Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	believe_v	church_n	tradition_n	3,305	5	9.6577	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A39998	The hierarchical bishops claim to a divine right, tried at the scripture-bar, or, A consideration of the pleadings for prelacy from pretended Scriptural arguments, presented and offered by Dr. Scott, in his book intituled, The Christian life, part II, A.M., D.D. in his Enquiry into the New Opinions, &c., and by the author of the second part of the Survey of Naphtali ... / by Thomas Forrester ...	Forrester, Thomas, 1635?-1706.; Scott, John, 1639-1695. Christian life.; Monro, Alexander, d. 1715? Enquiry into the new opinions.	1699 (1699)	Wing F1596; ESTC R4954	340,417	360

Moderators had no Authority over the Presbytrie tho ordinarly thus termed And which clears this to Conviction Polycarp himself in his Epistle to the Philippians makes but two Orders of Ministry viz. Elders and Deacons as the Apostle Paul doth in his Epistle to the same Church and exhorts them to be subject to the Presbyter as unto God and unto Christ. And sure the Dr. will not make him cross this in his practice so that he falls utterly short of proving an Episcopacy of his Mould much more a derived Apostolat from these blind Testimonies The Dr. adds That it cannot be imagined that all Churches would have universally admitted Bishops in Ignatius's time the Apostles being alive had not some of them derived their Authority from the Apostles immediatly But 1. The Dr. hath given no shadow of proof for this universal Reception For I pray what proof is this Such and such Authors say there were Bishops in such and such Posts or rather put this general name upon such Persons Therefore the Christian Church received the Hierarchical Prelat universally or the Prelat with sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction as an Officer of Divine Institution For besides that the Dr. will never prove from the bare Assertion anent Bishops that they were of his Cutt and Mould the contrary being apparent especially in these early Times And many Fathers asserting the Identity of the Office of Bishop and Presbyter he must prove and instruct the universal Judgment and Practice of all the Churches as to the Reception of the Hierarchical Bishop of his Mould before this Assertion can be made good 2. The Dr. cannot deny Scripture Instances of the very early Reception of Corruptions in the Church both under the Law and Gospel As in the times of the Old Testament he knows the early Reception of the Idolatry of the Golden Calf by the Church of Israel together with Aaron himself but Forty Days after the delivery of the Law from Mount Sinai And besides many such Instances in the Old Testament we have Scripture Instances of the Devils sowing his Tares early in the Church of the New Testament such as the Error about the Resurrection the worshipping of Angels Justification by the works of the Law the necessity of Circumcision and other Ceremonies the Error of the Nicolaitans c. And look a little forward in the early times of the Church we will find Errors Traditions pretended to be received from the Apostles and owned by some of the Fathers themselves which notwithstanding the Dr cannot but acknowledg to be Errors Such as the Mill●nary Error the Error of Children's receiving the Lords Supper c. whereof afterward The Dr. thinks it inconsistent with the Churches veneration to the Apostle Iohn that they should receive a new Order of Men without his Authority But this Universal reception of such an Order as the Dr. supposes is not yet proved Besides that the Dr's supposition of this impossibility of such a corruption early creeping in because of some Apostles or even of Iohn yet alive he will find not to be solid when he ponders duely the working of the Mystrie of iniquity and the Seeds of a Papacy even in Paul's time and a Diotrophes seeking Preheminence even in Iohn's time yea and directly contradicting and opposing the Holy Apostle The Dr. should know that it is not the slippery Principle of a supposed impossibility of this Nature while the Apostles were alive that we must found our Perswasion upon but the lively Oracles and living Doctrin of the Apostles is our Rule and whatever Doctrin or practice is cross thereunto tho all the Church should receive it yea tho an Angel from Heaven Preach it we ought to reject it and might call that Angel accursed For what the Dr. adds out of Bishop Taylor of Episcopacy Sect. 18. That de facto the Apostles with their own Hands Ordained several Bishops over Churches Viz Dion Areop Bishop of Athens Caius of Thessalonica Archippus of Coloss Onesimus of Ephesus Epaphroditus of Phillippi Titus of Corinth c. I Answer the Dr. does well to add the Caution if Credit might be given to Ecclesiastick History And truely this History must be of mighty force that must be believed against clear Scripture and the Credit and belief founded thereupon must needs be distinct from that Faith which God allows Nay the Drs. Credit of such History must needs set him at odds with himself For as to the First we find the Apostle Paul enjoyning the Church of Thessalonica Obedience to their Pastors jointly as their Spiritual Rulers and Governours without the least hint of any Super-eminent Prelat and enjoining to these Rulers Authoritative admonition of the Flock 1 Thess. 5.12.14 And will this Bishop and our Dr. Charge such a Contradiction upon the Apostle Paul as to settle a Presbytrie of Pastors in that Church with Authority to Rule and Govern while this Authority and Power is entrusted unto one Bishop or to take it afterward from them and put it in the Bishops Hands How I pray shall we believe such History against such plain Scripture And whether I pray deserves most our Credit the Apostles Divinly inspired Epistle enjoyning Obedience to the Pastors of that Church of Thessalonica jointly as their Spiritual Rulers and Guids or an after Apocryphal History declaring that this Authority was by the Apostles appointment monopolized in one Bishop either at that time or thereafter set up and Ordained by Paul Whether are we to believe the Scripture account of the State and Government of the Church of Ephesus as entrusted by Paul in his last farewel to the inspection and Government of the Elders jointly as the Bishops thereof Authorized by the Holy Ghost or an Historical account of Onesimus as their sole Bishop who had this Power Monopolized in him in Contradiction to the Apostles last prescriptions unto that Church either at that time or thereafter I dare pose this Dr. or any man of Sense and Candor upon it And whether upon such ground as this we might not cast off all Divine Institutions and receive all fopperies and Superstitions which Man 's wicked Heart by Satans influence might suggest The like might be said of Philippi the Apostle in the Preface of his Epistle to that Church saluting the Bishops as their Pastors in common calling all the Ministers Bishops and thus applying to them that Name and Office which the Dr. and his Fellows will needs appropriat to a Prelat And sure Paul writing by instinct of the un-erring Spirit of God gave not empty complemental Titles to these Pastors or Bishops but supposes them to have a standing joint Authority over that Church as the Spiritual Guids and Rulers thereof And it is a fearful and Gross imputation upon the Wisdom of God to suppose that either now or afterwards such a pretended Prelat as the Dr. maintains either had or was to have by Divine appointment all this Authority of the Pastors enhansed

every approven Presbyter as he expresses it Apol. Cap. 39. presided over the Collegiat Meeting of Pastors and was called Bishop The same he tells the Iesuit may be applyed to Ignatius's Epistles and what is Cited from them to this Scope si sicuti jam se habent fidem mererentur upon condition that they deserved to be credited as they are now presented But then subjoins sed omnibus notum est eas additionibus ac dimunitionibus fuisse corruptas But it is known to all that they have been corrupted with additions and Dimunitions Referring upon the Margin to his Crit. Sacr. Lib. 2. Cap. 1. Cooks Censure Vedel Not. Wallaeus de past P. mihi 473 ascribs also to Apostles the extraordinary call and Function upon Grounds of their immediat vocation citing Gal. 1 1. Paul's calling himself an Apostle not of Men nor by Man their infallibility in Doctrin c. The ordinary Officers and Successors of Apostles he holds to be the Pastors as being first planted by them in the Churches for which he Cites and improves these places Act. 14.23 where we find the Apostles Ordaining Ministers or Elders Church by Church as their proper immediat Successors in an ordinary Ministry Tit. 1.5.7 where the Office of Bishop and Presbyter is identified in Name and thing 2 Tim. 2.2 where he is enjoyned to commit what he had heard of Paul to faithful Men able to Teach others So Act. 20.28 where the Episcopal Office is enjoined to Elders by Paul in his last farewell to the Church of Ephesus So also Eph. 4.11 with Rev. 2.3 In which places the Pastors power and Jurisdiction is to this Scope asserted Iunius Cont. 5th Lib. 1. Chap. 14. Not. 15. hath these notable words nunquam instituit Christus ut Apostolis Secundum gradum succederetur quae res si fuisset jam Apostolatus functio ordinaria dicenda esset hoc autem veritati rationi adversatur omnes Dei servi in Doctrinam Apostolorum suecesserunt in gradum eorum neminem adoptavit Deus God never appointed or allowed any succession to the Office and degree of Apostolat which had it been the Office of the Apostles might be called ordinary but this is contrary to the Truth and sound Reason All the servants of God have succeeded into the Doctrin of the Apostles but God hath adopted none of them into the Apostles degree and Office None succeeded to Apostles and Evangelists as to the degree and Office saith Baynes since it was extraordinary and temporary The Pastors and Presbyters because ordinary Officers succeed them from another Line but not as one Brother succeeding to another in the Right of inheritance As the Laws of Moses during that Oeconomy were to be kept tho Moses who delivered them had none Succeeding him in his Office and degree So neither were the Rules in Government presented in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus delivered to any succeeding them in their Office Ecclesiastical Authority saith Gerson de potest Eccles. considerat 6 ta may be considered either formally absolutely or respectively as applyed to this or that person and executively Altho the Authority absolutely considered continues the same yet in the application it is various and that which was in Apostles and Evangelists remained not alwise with such Apostles and Evangelists As in Point of Right none could succeed to the degree of Apostles and Evangelists so in Matter of Fact none did succeed Causabon exercit 14. P. 314. makes this the quarta Nota of the Apostolat Potestas longe major Augustior quam ulli unquam alii functioni Spirituali fuerit attributa The fourth discriminating mark of an Apostle is with Causabon their greater and more Venerable Authority and Power than was competent or allowed to any other Spiritual Function or Office Which he illustrats from Chrysostom 1 Cor. 12.29 asserting the Apostles to be above all other Spiritual Functions Quis nescit saith August lib. 2 de Baptismo cap. 1. illum Apostolatus Episcpatum cuilibet Episcopatui praeferendum Who knows not that the Episcopacy of Apostles is set above all other Episcopacy whatsomever Now I supose from what is said it is evident that this Man in stead of exposing the Presbyterians in this account of their Judgement anent the Apostolick Office hath opposed himself to Protestant Divines and hath blotted himself as a Calumniator of the true Protestant Doctrine in this point espousing therein the Popish Cause and Interest But let us hear what is our Dr's Account of the Apostolick Office It is thus In opposition to which saith the Dr. P. 96. i. e. the premised Presbyterian or rather Protestant Account of the Apostolick Office We affirm had he added we Catholicks and Iesuits some would alledge the Epithet had been suteable to his Doctrine Well What affirms he That the true Characteristick formal and distinguishing Mark of an Apostle was his Constant Supreme Spiritual Perpetual Power Authority and Iurisdiction over all subordinat Officers and all others believing in Christ and his Power to transmit this Authority to his Successors according to the Command of our Saviour Here we have it in his own Words Upon which 1. Let it be considered that he presents this Description and Account of the Apostolick Office in opposition to that which he premiseth as ours We hold as well as he that the Apostles had a Supreme though collateral and equal and Spiritual Power and Authority over Officers and Members of the Church Only we add these further Characteristicks of their Office viz Their extraordinary Gifts their immediat Call including and having connected therewith an unconfined Commission to propagat the Gospel among all Nations as himself words our Tenet and which is also proved from that Passage he cites Matth. 28. Now since in opposition to our Description he holds that his not ours are the proper discriminating Marks whereby Apostles were distinguished from other Officers he must of necessity hold that these Characters are proper to other Officers as well as them For there is no Mids Either these Prerogatives were peculiar to Apostles or proper to others also and thus common to both and it being so not to mention other properties since their unconfined Commission to Preach to all Nations And he cannot but acknowledge as immediat Officers of all the Churches in actu exerciso and in order to the founding them and planting Gospel Ordinances and Officers therein according to our Saviours Commission Matth. 28. is our great Mark and Characteristick of an Apostle I challenge him to shew me what succeeding ordinary Officer had this applicable to him whether of his supposed Epis●opal Mould or any other The D● will not deny that upon this Ground the Churches are said to be built upon the Apostles Foundation and this in an exclusive Sense not the Foundation of any succeeding Officers whether the Dr. call them Subordinat or otherwise And he knows the Churches Foundation is not to be twice laid So that he is obliged either

his Methods in Pleading and he will not doubt of their diligent Searching the Original Text and that they knew of these Manuscripts as well as Dr. Hammond and he yet do render the Text with the Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Current of all the Greek Copies It s strange that the Dr. hath the Confidence upon the Supposition of one Copy or of two at most reading the Text without the Conjunction to assert that the most Ancient Manuscripts do thus read it as if these two deserved that Character and might stand good against the whole Body of all the Greek Copies wherein this Particle is found yea the whole Body of all Translators as hath been Instanced unto him by Presbyterian Writers We have above made appear that the Text cannot be consonantly read Read to the scope or contexture without the Conjunction since after that our Lord in vers 23. gives this general warning I will give unto every one of you according to y●ur Works c. He adds but unto you and unto the rest in Thyatira viz you Ministers and the People in that Church contradistinct from others c. The Dr will needs have the words we insist on applicable to those mentioned in the latter end of the 23 verse and not properly to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira And this is his Answer even upon the supposition of our Reading with the conjunction which he is forced to acknowledge is the common Reading and thus discovers his folly in opposing two supp●sed Copies to it His Reason is that they are the other Churches of Asia which because mentioned in the Speech directed to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira the immediat transition from him to them is natural and easie and all the Churches shall know viz the Churches of Asia shall know that I am He which searcheth the Reins and hearts v. 24. But unto you i. e. saith the Dr. the Churches of Asia c. Thus he scor's out and expungeth the adversative particle But in 24 verse clearly limiting the you here and distinguishing it from the more extensive you in verse 23. I hope the Dr saw no Copies reading the Text without the adversative particle But The Dr. says because the Particle they in v. 23 is understood of all the Churches of Asia in the Speech directed to Thyatira the Transition from him to them is easie and natural all the Churches of Asia shall know c. But unto you i. e. the Churches of Asia c. If this be not an offering violence to the Text nothing ever was For after that our Lord hath added a general appendant motive v. 23. that by this stroak on Iezebel all the Churches shall know viz the Asian Churches that he is a searcher of the Reins and Hearts c. He returns to an express Application and Address of the Speech to Thyatira 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First in general by the discriminating But or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly in an express mention of Thyatira And that we may not mistake it for a general partition of the Churches of Asia unto those of Thyatira and others as the Dr. dreams he expresly in terminis thus restricts the phrase and address to that particular Church to you and the rest in Thyatira not to you in all Asia The Dr will not deny that in this clause the you and the rest are distinguished and within distinct Limits and Marches but so cannot those of Thyatira be distinguished from the Churches of Asia whereof they are a part For what he adds of Beza's Acknowledgment of the Angel to be a Praeses we have already made appear how insignificant this is to bear the weight of his conclusion of a Prelatical Presidency here supposed since he owns him only as a Moderator or Praeses of the Meeting by the Dr's acknowledgement But the Dr. tells us he makes him in a ridiculous manner a Weekly or Monthly Mod●rator This Charge of the Dr's is ridiculous Beza only pleading against the fixed Moderator which with him is the Episcopus humanus without mentioning any such Limits of time as the Dr. Imputes unto him The Dr. will needs remove the Objection taken from the Angels not being called Bishops to which he returns That neither Baptism nor the Sacrament of the Lords Supper are called Sacraments though we express the Scripture Sense of these Institutions when so terming them But by his favour this Objection is not so inconsiderable as he imagins nor his Answer so considerable for if the Apostles Scope was to point out the Nature and Office of the Diocesan Bishop whom the Dr. distinguishes from inferior Officers and owns him as distinguished by this term Bishop which he knows to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in terminis a Scripture term and epithet such as is not the word Sacrament it should seem this discriminating term should here have been made use of rather than a more general Term aplicable to all Pastors And in a word when he shall make the Divine institution of the Diocesan Bishop appear in Scripture then his Paralel answer with reference to Terms of Trinity and Sacraments expressing what is revealed in Scripture though not in Scripture Terms shall be admitted as valid But till then must make up the Number of the rest of the Dr's gratis supposita and beggings of the Question The Dr. will needs have the whole Question to be determined by the Ancients affirmation of a Prelatical Succession to Apostles And next by their insisting on this Succession in their Disputes with Hereticks And in the Third place by the resolution of this doubt whether we may safely Lean on their Authority and Tradition in an affair of this Consequence What Credit is to be given to the Ancients in this Poin● and what strength is in the Argument drawn from their supposed Testimony in reference to our perswasion of the Divine Right of Prelacy is above fully cleared And our scope being to trace only the Dr. in his pretended Scripiure-proofs we leave him sufficiently exposed in this Point of Antiquity by those who have fully examined him and traced his human Proofs on these heads Wishing him a Sounder heart and more sincere diligence in this Controversy FINIS A REVIEW and EXAMINATION OF THE Scripture-Grounds UPON WHICH The AUTHOR of the Survey of Naphtali Supposed to be Mr. Andrew Honyman Bishop of Orkney Pleads for the LAWFULNESS of the Episcopal Office Where the Arguments of the IV. Chap. of his II. PART are Discussed CHAP I A Consideration of the Scripture Grounds upon which the Surveyer pleads for the Lawfulness of the Episcopal Office TO Examin with as Succinct Perspicuity as we can the Surveyers Scripture Pleadings for Episcopacy in this 4 th Chap. It is in the first place to be noticed how that he was afraid to set his Foot upon such Slippery Ground as to plead directly for the Necessity of Prelacy upon a Divine or