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A52993 Palæmon, or, The grand reconciler composing the great difference and disputes about church-government and discovering the primitive government of churches, built upon the Word of God, and the practice of the apostles / compiled by one who labours for the peace of the church. T. N. 1646 (1646) Wing N77; ESTC R30734 20,310 32

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their Quarters SECT I. TO illustrate the truth of these foure Positions and withall to prove that the Churches were at first governed by Bishops and Presbyters he begins with the first Church the Church of Jerusalem Mother of all Churches from whence the sound of the Gospel went out into all the world This Church was under the charge of Iames the sonne of Alpheus one of the Apostles and his Presbyters No doubt by the consent and appointment of the other Apostles providing for the Church there before their departure into other coa●●s This is comirmed too by Ignatius Clem. Alexandrinus This appeares by many pregnant passages of the Scriptures as Galar 1.18 Gal. 2.9 Act. 15.1 13 19. Gal. 2.12 All these places prove that Saint Iames had the charge of that Church as being the chiefe of that first Councel held there of which we reade Acts 15. and * And when James Peter and John c. nominated by S. Paul in that fore-named Epistle to the Gal. 2.9 before the rest of the Apostles some of whose names wee finde there recorded To denote his preheminencie and precedencie in that place And that he had Presbyters for his Assistants appeares by the second verse of the fore-cited Chapter of the Acts. ch 21. v. 19. where we find that S. Paul at his last comming to Jerusalem Acts 15. went in to Iames where all the Elders were present to advise with him that had the care of that Church about the great businesse then in hand how to behave himselfe towards those of the Circumcision who beleeved Of the Colledge of Presbyters at Jerusalem and of their concurrence and assistance with S. Iames in the Government of that Church we have two unreprovable Arguments in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 11.30 Act. 15.4 6 22 23. SECT II. THis pattern thus setled in Jerusalem the Apostles followed in other Churches which they converted to the Faith by preaching to them the Word of Life These Churches were first founded in Cities as appears by * Tert. lib. de Praescrip c. 20. Ac proinde Ecclesias apud unainquamque civitatem condiderunt Tertullian which is most worthy our observation For because they could not bestow their paines equally in all places reason required they should labour most to plant the faith of Christ in the most populous From whence it was propagated through the Townes and Countryes which were adjacent to those Cities which therefore in time became and were called the Territories Parishes or Dioceses of such or such Churches Now the form of Government estated by S. Paul over these Churches is pointed out to us Act. 14.23 where we reade that Paul and Barnabas ordained them Presbyters in every * Viz. in Lystra and Derbe Cities of Lyconia and in Iconium Church i. e. Colledges Bodies or Companies of Presbyters to order with common advice and joynt consent the Churches planted by them in severall Cities This appeares too by the 20. of Act. 17. where we find that there was a Bench of Elders at Ephesus for which Paul sent to Miletus Philip 1. Thus in the Church of Philippi you shall find that the Apostle directed his Epistle to the Bishops and Deacons there which must be to the Colledge of Presbyters next above the Order of Deacons So when the Apostle writeth to the Thestalonians 1 Thes 12. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord The multitude whereof he speaketh is to be understood like wise of the body or company of the Presbyters And in all Church Writers you shall find continuall remembrance of these Presbyters whensoever there is speech of Mother Churches in Mother Cities Now the Presbyters being styled in the holy Scriptures by the name of Bishops Quest a Question will arise from hence Whether the Apostles from the beginning ordained Bishops over the Presbyters Wee must needs answer Negatively Resp And the truth of this will appeare out of Act. 20.17 where the Apostle using these words to the Presbyters of Ephesus Take heed to your selves and to the whole flocke over whom the holy Ghost hath made you EPISCOPOS Bishops or Overseers Where as he giveth the name of Bishops to the Bresbyters so he addresseth his instructions to none befides From whence we may probably infer That at that time there were no Bishops If there had been any S. Paul would have mentioned them with respect to the eminencie of their office So we finde none at Philippi Phil. 1.6 as is evident by the Epigraph or Inscription of that Epistle to the Philippians None in the Church of Corinth as is collected by S. Ambrose and others from the many and great disorders which the Apostle sharply taxeth 1 Cor. 11.21 All which happened Vide Tert. de Praeserip c 36. where he calls the fore-named Churches Apostoloram Cathedras By which it appears that the Apostles sate there as chiefe because there was no Bishop to compose the differences of that Church in the Apostles absence It seemes then that the Apostle himselfe had taken the chiefe charge and oversight of those Churches wherein he had planted bodies of Presbyters This appears by that place in the 2 Cor. 11.28 Besides those things which are without that which commeth upon me daily the care of all the Churches See Acts 15 36. 1 Cor. 5.4 where he proceedeth in the sentence of Excommunication against the incestuous person and requireth of the church i.e. the Presbyter to see it satisfied And the whole frame of his Epistles containes the Acts of his Spirituall Government which he reserved to himself in chiefe over the Churches which he himselfe had planted The like may be asserted of Saint Peter in respect of those Churches committed to his charge Vid. 1 Pet. 5.1 where he directeth his exhortation of feeding the flocke to none but Presbyters which St. Hierome long since has maintained out of the 13. to the Hebrewes 17. where the Apostle writeth in the plurall number Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves c. SECT III THings being thus setled when the Apostles by reason of that multitude of busines had not leisure to attend in person upon the Churches which they had planted they appointed certaine Heads or Superintendents over the company of Presbyters which Heads ever since have retained the name of Bishop Thus were Timothy and Titus made Bishops over the Churches of Crete and Asia Whose Mother Church was Ephesus when it was revealed to the Apostle S. Paul that from thenceforth he was to make the Westerne parts of the world his Diocesse vid. Act. 19.21 And it was at Ephesus where S. Paul thus bespake the Elders Act. 20.25 And now behold I know that all you among whom I have gone preaching the Kingdome of God shall see my face no more And knowing by revelation that hee was to serve God no more in those Easterne