Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	aaron_n	moses_n	rock_n	36	3	12.1112	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33411	St. Peter's supremacy faithfully discuss'd according to Holy Scripture and Greek and Latin fathers with a detection and confutation of the errors of Protestant writers on this article : together with a succinct handling of several other considerable points.	Clenche, William.	1686 (1686)	Wing C4640; ESTC R5309	132,726	227

and it is granted you that he did so but then you are to look on him as a mixt Person in whom both the Sacerdotal and Regal Power were combin'd So what he did herein was not purely by virtue of his Kingly but Priestly Power This is clear out of St. Austin's Testimony in his Questions on Leviticus Lib. 3. Quest 23. Si Moises Sacerdos non fuit quomodo per illum omnia gerebantur si fuit quomodo summum Sacerdotium ab ejus fratre incipit which he thus solves Ambo erant summi Sacerdotes Aaron propter vestem Pontificalem Moses propter excellentius ministerium Thus likewise Philo in his Life of Moses gives this account of him in his Third Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such was the Life and Death of Moses who was both King Legislator High-Priest and Prophet And accordingly Greg. Nazianzen in his Sixth Oration calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Princes and Priest of Priests Now the Secular and Ecclesiastick Power which was united in the Person of Moses was afterwards parted betwixt Eleazer and Joshua the one succeeding him in the Priestly and the other in the Princely Power as you may see in the 27th of Numbers where God commands Moses to give Joshua part of his Glory but in the same Chapt. you may see that he subjected Joshua to Eleazer at whose word both he and all the Children of Israel were to go in and out Your next Example is of Salomon whom I grant to have remov'd Abiathar from the Pontificate and to have subrogated Sadock in his place But first you are to understand that he was not depos'd for any matter of Faith or concerning Religion but for Treason and Rebellion For conspiring with Adonia whom he had Anointed King against Salomon Next you are to observe that Salomon exauctorated him not as King but as Prophet to whom God had committed some things after an extraordinary manner So what he acted herein was not by his own Royal Power but by Authority and Commission from God by Divine Inspiration as the Text evidences Vt impleretur Sermo Dei quem locutus est super domo Eli in Silo. This Action therefore of his do's not at all prove him to be superior to the High-Priest But only that God was pleas'd to make use of him as an Executer for the performance of a Sentence which he had formerly denounc'd And this will be easily understood if recourse be made to History Aaron had two Sons Eleazar and Ithamar Eleazar as eldest succeeded him in the Priesthood his Son Phinees succeeded him and his Posterity down to Heli continued in that Holy Function At which time the Posterity of Phinees incuriously administring the Priesthood God was pleas'd to punish their neglect by translating it from the Family of Eleazar to that of Ithamar to wit to Heli in which Family it continued about 120 Years to Salomons days who depos'd Abiathar the Abnepos of Heli for conspiring with his Corrival Adonias substituting Sadock in his place Now as the Pontificate was remov'd by God's order from the Family of the eldest Brother to that of the younger House so was it likewise transplanted from thence into the right Line by the Authority of the same God who was pleas'd in several things to order and direct those Kings of Israel governing as it were by them This made Josephus to affirm in his Second Book against Appio That God did not so much institute in Israel a Monarchy as a Theocracy or Deiarchy But now if this Action of Salomon's deposing Adonias be construed in favor of the Prince as if he thereby were Superior to the High-Priest The Clergy has as strong an Argument for their Superiority in Samuel's declaring King Saul dethron'd but I look on both these Examples as extraordinary and consequently not Presidential The next Example is David but he being likewise King and Prophet what can be alledg'd concerning him is answered in what is said of Salomon it is moreover mention'd of him that what he did in Church Matters was Juxta omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege Domini As for the Example of Ezechias tho' it be granted he constituted Levites in the House of God yet in the Second Book Paralip Cap. 29. you may perceive that what he did herein was Secundum dispositionem David Gad videntis Nathan Prophetae Siquidem Domini praeceptum fuit per manum Prophetarum ejus And herein you will likewise find that he was much ruled by Isaias as in Eccles 48. 25. Fecit Ezechias quod placuit Deo fortiter ivit in via David Patris sui quam mandavit illi Isaias Thus you may perceive that the Examples of these Kings are not at all apposit to your Point they not proving that Princes by their sole Royal Power may intermeddle in Church Affairs or reform Religion in its Substance enacting things by their own Authority contrary to the Assent of Gods High-Priest and Prophets Some Kings by extraordinary Command as Kings and Prophets did concern themselves in Church Affairs Others not without consent and assistance of the Priests did very laudably use their utmost power to destroy Idolatry and restore Discipline but which of them disown'd the Authority of the High-Priest abrogated his-Power and invested himself with it Now that the Kings of Israel were not Supreme in Church Matters seems evident by the word of God spoken to the High-Priest Eliakim in Isaias 22. where after he had promis'd to give him the Key of David he explains to him the Power of it Et aperiet non erit qui claudat claudet non erit qui aperiat by which he plainly makes him Supreme in Church Affairs no Person whatsoever being able to exclude whom he opened to Or to introduce whom he shut out And to Sinew this Argument with a stronger Nerve you will find that Jehosophat who was a Religious Prince would not handle Church Affairs knowing that they belong'd to the High-Priest as in Paralip 2. 19. Ananias autem Sacerdos Pontifex vester in his quae ad Deum pertinent praesidebit And on the contrary Osias who presum'd to usurp the Sacerdotal Function and offer Incense to God was by the incensed Deity struck with Leprosy By what I have mention'd it will clearly appear how irrational it is for you to produce the Jewish Kings as Examples to justifie your former Kings exorbitant tampering in Church Affairs there being no Parallel at all betwixt them They acting therein as Kings and Prophets Authoriz'd by Gods extraordinary Commission and in their Reformations joining with the High-Priest whereas yours was in opposition to him and warranted by nothing but Secular Might But now after all this if you could clearly prove that the Jewish Kings were superior to the High-Priest and Supreme Quatenùs Kings in Church Affairs it would not follow that that similitude should hold good amongst Christians The Priesthood in

of St. John Christ says of himself Ego sum Pastor bonus Theophyl on Mark 14. gives the reason why they are call'd Sheep 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He calls his Apostles Sheep because they are harmless Besides St. Chrysost interprets Oves meas on Peter's Brethren which were the Apostles in his Hom. 87. on St. John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ says to Peter If you love preside 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over your Brethren And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He delivers into his Hands the Government of his Brethren Theophyl says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He deliver'd into Peters Hands the Prefecture of all the Faithful So I hope you will not exclude the Apostles from that number Besides this you will find the unanimous consent of the Fathers attesting Christ's whole Flock which must necessarily enfold the other Apostles to be recommended to Peter Thus St. Ambrose Serm. 47. Tanquam bonus Pastor tuendum gregem accepit And in his Fifth Book de Fide he acknowledges him to be the Wise Steward whom Christ plac'd over his whole Family by vertue of Pasce Oves meas Quisnam est fidelis servus prudens quem constituit Dominus super familiam suam ut det illis in tempore cibum beatus ille servus quem veniens Dominus ejus invenerit sic facientem non vilis hic servus magnus aliquis esse debet quis sit iste consideremus est Potrus ipsius Domini electus judicio qui tertiò meretur audire Pasce Agniculos meos Pasce Agnos meas Pasce Oviculas meas St. Chrysost Acts 1. says that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Entrusted with Christ's Flock Epiph. in his Ancorat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is he who heard Christ himself say to him feed my Lambs This is he who was entrusted with the Flock Hence St. Basil calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Shepherd next after Christ St. Chrysost in Inscript Act. Apost calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Head Pastor of the Apostles But in his Second Book de Sacerd. he manifestly declares Peter by vertue of the Words Pasce Oves meas spoken to him to be invested in Power and Authority and to excel the rest of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Austin Quaest 73. Vet. Novi Testam confesses him to be constituted Head of the Apostles to the end he might be Pastor of the Lords Flock Ipsum constituit Caput eorum ut Pastor esset Dominici gregis Hence Arnobius on Psalm 138. affirms That none of the Apostles but Peter had the Title of Pastor from our Savior Nullus Apostolorum nomen Pastoris accepit solus enim Dominus Jesus Christus dicebat Ego sum Pastor bonus Hoc ergo nomen Sanctum ipsius nominis potestatem post Resurrectionem Petro Paenitenti concessit Hence you see that Peter only was honor'd by Christ with the glorious Title of Pastor not but that the other Apostles were Shepherds but because Peter was the Chief not the Vnicus but Vniversalis not the Solus but the Summus the only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This most August Honor was not undeservedly conferr'd on him but for the constellation of his incomparable Endowments for that rare triumvirate of Qualifications which adorn'd the Temple of his Breast St. Austin gives an account of them Bonitatis gratiam testatur Aeneas debilis claudus ab infantia probaverunt ejus severitatem Ananias Sapphira de scientiae ejus perfectione quis ambigat qui Christum Dominum vivi Dei filium esse de Coelo sibi revelante Patre cognovit Quia Bonitas ac Disciplina Scientiaque non deerat pascendas illi Dominus suas commendavit Oviculas Hom. 4 The happy Union of these rare Embelishments made him the most resplendent amongst the Apostles the most Prefulgent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the holy Dozen therefore cull'd out of that Illustrious Society by the discerning Eye of Christ as the fittest Person amongst them to be his Vicar and Supreme Pastor to whose Pastoral Care and Vigilancy he recommended the whole Flock of his Universal Church And this was done as St. Hierom observes on Mark 16. VT SIT VNA FIDES SVB VNO PASTORE Our Blessed Savior having purchas'd to himself his Sheep at a rigorous rate by the Spargiment and Effusion of his Sacred Blood was pleas'd upon his departure out of this World to entrust the care of them to Peter as to a Faithful and Vigilant Guardian and not only to him but to his Successors after him as Chrysost affirms in his Second Book de Sacerd. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For why did Christ shed his Blood that he might acquire to himself those Sheep which he deliver'd into the Hands of Peter and his Successors after him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hail Peter Prince of the Apostles Hail Peter Rock of the Church Hail Peter Celestial Porter Hail Peter Supreme Pastor of Christ's Flock It is not in the power of any Person whatsoever to despoil thee of any of those glorious Prerogatives which the Blessed Jesus invested thee with Neither can any Virulent Tongue tho' bath'd in the Decoction of Venom or any malicious Pen tho' dipt in the strongest Infusion of Gall be now injurious to you sitting aloft in the Starry Palace of Heaven Crown'd with unfading Diadems of Glory enrob'd with bright Vestments of pure refin'd Light Embroider'd with your Illustrious Titles Free from the Stratagems and Petitions of that Satan who once requested to Winnow you and safe from the bitings of your Spiteful Adversaries who snarl at thy Lustrous Splendor as Wolves bark at the Moon when adorn'd with her clearest Refulgency she travails in Pomp through her Fields of Light But I in the mean time most Blessed Saint will pray to thee to pray for me Sancte Petre Ora pro nobis And thus I conclude my First Book of your Supremacy most humbly begging that if I have wrote any thing worthy of your Approbation you would be pleas'd to accept of it as flowing from a Heart devoted to your Honor pardoning the imperfect Characters of a Pen vanquish'd by the Greatness of so Sublime a Subject FINIS