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A47044
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A sermon preached at the consecration of the Right Reverend Father in God Ambrose Lord Bishop of Kildare in Christ-Church, Dublin, June 29, 1667 / by the right reverend father in God, Henry, Lord Bishop of Meath.
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Jones, Henry, 1605-1682.
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1667
(1667)
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Wing J948; ESTC R5267
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35,856
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90
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end of the World Of which and of the correspondence of both Testaments S. Hierom speaks thus That we may see Apostolical Traditions to be taken out of the Old Testament look what Aaron and his Sons and the Levites were in the Temple the same let the Bishops Priests and Deacons challenge in the Church And We know Bishops and Priests to be what were Aaron and his Sons And S. Cyprian calleth Bishops the Apostles Successors All Bishops are the Apostles Successors saith S. Hierom. And as so do we finde the Apostles name place and work to have been by the Apostles given to these their Successors II. As to the Name The very name of Apostle is so given to Epaphroditus Bishop of the Philippians as Bullinger calls him him doth S. Paul call their Apostle Philip. 2. 25. so is it in the Original whereas in our English it would be enquired how well it is rendred Messenger For S. Ambrose on those words He Epaphroditus is by the Apostles made their Apostle And S. Hierome writing on those words My Fellow Souldier and your Apostle Fellow Souldier saith he by reason of his honor because he also had received the Office of being an Apostle among them Again By those chosen by our Lord were others ordained Apostles as appears in that to the Philippians Phil. 2. 25. Epaphroditus your Apostle so S. Hierom. Coment in Gal. 1. 19. But that name Apostle was not intended for a lasting name as Theodoret observeth In time past they called the same men Presbyters and Bishops and they who are now called Bishops they named Apostles but in process of time they left the name Apostle to them properly called Apostles and the name of Bishop they gave to them who had been Apostles Apostle was their name and even that name of Bishop now more fixed is what they had from the Apostles from whom they derive their Office that of Bishop was the Apostles own name of Office So Judas numbred with the Apostles and obtaining part of the same Ministry with them the Apostleship that his Apostleship is called his Office so we read it but by the LXX it is rendred his Bishoprick let another take his Office or Bishoprick which word Bishoprick is is used by the Apostle S. Peter citing that in Psalm 109. 8. according to the LXX and what is there called by the name of Bishoprick is after called Apostleship The Apostles were Bishops which are the words of S. Ambrose in Ephes. 4. 11. 2 Cor. 12. 28. And that name of Bishop was derived to the Apostles from those from whom under the Old Testament they derive if I may so say I mean these Chief Priests called in our English Overseers but by the LXX Bishops Overseers and Bishops are the same the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers so in our English but in the Greek Bishops which the Apostles name Bishop is thus given you see to their Successors Bishops to this day Thus as Christ the High Priest hath the Name of Apostle Heb. 3. 1. and Bishop 1 Pet. 2. 25. and as they sent by him his Apostles were so also called so are in like manner they who are by the Apostles substituted as you have seen II. And as the Apostolick name so the same work also as Teaching Ordering Ordaining c. is by the Apostles committed to their Successors for this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every city as I had appointed thee saith the Apostle here to Titus his Successor The same work being in all others in like place and trust in the Church for ever III. And for carrying on that great work and name had these the Apostles Succssors the Apostles place and degree also in the Church in being above others and to be accordingly respected and esteemed Among us saith S. Hierome Bishops have the place of the Apostles which his Expression Among us sheweth how Bishops were esteemed among Oxthodox Christians other than was among Hereticks such as Montanus and his followers against whom he there writes blaming them for so depressing and vilifying that sacred and high Order as they did And what is among us chief and first speaking of Bishops that is saith he last with them with Montanus and his Faction with them Bishops are in the third and last place So S. Hierome on whom I fix rather then on many other to that purpose he being understood by the contrary side not to have been of the best friends to Bishops yet in this is the priviledge and preheminence of Bishops by him acknowledged asserted and even you see contended for Thus was it in S. Hieromes time 400 years after Christ it having been so continued to his days from the times of the Apostles so also after S. Hieromes time through all ages of the Church until that Schism raised about 126 years since in Geneva An. 1541 a year to us in the next Century 1641. on the same account fataâ— whereby we find this Sacred Hierarchy trampled on by inferioâ— Elders by whom although the name of Bishop would be forgotten yet is the place power and work of Bishops by them notwithstanding ambitiously sought after sacrilegiously usurped to themselves alone appropriated affirming all spoken of Bishops to be intended onely of Elders and making Elders and Bishops the same without difference of degree or preheminence in any kind Some Community there is indeed between Bishops and Elders yet so as that even in that there appears sufficient to preserve to Bishops their Being Work and Dignity distinct and above those who would themselves have all without sharing Let this be considered distinctly in that community which is by these Elders challenged with Bishops both in Name and Work by which they conclude Bishop and Elders the same and themselves all As to the names of Bishops and Elders promiscuously used for that are these places of Scripture among others by them insultingly insisted on particularly Acts 20. 28. where the Elders of the Church of Ephesus v. 17. are v. 28 called Overseers or Bishops so in the Greek Also Phil. 1. 1. the Apostle saluteth the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons See say they Bishops plurally many of them in the same City therefore intended of Elders not Bishops and that there also Bishops and Deacons onely are named not Elders Elders notwithstanding being intended therefore concluding that in that of Bishops Elders are understood and not Bishops And even this Text also Tit. 1. 5 7. is by them urged to that purpose where are Elders in every City v. 5. and those Elders v. 5. called Bishops v. 7. 1. Therefore say they to be meant of Elders properly and not of Bishops on all concluding that Elders and Bishops so promiscuonsly vsed are therefore the same and not distinguished and therefore no
preheminence in Bishops over Elders These are the Allegations and inferences in this which are to be examined But the promiscuous using of those two names of Bishops and Elders the principal ground of these reasonings is far from such conclusions that because Elders are called Bishops or Bishops Elders both therefore to be the same without priority or subordination whereas on the contrary we find usually in Scripture the names of one degree given to another without confounding them as the same or in that abating any way the dignity of the higher See this in the name of Deacons a name from ministring and that an order lowest in our Ministration yet is that given to higher Orders So of Timothy Bishop of Ephesus saith S. Paul If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things thou shalt be a good Deacon we render it Minister so speaks the Apostle of himself I Paulam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister Col. 1. 23 the whole Apostleship is also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Deaconship or Ministry and even Jesus Christ himself the great High Priest is called a Deacon Jesus Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister of the Circumcision or ministring to those of the Circumcision But because our English readings in this and in the Original are diverse therefore not so clear to every apprehension let this therefore be considered in that other of Elder where it is more plain In that we finde the Apostle S. John terming himself an Elder more than once the Elder to the elect Lady and the Elder to the well beloved Gaius So S. Peter of himself The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder You see in that the Apostles called Elders yet doth not that conclude Apostles and Elders to be the same For how oft do we read of Apostles and Elders as distinct Nor doth it conclude Apostles and Elders to be equal because Apostles are Elders but this it shews That all Apostles are Elders not all Elders Apostles and that notwithstanding that community of names they still are distinguished in Degree and Dignity So is it as to Bishops and Elders in like manner the name of Elders is given to Bishops and of Bishops to Elders both are true For in the Bishop saith S. Ambrose are all Orders because he is the first Priest that is the Prince of the Priests Again of a Bishop and Presbyter there is one Order for either of them as a Priest but the Bishop is the first so that every Bishop is a Presbyter but not every Presbyter a Bishop So S. Ambrose Thus all Bishops are granted to be Elders and some Elders are Bishops but all Elders are not Bishops They who say they are must prove it before they can conclude any thing to purpose Nor will that do it which they alledge out of Acts 20. where the Elders of the Church of Ephesus v. 17. are termed Overseers or Bishops v. 28. for those Elders were indeed Bishops if not all yet some of them and to those some for all is there spoken as Bishops This appears in that Ephesus was a See Metropolitical comprehending Asia the less a large Jurisdiction So in the sixth general Council of Constantinople Theodorus Bishop of Ephesus thus subscribes Theodorus by the mercy of God bishop and Primate of Ephesus the Metropolis of the Asian Province or Diocess Also of Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus Eusebius saith that he was Ruler or chief of the Bishops of Asia and that by his Authority he did assemble a Provincial Synod to discuss the question about Easter and that he did write a Synodical Letter to Victor Bishop of Rome Euseb. l. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we find also in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or distribution of Churches by Leo the Emperor that Ephesus was a Metropolis having 36 Suffragane Bishops and so is Ephesus to be understood in Acts 20. as Metropolical and that meeting of Elders or Bishops there as Provincial For it is there called not the Churches but the Church of Ephesus Metropolitically yet Elders plurally implying more than of one Church And as in a Provincial meeting of the Bishops of Asia together with other Elders both usually conveening on such occasions might the Apostle call those Elders litterally Bishops Irenaeus saith as much that Bishops and Presbyters were there convocated from Ephesus and other adjoyning Cities c. And Acts 20. 28. The Holy Ghost hath saith the Apostle made you Bishops so in the Original or Overseers so in our rendring If therefore the Holy Ghost had made them Bishops and the Apostle call them so accordingly we may then acquiesce in it rather than to mince the matter according to peâ—verse glossings it being to so great a prejudice as the disturbance of the peace of the Church so precious In this have we to answer what is alfo objected out of Phil. 1. 1. the Apostle saâ—nting the Saints at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons wherein the Authors of the larger Annotations on the Bibâ—e busie themselves exceedingly in proving out of the second Council of Nice and by Cornelius Bishop of Rome there cited that there should be but one Bishop in one City thence concluding in favour of those times that there being many Bishops in Philippi therefore were not they Bishops but Elders But all this is grounded on a supposition that Philippi is restrained to that City of Macedonia so called whereas Philippi was a Metropolis in Macedonia and we read of the Churches of Macedonia and of the brethren in all Macedonia And why may not Philippi a Metropolis include its Province and this Epistle to the Philippians be to that Church at large where many Bishops were to be saluted without those narrow inferences in confining Philippi to a City within its walls and the Bishops and Deacons at Philippi to those onely in that City inhabiting As to that farther objected from that Text Phil. 1. 1. of Bishops and Deacons onely named and that Elders being intended therefore by Bishops say they Elders are to be understood and not Bishops But how follows that For 1. May not Elders be as well included in and with that of Deacons You have seen the name of Deacon to have been sufficiently comprehensive of more and greater than they 2. Or if Elders be supposed to be included in that of Bishops Let that suffice and satisfie without excluding Bishops For shall Elders included and not named exclude Bishops which are expresly named 3. Or if Presbyters be there signified in those many Bishops yet was there one chief Bishop over all which was Epaphroditus their Apostle Phil. 2. 25. Of which Theodoret he calleth him Apostle to whom the charge of them was committed Wherefore saith he it is manifest that they who in the beginning of the Epistle were called Bishops were under him they having the