Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	church_n	minister_n	2,916	5	6.7721	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73049	Englands pvrginge fire Conteyninge two petitions, the one to the Kinges most excellent Majesty, the other to the High Courte of Parliament held at this tyme in England. Shewinge in diverse perticulers, how the Church in England might be ordered, yet more conformably to the Will of God reveiled in his worde then at this day it is. Herewithall is declared, the evell and lamentable effects of our vnable and negligent ministers: and the happy fruict of our learned and painefull pastors. A worke most needefull for theise tymes, as servinge to turne away the wrath and iudgements of God from this lande, through the removinge, (accordinge to the advertisements herein given) such disorders and evells, as for which the wrath of God may be, and is, kindled against this Land, and the church therein.	Proctor, Thomas, fl. 1621.	1621 (1621)	STC 20408.5; ESTC S124597	53,590	98

onely an affectation but also a reall effectinge of chalenginge the Charge of all those Churches whereunto some Bishop of speciall Accoumpt streatched his Advise Counsalle as if over all to whom Advise and Counsaile is given the giver of Advise Counsalle should have Charge over thē exercise Episcopall Authority If thus the Bishops of those tymes did and some evidence there is that some so did then this is no sufficient warrant for chalenginge of so excessive charges or Iurisdictions as some Patriarchs Arch-Bishops chalenge much less should we admit of such extentions when we see that it is discordant to the Ordinance of God as I have before shewed Moreover if the Councill of Nice approved of such large excessive extents of Care and Iurisdiction in any yet we are to thinke that it but Confirmed that Iurisdiction which they then had but at that tyme the extentions of Inrisdiction were not so large as in after tyme. Had the Pope of Rome then such Iurisdiction as now when no parte of Germany nor other Nations had embraced the faith as since they did Or should we thinke that that Councill subiugated to that Bishop Churches not as then propagated If no then neither by warrant of holy Scripture nor by warrant of that Councill hath that Bisshop any right of Iurisdiction over all the Arch-Bisshopps of all the Christian Nations in the West As for claime as Successor to the Apostle Peter it is strange that he alone should make a claime of succeedinge to an Apostle for where be the other Bishops who claime to succeede to this or that Apostle I fynde none but him of Antioch and that also rather a figment of the Bisshop of Romes then any true claime of that Bishops And as for his claime from Scripture I have elsew here proved it to be directly against that which our Lord commanded to his Apostles Theise things considered I now humbly beseech yoursacred Majestie that as hitherto you have showen great favour to our Cleargy so you will continue to preserve them from any forreine and unlawfull ecclesiasticall Powers which would chalenge Authority over them Princes may doe well to have an eye at the vvisedome and gratious Ordinance of God observinge with what Powers ecclesiasticall he Apostles taken away sent the Church under their wings For surely there cann be no better Politie of ecclesiasticall Goverment for Princes then that which we fynde the Lord to leave in the Church after his takinge away of Apostles Should the Lord send any Officet under the wings of Princes who should streatch his Authority farr further then any Prince cann streatch his vvings of protection Or should one Bishopp be under the vvings of many Princes protections vvhat then if those Princes fall at variance shall the one protect his Adversaries subiecte Therefore I cannot but conclude that as it is not good for the Church so it is also in convenient dangerous for Princes that there be in the church any Ecclesiastical Ministers of huge extents of Iurisdiction such as are some Patriarchs and the Pope of Rome Thus havinge written at large of theise things because our tymes greately neede the so doinge I now close up this Chapter and my notes upon the former Scriptures collected prayinge that I may proceede to other II. CHAP. OF King Hezekias we reade 2 Chron 31 4 That he commanded the people that dwelt in Hierusalem to give a part to the Preists and Levits that they might be in couraged in the Lawe of the Lord And when the Commandement was spread the Children of Israell brought abondaunce of first fruicts of Corne and Wine and Oile and Hony and of all the increase of the Feild and the Tithes of all things brought they aboundantly And Hezekias questioned the Preists and the Levits concerning the Heapes And Azariah the cheife Preist of the house of Zadock answered him and said since the people begann to bringe the Offerings into the house of the Lord we have eaten and have bene satisfied and there is left in aboundannce And Hezekias commaunded to prepare Chambers in the house of the Lord and they prepared them and caried in the first fruicts and the tythes and the dedicate thinges faithfully And over them was Coniah the Levite the cheife and Shimei his brother the second And Core the Sonne of Imnah the Levite Porter toward the east was over the things that were willingely offered unto God to distribute to their Brethren the Oblation of the Lord and the holy things that were consecrate their daily portions Againe of Kinge Iosias we reade 2. Chron 34 8 That he sent Shafan and Maaseiah the Governour of the City and Ioah the Recorder to repaire the house of the Lord. And when they came to Hilkia the high Preist they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God which the Levits that kept the dore had gathered at the hands of Manassch and Ephraim and of all the residue of Israel and of all Iudas and Beniamin and of the inhabitants of Hierusalem And they put it into the hands of them which should doe the worke Againe Exodus 36 3 we reade thus And they received of Moses all the Offeringes which the Children of Israel had brought for the worke of the service of the Sanctuary to make it Also they brought still unto him free Gifts every morninge So all the wise men that wrought all the holy worke came every Man from his worke which they had wrought and spake to Moses saying The people bringe too much and more then enough for the use of the worke which the Lord hath commanded to be made Then Moses gave a Commandement and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the hoste saying Let neither Man nor Woman prepare any more worke for the Oblation of the Sanctuary So the people were staied from Offeringe In theise Scriptures I note theise fower things specially First That the Kinge commanded the People to give to the Maintenance of the Ministers Secondly That Maintenance is for their incouragement to serve in the Ministery Thirdly That the Kinge cared also for the Repairinge of the Churches wherein God was vvors hipped Lastly That when there was a Sufficiency this was to be acknowledged by the Cleargy and the People were to be staied from giving According to which observations I humbly pray that I may petition your sacred Majestie as hereunder shall appeare It beinge the Commandement and Ordinance of God 1. Cor. 9 14 that the Ministers of the Ghospell be maintayned by them to whom they Minister the Ghospell Christians are bounde to fynde them Maintenance if they be not bounde also to maintayne them by Tythes first fruicts free-will Offeringes and the like But where the Manner of doinge is not appointed by God vvhen yet the thinge to be done is appointed there Gods Ministers of Rule and Goverment have Power to appointe the Manner of doinge and none may lawfully except against the Manner which

withholdeth that he might be reveiled in his tyme so indeede it fell out for the Emperors keepinge his Seate at Rome withheld the Bishopp of Romes Reveilinge but the Emperor removinge his Seate to Constantinople this Councill of Nice some few yeares after was assembled where theise huge extents of Iurisdiction beinge confirmed the Bishop of Rome beinge held as Cheife of them this caused his first measure of Reveilinge It is fit therefore that that Councils proceedings be examined whither in oughts God left it to dissent from his sacred Worde Papists usually alleadge that Councill as countenancinge the offeringe up of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Service of the Lords Supper but if this that Councill did then expressly erred it from the Scriptureis nstruction concerninge that Service And how neere it was to forbid Preists the copulation with their vvives vvhich Gods worde commandes 1. Cor 7 3 is well knowen to all that have read the Story of those tymes To this I may add the uncertainety of its Canons seinge they are with such uncertainety brought us by Tradition For all theise reasons I conclude that that Councill is not so to be maintayned in its Ordinances as that the instruction of sacred Scripture is not rather to be followed But who that looketh into the holy Scripture shall not see That Timothy and Titus such as were like them held the highest ordinary Offices in the Church next unto the Apostles themselvs for by the Epistles of Timothy and Titus it is evident that the Apostle set them in Office next himselfe over the Churches that were planted Churches were planted and they had their Officers and Governours but then the Apostle ordeyned theise over them againe and this is manifest in that Titus had Charge over diverse Cityes Whilst therefore there is this evidence for their Office and whilst there is that evidence before noted that our Arch-Bishops succeede them in that Office and vvhilst the Church ever held a cessation of Apostles and the Apostle 1. Cor. 4 9 saith I thinke that God hath set fourth us the last Apostles c We have good reason not to suffer other offices to usurpe Authority over Arch-Bishops or any Arch-Bishopps to be subiugated unto any other Ecclesiasticall Ministration But if we permit the continuance of those huge extents whereof we read then as necessarily many Arch-Bishopdomes yea Patriarchdomes must be comprised therein so the Bishop of that Seate must be advanced over and exercise a Ministration ovet Arch-Bishopps yea over Patriarchs which thinge what is it but both an evertion of the Politie ecclesiasticall which God by his Ordinance Apostles taken away sent the church withall under the Wings of Kinges and Princes and also a bringinge in Superiorityes Throanes and Powers never ordeyned by the Lord As therefore experience hath showen that when an Arch-Bishoprick hath necessarily bene divided then tvvo Arch-Bishops are placed therein without subiugating the one under the other so those antient extents of bounds ought with the increase of the Convertion of people to have bene divided into many Arch-Bishopdomes and this without subiugatinge every of them to the Arch-Bishopp of some one city who by this meanes as he is to take a New Title so also he entereth into a new Ministration never ordeyned by the Lord. If any say hath not every Snccessor right to retayne the bownds of his predecessors jurisdiction I answere yes where there is no prejudice thereby to the Church and to the Ordinances of God but when retayninge the same he must necessarily Rule over them whom God by his Ordinance set next unto Apostles he then subverts the Ordinance of God so longe as he cannot make himselfe an Apostle Neither cann any ones succeedinge in the Seate of an Apostle conferr upon him an Apostles Dignity and Office for this were to make such a one an Apostle but we have good cause to aske of such a one the signes of his Apostleship 2. Cor. 12 12. I conclude therefore that those extents of Iurisdiction which carry with them a bringinge into the Church Powers and Ministrations above that of Arch-Bishops are unlawfull as bringinge into the Church strange Ministrations which have no manner warrant from Gods Worde in Scripture but rather are contrary to the Politie which there God manifesteth to his Church And indeede because of the huge extent of the Pope of Romes jurisdiction we fynde that above Arch Bishopps are Patriarchs as also Cardinalls as now Cardinalls are Popes Legats and a rabble of other who all serve rather as Ministers of this Corruption of Ecclesiastical Politie warranted by God then of the church of the Ghospell For how many are the Officers which the Pope of Rome needeth for to serve him only in the executiō of so large a jurisdictiō as now he exerciseth even so proportionably is it with every Patriarch yea with every Arch-Bisshop when he hath a Iurisdiction so farr extended fourth as that neither he can personally visit conveniently the parts of his Charge nor they of his Charge cann conveniently make Accusatiōs unto him if the Parishional or Episcopal Goverments faile in executiō of Iustice But now seinge God hath given so blessed Testimony to the Reforminge of things by his worde in Scripture why should not such Offices be cut off as superfluous and justly Offensive which exercise any Authority over the Arch-Bishops of the Christian church Should we not thinke that the Lord expects a Reformation even herein aswell as in Doctryne Should not his vvords direction be of power with us aswell in Reforminge errors of Iurisdictions or Powers Offices as in reforminge of Doctrynes Therefore if the Scripture shew that the Offices of Timothy Titus was the highest ordinary Office in the Church after Apostles ceased as beinge in the life tyme of the Apostles next to the Apostles and if there be good evidence that those had under them at the most but Bishopps of Cityes then why should not Arch-Bishopps be acknowledged as Succeeders into their Office and consequently to be the highest ecclesiasticall Officer which God sent the Church with amonge the Nations after his taking away of Apostles If it be said that those who succeeded into the Seates of Timothy or Titus and others like them are Patriarchs not Arch-Bishopps then I demande what Manner Bishops cann any prove that either Timothy or Titus or the next Successors ruled over whither were they Arch-Bishos or onely Bishopps of Cityes Surely the greatest evidence of purest and most antient Tradition is that those of those Seates were first accoumpted but Arch-Bishops and though they seemed to have Charge of a greate circuit of grownde yet where any Arch-Bishop was ordeyned I fynde not any good evidence that they exercised Authority over them also as now Patriarchs doe over them and the Pope over Patriarches As for the extendinge out of Care or seeminge-Charge of the Churches in greate extent we fynde in antient tyme not

Musick and vvith the sight of the Stately ordetinge and perfourmance of things but this without caringe at any tyme to vvorshipp God in the Spirit and vvith the understandinge so that they onely stand gazinge thinkinge it a sufficient worshipp if they have but bene there seene Divine Service But as this evell in Gods people cannot but be displeasinge to God so surely if some good order be not taken for redress hereof it cannot but endanger the Lords acceptance of the very Service its selfe for it is not so much the Service vvherein a few vvorship as the vvorship of many in Spirit that he regards Thus havinge vvritten of my first petition I humbly pray that I may proceede to the second If onely Art be heeded in them admitted Ministers in the Divine Service as if so they be skillfull then it matters not what their lives and conversations be then vvhen any prophane or irreligiously disposed Persons are admitted we from experience cann hardly expect other then that their unsanctified Soules will bringe fourth as prophaness in their life and conversation abroade so irreverence and a measure of prophaness in the very execution of their parts in the Divine vvorshipp But when people see irreverence or any measure prophaness in the Ministers it abates their devotion and is no smale Scandall to the Service its selfe Therefore I humbly petition that our Bishops have not care that they reverently perfourme their parts in the Service onely but also that they or the Deanes doe inquire of their life and conversation abroade also out of the Church for if abroade in their howses or common company they be wanton lascivious or prophane no Awe will serve to restreine that in the Service also their disposition breake not fourth upon every little advantage or opportunity to shew the same If therefore our Bishopps and Deanes Inquire after the common life and conversation of such what it is abroade out of the Church if also they inquire whither in their familyes they use or neglect religious Dutyes such as are eveninge Praier at leastwise Grace before after meate readinge the Divine Scriptures Repeatinge of Sermons some tymes and some tymes Chatechisinge then this would Awe them to exercise themselvs to a Holiness of life and conversation Especially if as they shall be founde conformable or disorderly so they shall be admitted or put by the Service Yea it were good that an exhortation were given to all that if any of them knowe any amonge them to be loose and lascivious of Speach prophane in conversation or negligent of religious Dutyes in their familyes they should informe the Bishop or Deane of the same that so the party may be observed as occasion is given be proceeded against Verily it greately endangers the Service both towards God and towards Men when the Ministers of the same are knowen to be wicked Men in their life and conversation for it cannot be but that the Lord should turne his face even from a good Service executed by such if authority allowe such to be Ministers therein as who commonly are knowen to be wicked of life and conversation Neither cann it be but that the people also should take such offence at such as that even the very Service also shall well neere be sorsaken If theise things therefore Dread Soveraigne be carefully seene unto I nothinge doubt but that our Divine Servico now used in our Cathedrall Churches will both be more acceptable to God then heretofore and also more conscionably and religiously then heretosote srequented by your people I may here add the like petition against our Clearkes of Parishes who commonly beinge of the lewdest of the Partish for life and conversation doe also so irreverently unskilfully and unseemely perfourme their Office that the people of God cannot but take offence there at and this to the scandall of the Service its selfe of out Church To conclude my Collections together with my observatiōs upon theise collected Scriptures I now humbly petition that as here it is said That the Kinge and the Princes commanded c so as in your Presence your selfe see to theise things so likewise in places remote from your sacred Presence your Princes and Magistrats by commission from you may have power and Authority to see that Divine Service be celebrated orderly and reverently throughout the Kingedome So vvill our Bishops and other Ecclesiasticall Officers be the more carefull that just cause of reproofe be not given not just cause of your Princes and Magistrates proceeding against any for disorders and unseemely perfourmance of Dutyes THeise Collections most mighty and Dread Soveraigne I have made out of sacred Scripture thereby in some speciall perticulets to shew how Gods Kinges and Princes in that antient Church under the Lawe tooke care of and by their Authority ordered even Ecclesiasticall things also pertayninge to the Divine vvorship and service Hereupon I have adventured to note unto your Majestic diverse weighty perticulers wherein this our Church of Englande needeth the redress of your powerfull hande If therefore you vouchsafe to be assistant unto the Church of God in theise things you shall surely bynde the same unto you to hold your Memory blessed for ever for by orderinge these things you shall both restore the Ordinances of God to his church and dispose rightly the extents of our Cleargy Iurisdictions you shall further the Preachinge of the Ghospel in all places of this Lande and also be the Meanes not of a pompous Service onely but of a Stately Magnificent Holy Proffitable vvorshipp of God Which beinge done it will be no less your Glory that preventinge the abuse of your and your Peoples Bounty by our Cleargy the Cleargy have a large and rich Revenewe togeather with Dignityes and Honors among your Nobles Gentry I neede not here prove from evidence of holy Scripture that Kings and Princes under the Christianity are confirmed by God in the same Offices which the Kinges under the Lawe executed this I shall prove elsew here where I have occasion to write of this subiect to those who as yet are so deluded of Papall leasings that they acknowledge not the same but your Majestie professinge your knowledge hereof and practisinge in your Kingedomes accordinge to such know ledge I neede but to certify of some things only which even to this day neede redress in this our church of England If it be obiected that I move unto Changes that Changes are ever dangerous in Kingedomes I then humbly pray your Majestie to consider that I move to no Changes but such as which the evidence of the will of God in Seripture witnesseth unto And what the Glory of Changes made under the Reformation accordinge to the vvorde of the Lord in Scripture hath bene the whole worlde now seeth your Majestie enjoyeth and inheriteth the Glory and Power of the same Doubtless without a greate Change and the same very strange dangerous we had had