Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
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A94297
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Of the government of churches; a discourse pointing at the primitive form.
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Thorndike, Herbert, 1598-1672.
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1641
(1641)
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Wing T1055; Thomason E1102_1; ESTC R203782
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63,264
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216
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sate there But when Moses was dead a President was chosen over and beside the seventy whom they called the Nasi to be in his stead from age to age as R. Moses writeth such is the Bishop chief of the Presbyters after an Apostle All the difference is this The Sanedrin is but one as the nation to which God was known was but one whereas the Apostle and his successours remaineth head of so many Presbyteries as his office of preaching the Gospel to all Nations adviseth him to institute as hath been said CHAP. IX Presbyteries composed of no lay persons as the Sanedrin What is brought out of the Scripture to that purpose The labour of Presbyters in the Word and Doctrine Preaching went by Gifts under the Apostles Those Gifts make no different Ministeries Teaching and ruling belong to the same Presbyters No colour for lay Elders in the Primitive Church Preaching how rightly esteemed IT is well enough known how this comparison and the text that occasioneth it is drawn into consequence to prove that Presbyteries were intended to consist part of Elders of the people part of Ministers of the Church as the Sanedrin of some Priests and Levites some of the people And it is as well to be known what a forced presumption it is to require correspondence between the Church and the Synagogue in that point which the difference of a mere Spirituall and Temporall Common-wealth bringeth to passe The Sanedrin consisted of the chief of that people as well as of Priests and Levites because the chief causes of that Common-wealth as well as of Religion passed through their hands The Church is subject to all Common-wealths where it is mainteined in temporall matters In those which concern the soul whom shall we think our Lord leaveth her in charge with but those whom he trusteth with the keyes of his house Who those are we shall see anon In the mean time let this serve their turn that will needs presume that these Presbyteries must consist part of lay-persons as the Sanedrin while we prove that de facto they did consist of none but Ministers of the Church For upon this occasion it will not be amisse here to adde the utmost of the rest whereupon that platform is grounded in Scripture which is in effect no more then that text of the Apostle 1. Tim. v. 17. Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially those that labour in the word and doctrine carrying at the first sound an appearance of two sorts of Elders some Preachers others nothing but Rulers It is seconded indeed by those passages of the Apostles wherein they reckon the graces for the edification of the Church distributed upon the members of it upon the Ascension of Christ Ephes iv 4. some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastours and Doctours or else both for edification and for other necessities Rom. xii 6. Prophecying Ministring Teaching Exhorting Communicating Ruling and 1. Cor. xii 28. Apostles Prophets Teachers Miracles Gifts of Healing Helps in Government Tongues and afore vers 8. those gifts which are called the manifestation of the Spirit given to every man to profit withall because of their use to the edification of the Church of that time are reckoned as followeth the word of Wisdome the word of Knowledge Faith gifts of Healing Miracles Prophecy Discerning of Spirits Tongues Interpretation of Tongues and 1. Pet. iv 11. Speaking and Ministring But that which is gathered hence is but in consequence to the two sorts of Elders supposed out of the Text aforesaid For out of these passages are culled the gifts of Ruling or Helps in Government and Ministring the offices of Pastours of Doctours or Teachers upon presumption of the difference aforesaid to argue That the Ministeries appointed to continue in the Church till our Lords coming to judgement are that of Pastours to preach in the Church that of Rulers or Helps in the government Elders of the people to assist in Ruling and last of all Doctours or Teachers to reade lessons in point of Religion not medling with Government besides Deacons to whom the gift of Ministring belongeth Here it is plain there is work cut out And sure it is a fit place to take into consideration the first part of that Office we pretend to prove common to Bishop and Presbyters consisting in labour in the word and doctrine as it was in the Primitive time and is understood by the Apostle Which withall will make appear upon what sort of persons the Rule of the Church was estated Without doubt when we have named the Preservation of the true faith by preventing the creeping in of heresies and errours the Instruction of those that are converted in the mysteries of the faith Diligence in propagating it by converting more and more we have named a very great work of labour in the word and doctrine and yet specified nothing but that which is conteined in the Presbyters office from the beginning For when the Apostle Acts xx 29. foretelleth to the Presbyters of Ephesus the coming in of grievous wolves that should not spare the flock and the rising up of perverse Teachers it is to the purpose to put them in mind verse 31 to be watchfull of these things as of their own charge vouching withall his own example vers 20. in preaching and teaching them both in publick and house by house admonishing them with teares every man in particular as it followeth vers 31. for them in their place and rank to follow And the rule of the Apostle Gal. vi 6. Let him that is catechized communicate to him that catechizeth in all good things without doubt aimeth at this private way of instruction whereof we speak Be the same said of the other Apostles instructions to his Elders 1. Pet. v. 2. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre because it is said the Elders that rule well are counted worthy of double honour that is reward but of a ready mind neither as being Lords of Gods heritage but being ensamples to the flock And again the office of Watching over the flock by which the leaders of the Church are charactered Heb. xiii 17. the parts of a Bishop in the instructions of Timothy and Titus that concern Teaching and Instructing in the faith as by the meaning of the words they may consist so for my part they are undoubtedly taken to consist most an end for the time of the Apostles in that private diligence those abilities that watchfulnesse that Presbyters were to use in guiding and instructing particular persons of Christians which in consequence must be understood of that labour in the word and doctrine specified in the leading Text 1. Tim. v. 17. And the reason shall be because then to the best of my judgement which if it prove otherwise then shall the spirits of the Prophets be subject to the Prophets the work of
not yet made therefore he did not intend there should be any such in the Church Rather let me argue that because S. Paul left two of his principall Disciples in two principall places with charge to plant Presbyteries as there was means to propagate Churches therefore he gave a pattern of that which these Disciples and all the Church was to do afterwards in settling the government of those Churches in the Presbyteries of them and in their heads which themselves were for the time And this we shall find was done in good time in the Churches of Timothies charge if we take but a short consideration of the beloved Disciple John the Apostle and Evangelist what we find concerning him in Scriptures or otherwise received and credible in this nature He lived longest of all the Disciples as is said and he will easily shew us Bishops over the Churches of Timothies charge for such without doubt were the seven Churches of Asia unto whom the Apostle sending from our Lord seven Epistles ii and iii. chapt of his Revelation directeth them to the Angels of those Churches a style not competible to a person of common rank and the act of directing Epistles to one in the name and behalf of the whole Church arguing the eminence of the head fit to answer for the body he representeth Herewith agree the words of Clemens Alexandrinus in Eusebius iii. 23. concerning this Apostle that being returned from Patmus to Ephesus he used upon request to go among the neighbour-nations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is in some places to constitute Bishops to wit where there were Presbyteries afore that yet had none in some to found whole Churches in others to ordain a Clergie out of such as were signified by the Spirit as we reade of S. Paul and Timotheus For will you have these to be Bishops according to the use of the word in S. Paul where it is all one with Presbyters Sure we must needs think of such as his own writings make Angels of Churches Ignatius that was his Disciple according to some in all his Epistles specifieth and sometimes by name the Bishops of some the same Churches and some of others together with their Presbyteries and in particular Onesimus Timothie's successour at Ephesus Tertullian and Ireneus the most ancient we can alledge have named Polycarpus in particular made Bishop of Smyrna by this Apostle It is not possible to say more in this case So often as we find mention of government in particular Churches in Scripture so often we meet with Presbyteries or the heads of Presbyteries Apostles themselves or deriving their charge from the Apostles Nay it is very much not pretending that Bishops came on otherwise then to be in stead of the Apostles over particular Churches that there is so much to be said for their office out of Scriptures all written during their time CHAP. V. The Presbyterie at Antiochia S. Peter and S. Paul heads of the Church there Likewise of that at Rome The difference about their next Successours Epiphanius his conjecture upon it Another Clemens succeeded S. Peter and Linus S. Paul The succession of the Apostles there is unquestionable THe Church of Antiochia is remembred next to that of Jerusalem in the Acts of the Apostles but of the government thereof we have nothing so distinct or expresse in Scripture Yet this we reade Acts xiii 2. Now there were in the Church at Antiochia certain prophets and teachers And as they ministred unto the Lord and fasted the holy Ghost said Seperate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them And when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they sent them away That these Prophets and Teachers were all of them Presbyters of that Church is more then can be affirmed because it is nowhere set down But when we reade that they ministred unto the Lord which must be understood of the service of God in their assemblies especially in celebrating the Eucharist and gave imposition of hands we find among the number of them the works of ordinary Ministers when there was no higher rank then that of Presbyters able to do the like For as concerning the Heads of this Church we must have recourse to Ignatius his Epistle ad Magn. where he useth these words For at Antiochia the Disciples were first called Christians Paul and Peter founding the Church And in the Epistle ad Antioch if it be his as the other unquestionably is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is Ye are Pauls and Peters Disciples Remember Euodius that first had the rule of you put into his hands by the Apostles Be he what he will be that writ this let me be bold to say it agreeth marvellous well with what hath been said and with the Scripture In which it is plain there were at the beginning two congregations of Christians at Antiochia one of the Circumcision the other converted from the Gentiles because S. Peter Gal. ii 12. fearing those of the Circumcision withdrew himself and ate no more with the Gentiles In regard of the care of which two congregations performed by S. Peter and S. Paul according to the division agreed upon Gal. ii 9. the words of Ignatius are to be verified where he maketh both Apostles founders of the Church at Antiochia Who finding themselves imployed in other parts of the world took the same course with this Church which S. Paul did with those he commended to Timothy and Titus and put both congregations by that time united and concorporate in one under the charge of Euodius predecessour to Ignatius These two Apostles are usually counted founders of the Church at Rome as well as of that of Antiochia Ireneus iii. 3. Fundantes itaque instituentes beati Apostoli Ecclesiam Lino Episcopatum Ecclesiae administrandae tradiderunt Hujus Lini Paulus in iis quae sunt ad Timotheum Epistolis meminit Succedit autem ei Anacletus Post eum tertio loco ab Apostolis Episcopatum sortitur Clemens Where you see he referreth the foundation of that Church to both the Apostles as doth Dionysius also of Corinth some hundred and twentie years after their death in Eusebius Eccles hist. iii. 26. and others of later stamp sans number Whereupon Epiphanius Haer. 27. reckoning the succession of the Bishops of Rome putteth Peter and Paul in the first place But yet observe further the difference between the words of Ireneus which put Linus after the Apostles and the Latine Church which according to S. Hierome Catal. Script in CLEM. reckoneth Clemens in that place which Tertullian the most ancient of that language lib. De Praescript averreth To which difference we may ascribe the confusion that Baronius hath observed in the Pontificall book under the name of Pope Damasus an ancient piece but pieced indeed out of severall writings and crosse to one another divers times As for the purpose when it