Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	bishop_n	council_n	great_a	3,522	5	3.6835	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A71123	A learned and very usefull commentary upon the whole prophesie of Malachy by ... Mr. Richard Stock ... ; whereunto is added, An exercitation upon the same prophesie of Malachy, by Samuel Torshell.	Stock, Richard, 1569?-1626.; Torshell, Samuel, 1604-1650. Exercitation vpon the prophecy of Malachy.	1641 (1641)	Wing T1939; ESTC R7598	653,949	676

ungodly Patrons to enrich themselves and better their state and portion thinke any body sufficient to discharge if he can change Peters voyce Acts 3.6 Silver and gold have I store or if he want that if he can part stakes and divide it take thirds or stand to his courtesie though he have not a whit of Elisha's spirit nor any knowledge in his lips such a one if they may be judges there is none to him as David said of Goliahs sword and more fit then one that hath Elisha's double spirit doubled upon him and will looke as he may to have that which God hath given him If we will make them judges either the Apostle Paul forgot himselfe or the Printer by negligence left out a word 2 Corinth 2.16 for it should be Who is not sufficient for these things But these Ieroboams which bring in Ministers of the lower sort of the people because they fill the hand shall have Ieroboams punishment 1 Kings 13.33.34 Qui potestatem facit volenti Ecclesiam corrumpere is certè author fuerit corū omnium quae perdita illius audacia turbaverit Chrysost de Sacerd. 3. Like to these are carnall parents who bring up their children onely so farre as they may be capable by the law of a living but care not for other sufficiencie onely perhaps for credit and complement sake that they be able now and then to make a Sermon in some place of honour and fame And they will provide and purchase livings and benefices for them and thrust them into them To these and their like I may apply that Dan. 1.10 And to these may I adjoyne those Ministers which themselves having knowledge yet I know not out of what corruption it commeth they thinke a few men of learning is enough If a few Parishes in a Citie or Countrey have learned men and preachers as if all Ministers should not be men of knowledge Vse 3 To reprove all Ministers who are ignorant whose lips have not knowledge who though they should be good Scribes yet are as ignorant of the word of God as Samuel was in his childhood of the voyce of God 1 Sam. 3.4 So unable are they for that place Like to Balaam Num. 22. that though God forbad him yet for gain he would needs go So these for the wages of iniquitie when as God by denying them gifts hath said Go not yet they will threap kindnesse of him and will go As Ahimaaz 2 Sam. 18.23 that would needs run to carry the King newes from the Campe but when he came he knew nothing So these needs must they be Ministers of the Gospel Messengers of glad tidings such as will carry newes from the King to the Campe but when they come to tell their message they know nothing no more or often not so much as many of their flockes as Hosea 4.4 Vse 4 To admonish every man how he takes this calling upon him that he finde in himselfe some competent sufficiencie for it not to be perswaded by friends drawn by others not thinking it is enough when he hath the calling of the Church for he must be a man of knowledge These things may increase other mens sinnes but not lessen his owne for he must be accepted by that is in him therfore must he be studious and of some competent parts before and still continue in reading and looke to learning as 1 Tim. 4.13.16 For he shall finde himselfe still bound to study and to have need of it daily for so great a worke to finde out knowledge for his people the Word being so deep as it is Bernard Object Whether if he have not gifts not knowledge is he a Minister or not Answer He is though not such as he should as he is a Minister which is corrupt and lewd though not as he should From these words some of our Papists do gather that the Priests could not erre and so by consequent not now the Bishops nor a Councel The reason is because this is a promise and God keeps his promises * The Councell of Chalcedon not denied to be a lawfull Councell equalled the Bishop of Constant with the Bishop of Rome in authoritie honour and other priviledges save onely in precedence which they say is an error The first Councell of Nice decreed That those hereticks who followed Paulus Samosatenus should againe be baptized as Cyprian and the Anabaptists The second of Nice decreed That Images should be worshipped and that Angels had bodies and that the soules of men were corporall Why else did Augustine appeale from the Councell of Africa where Cyprian was present to the Scriptures affirming we may not doubt of the Scriptures but of them it is lawfull lib. 2. de Baptist cont Donatist cap. 3. Concilia plenaria errare posse dicens If the Qu. be of the authoritie of the Pope whether greater then a Councell Hierom answeres Si authoritas quaeritur major orbis est urbe But aske the Councell of Constance which deposed Iohn 23. and chose Martin 5. Either the Councell erred or else Martin was no lawfull Pope Then all his successors were schismatickes no lawfull Popes To this I answer It is no promise but a commandment shewing what manner of man a Minister ought to bee The same which the next sentence is Againe I affirme that if it be a promise it is generall for the reason is generall to all yea and particular to every one But the Scripture is manifest that both particular Priests and generall Councels of Priests have erred In general are these Isaiah 59.10 Jerem. 6.13 and 14.14 which places shew that the most of the Priests and Prophets were then corrupt Now if there should have been a Councell gathered of these what good might be hoped for from them by going to the Councell they might have changed their places but not their mindes they would have been the same in a Councell they were at home Besides is it not manifest that Councels have erred 1 Kings 22. But Bellarmine happily will answere they were a Councell of Prophets not Priests gathered by the King not the high Priest Then see a Councel of Priests gathered by the high Priest erring John 9.22 and 11.53 and Mark 14.64 But Bellarmine will say that a Councell of the Jewes lawfully called before Christ could not erre but he being come they might The ground must be because they are not Priests neither the high Priest but this is false for the Priestood of Aaron was not abolished till Christ became a Priest which was not till his sacrifice for if they had been then had he sinned in communicating with them And if this were so it were marvell how the Rhemists and the generall Popish argument will hold who by the example of Caiaphas Joh. 11.49 proves that the Pope cannot erre though he be wicked for if he were not a high Priest then holds not this argument but he was a high Priest and they all Priests and yet

heare from God Mat. 15.3 why doe you also transgresse the commandements of God by your tradition for ever his command is above them and theirs else this were to make them gods and God man and were a deed of Idolatry performed unto them Martin Luther sayd well that in keeping of the first precept was shewed obedience of all the rest for hereby we acknowledge God to be our God in preferring his will before the will of any other And so whose will we preferre before Gods we take them to be our god The Apostle makes the Devill to be the Prince of this World because men obey his will before Gods so in this Therefore if the question be of these two God must first be obeyed a Honora patrem tuum sed si te à vero patre non separat tamdiu scito sanguinis copulam quamdiu ille suum noverit creatorem alioquin Psal 45.10 Hieron Ep. 8. ad Furiam Honour thy father but so as he draw thee not from thy true father so long acknowledge the bond of blood as he acknowledgeth his Creator otherwise as it is Psal 45. hearken O daughter forget thine owne people and thy fathers house saith St. Hierome to Furia And his reason is b Non es ejus cui nata es sed cui renata qui te grandi pretio redemit sanguine suo thou art not his of whom thou wert borne but new borne who hath redeemed thee with a great price even his blood And Clemens Rom. Epistola 4. to the sayd purpose c Authores non sunt vitae nostrae parentes sed ministri non enim vitam praebent sed ingrediendi in vitam exhibent ministerium solus deus vitae author fons est S. Clem. Rom. Ep. 4. Our parents are not the authors but the instruments of our life they give not life but are the meanes of entring it only God is the author and fountaine of life he is then to be preferred and his commandement and not as many who have excuse for things they doe our fathers did so or they commanded us In things wherein God hath neither commanded nor forbidden it is sufficient but where either there must they take notice of it and obey him But yet he must doe it with due respect and reverence manifesting no contempt of their authority Some will demand The magistrate commands me one thing and my parents a contrary what must I doe whom must I obey It is answered that the magistrate must be obeyed 〈◊〉 God hath given him a larger Commission then to them for they themselves are subject as their children who neither may doe nor command contrary to their authority but doing so he sinneth and the sonne sinneth in obeying Againe Princes commands commonly respect common good and the good that is more common is more excellent a common good must not be neglected for a private nor this preferred before it A mans countrey is to be prefer●●● before his parents and the goods of it And to obey them were not a good thing for d Bonum non suo loco non est bonum a good thing out of its place is not good blood out of the veines in other vessels is hurtfull though in his place the life consist in it A good thing not done in his place were better undone yea it cannot be well done Moreover we must distinguish betwixt the affection and action A man may love his parents better then the magistrate but he must obey him rather as he may love a good man better then a great man yet in many cases he is not bound to doe so much for him The first because God hath shewed his speciall love more to him then them The second because God hath given him a great authority of command So 't is in this inward affection and outward obedience because the bond of nature is stronger in the one and the force of authority is greater in the other Finally if the things prejudice the State they must not be obeyed but if it doe not prejudice the publique good and be much benefit to a private parent so the ends of the two be regarded no contempt of authority shewed a man be content to abide the penalty A man may disobey and prefer Parents before Magistrates without sinne to God As in the case of Hester and Mordecah and the Jewes and the Kings commandement Vse 3 What if my Father commands me one thing and my master the contrary I am a servant or an apprentice What must I doe Answ As before obey thy master for thy father hath given over his authority to him over whom he hath no power for his power is not subordinate to thy fathers as a Steward or Tutor wherein there is reservation but absolute And thou art now of another regiment and corporation But yet as before thy affection may be more to thy Father but thy labour and service to thy master thou mayst wish his good more but thou must work for and procure the others good for for that end thou wast placed under his power But if without neglect of thy masters affaires thou may be helpfull to thy parents standing in need of thy helpe or by leave and consent thou art no more free to refuse now then before Vse 4 I am the Daughter of my Father he hath bestowed me in marriage if the commands of husband and father crosse one another whom must I obey undoubtedly thy husband for the father hath given over his authority to him And more then in the former both thy affection and action must be more to thy husband love him better and obey him rather For Gen. 2.24 is spoken comparatively when the one must be forsaken or in cases that so fall out that both be in question For he ceaseth not to be a father still but reserveth to him as reverence so obedience while it is not crosse yea in some things he may challenge it that are crosse if it be not to the prejudice of thy husbands good and greatly for his helpe yea and thou must obey him with some hazard of thy selfe so there be no contempt of the authority of thy husband As in the case of Hester which serves both for a subject and a wife Hitherto of their obedience now of their subjection and submission and this may consist in these things First for correction Doctr. Children must submit themselves to their Parents to be rebuked and corrected by them It is that which we have Pro. 15.5 A foole despiseth his fathers instruction but he that regardeth reproofe is prudent When the Apostle maketh it a reason for subjection to God Hebr. 12.9 10. it must needs hold in this yea the Apostles will carry it not only when they doe it justly and from sufficient matter but for a wrong cause which the tenth verse sheweth implying thereby that this submission is required when they shall correct of a spleene or a