Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	angel_n	bishop_n	ephesus_n	3,413	5	11.4256	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09313	The letters patents of the presbyterie vvith the plea and fruits of the prelacie. Manifested out of the scriptures, fathers, ecclesiasticall histories, Papists, and sundrie other authors. By Iames Peregrin.	[Peregin, James].; Partridge, James, attributed name. aut	1632 (1632)	STC 19622B.5; ESTC S103890	43,655	62

no others that he set to gouerne besides the Apostles and Euangelist but presbyters Hath God then set them for Gouernours in the church vvill men presume to supplant them and set others Dare men say that the gouernment by diocessan Bishops ordained by men is better then this of Elders ordained by God To vvhome indeede God must needes giue a better blessing as beeing his ovvne ordinance he hath set them in the church Neither doth that proue the contrarie because in Amsterdam and som other cities of Holland there are many Religions for neither Bishops if they had such nor Elders can hinder it if the pollicie suffer them But looke into the reformed churches there in France and elsvvhere and you shall finde them better gouerned and much better vvould be if som burgers to enritch themselues and get places of authority or a league trade vvith Spaine did not vvaxe negligent in religion and for such ends turne Arminians and nevvters If an Apostle vvere novv liuing and should vvrite an Epistle to Mr. Moulin pastor and Elder in Sedan Against an Elder receiue not an accusation vnder two or there vvitnesses that vvould not argue that he vvere ouer other Pastors and Elders in the prouince nor as a Lord in his ovvne congregation but rather vvhat vvere his duty yea the duty of all Elders assembled in such a case The Apostle recounting all the officers and Gouernours of the church Ephes 4. saith He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Pastors and Teachers vvhere he neither names Bishops nor Elders much lesse both as tvvo distinct callings because the Pastor by his place vvas a Presbiter and so a Bishop properlie the deacons had the care of the Almes In such a church as that of Ephesus or Philippi there vvere diuers vvho vvere teachers and helpers but one vvho vvas somevvhat more properlie the Pastor and so the bishop of that flock therefore though the charge go to all the Elders Take beede to your selues Reuel 2. and to all the flocke c yet this is somvvhat more especiallie applied to him that is pastor and so the first Elder or bishop Vnto the Angel of the church of Ephesus vvrite that is to the pastor Euen as in the church of Paris at this day vvhich is one congregation of about six thousand communicants there are three preachers vvho are all Elders to feede the flock yet one of them is reckoned the pastor the other tvvo helpers the like in Diepe and diuers other cities vvhere they liue amōg persecuting Papists as the old Christians did among the heathen hauing but one congregation or flock in a citie In some lesser cities or vvhere there are fevver protestants there is only a pastor vvith lay Elders And thus out of all doubt Act. 14. Tit. 1.5 it vvas in the primatiue church till after the death of the Apostles vvho ordained Elders in euerie church and citie vvhere one vvas the pastor yet in matter of gouernment all the Elders of a church ruled together by commō consent euen in Ierusalem things were not done vvithout the Elders but the decrees vvent out in all their names VVhen Paul vvent last to Ierusalem there vvere diuers vvith him But saith Luke Act. 21.18 Paul vvent in vvith vs to Iames all the Elders vvere present The Apostle would doe nothing vvithout them Therefore Paul saith 1. Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule vvell be counted vvorthy of double honour espectiallie they vvho labour in the vvord doctrine VVhence also som collect that there vvere som Elders that vvere not ministers but lay-men of the more vnderstāding best gouerned sort Hovvsoeuer ye see they had all share in the gouernment vvere it vvith Timothie Titus or vvhosoeuer For these vvere not greater then the Apostles vvhich vvas the highest calling in the church yet euen vvith them in Ierusalem there vvere Elders as it vvere in ioynt commission for matter of gouernment they themselues tooke on them this office disdained not to be reckoned vvith other presbiters Peter saith 1. Pet. 5.1 The * or Elders 2. Ioh. presbiters vvhich are among you I exhort vvho am also Sumpresbuteros a fellovv presbiter and Iohn that might haue said The Apostle chooseth rather to say The Elder to the elect ladie The * or Elder Presbiter to the vvelbeloued Gaius None of the Apostles are in the nevv Testament called bishops but presbiters because a presbiter vvas a bishop then a name of no lesse honour but rather of greater beeing Indeed one and the same pastorall office in euerie congregation it vvas the highest in the church next the Apostles Euangelists and pastors the Elders beeing the officers vvhich God had appointed to gouern his church to the vvorlds end The holy Ghost saith not Bishops least aftervvard it should haue bene takē for diocessan Bishops but Elders Neither doth Iohn set the Pope or any Bishop but Christ among them as their only head for chap. 5. Christ standeth in the midst of the throne and in the midst of the Elders to shevv they truly belong to his gouernment as diocessan Bishops so that of Antichrist It was stoutly defended in the councell of Trent Histor of the concell of Trent pag. 599. 613. Rom. 13.1 that they held of the Pope not immediately of God True not so rightly as the Elders doe nor yet in a manner so litle digressing as the first diocessan Bishops did as vve shall further see in the sequel therfore they are not so truly of Gods Kingdome but rather of a contrarie For indeede There is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God VVhence it follovves that all povvers much more those that gouerne the church must be ordained of God or else they be not lavvfull Novv this can not be said of the Pope and Cardinals nor of Diocessan Bishops for these vvere not ordained of God but of men Ergo c. They are indeede against Elders vvhich are the povvers ordained of God VVhosoeuer therefore resisteth these powers resisteth the ordinance of God One of the Elders speakes to Iohn concerning the Martirs Reuel 7. that suffered in the ten persecutions signified by those troubles that follovved the opening of the seauen seales then past gone And though vvhilst the vvoman the true Church fled and remained in the vvildernes from Antichristian titannie and superstition their gouernment must needes be hid and persecured vvith her yet vvhen the Gospell is restored the Temple of God opened diuers kingdoms of this vvorld became the kingdoms of our Lord Reuel 11. and of his Christ the Elders vvorship giue thanks as also vvhen Babilon is destroied herevpon it is said The Lord God omnipotent reighneth that is in his vvord and ordinances ●hap 194.5.6 Elders are then restored vvhereas before she her traditions hierarchie gouerned churches For in that they are euer thus about the

did leaue the care to the Bishop and ambition a wittie passion which doth insinuate it selfe in shew of vertue caused it to be readily embraced But the principall cause of the change was the ceasing of the persecutions For then the Bishops did erect as it were a tribunall which was much frequented because as temporall commodities so suits did increase The iudgment though distering from the former in forme to determine all by the opinion of the church was yet of the same sinceritie Which Constantine obseruing made a law that there should lie no appeale from the sentences of Bishops and if in a cause depending before a secular tribunall either of the parties shall demand Episcopall iudgment the cause shal be remitted to him Here the tribunall of the Bishop began to be a common pleading place The Emperour Valence enlarging it in the yeere 365. gaue the Bishops the care ouer all the prizes of vindible things Which troubled Austin and other good Bishops Afterwards some Bishops beginning to abuse the power giuen them by Constantine that law was 70. yeeres after reuoked by Arcadius and an ordination made that they should iudge causes of religion and not ciuill except both parties did consent and declared that they should not be thought to haue a court Which law beeing not much obserued in Rome in regard of the greate power of the Bishop Valentinian being then in the citie an 452. did renew it and made it to be put in execution But a litle after part of the power taken away was restored by the following Princes So that Iustinian established vnto them a court and audience the causes of Religion Ecclesiasticall faults of the clergie diuers voluntarie surisdictions ouer the laietie By these degrees they got domination The Empire being diuided and kingdoms erected Idem pag. 332. the Bishops for the most part were made councellors of the Prince which by mixture of spirituall and temporall charges caused their iurisdiction to increase exceedingly Before 200. yeeres were past they pretended absolutely all iudicature criminall and ciuill ouer the Clergie and in some things ouer the laietie After the yeere 1050. All the causes of the Clergie beeing appropriated to the Bishops and verie many of the laiesie vnder the title of spiritualitie and almost all the rest vnder the name of a mixed iudicature and placing themselues aboue the secular Magistrates vpon pretence of iustice denied they came to say that the Bishop had that power to iudge not by graunt or conniuence of Princes or by the will of the people or by custome but that it was essentiall to the Episcopall dignitie and giuen it by Christ And though the lawes of the Emperours remaine in the Codes of Theodosius and Iustinian in the capitulars of Charles the greate and Lewis the debonaire and others of later Princes which all shew when by whome this power was graunted and all Histories Ecclesiasticall and prophane agree in the same yet so notorious a truth hath bene ouercome by a contrary affirmation only without any proofe Pag. 334. In the councell of Trent a defect was considered that the charitie of the superiours was turned into domination and that thence grew appeale vpon appeale Iohannes Groperus who assisted there as a diuine and a lawier spake honourably of appeales said that while the heare of faith remained in the breasts of Christians Appeales were not heard of But charitie in the Iudges waxing cold and place being giuen to passion they entred into the church for the same reasons which brought them into the secular courts that is for the ease of the oppressed And as the first iudicatures belonged not to the bishop only but to him with the councell of his Preists so the Appeale was not diuolued to one man but vnto another congregation But the Bishops taking away the Synods did institute courts and officers like the seculars Neither did the mischiefe stop there but passed to greater abuses then in the secular court Which he shewes in that Appeale was made from Appeale till it came to the Pope and somtime by a leap to him without more a doe Iohn Baptista Castellus vvas made to salue vp these soares by a cunning oration Pag. 335. and 336. in the next congregation And so to restore Synodall iudicatures was reiected almost by all because it did diminish the Episcopall was too popular For proceeding against the persons of the Bishops no man desiring to facilitate the iudicature against himselfe the restoring of it to parochiall Synods vnto which it did formerly belong was not spoken of English Bishops in like wisdome suppresse all bookes Preachers that speake of the right of Elders or of such Synods and the like things that neither theu nor their owne vsurpations may be knowne By all vvhich vvee may see that it is a vveake defence for the authoritie of Bishops against the Eldership to alleadge the grant of Emperours Kings or as Bellarmin doth the Acts of any councell much lesse that of Trent Gods ordinance vvord should euer be of more force esteeme vvith true Christians then any of this kinde vvhatsoeuer By these affirmations of this impartiall Author vvhome they can not call a Brovvnist or a Puritan vvee may see that they in the church of England vvho vnderstand this clause Tell the church as if it vvere meant tell the Bishops or their Officials doe not only vvilfully vnderstand it as Christ neuer meant it of such as he neuer ordained but euen contrarie to the interpretation vnderstanding and practise of the primitiue church till the time of Cyprian that is for 250. yeers after Christ VVhich shevves the Gouernment of Diocessan Bishops their Officials Chancellors Courts and proceedings to be popish nouell intollerable such as make the ordinance of God of none effect take things vpon them vvhich belong not to them If a man dvvelling in the Isle of Ieresey in the Isle of vvight or in Surrey find himselfe much vvronged molested by a neighbour vvould Tell the church should he run to the Bishop of the Diocesse or to his Chancelour at VVinchester and not rather to the flock and the Elders thereof vvhereof he and the offendour are members vvhich flock should haue the povver the church of Corinth had It is remarkeable that vvhen Christ vvould reproue the seuen churches for certaine corruptions crept into them he doth not say vvrite and send it to the chiefe officers of the church to the Archbishops bishops or their officials Chancelours c. For there vvere no such officers then but vvrite and send it vnto the seuen churches Reu. 1.11 that is to the vvhole flock in Ephesus so to that in Smyrna and so in all the rest So it is still added Let him that hath an eare chap. 2.7 heare vvhat the Spirit saith to the churches Euerie man that vvas a member of the church must heare it and take care to redresse it Indeed

he bids him vvrite to the Angel that is to the Pastor of the church of Ephesus and so of the rest because the Pastor as the principall man and a President in the congregation should propound and make it knovvne to the rest he being one vvhome it did a litle more concerne then the rest as he vvas Shepheard of the flock so one that should looke to such faults yet all the Elders of euerie church vvere also to looke to it as those that had share in the gouernment and things vvere determined by voices of all men members of the church The Epistles vvere vvritten to them all as appeares also by that to the church of Smyrna the deuill shall cast some of you into prison Vers 10.22 23. I vvill giue vnto euerie one of you according to his vvorks And vnto you I say the rest of them of Thiatira as many as haue not this learning c. VVhen he saith of some churches that they had kept his name and not denied the faith c. and of others that they had left their first loue or had them vvhich held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans of Balaam or the vvoman lezabel It is sensles to thinke that only the Angel of each church is commended or taxed The reproofes and incitements to repentance are not to him alone but to the church Paul speaking to the church of the Colossians Col. 4.17 saith Say to Archippus Take heede to the ministrie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it He vvrit his Epistles vvherein their are directions for gouernment to the churches He vvilleth the church at Rome Rom. 16.17 to marke them vvhich cause diuisions and offences contrarie to the doctrine they had learned and to auoyde them In that greate busines Act. 15. the brethren vvere at the discussing of it the decrees vvent out in all their names It seemed good to the Apostles Act 15.22.23 and Elders vvith the vvhole church Letters vvere vvritten after this manner The Apostles and Elders and brethren vnto the brethren c. And in that it is said Vers 12. All the multitude kept silence and heard Barnabas c. All this shevves they had libertie to speake in due time if they had seene cause Act. 6.5 The saying pleased the multitude This shevves their consent and that they had voices For as Paul informed by the house of Cloe that there vvere diuisions among them 1. Cor. 2. conuinced them as an Apostle vvith vvords vvhich are the vvord of God so vvhen by them or by such others he vvas informed of the incestious Corinthian he conuinced them yet he referred the censure to the church Chap. 5.4 and vvould not doe the thing himselfe though as an Apostle he vvas a generall officer in all churches He vvisheth them to excommunicate him and after vvhen he had repented * 2. Cor. 2.7 to forgiue him It is true that the Keies of binding and loosing in this kinde vvere principallie giuen to the Pastors but ye see they did not excommunicate and restore vvithout the consent of the church And yet it is not meant hereby that this parochiall Gouernment should be ouerloaden vvith businesses much lesse vvith friuilous contentions For some things may be ended by the arbitration of tvvo or three neighbours and many causes are fitter for the common lavves and those courts vvhere the Kings Chancellour and other Iudges sit but only that such matters should be in the churches povver as are fit that the church should take care of them and iudge them So that this doth not ouerthrovv the authoritie of Christian Magistrates and their courts Neither can this be a cause of confusion making that vvhich is all mens busines to be no mans so that therevpon carelesnes should arise or pride and contention For vvee see that after this manner many things haue beene vvell discussed and determined in the high court of Parliament vvhere all things passe by voices as likevvise in ciuill corporations and common counsailes In vvhich things are best and most vncorruptlie carried vvhen men may speake their mindes freelie and are not oueravved by such greate ones as are the Bishops that haue povver to sit on their skirts that displease them For in this case men should thinke of that Mat. 23.8 One is your master euen Christ ye are brethren Doe ye not know that the saints shall iudge the vvorld 1. Cor. 3.6 chap. 2.15 He that is spirituall discerneth all things And thinke vvee then that they may not as vvell be fit Iudges of manners novv as they vvere in the Apostles time and the age next after them If it vvere once in vse men vvould soone be vvell enabled to the vvorke Besides the proofes out of Cyprian aboue mentioned Tertull. Apol. c. 39. lib. 3. contra a pist Parment Tertullian makes the officers to be only Presidents in the assemblie Hierom ad Demet. affirmes that the church it selfe hath right in excommunication as the Elders haue in other church censures Augustin thinks that it helpes much to the shaming of the partie that he be excommunicate by the vvhole church Zvvinglius Artie 8. explanat speaking of the contention vvhich hath bene vvhat a church is acknovvledges no other churches but 1. the companie of sure and firme beleeuers dispersed through the vvhole vvorld called the Catholick church And 2 seuerall congregations vvhich conueniently meete together in some one place c. of these he affirmes Christ to speake Mat. 18. Tell the church Peter Martyr in his common places Pant. 4. chap. 5. Sect. 9 making the church a Monarchie in respect of Christ an Aristocracie in respect of the Elders addeth also that because in the church there are matters of greate vveight and importance referred vnto the people as excommunication absolution choosing Ministers and the like it hath also a consideration of popular gouernment and vpon 1. Cor. 5.4 The Apostle as greate as he vvas vvould not excommunicate alone but did take counsaile vvith the church that the thing might be done by common authority VVhich notvvithstanding both Romish English bishops dare doe The Apostle indeede goes before the rest vvhich is the duty of the ancients of the church that the more ignorant multitude by their ●uffrages goeing before may be directed iudging Lib 1. de regno Christi cap. 9. Bucer affirmes that Paul accuses the Corinthians for that the vvhole church had not excommunicated the incestious persons Bastingius Loc. 4. quest 85. of his Catechisme speaking of the difference betvveene the tvvo keies that of preaching and the other of discipline placeth it in this that the former vvhich is of the preaching of the Gospel is committed to the ministers the other because it pertaines to the discipline of excommunication is permitted to the vvhole church I omit that vvhich Mr. Foxe Mr Cartvvright and other English men had said to this purpose because it vvould be too long for

gouernment shall be vpon his shoulders He shall smite the earth vvith the rod of of his mouth And so they are subordinate Shepheards and Bishops to feed the flock to keepe and reduce the sheepe vnto the obedience of the chiefe Shepheard Bishop of theire soules 1. Pet. 2.25 chap. 5.4 vvhich is Christ In regard vvhereof the vveapons of theire vvarfare are not carnall but mightie through God to the pulling downe of strong holds 2. Cor. 10.4 casting downe imaginations and euerie high thought that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ The greatest question is aboute the dignitie iurisdiction povver and authoritie of these Officers and especially of the office of a Bishop vvhether by Gods Testament and ordinance it be to superintend ouer other Pastors and Elders in a diocesse or Prouince or as others affirme Pastoral ouer one flocke and congregation vvherein he is an Elder and vvith other Elders an ouerseer of the same In vvhich controuersie men that are not vvillingly ignorant or vvilfully obstinate and blind may receiue full satisfaction by the cleere testimonies of Scripture and consent of the Fathers shevving vs the old and good vvay that all should seeke follow VVhereas he that commeth vvith a scoffing or preuidicate censure speaking euill of the things he knowes not Iude 10. Pro. 3.22 Pro. 14.6 Psa 25.14 or in frowardnes will not know can not so easily discerne the Truth Ascorner seeketh vvisdome and findeth it not but knowledge is easy to him that vvill vnderstand The secret of the lord is vvith them that feare him and he vvill shew them his couenant VVhen Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles had first preached the Gospell in diuers of their cities he Barnabas retourned againe to Lystra to Iconium and Antioch Act. 13. chap. 14.21.22.23 to confirme the soules of the Disciples exhort them to continue in the faith then it is said expresly They ordained them Elders in euerie church by election The vvord in the Greeke is Presbuterois Presbyters or Elders Of it comes the Latin vvord Presbyter vvhich signifies an Elder and vvhich as all confesse in the primatiue ages of the church was giuen if not to som others yet at least to euerie ordinarie Pastor of euerie congregatiō in regard that he vvatched ouer the flock to keepe them sound in the saith and holy in life and manners In place of those that men call parsons or Curates of seuerall Parishes there vvere then presbiters of seuerall congregations Nicod Dictionar French and Latin Our vvord preist seemes to come from the French vvord Prestre a preist vvhich as Nicod obserueth properlie signifies an Elder or presbiter though after the masse vvas vnderstood to be a Sacrifice offered by the hand of presbiters the name prestre or preist remained but vvas also corruptly applied to a Sacrificer or Masse preist in time vvas only taken in that sense both in France and elsvvhere VVherein vve may ansvvere vvith our Sauiour from the beginning it vvas not so but a Preist that was a Presbiter or Elder therfore throughout the vvhole booke of God vvhere there is any speech of those orders of Aarons Sons that vvaited at the Altar the french Protestants do not in their Bibles translate it preist but Sacrificer blame vs that vvee do not the like to distinguish them all masse mongers from the presbiters or priests ordained in the nevv Testament Indeede Reuel 1. Christ is s●●de to make vs kings Hiereis Sacrificers vvhere you haue the same vvord that in the Septuagint and in the Gospell is put for the Ievvish Sacricificers but this is by Iohn mysticallie applied to all true Christians and is not here Presbuterois Presbiters but a vvord far different and therefore can not be vnderstood of the office and ministrie of the Presbyters ordained by the Apostles In the nevv Testament mention is oft made of these Presbyters or Elders Act. 15.2.4.6 Paul Barnabas and others vvere sent to Ierusalem vnto the Apostles and Elders vvhen they came thither vers 22. They vvere receiued of the church and of the Apostles and Elders And the Apostles and Elders came together Act. 16.4 to consider of this matter Then it pleased the Apostles and Elders vvith the vvhole church And vvrote letters The Apostles chap. 10.17.18 c. and Elders and brethren send greeting They deliuered them the decrees that vvere ordained of the Apostles and Elders From Miletus he sent to Ephesus called the Elders of the church and said vnto them ye know from the first daie that I came into Asia c. vers 28. Take heede therefore vnto your selues and to all the flock ouer vvhich the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to feede the church of God The new translation reads it Ouerseers but the vvord is Episcopus Bishops the same that is vsed 1. Tim. 3. A Bishop must be blamelesse c. Indeede both there and here it may be translated a Bishop or an Ouerseer For in the original as a Presbiter is an Elder so a Bishop is an Ouerseer But marke he saith to the Presbyters Take heede to all the flock ouer vvhich the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to feede c. VVhence it is infalliblie plaine 1. That the Presbiterall gouernment is the expresse ordinance of the holy Ghost Ioh. 16. vvho changeth not and of vvhome Christ saith He shall not speake of himselfe for he shall take of mine shew vnto you Heb. 13. Novv Christ is yesterdaie and to daie and the same also for euer This ordinance is therefore vnalterable 2. That Elders by Christs ordinance are or ought to be ouer euery congregation Take heede to all the flock ouer vvhich the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops Act 14 23 So Paul and Barnabas ordained them Elders in euerie church by election Paul saith to Titus I left thee in Creete to set in order the things that are vvanting Tit. 1.5 c. ordaine Elders in euerie citie as I had appointed thee For a vvhole prouince or diocesse is to greate a flock for one man he can not take heede to all the flock as the Elders of one church may 3. That their office is to feede the flock church of God vvhich one man can not doe in a vvhole Diocesse vvhen they haue occasion to binde or loose to reproue correct or comfort to excommunicate or restore that must also be by the vvord for it is he that in iust causes giues them authority themselues are not Lords of Gods heritage as S Peter saith 1. Pet. 5.3 to doe it at their ovvne pleasure by their ovvne rules and traditions but * 1. Cor. 5.4 vvith the power of Christ. For he smites the earth vvith the rod of his mouth 4. That the holy Ghost hath made the Presbiters Bishops ouer the flock For the vvords are