Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A78145
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Reformed religion, or, Right Christianity described in its excellency, and usefulness in the whole life of man by a Protestant-Christian.
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Barker, Matthew, 1619-1698.
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1689
(1689)
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Wing B777aA; ESTC R42840
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61,592
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137
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rather than to a Party or disputable Opinion to uphold and promote a private Interest He affects not the secular Pomp and Grandeur of this World considering whose Servant he is the great design of the Gospel he preacheth the Example of Christ his great Lord and Master and of the Apostles sent forth by him much less doth he affect to introduce it into the New-Testament Church which was well caution'd against in the first Ephisine Council Ne sub specie administrationis rerum Sacrarum potentiae secularis Typhus in Ecclesiam irrepat c. Canone ultimo He seeks not so much to please as to profit the People committed to him and yet will become all things to all Men to gain them and do them good and as it is Titus 1. 7. required of him not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a self-pleaser so he is a Pleaser of Men only to their Edification and Salvation He is one not given to Contention nor soon angry no Striker or Railer no Promoter of Strife Faction or Sedition or inhumane Cruelties but with meekness instructeth those that oppose themselves if peradventure God will give them Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth He is not for the promoting of Religion by Fire and Sword as Mahomet nor as some rigid Zealots Bellarmin de laici Lib. 3. Cap. 22. p. 1319. of the Roman Church that Hereticks are every where to be rooted out if they are not too strong for them then they must be quiet and shew them forbearance He is Sober and Temperate in all things not given to Wine no haunter of Taverns but useth all moderation in Meats and Drinks that his Mind may be more sedate and composed to intend and discharge the Work he is called unto He is not Morose nor Stoical but Affable and courteous to all and seeks to preserve an Esteem for his Person to the greater advantage of his Ministry yet he studiously avoids all lightness or vanity in Speech or Behaviour and by Gravity of Carriage puts an Awe Respect and Reverence to his Person upon the Hearts of the People He is one not greedy of filthy Lucre useth not a Cloak of Covetousness whatever Garment he weareth will not make merchandize of the People for his private advantage entangles not himself in the Affairs of this present Life but is ready to deny himself in his Earthly Interests rather than bring a blemish upon his Office and obstruct the success of his Labours whereby his People may see he seeketh not Theirs but Them. Again He doth not Lord it over the Faith and Consciences of the People but seeks by sound Doctrine and Evidence of the Truth to convince mens Judgments and perswade mens Minds to the Faith Obedience and love of the Word Neither doth he affect Preeminence and Dominion over his Brethren and to assume a Jurisdiction which Christ never gave him As when in the degenerate State of the Church the Bishops contended about the Superiority of their Sees and which our Saviour reproved in the Disciples when they disputed who should be greatest But what Authority he hath given to his Ministers he doth faithfully exercise it to preserve the Churches Purity to Propagate and Exalt his Name and Kingdom but not to exalt himself For the Jewish Priesthood being now changed as being typical he knows we can't argue from thence for an Hierarchy under the Gospel to be parallel to it without a new Institution from Jesus Christ Whereby Primacy over the Gospel Church might be as clearly declared as that of the High-Priests over the Jewish Church And therefore it is well known that the Council o◠Carthage would not allow the Name of Episcopus Episcoporum the Jurisdiction of one Bishop over another yet in all difficult Cases he taketh advice and submitteth his own Judgment to the Judgment of Synods regularly assembled to determine Controversies in Religion He is one who Practiseth himself what he preacheth to others Exemplifies his Doctrine in his Conversation that he may be an Example to his Flock and of good Report with those that are without and doth not tempt his People to think that he preacheth those things which he himself believes not to be true by his not walking accordingly And thereby not only bring Contempt on the Ministry but while he preacheth to others himself may be cast away Further He indulgeth not himself in Sloth and Idleness follows close his private Studies as strength and opportunity give him leave that he may grow in Learning and Knowledge and be better furnish'd for his publick Ministry more able to convince gainsayers and open the Mysteries of God's Kingdom as a Minister of the New Testament and lead up the People to further degrees of Knowledge and higher attainments in Christianity But as for Politicks and Mysteries of State and the Affairs of Civil Government he leaves them to the Study of Princes and the Civil Magistrates to whose Province they especially belong Again He considering that he is for Salt to Season others he seeketh to maintain a favour upon his own Heart of the Doctrine that he preacheth to them that he may not himself be rejected as unsavoury Salt. And for that end he is much in Prayer for the daily supply of the Holy Spirit and his teachings upon his Heart the New-Testament Ministry being a Ministration of the Spirit He is one who feareth not the Face of Men in the discharge of his Duty will not baulk or decline any Truth or faithful Reproof of Sin for the Fear of Man but declares the whole Counsel of God that he may give up his Account with Joy and be free from the blood of all Men. He will not accumulate Livings and enlarge his Cure beyond his Capacity to discharge it least he be injurious to some of his Brethren who may want both Work and Maintenance and aggravate his own Account by the neglect of his Duty Neither doth he think it reasonable that he should live of the Flock he doth not feed or of the Altar at which he doth not serve especially when no necessity compells thereunto He well knowing that at first there was no Bishops but to Single Congregations which he might be able to inspect with the assistance of Presbyters where the Church was numerous and the enlarging them to more crept in gradually by the Ambition of Men or humane Constitution He is one who Ruleth well his own House having his Children and Servants in subjection with all Gravity instructing his Family in the Knowledge of God their Duty to him and the Duty of their several Places and Relations And if he be unmarried he preserveth his Mind and Body chast but confines not himself to a single life as necessary to his Office. He also Preacheth sound Doctrine feedeth the Souls of his People with wholsome Food giveth not Chaff instead of Wheat nor Stones instead of Bread nor Scorpions instead of Fish warneth them against Contentious Schisms the