Selected quad for the lemma: heaven_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
heaven_n	church_n	key_n	peter_n	5,807	5	7.9067	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A87575	The angel of the Church of Ephesus no bishop of Ephesus, distinguished in order from, and superior in power to a presbyter. As it was lately delivered in a collation before the Reverend Assembly of divines. By Constant Jessop Minister of the Word at Fifeild in Essex. Imprimatur Charles Herle.	Jessop, Constantine, 1601 or 2-1658.	1644 (1644)	Wing J699; Thomason E42_22; ESTC R11787	72,800	73

multitude Now for as much as this is gain-said by our Hierarchists as a ridiculous evasion I will therefore confirme it against their contradiction and endeavour to make it evident that under one many may be many are meant This is the language and usuall stile of the holy Ghost 1. In visionall speeches Daniel in the narration and interpretation of the Kings dreame faith to Nebuchadnezzar f Dan. 2.38 Thou art this head of gold after thee shall arise another Kingdome inferiour unto thee The speech is directed to Nebuchadnezzar in his own person yet under one many are meant for not he alone but all the Kings precedent and succeeding in that Monarchie are the head of gold as Interpreters doe unanimously consent It is said in the verse following After thee shall another Kingdome arise yet all that have any insight in history both sacred and profane doe know that the Persian Monarchie which is the Kingdome there spoken of did not arise immediately upon the death of Nebuchadnezzar the Great to whom this dreame and interpretation of it is made knowne but upon the death of Belshazzar his Grand-childe So that under the Person of one many of the same order and degree are here necessarily to be understood The Lord represents to g Chap. 1.18 19 20 21. If any desire more instances of this kinde for the confirmation of this I refer him to the reply to Dr Downhams defence part 1. l. 3. c. ● sect 7. Zechariah in a vision soure hornes which did scatter Judah and Jerusalem and foure Carpenters which were sent to fray them away and to repaire Jerusalem Will any sober man hence conclude the Persons which scattered Judah were individually foure no more nor no lesse and the Repairers of Jerusalem just foure and no more yet this inference will hold as well as that which our Prelates make from this vision in the Revelation Christ holdeth in his hand seven starres which seven starres are the Angels of the Churches therefore the Angels of the Churches are just seven and no more They may with as much colour of reason and truth extort another conclusion also thus Christ holdeth in his hand seven starres of the first magnitude and none but them which seven starres are the Angels by a fixed superioritie Therefore Christ hath care of the direction and protection of none but the Bishops which are the starres of the first magnitude the Angels by a fixed superiority Take one instance more When the Apostle speakes of that grand Apostate Antichrist he speakes of him in the singular number h ● Thes 2.3 That man of sinne the sonne of perdition now albeit the i Bell tib 3. de Rom. Pent. ● 2. K. Secudus locus Graeci contrabunt significationem ad unam tem certam ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominem in cōmuni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hominem singularem fignificet Et sanè mirum est nullum adversariorum qui tamen jact ant linguarum peritiam hoc animadvertisse Romish Cardinall doe from the article prefixed when he is st●●ed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that maen of sinne the sonne of perdition that wicked one plead for a restriction to one individuall person and wonder at it that none of the adversaries doe take notice of it notwithstanding all their skill in the tongues of which they so much boast yet how ridiculous a conceit this is you all know Our Polemicall Divines have sufficiently discovered the falshood and vanitie of this assertiō of which I may truly say as our learned Fulk doth in his reply to the Rhemists who trod in the steps of their fellow Jesuite fore-mentioned k in 2 Thes 2. ver 3. annot ● This is so false that young children which have scarce tasted of the Greek tongue are able to disprove it by infinite Examples 2. In other places of Scripture where the speech is directed unto one yet under that one others of the same order and societie are meant Our Saviour Christ said to Peter l Matth. 16.19 I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven though at Rome under the Popes nose in a conclave of Cardinals the limitation of this to Peters person as Christs Vicar would be readily embraced yet you all know Reverend and Beloved how repugnant this is to Scripture in which regard he would be hooted at as having a Pope in his belly that should in any Reformed Church confine the power of the Keyes to Peters person Yea m de rep eccles lib. 1. cap. 7. n. 3. Antonius de Dominis will tell us that it would be a monstrous thing indeed to deny that our Lord did there direct his speech to Peter and promise him the Keyes which he did after wards infallibly conferre on him But it would be monstri majoris simile more monstrous by farre so to limit this promise and the execution thereof unto Peter as that it should imply an exclusion of the rest of the Apostles Hence divers of the Fathers have observed that there under the Person of One to wit Peter to whom the speech is primarily directed is an united multitude the Church to be understood Thus Austin sundry times speaks n Tract 50. in Evang. Iohan. Iudas malus Corpus malorum significat quomodo Petrus corpus bonorum corpus ecclesiae imò corpus ecclesiae sed in bonis nam si in Petro non esset sacramentum Ecclesiae non ●i diceret Dominus Tibi dabo claves regni ●oelorum Wicked Judas signifieth the body of the wicked as Peter the body of the good the body of the Church which consisteth of the good otherwise the Lord would not say to him● I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven And elsewhere o Tract 124. in idem Evang. Ecclesiae Petrus Apostolus prop●er Apostolatus sui primatum gerebat figurata generalitate personam Quad enim ad ipsum propriè pertinet natura unus homo erat gratia unus Christianus abundantiore gratia ur us idemq primus Apostolus sed quando et dietum Tibi dabo claves regni coelorum universam significabat ecclesiam Peter in respect of himself was properly by nature one man by grace one Christian by a more abundant grace one and the same a chief Apostle But when it was said to him I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven he did signifie the whole Church c. So he more testimonies might be produced but these are sufficient he that desireth to see this truth confirmed by more suffrages of the ancients may consult p Loc. cit n. 4. seq Spalatensis and receive abundant satisfaction As then in the fore-mentioned speech of our Saviour under one a collected body of Apostles and Beleevers is understood so here by one Angel is meant the united body of Angels and what is spoken unto one is to be understood as spoken to all of them as by

evasion that a Ibid. n. 42. He cals those which wore true Bishops by the name of Presbyters which how weake it is let any man of understanding judge Wherefore untill I be convinced by clearer evidence to which I shall be ready to yeeld if any be produced I shall say with Chamier b Paustr tom 2. l. 10. de Oc● Pont. c. 6. in fine Ausim asserere I dare be bold to maintain it that Presbyters and Bishops are no where distinguished in Irenaeus Thus much for answer to that objection I proceed to another instance How little strength to Episcopall Soveraignty over Presbyters the Epistle of Clemens to the Corinthians doth afford in the commendation of which Author and Epistle c Bishop Hall pag. 129 130 133. one that hath lately stept forth as another Atlas to beare up Episcopacie by head and shoulders is pleased to spend two whole pages at least you may easily perceive if either you peruse the Epistle it self or parallell that passage cited by the forementioned stickler for Prelacie with divers others in d Dissert de Presb. epis p. 202. ad p. 219. Salmasius out of the same Epistle For there you shall finde 1. that Bishops and Presbyters are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both denominations setting forth one and the same order one and the same office 2. That the Church of Corinth at that time and other Churches also were governed not by one but by many Bishops that is to say Presbyters The passages are quoted by that learned Critick at large I will in briefe but point unto them First what the Apostles practise was Clemens there sets downe thus Preaching in cities among the Nations they did constitute the first fruits of them to be Bishops and Deacons over them that should afterward beleeve These Bishops are afterward in many places called Presbyters Blessed are those Presbyters that went before It is a shamefull thing to heare that the ancient and firme Church of Corinth should out of respect unto one or two persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 move sedition against the Presbyters Afterwards he perswades those which had been the authors of the contention to repent and yeeld subjection to the Presbyters From these and sundry other passages planissimè constat saith d Pag. 219. Salmasius it is most evident and cleare that that Church was then governed by Presbyters alone who were also called Bishops all constituted in equall authoritie honour and power in the government thereof Amongst many other that are remarkable I will only touch upon one which seeing the Author is so highly magnified and the Epistle commended with a great deale of silken language bestowed on it might me thinks make some impression on the Commender and others of his Order as it is very pathetically delivered by Clemens Wh●soever he be amongst you that is of a generous spirit that is of a compassionate disposition whoso is full of love let him say If for my sake there be sedition strife and schismes I depart I am content to be gone whithersoever you will and will doe those things which are commanded me by the people Only let the flock of Christ live in peace with the Presbyters that are set over it Whosoever shall doe this shall purchase to himselfe exceeding great glory in the Lord and every place will readily receive him Thus that holy that Apostolicall man Clemens whose counsell if it might have found entertainment in the hearts of our Prelates and their adherents neither Scotland of late yeeres nor England at this day had met with such commotions and distractions Or if examples and the Presidents of those Fathers in whom because they were Bishops our late e Bishop Hall p. 62. It is our glory comfort we have had such Predecessours Hierarchists do glory as being their Predecessours are likely to be more effectuall with those which would be accounted their posteritie I could put them in minde of Gregorie Nazianzen who was content to lay down his Episcopall honour and to descend from that throne which he knew not well whether he might more properly call an hierarchicall or tyrannicall throne nor did he feare to commit any sacriledge against that holy order or contract on himself the guilt of that crime but d Orat. 28 Carm. de div vitae gen ad pseudoepis finding the Church wasted by contentions States and Kingdomes exceedingly shaken and like to be overturned by warres about that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great and new name as he cals the Episcopall dignitie he willingly did it induced thereunto by a most prevailing argument e Quum certus fit à Deo non excludi quibus thronus eripiatur Cent. Mag. Cent 4. c. 10 col 525. edit Bas 2624. He was assured of this God would not dis-throne him in Heaven though he lost his throne on earth If the example of one induced thereunto by the hope of heaven be not sufficient I could propose to our Prelates for a President the practise of f Lib. de gest cum Emer Don. epis tom 7. col 6 7 638. edit Basan 1542. Austin and almost three hundred African Bishops whose hearts were so enflamed with a desire of union and peace in the Church that they were ready for the procuring of it to lay downe their Bishopricks which in so doing they did not account to be lost but more safely recommended unto God And whereas amongst them all there were but two found to whom this motion was displeasing the brotherly exhortation and reproofe generally of all the rest did make them change their mindes and confent to doe what the rest of their brethren did The exhortation is very ponderous and full of moving arguments Give leave O ye Fathers of the Church unto a poore Presbyter to represent before you what once your Predecessours spake unto them who were loath to part with their dignities for the Churches benefit They propose in the first place that of our Saviour Who so humbleth himselfe shall be exalted and from thence inferre Why should we doubt to offer to our Redeemer the sacrifice of this humilitie Hath he descended from Heaven into humane members that we might become his members and are we afraid to descend from our seats that his very members be not torne in pieces by cruell division There is nothing more sufficient for us then that we be faithfull and obedient Christians This we are still But we are made Bishops for the Christian people therefore let us doe that with our Episcopall honour which may conduce to the Christian peace of Christian people If we be profitable servants why doe we envie the eternall gain of our master for our temporall preferment Our Episcopall dignity will be more fruitfull unto us if being laid down it may rather collect then being retained scatter the flock of Christ Austin the Bishop said My brethren if we have the Lord in our thoughts this higher place