Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	king_n	power_n	regal_a	3,088	5	11.3071	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92864	Scripture a perfect rule for church-government delivered in a sermon at Margarets Westminster, before sundry of the House of Commons. By William Seigwich [sic] minister in Farnham in Essex. Published according to order.	Sedgwick, William, 1609 or 10-1669?	1643 (1643)	Wing S2388; Thomason E79_21; ESTC R12112	29,267	42

in Scripture and although not obvious to a slight and superficiall view of the letter but lies deeply and closely couched yet it will doubtlesse be found by those whose faithfull labours God shall assist in the search of it Propos 4 Our next proposition is This government is perpetuall We might take all Christs institutions for perpetuall and not seeke a particular reason to entaile them upon the Church but there being a contrary opinion we shall meete it with three or foure arguments 1. From 1 Cor. 15.24 a place formerly quoted and proved to be meant of the externall Kingdome which Christ will render up to his Father If the Kingdome stand the policy will stand too 2. Heb. 12.27 It is called a Kingdome that cannot be shaken Christ hath set it upon such firme pillars as never to be removed till he come himselfe to pull it downe by erecting a full Kingdome of glory 3. Eph. 4.12 c. Those officers are to continue till we all come in the unity of the faith c. That which the Apostle said of the Sacrament of the Supper is true of all the rest It is to keep in remembrance his death till he come Beside Scripture there is reason for it It is a Law a Commandement called so in many places the word doth perpetuate it See 1 Tim. 6.14 because a Commandement therefore to be kept till the appearing of Jesus Christ What is made a Law no authority can pull it downe but that which sets it up Therefore the Apostle backs the command with Christs regall power Who is the onely Potentate King of Kings c. a sufficient reason to prove his Lawes unalterable because made by the supreame and highest power and therefore they are to stand till a greater then Christ come This government was universall in respect of places and why not in respect of times In all Churches thus I ordaine 1 Cor 4.17 7.17 thus I teach If the disposition of the subject had required a different rule the Apostle was very barren to ty all up to one or the Church of Corinth abounding with variety of gifts and so richly furnished might take it ill that shee should be kept in the same bounds with others and have no state and honour more then the poorest Church The government prescribed in the word is ordinary and therefore perpetuall for there is nothing that is in the word that can be thought temporall but that which was occasionall and extraordinary but the government prescribed by Christ is ordinary Things ordinary and extraordinary are found to differ 1 In their gifts Ordinary officers have ordinary endowments such as are of perpetuall use in the Church as the gifts of Pastors and Teachers To looke to the flocke to be apt to teach to be wise c. but the gifts of Apostles were extraordinary the gift of tongues miracles c. 2. In their imployments and ends Pastors and Teachers are to edifie the Church to build us up in faith a worke of perpetuall use and cannot decay in the Church Eph. 2.20 but to be the foundation to lye in the bottome of the building and to be a Master-builder this proper to extraordinary officers 1 Cor. 3.10 viz. Apostles It is not hard to shew what is ordinary and necessary and what occasionall and accidentall Object That which is urged against the perpetuity of this policy is weake That it was fit for the times in which it was practised being times of persecution but when the Church hath peace another government may be more profitable and usefull Answ For answer to it know that this is a project that the Scripture is ignorant of and affords no colour for it and that is reason sufficient to reject it But they that know what our soules are know that we have alway need of such offices and such ministrations as are in the word commanded And on the contrary the government now pleaded for would have better suited with times of persecution 1. For one Priest to serve two congregations three if need be is it not better for a poore persecuted Church then to maintaine Pastors Teachers Elders and every one to have double honour maintenance or allowance Sure Paul knew not this way of saving charges Why should he that desired to free the Church from burthens and did labour with his owne hands to doe it not suffer this new way of Curats 2. For officers to dispatch businesse privately in a chamber is safer a great deale in bad times then to make a publike businesse of it Why did the Apostle ordaine all Church affaires to be publike 1 Cor. 4.5 When you come together cast out that person And that which they would thrust out is fitter for times of prosperity 1. It is a strict and exact way close bands that give not that liberty that the other doth and therefore sittest for such times wherein men are apt to take the greatest liberty Persecution is a discipline it selfe and then men may be left more to themselves but profanenesse is apt to grow in times of pence and then it is no wisdome to have the remedy discipline 20. or 40. miles absent 2. Mercies should make us better not worse If God gives Kings to be nursing Fathers shall the Church grow wanton upon such bounty shall so happy a blessing make us worse We have a Christian King shall we therefore grow Antichristian Men say persecution was an occasion of the Apostles setting up such a discipline we are sure persecution hath kept it out Object But men object That Church-government ought to hold good proportion with the civill and episcopall government suits best with a Monarchy and that which men would ground upon the word is dangerous to Monarchies Answ If it be prejudiciall to Monarchy it is strange the Apostles would practise it under persecuting Monarchs It was no wisdome to runne themselves into a premunire to endanger the splitting of the Gospel in every place by giving just occasion to Princes of persecution Or indeed they were not persecutors in opposing the Gospel but just opposers of enemies to their state neither were the Apostles Martyrs but seditious persons that brought in things dangerous to Caesar and so died justly But this is an old tricke of the Devill to set Christ and Caesar at difference a plot as old as abominable and so grosse that a man may easily discerne it Not to speake any thing of the difference betweene corporals and spirituals betweene Moses and Aaron King and Priest of so wide a distance that they cannot interfere nor one endanger another States have stood intire without Church-government yea without Christian Religion and the government of Christ hath stood in all States without molestation Religion confirmes what it finds in a Kingdome meddles with nothing that is civill to alter it It makes princes better rulers and people better subjects but changeth neither The government endangers Princes honours and royalties no