Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
england_n bishop_n church_n presbyter_n 3,009 5 10.2861 5 false
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A11675 A true representation of the proceedings of the kingdome of Scotland; since the late pacification: by the estates of the kingdome: against mistakings in the late declaration, 1640 Lothian, William Kerr, Earl of, 1605?-1675.; Church of Scotland. General Assembly.; Scotland. Parliament. 1640 (1640) STC 21929; ESTC S116866 97,000 176

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

for consecration then the Oath the new Bishop was to take before his Majesty viz. That he acknowledged the Kings Majestie Supreame Governour of his Realme as well in things Temporall as in the conservation and purgation of Religion which differs in wordes from the English Oath of Supremacie but is in sense the same And that he held the said Bishoprick and the possessions thereof under God onely of his Majesties Crown c. Lastly there was a forme concluded on for his restitution to his Temporalities Now this agreement was in precise tearmes confirmed by his Majestie and Councell in that selfe same yeere 81. when that Covenant was commanded by them to be sworne by the Subject So that it cannot be conceived that his Majesty and Councell should in the same yeere give order to sweare downe Episcopacie wherein they apparantly took such speciall care to confirme it And no honest man will deny that the subject was bound to sweare that Covenant in that sense and none other which was agreeable to their intentions who commanded it to be sworne It is objected that under those words Wee abjure c. The Popes wicked Hierarchie Episcopacie is sworn downe R. If by those wordes they will over-throw Episcopacie I see not but withall they must be forced to confesse that they have at once abjured both their Presbyters and their Deacons For the Councell of Trent makes the Hierarchie of the Church to consist of those three Orders Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Now if under the word Hierarchie one of these be sworne down how can the other two escape for it consists alike of three and therefore all three must needes runne the same fortune If they reply that indeed they still retaine Presbyters and Deacons but yet so onely as they are ordained in the reformed Churches R. The like I reply for Bishops that they were then ordained in a forme allowed by reformed Churches as this in substance was by the Church of England and in precise tearmes by the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland For it is not probable that in ten yeeres space there should bee no Bishoprick voyde and so none ordained according to the forme in the Councell Bookes Nay it is apparently plaine that some were so ordained and took that fore-named Oath viz. John Archbishop of Saint Andrewes in the yeere 72. and James Bishop of Dunkell in the yeere 73. as it is registred in the books of Councell where perhaps others are recorded too If they say That the Scottish Bishops must needes be part of the Popes Hierarchy because they succeeded those and received imposition of hands from those who lived in obedience to the Pope R. I againe reply That their Presbyters are in the very same case for I presume they will not say but they must needes derive their orders either from Bishops of that obedience or from Presbyters who were ordained by such Bishops Because that seeing in the beginning of the Reformation there were no other Clergie men in these parts they must take their orders either from them or none for I perswade my self they will not affirme That non Presbyter can ordinare Presbyterum Nay as they are learned men they should not say but that a Priest ordained by the new Roman Church if he leave his superstition and turne Protestant needes no more ordination to become a Presbyter with us But what then must be the meaning of those words That they abjure the Popes wicked Hierarchy R. As I conceive the sense of them is plaine from a precedent clause in that Covenant viz. that they abjure the Popes five bastard Sacraments and yet I hope they intended not to sweare out either Matrimony or holy orders in generall which yet are two as all know reckoned by that Church amongst her five but onely they abjured those corruptions and superstitious formes which the Romish Church had annexed to these divine Institutions as in calling them Proper Sacraments So when they abjured his wicked Hierarchy they did not sweare out Bishops no more then they did Presbyters or Deacons But they abjured the corruptions and superstitious Con-comitants which the Pope had annexed to those holy Callings V.g. amongst many other abuses that Bishops were constrained to sweare such an obedience and dependence on the Pope as was derogatorie to the supreame power of their owne native Prince So that then it was almost an impossible thing to be at once a stout Prelat and a loyall subject And suppose Bishops or Presbyters in this treasonable constitution they were then no doubt in that point the Popes wicked Hierarchy as now they may be the Consistories All this I the rather urge because I conceive that the acts of King and Councell are the best interpretors of that Covenant because it was set on foot by authority of King and Councell for Quisque optimus interpres sui THE ANSWER Whether in commanding to sweare the Covenant 1580. and 81. his Majesty that then was and his Councell did intend the abjuration of Episcopacie IN all commanded oaths and abjurations a twofold deception is to be avoided One is in him who taketh the Oath that he have no fraudulent intention contrary to the sound professed intention of him who tendereth the Oath otherwise both Gods Name is taken in vaine and our Superiour is deluded The other is In him that tendereth the Oath that hee have not an hid and secret intention contrair to that which is open and professed In this case the regard must be had not to that which is secret and unknowne but to that which is professed and which is knowne to be the true meaning of the words of the Oath That abjuration of Episcopacie was professedly intended in the Covenant 1580. and 1581. by his Majestie and his Councell may be apparant First from the words of the Confession commanded to be sworne where profession is made that we shall continue in the obedience of the doctrine and discipline of this Church which discipline at that time was not the governement of the Church by Bishops but by Presbyteries the whole heads of the policie of the Church except such as concerned Patronages Church rents and the like after much agitation from Assembly to Assembly being agreed upon not onely by the Generall Assembly but by his Majesties Councell Episcopacie being abandoned and Presbyteriall governement established such as before were called Bishops being tyed to particular flocks ordained to be called by their own names and by the name of brethren and forbidden to usurp the power of Presbyteries till at last in the Generall Assembly holden at Dundie July 1580. the office of a Bishop was abolished by a particular act as unlawfull in it self and Bishops ordained to dimit the samine under the pain of Excommunication Like as in the Assembly at Glasgow April 1581. the said act was further explained and confirmed the Kings Commissioner presented to the Assembly the Confession of faith subscribed by his Majesty and