Selected quad for the lemma: state_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
state_n	authority_n	foreign_a	jurisdiction_n	1,050	5	9.5170	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A79651	A collection of articles, injunctions, canons, orders, ordinances and consitutions ecclesiastical, with other publick records of the Church of England chiefly in the times of K. Edward VI. Q. Elizabeth, [double brace] K. James, & K. Charles I. Published to vindicate the Church of England, and to promote uniformity and peace in the same. : With a learned preface by Anthony Sparrow, D.D. Lord Bishop of Norwich.	Church of England.; Sparrow, Anthony, 1612-1685.; England and Wales. Laws, etc.	1671 (1671)	Wing C4094cA; ESTC R173968	232,380	430

praecipitant Non omnes tandem servandi sunt HI quoque damnatione digni sunt qui conantur hodie perniciosam opinionem instaurare quòd omnes quantumvis impii servandi sunt tandem cum definito tempore à justitia divina poenas de admissis flagitiis luerun Excusum Londini apud Reginaldum Wolfium Regiae Majestatis in Latinis Typographum Anno Dom. 1553. INJUNCTIONS Given by the Queens Majesty Concerning both The CLERGY and LAITY of this REALM Published Anno Domini MDLIX Being the first year of the Raign of our Soveraign Lady Queen ELIZABETH LONDON Printed MDLIX INJUNCTIONS Given by the QVEENS MAJESTY As well to the CLERGY as to the LAITY of this Realm The QUEENS most Royal Majesty by the advice of her most honourable Council intending the advancement of the true honour of Almighty God the suppression of superstition throughout all her Higness Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all Hypocrisie enormities and abuses as to her duty appertaineth doth minister unto her loving Subjects these godly Injunctions hereafter following All which Injunctions her Highness willeth and commandeth her loving Subjects obediently to receive and truly to observe and keep every man in their offices degrees and states as they will avoid her Highness's displeasure and pains of the same hereafter expressed 1. THe first is That all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars Usurped and forraign authority and all other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lie shall cause to be observed and kept of other all and singular Laws and Statutes made for the restoring of the Crown the ancient Iurisdiction over the state Ecclesiastical and abolishing of all forraign power repugnant to the same And furthermore all Ecclesiastical persons having Cure of Souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely and sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open four times every year at the least in their Sermons and other Collations that all usurped and forraign power having no establishment nor ground by the Law of God is for most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience and subjection within her Highness Realms and Dominions is due unto any such forraign power And that the Queens power within her Realms and Dominions is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods Law owe most loyalty and obedience afore and above all other powers and potentates in earth 2. Besides this Images to the intent that all superstition and hypocrysie crept into divers mens hearts may vanish away they shall not set forth or extol the dignity of any Images Relicks or Miracles but declaring the abuse of the same they shall teach that all goodness health and grace ought to be both asked and looked for only of God as of the very author and giver of the same and of none other 3. Item That they the Parsons above rehearsed A Sermon every month shall preach in their Churches and every other cure they have one Sermon every month of the year at the least wherein they shall purely and sincerely declare the Word of God Works of faith and in the same exhort their hearers to the works of Faith as mercy and charity especially prescribed and commanded in Scripture and that the works devised by mans fantasies besides Scripture as wandring of pilgrimages setting up of candles praying upon beads or such like superstion have not only no promise of reward in Scripture for doing of them Works of mans device but contrariwise great threatnings and maledictions of God for that they being things tending to Idolatry and Superstition which of all other offences God Almighty doth most detest and abhor for that the same most diminish his honour and glory Quarter Sermon or Homily 4. Item That they the Parsons above rehearsed shall preach in their own persons once in every quarter of the year at least one Sermon being licensed especially thereunto as is specified hereafter or else shall read some Homily prescribed to be used by the Queens authority every Sunday at the least unless some other Preacher sufficiently licensed as hereafter chance to come to the Parish for the same purpose of Preaching The Pater Noster 5. Item That every holy-day through the year when they have no Sermon they shall immediately after the Gospel openly and plainly recite to their Parishioners in the Pulpit the Pater Noster the Creed and Ten Commandments in English to the intent the people may learn the same by heart exhorting all parents and housholders to teach their children and servants the same Creed and ten Commandments as they are bound by the Law of God and conscience to do 6. Also That they shall provide within three months next after this Visitation at the charges of the Parish one book of the whole Bible of the largest Volume in English and within one twelve months next after the said Visitation the Paraphrases of Erasmus also in English upon the Gospel and the same set up in some convenient place within the said Church that they have cure of whereas the Parishioners may most commodiously resort unto the same and read the same out of the time of common Service The charges of the Paraphrases shall be by the Parsonor Propriatory and Parishioners born by equal portions and they shall discourage no man from the reading any part of the Bible either in Latine or in English but shall rather exhort every person to tead the same with great humility and reverence as the very lively word of God and the especial food of mans soul which all Christian persons are bound to embrace believe and follow if they look to be saved whereby they may the better know their duties to God to their Soveraign Lady the Queen and their Neighbors ever gently and charitably exhorting them and in her Majesties name straigthly charging and commanding them that in the reading thereof no man to reason or contend but quietly to hear the Reader 7. Also Haunting of Ale-houses by Ecclstsiastical persons The said Ecclesiastical persons shall in no wise at any unlawful time nor for any other cause than for their honest necessities haunt or resort to any Taverns or Ale-houses And after their meats they shall not give themselves to drinking or riot spending their time idely by day and by night at dice cards or tables playing or any other unlawful game but at all times as they shall have leisure they shall hear or read somewhat of the holy Scripture or shall busie themselves with some other honest study or exercise and that they always do the things which appertain to honesty and endeavor to profit the Commonwealth having always in mind that they ought to excel all other in purity of life and should be examples to the people to live well and

Gowns of the fashion aforesaid and Caps as afore is prescribed Item That all poor Parsons Vicars and Curates do endeavor themselves to conform their apparel in like sort so soon and as conveniently as their ability will serve to the same Provided that their ability be judged by the Bishop of the Diocess And if their ability will not suffer to buy them long Gowns of the form afore prescribed that then they shall wear their short Gowns agreeable to the form before expressed Item That all such persons as have been or be Ecclesiastical and serve not the Ministery or have not accepted or shall refuse to accept the Oath of obedience to the Queens Majesty do from henceforth abroad wear none of the said apparel of the form and fashion aforesaid but to go as meer lay-men till they be reconciled to obedience and who shall obstinately refuse to do the same that they be presented by the Ordinary to the Commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical and by them to be reformed accordingly Protestations to be made promised and subscribed by them that sha●l hereafter be admitted to any Office Room or Cure in any Church or other place Ecclesiastical INprimis I shall not preach or publickly interpret but only read that which is apppointed by publick Authority without special license of the Bishop under his Seal I shall read the Service appointed plainly distinctly and audibly that all the people may hear and understand I shall keep the Register-book according to the Queens Majesties Injunctions I shall use sobriety in apparel and specially in the Church at common prayers according to order appointed I shall move the Parishioners to quiet and concord and not give them cause of offence and shall help to reconcile them which be at variance to my uttermost power I shall read daily at the least one Chapter of the Old Testament and another of the New with good advisement to the increase of my knowledge I do also faithfully promise in my person to use and exercise my office and place to the honor of God to the quiet of the Queens subjects within my charge in truth concord and unity And also to observe keep and maintain such order and uniformity in all external Policy Rites and Ceremonies of the Church as by the Laws good Vsages and Orders are already well provided and established I shall not openly intermeddle with any Artificers occupations as covetously to seek a gain thereby having in Ecclesiastical Living to the sum of twenty nobles or above by year Agreed upon and subscribed by Matthaeus Cantuariensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Edmondus Londoniensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Richardus Eliensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Edmondus Roffensis Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical Robertus Wintoniensis Nicholus Lincolniensis With others Imprinted at London by Reginald Wolfe The Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy and Canonical Obedience The Oath of Allegiance I A. B. Do truly and sincerely acknowledge profess testifie and declare in my Conscience before God and the World That our Soveraign Lord King CHARLES is lawful and rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominions and Countries And that the Pope neither of himself nor by any Authority of the Church or Sea of Rome or by any other means with any other hath any Power or Authority to depose the King or to dispose any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to authorize any Foreign Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries or to discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesty or to give license or leave to any of them to bear Arms raise Tumults or to offer any violence or hurt to his Majesties Royal Person State or Government or to any of his Majesties Subjects within his Majesties Dominions Also I do swear from my heart that notwithstanding any Declaration or sentence of Excommunication or Deprivatition made or granted or to be made or granted by the Pope or his Successours or by any Authority derived or pretended to be derived from him or his Sea against the said King his Heirs or Successours or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience I will bear faith and true Allegiance to his Majesty his heirs and Successours and him and them will defend to the uttermost of my power against all Conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such Sentence or Declaration or otherwise and will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty his Heirs and Successours all Treasons and Traiterous Conspiracies which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them And I do further swear That I do from my heart abhor detest and abjure as impious and heretical this damnable Doctrine and Position that Princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever And I do believe and in Conscience am resolved That neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully administred unto me and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these express words by me spoken and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And I do make this Recognition and acknowledgment heartily willingly and truly upon the true faith of a Christian So help me God c. The Oath of Supremacy I A. B. Do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience That the Kings Highness is the only supreme Governor of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all Spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as Temporal And that no Foraign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Pre-eminence or Authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within this Realm And therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all Foraign Jurisdictions Powers Superiorities and Authorities and do promise from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness his Heirs and lawful Successours and to my power shall assist and defend all Jurisdictions Priviledges Pre-eminences and Authorities granted or belonging to the Kings Highness his Heirs and Successours or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm So help me God and the Contents of this Book The Oath of Simony I A. B. Do swear that I have made no Simoniacal payment contract or promise directly or indirectly by my self or by any other to my knowledge or with my consent to any person or persons whatsoever for or concerning the procuring or obtaining of the R. or V. of A. in

with the grace of thy holy Spirit to amend our lives according to thy holy Word We beseech thee to hear us good Lord. Son of God we beseech the to hear us Son of God we beseech the to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Grant us thy peace O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy upon us O Christ hear us O Christ hear us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in heaven c. And lead us not into temptation But deliver us from evil Amen The Versicle O Lord deal not with us after our sins Answer Neither reward us after our iniquities ¶ Let us pray Ood merciful Father that despisest not the sighing of a contrite heart nor the desire of such as be sorrowful mercifully assist our prayers that we make before thee in all our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppress us and graciously hear us that those evils which the craft and subtilty of the devil or man worketh against us be brought to nought and by the providence of thy goodness they may be dispersed thar we thy servants being hurt by no persecutions may evermore give thanks unto thee in thy holy Church through Iesus Christ our Lord. O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thy names sake O God we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their days and in the old time before them O Lord arise help us and deliver us for thine honour Glory be to the Father and to the Son c. As it was in the beginning is now c. From our Enemies defend us O Christ Graciously look upon our afflictions Pitifully behold the sorrows of our hearts Mercifully forgive the sins of thy people Favourably with mercy hear our prayers O Son of David have mercy upon us Both now and ever vouchsafe to hear us O Christ Graciously hear us O Christ graciously hear us O Lord Christ The Versicle O Lord let thy mercy be shewed upon us Answer As we do put our trust in thee Let us pray WE humbly beseech thee O Father mercifully to look upon our infirmities and for the glory of thy Names sake turn from us all those evils that we most righteously have deserved and grant that in all our troubles we may put our whole trust and confidence in thy mercy and evermore serve thee in holiness and pureness of living to thy honour and glory through our only Mediator and Advocate Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God which hast given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplications unto thee and dost promis that when two or three be gathered together in thy Name thou wile grant their requests fulfil now O Lord the desires and petitions of thy servanta as may be most expedient for them granting us in this world knowledge of thy truth and in the world to come life everlasting Amen ¶ Then shall be said also this that followeth ALmighty God which by thy divine providence hast appointed divers Orders of Ministers in the Church and didst inspire thine holy Apostles to chuse unto this Order of Deacons the first Martyr St. Stephen with other mercifully behold these thy servants now called to the like office and administration replenish them so with the truth of thy Doctrine and innocency of life that both by word and good example they may faithfully serve thee in this office to the glory of thy Name and profit of the Congregation through the merits of our Saviour Iesu Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and the holy Ghost now and for ever Amen Then shall be sung or said the Communion of the day saving the Epistle shall be read out of Timothy as followeth LIkewise must the Ministers be honest not double-tongued not given unto much wine neither greedy of filthy lucre but holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience and let them first be proved and then let them minister so that no man be able to reprove them Even so must the●r wives be honest not evil speakers but sober and faithful in all things Let the Deacons be the husbands of one wife and such as rule their children well and their own housholds for they that minister well get themselves a good degree and a great liberty in the faith which is in Christ Iesu These things write I unto thee trusting to come shortly unto thee but and if I tarry long that then thou mayest yet have knowledge how thou oughest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the congregation of the living God the pillar and ground of truth And without doubt great is that mystery of godliness God was shewed in the flesh was justified in the spirit was seen among the angels was preached unto the Gentiles was believed in on the world and received up into glory Or else this out of the sixth of the Acts. THen the twelve called the multitude of the disciples together and said It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve tables wherefore brethren look you out among you seven men of honest report and full of the holy Ghost and wisdom to whom we may commit this business but we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the administration of the word And that saying pleased the whole multitude And they chose Stephen a man full of faith and full of the holy Ghost and Philip and Brochorus and Nicanor and Timon and Parmenas and Nicholas a convert of Antioch These they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they laid their hands on them And the word of God increased and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly and a great number of the Priests were obedient unto the faith And before the Gospel the Bishop setting in a chair shall cause the Oath of the Kings Supremacy and against the power and authority of all foreign Potentates to be ministred unto every of them that are to be ordered ¶ The Oath of the Kings Soveraignty I A. B. do utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Kings Highness is the only supreme Governour of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all spiritual or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporal and that no foreign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any jurisdiction power superiority pre-eminence or authority Ecclesiastical or spiritual within this Realm and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all foreign jurisdictions powers superiorities and au horities and do promise that from henceforth I shall bear faith and true Allegiance to the Kings Highness his heirs and lawful successours and to my power shall assist and

Sentence shall bind to submission though the Superiours may err in the sentence Thus God ordered it Deut. 17. that in doubts the Inferiour were to stand to the decision and sentence of the Priests and the Judge and yet their judgement was not infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Assembly the chiefest Senate might err and sin through Ignorance and a sacrifice is appointed for the expiation of their errour Lev. 4.13 Better that Inferiours be bound to stand to such fallible judgment as to quiet submission in such kind of controversies as afore-mentioned than that every man be suffered to interpret Laws and determine controversies which will bring into the Church certain confusion Nor will such submission in the Inferiours be damnable seeing in this submission to Authority they follow Gods method obeying them that have the oversight over them Heb. 13. and keep order of which God is the Author 1 Cor. 14.33 God is not the Author of Confusion but of order and peace as in all Churches of the Saints This Authority in determining doubts and controversies the Church hath practised in all Ages and her constant practice is the best interpreter of her right We read not only of St. Pauls determining controversies about rites and circumstances 1 Cor. 14. but also of the Churches determining controversies of Doctrines and matters of belief in a full Council Act. 15. and requiring submission to those determinations from inferiour members The like did the Church afterwards in her general Councils of NICE CONSTANTINOPLE EPHESUS CHALCEDON And not only the General Councils have exercised this Authority but particular Churches also in National Councils in the Council of ORANGE MILEVIS and others have used the same power over their children whom they were bound to teach and govern and for whose souls they were to account to God and they did no more than was their right so long as they did it with submission to the general Church to whom they are subject Christ said to the Apostles and by this to all the guides of souls that should succeed them in a lawful Ordination he that hears you hears me and he that despises you despises me St. Cypr. Ep. 69. From these premises it plainly follows that our dear Mother the Church of England in makeing these Canons and Articles for determining the controversies in matters of belief which you may see in the ensuing Collection did no more than what was both her right and her duty to do both for the preservation of her peace and the guidance and conduct of the souls committed to her charge and what her care hath been in the exercise of this power for the good of her members ever since the Reformation will evidently to her honour appear by this following Collection made up not without great care and industry of the Publisher By which he hath done our Mother this farther right that now whosoever will may easily see the notorious slander which some of the Roman perswasion have endeavoured to cast upon her That her Reformation hath been altogether Lay and Parliamentary for by the Canons and Articles following which were formerly scattered and hard to be seen by every one now gathered together into a body it easily appears to any that will but open their eyes and read that the Reformation of this Church was orderly and Synodical by the Guides and Governors of souls and confirmed by Supreme Authority and so in every particular as legal as any Reformation could or ought to be Anth. Sparrow Books newly Printed for Robert Pawlet at the Bible in Chancery Lane 1675. AN Historical Vindication of the Church of England in point of Schisme as it stands separated from the Roman and was Reformed I. Elizabeth Written by Sir Robert Twisden Knight and Baronet XIX Sermons Preached by that Eminent Divine Henry Hammond D. D. Published by the Authors own Copies Golden Remains of the ever Memorable Mr. John Hales of Eaton Colledge Also Letters and Expresses concerning the Synod of Dort with many new Additions from an Authentick hand INJUNCTIONS Given by the most Excellent Prince EDWARD VI. By the Grace of God KING of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith And in Earth under Christ of the Church of England and Ireland the Supreme Head To all and singular his loving Subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laity Imprinted at London by Richard Grafton MDXLVII Injunctions given by the most Excellent Prince Edward the Sixth by the Grace of God King of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith and in Earth under Christ of the Church of England and of Ireland the supreme Head To all and singular his loving Subjects as well of the Clergy as of the Laity THE Kings most Royal Majesty by the advice of his most dear Vncle the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector of all his Realms Dominions and Subjects and Governor of his most Royal Person and residue of his most honourable Council intending the advancement of the true honor of Almighty God the suppression of Idolatry and Superstition throughout all his Realms and Dominions and to plant true Religion to the extirpation of all Hypocrisie Enormities and Abuses as to his duty appertaineth doth minister unto his loving Subjects these godly Injunctions hereafter following whereof part were given unto them heretofore by the Authority of his most dear beloved Father King Henry the Eighth of most famous memory and part are now ministred and given by His Majesty All which Injunctions his Highness willeth and commandeth his said loving Subjects by his supreme Authority obediently to receive and truly to observe and keep every man in their offices degrees and states as they will avoid his displeasure and the pains in the same Injunctions hereafter expressed 1. The first is That all Deans Archdeacons Parsons Vicars and other Ecclesiastical persons shall faithfully keep and observe and as far as in them may lie shall cause to be kept and observed of other all and singular Laws and Statutes made as well for the abolishing and extirpation of the Bishop of Rome his pretensed and usurped power and jurisdiction as for the establishment and confirmation of the Kings authority jurisdiction and supremacy of the Church of England and Ireland And furthermore all Ecclesiastical persons having cure of souls shall to the uttermost of their wit knowledge and learning purely sincerely and without any colour or dissimulation declare manifest and open four times every year at the least in their Sermons and other Collations that the Bishop of Rome's usurped power and jurisdiction having no establishment nor ground by the Laws of God was of most just causes taken away and abolished and that therefore no manner of obedience or subjection within his Realms and Dominions is due unto him And that the Kings power within his Realms and Dominons is the highest power under God to whom all men within the same Realms and Dominions by Gods Laws owe most Loyalty and

the twelfth day of May then next following for the Province of Canterbury And by Our like Letters Patents dated the seven and twentieth day of the same month of April and the twentieth day of the month of May aforesaid for the Province of York did give and grant full free and lawful liberty license power and authority unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury President of the said Convocation for the Province of Canterbury and unto the said Lord Archbishop of York President of the said Convocation for the Province of York and to the rest of the Bishops of the said Provinces and unto all Deans of Cathedral Churches Archdeacons Chapters and Colledges and the whole Clergy of every several Diocess within the said several Provinces and either of them that they should and might from time to time during the Present Parliament and further during Our will and pleasure confer treat debate consider consult and agree of and upon Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions as they should think necessary fit and convenient for the honor and service of Almighty God the good and quiet of the Church and the better Government thereof to be from time to time observed performed fulfilled and kept as well by the said Archbishop of Canterbury and the said Archbishop of York the Bishops and their Successors and the rest of the whole Clergy of the said several Provinces of Canterbury and York in their several Callings Offices Functions Ministeries Degrees and Administrations As by all and every Dean of the Arches and other Iudges of the said several Archbishops of Courts Guardians of Spiritualties Chancellours Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Commissaries Officials Registers and all and every other Ecclesiastical Officers and their inferiour Ministers whatsoever of the same respective Provinces of Canterbury and York in their and every of their distinct Courts and in the order and manner of their and every of their proceedings and by all other persons within this Realm as far as lawfully being members of the Church it may concern them as in our said Letters Patents amongst other clauses more at large doth appear Now forasmuch as the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury President of the said Convocation for the Province of Canterbury and the said Archbishop of York President of the said Convocation for the Province of York and others the said Bishops Deans Archdeacons Chapters and Colledges with the rest of the Clergy having met together respectively at the time and places before mentioned respectively and then and there by vertue of Our said Authority granted unto them treated of concluded and agreed upon certain Canons Orders Ordinances and Constitutions to the end and purpose by Vs limited and prescribed unto them and have thereupon offered and presented the same unto Vs most humbly desiring Vs to give Our Royal assent unto the same according to the form of a certain Statute or Act of Parliament made in that behalf in the five and twentieth year of the Reign of King Henry the Eighth and by Our said Prerogative Royal and Supreme Authority in causes Ecclesiastical to ratifie by Our Letters Patents under Our great Seal of England and to confirm the same the Title and Tenour of them being word for word as ensueth Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical treated upon by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York Presidents of the Convocations for the respective Provinces of Canterbury and York and the rest of the Bishops and Clergy of those Provinces And agreed upon with the Kings Majesties License in their several Synods begun at London and York 1640. In the year of the Raign of our Soveraign Lord CHARLES by the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland the Sixteenth I. Concerning the Regal Power WHereas sundry Laws Ordinances and Constitutions have been formerly made for the acknowledgment and profession of the most lawful and independent Authority of our dread Soveraign Lord the Kings most Excellent Majesty over the State Ecclesiastical and Civil We as our duty in the first place binds us and so far as to us appertaineth enjoyn them all to be carefully observed by all persons whom they concern upon the penalties of the said Laws and Constitutions expressed And for the fuller and clearer instruction and information of all Christian people within this Realm in their duties in this particular We do further ordain and decree That every Parson Vicar Curate or Preacher upon some one Sunday in every quarter of the year at Morning-prayer shall in the place where he serves treatably and audably read these Explanations of the Regal Power here inserted THE most High and Sacred Order of Kings is of Divine Right being the Ordinance of God Himself founded in the prime Laws of Nature and clearly established by express Texts both of the Old and New Testaments A supreme Power is given to this most excellent Order by God Himself in the Scriptures which is That Kings should Rule and Command in their several Dominions all persons of what rank or estate soever whether Ecclesiastical or Civil and that they should restrain and punish with the Temporal Sword all stubborn and wicked doers The care of Gods Church is so committed to Kings in the Scripture that they are commended when the Church keeps the right way and taxed when it runs amiss and therefore her Government belongs in chief unto Kings For otherwise one man would be commended for anothers care and taxed but for anothers negligence which is not Gods way The Power to call and dissolve Councils both National and Provincial is the true right of all Christian Kings within their own Realms and Territories And when in the first times of Christs Church Prelates used this Power 't was therefore only because in those days they had no Christian Kings And it was then so only used as in times of persecution that is with supposition in case it were required of submitting their very lives unto the very Laws and Commands even of those Pagan Princes thar they might not so much as seem to disturb their Civil Government which Christ came to confirm but by no means to undermine For any person or persons to set up maintain or avow in any their said Realms or Territorities respectively under any pretence whatsoever any independent Coactive Power either Papal or Popular whether directly or indirectly is to undermine their great Royal Office and cunningly to overthrow that most sacred Ordinance which God Himself hath established And so is treasonable against God as well as against the King For Subjects to bear Arms against their Kings Offensive or Defensive upon any pretence whatsoever is at least to resist the Powers which are ordained of God And though they do not invade but only resist St. Paul tells them plainly They shall receive to themselves damnation And although Tribute and Custom and Aid and Subsidy and all manner of necessary support and supply be respectively due to Kings from their Subjects by the Law of God