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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	bishop_n	church_n	king_n	3,539	5	4.0231	3	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A00289	A very lively portrayture, of the most reverend arch-bishops, the right reverend bs. of the Church of England set forth in XX. irrefragable positions, concerning their authority, power, and practise, as they onely are our diocesan lord bishops, so grounded upon Scripture, reason, and experience, by evident demonstrative practises, as their troublesome opposites, may cleerely see, how greatly they are deceived in all these. A labour undertaken for the peace of all Gods people, and for a just condemnation of al those, that cause division, and offences, contrary to the doctrine and discipline of Christs Church.		1640 (1640)	STC 10406; ESTC R212270	37,262	65

gift of the holy Ghost Act. 8 18 19. 4. Because they greatly extoll the dignity of Lord Bishops by writing for it by preaching alowd for it in high places and cannot or will not otherwise beleeve but that they bee such 〈◊〉 Lords jur●… divin●… for they find it written how can 〈◊〉 beleeve which receive honour one from another and seeke not the honour which commeth from God alone Iohn 5. 44. Now all these so lawfull meanes they use because they would be knowne to come with no greedy desire to such honour And therefore before their consecration they hypocritically refuse it three times because they have either read or heard of as it hath bintold them that really and in earnest some ancient Bishops have had Bi●…p-ricks forced upon them against their wills as had Saint Augusti●… Ambrose Athanasius Gregorie 〈◊〉 Father and many moe some utterly have refused and by no perswa●…ons would take diverse great and wealthie Bishop-ricks as on●…Ephraim Syrus Ny●… and Saint Bernard who did refuse the Bishoprick of 〈◊〉 and Mill●… as also did Adrian the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury with others moe but more fooles they for their 〈◊〉 shame none now or very few to seeke 〈◊〉 after Bishop-ricks and to use such blessed meanes as are afore mentioned to obtaine them For they find it written that in the last dayes men shall be lovers of their 〈◊〉 s●…lves 〈◊〉 and so forth 2 Tim. 3. 1. 2. POSITION 11. They may not forsake their so warra●…table Lordly Prelaticall standing 1. BEcause they read the complaint they ceased ●…ot from their 〈◊〉 doings nor from their stubborne way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Because Christ hath said 〈◊〉 plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be 〈◊〉 up M●… 15. 13. 3. Because they know the lo●…e to be great both of wealth honour and ple●…sure and they read that Chri●… Discipl●…●…sooke all to follow him Mat 19 27. And 〈◊〉 voluntarily left his honour and the pleasures of sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the reproach of Christ with the people of God Heb. 11. 25. 26. 4. Because they find it written thou 〈◊〉 not the things which be of God but these things which bee of men Mat 16. 23. 5. Because they are taught a good lesson by Saint 〈◊〉 saying love not the World nor the things that are in the World that is the lust of the eyes the lust of the eyes and the pride of life if any man love the world the love of God the Father is not in him 1 John 2 15. 6. Because they 〈◊〉 or may read of very many Bishops in former times who voluntarily renounced their places not onely Bishops in other Countries but ours here in our owne Nation as of foure Arch-Bishops of Canterbury foure of Yorke two of London two of Lincolne two of Coventry and Litchfield two of Worcoster three of Rochester and others to the number of 37. or 38. Bishops Putta a Bishop of Rochester left his place and turned a Schole Master all his daves Father Latimer gave over his Bishoprick of Worcester and blessed God that gave him that grace to resigne it and to make himselfe a quondam Bishop But when our Reverend Lordly Fathers thinke on thes●… they oppose Lordly 〈◊〉 a better example for them to follow for hee as they doe loved to have the preheminence 3 Iohn 9. and they looke upon hundreds of others more worthie imitation wiser men who learned the words of our Saviour Christ without booke The Children of this world are wiser in their generation then the Children of the light Luke 16. 8. 7. Because they know that this Lordlynesse and their secular employments hinder greatly the spirituall function and almost quite taketh them off from it as the Kings of Denmarke and Sweden found to be true and as wee find it if wee will judge aright and as the now most reverend Arch-Bishop of Canterbury acknowledgeth in his dedicatory Epistle before his late published booke that by such occasions he was made too much a stranger to his Bookes 8. Because they know what great good they may do to settle peace betweene his Majesty and his Subjects and prevent much evill which may fall out upon both Nations if they would freely and truely confesse these three things 1. That their Lordly standing is not jure divine but an hum 〈◊〉 invention as hath beene heretofore acknowledged by Bishops by holy Martyrs learned Doctours in this our Church 2. That true religion with the saving knowledge of Christ might be more propagated Gods holy worship more purely preserved without them then with them as the Church of Scotland hath found true by experience and doth testifie as much 3. That the Civill estate may bee most peaceably governed and Monarchicall government made to slourish in piety and plenty without their great Lordships If the Cathedrall great revenues might be employed to the training up of young Divines and thence Pastours chosen when places are void in Parishes If Bishops Palaces might be for Schooles of Learning and the Temporalities bestowed to the maintenance thereof and other pious uses as by the wisedome of the state in Parliament should be thought most fit among other godly acts to help to enlarge the maintenance of many poore Ministers who have livings of very small value of only ten pound or twelve pound per annum and some no more numeratis 〈◊〉 out of which they pay Tenths and Subsidies yea and some where at a new Bishops enterance they pay him a benevolence the tenth of their poore maintenance which their gracious good Lordships will not remit one penny off POSITION 12. No Bishops no King this is undeniable FOR they support the Throne of Kings this is an undoubted truth the reasons are very manifest 1. Because its 〈◊〉 in Revel. 17. 12. that the ten hornes are ten Kings which receive power as Kings at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Beast 2. Because they raigne as Kings without the King for 1. They keepe their Courts and Visitations without speciall patent under the broad Seale 2. They print Articles upon their owne authority and minister oathes upon them 3. They send out processes in their owne name and many other things they doe contrary to the Statutes of the 〈◊〉 as hath by some learned in the Law beene fully proved by which they doe rule over his Majesties good Subjects contrary to his Crowne and Dignity 3. Because Kings may very well and safely reigne without them for 1. The Roman Emperours did reigne a long time before there were any Lord Bishops 2. King 〈◊〉 here the first Christian King reigned without them and it was hee that made some Bishops some Arch-Bishops and not they him a King 3. 〈◊〉 and others States in reformed Churches doe subsist without them and cannot Kings be Kings without such Lord like Bishops they may if they have but eyes to see it 4. As spirituall Lords they have nothing to doe in Civill causes and as they be Barons by their ●…lities they be made

when he ordained Elders others therein were with him Acts 14. 23. 4. These have made many 〈◊〉 1. To an other kind of Office to read service for they read their Office was to care for the poore Act. 6. 2. Very young and v●…o 〈◊〉 For they find it written that the first 〈◊〉 were honest men full of the holy Ghost and wisedome Acts 6. 3. and that Paul would have them grave not light headed lads holding the Ministery of Faith with a pure conscience c. 1 Tim. 3. 8. 9. 5. These have made dumb Ministers and many other very unfit for the ministery For they find it written that Saint Paul will have his Minister Pastour and Elder to be 〈◊〉 to teach holding fast the faithfull word and to bee able by sound Doctrine to exhort and convince 〈◊〉 as also to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of good behaviour c. 1 Tim. 3. 1. ●… Tit. 1. 9. Not a Novice least being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devill 1 Tim. 3. 6. 6. These do●… not constantly employ themselves in the preaching of the word For they find it written that Saint Paul would with a vehement exhortation have Bishop Timothy to preach the word to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in season and out of season c. 2 Tim. 4. 1. 2. and to 〈◊〉 to reading exhortation and doctrine and wholy to give himselfe 〈◊〉 1 Ti●… 4. 13. 15. 7. These at least not a few of them have their families not very orderly not very religiously demeaning themselves For they read that Saint P●…l would have ●…Bishop not given to Wine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 house ●…Tim 3. 3. 4. 8. These some of them all know are covetous not hospitall nor lovers of good-men but bitter against them For they find it written by Saint Paul that his Bishop must be given to hospitality not c●…s nor greedy of filthylucre a Lover of good men just 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Tim. 3. ●… 3. Tit. ●… 8. and a patterne of good workes Tit. ●… 7. 9. These speake roughly to Elders called before them and easily receive accusations and informations against them and without proofe of witnesses will proceed against them For they find it written rebuke not an Elder but intreat him as a Father and against an Elder receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but before 2. or 3. witnesses 1 Tim. 4. 1. 9. 10. These be deadly Enemies unto all hereticall Spirits 1. For some of them under pretence writing against Iesuites doe strike through the sides of the truely zealous defenders of the truth and the very truth it selfe cunningly upholding popish Tenents 2. For that in their late so called Sacred sy●…d they silently p●…c over 〈◊〉 the S●…n heresie not touching upon it but the favourers of this way get up to preferment 3. For that 〈◊〉 that damned and cursed heresie is not laid open to bee certainely knowne of all that it might be discovered and the Hereticks themselves be so sound out and duely punished 4. For that the A●…s and S●…s knowne as also convicted Papists are never called before them not proceeded against For they find it written by Saint Paul to Arch-Bishop Titus that a man that is an 〈◊〉 after the first and second 〈◊〉 to be rejected Tit. 3. 10. How really and exactly observant these reverend Fathers be of all S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and constitutions may hereby appeare to all their Adversaries who hitherto have so much and so often for a long time complained so bitterly against them and their sacred proceedings And who seeth not that these reverend 〈◊〉 lord-Lord-Bishops deserve their honour that they walke worthy their places and are to bee maintained for Churches wellfare and the common wealths happinesse till Anti-Christs downefall and the utter ruine of Rome which all Christians have good cause to pray for especially if wee take into our wise consideration these few things in briefe 1 That all their proceedings are by booke even altogether contrary to that which is written as hath been declared 2. That they make Canons such as they please and without confirmation by act of Parliament and yet violently urge them as Law upon his Majesties Subjects and doe frame Articles out of them by oath to be observed 3. That whatsoever in the Statute Lawes or in their owne Canons they find usefull for themselves in their way they diligently bend themselves to have them carefully observed but as for all the rest which perhaps may be such as tend to true pietie sound doctrine faithfull discharge of good duties to God and to man and for an holy life and conversation they farre lesse regard and for the most part passe them over 4. That in afflicting punishments there is more respect to the persons hability what he is able to pay then the amendment of his life the Lord knowes it 5. That they generally suffer foule abuses in the Church not conscionably seeking a redresse thereof which yet are in their power to reforme if they would seriously as in Gods presence take it into hand and let petty matters alone and fall upon the removing of greater enormities even raigning sinnes which provoke God to wrath in all sorts of persons both of the higher degrce commonly let alone and of the lower ranke medled with onely for the purse sake 6. That they notoriously abuse generally all the people of the Land with the name of the Church of England undor which name they countenance themselves their Prelaticall power and their owne sole doings which few take notice of but all may easily observe it in their proceedings both before the convocation gathered in the time of the convocation and after its broken up Before the Convocation 1. One the greatest which aweth all the rest with the assistance of two or three Lording Spirits such as care not to turne all upside downe so they may be sure to hold their standing consult of matters which they hold most fit and having concluded what to do within themselves they propound them to the rest of the Bishops their fearfull brethren who dare not but say as they say when they meet together thus the Church beginneth 2. To further their designes Clarkes in the Countrie for the Convocation house must be chosen but not freely by the Ministers as they ought but picked out by the Bishops in their owne diocesse such as they know will bee sure cards for them and propound them to be chosen of the over-awed Parsons and Vicars who dare not for their cares gainesay them and thus the Bishops make up a Parke for their Lord-ships purposes having made ready their Clarkes they call together their su pporters all the D●…s all the Arch-Deacons and who else must be personally there in that Assembly men knowne for the most part to be very faithfull to their Lordships honourable standing to make up the representative body of the Church of England Thus they the Church forsooth goe to lay a sure foundation for themselves before the Convocation be brought

A VERY LIVELY PORTRAYTVRE OF THE MOST REVEREND ARCH-BISHOPS THE RIGHT REVEREND Bs. OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND Set forth in XX irrefragable positions concerning their Authority power and practise as they onely are our Diocesan Lord Bishops so grounded upon Scripture Reason and Experience by evident demonstrative practises as their troublesome opposites may cleerely see how greatly they are deceived in all these A Labour undertaken for the peace of all GODS people and for a just condemnation of al those that cause division and offences contrary to the Doctrine and Discipline of CHRISTS CHURCH Printed in the Yeare 1640. THE NAME of Bishop is found in the New Testament so as the controversie is not about the name whether one may bee called a Bishop nor whether Bishops in the true sense have beene in the Church from the Apostles dayes for this is fully agreed upon But the positions following and here handled are such as have beene much controverted but now so cleerely manifest that every indifferent and impartiall judicious Reader may discernt plainely on which side the truth is POSITION 1. That Bishops jure Divino are Superiours to other Ministers 1. BEcause our Saviour made severall degrees in the ministerie which the Apostle mentioneth Ephes. 4. 11. Yet in the same degree he set none over another not one Apostle over another not one Evangelist over another 〈◊〉 not one Elder or Bishop over another 2. Because the Apostle in reckoning up the dignities in the Ministery from Christ mentioneth no Bishops as degrees in the ministery differing from the rest but Apostles 〈◊〉 Evangeliste which were extraordinary then Pasters and Teachers ordinary Eph. 4 11. 3. Because the name of Bishops is given onely to those who are called Eld●… Act 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 28. Tit 1. 5. 7. Now Elders were all of equall Authority Such the Ap●…stles 〈◊〉 and more th●… on●… in every Citie Act. 14. 23. and had charge given ●…ot one over ●…ther but over the fl●…ck over the which th●… holy 〈◊〉 had made them Overseers O●…Bishops Act. 20. 〈◊〉 4. The Apostle placeth Bishops onely before 〈◊〉 Ph●…l I. 1. I Tim. 3. 1. 8. but no where b●…fore Elders as Superiours to them 5. The office and quality of a Bishop described 〈◊〉 that which equally and alike agreeth to all teaching Elders 1 Tim. 3. 1. 2. 7. Tit. 1. 5 6 7 8 9. and not to a speciall function in superiority before an Elder For Titus was appointed to ordaine Elders and the Apostle telleth him what a 〈◊〉 a Bishop meaning an Elder should b●… as making an Elder and Bishop one and the same It cannot be proved by S●…riptura that in the A●…stles dayes Elders and Bishops were degrees one ov●…r another nor by Historie 200. yeares after that they were distinguished by degrees 6. Because such as 〈◊〉 Elders were next to the Apostles in the Councel at 〈◊〉 and sate with them as next to them Acts 15. 23. Bishops here were none except included within the name of Elders and so all one 7. The double honour which Saint Paul speaks of he alloweth it to teaching Elders 1 Tim. 5. 17. which dutie of teaching Bishops affect not and yet claime double honour 8. Because these Elders Acts 20. 17. came to bee called Bishops not in respect of any superiority they had one over another but to mind them of their watchfulnesse and care over their flock in respect of which flock and not in respect of their fellow Ministers they were called by Saint P●…l who first g●…ue them th●…t title Ov●…seers or Bishops Acts 20. 28. 9. Because Tim●…ie and Titus from whom they would derive the superiority of Bishop●…●…ver Elders were Euangel●…s 2 Tim. 4. 5. a dignity above other Churches Offic●…s Eld●…s O●…Bis●…s or P●…stors all one and 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 11. now why 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 higher degree ●…hould be made Bis●…ps and so put in a lower for me wa●…th 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perswade the reunto 10. Because the Postscripts to the second Epistl●… to Tim. and that to Ti●… are worthy of no credit in this case to prove Tim. and Tit. Bis●…ps For these be no Scriptura nor of divine authority but added by some private uncertaine S●…ribe and so bring of humane authority they c●…nnot stablish Tim. and Tit. Bishops jure divi●… who by divine authority were 〈◊〉 The vanity of alledging these 〈◊〉 are solidly by other confuted and not answered 11. Becaus●… the consent of the Learned is fully against this superiority of a Bishop to wit to be above an Elder or Presbyter in degree 〈◊〉 divi●… but were all one and the difference came by an humane consti●…tion 1. Of this judgement are ancient Fathers 〈◊〉 A●…stin Chrys●…stome Ambrose Seduli●…s Pri●…sius The●…ret 〈◊〉 Theophylact. 2. John 〈◊〉 and the Wald●…ses 3. The learned Divines beyond the Seas Luther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 H●…minglus Gnalter M●…sculus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●… and others 4. Learned Divinesin our Land D. 〈◊〉 D. Reynolds Doctor Holland D. Fulk D. Whitacres D. Willes and many moe Our Bishops here Bish. 〈◊〉 Bis●…p Peacock T●…stal shop Bil●…n once so held when he wrote against the Seminaries Bishop 〈◊〉 now living yea and Arch. Bishop Whit●…gift 〈◊〉 as much Yea the Arch-Bishops all the Bishops and the Clergie of E●…gland acknowledged Bishops and Pres●…rs to bee Besides the 〈◊〉 of our La●… in 37. H●… 8. C●… 17. in 〈◊〉 of Edward 6. 〈◊〉 2. 1. and 1. of Eli●… 1. have resolved the same against Bishops authority 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Orthodox 〈◊〉 reformed wi●…eth th●… much by their doctrine and practise Monarchies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which have cast them out So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and of late ●…ates of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and many other Churches Shall we think●… that all these have 〈◊〉 in this point so ma●…y so 〈◊〉 m●…n and whole Churches 11. 〈◊〉 non●… but Papists among us maintaine the p●…sition and such as be popishly affected or are of 〈◊〉 mind ●…oving to have the preheminence 3. I●…hn 9. or ●…ch as flatter for favour and pre●…rment And yet here may be produced against them 1. The Canon Law which telleth ●…s that superior●…ty of Bish●…s over other Ministers is of 〈◊〉 Law which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of 〈◊〉 fourth Councell at Car●…hage 2. The coun●…ell of 〈◊〉 and B●…il 〈◊〉 it ●…o 3. Two famous Doctors of the civill Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are of this judgement with us 4. Some great Papists 〈◊〉 Hug●… Cardi●… ●… Bish●… of Civil G●…rg 〈◊〉 hold their authority to be by positive Law and came in after the Apo●…les dayes The Ancients alledged for this superiority speake but of their owne times long after the Ap●…les dayes or ●…lse they judged of the times before by a mi●…ke that ●… in their dayes which was nothing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 200. yeares after Chri●… 12. Becaus●…Bis●… 〈◊〉 of S●…int 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his dignity and ●…owledged 〈◊〉 that the Superiority of Bishops over Ministers was 〈◊〉 of all 〈◊〉 of the word of