Selected quad for the lemma: act_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	apostle_n	church_n	elder_n	5,779	5	10.2377	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79524	Catholike history, collected and gathered out of Scripture, councels, ancient Fathers, and modern authentick writers, both ecclesiastical and civil; for the satisfaction of such as doubt, and the confirmation of such as believe, the Reformed Church of England. Occasioned by a book written by Dr. Thomas Vane, intituled, The lost sheep returned home. / By Edward Chisenhale, Esquire.	Chisenhale, Edward, d. 1654.	1653 (1653)	Wing C3899; Thomason E1273_1; ESTC R210487	201,728	571

the turning out of the old ones in Hen. 8. and Q. Eliz. time and the temporall Authority prefering others in their roome The Civill Magistrate nominate Bishops within his Dominion I answer that of right it belongs to the Civil Magistrate to appoint Bishops within his own Territories and Dominions especially that in England it hath been an antient right and priviledge of the Magistracy nor is the Pope himself free from this right of the Civil Magistrate as I shall shew an none It doth not impugne any ecclesiasticall priviledge grounded upon Divine Authority to grant this to the Civil Magistrate For by this there is no intrusion upon the function the Bishops are not hereby deprived of their right of ordination for this doth not awarrant any to step into the Ministry unlesse he have Apostolicall mission according to Christs rule Mat. 28. and Saint Pauls declaration Rom. 10.15 By which Mission we understand the Imposition of Hands Imposition of Hands which is the outward signe of the invisible grace conferred in that holy Order and which is the means that Christ hath appointed outwardly for the conveighing of the holy Ghost and giving them Spiritual Grace 1 Tim. 4. and Acts 6. and it is according to Christs example Luke 24.50 Christ lifting up his hands blessed them and according to his precept he commanding Paul to go to Damascus and it should be told him what he should doe and accordingly he was warned in a Vision that Ananias should come unto him and ●ay his hands upon him and he should receive his sight Acts the 9. neither did he receive the holy Ghost before this ver 17. and this being the outward signe Christ hath appointed we ought not to admit any into the Ministry without it for by this they are devoted to us as true Shepherds coming in at the door and without it they should not excercise the Ministery thereby not assuring us they are no intruders for we are not to give credit to pretended Revelations to a Mission by a Vision or by dictates of any Spirit in regard Christ hath appointed this way and means for us to know to whom he hath in truth given his Spirit for as the outward means is nothing worth without the inward Grace neither ought we to be perswaded they have the inward grace without the outward means Christ having shewn the way how they must come into this holy Function if any enter not that way but climb in another way he is a thief Yet this doth not at all contradict the Civil Magistrates recommending any one to supply an empty See or other Benefice that being warranted by the example of the Apostles For Act. 6.3 when they considered that it was not meet to leave the Word of God to serve Tables The people elect Ministers they called the multitude and bade them look out amongst themselves seven men of honest report which they might appoint to the businesse and Acts 14.23 the Elders that is the Ministers of the Church were elected by the people and after ordained by Paul and Barnabas by which places it is evident that the election belonged to the Civil Power to the people where the Civil Magistracy is lodged in them to the Prince where he hath the Temporall Sword so that if we can shew jusgentis for this it is warrant enough which I purpose not onely to make clear for our selves in England but likewise that the Emperour hath right of Collation to the See of Rome Whilst the Emperours of Rome were Heathens The Pope appointed they had no regard to the Church either to endow it with Revenues or to take care who ruled or had the charge of the Ministry But as soon as Constantine received the Faith then not onely he but his Successors had especiall care towards the Rules thereof Constantine by an Edict confirming Silvester over the Church and his Successors after him he appointing who should succeed Silvester in the See neither was this unreasonable for it was fit that the Civil Magistrate should appoint who should succeed in that See because now they were to receive some certain benefit belonging to this See by the donation of the Magistrate and a thing so appropriated being part of his Temporall possessions as Lord Paramount within his own dominions and for which they become Homagers to their donor they not otherwise having any title to temporall possessions For as Ministers they are not to take care for the things of this world Mat. 7. and Christ denyed to medle with the temporal inheritance of the brethren and the Disciples were commanded not to carry scrip Luke 22. but having meat and drink to be therewith content 1 Tim. 6. Paul did not seek for gain Acts the 20 neither was he burthensome 2 Thes 3. yet notwithstanding though they ought not to be solicitous after these things they were to live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. and the labourer is worthy of his hire Mat. 10. and he that finds the Sheep must live of the Milk it is lawfull for them to require victum and vestitum and if through the bounty of any Prince under whom they reside they have any thing bestowed upon them which will amount over and besides this it ought to be bestowed in Hospitality For 1 Tim. 3. Episcopum oportet esse Hospitalem so that though they are not to seek for any thing more then meat or drink yet if any more be bestowed on them it is lawful for them to accept it provided it be bestowed upon Hospitality And in all Reason the founder of such overplus ought to have the nomination of the person that must distribute that revenue Nam cujus est dare ejus est disponere and for this reason have Princes right of Collation to Episcopall Sees and other ecclesiasticall places so endowed And for this reason the Emperours had right to Collation to the See of Rome as appears by Marsilius defensor pacis dict 2. cap. 21 c. as is manifest by what here ensues Boniface the third writ an Epistle to Honorius Infra 142.14 chap. 76 the 10 chapter that he would permit him to continue in his Seat at Rome he having been placed there before by division of the Empire and Honorius his coming to the West Anno 451. Leo Bishop of Rome writes a gratulatory Epistle to Marrian for his care to the Church in relation to his calling the Councell of Chalcedon by which peace was restored into the Church and as Boniface writ to Honorius so he entreats that by the favour of Marrian he might continue in his See by which it is evident that it belonged to the Emperour to appoint the Bishop of Rome And thus it did continue untill Anno 687. Constant Pogonot infra 141. 14 chap. that Benedict 2. obtained of Constantine the 4th that the Bishop of Rome should be created without the confirmation of the Emperour which continued not long in that state

more super-intendency over them as their Mother then Jerusalem from whence Paul was sent after he had the laying on of hands or Antioch from whence it is pretended Peter to have came may by the same rule challenge over her and hers a Jurisdiction as Mother to her and them And as in respect of extention of Doctrine she may not assume the name of Catholique so neither can she claim that Title to her self in respect of her Communion with the Primitive Churches as every point of this ensuing Discourse will evidently shew So that unless the Universality of Power and Jurisdiction she claims from Peter will support this her Title and Dignity she is altogether at a loss and must henceforth discontinue her claim to be the onely Catholique Church It rests therefore to examine That 1. It may not be called Catholique in respect of Peters having been there Rome not Catholique ●n respect of Peter being there no more then the Church of Antioch of which he certainly was Bishop The power of planting the Gospel was given in charge to all the Apostles Go and teach all Nations And as the Doctor hath it in his Introduction they going forth preached every where And in the Acts it is said That the Apostles sent out Peter and John unto Samaria hearing that they had received the Word who layd hands on them If then Peter was subject to their mission how comes he to give unto Rome any power above other Churches of Apostolical Plantation and by the same mission that Peter was sent out to Samaria are elswhere planted Peter was as wel to observe the directions of the rest of the Apostles as to prescribe any Rules to them or others It is true Christ said to Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church Saint Cyprian says Cypr. in Tract simp Praelat This was but to denote the Unity of the Church in that it was built upon one for the power of governing and instructing was alike given to all So that admit it was built upon Peter as the Doctor argues fol. 284. yet that gives nothing of superintendency to Rome for Christ after his Resurrection gave power alike to the rest the naming of him alone in that place was ut Ecclesia una monstretur not to take any power or honor from the rest For should it be granted that the Church was built upon Peter alone so that none else should plant or govern then it would follow that any Church planted by any other of the Apostles who received neither order nor power from Peter were not Apostolical or true Churches of Christ which S. Augustin de Doctrina Christiana lib. 2. cap. 8. plainly affirms to the contrary The Apo●tles Foundations of ●e Church We are built says S. Paul Ephes 2.20 upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief Corner-stone by which it appears that the rest of the Apostles were foundations as well as Peter and when there was a strife amongst them who should be greatest amongst them Mat. 20.26 sayes Christ Whosoever shall be greatest let him be your servant which is not to be understood that Christ did thereby reprove pride and haughtinesse only but was against superiority or preheminence amongst them It is true Christ was not against superiority utterly for he calls himself their Lord and Master John 13.10 and their head but this preheminence he did not delegate to any one amongst them for they were the foundations he the Corner-stone they the body he the Head they ministers he their Master they equall he their superior The Apostles power to plant the Gospell was equall The Apostles power equall and they dispersed themselves for the propagation of the Gospell not by any order received from Peter but by the Commission they received from Christ himself In the eighth chapter of the Acts it is said that Philip went towards the South and baptized the Eunuch the Queen of Ethiopia her chief Governour and to this day the Catholike Faith is professed in Ethiopia being there preached by the said Eunuch Nor doth the Pope exercise any jurisdiction there which he might as well as in any other Countries which received the Faith from some of the Apostles and not from the Bishop of Rome if Peter was chief Governour of the Church and he his successor Doth not the Scripture plainly affirm that the Holy Ghost came upon all Acts 2. and Gal. 2. James Peter and John gave Paul the right hand of fellowship When Christ instituted his Supper he said to them Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur hoc facite c. He gave to all a like power of administration And Joh. 20. As my Father sent me so send I you he speaks it to all the Disciples and not to Peter alone Nolite vocari Rabbi Mat. 23. unus enim magister est vester scilicet Jesus omnes autem vos fratres estis that is saith S. Austin you are all equall And S. Hierome in his Epistle to Evander Omnes Episcopi five Romae five alibie jusdem sacerdotii atque potestatis à Christo collationem habuerunt The Doctor cites Bellarmines argument that Christ is the invisible head but there must be a mysteriall and visible head to govern the whole and therefore when it is said 1 Cor. 12. that the head cannot say to the feet I have no need of you it must not be understood of Christ for he the eternall Word can say J have no need c. The Apostles are called skilfull master-builders 1 Cor. 3. Christ the Head of the Church but another foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ It cannot therefore be understood that Peter was the foundation and rock on which the Church was built Christ as he is head it is of the whole Catholike Church and therefore when Paul Ephes 1. calls him the head he brings in both men and Angells into the rank of members men ver 4. and Angells vers 21. But as touching the particular Churches upon earth they all are but as so many members of the head Christ Jesus and are built upon the Apostles as the Doctor confesses in his Introduction who as I said are called master-builders or the heads of those respective Churches but there was not one of them that was to bear rule over the rest Peter was primus in ordine not supremus in potestate you cannot have twelve without one but every one is as much one as another whether in respect of Power or Ordination as S. Cyprian de unitate Ecclesiae agrees some were ordained Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists for the work of the Ministery for the edification of the body of Christ and to every one of the Apostles was grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ by whom he ascended into heaven but those that were Apostles were aequales inte se and the