Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	bishop_n	call_v	presbyter_n	3,415	5	10.3134	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92298	Rebellion strip't and whipt, through all its principles and pretences; from the first to the last. By way of appeale to the consciences of the City of London in particular, and the whole kingdom in generall. In the behalfe of his most sacred Majesty, and the Church now trampled on by traytors.	Rexophilus Londinatus, Christianus protestans.	1648 (1648)	Wing R595; Thomason E476_28; ESTC R203367	49,426	76

is administred by preaching and Lay Elders joyntly with equal voice and power in the several Judicatories of their Parochial Sessions of their Classical or greater Consistories of their P●ovincial Synods Page 3 and National Assemblies Now by this if I mistake not you may perceive that they both agree in ipso regimine Ecclesiastico in the Government it self considered as it referreth to the Church that is all Members therein that are to be governed though not in the manner number or qualification of the persons governing both parties confessing that the power of Ordination and of Judicature so far forth as the keys left by Christ in his Church do extend is of Divine Institution and that this power must be excecised or administred in his Church by some so that I say the difference is whether the exercise or ministration of that power be restrained to certain choice men or indifferently left to all Presbyters and their assisting Lay Elders For none will accuse themselves guilty of so much ignorance and folly as to affirm that the decent Ceremonies and innocent Vestm●●●s of the Church as Cross in Baptism Surpless Cope the like were practised imposed as essential and inseparably necessary adjuncts to the Government it self All which rather then contention for them should have extended to blood might nay would have been by the condescention of His Majesty quietly layd aside needing not the peremptoriness of the sword to silence them I. Under episcopal there is in every Parish a preaching Minister with Churchwardens and in some Deacons or Curates by these offenders are noted and admonished and the offences presented to the Ecclesiastical Courts or Confistories where they may be heard and censured the Minister having power in some cases of notorious scandal to restrain from the Communion untill the offence may be heard and judged in the Court and the party so offending by the censure of the Church brought to give publike satisfaction Under the Presbyterian Government there is in every Parish a Minister with a competent number of Lay Elders and Deacons according to the largeness of the Parish These make the Parochial Session and have power to censure scandalous livers contentious persons and the like to enjoyn publike penance and impose upon the penitent before he be received into the Church a fine to be imployed on pious uses II. Under Episcopal in every diocess there are several divisions the lesser and the greater these being called Deanries there is Arch-Deconries in those the arch-Arch-Presbyters in these the Arch-Deacons have power to call the Parochial Ministers together to enquire of doctrine and manners and see to the redressing of smaller abuses In the Mother City is the Bishop residing with his Presbyters having the power of Ordination of judging and determining of all matter of doctrine or scandal reserevd to his hearing by his Arch-Deacons and of rejudging what was judged amiss by them This he doth either in his Consistory which he holdeth in his City assisted by his Presbyters or in his Vsitiations going through his diocess and causing his Clergy personally to appear or in his diocesan Synod which is made up of the City Presbyters Dean and Chapter the Arch-Deacons and other choice Presbyters under the presidency of the Bishop Under the Presbyterian in every County there are also several divisions or Classes containing such a number of Parochiall Ministers who have their set meetings for conference and in the City or more eminent Town is the great Presbyterian Consistory commonly called the Presbytery made up of all the Parochiall Ministers within its precincts and of Lay Elders from each Parish one in this is the power of Ordination of censuring crimes of the higher strain with the greater Excommunication of hearing appeals from the Parochial Sessions and rejudging what was there judged amiss III. Under Episcopal Government are held Provincial Synods consisting of all the Bishops Deans Arch-Deacons and of certain choice Presbyters from every diocess within the Province these have power to order all matters concerning the whole Province to hear appeals from every Diocess to re-judg what is done amiss that could not be well determined in a Di●cesan Synod Under the Presbyterian also are held Provincial Synods made up of Commissioners that is certain preaching and Lay Elders from every Individual Presbytery or Presbyterian Consistory within the Province These judg and determine matters pertaining to the whole Province Also all difficult cases that could not well be determined within the Presbytery they receive appeals also from the Presbyters and examine what was there thought to be done amiss IIII. Under Episcopal Government are also held National Councels consisting of the like Members as do the Provincial these are of greatest au●hority they examine and judg any thing done amiss any in Province they consider and determine matters of Doctrine and Discipline inorder to the whole Nationall Church Under the Presbyterian likewise are held National Assemblies consisting of Commissioners from all the Presbyteries in the Kingdom each of them sending two preaching and one Lay Elder also from every Burrough one and he a Lay man and from every University one and for the most part a Ley man too In these is the supream and finall determination of all complaints and controversies and unto the decrees that issue thence all must obey under pain of Excommunication Now these premises impartially considered which of these two Governments have the more effectual means to procure the end of Church Government the preservation of truth and peace the suppression of Heresie and Schism let any rational unbyass'd-minded man judg For my part I ingenuously confess that it is contrary to common reason in my apprehension that Lay-men from whose education no knowledg extraordinary beyond their trades and such like affairs can be expected although it is true that many are furnished with knowing parts yet as true that the most in a Nation are altogether defective therein can be as fit instruments for such kind of imployments as grave and learned Divines whose only business it is to tread the path of all arts both humane and divine so that if this continue in England what I once read alledged against the Papal Consistory that they did potius numerare suffragia quam argumenta pondirare number rather their Votes then weigh the solidity of their Arguments will I fear be our deserved censure From which justly meriting accusation Good Lord deliver this Nation Again consider further Bishops assume not the exercise of any power within any Princes Dominions or use it over his subjects but by permission and authority from him and that according to just Laws and Rules made by soveraign Authority for the manner of external Ministration thereof so that when the Episcopal power cometh to the holding of Courts and calling Assemblies it wholy depends on the soveraign power 25 Hen. 8.19 without whose Assent signified by his writ they cannot assemble for the making of Canons

Gods Spirit in the hearts of many glorious pillars of our Church reverend Bishops and other pious and learned Divines stood like a rock unshaken their tongues preaching their pens maintaining their bloods confirming the irresistable prevailing truth thereof against Turke Jew Jesuite and all other hereticall and schismaticall opponents whatsoever Thus much I am confident all neighbouring Protestant Churches will condescend unto therefore I shall proceed Covenant In Doctrine and Worship That is all erroneous tenents and practices whether Papisticall Schismaticall or others of those qui ambulant post spiritum suum against whom the Prophet denounceth a woe Ezek. 13.3 who being departed from the * 1 Tim. 4.1 faith which they once professed are guided by the spirit of error leading silly women and unstable mindes captive by the whistling of every breath of their windy doctrine being clad in sheeps cloathing Mat. 7.15 but inwardly ravenous Wolves Examples of which nature too too many offer them themselves in these unhappy times wherein almost all things are countenanced or at least connived at as lawful but lawful things therefore let us pray That the God of Peace and Truth would bring into the way of Truth and Peace all such as have erred and been deceived by seditious Schismatical guids and erronious directions and prosper thou oh Lord all their endeavours tending to such a Reformation Amen Discipline Government according to the Word of God Covenant and the best Reformed Churches Now the question will be which cometh nearest to the Word of God That Episcopacy claimeth the nearest alliance truly entituling it self to be of Apostolical Institution is a truth that hath been made good in all ages That for 1500 years continuance of Christianity there is no example of the Church Governed otherwise An Argument sufficient to suspect Novelties in opposition unto it That it hath been approved of by most of the Protestant Divines beyond the Seas Vide Ecclesiast Histori●● who are rather induced by necessity to the practise of Presbytery there wanting means to maintain or abilities lawfully to compass Episcopal Government them wills and desires to enjoy the same A strong Argument perswading that our Church is the best Reformed is also an apparent truth That in all disputes especially this latter Doctor Hall against 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11 SMECTYMNVVS Since the War of the reverend and learned Remonstrancer against that odd Combination of * Letters Episcopacy hath stood the field triumphing in Reason and Religion which have only perswaded my judgment to an inclination thereunto and an approbation thereof and I presume any one not obstinately prejudicate in their judgments will soon be satisfied thereof and agree with me herein by the perusal of that learned Bishops writings or by any whose learning and judgments are able to inform them therein But to write truth whether Episcopacy or Presbytery come nearest to the Word of God never was nor at present is the dispute between His Majesty and the two Houses but quis regnabit Where the supream power in Causes Ecclesiasticall and Civil shall practically remain for the future either in Prince or people Nor indeed was it the end that these Covenant-Contrivers did aim at Witness their second Article wherein before tryal and examination whereby truth or falshood is made evident they contrary to reason pass sentence of condemnation upon it therein positively swearing without respect of persons a strange expression whereas the King is the first moving wheel of a new Law to extirpate the Government it self that indeed being a Marble pillar which first must be removed by them before they can introduce their bloody-colour'd post of Presbytery endeavouring in that Article to ingage the common peoples Consciences though I shall by and by make good that no mans Conscience is thereby ingaged to assist them I mean the Plotters to attain that which they had a pre-resolution to effect si non Precibus tunc vi armisque Since that plainly appearing as I have already shewed However that my deceived Countrymen may see how they have been abused into a belief of enjoying I know not how much happiness under the term of Reformation in Church now generally re-baptized Presbytery I shall present to your veiw a short Paralel collected out of the writings of a pious learned and conscientious Divine of these two Governments Episcopal and Presbyterian Doctor Fearne For as for that illegitimate thing that new-born brat Independency it hath such variety of shapes and each of them also so monstrous that I shall not need to meddle with it at all being Confident that it will soon be hissed out of the Kingdom by a Universal Consent or like Jonah's gourd vanish away unthought of in a moment And here I cannot but insert my admiration to perceive so many men still so firmly in their affections and Judgments adhering to the present conclusive determinations of that changeable-coloured thing nay that word Parliament when as it is that which hath so much abused even these first affecting persons the City of London in general their mis-lead supporters Witness in particular the present continuing imprisonment of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and that strange and uncivil expulsion out of the Leiutenan cy of the Tower that deserving Gentleman Col. Francis West without the least pretended cause even in the very middest of his expressed courtesies and feasting favours cofenr'd upon their great Don and his followers although he formerly was chosen by the general Vote nay acclamation of the whole City approved of by themselves and indeed beloved by all Only to make way for that unfl●dg'd Titmouse of Manhood and Wit that Imp of Independency Tichbourn fitter by far mimically again in his Fathers Chamber to act a wanton girles part in a Commedy then to have so great a part of trust and commanding power as he now hath conferred upon him Oh Lord open the eyes of poor deceived England especially the City of London and suffer them no longer to walk in darkness and in the shadow of a senceless stupidity thus like blind men groping for the path of peace and truth even at noon day But I proceed to the Paralel of these Ecclesiastical Governments And in the first place take their definitions in general Episcopacy in it self considered is a prelacy or superiority of one above all the Presbyters within such a precinct or diocess which one is appointed to have care of all the Churches within that compass and furnished with Power and Authority for Ordination and Jurisdiction that Authority not being Arbitrary but bounded by Laws and administred or exercised with advice and assistance of cert●in choyce Presbyters to the intent that all Churches or Congregations under him may be provided of able Pastors and that both these inferior Pastors and people may perform the duties required of them Pressbytery is such a form of Church-Government Doctor Fearn in his book of Episcopacy Presbytery considered as