Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	receive_v	tradition_n	2,719	5	9.4211	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08068	The confession of faith of certayn English people living in exile, in the Low countreyes. Together with a brief note of the speciall heads of those things wherin we differ fro[m] the Church of Engla[n]d.; True confession of the faith, which wee falsely called Brownists, doo hould	Ainsworth, Henry, 1571-1622?; Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.	1607 (1607)	STC 18435; ESTC S119852	30,939	73

that Church Neyther have we shaken of our alleageance and dutifull obedyence to our Soveraigne PRINCE the honorable Counsellers and other Magistrates set over vs but have alwayes and still do reverēce love and obey them every one in the Lord opposing our selves against all enemyes forreigne or domestical against all invasions insurrections treasons or conspiracies by whomsoever intended against the Prince and the State and are ready to adventure our lives in their defence if need require Neither have our greatest adversaryes ever ben able to attaint vs of the least disloyalty in this regard And though now we be exiled yet do we dayly pray wil for the preservation peace prosperity of our Soveraigne Prince al the dominions of that kingdome And whereas we have been accused of intrusion into the Magistrates office as going about our selves to reforme the abuses in that land it is a mere malicious calumnie which our adversaries have forged out of their own hart We have alwayes both by word practise shewed the contrary neyther ever attempted or purposed any such thing but have endevored thus only to reforme our selves and our lives according to the rule of Gods word by absteyning from al evill keeping the cōmandements of Iesus leaving the suppressing and casting out of those remnants of Idolatry vnto the Magistrates to whom it belongeth And further we testify by these presents vnto all men desyre them to take knowledg heerof that we have not forsaken any poynt of the true Ancient Catholicke and Apostolike fayth professed in our land but hold the same groundes of Christian religion with them stil agreeing lykewise herein with the Dutch Scottish Germane French Helvetian and al other Christian reformed Churches round about vs whose Confessions published we cal to witnes our agreement with them in matters of greatest moment being conferred with these Articles of our sayth following The thinges then onely against which we contend which we mislike in the E●glish parish assemblies are many reliqu●s of that m●n of synne whom they pretend to have abandoned yet reteyned among them and with a high hand maynteyned vpholden and imposed The particulers whereof being almost infinite cannot wel of vs be set down and would be tedious and yrksome to thee good Reader But the principal heads we wil truely relate and that ●o briefly as in so large and confuse a subject we can First in the planting and constituting of their Church at the beginning of Queen Elizabets reigne they receyved at once into the body of that Church as mēbers the whole land which generally then stood for the most part professed Papists who had revolted from the profession which they made in the dayes of King Edward of happy memory and shed much blood of many Christian Martyrs in Queen Maryes dayes This people yet standing in this fearful sinful state in Idolatry blyndnes superstition and all manner wickednes without any professed repentance and without the meanes thereof namely the preaching of the word going before were by force authority of Law only compelled and together received into the bosome and body of the Church their seed baptised themselves receved and compelled to the Lords supper had this ministery and service which now they vse inioyned set over thē and ever synce they and their seed remayne in this estate being all but one body commonly called the Church of England Here are none exempted or excluded be they never so prophane or wretched no Atheist adulterer thief or murderer no lyer perjurer Witch or conjurer c al are one fellowship one body one Church Now let the law of God be looked into and there wil be found that such persons are not fit stones for the Lords spiritual howse no meet members for Christs glorious body None of yeares may be received into the Church without fr●e professed fayth repentance and submission vnto the Gospel of Christ his heavenly ordinances Neyther may any contynew there longer then they bring forth the fruyts of fayth walking as becommeth the Gospell of Christ. Christ Iesus hath called severed his servants out of and from the world How then should this confused and mixed people be esteemed the orderly gathered true planted and right constituted Church of God Secondly as they have reteyned the whole ●rout of the popish multitude without any distinctiō for mēbers of their Church so have they set over them as reason was the same popish Clergie Prelacy which they receved from the Romish Apostasie and this day is to be found in the popish Churches to witt Archbs Primates Bbs. Metropolitanes Suffraganes Archdeacōs Deanes Chauncellors Commissaries and the rest of that rable which rule and govern these assemblyes according to the Popish Canons Rites and Customes These have the power and aucthoritie in their hands to set forth Injunctions to make and depose Ministers to excommunicate both Priests and people which they do very exquisitly if they yeeld not vnto them their due homage and obedience These have both Ecclesiastical and Civil aucthoritie to reigne as Princes in the Church and live as Lords in the Common wealth to punish imprison and persecute even to death al that dare but once mutter against their vnlawfull proceedings Of these Prelates tyranny cruelty vnlawful aucthoritie the better sort both of preachers and people have cryed out and long tyme sued vnto the Prince and Parlament to have them removed out of the Church as bei●g the lymmes of Antichrist But not prevayling they are now content fo● avoyding of the crosse of Christ to submit themselves their soules to this Antichris●tian Hierarchie and beare the sinful yok● and burthen of their traditions and to re●ceive and carry about the dreadful and d●●testable marke of the Beast vpon them Thirdly the inferiour ministery of tha● Church consisteth of Priests Parsons Vi●cars Curats hired preachers or Lecturers with Clerks and other like Officers which have received their offices callings and aucthoritie from their forenamed Lords the Prelates to whom they sweare their canonical obedience and promise to performe it with al● reverence and submission Their office i● to read over the service book Bbs Decrees thereby to worship God to marry to bu●ry to church women to visit the sick give him the Sacrament and forgive him al his sinnes if their livings or benefices as they are called amount to a certeine sūme of money in the Princes booke then must they preach or get some other to preach for them fower sermons in a yeare in their parish Where also must be noted that the most part of these Priests are vtterly vnlearned and cannot preach at all whereby it commeth to passe that most of the people are as blynd as they were in the dark dayes of popery These Ministers generally aswel preachers as other live in feare servitude vnder their foresaid Lords the Bbs. For as without their licence written and sealed they

being conceived and formed in iniquity and so by nature children of wrath and servants of sinne and subject to death and all other calamities due vnto sinne in this world and for ever V. Al mankind being thus fallen and become altogether dead in sinne subject to the eternall wrath of God both by original and actuall corruption Yet the elect al and onely are redeemed quickned raysed vp and saved again not of themselves neyther by works least any man should boast himself but wholly and only by God of his free grace and mercy through faith in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisdome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written He that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord. VI. This therefore is lyfe eternal to know the only true God and whom he hath sent into the world Iesus Christ. And on the contrary the Lord will render vengeance in flaming fire vnto them that know not God and which obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. VII Now the rule of this knowledg faith and obedience concerning the worship and service of God and all other christian dutyes is not mens opinions devises lawes constitutions or traditions vnwritten whatsoever but only the written word of God conteined in the Canonicall books of the old and new Testament VIII In this written word God hath plainely reveled whatsoever he thought needfull for vs to know beleev and acknowledge touching the persō Office of Iesus Christ in whō all the promises of God are Yea and in whom they are Amen to the prayse of God through vs. IX Touching his Person the Lord Iesus of whom Moses the Prophets wrote and whom the Apostles preached is the everlasting Sonne of God the father by eternal generation the brightnes of his glorie the engraven forme of his Person coessential coequal coeternal God with him and with the holy Ghost By whom he made the worlds by whom he vpholdeth and governeth all the works he hath made Who also when the fulnes of tyme was come was made man of a woman of the Tribe of Iudah of the seed of David and Abraham to wyt of Mary that blessed Virgin by the holy Ghost comming vpon her the power of the most High overshadowing her and was also in all things like vnto vs sinne only excepted X Touching his Office Iesus Christ only is made the Mediator of the new Testamēt even of the everlasting Covenant of grace between God Man to be perfectly and fully the Prophet Priest and King of the Church of God for evermore XI Vnto this office he was from everlasting by the iust and sufficiēt authority of the Father in respect of his Manhood from the wōb called separated anoynted also most fully abundantly with all ne●cessary gifts as it is writtē God hath not measured out the Spirit vnto him XII This office to be Mediator that is Prophet Priest and King of the Church of God is so proper to Christ as neyther in the whole not in any part thereof it can be transferred from him to any other XIII Touching his Prophecie Christ hath perfectly revealed out of the bosome of his Father the whole word and will of God that is needfull for his servants eyther joyntly or severally to know beleev or obey He also hath spoken and doth speak to his Church in his own ordinance by his own Ministers and instruments onely and not by any false Ministerie at any tyme. XIIII Touching his Priesthood Christ being consecrated hath appeared once to put away sinne by the offring and sacrificing of himself and to this end hath fully performed suffred all those things by which God through the blood of that his crosse in an acceptable sacrifice might be reconciled to his elect and the blessing of Abraham come vpon vs to eternal life wherefore also having broken down th● partition wal and therewith finished and removed all those rites shadowes and ceremonies he is now entred within the vayle into the holy of holies that is t● the very heaven and presence of God where hee for ever liveth and sitteth a● the right hand of Majestie appearing before the face of his Father to make intercession for such as come vnto the throne of grace by that new and living way and not that onely but maketh his people aspiritual howse an holy Priesthood to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through him Neyther doth the Father accept or Christ offer vnto the Father any other worship or worshippers XV. Towching his Kingdome Christ being ●isen from the dead ascended into heaven set at the right hand of God the Father having al power in heaven and earth given vnto him he doth spiritually govern his Church exercising his power over all Angels and men good and bad t● the preservation and salvation of the elect to the overruling and destruction of th● reprobate communicating applying the benefits vertue frute of his prophecy and priesthood vnto his elect namely to th● remissiō subduing taking away of thei● syns to their iustificatiō adoptiō of sōnes regeneration sanctificatiō preservation strengthning in all their conflicts against Sathan the world the flesh the temptations of them continually dwelling in governing and keeping their harts in h●● true faith fear by his holy spirit which having once given it hee never take● away from them but by it still begette● and norisheth in them repentance faith love obedience comfort peace ioy hope and all Christian vertues vnto im●mortalitie notwithstanding that it b● somtymes through sinne and tentatio● interrupted smothered and as it were o●erwhelmed for the tyme. And on th● contrary ruling in the world over 〈◊〉 enemies Sathan and all the vessels of wrath limiting vsing restreyning them ●y his mighty power as seemeth good ●n his divine wisdome and justice to the execution of his determinate counsell ●o wit to their seduction hardning and condemnation delivering them vp to a reprobate mynd to be kept through their ●wn desert in darcknes sinne and sensualitie vnto judgment XVI The Kingdome shal be then fully perfected when he shal the second tyme come in glorie with his mightie Angels to judg both quick and dead to abolish a rule authoritie and power to put all his enemies vnder his feet to separate and free all his chosen from them for ever● to punish the wicked with everlasting perdition from his presence to gather ioyne and carry the godly with himsel● into endles glory and then to delive● vp the kingdome to God even the Fa●ther that so the glorie of the Father ma● be full and perfect in the Sonne the glo●rie of the Sonne in all his members God be all in all XVII In the meane tyme besides his absolute rule in the world Christ hath her● in

earth a spirituall Kingdome oeco●nomical regiment in his Church which he hath purchased and redemed to him●elf as a peculiar inheritance And albeit that many hypocrites do for the time ●urke amongst them whiles the Church 〈◊〉 militant here on earth yet Christ notwithstanding by the power of his word gathereth them which be his into the body of his Church calleth them from out of the world bringeth them to his ●●ue faith separating them frō amongst ●nbeleevers frō idolatrie false worship ●uperstition vanitie dissolute life and 〈◊〉 works of darknes c. making them ● royal Priesthood an holy nation a peo●le set at libertie to shew foorth the vir●es of him that hath called them out of ●arknes into his marvelous light gathe●ing and vniting them together as mem●ers of one body in his faith love and ●oly order vnto all generall and mutu●l dutyes through his spirit instructing and governing them by such Officers ●awes as he hath prescribed in his word ●y which Officers and Lawes he gover●eth his Church and by none other XVIII To this Church hee hath made the pr●●mises and given the seales of his Cov●nant presence love blessing protecti● Here are the holy Oracles as in t● Arke surely kept and puerly taught H● are all the fountaynes and springs of ● grace continually replenished flowi● forth Heer is Christ lifted vp to all N●●tions hither hee inviteth all men to ● supper his mariage feast hither ou●● all men of al estates and degrees that ● knowledge him their Prophet Priest a● King to repayre to be enrolled amongst his houshold servants to be vnder his heavenly conduct and government to lead their lives in his walled sheepfold and watered orchard to have communion heer with the Saincts that they may be made meet to be partakers of theyr inheritance in the kingdome of God XIX And as all his servants and subjects are called hither to present their bodies and soules and to bring the gyfts God hath given them so being come they are heer by himself bestowed in their severall order peculiar place due vse being fitly compact and knit together by every joynt of help according to th● effectuall work in the measure of ever● part vnto the edification of it self in lov● Wherevnto when he ascended vp o● high he gave gifts vnto men and distributed them vnto several publik function in his Church having instituted and ra●tified to continue vnto the worlds end only this publick ordinarie ministery o● Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons Helpers 〈◊〉 the instruction government and service of his Church XX This Ministerie is exactly descrbed distinguished limited concerning their office their calling to their office their administration of their office and their maintenance in in their office by most perfect and plaine lawes in Gods word which lawes it is not lawfull for these Ministers or for the whole Church wittingly to neglect transgresse or violate in any part nor yet to receive any other lawes brought into the Church by any person whatsoever XXI None may vsurp or execute a ministerie but such as are rightly called by the Church wherof they stand Ministers vnto such offices and in such maner as God hath prescribed in his word And being so called they ought to giue all diligence to fulfil their Ministery to be foūd faithfull and vnblameable in all things XXII This Ministerie is alike given to every Christian congregation with like and equal power and commission to have enjoy the same as God offereth fit men and meanes the same rules given to all for the election and execution thereof in all places XXIII As every Christian congregation hath power and commandement to elect and ordeine their owne Ministerie according to the rules in Gods word prescribed whilest they shall faithfully execute their office to have them in superabundant love for their worke sake to provide for them to honour them reverence them according to the dignitie of the office they execute So have they also power and commandement when anie such default eyther in their life doctrine or administration breaketh out as by the rule of the word debarreth them from or depriveth them of their Ministerie by due order to depose them from the Ministerie they exercised yea if the case so require and they remain obstinate impenitent orderly to cut them off by excommunication XXIIII Christ hath given this power to receive in or to cut of any member to the whole body together of every Christian congregation and not to any one member apart or to more members sequestred from the whole or to any other Congregation to do it for them Yet so as ech Congregation ought to vse the best help they can heervnto and the most meet member they have to pronounce the same in their publick assembly XXV Every member● of each Christian congregation how excellent great or learned soever ought to be subiect to this censure judgment of Christ Yet ought not the Church without great care and due advise to proced against such publick persons XXVI As Christ hath for the keeping of this Church in holy and orderly communion placed some speciall men over the Church who by their office are to governe oversee visite watch c. So lykewise for the better keeping thereof in all places by all the members hee hath given authority and layd duty vpon them all to watch one over another XXVII Finally whilest the Ministers people thus remayne together in this holy order Christian communion ech one endevoring to do the wil of God in their calling and thus to walke to the glory of God in the obedience of faith Christ hath promised to be present with them to blesse defend them against all fraud and force of theyr enemyes so as the gates of hell shall not prevaile against thē XXVIII But when and where this holy order and diligent watch was intermitted neglected violated Antichrist that man of sinne did together with other points of Christian faith corrupt also and alter the holy ordinances offices and administrations of the Church and in stead thereof brought in and erected a strange new forged ministerie Leitourgie and government Yea and the nations kingdoms and inhabitants of the earth were made druncken with this cup of fornications and abominations and al people enforced to receive the Beasts mark and worship his image and so brought into confusion and Babylonish bondage XXIX The present Hierarchie reteyned and vsed in England of Archbs Primates Lordbps Metropolitanes Suffraganes Deanes Prebendaries Canons Peticanons Archdeacōs Chancellors Commissaries Priests Deacons or Halfpriests Parsons Vicars Curats Hierling roving Preachers Church-wardēs Parish-clerks Also their Doctors Proctors and other Officers of their spiritual Courts as they call them together with the whole rable of the Prelats and their Servitours from and vnder them set over these