Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	ancient_a	bishop_n	church_n	2,902	5	4.2373	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80541	A copie of tvvo vvritings sent to the Parliament. The one intituled motions for reforming of the Church of England in this present Parliament: most taken out of Irenaus Philadelphus. The other a humble petition unto the Parliament, for reforming of the Church of England: all taken out of the holy Scriptures.	Du Moulin, Lewis, 1606-1680. Motions for reforming the Church of England in this present Parliament.	1641 (1641)	Wing C6235; Thomason E238_12; ESTC R2679	18,517	27

un●full 〈◊〉 me● in 〈◊〉 which still causeth suites between the parishers and ministers the patron and incumbent keepes the minister from his Church while he followes sute to London And bring the holy ministers into obloquie and contempe but an honorable Competent proportion be appointed for the maintaining of each parish Minister by the parishioners rated by the Parliament or Synod And that the distinction of Deanes Archdeacons Parsons Curates Vicars and Readers be taken away but let them be co●q●●ls and more or lesse in number in one parish according to the greatnes or wealth of the parrish 10. That as Bishops in height of Iurisdiction and place by act are to be shortned so an act be made from henceforth that all ordinary ministers which are too much villified d Quae. 11 Whither many of the ordinary Ministers are not so vile as that there is no honour nor respect due to them shall have more respect and honour then heretofore given to them and that the ministers sons be preferred to the fellowship of Colleges 11 That the power e Qu. 12. Whither it ●e not meet ●hat they should first shew by whose authority the keys belong unto th●m before the Parliamēt do grant such a thing of the ecclesiasticall keyes such as belongs to the Bishops and ministers be restored to them according to the ancient constitutions of the primitiue Churches that there be no Censure past upon the Cleargy or people from Synods Bishops or p●esbiteryes but such as is spiritual ●hat vsual penalty of imprisonment fines be rendred again to be righ● owner viz to the C●vill M gist●ate and the abuse of excommunications and the Oath Ex-Officio abolished f Qu. 13. W●●her other abuses as vile a● these should not be abolished also g Qu. 14 Whither it be not better that the Parliamēt should present to the King all the Bishopricks in the land he take them into his owne hands 12 That the Cleargie of the Diocesse shall choose their own bishops or present to the Kings Majesty two who may choose of them whom he pleaseth and that every parish be patron of us parish haue the presentations of as many ministers as the floocke requireth to the Synod or Bishop 13. That insteed of chancellours Officials Apparators Registors and such like grashoppers there be some h Qu. 15. Whither it be not fit that these Motioners do prove the thing to be lawful before the Parliament doe grant it lay Elders that may sit in provintial Synods and have their voyce in matter of Discipline Church government and that in a nationall Synod there be some Lay-men likewise appointed by the Parliament 14. That a better course be taken for the providing for the poor that both ministers i Qu. 16. Whither their motion be not gainst the Word of God Act. 6.2.4 the chiefe of the Parish shall oversee how Church-wardens do dispose of the Churches Treasury that they be not permitted under crime of Sacriledg to spend it upon themselues that every moneth they give account of whatsoever is received and layd out Quae. 17. Whither it ●e imagi●able that ●y Mini●ters if ●alled of God as ●as Aa●on would propound ●o raine a ●hing to a Parliamēt 15. That the griping of Church duties and buriall Costs exacted oftner more rigerously of the poore then the rich be restrained and that the ministers be contented with his yearly sallary performing al the branches of his Calling as Baptisme Burying visiting the sick without any further recompense but such as is tendered to him Quae. 18. Who must ●resent the Parish Minister ●f he be a delinquent 〈◊〉 most are 16. That hereafter none be cited by the Synod Presbitery or spirituall Court without the knowledge of the parish minister who ought to present the delinquent haue his voyce in the Censure Quae. 19. Whither it bee meet that such men as complaine against the rigour of Bb. should be suffered to impose what they please upon others 17. That it be not more in the power of Bishops to impose what they please upon the Cleargie with such Rigurous penalties as they haue lately used for the oath of the sixt Cannon 18. That the fountaines of learning Cambridg and Oxford be purged from superstitious rites and Popish Doctrines and Orthodox Readers be provided A humble Petition vnto the PARLIAMENT for the Reforming of the Church of England all taken out of the holy Scriptures PETITIONERS 1. HOwsoever it cannot be denied but some things in King Edwards days were wel reformed Nevertheles many grosse corruptions were still retayned both in the Church-lyturgy discipline ministery and the very constitution of the Church it selfe The which errors and evils haue been by sun dry learned (a) Cartwright Brightman Parker Vdal Baines Bates Gilbie Fenner Ames Bastwick Laiton others and Godly men so plainly discovered as that every sincere professour of the gospell is now fully informed of the necessity of a chang And are humble PETITIONERS that whatsoever shall appeare to be antichristian and unlawfull may by thus present Parliament be suppressed and the ordinances of the Gospell set up to the honour of Iesus Christ the perpetuall peace both of Church and common wealth 2. whereas Iesus Christ Lord and King of his Church hath set down vnto us in the new testament a setled platform of Church governm (b) M● 18 15 16 Eph. 11 12 Hebr. 3 2 3 4 1 Tim. ● 15 Esa 9 Act. ● 40. which is unchangable best perpetuall and common to all Churches c Mat. 2● 18 20 1 Tim. 1● 16 A● 1 3 G● 1 8 9 Iud. 3 Rev. 14 9 12 2● 18 19. and to which all churches and people must be subject and not to any other devised by man whatsoever And in this respect suteable howsoever some otherwise vntruly insinuate to the Monarchy of great Brittain and to all kinds of Civill estates in the world It is therefore againe desired that the same be ratified and enacted by this present Parliament But if it be thought fit by both houses that there shal be a committee or convocation and meeting of some divines to treat of the thing Then our request is that some zealous and godly ministers who have beē forced to fly out of the Realm by reason of the Prelates persecution may be called home Such as are known to be impartiall learned and vncorrupt in life and doctrine Men that haue not maintayned the open profanation of the Lords day neither are ignorant or unsound in the point of Church government as are our poopishly ceremonious divines 3. We hould that there is not onlye need but that it is of absolute necessity that the English Liturgy be taken away becaus the same is a devised service d Ex 20 4 5 Ioh. ● 24 Rom● 8 26 27● Iud. 24 Mal. 1 14. Col. 2.8 27 Gal. 3 18. Romish stuffe

termed by King Iames the English Masse and fitly so because it was culled and wicked out of the popish danghill the por●●is vile Masse Booke full of all abominations and peaced and patched together without reason or order of edefication And this being abolished our further request is that this present PARLIAMENT will take such order as that no stinted or devised formes of prayer be by any nationall Sinod imposed specially upon the ministers of the Gospel in any part of the Kings Dominions but as the Lord hath furnished them with spiritual gifts a Act. 1 24 28 1 Thes 5 17 Rom. 8 26 27 1 Tim. 7 17 Neh. 2 4 Exo 14 15 1 Pet. 2 5 even so according to their present need and occasions they may have their freedome alwayes to pray in the spirit through the helpe of the holy Ghost For if it had seemed good to the Apostles the last Pen-men of the holy Scriptures that any stinted formes or number of words should be repeated or read out of a prayer booke they would certainly haue giuen commandement for the practise thereof but we find no prescript Liturgy in their writings nor had the primitiue churches any such thing what ever the Iewes fable of Ezra and the Papists of St. Iames and St. Peter And as we like it well that this PARLIAMENT should seeke for union with other Protestant Churches in matters of true doctrine so also to accord with them in all acts of their lawful discipline and chiefly in this that they doe not force and compel people to become members of the Church but let every congregation consist of a free and voluntary people and as for such as are prophane worldly and wicked let them be kept out of the Church untill they be called of God unto repentance and faith in his promise 4. Howsoever we agree unto the Articles of the Synod of Dort in al points there treated and concluded against the Aruntians yet we se not by any warrant from the word of God that it is lawfull for the ecclesiasticall officers of many churches to meet together and by joynt authoritie to make constitutions and lawes and to impose them upon all churches b 1 Pet. 5 2 3 2 Col. 5 Iam. 3 1 Rev. 14 9 10 11 This tyranie and usurpation we beseech the Parliament to prevent and not to grant any liberty to convocations or Synods to make Ecclesiasticall Cannons for al Churches but let every particular congregation as a special prerogatiue wherwith shee is indued by Christ be free from such bondag and burden 5. Howsoever some wish that Bishops be retayned in their places yet sure we are that this PARLIAMENT shall very much glorifie the sonne of God if as plants which the Father never planted they now roote them up For since the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists were taken away from this world there are not any other lawfull Bishops or Church-Governours then Bishops or O-verseers of particular Churches a Act. 〈◊〉 28 P● 1 1. 6. And seeing they are no Ministers at all in the Church of God but haue and do vsurpe the name and seate of the ministerie Their calling being Antichristian and contrary to the word of God b 2 T● 2 3 4● 1 Pet. 1 4 I● 22 25 26 Ep● 8 11 ● 13 R● 9 3 11 17 ● 14 9 ● wee therefore most humbly beseech this present PARLIAMENT not onelie to take from them as they justly deserve all Civill authority but also to doe to them as our Saviour dealt Ioh. 2. in whipping out the buyers and sellers and money-changer For of a certayntie they might better come into the Temple then any Metropolitan or Diocesan Bishopp into the Church of God yea and had more necessary use but they had abused holie things and made it a denne of theeues 7. The principall defect of discipline and the spring of all errours in doctrine and practice is not the want of Synods but rather of the knowledg of the Scriptures For the testament of Christ shewes us no Provintiall nationall emperiall and mother like Church having sundry meetings or assemblies and speciall Pastors over the same Neither hath Christ Iesus subjected any Church or Congregation of his to any other Superiour Ecclesiasticall jurisdictinn then unto that which is with in it selfe So that if a whole Church or congregation shall erre in any matter of Faith and Religion no other Convocations Societies Combinations or Assemblies whatsoever have by any Commandement from the Lord power to censure punish or controll the same but are onely to admonish them in a brotherly way and so to leave them to the immediate judgement of Christ For Bishops therefore and Parish Ministers to come together to discusse of the affaires of the Diocesse make orders and decide and determine among themselves the cases and controverses of sundry congregations It is a practise which the Apostles never knew Syon hath not heard of it Ierusalem which is aboue will not acknowledg it but as it began with the oppressing the only lawfull politie of the Church so the use of it hitherto hath been the cruelst and most ambitious tiranny in the world And therfore the Parliamēt is humbly desired not to countenance so injurious vnjust a course but to stand earnestly zealous for the pretious liberty and priviledg of the Saints the which Christ hath purchased for them with his owne blood 8. As the Scriptures a Act. 20 28. Rom. 12.8.7 Phil. 1.1 acknowledge no other for lawful Bishops but such only as stand ministers to some particular Congregation so neither doe they acknowledge any Ecclesiasticall censure rightly pronounced against them unlesse it be done by that Church of which they are members b Mat. 18 17.18 1 Cor. 4.5.12.13 2 Thes 3.6 with Lev. 24.14.15.16 23. Iosh 7 11.25 and by which they were elected into Office As for deposition excommunicaton and the like done by Synods whether Provinciall or Nationall it is but of the Earth newly devised an addition an institution an ordinance of Kings and Princes And this needs must bee so because Christ hath not placed this power any other where but in a true visible Church Now there is no true visible Church but a particular Congregation Company or Assembly of men ordinarily joyning together in the true Worship of God As for other Convocations Synods Societies Combinations c. the Title of a visible Church is improperly and untruely attributed unto them Of this judgement are our English best Divines c D. Ames Eng. puritne Baines Dioces p 12. repl to Down Offer for conference p. 2. 9. The right course for the due maintainance of ministers is by the free and voluntary Contribution of the Church d 1 Cor. 9 7.14 Gal. 6.6 1 Thes 5.13 1 Tim. 5.15 with Pro. 3.9.10 Num. 18.8.32 Not that Parliaments or Synods should impose any certaine rate or summe upon any man how much hee should pay but this is to

pu 329. 330. with holinesse and when any dangerous errours are broached for to ●uppresse them But at these meetings of Ministers of sundry Churches they medled ●ot with Excommunication l Ignat. ad Philad ad mag Tral Tertu Apol c. 20. Atha Ep in pers ad orthod Ep. ad Soli vit deg Ep. con Nicae c. 9 Eccl. hist Bas Epi. 58 ad Elitiū Theo. l. 1. c. 19 election and ordination of Church officers for all such ●hings they left as peculiar administrations to every particular Church onely if there were Heresies broached ‡ Cent. 2. c. 9 p. 159 160. 161 or some weightie point to be determined every one ●ave his judgement and advice and afterwards signified what was done to the Chur●hes who had still their liberty to receive or reject what was before concluded And thus for the space of 200 or 300 years as Brightman m on Rev. cha 12. p. 505. 506. edit 3. Iacob n neces Resor p. 57 c. and o●hers have well observed the Primitive purity of Church government was not destroyed ●either had Satan as yet brought in Prelaticall and Synod●ll pride into the Sheepfold of the Lord but every Congregation was free and subject to no other Ecclesiasti●all jurisdiction then unto that which was within it selfe Indeed about Constantines time and after as Cyprian o Epist de lapsis l. 4 c. 4. Eusaebius p l. 8. ● 1. and Am●rose q Com. in 1 Tim. 5. testifie and which is also affirmed by Casaubon r ad Card. Peron obs 4. p. 30. 31. Whitaker ſ de Rom. pont cont 4. p. 5. Mornaeus t H●● ●op p. 37. 38. Brightman u Apoc. c 2 p 67. and others Men began to devise a new order and manner of gover●ing Churches as they thought fittest to agree with the times and took away by little and little the independant power and government of particular Churches And had now their Councils and Synods to make what Canons and Laws they listed imposing the same nolens volens upon all Congregations not permitting the people to have a●y hand in the election of Ministers excommunication and the like x See Beza in res ad tract de minst Evan. de grad c. 22. f. 154. 155. Synod Laod. can 13. And how●oever the government left by the Apostles to the Churches was rejected under pretence to preserve the unitie and peace of the Church y Duaraen dist 8. and for the avoiding of schismes a Field of the Church l. 3. p. 157. 158. de visib non l. 5. c 4. factions and for the unrulinesse of the people b Scvlting hierarch anar l 11 p 134. and to prevent other evils yet whosoever will juditiously read the impartiall Writers of that age hee shall finde that the corrupting at first of Church government was principally through the pride c Greg l 4 Epi 38. and ambition of the Ministers for beginning now to have some outward state and meanes in the world thought it a disparagement that the Bretheren should be equall with them in the affaires of the Church d Chrysost in Mat hom ●4 Hieron in Epi ad Gal cvp 4. Much lesse could they any longer indure to be under their admonitions and censures how disorderly soe● they walked Adde to this another cause viz. the negligence Hieron n Esa l. 6 c. 30. and idlenesse of the people also the number of unfit members which were daily received such as f Chrys in opere imperfect hom 44. knew 〈◊〉 what their liberty in the Gospell was besides about this time the civill Magistrat● joynes with the Innovatours and corrupters of Church government and under divers threatnings and severe penalties commandeth every one to yeeld and conform themselves to the sinfull devices of their NEW MASTERS Having thus briefly declared what was the discipline planted by the Apostoli● institution g See Cen. 5. ca. 9. de Synodis in all Christian Congregations at first we have now onely a word more to speake to the Parliament being in hand at this present time with the reforming of 〈◊〉 Church of England Wise Polititians in their institutions of Government do hold for an infallible m●ime that for to reforme abuses and corruptions in States a better course cannot be ●ken then to reduce things to their primitive originall For as one truely saith h Field of the Church l 2. p. 49. 〈◊〉 first in any kinde or sort of things is truest and best Now our humble request is that leaving the MOTIONS of mens braine you w● looke backe to the Churches of the Apostolique institution and from them take yo● patterne and platforme to walke by for so God teacheth i Mat. 28 20. Act. 1 3. 2 Tim. 1.13 Heb. 3.5 you to do And it is i●deed the golden reed k Rev 11. 1. Eze. 41 which Christ now putteth into your hands saying unto y● Rise and measure the Temple of God and the Altar and them that worship therein The authority of the Primitive Churches saith Gerson l De vit spirit is above all Churches 〈◊〉 therefore it is not in the power of Pope Councill or Church to change the doctrines and ●ditions delivered by the Apostles Brightman m Cha. 2. pag. 65. edit 3. on the Revelation hath a singular passage to the same effect T● first Government of the Church saith hee is common to all times and places and it is 〈◊〉 permitted to be at the arbitriment of men to follow what way they list but that alwaies i●forming a Church we must have recourse to the first beginnings to the which as our onely 〈◊〉 we must call back whatsoever strayeth from it and that they are not to be turned and 〈◊〉 according to the crookednesse and jarring sound of succeeding Churches Parker n Pol. eccl l 1 ca. 23. p. 59. l. 3 pag 95 30. in effect useth the very same expression So Cartwright o Repl. to Whitg l 1 p 25 26. and ●nolds p Confer with Hart pag 195. 459. yea and some Bishops too as Iewell q Defenc Apol par 6 chap 16 divis 2 p 762 and Bilson r Perpet Govern p 3. And Hooker ſ Eccles pol l 4 p 1 Cont Mart lib 4 cap 5. gi● reason for it thus the first state of things was best and therefore it must needs follow customes laws and ordinances devised since are not so good for the Church of Christ b● best way is to cut off later inventions and to reduce things to the ancient state wherein at 〈◊〉 they were And this agrees with Tertullians saying of old with which we will end 〈◊〉 Petition That is truest which is first that is first which is from the beginning that is fro● beginning which is from the Apostles FINIS