Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A28865
|
Observations upon the ordinance of the Lords and Commons at Westminster after advice had with their Assembly of Divines for the ordination of ministers pro tempore, according to their directory for ordination and rule for examination therein expressed.
|
Boughen, Edward, 1587?-1660?
|
1645
(1645)
|
Wing B3815; ESTC R20014
|
28,236
|
38
|
OBSERVATIONS UPON THE ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS and COMMONS AT WESTMINSTER After advice had with their Assembly of DIVINES for the Ordination of Ministers pro Tempore according to their DIRECTORY for ORDINATION and Rules for Examination therein expressed Die Mercurij 2. Octob. 1644. The Priesthood being changed there is made of necessity a change also of the Law Heb. 7.12 Si qui cum Episcopo non sint in Ecclesiâ non sunt Cypr. Epist 69. n. 31. OXFORD Printed by Leonard Lichfield Printer to the Vniversity 1645. OBSERVATIONS UPON THE ORDINANCE c. 2. Octob. 1644. 1. I Will not quarrell with the Ordinance or Authors thereof because it ariseth from them who have neither skill nor authority to provide for Ordination This were something an high charge And yet Ordination is confessed a Ord. p. 2. to be a spirituall act which may only be performed by spirituall persons It ought therefore to be provided for by spirituall Persons Whereas this Ordinance goes backward it is sent from the Lords and Commons to the Assembly of Divines not to be devised or framed by them but to take care of the Printing thereof That 's all they have to doe in the publishing of this Ordinance Witnesse H. Elsynge It seems they are esteemed fit men to oversee the Presse 2. Whereas b Cod. Afric Can. 103. Publick Prayers and Formes of Ordination had wont to be collected and Ordered by Divines indeed by Bishops assembled in a Synode or free Councell though afterwards confirmed and authorized by Princes and Acts of State for the quiet performance of the same and full conformity thereto 3. Thus was it in the daies of K. Edward the sixt of Q. Elizabeth and K. Iames. Indeed were not Corporall and penall Lawes made which are not in the power of the Church some light Spirits and unquiet dispositions would dissolve the bonds of unity and subvert the frame of uniformity while they like of nothing but what is suitable to their own giddy braines and distempered fancies nor of that long 4. This Ordinance of the Lords and Commons is no long lived Ordinance it is not like c Dan. 68. the Lawes of the Medes and Persians lasting and unalterable it is but pro tempore for the time of their Soveraignty And the tide with Gods blessing may turne before October next If not d Provided that this Ordinance shall stand in force for twelve Months and no longer Ord p 15. Ordination we see is with them as changeable as an Ordinance And this manifests that this their Ordination is no divine Institution 5. But this Ordinance was made after advice had with the Assembly of Divines The Advice is theirs the Ordinance yours They are the Councellors to advise but yee the State that Ordaines and enacts Whereas they ought not e 25 Hâ—n VIII c. 19. by the Lawes of this Kingdome to have met in any such Assembly without the Kings summons f Ib. neither ought any Ordinance at all to be made without His Royall assent g 1. Elis c. 1. All such Spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction is annexed to the Crowne of this Realme and to no other And h 1. Elis c. 2. the King by the advice of the Metropolitan of this Realme or of His Commissioners for causes Ecclesiasticall may Ordaine or publish Rites and Ceremonies But I read of no other that have Legall power in this Realme of England without the Kings Commission to doe thus 6. But you take advice with the Assembly of Divines your Commissioners An Assembly of Divines so you call it But is it so consists it only of Divines It seems so by the title of your Ordinance but how then come i Ordin Jun. 12. 1643 p. 2. the Earles of Northumberland and Manchester Viscount Sea and Seale Francis Rows Sir Henry Vane and John White into the Assembly Are these Divines States-men and Lawyers and Sword-men Lords and Knights all Divines I perceive then we may have Lord-Divines though not Lord-Bishops States-men may meddle with Divinity though not Divines with the State Now I have lived to see k 1. Sam. 19.23 Saul among the Prophets l Act. 2.17 your Sonnes and Daughters of all Professions Prophesy or Dreame Dreames some upon Wooll packs others in Pulpits or Tubbs no matter where so it be for the good of the State 7. Here then must needs be an advised a Divine Ordinance But though it be made after advice yee tell us not that it was made according to their Divine advice If it be I hope some of them will be able to justify it by the Lawes both of God and this Realme But the plain truth is this project was resolved upon before any advice had with them This will clearly appeare if we cast an eye back upon An Ordinance for the calling of an Assembly of Learned Divines Iunâ—â— 12. 1643. 8. Wherein first before discussing of the question by your Learned Divines yee m Ord. Iune 12. 1643. p. 1. declare and resolve first declare and then resolve note that that the present Church-government by Arch-Bishops Bishops c. is evill and justly offensive and burthensome to the Kingdome a great impediment to Reformation and growth of Religion and very prejudiciall to the State and Government of this Kingdom and that therefore you are resolved that the same shall be taken away And in the Solemne League and Covenant yee vow the extirpation thereof 9. So the Assembly have their Lesson before hand Episcopall Government must downe it may not be admitted into consideration be the Assembly never so desirous It is Declared and Resolved by their infallible Masters that it is evill and n View of the Covenant p. 34. the View of the Covenant calls it Antichristian Justly offensive it is to the Kingdome and very prejudiciall to the state and so are the Kings Revenues and diverse Noble mens and Gentlemens goods and Lands you have therefore taken them away and some of them ye have given some sold away Indeed the Bishops Lands are justly offensive and their government prejudiciall to the State ye stand in For had they followed St Pauls directions 2. Tim. 3.4 5. I know in what state ye had been long since In truth had not their Lands been evill in your eye the Government would never have been offensive This Kingdome hath flourished more yeares with this Government then it can dayes with your unvoted undevised platform What a furtherance it hath been to Reformation and growth of Religion the Enemies to the Catholick Religion have been sensible and the most eminent men in the Reformed Churches bare us witnesse I shall name one yet living who will not I presume revoke or retract what he hath written Peter Moulin is the man and his words are these o Pet. Molin ad Episc Winton Ep. 3. §. Hic mihi Scio instaurationem Ecclesiae Anglicanae eversionem Papismi post Deum Reges
deberipraecipue EPISCOPORUM DOCTRINAE ET INDUSTRIAE I know saith he that the Reformation of the Church of England and the subversion of Popery next after God and the Soveraignes of this Kingdome are chiefly due to the LEARNING AND INDUSTRY OF THEIR BISHOPS 10. Let other men be of what opinion they please ye are resolved downe they shall p Ordin Iune 12. 1643. p. 1. For the setling therefore of a NEW GOVERNMENT and for the vindicating and clearing of the Doctrine of the Church of England from all false calumnies and aspersions it is thought fit and necessary to call an Assembly of Learned Godly and Judicious Divines to consult and advise with q Ib. p. 2. The first of these is Algernon Earle of Northumberland and with him nine Lords and twenty Knights and Burgesses After these come in the rest of the Learned Divines called Ministers 11. And that ye may be sure to have the whole worke goe forward according to your owne hearts desire you order very warily and discreetly that r Ib. p. 4. such other Person and Persons as shall be nominated and appointed by both Houses of Parliament shall meet and assemble for the purposes before mentioned And if you like them not you will aire them and Å¿ Ib. from time to time remove them from place to place And if that will not qualifie their heat and pull down their stubborne stomacks then t Ib. shall they be dissolved in such manner as by both Houses of Parliament shall be directed Complaine no longer that Trent was no free Councell declame not against their shifts and devices your selves have outstripped them for never men made surer worke 12. Well meet they shall and that they may answer the expectation of Men and Angells u Ib. the said Persons being at least of the number of Forty shall have power and authority To doe what even to conferre and Treat amongst themselves of such matters and things touching and concerning the Liturgie Discipline and Government of the Church of England A large Commission indeed 13. Observe I pray you Forty of these may conferre and Treat Forty whereof there are Ten Lords Twenty Members of the House of Commons and to these they may adde such other Persons for number and affection as it shall please both Houses to nominate and appoint So there may be Ten Divines or no Divines in the Assembly as it shall please the Houses And yet it shall be called an Assembly of Divines because ye have Voted them to be so But they must no further * Ib. p. 5. advise or deliver their opinions then shall be required by both or either of the Houses Neither may they meddle with these or any other things but x Ib. as they shall be proposed unto them by one or both Houses But how if the Houses will not propose Then must these be mute Neither may they y Ib. divulge by Printing Writing or otherwise their opinions and advices without the consent of both or either House of Parliament What are these then but Iourney-men to the Houses z Ib. If any difference in opinion arise among these Divines it is to be represented to one or both of the Houses and from thence they shall receive such directions as shall be requisite The Houses then are to moderate and determine the Assembly onely to Treat and Advise Thus I have briefly presented unto you the full Power and Authority of the Assembly 14. Well advised it seemes they have and an Ordinance for Ordination you have given us but you tell us not that this Ordinance is framed according to their advice but according to the Directory for Ordination and Rules for Examination therein expressed These words caused me heretofore to dream of a more full Directory But I see by your Directory for publicke Prayers that we are like to have no other a Ord. p. 15. till the Twelve Moneths be over for so long this Ordinance stands in force and no longer So say you and so say I by Gods grace Thus farre I have gone with your Title Page and now I shall make bold with the frame of your Ordinance and see upon what Foundation it is setled 15. The old Crambe is layed for the Corner stone But if this totter and faile farewell frame the Directory and Ordinance are at an end they will hardly hold out the Twelve Moneths they were provided for And they end October the second next ensuing You follow your grand Champion Mounseir Smectymnuns and by him you are misled He saies that b Smect Answ p. 21. 26. the word Presbyter and the word Bishop doe in the Scriptures signifie one and the same Function and c Ord. p. 1. you justifie it As if the difference were about a bare Title or Word and not about an Order or Function of the highest moment in spiritualls Which failing the two other Orders and both the Sacraments will suddenly sinke As shall with Gods blessing be fully manifested when it shall please him to afford us a Presse and Paper 16. In the meane space I could tell you of the Bishop of Norwich and some others that have often foiled your Champion and send you to review their Workes But I shall not boast of other mens strength nor relye upon their Weapons though they be keene enough for that purpose I shall joyne with you upon a shorter issue Briefly then thus 17. I yeeld it to be true setting by the Postscripts to Timothy and Titus that the word Presbyter and the word Bishop doe in Scripture intend and signifie one and the same Function And yet these your inferences are most false namely first that d Ib. the Title of Bishop hath been by corrupt custome appropriated to one 2. That e Ib. p. 2. this Title hath been by him assumed as in other things so in Ordination 3. That f Ib. this Ordination is performed by him the Bishop being a Presbyter 4. That g Ib. Presbyters so ordained may ordaine other Presbyters 5. That h Ib. Ordination by preaching Presbyters is an Ordinance of Christ These are your owne Propositions and with these by Gods grace I shall deale severally as they lye in your owne words The first Proposition The Title of Bishop hath been by corrupt custome appropriated to one 18. THis Proposition is false it was no corrupt custome but uncorrupt discretion that appropriated the Title of Bishop to one in every severall Diocesse It was done by those who detested corruption with a perfect hatred But this Title was not so appropriated to one as to his person that might be layed downe at the yeares end as the Title of Major in a Corporation but it was appropriated to his Office or Order and not given him till he were of a severall Order from Presbyter which Order and Title can never be layed aside or taken from him 19. Give me leave therefore to tell