Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	authority_n	bishop_n	presbyter_n	4,112	5	10.2023	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42582	Eirēnikon, or, A treatise of peace between the two visible divided parties ... by Irenæus Philadelphus Philanthropus ...	Philanthropus, Irenaus Philadelphus.; Gell, Robert, 1595-1665.	1660 (1660)	Wing G469; ESTC R21302	66,598	92

had they it if they might not use it Quid mihi divitiae and so why have I power si non conceditur uti if I may not use it And if the Rulers of the Gentiles might use their power why might not the Rulers of the Church use that power also which the Lord hath given them But the words are not well translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies word for word to lord it to domineer to be imperious and that other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to abuse authority according to the signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition Thus did the Rulers of the Gentiles and their great ones but it must not be so among Christs Apostles nor the Bishops their Successors they must not domineer they must not abuse their power over Gods heritage 2 Cor. 1.24 the Apostle having testified his authority and coercive power he limits it of himself Not saith he that we have dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy for by faith ye have stood We take notice hence and let the Presbyters observe it Diotrephes was a Bishop in the Apostles time and St. John was an Archbishop who threatned Diotrephes an Ecclesiastical Censure for his tyrannical abuse of his authority Nor do men of Episcopal perswasion go about wholly to excuse the Hierarchy from all blame Howbeit they are not of Hams race that they should discover their fathers nakedness Onely thus much they acknowledge That great men have great faults nor ought we to marvel at the matter saith Solomon Eccles 5.8 But among those faults certainly this was not the least That whether through indulgence or connivance or down-right negligence they suffered a foreign government to grow up under them even to the extirpation of themselves and with them of the Kingly Power which protected them A most grievous lamentable and deplorable ruine At neutratamen authoritas pessundata simul potest semeluno nisu restaurari Etiam licita post abusum potestas haud potest facile redintegrari Pientissimus ac prudentissimus Rex regimini suo rectam init viam subditos bonis moribus atque homine Christiano dignis instrnit monita de regno Dei praestruit regno suo atque adeo authomitate Dei in ani●●is hominum autho● it atem confirmat suam Et sic justitia stabilit sollum suum An non hoc firmissinaum Ecclesiasticae Hierarchiae fulumentum An non hoc ipsi maxime 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An alias unquam populo persuadebiturjus esse divinum ●piscopatus Reverendi Patres Ecclesiae siliorum suorum querelas audire ne dediguentur Severius olim justo atque haud paterne actum ubi aures amputatae illis qui Episcopis obedire detrectarunt Quamvis eni●● illi hac contumelia dignissimi at hi cert● indigni qui facerent tamen Fest is etiam diebus utut precibus communibus interfuerint suae cuique vocationi per Apparitores haud licitum vacare cum tamen sox diebus hebdomatim Dominus labor●e jusserit Curias Ecclesiasticas aliquoties reculis nullius momenti turbari Levibus eas alicubi personis non Dei timentibus administrari unde Officiales ab officiend● non ab officie fortiri nomen In rebus Ecclesiasticis dijudicandis idoneos esse magis Episcopo Presbyteros eosque pro veteri more quam laitos ut factum aliquando perperam Assessores Excommunicationum fulmina pro causis nihil saepius emitti cum tamen haud vacet exignis rebus adesse Jovi nec de minimis curet lex Caeremonias cortice● religionis curari magis quam medullam ejus pietatem morumque probitatem Genuflexiones ad mensam sacram sine Canore omnino fieri Nimirum his induci facillime opinionem scandalosissimam ac periculosissimam transubstantiationis atque adeo persecutionem qualis olim temporibus Marianis Imo horrendum illud nuperum civile bellum utut etiam aliae causae procrearint potissema tamen ea fuisse creditur quod religiosuli non dico quam religiose quam licite quam pie turbas ideo moverint ne res eo in loco essent quo dudum fuerant Superpellicum caetera ornamenta Ecclesiae ac caeremonias haud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ac vehementer urgenda verum illa seusini rectius ac peditentim inducenda Siquidem licet illa longa sint antiquitate veneranda novae tamen hominum generation nova plane atque noviter inventa existimantur ideo quod aliquandiu desuetudino interciderint iique rebus jam novis studere videntur qui laudabiles tantum Ecclesiae mores conantur antiques instaurare Caeremonias Ecclesiae passim exercere nullam tamen expositionem extare nullum Rationale divinorum quo rerum in Ecclesia it a vel secus gestarum ratio reddatur Desinam jam tandem plurium Prodiit libellus ante pauoos dies cui pro titulo est Non-conformista de precibus communibus caeremoniis in quo si qua vel Topica vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra Leitugriam Anglicanam omnia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corraduntur Totus totus ille libellus ect recocta crambe Optabile tamen est uti reverendi Patres illa quae vere sunt offendicula e medio mature tollant omnemque scrupulum si fieri possit examinant ex anin●is dubitantium Nimirum utut in illo libello haud pauca sint quae vel ex ignorantia vel e partium studio profecta quae contr●●ilitant argumenta tamen haud dubie nonnulla sunt qua solidam responsionem postulant Quale illud est in sepeliendi formula Ubi cadaver forte nebulonis improbi humo committitur firma certaque spe resurrectionis ad vitam aeternam Quam nemo quisquam sanus concipit At Presbyter it a dieat opertet Hoc atque alia certe quandiu prostant omnium oculis nec iisdem satis aperte fiat omnino vera esse sal●em rudibus illiteratis atque 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 videbuntur Unde suspiciones ac susurri odia mutua invidiae animositates atque aemulationes quid mali non inde oborietur Neque par est ut ista sola prudentissimi pretissimique Regis urgeantur authoritate alias plurimum valitura siquidem in rebus ad religionem intime spectantibus ubi cum Deo ummediate agitur necesse est uti mandata sua veritate ratione insitoque suo pondere convincant animos hominum Caeteroqui humana sola authoritate mixa suffulta dempta authoritate illa quid enina ni demere possit pro suo Re● arbitrio ●sires exigat sua levitate spreta contempta evanescent But while the Episcopal man acknowledgeth some miscarriages by some persons under the Government of Bishops he enquires Were there none committed by the Presbyterians in that very time when they were Probationers for their New Government and when Policy might have enclined them to more plausible and gentle demeanour whereby they might have won

that are true honest just pure lovely of good report c. Phil. 4.8 9. seek peace with them and with an holy Spagirik purge out whatever is corrupt among them Alas both they and we are as a company of men faln into a deep pit and we quarrel one with other in the dark like the Andabata who fought with their eyes shut How much more safe is it that we all endeavour to get out of the pit of corruption and become guides to others of so doing We have heard some principal differences between the parties But 4. How fell these parties out THere are different reports and it is but reasonable that we hear both The Episcopal man tells us that the faction of Aerius observing how many Ecclesiastical Dignities were wisely conferred and worthily bestowed on persons pious and learned they envied the flourishing estate of the Church under Episcopal Government and being ambitious of those honours whereof they were conscious to themselves they were most unworthy and despairing that ever they should pass thorow the Temple of Vertue into that of Honour they resolved Flectere cum nequeant superes Acherenta movere And therefore for the satisfaction of their envy and ambition by their pretence of piety and zeal for the truth that is their own chosen tenents and feigned fear of Popery they stole into an interest much stronger then their own whereby they thought they might command all the world Under the fore-mentioned pretences they engaged the mutable populacy already weary and surfeting of a long peace unto their party by whose help what could they not do Some would change the Civil Government others the Ecclesiastical And all presumed that the sword could effect all this And therefore the yong men must be cursed into the war and the Pulpits must sound with Curse yee Merez c. And they did it bitterly Yea Merez hath been cursed on both sides and the yong men terrified out of doors conscientiously to kill and slay and the most have been thought to go forth in their simplicity O how many thousands have been slain in this and the neighbour Nations And many of those who returned with broken Legs and Arms and elswhere wounded in their bodies are dead in Hospitals cursing those who cursed them out Then the lean kine came forth and eat up the fat ones men of decayed and desperate fortunes repaired their estates with the ruines of those who were peaceable in the land Then was a man made an offender for a word and a snare was laid for him who reproved in the gate and the just was turned aside for a thing of nought And have we not known notorious whore-masters reeling drunkards profane swearers and cursers abominable lyars incarnate envy hatred malice and all uncharitableness have we not known those and a thousand such masked under the visor of the godly party For the cover of all this wickedness was that damnable art of seeming Hypocrisy Hypocrisy that might be felt it was so palpable The Episcopal man will draw a vail over all the rest which might be added Let us hear the Presbyter He layes all the blame upon the Episcopal clergy and tells us that their ambition and tyranny hath ruin'd all That this begun to work in the time of St. John who notes both in Dioirephes then Bishop before Aerius the Presbyter appeared in the Church that Diotrephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 John 9 10. Diotrephes was notable for his ambition He might no doubt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have had the place of a Primate It 's necessary in every convention of men that there be one chief and first and others after him But Diotrephes was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he loved priority and primacy St. John blames his ill affection At all feasts and all meetings of men there are places of superiority nor doth our Lord disallow it where he saith lest a more honorable man come c. Our Saviour blames ambition in them who love the upper most rooms at feasts and the chief seates in the Synagogues Nor doth he disapprove salutations Math. 5.47 but chap. 23.7 He reproves the Rabbies affectation who loved greetings in the markets and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi Nor was this ambition of Diotrephes discovered in some one act or other but it was habitual in him the Apostle saith nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes continuance in that affectation and ambition And yet the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 addes to his habitual ambition he was notriously loving high place and primacy And have there not been such Diotrephes among us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who have loved to be lording it over their brethren yea above their superiors what a shameful ambition was that when one Primate sate in the others lap our English Story records it How much greater ambition to advance himself above the King who is supream saith St. Peter Let his pretended Successor note that Ego Rex meus I and my King The Kings heart though he be supream must not be lifted up above his brethren And should the Priests heart be lifted up above his brethren yea above his Sovera●gn Does this proceed from knowledge that puffs up 1 Cor. 8. or indeed rather from want of knowledge A little knowledge puffs up but a great deal makes men lowly A few Pease or Beans make a great noise in an empty bladder blown up but a full sack makes none at all An empty Hogshead sounds more than a full Butt Or does this ambition arise from power Surgit animus cum potentia The minde commonly exalts it self with power And then most what abuseth that power to oppression and tyranny over others under them So that it is not safe to entrust so much power in one mans hand It hath been observed that they who have power in their own hand unless they be awed by the Omnipotent God are seldom just according to Mich 2.1 They practise iniquity c. because it is in the power of their hand For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men most of all do injury when they have power Therefore Diotrephes the Primate was a Tyrant domineered over and was in urious to the flock of Christ He cast the brethren out of the Church 3 John v. 10. And what have our Bishops done less which is quite contrary to our Saviors precept It is the speech of our Lord and the Bishop of our souls to his Apostles Math. 20.25 The Rulers of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and the great ones exercise authority over them but it shall not be so among you The Episcopal man answers the Presbyter and tells him That some of his party framed a false Translation and he takes advantage of it for his cause For had the Lord given his Apostles power it was then lawful no doubt to have power And if they had power and authority might not they exercise it Otherwise to what end