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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
rest_n	aaron_n	altar_n	priest_n	58	3	6.3959	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61105	The vvay to everlasting happinesse: or, the substance of christian religion methodically and plainly handled in a familiar discourse dialogue-wise: wherein, the doctrine of the Church of England is vindicated; the ignorant instructed, and the faithfull directed in their travels to heaven. By Benjamin Spencer, preacher of the word of God at Bromley neer Bow in Middlesex.	Spencer, Benjamin, b. 1595?	1659 (1659)	Wing S4945; ESTC R222156	362,911	329

jurisdiction 4. In Ecclesiasticall censure And 5. In giving definitive sentences Mathe. I pray make this plainly appear Phila. 1. For imposition of hands or confirmation we find no Presbyter nor any of the 72 Disciples to take that office upon him alone without the Apostle or Bishop and when they did so they did it rather for approbation of the partie then benediction Therefore though Philip converted the Samaritans and did miracles yet Peter and John were sent to confirm them Act. 8. so did S. Paul at Ephesus Acts 19. which imposition of hands was not alwaies the medium of conveying the gift of tongues and doing miracles but of sanctifying and comforting grace and therefore called a fundamentall point of Christianitie Heb. 6.2 So 2. For ordination we find it still given by the Apostles not by the Disciples therefore Acts 6. when the seven Deacons were chosen the Apostles laid their hands upon them not any other of the Disciples out of whose number they were taken though they were now but only ordained Deacons of the Churches stock Concil Const in Trul. Can. 16. not of the holy mysteries And 3. They had a full jurisdiction over the Church John 20.21 as my Father sent me so send I you Bed l. 3. c. 15. in Lucan This was not said to the 72 Disciples who might well be the first representative Presbyters but to the Apostles Christ spake this from whom both Presbyters and Deacons were to take their order which if any man with the heretick Arrius will deny then he must prove from whence Presbyters derive their order From Christ they cannot he made none of that name if from the Apostles then they must confesse it subordinate to the Apostles order set in the Church or else they must confound Apostles and Presbyters together contrary to St Paul who saith all are not Apostles 1 Cor. 12.29 So 4. In Ecclesiasticall censures the Apostles and Bishops were supreme as may be seen in 1 Cor. 5.3 where by the authority of Paul the incestuous person is to be delivered to Satan This was the Apostolike rod 1 Cor. 4.21 and as the Fathers called it the Bishops sword which no Presbyter did use to handle farther than as it was delegated to him by the Apostle or Bishop to denounce or declare So 5. In giving definitive sentence in any matter of faith we find it still in the Apostle or Bishop as Acts 15.13 after Peter Paul and Barnabas had been heard James not the Apostle but Bishop of Jerusalem being president of that Councill gave definitive sentence in that controversie about circumcising the Gentiles Mathe. But doth this government stand still in force Phila. I know not why it should not being derived from so high an authority as Christ and his Apostles It is true the pride of the Roman Bishop and the idlenesse of some others have caused the people in many places to cast off this government by which the truth hath much suffered and the people have been much distracted by strange forms of government imposed Mathe. Hath God set any certain forms of government for the Church Phila. Yes in all ages For from Adam to the flood the discipline of the Church was domesticall and paternall the most ancient of the family being both Prince and Priest by which two Offices God hath alwaies governed his Church The eldest son alwaies succeeded in his fathers place except for wickednesse he was rejected as Cain Cham and Reuben After the flood God continued it in Shem who was King and Priest thought to be Melchizedeck Next God called Abraham whom Melchisedeck blessed who ruled his family like a Prince and a Priest so did Isaack his son to whom the promised seed was entailed His son Jacob though the younger got the blessing and birth-right He had twelve sons God in them severed these offices Judah had the scepter and seed roiall insured to him Levi had the Priesthood 1 Chron. 5.2 and Joseph had the birth-right And these three never met again in any one but in Jesus Christ Then after Jacob the Church was governed again by the heads and fathers of the twelve tribes though obscurely in Egypt from whence when God had graciously delivered them and made them his peculiar people he severed the tribe of Levi from the rest to wait upon his Altar Yet he made a distinction of Priests and Levites and of Aaron and his sons from the rest of the same tribe by committing to them the charge of the holy things of the Tabernacle Num. 4. v. 15. 19 20 27 33. and by appointing them over the other Levits that came of Gershom Kohah and Merari to command them their severall services And God punished those that rebelled against this order as may be seen in Corah Dathan and Abiram Num. 6.9 10. who accounting that order wherein God had placed them to be a small matter did aspire to the Priests office and so incurred upon themselves the wrath of God Beside among the Levites themselves were three principall heads named by God himselfe as Eliasaph for the Gershonites Num. 3.24 30. Elizaphan for the Kohathites and Zuriel for the Merarites And afterward there were other chiefe fathers of the Levites that directed the rest in their severall courses allorted by David 1 Chron. 23.24 The Priests also were of sundry orders among themselves The first dignity belonged to the High Priest The secondary to him was Ithamar Num. 4.28 33. and his off-spring who commanded the Gershonites and Merarites to their service These were reckoned and called the Princes of the Sanctuary in those things that pertained to God And out of these were chosen by David the twenty four courses to serve in the Temple 1 Chron. 14. together with substitutes under them to assist in their presence or in their absence Luke 1.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this respect Zacharias is said to be of the course of Abia viz. the eighth course of the twenty four And these in the New Testament are called the chiefe Priests Mat. 2.4 And these also were Elders and Judges in their own Cities 1 Chron. 26. for the execution of Moses Law and sate also with the Elders sometimes of other Cities in judgement for the explication of Moses Law wherein if any thing seemed too hard then it was referred to the counsell of Priests of the Levites and Judges which sate in that place Deut. 17. which the Lord did chuse for the Ark to rest in Mathe. But what is this to the Church Christian Phila. Though it cannot be proved by consequent that the Church Christian is bound to the same manner of government altogether For 1. The tribe of Levi was not subject to any other tribe but true Christian Ministers are though the popish Priests love not to be yoaked by the secular power 2. The politie of the Jewes being contained in the Law of Moses Deut. 21.19 it was necessary the Judges should

to deliver him to Satan Amb. in 1 Tim. cap. 1. As for their assembling together at his command it was that the whole Church might see and fear that upon reading the sentence the spirit of Paul being present by the power of the Lord Jesus Satan should plainly smite him with some evill Chry. in 1 Cor. 5 hom 15. as once Peter did Ananias dead Acts 5. and Paul Elymas the sorcerer Acts 13. From this it is St Paul saith 2 Cor. 10. we have in a readinesse to revenge all disobedience and is called his rod 2 Cor. 13.2 1 Cor. 4. which he will not spare This I confesse was excommunication and somewhat more for many were excommunicated and yet not delivered to Satans power 2 Cor. 13.10 which was a sharp execution of that power the Lord had given him Thus we see the Apostles kept this power and by their command only it was executed Christ gave this power of the keies only to the Apostles John 20. and Paul being an Apostle used them without the authority of Presbyters Mathe. But whether doth the power still continue and in whom Phila. Some gifts were appointed to the Apostles persons As 1. Their calling by Christs own mouth 2. Their infallibility in truth 3. The visible assistance of Gods spirit 4. To speak extempore in divers tongues 5. To work miracles 6. To bestow the gifts of Holy Ghost upon others all which was given to them to beget and convert and confirm Christians at first But this milk is not necessary alwaies to be continued when the Church is grown to a ripe age for the Scriptures are afterward sufficient to make us perfect to every good work 1 Tim. and the miracles then done are a full confirmation of their truth But yet you must know that the authority of their calling liveth yet in their successors and to teach administer Sacraments to bind and loose sins to impose hands for the ordaining Pastours and Elders are not ceased nor can be wanting so long as there is a Church for these beget faith without which there is no Church Therefore their successors are stewards of the mysteries of Christ and are warned to take care of Christs flock Acts 20. and of this few doubt but the power of the keies troubles them to whom they are committed that is excommunication and absolution So others quarrell about ordination and these are the well-wishers to Lay-Eldership which they would have joined in this work with Apostles and Bishops but they find no warrant for it I know they bring commonly two or three places of Scripture for Presbyterie as the hands of the Presbyterie 1 Tim. 4.14 which I have shewed were the hands of Bishops and preaching Elders at least not of Lay Elders So they say Christ bids a man tell the Church Mat. 18. which if a man will not hear he is to be accounted as an heathen Now by this word Church they would bring in all the Lay Elders Chrys hom 61. in Mat. 18. Beza annot in Mat. 18. saith the chiefe implieth the whole But surely there is understood the spirituall Presidents and Governors so there we read of no Lay Presbyterie But they say that in the 1 Tim. 5. Paul tels us of ruling Elders and thereforre there were some Elders beside those that laboured in the word and doctrine as Rom. 12. he that ruleth let him do it with diligence but it is plain they are not distinct offices Beza annot in 1 Tim. 4. Chrys hom 15. in 1. Tim. 5. Hieron in 1 Tim. cap. 5. but sometime pertaining both to the Deacon or Preaching Elder who also ruled the Church and in regard of their good government deserved double honour of reverence and allowance but especially for laboring in preaching the Gospell because they cannot so well provide things needfull for themselves But for Lay Judges I never heard they were to be maintained by the Church stock of which maintenance the Apostle in 1 Tim. 5. speaketh and therefore here can be understood no Lay Presbyterie but rather such as did govern the Churches stocks as the Deacons did or ministers which either did both Beza annot in 1 Pet. cap. 5. or only laboured in the word for the name Elder compriseth sometimes all those that have any Ecclesiasticall function And St Chrysostome on 1 Cor. 1.17 on these words Chrys in 1 Cor. 1.17 Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach saith that few were able to preach but many to give baptisme therefore the inferiour sort of ministers baptized and the superiour in wisedome Evangelized They that performed the first well were counted worthy of double honour for their right ordering the Church but especially such as labored in the word and doctrine so that still we find no ruling for Lay Elders but rather the dutie and pains of their Pastors and Teachers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one by ruling the flock well in his Church and charge whereof he is president by doctrine administration and example 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other for travelling with great pains of mind and body to dispense the Gospell and confirm Christians by travell and visiting in which sense Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. he laboured more then all the Apostles Yet I speak not this in derogation to Lay-men which are holy grave and wise but only that they had no place in ordination or excommunication yea I beleeve good use might be made of them for moderation of quarrels and strifes and examinations as 1 Cor. 6.4 and to end matters peaceably between Christians but not to censure Ecclesiastically for that belongs to the ministers nor to punish by the civill law for that belongs to the Magistrate The keies were given of Christ to his Apostles and of them to their successors which were spirituall pastors so that every godly minister hath power to put by an unworthy receiver from the Lords Table as well as to admit one that is worthy Amb. de poenit lib. 1. c. 2. without the assistance of Lay Eldership to whom neither power of preaching the Word nor administring the Sacraments Chrys de sacer lib. 3. was ever committed For when Christ said to Peter Aug. 5. Tract in Joh. I will give thee the keies of the Kingdome of heaven he meant and intended it to all the ministers of the Church as appeareth in giving the rest of the Apostles the same power after his resurrection Therefore saith Ambrose Amb. de dignita sacer c. 6. all we that are Priests received the keies in blessed Peter but he saith not Lay-men did also receive them Mathe. This may make Ministers take too much upon them Phila. Not if they be either wise and godly Cypr. l. 1. Ep. 2. for they are to use this power with moderation and great discretion for much harm may be done by rash suspension from the Sacrament or excommunication from Christian societie nor lesse harm by facile

Ignat. in Epist ad Antiochen Therefore Ignatius in his Epistles to divers Churches warneth the Laity to obey the Presbyters and Deacons and that the Presbyters feed the flock till God shew who shall be your Pastor after my death Thus they succeeded one another and alwaies in an higher degree than Presbyters for although at first the name Bishop and Presbyter was used indifferently one for the other while the Episcopall office remained in the Apostles and Evangelists yet when they succeeded Calv. Instit l. 4. c. 4. S. 4. Theodor. in cap. 3.1 Ep. ad Tim. that were neither Apostles nor Evangelists then the higher degree were called Bishops answering to the Apostles by which term Apostle the Bishops were first called as was Epaphroditus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.25 but afterward they left that title to the twelve Apostles and took the name of Bishops or overseers to themselves so verifying the prophecie in Psal 45.16 concerning the Church instead of thy fathers i. the Apostles that begat thee thou shalt have children even such as thou hast begotten i. ministers Hieron in Psal 45. Aug. in Psal 45. whom thou shalt make rulers i. Bishops saith St Jerom whom the Church hath placed in the seats of her fathers and to bring them back to the cels of the Presbyters hath been accounted no lesse then sacriledge and however men may count it Reformation to abolish that order I shal pray that they may not find it destruction to the Church Exact Synod Chalcedon de Photio Eustathio and lastly to themselves a curse Pro. 20.25 Mal. 3.9 Mathe. However they succeed the Apostles in ordination and corrections yet the Presbyters think not themselves inferiour and therefore not subject to them Phil. They ought not so to think but to be subject because God hath made them Fathers and Pastors and Christ cals them the seven stars in regard of their rule as the seven Planets do govern naturall bodies and Angels in respect of their intelligence they have with Christs mind which they are to convey to others This name Angels saith Austin was given to the Ruler of the Church of Ephesas Aug Epi. 162. So Auth. in 1 Cor. cap. 12. And Bullinger saith the heavenly Epistle was directed to the Angell i. the Pastour of the Church of Smyrna which was Polycarpus who was placed there by St John fifteen yeers before he wrote the Revelation By which may be gathered that these were chiefe in authority and that Presbyters and people were to take direction and reproofe from them for he is charged above the rest and therefore surely he had some power and authority above the rest these being the chief Priests Aug. in Psa 45 and Fathers of Christs Church and therefore are to be obeied not only by the people but the Presbyters also as saith Jerom to Nepotian Hier. ad Nep. teaching the duty of a Presbyter Be subject to thy Bishop and reverence him as the father of thy soule and that Presbyter that doth not so Amb. offi lib. 2. cap. 24 Cyp l. 3. Ep. 14 he through pride swarveth from the right way And Cyprian blameth some Presbyters that without regard to the Bishop set over them do take upon them to do any thing but he threatens to suspend such from their ministry Ignat. ad Mag. Therefore Ignatius advised the Magnesians that as Christ did nothing without his Father so they should neither without their Bishop whether you be Presbyter Deacon or Lay man And he chargeth the Sarsonses thus Presbyters be subject to your Bishops Deacons to your Presbyters and Lay men to all My soule for theirs that observe this order the Lord will be alwaies with them This man lived neer enough to the Apostles time to know how the Church was then governed And by the Apostolicall Canons the Presbyters and Deacons are to do nothing without the consent of the Bishop Can. Apost 8. Concil Arelat 1. ca. 19. Hier advers Lucif for to his charge the people are committed no they are not to baptize without the Bishops leave saith Ierom and affirmeth that the safety of the Church dependeth thereupon not that Bishops usurped and took this power upon themselves but by the Apostolike tradition and example and afterward by the allowance of Emperours and lawes of States and Provinces and Synodall Canons none of which did allow any domineering in Bishops but gave them power over Presbyters and yet Presbyters leave to appeale from them if they thought themselves wronged to the neerest Bishops Concil African can 129. or to the Primate or to the next Synod Mathe. Whether may the people have the election of Pastors by Gods Word Phila. We find no such election in Gods Word Oecumen in 1 Tim. cap 4. By the commandement and appointment of the Holy Ghest were Bishops made as Timothy by prophecy Theod● in 1 Tim. 1. i. by divine revelation say Theodore The phylact and Ambrose on the first Epistle to Timothy Next they chose others as I have shewed you Afterward came in popular elections grounded upon humane society which in reason challengeth an approbation at least of those to whom they submit themselves and allow maintenance But yet even in this the people had only rather a proposall of one or approbation of one then an election of one for they had two waies to settle a Bishop the first by election Cyp. l. 1. Ep. 1. the second was by postulation the election was thus performed When a Bishops chair was void some Bishops that were neerest consulted to meet there at a certain day of which they gave notice to the people and Presbyters of that place who came on that day into the Church and three Bishops at least came also from the adjacent places and there observed whom the Clergy named and whom the people proposed and as all or most agreed so the man was chosen but another day fixed for his ordination In the mean time any objections might be made but if he were clear the Bishops made him Pastor of that Church But secondly if that City wanted an approved man then they desired the Bishop of the ancientest City called the Metropolis and he the Metropolitan to send them such an one as he approved which he did after himselfe and three other Bishops had tried him Thus also Presbyters were setled and ordained by the examination of the Bishop and testimony of the people Concil Cartha 3. Can. 22. Conc. Laodic Can. 23. yet the multitude must not elect those that were called to be Priests though they might present such as they thought fit But alwaies three Bishops at least ordained a Bishop and one Bishop a Presbyter Can. Apost ca. 1 2. This was the common order except when the people made tumults Eus l. 1. c. 24. Evag. l. 2. c. 5. c. 8. as the Church histories tell us For which uprores the Emperour Justinian took