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	minister_n	power_n	7,372	5	5.4211	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B21048	A discourse about civil government in a new plantation whose design is religion written many years since by that reverend and worthy minister of the Gospel John Cotton ; and now published by some undertakers of a new plantation for general direction and information.	Davenport, John, 1597-1670.	1663 (1663)	Wing D358	18,893	30

that the Guides in the Church have not a Despotical but Oeconomical Power onely (a) John 1.23 Matth 3.11 1 Cor. 3.5 21. 2 Cor. 1.1.24 4.5 5.20 1 Pet. 5.1 Matth. 28.18 being not Lords ove● Ch●ists heritage but stewards and ministers of Christ and of the Church the Dominion and Law-giving Power being reserved to Christ alone as ●he onely Head of the Church But in the other State he hath given Lordly Power Authority and Dominion unto men (b) Luke 22.25 John 17.10 1 Pet. 2.13 2. Though both agree in this that Man is the common Subject of them b●th yet with this difference Man by Nature being a Reasonable and Sociable Creature capable of Civil Order is or may be the Subject of Civil Power and State But Man by Grace called out ●f the world to fellowship with Jesus Christ and with his People is the onely Subject of Church-power yet so as the Outward man of Church-members is subject to the Civil Power in common with other men whilest their Inward man is the subject of Spiritual Order and Administrations 3. Though they both agree in this that God is the Efficient and Author of them both and that by Christ yet not eadem ratione For God as the Creator and Governour of the world is the Author of Civil Order and Administrations But God as in Covenant with his People in Christ is the Author of Church-Administrations So likewise Christ as the Essential Word and Wisdome of God creating and governing the World is the Efficient and Fountain of Civil Order Administrations (c) Joh. 1.1 3 10 Col 1.17 Heb. 1.2 3. Prov 8.15 But as Mediator of the New Covenant Head of the Church (d) Eph. 1.22 5.23 4.8 11. he establisheth Ecclesiastical Order 4. Though they both agree in this that they have the same last End viz. The Glory of God yet they differ in their next Ends for the next End of Civil Order and Administrations is The Preservation of Humane Societies in outward Honour ●ustice and Peace But the next Ends of Church Order and Administrations are The Conversion Edification and Salvation of Souls Pardon of Sin Power against Sin Peace with God c. 5. Hence ariseth another Difference about the Objects of these different States for though both agree in this that they have the common Welfa●● for their aime and scope yet the things about which the Civil Power is primarily conversant are Bodies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 6.4 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of this life as Goods Lands Honour the Liberties and Peace of the outward man The things whereabout the Church Power is exercised are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 5.1 The things of God as the Souls and Consciences of men the Doctrine and Worship of God the Communion of the Saints Hence also 1. They have different Laws 2. Different Officers 3. Different Power whereby to reduce men to Order according to their different Objects and Ends. Now that a just harmony may be kept between these two different Orders and Administrations two Extremes must be avoided 1. That they be not confounded either by giving the Spiritual Power which is proper to the Church into the hand of the Civil Magistrate as Erastus would have done in the matter of Excommunication If any Magistrate should presume to thrust himself by his Authority or otherwise into a Work which properly belongs to a Church-Officer let him remember what befell Saul and Vzziah for so doing or 2. By giving Civil Power to Church-Officers who are called to attend onely to Spiritual matters and the things of God and therefore may not be distracted from them by Secular intanglements I say Church-Officers not Church-members for they not being limited as the Officers are by God are capable of two different imployments suting with two d●fferent Men in them in different respects as hath been said and as they may lawfully be imployed about things of this life so they are of all men fittest being sanctified and dedicated to God to carry on all worldly and civil business to Gods ends as we shall declare in due time But concerning Church-Officers I am able with Gods help to prove that the devolving of Civil Power upon Pastors of Churches upon how specious pretences soever it began gave that Rise to the Man of Sin which at last set his feet on the necks of the Princes of the Earth yea of the Emperours of the World It was your mistake when you too confidently affirmed That the limiting of the Right and Power of choosing Civil Officers unto free Burgesses that are Members of Churches brought that Tyranny into the Romish Church which all the Churches of Christ complain of It would well have become you to have better digested your own thoughts before such words had passed through your lips for you will never be able to produce any good Author that will confirm what you say The truth is quite contrary for that I may instance in R●●e it self Had Churches been rightly managed when the most considerable part in that City embraced the Christian Faith in the ceasing ●f the Ten Persecutions that onely such as had been fit for the State had been admitted into Church-fellowship that they alone had had power out of themselves to have chosen Mag●strates such Magistrates would not have been chosen as would have given their Power to the Pope nor would those Churches have suffered their Pastors to become Worldly Princes and Rulers as the Pope and his Cardinals are nor would they have given up the Power of the Church from the Church into the Officers hands but would have called upon them to fulfill their Ministry which they had r●ceived of the Lord and if need were would by the power of Christ have compelled them so to do And then where had the Popes Supremacy been which is made up of the Spoils of the Ecclesiastical and Civil State but had by the course which now we plead for been prevented 2. The second Extreme to be avoided is That these two different Orders and States Ecclesiastical and Civil be not set in opposition as contraries that one should destroy the other but as co-ordinate States in the same place reaching forth help mutually each to other for the welfare of both according to God So that both Officers and Members of Churches be subject in respect of the outward man to the Civil Power of those who bear Rule in the Civil State according to God and teach others so to do And that the Civil Magistrates and Officers in regard of the inward man subject themselves Spiritually to the power of Chr st in Church-Ordinances and by their Civil Power preserve the same in outward Peace and Purity and this will best be attained when the Pastor may say to the Magistrate as Gregory Na●ianz●n wrote to the Magistrate of N●zianzum Scio te ovem mei gregis esse sacri gregis sacram●ve● I

Power of the Magistrates Hence it is that we plead for this Order to be set in Civil Affairs that such a course may be taken as may best secure to our selves and our posterities the faithful managing of Civil Government for the common welfare of all as well in the Church as without which will then most certainly be effected when the publick Trust and Power of these matters is committed to such men as are most approved according to God and these are Church-members * By Church-Members in all this Discourse is meant such as are in full Communion as shall afterward God assisting be proved Distinct 4 The fourth Distinction to be premised for clearing the truth and to prevent mistakes in this Question shall be between the Actions of Church-members For some actions are done by them all joyntly as a Spiritual Body in reference to Spiritual ends and some actions are done onely by some of the Body in reference to Civil ends Actions of the first sort are said to be done by the Church of Christ as a Church of Christ such are Admission of members and Excommunication of them according to Christ's order and other actions of that kinde but these fall not under our Question which is wholly about the transaction of Civil Affairs so that your whole Dispute wanteth a good ground and your labour about it might well have been spared Actions of the second sort are of a larger extent and reach to businesses of a Civil Nature such as that Civil Judgement whereof Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in matters that concern this life as the Lives Goods and which is dearer to them then both the Reputations of men and their outward Liberty and Peace Concerning which Members fitly chosen out of the Church and made free Burgesses are fitter to judge and determine according to God then other men and that for weighty Reasons some whereof are rendred by Paul in that Chapter whereunto others may be added when we shall argue that Point the Lord helping us Distinct. 5 The fifth D●stinction to be premised for the clearing of the truth in this Point is between Places where all or the most considerable part of first and free Planters profess their desire and purpose of entring into Church-fellowship according to Christ and of enjoyning in that State all the Ordinances in purity and peace and of securing the same unto their posterity so farre as men are able and those Places where all or the most considerable part of the first and free Pl●nters are otherwise minded and profess the contrary Our Question is of the first sort not of the second As for those of the second sort if the major or more considerable part among them will be like Heathen men without such Church-fellowship as is according to Christ in all things a Heathen man or meer civil worldly Polititian will be good enough to be their Magistrate or if they desire to set up Idolatry and Superstition an Idolatrous and superstitious Governor in the Civil State will best sute their ends and so they may be said to their just reproof and shame Like Priest like People and Like Prince like People Thus sometimes the Lord hath spoken against a licentius people concerning their prophets He that will prophecy of wine and strong drink Micah 2.11 he shall be the prophet to this people He that sometimes giveth such Guides in the Church to a people in his indignation doth also sometimes give Magistrates Rulers to a people in the Civil State in his wrath when men are forsaken of him and given up more to affect outward fancy and vanity then Gods Order as when the people of Israel sought a King without respect to the right Tribe from whence by Gods order they ought to expect one He gave them a King in his anger Hosea 13.12 and took him away in his wrath In such case what shall the people of God do that live in such a place surely if God give them liberty and ability they should attend to the voice of God which hath said in a like case to his people Arise and depart this is not your rest Micah 2.10 and follow the steps of Christs flock to any place where he causeth his flock to feed Cantic 1.6 7. and lye down under a comfortable shadow at noon As in Jeroboam's time the Levites left their suburbs and came to Judah and Jerusalem and after them of all the Tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel and strengthned the Kingdome of Judah where Gods Ordinances both concerning Civil Government and Religious Worship were better observed But if Divine Providence doth necessitate their stay and abode in such places they are to pray for those in Authority 1 Tim. 2. ●● that they may become such as under whom they may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty and to be subject to their Power even in those things wherein they may not obey their Commands nor seek their help 1 Cor. 6.1 2. till God shall give them liberty from that Yoke either by removing them to those places where fitter Magistrates bear Rule in Civil matters or by giving them opportunity of Chusing more sutable ones from among themselves So much shall serve to have been spoken to the Distinctions which having thus premised we now proceed to declare the true state of the Question which is as followeth The true state of the Question Q. Whether a new Plantation where all or the most considerable part of free Planters profess their purpose and desire of securing to themselves and to their posterity the pure and peaceable enjoyment of Christ's Ordinances Whether I say such Planters are bound in laying the Foundations of Church and Civil State to take order that all the free Burgesses be such as are in fellowship of the Church or Churches which are or may be gathered according to Christ and that those free Burgesses have the only power of chusing from among themselves Civil Magistrates and men to be intrusted with transacting all publick Affairs of Importance according to the rules and directions of Scripture I hold the Affirmative part of this Question upon this ground that this course will most conduce to the good of both States and by consequence to the common w●lfare of all whereunto all men are bound principally to attend in laying the Foundation of a Common-wealth lest Posterity rue the first Miscarriages when it will be too late to redress them They that are skilful in Architecture observe that the breaking or yielding of a stone in the groundwork of a Building but the breadth of the back of a knife will make a cleft of more then half a foot in the Fabrick aloft So important saith mine Author are fundamental Errours The Lord awaken us to look to it in time and send us his Light and Truth to lead us into