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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	bishop_n	deacon_n	presbyter_n	3,323	5	10.5055	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67849	The Lords-day, or, A succinct narration compiled out of the testimonies of H. Scripture and the reverend ancient fathers and divided into two books : in the former whereof is declared, that the observation of the Lords Day was from the Apostles ... : in the later is shewn in what things its sanctification doth consist ... / lately translated out of the Latine.; Dies dominica. English	Young, Thomas, 1587-1655.; Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1672 (1672)	Wing Y93; ESTC R5902	202,632	471

himself in handling his Lectures upon Scripture in prooemio Epistolae Johannis And he addeth that the book of the Acts of the Apostles was every year read at an anniversary solemnity after the Lords Passion He reports also that Ps 21. was wont to be read every year in the last week before the Passion-day of Christ all the people being attentive Tract 13. in Joh. Moreover also when there were divers Feasts constituted in the Church some certain and peculiar lessons of Scripture were read every Feast-day which were annually so carefully observed that no others could be more Aug. in prooem Epist Jo. The same appears from a Sermon of Chrysostom against those that only met upon Feast-dayes who thinks it unseasonable at the solemnity of Pentecost to continue the Text formerly begun on and omit the commemoration of the benefits conserred on the Church at that time and after Pentecost he prosecutes the Text he was on before I will add no more testimonies for reading lessons out of the Holy Scripture in the Church-assembly in a case that is plain enough lest by repeating many things I cause weariness in the Reader I will now relate the second thing which I intended for the candid Readers sake namely forasmuch as the ancients judged the H. Scripture should be read in their conventions therefore they designed certain persons for to do that particular office whom they called Readers Cyprian ordained one Saturus a Reader in the Church He tells the Clergy and people that Aurelius a Confessor was ordained a Reader by him Ep. 34. and he designed the office of a Reader to Celerinus Ep. ead Now although this office was offered to some yet usually it was the Deacons work to read the Scripture in the holy Church-assembly Hierom reproved Sabinianus because after he had sollicited a Virgin to whoredome he as a Deacon read the Gospel Sozomen l. 7. c. 19. and Niceph. l. 12. c. 34. do witness that this office amongst divers was translated to the Deacons and the Deacons are judged worthy to read what Christ spoke in the Gospel Conc. Vasens 2. c. 2. And thereupon Optatus a Sub-deacon in Cyprian Ep. 24. is called Doctor audientium i. e. the teacher of them that hear The Audientes of whom more afterwards were called those that were lately admitted as if one should say the tyro's or new beginners in the Christian faith so called ab audiendo from hearing who though they were not admitted to the holy Eucharist yet might be present at the reading of the Scriptures and therefore the Readers to them were called Doctors or teachers In divers Churches also only the Priests and upon solemn dayes the Bishops performed this office as Sozomen Hist l. 7. c. 19. Lastly they that read the Scripture stood in a pulpit or tribunal of the Church as Cyprian Ep. 34. i. e. in some higher place than the rest from whence the lessons were read and Cypr. calls that place a tribunal metaphorically for the tribunal was an high place out of which Judgment was given to the tribes or wards So that he who performed publickly the offices of Religion in the Church-assembly was not severed from the presence of the people into an angle of the Church there secretly to celebrate the offices of Divine Worship like some Conjurer that mutters to himself what he sayes as now it is the practice in Popish Churches but in the sight of all he uttered what he had to say or read with a loud voice which all that were present might understand as once the holy man Ezra stood in a pulpit of wood which he had made for the purpose that he might speak freely in the face of the congregation Neh. 8. So in Cyprian's age he that read the Law and the Gospel of our Lord being raised up with the advantage of an higher place was seen of all the people that the reading of the Scriptures might better be observed of the hearers and the reader being set on high might be seen of the people that stood about him Eusebius confesses that the Scriptures were so publickly read in the Temples that through the world were erected to God that they might be heard of all De praepar Evang. l. 5. c. 1. Const. Ap. l. 2. c. 57. it is appointed that the Reader should read out of an high place That was also a token of reverence to the Scriptures as once it was amongst the Jews Neh. 8. 5. and therefore because a Bishop at Alexandria rose not up when the Gospel was read it is recited as an unusual fact in the Church Sozom. 7. 19. And thus much for the publick reading of the Scriptures every day especially on the Lords dayes in use among the ancients CHAP. III. Explaining of Scriptures on the Lords dayes which was called Tractatus or treating upon or handling a place Whose office it was to do this Who the Clerici were among the ancients Bishops q. Watchers Overseers Superintendents The Bishops interpreted the Scriptures the Presbyters Deacons Catechists and sometimes also private men did the same SInce the Sabbath was given for understanding the Creatour and not for Idleness sake as Athanasius de Sabb. Circumcis therefore the ancients have to the uttermost of their power endeavoured that by what means they could they might augment the Churches knowledge by their labours on that day For this end the Church being assembled the Holy Scriptures from whence the knowledge of Divine things flowes were distinctly read after the reading whereof followed their explication This was used in the Church while the Apostle was alive While he prescribes the manner to those that prophecy in the Church he charges them to look to that what they speak they may promote men in the study of piety while to that work they either make make use of exhortation or comfort 1 Cor. 14. 3. Neither was the use of prophecying left off in the following Church as may every where easily be observed in the Fathers After the Apostles and Prophets writings the Minister made an Oration wherein he instructed the people and exhorted them to the imitation of such excellent things Ambrose interpreted the appointed Lessons and did apply them to the peoples present use Origen saith the Christians in their readings and the explication of them did exhort the people to piety towards the blessed and great God and to other virtues the inseparable companions of piety Contra Celsum l. 3. After the ordinary Scriptures were read saith Austin I came to my Sermon The same appears every where out of the Fathers Treatises This explication of the Scriptures with us is called Sermon but with the ancients a Treatise Origen exhorteth to reading the Scripture and Treating Hom. 23. in Num. Ambrose l. 5. ep 33. Cyprian de bono pudicitiae And they that explained the Scriptures were called Tractatores Treatisers or Treaters Hieronym adv errores Joh.

that although one was set over all the Presbyters kept their Churches apart and gathered the people committed to them into assemblies Sozom. Hist l. 1. c. 14. and taught them so gathered together as an assembly Niceph l. 8. c. 11. Neither was this power of teaching the people taken away from the Presbyters of Alexandria until Arius a Presbyter disputing about his doctrine introduced a new one Sozom. 7. 19. Socrates tells us that the Presbyters as well as the Bishops of Caesaria Cappadocia and in Cyprus did interpret the Scriptures l. 5. c. 22. In Conc. Vasens secund Not only in Cities but in all Parishes the power of preaching was given to Presbyters Can. 2. Yea this they were to do in the presence of the Bishop Constit Ap. l. 2. c. 57. The dispencing therefore of the Mysteries of God was committed to Presbyters as well as to Bishops for they are over the Church of Christ and in breaking of the Lords body and bloud are partakers with Bishops and likewise in teaching of the people and in the office of preaching Conc. Aquisgrav 1. c. 8. These and many other things do shew that with the ancients the publick preaching of the Word was committed to Presbyters and for this cause it is determined by the Apostles sentence that double honour is due to them In the third place sometimes this office of treating out of the Scriptures was committed to Deacons For although at first they saw to the collections and distributing of alms yet afterwards they performed other offices in their hands was the care of preserving all order in the holy Church assembly wherefore a Deacon is said to be consecrated not to the Priesthood but to the Ministry Conc. Carth. 4. c. 4. But it is certain that other offices than those that were committed to them from the beginning fell to Deacons yea in Scripture they begun to use Stephen and Philip to take off some part of the Ministry as the Church encreased We read that the Deacons discoursed out of Scripture and preached the Gospel Act. 7. and 8. and that Philip was one of the seven Deacons Act. 21. 8. So Austin thinks too Who ex utroque Quaest in 101. Can. 2. Conc. Ancyrani are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. to preach which power they are deprived of by the authority of that Council if through cowardize they had sacrificed in the torments Fourthly We read that Catechists had sometimes liberty to teach publickly in the Church Origen who had not yet attained to the degree of a Presbyter was asked by Alexander Bishop of Hierusalem and Theoctistus Bishop of the Church in the same Caesaria that he would open the Scriptures in the publick assembly of the Church at Caesaria in Palestine Also Euelpis was asked by Leo Bishop of Laranda Paulinus by Celsus Bishop of Iconium and Theodorus by Atticus Bishop of Synada We read these things in Eusebius Hist l. 6. c. 20. Nicephorus also relates that Origen did interpret the Scriptures amongst them of Alexandria l. 12. c. 34. And no wonder when private men were sometimes permitted to preach the Word of God namely when there were none deputed to that office who might perform it nor could be used any means of faith any other way This did Aedesius and Frumentius among the Indians to their great commendation and the no small profit of the Church where there were none executing any Ecclesiastical function to call together publick assemblies and perform the Divine Mysteries Theodoret also records that a woman converted the Iberi to the truth of Christian Religion Hist l. 1. c. 24. But none doubts but that this was done extraordinarily because this charge was not committed to them according to the order which is to be observed in the Church although Bishops were wont sometimes to exhort those whom they knew to be fit among the Laity that they might thereby something profit the people by expounding the Scriptures and preaching to exercise this charge even in their presence So Eusebius ubi supra CHAP. IV. The manner of expounding Scriptures in use among the ancients Treating begun with Prayer Texts of the Treatises Scriptures being read were applied to the peoples use The Treaters did sometimes stand and sometimes sit after Treating followed Prayers after those were ended a Psalm was sung to praise God THese are they to whom the expounding of Scripture was committed among the ancients which things being declared somewhat remains to be spoken of the manner which was observed by them in ther Expositions In the first place when they were to treat out of Scripture they saluted the people So Optatus contra Parmenianum libro vet And what kind of salutation that was is taught in Const Ap. l. 8 c. 5. Chrysost also in Hom. 3. in Coloss namely the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all c. But afterwards it was usual with the Bishops to salute the people in another manner than the Presbyters which was prohibited in Conc. Bracarensi 1. Can. 21. This salutation being premised whether without further prayer to God they set upon their Treating is doubted by some But if the Love-Feasts in use among Christians were not performed without the office of Prayer for before they sate down they first took a taste of Prayer to God and when the Supper was finished Prayer determined the Feast if I say their banquets were never celebrated but with Prayer to God much less durst they set upon the expounding of the Holy Scriptures without the invocation of Gods name being premised But this I will advertise the Reader of that the industry of Antiquity hath so carelesly touched this part of holy things that there is but a very little which at this day we can find delivered in the Records of the ancients about this matter And neither is it to be wondred at nor is it unusual There are in this age divers Sermons of very learned Divines published which are not uttered but with Prayer to God first made and yet none of those Prayers are prefixed to the printed Copies We may conjecture the same of the Ancients Treatises without any injury to the truth which doubtless the pious Fathers never entred upon without Prayers to God first premised which thing I will now manifest by some testimonies The godly Prayer of a certain holy man is extant in Chrysostom I know saith St. Chrysostom a certain godly man that prayed thus Before these words he said nothing namely We give thanks to thee for all thy benefits which have been conferred on us unworthy wretches from the first to this present day for those we know and those we know not for those that are manifest and those that are not manifest for what have been done in work or word for what have been done voluntarily and unvoluntarily for all things that

Hierosolymitan saith he esteems of Apostles after one sort and of other Treaters after another And Ep. ad August he calls those Treaters that did interpret the Holy Scriptures Aug. Ep. 11. In explicating this Section about Treatises upon Scriptures first we will consider whose office it was to interpret them Secondly the manner which they used in explaining of them In the third place something shall be added about the time at which the ancients did attend these In the first place we will speak of the Treaters themselves Those to whom the administration of the Word was committed by God in the Scriptures they were by a name familiar enough to the Fathers called Clerici the Clergy or in Clerum ascripti admitted into the Clergy either because Matthias was chosen by lot who was the first that we read of that was ordained by the Apostles so Augu. in Psal 67. or because they are the Lords lot 〈…〉 should possess him for their lot and inheritance with the children of Levi for ever So Austin in Prolog in Psal if that Preface be Austins Hierom gives almost the same reason who fatih they are the Lords lot and because the Lord himself is the lot that is the portion of the Clergy The Apostle comprehends all to whom any publick charge in the Church of the Philippians was committed under Bishops and Deacons Philip. 1. 1. Where under the name of Bishops he understandeth all that especially executed the office of teaching and under the name of Deacons he intimates others that ministred The name of Bishop is a general appellation signifying all those that labour in the Word of God and attend upon the cure of souls Whence the office of an Apostle is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishoprick Act. 1. 20. and by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are elegantly described men that administer the Word according to the Scriptures For it signifies both indulgently to attend as shepherds their flocks as Jacob Gen. 32. 38 39 40. that they may drive away wild beasts from the sheep and to watch like watch-men Ezek. 3. 17. I have made thee a watch-man to the house of Israel namely that thine adversaries come not near thee who threaten thee destruction So Heb. 13. 17. the teachers of the Gospel are said to watch for the souls of the Church The Holy Scripture calls these watchmen who watch the actions of all men and with an aim of religious curiosity spie out how every one liveth with his houshold in his house how with the Citizens in a City Where the duties of Bishops or Watchmen is excellently set out Ambrose interprets Bishops super inspectores overseers lib. de dignitate sacerdotali cap. 6. Hierom contends that they are most truly called Superintendentes because they are to look diligently over or superintend every one in their flock and Ep. ad Evagrium he renders the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by superintendentes These words therefore do not signifie any perfunctory inspection which only is undertaken for knowledge sake but a diligent and accurate watchfulness that ought to be Bishops that they might make provision of necessary means to feed their flocks and instruct them to live piously As Alipius was whom Austin Ep. 35. acknowledges to be a Pastor carefully governing the Lords pasture sheep Under the title of Bishop both Bishops and Presbyters are comprehended And though there be some that distinguish not a Presbyter from a Bishop yet I do with Austin who expounds the words Oratio Precatio Postulatio choose to understand that by these words which all or almost all the Church doth often use Ep. 59. Therefore since according to the custom of the Church or according to the words of honour which the Church useth the office of a Bishop is greater than that of a Presbyter the highest Ministry in the Church is now signified under the title of Bishop The Bishops work was especially to interpret the Holy Scriptures when the Church was gathered together and therefore I think their power was of the Ancients signified in the name Cathedra because chiefly it consisted in teaching Optatus saith the first gift of the Church was Cathedra whereby is signified that the Churches power is instructive and for this cause Aug. confesses that Christs Chair or cathedram succeeded Moses chair i. e. the Apostles of Christ succeeded the Interpreters of Moses and the Prophets The Bishops duty therefore is to instruct the people commended to their care and Hierom thinks this ability to be so necessary for them that it can profit a Bishop nothing at all to have the testimony of his virtues in his own mind except he be able to instruct the people committed to him And Hilary acknowledges that by the necessary virtue of his office he is bound to serve the Church in preaching the Gospel And therefore Athanasius excited Dracontius to take upon him a Bishoprick to which he was elected with this reason because the people by whom he was made Bishop did expect that he would bring them meat out of the Doctrine of Scripture Neither did the greatest Bishops decline that charge but rather for a Bishop to abstain from preaching seemed to Gregory the Great a foul shame and wicked act and he saith that he is dead that walks without the sound of preaching ibid. Since therefore the principal duty of Bishops is terminated in Doctrine to which by necessity of office they are obliged and without which although they otherwise live a pious life they are not to be adorned with the title of Bishops their first and principal charge was to interpret the Word of God the onely subject for all doctrine of Ministers in the Church Luk. 24. 27. when the Church was assembled for hearing the same that the most vigilant Bishops of old did this with great praise and for the great fruit of the Church their most learned Treatises which are extant among their works do testifie But to explain the Holy Scripture in the Churches publick assembly did not only lie upon Bishops but upon Presbyters also and that ex officio So 1 Pet. 5. 2. Therefore the second chair in the Church was assigned them by the Fathers So Clem. Alexand. Strom. l. 6. Origen saith that some Deacons in his age did seek after the first chairs of them who are called Presbyters If the chair was assigned to them then it was their duty to instruct the people in the doctrine of the Gospel if it had not been their duty to feed the Church with the food of the Word and Sacraments why should St. Paul charge them to take heed unto themselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost had made them overseers to feed the Church of God Augustine being yet a Presbyter while Valerius was alive edified the Church with the Word and Sacraments It was the custome at Alexandria