Selected quad for the lemma: world_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
world_n	apostle_n	end_n	successor_n	1,912	5	9.1854	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A67119	Eleutherosis tēs aletheias, truth asserted by the doctrine and practice of the apostles, seconded by the testimony of synods, fathers, and doctors, from the apostles to this day viz. that episcopacie is jure divino / by Sir Francis Wortley ...	Wortley, Francis, Sir, 1591-1652.	1641 (1641)	Wing W3637; ESTC R34763	18,183	38

Divino because I find for it so many ipse dixit's in sacred Writ My judgment also is further strengthned therein by Reasons sufficient to settle humane belief Opinion we define Haerens dubia deveritate quorumvis in animo praesumptio A questionable and doubtfull presuming in ones conceit that a matter is true And Cognitio est rerum conceptarum per experientiam scientia Knowledge is a sure apprehension of the matters which we conceive by experience of their causes and undoubted grounds of truth And Resolution is Dubii depositio the abandoning of all doubting I am past opinion and acknowledge my selfe satisfied and well resolved that Episcopacie is Iure Divino and am ready to give an account thereof and endeavour so to doe in this Discourse I will not {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} withstand and resist or seek evasions or subtle answers to elude Gods Truth Nor doe I love {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to be in suspense having well weighed the truth here asserted I finde cause to say {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Great is the force of truth and hath prevailed To satisfie the World what reason I have of this my confidence I leave a Testimony thereof in this my discourse I define Episcopum Presbyterum cum additamento superioritatis quoad regimen in Ecclesia A Bishop to bee a Presbyter having an addition of superioritie for the government of Gods Church his charge is to oversee the Clergie and their flocks The word I confesse in a large signification may be taken for a Major of a Citie for hee is Over-seer thereof In Homer Ajex is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Bishop or Orderer of his Army But our Episcopus est Cleri Gregis in sua Dioecesi Is Over-seer of his Clergie and his flock bounded within his own Diocesse Hee is also called Presbyter an ancient and therefore experienced and able to informe and direct As for the inferiour Presbyter or ancient and Diaconus Minister or Servant they are distinct and subordinate to the Bishop or superiour Presbyter both in the New Testament and in the practice of the first Centurie and in all Ages even to this day Let it not stumble any man that the Apostles sometimes terme themselves and Bishops by the title of Presbyters they call themselves also Diaconos Deacons in a generall notion Our Presbyterians would have Bishops to be Pastores jure divine Praesides jure Ecclesiastico Principes jure humano Diabolico Pastors by Gods Law Presidents by Ecclesiasticall Law Lords by humane and Diabolicall law How faultie this assertion is let my following Discourse testifie Our Bishop is a Presbyter or ancient Pastour set in eminent superiority over the Clergie and their flocks with a relation to the government of them in matters Ecclesiasticall And such I say the Apostles instituted and to them gave a charg how to demean themselves A perpetuall Succession hereof by practice hath continued from Christs Apostles to this day Now for Ius divinum I take that to be of Divine Right which is warranted in sacred Scripture de credendis agendis in matters to be believed or done Let this serve for the present it wil be more enlarged occasionally in some part of this treatise Only here I adde that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the practice of the Apostles which never was questioned or excepted against and is recorded in the canonicall Scripture hath in it Ius Divinum and shews what is of divine right defacto These things being premised I proceed to Objections against my Assertion and Answere unto each of them particularly Eminent superiority Lordly authority over their people is that which the Lords of the Gentiles may do challenge practice as their due Iure human● by humane right Therefore {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} by law of things opposite eminent superiority and Lordly authority over the Clergie the people of God is that which Bishops ought not to challeng or practice Iure Divino For proofe hereof see Mat. 20. 25. 26. The Princes of the Gentiles Dominantur Lordly rule over them but you non sic not so or it shall not bee so with you And 1. Pet. 5. 2. 3. Feed the flock of the Lord taking the over-sight therof not by constraint but willingly not for filthy Lucre but of a ready minde neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage To this I answere that the measure of domination not the matter lies in the word sic and so is expounded by the words aforegoing not by constraint but willingly not churlishly or covetously not as though ye were Lords domineering over them but that yee may be ensamples to the flock Non herile aut Regale imperium exercentes sed pastorali superioritate paterna gubernatione utentes Not exercising a masterlike or Kingly command but using a pastorall superiority and fatherly government And so this rather as I conceive confirms superiority and Episcopacy then destroies them For the word sic so takes not away the legality but qualifies the power given by saying let it be used sic so This I prove to bee the meaning of the Apostle by this argument The practice of the Apostles is not contrary to Christs and their Doctrine and the sense thereof But the Apostles did practise eminent superiority and such lawfull authority as Christ forbids not over the Clergie and flock and instituted successors Therefore their doctrine allowed the same And so that cannot be meant by the words above which is pretended viz. that there should be a parity in the Clergie and that Episcopacie is Dominium in Clerum a Lordly rule over the Clergie and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} an usurped authority The successors which they instituted are warranted by Christ when hee said I am with you to the end of the world that is I am with you whilst you live and with successors in your stead governing and teaching the Church to the worlds end Hence it was that the Apostles ordained Bishops to succeed them so did the ancient Fathers in the purer times This course continued ever since The practice of the Apostles was in a superiority above others of the Clergie and to the Bishops whom they constituted to succeed themselves in place over the Clergie they gave a superior authority neither did they either practise or ever mention that parity in power which the presbyteriās so much endeavour to introduce And therefore the Apostles never understood the words as these men doe viz. that they should disallow of Bishops in superior authority above other of the Clergie To make the practice of the Apostles more evident I appeale to Saint Paul who gave to Timothy and Titus Episcopall power To the one in Ephesus to the other in Creet Now to cleere this let us first cleanse the spring head and then the streames will

ancient except another be setled and fixed which we are sure is right and fitted to our purpose which yet for all the workmans skill may have a private flaw in it which cannot be discovered by the most skilfull and so may the building fall on the builders head Thus much for the analogie and proportion betwixt Episcopacie and the Church government of the Jews Now in the third place wee come to prove that Episcopacie was pointed at and in some sort deciphered in the New Testament What I produced before concerning the authority of Ordination convention punishment and reward put upon some speciall persons may serve sufficiently to this purpose yet some thing more I will here adde Bee it so that when the Apostle saith {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} If any one desire the office of a Bishop hee desireth a good work that this is spoken of an inferior Bishop or Presbyter who is an Overseer of the people committed to his charge as well as of a Bishop Superiour who hath the oversight of the Clergie and people yet will it follow that if the office of an inferiour Bishop or Over-seer of his flock bee a good work as indeed it is then much more they who first have laboured in that painful harvest and afterward in their elder yeeres are advanced to the Superiour Bishops office of Over-seeing the Clergie of ordaining conventing and the like as above undergoe and performe {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} A good work of greater eminencie and more notable For certainly there cannot be a more blessed worke nor more holy calling in the Clergie then to succeed the glorious Apostles and Martyrs in their places and callings as heires doe their parents in their estates and possessions and to deliver and teach sacred Doctrine to faithfull men who shall bee able to teach others also as Saint Paul bids Timothy 2 Tim. 2. To this purpose S. Austin upon that Ps. 44. or as we have it 4● Propatribus tibi nati sunt filii Childrē shall rise in steed of their Fathers saith Patres m●ssi sunt Apostoli pro Apostolis filii tibi nati sunt constituti sunt Episcopi Hodie enim Episcopi qui sunt per ●orum orbem unde nati sunt Ipsa Ecclesia Pa●tes illes appellat Ipsa filios genuit ipsa illos constituit in sedibus Patrum The Fathers sent to us were the Apostles insteede of the Apostles the sons which were appointed are Bishops For at this day the Bishops in all the World from whom did they arise The Church it selfe calls them Fathers shee her selfe begot these Sons and shee her self hath put them into the seats of the Fathers Here yee see the succession of Bishops proved plainly by Saint Augustin as before by Ireneus Eusebius Ignatius and a cloud of witnesses who sealed their witnesse with their bloud and are those whose robes are washed in the bloud of the Lamb and who shall shine more brightly then the Cynosure amongst other starrs of Heaven Besides all the witnesses and proofes already brought I will produce one text more to prove Bishops to bee successors of the Apostles Iure divino In that great Synod ACT. 1. where were assembled the eleven Disciples and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} fere centum viginti other persons believer 120. Saint Peter moved the consideration of an election of one in the place of Iudas and urgeth two places of the Psalmes as prophecies which must be fulfilled Psal. 69. 26. and 109. 6. There the Holy Ghost prophesied by the mouth of David concerning Iudas Let his habitation be void and let no man dwell therein {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and let another take his Bishoprick Mark wee well the words and grant we these two assertions 1 That no man will say that there is a Tautologie or Vaniloquium in the words of sacred Scripture or that any word may be altered or can be beitered 2 That the Scriptures should be understood as neere as we can literally and as the plaine sense of the place will beare and so as may stand with the Analogie of other Scriptures These things being granted I thus argue That which the spirit of God by the mouth of a Prophet hath foretolde and the blessed Apostles in a Synod have ratified that is an undeniable truth and may pleade its Ius divinum But David did foretell by the inspiration of the Spirit of Prophecie that Episcopacie should succeed Apostleship and the Apostles ratified it in their Synod Therefore Episcopacie succeeded the Apostleship Iure divino It is not any other word which is attributed to Matthias place but {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} a Bishoprick and hee succeeded Iudas If any here object that Matthias had {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the Bishopricke of Iudas so that Iudas his Apostleship is there call'd a Bishopricke in a generall notion as it imports an office or charge And that therefore Episcopacy did not succeed Apostleship but both of them were of right attributed to the 12 chosen by Christ and both given to Matthias who succeeded Iudas I answer Suppose this be granted it maketh much more for what I intend For first if they be termes of so neere affinity that they serve to expresse one and the same office in a different regard then it followeth that in regard of their affinity the one may more easily succeed in the other place for where there is a likenesse of nature there is facilior transitus an easier change of one thing into another as of aire into fire because of their agreement in the quality of heat Secondly Seeing the terme of Apostle was by those and after-times in some sort appropriate to some few it remayned that the other term viz. Bishop should be left and turned over to their successors And with respect to this Matthias is expresly said to succeed in Iudas his Episcopacie and the chiefe Officers of the Clergie are termed Bishops rather then by any other name This we read to have beene the constant practice of the first Century in which as it is likely the Executors and Feoffees in trust of our Lord best understood the meaning of the Testatour and had gifts extraordinary ad Ecclesiam fidem stabiliendam as to establish our faith so Gods Church too and could best fit right terms to persons and callings But to come close to our selves This Isle received Christianity very soon even in the days of Tiberius as Gildas Brito a grave Authour writeth who wrote Anno 493. And as another Gildas after him confirmeth This Gildas was cald Albanicus and as some will have it preceded the other He testifies that after the dispersing of the Disciples by reason of the persecution Philip sent out of France Joseph of Arimathea and divers others who preached the Gospel in this Kingdome Their Doctrine as Malmesbury hath it was afterward