Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	church_n	1,754	5	4.4354	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04388	One of the foure sermons preached before the Kings Maiestie, at Hampton Court in September last This concerning the antiquitie and superioritie of bishops. Sept. 21. 1606. By the Reuerend Father in God William Lord Bishop of Rochester.	Barlow, William, d. 1613.	1606 (1606)	STC 1451; ESTC S100875	24,815	48

to be Pre●byter and then Bishop Which taketh away that distinction of Priority in order not of degree as if the calling Episcopall were a Numeral not a M●nerall function a Priority in order and not a Superiority in degree For the word properly signifieth a staire or step as Act. 21. 35 Paule stoode 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon the staires Which interpretation of mine both Councils and Fathers do co●firme Concil●u● African calleth the three functions ecclesiasticall of Bishops Priests and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the three degrees of the Church Conc. Sardicen No man may be called to be a Bishop which hath not risen by euery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad culmen Episcopatus Conc. Calcedō To reduce a Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backe to the degree of a Priest is sacriledge So Naziā speaking of Athanasius saith that he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much preheminence honor for his virtue as by his dignity degrees Of Saint Basill also he saith that he rose to his Bishoprik 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the order and law of the spirituall Ascent which metaphor Saint Hierom himselfe vseth to Nepotian if thou desire the office of a Bishop gaudeo de ascensu I reioyce at thy Climing and of the same Nepotian fit Clericus per solitos gradus Presbyter In the infancy of the Church these degree were not distinct for they were not extant The first that were made were Deacons Act. 6. Presbyters there were none solemnly ordeined that we read of till Act. 14. 23. Ibid. 14. 23. The highest degree which was the function Episcopal the Apostles reserued vnto themselues a long time and that for 3. maine reasons First there was no Church established and but a few at the first conuerted wherefore all their whole labor they bent in turning the first key to open that dore of faith Act. 14. 27. namely the conuersion of the Gentiles which the Apostle 1. Cor. 16. calleth a great dore effectual al the help they could make either by Prophets Euangelists Coadiutors Pastors Doctors Planters Waterers or whatsoeuer was litle enough for that worke Secondly after the conuersiō of many people euen in setled Churches they hasted not to place a Bishop for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No great thing is suddenl●e brought to passe saith Nazian and a Presbyter fit to make a Bishop is hardly found saide a Carthaginian Bishop in an open Synod Nā ad haec idoneus quis saith Saint Paule though our Church here for a long time doubled the Echo with a quisquis The rule therfore of the Apostle being vnto Timothie that in no case he should take him that was Neophytus a new conuert and make him a Bishop of them the Church was at that time full euen for that cause also they absteined Thirdly few being found fit for that high calling the Apostles left some Churches to be gouerned by Presbyters reseruing stil the highest command to them selues but when they founde that humour whereof Saint Iames speaketh that euery man would bee a maister like Plinie his Amphisbaena a Serpent which hath a head at each end of her body both striuing which shold be the maister-head in the mean time toiles the body most miserably in the end rēts tears it self most lothsōly finding I say those 2. effects which vse to follow Parity Plurality viz. dissention confusion it was generally decreed as Hierom confesseth Vt vnus caeteris superponeretur that one should be placed aboue the rest to gouerne both Presbyters and Flocke and that the whole care of the Church ad vnū pertineret should belong to one he should be stiled by the name of Bishop particularly ouer this Clergy here assembled Timothie who is subscribed in the end of that second Epistle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first Bishop of the Church of Ephesus by impositiō of hands 〈◊〉 so was Titus also stiled Bishop of Creta as in the subscriptiō of that epistle appeareth Yea but these were S. Paules Bish●p say some and betweene them and ours a great 〈◊〉 True 1. For varietie of giftes and graces of the spirit A maine difference as 〈◊〉 as betwen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 12. 8. their knowledge for the most part 〈…〉 Reuelation ours acquired with much study and ndustry 2. In respect of the honour and reuerence which their Clergy and flocke performed to them A great difference ye see Saint Paul describes it 1. Thes. 5. to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then a superaboundant aw and loue For maintenance they and we somewhat semblable theirs impeached by persecution ours exhausted by Sacriledge It is a prety obseruation though a sharp one which a Romish writer of the Church story long since made that the word Conscientia hath had very ill lucke in the Church of Christ it could neuer yet be at once in full Syllables in the Apostles time● when there was Con and Sci a 〈◊〉 and a 〈◊〉 Clergy then entia was defectiue they had the 〈◊〉 of the Spirit but no indowment of possessions Afterwards when there was Con and Entia a religious yea a superstitious and a very 〈◊〉 Clergy then Sci was 〈◊〉 they were not then the 〈…〉 And in my time saith he Con and Sci are both gon and like Phil●poemenes armie in Plutarch which had neither head nor feete but whole bellie they be all Entia they haue all the Honours all the Mannors and all the ●at of the land But with vs againe it is come round for now that we haue Con and Sci a learned God be thanked and a religious Clergy the Entia are gone our ma●ntenance is imb●aseled our honors enuied yea euen that poore Ens Vrum which by Gods and the Kinges fauour we enioy was of late cast whole into the Kings mercy as if they would haue made v● non 〈◊〉 But the authoritie and preheminence ouer the Cleargie is all 〈◊〉 in them and v● they receiuing it from the Apostles and wee deriuing it from them which is manifest in two principall things wherein the Bishops then and we now are Superior vnto the other Clergy which for your better memorie may be reduced to two words each very like to other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First Collation of Rewardes which Saint Paul calleth Ordination Tit. 1. 5. the highest honor that a Bishop can reward a Scholler of desert withall to make him a Priest of the High God Secondly Iu●iciall Censure i● their Consistorie and Visitation not of the Flocke onely but of the Pastors also both which Iurisdictions Distributiue and Correctiue the Apostles kept vnto themselues till they appointed Bishops either Substitutes in their absence or Successors after their death In the Church of the●●alonica where there were many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉