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A54666 Antiquitas theologica & gentilis, or, Two discourses the first, concerning the original of churches and their direct or collateral endowments : the second, touching the religion of the gentiles, their temples, priests, sacrifices and other ancient rituals : work necessary for divines, lawyers, antiquaries, historians and poets / by Thomas Philipot ... Philipot, Thomas, d. 1682. 1670 (1670) Wing P1990; ESTC R894 37,666 180

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Christ was to gather together So the Presbyteri or Elders amongst the Jews are brought by the Apostles to signify an Order in the Church and Presbyteria Colledges of many of them together call'd by Igna●ius in Epist ad Trall Sacred Societies and Counsellors and Assistants to the Bishop are parallel to the Sanhedrin or Councel of Elders that were join'd to Moses in his Government to facilitate the Burthen to him The Deacons amongst the Primitive Christians were instituted in Imitation of the Treasurer or Steward amongst the Jews and consequently the place where the Goods which they were to distibute were kept was correspondent to their Gazo-philacium or Treasury So the Bishop also amongst Christians is a Transcript of the Head of the Congregation amongst them And the Christian Patriarchs were originally but an Imitation of the Heads of the Tribes amongst the Jews Something proportionate to these were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Spartans who were the Overseers and Governours of their Provinces and Cities as likewise the who were a peculiar sort of Governours who had to do with the education of Women especially in cultivating and Reforming their Lives and Manners Amongst the Athenians likewise were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were chosen Magistrates ten out of every Tribe whose Duty and Office it was to take care and cognisance of the younger people The Christian Censure of Excommunication was in Assimilation of their Aposunagogia whether it were a seclusion from Sacred or only Civil Conventions it matters little for the Civil amongst them may be accommodated to the Ecclesiastical amongst Christians as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which though it signifies primarily any kind of Assembly and is so taken Mat. 6. so that it is appropriated to a place of Divine Worship in other places of Holy writ and the several Degrees of it in the Christian Church were proportionate to the Jewish Niddui Cherim and Schammatha Psalms Hymns and Songs antiently used in the Christian Church were parallel to 1. Mizmor a short verse 2. Tehilla Praise Celebrating God 3. Schir a Canticle as that word is used in the Title of the Song of Songs very customary amongst the Jews And it is the conjecture of some learned persons that our Saviour instituted his Prayer vulgarly called the Lords-prayer in Relation to those 18 Prayers or Benedictions called in the Gemarra composed or appointed Prayers The 3 first of which and the 3 last respected the Glory of God the 12 other intermediate were spent on those prime Things that were necessary either to the whole People or every particular Man Lastly others assert that that Clause For thine is the Kingsdom the Power and the Glory or ever and ever was annexed to the Lords-prayer as parallel to that Form of Speech introduced amongst the Jews in the Time of Ezra which was commonly interwoven in the Close of their Prayers viz. srom an Age to an Age. For whereas in all the conclusions of Benedictions before the Days of Ezra they were only wont to say srom Age when the Sadduces perverted this Form of Speech and asserted there was but one Age the Jewish Doctors did determine that the Form should be from Age to Age. But I have made too prolix a Digression I now return to prosecute my former Discourse Churches being thus erected and established the several denominations of Ecclesiae Domus orationis Aedes Sacrae Coemiteria Martyria Kuriacae Eucteria by subsequent ages were imposed upon them but seldom or never Templa or Naoi untill the Government of Constantine the Great and then the appellation of Templa was engraffed upon them that Monarch by this commodious and flexible condescention endeavouring so to endear those that continued spotted with the dark tincture of Paganisme that he might by degrees reduce them within the pale of the Church or secondly by this Artifice or complyance designing to charm and oblige them to mingle with the faithful in the Celebration of those Divine Offices whose performance did improve and inforce the growth of the Christian Faith Having taken a compendious prospect of Churches as to their frame without and their contexture within I shall now survey that Revenue either fixed or accidental that made up the Ecclesiastical Patrimony and my first disputation shall be upon Oblations which anciently were marshalled under the double title of Cathedratica and Pentecos●alia Cathedratica were so styled because they were paid towards the support of that Honour and Dignity which was due to the Episcopal Chair and these were so retrenched by the second Councel of Bracara and the seventh of ●oledo that they were not to exceed two shillings in the pound Or else they were called so because they were paid to the Bishop solemnly sitting in the Episcopal Chair Pentecostalia had that denomination conferr'd upon them because they were anciently payable to the Minister or Priest at Whitsuntide and for that reason vulgarly called Whitsun Farthings a moiety of which and sometimes a third part was return'd to the Bishop of the Respective Diocesse towards the supply and maintenance of so eminent a Function Obventions are the next which exact our consideration if you consult the Lexicon Juridicum of Sclardius or Calvinus-you will find them thus discrib'd in the word Obventio Obventiones say they reditus Fruct usque omnes significant qui vel ex ipso corpore velex industria hominis accedunt veluti mercedes pensionesque ex locationibus praediorum urbanorum debitas vec●uras jumentorum naulum navium In brief Obventions are sometimes a Revenue that issues from things certain but more frequently and for the most part they are the result and product of these things which are of accidental contingency The first raising of Tenths and Fifths by Gregory the 9th about the Year 1229. and after ratified and confirm'd about the Year 1240 seems to have beer that when the Court of Rom did confer on Clerks and Chap lains residing with them Benesi ces in the Diocesses of Forraig● Bishops they out of a gratefu● acknowledgment gave the first whole or half years profits to the Pope See Sir Roger Twisden's Historical Vindication page 84. When the collection of first fruits did originally commence is in debate amongst Authors some asserting that Pope Boniface the ixth began to gather them about the Year 1399. though others again as Cardinal D'ossatt Ranulphus C●strusis and Walsingham affirm their payment to be earlier and that Pope John the 22th began first to collect them about the Year 1316. The last Ingredient that compounds the spiritual Revenue which indeed is the great Ligament that ties together all the Ecclesiastical Patrimony is Tithes which are not only due by a right of assimulation that is because they were paid under the Levitical Law therefore by the Analogy of proportion they are to be paid under the Gospel but even injoyn'd by the Law of Nature it self And this may easily be evicted by this Argument
might enlighten our knowledge as to that particular is perplexed and obscure The generally received Opinion is That Pope Evaristus under Trajan the Emperour about the Year 110. peradventure observing that too diffused and numerous a Multitude like too much fuel cast upon the flame did rather Choke and extinguish than any way multiply the heat of De●o●tion for the more regular uniform performance of Religious Offices for the future did contract those throngs of new Converts which were daily added to the Church into their several Stations and Parishes But this design of his being left crude and imperfect by his Martyrdom which happen'd not long after under the Emperour abovesaid It slumber'd in his Urn untill the Reign of Gali●nus the Emperour and then Pope Dionysius taking the advantage of a benigne and propitious Edict issued out by that Prince in favour of the Christians from whose farther persecution and torture he had not long before been deterr'd by 〈…〉 al menaces reveal'd from 〈…〉 en in many ominous and direful Prodigies reduc'd the first endevours of Pope Evaristus to accomplishment and perfection which pious work of his received both strength and improvement from the Religious undertaking of Pope Fabianus and his Successor Pope Marcellinus about the Year 314. as Bellarmine in his Chronology out of the Writings of Anastasius and Luitprandus does abundantly testifie In England this pious example had such an influence and favourable Aspect that about the Year 636. Honorius Arch-bp of Canterbury began to circumscribe the people under his Pastoral ●are and inspection within the Boundaries of their several divisions and Parishes which design of his was farther prosecuted inlarg'd and confirm'd by his successor Arch-bp Theobal● about the Year 677. In which posture and condition this Nation hath ever since continued Parishes being thus instituted there appear'd a subsequent necessity of erecting of Churches and Oratories where the Celebration of Divine Offices might multiply the growth of Christianity which was yet but in its Infancy and Minority after their first Erection and Establishment Antiquity as it is evident from several Monuments of Venerable Inscription impos'd the Name of Tituli upon them For in the Life of Pope Marcellinus we read that In Roma ille instituit 21. titulos that is in the Dialect of Elder times one and twenty Churches Now Titulus as Sanctius observes is Signum aliquod se● Monumentum quod docet latere aliquid aut accidisse cujus nolumus perire Memoriam Churches then were antiently called Tituli either from a name Metaphorically borrowed from Goods belonging to the Princes Exchequer that had some sign imprinted upon them that they might be known whose they were So the sign of the Cross was put upon the Churches to make it known they were mark'd out and distinguish'd for Gods Service or else they were nam'd Tituli because the respective Presbyters did antiently derive and receive their several Titles from them See Baronius Anno Domini 112. They were likewise stiled Memoriae Martyrum because antiently Churches were built Supra Cryptas Martyrum that is upon those Vaults and Repositories where the Dust and Reliques of the antient Martyrs were originally treasur'd up Now if you will know why Antiquity with such industrious Piety did Erect these Monuments now called Churches over the Ashes of these glorious Assertors and Champions of Christianity and after devoted them to their names these subsequent Remarques or Notes upon the first institution will sufficiently insinuate to the Reader the Reasons of this primary Consecration I. That the Memory of those excellent Persons might be so preserv'd that after they had receiv'd the glorious fate of Martyrdom it might not be bury'd in so cheap a Tomb as Oblivion Secondly That the example of such eminent Champions perpetuated in these lasting Monuments might in succeeding Ages excite others if any fresh Onset should be made on Christianity with the same magnanimity to assert it as these before them had done since they beheld so Venerable an Estimate was set upon their remembrance for dying for it Thirdly That in future times they might be rescued from an ●njurious and sacrilegious devastation when Posterity should find they were devoted to the Memory of those who had with such an inexpugnable passive fortitude defended the Doctrine of the Cross and had improv'd Christianity to a stupendious fertility with the double compost of their Ink and of ●heir Blood Having thus traced out the original institution of Churches and the Reasons of their Dedication we shall now unlock their Dores and view their contrivance within and there upon a serious Survey Antiquity we shall find cast them into this Method and Order When the indulgent and liberal Piety of the Primitive Christians began more visibly to mafest it self those Churches they erected were frequently if not generally built in an Oval Figure or like some of our Ships long and narrow and bulking out on both sides near the midst whereof the Pastophoria we may call them the Pews for Men and Women were design'd and in the midst the Bishops seat was plac'd call'd in Greek Bema from its assent and in Latine Thronus from the ●minency of it At the East end was the Altar plac'd though at Antioch its position respected the West Not far distant from the Bishops Throne was the Ambo or Reading Desk where●t the Anagnostes Read the Scriptures Old and New to the ●aity round about the Bishops seat sate the Presbyters the Deacons not sitting but standing behind him except the ●rimicerius Diaconorum who was ever to attend the Bishop and therefore stood close by him being alwayes eldest in ●ime though not preferr'd in affection The Ostiarii Church Officers so styled were designed to attend the Mens as the Deacons were oblig'd to wait the Womens Desks or Pews by whose care and inspection they were kept neat and in their just order Younger Men Women if there were any conveniency of place sate if not they were engag'd to stand the Women behind the graver Matrons the Men behind their Seniors Boys were placed with their Fathers and Girls with their Mothers See Bp. Montagues Acts and Monuments of the Church pag. 457. 458. The Absis amongst the Primitive Christians was the upper part of the Quire near the Altar where Penitents by Imposition of hands were usually absolved In the Primitive times these several stations in the several Respective Churches were consign'd to those who were blasted more or less that is gradually with ●he censure of Excōmunication First those who were called ●tantes were those who were ●ebarr'd the Lord's Table But ●s for the entrance into the Church hearing the Word ●raying with the Congregation ●hey were Entituled to equal ●iberty with other Christians ●hey might stand by and behold ●thers receive the Sacrament ●ut themselves did not par●ake of that Sacred Mystery Secondly The Succumbents were those who had admittance ●nto the Church but their sta●ion was behind the Quire or Pulpit
and they were to depart upon the pronouncing the It a ●●issa est with the Catechumeni that is such Pagans who were gained to the Christian Faith but not fully admitted into th● Church because they wanted Baptisme and therefore tha● they might not pray promiscuously with other Christian● there was a place behind th● Pulpit or Quire allotted t● them in form of a Cloister called from them the Catechumenium And Lastly Though they might prostrate themselves o● their knees styled from thenc● Succumbentes and offer up thei● prayers yet this they might no● do in the Congregation but only in that place which was the station design'd for the Catechumeni The Third sort of Penitents that were Marshall'd under the denomination of Audientes were those who were permitted to ●dvance no further than the Church-Porch where it was al●owed them to hear the Scrip●ures read but not to joyn in ●rayer nor to approach the Sa●red Table of the Lord. The Fourth Catalogue of ●ersons under the sad Discipline ●f separation denominated the ●lorantes were those who stood ●uite without the Church im●loring those that entred in with Tears to Petition God for the Remission of their formerly ●ontracted Offences There were other Persons ●ikewise in the Primitive times who were something proporti●nate to these and fell under a ●ive-fold Denomination As first there were the Catechistae that is those who by Instruction and the Discipline of Catechisme were to be habituated to the Rudiments of Christian Religion Secondly the Educati who were those who by hearing dayly Lectures of Divinity read did improve those principles which were first planted in them by Catechistical Infusion Thirdly the Competentes who were those who could render an Account of those Fundamental Truths which lay folded up in that compendious Scheme or Systeme call'd the Apostles Creed Fourthly the Intincti Neophyti or Tirones who were those that could not only untwist those Principles that lay wrapt up in the Apostolical Symbol of Belief but likewise could unveil those other Doctrines out of which was woven the whole Frame or Contexture of the Christian Religion Fifthly ●he Fideles who were those well matured or improved Christians who being fully ra●icated and instructed in the faith were admitted to the Reception of the Sacred Eucha●ist So under the Law there were the Proselites of the Gates ●he Proselites of Justice The first of these were only tyed to ●he observation of those seven precepts which were styled the precepts of the Sons of Noah because supposed to be given by Noah to his Sons when he came out of the Ark but were neither circumcised nor otherwise conformable to the Law of Moses which precepts were these 1. That they dealt uprightl● with every man 2. That the● Blest and Magnified the Nam● of God 3. That they Worshiped not any False Gods bu● to abstain from Idolatry 4. T● refrain from all unlawful Lust and Copulations 5. To keep themselves from Theft and Robbery 6. And from shedding of blood And 7. not to eat the Flesh or Member of any Beast abstracted from it whe● living by which all cruelty wa● Interdicted These though they were admitted to the Worship of God and to repair to the Temple yet being uncircumcised were not suffered to converse with the Jews nor come 〈…〉 to the same Court of the Tem 〈…〉 e with them but had the ou 〈…〉 rmost Court of that place cal 〈…〉 d Atrium Gentium or Immun 〈…〉 rum The other simply cal 〈…〉 d Proselites were represented ●nder the Notion of Adopted ●ews as being admitted to Worship God in the same Court ●f the Temple with them and 〈…〉 aring with them in all their 〈…〉 iviledges not differing from 〈…〉 em in any thing but only their 〈…〉 encalogy or Extraction Now there were four Courts 〈…〉 the Jewish Temple First 〈…〉 trium Sacerdotum or the 〈…〉 riests Court where was e 〈…〉 cted the Thusiasterion or Al 〈…〉 r for Sacrifice as likewise the 〈…〉 razen Laver wherein both 〈…〉 riest and Sacrifice were assoil'd from their Pollution Secondly Atrium Populi or the Peoples Court appropriated likewise to the Proselites of Justice where stood the Braze● Throne or Scaffold on which Solomon and his Successors wer● inaugurated it was also stil'● Solomons Porch from the many Porches erected there by tha● Prince to secure the People from the violent and injuriou● impressions of the Weather Thirdly Atrium Foeminaru● or the Womens Court where was established the Poor mans Box from whence in Sacred pages it hath contracted the Denomination of the Treasury and from thence our Saviour is said to Teach in the Treasury that is in the Womens Court. Between these Courts was an ascent of 15 steps whereon were sung by the Levites the Gradual Psalms beginning at the 120 and concluding at the 134. Fourthly there was Atrium Gentium or Immundorum devoted to the Service of those Gentiles who were properly styled the Proselites of the Gates this Court was divided from the other Courts by an eminent Traverse Wall three Cubits high adorned with certain Pillars of equal distance to which St. Paul alludes when he asserts that our Saviour by his Tragedy on the Cross had dismantled the Partition Wall And out of this Court Divines likewise affirm that our Saviour did expel those Buyers and Sellers that had defil'd it by an impious and injurious Profanation So amongst the Levites there were first the Punies or Tirones who from their Childhood till the Five and Twentieth year of their Age learn'd the Duty of their Offices Secondly Graduates who were those who having spent four years Study in the Law were able to answer and oppose in it Thirdly Licentiates who did actually exercise the Priestly Function And Fourthly Doctors or Rabbins who were in Degree the most Eminent Indeed many of the Jewish Ceremonies were imitated by our Saviour under the Gospel The Apostles were answerable to the Missi or Messengers amongst the Jews being sent abroad into all Nations by Christ to gather in Sinners to their Saviour being that peculium which of all others he counted most his Due having paid so dearly for it on the Cross as they were amongst the Jews sent by the High Priest to fetch in the Dues of the Temple So also the Imposition of Hands a Form of Benediction amongst the Jews as antient as Jacob himself Gen. 48. 14. in blessing Josephs Sons was often used by our Saviour to the same purpose And even the two Sacraments are of this Nature Baptisme related to the washing in use amongst the Jews at their admitting or Initiating Proselites and Christs taking Bread and giving Thanks c. after Supper wherein the other Sacraments was first Instited was directly the Post Caenium amongst the Jews not a peculiar part of the Passeover Feast but a Ceremony after all Feasts very customary amongst them So the word Ecclesia from the Assemblies Sacred or Civil amongst the Jews is made use of to signify the Christian Church which