Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	hand_n	imposition_n	ordination_n	2,839	5	9.9482	5	false

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

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