Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	apostle_n	bishop_n	presbyter_n	15,878	5	10.2865	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57866	A vindication of the Presbyterians in Scotland, from the malicious aspersions cast upon them in a late pamphlet, written by Sir George Mackenzie late Lord Advocate there, intituled, A vindication of the government in Scotland during the reign of King Charles II, &c. by a lover of truth.	Rule, Gilbert, 1629?-1701.	1692 (1692)	Wing R2234; ESTC R11921	23,811	33

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Where tho' they were Elders he was speaking to he says Take heed therefore to your selves and to all the Flock in or over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops as the same Word is rendred by our Translators 1 Tim. 3. 1. and Tit. 1. 17. Which had there been any Distinction then in the Church between a Bishop and a Presbyter t is not to be supposed the Apostle would have said And St. John takes to himself only the Appellation of Elder 2 Joh. 1. 3 Joh. 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elder to the Elect Lady the Elder to the Well-beloved Gaius Not St. Andrews Glagow c. which seems the assuming to themselves an Authority after the Manner of the Kings of the Gentiles i. e. Princes and Noblemen contrary to Christs Express Command Matt 20 25 26. Since it cannot be denyed but Titles are Badges of Authority and wherever they are owned or given Authority is thereby indicated Nor will it much mend the Matter to say that this Honour is conferred upon them by the Prince since it is obvious to reply that Christs Command seems expresly to prohibit it who best knew what Mischief those great Titles and Authority would do in the Christian Church This Gentleman farther says that as they taught the People that their Government was Jure Divino so that People might thereby be obliged to defend them and it under the Pain of Eternal Damnation even when Episcopacy was established by Divine Law c. Where the Gentleman is so eager in Exposing that People that he justly exposes himself to the Laughter of any Understanding person when his saying that they might be obliged unto it does not deny but they might not Had he said they were bound or ought to do it he had spoke to the purpose and in that case he could have accused them of nothing but what not a few of his own Party have been guilty of And that Conventicles were prohibited from a just fear that the Old Humour would ferment into a Rebellion is only his assertion 't is apparent enough that those severe Acts were made principally to support the Bishops and for fear lest they should be turned out again as nothing but Force joyned with the Debauchery and Irreligion of the Generality of their Communion who only affected such Church Governors as spared their Vices ever kept them in that Kingdom And how cunningly soever he insinuates that the Rebellion at Pentland Hills in 1666 was the effect of their Field Conventicles yet 't is certain that there were but few Conventicles before that Insurrection The true Matter of fact in this point is that Major Turner and some others were sent into the West of Scotland to suppress the Presbyterians there the Soldiers were quartered upon FREE QUARTERS besides that they Forc'd the PEOPLE to pay them 6 d. a day that many Families there were totally Impoverisht so that they were forced to give over their Farms and have recourse to the Charity of other honest People for their Subsistance That in some places when that people were not able to entertain the Soldiers as they had at their first coming they fell a beating of 'em and abused them who with the Neighbourhood standing up in their own defence killed some of the Soldiers whereupon partly through fear of being executed and partly thro' Bitterness of Spirit which their grievous Bondage had caused in them since as Solomon says Oppression makes a Wise Man Mad they betook themselves to Arms and perswaded other People whose Lives had been imbittered by several Years Oppression to do the same That the Indulgence after that Insurrection was granted them out of any favour is a Notorious Untruth It is sufficiently known that it was a Stratagem used on purpose to divide them in so far as some Ministers were comprehended in it and others very popular left out And it is no less certain that this fully answered their design for as the Gentleman cunningly upbraids them afterwards those that preached in the Fields were too rigid Censurers of their Brethren of the Indulgence as vice versa those of the Indulgence were too Uncharitable towards their Brethren that Preacht in the Fields which gave so great Advantage to their Enemies that in a short time they were both reduced to a very low Pass Which shews how applicable that of our Saviour was to both of them The Children of this World are wiser in their Generation than the Children of Light And tho the Field-Meetings as he truly says were declared to be the Rendevouzes of Rebellion yet 't is certain the poor People had no other design in going to them than that they might hear the Word of God which they thought was more faithfully dispenst there than in the Publick Churches And it is no less certain that it had great Effects on not a few who at first went thither only out of Curiosity so that while they were under their preaching they seemed to live quite new Lives from what they did formerly and when those Field-Meetings were supprest those poor Wretches made sad Complaints of their returning to their Vomit when they were again confined to the Ministry of the Episcopal Clergy Nor is this Gentleman Ingenuous when he says the State was necessitated to suppress them for fear of being subverted for the true cause was because during their Preaching in the Fields all the adjacent Parishes frequented their Meetings So that the pretended Orthodox Clergy there had scarce all their own Family to hear them in few places more It is false that they had any design against the Government and though some of them went with Arms to those Meetings yet 't is certain they offered Wrong to no Body and disperst themselves peaceably after the Sermon was over unless they were disturbed by Soldiers in which case they had all the reason of the World to defend themselves for if their Minister was taken he was sure to be executed and any of the rest were to expect no better than Imprisonment it may be for some years if not sent Slaves to the West-Indies as not a few were who could not be charged with any thing but going to Meetings These things considered no thinking Man will wonder at their taking Arms along with them especially since the Doctrine of Self-defence is not now lookt upon as so great a Bugbear as it was represented to be by Gentlemen that had neither more Religion nor Honesty than they needed in those topping Years of Loyalty 82 83 84 85 86. It is notoriously false as he asserts That the Generality of the Presbyterians of Scotland said that the King had forfeited his Crown for Breaking the Covenant tho some did Yet he having taken the Covenant as his Coronation Oath and Sworn to maintain that Government and it being on a supposed belief of his Sincerity therein that they tendred him the Crown 't is not

restored Episcopacy But I would know what these Disorders were Why resisting the Lords Anointed and not suffering him to tyranize at pleasure It is sufficiently known that both the Parliament in Scotland and that here in England immediately after the Restauration to shew their Detestation of the former Parliaments Proceedings and their Zeal for unbounded Monarchy took very unaccountable Measures and inconsiderately betrayed the Priviledges of the People and did what lay in them to Tempt Kings to become Tyrants and so as they repeal'd the Covenant they made a Declaration which at last was as generally Imposed as it was whereby they obliged Men to declare upon Oath That it was Unlawful upon any pretenc● whatsoever to take up Arms against the King or any Commissioned by him And to this Oath and the Preaching the Joyful Tidings of of Passive Obedience we owe all the Miseries we have suffered since It is certain that this Oath was made Principally as a Trap for the Dissenters as being the only Persons charged with the Guilt of the War against King Charles I. tho' it is sufficiently known that in England at least the greatest part of the Church of England except we will restrict it to those few hundreds now that have not bowed the Knee to that Baal of the Pe●ples to use the Jacobites canting expression with some other of the Honest Vicar of Brays Principles their Well-wishers joyned with the Parliament if it be but considered that the Number of Dissenters now is not the Third of the Inhabitants of England when it is far greater than it was at the beginning of the Civil War But behold the Justice of God! For he made this Oath which they designed as a Whip to chastise others a Rod for their own Backs and suffered them to run on so far in their inconsideration that in the End they found themselves obliged to Justifie by their Practice what before they had by a Law condemned in those Honest Patriots both here and in Scotland that stood up for the Liberties of the People And this was not only the practice of Laymen but even some in the Highest of the Spiritual sphere did so far Justifie the Proceedings of both those Parliaments as to take Arms against the Lords Anointed with a Nolumus Leges Angliae Mutari Nor were there any that we know of that at that time disapproved or at least declared against Subjects joyning with his present Majesty against King James and the Scripture says He that is not against us is for us Nay did not even our Tender conscienc't scrupling Bishops refuse to sign an Abhorrence of his present Majesties Undertaking and to declare that it was Unlawful upon pain of Damnation as was formerly sounded from our Wooden Pulpits I had almost said by Wooden Priests for any of the Subjects to joyn with him against the late King Iames the then Lords Anointed All which plainly indicates to us how miserably the People had been bubbled out of their Priviledge by Gentlemen whom of all other it might have been least expected from So that had it not pleased God in his Goodness to make their Copy hold to be touched we had been for ought can be seen to the contrary precipitated into Irremediable slavery I shall not here Trouble the Reader with a Parallel of the two Kings Illegal Proceedings it having been so effectually done already that Reason is fully satisfied in the point It is sufficient to remark that we were willing to part with that Doctrine we so much valued our selves upon when a regulating our Practice by it seem'd to threaten us with a storm A plain Indication that it was but a Bait to fish Benefices and a Trap to catch simple People in What he says That that Parliament restored Episcopacy so much the more because that ' Government had in no Age nor Place forced its way into the state by the Sword is much of a Piece with the Rest and there 's scarce any will believe that that was the Parliaments Motive All that can be said with respect to the Bishops not forcing their way into the state is only because they never had so strong a Party in that Kingdom and that all the Kings that set them up there were grasping after an Arbitrary Government for all the reason King James the I. there the VI. gave for the Expediency of Bishops there was that he had not sufficient strength on his side to ballance the Parliament c. therefore that it was requisite there should be Bishops to vote for him in Parliament But whatever this Gentleman subtly suggests the World is not so simple now as to believe that they would not use their Utmost Efforts either to Introduce or support themselves It is sufficiently known what they have done to preserve themselves in that Countrey and how much they forwarded Arbitrary Government there it plainly appearing that the pretended Axiom which they cunningly invented No Bishop no King as to the Scotch Bishops ought to be No Arbitrary King is known to every Body that is any wise seen in affairs of that Kingdom And further it can be proved beyond all contradiction that all the Persecutions and Oppressions that were perpetrated in that Kingdom are owing not so much to Lauderdale or any Minister of State there some of whom acted only that they might not be turned out tho' that will never Justifie them as to those Spiritual Gentlemen If the Presbyterians asserted their Government to be Jure Divino t is no more than what not a few Episcopal do and tho in true speaking both may be in the wrong yet if Churches be to be regulated as they were in the Apostolical Age tho' the Presbyterians cannot pretend to a Jus Divinum yet they may lay claim to an Apostolical President which was always reckoned good Justification for any Practice in the Church For even St. Peter for whose Authority over the rest the Roman Catholicks so eagerly contend calls himself a Fellow-Elder 1. Pet. 5. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Elders that are among you I exhort who am a Co-elder as that word may be rendred And St. Paul whom others pretend to have been the Head Bishop never calls himself otherwise than a Minister Apostle Servant or Preacher and subscribes himself every where the salutation of me Paul c. And 't is observable that the same St. Paul Acts 20. 17. sent for not the Diocesane Bishop or Bishops as some would have it but the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and had there Been any Diocesane or Diocesanes then at Ephesus I do not see how St. Paul could have cleared himself from being an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Busie Body in other Mens matters as that word is rendred 1 Pet. 4. 15. when he sent for the Elders without acquainting the Bishop or Bishops But it is most remarkable that when he is exhorting them how to acquit themselves v. 28. he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉

the Dissenters Charge when it it Notorious that the greatest part of the Parliament Army was at first made up of the Church of England yea that of them few save the Laudian Faction joined King Charles I. a great part of whose Army at least the Officers of it were Roman Catholicks and 't is no less certain that the Body of the Parliament of Scotland upon that Kings imposing the Service-Book to be Read in one of the Churches of Edenborough entred into a League to defend themselves from any further Oppression or Tyranny that should be offered But the Reader may easily perceive by this what credit this Gentleman deserves whose Prejudice has so far benighted his Understanding as to avouch Lies so easily discoverable 't is a plain Indication that he will take a far greater Liberty in things less obvious to Mens Knowledge His third Reason is That this Caution was much more Just in Scotland than in England because Dissenters in Scotland were more Bigotted to the Covenant which is a Constant Fond for Rebellion But why the Covenant should be so tho I am no great stickler for it I cannot understand since among other things it binds the Takers thereof to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties Person and Authority in the Preservation of the true Religion by which no doubt they mean governing the Church by Presbyters c. And suppose this be an Oath made by the Majority of People as what is Ratified by Parliament must always be judged to be why should this be more inclinable to Rebellion than an Oath made to maintain Episcopacy and the Ceremonies And suppose a King should violate this latter Oath and endeavour to introduce either Popery or Presbytery it needs not now be questioned especially since our Loyal Gentlemen declared that the Reason why those Honest Orthodox Highlanders raised their Rebellion was because Presbytery was Establisht in Scotland I might say further that it was none of the least Reasons of King James's Abdication that he endeavoured to overturn the Church that he would not meet with much more favour from their Hands than at the most Bigotted Covenanters I remember I have Read that Mahomet in his Alcoran where he restricts his Votaries to such a number of Wives has yet a Reserve for himself And brings in God speaking thus At tibi O Prophet elicet quot vis ducere cum iis concumbere c. and so would have his Laws tye up the People but not himself I do not see those Gentlemen a whit more reasonable If Dissenters stand up in their own Defence against Tyranny it is resisting the Lords Anointed a Sin that will undoubtedly Damn them but if they play the same Game tho without the minutest Provocation or least shew of Reason for it as in the Case of the Highland Rebellion 't is no such matter they must restore their Church Rights c. His fourth Reason is That the Posterior Acts made against Field Conventicles were the necessary Product of new Accessional Degrees of Rebellion This is manifestly false since as above that at Pentland Hills in 1666 was the Effect of the Oppression those poor People groaned under and that at Bothwell-Bridge was begun in defence of their Ministers Life and Peoples Liberty and when they had once killed some Soldiers there was no safety for them to expect but what their Arms could purchase to them This Gentleman says afterwards That the Governors can say that no Man in Scotland ever suffered for his Religion But what means the Bleating of the Cattel then Were not Major Turner and several others sent to quarter upon those of the West on Free Quarters besides that they were forced to pay 6 d. a day prior to any Rebellion If this was not Persecution for Religion the Immortal of France to whom I dare say our Author bore no small respect has been basely traduced by Republican Spirits So that were this Gentlemans Paper strictly canvast it might be justly questioned whether there were more Lies or Sentences in it His Malicious Instance of Renwick shews the Inveteracy of his Hatred against the Presbyterians and he might as well have forbore the mentioning of it For I have been credibly informed that Renwick was a Romish Priest and spared on that account 't is not unlikely that he might weaken the Presbyterians by keeping up Divisions among them But that they insisted for his Life when we have it of a Person who is not wholly abandoned to his Passions and who will make Conscience of saying nothing but what is Truth we shall have some reason to give Credit to it He next endeavours to render them more odious by shewing how little they had to pretend for the justifying of their Dissent since there were no Ceremonies enjoin'd in the Episcopal Church there But our Gentleman might have forbore the taking upon him the Office of a Casuist which he seems so ill qualified for For all the Publick Ministers there since the beginning of the Civil Wars till King Charles's Restauration had taken the Covenant which obliged them not to own Diocesan Episcopal Government And there is no doubt but any Honest Man would think himself bound to disown it till such time as he were convinced that the Matter of the Oath was unlawful Now they having or at least believing they had a dispensation from God to Preach the Word 't is not to be supposed they would think themselves discharged from that Office because they were prohibited to Preach by the Bishop And 't is easily supposeable their Hearers had no great liking for the Bishops Curates especially since at the Restauration a very few excepted they were guilty of Breach of Oath the Matter whereof they could never yet prove to be sinful And if any Person be reputed Perjur'd every Honest Man shuns any Commerce with him Much more if a Man be of so Sacred a Function as is a Preacher of the Word who that has any thing of Religion in him will so much as Countenance him Besides since many of the Laity did take the Covenant and obliged themselves to disown Episcopal Government it needed not so much have startled him if he had any Conscience himself that those People would not hear the Publick Ministers till such time as they were satisfied of the unlawfulness of the Oath since hearing them duely and ordinarily might have seemed to be a down-right Violation of it Besides 't is not improbable that those who are of Opinion that that Office crept into the Church contrary to Christs Institution might more scruple at that than at any Ceremony whatsoever But the Gentleman by what he adds in the end of this Paragraph contradicts himself as if he were in a Frenzy for if the best of their Ministers and almost all the People Communicated as he says Why is he at so hard Labour to shew the Unreasonbleness of their Dissent from the Publick Churches As to what