Selected quad for the lemma: book_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	bishop_n	church_n	king_n	3,230	5	3.5319	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26103	A collection of svndry petitions presented to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie as also to the two most honourable houses, now assembled in Parliament, and others, already signed, by most of the gentry, ministers, and free-holders of severall counties, in behalfe of episcopacie, liturgie, and supportation of church-revenues, and suppression of schismaticks / collected by a faithful lover of the church, for the comfort of the dejected clergy, and all moderately affected Protestants.	Aston, Thomas, Sir, 1600-1645.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1642 (1642)	Wing A4073; ESTC R208748	30,703	48

pursuance of their pious intendments and in allowance of their Reasons doe also presse to your great Tribunal and begge of you that which is the honour of Kings to be Nutricij of the Church and her most ancient and successive Government Wee therefore humbly beg of you to leave us in that state the Apostles left the Church in That the three Ages of Martyrs were governed by That the thirteene Ages since them have alwayes gloried in by their Succession of Bishops from the Apostles proving themselves members of the Catholike and Apostolike Church that our Lawes have established so many Kings and Parliaments have protected into which we were baptized as certainely Apostolicall as the observation of the Lords Day as the distinction of Books Apocryphall from Canonicall as that such Bookes were written by such Evangelists and Apostles as the consecration of the Eucharist by Presbyters as any thing which you will doe by upholding the Government of the Church by Bishops which we againe and againe begge of you to doe having pitty on our Consciences and not forcing of us to seeke Communion as yet we know not where So shall we be bound to pray with a multiplyed Devotion for the increase of publike and personall blessings to your Honourably assembly to your Noble Persons Wee also doe with all Humility begge leave to represent these our Considerations subjoyned which wee hope you will favourably expound to be a well-meant zeale and at least a confidence of duty and charity to those our Fathers from whom wee have received and daily hope to receive many issues of spirituall Benison 1 WEe consider that Christ either left his Church without a lasting Government or else Bishops and Presbyters under them are that Government the former wee feare to say lest wee might seeme to accuse the Wisdome of the Father of Improvidence in the not providing for his Family the Feeder and the Ruler in Scripture being all one in Office ●n expression in person So that if hee left no Rulers hee left no Feeders The latter wee are more confident of for that Christ did clearely institute a disparity in the Clergy which is the maine Stone of offence appeares in the Apostles and seventy two Disciples to whom according to the voyce of Christendome and traditive Interpretation of the Church Bishops and Presbyters respectively doe succeed and also many actually did succeed the Apostles in their Chaires being ordained Bishops by the Apostles themselves that did survive and also beyond all exception that Christ did institute a Government appeares in those Evangelicall words who then is that Faithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord shal make Ruler over his houshold c. which Rulers are Bishops and Priests under them or else the Church hath beene Apostate from her Lord shee having clearely for fifteene hundred yeares had no other Rulers then such 2. Wee consider that whether it can be a Church or no without Bishops is at least a question of great consideration and the Negative is maintained by Apostolicall and Primitive men and Martyrs and by the greatest part of Christendome and those few in respect of the whole that dissent being most certainely not infallible to bee sure with Episcopacy it may be a Church eatenus therefore it is the surest course to retaine it for feare we separate from the Church the Pillar and ground of Truth 3 No Ordination never was without a Bishop and if any Presbyter did impose hands unlesse in conjunction with a Bishop hee was accounted an Usurper and anathematized by publike and unquestioned authority and so without Bishops no Presbyter then no absolution no consecration of the Sacraments of the Lords Supper and for these wants no man can make a recompence or satisfaction 4 No Presbyter did ever impose hands on a Bishop which if so famous a resolve or publike voice of Christendome may have an estimate shewes their disparity and that a Bishop hath a Character which cannot be imprinted without at least an equall hand 5 VVithout Bishops no Confirmation of Children and yet confirmation called in Scripture Imposition of hands Saint Paul in his famous Catechisme accounts a Fundamentall point and the Church hath alwayes used it and it was appropriate to Bishops by the laudable custome of Christendome and by the example of the Apostles in the case of the Samaritane Christians whom Phillip the Evangelist had converted and is charged upon the Parents of Children that they bring their children to Bishops to be confirmed and it was never otherwise but just as in the case of Ordination videlicet by singularity and usurpation till of late that the Iesuits to enlarge their Philacteries have striven to make Bishops not necessary by communicating Confirmation to the Priests of their Order 6 To take away Bishops is against the Wisdome of the State of England ever since the Reformation and having beene attempted by clancular practises was checked by the Princes respectively and their Councell and confidently by the wisdome of preceeding Parliaments and this although the Bishops then were lesse learned and as much infamed 7 We are sure that Episcopall Government hath consisted with Monarchy ever since the English Monarchy was Christian we are to try whether any innovated Government can or will 8 Wee consider that if it could consist with Monarchy when it was byassed by the Popes prevalent incroachment much more since the Reformation when the King hath the raines in his owne hand and can give them Lawes and ascertaines them by their immediate dependance both for their Baronies and Election and personall Iurisdiction on the Crowne and by the Statute of Submission 9 Wee consider that Saint Hierome pretented as the maine Authenticke enemy against Episcopacy yet sayes That Bishops were constituted as an antidote and deletory to dis-improve the issues of Schisme and that by the Apostles who best knew the remedies And now that Schismes multiply there is more need of Bishops so that they cannot be taken away upon pretence their Regiment is not necessary for the taking them away makes them more necessary by the multiplication of Schismes 10 All Learning will be discountenanced if not extinguished upon the demolition of Episcopacy the Bishops being parties for the advancement of Learning and on the other side if the Government should be in the hands of Presbitery or lay Elders we know no reason sufficient to stifle our feares lest preferment be given to people unlearned and unfit to have the mannaging of Soules especially since a learned Clergy will be suspected by their Lay-Elders as too knowing to be ruled by their Dictates which will not have so much artifice and finenesse as to command by strength of reason which our feares are also increased by considering that by the multiplication of Lay-Elders or other Governours their personall interest being increased partiality must be more frequent and all this is besides their incompetency of judging the abilities of Schollers 11 The remove all

of Bishops would be a scandall not onely to many weake Christians who feare all Innovation as guilty of some ill intendments upon their consciences but also to the strongest which shewes it to be the fault of the giver not the weaknesse of the receiver and if we must not scandalize our weake brethren much lesse our strong since this will intrench upon us in a high measure they not being apt to be scandalized upon umbrages and impertinencies 12 Where Bishops are not there is not an Honourable but Familike Clergy against the Apostolicall rule of double honour 13 By putting downe Episcopacy wee deprive our selves of those solemne benedictions which the Faith of Christendome and the profession of the Church of England enjoyning the Bishop rather to pronounce the blessing at the end of the Communion appropriates to Episcopall preheminence above Priestly authority 14 Two parts of three of the Reformed Churches are governed by Bishops or Superintendents which is properly the Latine word of Bishops and the other part that wants them have often wished them as their owne Doctors doe professe 15 It is against the liberties of the Clergy indulged to them by the Magna Charta granted and confirmed by so many Kings and about thirty Parliaments in expresse act and the violation of any part of it by intrenchment upon the right of the lay Subject justly accounted a great grievance the Charter it selfe being as Fundamentall a Law as we conceive as any other and any of us may feare lest his Liberties may be next in question 16 The foure great Generall Councels in estimation next the foure Evangelists and by the Statutes of the Kingdome made the rules of judging Heresies were held by Bishops the greatest fires and pests of Christendome the old Heresies were by their Industry extinct Church Discipline and pious constitutions by them established many Nations by them converted many Miracles done for the confirmation of Christian Faith one of the Gospels written by a Bishop Saint Marke of Alexandria if wee beleeve as authentike Records as any are extant Three Epistles of Saint Paul written to Bishops Seven Epistles by the Holy Ghost himselfe recorded in the Revelation and sent to seven Asian Bishops as all ancient Fathers accord the names of twelve men beside Apostles mentioned in Holy Scripture which all antiquity reports to have beene Bishops Most of the Fathers whose workes all Posterity embraces with much zeale and admiration were Bishops these also in our apprehensions advance that holy Function to a high and unalterable estimate 17 Very many of the fairest Churches and Colledges and places of Religion were built by Bishops which are faire Caracters to shew their promptnesse to doe publike acts of Piety and that persons so qualified as they were that is Governours and Clergy and fairly endowed is an excellent composition to advance publike designes for the honour of God in the Promotion of publike Piety 18 Since it hath pleased this Honourable Court of late to commend a Protestation to us which we by solemne Vow engaged our selves to attest with our lives and fortunes the established Doctrine of the Church of England wee consider that since the 36. article hath approved and established the booke of Consecration of Bishops the abolition of Episcopacy would nullifie that article and should not we make humble Remonstrance to the contrary we should suddenly recede from our great and solemne Protestation for maintenance of our Church Doctrine But may it please this Honourable Assembly wee consider on the other side 19 The introducing of Lay Elders must needs bring an insupportable burthen to all Parishes by maintaining them at the Parish charge for they must bee maintained or else a transgression is made against an Apostolicall Rule For the principall and indeed the onely colourable pretended place for Lay Elders injoynes their maintenance So that either the people must bee oppressed with so great burthens or else Saint Pauls Rule not obeyed or else there is no authority for Lay Elders as indeed there is not 20 And also there can bee no lesse feare of Vsurpation upon the Temporall power by the Presbitery then is pretended from Episcopacy since that Presbitery challenges cognisance of more causes and persons then the Episcopacy does so making a dangerous entrenchment upon the Supremacy and derives its pretence from Divine Institution with more confidence and more immediate derivation then Episcopacy though indeed most vainely as wee conceive 21 Wee crave leave also to adde this that these two viz. Episcopacy and Presbitery being the onely two in contestation if any new designe should justle Episcopacy wee are confident that as it hitherto wants a name so it will want a face or forme of reason in case of Conscience when it shall appeare Signed by Knights Justices Gentry and Freeholders about 800. By Ministers about the number of 40. The Cheshire Petition for establishing of the common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Booke and Suppression of Schismatiques presented to the Kings Majesty and from him recommended to the House of Peeres by the Lord KEEPER To the Kings most Excellent Majesty and to the Right Honourable the Lords and the Honourable the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of divers of the Nobility Justices Gentry Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester whose Names are nominated in the Schedule annexed Your Petitioners with all cheerefulnesse and contentation ●ffying in the happy settlement of the distractions both of Church and State by His Majesties pious care and the prudent and religious endeavours of this Honourable Assembly and with due humility and obedience submitting to the unanimous conclusions thereof yet conceive themselves bound in Duty HVmbly to represent to your mature considerations that the present disorders of many turbulent and ill disposed Spirits are such as give not onely occasion of present discontent to your Petitioners but seeme to import some ill event without early prevention The pure seed of our Faith the Doctrine of the true Reformed Protestant Religion established by so many Acts of Parliament and so harmoniously concurring with the confessions of all other Reformed Churches being tainted with the Tares of divers Sects and Schismes lately sprung up amongst us Our pious laudable and ancient forme of Divine Service composed by the holy Martyrs and worthy Instruments of Reformation established by the prudent Sages of State your religious Predecessours honoured by the approbation of many learned forraigne Divines subscribed by the Ministery of the whole Kingdome and with such generall content received by all the Laity that scarse any Family or person that can read but are furnished with the Bookes of Common Prayer In the conscionable use whereof many Christian hearts have found unspeakable joy and comfort wherein the famous Church of England our deare Mother hath just cause to glory And may shee long flourish in the practise of so blessed a Liturgy yet it is now not onely depraved by many of those who