Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	bishop_n	call_v	presbyter_n	3,415	5	10.3134	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67119	Eleutherosis tēs aletheias, truth asserted by the doctrine and practice of the apostles, seconded by the testimony of synods, fathers, and doctors, from the apostles to this day viz. that episcopacie is jure divino / by Sir Francis Wortley ...	Wortley, Francis, Sir, 1591-1652.	1641 (1641)	Wing W3637; ESTC R34763	18,183	38

run cleare down to the after times I have to his end above defined Episcopum a Bishop if we observe what he is then shall we evidently see whether Saint Paul did institute such a calling or no Of Civill Bishops I speake not but of Spirituall A Bishop of this kind I defined to be Presbyterum cum additamento superioritatis quoad regimen in Ecclesia he governs the Clergie and their flocks in spirituall matters Bishops of this Kind Saint Paul did institute He made Timothy and Titus Episcopos Cleri Gregis quoad regimen in Ecclesia Bishops of the Clergie and their flocks and to have Ecclesiasticall government over them whereas before they were but Presbyters or Disciples brought up under him By this institution were other Presbyters made subordinate to them in governing and teaching the Church Which to prove I thus argue He that is ordained and so ordained that hee hath power Constituere Presbyteres per civitates to ordain presbyters in every City is greater then those who have no such power in their Cities or Churches and those who may correct what is defective are superiour to those for whom matters defective are corrected But Titus and Timothy had such power given them and did so correct things defective and none of the Presbyters had the same from the Apostles Therefore I conclude undeniably that Titus and Timothy were superiors as Bishops over their Presbyters in their severall charges and Divisions viz Titus in Creet and Timothy in Ephesus That they had this power given them by Paul appeares 1. Tim. 5. 22. Lay hands suddenly on no man Tit. 1. 5. For this cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldst set in order things which are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I had appointed thee If any other in these Churches could have ordained Presbyters why was Timothy sent to Ephesus and Titus left at Creet for this very purpose And if the Cretians and their Presbyters could have set in order things defective what neede was there that Tit. alone should have this commission Saint Ierom himselfe who was accounted no great friend but rather harsh against Episcopacie in his Epistle to Evagrius pag. 329. gives us this as a distinction {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} remarkable betwixt a Presbyter and a Bishop saying Quid facit excepta ordinatione Episcopus quod non facit Presbyter What doth a Bishop except the ordaining of others which a Presbyter doth not And it is worth the observation that the ancient Father and great Champion for the blessed Trinity Athanasius hath in his second Apologie viz. that Colythus a Presbyter of the Church of Alexandria had constituted Presbyters but what became of them Rescissa est haec ejus ordinatio omnes ab eo constituti in laicorum ordinem redacti fuere The ordaining of others by him was made invalid and they who were ordained by him were degraded and made Laicks So then you see that Bishops are in this eminenter superiores Presbyteris eminently superior to Presbyters having power affirmative and negative by the opinion and practice of the ancient Fathers This confirms what the Apostles had taught practised and appointed others in place above the ordinary Presbyters to do Now I come to shew a second difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter and wherein a Bishop hath eminentem superioritatem a cleere superiority above a Presbyter That is excommunication and was called Mucro Episcopalis the Episcopall weapon and was a power given to Bishops successors of the Apostles and was ever practised by them This appears in that an account of it was and is expected at their hands as is manifested by the quarel which our blessed Saviour had against the Angell of the Church of Pergamus namely that he suffered some of his Church who held the doctrine of the Nicolaitans and against the Angell of the Church of Thyatira viz. That hee suffered the woman Iezabell to teach and seduce the people By this it is apparent that Christ expected they should doe what they had by their places power to doe namely that they being Angells of their Churches whom I affirme to bee also Bishops therof and successors to the Apostles as is sufficiently proved by the most reverend and learned Arch-bishop of Armach and by Beza himselfe called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} men in place above others should haereticos coercere ex Ecclesia ejicere Keepe under Heretikes and cast them out of the Church If here it be objected that wee must not argue from darke and mysticall places of Scripture such as the Apocalypse I answere that I argue from a plain place and from the plain words and direct scope of the place not the mystical sense or interpretation Neither can we here admit of that distinction that Angelus is in this place to bee taken collectively pro tota Ecclesia for the whole Church For I conceive that there is not a word in the Scripture but hath its weight and was it not as easie to have said Ecclesiae as Angelo Ecclesiae if Angelus had not something more in it then Ecclesiae And why not Angelus Ecclesi● but Angelus Ecclesiae The Angell the Church but the Angell of the Church if it had beene to be taken collectively But the tearmes be distinct and of a different force like those panis Domini the bread of the Lord and panis Dominus bread representing the Lord Besides to return to Timothy and Titus they are injoyned to command others {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} not to teach other doctrine and obturare ora deceptorum haereticos rejicere to stop the mouthes of deceivers and to reject Hereticks These things were commanded them and an account accordingly exspected of the performance thereof which manifestly proves that every Church had his Angelum who had Episcopall authority and jurisdiction eminent above other inferior Clergie-men And not many Angels in each of these Churches all of equall authority and place Or at least the Angell in each of the seven churches was so absolute in his power that he was {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} chief Governour the Presbyters assistants to him he a spirituall Justicer and of the Quorum they of the Counsell The difference also of Episcopal authority from that of Presbyters appears in the cause of excommunication where there was an appeal to the Synods which either confirmd them or dissolved them but none to the people none to the presbyters This is confirmed by the ancient Councill at Nice Can. 5. and at Antioch Can. 6. And Ierom himselfe writing to Riparius concerning Vigilantius an Hereticall Presbyter is angry that the Bishop under whom he was did acquiescere eius furori non virga Apostolica virgaque ferreavas inutile confringere tradere ad interitum carnis ut spiritus salvu● fiat Did quietly give way to his fury

not rather break in pieces that unprofitable vessell with his Apostolike staffe and rod of iron and deliver him up to the destruction of the flesh that his soul might be saved And it seemes strange to mee that any should think that our blessed Saviour his Excecutors Administrators and assignes knew not the meaning of his will and Testament as well as wee in these dayes Christ who ascending into Heaven gave guifts unto many would not deny this guift so necessary Hee I say giving supereminent guifts to his Apostles ad fundandam Ecclesiam for the founding his Church would not deny to their successors those which were necessary Ecclesiae fundatae to the Church being founded and so necessary that nothing more concerneth the Church Would he not or could he not informe his Trustees how he pleased to have his Church his houshold governed in his absence To say he would not is derogatory to his wisdome and goodnesse to say he could not to his Almighty and Sovereigne power I therefore conclude these 2. points 1 That Ordination of Presbyters was left to Titus and Timothy as to men of higher place and authority and not to the Presbyters who were of inferiour degree 2 That the power given to the Angells of Ephesus and the other Churches puts a difference of superiority and eminence betwixt a Bishop and an ordinary Presbyter and others the teachers of the Churches and gives them commission prae caeteris tam Clericis quam Laicis above others both Clergie and Laity yea a coercive and castigative power Further they object and say That Episcopacie is not Iure Divino because Christ did not command it in the Gospell To this I answere That Ius Divinum aliter se habet in rebus credendis aliter in agendis aliter in rebus fidei aliter in rebus facti There is a difference of Divine right betweene matters to bee believed and matters to bee done betwixt matters of faith and matters of fact In matters of faith there must be textus manifestus aut convincens deductio a cleere text or a sound consequence As for example In the beginning God made all things Here is textus manifestus But there is only convincens deductio concerning the mystery of the blessed Trinity for the Trinity is proved not by an expresse Text but by convincing deductions out of sacred Scriptures as thus There came downe at the Baptisme of Christ the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove and a voice was heard saying This is my beloved Son in whō I am well pleased Here wee find the Spirit in the form of a Dove There is heard a voice And Christ is seene in the water We know both by the sacred Scriptures and by the light of nature that there is but one God and that from one all things are and that in one they terminate and that there is aliud medium copulans primum ultimum one between both coupling the first and the last Seeing also we reade that there is a Father a Son and a Spirit and that there is but one God we hence infer by necessary deduction that there are three persons and but one God Besides this deduction is further confirmed by that place {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} These three are one which in some sort is textus manifestus a cleere text Now a matter of fact may be inferred to bee Iure Divino as I suppose if I prove 1 That the same fact was the practice of the Apostles 2 That it is analogical to the institution of the Church of the Jewes which was setled according to Gods appointment by the mediation of Angels by the Ministery of Moses and Aaron 3 That it is pointed at and insinuated in the New Testament 4 That it hath successively continued since the Apostles time And as elsewhere so particularly in Britain If these points can bee proved concerning the fact viz. Government by Bishops in question I hope that none will deny it to be Iure Divino Now for proofe and confirmation of my Tenent That Episcopacie is Iure Divino I will prove these points and then say something more concerning the practice of some other Churches 1 Saint Paul the Apostle and Doctor of the Gentils gave power and authority to Titus and Timothy ordinare dignos to ordain men worthy and to examine such as were faulty to reprove and discharge such as were guilty and did {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} teach other Doctrine and were offensive to the honour of their callings and to cherish such as did well These things are evident in the Epistles of Paul to Timothy and of that to Titus From Pauls practice of superiority over these two and from the institution of Timothy and Titus to be Bishops the one of Ephesus the other at Creet I prove Episcopacie to be practised by the Apostles To make which good thus I argue If Saint Paul himselfe practised an eminent superiority and in the Epistles alleadged gave all that power which of right Bishops challeng or doth belong to the definition of a Bishop to Timothy and Titus then Paul himselfe did not only practise Episcopacie but did also constitute and institute them Bishops But verum prius ergo posterius That he had {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a Bishoprick as the other Apostles had Act. 1. 20. did diligētly run his course therein no man will deny And that he gave power to Timothy and Titus the same which himself had 1 To ordain 2 To convent 3 To punish 4 To reward duplici honore with double honour the Epistles alledged doe sufficiently prove Therefore Paul himselfe practised superiority and constituted Timothy and Titus Bishops in place superior to Presbyters whom they had authority to ordain convent punish and reward If they further object That the Presbyters with their President may doe the same even all things which are commanded Timothy and Titus and therefore these things were spoken to Timothy and Titus and to their Presbyters collectively in the persons of Timothy and Titus I answer this is petere principium this evasion I formerly took away And now further I argue Such as the charge is such is the power but the tharge is personall that is given to Timothy and Titus particularly and therefore the power and authority given is personall to them for their time and to their successors in place after them and not to them and the Presbytery collectively nothing in places where such charge is given doth intimate the Presbyters or Deacons interposing themselves in these Episcopall actions with Timothy and Titus If they will have these priviledges and performances to belong to their President they must plead them due to him as he is successor to Timothy and Titus and so hee is in effect if you give him continuance in his place a Bishop indeede the bare name of President cannot make him

Divino because I find for it so many ipse dixit's in sacred Writ My judgment also is further strengthned therein by Reasons sufficient to settle humane belief Opinion we define Haerens dubia deveritate quorumvis in animo praesumptio A questionable and doubtfull presuming in ones conceit that a matter is true And Cognitio est rerum conceptarum per experientiam scientia Knowledge is a sure apprehension of the matters which we conceive by experience of their causes and undoubted grounds of truth And Resolution is Dubii depositio the abandoning of all doubting I am past opinion and acknowledge my selfe satisfied and well resolved that Episcopacie is Iure Divino and am ready to give an account thereof and endeavour so to doe in this Discourse I will not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} withstand and resist or seek evasions or subtle answers to elude Gods Truth Nor doe I love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be in suspense having well weighed the truth here asserted I finde cause to say {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Great is the force of truth and hath prevailed To satisfie the World what reason I have of this my confidence I leave a Testimony thereof in this my discourse I define Episcopum Presbyterum cum additamento superioritatis quoad regimen in Ecclesia A Bishop to bee a Presbyter having an addition of superioritie for the government of Gods Church his charge is to oversee the Clergie and their flocks The word I confesse in a large signification may be taken for a Major of a Citie for hee is Over-seer thereof In Homer Ajex is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Bishop or Orderer of his Army But our Episcopus est Cleri Gregis in sua Dioecesi Is Over-seer of his Clergie and his flock bounded within his own Diocesse Hee is also called Presbyter an ancient and therefore experienced and able to informe and direct As for the inferiour Presbyter or ancient and Diaconus Minister or Servant they are distinct and subordinate to the Bishop or superiour Presbyter both in the New Testament and in the practice of the first Centurie and in all Ages even to this day Let it not stumble any man that the Apostles sometimes terme themselves and Bishops by the title of Presbyters they call themselves also Diaconos Deacons in a generall notion Our Presbyterians would have Bishops to be Pastores jure divine Praesides jure Ecclesiastico Principes jure humano Diabolico Pastors by Gods Law Presidents by Ecclesiasticall Law Lords by humane and Diabolicall law How faultie this assertion is let my following Discourse testifie Our Bishop is a Presbyter or ancient Pastour set in eminent superiority over the Clergie and their flocks with a relation to the government of them in matters Ecclesiasticall And such I say the Apostles instituted and to them gave a charg how to demean themselves A perpetuall Succession hereof by practice hath continued from Christs Apostles to this day Now for Ius divinum I take that to be of Divine Right which is warranted in sacred Scripture de credendis agendis in matters to be believed or done Let this serve for the present it wil be more enlarged occasionally in some part of this treatise Only here I adde that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the practice of the Apostles which never was questioned or excepted against and is recorded in the canonicall Scripture hath in it Ius Divinum and shews what is of divine right defacto These things being premised I proceed to Objections against my Assertion and Answere unto each of them particularly Eminent superiority Lordly authority over their people is that which the Lords of the Gentiles may do challenge practice as their due Iure human● by humane right Therefore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by law of things opposite eminent superiority and Lordly authority over the Clergie the people of God is that which Bishops ought not to challeng or practice Iure Divino For proofe hereof see Mat. 20. 25. 26. The Princes of the Gentiles Dominantur Lordly rule over them but you non sic not so or it shall not bee so with you And 1. Pet. 5. 2. 3. Feed the flock of the Lord taking the over-sight therof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready minde neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage To this I answere that the measure of domination not the matter lies in the word sic and so is expounded by the words aforegoing not by constraint but willingly not churlishly or covetously not as though ye were Lords domineering over them but that yee may be ensamples to the flock Non herile aut Regale imperium exercentes sed pastorali superioritate paterna gubernatione utentes Not exercising a masterlike or Kingly command but using a pastorall superiority and fatherly government And so this rather as I conceive confirms superiority and Episcopacy then destroies them For the word sic so takes not away the legality but qualifies the power given by saying let it be used sic so This I prove to bee the meaning of the Apostle by this argument The practice of the Apostles is not contrary to Christs and their Doctrine and the sense thereof But the Apostles did practise eminent superiority and such lawfull authority as Christ forbids not over the Clergie and flock and instituted successors Therefore their doctrine allowed the same And so that cannot be meant by the words above which is pretended viz. that there should be a parity in the Clergie and that Episcopacie is Dominium in Clerum a Lordly rule over the Clergie and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an usurped authority The successors which they instituted are warranted by Christ when hee said I am with you to the end of the world that is I am with you whilst you live and with successors in your stead governing and teaching the Church to the worlds end Hence it was that the Apostles ordained Bishops to succeed them so did the ancient Fathers in the purer times This course continued ever since The practice of the Apostles was in a superiority above others of the Clergie and to the Bishops whom they constituted to succeed themselves in place over the Clergie they gave a superior authority neither did they either practise or ever mention that parity in power which the presbyteriās so much endeavour to introduce And therefore the Apostles never understood the words as these men doe viz. that they should disallow of Bishops in superior authority above other of the Clergie To make the practice of the Apostles more evident I appeale to Saint Paul who gave to Timothy and Titus Episcopall power To the one in Ephesus to the other in Creet Now to cleere this let us first cleanse the spring head and then the streames will