Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	ceremony_n	church_n	rite_n	2,845	5	10.3412	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47283	Ichabod: or, Five groans of the church: Prudently foreseeing, and passionately bewailing her second fall: Threatened by these five dangerous, though undiscerned, miscarriages that caused her first: Viz. [bracket] 1. Undue ordination, 2. Loose prophaness, 3. Unconscionable symony, 4. Careless non-residence, 5. Encroaching pluralities. Humbly presented to her supreme head and governour, the kings most excellent majesty, and his great council, the Parliament of England.; Ichabod.	Ken, Thomas, 1637-1711.	1663 (1663)	Wing K264A; ESTC R22531	49,473	66

Noblenesse of St. Basil and those who come neer●st the Apostolical pattern and resemble the most of any Christians or Ministers the Grace and Glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. I●en●eavour that my Bish●ps may be among Christians the most faithful among Men the most civil among Preachers the most painful among Orato● the most perswasive among Governours the most moderate among pious Men the most ●ervent among Professors the most forward among Severe Men the most exact among Sufferers the most p●tient among Perseverants the most constant the most compleat every way and perfect unto every good w●rk These I take care should be duely chosen should be esteemed with honour and reverenced with love My Rule to them is That they should over-rule with vigilance should rule with joynt counsel neither levelled with younger Preachers and Novices nor exalted too much above the Grave and Elder I allow these men an honourable competencie with eminencie wherewith they may exercise a large heart and liberal hand which may conciliare a general respect and deserve the common love My dir●ction to them is that their vertue and piety may preserve the Authority of their places and this in the order peace and digni●y of the Church that they may be the Tou●hst●ne of Truth the Loadstone of Love the Standard of Faith the Pattern of Holinesse the Pillars of Stability and the Centres of Vnity such as the Erroneous may hate the Factious envy good men may love and bad men may fear 2. Can ye blame my Doctrine approved by the Ref●rmed and agreeable with the Primitive Church a doctrine according to godliness teaching●a●l men that denying all ungodli●●ss and worldly ●ust they should live righteously soberly and godly in this present world 3. Doe you find fault with my Devotion in the Publick worship of God by Confession prayers praises Psalms and other holy Oblations of a Rational and Evangelical service offered up to our God by the joint piety of all my children the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Communi Oratio where nothing is expressed as my mind which I thought not agreeable with the mind of Gods spirit in the Scripture nor do I know any part of it to which a judicious Christian might not in Faith s●y Amen taking the expressions of it in that pious and benign sense which the Church intended and the words may well bear Indeed the whole composure of my Li●urgy is in my judgement so wholesome so holy so compleat so discreet so devout so useful so savoury so well-advised that I find nothing in the eighteen Li●urgies composed in the Eastern and Western Church that is excellent but is in this of mine and many things which are less clear or necessary in them are better expressed or wisely omitted here the whole being so ordered as might best inform all peoples understandings stir up their affections and quicken their devotions in a wholesome form of sound words such as Moses David the Prophets and the Lord Jesus left behind them solemnly recorded in the Scriptures So that according to the primitive care I first laid down Scripture grounds in the Creeds and Confessions and then I enlarged and fixed my Lyturgies and devotions as near as I could to the majesty 〈◊〉 and exactness unanimity and fulness of publick prayers upon all holy publick occasions so plainly that the devout soul knows well what it should desire of God and so affectionately that it earnestly desires in it what it knoweth God alloweth and so uniformly that it peaceably goeth along with the Congregation with one mind and one heart in the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace 4. Is it the Rites and Ceremonies I impose that displease you Alas I find the God of Heaven which we worship in England enjoyning more Ceremonies on his own people and forbidding no holy custome to any Christians in order to advance the decency and order of his service or Christ●stians mutual edification and joint devotion under the Gospel Our blessed Saviour hath by his spirt guiding the pens and practises of the Apostles sufficiently manifested the power and liberty given the Church and the Governours of it for the choice and use of such decent customes Rites and Ceremonies not as divine institutions upon the consciences but as humane injunctions upon the practises as agree with godly manners and the truth of the Gospel and may best serve for order de●ency peace solemnity and mutual edification of Christians agreed upon by publick consents in which every ones vote is personally or vertually included It 's true as the Lyturgy so the Ceremonies have something of Rome in them for to deal plainly I did freely and justly assert to my own use and Gods glory whatever upon due tryal I found to have the stamp of Gods truth and grace or the Churches wisdome and charity upon it I would not refuse any good I found amongst them because i● was mixed with some evil but trying all things I held fast that which was good beingintent upon the great ends of p●ety devotion and charity It 's true I enjoyn my people an inward worship of soul in sp●ri● and in truth before God but withal I enjoyn outward worship of the body which is but a reasonable service to God 〈…〉 the body exemplary and significan● before men in such habits an● gestures as ma● 〈◊〉 co●●uce by the advice of the whole Church for the private spirit of the prophets in th●●● things ought to be subject to the p●blick spirit of the Pr●●hets to reverence devotion and e●i●i●ation in knowing ●umble meek and q●iet spirits righ●●y discerning the innocent nature of such things not prohibited and so indifferent and the Christian liberty allowed to them to use those things indifferent when commanded and to la● them a side when not commanded However let the many Obligations to unity by the true Faith you jointl● professe give you more satisfaction then the occasions of dividing the Ceremonies in which you differ give you offence so that you may not upon so small occasions in such small m●tters sacrifice to your private passion and perswasion the publick peace and prosperity of the Church esp●cially since I never heard of any sober Christian or truely godly Minister who being in other things prudent unblameable and sincere did ever suffer any check of conscience meerly upon the account of having been conformable to and keeping communion with me nor did they ever complaine of Ce●emoni● Lyturgy and Episcopacy as any damps to their real graces or to their holy communion with Gods blessed Spirit but admired them as the united influence the joynt consent the combined devotion of all good Christians in this Nation who publickly agreed with one mind and in one manner to serve the Lord in a way allowed by the most pious of Princes practised by the best Nobility owned by the wisest Gentry maintained by the most learned Clergy and embraced by the

ICHABOD OR FIVE Groans of the CHURCH Prudently Foreseeing and passionately Bewailing Her Second Fall Threatned by these five dangerous though undiscerned miscarriages that caused her First Viz. 1. Undue ORDINATION 2. Loose PROPHANESS 3. Unconscionable SYMONY 4. Careless NON-RESIDENCE 5. Encroaching PLVRALITIES Humbly presented to her supreme Head and Governour The Kings most excellent MAIESTY and His great Council the PARLIAMENT of ENGLAND The Church of England Be watchful and strengthen the things that remain and are ready to die Rev. 3. 2. Cambridge Printed for I. Greaves 1663. ICHABOD OR The Five Groans of the Church CHAP. 1. O All you that pass by me stand and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow if it hath been done to any Reformed or Protestant Church under Heaven as it is done unto me O now my wounds were ready to be closed my Ruines to be repaired my Desolations and Wastes to be finished when the Barbarous was checked the Licentious was restrained the usurpers were removed the professed Enemies of different Interests and Religion which persecuted me were subdued and I ready to settle upon the Eternal Foundations of sound Doctrine of Primitive Government of an holy and pure Worship of a decent and comely order to the amazement of the World to the honour of Religion to the glory of God to the peace of the whole Earth and for good will among men behold my children are discontent my Government is complained of my Ordinances are neglected my Ministers are despised my peace is disturbed and my safety endangered Hear O Heavens and give ear O Earth What could I have done that I have not done Have I not taught the truth of God sincerely giving Milk to babes and stronger meat to them that were able to bear it and the Oracles of God to all in a Language they best understood Have I concealed any part of Gods sacred Counsell from you Have I not set forth with all plainness and freedome the blessed fulness and excellencies of my Lord Jesus Christ in such a manner and measure as I received from the Word and Spirit Have I not administ●ed all the Ordinances of God faithfully Have I not enjoyned and taught all vertue and all grace carefull reconmending to my Children whatsoever things are good whatsoever things are true ●hatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are l●vely whatsoever things are of good report every holy Du●y every necessary Rule and every immitable Example with all the Advantages of sound Knowledge powerfull ●reaching which at once was able to inform the weak to reclaim the most erroneous to reform the most debauched to satissie the most curious and to silence the most refractory Have I not prepared with much study and industry with many prayers and tears with long education and di●igent care Reverend Bishops Orderly Presbyters able Ministers workmen that need not be ashamed duly ordained and called after an uninterrupted and Catholick succession through all Ages agreeable to that original institution which was from Jesus Christ the great High Priest the true Prophet the soveraign King of the Church the chief preacher of righteousnesse and Bishop of our souls Have I not I say taken an holy care of a succession of Ministers about holy things who might divide the Word aright by solid preaching mi●ht wait upon God solemnly by a devout and discreet Praying might convince Gain-sayers by acute Disputing might instruct the world by exact Writing might maintain peace and order by wise Governing might reform the world by holy living Hath it not been my care and endeavour to keep up the soundness power and life of Christian Religion Have not I laboured that my good people might every where have what is necessary and wholesome for their souls good in devout Prayers in holy Sacraments in powerful Sermons whereby I desired God knoweth to preserve wholesome and saving truth to promote true holiness to set up an holy decency to maintaine the wholesome form and power of godliness in truth peace order and unity Have not I held forth an holy Light Rule and Life in the plain parts of Scripture every where read in the Articles every where acknowledged in the Creeds and Catichism every year explained in the Liturgy constantly used whereby poor souls had a plain easie and sure way to Heaven through an un●eigned Faith sincere Repentance a Catholick Charity a devout humility a good conscience and an holy obedience to God and man according to the will of God unto all well pleasing Doe not I take care to instruct the ignorant diligentl● to comfort the weak hearted tenderly to raise up them that fall compassionately to visit those that are sick charitably to relieve those that want mercifully to bury my dead that sleep in Jesus solemnly to punish those that doe amisse severely to restore them that have gone astray pitifully to instruct them that oppose themselves meekly to frame a way of Peace Order and Communion in which Brethren might happily dwell together in unity prudently rationally and discreetly O what failings of mine then have occasioned these impatient murmers which I hear What faults of mine have raised those bitter reproaches which I bear What enormities of mine have provoked those imminent dangers which I fear O why is it that ye who own my Saviour who have submitted to my Doctrine as your Rule who have par●aked of my Sacrament as your refreshment and comfort O why is it that ye hate and dispise me that ye strip and wound me that ye tear and mangle me that ye impoverish and debase me that ye make me a scorn an abomination an hissing and astonishment to all that see me a derision and a mocking to my enemies round about me Alas all men of weight and worth for parts and piety for judgement and ingenuity for conscience and integrity for grace learning and renown know my innocency thus far that as to the foundation of Faith and Rule of holiness I have only adheared to Gods blessed Word as for the Circumstances and Ce●emonies of Religion I use in them prudently and charitably that liberty and power which I suppose is allowed here for peace order and decency by that blessed God who is not the Author of Confusion but of peace as in all the Churches of the Saints If we may believe the integrity of those Reformers that setled this Church whose learning worth and piety hath been confirmed by the testimony of so many wise and religious Princes by the approbation of so many learned and reverend Convocations by the applauses of so many other reformed Churches if we may believe the preaching living and dying of so many hundred excellent Bishops and Ministers or the Prayers and proficiencies of so many thousand of godly Christians or if we may believe the wonderfull blessings and special graces of a mercifull God attesting the verity integrity and sanctity of my Christian