Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	ephesus_n	3,999	5	11.0253	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00289	A very lively portrayture, of the most reverend arch-bishops, the right reverend bs. of the Church of England set forth in XX. irrefragable positions, concerning their authority, power, and practise, as they onely are our diocesan lord bishops, so grounded upon Scripture, reason, and experience, by evident demonstrative practises, as their troublesome opposites, may cleerely see, how greatly they are deceived in all these. A labour undertaken for the peace of all Gods people, and for a just condemnation of al those, that cause division, and offences, contrary to the doctrine and discipline of Christs Church.		1640 (1640)	STC 10406; ESTC R212270	37,262	65

〈◊〉 in the Stocks and all was because hee preached against wicked Priests wicked false Prophets the wicked high Priest and against the superstition and 〈◊〉 of the times for which great wrath came upon them the sword 〈◊〉 and captivity 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 them in their 〈◊〉 be●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 did so with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus wee see how they encourage diligent Ministers and what 〈◊〉 they be to the idle Ministers Non-residents and 〈◊〉 being all faithfull men to them but not of God to their 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈…〉 life and such wee have frequenting Tavernes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alehouses drinking till some be drunke falling to 〈◊〉 and sometimes to fighting for they know it s written that a Minister is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of good 〈◊〉 not given to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 striker 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 3. Some other of these so conformable yet of an other temper they beare with all being as one of themselves complaine 〈◊〉 and ambitious in heaping together Benefices and promotions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discharge their dutie either by their owne persons or by entertaining or providing able and sufficient 〈◊〉 for they find it written these 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never having enough which looke 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and every one of them 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 56. 11. And they find it complained of by Saint Paul that all seeke their owne and not the things that are Iesus Christ Phil 2. 20. and the same Apostle tells them that they should not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 but as men of God to 〈◊〉 these things 1. Tim. 6. 12. Tit 1. 7. Yet these three sorts of godly Ministers and that in great number are nourished up in the bosome of our Church almost if not altogether without controule For they know all these three forts to bee for their Lordships their standing is secured by being over blind prophane worldly and 〈◊〉 affected Ministers These they trouble not for they read that the zeale of the Bishop of Ephesus would not permit him to suffer those that were evill Rev. 2. 1. These keepe people in ignorance a grounded stadle for superstition will-worship 〈◊〉 if you will and whatoever devised formes and gestures their Lordships please to put upon them yea the silly people devoutly make them acts of religion which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their good Lordships for they know that these miserable sort of people doe worship as did the 〈◊〉 they know not what John 4. 22. and that they may ride upon them as Balaam upon his Asse POSITION 14. They hate to 〈◊〉 the King 1. BEcause when they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ever 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 before the King but not to the King but ever for the King 2. Because they studie the as one of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what may 〈◊〉 please they 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Prophet 〈◊〉 with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 to his 〈◊〉 1. King 22. 11. 12. 3. If any other bee admitted to preach before the the King 1. They either must be 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 High way 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how to 〈◊〉 before King for they have 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 and can say it perfectly without booke and without the 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for each things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 30. 10. 2. 〈◊〉 they be such of whom there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then these mens 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 most be 〈◊〉 or a premonition given them to be very 〈◊〉 for offending for they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King 〈◊〉 advised 〈◊〉 to doe as the false 〈◊〉 did to say as they said and to speake good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. Or they be such for all the forewarning as will speake some what 〈◊〉 as an 〈◊〉 which is hardly ever knowne in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Bethel will take him to 〈◊〉 hee must be complained of to the King be held unsufferable 〈◊〉 sent away with an inhibition for they find it written in 〈◊〉 letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any more in Bethel for it is the Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is the Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Because where they find in 〈◊〉 any titles of Honour and praise given to Kings 〈◊〉 what they should be they apply 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King beleeve that every way he is such a one Judge you that heare them preach or read their printed 〈◊〉 made before the King for they find it written there is no 〈…〉 Ps. 5. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have 〈◊〉 out of 〈…〉 Joh. 32. 21. 22. 〈…〉 5. Because they teach the power of Kings to bee 〈◊〉 for they 〈…〉 the Throne is established by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. 〈◊〉 〈…〉 And they may 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God did use 〈…〉 4. 〈◊〉 they 〈…〉 As 〈◊〉 did David Samuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esay 39. 13. 19. 〈◊〉 24. 20. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharply by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his 〈◊〉 1 Chro. 〈◊〉 19. K. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 7. Therefore can they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 ones without their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 find 〈◊〉 as a 〈◊〉 〈…〉 So 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still Rev. 22. 11. for they are not full of power by the 〈◊〉 of God to declare unto Iacob his 〈◊〉 and to 〈◊〉 his sinnes as 〈◊〉 did 〈◊〉 3. 8. 11. and as God by Esay commanded Esay 58. 1. POSITION 15. They greatly further the peoples knowledge in divine things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their ignorance 〈◊〉 1. BEcause they make such ignorant Ministers and tollerate these sorts afore mentioned to bee their Ministers 2. Because they as you have heard 〈◊〉 so much godly and painefull 〈◊〉 whom they often displace and put wicked ones into their roomes their now daily practise 3. Because 〈◊〉 are put downe by some of them and wholy throughout 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a thanks be to God that they have 〈◊〉 within their 〈◊〉 for they read how their 〈◊〉 shut up the Kingdome of God against men Mat. 23. 13. and 〈◊〉 away the key of knowledge Luke 11. 50. 〈◊〉 themselves but did hinder others that would have entered 4. Because they make reading preaching for they find in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that when the 〈◊〉 were read they had 〈◊〉 that preached unto 〈◊〉 Act. 15. 21. and 13. 15. 5. Because they at 〈◊〉 some of them preferre set payers read before preaching holding prayers to be Gods service and preaching no part of his service For that they may read 〈◊〉 preaching was ever before set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 300 yeares after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spent himselfe in preaching hee sent his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and charged it upon others with great 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Moreover they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10. 14. knowledge and 〈…〉 6. Because they forbid preaching in the afternoone for they find it written that 〈◊〉 Paul preached in the afternoone Act. 20. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 Peter and 〈◊〉 who went up

Go●… and founded upon the onely politique 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Lastly 〈◊〉 Doctor 〈◊〉 is hold to 〈◊〉 that our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Bish●… do●… d●…ive their 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and from the Pope of 〈◊〉 and therefore must Bis●…s bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over other Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may know if he will that Peter was 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 proved to his h●…d and 〈◊〉 inferiour to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as for the Pope he is proved to be 〈◊〉 by many learned Divines and is judged to b●… the man of 〈◊〉 in 2. Th●…ss 2. and the 〈◊〉 with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking like the Dragon Rev. 13. and 〈◊〉 Bish●… p●…ceeding from him 〈◊〉 needs 〈◊〉 such jure divi●… because his 〈◊〉 is from the 〈◊〉 POSITION 2. They are Di●…cesan Bishop●…by divi●… right 1 BEcause they know 〈◊〉 hold that a Di●…san Bishop is one over many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 it written that the holy Ghost set many Bishops and Elders ov●… 〈◊〉 flocke and Church at 〈◊〉 one Church Act 12. 47. and 15. 2●… and therein m●…y Eld●…s Acts 15. 6. 2●… 23. at 〈◊〉 one Church Eph 1. 1. R●…v 2. 5. but many Elders Act●… 20. 17. or 〈◊〉 verse 28. At Philippi many Bishops yet but on●… Church Phil. 1. 1. and Saint 〈◊〉 when he had planted Churches appointed T●… to ordaine Eld●… Bishops in every City more than one Tit. 1. 5. ●… as the Apostle himselfe did in every Church Elders Acts 14. 23. who kept one way and co●…rse al●…ke in all ●…nd ev●…ry Church 1 Cor. 4. 17. and 7. 17. Now so many in one Church could not be Di●…san Bishops 2. Because neither Christ nor his Apostles ever ordained any ordinary Ecclesia●… function to bee ever continued in any Church which he that was appointed thereunto could not in his owne person performe without substitut●… But a Discos●… Bishop takes more upon him then he can by himselfe discharge but must have his substitutes by reason of the largenesse of his ju●…isdiction over hundred●… of congregations 3. Bec●…e 〈◊〉 Postscripts to Saint Pauls Epistles the one to Timoth●… and the other to Titus are the words of men ●…humane testimo●…ies and false too as is proved fully by the learned and therefore cannot confirme a Dis●… Bishop to b●…of divine authority and of divine right 4. Because they ●…nne upon meere suppositions taking for granted what yet they have not proved nor can prove to uphold their Di●… dignity such bee these 1. That Timothy and Ti●… were not E●…angelists substituted onely for a time at Ephesus and in Creet to doe what the Apostle would have done had he been there contrarie to 2. Tim. 4. 5. in that Epistle in the Postscript whereof he is called a Bishop 2. That these two were Bishops differing from Elders when no where their consecration is mentioned and were they Bishops Di●…san because the Postscripts say they were Bishops●… but when so consecrated or how there is no mention And is it any way likely that S●… 〈◊〉 making else where A●… 20. 17. 18. 28. Elders and Bishops all one yea and that in his Epistl●… to Titus chapter 〈◊〉 5. 7. that by the false Postscript naming them Bishops we should take the name of Bishops to bee of another sor●… 〈◊〉 Saint Paul meant and had made 3. That Saint Paul 〈◊〉 to them ●…is Epistles as to di●…san Bishops and how to behave themselves in their Episcopall authority as a p●…terne in them to bee followed of such like succeeding Bishops If Paul wrote to Timothy his first Epistle from whence they fetch all their authority for ●…piscopacy why is not the Postscript put at the end of this Epistle to make him a Bishop while he was at Eph●… but at the end of the other Epistle out of which they doe make little ●…se for this their standing If he was then Bishop at Eph●… when the first Epistle was written then its cleare that Saint Paul wrote not the Epistle to him as a Bishop but as his substitute for the time in his absence 1. Tim. 3. 14. 15. To him Saint Paul wrote as also to Titus not to make them Bishops of which not one word in the Epistles written to them but what they should doe according to the present condition of the Churches and by those rules and precepts which he wrote how the Churches of Christ should be ordered for the tyme to come and not by these pre●…pts and rules to erect new Officers in Christs Church which he never ordained there is not a word in the Epistles to prove this to be the s●…ope But they having ●…ped this di●…san dignity and presumptuously practising what they doe they take to themselves what they ●…n find in the Epistles to beare them up contrary to the intention of the Apostles writing 4. That the power of ordination and jurisdiction was then 〈◊〉 Bishops and not in the Elders when in the Eldership was the power of ordination and imposition of hands 1. Tim. 4. 14. Act. 13. 3. and jurisdiction and rule in them to ●…t the Elders they which preached and laboured in word and Doctrine which fed the 〈◊〉 these were they t●…t ruled Heb. 13. 7. 1 Th. 5. 12. 1 P●… 5. ●… ●… 1. Tim. 5. 17. you such rule the Elders had as Saint Peter warneth them not to lord it over Go●… h●…tage which had beene n●…dlesse if the authority ha●… be●… in the hands of others 1 Pet. 5. 3. These be their false suppo●…tions and 〈◊〉 imaginations on which th●…y ●…ave built their rottering dig●…es 5. Bec●… thi●… setting up of one in dignity over many is an homane invention long after the Apostles dayes which was devised to prevent Schi●… say they But this invention was no●… of the spirit of Gen. First for that in the Apostles dayes there were schi●…es 1 Cor 3. 3. and 1●… 1●… and 〈◊〉 R●… 1●… 17. yet the holy Ghost did not direct the Apostle to ordaine any di●… Bishop to prevent Schis●… neither there where he mentions those schi●…es and divi●… as 〈◊〉 nor any such rem●…y in his Epistles●…to Ti●…hy and T●… 2. Be●…se as Doctor Whit●… hath written the 〈◊〉 devised hath proved worse than the disease which doth never happen to that remedie whereof the h●…ly Ghos●… is the Author 3. Because the holy Spirit which could foresee what evill would en●…r upon this devise would not ordaine that for a remedie to prevent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and diss●… which was never ●…erto found an effectuall remedy for it but 〈◊〉 her begate pride 〈◊〉 and other evills in the Church even to this day 4. For that this devise was from the spirit of Antichrist Satan taking advantage upon this gro●…d to raise up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all and so a 〈◊〉 government for the reason is alike for Arch-Bishops over Bishops Pat●…ks ov●…r Arch-Bishops P●… over Patriarks as Bishops over 〈◊〉 except men would va●…ly imagine that schis●… would onely arise among Pas●…rs and not among Bishops Arch. Bishops 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 too contrary to experience and

spirituall Pri●…st which is but one Iesus Christ after the order of 〈◊〉 such a Priest none may presume to bee without hellish presumption and high arrogancy Or the Christian Priest in which sense every Christian man and woman is a Pri●… unto God R●…v 1. 6. 4. B●…cause the title of Priest was a name of divine O●…fice from Godunder the Law but under the Gospell it is a lying title without the office For there is now no Priests O●…fice for a Priests Office is to off●…r sacrifice a bloudie sacrifice but now uuder the Gospel after Christ no such sacrifice to be offered And wee all doe acknowledge and have taught hitherto 5. Because now it is the P●…pish name of the Romish Masse Priests pu●… upon them by the Babylo●…ish Seat of Rome that great 〈◊〉 the Mother of Harlots and abhominations of the Earth R●…v 17. 1. 5. out of which we are commanded to come forth R●…v 18. 4. both from their idolatrous wordes and idolatrous workes 6. Bec●…use its much dishonour to Gods holy spirit in his holy Apostles to leave the names set downe in holy writ and to take up a name from the ●…re of R●… and put it upon the Ministers of the L●…rd I●…us Lastly because we all prof●…sse to have re●…ounced her and therefore it is a derogation to our Church a Church of Christ to retaine a name of her idolatrie as if still we ●…ither were her slaves or had a mind to become so For now of late the name Priest is so extolled as the Elders of Ephesus Act. 20. 17. mus●…in in the pulpit bee againe and againe called Priests as if the name of El●…ers Presbyt●…rs given by the holy Ghost and they made Overfe●…rs of the flock were too base except it should be turned into the name of Romish Priest●… for other Priests by office there are now none Thus with impudent boldnesse is the holy Gh●…st controlled and m●…de to speake aft●…r the R●…ish fashion to bring us backe to that Wh●…re againe POSITION 7. They stand for and d●…e mai●…taine all Cerem●…nies upon very good grounds 1. B Ecause they ●…annot bee knowne whence they be withou●… these R●…mish trincket●… for without thei●… Lordly 〈◊〉 and these their Ceremoni●…s the Mother Roare would soone be ●…orgotten 2. Because they were first brought in by that bloudy Monke 〈◊〉 the Arch-Bish●…p o●…Canterbury who dyed them in the 〈◊〉 of the Monks of Bang●…r which red Scarlet colo●… they have kept eversince ●…or many Ministers have been●… cruelly delt with in witnessing against th●…se suspended excommunicated deprived ●…d imprisoned And therefore Ceremonies laid in this scarle●… dye in g●…ine a colour very costly 〈◊〉 no marvel that they are held at so high a price by them and not valued at ●…o low a rate as they be by others 3. Because they say no Ceremonies no Bishops therefore ●…ust c●…use they have to sta●…d for them to keep their standing and Ceremonious observances though with much off●…nce of which they take no care for they find it writt●…n W●… bat●… th●… by wh●… offences 〈◊〉 Mat. 18. 7. 4. Because there was a time in the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when there was Bishops El●…rs and y●…t no s●…ch Popish ceremonies nor pope-like Bishops 5. Because ●…ue religion and 〈◊〉 pure worship and service can stand well without them as in other ●…formed Chu●…ches 6. Because go●…y Bishop Ho●…per withstood them for a time and desired to be discharged of his Bishoprick rather than to use them wherein hee was opposed by Ar●… Bishop Cra●…er and Bis●…p Ridl●…y but when they were out of their Rochets they did judge●…t to be wisdome in him and simplicity in themselves for urging him to the use of them 7. Because they have beene nothing else but snares and traps unto many Godly Min●…sters laborious men in the Lords Vin●…rd scourges in their sides and thornes in their eyes and heavy burth●…s to them for they find it written that the Scribes and Pharises did bind burthens gr●…v to be borne upon the Pe●…le and laid them on mens shoulders Mat. 23. 4. 8. Because if they hold them as necessary in themselves they have no authority from GOD to impose them so upon mens consciences and it is against their faithfull promise made at their còns●…cration which was to maintaine as required of necessity to salvation nothing but that which may be concluded and proved out of Scrip●…ue If they hold them in themselves as things indifferent y●… in the practise and imposing of them they answere not to the rules prescribed for the use and practise of indifferent things For indifferent things must be 1. Not onely lawfull but ●… expedient convenient and profitable 1 Cor. 6 12. 3 making for peace Rom. 14. 19. 4 for Charity Rom. 14 15. 5 done to the ed●…ying of one another R●… 14. 19. 1 Cor. 10. 23. Which is that we may more and more grow up in CHRIST and be o●…r in our faith and become better 〈◊〉 Done 〈◊〉 and in order 1 Cor. 14 40 That is as it becommeth the House of GOD Dec●…tly that is agr●…ble to the pure worship of GOD without vanity sup●…stition and Spirituall filthines In Order that is without confusion in a setled course fit for a holy As●…mbly 7 Done to the glory of GOD Cor. 10. 31. tending to set forth the LORD eith●…r in his titles attributes word worship and workes by all which God is knowne praised and obtaineth glory 8 That the use be without offence whereby a Brother may stumble or be offended or made weake Rom. 14 ●…1 by being made to do those things with a doubting and so with a wounded conscience and thus hee sinneth Rom. 14. 23. and is made to perish 1 Cor. 811. For they find it written what is that to us see th●…n to that Mat. 27 〈◊〉 9. Because our Saviour CHRIST stood not upon idle Ceremonies nor imposed any upon his Disciples but rebuked the Scribes and Pharises as Hypocrites for their strict observation of such things as they had devised and taken upon them to observe Mar. 7 2 9. So it 's Pharis●…icall to devise and undertake to observe of themselves what GOD never commanded 10. Because Saint Paul would abstaine from the use of indifferent things all his daies lest hee make his Brother to offend 1 Cor. 8. 13. Lastly because Sain●…Paul tell●…th them that by using things indifferent wee are not the better and by not using them are wee the worse 1 Cor. 8 8. but they by making others to use them who are not perswad●…d of the Lawfull use thereof they sinne against their Brethren and so against Christ 1 Cor. 8. 12. By all those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they not very good cause to maintaine to defend and urge with great violence the use of these so pious and needfull Ceremonies so much tending to peace edification and GODS glory He must be very blind that cannot see what truth charity edifying conveniencie profit and glory commeth to GOD where these Ceremonies be