Selected quad for the lemma: church_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
church_n	bishop_n	know_v	presbyter_n	3,407	5	10.0039	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29237	The XXIV cases concerning things indifferent in religious worship considered, or, The resolver better resolved by his own principles, and non-conformists more confirmed also, the grand case touching ministers conformity, with the double supplement thereunto annexed, briefly discussed.	Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671.; Bagshaw, Edward, 1629-1671. Great question concerning things indifferent in religious worship briefly stated.	1663 (1663)	Wing B427; ESTC R12512	53,178	68

are not able to bear as some of their Forefathers complained And to omit or shorten Preaching to enlarge the Church-Service they are ready to profess to be against their Consciences as a making voyd the Commandment of God by observing the Traditions of men 2. It is highly sinful to Assent and Consent unfeignedly to things Inexpedient purely Indifferent that is Idle or Useless Superstitious Doubtful or Significant Humane Ceremonies as against the Second and Third Commandments and because such things are sinful in Worship But to some such things yea many do they assent and consent who declare their assent and consent to all and every thing Contained in and Prescribed by that Book as hath clearly been proved ergo c. 3. It is highly Presumptuous Sacrilegious if not Blasphemous to make that Book equal to the Sacred Bible and the Powers Imposing it as infallible as those were that wrote the holy Scriptures as the Pope does the Apocrypha and the Traditions of the Church But this is done by all that in that manner make that Declaration For what can more be declared and asserted of the Holy Canonical Spirit inspired Scriptures then an unfeigned assent to the Truth and consent to the Goodness of all and every thing contained in those Books 4. To assent and consent to the Imposition of things unlawful in Worship is to make themselves twice guilty of sin once as they assent and consent to things unlawful and a second time as they confirm the Imposers in that sinful Imposition For when will they repent of or repeal these sinful Impositions when they are confirmed to be true and lawful by so many complying Ministers in so high a Declaration 5. To declare and profess so publickly before God and their People their unfeigned assent and consent to all and every thing in that Book believing that some things are Inconvenient and Inexpedient which they wish were removed is gross Dissimulation and desperate hypocrisie But many of the Complyers do believe and confess some such things to be contained in that Book either not true or not lawful and yet assent and consent to all and every thing contained in it Or suppose them so corrupted in their understanding and Judgments as to be perswaded of the Goodness and Truth of all and every thing therein it may easily be proved and hath been already that some things in it are not true as to matter of Doctrine and some things not lawful as to matter of Worship or Discipline if I might safely dispute against that Book having a Law to render it liable to a Premunire But Truth is Truth and to be acknowledged when we are called to give testimony to it This hath been done by many and not yet answered The Book containes the whole of English Religion in Doctrine Worship and Discipline and in every one of those Defects Imperfections and Corruptions manifested and yet without Reformation of many things imposed and pressed on us with more rigour then formerly See some Particulars 1. In Doctrine As 1. In the Articles of Religion Art 20. The Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies which words being ambiguous taken either for meer Circumstances of Worship for Order Decency c. or for Sacred Rites and religious Ceremonies In the first sense they are true but doubtful To which no unfeigned assent can be given till the distinction be given In the last sense in which they are usually taken they are proved to be false above in this Discourse And some other principal points of Doctrine there are so doubtfully worded that as Papists and Arminians have glossed them to their Opinions so no tender Conscience can safely give so full assent to them as true till they be explained which was formerly denied and prohibited to be made by those that subscribed them 2. In the Liturgy some Doctrinals are delivered and prescribed to be assented to as first a false Translation of the Psalmes according to the errours of the Vulgar Latine still retained to be read not to speak of their leaving out of the Titles of many Psalmes which in Hebrew are Canonical Scripture And it is as unlawful to take from the word of God as to add to it unless they intend to make amends for their Substraction of some by Addition of other things and that is sufficiently done by addition of some Apocryphal Psalmes Te Deum Benedicite and a great many Chapters of the Bookes called Apocrypha to be read a most for two moneths together some whereof are false and as very lying Legends as those used in the Romish Churches and some newly added not in before as the History of Susanna Bell and the Dragon And what is this but as they at Rome a Canonizing in part of the Apocrypha making it equal to the Scripture in Divine Service as part of their Doctrine I might add that Assertion That all Children Baptized are really regenerated and want nothing necessary to their Salvation which drawes after it all or most of the Arminian and Popish Tenents 3. The Homilies are part of the Doctrine of the Church ratified by the 35 Canon and prescribed to be read by every Minister and now with the Articles enjoyned to be assented to unfeignedly as true In these have been observed some false Doctrines as to justifie plurality of Wives by the old Fathers Hom. Of the time and place of Prayer pag. 147. That Almes purgeth away all sins delivereth from death Hom. 2. Of Almes pag. 16. For proof whereof is cited as good Scripture Tobit 4.10 the Son of Syrach Dare any Orthodox Minister declare his unfeigned assent to the Truth of these Doctrines yet this is done by too many 2. In Worship There are some things not good that is unlawful to which yet an unfeigned consent is to be given For the Ceremonies they are largely discovered to be sinful and unlawful above To which may be added the Apocryphal Psalmes and Books made not only equal with the Divine Scriptures but also parts of Divine Service as fully as any part of the Word of God Add to these the Responds of the Clerk and People Women Boyes and Wenches clearly against the Apostles Rules of Decency Order Edification as may be easily manifested And more might be said concerning the Ministers change of places postures ridiculous gesticulations as if Divine Service were some Play or Comedy to be acted which causes the Name of God to be taken in vain against the third Commandment Can any pious devout Minister give his unfaigned consent to these as good 3. In Discipline The Book of Ordination is the Epitome thereof now joyned and established with the Articles and Liturgy But there are some things in them proved to be false As 1. That there are three kinds or Orders of Church Officers Bishops Priests and Deacons when Scripture knowes but two It being proved and confessed by Episcopal men that in Scripture a Bishop and a Presbyter are one and

thing in the Books of Prayer and Ordination of their Order of Episcopacy above Presbyters c. which was formerly attempted but miscarried in the caetera Oath And to say you do not absolutely approve of every thing in the Book as that you would chuse above all and as best in it self as it will hardly please them so it seems to put a slurre as upon the Book as not the best which yet was requisite in the publick Worship of God so upon the Composers of it as if something in it were scarcely true or good but at least very Inconvenient and to be yielded to only comparatively to prevent some greater Inconveniencies all which if they pleased they could have removed Lastly It will hardly satisfie the Imposers whose Design is supposed to be Unanimity as well as Uniformity a full and unfeigned Approbation of all and every thing contained in that Bulk or Body of Religion as now it is come forth and established for they three or four times besides this Declaration require in the Act an Approbation of all and every thing as if they intended to explain what they mean by those milder words of Assent and Consent as the R. Casuist cals them p. 8. viz. a full Approbation of all But he addes Had the word free been in the Act in stead of unfeigned as some male-contents out of a vile Design do buzze up and down there had been more colour of the former Objection To let pass the harshness of his words in this Paragraph the rather because he hath been so modest and moderate in his former Cases To the rest I should say Is not unfeigned as much or rather more than free Surely what I unfeignedly assent to as true and consent unfeignedly to as good and lawful I do it freely or grossely dissemble And may we not freely chuse things that we believe are true and good for themselves and of our own accord I believe many do so Assent and Consent to all and every thing as freely as unfeignedly and desire no other no better as thinking these the best And I suppose the Composers if not the Imposers expect this free choyce and will hardly thank them that do it for other Reasons as no sure friends to their Cause But the last Answer will perfectly remove any such scruple for ever Let the Act interpret it self The words foregoing are these Every Minister shall declare his unfeigned Assent and Consent to the use of all things in the said Book c. not simply to all things but to all things with respect to their use to the use of all things in the said Book As fine and nice a Cobweb Lawn as can be spun but transparent and fit only to catch weaker flies but easily broken by the stronger For. 1. He told us before p. 7. the Object of our Assent was not words but things not every word but every thing Now Assent as was said long ago is an Act of the Understanding whose Object is Truth Consent is an Act of the Will whose Object is Goodnesse If then I assent and consent to all and every thing contained in that Book do I not simply assent and consent to all things in it as true and good 2. Can any Conscientious man assent and consent to the use of all and every thing in the Book unless he be first convinced of the Truth and Goodness of all and every thing to be used And if the use had been intended only in this first Declaration it was superfluous to put it again in the second 3. The Intention of the Imposers may be collected rather from the Declaration it self than from the foregoing words They shall declare their Assent and Consent to the use of all in this manner by declaring their Assent and Consent to all and every thing in the Book their uniformity in practise by their unanimity in Judgment For this in reason must be supposed or they could not in any reason require the other to make men practise against their judgment And if this was not their design why did they so suddenly change the expression first to the use and now to all and every thing 4. And why do they afterwards so often use those words He shall declare his Approbation his Approbation of all c. which must be meant of the Truth and Goodness of all as well as of the use Lastly this nice distinction of use and things cannot be applied to all and every thing in this first Declaration For every Minister though he assent and consent to the use of all in the Book of Common-Prayer yet he cannot properly assent and consent to the use of all and every thing contained in the Book of Ordination for no Minister under a Bishop can Ordain a Presbyter or Deacon It must then necessarily be taken for their Assent and Consent to the Truth and Goodness of the Way of Ordination by Bishops and of the three Orders of Church Officers c. And thus much of the first Declaration 4. Concerning the making of the Second Declaration In the Subscription or second Declaration there are three main things that fall into consideration 1. The taking up Armes against the King 2. Corformity to the Liturgy 3. The Solemn League and Covenant Of which we know not what is best and safest whether to speak or be silent If we speak not very warily we run upon a rock of Law if silent we may be suspected to betray our own Innocence To the two first we shall say very little to the last a little more 1. To the first we humbly cr●ve leave to say this little They that refuse to make this Declaration do not stick at this but are ready to profess That as they never did take up Arms against the King which was constantly denied by the Parliament in all their Declarations and Protestations and they think in the Covenant it self but for the King So they hold it utterly unlawful for Subjects so to do and hold it as now by Law it is determined a Trayterous Position so to assert which they were taught before to abhor both by Scripture by the Oathes of Allegiance and Supremacy and by the Solemn Covenant it self 2. The second of Conforming to the Practise of the Liturgy as little is said here by the Casuist so it is sufficiently discussed and resolved according to the judgment of Non-conformists in the former Case The Result whereof is this If there be any thing any one thing in it either untrue or unlawful they dare not declare their unfeigned Assent and Consent to it or the practise of it 3. That of the Covenant is the Mountain to be removed not by the Faith but by the strength and skill of the Learned Casuist And this is acknowledged by the Refusers of this Declaration to be the main Business of contest and that not in the whole but in one particle thereof in the second Article as will appear In three

Nor against the Lawes of the Land 3. Nor against the Priviledges of Parliament 4. Nor against the liberties of the subjects 5. Nor against any former obligations God hath the first Obligation upon us by our Baptism and Christian Profession I say still each in his Place and Calling To contend earnestly for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Jude v. 3. And consequently to endeavour to remove and root out all Doctrine Worship Discipline or Government contrary thereunto I shall not so much distrust the Understanding of any Reader much less the Judgment of the Learned Casuist as that they will deny the former Consequences upon my borrowed or begged Supposition or that they are not easily able if but willing to make Application thereof to all the Particulars named Much more might have been said to many things but I am warned by anothers Harm Not to fly too near the Candle lest I be scorched by the Flame 5. The Conclusion Concerning the Lawfulness of Re-Ordination c. There is one thing and but one thing he saies more in the Condition of Law required of Ministers by the Act and that is Re-Ordination of such as were Ordained by Presbyters only and Ordination of others by Bishops And both these are much scrupled by some men of hopeful and very useful parts The latter sort because they believing Bishops as such and as a distinct Order from Presbyters to be unlawful dare not come under unauthorized hands The former because they judge their Ordination valid by Presbyters and dare no more be re-ordained then re-baptized And indeed if their Ordination by Presbyters be invalid all their Ministerial Acts by vertue of that Ordination are null as some Prelates have told them and if not they themselves yet those baptized by them must be re-baptized or else they are scarce Christians which seems very harsh Doctrine from them who as thy cry out of Anabaptists for Re-baptization so in some Cases allow a Woman to baptize Let them consider it and I attend him He uses many Reasons to perswade the first sort though nothing to the second not to stick at Re-ordination As 1. Considering that Liberty is not denied them to keep their own sense whether Ordination by Presbyters is valid or not This is as if the Children of Anabaptists being forced by Law to be baptized should perswade their Parents to suffer it considering that Liberty is not denied them to keep their own sense whether this Baptism is valid or not and they may rebaptize them when at Age. Does an Ordinance of God depend upon mens sense thereof Or may men dally with it in this manner and not take his Name in vain However some Bishops tell them their first Ordination with all the Acts thereof are null and bid them repent of all Now if their Ordination be judged by them to be valid they in repeating of it offend against the Word the Ordainers and those Churches that have no Bishops as making theirs no Ministers no Churches If they judge it not valid they offend if but ignorantly against the Institution of Christ who hath placed Ordination in a Presbytery Bishops themselves being first Ordained by such even B. Timothy if a B. he was as Hierome with the Scripture hath proved and others follow him therein 2. The Act he saies makes it self no judge of the Ordination by Presbyters in forreign Churches In words and directly it does not but implicitly and consequentially it does Else why doth it so strictly so rigorously require Ordination by a Bishop But as making the former null and invalid to any Ministerial Acts Yea some Prelatical men stick not to affirm those Churches to be none that want Bishops 3. There is no other way saies he to exercise their Ministry in this Church by Law or to entitle them to a Charge or the Profits thereof How true this is appeares in that many Priests ordained by Popish Bishops are admitted to all those without Re-ordination It is a sad thing that a Presbytery of pious Learned Orthodox men should not find the same favour with Protestants But if Ordination by Presbyters be Evangelical it should seem reasonable it should be made Legal No Law of man ought to countermand the Institutions of Jesus Christ And what is this but a kind of Independant Principle on the one side who allow and require Re-ordination of their Ministers such as it is as oft as they remove from one congregation to another And on the other side a kind of Anabaptistical Fancy practise who allow require rebaptization of those baptized by our episcopa Ministers And lastly it seems a too near Complyance with Rome where they re-ordain those of ours that convert or apostate to them though ordained by our Bishops as our Bishops re-ordain those ordained by Presbyters This Retaliation may seem just and reasonable at least from God 4. To save himself a further Labour he refers us to Mr. Humphries Justification of his own and others Re-ordination Alas poor Soul A worse Perswasive could scarce have been brought whose Tracts are judged by some very weak and by others sufficiently confuted and which is more strongly really contradicted by a most vehement Abjuration of his 2d Ordination by a Bishop Concerning his own solemn Profession and Subscription ex animo That he hath not used one Argument but what he judges convincing c. I for my part am in Charity bound and willing to believe him For upon his Supposition I should easily be convinced my self that is if the Government Liturgy Ceremonies of this Church be in all and every thing true and lawful which are indeed all concerned and supposed in the Declarations but not by him at all proved but confessedly here taken for granted I should be ready to profess Conformity to them notwithstanding many Inconveniences in them But when his Opposites take many things to be unlawful and he presumes to take them all for lawful he may perhaps perswade some that are of his mind which few are but cannot in reason hope to make them his Proselytes who judge any thing in them unlawful There are some other things here repeated which have been spoken to elsewhere and I pass them by I have one humble request to make to the Rev. Casuist and I have done That at his next leisure he will be pleased to give some few new Arguments for the old we think are insufficient and sufficiently answered to prove I say not all and every thing in the Declarations to be necessary that would be too hard a Task but to prove the things controverted the Government Liturgie Ceremonies to be Lawful according to the Word of God and I shall engage my self and what little Credit I have either to give him a fair and full Answer with Meekness and Modesty or if I cannot to yield my self his Proselyte FINIS