Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	authority_n	book_n	canonical_a	4,448	5	10.7889	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A10958	The faith, doctrine, and religion, professed, & protected in the realme of England, and dominions of the same expressed in 39 articles, concordablie agreed vpon by the reuerend bishops, and clergie of this kingdome, at two seuerall meetings, or conuocations of theirs, in the yeares of our Lord, 1562, and 1604: the said articles analised into propositions, and the propositions prooued to be agreeable both to the written word of God, and to the extant confessions of all the neighbour churches, Christianlie reformed: the aduersaries also of note, and name, which from the apostles daies, and primitiue Church hetherto, haue crossed, or contradicted the said articles in generall, or any particle, or proposition arising from anie of them in particular, heereby are discouered, laid open, and so confuted. Perused, and by the lawfull authoritie of the Church of England, allowed to be publique.	Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.; Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616. English creede.	1607 (1607)	STC 21228; ESTC S116041	208,079	284

same doe all reformed Churches beleeue and confesse The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth The premises doe make Against the Tretheites which affirme the holy Ghost to be inferior vnto the Father Against the Arrians who said the holy Ghost was inferior to the Sonne Against the Macedonian heretikes who held the holy Ghost to be but a minister and seruant of the Father and the Sonne yet of more excellent maiestie and dignitie then the Angels Against many erroneous spirits which deliuer the holy Ghost to be nothing els but The motion of God in his creatures as did the Samosatenians A bare power and efficacie of God working by a secret inspiration as the Turkes and certaine English Sadduces doe imagine The Inheritance allotted to the faithfull and the beeing or vertuous estate of Christ as dreameth H.N. The affection of charitie or Loue within vs an error of Petrus Lombardus Gods loue fauour and vertue whereby he worketh in his children so thought Ochinus and Seruetus 3. Proposition The holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The proofe from Gods word The proceeding of the holy Ghost from the Father and the Sonne we gather from the holy scripture which teacheth how The Father sendeth the comforter which is the holy Ghost in the name of the Sonne and the sonne sendeth the comforter the spirit of truth from the Father he proceedeth of the Father and is sent of the Sonne So with vs say the auncient Fathers and Christians He proceedeth from the Father and the Sonne The holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Sonne neither made nor created but proceeding So there is one Father not three Fathers one sonne not three sonnes one holy Ghost not three holy Ghostes which is the faith of the moderne christians Errors and aduersaries vnto this truth This discouereth all them to be impious and to erre from the way of truth which hold and affirme That the holy Ghost proceedeth neither from the Father nor the Sonne but is one and the same person that Christ is as the Arrians doe That the holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father but not from the sonne as at this day the Graecians the Russians the Moscouites maintaine That there is a double proceeding of the holy Ghost one temporall the other eternall an error of Peter Lombard vncontrolled hitherto and therefore well liked of the Papists 6. Article Of the sufficiencie of the holy Scripture for saluation Holy Scripture 1 containeth all things necessarie for saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be prooued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of the Faith or be thought requisite necessary to saluation 2 In the name of the holy Scripture we doe vnderstand those Canonicall bookes of the old and newe testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church Of the names and number of the Canonicall bookes Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomium Iosue Iudges Ruth The 1. Booke of Samuel The 2. Booke of Samuel The 1. Booke of Kings The 2. Booke of Kings The 1. Booke of Chronicles The 2. Booke of Chronicles The 1. Booke of Esdras The 2. Booke of Esdras The Booke of Esther The Booke of Iob. The Psalmes The Proverbs Eccles. or the Preacher Canticles or song of Salomon 4. Prophets the greater 12Prophets the lesse 3 And the other bookes as Hierome saith the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners but yet doth it not applie them to stablish any doctrine Such are these following The 3. Booke of Esdras The 4. Booke of Esdras The Booke of Tobias The Booke of Iudith The rest of the Booke of Hester The Booke of wisedome Iesus the sonne of Sirach Baruch the Prophet Song of the 3. children The story of Susanna Of Bel and the Dragon The praier of Manasses The 1. Booke of Macchabes The 2. Booke of Macchabes 4 All the bookes of the newe Testament as they are commonly receiued we doe receiue and accompt them for Canonicall The propositions 1. The sacred Scripture conteineth all things necessarie to be knowen and beleeued for the saluation of man 2. All the bookes in the volume of the Bible are not Canonicall but some and namely those here specified are 3. The 3. 4. bookes of Esdras the booke of Tobias c. are apocryphal 4. Of the newe Testament all the bookes are Canonicall 1. Proposition The sacred Scripture containeth all things necessary to be knowne and beleeued for the saluation of man The proofe from Gods word THe holy Scriptures to be sufficient to instruct vs in all things necessary to be knowen and beleeued for mans saluation the word of God teacheth Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I command you saith the Lord neither shall yee take ought therefrom Whatsoeuer I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought therfrom Thou shalt not turne away from it to the right hand nor to the left that thou maist prosper whither soeuer thou goest Euery word of God is pure c. Put nothing vnto his words least he reprooue thee and thou be found a liar These things are written that ye might beleeue c. and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto all good workes If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall diminish of the wordes of this booke God shall take away his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy cittie and from those things which are written in this booke Hereunto Gods people both alwaies haue and at this present doe subscribe The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Therefore adversaries be wee to all adversaries to this truth especially To such as scorne and contemptuously reiect the booke of God as both did the Circumcellians which defaced and burnt the holy Scriptures and Pope Leo the tenth who tearmed the holy Gospel A fable of Christ and doe the prophane Atheists Also to such as debase the credite and estimation of the holy Scriptures as Dauid George did and both doe the papists who haue an opinion that the scriptures of God are not sufficient to instruct mankinde vnto saluation and the Anabaptists which deeme not the holy Bible to be the word of God with the Familie of Loue in whose bookes nothing is more frequent then the tearming of Gods reverend ministers and preachers Scripture learned Also to them which with Gods word doe equall their owne doctrines

that the church of Rome neither hath nor can erre Erraverunt aliae ecclesiae saith Di. Stella other churches as of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. haue erred sed nunquam ecclesia Romana but the church of Rome neuer yet erred Id constanter negamus saith Costerus the Iesuit we constantly deny that christ his Vicars Peters successors the Bishops of Rome haue either taught heresies or can propound errors God preserueth the truth of christian religion in the Apostolike sea of Rome and It is not possible that the church meaning the church of Rome can erre or hath erred at any time in any point say the Rhemists 20. Article Of the authoritie of the Church 1 The Church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies 2 and authoritie in controuersies of faith And yet it is not lawfull for the Church 3 to ordaine any thing that is contrarie to Gods word 4 neither may it so expound one place of Scripture 5 that it be repugnant to another VVherefore although 6 the Church be a witnesse and a keeper of holy writ yet as it ought not to decree any thing against the same so 7 besides the same ought it not to enforce any thing to be beleeued for necessitie of saluation The propositions 1. The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies 2. The church may not ordaine what rites or ceremonies shee will 3. The church hath authoritie to iudge and determine in controuersies of faith 4. The church hath power to interpret and expound the word of God 5. The Analogie of faith must be respected in the exposition of the Scripture 6. The church is the witnesse and keeper of Gods written word 7. The church may not enforce any thing to be beleeued as necessarie vnto saluation that is either contrarie or besides the word of God 1. Proposition The church hath power to decree rites or ceremonies The proofe from the word of God THe churches authoritie to decree rites or ceremonies is warranted in the word of God first by the example of the Apostles who did ordaine rites and ceremonies among other things that In the church men should not be couered Women should keepe silence and be couered A knowen tongue vnderstood of the common auditorie should be vsed with other things Next by the generall and binding commandement of God himselfe who at all times will haue euery thing in the church to be done vnto edifying honestie and by order as beeing not the author of confusion but of peace All churches protestant confesse the same Errors adversaries vnto this truth This power being giuen by the Supreame authoritie vnto the Church they doe greatly offend which doe condemne either generally all or particularly some rites and ceremonies orderly and lawfully established of the former sort are 1. The Familie of Loue who say of themselues how they are a free people in bondage vnto no creature nor to any created thing they haue no seuerall distenting or variable religions either ceremonies 2. The Brownists who teach that euery Christian is to ioyn himselfe vnto that people among whome the Lords worship is free and not bound or withholden with any iurisdiction of this world 3. The Puritanes whereof some would haue all matters of ceremonies to be left in christian libertie vnto euery man Others would haue both temples to be left without seruice Sermons and Sacraments and Princes to be scared with the feare of vproares and sedition and all because they would be freed from the obedience vnto ceremonies not impious of themseluees imposed by the Church the Father of these men was Illyricus of whome Melancton writeth Of the latter kinde be 1. The Familie of Loue againe who vtterly dislike our Churches or Temples also our Liturgies formes of seruing our God and finally our designed times of meeting together for the worshippe of God Our Churches there blasphemously tearme Common houses and so we tearme Brothell houses or the stewes Our Lyturgies and manner of seruing of God they call Foolishnes of taken on seruices false and seducing Gods seruices of no man to be ordained nor to be obeied or vsed when they are established with these ioyne the Barrowists who doe write that to haue Leiturgies and formes of common praier is to haue another Gospell and another Testament Our Sabboths they contemne yea they condemne for they say There ought to be no Sabboth day Our Sabbatarians goe not so farre yet come they neere unto these Familists when they divulge that The Church hath no authoritie ordinarily and perpetually to sanctifie any day but the seuenth day which the Lord himselfe had sanctified The church cannot take away this libertie of working sixe daies in the weeke These assertions are against all holy daies lawfully established Barrow yet goeth further then doe these men for he saith how the obseruing of times as it is in our church is an error fundamentall They also be alike culpable who approouing some rites and ceremonies do yet tie the church or people of God to the obseruation of the ceremonies either Mosaicall as many haue donne and doe or of the Romish Church as doe the Papists and the halfe papists the Familie of Loue Finally they are out of the way which thinke that either one man as the Pope or any certaine calling of men as the clergie hath power to decree and appoint rites or ceremonies though of themselues good vnto the whole church of God dipersed ouer the vniuersall world 2. Proposition The Church may not ordaine what rites and ceremonies shee will The proofe from Gods word As it is a cleere truth that the church may ordaine ceremonies so true is it also that the church hath no power to appoint what rites or ceremonies shee will For shee must decree none which be Either for their owe nature impious like the ordinances manners and Idols of our forefathers teachers of vanitie and of lies Or for vse superstitious like the brazen Serpent which king Ezekiah brake in peices Or for their weight ouer heauie and greiuous to be borne like the Iewish constitutions Or for their worthines in the eies of the ordainers either of equall price or of more account then the very ordinances of God so as for the performance of them the lawes of God must be left vndone such were many of the Pharisaicall tires and traditions Or against the libertie of christians and to the entangling of them againe with the yoake of seruile bondage Or last of all any way contrary to the commandements word and will of God But the rites ceremonies and constitutions of the church they must make altogether and tend both to the nourishing and encrease of loue friedship and quietnes among christians and also to the retaining of Gods people in the holy seruice worship

and feare of God according to the rule of the Apostle afore mentioned let all things be done honestly by order All churches reformed consent hereunto Errors and Adversaries vnto this truth The premises beeing as they are most true most false then is it which the Papists doe publish viz. that The church hath power to change the Sacraments ordained euen by Christ himselfe Whatsoeuer the Apostles and Rulers of the Church command is to be kept and obeyed The authoritie of the of the Church is greater then of the Sacred Scripture 3. Proposition The Church hath authoritie to iudge and determine in controuersies of faith The proofe from Gods word Authoritie is giuen to the Church and to euery member of sound iudgement in the same to iudge in controuersies of faith and so in their places to embrance the truth and to auoid and improoue Antichristianitie and errors and this is not the priuate opinion of our Church but both the straight commandement of God himselfe particularly vnto all Teachers and hearers of Gods word and generally vnto the whole Church and also the iudgement of our godly brethren in forraigne countries The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Vnsound therefore in iudgement are the Papists For first they maintaine That the Pope of Rome hath the power to iudge all men and matter but may be iudged of no man to decree without controlment against the epistles of S. Paul to dispense euen against the new Testament and to giue the sense and meaning of the holy Scripture to which sense or Interpration of his all and euery man without contradiction must yeeld and obey Next they publish hold that the power to iudge of religiō points of doctrine is either in Bishops onely as some of thē doe thinke or in their Clergie onely as other deeme and in the Church of Rome onely as all of them suppose 4. Proposition The Church hath power to interpret and expound the word of God The proofe from Gods word To interpret the word of God is a peculiar blessing giuen by God onely to the Church and companie of the faithfull though not to all and euery of them For No man knoweth the Sonne but the Father neither knoweth any man the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him It is giuen to you to know the secrets of heauen saith our Sauiour vnto his disciples but to them it is not giuen The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery man to profit withall For to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome c. and to another Prophecie If any thing be reuealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace saith S. Paul vnto the Church at Corinth Yee haue an ointment from him that is holy and yee haue knowen all things c. yee neede not that any man teach you saith the Apostle Iohn Hereunto subscribe the Churches in Heluetia Wittemberg Boheme The errors and Adversaries vnto this truth Many sundry are the adversaries vnto this truth wherof Some thinke that to expound the word of God is so easie a matter as any Student endued with a good naturall wit by diligence and industrie of his owne may doe the same Some teach how to interpret the Scriptures is too hard a thing for any mortall man to attaine vnto so did Iohannes de Wessalia and doe many Anabaptists Some though they acknowledge that diuers haue the gift to open the sense of Gods word yet that some say they are not the knowen Preachers writers in the reformed and Christian assemblies whom the Familie of Loue in scorne doe tearme the scipture learned For saith the said Familie It is meere lies and vntruth c. whatsoeuer the Scripture learned through their knowledge out of the Scriptures institute preach and teach They preach the letre c. but not the wotd of liuing God but themselues onely haue that gift neither euery one of the Familie but the illuminate Elders For to them it is giuen to knowe the truth they are the Elders of the godly vnderstanding and of the manly wisedome the Primats or principalls in the Light Some doe suppose that to interpret the holy Scriptures is not so much a speciall gift of God vpon some chosen persons as an ordinary power annexed to the state and calling of Popes Bishops and Clergie men Others be so farre from giuing the people of God not being of the Clergie power to expound as they will not suffer them to read nor so much as to haue the Scriptures by them in a vulgar tongue except it be their owne most corrupt and barbarous translation which but of late yeares neither and that in part too is granted by the Papists but in place thereof they thrust vpon the Laitie their most idolatrous and blasphemous Fustinals Legendes Rosaries Horaries and Psalteries of our Lady as falsly they called her 5. Proposition The analogie of faith must be respected in their exposition of the Scripture The proofe from Gods word Forasmuch as no prophecie is of any priuate motion and whatsoeuer interpretation man giueth if it agree not to the analogie of faith which S. Paul gaue in commandement to be obserued is a priuate interpretation speciall heede is to be had that one place of Scripture be so expounded as it agree with another and al to the proportion of faith The Churches reformed approoue this assertiō by their subscriptions Errors Adversaries to this truth Of another iudgement are many For Some doe thinke the Scriptures may be expounded in what sense and to what purpose men list as the Pharisies the Seuerians and Papists among whome there be which from this opinion doe tearme the most holy word Scriptures of God most reprochfully A shipmans hoase a Leaden rule a Nose of waxe Some doe mislike all interpretations and written Commentaries vpon the Scriptures as vnnecessary and vaine such were Seruetus Valdesius Coranus with others of late yeares and are the Libertines Scwenkfeldians and Familie of Loue Some depend wholly vpon visions revelations as did the Enthusiasts Nicholaus Storch Thomas Monetarius the Anabaptists and our late English reformer Hacket Some dislike of the literall and preferre the Allegoricall sense of the Scriptures and thereby deuise what them list most monstrously from the word of God as did the Originists and doe the Libertines and Familie of Loue hence teaching on the other that the spirituall vnderstanding is the worde of God and that to embrace the literall sense is to commit Idolatrie Some of euery place of Scripture will haue an exposition both Analogicall Allegoricall historicall and morall as the curious Thomists and Monckes Some are addicted to an interpretation which they cal

that the king of Spain and their Catholike faith are so linked together as it is become a point of necessitie in the Catholike faith to put all Europe into the handes of the said King otherwise the Catholike religion will be vtterly extingvished and perish Others of them haue published a new Gospell called Euangelium aeternum Spiritus sancti which they say doth so farre excell the Gospell of Christ as the Cernell surpasseth the shell the Sunne the Moone light darkenes The author whereof was one Cyrellus a Carmelite And lastly the Puritanes and all the speculations of Brown Barrow Greene Penrie Marprelate T.C.E.G.R.H. A.C. I.B. with the newe Sabbatarians and their fancies 21. Article Of the authoritie of generall Councells Generall Councells 1 may not be gathered together without the commandement and will of Princes And 2 when they be gathered together forasmunch as they be an assemblie of men whereof all be not gouerned with the Spirit and word of God they may erre and 3 sometimes haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God wherfore 4 things ordained by them as necessarie vnto saluation haue neither strength nor authority vnlesse it may be declared that they be taken out of holy Scriptures The propositions 1. Generall Councells may not be gathered together but by the commandement and will of Princes 2. Generall Councells may erre 3. Generall Councells haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God 4. The things ordained by generall Councells are so farre to be embraced and beleeued as they are consonant to Gods holy word 1. Proposition Generall Councells may not be gathered together but by the commandement and will of Princes The proofe from Gods word GReat is the power and authoritie of Kings and Princes by the word of God For as the defense of Religion is committed vnto them so must they see that all men doe their duties That these things the better may be performed they are as iust occasion is offered not as men vnder the power of others to Simon but as Supreame gouernours within their own terretories and dominions to command all sorts of men to meete together and that either to the implanting of the truth where it is not or to the suppressing of sinne errors idolatrie and superstition where or in whomsoeuer it doth arise or is rooted Such Councells were holden both in the time of the Moisaicall gouernement by the commandement of the most godly Kings Dauid Salomon Asa Ezekiah and Iosiah and since the Gospell hath bin receiued into kingdomes and Commonweales by Christian Princes kings and Emperours who gathered Councells both Generall as the Nicene was by Constantine the great the Councell of Constantinople by Theodosius the elder the Counsell of Ephesus by Theodosius the younger the councell of Calcedon by Marcian Nationall and Prouinciall so the Counsell at Frankford Rhemes Taron Arelot and Moguntia by the will and commandement of Charles the great at Matison by Gunthranus at Paris and Orleance by the direction and appointment of Childebert were kept and holden And neuer yet hath there bin a councell either Generall or nationall or whatsoeuer I only except the councells held by the Apostles and Apostolicall men in a troublesome state and time of the Church there beeing then no Christian Princes Emperours to countenance the truth either begun or ended to the glorie of God but it hath bin I say not called onely but confirmed also by some godly Emperour King or Queene This in effect is granted by all reformed Churches The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth This assertion hath bin oppugned and that diuersly both by the Papists and Puritanes For the Papists they say Emperours and kings be the Pope his Summoners but of themselues are no absolute and powerfull commanders and callers of Councels There ought no councel to be kept without the determinate consent of the Bishop of Rome No councell euer yet had firme and lawful authority which was not confirmed by the Bishop of Rome The Popes of Rome and not Christian Princes haue the authoritie and power of making lawes ecclesiasticall and of calling Councells And the Puritanes do thinke that priuate persons without the leaue or priuitie of Princes may summon assemblies about Church causes at their pleasures and consult about the publike affaires of the Church Of this minde was Beza and be the disciplinarians both of South and North Brittaine Others aduersaries to both Puritanes and Papists are of minde that were the Pope a good man as he is nothing lesse he might and hee being wicked other good Bishops though subiect vnto Kings and Emperours may summon Counsells at their discretions An error of Seluererus The Muscouites haue a fancie that since the seuenth generall Counsell that was neither Prince nor Pope nor any other men els haue power to call a generall counsell 2. Proposition Generall coucells may erre The proofe from Gods word Generall Councells consisting first of men who may erre nothing more easily for all the imaginations of mans heart are onely euill continually euen from his youth but God onely is true and all men are yea and euery man is a Liar Next of men differing in yeares riches learning iudgement calling and authoritie whereby distractions of opinions often doe arise Thirdly of many mē wherof the wicked be for nūber commonly the maior part and the better in outward countenance of the world Lastly of men not al nor alwaies either gouerned with Gods holy Spirit and word or gathered together in the Name of Christ none of sounde iudgement in Religion do doubt but they may erre If Paphmitius had bin absent at Nice that Councell had erred If Hierome had bine away at Calcedon that Councell had erred At any time if some be beleeued be the Pope of Rome not present at such meetings either per se or per Legatum by himselfe or his Legate no Councell but must erre Therefore Councells may erre That which one Counsell doth establish another will disanull They will not wee must thinke reuoke that which is well decreed Therefore councells may erre The adversaries vnto this truth Therefore erre doe the papists which say that the holy Spirit is the director of all Councells and That councells cannot erre 3. Proposition Generall Councells haue erred euen in things pertaining vnto God The proofe from Gods word Councells both generall and particular haue erred and that in matters of Faith For in the holy Scriptures wee finde that it was ordained If any man did confesse that Iesus was the Christ hee should be excommunicate which could not be but by a Councell A councell was gathered to suppresse Christ and his doctrine A councell consulted how they might take Iesus by subtilty and kill him A councell sought for false witnesse to put him to death By a counsell

time of Edward the sixt and therefore wee iudge them to be read in Churches by the ministers diligently and distinctly that they may bee vnderstood of the people Of the names of the Homilies 1. Of the right vse of the Church 2. against perill of Idolatrie 3. Of the repairing and keeping cleane of Churches 4. Of good workes first of Fasting 5. Against Gluttonie and drunkenes 6. Against excesse of apparell 7. Of prayer 8. Of the place and time of prayer 9. That common prayers and Sacraments ought to bee ministred in a known tongue 10. Of the reuerend estimation of Gods word 11. Of Almes doing 12. Of the Natiuitie of Christ. 13. Of the Passion of Christ. 14. Of the Resurrection of Christ. 15. Of the worthy receiuing of the Sacrament of the Bodie and Blood of Christ. 16. Of the gifts of the holy Ghost 17. For the Rogation daies 18. Of the state of Matrimonie 19. Of Repentance 20. Against Idlenesse 21. Against Rebellion Touching this Article the greatest matter is not whether these Homilies meant and mentioned doe containe doctrine both godly wholesome and necessarie but whether Homilies or any Apocrypha wrightings at all may be read in the open Church and before the congregation which I thinke they may and prooue thus Great is the excellencie great also the vtility of Gods word preached Therefore saith S. Paul None can beleeue without a preacher and Woe is mee if I preach not the Gospell Howbeit the manner of preaching is not alwaies one the same For the Apostles were to teach as well by the penne as by the liuely voice Paul did preach the Gospell by writing wee owe in a manner more to the bonds of Paul for his bookes than to his libertie for preaching Calvins writings will edifie all men continually in the time to come Protestants bookes are witnesses of sound doctrine and sincere Christianitie For my part I cannot but magnifie the goodnes of God for all good meanes to bring vs vnto Faith and so vnto saluation but especially for the written labours of holy and learned men whose doings in all ages not onely haue bin approoued but also vsed and read many of them in the most sacred assemblies So In the primitiue church was publikely read the Epistle of the Laodicians in the Church of the Colossians the Epistle of Clemens vnto the Corinthians Hermes his pastor and the Homilies of the Fathers In the reformed Churches in Flanders and France read are M. Calvins sermons vpon Iob and in the Italian French Dutch and Scottish churches the said Calvin his Catechisme is both read and expounded publikely and that before the whole Congregation The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth Deceiued then and out of the way of truth are they which of Preaching by the mouth conceiue either too basely or too highly too basely as doe the anabaptists and Familie of Loue they affirming there ought to be no preaching at all and that Preachers are not sent of God neither doe preach Gods word but the dead letter of the Scripture these with the said Anabaptists tearming them letter Doctors preaching the letter and imagination of their owne knowledge but not the word of the liuing God Too highly as doe the Puritanes of all sorts For say they Except God worke miraculously and extraordinarily which is not to be looked for of vs the bare Reading yea not of the Scriptures without Preaching cannot deliuer so much as one poore soule from destruction Reading of whatsoeuer in the Church without preaching is not feeding but as ill as playing vpon a stage and worse too Without Preaching of the word viz. by the liuely voice of a minister and without the booke the Sabboth cannot be hallowed either of a minister or people in the least measure which the Lord requireth of vs Next erre doe they which set their wits and learning either against all bookes in generall except the sacred Bible or against the publike reading of any learned mens writings be they neuer so diuine and godly in the open and sacred assemblies Of the former sort are the Anabaptists who as Sleidan recordeth did burne the bookes writings and monuments of learned men reseruing and preseruing onely the holy Scriptures from the fire Of the latter be the Brownists Disciplinatians and Sabbatarians The Brownists doe say that No Apocrypha must be brought into the Christian assemblies so the disciplinarians Ministers ought not to read openly in the congregation any writings but onely the Canonicall scriptures they complaine that humane writings are brought into the church they crie out Remooue Homilies and they supplicate vnto K. Iames that the Canonicall scriptures onely may be read in the Church And so but much more bitterly and erroneously the Sabbatarians we damne our selues say they if wee goe not from those ministers and Churches where the Scriptures and Homilies onely be read and seeke not vnto the prophets when and so often as wee haue them not at home 36. Article Of consecration of Bishops and ministers The booke of Consecration 1 of Archbishops and Bishops and ordering of priests and Deacons set forth in the time of Edward the sixt and confirmed at the same time by authoritie of Parliament doth containe all th●ngs necessary to such consecration and ordering neither hath it any thing that of it selfe is superstitious or vngodly And therefore 2 whosoeuer are consecrated or ordered according to the rites of that booke since the second yeare of the aforesaid K. Edward vnto this time or hereafter shall be consecrated or ordered according to the same rites we decree all such to be rightly and orderly and lawfully consecrated ordered The Propositions 1. It is agreeable to the word of God and practise of the primitiue church that there should be Archbishops Bishops and such like differences and inequalities of ecclesiasticall ministers 2. Whosoeuer be or shall be consecrated or ordered according to the rites of the booke of Consecration of Archbishops Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons they be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered 1. Proposition It is agreable to the word of God and practise of the 〈◊〉 church that there should be Archbishops Bishops and such like differences and inequalities of ecclesiasticall ministers The proofe from Gods word ALbeit the tearmes and titles of Archbishops wee finde not yet the superioritie which they enioy and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops doe exercise in ordering and consecrating of Bishops and ecclesiasticall ministers is grounded vpon the word of God For we finde that In the Apostles daies howe themselues both were in dignitie aboue the euangelists and the 70. disciples and for authoritie both in and ouer the Church as twelue Patriarches saith Beza and also established an ecclesiasticall Hierarchie Hence came it that Bishop was of Ierusalem Iames

Of Antioch Peter of the Asian Churches Iohn of Alexandria Marke of Ephesus yea and all Asia Timothie Of all Creete Titus of Philippos Epaphroditus of Corinth and Achaia Apollos of Athens Dionisius of France Crescens of Brittane Aristobulus In the purer times succeeding the Apostles so approoued was the administration of the Church affaires by these kinde of men as They ordained Patriarches and Corepiscopie They ratified the degrees of ecclesiasticall supereminencie at the first and most famous Councell at Nice They gloried much and greatly that they had receiued the apostles doctrine by a succession of Bishops that they were the successors in the Apostles doctrine of the godly Bishops and that Bishops succeeded in the roome of Apostles Their godly monuments and worthy labours and bookes yet extant doe shewe that Bishop was of Lions Irenaeus of of Antioch Ignatius of Carthage Cyprian of Hierusalem Cyrill of Alexandria Athanasius Basil of Cesarea of all Thracia Asia and Pontus Chrisostome Hilarie of Potiers Augustine of Hippo Ambrose of Millane all of these most notable instruments for the aduancement of Gods honour and glory in their daies Finally from the Apostles daies hitherto there neuer wanted a succession of Bishops neither in the East nor Westerne Churches albeit there haue bin from time to time both Marprelates and Mockprelates to supplant their states and Ilprelates abusing their functions and places to the discredite of their calling and profession So prouident hath the Almightie bin for the augmentation of his glory and people by this kind and calling of men The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth This manifesteth the erroneous and euill mindes 1. Of the Anabaptists who condemne all superioritie among men saying that euery man should be equall for calling and that there should be no difference of persons among Christians 2. Of the old haeretickes viz. the Contobaptites which allowed of no Bishopes The Acephalians who would not bee at the commaund or yeelde obedience vnto Bishops The Aerians that equalled Bishops and Priests making them all one The Apostolikes which condemned Prelacie 3. Of the late Scismatikes namely The Iesuites who cannot brooke Episcopall praeheminence and in their high court of Reformation haue made a Lawe for the vtter abrogation of all Episcopall iuresdiction The disciplinarians or Puritans among our selues For They abhorre and altogether doe loath the callings of Archbishops Bishops c as the author of the Fruitfull Sermon doth say that by the praelaticall Discipline the libertie of the Church is taken away and that in steed of Archbishops and Bishops an equalitie must be made of ministers They tearme the differences of Ministers A proud ambitious superioritie of one minister aboue another and Archbishops and Bishops they call the supposed Gouernors of the Church of England Some of them will not haue Bishops to bee obeyed either when they cite or when they inhibite or when they excommunicate Some of them haue not only Archbishopes and Bishops but also Parsons and Vicars in detestation For Miles Monopodios numbreth Parsons and Vicars among the hundred points of Poperie yet remaining in our Church Others say that Birds of the same feather viz. with Archb. and Bishops are Parsons and Vicars Barrow publisheth that Parsonages Vicarages be in name office and function as Popish and Antichristian as any of the other It is therefore an egregious vntruth that Puritans or which is equivalent The good men the Faithfull and Innocent ministers for so doe they stile themselues affect not any popularitie or paritie in the Church of God as some of them would make his maiestie beleeue 2. Proposition Whosoeuer be or shall be confirmed or ordered according to the rites of the booke of Consceration of Archb. and Bishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons they be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered Archbishops Bishops and ministers which according to the booke of Consecration be or shalll be consecrated or ordered they are consecrated and ordained rightly orderly and lawfully because afore theire Consecration and ordination they be rightly tried or examined by imposition of hands needfull and seasonable prayers they be consecrated and ordained and all this is performed by those persons that is by Bishops to whom the Ordination Consecration of Bishops and ministers was alwaies principallie committed and also after the same forme and fashion corruptions being afore taken away and remooued as Bishops and Priests afore the raigne of K. Edward the sixt formerly were The adversaries vnto this truth Well therefore may they disgorge their stomaches but trouble our consciences they shall neuer which condemne or depraue our callings as doe 1. The Familie of Loue which dislike and labour to make contemptible the outward admission of ministers 2. The Papistes who say their pleasure of the Bishops and ministers of the Church of England and of other reformed Churches None is to be admitted for a Bishop say they which is not ordained by imposition of three or foure Romish Catholike Bishops at the least of which none are to be found among the Protestants Whosoeuer taketh vpon him to preach to minister Sacraments c and is not ordered by a true Catholike that is a Popish Bishop to be a urate of soules Parson Bishop c he is a theefe and a murderer Our Bishops ministers they are not come in by the doore saith Stapleton they haue stolne in like Theeues they be vnordered Apostataes pretended and sacrilegious ministers Intruders Meere lay men and not Priests because first they haue receaued none vnder Orders and next they are not ordained by such a Bishop and Priest as the Catholike Romane church hath put in authoritie 3. The Puritanes For they write that The Bishops of our Church haue none ordinary calling of God and function in the scriptures for to exercise they are not sent of God they be not the ministers of Iesus Christ by whome hee will aduance his Gospell Inferior ministers they are not say they according to Gods word either prooued elected called or ordained Hence the Church of England wanteth say they her Pastors and teachers and hence they vrge diuers afore ordained to seeke at their Classis a new approbation which they tearme the Lords ordinance and to take newe callings from classicall ministers renouncing their calling from Bishops 37. Article Of the ciuill Magistrate 1 The Kings maiestie hath the cheife power in this realme of England and other his dominions 2 vnto whome the cheife gouernement of all estates of this realme whether they be ecclesiasticall or ciuill in all causes doth appertaine and is not nor ought to be subiect to any forraine iurisdiction where we attribute to the Kings maiestie the chife gouerment by which titles wee vnderstand the minds of some