Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	church_n	elder_n	pastor_n	988	5	9.2585	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09313	The letters patents of the presbyterie vvith the plea and fruits of the prelacie. Manifested out of the scriptures, fathers, ecclesiasticall histories, Papists, and sundrie other authors. By Iames Peregrin.	[Peregin, James].; Partridge, James, attributed name. aut	1632 (1632)	STC 19622B.5; ESTC S103890	43,655	62

no others that he set to gouerne besides the Apostles and Euangelist but presbyters Hath God then set them for Gouernours in the church vvill men presume to supplant them and set others Dare men say that the gouernment by diocessan Bishops ordained by men is better then this of Elders ordained by God To vvhome indeede God must needes giue a better blessing as beeing his ovvne ordinance he hath set them in the church Neither doth that proue the contrarie because in Amsterdam and som other cities of Holland there are many Religions for neither Bishops if they had such nor Elders can hinder it if the pollicie suffer them But looke into the reformed churches there in France and elsvvhere and you shall finde them better gouerned and much better vvould be if som burgers to enritch themselues and get places of authority or a league trade vvith Spaine did not vvaxe negligent in religion and for such ends turne Arminians and nevvters If an Apostle vvere novv liuing and should vvrite an Epistle to Mr. Moulin pastor and Elder in Sedan Against an Elder receiue not an accusation vnder two or there vvitnesses that vvould not argue that he vvere ouer other Pastors and Elders in the prouince nor as a Lord in his ovvne congregation but rather vvhat vvere his duty yea the duty of all Elders assembled in such a case The Apostle recounting all the officers and Gouernours of the church Ephes 4. saith He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Pastors and Teachers vvhere he neither names Bishops nor Elders much lesse both as tvvo distinct callings because the Pastor by his place vvas a Presbiter and so a Bishop properlie the deacons had the care of the Almes In such a church as that of Ephesus or Philippi there vvere diuers vvho vvere teachers and helpers but one vvho vvas somevvhat more properlie the Pastor and so the bishop of that flock therefore though the charge go to all the Elders Take beede to your selues Reuel 2. and to all the flocke c yet this is somvvhat more especiallie applied to him that is pastor and so the first Elder or bishop Vnto the Angel of the church of Ephesus vvrite that is to the pastor Euen as in the church of Paris at this day vvhich is one congregation of about six thousand communicants there are three preachers vvho are all Elders to feede the flock yet one of them is reckoned the pastor the other tvvo helpers the like in Diepe and diuers other cities vvhere they liue amōg persecuting Papists as the old Christians did among the heathen hauing but one congregation or flock in a citie In some lesser cities or vvhere there are fevver protestants there is only a pastor vvith lay Elders And thus out of all doubt Act. 14. Tit. 1.5 it vvas in the primatiue church till after the death of the Apostles vvho ordained Elders in euerie church and citie vvhere one vvas the pastor yet in matter of gouernment all the Elders of a church ruled together by commō consent euen in Ierusalem things were not done vvithout the Elders but the decrees vvent out in all their names VVhen Paul vvent last to Ierusalem there vvere diuers vvith him But saith Luke Act. 21.18 Paul vvent in vvith vs to Iames all the Elders vvere present The Apostle would doe nothing vvithout them Therefore Paul saith 1. Tim. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule vvell be counted vvorthy of double honour espectiallie they vvho labour in the vvord doctrine VVhence also som collect that there vvere som Elders that vvere not ministers but lay-men of the more vnderstāding best gouerned sort Hovvsoeuer ye see they had all share in the gouernment vvere it vvith Timothie Titus or vvhosoeuer For these vvere not greater then the Apostles vvhich vvas the highest calling in the church yet euen vvith them in Ierusalem there vvere Elders as it vvere in ioynt commission for matter of gouernment they themselues tooke on them this office disdained not to be reckoned vvith other presbiters Peter saith 1. Pet. 5.1 The * or Elders 2. Ioh. presbiters vvhich are among you I exhort vvho am also Sumpresbuteros a fellovv presbiter and Iohn that might haue said The Apostle chooseth rather to say The Elder to the elect ladie The * or Elder Presbiter to the vvelbeloued Gaius None of the Apostles are in the nevv Testament called bishops but presbiters because a presbiter vvas a bishop then a name of no lesse honour but rather of greater beeing Indeed one and the same pastorall office in euerie congregation it vvas the highest in the church next the Apostles Euangelists and pastors the Elders beeing the officers vvhich God had appointed to gouern his church to the vvorlds end The holy Ghost saith not Bishops least aftervvard it should haue bene takē for diocessan Bishops but Elders Neither doth Iohn set the Pope or any Bishop but Christ among them as their only head for chap. 5. Christ standeth in the midst of the throne and in the midst of the Elders to shevv they truly belong to his gouernment as diocessan Bishops so that of Antichrist It was stoutly defended in the councell of Trent Histor of the concell of Trent pag. 599. 613. Rom. 13.1 that they held of the Pope not immediately of God True not so rightly as the Elders doe nor yet in a manner so litle digressing as the first diocessan Bishops did as vve shall further see in the sequel therfore they are not so truly of Gods Kingdome but rather of a contrarie For indeede There is no power but of God The powers that be are ordained of God VVhence it follovves that all povvers much more those that gouerne the church must be ordained of God or else they be not lavvfull Novv this can not be said of the Pope and Cardinals nor of Diocessan Bishops for these vvere not ordained of God but of men Ergo c. They are indeede against Elders vvhich are the povvers ordained of God VVhosoeuer therefore resisteth these powers resisteth the ordinance of God One of the Elders speakes to Iohn concerning the Martirs Reuel 7. that suffered in the ten persecutions signified by those troubles that follovved the opening of the seauen seales then past gone And though vvhilst the vvoman the true Church fled and remained in the vvildernes from Antichristian titannie and superstition their gouernment must needes be hid and persecured vvith her yet vvhen the Gospell is restored the Temple of God opened diuers kingdoms of this vvorld became the kingdoms of our Lord Reuel 11. and of his Christ the Elders vvorship giue thanks as also vvhen Babilon is destroied herevpon it is said The Lord God omnipotent reighneth that is in his vvord and ordinances ●hap 194.5.6 Elders are then restored vvhereas before she her traditions hierarchie gouerned churches For in that they are euer thus about the

THE LETTERS PATENTS OF THE PRESBYTERIE VVith THE PLEA AND FRVITS OF THE PRELACIE Manifested out of the Scriptures Fathers Ecclesiasticall Histories Papists and sundrie other Authors By Iames Peregrin LVK. 16.14.15 All these things also heard the Pharises vvho vvere coueteous and they derided him And he said vnto them ye are they vvhich iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hearts for that vvhich is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Printed MDCXXXII To the sacred honour of the Lord God Creator of all things and Iudge of all men ALmightie and euerlasting God vvho hast set thy king vpon thy holy hill of Sion giuen him a kingdom that all nations and languages should serue him a kingdom that shall haue no ende giue vs vvee beseech thee to knovv vvhat it is to haue him for the Christ the only King and Lavvgiuer of his church the Anointing that thou hast giuen vs and to see that vvee haue no neede that any man teach vs but as the same anointing teacheth vs of all things by himselfe and by his Apostles and Prophets O teach vs at last to abide in him as he hath taught vs that vvhen he shall appeare vvee may not be ashamed before him at his comming Thou only O Lord canst best iudge vvhat are the things that truly belong to his kingdom and gouerument vvhat subordinate officers thou hast giuen to guide thy church and vvho are Intruders and vsurpers vvho serue aright to maintaine thy Truth and gouernment and vvho to obscure and oppresse the same vvho serue thy kingdom in a right vvay vvho only pretend it not seruing thee the Lord but theire owne bellies To vvhome then but to thee O dreadfull God should I thy poore seruant dedicate these his vveake labours For thou o Lord God best knowest the work that thou hast vvrought in thine thou art best able to trie and teach others to trie the Spirits vvhether they be of God or noe thou searehest the heart the reines the end and scoape of euery mans vndertakings vvho are led by thy Spirit into all Truth and vvho are only lifted vp in an opinion thereof vvho finding thy guidance in some things presume that thou teachest them all vvhich they beleeue or to vvhich they are conformable and doe not rather thinke it better to beleeue all that thou teachest to be conformed to that and be reformed by it vvho haue thy Truth in respect of the persons authoritie and benefits of men and vvho in respect of thee alone the only fountaine of Truth Thou o God the righteous Iudge seest vvhether I haue collected these proofes obseruations for the cause of Christ alone or for sinister respects thou best knovvest thy ovvne Truth and art best able to defend it and all them that seeke it Princes are men such as trust to much to theire iudgment and protection do oft finde themselues revvarded accordingly Thou hast the hearts of kings and all other men in thy hand thou canst turne them to see and acknovvledge thy truth Thou only that makest light to shine out of darknes canst shine in theire hearts to giue them true knovvledge and obedience Other Patrons can a litle countenance a booke vvith their greate names favours but thou o Kings of kings hast a name aboue all names thou only canst persvvade Iapheth to dvvell in the tents of Shem. Thou only canst informe and assure the heart in thy ovvne Truth VVho is able to hinder the light thereof vvhen thou vvilt haue it knovvne acknovvledged O therefore be mercifull vnto vs cause the light of thy countenance to shine vpon vs that thy vvay may be knovvne vpon earth thy sauing health vnto all nations that they may see the things that belong vnto their peace least haueing them hid from theire eies they groape at noone day straine at a gnat swallow a Camel Thou art the greate God that vvilt take account of euerie mans vvorkes and bring euerie secret vvorke and counseil vnto light It is thy grace and protection that I stand in neede of O be vvith me and forsake me not but shevv thy might in my vveakenes This g●ace vvhat else thou knovvest needefull for me the Reader or any of thy afflicted people grant vnto vs all for Iesus Christ his sake the Sonne of thy loue to vvhome vvith thee and thy holy Spirit three persons and one God be ascribed as due is all honour might maiestie and dominion novv and for euer To the Christian Reader IF a man Christian Reader liuing in Rome Spaine or any other kingdom where the truth is in any point oppressed should to conuince and conuert his nation be desirous to set out a booke on that subiect he would easely conceiue that by making himselfe publick he should nothing benefit the cause he might fall and perish in the inquisition before three men could come to reade it and that therefore it were better to liue obscurely and get it secretly printed and dispersed who could for this either blame him or vnder nice pretences reiect his proofes fairely deducted out of Gods word So if I considering that I haue liued an obscure life a● smale and of no reputation that in this case to make my self publick would doe no good but rather raise against me many mightie and vndeserued ennemies get my labour in Christs cause the sooner suppressed haue therfore tooke a like priuate course to the ende that Gods Truth might finde the more vnpreuentible passage thinke not that it will excuse any man to say of me he is a libeller or as the Pharises did of our Lord and Sauiour As for this fellow vvee knovv not vvhence he is Ioh. 9.29.33 But if God by so weake a meanes as I am open thine eyes in a point of any consequence say rather of the poore seruant as the man borne blinde of the Lord and maister If this man vvere not of God he could doe nothing Let me not be reckoned an * Gal. 4.16 enemie for manifesting Gods truth but remember that herein thou shewest thy * 1. Ioh. 5.3 loue to God if his doctrine his commandements be not grieuous vnto thee For his sake therefore reade this smale treatises and hereby thou maiest see a reason why many learned ministers do not or will not know or regard the truth in this point why the most in England are so vnwilling to know any thing thereof seast it should hinder them from subscribing and hauing of a good liuing or cause them to be put to silence if they should either preach write or speake against the gouernment of the Bishops If I haue proued that it makes greatly to the saluation of the Church and the preseruing of the faith it selfe in that puritie and simpliciue wherein it was left vnto vs by the Apostles and Prophets that the Truth of God be well knowne and manifested in this point remember it is thy duty

peremptorie Take heede to your selues to all the flock ouer vvhich the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops there vvere diuers Elders of the church of phesus the places that bordered neer it as of that of Philippi or Ierusalem act 21.18 to them all Paul saith The holy Ghost hath made you bishops to feede the church So Phil. 1. To all the saints vvhich are at Philippi vvith the Bishops Deacons that is vvith the Elders presbiters Phil. 1.1 and deacons for ye see the presbiters are bishops or othervvise you must graunt that there vvere more bishops then one in 〈◊〉 citie therefore Theodore vvell vnderstands it of the presbiters vvhich Bellarmine obseruing can not denie Bellar. de Clericis l 4 c. 14. Tit. 1.5.6.7 but that here also presbiters are called Bishops VVhich is yet more cleere by that to Titus I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest ●●daine presbiters in euerie citie if any be blamelesse the husband of one vvife haueing faithfull children not accused of riot ●r vnrulie for a bishop that is the Presbiter before mentioned must be blamelesse c. Vbi supra All vvhich places are so cleare that Bellarmine confesseth that in them all the presbiters are called Bishops consequently that the Trent fathers cried vvho vvould proue that Diocessan Bishops are instituted by Christ and superiour to Presbyters iure diuino Histor of the councel of Trent pag. 597. 598. english because Paul saith Take heede to all the flock ouer vvhich the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops vvhich by his ovvne confession is spoken to Presbyters therefore he ansvvers to all the three places verrie poorely that in those daies these names Bishop Presbyter vvere common to all preists as if Phil. 1. vvith the Bishops and deacons the sense must be thus VVith the Preists theire ministers the deacons vvhich is a vveake shift of a Iesuit and so learned a Cardinal For did the Apostle call the presbyters Bishops in all these three places say the holy Ghost had made them Bishops ouer the flocke yet are they not so And if it vvere then a name so common to all preists why should it novv be thus restrained to one in a countie or prouince and he accounted an heretick that vvith the holy Ghost affirmeth the presbiters to be Bishops as in these three places And therefore out of all doubt 1. Tim. 3. vvhen Paul saith If any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good vvorke c. That is the office of a presbiter or Elder vvho is a Bishop that so he addeth These things vvrite I unto thee that thou mightest know how thou a Bishop or presbiter oughtest to behaue thy selfe Othervvise he vvould not haue passed as he doth from the duty of a Bishop to the duty of a deacon but rather first from the duty of a Bishop to the duty of a presbiter or pastor that is if it had not beene one and the fame office somtime set forth vnder the name of an Elder or presbiter Tit. 1.5.6.7 somtime of a Bishop as in that to Titus before alleadged vvhich shevves vs that vvhen it is said of Titus that he vvas ordained the first Bishop of the Cretians that must needes be the first presbiter Chrisost in 1. Tim. 3. so Timothie 2. Tim. in fin vvhich in effect is acknovvledged by Chrysos in his Comentarie on that chapter to Timothie vvho though he liued in a time vvhen canons custom and cloaked ambition had made a litle difference saith There is almost no difference betweene a Bishop and a presbyter seeing the care of the church is also graunted to the presbyters surely by giuing of orders only they are their superiours herein they only seeme to be more then the presbiters Bellarmin acknovvledgeth that Primasius Bellar. de clerìcis l. 4. c. 14. Theophilact and Oecumenius in their Comentaries vpon the same place do teach the same thing almost in the same vvords VVherin they come but litle short of that vvhich is more plainly affirmed by Hierom on the first of Titus Hieron in Tit. 1. A presbiter and a Bishop is one and the same thing and before by the instinct of the deuil factions vvere made in religion and it vvas said among the people I am of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the churches vvere gouerned by the common consent of the presbiters but after euery one thought those which he had baptised to be his not Christs it vvas ordained in all the vvorld that one chosen from among the presbiters should be set ouer the rest unto vvhome all the care of the church should pertaine and the seedes of Sbhismes should be taken away And a litle lovver As therfore presbiters know themselues to be subiect by the custome of the church to him that is set ouer them so let the Bishops know it is rather by the custom of the church then by any disposition of the diuine truth that they are greater then the presbiters and that the church ought to be gouerned in commune Vbi supra Bellarmin doth not only cite these places thus but confesseth farther that Hierō hath the like things in his 85. Epistle to Euagrius Yet he vvould faine haue it thought that Hierō held a Bishop to be greater then a presbiter iure diuino contenting himselfe for lack of a better to take that for a sufficient proofe vvhere he saith to Euagrius vvhat doth the Bishop giueing of orders excepted vvhich the presbiter may not also doe vvhereas indeede this doth rather proue the contrarie namely that presbiters had decisiue voices in councels might excommunicate or doe any thing else in their flocks belonging to gouernment saue the giuing of orders this beeing all the difference of povver and authority the Bishops had them gained VVherein you must needes vnderstand him as before that it is rather by the custome of the church then any disposition of the diuine truth that they vvere herein greater then the Elders the same or the like humain ordinance custom vvhich restrained the title of a Bishop to one in a Diocesse vvhich before vvas common to all presbiters gaue him also the sole povver of giuing of orders vvhich before belonged to presbiters in common 1. Tim. 4.14 as is cleere by that Neglect not the gift that is in thee vvhich vvas giuen thee by prophesie vvith the laying on of the hands of the presbiterie Kemnitius therefore doth vvell obserue here Vbi supra that a Bishop may be ordained by Presbiters therefore there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a presbiter Bellarmin hereat offended ansvvers vvith the Greekes verie vveakely By the presbiterall name they vnderstood the quire or companie of the presbiters that i● of the Bishops vvhich laide their hands on the new bishop They that laied their hands on him vvere presbiters but that is say Bellarmin and others Bishops So saith

he bids him vvrite to the Angel that is to the Pastor of the church of Ephesus and so of the rest because the Pastor as the principall man and a President in the congregation should propound and make it knovvne to the rest he being one vvhome it did a litle more concerne then the rest as he vvas Shepheard of the flock so one that should looke to such faults yet all the Elders of euerie church vvere also to looke to it as those that had share in the gouernment and things vvere determined by voices of all men members of the church The Epistles vvere vvritten to them all as appeares also by that to the church of Smyrna the deuill shall cast some of you into prison Vers 10.22 23. I vvill giue vnto euerie one of you according to his vvorks And vnto you I say the rest of them of Thiatira as many as haue not this learning c. VVhen he saith of some churches that they had kept his name and not denied the faith c. and of others that they had left their first loue or had them vvhich held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans of Balaam or the vvoman lezabel It is sensles to thinke that only the Angel of each church is commended or taxed The reproofes and incitements to repentance are not to him alone but to the church Paul speaking to the church of the Colossians Col. 4.17 saith Say to Archippus Take heede to the ministrie that thou hast receiued in the Lord that thou fulfill it He vvrit his Epistles vvherein their are directions for gouernment to the churches He vvilleth the church at Rome Rom. 16.17 to marke them vvhich cause diuisions and offences contrarie to the doctrine they had learned and to auoyde them In that greate busines Act. 15. the brethren vvere at the discussing of it the decrees vvent out in all their names It seemed good to the Apostles Act 15.22.23 and Elders vvith the vvhole church Letters vvere vvritten after this manner The Apostles and Elders and brethren vnto the brethren c. And in that it is said Vers 12. All the multitude kept silence and heard Barnabas c. All this shevves they had libertie to speake in due time if they had seene cause Act. 6.5 The saying pleased the multitude This shevves their consent and that they had voices For as Paul informed by the house of Cloe that there vvere diuisions among them 1. Cor. 2. conuinced them as an Apostle vvith vvords vvhich are the vvord of God so vvhen by them or by such others he vvas informed of the incestious Corinthian he conuinced them yet he referred the censure to the church Chap. 5.4 and vvould not doe the thing himselfe though as an Apostle he vvas a generall officer in all churches He vvisheth them to excommunicate him and after vvhen he had repented * 2. Cor. 2.7 to forgiue him It is true that the Keies of binding and loosing in this kinde vvere principallie giuen to the Pastors but ye see they did not excommunicate and restore vvithout the consent of the church And yet it is not meant hereby that this parochiall Gouernment should be ouerloaden vvith businesses much lesse vvith friuilous contentions For some things may be ended by the arbitration of tvvo or three neighbours and many causes are fitter for the common lavves and those courts vvhere the Kings Chancellour and other Iudges sit but only that such matters should be in the churches povver as are fit that the church should take care of them and iudge them So that this doth not ouerthrovv the authoritie of Christian Magistrates and their courts Neither can this be a cause of confusion making that vvhich is all mens busines to be no mans so that therevpon carelesnes should arise or pride and contention For vvee see that after this manner many things haue beene vvell discussed and determined in the high court of Parliament vvhere all things passe by voices as likevvise in ciuill corporations and common counsailes In vvhich things are best and most vncorruptlie carried vvhen men may speake their mindes freelie and are not oueravved by such greate ones as are the Bishops that haue povver to sit on their skirts that displease them For in this case men should thinke of that Mat. 23.8 One is your master euen Christ ye are brethren Doe ye not know that the saints shall iudge the vvorld 1. Cor. 3.6 chap. 2.15 He that is spirituall discerneth all things And thinke vvee then that they may not as vvell be fit Iudges of manners novv as they vvere in the Apostles time and the age next after them If it vvere once in vse men vvould soone be vvell enabled to the vvorke Besides the proofes out of Cyprian aboue mentioned Tertull. Apol. c. 39. lib. 3. contra a pist Parment Tertullian makes the officers to be only Presidents in the assemblie Hierom ad Demet. affirmes that the church it selfe hath right in excommunication as the Elders haue in other church censures Augustin thinks that it helpes much to the shaming of the partie that he be excommunicate by the vvhole church Zvvinglius Artie 8. explanat speaking of the contention vvhich hath bene vvhat a church is acknovvledges no other churches but 1. the companie of sure and firme beleeuers dispersed through the vvhole vvorld called the Catholick church And 2 seuerall congregations vvhich conueniently meete together in some one place c. of these he affirmes Christ to speake Mat. 18. Tell the church Peter Martyr in his common places Pant. 4. chap. 5. Sect. 9 making the church a Monarchie in respect of Christ an Aristocracie in respect of the Elders addeth also that because in the church there are matters of greate vveight and importance referred vnto the people as excommunication absolution choosing Ministers and the like it hath also a consideration of popular gouernment and vpon 1. Cor. 5.4 The Apostle as greate as he vvas vvould not excommunicate alone but did take counsaile vvith the church that the thing might be done by common authority VVhich notvvithstanding both Romish English bishops dare doe The Apostle indeede goes before the rest vvhich is the duty of the ancients of the church that the more ignorant multitude by their ●uffrages goeing before may be directed iudging Lib 1. de regno Christi cap. 9. Bucer affirmes that Paul accuses the Corinthians for that the vvhole church had not excommunicated the incestious persons Bastingius Loc. 4. quest 85. of his Catechisme speaking of the difference betvveene the tvvo keies that of preaching and the other of discipline placeth it in this that the former vvhich is of the preaching of the Gospel is committed to the ministers the other because it pertaines to the discipline of excommunication is permitted to the vvhole church I omit that vvhich Mr. Foxe Mr Cartvvright and other English men had said to this purpose because it vvould be too long for