 1. p. 12 Cont. 2. Qu. 5. c. 6. pag. 281. 284. The Minor is undeniable For as Mr. Brightman ‡ On the Apoc. ch 12 pag. 505. sayth there was one forme of gouvernment in all Churches namely that that is delivered us in the acts of the Apostles and the rest of their writings There are extant at this present divers Treatises * See Park Pol. Eccl. l. 2 c. 40. p. 324.325 c. Defen of godly Min. agai Bridg. slaund p. 133.134 c. to proove that Christ hath instituted but one onely forme of Church gouvernment common to all Churches ordinary perpetuall and best Thus wee haue prooved the affirmative part of our assertion to wit that every particular Congregation hath power in and for it self immediatelie from Christ to exercise Ecclesiasticall Gouvernment and all other Religious

ordinances wee will now speake a little of the other part that is proove that particular Congregations doe not stand under any other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves viz. Classes and Synods ARGVMENT VII Such Offices and callings without which the Church of God is complete and perfect for Gonvernment are superfluous and humane But the Church of God may be complete and perfect for Gouvernment without Classicall and Synodicall Offices and callings Therefore these Offices and callings are superfluous and humane This argument the Protestants haue used against the Pope and the Reformists against Bishops Arch-Bishops Chancellours c. Now the same is every-way as firme and good against Synods Classes for without them the Church of God is fully brought to complete perfection and unity D. Fulke * Learn Disc Eccl. Gouv pag. 10.11 confidently affirmeth so much That which D. Whitaker * De Conc. Qu. 1. p. 22.23 writes of generall Councills is by Mr. Parker * Polit. Eccl. l. 3. p. 133. applyed and rightly unto particular Synods The Church of God sayth hee can well subsist without them for she was sometimes without them besides wee are not bound by any speciall commaundement of God to haue them ARGVMENT VIII Whatsoever Gouvernment cannot be found commaunded in the writen Word of God ought not to haue any place in the Church of God But the Gouvernment of Classes and Synods over many partioular Congregations cannot be found commaunded in the writen Word of God Therefore it ought not to haue any place in the house of God The first part is grounded upon these Scriptures Esa 8.20 Mat. 2.8 ult 1. Thess 5.21 Gal. 5.1 2. Tim. 1.13 Likewise this is the judgement of many learned men Athanasius * Epist in prae ad Orthod sayth The Ecclesiasticall Canons come from the Apostles Cyprian ‡ Diaco c. quae Athan. Apo. 2. inseritur sayth From the Scriptures doe spring and thither doe returne whatsoever the Ecclesiasticall Discipline doth require Iulius * Repleo D. Whitg l. 1. p. 25. sayth Not shew of eloquence but Apostolicall Canons are required Mr. Cartwright ‡ sayth Nothing should be placed in the Church but what God in his Word hath commaunded The like Theodoret a 1. Cor. 11. Ambrose b In 1. Co. 7 Ignatius c Epist 2. ad Smyrn Augustine d Epist. 119 Cyrill e In Ioh. 1. and others The second part is also as manifest for if wee once grant as all Learned haue granted that the Churches of the Apostolique constitution were independent bodies and exercised Ecclesiasticall gouvernment in and of themselves then it must follow that Classicall Assemblies c. haue their rise wholy from the pleasure and will of man ARGVMENT IX That Gouvernment which meerly tendeth unto the taking away from particular congregations their due power is unlawfull But the Gouvernment of Classes and Synods as they now are doth meerly tend unto the taking away from particular congregations their due power Therefore that Gouvernment is unlawfull The Major of this argument may easily be prooved by sundry places of Scriptures viz. 1. Thessal 4.6 3. Ioh. 9. Prov. 22.28 Deut. 19. ●4 Gal. 5.1 Also it is grounded upon the definition of justice which is as Tully a L. 3. Offic. Iustinian b Instit l. 1. tit 1. p. 2. and others say to give every one his owne And so much imports the word according to the Etymologie or precise signification of it both in Greeke c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 5. Ethic. c. 7. and Laten d Im à jure Funger Ety Triling p. 4050. The Minor is as manifest 1. by Mr. Pagets owne testimony in pag. 66. where hee confesseth that they haue concluded among themselves in their Synods that no particular Congregation without the leave and consent of the Classis shall proceed to the election of Ministers excommunication of offenders and the like As they have gone in this act farre bejond their calling for as Mr. Barlow * ‡ Expos on 2. Tim. 1. v. 13. doct 6 pag. 357. sayth No man under the degree of a Prophet or an Apostle may prescribe Gods Church and children patternes so by it is the whole power of Churches in a manner taken quite away For instance say the Classes and Synods will not permit that a Congregation shall reject some convicted Heretickes then they must if they will beleeve Mr. Paget let them alone in their communion against Gods expresse commaundement and so obey men rather then God Tit. 3.10 Againe put case some Churches doe want Ministers yet notwithstand if the Classes and Synods will not give them leave to chuse any except unfit and insufficient persons then it seemes by this Synodall Canon they must take such or remaine destitute still Againe this is cleare by their practise likewise for albeit they are no members of our Church notwithstanding they take authority over us and over our Eldership too yea in truth so much authority as any Lord can doe over his servant for so long as hee doth what his maister will haue him doe hee is left alone but if hee meddle with things against the others liking hee is immediately commaunded to cease and so must not proceed further Now what is our case otherwise so long as wee doe that which contenteth Mr. Paget and them wee are suffered otherwise though wee doe jointly conclude an action yet it must not stand for wee are told it doth not belong unto us * So saith Mr. Paget in his answ to a certain writing given in the Consist Mar. 12. 1632. and therefore must give it over So that in the words of the Prophet ‡ Ier. 4.13 See before pag. 16.17.18 wee may justly complaine Woe unto us wee are spoyled ARGVMENT X. It is a sinne against God to add any thing to that forme and manner of ordering Churches which Christ our heavenly Prophet hath set forth unto us in the New Testament To subject particular Congregations under any other Ecclesiasticall authoritie out of themselves is to add unto that forme manner of ordering Churches which c. Therefore it is a sinne to doe it The proposition cannot be excepted against for the Scriptures herein are evident Deut. 4.2 Iosh 1.7 Prov. 30.6 Gal. 3.15 Rev. 22.18.19 If it be a capitall crime to adulterate the Kings coyne How much more c. And of this judgement are many learned men viz. Augustine a L. 30. c. 18. cont Faust Basil b Moral c. 14. Chrisostome c In Agg. c. 1 Cyrill d In Levit. l. 9. Bede e In 1. Pet. 5 Cope f In Prov. 30.6 D. Abbots g Agai Hill pag. 15. Brentius h In Exod. 35. p. 168. Mr. Cartwright i In Prov. 30.6 Melancton k Vpon Col. 2 23. p. 381. Elton and others The Assumption cannot for shame be denyed onely because the weight of the

controversy leaneth upon it I will speake further of it in the next Section There are yet other reasons to proove our Assertion the which I will here lay downe more briefly 1. If every Eldership haue alike and equall power as Hierome a Ep. ad Ena Cyprian b L. de unit● Eccles Bucer c De B●g● Chr. l. 1. c. 15. and others affirme then may not the Officers of one Congregation seeke by authority to suppresse the acts and decrees concluded in another 2. It is against sence that a Minister should undertake the care of more Churches then one onely who reads in Scriptute of a steward over many families a sheepheard over divers Flockes c. Nature hath ordained sayth Aristotle * Lib. 1. c. 2 one unto one 3. Is it alike thing that the Classicall power should be of Gods approoving and yet hee never mention it in his word This argument the Hierarchy ‡ Iew. Defe Apol. 2. par c. 3. divis 5. use against Popish Offices and the Reformists * D. Laten Syons Plea p. 9. against theirs Now let the discreet Reader judge if it proove not the point in hands as well Here I may not omit Zwinglius * Zwingl Art 8. expl speach speaking of Synods Wee willingly beleeve sayth hee that you are a representative Church for a true Church you are not But I pray you shew us whence you fetch this name Who hath given you this name who hath given you power to make Canons impose things on mens shouldiers grieve their consciences c. And a little after hee sayth Of this representative Church I find nothing in the Holy Scriptures out of mens devises any may faigne what they list wee rest in the Holy Scripture against which thou mayst not attempt any thing if thou be a Christian. 4. Whosoever shall deny our afore-said assertion must of necessity hold two distinct formes of Church gouvernment to be lawfull one where particular Congregations doe in and of themselves exercise all Gods ordinances the other where they stand under another Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves Now to hold this is directly all one as to hold two wayes to heaven distinct and opposite in themselves which is very scandalous in Religion and that which cannot stand with truth 5. Let it be observed that for this reason among others the Learned ‡ D. Whita cont 4. qu. 4 Chamier l. 6. conject 2. say the Pope is Antichrist viz. because hee will haue men to appeale from their owne Churches unto him and to stand unto his sentence and decree And doe not the Classicall Assemblyes and Synods take upon them an authority much like to it in subjecting many Congregations to them requiring appeales to be made to them and that the Iudicatory as Mr. Pagets * In his Letter given into the Consistory phrase is belongeth to them as if their power were above all Churches 6. VVhat more meet and reasonable then that every mans case be there heard and determined where the fault was committed so sayth Cyprian * Cypr. lib. 1 Epist 3. It is not fit that they over whom the Holy Ghost hath made us overseers should goe too and fro Hee speaketh of carying matters away from their owne Church unto others * See pag. 35.36 7. Note the effect if it should be otherwise which is that every particular Congregation must hence necessarily loose her owne proper right in gouvernment and so of a Mistres become a servant in stead of being superiour wilfully vassall and enslave her self which thing is contrary to Gods will revealed in his word * Gal. 5.1 1. Co. 7.23 2. Ti. 1.13 Heb. 4.14 Revel 2.25 8. Seeing the Apostles wheresoever they constituted any Church with doctrine immediately established in it Ecclesiasticall gouvernment ‡ Park Pol. Eccl l. 1 20 for without this as D. Ames * De consc l. 4. c. 24. pag. 214. sayth there could have beene no conbling of the parts and members together It must needs follow that the Primitive Churches were independent bodies and stood not under any other Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves Now how Mr. Paget will be able to proove a change of this gouvernment I doe not yet see especially considering that the Learned as I shewed before * Pag. 72. doe hold that there is but one certaine necessary and perpetuall forme and manner of ordering Churches And this also is the judgement of Calvin a Calv. ad Sad. P. Martyr b In Rom. 3.21 D. Bilson c Perp. Gov. 338. c. yea the Confession of the Churches of France d Harm conf art 29 of the Low Countries e Harm art 30. and Scotland f Treat of the Discipl of that Church in a word to this the Papists g Sander visib Mon. l. 1. c. 6. ascent 9. By the titles given to all particular Congregations it appeares evidently that Ecclesiasticall authority is or at least ought to be in every one of them distinctly wholie intyrely viz. a Kingdome h Mat. 3.2 Family i Eph. 2.19 a Body k 1. Cor. 12.20 a Queene l Psal 45. c. For what more senceles then to say a Kingdome or family standing under another Politicall or Oeconomicall gouvernment out of themselves a body having all parts and members and yet may neither receive in nor put out without anothers leave and consent many such absurdities * See Park Pol. Eccl. 3. p. 23. 321.322 Iun. Eccl. l. 1. c. 4. D. Whitak cont 4. Qu. 1. p. 38. followeth Mr. Pagets lately-devised Tenets 10. The acts of the Apostolique Churches proove directly our assertion For it is without all contradiction that they elected their owne Ministers excommunicated offenders sent messengers and performed all other Church matters among themselves Lastly let it be observed that Mr. Paget in this accordeth with the Papists * Bellar. de Eccl. l. 5. c. 5 and Hierarchy * D. Downa D. Bridges others for they say as hee doth that particular Churches are not independent bodies but stand under another Ecclesiasticall authority out of themselves The which thing our writers deny and proove the contrary By this time I suppose the indifferent Reader perceiveth that the Scriptures are every way for us and against Mr. Paget in this controversy betwixt us Now hee should doe well seeing wee dispute about a matter of faith appertaining to life and salvation to rest in them as the onely touching for triall of all truth Notwithstanding considering hee makes so much a doe about the multitude of learned and Godly Ministers being of the same judgement and practise with him Pag. 73. according as Festus knowing Paul to haue appealed unto Caesar did reasonably resolve saying Vnto Caesar shalt thou goe so I am well contented to heare what reverend and judicious Authors doe say herein And if Mr. Paget will stand unto their