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	church_n	ordination_n	6,915	5	10.5861	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49524	The reformed Presbyterian, humbly offering to the consideration of all pious and peaceable spirits several arguments for obedience to the act for unifromity, as the way to vnity and endeavouring to demonstrate by clear inferences from the sacred scriptures, the writings of some of the ancients, or several old pastors of the reformed churches abroad, and of the most eminent old non-conformists amongst ourselves : as Mr. Josias Nichols, Mr. Paul Baines, and other learned divines : as for Mr. Perkins, Mr. Iohn Randal, and Mr. Rob. Bolton, that there is nothing required by the act for vniformity that is forbidden by the law of God / by Rich. Lytler ...	Lytler, Richard.	1662 (1662)	Wing L3573; ESTC R1525	139,662	290

of two hundred and fourteen Bishops declaring that the power of Ordination is in the hands of Presbyters as well as Bishops Sect. 4. Now who these Bishops were and of how long continuance in the Church that were thus to ordain by the counsel of Carthage I find laid downe by the said Ministers in a quotation of Hieron ad Euagrium pag. 31. and also by Mr. Baxter in Five Dispist pag. 216. which place he saith Bishop Usher told him he alleadged to King Charles at the Isle of Wight to this end when he was asked by him for an instance of Presbyters ordaining Quod autem postea unus electus est qui caeteris praeponeretur in schismatis remedium factum est ne unusquisque ad se trahens Christi Ecclesiam rumperet Nam Alexandriae à Marco Evangelistae usque ad Hieraclem Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper unum ex se Electum In excelsiori gradu collocatum Episcopum nominabant quomodo si excercitus imperatorum facit aut Diaconi elegant de se quem industriam noverint Archidiacon vocant Presbysers then made the first Bishop at Alexandria They elected them as an Army doth a General but a further act is required from others for his Confirmations in that place Now the general scope being to prove the original of Bishops from the Apostles times as appeares by the conclusion of it in Five Disput. 218. omnes Apostolorum successores sunt Sect. 5. From this quotation I shall raise these Observations very much conducing to the Confirmation of what I have taken in hand First that from the Apostles as a remedy against schism by the Election of Presbyters one was elected from amongst themselves Secondly that after his Election thus made by the Presbyters the parity that was before between them then was taken away he being placed in gradu excelsiori and by them called a Bishop was as much above them as was a Generall chosen by his Army and the Lord Mayor of Lond. though chosen by the Livery of the city Thirdly that the first Bishop thus chosen in Alexandria Five Disp●t pag. 218. was S. Mark even in the Apostles time for Mark was martyr'd six years before Peter and Paul as the Ecclesiastical stories do record Fourthly this first Bishop and his Successors continued in this gradu excelsiori and were not Moderators for a time over the rest of the Presbyters but as they were in Saint Marks time by the Electors named Bishops so they continued and were fixed in that Office as appeareth by the said quotation which giveth the same Title to Hieraclas and Dyonisius as they did at first to Saint Mark which Dyonisius I find was the thirteenth Bishop of Alexandria after him and that you may the better perceive how long in the Church of Alexandria it was from Saint Mark to Dyonisius I shall give but a little touch by two of Saint Marks Successors The first after him was Anianus made in the eighth year of Nero's Reign and he continued two and twenty yeares before that Abilius succeeded him Abilius governed the Church in that gradu excelsiori before spoken of thirteen years and dying Cordo succeeded him These three succeeded one another S. John yet living neither had Alexandria any more then two Bishops in 25. years after the death of St. Mark Most confirmed 5 Disput. p. 218. Euseb lib. 2. cap. 24. Idem lib. 3. cap. 13. Idem lib. 3. cap. 21. Sect. 6. Now that the Bishop thus chosen to a higher degree in the Apostles time and the Presbyters did ordain altogether neither of them alone I find by a quotation in Five Disput. pag. 211. from Bishop Vsher saith he Of the many Elders who thus ruled the Church of Ephesus in common there was one President whom our Saviour in his Epistle to this Church in a particular manner styleth the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and Ignatius in another Epistle written about twelve years after to the same Church calleth a Bishop Between the Bishop and the Presbyters there what an harmonious consent there was in the ordering of the Church-government the same Ignatius doth fully declare c. But that the Bishop was the chief over the rest appeareth by the Title that was given him in Tertullians dayes in the same quotation to be Summus Sacerdos From which quotation I observe that in some of the Apostles dayes in the Church of Ephesus though some of the Presbyters were called Bishops in the exhortation that was given them by Saint Paul appointed as Bishop Usher noteth by the Church of England to be read at the Ordination of Priests c. pag. 211. That yet amongst those many Elders who were there called Overseers or Bishops and commanded to oversee and take heed to themselves and to the flock over whom the Holy Ghost had made them Overseers yet that there was one amongst the rest by our Saviour in his Epistle to that Church styled the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and it is observable what he speaketh to him alone by way of approbation Revel 2. I know thy works that thou canst not bear with them which are evil and hast examined them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyers Sect. 7. So that it is evident that in those times there was a Superiour in the Ministry that did examine try and find lyers such as said they were Apostles which must needs be such as did take upon them the Ministry of the Word But yet notwithstanding according to the quotation if Bishop Usher in the Fourth Concil of Carthage agreeing with what is before quoted in the Ordination of Presbyters as the Bishop was to lay on his hands so also were the Presbyters then present It was to be therefore a joynt Act and not singly to be done by either in these pure and primitive times of the Church Sect. 8. Now to make a right judgement from this Discourse of the Ordination that hath been in use amongst us for these several late years past as to matter of fact I suppose it will easily be granted that contrary to what was propounded and pleaded for as a great and necessary part of Reformation that the Bishop should not Ordain alone but the Presbyters joyn with him The Ordination of Presbyters hath been without any such Bishop described by Hieron ad Euagrium that hath had either the Name of a Bishop or hath been exalted to a bigher degree then the rest of the Presbyters or hath continued in the exercise thereof as those Bishops did from Saint Marks time to Hieraclas and Dyonisius Sect. 9. I must professe for my part I have been at many Ordinations in the City but could never see any such Person hear of any such Name but both Name and thing have been wanting as described by St. Jerom. The Classes ordaining without any Bishop present alone by themselves and therefore the Ordination that hath been in this

for Uniformity may be lawfully observed with a safe conscience if I be not mistaken This hath been my work and endeavour to prove by the holy Scriptures the practice of the primitive Church the judgement of the most Eminent Divines of the Reformed Churches abroad by the concessions of severall pious Non-conformists which are dead and by what I have alleadged from Mr. Baxter Five Disput. First that an Vniformity in Gods pulick Worship by obedience to a form of prayer Secondly that to conform to the use of the Common prayer of the Church of England with the Rites and Ceremonies of the same Thirdly that to subscribe to the 39. Articles of Religion Fourthly that to receive Ordination from Bishops though ordained before by Presbyters Fifthly to declare against the binding power of the Covenant That all these are lawful and warrantable Sect. 11. Consider therefore I beseech you that the way to keep your consciences safe and sound is to yield obedience to the lawful commands of our Superiors Rom. 13. It is given as the reason why we should obey our Superiors even for conscience sake For If conscience be truly tender it will check and chide us for our disobedience and our hearts will smite us for the same For Take heed therefore as you love your souls of this delusion in pleading conscience for disobedience for the heart being so deceitful we are very apt so to do I have in the integrity of my heart I hope made publick that Christian compassion and charity within me to the end that what I fear are like to be the sad effects of Non-conformity may be prevented And surely except the decree be gone forth against us for that general impenitency that is upon all parties for our new sins since new rare and unexpected mercies received and the continuance in our old ones Sect. 12. I should hope through the great piety wisdom and moderation of our Superiours in pressing more for the substantials of Religion the Power of godliness then the form and by the obedience of Inferiours to their commands in both these black clouds of Gods anger which I am apt to fear do still hang over our heads may be blown over our discords and divisions about these matters of mode in Worship and Government which I believe are both our sin and punishment may be healed and that spirit which I fear in many that at this day lusteth not after envy but bloud again may be subdued by a plentiful effusion of the Spirit of love and peace anb of a sound mind Sect. 13. In order to all this I have in the first place laid before you the consideration of this proposition That obedience to the Act for Uniformity is the way to Unity I have endeavoured to prove it I beseech you once more be perswaded to improve it by your practice I have as I said before shewed what is required may lawfully be done without sin I shall therefore desire you that laying aside all prejudice you would be pleased to grant me these two requests that I find made in Five Disput pag. 271. First that before you let out your displeasure against me for contradicting any of your conceits received opinions and traditions you would humbly impartially and with modest self-suspicion both study and pray over what you shall read written by so weak and worthless an one who can tell but that what I now offer cometh to your view as an answer to your prayers for information in these doubtful matters Secondly the next request of Mr. Baxters which I make is this That you will alwayes keep the faith charity self-denial and tenderness of Christians upon your hearts and the great ends and interest of Christ and Christianity before you and take heed how you venture upon any controverted points or practice that contradicteth the Churches unity peace and holiness Sect. 14. Oh Sirs if you will be pleased to keep that faith charity self-denyal and tenderness of Christians upon your hearts it will keep you from setting your wits on work as you are Scholars in this juncture of time to give a seeming answer to what I have said not as a Disputant having never been so high as a Sophomore in the Schools but as a compassionate Advocate for the Churches unity peace and holiness which last cannot better be promoted then by the continuance of holy men in the Ministry I say this faith charity humility self-denyal and christian tenderness kept close to your hearts at this time will keep you not onely from controverted points which contradict the spirit of Christianity but also from such practices which may contradict the spirit of Christianity also and obstruct the progress of the Church in holiness peace and unity Sect. 15. How much disobedience to the Act for Uniformity together with the deprivation of some Ministers thereby for the same may obstruct the Churches unity and peace may contradict the spirit of Christianity may hinder the propagation of the Protestant Religion may gratifie the hopes and expectations of the Romish Jesuites I wish you may not see when it is too late to repent thereof I conclude therefore with that pathetick cry for audience that came from Jotham when he uttered his parable Judg. 9.7 Hearken unto Me that GOD may hearken unto You. FINIS Courteous Reader These Books following with others are printed for Nath. Brook and are to be sold at his Shop at the Angel in Cornhill Excellent Tracts in Divinity Controversies Sermons Devotious 1. CAtholick History collected and gathered out of Scripture Councils and ancient Fathers in answer to Dr. Vanes Lost Sheep returned home by Edward Chesenhale Esq Octava 2. Bishop Morton on the Sacrament Folio 3. Grand Sacrilege of the Church of Rome in taking away the sacred Cup from the Laity at the Lords Table by Daniel Featly Quarto 4. Quakers Cause at second hearing being a full answer to their Tenets 5. Re-assertion of Grace Vindiciae Evingelii or Vindication of the Gospel a Reply to Mr. Anthony Burges's Vindiciae Legis and to Mr. Rutherford by Rob. Town 6. Anabaptists anatomized and silenced or a Dispute with Mr. Tombs by Mr. I. Cragg where all may receive clear satisfaction 7. A Cabinet-Jewel wherein is Mans misery and Gods mercy set forth in eight Sermons with an Appendix concerning Tithes and expediency of marriage in publicly assemblies by the same Author Mr. J. Cragg 8. A Glimpse of Divine Light being an explication of some passages exhibited to the Commissioners at Whitehall for approbation of publick Preachers against J. Harrison of Land-chappel Lancashire 9. The Zealous Magistrate a Sermon by T. Threscot Quarto 10. New Jerusalem in a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers Quarto in the year 1651. 11. Divinity no enemy to Astrologie a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers in the year 1653. by Dr. Thomas Swadling 12. Britannia Rediviva a Sermon before the Judges August 1648. by J. Shaw Minister of Hull 13. The Princesse Royal