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	church_n	tradition_n	3,170	5	9.1818	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31414	Apostolici, or, The history of the lives, acts, death, and martyrdoms of those who were contemporary with, or immediately succeeded the apostles as also the most eminent of the primitive fathers for the first three hundred years : to which is added, a chronology of the three first ages of the church / by William Cave ...	Cave, William, 1637-1713.	1677 (1677)	Wing C1590; ESTC R13780	422,305	406

pleas represented with all the advantages with which Wit Reason and Eloquence could set them off XXVII NOR wanted there of old those who stood up to plead and defend his cause especially Pamphilus the Martyr and Eusebius who published an Apology in six Books in his behalf the first five whereof were written by Pamphilus with Eusebius his assistance while they were in prison the last finished and added by Eusebius after the others Martyrdom Besides which a Cod. CXVIII col 297. Photius tells us there were many other famous men in those times who wrote Apologies for him he gives us a particular account b Cod. CXVII col 293. of one though without a name where in five Books the Author endeavours to justifie Origen as sound and Orthodox and cites Dionysius Demetrius and Clemens all of Alexandria and several others to give in evidence for him The main of these Apologies are perished long ago otherwise probably Origen's cause might appear with a better face seeing we have now nothing but his notions dressed up and glossed by his professed enemies and many things ascribed to him which he never owned but were coined by his pretended followers For my own part I shall onely note from the Ancients some general remarques which may be pleaded in abatement of the rigour and severity of the sentence usually passed upon him And first many things were said and written by him not positively and dogmatically but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says the c Ibid. col 296. Author of his Apology in Photius by way of exercitation and this he himself was wont to plead at every turn and to beg the Readers pardon and profess that he propounded these things not as Doctrins but as disputable Problems and with a design to search and find out the truth as a Apolog. ap Hieron Tom. 4. p. 172. Pamphilus assures us and S. Hierom himself b Ad Avit p. 151. Tom. 2. cannot but confess and if we had the testimony of neither there is enough to this purpose in his Books still extant to put it beyond all just exception Thus discoursing concerning the union of the two natures in the person of our blessed Saviour he affirms c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. c. 6. p. 698. it to be a mystery which no created understanding can sufficiently explain concerning which says he not from any rashness of ours but onely as the order of Discourse requires we shall briefly speak rather what our Faith contains then what humane Reason is wont to assert producing rather our own conjectures then any plain and peremptory affirmations And to the same purpose he expresses himself at every turn Not to say that he wrote many things in the heat of disputation which it may be his cooler and more considering thoughts would have set right So the Apologist in Photius d Cod. CXVII col 296. pleads that whatever he said amiss in the doctrin of the Trinity proceeded meerly from a vehement opposition of Sabellius who confounded the number and difference of persons and whose Sect was one of the most prevailing Heresies of that time The confutation whereof made him attempt a greater difference and distinction in the persons then the rules of Faith did strictly allow Secondly those Books of his e Pamph. Apol. ubi supr p. 174 177. wherein he betrays the most unsound and unwarrantable notions were written privately and with no intention of being made public but as secrets communicable among friends and not as doctrines to disturb the Church And this he freely acknowledged in his Letter to Fabian f Ap. Hieron in Epist ad Pammach de err Orig. p. 193. 〈◊〉 Bishop of Rome and cast the blame upon his friend Ambrosius quod secretò edita in publicum protulerit that he had published those things which he meant should go no further then the brests or hands of his dearest friends And there is always allowed a greater freedom and latitude in debating things among friends the secrets whereof ought not to be divulged nor the Public made Judges of that innocent liberty which is taken within mens private walls Thirdly the disallowed opinions that he maintains are many of them such as were not the Catholic and determined Doctrins of the Church not defined by Synods nor disputed by Divines but either Philosophical or Speculations which had not been thought on before and which he himself at every turn cautiously distinguishes from those propositions which were entertained by the common and current consent and approbation of the Christian Church Sure I am he lays it down as a fundamental maxim in the very entrance upon that g Praef. ad lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 665. Book wherein his most dangerous assertions are contained that those Ecclesiastic Doctrins are to be preserved which had been successively delivered from the Apostles and were then received and that nothing was to be embraced for truth that any ways differed from the tradition of the Church XXVIII FOURTHLY Divers of Origen's works have been corrupted and interpolated by evil hands and Heretics to add a lustre and authority to their opinions by the veneration of so great a name have inserted their own assertions or altered his and made him speak their language An argument which however laughed at by S. Hierom a Ad ●ammath ubi supr is yet stifly maintained by Rufinus b Apol. pro Orig. apud Hier. Tom. 4. p. 194 195. c. Praef. ad lib. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ib. Tom. 2. p. 188. who shews this to have been an old and common art of Heretics and that they dealt thus with the writings of Clemens Romanus of Clemens and Dionysius of Alexandria of Athanasius Hilary Cyprian and many more Dionysius c Ap. Euseb H. Eccl. l. 4. c. 23. p. 145. the famous Bishop of Corinth who lived many years before Origen assures us he was served at this rate that at the request of the brethren he had written several Epistles but that the Apostles and Emissaries of the Devil had filled them with weeds and tares expunging some things and adding others The Apologist in Photius d Ubi supr tells us Origen himself complained of this in his life time and so indeed he does in his e Ap. Ruffin i● Tom. 4. p. 195. Letter to them of Alexandria where he smartly resents that charge of blasphemy had been ascribed to him and his doctrine of which he was never guilty and that it was less wonder if his doctrine was adulterated when the great S. Paul could not escape their hands he tells them of an eminent Heretic that having taken a Copy of a dispute which he had had with him did afterwards cut off and add what he pleas'd and change it into another thing carrying it about with him and glorying in it And when some friends in Palestin sent it to him then at Athens he returned them a true

Church This was done at his Baptism when the Holy Ghost in a visible shape descended upon him and God by an audible voice testified of him This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased Accordingly he set himself to declare the Counsels of God Going about all Galilee teaching in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom He particularly explained the Moral Law and restored it to its just authority and dominion over the minds of men redeeming it from those corrupt and perverse interpretations which the Masters of the Jewish Church had put upon it He next insinuated the abrogation of the Mosaic Oeconomy to which he was sent to put a period to enlarge the bounds of salvation and admit both Jew and Gentile to terms of mercy that he came as a Mediator between God and Man to reconcile the World to the favour of Heaven by his death and sufferings and to propound pardon of sin and eternal life to all that by an hearty belief a sincere repentance and an holy life were willing to embrace and entertain it This was the sum of the doctrin which he preached every where as opportunity and occasion led him and which he did not impose upon the World meerly upon the account of his own authority and power or beg a precarious entertainment of it he did not tell men they must believe him because he said he came from God and had his Warrant and Commission to instruct and reform the World but gave them the most satisfactory and convictive evidence by doing such miracles as were beyond all powers and contrivances either of Art or Nature whereby he unanswerably demonstrated that he was a Teacher come from God in that no man could do those miracles which he did except God were with him And because he himself was in a little time to return back to Heaven he ordained twelve whom he called Apostles as his immediate Delegates and Vicegerents to whom he deputed his authority and power furnished them with miraculous gifts and left them to carry on that excellent Religion which he himself had begun to whose assistance he joined LXX Disciples as ordinary coadjutors and companions to them Their Commission for the present was limited to Palestin and they sent out onely to seek and to save the lost sheep of the house of Israel III. HOW great the success of our Saviours Ministry was may be guessed from that complaint of the Pharisees John 12.19 Behold the World is gone after him people from all parts in such vast multitudes flocking after him that they gave him not time for necessary solitude and retirement Indeed he went about doing good preaching the word throughout all Judaea and healing all that were possessed of the Devil The seat of his ordinary abode was Galilee residing for the most part says one of the Ancients a ●●seb Demonstrat Evang. l. 9. p. 439. in Galilee of the Gentiles that he might there sow and reap the first fruits of the calling of the Gentiles We usually find him preaching at Nazareth at Cana at Corazin and Bethsaida and the Cities about the Sea of Tiberias but especially at Capernaum the Metropolis of the Province a place of great commerce and traffique He often visited Judaea and the parts about Jerusalem whither he was wont to go up at the Paschal solemnities and some of the greater festivals that so the general concourse of people at those times might minister the fitter opportunity to spread the net and to communicate and impart his doctrine to them Nor did he who was to be a common Saviour and came to break down the Partition-wall disdain to converse with the Samaritans so contemptible and hateful to the Jews In Sychar not far from Samaria he freely preached and gained most of the inhabitants of that City to be Proselytes to his doctrine He travelled up and down the Towns and Villages of Caesarea Philippi and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon and through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis and where he could not come the renown of him spread it self bringing him Disciples and Followers from all quarters Indeed his fame went throughout all Syria and there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee Judaea Decapolis Idumaea from beyond Jordan and from Tyre and Sidon Nay might we believe the story so solemnly reported by Eusebius a H. Eccl. l. 1. c. 13. p. 31. and the Ancients and excepting the silence of the Evangelical Historians who recorded onely some of the actions and passages concerning our Saviour I know no wise argument against it Acbarus Prince of Edessa beyond Euphrates having heard of the fame of our Saviours miracles by Letters humbly besought him to come over to him whose Letter together with our Lords answer are extant in Eusebius there being nothing in the Letters themselves that may justly shake their credit and authority with much more to this purpose transcribed as he tells us out of the Records of that City and by him translated out of Syriac into Greek which may give us some account why none of the Ancients before him make any mention of this affair being generally strangers to the Language the Customs and Antiquities of those Eastern Countries IV. OUR Lord having spent somewhat more then three years in the public exercise of his Ministry kept his last Passover with his Apostles which done he instituted the Sacramental Supper consigning it to his Church as the standing memorial of his death and the Seal of the Evangelical Covenant as he appointed Baptism to be the Foederal Rite of Initiation and the public Tessera or Badge of those that should profess his Religion And now the fatal hour was at hand being betrayed by the treachery of one of his own Apostles he was apprehended by the Officers and brought before the public Tribunals Heavy were the crimes charged upon him but as false as spightful the two main Articles of the Charge were Blasphemy against God and Treason against the Emperour and though they were not able to make them good by any tolerable pretence of proof yet did they condemn and execute him upon the Cross several of themselves vindicating his innocency that he was a righteous man and the Son of God The third day after his interment he rose again appeared to and conversed with his Disciples and Followers and having taken care of the affairs of his Church given a larger Commission and fuller instructions to his Apostles he took his leave of them and visibly ascended into Heaven and sate down on the right hand of God as head over all things to the Church Angels Authorities and Powers being made subject unto him V. THE faith of these passages concerning our Saviour are not onely secured to us by the report of the Evangelical Historians and that justified by eye-witnesses the evidence of miracles and the successive and uncontrolled consent of all Ages of the Church but as to the substance

particularly a Epip● loc cit noted of him that besides the Scriptures he traded in certain Apocryphal Writings He wrote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Euseb H. Eccl. ubi supr de Script Eccl. in Bardes which S. Hierom renders infinite Volumes written indeed for the most part in Syriac but which his Scholars translated into Greek though he himself was sufficiently skilful in that Language as Epiphanius notes In the number of these Books might be the Recognitions plausibly fathered upon S. Clemens who was notoriously known to be S. Peters Companion and Disciple and were but some of his many Books now extant I doubt not but a much greater affinity both in stile and notions would appear between them But this I propose onely as a probable conjecture and leave it at the Readers pleasure either to reject or entertain it I am not ignorant that both c Apol. adv Rufin p. 219. S. Hierom and d Phot. Cod. CXII col 289. Photius charge these Books with haeretical Opinions especially some derogatory to the honour of the Son of God which it may be Rufinus who e Apolog. pro Orig. ap Hieron Tom. 4. p. 195. confesses the same thing and supposes them to have been inserted by some haeretical hand concealed in his Translation Nay f Haeres XXX p. 65. Epiphanius tells us that the Ebionites did so extremely corrupt them that they scarce left any thing of S. Clemens sound and true in them which he observes from their repugnancy to his other Writings those Encyclical Epistles of his as he calls them which were read in the Churches But then its plain he means it onely of those Copies which were in the possession of those haeretics probably not now extant nor do any of those particular adulterations which he says they made in them appear in our Books nor in those large and to be sure uncorrupt fragments of Bardesanes and Origen is there the least considerable variation from those Books which we have at this day But of this enough XII THE Epistle to S. James the brother of our Lord is no doubt of equal date with the rest in the close whereof the Author pretends that he was commanded by S. Peter to give him an account of his Travels Discourses and the success of his Ministry under the title of Clemens his Epitome of Peters popular preachings to which he tells him he would next proceed So that this Epistle originally was nothing but a Praeface to S. Peters Acts or Periods the same in effect with the Recognitions and accordingly in the late Edition of the Clementine Homilies which have the very Title mentioned in that Epistle it is found prefixed before them Loc. supra citat This Epistle as Photius tells us varied according to different Editions sometimes pretending that it and the account of S. Peters Acts annexed to it were written by S. Peter himself and by him sent to S. James sometimes that they were written by Clemens at S. Peters instance and command Whence he conjectures that there was a twofold Edition of S. Peters Acts one said to be written by himself the other by Clemens and that when in time the first was lost that pretending to S. Clemens did remain For so he assures us he constantly found it in those many Copies that he met with notwithstanding that the Epistle and Inscription were sometimes different and various By the Original whereof now published appears the fraud of the Factors of the Romish Church who in all Latine Editions have added an Appendix almost twice as large as the Epistle it self And well had it been had this been the onely instance wherein some men to shore up a tottering Cause have made bold with the Writers of the ancient Church His Writings Genuine Epistola ad Corinthios Doubtful Epistola ad Corinth secunda Supposititious Epistola ad Jacobum Fratrem Domini Recognitionum lib. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu Homiliae Clementinae Constitutionum App. lib. 8. Canones Apostolici The End of S. CLEMENS's Life THE LIFE OF S. SIMEON BISHOP of JERUSALEM Micha burgh deli et sculp S. SYMEON HIEROSOLYMITANUS The heedless confounding him with others of the like name His Parents and near Relation to our Saviour The time of his Birth His strict Education and way of Life The Order and Institution of the Rechabites what His conversion to Christianity The great care about a Successor to S. James Bishop of Jerusalem Simeon chosen to that place when and why The causes of the destruction of the Jewish state The original and progress of those Wars briefly related The miserable state of Jerusalem by Siege Pestilence and Famine Jerusalem stormed The burning of the Temple and the rage of the Fire The number of the Slain and Captives The just accomplishment of our Lords predictions The many Prodigies portending this destruction The Christians forewarned to depart before Jerusalem was shut up Their withdrawment to Pella The admirable care of the Divine Providence over them Their return back to Jerusalem when The flourishing condition of the Christian Church there The occasion of S. Simeons Martyrdom The infinite jealousie of the Roman Emperours concerning the line of David Simeons apprehension and crucifixion His singular torments and patience His great age and the time of his death I. IT cannot be unobserved by any that have but looked into the Antiquities of the Church what confusion the identity or similitude of names has bred among Ecclesiastic Writers especially in the more early Ages where the Records are but short and few An instance whereof Vid. Caron Alexandr Olymp. CCXX Ind. I. Traj VII Ann. sequent p. 594. were there no other we have in the person of whom we write Whom some will have to be the same with S. Simon the Cananite one of the twelve Apostles others confound him with Simon one of the four brethren of our Lord while a third sort make all three to be but one and the same person the sound and similitude of names giving birth to the several mistakes For that Simeon of Jerusalem was a person altogether distinct from Simon the Apostle is undeniably evident from the most ancient Martyrologies both of the Greek and the Latine Church where vastly different accounts are given concerning their persons imployments and the time and places of their death Simon the Apostle being martyred in Britain or as others in Persia while Simeon the Bishop is notoriously known to have suffered in Palestine or in Syria Nor are the testimonies of Dorotheus Sophronius or Isidore considerable enough to be weighed against the Authorities of Hegesippus Eusebius Epiphanius and others But of this enough II. S. Simeon was the son of a H●gesip ap Euseb l. 3. c. 11. p. 87. Epiph. Haeres LXVI p. 274. omnia antiqua Martyrologia Adonis Bedae Notkeri Usuardi apud Bolland de Vit. SS ad diem XVIII Febr. pag. 53 54. Cleophas brother to Joseph husband

excellens ingenium as a De Script in Q●a●rat S. Hierom says of him so the place gave him mighty advantages in his education to be thoroughly trained up in the choicest parts of Learning and most excellent institutions of Philosophy upon which account the b Men. Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greeks truly stile him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man of great Learning and Knowledge He became acquainted with the Doctrines and Principles of Christianity by being brought up under Apostolical instruction for so c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Ann. PKZ● p. 211. Eusebius and d Hier. de Scrip. in Quadr. Epist ad Magn. Orat. Tom. 2. p. 327. S. Hierom more then once tells us that he was an Auditor and a Disciple of the Apostles which must be understood of the longer lived Apostles and particularly of S. John whose Scholar in all probability he was as were also Ignatius Polycarp Papias and others and therefore e H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 37. p. 109. Eusebius places him among those that had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that were of the very first rank and order among the Apostles Successors There are that make him and that too constituted by S. John though I confess I know not by what Authority the Ancients being wholly silent in this matter Bishop of Philadelphia one of the seven famous Churches of Asia and at that time when S. John sent his Epistle to that Church which I pass by as a groundless and precarious assertion seeing they might with equal warrant have made him Bishop of any other place II. UNDER the Reign of Trajan as is probable though Baronius places it under Hadrian Ann. Imp. VI. f Euseb l. 4. c. 23. p. ●43 Publius Bishop of Athens suffered Martyrdom who is thought by some to have been that very Publius whom S. Paul converted in the Island Melita in his voyage to Rome and who afterwards succeeded Dionysius the Areopagite in the See of Athens To him succeeded our Quadratus as g Epist ad A●●●● apud Ea●● loc citat Dionysius Bishop of Corinth who lived not long after that time informs us who found the state of that Church in a bad condition at his coming to it For upon Publius his Martyrdom and the-Persecution that attended it the people were generally dispersed and fled as what wonder if when the Shepherd is smitten the Sheep be scattered and go astray their public and solemn Assemblies were deserted their Zeal grown cold and languid their lives and manners corrupted and there wanted but little of a total apostasie from the Christian Faith This good man therefore set himself with a mighty zeal to retrive the ancient spirit of Religion he re-setled Order and Discipline brought back the People to the public Assemblies kindled and blew up their faith into an holy flame Nor did he content himself with a bare Reformation of what was amiss but with infinite diligence preached the Faith and by daily Converts enlarged the bounds of his Church so that as the a Men. Graec. ubi supr Greek Rituals express it the Sages and Wise men of Greece being convinced by his Doctrines and wise discourses embraced the Gospel and acknowledged Christ to be the Creator of the World and the great Wisdom and Power of God And in a short time reduced it to such an excellent temper that b Contr. Cels l. 3. p. 128. Origen who lived some years after demonstrating the admirable efficacy of the Christian Faith over the minds of men and its triumph over all other Religions in the World instances in this very Church of Athens for its good Order and Constitution its meekness quietness and constancy and its care to approve it self to God infinitely beyond the common Assembly at Athens which was factious and tumultuary and no way to be compared with the Christian Church in that City that the Churches of Christ when examined by the Heathen Convocations shone like Lights in the World and that every one must confess that the worst parts of the Christian Church were better then the best of their popular Assemblies that the Senators of the Church as he calls them were fit to govern in any part of the Church of God while the Vulgar Senate had nothing worthy of that honourable dignity nor were raised above the manners of the common people III. THUS excellently constituted was the Athenian Church for which it was chiefly beholden to the indefatigable industry and the prudent care and conduct of its present Bishop whose success herein was not a little advantaged by those extraordinary supernatural Powers which God had conferred upon him That he was endued with a Spirit of Prophesie of speaking suddenly upon great and emergent occasions in interpreting obscure and difficult Scriptures but especially of fore-telling future events we have the express testimonies of c H. Eccl. l. 3. c. 37. p. 109. Eusebius affirming him to have lived at the same time with Philips Virgin-Daughters and to have had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Prophecy and of another d Ap. Euseb l. 5. c. 17. p. 183. Author much ancienter then he who confuting the errour of the Cataphryges reckons him among the Prophets who flourished under the Oeconomy of the Gospel I know a learned e Vales Annot. ad Euseb l. 4. c. 23. p. 81. man would fain persuade us that the Quadratus who had the Prophetic gifts was a person distinct from our Athenian Bishop But the grounds he proceeds upon seem to me very weak and inconcluding For whereas he says that that Quadratus is not by Eusebius stiled a Bishop who knows not that persons are not in every place mentioned under all their capacities and less need was there for it here Quadratus when first spoken of by Eusebius not being then Bishop of Athens and so not proper to be taken notice of in that capacity Nor is his other exception of greater weight that the prophetic Quadratus did not survive the times of Adrian whereas ours was in the same time with Dionysius Bishop of Corinth who lived under M. Antoninus and speaks of him as his contemporary and lately ordained Bishop of Athens But whoever looks into that passage of * Ap. E●seb l. 4. c. 23. p. 143. Dionysius will find no foundation for such an assertion but rather the quite contrary that he speaks of him as if dead before his time as I believe any one that impartially considers the place must needs confess Not to say that S. Hierom and all after him without any scruple make them to be the same So that we may still leave him his gift of prophecy which procured him so much reverence while he lived and so much honour to his memory since his death To which may he added what the Greeks in their Menaeon not improbably say of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men. Graec. loc supr cit that he was furnished with