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	government_n	presbyter_n	3,617	5	9.9092	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41557	Plain dealing being a moderate general review of the Scots prelatical clergies proceedings in the latter reigns : with a vindication of the present proceedings in church affairs there.	Gordon, John, M.D.	1689 (1689)	Wing G1285; ESTC R34919	17,978	37

to an evil designing Party who are always like the Salamander in the Fire and love to fish in muddy Waters acting both in different Elements for the same Ends or Discouragement to the good Party whose different Opinions about Circumstances ought not to divide them in the main I shall first state it as my Hypothesis as many Learned moderate Divines under both Governments do that Church Government whether it be this or that is a Matter indifferent There being no Platform of Government left in the Church either by Christ or his Apostles or their Disciples further than appointing Bishops in every Church which word in the common acceptation in the Originals and Translations by both Parties is understood to be Overseers without mentioning any Preheminence to them over their Brethren these being Presbyters and their Deacons and Elders So that Church Government in this case would seem to be left indifferent and every Nation or People link'd together in one Body or Society in their own Civil Government whether Monarchical Democratical Aristocratal c. have it left in their Option being free from Engagements either to the one or the other to settle that Church Government which the major part of that People or Society judges most suitable to the Word of God and the general Inclination and Genius of the People This being granted in the general In the next place let us consider That when that Nation in particular as generally all Europe were enslaved to the Romish Bondage there was no other and could no other Government be but Prelacy suitable to that of their Universal Bishops whose Vassals they as well as all other Prelats were as they called them who assume to themselves always the Title of Head of the Church and Christ's Vicars upon Earth which all those of the reformed Protestant Religion Episcopal or Presbyterial look upon as Blasphemous And therefore the Pope is called by them all Antichrist and no doubt he is But when that Peoples Eyes came to be opened to see clearly the Fundamental Errors which that Church maintained for several Ages and the many Cheats Villanies and Wickedness committed by that Clergy in general They began to be reformed in their Lives and Manners by the indefatigable pains and labour of some few Presbyters who suffered several kinds of Martyrdoms and other Cruelties therefore by the Popish Clergy And the Romish Clergies barbarous Cruelties in those times towards those valiant Champions in Christ's Cause did at last animate the People to prosecute a General Reformation in that Nation and their Reformation being by Presbyters It seems gave the rise there to that denomination of Presbyterian And the Romish Clergies Cheatry and wickedness in their Lives and Conversation and Cruelty towards those Reformers and those of the Reformed Religion occasioned the Peoples general hatred at the very Order of Bishops And besides that the bulk of the Scots Clergies Opinion being That a well Constitute Presbyterian Government is both more agreeable to the Word of God and general Inclination and Genius of the People than any other And though Superintendants were appointed there at the beginning of the Reformation the generality of the People not being as yet well Reformed the Reformers that they might prevail the more readily in moderation with the generality of the People especially considering the nearer they came to the last Settlement being Governed in Civil Matters by a Popish King Regent and Queen in the Infancy of their Reformation the easier the work appeared to be yet the Presbyterian was the first Established Government being fully settled in the Year 1592. by a general Meeting of the Estates and Confirmed by Parliament and continued so till the Year 1606. after that King James came to the Imperial Crown of England when he endeavoured to make an Union between the two Nations setled an Episcopal Government there though contrary to the Inclinations of the People and Clergy in general Expecting thereby to Unite them as well in Trade as in Church Government And the hopes of an Union in Trade and other things beneficial to Scotland moved many of those who were Presbyterially inclined to go beyond their Inclinations and Opinion alongst with that Settlement for present But that Settlement by Bishops in Scotland being all it seems that the then English Clergy and others designed and in which Settlement many Eminent Men of that Kingdom were too precipitant to their regret afterwards when they could not help it that being done the Union was blown up though I am of opinion as are many Eminent Men of both Nations and Well-wishers to the present Government That neither England or Scotland can ever be truly Happy till there be an Union in Parliaments as well as in Trade For though England be more opulent and powerful by Sea and otherwise by reason of their Trade yet when England has a Powerful Enemy in the Front Scotland might prove as dangerous if not a fatal Back-door to England and it 's not to be doubted if there were an Union but the Product and Export of Scotland to other Foreign Countries at present might be of equal Gain to England to what Scotland might expect by an Union in Trade from England which could be made appear to a demonstration But this not being hujus loci I hope to be excused for this Digression from the thing proposed there being some sympathy between the one and others Interest and to come to the point in hand when there is any Revolution in the State of that Kingdom as of late and they are so happy as to have a King and Governours that design nothing more than the Tranquillity and Happiness of the People the People eagerly in their Reformation desire to Establish that Church Government which their Clergy and People in general are of Opinion is most consonant to the Word of God and their own Inclination And to make it clear that the first Reformers were not at all for establishing the Order of Bishops Mr. Knox being in Exile in England by reason of the Clergies great Persecution in King James the Fifth's time in Scotland King Edward the Sixth having a great esteem for Mr. Knox he proffer'd him a Bishoprick in England but he thanked that good King heartily and refused it And a long time after that Kingdom was turned to the Christian Faith they had no Bishops nor does any of our own or Foreign Historians assert that there was any that had the title of Bishop in that Church before Paladius in the fifth Century nor was this Paladius either a Diocesian or Provincial Bishop Adrian in the ninth Century being the first Diocesian nor was there any Archbishop Primate or Metropolitan to consecrate Diocesian Bishops till the Year 1436. That Patrick Graham was made Archbishop of St. Andrews and yet 1200 years before this there was a Church in Scotland ruled by Monks and Presbyters and not to mention many other Eminent Men that treat upon that subject