Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	time_n	2,197	5	3.8984	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52357	The true liberty & dominion of conscience vindicated, from the usurpations & abuses of opinion, and persuasion	Nalson, John, 1638?-1686.	1677 (1677)	Wing N117; ESTC R19982	50,790	152

Thou shalt not covet Lastly That Authority is lawful which by Choice and common Consent for their mutual benefit and advantage Men agree to and by lawful wayes stipulate and oblige themselves one or more to govern and rule and the rest to obey for this is founded upon the Law of Nature and Nations which teaches all People that Faith in solemn deliberate and lawful Contracts such as this is is most sacredly to be kept inviolated otherwise there could not be any Society Government Law or Living in the World And the Holy Writings confirm the same when they tell us our solemn Compacts and Contracts are to be observed though to our loss and detriment or else we must never expect to ascend the holy and heavenly hill Psal 15.4 except we be such as though we swear that is make a solemn lawful Contract though to our own prejudice in the event and yet nevertheless change not but stand firm to our promise and obligation Now all these several wayes of any Authorities becoming lawful so as to have a just Power and Dominion in making Laws for the determination of indifferent things which amongst many are most conducive to Gods glory and the Publick advantage of those under their Dominion both in Civil and Religious Affairs are most eminently to be found in the present Authority of these Nations First there is Divine Appointment and Ordination whether we respect Monarchy or Episcopacy And if we can prove there were Kings and Bishops in the World when St. Paul wirt his Epistles I think notwithstanding what many have said against it the Case will be clear Rom. 13.1 For saith he there is no Power but of God that is lawful Powers such as the then Roman Emperors who by succession became lawful for we cannot imagine he meant to countenance unlawful and usurping Powers and therefore he adds the Powers that be that is the present Roman Emperors and their subordinate Magistrates and Ministers are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive damnation Now that there were Kings when he writ is plain from that place where he commands That first of all Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giving of Thanks be made for all Men for Kings 1 Tim. 2.1 and all that are in Authority If St. Paul's Writings were a Rule for those Ages they are likewise a Rule for us and for all People to the Worlds end and then the Argument will hold good If Kings in St. Paul's time had a Divine Right to their Crowns they have so still or else what was Scripture then is not so now the danger of which consequence is so apparent that I cannot imagine there will be found any that will venture to own it The great question will be Whether there were Bishops then For if there were they likewise by the Apostles Rule were ordained of God or else they had no Power That there were Bishops it is plain for we have the Name very frequent in Scripture Christ himself from whom the rest so often mentioned derived their Office and Authority as before we took notice being called the great Bishop as well as Pastor of our Souls And that these Bishops had a Power and Authority in the Church and exercised the same office in the Government of the Church as the present Bishops do is no less evident and that in this very Point of determining indifferent things in Divine Worship Thus St. Paul takes upon him to order the Church of the Corinthians about the Celebration of the Lords Supper and after that done tells them If there were any other thing in difference or disorder the rest will I set in order when I come 1 Cor. 11.34 And that he did this by virtue of his Office and by a Power derived from Christ the first and great Bishop he tells them That he received of the Lord that which he delivered unto them Ver. 23. And wherever he is positive in giving any Rules or Directions of Government Decency or Order we may assure our selves he does it by virtue of this Power of his Office for otherwise he would tell us it is but his private Judgment or Persuasion which he would not impose upon Christians though he had a fair pretence so to do as appears by that place concerning Virginity and Marriag 2 Cor. 7.25 Now concerning Virgins I have no Commandment of the Lord yet I give my judgment as one that hath obtained mercy to be faithful But if any Person shall pretend he did this by virtue of his Apostolical Office which was an immediate Commission from the mouth of Christ at his miraculous Conversion to convince them that a Bishop who was no Apostle had the same Power and exercised the same Office there is nothing more plain than that place in his Epistle to Titus For this purpose left I thee in Crete Tit. 1.5 that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City in which place I think our English Translation has not rightly expressed the meaning of the Original Greek And this seems to be the proper sense of the words that St. Paul having been himself in Crete The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated Ordain signifies to constitute and appoint a person over a certain place and employment and set many things in order he left Titus there to place such Priests as he before had Ordained in the several Cities of that Island and put them into the Power and Office of Bishops which he had not done as may appear by the following description of a Bishop what manner of Man he ought to be and for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Translated Elders it signifies in all Antiquity the best Expositor of the Idiom of words Priests who were therefore so called because always chosen out of the ancientest Converts to Christianity and the longest standers in Religion and the Rule held good concerning Priests as well as Bishops that in their Elections they should not choose a Novice that is one lately converted lest wanting the ballast of age experience and discretion the height of so honorable an office should puff up such an one with pride and so he fall into the condemnation of the Devil And that Titus who was the first or chief Bishop in Crete as well in order of place as time 1 Tim. 3.6 and so had many inferior Bishops under him we have the Postscript or rather Superscription of the Epistle which for any thing can be proved to the contrary may be as ancient as the Epistle besides that he was the first Bishop in order of time we have the testimony of all Antiquity who never once doubted the truth of it So that Monarchy and Episcopacy being then Powers in the World and the Powers that then were being ordained of God it follows plainly that they have