Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
authority_n book_n church_n word_n 3,782 5 4.3994 4 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A27060 Two papers of proposals concerning the discipline and ceremonies of the Church of England humbly presented to His Majesty by the Reverend ministers of the Presbyterian perswasion. Baxter, Richard, 1615-1691. 1661 (1661) Wing B1440; ESTC R201112 17,144 24

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

Ministers and People not required by Law For the reforming of these Evils we first crave leave to offer to your Majesty 1. The late most Reverend Primate of Ireland his Reduction of Episcopacy unto the Form of a Synodical Government received in the Ancient Church as a Ground-work towards an Accommodation and Fraternal-Agreement in this point of Ecclesiastical Government which we rather do not only in regard of his eminent Piety and singular Abilities as in all other parts of Learning so in that especially of the Antiquities of the Church but also because therein Expedients are offered towards in the Healing of these Grievances 2. And in order to the same End we further humbly desire That the Suffragans Chorepiscopi mentioned in the Primate's Reduction may be Chosen by the respective Synods and by that Election may be sufficiently Authorized to discharge their Trust and that the Associations may not be so Large as to make the Discipline impossible or to take off the Ministers from the rest of their necessary Work 3. That no Oathes or Promises of Obedience to the Bishops nor any unnecessary Subscriptions or Engagements be made Necessary to Ordination Institution or Induction Ministration Communion or Immunities of Ministers they being Responsible for any Transgression of the Law And that no Bishop nor any Ecclesiastical Governor may at any time Exercise their Government by their private Will or Pleasure but only by such Rules Canons and Constitutions as shall be by Act of Parliament ratified and established And that sufficient Provision may be made to secure both Ministers and People against the Rules of Arbitrary Government Secondly Liturgy 1. We are satisfied in our Judgments concerning the Lawfulness of a Liturgy or Form of Worship Provided it be for the Matter agreeable to the Word of God and fitly suited to the Nature of the several Ordinances and Necessities of the Church neither too tedious in the whole nor composed of too short Prayers or Responsals not dissonant from the Liturgies of the Reformed Churches nor too rigorously imposed nor the Minister confined thereunto but that he may also make use of the Gifts for Prayer and Exhortation which Christ hath given him for the Service and Edification of the Church 2. Inasmuch as the Book of Common Prayer hath in it many things which are justly offensive and need amendment hath been long discontinued and very many both Ministers and people and persons of pious loyal and peaceable Minds therein greatly dis-satisfied whereupon if it should be again imposed will inevitably follow sad Divisions and widening of the Breaches which your Majesty is endeavouring to heal We do most humbly offer to your Masties Wisdome that for preventing of so great Evils and for setling the Church in Vnity and Peace some Learned Godly and Moderate Divines of both Perswasions indifferently chosen may be imployed to Compile such a Form as is before Described as much as may be in Scripture-Words or at least to Revise and effectually Reform the Old together with an Addition or Insertion of other Varying Forms in Scripture-phrase to be used at the Ministers choice of which Variety and Liberty there be Instances in the Book of Common Prayer Thirdly Concerning Ceremonies We humbly Represent That we hold our selves obliged in Every part of Divine Worship to do All Things Decently in Order and to Edification and are willing therein to be determined by Authority in such things as being meerly circumstantial are common to Humane Actions and are to be ordered by the Light of Nature and Humane Prudence according to the general Rules of the Word which are alwaies to be observed And as to divers Ceremonies formerly retained in the Church of England we do in all humility offer to your Majesty these ensuing Considerations That the Worship of God is in it self Pure and Perfect and Decent without having any such Ceremonies affixed thereunto for did they contribute any thing to that necessary Decency which the Apostle requires we might expect to meet with them in the Apostles time there being no Reason to induce us to the use of them which might not have induced them That the Lord hath declared Himself in the matters that concern his Worship to be a Jealous God and this Worship of His is certainly then most pure and most agreeable to the simplicity of the Gospel and to his Holy and Jealous Eyes when it hath least of Humane admixtures in things of themselves confessedly unnecessary adjoyned and appropriated thereunto Upon these accounts many faithful Servants of the Lord knowing his Word to be a perfect Rule of Faith and Worship by which they must judge of his acceptance of their Services and must be themselves judg'd have ever been exceeding fearful of varying from his Will and of the danger of displeasing him by additions or detractions in such Duties wherein they must daily expect the communication of his Grace and comfort especially in seeing these Ceremonies have been imposed and urged upon such Considerations as draw too near to the significacy and Moral efficacy of Sacraments themselves that they have together with Popery been rejected by many of the Reformed Churches abroad amongst whom notwithstanding we doubt not but the Lord is Worshipped decently orderly and in the beauty of Holiliness And ever since the Reformation they have been a matter of Contention and endless Dispute in this Church and have been a cause of depriving the Church of the fruit and benefit they might have reaped from the labors of many learned and godly Divines some of whom judging them unlawful others inexpedient were in Conscience unwilling to be brought under the power of them And they have occasioned through the offence taken at them by many of the people heretofore great separation in our Church and so have rather prejudiced than promoted the Vnity thereof And at this time by reason of their long disuse may be more likely than ever heretofore to produce the same inconvenience And they are at best indifferent and in their nature mutable And that it is especially in various Exigencies of the Church very needful and expedient that things in themselves mutable be sometimes actually changed lest they should by perpetual permanency and constant use be judged by the people as necessary as the Substantials of Worship themselves And though we do most heartily acknowledge your Majesty to be Custos utriusque Tabulae and to be supream Governor over all Persons and in all Things and Causes as well Ecclesiastical as Civil in these your Majesties Dominions yet we humbly crave leave to beseech your Majesty to consider Whether as a Christian Magistrate you be not as well obliged by that doctrine of the holy Apostle touching things indifferent in not occasioning offence to weak Brethren as the Apostle himself then one of the highest Officers in the Church of Christ judged himself to be obliged by and whether the great Work wherein the Lord hath intrusted your Majesty be not rather