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
A26279	Aaron's rod blossoming, or, The orthodox government of the Church of England by bishops, presbiters, and deacons, asserted from the practice of the apostles, the testimony of councils, synods, fathers and doctors, from the apostles time to this day ...		1680 (1680)	Wing A43; ESTC R22486	17,618	40

institute he made Timothy and Titus Episcopos Cleri gregis quoad regimen in ecclesia Bishops of the Clergy and their Flocks and to have Ecclesiastical Government over them whereas before they were but Presbyters or Disciples brought up under him by this Institution were other Presbyters made subordinate to them in governing and teaching the Church which to prove I thus argue He that is ordained and so ordained that he hath power constituere presbiteros per civitates to ordain Presby ters in every City is greater than those who have no such power in their Cities and Churches and they who may correct what is defective are superior to those for whom matters defective are corrected but Timothy and Titus had such power given them and did so correct things defective and none of the Presbyters had the same from the Apostles no not Timothy nor Titus whilst onely Presbyters therefore I conclude undeniably that Timothy and Titus were Superiors as Bishops over the Presbyters in their several Charges and Divisions Timothy in Ephesus and Titus in Creet That they had this Power given them by Paul appears Tim. 1.5.22 Lay hands suddainly on no man Tit. 1.5 For this cause I left thee in Creet that thou should'st set in order things which were wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee If any other in those Churches could have ordained Presbyters why was Timothy sent to Ephesus and Titus left at Creet for this very purpose And if the Cretians could have set in order things defective what need was there that Titus alone should have this Commission St. Jerom no great Friend to Episcopacy gives us in his Epistle to Evagrius pag. 329 this as a Distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remarkable betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter saying quid facit excepta ordinatione Episcopus quod non facit Presbiter What does a Bishop except the Ordaining of Others which a Presbyter does not And it is worth the observation what the Antient Father and Champion for the Blessed Trinity Athanasius hath in his Second Apologie viz. That Colithus a Presbiter of Alexandria had constituted Presbyters But what became of them Recissa est haec ejus ordinatio omnes ab eo constituti in Laicorum ordinem redacti fuere The ordaining of others by him was made invalid and they who were ordained by him were degraded and made Laicks So then you see that Bishops are Eminenter superiores presbiteris Eminently superiour to Presbyters having power affirmative and negative by the Opinion and Practice of the Antient Fathers This confirmes what the Apostles had taught and practised and appointed others in place above the ordinary Presbyters to do Now I come to shew the Second Difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter And wherein a Bishop hath eminentem superioritatem a clear Superiority above a Presbyter that is in Excommunication which was called Mucro Episcopalis the Episcopal Weapon and was a Power given to Bishops Successors of the Apostles and was ever practised by them This appears in that an Account of it was and is expected at their hands as it is manifested by the quarrel which our blessed Saviour had against the Angel of the Church of Pergamus namely that he suffered some of his Church who held the Doctrine of the Nicholaitans and against the Angel of the Church of Thiatira that he suffered the woman Jesabel to teach and seduce the people By this it is apparent that Christ expected they should do what they had by their places power to do namely that they being Angels of their Churches whom I affirm to be also Bishops thereof and Successors to the Apostles as is sufficiently proved by the most reverend and learned Archbishop of Armagh and Beza himself calling them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men in place above others should Hereticos coercere ex Ecclesia ejicere keep under Hereticks and cast them out of the Church If here it be objected that we must not argue from dark and mystical places of Scripture such as is the Apocalypse I answer that I argue from a plain place and from the plain words and direct Scope of the place and not from the mystical Sence or Interpretation neither can we here admit of that distinction that Angelus is in this place to be taken Collectively pro tota Ecclesia for the whole Church For I conceive there is not a word in Scripture but hath its weight and was it not as easy to have said Ecclesiae as Angelo Ecelesiae if Angelo had not something more in it then Ecclesiae and why not Angelus Ecclesia the Angel the Church but Angelus Ecclesiae the Angel of the Church if it had been to be taken Collectively but the terms are different and of a distinct force like those panis Domin● the bread of the Lord and panis Dominus bread representing the Lord. Besides to come to Timothy and Titus they are enjoyned to command others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to teach other Doctrine and obturaro ora deceptorum hereticos rejicere to stop the mouths of deceivers and to reject Hereticks these things were commanded them and an Account accordingly expected of the performance thereof which manifestly proves that every Church had its Angelum who had Episcopal Authority and Jurisdiction eminent above other inferiour Clergy-men and not many Angels in each of these Churches all of equal Authority and place or at least the Angel in each of the seven Churches was so absolute in his power that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chief Governour the Presbyters only Assistants to him he a Spiritual Justice and of the Quorum they of the Council The difference also of Episcopal Authority from that of Bresbyters appears in the Cause of Excommunication where there was an Appeal to the Synods which either confirmed or disolved them but none to the People none to the Presbyters this is confirmed by the antient Council at Nice Can. 5. and at Antioch Can. 6. and Jerom himself writing to Riparius concerning Vigilantius an heretical Presbyter is angry that the Bishop under whom he was did acquiescere ejus furori non virga Apostolica virgaque ferrea vas inutile confringere tradere ad interitum Carnis ut spiritus salvus fiat did quietly give way to his fury and not rather break in pieces that unprofitable vessel with his Apostolick Staff and rod of Iron and deliver him up to the destruction of the Flesh that his Soul might be saved And it seems strange to me that any should think that our Blessed Saviour his Executioners Administrators and Assigns knew not the meaning of his Will and Testament as well as we in these days Christ who ascending to Heaven gave Gifts to many would not deny this Gift so necessary He I say giving supereminent Gifts to the Apostles ad fundandam ecclesiam for the founding of his Church would not deny to their Successors those which were necessary

ecclesiae fundatae to the Church being founded and so necessary that nothing more concerns the Church Would he not or could he not inform his Trustees how he pleased to have his Church his Houshold governed in his absence To say he would not is derogatory to his Wisdom and Goodness to say he could not to his Almighty Sovereign Power I therefore conclude these Points First That Ordination of Presbyters was left to Timothy and Titus as to men of higher place and Authority and not to the Presbyters who were of inferior Degree Secondly The Power given to the Angels of Ephesus and the other Churches puts a difference of Superiority betwixt a Bishop and an ordinary Presbyter and other the Teachers of the Churches and gives them commission prae ceteris tam Clericis quam Laicis above others both Clergy and Laity yea a coercive and castigative Power Object Further they object That Episcopacy is not jure divino because Christ did not command it in the Gospel Answ To this I answer That jus divinum aliter in se habet in credendis aliter in agendis There is a difference of divine Right in matters to be believed and matters to be done In matters of Faith there must be textus manifestus aut convincens deductio a clear Text or a sound Consequence As for example In the beginning God made all things that is textus manifestus but there is onely convincens deductio concerning the Mystery of the blessed Trinity which is only proved thus There came down at Christs Baptism the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove and a voice was heard saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Here we find the Spirit in the form of a Dove there is heard a voice and Christ is seen in the water we know by the light of Scripture and the light of Nature that there is but one God and that from one all things are and that in one they terminate And that there is aliud medium copulans primum ultimum one between both coupling the first and the last Seeing also we read that there is a Father a Son and a Spirit and that there is but one God We hence infer by necessary deduction that there are three persons and but one God Besides this deduction is further confirmed by that Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These three are one which in some sort is textus manifestus a clear Text. Now a Matter of Fact may be inferred to be jure divino as I suppose if I prove 1. First That the same Fact was the Practice of the Apostles 2. Secondly that it is Analogical to the Institution of the Church of the Jews which was settled according to Gods Appointment by the Mediation of Angels by the Ministry of Moses and Aaron 3. Thirdly That it is pointed at and insinuated in the New-Testament 4. Fourthly That it hath successively continued since the Apostles time as elsewhere so particularly in Brittain If these points can be proved concerning the Fact in question viz. Government by Bishops I hope none will deny it to be jure divino Now for Proof and Confirmation that Episcopacy is jure divino I will prove these Points and then say something concerning the Practice of other Churches And first St. Paul the Apostle and Dr. of the Gentiles gave Power and Authority to Timothy and Titus ordinare dignos to ordain men worthy and to examine such as were faulty to reprove and discharge such as were guilty and did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach other Doctrine and were offensive to the honour of their Callings and to cherish such as did well Those things are evident in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and of that to Titus From Pauls Practice of Superiority over these two and from the Institution of Timothy and Titus to be Bishops I prove Episcopacy to be practised by the Apostles to make which good I thus argue If St. Paul himself practised eminent superiority and in the Epistles alledged gave all that power which of right Bishops challenge or doth belong to the definition of a Bishop to Timothy and Titus then Paul himself did not only practice Episcopacy but did also Constitute them Bishops but verum prius ergo posterius That he had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishoprick as the other Apostles had see Acts 1.20 and did diligently run his course therein no man will deny and that he gave Power to Timothy and Titus the same which he himself had To Ordain to Punish to Convent to Reward duplici honore with double honour the Epistles alledged do sufficiently prove Therefore Paul himself practised superiority and constituted Timothy and Titus Bishops in place superiour to Presbyters whom they had Authority to Ordain Convent and Punish Object If they object That Presbyters with a President may do the same even all things which are commanded Timothy and Titus and therefore these things were spoken to Timothy and Titus and to their Presbyters Collectively in the Persons of Timothy and Titus Answ I answer Their Old Friend Collectively will do them as little good here as elsewhere for this is but petere principium an Evasion which I have formerly taken away And now further I argue Such as the Charge is such is the Power but the Charge is personal that is given to Timothy and Titus particularly and therefore the Power and Authority given is personal to them for their time and to their Successours in place after them and not to them and the Presbytery Collectively nothing in place where such Charge is given doth intimate the Presbyters or Deacons interposing themselves in these Episcopal Actions with Timothy and Titus If they will have these Priviledges and Performances to belong to their President they must plead them due to him as he is Successor to Timothy and Titus and so he is in effect if you give him Continuance in his place a Bishop indeed The bare Name of a President cannot make him of a different Calling from a Bishop whenas he acteth the part of a Bishop in all those points by St. Paul prescribed The Practice of all times especially the first Century warrants not a Monthly or Yearly President doing nothing for Ordination Convention Punishment and Reward without the Advise and Consent of a company of Presbyters But it allows Bishops Superiority to Presbyters and Presbyters to Deacons yea it placed Bishops Successours to the Apostles as were Timothy and Titus and Presbyters and Deacons subordinate to Bishops as to the Apostles whilst the lived St. Ignatius the next Bishop to Evodius he received Episcopal Charge from the Apostles and writing to them at Antioch when he was carried Prisoner to Rome he uses these words to the Laity Obsequium prebete presbyteris Diaconis be ye obedient to your Presbyters and Deacons and addeth to the Presbyters pascite gregem apud vos donec Deus ostendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feed the

Flock under you until God shew who shall be your Governour and hereby establishes Superiority to Bishops and enjoyns the Presbyters Obedience The same Father in an Epistle to the Ephesians acknowledgeth Onessimus named often by Paul to be their Bishop and exhorts them saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it becomes you submit your selves to your Bishops Advice Thus here we find St. Pauls Charge or Ordination observed and followed by Ignatius who lived in the first Century and whose Worth and Authority clouds of Witnesses do confirm In the same Journey he writes to the Church of Smirna and salutes their Bishop by name and exhorts the Flock 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to follow their Bishop as Jesus Christ did his Father and the Presbytery as the Apostles The Bishop here spoken of was Policarpus as Ireneus his Successour affirms multa accepit ab illo de sancti Johannis vita conversatione Cotemporary with Ireneus and by whom he was informed in many things concerning St. John's Life and Conversation In the life time of Trajan the Emperour St. John returning from his Banishment out of Patmos where he wrote the Revelations summoned the Seven Bishops who are conceived to be those named in the Apocalips the Angels of the Seven Churches and used their Ministry for setling and ordering his own Metropolis of Ephesus and the other Churches in Asia as the antient Greek Records found in the Library of Photius testifie Concerning this Apostolical Superiority and practice of Constitution and Ordination of Bishops is frequent mention in Ireneus Eusebius and Jerom. So that by that which hath been said we see that Episcopacy is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warranted by the practice of the Apostles because that viventibus constituentibus confirmantibus Apostolis viris Apostolicis patribus doctoribus testantibus The Apostles and Apostolick men being alive seing it appointing it and confirming it and the Fathers and Doctors being eye-witnesses thereof there were these three distinct Degrees in the Clergy viz. Bishops Presbyters Deacons Now to the Second Point That Episcopacy is Analogical to the Institution of the Church Government of the Jews in the Old Testament which Moses as a Prince did establish by Gods appointment in the Wilderness and which continued in force till the Veil of the Temple rent and the Gentiles became Heirs to Abraham And the Promises made to him were made good to us his Heirs by Faith and Adoption Because the Jews Abrahams Heirs according to the Flesh by their own default and disobedience forfeited their Interest in that Conveyance of Inheritance which they claimed from their Father Abraham by the Evidences registred in Moses and the Prophets Episcopacy and Subordination thereto I say holds Analogy and a kind of proportion of the Jewish-Church-Government for God in it appointed an High-Priest Priests and Levites subordinate one to the other such is the Subordination of the three Degrees in the Clergy In the New-Testament-Church St. Jerom near the end of his Epistle to Evagrius observes and says scimus traditiones Apostolorum sumptas de veteri Testamento quod Aaron filii ejus atque Levitae in templo fuere Hoc Episcopi Presbiteri Diaconi sibi vindicant in Ecclesia scil Christiana The Orders delivered to the Church by the Apostles were taken out of the Old Testament the same Subordination which was in Aaron his Sons and the Levites now appear in the Christian Church in our Bishops Presbyters and Deacons This proportion is made undeniable by St. Jude who Charges some in the Christian Church with the Gainsaying of Korah now there can be no gainsaying like that of Korah in the Christian Church except there be distinction and subordination of Superiours and Inferiours in the Clergy as there was in Korah's time and was gainsaid by him and his Complices desirous of superiour honour and of higher degrees and places than they had a Calling unto Here then you see that God would have a Proportion of Church-Government betwixt the Old and New-Testament And it is further worthy the observation that both the Church and Common-wealth of the Jews had in their Government a kind of proportion establisht by God For the Church was Monarchical in Aaron Aristocratical in some Select Priests and Levites so was the Common-wealth Monarchical in Moses Aristocratical in some Select Princes of each Tribe governing under Moses and Democratical in the rest and in the whole Body of the People And such is the proportion betwixt our Church and Common-wealth and such hath it been from the first foundation this will I hope appear when I come to speak of the Succession in our Church and what kind of Government thus suitable to that of the Jews is in any one Church may be in all Churches namely all degrees of men subordinate to their Princes and all Princes or Kings subordinate to Christ without having any King on earth Head over the rest As all the degrees of men in the Churches were subordinate to the Apostles and the Apostles going to several and far remote Nations were all equally subordinate to Christ To conclude this then seeing the Constitution of Episcopal Government is so agreeable to that which is most absolute and was establisht by that Wisdom that no other Common-wealth and Church ever was as one observes dictante Deo Constituente Mose God ordaining it and Moses putting it in Practice why should any endeavour to alter it It is held an Axiome amongst Architectors that it is not wisdom to pull down a main Post of a Building especially so antient and well settled except we be sure to settle and fix another which is right and fitted to our purpose which yet for all the Workmans skill may have a private Flaw in it which cannot be discovered and so may the Building fall on the Builders Heads Thus much for the Analogie and Proportion betwixt Episcopacy and the Church-Government of the Jews Now in the Third place I come to prove That Episcopacy was pointed at and in some sort deciphered in the New-testament What I produced before concerning the Authority of Ordination Convention Punishment and Reward put upon some special persons may serve sufficiently to this purpose Yet something more I will here add Be it so that when the Apostle says If any desire the Office of a Bishop he desires a good work that this is spoken of an Inferiour Bishop or Presbiter which is an Overseer of the People committed to his charge as well as of a Bishop Superiour who hath the oversight of the Clergy and People Yet will it follow that if the Office of an Inferiour Bishop or Overseer of his Flock be a good Work as indeed it is then much more they who have laboured in that painful Harvest first and afterward in their elder Years are advanced to the Superiour Bishops Office of Overseeing the Clergy of Ordaining Conventing and the like as aforesaid undergo and perform 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉