Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	church_n	holy_a	word_n	6,788	5	4.3458	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49413	Christian liberty not to be abused, or, Antient and primitive truth correcting some modern, or new abuses, of that which is so much pleaded for, and so little understood, viz. Christian liberty in a sermon preached in the church of Bridport within the county of Dorset, on Sunday the forenoon, being November 3. 1672 ... / by Rich. Luce ...	Luce, Richard, Presbyter of the Church of England.	1673 (1673)	Wing L3423A; ESTC R5778	16,643	38

begin at the House of God i. e. wherein the more Orthodox and purer Christians and Professors of the Holy Catholick Faith were to suffer all manner of Evils both from the Jews and Gnosticks for the sake of the Gospel of Christ Justin Martyr in Quest Respons ad Orthodoxos For as Justin Martyr notes It was usual for the Hereticks of those times to Condemn those that would not say and think as they did And therefore St. Paul in his Valedictory Sermon to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grievous Wolves Act. 20. who by their Heretical Doctrines and Seditious practises did make spoyle of the Flock of Christ For whiles they pretended nothing more than Liberty they did the more entangle themselves and their followers in the bondage of Corruption 2 Pet. 2.18 19. And hence four Principal Errours in those Gnosticks offer themselves to Correction so well as Observation First Their Magical Enchantments Secondly Their allowance of all manner of Sensualities and fleshly Lusts and mixtures even to the Community or rather desilement of the Marriage-Bed Thirdly Their Exempting themselves from the Yoke of all Authority both Civil and Sacred Fourthly and lastly They held Circumcision to avoid Persecution for the Cross of Christ By all which they prostituted the Holy Christian Religion both in its Doctrinals and Devotionals Morals and Evangelicals to shame and contempt under pretence of Liberty And to hold you no longer from the design of our Apostle in my Text St. Peter here wipes off the Reproach which these Impostors endeavoured to cast upon the Name of Christ under pretence of Liberty purchased by him when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As free and not using or not having the Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God Wherein you may hear our Apostle speaking unto us to this effect namely Let none of you whom Christ hath purchased by his most precious blood to enjoy so many high and eminent priviledges as to be an Holy Nation a Royal Priest-hood a peculiar people c. Think that hereby you are exempted from your duties whether with reference towards God in the duties of the first Table or towards men required in the duties of the second Table of the Ten Commandments to the performance of all which we are firmly bound by Divine injunction In especial manner assure your selves that the Doctrine of Christianity teacheth nothing more effectually then that you ought to submit your selves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as sent by him for the punishment of Evil doers and for the praise of them that do well for so is the Will of God c. If you plead your Freedome know that your Freedome in and by Christ Jesus our Lord doth not consist in believing and living as you list your selves nor in any exemption from Obedience unto lawful Authority No! For our Lord himself though Heir in Right to the Crown and Scepter of Judah by temporal discent from the loynes of David so well as Prince of the Kings of the Earth by his Eternal Power and God-head yet rather than he would give occasion of offence whiles he was living or leave a suspicious Example of any ill-meaning in his Doctrine or practice after his departure from this world as to Personal or Corporeal presence Himself I say would rather work a Miracle and pay Tribute unto Caesar for himself and Peter Math. 17.25 c. to the end of that Chapter To shew that his Disciples after him under no pretence whatsoever should plead immunity in that or the like Case much less may any Christian under any pretence of Liberty vail or cover over Treasonable Imaginations or Practises against their Superiours but as Holy Church hath taught us devoutly to Pray so let us be careful to practise i. e. We must faithfully serve honour and humbly obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him in and for the Lord according to his blessed Word and Ordinance As duly considering that the King is Gods Vice-gerent and that all other Magistrates who are Commissionated by and under him do bear derivatively and subordinately an Impress of the Divine Image and Superscription As free and not having the Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God Many Observations offer themselves to our Consideration out of this Portion of Holy Writ but I shall confine my self to shew you briefly First What Christian Liberty is and wherein it doth consist Secondly How it ought not to be abused as a Cloak or Covering of any lewd Principles or wicked Practises And for the better help of your memories I shall reduce both into one Doctrine or Proposition Doct. That it is altogether inconsistent with and contrariant unto the Holy Christian Religion for the Professors thereof under pretence of Liberty to Cloak and colour over Malice and Wickedness Or more briefly Christian Liberty must not be Abused to any wicked practises especially against lawful Authority This position flowes naturally from the Text which is inserted by way of Anticipation to prevent an obvious Objection Object If we are Christs Freemen i. e. Purchased and Redeemed by his most precious Blood and free Denizons of Heaven c. What obedience or subjection do we owe to any person or power upon Earth c The Apostle Answers this by shewing Solut. from the Rule of correlatives what our Christian Liberty is and wherein it doth consist For Our Christian Liberty is this Quaenam sit libertas Christiana namely that we being delivered from the hands of our Enemies i. e. from Sin Hell and Satan we should serve God truly in Righteousness and Holiness all the days of our lives Luk. 1.74 75. So that if any one would be informed what 's our Liberty my answer would be It is a Freedom to serve God to observe and do what he hath commanded us This is the sum and scope of the Gospel of Christ to teach us to walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith we are called Eph. 4.1 so Tit. 2.11 12. The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying Ungodliness and worldly Lusts we should live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this present World and this in especial manner is one way whereby we vindicate the honour of our high and holy Calling and shew forth the praises of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light namely by submitting our selves unto every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as sent by him c. As free and not having Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness c. Freemen we are indeed But we must rememmember that the Liberty of the Lords Freemen in this life is spiritual and inward not bodily and outward until

the Cross of Christ But if in nothing else I may prevail with those who do dissent from us yet let them be perswaded whiles they have a Liberty not to use it or rather not to abuse it as a Cloak of Malitiousness Treason or Rebellion nor to Maintain any lewed Principles nor to set on foot any Malignant Practises against God or the King Church or State Friends or Foes But rather as becometh good Christians so let them demean themselves in all Places and upon all occasions and amongst all Companies as the Servants of God As free and not using or not having the Liberty for a Cloak of Malitiousness but as the Servants of God I know you expect somwhat to be said unto Persons in Authority by way of Advice but I have not had time to tumble over a Concordance according to the new mode of those who are hugely affected with the long-winded Cant. howbeit I shall not refuse to commend unto you two or three very pertinent places of Scripture to the purpose of your expectation The first shall be that in Exod. 18.21 which contains Jothro's Counsel unto Moses which sheweth you that you must endeavour to approve your selves able men such as fear God men of truth hating Covetousness The second shall be that of David 2 Sam. 23.3 He that Ruleth over men must be Just Ruling in the fear of God Remember you bear not the Sword in vain Rom. 13.4 The Magistrate is Custos utriusque tabulae the Keeper of the two Tables of the Ten Commandments and however your Sword may not reach all causes yet so far as lyeth in your power let not disorderly living pass without such punishments as are confistent with Christian Charity You need not that much more should be said by me at this instant the Laws of God and the known Laws of the Land and the Constitutions of your own Society must direct you when this discourse of mine may be forgotten Let your own good example in frequenting the house of God together with your own Families according to the Order of the Church of England by Law establisht and your own Grave unblameable and discreet deportment put a blank upon dissenters And if the Rabble will needs cast scorn upon the Wisdome of God shining forth upon you in the Ministry of your Lawful Pastor Ordain'd and Constituted amongst you in due form and order of Law according to the known Laws of this Realm and the Canons and Constitutions of the Church of England piously and wholsomely made and provided It is your part and duty in especial manner to support and countenance him against all affronts and indignities which a factious and head-strong a Slanderous and Scandalizing Generation may cast upon him And for you that are sub potestate Constituti under the command of Authority I shall give you that same wholsome advise which follows immediately after the words of my Text Honour all men Love the Brother-hood Fear God Honour the King On which words I shall make no other Paraphrase than what the Church of England hath made to my hand in her most excellent and plain Catechism You shall next to the performance of your Duty towards God in believving in him Fearing him Loving him above all Worshipping him giving him Thanks putting your whole Trust in him Calling upon him Honouring his Holy Name and his Word and serving him truly all the days of your lives You shall I say next to the performance of your duty in this manner towards God not forget your duty towards your Neighbour that is to say You shall love your Neighbour as your self and do unto all men as thou would'st he should do unto thee Thou shalt Love Honour and Succour thy Father and Mother Thou shalt Honour and Obey the King and all that are put in Authority under him Thou shalt submit thy self to all thy Governours Teachers Spiritual Pastors and Masters Thou shalt order thy self Lowly and Reverently to all thy Betters Thou shalt hurt no body by Word nor Deed. Thou shalt be True and Just in all thy dealings Thou shalt bear no Malice nor Hatred in thy heart Thou shalt keep thy Hands from picking and stealing and thy Tongue from Evil-speaking Lying and Slandering Thou shalt keep thy Body in temperance Soberness and Chastity Thou shalt not Covet nor desire other mens Goods but shalt learn and labour truly to get thine own Living and to do thy Duty in that state of Life unto which it hath pleased God to call thee This is pure Religion and Undefiled before God and the Father indeed Wilt thou then not be afraid of the Power do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same Rom. 13.3 For as St. Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.13 Who is he that will harm you if ye be followers of that which is good I beseech you Consider what is spoken and the Lord give you understanding in all things necessary in order to the Attainment of Everlasting Salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost Three Persons and but One God be ascribed and rendered as of all due belongeth all Honour and Glory Praise Power Might Majesty Thanksgiving Dominion and Obedience both of us and of every Creature both now and for ever more Amen FINIS