Selected quad for the lemma: doctrine_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	church_n	teach_v	teacher_n	2,504	5	9.1605	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87575	The angel of the Church of Ephesus no bishop of Ephesus, distinguished in order from, and superior in power to a presbyter. As it was lately delivered in a collation before the Reverend Assembly of divines. By Constant Jessop Minister of the Word at Fifeild in Essex. Imprimatur Charles Herle.	Jessop, Constantine, 1601 or 2-1658.	1644 (1644)	Wing J699; Thomason E42_22; ESTC R11787	72,800	73

accusation is to acquaint the Church with the crime and to bring the offender into judgement openly to reprove which not onely superiours but equals also yea and inferiours may doe The Knights of Rome did not only judge the people but the Senatours and Noble-men also if they were delinquents Certainly Timothy had no such Consistory or Court as was afterwards attributed to the Bishops What this authority was may be understood from that which followeth Them that sin rebuke before all which equals also may doe Thus of old the Bishops if a Bishop or Presbyter were accused did referre the matter to the Ecclesiasticall Senate or Synod and did condemne him if he were found worthy i. e. they did suspend excommunicate or remove him according to the nature of his offence Thus that Divinitie Professour of Cambridge in his dayes And that this was the manner of proceeding in administration of Church censures appeares by our Saviours precept concerning other Offenders though private persons z Matth. 18. Dic Ecclesiae Tell the Church and the sentence of Excommunication pronounced and executed on the incestuous person at Corinth It was not the act of a Bishop alone or of his Officiall or Chancellour these are Apocryphall names and offices unknowne for some Centuries of yeares in the Church of Christ but it was a 2 Cor. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Punishment inflicted by many 2. I may adde the answer of Gonlartius unto Pamelius objecting this place of the Apostle to Timothy for the proofe of Episcopall Preeminence over Presbyters b Annot. in Cypr. Epist 65. An accusation is two wayes received either privately or in the Ecclesiasticall assembly which doth judge of those crimes This though it be taken as spoken to Timothy alone yet implieth as he there shewes onely a preheminence of Order in Timothy not of power and authority Which he thus makes good if a Bishop were accused the Presbyters did receive the accusation and judge of it as he proves out of Cyprian who c Epist 65. old 3 Ep. 9. writes to Epictetus and the people of Assura commanding them not to admit to the Episcopacie againe Eortunatianus who sometimes was their Bishop but had denyed the faith of Christ Other Bishops saith Gonlartius are not called together nor is there any appeale to the Bishop of Rome but the Assuritan Church in a convenient order judgeth their own Bishop In the Presbyterie one of the Presbyters or Ministers of the Church did fit for orders-sake onely untill those degrees did arise of which we have elsewhere spoken Therefore to receive an accusation against one is not only a note of preheminence but of order also and that preheminence doth not confirme those degrees which afterwards introduced tyranny into the Church but manifesteth an eutaxie in the house of God This shall suffice to be spoken touching that branch of Episcopall Jurisdiction I come to another and that concernes the Commission given to Timothy concerning the Doctrine of the Teachers d Episc by di● right p. 106. Timothy is charged to charge the Preachers of Ephesus that they teach no other doctrine that they doe not give heed to Fables and Genealogies and e Pag. 116. Titus is commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stop the mouths of those false teachers who broach doctrines they ought not for filthy lucres sake and to passe sharp censures upon them what can doe this but Episcopall authority saith the Bishop Pag. 107. I may truly say saith he that both St Paul and Timothy his Disciple doe as truly Lord it here in their Episcopall power as those Bishops which they the Scots have abdicated I will not here Camerinam movere rake into the sinke of the Lordly tyrannicall exorbitancies of our later Prelates they stinke bad enough already I will not cause the Reader to stop his nose at those putrid steemes which would arise if that puddle were stirred Onely I would desire the Reader by the way to consider that St Paul hath professedly disclaimed all Lording it over the consciences of the Corinthians f 2 Cor. 1.14 Not that we have dominion over your faith saith he but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye stand g In locum Cajetan hath well observed that this is here added by the Apostle to exclude a calumnie which might have been cast on him because the words of Paul which he spake immediately before viz. to spare you might seeme to imply some dominion he presently subjoynes this Not that we have dominion over your faith which words are fitly and fully paraphrased by Beza thus h Ineund locum Not as if I might doe any thing amongst you in matter of Religion What I pleased by my power in binding and loosing of your consciences but I am the Minister of God to comfort you and to cheere your hearts we are helpers of your joy wherein he doth secretly oppose the joy and peace of Conscience Where of he makes God the authour but himselfe and his colleagues the Ministers unto that tyrannicall terrour which is caused by those who carry themselves as if they were Lords over the consciences of both Ministers and people We doe not say that either Timothy or Titus were meere Presbyters and so compeeres or Equals to the Presbyters of Ephesus or Crete nor were they Bishops such as you fancy them and in that superiority of degree above them but Evangelists of an higher Orbe then either Bishops for which you plead or Presbyters Looke on them in that degree wherein they were and they might on better grounds with more authority charge false teachers that they should not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach any other doctrine then what the Apostles had taught for unto that the i Gal. ● 8 ● Apostle himselfe doth limit it doubling his Anathema on the heads of them whosoever they were that should doe it then any ordinary Bishop whatsoever if there had been then any such distinct from Presbyters The case is cleare concerning them both they had been the Apostles companions in his travailes had been fully instructed in the doctrine which he preached and in respect of their familiar conversing with him they could avouch what truth he had delivered That of Paul to Timothy the pretended Bishop of Ephesus is clear for him k 2 Tim. 3.10 Thou hast fully knowne my doctrine manner of life l Ib. ver 14. Continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them As for Titus touching whom Bishop m Pag. 117. Hall is pleased to tell us there is no colour to say he was an Evangelist not to insist on the frequent use which the Apostle made of him in sending him from one Church to another consider what false teachers they are whose mouths the Apostle would have in an especiall manner to be stopped they are n Tit. 1.10 those of the

He doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be obedient to the Bishop that is over you but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plurall number them that have the rule over you for they watch for your soules it is too great a burthen for one to be intrusted with the over-sight and give an account for the soules in many congregations The counsell of St Paul to the Thessalonians runs thus q 1 Thes 5.12 We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are over you in the Lord. However in the writings of the Fathers as the r Orig. of Episc pag. 5. Archbishop of Armagh hath observed which were somewhat neere the Apostles dayes the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same with the word here used by the Apostle is limited unto one whom other of the Fathers doe peculiarly terme a Bishop in what respect you shall heare more anon yet it is cleare by this pla●● of the Apostle that they confined not that Title unto one nor did they set up one under that title or notion Superiour to the rest of the Presbyters who laboured also in the word and doctrine In which regard ſ Am●●t in ●oc Beza spake a truth and no more but a truth when he observed from this and other places that the Church was governed a Pastoribus in communi by the Paestors in common or by the common consent and counsell of the Pastours the degree of Episcopacie b●ing not as yet invented or found out by the Apostles or Apostolike men Let us proceed St Peter commandeth the Presbyters to t 1 Pet. 5.1 2. feed the flock of God which is amongst them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taking the oversight of them or being and performing the office of Bishops amongst them not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind From which and other places it is clear that in Scripture phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is so farre from signifying an Order distinct from or superiour to a Presbyter that it imports no other thing then the Office of a Presbyter a truth which u Dissert 1. de presb episc cap 6. Salmasius hath proved at large against Petavius the Jesuite Yea the * Ibid. cap. 3. pag. 172. same learned Critick hath observed that there is as much colour of reason to say that a Senatour and Counsellour were distinct Offices and Orders as to say that a Bishop and a Presbyter are different in Office and in Order For as the Senate and the Counsell did not constitute different bodies but one and the same assembly was understood by both denominations so the particular members of that body were sometimes called Senatours sometimes Counsellours Idem est saith he de Presbyterio Episcopio The Presbyterie and the Episcopium were but one and the same body and convention of Bishops and Presbyters The light of Scripture is so evident and convincing unto all those which doe not shut their eyes against it being prepossessed with other fancies that from thence to omit other testimonies of the Fathers with sundry Divines of note both Protestant and Popish m Dist 60. cap. Null ex urb Papa Sacros or lines dicimus diaconatum Presbyteratum Hos quidem sotos ecclesia primitiva habusse dicitur Gratian and x Sent. lib. 4. dist 24. tit 1. Excellentèr canones duos tantum sacros ordines appellari censent diaconatus scil presbytera●us quia hos solos Ecclesia primitiva legetur habuisse de bissolis praeceptum Apostolihabemus Peter Lumbard have confessed that the Scripture mentioneth no other sacred Orders then of Presbyters and Deacons the primitive Church is said to have these onely and we have the precept of the Apostle concerning these alone As Gratian in his text of the Canon Law so y Dicunt quidem quod in ecclesia prima primitiva cōmune crat officium episcoporum sacerdotum no mina crant communia dist 95. cap. Olim officium crat commune sed in secunda primitiva caeperunt distingui nomiua Presbyter et Episcopus erant prorsus synonyma etiam administratio cōmunis erat quia communi consitio sacerdotum regebantur ecclesiae In schismatis ergoremedium ut bicdicitur fact a est praelatio ut unus praeess●t quoad quaedam sacramenta quae modò appropriantur episcopis Gloss ikn dist 95. cap. Legimus verb. Postea Johannes Semeca in his Glosse thereon tels us In the first Primitive Church Bishops and Presbyters or Priests were all one both in name and office the names and offices began to be distinguished in the second primitive Church when for a remedy of schisme one was advanced in the Church which was before governed by the common consent of Presbyters in respect of name and administration and some sacraments which are now appropriated to the Bishops Thus Semeca If any shall desire to know of what extent this first primitive Church is none can better informe him then learned Dr USSHER once Divinity Professor at Dublin now Archbishop of Armagh z De succ statu Eccles cap. 1. pag. 19. who having observed out of Hegesippus that during the age of the Apostles the Church continued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a pure and undefiled Virgin addes in matters of Religion we are not ashamed to appeale to this first Primitive Church for so it hath pleased some to distinguish saith he referring us in the margin to this fore-mentioned Glosse of Semeca And truly as in articles of faith and points of Doctrine against all Romanists with other pretenders of antiquity so in matters of Discipline and this particular point of controversie concerning the Parity or rather Identity of Bishops and Presbyters against all Hierarchists whatsoever we are neither afraid nor ashamed to appeale to this first Primitive Church the Church in the Apostles dayes Before I part with Gratian and the Canon Law I shall adde this out of it we finde there another Originall of this Imparity and distinction in Order between a Bishop and a Presbyter a Horum discretio à Gentilibus maximè introducta est qui suos Flamines alios simpliciter Flamines alios Archiflamines alios Protostamines appellabant Grant decr par 1. dist 21. Vide plura distinct 80. Can. in Illis The difference that now is between an Archbishop a Bishop and a Presbyter was introduced saith Gratian into the Church from the imitation of the Heathenish Hierarchie who so marshalled their Priests that some were Archiflamines some Protoflamines some Flamines The same is acknowledged for the substance of it by the b Vt Rom. veteres olim majores minores Pontifices inter hos unum summum qui omnes sacris praecrant habebant it a nos in Christianismo easdem denominationes servamus Archiepiscopi dicti sunt tanquam primores Episcopi c. Desacr Ord. p.