Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	peter_n	successor_n	2,942	5	9.2143	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10151	The right of Kings conteyning a defence of their supremacy, over all persons and in all causes, as well ecclesiasticall as civill, within their severall dominions : herewithall is proved by testimony of Holy Scripture, that Christian Kinges are to haue such dignity, and execute such office in the Christian church, as Gods kinges had exercised in the church under the lawe : which part of the mysterie of Gods will, as it hath been wickedly under poperie shut up from men, so it is in our tymes right needfull that the same be opened to all Christian nations.	Procter, Thomas.	1621 (1621)	STC 20410; ESTC S1281	21,909	36

the Apostle Paul purposely provides that none should conceive him to have received his Doctrine of Man or by Man And as for building upon the Apostle Peters allowance or approbation of his Doctrine it were verily absurd that the Apostle Paul should build or ground himselfe for his Doctrine upon Peters allowance thereof or the authoritie of such allowance when he received his Doctrine from the Lord himselfe for it were truely absurd to seeke an Apostles allowance and to build upon the authoritie of such allowance for that received immediately from the Lord of the Apostles So likewise the Churches who received the doctrine of the Apostle Paule inasmuch as they beleeved that he received it not of Peter but of Christ how sought they eyther or how built they upon the authority of the Apostle Peters approbation There was indeed an approbation Gal. 2.7 but not a building upon such approbation seing the Apostle had a higher warrant and authority for his doctrine Lastly seeing it is very apparant Mark 3.14 that our Lord himself chose the Apostles and authorised thē to the Apostolicall Ministrations seeing the Apostle Paul Gal. 1.1 sayth Paul an Apostle not of Men neyther by Man but by Iesus Christ therefore who received not their Ministration from Peter how should they receive from him the Doctrine wherof they were Apostolicall Ministers I conclude therefore that all the Apostles were not fed with doctrine by Peter consequently that Apostle was not to feed all the Lords sheepe with matter of doctrine And as for feeding them with Government by exercising a supreame Rule over them this also appeares to be a false collectiō frō this Scripture inasmuch as we finde that our Lord expressly forbadd unto his Apostles any one of them to rule over the rest For Mark 10.42 our Lord sayd thus unto the Apostles ye know that they which delight to beare rule among the Gentiles have Domination ouer them and they that be great a-among them exercise authority over them But it shall not be so among you By which scripture appeareth manifestly that how ever every one of the Apostles was to governe and exercise authority over others yet none of them was to governe or exercise Authoritie over the rest of the company of the Apostles It must needes therefore be a false and very pernicious interpretation or collection to affirme that the Apostle Peter was made Governour to exercise authority over all Christs sheepe for then he was to governe and exercise authority over the rest of the Apostles which thing the Lord expressly forbadd Now if the generality hold not in the Apostles how can it hold in all Christs sheepe for ever If Peter exercised not such universall government and authority over all Christs Sheepe why under the pretence of this speech of the Lords should he govern and exercise authority over all Kings And indeed if a man having already diverse Sheepherds say to one of them feede my Sheep should that one Shepherd gather hereupō that now he hath the charge of All his Masters sheepe Why should he not rather understand this of some portion of sheepe onely which his Master would surely allot out to his particular charge for he might well think with himself that where many shepherds are already appointed there all the sheepe shall not be committed to one onely Verily that Apostles excellencie even among the very Apostles themselves was such such will be acknowledged by all good Christians for ever that it needs not to be helped with unsound and false interpretations of and collections from holy scripture Thus having discovered the false use made of the latter of the two scriptures proceede we to the first scripture As for the first scripture from whence some would collect that all doctrine must be received from Peter and all power or offices or at least wise must be authorised by the authority of his allowance or approbation that so they may be built upon the Rock which Christ hath given to be a Rock whereon he will build his Church this collectiō appeares to be a false use of this scripture in asmuch as the rest of the Apostles received not their doctrine nor Power of Apostleship from the Apostle Peter but from Christ himselfe but what they received from the Lord himself it were absurd to seeke to build it upon the Authority of Peters allowance or approbation The Apostle Paul as I haue before noted speaking of the power of his Apostleship saith Paul an Apostle not of men neyther by man but by Iesus Christ why sayd he this but to teach us that we ought not to beleeve that he was such by vertue of the allowance or approbation of any man whatsoever And whilst the Apostolicall power was neither received from Peter nor built nor grounded upon the Authority of his permission approbation or allowance why should this be required of Kings and Princes These scriptures therefore what ever they intend yet this which Papists collect may not be Beleeved to be the thing which they intend for you see that that which is collected from them by Papists is directly cōtrary to a most plaine commandement of our Lord to his Apostles and to the testimony of the Apostle Paul Thus having by testimony of severall scriptures confuted these collectiōs made by some from these scriptures I think it sufficient to oppose both against tradition and also against the greatest Fathers or Bishops this testimony of holy scripture by which is proved that the rest of the Apostles were not fed by the Apostle Peter in matter of doctrine and that he was not to exercise authority or rule over them But if the scripture thus witness that the Apostle Peter himself might not lawfully claime this supreme governmēt or rule over the rest of the Apostles nor consequently over all Christs Sheep how much lesse lawfully then may his Successor claime this For as no Apostle could make an other man an Apostle so no successor could be made an Apostle by the Apostle Peter and not being so much as an Apostle how should he claime the chiefest singularity of the Apostle Peter And that no Apostle could make an Apostle I gather from the Apostle Paul who Gal. 1.1 saith Paul an Apostle not of Men neyther by Man but by Iesus Christ for this argues that an Apostle should not be of Men neyther by Man but by Iesus Christ I conclude therefrom that no Successor could be in all things like the Apostle to whom he succeedeth and much less then in those things by which if by any thing the Apostle Peter was preferred unto the rest of the Apostles If the successor haue conferred upon him all the guifts and prerogatives of an Apostle what is he then but an Apostle But such gifts and prerogatives as by which Apostles were Apostles could not be giuen by men but by Christ onely therefore the Apostle Peter neyther might nor could conferre upon his Successor all the power

doing the proper Duties of their Episcopall or Priestly Ministration or which occasions their over seldome or negligent doing the same that is ill done by Princes and God will visit them both for drawing his Ministers of the word from performing their proper duties of such Ministration and also for suffering unpunished any such omission or neglect of these duties These things I thought good here to touch at because it might occasion our Princes to hold Gods Priests to the duties proper to their Ministration and to punish in them any omission or over negligent performance of the same But now to conclude this poynt Princes are not barely as executioners to reward the good and punish evill doers but they are costituted also Iudges by the Lord that they also may iudge in all things to which the word already revealed from God stretcheth And verily even the Ministers of the word already revealed are preaching the same to them to preach as to Gods Iudges of doctrine preached Not that they are all alike capable of iudgement in such things but that this is the right of their office which also for conscience towards God must be had in Reverence Thus have I proved that Kings under the Gospell are to exercise such Dignitie and Ministration as with Gods blessed approbation we find in Scripture that Gods Kings exercised under the Law As therfore under the Law the King was over the Church in the Nation of the Iewes as Moses sayd If thou say I wil set a King over mee c. which manner Supremacie the Kings under the Law did in fact exercise and hold And as under the Law the Kinges did not onely reward the good and punish the evill but did also Iudge of good and evill by the direction of the word given him restoring pure Doctrine and setting the Priests and Levits to their due offices and ordering the Divine Service so are the Kings under the Gospell likewise to doe being over the Church in their severall Dominions and iudging of what is good and evill by the word of God in Scripture and restoring Religion setting the Cleargy to their due offices and ordering the Divine Service in the Church Wherin though they are not to neglect not the advice onely but authority also of the Bishops and Priests yet they are not to take for their direction whatsoever they shall advise and presse but they ought themselves to read and meditate in the word of God and to judge by it of that advised and urged by the Bishops These things concerning the Supremacy and Government of Kings I have here pressed upon the observation of Princes partly to stirre them up to mind their owne Authority in the Church partly to instruct all Christian Subiects what to beleeve concerning their dutie toward Princes but now having this done I think it fit to answer in the next place one or two obiections which either are or may peradventure be made against this which formerly I have written The first obiection AGainst the Supremacy of Kings and their judging in all causes and governing ouer all persons within their severall Dominions it commonly heretofore hath been and to this day is alleadged That our Lord committed unto Peter to be continued in his Successors the Supreame vicariate power of governing the Church for ever This opinion they fortifie partly by Scripture partly by Tradition partly by the sayings of Doctors of great authoritie in the Church The Scriptures which they commonly make use of are first Math. 16.18 where the Lord sayd thus unto Peter I say unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it Secondly Iohn 21.15 where againe the Lord sayd thus unto the same Apostle Simon the sonne of Iona lovest thou mee He sayd unto Him Yea Lord Thou knowest that I love Thee Hee sayd unto him Feed my Lambs He sayd unto him againe the second time Simon the sonne of Iona lovest thou me he sayd unto Him Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thee He sayd unto him Feed my Sheepe Hee sayd unto him the third time Simon the sonne of Iona lovest thou me Peter was sorie because he sayd unto him the third time lovest thou me and he sayd unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Iesus sayd unto him Feed my Sheep From both these Scriptures they collect that the Apostle Peter should feed all the Lords sheep for ever both with Doctrine and Government therefore all the Lords sheep must receive from this Apostle their Doctrine and Powers or Offices that so they may be built upon the Rock of this Apostles approbation or allowance And because the Apostle was to doe this for ever therefore after his death this must bee done by his Successors the Popes of Rome Hence it is that they seeke the Popes approbation of all Doctrines and receive their Episcopall authoritie from him yea Kings also receive kingdomes of him But now I will in the next place discover the fallacy of this collection shewing that these Scriptures are not so to be understood neither do intend any such matter And I think fit to write first of the latter Scripture because the false use made thereof being discovered it will the more easily appeare that they make a false use of the first Scripture also If from the Lords words in saying to Peter Feed my Lambs feed my sheep it be collected that Peter must feed all Christs sheep and this also both with Doctrine and Government then it followes that the rest of the Apostles as well as any other must be thus fed by Peter seeing they also are a part of the Lords sheep but seeing feeding is taken in matter of Doctrine for the receiving of doctrine from him or grounded upon the authoritie of his approbation and seeing feeding in matter of Government is taken for a bearing rule over all Christs sheep and that all Powers or Offices Ecclesiasticall and civill are to be derived from him or grounded upon the authoritie of his approbation therefore I am to prove by testimonies of holy Scripture that we are not thus to understand the Lord in this speech of his For matter of Doctrine it is well knowen that the rest of the Apostles received not their Doctrine from Peter but from the Lord Christ even as Peter himselfe did neither were they to ground or build that upon the authoritie of Peters approbation which they received immediatly from the Lord therfore I conclude that the rest of the Apostles were not fed by Peter in matter of Doctrine Moreover the Apostle Paul Galat. 1.11 testifies saying I certifie you brethren that the Gospell which was preached of me was not after man for neither received I it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ. By this testimonie it is plaine that the Apostle Peter fed not the Apostle Paul with Doctrine but rather

the Popes Excommunication indeed changeth condition in the Excommunicate but not in this measure nor to this effect for then we must not doe as the scripture commands in obeying the King Honouring our parents and yeelding one to another due benevolence And truly of all the wicked Priests that ever were in the Church the Pope of Rome is the wickedest changing Gods Ordinance and the effects of Ecclesiasticall Discipline so that it is a wonder that he is suffred sure I am Gods Kings shall answer for it to God if they as Gods Ministers take not vengeance for God upon him for this Thus having answered this Objection also I will now conclude this Treatise with an exhortation to subjects An Exhortation to Subiests SEeing God reveiling his will by his Apostle declares himself to accept gratiously of the Kings and Princes already among the Gentiles as Kings and Princes already provided for the Church among the Gentiles and confirmed as ordeined by him And seeing Kings being so accepted of confirmed are to take example for their regall dignity and Government frō the approved of dignity and government of Gods Kings in the Church under the Lawe therefore it behoveth all men to yeild them due subjection obeying thē willingly as Gods Ministers in all things wherein wee finde Gods Kings under the Lawe obeyed with the Lords approbation As under the Lawe therefore Kings were over the Priests exercising Authority over them both in setting them to their due Offices if they neglected them and also in punishing them for evill doing 1. Chron. 2.26 so if Kings in the Christian Church doe likewise Christiā people ought to acknowledge that the King is by Gods ordinance thus to doe Againe if Christian Kings take care of doctrine also seeing to it that Bishops and Teachers teach according to Gods word or if they order the divine service according to the wil of God reveiled in his word and in a word if they see the Ordinance of God observed aswell in ecclesiasticall as civill affaires punishing also aswell the Cleargy as others offēding we ought to acknowledge that the King is by Gods ordinance such a Minister as hath right to use this Ministration in the Church of God within his owne dominions Let not men being led away of that Romish delusion by which Kings are debarred from exercising in the Church the dignity Office of Gods Kings in the Church under the Law disobey their Princes in their using their authority in these things seing in all these things the Scriptures witness that Gods Kings under the Law exercised their authority but rather let men with comfort of conscience acknowledge this Supreame dignity and office in Kings that so they be not found resisters of the Ordinance of God If any say should we not make conscience of things as our Teachers teach us then I answer That if you by evill Teachers be led to doe evill in disobeying the lawfull things done by your Kings it will not serve for defence of the evill to say your Teachers taught you so for by what meanes soever you doe evil the King is Gods Minister to punish you for evill doing You must beware therefore of false Teachers that you be not lead by them as their Disciples into errour Act. 20.30 And you haue a charge giuen you by the Apostle 2 Thes 2. 15 that you be not moved by any from that which in Scripture is received from the Apostles Remember how the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 4.15 exhorts you saying Let none of you suffer as an evill doer But are you not evill doers if you deny your Kings such Dignity and Office as God by his word hath conferred upon them If therefore your King see to the Reforming of Religion according to the instruction of Gods word and see the word to be purely preached and the sacraments rightly administred unto you are not you evill doers and resisters of Gods Ordinance if you will not come to the word so administred nor partake of the Sacramēts rightly ordered What would you thinke of those in Iudah and Israell who when Hezekiah or Iosiah or Iehoshaphat restored pure religion by the instruction of the Lawe preserved in scripture or tooke away offensive things or ordered the Preists and Levites to their due ministratiō or the like would not then be obedient in such Reformation were they notevill doers think you were they not worthy to be punished by the King for evill doers As you therefore would not fall into the like error and danger so ought you to obey unto the Reformation of doctrine and of the Church confirmed by Gods Minister the King so long as by the word of God you cannot prove any thing taught or done to be against the reveiled will of God Think not to plead your conscience seeing that your conscience ought to admit of Information and there hath now long time of information passed wherein you ought to haue beene instructed by the Truth Neither thinke that the sword must of duty stay till the worde haue prevailed to convert you for the Minister of the sword must punish you for evill doing and is not bound save in shewing mercy for a tyme to stay his hand till you obey the word and convert from your errour One Minister cannot warrant you against an other the Priest against the King nor the King against the Priest because God hath subiected you to obey unto both of these therefore nothing but the true word of God its selfe will serve to be alleaged for your disobeying of eyther If therefore you neglect your selfe to reade or heare read unto you the worde of God in scripture by which Meanes also you might come to know it Or if you when your Bishop or Priest declares plainely the word of God out of the Scripture unto you you then will follow an other Priest who shewes you not plainly the word of God for that which hee teacheth you so following his word be it right or wrong not caring to know the worde of God then goe you a wrong course and as neglecters of the word of God are ready for that judgement 2 Thes 2.10 of being giuen up to a strong delusion that you should beleeve lies And truly a very strong delusion hath the Popes pretended Supreame Vicarship been leading thousands into errour and producing in some very pernicious effects But now seeing I haue showen you by the word of God that such Generall and Supreame Vicarship is contrary to the express teaching of the word of God in holy Scripture make conscience henceforth to hearken to the word of God and to be guided by it in your faith that so obeying the Truth you may be saved with the children of Truth * ⁎ *