An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church, Publishers advertisement 1 – Publishers advertisement 2
Books printed or ſold by William Leak, at the ſigne of the Crown in Fleet-ſtreet, between the two Temple Gates.
YOrks Heraldry, Fol.
A Bible of a very fair large Roman Letter. 4.
Orlando Furioſo. fol.
Perkins on the Laws of England.
Wilkinſons Office of Sheriffs. 8.
Parſons Law. 8.
Mirror of Juſtice. 8.
Topicks in the Laws of England. 8.
Delamans uſe of the Horizontal Quadrant.
Wilbeys ſecond Set of Muſick, 3, 4, 5, and 6 parts. 4.
Corderius in Engliſh. 8.
Dr. Fulks Meteors, with Obſervations. 8.
Malthus Artificial Fire-works.
Nyes Gunnery and Fire-works.
Cato Major with Annotations.
Mel Heliconium, by Alex. Roſs. 8.
Noſce te ipſum, by Sir John Davis. 8.
Animadverſions on Lillies Grammer. 8.
The Hiſtory of Vienna and Paris. 4.
The Hiſtory of Lazarillo de Toroms.
Hero and Leander, by George Chapman, and Chr ſtopher Marlow.
The Poſing of the Accidence.
Guilliams Heraldry. fol.
Herberts Travels. fol.
Man become guilty, by John Francis Senalt, and Engliſhed by Henry Earl of Monmouth.
Aula Lucis, or the houſe of Light.
Chriſts Paſſion, a Tragedy by the moſt learned Hugo Grotius.
Mathematical Recreations, with the Horological Dyal, by William Oughtred. 8.
The Garden of Eden, or an accurate deſcription of Flowers and Fruit, now growing in England, with particular Rules how to advance their nature and growth, as well in ſeeds as herbs, as the ſecret ordering of Trees and Plants, by Sir Hugh Plat. Knight.
Solitary Devotions with man in glory, by the Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury. 12.
Exercitatio Scholaſtica.
Book of Martyrs. fol.
Adams on Peter. fol.
Willet on Geneſis and Exodus. fol.
The ſeveral opinions of ſundry Antiquaries, viz. Mr. Juſtice Dodrige, Mr. Ager, Francis Tate, William Cambden, and Joſeph Holland, touching the Antiquity, Power, and Proceeding of the High Court of Parliament in England.
The Idiot in four books; firſt and ſecond, of Wiſdome; third, of the Mind; fourth, of the experience of the ballance.
The Life and Raign of Hen. 8. by the Lord Herbert. fol.
France painted to the life, in four books, the ſecond Edition.
Sken de ſignificatione verborum. 4.
The Fort Royal of Holy Scripture, by J. H. the third Edition. 8.
The ſumme of what is contained in the anſwer to the firſt part of the Admonitory Letter.
THe controverſie about the ſubject of the Keys opened. fol. 1.
Sect. 1.2, 3, 4.
The Authour ſtudious of Truth and Peace. fol. 3, 4.
The Admonitours diſtinction of three Viſible Churches improper. fol. 5.
Some obſervations about the Domeſtical Church, and ſome miſtakes in the Admonitory rectifyed. fol. 9.
The alledged Texts examined. fol. 10.
Sect. 5.
The words of the Admonitory drawn into Propoſitions and anſwered ſeverally.
The Propoſitions out of the Letter, theſe.
1. That the Church of the laſt and longeſt conſtitution was a Presbyterial or Combinational Church; this examined. fol. 13.
2. That it is the opinion and practice of the Combinational Church to ſubject their earthy, erring and unruly will to the heavenly, infallible and uncontrolable will of Chriſt. 'Tis examined what truth may be in this aſſertion. fol. 15.
3. That Chriſt peremptorily wills and enjoyns all Profeſſour… to be indoctrinated and diſciplined by the preſent Miniſtry. This granted.
4. That this preſcribed Miniſtry muſt conſiſt of Presbyters, and Teaching and Ruling Elders. This propoſition fully examined and refuted. fol. 18.
5. That theſe Presbyters, Teaching and Ruling Elders muſt be of the Profeſſing Members own voluntary Election and regular Ordination. This alſo fully examined and refuted. fol. 24.
6. That the Miniſterial Office muſt reach from Chriſts aſcenſion to the diſſolution of all things. This granted.
Sect. 6.
An anſwer to all the Texts produced by the Admonitour, as,
Rom. 12.7, 8. fol. 31.
1 Cor. 12.28. fol. 33.
Epheſ. 4.14. fol. 36.
Revel. 4.6. & 5.6. & 19.14. fol. 36, 37.
Sect. 7.
A Paraenetical concluſion. fol. 39. ad finem.
The Summe of the ſecond part. pag. 46.
THe danger to aſſert the Church brought to a Sceleton. Sect. 1. fol. 47.
The corruption came not into the Church by ſuch degrees as is ſuppoſed in the Admonitory Letter. Sect. 2.
The government of the Church proved to be Ariſtocratical. 52. ad 59.
A Presbytery with a Biſhop the Apoſtles living. 59, 60.
Of Patriarchs, Primates, Metropolitans, Biſhops. 63.
A little knowledge in ſome men an occaſion of errour. 66, 67.
Sect. 3.
That the Combinational Churches corruption, was not the Cathed…al Churches generation. 71.
Churches at firſt could not be Combinational. 73.
Of the names of Teacher, Paſtour, Ruler, Lord-Biſhop, Dean, Chancellour, Surrogate, Arch-Deacon. 75.
No uſurpation for Biſhops aſſembled in Synods and Councils to excommunicate offenders. 81, 82.
This was not contrary to the Orthodox pattern, Acts 15. 84.
To cenſure any mans perſon, not the priviledge of the Presbyterian Church. 85, 86.
That Alexander of Alexandria began not this uſurpation againſt Arrius. 88, 89.
Sect. 4.
That the Presbyterial Church in reſpect of its primitive conſtitution, conſiſted not only of living ſtones. 91.
That the riſe of the rottening of the Church was not its falling from a poor, pure, presbyterial Church, into an impure, unpoliſhed, parochial Church. 92.
Of a Parſon, Vicar, Warden, Over-ſeer of the Poor, Widow, Midwife. 94.
Of Polycarp and Iraeneus. 97.
Sect. 5.
The original of the Provincial Church, the Metropolitane, that this was no degeneration, nor wiſdome of the fleſh. 99.
The name, office of the Arch-Biſhop not profane and blaſphemous, but honorable. 101.
Of the ſubſervient names, Prebend, Surrogate, Vicar-General. 102.
Of Auſtin the Monks converſion of Britane, and Pope Gregory. 105, 106.
Of the converſion of Britane to Chriſtianity. ibid.
Sect. 6.
That there is a National Church, and that this is conſonant to Scripture, reaſon, experience. 108.
That the cuſtomes charged upon the National Church taken up by Jewiſh imitation, is more than can be proved, or if true, yet not therefore to be rejected. 116.
The five inſtances examined.
1. National times and feaſts. 120, ad 127.
2. National places, as conſecrated meeting houſes, &c ibid.
3. National perſons, as univerſal Preachers, Office-Prieſts, &c. 132.
4, National performances, as ſtinted worſhip, Choriſters, &c. 135.
5. National payments, as Offerings, Tithes, Mortuaries, &c. 146.
Sect. 7.
The charge is upon the Oecumenical or Romane Church, which concerns not the Church of England, and therefore let them anſwer it.
The Summe of the third part. pag. 149.
A Preamble.
AN ingenuous confeſſion of our juſt provocation of Gods anger, and a juſtification of his proceeding againſt us, but that Papiſts and Sectaries alledge non cauſam pro cauſâ, and the Authour hopes that upon our repentance and amendment, God may return and have mercy on us. 150. ad 153.
Sect. 1.
Of the vile and virulent head the Pope. ibid.
Sect. 2.
Of the Britiſh King, called in the Admonitory the violent head of this National Church. 155, 156.
That this National Church was not next in naughtineſs to the Romane. ibid.
That the Britiſh King was no violent head, ſince in his Dominions he was the ſupreme Governour. And every Superiour is in Church-matters Supreme, by occaſion of which the ſupremacy of all Superiours is vindicated. 156. ad 161.
The Reaſons of the Admonitour to prove the Britiſh King a violent head, proved to be very weak. 161. ad 168.
Sect. 3.
Of the Provincial Church, and its haughty horrible head, as the Admonitour is pleaſed to call him, the Arch-Biſhop. 170.
Of the Cathedral Church, and its head the Lordly Dioceſan, blamed by the Admonitour to be an idle and addle head. 172.
The vial of Gods wrath poured on the Cathedral juſtly, but not quatenus Cathedral. ibid.
Of his Epithites, idle and addle. ibid.
The title lordly Dioceſan examined. 173.
The Propheſie of Iſaiah, 13.19. ill applyed. 74.
Of the Parochial Church and its head, the o…de and eldeſt evil head as he is called in the Admonitory. 175. ad 178.
The Combinational Church a tradition of men. ibid.
What is to be thought of traditions. 180. ad 182.
Sect. 7.
Of divers other things jeer'd at in the Admonitory, as, 183.
1. Communion book praying. 185.
2. Homily book preaching. 186.
3. Canon book ſwearing. 187.
4. Covering or uncovering the head in time of divine ſervice. 187.
5. Of outward calling to be Over-ſeers in a cleanſed Combinational Church. 189.
6. Of reading the Scripture in Churches. 190. 191, 192.
7. Of Romiſh Rites imputed to us. 194.
8. Of humane conſtitutions imputed to us, ſuch as are, ibid.
1. Matrimonial Banes. 195.
2. Marriage Rings. ibid.
3. The ſigne of the Croſſe. 196.
4. White Surplice. ibid.
5. Quiriſters ſinging anſwered before, part 2. 142.
6. Funeral Sermons. 197.
7. Idol-ſureties of God-fathers and God-mothers. 198.
The queſtion diſcuſſed whether Baptiſme may be applyed to the infants of profane Chriſtian parents? 202. ad 205.
As alſo whether ſuch, whom our ſtrait-laced men are pleaſed to call ignorant and ſcandalous livers, may be admitted to the Lords Supper. 205. ad 212.
Of the Pue called in the Admonitory Monarchical, and the Miniſterial Pulpit. 212. ad 215.
A ſtrange priviledge attributed to the Combinational Elders. viz. That the Elders muſt ſtand and ſit together in the face and full view of the whole Aſſembly. 217.
An anſwer to the recapitulation of the whole Letter. 224.
In the conſtitution of a Church how far all parties are agreed, in what they diſagree, both in matter and form, and integral parts. 224. ad 225.
That the texts alledged being well examined, prove not the Covenant required by a Combinational Church. 227. ad 236.
A fault on all hands for miſalledging the text.
We make no promiſe of eternal life to profane perſons.
The concluſion wholly Apologetical. 238, &c.
Place theſe Tables before fol. 1.
Callis learned Readings on the Stat. 21. Hen. 8. Chapter 5. of Sewers.
The Rights of the People concerning Impoſitions, ſtated in a learned Argument, by a late eminent Judge of this Nation.
An exact Abridgment of the Records in the Tower of London, from the Raign of K. Edward the ſecond, to K. Richard the third, of all the Parliaments holden in each Kings Raign, and the ſeveral Acts in every Parliament, by Sir Rob. Cotton, Kt. and Baronet.
PLAYES.
Philaſter.
The Hollander.
The Merchant of Venice.
The ſtrange diſcovery.
Maids Tragedy.
King and no King.
Othell… the Moor of Venice.
The grateful ſervant.
The Wedding.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Nicholson, An Apology for the Discipline of the Ancient Church (1659)