Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	bishop_n	call_v	presbyter_n	3,421	5	11.0026	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19428	Father Cotton a Iesuite, the Kings confessour, his two and thirtie demands, to the ministers of France with the answeres added at the end of euerie demand. Also threescore and foure demands proposed to Father Cotton, by way of counter-change. By Peter Moulin, minister of the word of God in the church of Paris. Printed according to the French copie, printed in Paris. Also a new late chalenge, by a learned diuine, to all Papists, in 24. other Popish articles.; Trente-deux demandes proposées par le P. Cotton. English	Du Moulin, Pierre, 1568-1658.; Coton, Pierre, 1564-1626.; Barnes, John, fl. 1600-1621.	1614 (1614)	STC 5857; ESTC S116356	39,158	65

in the same places he might haue found the proofes added by Caluin himselfe would hee wish vs to copie him out the Chapters or can he better reade our writing then the Impression of the Institution Let him then seeke the places if he list and if they content him not let him refute them XXI DEMAND That we must vse no Lights in the Church neither any Ecclesiasticall Ornaments distinguished from the seculers ANSVVERE VVHo euer said so Doe not wee our selues light vp Candles in our Churches when we cannot well see Haue not the Pastors habits conuenient for the Action or seruice in the Churches where they may goe on foot to serue God without riding on horseback But to aske whether we may light vp Candles at high-noone is a question out of the compasse of Diuinitie and may be decided by common sense For it is as much as to aske whether we must walke through the towne with Lanthorne at high-noone or whether we shall need a combe to a bald head We know that the Gentiles vsed Tapers in broad day-light and lighted them about the Images of their Gods and great Personages but we are not their Disciples And vpon this quarrell doth S. Hierome confute the slander of Nigilantius who complained that we light vp Candles in the broad day-light We light not vp saith S. Hierome any Tapers in broad day-light as thou vainely dost slander vs but onely by this remedie to qualifie the darkenesse of the night XXII DEMAND That a Bishop is inferiour to a Priest and that a Deacon is aboue a Priest that is to say that the Superintendent is no more then an Elder in the Church and that the Minister is aboue the Elder ANSVVERE A Slander We say not that the Bishop is inferiour to the Priest but onely that in the new Testament the same persons are called Priests and Bishops 1. Saint Paul to the Phil. 1. v. 1. salutes the Bishops and Deacons of Philippi omitting the Priests and naming many Bishops in a heathen towne where the Church was small it is euident that he tearmeth the Priests Bishops 2. In the 20. of the Acts. vers 17. the same Apostle assembleth the Priests and Elders of the Church of Ephesus but in the 28. verse he tearmeth the selfe-same persons Bishops 3. Likewise in the Epistle to Titus cap. 2. ver 5. he saith I haue left thee in Creete that thou mightest establish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Priests or elders from towne to town namely if there be any that is vnreproueable the Husband of one Wife onely hauing faithfull Children not accused of dissolutenesse For a Bishop must be vnreproueable c. Who perceiueth not that here he nameth him a Bishop whom a little before he called a Priest Now the reason why Presbyters or Priests are called Bishops or ouer-seers is because the power of Priestly Order 1. Of dispensing the Word and the Sacraments wherein that ouer-sight of theirs essentially consists is equally in Presbyters or Priests and in those whom now by an excellency wee call Bishops or Ouer-seers I meane Ouer-seers not onely for their power of dispensing the Word and Sacraments but also for their power of Iurisdiction and gouernment in their owne Churches For the Apostles ordayning many coassistant Presbyters or Priests for the edification of the newly conuerted Cities with their neighbouring places which they called Churches for the auoyding of Schisme and confusion and preseruation of vnitie peace and order established a Fatherly preheminence or prioritie not a Princely as Bellarmine contends of one Presbyter aboue the rest not in the power of order wherein I said they were all equall but in the execution or exercise of diuers particulars that belong to that power as Dedicating of Churches Confirming of the Baptised but especially ordination of Ministers which things onely in case of necessitie that is in defect of Orthodoxe Bishops were and might be performed by Presbyters as appeares they were by Saint Ambrose on the fourth to the Ephesians Whereas otherwise in the presence of Orthodoxe Bishops the Presbyters were not to meddle with these things which were reserued onely to the Bishops Without whose leaue say Ignatius and Tertullian they may neyther preach baptise minister Sacraments or doe any ministeriall acts And as one Presbyter euer from the time of the Apostles had this eminent and Bishoply power aboue the rest in the execution or exercise of ministeriall acts least as Ierome speakes there should be as many Schismes as there are Priests so for the auoyding of like Schisme and Confusion Bishops haue euer had a preeminent power of Iurisdiction and gouernment in their owne Churches by Ecclesiasticall censures As for the word Deacon the Scriptures apply it to euery Ecclesiasticall Function yea euen to Iesus Christ vvho was often called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Deacon or Minister The Apostle to the Hebrewes cap. 8. v. 2. tearmeth him The Minister of the Santuary And Rom. 15. v. 8. The Minister of Circumcision And in the same Chapter S. t Paul calleth himselfe The Minister of Iesus Christ Likewise to the Collossians foure times Thus doth he exhort Timothy to be a good Minister of Iesus Christ 1 Tim. 4.6 yet in the Subscription of the second Epistle he is called a Bishop Thus you see that in the phrase of Scriptures the same persons are called sometimes Priests or Presbyters sometimes Bishops or Ouerseers sometimes Deacons or Ministers Though wee will not denie that the vvord Deacon in a more restrained acception was vsually applied to him that administred the goods or mony of the poore and the Church-Treasure euen in the Apostles time to ease them of that care But when the Treasurie of the Church increasing was committed to certaine Stewards and the poore otherwise prouided for they were more specially vsed for the assisting of the Bishop and Presbyters in things pertayning to Gods Seruice and worship Wherupon Tertullian witnesseth that in some cases they might baptise Saint Cyprian that they might reconcile penitents Saint Gregory that they might preach and againe Saint Cyprian that they assisted the Bishop and Presbyters in ministring the Sacrament of the Lords body and bloud and ministred the Cup. Out of the societie and companie of Deacons in each Church there was one anciently chosen saith Saint Hierome who was not onely to performe the things pertayning to the Deacons Office but also to prescribe vnto others what they should doe and such were called Arch-deacons These in processe of time notwithstanding all Canons to the contrary and the violent opposition of Saint Hierome and other worthies of those times were lifted vp not onely aboue Presbyters but Arch-presbiters also for these reasons 1 Because the number of Presbyters as Hierome notes made them lesse esteemed and the fewnesse of Deacons made them the more honoured 2 Because they were busied in the Church-Treasure and in money matters which are vsually more

particular 20 That God permitteth not sinne but willeth it as Caluin writeth in his Institutions Lib. 1 cap. 17. § 8. and cap. 18. § 1. 2. 21 That in the Church we ought not to vse lights or Ecclesiasticall Ornaments distinguished from secular 22 That the Bishop is inferiour to the Priest and the Deacon superiour to the Priest that is to say that the Watchman or Superintendent ouer the Church is no more then an Elder in the Church and that the Minister is more then the Elder 23 That the Scripture is easie to be vnderstood and that the intelligence thereof is graunted vnto all these be Caluins words in his Institut lib. 3. cap. 21. § 5. 24 That all sinnes are mortall 25 That a man with the grace of God cannot merit any thing 26 That it is not possible to keepe all Gods commandements no not with his grace 27 That God will not recompence good workes which is as much as to say there be no merits 28 That there is no distinction of beatitude among the blessed and that they are all equall in glory 29 That we ought not to vse that imposition of hands which the Apostles vsed vpon the Samaritanes and Ephesians Act. 8. v. 14. cap. 19. v. 5. and that the said confirmation was not one of the Articles of the Apostles Catechisme mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrewes chap. 6. vers 2. 30 That the precept of the annoynting of the sick with oyle contayned in S. Iames cap. 5. v. 14. is not to be put in practise in the Church although the Apostles vsed it Mar. 6. v. 12. 31 That Prayer for the dead was not in vse no not in the time of the Machabees 32 That S. Peter was not chiefe of the Apostles notwithstanding S. Mathew cap. 10. v. 2. doth say The names of the twelue Apostles are these The first Simon surnamed Peter THE ANSVVERE WHosoeuer requireth of any man an account of his faith must first demand an account of that he doth beleeue and not of that which he doth not beleeue If a man should require a Iesuite to proue vnto him that there be many Gods either that Iesus Christ neuer suffered death he would say that such demands were iniurious and that they did wrongfully goe about to make him a defender of impieties absurdities and yet such is their demeanour towards vs for of these 32. demands onely one quarter doth in truth represent our Beliefe the other 24. are slanderous how then shall they make true report to their people of that which we beleeue sith euen vnto our selues they would adde to our beliefe and haue vndertaken to make vs to beleeue that which we beleeue not These Questions therefore we might reiect desiring them first to proue vnto vs that we doe beleeue these points before they binde vs to defend them But that we make not two labours of it let vs heare what they demand I. DEMAND LEt those of the pretended Religion shew vs where it is written that there are but two Sacraments that is Baptisme and the Lords Supper and in what place of the Scripture they be called Sacraments THE ANSVVERE IN the Gospell we find the institution of Baptisme and of the holy Supper And reading ouer the whole Testament we doe not finde that Iesus Christ instituted any other Sacrament If there be any other it belongeth to our Aduersaries to shew it vnto vs for we are not to proue that there is no mention of any other for to proue this vnto them we must read vnto them all the new Testament As for the word Sacrament we are not tied vnto it neither doe we by that word vnderstand any other thing then the same is which by Iesus Christ called a Commemoration or Remembrance Luk. 22.19 by S. Paul a Seale or Signe Rom. 4.11 We say not that all the words that may be vsed but all that the doctine necessary to saluation is contayned in the holy Scripture And we doe willingly apply and frame our selues to the vsuall words alwaies prouided that the doctrine doe still remaine pure and vndefiled II. DEMAND That Children may be saued by the faith of the Parents onely without Baptisme and therefore that Baptisme is not of absolute necessitie ANSVVERE HEere begin the slanders The Author of these questions hath not fully conceiued what we hold in the points God saith to Abraham that he will be his God and the God of his seed Gen. 17. And S. Paul 1 Cor. 7. speaking of Children borne of faithfull Fathers and Mothers saith that they be holy By the strength of this Couenant it commeth to passe that the Children of the faithfull so soone as they be borne doe belong to God As for this absolute necessitie of Baptisme we acknowledge that it is absolutely necessary to celebrate Baptisme in the Church sith God that so commanded as also according to the saying of Iesus Christ Iohn 3. That whosoeuer is not borne of water and the spirit cannot enter into the Kingdome of God we beleeue that whosoeuer voluntarily doth depriue himselfe of Baptisme and contemneth it cannot be saued For it is the contempt not the want or depriuation of Baptisme that bringeth condemnation But to say that God cannot or will not saue a childe without Baptisme or to beleeue that a childe being carried towards Baptisme and dying by the way is excluded from eternall saluation 1. It is a cruell and rash sentence 2. It is a tying of the grace of God to the water 3. It is the committing of the saluation of a childe into the power of a man or of a Midwife for if they list to baptise the dying childe it shall passe into Paradise if not it shall not come there 4. It is an accusing of God that he did prouide but badly for the saluation of Children borne vnder the old Testament in that they might not be circumcised before the eight day 4. Euen our aduersaries themselues doe hold that many are saued without Baptisme of water as sundry Martyrs that were neuer baptised They are much to blame therefore so to vrge this passage or Text of the third of Iohn wherein themselues doe say there is no speech but of the Baptisme of water 6. This Baptisme likewise of bloud is contrary to their Canons which hold that the Sacrament is none if he that baptiseth hath not an intent to baptise for dare they auow that the executioners conferred Baptisme or that euer they had any entent to baptise 7. How many people also died there by Martyrdome without effusion of bloud 8. Also sith Baptisme is irreiterable that is not to be twise administred to one and the same person what reason haue they that Martyrdome of a person baptised should not be a Sacrament but the Martyrdome of a person not baptised should be a Sacrament 9. Doe not our aduersaries make themselues mention of a Baptisme of the Spirit which they call Baptismum flaminis which

regarded imployments 3 Because being Ministers vnto the Bishop they were vsed by him for the viewing of such parts of his Diocesse as he could not conueniently come vnto himselfe the dispatch of things for him and in the end for reformation of the lesser and smaller faults which vpon such view they should finde Whereupon at last they obtayned a kinde of Iurisdiction and power of correction by prescription and custome But this maketh nothing against the Arch-deacons in the Church of England who vnder that name exercise Iurisdiction For by the Canons of our Church they are Presbiters chosen to assist the Bishop in his gouernment and not meere Deacons as sometimes they were XXIII DEMAND That the Scripture is easie to be vnderstood and that the vnderstanding thereof is granted to all They be the words of Caluin in the 3. of his Institutions Cap. 21. §. 5. ANSVVERE IN this passage of Caluin wee finde not one word of this matter neyther doth any man deny but that in the holy Scripture there be darke places Onely wee say that all that is in the Scripture is not obscure and that that which is apparant is sufficient to saluation The tenne Commandements and the Articles of faith contained in the Creed are there plainely layd downe and expounded The Fathers in the olde Testament knew not so much and yet were saued besides that there are infinite more matters cleare in the Scriptures If therefore Caluin in any place haue so sayd he meaneth that in the holy Scripture euery man may vnderstand enough for his saluation But hee neuer termed the Scripture Theramenes buskin A Sword for all hands a Forrest of Forragers hee neuer said that it maketh a man an Atheist and that hee that beleeueth because he hath read the Scripture is no Christian as saith Charron Neither did he call it as Bellarmine doth a piece of a Rule neyther doth hee say That the holy Scripture saying of it selfe that it is Diuine cannot herein be certainely beleeued if we haue no other testimonie for saith he Mahumets Alcaron saith as much of Mahomet in whom we doe not beleeue lib. 4. De verbo Dei non scripto cap. 4. § Quarto necesse XXIIII DEMAND That all sinnes are mortall ANSVVERE VVEE doe not simply say so But our Aduersaries making two sorts of sinne some mortall and some veniall that is to say pardonable 1. Wee say that to the faithfull repenting him of his sinnes all sinnes are veniall and pardonable also that the same sinnes which our aduersaries doe hold to be mortall as Murther and Whoredome doe grow pardonable in the faithfull that doe amend as appeareth by the example of Dauid But as for the wicked and impenitent in them all sinnes are mortall that is to say in that they abide in them to death and that God punisheth them all by death euerlasting 2. We also say that it is rashnesse in our Aduersaries to define that there be but seauen mortall sinnes and that all other sinnes are not so for it belongeth to the Iudge not to the Offender to iudge what punishment euery sinne doth deserue but we are all guiltie and haue neede of remission in the sight of God 3. But among their mortall sinnes why haue they not put Herefie Atheisme Superstition Slandering c. Be these small sinnes and pardonable in the iudgement of his Holinesse 4. To call a mans brother Foole or to speake euill of him are they mortall sinnes in the iudgement of the Church of Rome No say they yet doth Iesus Christ in the fift of Matthew say That whosoeuer doth call his brother Foole is in danger of hell fire And S. Paul 1 Cor. 6. vers 10. saith That slanderers shall not enter into the Kingdome of heauen XXV DEMAND That with the grace of God we can merit nothing ANSVVERE THis Demand answereth it selfe For whatsoeuer is of Grace is not of merit saith S. Paul Rom. 11. vers 6. If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace To merit by grace agreeth as well as to be frozen with heat or to be wet with drougth 1. For how may we merit by grace considering that it is grace that keepeth our good workes from being meritorious that is to say that they proceede from the grace of God 2. Againe Saluation is a gift Rom. 6. vers 23. Ephes 2. vers 8. and 9. Then is it not obtained by merits 3. And Saluation is an Inheritance belonging to the faithfull for as much as they be the children of God as saith Saint Paul Rom. 8. The spirit of God beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God and if we be children saith he then are we heyres But no man by merits purchaseth that inheritance which belongeth vnto him as a Sonne Moreouer Iesus Christ saith Luke 17.10 When we haue done all that wee are commanded yet are we vnprofitable seruants but what can be the merit of an vnprofitable seruant Admit also that our good workes were as perfect as they be mixed with infirmitie and that wee were more righteous then the Angels vvhat goodnesse vvere there in all this vvhich also were not the gift of God and what merit can there be in offering to God that which is alreadie his and from him Wee confesse that GOD rewardeth good workes but there be rewards that are not deserued The Father will giue his Sonne a new coat because he made an A. or a B. yet not in regard of his Sonnes merit but of his owne promise or for that he is his Sonne But by the way we are to note that this inquirer doth disguise our opinion and altereth the Controuersie for our difference is not whether it be possible to merit with the grace of God but whether the holy Scripture doth teach vs that we must merit or purchase saluation by our merits XXVI DEMAND That it is vnpossible to keepe Gods Commandements euen with his grace ANSVVERE THis must be asked of them that beleeue it Wee doubt not but God can giue some man grace to keepe his Commandements XXVII DEMAND That God will giue no recompence to good workes which is all one as to say that there be no meritorious workes ANSVVERE A Slander Wee hould that God doth recompence good workes but that heereof it doth not ensue that good workes are meritorious and betweene these two there is a great deale of difference This haue wee shewed in the answere to the 25. demand XXVIII DEMAND That there is no distinction of beatitude betweene the blessed and that they are all equall in glory ANSVVERE THe Inquisitor is much deceiued if hee thinke vs to be of that beliefe In these curious things we suffer euery man to thinke what he list It is the propertie of the Popes and Church of Rome not onely to place in the ranke of Saints whom they please after the Imitation of the Pagan Apotheosis or Deifying of the