Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	church_n	8,364	5	4.6820	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A43630	The mushroom, or, A satyr against libelling Tories and prelatical tantivies in answer to a satyr against sedition called The meddal, by the author of Absalom and Achitophel / and here answered by the author of The black nonconformist ...	Hickeringill, Edmund, 1631-1708.	1682 (1682)	Wing H1820; ESTC R16923	14,425	20

Prelates for the most part did their business which made Aeneas Silvius who was afterwards Pope of Rome and wrote the Book of the Council of Basil in his Thirty eighth Epistle to Cardinal Iulian concerning these Cardinals who so magnified the Authority of the Cburch as if they would spend their lives for the same and yet slipt home from that Councel of Basil c. deridingly say that they had rather lose their faith then their preferment c. And Prosper ex Illirico saith That holy men did not challenge the Church-goods as their own but as given to the poor to be divided to all them that have nothing neither ought they to give any thing to those that have of their own enough for that is but to cast away things Concel Lateran Anno Domini 1179. held at Rome by Pope Alexander and 110 Bishops It is Decreed That none of the Clergy within Orders should meddle with any Temporal Business and that Priests should have but one Benefice and that Bishops should be charged to maintain such Priests as they did Ordain c. And not beggar surely those Priests Ordained and premoted already and swallow them up Which made Cardinal Aralatensis say in the said Council of Basil That all Bishops ought to understand that they come to have greater power than Priests onely by Custom and not by Dispensation of the truth of God and that they ought to rule the Church together for a Priest is the very same that a Bishop is by divine Institution for there is such a Concordance saith he between a Bishop and a Priest that Paul to Titus calleth Bishops Priests And Christ saith blessed are the poor in spirit neither was there any rich Bishop in the Primitive Church neither did the Antient Church reject Dionisius Bishop of Millan nor Eusehius Bishop of Vercellus Hillary Bishop of Pictavia although they were very poor but if we will grant the naked truth well spoke Cardinal The poor are more apt to give right judgment than the rich because riches causeth fear lest they should to be taken from them too true And Poverty causeth liberty for The poor fear no Tyranny as rich men do who are given over to all kind of vanity idleness and sloth and will deny Christ and Truth rather than lose their riches Not love to the Flock for that 's too big and numerous for them to feed but love to the Revenues makes them Bishops Iohn Gerson a Popish Chancellor of Paris and a great Civilian saith that the neglect to observe that ancient Canon namely that Bishops should have poor Apparel Lodging and Diet and should not strive for Transitory things but to imitate the Apostles Hence Hence the Root of all mischief in the Church Also he saith their making of Laws such as they have no Authority from God to make and their enjoyning men by Censures and Excommunications to observe their Laws their Courts c. Which is the cause of Division which he saith will never be appeas'd in France until the Heads spiritual be reformed When Episcopacy first crept into the Earth it was not so inconsistent with Gospel-rule and they were chosen by the people and Ministers who were to live under their inspection c. Yea Popes themselves were chosen by the People and the Priests and after confirmed by the Emperour and were not chosen by Cardinals and Curtesans as they now are c. By ancient Canons the Bishop ought not to Ordain any without the Councel of the Clergy and Testimony of the People Distinct. 70. Tit. Ordinationis Distinct. 29. quando And he shall be no Prince henceforth whom neither Clergy nor People of his own City hath Elected Distinct. 64. Tit. si forte according to Acts 1.23 24 25 26. Acts 6.3.4.6.7 See more of this Extravag de Institot cap. ex frequentibus Extravagant de Prescript Tit. 51. diligent c. cum omne Mr. Henry Stalbridg our Countreyman in his Exhortative Epist. printed at Basil hath these words I say yet once again and that in the zeal of the Lord as he is my Judg I wish if his gracious pleasure so were That first the King's Majesty and so all those to whom God hath given power and authority on Earth may throughly see and perceive how that not onely the bloudy Bear and Wolf of Rome but also the most part of other B and stout-sturdy Canons of Cathedral-Churches with other pretty Prowlers and prestigious Priests of Baal in all Realms of Christendom especially in do roar about like Lions fret like angry Bears and like cruel Wolves should enter not sparing the Flock Acts 20.29 These Spiritual man-hunters are the very off-spring of Cain children of Caiaphas and successors of Simon Magus as their Doctrine and living declare Most cruel Enemies have they been in all ages to the verity of God and most Fierce Persecutors of Christ and his Church marvel not ye Bishops and Prelates saith he though I thus in the zeal of Elias and Phineas stomach against your Sturdy stubbornness for never was any Tyranny ministred upon Christs members but by your procurement never did Christ send such bloudy Apostles and two horned Warriors But the Devil-vicar Antichrist sent them who is deadly destroyer of faithful believers c. And so on at a great rate which see at large then Consider your beginning never came you in with your Miters Robes and Rings c. at the door as did the poor Apostles but by the window unrequired like Robbers thieves and Manquellers with Simon Magus Marcion and Menander never was your Pontifical-Power of our heavenly fathers planting and therefore must be routed up Mat. 15.13 If any thing under Heaven need reformation let them that mind any Godliness Ay ay but where shall we find such think this to be one for if these be not Spiritual Thieves Soul Murtherers Hereticks Schismaticks Church robbers Rebels and Traytors to God and Man where are any to be looked for in the world 't is strange that this holy man was not bound to the good behaviour as some common rogue for this Naked Truth and plain-dealing for nothing can they do saith he but daily mischief c. And may as well be spared in the Common-wealth saith he as Kites Crows Buzzards Polcats Bless us Rats Weasels Otters where Was the Proctors Doctors and Promoters and Affidavit-men in those dayes to plague him with their Lawsuites and Actions and Scandal Magnat's Articles old Statutes Libels Oathes and Writs Capiasses Bums Iaylors Supplicavits Silencings Suspensions Deprivations Excommunications Apparitors Hangmen Promoters c. But listen he goes on Wolves and Foxes bodily Fleas or flesh-Flyes or other devouring noisome vermin For so long as they sat in the Par having before said I reckon it high time for all Christian-Princes which pretend to receive the Gospel of Salvation and to live in peace and tranquillity for ever to cast the Bishops out of Privy-Councels and utterly to seclude you from all Administrations