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church_n apostle_n call_v presbyter_n 3,884 5 10.0316 5 false
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A62171 The infancy of elders a short treatise composed for vindication of the Christian liberty of freeborne denizens of England, or A refutation of the tyrannicall unlawfull mis-government of our church by lay-elders / written by J.S. minister of the Word in Lancashire. J. S., Minister of the Word in Lancashire. 1647 (1647) Wing S68; ESTC R8376 22,428 29

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consideration_n of_o our_o wise_a parliament_n in_o hope_n their_o wisdom_n will_v take_v due_a care_n to_o prevent_v the_o impend_a misery_n of_o our_o nation_n for_o very_o many_o thousand_o will_n rather_o have_v moderate_a episcopacy_n up_o than_o this_o senseless_a government_n of_o lay-elders_a which_o be_v indeed_o no_o ruler_n but_o mere_a stalk_a horse_n or_o ass_n or_o a_o disguise_n wherein_o the_o presbyter_n may_v plunder_v the_o people_n of_o liberty_n of_o conscience_n pretend_v it_o be_v not_o the_o art_n of_o clergy_n only_o pretty_a judgle_n but_o no_o more_o of_o this_o stultum_fw-la est_fw-la obsurdas_fw-la opiniones_fw-la accuratius_fw-la refellere_fw-la i_o will_v proceed_v to_o treat_v of_o that_o part_n or_o division_n of_o this_o work_n lie_v next_o in_o order_n to_o wit_n of_o spiritual_a elder_n in_o general_a and_o that_o our_o lay-elders_a may_v not_o right_o be_v take_v for_o such_o every_o bishop_n presbyter_n pastor_n or_o other_o grave_n and_o 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in_o wales_n thence_o into_o normandy_n york_n continue_v metropolitan_a still_o london_n be_v translate_v to_o canterbury_n by_o austin_n the_o monk_n lambert_n in_o his_o perambulation_n of_o kent_n fol._n 63._o and_o although_o the_o english_a saxon_n have_v not_o receive_v the_o gospel_n till_o ethelbert_n time_n in_o who_o reign_n gregory_n the_o pope_n upon_o occasion_n of_o see_v sweet_a face_a boy_n to_o be_v sell_v in_o the_o market_n and_o inquire_v of_o they_o of_o what_o nation_n and_o country_n they_o be_v he_o be_v tell_v they_o be_v angli_fw-la and_o of_o the_o province_n of_o deira_n their_o king_n name_n be_v alla_fw-mi to_o which_o gregory_n reply_v well_o may_v they_o be_v call_v angli_fw-la à_fw-la dei_fw-la ira_fw-la liberandi_fw-la to_o sing_v haleluia_o unto_o the_o lord_n whereupon_o austin_n the_o monk_n be_v send_v over_o and_o preach_v in_o ethelbert_n his_o kingdom_n to_o the_o english_a saxon_n at_o canterbury_n anno_fw-la christi_fw-la 596._o yet_o reverend_a bede_n and_o divers_a other_o testify_v that_o the_o briton_n who_o by_o the_o impetuous_a fury_n of_o the_o saxon_n be_v beat_v hence_o into_o wales_n embrace_v the_o christian_a faith_n many_o hundred_o year_n before_o augustine_n time_n lambert_n perambulation_n of_o kent_n 19_o holinshead_n history_n of_o england_n 51_o and_o have_v their_o church_n government_n by_o convocation_n &_o assembly_n of_o the_o most_o learned_a and_o best_a divine_n which_o in_o some_o course_n and_o order_n continue_v among_o we_o till_o this_o new_a fashion_a presbyter_n start_v up_o but_o never_o have_v any_o layman_n to_o join_v with_o they_o in_o that_o action_n it_o be_v conceive_v not_o to_o be_v warrant_v by_o god_n word_n some_o perhaps_o will_v wonder_v at_o i_o that_o i_o shall_v digress_v so_o far_o from_o my_o purpose_n for_o vindication_n of_o bishop_n affirm_v they_o to_o be_v by_o lucius_n our_o first_o christian_a king_n establish_v in_o this_o land_n i_o may_v say_v they_o 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john_n mar._n 10.42_o luke_n 22.25_o when_o the_o one_o desire_v to_o sit_v to_o his_o right_a hand_n the_o other_o on_o his_o left_a in_o his_o kingdom_n say_v the_o king_n of_o the_o gentile_n bear_v rule_v over_o they_o and_o their_o great_a one_o exercise_v authority_n upon_o they_o but_o it_o shall_v not_o be_v so_o among_o you_o such_o episcopacy_n as_o shall_v have_v no_o temporal_a honour_n or_o office_n to_o withdraw_v they_o from_o their_o spiritual_a function_n there_o be_v appoint_v in_o every_o county_n one_o superintendent_n or_o bishop_n who_o with_o his_o assembly_n of_o divine_n of_o that_o county_n shall_v govern_v the_o church_n and_o decree_v ecclesiastical_a cause_n i_o say_v such_o episcopacy_n i_o will_v rather_o embrace_v and_o submit_v unto_o it_o than_o a_o company_n of_o ignorant_a elder_n for_o better_a it_o be_v to_o be_v govern_v with_o prudence_n and_o knowledge_n then_o with_o pride_n and_o ignorance_n two_o thing_n incident_a to_o our_o
levites_n only_o sit_v with_o they_o because_o they_o be_v learn_v in_o the_o talmud_n not_o that_o of_o right_n it_o belong_v unto_o they_o to_o sit_v there_o goodwin_n in_o his_o jewish_a antiquity_n fol._n 199._o and_o 198._o he_o say_v how_o jehosophat_n appoint_v in_o every_o wall_a city_n secular_a judge_n which_o be_v their_o elder_n to_o determine_v criminal_a offence_n i_o wonder_v that_o our_o presbyterian_o shall_v be_v so_o far_o braze_v with_o ignorance_n as_o not_o to_o blush_v to_o urge_v this_o portion_n of_o scripture_n for_o a_o warrant_n for_o their_o court_n of_o elder_n to_o be_v set_v up_o here_o in_o england_n when_o as_o it_o fail_v in_o every_o particular_a to_o be_v any_o wise_a applicable_a to_o we_o for_o first_o the_o jew_n be_v govern_v by_o 70_o elder_n before_o so_o be_v never_o england_n secon_o moses_n be_v both_o king_n and_o priest_n among_o they_o he_o be_v their_o priest_n and_o take_v great_a pain_n in_o his_o holy_a function_n with_o they_o 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inconsistent_a government_n unless_o to_o fit_v ourselves_o to_o entertain_v the_o eldership_n we_o cast_v off_o monarchical_a government_n and_o introduce_v a_o government_n by_o state_n for_o my_o part_n i_o wish_v that_o hand_n to_o wither_v that_o shall_v attempt_v to_o lop_v off_o the_o royal_a branch_n of_o our_o land_n who_o right_a to_o the_o crown_n and_o kingly_a prerogative_n be_v equal_o just_a to_o any_o subject_a his_o possess_n what_o he_o have_v nor_o be_v there_o any_o understanding_n christian_n reproachful_o call_v independent_a of_o any_o other_o opinion_n so_o he_o may_v enjoy_v the_o liberty_n of_o his_o own_o conscience_n without_o civil_a coercion_n in_o point_n of_o religion_n he_o be_v to_o give_v a_o account_n to_o god_n of_o his_o own_o soul_n and_o every_o one_o be_v to_o bear_v his_o own_o burden_n the_o father_n not_o be_v to_o answer_v for_o the_o son_n nor_o the_o son_n for_o the_o father_n gal._n 6.5_o ezek._n 18.20_o but_o in_o civil_a and_o temporal_a matter_n be_v ready_a to_o subject_v himself_o with_o the_o most_o submissive_a to_o kingly_a authority_n according_a to_o the_o law_n of_o the_o nation_n where_o he_o live_v and_o may_v those_o curse_a soul_n who_o contrive_v the_o obliterate_n of_o the_o glorious_a being_n of_o our_o king_n here_o be_v sudden_o snach_v hence_o by_o a_o hand_n unlooked_a for_o and_o yet_o i_o wish_v king_n charles_n his_o return_v to_o his_o parliament_n and_o harken_v to_o their_o wholesome_a counsel_n for_o therein_o i_o conceive_v his_o flourish_a and_o happiness_n will_v most_o consist_v that_o there_o be_v and_o have_v be_v civil_a elder_n here_o and_o elsewhere_o no_o man_n needs_o to_o doubt_v it_o be_v obvious_a enough_o and_o manifest_a to_o each_o capacity_n our_o judge_n at_o westminster_n be_v nothing_o else_o but_o in_o this_o sense_n elder_n and_o judge_n to_o sit_v in_o counsel_n to_o determine_v and_o judge_v of_o criminal_a and_o other_o civil_a affair_n which_o we_o continue_v still_o to_o this_o day_n therefore_o be_v our_o new_a lay-elders_a in_o this_o sense_n useless_a and_o if_o we_o must_v for_o other_o end_n erect_v jewish_a sanhedrin_n in_o england_n i_o have_v show_v you_o it_o be_v not_o warrantable_a for_o we_o so_o to_o do_v because_o moses_n by_o god_n special_a appointment_n assemble_v 70._o elder_n to_o bear_v part_n of_o the_o government_n with_o he_o although_o it_o be_v urge_v with_o all_o the_o wit_n zeal_n and_o fervency_n it_o be_v possible_a for_o a_o country_n presbyter_n to_o palliate_v his_o people_n from_o his_o pulpit_n with_o yet_o his_o labour_n be_v all_o in_o vain_a and_o he_o but_o endeavour_n to_o justify_v unwarrantable_a thing_n when_o as_o the_o unskilful_a sophister_n can_v set_v a_o specious_a gloss_n on_o a_o good_a matter_n but_o perhaps_o he_o have_v learn_v his_o lesson_n so_o far_o by_o rote_n as_o to_o tell_v the_o people_n it_o be_v in_o europe_n first_o set_v up_o at_o geneva_n by_o reverend_a mr._n 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and_o wilful_a sinner_n for_o my_o part_n i_o do_v not_o seek_v to_o wash_v blackmoore_n i_o will_v give_v he_o leave_v at_o his_o sunday_n dinner_n and_o spiritual_a pig-feast_n when_o none_o be_v by_o but_o his_o lay-elders_a to_o rail_v against_o i_o and_o will_v extreme_o thank_v the_o pontifical_a parson_n will_v he_o but_o write_v any_o thing_n subscribe_v with_o his_o own_o hand_n in_o contradiction_n to_o what_o i_o have_v here_o write_v that_o i_o may_v have_v further_a occasion_n to_o anatomize_v the_o tyranny_n of_o he_o and_o his_o elder_n in_o the_o mean_a time_n what_o i_o have_v here_o write_v shall_v suffice_v hope_v short_o to_o hear_v that_o this_o government_n will_v be_v abolish_v so_o that_o we_o shall_v neither_o need_v to_o wrestle_v any_o long_o against_o it_o in_o word_n nor_o with_o peter_n to_o draw_v the_o sword_n to_o cut_v off_o the_o high_a priest_n servant_n care_n malcus_n who_o have_v he_o live_v till_o now_o will_v have_v be_v crop_v the_o leader_n 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