Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	presbyter_n	3,386	5	10.4987	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A36143	A Disputation proving that it is not convenient to grant unto ministers secular jurisdiction, and to make them lords & statesmen in Parliament		1679 (1679)	Wing D1677; ESTC R15032	30,674	38

are ancient is to say they are more odious and call for the more deep repentance and speedy and sound and through reformation 26. There are in this as in most other cases two extreams which be alike equi-distant from the true and right mean The one is to make no use at all of Divines nor to consult with them in any case This I take to be a dangerous extream contrary to the light of nature the true office and institution of the Ministry and that duty which all Christian Princes and Parliaments and People do owe to the Lord Jesus Christ unto whom they are vowed and sworn to observe his Laws and to be sincerely subject to his government in all things And he doth govern his Church by Pastors Teachers and spiritual Overseers with whom all persons of what degree and rank soever they be are to advise and consult not in every small and little matter but in cases of weight and concernment if they cannot otherwise satisfie themselves as they will do with Lawyers about their Estates and Physicians about their Bodies The Papists do grosly tyrannize over all both Kings and Subjects by binding them to make a particular recitation or confession of their sins to their Priests at certain times frequently thereby making themselves Masters in some sort of mens consciences and unjustly privy to their secrets and abusing the name authority and ordinance of Christ to rigour and tyranny and thereby deceiving and deluding souls into much superstition vassalage and hypocrisie To avoid which Anti-papists have run into a quite contrary extream forgetting of what daily and standing use and concernment Gods Ministers are both to persons and societies The Priests lips are to keep knowledg and the people are to seek the Law at their mouth Mal. 2.7 When the Philistines were to send back the Ark they consulted with their Priests and Diviners 1 Sam. 6.2 Ministers are not only to be heard in publick but to be consulted with in private and to be made use of in all cases and questions Ecclesiastical which concern the general interest of the Church its holiness and its unity and which cannot well and soundly be determined without the assistance advice and direction of impartial wise and holy Divines I am so far from being against this that rather I judge it a common errour and mispractice in Christian States as well as particular persons that they do not make that due and godly use of Ministers and Divines which they ought to do whence it is that they do so often miscarry in their ways and counsels because they do too much lean to their own understandings and either consult not at all with Gods Ministers or if they do they consult with those only which are partial and unfaithful or they do treacherously and hypocritically conceal something of the case from them or do like the Papists which make confession a meer ceremony resting in the work done imitating her in Prov. 7.14 People can send for Ministers to advise with upon their sick-beds they should do it when they are in health There is Parliament humility and self-denial which Jesus Christ doth bind all Christian States and Rulers to Luk. 9.23 The long Parliament had their Assembly of Divines 27. The other extream is of making more and further use of Ministers than need requires and than will stand with the prudence conveniency and quality of their work and calling and in making an undue disparity and inequality among Ministers and Divines appointing some to be Lords and Dominators over the rest advancing them too high in worldly dignities authority and preferment and thereby establishing pride and partiality It is grounded upon a mistake which is that by Gods Law Bishops and Arch-bishops have a majority of power and jurisdiction above the rest of the Pastors though they excel or be equal to the Bishops and Arch-bishops in true wisdom and holiness and Ministerial graces and diligence whereas it is evident from the very nature of the thing it self that a Bishop and Overseer of Souls are but two names for the same thing and that to be an Arch-bishop is to be Episcoporum primus an eminent Presbyter the chief of all the Bishops Presbyters and Pastors not that he hath a greater commission than they The authority and commission of Bishops Pastors and Ministers is but one Matt. 28.19 20 and it consisteth in these three 1. An authority to Christianize Souls and admit Disciples into the Family of Christ which is his Church by Baptism 2. An authority to use them as Disciples and Members of the Family when admitted by seeding them with knowledg and understanding watching over them and doing all necessary and convenient episcopal and pastoral acts and offices to them 3. An authority to discommon and cast out of the Family by penal and juridicial Church-censures contumacious and grosly disorderly livers whom no other remedies will amend 28. This threefold authority every right ordained Presbyter or Parish Minister hath and no Arch-bishop or Bishop hath more for more is not necessary nor is there any place for more And less will not suffice to make a man a compleat Pastor and Christ makes no incompleat Pastors Qui aliquid alicui concedit concedit id sine quo res ipsa nequit concedi He that gives the end doth includedly give the due and regular and subservient means And Qui adimit medium destruit finem We must not for fear of making every Pastor a Pope deny him to be a Pastor Grant him to be a Pastor and thereby you grant unto him pastoral power and then you grant him authority to cast out as well as to take in to have an expulsive as well a a receptive faculty Ministers may abuse their authority so also may Magistrates Parents c. But is that any ground to deny them the authority of Magistrates and Parents If they be not fit to be trusted with the pastoral office let them not be Pastors at all If they be fit to be Pastors let them be compleat pastors An incompleat Pastor is terminus diminuens No Scripture nor sound Reason doth give any warrant for making men but half-half-Bishops half-Pastors and Presbyters I say again That an Arch-bishop is but an eminent Presbyter as Peter among the Apostles or as the foreman of the jury The rest of the Apostles are compleat Apostles as well as Peter and have equal commission and authority The rest of the Jury are jurors as well as the Foreman and are equal judges of the fact True it is that among Apostles and Pastors who be equal as to Office and Commission there may be much inequality as to gifts and graces and faithful and wise execution of their office As all Parents have alike authority over their Children but all Parents are not alike wise and good and officious in their places unto some God giveth ten talents unto some five unto some two unto all at least one And it is