Selected quad for the lemma: word_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
word_n	bishop_n	call_v	presbyter_n	3,889	5	10.6948	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41681	The court of gentiles. Part III, The vanity of pagan philosophy demonstrated from its causes, parts, proprieties, and effects, namely pagan idolatrie, Judaic apostasie, gnostic infusions, errors among the Greek fathers, specially Origen, Arianisme, Pelagianisme, and the whole systeme of papisme or antichristianisme : distributed into three parts, mystic, scholastic, and canonic theologie / by Theophilus Gale.	Gale, Theophilus, 1628-1678.	1677 (1677)	Wing G141; ESTC R10994	239,335	264

we are to take notice that something hereof was found in them very early and that out of a symbolising humor thereby to induce the Gentiles to an embracement of the Christian Religion as we find it in Cyprian l. 3. Epist 15 16. Tertul. de Moneg Origen l. 3. in Job August Epist 68. And the manner how they were introduced seems this After the death of any Christian specially if a Martyr the following year on the day of his departure they made public Commemoration in the public Assemblie of his Faith Christian Exploits and Divine Assistances vouchsafed to him with prayers to God that he would vouchsafe them the like good issue Then the Parents or Friends of the Deceased to render the Commemoration more solemne presented to the Church or to the Poor of the Congregation then present a quantitie of Bread and other food Many also to keep alive their memorie in the Church would leave on their last Wil and Testament certain Legacies to be paid annually on the day of their death And such were the foundations of these Anniversary Commemorations Yet these Offerings were looked on in those Primitive Churches not as Expiatory Sacrifices but only as Memorials of the Faith and Christian Courage with other good deeds of their deceased friends as we are assured Traitè des Ancien Ceremonies l'an 200. p. 20. But lastly to confesse the truth it is certain that many of those Primitive Christians at least in the third and fourth Centuries did too much symbolise with the Gentiles Demon worship and particularly in these their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sacrifices for the dead This is incomparably wel explicated by Is Cas Exer. 16. N 43. where he shews that these Sacred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teletae were in use among the Grecians who performed their chief Sacreds by Night and they were various some greater some lesser They were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mysteries and the operation of these Sacreds was named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they who partaked of them were said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The scope of these Sacrifices they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end or consummation This end they interpreted the perduction of the Soul to that state in which it was before its descent into the Bodie So Olympiodorus in Platon Phaedon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The scope of these Teletae is to reduce souls to that end from which they at first descended as from its principe By which it 's evident that they looked on these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teletae to be as Purgatories for the purifying of the Soul Thence Augustin de Trin. l. 3. c. 10. saith That Satan hath cast deluded souls headlong into Hel by promising the purgation of their souls by those which they cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teletas Which gives us a great account of that Antichristian Purgatorie so much pleaded for by the Sectators of Antichrist and taken up by them in Imitation of those Pagan Teletae Of which see more Court Gent. P. 1. B. 2. C. 9. § 10. This Philosophic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Purgatorie began indeed very early to gain footing in the Churches of Christ Antichristian Purgatorie from the Schole of Alexandria and as we need no way dout had its foundation from the Schole of Alexandria where the Pythagorean and Platonic Philosophie was then in great vogue whence Origen with many other pieces of Demon-worship sucked in this also of Purgatorie Sacrifices and Prayers for the Dead which the Monkes his successors afterwards digested and improved and at last Antichrist stablished and confirmed by his Ecclesiastic Canons as before These Antichristian Teletae or Sacrifices and Prayers for the Dead were come to some maturitie even in Augustin's time for he de Civit. Dei l. 8. c. 26 27. tels us of certain superstitiose persons who carried their Junkets to the Graves of Martyrs and there made their prayers c. And the Author of Traitè des Ancien Cerem pag. 39. affirmes that about the year 380 there was a considerable progresse wade in Prayers for the Dead And the same Author pag. 44. shews us how the Vigils or Watchings of the Dead as also the usage of Singing and Tapers at their Burials was brought into the Church about the year 400 as before Hence also sprang the Passing-Bel as they cal it at the Soul's departure out of the bodie which is alwaies in the Roman Church attended with Prayers Lastly al Funeral-treatments Orations Sermons Prayers at the Grave so much in request in the Roman Church seem al to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of these Demon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacrifices and Prayers for the dead thereby to redeem their Souls from Purgatorie c. SECT IV. Papal Primatie and Traditions from Ethnic Philosophie § 1. ANother piece of Antichrist's Canon-Law is that which concernes his Canonic Papal Primatie Antichrist's Canonic Primatic an Imitamen of the Pagan which we may reckon also as a part of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foretold 1 Tim. 4.1 For as Mede wel observes the whole of Antichristianisme is comprehended under this Prophetic character of Antichrist And indeed that the whole of Antichrist's Primatie is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or an Imitation of the Pagan Primatie stablished at Rome and elsewhere is evident from the confession of his own Canon-Law for Decret part 1. Distinct 21. Edit Colon. an 1631. pag. 62. I find according to this exact Version these very words Amongst the Priests there is some difference kept so that some are called simple Priests some arch-Arch-Presbyters some Chorepiscopi some Bishops some arch-Arch-Bishops some Metropolitans some Primates some Patriarches some summi Pontifices high Priests or Popes This difference was introduced chiefly from the Gentiles who called their Flamens some Arch-flamens others Proto-Flamens Thus the Canonist who indeed gives us a good Genealogie of al their Canonic Primatie I find this wel observed by learned Bochart Contre Veron part 3. Paragr 86. cap. 23. pag. 883. To the Ceremonies of the Jewes they have joined those of the Pagans It is upon this Model that they have built al their Papal Hierarchie c. I find the like observation in Grotius de Imp. Sum. Potest cap. 11. pag. 350. It may be demanded by what exemple chiefly the Episcopal dignitie was introduced into the Church That there were Degrees of Priests amongst the Gentiles is most evident Neither was this a new custome or proper only to the Greeks and their Descendents as the Discipline of the Druides teacheth us The Druides saies Caesar have one President who has the chiefest autoritie amongst them Druidibus praeest unus qui summam inter eos habet autoritatem Caes Comm. Also that the Preeminence of the Metropolitan Cities in Sacreds was very ancient Thucydides teacheth us who speaking of the Corcyreans Colonies of the Corinthians saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there

specially those of Origen and the Schole of Alexandria has been wel observed by that great French Divine Morelius in his Discipline de l' Eglise liv 2. chap. 6. pag. 101. Human Philosophie has corrupted many who desirous to mixe it with the Gospel disfigured the Doctrine thereof and at length made of it a pure Human Philosophie This happened not al at once but by little and little until it came to darken Grace For Origen endeavoring to exhort men to performe workes worthy of their Vocation extolled good workes without measure and the more to awaken men hereto he gave them to understand that these good workes were in their power and from their Free-wil Which opinion opened the dore to the Pelagians In general the ignorance of al Science has produced great evils but yet the greatest part have had their fource from Reason Human opinion and Philosophie which for this reason Tertullian rejected and banished from the Church as being the mistresse of Heresies Agen liv 3. chap. 14. pag. 260. Morelius addes That Philosophie and Curiositie corrupted this noble Schole of Alexandria and by consequent the Church Which ought therefore to be carefully avoided because these two evils are natural to Scholars who not contenting themselves with the simplicitie of the Gospel are ambitiose to beautifie it with human ornaments of Eloquence and Philosophie and from a rage to get knowlege would fain mount up higher than their very Doctors We find this mysterie of iniquitie excellently laid open by Owen Theolog. lib. 6. cap. 8. where he shews us how this Pagan Philosophie at first crept in amongst the Fathers to the great prejudice of Christian Theologie The sacred Chorus saies he of the Apostles being removed Satan again attemted the corrupting of Evangelic Truth and that not without successe For what he could not accomplish by open assault he gradually obtained in defense of the Truth For after the Apostles were removed the Patronage of Truth came into the hands of Learned men Of this number were Clemens Origen c. whom it sufficed not to use the Word and Spirit of God against the enemies of Truth but they were pleased to engage also with reasons drawen from secular learning And it happened in progresse of time that these Philosophic arguments which these learned men used in the defense of Truth yea the very termes and words were estimed as necessary parts of Religion But this Philosophic fatal evil did in a more particular manner infect the Church after the Peripatetic Philosophie which for some ages had lain neglected began to please Students in good literature For this Philosophie of Aristotle being revived and adorned by the Mahumedan Arabians and thence sucked in by the Scholemen they utterly abrogated the Evangelic Theologie And as many of the Fathers thus corrupted the Doctrine of the Gospel by Philosophic Notions and Infusions so in like manner the Worship of the Gospel was by their assuming Philosophic termes and rites greatly corrupted Pythagoras Plato and other of the Philosophers had in imitation of the Jewish Church their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And the Greek Fathers in imitation of these Philosophic Rites cal their Sacraments and other Mysteries by the same Names yea assume many of the same Rites to clothe Christs Mysteries withal Thus the spurious Dionysius Areopagita cals the Eucharist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Casaub Exer. 16. c. 43. assures us Of these Teletae see Court of the Gentil par 1. B. 2. c. 9. §. 10. that when the first Christians cal their Sacraments Teletas c. these and the like Names were transferred from the Sacreds of the Pagans The Grecians called the Deification of the Heroes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hence among the Fathers specially such as were Popishly inclined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is attributed to Saints But of this more fully in what follows of Antichristian Rites Ch. 2. S. 3. § 11. § 9. But to descend to particulars 1. Al those hel bred 1. The Samosatenus A●ian Heresie from Pagan Philosophie black Errors which struck at the Deitie of Christ had their foundation in Pagan Philosophie Such were the opinions of Samosatemus Arius c. As for the Heresie of Samosatenus and its traduction from Pagan Philosophie we find a good account in Melancthon Chron. lib. 3. of the state of the Church under Valerius and Aurelianus Paulus Samosatenus saies he who fel upon the blasphemie of Ebion and Cerinthus had this occasion for his Errors Plotinus the Philosopher who was Scholar to Ammonius reading in the Schole of Alexandria had mingled with his Philosophie Allegories touching the Eternal Word And in as much as there were many debates about these things from the writings of the Ancients Paulus Samosatenus drew thence his impostures and maintained that Jesus Christ was only man and that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word Joh. 1.1 We may not understand any person subsistent but the declaration and word of promise These Reveries were received with much applaudissement by curiose spirits and particularly by Zenobia Queen of Arabia and Dame of Antioch by whose means P. Samosatenus was maintained secure for ten years space This Heresie of Samosatenus denying the Divinitie of Christ was revived by Arius and that from the very same foundation of Platonic Philosophie yea in the very same Schole of Alexandria This is wel explicated by Aquinas Sum. part 1. Q. 32. A. 1. We find saith he in the Books of the Platonistes That in the beginning the Word was by which Word they understood not a person in the Trinitie but an Ideal Reason by which God made al things whence sprang the Error of Origen and Arius who followed the Platonistes herein So again in what follows Q. 34. Art 1. Aquinas assures us That Origen laid the foundation of Arianisme by affirming That the Word in Divine ' maters signified only Metaphorically not properly That Arius also had his Infusions from the Platonistes in this Schole of Alexandria is evident For Arius was a Presbyter in this Church and Student in this Schole where the Pythagorcan and Platonic Philosophie was at this time wholly in request for Aristotle came not in play til afterward which the learned Christians Clemens Alexandrinus Origen c. made use of as a medium to illustrate and prove the great mysteries of Faith touching the Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word mentioned Joh. 1.1 hoping by such symbolisings and claiming kindred with these Philosophic notions and traditions originally Jewish touching the Platonic 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they might gain very much credit and interest amongst these Platonic Sophistes Hence these learned Fathers Clemens and Origen made it their businesse to lay open the cognation betwixt Pagan Philosophie and the Mysteries of the Gospel proving that Philosophie was but a reflexe beam or broken derivation and tradition of Sacred Revelation Which designe and undertaking had been of excellent use had