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
A26932	Gildas Salvianus, the reformed pastor shewing the nature of the pastoral work, especially in private instruction and catechizing : with an open confession of our too open sins : prepared for a day of humiliation kept at Worcester, Decemb. 4, 1655 by the ministers of that county, who subscribed the agreement for catechizing and personal instruction at their entrance upon that work / by their unworthy fellow-servant, Richard Baxter ...	Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691.	1656 (1656)	Wing B1274; ESTC R209214	317,338	576

Justice of Peace may be said to rule the Land is not a matter of much moment to be stood upon but the former seems most likely to be the sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is both acquisivit asseruit in suam vindicavit It s said to be done by the blood of God by a Communication of the names of the distinct natures And it affords us an argument against the Arrians seeing Christ is here expresly called God SECT II. BUT it is necessary before we proceed to Instruction and Application that we be resolved more clearly who those Elders or Bishops be that Paul doth here exhort I am desirous to do all that lawfully I may to avoid controversie especially in this place and on such occasions But here it is unavoidable because all our following application will much depend upon the explication and if you shall once suppose that none of this Exhortation was spoken to men in your office and capacity no wonder if you pass it over and let it alone and take all that I shall hence gather for your practise as impertinent This Text was wont to be thought most apt to awaken the Ministers of the Gospel to their duty but of late the negligent are gratified with the News for news it is that only Bishops in a s●pereminent sense whom we usually call Prelates are spoken to in this Text and not only so but that no other Text of Scripture doth speak to any other Church Presbyters certainly but them yea that no other were in being in Scripture times Here are two Questions before us to be resolved 1. Whether the Elders here mentioned were the Elders of one Church of Ephesus or of all that part of Asia that is of every Church one This is but in order to the second which is whether these Elders were only Prelates or such Bishops as among us have carried that name The reasons that may be brought to prove these to be the Prelates of the several Cities of Asia and that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is those many Cities are these following 1. The affirmation of Irenaeus To which we say 1. There might be many Elders of Ephesus present though some from the neerest Cities were there also which is all that Irenaeus affirms 2. We oppose to the saying of Irenaeus the ordinary exposition of the antients The most singular is of least authority caeteris paribus 2. It may be said that Paul calls them to remember how he had been among them three years not ceasing to warn every one c. But he was not three years at Ephesus only but in Asia c. Answ He may be said to be where his chief place of abode is He that resideth ordinarily at Ephesus though he thence make frequent excursions to the neighbour parts may well be said to abide so long at Ephesus And the Ephesian Elders might well be acquainted with his industry round about them though here is no certainty that he mentioneth any more then what he did with them For what he did in Ephesus he did in Asia as that which is done in London is done in England Obj. 3. But it is meant of all Asia for he saith among whom I have gone c. Answ 1. As though Paul might not go preaching the Gospel in Ephesus 2. If he went further the Ephesine Elders might accompany him Ob. Ephesus was the Metropolis and therefore all Asia might be thence denominated Answ 1. It must be proved that it was so denominated All France is not called Paris nor all England London 2. It is not whole Countries but a Church that Paul speaks of and it is yet unproved that the Church of one City had then any such dependance on the Church of another City as lesser Cities had upon the Metropolis Our Reasons that make us think that either all or many of these Elders or Bishops were over the particular Church of Ephesus are these 1. It is expresly said in the Text that they were Elders of the Church referring to Ephesus next before mentioned He sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church And it cannot be proved in all the New Testament that the Bishops of other Churches and Cities are called Bishops of a greater City because it is the Metropolis 2. Here is mention but of one Church and one Flock in the singular number and not of many when yet it is acknowledged that he speaketh not of the Universal Church for then that language were not strange but of a particular Church And it is the use of the Apostles to speak still in the plural number when they mention the particular Churches of many Cities and not to call them all one Church or Flock 3. And it may seem else that the Elder of each one of these Cities hath a charge of all the rest For they are required to take heed of all the Flock which though it may possibly be by taking every one his part yet if one should fail the rest seem to have his charge upon them which is more then they can do 4. Paul was now in so great hast in his journey to Jerusalem that Luke measureth it out by the daies And it is not like that Paul could in such hast call the Elders from the several Cities of Asia If he had passed through the Brittish Seas in such haste and lodged at Plimouth and had thence called to him the Elders of Paris he must have staid many dayes or weeks before he could have gathered also the Bishops of Rhemes Arles Orleance and the rest of France 5. The numbers of Prophets and gifted men in those times and the state of other particular Churches doth give us sufficient reason to conjecture that Ephesus was not so scant of help as to have but one Presbyter Grotius thought that Timothy with his Com-Presbyters made this appearance but others have given very probable reasons that Timothy was none of them 6. The Judgement of Expositors antient and modern running so commonly the other way commandeth some respect from us But 1. I confess the matter seemeth but conjectural on both sides and neither part to have a certainty but if probability may carry it there seems to be many of the Elders of Ephesus though possibly some of the neighbouring Cities might be with them 2. But let this go how it will it maketh not much to the main matter in hand What if Ephesus and each other City or Church had then but one Presbyter will it follow that he was a Prelate No but the contrary It will prove that there was then none such at all if there were no subject Presbyters For there is no King without subjects nor master without servants 1. The stream of antient and modern Expositors do take this Text to speak of Presbyters in the common sense And we must be cautelous before we be singular in the expounding of so many texts as speak the same way 2. If men be

put now in the end of the world to find out a new foundation for Prelacy supposing that it hath been amiss defended till now and all these Texts except by one or two amiss expounded it will occasion the shaking of the frame it self 3. But the best is we begin to be pretty well agreed at least about the whole Government that de facto was in being in Scripture-times For 1. It is now at last confessed that the word Presbyter is not certainly taken any where in the New Testament for one that is subject to a Bishop having not power of Ordination or Jurisdiction and that no such Presbyters were in being in Scripture-times And by what authority they are since erected let them prove that are concerned in it 2. We are agreed now that they were the same persons who in Scripture are called Bishops Presbyters 3. And that these persons had the power of Ordination Jurisdiction 4. And that these persons were not the Bishops of many particular Churches but one only They ruled not many Assemblies Ordinarily meeting for Church Communion for there could no such meetings be kept up without a Bishop or Presbyter to administer the Ordinances of Christ in each And if there were in a Diocess but one Bishop and no other Presbyters in Scripture times then it must needs be that a Diocess contained but one ordinary Church Assembly and that de facto no Biship in Scripture-times had under him any Presbyters nor more such Assemblies then one That is they Ruled the particular Churches just as our Parish Pastors do So that we are satisfied that we go that way that the Apostles established and was used de facto in Scripture-times And if any will prove the lawfulness of latter mutations or will prove that the Apostles gave power to these particular Pastors to degenerate into another sort of officers hereafter according to the Cogency of their Evidence we shall believe it In the mean time desiring to be guided by the word of God and to go upon sure ground and take only so much as is certain we hold where we are and are glad that we are so far agreed Yet not presuming to censure all superiour Episcopacy nor refusing to obey any man that commandeth us to do our duty but resolving to do our own work in faithfulness and peace For my own part I have ever thought it easier to be Governed then to Govern and I am ready as the Brittish told Austin to be obedient to any man in and for the Lord Nor can I think that any Government can be burdensom which Christ appointeth but all beneficial to us as making our burden lighter and not heavyer and helping and not hindering us in the way to heaven Were Christs work but throughly done I should be the backwardest in contending who should have the doing of it Let us agree but on this one thing which is plain here in my Text That the Churches or Flocks should be no greater then the Pastors can personally over-see so that they may Take heed to all the Flock and then let but able faithful men be the Over-seers that will make the word of God the Rule and lay out themselves for the saving of mens souls and I am resolved never to contend with such about the business of superiority but cheerfully to obey them in all things lawful if they require my obedience If the difference were not more about the matters commanded and the work it self to be done then Who should command it me thinks humble men should be easily agreed Would they but lay by all needless humane impositions and obtrusions and be contented with the sufficient word of God and not make new work to necessitate new Canons and Authorities to impose it but be content with the Gospel simplicity and let us take that for a sufficient way to heaven that Peter and Paul went thither in I think I should not disobey such a Bishop though I were not satisfied of his differing Order or Degree Yea if he were addicted to some encroaching usurpation of more power then is meet would he but forbear the Ecce duo gladii and come to us only with the sword of the spirit which will admit of fair debates and works only upon the conscience I know no reason much to fear such power though it were undue But enough of this SECT III. THE Observations which the Text affordeth us are so many that I may not now stay so much as to name them but shall only lay down that one which containeth the main scope of the Text and take in the rest as subordinate motives in the handling of that in the method which the Apostle doth here deliver them to us Doct. THE Pastors or Over-seers of the Churches of Christ must take great heed both to themselves and to all their Flocks in all the parts of their Pastoral work The method which we shall follow in handling this point shall be this 1. I shall briefly open to you the terms of the subject What is meant by Pastors and Churches 2. I shall shew you what it is to Take heed to our selves and wherein it must be done 3. I shall give some brief Reasons of that part of the point 4. I shall shew you What it is to Take heed to all the Flock in our Pastoral work and wherein it must be done 5. I shall make some Application of all SECT IV. 1. VVHat the words Pastor Bishop and Church do signifie I will not wast time to tell you they being so well known As for the things signified 1. By a Pastor or Bishop here is meant An Officer appointed by Christ for the ordinary Teaching and Guiding a particular Church and all its members in order to their salvation and the pleasing of God Christ appointeth the Office it self by his Laws The person he calleth to it by his qualifying Gifts Providential disposals secret impulses and ordinarily by the Ordination of his present Officers and the Acceptance of the Church Teaching and Guidance contain the main parts at least of the work to which they are designed The particulars we shall further stand upon anon A particular Church is the object of their work by which they are distinguished from Apostolical unfixed itinerant Ministers They are the stated Ordinary Teachers of such a Church by which they are differenced both from private men who do occasionally teach and from the foresaid Itinerant Ministers that do but in transitu or seldom teach a particular Church The subject is the matters of Salvation and Obedience to God and the end is salvation it self and the pleasing of God therein by which work and ends the office is distinguished from all other offices as Magistrates School-masters c. though they also have the same remote or ultimate ends By the Flock and Church is meant that particular society of Christians of which these Bishops or Elders have the charge associated for personal Communion in

only much more then they have taken for that think it consisteth in making of new Laws or Canons to bind the Church As if God had not made us Laws sufficient and as if he had committed the proper Legislative power over his Church to Ministers or Bishops whose office is but to expound and apply and execute in their places the Laws of Christ Obj. But will you deny to Bishops the power of making Canons What are all those Articles that you have here agreed on among your selves about Catechizing and Discipline but such things Answ 1. I know Pastors may teach and expound Scripture and deliver that in writing to the people and apply the Scripture Generals to their own and the peoples particular cases if you wil cal this making Canons 2. And they may and ought to Agree among themselves for an unanimous performance of their duties when they have discovered it that so they may excite one another and be more strong and successful in their work 3. And they must determine of the Circumstances of worship in special which God hath only determined in General as what time and place they shall meet in what Chapter read what Text preacht on what shape the Table Cups c. shall be where the Pulpit when each person shall come to be catechized or instructed and whither c. But these are actions that are fitter to be ordered by them that are in the place then by distant Canon-makers And to Agree for unity in a necessary duty as we have done is not to make Laws or arrogate Authority over our Brethren Of this I refer you to Luther de Conciliis at large and to Grotius de Imper. sum pot That Canons are not properly Laws CHAP. III. SECT I. HAving spoken of the matter of our work we are next to speak a little of the manner not of each part distinctly least we be too tedious but of the whole in general But specially refering to the principal part 1. The Ministerial work must be managed Purely for God and the salvation of the people and not for any private ends of our own This is our sincerity in it A wrong end makes all the work bad as from us how good soever in it self It s not a serving God but our selves if we do it not for God but for our selves They that set upon this as a common work to make a trade of it for their worldly livelyhood will find that they have chosen a bad trade though a good imployment Self-denyal is of Absolute necessity in every Christian but of a double necessity in a Minister as he hath a double Sanctification or Dedication to God And without self-denyal he cannot do God an hours faithful service Hard studies much knowledge and excellent preaching is but a more glorious hypocritical sinning if the ends be not right The saying of Bernard Serm. in Cant. 26. is commonly known Sunt qui scire volunt co sine tantum ut sciant turpis curiositas est sunt qui scire volunt ut scientiam suam vendant turpis quaest us est sunt qui scire volunt ut sciantur ipsi turpis vanitas est Sed sunt quoque qui scire volunt ut adificent Charitas est sunt qui scire volunt ut aedificentur prudentia est 2. This work must be managed Laboriously and Diligently as being of such unspeakable consequence to others and our selves We are seeking to uphold the world to save it from the curse of God to perfect the Creation to attain the ends of Christs Redemption to save our selves and others from Damnation to overcome the Devil and demolish his Kingdom and to set up the Kingdom of Christ and attain and help others to the Kingdom of Glory And are these works to be done with a careless mind or a lazy hand O see then that this work be done with all your might Study hard for the well is deep and our brains are shallow and as Cassiod Decorum hic est terminum non habere hic honesta probatur ambitio Omne fi quidem scientificum quanto profundius quaeritur tanto gloriosius invenitur But especially be laborious in Practice and exercise of your knowledge Let Pauls words ring in your ears continually Necessity is laid upon me and woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel Still think with your selves what lyeth upon your hands If I do not bestir me Satan may prevail and the people everlastingly perish and their blood be required at my hand And by avoiding Labour and Suffering I shall draw on me a thousand times more then I avoid for as Bernard saith Qui in labore hominum non sunt in labore profecto Daemonum erunt Whereas by present Diligence you prepare for future blessedness For as Gregor in Mor. saith Quot labores veritati nunc exhibes tot etiam remunerationis pignora intra spei tuae cubiculum clausum tenes No man was ever a loser by God 3. This work must be carried on Prudent'y Orderly and by Degrees Milk must go before strong meat The foundation must be first laid before we build upon it Children must not be dealt with as men at age Men must be brought into a state of Grace before we can expect from them the works of Grace The work of Conversion and Repentance from dead works and faith in Christ must be first and frequently and throughly taught The Stewards of Gods houshold must give to each their portion in due season We must not go beyond the capacities of our people ordinarily nor teach them the perfection that have not learned the principles As August saith li. 12. de Civit. Si pro viribus suis alatur infans fiet ut crescendo plus capiat si modum suae capacitatis excedat desicit antequam crescat And as Gregor Nysen saith Orat de Pauper amand As we teach not insants the deep precepts of science but first letters and then syllables c. So also the Guides of the Church do first propound to their hearers certain documents which are as the elements and so by degrees do open to them the more perfect and mysterious matters Therefore did the Church take so much pains with their Catechumeni before they baptized them and would not lay unpolished stones into the building as Chrysost saith Hom. 40. Imperfect operis or who ever else it be p. mihi 318. Aedificatores sunt Sacerdotes qui domum Dei compon unt sicut enim adificatores nodosos lapides habentes torturas ferro dolant postea vero ponunt eos in aedificio alioqui non dolati lapides lapidibus non cohaerent Sic Ecclesiae doctores vitia hominum quasi nodos acutis increpationibus primum circumcidere debent sic in Ecclesiae aedificatione collocare alioquin vitiis manentibus Christiani Christianis concordare non possunt 4. Through the whole course of our Ministery we must insist most upon the Greatest

them I know that some of these men are Learned and Reverend and intend not such mischievous ends as these The hardening of men in ignorance is not their design But this is the thing effected To intend well in doing ill is no rarity Who can in reverence to any men on earth sit still and hold his tongue while he seeth people thus run to their own destruction and the souls of men be undone by the contendings of Divines for their several parties and interests The Lord that knows my heart knows that if I know it my self as I am not of any one of these parties so I speak not a word of this in a sactious partiality for one party or against another as such much less in spleen against any person but if I durst in conscience I would have silenced all this for fear of giving them offence whom I much honour But what am I but a servant of Christ and what is my life worth but to do him service and whose favour can recompence for the ruines of the Church and who can be silent while souls are undone Not I for my part while God is my Master and his word my Rule his work my business and the success of it for the saving of men my end Who can be reconciled to that which so lamentably crosseth his Masters interest and his main end Nor yet would I have spoken any of this if it had been only in respect to my own charge yet I bless God the sore is but small in comparison of what it is in many other places But the observation of some neighbour Congregations and others more remote me thinks should make the very contrary minded Divines relent if they were present with them Would it be a pleasant hearing to them to hear a croud of scandalous men to reproach their Ministers that would draw them to repentance and to tell them they have no authority over them and all this under the pretence and shelter of their judgements Had they rather men went to Hell then be taught the way to Heaven by Presbyters that had not their Imposition of hands Is that point of order more necessary then the substance of the work or the end it self Nay I must needs in faithfulness say yet more That it is no credit to the cause of these Reverend men nor ever was that the generality of the most wicked men and haters and contemners of all Devotion are the great friends and maintainers of it And the befriending of such a party did more to gain their love then to save their souls And the engageing such a Party for them hath not been the least cause of their fall This is true however it be taken And what a case would the Churches of England be in if we should yield to the motions of these Reverend men supposing that mens judgements are not at their own wills and therefore many cannot see the reasons for Prelacy must we all give up our charges as no true Ministers and desert the Congregations as no true Churches Why whom will they then set over them in our stead First it is known that they cannot if they had fit men procure them what liberty their way requires because of the discountenance of authority and it is known that they have not fit men for one Congregation of very many And had they rather that the doors were shut up and God had no publike worship nor the people any publike teaching or Sacraments then any but they should have a hand in the performance of it Or if the Ministers keep their places can they wish all the Congregations to stay at home and live like Heathens Nay are they not angry with us for casting out a grosly ignorant insufficient scandalous sort of Ministers who were the great means of the perdition of the people whose souls they had taken charge of As for the casting out of any able godly men upon meer differences about the late troubles and State affairs I speak not of it I approve not of it If any such thing were done let them maintain it if they can that did it for I neither can nor will But it s a very sad case that any men of judgement piety should not only be indifferent in matters of such moment but should think it a persecution and an injury to their party and cause to have hundreds of unworthy wretches to be ejected when it was a work of so great necessity to the Church And indeed by all this they plainly shew what a condition they would reduce this Nation into again if it were in their power Sure they that would have the people disown and withdraw from them as being no Ministers and turn their backs on the word and Sacraments would silence them if they could I think there is no doubt of that And surely they that are so offended that the insufficient and scandalous ones are cast out would have them in again if they could And if this be the change that they desire let them not blame men that believe the Scripture and value mens salvation if they have no mind of their change If it were a matter of meer opinion we should be more indifferent with them Or if the question were only whether men should be conducted in waies of holiness by a Prelate or by meer Presbyters only we should think it of less moment then the matter that is before us But when it comes to this pass that the Prince of darkness must be so gratified and so much of the Church of Christ delivered overmuch into his power and the people led by multitudes to perdition and all for the upholding of our own parties or interests or conceits we cannot make light of such matters as these These are not meer speculations but matters that are so obvious to sense and Christian experience that they must not think much that serious experienced Christians are against them But that I be not mistaken it is far from my thoughts to speak what I have done of any peaceable man of the Prelatical way or to meddle in the Controversie of the best way of Government nor do I speak to any of the New Prelatical way but only those who are guilty of the miscarriages which I have spoken of and for them I had rather bear their indignation then the Church should bear the fruits of their destructive intemperate conceits The most common cause of our Divisions and unpeaceableness is mens high estimation of their own Opinions And it ordinarily worketh these two waies sometimes by setting men upon Novelties and sometimes by a censorious condemning of all that differ from the party that they are of Some are as busie in their enquiries after new Doctrines as if the Scripture were not perfect or Christ had not told us all that is necessary or the way to heaven were not in all ages one and the same from Christ to the end of the world or the Church