Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	authority_n	bishop_n	episcopal_a	2,779	5	10.6212	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26103	A collection of svndry petitions presented to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie as also to the two most honourable houses, now assembled in Parliament, and others, already signed, by most of the gentry, ministers, and free-holders of severall counties, in behalfe of episcopacie, liturgie, and supportation of church-revenues, and suppression of schismaticks / collected by a faithful lover of the church, for the comfort of the dejected clergy, and all moderately affected Protestants.	Aston, Thomas, Sir, 1600-1645.; Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; England and Wales. Parliament.	1642 (1642)	Wing A4073; ESTC R208748	30,703	48

of Bishops would be a scandall not onely to many weake Christians who feare all Innovation as guilty of some ill intendments upon their consciences but also to the strongest which shewes it to be the fault of the giver not the weaknesse of the receiver and if we must not scandalize our weake brethren much lesse our strong since this will intrench upon us in a high measure they not being apt to be scandalized upon umbrages and impertinencies 12 Where Bishops are not there is not an Honourable but Familike Clergy against the Apostolicall rule of double honour 13 By putting downe Episcopacy wee deprive our selves of those solemne benedictions which the Faith of Christendome and the profession of the Church of England enjoyning the Bishop rather to pronounce the blessing at the end of the Communion appropriates to Episcopall preheminence above Priestly authority 14 Two parts of three of the Reformed Churches are governed by Bishops or Superintendents which is properly the Latine word of Bishops and the other part that wants them have often wished them as their owne Doctors doe professe 15 It is against the liberties of the Clergy indulged to them by the Magna Charta granted and confirmed by so many Kings and about thirty Parliaments in expresse act and the violation of any part of it by intrenchment upon the right of the lay Subject justly accounted a great grievance the Charter it selfe being as Fundamentall a Law as we conceive as any other and any of us may feare lest his Liberties may be next in question 16 The foure great Generall Councels in estimation next the foure Evangelists and by the Statutes of the Kingdome made the rules of judging Heresies were held by Bishops the greatest fires and pests of Christendome the old Heresies were by their Industry extinct Church Discipline and pious constitutions by them established many Nations by them converted many Miracles done for the confirmation of Christian Faith one of the Gospels written by a Bishop Saint Marke of Alexandria if wee beleeve as authentike Records as any are extant Three Epistles of Saint Paul written to Bishops Seven Epistles by the Holy Ghost himselfe recorded in the Revelation and sent to seven Asian Bishops as all ancient Fathers accord the names of twelve men beside Apostles mentioned in Holy Scripture which all antiquity reports to have beene Bishops Most of the Fathers whose workes all Posterity embraces with much zeale and admiration were Bishops these also in our apprehensions advance that holy Function to a high and unalterable estimate 17 Very many of the fairest Churches and Colledges and places of Religion were built by Bishops which are faire Caracters to shew their promptnesse to doe publike acts of Piety and that persons so qualified as they were that is Governours and Clergy and fairly endowed is an excellent composition to advance publike designes for the honour of God in the Promotion of publike Piety 18 Since it hath pleased this Honourable Court of late to commend a Protestation to us which we by solemne Vow engaged our selves to attest with our lives and fortunes the established Doctrine of the Church of England wee consider that since the 36. article hath approved and established the booke of Consecration of Bishops the abolition of Episcopacy would nullifie that article and should not we make humble Remonstrance to the contrary we should suddenly recede from our great and solemne Protestation for maintenance of our Church Doctrine But may it please this Honourable Assembly wee consider on the other side 19 The introducing of Lay Elders must needs bring an insupportable burthen to all Parishes by maintaining them at the Parish charge for they must bee maintained or else a transgression is made against an Apostolicall Rule For the principall and indeed the onely colourable pretended place for Lay Elders injoynes their maintenance So that either the people must bee oppressed with so great burthens or else Saint Pauls Rule not obeyed or else there is no authority for Lay Elders as indeed there is not 20 And also there can bee no lesse feare of Vsurpation upon the Temporall power by the Presbitery then is pretended from Episcopacy since that Presbitery challenges cognisance of more causes and persons then the Episcopacy does so making a dangerous entrenchment upon the Supremacy and derives its pretence from Divine Institution with more confidence and more immediate derivation then Episcopacy though indeed most vainely as wee conceive 21 Wee crave leave also to adde this that these two viz. Episcopacy and Presbitery being the onely two in contestation if any new designe should justle Episcopacy wee are confident that as it hitherto wants a name so it will want a face or forme of reason in case of Conscience when it shall appeare Signed by Knights Justices Gentry and Freeholders about 800. By Ministers about the number of 40. The Cheshire Petition for establishing of the Common-Prayer-Booke and Suppression of Schismatiques presented to the Kings Majesty and from him recommended to the House of Peeres by the Lord KEEPER To the Kings most Excellent Majesty and to the Right Honourable the Lords and the Honourable the House of Commons Assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of divers of the Nobility Justices Gentry Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County Palatine of Chester whose Names are nominated in the Schedule annexed Your Petitioners with all cheerefulnesse and contentation ●ffying in the happy settlement of the distractions both of Church and State by His Majesties pious care and the prudent and religious endeavours of this Honourable Assembly and with due humility and obedience submitting to the unanimous conclusions thereof yet conceive themselves bound in Duty HVmbly to represent to your mature considerations that the present disorders of many turbulent and ill disposed Spirits are such as give not onely occasion of present discontent to your Petitioners but seeme to import some ill event without early prevention The pure seed of our Faith the Doctrine of the true Reformed Protestant Religion established by so many Acts of Parliament and so harmoniously concurring with the confessions of all other Reformed Churches being tainted with the Tares of divers Sects and Schismes lately sprung up amongst us Our pious laudable and ancient forme of Divine Service composed by the holy Martyrs and worthy Instruments of Reformation established by the prudent Sages of State your religious Predecessours honoured by the approbation of many learned forraigne Divines subscribed by the Ministery of the whole Kingdome and with such generall content received by all the Laity that scarse any Family or person that can read but are furnished with the Bookes of Common Prayer In the conscionable use whereof many Christian hearts have found unspeakable joy and comfort wherein the famous Church of England our deare Mother hath just cause to glory And may shee long flourish in the practise of so blessed a Liturgy yet it is now not onely depraved by many of those who

of the Church of England Celebrious by the piety of the Bishops and Martyrs who composed it establisht by the supreame Lawes of this Land attested and approved by the best of all Forraigne Divines confirmed by the subscription of all the Ministry of this Land a Clergy as able and Learned as any in the Christian world ere injoyed and with a holy Love embraced by the most and best of all the Laity that this holy exercise of Religion may by your authority be injoyed quiet and free from interruptions scornes prophanenesse threats and force of such men who daily doe deprave it and neglect the use of it in divers Churches in despight of the Lawes established 4. That Episcopall Government as ancient in this Iland as Christianity it selfe deduced and dispersed throughout the Christian world even from the Apostlicall times may bee preserved as the most pious most prudent and most safe Government for the peace of the Church 5. That all differences concerning Religion and Ceremonies may be referred to a lawfull free and Nationall Synod as your Remonstrance promiseth to a generall Synod of most grave learned pious and Iudicious Divines the proper agents whose interests gifts and callings may quicken them in that great Worke whose choyce to be by all the Clergy of the Land because all the Clergy are to bee bound by their Resolutions and the determination of this Synod to bind us all when you have first formed them into a Law and this we take to be according to the ancient and fundamentall Law of this Land confirmed by Magna Charta 6. That some speedy and good provision may be made as by his Majesty hath beene and is by all good men desired against the odious and abominable scandall of schismaticall and seditious Sermons and Pamphlets and some severe Law made against Lay-men for daring to arrogate to themselves and to execute the holy function of the Ministry who some of them doe sow their impious and discontented Doctrine even in sacred places by abuse of sacred Ordinances to the advancing of Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse Libertinisme Anabaptisme and Atheisme 7. That if the coertive power of Ecclesiasticall Courts by way of Excommunication be already abrogated or shall be thought fit so to be that there be some other power authority speedily established for suppressing the heynous and now so much abounding sins of Incest Adultery and Fornication and other crimes and for recovering Tythes repayring of Churches Probate of Wils Church assesses providing Bread and Wine for the Communion and choyce of Church-Wardens and other Officers in the Church and especially for Ministers who neglect the Celebrating of the Holy Communion and the Parishioners for not Receiving 8. That the Professors of that Learned faculty of the Civill Law and without which this Kingdome cannot but suffer manifold Inconveniences may not find discouragements and so divert their studies and Professions 9. That honour and profits the powerfull encouragements of Industry Learning and Piety may be preserved without further dimination to the Clergy 10. That you please sadly to consider the bleeding wounds of our Brethren in Ireland and with speedy succours endeavour to preserve them whereunto his Majesty hath promised a gracious concurrence 11. That you will please to frame an especiall Law for the Regulating of the Militia of this Kingdome so that the Subject may know how at once to obey both his Majesty and both Houses of Parliament a Law whereby may bee left to the discretion of Governours as little as may bee but that the number of Armes and what measure of punishment shall bee inflicted upon the offendours may bee expresly set downe in the Act and not left to any Arbitrary power and that according to the president of former Lawes the offendours may not bee tried out of the County 12. That the precious liberty of the Subject the Common birth-right of every English man may bee as in all these points preserved entire so in this also that no order of either of both Houses not grounded on the Lawes of this Land may be enforced on the Subject till it bee fully enacted by Parliament 13. That his Majesties gracious Message of the 20. of Jan. last for the present and future establishment of the Priviledges of Parliament the free enjoying of our estates and Fortunes the Liberty of our persons the security of the true Religion professed the maintaining of his Majesties just and Regall Authority the establishing his Revenue may bee taken into speedy consideration the effecting whereof will satisfie the desires of all us his faithfull and loving Subjects 14. That all possible care may bee taken that the Native Commodities of this Kingdome may have a quick Vent and that Cloathing and other Manufactures may bee improved wherein the livelihood of many thousands doe consist and that Trade may bee ballanced that the importation doe not exceed the exportation otherwise it will prove a consumption of the Land 15. That you please to frame some Lawes concerning Depopulations Purveyances Cart-taking delayes in Iustice Traffick Fishing in the Coasts Fulling earth that our Sea Forts may bee repaired and our Magazines renewed 16. That you please to consider the generall poverty that seemes to overgrow this Kingdome 17. Lastly Wee humbly beseech you to consider the sad condition that wee and the whole Land are in if a good understanding bee not speedily renewed betweene his Majesty and both Houses of Parliament Our hopes are yet above our feares secure them wee beseech you God direct and guide your consultations for the removing of all distrusts and Iealousies for the renuing that tye of confidence and trust which is the highest happinesse betweene our gracious Prince and his loving Subjects And you shall have the dayly prayers of your humble Oratours of the Commonalty of Kent To the Honourable the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the House of Commons assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of the Baronets Knights Esquires Gentlemen Clergy-men Free-holders Subsidy-men and others of good Rank and Quality in the County of OXFORD Agreed upon and subscribed at the times of their meetings to take the Protestation sent unto them Humbly shewing THat whereas some Petitions have beene exposed in print the common view under the names of the Knights Gentlemen Freeholders Subsidy-men of the best Ranke and Quality of the County of Oxford as preferred to the Honourable House of Parliament Wee doe hereby crave leave to shew to this Honourable House that such Petitions have not received Publique Examination among us at any Generall meeting directed by Authority for the service of the County ANd wee your now Petitioners knowing our selves to bee to Major part of those degrees within this County and as desirous to expresse our Gratitude in this Honourable House for your unwearied labours and the happy effects thereof for the good of this Land and State doe hereby offer up in all Humility the greatest expression of our Thankefulnesse And in like manner

our unanimous desires That the Government of this Church may continue as is now by Law established And that the Liturgy may bee setled with such alterations if there bee cause as your Wisdomes shall approve That the Lawes against Papists which oppose our Religion And against Sectaries of late dangerously encreased among us that trouble the Peace thereof may bee put in full execution And where those Lawes are defective such further remedy therein may bee provided as to your wisdomes shall seeme fit That a free Synod of Orthodox and peaceable Divines may bee convened according to the forme of the Primitive and Purest times of Christianity for composing of all differences in Doctrine and Ceremonies of Religion That the Safety of this County and Kingdome may bee provided for by the disposing of such a Militia as may consist with the native Liberties of the Subject That you would bee pleased to continue your Care in hastening the further Reliefe of our distressed Brethren in Ireland And your Petitioners shall bee ready to maintaine with their Lives and Estates his Majesties Person Honour and Estate together with the Rights and Priviledges of Parliament And your Petitioners shall ever pray c. To the Most Honourable and High Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Gentlemen and other of the Inhabitants of the County of Cornwall HAving seene and heard the many though scarce divers Petitions to this Honourable Assembly by the Inhabitants of divers Counties and Cities of this Land as also Corporations Companies and Trades some against Bishops some against the Common Prayer and all against such Iudiciall and things Super-elementary to the region of their capacity of judging and matters onely belonging to the Iudicature of this grave Synod which seemes either to distrust or direct or both your great Wisdomes Wee therefore the Gentlemen and other the Inhabitants of Cornwall with as many hearts though not hands with as many good willes though not persons not in imitation but rather by provocation and necessity in these times to shew our good minded affections doe humbly prostrate the utmost of our service to your feet In which or rather after which wee take leave humbly to begge THat you will bee pleased to bend your auxiliary and good affections to the redresse of the distresse of the miserable Protestants in Ireland To gaine whose good prosperity peace and tranquility to preserve the Soveraignty of that Land to our Royall King and to maintaine His and this Kingdomes Honour We shall willingly lay downe our lives and fortunes That you will bee pleased to continue your great respect dutifull love and true obedience to our Royall Soveraigne by maintaining his just and no way Antilegall Prerogative That you will bee pleased to put the Lawes in due execution against all Iesuites Seminaries Papists and Recusants That you will bee pleased to looke upon the other side and duly weighing the actions or rather factions of some whom most men call Citizens to scourge their irregular and disorderly Schisme and Hereticall Sects into right paths of serving God to frequent his House and to Pray as well as Heare to allow Order and obey Conformity to reverence Learning and bow to Authority to bee under a Discipline and live in order That you will bee pleased to maintaine and establish the Ancient Fundamentall and most venerable Lawes Order and Discipline both of our Church and Common-wealth to continue the reverenced Office and punish the offending persons of Bishops to have in high account and eternize as farre as in you lies the Divine and excellent forme of Common-prayer to correct braine-forg'd doctrine by your examplary precepts strike a Reverence of Gods House into every mans breast That you will bee pleased to intimate to the people your Honourable and wise intentions concerning Divine Service lest while you hold your peace some rejecting it in part others altogether they vainly conceive you countenance them Lastly not to trouble your great affaires any longer That you will bee pleased to take into your Sage consideration those Scandalous and ill-affected Pamphlets which fly abroad in such swarmes as are able to cloud the pure aire of Truth and present a darke ignorance to those who have not the two wings of Iustice and Knowledge to fly above them Now to polish this our worke with a smooth demonstration of our modest intents that the tinctures which in Introduction fell on the fore-mentioned presents may slide without a staine from this Wee doe in all humility declare that neither distrust of your intentions nor opinion of any of our Counsels worthy your eares ever tainted our thoughts but that wee have still beene and are confident that this most wise Synod hath ever thought fit resolv'd and will confirme into action what wee now humbly request therefore this our present not so much a Petition as a Prayer of willing and thankefull hearts for the hoped sequell is onely to shew our true intentions and good will towards his gracious Majesty and this High Court as Instruments of the peace of our soules and bodies for which wee are unanimously and immutably resolv'd to spend our dearest bloud Published by I.B. Gent. To the Right Honourable the LORDS and COMMONS assembled in the high Court of PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Knights Esquires Gentlemen Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants within the County of HEREFORD Who Most humbly pray THat the present publique forme of Gods Worship and the Administration of the blessed Sacraments with other Rites agreeable to Gods holy Word and purest Antiquity which have beene sundry times established by godly Acts of Parliament may now againe in these broken and troubled times bee to Gods glory and the Churches Peace re-established and confirmed That Episcopacy being the Ancient and Primitive Government of the Church Renowned for Successes Victorious against Schismes and Heresies and especially of late yeares against that Hydra of Heresies the Roman Papacy Glorious for ancient and late Martyrdomes Happy before the corruption of Popery and since the Reformation in the plantation and preservation of Truth and Peace eminently serviceable to this Common-wealth most compliable with the Civill Government into the Fabrick and Body of which it is riverted and incorporated and most apt and easie at all times by the state to bee reduced into Order may for the future as formerly by your great authority bee continued and maintained for the glory of God the preservation of Order Peace and Vnity the Reformation and suppression of wickednesse and vice and the mature prevention of Schismes Factions and Seditions That Cathedrals the Monuments of our Forefathers Charity the reward of present Literature and furtherance of Piety bee also continued The which wee your humble Petitioners the more earnestly beseech your Honours to grant for that strange feares doe possesse our Hearts that the sudden Mutation of Government so long setled so well knowne and approved cannot recompence the Disturbances and Disorders which it may

worke by Novelty with any proportionable utility being most confident in your Honours Wisdomes and Iustice that all Excesses Exorbitances and Encroachments that shall bee found issuing not from any poyson in the nature of the Discipline but rather from the infirmity and corruption of the Persons unto which the very best Government is subject shall bee duely regulated and corrected And your Petitioners shall pray c. Subscribed by Knights Esquires and Gentlemen of Quality 68 Doctours 8 Ministers of good repute as will appeare by the Originall Petitions 150 Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County of Hereford 3600 To the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Honourable House of Commons assembled in PARLIAMENT The humble Petition of the Knights Esquires Gentlemen Ministers Freeholders and other Inhabitants of the County of Cornwall Humbly shewing THat wee are no lesse thankefull for the many excellent Lawes which by his Majesties grace and favour and your care and assiduousnesse you have obtained for us then those who have beene more forward to present you with Petitions doubting not but you will welcome this with as hearty acceptance as you have done any other it proceeding from loyall hearts to our Soveraigne a tender care of our Protestation and aboundance of affection to the Common-wealth And whereas wee understand that there is a purpose if not a presentment already to this honourable House of a Petition heretofore by some Iustices of the Peace tendred to the grand Enquest at our last Assises to be by them considered whether fit to be presented to this Honourable House which on deliberate debate was much disliked as it was laid but since as we are informed indirectly obtruded on diverse persons without reading or peru●all many of them since retracting their opinions and wishing back their hands and we having resolved to rest upon the abilities and care of our Knights and Burgesses our hands and mouths for matter of our particular concernments yet since their absence from us and attendance in Parliament finding and feeling our owne grievances giving us just grounds and feare of sudden misery by disobedience and contempt of Lawes thus provoked with bleeding hearts wee beg the helpe of your Wisedomes to advise and apply some speedy remedy for these felt and feared evils And for as much as there are lately risen amongst us some few of the Clergy and many of the Laity publike contemners and depravers of the Ceremonies and the Service of the Booke of Common Prayer by Law established irreverent vilifiers of Gods House and Church Assemblies in Prayer times and generally disobedient to Ecclesiasticall Government of whom many have subscribed or subsigned to the recited Petition Although the said Ceremonies and Booke of Common Prayer are by far the greater and discreeter part of our Congregations inoffensively and reverently received and approved 1 WE pray no way presuming to prescribe rules but submitting to your graver Judgements that a Nationall Synod of our learned and approved Clergy by the rest to be chosen may be convened and some Parliamentary course speeded for the ordaining confirming establishing of the said Service Booke and Ceremonies or some of them or others not repugnant to Gods Word tending most to the peace and purity of our Religion and Church before which settlement our humble desires are that a Parliamentary Declaration may speedily issue forth for requiring of obedience to the Lawes established 2 We likewise humbly pray the continuance of that ancient and ever reverenced Episcopall Government in our Church and that the Delinquences of any particular person may not cause that high and holy Office or Calling to suffer 3 We pray likewise that in every Parish unprovided there may bee a Preaching Minister and a competent maintenance raised for him and where Impropriations are and Preaching Ministers not sufficiently cared for allowance may be had or bettered 4 We pray likewise that such of our Clergy as upon enquiry shall be found either Scandalous or not Orthodox may bee admonished and bound for the better supply and discharge of their Cures or removed 5 Wee pray likewise that some positive Law may bee Inacted for Parsons and Vicars recovery of their Tithes and that such course may bee taken for the obtaining of them as may bee most speedy and least chargeable That so those that Minister at the Altar may live by the Altar 6 We pray likewise that for the restraining and preventing of inordinate licenciousnesse there may be some penall Law Inacted for the punishment of Adulteries and diverse other offences not punishable by the Common Law 7 As likewise that there may be some Coersive power or Law ordained for compelling of refactory men to the payment of their rates and for the reparations of their Parish Churches in which of late some are growne very remisse and backward 8 Wee pray likewise that great care may bee taken not onely for disarming of Recusants but for the Education of their children in the Protestant Religion 9 Wee likewise pray that some speedy course may bee taken for the Redemption of those wofull Christian Captives in Barbarie the want of whom hath occasioned an extraordinary decay and poverty in our Maritine Townes and Parishes and that our Coasts may bee sufficiently gaurded and secured 10 Wee likewise pray that whereas this County hath beene and is surcharged double at least with Armes and very high in Subsidies much above our abilities and the respective charge of diverse parts of this Kingdome we may in consideration hereof bee relieved in future 11 Wee likewise pray that the Sheriffes Turne now growne an unnecessary Court and onely used to the grievous oppression of the meaner sort of people may bee suppressed and taken away it being more burdensome then the Office of the Clerke of the Market formerly hath beene 12 Wee likewise pray that such Dutchcy Tenants as within our County pay over their rightfull Rents and Duties unto the Dutchy Officers may not bee doubly charged by Proces out of the Exchequer as now they are by extreame and continuall Amercements 13 Wee likewise pray that there may bee a reparation of the decay of the Castle of Saint Mawes and that there may bee a supply of the wants of Ordnances Carriages Powder and Ammunition in all which it is extreamely defective And thus with all humblenes Craving pardon for with-holding you from your other Weighty Affaires but perswaded that the cause is considerable and may well challenge a part of your thoughts and be put in action for the effecting of which as of all things standing to the Purity and Peace of our Church and Religion as for the safe Defence and Honour of his Majestie his Royall Posterity and Kingdomes And in these your and our happinesse as for uniting of his Gratious Majestie and this Honourable Assembly in a mutuall consent and compliancy as for the unanimous and prosperous proceedings of this Parliament wee doe and ever shall with humble hearts implore Gods gracious assistance and blessing The Index of the Petitions CHeshire Pag. 1 Oxford University Pag. 4 Cambridge Universitie Pag. 6 Nottingham Pag. 8 Huntington Pag. 9 Somerset Pag. 13 Rutland Pag. 15 Cheshire Pag. 21 Colledges Halls c. Pag. 23 Exeter Diocesse Pag. 24 Stafforashire Pag. 25 Diocesse of Canterbury Pag. 26 Six Counties of North-Walles Pag. 27 Lancashire Pag. 29 Cornwall Pag. 32 Kent Pag. 33 Oxford County Pag. 36 Cornwall Pag. 37 Hereford Pag. 39 Cornwall Pag. 40 Viz. De jure non eidem de facto till 555 years after Christ and then but once in the case of Pope Pelagius and that irregularly never since unlesse by Papall usurpation Comment in Epist. ad Titum Timotheus Titus Clements Linus Marcus Dyonysius Onesimus Caius Epaphroditus Iacobus Hierosolimit Evodias Simeon