Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	call_v	church_n	pope_n	3,846	5	6.3377	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09313	The letters patents of the presbyterie vvith the plea and fruits of the prelacie. Manifested out of the scriptures, fathers, ecclesiasticall histories, Papists, and sundrie other authors. By Iames Peregrin.	[Peregin, James].; Partridge, James, attributed name. aut	1632 (1632)	STC 19622B.5; ESTC S103890	43,655	62

haue far to church and the daies being short must haue time to goe to and fro and to dine That though in the primatiue church the place vvere oft in mens houses a barne or in the feildes yet novv it is fit to haue a Temple vvhere it may be had or a place set apart for that vse In the reformed churches one reades the chapters begins the Psalmes these things are done in better order when they are committed to one vvho commonly hath a good voice and skill in tuning and if it vvere not so there vvould be some disorder Order is also taken for the most decent comming to the table of the Lord gathering of almes keeping silence and vsing decent gesture in the church Novv if these things were not altogether thus in the primatiue church yet the alteration in ceremonie is litle or nothing and rather to things decent and necessarie then to hurtfull vnproffitable But this can not be said of the crosse in baptisme the surplesse or kneeling at the Sacrament much lesse of the Episcopall povver and Hierarchie these are not things necessarie but vnproffitable hurtfull not better but vvorse In England verie many Ministers some that haue smal meanes weare beuer hats of great price which not many yeeres since vvere vvorne of none but Princes also cassocks dublits of Sattin cloakes faced some lined vvith veluer plush their vviues also goe in loose govvnes of silke beuer hats fannes in their hands and many other vanities It is true that both the one and the other may goe neare cleane not fordid and nastie but yet not thus costly and vainly vvherin they making litle conscience are the easier induced to thinke of tvvo liuings to maintaine it and a coach to boote then of being made Doctors Deanes Bishops and somtimes at the instance of their vviues because they vvould haue place yea to buye these honours and benefices or flatter for them vvherin mens mindes are seldome satisfied but rather more enflamed and corrupted being Doctors they vvould haue a prebendarie or another liuing and then be Deanes hauing a Denarie they vvould haue a Bishopvvrick hauing gotten that they aime at a better and to attaine them they are still forced to flatter bribe bid outbid as in a market or vvhere things are sold by the candle or at an outcrie to the extreme shame of the Christian professiō So that if these great places vvere lavvfull yet almost nothing is left to desert or free election commonly all goes by money corruption or friends in the court such as the Duke vvho strengthen their faction by them Hence follovves idlenes and non residence lukevvarmnes and temporising they vvho make no conscience of such th●ngs can not but be blind in others the spirit of God forsakes them they are the more easely induced to defend the Hierarchie and ceremonies to let in Arminianisme some kinde of poperie or other corruption in doctrine and discipline at the pleasure of such as can aduance them or at least to vvinke at such proceedings and thus they become nourishers of poperie and the steps to it for our Sauiour saith He that is not vvith me is against me Mat. 12.30 and he that gathereth not vvith me scattereth abroade But indeed an euill tree can not bring foorth good fruite These great places in the Hierarchie being not of God but of men such must needes be the fruits of them If the church seeing these euils spring from pride ambition coueteousnes should ordaine a meane to all in apparell and yeerely maintenance and such other things like that in the reformed churches doubtles such an ordmāce vvere to be obeied the church hath povver to doe it not simplie absolutely by any authoritie giuen it in all things that they please to call indifferent but in things thus necessarie agreable to the vvord of Gods vvhich forbids such costly apparell and lordship in them commands them to be graue and ensamples to the flocks the churches authoritie is nothing but in these cases and such others of discipline as is aboue named In all other Christ is the only lavvgiuer of his Church as the Sole husband thereof and Lord of the familie Not to insist vpon other things vvhat necessarie vse is there of Cathedral churches of vvhich some make so much religion to haue them reedefied In that of London the vpper and lesse part is only vsed in seruice Some of those greate fabricks haue bene and might be vvell imploied as colledgiate churches for reading of lectures and preseruing of puritie in doctrine good manners and learning things of this nature doe indeed make them somvvhat vvorthy the repairing The greatest Temples in the reformed churches are put to good vse but vvhere there is not such vse there it is not vvorth the cost Plesses myst of iniquit progres 24. Mounsieur du Plesses obserueth that vvhen religion and doctrine began to be corrupted that they might couer it and see me no lesse religious they fell to building of Temples and Altars to presse deuoute gestures ceremonies c. euen so the Bishops that vvant zeale against poperie Arminianisme non residencie and such errours and abuses as are crept into the church flatter such friends and supporters of them as are mighty or able to defend reward them and in the meane time to seeme no lesse religious make greate religion of deuoute gestures building repairing and adoring of Temples in both vvhich the Papists exceede them and as he saith * Plesses vbi supra The vvorser sort of men are euer most spendfull in such things to shadow and obscure the memorie of their euill acts It is true that many vvho vvorship in spirit and truth and are zealous that doctrine may be preserued in the purity the Apostles left it are yet too negligēt in deuoute gesture in praier that some grovv too familiar and sauc●e vvith God this is ill but the other is much vvorse vvhen men seeke the outvvard neglect due preaching and hearing the defence of the truth cause of God in such cases as that of the Palatinate the Rochellers and the like or flatter their falle friends and betraiers such as the Duke c. for vvhile thus the true church of God Mat. 23.23 the liuing stones and Temples vvherein God dvvels are spoiled and vvasted such mens calling for bodely gestures building of Temples is but tithing of mint and annise and leauing the vveightier matters vn●ared for like hypocriticall Pharises Yet vvho sees not that these are the chiefe things the Bishops looke after vvho in the meane time thinke it sufficient that Synods and kings haue established their authoritie It is true that Solomon iustly deposed Abiathar the Priest 1. King 2.27 chap. 25.13 2 Chro. 17.6.7 and put Zadock in his roome that Asa remoued his mother from being Queene because she had made an idole vvhich he destroied as Hezechiah did the

S. Paul and so say vvee presbiters are bishops Indeed Bellarmin and the Greekes do rather meane the bishops vvere presbiters but it is as true the presbiters are bishops and that the loue of proffit or preeminence or mens care to saue the honour of their church and customs haue blinded many that they can not see a thing so cleere that by imposition of hands of the presbiterie he was made a presbiter that is a bishop VVhere vvee must vnderstand that they only laide their hands on those that vvere chosen by voices or hands For it is said They ordained them Elders by suffrages Act. 14.23 Beza annot as Beza obserueth out of the Greeke vvord VVhich commeth from a custome of the Greeks vvho gaue their suffrages by holding vp their hands And saith he the force of this vvord Keirotonesantes is to be obserued that vvee may know that Paul and Barnabas did nothing of a priuate vvill neither excercised any tirannie in the church like that vvhich is vsed by the Romish harlot Idem Annota in 1. Tim. 4.14 or her pages vvhich they call ordinaries So as he shevveth vvas the gift of prophesie giuen to Timothie vvith the laying on of the hands of the Presbiters And thus is that to be vnderstood lay hands sodainlie on noe man c. that is doe not vvhat in thee lieth sodainlie to admit any man to any Eclesiasticall fūction Idem in cap. 5.22 for neither did all authoritie reside in the power of Timothie alone but the Election vvas made by the suffrages of the vvhole church as vvee said on Act. 14.23 and as is cleere by the election of Mathias and of the deacons lastlie by this that vvith the laying on of the hands of the Presbiterie the man chosen vvas consecrated to the Lord as 1. Tim. 4.14 Idem in Tit. 1. By these places as he shevveth is that of Titus to be expounded That thou shouldest ordaine them Elders that is by suffrages as Act. 14.23 by which place you may vnderstand vvhy he addeth as had appointed thee see also 1. Tim. 5.22 For in the choice of Mathias nothing is carried by Peter Idem in Act. 1. as by one endued with more excellent dignitie but by the suffrages of the vvhole church there assembled It is said They appointed tvvo So for deacons the Apostles said Looke ye out among you seauen men c. then it is added And the saying pleased the vvhole multitude And they chose Steuen Act. 6.3 c. And set them before the Apostles vvhen they had praied they laid their hands on them Therefore lay hands sodainly on no man that is till he be vvell aduisedly chosen praiers be made vvith fasting VVhich is spoken to all presbiters in his person especially to himselfe as beeing both a presbiter an Euangelist which is greater And thus indeede Paul left Titus to ordaine them presbiters in euerie citie Tit. 1.5.7 that is by suffrages as he had done Act. 14.25 Othervvise Titus should seeme to haue had an office like that Histor of the counc of Trent pag. 611. vvhich the papalins in Trent chalenged for the Pope to be a bishop of bishops that other bishops should receiue institutiō iurisdictiō frō him For these presbiters are called Bishops vers 7. but this makes not Titus a presbiter of presbiters that is a Bishop of Bishops much lesse doth it giue it to any other or infer that he must haue one to succeede him in such office It is obiected that Paul saith 1. Tim. 5.19 against a presbiter receiue not an accusation but before two or three vvitnesses * Vbi supra VVhere saith Bellarmin vve see a Bishop in the time of the Apostles the Iudge of the presbiters therefore their true prince superiour I ansvver this can not be 1. Mat. 20.25 Because Christ saith to his Disciples ye know that the Prince of the Gentiles exercises dominion oner them and they that are greate exercise authoritie upon them But it shall not be so among you And S. Peter saith to the presbiters take the ouersight of the flock not as beeing Lords ouer Gods heritage much lesse as Lords ouer other presbiters for that vvere to make one a Bishops of Bishops or the Pope of a prouince 2. That Timothie vvas the first presbiter or Bishop in that church and not only an Euangelist vvhich is greater but a man of exterordinarie gifts therfore S. Paul vvrites to him an Elder vvhat course he and all Elders are to take if any of their number be accused before them as he saith that thou mightest knovv hovv to behaue thy selfe 5. tim 3.15 c For all the Elders vsed to meete in such greate cases and oft times other brethren also of the congregation Act. 15.6.20.23 Paul saith to the Corinthians vvhen ye are gathered together 3. cor 5.4 and my spirit vvith the power of our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 18.17 deliuer such a one unto Satan In vvhich sense Christ saith If he shall neglect to heare tvvo or three tell it to the church but if he neglect to heare the church let him be unto thee as a heathen And Paul bids the presbyters to take heede to themselues Act. 20. and to all the flocke ouer vvhich the holy Ghost had made them Bishops for of your owne selues shall men arise speaking Peruerse things somtime the deuill may bring an Elder to that vvickednesse and then ye see the other Elders are the Bishops that are to looke to it and reforme it 1. Cor. 14.31 that office is not giuen to one in a diocesse For as the Spirits of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets So the Spirits of the Elders must in such cases be subiect to the Elders VVheras if a Bishop fall into such faults like the Appealer he vvill be subiect to none vvho dare aske him you vvill say the Archbishop but if the Archbishop be corrupt and mightie in court vvho dare once taxe him The Pope Adde he can not erre or all is nothing Such an endles labarinth follovves this humaine inuention of diocessan and prouinciall Bishops vvhich hath and doth make vvickednes abound because it hath not so good meanes to stay and represse it as the Eldership hath 1. Cor. 12.28 vvhich v● as ordained for that end not by man but by God himselfe God hath set some in the church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers then miracles the gifts of healing helpers Gouernors c. these last are tvvo distinct offices as Ar. Montan. Beza and others reade them * Beza Annot. in hoc lec vnderstanding the helpers to be deacons that helped the poore sick And Gouernours to declare the order of the presbyters vvho vvere keepers of the discipline of the church as vvee said elsvvhere To vvhom then belongeth the Gouernment but to those that God hath set in the church Novv vvee can reade of

ought to be gouerned by Presbiters and that the gouernment by diocessan Bishops is of humaine authoritie and inuention and consequently the vvisdome of the flesh Rom. 8.7 vvhich is en●mitie vvith God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be As vvee may see in those greate defendors of the Hierarchie in the church of Rome and in England that vvill not be conuinced in this point by the Testament of Christ So much are they blinded by the proffit and honour that follovves it but crie out that this is nothing but the madnes of the Brovvnists and some others that seeke innovation change that these are priuate spirits and that they giue a priuate interpretation of the scriptures and Fathers because it agrees not vvith theirs vvho are more in number and greater in povver VVhich yet is the priuate interpretation because not according to the expresse meaning of the holy Ghost The consent of many clocks and vvatches in a citie doth not proue them to goe true vnles they accord vvith the Sunne No more doth that of many Bishops and Councels vnles they agree vvith the vvord One Paphnutius hauing that on his side is not a priuate spirit but ought to be preferred before many of a contrarie concord as the Councell of Nice shevved in him Therefore it is but a shift and a mockerie to call this Tenet Brovvnisme vvhen they knovv this of the Eldership is the gouernmēt of the reformed churches in France Germanie c. and that to condemne this for an errour is to condemne them all yea the fathers before alledged and the verie Apostles themselues It vvill be obiected Diocessan Bishops came in soone after the death of the Apostles and if the church gouerned by Elders be the true church vvhere vvas the true church from the first comming in of diocessan Bishops till the Nicene Councell vvhen they vvere first confirmed by a generall councell and Imperiall authoritie and the vvoman fled into the vvildernes and vvas follovved by a flood of Gothes Reuel 12. and Vandals I ansvvere Bishops vvere then diocessan prouinciall rather nomine quam re in name then indeed excercising title povver and authoritie ouer them as ye haue seene out of the testimonie of Cyprian Hierom and Chrysostom VVhat doeth the bishop giuing of orders excepted vvhich the Presbyter may not doe He vvas not then come to his power ●nd strength but vvas then litle other then a Presbyter in ●atter of gouernment had a Pastorall charge ouer one con●regation yea gouerned like them and vvith them the Pres●yters had their voices in Councels they neither vvere nor vvould be so soone thrust out So that for a time they had still the essentiall parts of a true church at least till such staines and blemishes grevv greater the Hierarchie excercised more authoritie ouer the Presbiters and became the mint defence authority of humaine inuentiō errour superflitiō to be made a marke of a true church Then the mistery of iniquitie that had long before vvrought in that inuentiō began to shevv the fruits thereof then that vvas true vvhich one saith of episcopacie It vvas inuented against an euill but the remedy proued worse then the disease For out of these smal beginnings issued 1. The insupportable povver impietie of the Pope and church of Rome vvhich haue brought so many and so vnspeakeable euills on the church For though perhaps those ancients meant to doe noe hurt but rather much good in ordaining diocessan Bishops and giuing them but litle power yet hereby the misterie of iniquity wrough● for they thus presuming to set one ouer others in a diocesse this povver increased vvith like reason authoritie Archbishops and Patriarcks vvere set ouer Bishops in the end a Pope ouer all For grant they may ordaine diocessan Bishops and that their ordinance is by a diuine instinct and of good authoritie and it vvill fellovv that others after them may as vvell ordaine the rest and that their ordinance also is by diuine instinct and of good authoritie so indeed to ordaine Cardinals and as manie vpstart orders of Priests and friers as are among the Papists I might add setting vp of Images to be vvorshipped and all other popish Tenets and customes vvhich haue bene authorised by councels and kings if that vvere sufficient as some thinke it is Hence therefore as from a spring haue issued all the errours of the Romish church established by Bishops in councels for sound and good doctrines and all the vast authoritie and povver of Bishops and the multitude of those traditions and ceremonies vvherevvith they as Rulers haue burdened the church and by vvhich the vvord of God hath bene made of none effect So that novv neither the Romish nor English Bishops vvill endure that the scriptures should be alledged in these points of their Hierarchie traditions and many as vvell of the Princes and Clergie as of the common people seeing the name and office of a Bishop in the Scriptures are contented vvith the Bishops to take it for graunted that it is meant of diocessan Bishops that the gouernment of the church vvas in the nevv Testament giuen to them not to Elders or at least as others inferre As the church vvas enlarged vnder the old title of bishops a nevv order of gouernment might be ordained by counsailes of men and authoritie of Emperours and kings for the better gouernment of the church As if any thing could be better deuised or bring forth better fruite then the ordinance of God vvho hath punished that presumption vvith so ill fruites of it to make vs see the contrarie or as if the Testament of God vvere insufficient and he had not as sufficientlie prouided for his church in this point as in others He vvill teach vs at length to knovv the tree by the fruit and that these great places in the Hierarchie are but meere baites to corrupt men and make them to please such bishops and courtiers as can aduance them ofters bribes vvrest the Scriptures for the Hierarchie Arminiaisme and such popish points traditions and ceremonies as make the vvord of God of none effect Neither is it any reasoning from the time of Augustin and those fathers that savv Diocessan Bishops and said not much against them but rather seemed to thinke their vse tollerable and proffitable and them to be hereticks that denied it beeing established by councels 1. Because the povver of Bishops as vve proued in those daies vvas nothing like that they novv haue but as one saith as vnlike as the povver of the Duke of Venice in the Senate is to that vvhich some Monarch hath in his dominions and ouer his subiects 2. Those Fathers had not seene such fruits of it in Antichrist and Antichristian povver as vve haue and so vvhat it is to take such a custome or an ordinance of a Concell for a good vvarrant So many traditions and superstitious rites

of their plea are plainly a bused made meere shifts mights as vv●ll haue serued the Papists against VValdo Luther Caluin as them against the Eldership If they vvould speake truth they might rather say as by Constantines so by Queen Flizabeths comming to the crovvne vvith peace entred plentie honour and vvith them anibition coueteosnes corruption So in short time and by degrees it fared vvith those ancient Bishops their feare tovvard God in matters of their Hierarchie traditions and ceremonies began to be taught by the precepts of men vvith these ambition and coueteousnes entred into the church therefore first in these then in other things their vvisdome began to be hid and perishing so that they could not see the mischiefes follovving diocessan and prouinciall Bishops 4 The church of Rome at that time the Bulvvark and authoritie of diocessan Episcopacie vvas not then knovvne to be the VVhore ef Babylon and mother of fornications but for her integritie in other matters as against Arrians and other hereticks vvas thought the pillar of truth and for the greatnes of her Bishop not opposed by many but rather applauded 〈◊〉 the most therefore fevv or none vvould then speake against her custome and tenets vvhich indeede made their ovvne Episcopall authoritie to be held the more lavvfull and necessarie the rather because of the honour profit that accompanied it So prone is all mankinde to encline to those vanities and be blinded by them 5. Though it vvere vvithout all true authoritie of Scripture yet custome and consent of Synods had established and increased it as they also did the primacie and povver of the Pope in the Nicence Sardean and other councels therefore it vvas thought an heresie in Aerius to dissent from them vvhereas the heresie vvas rather in them that dissented from the institution and practise of the church in the time of the Apostles but indeed the misterie of iniquitie could not other vvise haue vvrought that the church of Rome should become the great vvhore and her Bishop the Antichrist For these ordinances that set vp diocessan Bishops Archbishops and Patriarchs vvith many many nevv rites and ceremonies furthered the greatnes and authoritie of the Bishop and church of Rome and such vvas then the custome and doctrine of that church implying that they vvere necessarie therefore it vvas counted Schisme and heresie to hold any thing to the cōtrarie though taught in scriptures the name of the church did carrie it against all proofes vvhatsoeuer If any opposed and saide these things vvere Ievvish heathenish or Antichristian or tended that vvay they could not vvant instrumentall daubers to quiet or confound them vvith abusing such places as that Gal. 5.15 Ephes 4.3 If ye bite deuoure one another take heede ye be not deuoured one of another Keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Dispute not about things indisterent but rather obserue vnitie and vniformitie vvith due obedience to the church to Bishops to Synods and their ordinances and neuer say they are ill carried be not so seditious schismaticall or peruerse they are your guides and you should be guided and ruled by them By these and the like meanes and deuises they passed from errour to errour Euen as at this day in England the Supporters of the Hierarchie and Arminianisme preuaile by the same reasons by abusing the same and the like places and by saying the ancient Synods ordained Archbishops and Bishops and the custome and doctrine of the church of England doe implie and teach that they and their traditions and gouernment are necessarie therefore it is schisme and heresie to dissent from them that is though you hold vvith the scriptures the name of the church of England must carrie it against all proofes vvhatsoeuer and therefore though they vvill not be accounted Papists as those are vvho stand for the Pope yet are they Pontificians such as maintaine diocessan and prouinciall Bishops the opposers thereof to be schismaticks and hereticks For they knovv that as it vvas of old so at this day the calling of them hereticks is next to povver custome and humaine constitution the best argument to defend their Hierarchie and the traditions thereof For vvhile they scoffe at them and their Tenets and call them hereticks Puri●ains peruerse Spirits that labour to proue that the Hierarchie ought to be abolished the Eldership restored this makes Princes nobles ministers and people to stop their eares and eyes against all the best reasons and proofes of Scripture in these cases and in like manner to scoffe at them * Luk. 16.14 Iohn 9.29 So the Pharises derided Christ like as at this day the greatest defence of Romish religion is scoffing at the Protestant faith calling it heresie them hereticks that professe it this makes Princes Priests and people to looke no further but to stop their eares against all proofes as against the Sophistrie of hereticks VVith this deuise also hath the church of Rome preuailed from time to time and by it ran from one errour to another till she became full of abhominations and to haue such povver that no man durst vndertake to conuince her And so may the church of England vvho hath begun such a progresse in some popish ceremonies Arminian errours vvhich are maintained by practises as beeing such as they vvill suffer no man to dispute against but vvith povver and cunning pretences prohibit all from gainsaying her Prelates in any thing * 2. Cor. 1.24 as the church of Rome did This is to haue dominion ouer mens faith vvhich the Apostles abhorred seeing the truth of God is in these points reuealed and things reuealed belong to vs to vvhome it is giuen to contend for the faith VVhence it must needes follovv that they also vvill get a povver to doe teach vvhat they list and yet no man shall dare to conuince them For Christ saith He that is vniust is the least Luk. 16.10 is vniust also in much Let no man therefore say these are small differences that the authoritie of Bishops should be receiued in them or that they are matters too high for the people seeing they are not higher then the mysteries of the Trinitie vvhich being also taught in Scriptures should be held of all and not forbidden as these are to open a gap for * Which is the drift of the pro●ectors and Abettors poperie to enter For such euer haue bene such are and such must needes be the fruit of greatnes in the clergie And therefore vvhereas some say as the church grevv larger and larger so there might be nevv offices officers ordained hauing greater honour and more ample iurisdiction and command ouer vvhole countries and Prouinces they see here the fruits of it in Rome and in England It is not the putting of religious men into the papacie or into English Bishopvvricks that vvill helpe these things if the callings be of men and not of