Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	law_n	power_n	resist_v	2,109	5	9.2401	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A86421	A garden inclosed, and Wisdom justified only of her children. Being two exercises, discovering the glory, beauty and perfection of the love of God to saints that are so comprehended, and in such a glorious inclosure: and also the sweet reflections in, and from saints, in iustifying wisdom: which were delivered at New-port Pagnell, about a yeare and a half since: for declaration whereof, the authour was then imprisoned, and since accused, for delivering of blasphemie. by Paul Hobson.	Hobson, Paul.	1647 (1647)	Wing H2274; Thomason E1188_3; ESTC R208251	44,598	118

sufficient ground to admit one into Church fellowship But a bare beleeving of Christ without may be in the men of the world and therefore that is not a sufficient ground to admit one into Church-fellowship The major is clear And for the minor I prove thus That which the Divel may do a man of the world may do in matter of beleeving But the Devils did believe and know a Christ without Jam. 2.19 and yet did not enjoy a Christ within Therefore a wicked man or a man of the world may do the same And therefore that is not a sufficient ground to admit one into Church-fellowship Fifthly As the Apostles owned men Reason 5 so ought we to owne men But the Apostles knew no man after the flesh 2 Cor 5.16 that is as I conceive by flesh he meaneth all external acts of righteousnesse which he calleth flesh in Phil. 3.4 Therefore I conceive the Apostle meaneth they know no man after the flesh that is according to their external actings but according to their internal enjoyments And so ought we Sixthly Reason 6 That which is the onely way to bring distractions into the Church of Christ that ought not to be practised by the Church of Christ but the admitting of members upon so slight a ground as a bare believing of a Christ without when they do not know and enjoy a Christ within is the cause of distractions in the Church of Christ and therefore ought not to be practised If you aske me Quest. What are the distractions it may or doth produce I Answer Ansvv The distractions are such as these First Distract 1. A continued fear that men will or may fall off from them For if men hold themselves in the profession of Truth 1 Ioh. 2.19 and are not held in by the power of Truth then they will at first or last fall off from Truth Secondly Distract 2. This is that which openeth the mouths of some that are not yet in external fellowship not onely to speak against it but it maketh them also afraid to submit to it because they fear that we center and put too much in outward Ordinances and too little in inward enjoyments This maketh them fear that they shall not enjoy that amongst them that professe outward Ordinances which they do enjoy amongst others Thirdly It is a grief and trouble Distract 3. and sadnesse to the spirits of them that are already in fellowship For insteed of being built up with the exchanges of experiences they meeting many times with some who are admitted upon confession and profession of a Christ without when they do not so enjoy Christ within as to see an interest in him and have a sensible communion with him insteed of the exchanges of experiences that may refresh the souls of each other they give out nothing but external declarations about external administrations which is so far from refreshing that it doth exceedingly damp the heart of a soul that liveth with God And it is no better then pouring cold water upon a warmed spirit For though external Ordinances are very good in reference to the will of God yet it is not an outward Ordinance but God in the Ordinance that is the life of a Saint Seventhly Reason 7 That which is held out in the Gospel for men to believe that ought to appear in men when they do professe themselves to believe before they are admitted into Church-fellowship But that which the Gospel holdeth out for men to believe is not a bare believing of Christ presented to them but to believe an interest in Christ Ioh. ● 15.14.6 so as to enjoy life by him Gal. 2.20 1 Ioh. 1.7 And untill men can declare that they see an interest in Christ and sensibly enjoy Christ there is no ground for us to believe that they do so believe as to admit them into Church-fellowship And so much concerning the first consectarie That the Church of Christ are believers in Christ The second consectary is Consect 2. That the Church of Christ are such as are sweetly overcome and fetch'd in to Christ by the commings in of Christ By those expressions my meaning is First That that heart that is truly possessed with Christ is sweetly overcome by the sweet love and lovelynesse of Christ so that he hath nothing to say against him or any thing that is required by him but doth sweetly submit to him Secondly He is fetch'd in by that I mean not onely a fetching into an external Ordinance but to the enjoyment of an internal glory he is not barely fetch'd in from a seeming power of death to live under the shadow of life but he is really fetch'd from the power of death into the glory of life In a word he is fetch'd into the bosome of God to live in him so that he is sweetly wrapt up in the mysterie of that glory which is involved in the bosome of God And so much for that consectarie The third consectarie is Consect 3. That the Church of Christ must worship Christ And that this is their duty is cleer from these Scriptures 2 Kings 17.36 1 Chron. 16.29 Psal 29.2 and 96.9 John 4.23 24. Acts 24.14 Rom. 12.1 Phil. 3.3 And had I time I should speak somthing of the word Worship for Worship in Scripture is taken either for Moral or Instituted Worship but I shall say nothing of that Onely in a word the people of God are to acknowledge God in all things both external and internal that are required of them by God But I shall not at this time speak any more of this consectary The fourth consectary is Consect 4. That the word of Christ is the Rule of the worship of Christ Esai 8.20 Every King must and doth rule by a Law sutable to himself Kings that govern and rule in civill things are to govern and rule by a civil Law but Christ who is a King spiritual ruleth and regulateth his Church by a spiritual Law civil Lawes cannot reach Christs government Neither hath Christ centred any power in the civil authority to regulate mens spirits in the worship of Christ Gen. 49.10 though that was formerly in the Church of the Jewes which was a type of Christ it is now ended by Christ and all power in matter of worship is called home to him Esa 9.6.7 and resides in him Mat. 11.27 and those men that indevour by the power of a civil Law to constrain men to a spiritual worship Ioh. 3.35 they take upon them the authority and prerogative of Jesus Christ Nay in a word they in that act deny Christ come in the flesh and it is not onely sinful but poor and beggarly for they would have all men see with their eyes and all mens spirits in nature and measure sutable to their Law and if they see more they must be fetched back by the power of it and if they see lesse the must be fetched up to

conveyance of light Who can do it if Christ causes as the beginnings so the increase of light in them What if men darken expressions and do what they can to cloud the Truth Ezek. 34.15 16. If Christ be the convayer of Truth who can let Therein rejoyce The next Vse is an Vse of Reproof to those who glory much in enjoying light from Christ Vse 3 and yet that light they do enjoy doth not employ them in the Beholdings of and in affection to the Lord Jesus but rather use their parts as a way to cloud Christ Ezek. 34.3 4 5. and scorne Christians then honour Christ and inform Christians These men are not yet come to that mountain that makes the earth silent they are not come to that glory wisdom and light that is peaceable meek and teachable Iam. 3 1● but rather are possessed with the rough streams of their own fancy which endeavours to condemn all that suits not with and are not conformable to the will of themselves far from the mind of Paul who saith If any man be otherwise minded God will reveal it to him in due time Phil 3.15 But they endeavour rather with clubs and staves to make men conformable without light then with meeknesse of Spirit to give forth light and by that light to produce conformity But no more of that thing The next consectary arises from the second particular Consect what is meant by Justifying I told you it was not to add any thing to Christ or to present Christ in any way of glory or beauty that was not proper to him and real in him but it is to acknowledge that in him which is proper to him Thence observe that Christ receives no additional glory by saints acknowledgements Iob 22.2 3. and 35.7 though Christ calls it a glory to him when the glory in himself by saints is acknowledged yet it adds nothing to him but onely doth acknowledge what before was in him If so Vse 1 let this teach us that the highest of our exaltings of Christ is no ground for us to exalt our selves either in the room of or with the Lord Jesus Christ though its true Christ cannot be exalted Coloss 3.4 but a saint is exalted too 1 Iohn 3. ● but it is the very exaltation of Christ that is a Saints exaltation and nothing else Therefore let this teach us while we exalt him to lie low before him knowing that we give nothing to him Eph. 3.7 8. but what is his due and do nothing before him but what is our duty which becomes a saint Secondly Vse 2 This serves to reprove those that professe themselves sons of wisdom and yet are so far from justifying wisdom that they condemn wisdom by setting up some power either above him or else with him that is not proper to him this is the practise of most men in our daies who center the authority of Christ in the power of creatures and are so far from Justifying saints when they conform to Christ that they censure saints in their conformity by the name of Hereticks and Schismaticks But it s no new thing the Popish Bishops in Queen Maryes time censured other ministers and Bishops that were more purely minded and when those Bishops that suffered got power they did the same to them that were more pure reformers and what if those that were more pure Reformers then their persecutors should get power and persecute them that endevour to walk more exactly then themselves think it not strange but remember that Wisdom is justified onely of her children The third Vse is of Exhortation Vse 3 Is it so that to justifie wisdom is onely to acknowledge that in him which is proper to him Let this exhort all those that professe themselves sons of Wisdom to acknowledge that in Christ which is proper to Christ 1 Pet. 4.10 11. and let this acknowledgement be both in your speaking and doing Iohn 15.14 speaking of him and acknowledging what is in him by conforming to him to shew the authority of him What if men shall oppose and powers resist The sun gains most glory when it meeteth with the darkest cloud Christ never is advanced more by saints then when men persecute and oppose saints for professing of him light is most glorious in the darkest night the purest gold shines most glorious amongst the filthiest drosse Cant. 2. ● the Lillie is most lovely when among Thorns therefore saints should be so far from covering themselves and clouding Christ in times of adversity that they should rather profess him much the more knowing its their duty to justifie and this is to justifie to acknowledge him which they do by their declaring of him Mat. 10.27 and conforming to him and so much of that thing The third thing I named to you was what is meant by wisdoms children I told you it is either taken Relatively and so improperly or Really and so properly Relatively 1 Iohn 3.2 and so all men and women possessed with Christ and elected in Christ Rom. 3.14 and called by Christ in relation to that election calling and enjoyment are called sons and daughters But that which is properly the son of wisdom and gives them the denomination of sons and daughters is that unction or spirit or anointing within which they receive from the holy one 1 Joh. 2.27 For as the anointing of Christ gives him the title of being called Christ so saints being possessed with the unction and spirit and anointing of Christ that gives them the title of being called Christians Christ being one with the Deity is the natural Son we through him partaking of the Deity are the adopted sons our sonship is in relation to and flows from this spirit and unction that is in us and I told you this may be called wisdomes child or son for these reasons First It s conceived in the womb of him Secondly It s brought forth by him Thirdly It s one with him Fourthly It lives by influences of him Lastly It looks like him From these five observe these five consectaries First That the womb of Christ is a magazine of grace and glory Consect 1. I told you the word is a metaphorical expression and must not be understood carnally but spiritually by the womb of Christ I mean the bosome of the son 2 Tim. 1 9. in which the father conceives all good for saints Mat. 3.17 and I call it a magazine Iohn 1.16 because all flowes from him and all must and is to be returned to him a magazine because there is not onely a few Col. 1.19 but varieties of all glories and treasures for the sons of men as power wisdom strength love and light and all other desireable good If this be so the use is first Vse To shew that a saints portion by Christ is a hidden Treasure streams may be measured 1 Ioh. 2 ● but fountains cannot be comprehended

it by that power and authority in it and in so doing they take upon them the sole work of God himself But I shall say no more of that thing nor of the first terme in the Proposition What I mean by the Church of Christ 2. Why the Church is called a Garden The second thing to be unfolded is Why the Church of Christ is called a Garden Or wherein it may fitly be compared to a Garden I answer The Church of Christ may fitly be compared to a Garden in these things First In that it is inclosed common fields have common fences 1. Christs Church may fitly bee called a Garden Because it is inclosed but no special enclosure In a special manner to be enclosed is the property of a Garden and therein may the Church of Christ fitly bee called a Garden Cant. 4.12 A Garden enclosed is my sister my Spouse and so Isa 5. I had a Vineyard and I set a Wall about it saith Christ and I hedged it c. All this discovers thus much That the Church of Christ which is Christs Garden is specially enclosed and this enclosure is not a bare external discipline to separate them from the World Rom. 8.35 But it is also the special love Iohn 14.21.15.12 13.17.15 and power and sweetnesse of Christ to secure them from the evil that is in the world 2. Because there is more fruit there then elsewhere Secondly The Church of Christ may fitly be called a Garden Because there is more special fruit there then elsewhere In common fields and road-waies there may be common fruits but your special and choice fruits are in your enclosed Gardens so it is in the Church of Christ In the men of the world there may be some common gifts to declare Christ and some civil and legal conformity to Christ and also a love to Christ from a supposed good by Christ when they can love themselves in loveing of Christ and the same we may say of sorrow for sin and joy in duty c. But if you look for a choise love and a choise light Eph. 3.29.5.19 you must look for it where it is Mat. 11.27 and that is either in the heart of Christ the Gardiner 1 Iohn 2.20.27 or else in the saints who are the Garden Every stream looks like its own Fountain and every beam like its own Body from whence it flowes Therefore if you desire to see a choise love 2 Cor. 7.11 and a choise light a choise joy and a choise sorrow you must view it onely and alone in the heart of saints They who are possessed with Christ and so live with Christ that all living acts flow from Christ they are not carried out to love from an apprehension of good without them presented to them But they love from a power of good seated in them They do not love to gain life but they so love from a power of life that it is a gain to them to love That love that is in the heart of Saints to God flowes from no lesse then the very heart of God It looks like him it is owned by him it wraps up and involves the spirit loving in the glory of him these are the choise fruits and spices Christ speaks of in the CANTICLES And so we are to understand the words of Christ Mat. 5.47 where he saith What is in you more then in another implying that there is some singular thing in the heart of Saints that is not else where You may finde light and love and sorrow and joy in the heart of men yet unacquainted truely with God But if you will finde these Purely and Truely Singly and Transcendently you must expect it no where but where Christ dwells with a Soule and a Soule with Christ And therefore under that second consideration The Church of Christ may fitly bee called a Garden 3. Because there is more care taken of it Thirdly The Church of Christ may fitly be called a Garden Because there is more Care taken of it and more speciall watching over it then of other places Where the Lord saith Esa 27.3 I watered it and watched it night and day that none should burt it Men take a common care of their common fields But they take a speciall care of their enclosed Gardens So it is with God himselfe Psal 145.9 Whose mercy is over all his works But his choycest Loves Light Iohn 14 21.23 and Life is displayed in the heart of Saints and they are not onely under a common Providence but a Fatherly and Friendly care I might here speake something of the White stone and also of the choice ownings and imbracings betwixt Christ and his Saints But I shall leave that to the experience of them that doe enjoy it 4. Because Christ takes satisfaction and delight in it Fourthly The Church of Christ may fitly be compared to a Garden in referrence to the sweet Refreshings Satisfaction and Content Christ takes in it Which content and satisfaction of Christ doth appeare and is made manifest by these things First In Christ's sweet discoveries and friendly manifestations in a secret way to them Iohn 14.21 It is here betwixt Christ and his Church as it is betwixt friends If men desire to have a friendly discourse with a friend they commonly go not into the common fields but into enclosed Gardens where they may discover their mindes as privately so freely and friendly So it is betwixt Christ and his Church who when he hath any choice matter to discover from the heart of his Father He presently retires to the heart of Saints Iohn 15.15 where he doth and can speake as fully so freely And in his discovery of himselfe and his Father to them hee takes great delight And herein the content and satisfaction of Christ in the Saints doth appear Secondly The content and satisfaction of Christ doth appeare in that Christ is pleased not onely to carry them by a common hand of Providence but hee carries them in his Bosome Esa 40.11 He delights for them to ly in his heart and for Him to live in them Thirdly Not onely so But the content of Christ appeares in divers expressions which he takes up to expresse himselfe in and declare himselfe by to his Churches Hag. 2.23 Sometimes he calls them the Signet upon his finger Sometimes hee desires to bee Set as a seale upon their heart Cant. ● 6 Sometimes hee cries out and saith Turne away thine eyes from me Cant. 6.5 for they have overcome me And sometimes hee cries out Shew me thy Countenance Let mee heare thy voice for sweet is thy voice Cant. ● 14 and thy Countenance comely It is here with Christ as it is with one that delights not only in a Garden but in the variety of fruits in that Garden So Christ is pleased by the sweet and glorious scituation and indwelling of himselfe