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	succession_n	2,569	5	10.4652	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49508	An apologie for our publick ministerie and infant-baptism written som years ago for private satisfaction of som dissenting brethren and upon request enlarged and published for the same ends / by William Lyford.	Lyford, William, 1598-1653.	1652 (1652)	Wing L3544; ESTC R24102	42,825	54

receiv of him the Christian Faith others say to receiv farther instructions from him Eleutherius sent unto him Damianus and Faganus by whom the King was converted with many of the people and were baptized about the year 179 the Monumentsand Rites of Heathenish Idolatrie were subverted Superstition decaied and true Religion increased there were then in Britain Fox Acts Mon. ubisupra 28 Head Priests which they called Flamines and three Archpriests which they called Arch-Flamines having the over-sight of the manners over the rest These 28 Flamines they turned to 28 Bishops and the three Arch-Flamines to three Arch-bishopricks having then their Seats in three principal Cities viz. London York Gloucester In these daies Rome was a Virgin Church not Anti-Christian And if wee grant that England received the Faith from Eleutherius Bishop of Rome yet hee was neither a Pope nor Papist And from this Apostolical root do wee extract our Ordination and Succession as beeing well assured that very early in the Primitive Church Whites Way to the Church § 49. the Gospel was planted here And though the Papists object that the Faith was again extinguished in England yet Dr White shew's the contrarie viz. that the Faith continued here from King Lucius to the coming of Austen the Monk whom Gregorie sent hither 600 years after Christ who when hee came found divers Brittain Bishops and learned men with a monasterie at Bangor who did oppose Arrianism and Pelagianism and the pride of Austen the Pope's Embassador Secondly I say that the rightfulness of our Vocation is not cut off or nulled by such a Succession for that learned Letter as it confesseth the Succession of our first Reformers to have been from men of the Romish Religion Mat. 3.2.3 so it teacheth truly That Heretical Bishops may lawfully Ordain and that it is an Heresie such as the Donatish was to denie it To this agree's the judgment of our Saviour who Teacheth that the Scribes and Pharisees have a lawful Succession from Moses they sit in his Chair their Calling is of God though a race of bad men possessed that Chair and Christ will have them acknowledged for the lawful Ministers So is our Calling and Succession though it passed thorough corrupt times The Scriptures themselvs Baptism the Articles of our Creed have all passed through the Papacie unto us and yet they ceas not to bee true Scriptures nor true Baptism much less doe's Ordination ceas to be rightful it beeing an act of jurisdiction which may bee legally and law fully performed by men of corrupt Faith Concl. 2 Wee must carefully distinguish the Acts of Office which have their form and beeing from a root or fountain without us from the qualities of the man that perform's the Office The man may bee naught yet his Office good and Acts don by virtue of his Office just and allowable although the man and his Religion bee naught As for instance a Popish Landlord make's you a Leas of a Farm your Leas is not Antichristian but good in Law though hee that demised it bee for his Religion a Papist A Popish Judg doth pass a sentence in Court which stand's good in Judicature His sentence is not Popish though hee that pronounced it bee a Papist the reason is becaus the legal sentence is not of him nor from him as a Papist but a Judg who doth but deliver that which hee hath received from an higher root the Law So in this case Ordination is an Act of Office derived from Christ and it is not Popish though executed by a Papist Wee do not rebaptize them that were baptized by a Popish Priest becaus the power of Ged's Ordinance depend's not on the person that doe's execute the same but upon an higher foundation the Institution of Christ Ministerial Acts are not vitiated or made nud though they pass through the hands of bad men But stand good to all intents and purposes to such as receiv them aright by virtue of their Office autoritatively derived from the first Institution To right Ordination besides the parties inward Call are required To right Ordination what is requited Two things 1. On behalf of the partie to bee Ordained hee must have sundrie qualifications as integritie of life by which hee get's a good report even of those that are without 2. Soundness in the Faith hee must not bee an Heretick or misbeliever but able by sound Doctrine to instruct and convince the gain-faier 3. Hee must bee apt to teach readie to communicate his knowledg to others Secondly on behalf of them that do ordain it is likewise required 1. That they take a trial of their Gifts and Life as Paul saith Let them first bee proved and then let them minister if they bee sound worthie 2. Then follow 's Ordination it self which is don when then they are Consecrated and set apart and Autorized with imposition of hands and praier to preach the Word in the Name of Christ 1 Tim. 4.14 3. Then follow 's their Election or designation to their particular places and charges which is don partly by the voice of the people and partly by the wisdom of the Guides of the Church Thus are wee Qualified Called Admitted and Autorized to execute the sacred Function according to Scirpture-Rules and God hath Concl. 2 sealed to us the fruit of our Calling by the conversion of many thousand souls in Christ Jesus wee by the blessing and assistance of the holy Ghost have begotten you so that if wee bee not true Ministers of Christ to others yet surely wee are to the people of this Nation and to som wee hope of our present though uuthankful and Causless enemies Object Object But private men unordained may convert souls as the woman of Samaria informed her neighbors Rahab was converted by the Spies Aquila and priscilla helped Apollos c. Sol. I shall Answer this point more largely under my last conclusion for this present thus I doubt not but much good is don by the faithful reproofs counsels and instructions of private Christians women may save their husbands 1 Cor. 7.16 1 Pet. 3.1 Tit. 2.3 at least win them to a liking of Christianitie the Elder women must bee Teacher's of good things and so the Members of the Church do edifie one another But what is this Christ's Ordinarie way must this overthrow Christ's Order and Ordinance No by no means If any of you bee inwardly toucht with the zeal of God's glorie with a sens of the peoples ignorance and miserie let such beeing tried and found Orthodox and competently gifted bee Ordained Let them give themselvs to this work and wee will give them the right hand of fellowship without asking of what Vniversitie they were But beware how yee bring disorder and confusion into the Church and so overthrow the Ordinance of Christ upon serious consideration of our third Conclusion which now followeth Concl. 3 Having proved in the fomer Conclusions that the Work of the Ministerie