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	ordination_n	presbyter_n	2,626	5	10.9277	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89720	Christ's commission-officer: or, The preachers patent cleared, and the peoples plea considered. In a sermon preached before (and now presented to) the associated ministers of Christ, in the county of Sommerset, at the late solemn ordination at Sommerton in said county, June, 9. 1658. By John Norman ...	Norman, John, 1622-1669.	1658 (1658)	Wing N1240A; ESTC R210141	61,437	165

presbyters in Office whose part it was in the Ordination of Timothy 1 Tim. 4.14 Their common care and charge it was and not Pauls only 2 Tim. 1.6 We never read Paul to have practiced in or to have pretended to a sole power of Ordination or to so much as a negative voice in that particular though no doubt he had a greater latitude of authority than any can now lay claim to as being an Apostle not of or by man but by Jesus Christ Yet Paul was neither ordained nor did Ordain without the concurrence of some other Act. 13.1 2 3. ch 14.23 ' If any will yet implead ordination by a presbytery because without a Prelate 1 he ought to produce the divine institution of a Prelate distinct from a dignified beyond a Presbyter or Minister Certain we are the Apostles have left no such one upon their list of Church Officers Eph. 4 11. Rom. 12.6 7 8. 1 Cor. 12.28 and clear it is that a Bishop and Presbyter are all one in the language of the Scripture a) See sect 2. Tit. 1.10 b) vid. Hieronym ad Loc. Idem est ergo Presbyter qui Episcopus c. 1 Tim. 3.1 2. c) Post Episcopum Diaconi ordinationem subjicit Quare i st quia Episcopi Presbyteri una ordinatio est uterque exim saeerdos est Ambros ad Loc. c. having the same office the same ordination the same characters given to and qualitier ' required in them and the same work being committed to them And as clear 't is that a Presbyter or ordinary Minister is vested with a power of government or rule 1 Tim. 5.17 Heb. 13.7 17. 1 Thes 5.12 Act. 20.17 28. 2. Hee ought to prove the divine investiture of prelates with Ordination ard imposition of hands different from presbyters whereof ' we read not one word in all the Scriptures but of the laying on of the hands of the presbytery in fair and open characters 1 Tim. 4.14 True 't is that we read of Ordination by Timothy and Titus ' Evangelists by Paul and Barnabas Apostles but this neither directly serveth the cause of the Prelates they being neither Apostles nor Evangelists nor indirectly unlesse they can prove themselves to be a distinct order or dignity of Ministers by the divine appointment of Jesus Christ in that sence can put in a plea of being their successors which a Presbyter in a fair construction may 1 Pet. 5.1 2. Though a Prelate without a forced construction cannot Where doth ' the Scripture prescribe that there should be any ordination of Prelates different from or over and above their former ordination as Presbyters Or that there should be any Ordination by prelates as distinct from Presbyters When it is a ruled case that a Bishop or Prelate ordained per saltum i. e. who never had the Ordination of a Presbyter himself but only of a Bishop can neither consecrate and administer the Sacrament of the Lords body nor ordain a Presbyter d) of the Church l. 3. ch 39. by which it appeareth that a Bishop doth not excell a Presbyter by a distinct and higher order or power of order ' for which Doctor Field hath produced the acknowledgment of the most learned among the Papists d) Aquin. Bonavent Dominic à Soto Armacanus Camerar Contarenus e The instance of Timothy and Titus as if Bishops of Ephesus and Crete will be a covering too narrow For as we never read the Spirit of God calling them Bishops in Scripture the Post-script to those Epistles being disowned from being any part of the Canon by many Papists even by Baronius and the Rhemists and are so disproved by severall Protestants f vide Beza Anot. maj ad 1 Tim. 6.22 ad 2 Tim. 4.23 ad Tit. 3.14 So Timothy is expresly enough called an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4.5 ' Nor could their frequent removes g see them described Jus Divin Min. Evan. par 2. p. 69. Smectimnuus sect 13. after the mention of their being at Ephesus and Crete have any consistence ' with the charge or Office of a Bishop which obligeth to a fixed residence among his flock to passe other reasons h see Jus Di vin Minist Evang. par 2. c. 5. throughout against their diocesan Episcopacy ' Their frequent diversions and journeys and various dispatches to and fro at the desire of the Apostles and as might best subserve the design and welfare of the generall visible Church do loudly enough proclaim them to be Evangelists I know there are on the other hand that vest the people with this power and priviledge of Ordination beyond what was ever possessed by the Prelates But with no countenance that I know from Christ yea or conveniency to Christians while it is little other than a seed-plot of dissentions among them and of divisions into parties and while beside their distance from the power of ruling whose place it is to be ruled such are their disabilities disproportion to make proof of mens ready instruction to the kingdom of God either in cleering the difficulties of the Gospel or in e●vi●cing gainsayers 'T is true We read whatsome ingeniously observe before us k) London Minist●e in their Jns div min. evan par 3. c. 13. of Ordaining Elders in every Church but we never read of Ordaining Elders by any Church They Ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 14.23 Who Ordained them Paul and Barnabas for the people not the people for themselves That every Church should Ordain them Elders in every Church grates too much upon common sense and truth Nor will the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 help it out for what ever bee the import of l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. To stretch out the hand which is still done in Ordination with imposition of hands Nor can there much more be evinced by the usage of this word in this place if there be any worth in that observation of learned Stephanus that it signifieth not to give suffrage but to create ordain c. when it governs an accusarive case as here it doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Steph. Thesaur Ling. graec ad verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest enough it is both from what is antecedent to this expression and what is after it that Paul and Barnabas were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom they must necessarily bee understood to relate nine times besides in the narrative or relation which is herewith made ver 21. ad finem Far be it from mee to divest the Churches of Jesus from any part of those priviledges which are given them by his charter Let it be granted them for me that the people may choose and look out men and set them before the Presbytery as they did for Deacons before the Apostles still observing their limies Act. 6.3 5 6. But the Presbytery 't is that commit the Ministry appoint and send forth the men as then did the Apostles ver 3.6

I am if Church-members may be still called the Sons and Daughters of God 2 Cor. 6.16 Such Ministers may be likewise called the Spirituall Fathers that beget them 1 Cor. 4.15 the spirituall nurses that feed and nourish them 1 Thes 2.7 1 Cor. 3.2 and are the stewards that when grown up are to give them their portion of meat in due season Luk. 12.42 In a word if men had need still to be believers they have still need of Ministers by whom ye believed 1 Cor. 3 6. and if ye are still Pilgrims and strangers 1 Pet 2.11 how ye can want such Officers as are called guides Heb. 13.7 and the light of the Word Mat 5.14 I must profess I see not farewell the Office-Ministers of Christ in England and farewell the chariots and horsmen of England 2 Kings 2.12 Sect. 2 Secondly those that are by Office authoritatively from Christ to teach others must be qualified for this Office before they have it committed to them This is a true saying indeed if a man desire the Office of a Bishop which term in Scripture phrase bespeaketh no more then a Presbyter or Minister a) Tit. 1.5 with 7. Phil. 1.1 Act. 20.17 with 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a word every where else rēdered Bishop by our translators many of our English Bishops i. e. Prelates themselves being judges b) A.B. Whitgift against Cartwright p. 383. Anselm in 1 Tim. 3. B. Bridges of the Princes Supremacy p. 255. B. Bilson against Seminaries lib. 1. p. 318. see B. Jewel against Harding Def of the Apolog par 2. ch 3. divis chap 9. divis 1. B. Morton Cathol Apol par 1. ch 33. he desireth a good work 1 Tim. 3. ver 1. But must not this bee acknowledged a true saying likewise that who and what the man is that desireth it how able how apt c should be first considered before he be Commissioned or set apart unto it Else what mean those numerous characters which Timothy hath given him in charge that are continued to the eight verse and whereof Titus is re-minded likewise by the same Apostle when he appoints him to ordain Elders in every City at least of Creet Tit. 1.5 ad 13. Or what means else that notable and no less dreadfull charge 1 Tim. 5. ver 21.22 I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the Elect Angels that thou observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiality Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sins keep thy self pure Ah my brethren Church-work is chary work Lay we on hands suddenly and we lay them on sinfully And to be sure we shall partake of other mens sins if we shall so little prize their our own other mens souls which any thing below the blood of him that was God Act. 20.28 1 Pet. 1.18.19 is too smal to purchase Come sirs who is the faithful and wise steward him shall the Lord make ruler over his houshold Luk. 12.42 And shall we who are the Lords by Office and must account to the Lord for our Office shall we make them rulers who will manifestly ruine more than rule the houshold of Faith Can wee keep our selves pure and yet be careless of conferring such a power such an honour as the Ministry is it hath a power to bind to loos from hell A power to open and shut heaven Mat. 16.19 and an honour abstractly so called Heb. 5.4 that doth not onely speak us to be Embassadours for Christ 2 Cor. 5.20 but Angels rather than men Rev. 1. C. 2. O beloved who is sufficient for these things Surely none are in regard of adequation and alas how few in regard of acceptation But what though we cannot find men equall to the Office shal we forget that men should bee able for the Office * See more use 2 sect 1 Surely the bold precipitancies of men uncalled upon this Office and the bloody preceleratings of men unqualified into this Office are abominations never enough to be bewailed before the Lord. Thirdly Those that are authoritatively from Christ to teach others in his Church must not only be quallified for this Office but must have the Office committed to them Hear the Apostle How shall they preach except they be sent Rom. 10.15 How shall they saith he Nay they do and this how often how open and God sent them not say the godly Yea I have not sent these Prophets yet they ran I have not spoken to them yet they prophesied saith God himself Jer. 23.21 True they do it wickedly but how shall they do it warrantably How shal they preach except they be sent i.e. with the approbation of God's Law they may easily adventure upon it from their own lust How shall they preach either with success and countenance from him or without sinfull and sawcy presumption in them How dareth he perform the Heralds Office to proclaim war and peace in the conscience who was never put into the Office nor can produce an Herald's patent This is the Metaphor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How shall they preach as God's Herald's Lo Christians beside meetness for the Office an Herald of God a Minister must have mission suitableness to the Office is not enough without sending Nay are you not told in the same strains of reason and Rhetorick that there is as great a necessity of sending that we bee preachers as was and is of preachers that you be hearers or of hearing that you bee believers or of believing if you expect an answer to and the acceptation of your prayers So high our Apostle carrieth it if you look back upon the 13 and 14. verses Such an holy concatenation maketh he of all these ' So that you cannot bear us in hand with the blasphemous Socinian that there remains no more a necessity of such sending since the Apostles ceased for that say they * Ostorod in Instit c. 42. Th. Nicholaid in desens Tract so cui de Eccl. c. 1. Schmaltz in resert Thes D Frantz per. 2. disput 4. these were to preach a new doctrine which we now are not For with what faithfulness can this be said in regard either of hearers the interrogations all running in so clear and constant a stream 'T is as much said How shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard c as how shal they preach except they be sent Or in regard of the holy Apostles who assure us that they preached no other things thā those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come Act. 26.22 Chap. 24.14 Chap. 28.23 And not only as they passed to and fro did they ordain Elders in every Church Act. 14.23 but prescribed a constant course for Ordination likewise as the Epistles to Timothy and Titus witnesse Nor can you say that they are sent of God who are only gifted For as it