Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bishop_n	timothy_n	titus_n	4,674	5	10.6389	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B05757	The determination of the qvestion, concerning the divine right of episcopacie. By the famous and learned divine Dr. Abrahamus Scultetus, late professour of divinity in the University of Heidelberg. Faithfully translated out of his observations upon the epistles to Timothy and Titus.	Scultetus, Abraham, 1566-1624.	1641 (1641)	Wing S2165A; ESTC R183638	5,573	22

of Hierusalem Alexandria Antioch and Rome as it is in Eusebius therefore either the next successors of the Apostles changed the force of Ecclesiasticall government received from the Apostles according to their owne pleasure which is very unlikely or the Episcopall government came from the Apostles themselves Besides even then in the time of the Apostles there were many Presbyters but one Bishop even then in the time of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that was placed over the rest which afterwards was called Bishop did impose hands or ordaine Ministers of the Word which Presbyters alone did not presume to doe Even then therefore the calling of Bishops was distinct from the Office of Presbyters If any desire the examples of Apostolicall Bishops the books of the antient are full of the Episcopall authority of Timothy and Titus either of which howsoever first performed the office of an Evangelist yet notwithstanding ceased to bee an Evangelist after that Timothy was placed over the Church of Ephesus and Titus over the church of Crete For Evangelists did onely lay the foundations of Faith in forraigne places and then did commend the rest of the care to certaine Pastors but they themselves went to other Countries and Nations as Eusebius writes in his 3d. booke of Ecclesiasticall History and 34. chap. But Paul taught sometimes in Ephesus and Crete and laid the foundations of Faith there therefore he commandeth Timothy to stay at Ephesus Titus at Crete not as Evangelists but as governors of the Churches And indeed the Epistles written to either of them doe evince the same For in these he doth not prescribe the manner of gathering together a church which was the duty of an Evangelist but the manner of governing a church being already gathered togither which is the duty of a Bishop and all the precepts in those Epistles are so conformable hereunto as that they are not refer'd in especiall to Timothy and Titus but in generall to all Bishops and therefore in no wise they suit with the temporary power of Evangelists Besides that Timothy and Titus had Episcopall jurisdiction not onely Eusebius Chrysostome Theodoret Ambrosius Hierome Epiphanius Oecumenius Primasius Theophylact but also the most antient writers of any that write the History of the new Testament whose writings are now lost doe sufficiently declare Eusebius without doubt appealing unto those in his 3. book of Ecclesiasticall History and 4. chapter Timothy saith he in Histories is written to be the 1. which was made Bishop of the church of Ephesus as Titus was the first that was made Bishop of the church of Crete But if John the Apostle and not any antient disciple of the Apostles be the author of the Revelation hee suggests unto us those seven new Examples of Apostolicall Bishops For all the most learned Interpreters interpret the seven Angels of the Churches to be the seven Bishops of the Churches neither can they doe otherwise unlesse they should offer violence to the text What should I speake of Iames not the Apostle but the brother of our Saviour the sonne in law of the Mother of our Lord who by the Apostles was ordained Bishop of Hierusalem as Eusebius in his 2d book of Ecclesiasticall History and 1 chap. out of the 6. of the Hypotyposes of Clement Hierome concerning Ecclesiasticall writers out of the 1. of the Comments of Egesippus relate Ambrose upon the 1 chap. unto the Galatians Chrysostome in his 23. Homily upon the 15. of the Acts Augustine in his 2d book and 37 chap. against Cresconius Epiphanius in his 65. Heresie The 6 Synod in Trullo and 32. canon all assenting thereunto For indeed this is that James that had his fixt residence at Hierusalem as an ordinary Bishop whom Paul in his first and last comming to Hierusalem found in the city almost all the Apostles preaching in other places Gal. 1. 19. that concluded those things which were decreed in the assembly of the Apostles Acts 21. For he was with Chrysostome Bishop of the Church of Hierusalem from whom when certaine came Peter would not eate with the Gentiles Galat. 2. 12. From examples I passe to authorities which Ignatius confirmes by his owne authorite Whose Axiomes are these The Bishop is he which is superiour in all chiefely and power The Presbytery is a holy company of counsellours and assessours to the Bishop The Deacons are the imitators of angelical vertues which shew forth their pure unblameable ministry He which doth not obey these is without God impure and contemnes Christ derogates from his order and constitution in his Epistle to the Trallians Jn another place I exhort that yee study to doe all things with concord The Bishop being president in the place of God The Presbyters in place of the Apostolick Senate the Deacons as those to whom was committed the ministry of Iesus Christ in his Epistle to the Magnesians And againe Let the Presbyters be subject to the Bishop the Deacons to the Presbyters the people to the Presbyters and Deacons in his Epistle those of Tarsus But Ignatius was the Disciple of the Apostles from whence then had he this Hierarchy but from the Apostles Let us now heare Epiphanius in his 75. Heresie The Apostles could not presently appoint all things Presbyters and Deacons were necessary for by these two Ecclesiasticall affaires might bee dispatcht VVhere there was not found any fit for the Episcopacy that place remained without a Bishop but where there was need and there were any fit for Episcopacy they were made Bishops All things were not compleat from the beginning but in tract of time all things were provided which were required for the perfection of those things which were necessary the Church by this meanes receiving the fulnesse of dispensation But Eusebius comes neerer to the matter and more strongly handles the cause who in his third booke of Ecclesiasticall History and 22. chapter as also in his Chronicle affirmeth that Erodius was ordained the 1. Bishop of Antioch in the yeare of our Lord 45. in the 3. yeare of Claudius the Emperor at which time many of the Apostles were alive Now Hierome writeth to Evagrius that at Alexandria from Marke the Evangelist unto Heraclus and Dionisius the Bishop the Presbyters called one chosen out of themselves placed in a higher Degree the Bishop But Marke dyed as Eusebius and Bucholcerus testifie in the yeare of our Lord 64. PETER PAVL and JOHN the Apostles being then alive therefore it is cleare that Episcopacy was instituted in the time of the Apostles and good Hierome suffered some frailty when he wrote that Bishops were greater then Presbyters rather by the custome of the Church then the truth of the Lords disposing unlesse perhaps by the custome of the Church he understands the custome of the Apostles and by the truth of the Lords disposing he understands the appointment of Christ yet not so he satisfies the truth of History For it appeares out of the first second and 3. chapters of the Revelation that the forme of governing the Church by Angels or Bishops was not onely ratified and established in the time of the Apostles but it was confirmed by the very Son of God And Ignatisn called that forme the order of Christ And when Hierome writes that it was decreed in the whole world that one chosen out of the Presbyters should be placed over the rest And when J have demonstrated that in the life-time of the Apostles Bishops were superior to Presbyters in Ordination and that each Church had one placed over it doe we not without cause demand Where when and by whom Episcopacy was ordained Episcopacy therefore is of divine right Which how the Prelates of the church of Rome for almost 300. yeares did adorne with the truth of Doctrine innocency of life constancy in afflictions and suffering death it selfe for the honour of Christ and on the other side how in succeeding times first by their ambition next by their excessive pragmaticall covetousnesse scraping up to themselves the goods of this world then by their heresie last of all by their tyranny they corrupted it that the Romain Hierarchy at this day hath nothing else left but a vizard of the Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and the lively Image of the whore of Babylon our Histories both antient and moderne doe abundantly testifie Wherefore all Bishops are warned from hence that they throughly weigh with themselves the nature of Apostolicall Episcopacy of which they glory that they are the successors That Episcopacy had two things peculiar to it the priviledge of succeeding and the Prerogative of ordaining all other things were common to them with the Presbyters Therefore both Bishops and Presbyters should so exercise themselves in godlinesse should so free themselves from contempt by their conversation and so make themselves examples to their flocke not neglecting especially the gift of prophecying received from above but being wholly intent to reading consolation and teaching to meditate on these things to be wholly conversant in them and so perpetually imployed in this holy function and divine affaires with this promise that if they shall doe these things they shall both save themselves and their Auditors but if after the custome of some great ones they follow the pride and luxury of this world they shall both destroy themselves and them that heare them FINIS

THE DETERMINATION OF THE QVESTION Concerning the Divine Right of Episcopacie By the famous and learned Divine Dr. Abrahamus Scultetus late Professour of Divinity in the University of Heidelberg Faithfully translated out of his Observations upon the Epistles to Timothy and Titus LONDON Printed for NATHANIEL BUTTER 1641. An Advertisement to the Reader KNow Reader that whereas in one of those many angry Pamphlets vv ch have beene lately published there is an intimation given of some disgracefull language that fell from Dr. Voetius the learned professor of Virecht concerning the person of Dr. Hall B. of Exeter there hath bin serious inquisition made into the truth of that report and that the said Dr. Voetius disavowes to the party that inquired of it any such words of vnder-valuation by him spoken as is testified under the hand of Sir William Boswell Knight his Majesties Lieger with the States And if upon the sight of a displeasing title of a Booke contrary to his owne judgement any learned Divine should have passed a censure upon the worke there was small reason for the reporters to reflect upon the person of the author Yea I am confident that many of our worthy brethren at home were differētly minded concerning this Tenet of the right of Episcopacy if they would be pleased to informe themselves thoroughly of the state of the question as it is defended by the Author of that treatise would find small cause of scruple in this opinion For whereas there are three Degrees of truthes and holy institutions as they are commonly distinguished Humane Apostolique Divine The first from mere men The second from men Apostolicall The third from God himselfe immediately The Author desires to goe a Mid-way in this difference holding it too low to derive Episcopacy from a merely humane and Ecclesiasticall Ordinance holding it too high to deduce it from an immediate command from God and therefore pitching upon an Apostolicall institution rests there but because those Apostles were divinely inspired and had the directions of Gods spirit for those things which they did for the common administration of the Church therefore and in that only name is Episcopacy said to lay claime to a Divine right howsoever also it cannot be gainsaid that the grounds were formerly layd by our Saviour in a knowne imparity of his first agents Now surely this truth hath so little reason to distast them that even learned Chamier himselfe can say Res ipsa coepit tempore Apostolorum vel potius ab ipsis profecta est And why should that seeme harsh in us which soundeth well in the mouthes of lesse-interessed Divines But because the very title of that Booke hath raised more dust then the Treatise it selfe Be pleased Readers to see that this very question is in the very same termes determined by that eminent light of the Palatinate Dr. Abrah Scultetus whose tract to this purpose I have thought fit to annexe Peruse it and judge whether of those two writers have gone further in this determination And if you shall not meet with convincing reasons to bring you home to this opinion yet at least-wise find cause enough to retaine a charitable and favourable conceit of those who are as they thinke upon good grounds otherwise minded and whilest it is on all parts agreed by wise and unprejudiced Christians that the calling is thus ancient and sacred let it not violate the peace of the Church to scan the originall whether Ecclesiasticall Apostolicall or Divine Shortly let all good men humbly submit to the Ordinance and heartily wish the Reformation of any abuses And so many as are of this mind Peace be upon them and the whole Israel of God Amen The Question Whether Episcopacie bee of Divine right That is whether the Apoctles ordained this Government of the Church that not onely one should bee placed over the people but over Presbyters and Deacons who should have the power of Imposition of Hands or Ordination and the direction of Ecclesiasticall Counsels THis was anciently denyed by Aerius as is related by Epiphanius in his 75 Heresie and by Iohn of Hierusalem as appeares by Hierome in his Epistle to PAMMACHIVS And there are not wanting in these many learned and pious men who although they acknowledge Aerius to have erred in that hee should disallow of that manner of Ecclesiasticall government which had beene received by the whole world yet in this they agree with him that Episcopall government is not of Divine Right From whose opinion why I should sever my judgement J am moved by these strong reasons famous examples and evident authorities My judgement is this First in the Apostles Epistles the name of Bishop did never signifie any thing different from the office of a Presbyter For a Bishop Presbyter and an Apostle were common names as you may see Acts 20. Phil. 1. v. 1. Tit. 1. 1. Pet. v. 12. Acts 1. 20. Next In the chiefe Apostolicall Church the Church was governed by the common advice of Presbyters and that for some yeares in the time of the preaching of the Apostles For first of all companies must be gathered together before we can define anything concerning their perpetuall government Then the Apostles as long as they were present or neere their churches did nor place any Bishop over them properly so called but onely Presbyters reserving Episcopall authority to themselves alone Lastly after the Gospell was faire and neere propagated and that out of equality of Presbyters by the instinct of the Devill Schismes were made in Religion then the Apostles especially in the more remote places placed some over the Pastors or Presbyters which shortly after by the Disciples of the Apostles Ignatius and others were onely called Bishops and by this appellation they were distinguished from Presbyters and Deacons Reasons moving me to this opinion First Hierome upon the 1. chapter of the Epistle to Titus writeth that a Presbyter is the same with a Bishop and before that by the instinct of the Devill factions were made in Religion and it was said among the people I am of Paul I of Apollo but I of Cephas the churches were governed by the common counsell of Presbyters afterwards it was decreed in the whole Word that one chosen out of the Presbyters should be placed over the rest From whence J thus argue When it began to be said among the people I am of Paul I of Apollo but I of Cephas then one chosen out of the Presbyters was placed over the rest But whiles the Apostles lived it was so said among the people As the first Epistle to the Corinthians besides other of St. Pauls Epistles puts it out of doubt Therefore while the Apostles lived one chosen out of the Presbyters was placed over the rest Again There can be no other terme assigned in which Bishops were first made then the time of the Apostles for all the prime successors of the Apostles were Bishops witnesse the successions of Bishops in the most famous churches