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power_n authority_n bishop_n presbyter_n 4,112 5 10.2023 5 false
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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A47280 The sober conformists answer to a rigid conformists reasons why in this juncture no alteration should be made in the government of the Church of Scotland. Ker, William. 1689 (1689) Wing K346; ESTC R8036 26,163 32

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of_o civil_a power_n by_o any_o church_n officer_n over_o the_o church_n and_o so_o nothing_o of_o the_o papal_a power_n be_v condemn_v by_o it_o but_o the_o usurpation_n of_o a_o temporal_a dominion_n over_o prince_n yet_o be_v ee_v this_o leave_v his_o ecclesiastic_a supremacy_n under_o which_o the_o subtle_a jesuit_n comprise_v all_o the_o power_n he_o exercise_n untouched_a and_o uncondemned_a by_o the_o clear_a scripture_n argument_n we_o have_v against_o it_o which_o all_o reform_v divine_n make_v use_n of_o even_o the_o episcopal_a themselves_o in_o their_o writing_n against_o the_o papal_a tyranny_n in_o ecclesiastic_n as_o well_o as_o civil_n i_o nothing_o doubt_v but_o the_o present_a zeal_n of_o that_o great_a man_n against_o popery_n will_v disclaim_v this_o evasion_n frank_o as_o the_o effect_n of_o his_o former_a eagerness_n against_o presbytery_n hurry_v he_o to_o a_o critici_fw-la sm_n so_o favourable_a to_o popery_n and_o when_o i_o have_v consider_v the_o extent_n of_o the_o parallel_n place_n 1._o pet._n 5.3_o and_o the_o particular_a application_n in_o reference_n to_o spiritual_n which_o the_o apostle_n paul_n make_v 2._o cor._n 1._o last_o i_o can_v look_v upon_o that_o otherwise_o then_o a_o oversight_n in_o the_o doctor_n notwithstanding_o of_o my_o singular_a es_fw-ge time_fw-mi of_o he_o and_o his_o write_n but_o the_o truth_n be_v if_o we_o consider_v serious_o the_o aptitude_n of_o episcopacy_n for_o preserve_v the_o dignity_n and_o promote_a the_o interest_n of_o the_o clergy_n its_o similitude_n to_o the_o civil_a government_n and_o conformity_n to_o the_o carnal_a conceit_n man_n have_v of_o the_o church_n of_o god_n be_v even_o as_o it_o fare_v with_o popery_n both_o its_o great_a advantage_n and_o disadvantage_n its_o great_a advantage_n recommend_v it_o to_o carnal_a man_n who_o measure_v all_o thing_n by_o their_o carnal_a imagination_n and_o inclination_n and_o its_o great_a disadvantage_n discommend_v it_o to_o conscientious_a man_n who_o meas_fw-la ure_n all_o the_o concern_v of_o the_o church_n by_o the_o unerring_a rule_n of_o the_o word_n of_o god_n and_o judge_v of_o they_o by_o their_o influence_n on_o and_o usefulness_n for_o the_o edification_n of_o their_o soul_n and_o alace_o the_o odious_a effect_n of_o episcopacy_n in_o scotland_n especial_o since_o it_o be_v last_o introduce_v be_v so_o recent_a and_o obvious_a that_o if_o any_o witty_a presbyterian_a shall_v be_v at_o the_o pain_n to_o rake_v up_o this_o dunghill_n i_o be_o afraid_a such_o a_o intolerable_a stink_n shall_v be_v raise_v as_o no_o aptitude_n which_o our_o government_n have_v to_o what_o be_v good_a or_o can_v pretend_v to_o have_v will_v be_v either_o regard_v or_o believe_v by_o any_o who_o be_v judicious_a far_o less_o sober_a and_o conscientious_a for_o sense_n and_o experience_n be_v more_o convince_a than_o all_o the_o reason_n in_o the_o world._n but_o to_o be_v more_o particular_a you_o say_v its_o find_v by_o experince_n to_o be_v the_o best_a adapt_v for_o preservation_n of_o order_n presbyterian_o will_v answer_v that_o what_o ever_o be_v its_o apparent_a aptitude_n for_o this_o yet_o it_o be_v in_o effect_n itself_o a_o alteration_n of_o the_o primitive_a order_n observe_v in_o the_o church_n which_o do_v gradual_o resolve_v at_o last_o into_o a_o total_a innovation_n of_o the_o church_n order_n by_o a_o papal_a supremacy_n which_o it_o have_v exchange_v for_o a_o caesario-papatus_a in_o scotland_n lest_o the_o church_n shall_v not_o be_v still_o monstruous_a with_o two_o head_n one_o under_o another_o and_o it_o be_v indeed_o a_o hard_a question_n why_o order_n in_o the_o church_n which_o we_o say_v can_v be_v without_o prius_fw-la &_o posterius_fw-la inferius_fw-la &_o superius_fw-la do_v not_o equal_o require_v a_o pope_n or_o king_n under_o christ_n over_o bishop_n as_o a_o bishop_n under_o christ_n over_o presbytry_n or_o why_o a_o parity_n among_o bishop_n shall_v not_o be_v think_v as_o inconsis_fw-la tent_n with_o order_n as_o a_o parity_n among_o all_o pastor_n but_o neither_o do_v the_o presbyterian_a government_n want_v its_o order_n of_o superius_fw-la &_o inferius_fw-la for_o among_o they_o single_a person_n be_v subject_a to_o church_n judicatories_n and_o a_o lesser_a church_n judicatory_a still_o to_o a_o great_a etc._n etc._n in_o which_o order_n see_v there_o be_v not_o only_o that_o ah_o inferiore_fw-la ad_fw-la superius_fw-la but_o a_o minore_fw-la ad_fw-la majus_fw-la it_o be_v most_o agreeable_a to_o the_o church_n as_o it_o be_v the_o body_n of_o christ_n immediate_o depend_v upon_o christ_n its_o head._n and_o i_o confess_v ingenuous_o when_o they_o have_v argue_v that_o feed_n of_o soul_n by_o dispense_n the_o word_n and_o sacrament_n be_v the_o sublimest_n piece_n of_o a_o church_n man_n employment_n that_o all_o power_n of_o church_n officer_n be_v only_o ministerial_a under_o christ_n the_o head_n and_o lord_n of_o his_o church_n that_o though_o he_o be_v the_o political_a as_o well_o as_o mystical_a head_n of_o the_o church_n who_o as_o its_o king_n and_o lawgiver_n may_v be_v expect_v will_v not_o leave_v it_o without_o direction_n how_o it_o shall_v be_v govern_v yet_o there_o be_v no_o institution_n of_o a_o diocesan_n episcopacy_n that_o be_v ever_o pretend_v to_o be_v so_o clear_a as_o the_o direction_n give_v concern_v the_o office_n of_o a_o deacon_n the_o low_a office_n in_o the_o church_n but_o the_o check_v give_v by_o he_o to_o the_o first_o appearance_n of_o a_o inclination_n to_o pre-eminency_n among_o his_o apostle_n be_v clear_o record_v in_o scripture_n and_o final_o that_o the_o lodging_n of_o all_o ecclesiastic_a power_n of_o ordination_n or_o jurisdiction_n in_o the_o single_a person_n of_o a_o bishop_n do_v not_o suit_n with_o the_o immediate_a dependence_n of_o the_o church_n the_o body_n of_o christ_n upon_o christ_n the_o head_n of_o it_o when_o they_o have_v argue_v thus_o i_o say_v and_o urge_v each_o of_o these_o argument_n at_o length_n i_o have_v be_v extreme_o puzzle_v to_o vindicat_fw-la the_o episcopal_a order_n and_o the_o superiority_n of_o one_o pastor_n above_o another_o all_o i_o can_v say_v be_v that_o bishop_n be_v as_o necessary_a to_o oversee_v pastor_n as_o pastor_n to_o oversee_v people_n and_o they_o easy_o stop_v my_o mouth_n not_o only_o by_o retort_v the_o equal_a necessity_n of_o a_o pope_n to_o oversee_v bishop_n but_o by_o show_v also_o that_o all_o pastor_n be_v subject_a to_o the_o censure_n of_o church_n judicatories_n which_o can_v not_o easy_o be_v guilty_a of_o connivance_n and_o partiality_n towards_o the_o ignorant_a and_o scandalous_a as_o bishop_n and_o which_o by_o their_o solemnity_n &_o impartiality_n have_v as_o great_a and_o venerable_a a_o authority_n as_o a_o bishop_n by_o virtue_n of_o his_o large_a benefice_n lordly_a title_n and_o pompous_a train_n can_v have_v yea_o i_o have_v be_v almost_o persuade_v to_o be_v a_o presbyterian_a when_o they_o have_v reason_v that_o see_v we_o confess_v the_o high_a ecclesiastic_a power_n on_o earth_n to_o be_v in_o a_o oecumenick_n council_n and_o yet_o allow_v not_o of_o any_o further_a power_n in_o he_o that_o precede_v than_o like_o that_o of_o a_o presbyterian_a moderator_n in_o a_o presbytry-synod_n or_o national_a assembly_n and_o not_o like_o that_o of_o a_o bishop_n in_o a_o diocesan_n synod_n for_o fear_v of_o a_o pope_n why_o do_v we_o not_o also_o acknowledge_v minister_n to_o be_v subject_a to_o inferior_a judicatories_n of_o the_o like_a frame_n and_o a_o inferior_a and_o lesser_a judicatory_a to_o a_o superior_a and_o great_a still_o forward_o till_o we_o arrive_v at_o a_o oecumenick_n council_n as_o the_o high_a judicatorie_a of_o all_o immediate_o and_o sol_o subject_a to_o christ_n as_o the_o body_n to_o the_o head_n without_o any_o diocesan_n bishop_n over_o the_o see_v inferior_a more_o than_o a_o pope_n over_o his_o supreme_a judicatorie_a as_o be_v the_o most_o equal_a and_o