Selected quad for the lemma: law_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
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A17037
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A true and short declaration both of the gathering and ioyning together of certaine persons, and also of the lamentable breach and division which fell amongst them.
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Browne, Robert, ca. 1550-1633.
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1583
(1583)
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STC 3910.5; ESTC S1834
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31,414
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25
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âlders therein is abâue the Apostle aboue the Prophet the Eâangâlist the Pastor the Teaâhâr euerie particulâââlder For the âoining partaking of âanie churches togââhâr of the authoritie Vvhich manie haue must needes be greater more Vvaightiâ âhân the authoritie of anie siâgle person And this alâoe ment Paâl Vvhere he saith 1. Cor 2. 22. Wee are yours you are Christes Christ is Goâes Soe that the Apostle is inferior to the chârch the church is inferâor to Christ Christ coÌcerning his manhood offiâe in the church is inferior to God This he iudgâd not onelie toe be against the Vvickedâeâ of the bâshâpes but alâo agâinst theiâ Vvhole povver authoritie For if the authoritie of the chârch of the forvvaâdest breethren or elders therein be aboue the bishopes hovve should it not follovue but that the bishopes maie be commauÌded accused charged bie the church yea also discharged separated as is their desert But novve because of their popish povver canon lavves thei haue lift vpp their authoritie more high theÌ the church can take accountes of them not onelie by force do thrust out trouble Vvhome thei list but also raigne as Lordes Dukes in their dioces their authoritie must nedes be vsurped For the Apostles did geue accouÌtes to the church of all their doinges as Vve read in the Act. 11. 4. Act 15. 2. 3. Rom. 15 31. But these being got aboue the Apostles Vvill sit in the throne of Christ as Christ is not inferior to the church no more Will thei be For Christ hath choseÌ vs saith the scripture not Vve him Ioh. 15 16. therfore he is greater theÌ vs all And seiÌg the church can not chose the bishopes nor those hirelinges Vvhome the bishopes thurst vppon them therefore theâ also Vvill be greater then the church Vvith Vvhom then do thei compare them selues in degree but Vvith Christ so make them selues antichristes Nai thei presume further then Christ Vvhich vvouldâ not thrust his Apostles vooÌ anie congregaâioÌ nor suffer them to take charge of anie Vvhich did not Vvillinglie receaue theÌ Luâ 10. 10. But these do force vpoÌ the people euerie Vvhere in sundrie places against their vvilles not onelie ministers vnknovuÌe but also such as are knovueÌ to be blind busserdes Vvicked fâlloâves idol shâpherdes Likevvise Christ hath al rule in his hande as it is Vvritten that vve aâe compleat in him Vvhich is the head of all priÌcipalitie povver Col. 2. he can not sinne nor offend the lavve of God nor be accused by the same For âo the âcripture testifiâth that none could reproue him of sinne though he offâred him sâlfe to them to acâuse him âf âhâi could Ioh 8. And he is that high priest as againe it is Vvâitten Heb. 7 vvhich is holie harmlesse Vndefiled separate from sinners and made highâr thââ thâ heauens Hovv hâgâ then âo theâ lift âhâm selves Vvhich Wâll rule alone aâ lordes ouer the stoâk though thâ vvord hath saied iâ shâll not be so Luâ 22. 26. â Pet. 5. 3. Wâich vvill be Rââbiâs Doctors reuerenââââhers though Vve hâue bât one doctoâ Father as ãâ¦ã hâgh ãâ¦ã âat 23. vvhich âlso tâke vpoÌ theÌ not as seruauÌts in the hâââe as vvas Moâââ ââb 3. ãâ¦ã âftâr him that is soone hâire in his ovvne house saâng thââ vvâll âot ãâ¦ã raâgââo âet theÌ Lâc. 19 14. For theâ haue refused his gouernment chââen their ovvne popââh ââsciplââe in steaâ thereof This appeareth because thây enter takâ on them their offiâeâ in popâsh vvise as âhaâââvve praescribeth theÌ also do misgâid the people by thâââopâsh tyraânie For vvho knovveth not but that they vvâtch for the liuing or byshâp ââke vvhen it shall fall then seââe pâye vvell for the same if they obtaine it âo are they rauenous vvicked persoÌs as saith the câpture Zâc 3. They are makâ shâftes troublers seing they rule rathâr because they seeke their ovvne aduantage or glorie or ââshâhenous pârpose then the vvelfare benefâ of the church Yea they all looke to their ovvne vvaye as saiâth âhe Prophet Esa 56. 11. euerie one for his aâuaÌtage for his ovvne pârpose Who knovveâh not also but that they vvhiâh are not duelie âeceaued called to guide that by due consent agremeÌt they are ether Antichristes in the church or Tyrantes in the common vvelth because they vsârp in the church or commoÌvvelth Such are they of vvhom Paul speaketh 2 Cor. 11. 20 that the coriÌthians did suffer them to much For they did suffer if a man brought them into bondage if a man deuoured if a maÌn tooke if a man exalted him selfe if a man smote them on the face For in deed the people do suffer the bâshops though they take from them their lâbertie âf chosing good pastors refusing euill yea they suffer them selues to be robbed beaten by those spiritual courtes they suffer the great vnto vvardnes vvickednes of the byshops to be coloured hidden by their outvvard bragge countenance as by their pomp authoritie tytls povver some times by their fair flattering sermons pleasings For they rule by three sortes of lavves as by the ciuil the canoÌ the commoÌ lavve vvhich are three kingdomes vnto them or as the Popes triple crovvne by pretending the fourth lavve vvhich is the vvorde of God they ouerrule totoe much they spare not to come vppon the people vvith force povver they care not to bridle them vvith nevv yearly iniunctions alâo vvith the ould lavves penalties of the court of Rome While R. B. thought these thinges ân him selfe he moued the matter diuers times vnto others Some did gainsay those of tâe âorvvardest affirming that the byshops authoritie is tolerable he might take license âââhoritie of them Others of them saide they vvoulde not couÌsel nor medle for an other maÌâ coÌscience in that matter but they them selues iudged that the byshops preached the vvoâd of God therefore ought not lightlie to be reiected Also they said that seing they had the vvord the sacraments they must needes haue vvithall the church people of God seing this vvas vnder the gouernmeÌt of the byshops by means of theÌ they could not vvholy condem the byshops but rather âudge them faultie in some parte Then did R. B. againe againe discusse these matters as he had often before as vvhether the byshopes coulde be saied to preach the vvord of God minister the sacraments or no. For if that vvere trevve then also might they call place ministers seing they them selues did minister so great â thing as is the vvorde the sacraments they might also minister their help in other thingâ not so great Therfore to knovve vvhether they preached the vvord of God he searched fouÌd by the scriptures vvhat it is to preach the vvord namely to do