Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
saint_n	bishop_n	church_n	deacon_n	1,417	5	10.6336	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A61651	A rebuke to the informers with a plea for the ministers of the Gospel, called nonconformists, and their meetings and advice to those to whom these informers address themselves for assistance in their undertakings.	Stockton, Owen, 1630-1680.	1675 (1675)	Wing S5699; ESTC R34618	98,356	92

of Canterbury Dr. Bancroft who was by maintained that thereof there was no necessity seeing where Bishops could not be had the Ordination given by the Presbyters must be esteemed lawful Otherwise that it might be doubted if there were any lawful vocation in most of the Reformed Churches This applauded too by the other Bishops Ely acquiesced and at the day and in the place appointed the three Scottish Bishops were Confecrated Dr. Prideaux who was Professor of Divinity in Oxford and afterward a Bishop hath this passage in his Disputations De Disciplinâ Ecclesiae Presbyterum Presbyteros ordinare posse presertim deficientibus Episcopis concedit cum Sententiarum Magistro sanior Pars Scholasticorum That a Presbyter may Ordain Presbyters especially where there are no Bishops is granted by the Master of Sentences and the sounder part of the Schoolmen 4. These Ministers were set apart to the work of the Ministry by the Elders of other Churches and in Scripture a Bishop and an Elder are all one so that they were Ordained by such as the Scripture calleth Bishops though not by Diocesan Bishops The clearing of this that Bishops and Elders were all one in Scripture account will I conceive give a full answer to this Objection To this purpose let these Scriptures be well-weigh'd Act. 20.17 28. And from Miletus he sent and called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus And speaking to these Elders he saith Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers The same persons whom he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 17th verse he calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the 28th verse whence it may be inferred that Elders and Bishops are the same in Scripture-sense So also Phil. 1. l. Paul and Timotheus the servants of Jesus Christ to all the Saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi with Bishops and Deacons Pareus observes in his Commentary on this place That in the Apostles times all the Ministers of the Gospel were called Bishops because the Apostle mentions several Bishops as well as Deacons in one Church and concludes that though after-ages made a distinction yet by Divine right and Apostolical practice a Bishop and Presbyter were all one His words are these Apparet hinc tempore Apostolorum nomen Episcopi fuisse omnibus Evangelii doctoribus commune quia plures uni Ecclesiae Episcopos uti Diaconos tribuit Apostolus Episcopos igitur Presbyter jure Divino Apostolica consuetudine idem est Tit. 1.5 7. For this cause lest I thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting and ordain Elders in every City as I appointed thee and then ver 6. he gives qualifications of an Elder and then adds ver 7. For a Bishop must be blameless Whom he calls an Elder in ver 5. he calls a Bishop ver 7. And if a Bishop and an Elder were not all one what coherence would there be in the Apostles Discourse to tell him he left him to ordain Elders in every City and what manner of persons they must be and then to add for a Bishop must be blameless And that this is no novel interpretation I may produce several Authors As judicious Calvin Locus hic abunde docet nullum esse Presbyteri Episcopi discrimen Johan Piscator Schol. v. 7. En hic nominat Episcopum quem v. 5. nominaverat Presbyterum Hierome also who was born about the year 342 and dyed about the year 420 gives in full and clear evidence to this that in the time of the Apostles a Bishop and a Presbyter were all one And Blondel hath written a large and learned Treatise to defend Hierome's assertion De primitiva Episcopi Presbyteri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seu verius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the equality or more truly the identity of a Bishop and a Presbyter in the primitive times wherein he proves that Hierome did neither imprudently assert that which was inconsistent with truth nor impudently affirm that which was contrary to the practice of the Church nor misled by prejudice affirm that which was contrary to the Scripture by the testimony and practice of very learned men in several Ages of the Church To whose elaborate Treatise entitled Apologia pro sententia Hieronomi de Episcopis Presbyteris I refer the Reader for his further satisfaction Besides the testimonies of particular persons I might mention the judgment of whole Assemblies of learned and judicious men met together on purpose to debate matters of Religion who have asserted the equality of power and authority between all the Ministers of the Gospel As for instance The confession of Faith compiled by the National Synod of the Reformed Churches in France in the year 1559. And confirmed by a National Synod 1571. hath this passage Art 30. Credimus omnes veros pastores ubicunque locorum collocati fuerint eadem aequali inter se potestate esse praeditos sub unico illo capite summoque solo universali Episcopo Jesu Christo ac proinde nulli Ecclesiae licere sibi in aliam imperlum aut dominationem vindioare The Synod of Dort in their Confession of Faith published 1619. Art 31. Quantum vero attinet divini verbi Ministros ubicunque locorum sunt eandem illi potestatem authoritatem habent ut qui omnes sunt Christi unici illius Episcopi universalis unicique capitis Ecclesiae Ministri CHAP. II. Arguments drawn out of the Scriptures to convince the Informers and their Adherents of the evil of their ways THese things being premised I shall now by several Arguments demonstrate the greatness and horrible nature of their Sin who go to the Assemblies where these Ministers of Christ called by the name of Non-consormists do pray to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and preach the Gospel to them that are met together and if they find them either praying or preaching they procure Officers to interupt them while they are worshipping God and cause their Assemblies to be broken or else go and make Oath against them and cause them to be fined in great sums of Money and get out Warrants to Distrain and take away their Goods from them 1. These Informers are guilty of persecuting righteous men for righteousness sake and to persecute righteous men for righteousness sake is an horrible Sin which will appear evidently from several Scripture I will instance in three or four Matt. 23.34 35. Behold I send unto you Prophets and Wisemen and Scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie and some of them ye shall scourge in your Synagogues and persecute them from City to City that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias whom ye slew between the Porch and the Altar Observe here Persecution involves a man in the guilt of righteous blood in the guilt