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 church_n controversy_n 4,446 5 9.1213 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A32983 Complaints concerning corruptions and grievances in church government dedicated to the Kings Most Excellent Majestie, the Right Honourable Lords and the Honourable House of Commons now assembled in Parliament / by certaine peaceably affected Presbyters of the Church of England in the name of all the rest of their brethren. 1641 (1641) Wing C4094E; ESTC R35576 8,781 21

There is 1 snippet containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

COMPLAINTS CONCERNING CORRVPTIONS AND GRIEUANCES in CHURCH-GOVERNMENT DEDICATED AND DIRECTED to the KINGS most Excellent Majestie the right Honourable LORDS and the Honourable House of COMMONS now assembled in PARLIAMENT By certaine peaceably affected Presbyters of the Church of England in the name of all the rest of their BRETHREN Vndertaking to maintaine the truth of their Assertions against whatsoever Contradictours if by publique Edict of supreme authority they be called forth granting them as safe and free audience as their Adversaries and Iudges not preingaged or pre-resolved for either side Printed in the yeare 1641. COMPLAINTS CONCERNING CORRVPTIONS AND GRIEVANCES IN CHURCH-GOVERNMENT IT is the misery of pious undertakings especially in matters of weight that by reason of humane frailtie they cannot be perfected at once but by degrees and after much time whence it commeth to passe that they are often given over or by interveening opposition forced to abortion and imperfect issue Such was the case of that great reformation begun with us as in the daies of those renowned Princes King Edward and Queene Elizabeth and till this day remaining unaccomplished Those now blessed Martyrs and holy Confessours who were under those pious Princes the first Reformers of our Church found things by that Papall Apostacy so much corrupted and disjointed that being unable at once to cope with all the diseales of the Church they did as wise Physitians set themselves first against the most deadly deferring the rest till afterwards Hence by suffering and preaching they mightily pulled downe the Babylon of Popish doctrine and something too they did in matter of Governement and Discipline But because the vitalls of the Church consist in doctrinall verities therefore their chiefe bent of endeavour was for a reformation in them which in their time with great successe they effected leaving the reducing of Government and Discipline to it's Primitive integritie as a worke to bee done by posteritie But alas as usually it falls out the bellows of persecution ceasing the fire of zeale soone beganne to abate so that after that first heate and impetus of reformation as if they which had but begun had at one essay done more then enough the businesse went on no further even till this day Nay as some edifice given over before it bee covered it hath since rather decaied and fallen backe againe Such power hath pompe and ease to blunt the edge of sacred inventions and quench the spirit of reformation As maladies not perfectly cured returne or turn to some other diseases so was it with this imperfect reformation doctrinall points being reduced but matter of discipline left in it's former state almost untouched hence arose amongst us even from the cradle of our reformed Church three severall opinions which have continued even till this time whose discord nourished by opposition of hot spirits hath encreased till now they are come to that extremitie that the life and being of this sacred Bodie is even endangered thereby One side cries downe Episcopacie for Antichristian and all the dependent Governement Canons Ceremonies and Liturgie for remainders of Poperie abominable and to bee departed from The other extreme cries it up for sacred of Divine Apostolicke institution and it 's dependent Politie for the most absolute to which all ought to be brought as to a Rule of Perfection censuring other Churches which have it not either as none or els imperfect wanting a maine part of their bene esse In the midst of these two are a Remnant of sad lookers on which have mourned in secret suffered with patience prayed for peace and preached it and sanctification to the people while those other two one by separating the other by persecuting and both by froward disputing have served up their differences to an intollerable irreconcileable height Both these sacrificing to their own conceits account all which are not with them to be against them But especially that Episcopal faction for distinctions sake give us leave so to call it which by the indulgence of gracious Princes growing powerfull have laboured an extirpation of all which will not thinke say and sweare to their opinions Hence of late have all beene involved as of the opposite faction which are not of theirs and no place left for a moderate neutrality New Ceremonies Taskes Canons Oathes have beene invented as nets and fives to try out all as bad fish or chaffe which have but disliked the remaining corruptions and defects which the first plunge of Reformation did not redresse No tolerating now of any thing as a burthen much lesse silent disliking of what wee could in secret grieve for but not amend but approve all sweare to all we must or else be thrust out as schismaticall Puritans and excrementitious burthens of the Church On this enforcement We a part of a Multitude of laborious Presbyters of the Church in the name of all the rest doe now Complaine because in this height of all devouring Faction our patient silence will no longer priviledge us from extirpation And sith into our hands God hath put so blessed an opportunity as to speak to the whole Kingdome Head and Members at once in one Body conjoynd and intent about a work of Reformation We be humbly bold and plaine to lay open our Grievances hoping that the set time is come for the quenching of these coales of dissension which have not only lived but encreased for so many years in the Church by completing of that Reformation which in the maine vitall points was long since effected and in the rest wee hope and pray after more then an age of interruption is reserved as your Crowne and Glory to be perfected Experience hath e're this taught as the woefull effects of an halfe done worke the upshot of our jarres now declares that scrupulous urging of Ritualls cannot stand with the welfare of a Church Those Convulsions and renting Paines the body now feeles shew us that the humours were not at first fully purged God will have a through worke done If instead of redressing that which remaines you thinke to transact all these differences by removing of Persons and not Things well you may hush our Troubles for a season but they will returne againe with a greater violence Now is that Power actuated which alone can bring to passe this great worke And if the Lord take pleasure in this his poore Church he wi●ll give the effect that it may be performed If men would rest in the sole authority of the Scriptures most controversies both about points of Faith and Formes of Government would finde an easie resolution And if besides Gods Word we bring in mens authority we draw out the thred of contention into endlesse disputes mens faces differ not more in feature then their mindes doe in opinion and each will dote on and propugne his owne conceits their judgements dissent one from another and oft from themselves Let the divinely inspired writings then bee our guide in this point of Church