Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	age_n	church_n	time_n	2,142	5	3.6322	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A31482	Certain briefe treatises written by diverse learned men, concerning the ancient and moderne government of the church : wherein both the primitive institution of episcopacie is maintained, and the lawfulnesse of the ordination of the Protestant ministers beyond the seas likewise defended, the particulars whereof are set downe in the leafe following.		1641 (1641)	Wing C1687A; ESTC R8074	96,833	184

both see the Apostles and conferred with them unto h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Eleutherius who when Irenaeus wrote had the charge of that Bishoprick in the twelfth place after the Apostles Concerning whom and the integrity which then continued in each other succession from the Apostles dayes Hegesippus who at the same time published his History of the Church saith thus i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hegesip apud Euseb lib. 4. hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soter succeeded Anicetus and after him was Eleutherius Now in every succession and in every City all things so stand as the Law and the Prophets and our Lord doe preach When this k Cum Elcutherius vir sanctus Pontificatui Romanae Ecclesiae praeesset misit ad eum Lucius Britanncrum Rex epistolam obsecrans ut per ejus mandatum Christianus efficeretur Et mox essectum piae poslulationis consecutus est su sceptamque fidem Britanni usque in tempora Diocletiani Principis inviolatam integramque quietâ pace servabant Bed hist ecclesiast Anglor lib 1. cap. 4. Eleutherius as our Bede relateth was Bishop of the Church of Rome Lucius King of the Brittaines sent an Epistle to him desiring that by his meanes he might be made Christian. Who presently obtained the effect of his pious request and the Brittaines kept the faith then received sound and undefiled in quiet peace untill the times of Dioclesian the Emperour By whose bloudy persecution the faith and discipline of our Brittish Churches was not yet so quite extinguished but that within ten yeares after and eleven before the first generall Councell of Nice three of our Bishops were present and subscribed unto the Councell of Arles l Tom. 1. Concilior Gall i.e. à Sirmondo edit pag 9. Eborius of Yorke Restitutus of London and Adelsius of Colchester called there Colonia Londinensium The first root of whose succession we must fetch beyond Elentherius and as high as S. Peter himselfe if it be true that he m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaphrast Commentar de Petro Paulo ad diem 29. lunii constituted Churches here and ordained Bishops Presbyters and Deacons in them as Symeon Metaphrastes relateth out of some part of n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Eusebius as it seemeth that is not come unto our hands But to returne unto the Angels of the seven Churches mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn by what hath been said it is apparent that seven singular Bishops who were the constant Presidents over those Churches are pointed at under that name For other sure they could not be if all of them were cast into one mould and were of the same quality with Polycarpus the then Angell of the Church in Smyrna who without all question was such if any credit may bee given herein unto those that saw him and were well acquainted with him And as Tertullian in expresse termes affirmeth him to have been placed there by S. Iohn himselfe in the testimony before alledged out of his o Tertull. Praescript c. 32. Similiter Hieronymus in Catal. script Ecclesiast cap. 17. in Polycarpo Nicepherus lib. 3. Hist Ecclesiast cap. 2. Prescriptions so doth he else-where from the order of the succeeding Bishops not obscurely intimate that the rest of that number were to be referred unto the same descent p Habemus Ioannis alumnas Ecclesias Nam etsi Apocalypsim ejus Marcion respuit ordo tamen Episcoporum ad originem recensus in Ioannem stabit auctorem Sic caeterarum generositas recognoscitur Tertulsian a lvers Marcion lib. 4. c. 5. We have saith he the Churches that were bred by Iohn For although Marcion doe reiect his Revelation yet the order of the Bishops reckoned up unto their originall will stand for Iohn to bee their Founder Neither doth the ancient Writer of the Martyrdome of Timothy mentioned by Photius meane any other by those seven Bishops whose assistance he saith S. Iohn did use after his returne from Patmos in the government of the Metropolis of the Ephesians For q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phot. Bibliothec. num 254. being revoked from his exile saith he by the sentence of Nerva he betook himselfe to the Metropolis of Ephesus and being assisted with the presence of SEVEN Bishops he tooke upon him the government of the Metropolis of the Ephesians and continued preaching the word of piety untill the Empire of Trajan That he remained with the Ephesians and the rest of the brethren of Asia untill the dayes of Trajan and that during the time of his abode with them he published his Gospell is sufficiently witnessed by r Irenae advers heraes lib 2 cap. 39. item lib. 3. c. 1. 3. Irenaeus That upon his returne from the Iland after the death of Domitian hee applyed himselfe to the government of the Churches of Asia is confirmed likewise both by ſ Euseb lib. 3. hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieronym in Catal. scrip Ecclesiast cap. 9. Eusebius and by t Hierom who further addeth that u Id. ibid. Praefar in Evangel Matthaei at the earnest intreaty of the Bishops of Asia he wrote there his Gospell And that he himselfe also being free from his banishment did ordaine Bishops in diverse Churches is clearely testified by Clement of Alexandria who lived in the next age after and delivereth it as a certaine truth which he had received from those who went before him and could not be farre from the time wherein the thing it selfe was acted x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexandrin in lib. de divite salvando qui falso Origenis nomine habeture editus ad calcem tomi 3. Commentariorum Michaelis Ghislerii Euseb hist lib. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When S. Iohn saith hee Domitian the Tyrant being dead removed from the Iland of Patmos unto Ephesus by the intreaty of some he went also unto the neighbouring nations in some places constituting Bishops in others founding whole Churches Among these neighbouring Churches was that of Hierapolis which had Papias placed y Euseb lib. 3 hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron Catal. script Ecclesiast cap. 18. Chronic. ad ann Trajin● 2. Bishop therein That this man was z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenae advers haetes lib. 5. cap. 33. a hearer of S. Iohn and a companion of Polycarpus is testified by his owne Schollar a Irenaeus vir Apostolicorum temporum Papiae auditcris Evangelistae Iohannis discipulus Episcopus eccle sia Lugdunen sis Hieronym epist 29. ad Theodoram Irenaeus and that he conversed with b Hi sunt Presbyteri Apostolorum discipuli quorum Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 36. meminit the disciples of the Apostles and of Christ also he himself doth thus declare in the Proëme of the five bookes which he intituled A declaration of the words of the Lord. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita enim ex Graecis MSS. vetere

Clericus hoc facere potest qui verò non habet non potest conferre I say that the Pope may delegate this to a simple Priest and not to a Lay-man as I suppose and by the Popes delegation and help of the Sacrament which he hath he may conferre whatsoever he hath and therefore holy orders yea every Clerke can doe this thing but he that hath it not cannot conferre And Rosellus Volunt Doctores Rosell ut suprà quòd Papa potest committere cuilibet Clerico ut conferat quae habet ipse ut si est Presbyter possit ordinare Presbyterum diaconus diaconum ex mandato Papae i. The Doctors are of opinion that the Pope may commit to any Clerke that he may conferre these things which he himselfe hath as if he be a presbyter he may ordaine a Presbyter if he be a Deacon he may make a Deacon at the Popes commandement And againe Ego teneo quod Papa possit demandare Presbytero quòd conferat omnes sacros ordines in hoc sto cum sententiâ Canonistarum i. I hold that the Pope may give commission to Presbyters to conferre all sacred orders and in this I stand with the opinion of the Canonists MOreover you hold the presence of three Bishops See the first book cap. 3. as a substantiall point in Episcopall Consecration and thereupon urge a Nullitie against the reformed Churches accounting it an institution of the Apostles which they made the Lord so appointing Ibid. cap. 7. Yet you allow of Pope Pelagius the first who was consecrated only by two Bishops and one Presbyter Yea it is an usuall thing in your Church for one Bishop with two Abbats to consecrate a Bishop by the Popes dispensation If these things may be done by the dispensation of a Pope much rather by the over-ruling command of invincible Necessity For put case all Bishops in the World were dead should Ordination cease for ever Or if it should continue by whom should it be performed PHILOD If this should happen then I would say with Armachanus Armachan Summ. contra Armen lib. 11. cap. 7. ut suprà §. 11. ubi cap. 7. reponend pro 2.3.4.5.6 Videtur quòd si omnes Episcopi essent defuncti sacerdotes minores possent Episcopos ordinare i. It seemeth that if all Bishops were dead the lesser Priests might ordaine Bishops ORTHOD. But what if all the Bishops in the World were infected with Heresy and would ordaine none but those which would approve their Heresics were it not the like case PHILOD These are curious Questions and impossibilities for the Church of God shall alwaies be splendent and glorious having Pastors conspicuous as the starres and lights of the World ORTHOD. The Sunne and Moone are glorious and great lights and yet they may be not only clouded but eclipsed Where was this splendor in the daies of Elias at the passion of Christ or when the world did wonder to see it self become Arrian But if these cases seeme impossibilities I will propound one which is very possible Suppose a Spanish Armado transporting men and women and among them one Priest for the further plantation of the West Indies being long tossed with tempestuous winds should at length suffer shipwrack upon a strange Coast of an unknown Island yet so that most of the People by the providence of God escape and come safely to the land Now they are in another World their ship is sunke their tackling gone they are void of all means and hope of returne The Priest he instructeth them baptiseth their Children and perform th other Priestly offices still expecting if any ship should arrive or approach to that Coast Thus many years passing their hopes faile their hearts faint their aged Priest is even at deaths doore now tell mee what shall he doe must he leave his congregation without a guide the sheepe of Christ without a sheapheard Alas this were the plaine path-way to Paganisme Or shall he not rather make choice of some most eminent among them for knowledge and vertue and by fasting prayer and imposition of hands set them a part for the Priests office PHILOD I am loath to answere Vtopian cases yet of this I am well assured that holy Church teacheth according to the Councell of Florence that it is lawfull for a Lay-man or Woman Infidell or Pagan to baptise in case of necessity least the people should perish ORTHOD. Was not the right of Baptizing given by Christs own Commission to the Apostles and their Successors that is according to your own interpretation only to such as are in holy Orders yet you allow it to Lay-men which have not the character of Order and to women which are not capable thereof Now consider advisedly with your selfe if a Presbyter come not neerer to a Bishop seeing they are both one order then a Pagan to a Presbyter And with what face can you affirme that a Pagan may give that character which he hath not and deny that a Presbyter may give that which he hath If you say that Baptisme is simply necessary by the ordinance of God as a meanes of salvation I may not digresse to handle that point only this I say that as your Church maketh Baptisme necessary in respect of every particular man so it maketh Orders simply necessary in respect of the whole Church teaching that without the sacrament of Order there can be no Church and without a Church no Salvation Wherefore as you avouch that a Lay-man may baptize least the people should perish so by the same reason you must avouch that the Spanish Priest might ordaine least the Church should perish PHILOD IF it should be admitted in this imaginary case of the Spanish Priest what is that to Luther Why should he presume to doe it when there was such store of Bishops Or why should any man be so new fangled as to receive it other waies then in former ages ORTHOD. We must consider the difference of times For during the sway of Popery men being blinded with the darknesse thereof did ignorantly undertake a corrupt calling which notwithstanding the corruption did give them authority to preach the truth though as yet it was not revealed unto them But when the light had begun to shine and to discover amongst other Popish impurities the abhomination of your sacrificing Priesthood they whose eyes were opened to see the same could not with a good Conscience receive imposition of hands from your Bishops because they would ordaine none but in a Popish manner to a Popish Priesthood and that with an oath to maintaine the Pope and his abuses For otherwise neither Luther would have ordained nor learned men receaved ordination from him or from any others but only from Bishops Which thing saith a Georg. Princeps Anhaltin Concion super Matth. 7. Prince Anhalt wee alwaies and M. Luther of most godly memory both in words and in writings yea and in publicke sermons in the Cathedrall Church