Selected quad for the lemma: power_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	church_n	order_n	presbyter_n	3,469	5	9.9598	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64412	Terms of accomodation, between those of the Episcopall, and their brethren of the Presbyterian perswasions supposed to be consistent with the declared principles of the most moderate of both parties, and humbly presented to the consideration of His Majesty, and both Houses of Parliament / by a countrey minister, a friend to Bath ...	Countrey minister.	1661 (1661)	Wing T756; ESTC R5	12,818	24

of his Majesties declaration concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs seeing it is demonstrable that wherein that modell varies from the former Vsages of Episcopacy in this Nation it comes nearer to the practice of Pure Antiquity For 1. That the antient Bishops were constant Preachers appears by their Homilies yet extant 2. That they had their Chorepiscopi which in his Majesties modell are Suffragan Bishops is evident by many Testimonies produced in this case and allowed by the highest Episcoparians 3. That they had a Colledge of Presbyters who joined with them in all acts of Ordination and Jurisdiction is clear by the mention of πρεσβυτέριον in the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 4.14 in the work of imposition of hands and the frequent conjunction of the Bishop and his πρεσβυτέριον in Ignatius the great Patron of Episcopacy in those clauses where he requires subjection from the people to Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of which many instances besides these might be produced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Ephes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Magnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Philad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Trall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Smyrn c. 4. That they delegated their power to any other persons to act in their names seems most improbable Nay there is a passage in Ignatius which not obscurely intimates that even in the necessary abscence of the Bishop his seat was void or supplyed which is most probable by none or the Presbyterie alone For he sends commendations to his Church in Smyrna when he was upon his Journey to Rome with this clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he had left them under the only Episcopal inspection of Jesus Christ Ign. ep ad Romanos 5. That if such delegation be supposed agreeable to the Primitive pattern yet to be sure there is not one footstep of a Lay-Chancellor or Commissary exercising Ecclesiastical jurisdiction in all Antiquity 6. That confirmation admission to and suspention from the Lords Supper Catechising and composing of Parochial differences are works in which the Pastors of particular Churches are most directly concerned and therefore are most rationally to be joyned with the Bishop and Presbyterie in all such acts as concern them may be concluded not repugnant to best Antiquity till the person that questions it shew sufficient evidence from it for a Contrary practice then we have yet seen 7. And Lastly that Bishops did not in the Primitive times act arbitrarily but according to rule the acknowleged antient Canons among the Patrons of Episcopacy at least whom we have now to do withall evidence All which are the substance of the plat-form laid by his Majesty and much consonant to the model contrived by his Royal Father whose knowledge in the nature of Primitive Episcopacy no man can doubt who hath read his learned discourses upon that subject and those approved by most Episcopal men then in being so that I account my assertion firm thus farr at least But 2. The Episcopal party may salvâ conscientiâ condescend in these farther particulars upon their own Principles 1. To the reformation of Deans Chapters and Cathedral dependants in this manner or the like as shall seem most adviseable to his Majesty and the Parliament 1. By annexing to every Cathedral dignity a Cure of souls in or near the Metropolis of the Diocess where the Cathedral is especially where the Legal maintenance of a Church is most inconsiderable and most of all where it is impropriate to the Cathedral use and this Cure to be discharged by the Dignitary in person except in case of necessary hinderance It being apparent that whatever footsteps of such a Collegiate Society of Deans and Chapters are to be found in Antiquity inform us that the original of them was from the convenient situation of the Neighbouring Pastors to the Episcopal seat to assist the Bishop upon all occasions without damage to their flocks when those that lived at remoter distance could not be called in as often as he needed them without inconvenience 2. By erecting a standing Presbytery consisting of such Ministers having Cure of Souls within or near the place of the Bishops residence at the choice of the generality of the Ministry of the Diocess the Dignitaries of the Cathedral not being included in the number except so chosen for the Constant asistance of the Bishop in ordinary acts of jurisdiction which require not or in such extraordinary as will not permit the delay requisite to the orderly summoning of remoter Presbyters There being no clear footstep in Antiquity for the constitution of a select society of Presbyters to assist the Bishop exclusively to the rest of their brethen who are barely entituled to that Dignity by being entituled to a revenue annexed to the Mother Church a relation which till about Constantines time at least had no being 3. By levelling all such priviledges and immunities as hinder the reformation of Cathedral dependants and rendring them obnoxious to the same inspection with the officers and members of Parochial Churches 4. By taking away pluralities of such Ecclesiastical dignities which hinder the Dignitaries from attending the Services which their original foundation had respect unto 5. By reducing the vast revenues of some Bishopricks to a more moderate proportion and assigning the surplussage of them as an addition to the maintenance of Suffragan Bishops and for the bearing of the incidental charges of such as are fain to attend the affairs of the Church upon occasionall calls far from their homes to Synods or other Church Conventions and other such uses It being apparent that till Cathedral Churches were built they could not be endowed or priviledged and by consequence that in the three last particulars to plead Primitive Antiquity against what is propounded involves a self-contradiction 2. They may also upon their own Principles condescend to a Law for the ratifying of Ordination in these late years conferred by Presbyters without exacting a Submission to re-ordination in those who Scruple it For 1. That the Bishops hands are necessary to Ordination See Cades Justification of the Church of England p. 311. otherwise then upon the account of Ecclesiastical constitution for orders sake will be hard to evidence from Scripture or pure Antiquity 2. That Ordaining of Presbyters by Presbyters by the Bishops licence as in the case of the antient Chorepiscopi and in the necessary absence or want of Bishops as Augustine and Ambrose testifie concerning the practice in Egypt and particularly at Alexandria hath been of great Antiquity in the Church and certainly if leave or absence of the Bishop render it lawful for Presbyters alone to ordain it will follow that there is a radical and fundamental power of Ordination in Presbyters for else a Bishops leave or absence might as well impower a meer Laick to give orders which was only restrained for Orders sake as was said before 3. That Arch. B. Bancroft and the rest of his Brethren who admitted the

TERMS OF ACCOMMODATION Between those of the EPISCOPALL And their Brethren of the PRESBYTERIAN PERSWASIONS Supposed to be Consistent with the Declared Principles of the most moderate of both Parties And humbly presented to the Consideration of his MAJESTY and both Houses of PARLIAMENT By a Countrey Minister a Friend to Both a Stickler for Neither but a Zealot for the Peace of the Church BEATI PACIFICI LONDON Printed for Joseph Nevil and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Plow in Saint Pauls Church-yard 1661. Terms of Accommodation BETWEEN Those of the Episcopal and their Brethren of the Presbyterian perswasions c. I. FIrst I take for granted these Postulata or suppositions following at least until they be upon rational evidence disproved by either Party which I lay as a foundation to my design 1. That all differences in the Church except such as strike at the vitals of Religion and the very being of the Church are with more agreeablenss to principles of Religion and right Reason and with more likelyhood of permanency and stability to be composed by accommodation then suppression of dissenting Parties 2. That in accommodation there must be a mutual condescention of the Parties accommodating upon such Conditions as may afford both a saving Bargain 3. That in Religious Differences such an accommodation cannot be made without a Salvo to the Conscientious Principles of both Parties neither of which can save when their Consciences lose 4. That in the Case in hand both the Episcoparians and Presbyterians differing in no fundamental before-mentioned are dissenters capable of being admitted to accommodation and seeing they do upon plausible grounds and such as in charity we are bound to believe do really influence their Consciences justifie their several pretensions ought to be accommodated with allowance to both their conscientious Principles 5. That to omit the several particular Tenets on both sides and their particular Pleas for them in general their respective Pleas may be thus stated 1 The Episcoparian pleads as his grand Principles swaying his Conscience 1 Not baulking Scripture the harmonious consent of Antiquity as the best Commentary upon the Records of Church affairs mentioned in Scripture 2 The Constitutions of this Church conformable to the Law of the Land 2 The Presbyterian pleads as the grand Principles swaying his Conscience 1 Not baulking Antiquity the Letter of the Scripture to which all Antiquity must be reduced and judged by it 2 The Solemn League and Covenant 6. That if what is here supposed rational to be yielded by the Episcoparian be neither contrary to the current of Antiquity or Scripture nor repugnant to the legal constitutions of this Church And what is expected from the Presbyterian be neither evidently contrary to the Scripture nor aliene from Antiquity nor repugnant to the Solemn League and Covenant all their pleas from principles of Conscience for keeping up their mutual distance are out of doors 7. That the plea of the Episcopal Party from the Constitutions of the Church is of such a nature as may especially where it is not in conjunction with the former the stream of Antiquity commenting upon Scripture be voided at their own pleasures the power of altering those Constitutions except where so backed as beforesaid being by Law in the hands of the present Governors of the Church that is themselves and so can oblige them no further then they will be obliged 8. That the Plea of the Presbyterian party from the Covenant obligeth them no farther in point of Conscience then it stands in conjunction with the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches and by consequence that they may salvâ Conscientiâ submit to any Terms of accommodation which are not repugnant to them 9. That in effect the limitations of the reformation engaged for in the Covenant to the word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches are coincident For how can it be judged what Church is better or worse reformed but by the word of God 10. That if the example of the best reformed Churches be insisted upon as a Distinct limitation yet it being not expressed in the Covenant what particular Churches the imposers of the Covenant judged most Reformed nor intimated what notion of Reformation it is from whence they insinuate some Churches to be more and some less Reformed whether that which relates barely to the separation from Rome or that which relates to the degrees of pretended improvement of one Protestant Church beyond another in point of reformation though they all stand equally distant from Rome it follows that it is at the choice of the Covenanters to modell their reformation according to which notion they please or rather that it is their duty to reform according to that which any Protestant Church hath attained to beyond the rest not espousing the whole frame and constitution of any particular Church in gross as their example but picking that which seems most agreeable to Scripture Antiquity and right Reason out of all 11. That supposing a reduction of Episcopacy to the Terms hereafter specified it doth actually cease to be that Prelacy which is abjured in the Covenant and in effect falls in with a Scriptural Presbyterie and by consequence relaxeth the Conscience of the Covenanter to a liberty of fair compliance with it 12. That however seeing the Covenant limits the endeavours of the Covenanter in this aswell as other particulars to his place and calling and reserves the rights of Supream Authority in King and Parliament which must be understood with reference to matters Ecclesiastical as well as Civil no private person or persons can be obliged to reform against the will of that Authority without an apparent exceeding the duty of their places and Callings and by consequence that it is the duty of every Covenanter to endeavour by humble applications to his Majesty and the Parliament to procure the best Terms that he can for the reformation of the Church and when he hath done his utmost that way he is superseded in that obligation by a moral impossibility being not in a capacity lawfully to act any further except it be thought further incumbent upon him to make a positive or at least negative separation from the Church because not constituted as he desires which principle how far it comes under the condemnation of Schism abjured in the same Article as deeply as Prelacy will admit a serious Question and in the decision of it must needs touch close upon the state of the Question between the Papists on the one and the Brownists on the other side and us concerning the justifiableness of the English Church in its constitution before these times and so cannot safely be moved by any true Protestant II. Secondly upon these Postulata if granted I assert 1. 1. Assertions relating to th● Episcopal Party That the Episcoparian party may with safety of Conscience consent to the Reduction of Episcopacy to the Modell