Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	act_n	king_n	scotland_n	2,696	5	8.4241	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A35428	The divine right of episcopacy demonstrated from Calvin and Beza together with a letter to a Presbyterian minister.	Cunningham, Alexander.; Calvin, Jean, 1509-1564.; Bèze, Théodore de, 1519-1605.	1690 (1690)	Wing C7589; ESTC R24900	6,007	13

accommodation among Christian Brethren suffer me in all that tender Compassion that becometh a Minister of Salvation by a dying Saviour to put you in remembrance of these three Matters of Fact 1 st That the Representative Church of Scotland never confest any Divine Right in Presbytery 2 ly That the Solemn League never ajbur'd the president Bishop regulated by Canons and ballanced by assisting Miisters 3 dly That the Reverend Ministers in England for providing against violation of that Covenant petitioned for such an Episcopacy as is liker to our present Establishment than any other seen by the Christian World these thousand years 1 st The representative Church of Scotland never confest any Divine Right in Presbytery Since the Blessed Reformation we have but two of her Confessions the first whereof in K. I. I. his Reign avoweth in its 19 Act about the Notes of Holy Church that that Ecclesiastical Discipline is rightly administred as God's Word prescribes whereby Vice is repressed and Virtue nourished And lest it should be imagined that Presbytery can only afford such a Discipline in the 21 Act it avoweth that no Polity can be appointed for all Ages times and places And after all Church Government is thus left to be of Human Institution the Civil Magistrate is confest in the 25 Article to have the Supream Power to settle it Then for the other Confession made at Westminster by being voiced unto by the Commissioners which were sent from this place and afterwards approved by the general Assembly here it 's adopted unto the National Church of Scotland And it 's well enough known that the 25 th Ch. thereof asserts the Supream Civil Magistrate his power of Establishing the external Polity of the Church Yea and the General Assembly here in the Act of Approbation of that Confession for all its protestation that the 31 ch concerning Synods and Counsels should not encroach upon the intrinsick Power of the Church takes no notice if the Presbyterian Government hath a Divine Institution 2 ly The Soelmn League did not abjure the President Bishop regulated by Canons and ballanced by Assistant Presbyters For since the General Assembly here in Scotland by her Acts acknowledgeth that the Solemn League strikes against the same Episcopacy against which the National Covenant was levelled then doubtless the single judgment of the Royal Martyr the best Protestant and Casuist of his time about the Sense of the National Covenant must weigh down the Opinion of all the diffusive Church of Brittain in this Question and the World knows that his Princely desire of a Regulation always hated the Destruction of Episcopacy Then for the Church Representative of both Kingdoms neither the Synod of Westminster in her Directory for Church Government nor the General Assembly here convened in her Act of Approbation of that Directory do any thing in condemnation of a president Bishop But 3 dly The Reverend Ministers of the Presbyterian Perswasion in England petitioned An. 1661 the late King Charles the II. for such an Episcopacy as is liker our present Establishment in Scotland than any other that hath been seen by the Christian Church these thousand years Their Petitions are printed in two Papers of Proposals in which they insist upon the Form of a Synodical Government conjunct with a fixed Presidency according to Arch-Bishop Vshers Reduction and the last Motive inducing them to desire such a Government is plainly this in words That it will save the Nation from the violation of the Solemn Vow and Covenant without wronging the Church at all or breaking any other Oath Now Reverend Brother you know as well as my self that the foresaid Reduction by that most Reverend Primate of all Ireland is liker our present Episcopal Government consider'd in its Nature than hath ever been seen in any National Church since the Blessed Reformation Yea so very like in the weekly Session Monthly Presbytery and Diocesan Synod that with a due Modification whereunto the Regular Clergy will be found complying you should not be able to know the difference Therefore beseeching the Author of Peace and lover of Concord that all of us of Episcopal and Presbyterian Perswasion having one Lord one Faith and one Baptism may be brought to be all of one mind and judgment perfectly join'd together without all Divisions in our Lord Iesus Christ. I rest though unknown as yet Reverend Brother Your Affectionate Servant Edin Mar. 4. 1689. FINIS Calvin Instit. Lib. 4. Cap. 4 Sect. 2. This is to be considered that only the Pastors and not the whole multitude laid on hands on their Ministers at Ordinations Calvin Titus chap. 1. verse 5. We learn indeed from this place that there was no such Equality among the Ministers of the Church but that some One was pre-eminent in Authority and Council (a) Calvin 2 Tim. chap. 1. verse 6. Paul himself declares That he alone and no other Ministers with him laid on hands on Timothy (b) Calvin Inst. lib. 4. cap. 4. sect 2. Whatever parts the Consul had in the Senate the same Office did the Bishop always sustain in the meeting of Presbyters Beza Rev. 2. chap. 1. v. 24. To the Angel that is To the President as whom it behoveth especially to be admonished touching those matters and by him both the rest of his fellow Collegues and the whole Church likewise vers 24. But unto you that is unto you the Angel the President and the Assembly of your Collegues and to the Rest that is to the whole Flock Calvin Luke 10. chap. 1. vers 16. After the Apostles had returned to Christ he sent out more secondary Preachers And this is the great commendation of the outward Ministry That CHRIST Declares that whatsoever honour is given to his Faithful Preachers is given to Himself Calvin 1 Tim. 1. chap 18. v. (a) Timothy was not one of the common Ministry but one next to the Apostles who in the frequent absence of Paul was in his place Tit. 1.5 Beside the ordinary Office of Pastors Titus had this charge that he should constitute a certain Form of Church politie and Discipline likewise ordain Ministers over the Churches Calvin Inst. lib. 4. cap. 4. sect 2. Presbyters out of their number in all the Cities chose one to whom especially they gave the Title of Bishop lest from a Parity as useth to be Divisions might arise Ierom says at Alexandria from Mark the Evangelist to Heraclas and Dionysius Presbyters always placed one in a pre-eminent degree whom they called a Bishop Beza Rev. 2 chap. 26. v. My works that is he who shall faithfully perform the work laid upon him for he bespeaks the Assembly of Pastors in the person of the President to whom he promiseth Victory against all the wicked if he rely and trust in the Authority and Power of that true and only head of the Church Calvin 1 Tim. 3.13 Because in one or two Centuries after the death of the Apostles it was the constant custom that from the Order of Deacons the Presbyters were chosen therefore commonly they have exponed this place of the Advancement to a Superior degree See Definition II. III. Calvin Inst. lib 4 cap. 6. sect 1. We have not before touched upon the primacy of the Roman See whence the Papists strive to prove that the Catholick Church is only with them because it hath not taken its Original from CHRISTS institution nor the custom of the Ancient Church as the other Offices have done viz. Bish. Presb. Deacons cap. 4. sect 1. mentioned already Calvin Inst. lib. 4. cap. 8. sect 2 For neither the light and heat of the Sun Meat or Drink are so nourishing and sustaining this present Life as the Apostolick and Ministerial Office for preserving of a Church upon Earth