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
A67119	Eleutherosis tēs aletheias, truth asserted by the doctrine and practice of the apostles, seconded by the testimony of synods, fathers, and doctors, from the apostles to this day viz. that episcopacie is jure divino / by Sir Francis Wortley ...	Wortley, Francis, Sir, 1591-1652.	1641 (1641)	Wing W3637; ESTC R34763	18,183	38

run cleare down to the after times I have to his end above defined Episcopum a Bishop if we observe what he is then shall we evidently see whether Saint Paul did institute such a calling or no Of Civill Bishops I speake not but of Spirituall A Bishop of this kind I defined to be Presbyterum cum additamento superioritatis quoad regimen in Ecclesia he governs the Clergie and their flocks in spirituall matters Bishops of this Kind Saint Paul did institute He made Timothy and Titus Episcopos Cleri Gregis quoad regimen in Ecclesia Bishops of the Clergie and their flocks and to have Ecclesiasticall 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 hee hath power Constituere Presbyteres per civitates to ordain presbyters in every City is greater then those who have no such power in their Cities or Churches and those who may correct what is defective are superiour to those for whom matters defective are corrected But Titus and Timothy had such power given them and did so correct things defective and none of the Presbyters had the same from the Apostles Therefore I conclude undeniably that Titus and Timothy were superiors as Bishops over their Presbyters in their severall charges and Divisions viz Titus in Creet and Timothy in Ephesus That they had this power given them by Paul appeares 1. Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man Tit. 1. 5. For this cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldst set in order things which are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee If any other in these Churches could have ordained Presbyters why was Timothy sent to Ephesus and Titus left at Creet for this very purpose And if the Cretians and their Presbyters could have set in order things defective what neede was there that Tit. alone should have this commission Saint Ierom himselfe who was accounted no great friend but rather harsh against Episcopacie in his Epistle to Evagrius pag. 329. gives us this as a distinction {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} remarkable betwixt a Presbyter and a Bishop saying Quid facit excepta ordinatione Episcopus quod non facit Presbyter What doth a Bishop except the ordaining of others which a Presbyter doth not And it is worth the observation that the ancient Father and great Champion for the blessed Trinity Athanasius hath in his second Apologie viz. that Colythus a Presbyter of the Church of Alexandria had constituted Presbyters but what became of them Rescissa 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 in this eminenter superiores Presbyteris eminently superior to Presbyters having power affirmative and negative by the opinion and practice of the ancient Fathers This confirms what the Apostles had taught practised and appointed others in place above the ordinary Presbyters to do Now I come to shew a second difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter and wherein a Bishop hath eminentem superioritatem a cleere superiority above a Presbyter That is excommunication and was called Mucro Episcopalis the Episcopall 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 is manifested by the quarel which our blessed Saviour had against the Angell of the Church of Pergamus namely that he suffered some of his Church who held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans and against the Angell of the Church of Thyatira viz. That hee suffered the woman Iezabell to teach and seduce the people By this it is apparent that Christ expected they should doe what they had by their places power to doe namely that they being Angells of their Churches whom I affirme to bee also Bishops therof and successors to the Apostles as is sufficiently proved by the most reverend and learned Arch-bishop of Armach and by Beza himselfe called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} men in place above others should haereticos coercere ex Ecclesia ejicere Keepe under Heretikes and cast them out of the Church If here it be objected that wee must not argue from darke and mysticall places of Scripture such as the Apocalypse I answere that I argue from a plain place and from the plain words and direct scope of the place not the mystical sense or interpretation Neither can we here admit of that distinction that Angelus is in this place to bee taken collectively pro tota Ecclesia for the whole Church For I conceive that there is not a word in the Scripture but hath its weight and was it not as easie to have said Ecclesiae as Angelo Ecclesiae if Angelus had not something more in it then Ecclesiae And why not Angelus Ecclesi● but Angelus Ecclesiae The Angell the Church but the Angell of the Church if it had beene to be taken collectively But the tearmes be distinct and of a different force like those panis Domini the bread of the Lord and panis Dominus bread representing the Lord Besides to return to Timothy and Titus they are injoyned to command others {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not to teach other doctrine and obturare ora deceptorum haereticos rejicere to stop the mouthes of deceivers and to reject Hereticks These things were commanded them and an account accordingly exspected of the performance thereof which manifestly proves that every Church had his Angelum who had Episcopall authority and jurisdiction eminent above other inferior Clergie-men And not many Angels in each of these Churches all of equall authority and place Or at least the Angell in each of the seven churches was so absolute in his power that he was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} chief Governour the Presbyters assistants to him he a spirituall Justicer and of the Quorum they of the Counsell The difference also of Episcopal authority from that of Presbyters appears in the cause of excommunication where there was an appeal to the Synods which either confirmd them or dissolved them but none to the people none to the presbyters This is confirmed by the ancient Councill at Nice Can. 5. and at Antioch Can. 6. And Ierom himselfe writing to Riparius concerning Vigilantius an Hereticall Presbyter is angry that the Bishop under whom he was did acquiescere eius furori non virga Apostolica virgaque ferreavas inutile confringere tradere ad interitum carnis ut spiritus salvu● fiat Did quietly give way to his fury

not rather break in pieces that unprofitable vessell with his Apostolike staffe and rod of iron and deliver him up to the destruction of the flesh that his soul might be saved And it seemes strange to mee that any should think that our blessed Saviour his Excecutors Administrators and assignes knew not the meaning of his will and Testament as well as wee in these dayes Christ who ascending into Heaven gave guifts unto many would not deny this guift so necessary Hee I say giving supereminent guifts to his Apostles ad fundandam Ecclesiam for the founding 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 concerneth the Church Would he not or could he not informe his Trustees how he pleased to have his Church his houshold governed in his absence To say he would not is derogatory to his wisdome and goodnesse to say he could not to his Almighty and Sovereigne power I therefore conclude these 2. points 1 That Ordination of Presbyters was left to Titus and Timothy as to men of higher place and authority and not to the Presbyters who were of inferiour degree 2 That the power given to the Angells of Ephesus and the other Churches puts a difference of superiority and eminence betwixt a Bishop and an ordinary Presbyter and others the teachers of the Churches and gives them commission prae caeteris tam Clericis quam Laicis above others both Clergie and Laity yea a coercive and castigative power Further they object and say That Episcopacie is not Iure Divino because Christ did not command it in the Gospell To this I answere That Ius Divinum aliter se habet in rebus credendis aliter in agendis aliter in rebus fidei aliter in rebus facti There is a difference of Divine right betweene matters to bee believed and matters to bee done betwixt matters of faith and matters of fact In matters of faith there must be textus manifestus aut convincens deductio a cleere text or a sound consequence As for example In the beginning God made all things Here is textus manifestus But there is only convincens deductio concerning the mystery of the blessed Trinity for the Trinity is proved not by an expresse Text but by convincing deductions out of sacred Scriptures as thus There came downe at the Baptisme of Christ the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove and a voice was heard saying This is my beloved Son in whō I am well pleased Here wee find the Spirit in the form of a Dove There is heard a voice And Christ is seene in the water We know both by the sacred Scriptures and by 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 reade 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 place {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} These three are one which in some sort is textus manifestus a cleere text Now a matter of fact may be inferred to bee Iure Divino as I suppose if I prove 1 That the same fact was the practice of the Apostles 2 That it is analogical to the institution of the Church of the Jewes which was setled according to Gods appointment by the mediation of Angels by the Ministery of Moses and Aaron 3 That it is pointed at and insinuated in the New Testament 4 That it hath successively continued since the Apostles time And as elsewhere so particularly in Britain If these points can bee proved concerning the fact viz. Government by Bishops in question I hope that none will deny it to be Iure Divino Now for proofe and confirmation of my Tenent That Episcopacie is Iure Divino I will prove these points and then say something more concerning the practice of some other Churches 1 Saint Paul the Apostle and Doctor of the Gentils gave power and authority to Titus and Timothy ordinare dignos to ordain men worthy and to examine such as were faulty to reprove and discharge such as were guilty and did {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} teach other Doctrine and were offensive to the honour of their callings and to cherish such as did well These 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 the one of Ephesus the other at Creet I prove Episcopacie to be practised by the Apostles To make which good thus I argue If Saint Paul himselfe practised an eminent superiority and in the Epistles alleadged gave all that power which of right Bishops challeng or doth belong to the definition of a Bishop to Timothy and Titus then Paul himselfe did not only practise Episcopacie but did also constitute and institute them Bishops But verum prius ergo posterius That he had {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a Bishoprick as the other Apostles had Act. 1. 20. did diligētly run his course therein no man will deny And that he gave power to Timothy and Titus the same which himself had 1 To ordain 2 To convent 3 To punish 4 To reward duplici honore with double honour the Epistles alledged doe sufficiently prove Therefore Paul himselfe practised superiority and constituted Timothy and Titus Bishops in place superior to Presbyters whom they had authority to ordain convent punish and reward If they further object That the Presbyters with their President may doe 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 I answer this is petere principium this evasion I formerly took away And now further I argue Such as the charge is such is the power but the tharge is personall that is given to Timothy and Titus particularly and therefore the power and authority given is personall to them for their time and to their successors in place after them and not to them and the Presbytery collectively nothing in places where such charge is given doth intimate the Presbyters or Deacons interposing themselves in these Episcopall 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 hee is in effect if you give him continuance in his place a Bishop indeede the bare name of President cannot make him

of a different calling from a Bishop when as he acteth the part of a Bishop in all points by Saint Paul prescribed The practice of all times especially of the first Century warrants not a monethly or yeerly President doing nothing for ordination convention punishment 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 as successors to the Apostles as were Timothy and Titus and Presbyters and Deacons subordinat to Bishops as to the Apostles whilst they lived Saint Ignatius the next Bishop to Evodius Hee received Episcopall charge from the Apostles and writing to them at Antioch when hee was carried prisoner to Rome useth these words to the Laity Obsequium praebete Presbyteris diaconis Be yee obedient to your Presbyters and Deacons and addeth to the Presbyters pascite gregem apud vos done● Deus ostendit {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} feed the flock under you untill God shew who shall bee your governour and hereby establisheth superiority to Bishops and enjoyneth the Presbyters obedience The same Father in an Epistle to the Ephesians acknowledgeth ONESIMVS named often by Saint Paul to be their Bishop exhorteth them saying {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} as it becomes you submit your selves to your Bishops advice Thus here wee finde Saint Pauls charge and ordination observed and followed by Ignatius who lived in the first century and whose worth and authority clouds of witnesses doe confirme In the same journey he writes to the Church of Smyrna and salutes their Bishop by name and exhorteth the flock {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to follow their Bishop as Jesus Christ did his Father and the Presbytery as the Apostles The Bishop here spoken of was Polycarpus as Ireneus his successor affirmes with whom Ireneus was contemporaneus multa accepit ab illo de Sancti Ioannis vita conversatione contemporary and by whom Ireneus was informed in many things concerning Saint Iohns life and conversation In the life time of Trajan the Emperour Saint Iohn returning from his banishment out of Patmos where he wrote his Revelation summoned the seven Bishops who are conceived to be those named in the Apocalypse the Angells of the seven Churches and used their ministery for setling and ordering his own Metropolis of Ephesus and the other Churches in Asia as the ancient Greeke Records found in the Library of Photius testifie Concerning his Apostolicall superiority and practice of constitution and ordination of Bishops is frequent mention in Ireneus Eusebius and Ierom. So then by that which hath been said wee see that Episcopacie is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} warranted by the practice of the Apostles because that viventibus videntibus constituentibus confirmantibus Apostolis viris Apostolicis patribus Doctoribus testantibus The Apostles and Apostolike men being alive seeing it appointing it and confirming it and the Fathers Doctors being eie witnesses thereof There were these three distinct degrees in the Clergy Bishops Presbyters Deacons Now to the second Point That Episcopacie is analogicall to the institution and constitution of the Church government of the Iewes in the old Testament Which Moses as a Prince did establish by Gods appointment in the wildernesse and which continued in force till the veil of the Temple was 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 Iews Abrahams heirs according to the flesh by their own default disobedience forfeited their interest in that conveiance of inheritance which they claimed from their Father Abraham by the evidences registred in Moses and the Prophets Episcopacie and subordination thereunto I say holds Analogie and a kinde of proportion with the Jewish Church government For God in it appointed an High Priest Priests and Levits subordinate one to the other Such is the subordinatiō of the three degrees in the Clergie in the new Testament Church This subordination of the Christian Church Saint Ierom neere 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 Presbyteri Diaconi sibi vendicant 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 seen in Aaron his sons and the Levits now appeares in the Christian Church in our Bishops Presbyters and Deacons This proportion is made undenyable by Saint Iude who chargeth some with the gain-saying of Koreth Now there can be no gain-saying like that of Koreh in the Christian Church except there be distinction subordination of superiours and inferiors in the Clergie as there was and was gain-said by Koreh and his complices desirous of superiour honour and of higher degrees and places then they had a calling unto Here then you see that God would have a proportion of Church-government betwixt the Old and New Testament It is further worthy the observation that both the Church and Common-wealth of the Jewes had in their government a kind of proportion established by God For as the Church was Monarchicall in Moses Aristocraticall in some select Priests and Levits governing under Aaron and Democraticall in the rest of the Priests and Levits So was the Common-wealth Monarchicall in Moses Aristocraticall in some select Princes of each Tribe governing under Moses and Democraticall in the rest and in the whole body of the people Such is the proportion betwixt our Church and Common-wealth and such hath it beene from the first foundation This will I hope appeare when I come to speak of the succession in our Church And what kind of government thus sutable 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 the Princes or Kings subordinate to Christ without having any King on earth Head over the rest as all degrees of men in the Churches were subordinate to the Apostles and the Apostles going to severall and far remote Nations were all equally subordinate to Christ and no one of them Head over the rest To conclude then seeing the Constitution of Episcopall government is so agreeable to that which was most absolute and was established by that wisdome 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 wee endeavour to alter it Such an attempt might prove with us as it did with the people of Capua when Pacuvius saved the Senators It is held an axiome among Architectors that it is scarce wisdom to pull down one of the mayne posts of a building especially so