Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	authority_n	church_n	great_a	2,872	4	2.7912	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A56256	The qvestion concerning the divine right of episcopacie truly stated	Parker, Henry, 1604-1652.	1641 (1641)	Wing P418; ESTC R19874	6,735	17

there is a forme of Jurisdiction and I think not held vaine or unlawfull by any and even in cases of heresie blasphemie c. which are most spirituall if none can so rightly judge what is heresie blasphemy c. as spirituall governours yet this proves not any necessity of Bishops for the fact may be tryed execution awarded by others and nothing but an assistance of Councell from spirituall men will be needfull In the third place also if Excommunication be still held of necessity and all other temporall authority defective without it if it be concluded to be perpetuall notwithstanding the decay of Prophecy and the supply of other Christian jurisdiction and if it be to be extended also to all persons in all cases as our Christian Court now extends it which seemes to me a strange obscure unproved thing yet the only question is Whether it may not continue in the Church and be still ordered and guided without Episcopacy For it seemes that the Presbyterians though they use not Excommunication for such violent rigorous purposes as the Papists doe yet they are more severe in it then ever the Fathers were before the Law or under the Law and yet notwithstanding their authority of using it is not excepted against by their enemies And fo●rthly if it be granted that Bishops were first introduced for the preventing of schismes and factions in the Church as being held the fittest meanes for to procure the decision of controversies and the determination of disputes in Religion yet the question is whether discord and division may not be prevented and difficulties of dispute as conveniently resolved by some other as by Episcopall authority for it seemes there is great difference inter Ecclesiam constitutam and Ecclesiam constituendam and between a Church whose supreme governor is ill affected to it a Church whose Prince is an indulgent Father to it so that Episcopacy cannot be now of the same use as it was at first in the infancy of the persecuted Church And it seemes that amongst all other Protestants both Calvinists and Lutherans where Bishops rule not controversies are not so manifold nor innovations in Religion so easie to be induced nor factions in the Church so dangerously maintained as they are in England under the sway of Bishops It seemes also in all great emergent occasions of division and dissention in points of doctrine that if our two famous Vniversities were consulted and in case of disagreement there if London as our third Oracle should arbitrate by a Junto of all her Divines the decision would be farre more honorable and satisfying to all than if any one Bishop or any Province or Nation of Bishops should attempt to give the like And to conclude this point the solemn use of Synods Councels and Parliaments does not at all depend upon Episcopacy so that it seemes as to this purpose no necessity can be alledged for the government of Bishops as Bishops are now qualified in England These branches if they were thus orderly discussed by moderate conscionable learned Divines many incomparable advantages in probabilitie would arise thereby for first the very foundations of Popery would be laid open and naked the very center of that tyrannous united Empire which has subjugated the world so long under such base slavery would be ript up and all its infernall mysteries discovered to the sun Secondly that unpolitike axiome No Bishop no King whereby Bishops have alwayes imbarqued Princes in their warres would appeare to be sophisticate and a meere color without all substance of reason Thirdly many great fruits of peace and unity both Ecclesiasticall and Civill would redound to our whole Nation Those many mischiefs which attend Episcopacy against which the complaints are so grievous and universall would be remedied That new module of government which so many have so variously phansied and proposed in these latter times would open it self and offer it self to us of its own accord The pattern of the State would be sufficient to present to us a fit harmonious pattern for the Church and the body and head of both Church and State would appeare to be the self same The King should be the same in both and Councels and Courts govern under him by the same commission in both A power to ordain fit Ministers and to put a finall end to controversies and dissentions might be committed to the Vniversities and some gentle influence by votes affirmative or negative might be also allowed therein to the Laytie The power of making Articles and Orders for decency and peace in the Church might remaine unalter'd in the Kings Clergie and Parliament Able civill and canon Lawyers might still sit in their tribunals taking cognizance of such cases as are truly Ecclesiasticall and have not been by usurpation of the Hierarchy wrongfully wrested out of the Temporall Courts and the spirituall sword of Excommunication might still be gently weelded in the same hands as it has been when it is necessary An assistance of godly Divines in all cases of Conscience might be allotted to the K. and all his Judges and Magistrates upon occasion without wholly drawing them from their charges and this would be no lesse effectuall then that of the greatest Prelates The inconveniences of the Presbyterian Discipline also which is not so adequate and conformable to Monarchy would be rectified And lastly the bleeding Church which had so great a part of her Patrimony torn from her by Hen. 8. by the addition of Episcopall and Cathedrall livings might be healed up and restored to her antient grace and vigour FINIS