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
A91516	The right religion, reviewed and inlarged / by L.P. Gent.	L. P., Gent.	1658 (1658)	Wing P74C; ESTC R181384	42,130	187

poor illiterate men to perswade a Religion so contrary to flesh and blood as mortification of Wills Fasting Chastity c. Luther was a man of learning and parts who had onely to instil a doctrine acceptable and pleasing to the depravedness of nature to perform which needed not abilities other than naturall 3 A third shape is Protestants received their Mission from Catholick Bishops in Queen Elizabeths dayes and since ANSWER 1. If some did which is to be proved Nay the contrary seemes demonstrated by Doctor Champney it is evident the greater part did not and what a Church must that company make of which most are judged fit to preach the word of God and administer the Sacraments without authority But admit the calling of Protestant Bishops and Pastours were right in all of them it would not follow that the Protestant Church is true so long as she advanceth Protestanisme contrary to the meaning of the Catholique Bishops who never impowr'd any but in relation to the setting up and upholding of Catholique Religion 2. Furthermore Communion with the true Church being as necessary a requisite to the making up of a true Church as union of parts to the compleating of a naturall body what colour for truth in the Protestant Church that is at variance with the Catholique of whom she gloryeth to have her power and which she confesseth to be a true Church whereto adde that Protestants derivation from Catholiques is not proof for a personall succession of Bishops and Pastours agreeing in all points with Protestants which ought to be the scope and ayme of that derivation it being not required of Protestants to deduce a succession from Christ and his Apostles of men meerly sent but withall professing the doctrine maintained in the Church of England For although doctrine be no mark of the true Church as shall be shewn hereafter nevertheless it is her inseparable Mate insomuch that where true Doctrine is wanting there the true Church cannot be Christ having intrusted her with his truth and ordained her keeper and preserver thereof 3. It will be said such a succession may be shewn but mingled pale-male with Catholiques as corn with chaffe good fish with bad conformably to Scripture comparing the Church to a barn-floor where there is corn and chaffe together Math. 3. to a Net replenished with all sortes of fish Math. 13. Repl. This mixture must have been either of Protestant and Catholique doctrine in the same company of men making profession of both or in severall companies one professing one another the other It could not be the former because that would be a clear argument that the Church hath erred contrary to what was proved in the fift Chapter Besides the name of Protestant to this company would be very improper holding a Doctrine inconsistent with the Protestant Surely whosoever over and above the Protestant Doctine should profess the Arian or Nestorian would deem himself jeered and laughed at to hear himself styled by the name of Protestant Doctrine being in nature much like unto number the least addition or diminution altering its kind and grounding a new denomination Nor the latter in as much as there is no agreement betwixt the Temple of God and Idols no concord with Christ and Belial 2. Cor. 6. The Arke of God and Dagon may not stand together 1. Kings 5. It were a strange example if the Church unparaleld for love to her spouse that professeth so much to truth and strictly forbiddeth ill company as dangerous to her Children should receive into her company Lyers and Innovatours This would leave a stain upon her reputation make her sincerity be suspected her Doctrine contemned and despised But she who is all fair Cant. 6. Without spot or wrinkle Epes 5. is free from any such guilt Sectaries being as hideous and hatefull in her sight as their suggestions are full of poyson and destructive to soules 4. It will be said Protestant Bishops and Pastours were not so near mingled with Catholiques as either to believe or profess their Doctrine they onely concealed and covered their own for fear of the formidable rigour of Catholiques Repl. such Bishops and Pastours could neither be true nor make a saving Church Not true because the Mission of true Bishops and Pastours being founded upon persecution and suffering Loe I send you as sheep among Wolves Math. 10. Luke 11. it is proper for them to fear no colours Cruelty in her gastliest hue is not able to fright or daunt them from preaching the word of God and administring the Sacraments The Apostles gave testimony to this truth when commanded by higher powers to forbear mentioning Christ or his actions they bravely and with stoutness reported that they could not choose but declare What they had seen and heard yea even outraged and ill entreated for this behalf they went away glad and rejoycing to be thought worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus Acts. 5. All the glorious Martyrs and Confessours confirm the same by their profession of faith amidst the loathsome stenches of close Prisons and horrible torments of bloody persecutours 5. Nor make up a saving Church by reason profession of Faith is necessary to salvation Rom. 10. In heart it is believed to justice by mouth profession is made unto Salvation Mat. 10. He that denies me to men I will denie him before my father c. The Comparisons are meant of private men for matter of manners not of any mixture of true and false Doctrine Orthodoxall Heretical Bishops Pastours together 6. A fourth shape is in all ages since Christ and his Apostles there have been Protestant Bishops and Pastours but through the negligence of men and hard fate of times their names have miscarried and perish'd And as it is no argument many famous Romans and Graecians are not named therefore never were any such men so it is no less fals a sequell Protestant Bishops and Pastours are not mentioned all the way from Christ and the Apostles therefore they were sometimes wanting ANSWER 1. It is not the same of private men and of Bishops and Pastours These have Christs Warrant and assurance for a Continuance of visibility so have not those Math. 28. Bishops and Pastours are as Aqueduces and Limbecks through which the vivifying waters of Christs holy Doctrine are derived into our eares and distilled into our soules so are not private men should they be at any time clouded and in obscurity Christ would be worse than his word his Doctrine fall short and not come home to us 2. It will be said visibility is a badge private men wear as well as Bishops and Doctours therefore it cannot be inferred more of the one than of the other Repl. Visibility is not peculiar to Bishop and Pastours but necessity of visibility is private men in this way of visibility being onely contingently visible So that though this inference be not right they are visible men therefore they are Bishops and Rastours no more

better and to be preferred Saint Hier. Saint August Conc. Tolens When Arius 364 deprived the Dead of the livings prayers Christians generally professed as the said Company doth That their Commission was to inculcate that to pray for the dead was an act of Piety and mercy Saint August Saint Ambr. Saint Hier. Saint Chrys Saint Epiphan Conc. Constant 3 Conc. Nic. 2. When Eunomius 358. attributed to Faith strength and vertue to keep off the harm of sin from the faithfull Christians generally professed as the said Company doth That their Commission was to inculcate That Christians in sinne were notwithstanding their faith in state of Damnation Saint Basil Saint Ephrem Saint Chryso When Novatus 250. refused admission to the Penitent after Baptisme constituted a Church of meer just Christians generally professed as the said Company doth That their Commission was to inculcate that a sinner truly repentant was to be received at any time and that the Church Militant was not without mixture of bad Saint Cypr. Saint Ephrem Saint Hier. Saint August Conc. Rom. When Gnostici 129 fancied a Justice extrinsecate and imputative Christians generally professed as the said Company doth that their Commission was to inculcate That justice was inherent to the soul and that it consisted of a spirituall quality called grace whose property is to expell sinne to enlighten the minde to incline and enable the Will to all good Iren. Iustin Conc. Trident. When Simon Magus 55 destroyed freewill opened heaven to faith unaccompanied with good workes blasphemed God to be the Author of sinne Christians generally professed as the said Company doth That their Commission was to inculcate that through Adams disobedience freewill was weakened and ill inclined but not lost that faith did dispose and help but without good works that shee was too weak to justify a sinfull soul that God did all good things and for sinne that he did no more than suffer and permit Saint Peter Saint Paul Saint Luke Saint John Saint Mathew Saint James Saint Jude Act. Saint Dionys Saint August Conc. Trid. 17. This Proof will gather strength by observing that the above named but few dayes or Months before their opposition held as the rest of Christians did in all points with the said Company and that neither they nor others in their behalf have left to posterity the least mention of any number of men in being before their opposition with whom to joyn and side to make good the same Assuredly if any such thing had been so great an advantage would not have been passed over in silence 3. 1 The third and last Proof is That Company composeth and makethup the Catholique Church which is acknowledged even by their Adversaries to be Apostolicall But the above mentioned Company is acknowledge even by their Adversaries to be Apostolicall therefore that Company composeth and maketh up the Catholique Church The first Proposition is evident for as much as Apostolicall in a right and genuin sense sinignifyeth to believe as the Apostles believed which is to be Catholique The second Proposition appeares no less cleer in severall Protestan writers who expressely account that the Apostles first planted the Christian faith in England That the same was retained by Bissiops and Pastours from the first Plantation to Saint Austin That in substance it differed not from that which Saint Austin brought in That Saint Austin was by Gregory the great Bishop of Rome to convert the Saxons in England to the Roman faith That the Roman Church in Gregory the greats time was the same it is at this present See to this purpose Perkins Exposi on the Creed Pag. 266. Powell Cons pap rer pag. 103. Stow How Speed Cambden and all the English Chronicles Now the Axiom in Philosophy which assureth Two Extreames which are one with a third to be one amongst themselves will justify this form Saint Austins Church and Doctrine were Apostolicall Saint Austins Church and Doctrine were the same with the now Roman Therefore the Roman Church and Doctrine are Apostolicall CHAP 17. Of certain Objections made against the Roman Church Answered IT is incdent to vain-glorious and haughty men to spurn at Authority and to asperse superiours with failings Pride sets them on and malice contrives the means as black as their end which is to shake off obedience to live at pleasure and without controule The Enemies of the Roman Church have not shewn more Pride in con temning her power than malice in raising false and slanderous reports against her good name As therefore in the former Chapter I have done my endeavour to assert her power so will I in this to clear her fame and shew her innocencie mainly clouded and shot at by the ensuing Objections Objection 1. 1. The first Objection is The Church of Rome teacheth Christs Body to be present in many places at once which implyeth contradiction Answer The measure of Gods power is his will and his will is above the reach of our capacity Therefore no wonder if God oftentimes doth that we cannot dive into the understanding of it sufficeth we know the thing is done and that we do by his word which being plain and express for the presence of Christs Body in the Sacrament and consequently in many places at once to doubt thereof is no less than to question Gods veracity As for implicancy some labour to convince this Mysterie of there is none at all for though a body cannot be locally in two places at once by reason of locall extension which confines it to one yet this extension being removed as it is possible to the omnipotent power it is as easie for a Body to be in severall places at once as for the Deity to be in three persons at once or for the soul to be in the Head the middle the feete at once Neither doth Christ calling himself a Door a Vine c. Jo. 10.15 any way contradict this truth because in these propositions I am a Dore a Vine two distinct things and of different kinds are affirmed of each other which according to the literall and proper signification of the words cannot be true in that this is my Body the same identicall thing is affirmed of the same to wit the body of Christ out of the Sacrament when the words began to be in the Sacrament when they end which without trope or figure is as properly true as this is the signe of the cross Tabitha come forth Acts 9. Nor yet those other sayings the Flesh profiteth nothing my words are Spirit Jo. 6. in as much as they were uttered to satisfy the Caphurnaites who being a grosse carnall people apprehended of Christs saying the bread which I will give is my flesh my flesh is truely foode unless ye eate the flesh of the Son of man c. Jo. 6. that he meant to give his body to be gnawn and torne in pieces as ordinarie butchers meat and that he was not of power to give it any other way that