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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
book_n	great_a	king_n	lord_n	3,359	5	3.6445	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A59764	The excellence of the order of the Church of England, under Episcopal government set forth in a sermon at the visitation at Blandford, Anno 1640 / by William Sherley ...	Sherley, William.	1662 (1662)	Wing S3240; ESTC R21422	23,064	42

the Text it is not one I that comes and another I that puts in Order but it being the same I in both it 's the same numerical St. Paul that divides himself between both these acts And indeed many are the Orders which we finde St. Paul to have made for the Meridian of the Church of Corinth divers whereof are to be read in the preceding Verses of this present Chapter all which he enacted to make use of a distinction which he himself so much harps on in the 7th Chapter of this Epistle not by commandment and as from the Lord but by permission and as from himself giving herein his Judgement as one that had obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful Wherein that I may not be thought to have delivered any private Opinion of mine own know that you have all this warranted unto you under the hands of the deservedly Honored Angel of the Church of Sarum Bishop Davenant de Jud Controv cap. 16. Apostoli saith he quatenus erant ordinarii Ecclesiae Rectores de hisce ritibus externis pro suâ sapientiâ statuebant quod ad adificationem Ecclesiae facere videbatur The Apostles as they were ordinary Governors of the Church prescribed as concerning outward Rites such things which they in their Wisdom thought to make most for Edification which Words are in that incomparable Work of his De Judice Controver siarum Cap. 16. Rat. 2a. So that my Text being thus opened affords us in this place such a parcel of Divine Truth as this namely That the Authority of making Orders whereby to govern each particular Church is a Prerogative which those that sit at the Stern thereof may rightly challenge St. Paul you see after an ordinary way did it here in the Church of Corinth and therefore those that are his Successors in the like condition may lawfully assume to themselves the like employment A Doctrine of that Evidence and Consequence both together as that this Church of ours in those few Articles of Hers which She hath published hath thought it in Her Wisdom meet See the Book of the 39 Articles to avouch it no less then twice in two several Articles Article the 20th and the 34th Nay before ever that Book of Hers saw light those great Reformers under King Edward the sixth concluded as much which too was done with that measure of zeal Fox in his Book of Acts and Mon. as that Bishop Bonner was enjoyned by the Kings Councel to Preach at Pauls-Cross this Doctrine my Authority for both these is Fox in his Acts and Monuments 2º Edvardisexti Neither hath it been given to Men of this Climat onely to be of this Opinion since those Reformed Churches that have been beyond the Seas have herein yielded unto us the right Hand of Fellowship Witness the Confession of the Reformed Church of France Ext●t haec confessio apud Calvinum lib. opuscul published in the Year 1562. Fatemur saith She tum omnes tum singulas Ecclesias hoc jus habere ut leges statuta sibi condant ad Politiam communem inter suos statuendam Witness likewise the consent of the Lutheran Divines set down in that Auspurge Confession whereof Melancton was the Contriver whose words much to the same purpose are Licet Episcopis Pastoribus Canones constituere Ausourg Coufess art ult ut singula in Ecclesia siant secundum Ordinem Nay Reverend Calvin however conceived by some to be none so the greatest Friends which the Church ever had stickles nevertheless so earnestly for this in the 4th of his Institutions and the 10th Chapter as that those who shall cast an eye one what he there hath written cannot but judge him to be very zealous for it Niether ought it to be conceived that these Sons of the Church in honour of their Mother have endeavoured herein to flatter her into a greater Priviledge then that which by right belongs to her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil lib. de Spiritu quinto cap. 27. is an ancient distinction made heretofore by St Basil Predications and matters of Faith are one thing and Placits or matters of Order another For so is the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there as I conceive to be understood the word Ceremony being not of so ancient a standing in the Church as to be found in the writings either of the Greek or of the Latine Fathers St Austin in his Retractations Austin l. 2. Ret. c. 37. makes in his owne behalf an Apologie for that it once dropp'd unawares from his Pen. And however the Church of Rome dare extend her Commission so far as in respect of the former of these to make new Creeds for so Pope Pius the fourth did and to blot out one of the Commandements of the Decalogue for that it gain-sayes those Images which they are resolved to set up and worship Nos vero talem non habemus Consuetudinem we have no such custome nor the Church of God we cannot find in our hearts for to be so cruell as for the satisfying of our owne causelesse Fancies to mangle thus the body of Religion which our Fore-fathers to the least Tittle therof have even with the losse of their owne blood preserved entire All the Power which we assume to our selves is only about the outward dress and attire of the Churh in causing that to be suitable always to her Condition This being a liberty which in all ages hath so far been Challenged as that a great part of that apparell it self wherewith the Apostles thought fit to cloath Her within a Century or two grew to be cast off and antiquated insomuch that the Holy Kisse the Feasts of Charity Abstinence from things strangled the imploying of Widdows in Ecclesiasticall Services with the like however Orders all of the Apostles owne Composing in some short time came for to be difused Wheras we read likewise of St. Ambrose Vid. Ludo. Viv. in Aug. de Civit. dei l. 6. c 26. that in his owne Church at Millaine abrogated an old Order which they had of Feasting at the Tombes of the Martyrs in regard the People in his time made it an occasion to draw on drunkennesse Nay however Trina Mersio the threefold dipping in the Sacrament of Baptisme was at the first established upon no meaner a Ground then for signification of the Three Persons in the Blessed Trinity yet by reason the Arians took the advantage thereof to countenance their Heresie Binius Con. cil Tolet. Can. 5 to the Fourth Toletan Councell blotted that Order out of the Rubrick And why may not the Church still be Mistress of so much Power as to do the like as long as those Sonnes of Heirs who are set for to rule are engaged in the Action whereas if every Private Member should be suffered to have therin a Finger how might we then in time look to have as many Editions of Service-books as there is of Almanacks

Readings of the Psalms alternatim the tossing of Tennis-balls her Collects because but briefe Cuts and Shreds of Prayer her Choice of Epistles and Gospels the mangling of the word of God insomuch that neither the Hymne of Glory the Creed the Nicene I mean and that of Athanasius no nor the Lords Prayer it self have escaped them without a most bitter censure all which seem to me at least for to be so strange as that common Charity would not have suffered me to have believed the least Tittle thereof were not all this and more to be read in their own Books and Writings Nay because our Temples begin now to appear somewhat like what they are the Houses of God wherein the Lord ought to be worshipped in the beauty of Holiness because our Sanctuaries have of late been entred with that lowlie Reverence as becomes the Courts of the most High how hath this our Virgin Mother been lately scandalized as if she were turning Harlot in going a whoring after Popish Vanities But what Credit do these silly Libellers do in the mean time to the Sea of Rome in calling that Popery which the ancienter Purer times will not be ashamed to own as theirs amongst whom as there is mention made of Churches that have been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyril 14. Catech. so adorned and even embossed with Silver and Gold as that they seemed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb 10. lib. a kind of wonder to as many as beheld them So likewise is there to be read in the Jus Orientale of some such thing as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay in St Austin of a Terram Fronte concutientes men not entring then the Church as ordinarily now many do with that gesture and countenance as if they went thither rather with authority to dispossess God of his House then to humble themselves before him whilst in the words of the Psalmist rather they then came and worshipped and fell down and kneeled before the Lord their Maker And therefore what shall I say to these or how may I hope to move them Shall I endeavour to unbend their stiff spirits by gentle Persuasions and loving exhortations but presuming that such Physick will be too weak to move their tuffe Tempers I may not but think of some such strong Doses as that which I meet with in the Writings of an Italian Prelate who hath a saying that where God comes and sees his House for to ly neglected Frederic Borrom Synodal 13. even in that dust that he finds there he writes the sinns of those by whose default it was kept no better And what the Finger of the Lord once writes be it but in dust is to be conceived to be as durable as if it were engraven with the pen of a Diamond in a Pillar of Marble And thus hahing now declared unto you at large the end of my Apostles coming or Visitation which was for to put in Order and withall taken the occasion of discharging that duty in mine own Particular Can. 8. which the Canons of our late Holy Synod hath laid on us in shewing the laudibleness of the Orders and Ceremonies of the Church of England It remaines that we now proceed to those Things which my Apostle meant for to put in Order and they as I told you are here veild up in this Indefinite Terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rest The Rest will I set in Order when I come What those Rest Things were which my Apostle intended at his coming amongst the Corinthians for to have Ordered I find neither here nor otherwhere expressed so that Commentators by reason of this my Apostles silence having but a cold sent to hunt by are generally all of them at a Loss some running this way and some that as their own private Fancies and such conjectures as they make to themselves shall seem to lead them Seeing therefore it is somewhat dangerous there to set up Sails for a further Journy where neither Sun nor Star appears for our Guidance and whereto we have no certain Card of our own to steer by I hold it the safest course here to cast mine Ankor shutting up all in one Word only of Exhortation which also shall be no other then that which this very point it self may be made to yeeld us whilst this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Rest however it be indefinite in it self may serve nevertheless to Teach you all your duties First then as for you the Wardens who being Lindwood Constit l. 3. de Cler. non Resid as you are told by Lindwood Ecclesiae Occonomi the Churches Oeconomists that are by your Place to provide for Her Wants nay who have been conceived to be so far the Hand of the Bishop for the putting his Mandats in Execution Concil Gangr C. 7. C. 8. as that in some of the Ancient Councels you are stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the men employed by him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men ordered by him let this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heer in the Text be your Remembrancer so far as to cause you to Present all those things which you in your several Churches know yet still to be out of Order Which that you may not think to be meerly a Freewil business or a matter at pleasure only know that in case you do it not by Vertue of the Oath which for this purpose hath been taken by you you are guiltie of Perjury and so for that I conceive will work most with you liable to the heavy Censures of higher Courts And as for you Much Honoured for as Commentators upon good grounds conceive St Paul went not himself as he here resolved to Corinth who are in the place of our Reverend Diocesan and now come to order such grievances as shall be made known to you if there have been with you a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nos qui vobis videmur loqui de superiori loco sub p dibus vestris sumus August any such things I mean which in those bills as have been preferr'd you have not taken sufficient notice of he that here stands on high casts himself so low as your feet for to beseech you that admitting such things into your further thoughts you would be pleased to send out your edicts for their Reformation But as for you My brethren since you at your very first entrie into the ministerie all took Orders and are therefore now all men of Orders There is nothing I hope with such as you that is out of Order but if there be let this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here in the Text have so much influence likewise on you as to cause you to be your own Ordinaries so far as by amending in your own Persons what is amisse to put all that in Order Thus shall these our yeerly Meetings be freed from those Jeers and Scoffs which some envious Tongues have been ready to cast upon them whilest these our Visitations then shall be to the Reforming of every one of us in Particular to the Honour of the Church in general and finally to the Glory of God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghost to which Blessed Trinitie in Unitie and Unitie in Trinitie be ascribed all Majesty and Worship both now and eyermore AMEN FINIS