Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	apostle_n	church_n	presbyter_n	5,413	5	10.2530	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34480	Jura cleri, or, An apology for the rights of the long-despised clergy proving out of antient and modern records that the conferring of revenues, honours, titles, priviledges, and jurisdiction upon ecclesiasticks is consistent with Scripture, agreeable to the purest primitive times, and justified by the vsance and practce of all nations / by Philo-Basileus Philo-Clerus.	Philo-Basileus Philo-Clerus.	1661 (1661)	Wing C612; ESTC R23895	70,115	98

Poeticall fiction that Majesty came down from Heaven whence the ancients made it the Daughter of Honour and Reverence Nor dare I condemne those swelling Titles every where in the Civil Law given to and own'd by Christian Emperours as Numen Oraculum Sacratissimus Imperator which some zealous eares amongst us would account little lesse then Blasphemy But any that have acquaintance with the Jewish customes and Language will soon resolve them that t was an usual thing with holy writers to style every thing Divine that did excell and was eminent v. Drusius in Gen. Brisson de Formul And let not any one imagine that this is any derogation from the Honour of God or the Pride of Princes hereby heightned the designe only is to mind them whose Person they represent whose Servants they are and that they ought to imitate his Justice Mercy and Bounty Old Homer cals Kings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nourished in the bosome of Jupiter and from this divine Originall some derive their miraculous Vertues which we see Hereditary to some Royal Families Thus the Curing the Kings Evil with our Princes and if we will beleive Car. Tapiam the Releiving persons Possest by the King of Spain I have dwelt the longer upon this subject that none may suspect what ensues to have the least aspect towards Rome not on the other hand let any fasten such odious Consequences upon this Doctrine as some malicious Jesuites have done as if we made our Princes Popes and gave them an unlimited power of imposing in matters of Religion at pleasure We never assert that our Kings have power to make New Formes of worship New Articles of Faith but to take care that all things within their Dominions be ordered according to the revealed will of God And as much Vsser Primord Eccle. Brit. as this comes to St. Austin Eleutherius to Lucius vicarius Dei estis in regno vestro and the Ancients have ever with one voice attributed to Princes and none questioned but some late Parasites of the Roman Ante-Christ This laid down wee l fall roundly to work and that some jurisdiction to curb prophane and erroneous persons to keep the unworthy from Sacraments and in case of obstinacy to forbid the faithfull society with them that such moderate Power not exceeding the bounds of Excōmunication dos by a divine right belong to Spiritual persons both Christs commission Mat. 18 and the Apostles practise 1 Cor 5.4 sufficiently warrant and none ever questioned but an envious Selden and some Physitians who wanting other Practise made the Church their Patient Set aside these and the former Position has hardly mette with any adversary All the difficulty is how farre Civil Jurisdiction by the favour of Princes permitted to them may with a Salvo to the Sacred Function be exercised For t is owned that Temporal power cannot be challenged by Ecclesiasticks as their due but is a right Imperial and Royal yet Princes to whom it properly belongs both may and have often delegated the exercise of it even to their Clergy Most of the First Christian Emperours having experienced the integrity and prudence of the Ecclesiasticks left it to the liberty of the Plaintif that entered the Suite either to make the Bishops Judges or to have recourse to the Civil Magistrate Thus Constantine Valons Gratian Valentinian Theodosius Arcadius Martian Leo Anthemius and Justinian As may be seen in the Imperial Edicts yet extant CHAP. II. The Original of Ecclesiastical Courts IF we should trace up the Original of Ecclesiastical Courts we shall find them grounded upon the counsel of the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. where he advises the Christians when any contentious Suits arise amongst them as in all Societies such must be look'd for that they should not to the dishonour of Religion betake themselves to Pagan Tribunals for Justice but let their brethren decide matters But who these were is a great Quaere the 4. v. seemes to put it upon those that were least esteemed which cannot be the Preachers But Theophylact carries the sence thus that t is an answere to a tacit objection that some would be apt to say there is not a wise man in the Church that can Judge Well admit according to that opinion there be not one prudent person found yet rather appoint those that were never so contemptible and little esteemed in the Church your Judges then go to the Heathen Tribunals But Ambrose on the place is more express that Ministers are appointed Judges And if the Vote and practise of Antiquity which is commonly none of the worst Expositours may be taken matters will be yet more clear Many scattered passages there are in Igratius Tertullian Cyprian c. looking this way but being under the Lash they are fain to whisper only and durst not speak out I shall not much stand upon those Canons that pass under the name of the Apostles where we read that the Bishops ought to meet every 2 daye of the week to judge causes and a Tribunal is ascribed to them with power of deciding all controversies Nor yet upon that of Clemens Ep. ad Jacob. Fr. Dom. where t is express If any of the Brethren have differences among themselves let them not goe to the Heathens for Justice but let the Presbyters of the Church decide it Now both these however censured by some as spurious in respect of the titles they bear yet cannot be denied to be very ancient And in the 2 Ep. of Marcellinus Quaecunque contentiones inter Christianos ortae fuerint ad Ecclesiam deferantur ab Ecclesiasticis determinentur We have indeed but few genuine peices remaining of those poor persecuted times wherein the distressed Believers were glad to make hard shifts and fearfull to do any thing that might create jealousie in the minds of those cruel Tyrants whereas openly to professe the declining of their Tribunals had been crime enough Yet St. Hierom a curious searcher into old records saith Priests from the beginning were appointed Judges of causes l. de 7 Ordin Eccles And when they could use freedome then we have them speaking aloud For St. Ambrose pleads the Apostolical Commission Ep. 24. secundum sacrae formam praeceptonis qua eum Apostolus induebat S. Austin seconds him and saith this task was imposed upon Spiritual persons by St. Paul to decide tumultuosissimas perplexitates causarum alienarum de negotiis saecularibus De Opere Monachatus c. 29. I shall conclude this with a testimony of Calvin whom all know to be no friend to the Episcopal Hierarchy yet even he acknowledges 4 Instit c. 11. § 10. That the Primitive Christians to prevent wrangling suits were wont to commit their differences to be decided by their Bishops and this held till the Magistrate received the Gospel But that which carries the greatest weight with me is the Universal Practise immediatly after the Scepters of the earth stooped to Christ for I cannot imagine that so great a novelty would have

Martyrs And hithero we have litttle or nothing of outward coercive diction all was inward all was Spiritual and thus was the faith planted the gates of Hell pul'd down and the Pagan World reduced to the obedience of Christ Providence purposely so ordering it that no flesh might boast Now all this while to say the truth there was no need to have recourse to outward Force the Apostles and their immmediate Successours being furnisht with such miraculous extraordinary power which we see they did sometimes exert to punish the disobedient as Anantas and Sapphira with death Elymas with blindnesse c. But miracles once ceasing and the immediate assistance of the Spirit being withdrawn to compensate this losse God turned the heart of the Magistrate and Christian prudence told them that to place Covernours in the Church and to deprive them thus deserted by the Spirit of all coercive Jurisdiction was to expose their Office render their Persons ridiculous and their Commands insignificant And has not our late experience sufficiently confirmed this Sin being grown bold and wickednesse never more improved the Schismaticall prophane World making but sport with the Embassadours of Christ whilest left naked and destitute of all Civil Jurisdiction Whereas in those Apostolical primitive times there was no fear no danger of such inconveniences Love to Christ being then mo●e ardent and the cruelty of the mercilesse advers●ry more outragious the one sweetly alluring the Professours of the Gospel the other terrifying them into a dutiful Conformity I am none of those that delight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to doat upon my own Notions so that if any man will take the pains to produce clearer evidences I shall readily be his Convert Till then my judgement is and I can safely say has been ever since I was able to look into Antiquity that the Matter here contended for is neither under the censure of Inexpediency nor Inconsistency not the latter For seeing t is a duty confessedly belonging to every Christian to beat down sin and promote righteousnesse and the end of all Jurisdiction is to advance justice and restrain iniquity I would gladly be resolved what there is so hainous so unseemly for the Sacred Function in this Act to chastise the Disturbers of the Christian Peace with Spiritual and if that prevail not with corporal Punishments Certain it is the Blessed Angels do not look upon it as dishonourable to or derogatory from their Holines at the Command of God to correct the wicked even with death 2. Cor. 23. and why should it be thought so abominable so unlawfull for the Angels of the Church Rev. 2. being Commissioned by Gods Vice-Gerent to inflict deserved punishments on the workers of iniquity Dav. Not the former if due Caution be used that they keep within bounds and that which was designed for their help prove not their hindrance too much taking themoff frō the weighty imployments of their Spiritual charge And I think it may confidently be averred there are few of the precisest but spend more precious time in other petty impertinencies which might be better placed in the publick service of their Country However there 's little fear of any excess in this jealous age and under so Gratious so Prudent a Prince who has reaped this benefit by his long calamity as to be the most Accomplisht for Government of any Monarch in the World T is an Observation of some that God seldom imploys any in great Affairs but he does exercise them with afflictions and tribulations Pez● Com. in 29. Gen. and the large share his Sacred Majesty has had in these encourages us to expect no small things from him especially when we consider in what an unparaleld manner Providence restored him as a Peace-maker not to England onely but to Europe as a Nursing Father to his Languishing Church which many had in hope and thought clean devoured Now Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction is the Royal Jurisdiction a Principal inseperable part of his Royal Crown and Dignity It s Original was from his Noble Ancestors who ever esteemed it their Honour to support and encrease it Constantine a Britain and the Glory of Britain began it and t is hoped it shall never be said that any of his Successours consented to its Funeral when it was in their power to give it a Resurrection The substance of our Common Law is comprehended in these three things jus Regium now happily restored jus Populi confirmed and jus Ecclesiae which only has and does still suffer by the late imbroylments Nor can his Sacred Majestie ever hope to have his Desire accomplisht and the memory of former passages buried in oblivion till the Church recover her antient Rights and Priviledges as well as the State EPILOGVE I Shall now end all with a breife Address to the long-despised Clergy The Goodnesse of your God and Favour of your Prince have once more restored you to your Charges your Patrimonies and t is hoped will ere long to your Honours and Priviledges which Sacriledge and Usurpation for many years have detained from you Now it stands you upon seriously to consider what Design the Lord had in thus humbling you for certainly his wise Providence did not bring all this to passe for nothing Be intreated then in the bowels of our Common-Redeemer though by one of the meanest in your number yet a passionat-Well-wisher of the Sacred Function to hear the Divine Commands the Royal Declarations the Prayers Groans and Sighs of your Country which all with one voice cry aloud to you for Diligence in your Callings and Uprightnesse in your Conversations These these will make our English Zion prosper and our Hierusalem a Praise in the Earth But if through Plenty you forget him whose Person you represent and through Security turn again unto Folly give me leave to speak my fears my Heart trembles to think what the issue will prove if the Indignation of the Allmighty once more break out Many eyes are fastned upon you so that the least blemish will be espied And as your Vertues bring greater Honour to the Gospel then those of private Persons so do your vices more Reproach Chrysostom Hom. 27. in St. Mat. is my Authour If a Preacher sin with the People he shall not be punished in like manner as they but far more grievously and better would it be for any such that a Milstone were hang'd about his neck and he cast into the midst of the Sea then to prove a just occasion of Scandal to any to speak evill of the waies of God It hath pleased the Great Disposer of all things once more to make trial of you Let your Moderation be known unto all men that none may complain of your Jurisdiction if re-establisht which the unquestionable Practise of all Ages except when wars and persecutions put every thing out of Frame will abundantly justify May your Goodnesse equal your Greatnesse your Humility shine in the midst of your Honours the memory of your late Afflictions and Vows made in your low estate never dye with you Let your Conversation be with Covetuousnesse that the hungry Bellies of the poor and needy may find the Benefit of your happy Restauration that no envious eye may repine no foul mouth raile at your large Incomes but all may confesse t is more for the Glory of God and the good of the Nation that your Charity be intrusted with those Revenues then the griping Avarice of your Sacrilegious Adversaries READER THe importunat Hast of the Stationer to dispatch these Papers against the Session of Parl. occasioned many things to be hudled up which happily second thoughts might either have enlarged or altered and sundry Errata's have escaped the Presse which yet a Charitable Eye may wink at or a favourable Pen easily correct FINIS