Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	according_a	bishop_n	church_n	2,532	5	4.3200	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A38645	Essayes upon several subjects not unworthy consideration in these times communicated by letters to private friends and at their request to the publick.		1651 (1651)	Wing E3303; ESTC R214416	20,887	42

doubt but Christ hath his Church though we may imagine many defects otherwise in point of Discipline which whilst wee amend whatever we know to be amisse in our selves wee must leave to bee reformed by those who have the power committed to them and who they are is the next Enquiry The thirst of Power and Government where it once takes is unquenchable Ambition is a disease which is rather heightned then cured by Physick What stronger preservative can bee prescribed against this poison then the example of our Saviour in his life and doctrine and yet what high towers of Pride hath hee that stiles himself his Vicar built upon this humble foundation Let us then take heed lest by pretending to advance the Scepter of Christ we put a Reed into his hand and by pleading for our own power ruine his Since therefore the Church of God amongst us consists of Christian Magistrates as well as Ministers and People let us in the first place consider the Magistrates power and office whose function unlesse he fail of his duty either as a Magistrate or a Christian must needs extend to the care and well ordering of all things whereby we may lead as well a godly as a peaceable life By the law of nature we know the same man might bee and often was both King and Priest the office of Priesthood was still annexed to the Primogeniture in that most equal government of the Patriarchs over their families and descendents And when by Gods positive law the Leviticall Priesthood was instituted some reliques of the ancient custom still remained the fathers of families were to slay the Paschall lamb and any that was skilfull therein might circumcise the gift of Prophesie which might seem more peculiar to the Priesthood was sometimes bestowed upon their Kings and as often upon private persons as their Priests And here it might be enquired whether under the Gospel the office of Supream Magistracy and a Pastorall charge might be performed by the same person which though we should deny would nothing prejudice our assertion Imperantis non est imperata facere sed imperando jubere ut fiant Magistrates may well enough take care that Ministers perform their duty and that all things relating to Religion be duly administred without undertaking the particular functions themselves Hence it is that they are called Pastorum pastores custodes utriusque tabulae Nor doth the lustre of Supream Authority ever appear more glorious then when it shines forth in the due care and ordering of religious matters which either are or ought to be chiefly regarded The Roman Emperours accounted the office of Pontifex Maximus too great to be imparted to others and the best of Christian Princes have rather esteemed it their duty then any intrusion to take cognizance of things pertaining to Religion If some have been more remisse therein then others their neglect cannot prejudice the right of those that come after them Those then are too uncivill with their Superiours that whilst they make their own functions to passe for such solemn and and sacred things afford them only a Civill title What not their office too of divine institution may not those that are nursing Fathers of the Church see that the children have bread If the Bishop of Rome under pretence only of being Christs Vicar hath assumed so much power in the Church may not they that are truly his Vice-gerents see that all things be administred according to his direction And as their authority is divine because they are Magistrates so we must allow their Acts to be something more then Civil or profane as they are usually styled if we have but so much charity as to take them for Christians All Rivers lose their name when they come once to be emptied into the sea and whoever gives up his name unto Christ must be content only to bear his image and superscription his whole man and all his actions are or ought to be then truly Christian and holy And as the Magistrate cannot say this or that hee may doe as a Magistrate but not as a Christian since the tie of his Religion being the highest swallows up all other relations and gives the denomination to all his actions so ought not any ingenuous man by such poore shifts and distinctions for the compassing of I know not what pretended authority either teach the Magistrate to neglect his duty or others to contemn his power But is not the Magistrate within the Church and doth not the Pastors office extend to him as well by the preaching of the Gospel as by the exercise of the power of the Keyes 'T is true he is but we must not then make the Church such a thing and afterwards give it that power as many doe nor may the Pastors by the exercising of their Ministeriall function thereby more pretend to advance their authority or office above his then the Physitian by curing him as well as others or the Chirurgeon by lancing his wounds or if need be by cutting off some rotten member Some object further the inconveniences that would follow if the Magistrates authority were thus far admitted which yet by dividing the power cannot but be far greater And when all is said the severall pretenders hereunto are Men not Angells from whom as the Church may receive good so it cannot be altogether secured from evill because they are neither infallible in their judgments nor unbyassed in their affections Nor ought the fitnesse and ability which some pretend for the Ministers managing of Church affairs devest the Magistrate of his right 't is fit and 't was a good wish of him ut sapientes regnarent aut regnantes saperent and yet wee must not expect to have none States-men but Lawyers or Kings but Philosophers only Neither may the difficulty or abstrusnesse to judg of points in Religion as some would make us beleeve dethrone the Magistrate from his office or deterre him from his duty Every Christian is a competent Judge of these and ought to passe sentence upon the profoundest Doctor in trying his most subtil reasonings by the touch-stone of Gods Word as far at least as concerns himself If Paul when he was questioned concerning the Resurrection of the dead appealed to Caesars Tribunall before whom he saies he ought to be judged how can we be so dis-ingenuous as to refuse that to the Christian Magistrate which the Apostle gives to a Heathen Emperour And certainly if Magistrates would but consider that Religion is the power of their Power and that which ought to governe their Government they would with David make Gods law their study that they might thence learn to be wiser then their Teachers and so avoid the imputation of incapacity or ignorance to perform that which ought to be their chief Art And if conscience move them not hereunto mee thinks Policy should if we were strangers to our own times other ages would tell us how dangerous it is for the Supream