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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	act_n	bishop_n	presbyter_n	3,131	5	10.0517	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85184	The league illegal. Wherein the late Solemn League and Covenant is seriously examined, scholastically and solidly confuted: for the right informing of weak and tender consciences, and the undeceiving of the erroneous. Written long since in prison, by Daniel Featley D.D. and never until now made known to the world. Published by John Faireclough, vulgò Featley, chaplain to the Kings most Excellent Majesty.	Featley, Daniel, 1582-1645.; Featley, John, 1605?-1666.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I)	1660 (1660)	Wing F591; Thomason E1040_8; ESTC R199	47,903	77

but that Christ left a Pattern of Government to his Church to continue till the end of the world and doubtlesse his Apostles with whom he conversed forty dayes after his Resurection speaking of those things which appertain to the kingdom of God Act. 3. 1. delivered that to the Church which they received from their Master What Government or Discipline was that There can be conceived but three formes of Government Episcopal most conformable to Monarchy Presbyterial to Aristocracy and Independent as they tearm it to Democracy Presbyterial or Independent it could not be for Presbyterial is no Elder then the Reformation in Geneva and the Independent no Elder then New-England whereas Episcopal Government hath been time out of mind not in one but in all Churches A and sith it was not first constituted by any Sanction of a General Counsel it follows necessarily according to St. Augustins observation that it must needs be an Apostolical Institution For what not one Church but all Churches not in one age but all ages hath uniformly observed and practised and no man can define who after the Apostles were the beginners of it must needs be supposed to be done by Order or Tradition from them 7. This form of Government was not only generally received and embraced by Catholicks but even by Hereticks and Schismaticks who though they severed from the Communion of the Church in Doctrine yet not in Discipline For the Novatians and Donatists had Bishops of their own from whom they took their names only * Aerius who stood for a Bishoprick and missed it out of discontent broached that new Doctrine wherewith the heads of our Schismaticks are so much intoxicated viz. That there ought to be no distinction in the Church between a Bishop and a Presbyter and for this confounding those Sacred Orders was himself ranked among Hereticks and stands upon record in the Bedrolls of them made by Epiphanius Angustin and Philastrius It is true he had other brands on him but this was the proper mark put upon him by those ancient Fathers who mention this Tenet of his as Erroneous and Heretical I grant some of the ancient Doctors affirm That in the beginning till the prevention of Schism made this distinction between Bishops and Presbyters they were all one in name as now they are in those essential parts of their function viz. Preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments But Aerius was the first who professedly oppugned the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy maintaining That there ought to be no difference and distinction between Bishops and Elders 8. This assertion of Aërius as in the Doctrine thereof it was defined by the Doctors of the Church to be Heresie so in the practise thereof it is condemned by the great Councel of Chalcedon to be Sacriledge To confound say they the Ranks of Bishops and Elders and to bring down a Bishop to the inferior degree of an Elder is no lesse then Sacriledge Now I would fain know how that comes to be truth now which was condemned for Heresie and to be Piety now which was branded for Sacriledge above 1200 agoe 9. Neither were the Fathers of the Councel of Chalcedon only zealous in this cause which so much concerned the honour of the Church but the other three also whose authority St. Gregory held to be the next to the four Evangelists and the Doctrine thereof is after a sort incorporated into our Acts of Parliament Eliz. 1. In these Councels which all consisted of Bishops Episcopacy it self is almost in every Canon and Sanction either Asserted or Regulated 10. Next to the Primitive Church we owe a reverend respect to the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas who either have Bishops as in Poland Transilvania Denmark and Swethland or the same function is in Nature though not in Name to wit Intendents and Super-intendents as they would have them if they could as I understood from many Ministers in France or at least approve of them as appeareth by the testimony of Beza Sadiel Scultetus and others 11. What should I speak of the Articles of Religion ratified by a Sequence of Religious Princes succeeding one the other and confirmed by Act of Parliament to which all Beneficed men are required under pain of losse of their livings within a moneth to professe their assent and consent in which both the Power and Consecration of Bishops and Ministers is expresly asserted and their distinction from Presbyters or of the Statute of Carlile the 15. of Edw. 2. and the first of Qu. Eliz. with very many other unrepealed Acts in which Episcopall Government is either related unto or regulated and confirmed in such sort that quite to abolish and extirpate it would bring a confusion and make a stop as well in Secular as Ecclesiastical Courts And therefore our zealous Reformers if they think themselves not too good to be advised by the Great Counsellor ought to take heed how they rashly and unadvisedly pluck up the tares as they esteem them of holy Canons and Ecclesiastical Laws ne simul eradicent triticum lest together with those tares as they count them they pluck up by the roots the good wheat of many profitable and wholesome Laws of the Common-wealth and Acts of Parliament 12. But if the Authority of both Houses could soon cure these sores in precedent Acts of Parliament yet how will they make up the breaches in the Consciences of all those who in the late Protestation and this New Covenant have taken a Solemn Oath to maintain the Priviledges of the Members of Parliament and the Liberties of the Subject The most Authentical evidence whereof are Charta Magna and the Petitionof Right in both which the Rights of the Church and Priviledges of Episcopal Sees are set down in the Fore-front in Capital Letters 13. To strain this string a little higher the power of granting Congedeliers together with the investitute of Archbishops Bishops and Collation of Deanries and Prebends with a setled Revenue from the First-fruits and Tenths there is one of the fairest flowers in the Kings Crown and to rob the imperial Diadem of it considering the King is a Person most Sacred is Sacriledge in a high degree and not Sacriledge only but Perjury also in all those who attempt it For all Graduates in the University and men of Ranck and Quality in the Common-wealth who are admitted to any place of eminent Authority or Trust take the Oath of Supremacy whereby they are bound to defend and Propugne all Preeminences Authorities and Prerogatives annexed to the Imperial Crown whereof this is known to be one inherent in the King as he is Supreme head of the Church within his Realms and Defender of the Faith 14. Yet for all this admit that Reason of State should inforce the Extirpation of Episcopacy thus rooted as it hath been said both in the Royal Prerogative and Priviledge of the Subject and in the Laws of the Land it is a golden Maxim of Law

Intendents and Super-intendents in Germany Presidents in the Reformed Synods in France and Masters Provosts and Heads of Colledges and Hals in our Universities who have a kind of Prelacy and Authority over the Fellows and Students whereof the major part are Divines and in holy Orders Here I conceive it will be said That none of these are aimed at but only Diocesan Bishops already banished out of Scotland And Prelates indeed they are in a more eminent degree and if Prelacy be restrained to them it is Episcopacy that is principally shot at to the Extirpation whereof I dare not yield my Vote or Suffrage lest this New Oath intangle me in perjury For both my self and all who have received Orders in this Kingdom by the Imposition of Episcopal hands have freely Engaged our selves by Oath to obey our Ordinary and to submit to his godly Judgement and in all things lawful and honest to receive his Commands If then we now swear to endeavour the Abolishing of Episcopacy we Swear to Renounce our Canonical Obedience that is as I apprehend we swear to forswear our selves It is true that the Dr. was furnished with many other Reasons for Episcopacy besides these and of some he gave a hint in the Assembly it self upon other occasions as namely these that follow Dr. Featley's Sixteen Reasons FOR Episcopal Government Which he intended to have delivered in the Assembly immediately after his precedent Speech but was not permitted 1. THat the name of Episcopacy even as it signifieth a degree of Eminency in the Church is a Sacred and Venerable Title first in holy Scripture ascribed to our blessed Redeemer who as he is Dominus Dominantium Lord of Lords so also Episcopus Episcoporum Bishop of Bishops the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls next to the Apostles whose office in the Church is styled by the holy Ghost Episcope a Bishoprick Let another take his Bishoprick though it be translated Let another take his Office yet the Original signifies not an Office at large but an Episcopal function that Office which Judas lost and Matthias was elected into which was the Office and Dignity of an Apostle * lastly to those whom the Apostles set over the Churches as namely to Timothy and Titus who in the Subscription of the Apostles Letters Divinely inspired are styled Bishops in the restrained sense of the word 2 Tim. 4. written from Rome to Timotheus the first Bishop elected of the Church of Ephesus and to Titus the first elect Bishop of the Church of the Cretians How ancient these Subscriptions are it is not certain among the Learned If they bear not the same date with the Epistles themselves the contrary whereof neither is nor can be Demonstrated yet they are undoubtedly very ancient and of great Authority And in them the word Bishop cannot be taken at large for any Minister or Presbyter but for a singular person in Place or Dignity above other Pastors for there were many other Presbyters in Ephesus both before and besides Timothy Act. 20. 27 28. and in the Island of Creet or Candie there must of necessity be more then one Pastor or Minister Besides St. Paul investeth Timothy in Episcopal power making him a Judge of Presbyters both to rebuke them 1 Tim. 5. 1 and to prefer and reward them vers. 17. and to censure them ver. 19. Against an Elder receive no accusation but under two or three witnesses and giveth to Titus exp●esly both potestatem ordinis jurisdictionis of O●der and Jurisdiction of Order in these words Chap. 1. 5. That thou shouldst ordain Elders in every City and of Jurisdiction I left thee in Creet that thou shouldst continue {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} to correct or red esse the things that remained or those things which the Apostle before intended to amend but had not redressed 2. The Angels of the seven Churches Apoc. 10. 20. were no other in the judgement of the best Learned * Commentators both Ancient and Later then the Bishops of those Sees for in those Provinces or Territories there cannot be conceived to be lesse then many hundred ordinary Preachers and Pastors yet there were but seven precisely answering to the seven golden Candlesticks Seven Candlesticks seven lights burning in them these can be no other then seven prime Pastors who had the oversight of the rest for the Errors and Abuses in all those Churches are imputed to them and they reproved for not redressing them Chap. 2. 14. Thou hast them that maintain the Doctrine of Balaam and vers 20. Thou sufferest the * woman Jezebel to teach c. 3. It is confessed by Molinaeus and other Learned Patrons of Presbyterial Government themselves that Episcopacy is a plant either set in the Church by the Apostles themselves or their immediate Successors in the first and best ages of the Church and is it agreeable to Piety to swear the Extirpation of such a plant 4. It cannot be denyed that when the Church most flourished and was of far larger extent then now it is over the face of the Christian World there was no * other Government then Episcopacy regulated by Divine precepts and Ecclesiastical Canons and shall we swear to Extirpate that Government under the which the Church most thrived and slourished Shall we swear against our Prayers viz. for the rooting out of that upon which we are enjoyned to pray God to pour down the dew of his blessing Surely the dew of heaven burns not the root of any Plant upon earth but waters it and makes it grow 5. They were Bishops who had the chiefest hand first in the plantation of Christian Religion in the dayes of Lutius King of Britan and after in the restitution in the dayes of Etheldred King of Kent and in the Reformation of it in the Reign of Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth and is it a Religious act to eradicate that Government and Power which both planted and pruned Religion it self 6. Christ died not intestate he made his last Will and Testament and by it bequeathed many Legacies to his Church and among them not onely Catholike Doctrine but Discipline also This Discipline if it be not Episcopal Government moderated by Evangelical and Apostolical Rules the whole Church is guilty of the losse of a Sacred and Precious Jewel for certain it is out of Records of all ages of the Church that no other was ever retained or can be found save this before the Religious Reformer and Magistrates of Geneva having banished their Popish Bishops were after a sort necessitated to draw a new Plat-forme of Ecclesiasticall Discipline by Lay-Elders Christ as the Apostle teacheth us was faithfull in the house of God as Moses and if Moses after his forty dayes speech with God on the Mount received a Patern from God and delivered it to the Jewes not only of Doctrine but of Dicipline also which continued till Christs coming in the flesh it cannot be conceived

the Statute of the 25th Year of King Edward the third And We do likewise hereby forbid and inhibit all Our Subiects to impose administer or tender the said Oath or Covenant And if notwithstanding this Our Gracious Proclamation any person shall presume to impose tender or take the said Vow or Covenant We shall proceed against him or them with all severity according to the known Laws of the Land Given at Our Court at Oxford the One and Twentieth day of June in the Nineteeth Year of Our Reign God Save the KING a Malach. 4. 2. b Psal. 13. 43. c Sat. 8. d M. T. Cic. in Tusc. qu. l. 2. e Max. Serm. de benef. f Aelius Lamgrid g Plut in apoph h See his Life and d●ath in a bo●k entituled 〈◊〉 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hos. 13. 9. Mar. 5. 26. Sen. de benef. Psal. 126. 5. Aug. Serm. de Johan Bap. Cyprian Se●n l. 4. de im nort Mat. 8. 24 25. Mat. 16. 26. Mat. 13. 46. Mr. Nye p. 21. Our last refuge Tabula post naufragium Hendersons Speech p. 32. Were this Covenant written on the plaster of the wall over against the Pope Beshazzar-like in his sacrilegious pompe it would make his heart to tremble his countenance to change his head and Miter to shake his joynts to loosen and all his Cardinals and Prelates to be astonished at it E. W. his Preface to the Solemn League It is the cleerest that ever was penned here below the finger of God is in it too By help of that hand which wrote the Ten words first this was indicted and written sure enough for truly it is as the good Word of God The Covenanters answer Reply See Mr. Coleman his Sermon The Covenanters answer Coleman serm. p. 21. Nye's Speech p. 15. Reply 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Eccles. 5. 1. The Covenanters answer Mr. Case serm. p. 42. Ch. 10. 28. Mr. White in a Sermon at Lambeth Reply 1. Ch. 10. 28. See the Assembly at Perth Cic. off Eras. Adag. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Covenanters answer Eras Adag. de tripode dictum Jam. 3. 11. The Covenanters answer See exhortation to the taking of the Solemn League p. 4. Article 36. Heb. 13. 7. The Ordering of Priests Quest Will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers unto whom the Government and Charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly Admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgements Answ I will so do the Lord being my helper Ob. Sol. Ob. Sol. Math. 7. 1. Gal 5. 15. Gal. 6. 2. Divin. Instit. lib. 5. c. 20. Mat 26. 52. 1 Pet. 2. 25. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Act. 1. 20. * Ambros. com in Ephes. cap. 4. v. 10. Apostoli sunt Episcopi Jerom. ad Marcel Apud nos Apostolorum locum tenent Episcopi Cyp. c. 7. l. 3. Apostolos ●d est Episcopos praepositos Dominus elegit August in Psal. 45. loco patrum erunt silii id est Apostolorum Episcopi Et ibid. Dilatatum est Evangelium in omnibus sinibus mundi in quibus principes Ecclesiae id est Episcopi sunt constituti * Aug. Ep. 162. Comment in Apoc. hom 2. Ambrose 1 Cor. 11. 16. Occumenus Arethas Marlorat Pareus in Apoc. c. 1. 2. Policarp Episcopus Smyrnae Onesimus Ephesi Antipas Pergami c. * Edit Teclae it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} thy wif which demonstrateth that the Angell there signifieth one singular man of Authority in the Church and not the whole Clergy of that place Ep. ad Episc. Winton * Concil. Nice Can. 5. Conc. Antioch Can. 6. Concil. Sard. Can. 14. Conc. Chal. Act. 15. c. 29. Ignatius in Ep. ad Philad. Irenaeus l. 3. c. 3. Tertul. l. de baptismo Euseb. l. 6. c. 40. Jerom ep ad Nepot Optatus l. 1. cont. Parmen. Amb. in Eph. cap. 4. Basil Eph. 70. * Epiphanius Haeres 75. p. 295. Aug. ad quod vult Deum Aëriani ab Aërio quodam sunt nominati qui cum esset Presbytr doluisse fertur quod Episcopus non patuit ordinari dicebat Presbyterum ab Episcopo nulla differentia debere discorni Hieron. in Tit. Con. 1. Art 15. c. 29. Episcopum in Presbyteri gradum reducere est sacrilegium Anatolius Constant Episcop dixit ij qui dicuntur ab Episcopali dignitate ad Presbyteri ordinem descendisse si justis de causis condemaantur nec Presbyteri honore digni sunt See Art 36. l. de Consecrat It is evident to all men reading holy Scriptures and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there have been these three Orders in the Church of Christ and that a Bishop ought to correct and punish such as are unquiet criminous and disobedient within his Diocess according to such authority as he hath by the word of God * Vide Record in Exchequer I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your charges all Canonical Priviledges and I will be your Protector and Defender to my power by the assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government c. Then laying his hand on the book on the Communion Table he saith The things which I have before promised I shall perform and keep so help me God and by the contents of this book * Cic. Tusc. quast Ob. Sol. * Pro Mur. tolle nomen Catonis * Statut. Edw. 3. Ann. 25. The Church of England was founded in the state of Prelacy c. for we ow to it our best laws made in the Saxon times and Charta Magna it self The enion of the two Roses York and Lancaster the marriage with Scotland and above all the Plantation and Reformation of true Religion See Vindication of Episcopacy pag. 23 24. See also the Statute book of 16 Rich. 2. where the Commons shew That the Prelates were much profitable and necessary to their Soveraign Lord the King and the Realm c. † Jerome Advers. Luc. c. 4. Ecclesiae salus à summi sacerdot●s dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur protestas tot in Ecclesia efficientur Schismata quot sacerdotes Cypr. Ep. 3. Non aliunde Haereses abortae sunt aut nata Schismata quan inde quod sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur nec unus in Ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos al tempus judex vice Christi cogitatur * Athanas Apol. 2. Colithus quidam presbyter in Ecclesia Alexandrina alios Presbyteros ordinare praesumpserat sed rescissa fuit ejus Ordination omnes ab ●o constituti Presbyteri in laicorum ordinem redacti See Epiph. Haer. 75. The order of Bishops begets Fathers in the Church but the order of Presbyters Sons in Baptism but no Fathers or Doctors See also G. Abbot in his Tract of the Visibility of the Church and in his Answer to Hill * Apol. Confess Augustan c. de numero usu Sacrament Not saepe protestati sumn● summa cum voluntate conservare politiam Ecclesiasticam gradus in Ecclesia factos etiam summa authoritate scimus enim utili consilio Ecclesiasticam disciplinam have mode quo veteres eam describunt constitutam * Luther Tom. 2. p. 320. Nemo contra statum Episcoporum veros Episcopos vel bonos pastores dictum putet quiquid contra hos tyrannos dicitur † Gerard de Ministerio Eccles. Nemo nostrum dicit nihil imeresse inter Episcopum Presbyterum sed agnoscimus distinctionem graduum propter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ecclesiae ut concordia conservetur * Calv. de necess reform Ecclesiae Talem nobis Hierarchiam si exhibeant in qua sic emin●ant Episcopi ut Christo subesse non recusent ut ab i●o tanquam unico capite pendeant ad ipsum referantier in qua sic inter se fraternam societatem colant ut non alio modo quam e●us verit●te sint colligati tum vero nullo non anathemate dignos fateor si qui erunt qui noa eam reverenter summaque obedientia observent † Beza de grad. Minist. Evang. c. 18. Sess. 3. Quod si nunc Ecclesiae instauratae Anglicanae suorum Episcoporum Archi episcoporum authoritate suffultae perstant quemadmodum hoc illis nostra memoria contigit ut ejus ordinis homines non tantum insignes Dei Martyres sed etiam praestantissimos Doctores Pastores habuerit c.