Selected quad for the lemma: judgement_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
judgement_n	bishop_n	church_n	presbyter_n	1,645	5	10.1981	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50348	Episcopacie not abivred in His Maiesties realme of Scotland containing many remarkable passages newly pvblished, the contents of the severall chapters follow in the next page.	Maxwell, John, 1590?-1647.	1641 (1641)	Wing M1380; ESTC R21652	85,480	138

untill the year 1590. towit ten years after the setting down and swearing of this Abjuration And therefore this power and preheminence which is the point in controversie cannot be understood to have been then condemned in the Abjuration 1580. 1581. for otherwise the Church should have condemned that which in the mean time they did approve and practise Thirdly notwithstanding that Act 1580. condemning Episcopacie as it was then used in Scotland yet these points of the power and preheminence of one Pastor over others and charge over moe particular flocks was not condemned but expresly acknowledged to be lawfull by that whole Assembly wherein Episcopacie was called in Question Anno 1575. 1576. as shall be evidently cleared when we shall come to discusse the Acts of those Assemblies Fourthly those points of Papistrie in generall and the particular heads damned and confuted by Gods Word and Kirk of Scotland were only such as were opposite to the doctrine contained in the principall Confession of the Church of Scotland then of a long time professed by the Kings Majestie and whole body of the Kingdome as it is expresly set down in the same place of the Covenant But so it is that there was no Doctrine contained either in the Confession of Faith or professed now for a long time by the King and whole body of the Kingdome contrary to these points of power and preheminence of one Pastor over other Brethren or moe particular flocks therefore these are not points of Papistrie abjured by the Covenant as being damned then by Gods Word or the Church of Scotland and so this passage doth not more serve to prove their purpose than the former CHAP. IX Containing an Answer to the third Passage THe third Passage is in those words We detest the Roman Antichrist his worldly Monarchie and wicked Hierarchie In this passage indeed there is no false citation as in the former two yet is there as great impertinencie in applying it to their purpose for I cannot see what they can assume upon this proposition to conclude the point in Controversie except they would say that all power and preheminence of one Pastor over his Brethren or over more particular flocks is an Antichristian worldly Monarchie and all degrees of Ecclesiasticall persons is an Antichristian wicked Hierarchie and therefore detested and abjured But if this Assumption were true then the high priest in Ierusalem constituted by God himself had been an Antichristian Monarch and the divers degrees of Ecclesiasticall persons distinguished by God himself had been an Antichristian wicked Hierarchie for it is most certaine that the High priest had power and preheminencie over his Brethren and charge over all the particular flocks in Iudea The Apostles likewise in the Christian Church and their fellow-labourers Tit●u Timothie and others had been Antichristian wordly Monarchs for it is most certaine that they had power and prehe●ninence over their Brethren and charge over moe particular flocks as Bishops have now which may be qualified by the writings of the Apostles and the testimony of all the Venerable Fathers of the Primitive Church who lived either in the dayes of the Apostles or neer to them So likewise those Reverend ●●thers themselves as Polycarpus Ignatius Cyprian Austin Ambrose Chrysostome c. should be esteemed no better yea likewise our Superintendents or Com●issioners of Provinces should have been Antichristian worldly Monarchs So that the worthy Instruments of God in the reformation of the Church of Scotland must be thought to have instead of a laudable reformation brought in an Antichristian worldly Monarchy in the Church of Scotland But the principall words which they doe most urge is the last c●●●se of this passage His wicked Hierarchie by which words it was made cleer as they alleage in the Assembly that Episcopacie was abjured what was made cleer in the Assembly we know not but we shall make it cleer God willing to 〈◊〉 whose eyes are not blinded with partiall affection that those reasons produced in the Act in the end thereof at length which doubtlesse were the most weighty they could bring are foolish childish and ridiculous unworthy of such men as they would be accounted amongst the people But before we enter to discusse their reasons we must first explaine the word Hierarchie and shew what Hierarchie is here condemned first the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} amongst the ancient Grocians was used to signifie a certaine Magistracie the charge whereof was to have a 〈◊〉 of Sacred and Holy things as of Temples Altars and Sacrifices and from thence was translated by an●ient Christian writers to signifie the sacred orders of Rulers in the Church Now that there is an holy order of Rulers in the Church I think no man can deny even in Presbyteriall Government there are three orders of Ecclesiasticall persons who bear rule in the Church and have charge of sacred things of distinct power and authoritie towit Pastors Elders and Deacons and so those orders may be ●afely called an Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie they who understand the Greek word knowes perfectly that it signifies no other thing but 〈◊〉 of sacred things or a holy Government they cannot deny but these Ecclesiasticall functions have every one their own point of Government and that about sacred and holy things why then should they abhorre the word since they acknowledge the thing signified thereby to be competent to their Ecclesiasticall functions Is it because the word is borrowed from Ethnicks It should not be abhorred for this cause more than the words Episcopus Presbyter and Pastor which did signifie also amongst the Ethnicks certaine offices or magistracies as is well known to those who are versed in their writings Or is it because it hath been abused by the Papists neither can it for this cause be rejected taken in a right sense and separating Papisticall corruptions from it more then the other titles given to Ecclesiasticall officers which all have been abused in the Popish Church and that this word Hierarchy may be used to signifie the orders of Ecclesiasticall rulers in the Christian Church I will bring no other testimony than that of Calvin who was the first Author of Presbyteriall Government he in his Treatise De N●cessitat● ref●rmanda Ecclesia speaking of the Popish Hierarchy saith If they will set us down such an Hierarchie wherein Bishops have so preheminence that they refuse not to be subject to Christ depending from him as from their head and referring all to him wherein they doe so entertaine Societie amo●gst themselves that they be no otherwise bound but by his truth Then I must acknowledge that th●se are worthy to be called ex●crable who will not reverence such an Hierarchie and with all humble obedience receive the same Where we see that Calvin doth acknowledge that there may be a lawfull Hierarchie neither wicked nor Antichristian and such was this Hierarchie in the Church of Scotland consisting of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons wherein Bishops

have so preheminence over others as they refuse not to be subject to Christ and depend upon him as from their head and not from the Pope of Rome c. And therefore in the judgement of Calvin those who will not reverence such an Hierarchie are worthy to be accounted execrable and accursed and since our Covenanters professe that they reverence the judgement of Calvin more than all Antiquitie I marvell how they can blesse themselves in this wherein he accounteth them accursed To the same purpose likewise speaketh Beza the chief promoter of Presbyteriall government in his Answer to Saravia De divers grad. Minist. cap. 21. Albeit he doth not name Hierarchie yet speaking of the Orders in the Roman Church whereof the Hierarchie doth consist he concludeth in these words Neither doe we accuse of this Tyrannie all those who are called Archbishops or Bishops for what Arrogancie were this yea we doe acknowledge all those who are so called as faithfull Pastors of the Christian Church providing they imitate the example of those holy Bishops in reforming the house of God so miserably deformed according to the rule of Gods Word and obey them and with all reverence receive them so farre are we from that whereof some do most impudently accuse us that we should prescribe to any our particular example to be followed like to those impertinent men who esteeme nothing well done except that which they doe themselves c. By the judgement then of these two learned men whose judgements they can hardly contemne all Hierarchie is not condemned nor all Episcopacie under the name of Hierarchie is to be abjured but only in so farre as it is Antichristian and wicked that is to say the manifold corruptions and abuses in the orders of Ecclesiasticall rulers brought in by the Pope to fortifie his usurped Tyrannie Those with you we also abjure and detest from our very heart But so it is that one Pastor to have power and preheminence over others is not to be reckoned amongst these corruptions which were brought in by the Pope or Antichrist but was appointed by God himself and practised in the Church by those whom Beza doth acknowledge to have been faithfull Pastors of the Christian Church Now to come to the reasons which they set down at length in the end of the Act the first reason whereby they presse to prove that the order of Government under Bishops having power and preheminence over other Pastors as Presbyters and Deacons is the P●pish Hierarchy is in these words The Popis● Hierarchie doth consist of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons that is Baptizing and Preaching Deacons which they prove first by a Canon of the Councell of Trent 2. By a testimony of Bellarmine 3. By a Censure of the Vniversitie of Paris of certaine Articles sent out of Ireland which tedious probation was needlesse for we doe not deny their proposition but grant that the Popish Hierarchie doth consist of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons But what then they suppresse the Assumption and Conclusion yet according to Logicall Rules we may finde them out their Conclusion is known towit that Episcopall Government is the Antichristian wicked Hierarchie So to inferre this Conclusion upon their proposition as it is set down nothing can be assumed for the minor but that Episcopall Government consisteth of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons So the whole Syllogisme must be The Popish Hierarchie doth consist of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons But Episcopall Government consisteth of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Ergo Episcopall government is the Popish wicked Hierarchie But by their leave this is a Syllogisme Ex omnibus particularibus affirmantibus in secundà figurâ which concludeth not as they who have learned the first rudiment of Logick knows such as that Asinus habet aures tu habes aures ergò tu es Asinus I confesse that this may be reduced to a syllogisme in primâ figurâ by converting the termes of the proposition and making it universall as Quic quid habet aures est Asinus tu habes aures Ergo c. But thus the Major is evidently false and so likewise their Syllogisme may be deduced in the same manner by converting the Major and making it universall but so it is no more their proposition thus All Orders of Ecclesiasticall Rulers consisting of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons is the Antichristian wicked Hierarchie But the orders of Ecclesiasticall rulers in Episcopall Government consisteth of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Ergo c. But so the major is evidently also false neither doth their reasons any wayes prove it for if it were true we might aswell prove thereby that the orders in the Ecclesiasticall Rulers in the Apostles dayes and Primitive Church after them was the Popish wicked Hierarchie for they cannot deny but therein were Bishops Presbyters and Deacons As likewise that their Presbyteriall Government is the Antichristian wicked Hierarchie for they grant that their Pastors are Bishops their Elders Presbyters and their Deacons are Ecclesiasticall Rulers also But they seeme to object that their Deacons are not preaching and baptizing Deacons as ours are and those of the Roman Church but onely distributers of the Ecclesiasticall goods I answer their Deacons are so much the worse as unlike to Apostolick Deacons and therefore our Deacons and Popish Deacons more Christian and liker to those who were appointed by the Apostles for Stephen who was the first of these Deacons was a Preacher and for his preaching suffered Martyrdome Act. 7. Philip was a Deacon and yet both a Preacher and Baptizer Act. 8. 5. 12. And so we must esteeme that all the rest of the Deacons had the same power nor are they able to shew the contrary We will not be ashamed therefore in this point rather to joyne with Papists wherein they adhere to Gods Word and sound Antiquity than to their new invented opinion disagreeing from both This reason notwithstanding the grosse informalitie thereof was good enough for the Common people who are well pleased with any shew of reason comming from the mouthes of their Leaders and men of learning amongst them either would not or durst not enquire the strength of it or if they did enquire in their own minds durst not publish their opinion either by word or writ because of an Act of this Assemblie Sess. 23. Act. 17. prohibiting any person of whatsoever qualitie or degree to speak or write against this Assemblie or any Act thereof under paine of incurring the censure of the Kirk Therefore leaving the informality of this Argument I answer to the substance of the matter that all orders of Ecclesiasticall Rulers are and may be called an Hierarchie we grant in that sense which we have declared but that all such is wicked and Antichristian we deny and have even Calvin the first founder of Presbyteriall Discipline for our warrant as we have shown already and therefore that exception they make That this Hierarchie is called the Antichristian Hierarchie