Selected quad for the lemma: christian_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
christian_n	call_v	church_n	society_n	1,435	5	9.0715	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A70686	The lawfulnes of the oath of supremacy, and power of the King in ecclesiastical affairs with Queen Elizabeth's admonition, declaring the sence and interpretation of it, confirmed by an act of Parliament, in the 5th year of her reign : together with a vindication of dissenters, proving, that their particular congregations are not inconsistent with the King's supremacy in ecclesiastical affairs : with some account of the nature, constitution, and power of the ecclesiastical courts / by P. Nye ... ; in the epistle to the reader is inserted King James's vindication and explication of the oath of allegiance.; Lawfulnes of the oath of supremacy and power of the King in ecclesiastical affairs	Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1683 (1683)	Wing N1499; ESTC R22153	63,590	80

King over them it is so spoken of Solomon The Benefit and Good to the Churches and Saints from the Civil Magistrate may more particularly be judged of in these Considerations 1. Kings and Princes are an Ordinance of God or Medium by which in a more special and peculiar way he communicates his Power Wisdom and Justice for the governing of all Societies of Men. 1 Kings 3.28 All Israel feared the King for they saw that the Wisdom of God was in him to do Judgment So the Power and Justice and the like Attributes of God become visible in this Ordinance of God See Eccles 8.2 Numb 27.20 Prov. 16.10 and 21.1 It is brought as an Argument to Magistrates against Partiality and Bribery 2 Chron. 19.7 There is no Iniquity with the Lord our God nor respects of Persone nor taking of Gifts What is or is not in God should be or not be found in him that is a Magistrate They are therefore termed Gods because a visible Representation of God's Attributes is or ought to be in their Governing And as Christ is said to be present with those Officers in the Church which he hath appointed because there is a special Virtue and Efficacy of Christ manifest in their Ministry So in this great Ordinance of a Magistrate there is said to be a special Presence of God with him 2 Chron. 19.6 From the like Manifestation of God in his Wisdom Power Goodness c. for the Welfare of Societies There is such a Harmony and Neighbourhood between the outward and inward Man that what works upon the one affects the other When therefore the Ministry by Christ's presence works upon a Man's Soul the Man is of a better Behaviour outwardly and to Civil Relations So also being brought into outward Subjection and Conformity by Magistracy the Mind and spiritual part is much the more fitted for Christian Communion Moral Vertues yea Civilities are much pressed upon Church-Members every where in the Epistles as to be kind courteous Rom. 16. humble submiss self-denying Paul spends a whole Chapter in Greetings and Salutes Men and Women that are morose selfish stiff opinionative ill-bred such for the most part are burthensom in all and as much in these spiritual Societies as in any other 2. For Protection Church-Power neither judgeth or restraineth them that are without it is no Fence nor Security against the World The only Hedg about this Vineyard under God is the Sword of the Civil Magistrate Saints and Churches being called and separated out of the World are hated by the World and such a Seed of Enmity in them against the Members of Christ as if there were no higher Power to restrain being the far greater number they would utterly root us out The Church for Weakness and Helplesness is resembled by a Nurse-Child or Infant which needs the Care of those who have more Strength This religious Care and Tenderness is Isa 9.16 or ought to be in the Magistrate who is termed a Nurse The Prophet in this Promise hath an Eye to Gospel-Times and Churches called together amongst the Gentiles In an Age when there would be no Prophets or Apostles or Signs or Wonders or mighty Deeds wrought in the behalf of the Church 2 Cor. 10.12 as was in the Jewish Oeconomy and first Age of Christians It 's promised that Kings and Princes either by a common or saving Change shall become nursing Fathers 1 Sam. 10.6 9. 1 Kings 4.29 nourishing and protecting Christ's feeble Orphant the Church And where the Magistrate is such we ought to pray that all may be such we have the Liberty under them notwithstanding the World's Enmity to lead a quiet and peaceable Life 1 Kings 4.29 and this not only in Honesty but in all Godliness 3. The Judgments of God Sword of the Magistrate and the like external Administrations are helpful to the best of Men who are liable while a Body of Sin to as foul external Acts of Sin as the worst of Men. The spiritual part in us by these means helps it self much in an hour of Temptation especially against the Flesh over-ballancing the Pleasures of Sin from that Shame and Grief Sin brings with it so that Self-love or a higher Principle is hereby strengthened to avert us Servile Fear evil only in defect is good and useful to the best of us while in a mixed Condition and not perfect in our Love to God Joh was eminently godly and righteous yet in both much furthered from the Consideration of Wrath and Judgment Job 31.19 21 with 23. If I have seen saith he any perish for want of Cloathing If I have lift up my Hand against the Fatherless c. ver 23. For Destruction from God was a Terror to me The Magistrates Ecclesiastical Power had the like effect to restrain Impiety in him as vers 26 27 28. If I beheld the Sun and my Heart hath been secretly enticed or my Mouth hath kissed my Hand this were an Iniquity to be punished by the Judg. The Apostle Paul though constrained by Love vers 14. Such was his Affection to Christ yet moved also to Duty from the Consideration of Judgment and Terror 2 Cor. 10.11 If it be thus with the best of the Saints much more will Churches stand in need of such an external Help against Corruptions There being not only a mixture of Flesh and Spirit in those that are Members indeed but a mixture with them of Hypocrites and such as are Members only in shew We find in the Churches planted by the Apostles a use not only of Spiritual Censures 1 Cor. 5. but also outward and bodily Afflictions Sickness Weakness c. for Church-Miscarriages and it 's said to be for the Salvation of their Souls 1 Cor. 11. Chap. 5. ver 5. with Chap. 11. ver 32. So that Severity of the Lord on Ananias and Saphira was for a Church-Fault and it 's said Vers 11. Great Fear came upon all the Church Rom. 13. It was an eminent Church before whom Paul shakes the Magistrate's Sword and tells them if they do that which is evil they have cause to be afraid for he beareth not the Sword in vain Afflictions that are from a more immediate Hand of God either in an ordinary or an extraordinary way those also that the Lord chastiseth us with by the Hand of the Magistrate I difference not each being to the same purpose and as an external Discipline For where there are no Magistrates or negligent ones God in a providential way and more immediately judgeth and afflicts Evil-doers even as where Church-Discipline is wanting or neglected God himself excommunicates as it were and gives Men up to Terror and Anguish of Soul for their evil Deeds If we should draw in here Instances from the Jewish Church and how the Lord disciplined them by the Civil Magistrate and afflicting the outward Man there can be nothing more evident than this an undoubted Usefulness of such Dispensations

exercised about the concernment only of a particular Congregation and therefore we may well assert with that learned Bishop B. Sanderson of Episcopacy pag. 24. It 's very hard to give a satisfactory difference betwixt such an Ecclesiastical Power and the Oeconomical both claiming by Divine Right why the one should be more injurious to Regal Power than the other We can further say the Power we claim is no other but such also as hath been always owned by our Laws and Writers of Note to be immediately from God and peculiar to his Holy Service and the Sacred Function of the Ministery with those other Parochial Duties as to Preach the Word Administer Sacraments and the like The word Sacraments and the use of the Keys saith B. Bilson are things comprised in the Church lie not open with other State-matters and by God commanded to the Church Of Supremacy p. 170. 227. Against Harding p. 6. c. 9. D. 1 2. Also D. Field of the Church lib. 5. c. 53. and are subject to no mortal Creature Pope or Prince We teach not Princes saith Bishop Jewel to offer up Incense or Sacrifice asVzziah did or to preach or administer Sacraments or to bind or to loose Each of these Duties are such and so spiritual as our Princes openly and in their Laws disown them as not depending upon their Administration or Authority In the 37th Article of the English Confession it is thus We give not to our Princes the Ministring either of God's Word or the Sacrament And in the Admonition c. Kings and Queens of this Realm Possessors of the Crown challenge not Authority and Power of Ministery of Divine Offices in the Church II. The Power or Jurisdiction exercised over these particular Assemblies or their Officers hath its station in a higher Region and such as in which all Christian Magistrates in the world judge themselves interessed and that what is done in this kind by any Person or Assembly be by a Power derived from them and subordinate to them So our Law 27 H. 8. c. 17. The Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons and other Ecclesiastical Persons have no manner of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction but by from and under the King 's Royal Majesty And in the Statute of 1 Edw. 6. c. 2. All Courts Ecclesiastical within the Realms of England and Ireland ought to be kept by no other Authority either Foreign or IN THE REALM but by the Authority of His most Excellent Majesty It is evident therefore that those Superior Powers of what Form or Denomination soever they be that are over these Congregations have their motions in Caesar's walk But the holy and spiritual Duties peculiar to particular Congregations are expresly remitted to them and their Ministers as the things of God and not of Caesar 3. Our situation is low and quite beneath those Orbs wherein the transactions of a National concernment move and are managed How Religion and Reformation thrive in a Nation and is encouraged by the Governors thereof we have a sence and form our thoughts and most effectual prayers and endeavors accordingly We are engaged hereunto as Members of the Catholick Church and particularly concerned in the welfare of our Native Countrey otherwise our Principles are to keep within our Congregational Precinct and not to give Laws or exercise Power over others or to engage our selves unless thereunto by Authority called in more publick Affairs Nor do we believe as we have jointly professed there is Power given by Christ to any Synod or Ecclesiastical Assemblies to Excommunicate Confession of Faith pag. 61. Sect. 22. or by their Publick Edicts to threaten Excommunication or other Church-Censures against Churches Magistrates or their People upon any such account And therefore we may be freed from the jealousie of being Troublers or Retarders of others in the work of Reformation or publick Settlement Or were we or could we be so in the Reformation not long since attempted otherwise than by not joining to further what our Consciences were not clear in or in not putting our neck voluntarily into a Yoke we conceived was not Christs and therefore would not be easie in the service of Christ 4. We have been blamed more than once for this Surname INDEPENDENT though a title not of our own choice as an insolent assuming Epist ad Buch. pag. 91. Miror etiam viris piis c. saith Spanhemius Truly I marvel that holy men so I judge them though dissenting from us should not themselves be dissatisfied with the very title an Independent Church which seems to me not to stand with the modesty of Christians The defects of all men through the blindness of their minds since the Fall is so great and obvious as no Person or Society can assume to it self an INDEPENDENCY in this respect without intollerable Pride Independency in respect of Power only is another thing Power simply and in it self is no Virtue though Justice Prudence and Fortitude by which it is managed are Not to be in Power is no Sin nor Moral Defect more than not to be Rich or in Honour It is not so much the Praise as the Charge of him that receiveth it the honour and glory of him that can give it of him only it hath its proportion and doth not become greater or less from any worth or industry found in those that receive it as Moral Virtues do Power doth not vary in its kind though the wisdom and ability to manage it be greater or less in him that hath it So that Power whether absolute or limited whether dependent or independent is a most inconsiderable thing in its self to be proud of or glory in If saith the Apostle there be any virtue if there be any praise Phil. 4.8 It is Virtue not Power we should be ambitious of being an excellency in it self and without it Power will be but a lifting us up to our own destruction Whatsoever Virtue or Gift is desirable for the manage of that Power Christ hath intrusted us with we further seek after in consulting other Churches and endeavour that all matters difficult and of common concernment may be proceeded in with joint consent We professedly depend upon Synods for Counsel which comes forth ordinarily from such Assemblies better digested and in a more perfect maturation their part being to advise and give Councel onely for men will not easdy spend much time to untie a knot if there be a knife at hand to out it 5. The Apostle Paul amongst other Reflections met with this from the false Apostles who gave him out in their reckoning as one that made some carnal advantage the scope of his Opinions 2 Cor. 10.2 3. with this hard measure we have met from first to last I am therefore willing to leave some account in the hand of my Friends being now aged and near my period of those Principles that have long through grace kept me and others steady in this perswasion Not only in and through these late Changes and Disputings but divers years before and when no such Encouragements were as are surmised to be our aim but the contrary The Apostle inserts in the midst of his Church-Disputes a whole Chapter in the praise of Charity and tells us in seeking our own for want hereof we are easily provoked and behave our selves unseemly 1 Cor. 13. and apt to think and surmise evil As for me to use David's words the Lord hath upheld me in mine integrity The reflecting thoughts whereof Psal 45.12 have been as the consolation of God in my Soul when I lay many days together by the Graves side Providence hath brought me back into a troublesom world where with patience and perseverance through Christ I shall wait until my Course be finished following peace with all men in the way of holiness without which no man shall see God P. NYE FINIS